Catering@Booker Issue 3 - April 2022

CATERING @ BOOKER

Jewel in the crown A P R I L

BRIGHTON PUB BECOMES ONE OF THE CITY’S BUSIEST SPORTING & EVENT VENUES

2 0 2 2

P R O F ILE

CHOI CE . P RI CE . SE R V I C E

P L U S B O O K E R D O N AT E S 1 . 8 M M E A L S , N E W B L A C K G AT E P O R K R A N G E A N D H O M E D E L I V E RY

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Spring & tonic!

The original tonic since 1783.

Stock up today.

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HIGHLIGHTS l CONTENTS

12

Omur Yoldas, Joy Bar, Eastbourne

“We had Instagram in mind the whole time when planning out the garden refurbishment and the drinks menu; we wanted to create a place where guests wanted to be seen. Being Instagramfriendly is so important these days.”

24

Mark Fox, Coral Island, Blackpool

“The Buccaneer serves more than 1,000 meals a day during high season plus a further 800 carvery meals on a Sunday.

Speed of service is crucial and will be more important than ever in 2022, especially if the season proves to be as busy as we expect it to be.”

54 COVER SHOT

Alan Olone, Elite Catering, Glasgow

“Our home delivery service is fully controlled, we have our own methods, our own routes and we use all our own drivers. We deliver to 14 different postcodes and we are mobbed! If you can get the takeaway home delivery concept right, you’re on to a winner.”

18

Mark Such revitalises a stunning Brighton sporting pub.

CATERING@BOOKER SHARE YOUR NEWS If you've got news, tips or feature ideas, get in touch with us 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.

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CONTENTS

24

12 BLACKGATE PORK

NEWS 7

30

44

FareShare fanfare Booker

New season breakfast Start the day the profitable way.

redistributed 773 tonnes of food to the needy in 2021.

9

Calorie counting New labelling laws

PRIC E

require caterers to state the calorie

50

ALITY • Q UAL • QU

ITY

I T Y •Q U A L I T Y

100%

UAL •Q

•Q U

ITY

Y •Q U A L I T Y

AL

PRO FILES

S ERV ICE

12

48

Joy Bar Turkish-themed bar shakes things up in Eastbourne.

•Q U

U •Q

ALIT

MONEY BACK

18

The King and Queen Revitalised sporting venues.

AL

ITY

ALITY • Q UAL • QU

ITY

and hopefully some better weather

24 30

footfall, sales and profits through their

home delivery opportunity.

57

Coral Island Blackpool family arcade

of great quality coffee.

REGULARS 52

that, Booker has launched a range of perfect for enhancing a carvery menu.

F E AT URES

The entire Blackgate range of meats

36

36

Blackgate pork New pork range

own brand range.

61

perfect for growing sales and profits.

42

Easter extravaganza Cashing in on a huge seasonal opportunity.

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Own brand update Quality and value from Booker’s award-winning

eight new Blackgate pork products,

APRIL 2022

Bean scene Leveraging the power

Harry’s Diner A little corner of America flourishes in Filey.

carvery offering. To help them do just

guarantee.

Delivering growth Examining the

and dining complex geared for growth.

of opportunities for caterers to drive

comes with a 100% money-back

Meet the team Say hello to Meat Category Manager Alan Brett-Pitt.

54

pub among Brighton's busiest

With a host of seasonal occasions on the horizon, there will be plenty

Pricing lockdown Pricing on over 250 key lines guaranteed until 31st May.

content of their food from April.

Launch review New desserts and tips for adding value.

65

Guest Column Coffee expert Tim Sturk offers his advice.

5

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ing Spe Mak ci al

ty

METICULOUSLY SOURCED. ETHICALLY TRADED. DELICIOUSLY GRUMPY.

Cof

£2

bl

e.

WWW.GRUMPYMULE.CO.UK

f e e A cc e s si

OFF*

Product Code: M270845 *£2 off a bag 7th March until 31st May 2022. Promotional price of £11.99

KICKING OUT UNETHICAL COFFEE. Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 6

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BOOKER NEWS

BOOKERNEWS NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS BOOKER

BOOKER DISTRIBUTES 1.8 MILLION MEALS AMONG UK NEEDY IN 2021 Working with the FareShare network of charities Booker has redistributed 773 tonnes of food to the needy, enough to provide the equivalent of 1.8 million meals.

CASESTUDY

GLYN CEIRIOG Glyn Ceiriog is a voluntary support organisation run by Community Agent Davena Davies who works out of

Booker redistributed over 773 tonnes of food to

Catherine Marston, Head of Sustainability

the local community hall in

communities across the UK in 2021, the equivalent

at Booker said: “These are some impressive

Glyntraian near Wrexham.

of more than 1.8 million meals. Working with

achievements but it’s worth noting that

FareShare, the UK’s biggest charity fighting hunger

Booker only started working with FareShare in

and food waste, Booker is the first wholesaler to

April 2021 in a phased launch. It wasn’t until

redistribute food directly to FareShare’s network

October 2021 that all 198 Booker branches

of charities through the FareShare Go programme

were fully involved – so we expect the results

and the free sharing app OLIO.

to be even more impressive in 2022 when we have a full year’s activity across all branches to

OLIO’s ‘Food Waste Heroes’ collect food directly

report."

773

2,063

tonnes CO2 prevented from going t0 waste

tonnes

In 2021, Booker helped an astonishing 3,792 individual charities through its work with

1.8

FareShare. Over 8,600 families were fed and

million meals

almost 550,000 individuals were supported.

3,792

The activity also helped deliver enormous

charities

environmental improvements. Well over 2,000

1.6

billion litres water saved

2.6

million cars miles off the road

OLIO

8,600 local families fed

FARESHARE

more than 1.6 billion litres of water were saved and all, that’s the equivalent of planting 35,500 trees!

to buy food themselves and supports between 60 and 80 people.

During the festive period, with a lot of other local organisations closed for was offered extra food

by Booker Wrexham for a special Christmas community dinner.

“Everyone loved it and we were able to supply it for free,” said Davena. “They were very, very grateful that they were able to enjoy a Christmas dinner.

The food we receive

tonnes of CO2 was prevented from going to waste, some 2.6 million road miles were prevented. All in

to anyone that is struggling

the holidays, Davena

from Booker and Makro branches, which is then added to its app for local people to collect.

It supplies food packages

549,000 people supported

35,500

trees planted

through FareShare and Booker is very important."

Have you been working hard to reduce your carbon footprint and reduce the environmental impact of your business? Share your stories with us by emailing catering@booker.co.uk.

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BOOKER NEWS

BOOKER BUTCHERS AWARDED HIGHEST BUTCHERY HONOUR Three Booker butchers joined the elite ranks of Institute of Meat-accredited Master Butchers at their annual prizegiving last month.

Booker's renowned butchery team further enhanced its reputation and accreditations at Butchers Hall on London on 24 February as three Booker butchers joined the elite ranks of Institute of Meat (IoM) accredited Master Butchers. Peter Howarth, Kevin King and Roy Mason all joined the hallowed ranks of Master Butchers.

The new Master Butchers were honoured at the IoM's annual prizegiving last month. The event has been running for almost 30 years and was attended this year by HRH The Princess Royal. The prizegiving seeks to celebrate and reward individual achievement in

ROY MASON

LETITIA REDFERN

the meat and poultry industry.

Keith Fisher, Chief Executive of the IoM, said: "Being granted accredited Master Butcher status is one of the highest accolades a butcher can achieve. In almost three decades of the prizegiving we have accepted less than 60 applications.

"The process of assessing an application is rigorous and in fact we only consider applications from the most experienced and skilful butchers."

Also recognised at the event was Booker apprentice Letitia Redfern who won the Best Apprentice award who was presented

PETER HOWARTH

KEVIN KING

with her certificate of achievement by HRH The Princess Royal.

HERTFORDSHIRE CATERERS SCOOP MAKEOVER PRIZE Caterers Steven and Harriet Mitchell have won a £5,000 prize after winning a competition run by Cadbury.

The pair, who own The Orchard Café at Letchworth Sports & Tennis Club, were named as one of the lucky winners of Cadbury UK’s recent ‘Make It Yours’ competition. Caterers who purchased participating packs of selected Cadbury and Bourneville drinking chocolate lines were given the chance to win the prize towards a premises or equipment upgrade as well as thousands of hot chocolate kits.

Thanks to their win, Steven and Harriet have been welcoming diners into their new-look café after investing their winnings in upgrading all their chairs, stools and tables. Commenting on the win Harriet said: “We chose to upgrade our furniture with the cash. We've never won anything and are all still in state of shock, so thank you so much Cadbury! "The chairs and stools have made a big impact and we are getting lots of wonderful comments.”

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BOOKER NEWS

NEW CALORIE LABELLING LAWS COME INTO FORCE IN APRIL A new law comes into force in April requiring businesses with 250 or more employees to display the calorie content of their food and drink.

INBRIEF

PERMANENT VAT CUT BENEFITS ‘UNDENIABLE Many of the UK's largest hospitality and tourism

From 6th April 2022, caterers will be required by

food is sold on a

bodies have joined

law to display the calorie content of their food.

website or mobile

forces to publish a study

Following a consultation in 2018, the Government

app, the business

demonstrating that the

is now requiring large food businesses with 250

responsible for that website or mobile app is

benefits of permanent

or more employees to comply with the new

required to display the calorie information of

VAT reduction are

legislation. The law affects the entire ‘out of

food offered for sale by any qualifying business.

"undeniable". The study

home’ food sector, covering all outlets where

states that a permanent

food or drink is prepared in a way that means it is

Caterers selling via third-party delivery websites

cut would save the

ready for immediate consumption, on or off the

or apps will be required to provide calorie

Government £4.6bn and

premises.

information to the website or app provider for all

create more than quarter

products listed for sale on the website or app.

of a million jobs over the next decade.

The regulations require calorie information to be displayed at the point where a customer chooses

For more information, visit www.gov.uk

The British Beer and

what food to purchase, such as on menus and on

Pub Association,

labels next to food on display.

UKHospitality, the

The Government says the new legislation is geared to making it easier for customers to make informed, healthier decisions when purchasing food out of the home but also to “encourage businesses to reformulate the food and drink they offer and provide lower calorie options” for their customers.

Failure to comply with the Regulations may result in a food business being issued with an

NEW REQUIREMENTS: Under the new regulations, from the 6th of April, caterers must: l Clearly and legibly display the energy content of the food in kilocalories (kcal) l Reference the size of the portion to which the calorie information relates) l Display the statement that ‘adults need around 2,000 kcal a day’

Tourism Alliance and the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions commissioned the report which states that a permanent rate of 12.5% VAT would bring VAT on hospitality and attractions in line with the European average. The 20% rate is nearly double the

improvement notice while failure to comply with

European average.

an improvement notice could lead to a £2,500

A permanent cut would

fixed penalty being imposed.

create 286,850 jobs and generate £7.7bn of

The new rules will extend into the digital space

additional turnover over

and will cover food sold on a website or mobile

10 years, says the report.

app, including third party delivery apps. Where

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hcctrade.com

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BOOKER NEWS

INDUSTRYNEWS NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS THE INDUSTRY

UK FOODSERVICE DELIVERY MARKET TO 'GROW BY £700M IN 2022' PRICE CONSCIOUS CONSUMERS TO DRIVE DEMAND FOR DELIVERY IN 2022:

Lumina Intelligence predicts significant growth in foodservice delivery in 2022.

The UK foodservice delivery market grew by 6.5% in 2021 to a total value of £12.6bn and the market will grow by a further 5.3% in 2022 to reach £13.3bn, according to research and insight specialists Lumina Intelligence. The report states that the pandemic has helped accelerate growth in foodservice delivery and, despite restrictions easing, demand is not expected to wane in the coming years.

INBRIEF PUBLICANS URGE TREASURY TO TACKLE TAXATION Publicans and trade bodies have called

Reasons for choosing a particular establishment to order delivery from.

By the end of 2022 Lumina predicts the market will

on the

Top 3 increases vs 2020

have grown by £5.7bn since 2019 but warns that price

Treasury to

l good value for money (+2ppts) l Healthy food options (+2ppts) l Lots of choice (+1ppt)

Top 3 decreases from 2020 I've been there before (-4ppts) It's local and an indie (-3ppts) Quality of ingredients (-2ppts)

consciousness will be the key reason

look again at the "over-

in consumers choosing one outlet

taxation" burden on the

over another. While familiarity ('I've

sector. In an open letter to

been there before') is the top need for

the Chancellor, the ‘One

customers, its importance has declined by 4%, while ‘it's good value for money’ has risen by a further 2%.

Voice for Beer’ group make clear their broad support for the Government’s Alcohol Duty Review, including key proposals that

HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY URGES PROPERTY TAX REFORM

incentivise consumption of

Industry body UKHospitality has urged the Government to act to address “the unfair burden of

important role of pubs.

property tax on the hospitality sector.” The organisation highlighted how, in the decade before the pandemic, hospitality business rates rose by more than 58%, or £1bn.

lower-strength products and recognise the However, they urge further action following the pandemic. We

UKHospitality says a hospitality tax rate is now “one of the changes needed that will be essential to

“cannot ignore the fact

aid recovery”. Among the measures needed to make the system fair for the sector, UKHospitality is

that the tax burden on

proposing a hospitality multiplier for 2023 and an online sales tax to make up the loss of revenue from

UK beer and pubs is still

such a multiplier, an urgent investigation into whether the current pub valuation methodology is fit

disproportionally high,”

for purpose and better resourced pub valuations that take into account over-trading, the location of a

the signatories say. Pubs

property and historical changes.

pay over a third of their turnover in one form of tax

UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls, said: “The hospitality industry has been hit hard by the pandemic

or another.

and needs further support and reforms in order to be able to fully recover."

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PROFILE l JOY BAR, EASTBOURNE

TURKISH DELIGHT Valuable outside space and Instagram-worthy cocktails are helping the Turkish-themed Joy Bar shake things up in Eastbourne.

The

value

entertainment

of

outdoor spaces

eating to

and

Garage in Eastbourne. Then, in late 2018

catering

he finally found a site that was the perfect

establishments has soared in recent years

place to turn his dream into reality.

given both the ups and downs of Covid-19 restrictions and some fantastic summer

“I had a very specific set of boxes that I

weather. One venue that has certainly

knew the site needed to tick,” Omur says.

THE LOWDOWN

reaped the benefits of its large and

“It needed to have a garden, it needed a

JOY BAR

beautifully appointed outdoor seating

prime town centre location and it needed

area is Eastbourne’s aptly-named Joy Bar.

a late-night licence until 2am.

Owned by Turkish-born caterer Omur

“However, getting a site like that really

Yoldas and managed with the help of

was like finding a needle in a haystack so

manager Ellie Shephard, the bar and

I almost couldn’t believe my luck when I

its Turkish-inspired garden is helping to

came across this site, which at the time was

spread joy and conviviality across the

called Bolton’s Bar.”

Outlet Joy Bar, Eastbourne Format Cocktail and shisha bar Established 2020 Caterer Omur Yoldas Staff 14 Opening hours: 12 noon-2am Time as a caterer: 20 years

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seaside town.

The site is in the heart of the town, right by Omur had been looking for “the right

the shopping centre and other nightclubs

site” in which to open his first bar for

and bars; Umar could see the potential

several years while he was working as

straight away. “Crucially, unlike a lot of the

duty manager at Wetherspoons Cornfield

other bars and clubs in the area, this site

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PROFILE l JOY BAR, EASTBOURNE

OMUR'S SPECIALS BOARD GET OUT Make the most of

any outdoor space you have.

At Joy Bar we

have created an oasis had a large garden area although at that

he explains. “We used lots of authentic

point it was pretty uninspiring!” he admits.

Turkish

materials

including

tiles

to

construct an outdoor bar area and used “The garden was so important as my vision

lots of artificial plants and flowers to give

was always to create a Turkish-inspired

it a really lush feel.

taste of the Middle East with shisha and

“We also fitted a retractable roof which

hookahs, delicious cocktails and of course

was a huge investment, but we wanted

a beautiful, lush setting in which to drink

the space to be comfortable and usable all

it all in. There was, and still is, absolutely

year round so it was well worth the money,

nothing else like that in Eastbourne and

especially given the unpredictable British

sites are like gold dust.”

weather.”

Omur ran the site as Bolton’s Bar until

But the weather wasn’t the only unpredictable

early 2020, when, just ahead of the first

factor to hit the UK shortly after the venue,

national lockdown, he oversaw a total

which Omur had re-named as Joy Bar, re-

refurbishment of the garden area to

opened to reveal its fresh new look.

achieve his Turkish dream. “The garden was given a complete makeover, we

“Just a matter of weeks after re-opening

ripped almost everything up, put down

we were forced to close again which was

new flooring and improved the flow,”

tough but thankfully, due to the garden

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town using our large outdoor space.

MIX IT UP Cocktails are a big

venue that could offer guests a real

APRIL 2022

in the middle of the

trend at the moment,

especially gin-based ones.

They draw customers from near and far.

PICTURE PERFECT Invest in adding

Instagram-worthy

features for guests

to picture themselves with. It is certainly working for us!

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PROFILE l JOY BAR, EASTBOURNE

Omur on Social Media

“We had Instagram in mind the whole time when planning out the garden refurbishment and the drinks menu; we wanted to create a place where guests wanted to be seen.”

40 different flavours of gin makeover, we were perfectly set up for

serve in fruits, and we also create our

when restrictions eased and guests were

own.”

allowed to return to socialising outdoors,” Omur says.

Many of Omur’s cocktails feature an innovative technique which creates an

“The garden at that time was such a jewel,

edible smoke bubble on the top, adding

it was like a magnet and while so many

to the theatre of the experience.

other venues in the local area were still closed due to the restrictions, we were one

“The Cloud 9 is our best-seller, it looks

of the lucky ones able to resume trade and

absolutely amazing with its big smoke

we were booming.

bubble on the top and creates a real buzz,” smiles Omur. “Guests love these types of

“The garden has seating for 100 people

innovative cocktails, the bubbles create an

while the inside can take a further 400 so

awesome visual effect that is perfectly suited

when the restrictions were eased fully, the

to Instagram.

business just took off,” he says.

“Being Instagram-friendly is so important

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“As a venue we are entirely wet-led, we

these days. Social media has played and

don’t serve any food. It’s all about the

continues to play a big role in our success.

drinks and by drinks, we mean cocktails.

We had Instagram in mind the whole time

That’s what we are famous for. We have

when it came to planning out the garden

a vast selection of different types of

refurbishment and the drinks menu. We

cocktails from classics to internationals,

wanted to create a place where guests

frozen cocktails, tropical ones which we

wanted to be seen.”

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PROFILE l JOY BAR, EASTBOURNE

And

the

Instagram-friendly

approach

doesn’t stop at smoke rings and impactful

my heritage and travels around the world

service which is also very good.”

but also by my travels to different bars.

furniture. “For large tables we also serve

To make sure he has access to the widest

the cocktails in ‘trees’ which again are

“One of my favourite pastimes is visiting

possible range of products, Omur makes

perfect social media bait,” says Omur.

different bars in different cities and

use of Booker’s Direct Delivered service.

seeing how they do things differently “The ‘trees’ are special metal stands which

and the types of innovations they are

“The direct delivery range is really broad

hold up to nine cocktails, when they are

trialling. It’s a fantastic way to get

and allows us to get almost everything

brought to a table, they create such theatre

inspiration and there are some incredible

that we need from there and have one big

that the guests can’t resist snapping

bars in this country doing truly cutting-

delivery a week,” he explains.

pictures of themselves with them.

edge things.” When it comes to drinks, gin continues to lead the way, says Omur.

“We also hire out the outdoor garden

“If we ever need something special we can easily source that from the big Brighton

for special parties and events and we’re

“Gin-based drinks are a huge seller and

branch but I also like to visit my local

becoming increasingly well-known for

we have more than 40 different types

Eastbourne branch to top up at least once

that, which is great.”

of gin behind our bar, the vast majority

or twice a week.

bought through Booker. In fact, almost On Friday and Saturday nights the bar

all our drinks and cocktail ingredients

“We also have a great relationship with the

always has a DJ on too, so it certainly feels

come from Booker. No one else can really

team at Booker. I’m constantly impressed

like a party even if there isn’t a private

compete with the prices, the range, or the

with how helpful they are. It’s a good

event on.

To add another Turkish twist, Joy Bar also offers shisha. “The outdoor seating area offers shisha which is another key draw. So many of our features have been inspired by

SHAKING THINGS UP JOY BAR



INNOVATIVE COCKTAILS Joy Bar’s innovative cocktail formulas and show-stopping techniques have helped to make it a hot destination for Instagram-loving guests.

The bar’s menu includes an eye-watering selection including classic mixes which it calls Icons, plus Frozen varieties, Mocktails and a unique range of ‘Joy’s Own’ creations.

Many of the Joy’s Own cocktails employ innovative cocktailmaking techniques such as smoke bubbles to add crowdpleasing visual and sensory touches.

A number of the creations also feature popular dessert and cake flavours such as Strawberry Shortcake, Candyfloss and Cookies & Cream.

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PROFILE l JOY BAR, EASTBOURNE

feeling to know that you have the support

‘Instagrammable’. We currently have just

“Getting any council to grant a new late-

of an organisation like that, especially in the

under 4,000 followers on Instagram and

night licence is almost impossible, so we

current climate.”

that’s climbing week on week.”

need to find a site with an existing one.

But for 2022, the climate for Joy Bar is looking

Plans for a second Joy Bar in Brighton

pretty hot. “I’ve just bought the freehold for

are also afoot. “The hunt for our second

the site so I no longer have to worry about rent

site is also on but, as with this one,

In the meantime, Omur is anticipating a

which is a big relief,” laughs Omur.

finding that perfect site is proving to be

brilliant year filled with many busy nights and

a challenge,” admits Omur. “It needs to

not much sleep! He concludes: “Working in

“We are also planning a mini-makeover of

tick all the right boxes, which once again

this industry does require some extraordinarily

the bar’s interior just ahead of the peak

will be location, garden and late-night

long hours but it’s a passion, a way of life and

summer season to make it even more

licence.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Those three things are mandatory. The rest we can build.”

“Many of our cocktails feature an innovative technique which creates an edible smoke bubble on the top, adding to the theatre of the experience.”

“Invest in adding Instagram-worthy features for guests to picture themselves with. It’s certainly working for us!”

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PROFILE l THE KING AND QUEEN, BRIGHTON

THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN Under Mark Such’s guidance, the King and Queen has evolved to become one of Brighton’s most popular sporting pub and event venues.

With its striking mock-Tudor façade, The King and

Brighton Corn Exchange and an Army barracks.

Queen pub in Brighton is certainly a venue that looks fit to receive royalty. Step through its imposing wooden

However, it was back in 2009 when, under the care of

doors and a venue that has been painstakingly crafted

new General Manager Mark Such, the venue took on

to cater for all is revealed. Built in 1779 as a farmhouse

its current form – an identity which has helped it to

and named in honour of George III and Charlotte,

become one of the most unique and popular sporting

the venue has lived through a number of different

and event venues in the town.

iterations over the years, including a spell as the Mark explains: “I’ve been a caterer since the age of THE LOWDOWN

KING AND QUEEN Outlet The King and Queen, Brighton, East Sussex Format Pub, sports and events venue Covers 330 Owner Mark Such Time as a caterer 27 years Staff 35 (including two chefs)

18 and worked in numerous outlets across England, Europe and the Canary Islands. However, from the moment I saw it, I knew The King and Queen was something special. It could hold up to 560 people and had such a rich history, so I could see the potential straight away. It was a venue that had lost heart and was in need of some serious TLC.” And Mark was just the medicine that the pub doctor ordered. “In the past 12 years I’ve turned the business around. It turned over £1m a year then and now does more than £3.5m a year," he says. "It’s a thriving business.”

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PROFILE l THE KING AND QUEEN, BRIGHTON

CATERING FOR ALL KING AND QUEEN



Food, themed nights and social events While the King and Queen has made its name as one of Brighton’s premier sporting venues, Mark has endeavoured to create an offer for all walks of life and interests, with a packed social calendar of events and themed nights and equally crowd-pleasing menus including classic sellers such as burgers, fish and chips, nachos and sharing platters.

The King and Queen is also the proud sponsor of Brighton Rugby Club and The Sussex Swans Australian Rules F.C. It also supports an array of other local businesses by hosting training courses within its many function rooms and even hires its vast cellar space to local businesses.

One of the King and Queen’s key draws is its array of

and rooms are booked out months in advance,”

different bar zones and function rooms including a

Mark adds. “The main bar area has the longest bar in

banqueting hall and Heineken Bar in addition to the

Brighton and we have up to 18 servers on there on a

vast main bar area, all of which feature a table service

Saturday, our busiest day of the week. Above the bar is

offer or party buffet menus to suit various occasions.

The Royal Box, an area with the best seats in the house which can be hired out for sporting events.

“We are a sport-orientated establishment but that’s not our only offer. We strive to offer our guests something

“On the second floor we have our Heineken lounge

different and new so there’s something for everyone.

with pool tables and TVs and a mezzanine area called

We have karaoke nights on Tuesdays, Wednesday is Brighton Rugby Club’s social evening, Thursday is Salsa Dancing, we have Warhammer nights, the list is endless!"

And, as Brighton’s premier sporting venue, the King and Queen also showcases sport from across the globe and live football from every league on its huge projector screens and TVs around the entire venue.

“Fridays and Saturdays are just full-on birthdays,

Mark on Events

“We have karaoke nights on a Tuesday, Wednesday is Brighton Rugby Club’s social evening, Thursday is Salsa Dancing, we have Warhammer nights, the list is endless!”

parties and celebrations, and all of our private bars

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 19

19

31/03/2022 13:13:56

For a Sensational, Spring Sip CH O O S E A SIP S M ITH L E M O N D RIZ ZLE SP RIT Z

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Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 20

31/03/2022 13:14:01

“There's a space for every type of guest and every type of event, says Mark.”

MARK'S SPECIAL BOARD TAKE IT HIGHER Simple cost-effective menu

Prinny’s after the Prince Regent

around the world plus Champagne

which looks down on the rest of

and Prosecco. There’s a space for

your offer and rate of sale.

the pub. We also have a downstairs

every type of guest and every type

pool room with darts and arcade

of event. Running a place like this

machines, pinball machines and

is like a military operation though!”

other retro games, while outside

Mark laughs.

tweaks can really help elevate

GO VEGAN The vegan scene is huge so consider introducing a few

we have a large courtyard area that holds over 200 people."

simple vegan options to your menu.

TALK IT THROUGH Your Booker branch teams and

CDMs are a fantastic source of inspiration. It makes sense to

use them to talk through new concepts and latest trends.

FEBRUARY 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 21

A military-style precision is certainly employed

when

it

comes

to

The jewel in the King and Queen's

managing the King and Queen’s

crown, however, is the banqueting

fast-selling food and drink offer. “We

hall. "That's where we host weddings

are very wet led: 85% of our revenue

and large events," explains Mark. “It

is wet but food sales are growing,”

can accommodate up to 100 people

says Mark.

standing and 60 for sit-down meals and events.

“Well over 90% of all our products come from Booker and that includes

“We also have a Wine Cellar which

all of our food. Our menu is typical

seats another 60 people and offers

pub grub, but with a twist. We use

a vast selection of wines from

a lot of Middle-Eastern flavours to

21

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PROFILE l THE KING AND QUEEN, BRIGHTON

Mark on Foods

“Our menu style is typical pub grub but with a twist: we use a lot of lovely middle-eastern flavours to elevate everyday classics and it’s a formula that is proving to be popular.” elevate everyday classics."

The venue's biggest-selling dishes are sharing platters and burgers. "We have a small kitchen with only two chefs so we have to be organised and work with great quality products, tweaked or assembled to achieve the desired effect," he says.

“Booker’s Chef’s Larder range is fantastic for that. We use the Southern Fried Chicken

 90%

of produce is ordered from Booker

Breast Fillet for our Chicken Burgers and also for our top-selling Mexican Chicken Burger which adds bacon, chili cheese and salsa. We’ve turned a product that sells

by letting us trial new products as we

says. “The pub is Grade II Listed so any

brilliantly on its own into one that sells ten-

develop the offer.”

alterations or works are challenging but

fold with just a few simple tweaks.

we have hired a French polisher to re-do In terms of trends, Mark says that demand

the bar and are having some new LED

“Booker’s Chef’s Larder range of sauces

for craft ales and hard seltzers is continuing

lighting fitted along with what should be

such as the Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce,

to soar as is the popularity of gin.

a stunning new copper back to the bar.

Buffalo

Sauce

and

Blackened

Cajun

It should freshen everything up while still

Seasoning are also excellent. The quality is

“Gins are huge for us and we have almost

keeping it within the quirky mock-Tudor

outstanding and the price is even better. It

every flavour under the sun, all sourced from

style that we are so famous for.

lets us add simple twists that really up our

Booker. We have the luxury of a very large

rate of sale."

storeroom, so we are able to buy in bulk

"We’re also gearing up for the summer

and make the most of all the promotions.

and the banqueting hall is booked out

Mark and his team are working hard to drive

We’re large enough to be able to trial new

almost every weekend. We’ve even got

further growth in food sales in 2022 with

trends and see how they do."

bookings into 2023.

various ideas, including the development of more vegan and vegetarian options.

There’s

of

“The last couple of years have been

"The vegan scene is huge in Brighton

opportunities in 2022 for Mark to be

unimaginably tough as a result of the

now and we want to make more of it,"

excited about. “We’re just about to do on

pandemic but it certainly feels like we’re

he comments. “The Booker team at the

a mini makeover of the main bar area just

on the other side of it now. Onwards and

Brighton branch have been really helpful

keep it looking at its impressive best," he

upwards!”

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 23

certainly

no

shortage

23

31/03/2022 13:14:02

PROFILE l CORAL ISLAND, BLACKPOOL

RIDE OF A LIFETIME

Under the watchful eye of Mark Fox, Blackpool’s Coral Island family arcade and dining establishment is geared up for nothing but highs in 2022.

With

almost

40

years

of

catering

experience, including nine years as a Royal Air Force chef, Mark Fox describes his time as a caterer as a “roller-coaster ride” - a very appropriate description, given his current role as senior food and beverage operations manager of Coral Island, Blackpool’s largest entertainment and dining venue, and Europe’s biggest arcade.

“I joined Coral Island 22 years ago now.

There have been plenty of ups and downs but it’s been great,” Mark says. “I love the diversity. No two days are the same.” Part of what makes life so exciting at Coral Island is the array of different dining venues on the site which vary from smart tableservice restaurants to family-orientated snack bars and fish and chip shops.

THE LOWDOWN

CORAL ISLAND, BLACKPOOL Outlet Coral Island, Central Promenade, Blackpool Format Dining and entertainment venue Established: 1978 Caterer Mark Fox, Senior Food and Beverage Operations Manager Time as catereer 39 years

24

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 24

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PROFILE l CORAL ISLAND, BLACKPOOL

MARK'S SPECIAL BOARD SLICK AND QUICK We believe speed of

service will be key in

PEGGY'S

2022. We aim to get food out in under 20 minutes.

HOME COMFORTS Homemade dishes can really set your venue

apart and is one of our key USPs.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

CAPTAIN JACK'S

We have removed

a number of extra “We have seven different food and drink

and braised steaks are made fresh. The

outlets, including three fish and chip

business buys the ingredients from Booker

shops. We offer takeaways, a nightclub

and produces the dishes by hand in-

and three different restaurants, each

house, helping set Coral Island apart from

offering a different style of experience,”

competitors.

toppings and

complications to help

simplify things for our serving and kitchen staff in 2022.

explains Mark.

“Then we have Captain Jack’s, a higher “We have Peggy’s which is a very busy

end table-service operation with more

family-orientated cafeteria style operation

of a steak and rib focus and 60 covers,"

that seats 300 diners. Food sits under hot

continues Mark. “However, our busiest

lights and diners pick what they like. It’s very

outlet is The Buccaneer Family Bar and

budget-focused and one of its key USPs is

Restaurant which does 380 covers.

that a family of four can eat for just £11.

“It’s more of a pub-style operation and “There is significant demand in Peggy’s for

it’s styled like a Captain’s library, featuring

our range of kids meals, especially as ‘Kids

walls

Eat Free at Coral Island. That’s a big part

portraits and treasures hidden in the

of our USP and we give away over 100,000

floorboards. Diners queue to get in every

free meals to kids each year!”

day during the summer months. It requires

adorned

with

sculpted

pirate

very careful management and we have to All of Mark's curries, pies, lasagnes

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 25

be exceptionally organised in our kitchens

25

31/03/2022 13:14:05

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PROFILE l CORAL ISLAND, BLACKPOOL

to keep the wait on food and queues at

relaxed I don’t believe holidaymakers will

“The big thing for us was to get rid of things

the door down.”

have the same levels of confidence travelling

that added time and complexity. So we

abroad that they did pre-pandemic, so

stopped up-selling and removed a number

many will still choose to holiday in the UK."

of the optional extra toppings on things

Mark’s military background helped him implement a rigorous management style

like burgers and fries. There are a number

that was put to good use in 2021 when

To streamline the business to cope with

of reasons, chief of which is that upselling

lockdown rules were finally eased and

growing demand, Mark and his team

slows transactions down and we just want

cooped-up British holidaymakers flocked

undertook a lot of work to make things

to turn as many tables as possible.

to Blackpool.

run more smoothly and take the pressure off the kitchen teams. “Staffing has been

"The second main reason was to simplify

“2021 was an incredible year considering

a challenge and in 2021 we undertook a

things for our kitchen staff. Huge menus

the challenges," he recalls. “We couldn't

forensic analysis of menus and operations

and optional extras mean there’s an hour

get going again until May but still had a

to continue delivering the highest levels of

wait on food because the kitchen staff

phenomenal year. We are anticipating an

service and quality despite the difficulties,"

can’t turn it all around."

extremely busy 2022. Even with restrictions

he explains.

Mark says the business will carry these learnings over into 2022. "For us," he says, "2022 will all be about getting the food from fridge to kitchen to plate in the most efficient way. We are currently working to get the food out in under 20 minutes. We have to remember that our diners are here on holiday and having fun, it’s crucial that they go away with a positive feeling. For the amount of meals that we serve, which is more than 1,000 a day in the Buccaneer alone, plus a further 800 on a Sunday when we do a carvery, we do a pretty amazing job."

Getting all these plans in place now will be crucial to the success of the business in 2022, believes Mark. And the changes don't stop there. “We’ll also be making a number of changes to our menus, including the removal of certain dishes such as loaded fries," he says. "It sounds odd to take something off that sells, but there’s no doubt that it will help to take

Mark on business

pressure off the kitchen."

Additionally,

“Kids Eat Free at Coral Island, that’s a big part of our USP and we give away over 100,000 free meals to kids each year!”

Mark

doesn't

envisage

changing the menus once the season gets into full swing: "We are aiming to have all the menus prepared for the end of March, which is when Blackpool starts to get busy again, and they will stay more or less the same all season. In high season we expect

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 27

27

31/03/2022 13:14:08

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Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 28

31/03/2022 13:14:13

PROFILE l CORAL ISLAND, BLACKPOOL

to be far too busy to offer any new specials.”

Booker’s continued support will certainly play a key role in Mark’s quest for perfection. “Booker is our biggest supplier," he comments. "The vast majority of



our food and drink products come from Booker. We take at least three pallets a day, including all of our frozen chips. We’re on 300 cases a week plus 300 sacks of fresh potatoes for the chip shops.

“I have two CDMs who look after me and are invaluable.

If there’s ever a problem, I know I can ring them and it

1000 meals served a day

gets sorted. That gives you tremendous peace of mind.

RULES OF ATTRACTION CORAL ISLAND

I also buy a lot of fish from Booker for the fish and chip shops. I buy ‘Shatter Packs’ which are frozen at sea and offer great quality." Mark says that fish and chips is probably the best-selling item across the whole site.

Peggy’s snack bar alone sells 18,000 portions a year!

Getting ready for a sizzling summer As one of the UK’s premier holiday destinations, the seaside town of Blackpool benefits from a huge seasonal trade. In fact, 18 million people visited the town in 2019 and thanks to a £1m investment by the local council to “kick-start tourism” post-lockdown, footfall on the seafront during July and August 2021 was more than 60% ahead of pre-pandemic levels.

With views on the VisitBlackpool website currently 1.2m ahead of 2019, catering venues such as Coral Island are anticipating a sizzling summer of sales in 2022.

Coral Island is implementing several initiatives to streamline its operations ahead of the summer season in a bid to offer diners the highest possible levels of service and quality.

Mark’s focus for 2022 will remain fixed on “stabilising the business,” honing it to its streamlined best.

However, plans are afoot for exciting developments in 2023. “Next year the plan is to extend a couple of restaurants,” he concludes.

“We’d like to increase the size of Captain Jack’s threefold. It had a great 2021 but it’s only 60 covers and we want to take it to 180 and run it 12 months of the year. It will be no small feat but we think it will be well worth it.

“Fortunately, I work with a great team and together with them and the support of Booker I’m sure we’ll make a great success of it. It will certainly be a great ride!”

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 29

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31/03/2022 13:14:15

PROFILE l HARRY’S DINER, FILEY

AMERICAN DREAM John Robins and Josh Collins have created their own little corner of America in Filey in North Yorkshire and diners are flocking from miles around.

Move over fish and chips, a new diner is bringing a taste of the States to the seaside town of Filey in North Yorkshire and locals and holidaymakers alike can’t get enough of it. Founded by life-long caterer John Robins and business partner Josh Collins, Harry’s American Diner has transformed a once nondescript section of the main road between Bridlington and Scarborough into a highway to quality American-style fare and an utterly unique dining experience.

John explains: “I’ve been in catering since I left school at 18 and ran pubs for most of that time while my business partner Josh was an area manager for ‘Five Guys’ in the US. We’re passionate about the industry but we’ve always held a similar dream of opening our own place that would offer diners something unexpected, quirky and cool. Finding the right site was always the difficulty.”

THE LOWDOWN

HARRY’S DINER, FILEY, NORTH YORKSHIRE Format American-style diner Owner John Robins Time as catere 25 years Covers 275 Staff: 16 and will hire another 10 for summer Opening hours: 9am-10pm seven days a week

30

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 30

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PROFILE lHARRY’S DINER, FILEY

John on Food

“The food offer is totally American – we do classic American-style breakfasts in the mornings like homemade pancakxes and waffles and we serve burgers, hotdogs and ribs throughout the day and into the evening.”

That difficulty eased unexpectedly one spring day in early 2020 when Josh and his sister stumbled across a large former car garage site. Josh explains: “My sister had a caravan in a nearby park and one day we saw that it was up for let and thought ‘let’s take a look.’

It was a vast hangar-style structure and was a blank canvas for development. Its location on the busy A16 meant it would be a magnet for passing trade as well as for nearby holiday parks. There was also no other catering competition nearby.”

However, with the pandemic prompting the UK’s first national lockdown just days after John and Josh took over the site, the challenge to convert it from hangar to banger was huge. “We took over in March 2020 just before lockdown," laughs Josh. “The upside was that we learned how to build, and we did most of it ourselves."

The decision to turn it into an American-style diner "just felt right", he says: "The site lent itself to the concept perfectly. We knew we wanted the look to be cool and quirky and spent a lot of time sourcing all of the interesting features." The result is truly cameraworthy. Walls adorned with black and white photos of

JOHN'S SPECIAL BOARD Keep it fresh We buy fresh as much as possible to ensure we are selling the best quality dishes we can. All

our burgers are made fresh every single day, for instance.

Classic approach We major on classic American fare but if you are going down the classic road it is got to be top quality to help it stand out from the crowd.

Delivered benefits Our partnership with Just Eat has become a

major driver of our success, especially during traditionally slower months.

American film stars, statues of sporting superstars and

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 31

APRIL 2022

31/03/2022 13:14:18

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Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 32

31/03/2022 13:14:19

PROFILE l HARRY’S DINER, FILEY

SOCIALSELLING SOCIAL SELLING

Harry’s Diner John, Josh and the team at Harry’s have spent hours scouring the country

famous historical figures and even classic

day and evening. It’s a simple menu but

American cars.

everything is high quality and fresh.

“Diners love with the look,” John says.

“Bacon Cheeseburger is by far the most

“They come from miles just to order a

popular thing on our menu. It’s the classics

milkshake and burger and take photos of

that sell all day long although we do

themselves to upload to Instagram and

shake things up with new additions every

Facebook. It sells itself really! We opened

couple of months to add interest. We’ve

as soon as we could after lockdown was

just added a Mexican Burger with loaded

lifted which was literally the best timing

nachos which is popular."

for “quirky” US-inspired decorative

as it was the fourth of July – American

features and touches to give the diner

Independence Day. We didn’t have a vast

All burgers are made fresh on site every

an utterly unique look and feel.

amount of time to prepare a grand opening

day and there’s nothing in them but 100%

The result has created a truly

but even so, the opening day was epic."

British beef, all from Booker. "Everything we sell is from Booker," says Josh. "We

Instagram-worthy space that diners can’t resist.

Since then, Harry's Diner has grown

work closely with the butchers in branch.

Diners come from miles around just to

and grown and the business turns over

They mince our beef up fresh every

order a milkshake and a burger and

upwards of £30,000 a week, and that’s

day and have it ready to collect. We get

spend the rest of it taking photos of

during a quieter time of year.

through at least 20 kilos a day.

to Instagram and Facebook. It sells

“The food offer is totally American," enthuses

“Soft drinks and milkshakes are huge sellers

itself. Social media sites such as

Josh. "We do American-style breakfasts in

and we do upwards of 600 milkshakes a

Instagram and Facebook are playing

the mornings with classics like homemade

day. We do a range of classic flavours such

an increasingly powerful role in raising

pancakes and waffles and then we serve

as vanilla and chocolate, but we also do

the profile of the business and they

burgers, hotdogs and ribs throughout the

‘Harry’s Shakes’ in on-trend Nutella and

themselves in the space to upload

now employ a dedicated person to help manage the businesses social feeds.

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 33

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31/03/2022 13:14:20

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Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 34

31/03/2022 13:14:20

PROFILE l HARRY’S DINER, FILEY

Lotus Biscoff and Oreo flavours. All the ingredients come from Booker.

Josh and the team also make a lot of their own accompaniments on site such as guacamole using ingredients from Booker such as herbs and fresh vegetables but they also buy a lot of the Chef’s Larder sauces too like the Mayonnaise, Mustard and BBQ sauce.

“We are a very seasonal business and benefit from a huge lift in the summer but that’s not to say winter is quiet," Josh adds. "We are doing an increasingly big takeaway trade thanks to new partnerships

“Just Eat has become huge and it’s growing all the time; an exclusive cashback rate at Booker earns up to 7% cashback on almost every purchase, which has been an incredible help, especially during the quieter months.” another 200-plus people and is perfect for big events and functions.

“We had our first taste of that in October when we put on a Halloween event. We built a large spooky maze out of old fences and scrap from recycling centres and themed it all with different zones: a zombie section, a scarecrow area, creepy clowns. It was banging!

“We ticketed the maze and offered everyone who bought tickets 20% off their food bills. We thought we might sell 500 tickets but ended up selling more than

with Just Eat and Deliveroo and we have

“In the summer sales tend to skyrocket.

1,500. It turned a quieter time of the year

parking for 40 cars out the front so people

We currently have 16 members of staff but

into a great month.

can pop in for takeaways.

that will rise to around 30 in the summer.”

"Just Eat has become huge for us. As a

Unsurprisingly, Josh and John are excited

of what we’ve done here at Harry’s Filey.

Just Eat Restaurant Partner, there’s an

about 2022. "We’ve only been open eight

The last two years have been like nothing

exclusive cashback rate at Booker which

months so there’s a lot of firsts to come and

any of us have ever experienced before.

can earn you up to 7% cashback on almost

we’re really looking forward to building up

We’ve pushed ourselves to our limits

every purchase. That scheme alone has

to the summer months and making even

and all of that against the backdrop of

been an incredible help, especially during

more of our outdoor area at the back,"

a global pandemic, but it’s been so, so

the quieter months.

says Josh. "The outdoor area can seat

worth it.”

Josh concludes: “I’m immensely proud

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 35

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31/03/2022 13:14:21

FEATURE l NEW BLACKGATE PORK RANGE

CARVE OUT MORE SALES

EIGHT

NEW BLACKGATE

BRITISH PORK JOINTS

ITY

NEW

ALITY • Q UAL • QU

100%

ITY

ALIT

Y •Q U A L I T Y

AL

U •Q

•Q U

Caterers can enhance their carvery offer and grow sales and profits with a versatile and fantastic quality new range of Blackgate British pork and gammon joints.

•Q U

U •Q

ALIT

Y •Q U A L I T Y

MONEY BACK AL

ITY

ALITY • Q UAL • QU

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BLACKGATE PORK RANGES M272298

Boneless Leg of Pork 3kg

M272297

Boned & Rolled Rind On Pork Shoulder 3kg

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Bone In Rind On Square Cut Pork Belly 3kg

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French Trimmed Pork Rack 3kg

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Pork Tenderloin 2.5kg

M271632

Triple Smoked Half Horseshoe Gammon

There are very few weekly sales opportunities to rival the Sunday

caterers the perfect base for some creative and delicious carvery

carvery, the one time of the week when families and friends gather

menu options to tempt their diners with and grow spend and visit

at their favourite restaurant or pub to tuck into a wholesome, hearty

frequency.

roast dinner together. It has been a great British tradition for as long as anyone can remember – and it’s also the perfect opportunity for

GET CREATIVE

caterers to grow their weekly footfall, sales and profit figures.

The new Blackgate range, like all Blackgate products, is covered by a 100% money-back guarantee, offering caterers complete

With that in mind, and as we leave the coldest season of the year

confidence when ordering the products and planning some

behind and plan for what will hopefully be a warm and profitable

engaging new additions to their carvery menu.

spring and summer, Booker has unveiled an exciting new range of Blackgate British pork and gammon joints.

The all-British range features eight different joints and cuts from tenderloin and pork belly to shoulder and rack, opening up a

The versatile and varied range of eight different joints offers

36

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 36

world of creative opportunity for caterers every Sunday – and

APRIL 2022

31/03/2022 13:14:23

ITY

ALITY • Q UAL • QU

100%

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ALIT

Y •Q U A L I T Y

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FEATURE l NEW BLACKGATE PORK RANGE

PREPARED VEGETABLES

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MONEY BACK

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Peka Roasting Potatoes 6x2kg

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Jack’s Broccoli 10x350g

And, as with the entire Blackgate range, the new pork joints deliver

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M272984

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Carrots 1x10kg

M181639

Large Carrots 1x15kg

M121734

Parsnips 1x5kg

M273686

Jack’s Swede 11x700g

M273134

Jack’s Fine Beans 8x200g

No carvery is complete without all the trimmings like roast spuds

M217378

Mangetout 3x500g

and tasty roasted, steamed or boiled vegetables and Booker offers

M217376

Sugarsnaps 3x500g

throughout the rest of the week for that matter.

The Blackgate Triple Smoked Half Horseshoe Gammon, for example, is a show-stopping joint that looks as fantastic as it tastes, the perfect ‘wow’ centrepiece of a stunning carvery offer.

PERFECT PLATFORM While the new pork joints may be the star of the carvery show, they also serve as the perfect profit-boosting platform to grow sales of a whole host of other products like alcoholic and soft drinks, accompaniments, desserts and coffees.

MARCH 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 37

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31/03/2022 13:14:26

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 38

31/03/2022 13:14:27

FEATURE l NEW BLACKGATE PORK RANGE

POTATOES M103062

Potatoes Washed Maris Piper 1x20kg

M131323

Washed White Potatoes 1x20kg

M103075

Baking Potatoes – 50's 1x15kg

M103063

Baking Potatoes – 40's 1x15kg

M115542

Baby Potatoes 1x10kg

M253325

Boots Farms Washed Chipping Potatoes

M162732

Jumbo Potatoes 25kg

M226122

Value Potatoes 10kg

M263338

Boots Farms Washed White Potatoes 4x5kg

M131294

Sweet Potatoes 6x2kg

1x20kg

DESSERTS a full range of great quality, great value products to ensure that your customers have the ultimate carvery experience.

M273636

Chef’s Larder Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie 15ptn x 4 £13.99

As well as a full range of potatoes and vegetables, Booker offers some

M252785

excellent pre-prepared solutions that can remove a lot of the effort and time required to create the perfect Sunday afternoon occasion.

M267897 M219358

your kitchen team without fear that the end product will be anything

Red Velvet Cheesecake 14ptn x 6 £16.99 Honeycomb Golden Nugget Cheesecake 14ptn x 6 £16.99

Products like the Peka range of prepared roasting potatoes, gratin dauphinois and mashed potatoes can help alleviate the pressure on

Chef’s Larder Premium New York Baked Vanilla Cheesecake 16ptn x 6 £15.99

M231503

Strawberry Cream Cheesecake 14ptn x 6 £16.99

M275343

Salted Caramel Blondie Cheesecake 14ptn x

M231507

Vanilla & Lotus Biscoff Cheesecake 14ptn x 6

With the main course taken care of, what better way to round off a

M271929

Luxury Rock Fall Brownie 15ptn x 6 £16.99

delicious Sunday roast than with an indulgent, luxuriant dessert. You’re

M257877

other than delicious.

STYLISH FINISH

6 £16.99 £16.99

Booker that help grow spend with minimum fuss for your kitchen team.

From Chef’s Larder Chocolate Brownies and the classic Chef’s Larder Premium New York Baked Vanilla Cheesecake to Luxury Rock Fall Brownie and Chef’s Larder Premium 3 layer Choc Fudge Cake, there

Chef’s Larder Premium 3 layer Choc Fudge Cake 14ptns x 6 £12.99

spoilt for choice with an extensive range of eye-catching desserts from M257875

Chef’s Larder Premium The Ultimate Fudge Cake 14ptn x 4 £18.99

M271589

Vegan Choc & Salted Caramel Cake 16ptn x

M275345

Vegan Sicilian Lemon Cake 16ptn x 6 £12.69

6 £12.69

really is something to tempt everyone.

And if you’re looking for something brand new to freshen up your dessert menu, why not give Booker’s new Salted Caramel Blondie Cheesecake a go? It’s as indulgent and delicious as it sounds and, sold at a suggested price of £4.95, it will deliver a cash profit of £3.04 on every slice sold.

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 39

39

31/03/2022 13:14:30

the change iS In

YYour our HAnds

7 c s

✓ of ✓ su to S ✓ in

M203682

M201948

M201903

Did you know our metal coffee tins* are infinitely recyclable?

That means when you buy and recycle Nescafé, you could help us save up to 400 tonnes of packaging from landfill.** It’s just one of the ways we’re improving our coffee from bean to cup. Because every step we take to produce it respectfully, can make a difference globally.

It’s in your hands to choose a respectful coffee.

M R

Let’s make a change together.

One cup at a time.

To find out more go to: www.nestleprofessional.co.uk/ workplace-hub/sustainability

✓

*Lids and foils are also recyclable. **Based on sales figures and resulting packaging from 2021.

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 40

31/03/2022 13:14:39

WHAT GOES INTO A RED ENVIRON UCING OUR MENTAL IMPACT

CING SIBLE SOURCI RESPONSI

IMPROVIN FARMERS’ G LIVELIHOOD S

53% reduction in water withdrawal in our factories

75% of Nescafé coffee was responsibly sourced in 2020 ✓ Traceable to the group of farms where it was grown ✓ Produced in accordance with sustainability standards equivalent to our Responsible Sourcing Standard ✓ Verified or certified by independent third parties 10,000+ women and young farmers empowered

46% reduction in GHG emissions in our factories 20 Nescafé factories using spent coffee grounds as biofuel, saving the equivalent of 5 555’000 55’000 barrels of oil per year

EMPOWERNG ERING ERI COFFEE COMMUNIT UNITIES ITITITES IES

10,000+ farmers benefited from business skills training Strengthened human rights monitoring in Mexico and the Philippines, expanding to new origins

JOIN US ON OUR SUSTAINABILITY TY JOURNEY

MEASURING PROGRESS & REPORTING TRANSPARENTLY ✓ Independent certifications and programs 4C, Rainforest Alliance, others ✓ Impact measurement 13 origins assessed by the Rainforest Alliance

900,000+ farmers trained on best practices 230 agronomists providing hands-on support 235 million coffee plantlets distributed 15 new varieties released Improving farm economics in Mexico, Côte d’Ivoire, Honduras and Vietnam All figures and percentages refer to 2010-2020 period riod unless stated otherwise.

100%

100%

NET ZERO

responsibly sourced coffee by 2025

recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025

helping Nestlé achieve its net zero emissions target by 2050

Towards a regenerative and inclusive coffee sector Our vision is a resilient and regenerative coffee agricultural system that protects and restores forests, drives sustainable livelihoods for farmers, promotes human rights and develops a circular business.

GOOD PEOPLE DESERVE GOOD COFFEE

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 41

31/03/2022 13:15:00

FEATURE l EASTER

Alongside Christmas, Easter is one of the biggest seasonal opportunities to drive footfall, sales and profits as friends and family gather to treat themselves to a great meal and a few drinks. This year Easter Sunday falls on the 17th of April and should be a bumper period with the relaxation of Covid regulations and many

EASTER FEAST

customers keen to resume a normal life.

Easter will be the first big opportunity for a long time for many customers to book a table at their local pub or restaurant and organise a great afternoon or evening out – so it’s a huge opportunity for caterers to make sure that the

SUNDAY 17TH APRIL EASTER SUNDAY

booking comes their way.

This is where social media comes into its own: a little creativity can go a long way in tempting customers to pick up their smartphone and make that booking. You could simply post your Easter menus and

Easter represents one of the biggest seasonal opportunities on the annual calendar for caterers.

highlight any specials or promotions you might be running. Or organise an Easter ‘like and share’ competition, offering a themed prize or a free meal. Those posts could be enough to grow your audience.

GET CREATIVE WITH EASTER DESSERTS!

Of course, not all Easter parties will

A great way to boost profits this Easter is by getting a little creative with your

offering something to tempt the adults

desserts menu. By adding an Easter-themed dessert or two, you could unlock

as well. A free glass of fizz as an aperitif

even more sales and profits

or a complimentary bottle of house wine

•Q U Y •Q U A L I T Y

MONEY BACK ALIT

U •Q

AL

ITY

ALITY • Q UAL • QU

ITY

minimal effort from your kitchen team but a show-stopping Easter-themed

100%

with dinner?

ITY

•Q U

off with Cadbury Mini Eggs and Cadbury Flake pieces. In other words,

ALITY • Q UAL • QU

Y •Q U A L I T Y

New York Cheesecake, all that's required is topping the cheesecake

ITY

ALIT

instance. Based on the best-selling Chef's Larder Premium Luxury Baked

AL

U •Q

Try Booker's new suggested serve, the Easter Egg Cheesecake, for

include children, so it might be worth

treat for your customers.

Best of all, if you offer a slice at the suggested sell price of £4.95, you'll make 65% margin, which is £2.71 in cash profit.

42

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 42

APRIL 2022

31/03/2022 13:15:04

FEATURE l EASTER

GET SOCIAL PRE-LUNCH DRINK For the meal itself, a traditional roast may be the star of the show but there are plenty of other opportunities to grow spend. The pre-lunch drink is a great way of adding sales while also ensuring your customers arrive at their meal hungry and in great spirits. Booker offers a full range of great quality beers, wines and spirits – but with gin still very much the on-trend drink, why not liven up your gin offer with Booker’s new Fever-Tree Sweet Rhubarb & Raspberry Tonic Water? The delicious and attention-grabbing new tonic will bring a fresh twist to a G&T. As for the main course, caterers are spoilt for choice with some great roasting joint options from Booker including eight new Blackgate British pork lines from just £4.29 a kilo, as well

Easter is the perfect occasion to leverage the power of social media.

Why not… l Post your Easter menu on Facebook or Instagram and highlight any Easter specials or deals you are planning? l Post enticing shots of the roasts you will be offering this year to drive footfall? l Consider offering a free glass of fizz for every Easter lunch booked? SUNDAY

17TH APRIL

l Offer free desserts for EASTER SUNDAY children at Easter lunch or dinner? l Organise an Easter egg hunt for kids, if you have the space?

as traditional beef roasting

BUY ANY 3 SPIRITS GET A CASE OF MIXERS

joints like the 5 Bone Rib of Beef, both available at just £7.99 a kilo.

Talking of G&Ts Talking of G&Ts, don’t forget that Booker’s fantastic spirits and mixer promotion is back. Simply buy any three bottles of premium spirits and get a case of 24 Britvic mixers absolutely free – the easy way to boost your margins and make the

NT

ORGANISE AN EASTER EGG HU

most of the aperitif opportunity.

APRIL 2022

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43

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FEATURE l BREAKFAST

START THE DAY THE PROFITABLE WAY With a new season approaching and ever-changing consumer trends, it’s the ideal time to take a fresh look at your breakfast menu.

After the challenges of the last couple of years, the recent lifting of most Covid restrictions and a forthcoming new season will present caterers with a host of exciting new opportunities to grow footfall, sales and profits. Among the biggest opportunities is that vital first meal of the day: breakfast.

A well-planned breakfast menu that meets the evolving needs of your customers will help you get every day off to a profitable start – and Booker has everything you need to do just that.

BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS BACON M147175

Chef's Essentials Unsmoked Rindless Back Bacon 2kg

M147177

Chef's Essentials Smoked Rindless Back Bacon 2kg

M115362

Chef's Larder Unsmoked Rindless Back Bacon 2kg

M115364

Chef's Larder Smoked Rindless Back Bacon 2kg

M061745

Chef's Larder Unsmoked Streaky Bacon 1.5kg

M061748

Chef's Larder Smoked Streaky Bacon 1.5kg

M115366

Chef's Larder Premium Unsmoked Rindless Prime Back Bacon 2kg

M115368

Chef's Larder Premium Smoked Rindless Prime Back Bacon 2kg

44

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APRIL 2022

31/03/2022 13:15:08

FEATURE l BREAKFAST

BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS EGGS

CLASSIC APPROACH Consumer trends are always evolving, of course, with lighter, healthier options arguably

M168774

Chef's Essentials 5 Dozen Mixed Weight Fresh Eggs 60pk

M168775

Chef's Larder 15 Dozen Large Fresh Eggs 180s

more popular now than ever and the growth

M273856

Chef's Larder 15 Dozen Medium Fresh Eggs 180s

of vegetarianism and veganism also having an

M168770

Chef's Larder 5 Dozen Large Fresh Eggs 60s

impact on the types of breakfast products that

M168769

Chef's Larder 5 Dozen Medium Free Range Eggs 60s

your customers are looking for, but a sure-fire

M273849

Chef's Larder 5 Dozen Medium Fresh Eggs 60s

way of ensuring great sales at breakfast time

M213923

Farm Fresh 10 Big Eggs 660g 10pk

is by offering a solid selection of traditional

M213924

Farm Fresh 6 Large Free Range Eggs 6pk

classics.

M213956

Fresh Farm 6 Medium Free Range Eggs 6pk

M156542

Chefs Brigade Liquid Egg Yolk 1kg

M156544

Chefs Brigade Liquid Whole Egg 1kg

M156546

Chefs Brigade Liquid Egg White 1kg

No breakfast menu is complete without bacon, eggs and sausages – whether they’re offered in traditional Full English Breakfast format or whether they’re offered in baps or on toast.

Booker offers an extensive range of fantastic quality, great value products.

The Chef’s Larder bacon range has something to suit every taste and delivers outstanding profit margins every time. When it comes to that other great British staple – sausages – Booker offers a comprehensive range of fresh and frozen bangers including seven Blackgate fresh options and nine frozen option including Chef’s Larder and Chef’s Essentials own brand products, helping maximise convenience and eliminate waste.

When it comes to eggs, caterers again have a great selection of fresh eggs in all sizes and including free range, as well as convenient options like Chef’s Brigade liquid egg yolk, liquid whole egg and liquid egg white.

APRIL 2022

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45

31/03/2022 13:15:09

CREATE THE MOST POPULAR ICED DRINK ON YOUR MENU THIS SUMMER* Millionaire’s Shortbread Iced Shake Kcal: 130 per 100g (650 kcal for 500g milkshake) Cost: £0.78 per serving**

100g Ice 250ml Semi Skimmed Milk 40ml Crusha Chocolate 40g of caramel sauce for drizzling (25g used for the glass) 30g Biscuit Optional Toppings: Cream, Chocolate/Caramel Sauce, Millionaires shortbread, chocolate shavings 1. Biltz all ingredients together in a high-speed blender until ice has broken down and milkshake is smooth and creamy.

2. Drizzle caramel sauce around the sides of the glass before pouring in the milkshake.

3. Add toppings if desired.

* Allegra Cakes, Shakes & Tea breaks UK report 2021. * At current time of production. December 2021.

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 46

M014433

Crusha Chocolate Milkshake

1 x 1ltr

M014385

Crusha Banana Milkshake Mix

1 x 1ltr

31/03/2022 13:15:10

FEATURE l BREAKFAST

LIGHTER OPTIONS As mentioned above, there will also be a number of your customers looking for lighter, healthier options, whether that’s porridge, cereal or continental bakery products like bagels, brioche and pain au chocolat. You can find a fantastic selection of products at www.booker.co.uk that will help you freshen up your breakfast menu and cater to customers looking for something different.

One great option to consider is the new St Pierre Brioche Brioche Bagel, a great quality product that serves as the perfect platform to develop exciting new menu items both savoury and sweet.

A little creativity can go a long in bringing products like brioche loaf and porridge to life and you’ll find some great serving suggestions on these pages.

BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS MEAT FREE M273654

Naked without the Oink Bacon NEW 10 Slices

M271438

Taste & Glory Vegan Sausages 48s 1.92kg

VEGAN FOCUS One huge trend of the last few years has been the rise and rise of veganism and it makes sense to ensure that you have some vegan options available to help drive footfall and sales.

To help caterers target this growing market, Booker has continually grown its range of vegan options. A couple of good examples are the new Naked Without The Oink Bacon and the Taste & Glory Vegan Sausages. Both make fantastic alternatives in a Vegetarian Breakfast.

There is no shortage of options to freshen up your breakfast menu and drive new customers to your door and with summer on the horizon, it’s a great time to start planning.

BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS BAKERY FRESH M234118

Chef's Larder Belgian Style Waffles 90g/20s

M224648

Les Brioches Croissants 6s

M275593

St Pierre Brioche Bagel NEW 4s

M199867

St Pierre Belgian Waffle 90g 90g/10s

M263043

St Pierre Brioche Waffle 50g 50g/12s

FROZEN – PART BAKED M131989

Les Brioches 6 Pains au Chocolat 270g 6s

M268989

St Pierre Brioche Loaf 500g

M077968

St Pierre Vanilla Brioche Tear & Share 500g

M235632

Les Brioches Brioche Rolls with Chocolate Chips 6pk

M080764

Bridor Butter Croissant (1.8kg) 30x60g

ALPRO FOR PROFESSIONALS UHT

M159133

Bridor Viennoiserie Mix (30 x Pain Aux Raisins 35g, 30 x Pain Au Chocolat 32g, 30 x Croissant 30g)

CHEF'S LARDER OATS

PROFIT: 61%

M105324 2kgÞ

CASH PROFIT: £1.52

M080763

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 47

Bridor Pain au Chocolat 20x75g

FOREST FRUITS PORRIDGE

M184109 1LTR

SELL PRICE: £2.95 COST PER SERVING: £0.94

47

31/03/2022 13:15:17

SERVICE l MEET THE TEAM

SAY HELLO TO...

ALAN BRETT-PITT HOW DID YOU FIRST ENTER THE CATERING TRADE? As a youngster I wanted to be a professional footballer but that didn’t work out! I was eventually convinced to consider a role in sales when an opportunity for a trainee salesman came up and that’s how my journey in the catering trade began. Within five years I joined Booker – that was 25 years ago and I’ve never looked back! The meat industry is a passion for me. No other industry faces so many daily changes and challenges. No two days are the same, there’s always something new and different happening. I enjoy everything about it: the daily challenges, the changing trends and especially the people. The people in this trade are genuine, hard-working and so passionate.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

a real double-whammy of challenges and had a huge impact

There’s no such thing as a typical day! However, most days do

on the labour force globally. Trying to maintain availability has

tend to start out the same way with a daily 8.15am call with my

become a great hurdle but it’s one we successfully manage with

supply chain colleagues for a briefing. Meat is a short-life product

an unrelenting focus and fast, efficient action.

so it rolls every day. A whole host of things can impact on the

Y •Q U A L I T Y

100%

ITY

MONEY BACK ALIT

U •Q

•Q U

ALITY • Q UAL • QU

ITY

and traceability are so important for our

ALITY • Q UAL • QU

Y •Q U A L I T Y

Availability, availability, availability! Covid-19 and Brexit delivered

it does what it says on the tin. Provenance

ITY

ALIT

paramount. Whatever we sell at Booker:

AL

U •Q

At Booker the safety of our customers is

WHAT IS THE MAIN FOCUS OF ACTIVITY FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM AT THE MOMENT?

•Q U

TELL US ABOUT BOOKER’S PROVENANCE CREDENTIALS?

ITY

the rest of my day, so no two days are ever the same.

AL

supply chain. That first early morning call will quite often shape

ABOUTALAN BOOKER MEAT CATEGORY MANAGER

Alan Brett-Pitt started out in his young adult life dreaming of being a professional footballer, as so many people do. Unfortunately, that plan didn’t quite take off but after 30 years in the catering trade, the last 25 of which have been spent working for Booker, he’s certainly scored his fair share of goals and continues to win big with customers. He has worked his way up through the business over that quarter of a century and is now Meat Category Manager for Booker and uses his long experience to help and support his customers make the most of meat to drive footfall, sales and profits.

48

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APRIL 2022

31/03/2022 13:15:17

SERVICE l MEET THE TEAM

The premiumisation of traditionally cheaper cuts of meat is definitely one I expect to see growing in 2022. customers and if you shop with Booker you can be confident that if you want Aberdeen Angus that is precisely what you will be sold. Equally, if you are looking for imported products for specific dishes, that is what you will be sold too. We deliver what we say and that is really, really important to us and our customers.

BOOKER’S RANGE INCLUDES OPTIONS TO SUIT ALL BUSINESS TYPES AND BUDGETS, DOESN’T IT? We operate on a ‘good, better, best’ policy but even from our entry level products we have the best out there. Our good quality entry level range is Chefs Essential, then we have Chefs Larder in the better category and at the top end we have the best: Chefs Larder Premium and Blackgate Signature. We are so confident on our quality even on our entry level products that we offer a ‘100% Money Back Guarantee.’ I think that highlights the confidence we have in our offer.

HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THOSE VERY HIGH STANDARDS? We have a great team that supports us and more importantly we have great relationships with suppliers who we have worked with for many years, who know our KPIs and what we expect. It’s our brand, our product, our name: that’s what we pay for and that’s what we expect to receive.

BOOKER’S MEAT INDUSTRY EXPERTISE IS SECOND TO NONE. TELL US ABOUT THAT. Booker is the largest catering butcher in the UK. We employ around 400 butchers and we have the largest number of Master Butchers in the UK also working for us. All Booker butchers are also qualified to Craft Butcher Standard. We have won countless awards for our training programmes, and we regularly put anywhere between 60 and 80 branch staff through our apprenticeship programme. Everything we do is also endorsed by the Company of Butchers and fully accredited. Customers will find the same high standard of qualified skilled butchers in all branches, and they can get expert advice from them on cuts, menu

WHAT’S ALAN HEARING...

AMERICAN STYLE CUTS AND PREMIUMISATION We are seeing a growing amount of American-style smoke houses coming up so there is a groundswell of interest in cuts that traditionally would have been more used for braising such as brisket and things like that.

That premiumisation of traditionally cheaper cuts of meat is definitely becoming an increasingly strong trend and one I expect to see growing in 2022.

When it comes to meat, don’t penny pinch, especially with products such as steak.

Booker has a good, better, best proposition to suit all business types and budgets from our good-quality entrylevel range Chefs Essential, to Chefs Larder, Chefs Larder Premium and BlackGate.

Our branch butchers are all qualified to Craft Butcher Standard and have a wealth of knowledge about products, trends and recipes – talk to them to help drive positive changes in your business.

ideas and money-saving suggestions. I’m incredibly proud of that.

APRIL 2022

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PRICING l PRICES LOCKED DOWN

OVER 250 Booker is giving caterers the confidence they need when planning their menus by locking down the pricing of more than 250 key products.

PRICES

LOCKED

ON MORE THAN 250 PRODUCTS

PRICES LOCKED UNTIL

31ST MAY 2022

Planning ahead in the current market is a challenge for all caterers with a lack of clarity on so many

To access the full list of price locked products, scan the QR code with your smartphone or tablet.

fronts, but Booker is adding some much-needed certainty with a new pricing guarantee that sees prices locked down on over 250 key lines all the way through until the 31st of May. The pricing lockdown lets caterers plan their menus for the coming months with absolute certainty, safe in the knowledge that their profit margins are protected.

The guarantees cover a wide range of product categories and the locked down prices include many of the most popular and fastest moving lines in catering, including everything from cooking oil, chips, roasting beef and burgers to Peroni beer, Gordon’s Gin, Smirnoff Vodka and classic Red Bull 250ml cans.

There’s more great news too, with the return of Booker’s immensely popular promotion offering a free case of 24 Britvic mixers with any purchase of three bottles of premium gin.

Booker’s hugely popular promotion offering a free case of 24 Britvic mixers with any purchase of three bottles of premium gin is back!

The deal runs across an extensive range of top quality, popular premium gins such as Hendrick’s, Beefeater, Whitley Neill, Brockmans and Tanqueray.

GET

24

BRITVIC MIXERS

FREE

50

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 50

It also includes the fantastic value new Alfred Button London Gin which carries a standard RSP of £11.99 but nets out at just £8.49 a bottle with the free mixer deal. The free case of 24 x 200ml mixers is worth up to £11.79 at WSP and includes the most popular Britvic mixers such as Indian Tonic Water, Indian Tonic Water Low Calorie, Soda Water, Ginger Beer and Spicy Ginger Ale.

APRIL 2022

31/03/2022 13:15:18

PRICING l PRICES LOCKED DOWN

PRICES LOCKED IN EXTENDED AGAIN!!

CHIPS STILL ONLY £9.99 CHEF’S LARDER PREMIUM SUPER CRISP SKIN ON GOURMET FRIES 4X2.5KG M248235

ST PIERRE BRIOCHE BUN 7X6S M205315

£12.39/ CASE PERONI 24X330ML

CHEF’S LARDER PREMIUM SUPER CRISP SKIN ON GOURMET FRIES 4X2.5KG

CHEF’S LARDER PREMIUM GOURMET BURGERS 30X170G M195771

BLACKGATE ROASTING BEEF M203218

£7.99/KILO

£18.99

M248235

SMIRNOFF/ GORDON’S GIN MORGAN’S SPICED 70CL M466599/M627850/ M975813

£10.95

KOPPARBERG 15X500ML 15X500ML M108081/M083358/ M176178/M268777

£19.99

RED BULL 24X250ML M968313

£19.39 2 FOR £36

M606053

£20.99

APRIL 2022

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51

31/03/2022 13:15:19

FEATURE l AWARD-WINNING OWN BRAND

EVERY ONE’S A WINNER!

With value more important than ever to both caterers and their customers, Booker’s extensive own brand range offers both outstanding value and fantastic quality – and many lines have independent industry awards to prove it.

In the current uncertain economic

The Booker own brand range covers the

Competing against products from

climate, it’s no surprise that value is more

majority of key product categories and

across the entire industry and judged

important than ever to both caterers and

offers caterers high quality, better value

by experienced and objective panels

their customers.

alternatives when preparing their menus.

of industry experts, a rapidly growing number of Booker’s own brand products

Booker’s extensive own brand range

The outstanding quality of Booker’s own

delivers everything that caterers need

brand products has been recognised time

to create fantastic quality meals while

and again in independent industry awards

To give you a flavour of some of those

also keeping their costs under control,

and the long list of industry accolades

triumphs, here are just a few of the products

allowing them to maximise profits.

amassed by the range is testament to this.

that have claims awards for quality and value.

have triumphed and come out on top.

SEE THE FULL RANGE OF OWN BRAND PRODUCTS AT WWW.BOOKER.CO.UK

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FEATURE l AWARD-WINNING OWN BRAND

CRUNCH EXTRA MATURE CHEDDAR 1KG M239286 l

Expertly graded

l

Matured for 18 Months

l

From Taw Valley Creamery

l

Strength 7 - Extra Mature

CHEF’S LARDER PREMIUM SOURDOUGH PIZZA PUCKS 44X250G M267337 l

Ideal for a 12” thin and crispy pizza base

l

Made using an enriched sourdough recipe to give depth of flavour

l

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, halal

CHEF’S LARDER BELGIAN STYLE WAFFLES 20 X 90G (1.8KG) M234118 l

Individually wrapped

l

Ideal for desserts, breakfast and snacks

l

Made with real butter and pearl sugar

CHEF’S LARDER PREMIUM SUPER SKINNY GOURMET JULIENNE FRIES 2.5KG M263668

BLACKGATE SIGNATURE 18 PREMIUM PORK & THREE CHILLI SAUSAGES 1.2KG M248756 l

Made from prime cuts of pork shoulder

l

Suitable for coeliacs and gluten free

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 53

l

Ready to cook Grade A, 7mm straight cut potato fries in batter

l

Freeze/Chill

l

Extra crispy coating retains heat for longer

l

Pre-seasoned for great flavour

l

Made with sunflower oil

l

UK Salt Target Compliant

l

No artificial colours

l

Gluten free, suitable for vegetarians, vegans, coeliacs

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SERVICE l HOME DELIVERY

DELIVERING GROWTH Home delivery can be a fantastic way to grow sales and reach a wider audience. Catering@ Booker takes a closer look at what’s involved.

There’s little doubt the last couple of years have had a dramatic effect on the way your customers view home delivery.

Many customers are now used to picking up their smartphone and ordering much of the food and drink they buy every week from one source or another.

What this means is that many of your customers are now more comfortable than ever with home delivery and there is a ready-made audience out there for caterers interested in dipping their toe in the home delivery waters for the first time.

And if you already do home delivery, now could be a great time to examine how you could ramp your operation up to help you grow sales and profits.

But where do caterers start? Booker

The next step is to make sure you understand

SIZE OF THE PRIZE

Sales Director Darren Bown says:

the commercials of home delivery.“Home

The size of the home delivery market for

“The first step is to realise that help

delivery can be a hugely powerful way

food and drink is enormous. Statista, the

is already at hand. Booker already

of growing your business, but it can be

global business data platform, suggests

offers everything you need to get your

complex and caterers should ensure they

that the online food delivery market in the

business ready for home delivery. From

understand the commercials inside out.”

UK will reach over £13bn in 2022, almost

food and drink to consumables like

double the £7bn of 2020. More than

takeaway containers and packaging,

LOCATION, LOCATION

half of that is accounted for by catering

Booker already stocks literally

One of the most important factors is

businesses.

everything you need.”

location, as Darren highlights: “In urban

54

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 54

APRIL 2022

31/03/2022 13:15:32

SERVICE l HOME DELIVERY

areas, caterers will have

of drivers and vehicles, routing,

easier access to drivers and a

managing the order process and

bigger population of potential

more. Darren says: “Doing deliveries

customers for their home

can obviously add cost to your

delivery services. The opposite

business but if you do it well, the

tends to be true in rural areas.

extra business you generate will

That doesn’t mean it can’t work

more than cover those costs.”

in rural areas, but it can make it more challenging.”

Alternatively, you could use one of the third-party ‘aggregators’ like

THREE OPTIONS

Just Eat. They will provide you with

There are three main options

all the tools you need to get online

available to caterers considering

with minimum fuss – but it comes at

home delivery:

a cost of up to 35-40% commission on every order and delivery.

DO IT YOURSELF Recruit your own drivers

Booker has an existing relationship

and take care of the

with Just Eat and caterers who

management of deliveries

sell on Just Eat gain benefit

yourself.

from savings from Booker in key categories like chips, protein, packaging and soft drinks.of

CASE STUDY:

ELITE CATERING, GLASGOW

USE A 3RD PARTY

benefits including savings from

Work with a delivery

Booker in key categories like chips,

Glasgow-based Alan Olone’s Elite Catering

specialist like Stuart or tap

chicken, packaging and soft drinks.

business operates two main brands, Macarico

into your local gig ecomony

and Bistecca, across three sites in and

for people already offering

ORDERING SYSTEM

around the city offering both dining-in and

this service.

The next step is to organise your

takeaway options. The business prides itself

ordering system. If you go with an

on delivering “restaurant-quality food in a

aggregator, they have their own

takeaway format.” Increasingly, this involves

ordering systems which are easy

delivering right to the customer’s door.

USE A THIRD PARTY AGGREGATOR LIKE JUST EAT.

to set up and implement. If you choose to do it yourself, one of the

Up to 80% of sales are accounted for

easiest ways is by using one of the

by takeaway food. “Home delivery is

There are pluses and negatives

many ready-built plug-and-play

increasingly important for us,” explains

to each option and it’s one of the

apps that are available for popular

Alan. “We pride ourselves on the speed and

biggest decisions that caterers will

social media sites like Facebook.

quality of our own home delivery service.

Our delivery service is fully controlled, we

need to take.Organising delivery yourself offers a number of obvious

The apps allow you to set up an

have our own methods, our own routes and

benefits, says Darren. You have

online ordering portal and start

we use all our own drivers.

full control over the process, you

taking online orders very quickly

manage interactions with the

indeed with a minimum of fuss

Location is key, says Alan. “Our Glasgow

customer and you have greater

Simply populate the app with your

Macarico is perfect. The motorway slip-road

control over the cost-side.

menu and prices, set a delivery area

is literally right behind the shop. It means

perimeter and you’re ready to go -

that we can get to areas that are five miles

It does, however, add considerable

and then it’s time to start shouting

away in just five minutes. We deliver to 14

workload having to manage a fleet

about your new delivery service.

different postcodes and we are mobbed!”

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 55

55

31/03/2022 13:15:33

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Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 56

31/03/2022 13:15:35

FEATURE l COFFEE

BREWING BIGGER PROFITS Coffee is one of the biggest profit drivers in hospitality so having your coffee offer on point and on trend is a great way to grow your business. in context, that’s even higher than the number of people who regularly consume soft drinks (58%).

Given the massive growth of coffee over the last decade or so, that finding perhaps shouldn’t come as much of a surprise – and it certainly highlights the enormous footfall, sales and profit opportunity that exists for caterers with a strong coffee offer.

“Coffee simply is one of the biggest contributors to your bottom line,” says Tim Sturk of Cherry Coffee Training, a renowned and award-winning coffee trainer and the man responsible for training Booker CDMs in the fine art of making delicious and profitable coffee.

The UK, as we all know, is a nation of tea lovers – so it may

Take the example of, for instance, a case of Lichfields Italian

surprise you to learn that, according to the latest research from

Espresso Beans. It costs just £56.99 and it will make around 450

global insight specialists Statista, coffee is now neck and neck

cups of fantastic quality coffee. When you’ve sold those 450 cups

with tea as the UK’s most frequently consumed beverage. The

at £2.50 each, you’ve made a gross profit of £1,000!

large-scale survey, which ran between June 2020 and July 2021,

“The potential to grow profits solely from coffee is enormous,”

found that 63% of people regularly consume coffee, exactly the

continues Tim, “and really that outcome depends on one factor:

same percentage as say they regularly consume tea. To put that

quality in the cup. It’s often overlooked how simple it is to make a

THE

PILLARS OF GREAT COFFEE

1. FRESH PRODUCTS Grind fresh. If storing, keep it sealed, airtight, cool and never refrigerate.

2. CLEAN MACHINERY Clean coffee kit and machines gives better-tasting coffee.

3. GREAT MILK Over 80% of UK coffee-based beverages contain milk, therefore, great milk simply needs to be well textured, ready to drink and under 70 degrees centigrade.

4. GREAT SERVICE Coffee made well... by people, for people.

APRIL 2022

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FEATURE l COFFEE

Coffee Beans LICHFIELDS ITALIAN ESPRESSO BEANS M132756 1kg M212519 8x1kg Arabica/Robusta Strength: Medium/Strong 4 Full of character and complexity, a typical continental style coffee. £7.49 single / £56.99 case LICHFIELDS GOURMET ESPRESSO BEANS M132754 1kg M212518 8x1kg 100% Arabica Strength: Strong 5 Rich and intense with dark chocolate and spicy notes. £11.99 single / £87.99 case

HELPING US HELP YOU… To help the team at Booker offer you

“We highlight how tea has a much wider

the best possible support and advice

‘operation window’. A badly made tea

when it comes to driving footfall, sales

doesn’t necessarily taste unpleasant –

and profits in your business through a

but a badly made coffee does. And the

great coffee offer, all Booker CDMs have

more we roast coffee, the smaller that

Ground Coffee

gone through professional coffee training

operation window becomes.

LICHFIELDS FAIRTRADE ORIGINAL GROUND COFFEE M196440 1kg M212532 8x1kg Medium roast coffee, smooth and well-rounded with a fine balanced flavour. Perfect for drinking any time of the day. £7.99 single / £58.99 case

The courses were run by Tim Sturk of

that espresso is only 30mls in volume

Cherry Coffee Training, a renowned and

and customers might pay £2 for one.

award-winning coffee trainer, consultant

If they were filling a 750 ml bottle of

and a World Barista Championship judge.

wine with espresso it would cost £50

Filter Coffee LICHFIELDS FAIRTRADE ORIGINAL FILTER COFFEE M132729 20x65g Medium roast coffee, smooth and well-rounded with a fine balanced flavour. Perfect for drinking any time of the day. £15.99

58

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 58

courses.

“I always say that you should remember

a bottle! So, if they were paying £50 Tim explains: “We have delivered training

for a single bottle of wine, they would

sessions to over 125 Booker CDMs that

expect world class quality. That is what

gives them great insight into all aspects

customers are paying for every time they

of the world of coffee and helps them

buy an espresso. The question is, are they

help you make more of one of the most

getting it?”

popular beverages on earth.

“We cover an array of topics from identifying what makes coffee good (and what makes it bad), and what role we all play in coffee… and yes, we all do play a role! We also covered the four pillars of great coffee: fresh products, clean machinery, great milk and awesome customer service.

APRIL 2022

31/03/2022 13:15:38

FEATURE l COFFEE

MAKE £,1000 GROSS PROFIT* From one case of Lichfields Italian Espresso Beans 8x1kg at £56.99

TOP 5 COFFEE TIPS Award-winning coffee trainer,

Makes at least 450 cups (16g dose) to sell at £2.50 a cup

consultant and World Barista

*Costings are for illustrations purposes and accounts for waste and addition of milk.

Ask your local sales contact for further information about profit opportunity.

business:

Championship Judge Tim Sturk offers the following five tips for leveraging the power of coffee to grow your

1 Teach everyone who handles coffee in your business how to taste coffee. Even if they don’t like it, they should be able to tell a wellmade cup from one that is not.

2 Teach the same people what causes

great tasting cup of coffee – but it’s just as easy to make a poor tasting cup that will never encourage a second visit.”

those bad tastes and how to correct them.

3 Empower your staff to intelligently

Coffee should be treated in exactly the same way as food, urges Tim: “We know that a skilled, well-trained, passionate chef can make their ingredients sing! And exactly the same thing is true of a well-trained, passionate barista.”

So what exactly makes a great cup of coffee? For Tim, it comes down to just four pillars: fresh products, clean machinery, great milk and awesome customer service.

The importance of fantastic quality fresh products cannot be over-stated he says,

serve great quality coffee. A wellmade, delicious coffee should not be an accident, it should be intended.

4 Be relentless about quality. It pays dividends – literally.

5 Look after your staff and they will

recommending an Italian Espresso coffee like Lichfield’s as the perfect choice for

look after your business. Develop an

catering establishments.

in-house culture of coffee education and development.

“It’s a blend of 75% Arabica and 25% Robusta, it delivers a full bodied, intense coffee flavour with a rich creamy body and syrupy mouthfeel,” he enthuses. “It has flavours of sweet caramelised sugars, dark and milk chocolate with a very subtle hint of orange followed in the aftertaste by honeycomb sweetness.”

Follow these four pillars and you are well on your way to increased customer satisfaction and increased profits. And it’s worth reiterating just how important a profit-driver coffee

Ask your local sales contact for more information.

is. How many other £56.99 investments deliver £1,000 of GP for your business?

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 59

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HAND-CRAFTED ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT

FREE•YOUR•SPIRIT I S L E O F WI G H T D I S T I L L E R Y.CO M | @ M E R M A I D G I N M241503 | M241504

Mermaid Gin Poster_Booker_210x280mm_AW.indd 1 Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 60

25/10/2021 11:47 31/03/2022 13:15:41

RANGE REVIEW l @DESSERTS

MAKE MORE WITH DESSERTS

NEW

With a new season and a host of celebratory occasions on the horizon, it’s a great time to freshen up your desserts offer with some brand new products and some fantastic new serving ideas.

As excitement builds for the new season that lies ahead and the

Also new from Booker is a luxuriant Salted Caramel Blondie

many new opportunities it brings, it’s the perfect time to freshen

Cheesecake, the perfect way to round off a fantastic meal.

up your desserts offer. With some huge celebratory occasions like Easter and Mother’s Day on the horizon, giving your desserts

The new line offers margins of 73% when sold at the suggested

menu a new lease of life by adding some brand new products

sell price of £4.95 which should make it as popular with caterers

or getting creative with some existing products could be a great

as it is with diners.

way to grow footfall, sales and profits.

Additionally, caterers can get as creative as they like with these To help you do just, Booker has unveiled some mouth-watering

new desserts, further enhancing the look and taste of the

new desserts and some creative new serving suggestions to make

products. Why not top them with some desserts sauces or add

sure that you squeeze every penny of profit out of every meal.

a few berries to make them even more tasty, and even more Instagram-friendly?

ALL NEW With veganism continuing to be an important trend in catering, Booker has launched an exciting new vegan Sicilian Lemon Cake that not only looks fantastic and tastes delicious, it also delivers

NEW

NEW

profit margins in excess of 70% when offered to diners at a suggested sell price of £4.95.

According to Kantar, the UK plant-based food category is now worth in excess of £1.2bn a year, so this new vegan dessert allows you to add a great quality, great value vegan option to your menu and appeal to a wider audience of diners.

APRIL 2022

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STOCK UP FOR LAUNCH REVIEW l XXX

Spring Cleaning XXXX xxx

SPECIALIST

xxxx

MENU IDEA BEETROOT & BUTTERNUT SQUASH LATTICE WELLINGTON

xxxx

M272166

WITH PEKA ROASTED POTATOES M248162Þ

SELL PRICE: £7.99

EFFICIENT CLOTHS & SCOURERS TO CATER PROFIT: 70% FOR ALL BUSINESS CLEANING NEEDS CASH PROFIT: £4.97 COST PER SERVING: £2.13

10 MICROFIBRE CLOTHS M173033 • 6 GENERAL PURPOSE SPONGE SCOURERS M173015 • 6 NON SCRATCH SPONGE SCOURERS M173019 • 10 SPONGE CLOTHS M173012 • 10 HEAVY DUTY SCOURING PADS M172988 APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 62

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NEW PRODUCTS l @BOOKER

FIVE WAYS…

that can be used as the base for a wide

Of course, adding excitement to your

array of delicious desserts. What’s more,

desserts menu needn’t always mean

with a little creativity you can even create

adding new lines. A great way of refreshing

occasion-specific desserts. A Smartie

the menu is by getting a little more

cheesecake for family occasions, for

creative with products you already buy.

instance. Or an Easter Egg Cheesecake

THE BASE

that will really bring Easter to life.

The Chef’s Larder Premium Luxury Baked New York Cheesecake is the perfect

To offer you some inspiration that might

platform to help you and your team

help fire the creativity of you and your

unleash their creativity. A top-selling

team, here are five serving suggestions

product that delivers outstanding quality

based on the Chef’s Larder Premium

and value, it’s also a very versatile product

Luxury Baked New York Cheesecake.

ONE PRODUCT...FIVE IDEAS

Chef’s Larder Premium Luxury Baked New York Cheesecake M252785 16ptn

Summer Fruits Cheesecake

SELL PRICE: £4.95

M255066 Chef’s Larder Summer Fruits 1kg

COST PER SERVING: £1.25 % PROFIT: 72%

Smartie cheesecake

SELL PRICE: £4.95

M252785 Chef’s Larder Premium NY Baked Vanilla Cheesecake 16ptn

COST PER SERVING: £1.42

M273352 Nestle Smarties Mini Mix-In 500g

Kitkat cheesecake

SELL PRICE: £4.95

M252785 Chef’s Larder Premium NY Baked Vanilla Cheesecake 16ptn

COST PER SERVING: £1.36

M273337 KitKat Mix-In 400g M273002 KitKat Mix-In 3kg

SELL PRICE: £4.95

M252785 Chef’s Larder Premium NY Baked Vanilla Cheesecake 16ptn

COST PER SERVING: £1.40

M940140 Chef’s Larder Hazelnut Chocolate Spread 30x43g

% PROFIT: 66%

Easter Egg cheesecake

SELL PRICE: £4.95

M252785 Chef’s Larder Premium NY Baked Vanilla Cheesecake 16ptn

COST PER SERVING: £1.42

M254825 Cadbury Mini Egg Bag 80g M254825 Cadbury Mini Egg Bag 80g

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 63

% PROFIT: 67%

Kinder Bueno cheesecake M940140 Kinder Bueno 30x43g

APRIL 2022

% PROFIT: 65%

% PROFIT: 65%

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31/03/2022 13:15:47

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 64

31/03/2022 13:15:47

GUEST COLUMN l COFFEE

COFFEE CONSULTANT AND LEADING COFFEE TRAINER TIM STURK HIGHLIGHTS THE VITAL ROLE THAT GREAT QUALITY COFFEE PLAYS IN TODAY'S CATERING ENVIRONMENT.

WHAT’S IN YOUR CUP?

Coffee is a huge contributor to your business's bottom line with enormous potential to grow footfall, sales and profits. practices. That statement alone should resonate with many operators. A decent chef knows when they have got it wrong and will not serve a dodgy dish to a customer. A decent barista also knows when the coffee is not right and will most likely not serve it and remake it. The alternative is the barista who knowingly serves a poor-quality coffee because either he is ‘too busy’, doesn’t know how to fix it or is being pressured by his line manager/boss to just ‘get the coffees out’.

Put simply, coffee is one of the biggest contributors to your

There are two types of baristas (or employees for that matter):

bottom line! The potential to grow profits solely from coffee is

the ‘don’t knows’ and the ‘don’t cares’. The ‘don’t knows’ can

enormous – but realising that potential really depends on just

be taught, the ‘don’t cares’… well it is your business, you will

one factor: quality in the cup. That may sound like an old story

have to decide who you want to employ. Any business hoping to

but it is amazing just how often it is overlooked, and how simple

maximise its potential is spending the time, energy and money

it is to make a great-tasting cup of coffee. Conversely, it is just

on their food service to ensure it is the best that it can be. I

as easy to make a poor tasting cup that will never encourage a

appreciate that there will always be variable levels of quality

second visit.

based on cost/price of menu, but really, this is the difference between fast food and Michelin-starred food. However, both

Let’s get one thing straight: coffee is food. I saw an ad this morning

levels of service start with the exact same health, safety and

claiming that ‘barista quality’ coffee was coming to UK drive-thru

hygiene standards – those are non-negotiable.

outlets. What exactly is ‘barista quality’? This is marketing speak/ spin trying to confuse consumers and capitalise on their fascination

What varies as you climb the ladder will be quality of ingredients,

with all things barista.

decor of the premises, quality and levels of staff training, long term business vision vs short term business vision. Short term

Anyone who makes coffee can be called a barista because it

vision (taking money) focuses on cramming the till full of money

is actually the Italian word for bartender! There is no training

today, without any forethought to tomorrow. Long term (making

required to be a barista. Just as there is no training required

money) vision focuses on what the business will look like in one,

to be called a chef. We do not talk of food being ‘chef quality’

two or five years down the road.

because consumers would laugh at us. But it seems with coffee, consumers are often happy to be led down the most popular

What kind of business are you?

path towards the biggest voices.

What we do know is that a skilled, well-trained, passionate barista

Tim Sturk is Director of Coffee Education

– or chef – can make their ingredients sing!

at Cherry Coffee Training and is an official trainer working regularly with Booker's

I reiterate, coffee is food, and it should be handled with care and

team. Tim is an industry leader in coffee

attention, with an eye towards proper health, safety and hygiene

training, development and education.

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 65

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Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 66

31/03/2022 13:15:49

YOUR SHOUT

YOURSHOUT BE A PART OF BOOKER’S GROWING COMMUNITY OF CATERERS AND HAVE YOUR SAY

SEASONAL OPPORTUNITIES With a host of major seasonal opportunities on the horizon, how do you suggest caterers go about maximising the opportunity now that lockdown restrictions are being removed?

Omur Yoldas, Joy Bar, Eastbourne

Simon King, Sales Director – Catering, said: "Seasonal

CALORIE LABELLING ON THE CARDS I am aware that new legislation is due to come into force over the next few months requiring caterers to highlight the amount of calories that are in everything that's on their menu. Can you advise on what this will mean for caterers and how we get ready for the change in good time?

William Sloan, The Number 10 Hotel, Glasgow

occasions like Easter are great

Simon King, Sales Director – Catering, said: "From the 6th of April this year, caterers

opportunities to grow sales

will indeed be required by law to display the calorie content of their food, although the

and profits – and this year

rules only apply to large businesses – those with 250 or more employees. Under the new

could be extra special. Booker

regulations, qualifying caterers will need to clearly and legibly display the energy content

has put together a package

of the food in kilocalories, reference the size of the portion to which the calorie information

of promotions, activities and support to help you really cash in on the first restriction-free Easter since 2019." See p40

relates and display the statement that ‘adults need around 2,000 kcal a day’. In practice, this will be a reasonably straightforward process with calorie labelling on menus. If you operate a delivery service, the rules will still apply and calorie information must be made available to the customer when the food is delivered in the form of, for example, a calorie-labelled menu with the order or stickers on food containers displaying calorie information. For more information, turn to page 9.”

HOW BIG AN OPPORTUNITY IS HOME DELIVERY FOR CATERERS? The growth of home delivery over the last couple of years has been phenomenal with many industry colleagues having great success with it during the difficult lockdown periods. Do you believe it will remain an opportunity in the long term with restrictions removed? Mark Such, The King & Queen, Brighton Simon King, Sales Director – Catering, said: "According to Lumina Intelligence, foodservice home delivery will have grown by an enormous £5.7bn between 2019 and 2022. It's flourished under lockdown but current data suggests the removal of Covid restrictions is not having a major impact on consumers' use of delivery services, perhaps because they've become used to the convenience and will continue to use the service into the future. It's not for everyone, but it works well for many caterers and is worth considering. Turn to p54 for more insight."

APRIL 2022

Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 67

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Mar-Apr Issue 3.indd 68

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