Catering@Booker Issue 16 - June 2024

CATERING @ BOOKER

STUNNING WEST ILSLEY PUB HAS IT ALL P L U S L O C K D O W N O N 7 0 0 + P R O D U C T S , M A K I N G T H E M O S T O F T H E E U R O S , P R O F I T F R O M D E S S E R T S , C O C K TA I L S M A D E S I M P L E

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HIGHLIGHTS l CONTENTS

14

Ann Walls, Spot White West, Newcastle

“Sharing is a massive trend, so we have lots of sharing plates including a Finger Food Combo and Picking Platter, both of which feature top-selling Booker products including chicken nuggets, skinon fries and chicken wings.”

23

Romano Perella, Amore, Glasgow

“Customers love to be able to taste lots of different flavours in one sitting. As a result, we’ve introduced a new five-course Regional Tasting menu. We are now on the Lazio region, which covers Rome, and all the dishes are special and niche to that area.”

50

Pub Manager Jane Hartnup

COVER SHOT

Dave Haworth, Abbeyfield Waste

“Booker customers get a voucher every time a collection of waste oil takes place which gives them 28p per litre off their next purchase. So, on a typical 20l container of oil, they’d get a voucher for £5.60 off their next purchase. Surplus revenue from the resale of the used oil is reinvested.”

18

With its idyllic location, thrilling food offer and first-rate service, The Harrow in West Ilsley has it all.

CATERING@BOOKER SHARE YOUR NEWS If you've got news, tips or feature ideas, get in touch with Catering@Booker Email:Catering@booker.co.uk DISCLAIMER All rights reserved. Prices and information are correct at time of going to press, but may be subject to change.

4

JUNE 2024

CONTENTS

34

28 RANGE FOCUS

NEWS 7

39

34

Pricing lockdown Booker is locking

summer menu with some lighter

down pricing on more than 700 products all the way through until 10

options.

39

September.

9

Lighter bites Freshen up your

Desserts Take your desserts menu to the next level with some quick twists.

Pub spend growing Spending in UK pubs and bars continues to grow, according to the latest Barclays data.

PRICE 45

Locked Down Pricing More than 700 products locked down until 10

PROF I LES 14

September.

Spot White West Newcastle Snooker Hall capitalises on sharing

18

Demand for cocktails remains huge

food trend.

S ERV IC E

The Harrow An idyllic location and a

53

apart.

opportunity for Booker catering

23

customers to cash in. While making cocktails from scratch can be time-

Simple cocktails Take the fuss out of classic cocktails by keeping it simple.

thrilling food offer set Berkshire pub

in the UK on-trade offering a huge

57

Soft serve ice cream Summer is the

Amore A unique take on Italian food

perfect time to make more from soft

is working for Glasgow restaurant.

serve ice cream.

consuming, pairing high quality pre-mix cocktails with fantastic quality, great value Booker own-brand spirits

F EATURES

REGULAR

allows you to create perfect Insta-

28

50

friendly cocktails in seconds while maximising cash profits.

53

Euro Finals 24 Football festival set to deliver a month of bumper sales.

Meet The Team Dave Haworth of Abbeyfield Waste discusses Booker’s outstanding Used Cooking Oil Service.

JUNE 2024

5

WIN

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Promoter: Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd, Breakspear Park, Breakspear Way, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 4TZ. Full terms at www.thedeltagroup.com/pepsielectric.

BOOKER NEWS

BOOKERNEWS NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS BOOKER

700 PRICES LOCKED DOWN TO MAXIMISE A SUMMER OF OPPORTUNITIES Summer is almost upon us and Booker is helping its customers max out the opportunity by locking down pricing on over 700 products until 10 September!

INBRIEF CHEAPER BY THE CASE The 700+ products included in the pricing lockdown include a big range of ‘Cheaper By The Case’ options, providing catering customers with the chance to access even better pricing by buying high volume products by the case.

These deals feature across

A fantastic summer is exactly what the trade needs after the challenges of the last few years and Booker is helping its catering customers make the most of the coming months by locking down the pricing on over 700 popular products all the way through until 10 September.

PRICES LOCKED UNTIL 10 SEPT

As always, the lockdown

many key categories such

includes an extensive range

as cleaning products and

of high quality, great value

disposables and include

own-brand products as

products such as:

well as an extensive selec-

 Washing-up liquid

tion of branded lines, helping

 Antibac hand soap

you deliver the quality and value that your customers expect while also securing your own profits.

With the Euro Finals 24 helping launch

 Disinfectant  Kitchen towel  Kitchen foil

the summer season in style, the

The latest pricing also features a fantastic

 Cling film

new pricing lockdown lets catering

range of ‘Cheaper By The Case’ lines

 Blue roll

customers plan ahead in confidence,

which offer significant discounts to

 Vinyl gloves

knowing that their profit margins are

customers buying products by the case,

 Napkins

guaranteed on a huge list of products.

rather than individually.

 Pizza boxes

The pricing guarantee covers all

These are ideal for the busy summer

main product categories from beers,

period, helping catering customers

wines and spirits to fresh, frozen and

secure even better pricing on lines they

ambient lines. The guarantee even

know they will need in volume over the

extends to non-food lines like essential

busy summer months.

 Burger trays  Disposable wooden cutlery  Paper plates  Coffee cups

cleaning equipment and disposables.

JUNE 2024

7

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INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRYNEWS NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE INDUSTRY

SPENDING ‘UP 3.9%’ IN PUBS, CLUBS AND BARS - BARCLAYS

Spending in pubs and bars grew faster than inflation, according to the latest Barclays Consumer Spending Report, with consumer confidence higher than it has been in years.

While it was a poor month for restaurants

Spending growth on takeaways and fast

with consumer spending down 13.1%

food remained flat at 3%.

year-on-year, April was a much stronger month for pubs, clubs and bars with

Consumers also highlighted a relatively new

spending growth of 3.9%, slightly ahead of

trend of ‘dynamic pricing’ where venues and

the official inflation rate that month of 3.8%.

attractions change their pricing in response to factors such as weather and demand.

That’s the findings of the Barclays Consumer Spending Report which combines data

More than half of consumers (56%) say

from hundreds of millions of consumer

they have noticed this trend with a similar

transactions with research to provide a

percentage (57%) saying it is a concern

comprehensive view of consumer card

to them. A quarter (25%) said they would

spending every month.

avoid a venue or attraction at peak charging times, reiterating the need to deliver value

Total consumer card spending grew by just

and quality on every visit.

1.6% in April but consumers’ confidence in their ability to manage their household

The report also highlighted the first decline

finances reached its highest level since November 2021, at 71%.

(-0.7%) in domestic hotels, resorts and increasing by 2% month on month to 74%.

accommodation spending since May 2023,

Importantly, confidence in their ability

as a third of consumers (32%) said they are

Consumers’ confidence in their ability

to spend more on non-essential items

prioritising holidays abroad this year over

to live within their means also improved,

reached 56%, up from 55% in March.

staycations.

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

JUNE 2024

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INDUSTRY NEWS

HOME OFFICE TO EXTEND LICENSING HOURS FOR EURO FINALS 24 IF...

INBRIEF

The Home Office has announced that pub and bar licensing hours will be extended to 1am if either of the home nations reach the semi-finals or final of Euro 2024. on-trade premises will be able to open until 1am

NEW FM URGED TO BACK HOSPITALITY

if either England or Scotland reach the semi-final

Scotland’s new First

or final stages of Euro 24 in Germany.

Minister, John Swinney,

The Home Office has confirmed that licensed

has been told he should

The industry has been engaging with the Home

support and value

Office on its proposal to extend licensing hours

hospitality and tourism

and said the move would allow both venues and

as one of Scotland’s

fans to cheer on the home nations as well as

economic giants.

generate much-needed income. final, should we reach that Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality,

stage of the tournament.

said: “Euro 2024 is set to be a huge event for hospitality businesses as fans pack pubs and bars to cheer on the home nations.

EURO FINALS 24 EURO FINALS 24

“Major sporting events

SEMI-FINALS: 9 AND 10 JULY

provide a huge revenue

FINAL: 14 JULY

boost and extended “We support the Home Office proposals to

hours are essential to allow

extend licensing hours for the semi-finals and

venues and fans to take full advantage.”

Leon Thompson, Executive Director of UKHospitality Scotland, said: “I hope the First Minister takes advantage of this moment to start afresh with businesses, who feel they have not been listened to or properly valued in recent years.

GAMING MACHINES GET GREENLIGHT TO GO CASHLESS The catering and hospitality industry has

have been put in place. These protections will

welcomed the news that cashless payments are

be consulted on by the Gambling Commis-

to be permitted on gaming machines.

sion and could include cardholder verification, transaction limits and breaks in play.

Following sustained joint campaigning by the

“The Scottish Government has at its disposal a hospitality and tourism sector that is an economic giant and a valuable partner in showcasing Scotland around the world. Starting with

British Beer and Pub Association and UKHos-

In a joint statement, the industry bodies said:

pitality, the Department for Culture, Media and

“This is a significant victory for pubs using

hospitality businesses

Sport confirmed that debit cards, payment apps

gaming machines. The move to allow cashless

would clearly demonstrate

and other forms of cashless payments will be

payments will preserve a valuable revenue

this new government’s

allowed, once appropriate player protections

stream.”

pro-business credentials.”

JUNE 2024

business rates reform for

11

INDUSTRY NEWS

JULY ELECTION MUST RECOGNISE THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR SECTOR

With Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling a General Election for 4 July, the catering and hospitality sector is demanding the importance of the sector is recognised by all political parties.

INBRIEF ‘TOURIST TAX’ APPROVED IN SCOTLAND

After much speculation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently announced a General Election to take place in just a few weeks’ time on 4 July 2024. With the Conservative Party currently lagging well behind in the polls, there is the real prospect of Labour winning power and a huge

Scottish MSPs have voted

opportunity for all parties to ensure that their

to approve a so-called ‘tourist tax’ which will

manifestos address the issues that matter most

permit Local Authorities

to voters.

to add a charge to overnight stays.

This also represents a huge opportunity for the catering and hospitality sector to engage with

The Visitor Levy (Scotland)

the main political parties and ensure that the

Bill was passed on 28 May

sector’s concerns are heard.

the political spectrum reflect the strategic

and could see the charge

importance of our sector.

come into play from spring 2026.

Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “Hospitality businesses lie at the heart of

“We need to see evidence of measures that can

every constituency in the country. In serving

unlock the potential of our sector to do even

Britain, the sector creates places where people

more. These include promises of action to lower

visit per night while other

want to live, work and invest. “We need to see

the tax burden on our industry, initiatives that

towns and cities like

all political parties recognise this and will be

give us greater access to workers, and other

Bournemouth and Poole

working hard on behalf of our members during

measures that will support us in creating more

will charge £2.

this period, to ensure manifestos from across

jobs and further upskilling the workforce.”

Manchester introduced a similar tax of £1 per

LOW AND NO ‘UP 95.3%’ ON PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS The low- and no-alcohol beer category

up 77.7% on pre-pandemic levels.

grew 39% by value in 2023 year on year, representing an increase of 95.3% on

Low- and no-alcohol beer remains a

pre-pandemic levels.

relatively small percentage of the entire on-trade beer market but is likely to

The data from CGA by NIQ reflects a

see further growth in 2024 and is an

persistent trend and is reflected in volume

opportunity that Booker catering

sales which were up 30.5% year on year and

customers can take advantage of.

JUNE 2024

13

PROFILE l SPOT WHITE WEST

POCKETING SUCCESS

Customers are cueing up to experience Spot White West’s unique new offer.

It’s 3am in Newcastle. Most of the city’s

value and, above all, a friendly and vibrant

pubs, clubs and restaurants have pulled

atmosphere.”

down their shutters and turned out the lights for what’s left of the night. Most, but

“Our first venue has

not all.

become a major success and in recent times

Take a stroll down George Street in the

we’ve been regularly

west of the city and you’ll find one venue

fully booked weeks in

that is only just getting started.

advance. We knew there was more than enough

Established in April 2024, Spot White West

demand for a second

is a total reinvention of the traditional

site in the city, so in

snooker hall concept – an utterly unique

April 2024 we did just

venue where anyone, of any age or skill

that,” she explains.

level, can come to play, socialise and enjoy delicious food and drinks around the clock.

“This venue is very close to Newcastle

It’s the brainchild of local lad Adam

City College, so we

Goldstone, who, with the help of his family

get a lot of students

and operations manager Ann Walls, established his first Spot White in Newcastle’s China Town district almost 20 years ago.

“From beginners to professionals, Spot White appeals to all,” Ann explains. “It’s the perfect venue to wind down after work, for a quick game at lunchtime, a celebratory night out, pre-theatre, date nights and much more! Whatever the occasion, we strive to create a place that

THE LOWDOWN

SPOT WHITE WEST Location George Street, Newcastle Format Snooker hall Operations manager Ann Walls Staff 38, including six dedicated kitchen staff Opening hours 9am-7am

offers fun, amazing service, great food and

14

JUNE 2024

PROFILE l SPOT WHITE WEST

and a bite to eat on the side."

"We are also seeing a growing demand for alcohol-free drinks and quality soft drinks that our customers are ordering to accompany our exciting food offer."

“The kitchen at this venue is more than five times the size of the one in our original venue – a fact which has allowed us to create a fantastic range of choice for our customers, including new hot roast beef and chicken sandwiches – which are very popular at 4am! It’s also enabled us to introduce ‘specials’ and new products such as Bao Buns.”

Sold on a Mix and Match 3 for £10 deal, Spot White West’s Bao Buns include Beef Brisket, in during the day and in the early evenings,

a strict ‘members only’ policy from 11pm.

Crispy Chicken, Vegan Crispy Chicken and

along with a wide range of other customers,

Students are offered membership for just

Vegan Sausage. Customers can also choose

including families and businesses hosting

£10 a year, while a standard membership

from a range of sides, including Teriyaki,

corporate events.

costs £20.

Sriracha or Katsu fries, for £4.

“Incredibly, our busiest time is 3am! We get

“Spot White taps perfectly into the growing

It also offers an array of great-value burgers

lots of trade from bar and door staff who

trend towards active socialising,” Ann

such as the ‘Stacked Burger’ which is avail-

come in for a game of snooker and a bite

explains. “For so many of our customers,

able in either a beef, chicken or vegan

to eat at the end of their shifts.”

days and nights out are becoming much

option for just £7.20, including Booker’s

less about drinking and much more about

“delicious” skin-on fries. Popular sellers also

While anyone can visit Spot White West as

sharing fun, active experiences with friends,

include the ‘8 Baller’ burger which features a

a guest during the day, the venue employs

family or colleagues – whilst enjoying a drink

beef patty, hash brown, bacon, chilli cheese

JUNE 2024

15

Made from 100% natural ingredients Subject to availability.

M259455

PROFILE l SPOT WHITE WEST

ON TREND

Sharing is massive. We have lots of sharing plates including a Finger Food Combo and a Picking Platter, using top-selling Booker products

bites and onion rings for £10.50. The venue’s bestselling chicken nuggets meanwhile, can be ordered in quantities of 6,10, 20 or 30 for £3.50, £5, £8 or £10.50 respectively. “We go through a ridiculous amount of chicken nuggets each week,” Ann laughs. “We also sell loads of combo platters. Sharing is a massive trend, so we have lots of sharing plates including a Finger Food Combo and Picking Platter, both of which feature top-selling Booker products including chicken nuggets, skin-on fries and chicken wings. The vast majority of our food and drinks come from Booker. We have such a great relationship with our CDM Matthew. His advice and insight were invaluable when we opened this second site. He visited quite a few times during the development, just because he genuinely cares

TRENDWATCH SPOT WHITE WEST, NEWCASTLE

about us. A relationship like that is very special.”

The site’s large new kitchen has also enabled Spot White West to speed up service times – an important factor when you consider

Active socialising is on the up

that at busy times it can host up to 300 customers. “We have a lot of seating areas for customers to enjoy our food and drinks, but we also have table space at every snooker or pool table so that

Ann says that Spot White West “taps perfectly into the

customers can eat and play at the same time,” Ann explains.

growing trend towards active socialising”.

“For so many of our customers, days and nights out are

The venue boasts more than 20 snooker and pool tables, including

becoming much less about drinking and much more about

both English and American pool, as well as dartboards which can

sharing fun, active experiences with friends, family or

also be hired – and accompanied by drinks shelves and tables for

colleagues – whilst enjoying a drink and a bite to eat on the

food and drinks. “We’ve only been open a matter of weeks but

side.”

“We are also seeing a growing demand for alcohol-free drinks

already demand is sky-high and we are having to recommend that customers book a table in advance to avoid disappointment.”

and quality soft drinks that our customers are ordering to accompany our exciting food offer,” she adds.

At this rate, it won’t be long before Ann and Adam chalk up a third venue.

JUNE 2024

17

PROFILE l THE HARROW, WEST ILSLEY

THE WHOLE PACKAGE With an idyllic location, thrilling food and first-rate service, The Harrow has it all.

Location, location, location. As all successful caterers will agree, the L word is one of the most important considerations when buying new premises. And you’d be hard pressed to find a location more perfect than the chocolate-box Berkshire village of West Ilsley – home to The Harrow pub.

Enveloped by lush rolling hills and overlooking the village’s idyllic cricket green, The Harrow’s location is the very definition of picture perfect.

However, as all successful caterers will also agree, location only gets you so far – to truly bowl customers over you need to have an offer to match – and The Harrow’s has become a runaway success.

Bought by caterer Martyn Driscoll in 2023, the old pub underwent a significant

THE LOWDOWN

THE HARROW Location West Ilsley, Berkshire Format Pub Caterer Martyn Driscoll and manager Jane Hartnup (pictured) Covers 140 Staff Front of house and kitchen 14 Opening hours 11am-11pm

18

JUNE 2024

PROFILE l THE HARROW, WEST ILSLEY

five-month

b e f o re

Customers certainly are too. “The weekly-

re-opening with a fresh new guise and

re f u r b i s h m e n t

changing menus are one of the things

team in June.

that keep customers coming back. They know that each time they do, there will be

One year on, the pub has become one of

something new and exciting for them to

the area’s most popular destinations, with

try,” says Martyn.

customers travelling from miles around to enjoy its scenic views, excellent food and

“We always keep a couple of core pub

impeccable service, all of which leave them

classics, such as cod and chips and

hungry for another innings.

homemade pies on the menu but our main aim is to offer them something

The key to its success, Martyn says, is his

different – unique dishes that they won’t

team including manager Jane and head

see elsewhere.

chef Arron – who is the mastermind behind The Harrow’s show-stopping food offer.

“I go to Booker’s Reading branch at least three times a week with a shopping list that

From Monday to Saturday, the pub serves

Arron has made me and it’s always full of

a delectable array of light bites until 5pm

new and different products. Sometimes

after which time, a mouthwatering ‘a la

when I look at the list I think, ‘What the heck

carte’ menu kicks in. Sundays are then all

is that?’ Fortunately, the store manager is

about roasts, with The Harrow regularly

always there to help me find what I need!

fully booked for its famous roast lunches

I also take Arron with me at least once a

weeks in advance.

month and he loves seeing the products personally and talking to the different

“Arron changes our ‘a la carte’ menu every

teams.

single week,” Martyn explains. “He’s so enthusiastic and is constantly thinking of

“The range that Booker offers is fantastic

new products to try and new dishes to

and it’s constantly evolving. One of the

create. For him, it’s not work, it’s a genuine

products that we buy regularly is duck.

passion and I’m more than happy to let him

The quality is amazing. It roasts and flame

run with it.”

grills perfectly and allows us to create some

TRENDWATCH THE HARROW, WEST ILSLEY

All change Customers are increasingly demanding variety and more frequent menu updates, says Martyn.

“Our chef Arron changes our ‘a la carte’ menu every single week.

"Our weekly-changing menus are one of the things that keeps customers coming back to us.

"They know that each time they do, there will be something new and exciting for them to try and that definitely drives repeat custom.”

JUNE 2024

19

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PROFILE l THE HARROW, WEST ILSLEY

GREAT SUPPORT

I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved here and so excited for what is to come. Local people are thrilled. The support we get is unreal. spectacular and really memorable dishes for our customers. The price is great too; we buy it in packs of four for £13 and we sell each dish for around £20 so we make a good margin. It’s those types of higher-end dishes that our customers are ordering.”

The Harrow’s ‘a la carte’ menu also suggests wines to pair with each of its main dishes – with many of the pairings suggested by Booker wine experts.

The Harrow’s service also sets it apart – as its many rave reviews clearly show. “The team are what really make this pub,” Martyn says. “It’s very rare in this industry to have a team that works so well together. You can feel it the minute you walk through the door.

Together, they create this wonderful, welcoming atmosphere and deliver exceptional service every time.

“They’ve also helped to implement key changes that have helped the business to run more efficiently and more profitably. For example, it was the team’s idea to introduce sittings. Sundays are one of our busiest days, yet the pub would be reasonably quiet until 1.30 – and then go crazy. The team changed the bookings process by introducing a new 12.30pm sitting, followed by another at 2.30pm, 4.30pm and 6.30pm. Now, the pub is constantly full from 12.30. It’s maximised profits for us and made the bookings and service process easier for the staff to manage.”

Next on Martyn’s agenda is a redevelopment of The Harrow’s beautiful beer garden. “The garden is to the left of the pub and has stunning views over the cricket green. We are creating four different areas for eating and drinking and we will introduce a dedicated garden menu, most of which will be cooked on a large BBQ grill,” says Martyn.

“The pub has a small footprint inside, with just 50 covers, so maximising on the space outside will be key this summer. It’s going to look amazing - when it’s done it will give us 140 covers.

"I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved here and so excited for what is still to come. Local people are also thrilled with the change. The support we get is unreal.”

JUNE 2024

21

CU R IOUSLY

S E H R I NG F E R AVAILABLE FROM BOOKER MARKETPLACE*

Flora Adora Wildgarden Cup 50ml Hendrick’s Flora Adora 25ml Lemon Juice 25ml Sugar Syrup Top with Soda Water 4 Raspberries, 6 Mint Leaves and 3 Cucumber wheels to garnish

Hendrick’s & Tonic 50ml Hendrick’s Original Gin 150ml Tonic Water Combine all ingredients in a highball glass filled with cubed ice Garnish with 3 cucumber wheels

Hendrick’s Flora Adora: 1 x 70cl 1020524 Hendrick’s Gin: 6 x 70cl M196510 | 1 x 70cl M196542 Grand Cabaret: Coming Soon to Booker Marketplace

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PROFILE l AMORE, GLASGOW

FEEL THE LOVE

Customers have fallen for Amore’s unique Italian offering.

Amore is the Italian word for love and – as its rave reviews, multiple award wins and packed reservations book clearly highlight – there’s a lot to love about Glasgow’s Amore restaurant. The locally renowned Italian has been feeding Glaswegian hearts and mouths for just over 16 years now and, as owner Romano Perella explains, the love for its unique offer is as hot as ever.

“One of the many things about Amore that keeps our customers coming back again and again is the atmosphere and the experience,” he says. “Amore is not a plastic Italian restaurant; we’ve created a place where customers genuinely feel like they have been transported to Italy. We’ve got beautiful, exposed brickwork, elegant stone arches, Venetian plasterwork on the walls; the detailing is all pristine and very high quality.

THE LOWDOWN

AMORE Location Glasgow Format Italian restaurant Caterer Romano Perella Covers 170 Opening hours 11am-11pm Staff 40

JUNE 2024

23

PROFILE l AMORE. G;ASGOW

KEY DRAW

Customers who want an authentic taste of Italy can do so, and equally, those who would like a more Scottish take on Italian food can have that too.

TRENDWATCH AMORE, GLASGOW

Quest for variety

“We’ve also created different areas which

says. Amore’s diverse and engaging menu

can cater to a wide variety of different

is another key draw.

occasions, from our romantic private booths to our large and vibrant Tuscan

“We have carefully designed our menu to

space which is perfect for parties.

appeal to as broad a spectrum as possible.

There’s pasta, pizza, meat, seafood, risotto,

“We are regularly booked out for large

salads – something for everyone.”

parties; we even did one recently for 120 Customers are on a quest for variety

people. No matter the number, our aim

“Our bestseller is a pasta dish called ‘Penne

and the chance to try a diverse

is for each and every customer to leave

Dell' Amore’ which we sell for £13.45. That’s

feeling like they have had a special experi-

the one everyone knows and wants.”

selection of different products, says Romano.

ence.”

Featuring penne pasta, chicken and red

“Customers love to be able to taste lots of different flavours in one sitting.

Unique touches, such as Amore-branded

onion in a chilli and garlic cream sauce,

"As a result, we’ve introduced a new

teddies and baby bibs, add to that unique

Romano says the dish is “a very Scottish

experience.

take on an Italian dish”.

“We tend to give a lot of the branded

“It’s spicy and creamy and it’s got the

merchandise out for free. If there’s a baby

onions and the chicken, these are all big

at the table or if someone is pregnant, we’ll

Glaswegian flavours.”

five-course Regional Tasting menu.

"We are now on the Lazio region, which covers Rome. All the dishes are special and niche to that area,” he adds.

present them with an Amore bib. It’s a nice touch, and customers love it,” Romano

24

Also highly popular are Amore’s selection

JUNE 2024

PROFILE l AMORE, GLASGOW

of authentic Italian ragus. “Customers who

high standard.” These high standards have

want an authentic taste of Italy can do so,

helped Amore to win a number of prestig-

and equally, those who would like a more

ious awards, including a number of UK

Scottish take on Italian food can have that

PAPA Awards for its pizzas, and Scotland's

too,” Romano says.

Best Italian Establishment at the 2019 Food Awards.

“One big trend that we are noticing at the moment is demand for variety. Customers

“We buy the vast majority of our dry

love to be able to taste lots of different

and store cupboard goods from Booker,

flavours in one sitting. As a result, we’ve

including a number of their specialist

introduced a new five-course Regional

Italian products such as their Caputo flour,”

Tasting menu. We are now on the Lazio

explains Romano.

region, which covers Rome, and all the dishes are special and niche to that area.

“The flour is from Naples and we use it to

The menu features delicious dishes such

make all of our pizzas. We also buy most of

as Porchetta with artichokes and pecorino

our bar products, including soft drinks and

cheese. It’s £26 for five courses or £45 with

BWS, from Booker. “We’re really lucky to

wine pairings. The next area will be Sicily

also have a great relationship with our CDM

and then Puglia.”

and our branch manager. Positive relationships like that really do help us to keep on

“No matter the dish, everything on all our

delivering the offer that our customers love

menus is produced and served to a really

so much.”

JUNE 2024

25

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SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY l EURO FINALS 24

EUROS OFFER BUCKETS OF OPPORTUNITY

A fantastic summer of top-class sport is set to create endless opportunities to maximise footfall, sales and profits with the Euro Finals 24 in Germany the pick of the sporting bunch.

This summer has the makings of a cracker for venues across the country, particularly if the sun shines for extended periods, but what is most likely to drive footfall and sales is a packed calendar of amazing sport.

From the FA and Scottish Cup Finals, the Champions League Final to Wimbledon and the Olympics, there’s a back-toback calendar of top-class sport to drive customers to your door more often.

The undoubted key opportunity, however, is the Euro Finals 24 held from 14th June to 14th July in Germany. It’s the first Euro Finals since the pandemic pushed the 2020 event back to 2021, when Italy beat England in the final at Wembley. With both England and Scotland having qualified this time around, it’s sure to be a massive opportunity for venues showing the games live.

Both home nations will play in three matches each in the first round, guaranteeing at least six huge chances to cash in.

Additionally, Scotland have the unenviable task of facing hosts Germany in the

45%

A WHOPPING 45% OF PEOPLE SAY THEY PLAN TO VISIT A PUB TO WATCH A EUROS MATCH THIS SUMMER!

opening match on 14 June. It may be a tough kick off to the campaign for the

28

JUNE 2024

SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY l EURO FINALS 24

Scotland team, but it’s likely to be a great

Finals 24 opportunity is to focus on fast

efficient to serve, it doesn’t get any easier

start to the footballing festival for venues,

serves.

and you can be sure of satisfied customers

with so much interest in the tournament.

who don’t have to wait for a pre-, during- or

BUCKETS OF PROFIT

post-match beer.

The event features back-to-back matches

When it comes to serving large groups of

for a full month and has the potential to

thirsty football fans quickly and efficiently,

Booker has a huge range of bottled beers to

provide an unbelievably strong start to the

there’s nothing to beat buckets of beer. No

meet every taste from just 75p a bottle and

key summer trading period. In fact, research

messing around pouring pints of draught

all you have to do is offer your customers

by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners found

beer and watching the lovely frothy heads

buckets at set prices like ‘5 for £13’.

that a whopping 45% of people say they

disappear to nothing as you go then trying

Depending upon the pricing you settle on,

plan to visit a pub to watch a Euros match

to carry half a dozen pints on a tray through

you can make up to £8.15 cash profit from

this summer!

a busy room without spilling any.

every bucket sold.

With footfall like that, there’s a world of

Why not offer your customers a mix ‘n’

PITCH IN

opportunity to grow sales of food and drink

match deal on buckets of bottled beers

Along similar lines and, according to your

but there’s no doubt that one of the best

instead? Just fill a bucket with ice and stick in

specific customer base, it might be a good

ways to make fast sales during the Euro

five bottles of beer, ready to go. Quick and

idea to offer pitchers which deliver the same

JUNE 2024

29

A CHANCE TO

WIN T ICKET S TO

PLUS 4X £500 CASH PR IZ ES AND 30X CASES OF PER ONI NASTR O A Z Z UR RO 12X330ML TO BE WON

SCAN

M276895 PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO 0.0% 12X330ML

TO ENTER

M279322 PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO 24X330ML

UK only, 18+. Purchase necessary. Retain receipt. Internet access required. Purchase qualifying Peroni Nastro Azzurro product in-store or online from Booker, scan the QR code on POS in-store or visit www.peronicompetitions.co.uk/elevated-experiences/booker and complete the online form. Entries from 16/06/24 to 27/06/24; one (1) VIP Elevated Experience Package to BST Festival for 2 on 6 July 2024. Entries from 16/06/24 - 09/10/24; four (4) x £500 Cash Prizes and thirty (30) cases of Peroni Nastro Azzurro 12x330ml. The promotional period will open daily from 08.00 GMT to 23.00 GMT, any entries outside these times will not be accepted. Instant win. One (1) entry per person per day only. Maximum of one (1) of each prize type per person for the entirety of the Promotion.

Exclusions apply. Full terms: asahibeer.co.uk/promotional-terms-and-conditions.

M285044 PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO STILE CAPRI 10X330ML

SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY l EURO FINALS 24

EUROFINALS 24: KEY MATCHES Fri 14th June – Opening Match Germany v SCOTLAND – 8pm Sun 16th June – Serbia v ENGLAND – 8pm Wed 19th June – SCOTLAND v Switzerland – 8pm Thur 20th June – Denmark v ENGLAND – 5pm Sun 23rd June – SCOTLAND v Hungary – 8pm Tue 25th June – ENGLAND v Slovenia fast and easy benefits for you and your

Euro Finals 24, all you have to do is stock

team. There’s no end to the pitchers you

the fridge and watch them fly.

can offer but we’ve suggested a few ideas in this feature.

Thanks to a resurgence in the RTD category and a wave of NPD, you have a huge range

The things they all have in common,

of big brand options to choose from. From

however, is that they require very few ingre-

Au Vodka, Jack Daniel’s and Bacardi to

dients, they require no specialist cocktail

Bombay Sapphire, Pimm’s, Grey Goose

skills, and they all deliver big cash profits.

and Malibu, there’s an RTD to suit every taste.

Sat 29th June – ROUND OF 16 MATCHES – 5pm and 8pm Sun 30th June – ROUND OF 16 MATCHES – 5pm and 8pm Mon 1st July – ROUND OF 16 MATCHES – 5pm and 8pm Tue 2nd Jul – ROUND OF 16 MATCHES – 5pm and 8pm

Take the Kopparberg Mixed Fruit Tropical Vodka Punch. All it takes to create a pitcher

ADD THEATRE

is four ingredients and a couple of minutes

Last but not least, a simple way of adding

to prepare. Sell a pitcher for £12 and it’ll

excitement and driving sales during the

cost you just £2.71 a serving, providing you

Euro Finals 24 is to add some theatre

with a cash profit of £7.29 on every pitcher

in-venue to really bring the tournament

you sell.

to life for your customers.

READY TO GO

Why not invest in some football strips for

Or, if you want to remove literally all of the

your team and hand out scarves to your

work, why not just take a few minutes to

customers? It’s quick and inexpensive and

make sure your RTD range is on point?

it can help elevate the whole experience

Perfect for the warmer weather and the

and drive sales.

JUNE 2024

Fri 5th July – QUARTER FINALS 5pm and 8pm Saturday 6th July – QUARTER FINALS – 5pm and 8pm Tue 9th July – SEMI FINAL 8pm Wed 10th July – SEMI FINAL 8pm Sun 14th July – FINAL – 8pm

31

Ice Cold Frappes

Ready for Summer Iced beverages are a great way to keep Need some inspiration ? your drinks menu exciting with seasonal changes and Limited Time Offers.

Why not try our fruity berry frappe recipe!

Combine syrups, sauces and frappe powders to create the perfect iced drinks!

Add 140ml milk, 50g vanilla frappe powder, raspberry sauce and a cup of ice to a blender and blend for 30 seconds.

1

Everything you need!

Pour blender contents into a cup and decorate with whipped cream, more raspberry sauce and freeze dried raspberries!

2

Only

57p per drink*

*Contribution cost based on products listed below; excludes milk, ice and whipped cream.

M280643 Simply Vanilla Frappe Powder 1.75kg £9.99 M279135 Simply Raspberry Topping Sauce 1kg £8.49 M282322 Simply Freeze Dried Raspberries 150g £12.99

Essences FLAVOURFUL

N E IMPROW

V RECIPEED

M287832 Simply Almond Essence 1ltr £7.99 M287834 Simply Vanilla Essence 1ltr £7.99

Enhance your baking effortlessly with the flavourings of Simply Essences. Elevate classic cakes, cookies, and pastries with subtle yet lasting flavour.

Vanilla adds a timeless taste to your cupcakes and frostings, and with our improved recipe, you’ll be sure to experience the difference in every bake.

SERVICE l LIGHTER BITES

MAKE THE MOST OF LIGHTER BITES With a packed and hopefully sunny summer ahead of us, it’s a great time to start thinking about adding some tasty, lighter dishes to your menu.

Counting on warm and sunny weather is

made to help marry all those requirements

AFRICAN ODYSSEY

always a risky strategy but, with a bit of luck,

into a single dish. They can be filling, nutri-

Head over to North Africa for some inspi-

the Great British summer months this year

tious and delicious but involve relatively

ration and you could add a Moroccan

will indeed deliver at least some glorious

low-cost ingredients. They also have the

Chicken with Couscous to your menu for

weather to help your customers kick back,

added benefit of being perfect as the base

a quick and easy-to-prepare option that

relax and forget about their worries.

for healthier vegan or vegetarian dishes for

gives you £5.53 cash profit from every

the growing audience of customers who

serving at a sale price of £11.00.

As the mercury rises, customers’ tastes will

don’t eat meat or animal products as well

often turn towards lighter, fresher dishes

as for those who simply want to reduce

Again, extremely quick and easy to prepare,

like noodles, pulses and pasta.

their meat consumption.

it requires only some chicken thighs, some

Yes, there will still be plenty of demand for

GLOBAL INSPIRATION

and spices. Tasty, nutritious and light

burgers, steaks and roasts, but catering

There’s no limit to what you and your kitchen

enough for an afternoon in the beer garden

for customers looking for lighter bites is

team can achieve when working around the

or an evening in front of the football.

a good way of broadening the appeal of

theme of noodles, pulses and pasta but one

your menu and bringing more customers

obvious way of approaching the challenge is

Another fast and filling option is a Chicken,

to your door on warm summer days and

by taking inspiration from around the globe.

Avocado & Quinoa Salad that combines

balmy evenings.

Take, for example, a simple Chinese-in-

chicken supremes with some Feta cheese

spired Sizzling Crispy Duck with Noodles.

and some freshly made cous cous. Likely

TASTE MATTERS

You’ll require only three core ingredients

to appeal to those looking for a healthier

The key to driving repeat business is, as

to produce a tasty, satisfying dish that will

option under the summer sun, it will deliver

always, to ensure that the lighter dishes you

deliver £6.02 cash profit from every serving

a cash profit of £4.58 from every dish sold

add to your menu are packed full of flavour

when sold at £11.00.

at just £8.50.

is just as packed full of profit while still

Regal Farm Marinated Roasted Duck

IF ALL ELSE FAILS…

delivering great value for your customers.

Halves remove all of the prep work for

And just to be safe, why not add a good old

your team while Blue Dragon Oyster Sauce

Macaroni Cheese onto the menu if it isn’t

The word value is critical here: value doesn’t

delivers that familiar flavour and texture

already there, just to cater for those that

necessarily mean cheap. Customers will pay

that customers are looking for with virtu-

don’t actually fancy something too light

a fair price if they feel like they’re getting

ally zero effort. Add some noodles and

after all! A guaranteed crowd pleaser, it’s

great value and finish their meal with a full

some boiled and charred veg and a bowl

a fast and delicious option that will cost

belly and a smile on their face.

of dipping sauce sprinkled with sesame

you just £1.54 per serving to make but will

seeds and you have a great main course in

deliver a cash profit of £3.46 on a sell price

a matter of minutes.

of a very reasonable £6.00.

Chef’s Larder Couscous and a few herbs

but it’s also critical that every dish you serve

Noodles, pulses and pasta seem tailor-

VISIT WWW.BOOKER.CO.UK FOR THE FULL RANGE 34

JUNE 2024

SERVICE l LIGHTER BITES

SERVING SUGGESTION

CHICKEN, AVOCADO & QUINOA SALAD M270053/M270055 Chicken Supremes

170-200g/200-230g

M292846 Quinoa

2kg

M144237 HOTOS Original Feta Cheese (P.D.O.) M144237

200g

£2.50

PER SHARING SERVING

SELL PRICE £8.50

SERVING SUGGESTION

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS

£2.80

2.5k

M203185 Chef’s Larder Couscous

2kg

JUNE 2024

% PROFIT 66%

CASH PROFIT £4.58

PER SHARING SERVING

M184955 Chef’s Larder Oyster Cut Chicken Thigh

SELL PRICE £11.00

% PROFIT 65%

CASH PROFIT £5.53

35

SERVICE l LIGHTER BITES

SERVING SUGGESTION

MACARONI AND CHEESE M271135 Chef’s Larder Macaroni

3kg

M091966 Macphie Cheddar Cheese Sauce

1ltr

M227627 Fiorello Italianissimo Shredded 80% Mozzarella & 20%

Cheddar

2kg

£1.54

PER SERVING

SELL PRICE £6.00

SERVING SUGGESTION

% PROFIT 69%

CASH PROFIT £3.46

£3.15 PER SERVING

SIZZLING CRISPY DUCK WITH NOODLES

M284841 Regal Farm Boneless Marinated Roasted Duck Halves 575g M714510 Lucky Dragon Brand Pre-Steamed Noodles

9kg

M077026 Blue Dragon Oyster Sauce

1ltr

SELL PRICE £11.00

% PROFIT 66%

CASH PROFIT £6.02

VISIT WWW.BOOKER.CO.UK FOR THE FULL RANGE JUNE 2024

37

SERVICE l DESSERTS

JUST DESSERTS By taking simple desserts to a new level with some quick and easy twists, you can help create the perfect end to a perfect meal for your customers as well as growing spend and profits.

In an ideal world, every customer would buy everything you could throw at them every time they visit – an aperitif, a starter, a main, a dessert, a bottle of wine or a couple of beers to wash it down and

THE BASES

to finish, a coffee and a brandy. In reality it doesn’t always work out like that but by tempting every customer to round their visit off with a tasty dessert, you’re well on your way to growing spend and customer satisfaction.

There are many ways to build the ideal dessert menu for your venue, depending upon exactly who your customers tend to be, but a great solution is to focus on a limited range of simple ‘bases’

Chef’s Larder Premium Luxury Chocolate Fudge Cake 14ptn M257877 £8.99 Chef’s Larder Premium New York Cheesecake 16ptn M252785 £18.49

upon which you and your kitchen team can build a much wider range of desserts with minimal effort and time.

CHEESECAKE WINNERS

SERVING SUGGESTION

How does that work in reality? Well, to inspire you, we have included a few fantastic and attention-grabbing suggestions in

LINDT CHEESECAKE

this feature, all built from the same bases – in this case, the Chef’s

M286246 Lindt Lindor Salted Caramel

24x39g

238663/M240584 Simply White/Milk Chocolate Sauce

1kg

Larder Premium Luxury Chocolate Fudge Cake and the Chef’s Larder Premium New York Cheesecake.

At just £8.99 and £18.49 respectively, they are affordable and great

£1.35

PER SERVING

quality. Being frozen, they’re easy to store and use with zero waste and offer 14 and 16 portions per pack respectively.

That’s the hard part done for you. Now all you and your team need to do is get a little creative and you can easily devise spectacular social media-friendly desserts that more than merit premium pricing. The example on this page and the next require only one or two more ingredients and when sold at between £5 and £6 will generate cash profits of up to £3.28 per serving – and all for a few minutes work by your kitchen team.

Of course you can get as creative as you like with just these two bases but adding some character and flavour with sauces and

SELL PRICE £5.50

% PROFIT 71%

CASH PROFIT £3.23

toppings can help elevate the experience for your customers and elevate the margins for you.

JUNE 2024

39

SERVICE l DESSERTS

SERVING SUGGESTION

BREAD PUDDING: THE BASE

CHEESECAKE WITH SMARTIES M273352 Smarties Professional Mini Mix-In

500g

£1.72 PER SERVING

Hovis Simple White Sliced Bread 800g M282514 89p

BREAD AND BUTTER In a similar vein, why not spend a little time rethinking that great British classic, bread pudding? In a cost-of-living crisis, you can’t get much more basic than building a delicious, homely dessert around a base of a simple white sliced loaf that will cost you the princely sum of 89p! Harking back to simpler times, you could recreate the classic summer pudding with nothing more than some bread and some Chef’s Larder Frozen Summer Fruits or you could go a little more sophisticated with a lovely Apple Charlotte that requires nothing more than some farm Fresh Braeburn Apples and the bread base. They both look fantastic on the plate and, served with some clotted cream, ice cream or

SELL PRICE £6.00

% PROFIT 66%

CASH PROFIT £3.28

custard, you have some dishes that will keep customers coming back for more.

SERVING SUGGESTION

SERVING SUGGESTION

SUMMER PUDDING M255066 Chef’s Larder Frozen Summer Fruits

1kg

M282514 Hovis Simple White Sliced White Bread

800g

OREO CHOC BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING M213294 Oreo Small Crushed Cookie Pieces M213294 400g M282514 Hovis Simple White Sliced White Bread M282514 800g

92

P PER SERVING

£1.20 PER SERVING

SELL PRICE £4.00

JUNE 2024

% PROFIT 72%

CASH PROFIT £2.41

SELL PRICE £5.00

% PROFIT 71%

CASH PROFIT £2.97

41

SERVICE l DESSERTS

Finally, you could take a more modern twist on the traditional Bread & Butter Pudding by incorporating Oreo Crushed Cookie Pieces for a dish that will appeal to a wide range of audiences and age groups while delivering the best part of £3 in cash profit for every dish sold at just £5. Again, the options are limited only by your imagination – but time spent squeezing margin out of simple desserts will be time well spent.

SERVING SUGGESTION

SERVING SUGGESTION

FUDGE CAKE WITH PISTACHIO & NUTS M147653 Simply Pistachio Flavour Topping Sauce

APPLE CHARLOTTE 1kg

M958009 Farm Fresh Braeburn Apples

2kg

M282514 Hovis Simple White Sliced White Bread

800g

M147653 Curtis Catering Chopped Mixed Nuts 1kg

£1.10

£1.30

PER SERVING

PER SERVING

SELL PRICE £5.00

JUNE 2024

% PROFIT 69%

CASH PROFIT £2.87

SELL PRICE £6.00

% PROFIT 78%

CASH PROFIT £3.90

43

FROM SCOTLAND’S OCHIL HILLS TO YOUR TABLE.

M038645

M268792

M268779

Available in 750ml and 330ml glass bottles

M049770

PRICES l LOCKED DOWN PRICING

SMASH SUMMER WITH 700+ PRICES LOCKED DOWN

Booker’s latest pricing guarantee sees the prices of more than 700 products locked down until 10 September 2024!

UNTIL 10TH SEP 202

4

With what will hopefully be among the busiest few months of the entire year ahead of us, Booker is helping its catering customers max out the opportunity by locking down pricing on more than 700 popular products. The latest price guarantee sees prices held until 10 September across every major product category, allowing you to plan your menus with confidence. Locked down pricing means locked-in pricing, letting you plan ahead and focus on delivering the value your customers are looking for.

BROOKLYN PILSNER

SAN MIGUEL

STELLA ARTOIS

HEINEKEN NRB

12 X 330ML

12 X 330ML

12 X 330ML

12 X 330ML

75P PER BOTTLE

75P PER BOTTLE

75P PER BOTTLE

83P PER BOTTLE

M290859

£8.99

BIRRA MORETTI NRB M232387

24 X 330ML

£24.89

87P PER BOTTLE

M227424

£8.99

£42

£8.99

PERONI NASTRO AZZURO

KOPPARBERG

24 X 330ML

M293246/M293245/M068927

M279322

£23.89

87P PER BOTTLE BUY TWO FOR

M290488

SUMMER PUNCH / TROPICAL MIXED FRUIT / PREMIUM PEAR

15 X 500ML

£17.99

M249725

£9.99

MAGNERS IRISH CIDER NRB M099285 £14.49 £1.20 PER BOTTLE

£1.20 PER BOTTLE

BUY TWO FOR

£42

*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.

JUNE 2024

45

PRICES l LOCKED DOWN PRICING

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE GIN

SMIRNOFF RED

CHEKOV VODKA

GORDON’S PINK GIN

1 X 70CL

1 X 1.5LTR

£24.99

1 X 1.5LTR

1 X 1.5LTR

M073930

£18.49

GREY GOOSE VODKA M266271

1 X 70CL

£29.99

SMIRNOFF ICE M097677

24 X 275ML

£25.89

M772525

CAPTAIN MORGAN SPICED RUM M984161

1 X 1.5LTR

£30.49

AU VODKA

BLUE RASPBERRY/BLACK GRAPE/PINEAPPLE CRUSH/ CHERRYADE M280463/M282757/M285212/ M289674

12 X 330ML

M066553

£22.79

M252699

£30.99

ALFRED BUTTON VANILLA/SMOOTH VODKA

JOSE CUERVO SILVER /GOLD TEQUILA

1 X 70CL

£16.49

M271975/M271978

£13.19

M103789 / M810713

1 X 70CL

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE & TONIC

PIMM’S & LEMONADE

12 X 250ML

12 X 250ML

M254595

£19.79

M280576

£14.99

£20.49

*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.

JUNE 2024

47

MERMAID SALT VODKA & MERMAID SPICED RUM ARE AVAILABLE FROM BOOKER MARKETPLACE 1020389

Mermaid Spiced Rum

1018588

Mermaid Salt Vodka

ITEMS IN SELL UNIT - 1 X 70CL M279512 Mermaid Zest Gin M286027 Mermaid Spiced Rum M241504 Mermaid Gin M251834 Mermaid Pink Gin M270735 Mermaid Salt Vodka

PRICES l LOCKED DOWN PRICING

TANGO MANGO SUGAR FREE CANS

PEPSI REGULAR CAN

PEPSI DIET/MAX

DIET COKE CAN

24 X 330ML

24 X 330ML

£8.95

24 X 330ML

24 X 330ML

M292473

£7.99

M285019

M247346/M738203

£7.99

COCA-COLA ZERO SUGAR PET

PEPSI MAX/ REGULAR BOTTLE

J20

12 X 500ML

24 X 500ML

£10.19

M144607

£10.49

M241391 / M284719

£16.39/ £20.19

M146147 /M146127 /M202559

12 X 275ML

M282673

£9.99

CHEF’S LARDER SQUASH

M111972 / M111964 / M111867

2 X 5LTR

M111973 / M111970 / M111968

1 X 5LTR BUY THREE FOR

£10.99 /£5.99

£28

R WHITE’S LEMONADE

IRN-BRU/SUGAR FREE CANS

24 X 330ML

24 X 330ML

M533927

£6.65

M408385 /M471136

£10.29

RIBENA BLACKCURRANT CARTON

COCA-COLA ORIGINAL

24 X 250ML

£14.99

M221845

£9.49

M314451

24 X 200ML

*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.

JUNE 2024

49

SERVICE l MEET THE TEAM

MEET...

DAVE HAWORTH DAVE, TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU STARTED WORKING WITH BOOKER?

I couldn’t give you a precise number, but I’d say we’ve saved Booker customers several million pounds in total.

I first started working with Booker way back business was built around working with big

HOW DID THE UCO SERVICE COME ABOUT?

corporate clients, helping them buy their

In around 2014 Booker was running a

energy cheaper, more efficiently and more

fledgling service to collect and recycle

sustainably, where possible. That’s how

Used Cooking Oil. It was ahead of its time,

we first came into contact with Booker

really, and it was a big project that required

and we ended up working with them as a

a lot of management. It’s a very data-driven

client, helping them secure better deals on

project with a big focus on customer service

electricity and gas.

so it was very labour intensive. So they

in 2005, nearly 20 years ago. At the time our

approached us and asked if we could help.

HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING WITH CATERERS?

ABOUTDAVE DIRECTOR, ABBEYFIELD WASTE

Dave Haworth is Director of Abbeyfield Waste, a Booker partner company that works with Booker and its customers in a number of ways, including managing Booker’s Used Cooking Oil collection service. Dave began his career as a Chartered Surveyor before specialising in the energy sector, spending 20 years working with large corporations to buy

Again, we reviewed it carefully and came back with a proposal which was accepted.

After working with Booker for a while, they approached us and asked if we

DID IT WORK?

could help cut energy bills for their

Yes, quite spectacularly. In 2015 when

customers too, in both catering and

Booker still managed the UCO service

retail. We went away and did some sums

themselves, they collected about half a

and a lot of work and found a way of

million litres of used oil, which is still fairly

doing just that – and Booker Energy was

significant. We then took over and by 2020

born in 2010. The service allowed Booker

we were collecting around 12.5 million litres!

customers to leverage the buying power of a big group of small businesses

AND THEN COVID?

working together as well as lean on the

Precisely. It decimated the industry. But

power of Booker itself.

we stayed on board with Booker and still managed to collect around 7.5 million litres

cheaper electricity and gas. He began

AND IT WAS A SUCCESS?

during the pandemic, plus we supported

advising Booker on reducing its energy

It started quite small and grew steadily but

Booker with the diversion of surplus

bills. In 2015, Dave and his team took

then at one point it just took off and has

food left from the closure of the catering

over the day-to-day management of

been a huge success ever since.

industry, getting it to Olio, FareShare and other community groups set up to support

its Used Cooking Oil service, a solution that has become hugely popular.

50

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU SAVED BOOKER CUSTOMERS?

key workers and the vulnerable during the pandemic.

JUNE 2024

SERVICE l MEET THE TEAM

DAVE HAWORTH

The UCO service is excellent. It helps us manage our waste, saves time and effort and gives us money each month to spend in our Booker branch.

ABBEYFIELD WASTE

Oil Coll ection Service

Money off

ARE VOLUMES RECOVERING?

when y ou 20 litrerecycle s

Absolutely. As the industry gets back on

Mininum collectio n 60 litre s

its feet, we’re seeing volumes recover well.

call: 03 4 info@bo 5 120 4 545 okerre and qu

email:

ote your

HOW DOES THE UCO SERVICE WORK?

This fully

113808_OIL_COLLECT ION_A

POSTER.indd

1

complies

It gets refined and turned into biodiesel.

cy custom cling.co.uk er numbe r sc waste regu latio

with UK

ns.

vouchers for catering customers.

AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE OIL YOU COLLECT?

We’re likely to collect more than 10 million litres this year, so we’re on the right track.

the resale of the used oil is reinvested in the

We sell a lot of our used cooking oil to a

an here 15/02/2023

14:42

company called Greenergy who also work

It’s really very simple for Booker catering

with Booker, selling them diesel. In other

customers. All they have to do is get in

words, some of the oil we recycle will end up

touch, register with the service and they’re

powering Booker delivery vehicles!

off and running. They simply buy their oil through Booker as they would ordinarily

HOW BUSY ARE YOUR TEAM?

do then we collect the used oil afterwards.

Very! We offer a real-time multichannel

The minimum collection is 60 litres and

platform which essentially means that

customers can either call us when want a

Booker catering customers can contact

collection or, if they are big volume users,

our customer care desk whenever they like

we can schedule regular collections on a

using whichever communications channel

rota that works for them. UCO can only be

they like. So they can call us, email us, text

collected by certified carriers, so this is a

us, WhatsApp us or go via the website. We

great service that Booker makes available

handle up to 2,000 calls a week, around 500

for its catering customers.

texts a week and about 250 online form work with our collection partners across nine

submissions a week. So we’ll work however

SO, YOU PICK THE USED OIL UP FROM THEIR PREMISES?

separate depots and they service around

Booker customers want us to and we’ll do

16,000 Booker customers but we’re always

whatever is required, whether it’s organising

Exactly. It can either be collected in the

looking to work with more to help them

collections, answering general questions,

20-litre bottle-in-box format or the 20-litre

recycle more of their oil and, obviously, save

querying collections, requesting extra

cans. Ideally, however, customers can use

money on their next purchase.

services or anything else that they need.

which they can purchase from the collectors

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

via the team. That makes collections much

Booker customers get a voucher every time a

DO CATERING CUSTOMERS LIKE THE SERVICE?

easier, quicker and more efficient.

collection of waste oil takes place which gives

They love it! Every quarter we survey 10%

them 28p per litre off their next purchase. So,

of the Booker customer base on how they

HOW MANY COLLECTIONS DO YOU DO IN A YEAR?

on a typical 20l container of oil, they’d get a

find our service. We are very proud indeed

voucher for £5.60 off their next purchase. The

that our approval numbers have never been

A lot! Between 90,000 and 100,000. We

bottom line is that all surplus revenue from

below 95%!

the specially made 60l sealable plastic drums

JUNE 2024

51

KICK OFF

A MORE PROFITABLE SUMMER WITH

BITE-SIZE WINNERS SCAN FOR RECIPES Or visit ufs.com/uefaeuro2024-hellmanns

Hellmann’s Real 1 x 5L M049643

OFFICIAL PARTNER OF UEFA EURO 2024™

Hellmann’s Real Squeezy 6 x 750ml M158685

SERVICE l SIMPLE COCKTAILS

PROFIT FROM... SIMPLE COCKTAILS Cocktails remain a huge driver of footfall and sales for many Booker catering customers, so here are some suggestions on how to boost margins with some easy twists on simple cocktails.

Summer brings with it a whole world of

cocktails that lets you create and sell

own brand spirits like Alfred Button and

opportunity, particularly when there’s a

top-quality, eye-catching drinks in

Cane Trader to ensure that percentage

back-to-back calendar of major sporting

seconds?

and cash profits are maxed out. We’ve

events to capitalise on. When the sun

also made extensive use of the fantastic

shines, there’s nothing like a cool drink

To help inspire you and your team to do just

range of Funkin pre-mixes to help deliver

in a shaded beer garden with friends and

that, we have some simple cocktail recipes

cocktails that Tom Cruise would be proud

family to let the worries of the world fade

that require as few as two ingredients and

but without any of the fuss.

away.

make use of great quality Booker exclusive

Classic beers, wines and spirits will more

£2.00

than do the trick in sunny, warmer weather,

PER SERVING

but why not consider upping the ante by cashing in on the long-standing cocktail trend to drive spend per visit and footfall?

Cocktails are popular with a broad crosssection of customers and obviously make for impressive selfies and Insta-friendly photos. They also tend to command relatively high prices, which is always great for venues, but the one downside is that they can be time-consuming and complex to prepare.

TIME IS MONEY This is particularly important if you have a packed beer garden or a room full of thirsty football fans also desperate to be served quickly. The last thing they want to see is the bartender spending 20 minutes preparing a single cocktail while the queue at the bar grows ever longer. It’s also the last thing you want to see as a bar owner or manager.

So why not square that circle by putting a quick-and-easy twist on some classic

JUNE 2024

SERVING SUGGESTION

Funkin Spiced Strawberry Daiquiri CANE TRADER SPICED RUM 1X70CL M264303 £10.99 FUNKIN STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI MIX 1X1LTR M181233 £5.29 SELL PRICE £8.00

% PROFIT 84%

CASH PROFIT £5.58

53

£2.45

PER SERVING

SERVING SUGGESTION

Funkin Blackberry & Passion Martini ALFRED BUTTON VANILLA VODKA 6X70CL M271975 £13.19 DE KUYPER CRÈME DE CASSIS 1X50CL M337871 £9.29 FUNKIN PASSION FRUIT MARTINI MIX 1X1LTR M205016 £5.29

SELL PRICE £8.00

% PROFIT 78%

CASH PROFIT £5.22

MARGIN MAKERS

result delivering a tasty cash profit of £5.21 when sold at £8, it's

Take the Funkin Spiced Strawberry Daiquiri serving suggestion,

certainly well -worth the effort.

for example. It requires just two ingredients, costs you just £1.09 per serving and, when sold at a sensible price of £8 will deliver

KEEP IT SIMPLE

£5.58 in cash profit.

We’ve included a couple of other suggestions here too, which we hope will inspire you and your team, but you will notice that there

To help ramp up the theatre and still, simply rim the glass with

are some guiding principles: firstly, choose classic cocktails as the

sugar an decorate with a fresh strawberry. It’s that simple and it

platform for your inspiration, cocktails that everyone knows like

looks fantastic when served over the bar, helping to ensure that

Pornstar Martinis or Espresso Martinis; secondly, give them a twist

other customers notice and then order “one of whatever she’s

by adding something new or unexpected like a strong-flavoured

drinking”.

fruit or a blast of heat; thirdly, and most importantly, keep the work and cost to a bare minimum by using premix cocktail products like

Or how about the Spicy Margarita, a simple and fiery take on

Funkin and great value spirits like Booker’s own brand range.

a hugely popular cocktail. All you need to do is combine some tequila with some Funkin Margarita Mix, add a drop or two of

Add these to your existing cocktail list or create one if you don’t

Tabasco sauce and then amplify the visual appeal by rimming the

currently offer cocktails, and you’ll see footfall, sales and profits

glass with salt and liberally decorating the outside of the glass with

grow – especially if you take to social media to share your new

some dried chilli flakes.

cocktail menu and some nice photos of the cocktails you offer.

The result is truly spectacular and it will cost you just £1.46 plus a

If the sun shines, you could be onto a real winner – and all for

couple of minutes of time per serving. However, with the finished

minimal effort and investment...

54

JUNE 2024

SERVICE l SIMPLE COCKTAILS

£1.46

£1.58

PER SERVING

PER SERVING

SERVING SUGGESTION

SERVING SUGGESTION

Funkin Caramel Espresso Martini

Spicy Margarita DON ANGEL ORO TEQUILA 1X70CL M192183 £12.49

ALFRED BUTTON VANILLA VODKA 6X70CL M271975 £13.19

TABASCO SAUCE 1X350ML M152256 £12.69

LICHFIELDS CARAMEL SYRUP 1X1LTR M287308 £6.99

FUNKIN MARGARITA MIX 1X1LTR M184882 £5.29

FUNKIN ESPRESSO MARTINI MIX 1X1LTR M292059 £5.29

SELL PRICE £8.00

JUNE 2024

% PROFIT 76%

CASH PROFIT £5.09

SELL PRICE £8.00

% PROFIT 78%

CASH PROFIT £5.21

55

s t o M 1 # e d r e d i s Con d n a r B k n i r D Soft in G B*

Rich in

Vitamin

C

M221845 YouGov Survey, Most popular beverages in the UK, Q4 2023. Ribena is a registered trade mark of Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ltd. © Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ltd. All rights reserved.

*

SERVICE l SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM

SOFT SELL

With a summer of sport upon us and, hopefully, some wonderful weather thrown in for good measure, making more of soft serve ice cream is a quick, easy way to boost profits.

Ice cream may be a year-round favourite, but there’s no question that it truly comes into its own in the summer, particularly if the sun makes its presence felt for sustained periods. There’s all sorts of ways to profit from ice cream but one of the simplest and most effective ways to drive sales and increase margins is by getting creative.

With the Euro 24 Finals getting the summer off to a flyer, it’s the ideal time to consider quick solutions to drive additional sales and grow spend per visit. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, but whichever route you choose, Booker has everything you need.

Whether it’s cones and mixes, toppings or finishing touches, Booker has a comprehensive range to help you help you cash in and delight your customers into the bargain.

There are near endless ways to enhance the simple cone, and drive up the sale price and profit, from fruit, chocolate or Biscoff sauces to adding a classic Flake or Caramel Mini Fudge Cubes. All it takes is a little effort and creativity and you could see the bottom line boosted as customers slurp their way through these delicious summer time treats.

KEY ESSENTIALS...

INCLUDES CONES, MIXES, TOPPINGS AND THOSE ALL IMPORTANT FINISHING TOUCHES

JUNE 2024

57

3

PARTS

PROSECCO D.O.C. OVER ICE

2

PARTS

APEROL

1

PART

SODA WATER

GARNISH WITH A SLICE OF ORANGE

STOCK UP FOR SUMMER

SERVICE l SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM

KEY ESSENTIALS CONES M115122

Classic Medium Flat Top Cones 1x420s

£14.49 3p/cone

M115123

Classic Large Flat Top Cones 1x330s

£14.49 3p/cone

M224342

Carousel Small Waffle Cones 1x196s

£32.49 8p/cone

M284149

Dipped Waffle Cones 1x96s

£23.99 8p/cone

M224343

Carousel Medium Waffle Cones 1x130s

£31.99 8p/cone

MIXES M217422

Comelle L/LF Ice-Cream Mix 12x1ltr

£20.99

M363480

Comelle Thick Shake Mix 12x1ltr

£20.99

TOP TOPPINGS M275079 / M275092

Gelart Strawberry Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg

£21.99/£4.29

M275075 / M275076

Gelart Chocolate Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg

£21.99/£4.29

M275077 / M275078

Gelart Salted Caramel Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg

£21.99/£4.29

M278665 / M278666

Gelart Lemon Dessert Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg

£21.99/£4.29

M275095 / M275096

Gelart Toffee Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg

£21.99/£4.29

M279119 / M279132

Simply Mango Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg

£43.29/£8.49

M278049

Simply Vegan Chocolate Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg

£43.29/£8.49

M275643 / M275645

Simply White Choc Sauce with Hazelnut Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg

£43.29/£8.49

M240583 / M240584

Simply Luxury Milk Chocolate Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg

£43.29/£8.49

M237943 / M238663

Simply Luxury White Chocolate Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg

£43.29/£8.49

M282316 / M282317

Simply Pistachio Topping 6x1kg / 1x1kg

£43.29/£8.49

M115222

Noels Chocolate Topping Sauce 1x1kg

£4.69

M210256

Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup 1x680g

£3.99

M263985

Lotus Biscoff Topping Sauce 1x1kg

£8.99

FINISHING TOUCHES M277761

Milk Chocolate Sticks 140pk / 1.12 kg

£13.29

M131664

Cadbury Flake 99 Chocolate Bar 144 x 8.25g

£13.59

M288429 / M288442

Simply Freeze Dried Strawberry 2x130g/ 1x130g

£51.49/£12.99

M282318 / M282322

Simply Freeze Dried Raspberry 4x150g/ 1x150g

£51.49/£12.99

M213293 / M213294

Oreo Crumb Inclusion Topping 12x400g/ 1x400g

£33.49/£3.99

M129348 / M129349

Waverley Fan Wafers 2x200s/ 1x200s

£52.49/£26.99

M129376 / M129377

Waverley Deluxe Wafer Curls 1x280s/ 2x280s

£52.49/£26.99

M145866 / M145848

Waverley Assorted Sugar Strands 9x1kg/ 1x1kg

£76.49/£8.99

M145852 / M145853

Waverley Choc Flav Vermicelli 9x1kg/ 1x1kg

£76.49/£8.99

M245965 / M245966

Lotus Biscoff Crumb 8x750g/ 1x750g

£28.49/£3.99

M208649 / M208653

Nic Caramel Mini Fudge Cubes 8x1kg/ 1x1kg

£75.99/£12.99

JUNE 2024

59