Pelican Edge Magazine Autumn 2021

The future of procurement.

Services. Systems. Expertise. Culture. www.pelicanprocurement.co.uk

Join the organisations embracing the new technologies in Pi to work smarter and faster

IN THIS ISSUE ▷ New ‘Bytes of Pi’ training sessions ▷ Christmas planning during a ‘Supply Chain Crisis’ ▷ Natasha’s Law compliance with Pi

▷ A caterers' guide to providing gluten-free food ▷ Procurement legislation update ▷ Procurement pitfalls for schools to avoid this year

Autumn 2021.

▷ Optimising plant-based diets and ensuring nutritional adequacy with your menus ▷ Hospitality embraces a shift to tech ▷ Prepare for sustainable packaging

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Autumn 2021

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AUTUMN 2021 CONTENTS CULTURE

EXPERTISE

Welcome to the Autumn issue!

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Providing you with ideas, information and useful market knowledge

Clarendon Lodge catering team saved time & money whilst improving food quality

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Christmas planning during a ‘Supply Chain Crisis’

18 23

Manchester Metropolitan University making a big difference to a child's summer!

39

What's going on at Pelican?

57

Procurement support in an upside-down world

Meet the companies that are part of Avendra Group: Avendra

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The role of procurement experts in supply chain risk management

SYSTEMS New ‘Bytes of Pi’ training sessions

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Set up to save you valuable time

Pi helps catering operators to comply with Natasha’s Law

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Hospitality embraces a shift to tech

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SERVICES Converting a room to a Food Hub

55

A caterers' guide to providing gluten-free food

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Optimising plant-based diets and ensuring nutritional adequacy with your menus

29

Procurement legislation update

33

Implications of the National Procurement Policy Statement

Natasha's Law: Are you compliant?

35

Prepare now for sustainable packaging

37

Delivering savings: bread to beds

41

Helping clients save money on non-food items

Editor: Simona Hardy

Senior Marketing Manager at Pelican Proofreader: Chris Bown www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbown Designer: Nick Goodyear www.thenickwickpapers.com Printed by Bluedot Display Limited www.bluedotdisplay.com

Fresh produce & commodity market at a glance

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Procurement pitfalls for schools to avoid this year

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Autumn 2021

The Pelican Edge

CULTURE

WELCOME TO THE AUTUMN ISSUE OF THE PELICAN EDGE! Welcome to the latest edition of the Pelican Edge, focused as ever on providing you with ideas, information and useful market knowledge.

Martin Hudson, Client Services Director

Through lockdowns and working from home, we’ve been forced to make more use of technology.

For hospitality businesses, the move has led to greater online ordering and table booking and an increasing focus on how technology can actually help make business more efficient, in the face of resource issues. On page 12, Pelican’s Stuart Chapman explains how this has impacted hospitality businesses.

One consequence of this has been an increased demand from clients to learn how to use more of the Pi system's features. In response to requests, we’ve recently introduced regular scheduled training sessions on different modules - find out more on page 6. And, if you’re not sure what Pi could do to help your organisation, hear from Canford School of their experience, page 10.

Care homes have been much in the news during the pandemic, often with a focus on the stresses of managing a home. So we’ve included some positive news from the sector, of our work partnering with Greensleeves Care Homes, helping them transform the efficiency of their catering operation while still producing delicious meals for residents. Our work is not just about food, though - on page 41, hear from Christine Larson how we’ve recently saved care home clients substantial amounts of time and money on the purchasing of beds and uniforms, too.

The Pelican team is always up for a challenge, and so too are our suppliers. On page 39, learn how we helped Manchester

Metropolitan University with their community initiative over the summer, supporting days out for local families. And on page 55, our commercial equipment specialist Jo Leech reveals how she’s been transforming an empty room to a Food Hub, delivering new kitchens for clients, in a world of supply chain issues and force majeure price increases.

Caterers need to be ever more vigilant around food intolerances.

With Natasha’s Law now rolling out, Anna-Maria Holt has a checklist to ensure your operation is compliant on page 35. And Matt Ferris is sharing how the Pi system has been modified to ensure that catering operators using the system are in a position to easily comply with Natasha’s Law on page 10.

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With sustainability and carbon reduction high on everybody’s agenda, the Government is introducing a new Plastic Packaging Tax from 1 April 2022, aiming to deliver carbon savings of nearly 200,000 tonnes annually. Graham Cole provides the lowdown on this new legislation and what it means to hospitality operators on page 37.

Meanwhile at Pelican …

The Pelican team is now working from our new office in Farnborough,

Autumn 2021

and we are looking forward to hosting meetings with clients, to showcase our bright new home!

The mental health and wellbeing of our team is paramount to us, so we have organised a number of initiatives - from training staff to be First Aiders and Fire Marshals, to offering a Bike to Work Scheme, holding Flu Jab Clinics and offering relaxing head and neck massages at the office. Read more on page 57.

Finally, as always we appreciate all the Pelican Edge feedback we receive.

Please do keep it coming as we love to hear from you.

Simona, our Marketing Manager at simona.hardy@ pelicanprocurement.co.uk is on standby to receive your feedback.

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Autumn 2021

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SYSTEMS

NEW ‘BYTES OF PI’ TRAINING SESSIONS – SET UP TO SAVE YOU VALUABLE TIME

Harriet Medlicott, e-Procurement Training Team Leader, is proud to introduce 'Bytes of Pi'

Responding to client needs If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, the value of improving efficiency is key. New tools, tips and tricks can help reduce the time spent on tasks, making staff more productive and enabling us to do more with less.

To support this market need, we are excited to announce a series of online training sessions which we call ‘Bytes of Pi’. Designed to help users to get most of the Pi system to free-up even more time in their busy work-life! And as with all Pi training and support, the sessions will be free of charge to all users.

“We have set up the ‘Bytes of Pi’ webinars in response to an increasing number of enquiries for training and support,” said Harriet Medlicott, Training Team Leader for the e-Procurement Team. “Over the last year we have seen demand increase across all types of businesses and organisations for their teams to adopt digital tools in order to streamline manual processes.”

Discovering what Pi can do for you Often, Pelican clients start by using a few modules of the Pi system. But once they realise how it can save time and improve efficiency, they look to take advantage of more Pi modules and share Pi with other teams within their organisation. In addition to this, new Pi modules

are regularly being developed and added to address new legislative and operational challenges.

For example, with Natasha’s Law (new rules around allergens enforced from 1st October 2021), the Pi support team saw a spike in requests for training on the menu management module, so group webinars were the ideal solution.

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Autumn 2021

Byte sized learning

Programme for October/November

The new ‘Bytes of Pi’ online sessions focus on individual Pi modules such as ordering, delivery and invoice management to name but a few.

We’ve set up a seasonal programme featuring ten of the most popular modules and we’ll modify this as time progresses to suit customer demand.

Individuals can book a relevant session, knowing they’ll receive a full run-through of a particular part of the system that they are interested in.

We want to make it really easy for our clients to learn how to utilise all of PI’s features which will help them adopt more efficient ways of working – saving valuable time.

At the end of each webinar, there will be time for a Q & A – so users can have their questions answered by the expert there and then, plus there will be an opportunity for attendees to share best practice between each other.

Finance Tues 26th October Tues 9th November Tues 23rd November

Piranha Menu Cycles Wed 27th October Wed 3rd November Wed 17th November

Pi Overview

Cherry Pi & Deliveries Wed 10th November Wed 24th November

Short demos of: Cherry Pi, Pitstop, Piranha, Invoice Reconciliation, Intelligence

Fri 1st October Fri 26th November Piranha Basics Thurs 4th November Thurs 18th November Piranha & The Food Checker Thurs 28th October Thurs 25th November

Pitstop Basics Monday 1st November Monday 15th November Inventory User Managed Suppliers

Fri 29th October Fri 19th November PiggyBank Budget Management

Piranha PPDS Recipes Pre-Packed for Direct Sale

Tues 16th November

Mon 25th October Mon 8th November Mon 22nd November

How to book your place To book your place or to receive the details of the upcoming webinars – please contact your Pelican account manager, or email pihelpdesk@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

WHY OUR CLIENTS LOVE Pi

"I have already attended quite a few of ‘Bytes of Pi’ training sessions and found them super helpful as a I am fairly new to the Pi system. The sessions provided great detail and also gave an opportunity to ask questions which was great.

I think refresher training sessions on each module every year would certainly be useful. I have sent the Autumn training programme details out to all our teams so they can book specific sessions where they see some gaps."

Kim Hall, Central Support Manager, Advance Learning Partnership

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The fast and easy way to share allergen, nutrition and calorie information

Key features of The Food Checker ✔ Comply with allergen and calorie legislation ✔ Quick and easy to set up ✔ Easily create QR codes to share menu or dish information ✔ Make the site your own by adding your logo, colours and more

✔ So simple to use ✔ Free to use for Pelican clients (this includes setup, training and support) ✔ No apps or software to install ✔ Compatible with all smart phones (Android and iOS)

Comply with allergen and calorie legislation All food operators must provide accurate allergen information to customers who request it, and ultimately provide food that is safe for consumers with allergies.

The Food Checker is a new web application that has been specially designed to help foodservice operators be compliant with allergen legislation and to

1.

easily share information about the food they serve!

Customers can conveniently browse menu information via their phone (or tablet) at any time!

3.

What menu information can you share?

You can list as many dishes as you want and choose exactly what information you want to share: 1. Menu item photo

4.

2.

5.

6.

2. Description 3. Retail price 4. Highlight vegan or vegetarian dishes 5. Allergen information 6. Nutrition & calorific information

Who benefits from using The Food Checker?

The Food Checker is an invaluable tool for the catering team to share information about the food on offer to help customers make safe, informed choices.

Hospitality & leisure

Education

Care homes

Hospitals

✔ Customers

✔ Pupils, students & parents

✔ Residents & family members

✔ Patients & family members

✔ Catering teams

✔ Catering teams

✔ Catering team

✔ School staff

✔ Carers

✔ Nurses

✔ Dietitians

✔ Nurses

✔ Dietitians

✔ Sports nutritionists

✔ Dietitians

✔ Owners ✔ Chefs ✔ F&B Managers

Contact us on 01252 705 214 or hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk to find out more

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Autumn 2021

The Pelican Edge

SYSTEMS

Pi HELPS CATERING OPERATORS TO COMPLY WITH NATASHA’S LAW

Matt Ferris, Pi Product Manager

Our development team have spent the last few months modifying the Pi system, to ensure that hospitality and catering operators using the system are in a position to easily comply with Natasha’s Law – and to better protect customers with allergies. The new legislation is an important step forward in helping those who live with food allergies.

What is required Effective from 1st October 2021, the new law requires suppliers of PPDS food - prepacked for direct sale - to ensure the packaging of that food has a clear list of ingredients and

WHY OUR CLIENTS LOVE Pi

"As new Head Chef at Canford and being new to the UK with a background of contract catering, having the Pi system in place has given me peace of mind and the ability to manage and control all aspects of the operation from budgetary planning to compliance of the suppliers, as well as managing recipes and dietary and allergen requirements.

The Pelican team have been outstanding in meeting my requirements through the organisation of meetings with suppliers, to valuable Pi training sessions for the whole team. Pelican is always one step ahead and has propositions and solutions to our challenges.

In short Pelican has been the control dashboard for me as a Head Chef. The Pi system takes care of otherwise time-consuming tasks which allows me to do what I love the most, being in the kitchen, whilst having the knowledge that there is a whole Pelican team working behind the scenes for the best of my operation."

Dominique Duc, Head Chef, Canford School

The Pelican Edge

allergens on it. The aim is to give those with allergies the opportunity to identify, and avoid, any preprepared foods that may contain potentially harmful ingredients.

The change aims to catch the details of all individual ingredients in complex food items. So a herb such as oregano, for example, would be listed simply as oregano; but every basic ingredient in a sauce or dressing must be identified. So individual ingredients used to create sauces such as mayonnaise, and cooked items such as bread, scotch egg covering or sausage, need to be listed in order of their relative volume in the dish.

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ingredients, and can extract that list as an Excel file. The file can then be used to create suitable labels for the packaging, and the Pi development team have already linked the system to the formats of several label providers, to ensure compatibility.

Natasha’s Law places strict requirements on the display of ingredient information, from the size of text on a package to the order in which constituents are listed and the way allergens are highlighted. Pi makes all this simpler and ensures that users are in a position to easily comply with Natasha’s Law - and to better protect customers with allergies.

How Pi helps Pi already includes a menu engineering module and many of the additions to support clients selling PPDS products have been made within this part of the system!

With Pi, you can enter PPDS recipes into the system, which will then work out costs, and provide allergen and nutrition information. Similarly, if a new recipe is built within Pi, then it can be tagged as a PPDS product, triggering additional reporting and options you can choose.

The system enables you to add product data to your PPDS recipes. You can then build a list of

Pi Label Printing Integration Partners LabelLogic Live is a multi-award winning food labelling app. It allows you to create allergen-safe, legally compliant food labels online then print using a home / office printer. So from product title and price to barcodes, allergens and full ingredient declaration, you can add as much or as little information as you require.

Find out more: http://planglow.com/labelling-software

The DateCodeGenie system is cloud-based, centrally managed and fully customizable to meet your needs.

Easily customize your labels with the drag-and-drop label designer.

Find out more: www.ncco.com/date-code-genie

Pi can help you comply with Natasha’s Law Speak with your Procurement Manager or contact the Pi helpdesk to find out more

Do you need Pi training or support?

Please contact our team on 01252 705214 or hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

We are here to help.

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Autumn 2021

The Pelican Edge

SYSTEMS

HOSPITALITY EMBRACES A SHIFT TO TECH

Stuart Chapman Procurement Manager

Hospitality operators are increasingly embracing new technology, as a result of the pandemic. A combination of covid-related operational demands, and resource shortages, has meant more people have been forced to look to technology to make their business more streamlined and efficient.

Pelican Procurement Manager Stuart Chapman confirms: “Particularly in the last two years, tech has been a big thing for hospitality. The pandemic forced food operators to streamline their processes and look to appbased systems.

Many businesses are finding that both their staff, and their customers, are in favour of using technology.”

Reaping the benefits of Pi “Reviving business after government-mandated closure has been a new challenge for many; and it seems the lockdown period gave owners and managers time to reflect on how they could work smarter. This shift has created a surge in interest for the Pi system, as Pi supports operations, finance, purchasing and management teams – it covers everything from ordering, invoice payments to menu & allergen management, stock management, reporting and so much more.

Many hospitality operators come to understand the value of using it - though few exploit its true full potential. We just want people to enjoy all the benefit of Pi modules as it will make a massive difference to their resources, waste and the bottom line!

One module that’s important is stock control. What smart operators

Many hospitality operators come to understand the value of using tech - though few exploit its true full potential. really need to consider, is having the ability to immediately see if they have the right products in stock. This helps control costs as it stops overordering and waste.

costings, and ensure the right gross profit is delivered into the business. That’s not to stop a chef being creative, but they can be in a more controlled way.

The online ordering module helps to prevent costly mistakes - and saves time. From an operational point of view, you might not want your chef having a long chat with the telesales team. Also you might want them to only buy from an agreed products list to keep control on

Profit is either lost on the plate, in the bin - or into the back of someone’s car! Pi enables you to keep a close eye on that, in a relatively simple way. The Pi system also helpfully highlights alternative products. That’s particularly important with the supply chain stresses we are

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A typical example would be one of our clients, Urban Village Pubs, who started by using Pi for their ordering, then they moved to using stock management and now they are moving towards full till integration.

including calories and even meal cost via a QR code.”

Business size does not matter “The majority of our hospitality clients are medium to small groups - above a certain size they may have their own procurement team internally. That doesn’t stop us from working with big groups - in fact, Pi is scalable and fully switchable, so that individuals within an organisation can be given restricted authority to parts of the system.

seeing at the moment - there are very few surprises.

One of the latest additions to the Pi suite, the Food Checker, is another smart use of technology. Operators are able to share menu and dish details digitally with customers, such as allergens, nutrition information

Many Pelican clients start small by using a couple of Pi modules, and then progress to others as they realise the cost and time it can save them! A typical example would be one of our clients, Urban Village Pubs, who started by using Pi for their ordering, then they moved to using stock management and now they are moving towards full till integration.

Although they’ve been using the system for a while, they’ve been taking gentle steps. They’ve a strong desire to expand their business, and it will be much easier for them, with strong systems and processes in place.”

The fast and easy way to share allergen, nutrition & calorie information

If you need Pi training or support, please contact our team on 01252 705214 or hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

We are here to help.

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Stock up today, call 01252 705 214 or email hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

We’re new bottles made from old plastic.

Available from

September

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*Except label and cap. All rights reserved. COCA-COLA, COCA-COLA ZERO, DIET COKE, SMARTWATER, FANTA, SPRITE, DR PEPPER, LILT and OASIS are registered trade marks.

Email: hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk Call: 01252 705 214

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Autumn 2021

EXPERTISE

The Pelican Edge

CASE STUDY

HOW CLARENDON LODGE CATERING TEAM SAVED TIME & MONEY WHILST IMPROVING FOOD QUALITY In this article Ovidiu Cimpeanu, Catering Manager at Clarendon Lodge, part of the Greensleeves Care Home group, shares some of the challenges they faced including price fluctuations, poor quality fresh produce and delivery issues and how they managed to turn them around with the help of Pelican’s procurement manager Sarah Garnade, Pi and the wider Pelican team.

Changing fruit and vegetable (F&V) supplier delivered better quality, and over 15% savings “Previously, we were using our local greengrocer, but prices fluctuated on a daily basis, and the quality was getting worse. So, we asked Sarah to help us. She carried out a price review and put forward three F&V suppliers that met our product and service needs - and they all showed savings versus our previous supplier.

Sarah also arranged product samples to be delivered to the home before making the decision, to ensure the quality was right. Based on all of this, we chose to work with The Menu Partners as they offered the highest savings of 15.97% around £806 a year.

In my catering role I have worked with several different F&V companies, and the comparison made The Menu Partners really stand out.

Deliveries meet our requirements, while their product quality, price and service are very good. I particularly like the fact that their delivery schedule is very flexible. Sarah has successfully implemented the contract with our specific service level requirements, and we can also place orders via Pelican’s online ordering system, Cherry Pi. As our residents love roast dinners, our top three ordered items are broccoli, potatoes and parsnips.”

Free-up your team!

We now receive better quality fresh fish that meets our specific needs “As a result of the success of the F&V review, we asked Sarah to help us set up a fresh fish supplier, as we were looking to buy better quality fresh fish, at a competitive price.

I wanted to work with M&J Seafood, as I have worked with them in the past eight years and found them to consistently deliver good quality fish products. Sarah helped us set up the M&J contract to meet our specific needs. We now are

Place orders with multiple suppliers through one single web site

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Autumn 2021

WHY OUR CLIENTS LOVE Pi

We love Cherry Pi online ordering as it saves us so much time! I have only recently started using online ordering, but to be honest I don’t believe there is a better way of placing orders.

In my previous role, we had to place an order with suppliers over the phone - and a lot of orders were placed through answering machine messages.

Looking back, it was fairly chaotic.

You never knew if your message was fully understood or if the products were in stock. And, there were missing items and lots of mistakes in deliveries. Comparing the two, Cherry Pi is so much better option to use:

or more products are not in stock at the time of placing an order - so you can easily switch to other similar products, or to other suppliers that can supply the same product or similar. ▶ Online ordering removes the potential risk of the errors that phone messages bring, such as poor signal reception, or misunderstanding the message. ▶ Once an order is placed via Pi, any error can be tracked and corrected (I have proof of what has been ordered so I can check it against the delivery note).

▶ The Pi system gives us direct access to products and prices, which are managed and updated

by Pelican. If we want to add new suppliers or products, this is managed for us.

▶ Pi allows you to place multiple orders, choosing different delivery dates and multiple suppliers at one time.

▶ The Pi system informs you automatically if one

▶ It’s clear that online ordering is much quicker too.

receiving good quality fresh fish to our required specifications, and we can also place orders with them via Cherry Pi. Our most popular items are salmon and cod.

I would like to say a big thank you Sarah Garnade and the wider Pelican team for your hard work and support - it is much appreciated!

With your help my team is able to focus on creating dishes that our residents love to eat!”

Sarah Garnade

Procurement Manager I have been providing procurement and supply chain management support for a number of Greensleeves Care homes over several years. There are no standard templates - each is quite different as Greensleeves pride themselves on providing a tailored approach to meet the specific needs of their residents. I see myself as an extension of their team helping them to deliver an amazing catering experience to their residents.

eye A few of the dishes created by the team at Clarendon Lodge

If you need support with any issues or challenges you are currently facing, please contact our team on 01252 705214 or hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk. We are here to help.

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EXPERTISE

CHRISTMAS PLANNING DURING A ‘SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS’

Graham Coles, Procurement Director, Avendra Northern Europe

We all hope the government is correct in its assessment that food supply chain issues will be over by Christmas, but it’s likely there will be a level of continued disruption into 2022.

As customers ourselves, we all see gaps on the shelves in our supermarkets, and we’ve adapted to this, picking up different brands and products than we perhaps would’ve before.

Flexibility and understanding have become the norm, from our weekly shops through to dining out. So, when it comes to the Christmas festivities, we hope everyone enjoys the moment (we all deserve it!) rather than focusing on what isn’t on the menu.

Nonetheless, to help you plan, here is some insight into how the markets look and the areas likely to remain impacted through the season ahead.

Turkeys The British Poultry Council (BPC) reported that its members are struggling with one in six jobs unfilled. This shortage means some producers have reduced their ranges and cut chicken output by 10%. This is likely to worsen on the lead up to Christmas, as the industry relies on seasonal workers.

It is expected that the supply of turkey could decline by as much as 20%, or 1.8 million birds.

Producers may also decide to rear fewer birds if there is a concern with processing them – labour is needed to slaughter, pluck, pack, and deliver them.

Producers won’t risk the cost of rearing birds if they expect to be left with unprocessed stock. It is

likely prices will rise as demand outstrips supply.

Will there be turkey for Christmas?

Probably yes, but not the wide range of sizes and specifications we have seen in previous years.

Tip: Place orders early. British stock levels will be limited, be prepared to use EU birds.

Pigs in Blankets A firm favourite – we consume around 100 million packs of pigs in blankets each Christmas.

We reported previously on the major issue of a backlog of 100,000 pigs on farms as staff shortages hit pork production. The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has said that production of these favourites could be cut by a third.

Producers will cut back and prioritise lines, meaning there could be a shortage of supply.

Tip: Pre-prepared lines will likely be in short supply, so stock up early to avoid disappointment. Or consider buying the streaky bacon and cocktail sausages separately and make your own.

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Desserts Product shortages and reliability concerns will span across all food categories. With that in mind, consider building flexibility into all parts of your menus, including dessert.

Salmon There has been a steady supply of salmon being harvested, and prices have remained stable.

Tip: If you have freezer space available, consider starting to build stock while the prices are good.

Whole sides are more cost effective than fillets.

Vegetables UK potato crops have been good so far this year, and prices should fall as the season changes.

Consider building your menus around a “Selection of seasonal winter vegetables” to allow you flexibility. In season in December will be the traditional items including brussel sprouts, parsnips, carrots, white cabbage, cauliflower.

Alternatives would be swede, turnips, butternut squash, celeriac, leeks - all great for the Christmas table.

Tip: Fresh vegetables are always favourite, and availability should be good, but to avoid disappointment stock up with some good frozen options. Potatoes store well in a cool, dark place, for up to two months, so buy ahead.

Tip: Build your cheeseboard as a “selection of local cheeses”, rather than specific cheeses, which will allow you to flex it to what’s available, it will still go down a treat!

We’ll be working closely with suppliers to understand where the problems are likely to be, and what alternatives are available.

Stay in touch with your Pelican contact for the latest updates or contact our team on 01252 705214 or hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

We are here to help.

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EXPERTISE

PROCUREMENT SUPPORT IN AN UPSIDE-DOWN WORLD What does a procurement manager do? Many people may think that it’s simply a case of tendering and setting up contracts. But in the real world - particularly one where unexpected supply chain challenges keep appearing – the role of procurement experts is more about supply chain risk management.

Procurement team do to support their clients:

Pelican Procurement experts have in-depth knowledge of the foodservice supply chain and are able to ensure that organisation have contingency plans in place and act as their troubleshooter to remove any potential risk to their operation. Nicola Davidson, client procurement lead at Pelican, lists out some of the tasks her

▶ Facilitating deep cleans in catering kitchens, in a bid to help prevent and avoid staff sickness which adds to the operational challenges

▶ Weekly service call with supplier to review challenges, resolution plans and preventative steps taken ▶ Sourcing additional supply routes for high-risk products, long term out of stocks

▶ Reviewing the efficiency of incoming deliveries ▶ Listing additional suppliers to support contingency plans

Nicola Davidson, Lead Procurement Manager ▶ Identifying business critical lines and planning contingency plans around these products ▶ Weekly stock forecasting supporting both client and supplier ▶ Facilitate weekly calls with key stakeholders to identify potential risks, discuss progress on short and long term strategies for resolution ▶ Consolidate delivery days and locations where possible as a short term measure ▶ Forward planning of events and forecasting stock to prevent shortages

Robert Cormack

General Manager Catering Central Services

“Following on from the pressures of the pandemic and the Government relaxing the lockdown rules, we could finally adjust to the hope of returning to business as usual. However, Pelican made us aware of the industry challenges surrounding food distribution and driver shortages. This was a significant concern for the Trust as the impact presented a risk to patient, visitor and staff dining.

The team at Pelican were very proactive in addressing the challenges and had already started contingency planning and identifying the products

which were critical for our menus. Pelican facilitated supplier meetings which enabled us to collaborate and make changes that would support our suppliers and ultimately protect our incoming deliveries. Additional suppliers were listed to provide flexibility and high risk products were listed with numerous suppliers to ensure order fulfilment.

The support Pelican provides is invaluable to my catering teams, allowing them the time to focus on delivering the best quality food for our patients, staff and visitors.”

We are here to help.

Contact our team on 01252 705214 or hello@ pelicanprocurement.co.uk

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Autumn 2021

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EXPERTISE

A CATERERS' GUIDE TO PROVIDING GLUTEN-FREE FOOD

Anna-Maria Holt RD shares the latest nutrition and dietetic news.

Answers to questions from caterers on providing gluten-free food.

As a caterer you will be accustomed to requests for gluten-free meals, but food law and differing customer requirements can cause confusion. These FAQs provide caterers with quick answers to common questions when catering for people requesting gluten-free food and help with compliance.

What is a gluten-free diet?

A gluten-free diet is one where all gluten-containing cereals (wheat, rye and barley) and foods made from these must be avoided. Other foods such processed meats, ready meals and confectionery which may also contain gluten so should be checked and avoided too if they contain gluten1.

Why do people request glutenfree food?

People follow gluten-free diets for many reasons. Those who have been medically diagnosed with coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis must follow a strict gluten-free diet as this is the only treatment for these conditions.

that affects people of all ages and requires a strict lifelong glutenfree diet.

In the UK, it is estimated that 1 in 100 people have coeliac disease with many people not yet diagnosed.1

Those living with coeliac disease cannot consume any gluten because eating food that contains gluten causes damage to the small intestine.

Those with coeliac disease must avoid gluten in their diet to prevent poor absorption of nutrients that can lead to long term health problems such as osteoporosis and bowel cancer.

Can oats be included as part of a gluten-free diet?

People with coeliac disease are advised to consume glutenfree oats to reduce the risk of consuming any gluten present due to cross-contamination in processing.

Others may follow a glutenfree diet because they experience gluten-associated food intolerance or sensitivity symptoms. Thanks to celebrity endorsement, gluten-free diets have become popular as a lifestyle choice so some people may choose to follow a gluten-free diet for the perceived health benefits.

What is coeliac disease?

Coeliac disease (pronounced seeliac) is an auto-immune condition

eye Offer a range of naturally gluten-free foods such as potato, pulses, rice, polenta, corn, and quinoa

The Pelican Edge

Autumn 2021

Suitable oats for people diagnosed with coeliac disease will be labelled ‘gluten-free’ as these guarantee that they contain less than 20ppm of gluten.

What are the legal requirements for catering gluten-free?

Some people with coeliac disease may react to gluten-free oats so they may request to avoid these too.2

There are two key pieces of legislation that caterers need to be aware of: the allergen labelling law and the glutenfree law.

containing cereal under this legislation because oats are often contaminated with wheat, barley and rye during production and processing.3, 4, 5

1. Allergen labelling laws

2. Gluten-free law

Under allergen labelling laws, gluten-containing cereals (wheat, rye, barley, oats) are one of the 14 allergens that must be clearly declared and highlighted within ingredient lists on food labels for pre-packed and PPDS foods. Caterers must also have available information on gluten-containing cereals, present in any amount within the food they provide, to customers either on menus, websites or verbally. Note: Oats are identified as a gluten-

The definition of gluten-free is where the presence of gluten is less than 20 parts per million (ppm) in a food product or meal. This level of gluten is considered safe for people with coeliac disease.6

Can you ignore ‘may contain gluten’ warnings on labels?

Foods with ‘may contain gluten’ are not suitable for people with coeliac disease even if gluten-containing cereals are not listed as an allergen.

This is because small amounts of gluten can cause damage to the gut lining.

Manufacturers and retailers will add ‘may contain’ warnings to labels where there is a potential risk of cross-contamination during food production.

Caterers should take care when using the term gluten-free on menus and websites as the term is legally defined. To claim a food or meal is gluten-free, you must be able to demonstrate and prove that it contains less then 20ppm of gluten.7

Article references

1. Coeliac UK: About Coeliac Disease https://bit.ly/3zTDnTw 2. Coeliac UK: Guidance on Oats https://bit.ly/3kZool0 3. The Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulation 2019 https://bit.ly/2SCLO5A, (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 https://bit.ly/3cNQ4pp, (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 https:// bit.ly/2SHRtqV, (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021 https://bit.ly/3iMSQiJ 4. The Food Information Regulations 2014 https://bit.ly/35vo1Y2 and supported by Regulation (EU) 1169/2011. https://bit.ly/3xwAIh7 5. Food Information for Consumers regulation (article 2) https://bit.ly/3iRyFAk 6. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014 https://bit.ly/2X2s6lF 7. Coeliac UK: Guidance on Glutenfree and the Law https://bit.ly/3yKMuoo

Quick checklist for caterers: Gluten-free catering ✔ Offer a range of naturally gluten-free foods such as potato, pulses, rice, polenta, corn, and quinoa ✔ Check your chefs, catering, and front of house teams understand gluten-free requirements ✔ Ensure your teams follow the necessary controls required to provide safe gluten free food

✔ Check oats are labelled gluten-free ✔ Look out for ‘may contain gluten’ warnings on labels and avoid products which contain any of the gluten-containing cereals listed in the ingredients ✔ Make it clear to customers with allergies to ask for information on allergens and ingredients used

More information and guidance on how to provide gluten free food is available here: https://bit.ly/3mkv6mk

If you need support with any issues or challenges you are currently facing, please contact our team on 01252 705214 or hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

We are here to help you.

25

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

BUILDING A

SUSTAINABLE

FUTURE FOR SOFT DRINKS

100% of Britvic bottles and cans are recyclable

Environmental considerations and sustainability have soared on people’s agenda over the last decade.

Globally, climate change remains the number one concern of people, with 19.6% of respondents citing this – an increase of 0.5% compared to 20191. The second biggest concern still being plastic waste (14.8%)1. The research also showed that people’s children had the biggest impact on their decisions and behaviours1, showing the generational element at play. This shows how important it is for suppliers and retailers to make changes now, as the next generation will have an even greater concern for the environment, and their purchases will reflect this.

REDUCING THE INDUSTRY’S CARBON FOOTPRINT...

Supplier and customer engagement is key to reducing carbon emissions throughout the value chain and as more and more businesses, indeed whole industries, set these stretching targets, we can only achieve them by working collaboratively. The long-term goal of all this activity is to improve the soft drinks industry’s carbon footprint. By ensuring great packaging never becomes waste and achieving circularity in packaging, we hope that will help us achieve our ultimate goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

1 2

Kantar, #Who Cares, Who Does? 2020 Attitudes and actions towards living sustainably and reducing waste. September 2020. https://plasticsmartcities.org/products/deposit-return-program

Ballygowan range and Fruit Shoot Hydro 100% rPET

ADVICE FOR OPERATORS Tom Fiennes, GB Commercial Sustainability Director at Britvic comments: “Sustainability is not only of growing concern among people, but it is also now a factor involved in their decision-making and purchasing process.

Therefore, consumers are expecting brands and organisations to demonstrate their environmental efforts through the products

TOM FIENNES

GB Commercial Sustainability Director, Britvic

they manufacture and sell. In turn, it is hugely important for outlets and venues to keep up with consumer priorities. Operators will benefit by indicating they too are aware of these issues, by stocking sustainable products and ensuring their venue is optimised to ensure consumers are encouraged and able to recycle their used products”.

deposit return scheme The demand for more recycled PET for the soft drinks industry has seen the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) that requires the most attention. We know from international experience, if you get a DRS right you can see recycling rates climb far above 90%2. Britvic supports a well-designed, industry-led, not-for-profit scheme that is GB-wide.

Alongside producers and retailers, Britvic is proud to be a founding member of Circularity Scotland – the administrator appointed by the Scottish Government to run the scheme.

A sustainable future is possible for everyone, but it requires the industry to work with customers and Governments to share expertise. We want to see a world where great packaging never becomes waste, and this scheme is part of making this vision a reality.

Meeting the demand for more recycled PET A well-run DRS will play a pivotal role in increasing the availability of PET for single-use plastic bottles for recycling. Using rPET instead of virgin plastic reduces our reliance on finite resources and has a carbon benefit, which is part of the reason so many drinks companies have made long-term commitments to its use. But the demand for rPET still vastly outstrips supply. As soon as April 2022, businesses will have to pay an additional £200 per tonne of plastic packaging they put on the market that does not contain at least 30% recycled content.

Evian Supporting an effective DRS will help increase 100% rPET the availability of rPET, while making it more commercially viable for anyone that chooses to access it.

750ML & 1L Buxton Water 100% rPET

Purveyors of the finest quality fruit, Vegetables, Dairy & dried goods to the catering trade.

Sourced directly from New Covent Garden Market, London.

We put our customers first and work backwards to maximise customer satisfaction. We take enormous pride in our goods and service to ensure our customers needs are always fulfilled.

BIG ENOUGH TO COPE & SMALL ENOUGH TO CARE

our goods and service to ur

For more information email hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk or call 01252 705 214 e our customer needs are always achieved.

The Pelican Edge

Autumn 2021

29

EXPERTISE

OPTIMISING PLANT-BASED DIETS AND ENSURING NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY WITH YOUR MENUS

Anna-Maria Holt RD shares the latest nutrition and dietetic news.

Following the rising trend of plant-based diets and the added weight of the recently published report on climate change, there will be yet more demand for sustainable diets in the future.

In this article, Anna-Maria Holt RD tells us what sustainable diets are and how caterers can ensure nutritional quality in the context of plant-based meals.

Climate crisis Earlier this year, a monumental international scientific report on climate change found that the Earth’s climate is changing quickly and beyond repair. The report calls for immediate and sustained reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit climate change in the future.1 It is reported that agriculture and food production produce up to 30% of GHG emissions worldwide.

According to the British Dietetic Association’s (BDA) One Blue Dot project, addressing the environmental impact of the food we eat is one of the key changes we can make to tackle climate change.2

health, climate, and other environmental commitments.

National Food Strategy

▶ 50% increase in fibre

Climate change is also one of the focus areas of the independent review National Food Strategy by Henry Dimbleby, which will shape government policy around food culture in the UK in the coming years. This report tells us that food is the second biggest contributor to climate change after energy.3

▶ 25% decrease in high fat, sugar and salt foods

The report highlights the key changes needed to the national diet by 2023 to meet

These are: ▶ 30% increase fruit and vegetable consumption

▶ 30% decrease in meat consumption A shift to more plant-based eating among populations around the world would help reduce GHG emissions and therefore reduce our impact on climate change.

To achieve this, the BDA’s One Blue Dot project recommends plant-

30

Autumn 2021

The Pelican Edge

The Vegan Eatwell Guide

based and sustainable diets where animal products are not eliminated but reduced, whilst more vegetables, legumes, and other plant derived foods are consumed.

A traditional vegan diet is typically based on whole foods which includes fruit and vegetables, nuts, pulses and wholegrains.5 Benefits of plant-based diets

Popularity of plant-based diets Plant-based eating is growing in popularity with over 600,000 of the UK population now following a vegan diet; a dietary pattern that eliminates all animal products and substitutes these with plant-based alternatives.4

Vegan diets are said to produce the lowest emissions of carbon dioxide.

In addition to being better for the planet, plant-based diets can be beneficial to health and support healthy living for people of all ages if planned well to include a variety of suitable foods.6

Plant-based eating patterns are not necessarily always healthy and those following a vegan diet can, like other diets, develop nutritional deficiencies in some key micronutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, calcium iodine, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and zinc. Good nutritional planning is essential to ensure people following a vegan diet, or other plant-based diets, get all the nutrients they need to avoid deficiencies.7 To help people following a vegan diet plan healthy and nutritious meals, The Vegan Society has published The Vegan Eatwell Guide, which based on the Government’s Eatwell Guide.8 This is a useful reference tool for caterers in all settings when planning meals and menus across the week.

Note: The Vegan Eatwell Guide provides general nutrition guidance and is not suitable for everyone.

Good nutritional planning is about balancing food groups well and using fortified foods and supplementation wisely. Use the Vegan Eatwell Guide to help you get all the nutrients you need without animal products.

The Vegan Eatwell Guide was adapted from the Eatwell Guide under the terms of the Open Government Licence:

. The Eatwell Guide is a Crown Copyright publication of Public Health England in association with the Welsh government, Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland

© The Vegan Society, 2020. Registered Charity No. 279228 (England and Wales) and SC049495 (Scotland)

The Pelican Edge

Vegan products The rise in popularity of plant-based diets has led to a growing market for meat-free and vegan-friendly manufactured products. A recent study found that ultraprocessed (food that contains little or no whole foods) vegan food items such as vegan ready-made meals, snacks, sweets, desserts, sauces, condiments, and fats are more frequently chosen by consumers for convenience reasons.9 These products are usually high in saturated fat, salt, and sugars, and low in fibre and often offer limited protein and micronutrients.

Autumn 2021

Healthy eating guidelines for vegans ▶ Aim for at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily ▶ Include starchy carbohydrates, preferably wholegrain, at each meal ▶ Ensure a variety of protein-rich plant foods with meals and throughout the day ▶ Eat at least two portions of suitable calcium-rich foods daily ▶ Include plant-based foods rich in omega-3 fat daily ▶ Drink 6-8 glasses of fluid each day to stay hydrated ▶ Limit foods with added fat, sugar and salt Source: The Vegan Eatwell Guide8 Calcium-rich foods (single portions)

Sources of protein suitable for vegan diets

The concern is that as consumers move to more plant-based foods the demand and consumption of these ultraprocessed products will grow, which overall may not be beneficial to health or the planet.

✔ 200ml of fortified milk alternative e.g. oat or soya milk

✔ Beans

✔ 200g of fortified soy yoghurt alternative

✔ Lentils

A guide to choosing vegan products

✔ 2x slices of soya and linseed bread fortified with calcium

Opting for a traditional vegan diet which consists of whole foods that have been sourced locally and in season, where possible, is the ideal, however convenience products remain popular and can help caterers meet a need.7 Here are 5 tips when selecting vegan products: ▶ Avoid or limit ultraprocessed foods ▶ Use labels to choose foods lower in fat, salt and sugars ▶ Choose foods higher in fibre ▶ Check that dairy alternatives have been fortified with calcium ▶ Ensure the product contains a source of protein e.g. beans, pulses, soya References

1. IPCC | Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis https://bit.ly/3BSUFkw 2. BDA | Environmentally Sustainable Diet Project: One Blue Dot https://bit.ly/2WZ8GOv

31

✔ 70g calcium-set tofu (uncooked weight)

✔ Peas ✔ Baked beans (low sugar and low salt options) ✔ Cashew nuts ✔ Soya mince ✔ Chickpeas

Omega-3 rich foods

✔ Tofu

✔ A small handful of walnuts

✔ Peanut butter

✔ A tablespoon of linseeds ✔ Rapeseed oil

✔ Mixed plain nuts ✔ Pumpkin seeds

✔ Olive oil ✔ Highly unsaturated dairyfree spread

3. National Food Strategy: An independent review for Government https://bit.ly/38PLMfa 4. The Grocer: Almost 600,000 sign up for Veganuary 2021 (01/02/21) https://bit.ly/3hdCnT8 5. BDA Fact Sheet: Vegetarian, vegan and plant-based diets https://bit.ly/3zZkYF2 6. BDA | Vegan and Thriving https://bit.ly/38RxQRy 7. The Vegan Society | Nutrition & Health https://bit.ly/3n4qbb4 8. The Vegan Eatwell Guide (PDF) https://bit.ly/3toLIfw 9. Pattern analysis of vegan eating reveals healthy and unhealthy patterns within the vegan diet https://bit.ly/3hgkoLO

If you need support with any issues or challenges you are currently facing, please contact our team on 01252 705214 or hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

We are here to help.

Direct Seafoods

Direct Seafoods

A Passion For Fish

A Passion For Fish

Direct Seafoods are proud to offer continued support to Pelican Procurement.

As the UK’s Leading fresh fish supplier we offer responsibly sourced fish and seafood, locally sourced wherever possible.

Direct Seafoods Wherever you are situated in the UK, one of our local depots can provide a range ofDirect species,Seafoods along with daily

LON N fish responsibly and LO NDO landings from the regional ports around theD UK.OSourcing passionately, Direct Seafoods believe in promoting the most sustainable products available.

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Murray’s Fresh Fish Unit 10-14 Cedar Way DAILY FISH Industrial Estate, Camley Street, Direct Seafoods Colchester London, N1C 4PD 0208 963 0110 taylor foods www.murraysfreshfish.com LONDON

SUPPLIES

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Get in touch!

For more information contact your Pelican representative: Email: hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk | Call: 01252 705 214

Midlands

Direct Seafoods Colchester

Direct Seafoods London

The Pelican Edge

Autumn 2021

33

EXPERTISE

PROCUREMENT LEGISLATION UPDATE

Kim Nailor, MCIPS Tender Team Manager

NATIONAL PROCUREMENT POLICY STATEMENT Over the last few months, the UK Government has focused on revising policies and establishing best practices for public procurement.

Procurement accounts for around a third of all public expenditure, and with the publication of the National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) a greater focus is on how this spending can better support the delivery of key priorities such as generating economic growth, and supporting the transition to net zero carbon emissions.

The policies within the statement apply to the entire public sector, including central government departments, executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies, local authorities and the NHS. Social value As a buyer, considering the social, economic and environmental impact of procurement decisions is now more important than ever.

Suppliers need to be encouraged to adopt best practices by putting a greater emphasis on social value within notices, and awarding contracts that sufficiently contribute towards helping to deliver the priorities identified within the NPPS. The following guidelines outline some of these best practices: ▶ Creating new businesses, new jobs and new skills - helping new and/or small businesses to grow;

supporting higher economic growth; increasing employment opportunities; extending training opportunities. ▶ Tackling climate change and reducing waste - contributing to the UK Government’s legallybinding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050: reducing waste, identifying opportunities in sustainable procurement to deliver additional environmental benefits. ▶ Improving supplier diversity, innovation and resilience creating a more diverse supply chain to deliver the contract, which will better support start-ups, small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) in doing business on public sector contracts: deliver lower cost and/or higher quality goods and services, and encourage the wider adoption of innovation: contributing to the development of scalable and future-proofed new methods to modernise delivery and increase productivity.

▶ Skills and capability for procurement - all contracting authorities will now have to put greater scrutiny on their own processes, reviewing their capability and capacity to deliver value for money.

There is now an expectation that buyers will benchmark themselves against relevant commercial and procurement operating standards.

The full NPPS along with the associated Policy Procurement Note (PPN), can be found at the below link: https://bit.ly/2WTJTeG

If you need support with any issues or challenges you are currently facing, please contact our team on 01252 705214 or hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

We are here to help.

For more information contact your Pelican representative.

Email us at hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk or call us on 01252 705 214

The Pelican Edge

Autumn 2021

35

EXPERTISE

NATASHA'S LAW: ARE YOU COMPLIANT?

Anna-Maria Holt RD shares the latest nutrition and dietetic news.

A brief overview of the new law and its requirements, with useful links and resources.

On the 1st of October, it became compulsory for food business operators to label pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) food with full ingredients and allergens. This new law applies to products made and packaged onsite.

Natasha's Law: Your to do list

Snapshot summary of Natasha’s Law ▶ This law affects all sectors including hospitality, education, and care

✔ Check your onsite produced ‘grab and go’ items as these will likely need labels

▶ PPDS food includes food that is prepared and packaged onsite and available to customers to self-select ▶ PPDS food must be labelled with name of the food and a full ingredients list with allergens emphasised ▶ Caterers have a responsibility to provide correct up to date information on PPDS food labels

✔ Consider introducing a pre-ordering system as food ordered this way don’t need labels ✔ Focus on communication to ensure those with food allergies continue to ask about the ingredients used and food preparation for the food you offer

✔ Spot check your labels to ensure they are compliant with the labelling requirements ✔ Remember to update your label printing systems regularly to ensure changes to ingredients capture the relevant allergen information ✔ Audit your food preparation and labelling processes and learn from any identified errors

To ensure you have all the information you need to be complying with the new law, we have listed some useful websites and resources below to have at your fingertips: Use this tool to check if your business sells PPDS food

bit.ly/2TDyfmp

Check specific labelling guidance for PPDS food

bit.ly/3DLSPUl

PPDS update to the "Food allergen labelling and information: Technical Guidance" bit.ly/3gM5pYO

If you need any support regarding Natasha's Law please contact our team on 01252 705214 or hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

Sector specific guidance on PPDS is available to support food businesses bit.ly/3yQ5O3F

We are here to help.

GRAB A BETTER BOTTLE...

*All featured GB Pepsi and Britvic single serve plastic bottles (500ml and 600ml), excluding caps/labels, are made from 100% recycled plastic. Larger bottles (over 1L) planned to change to 100% recycled plastic by the end of 2022. ** Cap and bottle only

The Pelican Edge

Autumn 2021

37

EXPERTISE

PREPARE NOW FOR SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

Graham Coles, Procurement Director, Avendra Northern Europe

New legislation is on the way to encourage greener packaging - and hospitality sector businesses are likely to be impacted. So start planning for change now!

What is happening?

From 1 April 2022, a new Plastic Packaging Tax* will be applied to any plastic packaging that fails to contain at least 30% recycled plastic - whether produced in the UK, or imported. No penalty will apply to plastic packaging containing at least 30% recycled plastic, or any packaging which is not predominantly plastic by weight.

Why? The tax aims to increase the use of recycled plastic in plastic packaging - it is estimated that the move should increase the use of recycled plastic in packaging by around 40%. This is equal to carbon savings of nearly 200,000 tonnes in 2022 to 2023, based on current carbon factors.

Who is affected, and to what extent?

If you use plastic packaging, you need to consider what you currently buy. Change to a compliant alternative, to avoid the tax. Alternatively, some businesses may simply pass on the tax cost to consumers - though as plastic packaging usually makes up a very small amount of the total cost of goods, the impact will be small.

What can be done to mitigate these additional costs?

Look for packaging which contains at least 30% recycled material, to avoid the new tax. Many food and

beverage manufacturers are already transitioning from virgin PET plastics to recycled materials. Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate, or rPET, is created by recycling previously used plastics, including plastic bottles. Many of the well-known beverage brands have made commitments to moving to 100% recycled plastic bottles.

The full government policy paper can be viewed at: https://bit.ly/3CVtPZE

There are options available for prepared-on-site packaging, such as salad or deli containers, made from recycled content.

Contact your Pelican Procurement Manager or email us at hello@pelican procurement.co.uk so we can help you identify suitable products from your current suppliers, or source alternative solutions.

We are here to help you.

The Pelican Edge

Autumn 2021

39

CULTURE

PROUD TO SUPPORT MMU IN MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE TO A CHILD'S SUMMER!

Hayden Ludford, Client Procurement Executive

Hayden Ludford, newly appointed Pelican Client Procurement Executive, found himself managing an important project, in a bid to help Pelican client Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) support their local community over the summer.

The request came in from Manchester Metropolitan University’s Head of Catering, Retail & Hospitality, Ben Collier.

Ben explains, “We have a strong relationship with Martenscroft Nursery, they provide education for families who live in close proximity to our campus and are a valuable partner on research and student enrichment projects, so we wanted to support them in feeding their local families over the summer.

I approached our catering team to explore options of how we could support the success of the nursery’s summer programme.

Ben was quick to engage with our catering suppliers by sourcing and organising food donations

eye Debbie Keary and Laura Mackie, Martenscroft Nursery School and Children’s Centres

and managing all the logistics seamlessly. I would like to also say thank you to Bidfood and Simply Lunch who kindly provided the free meals, and the University’s catering team for making the food lunch parcels! It was truly a terrific team effort that shows great team work and partnership for the greater good.”

Says Hayden: “I had just started to support the MMU catering team in July when Ben approached me for help. And what a great way to start and be part of a wonderful project that makes a difference to local families. In total we have organised 540 lunches each including a sandwich, snack, a piece of fruit, orange juice, bottled water and crisps, with vegan options as well - ensuring everyone is fed and watered each day! I was very proud to be part of it.”

The free lunches were supplied to a local nursery, who had arranged a series of summer holiday

activity days - supporting parents and kids who might not have a summer break. The programme of events through July, August and September included gardening, craft workshops and trips to local green spaces.

Ben confirms: “The social value of such projects is hard to measure; but with happy families, a reinforced connection between the University and the community, and the nursery saving funds to reinvest in other important areas, there are many benefits to be counted!”

Debbie Keary, Head of Centres at Martenscroft Nursery School and Children's Centres, added: “Summer can be a challenging time for some of our families. The children and the parents appear to be really enjoying the activities and the food has had a huge part to play in the success.

Some families would not otherwise have a holiday, so these days out are key to helping make the school summer holidays memorable.”

NESCAFÉ offers far more than just delicious tasting coffee. We’ve been working with experts for over 10 years on sustainable sourcing to ensure a fruitful future for the coffee industry. Distributing over 180 million disease-resistant coffee plants.

Developing labour rights programmes.

And helping our farmers to work more efficiently. So taste is just one of many reasons you can feel good about serving NESCAFÉ.

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NESCAFÉ® GOLD BLEND BRAKES A 1791 BIDFOOD 68995

NESCAFÉ® AZERA BRAKES A 107248 BIDFOOD 23431

The unmistakable full, bold flavour of NESCAFÉ Original makes it the nation’s favourite coffee*, with 4 billion cups drunk every year

The rich aroma and smooth taste of NESCAFÉ GOLD, now also available in a range of vegan lattes to appeal to changing tastes and dietary requirements.

With a delicious velvety crema and full, rich flavour, those curious to try NESCAFÉ AZERA will experience nothing less than barista-inspired satisfaction in every sip.

416 Mugs per tin.

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227 Mugs per tin.

AVAILABLE NOW IN Email: hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk Call: 01252 705 214 *IRI Grocers + Kantar Value Retailers Total Nescafé (Excl SBX) Coffee + Portioned (excl RTD) w/e 14th September

The Pelican Edge

Autumn 2021

41

EXPERTISE

DELIVERING SAVINGS FROM BREAD TO BEDS

Christine Larson, Procurement Manager

Effective procurement can save organisations money, across all sorts of goods and materials. While Pelican is well known for its food and beverage expertise, the Pelican Procurement Team is helping clients to save money on non-food items too! For example, we have recently saved a care home client, Silverline Care, 40% on the cost of new beds, and 33% on staff uniforms.

Christine Larson, who heads the care sector group at Pelican, and also supports clients across hospitality and education, explains: “The key to these savings is working in close partnership with our clients. That and using the Pi online ordering suite, Cherry Pi. Many clients find it cuts substantial amounts of central administration.

Our work for Silverline Care began by managing the group’s food and wholesale products,” explains Christine, “but we manage other non-food categories that we know we can help clients with.

In common with many other businesses, Silverline Care had grown by acquisition, spread across a wide geographical area - and there was little consistency in how each home orders the products and consumables they need. Once Pelican starts working with a client, the team looks to offer broader support and savings.

We openly share our findings with each client - even if it just confirms they are already buying well.

However, in the instance of the bed example above, we managed to save one of the Silverline Care homes 40%. What’s more we’ve now included that supplier and product on their approved purchase list in Cherry Pi, to enable other homes to order the same product and save money! As with any new product, Pelican will only recommend it, if it

meets quality standards and comes from a reputable supplier.”

Today, Silverline Care order a large percentage of all their products through Pelican, though they retain full control – as their head office decides what products are approved to be added to their ordering list.

The change in order approval has improved ordering processes within their business, improved consistency - and reduced costs and head office workload.

Their account team are now able to pay all their suppliers that trade through Pelican with just one monthly consolidated invoice payment. Plus, the Pi system automatically checks invoice prices against their agreed contracted price ensuring they are paying the right price at all times.

If you want to find out more about the Pi system, or need help to source new products, suppliers or benchmark any of your product categories, please contact us at hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

We are here to help you.

Taking the supply of care products to new heights According to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), LaingBuisson estimates the UK care home industry suffers from a funding gap of £1.3 billion a year; meaning providers must ensure they get the most from every £1 spent to ensure survival.

Blueleaf works with Pelican to ensure care home providers across the UK do more than just survive... but thrive. We help you achieve operational excellence even under the greatest of pressure. We look at what you need, your goals and only propose products that find the perfect balance between cost and clinical quality.

Care consumables are an everyday item that need to be readily available and shouldn’t cost the earth. Whether its paper products, medical and cleaning sundries, PPE, or continence wear we take the stress out of supply.

Medical equipment needs to be safe, fit for purpose and easy to use. Whether it’s for manual handling such as hoists, slings and wheelchairs or pressure care items, profiling beds and mattresses we guarantee our medical portfolio is fully compliant and stocked in the UK, meaning patient comfort is just around the corner.

Cleaning chemicals safeguard your home from the spread of infection and create a hygienic, spotless, fresh-smelling environment for staff, residents, and families alike. As leading distributors of the renowned EXCEDO® brand, we provide care home cleaning products that excel in power, performance and protection, helping you save essential time and money.

Infection Control is a hot topic, which is why we don’t just supply industry-leading products, but the training and support too. From soaps to sanitisers for hand decontamination, to easy-to-use waste disposal products, our range has got it all.

We stock many of the leading brands, so you can be confident that you’re getting the highest quality product from a name you trust.

As your one-stop shop, we also cover a huge range of bedding and linen, catering supplies, dementia care, furniture, and housekeeping items.

Blueleaf are a market-leading provider of care products and have been dedicated to the social care sector since 1987. We use our size and national purchasing power to deliver huge savings, without ever compromising on quality.

Are your infection control procedures up to scratch?

Whether it’s about products or procedures, our Blueleaf advisors are on hand to answer all your questions.

Transform your operation Improve your efficiency Reach your clinical goals Control your costs

Call us today

to discuss how we can take your operation to new heights.

Next day delivery available for those last-minute emergencies.

T: 01252 705 214 E: hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk W: blueleafcare.com

OUR BRITISH SUPPLIERS

The UK’s No.1 produce supplier

Fish & seafood experts

The chef’s delicatessen

TO ACCESS THESE LOCAL SUPPLIERS ON YOUR MENUS

Contact your Pelican Account Manager on: hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

01252 705 214

The Pelican Edge

Autumn 2021

45

EXPERTISE

FRESH PRODUCE & COMMODITY MARKET AT A GLANCE

Sue Tompsett, Supply Chain Mobilisation Manager

Sue Tompsett, Supply Chain Mobilisation Manager, has put together a fresh produce and commodity market update, giving you the quick lowdown on the key factors behind product availability and price movement in the marketplace.

Fruit & vegetables As September sees a transition from summer into autumn, this gives a great blend of summer salads and the start of winter vegetables.

In season: Apples, Pears, Blackberries, Plums, Raspberries, Cauliflowers, Leeks, Beetroots Vegetables. Potatoes are now at the stage of the year where the old ware season is making way for the new season earlies. The mids are in full flow and are superb. As baking potatoes are still in good condition, they will continue with the old season, before moving over to new season. Large Spanish onions are coming through in good condition with the skin well set.

Red onions have now moved over to new season Egyptian, again in very good quality. UK broccoli is in good supply. Cauliflower availability is currently good with the heads coming through white and good size. Now is also the prime time for fresh sweetcorn which is delicious and sweet!

Fruits. Apples will be entering the cross over from southern hemisphere to mainland Europe fruit, with the new season UK Bramley apples and other local varieties arriving in September.

Grapes have now moved over to the Spanish season so there will be a jump in quality and taste!

The Conference Pears are all but gone, and we will be seeing more varieties like Packham being used. Oranges will be fully moving over to South African, traditionally more expensive, over the next couple of months.

Salads. We are well into the UK lettuce season with excellent Iceberg, Little Gem and Cos. Also available are Lollo Rosso, Oak Leaf and Lollo Biondi. Endive is still from France and great quality. Tomatoes are in their prime with lots of varieties available, including a superb selection of Heritage varieties.

Potential quality issues. Red Cabbage - Poor yields in last year’s growing season (dry spring) means yields were down by up to 35% -this means quite a large amount of imported crop is required. Labour issues are impacting cabbage production. Peppers - whilst availability remains strong, there were some concerns with tingeing on the main colours e.g. yellow and orange peppers may show a tinge of green. This is due to recent

poor natural light, which helps the colour to develop.

Fish Cod & Haddock. Fresh cod and haddock has seen reduced availability, with not enough fish being landed onto the markets as fishermen manage their catch. The new quota year starts in September, when we should see availability and prices improve. The cost of frozen cod and haddock has slowly been rising due to reduced fishing activity.

With the IQF range of cod and haddock there has been an increase in the cost of processing in China, due to high demand and increased freight charges.

Salmon. There is a steady supply of salmon being harvested this month so prices will remain stable.

Commodity Market Report continues on the next page

www.britishpremiummeats.com

For more information email hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk or call 01252 705 214

Here at British Premium Meats quality is at the heart of everything we do We supply the very best of UK fresh meat and poultry, nationally, out of our depots in Hertfordshire and Leeds. We pride ourselves in using suppliers that not only produce great quality meat but have high animal welfare standards and full traceability

We have a robust Red Tractor accredited supply chain. Produce that is Red Tractor accredited shows every step of the supply chain has been audited to ensure best practice, full traceability and ensure the Red Tractor Assured Food Standards are followed. We are proud of all of our accreditations including Red Tractor, Food for Life and our BRCs

The Pelican Edge

However, there are staff shortages in production factories due to covid isolations.

Meat Currently there is a shortage of steak meat due to retail focus from the large producers, and export demand from France, Italy, and Spain. Turkey at present is stable but is expected to reach record highs for December as most producers have switched to producing chicken at this time to capitalise on record wholesale prices.

Autumn 2021

supported by high feed prices. EU domestic demand for chicken is expected to increase in the short term with the reopening of the foodservice sector.

Pork. The outlook for UK pork across many prime cuts is +5% to +10% higher. The pig sector is “edging closer to a major crisis” as staff shortages hit pork production, causing backlogs of more than 100,000 pigs on farms, and gaps on supermarket shelves. The resulting cut back on throughput, means that producers are having to keep pigs on farm for longer than would usually be the case.

Dairy

47

fallen again mainly driven by high market supplies.

Commodities Coffee. The average monthly ICE European Robusta price hit a 30-month high, representing a respective growth of +6.4% month on month, and +36.1% year on year.

The rebound is attributed to supply concerns regarding a lack of shipping containers that limited exports.

Rapeseed & sunflower oil.

The average price of EU rapeseed oil is up +45% year on year. The average price of EU sunflower oil is up +55% year on year.

Milk. The UK milk deliveries are running behind projections due to the efforts of some British farmers to curb production. Therefore, the average price for UK milk rose +21.9% month on month, and +4.2% year on year.

Beef. A declining herd size across the European Union is leading to a tight supply and strong prices.

This is affecting the quantities available to import to the United Kingdom, including from Ireland, the dominant supplier. Global beef production is forecast to stand at 60.8 million tonnes, driven by declines in Argentina, Australia and Brazil. Australia is currently rebuilding its national herd following the drought and therefore marketing of heifers will be reduced.

In Argentina the government has been tackling high beef prices by limiting exports, to try and increase supplies on the domestic market.

Poultry. The UK market is under pressure with demand outstripping supply and retail contracts taking priority over foodservice. Despite a marginal recovery in chicken production from Avian Influenza, the average price of EU chicken in June was up +14.3% year-on-year

Butter & cream. UK average prices for unsalted butter increased by +0.6% month on month, and +11.9% year on year. The marginal increase in butter prices signals the end of strong retail demand for butter in the UK, which occurred during COVID-19 induced lockdowns due to the surge in home cooking. Also, the foodservice sector is yet to operate at full capacity, capping the demand for butter.

Eggs. The market has seen recent increases month on month. However, prices have

Sugar. The respective ICE London benchmark price fell by -1.1% month on month, although it increased by +25.2% year on year over the corresponding period. Prices continue to trend near four-year highs, supported by improving demand fundamentals against major producers’ tighter supply expectations, most notably Brazil and Europe.

If you are experiencing product, price or supply chain issues or simply need advice - please get in touch with your Pelican account manager or contact us at hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk

We are here to help.

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Autumn 2021

The Pelican Edge

EXPERTISE

PROCUREMENT PITFALLS FOR SCHOOLS TO AVOID THIS YEAR

Jerry Meldrum, New Business Education Specialist

With the new academic year in full swing, most schools will be reviewing operations from the previous year as they compile their financial statements, while also planning for the year(s) ahead.

Indeed, with some apparent headspace forming following the challenges of the last 18 months, many Pelican clients are seeing this as an ideal time to review current procedures and implement new strategies to ensure ongoing success.

Here our education expert, Jerry Meldrum, discusses some areas schools may wish to review to improve student and support services while also ensuring key areas of compliance and risk are addressed.

Develop a procurement strategy This time of year is a particularly good time to look at procurement because of the awareness of previous year’s costs that financial statements bring.

Identify your ongoing strategy, looking at which cost areas need review, and where improvements can be made.

Here are some key things to look out for: 1. Contract register. Identify which contracts need to be renewed through the course of the year and compile your strategy for renewal to ensure it aligns with your operational priorities. Also review all your existing contracts to ensure that they still fulfil your requirements - and seek to renegotiate if required.

2. Income vs. expenditure.

Which departments are in deficit that could break even or create a surplus, why are they in deficit? Are the costs too high, or does the front-end service need to be improved?

3. Benchmark, benchmark, benchmark. The market’s pricing changes constantly and schools should be able to report with confidence that they are paying a fair rate for the current market and achieving best value for money.

4. The devil is in the detail. If your analysis combines budget areas into one category, split this out and analyse. Then review on an individual supplier level and, if you can, at an individual product level – from this you’ll gain a far better understanding of what’s being spent and build a strategy to improve it.

Identifying areas of risk and building contingencies As part of any operational review, schools will compile a risk register

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Autumn 2021

51

Pi can help you comply with Natasha’s Law Speak with your Procurement Manager or contact the Pi helpdesk to find out more

and they should take into account risks in their supply chain and services, too.

Use the data afforded by financial statements to identify areas of risk and check on legislation changes, to ensure compliance.

Some areas that are particularly relevant currently are: 1. Natasha’s Law. From the 1st of October 2021, all food outlets must comply with Natasha’s Law which pertains to allergen labelling on pre-packaged food items – whether made onsite or elsewhere. Recent supply chain issues have made this significantly more difficult yet the responsibility is with the school to adhere, so contingency should be built for this.

2. Health and safety. Check purchasing arrangements for things like chemicals. Are correct COSHH standards being followed?

Has training been provided to all users on safe usage and is there a risk to your communities through incorrect product usage?

3. Sustainability. Do your purchasing practices support your aims for sustainability, with products that reduce your impact on the environment and traceable sources of supply that demonstrate high standards?

4. Purchasing compliance. If you are state-funded, re-check that your spending does not go above public procurement thresholds. As MATs and schools have grown, this issue is cropping up more and more with trustees and the ESFA growing more aware.

Commodity categories are most at risk as this is where, traditionally, individual schools have purchased independently.

5. Inflation. Inflation is currently rising, and we are experiencing supply chain issues, alongside the usual market pressures seen most years. Seek to mitigate these price rises where possible and create measures to effectively monitor price increases.

During contract reviews, check what protections there are against inflationary pressures.

While not an exhaustive list, this all still may seem like a lot to do with your current resources.

Don’t forget the Pelican team as we are here to provide support to help you mitigate risk and ensure successful procurement practice - do contact us at hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk for guidance and we’ll be happy to offer any advice.

We are here to help you.

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Serving suggestion

Suitable for Vegetarians No Artificial Colours or F lavours No Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil 70% Wheat and Wholemeal Brakes Code: A133786 Bidfood Code: 81968

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For more information, please contact: hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk Tel 01252 705 214

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The Pelican Edge

Autumn 2021

55

SERVICES

CONVERTING A ROOM TO A FOOD HUB How quickly can you create a kitchen from nothing?

That was the challenge presented to Pelican’s catering equipment specialist, Jo Leech, a couple of months ago.

Joanna Leech has over 20 years of commercial equipment expertise and she will provide you with impartial, expert advice with full operational support. She will liaise with all the parties to fully understand your requirements and find the best solution that meets all your needs.

It was the latest in a series of challenges Jo has faced. That and the consequences of global covid-19 lockdowns, and Brexit, which have conspired to make the sourcing of equipment more difficult than ever.

Jo explains: “A longstanding client, Carshalton Boys Sports College, came to me during the summer holidays, asking if we could convert a standard room into a food hub – ready for September. This wasn’t a matter of choosing a new sink, dishwasher or cooker - there were new hygienic wall and floor coverings to consider, as well as the small matter of ensuring water, electrics and waste pipes were made available where needed, within the room.

I requested our team of engineers and installers set to work, surveying the site and agreeing on the custom stainless items that would need fabrication. Other equipment, such as combination ovens and refrigerated food storage units, were selected with a focus on what would be available for fast delivery. I have overseen the whole project, ensuring the client is happy - with Pelican providing a single invoice for the turnkey project.

My role is to be very mindful of budget,” says Jo, “as it can be very easy to specify what would be ideal - but is practically too expensive. Everyone’s very cash conscious, particularly after the

pandemic. We are finding that prices of components and raw materials are also rising.

And the biggest challenge is to manage the project on time as the disruption of global supply chains is being felt in the catering equipment marketplace too. I have been given unusually extended lead times on many occasions, as most manufacturers are swamped with orders.”

Contact Jo if you have any commercial equipment needs or to get impartial advice.

joanna.leech@ pelicanprocurement.co.uk 01252 705 205

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Email: hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk Call: 01252 705 214

The Pelican Edge

Autumn 2021

57

CULTURE

WHAT'S GOING ON AT PELICAN?

Francesca Fowler, Senior HR Business Partner, Avendra Northern Europe

Working from our new shiny home at Farnborough In mid-July, we formally opened Pelican’s new head office in Farnborough - and in the following weeks set about phase one of our office return plan.

For those of us who are office based, it has taken a few visits to get used to our new commutes and orientate ourselves around the new facilities.

For those who are home based and are in field-based roles, Pelican team members have gradually started to see our prospects and customers in person, which has been a delight.

With every meeting, it has been crucial to consider staying safe, and respecting the concerns of others. Experiences such as being stuck in traffic, although perhaps frustrating, have actually felt quite normal again. I personally felt some unease and anxieties during the first few outings, but over the summer became used to things and I am feeling excited about the coming months. As I was recruited and joined the team in the middle of the pandemic, I never experienced the buzz and hype of a full Pelican office - I’m really looking forward to it, and to spending more time together as a team. What’s surprised me the most is people's heights, as for so long we’ve only seen headshots via Teams.

In September, we commenced stage two of our office return plan.

Selective restrictions in the office were removed, moving gradually as we wanted to provide reassurance and support to the team - with face coverings, social distancing, and daily cleaning still in place.

"When Pelican introduced the Cycle To Work Scheme, I jumped at the opportunity to buy a new bike, as it enabled me to make a great saving and spread the cost. Applying for the bike scheme was very quick and straightforward."

Gary Cottrell, Financial Controller

Flu jab with your tea & cake With numbers rising in the new office, we have planned a number of employee events focused on wellbeing, community engagement and team building. These include a welcome back event at the end September followed by a Macmillan morning and flu vaccination clinic on the 6th October.

Bike to Work Scheme

Fire Marshal & First Aid Training

In May 2021 we launched our new UK Bike to Work Scheme in partnership with the Green Commute Initiative. Launching this new benefit formed part of our ongoing commitment to offer our employees a variety of benefits as well as part of our wellbeing strategy. Under the scheme, employees can access traditional pedal bikes, E-bikes and cargo bikes as well as adapted and specialist bikes. Employees can spend up to £1000 on cycling equipment and accessories, with cost savings via a salary sacrifice scheme that sees them rent the bike from Pelican for 12 months before taking full ownership; saving tax and National Insurance as a result.

Being back in the office meant once again ensuring that all the health and safety angles were covered. Staff undertook virtual fire marshal training followed by further in-house training to build their new skills in that role.

In addition, Elaine Keen and Dave Hunt have successfully undertaken and passed a three-day First Aid at Work course via St John Ambulance.

The course, recognised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), provides a comprehensive set of practical skills needed by first aiders in the workplace, giving both the ability and knowledge to deal with first aid emergencies. They will be joining established office first aiders Netty Castell, Marietta Campbell and Matthew Hawkins.

HOW SUSTAINABLE IS YOUR COFFEE?

PLE • PEO

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SPERITY OF RO

AND OF L •S

ALITY OF EQU

ALITY OF EQU

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F LAND•SU YO

PERITY OF ROS

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TAINABILIT US

INABILIT Y STA

Coffee & tea are our two primary raw materials. We source approximately 8% of the world's green coffee and less than 1% of the world's tea. Both products are grown in countries that face significant socio-economic and environmental challenges. Common Grounds, our responsible sourcing programme, aims to address these challenges by working with farmers, suppliers, non-governmental organizations, and governments to address priority sustainability issues in our supply chain.

OUR PRINCIPLES For more than 265 years, we have been inspired by the belief that it’s amazing what can happen over a cup of coffee. Today our coffee portfolio is available in over 140 countries around the world through iconic brands including: Jacobs, Tassimo, Moccona, Senseo, L’OR, Douwe Egberts, Super, Kenco, Pilao & Gevalia.

SUSTAINABILITY OF LAND - FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE - NURTURING SOIL - CONSERVING WATER

PROSPERITY OF FARMERS - FARM MANAGEMENT - YIELD IMPROVEMENT - INCOME DIVERSIFICATION

For further information on any of these products please email hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk or call 01252 705 214

OUR COMMITMENT WORKING TOWARDS 100% RESPONSIBLY SOURCED COFFEE & TEA BY 2025 EQUALITY OF PEOPLE - GENDER & YOUTH INCLUSIVITY - STOPPING CHILD LABOUR - IMPROVING WORKING CONDITIONS

The Pelican Edge

Autumn 2021

59

CULTURE MEET THE COMPANIES THAT ARE PART OF AVENDRA GROUP

AVENDRA In October 2020, Pelican Procurement Services became part of the Avendra Group.

Avendra Group companies operate across Europe, Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and Mexico, supporting clients in hotels, restaurants, pubs, the broader leisure industry, care homes, and education.

In this edition we would like to introduce you to Avendra, an Avendra Group company.

Who is Avendra?

Avendra is North America’s leading hospitality procurement services provider, founded in 2001 by some of the most respected names in the hospitality industry. Avendra combines 20+ years of hospitality expertise, purchasing power, services and software to help clients enhance the bottom line, improve operational performance and better serve their customers. Avendra’s headquarters is in Rockville, Maryland and the company has regional offices throughout North America. www.avendra.com

What clients does Avendra support?

Avendra works in partnership with some of the most respected hospitality businesses including: ▶ Marriott International ▶ Four Seasons ▶ Hilton ▶ InterContinental Hotels Group ▶ Hyatt ▶ Choice Hotels Today the company supports over 8,500 properties - optimising procurement and supply chain operations across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

What’s unique about Avendra’s service offering?

Product and service quality is paramount All of Avendra’s customer advocates are trusted advisors who work with clients to make sure they are getting the most out of their partnership. Quality assurance measures and field audits ensure clients continue to enjoy high levels of service from all their suppliers.

The tailored solution Avendra is all about helping clients enhance the bottom line, improve operational performance and better serve their customers.

Avendra works in partnership

with a wide range of national, regional, and local suppliers and service providers to secure best-in-class pricing on a wide variety of products and services.

Clients can tailor programmes to save costs while keeping their properties operating at an optimal level.

Driven by innovation and technology Avendra constantly strives to understand the issues and constraints that exist in the supply chain, to nurture fresh thinking and creativity, and to develop innovative solutions and technology to help solve them.

Avendra’s client base includes organisations in various markets including: ▶ Hotel chains and Lodging Management Companies ▶ Independent and Boutique Hotels ▶ Luxury Resorts ▶ Golf Clubs and Spas ▶ Gaming and Casinos ▶ Cruise Lines ▶ Restaurants ▶ Higher Education

Companies that are part of the Avendra Group

Additional 5% discount for all online ordering!

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For more information, please contact your dedicated Pelican team on E: hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk / T: 01252 705 214