FoodChain Issue 176 September 2021

FoodChain ISSUE 176 l SEPT 2021

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Incorporating

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

Automated success: Dogfish Head’s new automation system is providing a host of benefits to the Delaware-based craft brewery

Natural evolution: Why better representation of organic agriculture in a life cycle assessment must be incorporated into future policy

Digesting the impact: Food waste is a significant issue to address an estimated one third of all food produced in the world goes to waste

FoodChain ISSUE 176 l SEPT 2021

www.foodchainmagazine.com

Incorporating

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

Automated success: Dogfish Head’s new automation system is providing a host of benefits to the Delaware-based craft brewery

Natural evolution: Why better representation of organic agriculture in a life cycle assessment must be incorporated into future policy

Digesting the impact: Food waste is a significant issue to address an estimated one third of all food produced in the world goes to waste

Chairman Andrew Schofield Managing Director Joe Woolsgrove

Taste of success

Editor - Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.com Assistant Editor - Will Daynes Staff Writers - Alex McDonald, Danielle Champ Managing Art Editor - Fleur Daniels Art Editor - David Howard Advertising Designer - Paul Gillings Sales Director Alasdair Gamble Operations Director Philip Monument Operations Manager Natalie Griffiths Research Managers Jo-Ann Jeffery Ben Richell, Kieran Shukri Editorial Researchers Adam Blanch, Mark Cowles Jeff Goldenberg, Mark Kafourous James Page, Wendy Russell Richard Saunders Advertising Sales Johanna Bailey, Mike Berger, Jessica Eglington Alex Hartley, Theresa McDonald Ibby Mundhir, Sam Surrell Office Administrator Jessica Olley Web Sales web@schofieldpublishing.com Subscriptions i.kidd@schofieldpublishing.com © 2021 Schofield Publishing Ltd Schofield Publishing - Corporate Head Office

H

ello and welcome to the September issue of FoodChain. How delicious does our front cover look? The team does love a donut and to be able to report on the evolution of Kane’s Donuts and speak to Paul Delios about the Kane’s story has really been an honor. Paul is the son of founders Peter and Kay Delios, and as a long-time chef and restaurateur, he has used his culinary acumen to enhance and build upon what his parents had created. To read more about this interesting and visionary company turn to page 34.

Kane’s Donuts look amazing but aren’t the only scrumptious looking product in our pages this issue! From pizza to lemonade, from bread to cheese – we have been privileged to include some really fascinating stories and some utterly amazing products.

Speaking of products – I am now starting to revive our Taste Test pages, which I’ve really missed doing. I am excited to be able to introduce some new products to my readers and get the staff involved in testing and sampling again. It’s not just the food itself that I missed, but the camaraderie and bonhomie that arose in each testing session, and I am really looking forward to getting that back. So, if you have a product you’d like us to try – please do get in touch!

Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K.

T: (312) 854-0123 T: +44 (0)1603 274130 www.foodchainmagazine.com Follow us at:

Finelight Media 207 E. Ohio Street, Suite 351, Chicago, IL 60611

T: (312) 854-0123

libbie@schofieldpublishing.com

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FoodChain Magazine

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

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Contents

INSIDE THIS

22

ISSUE Features Organic

4

Natural evolution Roger Kerr, Chief Executive of OF&G, discusses why the UK needs a detailed plan for organic that includes foods, farming and the environment

Food waste

8

Automatic guided vehicles

14

McDonald’s North America

40

Digesting the impact on climate There are multiple ways that we can combat food waste, and given its impact on emissions and resources it’s imperative that we do so

Sharing the load The needs of the food industry are ever-changing, and this means they need robust, versatile systems in the warehouse

Case study

KDI Cheese Company

50

18

Automated success How a solution from ProLeiT and Stratus Technologies has given peace of mind to Delawarebased Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

News

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

13

12

Knightsbridge Restaurants

60

Whitworth Bros 2 www.foodchainmagazine.com

34

28

COVER STORY

Geary’s Bakery

46

Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade Stand

54

Kane’s Donuts

Jensen Meat Company Inc

64

68

Zalat Pizza

Mademoiselle Desserts www.foodchainmagazine.com 3

Natural evolution

The need to establish an organic roadmap.

By Roger Kerr 4 www.foodchainmagazine.com

A

s a keen supporter of an organic systems approach for the past 40 years, I believe organic can coherently ensure the delivery of public goods.

Based on rigorous standards that require positive action for animal welfare,

and prohibit the use of pesticides and fertilizers, organic improves biodiversity, builds healthier soils, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and protects us from pollution.

These metrics are all clearly evidenced.

An organic system can feed the world, safely and nutritiously. It is critical now that

Organic

we simultaneously address both the monumental wastefulness of our food system, and the crisis in food related ill-health, as highlighted by Henry Dimbleby’s eagerly anticipated National Food Strategy (NFS) in the UK. We all know we need to bring our consumption

in line with planetary boundaries: less but better meat, less ultra-processed food, more fruit and veg, more simply processed food.

To effectively tackle the complex crises in consumption that our current food systems inflict on our planet

and our people, we desperately need transformative, innovative initiatives that are fully integrated into every area of policy-making – health, trade, environment, and agriculture.

Thankfully, the NFS outlines opportunities for systematic reform,

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while promoting a holistic approach to addressing the challenges we face.

OF&G believes that better representation of organic agriculture in a life cycle assessment must be incorporated into future policy developments. Our European counterparts have made significant headway in this regard.

The UK risks being left behind, despite growing consumer demand and market share for organic food. At the same time, we should not overlook the fact that consumers are actively seeking products with green credentials which is something everyone working in the food supply chain should be seeking to embrace.

Organic consumer market Numerous factors have influenced the market over the past 18-months. Firstly, Covid-19, has had a positive impact on the organic sector. We’ve seen a correlation between the rising trend of consumers opting for a healthier diet and purchasing organic produce.

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‘

Organic food and drink volumes in Great Britain rose by 12.9 percent in the year ending 1 November 2020, ahead of the non-organic market growth at 8.9 percent (Kantar).

One third of millennials are now more likely to buy organic. Pre-lockdown one, 31 percent of consumers were looking to offset their environmental impacts and,

by April 2020, this rose to 49 percent.

Now in its 27th year, Organic September 2021 will again promote the message ‘Nature has the answer…and the answer is organic’. Backed by the Organic Trade Board, last year’s monthlong awareness campaign resulted in a 13 percent growth during this period alone.

Brexit – EU investment in promoting organic Earlier this year, the EU announced a new €182.9 million fund allocated to the promotion of EU agri-food products in and outside the EU in 2021. Of this, almost half the budget (€86 million) is funding campaigns in line with the

...2020’s organic farming statistics released by Defra at the end of May revealed the overall UK land currently in conversion to organic had increased significantly by 12 percent European Green Deal ambitions, and, in particular, the Farm to Fork strategy.

This includes informing EU and global consumers about organic farming, EU sustainable agriculture and the role of the agri-food sector in terms of climate action and the environment.

In the new world of ‘global’ Britain, where is the UK Government’s response to this development? Where, within the new Agricultural Transition Plan and Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS), is there a recognition

Organic of the value of organic food and farming, both in terms of UK domestic demand and international market opportunities?

The widening gap between European and English policy developments for the organic sector has been highlighted by the publication of the European Commission’s Organic Action Plan.

Setting out clear objectives, this document showcases a coherent approach to policy making, which starkly contrasts with our own government’s drip-fed responses.

To compete with our neighbors, we need a detailed plan for organic that encompasses food, farming and the environment. An approach previously recommended by the Government’s own advisors in a Treasury commissioned report, The Dasgupta Review.

Agricultural policy reforms represent a huge opportunity, if only government had the appetite to grasp it. Were organic to be recognized in the same way that it has in Europe, as the only internationally recognized and legally defined agroecological approach, our

nation would be in a much more resilient position over the coming decades.

Latest Defra stats More positively, 2020’s organic farming statistics released by Defra at the end of May revealed the overall UK land currently in conversion to organic had increased significantly by 12 percent.

As the first organic control body (OCB) approved by Government, certifying over 50 percent of the UK organic land area, OF&G contributes to Defra’s annual organic farming data collection along with other OCBs. During 2020, OF&G itself saw a slight increase Roger Kerr

in producers during the period against what appears to be an overall sector decline of five percent.

OF&G also recorded a six percent increase in producer enquiries compared with the same period 12 months ago, with enquiries across all schemes up around 70 percent. This data clearly indicates a growing interest in the environmental benefits and commercial opportunities provided by converting to organic.

Looking ahead At OF&G, we believe there’s an urgent need to support domestic production to supply market demand both domestically and internationally so we can secure a diverse and resilient future for UK food markets. This can only be achieved by recognizing the evidence that shows the value of organic systems and through a process of co-design.

Before the autumn, we are calling for colleagues across the farming, conservation and environment community to meet with Defra, the RPA, Natural England and colleagues from the devolved nations, with ministerial approval, to review the progress being made.

Only by embracing diverse farming approaches will we see UK farming’s potential clearly demonstrated. By building on the current robust organic pipeline, as shown by these latest statistics, policy makers can truly deliver on their aspirations.

If Mr Dimbleby is setting out his foodtopia in the NFS – then organic, as he has previously stated needs to be part of it. D

OF&G

OF&G is one of the largest control bodies in the UK, certifying over 50 percent of UK organic land and operating across Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including the Channel Islands and Isle of Man. OF&G has more than 40 years’ experience in the organic sector and is the longest established Defra-approved organic control body. The company’s headquarters are in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

For information on organic certification visit: www.ofgorganic.org

For advice on organic conversion visit: www.organicinfo.org.uk

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Digesting the impact on climate Emilien Hoet discusses food waste, and suggests some ways that this issue can be addressed

F Emilien Hoet

8 www.foodchainmagazine.com

ood production accounts for around one-quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.

This is an urgent problem as the window we have to limit climate change to 1.5oC is narrowing. Whilst consumer understanding of how specific foods contribute to climate

change - beef and dairy in particular has risen rapidly in recent years, fewer people realize that significant amounts of emissions come from food waste in the supply chain, in restaurants and in homes.

An estimated one-third of all the food produced in the world goes to waste.

Food waste

schools, hospitals and in the kitchens of everyday consumers.

To put this all in context, emissions from food waste is at least three times the emissions generated from global aviation. In the US alone, food waste equates to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 37 million cars and the United Nations estimates that if global food waste were measured as a country, it would be the world’s third worst emitter of GHGs, behind China and the US. Food wastage is responsible for around six percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions, although this may be even higher when including food losses on the farm during production and harvesting.

Putting it into perspective

That’s the equivalent of a staggering 1.3 billion tons of fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, seafood, and grains that either never leave the farm, get lost or spoiled in the supply chain due to poor storage and handling, or disposed of by the retail and hospitality industries - not to mention the waste occurring across

The 1.3 gigatons of edible food wasted releases 3.3 gigatons equivalent of carbon dioxide (CO2), meaning that for every 1 kg of food waste, just over 2.5 kg of CO2 is emitted. And when food ends up in landfill, it generates methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than CO2.

And the problem doesn’t end with emissions. When food is wasted, all the land, water, energy, transportation, packaging and other resources that went into its production and processing - all of which have an impact on biodiversity – are also wasted.

In addition to its environmental impact, food waste is a social and humanitarian concern. It is believed that the global level of food waste today would deliver enough calories to feed every undernourished person on the planet.

Food, therefore, lies at the heart of not only tackling climate change, but reducing water stress and pollution, restoring lands back to forests or grasslands, protecting wildlife, and making an impact on social and economic issues.

In a much cited study on global food systems, it was found that food waste differs quite considerably across the world. In low income countries, 40 percent of food is wasted during its handling in the supply chain – so, directly after it’s harvested but before making its way into people’s homes.

This is usually down to inadequate infrastructure – from decent roads to lack of refrigeration. However, in high income countries, consumers need to accept the lion’s share of responsibility, with estimates suggesting that households are responsible for as much as 53 percent of all food waste in Europe.

The UK picture According to NGO, WRAP, two thirds of people in the UK do not currently associate food waste with climate change.

Nevertheless, food waste among UK households – around 6.6 million tons per year – has recently outweighed the amount of food waste produced by all commercial enterprises at all stages of the food value chain, including production and processing to retailing and hospitality. In fact, domestic food waste accounts for 70 percent of the national annual food waste mountain.

WRAP’s survey of more than 4,000 adults in the UK revealed that just 32 percent said they see a ‘clear link” between wasted food and greenhouse gas emissions.

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Between eight percent to 11 percent of all GHG emissions emanating from the food system could be reduced if food waste was prevented. Efforts to deliver this ambition will be one of the world’s greatest challenges this decade and beyond to mid-century.

In contrast to the energy transition and upscaling of low-carbon, renewable energy solutions, the approaches for tackling the decarbonisation of the agroeconomy are somewhat less defined. It is argued, for example, that we still need fertilizers and vast amounts of water to meet growing food demands. And while some headway has been made to reduce the methane from cattle – for example public awareness campaigns to reduce reliance on meat as a dietary resource in the first instance, to innovative approaches such as adding seaweed to cattle which can reduce emissions by up to 82 per cent pastoral farming is likely to be a significant source of emissions at least in the medium term.

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Food retailers: key to the pantry Large food retailers in the UK – and globally - are in a unique position to address the global food waste issue.

Due to their direct links with farmers, processors, and consumers, they have the power to influence every facet of the supply chain. And because the traditional supermarket industry in the UK is highly concentrated - the top seven food retailers account for 87 percent of the grocery market - retailers have considerable market power to initiate change.

Solutions could include upgrading of inventory systems with the latest technology. Advancements in automation and software capabilities have made inventory management scalable across more SKUs and product types, making it possible to go directly from distribution warehouses to retail shelves, reducing the amount of food going to waste.

Greater partnership with farmers will also be key. Significant amounts of produce are left unharvested every year due to the tendency to grow more than is needed as a hedge against weather, disease and fluctuating orders. Retailers need to work more closely with farmers or encourage their intermediaries to collaborate more realistically on forecasting. A more collaborative approach when working with suppliers means treating farmers as partners rather than contractors and investing in the long-term sustainability of the supply chain instead of maximizing returns from a product in the short term.

Food waste A significant part to play in encouraging consumer behavioral change actually rests at the doorstep of retailers. High cosmetic standards for fruit and vegetables have been embraced for many years by UK food retailers, leading them to reject even marginally imperfect-looking produce – now known as ‘wonky veg’. The desirability of a ‘perfectionist produce aesthetic’ in relation to food needs to be addressed, and while some retailers are now engaging in the promotion of imperfect produce, the initiative should be more widely embraced.

Additionally, food labelling needs to be overhauled. The ‘Best by’ date, for example, while neither standardized or regulated is currently encouraging consumers to dispose of perfectly edible food.

Food waste by consumers has escalated with rising disposable incomes and it is argued that many under 30’s struggle with what to do with leftovers, and only three per cent of people attach a social stigma to throwing away food.

Changing habits is a long-term endeavor, but food retailers and government campaigns can play a crucial role in educating consumers to cut household food waste.

Research undertaken by Sainsbury’s has shown that consumers view supermarkets as a source of inspiration and guidance for reducing food waste. Supermarket magazines and membership programs could be used to feature waste reduction tips and recipes to utilize leftovers. They could also sponsor and team up with chefs to demonstrate how to utilize leftover ingredients, or hold dining events featuring dishes made from discarded food.

Food retailers can also organize ‘waste less’ campaigns. For example, Kroger – the second largest retailer in the US – launched its initiative ‘Zero Hunger, Zero Waste’ to combat what they describe as the ‘fundamental absurdity’ of food waste in the US – now estimated to be around 40 per cent.

The role of offsetting Finally, for those emissions that are not easily mitigated, the role of offsetting

should be incorporated into the equation. Companies are increasingly realizing that high-quality, verified offset projects can play an important role in tackling emissions across the value chain when they cannot be easily achieved through operational changes, or will take some time to implement. The additional opportunity

The hard to swallow facts •

• • • • •

•

50% of the world’s habitable (ice- and desertfree) land is used for agriculture and accounts for 24% of food related emissions Crop production accounts for 27% of food emissions Livestock & fisheries account for 31% of food emissions 70% of global freshwater withdrawals are used for agriculture 78% of global ocean and freshwater pollution of waterways is caused by agriculture 94% of mammal biomass is livestock, outweighing wild animals by a factor of 15to-1 Of the 28,000 species evaluated to be threatened with extinction, agriculture and aquaculture is listed as a major threat to over 85% of them

Foods commonly wasted in the UK • •

•

•

Salad, vegetable and fruit items make up 25% of edible household waste Discarded lettuce and strawberries are valued at £30 million per year (equating to 9% of strawberries and 19% of lettuces grown) Mitigating the 280 tonnes of poultry or 3.1 million glasses of milk wasted daily has an equitable impact on climate as planting over 6 million trees per annum Preventing the 4.4 million potatoes wasted every day equates to the effort of planting 5.4 million trees yearly

here is that you select environmental or social impact projects which mean most to you and your stakeholders, usually in developing countries, which have a real and important effect on peoples’ lives and the environment.

Such projects can focus on health, economic empowerment, prevention of deforestation, renewable infrastructure and biodiversity protection. Projects such as these are aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and, therefore, enable an organization to demonstrate their commitment to these global objectives which can be included in their sustainability reports.

A case in point ClimatePartner supports a number of these vital social and environmental offset projects. In Vietnam, for example, small-scale biogas plants are supplied to households which take organic waste such as animal manure, and when fermented in sealed digesters, produces biogas which families use in cookers for water purification, cooking and for gas lamps. The project improves the health and social situation of those living in poverty by giving them access to clean and affordable energy. It also reduces the need for charcoal or firewood, so delivering the double benefits reducing CO2 emissions and counteracting massive deforestation.

The collection and utilization of animal dung also improves sanitary conditions on farms and reduces groundwater pollution. And, as a by-product of the fermentation process, a natural fertilizer is created which is cheaper and better for the health of the soil than synthetic agents. D For a list of sources used in this article, please contact the editor

ClimatePartner

Emilien Hoet is Head of the UK division of ClimatePartner, a leading international climate consultancy. Emilien and his team are focused on helping food & beverage businesses to develop carbon strategies in support of net zero ambitions, by measuring, reducing, and offsetting their carbon emissions. Founded over 14 years ago, ClimatePartner is a fast growing solution provider that works with over 2700 companies and has offices in Germany, the UK, Switzerland and Austria.

For further information, please visit: www.climatepartner.com/en

www.foodchainmagazine.com 11

IndustryNews Responsibly indulgent The former CEO of graze, Anthony Fletcher,

pioneering a patented manufacturing process

Urban Legend also includes clever natural flavour

has launched a new bakery goods brand:

that facilitates the creation of nutritious bakery

combinations that enhance sweetness and cue

Urban Legend. In an effort to take the junk

products without compromising on taste.

indulgence, and alternatives to sugar discovered in

out of junk food and address the obesity crisis

Fletcher worked with leading UK scientists,

melons, pears, roots and leaves.

in the UK, Fletcher has created a range of

including Dr Chris Holland, Senior Lecturer in

https://urban-legend.com/

doughnuts that are over 50 percent lower in

Natural Materials at Sheffield

sugar (-57 percent) and saturated fat (-52

University. Together they

percent), while also dramatically lower in fat

investigated novel starch and

(-44 percent) and calories (-36 percent) than

protein technologies, which

other doughnuts currently being sold.

would allow doughs to be ‘set’

Urban Legend’s range of doughnuts contain

by a beam of steam rather

no artificial preservatives, sweeteners, colours

than prolonged deep fat frying.

or flavourings. In fact, to make the vibrant

They also used a technique to

colours, extracts from flowers, plants and

deposit a micro layer of fat on

vegetables have been used including safflower

the outside of the doughnut,

and beetroot.

retaining the taste and texture

Beyond the taste, look, feel and impact on

of a deep fat product with

our health – Urban Legend is about bringing

barely any of saturated fat

innovation into the food industry including

being added to the product.

Fresh designs Tupperware® and the National Park

to the woods and mountains of Yosemite,

revolutionary ECO+ material, which is made

Foundation have expanded their partnership

Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Shenandoah, Rocky

with the first food-safe sustainable materials

to offer four limited-time products to help

Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway and the

originating from mixed plastic or renewable,

adventure-goers ‘keep parks fresh’ and

waterfront scenery of Olympic.

recycled materials.

waste-free with designs honoring the beautiful sights found in national parks around the country.

According to a recent survey cocommissioned by the National Park Foundation and Tupperware Brands, 84 percent of Americans believe reducing waste can help preserve national parks for future generations, and 83 percent wish it were easier to take actions to reduce the amount of waste they generate. The new limited-edition product line by Tupperware will address these desires, giving park goers tangible options to make a lasting impact and keep parks fresh. In addition to the new product line, funding from the joint partnership to-date has gone to support the installation of new water refill stations, estimated to divert nearly ten million single-use plastic bottles from landfills annually, as well as composting and recycling infrastructure and waste reduction education across the National Park System.

Products include three variations of artwork inspired by the diverse beauty of the iconic national park landscapes, from the desert and clay of the Grand Canyon and Arches,

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Additionally, the To-Go Cup, Sandwich and Snack Keepers are made with Tupperware’s

www.tupperware.com/collections/ national-park-foundation

IndustryNews Egg-cellent causes Consider Pastures™, producer of Certified Humane® Pasture Raised eggs and the first national egg brand to embrace regenerative farming practices, has joined 1% for the Planet, making it the first egg brand to join the organization’s efforts. Consider Pastures’ participation includes a pledge to donate 1% of annual sales to support nonprofit organizations focused on environmental causes.

“At Consider Pastures we are pioneering a back-to-basics approach to egg farming – one that places equal emphasis on environmental stewardship, holistic farming practices, and commitment to humane animal treatment,” says Paul Turbeville, Head of Marketing. “In addition to being the first egg producer to attain B Corporation status in 2013, we are excited to deepen our commitment to better, more sustainable practices through our support of 1% for the Planet, which perfectly aligns with our brand’s mission to help heal a food system and planet in distress.”

In contrast to the industrial agricultural farms that currently dominate egg production practices, each Consider Pastures farm operates in a way that improves biodiversity and soil health. Specific measures include: • Zero use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers

• No deep tilling or fallow rotation to help protect the soil from erosion and nutrient loss

• Increasing the organic matter and carbon sequestering ability of the soil through strategic use of cover crops

• Multi-species livestock integration

• Planting/encouraging of wildflowers such as clover and milkweed to assist in pollinator health

• Installation of bat houses as natural pest control

www.considerpastures.com

Fruity solution It’s almost back to school season, and soon parents will be once again making sure that kids have a varied lunch box as exciting and flavourful as it is nutritious. Luckily, Kooky has it covered with a range of exotic super fruits that are as good for kids as they taste.

Kooky’s quirky product range includes freeze-dried, light and crispy jackfruit, mango and mangosteen, and gently dried, soft and chewy banana and dragon fruit.

Sustainably sourced in Thailand and naturally dried with absolutely nothing added, the beautifully unusual snacks are 100 per cent fruit, making up one of your five-a-day. Packed with nutrients and vitamins, the mouthfuls of fruity goodness also have vast benefits, contributing to the healthy growth and development of kids whilst giving them the chance to try previously unexplored fruits.

Kooky is the brainchild of two mothers, Aline Burgmann and Deena Tan, who met at the school gates. Bonding over their Asian roots and Western upbringings, they quickly recognised a shared passion for exotic fruits that are difficult to find in the UK. The duo created Kooky, intending to bring the best fruits of the East to the West by utilising unique relationships with Thai farmers that serve to empower local producers.

Discussing the new business venture, Deena said: “As mothers ourselves, we know first-hand how difficult it can be to find lunchbox snacks that are tasty, yet nutritious and which children will enjoy eating. We hope Kooky will inspire parents looking to spruce up their kids’ packed lunches by providing a convenient alternative to fresh fruit, whilst offering children the opportunity to try fruits previously unavailable to them.”

www.iamkooky.com

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Sharing the load AGVs are transforming the food and beverage industry. By Thomas R. Cutler

John Hayes

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V

ersatile automated vehicles optimize the ever-shifting needs of the food industry.

Food trends change constantly, which defines why strategic planning is essential, not optional.

According to John Hayes, Director of Sales of BALYO (www.balyo.us): “The food sector businesses require versatile, robust solutions. Food industry automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) streamline operations, resolve the daily

Automatic guided vehicles

logistical challenges in food service, distribution, and warehousing, because of the capacity to adapt and evolve, meeting the demands of food and beverage firms globally.”

While hackneyed, the expression, ‘one size does not fit all’ is apropos in food and beverage. Experience inures to invaluable insights into the broader demands of running a food industry venture. Without this expertise, companies will select the improper AGV

for the specific activities in a facility.

It requires more than purchasing the equipment, according to Hayes, who noted: “AGVs must integrate seamlessly into overall operations while delivering the consistency, safety, and savings required.”

Food industry AGVs Hayes is adamant that selecting the best AGV vendor means they can supply a full complement of solutions designed

to move the raw goods, packaging and supplies, and finished products around a food processing facility. Material handling needs are idiosyncratic in the food industry, which must meet OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) rules, HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) operational requirements, as well as the decade-old FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) along with other regulatory compliance demands.

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Top AGV products for the food & beverage industry Food processes and procedures are unique to each company. Different components and processes generate unique requirements, which must be answered by the technology suggested by vendors. Only with smooth, predictable, secure operations throughout a food and beverage facility can any solution fit and meet the specific needs.

Whether a few AGVs or a fleet of food industry automatic guided vehicles, these robots must be hard-working and rugged, integrated to software and services, and optimized to the operation.

Streamlining material handling Hayes argued: “Streamlining material handling with careful engineering is evident in every aspect of BALYO AGVs. Features and functionality that boost

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productivity, extend equipment longevity and accelerate value, have been engineered from the earliest stages of product development.”

Food and beverage production environments can be rough It is critical given the variety of plant floor production rigor in most food and beverage facilities, that AGVs must be built from the best processes and materials and compatible with other automated supply chain machinery.

Narrow aisles, tight turns, and conveyors have an interface with AGVs, which must be customizable to accommodate requirements, yet still quick to get up and running. These trucks must be easier to operate than a standard fork truck, last longer with greater productivity, and produce a rapid ROI. The combined impact of leveraging the proper equipment, integrated

software, and support makes the functional target realistic. Only when product quality is maintained, productivity improved, and downtime reduced, is the true value proposition of AGVs realized.

Features, advantages, and benefits of AGVs Hayes commented that while all the bells and whistles of AGVs will not be used and realized by every food and beverage customer, vendors must be clear how to distinguish their AGV solution, which enhances the capabilities that make food and beverage handling operations faster, more accurate, and as secure as possible.

New food and beverage facility incorporates automation from the start Hayes shared that a BALYO customer was building a new facility and wanted

Automatic guided vehicles to incorporate automation from the start. He worked closely with them on the engineered customer carts that would fit their product in the profile needed, while still being able to be picked-up by the AGVs. Time is of the essence with this type of application, so having AGVs that can run 24/7 or bring product over anticipating a need was very useful.

Hayes gave this some context noting that many existing food and beverage manufacturing plants and warehouses were built more than 40 years ago.

Designing automated solutions in old facilities and attempting to retrofit technology is too costly and often fails to overcome the constraints of the facility. Conversely, new facilities are able to design automation into the plant. The speed of design, implementing, and capturing a rapid ROI on new facilities happens regularly.

New facilities also face less resistance

from a new workforce…nothing to compare to how it was done previously.

Long hauls with finished goods inside a food plant Hayes provided another example of a very forward-thinking food and beverage company. When it came to automation technology, they had four other kinds of AGVs in the same facility. The conveyor systems were top-notch and outfitted with sensors. There were few manual operators and there was a team of automation systems professionals. They relied on BALYO’s AGVs for making long hauls with finished goods from production to staging. These AGVs were also used to bring dairy products from production to cold storage, so timeliness, punctuality, and efficiency were important to ensure that the

product was properly stored avoiding spoilage.

BALYO looked at things like chain of custody, flexibility in staging, and any nuances about type of product. AGVs enabled a chain of custody avoiding contamination and supporting the regulatory compliance rules required of food and beverage companies. Time and temperature control must be monitored and documented in a HACCP document for audits.

As far as compliance, Hayes reinforced that BALYO’s AGVs adhere to the B56.5 standard for automated vehicles. Food and beverage companies are encouraged that these AGV solutions are based on standard forklifts that may currently be in use at warehouses today. D

TR Cutler, Inc.

Thomas R. Cutler is the President and CEO of Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based, TR Cutler, Inc., celebrating its 23rd year. Cutler is the founder of the Manufacturing Media Consortium including more than 9000 journalists, editors, and economists writing about trends in manufacturing, industry, material handling, and process improvement. TR Cutler, Inc. recently launched three new divisions focusing on Gen Z, the African manufacturing sector, and manufacturing in the entertainment industry.

Cutler authors more than 1000 feature articles annually regarding the manufacturing sector.

Nearly 5000 industry leaders follow Cutler on Twitter daily at @ThomasRCutler.

Contact Cutler at: trcutler@trcutlerinc.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 17

Automated success An international brewer has prepared for the future whilst making downtime a thing of the past

18 www.foodchainmagazine.com

D

owntime is a costly expense no matter the process, but when it comes to producing a beverage that is distributed across almost all 50 US states, unexpected downtime can have a major impact.

Liz Stairs, Process Improvement Specialist, Dogfish Head agrees: “If we were down for a period of time and we were brewing, we can lose a whole batch of beer and that could be a lot of money,” she said.

Located in Milton, Delaware, the Dogfish Head facility is responsible for the craft beer and spirits of the brand.

Having opened its doors in 1995 the rapidly growing brewing company now produces 262,000 barrels of beer annually and while its challenges aren’t unique, the impact of any downtime could be a business-life changer.

Liz adds: “I think a lot of our brands are quite exceptional and to achieve

that unique flavour we need some extra processes, like the ingredient pots and our specialty hop dosing system.”

Dogfish Head’s hop dosing process was traditionally a manual one, but as output continued to grow this was all moved to a single automation system.

When that system became obsolete, Dogfish Head faced sizeable issues as cybersecurity risks were increasing along with potential downtime - in the form of a minor failure or a complete facility shutdown. When Dogfish Head’s system was no longer supported in the US the facility began to see processes fail. The outdated system was also making it difficult for the brewery to implement new equipment. This all led to unplanned shut-downs and time lost recovering from them. Action needed to be taken, and quickly!

Finding a solution for such a fastgrowing brewery proved a challenge; not only did the system need to be

Case study

tailored to Dogfish Head’s day-to-day operations but also allow room to continuously improve the process and the facility itself.

After numerous brewery visits and extensive due diligence, Liz and the Dogfish Head team selected a new automation system. “When we were looking for a new automation solution we were interested in ProLeiT and we visited breweries that were already utilising it.”

The ProLeiT system that was installed improved energy management and brought with it MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) functionality and integrated recipe control for liquids.

As the facility continued to see improvements Liz set out to then find a server that could provide a 99.999 percent uptime guarantee.

“We looked at IT centric solutions like HP and Dell, but we settled on Stratus because of their service package and deployment support,” continued Liz. The ftServer from Stratus Technologies sets itself apart from market competitors by focussing on and providing failure prevention, rather than failure recovery. Ensuring continuous availability of the critical systems was to the first step to a tailored solution for Dogfish Head.

Importantly Dogfish Head also needed to reduce the downtime associated with the implementation of new technology.

The new solution eradicated this with the ftServer’s hot-swappable customer-

replaceable units, making shutdown before switching a thing of the past.

The overall hardware footprint for the facility has also been reduced, the legacy system had required six servers to support production of the award-winning beverages, with Stratus Technologies’ ftServer operating a virtualised platform, that number has been reduced to one.

As with all projects Stratus Technologies undertakes the key is collaboration and partnership. Working closely with ProLeiT, the solution was able to provide Dogfish Head with the computing flexibility to keep growing in the brewing sector.

Commenting on that relationship, Liz said: “In [SIC] choosing the ProLeiT and the Stratus solution, we were really impressed with the brewery-specific knowledge that they had. They guided us every step of the way from hardware choices to longer term plans to help us grow and expand.”

The ProLeiT and Stratus Technologies team also had the

responsibility of migrating the software from the legacy system onto the sector specific PLC-based control system, brewmaxx. The team was able to complete this migration with little support from the brewery.

With the deployment of the collaborative solution complete, Dogfish Head has seen a host of benefits to the brewery. The ftServer provides Dogfish Head with 24/7 monitoring and automated e-mail alerts with the current status of the brewery.

Another added benefit with the move to the Stratus server platform is the automated online parts replacement, giving the brewery management team complete peace of mind that in the event of parts failure, the system would remain online and return to full redundancy without the need to order new parts.

“With the solution that ProLeiT and Stratus have provided, we’re no longer limited by our automation system, we’re able to grow and the sky’s the limit,” concluded Liz. D

Stratus Technologies

Stratus takes the complexity out of keeping business critical applications running 24/7.

Stratus’ technologies proactively prevent instances of unplanned downtime both in the data center and at the edge, and its services ensure any issues are addressed before customers need to. Global Fortune 500 companies and small medium sized businesses in a wide range of industries across the globe have been relying on Stratus for operationally simple, continuous availability for more than 35 years.

For further information, please visit: www.stratus.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 19

The legend

lives on

A food industry icon for more than 65 years, McDonald’s remains one of the world’s best-loved restaurants thanks to strong supplier relationships and a dedication to customer experience

I

t’s fair to say that a lot has happened since Multimixer salesman Ray Kroc stumbled upon Dick and Mac McDonald’s small but successful California hamburger restaurant in 1954. Less than a year later, Kroc was the McDonald brothers’ franchise agent and the first McDonald’s restaurants took hold across the United States. By 1958, the fledgling restaurant chain had already sold its 100 millionth hamburger.

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Sixty-six years since the first McDonald’s franchises were opened, the legend continues. In 2021, McDonald’s popularity across North America and the rest of the world endures, thanks to a continued belief in key tenets laid out by Kroc in the company’s earliest days. The first of these? Customer experience.

“At the heart of McDonald’s is the experience we offer,” declares the company’s Senior Vice President and

‘

Chief Supply Chain Officer for North America, Marion Gross. “For 65 years, we’ve created iconic experiences for billions of people around the world.

Along the way, we’ve always focused on following our customers’ needs, finding the most convenient and engaging ways for them to enjoy McDonald’s.

“Through world-class training and a commitment to execution, we’re proud that, no matter where you are in the world, you can enjoy your

McDonald’s

We’re Accelerating the Arches by committing to our wellestablished offering, but we know that customer experience today reaches beyond the physical walls of our restaurants, which is why we are also determined to better serve our digitally connected customers. As our Founder Ray Kroc once said, ‘Look after the customers and the business will take care of itself’ favorite McDonald’s menu item and the experience will be the same - from Canada to France, and from Australia to the United States.”

Competitive advantage The engine behind this superior experience is another aspect Kroc emphasized during the company’s early days – the establishment of strong supplier relationships. Using Kroc’s unique ‘three-legged stool model’, where franchisees, suppliers and employees work together to meet the needs of customers around the world, McDonald’s is able to leverage its size and scale to meet consumer expectations, while sustainably and profitably growing the business in a way that ensures all legs of the stool prosper.

“The three-legged stool model shaped a culture of partnership and collaboration that is a competitive advantage for McDonald’s,” Marion says. “The alignment and balance of interests among all three legs of the stool is essential and has been key to our success as a company.

“This model enables us to consistently deliver locally relevant restaurant experiences to customers and to be an integral part of the communities we serve. Moreover, the dynamic allows us to identify, implement, and scale innovative ideas that meet customers’ changing needs and preferences. You might call it our special sauce!”

Unsurprisingly for a company with such a legacy and heritage of strong supplier partnerships, McDonald’s supply chain business model is equally unique. Unlike other supply chains designed to work at a transactional level, McDonald’s network looks

across multiple points of integration and cultivates strategic, long-term connections. The result is a shared culture that encourages long-term growth and a competitive advantage for the entire system.

“We strive to have solid, mutually beneficial relationships with all our suppliers,” Marion asserts. “Our supply chain is one of a kind. Our strategic suppliers have a heightened sense of belonging and commitment to the McDonald’s System. They are aligned with our values and engaged at every step to deliver a high quality experience with safety top of mind in our restaurants, and that’s a direct result of our philosophy.

“Furthermore, our strategic suppliers act in a way that preserves our culture because they understand that their success is contingent on McDonald’s success. As well as engaging the hearts and minds of their employees to help create solutions for the McDonald’s System, they also give us ‘first choice’ on production capabilities, capacity and new products. In short, there truly is a commitment to growing the business together.”

The resilience the company demonstrated throughout the Covid-19 pandemic is a great example of the strength of the McDonald’s System and its celebrated three-legged stool.

While the company concentrated on keeping its customers and employees safe throughout the crisis, McDonald’s network of partners allowed its restaurants to maintain supply globally.

“During the pandemic, we held a weekly call with our suppliers to keep them closely connected as Covid-19 restrictions rapidly impacted the business,” Marion reveals. “We provided opportunities by leveraging our supplier

www.foodchainmagazine.com 23

McDonald’s source and donate personal protective equipment for medical first responders.

Incredibly, several suppliers stepped up and converted lines to produce hand sanitizer when demand exceeded supply during the height of the pandemic so that our employees and customers could feel safe inside our restaurants.”

Digital convenience

network on emerging issues, mitigation, and best practices.

“To further enhance customer experience during the pandemic, we worked with our suppliers and franchisees to refocus the restaurant

menu, while continuing to serve the customer their favorite McDonald’s offerings. In addition, McDonald’s, suppliers, and franchisees came together to donate food to various food banks across the US, as well as

With customer demand for more digital and personalized experiences top of mind, McDonald’s is taking action to make its customer experience even faster and more personalized.

“Going forward, we recognize that convenience is paramount. Consumers have an elevated demand for digital convenience and easier ordering, delivery, and payment. Beyond speed, accuracy has become foundational in delivering a great customer experience,” says Marion.

As always, the company will celebrate its core menu, alongside connecting with its customers through creative content and cultural moments that connect to customers. To lead these efforts, the company has announced the creation of a new Customer Experience team to transform the ways that customers engage with the McDonald’s brand.

“Building on the success of our Accelerating the Arches growth plan,” Marion offers, “we’re excited by the newly created Customer Experience team and Chief Customer Officer (CCO) role announced in July 2021 that has oversight for the end-to-end customer experience.

The team will oversee everything from the

DAMRON Corporation DAMRON Corporation became McDonald’s first National Diverse and African American Supplier in 1985, providing McDonald’s Hot and Iced Tea. In 1999, we manufactured the injection molded McFlurry spoon until ending in 2016 to focus on our core tea business.

A company founded on the merits and strength of collaboration, diversity and vision, DAMRON have provided career ‘comebacks’ to previously incarcerated people and provided the training and encouragement to support personal growth and development. We believe that corporate success begins with empowering personal success.

DAMRON also manufacture and distribute organic, conventional, flavored and herbal teas, under the Harvest Delight Brand. In 2015, DAMRON developed tea brands in the Specialty Value (Kimberly’s) and Specialty Mainstream segments (Healing Tea Leaves of the World) and in 2016, a USDA Organic premium leaf tea pyramid bag free of microplastics, uniquely being ‘Tea with Nutrition’ (AMAR~Essence of Life).

We maintain overseas manufacturing partnerships with factories QA certified to GFSI standards. This enables a complete range of tea products and virtually any tea packaging format. Our brands are developed to suit not only different segments of the US market but also different international consumer preferences, with importers in Europe and South America expressing interest in brands best suited for their markets’ customers.

• DAMRON develop private label blends positioned at any point on the quality/cost matrix, designed for specific customer demographics • DAMRON provide a full range of teas, including decaf, flavored and ‘wellness teas’ with medicinal herbs • DAMRON service national accounts from our Chicago facility

24 www.foodchainmagazine.com

several artists including Travis Scott, J Balvin, BTS and Saweetie to bring their favorite McDonald’s orders to customers nationwide.

“The latest order is from Saweetie, someone who uses her voice for important causes she cares about, including standing against Asian hate earlier this year and using her platform to empower women.

Importantly, she’s a lifelong McDonald’s customer and fan since growing up in Hayward, California.”

Adapting and developing

physical restaurants we design and build, to the digital experiences and marketing that we embed at each step in the customer journey.”

Customer feedback and a focus on consumer demand are also playing an instrumental role in the evolution of McDonald’s menu. Along with the introduction of new McCafé Bakery items and the Crispy Chicken Sandwich in the US, the company continues to bring fresh twists on classics, like Spicy Chicken McNuggets® and the Caramel Brownie McFlurry®. Most recently, in August

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2021, McDonald’s showcased ‘craveable’ favorites like its classic Big Mac® and Chicken McNuggets® to deliver rapper Saweetie’s ‘Favorite Order’.

“Our Famous Orders campaign was built to connect with the next generation, cultivate digital adoption and grow our brand for the long-term. The campaign resonates because it’s based on a simple fan truth: No matter how big or famous you are, everyone has a McDonald’s order,” Marion proclaims. “We’ve been on a journey to elevate our brand in culture and are thrilled to partner with

Featuring a Big Mac®, 4-piece Chicken McNuggets®, medium World Famous Fries®, a medium Sprite®, Tangy BBQ Sauce and ‘Saweetie ‘N Sour’ sauce Sweet ‘N Sour sauce re-named in the artist’s honor - the Saweetie meal won’t be the last installment in McDonald’s engagement with customers. In fact, the team already has plans to excite customers through collaborations with Space Jam, as well as Eric Emanuel and Adidas on McDonald’s All-American Games merchandise.

“We are always evolving with our customers’ tastes and preferences, and we are happy to explore new trends that might keep our menu fresh and relevant,” Marion explains. “We do that in different ways. It could be as simple as adding a new sauce or salad ingredient, right up to removing artificial preservatives, flavors and colors from products, or improving the nutritional profiles of our Happy Meals. Right now, we are testing a new plant-based burger, the McPlant, in select markets outside the US.” To remain popular and prosperous in the decades ahead, McDonald’s understands that it must stay true to its roots and heritage. In line with the three-legged stool model, the business is determined to live up to its values of Service, Inclusion, Integrity, Community and Family. To this end, McDonald’s is continuously adapting and developing as it becomes a better, more sustainable and more actively compassionate organization.

“When we say, ‘billions served’, it’s so much more than just hamburgers,” Marion points out. “We serve many stakeholders, from our communities and customers, to our restaurant crews, to farmers, franchisees, and suppliers. We know that, with our size and scale, we can make a real

McDonald’s difference in the world. To do so, we’ve identified four focus areas to make an even greater impact in the future. These four areas are those that matter most for our business: food quality and sourcing, our planet, community connection and jobs, inclusion & empowerment.”

Growth strategy From the ongoing work of the Ronald McDonald House Charities® to collaboration with the Next Gen Cup Consortium for the development of sustainable packaging solutions, McDonald’s corporate social responsibility efforts are vast. August 2021 saw the company’s latest step forward in this direction, with the exciting introduction of the Mutual Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

“While we have always been committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, the current state of our society has prompted us to consider what more we can do to advance these principles both internally and externally,” Marion states. “As a reflection of our values, we hold ourselves accountable to represent the diverse communities in which we operate, accelerate cultures of inclusion and belonging, and dismantle barriers to economic opportunity.

“The purpose of the Mutual Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is to accelerate change in our business, and in industries beyond our own, by inviting those that work with us to join in our ambition to deliver meaningful and overdue societal progress.

McDonald’s and our US franchisees spent approximately $14 billion throughout our US supply chain in 2020, an industryleading 23 per cent of which was with diverse-owned suppliers, meaning businesses that are 51 per cent owned and controlled by women and/or Black, Hispanic, Asian, Indigenous, Veteran, LGBTQ+, and disabled persons. While that’s quite an achievement, we know we can do more.”

Having enjoyed its strongest quarterly two-year growth in over 15 years in 2020

organization will continue feeding and fostering communities, and making delicious, feel-good moments easy for everyone, while still living out its core values.

“We’re Accelerating the Arches by committing to our well-established offering, but we know that customer experience today reaches beyond the physical walls of our restaurants,

which is why we are also determined to better serve our digitally connected customers,” Marion concludes. “As our Founder Ray Kroc once said, ‘Look after the customers and the business will take care of itself’. At McDonald’s, we will be doing that three-to-five years from now and beyond, just as we always have done.” D www.mcdonalds.com/us

in the US, McDonald’s now plans to take major steps forward on its Accelerating the Arches growth strategy. By tapping into customer demand and running great restaurants and drive-thrus, the

www.foodchainmagazine.com 27

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Geary’s Bakery

On the rise Backed by four generations of baking success, Geary’s Bakery sets its sights on making sure we can all access the best of bread

H

aving been kept in the Geary family for over 100 years, Geary’s Bakery (Geary’s) remains traditional, artisanal, and dedicated to quality over quantity. In 2005, Jason Geary took over from his father, Charles Geary, as the head of the company. Staying true to the family business, Jason has been learning to bake since he was just ten years’ old, and with his years of experience has launched ‘Jason’s Sourdough’, a new range of sourdough bread products, with the aim of bringing traditionally made bread back into the mainstream.

Geary’s recipes have been perfected over 115 years. Evolving from Jason’s grandfather’s original recipe, Geary’s Bakery now offers bloomers, malted loaves, rustic wholemeal and even Jason’s Ciabattin®, a skilful fusion of ciabatta and sourdough bread. “We supply award winning, long-fermentation artisanal and craft loaves, including both traditionally made sourdough, and

www.foodchainmagazine.com 29

open-tin crafted loaves,” explains Jason.

“We also provide a range of rolls – with particular focus on premium and cheese topped rolls,” he adds.

Geary’s Bakery is known for upholding time-honored baking methods, as Jason confirms: “We make our own sourdough culture on-site, and use this for both the traditional sourdough range as well as adding to the craft, open tinned bloomer loaves. This gives an unmistakable, difficult to replicate, taste and flavor.”

‘

This ethos is carried through the entire bread-making process at Geary’s Bakery. “What sets us apart is doing things the more old-fashioned way: slowing everything down and focusing on quality, not quantity,” Jason affirms.

Revealing how central these values are to Geary’s Bakery, he goes on to state: “We’re on a mission to make proper bread accessible to more people, by creating loaves that will encourage people to re-imagine how they think

We are investing in improved capacity and

efficiency, in order to make us fit for the

next five years’ growth. We feel we’ve had

a very busy and productive 24 months, and

that success is laying the foundation for the

next five years

Jason Geary

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about bread and inspire them to raise the bar at mealtimes by putting bread at the forefront.”

Keeping up with demand Despite maintaining traditional values, Geary’s Bakery has changed and grown with the times. Upon taking over the family business, Jason moved the company’s primary production facility from Ratby, in Leicestershire, to a larger site in Barrow Upon Soar; today the company also runs a second site in Glenfield, Leicestershire. “Investment over recent years has increased both capacity and efficiency,” says Jason. “In 2017 we invested £15 million into the brand new, purpose built and customized Glenfield bakery. We are currently looking to invest again over the coming months in order to continue to improve both capacity and efficiency, as well as keep up with the demand and opportunities in the market for artisanal bread.”

Geary’s Bakery With larger sites comes the opportunity for further expansion. “At our bakeries, we ferment our own sourdough culture, and have bulk fermentation chambers to ensure the right temperature and conditions for the sourdough,” explains Jason. “Other equipment has been bought to specifically keep the traditional ways of baking, providing the best possible quality, whilst still being able to produce at a reasonable scale and level of efficiency.”

Jason’s mission to re-authenticate eating habits, and compete with larger plant bakeries, is backed by an exciting new brand launch. As of early 2020, Jason’s Sourdough has been available across the UK through M&S, ASDA and Ocado. “The Jason’s Sourdough range has been developed using our own

Despite launching just two weeks before the outbreak of Covid-19, Jason’s Sourdough has seen national success.

As of September 6th, products have been available in a selection of Tesco stores, and by the end of the year, they will be available in a further national grocery retailer. “We will have a range of ten loaves and rolls, and the brand will be available in approximately 1200 stores, and online nationally, by the end of this year,” Jason announces.

Jason’s efforts have certainly not been in vain, as the company has seen fantastic growth achievements in the last few years. “The Unsworth family invested in the business at the end of 2019, which has enabled us to continue investing ahead of the curve in new systems, increasing our production capacity and

sourdough culture and recipes handed down through the family over generations; I also add my own unique twist to some of the loaves,” Jason details.

efficiency,” Jason confirms. “In addition, the investment has allowed us to really get behind the Jason’s Sourdough brand.

As the business continues to grow and

develop, we will be investing further in people across the business to manage that growth. The investment has allowed us to seamlessly plan and execute these investments without having to raise significant external debt.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 31

“The experience brought to the team from the Unsworth’s years at Aimia Foods has also brought a new dimension to Geary’s, and enabled us to focus on winning new business, whilst also retaining our quality and point of difference in the bakery,” Jason adds, putting a spotlight on just how important Geary’s people are. “Our bakers are where it starts. Their years of experience, skill and know-how is the cornerstone for our development process,” he affirms.

Geary’s two sites are run by 250 staff members who keep production upand-running 24/7. “To manage this, we need good people and great skills across the business,” Jason confides. “As the company has grown, our people have come on that journey with us, and a number of key roles in the management team are filled by people that have been with us for years and come up through the ranks. We support good people with training and give them responsibility, and in turn, those people have stepped up and helped the company grow.

“Most recently, we have embedded our company values. These were created by the employees themselves during one of my regular ‘how are we doing?’ meetings, held with a cross

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section of employees across the business; everyone is encouraged to speak their mind and feedback how they see the company from their role.

We very much believe in empowering people to make decisions.”

Long-term collaboration Geary’s attention to strong business relations goes beyond its own staff members, as Jason reveals: “Partnerships, with both suppliers and customers, have been key to our growth.

Building relationships and long-term collaboration is what’s important, not just chasing the short-term quick gain.”

These have always been key personal

values for Jason, which are fundamental to the Geary’s Bakery mentality.

Having been successful for over a century, Geary’s Bakery now sets its sights on maintaining that success for the next 100 years. “Sustainability is very much an area we are focusing on improving over the coming months, and again we are aiming to develop key partnerships to help us do this,” asserts Jason. “We have recently started working with Fareshare Midlands to ensure all our edible food waste is picked up and put to good use through their efforts.

In addition, we only source renewable energy for our bakeries, and we have been working with our packaging suppliers to ensure that over the next 12 months, all our packaging is recyclable.”

Whilst doing its part to ensure the future of production through ethical and sustainable practices, Geary’s also aims to build a love affair between the British public and Jason’s Sourdough bread.

“It will take a lot of hard work to deliver that,” admits Jason. “However, Geary’s revenue for the last year was £31 million, so we have come a long way from the £3.1 million revenue we made in 2007.

This year, 2021, we should be closer to £35 million and in three to five years’ time we aim to be closer to £50 million,”

Geary’s Bakery

he reveals, illustrating just how bright the future is for this artisanal bakery.

Having emerged successfully from the outbreak of Covid-19, Jason plans to continue working with all customers to develop product ranges, and drive sales.

“We are investing in improved capacity and efficiency, in order to make us fit for the next five years’ growth. We feel we’ve had a very busy and productive 24 months, and that success is laying the foundation for the next five years.

Covid-19 restrictions allowing, we hope to be able to get out more with our customers, suppliers and industry peers over the coming months,” he summarizes.

Having been recently shortlisted as finalists for a number of upcoming industry awards, it is clear that the hard work of Jason and his team is paying off.

As he concludes: “The journey never ends. We are all very much enjoying the process and the challenges.

“Passion for food and baking is fundamentally at the heart of what we do, but also at our core is a passion for people, and for doing the right thing.

We hope that shows, both in our brand, Jason’s Sourdough, and in our own-label partnerships with key retail customers.” D www.gearysbakeries.co.uk

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In a glaze of glory

34 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Kane’s Donuts Photos by Jen Chase-Corwin

Since 1955, Kane’s Donuts has provided New England the best in artisanal donuts.

Today, Kane’s is growing its legacy with a mindset that honors both tradition and innovation, and a nationally acclaimed gluten-free line made as authentically as the traditional donuts that put Kane’s on the map

O

ver 60 years ago, in the sleepy town of Saugus, Mass., Kane’s Donuts opened its doors. When they took it over in 1988, Peter and Kay Delios used their decades of restaurant know-how (and recipes Peter perfected at his former nearby donut shop) to save Kane’s from being overshadowed by big-box brands, by serving only fresh, handmade donuts, daily. And it worked: The region’s favorite mom-and-pop shop remained a local landmark.

In the years since 2007, when son Paul Delios assumed daily operations as president and co-owner along with his four siblings, Kane’s has added two more locations. As a long-time chef and restaurateur, Delios has used his culinary acumen to maintain his parents’ legacy of producing hand-cut donuts while also developing the Kane’s menu to include a steady offering of crave-worthy flavors, specialty items, and a growing cult-favorite line of gluten-free donuts that are made in the traditional donut-making method: they are kettled.

Donut recognition Known for four things—quality, taste, size, and selection—Paul enthuses about the company’s range. “Every day we offer 20 traditional donuts, including 15 Kane’s Gluten Free (KGF) donuts that are also dairy- and nut-free. In addition, we have ten rotating flavors of both handmade traditional and KGF muffins; an all-day dining menu with savory items such as breakfast sandwiches and bakery-style

www.foodchainmagazine.com 35

pizza; and several weekend specials.”

From a traditional maple-bacon donut with thick-cut, cherrywood-smoked bacon, to artisanal French crullers and a year-round gluten-free pumpkin spice

cake-style donut, the Kane’s Donuts’ flavor range is unparalleled. “When customers crave choice, they know they’ll find it with us,” says Paul.

“In 2018, Kane’s was named ‘Best

Donut’ by both Boston Magazine and the Improper Bostonian, and in 2021 it was featured as one of the ‘Best Donuts in America’ by New England Cable News,” says Paul, shedding some light on the company’s recent successes. “In 2020, USAToday named Kane’s in its roundup of ‘best donuts in every state,’ and the company has also appeared in Travel and Leisure, Saveur and Yankee magazines, among others,” he adds.

Customer community The secret behind this success seems to be Kanes’ dedication to traditionally made donuts with modern values. Paul explains: “The way we strive for innovation is by making sure we evolve. We work hard to keep on top of what we think our customers might need or want, based on what’s going on in the world. For example, late in the summer of 2020, knowing that the beloved New England tradition of attending local state and county fairs wasn’t possible because of pandemic shutdowns, we decided to bring ‘county fair flavors’ to our customers: we offered a Candy Apple Crunch Donut, a Fried ‘Doughnut,’ and a simple Cinnamon Apple Cider Donut. They were a hit…so much so that they’re back on the menu this September.”

Setting itself apart with more than just flavor, Kane’s is also committed to sourcing locally and running sustainably.

“Since I took over daily operations, I have ensured that Kane’s is dedicated to using local ingredients whenever possible,” Paul says. “I’m also always looking for the most sustainable packaging. It’s important to always be on the hunt for better options.”

Sourcing locally has community benefits as well as being sustainable. “We make thousands of donuts daily, and most of the time we get it right. We revel in the praise we receive from customers, but we still own our mistakes. This means we take our approach to our customers’ experience very seriously,” Paul says, highlighting the importance of Kanes’ customer community. “Our social media focuses on community engagement rather than follows and likes. We take pride in the open and ongoing conversation our customers want to have with us, and we’re proud to say that throughout the pandemic, we remained a trusted

36 www.foodchainmagazine.com

‘

source for treats for thousands of customers who never stopped buying from us, even if they stopped buying from others. We heard from them daily in messages over social media.

Sometimes by the hundreds. It was a privilege to feel like we could be there for them as many of their family members have been there for Kane’s since 1955.”

The creation of the KGF line was also community driven, as the company aimed to make donuts safe again for gluten-, nut- and dairy-free customers.

Paul and his team have taken extreme care to achieve this, avoiding crosscontamination by making KGF donuts in a dedicated kitchen at the Kanes’ Lincoln Avenue site, miles from where traditional donuts and treats are made. “It was important to us that we reflect our tireless efforts to maintain a ‘gluten-clean,’ noncontaminated workspace for making our KGF products,” Paul explains.

Kane’s Donuts

For me, ‘local’ has always been the name of the

game. Our business with every partner we’ve

ever had has significantly contributed to the

success of the Kane’s brand. From Atomic,

our local coffee roasters, to Atlas Paper, Pure Country Dairy, and Pete and Gerry’s Eggs, we are truly blessed to have so many people in our corner These efforts have certainly been appreciated. “The cult following of our KGF line continues to astound us. The fervor with which people buy them and talk about them remains one of our most proud additions in the last decade,” enthuses Paul.

Just like its donuts, each Kane’s store is unique in its own way. “Our Lincoln Avenue location is the very first Kane’s: it features our original neon

sign and maintains an old-timey, New England feel,” Paul explains of the oldest Saugus location. “Our Route One commissary [also in Saugus] is our biggest and includes a drive-through option. It offers donut lovers a glimpse into our donut-making and donutdecorating processes from a viewing platform. Finally, the Boston location is a smaller store in the financial district.

It exists to get our treats in the hands of

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“For me, ‘local’ has always been the name of the game,” says Paul. “Our business with every partner we’ve ever had has significantly contributed to the success of the Kane’s brand. From Atomic, our local coffee roasters, to Atlas Paper, Pure Country Dairy, and Pete and Gerry’s Eggs, we are truly blessed to have so many people in our corner.”

Controlled expansion Looking toward the future of Kane’s Donuts, Paul hints at the possibility of growth. “Some of our competitors are all about expansion, but from where we sit, it’s taken us 66 years to move from one to three locations, and we’re not in a hurry to grow. Quality, consistency and customer service are at the heart Boston’s many varied office workers.

“The same thing is served at all three outposts: Items made with integrity, by hand, and with love,” Paul confirms. “We strive to ensure the experience you have

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at one Kane’s is the experience you’ll have at all three,” he adds, illustrating how a combination of forward-thinking and traditional values is at the core of the Kane’s Donuts experience.

Kane’s Donuts of our daily operations. That said, if an opportunity fell into our laps, we’re not ones to ignore a potential good thing.”

Ongoing dedication to the quality and reliability of its existing brand does not, however, mean that Kane’s is limited to the New England area.

After years of researching exactly how to successfully transport Kane’s preservative-free donuts, it all came together for Paul this year, as he and Kane’s Donuts joined forces with Goldbelly. “Despite the unpredictability of the pandemic, our Goldbelly operation allowed us to effectively open a fourth location without a brickand-mortar storefront,” says Paul. “On a recent call with our reps we learned that Kane’s was generating positive

reviews, and revenue, in the top one percent of newly on-boarded food businesses. I couldn’t be prouder of our staff,” he says.

Now nationally available and revered for its diversity of flavors and allergenfree products, Kane’s Donuts stands in good stead as the conditions of the pandemic begin to change. “The pandemic put most of our development plans on hold,” Paul admits. “However, in the next year we’d like to revisit some of the ideas we were hoping to launch to celebrate our 65th anniversary in 2020. In addition, we’d like to continue to develop ‘Kane’s Pantry,’ a line of kitchen staples based off some of our most popular donut fillings, such as the seedless black raspberry jam in our jelly donut. We want customers to be able to enjoy an extra taste of Kane’s at home.”

Owned jointly by the Delios siblings and run by Paul Delios, Kane’s operates

from a chef-driven perspective in order to ensure great taste, traditional cooking methods, and high quality all around. Kanes’ dedication to its local community, both through its tight-knit customer base, and locally sourced ingredients, will no doubt ensure the ongoing growth of its customer base, which is referred to as #KanesNation and #KGFNation. As Paul observes: “Nothing lasts without evolving. Not people, and definitely not brands.”

This message seems to be the working ethos behind the success of Kane’s Donuts. Armed with a fusion of traditional values and constant innovation, the future of this artisanal donut store looks bright. As Paul concludes: “Hopefully, in the longterm, we will be putting more smiles on people’s faces. After all, just like we say in our motto (and, like my dad always said): ‘Donuts are love.’” D www.kanesdonuts.com

Left: Photo courtesy Atomic Coffee Roasters

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Dairying to dream Boosted by significant investment, KDI Cheese Company - a world leader in the manufacturing and marketing of ultrafiltered concentrated milk products is expanding its operation and diversifying its offering

E

verything at KDI Cheese Company starts with the organization’s dairy farmers.

Strong relationships with some of the best producers of milk in the United States are a vital element in the company’s quest for quality, and as such, a key contributor towards a

40 www.foodchainmagazine.com

decade of success for the business.

“We are lucky to have some of the best dairy farmers anywhere operating very close to our site,” explains CEO Tim Gomez. “They produce a fabulous product that makes our job very easy.

We’ve built very good relationships with these farmers and we owe it to them

to be good custodians of the milk they produce for us, so our quality team is focused on doing just that.”

An independent and privately-owned business, KDI was only established in 2012, but is already turning over more than $100 million. Sustained by deep connections with its dairy partners, the

KDI Cheese Company

‘

Our vision, is to gain a presence in, and give back to, cities and places where agriculture isn’t the dominant industry. It means we have to fund production in those areas in order to invite them in and share our story

company is now evolving from a bulk ingredient processor into a business focused on creating high-quality dairy goods, like cheese and butter.

“We always knew that the next phase of our growth would involve expansion into cheese and butter production, but we also realized that we needed to do it in small steps,” Tim says. “As a result, we launched a small company called Sawatch Artisan Foods, which is focused on producing cheese and butter of the highest quality without

slowing down production. It was our first experience of bringing these goods to market, but we received great customer feedback, so we have continued to mature those products and reach out to

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new consumers via direct e-commerce and home delivery, as well as farmers markets and food service.”

In support of its growing cheese and butter offering, KDI recently invested $45 million as part of efforts to scale up its production capacities. Currently in the construction phase of the project, the company hopes to commission an upgraded facility in December 2021.

“Although it will be a far larger manufacturing facility for us, the mindset behind how we make our products will not change,” Tim asserts. “All products will still receive the same time, care and attention as before and will go through the proper aging process in warm rooms before they are ever placed in a cold room for shipping. Quality is our hallmark and it will not be compromised.”

Located in Overland Park, Kansas an area of the US much more familiar with animal agriculture and meat packing than cheese production - KDI

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has developed a strong team and portfolio of key processes over the course of the last ten years, meaning the organization is already well-positioned in the sector for decades to come. Among the ways in which the company is set up to stand apart from its competition infrastructurally are its cold processing and water conservation practices.

“Since we opened our doors,” Tim points out, “we have been able to process in a way that keeps everything cold (below 45 degrees) on the front-end, which costs us a little more, but gives us assurance that the first time the product is heated, its pasteurized, and its ready to go into finished cheese or butter, fresh every day. It’s become an important part of our commitment to quality.

“Another critical contribution we are making towards our long-term growth,” he adds, “is that we fully treat waste water at our facility, managing it in such a way that we can send it back to

KDI Cheese Company the land to grow corn and feed for the animals. We have a circular operation in that sense, and so we want to be very transparent with our consumers, helping them to understand our process, understand why we are different, and understand the steps we have taken to make sure we are sustainable and good by the environment.”

a solution,” Tim states. “The key to us being able to do that has been designing robust facilities that can perform small-scale production and then growing that production to larger volumes if demand dictates. It means we can create efficiencies and keep our cost point at a level that is beneficial to the customer, whilst, at the same time, being able to keep our commodity purchase pricing at a level that is good for our suppliers.

“We have modelled ourselves to be different to the big companies out there that do a handful of things extremely well and in large volumes.

Robust facilities Appreciative of the individual needs of its customers and suppliers, and how the company can facilitate these requirements, seamless collaboration also differentiates KDI. Approachable and accommodating, the organization and its facilities have been designed in such a way that even complex, specialist requests can be satisfied with the help of communication and teamwork.

“Our motto is that we want to say yes, and then we want to collaborate with suppliers or customers to find

We focus on working with suppliers and customers to do the one-offs. It means that, whenever these businesses are thinking of changing direction or trying something new, they come to KDI.” Bolstered by its improved production capabilities, KDI is looking forward to producing butter in larger volumes in the coming months. Similarly, the company hopes to add new cheese varieties to its product range.

“When it comes to butter, we have a product that is superior in both texture and flavor, suitable for complementing a steak, putting on breakfast pancakes, or for use by a pastry chef looking to make

E.A. Bonelli For over six decades, E.A. Bonelli (EAB) has been a trusted A/E partner to clients such as Kansas Dairy Ingredients. EAB is a leader in the master planning and design of processing plants, cold storage warehouses, and distribution facilities exclusively for the food, beverage, and nutraceutical industries. EAB offers full facility design services, including architectural design, structural engineering and MEP engineering from four regional offices across the United States. EAB is singularly focused on creating an environment that ensures the clients’ process is safe and efficient, eliminating the risk of cross-contamination through design.

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beautiful bread,” Tim reports. “Being able to increase capacity on that front and reach more potential customers is really exciting for us.

“We are also eager to scale the volume of our gouda cheese. We feel we have a wonderful product in that

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and, like with butter, we will now be able to scale up and reach a broader market.”

With demand for healthy, natural dairy products increasing, KDI recognizes that there is a unique opportunity for the business to

capitalize on a deep consumer base crying out for ultrafiltered milk and a variety of ultrafiltered by-products including cream, cheese, yoghurt and butter. High in protein and low in carbohydrates, ultrafiltered milk can be used as a platform to create food and beverage products ideally suited to the modern, food conscious consumer.

Prepared to work cohesively with its partners to create custom dairy ingredients, KDI has in place a highly skilled technical team undaunted by contemporary industry demands and trends. The next step, Tim says, is for the organization to remain ambitious, investing further in its operational capabilities and taking active, positive steps towards a world in which KDI products are more readily available for every customer in the market for better cheese, butter or milk.

“In the months and years ahead, I believe we will continue to invest in a

KDI Cheese Company way that brings animal agriculture and the manufacturing of dairy products closer to our consumer,” Tim predicts.

“We are looking to do that in a way that means we invest in communities, which, potentially, could involve installing infrastructure in those areas that helps to tell the story of animal agriculture, how we generate food and the practices of our farms - from feeding a cow, all the way through to a finished product.

“Our vision,” Tim continues, “is to gain a presence in, and give back to, cities and places where agriculture isn’t the dominant industry. It means we have to fund production in those areas in order to invite them in and share our story. It’s a process that will involve both educational programs and smallscale manufacturing, but it will lay the foundations for a bigger and better future for everyone involved.” D www.kansasdairyingredients.com

EGLI As a trusted supplier, EGLI have worked together with KANSAS DAIRY to develop tailored solutions resulting in perfectly processed, homogeneous and spreadable traditional butter.

At EGLI we provide solutions which help butter manufactures to increase line capacity and performance with technology that produces consistently high-quality results. Our collaborative approach allows businesses to partner with us in sharing good practice and working together to secure solutions that are tailored to specific needs.

EGLI provides complete product solutions, that take the stress out of line planning and optimize productivity and results. This includes equipment for processing, reworking and packaging of butter and butter spreads.

Learn more at www.egliag.com

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The spirit of aloha 46 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade Stand On the cusp of celebrating its ten-year anniversary, Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade is a beloved name that continues to grow internationally, while remaining synonymous with community, dedication and delicious refreshments

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t may not be widely known that aloha means ‘breath of life’; the essence of its translation embraces a way of living that revolves around community and togetherness. “People who visit us think that it’s a greeting, but it’s actually so much more than that. We are welcoming them with our values, spreading aloha in our communities, and that is what we capture within the Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade business. When you walk into any of our locations, you can expect a warm aloha welcome, and a unique energy and effort that goes into the preparation of our products that we believe in wholeheartedly. Not only that, we share that same excitement with our staff, our communities and the charities we support, because that is the spirit of aloha,” says Tim Weiderhoft, the CEO of Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade Stand.

He discusses with us the specialty of his company’s craft and how it has succeeded in sharing fresh and delicious products for Hawaii and beyond.

“We use only 100 percent pure organic cane sugar, and we also offer a monk fruit sweetener option, which is a fantastic substitute for those who are diabetic or trying to watch their sugar intake. In addition to that, absolutely everything we use is natural and excludes food coloring and dye; all our ingredients are fresh and hand-pressed. We love having customers come into our locations and watch how we prepare their orders, because I feel that having an awareness of what they’re putting into their body is very important, and although looking at healthier alternatives isn’t a new thing, getting it in a quick service restaurant that makes it easy and frictionless for our customers to consume whole foods is a big game changer,” he shares.

Fantastic partner network When it comes to blending together a fresh menu, Wow Wow believes in crafting unique flavors, relying on seasonal fruits and vegetables. “We have 15 hand-crafted lemonade flavors, which excludes the fact that our visitors have the ability to customize from those ingredients. Added on to that, we have about 50 additional recipes that we grab out the cupboard as the seasons change. For example, coming up for September, green chiles are thriving, and accordingly, we have a hatch green chile lemonade, which is exceptional. It has a beautiful evanescence as far as the smell of the chile is concerned, and although it has a bit of a stronger flavor, it is still smooth and thirst quenching. This is why we are constantly looking at different methods to utilize ingredients in a way that brings unique flavors, while also maintaining a gorgeous aesthetic,” Tim shares.

His personal favorite is the butterfly pea flower mojito, which hosts a strong mojito flavor, and a lovely rich purple color that ombres into a cascading drink similar to that of limeade. But how is that achieved without the assistance of food coloring? “Well science is a beautiful thing and when you take water and heat it to boiling with butterfly pea flower stirred in, it will turn a blue liquid. When the blue liquid hits the citrus of the lemonade, it actually turns it purple and so you get this stunning looking drink that also tastes exceptional,” Tim explains.

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Wow Wow is not only passionate about innovative drinks, it is equally motivated to provide delicious and nutrient-rich food to its menu. “Basically, we do way more than lemonade, because we support greater philosophical values that underpin a healthy lifestyle. We also offer an assortment of gourmet toasts on thick single slices of multigrain bread with a range of ingredients from something as simple as chili, lime, and avocado, all the way to more complex tastes like a coconut peanut butter with banana cacao

nibs, coconut chips and honey. We also have our lilikoi butter toast – ‘lilikoi’ is Hawaiian for passion fruit – but one of our best sellers is the Blue Hawaii smoothie bowl, which has a base of banana, mangos and pineapple, and has a beautiful blue color, because we use blue spirulina, and then we sweeten it with dates, which again, eliminates added sugars. So, it looks and tastes delightful, while still maintaining excellent health benefits,” Tim says.

While one might assume that

innovation regarding these ingredients would reach an expiry date, the Wow Wow team employs a crew of franchisees who are creative and ambitious to bring refreshing ideas to the business. “Our network is so important to what we do; they’re the ones who keep our menus enticing so we can provide original dishes with the greatest of quality ingredients. For example, we are bringing out our pumpkin spice cold brew, which is actually flavored with Kona coffee that we import from a partner on the big island of Hawaii; we are very excited about that. Another one is the pumpkin spiced nut butter toast, which tastes very much like pumpkin pie, but its light and quicker. We will also roll out a new avocado egg salad flatbread sandwich that doesn’t have mayonnaise because the fattening portion is replaced with good avocado fat, added with a touch of sriracha, tomatoes and some green leaves in – I think it’s very tasty and was an idea from one of our franchisees. We will also roll out our OG Dream Bowl, which is an orange and ginger mixture. The beauty of it is the ginger profile is quite subdued, rather than overpowering. So, you will see new menu items from us for the balance of the back end of this year as well as another one or two stores that will open, none of which would be possible without our fantastic network of franchisees, corporate team members, and vendor partners,” he shares.

Creating communities The culture of community curated at Wow Wow has long been embedded into the business’ history, and innovation to create concepts like this actually originated with the inception of the company when nearly a decade ago, on the island of Oahu, the founder took the initiative to care for the people around him. According to Tim, the founder started making lemonade for farmers’ and night markets across the island as an additional measure to make ends meet. While enjoying the natural beauty that Hawaii had to offer, he found that the success of his lemonade stand was superseding his regular income, and decided to jump all in. In 2013, he and his wife moved to Maui and the first Wow Wow Lemonade Stand opened up in Kihei.

“That first brick-and-mortar location led to a chance meeting with another gentleman

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Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade Stand who soon became the company’s partner in the island of Japan, which then led to the opening of two new locations,” Tim divulges. “Considering how well the business was growing, the founder was approached multiple times about the possibility of franchising, but he knew that in order to do so, he wouldn’t be able to do it on his own. This was when he moved to Arizona in 2017, and also when I entered the picture; I was very lucky to work with him. First, I became a consultant for the brand between 2017 and 2019, because at the time, I was working as the Vice President of Franchise Development for a different company.

“Personally, I fell in love with the business and decided to become a franchisee myself. So, I opened a stand in early 2019 in the North Phoenix area, and soon after, my business partners at C&G Franchise Development asked for a meeting to see it and they also immediately took to the concept and the vibe of Wow Wow. A couple of days after our meeting, the gentleman who is now my Chairman, wanted to know if the founder would be interested in selling, and because the founder wanted to be more involved creatively, rather than logistically, he said yes! Following a few months of negotiations, we acquired the brand in September of 2019. We opened three more locations in 2020 and another three in 2021, which brings us to ten locations domestically. At the moment, we have an additional 47 sites in development, which means that we are going to have a huge year coming up with new franchisees joining us. The cool aspect to Wow Wow is we don’t just build restaurants, we also create communities, which is very in tune with Hawaiian culture. We are opening in new markets, like Reno, which we opened last weekend, and that will be our ninth store. We also opened in Tucson at the end of August, which is store number ten then we will have two stores opening in Las Vegas, two in Dallas and San Antonio and potentially one more in Northern California all in the next few months,” Tim informs us.

And growth is really all the company is determined to keep in its cards, with more than 20 locations set to be up and running by the end of 2022 – an impressive doubling in size of the business across a

single year. “We are super excited about the journey we’re on and to think that it all started nine years ago as an idea to make some extra money. Now, Wow Wow has snowballed into this successful venture that is doing incredibly well within the communities we serve,” he

expresses. With the help of a dedicated team passionately sustaining the ethos of togetherness instilled by its founder, the Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade Stand looks set to continue the spirit of aloha for many years to come. D www.wowwowhawaiianlemonade.com

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A taste of the world

Ashok Bajaj

Bombay Club Dining Room

H Ashok Bajaj, awardwinning restaurateur, infuses his restaurants with a melting pot of diversity and culture. His travel experiences have been made manifest in the atmosphere and cuisine that diners can expect to enjoy when they visit a Knightsbridge restaurant 50 www.foodchainmagazine.com

aving begun his journey in the hospitality industry in the early 1980s, Bajaj, the founder of Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, was determined to share the Indian cuisine from his childhood with diners across Washington, DC, which is what inspired him to open the Bombay Club, a restaurant that has since been frequented by the likes of former US Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush, Sr., and Barack Obama. “I had three restaurants at that time, and I was looking to explore launching more in other cities but running fine dining restaurants across wider regions is very challenging,” explains Bajaj.

“This is why I decided to stay in the Washington Metropolitan area.

“My restaurants prioritize value.

Each of them is a sophisticated experience for diners that I feel separates us from our competitors.

Our secret ingredients however are our chefs and teams; they are the heart

and soul of any of the Knightsbridge establishments. I am incredibly fortunate to have chefs and general managers who sincerely care about the work that they do,” shares Bajaj.

Owing to the success of the group, the founder of Knightsbridge Restaurants has subsequently become a consistent nominee for prestigious awards by the James Beard Foundation, including Best Chef-Mid Atlantic, Rising Star Chef, Outstanding Restaurant and, more recently, he was awarded Restaurateur of The Year by Washingtonian magazine.

Continually evolving As a result of his intuitive responses to the changing social climate of the metropolitan area, Bajaj has added dining experiences that bring Italian, French, Israeli and modern American cuisine to diners in the nation’s capital.

“Developments within the city grew, which brought a greater population and a hungry desire for more culturally diverse experiences. There was

Knightsbridge Restaurants Photo Credits: Greg Powers / Ashlie Levy / Shimmon Tamara

Annabelle

increased exposure to Indian cuisine compared to when I opened Bombay Club in 1988. This is what led me to opening a modern Indian cuisine restaurant and consequently, Rasika was born. In terms of the design, Rasika was very different, because we created a more modern take on Indian food, while keeping the spices that are traditionally used. We were the first Indian restaurant in the country to receive a four-star rating from The Washington Post and we were thrilled. Three years later, we received the James Beard Award, which is one of the highest accolades that can be given to a chef in this country,” Bajaj informs us.

“We had been in business for 20 years by now and we were witnessing younger people move to the city, still looking for a greater variety in the food, so I decided I needed to introduce something different. This is how Sababa came to be. After I closed a previous restaurant, I replaced it with the food of Israel. The word ‘sababa’ means

‘cool, all is well’, which I discovered when I travelled to Israel to learn more about the culture and food. There is so much history across that country. To be able to capture that on our menu was something that really pleased me.

I had the wine bar, Bardeo, right next to Sababa, and although the wine bar was doing fantastically well at the time, many wine bars had opened in the city. Bardeo was no longer the new kid on the block. So, I needed to refresh its concept, which is when we turned Bardeo into Bindaas, which also means

‘cool, always well’ and this concept has more of an Indian street food focus.

The two complement each other very nicely,” he expresses.

Cultural cuisines Another significant milestone in the business’s history includes working with the pioneering chef Nora Pouillon.

Nora, who champions organic, environmentally conscious cuisine, came to the United States in the late 1960s. She was shocked to discover the reality of the processed, chemical-

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La Bise

Citrus Cured Salmon Ravioli

Modena

Rashika

Vegetable Tagine

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Barbery Duck Breast

Sababa

Cauliflower Bezule

Knightsbridge Restaurants laden foods that Americans were eating, which is why she embarked on a mission to promote a healthier lifestyle. Pouillon became the first female to introduce organic meals to Washington, DC’s menu through Restaurant Nora. “When she wanted to retire, she was concerned about leaving her legacy to the right people, which is how I came to acquire the restaurant. I changed the name because I felt that people would compare our cooking styles, and I always liked the name Annabelle,” Bajaj says. “We reinvented Nora’s restaurant as Annabelle while still maintaining her farm-to-table concept. The chef who we employed there was previously the right-hand chef to the former Presidents Carter, Reagan and Bush, so we are really proud of what that restaurant has become,” he adds.

“So, by that stage, we had Israeli food at Sababa, Italian food at Modena, an American restaurant, Indian restaurants.

The only thing I was missing was French cuisine. Personally, I really enjoy French food and have traveled extensively in France over the years. I had a keen interest to open a French restaurant in the city, which is how our high-end French restaurant, La Bise, was created,” he expresses, as he brings us up to date on the history of the Knightsbridge Restaurant Group.

see our team come together for support in the community. Since then, some of our employees are still a bit reluctant to come back to work and other parts of the sector are witnessing similar experiences, but we are desperately looking to build and strengthen our team. We want to continue improving upon our hospitality and of course, grow the business,” he says.

Looking further ahead, Bajaj is more passionate about growing the range of

cultural cuisines on his menu, as the possibility of expanding into other cities is less of a priority than maintaining the integrity of Knightsbridge’s reputation. “I frequently get offers to stretch outside Washington, but I am more bullish about staying in the Metropolitan area and focusing on exploring and developing new concepts,” he adds. “I always wanted to grow sensibly. One thing I do want to bring to the table is Mediterranean cuisine, but this year we are determined to consolidate our teams and the group, to go back to what we do best, and hopefully people will start feeling confident and life within the hospitality industry will flourish again as it did before,” he concludes. With this sort of strategy in place, Washington, DC is in for an exquisite treat from the Knightsbridge Restaurant Group. D www.knightsbridgerestaurant group.com

Steady growth But that would not be the end of the company’s achievements. Having such a wide brochure of menus, one would assume that the business experienced great difficulties during the recent 18 months when hospitality industries were forced to close and cope with the uncertainties of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Bajaj’s dedicated team succeeded in making the best of a sticky situation. “When everything shut down last year, we wanted to support our staff by making sure they were well fed, and about nine chefs came together to create approximately 300 to 400 care packages every week for the families of our staff. Another proud moment came from our group as Vikram Sunderam, the company’s group executive chef, who implemented a program to hand out food to healthcare workers. It was a really uplifting time to

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Jensen Meat Company Inc

A rare find With over 100 million pounds of ground beef shipped in 2020, Jensen Meat Company has quickly become a dependable name for delectable products while also incorporating sustainable practices to pioneer the meat industry

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or Jensen Meat, the process is simple. First, it begins with the best raw materials tailored to quality specifications. The products are then blended by a skilled and dedicated team who share a passion for Jensen’s name. “Our protocols and procedures assure we put out the safest product. We only use safe meat cuts and go above and beyond USDA requirements when it comes to our hygiene regimes, and our patented fill system creates a better tasting product that is juicy, tender, and flavorful,” says the Executive CEO, Abel Olivera, who shares with us the developments that are underway at Jensen Meat, particularly the company’s drive to bring plant-based alternatives to its menu.

“We are a ground beef processor that supplies a range of beef patties to the foodservice distribution, restaurant, retail, and school markets. Our burger patties range from one-and-a-half to 16 ounces and come in a variety of shapes; from the traditional round burger to an oval alternative – even a more rustic home-style option. Products are either marketed under Jensen’s brand or customer labels

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such as Fat Burger, Sam’s Choice, and Sysco,” he says. The privately held, leading processor and marketer of high-quality products, located in San Diego, also exports its business to Mexico and is focusing on expanding that venture into Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean.

Additionally, it is working with national broker teams to increase its presence and market share across the US and further abroad.

Unique ingredients Founded in 1958 by Reggie Jensen, the business produces an average of 75 million pounds of ground beef annually from its new 150,000-square feet, state-of-the-art Californian plant, and manufactures 250 stock keeping units of retail and foodservice products such as individually quick-frozen and fresh patties. “When working with our customers, we like to believe that it’s the beginning of a beautiful relationship and know that they will add their own unique ingredients to suit their tastes.

Of course, we offer the classic Jensen

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‘

We have many innovations in the works.

We want to make healthy plant-based

alternatives accessible to everyone and

we will continue to work with the great

entrepreneurial minds in this sector, partnering to provide cost-effective production methods to make the most affordable plant-based products on the market

beef patties, which are seasoned to perfection and made with 100 percent Angus beef. It’s ranked one of the best patties in retail and a crowd favorite in several burger competitions. We have also developed the Chuck Burgers and Chuck Brisket brands, the meat of which goes into our Certified Angus Beef ‘Bravado’ Burgers. They mirror the quality and integrity of renowned CAB fresh cuts and can move from the package to the table in minutes, offering customers that great taste, convenience, versatility, and ease of

Abel Olivera

preparation they seek in easy meals,” Abel explains.

Creating beef products to this level is owed, partly, to the company’s passion for listening to the desires of consumers, while transparency is the other key ingredient that sets the company apart from its competitors.

“We want potential customers to visit our plant for themselves. We build longterm relationships with our suppliers and partners by seeing them face-toface and making it a point to visit with them yearly.”

Jensen Meat Company Inc According to Abel, in the Jensen factory, the classic American Burger that many people enjoy is made from a combination of timeless favorites from the Jensen Blends line. “When you add to the quality of Angus Beef and Premium Beef Brisket, there is a greater space for creativity when it comes to variety,” he adds.

It is this creativity that has afforded Jensen Meat the opportunity to provide a wide selection of products to its customers. In addition to the company’s classics, it also stocks mushroom patties. “Mushrooms are loaded with many health-boosting vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

They pack a nutritional punch that isn’t typically found in many vegetables. This way, you can sneak

Export Packers Export Packers congratulates Jensen Meat Co. on their continued success as an industry leader in ground beef products. As their supplier of high-quality raw materials for the past decade, we’ve witnessed Jensen’s impressive year-over-year growth and blossoming brand recognition, anchored by their ongoing commitment to product safety and integrity. In the ever-changing ground beef industry, Export Packers is a trustworthy and dependable strategic partner who provides on-time delivery, competitive pricing and cost-effective inventory management.

To learn more about Export Packers and the solutions we can provide your business, please visit www.exportpackers.com

more veggies into your diet without having to give up the foods you love,” shares Abel.

Other items on its specials board include the jalapeño beef burger – a luscious beef patty stuffed with pepper jack cheese and freshly diced jalapeño peppers for those that like to spice up their burgers – and the Jensen chorizo seasoned beef burgers, which are zesty burgers made from rich, seasoned beef and Mexican-style chorizo sausage.

But Jensen’s is not only passionate about delivering delicious beef; it is also determined to be a leader in sustainability in as many aspects of its business as possible, which means introducing innovative ways to reduce the size of its carbon footprint. With this, it has installed solar carports in its parking lot and generates 60 percent of its electricity needs. “We also installed an electric car charger in our parking lot to motivate our staff to go electric. In addition, we recycle 100 percent of our cardboard and plastic generated through our supply chain, and our cold storage facility has a certification for leadership in energy and environmental design,” he says.

In conjunction with its greener strategies, recently, the company invested $9 million to expand its operations in Southern California, which has helped increase its capacity and established 50 new jobs. A

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particularly exciting venture tying in with this development features a line of plant-based products, which will be manufactured in the new facility and is expected to have begun operations by the beginning of September of this year.

In doing so, it has opened the doors for new partnerships with plant-based customers to co-pack its products. “We have many innovations in the works.

We want to make healthy plant-based alternatives accessible to everyone and we will continue to work with the great entrepreneurial minds in this sector, partnering to provide cost-effective production methods to make the most affordable plant-based products on the market,” says Abel.

By all means, pursuing these opportunities has not been easy, considering that the business was one of the thousands to face the full impact of Covid-19. However, with an ambition to keep store shelves stocked, Jensen Meat managed to persevere successfully through the challenges.

“Our $9 million investment in our expansion had a positive impact and happened at exactly the right time.

We supported the Covid-19 ‘panic buying’ phase and were able to keep up with the drastic increase in retail demand. Unfortunately, the pandemic also created a staff shortage, which

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Jensen Meat Company Inc I’m sure many companies in our sector experienced. Frankly, it has also been very difficult keeping up with CDC guidelines that seem to be continuously changing, but the safety of our staff is crucial, so we are always pushing to do our best in keeping their working space a safe environment,” he highlights.

Dedication and loyalty This mission to put employees first is driven by the company’s belief that its team is paramount to the success of the Jensen name. “Some of them have been part of our company for over 40 years, so we really consider our staff a family with the longer-standing members known as our ‘lifers’. We owe our success to their dedication and loyalty, especially during the pandemic.

Many went above and beyond to keep the factory going and we made sure to reward them. We had around a four percent turnover of staff for varying reasons, and the remaining team offered to cover additional shifts to ensure lines would remain running, and we are so grateful for their commitment.”

In Abel’s opinion, such a united and sturdy company culture has been curated through a network of career development programs and incentives that include financial benefits and leadership training. “We also host monthly and annual barbecues for staff throughout the year, along with Employee of the Month awards. We have also implemented the Jensen Bucks program, in which we award employees who are dedicated to going the extra mile. Simply, we begin at the top by leading with the example of how we want our people to be treated; with dignity and respect first, and then we throw in some mentoring, motivation, and unity,” he emphasizes.

Needless to say, the future for Jensen Meat looks enticing. Although it focuses on introducing sustainable alternatives to the meat industry in more ways than one, the company is still determined to remain faithful to

shows we will come out of it thriving.

We also want to apply our experience and expertise in producing quality protein products at different price points to the plant-based industry.

We hope to make eating healthier an affordable option for all families. As we head into the final half of the year, the business is determined to get its

plant-based division up and running.

When we started construction, we had one customer; we haven’t even opened the doors yet and we have three more!

We know we will have to expand again in 2022 but have not yet finalized those plans, so stay tuned for updates,” Abel concludes. D www.jensenmeat.com

the reputation it has refined and the quality that it has spent all these years strengthening. “The global economy might be choppy as we continue to overcome the pandemic, but history

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Nothing kneaded, nothing gained

Consistency and efficiency is what has raised the name of Whitworth Bros, and despite the difficulties brought on by the pandemic, the flour miller is as determined as ever to dominate its industry, providing the same high quality product its customers have depended on since its inception 60 www.foodchainmagazine.com

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he Whitworth mills have been part of a long-standing history of passionate family millers, and Martin George, the grandson of the buyer who purchased the company from the original Whitworth brothers, is now the business’s Chairman. He speaks with FoodChain about the growth of the business and how it is continuing to be, in his opinion, the best flour milling company in the world.

Having begun 20 years ago with only one percent of the market, Whitworth Bros now has 35 to 40 percent and has no intention of slowing down. At the time of our conversation, Martin shared that the business is set to unveil a brand-new mill located in

‘

Whitworth Bros

As with most millers, we produce a wide range of wheat flours, but additionally we offer flour and grist milled from maize, rice and rye grains. Our heat treatment plants enable us to naturally modify wheat flour by reducing enzyme and microbial activity

known bakers, to specialist flours for biscuits and pizzas. We also make lots of heat-treated products that are used for batters and coatings. Then there’s our chapatti flours, which have continued to be in demand. So, we do almost every range of flour, except organics and gluten-free because we’re not quite small enough for such a niche market – aside from that, anything you want, we can do.”

Knowledge & experience

Whitley Bridge, which will be equipped with technology unique to the flour milling industry.

“It comes with all the bells and whistles, equipped with the latest technology, and there’s nothing else like it in the world,” he begins. As far as Whitworth’s offerings are concerned, the business’s portfolio features an extensive range of flours. “We provide anything from baker’s flour for well-

When asked about the key drivers steering the success of the business forward, Martin discusses how much is owed to the culture of high quality and service embedded within the company; a culture that was instilled by his grandfather. “‘Make a noise quietly’, he would say, and in that regard, we’ve done just that. Family companies can take a very long term view and invest heavily in modern equipment, whereas the corporate competitor tends to look at much shorter timescales. In

line with that, we also focus on ways of retaining our excellence, taking it one step further than simply attaining it. This approach means that we can maintain the consistency of our product and the reliability of our name,” he says.

Measures that have been undertaken in order to support these ideals include working in conjunction with Bühler Switzerland, which, globally, is the biggest manufacturer of milling equipment. With Bühler’s help, Whitworth Bros installed both the world’s first wheat peeling plant for the reduction of mycotoxins, bacteria and toxic heavy metals, and the heat treatment process. This continuous thermal and hydrothermal process allows the targeted modification of wheat flour properties to produce flours suitable for coatings, breading, soup and cake applications, which was further refined when it constructed its second and third plants. “We also have a heat treatment pilot plant and two pilot test mills. Combining this with our extensive

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knowledge and experience of the flour milling industry means we can provide our customers with end-to-end solutions to meet their flour needs,” he says. Additionally, teaming up with Bühler’s innovation has enabled the company to prioritize saving on energy, space and labor. “For example, by

incorporating more automated systems, we can have the same people working at a heat treatment plant also facilitate the operations at an additional mill, which brings down our expenses without compromising our products,” Martin explains, continuing to express that these processes are fully auditable,

and customers can be confident that Whitworth Bros is supplying flour to the same grist and analytical specification that they have always trusted. “As with most millers, we produce a wide range of wheat flours, but additionally we offer flour and grist milled from maize, rice and rye grains. Our heat treatment plants enable us to naturally modify wheat flour by reducing enzyme and microbial activity.”

Team builders Moving away from the technical side of the business, Whitworth Bros employs a group of approximately 750 people spread across ten different sites.

Although this number may seem fairly large, Martin assures us that each member is highly skilled, cared for and well acquainted with the company’s inner workings; so much so that he proudly shares how his business was able to uphold its momentum and maneuvere through 2020’s obstacles with strategic determination and unity.

“One of the difficulties that we faced with Covid-19 was training. When it came to people who have already been with us for a number of years, it was fine to explain new developments over the phone or through a video call. However, with new people who had just joined us, they needed to have in-person training, because this is a hands-on business. So, it takes experience for people to learn and they can’t do that sitting at home watching a screen. As passionate as we are about delivering the best for our customers, our people are just as important. We

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Whitworth Bros might spend £50 million on a new mill, but if we haven’t got the best people then we really are wasting our money.

In my view, we certainly are the best miller in the world, and that’s not because the service and quality to the customer is the only aspect that we strive to deliver on, but that we also see strengthening our team as being just as paramount,” he emphasizes.

Trusted favorite Aside from the difficulties of balancing safety protocols for training, there were additional challenges that Covid-19 inflicted on the business. While some team members were asked to work from home, other departments who’s roles were operationally centered were required to be on site, which then incurred a greater risk of infection.

Above that, there was also the issue of supply chain disruptions. “Our staff were incredibly devoted to doing

a great job during the pandemic.

We were very fortunate to have only one or two people affected given how tough it became. For example, we had the packing plant close on one site because one person tested positive and then of course everyone contracted the virus, so that was a great difficulty. With that, some suppliers were short of packaging.

Thankfully, it’s all looking like business is starting to straighten out again and we can realign ourselves to get back on track,” Martin says.

As the turbulence that many industries experienced begins to settle

down, Martin looks to the future with determination and surety that his business is in dependable hands. “I’m quite excited to have everyone back in with us. Our business relies on our people being here and although there will be exceptions, we are very happy to make the necessary adjustments. But it is time to press on, and we can only do that with everyone on board,” he says.

Martin concludes by adding that he is adamant Whitworth Bros will continue to grow organically, while remaining the trusted favorite that his grandfather had intended the business to be. D www.whitworthbros.ltd.uk

TruckEast Limited The partnership between Scania Dealer TruckEast Limited and Whitworth Bros Ltd is one that stands the test of time. Now approaching two decades, it has grown from the supply and maintenance of an initial vehicle, to today, where the commercial dealer regularly supplies the latest Scania product and oversees the maintenance of their local tanker and trailer fleet too!

The team at TruckEast take great pride in offering a class leading product, backed up by a wide range of support services around the clock. Ultimately, a partnership that enables Whitworth Bros Ltd to keep their business moving.

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A pizza the action

Never afraid to do things a little differently, Zalat Pizza is growing across Texas thanks to its innovative, high-quality menu, late opening hours, and passionate band of pizza ‘Zealots’

S Khanh Nguyen

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omewhat unconventional in its rise to the top, Zalat Pizza has mirrored the journey of its Founder, Khanh Nguyen. A self-described ‘accidental restaurateur’, Khanh’s career path meandered through law and software design before, in 2012, he discovered his passion – food.

“In 2012, I was doing a lot of cooking at home when I finally decided to open up my own late-night Vietnamese restaurant,” Khanh says. “Two years later, a pizza store became available next door, so I decided to take it over and try my hand at pizza.”

Zalat Pizza

After spending six months developing its recipe and designing its menu, Zalat Pizza opened its doors in April 2015. The company has been growing ever since.

“Back in 2015, before we opened, we made a batch of dough a day for six months as we worked on our sauce, on our cheese and on a bunch of different recipes,” Khanh reveals. “Today, we have

a really strong crust, fresh pizza sauce every day and premium ingredients like 100 percent beef pepperoni, which I think adds a lot more flavor than regular pork pepperoni.”

As Khanh suggests, Zalat excels at the basics, but the company also offers a large range of unique specialty pizzas. These include the Elote, a

Mexican-inspired pizza with a Srirancha (its own trademarked house blend of sriracha and ranch) base, and the Loaded Notato, a pizza with blue cheese, bacon and a variety of common loaded baked potato toppings.

“We now have around 20 specialty pizzas on our menu,” Khanh confirms.

“We usually don’t pay that much attention to trends or anything, we tend to trust our own creations, but we did recently add a new pizza to the menu that is a very hot item right now.

Consisting of crunchy pickles, chicken and red onions slathered in sweet and spicy Nashville hot sauce, the new pizza

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was suggested to us during our design phase. We tested the flavor, put it on the menu and it has proved very popular over the last three months.”

Remaining resilient The rapid success of Zalat’s Nashville Hot Chicken & Pickles pizza is reflective of the company’s wider growth of late. As the company prepares to open its 14th location in the Dallas-Fort Worth area later in 2021, it already has seven further stores in development, including three sites slated to open before the end of September.

“We are starting to open up in different cities,” Khanh states, “and we expect to open four or five stores in Houston over the next eight months.

We do an extremely high volume at our outlets, despite working from a small average footprint of 1500-square feet per store.

“One key differentiator for Zalat is that we open late, sometimes as late as 4am, at which point we are only really competing with factory-style chain stores. Even late at night, our high quality is never diminished because our product is handmade and we don’t use a conveyor belt system like the larger brands.”

In order to provide the best pizza on the market across the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond, Zalat relies on two key groups of people – its suppliers and employees. Regarding the former, Zalat’s supply chain has remained resilient during the Covid-19 pandemic and relationships with suppliers like Sysco have allowed the company to continue serving its valued customers throughout. When it comes to the latter, Khanh has always known that he can rely on his passionate, hardworking team of Zalat Pizza ‘Zealots’.

“We have engineered our business model around taking care of our employees,” Khanh declares. “Known as Zealots, our team members - from the cooks to cashiers - are offered full benefits, as well as stock options, which is quite unusual, but we want to go above and beyond, making sure that everyone gets a slice of the pie.

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Zalat Pizza We are all on the same mission to make this company great, so we believe it is important to share the wealth.”

Along with the impressive, more conventional package of benefits that Khanh lays out, Zalat - unsurprisingly given the inimitable character of the organization - offers its staff some more unusual perks too. “After a year of working at Zalat, we will actually pay for employees to have a tattoo of our company logo,” Khanh notes. “It’s something quite different from the norm, but it emphasizes our common mission.”

Growing rapidly This mission continues for Zalat and its Pizza Zealots in 2021. After doubling in size during the pandemic, the company now hopes to bring its innovative menu and much-loved customer experience to more pizza lovers across Texas.

“Our sales are increasing, we are growing rapidly and, as I mentioned, we are adding new stores,” Khanh reports. “In the modern world of thirdparty delivery, of which we are a key utilizer, people have access to every restaurant in a city, so it’s no longer about having a thousand-item menu that caters for everyone, but about focusing on your core product and making it the best product out there.

“In our case,” Khanh adds, “we are a pizza specialist and 91 percent of our sales are pizza. We’ve discovered a niche in the American restaurant market, which is really high-end pizza delivered by a casual brand that is open until 4am, and that is what we do well.”

The next few years are all about growth for Zalat, as the company looks to maintain high quality in its outlets, whilst increasing the speed of its new store development. “Our

plan or model is to run as fast as we can for as long as we can keep the quality of our pizza and the quality of our service at the level it’s at today,” Khanh proclaims. “If quality is ever in question, then we will stop expanding, but for now at least, our number one item is to increase in size.

“Ultimately, in three-to-five years’ time, we aim to be a lot larger. We are going to stay heavily focused on Texas because we have a presence in three large metropolitan areas there that we are hoping to grow and build upon. Once we have increased revenue, and assuming that our product quality is under control, then we will look to expand into other states. Beyond that, at some point in the next five years, we will hopefully be looking at taking the business global.” D www.zalatpizza.com

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Mademoiselle Desserts

Sweet nostalgia

With a history that stretches back decades, Mademoiselle Desserts has kneaded together elegance, tradition and innovation to make it the baking success that its clients have come to trust and love

D

elight, respect, passion and commitment are the secret ingredients that go into the achievements of Mademoiselle Desserts.

Under the company name, 12 bakeries are scattered across France, the Netherlands and the UK, with their own specialty products suited for the diversity of their customers. Gareth Jones, Group Commercial Director in the UK, shares with us the journey that Mademoiselle Desserts has undergone to create the sweet treats filling store shelves in wholesalers, coffee shops, pubs and restaurants across the UK. Although he only joined the team in 2018, his journey with the company so far has provided him with a wealth of insight into the company’s success.

Owing to the business’s wide offerings, the group is a collection of bakeries that specialize in different products, such as the Handmade Cake Company, which focusses on cakes and tray-bakes primarily. “The Handmade Cake Company, founded in 1983, is famous for its products being – as the name suggests – made from hand, with the high-quality ingredients you’d expect and an authentic finish. We provide products to National and Regional Wholesalers as well as coffee shops, independent café chains, restaurants and pubs,” Gareth begins. “We tier our offer into a ‘good, better, best’ scale, because, that’s what our customers want and need. So, if you’re a wholesaler delivering to healthcare and cost sector customers, while also delivering to higher end pubs, restaurants and hotels, you need a range that fits all the end-use types. We cover all three tiers.”

Customer collaboration Its ability to offer a range of market leading innovation is partly owed to its extensive research regarding the demand of customers and consumers. “Category insight is at the heart of how the business developed its products.

Basically, we focus on what is trending and what the market insight is, and we find that if we present this in an informative, engaging way to the customer then that will lead to innovation and increased consumer demand for our products and for our customers. Our marketing and product development is based around four or five ‘macro trends’, for example, experience, twisted classics and what we call ‘permissible indulgence’. Through this, we look to offer the right range for the right occasion,” he continues. According to Gareth, what sets Mademoiselle

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Mademoiselle Desserts Desserts apart from other wholesale bakeries is not only its focus on quality, innovative products, but also how the company uses category insight to bring new products to life.

“We’ve seen a trend in nostalgic desires for the sorts of treats that our customers grew up with, and that sort of feedback is really crucial to the products we create. When we work with our customers around category insight, it tends to manifest itself in three different ways. One is that we follow through with an idea that we think will work for their menus based on market trends, or alternatively, it might be specific insight that helps give them ideas for products.

Thirdly, we take into serious consideration the briefs clients send us. Our customers tend to know what their consumers want

tray of gluten free and vegan products.

“We’ve been making gluten free products from our Maidenhead bakery since 2013,” Gareth points out. “In 2020, we invested heavily in additional gluten free facilities which now mean we can offer gluten free cheesecakes alongside our existing gluten free offer across cakes and traybakes.”

and so we work with them to develop products accordingly.”

This was also one the reasons why the company is able to boast a delicious

removed black plastic from our business and work with our suppliers on removing or reducing the grade and type of plastic within our supply chain.”

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Demand growth Mademoiselle Desserts did not let the impact of Covid-19 interrupt its long-term sustainability plans, which Gareth claims is a vital part of what the company does. “In the UK for example, we wanted to reduce the amount of sugar in our products. So, in 2019 we removed around 32 tons of sugar from our range. We’ve also completely

The impact of the pandemic also led to new product development. “We also launched a brand-new takeaway and delivery range, which was partly in response to the pandemic.

Back in April 2020, when Covid-19 was taking hold of the world, we saw how people were pivoting towards food delivery and takeaway platforms, and we wanted to have something that our customers could sell easily for a takeaway or delivery experience for their consumers. So, we developed our range of potted desserts and heat at home desserts.

But we wanted to make them as creative and interesting as possible, not just your standard flavors. So, the range includes a Honeycomb Cheesecake, a Yuzu Lime and Pistachio Crunch, and a Lemon Curd Panna Cotta – so more unique flavors,” he discusses.

As the country emerges from the pandemic, demand for Mademoiselle Desserts products has increased substantially. “The pandemic hit the hospitality sector hard. We had some relief with the ‘eat out to help out’ initiative in August last year, but this also drove unprecedented, short-term demand across the industry which put pressure on suppliers’ and customers’ supply chains. I feel that having the roadmap out of lockdown has helped alleviate some of that sudden demand this time around, however challenges still exist across the industry’s supply chain. We try to work collaboratively with our suppliers and customers as no one wants to let clients down.”

Gareth continues to note that despite the turbulent time, the growth in demand has been fantastic to see as the sector bounces back. Throughout the pandemic, Gareth is proud of how his company pulled together to work well with each other and the customers.

This, he believes, has brought the company closer together and will serve them in good stead to continue to create fantastic cakes and desserts.

“Honestly there are so many avenues to explore in this industry and that is why this is such a fun business to work with,” and according to Gareth, Mademoiselle Desserts is going to continue to grow organically within the European market. With a pride in its ability to innovate traditional desserts, the company envisions itself to be number one in food service, covering both cakes and desserts, and Gareth notes that ‘it will always be looking to build new competencies as leaders, and explore new channels’ as it strives to make the lives of its customers a little sweeter. D www.mademoiselledesserts.com

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