Catering@Booker Issue 5 - September 2022

2022SEPTEMBERPLUS OWN BRAND IMPROVEMENTS, EASY COCKTAILS AND MAKING MORE FROM STEAK & CHIPS CATERING @ BOOKER CHOICE. PRICE. SERVICE SALES ARE BLOOMING AT THE ROOFTOP GARDENS IN NORWICH Up on roofthePROFILES

KP SNACKS ARE THE NO.1 SUPPLIER OF BAGGED SNACKS IN PUBS & BARS ** SHARE IN ‘BIGGER’ SNACK SALES! A massive 86% of customers purchase bagged bar snacks†, making it essential to stock a range of best sellers. We also know that 52% of customers purchase snacks on impulse† – So at KP Snacks we want to help you turn these impulse opportunities into incremental snack sales and improved spend in your outlet! ) Returning this Summer USED Debossing PRODUCTIONAPPROVAL ARTWORK1 Tim MANAGER POPPED_OFFPACK_LOGO_2Colour_PrimaryMarqueA_AW_v1.aibloom-london.comOperatorSubstrate INFORMATION ARTWORK1 POPPED_OFFPACK_LOGO_2Colour_PrimaryMarqueA_AW_v1.ai OFFICIAL TEAM PARTNER 5 PACKS OF KP NUTS SOLD EVERY MINUTE IN BARSPUBS&** FAMILYFORSNACKFUNTHE To turn snacking opportunitiesinto snack sales email us at thebar@kpsnacks.com TYRRELLS IS THE WINNER OF 90 GREAT TASTE AWARDS M244874 M244873 POM-BEAR IS GLUTEN FREE AND HAS FLAVOURSCOLOURSARTIFICIALNOORGLUTENFREEANDHASNOCOLOURSOR M092492 M256405 M256407 M226416M226398

thebar@kpsnacks.com the UK’s No.1 Ridged Cut Crisps BRAND* X2 BIGGERTHAN THE NEAREST COMPETITOR* THEM!TRYGET 3 FREEANDPACKS 21 PACKS FOR THE PRICE OF 18 PUB CARD The NutNO.1UK’sBrand* STOCK UP FLAVOUR!FLAVOUR!ONM275948 M275956 M275957 M256407 M256405 M275963M273999 M275962 £9.5950%POR!WSP£1.10RRP38%POR!£13.49WSP£1.00RRP 23.02.20w/e52SpendBars&PubsOOH**Kantar09.10.21marketTotalSnacksBagged*NielsenIQ THE CRISP,HUNGERBIGFILLPERFECTWITHAPINT! >

subject to change. COVER SHOT Glen

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Catering@booker.co.ukDISCLAIMER All rights reserved. Prices and information are correct at time of going to press,

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SEPTEMBER 20224 HIGHLIGHTS l CONTENTS

SHARE YOUR NEWS If you've got news, tips or feature ideas, get in touch with Catering@Booker

Dean Sayer, Ninja Warrior, Leicester “My plan is to introduce an array of new attractions at Ninja Warrior to supplement the overall offer and encourage people to spend half a day or longer here which will lead to a rise in food and drink sales too." Email: but may be Walker is rising above the competition in Norfolk.

“It’s really important for caterers to note that despite the cost-of-living crisis, premium-priced products remain key, particularly with Christmas on the horizon. We have been very working really hard to introduce more premium-priced products.”

CATERING@BOOKER

Mark Oldfield, Category Lead Wine & RTDs, Booker

Ryan McGillicuddy, Feast Street

"The opportunity to establish a business that could offer restaurantquality street food in a wide range of different cuisines but at mass volume, was clear to see, so that’s what I set out to do." 26

SEPTEMBER 2022 5 CONTENTS 7NEWSBooker News Booker hosts and sponsors Best Pub Chef Awards. 9 Key Trends Speedy service is among the key trends driving growth. 14PROFILESRooftopGardens | The sky is the limit for Norwich’s first and only rooftop restaurant and bar. 20 Ninja Warrior | Unique and innovative adventure park in Leicester swings into action. 26 Feast Streat | New concept offers authentic, restaurant-quality street food in a mass market format. 32 The Bull | The Bull in Leicester is truly a pub for all seasons. 40FEATURESRaisingthe steaks | Locked down pricing means maximum profit on classic steak and chips. 44 Big cheese | A cheese for every taste and pocket drives footfall and sales. 46 Improved own brand | Booker continues to improve its extensive range of own brand products. 52SERVICEMeetthe team | Say hello to Wine & RTDs lead Mark Oldfield. 61 Click and Collect | The fast, flexible, easy alternative to deliveries. 62 Easy cocktails | Cash in on the cocktail trend the easy way. 56REGULARSOwnbrandupdate | Booker’s own brand chips and battered fish drive margins on a classic dish. 68 Launch review | Group Exclusive Sourz Watermelon in focus. RANGE FOCUS Fish and Chips is a classic British dish found on many menus which is why it’s vital for caterers to ensure that they are driving maximum profits from this perennial crowd-pleaser. Booker’s extensive range of fantastic quality own-brand chip and battered fish products helps caterers meet demand for one of the most popular dishes on the menu while also securing margins in excess of 70%. 6220 46 56

–the scone is back! With a year of celebration ahead of us, we look back to traditions for inspiration and comfort. So why not look to revamp the nations favourite traditional scone with new shapes and much loved flavours. Keep it TraditionalAdd a Flavour Twist Go Alfresco ToffeeSticky CrumbleApple Carrot Cake Cheese Savoury CSM Ingredients UK Limited Stadium Road I Bromborough I Wirral I CH62 3NU I 0800 054 1228 I www.csmingredients.com Traditional or Twist Product MDM CodePack Size Craigmillar Scone MixM100614 4x3.5kg

The Coach & Horses, Clitheroe, Lancashire

Booker is actively helping to support some of the finest catering talent in the UK by sponsoring the Best Pub Chef award as part of the Great British Pub Awards, run by trade publication The Morning HundredsAdvertiser.ofpubs entered this year’s awards and, in the Best Pub Chef category, a shortlist of just six was invited to prepare a dish live for the judging panel. The cook-off event was hosted by Booker at its test kitchen in Didcot and the six finalists were given a mystery box of ingredients and invited to prepare a dish in 45 minutes. All the ingredients came from Booker and included some of the new Blackgate Pork products as well as a wide selection of other meats, fruit and vegetables and grocery products. All contestants commented on the variety and quality of the products available to them. They were then given 20 mins to prep and 45 minutes to cook their dish.

BOOKER NEWS BOOKER NEWS

CHEF

“It was also fantastic be able to showcase the Booker range to these top pub chefs. Every single contestant was hugely impressed by the range and quality available.”

Booker is helping to recognise and reward top catering talent by sponsoring and hosting the Best Pub Chef as part of the Great British Pub Awards.

THE FINALISTS

The Oyster Shed, London Dave Wall The Unruly Pig, Bromeswell, Suffolk AyeshaKalaji Queen of Cups, Glastonbury, Somerset SeanJeffers

Natalie Coleman

SEPTEMBER 2022 7

What are you doing different to stand out in your local market?

Share it with us and your fellow Booker colleagues at catering@booker.co.uk PUB AWARDS

The Angel at NorfolkWatlington, Ian Moss

Red Lion, Freshwater, Isle of Wight RichardCouch

BOOKER HOSTS BEST

For more information, visit www.greatbritishpubawards.co.uk

NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS BOOKER

“It’s really important for Booker to be supporting the pub trade and pub chefs in particular so we’re proud to both sponsor and host this competition. The standard of work on the day was exceptional with enormous talent, creativity and style very much in evidence.

Among the contestants was Natalie Coleman, who won Masterchef in 2013, and Dave Wall from the Unruly Pig, who made the Top 50 Gastro Pub list.The winner will be announced at this year’s awards which will be held on Tuesday 4 October in Manchester at Escape to Freight MarkIsland.Johnsen, Catering Development Controller who attended the event, told Catering@Booker:

The results reveal that the key concerns for consumers when buying food and drink in hospitality and retail are food waste, the amount of sugar in food, and animal welfare. Over half of the 5,796adult respondents reported that they are concerned about each of these issues.

NEW TAKEAWAY

The FSA’s annual flagship survey has found that sustainability, high sugar content and animal welfare are the three key concerns of consumers.

SEPTEMBER 2022

The top concern for consumers was sustainability with 63% citing food waste as their most concern,important highlighting once more for caterers the vital importance of embracing sustainability issues.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) published the results of its annual flagship survey on August 11 highlighting the top three foodrelated concerns amongst consumers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

FARESHARE HAILS

Food waste charity FareShare has hailed the efforts of 13 wholesalers, including Booker, who have provided 570,000 free school holiday meals to families since the end of BookerJune.has donated surplus stock and unsold food from foodservice and hospitality customers. Overall, FareShare has provided over 800,000 meals to those in need since the start of the school holidays in the UK, equivalent to 3,600 tonnes of food. RULES TO IMPROVE COMMUNITIES

New guidance was introduced on 7 August by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to help make sure takeaway food businesses play their part in cleaning up high streets and communities. Updated guidance clarifies the powers councils in England have to set stricter litter rules for new hot food takeaways when considering planning applications, including making sure that more bins are installed to reduce rubbish in the surrounding area. Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark said: “We are empowering councils to make sure new takeaway food businesses are doing their bit to stop rubbish littering our communities.

"The guidance gives councils clear and consistent advice on what rules they can enforce when new takeaways open, such as ensuring they install more bins and anti-litter signs around shops or have staff members pick up litter regularly. Failing to adhere to these rules could result in financial penalties.”

SUSTAINABILITY FLAGGED AS

The amount of sugar in food was a concern or 59% of consumers and animal welfare was cited by 56% of respondents. TOP CONSUMER CONCERN

BOOKER’S SCHOOL HOLIDAY MEALS EFFORTS

BOOKER NEWS 8

The report highlights how consumers are cutting back on overseas travel as disposable incomes fall, creating fresh opportunities for hospitality outlets. Despite the macroeconomic challenges, consumer confidence levels are on the increase.

HOSPITALITY SPEND ‘UP 9%’ IN JULY

The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has written to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy warning that that continually rising energy bills will have a massive negative effect on the industry unless the Government steps in with further support.

BOOKER NEWS

INBRIEF

The latest monthly report from Barclaycard, which which sees nearly half of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions, has released that spending in hospitality venues grew by 9% year-on-year in July as the sector continues to

In response to a Government Levellin Up consultation, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has called for reductions in business rates to be instantly reflected in bills to business, as well as a cap on bill increases. The demands included pub businesses whose rateable value decreases following reviews instantly seeing the benefits in the form of lower bills. The trade is also calling for downward caps to be removed to ensure that any decrease in the cost of business rates be paid back to ratepayers immediately, rather than after incremental decreases over time.

SEPTEMBER 2022 9

Emma McClarkin, BBPA Chief Executive, said: “We need incentives to invest and revitalise our pub businesses. Major reform of business rates is vital to enable this, supported by the ability for those pubs whose valuation has fallen to benefit immediately.”

TAX

The BII has written to Ministers demanding for a cap on businesses energy bills, grants to help with payments, a waiver of business rates and a larger reduction in beer duty. ACTION ON RISING ENERGY COSTS

The BII wrote to Kwasi Kwarteng MP highlighting that many pubs were reporting increases of more than 300% in their energy bills, on top of pandemic-related debts of approximately £40,000 per

BII DEMANDS

Theoutlet.letter said the rises were “unsustainable” and demonstrated that pub operators would need to revenues by 20% higher than pre-pandemic levels just to stand still.

Consumer spending in pubs, clubs and restaurants grew by 9% year-on-year in July according to the latest Barclaycard data.

Overallflourish.consumer spending grew by 7.7% in the same month as Britons enjoyed the busy and warm month.

BUSINESS’‘SHOULDSAVINGSGOTO

The report found that more consumers are feeling confident about their household finances: 66% versus 59% in June. Concern does remain however with 91% of those surveyed citing worries around rising inflation, surging household bills and higher food prices.

The Barclaycard insights are drawn from hundreds of millions of customer transactions recorded in July 2022 and come as consumers look to make the most of the summer and autumn holiday periods. Rising living costs and airline disruptions are the likely cause of 20% of consumers deciding against a summer holiday this year, says Barclaycard. The majority of these consumers have instead looked to save on their holidays by opting to take a break in the UK instead.

The popularity of staycations is driving spend in hospitality as well as among accommodation Theproviders.trend creates a clear opportunity for caterers to attract and service those many consumers choosing to take staycations, particularly for venues in or near popular tourist destinations. FROM ACROSS THE INDUSTRY TREND A ‘HUGE OPPORTUNITY’

The latest data from the MealTrak tracking programme shows that the number of consumers eating out over the last 12 weeks has grown by a significant 42% year-on-year. MealTrak is conducted by foodservice data and insight specialists TWC and is the leading continuous tracking programme for out-of-home consumption, surveying 36,500 consumers a year. Growth was driven predominantly by restaurants (58%) and pubs (32%). Total out-of-home eating occasions grew by 12% in the last year and 9% in the last 12 weeks. Value sales are up 24% on an MAT basis and 19% on a 12 week basis, making the annual value of that eating out market £21bn, up from £17bn the previous year.

TWC Development Director Tom Fender said: “Value growth remains ahead of occasions, indicating consumers are continuing to seek rewarding experiences rather than focusing on prices and functionality.”

BOOKER NEWS INDUSTRYNEWS NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS

INBRIEF SEPTEMBER 2022 11

STAYCATION

New data from Barclaycard has revealed the top ways that British consumers are adapting their spending behaviour amid the cost-of-living squeeze this summer and among the biggest trends is the revival of ‘staycations’.

New figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that UK job vacancies have fallen for the first time in two years. A new Labour Force Survey for April to June 2022 estimates that the number of job vacancies fell by 19,800 to 1.274m, the first quarterly fall since the June to August period in 2020. Average pay grew by 4.7% over the same period. The total UK employment rate for those aged 16 to 64 years decreased by 0.1% to 75.5%, still below pre-pandemic levels. However, the number of people in employment increased in the quarter by 160,000.

JOB YEARSTIMEFALLVACANCIESFORFIRSTINTWO

EATING OUT ‘UP 42%’ YEAR-ON-YEAR

New data has found that the staycation trend is flourishing, creating fresh new opportunities for hospitality businesses.

AVAILABLE IN 12 X 330ML PACK M278749 THE SAME REFRESHING TASTE, THE SAME PASSION AND FLAIR AND THE SAME ELEVATED MOMENTS AS PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO. NOW WITH 0.0% ALCOHOL

SEPTEMBER 202214 PROFILE l THE ROOFTOP GARDENS, NORWICH UP ON THE ROOF Footfall and sales are positively blooming at The Rooftop Gardens – a true jewel on the Norwich skyline.

“Right smack dab in the middle of town, I've found a paradise that's trouble proof – up on the roof:” Despite being released back in 1964, these well-known lyrics crooned by the Drifters could well be describing The Rooftop Gardens – Norwich’s first and only rooftop restaurant and bar, according to operations manager Glen Walker. Perched at the top of The Union Building, this gem of a venue offers diners enchanting 360-degree panoramic views of the Norwich skyline including such famous landmarks such as the Cathedral, the Castle and Carrow Road stadium. During the day, the venue offers a bright and airy retreat for lavish afternoon teas, brunch and lunch, while at night it transforms into a moonlit oasis for cocktails and dinner – much to the delight of Norwich’s community and the 600 workers stationed in the offices directly below.

SEPTEMBER 2022 15 PROFILE l THE ROOFTOP GARDENS, NORWICH

But The Rooftop Gardens hasn’t always been the lofty paradise it represents today, as Glen explains.“I joined as general manager five years ago, just a few months after it had first opened,” he explains.“Prior to that I’d spent years working for hospitality venues such as the Crowne Plaza in Cambridge and a number of well-known restaurant chains. When I first joined, the team needed experience with operating at volume which was where I came in. The venue was doing well but to do even better it was clear to me that we needed to evolve the offer. It needed to fit better with its unique location and that included changing the menus as well as introducing new ideas and initiatives. It was lots of work, but we got there in the end and we are all so proud of the business we have built today.”

THE LOWDOWN THE ROOFTOP GARDENS Outlet: The Rooftop Gardens Format: Rooftop restaurant and bar Operations manager: Glen Walker Kitchen staff: 20 Operating hours: 10.30am – 12 midnight

The business as it stands today includes a large art-deco style indoor main restaurant and bar featuring stylish booth seating. Offering stunning city views out of its large picture windows, the indoor restaurant can seat 150 diners - but it’s outside where the magic happens. The Rooftop Gardens boasts two spectacular exterior spaces: The Castle Terrace which seats 70 with views of Norwich castle and the 170-seater Cathedral Terrace which looks out over the 11th Century Norwich Cathedral. One of the first major changes that Glen made was to its menus. Working alongside the chefs, Glen worked hardto create dishes that offered a ‘wow factor’ befitting its striking location and views, but that could be prepared at speed. “When the business first started, it was doing quite high numbers but was offering more of a fine-dining menu,” Glen explains. “In my experience, volume and fine dining don’t sit that well together. There’s a reason why Michelin-starred restaurants do 40 covers a night.

To find ou tmore, plea s e visi t www.Kep akF oodservi ce.com /Grill WithOutG raf t AVAILABLE IN A BOOKER CASH & CARRY NEAR YOU. BIGBIGAL’SEAT M079342 BIG AL’S 1/4 POUNDER M079339

“So we changed the menus and we now focus much more heavily on grill items, such as quality sirloin, filet and ribeye steaks, plus skewers. We also offer a selection of classic dishes such as our bestselling herb crusted lamb and fillet of beef, both of which showcase Booker’s great quality fresh meat and vegetables, and crucially can also be put together in good time.”

For large gatherings and celebrations, several of the most popular cocktails, are available in a ‘Cocktail Tree’ format which includes 12 cocktails, served with a bottle of Prosecco for £125.

The venue has two dedicated pastry chefs who whip up a variety of homemade dishes for the luxurious afternoon tea including pork & fennel sausage rolls, scones, meringues and macarons. In line with current trends, a Gluten Free Afternoon Tea is also available.

Top-selling cocktails include Pornstar Martinis, which have an RSP of £10.25 and feature Tanqueray Gin & Passoa Passionfruit Liqueur, with Pineapple, fresh Vanilla syrup and fresh Lemon. They are also served with a shot of Prosecco & Passion Fruit garnish.

“The last couple of years have not been easy but Sarah has been there with us through it all.A number of our main dishes, such as our Risotto Milanese, can now be prepared as vegan or vegetarian and we also offer dishes such as a veggie or vegan brunch. We also "The quality of the Booker products, especially the fresh products is standout. The Blackgate meat is just fantastic as are the fruit and vegetables and it’s consistently good too, which is just so important."

Booker, and in particular Glen’s CDM Sarah Grout, has been key to helping Glen keep up to date with such trends and update the venue’s menus accordingly with new, appropriate products.Glen explains:

SHAKE IT TO MAKE IT

The menus, which are changed three times a year, now include a ‘Brunch’ menu, Sunday menu and a main menu. There’s also a dedicated afternoon tea menu, served between noon and 4pm and priced at £25.95 per person, or £30.95 per person, with a glass of prosecco.

SEPTEMBER 2022 17

GLEN WALKER stock a wide range of alcohol-free wines and beers, all from Booker.

“Our relationship with Booker started in 2019 with just a fruit and vegetable supply and it’s grown to include pretty much everything: fresh fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, store cupboard products, the lot.The quality of the products, especially the fresh products is standout. The Blackgate meat is just fantastic as are the fruit and Cocktails are a key USP at The Rooftop Gardens and the venue sets itself apart by hand-pressing many of the juices needed for its elaborate menu. Chefs at the Rooftop Gardens also make its own vanilla, strawberry and passionfruit syrups to guarantee maximum flavour and freshness.

COCKTAILS ARE A KEY USP AT THE ROOFTOP GARDENS 

“The trend towards vegan products is continuing as is the trend towards low or no alcohol drinks. Sarah has been so helpful with helping to put new products in front of us that we can adapt accordingly.

“Customers are becoming more demanding of their experiences. When they come out, they expect their experience to be really worth it.”

also sources all its spirits from Booker, with much of them making their way to the increasingly popular cocktail offer.The Cocktail menu offers a wide range of ‘Originals,’ ‘Craft,’ and ‘Classic’ cocktails plus a selection of non-alcoholic ‘Softails’.

Glen comments: “Customers can see we go the extra mile with cocktails and love us for it.We order cases of fresh lemons and limes from Booker because we handpress all of our juices for our cocktails. The handmade element is becoming increasingly important. People are moving away from big chains: they want local, independent, handmade, fresh. People are becoming more demanding of their experiences, they expect more. Money is a bit tighter, so when they do come out they expect their experience to be really worth it. That’s not a problem for us. Our mission is to offer great quality and great service.”

vegetables and it’s consistently good too, which is just so Theimportant.”RooftopGardens

The handmade element is becoming increasingly important to diners Glen says. The team of 20 chefs expertly handmake most of its large food and drink menu and emphasise this to diners. Glen works closely with his Booker CDM Sarah Grout to stay on top of new products and emerging trends updating his menus accordingly. The Instagram effect is so important these days Glen adds. Food and surroundings must look picture-perfect. The Castle Terrace features stunning views and a live tree decorated with flowers for maximum impact. Handmade heroes Team spirit No filter

GLEN'S SPECIAL BOARD

GLEN WALKER

Glen also says the Instagram influence cannot be underestimated.He says: “Guests like to show off when they’re out and about so it’s increasingly important to think about how your venue photographs. In addition to the beautiful views, our terrace features a stunning live tree decorated with flowers and looks amazing on camera.” Despite the Rooftop Garden’s blooming success, Glen’s not one to take his foot off the gas. “It’s vital we keep growing and developing the offer. We are looking at new ways to energise our mid-week trade. We have a few irons in the fire, one of which is to do more deals for the office workers in the building below." Those office workers are already loyal to Glen but some exclusive special offers and happy hours should help cement that loyalty.Glen is also hoping to extend opening hours to beyond midnight.With great and such a strong team, the sky could well be the limit for this rooftop gem.

SEPTEMBER 2022 19

Inspired by ITV’s hit TV programme Ninja Warrior UK, the 34,000sq ft venue allows guests to kick, climb, balance, jump and swing across its awe-inspiring obstacle course,

in

CLUBFIGHT

THE NINJA WARRIOR ADVENTURE PARK, LEICESTER Warrior Adventure Park, Leicester June 2021 10am-9pm weekends/holidays -12pm-9pm during and 300 the plus 64 the four Party Dean Sayer

in

LOWDOWN

school term. Format: Leisure

Dean Sayer’s menu has got some kick, and we’re not just talking about its zingy Katsu Curry sauce – although the Booker-supplied condiment is a smash-hit with his adrenaline-pumped guests, especially when drizzled over chips. Diners at the Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Park in Leicester are treated to a unique dining and leisure experience and, judging by the howls of glee echoing across its cavernous interior when Catering@Booker visited, they are thrilled with the offer.

restaurant

Opening hours:

20 PROFILE l NINJA WARRIOR ADVENTURE PARK, LEICESTER

Established:

Dean Sayer’s innovative Ninja Warrior leisure and dining concept is coming on leaps and bounds in Leicester.

Rooms Owner:

catering venue Covers:

Outlet: Ninja

Catering staff: Nine SEPTEMBER 2022

Long waits are not an option: speed of service is key.The menu has a strong focus on sharing, as Dean explains: “Many of our top-selling items can be shared among groups of friends, such as our ‘Sharing Platters’ and our

SEPTEMBER 2022 21

Heading it up is former investment banker Dean, who after years of gruelling commutes between his hometown of Rugby and his office in Canary Wharf, was inspired to try something totally different by a drizzly weekend on a visit to a local softplay. Dean explains: “One wet and cold day in 2017, my partner and I took our son to a local softplay and it blew me away. The softplay wasn’t even that good, or in a prime location, and yet it was packed.It hit me then and there that there could be a real opportunity in this type of business.Later that year, I went to the Franchise Exhibition at the Birmingham NEC where Ninja Leisure was exhibiting. It was the perfect fit for my vision." By June 2021, his vison had been realised and the large sliding doors to Ninja Warrior Leicester opened for the first time. “The unit is a former Toys R Us store,” Dean explains. “It was exactly what I was looking for and so far, all my expectations have been exceeded."

before resting and refuelling at its large and equally electrifying restaurant zone.Situated at the heart of Leicester’s busy St George’s Retail Park, just a short drive from the mainline station and with ample parking, the venue has certainly made its mark since opening in June 2021 with Ninja Warrior easily attracting 1,800 people a day during the school holidays.

Given the venue’s core audience of nine to 18-yearolds, peak trading times are evenings, weekends and the school holidays. Autumn and winter holidays are especially busy when colder, wetter weather conditions make its thrilling indoor offer even more attractive. While the thrill-packed Ninja obstacle course, complete with foam pits, slides and jumps certainly acts as a key draw, the tasty food and drink offer is an equally big hit. Split over three levels overlooking the vast obstacle course, the open plan dining area has 59 tables seating up to five people each, set around an eye-catching neon-lit coffee bar.The restaurant’s cool, vibrant look is reflected in its menu which Dean says is all about “tasty, fun and sociable food”. He explains:“The food offer has been uniquely crafted to meet the quite specific needs of our unique audience.The food has to taste great, but it also has to be fun and fast to eat, as well as being fast to prepare".

AND ENJOY TOGETHERNESSTASTETHEof GB CONSUMERS (21%) WILL CHOOSE MONKEY SHOULDER WHEN DRINKING WHISKY IN THE ON-TRADE.* OF MONKEY SHOULDER CONSUMERS WOULD PAY MORE FOR A BETTER QUALITY DRINK.* *CGA BRANDTRACK DATA 2021. PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY. M141346 | A | MONKEY SHOULDER 70CL | 6- CASE M142756 | A | MONKEY SHOULDER 70CL | 1 BOTTLE 1 in 5 50MLGINGERMONKEYSHOULDER120MLDRYGINGERALE1ORANGEWEDGE Monkey 50ML MONKEY SHOULDER 10ML SUGAR SYRUP 2 DASHES ANGOSTURA BITTERS ORANGE ZEST & TWIST LAZY OLD Fashioned 30ML MONKEY SHOULDER 45ML SODA WATER 1 ORANGE MONKEYWEDGE Splash SCOTTISHDRAMBUIEICEDDRAMBUIEESPRESSOMOJITO CUBED ICE 50ML DRAMBUIE 50ML ESPRESSO M595827 | A | Drambuie | 70cl | BOOK 6 - CaseM595868 | A | Drambuie | 70cl | BOOK 1 - Bottle CUBED ICE 50ML SQUEEZEDRAMBUIEHALFA LEMON TOP WITH SODA WATER AND A SPRIG OF MINT THE FIFTH COURSE TOGETHERNESS DRAMBUIE 64%

Dean’s Booker CDM John Russell has been integral to the menu’s success.“John is such a great guy, and knows our market inside out," says Dean. "From day one, he’s been coming to us with new ideas. The Indian and Oriental Sharing Platters, for example, were his idea.”

The ‘Ninja Full English,’ which includes sausage, bacon, egg, hash brown, tomato, beans and a slice of toast all for just £6 is particularly popular with spectating parents on a weekend morning – as are bacon or sausage baps, which are offered with a hot drink for just £4.50.

But it’s the pizzas, now the venue’s top-selling item, where John’s influence has been most beneficial.“When we first opened I was buying frozen pizzas from elsewhere,” Dean explains. “They were expensive, they took 15 minutes to cook and the quality wasn’t that good.John suggested we introduce a new homemade pizza offer using Booker’s large naan breads, topped with Booker’s fresh tomato puree, bags of mixed grated cheese, plus other toppings such as pepperoni or BBQ chicken, also from “TheyBooker.takeless than a minute to prepare and need just five minutes in the oven. A Margherita costs our diners just £6.50 which is excellent value – an important consideration. The pizzas are huge, and we serve them cut into eight which makes them great for sharing. John also inspired us to add new sauces to our offer, such as the Katsu Curry sauce which has become one of the most popular additions to chips."

Open from 10am till 9pm during the holidays and on weekends, the venue caters for all three key meal times.

Parties are “big business” for Ninja Warrior Adventure Park Leicester, which tends to host 18 parties a day on weekends. Party guests are offered a dedicated ‘Party Room’ which can seat up to 16 diners although can also take place out on the main restaurant floor. The venue currently offers one ‘Party Package’ for £25 a head which includes an hour on the Ninja Park and a set menu of hot food including homemade pizza, chicken nuggets and chips plus unlimited squash and water.

PARTY PEOPLE NINJA WARRIOR

“We cater just as much for the parents as we do for the

“Parties are a big part of what we do and it’s not uncommon for us to host up to 18 parties a day on weekends.”

SEPTEMBER 2022 23 PROFILE l NINJA WARRIOR ADVENTURE PARK, LEICESTER

pizzas.We do two types of sharing platter: an Oriental platter and an Indian one, both offering diners 12 pieces of food for just £5.The sharing platters come direct from Booker and our diners love them. They take just minutes for us to prepare in the kitchen and they are devoured just as quickly! Our menus don’t change in line with the seasons. That’s not what our diners want from us.The menu is focused on ‘treat’ style dishes, many of them shareable. It’s sociable food that people can enjoy together as part of a fun day out.”

To that first taste of an endless summer with the UK’s bestselling1 fruit cider brand New fresh label, same fresh taste. Limited Edition label design, Single bottles and 4-packs make up 81% of all cider sales in the Delight your customers by stocking the most loved alcohol drinks in key pack formats to keep them coming Also available in multipack formats Sources: 1. IRI, Ext Marketplace, Fruit Cider, Value sales, 52wks to 20/02/22. 2. Savanta, Top 100 Most Loved Drinks Brand Report, n=48,000, Jan ’21-Jun’21. 3. IRI, GB Convenience, Total Cider, Value Share of Total Cider, 52wks to 23/01/22.

Finding the right location was key for Dean. The unit was perfect at 34,000sq ft, the retail park location meant it would have the right sort of footfall and the size of the general population was spot on at approximately 350,000 people.

SEPTEMBER 2022 25

children and young adults who are out on the course,” Dean adds.“It’s not uncommon for parents to come here with their kids, and treat themselves to a nice cooked breakfast plus a tea or coffee while their kids are making their way round the obstacles." Coffee is served via Dean’s hybrid barista-style machine which is powered by ultra-convenient Lavazza capsules.“We also offer a wide range of confectionery items, such as chocolate singles, wrapped cakes and flapjacks, all of which come from Booker,” he adds.

Speed of service is important in a venue like this. Diners are having fun but often are really hungry and thirsty when they come off the course, so they want fast food that can be brought quickly.

The venue’s split level restaurant zone offers four dedicated ‘party rooms’ on a mezzanine level with a capacity of 16 each, all of which look out over the main restaurant and adventure park below. Dean says: “It’s not uncommon for us to host up to 18 parties a day on weekends.”

Phase one of his plan has just been executed with the opening of a dance studio next to the restaurant’s top floor seating area.The new Raspberry Dance studio is already signing new guests up to a series of ballet and TikTok dance classes.Dean also has plans to install a new climbing wall across the venue’s large back wall and a games arcade.

ON TARGET

Understanding the specific needs of your target audience is key, says Dean. He did lots of research into the types of dishes guests would want by looking at other Ninja Warrior Franchise sites and continues to monitor feedback.

DEAN'S SPECIAL BOARD LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

Unsurprisingly, parties are big business for the Ninja Warrior.

WORK SMART

Food and drink accounts for just under 30% of the venue’s turnover but Dean has plans to grow that share with a range of new initiatives to tempt guests to spend even more time on site. “Not every guest who visits the site purchases food or drinks while they’re here.” Dean explains. “Some will come, do their hour on the course and then leave. My plan is to introduce new attractions that will supplement the offer and encourage people to stay longer, which will drive food and drink sales."

“For now though, our major focus is on the key summer holiday season and after that, the October half-term, which is always especially busy for us,” concludes Dean. “Trading for our first year has exceeded all my expectations so it really is onwards and upwards from here.”

For guests on Dean’s unique Ninja course it’s more a case of onwards and downwards as they leap down its vast inflatable slide – hopefully prior to a full Ninja Breakfast.

SEPTEMBER 202226 PROFILE l FEAST STREAT With the street food revolution continuing to pick up pace, Ryan McGillicuddy’s Feast Streat concept is answering the call for authentic, restaurant-quality street food in a mass market format. WORD ON THESTREET

THE LOWDOWN FEAST STREAT Outlet: Feast Streat Format: Mass market street food supplier Established: 2005 Commercial Director: Ryan

“I’m a fourth-generation market trader, so food and markets have always been in my blood,” he says. “However, one thing that struck me very early on was that quality of the meals being served was pretty terrible. In the late 80s and 90s, when I was a kid, it was all about the price point and hardly ever about the quality. So, in my late teens I decided to try and do something about Thatthat.”decision took a young Ryan to Europe where he “nicked a few ideas” before returning home to the West Midlands armed with a giant paella pan and ladles of enthusiasm. “I started out with a plan to cook and serve gourmet hot dogs,” he says, “In the early 2000s, customers still weren’t that adventurous. My idea was to take a really simple product and make it really good. I got some award-winning local sausages which I cooked up in this giant paella pan and served them in local bakery bread with real onions chopped fresh. People loved it. The smell of the onions, the theatre of the giant pan, the whole offer had a real ‘wow factor’ which is essentially what street food is all about.”

SEPTEMBER 2022 27 PROFILE l FEAST STREAT Street food: it’s the buzzword zinging off the nation’s lips and storming the menus of catering outlets as demand for the flavourforward concept continues to grow. But it hasn’t always been this way. While street food has been around thousands of years –the ancient Greeks are well-documented to have been big fans – the concept certainly didn’t possess the sizzle, shine and show it does today.

One man who knows all about the “street food revolution” is Ryan McGillicuddy, Commercial Director of the successful Feast Streat business that operates more than 25 restaurant-quality street food brands like The Gourmet Chip Co, Comida Mexicana, Street Greek, Urban Kebab and Mumbai Kitchen. The company supplies over 400 big-ticket events a year across the country. Ryan supplies over 400 big-ticket events a year across the country including the multi-million pound Sail GP event, the Adventure Bike Rider Festival, the Southport Air Show and a whole range of concerts from Tom Jones to Paloma Faith. But, as Ryan explains, he certainly can't be accused of just jumping on the street food bandwagon when it began rolling –he helped to get the movement’s wheels turning in the first place, and now he’s about to crank it up another gear.

Ryan’s business continued to gain momentum so when the street food boom hit hard a decade ago, he was already well ahead of the curve and regularly Patrick

McGillicuddy Kitchen team: Three chefs, one baker, two butchers, five kitchen prep staff, one operations manager

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SEPTEMBER 2022 29 being booked by local councils and show organisers, keen to offer his gourmet hot dogs at their events. “The street food revolution helped to fuel this momentum,” says Ryan. ”Price points were pushed up, customers became more adventurous and street-eating became stylish. “It opened the market up which was great but it also removed our niche. Prior to the boom, if you wanted street-food style catering for your event in the West Midlands, you came to us. I knew I would need to re-invent our Toniche.”dothat, Ryan went after what he saw as “a very distinct gap in the market.” He explains: “There was an enormous gap with small independent street food vendors at one end and large-scale show caterers at the other – but no-one in the middle. The opportunity to establish a business that could offer restaurantquality street food in a wide range of different cuisines but at mass volume was clear, so in 2005 that’s what I set out to do.”

In the 16 years since, Ryan’s Feast Streat concept has boomed and he now supplies up to 400 events a year with high quality chef-made street foods from his 25 in-house street food brands. “On average, our business does anywhere between 15,000 and 30,000 meals a week, and we’ll do anything from a small local fete up to an event for 250,000 people,” he Feastexplains.Streat’s brands feature cuisines from around the word, so it can cater to pretty much all tastes and trends. “We probably have the largest range of global cuisines from one provider in the UK,” Ryan adds. “Greek Food, under our ‘Street Greek’ brand, is currently the most-popular culinary style that we offer but Caribbean is close behind, and we’ve recently launched a new ‘Island Bay Caribbean Street Food' brand which is flying.”

SPECIALRYAN'SBOARD

customerscutlery,Sustainablecatchingflavoursup.practicesBuyeco-friendlypackagingwhereverpossible.Allournapkins,boxesandplatescomefromBookerandallarebiodegradable.Sustainabilityissoimportanttoourandcentraltoourbusinessethos. PROFILE l FEAST STREAT

Helping Ryan deliver his flavour-fuelled meals to the masses is a state-of-the-art Feast Street HQ – a former wholesale meat factory with commercial production kitchens, a butchery department and staff training facilities. Inside, a team of specialist butchers, kitchen staff and chefs prep, marinade and cook all meals from scratch in vast volumes. “We make everything from scratch,” Ryan says. “We don’t buy in chilli or curry, we make it all freshly and in seriously big volumes –200 kilos of Chili Con Carne at a time. It’s then portioned, vac packed, chilled, date labelled and sent out to shows nationwide, where the remaining cooking process is carried out by specialist show operations Bookerteams.” supplies the vast majority of the products Ryan uses. “My relationship with Booker goes right back to the beginning when I’d regularly visit my local Kingswinford branch,” says Ryan. “These days the volumes are too big for me to collect in person! We get one enormous delivery from Booker every week which gives my team enough time to put it all away before prepping, cooking and packaging all the meals ready for transportation to the various events and festivals.

Quality matters Quality is everything when it comes to street food, never cut corners in a bid to cut costs. Flavour of the times Demand for Greek foods such as wraps are in growth at the moment with Caribbean

“About 70% of our products come from Booker but that’s likely to increase when we start using Booker to supply all our fresh chicken which their butchers will be prepping for us – a major time-saving benefit for our team. Some weeks we need a tonne of fresh chicken and to prep that ourselves is a gargantuan task. Booker supplying it ready-prepped will reduce our team’s workload by around 40%."

AN ICE CREAM IS SOLD EVERY 12 SECONDS IN THE SUMMER* NUTRITIOUSRESPONSIBLY&HFSSCOMPLIANT responsibLy MAXIMISE YOUR TO ALL THE FAMILY SALES BY CATERING *Kantar Food On the Go Panel L12WE 11.09.2016. WITHMADEKIDS IN MIND

31 PROFILE l FEAST STREAT

“The general appetite for street food continues to be huge. Diners just love it! It’s the fastest-growing section of the hospitality industry and it’s even becoming a big trend in restaurants, with a growing number of venues adding “street food” style meals to their menus. They love the choice, the theatre, the taste. Street food is definitely here to stay!”

“We also buy a tonne of fries a week from Booker – literally - and pretty much all of our store cupboard ingredients, tinned goods, vegetables, drinks, cleaning products and packaging,” Ryan adds.

“We have a Nepalese couple who are in the process of signing up to the scheme and when it launches in 2023, they will be able to serve up their own utterly authentic Nepalese food, including real family recipes, cooked at corporate level professionalism, which will be simply fantastic. It’s really very exciting and I can’t wait to see where it goes.”

BRAND BANK 25 DIFFERENT STREET FOOD BRANDS SEPTEMBER 2022

Never one to rest on his laurels, Ryan is currently looking to launch a support scheme for small independent vendors. “The plan is to launch a new scheme that will put small, independent street food vendors through an incubation process and bring them up to speed on how to operate at a commercially successful level," he enthuses.

“The Feast Streat Collective will take on independents under a partnership arrangement, where they will pay us commission in return for us showing them exactly how to operate at large-scale shows. We’ll take care of their bookings and paperwork, we’ll put the infrastructure in for them, the marquees, the counters and their own-brand banners. All they will have to do is turn up and cook their own great-quality food.

Diners’ sweet needs are also met with a host of dessert brands, including Dirty Donuts and Puds, including loaded waffle cones, cookie sandwiches and chocolate bar milkshakes.

“Booker offers a fantastic range of eco-friendly biodegradable products which is so important to us. Today’s diners are increasingly eco-conscious and are also much more demanding about quality.”

Feast Streat is one of the most structured, professional and reliable street food companies in the UK, operating 25 different in-house food and drink brands across a broad gamut of cuisines including: Soy Kitchen Chinese Food, Pit Stop Pork, The Gourmet Chip Co, Dirty Dogs, the Mumbai Kitchen and many more. With demand for freshly cooked chicken wraps and souvlaki on the up, the company’s Street Greek brand is currently one of its best performers and it has also just launched a new Island Bay Caribbean brand in response to diner demand for a taste of the tropics.

FEAST STREAT COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR RYAN PATRICK MCGILLICUDDY

"Booker offers a fantastic range of ecofriendly biodegradable products which is so important to us. Today’s diners are increasingly eco-conscious and are also much more demanding about quality. Fortunately, diners are also happy to pay a premium for great-quality foods. Our average meals costs about £8 and can go up to £12 but it’s great quality food, prepped and cooked by real chefs; diners are more than happy to pay for that.

THE LOWDOWN THE

Staff: 6 chefs Opening Hours:

Time as a

Leicester Format:

SEPTEMBER 202232 PROFILE l THE BULL, LEICESTER

ALL WELCOME

Outlet: The

The Roseacre Pub Company has a very specific list of boxes that each of its sites must tick. As operations manager Ash Gartshore explains, its newest site, The Bull in Broughton Astley, Leicester, ticks every single one and many more.From its cosy front bar to its bright and stylish dining area and vast riverside garden, The Bull is truly a pub for all seasons. Wend your way through the 150-seater outdoor space, including smart patio dining and more informal bench seating on its lawn and playfield and you’ll also see that The Bull is also a pub for all ages and all social occasions.Opened at the start of June this year, The Bull is the Roseacre Pub Company’s seventh site in the Leicestershire and Midlands area.It’s also less than three miles away from one of With its stellar facilities, inclusive ethos and diverse menu, The Roseacre Pub company’s newest site is fast becoming the talk of the town. BULL, LEICESTER Bull, Broughton Astley, Pub Operations manager: Ash Gartshore caterer: 16 years 12pm-10.30pm

The pub itself features three distinct areas for dining and drinking, a cosy 40-seater front bar offering a more relaxed dining and drinking experience, a bright and airy 90-seater restaurant and the jewel in its crown: a vast 150-seater garden. The garden is split into three zones, including a more formal patio area, comfortable bench style seating on the lawn and more relaxed seating on its large grassy field area.

SEPTEMBER 2022 33 PROFILE l THE BULL, LEICESTER

“Our best-seller currently is the chicken Tikka Shashlik. It’s fresh chicken marinaded with tikka spices on an open flat bread

the company’s original and most successful sites: The Limetree in Whetstone, which Ash joined seven and a half years ago as general manager.

The Bull, says Ash is a premium family pub and best described as an “affordable treat” venue. “We are not the cheapest, but we offer fantastic value for the quality, which means that we attract a really broad base of customers, he explains. “For some customers we are a special occasion venue, while for others we are more of an every-day venue.”

The food menu is similarly diverse, as Ash explains: “Our menu is made up of a selection of quality classics such as pies and fish and chips, burgers, but we also have more elaborate items such as Lamb Souvlaki, Chicken Tikka Shashlik and Katsu Chicken. We also serve fantastic steaks. The vast majority of our food is homemade fresh every-day. Freshness is something we pride ourselves on. As a family pub we also target all age groups, so there’s something on the menu for children, for the 20s to 30s, the 30’s to 50s and then something for the older generations. The 50-plus demographic is our biggest, especially mid-week, but we are seeing a growing number of younger customers coming in on evenings and weekends. That’s why we’ve recently updated our menu for the summer with a number of on-trend items like slowcooked beef and halloumi tacos.

“The Lime Tree was one of our first sites and one of the very first people that I met when I joined was my Booker CDM John Russell,” Ash explains. “From day one, John has been such a massive support to me and to the company generally and that has continued to be the case with all of our other sites. John lives just a few miles away from The Bull and is such a rock. He’s fantastic at putting new products in-front of our noses and saying ‘why don’t you try this or that?’ As a team we are incredibly busy and I don’t necessarily have the time to explore all the new products or ranges available, so his suggestions and help are of huge value to me.”

*CGA 26-3-2022 **CGA BRANDTRACK AUG 2021. PLEASE DRINK THE UNUSUAL RESPONSIBLY.

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GIVE WIIINGS TO YOUR SALES WITH RED BULL. Consumers need energy in any occasion from work to study or on the go. In Food Service, Red Bull Energy delivers +£40 per week¹, with 67% consumers buying Red Bull in addition to another drink². SOURCE: ¹SALESOUT DH - AVG ROS BASED ON JUSTEAT/QSR CUSTOMER SELLING 1 CASE/WEEK; ²RED BULL/MCA INSIGHT SURVEY MARCH 2019. On Promotion 2 for £36 Red Bull Energy 24x250ml M968313Red Bull Energy 24x250ml M096671Red Bull Sugarfree 24x250ml Stock up today and see sales fly.

The vast majority of food and drink comes from Booker and The Bull alsouses the Blackgate range for all of itsfresh meat, including steaks, sausages and roasting joints.

The Roseacre Pub Company’s seventh and newest site The Bull is a “textbook location” for the company. Operations manager Ash Gartshore explains the top three key things it looks for in a new site.

“We look for three key things in a site: suburban location, a big car-park and lots of outdoor space for dining, drinking and play. Fortunately for us The Bull has all three,” he says.

PRIME LOCATION 'TEXTBOOK' LOCATION

xxx

"We want everyone to leave The Bull wanting to return and wanting to make or post a positive comment."

ASH GARTSHORE have done here, we can move them over.Similarly, we overrecruit staff all year round so that when the summer comes, we already have the right people in place to help us cope.”

“We are very forward-thinking in terms of our staffing. As a wider business, we don’t find new pubs first and then recruit the staff. We recruit the staff first and then embed them into our culture, so that when the time comes for us to open a new site, as we xxx37

Helping The Bull manage the summer sales spike is a selfcontained garden bar selling six different draught lagers, plus cider, a wide range of bottled beers, wines and soft drinks. There’s also a separate food ordering point in the garden. “Our large outdoor space means that hot and sunny days lead to a steep rise in footfall, so we pay close attention to the weather,” Ash adds.

Another of the garden’s key draws, especially for families, is the vast amount of open space that children have to run free. The area currently features a large bouncy castle, with a second one on order.“All Roseacre pubs are kid-friendly,” says Ash.“We’ve spent

SEPTEMBER 2022 37 with fries. Our hearty ‘Sunshine Salads’ which feature big, bold flavours such as ‘Spicy Breaded Crab Cakes’ for example, are also very popular at this time of year.”

"We’re a big Blackgate fan, the quality is exceptional and all we get are compliments, especially for our steaks," says Ash.“Quality and great impressions are so important to us. We enjoy being the talk of the town. We want everyone to leave The Bull wanting to return and make or post a positive comment. We want that noise, those glowing Facebook reviews. At the Lime Tree, which opened just over eight years ago, we have over 5,000 Facebook followers and we have the same here. Many customers are local, but thanks to great reviews an increasing number are coming from further afield.Our team plays a key role in driving those reviews by pulling together to deliver memorable experiences. For me, culture is everything. I’m passionate about this job and this industry and I want to recruit like-minded people and nurture that passion.

“We like suburban sites with lots of chimney pots. We never go for town-centre sites. We want to be the reason that diners don’t go into the town centre. With us, they don’t need to pay for parking, and they are guaranteed premium food and drinks, fantastic service and amazing facilities.” FOR ROSEACRE PUB COMPANY

Family fun days are another way in which all Roseacre Pubs keep their guests coming back for more, says Ash:“We hold regular family events in summer. Fun Days are a great way of showcasing our offer and growing loyalty. We’ve got the bouncy castles but we also get face painters and arrange petting zoos, which the children love.”

FRESH FOOT FORWARD

ASH'S SPECIAL BOARD TEAM SPIRIT

Keeping the facilities in tip-top condition is also key, insists Ash: "We’ve just invested in new garden benches with backs to keep the customers more comfortable. They won’t sit on an uncomfortable stool for longer than an hour and we want them to stay for much longer than that.We are also planning a mini refresh of the pub’s front bar area in time for autumn and wintee. We’ll be adding new fabrics, paint and wallpaper to make it even more attractive.”

“Events are a great way of building strong emotional attachments between us and our guests.”

July saw The Bull host a free Family Fun Day complete with an Ed Sheeran Tribute band, assault course, toddler soft play, two bouncy castles and street performers – with hundreds of happy locals having attended. “These type of events are a great way of building strong emotional attachments between us and our guests," concludes Ash.“They go away with full bellies and full hearts and can’t wait to come again, which is what we are all about."

ASH GARTSHORE

SEPTEMBER 2022 a lot of time developing a really good kids food offer that keeps everyone happy.We’ve tried all sorts over the years but what we’ve learned is that what kids and their parents truly want is just the staples, but done really well. So we offer sausages, pizza, nuggets and so on, but great quality and for a great price. Most main dishes cost £4.50 and come with the option of fries, salad, baked beans or peas. Breaded plant-based fillets and other vegetarian options are also available.”

Fresh homemade food is a key USP for The Bull. Deliveries come 6 days a week and 80 percent of the food is freshly made.

Culture is everything and he works hard to nurture a positive team culture with happy, passionate and motivated staff.

INVEST TO IMPRESS Ash and the team invest heavily in the facilities on an ongoing basis to ensure that standards remain high at all times. Bouncy castles are replaced every two years and exterior seating has been refreshed to offer maximum comfort. The company is also just about to invest in a refresh of the bar area with new wallpapers, paint and fabrics.

Steak and chips is a true classic of dish that finds a natural home on most menus which is why Booker’s outstanding range of top quality, great value steaks means caterers can feature this crowd-pleaser with confidence.

FEATURE l STEAK & CHIPS SEPTEMBER 202240

CONFIDENCE IN A CLASSIC8OZSTEAK&CHIPSCOST£3.44

There are few dishes that rival steak and chips when it comes to modern British classics, which is why the dish features on so many menus. It’s the quintessential crowd-pleaser and it’s the one dish that many diners view as the only meal worthy of a big celebratory That’sdinner.precisely why Booker offers an outstanding range of absolutely top quality and fantastic value products such as the renowned Blackgate Beef Rump. The Rump is the ideal primal joint to create a number of perfect, showstopping centrepiece steaks for your diners. Your Booker butcher can cut your primal joint to your exact specifications and offer you some more scope when it when it comes to offering your diners a fresh twist on the classic steak and chips.

To help caterers plan their menus in complete confidence, Booker has also locked down the pricing on its massively popular Chef’s Larder Premium Extra Chunky Gourmet Chips and its Chef’s Larder Supercrisp Skin-On Gourmet Fries. Both are still available at the fantastic value price of just £9.99 for a case of 4 x 2.5kg bags. This means that Booker customers are able to offer their consumers a range of traditional Steak & Chip options, as well as some modern takes on the classic dish safe in the knowledge that they will be maximising their profits into the bargain.

For many diners, that classic Prime Rump will fit the bill perfectly. But if you want to add some fresh interest to your steak menu, why not consider mixing things up a little with minimum fuss? From that same Blackgate Beef Rump, you could opt for some different cuts like a Picanha or a Bistro steak? Your Booker butcher can cut your primal joint to your exact specifications and offer you some more scope when it when it comes to offering your diners a fresh twist on the classic steak and chips.

To make the very most of Booker’s exceptional pricing, why not get creative in the kitchen by offering your diners some fresh takes on the classic rump steak – all from the same primal Simplyjoint? ask your butcher to cut your primal joint to suit your specific needs and you can add some extra appeal to your steak menu. You could, for example, try the following cuts:

RAISE THE STEAKS

Like all Blackgate meats, the Blackgate Beef Rump is covered by a 100% moneyback guarantee. Remember too that Booker’s butchers can offer fantastic advice on these creative ideas as well as on many other aspects of enhancing your menu and saving your business cost. Just speak to one of the butchery team next time you are in the branch.

To help you get creative, we have featured three simple recipe ideas below plus an extra special fourth Trio of Steaks Meal idea, all made using cuts from the same rump, to help you drive footfall, sales and profits.

BLACKGATE GUARANTEE

Or why not consider an attention-grabbing Trio of Steaks Meal featuring a Prime Rump, a Bistro and a Picanha Steak on the same platter, accompanied by some delicious Skin-On Fries? The cost price at time of going to press is just £3.94 and at a sell price of a modest £15.95, your POR of 70% will deliver a cash profit of £9.35, again based on buying the whole primal joint.

SEPTEMBER 2022 GET CREATIVE TO DRIVE PROFITS! FEATURE l STEAK & CHIPS THREE CUTS FROM THE SAME RUMP

PRIME RUMPPICANHABISTRO Q U A LITY • QU UA L T Y • QUALITY • QUALIT Y • Q U A YTIL •TILAUQ•YTILAUQ•YTILAUQ•YTILAUQ Y • 100% MONEY BACK

Voted for by the readers of Fine Food Digest BESTVOTEDSNACKBRAND… 10 YEARS IN A ROW* M249559 M249576 M249574

SEPTEMBER 2022 43 INSPIRED BY The butchers in branch really look after me and the quality of Blackgate is second to none. TREVOR, NUMBER ONE BISTRO FEATURE l STEAK & CHIPS 8oz Prime Rump& Chunky Chips Beef D Rump 28 Day Matured [M217205] Ave 5kg Chef’s Larder Premium Extra Chunky Gourmet Chips [M182767] Sell price: £17.95 Cost per serving: £4.16 Profit: 72% Cash profit: £10.80 8oz Bistro & Chunky Chips Beef D Rump 28 Day Matured [M217205] Ave 5kg Chef’s Larder Premium Extra Chunky Gourmet Chips [M182767] 2.5kg Sell price: £17.95 Cost per serving: £4.16 Profit: 72% Cash profit: £10.80 Trio Steaksof Meal Beef D Rump 28 Day Matured [M217205] Ave 5kg Chef’s Larder Premium Supercrisp Skin-On Fries [M248236] 2.5kg Sell price: £15.95 Cost per serving: £3.94 Profit: 70% Cash profit: £9.35 RECIPE IDEA RECIPE IDEA RECIPE IDEA 8oz Picanha & Skin-On Fries Beef D Rump 28 Day Matured [M217205] Ave 5kg Chef’s Larder Premium Supercrisp Skin-On Fries [M248236] 2.5kg Sell price: £14.95 Cost per serving: £3.64 Profit: 71% Cash profit: £8.83 RECIPE IDEA * Pricing accurate at time of going to press but subject to change.

Made in Britain the two lines, both Red Tractor Farm Assured, deliver everything that caterers have come to expect from the hugely popular Chef’s Essentials range – value without compromise - and are perfect for use in many of the most popular, high volume dishes. Booker’s extensive own brand range of cheeses includes products for all requirements and deliver quality and value every time.

From award-winning top of the range cheeses designed for cheeseboards like Taw Valley and Crunch to entry level block cheeses suitable for a huge array of dishes, Booker’s own brand cheese range offers something for every taste and every budget. With the current squeeze on consumer spending and an increasing focus on caterer margins, Booker has responded with the launch of two new entry level Chef’s Essentials mature cheese products. The new Chef’s Essentials British Mature Cheddar is available in both block and grated format and has been specifically produced to meet demand for a great quality lower strength mature cheddar at a price that offers maximum profit potential for catering customers.

SEPTEMBER 202244 NEW PRODUCTS l CHEESE

Booker is strengthening its already extensive range of own brand cheeses with the launch of two new entry level Chef’s Essentials mature products to help caterers o er increased choice and value.

NEW CHEESE ON THE BLOCK

BETTER For caterers looking for mid-tier options, Booker’s Chef’s Larder own brand range is similarly extensive and includes a selection of higher strength cheeses in block, pre-sliced and grated formats. These include Chef’s Larder British Mild Cheddar in block or grated, Chef’s Larder Mild White Cheddar Slices, Chef’s Larder Grated Mozzarella and Cheddar Mix and Chef’s Larder Tuxford & Tebbutt Stilton.

CONTINENTAL While British cheeses remain as popular as ever, adding some continental flair to your menu is simple with Booker’s range of best-selling continental cheeses that deliver outstanding taste and quality as well as great value. From the Vrysaki Halloumi Log and

GOOD

The two lines perfectly complement Booker’s existing range of entry level cheeses which includes Chef’s Essentials Mild Coloured Cheddar and Chef’s Essentials Mild White Cheddar, both available in block or grated format.

the Payson Breton Brie to the Hotos Original Feta and the Soignon Goat Cheese Log, there’s something to suit most purposes. Cheeseboard Chef’s Larder Premium Crunch Extra Mature Cheddar 1kg [M239286] Chef’s Larder Tuxford & Tebbutt Stilton Wedge 454g [M101227] Sell price: £6.95 Cost per serving: £1.96 Profit: 66% Cash profit: £3.83 RECIPE IDEA SEPTEMBER 2022 45 M278662 Chef’s Essentials British Mature Cheddar 4x5kg M278647 CE British Mature Grated Cheddar 6x2kg. BOTH RED TRACTOR FARM ASSURED * Visit the Red Tractor website for more information https://redtractor.org.uk/ NEW LINES

BEST When it comes to building tempting and tasty cheeseboards or delicious Ploughman’s, Booker’s premium range of cheeses has everything you need such as the Chef’s Larder Premium Taw Valley Mature Cheddar, the Chef’s Larder Premium Taw Valley Extra Mature Cheddar and the Chef’s Larder Premium Crunch Extra Mature Cheddar.

A hugely popular line, Chef’s Larder Cocoa Powder is a firm favourite with caterers and their consumers alike. A great quality product at a fantastic value price, it has long been a big seller. So what’s been improved?

XXXMONTH YEAR FEATURE l IMPROVED OWN BRAND PRODUCTS

CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT

Many products within the Booker own brand range have collected major industry awards following professional, independent judging by expert panels. These awards are testament to the outstanding quality of the own brand ranges and give caterers the confidence they need when preparing delicious dishes for their customers. Moreover, the phenomenal value offered by the own brand ranges also ensures that caterers secure great margins on every dish sold.

IMPROVED PRODUCTS,IMPROVED

46 Booker operates a rolling programme of improvement on its own brand range providing customers with better products which means better sales and bigger profits. SALES

CHEF’S LARDER FAIRTRADE COCOA POWDER

In a fast-moving world, however, Booker has always understood the importance of constantly improving the own brand ranges. That’s why Booker operates a rolling programme of improvements to its products whether that’s through improved recipes, environmental improvements or more. To highlight how this works, Catering@Booker has taken a closer look at some of the latest products to benefit from this programme of constant improvement.

Booker’s extensive ranges of own brand products play an essential role for catering customers, delivering fantastic quality products at exceptional value prices and helping caterers maximise sales and profits.

l Booker has upgraded the Cocoa status on the Chef’s Larder Cocoa Powder to Fairtrade. l Same great tasting product inside. l The tub is now fully recyclable. In addition, the product is already vegan, helping to expand its appeal to a wider number of your customers.

Chef’s Larder Fairtrade tea bags have long been massively popular with catering customers and it’s easy to see easy to see why as the portion price works out at just 1p per cup! The product is of exceptional quality and is relied upon by caterers across the country day in, day out. With a standard WSP of just £12.79, delivering a portion price of just 1p per cup, there is enormous scope for driving profit. So what’s been improved?

l

Don't forget the cardboard case has long been recyclable and the product has always been Fairtrade.

l

The tea bags are now plant-based and bio degradable. Place in your food waste bin.

CHEF’S LARDER 1100 FAIRTRADE PREMIUM TEA BAGS

SEPTEMBER 2022 FEATURE l IMPROVED OWN BRAND PRODUCTS 47

The tea blend itself has been improved and benchmarked against the market.

l

ITALIAN HOPMASTERS SINCE 1877 MIDAS CODE: M271887 WSP £ 18.99 THE PERFECT PAIRING With a chilled bottle of Birrificio Angelo Poretti, you can elevate your dishes this autumn and beyond. New Birrificio Angelo Poretti 24x330ml bottles. Established in 1877 in Valganna, Italy, Birrificio Angelo Poretti is a full-flavoured lager with a sparkling carbonation, sweet malty body and assertive hoppy bitterness. Brewed specifically for the Italian dinner table.

CHEF’S LARDER HOT PUDDINGS l Chef’s Larder Chocolate Fudge Brownie l Chef’s Larder 12 Individual Sticky Toffee Sponge Puddings l Chef’s Larder 12 Individual Syrup Sponge Puddings Chef’s Larder Hot Puddings are the perfect end to any meal delivering the familiar blend of great quality and fantastic value that caterers have become used to. With portion prices as low as 93p, the range offers plenty of scope for catering customers to drive up profits, safe in the knowledge that they are serving their consumers delicious, indulgent puddings that will keep them coming back time and again. Supplied frozen, there is no wastage and maximum convenience for your kitchen team. So what’s been improved? l All three products have improved recipes l All are now gluten free l Range developed with the caterer in mind: preportioned, speed of service l No artificial colours or preservatives l All suitable for vegetarians l New packaging and improved photography to showcase the products FEATURE l IMPROVED OWN BRAND PRODUCTS £1.32£1.32PER93JUSTPPORTIONJUSTPERPORTIONJUSTPERPORTION * Pricing accurate at time of going to press but subject to change.

Offer subject to availability and change. Varieties as stocked. © 2022 The Coca-Cola Company. All rights reserved. COCA-COLA, COCA-COLA ZERO SUGAR, DIET COKE, THE CONTOUR BOTTLE and TASTE THE FEELING are registered trade marks of The #1 FastestGrowing cola brand On-Premisein Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is the Diet Coke is the brand On-Premisein #1 Low Calorie Soft DrinksDrinks On-Premise Classic #1 Soft Drinks brand On-Premisein Coca-Cola Classic is the

Coca-Cola Company. STOCKTODAYUP M63725 M400700 M400690 Calorie Drinks Source: Nielsen/CGA –Total On Premise MAT Oct 21 vs. YA Value share

SERVICE l MEET THE TEAM

WHAT’S THE BEST BIT ABOUT YOUR JOB? There are three key things: the first one being that every day is different. There’s no set timetable, it varies throughout the day, week and year. Sometimes the role is office-based, sometimes I’m out visiting caterers and sometimes I’m visiting suppliers and getting insights and information from them, so it's really broad. The second thing is the catering and on-trade customers themselves. They really keep you on your toes! Getting to spend time with them in their businesses is something I love and fortunately since lockdown restrictions have eased I’ve been able to get back to doing that a lot this year. The third thing is my team. They are an incredible bunch of truly dedicated people who between them have more than 60 years of wine-buying experience, so they certainly know their stuff!

SEPTEMBER 202252

WHAT KEY TRENDS ARE DRIVING WINE SALES AT THE MOMENT?

DESCRIBE YOUR CAREER JOURNEY UP UNTIL NOW?

Overall we have been seeing an increased demand for premium ranges and low and no alcohol but it's a tricky environment at the moment with current trends likely to change with the cost of living crisis. This makes having a strong core offering even more important then ever. We’re seeing Mark Oldfield heads up the team that handles the Wine and RTDs categories for Booker. He has been in this role for for around a year but he has been with Booker for 16 years in total, so he understands the business and he understands the evolving needs of Booker's customers. Prior to that, Mark spent many years in wholesale and has invaluable experience in senior roles within buying teams which helps him ensure that he and his team deliver a fantastic service.

ABOUTMARK MARK OLDFIELD, CATEGORY LEAD WINE & RTDS

MARK OLDFIELD SAY HELLO TO...

There are four category managers in our fantastic team, of which I am the lead. We split responsibilities across the major suppliers and that covers product listings, range, promotions, pricing and availability, so we have quite a broad remit! We also have to tailor the range and the offering to suit the different parts of the Booker business. Caterers and licensees, for example, have quite different requirements from the retail side of the business, so a lot of work goes into that.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE KEY FUNCTIONS OF YOUR ROLE? TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE KEY FUNCTIONS OF YOUR ROLE?

I took up the post of Category Lead for Wine and RTDs a year ago, but I’ve been at Booker for 16 years and have worked across grocery, catering and now wine and RTDs, so I have a really good understanding of the business. Ten years prior to that, I started my career at an independent cash and carry in the Midlands. I progressed from the ground up, from checkouts to supervisor, then duty manager before moving into the buying team. My early years have proved invaluable as they have meant that I’ve seen almost every facet of the business.

SEPTEMBER 2022 53 SERVICE l MEET THE TEAM strong growth in our exclusive brands like Previata Italian Pinot Grigio, Pattersons Grove New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and our San Andres Chilean range. Together, these brands are in triple digit growth. These are all priced as EDLP ranges and we aim to lock them down for 12 weeks as a minimum in line with our food and drink guide. This enables our customers to have confidence when building their wine lists. In general terms, Prosecco is the most important sparkling product for caters, Italian Pinot Grigio is the biggest white by volume and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is the biggest by value. We have some great exclusive brands combined with great prices backed up by quality liquids. Add these to your menu and you won't go far wrong. WHAT IS THE MAIN FOCUS OF ACTIVITY IN YOUR DEPARTMENT AT THE MOMENT?

Availability and mitigating cost price increases from the supply base is our key priority so that we can maintain great every day low pricing for our customers. One area where pricing has really been under pressure is Prosecco due to low availability of product. In response to that we launched an Italian Sparkling wine in our Previata brand at just £29.99 to provide a great entry price point into the sparkling market. The product has a very similar taste profile to Prosecco and is a great alternative. WHAT ELSE CAN CUSTOMERS LOOK FORWARD TO ON WINE? Caterers and licensees will continue to see strong every day low prices and great availability on key A key priority is maximising availability and mitigating cost price increases from the supply base and we're working hard with our suppliers to do this.

The total low to no alcohol category is flying and wine is certainly no exception, growing at 900% year on year. For a caterer or licensee looking to enter the low to no wine category for the first time or ramp up their offer, I would suggest keeping it small and simple to start with. Go for something like a McGuigan Zero which is one of the better-flavoured no alcohol wines. The low to no market has made some major improvements recently and some of these new products such as McGuigan Zero really stand up. For a no alcohol sparkling I’d also suggest stocking Nozeco.

Caterers and licensees will continue to see strong promotions on key brands which help to drive footfall and profits.

One of the most noticeable trends at the moment is a movement into Australian wines. Australia is the biggest country in the world in terms of sales volume so it’s really important that customers have a good core Australian offering across each of the main price brackets. Australian wines tend to offer that sweeter taste profile which a growing number of customers are looking for these days. They also tend to be more robust in terms of price and availability, which is key. Australian wines don’t tend to struggle with supply challenges which helps to keep consistency in both price and availability.

SEPTEMBER 2022 55 SERVICE l MEET THE TEAM

WHAT’SHEARING...MARK AUSTRALIA,AVAILABILITYSWEETNESS, products and brands throughout the year which really does help to protect availability and thus footfall and profits. With sweeter wines also making a comeback so we will also be increasing our range and distribution on Jam Shed and 19 Crimes offering alternatives to our own exclusive brands.

Argentinian Malbec is still a really on-trend growth area too, so we’ll also be increasing our range and distribution on Trivento to offer more choice. So whether you want an exclusive Booker product to stand out from the crowd or a recognised quality brand, you will be able to pick and choose what works best for your business.

TALK TO US BYOPPORTUNITIESABOUTOFFEREDSEASONALEVENTS?

Providing recommendations to your consumers remains a great way to increase wine sales so whether that be a white or rosé spritz in the summer months or mulled wine in winter, you will see more lots more suggestions and ideas from Booker in future communications to help maximise these opportunities.

HOW IS THE LOW TO NO WINE PERFORMING?CATEGORY

Seasonal events are really important in the wine category. We are currently working on the Christmas opportunity at the moment which is obviously a key one. Everyone wants to treat themselves at Christmas, so there is a huge opportunity to upsell more premium products. Sparkling products and red wines in particular will offer fantastic opportunities for customers to grow sales and profits this Christmas.

SEPTEMBER 202256 FISHING70%MOREMAKETHANPORFOR BIGGER PROFITS Booker’s extensive range of own-brand chip and battered fish products helps caterers meet demand for one of the most popular dishes on the menu while also securing margins in excess of 70%. SERVICE l OWN BRAND MADE 100%WITHNATURALFILLETSUSTAINABLYSOURCEDANDCARRYTHEMSCCERTIFIEDLOGO

NEW RANGE

SEPTEMBER 2022 57 CHEF'S LARDER PREMIUM EXTRA CHUNKY GOURMET £9.99M2773324X2.5KGCHIPS CHEF'S TARTARELARDERSAUCE2.15LTRM129875£6.49CHEF'SLARDERMUSHYPEAS2.61KGM227542£4.19UPDATED OWN BRAND RANGE The Chef’s Larder and Chef’s Larder Premium range of own-brand battered fish products was updated earlier this year. Midas Product Size WSP M260739 Chef’s Larder Premium 230-290g £14.79 6 Jumbo Beer Battered (8-10oz) Cod Fillets M260742 Chef’s Larder 15 Battered 110-140g £14.49 Cod Fillets (4-5oz) M260743 Chef’s Larder 12 Medium 140-170g £12.49 Battered Cod Fillets (5-6oz) M260744 Chef’s Larder 6 Jumbo 230-290g £10.79 Battered Cod Fillets (8-10oz) With many consumers facing cost of living challenges at the moment, it’s the perfect time to be taking a fresh look at your menu to ensure that you are delivering great value while also maximising your profits.This is particularly important when it comes to high volume dishes that are popular with as broad a cross-section of your consumers as possible – dishes like fish and chips, for example. Fish and chips is a great British essential that graces many menus across the country, and for good reason. A fantastic dish for all seasons, it’s a perennial favourite, so it makes sense to ensure you are providing the best quality product at a great value price, while optimising your profit margins.

To help you do this, Booker relaunched its own-brand battered fish range earlier this year with a new look but the same top quality products inside. The new packaging designs are bright and vibrant, making them easier for caterers to find in-branch and the packs have also been colour-coded to help caterers quickly and easily find the pack size they require. * Pricing accurate at time of going to press but subject to change.

STOCK UP TODAYM247213TANGOAPPLECAN M275517 TANGO BERRY PEACHY CAN SF M265969 TANGO SF DARK BERRYTANGOM307017ORANGE CAN Tango has grown 4x faster than the fruit carbs category in OOH over the last 2 years¹ 1.CGA, Total Out of Home, Tango Range, Value Sales data, MAT to 31.03.22 vs MAT 2YA Time to

SEPTEMBER 2022 59 SERVICE l OWN BRAND All four products are produced to the highest standard, are Sustainably Sourced and carry the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certifi ed logo, guaranteeing that the products have been sourced from a fi shery meeting the MSC’s high standards for management and sustainability. All four products are made with 100% natural fi Critically,llets.the fantastic value available on the Chef’s Larder and Chef’s Larder Premium range means that caterers can confidently offer great deals on a selection of fish and chips dishes, safe in the knowledge that they could secure margins of over 70%. Jumbo Beer Battered Cod Fillet, Triple Cooked Chips & Mushy Peas Chef’s Larder Premium Jumbo Beer Battered Cod Fillets 1x6s M260744 Chef’s Larder Premium Extra Chunky Gourmet Chips 2.5kg M182767 Sell Price: £13.95 Cost per serving: £3.22 Profit: 72% Cash profit: £8.41 Jumbo Battered Cod & Chunky Chips Chef’s Larder Premium Jumbo Beer Battered Cod Fillets 1x6s M260744 Chef’s Larder Premium Extra Chunky Gourmet Chips 2.5kg M182767 Sell Price: £10.95 Cost per serving: £2.67 Profit: 71% Cash profit: £6.45 Battered Cod, Chips & Peas Chef’s Larder Premium Jumbo Beer Battered Cod Fillets 1x6s M260744 Chef’s Larder Premium Super Crisp Gourmet French Fries 2.5kg M182764 Sell Price: £6.95 Cost per serving: £1.52 Profit: 74% Cash profit: £4.27 RECIPE IDEA RECIPE IDEA RECIPE IDEA Booker, there is also a great selection of own-brand chips, including Chef’s Larder Premium Extra Chunky Gourmet Chips and Chef’s Larder Premium Super Crisp Gourmet French Fries. Pricing on these exceptionally popular chips has been locked down once again and caterers can bag a 4 x 2.5kg case for just £9.99. For the finishing touches, why not add some Chef’s Larder Tartare Sauce and some Chef’s Larder Mushy Peas for a brilliant-value, extratasty dish that will keep diners coming back time and again? So there's every reason to make sure that fish and chips remain firmly on your menu, delivering outstanding footfall, sales and profits. A classic battered cod, chips and peas using Chef’s Larder Medium Battered Cod Fillets, for example, will deliver 74% profit which represents a cash profit of £4.27 on every dish sold at a great value price of £6.95. If you're looking for something more at the premium end of the scale for your customers, a jumbo battered cod and chunky chips using Chef’s Larder Premium Jumbo Beer Battered Cod Fillets could deliver a margin in excess of 70%, or well over £6 in cash terms, when sold for £10.95.

CHIP IN On top of the range of own-brand battered fi sh products available from * Pricing accurate at time of going to press but subject to change.

M 268815 10ml x 200 £16.99 M 270264 10L £29.49 M 049643 5L £18.99 M 278968 2L £8.99 M 246722 10ml x 198 £13.49 M 256204 2.26L £14.49 M 158685 750ml x 6 £20.89 REQUEST FREE HELLMANN’S MERCHANDISE UFS.COM/MERCHANDISEAT *UK Nielsen Retail Grocery Value Sales MAT 28/11/2020 THE COMPLETE SOLUTION FROM THE NATION’S FAVOURITE MAYONNAISE*

l Available at 133 branches.

SEPTEMBER 2022 61 SERVICE l CLICK + COLLECT

l Slots available within four hours of order being placed online.

Click and Collect allows caterers to build an order online on the Booker website, add the products they require into their virtual trolley, pay for them and then collect the order on a day and time that is convenient for them. The service is available across ambient, chilled and frozen products and allows customers to quickly and efficiently select every product they require. Then, all they must do is visit their local home branch and collect the order that will be there for them upon their arrival. For urgent orders, Booker offers a four-hour collection lead time, allowing caterers to collect their order at the branch of their choice just four hours after submitting their order online. One hour collection slots are available Monday to Friday from 9am until either 3pm or 4pm, depending on the branch.

Booker launched a new Click and Collect service for catering customers earlier this year offering a flexible, simple and convenient alternative to deliveries. With caterers facing many operational challenges and unpredictable demand levels, Booker launched a flexible, convenient new solution for its catering customers earlier this year to offer them a fantastic, fast alternative to its delivered service.

Availablein133branches

Minimum order value for the Click and Collect service is £100 (£150 at our London branches) and the service does not include tobacco products.

CLICK AND COLLECT: FAST FACTS

l Fast, convenient and flexible alternative to Booker’s delivered service.

The Click and Collect service offers many great advantages for time-pressed caterers and offers a convenient, flexible alternative to the standard delivered service offered by Booker. The service allows customers to minimise the time they spend in the branch locating and compiling their order, and minimises the time they spend out of their own business. It also offers a fast, flexible option for caterers urgently requiring specific lines that day.

l Minimum order value £100.

l Add ambient, chilled and frozen lines to your virtual trolley on the Booker website and collect on a day and time that is convenient for you.

The Click and Collect solution was launched at the beginning of February and is now available in 133 branches.

CLICK AND COLLECT: THE FAST, CONVENIENT WAY TO SHOP

If you would like to try out the service, simply visit the Booker website today and start taking advantage of the benefits of this flexible, efficient and fast service. SCAN ME

l One hour collection slots from 9am until 3pm or 4pm, depending upon your branch.

SEPTEMBER 2022 62 EasyMartiniEspresso ALFRED BUTTON VANILLA VODKA 70CL M271975 LICHFIELDBEANSESPRESSO1KG M132756 DAVINCISYRUPVANILLA70CL M239062 Sell price: £6.00 Cost per serving: £1.05 Profit: 79% Cash profit: £3.95 Espresso Martini Straight from the Can FUNKINCANMARTINIESPRESSONITRO12X200ML M1016152 Sell price: £6.00 Cost per serving: £1.34 Profit: 73% Cash profit: £3.66 Espresso Martini Easy Twist –Biscoff Martini ABSOLUTVODKAVANILIA70CL M202401 LICHFIELDBEANSESPRESSO1KG M132756 LOTUS BISCOFF SAUCE 1KG M263985 Sell price: £7.00 Cost per serving: £1.18 Profit: 80% Cash profit: £4.65 * Pricing accurate at time of going to press but subject to change.

The same report found that by the end of last year, cocktails accounted for nearly 10% of all drinks sales in hospitality, more than the double the figure for the previous year. What’s more, the report showed that your customers are prepared to pay £8.96 for a cocktail – and an overwhelming 62% say they have a ‘go to’ cocktail. Some 43% of consumers drink cocktails at least weekly and over a fifth – 21% - are drinking cocktails more often than they were in So2019.it’s clear that cocktails represent a major opportunity – and cashing in on that opportunity doesn’t have to be

The growth of cocktails over the last couple of years has been one of the major trends in hospitality. According to the CGA Mixed Drinks Report 2021, around 7.4 million consumers drink cocktails out of home – that’s around 15% of the entire adult population – and they spend almost £300m in the process.

SERVICE l EASY COCKTAILS

Cocktails continue to be a fantastic footfall, sales and profit driver so offering some easy-to-prepare cocktails can be a no-fuss way of cashing in on this important trend.

EASY COCKTAILS, EASY PROFITS

SERVICE l EASY COCKTAILS SEPTEMBER 2022 63 Vanilla Vodka and Coke ALFRED BUTTON VANILLA VODKA 70CL M271975 COCA COLA BIB 7LTR M085325 DAVINCI VANILLA SYRUP 70CL M239062 Sell price: £5.00 Cost per serving: £0.71 Profit: 83% Cash profit: £3.46 Easy Zombie CAPTAIN MORGAN TIKI 70CL M259845 FUNKIN ZOMBIE MIX 1LTR M1019452 Sell price: £8.00 Cost per serving: £1.30 Profit: 80% Cash profit: £5.36 andDarkStormy CAPTAINDARKMORGAN70CL M927053 OLD JAMAICA GINGER BEER 330ML M964643 Sell price: £5.00 Cost per serving: £0.66 Profit: 84% Cash profit: £3.51 INCREASE MARGIN AND SPEND l Cocktails are a fantastic and simple way to grow margins and spend per visit. l Cocktail consumers pay 38% more per a cocktail vs a single serve of G&T. l Cocktail consumers tend to drink 2-3 cocktails per visit. l On average, cocktail drinkers spend £104 per month on eating and drinking compared to the £85 GB average Source: CGA Mixed Drinks Report Q3 2021 * Pricing accurate at time of going to press but subject to change.

M014385 Crusha Banana Milkshake Mix 1 x 1ltr SHAKE UP YOUR BREAKFAST MENU 1. Blitz all ingredients except the berries together in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. 2. Pour half of the mixture into a jug and set aside. 3. Add the frozen berries to the remaining half of the milkshake and blitz until fully combined. 4. Pour both milkshakes simultaneously into the serving glass and add toppings if desired. BreakfastCrusha SmootHie Kcal: 95 per 100g (475kcal for 500g milkshake) Cost: £1.55 per serving*30g Crusha Banana Syrup 250ml Oat Milk 1 100g50g100gBananayoghurtoatsFrozenMixed Berries * At current time of production. December 2021.

SEPTEMBER 2022 65 FUNKIN COCKTAIL MIXERS ARE A FANTASTIC, NO-HASSLE WAY OF OFFERING YOUR CUSTOMERS THE UK’S BESTSELLING COCKTAILS WITHOUT HAVING TO EMPLOY A SPECIALIST BARTENDER OR SPEND A LONG TIME PREPARING COCKTAILS. IN FACT, IT’S AS EASY AS 1,2,3… 1. SPIRIT ADD 50ML OF THE REQUIRED SPIRIT 2. FUNKIN ADD 100ML OF FUNKIN MIXER 3. SHAKE WITH ICE AND SERVE M184882 Margarita M181227 Mojito M205016 Passion Fruit Martini M181812 Piña Colada M181233 Strawberry Daiquiri 10109451 Zombie THE FUNKIN MIXERS ARE AVAILABLE FOR JUST £3.99 PER LITRE UNIT AND ARE THE IDEAL EASY WAY TO TAP INTO THE COCKTAIL TREND AND GROW YOUR FOOTFALL, SALES AND PROFITS. Check out the Booker Catering Guide for more recipe ideas. Funkin it up TOP 10 COCKTAILS 1 Pornstar Martini 2 Sex on the Beach 3 Mojito 4 Long Island Ice Tea 5 Espresso Martini 6 Daiquiri 7 Piña Colada 8 Spritz 9 CocktailSparkling 10 Zombie

EASY DOES IT You could add some easy cocktails to your menu: minimum preparation time and maximum profits. Take a look at our cocktail suggestions in this feature, such as a classic but easy Espresso Martini. Made using the great value Alfred Button Vanilla Vodka as a base, this cocktail will deliver a profit of 79% when sold at £6.00, which represents a cash profit of a whopping £3.95 on every serve. So why not make it easy for yourself and your team by taking a fresh look at your cocktail menu and adding in some easy solutions to enhance your menu and meet the growing demand for cocktails?

complicated. Creating a cocktail menu with some of the most popular cocktails needn’t involve hiring a specialist cocktail bartender and investing in complex and expensive cocktail-making equipment.

MAKE IT EASY With so much pressure on your team’s time these days, one simple way to grow cocktail sales with a minimum of fuss and effort is by using the Funkin range of prebatched cocktails and cocktail purées. Available in a huge range of the most popular cocktail flavours, all you and your bar team have to do is add the spirits, shake and serve. It really is that simple. Funkin mixers are available for some of the most popular cocktails including Mojitos, Passion Fruit Martinis, Piña Coladas and Strawberry Daiquiris. Quick, tasty and great value at £3.99 a litre, the range can help you add some excitement to your cocktail menu with minimum fuss and effort. Or, to make things even simpler, why not try Funkin’s range of pre-mixed ready-to-drink canned Funkin Nitro cocktails that let you serve great tasting, high quality cocktails with absolutely no effort.

*Source: Nielsen data w/e 20.03.22 **Source: Kantar: data to w/e 20.03.22 ***Source: Mondelez Refreshment U&A Study UK, June 2019

*Nielsen, Independent and Symbols, 52 Weeks, Oct 2021 **Retailers are free to set their own prices. UK & ROI, 18+ only. 10:00 28/02/2022 – 16:59 30/09/2022. Internet access required. Purchase a promotional pack of Trebor Extra Strong or Softmints (GB only), visit www.trebor.co.uk and select your region. ROI & NI residents purchase not required. Enter your name and contact details including Eircode / postcode (for ROI & NI) or your barcode & batch code (for GB) to find out instantly if you’ve won a prize and to be entered into the Grand Prize draw. Grand Prize: 1 x £10,000/€. Instant Win Prizes: 201 choice of vouchers from spa days, gym/wellbeing memberships, hair stylists and many more up to the value of £50/€ (subject to individual terms and conditions). Grand prize draw to take place on 07/10/2022. Wrap Up Draw: Entrants between 17:00 01/10/22 – 16:59 31/12/22 will be placed in a final draw for a chance to win £250/€. Retain receipt to claim. Max 1 entry per person per day. Max 1 Prize per household. Visit website for full T&Cs. Promoter: Mondelez Europe Services GmbH – UK Branch with registered office at Cadbury House, Sanderson Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1DH. M027920M303123M261198M261172

SEPTEMBER 202268 £47.99Cheaperbythecase LAUNCH REVIEW l WATERMELON SOURZ EXCLUSIVE UNTIL 30 SEPTEMBER

Ingredients: l 50ml Watermelon Sourz l 12.5ml Aperol l 75ml Lemonade l 75ml Prosecco l Watermelon slice and mint sprig to garnish

UNLOCK FRESH SALES WITH SOURZ WATERMELON EXCLUSIVE

Sourz Watermelon is one of the latest exciting new lines to launch as a Group Exclusive, o ering can array of opportunities to drive sales.

product, Sourz Watermelon can be drunk on its own or used as an ingredient to create simple, refreshing cocktails that can add some exclusive sparkle to your cocktail menu and help drive footfall. With its eye-catching, distinctive bottle design and packaging, Sourz Watermelon is perfect for social media so why not feature the line on your Instagram, Facebook or TikTok pages and highlight the fact that it’s an exclusive line to your Youaudience?could also try the simple cocktail suggestions in this feature to create attention-grabbing Instagram-ready posts that will bring customers to your door in search of a Sourz Watermelon Slushie or a Sourz Watermelon Spritz? Both cocktails are ideal and ontrend so you can be confident of bigger footfall, sales and profits. To squeeze every penny of profit out of this exclusive product, remember that it’s always cheaper by the case, so it makes sense to take advantage of the fantastic case price of just £47.99 for Sourz Watermelon. This equates to just £8 per bottle!

SlushieWatermelonSourz

As most catering customers will know by now, there’s nothing like exclusive products to help drive excitement, footfall, sales and profits.

SEPTEMBER 2022 69 LAUNCH REVIEW l WATERMELON SOURZ EXCLUSIVE

Booker has continued to deliver a steady of stream of outstanding exclusive products that help customers offer a differentiated range and stand out from the competition. One of the latest exclusives available for Booker customers is Sourz Watermelon. Sourz as a brand has grown in value by 74% in the last year, according to Dunhumby, and 20% more now buy into the brand. The exclusive Watermelon variant taps into the current trend for bold, sweet fruit flavours and is already providing to be a hit with consumers. It is available exclusively to Group customers until 30 ASeptember.veryversatile

Ingredients: l 50ml Watermelon Sourz l 25ml White Rum l 25ml Lime Juice l 25ml Sugar Syrup l Fresh Strawberries to garnish

SpritzWatermelonSourz

Visit tetleyfoodservice.co.uk to nd out more, and discover our product range, POS and marketing support. *Kantar World Panel L52W to April 2022, Total Branded Tea Buyers. Total Tetley & TCP buyers tea you servers of we are Britainfor Stock up on favouritenation’sthe*

Caterers are becoming increasingly aware of the growing importance of the sustainability agenda to our customers. I am aware of Booker’s commendable Better Trolley for a Better Planet commitments and I was wondering how those commitments are being actioned?

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The current macroeconomic environment is clearly concerning for caterers as we review our menus and try to ensure that we can still feature the classic, popular dishes that our customers love but still ensure we secure sufficient margins. Do you have any advice in this area? Mark Fox, Coral Island, Blackpool Simon King, Sales Director – Catering, said: “Being able to provide diners with the most popular dishes while still maintaining strong margins is mission critical – which is why Booker has, for example, locked down prices on classic dishes like steak and chips to allow our catering customers to plan their menus in complete confidence. Similarly, by using Booker’s extensive range of own brand chips and battered fish products, caterers can still secure margins in excess of 70% for a serving a fish and chips.”

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I understand that Booker now offers a Click and Collect service in many branches? Can you tell me

submittingfourcancanIt’sproductadeliverieseasyaofferingbranches,customersflexible,quickandalternativetoorvisitingbranchandpickingthemselves.freeofchargeandsavetime.Ordersbecollectedwithinhoursofbeingonline.” YOURSHOUTCOUNTONTHECLASSICS?

Dean Sayer, Ninja Warrior Adventure Park, Leicester Simon King, Sales Director – Catering, said: “Better Trolley is our commitment to operating sustainably and serving customers, communities and the planet. These commitments are being actioned in a whole host of ways and affects every aspect of our business. Some of the most obvious consequences of these commitments, however, are found in the many sustainability improvements we are making on our own brand ranges. You’ll find some excellent examples of this on page 48. For more information, visit the Better Trolley section on the Booker website.”

Johnmore.Robins, Harry’s Diner, SimonFileyKing, Sales Director – Catering, said: “We offer Click and Collect at 133

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