CATERING @ BOOKER
STUNNING WEST ILSLEY PUB HAS IT ALL
JUNE 2024
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Pub Manager
Jane Hartnup
COVER SHOT
14 23 18
With its idyllic location, thrilling food offer and first-rate service, The Harrow in West Ilsley has it all.
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.”
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
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.”
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DISCLAIMER
All rights reserved. Prices and information are correct at time of going to press, but may be subject to change.
JUNE 2024 4 HIGHLIGHTS l CONTENTS CATERING@BOOKER
RANGE FOCUS
Demand for cocktails remains huge in the UK on-trade offering a huge opportunity for Booker catering customers to cash in. While making cocktails from scratch can be timeconsuming, pairing high quality pre-mix cocktails with fantastic quality, great value Booker own-brand spirits allows you to create perfect Instafriendly cocktails in seconds while maximising cash profits.
NEWS
7 Pricing lockdown Booker is locking down pricing on more than 700 products all the way through until 10 September.
9 Pub spend growing Spending in UK pubs and bars continues to grow, according to the latest Barclays data.
PROFILES
14 Spot White West Newcastle Snooker Hall capitalises on sharing food trend.
18 The Harrow An idyllic location and a thrilling food offer set Berkshire pub apart.
23 Amore A unique take on Italian food is working for Glasgow restaurant.
FEATURES
28 Euro Finals 24 Football festival set to deliver a month of bumper sales.
34 Lighter bites Freshen up your summer menu with some lighter options.
39 Desserts Take your desserts menu to the next level with some quick twists.
PRICE
45 Locked Down Pricing More than 700 products locked down until 10 September.
SERVICE
53 Simple cocktails Take the fuss out of classic cocktails by keeping it simple.
57 Soft serve ice cream Summer is the perfect time to make more from soft serve ice cream.
REGULAR
50 Meet The Team Dave Haworth of Abbeyfield Waste discusses Booker’s outstanding Used Cooking Oil Service.
JUNE 2024 5 CONTENTS
39
53
28 34
BOOKER NEWS
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!
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.
With the Euro Finals 24 helping launch the summer season in style, the new pricing lockdown lets catering customers plan ahead in confidence, knowing that their profit margins are guaranteed on a huge list of products.
The pricing guarantee covers all main product categories from beers, wines and spirits to fresh, frozen and ambient lines. The guarantee even extends to non-food lines like essential cleaning equipment and disposables.
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.
10 SEPT
As always, the lockdown includes an extensive range of high quality, great value own-brand products as well as an extensive selection of branded lines, helping you deliver the quality and value that your customers expect while also securing your own profits.
The latest pricing also features a fantastic range of ‘Cheaper By The Case’ lines which offer significant discounts to customers buying products by the case, rather than individually.
These are ideal for the busy summer period, helping catering customers secure even better pricing on lines they know they will need in volume over the busy summer months.
These deals feature across many key categories such as cleaning products and disposables and include products such as:
Washing-up liquid
Antibac hand soap
Disinfectant
Kitchen towel Kitchen foil
Cling film
Blue roll
Vinyl gloves Napkins Pizza boxes
Burger trays
Disposable wooden cutlery
Paper plates
Coffee cups
INBRIEF JUNE 2024 7
BOOKER NEWS
lockdown PRICES LOCKED UNTIL
HERE’S TO THE REAL ONES
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10ML LIME JUICE
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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 with consumer spending down 13.1% year-on-year, April was a much stronger month for pubs, clubs and bars with spending growth of 3.9%, slightly ahead of the official inflation rate that month of 3.8%.
That’s the findings of the Barclays Consumer Spending Report which combines data from hundreds of millions of consumer transactions with research to provide a comprehensive view of consumer card spending every month.
Total consumer card spending grew by just 1.6% in April but consumers’ confidence in their ability to manage their household finances reached its highest level since November 2021, at 71%.
Consumers’ confidence in their ability to live within their means also improved,
Importantly, confidence in their ability to spend more on non-essential items reached 56%, up from 55% in March.
Spending growth on takeaways and fast food remained flat at 3%.
Consumers also highlighted a relatively new trend of ‘dynamic pricing’ where venues and attractions change their pricing in response to factors such as weather and demand.
More than half of consumers (56%) say they have noticed this trend with a similar percentage (57%) saying it is a concern to them. A quarter (25%) said they would avoid a venue or attraction at peak charging times, reiterating the need to deliver value and quality on every visit.
The report also highlighted the first decline (-0.7%) in domestic hotels, resorts and accommodation spending since May 2023, as a third of consumers (32%) said they are prioritising holidays abroad this year over 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 9
INDUSTRY NEWS
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HOME OFFICE TO EXTEND LICENSING HOURS FOR EURO FINALS 24 IF...
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.
The Home Office has confirmed that licensed on-trade premises will be able to open until 1am if either England or Scotland reach the semi-final or final stages of Euro 24 in Germany.
The industry has been engaging with the Home Office on its proposal to extend licensing hours and said the move would allow both venues and fans to cheer on the home nations as well as generate much-needed income.
Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, 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.
“We support the Home Office proposals to extend licensing hours for the semi-finals and
final, should we reach that stage of the tournament.
NEW FM URGED TO BACK HOSPITALITY
Scotland’s new First Minister, John Swinney, has been told he should support and value hospitality and tourism as one of Scotland’s economic giants.
EURO FINALS 24
EURO FINALS 24
SEMI-FINALS: 9 AND 10 JULY
“Major sporting events provide a huge revenue boost and extended hours are essential to allow venues and fans to take full advantage.”
FINAL: 14 JULY
GAMING MACHINES GET GREENLIGHT TO GO CASHLESS
The catering and hospitality industry has welcomed the news that cashless payments are to be permitted on gaming machines.
Following sustained joint campaigning by the British Beer and Pub Association and UKHospitality, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport confirmed that debit cards, payment apps and other forms of cashless payments will be allowed, once appropriate player protections
have been put in place. These protections will be consulted on by the Gambling Commission and could include cardholder verification, transaction limits and breaks in play.
In a joint statement, the industry bodies said: “This is a significant victory for pubs using gaming machines. The move to allow cashless payments will preserve a valuable revenue stream.”
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.
“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 business rates reform for hospitality businesses would clearly demonstrate this new government’s pro-business credentials.”
INDUSTRY NEWS
INBRIEF
JUNE 2024 11
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.
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 opportunity for all parties to ensure that their manifestos address the issues that matter most to voters.
This also represents a huge opportunity for the catering and hospitality sector to engage with the main political parties and ensure that the sector’s concerns are heard.
Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “Hospitality businesses lie at the heart of every constituency in the country. In serving Britain, the sector creates places where people want to live, work and invest. “We need to see all political parties recognise this and will be working hard on behalf of our members during this period, to ensure manifestos from across
the political spectrum reflect the strategic importance of our sector.
“We need to see evidence of measures that can unlock the potential of our sector to do even more. These include promises of action to lower the tax burden on our industry, initiatives that give us greater access to workers, and other measures that will support us in creating more jobs and further upskilling the workforce.”
LOW AND NO ‘UP 95.3%’ ON PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS
The low- and no-alcohol beer category grew 39% by value in 2023 year on year, representing an increase of 95.3% on pre-pandemic levels.
The data from CGA by NIQ reflects a persistent trend and is reflected in volume sales which were up 30.5% year on year and
up 77.7% on pre-pandemic levels.
Low- and no-alcohol beer remains a relatively small percentage of the entire on-trade beer market but is likely to see further growth in 2024 and is an opportunity that Booker catering customers can take advantage of.
‘TOURIST TAX’ APPROVED IN SCOTLAND
Scottish MSPs have voted to approve a so-called ‘tourist tax’ which will permit Local Authorities to add a charge to overnight stays.
The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill was passed on 28 May and could see the charge come into play from spring 2026.
Manchester introduced a similar tax of £1 per visit per night while other towns and cities like Bournemouth and Poole will charge £2.
INDUSTRY NEWS
INBRIEF
JUNE 2024 13
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 pubs, clubs and restaurants have pulled down their shutters and turned out the lights for what’s left of the night. Most, but not all.
Take a stroll down George Street in the west of the city and you’ll find one venue that is only just getting started.
Established in April 2024, Spot White West is a total reinvention of the traditional snooker hall concept – an utterly unique venue where anyone, of any age or skill level, can come to play, socialise and enjoy delicious food and drinks around the clock.
It’s the brainchild of local lad Adam Goldstone, who, with the help of his family 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 offers fun, amazing service, great food and
value and, above all, a friendly and vibrant atmosphere.”
“Our
advance. We knew there
demand for a second
“Our first venue has become a major success and in recent times we’ve been regularly fully booked weeks in advance. We knew there was more than enough demand for a second site in the city, so in April 2024 we did just that,” she explains.
“This venue is very close to Newcastle City College, so we get a lot of students
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
PROFILE l SPOT WHITE WEST
JUNE 2024 14
THE LOWDOWN
in during the day and in the early evenings, along with a wide range of other customers, including families and businesses hosting corporate events.
“Incredibly, our busiest time is 3am! We get lots of trade from bar and door staff who come in for a game of snooker and a bite to eat at the end of their shifts.”
While anyone can visit Spot White West as a guest during the day, the venue employs
"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.”
a strict ‘members only’ policy from 11pm. Students are offered membership for just £10 a year, while a standard membership costs £20.
“Spot White taps perfectly into the growing trend towards active socialising,” Ann explains. “For so many of our customers, days and nights out are becoming much less about drinking and much more about sharing fun, active experiences with friends, family or colleagues – whilst enjoying a drink
Sold on a Mix and Match 3 for £10 deal, Spot White West’s Bao Buns include Beef Brisket, Crispy Chicken, Vegan Crispy Chicken and Vegan Sausage. Customers can also choose from a range of sides, including Teriyaki, Sriracha or Katsu fries, for £4.
It also offers an array of great-value burgers such as the ‘Stacked Burger’ which is available in either a beef, chicken or vegan option for just £7.20, including Booker’s “delicious” skin-on fries. Popular sellers also include the ‘8 Baller’ burger which features a beef patty, hash brown, bacon, chilli cheese
JUNE 2024 15 PROFILE l SPOT WHITE WEST
Made from 100% natural ingredients M259455 Subject to availability.
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
TRENDWATCH
SPOT WHITE WEST, NEWCASTLE
Active
socialising
is on the up
Ann says that Spot White West “taps perfectly into the growing trend towards active socialising”.
“For so many of our customers, days and nights out are becoming much less about drinking and much more about sharing fun, active experiences with friends, family or colleagues – whilst enjoying a drink 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,” she adds.
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 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 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 customers can eat and play at the same time,” Ann explains.
The venue boasts more than 20 snooker and pool tables, including both English and American pool, as well as dartboards which can also be hired – and accompanied by drinks shelves and tables for food and drinks. “We’ve only been open a matter of weeks but already demand is sky-high and we are having to recommend that customers book a table in advance to avoid disappointment.”
At this rate, it won’t be long before Ann and Adam chalk up a third venue.
JUNE 2024 17 PROFILE l SPOT WHITE WEST
THE WHOLE PACKAGE
With an idyllic location, thrilling food and first-rate service, The Harrow has it all.
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
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
PROFILE l THE HARROW, WEST ILSLEY
JUNE 2024 18
five-month refurbishment before re-opening with a fresh new guise and team in June.
One year on, the pub has become one of the area’s most popular destinations, with customers travelling from miles around to enjoy its scenic views, excellent food and impeccable service, all of which leave them hungry for another innings.
The key to its success, Martyn says, is his team including manager Jane and head chef Arron – who is the mastermind behind The Harrow’s show-stopping food offer.
From Monday to Saturday, the pub serves a delectable array of light bites until 5pm after which time, a mouthwatering ‘a la carte’ menu kicks in. Sundays are then all about roasts, with The Harrow regularly fully booked for its famous roast lunches weeks in advance.
“Arron changes our ‘a la carte’ menu every single week,” Martyn explains. “He’s so enthusiastic and is constantly thinking of new products to try and new dishes to create. For him, it’s not work, it’s a genuine passion and I’m more than happy to let him run with it.”
Customers certainly are too. “The weeklychanging menus are one of the things that keep customers coming back. They know that each time they do, there will be something new and exciting for them to try,” says Martyn.
“We always keep a couple of core pub classics, such as cod and chips and homemade pies on the menu but our main aim is to offer them something different – unique dishes that they won’t see elsewhere.
“I go to Booker’s Reading branch at least three times a week with a shopping list that Arron has made me and it’s always full of new and different products. Sometimes when I look at the list I think, ‘What the heck is that?’ Fortunately, the store manager is always there to help me find what I need! I also take Arron with me at least once a month and he loves seeing the products personally and talking to the different teams.
TRENDWATCH
“The range that Booker offers is fantastic and it’s constantly evolving. One of the products that we buy regularly is duck. The quality is amazing. It roasts and flame grills perfectly and allows us to create some 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 PROFILE l THE HARROW, WEST ILSLEY
THE HARROW, WEST ILSLEY
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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 PROFILE l THE HARROW, WEST ILSLEY
CUR IOUSLY REFRESHING
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
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50ml Hendrick’s Original Gin
150ml Tonic Water
Combine all ingredients in a highball glass lled with cubed ice
Garnish with 3 cucumber wheels
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Top with Champagne or sparkling wine
Garnish with a cucumber wheel and orange peel
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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, GLASGOW
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
Quest for variety
Customers are on a quest for variety and the chance to try a diverse selection of different products, says Romano.
“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. All the dishes are special and niche to that area,” he adds.
“We’ve also created different areas which can cater to a wide variety of different occasions, from our romantic private booths to our large and vibrant Tuscan space which is perfect for parties.
“We are regularly booked out for large parties; we even did one recently for 120 people. No matter the number, our aim is for each and every customer to leave feeling like they have had a special experience.”
Unique touches, such as Amore-branded teddies and baby bibs, add to that unique experience.
“We tend to give a lot of the branded merchandise out for free. If there’s a baby at the table or if someone is pregnant, we’ll present them with an Amore bib. It’s a nice touch, and customers love it,” Romano
says. Amore’s diverse and engaging menu is another key draw.
“We have carefully designed our menu to appeal to as broad a spectrum as possible. There’s pasta, pizza, meat, seafood, risotto, salads – something for everyone.”
“Our bestseller is a pasta dish called ‘Penne Dell' Amore’ which we sell for £13.45. That’s the one everyone knows and wants.”
Featuring penne pasta, chicken and red onion in a chilli and garlic cream sauce, Romano says the dish is “a very Scottish take on an Italian dish”.
“It’s spicy and creamy and it’s got the onions and the chicken, these are all big Glaswegian flavours.”
Also highly popular are Amore’s selection
PROFILE l AMORE. G;ASGOW
JUNE 2024 24
AMORE, GLASGOW
of authentic Italian ragus. “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,” Romano says.
“One big trend that we are noticing at the moment is demand for variety. 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. The menu features delicious dishes such as Porchetta with artichokes and pecorino cheese. It’s £26 for five courses or £45 with wine pairings. The next area will be Sicily and then Puglia.”
“No matter the dish, everything on all our menus is produced and served to a really
high standard.” These high standards have helped Amore to win a number of prestigious awards, including a number of UK PAPA Awards for its pizzas, and Scotland's Best Italian Establishment at the 2019 Food Awards.
“We buy the vast majority of our dry and store cupboard goods from Booker, including a number of their specialist Italian products such as their Caputo flour,” explains Romano.
“The flour is from Naples and we use it to make all of our pizzas. We also buy most of our bar products, including soft drinks and BWS, from Booker. “We’re really lucky to also have a great relationship with our CDM and our branch manager. Positive relationships like that really do help us to keep on delivering the offer that our customers love so much.”
JUNE 2024 25 PROFILE l AMORE, GLASGOW
NEW HOVIS® SIMPLE RANGE
M293493 20 SLICES VEGANS & VEGETARIANS SUITABLE FOR M282514 20 SLICES VEGANS & VEGETARIANS SUITABLE FOR M293616 VEGETARIANS SUITABLE FOR 6 ROLLS OFFERING A NEW VALUE RANGE FOR CATERERS
AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY TO TESCO BOOKER GROUP Serving Suggestion Shown. Scan QR code for more Hovis recipe inspiration.
The crowning glory of every British BBQ menu
M268465
M277399
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 opening match on 14 June. It may be a tough kick off to the campaign for the
45% A WHOPPING 45% OF PEOPLE SAY THEY PLAN TO VISIT A PUB TO WATCH A EUROS MATCH THIS SUMMER!
SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY l EURO FINALS 24
JUNE 2024 28
Scotland team, but it’s likely to be a great start to the footballing festival for venues, with so much interest in the tournament.
The event features back-to-back matches for a full month and has the potential to provide an unbelievably strong start to the key summer trading period. In fact, research by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners found that a whopping 45% of people say they plan to visit a pub to watch a Euros match this summer!
With footfall like that, there’s a world of opportunity to grow sales of food and drink but there’s no doubt that one of the best ways to make fast sales during the Euro
Finals 24 opportunity is to focus on fast serves.
BUCKETS OF PROFIT
When it comes to serving large groups of thirsty football fans quickly and efficiently, there’s nothing to beat buckets of beer. No messing around pouring pints of draught beer and watching the lovely frothy heads disappear to nothing as you go then trying to carry half a dozen pints on a tray through a busy room without spilling any.
Why not offer your customers a mix ‘n’ match deal on buckets of bottled beers instead? Just fill a bucket with ice and stick in five bottles of beer, ready to go. Quick and
efficient to serve, it doesn’t get any easier and you can be sure of satisfied customers who don’t have to wait for a pre-, during- or post-match beer.
Booker has a huge range of bottled beers to meet every taste from just 75p a bottle and all you have to do is offer your customers buckets at set prices like ‘5 for £13’. Depending upon the pricing you settle on, you can make up to £8.15 cash profit from every bucket sold.
PITCH IN
Along similar lines and, according to your specific customer base, it might be a good idea to offer pitchers which deliver the same
JUNE 2024 29 SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY l EURO FINALS 24
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.
TO A CHANCE TO PLUS 4X £500 CASH PRIZES AND 30X CASES OF PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO 12X330ML TO BE WON SCAN TO ENTER M276895 PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO 0.0% 12X330ML M279322 PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO 24X330ML M285044 PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO STILE CAPRI 10X330ML
WIN TICKETS
fast and easy benefits for you and your team. There’s no end to the pitchers you can offer but we’ve suggested a few ideas in this feature.
The things they all have in common, however, is that they require very few ingredients, they require no specialist cocktail skills, and they all deliver big cash profits.
Take the Kopparberg Mixed Fruit Tropical Vodka Punch. All it takes to create a pitcher is four ingredients and a couple of minutes to prepare. Sell a pitcher for £12 and it’ll cost you just £2.71 a serving, providing you with a cash profit of £7.29 on every pitcher you sell.
READY TO GO
Or, if you want to remove literally all of the work, why not just take a few minutes to make sure your RTD range is on point? Perfect for the warmer weather and the
Euro Finals 24, all you have to do is stock the fridge and watch them fly.
Thanks to a resurgence in the RTD category and a wave of NPD, you have a huge range of big brand options to choose from. From Au Vodka, Jack Daniel’s and Bacardi to Bombay Sapphire, Pimm’s, Grey Goose and Malibu, there’s an RTD to suit every taste.
ADD THEATRE
Last but not least, a simple way of adding excitement and driving sales during the Euro Finals 24 is to add some theatre in-venue to really bring the tournament to life for your customers.
Why not invest in some football strips for your team and hand out scarves to your customers? It’s quick and inexpensive and it can help elevate the whole experience and drive sales.
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
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
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
JUNE 2024 SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY l EURO FINALS 24 31
Ready for Summer Ice Cold Frappes
Iced beverages are a great way to keep your drinks menu exciting with seasonal changes and Limited Time Offers.
Combine syrups, sauces and frappe powders to create the perfect iced drinks!
Need some inspiration ?
Why not try our fruity berry frappe recipe!
1 Add 140ml milk, 50g vanilla frappe powder, raspberry sauce and a cup of ice to a blender and blend for 30 seconds.
2 Pour blender contents into a cup and decorate with whipped cream, more raspberry sauce and freeze dried raspberries!
*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
Everything you need! 57p Only per drink*
Essences FLAVOURFUL
NEW IMPROVED RECIPE
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.
M287832 Simply Almond Essence 1ltr £7.99 M287834 Simply Vanilla Essence 1ltr £7.99
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 always a risky strategy but, with a bit of luck, the Great British summer months this year will indeed deliver at least some glorious weather to help your customers kick back, relax and forget about their worries.
As the mercury rises, customers’ tastes will often turn towards lighter, fresher dishes like noodles, pulses and pasta.
Yes, there will still be plenty of demand for burgers, steaks and roasts, but catering for customers looking for lighter bites is a good way of broadening the appeal of your menu and bringing more customers to your door on warm summer days and balmy evenings.
TASTE MATTERS
The key to driving repeat business is, as always, to ensure that the lighter dishes you add to your menu are packed full of flavour but it’s also critical that every dish you serve is just as packed full of profit while still delivering great value for your customers.
The word value is critical here: value doesn’t necessarily mean cheap. Customers will pay a fair price if they feel like they’re getting great value and finish their meal with a full belly and a smile on their face.
Noodles, pulses and pasta seem tailor-
made to help marry all those requirements into a single dish. They can be filling, nutritious and delicious but involve relatively low-cost ingredients. They also have the added benefit of being perfect as the base for healthier vegan or vegetarian dishes for the growing audience of customers who don’t eat meat or animal products as well as for those who simply want to reduce their meat consumption.
GLOBAL INSPIRATION
There’s no limit to what you and your kitchen team can achieve when working around the theme of noodles, pulses and pasta but one obvious way of approaching the challenge is by taking inspiration from around the globe. Take, for example, a simple Chinese-inspired Sizzling Crispy Duck with Noodles. You’ll require only three core ingredients to produce a tasty, satisfying dish that will deliver £6.02 cash profit from every serving when sold at £11.00.
Regal Farm Marinated Roasted Duck
Halves remove all of the prep work for your team while Blue Dragon Oyster Sauce delivers that familiar flavour and texture that customers are looking for with virtually zero effort. Add some noodles and some boiled and charred veg and a bowl of dipping sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds and you have a great main course in a matter of minutes.
AFRICAN ODYSSEY
Head over to North Africa for some inspiration and you could add a Moroccan Chicken with Couscous to your menu for a quick and easy-to-prepare option that gives you £5.53 cash profit from every serving at a sale price of £11.00.
Again, extremely quick and easy to prepare, it requires only some chicken thighs, some Chef’s Larder Couscous and a few herbs and spices. Tasty, nutritious and light enough for an afternoon in the beer garden or an evening in front of the football.
Another fast and filling option is a Chicken, Avocado & Quinoa Salad that combines chicken supremes with some Feta cheese and some freshly made cous cous. Likely to appeal to those looking for a healthier option under the summer sun, it will deliver a cash profit of £4.58 from every dish sold at just £8.50.
IF ALL ELSE FAILS…
And just to be safe, why not add a good old Macaroni Cheese onto the menu if it isn’t already there, just to cater for those that don’t actually fancy something too light after all! A guaranteed crowd pleaser, it’s a fast and delicious option that will cost you just £1.54 per serving to make but will deliver a cash profit of £3.46 on a sell price of a very reasonable £6.00.
SERVICE l LIGHTER BITES
JUNE 2024 34 VISIT WWW.BOOKER.CO.UK FOR THE FULL RANGE
JUNE 2024 35 SERVICE l LIGHTER BITES SELL PRICE £11.00 % PROFIT 66% CASH PROFIT £5.53 MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS M184955 Chef’s Larder Oyster Cut Chicken Thigh 2.5k M203185 Chef’s Larder Couscous 2kg £2.80 PER SHARING SERVING SERVING SUGGESTION SELL PRICE £8.50 % PROFIT 65% CASH PROFIT £4.58 PER£2.50SHARING SERVING 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 SERVING SUGGESTION
JUNE 2024 37 SELL PRICE £11.00 % PROFIT 66% CASH PROFIT £6.02 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 £3.15 PER SERVING SERVING SUGGESTION SELL PRICE £6.00 % PROFIT 69% CASH PROFIT £3.46 PER£1.54SERVING MACARONI AND CHEESE M271135 Chef’s Larder Macaroni 3kg M091966 Macphie Cheddar Cheese Sauce 1ltr M227627 Fiorello Italianissimo Shredded 80% Mozzarella & 20% Cheddar 2kg SERVING SUGGESTION SERVICE l LIGHTER BITES VISIT WWW.BOOKER.CO.UK FOR THE FULL RANGE
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 pro ts.
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 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’ upon which you and your kitchen team can build a much wider range of desserts with minimal effort and time.
THE BASES
Chef’s Larder Premium Luxury Chocolate Fudge Cake 14ptn M257877 £8.99
Chef’s Larder Premium New York Cheesecake 16ptn M252785 £18.49
CHEESECAKE WINNERS
How does that work in reality? Well, to inspire you, we have included a few fantastic and attention-grabbing suggestions in this feature, all built from the same bases – in this case, the Chef’s 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 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 toppings can help elevate the experience for your customers and elevate the margins for you.
JUNE 2024
39 SERVICE l DESSERTS
M286246 Lindt Lindor Salted Caramel 24x39g 238663/M240584 Simply White/Milk Chocolate Sauce 1kg SELL PRICE £5.50 % PROFIT 71% CASH PROFIT £3.23 £1.35 PER SERVING
LINDT CHEESECAKE
SERVING SUGGESTION
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 custard, you have some dishes that will keep customers coming back for more.
OREO CHOC BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING
JUNE 2024 SERVICE l DESSERTS 41
CHEESECAKE WITH SMARTIES M273352 Smarties Professional Mini Mix-In 500g SELL PRICE £6.00 % PROFIT 66% CASH PROFIT £3.28 SERVING SUGGESTION £1.72 PER SERVING SUMMER PUDDING M255066 Chef’s Larder Frozen Summer Fruits 1kg M282514 Hovis Simple White Sliced White Bread 800g SELL PRICE £4.00 % PROFIT 72% CASH PROFIT £2.41 SERVING SUGGESTION 92P PER SERVING
M213294 Oreo Small Crushed Cookie Pieces M213294 400g M282514 Hovis Simple White Sliced White Bread M282514 800g SELL PRICE £5.00 % PROFIT 71% CASH PROFIT £2.97 SERVING SUGGESTION £1.20 PER SERVING Hovis Simple White Sliced Bread 800g M282514 89p BREAD PUDDING: THE BASE
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.
APPLE CHARLOTTE
JUNE 2024 43 SERVICE l DESSERTS
M958009 Farm Fresh Braeburn Apples 2kg M282514 Hovis Simple White Sliced White Bread 800g SELL PRICE £6.00 % PROFIT 78% CASH PROFIT £3.90 SERVING SUGGESTION £1.10 PER SERVING FUDGE CAKE WITH PISTACHIO & NUTS M147653 Simply Pistachio Flavour Topping Sauce 1kg M147653 Curtis Catering Chopped Mixed Nuts 1kg SELL PRICE £5.00 % PROFIT 69% CASH PROFIT £2.87 SERVING SUGGESTION £1.30 PER SERVING
FROM SCOTLAND’S OCHIL HILLS TO YOUR TABLE.
Available in 750ml and 330ml glass bottles M049770 M268779 M268792 M038645
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!
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 confi dence. Locked down pricing means locked-in pricing, letting you plan ahead and focus on delivering the value your customers are looking for.
KOPPARBERG
SUMMER PUNCH / TROPICAL
*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
BROOKLYN PILSNER M290859
X 330ML £8.99 75P PER BOTTLE BIRRA MORETTI NRB M232387 24 X 330ML £24.89 87P PER BOTTLE SAN MIGUEL M227424 12 X 330ML £8.99 75P PER BOTTLE PERONI NASTRO AZZURO M279322 24 X 330ML £23.89 87P PER BOTTLE STELLA ARTOIS M290488 12 X 330ML £8.99 75P PER BOTTLE
12
MIXED
PREMIUM PEAR M293246/M293245/M068927 15 X 500ML £17.99
PER BOTTLE HEINEKEN NRB M249725 12 X 330ML £9.99 83P PER BOTTLE MAGNERS IRISH CIDER NRB M099285 £14.49 £1.20 PER BOTTLE
FRUIT /
£1.20
PRICES l LOCKED DOWN PRICING BUY TWO FOR £42 UNTIL 10TH SEP 2024 BUY TWO FOR £42
M073930 1
*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. AU VODKA BLUE RASPBERRY/BLACK GRAPE/PINEAPPLE CRUSH/ CHERRYADE
M280463/M282757/M285212/ M289674
JUNE 2024 47 BOMBAY SAPPHIRE & TONIC
12 X 250ML £19.79 PRICES l LOCKED DOWN PRICING SMIRNOFF ICE M097677 24 X 275ML £25.89 GREY GOOSE VODKA
X 70CL
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE GIN
M254595
M266271 1
£29.99
X 70CL
CAPTAIN MORGAN SPICED RUM M984161 1 X 1.5LTR £30.49 SMIRNOFF RED M772525 1 X 1.5LTR £24.99 ALFRED BUTTON VANILLA/SMOOTH VODKA
1 X 70CL £13.19 CHEKOV VODKA
1 X 1.5LTR £22.79 PIMM’S & LEMONADE M280576 12 X 250ML £14.99 JOSE CUERVO SILVER /GOLD TEQUILA M103789 / M810713 1 X 70CL £16.49 GORDON’S PINK GIN M252699 1 X 1.5LTR £30.99
£18.49
M271975/M271978
M066553
12 X 330ML £20.49
MERMAID SALT VODKA & MERMAID SPICED RUM ARE AVAILABLE FROM BOOKER MARKETPLACE
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
1020389 1018588 Mermaid Spiced Rum Mermaid Salt Vodka
IRN-BRU/SUGAR
JUNE 2024 49 PRICES l LOCKED DOWN PRICING R WHITE’S LEMONADE M533927 24 X 330ML £6.65 COCA-COLA ZERO SUGAR PET M144607 12 X 500ML £10.49 TANGO MANGO SUGAR FREE CANS
24 X 330ML £7.99
M292473
FREE CANS M408385 /M471136 24 X 330ML £10.29 PEPSI MAX/ REGULAR BOTTLE M241391 / M284719 24 X 500ML £16.39/ £20.19 PEPSI REGULAR CAN M285019 24 X 330ML £8.95 PEPSI DIET/MAX M247346/M738203 24 X 330ML £7.99 COCA-COLA ORIGINAL M314451 24 X 200ML £14.99 CHEF’S LARDER SQUASH M111972 / M111964 / M111867 2 X 5LTR M111973 / M111970 / M111968 1 X 5LTR £10.99 /£5.99 DIET COKE CAN M282673 24 X 330ML £9.99 *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. J20 M146147
/M202559 12 X 275ML £10.19 BUY THREE FOR £28 RIBENA BLACKCURRANT CARTON M221845 24 X 250ML £9.49
/M146127
DAVE HAWORTH MEET...
ABOUTDAVE
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 cheaper electricity and gas. He began advising Booker on reducing its energy bills. In 2015, Dave and his team took over the day-to-day management of its Used Cooking Oil service, a solution that has become hugely popular.
DAVE, TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU STARTED WORKING WITH BOOKER?
I first started working with Booker way back in 2005, nearly 20 years ago. At the time our business was built around working with big corporate clients, helping them buy their energy cheaper, more efficiently and more sustainably, where possible. That’s how we first came into contact with Booker and we ended up working with them as a client, helping them secure better deals on electricity and gas.
HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING WITH CATERERS?
After working with Booker for a while, they approached us and asked if we could help cut energy bills for their customers too, in both catering and retail. We went away and did some sums and a lot of work and found a way of doing just that – and Booker Energy was born in 2010. The service allowed Booker customers to leverage the buying power of a big group of small businesses working together as well as lean on the power of Booker itself.
AND IT WAS A SUCCESS?
It started quite small and grew steadily but then at one point it just took off and has been a huge success ever since.
HOW MUCH HAVE YOU SAVED BOOKER CUSTOMERS?
I couldn’t give you a precise number, but I’d say we’ve saved Booker customers several million pounds in total.
HOW DID THE UCO SERVICE COME ABOUT?
In around 2014 Booker was running a fledgling service to collect and recycle Used Cooking Oil. It was ahead of its time, really, and it was a big project that required a lot of management. It’s a very data-driven project with a big focus on customer service so it was very labour intensive. So they approached us and asked if we could help. Again, we reviewed it carefully and came back with a proposal which was accepted.
DID IT WORK?
Yes, quite spectacularly. In 2015 when Booker still managed the UCO service themselves, they collected about half a million litres of used oil, which is still fairly significant. We then took over and by 2020 we were collecting around 12.5 million litres!
AND THEN COVID?
Precisely. It decimated the industry. But we stayed on board with Booker and still managed to collect around 7.5 million litres during the pandemic, plus we supported Booker with the diversion of surplus food left from the closure of the catering industry, getting it to Olio, FareShare and other community groups set up to support key workers and the vulnerable during the pandemic.
JUNE 2024 50
SERVICE l MEET THE TEAM
DIRECTOR, ABBEYFIELD WASTE
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.
ARE VOLUMES RECOVERING?
Absolutely. As the industry gets back on its feet, we’re seeing volumes recover well. We’re likely to collect more than 10 million litres this year, so we’re on the right track.
HOW DOES THE UCO SERVICE WORK?
It’s really very simple for Booker catering customers. All they have to do is get in touch, register with the service and they’re off and running. They simply buy their oil through Booker as they would ordinarily do then we collect the used oil afterwards. The minimum collection is 60 litres and customers can either call us when want a collection or, if they are big volume users, we can schedule regular collections on a rota that works for them. UCO can only be collected by certified carriers, so this is a great service that Booker makes available for its catering customers.
SO, YOU PICK THE USED OIL UP FROM THEIR PREMISES?
Exactly. It can either be collected in the 20-litre bottle-in-box format or the 20-litre cans. Ideally, however, customers can use the specially made 60l sealable plastic drums which they can purchase from the collectors via the team. That makes collections much easier, quicker and more efficient.
HOW MANY COLLECTIONS DO YOU DO IN A YEAR?
A lot! Between 90,000 and 100,000. We
the resale of the used oil is reinvested in the vouchers for catering customers.
AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE OIL YOU COLLECT?
It gets refined and turned into biodiesel. We sell a lot of our used cooking oil to a company called Greenergy who also work with Booker, selling them diesel. In other words, some of the oil we recycle will end up powering Booker delivery vehicles!
HOW BUSY ARE YOUR TEAM?
work with our collection partners across nine separate depots and they service around 16,000 Booker customers but we’re always looking to work with more to help them recycle more of their oil and, obviously, save money on their next purchase.
HOW DOES THAT WORK?
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. The bottom line is that all surplus revenue from
Very! We offer a real-time multichannel platform which essentially means that Booker catering customers can contact our customer care desk whenever they like using whichever communications channel they like. So they can call us, email us, text us, WhatsApp us or go via the website. We handle up to 2,000 calls a week, around 500 texts a week and about 250 online form submissions a week. So we’ll work however Booker customers want us to and we’ll do whatever is required, whether it’s organising collections, answering general questions, querying collections, requesting extra services or anything else that they need.
DO CATERING CUSTOMERS LIKE THE SERVICE?
They love it! Every quarter we survey 10% of the Booker customer base on how they find our service. We are very proud indeed that our approval numbers have never been below 95%!
JUNE 2024 51 SERVICE l MEET THE TEAM
ABBEYFIELD WASTE
Oil MoneyCollectionService off scan here when you recycle 20 litres Mininum collection 60 litres call:03451204545 email: info@bookerrecycling.co.ukandquoteyourcustomernumber This fully complies with UK waste regulations.
SCAN FOR RECIPES Or visit ufs.com/uefaeuro2024-hellmanns KICK OFF A MORE PROFITABLE SUMMER WITH BITE-SIZE WINNERS
Hellmann’s Real 1 x 5L M049643
OFFICIAL PARTNER OF UEFA EURO 2024 ™
Hellmann’s Real Squeezy 6 x 750ml M158685
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 opportunity, particularly when there’s a back-to-back calendar of major sporting events to capitalise on. When the sun shines, there’s nothing like a cool drink in a shaded beer garden with friends and family to let the worries of the world fade away.
Classic beers, wines and spirits will more than do the trick in sunny, warmer weather, 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
cocktails that lets you create and sell top-quality, eye-catching drinks in seconds?
To help inspire you and your team to do just that, we have some simple cocktail recipes that require as few as two ingredients and make use of great quality Booker exclusive
own brand spirits like Alfred Button and Cane Trader to ensure that percentage and cash profi ts are maxed out. We’ve also made extensive use of the fantastic range of Funkin pre-mixes to help deliver cocktails that Tom Cruise would be proud but without any of the fuss.
£2.00
JUNE 2024 53 SERVICE l SIMPLE COCKTAILS
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 SERVING SUGGESTION
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
PRICE
MARGIN MAKERS
Take the Funkin Spiced Strawberry Daiquiri serving suggestion, 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 £5.58 in cash profit.
To help ramp up the theatre and still, simply rim the glass with sugar an decorate with a fresh strawberry. It’s that simple and it looks fantastic when served over the bar, helping to ensure that other customers notice and then order “one of whatever she’s drinking”.
Or how about the Spicy Margarita, a simple and fiery take on a hugely popular cocktail. All you need to do is combine some tequila with some Funkin Margarita Mix, add a drop or two of Tabasco sauce and then amplify the visual appeal by rimming the glass with salt and liberally decorating the outside of the glass with some dried chilli flakes.
The result is truly spectacular and it will cost you just £1.46 plus a couple of minutes of time per serving. However, with the finished
result delivering a tasty cash profit of £5.21 when sold at £8, it's certainly well -worth the effort.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
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 are some guiding principles: firstly, choose classic cocktails as the platform for your inspiration, cocktails that everyone knows like Pornstar Martinis or Espresso Martinis; secondly, give them a twist by adding something new or unexpected like a strong-flavoured 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 Funkin and great value spirits like Booker’s own brand range.
Add these to your existing cocktail list or create one if you don’t currently offer cocktails, and you’ll see footfall, sales and profits grow – especially if you take to social media to share your new cocktail menu and some nice photos of the cocktails you offer.
If the sun shines, you could be onto a real winner – and all for minimal effort and investment...
JUNE 2024 54
PER£2.45SERVING
£8.00 % PROFIT 78% CASH
£5.22
SELL
PROFIT
JUNE 2024 55 SERVICE l SIMPLE COCKTAILS £1.58 PER SERVING £1.46 PER SERVING Funkin
ALFRED BUTTON VANILLA VODKA 6X70CL M271975 £13.19 LICHFIELDS CARAMEL SYRUP 1X1LTR M287308 £6.99 FUNKIN ESPRESSO MARTINI MIX 1X1LTR M292059 £5.29
DON ANGEL ORO TEQUILA 1X70CL M192183 £12.49 TABASCO SAUCE 1X350ML M152256 £12.69 FUNKIN MARGARITA MIX 1X1LTR M184882 £5.29 SELL PRICE £8.00 % PROFIT 76% CASH PROFIT £5.09 SELL PRICE £8.00 % PROFIT 78% CASH PROFIT £5.21 SERVING SUGGESTION SERVING SUGGESTION
Caramel Espresso Martini
Spicy Margarita
*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. M221845
GB* GB*
Soft Drink
GB*
Rich in Vitamin C
#1 Most Considered Soft Drink Brand in
#1 Most Considered
Brand in
Most
SOFT SELL
With a
summer of
sport upon us and, hopefully, some wonderful weather thrown in for good measure, making more of so serve ice cream is a quick, easy way to boost pro ts.
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
57 SERVICE l SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM
JUNE 2024
STOCK UP FOR SUMMER GARNISH WITH A SLICE OF ORANGE
PROSECCO D.O.C. OVER ICE 1
SODA WATER
PARTS APEROL
3 PARTS
PART
2
TOP TOPPINGS
M275079 / M275092
M275075 /
/
FINISHING TOUCHES
/
M129376 / M129377 Waverley Deluxe Wafer Curls 1x280s/ 2x280s
/
M145852 / M145853 Waverley Choc Flav Vermicelli 9x1kg/ 1x1kg
M245965 / M245966 Lotus Biscoff Crumb 8x750g/ 1x750g £28.49/£3.99
M208649 / M208653
JUNE 2024 SERVICE l SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM 59 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
Gelart Strawberry Sauce 6x1kg
1x1kg £21.99/£4.29
/
Gelart Chocolate Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg £21.99/£4.29 M275077
M275078 Gelart Salted Caramel Sauce 6x1kg / 1x1kg £21.99/£4.29 M278665
Gelart Lemon Dessert Sauce 6x1kg
1x1kg £21.99/£4.29
Gelart Toffee Sauce 6x1kg
£21.99/£4.29
Simply
Sauce
£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
M275076
/ M278666
/
M275095 / M275096
/ 1x1kg
M279119 / M279132
Mango
6x1kg / 1x1kg
/
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
Waverley
2x200s/ 1x200s £52.49/£26.99
/
/ M129349
Fan Wafers
£52.49/£26.99
£76.49/£8.99
M145866
M145848 Waverley Assorted Sugar Strands 9x1kg/ 1x1kg
£76.49/£8.99
Nic Caramel Mini Fudge Cubes 8x1kg/ 1x1kg £75.99/£12.99 KEY ESSENTIALS