FoodChain Issue 143 November 2018

FoodChain Issue 143

l

NOV 2018

The business of food and drink

Brewed to entertain Ellicottville Brewing Co. prides itself on original flavours, product consistency and quality control

Industry News Sodexo has launched its own wonky veg initiative

l

Cool running The proper use of a cold chain can help reduce perishable food losses

l

Reliquum London Dry Gin helps reduce fruit waste

Culina Group improves safety with Labcraft Banksman system l

Play fair Digital technology is changing the face of the hotel and hospitality sector

FoodChain ISSUE 143 L NOV 2018

THE BUSINESS OF FOOD AND DRINK

Editor’s Welcome

Brewed to entertain Ellicottville Brewing Co. prides itself on original flavours, product consistency and quality control

Industry News L Sodexo

has launched its own wonky veg initiative

Cool running The proper use of a cold chain can help reduce perishable food losses

L Reliquum

London Dry Gin helps reduce fruit waste

L Culina

Group improves safety with Labcraft Banksman system

Play fair Digital technology is changing the face of the hotel and hospitality sector

Chairman Andrew Schofield Managing Director Joe Woolsgrove Editor Libbie Hammond

Gold standard

Assistant Editor Will Daynes Staff Writer Vladi Nikolov Art Editor Fleur Daniels Advertising Design Fiona Jolliffe Sales Joe Balfour Natalie Brett Mark Cawston Theresa McDonald Gary Silk Web Sales Tim Eakins Exclusive Features Darren Jolliffe Independent Sales Dave King Operations Director Philip Monument Operations Manager Natalie Griffiths Editorial Researchers Anna Davies Alasdair Gamble Wendy Russell Office Manager Advertising Administrator Tracy Chynoweth

W

hat a privilege it is to be able to include some legends of sporting achievement in this issue. Three time London Marathon winner and Woman’s Marathon World Record Holder Paula Radcliffe MBE is a

Brand Ambassador for Revive Active (see page 44) while on page 36 four-time Olympic champion Laura Kenny is working with Soreen on an initiative designed to encourage people, especially families, to get cycling. An endorsement from a sportsperson with credentials such as this must be worth its weight in gold!

(The team was also so thrilled to be sent a box of Soreen products. Some were newcomers to the delicious squidginess of malt loaf, but most of us were already devoted fans and were only too happy to indulge in both the traditional and the new flavours. Thanks, Soreen!)

Follow us at:

PS: Just a reminder that if you are featured in FoodChain, we can help you create a standalone brochure of your article, make it into a digital flip book that

@FoodChain_mag

Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. T: +44 (0)1603 274130 www.foodchainmagazine.com

is easy to email out via a link, or supply you with a high-res PDF - don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like more information.

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

© 2018 Schofield Publishing Ltd

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.

www.foodchainmagazine.com

1

Contents 14

22

4

8

18

Features Artificial intelligence Rise of the machines

4

Hotel sector Play fair

18

Food and beverage manufacturers must make proactive and agile decisions that leverage AI and the most powerful technologies available

With the arrival of new approaches to accommodation such as Airbnb, the hotel and hospitality sector faces serious competition

Cold chain Cool running

Packaging Problem solved

8

Cold is an important component of an agricultural handing system, helping reduce perishable food losses and increase storage potential

Water Liquid gold

12

By assessing each application where used, food processors can develop a deeper understanding of how water consumption can be optimised

Factory automation Future-proof

22

The benefits of the induction heat sealing method can now be enjoyed on glass containers for fat or oil rich products

News

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

Taste Test

10

17/21/25

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

14

Now is the time to harness automation, improve processes and ensure your business is fit for purpose for decades to come

25 2

www.foodchainmagazine.com

32

54

44

40 70 Profiles

Innovations & developments within some of the world’s finest companies

Bernard Matthews

26

With a new contract agreed, Bernard Matthews is heading into 2019 with renewed zeal

Ebrofrost

32

36

40

44

48

52

MHW Ltd is the foremost solutions partner for brands in the beer, wine and spirits industry

70

Malhotra Group

74

Silvery Tweed Cereals

78

Southern Co-op

82

With a trading history of nearly 1.5 decades, Southern Co-op has learned the need to adapt

54

Tavistock Restaurant Collection (TRC), is a family of upscale dining brands located throughout the United States

MHW Ltd

NewCold

Prominent cereal and seed ingredients supplier Silvery Tweed Cereals is always willing to drive the industry forward

Kuminiano Fruit holds leading global role in the business of cherry production for industrial consumption

Tavistock Restaurant Collection

67

The Grey Street scheme in Newcastle is considered the jewel in the crown of The Malhotra Group’s portfolio

The first second-generation McDonald’s franchisee in the UK, Kevin Foley maintains his father’s ethos of excellence

Kuminiano Fruit

Golden Krust

Cold storage and logistics specialist NewCold is bringing its innovative and modern business model to the US

Supplement manufacturer Revive Active has a strong track record for bringing new products to market

K Foley Ltd - McDonald’s

64

Owing to its historical expertise in baking, Golden Krust has become known for its traditional Jamaican patty

Founded on the basis of managing pet health problems, Burns Pet Nutrition is now a recognised name

Revive Active

Ellicottville Brewing Co. Craft brewer Ellicottville Brewing Co. is focused on progressive and sustainable development going forward

Soreen has transformed perceptions of the malt loaf, and it’s now regarded as a healthy snack

Burns Pet Nutrition

61

Ripple Foods, a producer of plant-based dairy products, has plans for further growth in the future

Manufacturer of cooked and frozen pasta, rice and cereals, Ebrofrost is a solutions provider

Soreen

Ripple Foods

Schokinag

85

Chocolate supplier Schokinag manufactures a full range of chocolates and chocolate couvertures, in various formats

58

Vergeer Holland

88

One of the Netherlands leading cheese maturers and sellers, Vergeer Holland is always looking for innovation

www.foodchainmagazine.com

3

Rise of the machines Mike Edgett looks at how AI is set to redefine food manufacturing in the coming years

Mike Edgett

4 www.foodchainmagazine.com

O

nce the preserve of science fiction, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has arrived. But while Hollywood’s dramatised interpretation of AI coming into our everyday home and working lives might be unsettling, thankfully real-world AI is not something to be feared.

The current state of AI technology Most industry pundits seem to agree that AI is going to have a major impact on businesses. In fact, Gartner predicts, “By 2020, the number of users of modern business intelligence and analytics platforms that are

Artificial intelligence

differentiated by augmented data discovery capabilities will grow at twice the rate — and deliver twice the business value — of those that are not.�

Such optimistic thinking is helping to drive the large-scale adoption of AI technologies. AI is being embedded

within many applications, from ERP solutions with built-in Business Intelligence capabilities, to Networked Supply Chains using Predictive Analytics. Consumers will start to experience the benefits of AI in many applications we have come to take for granted, such as e-commerce sites

www.foodchainmagazine.com 5

which recommend next purchases, or music streaming sites which suggest music for our playlists.

How AI is being applied in food and beverage manufacturing Facial recognition

‘

While many people associate this application with Facebook and its capability to ‘recognise’ people in images and tag them, it also has some real potential value in manufacturing. AI applications for recognising images can be used for security clearance to help companies better control access to their facilities. Additionally, the same type of technology that recognises when an unidentified individual is trying to enter your building can also recognise if a crisp does not have the perfect golden colour.

Error detection Banks have been using AI for years to determine when ‘atypical’ charges

6 www.foodchainmagazine.com

AI can streamline complex decisiontrees, apply data-based science and proceed with defined actions based on parameters learned from user input

are being made against your account, triggering a fraud alert. The same type of monitoring for anomalies can be used by manufacturers to flag orders or purchases which are outside of normal patterns and indicate a possible error. It can also be used to monitor for compliance with regulations, workforce safety and the safe handling of food, including the cross contamination of typical allergens, like peanuts. The ability to ‘intelligently monitor’ for potential liabilities means modern software can act as a watchdog and alert any abnormalities that we humans should investigate.

AI and IoT AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) work together to interpret data received from sensors and can recognise when action is needed. Sensors generate such vast amounts of data that it would be useless without the ability to aggregate, sort and identify the data points which are significant. Often, the system is asked to spot anomalies such as early warning signs that an asset may be failing or may require maintenance. AI is also used to determine the seriousness of the flagged data points — such as if a technician should be dispatched or the line should be shut down due to imminent danger to workers.

Personal Assistants for the workplace One of the most exciting applications of AI in manufacturing is the Personal Assistant, which uses Natural Language Processing to interact with the user, answer questions, perform functions

Artificial intelligence and provide recommendations based on data science. This means a foreman, technician, R&D technologist or quality control inspector can verbally inquire about relevant details — from batch ingredients, to inventory levels — without needing to type on a keyboard or handheld device.

Machine learning AI can streamline complex decisiontrees, apply data-based science and proceed with defined actions based on parameters learned from user input.

Laws of science, probability, and logic — specific to your industry — can be applied to predict outcomes, from buying trends, to pricing projections, to the availability of raw resources.

Humans create the rules and define parameters, including the company’s risk tolerance. Machines can ‘learn’ from experience what data points are considered acceptable and which are ‘out of bounds’ and need action.

More data helps to refine projected outcomes and improve the accuracy of forecasts.

Predictive analytics Using BI solutions with AI builtin, managers can see highly accurate forecasts of the future and evaluate clearly defined sets of recommendations to make wellinformed decisions based on scientific reasoning. AI technology recognises patterns, expands the knowledge base and discovers cause-and-effect relationships, using such insights to project the likely outcome or the next data point in the trend’s curve.

Automation Numerous routine or administrative tasks in a manufacturing plant can be automated, thanks to AI. Workflows can be established, which allow data points to trigger reactions, signal notices, create reports, flag instances for review, place re-orders, dispatch crews, reserve parts and update batch schedules or recipe formulations based on seasonal availability or the quality of ingredients — for example, the sweetness of fresh berries may mean less sugar should be added.

Obstacles to overcome The term AI can make workers cringe as they envision a future in which machines run themselves and robots methodically execute the activities needed without a human in sight.

It is true that in some industries the need for manual labour is reduced, but overall humans will still play an essential role in operations — and that will likely be the case for decades. In the current world of manufacturing, skilled workers are more important than ever.

False assumptions and fear of AI technology can get in the way of making improvements and hinder the move toward modern applications.

For instance, workers may assume that implementing new technology translates to reductions in headcount.

Technicians, engineers, logistics experts, and data scientists may — wrongfully — assume that a career in

manufacturing is short-term and soon to be replaced by technology. Such fears could deter the next generation of skilled workers from even considering jobs in the manufacturing sector.

According to a survey by Constellation Research, 80 per cent of organisations say they do not currently possess the human capital necessary to implement AI projects, while only 14 per cent of executives say that their current staff is sufficient. Moreover, 40 per cent of these executives reported that they will need to make significant talent acquisitions to support their AI projects.

What’s next?

IT professionals who are skilled in AI are in high demand and difficult to recruit. Some manufacturers are training or re-skilling existing workers to foster in-house AI expertise, while others are finding that turning to third party resources and software providers is the most practical way to acquire expertise. When a manufacturer deploys technology in the cloud, the host’s experts become, in effect, the manufacturer’s experts, continually updating the technology and providing both back-up and security.

Partnering with a technology provider is also a sound method to ensure the most current and effective uses of AI technology are adopted. Leveraging modern technologies, like AI, is critical to remaining relevant and competitive in today’s landscape. Analysing the past is no longer enough. Food and Beverage manufacturers must also envision the future with confidence, so they can make proactive and agile decisions that leverage AI and the most powerful technologies currently available. D Mike Edgett is Industry & Solution Strategy Director, Process Manufacturing at Infor. Infor builds business software for specific industries in the cloud.

With 16,500 employees and over 90,000 customers in more than 170 countries, Infor software is designed for progress. www.infor.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 7

Cool

running Kushal Nahata takes a look at the losses that can be incurred due to improper cold storage in supply chains 8 www.foodchainmagazine.com

T

he global cold chain market size is valued at $147.55 billion in 2018 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 per cent from 2018 to 2025.

Growing penetration of connected devices and automation of refrigerated

warehouses across the globe are anticipated to spur industry growth over the forecast period. The increased number of organised retail stores in the emerging economies are demanding more solutions for cold chain. Across the globe, products are stored and shipped at improper temperatures

‘

and are delivered past their shelf lives which leads to a humongous loss of billions of dollars.

Prevention of waste

It has been estimated that 30 per cent of global food production is wasted annually; food loss represents a significant challenge to closing the food gap for the global population.

In developing and middle income countries, food loss is often highest at the production and distribution level where the lack of infrastructure poses threats to safe food storage.

On top of warehousing and storage solutions there is a need for quality assurance and product protection services that mitigate spoilage. ‘Temperature True’ options for temperature-sensitive air and ocean freight, all with proactive monitoring and intervention services are one of the solutions to diminish wastage and losses incurred in the industry. The term ‘cold chain’ for uninterrupted refrigeration has given way to ‘temperature-controlled.’ Many products also react to humidity, light, vibration, and shocks.

A potential solution, or at least partial solution to reduce postharvest loss, is the introduction of a temperature-controlled supply chain.

A cold chain for perishable foods is the uninterrupted handling of the product within a low temperature environment during the postharvest steps of Kushal Nahata

Cold chain

The use of cold is not a cure-all or a one-size-fitsall proposition, but is an important component of an agricultural handling system or value chain in its entirety the value chain including harvest, collection, packing, processing, storage, transport and marketing until it reaches the final consumer. An integrated cold chain encompasses the management of the movement of perishable food products from the field, ranch or body of water through the entire postharvest chain to the final consumer. Cold chain logistics is the planning and management of the interactions and transitions between these five segments, in order to keep foods at their optimum temperature for maintenance of quality, food safety and prevention of waste and economic losses. Speed is often the key to success when handling and marketing perishable foods using a cold supply chain.

Synchronised storage The cold chain is a well-known method for reducing food losses and food waste, and has long been. The required infrastructure and investments in needed facilities, equipment and management skills, however, are generally lacking in developing

countries. There has been reasonable growth in cold chain infrastructure in Morocco, Egypt, and lately in Libya, but in all developing countries there is still major room for growth and much great efforts to improve capacity training to form better technicians and to improve applications. Hence, logistics play a key role in synchronising the cold storage in supply chain processes across the world. Proper utilisation of technology and SaaS platforms can reduce food wastage to huge extents.

Startups across the globe are coming up with Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning enabled technology that can solve the issue of food storage during the transportation process. Also, Internet of Things (IoT) is modifying the efficiency of long distance perishable and food supply chains.

The use of cold is not a cure-all or a one-size-fits-all proposition, but is an important component of an agricultural handling system or value chain in its entirety. Each type of fresh produce and/or food product has a specific and limited storage potential related to its physiological nature and lowest safe storage temperature, and the use of the cold chain can help reach this potential and reduce perishable food losses. D

Kushal Nahata is CEO & CoFounder at FarEye, a global predictive logistics platform enabling predictability & real-time visibility of goods movements.

FarEye is constantly bringing innovations to market with products like elastic logistics, food logistics, delivery happiness score and powerful analytics module et al.

FarEye platform has the capability to rapidly create custom logistics/ supply chain processes for the business, that are secure and scalable and can be integrated seamlessly with existing hardwares or softwares. To help organisations go-to-market faster, FarEye platform automates your business processes, deliver benefits of mobility and more. www.getfareye.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 9

IndustryNews London treasure

Wonderfully wonky

Michelin-starred Imperial Treasure Group is

As part of its commitment to prevent

making its UK and European debut when it opens

unnecessary food waste, Sodexo, the world’s

on London’s Waterloo Place this November in

largest services company, has launched its

a Grade II listed building, in the heart of the St

own wonky veg initiative, known as Wasteful to

James’s conservation area.

Tasteful, to help reduce the volume of Grade B

On the menu will be high-end authentic Chinese

fruit and vegetables being thrown away or left

specialities, fresh seasonal ingredients, responsibly

to rot. Grade B produce is vegetables which

sourced fish and live seafood. Expect dishes such

do not meet the necessary requirements in

as Imperial Treasure’s signature Peking Duck and

look and size for retailers.

a dedicated dim sum menu, while the cocktail bar

Sodexo has joined forces with Waste Knot,

will offer a list of Asian-inspired creations alongside

an organisation committed to connecting

sake, champagne and a rare whisky collection.

businesses with surplus food and Ferryfast,

The 140-cover, 8500 sq ft interior by leading

a co-operative of farmers in Worcestershire,

French designers, Liaigre, features a colour palette

to introduce boxes of rescued fruit and

of smoke grey, onyx and bronze across the main

vegetables, delivered in recycled banana

dining room, bar area and three private dining

boxes to Sodexo’s catering teams across the

rooms to create an elegant, contemporary and

country. 112 sites in its corporate services,

sultry dining environment.

universities, state schools, energy & resources

www.imperialtreasure.com

and government services business areas are all receiving the weekly vegetable boxes and monthly fruit boxes.

Catrin Thorndike, category & sustainable

that our top chefs can create delicious

procurement manager for Sodexo UK &

and inspiring dishes using wonky veg then

Ireland said: “We are extremely excited to be

hopefully it will help encourage our customers

able to use these vegetables which, apart from

to do the same at home.”

their look and size, still retain their nutritional

The implementation of Wasteful to Tasteful

value and delicious taste. The produce is

also builds on Sodexo’s commitment to offer

perfect for use in a range of dishes including

all consumers healthier lifestyle options by

soups, stews and puddings as it really doesn’t

creating more plant-forward and plant-based

matter what they look like before they are

meals.

prepared and cooked. If we can demonstrate

www.uk.sodexo.com/home

Double award win No 29 Power Station West has won in

the bar. A bespoke and dynamic Crittall

Chiswick Fire Station (Chiswick), but its first

the ‘Best Overall UK Bar’ and ‘Best Pub’

shopfront claims the space and handcrafted,

win for ‘Best Overall UK Bar’.

categories in this year’s Restaurant & Bar

bespoke Bert & May tiles run throughout the

Design Awards, a prestigious, globally-

downstairs River Bar.

recognised competition commending

Soft furnishings of leathers, velvets and

Darwin & Wallace was established in 2012

by Mel Marriott with a modern vision of the 21st Century pub - local, independent,

and celebrating the best in design and

linens fill the space, referencing the glamour

indicative of the local area, innovative in

architecture for food and drink serving

of the 1920s period. Blue hues and off-whites

design, open all day and serving great food

spaces, from airports to museums to

lick every corner and faded pinks compliment

and drink.

restaurants

the bespoke encaustic tiles and wood

www.no29powerstationwest.co.uk

Situated between the iconic Battersea

finishes. Lou Davies of Box 9, the Architect

Power Station and Battersea Park, No

and Designer for the space, created a delicate

29 Power Station West has a stripped

and seamless environment with subtle nods

back utilitarian feel that rings true to the

to Battersea’s industrial history, giving the bar

power stations’ industrial heritage and also

an undeniable charisma.

references the style of the era which was

No 29 Power Station West is part of the

flamboyant and elegant. With inspiration

Darwin and Wallace collection and represents

drawn from both local and worldwide

the third win for the collection in the ‘Best

influences, over 100 pieces of hand-picked

Pub’ category, previously awarded to No1a

and crafted furniture, tiles and artwork fill

Duke Street (Richmond) and No 197

10 www.foodchainmagazine.com

IndustryNews Dreamy desserts

Fruity solution

Taking its inspiration from the forbidden

three unique flavours with a single alcohol

Third generation Essex-farmer and fruit-

boozy hideaways of the prohibition era,

at the centrepiece of each – Bathtub Gin,

grower, Pete Thompson is determined

and creating a strong association with

Rumbullion! Spiced Rum, and Cherry

to create a more sustainable way of

discovering alcohol in unexpected places,

Brandy.

farming, finding new uses for the apples,

family-run business Speakeasy Ice Cream

For the Ramos Gin variant, Speakeasy

pears, apricots and plums grown on his

is adding something new to the desserts

nods at the legendary Ramos Gin Fizz,

Essex farm, but which haven’t made the

category by combining delicious and

coupling intense citrus flavours with

grade required by retailers.

indulgent creamy ice cream with top craft

Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin to create a truly

As a result, he has launched

alcohol brands to create alcohol-infused

distinctive ice cream, with a rich, creamy

Reliquum London Dry Gin, which

ice creams.

texture and a light and refreshing taste.

uses an eau de vie made from apples

The Speakeasy journey began with craft spirit and liqueur brand Ableforth’s and

The Spiced Rum option has Ableforth’s

grown in the farm’s orchards which

Rumbullion! at its core, which blends the

would otherwise go to waste. Botanicals

finest Caribbean rum, creamy Madagascan

include Calamondin, an unusual citrus

vanilla, a generous helping of zesty orange

fruit that is also grown on the farm.

peel and a handful of cinnamon, cloves and

The result is an exceptionally smooth

a hint of cardamom. The inspired pairing

citrusy gin and mellowed with the floral

of this excellent rum with rich and creamy

sweetness of apple which is made in

Speakeasy ice cream has resulted in an

partnership with Master Distiller, Dr

original and unique flavour combination.

John Walters from the English Spirit

Finally, the Cherry Brandy version uses Ableforth’s rich and spicy Cherry Brandy, to create an exceptional ice cream that is big on flavour.

As well as an indulgence for the home,

Distillery. The name Reliquum comes from Latin and means ‘all that remains’.

Two other spirits join the Reliquum range: Reliquum Plum, a sophisticated spirit of London Dry Gin blended with

Speakeasy Alcoholic Ice Cream offers a

Lizzie plums to produce a bright sharp

perfect solution to gift-finding woes, perfect

spirit with an almond after-taste; and

for dinner party hosts or foodie friends.

Reliquum Apricot which blends London

www.speakeasyicecreams.com

Dry with tree-ripened apricots for a smooth taste with the distinct aroma of ripe apricots.

Reliquum founder, Pete Thompson

Bright idea

says: “We are very proud of this London

Culina Group, the market-leading

Dry Gin, but it is only the first step in

food & drink warehousing,

our journey towards creating a genuine

distribution and transport

single estate gin, using ingredients

specialists, are specifying

entirely sourced from the fields and

Labcraft’s Banksman system to

orchards of our farm, here in Great

improve visibility and maintain

Oakley on the north-eastern tip of

safety during night time vehicle

coastal Essex.”

operations.

www.reliquum.uk

From a national network of approximately 60 depots, Culina Group operates over 1000 vehicles, including around 2000 trailers and delivers annually to over

the vehicle sides onto the surrounding area

4500 destinations. “Much of this work is

and illuminates the area where traditional

carried out during the hours of darkness,”

reversing lights cannot cover. Positioned

explains Group Fleet Manager, Mark

in two places on each side of the chassis,

Matkin, “and of course, this is when we

the system comes on automatically when

need to be especially vigilant as vehicles

reverse gear is engaged.

are manoeuvring in confined areas, such as forecourts and loading bays.”

To assist in this regard, the Labcraft

“This not only improves personnel safety,” adds Mark, “but also helps to reduce minor collisions and the costs associated with

Banksman uses high-intensity LEDs to

vehicle downtime and repairs.”

project a white light at a specified angle from

www.labcraft.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 11

Liquid gold

Gary Sewell identifies three ways to make water the strongest link in your food chain 12 www.foodchainmagazine.com

K

eeping operational costs in check is an ongoing battle for food businesses, yet many fail to realise the untapped potential of water. Through investment in the right water treatment technologies, food processors can significantly reduce

water consumption which can impact hugely on their utility bills.

Smart gas and electric metering have become run of the mill, but the smarter use of water is not yet common currency. Not only can water optimisation reduce expenditure it

Water can also have a positive impact of a business’ carbon footprint too.

Water treatment technology can be applied to reduce both influent and effluent water consumption, providing businesses with a reduction in cost per kilogram of product, thereby offering a strong competitive advantage.

For businesses obliged to meet greener standards from customers, governments or trade associations, it brings the peace of mind that those standards can be more easily met.

By assessing each application in which water is used, food processors can develop a deeper understanding of where, why and how their water consumption can be optimised, ultimately making their dependence on water friendlier to both the environment and the bottom line.

1. Source your own water Sourcing water from the local water authority, businesses are permitted to purchase a limited quantity of water within a specified time frame. Often this is extremely difficult to comply with and various methods of water storage are required to buffer the situation, yet these aren’t often effective enough. If the operations that rely on that influent water are not completed within the given time frame and water capacities become depleted, it must be sourced elsewhere.

For many businesses, borehole water is the best solution and probably the cheapest option. However, water treatment is essential to ensure it is compliant with water regulations and fit for purpose, especially if it is to be used as part of the process or product. The filtration and disinfection of borehole water can be completed efficiently with chlorine dioxide generation systems and the correct pre-treatment. Some processes may also require reverse osmosis or re-mineralisation depending on the application.

To make the process of sourcing and treating borehole water cost effective compared to additional pre-treated water from the local water provider, the right technologies must be applied. All too quickly, the costs of implementation

and treatment can add up, but an experienced water technology provider with the right expertise can ensure that a cost-saving solution is tailored to the business’ unique requirements.

2. Assess current processes Once influent water is of usable quality, its intended usage must be analysed. Common food manufacturing processes such as steam cooking and steam boiling require processed water to be treated to a quality that avoids scaling within the industrial and process equipment, reducing the costly requirement to clean, service, repair or replace equipment, while meeting hygiene standards.

It is then important to look at the amount of energy required to create the steam. Through analysis of a typical water treatment and pretreatment programme, the cycles of concentration in each boiler can be optimised to reduce the amount of water required to maintain a constant steam load. This is achieved by integrating a turnkey pre-treatment plant designed specifically to reduce the amount of water having to be blown down the drain to prevent deposition. This removes the requirement to replace the water that has been blown down the drain and can save in excess of five per cent of energy expenditure. This also reduces the amount of waste water, helping businesses achieve a direct reduction in energy usage and a reduction in the total cost of operation.

Cooling towers are another common area where measurable savings can be achieved. The quality of makeup water can be optimised through treatment, but the system must also be analysed for losses and leaks.

Within the Food and Beverage industry, losses and leaks are rarely managed for optimisation and can often result in as much as a 33 per cent water saving.

The fans and recirculation pumps used to cool the water within the towers can also be replaced with more energy efficient solutions that allow

water to be recirculated at a desired rate rather than a constant which is typically the norm and often results in water returning and overflowing the cooling tower base holding tanks.

As part of water saving optimisation, systems have been developed to capture and re-use a portion of the bleed water from cooling tower systems which further improves their operational efficiency.

3. Seek support from water treatment experts Selecting the correct water technology provider to apply the most suitable solutions is critical to achieving the goal of reduced water consumption.

The right provider will be able to highlight key areas in which savings can be achieved such as energy, chemicals and equipment, otherwise it cannot deliver true ROI. The service provided must be tailored to each unique business case in order to guarantee that the water treatment solutions are both economical and effective. After sales care is equally as important and regular service visits will ensure that water consumption not only remains cost effective, but can be further optimised in response to future developments.

By implementing the correct water treatment technology, it is clear that operational costs can be reduced by optimising both influent and effluent water across food processing. D

Gary Sewell is General Manager at Clearwater Technology, a leading provider of water treatment and water and air hygiene solutions, servicing major brands across the UK with the widest national coverage of any provider in its industry.

Clearwater works with its clients to improve their businesses operating and production efficiencies, helping to reduce their total cost of operation and delivering an enhanced competitive advantage. www.clearwater.eu.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 13

Future-proof Factory automation offers a bright future for the food and drink industry. Mark Cook explains how automation will help the sector survive market disruption from labour and legislation, and unlock £56bn in the next decade

T

he UK food and drink industry is one of the largest manufacturing sectors, worth over £1bn and employing more than 400,000 people.

However, despite the industry’s scale and ongoing demand for its goods, there are significant challenges on the horizon. With Brexit looming in May 2019, many issues around legislation and labour are set to intensify.

14 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Out of time Workforce is a constant challenge for the industry and, in the coming years, it’s predicted that there will be a chronic shortage of labour available in food processing. As an industry heavily reliant on non-UK nationals, with many European migrant workers undertaking factory and production line work, Brexit threatens to further impact the shortfall. Without the free movement

Factory automation businesses need to ensure they can continue production.

Likewise, as the UK faces an uncertain future, and efficiency savings continue across the board, there is a huge opportunity within the food and drink industry for automation to alleviate some of these pressures.

Automatic for the people

of labour, it’s estimated that quarter of the current workforce in the UK could be lost.

With the majority of food standard legislation set by the European Union, UK food manufacturers are also bracing themselves for further Brexit-induced regulatory changes. The sector already faces some of the most extreme manufacturing and quality control regulations in industry, and as

Britain exits the EU, new legislation could come into effect, forcing businesses to update their business models and policies.

In addition, there is a constant drive for efficiency, with many businesses facing increasing pressure to deliver products in a faster and cheaper manner to remain competitive. If the labour pool does dry up or become prohibitively expensive, food and drink

Automation is transforming many of the world’s key industries, making everyday production tasks more efficient than ever. With research revealing that the UK food and drink sector could unlock £56bn in value over the next decade by maximising digital technologies and robotics, it’s no surprise that many larger businesses have already invested in automation to replace manual or legacy production systems.

Automating factory processes brings greater accuracy, improves productivity and minimises production costs. It also provides an effective solution to a shrinking manual labour workforce.

It’s not a case of robotics replacing humans. It’s about the two working in harmony to create better, more efficient processes.

Automation can also help a food and drink manufacturer to have end-to-end traceability, keeping track of a product and monitoring its quality from farm to factory to fork. Through automation, and the data that comes with it, manufacturers can detect any issues much earlier in the supply chain.

When it comes to choosing an automation partner, food and drink manufacturers need to consider the wider benefits, rather than just the initial investment cost. Many providers will offer a cheap off-the-shelf solution, but it’s unlikely to go the distance.

Making long-term efficiencies the priority, businesses should invest in precision engineered, bespoke automation solutions that are specifically built to address their individual needs. Differentiating partners is set to become easier, as the sector’s leading British Automation and Robot Association has launched an accreditation scheme which will recognise suppliers that meet the highest standards.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 15

Factory automation

Case study: bakery primary and secondary packaging One success story that showcases the benefits automation brings to FMCG companies is in primary and secondary packaging for baked goods.

A bakery sector client tasked our engineering team to create a packaging solution that would handle a demanding workload quickly and efficiently. The solution that was designed comprised a high-speed pick and place system and a third-party flow-wrapping machine, which accommodated hundreds of products on a packing line ready for sorting, quality control and primary packing.

Once the products arrive from the upstream production area, the system separates the goods into product streams and uses 3D scanning technology to run a quality control process across each product. Any rejected items are returned to an inspection point at the end of the belt.

The pick and place robots collate and

16 www.foodchainmagazine.com

and efficiency, with tool-free machine adjustment included. The two-axis robot loads each layer of product into preerected cases before each one is moved to closing system and shut securely.

Accelerate

stack the correct number of products on the infeed of the flow-wrapping machine at an output speed of 100ppm, ready for primary packaging.

Further downstream solutions are also possible for secondary and transit packaging. An example of this is a bespoke case packing system designed for the same client, consisting of a heavy duty two-axis robot and a custom vacuum gripper tool. These manage, group and collate high volumes of primary packed product with speed

Introducing automation can be a daunting prospect, with many businesses wary of the initial investment and changes to their production process. However, with the future looking uncertain for the manufacturing industry, now is the time to harness automation, improve processes and ensure your business is fit for purpose for decades to come. D Mark Cook is managing director of Sewtec. The company designs and manufactures factory automation systems for global blue-chip clients in the food and beverage industry. Its clients include NestlĂŠ, Twinings and Unilever. www.sewtec.co.uk

TasteTest

Let us eat cake!

Long drinks Using handmade tonics, sodas and seltzers that are combined with craft spirits, The Longflint Drinks Co., is pioneering a new style of ‘long drink,’ in the UK. Founded in east London, cofounder James Law explains that their approach is actually simple: “We hand make a range of tonics, seltzers and sodas before matching them with gin, rum, vodka or mezcal from our favourite craft spirits producers.”

Flavours in the range include A Winter Spiced Pear, Vodka Tonic, Ginger & Rum Fuego, Hibiscus Gin Tonic, Grapefruit, Sour Cherry & Mezcal Paloma, Negroni Sbagliato, Rhubarb & Vodka Seltzer and

this was an ideal thirst quencher when poured over lots of ice. The hibiscus made it very sweet and it had hints of botanical notes, which is a winner for me with gin. I found the flavour reminiscent of angostura bitters which I love!”

Rose Hip & Gin Fizz. www. longflint.com

Our team tried a few flavours of Longflint, with the Hibiscus Gin Tonic a firm favourite: “Enjoyed on a hot day,

Well bred Vegbred, a first of its kind bread made with fresh sweet potato, has launched in the UK, offering a long-anticipated lower carb and high protein alternative kitchen staple for everyone. Made with 100 per cent natural ingredients, this new-tomarket bread uses only plant-based flours, making it naturally gluten free, veg-packed and nutritious.

Currently available nationwide through the Vegbred.com subscription service; the team at Vegbred plan to ensure that every region of the UK will get access to their seeded sweet potato bread through

retail stores within the next 18 months.

The versatile loaf is also perfect for those who are environmentally conscious, as not only do the strictly plant-based ingredients make Vegbred completely free from animal products, but the surplus peel from the ethically sourced sweet potato also helps fuel its production, running on green energy produced from the leftovers. www.vegbred.com

Vegbred recommend toasting the product and our tester agreed this was the best approach: “I really enjoyed this! I found it at its best topped with some mushrooms sautéed in garlic and butter with a sprinkle of rocket, and I also had it with some smashed avocado and scrambled egg. The fact it was gluten free was amazing too as it was very easily digestible. Definitely a fan!”

Known for producing and supplying cupcakes to the major multiple retailers and discounters in the UK, The Cake Crew is extending its offering to reach even more consumers than ever before. The Cake Crew’s Beautifully Crafted Twin Pack Chocolate, Salted Caramel and Red Velvet varieties; Mini Fruit Platter and Mini Chocolate Platter is now available at Ocado, reaching customers nationwide. The Cake Crew has also launched a Luxury platter into Costco stores nationwide marking its second national listing. The handfinished cupcakes consist of 12 mini cupcakes in three indulgent flavour combinations; Raspberry Champagne Truffle, Chocolate Truffle and Sea Salted Caramel. www.thecakecrew.co.uk

“The quality of these cupcakes really stood out – the light sponge had just the right amount of filling in the centre, in either jam, caramel or chocolate sauce. The smooth frosting was generous, and I was impressed with the final touches too! I liked that while they were indulgent, they were also made with natural ingredients and no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. I particularly liked the strawberry variant; it was the perfect size, it had moist sponge, a delightful amount of jam in the middle, and smooth and sweet icing on top - it really made my taste buds tingle!”

www.foodchainmagazine.com 17

Play fair Digital technology is affecting almost every industry – in the hotel and hospitality sector, businesses now have to compete with a variety of new approaches to accommodation, creating an uneven playing field. By Kate Nicholls 18 www.foodchainmagazine.com

P

erhaps the most significant driver of change for the travel and tourism industries has come, as it has for numerous sectors, via the digital revolution. For hotels and other accommodation providers, much of this change has come through the rise of both the sharing economy and Online Travel Agents (OTAs). It may easily be regarded as a boon for customers, but

in practice it often increases the prices.

For hotels, the dramatic change has arguably been much less than positive.

Those seeking a hotel online almost always end up booking through an OTA. They have become so ubiquitous that some customers may not even entertain the notion of booking a holiday without using one. Although these platforms exist to connect customers to accommodation providers - and

Hotel sector

customers rely on them thinking they will get the best deal - in reality, they also exist to make money for themselves and the way in which they have done so has, at times, been counterproductive. The lack of competition in the market means that all the power sits with the OTAs. Parity clauses - clauses which prevent hotels from charging lower prices on their own websites than those listed on the OTA -

have damaged competition to such an extent that they have been outlawed in some countries. Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium and Sweden have taken action on parity clauses and we are calling for similar action in the UK. We have made the point in Brussels with other European hospitality bodies and MEPs and will continue to push the case at home. It’s worth mentioning that OTAs can take up to almost 20 per cent of the price of a booking and this cost is never perceived by the customer.

On the other hand, the rise of the sharing economy and the popularity of businesses such as AirBnB throws up even more issues. This has arguably been the most dramatic development in the accommodation sector. Customers are now spoilt for choice but are perhaps unaware of the complexities and potential hazards of home sharing. The rise of such platforms has had a dramatic impact on what we might call ‘traditional’ accommodation providers.

Currently, sharing economy platforms operate at an unfair advantage that undermines hospitality businesses and they are feeling the effect. The principal problem is that, most rules and regulations don’t apply to home sharing; customer rights, business rates and taxation to name a few.

And, where there is regulation, it is unenforceable. Currently there is very

little in the way of an effective method to ensuring that outlets listed on homesharing platforms play by the rules. The tax and employment contribution from home sharing is also negligible. Home sharing is arguably a hidden economy due to the lack of data.

Relaxed health and safety rules put customers at risk. If you book a room or a house through a home-sharing platform, can you, as a guest, be sure that the required fire-safety certificates are in place? There is a degree of transparency with customers able to use publicly viewable feedback, but there can also be a lack of support, particularly if there are last-minute cancellations by hosts. In jurisdictions such as Barcelona and San Francisco, registration systems have been developed to level the playing field, and the legislation appears to have been successful.

Transparency is crucial for a productive relationship between businesses and customers but, too often, there is a lack of clarity regarding the operation of homes listed on platforms.

For instance, the lack of information regarding where these properties are, and who is letting them, means that enforcement of existing legislation is almost impossible. In many cases properties are subject to the regulations applied to hotels, bed and breakfasts, serviced apartments and other

www.foodchainmagazine.com 19

Hotel sector

accommodation providers, but are able to avoid compliance. Effectively, businesses are able to purchase huge numbers of properties and list them on home-sharing sites all year long, creating what can be called ‘pseudohotels’. In London, there is a limit of 90 days where a property can be rented out without requiring planning permission (Deregulation Act 2015), however, without knowing who the host is and where is the property, how can this be enforced? There is a new form of investment now with landlords withdrawing properties from the longterm market to offer them on home sharing websites. Consequently,the housing shortage is being aggravated.

There is also a moral argument to consider: with affordable housing in short supply in many UK cities, should wealthy property owners be able to deny people the chance to own a home by renting much of the available space on a short-term basis?

The identity of some municipalities have changed drastically, with local residents being replaced by short-let guests. Amsterdam and Barcelona are

20 www.foodchainmagazine.com

known examples of where over tourism and gentrification can be easily linked to the grown of home sharing.

Conversely, traditional hospitality businesses comply with all regulations and pay significantly via taxes and business rates. The digital era should improve the services from all providers but what’s happening is that traditional businesses are being killed by an invisible economy at the expense of customer safety and loss of taxation.

The hospitality sector is not suggesting that digital operators be eliminated or that customer choice be stifled, only that businesses operate on a level playing field to ensure fairness for competitors and customers - that regulations are clear and enforceable.

A fundamental problem is that our current tax system was designed when the majority of business was done in the ‘old-fashioned’ way before the rise of online businesses. Existing legislation has essentially been devised for a pre-digital era and is almost totally unfit for purpose, shouldering hospitality businesses with an unfair burden.

The Government must catch up with

the fast-changing digital environment.

Changes to ensure digital businesses pay their fair share will go a long way to ensuring the level playing field we need and that will allow hospitality businesses to flourish and keep the convenience that customers crave. UKHospitality has been in Brussels talking to MEPs and other representatives from the sector across Europe to formalise plans and make the case for our businesses. D

Kate Nicholls is Chief Executive of UKHospitality, the new trade body representing the UK’s hospitality sector, established following a merger approved in February 2018 between the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) and the British Hospitality Association (BHA).

UKHospitality is the authoritative voice for over 700 companies, operating around 65,000 venues in a sector that employs 3.2 million people. www.ukhospitality.org.uk

TasteTest

Totally mint

Cult condiment The team behind popular London food truck The Roadery are shaking up the condiment market with their latest product Wilderbee Urban Chilli Honey.

Born from their London food truck back in 2014, Co-founders Dan and Hayley Shearman saw a gap in the market for a hot sauce that complimented both sweet and savoury dishes. They combined raw urban honey sourced from local, independent London beekeepers with British grown chillies for a sweet, spicy kick.

Co-founder and chef Dan Shearman says: “As demand grew for our chilli honey with our food truck regulars, it was high time we bottled it for the masses, so we parked the wheels for a while to set up The WilderKitchen, focusing on natural condiments handmade in London. Our ethos is to use pure, unprocessed ingredients with only natural

Fudge heaven The skilled team at Buttermilk has created five indulgent ‘slice and serve’ fudge flavours inspired by desserts: Salted Caramel, Lemon Pudding, Fudge Brownie, Pecan Pie and Strawberries & Cream.

A family-run business, born and bred in Cornwall, a love for everything sweet has been inspiring Buttermilk’s artisan confectionery for over half a century.

Their story began in 1964 with the opening of their first shop in Padstow, and although demand for their fudge has grown and grown, their award-winning treats are still lovingly handmade by craft confectioners. Staying true to their heritage, Buttermilk still uses traditional copper pans over open flames, carefully blending ingredients to create indulgent, award-winning treats. www.buttermilk.co.uk

This new range really highlights Buttermilk’s skill at creating perfectly balanced flavour combinations. “I wasn’t sure how Lemon Pudding fudge was going to work but the subtle sharpness of the lemon and the sugary hit of the fudge was a marriage made in heaven,” said our tester. “The Strawberries & Cream

additives. Our honey is straight from the hive and infused in such a way that it retains its raw properties making for a floral, spicy honey that is fantastic on so many dishes.” www.wilderkitchenlondon.com

“I found this product really interesting – like an upmarket sweet chilli sauce, and yet different!” said our tester.

“Much more sophisticated than supermarket sweet chilli sauce, the honey adds a lovely sweetness before the chilli kicks in and it does pack a punch. I drizzled it on a variety of different options, and it enhanced them all, from a humble chicken burger, to dipping spring rolls. I even put it on ice cream for a real taste bud sensation!”

again had that hint of fruit that didn’t overpower the fudgy heaven but instead enhanced it.”

“Fudge brownie - what’s not to like!” added our second reviewer. “This had a layer of excellent quality chocolate on top, and conveyed the brownie flavour really well. I also loved the Pecan Pie as the pecans on top added another texture and I could taste the essence of pecan pie all the way through. The Salted Caramel variety had that contrasting flavour profile we’ve all come to love – it’s impossible to pick a favourite from this fantastic line-up!”

Fox’s Glacier, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2018, has introduced its first new mint product since Eric Fox introduced the iconic Glacier Mint in 1918. Made with natural mint oils, the Fox’s Glacier Spearmints (200g) offer a milder, sweeter flavour profile than the classic Fox’s Glacier Mint, but still provide the same great quality and freshness you’d expect. In addition, the packaging will carry the special 100th anniversary banner, highlighting the brand’s heritage.

Andrew Ovens, marketing manager at Big Bear Confectionery said: “We’ve been working hard on our NPD and are excited to be launching our first new mint since Eric Fox was at the helm. 2018 is set to be a big year for iconic brand Fox’s Glacier.” www.bigbearuk.com/brands/ foxs/

The Glacier mints sent a wave of delicious nostalgia through the Taste Test team and they were excited to try the new spearmint variety. “I love traditional Glacier mints and I love spearmint so these seem total perfection to me!” said one tester. “I find these are great for the car as individually wrapped so no mess or stickiness, and I loved having a stash on my desk for a quick minty pick me up during the day. The spearmint flavour is fresh and clean, and just strong enough without being overpowering. I will definitely buy these again.”

www.foodchainmagazine.com 21

Problem solved

22 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Packaging Darren Dodd explains how new technology has overcome the difficulties involved in induction heat sealing of glass containers for fatty foodstuffs

C

onsumer demand for total confidence in the sealing of food and drink containers is growing. As well as containing the product and maintaining its freshness, seals now need to give clear visual evidence of any tampering.

With the advent of induction heat sealing, otherwise known as induction cap sealing, customers enjoy peace of mind. This non-contact technique quickly and economically applies a hermetic seal, and is ideal for fastmoving production lines. The aluminium foil seal liner prevents leaks, keeps air and bacteria out, and confirms that the contents are untouched.

The trouble with glass While induction heat sealing is widely used for plastic containers, it is not so easy to create a good seal on glass. The first problem is that glass is a difficult substrate for adhesion. It becomes even harder if the product contained is high in fats or oils, which can penetrate and degrade adhesive bonds.

For those foodstuffs, glass bottles and jars are still preferred to plastic.

Glass is relatively inert, so foods are never tainted, while its superior impermeability to gas ensures a longer shelf life. It is also perceived as being easier to recycle.

Given this preference, and the susceptibility of induction heat seals to weakening by fat or oil, most manufacturers opt for steam-applied metal caps instead. However, these are more expensive, and for anyone with limited grip strength they are impossible to open by hand.

To bring the cost-saving, easyopening and tamper-evident benefits of induction heat sealing to glass containers for fat-rich or oil-rich products, stronger and more oilresistant adhesion is needed. At the same time, to comply with FCM regulation EC 10/2011, the seal’s layered composition must be free from petroleum-based or synthetic hydrocarbon-derived waxes.

In addition, there is a requirement for seals to be easily removable, leaving no residue, to enable recycling. The good news is that induction heat seals meeting these needs are now available, although not all manufacturers’ products comply fully.

How induction heat sealing works Before going into specifics on the new technology for glass and oily foods, it would be worth briefly outlining the

general principles of induction heat sealing.

It uses highly engineered liner assemblies incorporating several layers.

Prior to capping, the liner is positioned inside the ‘closure’ – the cap or lid.

The seal itself consists of an aluminium foil layer laminated to an appropriate material for bonding with the container’s substrate.

On the packaging line, the closure is screwed onto the neck of the container and then passed within the field of an electromagnetic coil. This generates an induction current which heats up the aluminium. As the heated seal cools, it adheres to the rim of the container. Tight seals produced in this way cannot be broken without leaving obvious evidence of tampering.

For products which need to be resealed after opening, a two-piece seal assembly is used. The additional part, often made from pulp board, adheres to the inside of the closure. A coating of wax or polyolefin normally holds the two pieces together before capping, and this melts away when heated, during sealing, so they can separate.

After opening, the soft material stuck to the inside of the closure forms an effective second seal when the cap is re-tightened.

Specific adaptations In the latest development, to solve fat and glass issues, aluminium foil is

www.foodchainmagazine.com 23

Packaging

coated with a heat seal polymer layer instead of wax. White folding box board is used for the backing material.

The closure’s structure includes a retention bead – a ridge running around its internal perimeter – which holds the seal assembly in place. Bead and liner dimensions are crucial, as the liner must be retained but allowed to rotate freely.

Consumers hear a reassuring ‘crack’ when they twist off the closure, as the liner materials separate. They then see the attractive foil liner, tightly stretched over the container’s neck. A secondary resealing liner or wad remains in the closure to maintain the product’s integrity and avoid contamination.

A question of balance As in any induction heat sealing application, successful bonding depends on using compatible materials and finding the right balance between pressure, heat and time.

The capping machine’s torque heads, delivering a rotational force to screw the closure into place, should be

24 www.foodchainmagazine.com

checked at least once per production.

Correct pressure must be applied evenly to the entire rim. If it is too low, there will be insufficient contact for bonding. Excessive torque may cause uneven pressure by damaging the screw threads. Inconsistency in pressure distribution may also result from poor matching of threads in the container and closure, or from defects, irregularities and high or low spots in the rim surface.

Achieving sufficient heat for effective bonding depends on carefully specifying the size and power level of the induction seal equipment. Since it is impractical to measure temperatures or temperature rise profiles at the seal interface, the best approach is to run trials of different systems, liners, sealers and power settings under production conditions.

Temperature and timing are firmly linked. The closure needs to be under the induction coil long enough for the sealing surface to melt and bond with the rim. Variables affecting this include conveyor line speed, container size, liner design and whether the product is filled

hot or cold. Cooling time is important too, as full bond strength is not reached until it is cool. Rough handling during this critical stage may cause seal displacement.

Ask for advice With so many factors to consider, you should seek expert help. Induction equipment and lining material suppliers will be happy to advise and to co-operate in trials, ensuring the optimum set-up for your operation. D

Darren Dodd is Marketing and Service Director for Selig, a specialist manufacturer of tamperevident and easy-open cap and closure lining materials. Selig’s latest aluminium foil and heat seal combination products for glass containers and fatty foodstuffs are fully compliant with the relevant EU legislation. www.seligsealing.com

TasteTest Kitchen essential Brabantia’s stylish 1.3 litre plastic storage jars help to combat food waste, as they not only keep food fresh for longer but their integral measuring cup helps ensure portion size. What’s more - for every storage jar sold, a donation is made to The Hunger Project. This global, non-profit organisation is committed to end world hunger by 2030 through training and investing in people in rural villages in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Each new storage jar supports the training of one person.

Available in Clear, Mint, Clay Pink and Dark Grey, the simple lines of the jars’ carafe design make them easy

Get active! to hold and they pour smoothly. The measuring cup, which includes portion per person details, then doubles as a tight-closing lid. www.brabantia.com

“I absolutely love this Brabantia jar, and find it perfect for rice, cous cous and pasta – anything that’s likely to spill when opened and needs measuring out really! The measuring cup lid is a genius idea and I love how detailed the descriptions are. The lid fits tightly keeping everything fresh but is still easy to remove. And the ten-year guarantee highlights the quality. A really good, solid addition to my kitchen.”

Get your oats Naturally sweet, vegan, dairy and gluten free, the Great British Porridge Co’s range of delicious, 100 per cent natural instant porridges are high in protein and fibre and full of natural goodness. Containing no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, and crammed with the best, ethically-sourced fruit, nuts and seeds, as well as British wholegrain oats, these naturally-delicious porridges come in three nutritious flavours: Goji Berry & Pumpkin Seed, Blueberry & Banana and Strawberry & Peanut Butter.

Made in small batches near the sea in Sussex, The Great British Porridge Co. is aiming to revitalise the porridge category, offering something that’s naturally sweet and full of wholesome, real ingredients; perfect for today’s health-conscious but time-poor consumers.

www.thegreatbritishporridgeco.co.uk

The ease of making the instant porridges was an immediate hit with the test team – ready in 60 seconds! The resident porridge fan was very excited to try the Blueberry Banana variety. “I used soya milk, and within seconds the porridge had a nice, smooth, consistency, while every mouthful had a few sunflower seeds in, which gave a nice bite. I immediately got the taste of coconut and the blueberries in the colouring, the banana wasn’t really identifiable. Nevertheless, I couldn’t put my pot down until finished!”

The Strawberry and Peanut butter variety was also very well received, being described as ‘rich and delicious’, and again the simplicity of making the product was praised.

Linwoods, the UK’s leading producers of healthy super foods, has launched a brand-new range of organic nuts.

Active Nuts are packed with Vitamin E and BioCultures, high in fibre and a natural source of protein, making them the perfect guilt-free snack. Organic and gluten-free, Active Nuts have no added salt or sugar and are high in Omega 3 and vitamins, making them a kitchen cupboard essential to keep cravings at bay, whilst maintaining healthy bones for an active lifestyle.

What makes these nuts different is the specialised process that they are put through, which enhances their flavour and nutrients. The nuts are first soaked to reduce the natural bitterness of the nut, before being slow dried to preserve the nutrients, whilst giving a light texture and feel.

Available in three flavours, the Organic Almonds and Organic Walnuts come in 70g packs and the Organic Walnuts with Apple, Cinnamon & BioCultures come in a 50g pack. www.linwoodshealthfoods. com/uk

“I found that the soaking and drying process seemed to very slightly soften the usual texture of walnuts, making them melt in the mouth and removing any hints of bitterness. The apple and cinnamon flavouring was subtle and combined with the walnuts was very enjoyable. The almonds did also have a subtly different consistency to a ‘standard’ almond, making them very easy to snack on. I do like to include nuts in my diet and these stand out from the rest of the crowd.”

www.foodchainmagazine.com 25

Bernard Matthews

Bootifully British

There’s only one brand that springs to mind when you hear the word ‘bootiful’ – Bernard Matthews Limited – the largest turkey producer in the UK

F

or consumers in 2018 it’s hard to imagine a time when turkey was seen as an expensive treat, only consumed at Christmas and available from the butcher. This was in the 1950s, and insurance clerk Bernard Matthews saw an opportunity to change this, and invested in 20 turkey eggs and an incubator, hatching 12 turkeys and selling them on.

Such was the success of Bernard’s endeavour that by 1952 he was selling over 3000 turkeys a year, and in 1955 he moved his operation to Great Witchingham Hall in Norfolk, where the company HQ still remains to this day.

Continuous expansion and development were always the priorities

for Bernard Matthews, and by 1964 he was recognised as the leading turkey expert in the country, and was even asked by foreign governments for advice on turkey farming! His dedication to innovation continued in the 1970s to keep up with changes in consumer behaviour. Reflecting the rise in the use of home freezers and the changing role of women in the home, Bernard began to provide simple easy to cook fresh and frozen turkey products such as rolled roasts, fillets and whole birds. 1974 saw the launch of the turkey breast roast - with no bones, this was very easy to carve and left no waste.

A further significant development occurred in 1976 with the launch of the first golden Norfolk frozen turkey, which

Fowler Welch “Bernard Matthews has been a client of Fowler Welch since 2006. Under its new ownership, the growth that has been delivered by the Bernard Matthews’ team has been significant and we have been delighted to play our part in getting their high-quality poultry products from Norfolk to retailers across the UK. Fowler Welch provides warehousing for Bernard Matthews in Spalding and distribution from there to each of its customers every day; often receiving, picking and dispatching in just a few hours to insure orders are completed in full.

“Over the last six months we have worked closely with Chris Just and his team to deliver a solution that has supported their growth, including new lines to Marks and Spencer.

“In addition to our year-round service, each December Fowler Welch significantly ups our resource to play our part in Bernard Matthews successfully delivering millions of Christmas turkeys,” says Nick Hay, CEO at Fowler Welch.

26 www.foodchainmagazine.com

is still the most popular frozen branded whole turkey eaten at Christmas in the UK. The 70s also saw the business launch on the Stock Exchange.

Responding to trends The 1980s saw the rise of convenience foods, which was again met with new product launches and quick, easy to cook items from Bernard Matthews, including breaded dishes such as firm favourites Golden Drummers and Mini Kievs. This era also saw the arrival of Bernard himself on UK TV screens in the company’s 1981 advertising campaign, which introduced the word ‘bootiful’ to the country, which quickly became, and remains, a well-known household phrase.

While turkey remained the mainstay of the brand, in the 90s additional meats such as beef, pork and lamb were added to the range, and sliced cooked meats were launched – Wafer Thin

Turkey Ham and Turkey Breast Slices are still best sellers today.

As we entered the new Millennium, a new wave of more health-conscious consumers caused a rise in demand for fresh products in the chiller, as well as a trust and popularity for supporting British farmers and buying more locally produced foods. Bernard responded by refocusing on British turkey farming and communicating the health benefits of turkey as a lean source of protein.

In 2001 Bernard Matthews returned to private hands and over the next decade the company continued to launch popular new products. In 2010, at the age of 80, Bernard Matthews, CBE, CVO passed away, leaving a stalwart British brand recognised by almost every shopper across the United Kingdom.

The following years have seen ups and downs for the company. In 2013 Rutland Partners invested in the business, and in 2015 it undertook a complete £3m rebrand, which was designed to return it to its famous roots and make it more relevant for modern consumers.

Brand refresh The new logo and branding was brought to life through state-of-theart 360-degree video technology, with a specially created animation of Witchingham Hall. The rebrand was implemented across the entire company, including its website, Facebook page, email marketing and category offering.

Speaking in 2015, the then CEO Rob Burnett, said: “The response from retailers and consumer focus groups has been overwhelmingly positive. We are delighted with that and proud to be revealing a completely new look that is based on what makes Bernard Matthews different and great.

“The branding is a completely new direction and new chapter in what has been an iconic story. The branding combines the best from the past, with the landmark Witchingham Hall, and a contemporary and fresh design that feels very British. However, it’s not simply about new packaging, this is about an integrated sales, marketing and NPD strategy which helps us resonate with modern families.”

28 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Bernard Matthews The rebrand not only reflected the business’ countryside roots in Norfolk but also celebrated its award-winning green energy credentials, which are part of its Big Green Plan, launched in April 2015. This plan involves a programme of green energy initiatives that will make the business the UK’s greenest farmer and to put sustainability at the very heart of the business. To achieve its goals, Bernard Matthews has rolled out a number of green energy projects that reach every single part of its business, from farm to factory, and are for the long-term, looking beyond immediate success to a sustainable future.

Key aspects of the Big Green Plan include the largest UK roll out of 209 biomass boilers, across 30 of its turkey farms, to help reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, the installation of large scale wind turbines at three farms, the construction of a 55-acre solar farm in Suffolk, and a partnership with two

leaders in the anaerobic digester sector and has ÂŁ4.2m anaerobic digestion plant to generate power from factory wastes.

New owners While 2015 celebrated the rebrand and the Big Green Plan, the following year, 2016 was a difficult time for Bernard Matthews. However, in a move that saved 2000 jobs the company was purchased the Boparan Private Office, owned by food tycoon and 2 Sisters Food Group entrepreneur Ranjit Boparan. Over the following two years, the Boparan Private Office has made significant investments into the business and in August 2018, Bernard Matthews was able to announce it had won a major new contract with a supermarket chain. This deal is expected to create several hundred new jobs at the site in Great Witchingham, and these were highlighted in a planning application submitted in

www.foodchainmagazine.com 29

30 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Bernard Matthews July for a new plant room and other improvements at the Hall.

Further good news linked to the new contract followed as recently as September 2018, when Bernard Matthews committed to a new two-year warehousing and distribution contract and increased the volume of products that will be handled by food supply chain expert Fowler Welch by 50 per cent.

This announcement builds on the longstanding relationship between Fowler Welch and Bernard Matthews, and as Jim Seymour, Spalding general manager at Fowler Welch explained, this means there is already a deep understanding of the business and its supply chain needs.

“We were able to respond and adapt our existing arrangements to deliver the right solution to help them meet the requirements of this new and exciting contract.”

Clayton Kemp, head of warehousing and distribution at Bernard Matthews

added: “Fowler Welch has offered us a high quality and reliable service for many years, regularly going above and beyond to maintain this standard. They manage our substantial Christmas peaks with no issue and are flexible in handling any late stock, which sets them apart from the competition. So, when our business grew, extending that relationship was a clear and easy decision.”

Bernard Matthews has come a very long way since its establishment nearly seven decades ago. Now employing approximately 2000 people across East Anglia, and with more recruitment on the horizon, what started as a man with an incubator is a totally integrated food business, offering full traceability across its 56 farms, which rear nearly seven million turkeys per annum. Through its farming and production business the company supplies nearly half the homes in the UK with tasty, versatile and affordable turkey and chicken meal time solutions. With a significant new contract proceeding, further plans for expansion and investment in the pipeline and the busy Christmas season now well underway, Bernard Matthews looks set to be heading into the future with another visionary leader, who is ready to take this ‘bootiful’ British business to even higher levels of success. D www.bernardmatthews.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 31

Melting in the mouth Ambitious expansion into the UK and the USA promises to make Ebrofrost one of the world’s most well-known manufacturers of cooked and frozen pasta and rice

32 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Ebrofrost

N

o day is ever the same for Ebrofrost. A company that insists on being regarded as a solutions provider, the manufacturer of cooked and frozen pasta, rice, and cereals of all kinds has turned developing tailor-made products for an ever-widening customer base into a daily business. The organisation was established in June 2013 as a joint venture between German-based pasta specialist Keck and Danrice – Danish producer of cooked, individually quick frozen (IQF) rice, grains, and lentils. “Since most of the industrial customers have been the same for both plants, it made a lot of sense to group the two companies under one umbrella,” Ebrofrost’s Food Service Director, Amalie Schmidt underlines the main reason behind the merger.

Ebrofrost Germany, formerly known as Keck, was established in the 1980s by the eponymous family, who operated a chain of butcher shops in the south of Germany at that time. “At first, we were producing spaetzle – a regional pasta specialty, for the central kitchen of our shops and regional contract catering.

Made from semolina, the product is fully cooked and IQF, which allows reaching the perfect cooking point for each different kind of use, as well as perfect portion control – for short pasta like penne and fusilli, but even more importantly, for pasta nests like spaghetti and tagliatelle,” Amalie explains.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 33

‘

It did not take long before producers of ready meals took notice of Keck’s capabilities and started seeking solutions from the company, which led to a considerable expansion of its product range and the volumes made.

Fully committed to customisation – of recipes, shapes of nests, and packaging, today Ebrofrost Germany supplies most of the leading manufacturing businesses with pasta and noodles, and makes customised products for renowned international chains.

“As for Danrice, which has been operating under the name of Ebrofrost Denmark since July 2018, it was created with the idea to cook rice. Over time, it moved away from cooking individual small batches to cooking rice in a continuous process, which resulted in a much more efficient production,” Amalie discusses. “After the takeover from Ebro Foods in 2004, the range of products cooked in the facility expanded significantly. Different grains and pulses were added, which put us in a position to offer the market an incomparably wide variety of cooked, IQF solutions, addressing the growing demand in the field.”

True solutions provider Following the formation of the joint venture, the two entities sensibly moved production of pasta and rice between the plants to achieve better synergies early on. Amalie talks us through the unique features of Ebrofrost’s production process: “First of all, we operate highly automated facilities. In addition, a lot of the machines and line details across the plants we developed ourselves to accurately serve our needs. In making the pasta, instead of cooking it from dry pasta, we prepare dough from semolina, shape it to nearly 100 different designs, and then cook it to a defined cooking point. After that, the pasta is cooled down and shock-frosted in just two minutes. The execution of this process allows us to preserve the full aroma, texture, and colour of freshly-made product.

“Furthermore, we are particularly proud of our unrivalled expertise in customising nests to the shape and weight required by our customers.

34 www.foodchainmagazine.com

The UK is a pretty different market compared to continental Europe, because only 30 per cent of ready meals are frozen, while the remaining 70 per cent are chilled. In Central Europe, it is exactly the other way around

Moreover, we developed portion-packed products that are suitable for heating in the microwave or other appliances,” she adds.

Due to sourcing rice and grains from all over the world, some of which being sensitive to handle, Ebrofrost Denmark has patented certain pieces of its equipment. “We have optimised our process to deliver consistent product quality and save our customers time, especially when it comes to items that require longer cooking times or have a more complicated cooking process. All in all, both factories offer an incredibly high level of reliability that has convinced manufacturers to stop cooking pasta and rice themselves, relying completely on Ebrofrost for the supply of these components, instead.”

In 2015, the company’s Board of Directors decided to take an opportunity to expand into the UK and bought a small plant in Beckley, East Sussex. Once the site was refurbished and adapted for IQF pasta manufacturing, production started in mid-2016. “Unlike the rest of our factories, the UK one specialises on chilled products and is aimed at supplying the British market of deli salads with fresh pasta,” Amalie clarifies.

“The UK is a pretty different market compared to continental Europe, because only 30 per cent of ready meals are frozen, while the remaining 70 per cent are chilled. In Central Europe, it is exactly the other way around,” she remarks. “As we consider ourselves solutions providers, we had to take the local needs into account when setting up the Beckley facility and arrange it in a way that will best serve producers of chilled ready meals.

To do that, we drew upon our broad knowledge of processing and expertise on products and raw materials. Our expectations are for an exciting 2019, as we have scheduled the launch of a comprehensive product line comprising of pasta, rice, grains, and pulses for the beginning of the year. At the same time, we will continue to provide frozen product solutions to ready meal producers and develop our business with restaurant groups.”

Ebrofrost Acknowledging the fact that the UK has the best developed restaurant chain market in Europe, it is no surprise that Ebrofrost has targeted Britain as an area of expansion.

“Couple this with the fact that all of our products are very well-suited for restaurants, particularly chains and groups where consistency is highly important, and you can imagine the promising opportunities ahead of us in the country. What is more, if we take into consideration the probable effects of Brexit, one of which could be lack of labour, our products can play an active role in supporting various operations, as they are extremely easy to handle, while also providing a delicious dining experience,” Amalie comments.

Brand awareness When Ebrofrost was informed that General Mills in the USA were about to cut production of IQF rice by about 20,000 tonnes by the end of 2017, the company immediately sensed the unique opportunity to cross the Atlantic, supported by the already existing Ebro Foods business, Riviana. “The decision was taken in 2016 and within just 18 months, we had our fourth Ebrofrost plant installed in Memphis, Tennessee.

In the beginning, we only had a huge rice and grain cooking and freezing line, but by the end of 2018, an IQF pasta line will also start operation. It is positive to see that the factory is now prepared to provide a selection of basics for the North American market, which will be expanded step-by-step over time.

“Ebrofrost North America’s aspiration is to offer our customers in the region the same broad assortment of products as the one enjoyed by our European clients,” Amalie maintains. “To meet this objective, specialty items, such as Asian noodles and Italian long-cuts like linguine and pappardelle, as well as black quinoa and couscous will be shipped from Europe. Moreover, a central, fully automated cold store is already in preparation and will be opened in 2019. It is projected to function as our central hub for imported goods, enabling us to store everything on-site and guarantee a supply chain without interruptions.”

In line with reigning food trends, the company’s latest products reflect consumers’ penchant for the exotic.

“The emergence of more and more casual Asian concepts has motivated us to introduce a range of Asian noodle nests, such as udon, ramen, and soba.

For our health-conscious customers, we also offer gluten-free ‘wheat alternatives’ and pasta from pulse, for example,” Amalie reveals. “It is also worth mentioning that our factory in Offingen (Germany) will be halalcertified early next year, which is a clear demonstration of our commitment to our Muslim clients,” she leads us nicely into Ebrofrost’s intentions for the future.

“We are planning to grow in both manufacturing and foodservice.

After installing a new production line for short pasta in Offingen, we are following up with a nest production line at Ebrofrost Denmark, which will enable us to produce customised nest sizes in that factory, too, helping us speed

up service times for our customers. We can also foresee benefitting from our capability to provide portion packs for meal kits, since this is a growing trend considered to cater perfectly for the needs of today’s consumers.”

For Amalie, however, what stands out as Ebrofrost’s chief mission is raising brand awareness, especially in foodservice. “Many operators are still not very familiar with us and our products, and have not yet discovered the operational savings and the reduction of food waste we can offer. Getting this message across is of utmost importance and our decision that all our companies should change their name to Ebrofrost was a key move towards making the group more visible to the market. Aside from that, we are nicely set up to handle our customers’ requirements efficiently and our aim is to enhance our reputation of a one-stop shop for a broad range of pasta, noodles, rice, and grains,” she concludes. D www.ebrofrost.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 35

Full of energy To get the most out of each day the body needs fuel.

Now at the age of 80 years old, Soreen is on a mission to provide consumers with delicious energising snacks suitable for all ages and occasions 36 www.foodchainmagazine.com

W

hen John Rahbek Sorensen, originally from Denmark, made the long voyage from Melbourne to the UK in 1920 he brought with him his considerable baking skills which allowed him to expertly bake every type of cake imaginable. Most famous of all was unquestionably his squidgy ‘Sorensen Malt Cake’, and 80 years on from its founding the Soreen brand of malt loaf products which derives its name from its creator continues to go from strength-to-strength.

“It was in 1938 that John Sorensen decided he would sell his bakery business to one William Mason in a move that would lead to the formation of Imperial Bakeries Limited and the trading name of Soreen,” begins Soreen’s Managing Director, Mark Simester. “Remaining in its birthplace of Manchester, where it has been located ever since, Soreen quickly became a hugely popular product in the North West providing a great tasting, value for money source of energy for hard working families.”

Soreen The Soreen Cycle Project, an initiative championing people, in particular families, to get cycling has been launched by Laura Kenny

First Soreen Bakery

‘

Soreen sales in the last several years have really been on the up, with revenues increasing by some 35 per cent in the previous five years alone, and there are not many mature food and drink brands that can say that at 80 years old

for providing longer lasting energy.

Teaming up with global brands such as Adidas and FIFA, the company’s new health campaign targeted causes such as improving the diets of children and encouraging participation in sports.

In the years that followed, the company would go on to be owned by Warburtons. During this time, the brand first appeared on television screens, firstly in the Granada region, gaining a new following, many of whom would come to recognise it for its advertising catchphrase of ‘Where’s the Soreen, Doreen?’

It was then, in the 1980s, that the marketing efforts of the company turned to promoting the health benefits of Soreen and how the complex carbs contained in each loaf were perfect

Lasting appeal During the course of the next several decades, Soreen would go on to become a sponsor of Bolton Wanderers Football Club in 1999, the official sponsor of Leigh Centurions Rugby team in 2000, and sign a four-year sponsorship deal with Sir Chris Hoy in 2006. Fast forward to 2014, and the company became part of the Samworth Brothers family, with the last four years bringing with it renewed investment and support as Soreen continues down what it calls its ‘yellow brick road’.

“Throughout the course of our 80year journey, the UK public has always retained a soft spot for Soreen,” Mark continues. “Taking bits from the bread making and cake making processes, it is a product that falls into its own unique category thanks to its soft, squidgy, indulgent texture and its delicious malty flavor. Operating from our bakery in Trafford Park, our highly skilled and talented team of 140 men and women are responsible for producing two million products per week in various formats, sizes and flavours. These then end up on the shelves of stores throughout the UK and in some 20 different export markets where they are often enjoyed by British ex-pats seeking a taste of home.”

Soreen clearly has a lasting appeal, however, as Mark goes on to explain, it is far from a sunset brand, winning new

www.foodchainmagazine.com 37

fans with each passing year. “Soreen sales in the last several years have really been on the up, with revenues increasing by some 35 per cent in the previous five years alone, and there are not many mature food and drink

38 www.foodchainmagazine.com

brands that can say that at 80 years old,” he declares.

“As for the reasons behind this growth spurt, as it were, one of the biggest has been the introduction of small, on-the-go Soreen lunchbox

bars in 2012,” Mark adds. “Created as an alternative to chocolates or biscuits that children would typically have in their lunchboxes at school, lunchbox loafs are now recommended

by Public Health England’s Change For Life campaign as an under 100 calorie snack. Individually wrapped and portion controlled, the malt variant of these bars is only 91 calories, and has just 5.1g of sugar and 0.8g of fat per portion, and these nutritional values have proven hugely popular as the health credentials of Soreen have become more widely known.”

The long-held perception of Soreen as an indulgent afternoon tea or supper time treat has certainly been transformed as the brand has evolved and been repositioned in the last few decades. “For a lot of people, their first experience of trying Soreen takes them back to a time when they used to visit their grandparents’ house, and we

Soreen want to retain that warmth while at the same time pushing forward Soreen’s properties as an energy snack,” Mark states. “While the iconic Soreen loaf, which is still often accompanied by lashings of butter or other toppings, will always remain part of our offering, we have listened closely to consumers and it is clear that they are increasingly demanding healthier snack options. For us, Soreen really is the perfect snack in this respect, offering as it does delicious taste with best-in-class nutrition.”

Marketing campaign Being a milestone year for the company, it should come as little surprise that it has taken the opportunity to both celebrate and publicise its 80th birthday.

In addition to holding a large family event this past summer for its team and their families, the company has partnered with a number of its large retail customers to deliver in-store

displays and promotions. The event has also helped to generate considerable PR opportunities for Soreen, with the likes of ITV News, BBC Northwest News and Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped series filming material at its bakery, and with more television appearences to come.

At the time of writing, the company was in the midst of its most successful pre-Halloween season to date, with its new toffee apple and chocolate and blood orange Soreen Halloween Lunchbox products being purchased in abundance, and gearing up for the winter season and the return of its

hugely popular winter spiced loaf. In the meantime, the behind the scenes transition towards making Soreen a well-known energy snack continues unabated.

“The beginning of 2019 will be a massively important time for us and will mark our biggest ever marketing campaign across television, radio, print and social media, as we look to put out to millions of people across the UK the message that Soreen is a low fat, high energy snack that is lower in sugar than its competitors and can be enjoyed by the whole family,” Mark concludes. “We will also continue our long-standing association with sport, partnering with the likes of British Cycling, various cycling brands, and events such as the Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour of Britain, as we work towards our goal of getting more British get on their bikes and enjoying an active lifestyle.” D www.soreen.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 39

Healthy, happy pets Burns Pet Nutrition has remodelled the way in which owners approach their pets’ diet, developing wholesome products to manage animals’ health problems and ensure their continuous wellbeing John Burns

40 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Burns Pet Nutrition

R

evolutionary in its origin, Burns Pet Nutrition emerged as a disruptive force in the pet food industry in the mid-1990s, challenging and changing then-popular doctrines of how domestic animals should be fed.

Masterminded by its affable founder and CEO, John Burns, who spearheaded the development of a healthy, wholegrain-based, home-cooked diet, the company first rose to national prominence in 1994, one year after it was founded. “The first milestone for us came when Dogs Today published an article on my foods, which attracted significant interest that allowed us to make the transition from a local West Wales company to a truly national business,” John remembers.

With a background as a veterinary surgeon and a trained acupuncturist, he had been consulting pet owners on how to feed animals with health problems for almost 15 years before setting up Burns. “I was advising my clients not to give commercial pet food to their animals when they were not well. Instead, I was recommending a diet, which involved homecooked rice, vegetables, and a little bit of meat.

That gave some wonderful results in treating and preventing chronic health problems, allowing the body to function naturally and to maintain and repair itself. Alas, most pet owners did not want to apply this diet, so I had to start thinking about packaging it in a convenient commercial form,” John goes back to the early days of the business.

“In my opinion, what gave us a foothold in the market and really helped us grow, was the emphasis on managing health problems, which was actually the underlying reason why I started the company. I really wanted to offer simple, wholesome food – high in wholegrains and low in protein and fats, which, when served in the right amount, enables the body to detoxify and function in a normal way. Once this happens, health problems just automatically disappear,” he points out. “It merits adding that while our foods are suitable for dogs with pre-existing health problems, such as sensitive skin or digestion, they also contribute to a dog’s mental health. In this sense, it is encouraging to see that the modern

‘

...this year we launched our own grain-free product, whose base ingredient is buckwheat, which, despite its name, is a fruit seed that has not been used in pet food in the UK before, as far as I am aware

www.foodchainmagazine.com 41

medical world is beginning to realise that there is no real distinction between pet’s physical and mental health.”

Having gathered speed once, Burns has grown rapidly over a number of years, although, as John admits, the business environment is getting ever more trying, with new hurdles popping up on the track all the time. “The market has grown more challenging with the decline of bricks and mortar stores and the rise of digital. We are also facing a lot more competition; on the other, a lot of fake news (or lies, as I call it) about the principles I stand for and believe in, are populating the public sphere. I am an adamant proponent of the idea that wholegrains are an excellent way of feeding pets. Unfortunately, this claim has been challenged a lot in recent times, with calls for the development of more grain-free foods gaining traction, at the moment. At first I resisted that, because I think it is hard to formulate a healthy diet without using grains. Nevertheless, this year we launched our own grainfree product, whose base ingredient is buckwheat, which, despite its name, is a fruit seed that has not been used in pet food in the UK before, as far as I am aware,” he discusses.

42 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Company growth When John opened the company, he only had two products in his portfolio – one food specifically for adult dogs - which has remained the mainstay of the business to this day - and one for puppies. “Both are based on brown rice and chicken and this has remained our best-selling line. Naturally, we have expanded our range over time, adding brown rice and lamb, and brown rice and fish,” Burns’ founder explains.

“Because not every dog is suited to every ingredient, we have also released an alternative to our Original range, in the shape of the maize-based Choice range. In addition, we offer our Sensitive+ range, which comes in pork and potato and duck and rice variations. Last but not least, another sought-after product is the aforementioned Free From range, which contains easily digestible duck and potato, as well as buckwheat, which is widely regarded as a superfood.”

Just in time for Burns’ 25th anniversary in 2018 came the announcement that the company has been included in The Sunday Times Fast Track Profit 100 League table, which ranks the private UK businesses achieving fastest-growing profits. “We

were placed at number 60, along with only two other Welsh companies. It was a great surprise to make it into the list and our inclusion has certainly stirred a bit of interest from the rest of the business world,” John comments.

Driven purely by altruistic sentiments, Burns has set an inspirational example for many other companies with its charitable activities. Recently, the company donated an astonishing 25 per cent of its profits to its own charity, the Burns Pet Nutrition Foundation, thus advancing a number of schemes undertaken by the organisation. John clarifies: “We have always given support to a mix of charities and local sports clubs, but in 2007, we set up our own charity to formalise these activities a little bit. In fact, for most of the time since, we continued to donate to other organisations, but about three years ago, we decided to change the nature of our charitable activities and do something ourselves, so we transformed the foundation into a community-interest company (CIO).

“I made a decision that we should spend less of our revenue on marketing and advertising activities, directing more of it towards community activities, instead. We now often provide support

Burns Pet Nutrition to disadvantaged people or people with learning difficulties, while another programme we are exceptionally proud of is called ‘Burns By Your Side’,” he enthuses. “Under this scheme, we use trained volunteers and companion dogs to help children in schools improve their literacy, communication, and confidence skills. We have already got about 40 volunteers and even though we are satisfied with how well-established it has become in West Wales, we are also keen on branching it out to other parts of the UK.”

Community activities To further aid the development of the foundation, John has also put some money aside to buy a dedicated centre where all community-oriented activities can take place. He reports that he is currently looking for a suitable site, which can be used as the foundation’s headquarters, but cautiously remarks that the active continuation of Burns’ community work depends a lot on the future success of the company and the generation of enough revenue that can subsequently be reinvested in the foundation.

“When I am being asked about the plans for the business, I always answer with ‘More of the same’. We just want to extend our reach across the country and in Ireland, but the novelty is that we have recently appointed an Export Manager to develop our markets outside of the UK,” John concludes by projecting what is in store for Burns in the foreseeable future. D www.burnspet.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 43

Enriching lives

44 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Revive Active Revive Active is responsible for a range of life enhancing supplements that have been specifically developed to introduce users to a lifestyle choice of putting their body and mind first

W

hile evidence strongly supports the idea that people today would be best served to supplement their diets with health food supplements, there have always been questions regarding whether such supplements are actually being made to deliver real benefits. When Dáithi O’Connor founded Revive Active in 2011, he did so with a vision to design, develop, manufacture and market cutting-edge food supplements that are based on science, using only the best quality natural ingredients and delivering them in the most bioavailable form. The result of his and his team’s efforts is that Revive Active is now Ireland’s leading health food supplement brand.

“Revive Active scientifically formulates cutting-edge supplements that change people’s lives,” Dáithi, who is the company’s Managing Director, begins. “All of our products are delivered in single dose powdered sachets containing all-natural ingredients, in optimum levels that

deliver real benefits to users. Powdered sachets ensure that the ingredients are served in their most potent form, and that the body absorbs and uses them quickly resulting in optimum benefits being received. Further to this, Revive Active does not use any fillers, binders, salt, caffeine or sugar.”

The original product released by the company also carries its name.

The Revive Active product is a super food supplement for general health and wellbeing, containing 26 active ingredients in a single dose sachet, providing naturally sustained energy, a reduction in fatigue, increased heart health and immune system support.

Scientific approach It was followed up, in November 2014, by the Joint Complex product. “This came about after we saw a gap in the market for a joint product that not only dealt with joint pain, but also with the cause of said pain,” Dáithi continues.

“Joint Complex does just that, and we have received amazing feedback from customers who were previously looking at the prospect of hip or knee replacements, but after taking the product for a prolonged period no longer need the surgery.”

From there, Revive Active continued to grow, resulting in a range of products covering children to the elderly. These products include, Junior Revive for 5-12 year olds, Teen Revive for 13-19 years olds, Mastermind for

cognitive function, and Memory Health for students, busy professionals and aging individuals, Beauty Complex for skin, hair and nail treatment, and capsules of Krill Oil and CoQ10.

“All of our formulations are evidence based and extensive research is carried out to ensure that each product contains the correct dosages,” Dáithi explains. “When formulating, we always look at clinical research and scientific literature, and work with experts in the particular field that we are studying. For example, when formulating Mastermind, we worked with the University of Northumbria and the Brain Performance and Nutrition Research Centre.

Additionally, we have collaborated with the Kerry Group, which supplies Wellmune for our Junior and Teen Revive products, and Rousselot of France, which supplies marine collagen for our Joint Complex and Beauty Complex products.

“We only purchase ingredients that are of the highest quality, and we have never and will never compromise on this! We source our ingredients from as far afield as Australia in order to ensure that our products are the very best that they can be. Then, when manufacturing said products, we ensure that we comply fully with all the relevant European Food Safety & Quality Standards.”

Revive Active’s commitment to quality is reflected in the numerous industry awards it has received in recent years,

www.foodchainmagazine.com 45

as well as its five-star status on the Trustpilot consumer reviews website.

Scrolling through the comments left by users of the company’s products they

delivery and friendly service” it offers, and how its employees “could not be more helpful and display excellent customer service”.

Revive Active has also gained significant endorsement from public figures. In early 2017, the company proudly announced it had entered into a partnership with three-time London Marathon winner and Women’s Marathon world record holder, Paula Radcliffe, MBE, to act as Revive Active’s Brand Ambassador. “Now retired, Paula is a working mum who travels all over the world and who understands the benefits of supplementation,” Dáithi enthuses.

“Paula herself suffers from a foot injury that developed arthritis overtime leaving her in a lot of pain. She had tried numerous products to try to improve the condition, but none of them really worked until she discovered Joint Complex. She now has more flexibility in her foot and is back running socially and with her children. She also uses the Revive Active product to help combat jet lag and to keep her natural

almost universally praise the “huge improvement in overall health” that they provide, the “healthy and active lifestyle” they help promote, the “quick

Dáithí O’Connor

46 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Revive Active energy levels up, what with all the travelling that she does.”

Exciting launch In order to respond to consumer demands, Revive Active has a strong track record for bringing new products regularly to market and this trend will continue into the latter months of 2018. “I’m personally very excited about a product called Zest Active, which is due to hit the market in late 2018,” Dáithi adds. “This product is aimed at the 20-35-year-old market, thus completing our personalised nutritional offering. This product contains all of the key nutrients required for its age category who are working hard and playing hard. Zest Active’s benefits include naturally sustained energy, immune system support, healthy brains, and improved cognitive function and muscle function.

“One of the key ingredients in this

product is Wellmune, which is clinically proven to boost immune health, maintain overall physical health, protect against the harmful effects of stress, and promote healthy energy levels and mental clarity. We are very excited about the launch of Zest Active as there is nothing like it currently on the market, and it is the perfect alternative to energy products driven by stimulants.”

Get your products to market faster with Nutraceuticals

Our business is ingredients. We develop, supply and stock over 2000 ingredients for health and nutritional markets. Our global network of manufacturers, together with our inexhaustible product knowledge allows us to constantly offer an extensive range of both new and existing raw materials.

We are experts in our field and passionate about what we do. With a food scientist, nutritionist or formulation chemist always on hand, we can fulfil any request however innovative it may be.

At Nutraceuticals, all our clients are important. Whether you are a multinational company, or startup, we can assist you in moving your business forward.

Strike up a conversation with us today and find out how we can start adding value to your business. nutraceuticalsgroup.com - sales@nutraceuticalsgroup.com

Looking further ahead into 2019, and beyond, Dáithi is also buoyed by the development of a new €500,000 manufacturing plant in Mullingar and his plans for future global expansion.

“Opening our new manufacturing plant means that we have more control over supply and quality standards as we bring this part of the business back inhouse,” he details. “Our plant will be a state-of-the-art facility, covering 10,000 square feet, and it will add a further ten employees to our family.

“We believe that Revive Active will become a global brand by growing our business in the UK, and then entering the US market during 2019.

We are grateful that our legacy is that we have brought benefits to so many individuals around the world by bringing personalised nutrition to a mass market and fulfilling a demand that we strongly feel will only grow over time.” D www.reviveactive.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 47

Family ties Following in the footsteps of his father, Kevin Foley is McDonald’s first UK-based second generation franchisee, responsible for operating six successful brands of the chain across Norfolk

Kevin Foley

T

Photo credit - James Neale Photography

48 www.foodchainmagazine.com

o say that the Foley family’s lives have been intertwined with the evolution of the McDonald’s brand in the UK is probably something of an understatement. For Kevin Foley, the fast food restaurant chain has been an ever present in his own life since the early 1970s, when his father began working at its Woolwich branch in London, where he would work alongside Paul Preston, former President and Chief Executive Officer of McDonald’s UK. “McDonald’s has been around my family for so long you could say I almost have ketchup in my veins,” begins Kevin, who is today the owner of six McDonald’s branches in the

K Foley Ltd – McDonald’s

East of England. “In fairly rapid fashion, dad went through the McDonald’s management programme and was promoted into several senior roles, one of which was the development of its stores in Central London and the South Coast. This meant that, as a child, I would often join him at weekends as he toured said stores carrying out customer satisfaction reports and audits. Always being someone who enjoyed being amongst employees

and customers, dad would later jump at the chance to become the first UK company employee to be granted a franchise, before moving the family from London up to Norwich where he would run restaurants up to as recently as eight years ago.”

Second generation Having himself working in a part-time capacity at the Eltham High Street branch of the chain as a 14-year-old,

Kevin would eventually follow his father to Norfolk, first taking on a role at the former Westlegate branch, where he would gain his first experience of management.

“From there I went on to open up the Wroxham branch, before taking on the role of Store Manager at Tuckswood,” he explains. “It was at that time, during one of our many conversations about career progression, that my dad explained to me about the concept of ‘second generation franchising’ that existed

www.foodchainmagazine.com 49

within McDonald’s in the United States, whereby a son or daughter could buy into the business through the purchase of one of their parent’s stores.

“Having approached McDonald’s UK with this concept, they were very receptive to it and some 18 months later, after completing all of the legal preparatory work, they returned to me with the offer of becoming the first, and to date only, second generation franchisee in the UK. In 1999, I purchased the Tuckswood branch from my dad, before then going on to takeover the Wroxham branch, the new Norwich Airport and Brundall locations, and during the course of 2018 I have also added to my network of stores with the purchase of the Beccles Drive Thru, the Regent Road, Great Yarmouth, branch and most recently Gapton Hall, Great Yarmouth.”

Customer satisfaction They say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and Kevin has made great efforts to learn from his father and apply the same style of management that brought the elder Foley such success over a number of years. “Some of things I learned from him right from an early stage include his level of work ethic, the idea that you only get out what you put in, and how motivation and encouragement can drive people to achieve better, and those are traits I have hopefully brought into my business as well,” he states.

“Like my dad, I also take great pride and satisfaction in seeing young people progressing through the business, growing as individuals as we support their development.

“Myself and my branch managers have worked very hard over the years to ensure that we have the best quality people working for us, and we invest heavily in our employees, helping them to learn new skills and gain confidence, while also building upon key life lessons such as teamwork and decision making. We also know from experience that having a good core of employees helps to attract customers to regularly return to the restaurants having had a good experience on previous occasions.”

50 www.foodchainmagazine.com

K Foley Ltd – McDonald’s As a business, McDonald’s has earnt a reputation as one that never stands still. By being proactive and embracing innovation it has an almost unrivalled track record when it comes to listening to its customers to develop products and solutions to enhance their experience in its restaurants.

“Responding to customer trends and tastes has always been one of the company’s strong suits, from investing in an improved coffee range and introducing new menu options to opening 24 hours a day and adopting free wi-fi across its branches,” Kevin says. “More recently, we have rolled out a mobile ordering APP, launched our McDelivery service and at three of my Drive Thrus we have even installed electric vehicle charging points as part of a partnership with a company called Pod Point, becoming the first UK franchisee to do so.”

Enhanced experience

it rolls towards the date on which it is due to leave the European Union, and he has prepared himself and his employees accordingly for what they must do to navigate this period. “For us, it is about making sure our internal business controls are in order and that we respond to our customer’s concerns regarding spend by constantly looking at things like pricing, the products that we offer and how we can enhance their experience,” he adds. “I have no doubt that people still want to visit McDonald’s restaurants and treat themselves when they can, and we have to guarantee that when they choose to spend their hard-earned money that we provide them with the best quality food, service and hospitality possible, and the way we are moving forwards right now makes me very confident in our ability to achieve this.” D www.mcdonalds.co.uk

As Kevin goes on to point out, this innovative and proactive approach clearly is proving its worth, with McDonald’s UK now into its 50th consecutive quarter of sales and guest count growth. To build upon this further still, the company continues to plough capital back into its assets and infrastructure, and in the case of Kevin’s restaurants this has included investment in digital marketing tools and kitchen upgrades.

“In the case of digital marketing, this has included the installation of digital menuboards behind our counters, new digital Drive Thru boards, new kiosks and of course the new APP,” he details.

“Then, when it comes to our kitchen platform, we have modernised this in response to our customers’ demands for greater order customisation and to allow us to prepare all of our food fresh, as opposed to holding food as we had done in the past. Converting our branches to deliver an experience for the future, as we call it, has been a great success and we will shortly be doing the same with our Beccles branch.”

Heading, as we are, into 2019, Kevin is aware of the air of uncertainty and caution that exists in the UK as

www.foodchainmagazine.com 51

Cherry & Plum picked Kuminiano Fruit’s wide selection of products has allowed the cherry processor to become an international leader in the field of production for industrial consumption

L

eaning on its vertically integrated business model, Kuminiano Fruit’s overreaching care for its suppliers has allowed the Bulgaria-based Italian producer of cherries to assume a leading global role in the business of cherry production for industrial consumption. At first, the company was only buying cherries from growers in the Balkan country, which were then being shipped to Italy for processing, but in 1995 Pietro Santorelli decided to establish a production business in the village of Katunitsa, just 13 kilometres from Bulgaria’s second largest city Plovdiv, which marked the formal inception of Kuminiano Fruit.

Today, the business is led by Pietro’s sons – Roberto and Michele, and FoodChain got in touch with the former to find out how Kuminiano Fruit rose to international prominence – a fact that was confirmed by the company’s inclusion on the London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Europe’ list in 2018. “We are in control of the entire supply chain – from farm to table, and

52 www.foodchainmagazine.com

ensure that we continuously invest in our key success factors,” Roberto begins.

“Our early business model involved the provision of expert and financial support to our suppliers that helped them create new orchards and introduce best practices in growing cherries, with the produce being sold for industrial consumption. While we are still doing that, we are now also trying to further enhance our proposition by creating our own branded and private label products.”

Kuminiano Fruit is currently active in four business segments – cherry products that include cherries in brine, cherries for fruit cocktail, cherries in alcohol, and glace cherries; frozen products (sweet and sour cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries); dried cherries and plums; and finally, confectionary products such as plum paste.

“What distinguishes us from other companies is that because we have diversified our product offering, we can buy all of our suppliers’ production.

The crop varies year-on-year. One year

Kuminiano Fruit you can get a more sugary product, the next it can be more sour. Even in the same crop, there is a difference in the cherry characteristics between the beginning and the end of the picking process, because, as time progresses, the cherries’ maturity grows,” Roberto explains. “For example, at the start of the crop, we process the cherries in brine or in alcohol, because they are harder and not too sweet. Later on, we start to process cherries for frozen products, because when they get darker, they are not good enough for the brine or for fruit cocktail.”

In line with its growth ambitions, Kuminiano Fruit has been conscious of the need to increase the capacity of its production line and guarantee the consistent quality of its products. This line of reasoning has led the company to invest in a total of five sorting machines in the last three years, each bought from a different provider. “Taking into consideration our requirements in the

given moment, we selected the best machines that we thought would best suit our needs,” Roberto discusses. “For instance, we have recently acquired a machine that facilitates the removal of pits from the cherries and the plums we process.”

Having built a worldwide reputation, Kuminiano Fruit exports to over 30 countries on all continents. “Around 60 per cent of our production is sold in Europe, while 30 per cent we export to the Americas, and the remaining ten per cent to parts of Asia, Australia, and Africa,” Roberto outlines the strongest geographical markets for the business.

Going on to discuss current trends, he predicts future growth in the US. “Due to the trade war between China and the US, America will start importing more products from Europe, which is giving us the opportunity to extend our presence there.

“In general, speaking of ongoing consumer trends, I can see that people are increasingly looking for healthier

products to include in their diet. This is why we are trying to increase the production of dried fruits, especially plums. We have also decided to develop our own brand of dried pitted plums, which we are offering in small packs for retail and also as a private label product, thus addressing the requests we have received from some of our customers for this type of product,” he adds.

“Over the course of our existence, we were able to achieve the status of one of the leading companies in producing cherries for industrial consumption and the main target for the next five years is to replicate this success in private label,” Roberto shares his vision for the future.

“We would like to expand our own brand, as well, establishing a strong presence in markets all over the world. Ultimately, the idea is to process all the fruits that we buy and produce in our own 400-hectare orchard and continue developing a diverse range of final products.” D www.kuminianofruit.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 53

Strength in numbers A rapidly growing, privately held company, Tavistock Restaurant Collection operates a network of some of the finest dining concepts located across the United States

54 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Tavistock Restaurant Collection

C

reating emotional connections with its guests. That is the goal of Tavistock Restaurant Collection (TRC), a family of upscale dining brands located throughout the United States. Said brands include Abe & Louie’s, AquaKnox, Atlantic Fish Company, Atlas, Blackhawk Grille, Boxi Park, Canonita, Café del Rey, Canvas, Chroma, Coach Grill, Joe’s American Bar & Grill, Napa Valley Grille, Park Pizza & Brewing Company, Timpano, and ZED451.

“TRC came together in 2003, following the acquisition of a particular West Coast brand, and since then it has really gone from strength to strength, adding around 30 restaurants to its portfolio in the last ten years alone,” begins Steve Byrne, VP, Food & Beverage for TRC. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Steve boasts a wealth of experience in opening and managing restaurants around the world, and today leads TRC’s food and beverage operations, alongside having system-wide responsibilities for purchasing.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 55

With aspirations of being recognised universally as a world class hospitality organisation, TRC instils its core values of passion, integrity, leadership, work ethic and intellect across its portfolio, while at the same time attracting and retaining the best talent the industry has to offer. “Sometimes the word ‘culture’ can be thrown around somewhat cheaply, but I would certainly point to the thick culture that exists within TRC as being key to its prosperity,” Steve continues.

“We believe that you have to be relentless in your pursuit of excellence, and this all begins with the great leadership team that we have, who are responsible for driving home our collective message each day within our various restaurants,” Steve adds. “This ensures that each and every restaurant is working towards the same aim, which is to make each guest want to express what a great time they have had in one of our establishments. At the end of the day it is all about the guest, which is why every decision we make, be it above and at restaurant level, is made with the guest’s best possible experience in mind.”

56 www.foodchainmagazine.com

While Steve is keen to state that TRC does not consider itself to be what he calls a ‘systems driven group’, there are specific processes and ways of operating in place that have proven vital to its success, and again these all begin with engagement with its people.

“We hold daily meetings, twice a day, within our restaurants before service begins in order to make sure that everyone is on the same page with what is happening and with any changes that may be occurring,” he says. “Another contributing factor to our growth is that we endeavour to include our people at restaurant level in the changes that we make, and this allows everyone to really buy in to what TRC is trying to achieve.”

Exceptional blends It will go without saying that the drive that TRC places behind its food and beverage offering has also proven critical in helping the collection to earn the high level of esteem it has within its peer group. “Every person involved, from myself and my team through to each restaurant’s own chefs work tirelessly all year round to make sure

Tavistock Restaurant Collection that we use only the very best, and often the most unique, ingredients,” Steve enthuses. “Each restaurant operates using a yearly calendar which influences changes to their respective menus, and our level of commitment to our food offering extends right down to the plate ware we use. We are similarly immensely proud of our beverage offering, led by our fabulous Senior Director of Beverages, who I like to refer to as a ‘master mixologist’.”

This beverage offering includes an exclusive private wine label, referred to as the Tavistock Reserve Collection, a carefully curated selection of unique and exceptional blends created in partnership with respected vineyards and winemakers from around the world. “The Reserve Collection delivers a selection of wines that are not only of fantastic quality, but also of great value whichever price is paid, and that makes it an excellent asset within TRC’s portfolio,” Steve confirms.

When looking at what both the short and long-term prospects are for TRC, it becomes clear that in the coming months, at least, that Florida will be something of an epicentre of growth.

In fact, at the time of speaking with Steve, TRC was a matter of days away from celebrating the opening of a new concept – Park Pizza & Brewing Company in the thriving community of Lake Nona. “We are very excited about this particular opening, which will give TRC what I honestly feel will be one of the best pizza restaurants going. We have also brought on-board a highly skilled Head Brewer, who will help us to brew our own beer to be served at this fantastic location.”

will all be overseen by TRC, giving guests guaranteed quality, whatever their tastes,” Steve reveals. “The Boxi Park concept, and the idea of overseeing all of the food and beverage offerings, is one that we know can be applied elsewhere and we are optimistic for what the future for it could hold.”

There are also plans afoot for work to be carried out to improve TRC’s existing portfolio of properties, with Steve confident that guests’ appetites for TRC’s restaurants will remain strong.

“We will be putting in a lot of effort during 2019 to take what are already very good establishments and make them truly great,” he concludes. “I think it is very much a case of the more work we put in, the more research we do, and the better we listen to our guests, the better we can collectively be. With that in mind, I think 2019 is going to be a very exciting year indeed.” D www.tavistockrestaurantcollection.com

New development Lake Nona will also be the site of a major Tavistock project opening in December 2018, called Boxi Park.

A dynamic 30,000 square-feet outdoor district constructed entirely of repurposed shipping containers, will host a mix of restaurants and bars, a live entertainment venue, dog park, kids’ playground and beach volleyball courts. “Boxi Park’s specially curated food and beverage options, including six food and three beverage concepts,

www.foodchainmagazine.com 57

In good spirits With licenses dating back to 1934, MHW Ltd. is the foremost solutions partner for both aspiring and seasoned brands in the beer, wine and spirits industry

58 www.foodchainmagazine.com

M

onsieur Henri Wines Ltd. was founded in 1934, following the repeal of prohibition, as a wine importer and distributor in New York State. As an early entrant in the beverage alcohol industry, it played a critical role in shaping the landscape of one of the biggest beverage markets in the world, and has since been immensely proud to have been involved in a number of pivotal points in its history.

Having subsequently re-organised itself as an independent company, and rebranding itself as MHW Ltd., in 1995 the company pioneered the service importer and distributor model for beverage alcohol producers globally, gaining a reputation for providing bestin-class market entry services and back office support to brands of all sizes and origins. In 2017, MHW partnered with NextGen Growth Partners to build on its track record of innovation and growth, a move that saw CEO Gabe Barkley join the company to lead it into its next phase alongside MHW President John

Beaudette, who established the service model in 1995.

“MHW provides mission critical compliance, import and distribution services to the growing universe of beverage alcohol producers,” John begins. “In a highly regulated, and highly concentrated, US market, we provide a platform for brands to access all 50 states with a cost-effective back-office solution. Our goal is to grow our position as the leading provider of efficient market access solutions for sales execution and compliance management to producers and importers of all sizes and beverage categories in the US and the EU.”

Multiple strengths MHW considers itself to be the leader when it comes to helping new brands enter the market, having assisted tens of thousands of producers over the last 23 years, acting as what it calls a “gateway to growth”. It is the company’s experience, expertise and scale that provides a competitive edge to its partners, increasing their chances of success exponentially.

MHW Ltd. “What MHW offers its customers is a cost-effective, knowledgeable and professional back office solution to execute non-core functions of a traditional brand,” Gabe explains.

“Our strengths lie in the compliance, logistics, order fulfilment and accounting components of the industry.

The primary focus for most beverage companies is the production, sale and marketing of their respective brands, but by utilising the MHW ecosystem, they can focus their attention on the components of their business that build value and gain consumer attention.

“Our services, however, are not one-size fits all and we have seen an increase in demand for certain services in recent years. In particular, we have developed offerings that have been well received by larger, established brands as they re-focus on sales and marketing. Our services allow these brands to outsource non-

core business functions like those mentioned previously, and we have found ourselves more than capable of delivering an efficient business process outsourcing solution that provides control and flexibility to our clients, while also freeing them to focus on the areas of their business that drive performance.”

Capability growth Thanks to a combination of its decades of experience, its expertise in negotiating

L.I.S. Logistics L.I.S. Logistics is a logistics service provider based in Almere, the Netherlands, which specialises in the storage and handling of bonded and excise goods.

L.I.S. Logistics provides a full range of services which enables it to offer tailor made solutions to suit any requirement. A skilled and experienced team will handle all of your consignment from A to Z: customs services, import and export, loading and unloading of containers, repacking and labelling, and (European) distribution. All of this is coordinated from a modern and fully equipped warehouse in Almere where everything possible will be done to assure that the clients expectations are met.

a highly-regulated industry, and its leading technology and distribution networks, MHW has forged a welldocumented track record of assisting both new and established brands in navigating the beverage alcohol distribution system. Many MHW client brands have gone on to establish strong footholds in the US market, growing from new entrants into mature brands, with a number choosing to sell for very large multiples.

“Acquisitions such as Presidente Beer by AB-Inbev, Skinny Girl Margarita by Jim Beam, Avion Tequila

by Pernod Ricard, Leblon Cachaça by Bacardi, Bulldog Gin by Campari and Casamigos Tequila by Diageo are just a few examples of transactions that have been great successes for MHW clients,” John states. “We also take great pride in assisting countries and their trade offices in expanding their market reach and category awareness.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 59

MHW Ltd. For example, six years ago we worked closely with Mexico in the education and expansion of Mezcal, using New York City as a launch pad for the category and multiple new brands.

Today, the category is on a major upswing and we are proud to have played some role in that.”

Overall capability growth is a core focus at present for the company, and it has made several significant recent investments, with more planned for the coming two years. “We recently launched the cloud-based Ramco ERP, which is providing us with a more agile infrastructure upon which to build our future IT environment,” Gabe details. “This project has been several years in the making and we have now turned our attention towards phase two of our technology investment strategy, which is leveraging these added capabilities to provide additional business intelligence and

60 www.foodchainmagazine.com

data analytics for our clients. We have always been invested in our clients’ success, and are investing in tools that will help them to make faster, more effective business decisions.

Market access “We are also investing in geographic expansion to bring our core service set to additional regions. We have just launched an EU service offering with logistics, order fulfilment, compliance, and accounting services for the EU and global market, and we look forward to scaling this service to make broad EU market access easier for brands.

Producers, importers and brand owners globally will be able to use this service, and our warehouse just outside Rotterdam is well placed to act as a global hub for those seeking access to Africa and Asia as well.”

MHW is rightly proud of the leadership position it has created in

serving beverage alcohol producers, brands and importers in the US market, with its success over the years coming from its dedication towards superior customer service, and providing its clients with economies of scale, technology and information that it would be difficult to achieve on their own. “The investments we are making in people and technology will enable us to reach our goals going forward,” Gabe concludes. “We are building best-in-class solutions and scalable infrastructure so that we can continue to achieve our ambitious growth targets, while maintaining our commitment to superior service. As such, we are extremely confident that we have the executive leadership and company-wide team that will help us reach our objectives, not only in the next three-to-five years, but over the next decade.” D www.mhwltd.com

Ripple Foods

Ripples in the milk market

Ripple Foods is emerging as one of the fastest growing dairy alternatives producers in the US, with its innovative clean protein extraction technology enabling it to make delicious and nutritious plant-based products

W

hen we formed the company in early 2015, our idea was to bring a plant-based milk alternative to the existing marketplace that was to be something completely disruptive for the category,” begins Ripple Foods’ Vice President of Supply Chain, Brian Hudon. It took the producer of plant-based dairy products only three years to distribute its goods to over 16,000 stores in the US and Canada, continuing to go from strength to strength and showing determination to expand beyond North America in the coming years.

“Prior to Ripple being established, there were a lot of alternative milk beverages in the marketplace that either lacked in taste or lacked in nutrition,” Brian explains. “What we did, was create a proprietary process to extract a cleaner protein base from plant-based material, which in our case is yellow peas. In this process, we remove the starch from the plant and, once cleaned, blend the protein with fats (and sometimes sugars, for our sweetened products) to make delicious dairy alternatives using fewer ingredients than a lot of the other products available in the market.”

Having commercialised the milk production process, the company enjoyed the aforementioned rapid growth in distribution, whilst continuing to work on developing new products. “In 2017, we launched a vegan half & half and a shelf-stable kid’s product and this year, we released our Nutrition product line of protein powders and shakes.

Furthermore, in January, we brought our Greek yoghurt alternative to the market, which can now be found in Kroger stores across the country.”

What remains to be viewed as Ripple’s flagship product, however, is the company’s nutritious pea milk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 61

‘

that comes in five different flavours – original and unsweetened original, vanilla and unsweetened vanilla, as well as chocolate. “We invest a lot in R&D, so that we are able to launch new products in a relatively short space of time,” Brian notes. “There are a lot of well-established key players in this marketplace, so, in order to stay competitive, we have to be quick to market and lead with innovation.

Alongside the products we have developed this year, we are getting ready to introduce a number of other disruptive alternatives throughout the entire 2019.”

Honest and transparent

As Brian affirms, good products speak for themselves. The pure quality of Ripple’s items has certainly been a leading factor for the company’s early success, but there is more to the expediency with which it rocked the American market. “First and foremost, we built a management team of very experienced industry experts. For example, our sales and marketing team comprises of people who have achieved this kind of rapid growth with other companies,” Brian points out. “We recruited these people for their proven track record and

62 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Our strategy has always been to get up and running in the US, establish a solid base, and then consider expansion into other markets, including the UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia. We were able to expand into Canada with a lot of success last year, so it is time to place a few bets in some other markets and see what happens

used their contacts to build strong business relationships and get our products out in a number of markets relatively quickly. From a supply chain standpoint, we applied the exact same approach by hiring well-versed professionals who knew how to build a scalable and efficient supply chain.”

In Brian’s opinion, there is a clear trend among consumers who are now increasingly looking for alternatives and, more specifically, plant-based foods to provide these alternatives.

“They are not necessarily trying to go vegan, but they are certainly showing willingness to add more plant-based products to their diet. This will result in a decline in the overall dairy market as consumers look to find plant-based alternatives. Today’s consumers, especially millennials, are also better

educated and much more conscious of what they are putting in their bodies.

Keeping this in mind and taking into account their desire to learn more about the products themselves, it is important for us to have an honest and transparent brand that will be at the forefront of the upcoming nextgen food revolution. To think about it, we have a planet to feed, whose population will reach more than 9.5 billion people by 2050, so we are going to need all the non-animal-based alternative sources we can get, to achieve this goal,” he analyses.

UK trial Emboldened by the fact that a lot of consumers from all over the world are already reaching out to the company with requests for its products, Ripple

Ripple Foods is now preparing to conduct a trial in the UK in the coming months. “We are working with a couple of retailers to get our brand on their shelves and see how the customers will react. Our strategy has always been to get up and running in the US, establish a solid base, and then consider expansion into other markets, including the UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia. We were able to expand into Canada with a lot of success last year, so it is time to place a few bets in some other markets and see what happens,” Brian enthuses.

“Ultimately, we want to be a brand that is known for creating delicious plant-based foods,” he continues, discussing Ripple’s long-term ambitions. “To do that, we have recognised the need of having a well-established and rich assortment across a number of different product categories, such as ice cream and

cheese, in addition to milk and yoghurts. Another target of ours is to expand our distribution network and get into several retailers we are looking to work with in the years to come. It is a pretty aggressive growth we are after, as we want to grow by double

digits every year in the next five years.

Last but not least, we would like to leverage our protein technology, as well, by continuously optimising it and exploring further opportunities for its application.” D www.ripplefoods.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 63

Brewed to entertain

Carrying its inextinguishable love for beer for the past quarter of a century, Ellicottville Brewing Co. is now one of the most reputable craft breweries in the state of New York, never ceasing to amaze its customers with original flavours

S

ampling craft beer that comes in seemingly unimaginable flavours has gradually embedded itself as a cultural practice for many a social occasion in recent years. All over the world, beer aficionados have developed almost cult affection for creativelybrewed beers in their lookout for new sensations their favourite beverage could thrill them with. Thousands of local breweries have sprung to life in the US since the beginning of the 21st century and their number today is estimated to approach 8000, a stark contrast to the just under 1300 in 1995 – the year Ellicottville Brewing Co. (EBC) was founded.

Headquartered in the village of Ellicottville, not far from Buffalo, in the heart of the New York ski country

64 www.foodchainmagazine.com

known as ‘The Aspen of the East’, EBC opened its first pub and started creating its own beer, spending the first ten years of its existence understanding the intricacies of the restaurant business. In 2005, a second pub – EBC West – opened in the college town of Fredonia, whereas in 2013, the company undertook a significant project that tripled the size of its existing pub and brewery in Ellicottville.

“We installed a new brewery system manufactured by Esau & Hueber that expanded our capacity to 15,000bbls with the addition of a 30bbl brewhouse, in what really is a very beautiful timberframed facility,” remarks founder and owner, Peter Kreinheder.

As the business was growing rapidly, it soon became clear to Peter that EBC would need a much larger facility for

Ellicottville Brewing Co.

its operations. “In 2015, we acquired an 85,000-square foot building in Little Valley, just eight miles from Ellicottville, which we started using for shipping and receiving, and packaging. We have also just completed the installation of another Esau & Hueber system, thus turning the plant into our core production facility,” he points out, adding that the Ellicottville site will instead focus on the production of new lagers and sours.

Interesting flavours The Blueberry Wheat ale has been EBC’s trademark beverage since 2006, accounting for 60 per cent of the brewery’s production. “It is a very quaffable beer and I usually refer to it as an entry-level craft for our consumer base. You might automatically think that it is more of a female beer and it was indeed packaged this way back in 2009-2010, but what we found out, is that more than 50 per cent of its drinkers are male.

“Every season, we have a new range of beers coming out. Just this

‘

The good news for us is that the vast majority of the breweries in the US produce less than 1000 barrels a year. We are on 25,000 and we are comfortable in the niche we have positioned ourselves within.

I have always been a fan of growing the business progressively and maintaining its sustainability over the course of many years

week, we launched the Ski Bum, as we have begun introducing our winter selection. Our maple syrup beer is another exciting product, because it is very locally-centric. A friend of ours is aging maple syrup in my brotherin-law’s distillery and we have put our porter into the maple syrup barrel to create this flavour. We have also crafted a dark coffee beer, which is something between a stout and a porter – we do not brew with the coffee per se, but just put it through a hot break, so we can pick up its aromas,” Peter highlights some of the most prominent flavours in EBC’s present assortment.

Earlier in the autumn, the brewery also promoted its Pumpkinville Latte ale, partnering with a local company. “It really tastes like a pumpkin pie with coffee in it,” Peter laughs. “We did not make a lot of it, only about 200 barrels, and it sold out in a month, which means it was really well-received by the consumers.

“I think, what distinguishes us is the consistency of quality we can achieve.

One can come up with a flavour once, but the question is whether they can repeat it, and in this respect, we are the most consistent brewery in the region,” Peter discusses some of the business’ core strengths. “Together with that, we also operate the most advanced equipment

www.foodchainmagazine.com 65

Ellicottville Brewing Co. across our production facility, placing serious emphasis on quality control. In addition, our scalability has also been instrumental to our success. To give you an example, two weeks ago, we established a partnership with one of the key retail chains in the area, and for us to be able to hit all of their 48 stores, we had to demonstrate our capacity to produce and can some 500 barrels and then deliver them in a very short space of time,” he explains.

Progressive growth Taking a look into current market conditions, Peter foresees an increased role for craft lagers and a diminishing one for domestics in the American beer scene. “Unlike the millennials of today, I did not grow up with the quality of beer that we have today when I was their age. Nowadays, it is different and you can rarely see a young person holding a domestic beer in their hand,

66 www.foodchainmagazine.com

at least in the North East,” he remarks.

“I do not see great future for the domestics, unless there is a big quality control problem with craft brewery, but we went through that in the 2000s, when a lot of breweries closed, because they overlooked the importance of quality control. It seems to me that the large brewers will focus on their export activities in the future, as craft is not only gaining ground, but is also fragmenting the space on a local basis.

For example, we can no longer send beer to, say, Indiana, and expect to get any traction, because Indiana has got its own 20 breweries in every block.

“The good news for us is that the vast majority of the breweries in the US produce less than 1000 barrels a year. We are on 25,000 and we are comfortable in the niche we have positioned ourselves within. I have always been a fan of growing the business progressively and maintaining its sustainability over the course of many years,” Peter discloses his views on EBC’s future. “One thing I know for sure, is that if you do not have a strong pub programme, you cannot survive in such a competitive environment.

We now operate three pubs in the Southern Tier and our ambition is to continue developing these and strengthen our proposition. In the meantime, we will remain fully focused on crafting new lagers and sours. There is a bunch of new hops and malts being created, giving us a whole new palette of ingredients to play with,” he concludes. D www.ellicottvillebrewing.com

Golden Krust©

Taking the Taste of the Caribbean to the World Golden Krust aims to be Jamaica’s culinary ambassador to the world.

Planning to increase its footprint aggressively in both restaurant and retail industries over the next three years, the chain takes pride in offering unique Caribbean family recipes to an everexpanding army of followers

T

he story of Golden Krust is an archetypal example of the successful realisation of the American dream. The family-owned restaurant chain started as a bakery in the rural parish of Saint Andrew in Jamaica in 1949, when the grandparents of Marketing & Public Relations Director, Steven Clarke, launched a business called Hawthorne & Son’s Bakery. “When my uncle left Jamaica and came to New York, he had a strong background in the bakery business, but he also wanted to achieve something more. This is why

he decided to open our first restaurant in 1989 in the Bronx. With a mixture of tenacity, hard work, and a clear vision to take the taste of the Caribbean to the world, he was able to grow the business to national prominence, where we now operate over 120 restaurants. We also became the first Caribbean-owned company in the country to be granted a franchise license in 1996,” Steven recalls.

It was in the same milestone year that Golden Krust opened its own manufacturing facility on Park Avenue in the South Bronx, then slowly took over

www.foodchainmagazine.com 67

‘

the entire block, which now houses all of the company’s manufacturing, distribution, warehousing, and administrative facilities. “Since then, we have never stopped upgrading our systems and processes, as quality is critical to us. We have recently installed new X-ray machines to improve our safety capabilities, because we want to be able to offer not just tasty, but also wholesome and safe food to our customers,” Steven points out.

Taste of Jamaica

Owing to its historical expertise in baking, Golden Krust has become known for its traditional Jamaican patty – a flaky multi-layered crust that can be filled with a variety of fillings, from spicy beef, curry chicken, and jerk chicken, to vegetables, spinach, and even shrimp. “There is something for everyone in our patties. The uniqueness of our flavours matches perfectly the ongoing trend of consumers wanting to try more authentic dishes,” Steven reasons.

“Another significant contributor to our success is the fact that we offer very convenient meals that can be eaten at any time, even on the go. At the end of the day, the more eating occasions you can provide to your customers, the more they are going to look for your product. People have grown accustomed to eating burgers

68 www.foodchainmagazine.com

We are looking to roll out new products and also enhance our digital presence by launching a new website and a new mobile app. On top of that, we will continue pushing into new territories to fulfil my uncle’s vision of taking the Taste of the Caribbean to the world

and pizza and our research figures are showing that they are looking for something new. It is, therefore, to our advantage that we make food that cannot be found everywhere, which means we can target lots of different markets and this is our ambition, precisely – first to place our products throughout the US and Canada, and then expand internationally.”

Having launched its retail activity in the early 2000s, the company’s microwaveable patty can now be found in more than 25,000 outlets nationwide. “The product’s attractive pricing has also been a factor to our success,” he says. “You can get a patty with any type of flavour that will easily fill your stomach for under three dollars. Presently, jerk is a very hot trend and we are actively promoting our jerk chicken patties, which are prepared with an authentic Jamaican recipe, and currently sold in Walmart.”

Unsurprisingly, the majority of Golden Krust’s restaurants are concentrated in New York, where the chain operates 70 locations. Florida comes second with 30 restaurants, and Metro Atlanta is populated with 14 restaurants. “The common denominator in these places is that they all have a strong Caribbean diaspora. It is positive to see, though, that we have started to move into other areas, such as Massachusetts and

Golden Krust© Texas. Moreover, we opened our first two restaurants in Toronto in quick succession in 2018 (in August and November) and the former is doing so well that we had to extend our hours of operation to 11pm during the week and to midnight on weekends, which is something we had not done before even in the US,” Steven notes.

Restaurant openings For Golden Krust to succeed in becoming a globally recognised chain, Steven is fully aware that it has to expand its product offering. “We know perfectly well that we have to keep our menu fresh. Our Research & Development team is working very hard to create new products that will appeal to our current, as well as our potential new customers. For example, we are planning to launch a strawberry and cream cheese patty, as well as a pizza patty. It is necessary to diversify our products, while keeping them in our signature flaky Golden Krust,” he maintains.

Since the beginning of 2018, Golden Krust has opened five new restaurants in the US, with seven more slated to be open this year. “We are working on several different projects to improve the company, and we expect to see their beneficial impact over the next 18 months. 2019 will be a special year for us, as we will be celebrating our 30th anniversary and a series of events are being planned to mark the occasion.

We are looking to roll out new products, with improved packaging. We will also enhance our digital presence by launching a new website and a new mobile loyalty app, which will allow for

mobile ordering. On top of that, we will continue pushing into new territories to fulfil my uncle’s vision of taking the

Taste of the Caribbean to the world,” Steven concludes. D www.goldenkrust.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 69

A never-ending success story

NewCold’s aspirations are to set up a comprehensive network of cold stores across Europe and improve the connectivity between its customers and major retailers.

Meanwhile, the company is trying to modernise the industry in America by introducing innovative concepts to its facilities there 70 www.foodchainmagazine.com

O

nly six years were needed by NewCold for the cold storage and logistics specialist to establish a worldwide presence. Founded in 2012, the Dutchbased company has now designed and built facilities in Germany, France, the UK, and Poland in Europe, as well as

in the USA and Australia, with plans for further sites in these and other locations already underway.

“Our business model involves us finding one or two customers first, which we call ‘anchor customers’, that justify the development of a new large-scale project in the given area,”

NewCold

explains NewCold’s Vice President Business Development, Piet Meijs. “In the first months of our existence, we managed to buy a facility in Argentan (France) and started constructing our first site in Rheine (Germany), which opened in May 2013. Keeping in line with our customers’ needs, we then

developed the first phase of our UK storage and distribution centre in Wakefield. At about the same time, we also did a project in Kutno (Poland).”

NewCold’s maiden venture outside of Europe was initiated when the company’s key UK customer acquired a business in Australia and invited NewCold to look

after its logistics and supply chain in the Melbourne region. “At first, the scale of the operation was not sufficient to suit our business model, but with the help of Peters Ice Cream, we found two other potential customers, which created the volume to justify the investment in a cold store,” Piet remembers.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 71

Getting together with one of these two customers – Fonterra, opened a new door for the company, as it was asked to construct an extra chilled storage warehouse in the vicinity of the cold store it was already building. “In parallel, we signed our first contract in the US – a 15-year agreement with Trident Seafoods, which led to the development of our first cold store in America, in Tacoma.”

Automation systems In April 2018, NewCold completed the expansion of its Wakefield warehouse, increasing the facility’s capacity from 55,000 to 143,000 pallets, and turning it into the largest in the UK. Piet details: “We began work on the first phase of this facility early in 2014, when Froneri approached us with their idea to consolidate their volumes in one central cold store that is well-positioned to serve their retail customers. The project was delivered in May 2015 and proved such a resounding success that we started receiving enquiries from other frozen food producers. This led us to conclude that extending the site was not just an excellent opportunity, but also a necessity of a kind. We added ten new stacker cranes to the six we were already operating and we have now come to the final version of this facility.

“We have already started thinking about building a second cold store

72 www.foodchainmagazine.com

in the UK. Our intention is to locate it closer to London and it seems very likely that next year we will enter serious conversations with our customers and get to work on our planning application,” he reveals. “Admittedly, there has been a bit of Brexit-related hesitation regarding this investment, but the present signs are that more production will move to the UK, which will probably create more requirements for increased storage capacity. In fact, suppliers that export into the country have got in touch recently, enquiring about the possibility of using our Wakefield store to ensure that they have some stock available, should shipping from Europe to the UK become more complicated.”

On the other side of the Atlantic, the company is in the process of building its second cold storage facility in Burley, Idaho, which is expected to open in April 2019. “It will be in close proximity to McCain’s largest production plant in the US. Due to its expansion, the company needs additional storage space, which we are going to provide,” Piet discusses. “The site is designed to host 90,000 pallets and will be fully mechanised, like all of our facilities. We will introduce a shuttle connection with McCain’s production facility and build automatic loading systems there, so we can load 26 pallets at a time, which a trailer

will then take to our site and unload automatically.

“What might be quite interesting to the readers is that the US is rather less developed in this type of supply chain solutions, in comparison with Europe.

For example, the pallet quality is not at the same level, which propelled us to introduce system boards in our Tacoma facility to manage the pallets more easily. In a way, we are seen as innovators who have introduced various types of automation solutions to our American counterparts. Even our local competitors have started to copy our supply chain models and place emphasis on automation,” he maintains. “Up until four or five years ago, the US industry was very sceptical at any suggestions for automation, but the calls for modernisation of America’s antiquated cold stores are getting louder, with sustainability being prioritised.”

Continued efficiency Back on European terrain, NewCold is faced with the consolidation of the industry on all levels. “There is a lot more pressure on delivery times, as retailers request more frequent deliveries,” Piet observes. “To give you an example, McCain used to be shipping full trucks to their customers several times a week. At one point, however, retailers required that products are supplied every day, because they wanted to reduce their inventory.

This posed a challenge for McCain with regards to maintaining the cost efficiency of the operation. Thanks to our store in Wakefield, which acts as a central warehouse, we are able to deliver multiple goods for multiple customers to multiple retailers, thus ensuring the continued efficiency of the activity.

“Similarly, consolidation is taking place on the producers’ side and the recent acquisition of Aunt Bessie’s by Nomad Foods affirms this trend. As a result, we expect to see fewer, but bigger production facilities, which will encourage us to engage in large-scale operations ourselves.”

In order to facilitate its customers’ connection with their retailers, NewCold is looking to expand aggressively in

NewCold

TGW Logistics Group TGW Logistics Group is a global leading systems provider of highly dynamic, automated and turnkey logistics solutions.

Since 1969, the company has been implementing different internal logistics solutions, from small material handling applications to complex logistics centres.With about 3200 employees worldwide by now, TGW implements logistics solutions for leading companies in various industries.

As the first automated logistics solution provider to offer an automated freezer handling system based on standardised products and components, TGW meets the challenges faced by cold and freezer chain warehouses and distribution centers while delivering the lowest total cost of ownership.

Europe in the next three to five years and create a veritable network of facilities across the continent. “Together with the aforementioned new store in the UK, we intend to develop two new projects in France and another one in Germany. Italy is another country we are keeping an eye on,” Piet states.

“We would like to have between ten and 12 operational sites in Europe where we can offer our clients warehouse interconnection services to streamline their supply chains and get them closer to the market. As far as our presence in America is concerned, we are more modest in our ambitions, because of the magnitude of the market there. If we can complete a couple of projects in the coming years and build a solid base, that would be a tremendous achievement, which will position us better for a potential long-term growth,” he concludes. D www.newcold.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 73

The great North East makeover

Bay View House Care Home Whitley Bay

74 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Malhotra Group Strategic investments in high-potential buildings have enabled the Malhotra Group to increase its turnover year-on-year, as the company continues to play an active part in enriching Tyne and Wear’s social, community, and leisure infrastructure

S

trong family values and ethics have carried the Malhotra Group forward in the nearly three decades of its existence. Coupled with its astuteness in successfully predicting industry trends and making wise investments, the company has emerged as a leading real estate developer in the North East of England, stacking in its portfolio a respectable number of banks, care homes, hotels, restaurants, and bars. Indicative of the good times the business is enjoying, is the increase in turnover it registered in the past year, when the Malhotra Group took its turnover up from £24 million to £32 million. Split into three divisions – Property, Care and Leisure – the company continuously expands these, with new property development projects regularly added to its workload.

One of the most remarkable programmes the business has set out to complete, is the building of a £35 million 120-bedroom, four-star hotel with a rooftop swimming pool, a nightclub, restaurants, and retail outlets on Grey Street, in Newcastle city centre. Seen as the jewel in the crown of Malhotra Group’s impressive property portfolio, the Grey Street scheme is projected to become a visitor attraction in its own right, while playing a vital role in the local economy by creating a significant number of jobs.

After years of acquiring a number of buildings around Grey Street with a view to creating the hotel, the Malhotra Group has now revised its original idea, developing it to encompass a total of nine existing buildings. The site will stretch from Grey Street down to its junction with Mosley Street and across to the lower part of Cloth Market, and will include the famous Balmbra’s Music Hall at the Cloth Market, which is being restored to its original identity as part of the project. According to the scheme timeline, the leisure complex should open by the end of 2020 and its developers promise a design that will stay in line with Grey Street’s historic façade. The development will also strengthen the Malhotra Group’s foothold on Newcastle’s finest street, where it already operates the boutique Grey Street Hotel, which recently underwent a £1.2 million refurbishment.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 75

With such considerable investment in Grey Street – one of the finest Regency streets in Britain – perhaps it was inevitable that Malhotra Group plc might consolidate its commitment by relocating there. And, following the £4m purchase of 42-50 Grey Street, that is very much the intention.

Its aim is to relocate head office staff from its existing city centre sites, at Groat Market and at Scottish Provident House, into the office accommodation on the upper two vacant floors above Zizzis Restaurant. The move is expected to take place at the end of the year, following a full refurbishment of all the three, upper office accommodation floors and of the ground floor entrance area. When complete the building will be renamed Malhotra House and the address listed as 50 Grey Street.

El Paso’s chefs produce food that stimulates all the senses, perfectly reflecting the vitality of Mexico and Latin America.

In the second phase of the Jesmond Block Development, what was once the Louis restaurant will be transformed

Bede House Care Home, Ryhope

Landmark projects The Jesmond Block Development in Newcastle is another ongoing landmark project for the Malhotra Group, the first of its four phases recently completed.

During it, a new restaurant – El Paso, opened to replace Scalinis Jesmond after the latter had been in operation for 20 years. As the name indicates, the new venue offers dishes from the Spanish and Mexican cuisines. Using only the highest-quality ingredients,

76 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Beech Tree House Care Home, Alnwick

into a multi-purpose gaming bar, called Eat, Chill, Play. The redevelopment will include a cinema, a two-lane bowling alley, as well as football tables, targeting customers of all ages. Then, El Paso’s Ariba Bar will be transformed into a decadent gin bar – Jesmond Gin House, throughout the third phase of the scheme, and, finally, the Malhotra Group-operated New Northumbria Hotel will see a complete remodelling and refurbishment of its entire rear elevation. The expansion will create 13 new apartment rooms and suites, some of which will be equipped with a kitchen and dining area, as well as a new wedding suite. Furthermore, a number of the existing bedrooms will receive a full refurbishment upgrade, including a new bathroom suite and décor.

Not far from Jesmond, in the neighbouring Newcastle suburb of Gosforth, work is already underway on an 18-month, £5.6m project to transform a well-known pub, The Three Mile Inn, into a 64-bedroom hotel, bar and restaurant. The development comprises three main phases, beginning with the construction of a three-story extension, which will ultimately provide additional accommodation for the hotel. Further phases will include the conversion of the existing building from two to three storeys and the creation of conference, function and private dining facilities, a residents’ lounge, café, bar and restaurant.

An estimated 25 jobs will be created when work is complete and the Malhotra family, who have strong links to Gosforth, hope that as well as welcoming leisure and corporate guests, the venue will become a much-used community hub for neighbouring families.

In October 2018 work begins on the Malhotra Group’s latest contract win in the leisure sector; a £100,000 redevelopment of Pumphrey’s Bar, part of a wider £3.2 million regeneration programme designed to reinvigorate Newcastle’s Bigg Market. Pumphrey’s, which occupies a Grade II listed building, will be remodelled with new signage and the installation of new window frames, as well as a general cleaning up of the exterior of the building in an attempt to restore it to its former glory.

Malhotra Group Care home projects Three major programmes are also underway for Malhotra Group’s Care division. Albeit still at a very early stage, Beech Tree House will be the business’ new, purpose-built, 86-bed care home, located at the site of Alnwick’s former bus depot. A state-of-the-art facility, it will provide nursing and residential care, catering for young physically disabled (YPD), bariatric, and dementia, as well as general nursing residents. As it stands now, the foundations, below ground drainage, and the lower ground floor have already been constructed, the steelwork frame has been completed and blockwork has progressed to the first-floor level. Slowly taking its shape, the building is the largest care home the group is working on at present.

Just three beds shorter of what Beech Tree House will be able to offer, Bay View House in Whitley Bay is the second key care home development undertaken by the Malhotra Group. The building will be located in place of the former Rex Hotel and will feature dining, leisure, treatment, administration, and support facilities.

Lastly, the brand-new, two-storey, 66-bedroom Bede House care home in Ryhope, Sunderland completes the trio of large-scale projects currently implemented by the company. Now that certain site clearance works have been undertaken, including the demolition of a former C of E school and the removal of playgrounds, walls and levels have been reduced and new drain diversion is about to commence, as the scheme is picking up pace.

Naturally, the ambitious developments the Malhotra Group is engaged with, will open multiple jobs across the various facilities. In fact, the company has clearly stated its intention to grow its workforce from 1200 to 1800 staff over the next five years. Considering the fact that the organisation reported an increase in its headcount by 116 in 2017, there is no reason to doubt the achievability of its objective. Its successful completion will once again underline the ever-growing role the group is playing in boosting the local economy and nourishing the local community of the Tyne and Wear county.

Having a well-diversified business has yet again proved to be the right model for the Malhotra Group, given the positive financial results the company registered last year.

Maintaining a balanced portfolio of care home facilities, leisure sites,

and geographically spread investment properties, the company is facing excellent prospects to continue its growth through careful strategies and forward-thinking management in the years to come. D www.malhotragroup.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 77

Tending the land Silvery Tweed Cereals has been a prominent cereal and seed ingredients supplier for the last 175 years. Following targeted investment in its production plants, the familyowned business has expanded its capacity and evolved its proposition in recent times 78 www.foodchainmagazine.com

B

ased in the Northumberland border town of Berwickupon-Tweed, Silvery Tweed Cereals specialises in supplying premium quality cereal and seed ingredients to many of the leading names in the baking and cereals-based industry. Drawing upon 175 years of experience, Silvery Tweed intertwines in its operation traditional family values with modern business practices, which have enabled the company to establish productive and long-lasting partnerships with its customers. As a specialist at adding value, the organisation makes sure it works closely with clients and continually researches customer and market trends to accurately predict future demand and improve the services it offers.

Throughout its history, Silvery Tweed has built a reputation of an innovative and creative company, willing to drive the industry forward with the introduction of efficient technologies.

The business was one of the first British companies to coat cereals and its state-of-the-art blending plant was the first of its kind in the UK. Committed to continually investing in its development, Silvery Tweed is regularly upgrading its four plants, thus building on the established tradition of expanding its capabilities.

Since moving to its current site, the company has invested more than ÂŁ7 million in the latest equipment housed in two mills, a coating plant, a blending plant, and a seed plant, all of which are nut free. In February 2016, Silvery Tweed completed a ÂŁ1.5-million

Silvery Tweed Cereals process development, the plant staff keenly moved away from the industry standard of drying, cooling conveyors that use individual slats on a chain drive. The new, bespoke cooler belt, which was designed in conjunction with a local engineering company, brought additional benefits, such as lower floor waste and a simplified cleaning process.

Equipped with modern machinery, each of the four Silvery Tweed sites performs different functions, vital for the smooth progression of the business.

One of the mills – Trading Estate – produces a large range of flakes, cut grains, and specialty flours; while the Henry Ogle Mill houses Silvery Tweed’s purpose-built blending operation offering state-of-the-art production and packing lines, supplying cereal and seed blends to some of baking industry’s most prominent names. The site also provides total product protection, including in-line X-rays, metal detection, and magnets;

as well as extensive raw and finished product warehousing facilities.

Employing the latest colour sortex technology, metal detection and in-line magnets to ensure product integrity, the business’ seed plant is dedicated to the cleaning and blending of seeds to a world-class standard. Last but not least, Silvery Tweed runs a coating plant that is able to apply a wide variety of sweet and savoury coatings to cereals and seeds, including oats, barley, wheat, extruded, and puffed cereals.

Anniversary celebrations Kicking off the jubilee year of its 175th anniversary, Silvery Tweed announced a new supply partnership with Durhambased spelt producer Craggs & Co in January 2018. Under the agreement, Silvery Tweed will be able to provide its customers with a reliable supply of competitively priced, locally-grown spelt products – a rarity in the UK

investment programme successfully, which saw it add new machinery and automate a number of processes using state-of-the-art food processing technology. This way, the business managed to boost its capacity, raise productivity levels, and open eight new full-time positions.

Smooth progression Another recent infrastructure development took place in the summer of 2017, when Silvery Tweed sought to improve its grain cooling capabilities by investing £250,000 to upgrade its flaking line. The project resulted in an increased efficiency, flexibility, and hygiene, as well as a reduction in pre-pack product temperatures. In keeping with the business’ reputation for technological innovation and progressive

www.foodchainmagazine.com 79

grain market. Based in Sedgefield, commercial wheat grower Craggs & Co expanded into spelt production after cultivating a test batch for a family friend and finding that the conditions on their land were ideal for growing the grain.

80 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Now, in addition to milling the grain into flour for its own range of products, Craggs & Co’s spelt will also be used in Silvery Tweed’s own processed cereal products, such as flakes and kibble, which will then be supplied to the food

manufacture and breakfast cereal industries.

The good news for Silvery Tweed continued as the year progressed, with the business’ certification under the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety being upgraded to an AA rating – the highest score possible, in May. The industryleading rating was awarded following a rigorous external appraisal by food industry certification body SAI Global and illustrates Silvery Tweed’s commitment to high-quality standards and food manufacture best practices, as well as building confidence in the supply chain.

In an initiative marking its birthday, the company hosted a dinner for growers and suppliers at the Born in the Borders brewery in Jedburgh, in July, at which Silvery Tweed unveiled two commemorative, limited-edition beers, created in collaboration with Born in the Borders. Indeed, Silvery Tweed has used its 175th anniversary

Silvery Tweed Cereals celebrations as the perfect platform for a range of activities, many of which are philanthropic in nature.

For example, the business has approached a local school, Berwick Middle School, with the forward-thinking plan to invest in the next generation of food developers. The company is paying for a £15,000 refurbishment of their Home Economics kitchen with new cookers, kitchen equipment, a nutrition software package and so forth.

The approach of investing in the community continued with the purchase and installation of a defibrillator on the Tweedside Industrial Estate, and local charities were also supported through a traditional Family Fun Day held in July.

This was attended by 250 staff, friends and family and included fairground rides, a dunk tank (for the Directors), face painting, bouncy castle, traditional games, hog roast, afternoon tea and prize draw. A tremendous day was had

by all and £1500 was raised for local charities.

Glorious success 2018 has definitely been a year of celebrations for Silvery Tweed - the company revealed continued growth when it published its most recent financial figures in late 2017. Sustained year-on-year increase in volume and profitability was evident across all product lines and in all of the business’ production and processing plants shone through the report, instilling confidence in the company’s workforce that its efforts have led to quantifiable results.

Equally important, longer-term figures demonstrated that the positive trend is no nine days’ wonder; across the five years from 2011 to 2016, records showed a general upward volume trend over the whole business, amounting to a volume increase of 37 per cent per annum – no small achievement for a

firm identifying itself as a local, family business.

The strong financial performance by Silvery Tweed certifies that the company is taking the right decisions, and acts as a source of inspiration for its future activities, proving yet again that hard work and wise investment moves pay off.

With the milestone year of 2018 nearing its end, it is understandable that spirits are high, fuelling the business’ ambitions for even more glorious success in the coming years. D www.silverytweedcereals.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 81

A refreshing approach As an independent regional cooperative, Southern Co-op plays its part in boosting the sense of local community in South England through various initiatives, while maintaining sustainability practices across all of its operations 82 www.foodchainmagazine.com

R

ebranding, new store openings, and the introduction and development of new sustainability measures have been the order of the day for Southern Co-op in most recent times, all while the Society was experiencing another strong growth in income in 2017. Indeed, the company reported a nine per cent rise to over £430 million, chiefly due to investment in new food stores and funeral homes.

Trading across 11 counties in the south of England, Southern Co-op opened 16 new food stores in 2017, bringing the total to 216. “We are pleased to have grown our presence in a lot of our target areas, which has extended our customer and member bases in these locations

and enhanced our offer to the local communities,” begins CEO, Mark Smith.

Convinced that it needs to make the visual impact of its communications stronger, Southern Co-op decided to refresh its brand. “The new image has helped us make the story of who we are, what we stand for, and what makes us different, clearer to explain and understand,” Mark points out, going on to talk about how the Society continued to support local producers throughout 2017. “Last year, we marked the tenth anniversary of our Local Flavours range, which was also subject to a brand refresh that is now gradually being rolled out to all of our stores. It is a really valuable part of our retail stores and we now showcase nearly 200

‘

Southern Co-op

The business has already succeeded in having 100 per cent of its food waste directed away from landfill and it remains focused on searching for ways to avoid and reduce the amount of waste it produces

support in a variety of ways including funding, goods in kind donations, to become a local fundraising partner and local volunteering. In 2017, Southern Co-op contributed £1.26m to its local communities through fundraising events, campaigns and donations.

Around £500,000 of this came from proceeds from the five-pence carrier bag charge. Since the charge was introduced, Southern Co-op has also seen a difference in the amount of bags customers use. “We have managed

to reduce carrier bag usage by 69 per cent since 2015 and we continue to ask customers if they need a bag and to make Bags for Life available as an alternative option. In 2017 alone, we sold more than one million Bags for Life. This is just a small part of the work we have been carrying out to promote sustainability and reduce waste,” says Mark.

Business priorities “Our members have told us that sustainability means a lot to them and we

producers. The Local Flavours range, which had a record turnover in 2017, includes seasonal fruit and vegetables, fish and meat, cheeses, chutney, bakery goods, and beers.”

Community support 2017 was also the first full year of operation for Southern Co-op’s community engagement strategy ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’, which gives local stores and funeral homes the chance to contribute to the creation of safer, greener, healthier, and more inclusive neighbourhoods - four themes which were identified through a survey of over 4000 of its members and colleagues.

Through this initiative, local charities and community groups can apply for

www.foodchainmagazine.com 83

Southern Co-op want to have a positive impact on our communities – today, tomorrow, and in the future. We have set ourselves some ambitious targets with regards to saving energy, helping to protect our local wild spaces and wildlife, implementing our Fairtrade commitments, creating sustainable supply chains, and reducing waste,” he outlines. “We are also committed to playing our part in supporting the global sustainability agenda. Therefore, we are publishing our new ‘Our Plan 2018-2023’ in the autumn, which will discuss our business priorities over the next five years and beyond, and will provide details about our future sustainability commitments.

This includes reporting against the UN Sustainable Development Goals within our Sustainability Plan. I am firmly convinced that by continuing to act responsibly and encouraging others to do the same, we can support communities and environments, giving society and the planet a chance to sustain themselves and thrive locally, nationally, and globally.”

Addressing waste Food waste has been identified as one of the target areas for Southern Co-op.

84 www.foodchainmagazine.com

The business has already succeeded in having 100 per cent of its food waste directed away from landfill and it remains focused on searching for ways to avoid and reduce the amount of waste it produces. “We ‘backhaul’ all waste from our retail stores to a central depot where dry mixed recyclables are sent for recycling, food waste is processed through anaerobic digestion, and customer and general waste goes to a refuse-derived fuel facility.

“At store level, we are constantly

looking at ways to balance availability with wastage - we don’t want to throw away products that could still be sold.

For example, we are currently trialling new processes for in-store bakery, which, we hope, will drive a significant reduction in wastage for this category,” Mark reveals. “We have also been running food donation trials with a number of stores and charity partners, including local charity Foodcycle in Portsmouth, and we are pleased to say that we have seen success with some of these arrangements with safe, edible surplus food being sent to a charity each week.”

With a trading history of nearly 150 years, Southern Co-op has had to learn to adapt to new conditions and challenges to its business. But its overall purpose remains the same - to work together for the benefit of its local community. This can be demonstrated in its dedication to addressing local and global sustainability issues.

As it continues to identify future opportunities, this regional independent co-operative should continue to remain relevant in the long run. D www.thesouthernco-operative. co.uk

Schokinag

Life is sweet High quality products, value for money and excellent customer service are the ingredients that, for 95 years, Schokinag has mixed together to make it a hugely successful manufacturer of industrial chocolates

A

cost effective, high quality chocolate that is easy to work with and has been enjoyed by customers for decades.

Those are the words used by specialist chocolatier stockists Keylink to describe the creations of Schokinag. Based in Mannheim, Germany, Schokinag was established in 1923 and has been manufacturing chocolates ever since.

Boasting a strong history as a familyowned business, it is today recognised as one of Europe’s leading suppliers of industrial chocolates. In more recent years, the company was owned by US agribusiness giants ADM and then Cargill, before being acquired in 2016 by investment company Nimbus.

The company manufactures a full range of chocolates and chocolate couvertures, liquid to solid, in various sizes, shapes and packaging types, as well as liquid compounds. One of Schokinag’s core strengths has always been its flexibility, which means that in addition to its standard range of chocolates, it can also develop recipes to meet its customers’ precise specifications.

Partnership approach In broad terms, its product range can be split into three categories – chips and chunks, liquid products and specialties.

Schokinag’s chips have been created to be easy to dose, quick and simple to melt and perfect for exact tempering, while it offers liquid products in batches from 6MT to 24MT. These include chocolates with a cocoa content ranging from 25 per cent up to 85 per cent for dark and milk, and from a minimum of 20 per cent for white, chocolates and couvertures for enrobing, moulding, panning/spinning

and topping, for ice cream applications, dark and milk ice cream compounds, and single origin chocolates. It also manufactures chocolates certified by a number of international bodies, such as Kosher Dairy, HALAL, and has its focus on sustainable products like Fairtrade Mass Balance, UTZ Mass Balance and Rainforest Alliance. Lastly, its specialties mix includes chocolate shavings, curls, cigarettes, fanderol, spaghetti, microchips and mixed chips.

Schokinag’s mission statement is to provide its customers with a mutually beneficial long-term partnership, one which offers the flexibility and attention to detail typically provided by an entrepreneurial player, but with the added benefits of being a major industrial player with nearly a century of experience.

In order to meet the requirements its customers place upon it the company has a series of ‘promises’ that it works to. This list includes promises to offer a complete product range of solid and liquid chocolates, and to only supply high quality products from its fully certified production facility in compliance with

www.foodchainmagazine.com 85

86 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Schokinag Olam Cocoa Olam Cocoa is responsible for crafting and delivering quality cocoa ingredients to leading chocolate confectionery producers worldwide. The company’s long term relationships and geographic diversity creates added value opportunities and their uniquely flexible supply chain solutions help ensure consistent customer satisfaction. These advantages, combined with their expertise in cocoa processing and product development innovation, means that the quality ingredients they provide – cocoa powders, cocoa butters and cocoa masses – supports manufacturers in their ability to improve product performance and enhance operational efficiencies. As the world’s foremost focused supplier of cocoa beans and cocoa products, Olam Cocoa wishes Schokinag great success in strengthening their position as an independent supplier of quality chocolate to their customers.

recognised international food safety standards.

It also guarantees that it can source competitively in order to offer the fairest market price, that it will always place the customers’ needs first, and that its experienced R&D team will be on hand to identify solutions and create innovative products.

The epicenter of the company’s many different activities and achievements is its Mannheim facility. To date, the facility has provided Schokinag with an annual capacity ranging between 80,000 and 90,000 tonnes, however this is in the process of being expanded, with its owners prepared to invest around ten million euros for this purpose. Most of the investments are currently ongoing.

While most of the products that emanate from the factory are sold throughout the European Union, the plans for expansion within the business are expected to create opportunities to pursue other regions, not least of all Great Britain, Eastern Europe, Middle East and the United States.

When we featured Schokinag in the pages of FoodChain, back at the end of 2016, the company was fast approaching 2017 with a revitalised attitude and a refocused desire to achieve its ambitions, and its Managing Director Rolf Eiermann spoke enthusiastically of exciting times

ahead. With almost two years having passed since, the company has made great strides in expanding its product portfolio, streamlining efficiencies and improving reliability, and as 2019 comes more into focus it is clear that it is on the fast track to delivering the products, service and prices that will make Schokinag its customers’ number one chocolate supplier. D www.schokinag.com

Plans for expansion The above-mentioned R&D element of the company is led by a highlyexperienced team, who possess in-depth knowledge of different food segments and can offer extensive application know-how for all of Schokinag’s products.

Working closely and continuously with its customers, the team provides quality, sustainable solutions within a comparatively short response time, and help to create and adapt tailor-made recipes to suit anything from specific cost requirements to general consumer trends.

Aside from the innovative products it creates, the company also regularly invites its customers into its R&D facility to jointly use its state-of-the-art pilot plant equipment, modern analytical devices and sensory panel to realise co-innovation projects.

Sucden Sucden is an independent leader in soft commodities trading. We combine global know-how with local expertise to connect supply and demand in a sustainable way. While doing so, we serve our clients and partners with quality and integrity.

We trade on the world’s major exchanges in a wide range of products and services including sugar, coffee, cocoa, ethanol, ocean freight and futures/ options brokerage. In support, we are active in agriculture and sourcing, processing, logistics, distribution, merchandising, financing, research and risk management.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 87

Ripe for success The Vergeer family are selfconfessed “real lovers of cheese�, and since 1934 Vergeer Holland has used this passion to become one of the Netherlands leading cheese maturers and sellers

88 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Vergeer Holland Leo Vergeer at the cheese market in Gouda

I

n its own words, Vergeer Holland has been making ordinary cheese special since 1934.

The Vergeer family have actually been present in Reeuwijk in the western Netherlands since they owned farms there in 1642, but it wasn’t until 1934 that the company that shares its name was formed by Dirk Vergeer. At the time, Dirk sold handmade cheese produced by his parents, with the company later going on to buy factory-made cheese which it would mature and process prior to selling it at various distribution points.

By the 1960s, the increase in self-service stores led to a growing demand for packaged cheese and Vergeer invested in this expanding segment by acquiring additional facilities, while also extending its selection of products through the introduction of prepackaged sliced cheese and grated cheese. “Today we are a modern, streamlined, third generation family company with more than 550 employees working from our locations in Reeuwijk, Woerden and Bodegraven,” begins Vergeer Holland’s Commercial Director, Felix van Brussel.

“Over time, we have grown into one of the largest, most innovative cheese packaging companies in Europe, with customers all over the world,” Felix continues. “These customers represent a wide variety of market segments, from retail to foodservice, and are supplied with only the finest naturally ripened cheese, as well as foil cheese, in a host of varieties including favourites such as gouda, edam and maasdam.”

Craftsmanship In more recent times, 2016 to be exact, the company underwent a rebrand to better capture the essence of what Vergeer Holland is all about. “We came to the conclusion that our previous logo didn’t quite fit this period of time, but also that it lacked elements to explain our heritage and craftsmanship,” Felix explains. “We modernised and enriched our former logo by adding elements such as a shield, which represents the passing of our craftsmanship through the generations; adding the term ‘fam’ reaffirms our pride in being a family business, and our tag line of ‘Makes ordinary cheese special again’ explains how

www.foodchainmagazine.com 89

‘

we give regular cheese a special taste through our tradition of ripening.”

Alongside the rebranding of the business, Vergeer Holland has continued to introduce new packaging and product options in response to consumer trends.

“Based on the increasing trend amongst people of grazing or snacking, we took the decision to improve and relaunch our portion packages,” Felix reveals.

“In February 2018, we launched our new net packages with a label around the net as a way of improving consumer communication and to better stand out on the shelves, which has been very positive to date. We have also launched new products targeting those seeking a healthy, vegetarian option in the form of 40g sticks of Gouda Young, individually wrapped in an easy flow pack to be enjoyed as snacks on the go. We also offer 40g sticks made of Gouda Extra Old cheese.”

In the past few years, the company has also invested considerable

We remain a leading, customer-driven, familyowned company, one which is flexible, dynamic and focused on continuous improvement, and on providing every market segment we serve with socially responsible, high-quality products

amounts in new cutting and packaging machines. These include completely new lines, such as a fully automated fixed weight line for cheese pieces and wedges, and a new fresh pack line to cut and pack cheese slices. “Our new retail packaging line for slices yields a saving of 46 per cent per kilo of packaged cheese when it comes to packaging weight compared to our old line,” Felix says, before detailing some other environmental benefits of its new lines and systems. “For another packaging line, we have also achieved a 5.5 per cent per kilo saving in the weight of our packaged cheese by reducing the amount of foil used.

“In truth, we are always searching for ways of minimising the impact our packaging has on the environment. The packages we have introduced in recent years stand as examples of how we have moved to using thinner plastic packaging, while smaller foil cuts also limit the amount of plastics used per kilo of packaged cheese. In reducing our plastic usage, we are also making significant reductions to our carbon footprint.”

Customer driven The latter achievement is also being made possible through the close relationships that the company shares with key players within its supply chain. These players include its largest distribution partner STEF, which is tasked with ensure the safe, on-time arrival of Vergeer Holland’s products to its customers in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Spain. “With

90 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Vergeer Holland STEF, we are continuously looking at new opportunities to adapt to the rapid changes affecting the supply chain,” Felix adds. “At the end of the day, the distribution cost per kilo of cheese is a very important number for us and by conducting detailed analysis we have been able to find improvements to reduce the average transportation distance per kilo of cheese, which again helps to cut the amount of carbon being produced.”

Looking ahead to what the coming three-to-five years may hold for Vergeer Holland, Felix is suitably bullish about its prospects. “We remain a leading, customer-driven, family-owned company, one which is flexible, dynamic and focused on continuous improvement, and on providing every market segment we serve with socially responsible, highquality products,” he concludes. “When it comes to our long-term outlook, we are always looking for the next innovation in

terms of machinery, we are very open to new acquisitions, both nationally and internationally, and we will continue to seek out strong, strategic partnerships with suppliers. Together, this strategy

will ensure that many more consumers, inside and outside of our home market, will go on to enjoy our special ripened cheese.” D www.vergeerholland.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 91