FoodChain Issue 179 December 2021 by Finelight Media Group

FoodChain ISSUE 179 l DEC 2021

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Plated adventure Offering tastes from a selection of cultures, Flagship Restaurant Group’s brands are keen to introduce customers to flavors from around the world

SPOTLIGHT ON: Led by Gregory George, Foodie

Franchises’

extensive knowledge makes it well-equipped to guide potential food franchisees to find the right business, and to open doors for aspiring food franchisors who dream of creating a popular and successful company

FoodChain ISSUE 179 l DEC 2021

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Editor’s Welcome Plated adventure Offering tastes from a selection of cultures, Flagship Restaurant Group’s brands are keen to introduce customers to flavors from around the world

SPOTLIGHT ON: Led by Gregory George, Foodie

Franchises’

Chairman - Andrew Schofield

FoodChain ISSUE 169 l JAN 2021

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Halal heaven

The future of foodservice

ISSUE 170 l FEB 2021

FoodChain

ISSUE 171 l MAR 2021

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ISSUE 172 l APRIL 2021

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Managing Director - Joe Woolsgrove Editor - Libbie Hammond Assistant Editor - Will Daynes Staff Writers - Alex McDonald, Danielle Champ Jessica Olley Managing Art Editor - Fleur Daniels Art Editor - David Howard Advertising Designer - Paul Gillings Sales Director- Alasdair Gamble

Fresh ideas With over 100 years of experience in tea and coffee under its belt, Finlay Beverages Limited is looking forward to delivering new, innovative, sustainable and healthy products in 2021 and beyond

Hospitality: Food operators of all stripes are revisiting their on-premises

A broader approach: Evolving consumer preferences and other drivers are

food offering by rethinking how their kitchens are run, and who they serve

pushing food and beverage manufacturers towards digitalization solutions

demands on food supply

Food waste: Many more companies and countries – big and small – should set a

Exports: Food businesses need to commit serious investment to

Perfectly packaged: Vantastic Foods chooses an innovative new

A sustainable future: The changing face of palm oil in the UK

developing their exports – the opportunities are out there

packaging solution for its plant based minced meat product

and across the world

Packaging: While the obvious packaging materials of glass, plastic and aluminum

School catering: The pandemic has created an opportunity to innovate

Taking care: The challenges of Covid-19 have placed further emphasis on

Better days: Kellogg Company maintains a dedication to sustainability

are still used the most, exciting biopolymer solutions are offering new options

and trial new ideas in the way food is delivered whilst managing costs

food safety and the importance of accurate temperature monitoring

and corporate responsibility

FoodChain ISSUE 173 l JUNE 2021

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ISSUE 174 l JULY 2021

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Sweet nostalgia

Having laid strong foundations for the future of KFC in Austria and Slovakia, Queensway Europe hopes to double its unit count before the end of 2022

Mademoiselle Desserts focuses on quality, innovation and using category insights to bring new products to life

In a glaze of glory

Rockin’ hops

Kane’s Donuts is maintaining its reputation for producing delicious hand-cut donuts, while also including a steady offering of other innovative and delectable options on the menu

While unyielding in its passion for great beer, Big Rock Brewery is also determined to keep up with the demand for new and innovative products, including alcoholic teas

The right tools: The food industry can respond to food fraud by

Feed the world: The need for businesses to start thinking about

utilizing powerful and innovative analytical equipment

Zero hour: How can we expand the benefits of a robust and

Automated success: Dogfish Head’s new automation system is

how they can prevent unstainable practices along the food chain

resilient cold chain while simultaneously working to reach net zero?

providing a host of benefits to the Delaware-based craft brewery

Get ready: Advice on procedures and changes for caterers as their

A holistic view: Five food safety KPIs that are essential for

Make it irresistible: Brilliant branding communicates everything a

Natural evolution: Why better representation of organic agriculture

venues start to welcome back guests

manufacturers and processors to have at their fingertips

consumer needs to know in a glance and says ‘buy me, buy me NOW’

in a life cycle assessment must be incorporated into future policy

A new evolution: Virtual kitchens, drone deliveries and robot

Increased responsibility: The work of a global partnership

Responsible consumption: According to a study, it is possible to

Digesting the impact: Food waste is a significant issue to address -

technology – all are set to enhance the customer experience

that is committed to reducing harmful drinking

encourage consumers to reduce their food waste

an estimated one third of all food produced in the world goes to waste

FoodChain www.foodchainmagazine.com

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FoodChain ISSUE 178 l NOV 2021

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FoodChain ISSUE 179 l DEC 2021

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Eyes on the fries Whether its Little Big Burger, Burgers Grilled Right, American Burger Co or its latest acquisition, Pizza Rev - what unites the

restaurant brands operated by Amergent Hospitality Group is a total focus on great food

Hops and craft

Plated adventure Offering tastes from a selection of cultures, Flagship Restaurant Group’s brands are keen to introduce customers to flavors from around the world

In its quest for brewing perfection, Mast Landing Brewing Company combines a passion for quality beer, a dedication to happy staff and a culture of sustainability Increased visibility: Food traceability and transparency and what can be gained by digitally transforming the supply chain

Unlocking value: There are solutions to logistics challenges faced by the industry but no single ‘silver bullet’

Regaining control: How food and drink businesses can find stable ground and recover after a rollercoaster year

SPOTLIGHT ON:

SPOTLIGHT ON: Led by Gregory George, Foodie

Led by Gregory George, Foodie

Franchises’

extensive knowledge makes it well-equipped to guide

extensive knowledge makes it well-equipped to guide potential food franchisees to find the right business,

potential food franchisees to find the right business,

and to open doors for aspiring food franchisors who

dream of creating a popular and successful company

ello and welcome to the December issue of FoodChain. This year has certainly introduced some challenges to the food, beverage and hospitality sectors – but also some opportunities as well. It’s been so heartening to see companies and their ability to adapt; introducing delivery options, ramping up online ordering, sometimes even changing their product manufacturing to help deliver much needed hand sanitizer! They also helped their communities, tried their best to support staff and came back to work with a determination to succeed despite the trials. We love seeing all the delicious new products, hearing about the launches and new venues and seeing the sheer hard work that so many people have put in over the past year. The team at FoodChain always feels very privileged when companies let us tell their story and we do endeavor to do justice to these dedicated businesses. Let me finish by drawing your attention to the story on page 84 on the East of England Co-op. We have worked with Roger Grosvenor, the Joint CEO for many years now, and it’s been great to finish 2021 with an update on the business. Roger is now headed for retirement in March 2022 – we wish him all the best for this new and exciting life stage!

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ISSUE 175 l AUGUST 2021

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Finger lickin’ growth

Editorial Researchers Adam Blanch, Victoria Burke, Mark Cowles Jodie Garringer, Jeff Goldenberg, Dan Harrison, James Page, Wendy Russell Richard Saunders, Basil Sharpe, Kieran Shukri

Florida General Manager - Ryan Finn

Growing for tomorrow: How vertical farming can address future

target of reducing food loss and waste within their operations

ISSUE 177 l OCT 2021

Advertising Sales Johanna Bailey, Mike Berger, Jessica Eglington James Fuller, Alex Hartley, Reid Lingle Theresa McDonald, Sam Surrell, Theresa Stark Gregory Waller

A brand that combines Filipino heritage, premium customer service, and exceptional food, Jollibee is committed to investing over £30 million in the UK

Smart technology: How connected technologies are transforming the food and beverage sector, and helping to keep our food supply safe and convenient

Business Development Director - Philip Monument Research Managers Michelle Fontaine, Natalie Griffiths, Jo-Ann Jeffery, Ben Richell, Basil Sharpe

A touch of Filipino flair

The Menu Partners - the amalgamation of Absolute Taste and Premier Fruits – is a foodservice giant that offers customers a one-stop shop for all their food delivery needs

The Halal Guys - pioneers of American Halal food - has ambitious aims to introduce more people all over the world to its delicious creations

lhammond@finelight-media.com libbie@schofieldpublishing.com

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Please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, and correct at time of writing, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights reserved. The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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Contents

INSIDE THIS

ISSUE Features Fast food

Ingredients

Plant-based sector

Functionality

Project HELIX

Quick service restaurant (QSR) chains have experienced robust activity over the past 12 months with the help of online delivery

Coffee roasters are continuing to look for unique products and buyers are seeking micro-lots as they increase in popularity with consumers

As the plant-based market continues to grow at an accelerated pace, the alt-fish sub-sector represents a key opportunity for development

Some of the biggest product development trends seen over the past few months lie in adding ingredient functionality to final products

News

Up-to-date products and announcements from the food and beverage sector

Taste test

The FoodChain team sample a selection of new and innovative foods and drinks

16 18

Project HELIX

Sustainability

Jollibee

How a Welsh Government and EU-funded project has delivered a significant boost to the food and drink industry in Wales

What is the right packaging option for your product and your business? Recyclable or compostable – what are the factors to consider?

Packaging 22

In the case study from Smurfit Kappa, we reveal how the Gosport site stepped in to help The Cheese Geek find the perfect box

Unreal Deli

Hygiene 24 With sound evidence backing up its efficacy, why isn’t UV disinfection being used more in the fight against Covid-19?

Case study

Tracklements has boosted production capacity and enhanced its environmental credentials by switching its energy supply from oil to liquid gas from Flogas

2 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Castle & Key

Foodie Franchises

ParmCrisps COVER STORY

Flagship Restaurant Group

Rhinegeist Brewery

Minerva Dairy

Fratelli Beretta USA

Great Spirits Baking Company www.foodchainmagazine.com 3

...Contents continued

90 East of England Co-op

102

Ingredient Solutions

106 Thomas Hardy

126

Amergent Hospitality Group

130

South Caernarfon Creameries

144

Alliance

148 Savi Provisions

158

162 Puratos

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En Route International

Shell Shack

98 Burts Snacks

118

Delicious Ideas Food Group

122 Crepini

136

Awakened Foods

140 Barberitos

152

Logtek Limited

154 Chapel Down

166

Reed’s

170 Billington Foods

Native Maine www.foodchainmagazine.com 5

Strong performers

In spite of a turbulent year for the hospitality industry, quick service restaurant (QSR) chains have bucked the trend and experienced robust activity over the past 12 months says Edward Weston 6 www.foodchainmagazine.com

rand performance metrics have soared with the help of online delivery and the influence of positive buzz on younger generations. Data from BrandVue – Savanta’s market intelligence platform – shows how the QSR sector has tackled one of its most challenging years yet, as well as highlighting who is driving brand sentiment and buying fast-food products. The transition to delivery has been a driving factor of brand usage within the fast-food market, with delivery aggregators Deliveroo and Uber Eats both experiencing spikes in customer penetration following QSR brands reopening for delivery. For example, McDonald’s has seen a staggering 151 percent growth in lastmonth penetration from June 2020-21.

The market leader surpassed its key competitors following the roll-out of non-essentials, reopening for takeaway and delivery in the second quarter of 2020. In doing so, it quickly became an industry favourite on food delivery apps across the UK. Similarly, QSR brands such as Domino’s (+5 percent), KFC (+3.8 percent), and Subway (+3.1 percent) have experienced spikes in positive buzz over the same period, alongside McDonald’s (+2.1 percent) who maintained the highest positive buzz rate at 36.3 percent.

Word of mouth speaks volumes Additional data from BrandVue also highlights the influence positive

Fast food The data highlights that ‘convenience’ and ‘speed of delivery’ have been key factors for consumers when choosing QSR brands in the last year. These characteristics cater to consumers who during lockdown wanted to order fast food that would also arrive fast. On average, brand love increased by almost three percent across the leading QSR chains over Q4 (2020) when the fast-food market reopened for delivery, suggesting that these characteristics were most valued during the lockdown era and therefore gave QSR brands a competitive advantage. Competing restaurants associated with ‘Quality’ dishes did not witness similar spikes in brand love, demonstrating that during lockdown convenience outweighed quality when influencing brand loyalty and purchase behaviour. As for delivery penetration, this year McDonald’s has generated the highest percentage of orders (34 percent), followed by Domino’s (33 percent), with orders from the pizza chain spiking during Q2 2021, along with most other QSR brands. Burger King saw less of a jump during this period, its biggest upsurge occurring in April 2021 (14.1 percent), predominantly driven by the 16-24 demographic. Despite this, the brand is catering toward the delivery trend, establishing exclusive deals with Deliveroo in

word-of-mouth has had on consumer penetration for McDonald’s, showing a positive link between growth in positive buzz and the proportion of respondents who had visited or ordered from QSR brands across the same period. Word-of-mouth was primarily driven by Generation Z, with positive buzz amongst this demographic increasing by 6pts from 64 percent to 70 percent through Q2 this year. In the case of McDonald’s, the data shows a link between spikes in positive buzz and peaks in consumer penetration. The uplift in penetration came primarily from the 16-24 demographic, highlighting another correlation between the increase in positive buzz surrounding the fastfood market and purchase behaviour from Gen Z audiences.

August for consumers who order Burger King through the app. Nevertheless, diving into McDonald’s penetration levels between May-July 2019 vs 2021; the data suggests that the percentage of respondents that have visited/ordered from McDonald’s in the last month has not reached prepandemic levels. However, peaks in penetration for the brand during the third quarter were remarkably similar both before and during the pandemic, 51 percent (2019) vs. 49 percent (2021). Interestingly, McDonald’s saw an almost six percent increase in the number of visits/orders in the last three-months in Northern Ireland and Scotland from July 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. Brands such as KFC (+2.5 percent) and Domino’s (+1.5 percent) also saw an increase in penetration during this period, the exception being this was in London, whilst orders from McDonald’s in this region dipped (-2 percent). As for food selection, fast-food customers are sticking with popular menu items following the transition to delivery. McDonald’s witnessed a dip in positive buzz during June 2021 following the removal of multiple popular menu items amidst a national shortage of chicken selects. The brand’s penetration was also down this July and August in comparison to prepandemic data, notably following the brand’s decision to discontinue its 99p burger deals. Despite QSR chains more recently reopening for indoor dining in the UK, delivery usage has remained steady moving into Q4. Penetration from leading delivery aggregators continues to spike amongst the 16-24 age group, highlighting that, for a proportion of this audience, fast-food dining rooms could become a relic of the past. D

Savanta

Edward Weston is an Insight Executive at Savanta. Savanta are a fast-growing data, market research and advisory company. We inform and inspire our clients through powerful data, empowering technology and high-impact consulting, all designed to help our clients make better decisions and achieve faster progress. For further information, please visit: www.savanta.com

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Appetite for flavor

M Satisfying the thirst for specialty coffee: small lots with big impact. By Byron Holcomb 8 www.foodchainmagazine.com

any coffee roasters today face the same challenge – how to keep up with growing demand for unique, specialty coffees. Coffee lovers not only want exceptional quality, distinctive flavor, and a unique provenance story, they also want to know their coffee purchase is having a positive impact on farmers. Micro lot coffee has fast become a by-word for all these but, while highly sought after, great micro lots are notoriously hard to find and bring to market. That’s where I come in. After working as a barista, a green coffee buyer, and a farmer in Brazil, I now discover

Byron Holcomb

specialty coffees from across Central America for ofi. That involves three things. Discovering those exciting micro lots in the first place, no easy feat when many of these farms are found in remote, mountainous regions where high altitudes make for great coffee. Helping the farmers to deliver the highest quality beans. And finding customers for their product. Olam Specialty Coffee carefully selects these micro lots, connecting US and European roasters with traceable specialty coffees from all over the world.* These diamonds in the rough are discovered through a major amount of work. But what does it really look like in practice? it’s important to note a few

Ingredients

things before answering this. There are no two identical coffees. Even from the same farm. Every lot or batch can taste slightly different. There are also factors that farmers can control and factors that they can’t. For example, a farmer can decide when to wash a coffee at the end of the fermentation process, but they can’t control the weather. During the drying process, an afternoon rain shower can destroy the quality of the lot. At Olam Specialty Coffee, we are obsessed with giving every coffee a chance. Each lot that comes in has its own potential. It’s a massive undertaking but that is how farmers get feedback and new areas are discovered. Often, the best lots

are the smallest ones representing less than 15 bags (1035kgs) of coffee. We overcome the first of these challenges by sending a team of talented ‘coffee hunters’ to roam Central America in search of promising new micro lots, small plots of coffee which typically produce fewer than 75 bags each. Often farmers don’t have a buying station nearby, so we have a roving coffee cupping lab come buying station that we can take to them. Fully kitted out and manned by our trained Q-graders, this allows us to test the flavor and quality of a farmer’s coffee and transact with them, wherever they are, no matter how remote. Often new discoveries have huge promise but may need help to reach their full potential. Alongside genetics and terroir, post-harvest processing has a huge impact on flavor and quality, but some farmers don’t have the skills and knowledge to make the most of this. Even then, farmers can struggle to bring their beans to market, which is why we promote many smallholders’ micro lots through Olam Direct, a smartphone app that allows farmers to negotiate and transact with us directly, using the latest coffee prices. We are using this to source from some brilliant micro lots in San Pedro Necta and Santa Barbara, which are known for beautiful coffees with sweet floral notes and some of the highest altitudes in all of Guatemala. This helps farmers to retain a higher price for their crop and allows customers to trace their beans right back to the individual micro lot, driving greater traceability and transparency. Marketing is also a powerful sales tool. In some cases, we create a new

brand for micro lots to help farmers to find an audience for their exceptional produce. Examples of this are our Lote Especial brands, a range of amazing Guatemalan coffees curated from farmers we know are looking to build meaningful relationships with roasters. Each of these coffees is sold as a complete lot and has received ‘TOP LOT’ cupping scores from our quality control team. It makes sure these coffees don’t go undiscovered and returns a premium to producers. Take Rosa Maria Ramírez, a smallholder producer from Caserio La Pinada, Huehuetenango, where the mountains rise above 2,000 meters. The smallholders of the region are known to produce one of the best deep blue parchment coffees in Guatemala. A woman working in coffee by herself, Rosa Maria, has less than 3ha of land and produces about 40 bags which we sell under our Lote Especial program. By doing so, we can bring her coffee to market and find customers who truly value the special beans she produces. I don’t see the appetite for new micro lots slowing any time soon. Consumers will only want more exclusivity, more quality, more flavor, and more sustainability impact. This means we must continue to unearth the unique stories and flavors the coffee belt has to offer, and do this in a way that is transparent, traceable and unlocks opportunities for farmers. Whether that’s discovering new farmers in new regions, helping smallholders to do things a bit differently, or changing the way we support farmers. All so these small farm plots can pack a big punch. D

olam food ingredients (ofi)

Byron Holcomb is Specialty Coffee Manager, olam food ingredients (ofi). ofi is a new operating group born out of Olam International, offering sustainable, natural, value-added food products and ingredients so that consumers can enjoy the healthy and indulgent products they love. It consists of the industry-leading businesses of cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts, and spices. ofi has built a unique global value chain presence including its own farms, farm-gate origination and manufacturing facilities. ofi partners with customers, leveraging its complementary and differentiated portfolio of ‘on-trend’ food products, to co-create solutions that anticipate and meet changing consumer preferences as demand increases for healthier food that’s traceable and sustainable. www.ofi.com *To find out more about the work of micro lot producers and our teams at origin, visit: olamspecialtycoffee.com

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A new alternative

The Smart Protein project: Developing the next generation of plant-based-fish. By Peter Machen 10 www.foodchainmagazine.com

ince the Smart Protein project is aimed at developing sustainable future foods, it makes sense that we should be exploring plant-based fish – especially given the highly unsustainable nature of the global fishing industry. In preparing this article, we consulted with several Smart Protein partners, including the Good Food Institute, ProVeg International, the applied-research

Peter Machen

organization Fraunhofer, and the seafood companies Soguima and Thai Union. As the plant-based market continues to grow at an accelerated pace, it might seem like alternatives to fish and seafood have been left behind. While this is true to some extent, it also means that the alt-fish sub-sector represents a key opportunity in the alt-food sector – since there is plenty of space for new products to enter the market and considerable

Plant-based value of the sector, the rapid expansion of sales from €261 thousand in 2018 to €1.9 million in 2020 is not to be sniffed at, and gives an idea of the potential for further growth. However, the selection of existing products is still very limited, consisting predominantly of fish fingers and crumbed fish burgers. The development and launch of plant-based analogues of fish fillets and other popular fish products are needed in order to satisfy unmet demand in the market. According to Kai-Brit Bechtold, Senior Research Scientist at ProVeg, “Consumer research suggests that there is a strong need to improve the ingredients and price points of these products.” All of which suggests that plant-based fish presents a potentially lucrative business opportunity for those who can rise to the challenge of developing convincing fish analogues.

What do consumers want in plant-based fish products?

space for growth. And, given the general enthusiasm about the plant-based space from both investors and consumers, it seems likely that plant-based fish is poised to catch up with its meat and dairy counterparts over the course of the next few years. Looking at the alt-seafood sector globally, it’s clear that the industry is beginning to grow at an accelerated rate, particularly in terms of investment, with

global investment in the sector growing from a quarter of a million US dollars in 2015 to 100 million dollars in 20211. In Germany, where the plant-based sector is particularly developed, Nielsen data for the two-year period ending October 2020 shows that plant-based fish had the highest growth rate of all plant-based food categories, growing by 623 percent over the two years. While this rapid growth is partially due to the small initial

The Consumer Advice Centre in Hessen, Germany, recently did a survey exploring the consumption habits of 80 vegan and vegetarian consumers in relation to 20 plant-based-seafood products. The results revealed the following facts about the consumer experience of plant-based fish: • A recognizable fish flavor is crucial, as is a chewing experience that is similar to conventional fish products. • At present, most products do not meet the needs of consumers – they are either too processed or include too many additives, while also missing key components that are usually found in fish, such as omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, and Vitamin B12. Although products do contain protein, the ratio is generally not as high as with conventional fish. • Furthermore, the price point of plant-based fish is too high – particularly for products that consumers do not find sufficiently satisfying. For example, breaded fish-substitute sticks cost 60 percent more than conventional fish sticks.

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Of the 20 products that were tested, about two-thirds used highly processed soya and/or grains (such as rehydrated wheat protein) as protein sources. Half of the products used seaweed and/ or algae to provide a fish flavor, while some products were augmented with additional flavors. Nearly all the products tested were missing fish-typical nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, and vitamin B12. There is clearly a lot of room for improvement in this category, particularly in terms of ingredients and price. At the same time, there is a great deal of development in the sector. The Smart Protein project, together with its partners, is working hard to address these challenges.

Developing better plantbased fish products Emanuel Guimarães is Director of Operations at the Portuguese seafood company Soguima and an active partner in the Smart Protein project. He had

12 www.foodchainmagazine.com

some useful insights about what is needed in order to bring plant-based fish into parity with conventional products. Guimarães points out that it is likely that one of the reasons that seafood analogues have trailed behind in terms of market offerings is that fish and seafood have unique sensory characteristics. Generally speaking, these characteristics are the result of a combination of factors, ranging from volatile chemical compounds to the unique muscular structure of fish. But, says Guimarães: “While developing and launching more accurate seafood alternatives presents something of a challenge in terms of food technology, it also poses an appealing opportunity – one that will be highly profitable for those companies that crack alt-fish.” One of the key challenges is to mask the off flavors and colors of the plantbased core ingredients, while achieving the right sensory characteristics. Yet, at the same time, consumers are increasingly demanding cleaner labels

and less processed food. The challenge is to disguise off flavors and colors without using unpopular additives. Color is key to consumer buy-in when it comes to alt-fish. Products that are substantially different in color to the product they are trying to replace are never going to convince consumers. Given that synthetic coloring already faces opposition from both consumers and regulatory agencies, one strategy is to try to mimic seafood that naturally has recognizable colors that are easy to achieve. Examples of fish with easily reproducible color palettes include tuna, salmon, fish roe, and cephalopods such as squid or octopus. In terms of masking or minimizing the off flavors, there are a host of triedand-tested techniques that are used in both conventional fish and other foods. These include processing methods such as pickling, salting, fermenting, and smoking, all of which can be used to improve and complement the flavor and texture of seafood analogues. It bears

Plant-based

mentioning that while these traditional methods are sometimes modified or supplemented with modern synthetic additives or processes, in terms of consumer appeal, simpler is always better – especially in the European market, where levels of both consumer awareness and food regulation are particularly high.

knowledge on the material behavior of more novel ingredients has to be generated from scratch, especially when new ingredients are mixed with another one in a multicomponent blend. While there are challenges, extrusion allows for the processing of any plantbased raw material into a variety of fish and seafood alternatives, from soft fish steaks to dense tuna shreds to shrimps. Adjusting the variables in the extrusion process allows for the creation of plant-based versions of a wide range of conventional seafood products. Finally, from a nutritional point of view, the gold standard of plantbased fish products should be a full replacement of all essential amino acids and vitamins that naturally occur in fish products. Since not all plant proteins

The role of extrusion in developing plant-based fish As with beef and poultry analogues, most plant-based fish products are likely to be produced using an extrusion process, in which the plant proteins are mixed with water and then blended and heated, before being extruded into their final form. The extrusion process involves numerous variables that can affect the texture, mouthfeel, and appearance of the finished product. These include temperature profile, screw design and speed, mass flow rate, the shape of the die, and moisture content, all of which can be adjusted separately to determine a particular product texture. Creating convincing products requires a deep understanding and experience of the multiple interactions between raw materials and the extrusion process. With adjustments to the process, a large variety of shapes and textures can be generated, from soft and juicy to dense and high in gumminess. While there is a great deal of existing expertise around traditional extrusion inputs such as soya,

contain all essential amino acids, a suitable approach to designing an optimal amino-acid profile for humans may be to combine different plant protein sources and process them as blends instead of as single ingredients.

A promising future for the sector Despite the challenges faced by the sector and its slow early growth compared to other protein analogues, plant-based seafood looks set to soar in the coming years, particularly as sustainability concerns around conventional seafood continue to grow. The Smart Protein project, together with its partners, is committed to accelerating this growth by providing research and support wherever possible. D

Good Food Institute (2021): State of the Industry Report. Alternative seafood. January 2020 - June 2021. Available at: https://gfi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/2021-Seafood-State-of-the-Industry.pdf [Accessed: 10.09.2021] (Invested capital includes accelerator and incubator funding, angel funding, seed funding, equity and product crowdfunding, early-stage venture capital, late-stage venture capital, private equity growth/expansion, capitalization, corporate venture, joint venture, convertible debt, and general debt completed deals. Note: Data has not been reviewed by PitchBook analysts.) 1

ProVeg International

Peter Machen is International Communications Manager at ProVeg International, a food awareness organization working to transform the global food system by replacing animalbased products with plant-based and cultured alternatives. ProVeg works with decisionmaking bodies, companies, investors, the media, and the general public to help the world transition to a society and economy that are less reliant on animal agriculture and more sustainable for all humans, animals, and our planet. www.proveg.com If you have any questions or are interested in investing in or developing plant-based seafood products, please contact Paloma Nosten - paloma.nosten@proveg.com https://smartproteinproject.eu/

www.foodchainmagazine.com 13

New opportunity O

Functionality is the latest buzzword in nutrition Carla Felgueiras

14 www.foodchainmagazine.com

ne of the biggest impacts of Covid-19 was the way it forced consumers to re-evaluate their health. Eight out of ten consumers are now actively improving their diet, whether increasing or meeting their five-a-day, reducing salt and sugar intake, or simply drinking more water. This is according to information released by the International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) 2020 Food and Health Survey. Some of the biggest product development trends seen during this time, however, lie in adding ingredient functionality to final products, and postpandemic, this is one trend that will continue to grow. According to consumer research conducted by taste and nutrition company Kerry1, health concerns have become more widespread since the Covid-19 outbreak, with 59 percent of those surveyed indicating that immunity

is a primary concern, while up to 50 percent also felt that mental health is just as important2. What is certain is that a consumer evolution is underway. The ability to highlight the functionality of a product will go a long way in reassuring consumers that what they are putting into their bodies has a functional benefit. This, coupled to a more integrated approach to food and healthcare, means that brands and companies must ensure that they are studying their products and services from the same viewpoint. Formulators and brand owners must look beyond immediate competitors and product categories as disruption within the health and nutrition industries continues. This is a critical factor in keeping competitive edge. One way of achieving and communicating a product’s functionality is by highlighting the nutritional information on-pack through ingredient

Functionality

lists. Here, manufacturers can highlight the use of functional ingredients in various food and beverage products and supplements. Globally, 39 percent of consumers surveyed said seeing claims based on research or scientific data would make them more likely to buy a healthy lifestyle product or one containing an ingredient with functional benefits3. This opens the floor to new and novel functional ingredients such as phospholipids to be better understood in terms of functional advantages. Novastell’s range of highly efficient bioactive ingredients are produced from soya beans and can be combined with numerous nutritional compounds for easy blending during formulation. “Our nutritional and functional bioactive ingredients include sources of PC, PS, PA and DHA, specialty oils, active molecules, vegetable extracts, natural vitamin E, and mixed tocopherols. They are healthy and efficient molecules used in a variety of products such as pre-natal and women’s health supplements, products

for memory and concentration, digestive and skin health, stress management, sports nutrition, inflammation, healthy ageing, brain cognition, liver protection and cardiovascular health,” explains Carla Felgueiras, Global Product Manager Ingredients, Novastell. “While the body can produce some phospholipids naturally, the pace and stress of today’s lifestyle means that consumers must derive the necessary phospholipids from additional dietary sources.” Phospholipids provide a terrific opportunity for formulators to enhance their product’s bioavailability, and this can be highlighted on pack. Recent studies conducted on bioactive

compounds using phospholipid complexes have found that they assist in the provision of higher bioavailability. The phyto-phospholipid complexation technique has emerged as a valuable tool to improve the bioavailability of plant bio actives. D 1

https://khni.kerry.com/

https://www.foodnavigator.com/

Article/2021/06/24/What-food-trends-willstick-post-COVID-The-world-s-going-tobecome-more-demanding-than-it-was-duringthe-pandemic 3

https://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/

issues/2021-04/view_trendsense/postcovid-19-a-new-world-of-health-nutritionopportunities/

Novastell

Thanks to its expertise on lipids and phospholipids, Novastell can offer a wide range of ingredients and solutions for your formulations. As a subsidiary of Avril group, the first and unique lecithin producer in France, Novastell proposes several grades, specifications and a complete traceability of sunflower, rapeseed, and soy lecithin to provide its customers with the finest solutions for their process. For further information, please visit: https://novastell.com/en/

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IndustryNews Further education needed Consumer confusion risks undermining the UK Government’s flagship recycling policy, the Deposit Return Scheme, new research from Tetra Pak has revealed. Despite nearly three years of development, 58% of consumers still don’t understand what the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) entails. Even more significantly, 59% of people who had a view on the issue would be confused by the DRS unless it was consistent with household recycling collection. Currently, materials such as cartons and HDPE plastics that are typically recycled through home collections are excluded from government proposals for the scheme.

However, there are reasons for optimism, with two thirds (67%) of the public indicating that they would use the new recycling system once introduced. In light of the results, Alex Henriksen, Managing Director of Tetra Pak North Europe, said: “The situation is clear. The British public is willing and excited to use the new Deposit Return Scheme, but confusion over which materials are included risks undermining it. “Clearly the most straightforward, userfriendly DRS is one that includes a wide range of materials, and offers a digital option, allowing consumers to engage with the scheme from home.

“Our industry has consistently called for the inclusion of cartons in the UK DRS from launch. The limited model proposed by the Government risks confusing consumers who are used to recycling a wider range of materials via other routes. “This research demonstrates a public appetite to take part in the DRS once it is introduced. The job of industry and government should be to make that as easy as possible; current, limited proposals fail in that regard.” www.tetrapak.com

World’s biggest vertical farm The creation of the ‘world’s biggest’ vertical farm will be overseen by leading specialist food and beverage contractor, Clegg Food Projects for Fischer Farms. Works are now well underway with Clegg Food Projects, appointed this summer as principal contractor, overseeing the development of a 25,000 sq m growing space that will complement Fischer Farms’ existing vertical farm operation in Lichfield, Staffordshire. The new £25m Norfolk-based facility aims to be the largest site in the world when it opens in 2022. Commenting on the project, Oliver Jenkins, business development manager at Clegg Food Projects, said: “Vertical farming has long been a solution for supplying fresh produce in a controlled growing environment all year round. There are many benefits including better crop yields, less water usage and reduced food

‘Excels in connecting’ Customized transport systems for the food processing industry www.marvu.nl

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miles and that generally they can be built in most places including inner city locations. “This is quite literally a ‘growing sector’ and I’m sure we will see more of these farms being built all over the country.” Tristan Fischer, CEO of Fischer Farms and green energy expert, added: “Vertical farming enables us to be much more productive using less space. We can grow the same amount of food in our four-acre building that would usually take 1,000 acres of conventional British

farmland. We will do it without using pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides. “Clegg Food Projects is playing a major role in delivering this revolutionary farming project. Once complete we will supply six-and-a-half tonnes of leafy salad, herbs and other fresh produce to the UK market every day.” www.cleggfoodprojects.co.uk

IndustryNews Green milk With dairy emissions accounting for 22% of Starbucks global carbon emissions, the coffee chain has partnered with farmer owned dairy cooperative Arla Foods to work on a three-year pilot to create an industry leading sustainable sourcing blueprint. This blueprint will go on to support its dairy suppliers across Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The pilot will see Starbucks work directly with 14 Arla farmers in the UK to identify innovative new farming practices and industry-leading methods to significantly reduce the emissions associated with dairy production. Starbucks and the selected Arla farmers will focus on three key areas: environmental stewardship, animal health and welfare, and ensuring profitability for the farmers through the industry leading Arla UK 360 farm standards programme. The sourcing blueprint will be underscored by Arla’s sustainability research and development work, and independently validated by a third party, who will help support and advise on developing industry best practices. Mark Glanvill is one of the dairy farmers who has been selected to be part of the programme. “I am very excited to go on this journey with Starbucks,” he said. “Whilst Arla’s dairy farmers are at the forefront of reducing emissions of dairy, it has to be recognized that this comes at a cost to production, our action can only be as fast as our finances allow. In joining the Arla UK 360 programme, Starbucks has shown recognition of this whilst its blueprint ambitions also demonstrate an understanding that sustainable sourcing must meet the criteria of good nutrition made with lower emissions and a helping hand for nature.” JN www.starbucks.com Meat International has retained its World Steak Challenge ‘Best Steak in the World’ title with a grass and chocolate-fed Ayrshire raised in Finland. It is the third time the Danish firm has lifted the supreme world champion title at the annual event, having triumphed in 2018 and 2019. The company also collected gongs in the World’s Best Sirloin and World’s Best Grass-Fed categories. The winners of the competition, held at Dublin’s FIRE Steakhouse & Bar in association with official host partner Bord Bia, and official supplier Synergy Grill Technology, were announced on 10 November. JN Meat international’s winning cut, from a 16-month-old heifer fed between 300-500 grams of chocolate daily, was praised by judges for its ‘very sweet and tender taste’. “This sirloin was unlike any you’ve tasted before,” Ioannis Grammenos, chair of the 50-strong panel of independent judges, and executive chef at the multi-award-winning Heliot Steak House in London, said. “Unique and evenly distributed marbling throughout the meat meant it melted in your mouth but still retained some bite to it. “Incredibly tender, juicy and flavorsome, this steaks’ delicious and long-lasting taste lingered in the mouth, making you want to eat more and more of it. A well-deserved and worthy winner.” Other champions named in the 2021 World Steak Challenge, included Australia’s Jack’s Creek which won World’s Best Fillet for its 100% pure-bred and grain-fed Wagyu, as well as World’s Best Rib-Eye and World’s Best Grain-Fed for its Wagyu/Angus cross. www.worldsteakchallenge.com

World’s best steak 2021

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TasteTest

Super blue FUL® Revive is a versatile sparkling drink available in three refreshing flavors - white peach, lemon and ginger and lime & mint. Suitable for any time of day, the drinks can be served on their own, or used in a mixer for cocktails/spirits. Low in calories, with no added sugar, the drinks also provide a powerful serving of natural, high-quality vegan protein, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes, all derived from FUL® a water-soluble, unapologetically blue superfood. Derived from nutrient dense spirulina via a biorefinery process, FUL® is mass market friendly and aims to positively impact the planet through the way it is produced.

sustainable, water soluble, stable, and delicious-tasting source of natural nutrition. https://fulsuperfood.com/

In September 2021, FUL® Foods, the company behind FUL® Revive, recently won the World Beverage Innovation Award for best beverage ingredient, recognizing its credentials as a

The FUL Revive drinks were certainly extremely blue! Our testers found them to be unusual, and not like anything they had tried before. “It contrasts the fruit with a bitter edge; it was very refreshing and it went well with the spirits I mixed in with it, too!” said one reviewer.

Perfect pasta Already known for its vegan and gluten free pizza selection, White Rabbit is now doing pasta options too. Aubergine Parmigiana Ravioli and Porcini Mushroom Ravioli have been added to the line-up, with both options being gluten free and vegan. www.whiterabbitpizza.co.uk

The White Rabbit pasta received a glowing review from our in-house vegan, with our tester trying the mushroom ravioli, which is stuffed with juicy Portobello and porcini mushrooms and a velvety dairy alternative filling. “Not only is this 100 percent plant-based but it’s also gluten free, which is perfect for me,” she said. “Literally ready in three minutes, it had a lovely, rich mushroomy taste, was very satisfying to eat, and I could tell it was very high quality. Thoroughly enjoyed it and would buy again, for sure.”

Snack attack Snack brand Olly’s has launched three diverse new ranges that should tickle every tastebud: a five-strong range of Pretzel Thins (with three brand-new flavors), three Seasoned Nut Mixes and two varieties of Chocolate Pretzel Thins. Olly’s Pretzel Thins are oven-baked, vegan delights with more protein, up to 80 per cent less fat and 45 per cent fewer calories (from 95 calories per portion) than average crisps! The Chocolate Pretzel Thins (£2.50 per 90g bag) are ideal to satiate a sweet tooth. Olly’s oven-bake and lightly salt their pretzel thins before delicately enrobing them in a coat of creamy 100

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per cent Belgian chocolate, with only 121 calories per serving. www.ollys-ollys.com

The Team tried a range of Olly’s Pretzel Thins and praised all the flavors, with particular plaudits for the Sour Cream & Onion option. “I loved these, they were very savory and a delicious afternoon snack. I prefer these ‘Thins’ to the usual pretzel, as they snapped and crunched which is always satisfying for me. I loved the packaging too. Overall very ‘impretzed!’” The ‘Oh So Cheesy!’ variety

also received compliments, for a good, authentic cheese taste and excellent texture. Thumbs up were also given to the Multi-Seed Sesame option.

Project HELIX

£185m boost to the Welsh food and drink industry from Project HELIX A Welsh Government and EU-funded project has delivered a significant boost to the food and drink industry in Wales, helping it develop hundreds of new products and create new jobs.

roject HELIX, which began in 2016, is a pan-Wales initiative delivered by Food Innovation Wales, a partnership of three food centres based in Anglesey, Ceredigion and Cardiff. It supports Welsh companies to develop innovative products from concept, design, development and manufacture, through to the consumer’s shopping basket, helping businesses grow and thrive. Latest figures announced at Wales’ major food and drink event, BlasCymru/ TasteWales in October showed the project has had an economic impact of £185.6 million to food and drink businesses in Wales, helped create 447 jobs and protected a further 2,306. More than 380 businesses and 943 individuals throughout Wales have been supported, of which 228 are new business start-ups. It has seen the development

of 1,240 new products and helped producers access 778 new markets. Supporting the food and drink industry through what has been an incredibly challenging year for the sector, Food Innovation Wales has been key in upskilling Wales’s workforce, supported the development of plant-based and healthier new products, and seen companies on a more sustainable footing by reducing waste, improving efficiency and developing new products. Through the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre in Cardiff, Authentic Curries have received technical support in areas such as internal auditing against BRCGS Food Safety standards and basic food safety. As a result of the company maintaining their BRCGS Food Safety certification they have been able to secure two additional customers, launch 15 new products and retain sales of over half a million pounds.

Paul Trotman, managing director of Authentic Curries said: “The support we’ve received from ZERO2FIVE has benefited us no end. It’s been invaluable to have expertise from outside, coming in and auditing us in preparation for BRCGS. All of the involvement we have had with Cardiff Met University has been amazing and it helps things run a lot more smoothly.” Prof. David Lloyd, on behalf of Food Innovation Wales, said: “Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic have raised important questions over food security and skills availability. An increasing awareness of the climate crisis our planet is facing and the strain of diet-related disease on our communities has also made us take greater notice of the food we eat and where it comes from. “Whilst these questions pose fundamental challenges for Welsh food and drink manufacturing, they can also provide opportunities for Wales to be at the forefront of positive change. We can lead the way with sustainability, skill-development, a focus on local produce and the promotion of healthier diets. “This is where Food Innovation Wales is playing a key role. With our range of pan-Wales technical, operational and commercial expertise, we can support Welsh food and drink manufacturers to innovate and be more resilient to the challenges ahead of us,” he said. Project HELIX is supported through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 20142020, which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Union. D https://foodinnovation.wales/

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Recyclable versus compostable

What’s right for your product?

ustainability is a hot topic, especially in the packaging world and it, quite rightly, is not going away thanks to the introduction of the Plastics Tax, which should hopefully come to fruition in April 2022. With this, comes the question: what’s the right packaging option for your product and business? Is it recyclable or compostable, or even a mixture of the two for the varying products within your range? Stephen Frankel, Sales Director at Polypouch, explains.

Recyclable Recycling is the act of taking products such as PET plastic bottles and putting

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them into optimal conditions to break the plastic down back to its raw material to be used again. There are so many different paths that a business can go down when it comes to recyclable packaging materials, and although some are hard to recycle, there’s also a huge amount that are widely recyclable, such as code 4 LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) materials. This plastic option is the best choice at present for products requiring a defense barrier that can still be fairly easily recycled. It is suitable for almost every end use product, can be easily branded and customized, and has an extraordinarily long shelf-life.

Sustainability be recycled, is a smart way of getting your customers onto your website, while sharing your sustainability credentials.

Compostable

If choosing to use a recyclable pouch, it’s important to also look at the areas you’ll be selling the product, and where it can be recycled. By making this information clear on the website, customers can understand the type of product they’re buying, if it can be recycled and, most importantly, how and where it can be recycled. At this point not all recycling centers and councils offer the same level of recycling capabilities, so it’s vital that this is thoroughly researched to enable the end user to have as much information as possible at their fingertips. It can even be printed on the item itself. Using a handy QR code, which then lists where the product can

Compostable on the other hand, is the act of taking a product that is most commonly known to be made of naturally derived materials in the right conditions that will break down naturally to make a nutrient rich soil. Businesses are beginning to see that compostable packaging is a solution to the landfill problem. With many consumers now having a dedicated compost heap at home, compostable materials simply get added to their existing heap and break down into the soil, ready to be used on the garden for many years to come. In order for compostable materials to compost effectively, they should have good air flow, moisture and a warm temperature. Industrial facilities are also on the rise, and can regulate the key elements that make the process easy and quick, such as air flow, moisture and temperature but on a much bigger and better scale. Some councils across the UK are looking for more compostable areas to make this a more common option. When compostable items end up in a compost pile and their organic matter makes nutrient-rich compost, there’s no denying that it becomes a great option for packaging solutions. Special considerations need to be made when choosing a product to go into compostable recyclable packaging options. Compostable packaging is suitable for dry products only, as any moisture will start the process of breaking down the packaging. It is great for a retail environment, but does have a shorter shelf life and considerations

must be undertaken for those handling the packaging, such as hands that are regularly sanitized and must be dry in order to touch the product. At Polypouch, our clients use compostable packaging for dried herbs, spices and tea and coffee, and this really works well as a solution for sustainable packaging. The starch in our compostable packaging is known as PLA, which is compostable, providing the composting environment complies with the recommendations. It is also suitable for industrial composting facilities if preferred. Sustainable packaging is the driving force changing the industry for the better. Whichever option you decide to choose, just knowing that recyclable or compostable packaging is making a difference to landfill and both have their varying benefits is a huge positive. The future of sustainable packaging is where both recyclable or compostable work together to make options for all products sold. The added bonus is how you communicate your sustainable packaging initiatives to your clients and end users. By integrating tech, smart maps, an app or a QR code that allows users to track the journey of their product, see where they can recycle or view the whole process allows consumers to feel part of the solution. Once consumers are on board with the process and buy into the ideology, it makes the transition to sustainable packaging a much smoother process. And this is really what we advise our clients to do, to take the extra step and thoroughly embrace the sustainable options available to them, be that recyclable or compostable. D

Polypouch UK

Stephen Frankel is Managing Director and Founder of Polypouch UK. Polypouch, which is located in Watford, began trading in early 2011, specializing in all pouch packaging. Polypouch stocks over 250 different pouches ranging in quality and size, and prides itself on its 48 hour turnaround time for print pouches. It also offers digitally printed bespoke pouches within two weeks of an order placed, thanks to its large warehouses located in Watford and Hemel Hempstead and its own office in China. In 2017, Stephen recognised that the industry was going to go down the recyclable route and joined CEFLEX - a European consortium of companies representing the entire value chain of flexible packaging. Stephen attends meetings four times a year to ensure that Polypouch is ahead of the game in its packaging options. For further information, please visit: www.polypouch.co.uk

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Boxing clever The Cheese Geek: A delicious design challenge

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Packaging

t is probably an understatement to say that The Cheese Geek are passionate about cheese. Filled with excitement over pairing combinations for cheese boards, and possessing an intimate knowledge of which cheese goes well with which wines, the team behind the brand are fromage connoisseurs. From brie to Baron Bigod, they know their stuff, and are determined to make sure that customers garner as much joy from their cheese delivery as the team do themselves. That joy starts from the very moment the customer receives their carefullyprepared package. So, true to form, The Cheese Geek have poured their attention into ensuring that it’s a seamless first impression. Which is where Smurfit Kappa’s Gosport site stepped in. Richard Simpson - The Cheese Geek’s COO - got in touch with Wesley Dowe, Sales Executive at Smurfit Kappa Gosport via LinkedIn, and Wes has been working hard to meet his requirements.

The brief The Cheese Geek were growing fast, and needed to improve their packaging offering. They wanted nothing short of perfection: a box that would not only look good but work for their customers as well. They were after optimized sizing, as well as looking for a way to speed up their shipping process and cut down on labor hours. Importantly, they were also keen that the box should be sustainable: their hip London roots wouldn’t have it any other way.

Accelerating assembly One key problem that The Cheese Geek were keen to explore and tackle was how they could accelerate their packing process. Before meeting with Smurfit Kappa, they were using a FEFCO 0201 box, and had dedicated team members assembling the boxes as needed every morning, ready for delivery shipments to go out that day. Smurfit Kappa Gosport’s solution - a bespoke crash lock box design - meant that the boxes took seconds to erect, without the need for tape. This allowed employees to grab a box as and when it was needed and quickly assemble - a huge improvement for

The Cheese Geek operations. It saved money on manpower hours, gave more operational space to work with, and also meant they would always have a supply of ready-to-go boxes, no matter how many unexpected orders came in that day! Of course, this design wasn’t purely functional: it also gave an air of sophistication, allowing The Cheese Geek’s branding to shine, and continue the brilliant customer experience from browsing to unboxing.

Extending brand image The Cheese Geek pride themselves on being ‘the modern cheesemonger’. Born out of frustration that many people in the UK had no access to knowledgeable and engaged cheesemongers, they set about making their customer experience as enticing and exciting as possible. They know that every step of the customer journey is vital - and that journey includes the package arriving at the customer’s home. Smurfit Kappa Gosport had already put forward the idea of the bespoke crash lock boxes, which lent a perfect canvas for The Cheese Geek to put their own stamp on things. And so they did! Working together, it was decided that the packaging should be printed in flexographic print, in two colors. Flexographic printing not only produces vibrant results that can be printed on a variety of materials, but also dries quickly - so the turnaround of box production can be quick.

Sussing out sizing Playing into their green ethos, Smurfit Kappa Gosport recommended The Cheese Geek use bespoke sized boxes, enabling optimization for their contents and reduction in material use/wastage.

The more tailored the boxes’ sizes, the less air is shipped. This has two key benefits: more economical in terms of shipping space, as more boxes can fit into vehicle, and offers a way to make the brand eco-friendlier, reducing the number of vehicles on the road. Lastly, bespoke packaging designed to fit products contained, means that the contents are more secure and more likely to arrive intact. As with every step of the customer experience, The Cheese Geek are keen to excel! With The Cheese Geek’s intimate knowledge of their customer base, Smurfit Kappa Gosport identified two key sizes, which would fulfil their customers’ needs in a space-optimized manner.

Going green The Cheese Geek’s environmentallyfriendly aspirations didn’t stop at the size of their boxes. They were eager that their packaging should be made from sustainable materials, which is one of the reasons they chose Smurfit Kappa. Smurfit Kappa Gosport were able to supply FSC Certified material, and ensure that the end product would be recyclable after delivery - despite the printed branding. As we know, the fewer hurdles between a person and accomplishing a task, the more likely it is that they will complete it. The crash lock box design that was recommended eliminates the brand’s need for tape - making recycling the boxes easier than ever, as well as further reducing the Cheese Geek’s ecological overall impact. Working to bring The Cheese Geek’s packaging vision to life was a pleasure, and Smurfit Kappa look forward to doing more business with them in the future. D

Smurfit Kappa

Smurfit Kappa, a FTSE 100 company, is one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging solutions in the world, with approximately 46,000 employees in over 350 production sites across 36 countries and with revenue of €8.5 billion in 2020. It is located in 23 countries in Europe, and 13 in the Americas, and is the only large-scale pan-regional player in Latin America. Its products, which are 100 per cent renewable and produced sustainably, improve the environmental footprint of its customers. For further information, please visit: www.smurfitkappa.com/ecommerce

www.smurfitkappa.com

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See the light

Why isn’t UV disinfection being used more in the UK in the fight against Covid-19? By Richard Little

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here is a convincing argument - backed by sound evidence - for using UV disinfection to improve air in a range of buildings and work environments, including food processing plants, warehouse and logistics facilities and retail outlets, as well as HVAC applications. In fact, Jenton International has been promoting UV air disinfection against bacteria and viruses since the 1990s. UV itself has been used for disinfection applications for over 100 years and there is a massive body of evidence supporting its efficacy. It is mainstream for air disinfection in HVAC in the USA, Asia and Middle East with many installations in food facilities, offices and retail spaces such as supermarkets. In the past, we have always been astonished at how unresponsive the European market was in accepting the concept of simple UV disinfection wall

units. The proven proposition was that UV dramatically reduced the number of people catching colds, flu and TB from each other, especially at work – with regular coverage on the BBC as a ‘new concept’, and papers published in The Lancet and other publications to support this. However, this is nothing to how surprised we are this year, especially now that airborne transmission of SARSCoV-2 has been highlighted, with how reluctant UK state agencies are to use our simple and effective UV units for offices and other spaces where people are likely to gather. Plus, we have much bigger UV disinfection systems for HVAC and food processing plants. Fresh air is important for diluting SARS-CoV-2 and reducing the risk of getting Covid-19. The HSE website clearly recommends that recirculating air conditioning is turned off (https:// www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/equipment-

Hygiene and-machinery/air-conditioning-andventilation.htm). This is supported by the new government-issue film (https://www.gov. uk/government/news/new-film-showsimportance-of-ventilation-to-reducespread-of-covid-19). There is no doubt that fresh air through an open window is best. Back in 1859, Florence Nightingale said that ‘unless the air within the ward can be kept as fresh as it is without, the patients had better be away’. It’s not new! Our proposition has been that where fresh air isn’t available, or practical, in a food factory for example, UV disinfection is the next best thing as you effectively ‘make your own fresh air’. A McGill university paper published in The Lancet demonstrated in 2003 that UVC on its own in ducting in HVAC equipped offices could reduce sickness in buildings due to colds and flu by a useful 40 per cent. This was without all the handwashing and mask wearing required during the pandemic, so it is logical that combinations will be synergistic. In addition, a 2020 paper from Signify shows what was achieved in tests using UVC disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 at Boston University. This backs up previously calculated effects based on UVC’s performance against SARS-CoV-1 and surrogates, which proved to be correct. It is evident that SARS-CoV-2 can be easily disinfected with UV. Jenton’s products supply more than enough UVC to disinfect any SARS-CoV-2 passing through to 99.99 percent, and also many other viruses and bacteria. Jenton’s wall mounted GRU-V food UV light air disinfection system is suitable for use in large food production and processing facilities, or where fresh food is stored and handled. It helps dramatically improve indoor air quality and energy efficiency, whilst reducing airborne infection rates, absenteeism and building related illnesses. It is proven that coronavirus survives longer in cold places. The GRUV-V Cool® UV model is designed to clean air in cooler environments such as cold food stores and large refrigeration areas.

Food processing plants can help protect employees from the on-going threat of Coronavirus and ensure business continuity with Jenton’s GRU-V® Jet ceiling mounted UV air disinfection unit. Ideal for cold storage areas and production lines, the GRU-V® UV Jet air disinfection system is designed to be mounted horizontally approximately 500mm from the ceiling where it can disinfect up to 3,500m³ of air per hour. Air is pushed through the GRU-V® Jet by a custom-made industrial fan whilst four high power UVC lamps are optimally placed to expose all the passing air to maximum UV intensity. With the health and safety of workers a priority, Jenton’s GRU-V® Jet’s inlet and outlet louvres ensure everyone in

the production area is protected from UVC radiation, without the need for additional PPE. Jenton offers an on-site UVC sensor calibration service ensuring minimum downtime for customers, as well as health and safety audits once the unit is installed. The company has also developed modelling software to allow prediction of performance in different situations. Jenton is not a start-up taking advantage, but an expert in the development of high performance UV disinfection systems, with patents, products and partnerships with companies like Heraeus and Philips. Clearly UV disinfection can’t do everything, but it can make an effective contribution. D

Jenton International

Richard Little is Managing Director at Jenton International, which has been based in Whitchurch, Hampshire since 1996. It comprises a number of divisions: · JentonAriana is a provider of food packaging and processing equipment · JenAct specialises in UV disinfection · JentonDimaco is a manufacturer of label and data verification equipment · JentonUV is a specialist in UV curing of inkjet print and other ink and adhesive curing applications For further information, please visit: www.uvdisinfection.org.uk

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Going green A switch from oil to liquid gas serves up big savings for Tracklements

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Case study

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‘

eading British condiments maker, Tracklements, has boosted its production capacity and enhanced its environmental credentials by switching its energy supply from oil to liquid gas from Flogas. The move to modern, efficient liquid gas-fired Fulton VSRT steam boilers is expected to cut the company’s costs by a significant 21 per cent, whilst also reducing carbon emissions by almost 25 per cent and nitrous oxide (NOx) levels by 75 percent. The Wiltshire-based company has been making condiments for more than 50 years, and has an extensive range of over 60 artisan products, from mustards, ketchups and sauces to pickles, chutneys, jams and jellies. All ‘handmade in small batches’ using natural ingredients, these are made in unique jacketed steam cooking pans that mimic traditional homemade methods, and for the last 40 years they

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By modernizing their steam raising equipment and changing their fuel type to liquid gas, Tracklements can expect an impressive 21 percent financial saving and a near 25 percent reduction in carbon emissions. These cost savings are based on current gas oil prices before the planned withdrawal of tax relief on red diesel in April 2022

have been powered by two Kerosene oil-fired steam boilers. “We needed to increase our steam capacity to support the continued growth of the business,” said Ben Read, Operations Director at Tracklements.

“But we’re also fully committed to improving our environmental footprint, so we wanted to move away from the higher carbon footprint, which oil represents. By replacing our ageing oil-fired steam boilers with the latest liquid gas-fired VSRT models, we’ve not only increased our steam capacity by 100 percent, but we’ve also cut costs, and significantly reduced our carbon emissions in the process. This was a major factor in our decision, as Tracklements continues to work tirelessly towards our goal of planetfriendly products.”

Cost savings Having worked with Fulton for over 40 years, Tracklements looked to them to specify a cutting-edge system that would help minimize its environmental impact. Fulton also recommended Flogas as a liquid gas supplier – one that could provide a reliable supply,

Case study and trusted on-going service. Flogas and Fulton partnered to deliver Tracklements a full turnkey, end-to-end energy solution that also included all necessary ancillary equipment, as well as service and training contracts. Commenting on the project, Jeff Byrne, aftercare and business development manager at Fulton said: “By modernizing their steam raising equipment and changing their fuel type to liquid gas, Tracklements can expect an impressive 21 percent financial saving, and a near 25 percent reduction in carbon emissions. These cost savings are based on current gas oil prices before the planned withdrawal of tax relief on red diesel in April 2022, so looking forward, they’re actually far more favorable. Cost and carbon savings can also significantly increase by up to 30 percent when combined with the potential steam system efficiency savings by running the latest fully-modulating, high-turndown liquid gas boilers. What’s more, our liquid gas-fired VSRTs will help minimize other pollutants, with NOx levels projected to reduce by 75 percent compared to the previous oil-fired steam boilers.”

at ways we can enhance efficiencies, and minimize the environmental impact of our artisan manufacturing process,” continued Ben Read. “We’re really glad to have now made a great step in that direction. Liquid gas is also more reliable for our business. Our tanks are fitted with auto-ordering technology, so as soon as they hit 40 percent, it triggers a re-order. It’s great peace of mind, and leaves us able to focus on making great green condiments.” Jude Hurley, Business Energy Manager at Flogas added: “This is a great example of how a simple switch from oil to liquid gas can have a major impact, logistically, financially and environmentally. Not only will the company benefit from a more efficient, reliable fuel with fewer emissions, but it is also setting itself up perfectly for a seamless transition to renewable green gas in the future. Bio-propane is chemically identical to liquid gas, so when the time comes for Tracklements to become carbon neutral, it can be simply dropped in without any changes to equipment or infrastructure. It’s an energy solution that’s truly fit for the future.” D

Enhanced efficiencies Tracklements has a strong environmental policy and holds ISO 14001 certification for its green credentials. “We’re constantly looking

Flogas Britain Ltd

As ‘Experts in Energy’, Flogas has more than 35 years’ experience in providing tailored energy solutions to commercial, industrial and domestic customers across the UK. For further information, please visit: www.flogas.co.uk/business

Tracklements

Based in the heart of Wiltshire, Tracklements has been making awardwinning artisan condiments for over 50 years. For further information, please visit: www.tracklements.co.uk

Fulton Limited

With manufacturing facilities in the United States, Great Britain and China, Fulton is a global manufacturer of steam, hydronic and thermal fluid heat transfer systems. For further information, please visit: www.fulton.co.uk

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The real foodie Led by Gregory George, Foodie Franchises’ extensive knowledge makes it well-equipped to guide potential food franchisees to find the right business, and to open doors for aspiring food franchisors who dream of creating a popular and successful company 32 www.foodchainmagazine.com

‘

Foodie Franchises

Every one of our brands is on fire, and I am really proud of each of them. I think it helps that everyone at Foodie Franchises is incredibly passionate about fun food; as I’m sure our customers are too

reg George believes that there are eight key points to succeeding in the food franchise sector. While he discusses how Foodie Franchises has incorporated these points into its own operations, we learn how the business tycoon has not only established one of the leading names in the industry, but has also transformed his own life along the way. “You need a stand-out name,” he begins, “and with that, I have a great success story to tell you.” This story, he shares, is in regards to one of his brands; a nine-year-old concept called The Peach Cobbler Factory, which a friend referred him to after he stumbled upon it by happenstance. “I went to meet the owners – a husband and wife team– and knew from the second I walked into the dessert shop that they had something special. So, I explained how I work, I put together the partnership deal and within 72 hours, I was ready to invest in expanding the

business. Eight weeks later, we were executing marketing strategies, banking plans, and real estate locations to bring together 30 franchise agreements across seven States. To think that this team of two had been working their fingers to the bone for nine years and struggling to reach their potential simply because they just didn’t know how to scale up is quite heartbreaking, but now The Peach Cobbler Factory is receiving the largest and quickest return on investment I have ever seen,” Greg shares with us.

Since 2001, Greg has been a franchisor, franchisee and a franchise representative, and holds a wealth of industry knowledge that he believes is second to none. “What I have done is to help build these unique concepts that are all money-making machines. You can’t get cobbler in just any restaurant in the US, and you can’t get banana pudding in four different flavors in any restaurant in America. Another concept we work with is called The Dolly Lama, which is a waffle, ice cream and milkshake concept; you can’t get true Belgium or LIÈGE imported waffles anywhere else in America,” according to Greg.

Fast-paced success For the past 20 years, he has been directly responsible for developing over 46 national food franchise brands, of which Greg serves as a partner in five of these franchise brands. He has played an instrumental role in critical start-up phases, acquisitions and exits at a high

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level for an array of businesses, and through this experience, he has devised a solid methodology to assist start-up businesses with their own growth, and now he discusses with FoodChain how to make this fast-paced success possible. “Obviously, you need a great product at a low cost, and facilities that could blow up the likes of Instagram. With that, an excellent customer service is paramount, while also balancing a low labor cost. Another important aspect is location, because you know what they say, ‘location, location, location!’ And finally, in today’s world, you have to be a savage marketer,” explains Greg, emphasizing that marketing plays an instrumental role in his line of work. His ability to get millions of eyeballs on the brands in his portfolio are paramount to said brands’ success. His strategy towards working with new clients takes effect in one of two ways: either they find him, or he finds them. “The truth is that with the pace that technology is moving, advertising and the media have to be able to adapt to stay relevant and impactful, and some businesses do struggle to keep up with that. As a result, their brand is what suffers. Sometimes, they just need a bit of guidance as to how to

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navigate that territory, and I feel that the extent of my experience has helped me gain a knack for recognizing what works and what doesn’t. When I meet with a potential partner, I analyze their business model, I ask them a series of questions to understand how we can rebuild a future for their establishment, and then we get to work!”

The right direction Greg explains that it is particularly important to note how the days of wordof-mouth have changed significantly, with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIN, YouTube and TikTok changing the way people receive information; something that Greg uses to his advantage. “I have the skillset as well as a fantastic team to use these channels to utilize them effectively. Consumers these days are looking for vivid pictures, short videos and free goodies. So, when I jump in and invest in a brand, the first thing I do is bring in my professional photographer, and a videographer to put together a dazzling marketing pack for our strategic partners. “On top of that, one of the avenues that I have secured for this company, and is an aspect that I believe pushes us that much further ahead of our competition, is having our own real

estate team, and great connections with banks that know they can preapprove our franchises because our brands make money. I have an inhouse marketing, graphics and video team constantly churning out marketing content for our franchise partners, and I believe that if you have marketing and real estate behind you, you are already heading in the right direction,” shares Greg. Given the state of the world over the past two years, one may assume that Greg’s businesses suffered a massive blow, considering he is on the front line of the restaurant industry. However, as he reveals, the circumstances of Covid-19 provided an environment that helped catapult his brands ahead of their competitors, owing to the fact that many of them were not full blown dine-in services. “Truth of the matter is, the pandemic helped out our franchise families in two ways. Firstly, our sales were the best they have been in the history of our portfolio of companies I have been involved with, because these brands are not sit-down restaurants, so customers were taking to go. Secondly, we had a delivery and catering element to reach a wider radius of customers. Additionally, the pandemic made it easier for us to find great locations,

Foodie Franchises

and our partners saved sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars in leasing second-generation buildings to renovate and put restaurants in them,” says Greg.

Despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic being catastrophic for many businesses, adversity is not novel to this CEO and company Founder. In what he calls his ‘ashes to glory’ story, Greg shares with us the intimate details of the personal trials he had to overcome in order to reach his own full potential. Not only is Greg a successful businessman, he is also a father, and with three children, he has done his best to instill an industrious nature and ambitious work ethic into each of

This inspiration would be the motivation he needed to turn his own life around. “When I arrived at the rehab center, I parked in the parking lot, and saw a tall man standing at the front door wearing this stylish jacket, and sunglasses, and thought to myself, ‘this man is definitely not from around here, he should be on the cover of GQ.’ I walked to the treatment center and the trendy gentleman who opened the door for me was actually my son, and I couldn’t believe it! He weighed 200lbs and not 135lbs, and was restored and healthy, and he said to me: ‘Let’s go home Dad, I’m ready to get on with my life’. I said: ‘no sir,’ and I grabbed him by the hand, went in, and asked if the director could bring everyone together. There were 52 addicts in total, and all

at 55 years old, I must tell you, I am an alcoholic!’” Greg continues; “That day, when my son and I left that treatment center, we committed to attending 90 days straight of Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and I vowed that alcohol and drugs would never touch my lips again, as long as I live, and now my son is four years clean and sober, and I am coming up to four years clean and sober,” he says. “Through this transformation, I was then able to actually create Foodie Franchises and execute; my brain started working, my skills truly came out, I’m not as aggressive as I used to be, I am calm as a cucumber, and I don’t live in extreme highs and lows any longer. Getting sober forced me to focus on becoming the best possible person,

them. Sadly, his first-born son suffered an eight-year opiate addiction that caused the George family a great deal of heartbreak. During the time that Greg was supporting his son in the ways only a father could, he also came to realize his own struggles with an alcohol and

of us were gathered in the kitchen, and I’m not sure why I felt so compelled to speak to them but nonetheless I shared my story. I said, ‘Hello, my name is Greg George, and I am very embarrassed right now because the young man standing in front of me, who looks absolutely incredible, is my

not only for my business, but also for my family. “Now, I also support others on their journey to sobriety. I’ll work with addicts and help get them to treatment on my own dime, I personally take them to the center, and help them in whatever way I can. Seeing them go through the

cannabis addiction. However, when Greg went to pick up his son from a 90day treatment center for what would be the last time, he was awe-struck by how seriously his son had taken his recovery.

son, and I am ashamed of myself as I don’t even recognize him. I’ve been smoking marijuana every day since I was 12 years old and drinking like a fish for as long as I can remember, and

same struggles that I experienced and motivate themselves to overcome those challenges is the most rewarding part of my life. Honestly, I feel that recovering from my drug and alcohol addiction

Ashes to glory

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Foodie Franchises again be crippled by the ghosts of their past, Greg and his son now take on business-related problems with an enthusiastic exuberance, knowing that no challenge is too great to overcome. At the moment, as a consequence of Covid-19, companies are experiencing both labor and supply shortages, yet Foodie Franchises has found a way to stay ahead of these difficulties. “Most of the brands I work with only require staff of two or three people per shift. So, we pay them well, and ensure we hire only the best of the best. Tying in with that, as we discussed earlier, our facilities are beautiful and fun spaces to work in, and I believe that when the environment is exciting, staff are happy to work in them, and it encourages greater recruitment. “On the issue of stock, I always ensure that our franchisees do not have to worry about inventory. Accordingly, we buy hundreds of thousands of dollars of supplies, so that I never have to tell them that we’ve run out of, say, cups for example. My partners and I have a warehouse full of whatever they need to prevent a shortage of any kind.”

Passionate about fun food

has really propelled me to where I am today,” he says. In the same way that Greg restored himself from his addictions, it seems he has applied a similar approach to businesses looking

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to restore themselves. His son, Andrew George, is now a partner of Foodie Franchises, and is continuing to bring great prosperity to his father’s legacy. Confident that neither of them will

Looking to the future, Greg is determined to continue to work with his son to make the dreams of potential business owners across the States a reality. In doing so, he will stay tuned in to the trends of upcoming generations to ensure his brand names remain unique and contemporary. “I have recently invested in a company called Buena Papa Fry Bar; this concept is based on the idea of loaded fries with a full meal on top, except this is what the entire menu consists of, and so far, that group is going incredibly well,” he expresses. In another venture, which happened to be a response to the change in demand during the pandemic, Greg also established his own national restaurant food delivery service: FoodChing. “Now, I can deliver food from my restaurants, as well as others. The key selling point to this particular service is that we don’t charge the restaurants any fees, allowing them to reach a wider customer base while saving on their costs. As a result, we have managed to launch FoodChing in 200 major markets for this particular avenue.” Over the next three or four years, Greg is determined to help his portfolio of brands reach $100 million in sales, and with a rejuvenated level of excitement, he has no doubt that this will be achieved. “Every one of our brands is on fire, and I am really proud of each of them. I think it helps that everyone at Foodie Franchises is incredibly passionate about fun food; as I’m sure our customers are too. So, we are going to keep doing what we do, to share what we love across the US,” he concludes. D You can find out more information about Foodie Franchises by visiting their website at: www.foodiefranchises.com

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Guilt-free snacking without compromise ParmCrisps has seen success with its Original oneingredient cheese crisp since 2016; now the company extends its’ lowcarb, high protein snack solutions with a successful Snack Mix range 38 www.foodchainmagazine.com

staple of charcuterie boards and lunch-boxes across the nation, ParmCrisps’products are known for their distinct flavor, simple goodness and diet friendly ingredients. The artisan crisp company is currently under the direction of Chief Executive Officer Samuel Kestenbaum, and the That’s How We Roll brand. Through its efforts to pioneer simplified, better-for-you snack alternatives, the company has been able to partner with nationwide retailers, including Kroger, Amazon, Whole Foods and others, in order to distribute its diverse range across the whole of the US. Falling under the umbrella of That’s How We Roll’s branding means that ParmCrisps joins Thinsters in the

brand’s over-arching mission to make the world healthier and tastier. That’s How We Roll’s parent company, Better For You Holdings, has established itself through the development and growth of delicious, on-trend products, which are composed of simple, well-known (and well-loved) ingredients. ParmCrisps has become an integral part of that mission, and its efforts certainly have not been in vain, as its products are now featured in the Safe Snack Guide. Emerging from trends in the food market that demanded more transparent food items without an abundance of artificial flavors and chemicals, ParmCrisps has seen success with its dialed back singleingredient approach. Made from 100 percent premium-aged Parmesan cheese,

ParmCrisps the crisps are oven baked to ensure the perfect crunch. A serving of original ParmCrisps contains a minimum seven grams of protein, and zero carbohydrates.

Flavor sensations The Parmesan used in ParmCrisps is sourced locally around the US, and baked in small batches to ensure stringent quality control. The crisps are then seasoned with a special selection of all-natural spices for peak flavor, before being distributed and sold in a number of outlets across the country. As a clean food alternative, ParmCrisps are safe for anyone on ketogenic or vegetarian diets, as well as any customers with gluten-free requirements. It is clear that stripping back on unnecessarily complex ingredient lists, and high sugar content, has spelled success for ParmCrisps, as the company has seen triple digit growth since its founding and is currently the category leader. ParmCrisps has since diversified its original cheese crisp into a vibrant array of products. The 100 percent cheese crackers are now available as a ‘snack pack’, made of six individually wrapped packets for easy portion control, as well as a family pack that is made for at-home sharing. There are also a handful of new flavors, including the crunchy-with-a-kick Jalapeno, the authentic four cheese, and a savory Sour Cream & Onion flavor. Even as its product range grows, ParmCrisps has remained true to its original mission by ensuring that all crisps deliver healthy snacking solutions with low carbs, high protein, and without additional sugar. The ParmCrisps range does not end there, either. ParmCrisps are also

available in a 3oz tub, which include a larger crisp size that are perfect for entertaining as part of a charcuterie board, as a carrier for dips or any other pairings with the delicious flavors of Parmesan, Everything, Four Cheese or Aged Cheddar. For those on-the-move, ParmCrisps also offers ready-made snack mixes, full of almonds and pistachios that are pre-mixed with the original ParmCrisps taste. As a replacement for traditional carbfilled snacks, ParmCrisps is not only a healthy alternative, but one that satisfies consumer cravings for a crunchy crisp, full of mouthwatering flavor. A quick look at the ParmCrisps website can provide a wealth of snack inspiration, as the company showcases the numerous ways in which its product can help satisfy those

It appears we are in the midst of a wholefood movement, and ParmCrisps are providing the crunch at its core. Having already proven that it can meet the needs of dynamic and emerging trends in the food market, ParmCrisps continues to deliver healthier alternatives with its new Snack Mix range. Available in three flavors, including Original, Ranch, and Smoky Barbeque, ParmCrisps’ new Snack Mix combines the simple, yet craveworthy ingredients of ParmCrisps and premium dry roasted nuts. ParmCrisps Snack Mix delivers satisfaction and nutrition, with high protein and low net carbs, without sacrificing taste. The success of ParmCrisps and its recently released Snack Mix range is bolstered by the company’s strong industry partnerships, not least with Whole Foods

snack cravings, whether paired with your favorite dips, a glass of wine or straight of the bag. It appears the options are limitless and that ParmCrisps will elevate any eating occasion.

and its parent company, Amazon. With the strong logistics infrastructure of these two entities behind it, ParmCrisps has been able to expand its reach, and in turn its customer base. In addition, the company has recently partnered with Bread and Butter Wines, to provide its customers with luxury night-in deals. It is clear that ParmCrisps is a company with its finger on the pulse. With a millennial-age CEO at the helm, the company is able to anticipate the needs and desires of a younger, emerging generation, who have grown up with food obscurity and want to take their diet back to basics. With the continued success of ParmCrisps originals and the new Snack Mix range alike, it is comforting to know that there are genuinely transparent food alternatives out there that do not compromise on taste. D www.parmcrisps.com

New range As the ParmCrisps brand promotes healthy snacking, and unlocks the possibilities of a creative diet, it has also been swept up in the latest entertaining trend: charcuterie boards. Browsing ParmCrisps’ Instagram and Twitter, you can see and hear the voices of satisfied customers who have used ParmCrisps as a core component of their lavish meat, cheese and fruit grazing boards. The end products look delicious, and inspire a new, communal way of eating that seems to work hand-in-hand with the fact that these boards are made up almost exclusively of single-ingredient food items.

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Ready for action Jollibee is looking forward to the new year with great enthusiasm as plans to expand the business even further begin to take shape

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Jollibee

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Jollibee

est known for its Chickenjoy, Jolly Spaghetti, and Yumburgers, the Filipinoinspired fast food restaurant, Jollibee, shares with FoodChain magazine its developments over the last two years. Adam Parkinson, the Vice President and Market Head of Europe, discusses how the business has pulled through Covid-19 challenges, while continuing to grow across the UK. “I won’t lie, 2021 was tough, particularly as the country went into lockdown. We faced the challenge of trying to establish our brand awareness in the UK with very little foot traffic in the city centers. What we knew from our 2020 experience was that lockdowns don’t last forever, so we changed our mindset, and focused on strengthening the partnerships we

have with our delivery aggregators. We felt that if customers can’t come to us, we will go to them, as restrictions reduced in the second quarter, we were able to line up two new openings as those customers returned to the cities,” he says. “I’m happy to report that since the restrictions have been lifted, we opened a further six stores across the UK in 2020, and have seen our sales return to our expected forecast, which has placed us in a stronger position as we end the year.”

New openings The big question still stands: how has Jollibee continued to prosper during these tricky times? Adam’s answer lies in his team, and the company’s supply chain. “When these unexpected events

happened to the business, we turned to our team to be agile, think outside the box, and stay focused. For me the biggest takeaway from the whole experience was how resilient my team was to keep pushing forward with the initial plans. “Although we were hit by the pandemic, and supply chain disruptions, our size and nimbleness to adapt to the situation has provided us with a greater advantage over some of our bigger competitors. In addition to that, we also have strong partnerships with our suppliers,” he expresses. With these reliable networks in place, the business has pushed efforts to move its supply chain across Europe. “The truth is that this is a huge expense within our business, so localizing it to Europe is key to our financial model being achieved. It has also enabled us

Thompsons From Jollibee’s first UK restaurant to its six-floor flagship in central London, Thompsons have helped the Filipino fast-food chain launch and grow in the local market. As the brand’s sole UK contractor, we have delivered 11 projects in locations such as Edinburgh, Cardiff, Nottingham, Liverpool and London, and we have three more in the pipeline. As Jollibee’s main contractor, we have been an integral partner for its UK expansion over the last four years. Working collaboratively with Jollibee’s project management team, Stuart Consulting, and design teams based in the Philippines and the UK, we have successfully translated the popular brand to work in the local market. In addition to contracting, we provide Jollibee with electrical and technical design services and are currently helping the restaurant and UK designers, Applied Studio, bring an exciting new concept to life, which will be rolled out next year.

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Creating Bespoke Spaces for Enjoyment & Wellbeing Thompsons is a specialist contractor providing fit-out and refurbishment services to established brands and clients requiring accelerated growth within the Food & Beverage, Leisure, Retail and Workspace industries.

Our services include: Fit-out Contractor Over 25 years of experience providing interior fit-out and refurbishment services. Joinery Manufacture High-quality, bespoke joinery and casework produced in our 10,000ft2, FSC-accredited manufacturing facility.

MEP Contracting A skilled team of mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors holding NICEIC and CNCI certifications. Technical Design A team of in-house designers focused on developing detailed design drawings to ensure the buildability of schemes.

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to share the dream we have with key supply partners to see how we can grow together, reduce costs in the business, and to ensure we sell our great product at a price that our customers consider as value, while ensuring the business itself remains stable and sustainable.”

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In addition to these developments, Jollibee has opened another eight stores in 2021, and despite the quick expansions, the novelty of opening a new restaurant is yet to wear off. Adam shares how he is always humbled by the overwhelming support the business

receives, whenever an opening day comes around. “With a great mix of loyalists, and over 70 percent of customers who may have never heard of us, we’ve managed to ensure we achieve the sales forecast we set out prior to opening. The feedback has been very

Jollibee positive so far with most people opting for our flagship Chickenjoy, and our great tasting chicken burger as their go-to during visits. “Our latest opening in Newcastle is a symbol of all the hard work we’ve put in to connect with the local community. When you see a packed store, with a mix of customers that reflect Newcastle’s diversity, it is a fantastic sight, and all these new establishments give us tremendous motivation to continue to open more,” he shares.

Customer convenience Adam divulges that the latest Jollibee opening was in Nottingham on December 16, 2021. In terms of going into 2022, he shares that a further ten sites have been earmarked and developments are underway, which also includes an entry into Scotland in the first quarter. He is sure that these aggressive expansions will support the business’s goal to secure a presence in key cities across the UK. Alongside its desires to grow the company, Jollibee is also moving online,

and has recently launched its own app. In celebration of the new development, the company gave away free chicken burgers to the first 10,000 users who downloaded the software. “I am happy to say we have seen those free burgers be snapped up in less than a week. “We believe technology is a way to get to know our customers better. It helps us adapt our business to ensure we deliver on what they really want, and secondly, we know our customers have busy lives, and we should continue to

ico Design East to West – repositioning one of South East Asia’s most-loved food brands. ico Design developed a brand for Jollibee UK that built on the company’s heritage and could speak directly to a British audience who were largely unaware of its history or offer. As newcomers to this market, Jollibee needed to compete on more than food and flavour alone — it needed a visual identity to mark it apart from other fast casual brands, a tone of voice that could capture the spirit of Jollibee’s origin, and imagery that would showcase their menu in a mouth-watering way. ico began by developing a strategic foundation; “A Modern Tropical Twist”. Once agreed, this underpinned the creative direction for the entire brand experience, giving much-needed context to Jollibee’s values and unconventional menu. It defined how the brand talked, and influenced the photography that was shot. As creative partners, ico continue to help Jollibee bring the new brand to life, both in-store and online.

Great brands create connection - www.icodesign.com/food

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make placing orders in our restaurants as seamless as possible!” Adam expresses. In its effort to improve customer convenience, the business is also introducing drive-thrus. “The drivethru business is a huge opportunity we haven’t yet tapped into, and introducing the concept for Jollibee came about from feedback from our

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target audience. So, as we did with our interior design, we listened, and customers can expect to see amazing Jollibee drive-thrus on major roads up and down Europe very soon!” Our discussion moves towards the topic of the future, and Adam highlights that Jollibee is investigating the possibilities of franchise partnerships in its long-term plans. “We have held

off franchising, and opted instead for company operations. This was purposely planned, as we felt it was important to test, trial, and create ourselves, before we ask our partners to invest their money. This way, we are able to ensure we have a strong model to share with them. We feel that if we are to grow aggressively and compete with the new brands that are growing

Jollibee near nonexistent compared to those before the pandemic. This is obviously concerning, but we are in a far better position since vaccination numbers have been on the rise. “I think the last 18 months have seen companies debate how to balance capital spend, with dark kitchens and delivery. For us, navigating these measures accurately will allow us to provide excellent service to our customers, while reducing the overall investment, and will be especially useful during these uncertain times.”

Franchise opportunities

in Europe, we will need to partner with companies and people who share our vision and values. “So, we believe we are now able to reach out, share and talk to interested partners, and this is what we will be doing in the new year. The future looks very bright for us, and I feel confident that if we can deliver on the plans that we have laid out for ourselves in the

next year, then the best is yet to come!” Although he is optimistic, Adam feels the industry still ‘lacks the foot traffic in the main cities’, and he hopes that the enticing smells of fried chicken will encourage more people out of their houses, and into a Jollibee’s restaurant. “The last data we saw showed foot traffic decreased by 30 percent, and tourism was

Adam predicts that these challenges will iron themselves out as new brands enter the market, and help stabilize the economy, which, he believes, is vital in order to bring all countries ‘out of the economic slump we find ourselves in’. “Overall, the business in Europe is in a strong position. We believe that 2022 is going to be our most successful year yet, as we add between ten and 15 stores to the market, and continue to build on the achievements we have already made. We still plan to commit 50 million euros on building the brand here in Europe. This budget is dedicated to the three countries we currently operate in, which also includes Spain, but we are looking to find the right partnerships to help us grow even more aggressively and penetrate even more new markets across Europe. “Tying in with that, customers can look forward to the launch of our spicy range, which will follow the back of the successful launch of the spicy chicken burger, and will be accompanied by several spicy products to give our customers an array of options! This, matched with the continued support of our app, will enable us to get to know our customers better and keep our menu exciting, and full of variety for the whole family. “I’d like to conclude by emphasizing that we are so excited to start our promotions for franchising opportunities, and we look forward to teaming up with strong partners who share our vision to put hundreds of Jollibee’s across all countries in Europe!” Adam says. D www.jollibee.uk

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Plated adventure Flagship Restaurant Group possesses just as much passion for the adventure of a unique dining experience as it does for incredible food. This is why the group is determined to introduce an innovative menu of flavor fusions into the energetic spaces it creates

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Flagship Restaurant Group

band of foodies came together in Omaha, Nebraska nearly 20 years ago to create a collection of dining experiences that range from full-service to fast-casual. Back in 2002, Nebraska natives Nick Hogan and Tom Allisma, and Texas natives Anthony Hitchcock and Tony Gentile teamed up to create a fresh take on sushi, Blue Sushi Sake Grill. Since then, the business has grown from strength-to-strength. Now, Flagship Restaurant Group’s restaurants offer tastes from a selection of cultures, and Tony, Chief Culinary Officer and Owner of the company, discusses with us how the group continues to stay successful and push innovation across its brands. “To put it simply, we just enjoy food, which is exactly how we have determined to expand our concepts to cover a variety of cuisines. Our main concept is Blue Sushi Sake Grill, which offers a fresh take on the sushi experience for both newcomers and traditionalists, and just opened its 17th restaurant in Lincoln Park, Chicago to add to its 20-year history. We own and operate all of those restaurants, spanning across nine different states. We also have several other concepts that are currently being brought to life, including Plank Seafood, an oyster bar that offers craft beer and unique seafood dishes. Then there’s Roja, our Tex-Mex restaurant, and Flagship Commons, the food hall we opened in Omaha that houses several different eateries inside,” he says. With dishes both familiar and foreign, Flagship is unafraid to introduce its customers to

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flavors from around the world. Summing up the portfolio, Tony shares with us that the group has some exciting new developments in the pipeline. For example, Memoir, a

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unique take on the beloved ‘American Grill’ and an ode to Flagship’s 20th year anniversary, and a Mediterranean concept, both set to debut in downtown Omaha. The group is also

set to make its first entrance into the Phoenix, Arizona market with a development housing three concepts. “We will be opening Ghost Donkey, a fun, experience-driven bar that will

Flagship Restaurant Group offer a huge mezcal list, a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of maguey, and nachos,” he says. “Then,” Tony continues, “we have Palma, a breezy, carefree and energetic atmosphere that will feature loads of cocktails and an Asian-fusion menu to accompany them, and finally Châm Pang Lanes, a fun space to enjoy champagne, fried chicken, and duckpin bowling. In 2023, we plan to introduce an open-fire cooking concept that we’re working on named Pyro, also set to debut in Phoenix.”

Responsible sourcing Despite hosting a range of concepts this expansive, Flagship is passionate about sourcing its proteins and fish responsibly in order to contribute to and encourage sustainable farming, which Tony believes is what sets the business apart. The company has partnered with many initiatives and businesses that are equally as determined to source ingredients sustainably. “We’ve teamed up with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which we feel is a fantastic business that focuses on seafood sustainability.

Through that partnership, they lead and guide us to make sure we, and our partners, are sourcing seafood responsibly. With 16 sushi bars, you can imagine how much seafood we go through, so we want to make sure the components of our dishes have little to no impact on the environment. We are also acutely focused on animal welfare. This is why we investigate where our chicken and beef are farmed to ensure that the conditions in which the animals are raised are to the highest, safest and most

The Kingfish Company We are immensely thankful to Chief Culinary Officer and Owner of Flagship Restaurant Group Tony Gentile for the collaborative partnership that he and the team have extended to Dutch Yellowtail and The Kingfish Company. From the delicious Yellowtail Serrano at Blue Sushi, to the Yellowtail Sashimi with buttermilk and yuzu at Plank, we are grateful for your creativity and hospitality that helps our responsibly sourced Dutch Yellowtail shine. A special thank you is also extended to your staff and servers as they bring Dutch Yellowtail from the Netherlands, to your menu, to the tables of hungry customers every day. We couldn’t do it without their support. With our shared passion for exceptional food and good times, we can’t wait to see what’s next. We wish you a Happy Holiday season and look forward to working together in 2022! Your friends at The Kingfish Company.

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humane standards. The interesting aspect to making this possible is that everyone in this business believes wholeheartedly in the initiatives and values we support, and I think that gives you a great idea as to some of the goals and the sort of changes we’re rooting for in the food industry,” Tony expresses, adding that the company’s website dedicated to outlining their program, MyConsciousEarth.com, lays out a blueprint for what the group has accomplished thus far and what it hopes to accomplish regarding responsible sourcing moving forward. “When it comes to sustainability, what we try to do is leverage our power to make positive changes within our company, and industry. Some of our most valued partnerships, Sysco, True World Foods, JFC, Kingfish Zeeland, Acme Fish Company, and American Unagi allow us to accomplish that,” he adds.

Attention to detail Moving forward, the business is set to embrace a new shift that is geared towards the customer experience. “A few years back, our big focus was food, food, food! That bold mentality is what allowed us to continue to grow. Having said that, I feel that we are now turning our full attention to our customers’ experience. In doing so, we are looking at the restaurants on several levels: the comfort of our seating, the lighting, music – at the end of the day there is a psychology behind it. Customers may not be able to pinpoint exactly what it is, but they know cohesively they had a great experience. Maybe the service was great, the temperature was comfortable, the lighting wasn’t distracting, the menus were printed in an easy-to-read manner. Whatever it may be, they are crucial to the overall experience. So, it’s the little things that we are refining to ensure that visiting any one of our restaurants is a memorable moment and enjoyable time for each of our diners.” It’s particularly encouraging to hear how seriously the company considers the smaller details, and it seems that this strategy is also feeding the business’s ambition to

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Flagship Restaurant Group scale up. “We are starting to get some regional and national attention and I think once you’ve reached that level, bigger opportunities begin to present themselves, which is how we are able to grow. We’re now at the point where we’ve become quite granular when it comes to our operations, allowing us to have an R&D team, operations team and all of these puzzle pieces fitting together, allowing us to level up. Additionally, we also have a prolific marketing and PR team that have helped grow the publicity of the brand over the years. Tying in with this, we have taken on some real estate deals that I feel have helped catapult us,” he expresses.

Brand potential With these measures in place, there is no limit to the potential that rests in Flagship’s future, and no end to the creativity that lies within its team. “I have to share that we have three or four new concepts that we are yet develop, but the good news is we have taken what we learned through Blue’s growth over the past 20 years, so we know what works and what doesn’t. I think we are looking to open five new Blue’s next year, and then the other projects that I’ve mentioned could potentially kick-off in 2022 or 2023; it’s just a matter of putting our heads down and getting through these new concepts,” he says. Drawing our discussion to a close, the bottom line is that Tony is incredibly excited about the endless possibilities of his business, and with this excitement, looking forward to developing each of the brands into their full potential. “First and foremost, the main idea is to get some of these brands to Blue’s level. We are hoping to open somewhere between six and ten restaurants a year for the next ten years. My partner and our CEO, Nick Hogan, has also been looking into owning the real estate deals we have acquired, rather than renting. I feel that once these components begin to come together, this business will thrive, and I’m incredibly proud to be part of this journey,” he concludes. D www.flagshiprestaurantgroup.com

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Unreal Deli

Plant-based progress Aiming to elevate the nostalgic flavors of traditional New York delis, Unreal Deli pioneers a new kind of plant-based meat alternative, made entirely out of whole foods

ith its emerging range of plant-based meat alternatives, Unreal Deli puts a twist on your traditional family business. In 1907, Morris Gross immigrated to the US from Romania, and began working in a traditional New York deli. The establishment remained in his family for three generations and, with his great-granddaughter, Mrs. Jenny Goldfarb, has found a new lease on life as the vegan and kosher-friendly Unreal Deli. Finding its place at the center of an emerging market in the food industry, Unreal Deli is the leading providers of premium vegan deli meats across the US. The company has recently been named the ‘Best Plant-Based Meat From Fast Food Chains’ by Thrillist, and was ranked as the highest-selling meatless deli meat by Amazon. The enterprise first began with Founder and CEO Jenny Goldfarb’s move to California, where she discovered the benefits of a vegan diet, but still pined for the New York deli flavors that she remembered from her childhood. “What started in Jenny Goldfarb’s home kitchen made its way to [the American reality show,] Shark Tank, and is now in thousands of nationwide grocery stores, old school delis, sub shops, and cool sandwich chains,” reveals Ally Iseman, Director of Marketing & PR for Unreal Deli.

Impressive recipes By breaking into numerous markets, from independent shops to fast-food chains, Unreal Deli proves the versatility and quality of its products; the company now offers three different kinds of delicious plant-based deli meat alternatives. “Our flagship product, Unreal Corn’d Beef, was the first commercially available vegan corned beef on the market,” confirms Iseman.

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Unreal Deli “We quickly made sure to follow that up with our Unreal Roasted Turk’y, and this year’s release of our brand-new Unreal Steak Slices, as announced by Forbes magazine,” she adds. As shown on the company’s website, all three of the Unreal Deli meat alternatives are perfect for traditional deli-style sandwiches, complete with a sub roll, lettuce and tomato. There are, however, many more ways to use Unreal Deli meats, as showcased by the company’s impressive selection of recipes.

From the seasonal ‘Thanksgiving Sammie’, topped with Unreal Deli Turk’y, vegan gravy and spinach, to the signature ‘Corn’d Beef Hash’, there are plenty of options to choose from when incorporating this meatfree alternative into everyday meals. In addition to its selection of recipes, Unreal Deli offers insight into how to cook with specifically vegan and kosher ingredients to support those transitioning to a meat-free diet. It is clear that Unreal Deli values

great tasting food, but it is also passionate about whole-foods. “Using only whole ingredients that you can pronounce, we’re here to prove that the best deli is now made from plants. “We use locally sourced ingredients that are recognizable to everyone – no chemistry degree needed to know what goes into our slices! We offer meat from a farm, not a factory, and all of our products are vegan and kosher,” states Iseman. Recent food trends have seen a rising demand for food transparency;

All Star Delivery Systems, Inc. For over three decades, All Star has pioneered delivering new categories of temperature controlled food alongside rapidly growing Consumer Package Goods brands by underpinning and evolving supply chain solutions that scale with aggressive growth. “When the pandemic began, we immediately recognized the strain on grocery supply chains, most especially for frozen and refrigerated perishable foods. We knew that to thrive, All Star needed to offer the most dependable and proactive vendor relationship to clients,” says David Ralph, Chief Operating Officer. “Making high quality protein available to consumers when shelves were mostly bare became our mission. Unreal Deli was enduring some real challenges with their outbound freight. We identified the needs and executed solutions enabling their quality plant proteins to arrive to retailers on time, at the right temperature during the toughest period of our lives.” All Star enjoys difficult to ship commodities as truckloads, but ventures even deeper into the carefully complex Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) hauls. One pallet of chocolate here, two pallets of gelato there, flow through its extensive operation, while maintaining precision temperature integrity amongst dramatically different products. Nick Demirci, Chief Financial Officer, shares: “Our planning excellence really shines in LTL, and empowers all shippers to affordably reach the marketplace.”

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this includes locally sourced goods produced under ethically maintained and operated circumstances. As Goldfarb notes: “We work to have meaningful relationships with our suppliers. Buying from the US, we always know where our crops come from, and increasingly, we work to secure local, whole vegetables and protein-rich grains from organic sources when possible.” As it aims to make plant-based foods more transparent, Unreal Deli also works to reduce the consumption of animal products more broadly. “Our ongoing growth is the result of a clear mission, which is driven by the desire to save our health, the health of our planet, and the lives of our animal friends,” Iseman asserts. “Even PETA has taken notice, naming Unreal Deli as one of their top plant-based deli slices. Made with premium, whole ingredients sourced from local farms, our

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company is committed to showing the world that the finest deli requires no compromise,” Goldfarb adds.

New York roots Whilst the company is no doubt bolstered by its broader mission to promote socially responsible food consumption, Unreal Deli would not be the same without its founder, as Iseman observes: “Another driving force behind the success of Unreal Deli is the tenacity and inventiveness of Mrs. Goldfarb, who, in addition to being a hard-working mother of three, runs multiple manufacturing plants and oversees the Unreal Deli operation. Backed by over 100 years of family deli history, her New York roots are what truly bring this product line to life. “In addition, the quality of our products keeps the company growing at an exponential rate. Good food speaks for itself, and our founder’s growing legion of adoring fans all around the

country just proves how good our products are,” she continues. Unreal Deli meats have seen a rise in popularity since the company established itself in 2019. The meat-free slices are currently available in a number of retailers across the country, as Goldfarb summarizes: “We’re currently available in well over 1000 retail locations nationwide, including but not limited to: H-E-B, Giant Food, Ralph’s, Wegmans, ShopRite, Albertson’s, select regions of Whole Foods, and more. “We expect that our retail footprint will more than double in size when we announce our newest retail launch in early December, with our biggest grocery partner yet,” she adds, alluding to further exciting developments for Unreal Deli in the not-so-distant future. Now reaping the rewards of its dedication to home cooking, great-tasting foods and ethical production, Unreal Deli moves into a new manufacturing facility. “What started in my home kitchen is now

Unreal Deli moving into its first 25,000-sq-ft plant in LA,” Goldfarb announces. “Our operations there will be up and running by the end of 2022. We will also be setting up some east coast manufacturing, and following on from that, we are looking to expand into international manufacturing.”

New chapter Growing alongside the company is its dedicated team of meat-free fanatics, who are just as invested in the mission of Unreal Deli as its founder. “We all participate in our Employee Stock Ownership Plan, so everyone feels like they’re invested in a piece of Unreal Deli,” Goldfarb explains. “We also understand that our employees are real people, who require benefits and time off so they can be satisfied with their work-life balance,” she mentions, highlighting the importance of a healthy and positive company culture within Unreal Deli. Having established itself as a main player in the whole-food revolution, and the movement toward plant-based diets, Unreal Deli now sets its sights on further expansion. “We are working on new meats in different flavors. We want to grow our range so that our customers can access a more diversified selection when it comes to healthy plant-based alternatives. “We are also looking to get into thousands more service delis and restaurant locations. Beyond that, even, we are looking at international distribution,” details Goldfarb. It is clear that the Unreal Deli story is just beginning. Based on 100 years’ worth of New York deli heritage, the company continues to stay true to its roots whilst also opening a new chapter. As Goldfarb confides: “In the future, we see Unreal Deli as a multinational corporation, with production across the globe. We also hope to continue serving satisfying sandwiches in restaurants, retailers, and everywhere in between. “Anyone who enjoys Unreal Deli directly contributes to climate sustainability, animal welfare, and global health. Eat good, feel good, and do good,” she concludes. D www.unrealdeli.com

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Brew believers One of the fastest growing breweries in North America, Rhinegeist Brewery is making the Midwest proud with its much-loved range of flavorsome craft beers and ciders

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Rhinegeist Brewery

hen Bryant Goulding met Bob Bonder in San Francisco in the early 2000s, the City by the Bay was in the midst of a craft beer revolution. It was coffee, however, that was initially on Bob’s mind. Having decided that Cincinnati would be the best place to launch a new coffee brand, Bob left for the Queen City in 2007, while Bryant went in search of his own calling. After returning from a three-month trip to South America, Bryant was certain about where his passions lay – with beer. After a period with Anderson Valley Brewing Company in Mendocino County, CA, he joined Dogfish Head, managing its West Coast sales business. It was then, in 2011, four years since his friend had left San Francisco, that Bryant received a call from Bob. “In the years since leaving San Francisco, Bob had successfully set up his chain of coffee shops, but he had also discovered that his new home was crying out for craft beer,” Bryant recalls. “Cincinnati is a city with a ton of brewing history and, before Prohibition, there were 40 or more breweries around the downtown area. At that time, a lot of German-Americans and new immigrants had just moved to Cincinnati and brewing beer was all they knew, so a brewing culture was very quickly established. With this in mind, we thought there could be a real opportunity for us to be a part of that legacy.” Not long after they had reconnected, Bryant visited Bob in Cincinnati. Almost immediately, he fell in love with the Queen City and the pair put together a plan to build a brewery. Soon enough, backed by investors, a 250,000-square-foot site was confirmed at Christian Moerlein Brewing Company’s former packaging hall. The location itself would go on to inspire the new brewery’s name – Rhinegeist. ‘Rhine’ in honor of the Over-the-Rhine neighbourhood it now called home, and ‘Geist’ as a ghostly nod to the area’s German heritage and a statement that brewing life was about to return to Cincinnati.

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“The Over-the-Rhine neighborhood was, historically, a Germanic area full of breweries separated from Cincinnati by a canal flowing down from the Great Lakes,” Bryant explains. “It’s a wonderful community with a lot of charm and character, full of beautiful buildings and Italian architecture from the late 1800s. The old packaging hall in which Rhinegeist is situated looks a bit like a brick factory from the outside, but inside it has big concrete pillars, natural light, and so much character. It’s a really special place.”

Excellence in craft Since opening its doors in 2013, Rhinegeist has brewed a wide variety of beers across a range of styles. These include Uncle, a British mild ale, and the bestselling Truth IPA – both of which have been on-tap at the brewery since day one. “In our early years we grew rapidly, increasing our output year-on-year and adding new beer varieties along the way,” Bryant reports. “We sold 2000 barrels in year one, 11,000 in year two, 31,000 in year three, 50,000 in year four, and 80,000 in year five. By year six, we were brewing 100,000 barrels, which made for one of the fastest growth trajectories for an American brewery at the time.” Since then, Rhinegeist has matured into a company with steady, singledigit annual growth. Looking back on the organization’s irrepressible rise to prominence, Bryant believes that a great deal of credit must be afforded to those within the organization who have helped to make Rhinegeist one of the Midwest’s most exciting new breweries. “The 300 people who work at Rhinegeist are a major leverage point for us,” Bryant asserts. “They are all significant contributors to our success. They care about our brand and our ethos, and many of those with long tenures have worked their way up and become department leaders. “At Rhinegeist, we’ve always wanted to connect with our customers and stand out from the crowd. The value we provide to local communities is really down to the people we’ve hired and the way they live out our mission. In return, we aim to create an environment where, if you work for Rhinegeist, I hope you enjoy coming

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into work more days than not. “As a business that has grown so fast, we understand that it can be hard

always moving at 100 miles per hour, so we try and slow things down every now and then for our employees, to help them avoid burnout. That, most certainly, has been key to our success, and key to keeping our people happy and at their best.” In 2021, Rhinegeist has remained focused on producing drinkable, flavorsome beers that stand out from the crowd. With the help of an innovative production team, a consistently highquality product, and a clean, minimalist design, the brewery is gaining more and more fans across the Midwest. “We are all about snappy beers with finesse,” Bryant declares. “We make beers that are dry and finished and that leave you wishing for another sip. Whether you are a beer geek or a complete novice, we want you to know that you are drinking something great. “Focusing on excellence in craft, we remain innovative and brew everything from German pilsners to barrel-aged beers using bourbon barrels from across the river in Kentucky – the distillation capital of the world. It’s not necessarily about volume with us but intensity of flavor, so we experiment with different bugs instead of yeast, as well as brewing ciders and playing around with a lot of fruit.” Still operating from its vast Cincinnati footprint, Rhinegeist has seen its products conquer a number of new regions in recent years, including wider Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Massachusetts. In February 2021, the brewery took another major step forward when it introduced its products to Chicago, where they are now available on draft and in cans throughout the city. “Chicago is the heart of the Midwest,” Bryant states. “We want to continue growing geographically, and Chicago is the next step. “We are, as I mentioned, trying to take things fairly slow now, but we still like to open a new territory every year or so. In 2022, Michigan will be the focus of our efforts, which will nicely round off our presence in the Midwest.” No matter where Rhinegeist goes, Cincinnati will always be home, and that is reflected in the amount of community initiatives and outreach programs the

Rhinegeist Brewery brewery runs in the area. This includes Charitable Suds, an enterprise that sees Rhinegeist inviting charity organizations into its tap room. A portion of the brewery’s proceeds is then donated back to these charities. “As part of Charitable Suds,” Bryant says, “we also have Pint Nights every Wednesday. During this event, customers receive a token with each purchase, which can then be used towards one of four local non-profits, along with any extra donations they wish to make. At the end of the night, each organization receives a donation from Rhinegeist based on the amount of ‘votes’ they have accrued, while the charity with the most votes also receives a bonus. “At present, we are donating close to $100,000 to charity each year. Of course, we plan to be here for a very long time, so our long-term goals will be to create more great Cincinnati jobs, continue making a great product, and remain a core part of the fabric of the Over-the-Rhine community.”

workforce by helping the brewery to become 100 percent employee-owned. “We have a great culture, we have great staff, and we are profitable,” Bryant remarks. “I would, eventually, like to see that profitability fed back to the employees who are slowly, but steadily, earning ownership and equity in Rhinegeist, which has been built on the back of their hard work.

“As well as standing for quality, consistency, and innovation, we are a brewery that cares, and we hope that our positive impact will reverberate in perpetuity. We have this big beer hall that sits at the center of the community and we really want to use it, and our beer, to bring people together. Beer is a really unique product in that its value increases as you share it with others. Drinking beer alone might be tasty and refreshing, but with friends and family it is a beautiful social lubricant that leads people to talk and laugh and reminisce. “At Rhinegeist,” Bryant adds, “we have a portfolio suitable for all different tastes - from fruity to sour, intensely hoppy to bitter, and very light to rich. It reflects our inclusive, community approach to our work. We want people to come to our brewery, find something they like, enjoy the space, and enjoy their time together.” D www.rhinegeist.com

Flavor is king With the ability to take a beer or cider from conception to sale in its taproom in less than one month, Rhinegeist is well-positioned to add numerous new innovations to its portfolio in the months and years to come. However, while seltzer products might be dominating the market at present, Bryant says Rhinegeist has no intention to add a seltzer to its range. Instead, the brewery is determined to stay true to its belief that flavor, ultimately, is king. “Flavor is what we stand for,” Bryant proclaims. “Rather than seltzers, we are looking at some hard craft beverages that offer an alternative to beer and cider, but that are very intensely fruity. We really like the flavors we have been able to come up with recently using real fruit, and they will serve as a foray for us into a non-beer space that, quite frankly, is seeing a lot of growth but not a lot of innovation.” Backed by a confident, long-term vision for the future of the business, Rhinegeist hopes to remain true to its culture, producing high-quality beer and making an impact in its local community. Beyond that, in 20 years’ time, Bryant would like to reward his

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The better spread Strong relationships, passion and dedication are the ingredients that Minerva Dairy has been using for more than a century to produce its high-quality butter

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Minerva Dairy

Venae Watts

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Minerva Dairy

inerva Dairy is the true definition of a family business. The Ohiobased company has been churning out artisanal butter, following in the footsteps of founding father, Max P Radloff, since 1894. Now, under the leadership of the fifth generation, siblings Venae Watts and Adam Mueller continue the dairy’s legacy. “We started with a series of family farms where everyone was making butter and cheese, but Max decided that he wanted to bring that all onto one location. This decision was made in an effort to counter the challenge of travelling with milk at a time when he didn’t have the means to keep its freshness,” says Venae, who shares with us the secrets behind the success of one of the biggest butter brands in the US. “One of the reasons we have sustained the business for so long is that everyone plays a role in helping it succeed.” For Venae, being part of an extensive family history is incredibly special, and at the same time, not as novel as others may perceive it. “It wasn’t until I grew up, and learnt about how other businesses operated that I realized how unique it was to continue a family company. There is something precious about what we have here in Minerva, Ohio, and I’ve become very proud of the fact that this is what my family does, and that my brother and I get to be a part of it.”

Above: 4th, 5th, 6th Generations, 2015 Inset: 1983 Family Photo with Minerva Buggy, Venae Watts, Lorraine, Phil, Polly and Adam Mueller

According to Venae, Minerva Dairy’s tasty butter is a direct result of its lengthy timeline. For example, she shares how its flagship item, a twopound roll, was created by her grandma as a response to the challenging circumstances of the Great Depression. “Before the time when everything had to be rationed, butter was sold in general stores as bulk pieces where it would be cut off in 30 or 55 pounds chunks. So, my grandma had to find a way to preserve the amount of butter available, and thus the two-pound roll was born, which is something we still do today,” she shares. “We also have four ounce sticks, two in a carton, and the butter also comes in sea salt and unsalted flavors, as well as a garlic herb,” she says. Additionally, the dairy boasts seasonal items that are

made especially for the holidays, such as ‘Everything Bagel Butter’ and lemon poppy seed. “Coupled with that,” she continues, “we also make cheese, which is used as an ingredient for other manufacturers. The reason why we don’t sell it as an independent product is because we use the cream from the cheese-making process to produce our butter. This gives it its creamy texture and rich flavor. We make our butter in small, slow-churn batches of 1000 pounds at a time, and where other butters are usually 82 to 83 percent butterfat, ours is 85 percent butterfat. This combination makes ours denser and of a higher quality.” The family’s creamery can be found in the agricultural outskirts of Minerva, where it works closely with the surrounding dairy farmers. “We work with about 70 to 75 local farms, which is wonderful because many of them have been working with us for generations. The cattle are pasture raised, and are allowed to graze in green, grassy pastures, resulting in healthier cows that produce the highest quality milk possible,” explains Venae. She also notes, alongside its ethical practices, the business has taken care

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to uphold the craftsmanship that goes into the butter churning techniques that have been relied on for more than a century, while keep its technology and equipment up to date. “We are craftsmen when it comes to our butter making, and we really don’t want to change that so we have upgraded considerably through the years – each churn, for example, is stainless-steel – but we also work closely with our vendors so that when new installations are required, we don’t replace their art. Instead, we work to balance our

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operations with what is available for us across the industry.” As Venae has discussed, Minerva Dairy values its relationships with vendors and farmers. She elaborates on this by expressing how her family’s approach to these connections are managed slightly differently in order to sustain longer lasting partnerships. “My dad frequently visits every farm to see how everyone is doing. We have a support system for the farmers, an open dialogue with them where we talk about pasture ways, the herd and the

quality of the milk. We have handshake agreements with them, not contracts, because we prioritize the relationship first, not the business deal, and that is how we maintain good working connections that have continued for generations with the farmers.” This type of approach also helps paint a clearer picture of the sort of company culture embedded within Minerva Dairy, and rather than elaborate on the values evident in the business, Venae shares the example of how the company navigated Covid-19,

Minerva Dairy

Venae Watts with Female 6th Generation, Sadie Watts, Paige Banner, Vivian Watts, Charlize Watts Cleo Mueller and Cadence Watts

which proved to be a testament to the unity and dedication of its team. “As we saw, the pandemic caused an increased demand for food in the retail space, which of course affected our butter. The demand for our product doubled overnight, then quadrupled, which meant that we needed to ramp up our efforts to keep our products on the shelves. We didn’t miss a beat; everyone came together, and it was

incredible to be part of that experience. I was in the creamery in the evenings working, making butter, and there were instances where others had to improvise and fill in jobs that weren’t in their description, but they were all so willing to do that. The question, ‘where am I needed?’ became commonplace, and the team jumped in accordingly. You always hope you have that type of culture, so when you are faced with such a challenge, and you see how everyone rises to the occasion, it is really heartwarming,” says Venae. In response to the isolation that was imposed on the world, Venae also tells us about an interesting project that she undertook herself during the pandemic as a way to continue to share with others how to make butter. “I came up with the idea of contributing to virtual field trips by doing a tour of our creamery. I thought about how sad it was that my kids were stuck at home, and missing out on months of outdoor experiences, so I decided to do a virtual tour of the creamery for their school, and soon others wanted it to be included in their schedules as well. I got such encouraging responses from it that I decided to keep doing the tours, and continue to teach others about the

world of butter, even from miles away.” As we move away from the pandemic, Venae expresses that she would like to see more butter makers in the world. “We are currently expanding our production whilst keeping the same craftsmanship and improving our capacity so that we can add more equipment. I am also looking at where we are nationally distributed here in the US, and looking to expand that distribution to areas that we’re not and expand accordingly. That’s the short-term goal. On a more long-term scale, the UK’s Kerrygold came over here, so maybe Minerva Dairy needs to go to the UK!” Tying in with her future goals for the business, Venae hopes that there will be an interest from her family’s sixth generation to take over the business. “There are 12 kids between my brother’s family and mine, so there has to at least one with a passion to take over, but until they’re at the age when they feel ready to make that decision, we’re happy to keep growing the business. It’s so much fun working here, and we love it. We love the people who are involved, and those who support us; it’s simultaneously fun and crazy,” she concludes. D www.minervadairy.com

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The spirit of Kentucky

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Castle & Key Blending traditional production methods with a modern approach to business, Castle & Key is reimagining how Kentucky spirits are presented to the world

onsidered by many to be the modern forefather of whiskey in America, bourbon legend Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr founded one of the United States’ most unique distilleries in 1887. Inspired by European architecture, the Frankfort, Kentucky-based site featured a giant limestone castle, a classical springhouse, and a sunken garden. Determined to elevate the perception of bourbon and produce ‘spirits fit for royalty’, Taylor’s creation served not only as a striking culmination of his life’s work, but also the birthplace of bourbon tourism. Sadly, in 1920, Prohibition forced the closing of the distillery and it fell, slowly, into disrepair. Having lay in ruins for almost a century, in 2012, local businessman Will Arvin resolved to restore the Old Taylor Distillery to its former glory. Building on Colonel Taylor’s commitment to excellence, embracing his traditional methods, and inspired by local ingredients, Mr. Arvin enlisted the help of a like-minded team and launched Castle & Key, a thoughtful spirits brand challenging conventions and palates alike. “Before coming into this business, I had never made a drop of whiskey before, but I certainly had an appreciation for craft whiskey and the way it is made,” Will explains. “Being from Kentucky, whiskey is part of our history and our culture, so we want to create it well. That goes for all our products. We don’t source our spirits from elsewhere like a lot of other distilleries; we create our own gin, vodka and whiskey, on-site, from grain to glass.”

Continued traditions Employing a team approach to production, and using a variety of local ingredients, Castle & Key benefits from a range of key differentiators that help it stand out from the competition. A number of these factors, Will says, have been passed down as part of the legacy left behind by Colonel Taylor. “At Castle & Key, we use some pretty unique grains, like an heirloom varietal of white corn, which we believe is very similar to what Colonel Taylor used back in the day,” reveals Director of Sales Jon Newton. “Additionally, we have an interesting higher malt mash than many other producers. “The nature of our distillery, as designed by Colonel Taylor, also makes us different. For example, Taylor

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designed the water source to be a 40,000-gallon natural-fed limestone spring in the shape of a keyhole (hence, ‘Castle & Key’) and he always said the mineral-rich, iron-free water was critical to the success of good bourbon. It remains the water source for everything we do.” Operating from a highly significant location in the history of American whiskey – Taylor, a politician among other things, helped pass the Bottle and Bond Act of 1897, one of the USA’s first consumer protection laws – Jon, Will and the team at Castle & Key see themselves as stewards of a grand tradition. In 2021, not only is the company aiming to capture the original essence of Colonel Taylor’s work, but it also hopes to put its own modern take on the Kentucky spirit craft. “We repurposed what we could during the restoration process of the distillery, and we’ve really tried to keep the place looking as historic as possible,” Director of Operations Jess Peterson remarks. “Furthermore, we try to use local vendors for any equipment we procure externally,

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and, as a result, the distillery stays more deeply rooted in the community. “We were able to take some of the equipment that was present during National Distiller’s times, such as fermenters, grain silos and weigh bins, and connect those up with modern technology so that we can effectively operate the entire facility from an iPad. It’s a real blend of old and new.”

Modern takes The community connection that Jess mentions encompasses everyone from local farms supplying grain, the employment of people from the surrounding area, and ongoing fundraising initiatives. One of Castle & Key’s most important contributions in recent times has come through its partnership with Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild on a whiskey called The Untold Story of Kentucky Whiskey, Chapter 1. “Untold Story is a special one-off bottling that aims to pull back the curtain on the African American contribution to bourbon in the American

spirits industry,” Jess confirms. “As part of this special release, 100 percent of the revenue from Untold Story will be fed back into a scholarship fund for minorities interested in pursuing careers in distillation. It’s another good example of how we are trying to be very community-minded - both in the local area and in the distillation community as a whole.” Of course, Untold Story is not the only exciting product on offer from Castle & Key at present. Guided by a pioneering R&D team and an experienced sensory panel, the company continues to harness the best grains and botanicals to create modern takes on consumer favorites. “Our distillery’s spring water pool connects with a local creek and means we always have fresh, running water – just like Colonel Taylor did,” Will states. “Using this natural resource, we created our first two releases: Sacred Spring Vodka and Roots of Ruin Gin. Sacred Spring starts with a bourbon mash bill and is a recipe of 73 percent corn, 17 percent malted barley, and 10 percent rye, while

Castle & Key Roots of Ruin starts with the whiskey mash bill and consists of 63 percent rye, 17 percent corn and a 20 percent malted barley. Naturally, these spirits are unaged, which means they could be released quickly, but we still put the same care and attention into creating them as we do with our bourbon. “The gin and vodka,” Will continues, “was soon followed by our very first whiskey - Restoration Rye. Perhaps most exciting of all though is the fact that, in the spring of 2022, we will be releasing our first bourbon, which will have a traditional bourbon mash bill. It has been eight years in the making, but we have always wanted to ensure the aging process is right because that is what makes bourbon so special. You can’t force bourbon; you have to wait for nature to do its thing, but finally, the time is right.”

Iconic site

all the resilience and adaptability of a distiller that could rise to the very top. For instance, the company more than proved itself under the pressure and scrutiny brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Over the last year and a half, in spite of the pandemic, we have still been able to continue with whiskey distillation. More than that though, we were able to produce hand sanitizer in bulk,” Jon declares. “We made several hundred pallets of the sanitizer product, and still have a bit on hand. It meant we were able to support our local community, schools in the area, and hardworking emergency response teams. “Throughout the sanitizer production process, it was so great to see everybody come together and bring something completely new online in a very short space of time. From conception to finished product, the timespan was no more than four weeks.”

Over the next five-to-six years, Castle & Key aims to be a 100,000-case brand, inspiring consumers around the world through an unmatched experience with spirits. For Jon however, the Castle & Key story is about more than just spirits – it’s a testament to the power of pursuing your passions. “Our journey has been a really universal one and a celebration of doing what makes you happy,” Jon proclaims. “We want to share our tale with people all around the world and inspire them to go out and follow their dreams.” “When I look back on how far we’ve come, I think we should be proud of the way we restored a historic, dilapidated facility on 130 acres and transformed it back into an iconic site,” adds Will. “There’s so much bourbon history at this site and it is a real thrill to think that there is now so much more to come.” D www.castleandkey.com

As traditional as many of its surroundings and processes might appear, Castle & Key is a modern and highly progressive organization, with

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Living la dolce vita For specialty Italian meat manufacturer, Fratelli Beretta USA, quality is a family tradition. With over 200 years’ worth of experience as a salumeria, the company now offers its delicious, traditionally dry-cured meats to a range of new international markets

he fresh, inspiring and trend-setting spaces of rural Italy are the original home of Fratelli Beretta USA (Beretta). The company’s 200-year-long history bursts with flavorful traditions and experiences that have helped shape its delicious salumeria selection. Now,

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as experts in traditional dry-cured meats and charcuterie, the people behind Beretta look to share a taste of the sweet life with consumers across America, Canada and Mexico. Famous for its all-natural Mount Olive dry-cured meats, Fratelli Beretta USA also produces a number of antipasti

Fratelli Beretta USA specialty meats that are central to all its recipes; combining these time-honoured methods with new technology has helped Beretta increase its production whilst continuing to offer the same great taste. “Fratelli Beretta is always researching new and more efficient ways to produce our dry-cured product without losing our traditional and authentic taste profile. “We have introduced several new technologies, especially in terms of quality monitoring and safety checks. A lot of effort has been put into integrating modern technology with our 200-year-old hand-craft method,” Simone confirms.

Balanced flavors Continuously updating and innovating when it comes to production methods

selections, and seasonal platters that are perfect for stay-at-home gettogethers. “We introduced several new entertainment trays for the holiday season in 2021,” discusses Simone Bocchini, President at Beretta. “They are receiving a great response from retailers and consumers alike.

We have combined the best of our salumeria, such as prosciutto, salami and coppa, with top high-end cheese, crackers and dry fruit to make it the all-around package for our customers,” he adds. The company uses a traditional dry-curing method to produce the

has boosted Beretta’s success, as it continues expanding into the US. “We are progressing with the construction of a new facility, which will increase our presence in United States and guarantee that the supply of our great dry-cured items is always growing,” says Simone. “We want to step up our operations in order to ensure that we are able to satisfy the needs of a growing market,” he affirms. With an increased production capacity, and presence in America, Beretta has now established itself in new spaces, including the sporting arenas of New York City, where the company’s Panini stands can provide the ultimate mid-game meal. “Beretta has always been a great supporter and partner of the sport world, and of course soccer is a passion that has always been part of our identity,” Simone enthuses. “We recently signed a multi-year agreement to be an official sponsor for the Inter Milan and Everton team. We also signed a long-term agreement with Madison Square Garden, the centre stage in New York City for sport and entertainment. “We are present inside the arena, with two Panini stands; one on the sixth floor, and one on the tenth floor. We also have some items available in different concession stands in the area, where people attending games or concerts can taste our delicious selection,” he elaborates.

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This selection includes the delectable Fratelli’s Sloppy Joe, made with prosciutto, rye bread, coleslaw and Swiss cheese, and the Muffulata, complete with balsamic-glazed Fratelli Beretta Soppressata on crusty Italian bread. To create sandwiches with such perfectly balanced flavors, Fratelli Beretta USA works in equal harmony with its network of all-natural, family-owned suppliers. “Beretta is a family-owned business, and we want to partner with companies that share the same vision. We value the family business dynamic, and it’s important we have partners who can reflect that,” states Simone. “Creating strong relationships with our suppliers and partners allows us to make everybody feel like an integral part of our success and growth. These relationships also help us to establish a support network for the company in difficult times, such as the global pandemic that hit the world in 2020. “We want to establish long-term plans and goals, which the Beretta team can achieve together. Having the support of smaller familyowned businesses helps all of us achieve that stability,” he continues.

Important traditions Beretta also preserves its Italian heritage and family-feel with the Beretta Academy, which is dedicated to teaching the art of crafting dry-curing meat. “Beretta Academy is the place that keeps knowledge about what it means to be a salumeria alive. We use it to train and integrate our internal resources, and make the ‘new salumeria’ of tomorrow,” explains Simone.

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Fratelli Beretta USA

Now heading into its 209th year, Beretta adopts new strategies for growth, whilst remaining true to the original mission that has maintained its success for so many years. “Attention to the consumer and market will be crucial in 2022. Consumers have changed a lot during the pandemic, their purchase habits and attention to selection has increased a lot, as has their knowledge of the products they consume, and the categories those products fall into. “As a company, we need to be attentive to this change, and adapt quickly to continue our success in 2022. In the long-term, I see additional investment in production facilities, as well as taking some of the popular items that we produce in Italy to the American market. We would also like to use our American base operation to bring our product to other nearby markets, such as Canada, Mexico and South America,” summarizes Simone. With a renewed understanding of the value of adaptability, Fratelli Beretta USA moves confidently forward, armed with the best of Italy, and a little of the sweet life. “We are very focused on the USA market; we want to bring it a taste of our important traditions, as well as some Italian flair,” Simone concludes. D www.fratelliberettaUSA.com

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The taste of celebration Combining premium drinks with decadent sweet treats, Great Spirits Baking Company is serving up good times across the United States

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Great Spirits Baking Company

hough the business has only been cooking up its innovative products for around three years now, Great Spirits Baking Company is one of the fastest growing baked goods firms in the United States. Using only the finest ingredients, and supported by a number of premium brand partnerships, Great Spirits is on a mission to make every occasion more special. “Great Spirits grew out of a legacy company that had a license to make Jack Daniel’s whiskey cakes,” CEO Michael Valenti explains. “They made these small, giftable, specialty items, like a 10oz loaf cake in a gift box, which retailed for around $15. We thought there was real potential for this kind of product outside of the novelty space, so we started looking at it as a potential investment opportunity. “In due course, we began figuring out a business plan and ways in which we could scale the company through more efficient production facilities and the addition of more licensing partnerships. Grocery stores, club stores and C Stores were soon highlighted as potentially profitable landing spots for these products because, unlike cereal aisles, and aside from a few undecorated cakes with cartoon character images, bakery sections in these stores were lacking innovation – especially for items geared towards adults. We knew we had something unique that could be really disruptive in a fairly stale category, so our holding company started pulling together a great group of investors and the new Great Spirits Baking Company was born.” Great Spirits’ first task was to reformulate the previous company’s recipes to better suit a commercial bakery. It then submitted its new products for approval by its licensors. Once approval was reached, the company developed packaging and worked through product testing before, in November 2019, the first Great Spirits products hit the shelves. “We had some really great wins right out of the gate,” Michael recalls. “We launched our wrapped, sliced cakes for the convenience channel at an event for the National Association of Convenience Stores in Chicago and earned a couple of major customers straight away. We also secured some grocery store and club store business for larger items.” Since then, through a mix of artisan craftsmanship and commercial automation, Great Spirits has grown its range from individually-wrapped sliced cakes to include large format ring cakes, decorative layer cakes, cheesecakes, and donuts. Vital to the success of these products has been the company’s partnerships with some of the biggest names in the world of

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alcohol. Today, in 2021, this list includes Jack Daniel’s, Baileys, Guinness, Pallini Limoncello and more. “Great Spirits might be a young business, but thanks to the experience we have in our leadership team, we don’t act like one,” Michael says. “We are operating in a very high-quality manner that is capable of meeting the expectations of major licensors, and that is why we continue to attract such big brands. “We are very ambitious here and we are constantly talking about ways in which we can expand and make the business better. The nice thing about working with such large, well-known names is that they keep presenting us with new opportunities. We began with Jack Daniel’s as our anchor brand, but we’ve been able to add another three Diageo brands. We also added partnerships with Pallini Limoncello and Remy Cointreau for the Cointreau and Mount Gay Rum brands. We work directly with the owner of Pallini and she is very enthusiastic about our products and all the new exposure Pallini Limoncello has received as a result. “Even for well-known brands, like Jack Daniel’s, partnership with us is a nice addition because it invites new or previously unaware customers into the fold. Similarly, for stores, there are cross-merchandizing

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Great Spirits Baking Company

opportunities, enticing customers into areas and departments they may not usually visit.”

Impressive client list Unsurprisingly, the Covid-19 pandemic has arguably been the most difficult challenge for Great Spirits since its founding, but after a tough start to 2020, the company began to regain customers towards the end of the year, including one of its largest contracts to date. “At the end of 2020, a digital event led a Walmart buyer responsible for Puerto Rico to get in touch with us directly and we launched a program together as a result,” Michael reveals. “We ended up sending five shipping containers’ worth of product down to Puerto Rico over the next couple of months. It gave us a good deal of credibility because getting something from the mainland to Puerto Rico can sometimes be difficult and costly, so people gained confidence in us from the way it was handled.” Another significant client was Publix Super Markets, a group with over 1000 stores, primarily operational in the eastern United States. “We sent them our Jack Daniel’s large format cake for the holiday season last year and they literally sold out within a matter of days,” Michael remarks. “Following that initial deal, we have

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since worked on multiple additional programs with Publix through our broker partners at Frontier and they have become one of our largest customers. We provide them with a very consistent stream of product and it has helped us strike new deals with other big banners like H-E-B Grocery Company, Giant, Weis, Safeway and Costco.”

New options Though its base is still relatively small, Great Spirits is growing by around 200 percent, and Michael believes the company has barely scratched the surface of its potential. “It’s a really nice feeling to know that there is so much runway ahead,” he states. “We have just opened up in Canada and are gaining some nice traction there. We expect this positive trajectory to continue as we add new brands and new customers.” As Michael suggests, Great Spirits is always on the lookout for new clients and brand partnerships, but the company is also very selective about the firms with which it works and very careful not to instigate conflict between its licensors. With plans already in motion for 2022, the business is now looking forward to welcoming an seventh liquor partner to its portfolio, along with another major customer to its books. “We have just added one of the largest C Store chains in the country to our customer base and they are bringing in three of our wrapped products,” Michael reports. “Not only does adding new customers help us gain more syndicated data, but it also increases the overall awareness of our products for people shopping in these bigger stores. It’s all very exciting.” To sit alongside its new customers and licenses, Great Spirits has recently launched a new line of non-alcoholic donuts. Infused with the flavors of Baileys, Guinness, and Pallini Limoncello, the boozy flavored donuts are becoming available at major grocery stores across the United States including Wakefern and Redner’s. “Safeway is going to be bringing in some of the donuts soon too,” Michael

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Great Spirits Baking Company notes. “It’s a category that is doing really well because there is nothing out there quite like it. “Elsewhere, we are working on a few more exciting projects. One is a line of traditional rum cakes using Mount Gay rum and flavors like vanilla, chocolate, pineapple and coconut. These will be pushed heavily through all channels not just brick and mortar pieces, but e-commerce too. “As well as this, we are currently working on cookies, including Baileys and Pallini Limoncello flavors. They are a natural progression for us and a really easy item to have in-store because we can change flavors or frostings seasonally. Baileys, for instance, introduces different flavors throughout the year and that is something we hope to have a lot of fun with in 2022.”

Further growth In the more distant future, customers can expect to see alcohol-flavored brownies and Guinness-flavored Irish soda bread on shelves at their local grocery stores. The latter presents an ideal opportunity for Great Spirits to

seize upon the popularity of St Patrick’s Day in the United States. “Leading up to St Patrick’s Day, sales of Irish soda bread are very, very strong,” Michael declares. “Millions of dollars are spent on the item and, by giving it the authenticity of Guinness, we think our version could prove very popular - both in March, and during

the rest of the year. We are still working with the licensor on the development of that offering, but we believe it can be a home run type item if we can get the formulation right.” While these larger projects provide an insight into the innovative nature of the business and the bright future at its fingertips, Great Spirits is pleased to see its original, 10 oz. boxed loaf cake business growing tremendously too. Boosted by recent investment geared towards the fine-tuning of its digital strategy, the company now hopes to drive more customers towards both its e-commerce and retail channels when purchasing items. “Alongside our newer creations, our original boxed loaf cakes are still a real winner for us,” Michael asserts. “Rated as the number one liquor cake on Amazon, they are affordable and have a real giftability for customers visiting grocery and liquor stores. Thanks to items like this, we don’t expect our growth to slow down any time soon. In fact, we expect it to accelerate dramatically.” D www.greatspiritsbakingcompany.com

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Greener than ever Since the mid-1800s, the East of England Co-op has been passionate about more than just food; it has been determined to encourage community and hospitality as one of the largest consumer co-operatives in the UK

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East of England Co-op

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‘

erving local communities across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex since 1861, East of England Co-op now has over 220 branches across the region, offering food retail and Post Office services, among its wide range of businesses. When we last spoke with Roger Grosvenor, the Joint CEO, the co-operative was stabilizing itself from the consequences of Covid-19. Now, having dedicated 50 years of his career to the business, Roger is approaching his retirement in March of 2022, and reflects on his time with the business. “It was a difficult decision to conclude that it’s time to retire after half a century with the Co-operative Movement. When I first joined, my

I have seen many changes throughout my \ career, and they have all felt to be at pace, but none more so than now. It has always been about change and adapting Roger Grosvenor to thrive, and hopefully, we have done this since our formation, and will continue to do so

aspiration was to rise to Food Store Manager, and, by some miracle, I ended up being Joint CEO of, in my view, one of the finest co-operatives in the UK.”

Serving the community From Roger’s many years of experience, he notes the evolution of technology, and how it has helped improve the company’s efficiency. “What continues to be very clear is our way of doing business and our reliance on IT. Without it, performance and economies of scale could never have been reached to the level they are at now. Take the pricing of goods for example; when I started, product was priced with a stamp and indelible ink, and could only be removed for price changes with spirit and a cloth. We then moved to price tickets on a roll, followed by a price gun, and eventually to shelf edge labels and scanning. We are now in the process of looking to introduce electronic shelf edge labels.” Considering the challenges that the company has had to endure during its lifetime, Roger is proud of how its team has continuously pulled together to keep the business growing and serving the community, especially in light of Covid-19. “We have not let the pandemic stifle our ambitions with regards to expansion across our retail and property businesses, and our investment in technology. We’ve seen the performance across our family of businesses vary significantly during 2021, with performance affected by lockdowns, and Covid-19 measures. “However, for food retailing, we have had a golden year with an increase in sales by 10.3 percent compared to 2019. In our funeral department, we saw numbers increase, while the value per funeral dropped as families and loved ones were unable to give the send-off they would have wanted due to the restrictions in place.”

Enthusiasm and gratitude As a result of shoppers staying at home, fuel sales also fell significantly. The company’s travel business, which came to a halt, was also impacted by Covid-19, alongside its masonry factory,

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East of England Co-op holiday lets and events business. “The decision was taken to halt our store refurbishment program to ensure stores remained open to provide a service to the communities, especially with so many people working from home and restricted travelling. This resulted in less customer visits to food stores, but significantly higher basket spend. Our Snappy Shopper home delivery service proved a crucial lifeline to those in self-isolation. Stores with self-scanning tills helped incredibly to reduce queues and support social distancing, seeing a 41-percent participation across the 86 stores with this service. Our investment property portfolio, which extends to over 500 commercial and residential properties across East Anglia, has been resilient in the face of the pandemic. Although some of our commercial tenants have suffered through the pandemic, we have supported them to ensure their longerterm viability,” Roger shares.

We move on to the topic of current market challenges, which include labor shortages and high costs. To this, Roger responds with enthusiasm and gratitude towards the company’s progress and resilience to overcome these obstacles. “We’ve been most fortunate in having a committed and loyal workforce and have not suffered the same challenges as many retailers across the UK. Support mechanisms and rewards were put in place to acknowledge our colleague’s commitment.” Aside from the announcement of stepping down from his leadership

position, Roger shares with us that exciting developments are underway to keep East of England Co-op a dependable community name. “Our annual member’s meeting will take place in May 2022. We’ll be running a ‘hybrid’ event, which will allow members to attend in person or remotely. During the event, we will review our financial performance, and share with members the impact we’ve had against our community themes of food justice, mental health and wellbeing and community action. We’ll have a particular focus on the work done to

rascal systems At rascal systems we harness the power of technology and data to enable retail efficiency. Our intelligent solutions protect profit margins by reducing shrink, minimizing labor costs and streamlining processes - all whilst increasing data accuracy and visibility. Over the past 15 years we’ve stayed at the forefront of rapid change and built our name on our core principles of simplicity, visibility and control. We’ve supported retailers in all sectors, from the biggest names, to high street shops and convenience stores. Our partners have become more efficient, more profitable and more confident in their governance procedures. rascal systems - building better businesses.

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East of England Co-op support foodbanks, and the investment we’ve made in community groups through our Community Cares Fund.”

Future plans Tying in with this, the East of England Co-op recently opened two new food stores. One was in Chesterwell, Colchester on December 3rd, while the other was launched in East Harling, Norfolk ten days later. “There are further plans in 2022 to open circa seven new food stores across East Anglia. With regard to the rest of the family of businesses across the estate, we constantly review our locations to ensure we remain relevant to the aspirations of the long-term viability of our co-op. We completed a small housing development just outside Ipswich with all units let within days of completion. Similarly, the redevelopment of our former department store in Colchester was completed in June and all 24 apartments let within just eight weeks. Loungers now anchor the ground floor commercial space having opened in November and we believe will act as a draw for additional occupiers going into 2022. Several other residential and commercial development schemes have been progressed during 2021 and are expected to come to fruition during 2022/23.” In addition to its new expansions, the business is also excited about its pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030. Here’s how the East of England Co-op plans to make this happen: “By replacing older refrigeration, fitting LED lighting and using on-site renewable solar energy, amongst other measures, we’ve achieved a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions over the past ten years, exceeding the original 30 percent target,” he explains.

program of solar panel installations to increase on-site renewable energy to at least 370,000 kWh by 2025, which equates to around one percent of its current electricity needs, and then by a further five percent by 2030. “Through robust monitoring and reporting, increased investment, a focus on carbon reduction, and specifying energy efficient designs for all our new buildings and properties, we’ll be well on track to achieving our pledge. We’ve adopted six of the seventeen United Nations’ development goals, which are now embedded in our Co-op’s strategy as we feel these are the areas that we can have a direct impact on,” Roger informs us. As March quickly approaches, Roger hopes that the legacy he leaves behind him will be one that inspires continuous growth of the company, and a culture that is dedicated to unity

and trust. “I have always seen myself in an Executive role as being able to be of support to those looking after their own departments, assisting them in achieving the highest level they can. My role is to support and remove the roadblocks, and I hope my colleagues will use the same ethos. “I know that the company will emerge from the pandemic stronger, and continue to provide secure employment, inclusivity for all colleagues, and a growing service to the communities within East Anglia. “I have seen many changes throughout my career, and they have all felt to be at pace, but none more so than now. It has always been about change and adapting to thrive, and hopefully, we have done this since our formation, and will continue to do so,” he concludes. D www.eastofengland.coop

Strong legacy This is a journey of two parts: by 2025, the East of England Co-op aims to have replaced all company cars with plug-in hybrid or electric models, and expanded the number of electric vehicle charging points to a further 40 communities. It is also working on a

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Daring dairy Having successfully worked with some of the biggest names in food service and distribution for over 21 years, leading cheese producer, Ingredient Solutions, reaches new heights with increased international partnerships and an extended vegan range

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Ingredient Solutions

n 2000, having worked in the UK cheese and dairy manufacturing industry for 15 years, Ian Galletly moved to Ireland, and, hoping to make a space for himself, established Ingredient Solutions. From these beginnings, Ian and his five original employees built the company into a £45 million operation, spanning across four continents. Now a team of 75, with a substantial customer base in some 20 countries, Ingredient Solutions continues expanding into new territories across the globe. “The company was set up to produce cheese ingredients for ready meal manufacturers, snack food manufacturers, fast food restaurants and food distributors,” says Ian Galletly, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Ingredient Solutions. “We basically cover the entire industry as far as prepared foods are concerned,” he adds. Exclusively manufacturing cheese products, Ingredient Solutions is a business to business model that works for customers and their Product Development departments to source and manufacture the ideal cheeses for a vast range of ready-made meals, from frozen pizzas to meal-deal sandwiches. “Our cheese is basically in every supermarket in the UK, but it will only ever be in a finished product, so you won’t see the Ingredient Solutions name anywhere in store,” Ian clarifies. As cheese specialists, the people behind Ingredient Solutions work closely with customers to make sure their recipes are completed to perfection. “It’s all about the cheese,” asserts Ian. “We work together to decide what the customer needs, and the products are made to order, so we don’t dictate exactly what we are producing at any given time.

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“Our customers’ Product Development department’s will have to devise new meals, or new versions of the same meals, every quarter, for their retail customers. We work with those developers to provide any cheese product needed for the new ready meals; they can make requests on taste, presentation, flavor and price. “The demands of the customer will change over time; so, for example, during a recession the price of a meal has to come down, so they want to re-engineer the product. We work with

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them to make that happen. It’s these kinds of connections with suppliers that allow us to continue to ensure that our customers can be innovative with their ready meals. “With our help, our customer can present full, nutritionally balanced meals, at the target price point. This will then be put forward to their tasting panel and, if passed, it will then be give a trial run on the shelf of our customer’s current retailer. There is critical mass that the product has to move during the trial period to achieve

a full product launch. If this is achieved, then the new meal gets the shelf space replacing a less successful ready meal at that time.” Ingredient Solutions is able to provide the best customer service thanks to its expansive industry knowledge and wide ranging connections. “We look at various different suppliers, and evaluate which one best suits the brief. Then we look at processing the cheese so it is ready to use in the ready meals; for example, we produce a lot of shredded cheese,” elaborates Ian. At its core, Ingredient Solutions’ success comes from the ability to consistently meet the needs of its customers through clear, informed communication, and overall highquality outcomes. As Ian highlights, the company has numerous long-standing industry connections: “Some of our customers have been with the company since it began. We have a full range of blue-chip manufacturers with which we have strong working relationships.” In order to meet the specific needs of restaurants and supermarkets all around the world, Ingredient Solutions has developed a new vegan range. “We are just about to launch a vegan-style mozzarella, which is a new product being added to our Vegan’s Choice range. It’s for the food service industry and fast food distributors,” reveals Ian. Ingredient Solution’s Vegan’s Choice range responds to a fast-growing global food trend, which demands more plantbased alternatives to animal products. Tapping into this new market, Ingredient Solutions consolidates its relationships with a number of international retailers. Having begun operations in the UK and Ireland, the company moved into Europe and beyond about five years ago. “Right now we are actually working with customers outside of Europe; we have customers in the Middle East, the Bahamas, Hong Kong, and South America. We are fully global now, and virtually all of our international customers come through our website, so that’s a huge asset,” summarizes Ian. Going global has seen Ingredient Solutions grow exponentially, and put it on a trajectory toward even further successes. Ian discusses what motivated

Ingredient Solutions the company to diversify in the first place: “A fair slice of our business was based in the UK, hardly surprising as it is one of the leading ‘food on the go’ operators in the world, second only to America. Most people in the UK aged 18-to-30 hardly ever cook at home, and there is a big culture of eating out regularly, on average about two or three times a week. There is always a danger in being over exposed to a market or a narrow customer base so we needed a strategy that would help us stretch out into Europe, and anywhere else that we could find business. It was a big motivator for us, we got opportunities, and we became more focused. Following that trajectory of diversification away from the UK has been hugely successful for us.” Now celebrating 21 years of success, Ian and his team stand strong with numerous blue-chip clients.“There have been plenty of milestones in the

last 21 years,” says Ian. “We have certainly done more than OK.” In order to grow the Ingredient Solutions network, Ian and his team are now looking to build a brand new factory within the next three years, and increase turnover to £100 million over the next five years. As Ian concludes: “We are doing something right, and in that respect the whole experience has been unbelievable; we want to continue reaching those milestones, and in five years’ time I would like the company to be double the size it is today.” D www.ingredientsolutionsltd.com

Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging Established in 1978, Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging (MCP) is Ireland’s leading manufacturer of pallets, distributor of packaging and supplier of storage solutions. With over 350,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing and storage facilities across two locations in Cork and Meath, MCP is strategically located to service our ever-growing customer base. We produce over 2.5 million pallets per annum including ISPM15 Heat Treated, EURO pallets etc. and supply, store and distribute over 5000 custom designed corrugated packaging products. We guarantee a quality, reliable product at competitive prices, exactly when and where our customers need it. Contact us today on sales@midcorkpallets.com or +353 2641311

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A taste for quality Remaining independent and truly British, Burts Snacks continues on its mission to deliver quality snack products with exceptional taste and flavour

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Burts Snacks Dave McNulty

or regular readers of FoodChain, Burts Chips will be a familiar name, with the Devon-based manufacturer of award-winning premium snacks having graced these pages several times in recent years. Now under the moniker of Burts Snacks, we caught up with Managing Director Dave McNulty in early November 2021 to learn of how the business has found itself on a rapid growth trajectory that is reflected across its entire product portfolio. “Our Burts branded business is currently enjoying a period of very strong growth of some 18 percent year-on-year,” Dave begins. “The eight-strong range of products that we produce boast a 31 percent share of the hand cooked market in the South West of England, and on the back of a seven-figure summer marketing drive are performing particularly well. “In addition to this, our private label contracts are also going from strength-to-strength, not just in our crisps business, but across our ‘Better for You’ and popcorn ranges too. This has undoubtedly been helped by the boom in ‘at home’ consumption throughout the pandemic, and shows few signs of slowing down now we are returning to a more normal world. Lastly, our comanufacturing business has also enjoyed some stellar growth and we have built our capability further to enable this.” As alluded to earlier, when we last spoke with Dave the business was known as Burts Chips, and he is now able to enlighten us as to the inspiration behind the change in name to Burts Snacks. “Post the acquisition of Savoury and Sweet in 2018, Burts has become so much more than just a potato chip company,” he declares. “Our capability stretches from the finest popcorn and compression popped products to ‘better for you’ snacks and other pellet-based items. We have also extended our capability into extruded snacks, further enhancing our production abilities and adding another string to our bow. Since 2017, we have invested more than £17 million into production assets to allow us to span the entire snacking aisle, so it follows that we reflect this in our name and our vision to be Britain’s leading independent snack company.” In its bid to achieve the above, the company has continued to introduce new products to market. This has included the launch of limited-edition Maple Glazed Pigs in Blankets Potato Chips (40g), available in Costa Coffee stores nationwide as part of its ongoing partnership with the chain. “Tapping into consumer demand for innovative flavours with a strong British heritage, this launch provides the ultimate snack to enjoy alongside a coffee or on-the-

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go, and marks an exciting introduction for the festive period,” Dave enthuses. “We worked closely with Costa Coffee to select a flavour its customers would love and created a crinkle cut potato chip combining smokey sausage and bacon flavours with a sweet maple glaze.” Essential in creating the snacks that Burts Snacks’ customers love are its two manufacturing sites, one in Plymouth

and the other in Leicester, which the company continues to channel investment towards heavily to drive both growth and efficiency. “In Leicester, over the last four years we have invested in a chip frying facility, an extruded plant, and very recently a flash frying facility. This has helped give the site broader capability, enabling us to utilize it for new product development initiatives,”

Dave states. “In Plymouth, where the focus has mainly been on chip frying, we have also invested in two flash frying facilities to broaden our capability. At the same time however, it is critical to ensure that we drive our overall effectiveness to maximize our output from each plant. We place a huge premium on our staff development and capability, as well as strengthening areas such as engineering, which has been key to the continued good performance of our plants.”

Sustainable measures In tandem with the investment it has made in its facilities, the company is also continuing to pioneer sustainability efforts across its estate. “Since our early days, Burts has had environmental considerations close to its heart and is proud to be a zero to landfill business,” Dave adds. “We all have to take responsibility for a better planet and we have been on a journey for some time now to take effective measures to lower our impact. As part of sending zero waste to landfill, all our food waste is given to local livestock, and our cooking oil recycled into sustainable biodiesel fuel. We continually look to improve and over recent years we have introduced a number of sustainable measures in the form of control systems that ensure only a minimal amount of energy is used whilst reducing waste, helping to improve our environmental performance and reduce the carbon footprint of the business. “In the coming years, we will be introducing several initiatives at Burts, internally and externally, to reduce our carbon footprint and we aim to become B Corp certified. We’re delighted by the huge progress we have already made in this area, with our annual CO2 output decreasing by 17 percent last year, despite the introduction of new products and increased volume. Our aim is to continue reducing CO2 emissions yearon-year, as well as identifying other areas that we can improve to minimise our impact on the environment.” As a family-owned South West brand, for Burts, sustainability goes beyond ingredients, packaging and production. “We’re passionate about supporting the local community and playing an active role in the area,” Dave continues. “As a

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Burts Snacks brand that was founded in the coastal city of Plymouth, we love the outdoors and it’s ingrained in our company ethos. So, it felt like the perfect fit this summer when we announced a strategic partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).”

Growth prospects The partnership between Burts and the RNLI, which will last for two years from June 2021, has seen RNLI branding introduced on Burts’ Sea Salt and Sea Salt & Malt Vinegar 150g and 40g crisp packs. The new packaging also features the charity’s key ‘Float To Live’ messaging and a QR code which directs shoppers to a new RNLI section of the Burts website where they can find out more about the charity and leave a charitable donation. The RNLI branded products are available in 100s of outlets nationwide including Costa Coffee, as well as Morrisons, Coop, Asda, Tesco and RNLI shops in the South West. As has been the case with every business, Burts has faced considerable challenges in the last 18 months or more as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent logistics/supply chain problems. In the case of the pandemic, the changes that the company made from its onset were critical to keep its employees safe. “This meant adapting to new working patterns across our manufacturing and head office facilities, isolating different shifts, enforcing social distancing parameters, facilitating home working, and ensuring complete adherence to public health guidelines,” Dave notes. “I am hugely proud that despite all of these changes, we were able to run smoothly and get through Covid-19 with minimal disruption. “Meanwhile, although there is no doubt that the recent supply chain challenges have been disruptive, we have been fortunate to work alongside excellent logistics providers who have helped us to navigate the best route forward. For instance, we recently partnered with Menzies Distribution to provide our transport services, and they have been excellent in helping us to maintain our service.” Heading into 2022, the company has a number of exciting plans afoot, with

several new initiatives planned for its Burts Snacks branded portfolio. “We intend to maintain our growth momentum with further investments in capital equipment and in efficiency driving technologies,” Dave details. “Through our recent investments and our focus on leading the snack market, both in terms of quality and service, we have an aim to grow to £90 million by 2023. “Our prospects for growth continue to excite us, and I see no reason why

we shouldn’t set our stall out to grasp the opportunities a changing consumer provides. ‘Better for You’ snacks will undoubtedly continue to grow and we are well placed to capitalise on this in the coming years. Great taste is something that we’ve seen time and again comes first with consumers, and we’re increasingly expanding our skill set in marrying ‘Better for You’ products with seriously great taste credentials.” D www.burtssnacks.com

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Family first

Delicious Ideas Food Group are a family run business who believe in providing their customers with the very best service, innovation and value in the snacking & drinks market. They are made up of a collection of keen foodies who also provide an end-to-end solution for clients and upcoming brands to bring their snacking ideas to life

elicious Ideas Food Group (DIFG) takes pride in its family business, which, in 1991, was brought together through a passion for sweet and savory snacking. Based in Cambridgeshire, DIFG is run by siblings Jonathan Potter and Emma Smith, with an employee base of over 30 individuals. The company is one of Britain’s fastest growing specialists in the production, storage and distribution of ambient snacks and drinks to a wide range of clients across the UK and Ireland. “We are dedicated to working in

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synergy with foodservice businesses and suppliers. Plus, we have an outstanding team that has helped transform DIFG from a man-and-van operation to a thriving food center relied upon by thousands of caterers throughout the country. “We specialize in providing all manner of snacking products mainly to foodservice and hospitality clients. These vary from indulgent treats, such as our classic confectionery packs and Delicious Ideas bakery bars, to healthy nut bars and mixes, vegan and

gluten-free ‘grab n go’ snacks, as well as added protein and keto brands. In 2020, we also added a variety of drinks to our portfolio, including kombuchas, cream soda, protein shakes, flavored water, fruit juices and iced coffee,” shares Jonathan. DIFG’s three decades of expertise in snack supplying is unparalleled, according to Jonathan, which has allowed it to predict customer needs, and sets it apart from its competitors. “We are always striving to improve our customer service, but we know our

Delicious Ideas Food Group Jonathan Potter and Emma Smith

innovative flavors and diverse range of products cover all consumer lifestyle and dietary requirements.” It is these values that Jonathan has worked tirelessly to build on and is what he attributes the company’s success to. “Family businesses are naturally community-minded with, typically, a far higher propensity to invest more in people compared to standard business models. DIFG has been able to recognize that our corporate social responsibility is also important, even when facing difficult outlooks ourselves. This is why the common theme throughout our product selection is sustainability, which drives us to look to improving the impact of the nation’s snacking consumption. We are continually increasing our product range with plastic-free and recyclable

brands, and in the new year, we are launching a range of snacks under our Healthy Ideas banner that are plasticfree,” says Jonathan.

Expanded services In October 2021, the company celebrated its 30th anniversary, and Jonathan discusses with us how this milestone has been a refreshing reminder of the dedication his team have invested to overcome obstacles, particularly those brought on by the pandemic. “The past 18 months have been a trying period for our business. Our daily orders went from 200 to two, which was a result of hospitality closing down, but we’re proud to have pulled though, and equally so to be celebrating 30 years in business. We ran competitions for our client base,

gave away free stock to the winners, and raised money for ten different charities that were chosen by the DIFG staff, and we intend to celebrate properly at our Christmas party.” Recently, the business has undergone extensive measures to expand its services, and now offers bespoke packing solutions. As Jonathan highlights, his group is proud to offer private label, fulfilment, storage and distribution, which allows businesses to create their own snack brand. “The company possesses the capability to transform ideas into attractive products for the market place through an end-toend process. We source the ingredients requested and create tasty sweets and snacks in visually striking packing that looks fantastic on the shelves. “This is our biggest USP. Not only do we distribute drinks and snacks to all four corners of the UK, but we are also a BRC AA co-packer and have a fulfilment, storage and distribution division. We provide any existing brand, or upand-coming challenger brands, with a complete 360-degree solution form that assists with product innovation, to design packaging, pack production, then B2B or D2C delivery.” Whether that service is required for a healthy, ambient snacking product or indulgent confectionary, Jonathan adds that the business is happy to partner with its clients through the entire process. “With everything under one roof, DIFG will strive to save

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time, energy and money for our clients; from ideation to the state-of-the-art packing machines managed by our highly trained and professional team, all the way through to distribution and sales support.” With this ethos at the core of its operations, the business was able to overcome the consequences of the

pandemic. “At the heart of our success story in making it through Covid-19, I think that the family model has been the foundation that we have all relied on. Lockdowns, guidelines, and potential threats have highlighted the importance of those closest to us, even if we haven’t been able to express such closeness physically. Family is the backbone that

most of us have been able to depend upon during adversity, just like we at DIFG have been able to do on a business level,” Jonathan explains. He adds how DIFG refused to buckle under the pressure, and drew from past obstacles to inspire the team in moving forward. “We decided to focus and reflect upon those things that have helped us grow as a business in the years preceding this unparalleled period. “Our team’s belief and hard work is the very thing that has helped us grow at such a fast rate. It is these same attributes that assisted us, as well as the contract caterers and suppliers we work with, to persevere through these testing times and emerge triumphant. Since we started in business, financial challenges have come and gone. The most important thing is that when instances like this happens, we are poised and ready to forge ahead just as we were doing before the virus arrived,” he adds.

United attitude Relationships with staff, suppliers and community are vital to the company, and as a result, it ensured that these remained strong and supported throughout 2020’s turbulence. “We have 30 years of supply chain experience sourcing products from all around the world, but our bond with our supply base has never been closer after the events of the last 18 months. There has been a huge united attitude since the pandemic hit, and we have made it a point to thank everyone for their support. Between us and our suppliers, there was a massive amount of food products that were donated to front line workers and the homeless during Covid-19. We shipped snacks to hospitals and food banks all over the UK,” he says. On that point, Jonathan continues to elaborate, saying: “As a means to support those on the frontline during the pandemic, we were able to send snack boxes to local NHS hospitals as well as donating to charities and supporting children – the small things to make people smile can truly make a difference. We see that in our own families, which is why DIFG translates the concept to a business level.”

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Delicious Ideas Food Group He also expresses that decisionmaking during this time has had to be adaptable, quick, and critical, which was again, empowered by DIFG’s values. “It can be easy in any business to approach decisions on a quarterly or yearly basis, but family businesses have a different viewpoint. We’re looking on towards the next generation, not just the next quarter. Our generational legacy pushes us forward with resilience, fully aware that it is the future generations that drives us forward with innovation and strength,” he adds. This is why for the remainder of this year, and looking forward to the next, DIFG is keen to support its fiercely loyal workforce, while customer satisfaction remains its number one priority. “We will work hard to keep our business moving forward, as we try to keep that family feel within our culture. We have a new COO starting in January to add some strength and knowledge to help

steer the ship over the coming years with the focus on increased sales and

market share,” Jonathan concludes. D www.delicious-ideas.com

Valeo Snack Foods Valeo Snack Foods have a long standing and beneficial relationship with Delicious Ideas, representing a wide variety of products across our confectionery and snacking portfolio. They are an excellent champion and trusted partner for our products and brands. They offer an unrivalled route to market to the specialist wholesale and retail sector and we would thoroughly recommend any future collaboration with them.

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The next chapter Offering a range of specialist bottling and packaging services, Thomas Hardy Holdings remains a key partner to some of the biggest names in the beverage business

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Thomas Hardy

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n 2020, when Thomas Hardy Holdings last made an appearance in FoodChain, the company had just added a second bottling line to its Burtonwood facility in Cheshire. Since then, the beverage bottling and packaging specialist has continued to expand. “From our two sites in Burtonwood and Kendal, we now package around 17 million cases a year,” reports Managing Director Chris Ward. “Working predominantly in glass - with bottles ranging from 125 milliliters to one liter in volume - we play a key role in the delivery of premium beer, cider, alcopops, tonic waters, and soft drinks for a number of major brands.” Known for its flexibility and customer focus, Thomas Hardy prides itself on delivering consistent, high-quality service to its partners, which tend to be medium to high-volume beverage producers in need of third-party support. By choosing not to create its own branded products, the organization can focus solely on its customers’ requirements, and in recent times, this has included an increased emphasis on sustainability. “A lot of our customers have become determined to deliver on sustainability targets, and so have we,” Chris reveals. “Sustainability and carbon neutrality are

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hot topics, and companies want to see action on these issues - not only in their own facilities, but throughout their entire supply chains. Our partners have some fairly bullish sustainability targets, with some even aiming to become carbon natural by 2030, so we are taking steps to ensure we can be a part of their journeys for the long term.”

Solid partnerships Supported by investment from Sports Solar, the steps Chris refers to have

involved the installation of solar power systems across its warehouses, making the company a more attractive partner for forward-thinking businesses, as well as helping to ease the impact of widespread energy price rises. “The solar option has been an early success, so we are already looking into how we might install new panels in a nearby field, as well as maximizing our existing warehouse roof space,” Chris adds. “The next part of this process will be investment into electric vehicles, such as electric forklift trucks, along with the adoption of CHP energy systems to help with heating and pasteurization processes, as well as more efficient water utilization.” The amount of progress Thomas Hardy has been able to make over the last 12-to-18 months is commendable considering the difficulties wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic and, following that, Brexit. However, no matter what the firm has faced during this tumultuous period, Chris and his team have always been able to rely upon the company’s strong partner and customer relationships. “Our relationships with suppliers have been vital of late, especially with firms like Air Liquide,” Chris states. “Luckily, we have always had really solid partnerships with suppliers for all the core elements of our operation, including cardboard and bottles, and that has been invaluable during the last two years.

Thomas Hardy

“Ultimately, I think the collaborative success we have had across the supply chain comes down to communication,” he continues. “If we get enough notice, we can usually be flexible and manage challenges, so that is why we always aim to keep communication lines open, with suppliers and customers alike.”

the Managing Director is sure that the low- and no-alcohol segment is in for substantial growth as people are more mindful of what they are drinking.

“Since Covid-19, there has been a lot of talk about obesity, and the public is becoming much more conscious of what they are eating and drinking,” Chris notes. “This, along with a generational shift that means around one third of university students see themselves as teetotal, means non-alcoholic and lowalcohol beverages are being viewed as a socially responsible alternative to traditional alcoholic drinks, whether that is in the shape of major brand launches like Guinness 0.0 and Heineken Zero, niche players in the market like Lucky Saint, or functional drinks like kombucha and Fungtn.” With this in mind, as well as an ambition of adding canning capabilities to its portfolio, Thomas Hardy is moving into 2022 determined to drive towards its long-term vision: to become the industry’s go-to contract partner for premium beverages. D www.thomashardybrewery.co.uk

New trends Though the issues Thomas Hardy and its customers are likely to encounter in 2022 are broad and varied, the company is confident that consumers will continue to purchase the premium beverage products that the firm works on, and that customers love. “I think good brands will hold up because people still like to give themselves a treat,” Chris declares. “Of course, I think the take-home beverage market will retain some of the strength it achieved during the pandemic as it simply comes down to cost, but when consumers do go out, I think they will continue to buy one or two premium beverages rather than standard items because it is all about the experience.” In the next few years, Chris believes that the UK’s ready-to-drink market, which has previously been dominated by gin and tonic blends, will receive new additions in the shape of craft rum, vermouth, and whisky offerings as companies begin to experiment for more adventurous tastes. At the same time,

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Amergent Hospitality Group

Eyes on the fries A publicly-owned operator of popular restaurant brands, Amergent Hospitality Group is bringing great vibes and even better food to people around the United States

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Amergent Hospitality Group

eadquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Amergent Hospitality Group operates and franchises some of North America’s favorite fast-casual, full-service restaurant brands. Formerly known as Chanticleer Holdings, the company was founded in 2005, but enjoyed its most successful period of acquisition between 2012 and 2015, when it added several new brands to its portfolio.

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In conversation with FoodChain, the first brand Amergent President Fred Glick chooses to discuss is Little Big Burger (LBB). A 15-unit fast-casual burger chain from Portland, Oregon, LBB has developed a cult following since its founding in 2010 thanks to a fun, hip atmosphere, accompanied by burgers, truffle fries and root beer floats. “Little Big Burger is a chef-driven, regional brand up in the Portland/

Pacific Northwest area of the country,” Fred explains. “Its main item is a unique, smaller, taller, locally-sourced quarter pounder burger along with simple, delicious, social media hits like truffle fries and floats. We build these stores in urban environments and are about to add our second site in Eugene at the University of Oregon as part of a new wave of growth.” Amergent’s next core brand is Burgers Grilled Right (BGR), a gourmet

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Amergent Hospitality Group restaurant chain started in Bethesda, Maryland in 2008. From one humble location, the company and its famous flame-cooked burgers have grown across the country, and even ventured abroad. “Like LBB, BGR was launched by an award-winning chef and now has franchise outlets throughout the United States,” Fred states. “Again, everything at BGR is cooked-to-order and the menu also benefits from innovative, lesser-seen ingredients like bison. The burgers themselves are quite a bit bigger than LBB, and in general, it’s a little bit more high-end.”

Great food Rounding off Amergent’s collection of burger brands is American Burger Co, a smaller chain of restaurants with a sports bar atmosphere and built more heavily around a dine-in experience. It is joined in the Amergent portfolio by the company’s most recent addition: PizzaRev – a restaurant that empowers customers to ‘craft their own’ pizzas with homemade dough and the freshest ingredients. “We acquired PizzaRev in the fall of 2021,” Fred reports. “It’s a brand that went through a huge phase of growth a couple of years ago and we are getting ready to open up another three locations in Los Angeles over the next three months. With a choice of crust, sauce, and over 30 artisanal cheeses and toppings, at PizzaRev, customers can create their perfect stone-baked pizza and have it ready to take home in just three minutes.”

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‘

Amergent Hospitality Group All team members at Amergent, regardless of brand or department, are members of our spark team family. We ensure that everyone in the business has the correct tools, systems, technologies and support for the successful execution of their jobs and we remind them that they are here to make guests happy

As Fred suggests, success at Amergent begins with great food. Striving to focus on unique, memorable, and most importantly, great-tasting ingredients for all its brands, the firm’s restaurants make use of eye-catching products like Tillamook cheddar cheese, Daiya vegan mozzarella, pretzel buns, Aberdeen Angus beef, plantbased Beyond patties, truffle-infused

they always know which products are arriving next. We also perform internal taste tests before taking new products external and asking for feedback from some of our most loyal fans. “When it comes to trends,” he continues, “we tend to keep an eye on evolving requests and demands. If there is a macro trend that arises, then we will take it seriously. For instance, the rise in plant-based meat alternatives was a trend we felt was not going away, so we jumped in, tested all the different products out there, and selected the one we thought tasted best. Taste is really where we end up regardless of price and other factors. We want items that our guests will love.”

Positive vibes

Wagyu beef, chipotle-spiced bison burgers and more. “In the main, we like to partner with local manufacturers directly, in order to help us stay on top of trends and flavor profiles,” Fred reveals. “Often beginning with an introduction from distributors, our relationships with food manufacturers are close and active we aim to keep them involved so that

The thought and care that Amergent puts into its products is reflective of the organization’s culture at large; this is not a business that concerns itself only with bottom-line profit, but about the wider positive impact it can have on its guests, its workforce, and all those with whom it comes into contact. As the face of the company, Amergent employees are known as its ‘spark team’ and stand on the front line of the firm’s mission to ‘spark positive vibes’ in the world. “All team members at Amergent, regardless of brand or department, are members of our spark team family,” Fred declares. “We ensure that everyone in the business has the correct tools, systems, technologies and support for the successful execution of their jobs and we remind them that they are here to make guests happy - creating great experiences is just as

Food Service Industry Consultants, Inc. AMERGENT HAS BEEN AN FSIC CLIENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. President, Fred Glick contacted us to support Amergent after using our services at other Restaurant groups and he understands the value of using technology to inspect what he expects. “The group at FSIC are seasoned veterans who spent many years at high level positions in distribution and continue to help us ensure no money falls through the cracks,” states Glick. “They continue to save us money through their contract management portal as well as adding additional value through restitution on products that are overcharged.” At FSIC we’ve helped Amergent maintain Brand Equity and Guest Experience by monitoring every transaction off every invoice in order to make sure we’re getting the right product from the right vendor at the right price. Amergent was one of the first companies to jump on board with Allowance Source. We provide 100 percent transparency in the money that flows through the system & after being with a GPO who could not articulate what it was costing Amergent, they made the switch to Allowance Source. Amergent receives 100 percent of all contracts negotiated and most of the rebates earned through the ‘Book of Deals’ from Foodbuy Foodservice. This allows Amergent the best value available through FSIC’s Contract Management System and Foodbuy Foodservice GPO program. Many GPOs have stated for years, ‘it doesn’t cost you anything’, but Amergent has received a 400 percent increase in rebates with the Allowance Source program and has benefited from new Foodbuy contracts that were better for their brands. We are proud to support Amergent & will continue to monitor all transactions to lower their COGS so they can continue to grow and acquire additional brands. The health of their business is the health of ours. Jerry Wilhite - President & CEO | Food Service Industry Consultants, Inc. | www.fsici.com | 719.576.3264

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Amergent Hospitality Group important as performing the technical burger-flipping, pizza-tossing side of things. “Of course, ultimately, it is a combination of care for guests and employees that will help us achieve the greatest profits,” he affirms. “If you don’t take care of your people then somebody else will. Communication, education and trust-building are all part of the process, as well as explaining to our team, whenever we can, exactly why we are in business. I think that last part, especially in terms of our core values and mission, really hits home for

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many people – especially the younger employees. Nowadays, people don’t just work for a paycheck; they want to work for someone who gives them a cause to fight for and someone that gives back to their community.”

Love, service and care Over the course of the last 18 months, as the world battled against the Covid-19 pandemic, Amergent’s community focus has seemed more essential than ever. More than just remaining resilient and continuing to deliver great products to its guests, the

company aimed to ‘soothe the souls’ of ailing towns and cities across the US. “Since the pandemic hit in 2020, it’s been a challenge. Many people have left our industry and the ones who have stayed have had to deal with a situation in which people have not always been as compassionate as they could be,” Fred says. “Despite that, our employees worked with us and dug deep into our culture of love, service and care. Together, we doubled down on being kind. We didn’t get involved with any politics or divisive actions, but simply asked our guests how they wanted their food cooked and tried to create a really nice part of their day whenever they came to visit.” Thanks to its commitment to kindness, along with an ability to pivot to off-premises delivery solutions during the worst period of the Covid-19 crisis, Amergent grew its restaurants’ loyalty clubs by more than 100,000 members in 2020. Not content to rest on its laurels however, the company remains on the lookout for technology accelerators to help it create a more frictionless ordering and dining experience for its guests. “We believe that if we are not evolving, we are dying, so, going forward, we will continue listening to what our spark team and our guests want and devise strategies to give it to them,” Fred asserts. “One thing

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for sure is that convenience is here to stay and guests are willing to pay for it. Technology will certainly help with that. “During Covid-19, if you didn’t have

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technology, you were out of business because guests couldn’t dine-in in most places. Delivery trends established in the pandemic will endure because,

in many ways, people now value convenience over food quality. As a result, in this ever-changing market, it is vital that brands have a tech stack that communicates and works together to create a frictionless experience. “At Amergent, our technology stack includes accounting software from R365, guest feedback from Ovation Up, 7shifts for scheduling and checklists, alongside partnerships with a range of major delivery companies,” he adds. “In particular, we have been really pleased with Toast POS technology and the company’s willingness to develop its product and collaborate with others. Similarly, Olo is best-in-class for integrating all our order options so that our team is not having to input every order that comes in by hand. Finally, our relationship with Thanx means we can see our loyalty members’ purchase history and preferences, from which we can build out promotions and target specific segments of the database.” Optimistic about the future, Amergent is now actively working on acquiring profitable and growing brands to add to its portfolio, with a number of major announcements in this area expected before the end of 2021. With the help of substantial levels of feedback from its employees and guests, the company is looking to learn, adjust and evolve. “It’s not about instigating a revolution. We don’t want to change

Amergent Hospitality Group

who we are. Instead, it’s about figuring out strategies that give guests what they want from our brand, and those things change based upon all kinds of factors,” Fred clarifies. “As I mentioned, convenience is the latest key trend and we aim to deliver on that, whilst still prioritizing quality and challenging ourselves to come up with new, innovative products.” As the company journeys onwards, collecting new brands and refining its ability to deliver guest satisfaction, Amergent will rely ever-more upon its growing spark team. Consequently, the firm aims to continue attracting the best people it can to the organization - people that believe in its customerpleasing formula of ‘love, care and service’. “In 2022, we want to double down on recruitment and retainment,” Fred announces. “We hope to come up with new benefit packages and higher wages for our team so that we can stay competitive, as well as continuing to attract the best employees around. “Hiring in this sector is a real challenge at the moment and we are forced to ask a number of questions: What is the new employment base for the restaurant industry? How do we get great people? How do we make them happy? How do we let them know that this is an industry of opportunities for young people who want to work hard and grow and have a career without,

necessarily, having to go to college? These are the demands we will be tackling in the years ahead, along with improving training, education, and

helping our current employees to grow in all aspects of their lives, as we grow and evolve with them.” D www.amergenthg.com

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That’s a wrap

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Crepini Having earnt its presence in more than 6000 stores, Crepini is encouraging customers to ‘leave the carbs’ with the help of its popular, healthy, versatile wraps

t age ten, Paula Rimer and her family emigrated from Russia to the United States. Before they embarked on a fresh start in New York however, the travelling party took a detour to Paris in order to visit relatives. It would turn out to be a fateful decision. Whilst in France, Paula fell in love with the French crêpe. In her mind, the light, airy, pancake could only be equaled by a similar treat from their youth – the Russian blini. Years later, even as Paula and her husband Eric Shkolnik forged successful careers for themselves in the American tech industry, the pair could not rid themselves of a desire to introduce crêpes and blinis to a US audience. Finally, in 2007, that dream became a reality and Crepini, an innovative new addition to the food industry, was born. “It was truly a love of food that brought us to the creation of Crepini,” Paula declares. “The name is a fusion of the French crêpe and the Russian Blini - although the final product is a more Americanized crêpe, and a healthy, betterfor-you wrap alternative, which is zero carb, lowcalorie, gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher (parve), versatile and durable, yet very thin and delicate. “Like all true entrepreneurs, we had a flexible plan and a can-do attitude. While we knew nothing about the food industry, and didn’t have any contacts in sales, marketing or manufacturing, we were passionate and determined to make Crepini happen.”

Incredible versatility Today, in 2021, Paula and Eric retain their longstanding enthusiasm for the perfect crêpe. Since the couple launched Crepini 14 years ago, their sons, Ari and Sam, along with Sam’s wife, Lisa, have all helped it become a fast-growing brand, sold in over 6000 stores worldwide. Always expanding and developing its product range, Crepini continues to add new recipes and innovative concepts to its portfolio. On a mission to deliver easy, delicious, and healthy products for the entire family, the business has, as of October 2021, sold over 500 million wraps and counting.

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“Our core product range, Crepini Egg Wraps, has been created by family members with the intention and purpose of serving every individual, either for an at-home meal or an on-the-go snack. The possibilities, really, are endless,” Paula asserts. “Our present range includes a host of different versions of the Egg Wrap, including one type with gluten-free grains and another variety made with cauliflower. Usable straight from the packet, our wraps can be eaten cold, warm, or even crisped up for a crunchier snack. You can make a bacon, egg and cheese wrap for

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breakfast, you can fold it and grill it like a panini, or just fill it with peanut butter and jelly. You can even use Crepini wraps to replace lasagna noodles for a low-carb, tasty alternative for dinner!”

Adopting automation Originally, all Crepini Egg Wraps were made by hand, but as demand has grown, the company has availed itself of the latest machinery and a 100,000-square-foot facility. With ten production lines set to be operational by the end of 2021, Crepini will soon be able to produce up to two million of the

industry’s lightest, thinnest, most healthy wraps every day. “We started automation in 2011 and it has been a great success. We look at efficiency as an opportunity to provide our consumers with great value for their hard-earned money, but equally, we will never sacrifice quality,” Paula says. “Nevertheless, there is much more to Crepini than machinery. We are a family-run business, and as well as training our staff in areas like food safety, we also treat them, and our suppliers, like family. We want long-term relationships and we like to keep things

Crepini in the community. For example, over 96 percent of our ingredients are local to New York State, all our packaging is from the USA and, as a proud American manufacturer, we pride ourselves on a US-based supply chain.”

Healthy alternatives

more customers with the opportunity to enjoy fun, healthy alternatives to their traditional diet. “Going forward, we want to carry on supporting efforts to democratize and distribute our products so that everyone can enjoy the experience of living

fully and indulging in the joy of eating healthier with no concession,” Paula states. “Our vision is to bring fun and creativity to food in a carb-less way. Our culture, and our long-term ambitions, reflect this idea.” D www.crepini.com

As we head towards the end of the year, Crepini has recently launched its latest new product - Sweet Crepes with Cinnamon to spice up the Holiday Season. Containing only two carbs, the new festive crepes are another sign that Crepini will continue to be innovative in order to stay ahead of its competitors in the future. “We have several items in the pipeline right now,” Paula reveals. “It’s important for any company to stay attentive to the market and we are always reading comments and feedback from our customers and consumers. Most importantly, we take pride in challenging the category and broadening the possibilities for enjoyable, healthy snacks.” Nimble and responsive in its growth – the company deftly handled the challenges of Covid-19 – Crepini hopes to continue expanding its distribution at retail, revolutionizing the bread category in the process, and providing

The Shkolnik Family

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Snacking smarter

Home to established brands like Ka-Pop! and Bubba’s Fine Foods, Awakened Foods has blossomed into one of the quickest growing and most highly innovative betterfor-you food firms in the US 122 www.foodchainmagazine.com

uthentic, simple and delicious – this is the not-so-secret recipe behind the vast and varied range of healthy snacks on offer from Awakened Foods, one of the USA’s fastest-growing food businesses. A holding company for family-favorite healthy food brands, such as Ka-Pop! and Bubba’s, Awakened also runs a highly successful private label and co-manufacturing

Awakened Foods also check all the major wellness boxes, including wholegrain, vegan, paleo, keto, ancient grain and more. We do this across all our growing platforms, and do so with incredibly simple ingredients that make for a craveable taste that keeps customers coming back for more. “A lot of consumers have lost trust with brands in today’s market due to what they perceive to be inauthenticity. People in stores are constantly turning over packages to try and find out what is being hidden from them. We, at Awakened, are trying to bring that trust back. It’s been a success so far and you can see that in the reviews we have had online and in-person. For instance, we’ve given our vegan cheese to dairy managers without telling them that it’s vegan. They love it, and the look of shock on their faces when you tell them that it’s dairy-free is incredible!”

Great tasting range

business in Awakened Food Crafters. Part of what sets Awakened apart from its competition is the company’s commitment to authenticity and transparency. When the business says it creates delicious, healthier snacks, it not only believes the claim, but can back it up.

“There are so many consumers out there nowadays looking for healthier food options,” CEO Dustin Finkel says. “The problem is, most of the foods that are supposedly healthy do not taste good or are not true to their health claims. At Awakened, we provide products that are not only absolutely delicious, but that

Launched by Dustin in 2018, Ka-Pop!, gained major traction when it appeared on Shark Tank in 2020. Famous for its popped chips and puffs made simply from the Ancient Grain sorghum, coldpressed oil and seasoning, the company’s huge range of flavors and freedom from allergens, dairy or gluten, have helped it become a perennial bestseller in snack aisles across the nation. Ka-Pop!’s sister brand, Bubba’s Fine Foods, is another member of the Awakened family. Launched in 2014 by Jared Menzel and his brother-in-law Jeff Schmidgall, Bubba’s harnesses the power of green Saba bananas to produce healthy, paleo-friendly, Keto, and grainfree snack mixes with big, bold flavor. “Bubba’s is an incredible brand that focuses on what we like to call ‘food tribes’,” Dustin explains. “A lot of modern consumers are eating in a particular ‘tribe’, which could include keto, paleo, or grain-free. At Bubba’s, we want people to be able to eat delicious foods no matter what their dietary requirements are, so we have developed an amazing, great tasting range that takes that into account. “The only problem we’ve had,” he continues, “is that ‘Bubba’s’ as a name just doesn’t represent the quality and premium nature of the products we are offering, nor does it really reference the

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food tribes we aim to serve. As a result, later in 2021, we will be instigating a complete transformation and rebranding process, which will involve a change in name from Bubba’s Fine Foods to B. Fine Foods. Our new packaging will say things like ‘B. simple’, ‘B. keto’, ‘B. paleo’, and what we are communicating by that is really just ‘be yourself’. We want consumers to know that we support their food choices.” The third and final element of Awakened’s contemporary offering is Awakened Food Crafters, a manufacturing group that produces the company’s own brands, as well as co-manufacturing for others – from start-ups to some of the USA’s biggest retailers and CPG brands. Operating from two Colorado-based facilities – a dedicated top 12 allergen free facility and a gluten-free, paleo site – Awakened Food Crafters is a trusted partner at the heart of the industry. “Awakened Food Crafters is an amazingly synergistic part of the business. It’s an important third leg to the Awakened Foods’ stool because the brands support the manufacturing and the manufacturing supports the brands,” Dustin reports. “It allows us the flexibility and creativity to innovate quickly and move rapidly on market trends. We can go from idea to in-market launch in six weeks or less. “Ultimately, this means we can effectively support growing companies in building their businesses, and help established firms innovate in a way they would not be able to within their corporate infrastructures. At Awakened, we understand the challenges many brands are going through because we have been through them ourselves, so we try and take the weight off for them.” In recent times, Awakened Food Crafters has carried out a number of major projects, including the development of a new flavor for a large retailer in less than four weeks, and the short-notice production of 600 additional cases of a new product within 14 days. Backed by market-leading R&D capabilities, this flexibility and nimbleness has proven to be an outstanding differentiator. “We leverage an agile R&D model and we are lucky to have some of the best R&D scientists in the business. Jared, our Vice President of Research and Development, is capable of developing whatever a client requests, regardless of flavor, platform or product,” Dustin remarks. “Another critical element of our R&D process is remaining in tune with trends. On the Bubba’s side of things, we had the two most successful keto launches on Amazon in 2020, but keto didn’t exist in the Bubba’s range before that. We were out in the marketplace, seeing the growth in keto, adapting our capabilities, adapting our products, and then we launched a keto range with excellence. That’s

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Awakened Foods our level of flexibility, and innovation without flexibility is very, very difficult.” On the back of its growing reputation, Awakened plans to move into a new, 54,000-square-foot facility in 2022. The site will allow Awakened Food Crafters to grow its capacity to around $200 million in revenue, as it continues to support brands new and old. Of course, without people, Awakened’s advanced new facility would be nothing, and as such, Dustin is determined to recognize his employees’ hard work and support them in their efforts. “When I started this company, there were just two of us, but we now have over 50 team members, all of whom are incredibly important in what they do for us,” Dustin states. “In line with ongoing initiatives like weekly Core Value Awards, the goal now is to enable our people to feel real ownership for what they do. We are working towards a place where all employees, no matter what their level, know that their feedback is important and that we need it to shape the future of the organization. For instance, I can’t tell you what is going to work better on the line, but you know who can? The person on the line. I want them to give our team the power to bring those ideas forward.” Whether it’s with colleagues, suppliers or partners, Dustin is certain that relationship building will remain a key part of the operation at Awakened for the entire life of the business. For now though, after working with like-minded Boulder, Colorado firms to navigate the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the firm is looking forward to an exciting year ahead in 2022. “We have incredible expansion plans with Kroger and Whole Foods in the pipeline and the revitalization of Bubba’s to B. Fine Foods is going to lead to a dramatic increase in awareness and sales,” Dustin asserts. “As I mentioned, our Crafters business also has a lot of opportunities to support other companies lined up, which will help take us to the next level.

The Finkel family

see how they perform within different channels. We have the potential to be so much more to so many companies and really have an influence on the trajectory of the natural foods industry.

“I am very excited about what we are building at Awakened. Hard work now will enable us to blossom into something beautiful within the next few years.” D www.awakenedfoods.com

“Looking to the future, we are a company with a lot of in-built flexibility and this means we can continue to innovate through our current brands, as well as incubate new brands and

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Cream of the crop

Over 80 years since its founding, South Caernarfon Creameries remains dedicated to local Welsh produce and its flagship ‘Dragon’ brand 126 www.foodchainmagazine.com

he South Caernarfon Creameries (SCC) story began back in 1938, with John Owen Roberts. As the company’s founder, he was on a mission to help local dairy farmers work together in order to brand and market their own milk. From his original group, a modest collection of 63 local farmers, SCC grew over the next eight decades into Wales’s largest dairy co-operative.

To this day, the company stays true to its Welsh heritage by only processing Welsh milk, and ensuring the Welsh language is featured on the packaging of each and every product produced under its Dragon brand. “The site for the Creamery was carefully chosen. Rhydygwystl was selected due to its convenient location, being on the border between Llynˆ and Eifionydd. These two areas of North

South Caernarfon Creameries Alan Wyn Jones

West Wales continue to be renowned for their grass growing capabilities, as they enjoy mild drifts from the gulf streams of the Atlantic,” explains Managing Director, Alan Wyn Jones. “There was an old woolen mill on the site, which is where the laboratory stands today. It provided the ideal space to house milk processing equipment, as well as the very first pasteurizer in the country. Even in

its infancy, the directors knew the advantages of investing in the best and most modern technology of the time; this is something that the company still practices today,” he adds. In the 1950s, milk production reached a record high, and the cooperative leaders decided to start making cheese in order to use up the excess milk. The growth trend has continued to this day, with 15,000 tons

of cheese now being produced annually. Today, SCC offers a range of products, which are available across the UK. “Our current range is extensive: we offer a choice of Cheddars, from mild and creamy, to vintage cheeses that are matured on site for up to 18 months. In addition, we offer traditional territorial cheeses such as Double Gloucester, Red Leicester and, of course, Welsh Caerphilly. To meet people’s dietary

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requirements, we also developed lighter cheddar, which was launched in 2012. Our lighter cheese is 30 percent lower in fat than the standard Dragon mature cheese range, and now we offer a half fat option too,” says Alan. The Welsh environment plays an important role in producing South Caernarfon Creameries’ cheese and butter. As Alan confirms: “Monitoring our environmental impact is a key area for us, and we are repeatedly investing in our green credentials. We are continually working towards successfully managing, and minimizing, our environmental impact, and we are integrating sustainable business practices into our everyday operations. Last year we achieved ‘Level Three’ of the Welsh Green Dragon Environmental standard, and are now working towards ‘Level Four’.” One product that epitomizes how the company works in harmony with the Welsh countryside is its unique Cavern Aged Cheddar: “This cheese is made to a special bespoke recipe, and matured for a minimum of 11 months,” reveals Alan. “It is then transported from the Creameries to local Welsh Slate Caverns, an UNESCO World Heritage Site and continues to age 500 feet underground. This traditional ageing process takes place in old mining caverns, which have been converted into cheese caves. This process adds unique characteristics to the taste and texture of our cheese. “We were inspired to develop a signature cheese that enhanced our

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great cheddar and made it into a truly delicious and different product. Cavern Cheddar has true provenance, and its story is steeped in Welsh history.” Alongside the cheese caves, SCC also makes use of some more conventional production facilities: “Unlike many cheese companies these days, all of our cheese is produced and packaged on site. Our flexible manufacturing system is able to make a range of different cheeses to meet the demands of our customers, and milk is delivered direct to site from our members’ farms to be processed,” Alan states. “Additionally, we continue to store and mature our cheese on site, in order to monitor the maturation process, and ensure we deliver the highest quality cheeses possible.” Made up of over 140 farms, SCC is a dedicated network of farmers and workers, who in many cases have generational relationships with one another. “We have close bonds with all our farmers, and we know that they really care about their herds and the milk they produce. All of our members are Red Tractor assured, and work hard to conserve the Welsh countryside. The cows graze on lush grass and enjoy some of the most spectacular views that Wales has to offer – including the ˆ Peninsula and Snowdonia National Llyn Park,” affirms Alan. The people behind SCC are also integral to its success, as Alan speaks to the company’s positive interpersonal dynamic: “Our business is

only as good as the people who work for it, which is why company culture is so important,” he says. “The key to this success is an open management style, a positive working environment, competitive salaries and employee benefits, training and job promotion opportunities, and good communication with clearly defined expectations. Our farmers work together, have a say in their future and that of the Creamery. As our members, they do not just supply us with milk they also own a share in the company,” he continues. Thanks to the dedication of its farmer network, South Caernarfon Creameries continues to grow. “Our three-year, £14.4 million expansion plan will increase cheese production by a further 50 percent, and create some 30 additional roles by 2024,” Alan explains. “The Welsh Government is backing the investment with a £5 million grant from the Rural Communities’ Rural Development Program. The creamery will increase production from its current level of 15,000 tons of cheese a year to 23,000 tons, and the growth is projected to increase demand for Welsh milk, from the current level of 130 million to more than 200 million liters a year as turnover ramps up,” he adds. With 80 years of success under its belt, and further expansion on the horizon, South Caernarfon Creameries hopes to move further into the European market; as Alan announces: “We are working closely with our export

South Caernarfon Creameries partners, who will help us identify key customers in our target markets, therefore enabling us to forge strong relationships, and deliver quality Welsh cheese to the continent. “We hope to expand by operating a balanced market portfolio, which will allow us to quickly take advantage of any new opportunities, whilst also reducing business risk. Currently export makes up approximately five percent of our market portfolio, something we’re hoping to grow to 15 percent over the next five years.”

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The company’s long-term plans are even more impressive, as Alan reveals: “Following our £11 million investment back in 2016 and our planned £14m investment over the next few years, we aim to become the leading mid-tier cheese manufacturer in the UK. Sustainability and environmental performance will be at the heart of what we do in order to achieve our objectives. “Having already more than doubled our turnover and profitability in the last five years, our medium-term objective is to deliver on our ambitious growth targets from £60 million to £85 million over the next three years. We also aim to continue delivering the best milk manufacturing price in Wales to our farmers and provide sustainable opportunities to our wider stakeholders,” he concludes. D www.sccwales.co.uk www.dragonwales.co.uk

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Alliance

A valuable ally Now 100 percent employee-owned, Alliance is one of the UK’s largest, and most progressive, providers of non-food equipment and disposables to the catering and hospitality sector

tocking over 30,000 products, from cleaning materials to glassware and kitchen utensils to bar supplies, Alliance is one of the leading providers of non-food catering equipment and disposables in the UK. For Managing Director David Elder, the company’s success begins with its unique take on culture and the impact this can have on an organization.

When Alliance was launched 21 years ago, David and his team created three key principles upon which the company needed to act in order to be successful. The tenets the company’s leadership team settled upon were Staff Satisfaction, Customer Satisfaction and Cash Management. “Staff satisfaction was always going to be vital,” David says. “We knew that if staff didn’t feel secure and respected

in their roles, they wouldn’t perform. As a result, we have always strived to make their time at work as fulfilling and meaningful as possible, which allows for an environment where creativity can flow and team members are much more likely to stay with the business. We are hugely serious about what we do here, but we also don’t have many job titles or much of a hierarchy, which facilitates better problem solving and more personal accountability. “In terms of customer satisfaction,” David continues, “we realised early on that many of our competitors were simply not hitting delivery time targets or they were applying product switches that customers didn’t know anything about. We responded by carefully managing our stock, delivering great service and having an open understanding with our customer base. This transparency develops a trust and gives us long-term relationships. It also develops our reputation, which in turn opens up more opportunities with new contracts and clients across the board. This, in turn, helps with our cash management and puts us in a much more stable financial position than those companies being forced to make replacements or not winning any return business.”

Variety and choice As of September 2021, Alliance operates from a national distribution center (NDC) and 13 regional depots, each with its own dedicated General Manager and sales team. This advanced network allows the company to cater for a wide range of clients with varying needs. “Our distribution network allows us to work with regional customers in a much more intimate way, providing

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Alliance

local service without burdening our depots with activities like commercial purchasing, HR or finance, which we can deal with centrally,” David explains. “The network also enables us to seamlessly cater to different customer types. For example, there are customers who are most interested in control and compliance. They tend to be heavily brand-driven and want to make sure that brand-standard products are going into specific stores, whether they be in Plymouth or Aberdeen. Our NDC deals with most of these control and compliance style accounts. “Alternatively, we have a lot of customers looking for differentiation from the big brands,” David adds. “They want variety and choice and they can’t be managed in the same way as many of the big nationals. These clients need a much more intimate relationship with a supplier and that is why they often go through our regional, local branches.”

“Our Alliance On-Line platform runs in parallel to our National and Regional networks, offering our full product selection to the market, whether trade account customers or not. As a complete aside, it also acts as an early entry point for new business. We reach out to customers who have tried our site a few times, and seem to like it, and we develop those customers into trade accounts which we manage through our Regional platforms.”

A foothold in Europe Alliance’s Ireland location is the company’s most recent addition. Opened in 2019, the site has been tremendously successful in serving existing Alliance clients - many of whom operate in both the UK and Republic of Ireland - as well as providing the firm with a foothold in Europe. “We had looked at opening up in Ireland many years before we actually did, but we decided, at the time, that it would be better to focus on the UK,”

David states. “When we finally did open two years ago, we started to change the game over there in terms of service and reach. We quickly realised that our competition was far behind us in terms of service and reach. Our new Alliance Ireland On-line site has changed the market there for sure. “As a company with a lot of major clients in the UK that also operate in Ireland, we were able to get traction very quickly. Of course, the pandemic meant some things went on hold for a while, but now everything is opening up again and business is very, very good. “One more added bonus of an Irish location is its position in Europe. Brexit has created a lot of challenges for the UK, but being in Ireland has enabled a lot of things to work for us in terms of purchasing and our reach into the European markets.” An enduring factor behind Alliance’s continuing popularity with clients is the firm’s ability to supply everything a hotel, hospital, caterer or similar setting

Cofresco Foodservice Kitchen Hygiene All Wrapped Up Cofresco Foodservice, brand owners of Wrapmaster, have been supplying and working with Alliance Disposables for several years. As a trusted and valuable customer, Alliance Disposables have been a crucial partner for Cofresco Foodservice in securing Wrapmaster dispensers and refills into the NHS and local authority supply chains. Trusted by professional chefs for over 25 years and, with over three million dispensers in the market in over 36 countries, Wrapmaster is the award-winning, market leading brand of dispensers for cling film, aluminium foil and baking parchment in the HORECA sector. Designed to improve hygiene and safety, Wrapmaster dispensers come in a variety of sizes to suit the demands of any professional kitchen from large hotels to mobile food operations. Wrapmaster dispensers are endorsed by the Craft Guild of Chefs in the UK, recommended by food hygiene practitioners, and proven to help chefs save time and money.

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could need to be successful. From front of house profit products to back of house cost ranges (and everything in between) Alliance continues to provide vital catering and hospitality solutions thanks to its experience in the market. “Whatever the requirement, our expertise sets us apart from both our regional and national competitors,” David asserts. “Collaboration helps too, and by way of example, we are currently working very closely with a major national to support them in the refurbishment of their infrastructure. The conversation started in the sense that they had a problem, we had warehouses and vehicles, and by working together we could find solutions. “More recently, we have been supporting one of the UK and Ireland’s premier leisure operators with the refurbishment of their lodges in both the UK and Ireland. If you put the value of service into perspective, this is a business at such high occupancy levels that they can’t afford to have any of their lodges not available for customer occupancy following refurbished, simply because they have customers booked all year round. By having an operator like ourselves working with them, they are able to maintain their rate of business and we have been able to expand into a new area of operation. It’s a project we have really enjoyed working on and one that we are excited about going forward.” Not only has Alliance been busy acquiring new business of late, but the company has recently undergone a major transformation in its management structure. In July 2021, it was decided that 100 percent ownership by an Employee Ownership Trust was best for Alliance’s longevity, culture, durability, stability and future growth. “Employee ownership means that shareholders are effectively working in the business,” David points out. “While myself and my fellow directors have no interest in working elsewhere, we still need to start thinking about bringing through the next generation of management. Selling a business to either a trade buyer or venture capital company can end up substantially changing the way a business operates, but we didn’t want to do that. Protecting

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Alliance our customers and protecting our staff was a priority, and consequently, a key driver in finding a different way forward. “With the help of the Government’s EOT scheme, we decided employee ownership was best. It not only safeguards the culture of the business, but it means employees gain a vested interest in Alliance’s success. We are very proud to say that the running of Alliance, and the firm’s future, is now in the hands of the people that matter most – the company’s workforce.”

Quality service Over the course of the last 18 months, strong contacts and lasting relationships in the public sector have helped Alliance continue growing in a difficult business climate. Bolstered by its ability to supply some of the most essential items coveted by public authorities during the pandemic, such as cleaning materials and PPE, the company is set to round off 2021 in a better position than ever. “Since Covid-19 started, we haven’t stopped,” David declares. “In fact, we have seen trading levels significantly ahead of where they were before the pandemic and that is massively encouraging. Customers are now opening up again all over the place and they are demanding products immediately, so the pressure on us is huge but we are responding very positively. “In years to come, I think we will continue doing the things that have made us a great business over the last two decades. One of the reasons Alliance has been attracting new customers and new contracts lately, on top of our existing customer base, is because we have built a reputation for reliable, quality service. I think our strategy is correct for the market right now, so I’m certain that our growth will continue. “The potential for Alliance as a business is huge,” David concludes. “Our future success is going to be all about making sure the infrastructure we have keeps pace with the growth we envisage. After that, we see our existing management team taking more responsibility and really driving the business forward during the next ten to 15 years.” D www.alliancenational.co.uk

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Something to taco ‘bout

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Barberitos Offering a healthier take on traditional Mexican fare, Barberitos is founded on freshness and ready to grow

t was the turn of the Millennium and Downing Barber was living in Colorado. Though he liked his home in the Rocky Mountains, Downing’s heart was elsewhere. As a frequent traveler, he had, long ago, fallen in love with the Southwest United States. Awed as he was by the open spaces and natural beauty of places like New Mexico and Arizona, what really won Downing over was the region’s food. In particular, mission-style burritos. Every aspect of mission-style burritos fascinated Downing. From their preparation and freshness to their nutritional value and seemingly endless customizability, the southwestern staple became an obsession, fueling his mission to introduce it, and other flavorful, healthier Mexican foods, to the rest of the United States. After honing his culinary skills and perfecting recipes, Downing launched his first Barberitos store in Athens, Georgia in the year 2000. Offering a variety of Mexican food, all prepared in front of customers using farm-fresh ingredients, the company has grown from a single site to more than 60 units in the USA. The Barberitos mission might have begun with a burrito, but today, in 2021, the company also serves up a range of the freshest tacos, quesadillas, nachos and salads. Although customers benefit from a quickserve concept in-store, Barberitos’ food creations are painstakingly crafted for perfection. Behind the scenes, team members who value the importance of hard work, patience and uncompromising quality handmake everything from guacamole to marinades. Vegetables are chopped, cheese is grated, chips are fried and salsa is prepared daily to ensure freshness on every single customer visit. According to Downing, the speed of service at Barberitos is only possible because of the work that goes on in the restaurant chain’s kitchens up and down the country, and there is no intention of that changing, ever.

Health-minded One key differentiator for Barberitos when compared to its Mexican food competitors is the added focus on health. The company has always understood that good food is about more than taste, whilst also being acutely aware that eating healthily can sometimes be difficult, expensive and time-consuming in our busy modern world. Part of what appealed to Downing when he first discovered mission-style burritos was that they were not only delicious, but good for you - especially in comparison to many fast-casual food alternatives - and

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thus the company’s menu is designed to present customers with the best of both worlds. Health-minded at its heart, the menu at Barberitos features seven meals under 300 calories and that contain six or fewer grams of fat. As well as offering a number of gluten-free options, the company never adds preservatives or extra fats to its food. All this is carried out in line with Downing’s core belief that taking care of yourself and enjoying a meal shouldn’t be mutually exclusive. Freshness is a word often associated with Barberitos and it is a quality that keeps customers returning to the company’s stores nationwide. The secret behind this freshness is not really a secret at all; Barberitos food tastes fresh because it is fresh. Before the

– cutting corners is simply not an option when it comes to producing food that is ‘really, incredibly, unbelievably fresh.’ Barberitos’ commitment to quality does not go unnoticed by the rest of the industry and in August 2021, the company was named ‘Best Burrito’ in the Athens Banner-Herald Readers’ Choice Awards for the 19th year in a row. “The entire Barberitos team is so appreciative of the Classic City community for its continued support in voting us the best of the best,” said Barberitos Founder and CEO Downing Barber at the time. “I remember rolling my first Barberitos burrito in downtown Athens and never could have dreamed of this run of sustained excellence.” Still present in its hometown of Athens, Georgia, Barberitos is incredibly

research facilities. Pink chips were also served to guests, and customers were given the opportunity to add a charity donation onto their order. “Our mission is to serve our local communities, and the entire Barberitos team was dedicated to making an impact during Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” Downing remarked. “In addition to enjoying a fresh and tasty meal, guests joined us in giving back to these worthy causes that raise breast cancer awareness and provide relief to those fighting the disease.”

lettuce, tomatoes, meat, cheese and sour cream even begins to be prepared in its restaurant kitchens, the company is working closely with local farmers to procure pasture-raised beef, hormonefree chicken and completely natural dairy items. This strict approach to the sourcing of ingredients is carried out for the same reason that Barberitos refuses to install microwaves or freezers in its stores

active in its local communities, supporting everything from little league teams to Extra Special People (ESP), which creates opportunities for people with disabilities. In October 2021, the company launched its ‘Chipping in for a Cure’ initiative, which saw Barberitos locations donate a percentage of their sales to various local breast cancer treatment centers, foundations and

for example, the company hosted four giveaway days via the Barberitos mobile app. Offers included free cheese dip, free guacamole and free cookies. Alongside these giveaways, guests purchasing a regular drink received color-changing mood cups to celebrate the brand’s ‘Burrito Love’ campaign - an initiative designed to inspire kindness and bring joy to others, and which included a variety of collaboration with non-profit organizations. Finally, since September 2021, all Barberitos locations have featured custom-made posters showcasing a three-dimensional view of the chain’s guacamole and cheese dip. Developed from stateof-the-art technology by Semiotic Marketing International, the signs have the potential to change how point of purchase displays are created going forward. Always looking for new ways to develop, Barberitos recently appointed professional tennis player Kat Jokic as the chain’s brand ambassador. A decorated star on the court at the University of Georgia, Kat helped the Bulldogs win the SEC regular season and tournament titles. She was also crowned SEC Challenge Singles Champion and spent time as the number one ranked International Tennis Federation singles player in the country. As well as acting as a spokesperson on social media for Barberitos’ healthy, lifestyle menu, Kat

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Burrito Love This fall, Barberitos took part in a number of programs and marketing efforts to increase brand awareness and reward its customers. During Q3

Barberitos will participate in promotions and visit Barberitos restaurants as she travels to tournaments around the Southeast. “We are excited to welcome Kat into the Barberitos family and look forward to watching her impact the brand with her focus on enjoying a healthy eating lifestyle,” Downing declared in September 2021. “Kat has always been a smash hit on the tennis court and we

are honored to have her contribute to our mission of serving farm-fresh food to the Barbs’ communities and its people.” Speaking at the time of the announcement, Kat expressed her passion for Barberitos and its healthier take on Mexican food. “As a student athlete, it was always important for me to refuel with healthy, filling meals, and Barberitos ‘aces’ it every time.

AKO Signs For over 15 years, Barberitos has entrusted AKO Signs with their signage needs. From wraps for catering vehicles to menu boards to channel letters, AKO is proud to have played a role in building the Barberitos brand. Since 1989, AKO Signs has been honing its sign making craft and providing exceptional customer service to the greater southeastern US. Signs are an essential part of any company’s advertising foundation. Every company needs signs to properly represent their business as well as assist the growth of it. Not only should signage be eye-catching but designed to showcase your location and draw in new customers. AKO Signs is dedicated to providing the appropriate signage for all types of business and applications. Whether you need signs to stay compliant or to boost your profits, AKO is ready to share its expertise and execute your vision. AKO Signs offers comprehensive sign services and products that vary in range and are customizable to any small or large business needs. AKO Signs is one of the most trusted sign companies in the industry because of its commitment to quality in production as well as materials. In addition to an assigned account representative, AKO Signs’ clients can receive a customized web store where they can log in, see a catalog of their products, order their signage, and pay - all from a portal through AKO Signs’ website. From concept to creation, AKO Signs is committed to finding the best custom fit for your signage needs.

This partnership is a natural fit for me because I have been a fan of the brand since I first moved to America from Bosnia in 2017. I am always seeking a healthy, tasty meal and can’t wait to stop by Barberitos locations during my tournament travels throughout the Southeast.” Looking to the future, Barberitos will continue to serve others with its hallmark focus on Food, Community and People. Determined to deliver exceptional service wherever its restaurants operate, the company, ultimately, hopes to become the market leader of the quick-serve burrito industry with its fresh, high-quality food served in an efficient manner. After 20 years of growth, the 2020s look set to become the ‘Decade of Barberitos’. Word is spreading, and the fresh, healthy Mexican food specialists are becoming the taco the town in communities across the United States. D www.barberitos.com

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Getting down to greener business

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Logtek Limited Having been around since the late 90s, Logtek Ltd is well acquainted with the intricate work needed to put sustainability at the forefront of the packaging industry, and with its dedicated team, the business is ready for 2022 to be just as successful as 2021

n March of 2021, Logtek celebrated its 25th anniversary; a milestone that recognized its success as a returnable transit packaging solution for major retail stores such as Marks & Spencer and Aldi. “We are part of the global Schoeller Allibert manufacturing business, and started off as part of the Linpac Packaging Group,” begins Lisa Tank, the Managing Director of the Birmingham business. Born in response to customer needs and originally used mostly for produce delivery in retail supply chains, the Logtek service was a way of managing returnable transit equipment to protect and control those packaging assets. “Because there are usually several millions of pounds worth of value on our customer’s balance sheet, Logtek was created in direct response to helping grocers manage these assets around the supply chain. “The focus is on reusing (hence ‘returnable packaging’) and it’s about moving this equipment efficiently

throughout a retailer supply chain. All produce has to be transported through retail supply chains in what is referred to as secondary packaging and our job is to make sure that packaging (crates, dollies, pallets and so on) is well managed and moves through the supply chain efficiently, and are washed and repaired ready for the next cycle,” she says. Delivering this service to retail customers means that the company has been able to develop four operational sites across the UK; purely to facilitate and support this impressive efficiency.

Service delivery Additionally, the growth in its facilities has also meant an expansion in the catalogue of products that Logtek can offer to its clients. “We built a small business in Spalding, Lincolnshire, that was originally focused on renting equipment to farmers and local agricultural businesses for seasonal use. The idea was to have rental equipment available for seasonal

produce like strawberries or asparagus. That rental part of the business has consistently grown, and has allowed us to add a greater range of products. It’s not all about hand-held Maxinest trays anymore; there are dollies, pallets, and bulk containers that are used widely across the agricultural markets and meat producers. “Now, we are widening our horizons even further with products that have been developed specifically for beverage and automotive markets for example. The Schoeller Allibert Group are supportive of growing the rental business and the focus is very much on offering all our customers, globally, a wide range of ways in which to realize savings and deliver efficiencies in using Returnable Transit Equipment. The rental service has grown significantly, and we hope that it will continue to do so,” Lisa shares. As she emphasizes, the point of a returnable transit packaging item is to allow its use to be extended to any point in the supply chain, in order to support with sustainable and cost effective solutions and removing the use of wasteful one-trip packaging methods. “The other new piece of technology that we are building into our bulk containers is SmartLink, which is a bespoke trackand-trace system, and enables users of our rental products to see where their

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you are going to do and ensuring our customers come first. I believe that is the reason we have held our two major retailer contracts for so long. I have always believed in the perspective that looks at how we operate with people as individuals, and not only with businesses as a ‘b2b’ transaction, which means working closely with those involved. This is why I feel that our key customers renew contracts with us so consistently, because we deliver value, understand their supply chains and requirements and we work well with their people. We are a good fit. It is all about delivering a service and that is what we do first and foremost.”

Sustainable solutions

equipment is and moving throughout their supply chains in real time. The overall focus is on delivering value in driving efficiency and managing loss and attrition throughout the supply chain. So, it can be extremely valuable to our customers to be able to see exactly where their product is at all times and to understand cycle and dwell times especially if there is use of 3rd party logistics involved,” she informs us.

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When discussing a few of the key secrets that keep the company culture united to provide an effective service and valued product, Lisa shares that the leading factor is staying true to the core values of ‘Trust, Own and Deliver’. “My view is that it is our integrity that sets us apart, and I am sure everyone else here would say the same. Although it’s a term that might sound a bit overused, for me it is about doing exactly what you say

This, she continues, is why the company places enormous value on the team at Logtek, without whom the company wouldn’t be able to deliver. “We have just over 100 full-time employees across five sites; Equipment Control, admin, finance and our operations team who are on the front line doing a fantastic job and without them, we wouldn’t have a business. We do value our people, and don’t have a huge staff turnover, which I’d like to think is somewhat reflective of our culture. “I feel that this contributes to how we are able to handle a challenge as large and overwhelming as Covid-19. By definition, the culture has always been open and supportive. It is about listening to each other, working together, and appreciating the role that everyone plays in the company. Without our people, we have nothing. Of course, the past months have been difficult and testing at times, but we managed to keep all of our operational sites open and working really well. Everyone normally office based has worked extremely positively from home. Our head office in Birmingham has only recently reopened, and we are doing three days a week at the moment on a flexible basis to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of our employees remains at the top of our list,” she shares with us.

Logtek Limited As we come down from the peak of the pandemic, Logtek is going to continue to realign its priorities to put sustainability at the forefront of its operations. “I think compared to 2020, this year has shown how capable we are of contributing to a greener supply chain. We are expecting ten percent growth on last year, which is quite an encouragement. This has allowed us to look towards goals for 2022, and in planning our five-year timeline, which will see us looking at even more new rental products and associated services. In light of this vision, we are not leaving behind our core business, which is all about returnable transit asset management and working with our key retailers, which is always going to be the corner stone of what we do,” Lisa says. Now more than ever, it is crucial to be embracing the principle of reduce, reuse and recycle. “It makes more sense for our customers and for people

to consider using returnable packaging solutions. Our Schoeller Allibert mantra is all about ‘Making Plastic Packaging too Good to Waste’ with the emphasis on reuse and then recycling. At Logtek, we are going to be innovating that message to our full capacity for as

long as we can,” concludes Lisa. It is encouraging to see businesses like Logtek, which are absolutely passionate about acting on sustainability and environmental messages to contribute to a greener future. D www.logtek.com

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Feeding the future

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Savi Provisions Having offered the best in organic produce to the people of Atlanta for over 13 years, Savi Provisions now sets its sights on supporting a sustainable food future

nown for its friendly and casual environment, Savi Provisions is a neighborhood destination for locally-sourced gourmet and organic foods, fine wines, craft beers and spirits. Founded by Paul Nair - on a farm-to-table, chef-driven model, which focuses on quality, atmosphere and community over profit – the first location opened in early 2009 in Atlanta’s Inman Park neighborhood, and was inspired by New York City’s beloved delis and bodegas. Savi Provisions was created to act as an integral part of the neighborhood that each location serves, aiming to provide an affordable, gourmet and healthy market experience, and combine it with today’s demand for convenience and local sourcing. Today, under its Savi Franchise System, Savi Provisions has successfully opened several locations throughout the Greater Atlanta Area and has a recent market entry in Nashville, Tennessee. “The concept behind Savi Provisions was created initially out of need and a realization that there was a sincere demand for an urban, friendly and convenient place that people could come to for food, groceries, and fun,” Paul explains. “After spending time in New York City, I came to the conclusion that other cities needed what New York was so fortunate to have in virtually every part of the city: the neighborhood deli. These were places where people shopped, congregated, developed relationships and built upon community, and this need was how Savi Provisions was born. We take convenience a step further by offering online ordering for several of our locations, and we partner with third-parties to offer delivery of our gourmet foods locally.”

Something for everyone As Paul goes on to detail, what makes Savi Provisions so special is its dedication to the high-end products offered to its customers. “Quality offerings is what has ultimately led to the success and expansion of the concept,” he notes. “What also sets us apart is our focus on chefdriven, fresh-made meals. Our carefully curated wine and beer selection includes something for everyone, and our customers will always find some of the finest meat and cheeses in the area available. In addition to savory sandwiches, breakfast offerings, wraps and salads, customers can also expect to find gourmet sides and a long list of delicious, made-to-order options. “In recent years, we have witnessed a resurgence of the local farmer, the farmer’s market, farm-to-table, and

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Savi Provisions a renewed commitment to understanding what we eat and where it originates. With Savi Provisions, we revisit the role of the original purveyors who built generational relationships with farmers, vineyards and distilleries to serve their local communities. We deeply value the relationships that we have built with suppliers and we are confident that their products have greatly contributed to the company’s ongoing success.” Paul is not short of a word or two about Savi Provisions’ own people either. “Our people are what makes the business work! We are grateful to our franchisees and their employees for their passion and hard work each day to uphold our collective mission of serving our communities. Savi Provisions is a brand that was founded with a vision to create opportunity and an unparalleled experience equally for people who work in the business and also who frequent the stores.”

Community spaces

beverages via Enomatic equipment. This feature provides a convenient option for dine-in, grab and go, and passerbys.” With every step it takes, Savi Provisions is dedicated to serving local communities. It is a key player amongst companies aiming to safeguard the planet through changing food habits, and its dedication to providing legitimate community spaces through a common love of food and wine is truly admirable. “Ultimately, we hope to be a designated space for gourmet foods and excellent customer service in every major city throughout the nation,” Paul concludes. “Through our franchise model, we hope to continue enhancing local economies and influence buying decisions towards healthy, organic foods that pour back into the community, and we plan to do so with the confidence that there are plenty of opportunities for future growth within the US and beyond!” D www.saviprovisions.com

In early June 2021, Paul announced the launch of a brand-new concept, dubbed UPop - which is short for Urban Provisions Offering Petroleum – which will be a highend food and beverage concept located in a new-to-Georgia gas station, Acro. UPop will offer chef driven prepared foods, beer, wine and liquor, as well as a bistro offering small plates. “UPop is a concept that elevates the traditional gas station experience,” Paul declares. “With it, we are further expanding our high-end convenience footprint in the South and beyond. This first location serves as the prototype for future locations, and we plan to expand this concept to consumers in Cary, Durham and Raleigh, N.C.” Savi Provisions’ recent achievements come in the wake of the company navigating the challenges poses by the Covid-19 pandemic. “In many ways, we were fortunate to have a model that already leaned heavily on prepared foods and takeaway items,” Paul states. “We pushed online ordering at several of our locations and implemented Drizly, which helped us facilitate alcohol delivery. “We also opened an Atlanta location at AMLI Lenox, which features a unique self-pour 14 beer tap wall, 16 wine options, and a variety of spirits. The bar is completely card-based to provide a lowtouch experience for guests. It will dispense

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The sky’s the limit

Leveraging a global reach and agile approach to logistics, En Route International’s food and service solutions continue to help the travel industry deliver a customer experience of the highest quality 148 www.foodchainmagazine.com

t was the early 2000s and entrepreneur Alison Lessmann was travelling with a well known global airline. Midway through the journey, as the in-flight meal arrived, she was disappointed to be presented with bread that, in her opinion, was subpar for such a major airline. After raising the issue with the airline when she arrived home, it informed her that it was cutting ties with its current bakery and going

out to tender. With this knowledge in mind, Alison set to work launching her own business. Less than four months later, the fledgling company – En Route International – had won the airline’s baked goods contract. Since its founding in 2002, En Route has grown into a £50 million organization. Predominantly serving major airlines, the business maintains a key focus around the product categories

En Route International

of bread and bakery items, cheese, meals, snack boxes and handheld snacks like pasties and calzone. “En Route has concentrated on airlines and catering for 20 years now and our portfolio has grown significantly,” explains Global Managing Director Nick Wiley. “Thanks to a complex set of networks, we have the ability to deliver high quality products to around 100 locations worldwide,

as we help to solve the problems and challenges faced by airlines and caterers.” Through close analysis of consumer trends, En Route has always been able to develop product, service and operational solutions that are most deeply relevant to its clients. For instance, the increasing desire for locally sourced products has led to the firm using its global presence to source items and ingredients regionally, or closer to the point of consumption, whilst still delivering a consistent product experience for the consumer. Today, En Route operates from logistics hubs and offices throughout Australia, the USA, the UK, Europe, the Middle East and China, leaning on these sites to help it serve a prestigious customer base that includes the likes of British Airlines, Qatar Airways, Qantas, American Airlines, Jetstar, JetBlue, Air France and Emirates. Strategically sector-focused, the company is not distracted by attempts to appeal to a wide range of different industries, and consequently, possesses unrivalled knowledge and aptitude in the provision of solutions for airlines and airline caterers. “We regularly talk to manufacturers that see the travel market as a supply opportunity, but they simply don’t understand how airlines and airline caterers operate. The truth is that airline catering is as much about food as it is about very complicated operations or processes and logistics,” Nick argues.

“At En Route, our success is born out of an ability to be creative, agile and global. We take a creative approach to product type, packaging, delivery, and formulation - bearing in mind that items will be eaten at 30,000 ft and the taste buds are slightly different at that altitude. Our agility lies in our speed to develop and execute solutions. “Finally,” Nick adds, “with so many of our customers being international airlines and catering businesses, the global consistency of our execution has to be perfect. There is no point having a solution deliverable in one location when actually a company operates out of 35 locations, especially when consumer expectations of an airline are almost always brand-related - passengers expect to get a similar experience with a company like British Airways whenever and wherever they board a British Airways flight.”

Product quality Among its current projects, En Route is delivering high quality bread products across all travel classes for several airlines. Typically packaged in material that can be reheated safely onboard, each proposition is unique to the client, their brief, and their overall expectation in terms of product quality, consistency and natural variation. “When it comes to bread, we source from a broad range of different bread suppliers - each with a particular competence for particular product types - and combine those in a bag or box for

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a specific cabin on a specific airline,” Nick reveals. “For example, first class might require four rolls in a bag for each individual passenger, business class might need eight rolls in a bag that go into a basket for presentation purposes, and economy rolls might be flow-wrapped. Whatever the need, we are capable of executing those requests across various airlines and caterers, and have done so consistently for years now. “In some cases,” Nick continues, “we are supplying our caterers’ bread requirements. So, for instance, where there might be supply chain issues, as there have been over the past two years due to COVID-19 and Brexit, we can fulfil a caterer’s requirement for product if they have a particular brief they need to carry out for an airline.”

Variety of cheeses After bread, cheese is perhaps the second-most popular En Route product category. More so than with bread, packaging plays a vital role in ensuring that the company’s cheese products reach

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En Route International customers in the best possible condition. A chilled, single service offering that can hold a variety of cheeses and accompaniments such as crackers, chutneys, pickles, and dried fruit garnish, the product reduces operational complexity and requires limited crew intervention. “This proposition was developed alongside the presentation format – a slate that it is served on in the plane,” Nick reports. “We are also able to guarantee the quality and standard of presentation because we supply our cheese pre-cut in a rip and flip packaging solution, which requires crew to tear off the lid, put the slate on top of the packet, and invert it. This allows the cheese and garnish to be presented in a consistent fashion with no handling by the crew. It is a very slick, easy, low labor time, low wastage, full-integrated solution, which involves no cling-filming or plating up from the caterer.

Logical next step In line with its efforts to develop alternative packaging methods that are not only functional but help to reduce waste, En Route recently launched its’ new ‘The Cheese Board’ format, suitable for premium economy or pre-order offerings. A chilled, single-service, cardboard box offering that can hold a variety of cheeses and accompaniments such as crackers, chutneys, pickles, and dried fruit garnish, the product reduces operational complexity and requires no crew intervention. “Behind all this, there is a bigger cheese program, which sees us work with suppliers to find really interesting products that one normally wouldn’t see on an airplane. At the moment we have a cheese that contains nettle, which is pretty unique,” he notes. “Partnering and then working with smaller, artisan providers, we take hard cheese, soft cheese and blue cheese, and present it to customers with some narrative about ingredients, provenance and origins. It gives a more enjoyable, well-rounded meal experience, which is viewed as a really important part

of the journey for many of our airline clients.” Despite En Route’s dominance in the aviation arena, the company has always had an aspiration to diversify into new markets, and so, encouraged by lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic, the business recently trialed products with a leading British retailer and launched direct-to-consumer sales as well as supplying the NHS. “One of the things a lot of businesses picked up during the pandemic was the importance of not putting all your eggs into one basket,” Nick says. “The logic behind working with caterers more regularly is that we are already engaging with them as part of our day job, so it makes sense to start looking at them as potential customers for their requirements in other categories, away from the airlines. “Beyond that, there is an expectation that rail transportation, cruise liners and ferries might be a logical next step for us within the travel market, but of course, we don’t want to be too closely exposed to one single sector because that would not benefit our resilience, so growth outside of aviation needs to be a careful, wellthought-out process.” As the airlines that make up its core target market continue to rebound from

the shock of the pandemic, En Route is beginning to see business trending upwards - a positive first step towards a bright future for the firm. While there may still be a sense of scale to recover for the company, as well as team repopulation activities to carry out, Nick is optimistic that the organization can continue building and journey forward in line with his aims for significant growth. “I think, over the course of the next three years, we are going to be realistic as we try and regain a proportion of our pre-COVID-19 business, before really trying to drive growth by focusing on the things that have always made us a success,” Nick declares. “The most critical part of that will be customercentricity - listening to customers, delivering on the promises we make, and solving their challenges. “The market is, understandably, going through a lot right now, but we want to be part of turning it around and making it as good as it can be. It might end up looking different in terms of how people approach travel or how certain airlines operate, but you can always rely on the aviation sector to try new things and find new ways to be successful. As a creative business ourselves, we hope to do the same.” D www.en-route.com

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On cloud wine

As one of England’s leading wine producers, Chapel Down continues to establish a name for itself with an awardwinning range of sparkling and still wines, as well as highly acclaimed gins and vodka 152 www.foodchainmagazine.com

estled in the Kentish countryside, Chapel Down’s picturesque vineyards and herb gardens represent a new lease of life for English wine. Leading the market in high-end Kentish spirits, wine, and gin, Chapel Down’s range is known for exceptional flavor and quality. Opening its doors again following the outbreak of Covid-19, the company offers an updated range of Kit’s Coty wine, guided tours, tastings, and meals at its gorgeous on-site restaurant, The Swan. Known for luxury and transparency from grape to glass, Chapel Down’s wine is produced sustainably, locally, and with the consumer in mind. The difficulties of a pandemic have

certainly not slowed the progress of Chapel Down’s Winery, as the company emerges with a successful direct-toconsumer e-commerce platform, and leading retail partners, including Tesco, Waitrose and M&S. Now stocking 50 percent of English wine in supermarkets across the UK, Chapel Down continues to lead the newly emerging wine market in England, with the world’s fastest wine growing region. From 780 acres of rolling English countryside, Chapel Down produces its flagship range Kit’s Coty, as well as a plethora of other wines and spirits. With such a wide variety to choose from, the company offers an introduction to its wine with the Discovery Case, which includes six of its newest and most exciting releases. From Pinot Noir Rose 2020, delicately flavored with citrus and cranberry, to the 2018 Albarino, a crisp herbal white wine, this bundle offers an insight into the luxurious textures of a Chapel Down’s vineyard. Cultivating the perfect pairings for all Chapel Down’s wine cases is Josh Donaghay-Spire, Head Winemaker at Chapel Down. His latest range, Great Minds Drink Alike, is made of the most remarkable wines from Chapel Down’s partners across the globe. Providing a glimpse of the wine world’s cutting edge, the Great Minds range spotlights Domaine Gayda’s No’7 La Liviniere 2019, for its exceptional balance of vanilla and dark fruit flavors, and the No’6 Syrah 2020, for its spicy, rich palette. With such an unfalteringly elegant range of products, it is no surprise that Chapel Down has seen a 38 percent increase in sales over the last year. Despite losing approximately a third of its business due to retail shut downs in 2020, Chapel Down maintained its success, offsetting this loss with a staggering 467 percent increase in direct to consumer sales. The company has also received critical recognition in recent years, receiving a platinum medal for the Kit’s Coty Coeur de Cuvee range at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2020. Such recognition secures Chapel Down’s place as today’s leading producer of English wine. Now consolidating its success, Chapel Down has begun construction

Chapel Down on an updated winery, which will be located near the Kent vineyard. This new winery will be completed with computercontrolled heating and pumping systems, designed to conserve energy and reduce the company’s environmental impact. Chapel Down’s sustainability mission ensures its plans for the future. As a group of winemakers, Chapel Down’s people are used to thinking in generations, rather than years, and working closely with the land means that they know just how important a healthy environment is. As a result, the company makes continuous efforts to review the vineyard’s soil management program, in order to maintain humus-rich soils and aid natural cycles that help to keep carbon and nitrogen in the ground. Chapel Down has also re-introduced indigenous grasses to the area, in order to reduce the need for chemical herbicides. Reducing energy use is another way in which Chapel Down ensures it has a

minimal carbon footprint. In a winery or brewery, energy conservation begins in the foundations, and the Chapel Down’s Kent brewery is a perfect example of this. The specially designed buildings maximize natural lighting to reduce heat build-up, and maintain the perfect temperature year round. Sustainability is critical to the longevity and legacy of Chapel Down, as it enables production and tourism, whilst maintaining balance in a thriving rural environment. From sourcing raw materials, through to in-market communications, renewability and environmental consciousness is

factored into every aspect of the Chapel Down supply chain. The company even uses minimal packaging, and continues to focus on domestic sales, to highlight the importance of a sustainable model all around. Confident in its goal to promote organic, locally produced English wine with incredible taste, Chapel Down will no doubt continue to expand in the following years. The English wine market is a newly emerging space, full of opportunity for growth and creativity, and the company’s position as an industry leader is certainly something worth celebrating. D www.chapeldown.com

TECH Ltd We have been involved with Chapel Down over the past few years and they have really helped us get to know the machines used within the wine industry. They have trusted us when repairing their machines and sourcing replacement parts. Our relationship has gone from strength to strength. We are committed to keeping them in production and providing advice and assistance when needed. It’s an exciting future ahead working with such a forward thinking team at Chapel.

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A touch of REAL ginger

Since 1987, Reed’s has been passionate about the sharp and sweet taste of REAL ginger, and, accordingly, continues to provide natural healthy refreshments made with fresh ginger root for its customers 154 www.foodchainmagazine.com

hat began as a journey to bring consumers natural ginger beverages 30 years ago has expanded into a business venture inspired to produce high quality REAL

ginger beverages across all sectors of the beverage industry. Reed’s has become a favorite name in grocery and natural food stores across the US, and Norman E. Snyder, the company’s CEO, discusses with FoodChain magazine

Reed’s

you. “In 2020, we introduced Reed’s Real Ginger Ale, making us the only mainstream ginger ale to use real ginger in our ale. We also came out with a zero sugar ginger ale, and then, following this, as part of our mocktails line, we introduced a Shirley Temple flavor, which is cherry and grenadine, that we call it Shirley Tempting – it’s incredibly tasty!” expresses Norm.

Can appeal

how the company has successfully overcome recent challenges to continue to deliver naturally delicious, and refreshing ginger-based beverages and candies across all channels and categories.

Driven by its mission to provide the world with high quality and naturally bold™ better-for-you beverages, Reed’s continues to drive innovation across categories delivering products that are simply better and better-for-

When it comes to this level of creativity, Norm is happy to share that a number of ingredients are creatively combined to produce a Reed’s drink: a hefty serving of an innovative Research and Development team, a shot of customer feedback, and a pinch of personal taste. “Sometimes our approach can be somewhat selfish: we look at what we like, and then we bounce around those ideas, and it expands into a game of hit-and-miss really. Either the taste works out surprisingly well, or it does not, and we have to go back to the drawing board. For example, lemonade has always been a great summertime drink, and it also happens to mix really well with ginger. So, when we tasted it, we were completely blown away.” Coupled with that, while the business takes great pride in tantalizing fruity tastes, it also places a substantial emphasis on the presentation of its canned beverages. “We make sure our artwork really pops to be as fantastic visually as the contents. Going back to

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our lemonade spritz, because it tastes great, we had to create a design that is just as intriguing. The more variety of colors we have on our palette, the better, and then the product stands out on its own. This we learnt after one particular product launch where we didn’t really think too much about the design and found that the label colors were so similar that in the refrigerators, consumers were confused with differentiating our products,” Norm shares with us. Subsequently, the team has incorporated an eye-catching aesthetic to complement its product and to pop off the shelf as a billboard.

Growth and development On the people side, Norman describes the company culture as a highly entrepreneurial atmosphere where communication is paramount. “It is very fast, pragmatic, structured, and we try to put processes in place to make

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sure operations are documented. We aren’t a massive company, which means we get to know everyone really well, and we look after each other quite closely.” This, he feels, is what will stand the business in good stead as it moves out of the pandemic and towards 2022. Norm is excited for the innovation and product launches that are soon coming to store shelves across the States. “We have a new offering joining our catalogue next year that we are working on behind the scenes, and we feel really good about. Innovation has been absolutely key for us to achieve this, and as a result, we have some pretty neat stuff being set up for next year that we are quite excited to share with people very soon,” he divulges. Looking at a longer timeline, of course Norman would like to continue to push the business in its growth

and development. “I’d like to see us stay profitable and get to a large enough scale where we really realize the potential of the categories we are gravitating towards. We co-developed an alcohol-based RTD mule that has been well-received, and we have taken over distribution in about twothirds of the country, and because it was a ginger-based product, most people who make mules use Reed’s ginger beer, so it made sense to take that avenue. These are just some of the ways that we are looking to stay true to who we are, in order to facilitate the tremendous amount of growth we have had so far. If we continue to build on that, I think that we will become a much bigger and better company.”

Facing challenges However, despite his keen outlook, he is not naïve to some of the challenges that lay ahead, yet he continues to demonstrate a pride and confidence in his team for the way in which they soldier through these obstacles. “One of the things we are facing now is navigating the supply chain challenges that are in expanse across the world. We have been trying our best to mitigate those and are planning for the longer term to instigate backup plans. However, in trying to react accordingly, there have been some inflationary pressures, so we have taken modest price increases, but we have absorbed a lot of that. “At the moment, the US is experiencing a shortage of cans, so what we’ve done is make early bulk purchases to protect ourselves and have a back-up supply of imported cans as well. Additionally, we have entered into longer term contracts to protect those supplies. Another area that we have battled with is the procurement of steel crowns for our bottles. This means, again, collaborating with our supplier network to make sure we have backup vendors and are ordering well in advance to make sure we don’t run out. However, in my opinion, the biggest challenge has been the lack of

Reed’s labor for the factories. What we have had to do is expand our network of manufacturing plants and with that, extra hands have been absolutely necessary. Many of these plants have been installed with greater equipment to be able to produce more. So, we have really had to expand our network of packers to keep up with the demand,” he says. As far as the supply chain issues are concerned, Norm believes that those challenges will straighten themselves out given time although will remain in the near-term. Although

many businesses are faced with similar constraints, he is confident that as the economy begins to stabilize, and manufacturers find their feet once again, pre-pandemic operations will soon flourish. Until then, the team at Reed’s is prepared to remain organized and equipped to continue to do whatever it takes to provide for their customers, and we look forward to catching up with Norm in the near future to hear more about the exciting developments happening at his factories. D www.drinkreeds.com

Macaran Printed Products Macaran Printed Products are a third-generation, employee-owned supplier of high-quality, label and packaging products. Our labeling solutions are found on some of the best-known brands in the world in the Spirits, Wine, Craft Beer, and Non-Alcoholic beverage markets. We know brand image is everything, so we bring our clients ‘Creativity without Compromise’. It’s a core tenet of our business, and one we take very seriously. Technical depth and a state-of-the-art press compliment give our customers the product development tools they need to ensure their brand is delivered to the market just as they intended. Our goal is to become the ‘Custodian of your Brand’. With unparalleled customer care and a commitment to technology and innovation, we build strong and meaningful partnerships with our clients. This customer-centric focus allows us to ensure consistency and reliability across every project, every time. We truly put our customers first in everything we do.

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Creating a human-kind industry

Julia Darvill

Puratos’ expertise lies in the creation of delicious ingredients for bakery, patisserie, chocolate and dairy businesses, and the teams behind its success are encouraged and supported in order to thrive

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Puratos

uratos, more than 100 years old and proud, began as one building in Brussels. Thanks to a determination and dedication to succeed, alongside a successful strategy and dynamic management teams, over the course of its history, it has successfully grown to a group worth over €2 billion, rooted in over 100 countries. The UK division of Puratos (Puratos UK) has its innovation center located in the charming countryside of Fringford, Oxfordshire; and from here a team of patisserie, bakery and chocolate experts knead their experience together to produce ingredients and products for the baking industry. In conjunction with its two complementary production facilities in Simonswood and Buckingham, the British branch of the international company is thriving. UK Managing Director Julia Darvill shares some insights about what makes Puratos UK stand out from the crowd. “We’re known for our knowledge base and our innovative expertise in categories such as sourdough and fillings,” she begins. “We also spend more investment than any of our competition on understanding customer insights and predicting future trends.” This important side of the business will be touched on again later – first Julia gave more details on the company’s distinctive approach to how it conducts business, focusing on the cultivation of a culture of honesty and trust, not only with its people, but also its supply base. “We have to be exceptionally transparent with each other,” she says. “If you walk into our organization across any of the markets, there is a particular aura about us, we call it magic, and that is something that we’re also known for in our industry, and that I am very proud of. We’re very honest with each other; we feel free to take risks because we have an environment that supports learning from our mistakes. We are a purposedriven organization, which means that I can achieve my personal purpose in conjunction with the company’s corporate purpose because of how closely they are married, and I love that,” she expresses.

As an example of how the company’s ethos supports its staff, Julia elaborates on how the Puratos culture became particularly crucial during the Covid-19 pandemic, when she instilled numerous practices to ensure that her staff looked after themselves and each other. This is a topic very close to Julia’s heart. “We were heavily centered around community,” she says. “This meant that everyone became quite focused on supporting multi-functionally. To do so, we increased our virtual culture purely because we’re spread out across three sites with some strong and frequent communication platforms; we wanted to keep everyone safe and feel reassured. “Many people across the food industry suffered from burnout last year, so to try and avoid this, I co-wrote a program that has since gone into some of our Puratos global family, called People Fuel. This is a module that encourages employees to learn about themselves; what your limits are, how to implement downtime, and how you identify ways to energize and prevent stress in your colleagues. We have even reflected this externally, and have carefully selected partners and suppliers who invest and behave in the same way. We want to contribute positively to the wider food ecosystem that encourages future-proof wellbeing cultures,” she admits. “If there is one thing that Puratos is very, very proud of, it is that we consider human footprint as much as carbon footprint - we believe that how we do things is important just as much as what.”

Sourdough launch Not just focused on happier and healthier working environments, Puratos UK is also keen to focus on natural products that are properly sourced and produced. “If you go and experience the more artisanal brands that focus on sustainability and responsible sourcing, those products are just as delicious, and there’s a greater peace of mind in knowing that that company is ethically reliable as well. This is why moving forward, Puratos remains committed to promoting healthy working environments, and naturally delicious products, and we know that those who partner with us do the same,” Julia explains.

While it is encouraging to learn about how Puratos supported and prioritized staff wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is also interesting to see how coronavirus instigated an interest in consumers about their own personal health and welfare. This phenomenon has played a significant role in Puratos’ recent growth. During August 2021, the company announced the launch of its British-made living sourdough to feed the needs of customers looking for more gut-friendly foods. “For many years we’ve been interested in fermentation and sourdough and its natural benefits. We know that this category has grown exponentially in recent years. Our mission is to make some complementary, quintessentially British flavors and keep it as local and natural as possible. We’ve been working on developing a range of signature flavors that offer consumers great taste and peace of mind, and when it’s launched, you will see how unique they are!”

Future predictions Julia’s excitement about the sourdough product range was clear, and it was matched by her passion for healthier options in general. “A good friend of mine said, ‘I think in the future, we will see our kitchens as our apothecaries’,” she expresses, “and I love this idea that you walk into your kitchen thinking, ‘how am I feeling right now, and what do I need to administer to tend to that?’ I think that the food evolution will see us eating for our health, both physical and mental, as well as our immunity,” she notes. “This means that the trends we were targeting in our strategy towards before 2020 have been accelerated. We’ve seen everyone’s heightened sense of care for their immunity and their health, which seems to now be the norm. Our R&D teams are working exceptionally hard to tend to these demands for healthier options that are becoming part of everyday life,” she shares. Supporting the R&D team is a global platform called Taste Tomorrow, which looks at short and long term predictions on what might be coming in the food sector. “It’s quite exciting looking at the psychology of these trends, and that’s one of the most interesting things about

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working in the UK – because we’re such a diverse population,” Julia added. “There are something like 13 different ethnic cultures in our local business, and I’m proud that we have nine different religions registered so the way we eat food and the way we hope to educate our children is really important to us.”

Growth strategy Tying in with how the business will continue to grow, Julia is also particularly excited about the future, and is determined to carry the pride for her team’s performance into 2022. “Everyone has been able to respond with great agility to some pretty hairy challenging timelines and customer demands. They’ve stuck together and looked after each other, so I’m very proud of everything we have done. But if we look at what lies ahead for 2022, we have to be able to sustain that. So, I’m excited about making them stronger and keeping our customers happy,” she says. “Beyond that, we are also going to continue our growth trajectory. One of the measures in place to do this is through acquisitions, and at the moment, we have a number of files that we are working through. We don’t believe in buying buildings or market share, rather we believe in acquiring great talent; people and ideas or technologies. We want to share how exciting it is to work for a business that wants to bring greatness in and cultivate it, alongside what we already have! At the same time, I am certain we’ll grow through acquisitions just as much as we will organically,” Julia reveals. She also sheds light on a Puratos global initiative called ‘Sparkalis’ which she describes as ‘an awesome and exciting project’. “Sparkalis is a start-up incubator that was launched about 18 months ago, and through this we’re trying to find really innovative, really interesting future-proof businesses to invest in that are related either to the circular economy, or CSR or things that are synonymous with our values and help us accelerate customer growth opportunities,” she explains. Puratos has refined its operations over the course of its century long history and its strategy has made it a favorite manufacturer of ingredients for the bakery, patisserie and chocolate sectors.

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Puratos It might not have a brand name on the shelves, but Julia concluded with some thoughts on that. “We quite like being a customer’s trusted secret – we have the time and resources to help our customers with their problems and challenges. It is a privilege to work for a group that invests so much in its teams, R&D and innovation, and future-proofing technology, so we know that we can support our customers. After all, we want to bring delight and improves lives through food!” D www.puratos.co.uk

Applied Principles The Applied Principles software enabled Puratos to further improve on their high-quality compliance standards. By simply clicking on a smart phone screen, operatives can now extract and submit essential operational information from production lines and other operational areas. The system is used to capture and manage key CCP checks, packaging verification records, batch/traceability information, dispatch records, near miss reporting, daily start up checks, cleaning inspections, glass and plastic audits, and allergen contamination control checks to name a few. Over 4000 checks and inspections are completed every month in the Liverpool site alone. In addition, the Applied Principles software facilitates the creation of non-conformance reports in real-time. These are picture based and allows management to respond swiftly. With enhanced employee ownership, visibility and accountability, the company has seen a significant improvement in communication between departments. The system was fully implemented at the Liverpool site within a very tight timescale of only four weeks.

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A seafood success story

Having adapted to the conditions of a pandemic with its indemand takeaway service, Shell Shack continues to innovate with the latest food trends, and brand new partner restaurants 162 www.foodchainmagazine.com

n this industry, you have to be ready to fight or shut your doors,” says Dallas Hale, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Shell Shack. The last 18 months may not have been an easy ride for the restaurant industry, but Crafted Bar Concept’s portfolio of restaurants may just have the magic ingredient. From Shell Shack’s popular ‘to go’ service, to Sushi Marquee’s high energy dining experience, the company has weathered the storm of Covid-19, and shows no signs of slowing down. “The last 18 months for Shell Shack have been very good,” Dallas affirms. “Everybody was nervous when the Covid-19 outbreak began, but what we

refused to do was to shut down. We changed our model in order to provide takeaways, instead of dine-in meals. It was very successful, and our ‘to go’ sales went up 500 percent.” Adapting to the situation with a new streamlined takeaway dining model and extended menu, Shell Shack was able to protect its team from the uncertainty felt by many during the lockdown period of 2020. “We kept our staff employed and working by digging in and riding it out,” explains Dallas. “We also did some different things that were a bit out of our wheelhouse,” he adds. “The delivery orders helped us, as well as the fact that we were able

Shell Shack

Dallas Hale

to serve alcohol. Both of those factors helped us out tremendously, and with the support of the Shell Shack team, all our concepts thrived.”

Increased demand For Dallas, keeping a successful restaurant means fighting for your team, and your concept, in the face of adversity. “We delivered and executed our services very well. There is a nationwide staff shortage going on, and supply chain problems, but we have tackled every one of those issues headon, and we are still running,” he asserts. With an established name and customer base, Shell Shack has been

able to keep its customers loyal whilst operating on a takeaway model. As Dallas determines: “The customers have been very understanding, they know their orders might take a few minutes extra as there is a major staffing shortage going on right now.” The ‘to-go’ system brought to light new ways in which Shell Shack could

use technology to streamline its services. Dallas explains: “It was almost overnight that our ‘to go’ orders spiked to 500 percent over what we were doing before the pandemic, and that did cause some confusion. “Every time we would put the phone down, it rang again. Some people thought

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we weren’t answering, but it was actually that the calls were getting cycled through, due to such high demand. In response to these comments, we actually took our phone system and changed it to a queue system. “With our new system, everyone that calls will know their place in the queue and how long they need to wait; it even updates customers if their place in the line changes, so they know we are actively answering the calls and making headway.” Confidently responding to the needs of its customers, and using all possible resources to improve its service, has helped Shell Shack continue thriving. The company’s renewed success is also, in part, due to its new menu innovations, as Dallas confirms: “Thanks to all the concepts we have added to the menu, we

to understand how we could capture some of that without flat out doing the same thing, so we did a Nashville hot chicken sandwich, and it is amazing. We developed our own Nashville hot sauce, and the special comes with this as well as the option of Buffalo chicken. Now you can get a Nashville hot chicken sandwich with all that good stuff, and in the next three weeks we will be adding lobster and scallops to the menu,” he adds.

Successful brands

have not skipped a beat. As of today, we are rolling out even more new menu items for Shell Shack, with more coming out for Sushi Marquee next week [at time of writing]. We have really taken the situation at hand and responded to it by remodeling and upping our game 150 percent.” Shell Shack’s versatile menu makes the best use of local seafood, with an expansive palate, and a range of novel dishes on offer. “We added seafood

Shell Shack’s parent company, Crafted Bar Concepts, is known for its unique menus, and focus on the whole dining experience. Alongside Shell Shack’s famous fish-based innovations, the company is responsible for Sushi Marquee and Ebb and Flow. “It’s actually been a really good year for all our concepts,” reveals Dallas. “We have won a lot of awards and generally thrived. Shell Shack got best seafood in DFW, and Ebb and Flow got best new restaurant. Shell Shack is also sponsoring ‘national crawfish day’, and we have now founded national brunch month, which will be in the national bake calendar next year. “Additionally, Sushi Marquee got best sushi in DFW and best all-around

appetizers and onion rings to the menu, and we now offer fried oyster baskets as well,” Dallas details. “Nashville hot chicken is very popular in the US right now, and we wanted

restaurant in Frisco. To maintain this success, we have really been trying to think of new and better ways to keep everybody happy and grow the business, and our Sushi Marquee concept is

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adding a full hibachi menu, which will happen in the near future.” Hibachi is a traditional Japanese grill; literally meaning ‘fire bowl’, the meal includes grilled seafood, rice, meat and vegetables. Dallas himself conceptualized the inclusion of a hibachi menu, and the new offering adds to Sushi Marquee’s already diverse menu. “With Sushi Marquee we have fun interactive videos and a DJ experience, as well as phenomenal food; once we really locked all that in, and I felt comfortable with it, I happened to be in a restaurant and saw the hibachi going on. Seeing that, a light bulb went off, and next thing you know we have a hibachi table in our restaurant. “We are rolling out the hibachi at the moment, by doing taste tests and a little bit of market research. Once we have taken it to the next level, we will be just about ready to introduce the experience at Sushi Marquee,” he discusses. Ebb and Flow is Crafted Bar Concept’s latest endeavor; known for its signature cocktails and ‘Plano’s best brunch’, the restaurant has seen success despite opening its second location earlier this year. “We opened our second location in Plano right in the middle of the pandemic,” states Dallas. “We have one in Deep Ellum and our second location in the Shops of Legacy in Plano, which opened about six months ago. They have been very successful despite opening during such uncertain times.”

New concept As Shell Shack, Sushi Marquee and Ebb and Flow all continue to flourish, Dallas and his team invest in marketing and social media to get the word out about their latest expansions. “Everything we do is with growth and marketing; we always keep our fingers on the pulse of everything,” says Dallas. “In terms of marketing, we are going all out on the public relations front; we are doing cooking shows and interviews, and really putting our brand out there. We also make good use of social media, always updating our Facebook, and the website, so that we can let everyone know about all that is happening at each concept.

Shell Shack “I was just on a show last week with one of the major food critics here in Dallas, who has a national TV show. We were talking about Ebb and Flow on there, and now I’m preparing to do a food show at the Texas fair to promote the new hibachi. We are always going non-stop,” he adds. Proving just how busy the Shell Shack team is, Dallas discusses plans for another launch in 2022: “At the start of next year we are planning to launch a new concept which is very exciting, and I hope it will be every bit as successful as Shell Shack, Sushi Marquee and Ebb

and Flow. It’s a great concept, and we are now in the process of perfecting it,” he announces. In the long-term, Crafted Bar Concepts will continue to expand through its existing restaurants and exciting new dining concepts, as Dallas concludes: “We will continue to focus on expanding all our brands, as well as some new concepts. It took us a few years to perfect our model, but now that we have it running smoothly and effectively, we want to duplicate it, and keep growing.” D www.shellshack.com

FPOS Group FPOS Group has been working with Dallas Hale since 1999. We have continued to bring him cutting edge technology to help grow his brand. This was never more evident than in the past two years. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, we were able to push out new technology to help Dallas better run his business. When dining rooms closed, we provided the staff with devices they could use to take credit card payments curbside, and we provided them with integrated online ordering. As we got further into the pandemic, we were able to provide Crafted Beer Concepts with an advanced enterprise reporting tool. With this tool they were able to discover thousands of dollars in theft just during their demo alone. These are just a few examples of how FPOS Group has been able to help Dallas succeed. We look forward to providing him with best-in-class technology and service for years to come.

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A resurgence to remember W The result of an amalgamation of two highly respected food manufacturers, Billington Foods is emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic in full force, providing vital support to its numerous customers as they embark upon their own recovery 166 www.foodchainmagazine.com

hile Billington Foods may be a newly established business – having been formed in September 2021 – it does possess a particularly strong heritage, seeing as it came about following a merger of two industry-leading food manufacturers, TSC Foods out of Scunthorpe and Billington Foodservice of Wellingborough and Newport. The result of this merger is a new entity that sits within the growing family of UK food and agriculture businesses that make up The Billington Group. Providing FoodChain with the background behind how Billington Foods came to be is its Managing Director Peter Allan. “The aforementioned companies were brought together, at least in part, due to a post-Covid-19 approach taken by

The Billington Group to examine its asset base, and focus on how best to respond to and capitalize on a very different looking market to the one that existed pre-pandemic,” Peter details. “By analyzing various product segments and determining which ones we expected and wanted to see grow over the coming years, we took the decision to bring together the best operational aspects of both TSC Foods and Billington Foodservice to create an operational center of excellence to serve our customers under the Billington Foods name.” Today, the business supplies the UK’s foodservice, retail and B2B markets from its factories in Scunthorpe and Wellingborough. Predominantly a bespoke manufacturer, its product expertise covers chilled and frozen

Billington Foods

sauces and soups, frozen pies, and desserts. With all of its products developed to the highest of standards – with a leading technical and process team ensuring good quality and safety at all times – Billington Foods also offers a range of packaging capabilities, which allows its customers access to the right format to meet their respective needs. “Our intent when launching Billington Foods was to take everything that was great about the previous companies and build upon this to deliver long-term future growth. To that end, our sites boast first-class levels of culinary expertise and innovative flair, with our chefs working hand-in-hand with our customers on a daily basis,” continues Peter, whose responsibilities include bringing two past cultures together under one roof. “As well as

being laser focused on serving our customers, we also want to ensure that we are as operationally efficient as possible as we go into 2022. One of the ways of achieving these aims is through the development and recruitment of a fully engaged, end-to-end workforce who can enjoy the best working environment possible. This has meant investing in all manner of new offices and amenities, which our people are extremely grateful for.”

Business efforts The story of TCS Foods and Billington Foodservice becoming Billington Foods is one that cannot be told without reflecting back on the period of time that has come to be defined by the Covid-19 pandemic, and the significant impact it has had on the

food and drink industry as a whole. “Our story over the last 18 months will be one that is very similar to most in our field,” Peter explains. “With one third of turnover pre-pandemic coming from retail customers, and the other two thirds coming from food service and B2B clients, the onset of the national lockdown in March 2020 led to the company’s facilities shutting down almost all of their activities, baring producing a small number of lines for selected customers a few days a month. That understandably created a problematic situation in terms of working out how best to run said facilities at a fraction of their usual output in order to serve those customers, whilst still managing costs. “With so many external factors out of its hands during this time, what The

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Peter Allan

in the last couple of years, but it is because of the resilience of our people that the business has recovered in the way that it has and our customers have continued to get the very best from us.” Billington Group choose to do was focus on its operational footprint and invest substantial capital into its sites so as to enable it to come out of the other side stronger than ever. This involved things like buying more modern and efficient equipment and leaning more into future automation so as to become less reliant on a labor market that has had its own difficulties in recent months. It could not come at a better time as we emerge from the pandemic, with the vast majority of our customers

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– especially those in the food service sector – keen for things to recover as quickly as possible, and thus thankful of the efforts that businesses like ours have and continue to make.” At this point, Peter is also extremely keen to bring up the contribution of the people who work across Billington Foods during recent months. “I would be remiss if I didn’t say a massive thank you to all of our staff,” he says. “As everyone knows, there have been some very traumatic and tough times

Product launches As Billington Foods’ continues to build back better from the pandemic, it is working hard to bring new talent into the business and increase production at its two facilities. “In Scunthorpe, we are making a £2 million investment to support the facility’s recovery, which includes recruiting up to 65 new members of the team, with the help of Red Recruitment,” Peter notes. “Meanwhile, in Wellingborough, we have engaged in a plan to grow and retain our workforce during these competitive times.” Continued investment is clearly paying off for Billington Foods, with sales now approaching the £65 million mark and its order books looking very healthy indeed. Peter goes on to tell us that a proportion of its success in what remains an unpredictable environment comes down to a prioritization of products and consolidation of SKUs. “Part of the challenge at present is that without 100 percent security of production volumes, there remains a strong sense of realism and pragmatism within the industry, which will bleed into the early part of 2022. This means that customers are more focused on getting reliable menus and products to the table, than they perhaps are of driving new trends and flavors at present.”

Billington Foods

Givaudan UK Ltd Let’s imagine together We are immensely proud to support Billington Group to achieve excellence, expertise and innovation. Our pioneering flavour knowledge enables us to create products with the end consumer in mind. We deliver integrated solutions in stocks and sauces and address dietary concerns, such as sugar and salt reduction, allergens or clean label declarations without the negative effect on the taste profile. Together with our industry renowned chefs we help our customers stay at the forefront of market trends and pioneering ingredients. Together we craft memorable experiences that bring moments of delight to our consumers.

That has not meant that the company has stopped pursuing new flavors and innovations however. For example, it has just recently relaunched its popular Glorious! Soup range, and is excited to be bringing a brand-new pie line into operation at Wellingborough in the first couple of months of 2022. “We have continued to build upon our pre-existing levels of culinary expertise, and our chefs are always on hand to work with our customers to cater to new tastes and preferences,” Peter says. “There will always be trends that sit behind the market, trends such as alternative proteins and differentiated food specifications, and I think they will be even stronger at the back end of 2022. However, the first half of 2022 is more about focusing on the practical side of food production and food supply, which centers on getting core products to our customers.” Regarding 2022, Peter’s optimism for the year ahead is strong, and as such plans for ongoing investment in the business are already well-advanced. “We have every aim of increasing our capacity throughout 2022, with the intention being to enable us to introduce new capabilities in terms of pie production, porridge production, and the creation of various desserts,” he declares. “These different types of products – along with soups, sauces and so forth – will enable us to grow in line with our customers as they too enjoy a resurgence from the pandemic.” D www.billington-foods.com

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Growing good-will Community-driven food distributor Native Maine see’s renewed success after supporting local businesses and food banks through the turmoil of Covid-19

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pecialty food distributor Native Maine has been in operation across Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire since 1999. The company’s unique model means it can deliver fresh goods to all its customers on a daily basis, whilst keeping its supply chain simple. Aiming to increase the availability of fresh, organic, and ethically sourced produce, Native Maine works closely with local communities to provide the best quality food to those who need it. For Native Maine, community is of absolute importance. As the company President, Vinnie Caliendo, explains: “We are a locally driven business, and Maine is a small place, with a small community. There are 1.3 million people who live here and roughly half of them are either children or senior citizens, so there are only around 600,000 to

700,000 working adults in the area. This keeps production transparent, as everyone is only ever one step removed from the community of consumers or buyers. “Transparency is really important to the people round here; you have to do a good job because people will quickly discover if you have been unfair, and then you are at risk of losing your reputation as well as your business.” Being aligned with the values of its customers means that Native Maine has been able to extend its reach and serve an increasingly diverse customer base. “From independently owned restaurants and small local chains of three or four restaurants, nursing homes, hospitals, jails, universities, nearly 500 public and private schools as well as a myriad of non-conventional food services for bakeries, candy manufacturers, amusement parks, and music venues,”

Native Maine delivered to 20 of the major food banks throughout Maine and New Hampshire. This worked for a few months, and then the government changed the rules, and started handing out combination boxes instead. These new boxes mixed frozen food with refrigerated and dry food, which created a severe logistical challenge. Not only were we moving four truckloads of food per day, but we were assembling it as well. We ended up going to over 120 locations instead of the large outlets, just so the food reached people while it was still good,” he continues. These extraordinary efforts played an important role in keeping the company and its people afloat, as Native Maine was able to provide much-needed resources to countless families, whilst also keeping its infrastructure up-and-running. “This helped us keep some jobs within the company, and whilst we didn’t make any money, we certainly did everything we could to help our neighbors and community,” asserts Vinnie. he adds, illustrating the malleability of Native Maine’s service portfolio. Vinnie summarizes. “Our main goal at Native Maine is to promote seasonal eating, encourage healthy diets, support the local economy, and give kids the best our community has to offer! If you’re a New Englander, especially a Mainer, you know the Native Maine truck and you know we are as local as it gets.”

Highest standards As a community-driven company that employs 120-plus full time local Maine employees, Native Maine invests heavily in customer care and are focused on exceptional customer service, food safety, food security and the environmental impact of their business. “We pretty much bend over backwards to make our customers’ lives as easy as possible,” says Vinnie. “The intent is to make our customers lives easier, as frequently as possible. From a food safety standpoint, we have the highest certification possible, due to the contracts we have with large buying groups. We are also meeting the highest standards of food safety, and constantly get rated well above 97 percent on our audits.”

The smooth operation of these services was, however, threatened by the outbreak of Covid-19 last year. During these uncertain times, Native Maine proudly supported local people any way it could. “Prior to the outbreak of Covid-19, we had a long-term relationship with the community because of our school business, we especially feel so lucky we get to service schools across Maine and New Hampshire, the work these folks do is essential to the growth and minds of future generations and they really were the unsung heroes of the pandemic we were involved in any kind of charity support for feeding children, and that helped us get into long term relationships with the state’s largest food banks,” explains Vinnie. “When Covid-19 hit, in terms of the regular business, it was almost a deathblow. For about three months, the company ran at less than half of what it should have been, and we had to cut our workforce in half. “Around this time, we did win the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box program, which meant that for the summer of 2020 we were awarded fresh produce food boxes, which we

Good will and loyalty The consequent problems with combined food boxes even had a silver lining, as they exposed trends within the market that called for an increase in locally sourced goods, and transparent industry. “These trends are consistent across the country; the supply chain can become too convoluted, and you need local people, with an understanding of the local communities and networks, to do the distribution in order to avoid food waste,” Vinnie explains. Whilst the communitarian efforts of Native Maine may not have been profitable in the short-term, they did build an incredible amount of trust between the company and its customers. “During the pandemic, there were a lot of customers who ran out of money right away; they couldn’t pay their bills, but we didn’t shut them off. Instead, we acted like neighbors and asked what they could do; a lot of people paid us in smaller weekly installments,” says Vinnie. “There were tens of thousands of dollars that were way past due, but our business values its communities very highly, and so we worked with them, rather than against them. That created

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Native Maine

a tremendous amount of good will and loyalty, even as inflation began,” he adds. The company also safeguarded the wellbeing of its staff by increasing wages in alignment with inflation. “To retain our own people, we had to recognize that hyperinflation and wages were not going

up at the same rate,” discusses Vinnie. “In response to this, we made some significant changes, and took a big hit on profitability, so that we could make sure our employees didn’t suffer.” Despite what must have been unimaginably difficult conditions, Native Maine is now being rewarded for its

sacrifices. “Today we are somewhat drowning in our own success,” Vinnie announces. “We want to have our prices reflect the hyperinflation that we have experienced, in order to pay our bills, and the customers understand it because they also directly experienced the effects of the great labor shortage. It’s been well accepted in terms of increased pricing. “Once things opened again, our volume has increased monthly from June through to October, and right now we are experiencing a volume increase of up to ten percent, depending on the month. We were fair with our customers, and they respected that, and therefore we were able to sustain them, and we have kept a good thing going. Normally, we would be slowing down a little bit by this point in the year, as tourist season comes to a close, but this year that decrease is very minor,” he adds. For Native Maine, getting back to business involves an exciting new partnership with the hydroponic farm supplier, Vertical Harvest. “Vertical Harvest are in cooperation with our town, and we have agreed to be their preferred distributor. The structure will be an environmentally controlled growing environment that is perfect for growing leaf lettuce, herbs and microgreens year-round,” reveals Vinnie. “They are trying to get the plans done so that they can complete the building and begin growing produce. We are really excited about this partnership because the quality and shelf life of the product they allowed us to sample from their Jackson, Wyoming, facility was incredibly impressive,” he continues. Looking forward to next year, Vinnie discusses the company’s latest technological investments: “We have been assessing brand new, state-ofthe-art computer systems, and I believe we have found the right one to help us streamline our business processes and improve our customer service. “We expect that it will be live for next summer before things get busy again. It is a big deal for the company, and we expect our customers will see the improvement in our services which will deepen our mutual loyalty further.” D www.nativeme.com

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