Sandwich & Snack News - Issue 130

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Sandwich snack news INTERNATIONAL

www.sandwich.org.uk

ISSUE 130 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010

Real food, hand crafted

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rvice sector Targeting foodse health, including travel, cation, convenience, edu retail & workplace ution Nationwide distrib 7 days a week

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INSIDE EDITOR SIMON AMBROSE t: 01291 636343 e: editorial@papa.org.uk

SUBSCRIPTIONS LEE EVANS t: 01291 636333 lee@jandmgroup.co.uk

ADVERTISING PAUL STEER t: 01291 636342 e: paul@jandmgroup.co.uk

NEWS Page 5 - The Crown Group has launched a new eat-in and takeaway sandwich and café bar concept after a year in planning, with the first of the units now open in the Brighton Centre.

Real food, hand crafted

COMMENT Page 10 - Auditing bodies such as the BRC should make standards tighter still, making excellence extremely difficult to attain, argues technical consultant Alan Dulin, a former auditor for the British Sandwich Association.

TRENDS Page 40 - Banh mi, the Vietnamese sandwich that has caught on in a big way in New York in recent years, is starting to make an impact here. Tom Allen, Buckingham Foods’ senior development chef, explains why he’s so taken with them.

BSA Page 30 - Sandwich Designer of the Year Awards.

Page 32 - The Sammies: the industry’s annual awards.

Page 63 - BSA News PROFILE Page 12 - Chipotle has been a ‘must’ stop off for sandwich designers on ‘new retail trends’ tours, since it opened in London recently. Is all the fuss justified? Nellie Nichols joined the queue to find out.

Page 22 - POD, the healthy premium end fast-food chain with ‘green’ credentials, is set to double in size to around 20 stores by 2012 and there’s more to come. Simon Ambrose talks to founder and CEO Tim Hall DAY IN THE LIFE OF …

Page 20 - Impress Sandwiches has enjoyed rapid growth in recent times – to the tune of 20% annually in each of the past two years. Andrew Pocock, managing director, has a hectic schedule.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS Page 48 - Pret A Manger’s legendary attention to detail on the food side is matched only by developments in its internal systems and staff benefits. Simon Ambrose looks at recent developments.

FOOD SAFETY Page 52 - Implementing a food safety culture in your business can assist you to meet legal requirements as well as reducing the risk of an outbreak of food poisoning associated with your business, says Neil Rush, managing director of Support, Training & Services plc (STS)

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Driven by insight and innovation Urban eat has a simple aim, to be an outright market leader Call 01642 230 316 or email sales@urbaneat.co.uk for more information. www.urbaneat.co.uk

MANAGING EDITOR SIMON AMBROSE, Tel: 01291 636343 e-mail: editorial@papa.org.uk ADVERTISING PAUL STEER, t: +44 (0) 1291 636342 e-mail: paul@jandmgroup.co.uk PRODUCTION AND DESIGN JAYSON BERRY, t: +44 (0) 1291 636339 e: jayson@jandmgroup.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS LEE EVANS t: +44 (0) 1291 636333 e-mail: lee@jandmgroup.co.uk

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NEWS ‘Food to Go’ show to be held in Manchester CooperWhite Exhibitions is joining forces with the ‘Northern Restaurant & Bar 2011’ event at Manchester Central on March 1 & 2, 2011, to host its next fast food sector trade show.

Called ‘Food To Go,’ CooperWhite and Moorfield Media, organisers of “Northern Restaurant & Bar”, are looking to capitalise on existing synergies between the companies and the benefits of staging the two complementary shows under one roof.

It will include the Northern heat of the Sandwich Designer of the Year competition, the British Sandwich Association national competition, sponsored in previous years by companies such as Moy Park, Ginsters, Marks & Spencer and Bernard Matthews.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2011, ‘Northern Restaurant & Bar’ is said to be a highly regarded business to business licensed trade show, marketed and advertised nationally in trade press publications and through a massive on and offline campaign across the North of England.

It is hoped a new wave of visitors from businesses such as delis, cafés, sandwich bars, coffee shops, takeaways, convenience stores, mobile caterers and fish & chip shops will visit the event, which currently attracts 4,000 – 5,000 visitors.

Charles Cooper of CooperWhite, added: “There has not been a fast food exhibition in Manchester for over four years, so for businesses supplying food and drink to the consumer, ‘Food To Go’ is the place to visit to see, sample and purchase new products and equipment. www.northernrestaurantandbar.co.uk www.cooperwhite.co.uk

SSP UK launch retro sandwiches with new BreadBox tea-led brand SSP UK is launching a new retro-style, tea-led brand at Manchester’s Piccadilly station.

The company, which already runs enroute outlets such as Upper Crust, Caffe Ritazza and Camden Food Company, claims to be responding to consumer demand for traditional tea brewed in a traditional teapot and the ‘classic’ food that goes with it.

BreadBox aims to offer simple, quick and satisfying no-nonsense food on the go, from classic sandwich fillings and pork pies to Bakewell Tarts with iconic condiments such as Branston Pickle, HP Sauce and Heinz Tomato Ketchup.

On the sandwich side, there will be combinations on square brown or white rolls such as Corned Beef & Pickle; Tuna & Cucumber; Cheese & Onion savoury.

There will be teatime favourite treats such as Eccles cakes, custard tarts, rock cakes and jam doughnuts.

“We wanted to create a brand that satisfied Britain’s philosophy that a good cuppa makes everything alright. That’s why BreadBox is not only tea-led but also goes back to basics by using the traditional teapot method,” explains SSP UK’s CEO, Tony Keating.

“And with every other sandwich brand catering for our ever-more sophisticated tastes with exotic fillings and continental breads, there is now a huge market for simple, down to earth food that is not being catered for. We’re bringing back corned beef and pickle baps, pork pies and rock cakes, all offered at price points that also reflect simplicity, easing the purchasing experience for time-pressured travellers.”

A bread roll has been developed specifically for the brand concept – consumer tested to satisfy need for

classic bread texture and taste.

The launch event was opened by a Queen lookalike.

SSP joins a number of companies who have tapped into retro-style sandwiches since the start of the recession. M&S led the way with a range of retro sandwiches two years ago; ASDA has followed the trend recently with a number of lines including a Crispwich crisp butty (see elsewhere in this issue.)

Vista QSR close to signing 100 Subway franchisees INDEPENDENT EPOS maintenance services company Vista Retail Support, is close to signing up its 100th Subway franchisee to the Vista QSR (Quick Service Restaurants) support service.

The service, which is available to both new and existing Subway franchisees, sees Vista QSR support PC and till hardware / software,

4 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

CCTV and comms kit. Subway franchisees can opt for four-hour or next day on site response, seven days a week. Franchisees have one number to call for any of their support requirements.

Vista QSR also provides telephone support from the company’s Cardiff based offices seven days a week

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NEWS Crown Group launches Feed sandwich bar chain The Crown Group has launched a new eat-in and takeaway sandwich and café bar concept, after a year in planning, with the first of the units now open in the Brighton Centre.

A second ‘pod’ version is due to open in Cambridge and two more sites have been earmarked already, one of them in Harrogate.

The Crown Group runs a number of businesses in the catering, hospitality and events sectors, including Kudos Hospitality, with 35% of its business already in retail – it runs a Coffee Republic franchise in Bournemouth, for example.

CEO Charles Beer believes there’s an increasing trend towards high quality products, and they have set out to

complement their existing range of businesses, he says, with the new retail brand replicating the best of the high street.

“This is absolutely right for our business and we have been absolutely delighted with the results so far.”

Benchmarked against premium operators such as Pret and EAT, everything is

Raynor Foods retains its Buckingham Palace contract Raynor Foods’ initial six month contract to supply sandwiches to Buckingham Palace has now been extended.

The Palace is operating a dual-supply system with its long-term supplier Daily Bread and Raynor Foods.

Co-op fund raising Xmas sandwiches The Co-operative has launched three own-brand Christmas sandwiches with10p from each sale going towards funding online support service for young carers.

The three sandwiches – all priced at £2.50 – include a traditional Turkey, Stuffing, Bacon & Cranberry variety, featuring butter-basted turkey, pork, sage and onion stuffing with a sweet cranberry chutney, mayonnaise and smoke flavour sweetcure bacon on soft malted bread; a Wiltshire Ham & Braised Red Cabbage

sandwich with apple and raisin chutney, mayonnaise and spinach on malted mixed grain and seed bread; and a Christmas Dinner Triple, which includes prawn cocktail, turkey and stuffing and cheddar cheese and chutney variants.

Helen Shaw, sandwich buyer at The Co-operative, commented: “We’re proud to be raising both money and awareness for this vital service, and this initiative is a great example of The Cooperative’s ongoing commitment to young people.”

made on site, with a small kitchen unit, and bake-off ovens at front of house.

Simplicity has been a central theme, with the menu focusing on a limited range of core items. It includes hot and cold drinks, breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, soups, snacks and fruits. Product is displayed in chiller cabinets.

‘Uniq’ approach to fundraising The team at Moulton Park-based sandwich manufacturer Uniq Prepared Foods has raised thousands of pounds for charity recently.

Staff and suppliers have raised well over £20,000 this year alone thanks to numerous fund raising initiatives ranging from Ridge Walks to raffles.

The most recent recipients of their generosity are the Northampton-based Cynthia Spencer Hospice and the Warwickshire & Northants Air Ambulance charities, who were both presented with cheques for £2,500 each by Uniq Prepared Foods’ MD Lochlain Feeley.

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NEWS

Growing Greggs extends its breakfast menu Greggs is adding croissants, pain au chocolat and porridge as a trial for its breakfast menus.

Breakfast sales have been particularly strong, says the company, with the bacon roll now its bestselling sandwich line.

The company, which now has more than 1,450 shops across the UK, said the breakfast market boost had helped push sales in what it said was an “increasingly challenging trading environment” so far this year.

The baker and sandwich maker, which serves more than six million customers a week, released the figures in a trading update for the 39 weeks to October 2. Total sales were up by 2.6% and like-for-like sales by 0.5%.

An extra 32 new Greggs shops have opened so far this year and the company said it expects to be at the upper end of its target for 50-60 openings this year as its works towards its aim of 2,000 outlets nationwide.

27 of these will be the company’s new concept stores in London in 2010, with the first eight already said to be performing ahead of expectations. Self-service is at the heart of the new concept stores.

In spite of a rapid openings programme over many years, Greggs estimates that half the UK population are still unable to get to one of their shops. It aims to open an additional 600+ new shops across UK in coming years, with 50% of openings coming where customers work and travel.

While cost inflation has been marginal in the first half, further cost inflation is expected in the second half and recent wheat prices are adding to the pressure, says the company.

Greencore and Northern Foods to merge CHILLED foods and sandwich manufacturers Greencore Group Plc and Northern Foods Plc are to merge creating a new company, Essenta Foods, with annual sales of about 1.7 billion pounds.

The combination of the food makers, which both supply U.K. retailers including Tesco Plc and Marks & Spencer Group Plc, will lead to annual savings of 40 million pounds within three years, the companies said in a statement, as we went to press.

Shareholders in Leeds, Englandbased Northern Foods and Dublinbased Greencore will each own 50 percent of the new company, to be called Essenta Foods.

Patrick Coveney, Greencore’s chief executive officer, will become the CEO of Essenta Foods.

The merger is due to complete in

the second quarter of 2011 and the new company will be domiciled in Ireland.

At least half of the estimated cost savings from the deal will be generated in the first year. The merger will help create a “stronger credit profile which will help ensure greater financial and strategic flexibility in future”.

Greencore supplies product to Sainsbury’s through its dedicated Park Royal site. It also supplies Asda, the Co-operative, Morrisons, and Boots, as well as WeightWatchers, FooGo, Sushi San and Sutherland Deli brands.

Northern Foods’ Solway Foods supplies Tesco on a dedicated basis and its Gunstone’s Bakery supplies around 40% of M&S’s sandwich business, as well as around half of the Costa account.

Dominos moves into hot subs DOMINOS is taking on Subway with its new lunchtime menu, recently rolled out across its 496 stores in England, which includes a number of hot sub options.

Domino’s oven-baked subs, sold during lunch hours, feature a range of top pizza toppings and new filling choices, in a freshly baked ciabatta.

Products include New Yorker – featuring sausage and smoky bacon with onion and mozzarella, topped with cheese and herb sauce and a dash of American style mustard; Vegi Supreme - mushrooms, onions,

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sweetcorn, tomatoes, green peppers and mozzarella with vine-ripened tomato sauce; Meatball Sub - a combination of meatballs, onions and mozzarella with vine-ripened tomato sauce; Cheese Steak Melt - steak slices with onions and 100% mozzarella, topped with a cheese and herb sauce; Pepperoni Melt pepperoni with ham, onions and real mozzarella with vine-ripened tomato sauce; Nuclear Sub - spicy tandoori chicken, jalapenos and onions, topped with mozzarella and cheese and herb sauce.

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NEWS

Green POD set to double in size POD, the healthy premium-end sandwich bar chain with strong ‘green’ credentials, is set to double in size to around 20 stores by 2012.

The company, named Independent Retailer of the Year at the lunch! show recently, currently has nine units in central London.

“The market is a massive green pasture for us but the issue is always going to be one of property,” says founder Tim Hall, who has negotiated new expansion finance from ‘angel’ investors. “Finding high quality sites lies at the heart of future success, but curiously there hasn’t been a big increase in available property during the

Food Partners OUR apologies to Food Partners (and Greencore) for misinterpreting some data in a feature on Food Partner’s new Urban Eat development in the last issue when we considerably over-estimated Greencore’s share of the multiple retailer sandwich market. In fact, we understand now that Greencore makes around 200m sandwich packs pa, including foodservice and Sutherlands sales. Adelie – Food Partners and Buckingham Foods combined – is not far behind that.

Secondly, we should make it clear that Adelie has actually been restructured into two divisions. The retail division consists of Buckingham Foods and Meadowbrook Bakery. The Foodservice division is now called The Food Partners Group, which includes the original Food Partners business, together with Brambles Foods and Superior Foods.

recession,” he says.

“We will look at sites anywhere we can operate successfully, but it’s likely to be within the M25 currently. Growth has so far been slow but steady, but there is also a plan for massive expansion within 10 years, in the UK and internationally.”

Stores are built from as much recycled material as possible including tiles, glass and flooring materials; its oak timbers come from sustainable managed forests and the paint is organic.

All packaging at POD is plant fibrebased, supplied by the London Bio Packaging Company, with a composter available in each store, with the waste then collected by Cawleys.

FSC take the honours for best cheese sandwich FOODSERVICE Centre took first and second place in the ‘World’s greatest cheese sandwich competition’ recently, held at the Frome Cheese Show.

FSC created two entries, one from their Scandinavian team and one from the UK team. Daniel Rolk from Sweden focused on staying loyal to his roots by following a contemporary Swedish style and using a traditional cheese from the South of the country.

Keith Allen who

works at FSC’s head office in Cheddar, chose to follow a local South West theme with all the ingredients (from the bread flour upwards) sourced as close as possible to the home of the ‘world’s most famous cheese’.

ASDA launch retro sandwich range ASDA has launched a number of Limited Edition retro sandwiches as part of a major overhaul of its food to go products and ownbrand ranges in general.

Lines include a jam sandwich, fish finger butty, crisp sandwich, and posh corned beef and pickle.

The 60p Crispwich consists of four slices of buttered bread and a small bag of ready salted crisps.

Each sandwich contains 313 calories, equal to 13 per cent of the daily maximum recommended for adult men and 16 per cent of that for women, and three grams of saturated fat - 15 per cent of

the daily recommended adult intake.

A spokeswoman for Asda said the crisp sandwich was a “fun product” which the supermarket came up with after its customers said they were looking for “more unusual flavours” in their sandwiches.

At the same time, it launched a customer competition, asking them to vote for their favourite. The winning sandwich stays on the shelves for six months.

Its range of sandwiches, wraps, baguettes and sushi has also been repackaged.

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NEWS

Tesco’s lasagne sandwich makes Italians see red, white and green TESCO’S lasagne sandwich and a number of other ‘Italian’ products have come in for some flack from Italian food authorities. They claim Italiansounding but not ‘genuine’ products are costing the country billions of pounds each year in lost revenue.

Italian-sounding food that does not originate in Italy is worth €26 billion (£22 billion) in the European Union alone twice the value of the nation’s genuine food exports according to the Italian food producers’ association, Federalimentare.

It reserves particular disdain for the lasagne sandwich, launched by the British supermarket in July, saying that it was not worthy of being associated with the classic baked pasta dish.

Tesco’s sandwich, designed by developer Laura Fagan, consists of a filling of minced beef, pasta sheets and a creamy sauce, enclosed between two thick slices of white bread.

Italy sets great store by its “Made in Italy” brand, but believes food “piracy” costs the country around €60 billion in lost sales worldwide each year.

Among other imitation products it singles out are German “salami”, Swedish fontina cheese, and “parmesan” from Romania.

30% of Irish sandwiches fail the FSAI temperature test A study published by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) to assess the microbiological safety of prepackaged sandwiches has found that 29% of the sandwiches tested were stored or displayed at temperatures higher than 5˚C. However, 99% of the 948 prepackaged sandwiches tested from retailers and caterers across the country were satisfactory when tested for the foodborne bacteria Listeria monocytogenes and coagulase positive staphylococci.

The study found that four of the five sandwiches, which were classified as unsatisfactory or unacceptable/potentially hazardous, were stored above 8˚C, with one sandwich displayed unrefrigerated at 17.9˚C. For three of these sandwiches, there was at least one day remaining until the use-by date expired, which could have allowed even more bacteria to grow.

While the incidence of Listeria monocytogenes infection is rare in Ireland, there is a high mortality rate (up to 40%) and only small numbers need to be consumed to cause serious infection.

Commenting on the findings of the study, Prof Alan Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI said that the survey highlighted an unacceptable disregard for temperature control.

“Storing pre-packaged sandwiches at the incorrect temperature can lead to food poisoning. The onus is on retailers and caterers to ensure prepackaged sandwiches are refrigerated at the recommended temperature of 5˚C or cooler. Hospitals and other establishments, which cater for vulnerable patients and the elderly, should be vigilant in monitoring temperature control and use-by dates.

Equally important, manufacturers must ensure that accurate and realistic use-by dates are applied to the sandwiches they make.”

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The study involved the HSE testing 948 pre-packaged sandwiches from retailers and caterers across the country. It found that nearly all (99%) of these pre-packaged sandwiches were labelled correctly with a use-by date, as required by law. However, two food safety issues were noted – the use-by date had expired for a small proportion (1%) of sandwiches collected and the shelf-life given to some sandwiches may have been too long.

Sandwiches made to order, unwrapped sandwiches and sandwiches which receive heat-treatment, e.g. toasted sandwiches and paninis were excluded from study.

Foods typically associated with Listeria monocytogenes contamination include ready-to-eat products made with red meat, poultry meat and fish, including frankfurters, pâté, smoked salmon and fermented raw meat sausages.

Commonly affected dairy products include soft cheeses, such as brie, camembert and roulade, semi-soft farmhouse cheeses and unpasteurised milk. Prepared salads, such as coleslaw, are foods which can support the growth of the pathogen. Ready-toeat foods have been identified as a high-risk food group, as they are intended by the producer or manufacturer for direct human consumption, without the need for cooking or other processing methods usually associated with eliminating or reducing bacteria to levels acceptable for human consumption.

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INDEPENDENT SANDWICH BAR NEWS Michelin chef opens a sandwich bar in Newport MICHELIN chef Guner Isik has opened Gunero, a new sandwich bar in Newport, selling a wide selection of fresh deli, salads and hot pies. He has worked in top eateries across Shropshire for over a decade.

“I’m a chef by trade with experience in a Michelin restaurant in Bridgnorth. But I wanted

to go out on my own and this is the first step for me. It’s a nerve-racking but exciting move,” he said. “Everyone who starts a new business is taking a risk. I don’t know how Newport will receive us but I believe in good service and really hope we can offer something different. I’m very hopeful that this can be a success.”

New Nat West business guide for independents NAT WEST has produced a useful free guide for anyone considering setting up a sandwich or café business called ‘Why Consider … the Hospitality & Catering Sector’.

Chapters include articles on business models, money matters, common pitfalls and useful contacts.

It includes comments from Richard and Jill Willis, who run Taste, a sandwich bar and café in Romford that won Best Independent Sandwich Bar in Britain in 2009 and a Sammies marketing award this year, and are regular contributors to International Sandwich & Snack News.

Strangely, it lists O’Briens franchising as a source at the end, a curious choice in view of the UK arm’s administration problems of a few years back.

Newport already has a number of outlets including Subways, Greggs, Combinations and Wycherleys.

He added: “I have set the prices reasonably low because I believe that if you look after people, they will look after you.

We’re supporting local businesses by buying local.”

Defibrillator for sandwich bar A Ledbury, Herefordshire sandwich shop has been given an emergency response bag and defibrillator.

As a Community First Responder, Number 1 Sandwich Bar, can use the equipment if a medical emergency occurs.

Sandwich bar takes its battle to Downing Street ESSEX sandwich bar Bread and Buffers on Billericay train station is facing closure as the result of development at the station.

The popular sandwich shop, which has been serving commuters for 18 years, is set to make way for a revamped frontage and ticket office, prompting its family owners to present a petition containing 3,000 signatures to Prime Minister David Cameron.

Hugh McMahon, who runs the shop with his wife Nadia, says: “The support we have received from everyone has been tremendous. Passengers have been fantastic with more than 3,000 of them signing the petition to try and keep us open.

We are overwhelmed and very grateful to everyone for their support. We hope common sense will prevail and we will be able to continue trading during any building works and once the station has been refurbished.”

The couple signed a lease renewal with National Express in April, but less than two weeks later the company issued a lease termination on the basis of redevelopment at the station.

This is expected to begin before the end of the year, although no official date has as yet been set.

The campaign to carry on trading has the backing of Basildon and Billericay MP John Baron and the Essex Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

London sandwich bar saved after church donation A new Highgate community sandwich bar has been saved following a £5,000 donation from the local church.

Plans to launch the Fresh Foods Gym and Juice Bar in Chester Road, part of the Phiz ’n’ Biz Project, came under serious threat when the Futures Job Fund was scrapped.

St Anne’s donation went towards

the cost of fridges, furniture and startup stock.

Youth development coordinator at the church, Robert Aitken, said: “As soon as we heard about the café we thought it sounded like a really good enterprise. It fits our ethos of engaging the community by doing something that trains young people with new skills.”

Phiz ’n’ Biz service manager Charles Browne said: “Money from the Futures Job Fund was going to help us find our feet, build a reputation for ourselves and cover wages for the first six months. We’re not here to make money, we’re here to give young people confidence in the workplace. We really need support from the community to keep us here.”

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Comment

The pursuit of

excellence Auditing bodies such as the BRC should make standards tighter still, making excellence extremely difficult to attain, argues technical consultant Alan Dulin, a former auditor for the British Sandwich Association

T

he BRC global standard involving the external accreditation/certification of sandwich producers is now well established in the UK and in many parts of the world.

The first standard came into force in practical terms, when Safeway took over the chairmanship of the BRC technical committee and Kevin Swoffer, whom I knew well from my Safeway consultancy, was charged with rationalising all the various standards, such as EFSIS and LawCred, into one comprehensive code of practice.

It focused on quality management systems outlining the approach and detail of the various component parts that, in combination, make for good control management. The accent was on product safety with HACCP being an integral part of the evaluation process, but there are now additional standards covering consumer products, packaging and packaging materials and storage/distribution.

Auditors have to be accredited for their role by UKAS, either individually or as part of a company and conversant with the type of production they are assessing.

The auditing frequency is

determined by the degree of risk of the food involved, ranging from low to high and visit duration has increased over time from one to one and a half days. There is also now more attention given to management capability than hitherto.

When this scheme was initiated, it was generally well received by manufacturers, particularly those supplying the supermarkets, as they were inundated with customer visits, taking up an inordinate amount of time and attention. The expectation was that this visit frequency would be drastically reduced but this has not materialised.

The BRC is the standard of choice recognised by British retailers but my inclination is that they regard this grade as a basic level of acceptance and their staff seem to visit suppliers as much, if not more frequently, than in the past. I am told that this could be due to more test marketing of new products but I recall, in my past M&S days, that even then 10 or more new products per week were tested throughout the year.

There are now even unannounced customer visits for hygiene and safety and the BRC have introduced such a scheme to attain the highest grade of accreditation.

10 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

Initially fewer companies achieved the higher level of accreditation but now it is much more common. The auditing bodies will say that standards today are higher than in the past and this is valid to some degree. In my view however, the attainment of the standard in the early years was not difficult enough and, although now harder to obtain, a case could be made for it to be tighter still, as achieving excellence should be extremely difficult to attain.

As a technologist, I must emphasise that I welcome more attention to the discipline and detail of control systems arising from external audit accreditation but the outcome should be put into perspective. The BRC audits are a one-off snapshot per year or less and an evaluation of results that were recorded when the auditor was not present.

Even though auditors/companies are certificated by UKAS, their interpretation of the standards may vary according to the individual.

This is in the nature of

human beings and applies to all the various organisations with accreditation schemes.

This variation has still more significance when comparing BRC equivalence in other countries. From my own experience in Europe, I formed the opinion that, in some cases, it was easier to achieve the BRC standard with non UK auditors.

My M&S work involved visiting suppliers relatively frequently and enabled me to get to know the personnel well and to discern whom to trust and whom to treat with some dubiety. People are a vital factor and BRC auditors cannot know their clients so well and therefore their accreditation should be put into context.

The right lead from the top management of M&S suppliers was a most significant feature of trust and integrity and singled out the companies who would consistently manufacture to the agreed standards of safety, quality and hygiene. â&#x20AC;˘ Alan Dulin reflects at length on his long career in the business in the next issue of International Sandwich & Snack News

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Great value and great quality Deli cooked meat.

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AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL ASDA. Available at selected Asda stores while stocks last. Online prices may vary from those in-store. Deli Meats Breaded Dry Cure Ham/Oven Baked Ham/Honey Roast Carver Ham/Chargrill Style Chicken Breast 425g (£9.41 per kg). Offer available from 8am Monday 8th November 2010.

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THE MEXICAN WAY Nellie Nichols

Chipotle has been a ‘must’ stop off for sandwich designers on ‘new retail trends’ tours, since it opened in London recently. Is all the fuss justified? Nellie Nichols joined the queue to find out

I

don’t ever want to go to Mexico, I think it’s a texture thing. I can only visit a country if I have a fascination for its food, and the food from Mexico is often soft, squidgy, baby food textures which have never appealed to me.

Neither have chillies, some of which have the potential to damage anyone’s taste buds, and as mine represent my livelihood, I consider them worth taking extreme care of. I am sure this is quite short-sighted but, to be honest, I’ve happily let myself be led by my instincts for

years, and as this has proved reasonably successful I figure I should just keep doing it.

But perhaps now is the time to dip my burrito in the salsa because the UK is being slowly infiltrated by what are being described finally as truly decent Mexican eateries: Wahaca, Mexican street food started

by Thomasina Miers of Masterchef fame which I am trying out later this week, Chilango and Tortilla. All are growing into respectable chains fed by the growing popularity for international cuisine in the ever

12 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

diversifying food to go arena.

But to me, the most intriguing of them all has to be the first UK opening of Chipotle in May. A complete unknown this side of the pond, in the States it is nothing short of a national institution with a 2009 revenue in excess of $1.5 billion.

More than 1,000 restaurants in 37 states employ 25,000. It serves more than 750,000 customers every day.

Welcome to the sleeping giant, and I’m sure I won’t be the only one watching its European awakening with great interest.

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I soon feel its corporate enormity when I make some enquires about an interview. Before I know it my In Box is filling up with a peppering of emails from the PR machine back in Dallas, Texas. What is Sandwich Magazine? (I mean, honestly!) Who makes up the readership? Do I realise Chipotle don’t make what they consider a sandwich? They then email that they’ll think about it for a while and let me know. I’m going ahead anyway - you know me - and in any case, I’ve decided that this new kid on the UK block is too significant

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not to write about.

Finally after going round in one long frustrating and convoluted circle I’m back where I started, talking to Jacob Sumner, the ‘Restaurateur of European Operations’, clearly the army’s advance party. He has been responsible for the first store opening in May in Charing Cross Road, off Shaftesbury Avenue in London, opposite the famous Foyle’s bookstore.

To be honest, I started off thinking what was all the fuss about: wasn’t this just another McDonald’s clone with a different product offering? Painting by numbers in the kitchen, roll it out in every city and start printing the cash. I’m still not entirely sure and that’s after spending quite some time with Jacob.

What I do know is this is very much a proactive and positive food business template. If you’re going to create a fast food model that has the capability of becoming this gargantuan, giving it a heartbeat and a conscience was a very wise move by its founder, Steve Els when he opened his first store in Denver Colorado in 1993.

His ethos was to create a Mexican fast food concept by using what has become one of Chipotle’s mantras: “food with integrity,” with ingredients that have been raised not only with respect to animals but also the environment and farmers.

I would imagine initially this was a pretty simple task to pull off - after all, small quantities of farm-assured chicken are not insurmountable to find and all through the 90’s that is exactly what he did. Naturally raised pigs, chicken and cattle were all sourced and used in his expanding

number of restaurants. It’s only recently he has hit the issue of his demand having outgrown his supply.

In 2010 he faced the conundrum of his chicken supply shrinking back from 100% to 80% against his sales.

Before opening in London they identified suppliers all over England of farm-assured meats, and their impressive back-up in a time of crisis entails Jason getting on his bike and cycling to Borough Market to buy guaranteed pork quality from the famous Ginger Pig. Chipotle’s growth may now well be getting in the way of its beliefs but they are fighting hard to source the best and eliminate the worst as they grow year on year. 2004, only a couple of years before Chipotle went public on the New York Stock Exchange, marked the year that their oil no longer contained trans fats. In 2009 Steve testified before Congress to try and eliminate antibiotics in ranching.

I’m invited to the kitchen and to meet some of the team. They call it ‘kitchen transparency’. The kitchen forms part of the counter and there is virtually no preparation that doesn’t take place in full view of the customer. Everything is done from scratch, from the washing and shredding of the Romaine lettuce to the seven hours a day spent deseeding and dicing tomatoes.

Today’s lettuce is washed eleven times until the icy water that is constantly changed is ‘fit to drink’.

Cumin seeds are toasted on the grill twice a day and form part of one of the two house salsas, along with juniper berries. Shards of pepper are roasted along their sides, flanks of beef hand butchered and marinated,

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PROFILE

pork is slow cooked for ten hours.

Plum tomatoes are jumbled up with jalapeños and then roasted; their charred skins then blitzed into tiny fragments and added to the salsa.

Jacob takes me to show me the evidence in the glistening shiny salsa on the counter. He stirs it with pride to show me, then excitedly points out a slice of gloriously scorched yellow pepper he has spotted and tells me he knows it will taste incredible.

I don’t think for a single minute there is any question at all that Jacob doesn’t truly love his job, but then everyone here looks like they do; there is a calm organised symmetry in this kitchen I don’t often witness.

This is because there is a very impressive and honest people culture here that attracts high performing employees, which results in 90% of the managers coming up through the ranks from the restaurant crews.

Countless team members keep a watchful and independent eye on the ‘front line’ of ingredients and make their own judgement on when to grill more chicken or flip some more chargrilled peppers, all standing by readily prepared in the state of the art built in fridge below the grill.

Either everyone who works here is on happy pills or, far more likely it’s just a great place to work. Training is done ‘shoulder to shoulder’ and when I ask Jason if they have a training academy he is visibly amused.

There are just five choices to make at Chipotle: a burrito, a bowl (a burrito without the flour tortilla),

Nellie Nichols is a food consultant and is contactable on W: www.nellienichols.com E: nellie@nellienichols.com The above is based on her independent views soft or crispy tacos and salads, yet there are 65,000 possible combinations you can create. The quality of the ingredients is absolutely without question; I loved the cilantro lime rice and the pinto beans and the slow cooked pork just melts away. The salsas and guacamole put most others you will have tasted to shame and then there is the very delicious chipotle honey vinaigrette. There’s nothing here not to love.

There is a strict no freezer policy but a huge walk-in fridge and I feel very privileged to be invited to take a look inside. A walk-in is at the heart of any kitchen, it is here we all know you will see immediately just how well the kitchen runs, and gauge the

14 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

freshness of the product. It is the soul and the heartbeat of the operation where nothing can hide. I can only marvel at the wonderment of such fresh, neat trays and containers of such spanking quality.

Steve Els has a philosophy that I am a passionate believer in, which is based on the ‘keep it simple’ school of thought. He says if you only do a few things, you can do them better than anyone else. Despite their product being far from cheap at an average spend of around £6.50 with no add-ons, Chipotle want you to experience a well-sourced delicious product that is hard to beat on taste and quality and changes the way consumers think and feel about fast food. That makes perfect sense to me.

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Café - the National Trade +

Show for the industry Running at the NEC in Birmingham, 27th Feb – 1st March, Café+ brings together suppliers and buyers over three days for serious product sourcing and networking.

Café+ 2011 will be the biggest and best yet bursting with ideas, new products, samples and initiatives for cafés, sandwich and coffee shops to take back to their business.

This vibrant trade Show is co-located with a number of other leading food and drink trade shows including the National Convenience Show and the Bakery Show, offering visitors product sourcing galore - all in one day.

“We’re opening a new café in a couple of months so Café+ has been great for us. There are some good exhibitors here and it’s been good to meet with suppliers face to face.”

“We researched new equipment on the internet and have now come to see it for real at the show.

We’ve seen some really good quality packaging so it’s been well worth coming.”

David Wright, Daisies in the Park, Pinner

Catherine O’Grady, OCEES, Westport

For more information on exhibiting call Matthew Butler on 01293 610338 A welcome addition to your business

For more information on visiting visit www.cafeplusshow.co.uk

This is a trade event. No under 16s. Students by prior arrangement only.

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CONSUMER TRENDS

Great expectations As consumers become increasingly empowered, consumer expectations will become higher, with value consciousness, provenance, sustainability and healthy eating very much in mind, says Simon Stenning, Allegra Strategies’ Foodservice Strategy Director

T

he UK informal eating out market, which includes the sandwich shops sector, remains resilient despite the tough economic environment, with 1% growth expected for 2010 bringing the total market value up to £40.5 billion.

Higher value added tax (VAT), up from 15% in 2009 to 17.5% in 2010, and inflation were counteracted by market operators who drove sales up with strategic promotions and offered excellent value for money. Understandably, independents were harder hit than chains because they buy less in bulk and have struggled to compete with the pricing and promotional activity of their branded chain rivals.

Value consciousness Even though consumers remain cautious, the good news for sandwich shops is that eating out is an integral part of consumers’ lifestyles and the majority of consumers have not decided to eat out less. Instead, they have decided to trade down to operators that offer better value for money. Another positive factor is that lunch is the most popular meal eaten out of home.

However, in today’s fiercely competitive market delivering value for money is expected to be an ongoing challenge for sandwich shop operators. This must be differentiated from price consciousness; consumers do not want cheap food, they are increasingly demanding good quality and taste at a fair price. The top 10 branded foodservice operators identified by Allegra’s Eating Out in the UK 2010 Report were predominantly value led.

Since the economic downturn there has also been a growing tendency for consumers to patronise familiar operators rather than risk spending their money in unknown establishments. The majority of consumers surveyed by Allegra cited a positive previous experience as the main reason for choosing the establishment for their most recent eating out experience. This highlights how important it is to value customer loyalty and always strive to deliver convenience and an exceptional consumer experience at an affordable price.

Healthy eating In addition to value consciousness, consumer

awareness and understanding of the necessity for a healthier lifestyle has gained pace in the last couple of years. Healthy eating is no longer a niche fad, but has become established as a mainstream issue across the UK. The foodservice industry has traditionally focused on the indulgent-led consumer but now it must acknowledge consumers’ needs and provide suitable information and product ranges to help them achieve their goals.

Even though 35% of consumers said they want to eat out more healthily out of home, 46% stated that there are not enough healthy options available in eating out establishments.

However, consumers’ demands are contradictory; despite their good intentions they don’t necessarily opt for healthier food. For example, visitors to Merlin Entertainments Group attractions, which include Alton Towers and Chessington World of Adventures, said they wanted healthier options on the menu but they don’t select them - doughnuts remain the number one bestseller.

Educating consumers about healthy eating habits, but not detracting from the idea that eating out is a treat, is an ongoing challenge.

The majority of consumers’ understanding of what determines healthy food tends to be based on calorie information. In spite of this, an Allegra survey of consumers’ understanding of calorie counts of typical meals eaten out of home showed widespread misunderstanding of relative calorie values.

Interestingly, a recent Food Standards Agency (FSA) trial showed that there was no conclusive evidence that calorie labelling actually changed consumer behavior when eating out.

As Jemima Bird, marketing director, at Tragus Group which owns Strada and Café Rouge, summed up: “The key is providing a perception of healthiness without preaching.”

Sustainability Ethics and food provenance are becoming an increasingly important issue on the consumer agenda. 72% of senior executives from across the foodservice industry told Allegra that they expect that these issues will have a greater impact on where consumers choose to eat.

16 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

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CONSUMER TRENDS operators with differentiation and competitive advantage. Although sustainability was identified as a priority by consumers, over half of those surveyed by Allegra Strategies couldn’t name a single ethical operator; of the remainder the highest ranking was given to local independents.

This highlights that the biggest challenge for operators is getting to grips with the complexity and breadth of issues within sustainability as a lack of understanding can hinder initial implementation. Operators wanting help developing a sustainability policy should sign up to schemes offered by the Sustainable Restaurant Association, Assured Food Standards’ Red Tractor and the Safe and Local Supplier which provide clear guidelines, support and can actually help companies reduce the cost of implementing a sustainability policy.

Once sandwich shop operators have sustainability procedures in place they should communicate this clearly to earn consumer approval. Foodservice operators with strong messaging in this area include: McDonald’s, Marks & Spencer and Starbucks.

“

Delivering value for money is expected to be an ongoing challenge for sandwich shop operators

”

Sandwich shop operators keen to invest in sustainability should focus on supporting local suppliers, promoting healthier eating, have clear policies on animal welfare, ethical sourcing and supporting local charities.

Implementing and then communicating sustainable business practices can provide

Looking to the future Based on a combination of economic forecasts, past performance and industry executive predictions, Allegra has produced a five year growth forecast for the informal eating out market. This values the sector at £49 billion in 2015.

In the short term, consumers and corporate budget holders are not going to change the habits and enhanced value consciousness they acquired during the recession. Added to this, is the heightened uncertainty over the implications of the new Government’s measures to address the weaknesses in public finances. These steps will lead to rising unemployment and weaken consumer confidence which will inevitably impact discretionary spending.

In January 2011 the market will be hit by a 2.5% increase in VAT rise to 20%. This will widen the perceived pricing gap between the cost of eating in versus going out. Moreover, the extent of this rise will be very difficult for operators to absorb without significantly damaging already weak profit margins.

Although subdued market conditions are expected to prevail during 2011 by 2012 the sector should return to stronger growth. The London Olympic Games will provide the industry with a welcome boost in tourist and visitor numbers.

It’s certain that in five years time people will eat out more often than they do at the moment.

But, sandwich shop operators cannot afford to be complacent about a more prosperous future – as consumers becoming increasingly empowered their expectations will become higher.

www.sandwich.org.uk November/December 2010 17

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SANDWICH MANUFACTURING

Bradgate Bakery’s quieter sandwich cutter saves the company over £100k a year AN invention which is set to save a company over £100k a year by slashing noise levels has notched up a prestigious health and safety award.

Leicester’s Bradgate Bakery’s eureka idea for a sandwich cutter that improved profits by protecting staff from excess noise, won the top prize at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s (IOSH) National Food and Drink Health and Safety Awards recently.

Spearheaded by health, safety and environment manager, Neal Davis, the aim was to reduce noise levels in the factory for the company’s 1000-strong workforce. Through research, he found that one of the loudest offenders was a piece of machinery used to help cut two million sandwiches every week.

Engineer Brian Worth’s ingenious Dragons’ Den-style modification to Bradgate Bakery’s already existing 30 sandwich cutters involved switching the cumbersome metal bearings and

shafts to plastic. And in the process, he found it saved time, money, and work-related incidents of ill-health.

Neal said: “The benefits have been fantastic – the machinery is more reliable, we are able to increase productivity because we don’t spend as much on maintenance, and we have fewer occupational health problems related to stress, tinnitus and headaches from the noise.

“We’ve reduced noise levels from 87 to 76 decibels so now none of the workforce is legally required to wear earplugs. That has also meant hygiene is even better than it already was.

“Initially, we didn’t really consider the difference it would make to the bottom line, but we have worked out that we are currently saving £10.5k each month from the reduced hearing protection, machine parts and numerous other hidden costs. It’s completely changed the atmosphere and has changed the way we work.”

IOSH Chair of the Food and Drink

Group, Neil Catton, said: “This year the competition was really tough for the health and safety innovation award.

“They are about people sharing ideas and projects that have actually made a real difference and improvement to the way people work.

And our winners have shown how changes to procedure, innovative alterations to machinery, or completely new systems can benefit others by reducing incidences of occupational illhealth, and wasted time and money.”

The awards were part of IOSH’s annual Food and Drink Manufacturing Conference, held this year at Oxford’s Belfry Hotel. It was organised by the IOSH Food and Drink Group, with support from HSE’s Agriculture and Food Sector and the Food and Drink Manufacture Health and Safety Forum. Top prize was a trophy, certificate and £500, with two runners-up receiving a certificate and cheque each for £250.

Soken ready for growth in new premises HEAT seal machinery manufacturer Soken has moved to new premises in Bletchley near Milton Keynes, giving the company more space for logistical storage and production.

Owner Ross Mathew said that despite difficult trading conditions over the last year there was now strong evidence of improvement in demand in the industry and sales

of new machinery were increasing significantly again, linked to growth in the supply of food packaging and sealing films.

Soken have recently released new sealing machines for sale that complement their existing range with some novel solutions to common problems.

For example, the new HS25 with twin pack

18 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

sealing allows two types of packs of various depths to be sealed at once. The deli pack solution for small retailers is also said to be proving very popular – a range of packs from 180ml to 2000ml can all be sealed without any change or adjustment of the tooling or seal films.

“The HS35 and HS35A semi-automatic cardboard sealers are very

popular with universities, hospitals and snack meal providers. The low environmental impact and excellent presentation values of the products produced on these machines are providing for continued growth and innovation in this industry,” adds Ross Mathew.

The company is also launching some new machines early next year.

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Tastier sales.

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Call us today on 0800 616 161** to find out how you can take advantage of the contactless opportunity. Be sure to have your trading name, bank details and British Sandwich Association membership number to hand.

Accept payments easier and faster with contactless.

* Only occasionally, for security purposes, will customers be asked to enter their PIN to confirm a contactless payment. ** Calls may be monitored or recorded to maintain high levels of security and quality of service. Calls to 0800 numbers are free if made from a UK landline.

The phone number is open 8.30am until 6pm.

Barclaycard is a trading name of Barclays Bank PLC. Barclays Bank PLC is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registered in England.

Registered No: 1026167. Registered Office: 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

At the helm: Andrew Pocock Impress Sandwiches’ MD I

mpress Sandwiches has enjoyed rapid growth in recent times – to the tune of 20% annually in each of the past two years. Annual sales now stand at £6 million and the company employs 90 people.

Not surprisingly, managing director Andrew Pocock is busy.

“We’re a 24-hour operation,” he says.

“That’s not to say I’m at work every minute of the day, but even when I’m not in the office my thoughts are never far away from it.”

The driving force behind Impress Sandwiches’ impressive growth has been the conscious decision, taken in 2008, to diversify the business. At the time, the company was ticking along nicely, with 90% of sales going to airline and airport caterers. But Andrew believed there were untapped opportunities and set out to capture trade outside the company’s comfort zone. It paid off: fast-forward to today and air travel now accounts for 40% of Impress Sandwiches’ sales, with foodservice and event catering accounting for the other 60%.

The company’s product range has grown, too. These days traditional wedge sandwiches constitute just part of the Impress Sandwiches portfolio.

The company now also produces salads, filled rolls, paninis, hot wraps and even sushi.

just as I’m coming in.”

Having confirmed all is well, Andrew goes to his desk to check his emails, which he does while eating a bowl of porridge and a cup of green tea. “I call it my power breakfast,” he jokes.

8.00am 8.00am Thirty minutes after Andrew’s arrival the first Impress Sandwiches staff start coming through the door.

“Production begins at any time between 8am and 8.30am,” says Andrew. “And once it’s started, it goes on non-stop until about 10pm.”

Production at this time of the morning is predominantly geared towards fulfilling orders from airside caterers based at Gatwick and nearby Heathrow. These sandwiches, and any other kind of products requested by customers, will be produced and supplied on the same day. This is a reflection of the Impress sandwiches approach to business, says Andrew.

“We’re all about using the freshest, cleanest and best ingredients,” he explains. “We don’t compete on price; we compete on the quality of our products and our outstanding service levels.”

6.00am 6.00am Andrew’s day starts early – he wakes at six o’clock – and as soon as he’s ready he’s out of his home in Pangbourne on Thames, in the car and cruising down the Berkshire stretch of the M4 to the company HQ in West Drayton.

9.00am 9.00am Emails checked and breakfast eaten, Andrew holds his first meeting of the day with the company accountant.

“We check our sales and cash flow daily,” he says. “It’s very important to ensure we are on top of our costs and achieving our budgeted margins also.

The only way to do that in a fastmoving business like ours is to check the figures every day.”

7.30am 7.30am An hour-and-a-half after getting up, Andrew is at work. “I like to leave early to beat the traffic,” he says.

“But it also gives me a chance to walk round the premises alone to check everything is ready for another day’s production. Our night cleaners finish

10.00am 10.00am The second daily meeting is with Andrew’s department heads – his sales, technical, transport and production managers. “We’ll discuss any issues that have come up the day before, both at my end and theirs.

We’ll review any customer comments,

20 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

“

I’ve been known to drop in on the factory at 4am to check the cleaners are doing their job properly,” he says. “That might make me sound slightly unhinged, but for me it’s simply a reflection of the effort, dedication and care that myself and my team put into making this such a fantastic, customerfocused business.

”

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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF... and act on them if necessary, and we’ll recap on progress in terms of any special events we’re catering for.”

A big chunk of Impress Sandwiches’ events business is accounted for by trade and consumer shows at the ExCeL and Earls Court exhibition centres in London. But the company also supplies a range of sporting and cultural events, including the Lord Mayor’s Show and the Henley Regatta.

10.30am 10.30am The team meeting over, Andrew takes stock of any emergency orders from airline caterers. “These start to come in about 10am,” he says. “They’re a daily occurrence, usually prompted by delayed flights or extra flights being put on for any number of reasons. We leap into gear and turn these around in a couple of hours.”

12.00pm 12.00pp Andrew’s afternoons are varied. “I might be out following up a sales lead with our sales manager,” he says.

“Alternatively I might be on a whistle-stop tour of high street sandwich chains, such as Pret a Manger or Eat, just to see what the latest product trends and developments are. We refresh our range frequently so it’s a good idea to keep abreast of what consumers are enjoying at any given moment in time.”

The sandwich business is seasonal, explains Andrew. “We change our range every season. Now we’re in the winter, for example, we’re offering a wider range of hot paninis and hot wraps, which are popular in the colder months. Come the spring, we’ll be focusing more heavily on our salads again.”

Unsurprisingly, one thing Andrew doesn’t like to do is go without lunch, though making time to eat in the middle of the day can be challenging with so much to get done. “But that’s what’s great about running a sandwich factory,” he says. “The perfect on-the-go lunch is being made just a few feet away from my desk.”

Andrew’s current favourite sandwich is a new recipe – a BLT with Smoked Applewood Cheddar Cheese. “My production manager knows that putting one of these on my desk for lunch is the best way to keep me in a good mood,” he laughs.

2.00pm 2.00pm Over the course of the afternoon, production in the Impress Sandwiches factory is focused on servicing contracts with airport caterers based further afield, primarily at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. Retail and the Foodservice orders are in by 2pm and produced later in the afternoon and early evening. Products made now will be delivered overnight by the company’s own fleet of vans, ready for consumption the following day.

With 25 years’ experience in the industry, Andrew has a hands-on approach to production and isn’t afraid to muck in when the need arises. “We’re a small business so as well as being MD I also tend to fulfil the role of operations director,” he says. “I can operate all the machinery if need be, and when my technical manager’s on holiday I tend to throw on my white coat and stand in for her.”

4.30pm 4.30pm The working day for Andrew draws to a close at about half past four.

“Production is well underway and nobody really wants to be hassled on the phone after about four o’clock,” he says. “I take that as my cue to call it a day.”

At home, Andrew keeps his BlackBerry on and his fingers crossed that it doesn’t bring news of an unexpected crisis. For the most part, it stays quiet.

10.00pm 10.00pm Operations at Impress Sandwiches continue until about ten o’clock in the evening, when staff make way for the cleaners to give the factory a thorough washdown overnight. Even now, at this late hour, Andrew’s thoughts are rarely far from the job he loves.

And sometimes, he admits, the temptation to make an unscheduled out-of-hours visit proves too great to resist. “I’ve been known to drop in on the factory at 4am to check the cleaners are doing their job properly,” he says. “That might make me sound slightly unhinged, but for me it’s simply a reflection of the effort, dedication and care that myself and my team put into making this such a fantastic, customerfocused business.”

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PROFILE

pod

starts to motor

POD, the healthy premium end fast-food chain with ‘green’ credentials, is set to double in size to around 20 stores by 2012 and there’s more to come. Simon Ambrose talks to founder and CEO Tim Hall

H

ow do burgeoning sandwich bar chains finance their expansion when banks now seem increasingly reluctant to part with their cash? Self-finance is one route for the really prudent, but few SME’s have the resources to make this a practical option.

This leaves private investment as one of the few routes still available to entrepreneurs. It was consequently fascinating to stumble across a nugget on the British Business Angels Association website the other day – sounds geeky, but this is what we have to do to earn a crust! These are a bunch of private investors looking for the next big thing – business in need of finance, likely to generate good returns, even during a recession.

What I was particularly interested in was an entry of a few years ago for POD, the up and coming London-based sandwich bar chain, pitched at the healthy food side of things and with big green credentials to boot.

It noted that POD presented to 50 private investors at the Envestors “Next Big Thing…” and by the start of the New Year, in spite of the current financial position, had reached their fundraising target of £450,000.

Of the funds raised, £250,000 came though Members of Envestors Private Investor Network, a London-based investor club, one of which has joined the board to provide further marketing and branding support.

POD, it noted, is a healthy fast food retailer offering a seasonal menu of hot and chilled dishes, healthy beverages and

snacks. Its first outlet opened in October 2005 at 162 London Wall EC2, the second at 5 Lloyds Avenue, EC3N 3AE in February 2008 and the third on 3 December at Devonshire Square EC2M 4YP. The POD menu, it went on, “has been constructed to create a 21st. Century fast food chain with international potential.

The healthy products are easy to buy, store, prepare and serve via an operating system the directors believe to be less labour intensive than those of competitors.

“As a result, POD generates the same or higher gross margin as established competitors, but with a higher average spend in a mature outlet. The directors believe this more efficient business model should generate a high level of return on capital for the sector, which in turn will create a highly valued business.”

A fascinating insight into how the wheels turn, and an accurate assessment of the business, because two years later with nine units in central London, the business is now ready for its next raft of expansion. Founder and CEO Tim Hall has gone back for more and he’s now looking to double the operation in size, with the expectation of reaching 20 stores by 2012.

It’s been an extraordinary few years for Hall, who describes himself as a serial entrepreneur and is already talking about a national chain and international expansion; with the kind of success he’s had already, you find yourself suspending the critical faculties that normally kick in when people start throwing big numbers

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PROFILE around. He’s certainly not short in confidence.

But then he believes he’s identified a big and growing gap in the market for healthy fast-food, which is really only just starting to take off.

“We want to lead what I think is a very exciting sector: that of healthy fast food. There are some companies there already such as Chop’d, Leon - although they seem to be going more into the restaurant route - Tossed, Vital Ingredient and Abakado. But I still see a big difference between us and them because we have a big emphasis on hot food, and there’s a big opportunity there as well.

But the more that other restaurants raise expectations over healthy food, the more we can profit from that."

The menu is split between salads and nori wraps, hot pods, sandwiches, flatbread wraps, breakfast and healthy snacks & impulse and there’s extensive nutritional information on all the lines.

Superfoods figure strongly in the menu.

Salads include items such as the Vietnamese roast smoked salmon, including mouli, edamame beans, red pepper, carrot, toasted sesame seeds, green cabbage, toasted soya pumpkin seeds, purple shisu cress, Vietnamese dressing; and chicken nori wrap - nori, umeboshi (plum pickle) tahini, cucumber, chicken, red cabbage, pickled ginger and spinach.

The hot pod range includes a selection of items on offer accompanied by flatbreads or with rice. For example, their Thai red chicken curry on village flatbread with chicken, coconut, onions, tomato, vegetable oil, red chilli, garlic,

lemon grass, fish sauce, red peppers, galangal, lime leaves, coriander, sugar, shrimp paste, basil, parsley, salt, chilli powder, white pepper, cumin and village flatbread. There are also stews and pasta dishes.

Conventional sandwiches include chicken, bacon & avocado; avocado, sunblush tomato & hummus; tuna, sunblush tomato & basil and Wiltshire ham and Dijon.

Wraps include harrisa chicken; avocado and crunchy Indian slaw; and Japanese chicken wrap.

There’s a really extensive breakfast range, including organic porridge and items such as free-range sausages and bacon are available in various options.

Vegetarian, wheat, gluten and dairy free are much in evidence throughout the entire menu.

There are seasonal rotations: the Autumn menu currently includes such options as the Mexican chicken and bean stew served over either rice or a flatbread; there’s also a Heartbeet superfood salad with shredded beetroot, chickpeas and sunblush tomatoes.

It all sounds like it could be targeted very much at female customers, but apparently this isn’t the case, with men becoming increasingly concerned about healthy options. “The square mile is around 70/30 in favour of men at the moment. But our custom is about 50/50.”

Meanwhile, the green side of the business is also important, both from the point of view of being a source of pride for the staff, and an attraction for likeminded customers.

Packaging is a key element, where he has gone a great deal further than most other sandwich bars using the now ubiquitous cardboard packaging. All packaging at POD is plant fibre-based, supplied by the London Bio Packaging Company, with a composter available in each store, with the waste then collected

by Cawleys. The waste is then recycled into fertilizer or used to generate power.

This is the first time I’ve ever come across this in a sandwich bar so far and it’s a move very much to be applauded.

Stores are built from as much recyclable material as possible. The tiles, glass and flooring materials are recycled, for instance; oak timbers come from sustainable managed forests and the paint is organic.

“None of us wanted to build a business we were not proud of. The premium is passed onto the customer, but

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indications are that it is a premium they are happy to pay,” he says.

Staff certainly seem happy if the churn figures are anything to go by, currently at a remarkable low of around 12-15% - no doubt partly because the wages are above the average, according to Tim. Of staff from the first store, eight of the original 12 are due to marking five years with the business with a celebratory dinner soon.

A number of staff are ex-Pret. “Service with a lot of experience is what it’s all about. Everyone understands what the vision is. They are rewarded for what they do very well.”

Interestingly, he deliberately took on staff that could handle the growth plans he had in mind for the business.

“Operationally, I decided at the outset to reverse the usual business model ahead of expansion, so we have an excellent team which ensures excellent returns at store level. It means that I don’t have to say to investors that I will have to rebuild my team at a future date. Every store is profitable very quickly and the team is experienced enough to be able to trade ahead of where they are operating.”

So how did it all start? While most students were busy spending their loans in the University bar, he was already running a business, and after graduating went into advertising. He set up a clothing business and made some money running an automotive consultancy.

Then he had a minor heart operation.

His consultant advised him to change his diet and lifestyle. But he found the options thin on the ground as he started to look around the high-street for a really healthy lunch.

It took him a year to raise the money.

Using his extensive retail experience, he approached his bank, but also a small private equity fund and business angels.

The bank was prepared to lend part of the funding, provided he could attract additional equity capital. He also did a huge amount of research, using Mintel and other reports at the City Business Library in London to really get to the

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heart of what was going on in the way of food trends and demographics.

In spite of this, he admits that when the first Pod launched in London's Moorgate, it struggled at first. “We originally had a strong focus on salads and refrigerated food and juices. We rebranded, refurbished and redesigned the menu, all based on customer reaction.

It was tough, because we had been proud of what we created, but we were right to do it. It was just a case of opening up, sticking your thumb in the air and seeing how the wind blows."

Hall dedicated the first 12 months to tweaking the product - making sure the public knew exactly what Pod stood for.

"We also got the communication wrong at first," Hall says. “So we improved it.

For example, even though it isn't a typical Pod product, we still ensured that customers knew that our bacon sandwiches were made with good bacon on a healthy malt bread - that sort of thing."

It’s certainly not the cheapest operation around. Pod food is nearer to the £5 mark for a salad or hot meal, and Hall admits that this puts them at the expensive end of the high-street lunchtime market. "It's not cheap to compete in the high-street at lunch," he says. “Renting the kind of sites that are going to put you in competition with McDonald's and Pret A Manger costs."

Through such means Hall has ensured the average spend in Pod is quite a bit higher than high-street competitors, allowing the company to spend more money on ingredients.

The key to capturing a solid customer base is to secure a site near local businesses and make sure you impress customers on their first visit, he says. "If you are on the high street, people will naturally want to try you as they may well have been working in the area for five or six years," Hall adds. "But they can be ruthless. If it isn't good on their first visit, they may not come back for a year."

24 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

Surprisingly, Tim admits that he’s not actually the “passionate” foodie one invariably finds at the helm of similar enterprises. Instead he concentrates on the commercial and financial side of the business and leaves the operational side to business partner Kate Skeritt, who trained at Pret, and Emma Blackmore, who takes care of the food development.

“My role within that process is raising money and securing agreements with shareholders and banks. I deal with all the legal and contractual side of those agreements and the leases that we're signing up to,” adds Tim. “I deal with the refurbishment in terms of contracts, trades people, costs and schedules. We both have an input into strategies, where the shop's going to be, what products we will be putting out into the marketplace, that's probably the one area where we both work together.

But then operationally, recruiting the teams, running the staff rotas, motivating them, dealing with suppliers, dealing with product display, dealing with wastage, all of those things, they are all Kate's. Basically, Kate works on the shop floor and I work in the office.”

Overall, not surprisingly, he’s delighted with the way things have worked out. “We are very pleased. It’s the culmination of five years of work for us. The market is a massive green pasture for us but the issue is always going to be one of property. Finding high quality sites lies at the heart of future success, but curiously there hasn’t been a big increase in available property during the recession, he says. “Having a stronger covenant certainly helps with landlords when you are up against less established operators, but landlords always have different agendas.

“We will look at sites anywhere we can operate successfully, but it’s likely to be within the M25 currently. Growth has so far been slow but steady, but there is a plan for massive expansion within 10 years, in the UK and internationally.”

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PRODUCT FOCUS

McLelland foodservice Spreadable Portions LACTALIS McLelland, producers of cheese brands including Galbani, Président and Galloway has launched new foodservice Seriously Strong Spreadable Portions.

The 17g portions provide operators with a convenient and practical alternative to solid cheese portions, without compromising on flavour, says the company.

“Seriously Strong Cheddar is the UK’s #2 cheddar brand, which has grown by 31% in the last year,” comments Warren MacFarlane, Lactalis marketing manager. “Since Seriously Strong Spreadable launched in the retail sector in 2006 it has proved extremely popular with consumers, experiencing a 216% growth in the last year. We are

confident we can emulate this success in the out of home market due to the high quality of the product and consumer appeal of the Seriously Strong brand.”

Phat Pasty Co launch ‘bake in pack’ range THE Phat Pasty Co have launched a new range of pasties in a ‘bake-in-pack wrapper, using their ‘surfer style’, Phat Pasty brand.

The range, shown for the first time at the lunch! show, where it won a ‘Commended’ award, is said to be unique, bringing to the market a fresh and vibrant new brand, a new range of handmade Cornish pasties all with ‘flavours with a twist’ and a new ‘food to go’ concept.

The baked frozen products come in oven stable packaging, allowing the product to be reheated direct from the freezer. These can be served immediately, placed in a heated cabinet, or displayed in a ‘Phat Cart’ with a fourhour shelf life.

The concept means there is no mess, no contamination considerations, hygiene issues, additional packaging and offers a simple and effective service to the customer.

The pasties are handmade in Cornwall with the range developed to bespoke recipes.

For example, the Spicy Chicken & Chorizo Pasty is a chicken and Chorizo salami in a spicy cream sauce, with a dusting of chilli flakes.

The pastry range also includes: Classic Peppered

Steak Pasty – with cracked black pepper pastry, Curried Vegetable Pasty with mixed herb coating, Seriously Cheesy Pasty with Italian style cheese coating, a Traditional Sausage Roll and a Sweet Apple Pie with Demerara coating.

Working with RH Hall Equipment Solutions, a range of branded Phat Carts, Phat Grab and Phat Countertop heated display cabinets have been developed for operators looking for a fully branded ‘Phat Pasty to Go’ offer. These equipment solutions can be purchased or leased and include all of the necessary equipment to store, bake and display the Phat Pasty range.

It is ideal for Universities, theme parks, travel hubs, petrol forecourts / motorway service stations, sports venues, contract caterers, outside events, convenience stores, supermarkets, and the enroute travel sector, says the company.

Meanwhile, the ‘camper style’ Phat Pasty Van side of the business is also expanding outside Milton Keynes heartland, where it has a fleet of five Phat Vans.

A recent partnership in the North East with ‘Be Franchising’, a government backed company who

specialise in developing employment opportunities through franchising, now has two Phat Vans established and five new franchisees in Newcastle will open early in the new year.

With a franchisee opening at a rate of one per month and openings signed from Plymouth to Aberdeen, the brand is set to have significant growth and presence in the UK. Speaking on the background to the company, Laura Clark, Phat Controller of The Phat Pasty Company said: “Our whole family is passionate about good food,

NEW

and above all, we wanted to be part of something fun, dynamic and exciting.’’

The Phat Pasty Co have just been shortlisted for the finals of the CBI sponsored, Growing Business Awards as Young Company of The Year 2010 – These awards will be held in November at the London Marriott Hotel.

The company was also a winner of last year’s lunch!

Multiple Retailer Of The Year Award and winners at the British Sandwich Association’s Workplace Sandwich Provider Of The Year at this year’s Sammies awards.

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LUNCH! SHOW

A gourmet experience

at lunch!

The recent lunch! show proved to be a spectacular success, with visitor numbers up by 24%. Simon Ambrose was there

F

or any show organiser, particularly in these difficult times, the hours before an event opens must be a particularly nerve-wracking time. Food shows have recently been down in numbers: would it be the same for the lunch! show, even with high numbers of pre-registered visitors already on the books?

The queues of visitors forming outside Old Billingsgate Market just before the start of the third lunch! show, must have been a particularly heartwarming sight … and that was just the start.

Overall, the two-day event saw visitors up by 24%, according to Diversified Business Communications UK. A total of 3115 attendees, including many of the senior decision-makers from the UK’s £11.3bn out of home food and drinks sector, came out in force to do business with over 160 of the industry’s most innovative manufacturers and suppliers on Thursday 30 September and Friday 1 October.

Particular credit has to be given to organiser Business Communications UK’s marketing machine, which built up the momentum for the show well in advance of the event, in an extremely professional way, helped particularly with the launch of the monthly lunch!

Times e-news.

The lunch! show seems to have really caught the imagination of everyone

involved in this important sector. The event has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 2007 – winning a Best UK Trade Show Award from the Association of Event Organisers (AEO) in June and boasting significant increases in both overall attendance (up 24% compared to last year, which was itself up 28% on the previous year), and also exhibitor numbers (up 40% on 2009).

Carsten Holm, managing director of lunch!, is delighted by the overwhelmingly positive feedback received so far from visitors and exhibitors alike: “Rarely have I witnessed such a successful and positive show. Everyone enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and focused business environment, and everyone went away buzzing with new business ideas.”

Exhibitor Tanya Brittain from The Phat Pasty Co hailed the show a huge success, commenting: “If we wrote a wish list of the people we would like to meet at lunch! to approach with our brand – we have certainly ticked all the boxes. There are senior people from all the major players here. I have a five hour journey home after the show ends and I will have a big smile on my face – it has been brilliant.”

Ashley Pinder, Foodservice Sales Manager UK & Ireland from Discovery Foods, was equally upbeat: “We are very happy. There is an excellent calibre of visitor from the leading retail chains and the Independent retailers. We have

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LUNCH! SHOW

seen more overseas visitors this year too. lunch! has gone from a London event to a countrywide show.” lunch! is renowned for its exceptional show content and the show’s highly-anticipated Keynotes and lively topic-focused panel discussions were mostly well-attended. Nigel Hunter, Buckingham Foods’ now retired managing director, and Rod McKie, Welcome Break’s CEO, were undoubtedly big attractions and didn’t disappoint, although the mid-morning scheduling meant that audience numbers might have been higher.

The Lunch debate on the first day,

composed of Nigel Hunter, Paul Ettinger, marketing director of Caffe Nero, Gerri Scott, M&S Food To Go category buyer, and Compass Group’s Adam O’Connor and chaired by International Sandwich & Snack News editor Simon Ambrose, saw some lively discussion on topics as varied as the effects of the recession on consumer lunchtime spending, and UK sourcing policy. Gerri Scott’s obviously feminine appearance, however, must have thrown anyone who had read her biog in the lunch! show guide, where the editor had clearly made the wrong assumption about her gender!

The show was also remarkable for the reunion of three of the most successful entrepreneurs the sandwich industry has ever seen – all multimillionaires in their own right -sharing a panel in ‘Those were the Days’, chaired

by BSA director Jim Winship. Side by side were Peter Bartlett, who founded the sandwich manufacturer Breadwinner before it was eventually sold to Hazlewood (now Greencore), Phil Brown, founder of the Philpotts premium sandwich bar chain, and Jesper Toft, who with his wife, founded sandwich manufacturer Toft Foods.

There was also an opportunity to figure out if you were able to supply the London Olympics in 2012, with a Keynote presentation by Kevan Hodges, senior manager, catering, and also plenty of statistics about the lunch market to absorb, particularly from a joint presentation on the markets by Jim Winship, BSA director and Jeffrey Young, managing director of Allegra Strategies.

Meanwhile, the British Sandwich Association Academy featured a succession of practical topics for visitors, ranging from a joint presentation from London-based sandwich bar owners Frank Boltman (Thanks for Franks) and Ben Reynolds (Reynolds café bar, providing an unrivalled opportunity to ‘Learn from Experience,’ to getting to grips with the hygiene and safety side of things from Neil Rush of STS Solutions.

The academy was also the venue for a sandwich making demonstration by two sandwich stars from the opposite sides of the globe. Thomas Allen, Buckingham Foods’ winner of the Sandwich Designer of the Year competition for the last two years in a row, showed how to make his winning corned beef and pickle with a twist winning sandwich, while Adam D’Sylva,

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LUNCH! SHOW winner of this year’s Great Australian Sandwichship competition, entertained the audience by constructing his three winning category entries.

The 2010 show also included the unveiling of the first ever Innovation Challenge awards to a standing-room only crowd.

Launched at this year’s lunch! to promote and celebrate genuinely new ideas in the market place, including brand new innovations and new twists on established concepts, the Innovation Challenge was open to all companies in the sector. The judging panel (which included Felicity Aylward – Marks & Spencer, Dan Silverton – Soho Sandwiches, David Kitchener – Essential Cafe, and Jim Winship – the BSA) considered nearly 50 entries before bestowing 7 COMMENDED and 2 highly-coveted GOLD awards to the following deserving winners: Electrolux: High Speed Panini Grill – GOLD Kavis Ltd: Cup Spoon – GOLD EasyGlove UK – COMMENDED Filbert’s Fine Foods – COMMENDED New York Delhi – COMMENDED Rapid Action Packaging (RAP) – COMMENDED SpiceSutra Ltd – COMMENDED The Phat Pasty Co – COMMENDED WB&CO Veg Juice – COMMENDED It wasn’t just the products that were up for awards at lunch! however, but also the individuals who promote and serve them to the end users too.

Celebrating excellence amongst inspirational retailers who continue to push the boundaries of innovation and differentiation, the lunch! Retailer of the Year Awards aimed to underline the quality that abounds within the ‘grab and go’ industry.

Judged by a panel of experts (which included Jesper Toft, founder of Toft Foods, Philip Brown, founder of independent sandwich shop chain Philpott’s, Peter Bartlett, co-founder of Hazlewood Foods, and the BSA’s Director Jim Winship), the awards are split into three main categories: lunch!

Independent Retailer of the Year, lunch!

Multiple Retailer of the Year, and lunch!

Contract Caterer of the Year.

This year’s winner of the lunch!

Independent Retailer of the Year is POD, the UK’s fastest growing healthy fast food chain. Aiming to have 20 stores by 2011, growing to 70 stores in

2014 as well as plans to expand internationally, the judges commented on POD’s “strong branding, clear values, its loyal and increasing customer base, and its strong growth” as key elements in their decision.

On announcing the winner of the lunch! Multiple Retailer of the Year 2010 as Marks & Spencer, the judges summed it up by saying: “Well, they’re just brilliant! Innovative, great quality and service, and value for money!”

Winners of this category for the second time, Marks & Spencer continue to grow and innovate, expanding onto petrol forecourts, service stations and hospitals and introducing hot food on the move counters.

This year’s winner of the lunch!

Contract Caterer of the Year Award is Talkington Bates. Still a relatively small company by contract catering standards, the judges cited its: “strong culture, effective management structure, and impressive growth” and praised the company’s real attention to detail.

Another highlight of the show was lunch!’s prestigious British Smoothie Championships, sponsored by Usmoothie. Vimal Depala, the youngest member of the Shaketastic team was defending the title (won last year by his Shaketastic colleague Richard Debson) with his smoothie ‘Eastern Envy’; combining lychee, melon, and freshlysqueezed pear juice, spiced with ginger, coriander and lemon grass, against melon and cucumber.

After a several exciting heats, the thrilling live final – which included a nail-biting tie-break – saw Depala beat

28 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

James Hughes from Shaake and 2008 finalist Indy Wilson-Fish from Lancaster’s Juicafe to win title of nation’s best. Aside from winning a wealth of industry kudos, Depala’s prize also includes £300 cash; plus a Blendtec Blender worth nearly £1,000.

Vimal Depala, 18, the newly crowned British Smoothie Champion 2010, was heard to say that winning was “one of the biggest moments of (his) life”, whilst Josh Kettle, Skaketastic’s Director, commented: “This is the second year that we’ve won and it’s a huge thing for us. A lot of hard work and teamwork has paid off. We are very proud of Vimal.”

The show now faces an interesting dilemma: its predecessor, the Sandwich & Snack Show, run by DEW Events, undoubtedly lost focus over the years before the plug was eventually pulled, undermined in a way by its own rapid growth and a move from the Business Design Centre to the more anonymous surroundings of Olympia.

The lunch! show now undoubtedly shares many of the values of its early values of a closely focused and in many ways intimate show, in the perfect surroundings of Billingsgate Market. As the market comes out of recession, assuming that there isn’t a double dip, numbers are bound to grow. The challenge for the organisers will then be to retain those values across a larger enterprise. lunch! will return to Old Billingsgate, London, on 29-30 September 2011. For further information, visit www.lunchshow.co.uk.

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H L Commodity Foods is a leading supplier to the UK of CHEESE Bulk, Grated, Diced & Sliced, Spreads, Fillings, EMC BUTTER Sweetcream, Whey, Garlic & Chilli LIQUID EGG, MILK POWDERS

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United Kingdom Phone (SALES OFFICE) +44-1423-77-22-33 Ireland Phone (HEAD OFFICE) +353-61-38-38-01

To advertise call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 November/December 2010 29

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Could you be British Sandwich

Designer

2011? he art of creating new sandwich recipes is a critical part of keeping consumer interest and vital to the future of the industry.

The British Sandwich Designer of the Year Award aims to recognise the major contribution made by those involved (often behind the scenes) in creating new recipes.

Through a series of four regional heats and a final in London, we will be

T

inviting panels of expert judges to assess the creative and commercial skills of those who enter with the aim of finding the very best sandwich creator in the UK. Whether you work in a sandwich bar, catering or a manufacturing environment, now is your chance to win the recognition you deserve by entering The British Sandwich Designer of the Year Award 2011.

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SANDWICH DESIGNER OF THE YEAR There are five sections to the Award, each a competition in its own right: ■ English Provender Chunky Tomato Chutney Sandwich Designer of the Year ■ Bernard Matthews Turkey Sandwich Designer of the Year ■ The Cheese Cellar/Bel UK Smoked Port Salut Cheese Sandwich Designer of the Year ■ Moy Park Chicken Sandwich Designer of the Year ■ Alaska Seafood Wild Alaska Salmon You can enter up to two recipes in each of these competitions – the more you enter the better your chance of making the final.

The choice of sandwich type is entirely yours – all you need to bear in mind is that the final presentation should be commercially viable to make (you must state the market it is aimed at such as workplace, sandwich bar etc.) and the sandwich should include the appropriate ingredients stipulated in each category.

You can find details of the ingredients and profiles of each of the sponsors on the following pages.

The Competition In the first stage, our judges will be selecting the two best entries in each of the competitions in each of four regions. These finalists will then be invited to take part in the heats which will be held in regional centres around the UK during the early part of 2011. These are likely to include Scotland, Manchester, Birmingham and London.

The winners from the regional heats plus the best runners up will then be invited to the Final which will be held at the Lancaster London Hotel, London on Thursday 19th May 2011 – the same day that the Sammies (The British Sandwich Industry Awards) are held.

All the finalists will be invited to attend the dinner (with a partner) as guests of the sponsors.

How to Enter All you have to do is come up with a new commercially viable sandwich recipe using the ingredients specified for each competition and send your entries to us by email or post to reach us by no later than Tuesday 1st February, 2011.

sandwiches in front of a panel of judges.

Entries should be clearly marked with the following information: The category they are entered for; The selling price of the sandwich; The market it is aimed at – e.g. forecourt, supermarket, sandwich bar; Your name, the name of the business, address, telephone number (mobile if possible) and email address; The name of the sandwich; A list of the ingredients to be used; Instructions for assembling the sandwich.

The heat you would prefer to attend if successful.

The Ingredients In each competition an ingredient has been specified by the sponsor. Your entry must include this ingredient but you are free to use any other ingredients of your choice to create your recipe.

The sponsor ingredients are ■ English Provender Chunky Tomato Chutney ■ The Cheese Cellar/Bel UK Smoked Port Salut ■ Moy Park - Chicken ■ Bernard Matthews Turkey ■ Alaska Seafood Wild Alaska Salmon The Judging All entries will be collated by the British Sandwich Association and submitted (without details of the entrant) to an independent judging panel who will be asked to pick the two most creative but commercially viable recipes in each category per region. Immediately that is done the Association will notify the finalists (two from each competition) and invite them to one of the heats where they will be asked to make up their

The Rules All entrants must agree to, and comply with, the following rules: ■ Each entry must contain the ingredient specified by the sponsor; ■ Each recipe must be commercially viable – in other words capable of being made and sold successfully in the chosen market (Note: It is important that you state the market it is for plus the sales price) ■ Each recipe must be sufficiently innovative to be different from existing products on the market; ■ Contestants must agree to their recipes being publicised and used by the sponsors and BSA for promotional purposes; ■ Each contestant must agree to make up their sandwich at the Final if they are successful in reaching that stage; ■ Any changes made to the recipe will result in the entry being eliminated; ■ The competition is only open to those involved in the commercial sandwich market.

Entries should be sent to: British Sandwich Designer Award, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow, Wales NP16 5DB or emailed to the BSA at pam@jandmgroup.co.uk to reach us by no later than Tuesday 1st February 2011.

If you need any further information, please call Pam Sainsbury on 01291 636341.

About the Ingredients Each competition that makes up the British Sandwich Designer of the Year Award has an ingredient specified by the sponsor. Your entries must include this ingredient but you are free to use any other ingredient of your choice to create your recipe.

Free samples of the sponsors’ ingredients are available for you to experiment with. Please email Pam Sainsbury at pam@jandmgroup.co.uk or telephone on 01291 636341 to arrange for delivery of the samples and also to receive a copy of the recipe leaflet highlighting the winning sandwich recipes from 2010.

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AWARDS 2011

Could you be a winner?

Entries are now being invited for the 2011 Sammies.

If you think you or your business â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or one that you know of â&#x20AC;&#x201C; should be considered for an award, now is the time to tell us about it. To enter, all you have to do is send us the appropriate information by email or by completing and submitting the entry form in this magazine before the closing date.

Closing date for entries is Tuesday 1st March, 2011.

32 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

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AWARDS 2011

T

he Sammies 2011 – The British Sandwich Industry Awards – are open to everyone involved in the sandwich industry.

To enter, please contact Pam Sainsbury on email: pam@jandmgroup.co.uk or telephone 01291 636341 for entry forms. All entries will be considered, provided that they reach our offices by 5.00pm on Tuesday 1st March, 2011.

The ‘Award Qualifying Period’ is 1st March 2010 to 28th February 2011.

Indicators of success and achievement will be considered by the judges only if they have taken place during this 12month period. With new products or campaigns, it is unlikely sufficient evidence of success will be available unless they were launched before the end of 2010.

With the exception of the New Sandwich of the Year Award, all award entries must include a summary in writing on a single sheet of A4 paper stating why the entry merits being considered for an award. Additional supporting evidence can be submitted as appropriate. This might include packaging, point of sale, photographs, market research data, sales statistics, accreditation certificates and various kinds of other material. The inclusion of convincing evidence will make a big difference to an entry’s chance of success.

In some categories accreditation by the British Sandwich Association, or an equivalent independent body acceptable to the Association, is a requirement of entry.

Sandwich Retail Multiple of the Year Award is presented to the retail multiple considered to have done the most to develop its sandwich business, taking into account marketing, innovation, packaging, product quality, sales growth and market share. This award is open to multiple retailers where sandwiches are one of many different food categories on sale.

5.

Sandwich Convenience Retailer of the Year Award is presented to a convenience retailer considered to have done the most to develop its sandwich business, taking into account marketing, innovation, packaging, product quality, sales growth and market share. This award is open to convenience retailers where sandwiches are one of many different food categories on sale.

6.

Workplace Sandwich Provider of the Year Award seeks to identify excellence and progress amongst those providing sandwiches in a workplace environment, whether through contract catering, on-site retailing or delivery. The judges will take account of the general approach, range, presentation, innovation and sales growth.

7.

Specialist Sandwich Bar Chain of the Year Award is designed to recognise those in this sector who are driving the business forward and achieving the most impressive development.

Specialist sandwich bar chains are defined as retailers with six or more outlets, whose core business is the sale of sandwiches, whether madeto-order, pre-packed on site or bought-in pre-packed. Bakery shops which are largely devoted to sandwich sales can be included in this category. The judging of this award will cover factors such as the

THE AWARDS

1.

2.

THE JUDGING OF AWARDS To ensure fairness in all aspects of judging, the Association’s Management Committee will nominate a panel of five judges, all of whom have good knowledge of the industry, but have no award entries or direct interest in any of them. The panel will include both the BSA Director and at least one of the judges will be from outside the Committee.

The judges will be responsible for working with the Secretariat to shortlist award entries. All short-listed entries will then be discussed briefly with the full Management Committee (excluding any members with entries) in order to gain maximum industry input. However the Panel will make final decisions on the awards on its own and in private.

Those short-listed for awards will be notified in April, but the results will not be announced to anyone until the Awards Dinner on 19th May 2011.

4.

3.

The British Sandwich Industry Award is presented to a sandwich business or individual who has made a major contribution to the development, growth and prosperity of the industry. This is a lifetime award. No entries are necessary in this category, as the award is made by the BSA Management Committee.

However, anyone can put forward suggestions for consideration.

The BSA Sandwich Manufacturer of the Year Award is presented to the BSA-accredited manufacturing site which the judges consider has introduced the most impressive and effective initiatives to improve the quality and food safety of sandwich manufacturing during the qualifying period. Factors taken into account will include investment in people and facilities and improvements in technical standards and product quality. Those wishing to be considered for this award should submit a short written brief starting why they think they should be shortlisted.

En-route Sandwich Retailer of the Year Award is open to all retailers and caterers providing sandwiches in an en-route environment (e.g forecourts, stations, trains, ferries, airports, airlines, roadside etc). It will be judged on the basis of who is believed to have achieved the most in successfully developing their business. The judges will consider factors such as marketing, product development, innovation, quality and, sales growth.

www.sandwich.org.uk November/December 2010 33

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AWARDS 2011 standard of facilities, the shopping experience, customer care, presentation, product quality, sales success, innovation, marketing etc.

Part of the supporting evidence for the entry should include photographs of a typical shop frontage, plus the customer area, the sandwich and / or ingredient display and the food preparation area, where applicable. Submissions from non BSA-accredited sandwich businesses should also be accompanied by evidence of food safety standards in the form of a certificate from an independent source confirming the business operates to a safe standard.

All those short-listed in this category will be visited by an independent judge.

8.

Independent Sandwich Bar of the year Award is designed to recognise progress and excellence in the nonchain sector of the Sandwich Bar market and applies only to individual operators whose core business is the sale of sandwiches and who have no more than 5 outlets. Each short-listed shop will be visited by at least one judge, who will evaluate factors such as presentation, atmosphere, facilities, cleanliness and product range as well as innovation and customer service. Entrants should submit a menu plus photographs showing the frontage of the shop, the customer area, the sandwich and/or ingredient display and the food preparation area during sandwich assembly.

There should also be a written summary explanation of why they think they should win the award.

Submission from non BSA-

JOIN US FOR THE SAMMIES (19th May 2011) Next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s British Sandwich Industry Awards will be presented at a gala dinner at The Lancaster London Hotel, Hyde Park, Thursday, 19th May, 2011

accredited sandwich businesses should be accompanied by evidence of food safety standards in the form of a certificate from an independent source, such as an EHO, confirming the business operates to a safe standard.

9.

Coffee Bar Sandwich Retailer of the Year Award is an award designed to recognise the growing importance of sandwich sales in the coffee bar environment. Entries will be judged on the levels of innovation, quality and sales success achieved on sandwiches, together with product range, presentation and emphasis on the category. For the purpose of this award, a coffee bar sandwich retailer is defined as a single site or group of retail outlets, where the primary activity is selling coffee, but the sale of sandwiches is an important secondary objective.

10. Bakery Sandwich Shop of the Year Award seeks to recognise those bakery shops, which are leading the way in retailing sandwiches alongside their bakery goods. This award is specifically for bakery shops where bread and morning goods are sold alongside sandwiches. In recognition of the fact that some bakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shops only focus on sandwiches in certain sites, this award is given to a specific nominated bakery shop rather than to the overall business. Chain entrants are encouraged to run their own internal competitions to determine the best shop to enter.

Shops will be judged on factors such as presentation, atmosphere, facilities, cleanliness and product range, as well as customer service and initiatives taken to develop the business within the operation during the award qualifying period.

Entrants should submit photographs showing the frontage of the shop, the customer and the food

34 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

preparation areas during operating hours. Submissions from non BSAaccredited sandwich businesses should be accompanied by evidence of food safety standards in the form of a certificate from an independent source. All those short-listed will be visited by an independent judge

11. The Sandwich Marketing Award is presented to the retailer, manufacturer, supplier or other sandwich business, which is considered by the judges to have implemented the most successful and innovative marketing initiative or campaign, designed primarily to promote the sale of their sandwiches.

12. New Sandwich Product/Ingredient of the Year Award is intended to encourage the development of new products for the sandwich market, including ingredients, equipment and associated products. This award may be subdivided into categories at the discretion of the judges.

13. New Sandwich of the Year Award is for a new pre-packed sandwich (not a range), which has been successfully launched in a retail or catering environment within the award qualifying period and has been on sale for at least two months prior to the end of that period.

Entries will be judged on the basis of innovation, presentation, eating quality and appeal and commercial viability. Entries should be supported with recipe details and photographs, together with details of the market and/or consumer the product is aimed at, the selling price and evidence of its success. Those short-listed in this category will be invited to submit products for sampling in April 2011, when the final judging panel will select the winner.

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Caterers Pride Tuna Tuna is sourced only from fully accredited accrredited d from around the world. The factories to ca canneries actories have h Pride Tuna consistently exceed d the Caterers C t Tuna specification specification for composition, appearance, texture, flavour and aroma in line with the Campden Grade A specification. The result is a product produ with of a bright uniform colour and a clean characteristic taste ta aste typical ty the best species. Convenient to use and easily prepared, pared, our Tuna prep favours a high quality presentation when served in salads or other Tuna T una dishes. Caterers Pride and Parkdale carry a “Dolphin Friendly” guarantee seal. Caterers Choice are a member of o the Earth Island Institute and are listed as an “Approved Dolphin Safe e Importer”.

Caterers Choice Ltd, Parkdale House Catere 1 Longbow Close, Pennine Business Park Bradley,, Huddersfield HD2 1GQ Bradley Tel: Tel: e 01484 532666, 532666, Fax: 01484 532700, Web: Web: www.catererschoice.co.uk www.catererschoice.co.uk CONT TACT A S PLEASE CONTACT SARAH BOOTH. Email: sarah@catererschoice.co.uk

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To advertise call Paul Steer on 01291 636333 November/December 2010 35

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SEAFOOD SPOTLIGHT

New system for Glenryck to detecting cod nematodes close UK A new system of detecting nematodes, or roundworms, in cod fillets, always a potential hazard for sandwich manufacturers, has been developed at the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (Nofima) and is now being tested at a seafood processing plant in Finnmark, in northern Norway.

While always an unpleasant sight for anyone unfortunate enough to find one in a sandwich or salad – there was an instance last year, for example nematodes are actually more of an aesthetic issue, because cooking the fish kills the parasite; nematodes infections in humans from cod consumption are rare.

The new system automatically detects nematodes using a computer program, registering the position of each parasite in the belly, loin and tail.

The system can achieve similar or better results than manual inspection of fillets on a candling table, which addresses the challenge of processing

fillets at industrial speeds.

According to Nofima, the system should be incorporated after pretrimming directly on the production line and can be used to divide the production flow in two — one clean stream going directly to portioning and packing and the other to manual trimming to remove nematodes detected by the machine.

“The fact that the inspection machines detected nematodes that were not detected during trimming indicates output equivalent to that achieved during industrial trimming of fillet.

This is despite the fact that the fish fillets are only scanned with the fillet side up. Consequently, one way to improve the automatic detection of nematodes may be to scan the fillets from both sides,” said Agnar Sivertsen, project manager at Nofima.

“It is now the equipment manufacturers’ responsibility to further develop and make use of this technology,” added Sivertsen.

head office

SANDWICH manufacturer supplier Glenryck is closing its UK head office at the end of the year following a business review of its operations by South African parent company Oceana Group.

Its sales and marketing function will now be outsourced to Cambridge-based company LDH (La Doria), a private label supplier of canned tomato products, fish, fruit and vegetables, dried pasta and selected other ambient foods to UK supermarkets and food service and a manufacturing industries supplier.

A total of nine staff are currently employed at Glenryck’s Henley-onThames office.

Pret leads the way on ethical seafood supplies TAKING the view that what Pret does, most tend to eventually follow, it’s interesting to note that the company have taken radical strides on their seafood sourcing policies in the past 12 months.

Its tuna is now pole and line caught skipjack tuna from the Maldives, which is the most sustainable fishing method that avoids the purseseine, by-catch.

It has to be said, however, that while Pret might be successful in its sourcing, soaring levels of demand have made this a highly sought-after, if not impossible to find, product for some

suppliers.

Pret has also recently dropped yellowfin tuna from sushi as well. Its crayfish are caught wild and come from China.

Suppliers meet high standards, in line with those in the UK and Europe (all factories are BRC accredited).

Its smoked salmon is from low-density farms rather than wild. Fast flowing water is passed over the stocks in order to replenish oxygen and remove waste, and they are fed a GM-free diet. Its salmon supplier’s farms are working towards the RSPCA Freedom Food accreditation.

36 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

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SEAFOOD SPOTLIGHT

New patented prawn peeling technology tested at Royal Greenland factory ROYAL Greenland has signed a trial collaboration with KM Fish Machinery on the development of a patented, more environmentally sound prawn peeling technique that works by vacuum.

The pilot line has been installed in the former seafood salad factory in Glyngøre, Denmark, where the premises meet requirements to produce “ready to eat” products.

If the project is successful, the new technology will streamline the process machinery, increase prawn quality and minimise water consumption - for the benefit of both the business and environmentalists.

The project receives public funding support from the Danish “Renewal Fund”, which has seen the potential in developing a technology that has not changed significantly over the past 60 years.

Meanwhile, Royal Greenland A/S has declared its support for the development of the ASC standards by the Aquaculture Dialogues.

Says Bruno Olesen, sales and marketing director: “We have the responsibility to supply our customers and our consumers with seafood from sustainable sources. We therefore contribute to the Aquaculture Dialogues’ standard setting process by reviewing and commenting on the

Aquaculture Dialogues’ draft standards for shrimp, salmon and freshwater trout. The standard setting process in the Aquaculture Dialogues is probably the most robust, transparent and universal approach involving a large and diverse group of stakeholders.

“Royal Greenland A/S already works with MSC certified fishery products and will work with ASC certified farmed seafood products in order to achieve our objective to provide our customers with seafood from environmentally and socially sustainable sources.”

Royal Greenland is a significant player in the global seafood market. It is one of Europe’s largest seafood companies and one of the UK’s leading suppliers to the food service sector.

It is also said to be the world’s largest supplier of cold water prawns and has a reputation for providing the sandwich trade with frozen prawns, responsibly caught wild in the Northwest Atlantic with a naturally low content of fat and salt.

Its Greenland Cold Water Prawns are available in four different bags and sizes: Gold Bag 90-120 count per lb, Black Bag 125-175 count per lb, Navy Bag 175-275 count per lb and Light Blue Bag 275-375 count per lb.

Leathams supply a range of seafood products LEATHAMS is supplying a wide range of seafood products specifically for the sandwich manufacturing industry including smoked and hot smoked salmon, crayfish, prawns and tuna.

“With the introduction of the

LaFresca® avocado range, which provides an always ripe and ready avocado, together with the Roquito® and SunBlush® range, we can offer our clients creative and unique recipes to differentiate themselves from a very saturated market,” says the company.

Tel: 01992 641641

email: sales@martinmathew.co.uk www.martinmathew.co.uk

Hot smoked salmon has meal appeal With between two and three tonnes of hot smoked salmon and trout being snapped up every week by sandwich and salad manufacturers, leading Arbroath fish smoker R.R. Spink has expanded production capacity to meet growing demand.

Available as Scottish Slices or as cost effective flakes, the products are ideal for salads and other ready meals. Now part of the Dawnfresh Seafoods Group of Companies, R.R. Spink can supply the salmon and trout chilled or frozen in 2 kilo packs – or to order.

Tel: +44 (0) 1241 872023

We offer an extensive range of premium quality ingredients for the Sandwich & Snack market.

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NEW TECHNOLOGY

Coffee Republic and Crussh take on new Vouchercloud platform THE Vouchercloud platform appears to be catching on fast as a new way of allowing companies to market their businesses via mobile vouchers, printable vouchers and online voucher codes.

The platform, already adopted by a number of retailers in the sector including Coffee Republic, Crussh and Chandos Deli, launched in February 2010 with an iPhone app and has had over 750K downloads already. The app has also been voted the top moneysaving app by The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail and Confused.com.

When a user wants to use the application, they open the app which detects their location and they can then browse nearby offers or browse categories or search for a keyword or brand.

When an offer is found that the user wishes to use, they simply press the USE button and the mobile voucher is displayed on the screen with branding, the offer title and the branch location – once this screen is shown to the staff, a REDEEM button is pressed which then shows a tracking screen which can contain a code associated to an offer with/without a random number which can be entered into a till or written on a receipt. At this point the vouchercloud system also sends the digital receipt.

It essentially gives businesses the opportunity to create a level of flexibility and control which has never been possible due to the digital nature of the product – they can control the total

number of vouchers put out on the system as well as controlling the usage per person. Companies such as Coffee Republic have already used the system to offer users a free tall coffee and Crussh Juice Bars have offered a free soup.

Crussh, which has 24 outlets across Greater London, launched its campaign in February, giving away 1,000 soups via

38 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

the Vouchercloud iPhone app. It reported subsequently that all vouchers had been redeemed within four weeks.

Angelika Mortimer, marketing manager at Crussh, said, “The campaign brought new customers, which we didn’t expect. This was the first promotion we’d done on mobile and it made us think about it as a valid entry

point,” she added. “I think mobile is of benefit to us because it’s personal and better than mass marketing.”

Chandos Deli, winner of the Specialist Sandwich Bar Chain of the Year award this summer at The Sammies, has also used the system with an offer of a free coffee with any baguette.They had over 50 redemptions in one store in a fortnight with close to 1000 views of their offer.

Other system users include Subway, Café Rouge, Pizza Hut, Dorothy Perkins and Gap, with redemption rates of up to 10%.

Meanwhile, the system is now expanding to offer anyone with a mobile phone the opportunity to download vouchers via SMS and an Android compatible version is launching in Q4 this year.

Vouchercloud developer Invitation Digital has also confirmed that it is considering selling in-app ads and offering brands the opportunity to sponsor sections of the app.

Greg Le Tocq, director of Invitation Digital, said, “It’s far from sorted but we have a lot of interest from brands. We want to give them as many ways as possible to target consumers.”

In association with International Sandwich & Snack News magazine, vouchercloud is offering businesses the opportunity to use the vouchercloud platform with unlimited access for a whole year for £149 (normally £199.)

Tel: 0117 934 1370.

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NEW TECHNOLOGY

AMT Coffee completes contactless card roll-out AMT Coffee has completed a national roll-out of contactless payment systems using Barclaycard technology.

The recent unveiling of its latest bar in Marylebone, London’s fastest growing rail station, by Adrian Shooter, managing director of Chiltern Railways, marked the 65th branch to adopt contactless a payments system that allows customers to purchase goods quicker.

Previously AMT Coffee had been deterred from using credit and debit cards at its bars, located in airports and rail stations nationwide, because of the length of time of transactions, but the speed of contactless overcame initial concerns. A successful initial trial saw almost a thousand of its customers use contactless cards within a few weeks.

AMT also recognised that the costs associated with handling small change transactions easily outweighed the relatively small

transaction fees.

Contactless allows customers to make purchases of £15 or less, without the need to enter a PIN or enter their card into a payment terminal. Once the card has been held over the contactless terminal, the transaction uses a secure network to automatically add the purchase to the customer’s credit card bill or debit it from their current account.

Jon Hassall, chief operating officer at AMT Coffee, said: “Before April this year, none of our branches accepted debit or credit cards but the speed of contactless persuaded us it was a must have for a coffee retailer in busy railway stations. We recognise the importance of a flawless customer experience for today’s busy commuter.

Contactless is an important part of the future of payments and AMT Coffee is committed to embracing it.”

Abokado installs EPoS at new store LONDON-based wraps and sushi independent chain Abokado has installed a MCR EPoS system at its latest store in Euston.

Founded in 2004 and now with six shops, the Symphony Enterprise package will help them manage the business and provide up to the minute reporting across their stores.

Abokado, whose strapline is ‘Live your life, love our food,’ is the brainchild of owners Mark and Lindsay Lilley, who found

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inspiration to launch their business following their honeymoon in Australia.

Sales data generated is pushed real-time to Symphony Reporting, providing a snapshot view of sales and key performance indicators at any one time.

Matthew Kemp of MCR Systems commented: “We are delighted to be working with Abokado and are delighted at the way they have embraced the power of Symphony to continue to drive their business forward.”

www.sandwich.org.uk November/December 2010 39

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INNOVATION

Banh mi: the Vietnamese sandwich

Banh mi, the Vietnamese sandwich that has caught on in a big way in New York in recent years, is starting to make an impact here. Tom Allen, Buckingham Foods’ senior development chef, explains why he’s so taken with them

D

uring my career as a development chef I have experienced many cuisines that have inspired me to recreate what I have tasted, and enjoy them time and time again.

I have generally slightly tweaked the recipes to make them my own but still retained the amazing flavours and experiences that stuck with me, as well as the aroma, taste and mouth-watering visual, which drew me to them in the first place.

The banh mi is a sandwich that is quite unique. My first experience of it was earlier this year on a cold January day in New York. After three days in the Big Apple, eating an amazing array of street food – food from cultures around the world - I didn’t think I could eat any more. Then with only a few hours to go before our flight home, we stopped off in a cab at a place called ‘Baoguette’.

A city worker came stumbling out in his suit and cycle helmet; he couldn’t contain his enthusiastic recommendation without using a string of expressive expletives far too strong for these pages! We had to explore further after such a enthusiastic recommendation.

Once inside this small sandwich bar there was an aroma of lemongrass, nam pla and five spice and this is where my banh mi experience began.

There was a selection of meat fillings from terrines and stews to grilled chicken and crispy pigs ear, the bread was crisp and light and the vegetables were sweet and sour with a real crunch; the meats were lightly spiced with the fragrance of Chinese five spice. There was so much to take in and the usual one or two bites to taste were not enough. With the option of adding your own Sriracha chili sauce and an unusual mayonnaise that I was not accustomed to, my banh mi journey began.

Once back in the kitchen on home ground it was my chance to make up my first Vietnamese sandwich, having taken a few pointers from the world wide web and a collection of cook books.

I started with the bread - a French stick – which is where the history of the banh mi begins. Why is a Vietnamese sandwich made with a French stick?

The banh mi was born during the colonisation of Vietnam by the French, where the combination of two cuisines merged to make something quite special.

The humble British sandwich is our ultimate hand-held meal, and the banh mi is the Far East’s own version using classic French terrines but spiced with five spice, lemongrass and chili. Filled with stews and any other meats, the banh mi was created banh ~ bread, mi ~ meat.

This unique sandwich is made up of a classic French stick with the inclusion of rice flour to give the bread a real crunch. The bread is light and airy due to the proving of the bread in such a warm humid climate. The filling is layers of meat with crunchy cucumber, pickled carrot and mooli, generous fillings of coriander and fresh chili (birds eye in Vietnam, Jalapenos in the US) topped with Sriracha chili sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise, made with fermented rice wine vinegar which has a vinegary flavour but a really creamy after taste.

Having made my respectful versions of the banh mi and tried various fillings, I have now been able to enjoy the memorable sandwich whenever I want to, which is the general idea.

David Chang of Momofuku in NY talks of enjoying these sandwiches as commonly as a hamburger! This is possible as the making of this sandwich is all in the preparation of ingredients that can be stored for a considerable amount of time!

If you want to experience the banh mi, I suggest a visit to one of London’s banh mi stalls such at banhmi11 at Broadway market, or if you would like to make your own download my recipe from www.adeliefood.co.uk.

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PACKAGING

Packaging innovation at the lunch! show ONE of the focal points at the recent lunch! show was the Kavis stand, where the company launched two genuinely exciting new packaging products targeted at the food to go sector.

Made by GreenDustries, a global company with strong green credentials, both products are made from high quality, 100% recycled materials, mostly from paper cup production manufacturing waste.

PleatPakTM provides novel packaging for burger style sandwiches or bagels. Its pleated design means the operator can slip the pack around the burger or bagel in one deft movement, and the unique technology leaves an air barrier around the sandwich promoting superior heat retention.

The design also incorporates two small holes, top and bottom, which allow moisture to be released from the package and prevents the food itself from becoming soggy.

The packaging can then be partly folded back to eat the contents and this helps to ensure the sandwich remains intact, liquids do not spill and nothing drips.

Overall PleatPakTM looks like a good solution to protecting food quality while at the same time improving the customer experience by making sandwiches easier, more convenient and more enjoyable to consume.

Meanwhile, The Magic BagTM is a complementary pleated flexible container for french fries and other finger foods or snack items.

Designed with an open top and closed gusseted bottom it allows the release of moisture, while the pleats help trap the heat generated, providing superior heat retention and food crispness.

By pulling sideways on the bottom portions of the bag and expanding the pleats, a portable and convenient pouch is formed which will stand upright. Additionally it can be opened out by peeling

apart the seals on the side of the pouch to create a basket where condiments can be applied to the food and which also serves as a plate.

“We have two new and very innovative packaging items for on-the-go eating that will be a huge success,” said Kavis manager, Chirag Shah.

“Both products are made from high quality, 100% recycled materials, mostly from the manufacturing waste from paper cups’ production and are manufactured by GreenDustries, a global company with excellent green credentials. These new packaging items also minimise waste output at operational level and both are also leaders in Source Reduction which is the main criteria for protection of the environment (Reduce, Recycle, Re-use).”

Kavis has also launched Triptipack, a clear food container with an exclusive triangular design. Produced by GPI, one of Europe’s largest food packaging manufacturers, it is easy to use, stackable and recyclable.

It is made from sustainable sources and includes recycled PETm, and is completely transparent so the contents can be clearly displayed and is available in a range of sizes, 375ml, 500ml and 750ml.

42 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

Palm Platters ALSO launched at the lunch! show was the Wholeleaf Company’s new palm leaf platter range, aimed at a gap in the market for sustainable disposable products.

No two platters have exactly the same colour or pattern, as the palm leaves are all individual. They are formed naturally out of some of the estimated 60 billion palm leaves that fall to the ground in India. The leaves are washed in locally sourced spring water and heat pressed into shape without the use of chemicals, resins or glues. The workers in India are also sustained by paying them a fair wage and good working conditions, says the company.

Adejare Doherty, director, The Wholeleaf Company, said: “As with all of our products, once you have finished using the platter, it can be composted, or put in organic waste, or even washed to lose its shape and fed to cows!”

The platters can be personalised with logos and are available in 12”, 14” and 17” sizes.

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To advertise call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 November/December 2010 43

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NEWS

Colpac machinery serves a spectrum of sandwich makers COLPAC has developed a packaging machinery range with a wide spectrum of sandwich manufacturers in mind. Models range from a small sandwich sealing machine to be placed on a café or delicatessen counter top, at an investment cost equating to £2 per day, through to fully automatic formers and sealers enabling up to 80 packs per minute.

Says machinery development manager, David Mee: “Our machinery business has grown significantly and this is largely due to sandwich manufacturers understanding the important relationship between packaging and machinery. Whether a company is making 50 sandwiches per day or 5000, the basic challenges are the same. The process needs to be quick and efficient, save time and money, and ultimately result in a first class product ready for sale.

“When developing our machines, a number of main issues are addressed and these include how the machine will add value to a business. We look at labour

cost savings and whether the machine will free up someone’s time or negate the need for a person altogether.

“We appreciate the limited space available in some environments and will assess the blueprint and how realistic it is for a factory of a given size. The performance of the machine and achievable output is obviously crucial. In general we evaluate the overhead savings available to the customer and how quickly their investment can be recovered.

We understand that these, amongst other issues, are extremely important to our customers and we work together to

ensure the right solution is found for the business for the short, medium and long term.

“Our competitive advantage lies in its ability to match machinery and packaging to the specific needs of the customer. Rather than needing to contact multiple companies to discuss one sandwich manufacturing process, customers only need to make one phone call. We have maintenance engineers to hand if required, packaging specialists with machinery knowledge to give help and guidance and a truly superb creative team for any design or marketing related projects.”

Tel: 01525 712 261 or email info@colpac.co.uk.

Tri-Star acquires PortaBrands TRI-STAR Packaging has acquired PortaBrands for an undisclosed sum, a company which offers a wide range of on-the-move food and drink packaging solutions for retail and foodservice businesses, including the PortaDrink® carrier.

The two companies will now operate as one business, offering customers a comprehensive range of high quality food and drink packaging solutions.

PortaBrands will continue to trade under its own name and Ian Bates, who founded the company in 2005, will continue to run the operation.

The deal means PortaBrands will now benefit from Tri-Star’s sales network and experience in

the food and drink packaging sector.

Essex-based PortaBrands offers a wide range of onthe-move food and drink packaging solutions for retail and foodservice businesses. Its first product was the PortaBottle® wine carrier, and the company’s range now includes a number of packaging formats for a variety of different environments.

Many of PortaBrands’ products are unique in the market and protected by design patents. The merger will not affect current arrangements with PortaBrands’ existing customers.

Meanwhile, Tri-Star was one of the busiest exhibitors at the lunch! show recently,

44 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

where it unveiled a number of new ranges.

Taking pride of place was its new drinks carrying system ‘Handlemore Cups’.

Targeted at the leisure market and, in particular, sports stadiums, theme parks and music festivals, Handlemore is an innovative cup stacking system which enables people to carry a whole round of drinks in just one hand.

The company also showed its new Hybrid environmentally-friendly, multi-functional salad trays.

Contemporary in design, and aimed at meals based on green salads, pasta, rice, beans, noodles and sushi, the range comprises an authentic plain brown kraft

board tray, with a sleek black interior, and a highclarity anti-fogging lid made from recycled PET (rPET).

Also shown was Tri-Star’s stylish new black-based domed sandwich pack.

Made entirely from rPET, the premium-quality pack offers retailers and cafés the opportunity to present quarter-cut sandwiches in the most eye-catching way possible.

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To advertise call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 November/December 2010 45

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MARKETING

From farm to spoon Rod & Ben’s soup range has been finding favour with independents – and some nationals – after starting life as a veg. box business

D

evon is often wrongly misconstrued as a ‘take your time’ kind of place where nothing much ever changes. Nothing could be further from the truth down on Bickham Farm where Rod & Ben’s soups were born and where even the resident scarecrows refuse to stand still.

What began its life back in 1998 as a savoury sideorder to the two founders’ buoyant regional vegetable box operation, (providing a deserving home for the farm’s surplus supply of seasonal organic veg) has quickly built a healthy head of steam as a simple, nononsense vision that is neatly summarized on the side of each and every one of their tubs.

“When you consider how much of our lives Ben and I spend knee-deep in fresh seasonal veg, perhaps it was inevitable that our minds would eventually turn to organic soup. As any wellywearer knows, it only takes a small step of the imagination for fresh local ingredients to become a sumptuous seasonal soups,” says Rod. News of their hot broth success quickly spread, ably assisted by a Rick Stein recommendation, a guest appearance on Ready Steady Cook and a highly publicised Soil Association award

(2008) for best prepared food.

Innovation naturally sits at the very heart of Rod & Ben’s success because this is a small squad of soup swilling pioneers who simply refuse to rest on their ladles.

Some years back, the arrival of the ‘lump pump’ meant that later flavour editions were able to take on an altogether more chunky, three-dimensional demeanour, whilst a closer focus on gluten, wheat and even some dairy-free formats meant that this altogether better-for-you fast food was soon in tune with the nation’s increasingly vocal ‘free-from’ fraternity.

Their very distinct packaging style has also gone down well with the trade and consumers alike.

46 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

Interestingly, the graphics are put together by amateur artist Rod who always relishes another opportunity to once again fire up the Mac and refresh the range, as he does done recently, which is fine, as ‘staying fresh’ is central to their thinking.

Rod & Ben’s new look can be seen on the new Funky Chicken design and on the imminent ‘let’s go lentil’ (Lentil & Bacon) offering that is merrily bubbling away in new product development.

The arrival of some ‘meat themed’ specials and some ON THE GO meals (3 bean chilli & vegetable Balti) is yet further proof of Rod & Ben’s growing confidence in what they’re about and a gritty determination to ensure that the company continues to

build on its growing all year around appeal.

For all it’s success, Rod’s wellies have stayed firmly planted on the ground even after Ben decided that maybe he needed to focus more of his thoughts on his equally well-named Ben’s Hen’s brand.

Rod has used his agricultural expertise to assist his brother (comedian Harry Hill) and Liberation in the choosing of the perfect fairtrade nut crops. His hosting of a number of Bickham Farm walks every year to thank locals and soup aficionados for their ongoing support for his soups is yet another example of Rod & Ben’s determination to stay close to its loyalists’ ever changing tastes.

The key Seasonal Specials range is yet another lynchpin of the success story, where collaborations with other local, like-minded producers (fishermen, Stilton makers) ensures that Rod & Ben’s always exudes a strong regional flavour.

In summary, the company’s best trick has been to build a diverse yet complementary national distribution network (Planet Organic, As Nature Intended, Abel & Cole, Nisa, Palmer & Harvey) whilst standing firm as an ‘independent sector only’ champion.

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Beacon Foods Limited Unit 2 Brecon Enterprise Park Brecon Powys LD3 8BT Tel 01874 622577 Fax 01874 622123 sales@beaconfoods.co.uk www.beaconfoods.co.uk

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PROFILE

Pret ups customer service levels

Pret A Manger’s legendary attention to detail on the food side is matched only by developments in its internal systems and staff benefits.

Simon Ambrose looks at recent developments

P

ret has become a legend in the sandwich industry over the years, partly as a result of the extraordinary levels of attention to detail and passion for its food from founder Julian Metcalfe.

It’s not just the food, however, that has formed a benchmark for other businesses to emulate; behind the scenes, enlightened HR policies towards staff and similarly exacting levels of customer service, which extend from the servers to back room support, have also played an equal role in its success.

And the improvements keep on coming. Pret has recently upped customer service levels even further in its 225 shops by tightening up support of the systems used by staff.

A two-year integration project has seen Pret centralise IT, maintenance and customer services operations, using software to log and track all reported incidents - and a feedback facility which allows it to adjust its focus to ongoing or particularly problematic issues.

The food retailer’s new system is underpinned by service management

technology from Sunrise Software’s solution Sostenuto, adopted with the aim of consolidating the company’s helpdesks across the board, resulting in a better service to the shops, and the end customer.

“We chose Sostenuto because it was clear from the outset that it would make it easy to manage calls and provide us with the reporting we needed,” said Pret’s IT director Simon Kerry. “The product’s flexibility was also very much a deciding factor, as we planned to adapt it for different departments moving forward.”

In the first instance, the consolidation is bringing together IT, maintenance and customer services with a view to integrate supply chain, payroll and finance queries as the next step.

Sostenuto is being used by Pret to cater for the vast range of query types that come into the support desk, a ‘one stop shop’ for Pret staff and customers to come to. Queries from the shops can range from ‘There’s water pouring out of the fridge!’ to ‘’We have an issue with Chip and Pin’.

Pret customers can log

48 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

onto the chain’s website and register their queries via email or a form. Forms including ‘I’ve got a question for you’, ‘I have an idea for you’, ‘I’m angry and would like to complain’ all invite feedback, and all feed into Sostenuto so that the team can manage them appropriately.”

Meanwhile, there’s good news for Pret staff, already some of the best looked after in the industry, with the arrival of a group personal pension (GPP) scheme on 1 October. The GPP is being first offered to 500 staff in shop management and at Pret’s main location in London, with a view to rolling it out to the rest of its 4,800 employees over the next 12 to 18 months.

Staff must contribute a minimum of 3% to the scheme, and Pret will match contributions up to 5%. Like other retailers, Pret’s sales dropped as customers turned to lunchboxes, but by 2009 they were returning - the battle of the Tupperware was behind them. Clive Schlee believes that Pret cannow look forward to sales of £320m for the full year in 2010 with profits (before exceptional items) up by more

than 30%.

The GPP is provided by Scottish Widows and will be administered by the Bluefin Group and in-house at Pret.

“Internally, we will manage the joiner/leaver process and Bluefin will handle a helpline, transfers and one-on-one advisory service,” said Hinds. “Staff have the option to allow Bluefin to manage their investment, choosing a balanced, cautious or adventurous approach. They can also manage their own investments.”

Staff also have the attraction of a new incentive scheme, with ‘Wow’ cards, an instant incentive reward managers can present to staff.

The scratchcards have prizes ranging from £10 to £250 or an iPod shuffle. The cards, carried by directors, heads of department and operations managers, were rolled out to managers in July, and have now been promoted to all UK staff.

In spite of all their efforts, including the fact that all its 4,878 employees are eligible for a performance-related bonus, staff churn remains high, although better than the industry as a whole.

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PROFILE According to a recent Guardian article, staff turnover is running at about 64%, although apparently the statistic that really matters most is how long the average general manager is in the shop for – this currently stands at 22 months.

Meanwhile, the Pret management team is working on refining and improving its range of food while upgrading facilities, part of an ongoing process. The company analyses its customer base carefully, and identifies the office worker as the most important, some popping into their local branch 10 or 15 times a week.

Shoppers are also important, and they want to attract more mothers by providing more baby changing facilities. Students also make up a large proportion of customers, says Clive Schlee, interviewed in The Guardian.

Customer feedback is crucial and the company receives up to 400 cards every week with suggestions and criticism.

Criticism has also been forthcoming from the national media in the 12 months, it has to be said - customer feedback of a sort - and the company has seemed sensitive to it. The barrage of adverse sentiment about purse seine net caught tuna and importing frozen chicken have both brought swift changes in policy from the company.

But on the whole, Pret has got it right by following its own instincts. It now owns over 250 shops in Britain, the US and Hong Kong combined, and it has annual sales of £350m. In the UK there are now 213 shops, the majority within the M25 commuter belt. It is believed to be achieving sales per store of around twice those of Costa and Starbucks.

The figures alone are astonishing. It is reckoned to sell over 30m baguettes and

sandwiches a year.

Sandwiches, baguettes and bloomers account for 20%–25% of sales, with coffee 20% and crisps 6%.

Total sales growth worldwide in 2010 will be close to 18%.

New en-route outlets are proving a useful way of growing the estate, with site saturation surely not far off.

Its airport branches at Stansted and Gatwick are doing well and the business has achieved a 11% like-forlike sales increase.

Meanwhile, the international side is stepping up a gear. The first Chicago Pret opened recently, serving 1,500 customers on its first day; in New York there are 26 branches with a further eight planned. Washington also has two shops which are each reporting sales of £30,000 a week.

The Chicago Pret is sourcing locally when possible. Its milk comes from the Organic Valley’s Midwest dairy farms and blueberries from Michigan’s Northern Fruitlands, for example. The company now intends to expand in the Chicago region for the next three years.

As in the UK, where Pret donates unsold food to charity, it is partnering with The Greater Chicago Food Depository to donate all unsold food at the end of each day.

“We’ve had the pleasure of donating more than 1.7 million products to charities in the United Kingdom each year, and together with The Greater Chicago Food Depository, we’re looking

forward to giving back to those in need in Chicago,” said Sebastian Wright, head of commercial operations at Pret. “Pret is a sensible brand, and it just makes sense to give our unsold food away at the end of the day. We’re proud to do it because we know it’s the right thing to do.”

Like other retailers, Pret’s sales dropped as customers turned to lunchboxes, but by 2009 they were returning the battle of the Tupperware was behind them. Schlee believes that Pret can now

look forward to sales of £320m for the full year in 2010 with profits (before exceptional items) up by more than 30%.

However, he is obviously aware that tough times lie ahead, particularly with government funding cuts and the planned rise in VAT. To combat that, some cheaper lines are in the pipeline – including a £1.99 ham salad sandwich and the company plans to retain existing price levels across the majority of their products.

In spite of this, Schlee remains optimistic in The Guardian article: “I do see tough times ahead. It is difficult to forecast how customers will react to the VAT rise next year and companies must be sensitive.

Pret will continue to focus on affordability and we will absorb most of the extra VAT.”

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www.sandwich.org.uk November/December 2010 49

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COMMENT

Who moved my

cheese (sandwich)?

Encouraging teams and staff to try out new ideas and be individual in their approach helps us all to learn, grow, adapt and accept change, says former Greggs executive and BSA committee member Michele Young, who now runs her own consultantancy, Foodservice Support

M

any readers will be familiar with one of the world’s best selling business books ‘Who Moved My Cheese?’ - if they have been through either organisational or corporate change programmes, geared at developing competencies to embrace change and transform businesses to the next level.

Its training modules generally focus on seeing change differently and capitalising on the opportunities it brings and as such are very relevant to the way we should approach new opportunities in the sandwich industry.

Innovation First and foremost, the industry we are in is fast moving and dynamic. It’s a sector where change and innovation definitely count and the theory of giving everyone in a particular business the skills to be able to adapt and change faster, should certainly deliver players a competitive advantage.…..

Planning ahead is key to success, even when there is incessant talk about controlling costs and a challenging economy. All too often there is also a risk of complacency within organisations when innovation or new ideas are put on the back burner because “we’re doing ok as we are”.

But it is still very important to identify and capitalise on trends of what’s new and what’s changing. During my recent trips to the deli bars of New York and cafés in Continental Europe I found an abundance of exciting new sandwich and bread formats on offer and yet, sad to say, back in good old Blighty there still seems to be a plethora of white (or if you’re lucky brown) bread sandwiches, and a wall of plastic packaging and fancy labels staring at you from many sandwich counters on the high street.

True innovation is one of those things we talk a

“

Only a fool does the same thing over and over again and expects to get different results

” 50 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

lot about, but which only a few manage to really achieve in the industry. Pret were the pioneers of fast and fresh in the UK sandwich market and still hold on to their crown for being the first to market with many product ideas (some of which have been copied by others) such as the no-bread sandwich and the single wedge.

Availability In a society where the traditional “9-5 with an hour’s lunch” work pattern has changed, it’s frustrating for any customer to walk into a sandwich or bakery shop after 2pm to be faced with limited choice or “leftovers”.

How many times over the past years have we all heard about the term “all day grazing”? Yet some of the big high street names are still struggling with availability and choice, especially after the lunchtime rush and with staff doing little to replenish their stock levels.

In many businesses where freshly prepared sandwiches are the USP, we all know it is the fine balance between providing choice and managing cost and waste levels, but effectively if it’s not on the shelf you can’t sell it.

A good number of customers question why those sandwich bars, who pride themselves on making fresh products every day on site, do not all at least have the ability to “make to order” later in the afternoon if they still have ingredients in the fridge - going the extra mile during the less busy period could certainly be a strength for some businesses.

Many operators still measure their sales

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COMMENT strength based on % sales achieved during peak lunch hour trading, yet if we were to do things differently, it would surely also be prudent to evaluate customer count and potential or lost sales during other dayparts - which might actually highlight new growth opportunities?

Quality The industry focus on quality has certainly picked up pace over the years with increased popularity in artisan and premium bread ranges, high quality fresh fillings accompanied by strong branding and new packaging formats aimed at keeping product fresher for longer.

But in hindsight, doesn’t it seem that as a society we have taught ourselves to accept convenience over quality?

For example, would you make yourself a sandwich at home, pop it in the fridge and wait 2 – 3 days before you take it out to eat it?

Many fine quality ingredients are compromised under extended refrigeration conditions, and there must certainly be a sense of disappointment amongst some suppliers who demonstrate such passion for their unique, fine tasting ingredients?

I do wonder how many sandwich filling manufacturers actually conduct their taste panels in

“

I’m ready to move my triangle cheese slice on white thick sliced bread in favour of a more adventurous all-American grilled cheddar on country-style wheat loaf. Are you? the same temperature conditions that stores are likely to be retailing their product…. Or how many artisan or French bread manufacturers would actually admit that their products are not made to be left in a refrigerated environment, and are best eaten ambient? After all isn’t the crispy upper crust the best part of a freshly baked baguette…?

”

Value for Money The recessionary environment has certainly had shoppers prioritising where to spend their money and the term “value for money” has once again become one of the most important factors in choosing a place to eat out of home.

With costs creeping up or products being reengineered to fit a price point, it is refreshing to find businesses who still make efforts to add value in different ways – for example, certain coffee shops take great care in presenting hot sandwiches, along with additional side products like salad and crisps, which makes the offer feel more like a plated meal.

Other operators have given wider choice on portion sizes to fit different price points or increased their filling ratio, recognising that getting a full taste of all the filling with every bite is certainly another bonus for the hungry customer.

After all no-one wants a sandwich or wrap which is only half or three-quarters full and we are all generally quick to evaluate products visually as to whether they offer a substantial eat for the price we are paying.

Veterans of the industry will no doubt acknowledge that some of these challenges in the areas of Innovation, Availability & Choice, Quality and Value for Money remain prevalent amongst retailers and operators in today’s economic climate.

But great businesses have the very best resources available on tap to adapt to changing times.

Encouraging teams and staff to try out new ideas and be individual in their approach helps us all to learn, grow, adapt and accept change.

With a mindset that “change can be good” I’m ready to move my triangle cheese slice on white thick sliced bread in favour of a more adventurous all-American grilled cheddar on country-style wheat loaf. Are you?

Foodservice Support’s main aim is to assist growing businesses – either independents or regional operators – to learn from the same level of expertise that bigger multi-national brands enjoy.

Tel: 07754 600584 www.foodservicesupport.co.uk

www.sandwich.org.uk November/December 2010 51

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FOOD SAFETY CULTURE

Putting food safety first Implementing a food safety culture in your business can assist you to meet legal requirements as well as reducing the risk of an outbreak of food poisoning associated with your business, says Neil Rush, managing director of Support, Training & Services plc (STS)

W

e forget that food poisoning can kill – but what about Mason Jones, who died in 2005 from an outbreak of E coli O157 in Wales, the second largest E coli outbreak in the UK, which affected more than 118 people, mostly children in 44 schools. Thirty one people were admitted to hospital and tragically Mason Jones died.

Whether you operate an established food business, large or small or are just starting out, it is vital that you and your employees take food safety seriously. This can be achieved by developing a food safety culture within your business.

The legal requirement for all food businesses to operate a documented HACCP, hazard analysis critical control point assessment, is a key element to ensuring all staff are involved in food safety.

Unlike the old system of end product testing, HACCP requires involvement of all staff to ensure aspects critical to food safety are effectively implemented, maintained and reviewed. For HACCP though to be effectively implemented we need to get the basics in place, like hand washing, cleaning, pest control – these are referred to as pre-requisites. To achieve effective implementation of the pre-requisite programme also requires the active involvement of all staff. It is of concern that the basic food safety precautions of effective and frequent hand washing is often identified as a breach of food safety legislation by enforcement officers.

Implementing a food safety culture in your business can assist you to meet legal requirements as well as reducing the risk of an outbreak of food poisoning associated with your business. On the positive side it can also maintain your business reputation, ensure repeat business, and motivate your workforce, thereby increasing revenue and profit.

So – how do you set about it?

Management Commitment It is the responsibility of management to ensure food prepared and sold is fit for human consumption, that the premises and equipment are fit for purpose, that a HACCP based food safety management system is in place and effective and that staff who handle food are trained to a suitable and sufficient level for the tasks they undertake.

Management must: ■ Set the standards ■ Provide the resources

52 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

■ ■ ■ ■

Communicate the standards Motivate and train the team Ensure adequate supervision Monitor and improve performance Many businesses fail to effectively implement their HACCP due to failure to communicate the standard to food handling staff or to provide effective and comprehensive training on the system. Training should explain “why” food safety controls are necessary, not just a set of rules and regulations to be observed. It is also critical to ensure supervisors are adequately trained not only in food safety but also in how to manage staff.

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FOOD SAFETY CULTURE Poor performance in food businesses can be broken down into: ■ Poor practice and/or lack of temperature control ■ Poor cleanliness ■ Pest infestation ■ Poor structure/food flow ■ Failure to maintain equipment ■ Inadequate HACCP in place ■ Lack of food safety training ■ Taking shortcuts ■ Inadequate record keeping ■ Failure to maintain records/documents What is a food safety culture?

A food safety culture within a food business is a true and shared behaviour towards food safety. It is something that can be changed with a positive attitude.

Basically it is a shared behaviour towards food safety – shared by management, supervisors and food handlers. It requires a positive attitude to food safety and management commitment. The owner/manager must lead by being a great role model and set the example. That includes wearing the protective clothing, observing the jewellery policy and hand washing – my experience is that many managers believe they are exempt from such basics – how can you introduce a food safety culture if you are not committed to observing the basics?

Secondly, there is the need to establish food safety responsibilities within the organisation from the top down. These responsibilities should also be built into job descriptions so that there is no doubt about their allocation at a subsequent date, especially if one member of the team is failing to meet the standard and you need to resort to disciplinary action.

You should also establish who is responsible in the absence of key personnel, especially during holidays, sickness, Bank Holidays, etc.

Next you need to ensure that within the organisation you have sufficient knowledge and resources to develop your food safety management system.

This can be achieved by training key personnel within the organisation or, alternatively, bringing in a food safety consultant to assist. Assist though is the key word. It is a matter of delegating, not abdicating your food safety responsibilities.

A good consultant is worth their weight in gold. If you are contemplating using a consultant firstly check out their experience, find out who they have undertaken similar projects for and take up references.

You then need to establish how you are going to set up your channels of communication within the organisation. Communication needs to be from top to bottom, bottom to top and across personnel at the same level, for example supervisory staff.

It’s what best suits your organisation.

I have seen the establishment of “food safety ambassadors” in an organisation with multiple outlets work extremely well. Another great example of communication, utilised by some of our clients, is their own food safety newsletter.

To ensure your communication is effective: ■ Think before you speak ■ Be positive in what you say or do ■ Motivate your team with praise for a job well done ■ Ensure the team learns from mistakes so as to prevent a reoccurrence ■ Listen to what the team have to say – feedback is important ■ Check verbally and visibly that the team understand both verbal and written communication ■ Hold regular meetings with your team You also need to establish how you will monitor the success of your food safety culture. This is not just

achieving critical controls at Critical Control Points or fully completed monitoring records, but how every individual in your organisation has fulfilled their responsibilities.

Finally, remember that food safety is never finished, it is an area of continuous improvement. Your HACCP system should be a living document, subject to review, subject to verification and subject to challenge if something should go wrong.

Your training should be subject to an annual training needs assessment, ongoing identification of any weaknesses that can be addressed by training and appraisal of the training provided. Is it the best fit for your organisation and your personnel? Do the trainers understand and know your organisation and the systems you utilise? Do you prepare trainees before they go on a training course? Is there a system of assessing the effectiveness of training provided and how it has improved practices, etc. within the workplace?

Organisations tend to cut the training budget when resources are limited. It is though probably the most important time to invest in your most valuable resource – your staff.

You can ensure you achieve the best return by checking the questions above.

There is a need to review and challenge how you do all things related to food safety. For example do you use external training providers or food safety consultants? Do you periodically check they provide you

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FOOD SAFETY CULTURE with the best level of service and offer best value or has it become custom and practice over time to use the same support organisations? The same applies to all externally provided services, for example pest control, provision of cleaning chemicals, etc, are they all supporting your food safety culture?

Neil Rush is Managing Director of Support, Training & Services plc (STS) and has worked with many food businesses to develop their food safety systems and assist in developing a food safety culture.

The HACCP system he developed for hotels and chalets operated by First Choice Ski won â&#x20AC;&#x153;Excellence in Management Advisory Servicesâ&#x20AC;? awarded by the Foodservice Consultants Society International.

Tel: 01252 728300.

Action Plan If you feel that this is a way forward for your organisation you need to develop an action plan for implementation.

You need to identify: How â&#x20AC;&#x201C; plan how you will implement a food safety culture Who â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is to be involved and their responsibilities What â&#x20AC;&#x201C; resources you will need â&#x20AC;&#x201C; include any external support When â&#x20AC;&#x201C; donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t try to run before you can walk â&#x20AC;&#x201C; start simple and grow â&#x20AC;&#x201C; set out a feasible plan Why â&#x20AC;&#x201C; explain to staff why they are going this Route â&#x20AC;&#x201C; communication is critical to succeed

â&#x153;&#x192;

Good luck.

Your industry magazine Sandwich IN TE RN

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International Sandwich & Snack News magazine is 6aTPc published six times UaXT]Sb VaTPc U^^S a year and VaTPc distributed on \Ph^]]PXbT subscription of ÂŁ55 8C 70B C> per annum to all 14 those involved in the sandwich industry. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 8C 70B C> also free access 14 to our advice lines, and free access to our information services on the internet.

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‘The only way to get money out of a bank now seems to be to sell them a sandwich’ Banks are reluctant to lend and depositors are getting low interest rates. Simple solution: try asking cash-rich relatives and friends for a simple term loan at a fixed rate of interest to finance your sandwich businesses, says Peter Williams, founder of the Oxford Funding Company AS a commercial finance broker, I help clients find the money they need for their businesses. Generally, this used to mean going to a bank or similar lender (in the good old days) and seeing who would offer the finance – and the best terms.

Now it seems the banks are still stuck between trying to re-build their balance sheets, and provide a service to their customers. It’s a bit like a water authority dealing with a reservoir with a burst dam. What do they do? Distribute the water as it comes in? – or shut down the water completely and rebuild the dam. I think most of us would conclude that the banks are dam building at the moment.

Whichever way you look at it, whether the banks are right or wrong – the truth is they are not lending at the moment.

So where do we go for funding?

Well a bit like the lost antique in the attic, we are completely ignoring, in most cases, the obvious: ‘Granny’.

This might not literally be your Granny, it could be any relative or friend or associate. The point is that just as the banks have turned off the tap (so to speak) on lending, they have similarly stopped paying interest to their depositors.

The Grannies of this world who live on their savings are just as desperate to get some sort of return on their savings, as perhaps you are to obtain funds for your business. So how do we put these two together?

The key word here is ‘risk’! The banks guarantee to pay Granny her interest and if they lend to you and

Peter Williams plugs another dam burst

you fail – they take the risk. You have to reduce the risk if Granny lends to you direct.

What you need to do is write a business plan that not only demonstrates that the risk is minimal to Granny – but also for your own benefit. Do this professionally addressing the key issues: Have you got the skills/qualification/experience/aptitude to do this? Be honest. A lot of people don’t have all of these – they cover this by making sure they have involved a management team (this can include Dad!) who do cover them all.

Have you researched the market properly? Is your product going to sell in the numbers and at the price you are predicting?

Have you built in the principle of ‘twice as long and twice as much’?

Bear in mind that you are going to be entering a proper business arrangement here. You are going to be dealing with a family member or somebody close to you. You should not do this if you think it is ‘a gamble’. However, you are going to be paying a good return here and as such

Granny has to understand there is never risk free lending.

If I was your Granny, with a need to live off savings which were currently yielding nothing - and you showed me a business plan that was bombproof on the above – provided I wasn’t going to risk too much, then I would be interested.

So what are you going to offer Granny as a return? If you follow the argument of this article then logically you would start by looking for a simple term loan at a fixed rate of interest. However, bear in mind that you may have a Granny that’s really good at business – in which case you may want Granny to be a bit more involved. As such, some sort of equity involvement might be to both your own and to Granny’s taste.

We won’t all have a Granny, or family member or friend who is up for this – but what is the problem in asking? Do a round robin email to ask all your friends and relatives if they are looking for a better return on their money. You never know what you may turn up.

If you don’t get ‘Granny’ to back you, all the work you will have done is exactly what the more formal lenders also require, so you can then approach a professional lender or broker with a very well presented proposition.

Peter Williams founded The Oxford Funding Company in 1990. Most of its work is repeat business, providing clients with the funding they need to open, expand, or save their businesses, as well as funding to buy going concern businesses. www.thefundingco.co.uk.

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SHOPFITTING AND DESIGN

Maximise Point of Sale Opportunities How can you maximize sandwich bar point of sale opportunities to encourage impulse buying, cross-selling and overall store promotion? Having a good strategy is key, says UK Point Of Sale Group’s (UK POS) sales and marketing director, Debra Jamieson. Here are her top five tips

Debra Jamieson

1) Carefully consider a store’s layout when positioning POS POS positioning is just as important as the special offer it promotes, so make the most out of available space, both inside and outside a store.

Consider the use of an A1 pavement sign which is visible to customers approaching the retail outlet.

Getting them into the stores requires encouragement, and pavement signs are the ideal sell-in.

Once in store, work out the journey from shop door to till, or the favoured route customers take to get to the checkout. Then maximise that section/aisle to promote any special offers and deals with suspended poster holders and promotional sign holders at the entrance, to merchandising strips, show cards and shelf talkers down the dedicated aisle and branded impulse bins at the checkouts. This fluidity will pass on the necessary visual cues that turn browsers into buyers.

2) Make the most out of window displays Window merchandising on the high street is an extremely important part of the customers’ shopping experience. Unlike the smaller high street stores, supermarkets rarely have the luxury of window displays to tempt buyers in. Ensuring a shop window really stands out and that those summer special offers and promotions are clearly on show will certainly make all the difference. The obvious forms of POS ideal for such displays include window poster holders or deli tickets. But displaying your products effectively is just as important, which is where display bridges and support stands come into play.

3) Use POS that suits the shop style and think about the clientele Understanding a shop’s clientele is fundamental to the success of the business and is something to bear in mind when promoting special offers through POS. In general, customers expect to get something

56 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

different from a chain and can be more inclined to spend that little bit extra due to a store’s originality. Subsequently, these outlets have the opportunity to be more creative with promotions, such as ‘special offer of the day’ and meal deals.

The other factor to consider is the style of POS items used to promote such offers. If stores are higher-end, they should go for the better quality POS materials. Oval base poster holders or wooden base poster holders are an excellent option. Alternatively stores which drive sales predominately through offers should use the cost effective alternatives such as plastic framed display cards or re-useable adhesive ticket holders.

4) Update your POS materials when they start to look tired Nothing is more off-putting than seeing a poster put up by sticky tape or an old worn and torn ‘A’ Board sat outside the front of the store looking unloved. POS should look clean, streamlined and, most importantly, professionally consistent to draw customers in. This can easily be achieved by investing in new POS materials and print. First impressions are often the ‘deal breaker’ so make the most of your store’s appearance.

5) Make the most out of USP’s by promoting them through POS Independent stores have to compete harder than ever with the well-known chains, but it is easier to make your outlet really stand out from the crowd by offering something unique. Give your store the edge needed to compete with the bigger players with special offer and promotions using good quality POS (predominately visible from outside the store) to increase sales and your customer base.

Established in 1989 and with its head office in Stockport, UK Point of Sale Group Limited (UK POS) is a leading manufacturer of innovative point of sale display systems. www.ukpos.com

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The TT800 Machine

Seals multiple prod ucts

No tool change required The TT800 seals multiple products with no tool change required. Product combinations to choose from

includes: • sandwiches • baguettes • salad bowl • tortilla raps The sandwich section can be adjustable to seal up to four sizes of wedge.

For more information or to discuss your requirements contact MPE UK Limited (Finance options available) Tel: 01663

732700 Fax: 01663 732900 E-mail: sales@mpe-uk.com To advertise call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 November/December 2010 57

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INTERNATIONAL

Canadian quest for a

“reasonably priced sandwich” We thought it was a wind-up but its turned out to be true. UK writer Chris Ambrose (no relation) recently decided to trek through Canada on an implausible quest for the perfect “reasonably priced sandwich” and then write a book about it. Quite why he chose Canada is something of a mystery … much like Chris himself. This is how it all happened

I

’ve always enjoyed sandwiches. As a young boy I remember having a reputation for always having my lunchbox filled with marmite and cream cheese sandwiches. This was up until the point where I realised that I wasn’t actually that keen on cream cheese, and so it turned out that it was really just the marmite that I liked to liberally coat over thick slices of bread at every appropriate opportunity.

This reliance upon bread as a basis of stomach replenishment continued into my teens, and while at

university, while others stuffed undercooked kebab meat into their mouths after an evening on the town, I always held out until I got back to my halls where I would break open a loaf and fill a few slices with whatever I had left in the fridge.

Having finished university I developed another passion; travelling.

The freedom and unpredictability that accompanied this adventurous pastime was hugely alluring, but it wasn’t until early spring this year when these two (not always directly associated) indulgences unexpectedly came together.

I had been working in London when I had purchased a sandwich

from a reputable chain. Much to my irritation I was charged more for the sandwich because I wanted to consume it inside the shop. I found this frustrating, and during an uneventful day back at my temporary job I conducted a spontaneous internet search; ‘places to go for a reasonably priced sandwich’.

I wasn’t sure what I expected to achieve by this, but within seconds I was staring at a beautifully constructed photograph of a sandwich. Rolls of moist pink ham resting over slices of thick-cut cheddar filled the screen, with shoots of crisp green lettuce spilling out over the flowery bun that encased it.

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In the background was a vast expanse of water, with mountains on the horizon that were beginning to subtly mask the setting rays of the evening sun. I wanted to be there, with that view, eating that sandwich. I checked the short blurb under the photograph. A few words were highlighted; Bread Garden. Vancouver.

Canada. It was a sudden impulse, but it was enough. I handed in my notice at work, booked a flight, and soon found myself in the departure lounge at Heathrow airport. I had begun my sandwich quest.

I spent six weeks travelling across the world’s second largest country. I climbed the iconic CN Tower in Toronto, I got soaked by Niagara Falls and I trekked through the aweinspiring Rocky Mountains in Western Canada. I also ate a lot of sandwiches.

Some were bland, self-constructed affairs that were eaten out of necessity during long train journeys, while others bore more significance and intrigue. None more so than a sandwich I discovered by chance in Montreal…

I got on the metro and headed up to Sherbrooke Station, situated in the trendy Latin Quarter of the city. It was here that I had been told this famous sandwich shop was to be found. It was a pure fluke that I mentioned my inspiration for coming to Canada, but the intrigue at my sandwich-based quest, and the resulting assistance that two fellow backpackers provided was hugely appreciated.

Twenty minutes later and I was powering through the streets of the Latin Quarter, my eyes flicking eagerly between street name signs and the little fold-out map in my hand. I was mentally ticking off each street I crossed as I headed west along Avenue des Pins until I hit Boulevard St Laurent. This was it! Another hundred metres up the road and I could see my destination – Schwartz’s.

I had found a short write-up on Schwartz’s on the internet, and it had mentioned that this place always had a queue outside. To be honest I had assumed that this was an exaggeration used to hype the place up, but no.

There really was a queue outside, or more accurately, a gathering. There wasn’t a distinct beginning or end to the rabble of hungry people outside the small shop front, but nevertheless everyone seemed to be patiently

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waiting to go inside.

Soon a man appeared from the doorway to enquire about the number of people in each group. As I was a lone diner I was ushered almost secretively to the front of the outside gathering, and through the narrow entrance way and into the bustling café scene that lay within.

It was absolutely rammed inside.

Long, narrow tables lined the floor, each one squeezing in as many lunchtime eaters as was possible. I was seated up at the counter in full view of the sandwich production that was frantically taking place on the other side. A paper mat was quickly laid in front of me, shortly followed by a knife and fork. This was to be no ordinary sandwich. On the mat was a mass of fine red print that told of the heritage of the place and how it had gained its popularity and notoriety over its eighty-two year history. On one side there was a long list of the famous clientele that frequented it, including none other than Canadian favourite, Celine Dion. A second apron-clad man then appeared in front of me, signalling to me that it was time to order.

‘Erm…a sandwich please.’

There was no need to be more specific than this. Schwartz’s was renowned for its smoked meat sandwich, and soon I had the result in front of me. It wasn’t so much a

sandwich as a paper plate with a massive pile of red meat on it, with a couple of flimsy slices of rye bread resting on either side of the meatmountain. Two more slices of bread were later discovered towards the bottom.

I had wondered why they had given me a knife and fork for a sandwich, but now it was clear, and after working my way through the majority of the moist, crispy-edged meat with the cutlery, I collected the rest within the meagre slices of bread and ate it up sandwich-style. It was certainly meaty.

After my morning’s exertions exploring the city I had been in desperate need of a substantial sandwich, and this certainly fitted the bill.

It was a thoroughly enjoyably experience, both from a hunger quenching perspective and as a visitor experience in itself, and as I moved off from my stool having paid my six dollars I noticed that they sold Schwartz’s memorabilia by the door, so I purchased a t-shirt. Finding out about this place had been a real bonus, and now having learnt a little more about it (there’s even supposed to be a film about it called “Chez Schwartz’s”) I would have been hugely disappointed if I’d missed out on its renowned sandwich offerings given my reasons for being in Canada.

So I left Schwartz’s, having been there, done that, and having bought the t-shirt. My stomach was happy, and so was I, and I couldn’t wait to discover what other explorations and culinary treats this spectacular country had to offer.

‘A Taste of Canada: In Search of a Reasonably Priced Sandwich,’ by Chris Ambrose, is available on the Amazon website.

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NEW PRODUCTS

CBE for Scottish food industrialist A leading Scottish industrialist, Alastair Salvesen, has been invested with the honour of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace conducted by The Prince of Wales.

The citation declared the award had been given in recognition of Mr. Salvesen’s services to the arts and charities in Scotland over many years.

These included the gift of a purpose built organ to St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh.

A long-standing member of the Royal Company of Archers (the Queen’s bodyguard in Scotland), he is a former president of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society and a keen supporter of the Royal Highland Educational Trust which helps Scottish children learn about the countryside where the food they eat is grown.

Mr. Salvesen was appointed a governor of The Compass School, Haddington, East Lothian in 1994 and served as chairman for three years from

1996. He was a governor of Donaldson’s college for the Deaf for twelve years from 1997 and, since 1994, has been a governor of the Fettes College, where he is now deputy chairman.

He is also an honorary member of the Royal Scottish Academy and for 22 years has encouraged young Scottish artists through an annual travelling art scholarship, also supporting the Dovecot Studies tapestry workshop and exhibition centre in Infirmary Street, Edinburgh, which has just been rated by The Independent newspaper as one of the top 50 galleries in the UK. As chairman of the Lanarkshire-based Dawnfresh Seafood Group of Companies Mr. Salvesen leads a £70m. enterprise which handles 80% of the UK trout business and 40% of all sales of coated scampi and fish cakes, in addition to smoked products from R.R. Spink (of Arbroath) and deli. products from Daniel’s Herring, of Grantown.

Tel: 01698 810008.

All that glitters…

New compact pie warmer launched by Pantheon

A dramatic, yet simple way of adding a festive touch to desserts, cakes and biscuits is to use a little edible Perlazoon glimmering pigment powder from Cream Supplies.

Available in either gold or red, the powder can simply be sprinkled on to the food or can be mixed with vodka (it evaporates quickly) to form a paste for painting on a design. It can also be incorporated into jellies and cocktails.

Available in 300g tubs, list price is £8.50.

Tel: 0845 226 3024.

Pantheon has launched a new, compact pie warmer to enable operations with limited counter space to display hot products to maximum effect.

The new PW2 Compact Pie Warmer is just 482w x 365d x 355h. With a sturdy, stainless steel construction and toughened glass display, it promises durability and reliability. It has two shelves to maximise the display area and has an interior light to attract customers and highlight the contents. It features a simple-to-use manual temperature gauge with visible temperature display and a pull-out crumb tray.

Pantheon’s all encompassing 12 months parts and labour warranty applies and it has a list price of £317.

Tel: 0800 046 1570.

Bako North Western – Bakery Challenge 2010 Bako North Western customers and students from local catering colleges and universities, gathered to take part in the first ever ‘Bakery Challenge 2010’, which took place in the new purpose-built test bakery, ‘The Bakory’, on 21st September.

Despite it being the inaugural event, interest and competition was strong, with over 160 entries submitted for the six categories that ranged from a fresh ‘Crusty Bloomer’ to a festive and decorated ‘Celebration Cake’. The standard of entries was exceptionally high.

The competition was judged by Neil MacSymons, past President of the N.A.M.B., Philip Marshall a craft baker and Director of Bako North Western, Patrick Moore, owner of Artisan Bakery and recent winner of a prestigious award at the Baking Industry Awards and John Robertshaw, a craft baker who now works as Bako North Western’s Technical Consultant.

Winners of the various categories were invited to attend the awards ceremony that took place at Bako North Western’s open day – the ‘Seasonal Showcase’ on Thursday 23rd September, when David Smart - owner of long-established craft bakers, Greenhalgh’s, presented the awards, with Andy Hodgson, Bako North Western’s Head of Sales.

List of Winners: Category (1) 1st: A Chatwin, Cheshire Category (2) 1st: Classic Cakes, Stockport Category (3) 1st: P Wilkinson, Halifax Category (4) 1st: Tanlan Bakery Category (5) 1st: Slattery’s of Manchester Ltd Category (6) 1st: Classic Cakes, Stockport Tel: 01772 664327.

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Chocolate and spice is nice!

QED launches Deblasi range of bar and counter systems Quality Equipment Distributors (QED) has recently launched the Italian designed Deblasi selection of display counters, bar systems, storage systems and accessories. They are suitable for a wide range of catering, retail and licensed premises.

Deblasi is a high-end style of presentation for outlets wishing to inject some much-needed ‘zing’ into existing, tired facilities.

It is also designed for brand new venues that are looking for a distinctive Mediterranean or Metropolitan feel, creating a unique ambience as soon as you walk in the door.

It includes vibrant,

youthful environments such as Art, Zen and Trendy; stylish and sleek options like Arc, Skyline and Wine Café; and more classical selections such as Augusto.

Despite their exotic appearance, all of the Deblasi products are built on solid foundations, using the very finest Italian design and craftsmanship. As well as having robust and practical bar and shelving systems, they also include the very latest refrigeration technology, together with a vast array of useful accessories, storage units and lighting to complete the inspirational effect.

Tel: 0141 779 9503.

Cream Supplies has introduced Mocafé, Azteca D’Oro, Spiced Hot Chocolate Powder, a beverage that can be served either hot or cold.

Based on an authentic Aztec recipe, the carefully selected ingredients include premium African Forestero cocoa, Sri Lankan cinnamon, natural almond essence and real vanilla.

It can be used to make to make mochas and gourmet hot chocolate or, alternatively, it can be served iced.

It is available in 1.36kg canisters at a list price of just £9.35. Each

canister is sufficient for around 35 x 250ml drinks.

Simply blend with hot or cold milk, or try the following serving suggestions: Mayan Mocha Place 1 scoop of Azteca D’Oro in a 250ml mug or glass, pour in one shot of espresso and stir. Fill with steamed milk and top with whipped cream and grated chocolate.

Aztec Blended Mocha In a 250ml glass, put 1 scoop of Azteca D’Oro, 125ml cold milk and one shot of espresso. Top up with ice and blend. www.creamsupplies.co.uk

RF Wireless ThermaData Loggers RF’s new ThermaData wireless loggers consist of a comprehensive range of portable data-loggers utilising the latest in electronic technology.

The loggers are a battery powered, cost-effective, temperature monitoring system that remotely records the temperature of appliances and buildings. Each logger transmits the recorded data to a receiver connected to a PC via radio frequency.

The RF loggers are housed in a waterproof, ergonomic case that is designed to meet IP66/67 protection. Each RF logger is a self-contained, battery powered unit

that can receive, log, store and transmit data to the RF receiver.

They have a range of up to 100 metres (line of sight), and up to a maximum of 16 ThermaData wireless loggers can be utilised at any one time. Each logger incorporates a red and green LED; the flashing green LED indicates that the logger is active/logging and the flashing red LED indicates that your customised pre-set alarms have been exceeded.

The ThermaData Studio software is both powerful yet user-friendly, enabling temperature data from the RF Wireless ThermaData Loggers to be analysed to provide management information.

The software has the ability to display up to 32 traces on a graph, the trace colours are user selectable. All files can be viewed as thumbnail icons for easy identification.

Tel: 01903 202151.

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NEW PRODUCTS

Victor at Hospitality 2011 Victor Manufacturing will be showing examples of its foodservice equipment ranges to the biggest commercial catering equipment show of the year which runs 24-26 January 2011 at Birmingham’s NEC. Highlighted on Stand N570a will be a refrigerated display unit demonstrating its core temperature holding performance at high ambient temperatures.

Visitors will be able to see a working example of the versatile Synergy units.

With energy-saving being a major consideration in any product refinement, the Synergy range, including

the refrigerated ‘drop-in’ units for their multi tier display cabinets, have seen clever engineering employed so the range now uses up to 50% less electricity than previously, thereby helping caterers to save money on day to day running costs while simultaneously cutting their carbon footprint.

Ten models make up the refrigerated range featuring blown air deck, drop-in well or deli units. The Synergy multi tier refrigerated display units house 3 x GN1/1 size, through to 5 x GN1/1 size and run on ‘green’ R404a CFC-free refrigerant.

The cabinets operate

at temperatures between -1°C to + 5°C in Climate class 3 (25°C).

Additionally, Victor’s own testing has shown that Synergy multi-tier units will maintain core product temperature of pre-chilled food below + 5°C in ambient temperatures up to 27°C at 50% relative humidity.

Tel: 01274 722125.

Bonne Maman adds a new line to its range Bonne Maman Pâtisserie, which at the beginning of the year launched a premium range of foodservice products, has added a twin pack Galette to its range, extending the brand’s offering to five products and enhancing customer choice by adding a biscuit to the cake selection.

The range now comprises three cakes [one in two serving sizes] and the Galettes: Single serve Madeleines Twin pack Madeleines Three slice Financiers in two varieties: Chocolate Orange Almond Twin pack Galettes.

One of the brand’s lead products at retail, the Galette is a traditional crisp butter biscuit and made, as are all Bonne Maman

products, with only the finest natural ingredients from an authentic French recipe, ensuring a superior taste that has become synonymous with the brand.

All the products are presented in flow wrap packs under the company’s distinctive red and white gingham livery with the brand’s unique ‘handwritten style’ graphics, projecting Bonne Maman’s reassuring message of quality and tradition.

Just nine months after unveiling its new food service range Bonne Maman Patisserie has secured listings in a wide range of outlets, including a nationwide chain of hotels, cafes and one of the UK’s leading department stores group.

Tel: 01635-528233.

62 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

CoolKit launch new website CoolKit have just launched their new website which not only communicates more clearly their key specialisation but also showcases their extensive work.

The new site is fresh and has an intuitive navigation including a “search site” facility to easily find key words making it easier to find the information customers need.

They have a range of ready converted vehicles in stock which are ready to go. “If you are not sure what you want you can visit the images and data page where pictures of most conversions are available to see. Visit the website now and you won’t be disappointed,” says the company. www.coolkit.org

On the pulse with National Flexible Gloucestershire-based manufacturer of healthy and nutritious snacks Pulsin’ (www.pulsin.co.uk) have launched their own energy bars using 100% natural ingredients, making them ideal as a snack on the move.

The range of eight flavours makes them a complement to any special diets including vegan and gluten free, and with no added sugar they are perfect for anyone, says the company. They are used for intensive athletics training including marathon runners, cyclists and premiership football clubs to boost energy levels.

Requiring packaging that would enhance the brand, they turned to Yorkshire-based packaging specialists National Flexible for assistance. National

Flexible recommended a film that provided the optimum shelf life and pack appearance to ensure the energy bars reached their target market.

Its in-house design agency NXL Design created the artwork for the packaging and ensured its artwork was print ready from start to finish.

From their bulk stock of base material, National Flexible was then able to print and slit finished material in order to meet the customer’s launch date.

Tel: 01274 685566.

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BSA NEWS

Health Check Discrimination Problem - Update THE Association has gained clarification from the Government that the new Equality Act 2010 does not preclude the use of preemployment health check questionnaires if these are necessary to the safety of products. Many in the industry had been concerned that the Act –which came into effect on October 1 – made it an offence to verify the suitability of workers to work in food handling roles prior to engaging them. Many believed they had to employ them before they could enquire about any health issues that might preclude them from food handling.

Now the Department responsible has written to the Association stating: “In deciding to implement this measure, the Government ensured that there were safeguards for employers. For example, under section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 employers are permitted to ask job applicants questions about their health if these enquiries are necessary in

BSA Technical Award The Association’s Technical Group is currently investigating the feasibility of creating a new award for Technical Achievement as part of the Association’s objective of encouraging advances in the industry. If this goes ahead, it is likely to be presented at a separate event to the BSA Awards Dinner in May as this is not generally attended by technical personnel..

order to ascertain whether the person can carry out a function that is an intrinsic part of the work. For example, if safe food handling is in fact an intrinsic part of a job which is offered, an employer may make any relevant enquiries to ascertain whether an applicant could undertake that aspect of the job (with reasonable adjustments if required).

Furthermore, once the person has been made an offer of work, or has been placed in a pool of people to be offered a job when a vacancy arises, then the employer make any necessary enquiries about the person’s health or disability. Therefore, the employer can make a job offer which is subject to the person meeting the requirements of the job, which can include health requirements, before they make an appointment.

The legislation does not require an employer to actually employ a person before making necessary enquiries about their health.”

Changes from Lord Young THE Food Standards Agency is proposing to take forward recommendations made by Lord Young in his report on ‘Common Sense Common Safety’. The proposals include combining food safety and health and safety inspections in local authorities (guidance

on this will be issued in January 2011); the opening of inspections to accredited certification bodies; and the compulsory adoption by local authorities of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (formerly Scores on the Doors) and, possibly, the compulsory display of ratings by outlets.

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BSA MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 2010 The following are elected members of the Management Committee of the British Sandwich Association: CHAIRMAN Nigel Hunter (Consultant)

PICTURE COURTESY OF FRIDAYS

BSA Committee

VICE-CHAIRMAN Felicity Aylward (M&S) THE COMMITTEE Andy Valentine (Ginsters) - van sales Lyana Doyle (Compass Group) - foodservice Jasmine Sciminger (Sainsbury’s) - multiple retailer Mark Arnold (Brambles) - producer Sally Gabbitas (Tri-Star) - supplier Camilla Deane (Bel UK) - supplier Georg Buhrkohl (Subway) - sandwich bar chain Alex Dower (Pret a Manger) - sandwich bar chain Catherine Moroz (Bagelmania) - sandwich bar Terry Caldicot (Sodhexo) - foodservice Joe Street (Fine Lady) - baker SECRETARIAT JIM WINSHIP Director

Upholding quality standards in sandwich making and retailing Our aims As the voice of the British Sandwich industry, the primary aims of the British Sandwich Association are: ▲ To safeguard the integrity of the sandwich industry by setting minimum standards for sandwich making. ▲ To encourage excellence and innovation in sandwich making. ▲ To provide a source of information for the industry. ▲ To promote the consumption of sandwiches. ▲ To provide a collective voice for all those involved in the making, distribution and retailing of sandwiches and to represent the views of the industry.

www.sandwich.org.uk

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BSA Manufacturers & Distributors ANCHOR CATERING LIMITED Kent Office: Unit 2, Wotton Trading Estate, Wotton Road Ashford, TN23 6LL London Office: Global House, 21 Lombard Road SW19 3TZ Contact: Mark Leigh Tel: 01233 665533 Fax: 01233 665588 Mobile: 07966 664 408 mail@anchorcatering.co.uk www.anchorcatering.co.uk BRADGATE BAKERY Beaumont Leys, Leicester, LE4 1WX Contact: Clare Keers Tel: 0116 2361100 Fax: 0116 2361101 clare.keers@bradgate-bakery.co.uk

BUCKINGHAM FOODS LTD Wimblington Drive, Redmoor, Milton Keynes MK6 4AH Contact: Bruce Clague Tel: 01908 838948 Fax: 01908 838920 bruce_clague@buckfoods.co.uk www.buckinghamfoods.co.uk CHARLES JARVIS FINE FOODS Unit 16 Riverside Ind Estate South Street, Rochford Essex SS4 1BS Contact: Alan Jarvis Tel: 01702 545111 Fax: 01702 548894 alan@charlesjarvis.co.uk www.charlesjarvis.co.uk FOOD PARTNERS HEATHROW LTD Galleymead Road, Colnbrook, Slough SL3 0EN Tel: 08450 549948 sales@foodpartners.co.uk www.foodpartners.co.uk FOOD PARTNERS KILMARNOCK LTD Rowallan Business Park, Southcraig Avenue, Kilmarnock, KA3 6BQ Tel: 08450 549948 sales@foodpartners.co.uk www.foodpartners.co.uk FOOD PARTNERS LTD (LONDON) Lords House, 665 North Circular Rd, London NW2 7AX Contact: Guy Truman Tel: 0208 453 7300 Fax: 0208 830 7137 guy.truman@brambles.co.uk www.brambles.co.uk FOOD PARTNERS LTD (MIDDLESBOROUGH) 13-15 Drake Court, Riverside Business Park, Middlesborough TS2 1RS Contact: Guy Truman Tel: 01642 230316 Fax: 01642 230093 guy.truman@brambles.co.uk www.brambles.co.uk FOOD PARTNERS PARK ROYAL LTD 39 Brunel Road, Acton London W3 7XR Tel: 08450 549948 sales@foodpartners.co.uk www.foodpartners.co.uk

FRESH! NATURALLY ORGANIC Unit 26A, Abbey Ind. Est, Mount Pleasant, Wembley, London 8H0 LNR Contact: Chantelle Ludski Tel: 020 87952117 Fax: 020 87952119 chantelle@freshnaturallyorganic.co.uk www.freshnaturallyorganic.co.uk

FRESHWAY CHILLED FOODS Stafford Court, Stafford Road, Wolverhampton WV10 7EL Contact: Mr Alan Wright Tel: 01902 783666 Fax: 01902 781141 info@freshway-foods.co.uk GINSTERS LTD 83 Tavistock Rd, Callington Cornwall PL14 3XG Contact: Anna Ward Tel: 01579 386 200 Fax: 01579 386 240 anna.ward@ginsters.co.uk www.ginsters.com GREENCORE SANDWICHES - PARK ROYAL Willen Field Rd, Park Royal, London NW10 7AQ Contact: Clare Rees Tel: 0208 956 6000 Fax: 0208 956 6060 clare.rees@greencore.com www.greencore.com GREENCORE SANDWICHES – MANTON WOOD Manton Wood Enterprise Zone, Retford Road, Manton, Worksop, Notts, S80 2RS Contact: Andrew Wilcox-Jones Tel: 01909 512600 Fax: 01909 512708 www.greencore.com GREENCORE SANDWICHES – TWELVETREES Prologis Park, Twelvetrees Crescent, London E3 3JG Tel: 0207 536 8000 Fax: 0207 536 0790 Contact: Steve Maloney steve.maloney@greencore.com www.greencore.com HAKEN’S QUALITY FOODS Unit 2, Third Avenue Greasley St., Bulwell, Nottingham NG6 8ND Contact: Jason Haken Tel: 0115 9762995 Fax: 0115 9795733 hakensfoods@aol.com IMPRESS SANDWICHES (The Good Food Company) Units 4-5a, Horton Road Industrial Estate, Horton Road, West Drayton Middlesex, UB7 8JL Contact: Andrew Pocock Tel: 01895 440123 Fax: 01895 441123 andrew@impresssandwiches.com www.impress-sandwiches.com

KERRY FOODS IDA Industrial Park, Poppintree, Finglas, Dublin, Ireland Contact: Thomas Kiely Tel: 00353 18648000 Fax: 00353 18644033 www.freshways.ie MELTON FOODS 3 Samworth Way, Leicester Road, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE13 1GA Contact: Wendy Smith Tel: 01664 484400 Fax: 01664 484401 wendy.smith@meltonfoods.co.uk PROVENANCE SANDWICHES Unit 22, Riverside Business Centre, HIgh Wycombe.

HP11 2LT Tel: 01494 527952 Fax: 01494 527952 Contact: Ben Hearn Ben.hearn@gmx.co.uk PULLINS BAKERS LIMITED 29 High Street, Yatton North Somerset. BS49 4JD Tel: 01934 832135 Fax: 01934 876503 Contact: Angela Pullin angelapullin@pullinsbakers.co.uk www.pullinsbakers.co.uk RAYNOR FOODS Farrow Road, Widford Industrial Estate, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3TH Contact: Heather Raynor Tel: 01245 353249 Fax: 01245 347889 sales@sandwiches.uk.net www.sandwiches.uk.net S&L CATERING Units N and P, Shaw Business Park, Silver Street, Huddersfield, HD5 9AE Contact: Simon Shaw Tel: 01484 304 401 Fax: 01484 304 402 simon.shaw@slcatering.co.uk www.slcatering.com SOLWAY FOODS LTD 3 Godwin Road, Earlstrees Ind. Estate, Corby, Northants NN17 4DS Contact: Nicola Stock Tel: 01536 464494 Fax: 01536 409 050 nicolastock@northernfoods.com www.solway.com TASTIES OF CHESTER LTD Prince William Avenue, Sandycroft, Flintshire, CH5 2QZ Contact: Richard Brown Tel: 01244 533 888 Fax: 01244 533 404 enquiries@tasties.co.uk www.tasties.co.uk THE SANDWICH FACTORY Carlyon Rd Ind. Est, Atherstone, Warwickshire CV9 1LQ Contact: Nick Anderson Tel: 01827 719 100 Fax: 01827 719 101 nick.anderson@tsfl.co.uk www.thesandwichfactory.ltd.uk

SANDWICH BAR CHAINS BIRLEYS CHANDOS DELI GREGGS MARTINS CRAFT BAKERS PRET A MANGER SUBWAY CONTRACT CATERERS CATERING2ORDER SSP UK FOOD TRAVEL EXPERTS MULTIPLE RETAILERS BP OIL UK J SAINSBURY MARKS & SPENCER TESCO WAITROSE INDEPENDENT SANDWICH BARS 2114 FOOD 2 U - CHESHIRE BRUNCHES – MILTON KEYNES BRUNCH BITE WOLVERHAMPTON GODDARDS – BLEADON LET’S EAT – PETERBOROUGH MAM CATERING LTD LONDON MR ZAZA - HATFIELD SALISBURY SANDWICH COMPANY – SALISBURY SANDWICH MASTERS HOVE TASTEBUDS - FARNHAM THE BEAN – LONDON THE CRAVEN BAKERY – SKIPTON THE JOLLY BAKER – MIDDLESEX THE KISSIN’ CRUST LISNASKEA THE SOHO SANDWICH COMPANY – LONDON TOMLINSONS - LANCASHIRE SOLOIST AMUSE BOUCHE CATERING APPETITE BABETTE'S CAFÉ BAGELMANIA BANKS WILSON CATERING BIA BLASTA CATERING LTD BLACK OLIVE SANDWICH CO. BLUEBERRYS TEA ROOMS BRITANNIA WEB SOLUTIONS LTD (PIZZA XPRESS) CAFE - TORIA CAFFE V LONDON CASTLE PROPERTIES LTD CHERRY & HEATHER CHOICE CATERING COFFEE AFFAIR LTD.

COFFEE CAKE LTD COLOMBIAN COFFEE & COMPANY COLONEL'S MUSTARDS COOPERS OF FRESHFIELD DELICIOUS DELIISH DENE'S DELI ECOVILLAGE FARMHOUSE BAKERY LTD. FIRESIDE COFFEE LOUNGE FJ ESPOSITO LIMITED FUDI FULFILLED CATERING GLUTTON & GLEE GREAT COFFEE HEREFORD CATERING & SUPER SANDWICH CO LA BAGUETTERIE LE BRUNCH LE MUNCH LUNCHMATE MESAMIS MIKE'S SANDWICH ENGINEERS MUNCHIE'S CAFE MURRAY WILSON TRADING LTD NEWPORT STORES (ESSEX) LTD. NORBURYS PITSTOP/REFUEL PS SANDWICH & DESSERT BAR PURDEYS QUAYSIDE TEAROOM RACHEL'S OF WINDSOR RELISH THE SANDWICH SHOP SALLY'S SEASONS CATERING NORWICH LTD SNATCH FOOD LTD STUFFED SANDWICH TAKE 5 TASTE UK LTD THANKS FOR FRANKS THE BAY TREE THE BLUE PULLMAN THE BUNTINGFORD COFFEE SHOP THE FARM CAFE THE FILLING STATION THE GOURMET SANDWICH CO THE HEREFORD DELI THE OLD FORGE THE OLIVE TREE THE ONE HUNDRED PENNY SANDWICH SHOP THE PANTRY THE PLACE TO MEET THE SANDWICH LARDER LTD THE SANDWICH SHOP LIMITED THE SANDWICHMAN VIDEO CAFE LTD WALKERS SWEETS WOODLAND BAKERY WOT THE DICKENS

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BSA Suppliers Index ABOUT FOODS LTD Oaklands Business Park Church Lane, Moor Monkton, York, YO26 8LA Contact: Nigel Upson Tel: 0845 8800 138 Fax: 0845 8800 139 nigel@about-foods.co.uk www.about-foods.co.uk

BRI-TAL (FOODS) LTD Chaucer House, Chaucer Business Park Kemsing, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 6PW Contact: Chris Dellow T – 01732 763221 F – 01732 761 017 chris@bri-tal.co.uk www.bri-tal.co.uk

ADVANCED FOOD TECHNOLOGY LTD Wenman Road, Thame Ind. Est, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3SW Contact: Paul Jones Tel: 01844 217303 Fax: 01844 212341 sales@intl.grotecompany.com www.grotecompany.com

BUNZL CATERING SUPPLIES Epsom Chase, 1 Hook Road, Epsom KT19 8TY Contact: Matt Johnson Tel: 01372 736300 Fax: 01372 736301 www.bunzl.co.uk

labels + labelling systems

ALLSTAT LIMITED Unit 10 Bowmans Trading Estate, Bessemer Drive, Stevenage, SG1 2DL Contact: Peter Tingle Tel: 01438 759084 Fax: 01438 740958 pt@allstat.co.uk www.allstat.co.uk ANCIENT RECIPES (SOLWAY VEG LTD) Empire Way, Gretna, DG16 5BN Contact: Gillian McAllister Tel: 01461 337 239 Fax: 01461 338436 gill.mcallister@solwayveg.co.uk www.ancient-recipes.co.uk BEACON FOODS Unit 3-4, Beacon Enterprise Park, Warren Road, Brecon LD3 8BT Contact: Sarah Davies Tel: 01874 622577 Fax: 01874 622123 sarah@beaconfoods.co.uk www.beaconfoods.co.uk BEL UK LTD Bel House, North Court Armstrong Road, Maidstone Kent ME15 6JZ Contact: Camilla Deane Tel: 01622 774800 Fax: 01622 759884 cdeane@groupe-bel.com www.cheese-recipes.co.uk Accreditation body: ISO BERNARD MATTHEWS FOODS LTD Great Witchingham Hall Norwich, Norfolk NR9 5QD Contact: Mr Duncan Marsh Tel: 01603 873935 Fax: 01603 876420 Mobile: 07825 206225 duncanmarsh@bernardmatthews.com

CALDER FOODS LIMITED Site 8 Marconi Road Burgh Road Industrial Estate Carlisle, Cumbria CA2 7NA Tel: 01228 518888 Fax: 01228 518899 Contact: Paul Barker paul.barker@calderfoods.co.uk www.calderfoods.co.uk CARGILL MEATS EUROPE Orchard Block, Grandstand Road, Hereford, HR4 9PB Contact: Peter Allen Tel: 01432 362902 Fax: 01432 362901 peter_allen@cargill.com Accreditation body: Dutch Veterinary Council

CATERERS CHOICE LTD Parkdale House, 1 Longbow Close, Pennine Business Park Bradley, Huddersfield HD2 1GQ Contact: Sarah Pinder Tel 01484 532666 Fax 01484 532700 sarah@catererschoice.co.uk www.catererschoice.co.uk

CHEESE CELLAR 44-54 Stewarts Road London SW8 4DF Contact: Tina Alemao Tel: 0207 8196045 Fax: 0207 8196027 Tina.alemao@cheesecellar.co.uk www.cheesecellar.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA

CHILTERN BAKERIES LTD Southam Road, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 2RE

ECLIPSE SCIENTIFIC GROUP Tappers Building Sands Mill, Huddersfield Road

Contact: Claire Marshall Tel: 01295 227600 Fax: 01295 271430 salesadmin@flbltd.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA

Mirfield, West Yorkshire WF14 9DQ Contact: Nigel Richards nigel.richards@eclipsescientific.co.uk Tel: 01924 499776 Fax: 01924 499731

COLPAC LTD Enterprise Way, Maulden Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 5BW Contact: Rebecca Beattie Tel: 01525 712261 Fax: 01525 718205 rebecca.beattie@colpac.co.uk www.colpac.co.uk

ENGLISH PROVENDER CO. LTD Buckner Croke Way, New Greenham Park, Thatcham, Berks, RG19 6HA, Contact: David Barker Tel: 01635 528800 Fax: 01635 528855

www.dairygoldfoodingredients.co.uk

DEIGHTON MANUFACTURING (UK) LTD Gibson Street, Leeds Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD3 9TR Contact: Andy Hamilton Tel: 01274 668771 Fax: 01274 665214

www.englishprovender.com BRC Grade A EURILAIT Leighton Lane Ind Estate, Leighton Lane, Evercreech, Somerset, BA4 6LQ Contact: Paul Bates Tel: 01749 838100 Fax: 01749 831247 paulbates@eurilait.co.uk www.eurilait.co.uk

HEATHROW BAKERY Unit 6-7, The Ridgeway, Iver, Buckinghamshire SL0 9HW Contact: Farah Perry Tel: 01753 652888 Fax: 01753 650810 enquiries@heathrowbakery.co.uk www.heathrowbakery.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA

FOOD ANALYTICAL LABORATORIES LTD The Old mill, Oxford Road, Stoke on Trent, ST6 6QP Contact: Steve Watt Tel: 01782 822355 Fax: 01782 818515 steve.watt@falabs.com www.falabs.com Accreditation Body: UKAS

INTERTASTE SAUCES & SPICES P.O Box 5631, 3297 ZG Puttershoek The Netherlands, 3297 ZG Contact: Rogel Toll Tel: 07738 939611 Fax: 0031786 769 117 roger.toll@intertaste.eu www.intertaste.eu IVORY & LEDOUX LTD

sales@deightonmanufacturing.co.uk www.deightonmanufacturing.co.uk

DELIFRANCE (UK) LTD 17 Chartwell Drive Ind. Est, Wigston, Leics LE18 2FL Contact: Alan Moutter Tel: 0116 257 1871 Fax: 0116 257 1608 www.delifrance.com DISCOVERY FOODS LTD. Nimbus House, Maidstone Road, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK10 0BD Contact: Rob Barzda Tel: 01908 933000 Fax: 01908 933074 rbarzda@discoveryfoods.co.uk www.discoveryfoods.co.uk

66 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

FRIDAYS Chequer Tree Farm, Benenden Rd, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3PN Contact: Pat Dunne Tel: 01580 710200 Fax: 01580 713512 pd@fridays.co.uk www.fridays.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA HAZELDENE FOODS LTD Walthew House Lane Martland Park Industrial Estate, Wigan WN5 0LB Contact: Claire Gregory Tel: 01942 219910 Fax: 01942 219940 www.hazeldenefoods.co.uk claire.gregory@hazeldene.co.uk

david.barker@englishprovender.com

DAIRYGOLD FOOD INGREDIENTS UK Lancaster Fields Crewe Gates Farm Crewe, Cheshire CW1 6FU Contact: Alison Taylor Tel: 01270 589136 Fax: 01270 530726 Ataylor@dairygold.co.uk

FRESHCUT FOODS LTD 14-16 Lilac Grove, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 1PA Contact: Peter Clee Tel: 01159 227 222 Fax: 01159 227 255 peter.clee@freshcut.biz

FOOD NETWORK LTD Keepers Cottage, Chrishall Grange, Heydon, Royston, SG8 7NT Contact: Peter McDermott Tel: 01763 837 000 Fax: 01763 838 280 peter@food-network.com www.food-network.com FOODSERVICE CENTRE Cheddar Business Park, Wedmore Road, Cheddar Somerset BS27 3EB Contact: James Simpson Tel: 01934 745600 Fax: 01934 745631 james@thefscgroup.com www.foodservicecentre.co.uk

201 Haverstock Hill, London, NW3 4QG Contact: Daniel Glazer Tel: 0207 907 1947 Fax: 0207 436 4877 daniel.glazer@ivory-ledoux.co.uk www.ivory-ledoux.co.uk JIFFY TRUCKS LTD 26 Jubilee Way, Shipley West Yorkshire BD18 1QG Tel: 01274 596000 Contact: John Kennerly john@jiffytrucks.co.uk www.jiffytrucks.co.uk JOHN WEST FOODS LTD Lancaster House, Tithe Barn Street, Liverpool, L2 2GA Contact: Paul Kent Tel: 0151 243 6200 Fax: 0151 236 5465 paul.kent@mwbrands.com

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BSA Suppliers Index JOSEPH HELER LTD Laurels Farm, Hatherton, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 7PE Contact: John Chattel Tel: 01270 841500 Fax: 01270 841381 johnc@joseph-heler.co.uk www.joseph-heler.co.uk KOOKABURRA 3 Armstrong Road, N.E.Ind.Est, Peterlee, Co. Durham SR8 5AE Contact: Samantha Perry Tel: 0191 518 4000 Fax: 0191 518 4226 sperry@kookaburra-uk.com www.kookaburra-uk.com LEATHAMS PLC 227-255 Ilderton Road, London, SE15 1NS Contact: Des Hillier Tel: 01969 624558 Fax: 01969 624559 Des.hillier@leathams.co.uk www.leathams.co.uk

MARTIN MATHEW & CO. LTD 140 High Street, Cheshunt, Herts, EN8 OAW. Contact : Malcolm Smith Tel: 01992 641641 Fax: 01992 641888 malcolmsmith@martinmathew.co.uk

www.martinmathew.co.uk

MILK LINK LIMITED 3120 Great Western Court Hunts Ground Road, Stoke, Gifford, Bristol BS34 8HP Contact: Sandie Belton Tel: 0800 9882433 Fax: 01454 252300 Sandie.belton@cheese.co.uk www.milklink.com

MOURNE COUNTRY MEATS LTD Unit 24, Rampart Road, Greenbank Industrial Estate, Newry, Co. Down, Northern Ireland BT34 2QU Contact: Brendan Dixon Tel: 028 3026 4968 Fax: 028 3026 0189 brendan@mournecountry.com www.mournecountry.com Accreditation body: BSA MOY PARK LTD Royal Oak Building, Marshfield Bank, Crewe, Cheshire, CW2 8UY Contact: Ms Rebecca Leadley Tel: 01270 257 722 Fax: 01270 215 881 www.moypark.co.uk MPE UK LTD Unit 18 Botany Business Park, Macclesfield Road, Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire SK23 7DQ Contact: Chris Powell Tel: 01663 732700 Fax: 01663 732900 chrisp@mpe-uk.com www.mpe-uk.com

SUPPLIERS

PURAC UK LIMITED 50-54 St Paul’s Square Birmingham B3 1QS Contact: Gareth Jones Tel: 0121 236 1828 Fax: 0121 236 1401 www.purac.com RANK HOVIS The Lord Rank Centre, Lincoln Road, High Wycombe HP12 3QS Contact: John Hale Tel: 0870 728 1111 www.rankhovis.com

MTC INSULATION Solutions Ltd. Royston House 267 Cranmore Boulevard, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4QT Contact: Patrick Nash Tel: 08452 300082 Fax: 08452 300083 patrick.nash@mtcltd.co.uk www.mtcltd.co.uk

ROYAL GREENLAND LTD Sinclair House, Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 5AF Contact: Simon Knight Tel: 0161 4858385 Fax: 0161 4869106 sikn@royalgreenland.com www.royalgreenland.com BRC Higher Level

NEWTECH Stoke Mill, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1NP Contact: Steve Rawlinson Tel: 01234 783 680 sales@newtech-ltd.co.uk www.newtech-ltd.co.uk

SAM BROWNE FOODS Kelleythorpe, Ind.Estate, Driffield, East Yorkshire, YO25 9DJ. Contact: Phillipa Kendrick Tel: 01377 241238 Fax: 01377 241271

PETTIGREWS Pinnaclehill, Kelso, Roxboroughshire Scotland TD5 8DW Contact: Peter Brookes Tel: 01573 224 234 Fax: 01573 223 717 sales@pettigrews.com www.pettigrews.com

pkendrick@sambrownefoods.co.uk

PIQUANT LTD MISSION FOODS EUROPE LTD 5th Floor West, The Mille, 1000 Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 9HH Contact: Andy Lewis Tel: 0208 380 1100 Fax: 02476 676560 Andy_Lewis@missionfoods.com

PLANGLOW LTD King’s House, Bond Street, Bristol BS1 3AE Contact: Rachael Sawtell Tel: 0117 317 8600 Fax: 0117 317 8639 info@planglow.com www.planglow.com

Willenhall Lane, Bloxwich, Walsall, W.Midlands WS3 2XN Contact: Julie Smith Tel: 01922 711116 Fax: 01922 473240 salesinfo@piquant.co.uk www.piquant.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA

www.sambrownefoods.co.uk SNOWBIRD FOODS LTD Wharf Road, Ponders End, Enfield, Middlesex EN3 4TD Contact: Roy Anderson Tel: 0208 805 9222 Fax: 0208 804 9303 roy.anderson@snowbirdfoods.co.uk

www.snowbirdfoods.co.uk SOUTHERN SALADS LIMITED Units 1 & 2 Cannon Bridge Cannon Lane, Tonbridge, Kent TN1 9RP Contact: Mr Ray Boakes Tel: 01732 362444 Fax: 01732 361919 ray@southernsalads.co.uk www.southernsalads.com

SOUTHOVER FOOD COMPANY LIMITED Unit 4, Grange Industrial Estate, Albion Street, Southwick,Brighton BN42 4EN Contact: Niall Singers Tel: 01273 596830 Fax: 01273 596 839 niall@southoverfoods.com www.southoverfoods.com THE INGREDIENTS FACTORY Unit 2-3 Hamilton Road Ind Estate, 160 Hamilton Road, London SE27 9SF Tel: 0208 670 6701 Fax: 0208 670 9676 Contact: Tim Marcuson tim@theingredientsfactory.com www.theingredientsfactory.com THE SEAFOOD COMPANY (Anchor Seafoods Limited & Cromer Crab Company) Devonshire House, Handcross, West Sussex RH17 6BJ Tel: 01444 400363 Fax: 01444 400949 Contact: Sarah Goulding sales@anchor-seafoods.com www.theseafoodcompany.com TMI FOODS Lodge Way, Lodge Farm Ind. Est, Northampton NN5 7US Contact: David Abbott Tel: 01604 583421 Fax: 01604 587392 info@tmifoods.co.uk www.tmifoods.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA TOTAL PACKAGING SYSTEMS Unit 12, Saturn Business Park Fairfield Industrial Estate Hixon, Staffordshire ST18 0PF Contact: Katie Rose Tel: 0845 6430035 Fax: 0845 6430036

UNIVERSAL MEATS (UK) LTD Hall Place, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 OLG Contact: Alan Burke Tel: 01732 760760 Fax: 01732 760780 info@universalmeats.com www.universalmeats.com

WESTBRIDGE FOODS 32 Church Street, Malvern WR14 2AZ Contact: Graham Kingston Tel: 01684 581800 Fax: 01684 893917 enquiries@westbridge-foods.co.uk www.westbridge-foods.co.uk ZWANENBERG FOOD UK LTD (Puredrive Fine Foods/ Taste Original) Causeway Road, Earlstree Industrial Estate, Corby, Northants, NN17 4DU Contact: James Allan Tel: 01536 463000 Fax: 01536 463085 JamesA@puredrive.co.uk LINKED ASSOCIATION LOCAL AUTHORITY CATERING ASSOCIATIONS LACA Administration Bourne House, Horsell Park,Woking, Surrey GU21 4LY Tel: 01483766777 Fax: 01483751991 admin@laca.co.uk

katierose@totalpackagingsystems.com

CONSULTANT

www.totalpackagingsystems.com TRI-STAR PACKAGING SUPPLIES LTD Tri-Star House, Unit 4, The Arena,, Mollison Avenue, Enfield, Middlesex EN3 7NL Contact: Kevin Curran Tel: 0208 4439100 Fax: 0208 4439101 info@tri-star.co.uk www.tri-star.co.uk

INTERNATIONAL MASTER CHEF & AUTHOR Tom Bridge 21 Blackhorse Avenue, Blackrod Village, Bolton BL6 5HE Tel: 07889111256 tom.bridge@cookerydetective.com www.btinternet.com/~tom.bridge/

These suppliers are members of The British Sandwich Association and subject to its rules, codes of conduct and accreditation. While the Association cannot guarantee the products supplied by those listed, it does make every effort to ensure that the companies are reputable and offer quality products and services.

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BSA Product Index ADVISORY/CONSULTANCY SERVICES Factory Advanced Food Technology Foodservice Centre MTC Insulation Solutions Ltd. RJL Software Retail Foodservice Centre BAKERY PRODUCTS Morning Goods Bri-Tal (Foods) Ltd Chiltern Bakery Delifrance Heathrow Bakery Patisserie Bri-Tal (Foods) Ltd Delifrance Chiltern Bakery Heathrow Bakery Viennoiserie Bri-Tal (Foods) Ltd BREAD AND ROLLS Fresh Chiltern Bakeries Heathrow Bakery Panitaly Rank Hovis Speciality Bri-Tal (Foods) Ltd Delifrance Heathrow Bakery Panitaly BREAD MAKING INGREDIENTS Cheese Cellar BUTTER AND SPREADS Butter Dairygold Ingredients Eurilait Ltd Spreads Eurilait Ltd Cheese Cellar Milk Link Spreads (olive) Leathams CHEESE Bel UK Caterers Choice Cheese Cellar Dairygold Ingredients Eurilait Ltd Joseph Heler Leathams Milk Link Southover Food Company Ltd CHUTNEYS AND RELISHES Chutneys Ancient Recipes (Solway Veg Ltd) English Provender Co Leathams Pettigrews The Ingredients Factory Unsoy Food Industries (UK) Ltd Relishes Ancient Recipes (Solway Veg Ltd) Beacon Foods Calder Foods Cheese Cellar English Provender Co Intertaste Sauces & Spices Leathams Pettigrews Southover Food Company Ltd The Ingredients Factory Pickles Ancient Recipes (Solway Veg Ltd) Cheese Cellar English Provender Co Leathams Pettigrews Southover Food Company Ltd The Ingredients Factory Preservatives Purac UK Limited CLEANING MATERIALS Bunzl Catering Supplies

CONSULTANCY Food Analytical Laboratories Ltd CRISPS Southover Food Company Ltd DESIGN & BUILD CONSULTANCY Advanced Food Technology Colpac MTC Insulation Solutions Ltd Total Packaging Systems DELIVERY VEHICLES Jiffy Trucks Ltd DRESSINGS, SAUCES AND MAYONNAISE Dips The Ingredients Factory Dressings Ancient Recipes (Solway Veg Ltd) English Provender Co. Spreads KK Fine Foods Plc Milk Link Mayonnaise Caterers Choice Cheese Cellar English Provender Co. Fridays Just Egg Piquant Rich Sauces Unifine Sauces & Spices Mustards Unifine Sauces & Spices Southover Food Company Relishes Beacon Foods Southover Food Company Ltd Sauces & Ketchups Ancient Recipes (Solway Veg Ltd) Beacon Foods Caterers Choice English Provender Co. Intertaste Sauces & Spices KK Fine Foods Martin Matthew & Co Piquant Rich Sauces The Ingredients Factory DRINKS Concentrates Ivory & Ledoux Ltd Juices Caterers Choice Leathams Southover Food Company Ltd EGGS & EGG PRODUCTS Eggs (hard boiled) Fridays Just Egg PAP Eieren & Eiproducten B.V. Egg Products Freshway Chilled Foods Fridays Leathams PAP Eieren & Eiproducten B.V. EQUIPMENT Buttering machinery Advanced Food Technology Deighton Manufacturing (UK) Newtech Conveyors Advanced Food Technology Deighton Manufacturing (UK) MPE UK Ltd Total Packaging Systems Cutting equipment Advanced Food Technology Labels Allstat Planglow Labelling Systems Labelling Systems/Barcoding Allstat Planglow Labelling Systems Total Packaging Systems

Machinery MPE UK Ltd Packaging Machines Colpac Total Packaging Systems Sandwich Making Machinery Advanced Food Technology Deighton Manufacturing (UK) FACTORY DESIGN Alimentos Daily Fresh Total Packaging Systems FISH PRODUCTS Canned Fish Food Network Glenryck Foods Limited John West Foods Ltd Ivory & Ledoux Ltd Martin Matthew & Co Crayfish Royal Greenland The Seafood Company Prawns Royal Greenland The Seafood Company Salmon Caterers Choice Challenger Foods Food Network John West Foods Ltd Leathams Martin Matthew & Co. Sardines Martin Matthew & Co. Seafood/Shellfish Products Ivory & Ledoux Ltd Southover Food Company Ltd Unsoy Food Industries (UK) Ltd Tuna Caterers Choice Challenger Foods Food Network Glenryck Foods Limited Ivory & Ledoux Ltd John West Foods Ltd Martin Matthew & Co. Universal Meats Tuna (Premium) Food Network Glenryck Foods Limited Ivory & Ledoux Ltd Martin Matthew & Co Southover Food Company FLOUR Rank Hovis FRUIT Guacamole Leathams Pineapple Caterers Choice Food Network Freshcut Foods Ltd Ivory & Ledoux Ltd Martin Matthew & Co. LABORATORY Eclipse UK Ltd Food Analytical Laboratories Ltd MEAT PRODUCTS Bacon Food Network Leathams Mourne Country Meats Southover Food Company Ltd TMI Foods Verseveld PLC Beef Leathams Sam Browne Foods Universal Meats Verseveld PLC Zwanenberg Food UK Ltd Chicken Cargill Integra Challenger Foods Grampian Country Foods

68 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

Kookaburra Leathams Moypark Sam Browne Foods TMI Foods Universal Meats Verseveld PLC Zwanenberg Food UK Ltd Continental Leathams Minster Fine Foods Ltd Duck Cargill Integra Challenger Foods Kookaburra Sam Browne Foods Universal Meats Verseveld PLC Ham Food Network Leathams Martin Matthew & Co. Minster Fine Foods Ltd Mourne Country Meats Verseveld PLC Marinated Meats Calder Foods Food Network Kookaburra Meatballs Zwanenberg Food UK Ltd Pork Challenger Foods Food Network Kookaburra Leathams Mourne Country Meats Sam Browne Foods Southover Food Company TMI Foods Zwanenberg Food UK Ltd Poultry Kookaburra Southover Food Company Salami Southover Food Company Sausages Food Network Leathams Mourne Country Meats Snowbird Foods Southover Food Company TMI Foods Zwanenberg Food UK Ltd Turkey Kookaburra Leathams Unsoy OILS Ivory & Ledoux Ltd Martin Matthew & Co ORGANIC PRODUCTS Ancient Recipes (Solway Veg Ltd) Beacon Foods Eurilait Ltd Fridays Leathams The English Provender Co. (Suffolk Foods) Unsoy Food Industries (UK) Ltd PACKAGING Auto-seal Packaging MPE UK Ltd Total Packaging Systems Cardboard Bunzl Catering Supplies Colpac Disposable Bunzl Catering Supplies Food wraps Colpac Tri-Star Packaging Supplies Plastic Bunzl Catering Supplies Tri-Star Packaging Supplies

Sandwich Packs Alimentos Daily Fresh Colpac PASTA Bri-Tal (Foods) Ltd Caterers Choice Food Network Freshcut Foods Ltd Leathams Martin Matthew & Co. Southover Food Company Ltd PRESERVATIVES Purac UK Limited RECIPE DEVELOPMENT Tom Bridge REFRIDGERATED VEHICLES Jiffy Trucks Ltd SANDWICH FILLINGS (READY PREPARED) Beacon Foods Calder Foods Cheese Cellar Eurilait Ltd Freshcut Foods Ltd Fridays KK Fine Foods Plc Unsoy Food Industries (UK) Ltd Frozen KK Fine Foods Plc Unsoy Food Industries (UK) Ltd SNACK PRODUCTS KK Fine Foods Plc Unsoy Zwanenberg Food UK Ltd SOUPS Leathams Southover Food Company Ltd VEGETABLES Canned Vegetables Food Network Ivory & Ledoux Ltd Martin Matthew & Co Chargrilled/ Roasted Beacon Foods Freshcut Foods Ltd Ivory & Ledoux Ltd Leathams Unsoy SALADS Calder Foods Hazeldene Foods Southern Salads Limited Salads (prepared) Freshcut Foods Ltd Southover Food Company Ltd Southern Salads Limited Unsoy Sundried Tomatoes Beacon Foods Leathams Plc Martin Matthew & Co. Unsoy Food Industries (UK) Ltd Sweetcorn Beacon Foods Caterers Choice Food Network Ivory & Ledoux Ltd Martin Matthew & Co. Southover Food Company Ltd Universal Meats Tomatoes Beacon Foods Caterers Choice Food Network Ivory & Ledoux Ltd Leathams Plc Martin Matthew & Co. Unsoy Food Industries (UK) Ltd VIENNOISERIE Southover Food Company Ltd

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International Sandwich Manufacturers

baenzigerm@bell.ch www.bell.ch Contact: Markus Banziger

ALIMENTOS DAILY FRESH S.A. Avendia El Parque 423 Golf de Manquehue Lo Barnechea, Santiago, Chile Tel: 56-2-4119100 Fax: 56-2-4119101 Contact: Felipe Mustakis Email: ja_perez@dailyfresh.cl

BORGESIUS CONVENIENCE Marconistraat 8 8912 AX Leeuwarden, Holland Tel: 0031 58 2348 455 Fax: 0031 58 216 0720 e.boogaard@borgesiusconvenience.nl www.borgesius.nl Contact: Emiel Boogaard

BELL AG Rupperswilerstrasse 5 5503 Schafisheim Switzerland Tel: 0041 62 885 95 55 Tel: 0041 62 885 95 66

FRES CO SRLA SOCIO UNICO Via Don Bosco N.2 43029 Traversetolo, Parma, Italy Tel: 0039 0521 842 611

Fax: 0039 0521 844 141 Contact: Alessandro Bettini KOKA VERWALTUNG GMBH Mikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sandwich Market Gustav-Kunst Strasse 14 20539 Hamburg, Germany Tel: 0049 40 780 9850 Fax: 0049 40 780 9855 kadereit@mikes-sandwich.de Contact: Christoph Kadereit NORDIC LUNCH AB Box 5924 Majorstua 0308 Oslo, Norway Tel: 0047 23 33 44 34 Fax: 0047 23 33 44 34 k.brandmo@nordiclunch.com Contact: Kjetil Brandmo

SIGMA BAKERIES PO Box 56567 3308 Limassol, Cyprus Contact: Georgios Georgiou Tel: 00357 5 363 968 Fax: 00357 5 346 131 SUPER SNACK Am Schwimmbad 5, 67722 Winnweiler, Germany Contact: Karin Halm Tel: 0049 6302 9819780 Fax: 0049 6302 98197822 info@superweck.de Accreditation body: BSA, IFS

Product Listing BAKERY INSERTS Sigma Bakeries Ltd BREAD Sigma Bakeries Ltd ORGANIC PRODUCTS Sigma Bakeries Ltd SANDWICHES Borgesius Convenience Fres Co KOKA Verwaltung GmbH Nordic Lunch AB Super Snack SANDWICH FILLINGS (prepared) Sigma Bakeries Ltd

CL ASSIFIED

FOR SALE ILAPAK CARRERA 500PC FLOWWRAPPER. PEC. COMPUTER CONTROLLED. S/S CONTACT PARTS. COMPLETE WITH TOUCH SCREEN ICE PACK

METAL DETECTORS Various Aperatures Set up to your product specification

WE ARE CLEARING A SANDWICH MANUFACTURING UNIT contact us for the full list

HOBART 500 LITRE SINGLE SHAFT PADDLE MIXER, Totally stainless steel tipping

SYSPAL LAZY SUSAN 1.4 meter diameter, variable speed, s/s others availalbe.

PLUS: Urschel CC Slicer/Shredder, FAM & BRUNNER cheese shredder, Small BASTRA ELECTRICALLY HEATED JACKETED VESSEL, BOOT WASHER, 1 X LARGE S/S PALLET WEIGHER, VC999 AUTOMATIC LARGE SINGLE CHAMBER VACUUM WANTED PACKER 1meter long x 600mm deep, PALS TOP LABELLIING SYSTEM Please let us know what equipment COMPLETE WITH VIDEOJET PRINTING, all touch screen, year you have for sale 2008 SYSTEM, Various x-ray machines & 20 Kilo cheese block washer STORE IT !

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR

DON'T SELL IT !!

To arranging viewing of for further details contact Sue or Jack Food Machinery 2000 Telephone: +44 (0)1225 444466 - email: sue@foodmachinery2000.com

www.sandwich.org.uk November/December 2010 69

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CL ASSIFIED Snacks for Special Diets Doves Farm Foods mill and bake delicious healthful products that are suitable for special diets, including: Cookies and biscuits in bulk or twin packs A selection of vegan and gluten free ďŹ&#x201A;apjacks and cereal bars Catering packs of gluten free mix for batter, sponge, crumble and custard Find out more information and order online at www.dovesfarm.co.uk or call our sales team on 01488 684 880

Reach thousands of potential customers from as little as ÂŁ115 Paul Steer

01291 636342

email: paul@jandmgroup.co.uk

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70 November/December 2010 SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS

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CL ASSIFIED

RJL Delivery System Standing Orders, Delivery Notes, Invoicing Costings, Full Analysis and much more

.uk VISIT US AT www.rjlsoftware.co

RJL SOFTWARE

For further information Call 01962 761313 or 07721 592865

Abbots Refrigerated Vehicles

• Specialists in Panel Van Conversions and Box Bodies • New and used vehicle sales • Full after care service • Accident repair centre

We offer an extensive range of premium quality ingredients for the Sandwich & Snack market.

Whatever your needs, why not call us...

BRENTWOOD, ESSEX

Tel: 01277 232777 Fax: 01277 212992

Tel: 01992 641641

email: sales@martinmathew.co.uk www.martinmathew.co.uk

www.sandwich.org.uk November/December 2010 71

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