Catering@Booker Issue 10 - July 2023

CATERING @ BOOKER

BREWING UP A STORM

TAKING PROFITS TO A NEW LEVEL WITH COFFEE

PLUS 500 PRICES LOCKED DOWN, SUMMER SALADS, MADE IN MINUTES, CASH IN ON COFFEE

Schweppes Slimline Tonic 24x200ml

M136201

Schweppes Tonic 24x200ml

M136211

“In the south of England there are a fair few fried chicken shops but there was a real gap in the market for a premium quality BBQ chicken offering that would give customers more of a special occasion fast food option. From day one we had queues out of the door.”

COVER SHOT

“Customer satisfaction is the ultimate goal and our number one focus. It’s all about having the right people in the right place at the right time. This approach means our colleagues are in the best position to deliver outstanding service to our catering customers.”

“I first sampled the Lichfields Coffee Solution at Booker’s Catering Trade Show, and I was immediately blown away by the quality and secondly by the price. We go through eight tonnes of beans a year and our customers are increasingly discerning, so quality is of the upmost importance.”

Ellis Potter, The Riverside Hub, Northampton

Josh Simons, Chicken and Blues, Christchurch

Paul Miles, Fresh Food Development Controller, Booker

RANGE FOCUS

NEWS

9 Plastic ban support With many single-use plastics banned from October, Booker is helping customers plan ahead.

11 Spend increasing Warm weather and long weekends have helped boost spend in pubs and bars.

PROFILES

A premium coffee offer is a must these days with increasingly discerning UK consumers getting through 98 million cups a day. Booker is helping caterers exploit this huge sales and profit opportunity with its exclusive and award-winning range of premium Lichfields coffee beans. The range delivers outstanding quality and value with caterers able to make over £1,000 gross profit from a single case of Lichfields Italian Espresso Beans!

14 Chicken and Blues Unique twist on Southern-style BBQ chicken is putting the Chicken and Blues brand on the map in Dorset.

19 Mario House Quality Italian cuisine is helping Mario House win with customers in Barrow-in-Furness.

22 Rodeos Smokehouse Rodeos brings an authentic taste of the Wild West to Wolverhampton.

FEATURES

28 Salads Give your summer profits a healthy boost with a range of added value, profit-boosting salads.

32 Made in minutes Drive service and

table turnaround times with dishes that can literally be made in minutes.

36 Cold Drinks & Ice Cream Solutions When the sun is shining, refreshing drinks and ice cream solutions are the perfect way to grow spend and profit.

PRICE

40 Price Lockdown The latest Booker price lockdown features more than 500 lines across all key product categories.

SERVICE

48 Coffee Two Booker customers discuss how the Lichfields range has transformed their coffee offer.

54 Hygiene CleanPro+ provides everything you need to achieve a 5-star hygiene rating.

REGULARS

44 Meet The Team Fresh Food Development Controller Paul Miles discusses growing profits with Booker’s outstanding fresh offer.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS BOOKER

BOOKER NEWS PLAN WITH CONFIDENCE RIGHT THROUGH TO SEPTEMBER

To help caterers plan their summer menus in confidence, Booker has capped the pricing on more than 500 productswith many prices expected to fall.

Despite the continued economic uncertainty and the cost-of-living challenges facing consumers, Booker is helping caterers plan menus for the vital summer months by unveiling a huge and extended price lockdown across all key product categories.

The latest pricing lockdown features more than 500 products and all prices have been guaranteed until the 12th of September, providing caterers with the confidence they need to produce their summer menus safe in the knowledge that profits are locked in.

As well as unveiling the new pricing lockdown, Booker has also confirmed that it has reduced prices on a wide range of popular products including Müller milk, Kopparberg ciders,

LOCKED DOWN

Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Pepsi cans, Peroni and Chef’s Essentials cheeses. Additionally, pricing on many of the 500 products may fall over coming months. The main pricing lockdown features high-volume fresh, frozen and ambient products across all major product categories.

CUSTOMER VIEW

Adam Christmas, The Boulevard, Chichester "With so much flux in the market it's so reassuring to be able to play ahead properly thanks to Booker's pricing lockdown. It makes menu planning so much simpler."

Find out the latest news and deals and customer opinions. Follow us on #bookercatering. See www.booker.co.uk for the full range.

LABELLING DELAY

The Scottish Government has announced that it will delay the planned introduction of mandatory calorie labelling.

UKHospitality Scotland

Executive Director Leon Thompson commented: “I’m pleased the Scottish Government has listened to the concerns of industry and delayed the introduction, which was additional red-tape that hospitality businesses scarcely need and would have come with enormous cost.

The implementation of calorie labelling in England costs, on average, £20,000 per year.”

If you have any news or views you would like to share, we want to hear from you: catering@booker.co.uk

HOSPITALITY COULD CREATE 500K JOBS WITH GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

A new report from UKHospitality states that the hospitality sector could create 500,000 new jobs by 2027 with the “right economic and policy environment,” adding £29bn to the economy.

According to the study, produced on behalf of the organisation by Ignite Economics, employment in the sector has now risen to 3.5m making it the third-largest employer in the country. Additionally, over just the last six years the sector has increased its annual economic contribution by £20bn to £93bn.

UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said it was essential that politicians recognised the importance of the industry and the tackled the issues hampering growth, such as labour shortages, energy costs, and food and drink

price inflation.

“This report shows what can be achieved if we can stimulate growth, bear down on inflation and have an enabling and supportive policy environment in place for hospitality,” said Nicholls.

“Our sector has a long track record of growing rapidly and driving the economy – these figures back that up and I hope the potential of hospitality is harnessed by the government.”

EMPLOYMENT HITS RECORD HIGH, SAYS ONS

The total number of people employed reached 33 million in May – a record high – according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The number of people employed spiked by 250,000 on the previous quarter, and catering and hospitality has been cited as one of the biggest drivers of job growth. The total number of people in work overall now exceeds prepandemic levels for the first time. Darren Morgan, Director of Economic Statistics at the ONS, said: “The biggest driver in recent jobs growth is health and social care, followed by hospitality.”

A new UKHospitality report finds that the UK hospitality sector could create half-a-million new jobs with the right support from government.

PLAN AHEAD FOR BAN ON SINGLE-USE PLASTICS

Many single-use plastics will be banned from October and Booker is helping customers to plan ahead by offering a range of compliant alternatives.

The new ban on many single use plastic items will come into force on 1 October this year and will see a wide array of products banned including plastic cutlery, polystyrene cups and polystyrene food boxes. As the deadline draws closer, Booker is helping its catering customers prepare by highlighting a range of alternative products that will be fully compliant with the new ban.Caterers are being urged to ensure that they use any remaining stocks of banned items before the deadline and make sure they have ordered alternative items and reusable products. If you need any advice or support, please speak to your Catering Development Manager.

EXAMPLES OF ITEMS INCLUDED IN BAN

EXAMPLES OF COMPLIANT ALTERNATIVES

For more details, visit www.gov.uk

INDUSTRYNEWS

PUB, BAR AND RESTAURANT SPEND CONTINUES TO CLIMB

The combination of warm weather and long weekends has helped boost spend in pubs and bars by more than 27%.

dramatically when compared with the same period last year.

During the last weekend in May, for example, pub and bar transactions were up a significant 27.3% as consumers headed out to socialise and make the most of the warm weather. Restaurants also saw good growth of 11.5%.

Marc Pettican, Head of Barclaycard Payments, said: “Consumer spending has surged, especially in the hospitality and leisure sectors, as the arrival of the warmer weather kicked-off more sports and socialising.

INBRIEF

RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN TOPS 120K APPLICATIONS

Recruitment campaign

Hospitality Rising has announced that it has received over 120,000 job applications through the platform created to help boost recruitment into the hospitality sector.

The campaign has received over £900,000 of investment from operators, suppliers and sponsors to support the recruitment drive.

Data from Barclays, which sees nearly half of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions, shows that consumer spending in hospitality and leisure venues in Britain continues to grow, fuelling hopes that 2023 may mark the beginning of a return to form for the trade.

The combination of a series of bank holidays, long weekends and warmer weather has seen spend in pubs, bars and restaurants increase

“Pubs, bars and restaurants received a significant boost from consumers getting together with friends and family. This uplift in trade will be some welcome news for the sector, amidst the ongoing strain of rising energy bills and the impact of the cost of living. Businesses will no doubt remain hopeful that customers continue to offer their support and keep venues busy as we enter the peak summer season.”

What are you doing different to stand out in your local market? Share it with us and your fellow Booker colleagues at catering@booker.co.uk

Launched in October last year, the initiative is an attempt to tackle increasingly severe challenges in filling job vacancies and changing young people’s perceptions of a career in hospitality.

SCOTTISH DRS PUSHED BACK TO ALIGN WITH UK LAUNCH

Recycling project has been postponed until at least 2025 to coincide with similar schemes in England, Northern Ireland.

The Scottish Government’s flagship Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) environmental policy has been delayed once more, this time until October 2025.

The scheme has been pushed back twice within a month after Scotland’s new First Minister Humza Yousaf confirmed the scheme would be delayed and hospitality premises in Scotland selling the large majority of their drinks products for consumption on the premises will be exempt from acting as Return Points.

In a subsequent twist, the UK Government then agreed to permit an exemption from the Internal Markets Act, but only on condition the Scottish scheme aligned with the planned English and Northern Irish schemes by excluding glass.

In the wake of the announcement, the Scottish Government then pushed the scheme back to at least October 2025 so that it launches at the same time as similar schemes due to go live in England and Northern Ireland.

What are you doing different to stand out in your local market? Share it with us and your fellow Booker colleagues at catering@booker.co.uk

SOUTHERN BELLE

August 2023 will be a milestone moment for caterers Josh Simons and Steve Crawford as they celebrate the 10th anniversary of Chicken and Blues, a premium BBQ chicken brand that is taking the south of England by storm.

The business, which now serves in excess of 7,000 hungry customers a week, has come a long way since its birth as The Chicken Shack in 2013.

Josh, who had previously worked in the nightclub industry prior to establishing the concept with friend and business partner Chris, explains: “We looked at a variety of restaurant concepts but thanks to our mutual love of Southern-American-style home cooking and blues music, it was this one – premium

THE LOWDOWN

CHICKEN AND BLUES

Location Christchurch

Format Premium BBQ chicken and soul food restaurant

Caterers Josh Simons and Steve Crawford

Established March 2013

Opening hours 11am-10pm

Covers 40 inside, 20 outside

Staff 30

A unique twist on Southern-style BBQ chicken served with soul is putting the Chicken and Blues brand on the map.

quality BBQ chicken and Southern-style hospitality – that we were drawn to.” The model was also unique in the local area. “In the south of England there are a fair few fried chicken shops but there was a real gap in the market for a premium quality BBQ chicken offering that would give customers more of a special occasion fast food option,” Josh explains.

THE CHICKEN SHACK

So, in 2013, The Chicken Shack was born out of a small unit in Boscombe, Dorset. “It was a small site with minimal dine-in covers but it was a great way to test the concept on the local market and see if our vision would do well in the UK market,” Josh says. Do well, it most certainly did. “From day one we had queues out of the door and it was immediately clear the store wasn’t big enough!” he adds.

With the concept proved, Josh and Steve were chomping at the bit to take the business to the next level. The Chicken Shack was re-named Chicken and Blues in 2014, with the pair opening their second site in Poole shortly after, and a third site in Bournemouth following in 2015.

In the following years, Josh and Steve continued growing the business, developing thriving takeaway and delivery channels in the process and, in 2017, Chicken and Blues claimed the accolade of ‘Best Family Restaurant in the UK’ at the Deliveroo Restaurant Awards.

In March 2023 Chicken

JOSH'S SPECIAL BOARD

CUSTOM-MADE

Chicken and Blues' highly customisable menu helps the brand appeal to a range of different diners and their needs.

SECRET BLEND

Josh and Steve have developed secret marinades and sauces to give their dishes a unique and distinctive flavour.

QUALITY COUNTS

All products are sourced from reputable suppliers, including chicken from Booker.

and Blues opened in its most prominent site to date, a large corner unit positioned in Christchurch’s vibrant town centre. “Unlike our other sites, Christchurch can accommodate 40 covers inside and 20 outside on an attractive pedestrianised pavement area so it’s really exciting to be able to welcome around 300-400 covers a day,” Josh says.

UNIQUE TAKE

On the food front, Josh and Steve have “scoured the globe” to create their own unique take on Southern-style classics, crafting their own “top secret” marinades, sauces, cooking techniques and tweaks to suit the UK market.

All the chicken undergoes a pain staking preparation process prior to hitting the heat, including a 48-hour marinading process in a unique blend of ‘Mama’s secret spices’ after which it’s roasted, steamed and then grilled to order. The company’s wrap range has also become a runaway success. The menu

Case: M286433

Bottle: M286434

“Take our Signature Wrap for example. We only have four different wraps on the menu but, thanks to all the Wrap Boosters, there are 1,400 different combinations a customer could order! And while dine in accounts for a significant proportion of business, recent years have also seen the takeaway and delivery sides take off.

“We have an exclusive delivery partnership with Deliveroo and are currently delivering in excess of 2,500 orders a week across the sites,” Josh explains.

At the time of writing, the Christchurch site, which had only been open for three weeks, was already making in excess of 700 deliveries a week.

stars four signature wraps – Original, Tex Mex, Southern Fried and The Mac Daddy – but all can be customised with a special range of Wrap Boosters to suit each customer’s preference.

CUSTOM WRAPPED

“Customisation is a big thing for us and is popular with our customers. It allows them to build the perfect meal to suit their particular fancy or needs that day and it also means they can order something different every time they eat here,” Josh adds.

TRENDWATCH

CHICKEN AND BLUES

Customised dishes

“Customisation is a big trend at the moment. Diners really appreciate the ability to tailor make their unique dish and it’s one of the reasons that we appeal to such a broad mix of people.

We have a relatively small, succinct menu but the customisation options are vast. We offer a range of ‘Wrap Boosters’ to help diners customise their wraps.

Avocado and Halloumi are the two most popular of these. Avocado has become a real cult classic thanks to the thriving brunch scene and halloumi’s popularity has simply exploded.”

“Given the demand, we have a very efficient operation both front and back of house in all sites,” Josh laughs. “We have 30 team members at Christchurch and each day they deal with large volumes of orders for dine in, takeaway and delivery, and all with a huge variety of customisation options. It’s challenging balance to strike but they are striking it!”

BOOKER QUALITY

Also helping them to strike it is Booker, which Josh and Steve have been working with from the start.

“We source an extended range of products from Booker, the most significant part of which is of course our chicken. We are feeding 7,000 guests a week and 90% of them will order chicken of some sort, so it’s a big order to fill.

“Fortunately for us Booker has a very good butchery department! The chicken is top quality, but the Booker butchers also quarter it all for us and it’s delivered daily which is a huge productivity saving for us and a big bonus,” Josh adds.

That productivity will be put even further to the test this summer when the Chicken and Blues brand goes mobile in its brand-new food truck – a seven-metre Hymer motorhome that has undergone a full conversion with a restaurant-quality kitchen.

“The truck has been beautifully branded up and really looks the part. We’re already booked up to cater more than 40 private events and local festivals this summer, and bookings for 2024 are already coming in!” Josh adds.

BAKE UP SOME SALES

SUPE R MA R IO

Authentic Italian cuisine and unique decor is helping Mario House to score big points with local customers.

Light bounces off the azure waters of the Bay of Naples, sparkling in tune to the clink of cutlery and laughter of happy diners, while all around, the mouthwatering scent of fresh herbs floats on a mozzarella scented breeze – you’d be forgiven for thinking that this Catering@Booker customer profile was based on an Italian taverna. In fact, we find ourselves in Cumbria, where Ionut Docolan has created his own perfect slice of Southern Italy in the heart of Barrow-in-Furness. Ionut, who has worked as a chef specialising in Italian cuisine for the last 20 years, opened the doors to his brand new ‘Mario House’ restaurant on 31 January 2023 and local people can’t get enough of its authentic Italian flavours and flair.

LABOUR OF LOVE

Named after his eldest son Mario, Ionut says that the restaurant’s creation was a true “labour of love” and a “dream come true” for him and wife Madalina, who

THE LOWDOWN

MARIO HOUSE

Location Barrow-in-Furness

Format Italian restaurant

Caterer Ionut Docolan

Time as a caterer 20+ years

Staff 8

Opening Hours 4.30-10pm

Social media 2.8k Facebook followers

also works as a chef in the business.

The pair spent almost a year designing and building the restaurant’s atmospheric interior in a bid to create three totally unique dining spaces – with much of work painstakingly done by hand themselves.

Diners at Mario House can choose where they would like to enjoy the restaurant’s authentic Italian fare: parties and large groups can be seated down in the atmospheric wood-clad wine-cellar, which features a convivial 10-seater dining table and an array of rustic features, including a wood-burning stove, wine barrels and furs.

TRENDWATCH

Going ‘Inferno’

Ionut says he is noticing increasing demand for ultra-spicy dishes – an occurrence which has led him to introduce lots of new ‘Inferno’ style dishes such as Mario House’s ‘Inferno Chips’ featuring chilli, cheese and tomato, his ‘I’I Inferno Infernale Pizza’ and an ‘I’I Inferno Infernale Pasta.’

Many of Mario House’s dishes also feature the hot and spicy Nduja sausage, including its Chicken and Nduja pasta, Nduja Creamy Chips, and Pizza Calabrese featuring Nduja and peperoni.

of the work ourselves and souring all these unique features has enabled us to do that, there’s no other restaurant quite like this out there.”

In terms of its food offer, Mario House prides itself on its authentic Italian dishes, including indulgent oven-baked pasta dishes and risottos, all of which are homemade from scratch, including the pasta.

PIZZA SPECIALIST

Upstairs, the bright and breezy feel of a clifftop balcony restaurant has been cleverly created with the use of a large mural of the Bay of Naples, thoughtfully curated tables and chairs, and an array of beach-themed props. Hanging garlands of crisp white wisteria complete the sunny vibe, while at the rear, the feel of an authentic Italian taverna has been created with dark wood panels, exposed brickwork and lanterns. All three areas feature one-of-a-kind antiques, including a century’s-old organ, hand-carved clocks and wooden lyres, to add to the interior’s unique look and charm. “We wanted to give our customers an experience to remember,” Ionut says. “Doing so much

However, its real speciality is pizza, as Ionut explains: “I am a pizza specialist and have been trained in the art of creating Neapolitan-style pizzas following many years of working with fantastic Italian chefs,” he says.

Widely regarded as “the best,” in the world, Neapolitan-style pizzas are made to a very specific recipe using authentic Italian ingredients, while the special handmade sourdough base must be proved in a specific way and baked at a temperature of between 430-480C° for 60-90 seconds. “It’s a very delicate and controlled process,” Ionut says. “A lot of love goes into it. We put so much heart into creating this beautiful restaurant, and just as much

heart goes into creating our dishes. I think that local people can really see that and appreciate it,” he adds. Mario House’s rustic handmade pizzas range in price from £9.20 for a Classic Margherita up to £14.10 for an Inferno Meat Feast, featuring ham, bacon, pepperoni and chicken and chilli.

MEDIA STARS

The restaurant is also making a name for itself with its indulgent side dishes, such as homemade Arancini oozing with melted mozzarella, which look as great on the plate as they do on TikTok. “Social media is playing an increasingly important role in our business,” Ionut says. “It’s a great way to showcase your offer and grab customers’ attention – and the more indulgent the dish, the better,” he adds.

IONUT'S SPECIAL BOARD

REAL DEAL

Authenticity is everything. We use authentic Italian ingredients where possible.

HOMEMADE HEROES

The majority of our dishes are made by hand, including our pizzas and homemade pasta dishes. Diners can tell our dishes are made with love.

ONE OF A KIND

We've carefully sourced an array of unique antique features to create a totally unique look and feel.

TRENDWATCH

MARIO HOUSE

The Mario House menu also stars an array of decadent loaded chip dishes, including Ionut’s bestselling ‘Delicious Chips’ which are coated in a creamy carbonara sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese and ovenbaked. Other popular dishes include romantic heart-shaped ‘Love Pizzas’ and ‘Mario Special Pasta,’ starring Chicken, Bacon, Italian Sausage, Chorizo and Pepperoni.

Going ‘Inferno’

Ionut says he is noticing increasing demand for ultra-spicy dishes – an occurrence which has led him to introduce lots of new ‘Inferno’ style dishes such as Mario House’s ‘Inferno Chips’ featuring chilli, cheese and tomato, his ‘I’I Inferno Infernale Pizza’ and an ‘I’I Inferno Infernale Pasta.’ Many of Mario House’s dishes also feature the hot and spicy Nduja sausage, including its Chicken and Nduja pasta, Nduja Creamy Chips, and Pizza Calabrese featuring Nduja and peperoni.

Just over half of all Ionut’s stock is sourced from Booker, including kilos of Italian mozzarella and gorgonzola cheese, as well as the special Italian Caputo flour which he uses to make his bestselling Neapolitanstyle pizzas – and a great number of other store cupboard ingredients.

Mario House also sources all of the pizza and pasta boxes that it uses for its indemand takeaway service from Booker. “Takeaways are becoming an increasingly big part of our business,” Ionut says. “We provide the service through Barrow Eats and currently we do around 50 deliveries

a day midweek, rising to around 80 on Friday and Saturdays,” he adds.

“At Mario House we can meet almost every single type of need: a romantic meal for two in our rustic taverna setting, a family feast on our seaside balcony, or a private party down in the atmospheric wine cellar. They can also have any of our delicious homecooked meals delivered directly to their doors.”

Unsurprisingly, customers have welcomed their new restaurant with open arms and hungry mouths. “Local people really love what we are doing, the support has been quite overwhelming, and we are fully booked every weekend. So much love and hard work has gone into creating this business and it’s wonderful to see that paying off,” Ionut adds.

BUCKING THE TREND

Turnover is galloping ahead at Simon Parton’s wild west-themed smokehouse in Wolverhampton.

Simon Parton may share a surname with the country and western superstar Dolly, but there’s certainly no working 9 to 5 for him – not since he established Rodeos Smokehouse anyway – the runaway success that’s bringing an authentic taste of the ‘wild west’ to Wolverhampton.

Built during the Covid 19 lockdown and opened as soon as restrictions eased in May 2021, Rodeos is the fruit of Simon’s dream to create a venue that would bring friends and families together offering a “real slice of escapism”.

“My vision was to create a restaurant that would make people forget the daily grind and the world outside and I think I’ve achieved it,” Simon says.

RODEOS SMOKEHOUSE

Venue Rodeos Smokehouse

Location Canal Wharf, Wolverhampton

Format Smokehouse

Caterer Simon Parton

Covers 120

Staff 27

Social media 6.8k Facebook followers

Opening hours Mon - Sun 12 - 22.30

“People are flabbergasted when they walk through the door and see the interior for the first time.”

Created in a Grade 2 listed building which still features a host of industrial-age machinery on the walls and in the roof space, Rodeos’ interior transports diners into the wild west with woodpanelled walls, a jail house, a bank and wagon-style booths. There’s even Stevie the mechanical bull.

Adding to the venue’s vibrant atmosphere is a packed programme of live music and entertainment including Wild West, Country and Dolly Parton Tribute Nights, plus music from cult US movies

THE LOWDOWN

including Grease and Dirty Dancing. “When people come to dine with us, they don’t tend to stay for just an hour and a half. It’s more like three to four hours,” Simon says. “What we’re offering is an experience to remember. I wanted to build a place where friends and families could come and share an amazing time together – especially after the long and hard months of lockdown. I’ve sat in the corner and cried a few times as I’ve watched families of four generations enjoying themselves. We make a big fuss of families, especially the grandparents and kids. We always make sure we get a photograph of ‘nan’ with a cowboy hat on.

SIMON'S SPECIAL BOARD PREMIUM PRODUCE

Quality is paramount to the Rodeos'’offer. Premium-quality meat from Booker is the key to its bestselling dishes including beef brisket and pork ribs.

PERSONALITY

Simon says he strives to employ people with personality who can add to the venue's unique feel.

ALL INCLUSIVE

Rodeos strives to make all generations feel welcome, especially children and the elderly. As well as its main menu, Rodeos offers a special gluten free menu, children's Menu and an array of vegan and vegetarian options.

If nan and the kids go home having had the best time, you’ve won. The best bit of feedback I get is when customers say to me as they leave: ‘I feel like I’ve been on holiday.’ That’s exactly what I set out to achieve.”

Helping Simon achieve that sense of escapism is, of course, the food – which he has been told by many customers, including celebrity Beverly Knight, is: “some of the best American food this side of the pond”.

Slow-cooked smoked meats, burgers and steaks are the stars of the Rodeos’ menu. Its bestseller is the Route 66 – a large sharing platter featuring homesmoked meats like Sliced Brisket, Torn Pork, BBQ Pork Ribs, Smoked Buffalo Wings, Corn Dogs, Sticky Pork Ends, Brisket Ends and more.

“The key to our success is the quality of the meat,” says Simon.

“This isn’t a gimmick. It all starts with the quality, which is further enhanced by our low, slow cooking process. We put fantastic home-made rubs on the meat before carefully slow cooking it for between 11 to 16 hours until it’s melting and falling apart.

Simon Parton

“My vision was to create a restaurant that would make people forget the daily grind and the world outside and I think I’ve achieved it.”

“We get most of our pork products from Booker including pork belly and pork shoulder. We also buy all our beef brisket and our steak joints from them, which we then cut down ourselves. Booker also supplies our chips, cheeses and spices which go into making our in house rubs and marinades. It’s a serious amount of food and we have it delivered twice a week in two carefullytimed batches.

“Because of the size of each delivery and the fact that our stockroom is upstairs, reliability is key and Booker really delivers. I’ve also developed a great relationship with the drivers who look after us. One driver, who I’ve come to know very well, has even helped me carry frozen stock upstairs when one of my team was off sick. He really went the extra mile; that kind of service is outstanding.”

Customer feedback is also outstanding, as is evidenced by the wealth of positive reviews on Tripadvisor. Instagram also adds

TRENDWATCH

More than just a meal out

In the wake of the pandemic, Simon says that diners are after “more than just a meal out” – they want a “real experience” to share with others and remember. Rodeos offers its diners a memorable experience with its first-class food, live country and western music, and fun interactive interior including themed booths and Stevie the mechanical bull.

to Rodeos’ hype. “If you get it right you don’t really have to advertise, as your ustomers will do that for you,” Simon says. “The fact that our interior is so Instagram-friendly helps. There are so many great features such as the wagon-style booths, the Jail and of course Stevie the mechanical bull for customers to interact with and photograph. The food also photographs really well, especially our popular Challenge Platters!”

Rodeos’ Challenge Platters also make regular appearances on Youtube, with daring customers attempting to take on gutbusting eating challenges including the ‘Metre-Long Dirty Dawg’ or the ‘Mavericks Mighty Stack’.

Costing £35, the supersized ‘Dirty Dawg’ features a metre-long sub roll topped with nachos, pulled pork, cheese, onions, bacon and mac & cheese – served with skin-on fries.

“Not that many customers actually manage to finish the challenges but they have a great time trying,” laughs Simon. “Fun is what we are all about. We’re a great place to come and celebrate a special occasion such as birthdays or anniversaries and, in April, we were already more than half booked-up for Christmas, which is pretty fantastic.”

Looking to future, Simon says he’d like to expand the brand to a second and hopefully third venue, but for now, just like his customers, he’s certainly got more than enough on his plate!

“Running a venue like this is hard work but it’s so much fun and it’s heart-warming to see the impact that we can have on people. We’re certainly onto something very special here,” he concludes.

RODEOS SMOKEHOUSE

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It’s the perfect time to cash in on summer salads and give your profits a healthy boost with margins guaranteed under Booker’s price lockdown all the way through until September.

GIVE YOUR PROFITS A HEALTHY BOOST

With summer well and truly upon us, the gloriously warm weather is helping drive footfall as people look to make the most of the summer season with friends and family. Hotter temperatures also tend to have a significant impact on the types of food and drink that customers are looking for with lighter, fresh, tasty salads coming into their own. This seasonal trend dovetails nicely with the longer-term shift towards

healthier eating. IGD Shopper Vista data from November last year, for instance, shows that around a third of all consumers say they are eating more fresh produce as they try to live a healthier lifestyle and the same study found that an overwhelming majority of consumers – 72% – said they would be happier if recipes for the food they ate away from home were made healthier.

PROFIT FROM SALADS

Summer sun and healthier eating present a huge opportunity for caterers to exploit by taking a fresh look at their salad menu. To help them do just that and plan menus for the coming months with complete confidence, Booker has locked down the pricing of over 500 products all the way through until the 12th of September. Included in that pricing guarantee is an extensive range of fresh vegetables, salad and fruit. The pricing on many key salad ingredients has been locked including Farm Fresh herbs, spring onions, mushrooms and lemons.

To save time in the kitchen and make life easier for your team, Booker has also locked the pricing on some fantastic pre-prepared salad ingredients such as Farm Fresh Peeled Garlic and Smashed Avocado from Calavo Avogogo. Made from 100% Haas avocados, the ready-to-use product makes a great no-fuss, no-waste solution for livening up salads or layering onto sourdough toast.

Also helping caterers save time and eliminate waste is a range of Florette bagged salads, now available in new sizes. The range includes Crispy Salad, Wild Rocket, Mixed Salad and Baby Leaf and offers a fantastic high-quality option that is guaranteed to be fresh and tasty. Adding some leaves to most

CHICKEN CEASAR

dishes is one way of adding visual appeal and health credentials but why not use the bagged salads as the base for a more enticing range of premium salads that can help you boost margins and delight your customers?

PREMIUM PROFITS

A good place to start when building a summer salad menu is with a classic Chicken Caesar. Quick and easy to prepare, the dish will cost around £2.10 to build and will deliver cash profit of £4.98, representing a 70% margin. Just combine some Florette Crispy Salad with sliced Universal Meats Steam Cooked Chicken Breasts, add some Farm Fresh Cherry Tomatoes, top with some slivers of

SERVING

SELL PRICE: £8.50

COST PER SERVING: £2.10

PROFIT: 70%

FOR GREAT ADVICE, SPEAK TO YOUR LOCAL GREENGROCER IN BRANCH (not available in all branches)

Colla Parmesan and dress with Chef’s Larder Caesar Dressing. To further boost spend and profits, why not have your serving team recommend a bottle of San Andres Sauvignon Blanc to go with it?

Another option is a Mozzarella Stack, an eye-catching dish similarly quick and easy to prepare. Build a base layer of Florette Crispy Salad and Farm Fresh Red Onions then add a stack of alternating layers of Buonsapore Mozzarella and Farm Fresh Beef Tomatoes. Finish off with a drizzle of Chef’s Larder Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and you have fantastic dish you can offer your customers at £7.50 and make £4.47 cash profit on every dish sold.

To take your salad menu up another notch, try a tasty Salmon Salad using new and improved Salmon portions from Chef’s Larder. All that’s required is combining Florette Baby Leaf salad with some Farm Fresh Salad Tomatoes and Extra Large Cucumber slices, add a wedge of chargrilled lemon and dress with a splash of Chef’s Larder Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. Place the salmon on top and you have a quick, delicious and substantial salad

LOCKED DOWN PRICING

that will deliver cash profit of £8.29 when sold at £14.99. These dishes need very little extra effort to create but can help you deliver increased margins and cash profits, as well as satisfied customers who are more likely to return in future.

MOZARELLA STACK

SELL PRICE: £7.50

COST PER SERVING: £1.78

72%

PROFIT: £4.47

PROFITS IN MINUTES

In the busy summer period preparing and serving food as quickly and efficiently as possible is key to maximising profits. Catering@Booker offers some menu ideas that can literally be made in minutes.

It’s summer, the sun is shining, and customers are flocking to your door to spend some quality time with their friends and family enjoying some fantastic food and a few drinks. It’s clearly a season laden with opportunity for caterers but to really maximise sales and profits means doing as many covers as possible per service – and that means optimising speed and efficiency

Greek Salad with Feta and Chicken

in the kitchen and out on the floor. One effective way of achieving that is to ensure that your menu features as many dishes as possible that can be prepared as quickly and easily as possible by your kitchen team. So why not reduce the time and effort required from your team by focusing on dishes that can be made in minutes by taking advantage of the huge range of pre-prepared, pre-cooked

Lamb Shank

and pre-portioned products available from Booker?

CHOICE AND SPEED

Taking this route doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality or tear your menu up and start again. Booker’s extensive range of minimum-fuss products means you can streamline the preparation of many of the dishes already on your menu as well as adding some exciting new dishes that require the bare minimum of effort from the team in the kitchen. Less time spent on preparation means increased efficiency, quicker serving times, happier customers and, most importantly of all, bigger profits.

Booker offers a full range of precooked meat products that you can take advantage of when preparing many of most popular traditional dishes. From Steam Cooked Chicken Breast Fillet to Regal Farm Boneless Roasted Cooked Duck to pre-prepared, individually wrapped Tomahawk, T-Bone and Côte de Boeuf steaks, there’s everything you need to create a menu of classic dishes quickly and profitably.

SELL PRICE: £15.99

COST PER SERVING: £3.88

PROFIT: 70%

CASH PROFIT: £9.45

SELL PRICE: £15.99

COST PER SERVING: £3.88

PROFIT: 70%

CASH PROFIT: £9.45

One dish well worth adding to your menu, if it’s not already there, is a lamb shank using the top-selling Chef’s Larder Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks in Mint Gravy.

FAST PROFITS

Ready in minutes, the dish will deliver a cash profit of £10.82 when you serve a shank with some potato wedges or chips and sell it for £20.99. Or, if you want to freshen up your menu for summer with some interesting contemporary dishes that can still be made in minutes, how about adding a selection of Bao Buns, Tacos or Ribs to your offer?

There are endless variations on these popular dishes that your team could create and, to help, we’ve made some suggestions within this feature. Many can be made using Baraka’s excellent range of sous vide lines that allow you to deliver mouth-watering dishes in a tiny fraction of the time it would normally take to prepare them from scratch. Two things all of these options have in common, however, is that they can literally be made in minutes and they will all deliver margins in excess of 60%.

TIME IS PROFIT

With a long, hot summer ahead of us hopefully, a little planning now could help ensure that your kitchen is running as quickly and efficiently as possible,

COST PER SERVING FROM 80P PER BUN

PRICE: £2.75

PROFIT: £1.44

BONELESS

PROFIT:

PROFIT: £1.49

SHREDDED CHICKEN

ROASTED DUCK SELL PRICE:

PROFIT:

PROFIT:

PREPARED STEAKS

Save time and effort for your kitchen team with Booker’s topquality range of prepared steaks which come individually cut and wrapped for easy portion control and minimal preparation time.

INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED

Tacos

CHILLI

SELL PRICE: £5.50

PROFIT: 66%

CASH PROFIT: £3.04

PULLED PORK

SELL PRICE: £5.50

PROFIT: 63%

CASH PROFIT: £2.89

SHREDDED CHICKEN

COST PER SERVING FROM 1.70

Ribs

SELL PRICE: £12.99

PROFIT: 63%

CASH PROFIT: £6.84

allowing you to serve as many customers as possible every service, maximising sales and profits.

With any luck, the remainder of the summer will follow the trend of recent years with high temperatures and plenty of sunshine, offering caterers the chance to make profitable use of any outdoor dining spaces they have available.

SELL PRICE: £10.99

PROFIT: 66%

CASH PROFIT: £6.07

SELL PRICE: £18.99

PROFIT: 62%

CASH PROFIT: £9.85

SELL PRICE: £5.50

PROFIT: 63%

CASH PROFIT: £2.89

COST PER SERVING FROM 3.99

M283109 Tomahawk Steak £15.99/kilo

M283142 T-Bone Steak £18.99/kilo

M285137 Côte de Boeuf £17.99/kilo

HALF RACK OF BBQ RIBS

FULL RACK OF CHINESE RIBS

FULL RACK OF BBQ RIBS

COOL DOWN WHILE TRADING UP

As well as happy, relaxed customers and a general sense of wellbeing, the warmer weather also brings fresh sales and profit opportunities. Key among them is the chance to grow spend per visit by trading up on your iced and chilled drinks section as well as your dessert menu. By being a little creative in the kitchen you can offer a mouth-watering range of more premium options that you can sell at a higher price, boosting your margins. A few simple tweaks and tricks can be all that it takes to really take your iced and chilled drinks and your dessert menu to a new level.

CHILL FACTOR

Many of your customers will be seeking out refreshing iced and chilled drinks to

help them stay cool. Some may simply be looking for standard options but many may be tempted by, for instance, a dedicated smoothie, milkshake or frappé menu. They’re quick and easy to prepare and the cost per serving will typically be low, leaving plenty of scope for margin.

Milkshakes, for example, cost around £1 per serving to make while smoothies can cost as little as 60p per serving. Sell a milkshake for £2.99 and the cash profit will be £1.49 while a smoothie sold for £2.49 will deliver £1.48 in cash profit. They take seconds to prepare using the many premixed options available from Booker and they look fantastic when served to customers.

You could also cash in on the blended ice coffee trend, currently the number one and fastest-growing iced beverage, according to Monin Trends. Why not seize the opportunity by adding an eye-catching range of blended coffees using Monin syrups available from Booker.

A typical iced coffee will cost you around just 42p per serve delivering cash profit of £1.66 when sold for £2.49. Adding a few frappés and coolers to your menu could also be a good idea, not least because of the simplicity of preparation thanks to a range of Simply powders and premixes. Again, they have incredibly low costs per serve – 51p for a frappé and 18p for a cooler – meaning strong cash profits.

When the sun is shining, refreshing drinks and ice cream solutions are the perfect way to grow spend and profit.

Milkshakes

Sell price: £2.99

Cost per serving: £1.00

Profit: 60%

Cash profit: £1.49

Smoothies

Sell price: £2.49

Cost per serving: £.60p

Profit: 71%

Cash profit: £1.48

Frappés

Sell price: £2.49

Cost per serving: £.51p

Profit: 75%

Cash profit: £1.57

Lotus Biscoffe Crepe

Sell price: £3.50

Cost per serving: £.60p

Profit: 79%

Cash profit: £2.32

Lotus Biscoff Sundae

Sell price: £6.00

Cost per serving: £1.70p

Profit: 66%

Cash profit: £3.30

Cookies & Cream Ice cream

Sell price: £1.50

Cost per serving: £.38p

Profit: 70%

Cash profit: £.87p

SIMPLE CREATIVE DESSERTS

Create your own to personalise and create exciting menus

LOTUS BISCOFF CREPE

Middleton Pancake & Crepe Mix

3.5kg £10.49 per pack M239735

LOTUS BISCOFF CRUMB

750g £3.99 per pack M245966

LOTUS BISCOFF TOPPING SAUCE

1kg £8.99 per pack M263985

LOTUS BISCOFF SPREAD

1.6kg £8.99 per pack M220219

JUST DESSERTS

When it comes to desserts, the trend is towards premiumisation. To help caterers deliver exactly that but without the fuss and extra preparation time required, Booker offers a range of products that will help your kitchen team create attention-grabbing dessert menus with minimum effort and time.

A little creativity is all that’s required to elevate a traditional dessert and turn it into something much more enticing. How about Cheesecake Pops, which are simply pre-portioned cheesecake dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with toppings of your choice? Chef’s Larder New York Cheesecake costs just £17.69 a pack, which equates to £1.26 a slice. A range of ready-to-use toppings is available including raspberry crumb, pistachio, Kit-Kat Mix-In Pieces and Blue Bubble Crunch. You could also liven up a standard crepe by turning it into a Lotus Biscoff Crepe or elevate your waffles by turning them into Belgian Waffles with Nutella.

NICE ICE

Ice cream never goes out of fashion but even this simple staple can be made more premium by adding some sauce and sprinkles. You can create a Lotus Biscoff Sundae, which requires little preparation time but brings new life to a simple ice cream dessert. Try Booker’s two newest ice cream products, Chef’s Larder Premium Cookies & Cream Dairy Ice Cream and Wicked Kitchen Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

The new Chef’s Larder line is luxury ice cream made with dark chocolate cookie pieces and real double cream and is available in 4ltr tubs at just £12.49. For vegan customers, the Wicked Kitchen Cookie Dough Ice Cream offers a similarly indulgent plant-based sweet treat that is entirely dairy free and non-GMO.

SEE WWW.BOOKER.CO.UK

Iced & Cold Drinks

SIMPLY DRAGON FRUIT & Mango Cooler 1ltr £4.99 per bottle | 18p per serve M283938

SIMPLY SUGAR FREE PEACH ICED TEA Syrup 1ltr £4.99 per bottle | 18p per serve M283926

SIMPLY STRAWBERRY, BASIL & CUCUMBER FLAVOUR COOLER 1ltr £4.99 per bottle | 18p per serve M283932

DA VINCI MANGO SMOOTHIE 1ltr £4.79 per carton | 60p per 125ml M233483

Monin Vanilla Syrup 1ltr £9.99 per bottle | 15p per 15ml M162244

Monin Caramel/Hazelnut Coffee Syrup 700ml£7.99 per bottle | 12p per 15ml M065382/M065385

CRUSHA MILKSHAKE MIX CHOCOLATE FLAVOUR 1ltr£3.49 per bottle | 88p per 25ml serve M014433

SIMPLY VANILLA FRAPPE POWDER 1.75kg £10.99 per tin | 32p per 50g M280643

PLAN WITH CONFIDENCE UNTIL 12TH SEPTEMBER

Booker capped the pricing on over 500 products until September – with many prices expected to fall – allowing customers to plan their summer menus in confidence.

With the summer upon us and footfall on the rise, making the most of the months that lie ahead is vital for caterers. To help customers plan for this vital period, Booker has locked down

MORE THAN 500 PRICES LOCKED DOWN

DAIRY/DAIRY FREE

the prices on over 500 products all the way through until 12 September. It covers key product categories across fresh, frozen, chilled and ambient.

VEGETABLES

CHEF’S LARDER CHUNKY/ CRINKLE CUT/ STEAK CUT/ STRAIGHT CUT 10MM & 12MM CHIPS/ JULIENNE FRENCH FRIES

6X2.27KG/2.27KG

M277345/M277342/ M277337/M277347/M266299/M266292/M285687/M285685/M285682/M285658/ M277346/M277344/M277338/ M277348/M266302/M266293/M285688/ M285686/M285683/M285659

BAKERY

*Prices and products are correct at time of going to print and are not guaranteed unless stated, errors expected. Subject to changes without prior consultation. Recipes, serves and idea are suggestions only and for illustration only. Please note products will be subject to availability and local listing, please check with your branch for details.

SINGLE BOTTLE: M131477

CASE OF 6: M131476

CHOICE AWARD

BROCKMANS® IS DISTRIBUTED BY PROXIMO SPIRITS. © PROXIMO SPIRITS 2023. ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. BROCKMANS PREMIUM GIN 40% ALC. BY VOL. (80 PROOF).

NEW LOWER PRICES

NEW LOWER PRICES

As well as locking down pricing on more than 500 high volume lines, Booker has also reduced the pricing on a range of important brands and products.

*Prices and products are correct at time of going to print and are not guaranteed unless stated, errors expected. Subject to changes without prior consultation. Recipes, serves and idea are suggestions only and for illustration only. Please note products will be subject to availability and local listing, please check with your branch for details.

ABOUTPAUL

PAUL MILES SAY HELLO TO...

DESCRIBE YOUR CAREER JOURNEY UP UNTIL NOW?

I’ve always worked in retail and wholesale and started out as a delivery driver for Asda back in the late 80s. I worked hard and grasped the opportunities, taking on numerous roles and was eventually rewarded with my first General Manager’s role at Makro Poole. I joined Booker in 2004 as an Area Manager responsible for the Luton branch and after 18 months there was given the task of turning the branch “Orange,” which was a major refit project and eventually rolled out to all our stores. There was a huge transition happening within Booker at the time and I was a member of the project team for the first 10 Business Centres. It was brilliant because we experimented a lot with different formats and products, and

it was from this that I got the chance to go into the Support Centre as a Category Manager. I was one of four colleagues buying all our non-food ranges and the role gave me a fantastic insight and knowledge into the trading and commercial side of our operation. In 2012 Booker created the role of Fresh Food Development Controller which coincided with our drive to improve our fresh food business. Having operational and trading experience, I took on this role at the time and am proud to have done it ever since.

WHAT ARE THE KEY FUNCTIONS OF YOUR ROLE?

In a nutshell, my role is designed to provide a conduit between the operational teams in store and the fresh trading team and other support functions in Head

Paul joined Booker in 2004 as an Area Manager. After 18 months at the Luton branch, he joined a special project team looking at new formats and ranges. He then moved to the Support Centre to become a Category Manager on non-food lines. In 2012 Booker created the role of Fresh Food Development Controller which Paul has held ever since, ensuring Booker’s fresh range is in tune with the demands of customers. Paul says nothing gives him greater pleasure than seeing people do well and helping them develop themselves and succeed.

PAULMILES IS FRESH FOOD DEVELOPMENT CONTROLLER.

Booker Group wins the IGD John Sainbury’s Learning and Development Award

Office. I do this with a small and very focused team of experts who specialise in Butchery, Fruit & Veg and People Development. They also have a thorough knowledge across fresh foods and come from an operational background. Together we work with many support teams within our business – Range, Marketing, IT, Digital, etc – as well as several of our suppliers. We split our role into two key areas: Operational and People Development. Operational involves working within the operations team where the focus is on policy, procedures, and HSL (health, safe and legal). People Development means working with many colleagues where developing talent to run our fresh departments and give great customer service is essential.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THIS HARD WORK?

Firstly, to give our customers the ability to buy with confidence, with the best products displayed, merchandised and always available in an environment that is always safe and legal, and be served by colleagues who know how to look after and help them with all their business needs. Customer satisfaction is the ultimate goal and our number one focus. Secondly, colleagues who are well trained can see the many opportunities before them and are motivated to deliver on all fronts. It’s all about having the right people in the right place at the right time. Our people development programme on fresh food has developed into a key area and focus within Booker. We have two training schemes for our butchers and greengrocers, with the Booker Butchery Training Programme now an industry-recognised and IGD awardwinning scheme offering five levels of development. We have the largest proportion of Institute of Meat Master Butchers in the country – 12 from a total of just 67 across the UK. We also have more than 80 IOM-accredited Craft Butchers – you can identify them by the IOM crest on their white jackets. We also work

closely with our training partners to deliver Level 2 and Level 3 government apprenticeships. To date over 1,000 colleagues have passed through our schemes and we are working with other professional bodies like the Food & Drink Training & Education Council, Institute of Meat and AHDB (Agricultural, Horticultural Development Board) to continually look at ways to make our programmes even better.

HOW DOES THIS APPROACH BENEFIT CATERING CUSTOMERS?

Our approach is designed to create expertise across our business, serving our customers with a large variety of products across all tiers (good, better, best) by some of the best colleagues in the industry. We are able to advise or recommend key lines or new lines that our customers might like to try or products they haven’t previously considered. Our butchers can show them the many different cuts that come from the same meat primals and can advise on preparation and cooking. We can offer ideas on how to save more and make more and take a lot of the hard work out of the kitchen with some of the preparation.

WHAT IS THE MAIN FOCUS OF ACTIVITY IN YOUR DEPARTMENT AT THE MOMENT?

With the peak seasonal events of Mother’s Day, Easter and the May Bank Holidays behind us, our main focus now is supporting our colleagues in branch and ultimately helping them to deliver the very best service for our customers at what is one of the busiest trading times of the year. That support takes many different forms, but essentially throughout the summer it’s all about making sure we have everything available, maintain high standards and service, and stay healthy, safe and legal.

WHAT’S THE BEST BIT ABOUT THE JOB FOR YOU?

For me personally it’s working with so many people at all levels. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than seeing people do well. I’m one of those colleagues that started off my career with very few qualifications but had the opportunities and took them. I like to see people who work hard do well and sometimes surprise themselves. Training Days are a highlight for me. I’ve seen hundreds of colleagues progress under our development schemes and that gives me a great amount of pleasure.

TEAM BOOKER...

FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR IN HOUSE BUTCHERS

l Booker employs more than 600 butchers across its branches.

l Booker’s Butchery Training Programme is award winning, having previously claimed the Learning and Development Award at the IGD Awards.

l To date Booker has circa 60 colleagues who have gained apprenticeships or are currently working on apprenticeships.

l Booker employs 12 Institute of Meat Master Butchers, of which there are only 67 in the entire country.

l Booker also has 80 Institute of Meat Accredited Craft Butchers working in its branches.

Nothing gives me greater pleasure than seeing people do well.

MAKE MORE PROFIT WITH LICHFIELDS

Once renowned as a nation of tea drinkers, the UK is today one of the largest coffeeconsuming countries in Europe with UK consumers drinking approximately 98 million cups of coffee each day and growing, according to the British Coffee Association. Gone too are the days where consumers were happy with a cup of poorquality coffee. Today’s market is driven by premium offerings, and this presents a fantastic opportunity for caterers to drive footfall, sales and profits with a great coffee offer. Fortunately, Booker customers have access to the premium-quality Lichfields brand and its range of award-winning coffee beans. Available in two variants –Italian Espresso Beans and ultra-premium Fairtrade Gourmet Espresso Beans – both products offer caters exceptional quality at unbeatable value for money prices.

REWARDING

One Booker customer who is drinking in the rewards of switching to Lichfields is Ellis Potter, owner of The Riverside Hub family entertainment centre in Northampton.

Ellis first sampled the Lichfields Coffee Solution at Booker’s Catering Trade Show held at Silverstone Racing Circuit.

“We had been using a local coffee importer and roaster for many years but when I tried the Lichfields coffee I was immediately blown away by the quality and secondly by the price, which is incredibly competitive,” he says. “Coffee is a big business for us, we go through more than eight tonnes of beans a year and volumes are growing. Our

customers are also becoming increasingly

customers are also becoming increasingly discerning when it comes to coffee, so quality is of the upmost importance.

“We were also lucky enough to receive some fantastic on-site training from the Lichfields team in how to get the very best out of the brand’s quality beans. Café staff were armed with a host of top tips on grinding, service and presentation, all of which have contributed to what is now a stand-out coffee offer. We’ve had nothing but positive feedback from our customers since making the switch,” Ellis adds.

EFFUSIVE

Tony Ansell, owner of The Park Café in Abington Park, Northampton, is equally effusive about Booker’s Lichfields coffee offer. “Coffee is big business these days. Our customers are very knowledgeable about the category and increasingly demanding when it comes to quality – and rightly so,” he says.

“We are always looking for new ways to offer our customers the best and

With quality and value more important than ever before, Booker is helping caterers to rev up their coffee sales with premium beans from Lichfields.

Ellis Potter, owner of The Riverside Hub, in Northampton

Tony Ansell, owner of The Park Cafe, in Abington Park, Northampton

we had been on the lookout for a new coffee supplier when our Booker CDM introduced us to the Lichfields brand and its Fairtrade Gourmet Espresso Beans. From the first sip, we never looked back. It’s a lovely gourmet coffee, with a smooth, sweet nutty aroma and our customers and staff immediately noticed the marked improvement on our old coffee offer.

“The Lichfi elds brand offers far better quality and a far better price than the previous brand we used, so it’s been a real win-win. It also has the other massive benefi t of being Fairtrade which means a lot to our customers. It also means a lot to me too, knowing that a slice of that money is going to help people living and working in the Third World.” Both Tony

and Ellis are convinced that switching to Booker’s stand-out Lichfi elds Coffee solution is helping them to improve their customer offer, buy better and ultimately boost profi ts.

Quick and simple ordering is another

MAKE £,1000 GROSS PROFIT

From one case of Lichfields Italian Espresso Beans!

8x1kg at £56.99

*

Makes at least 450 cups (16g dose).

RSP £2.50 a cup

*Costings are for illustrations purposes and accounts for waste and addition of milk. Ask your local sales contact for further information about profit opportunity.

key benefit, with stock easily addable to general Booker orders seven days a week. If you are keen to find out how you can enhance your offer and your profits, speak to your CDM to find out more about how the Lichfields brand can help you take your coffee offer to the next level.

Coffee Beans

LICHFIELDS FAIRTRADE GOURMET ESPRESSO BEANS

CASE SIZE

8x1kg or 1kg bags

WSP: £87.82 a case, £11.99 single bag

Strength: Strong 5

LICHFIELDS ITALIAN ESPRESSO BEANS

CASE SIZE

8x1kg or 1kg bags

WSP: £87.82 a case, £11.99 single bag

Strength: Medium 4

Ask your local sales contact for more information.

SAY HELLO TO THE

MARKETPLACE: MORE THAN JUST DRINKS

Booker’s direct delivered Marketplace solution is renowned for its extensive premium drinks offer but did you know that it also provides access to a wide range of premium catering equipment?

Booker Marketplace is a fantastic solution for caterers looking to add interest and excitement to their premium drinks range. It gives customers access to a huge range of on-trend, high quality, great value products that they will not find in-branch.

With premiumisation and increased choice increasingly important to today’s consumers, Marketplace offers a quick and easy solution for caterers giving them instant access to an extended range of thousands of premium and specialist products.

The way that Booker Marketplace works couldn’t be simpler. All you have to do is visit booker.co.uk or have a look on the Booker app and look out for the eye-catching blue Marketplace flash. Deliveries are free on orders over £75 and your order will be delivered by courier to your door.

You can order by the case or you can even order by the single bottle, making it easy to develop a unique range that will help set you apart from the competition and drive increased footfall, sales and profits. The Booker Marketplace service is also great for ensuring regular supply and for emergency top-ups.

But while the solution is perhaps best known for its outstanding drinks range, Booker Marketplace also offers access to a massive range of equipment and non-food items that can help you elevate your offer and deliver those exciting, memorable experiences that your customers are looking for these days.

HOW IT WORKS

EXTENDED CHOICE

l Order at booker.co.uk or on the Booker app

l Free delivery on orders over £75

l Delivered by courier to your door

l Order by the single bottle or by the case

l Thousands of online-only products available

l Look out for the blue Marketplace flash

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT

from Lincat, all covered by a 2 year parts and labour warranty

GARDEN FURNITURE

To make the most of the summer and ensure your garden looks its best, a range of equipment is available from Booker Marketplace.

EXTENDED CHOICE

From top quality glassware, tableware and barware to picnic benches and gazebos, from catering appliances, kitchenware and refrigeration equipment to chefswear and workwear, you’ll find it all at Booker Marketplace.

COURIER DELIVERY

GLASS ACT

EASY TO ORDER

1,000’S MORE PRODUCTS ONLY AVAILABLE ONLINE DELIVERED TO YOUR REGISTERED BUSINESS ADDRESS ORDER VIA BOOKER.CO.UK OR ON THE BOOKER APP

You could, for instance, take your drinks offer to the next level by taking advantage of the many premium glassware options available through Booker Marketplace. A glitzy cocktail or a fine single malt whisky look great in standard glassware, but they could look even better in premium

glassware such as the Broadway or Vigne ranges that are available through Booker Marketplace from only £29.49. Upgrading your glassware is a quick and simple tweak to make but it could make all the difference to your customers and help elevate the experience they enjoy when they visit.

Similarly, why not consider turning up the dial on your crockery? Replace standard white plates and bowls with, for example, some Vintage Stoneware crockery from Booker Marketplace and the impact will be immediate and dramatic. Hard-wearing and long-lasting, this range is available

from just £20.42 and will help ensure that the fantastic food that your kitchen team has prepared looks its best when it is served at the table.

There is a large range of premium crockery available to view on Booker Marketplace so why not take a look and see if you can find something that would work for you and have an instant positive impact on the experience your customers have when they dine with you?

To complete the upgrade, you could also take a look at the extensive range of premium cutlery available and make sure that you are ready to fully exploit the summer opportunity.

KITCHEN KIT

As well as glassware, cutlery and crockery, Booker Marketplace also provides access to a fantastic selection of catering equipment.

The UK-made range from Lincat, for example, comes with a 2 year parts and labour warranty and features a selection of top quality kit from automatic water boilers, counter top fryers, electric griddles, and induction hobs all the way through to full gas ranges.

These items are available to order through Booker Marketplace with a lead time of just three days – perfect if you are in a hurry to replace or upgrade some of your kitchen equipment.

GARDEN FURNITURE

With the sun well and truly shining this summer, making the most of any available garden spaces is critical in maximising footfall, sales and profits. Booker Marketplace offers instance access to an array of furniture and equipment including parasols, picnic benches and full bistro sets.

Whatever your business needs to ramp it up this summer, you’ll find it at Booker Marketplace. Why not log on and check it out now?

Prices and products are correct at time of going to print and are not guaranteed unless stated, errors expected. Subject to changes without prior consultation. Recipes, serves and idea are suggestions only and for illustration only, subject to change without notice. Please note products will be subject to availability and local listing, please check with your branch for details.

CLEAN UP WITH CLEANPRO+

It’s no surprise that hygiene is more important than ever for consumers looking for somewhere to eat or drink, which is why keeping your business pristine – and visibly so – is now business critical. Creating and maintaining a cleaning and hygiene regime however can be a daunting task, which is why Booker launched its comprehensive CleanPro+ Professional Hygiene System.

Fully accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the System was developed specifically with caterers in mind and offers literally everything that Booker customers need to ensure they are following a best practice regime that will help them deliver that vital 5-star hygiene rating. The CleanPro+ Professional Hygiene System features an unparalleled range of more than 150 professional cleaning products but also comes complete with a

web-based Hygiene Manual so you can access support wherever you are, via PC, tablet or smartphone. The manual offers stepby-step professional advice and information on every aspect of hygiene and for every area of your business. The advice portal is broken down room-by-room so you can find everything you need with the click of a button. The portal provides advice on how to clean every room in your business, which products to use and how to use them. It also highlights ‘hotspots’ that require particular attention, such as sinks and microwaves.

Also included are wallcharts, cleaning method cards, cleaning records, dilution information, training advice and records, safety data sheets and general hygiene information. In other words, everything you need to ensure your business is in top shape. The web-based manual covers all key area of your business including Kitchen, Housekeeping, Floorcare, Bar & Cellar, Warewashing and Washroom.

ROOM BY ROOM

Simply browse the online manual and see which products you need for each area of your business then follow the advice on how to use each product for maximum efficiency. Highlighted opposite are a number of the most popular products for each room:

Hygiene is among the very top concerns for consumers these days and Booker’s exclusive CleanPro+ system offers all the information and products you need to keep your business spick and span.

ICE COOL MARGINS

Nothing completes a lovely summer meal quite like an indulgent scoop or two of ice cream and caterers now have two new products to offer their customers with the launch of Chef’s Larder Premium Cookies & Cream Dairy Ice Cream and Wicked Kitchen Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

The Chef’s Larder Premium range has earned a fantastic reputation for delivering outstanding quality products at great value prices – and this new line is no different. A luxury ice cream made with dark chocolate cookie pieces and real double cream, it will make a fitting end to any meal or, alternatively, as an indulgent treat all on its own at any time of day.

Available in 4ltr tubs, the ice cream costs just £12.49, leaving you with plenty of scope to drive summer profits.

For vegan customers, the Wicked Kitchen Cookie Dough Ice Cream offers a similarly indulgent sweet treat that is entirely dairy free and nonGMO. Deliciously sweet vanilla ice cream with cookie dough nuggets and chocolate chips, the product is ready to scoop and helps you ensure that vegan customers don’t find left out when dessert time rolls around.

Made with coconut oil and lupin protein, it’s creamy, smooth and delicious while being entirely plant-based.

ADDED VALUE

You could, of course, simply serve both of these new lines in a simple bowl – but why not use them as a base for a more eye-catching dessert that requires very little preparation time but will allow you increase your sell price and boost your profits?

Both could be used to make show-stopping desserts, ice cream sandwiches or milkshakes, for example, allowing you to maximise profits. The options are limited only by the creativity of your kitchen team, but these two fantastic products will ensure satisfied customers every time.

COOKIES & CREAM ICE CREAM

CHEF'S LARDER PREMIUM

COOKIES & CREAM DAIRY ICE CREAM 5LTR

M283633

SELL PRICE: £1.50

COST/ SERVING: £.38p

PROFIT: 70% CASH PROFIT: £.87p

TOP TIP!

Make this dessert vegan by using Wicked Kitchen Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

Booker has added some new ice cream lines to help you grow sales and profits this summer as the warm weather turns your customers towards cool desserts and treats.

Kitchen Cookie Dough Ice Cream 5ltr £20.99 M287596

for Chefs FREE skills training

As a business built by chefs, for chefs, at Unilever Food Solutions we’re always looking for ways to make your life a little easier and better – including training and skills development.

That’s why we’ve launched the UFS Academy!

Find courses for every skill level, with training videos and exclusive masterclasses led by top chefs from around the world.

• The Art of Plating

• Social Media Photography

• Waste Management

• Maximising Sales

Courses cover topics including: Visit