FoodChain Issue 104 August 2015

FoodChain Issue 104

l

AUGUST 2015

The business of food and drink

Stars

from the sea

The Seafood Pub Company not only gives good value for money, but also offers a wow-factor in terms of quality

Industry News l

Dairy tales

Managing the risks associated with the construction of dairy plant infrastructure

New coffee menu at Jamie’s Italian

l

Sorting technology helps with food safety

l

Innovative popping candy ingredient launched

Waste lines

The technology and processes needed to reduce food waste should be utilised

FoodChain ISSUE 104

AUGUST 2015

THE BUSINESS OF FOOD AND DRINK

Editor’s Welcome

Stars

from the sea

The Seafood Pub Company not only gives good value for money, but also offers a wow-factor in terms of quality

Industry News Dairy tales

L New

coffee menu at Jamie’s Italian

Managing the risks associated with the construction of dairy plant infrastructure

L Sorting

technology helps with food safety

L Innovative

popping candy ingredient launched

Waste lines

The technology and processes needed to reduce food waste are already in the market and need to be utilised

Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Libbie Hammond

That’s amore!

Art Editor Advertising Design Fleur Daniels Staff Writers Jo Cooper Andrew Dann Ben Clark Business Development Director David Garner Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove Sales Rob Wagner Operations Director Philip Monument Editorial Researcher David Brogan Manuel Lopez Office Manager Advertising Administrator Tracy Chynoweth

A

s the song goes: ‘When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie – that’s amore’ – and who doesn’t love pizza? The profile on Project Pie on page 40 perfectly illustrates that it doesn’t seem to matter how long a

food has been around and how it’s traditionally been served – if you think out of the box you can find a new way to present it!

While the company may only have one location in Scotland at present, a countrywide rollout is one of its ambitions and should one arrive near the

Follow us at:

FoodChain office, I can pretty much guarantee the team will be some of the first people waiting outside the door.

@FoodChain_mag

Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. Tel: +44 (0)1603 274130 Fax: +44 (0)1603 274131

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

www.foodchain-magazine.com www.schofieldmediagroup.com © 2015 Schofield Publishing Ltd

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

www.foodchain-magazine.com

1

Contents 8

14

12 4 Features Logistics Get fresh

4

Food producers, manufacturers and processors need to keep lead times as short as possible – pallet live storage systems can help

Risk Management Dairy tales

Special Feature - Technology 14 Look to the cloud Cloud based systems could revolutionise the systems that monitor food industry chains

8

Understanding the risks of developing dairy plant to enable projects to be planned appropriately to mitigate exposure

News Special Feature - Food Waste 12 Watching waste lines There is no longer an excuse for the food retail industry to accept the current levels of wastage

2

www.foodchain-magazine.com

7 / 11

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

Taste Test

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

16

28 36

24 Profiles

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

Tradin Organic 20

Project Pie 40

Tradin Organic is a pioneer in the organic ingredients sector and

Project Pie opened its first artisan pizza restaurant in the UK in

now develops its own sourcing initiatives

Dundee and it has proven extremely popular

Warsteiner 24

Oerlemans Foods 42

Warsteiner, one of Germany’s most respected breweries,

The strategic vision of Oerlemans Foods is to strengthen its European

is dedicated to sustainability

footprint, while continuing with launching exciting products

AS Pals 28

The Seafood Pub Company 46

Through continually expanding its product range, AS Pals has

The Seafood Pub Company delivers high quality food at good

built a strong reputation as a trustworthy partner

value, in a relaxed yet premium atmosphere

SH Pratt & Co 32

The Glacio Group 52

One of Europe’s leading banana suppliers, SH Pratt keeps a

Following the acquisition of the Belgian Icecream Group, Glacio

promise of both service and quality at the core of its business

Group has continued on a path of innovation and development

InterContinental Prague Hotel 36

Blackdown Hills West Country Eggs 56

The goal of the InterContinental Prague Hotel is be the hotel

A strong commitment to both the local area and consumer demands

of choice for guests both in leisure and business

is driving the success of Blackdown Hills West Country Eggs

www.foodchain-magazine.com

3

Get

fresh 4

www.foodchain-magazine.com

Logistics Edward Hutchison discusses the implementation of a pallet live storage system

C

onsumer demand for fresh, quality products to be available anytime means that food producers, manufacturers and processors should keep lead times as short as possible, respond to seasonal peaks and provide deliveries on time. PROflow, BITO’s pallet live storage system, provides the ideal solution for meeting these requirements. It ensures that the FIFO principle (First In, First Out) - a key ingredient for success in the food industry - is maintained. The Greenery is a leading distributor of fruit and vegetables, which has opted for this racking solution and its success has proved it made the right decision.

The name PROflow refers to BITO’s PRO pallet racking - a modular system that can be adapted to individual requirements. The second part of the name, ‘flow’, conveys motion. Put that together and you have the PROflow system, for live storage and push-back racking, which both provide special features to give an advantage over conventional pallet racking.

In contrast to static pallet racking, pallet live storage allows products to be stored in FIFO sequence. The lanes of each pallet live block are replenished with stock from the loading aisle.

Products are picked at the opposite side so those fed in first are taken out first. This sequence offers numerous advantages such as easy control of sell-by dates, production batches and product lines. Moreover, it gives direct access to all items at the picking face and each pallet moves forward by gravity when the empty one in front is removed. Sufficient replenishment quantities guarantee constant product availability. Given that products are always in direct access at the picking face, order picking is both fast and easy. The clear layout, which allows immediate product access, helps to reduce process times and improve process predictability.

Pallet live storage installations are

Edward Hutchison

far more compact than pallet racking and provide a better overview of the reference lines on stock. This reduces travel routes for order pickers as well as the time required for order collation at the loading dock. In addition to increasing picking performance this storage solution can be used within a much smaller floor surface, a fact that will save energy costs - particularly in cold stores.

Load separator eliminates lane pressure The FlowStop load separator is an innovative feature of BITO pallet live storage. Mounted to the picking side, the load separator reliably separates the first pallet from the other pallets in the lane, allowing forklift trucks to retrieve a pallet safely without lane pressure and without damaging the component. Truck forks can pass under the full length of the pallet - there is no

need to pull the pallet halfway out and then reposition the forks. This makes product handling a lot easier and reduces the risk of fruit or vegetables crates toppling over.

Hygiene is of course a major food industry requirement, whether in ambient warehouses, in chill stores or in cold stores - and strict regulations apply. For this reason, BITO pallet live storage can be provided with tiltable roller conveyor lanes, which allow convenient cleaning of the floor beneath. Even when products are handled with care, there is a risk that truck forks can cause damage to packaging units – leading to spilt contents and soiled warehouse floors.

With tiltable roller conveyor lanes it is easy for warehouse operators to keep these areas perfectly clean.

Picture below: The Greenery opted for BITO pallet live storage.

Orders are picked in picking tunnels.

www.foodchain-magazine.com

5

Logistics

‘

The clear layout, which allows immediate product access, helps to reduce process times and improve process predictability

Picture left: Edward Hutchison and The BITO team

BITO’s focus on fresh foods for The Greenery The Greenery is a leading fruit and vegetable distributor, which has opted for BITO pallet live storage to handle its broad range of produce, which spans organic home-grown as well as exotic fresh fruit, vegetables and mushrooms.

This range is supplied to supermarket chains, wholesalers, gastronomy establishments and the processing industry. To cater for each market segment, The Greenery has subsidiaries in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, UK, Poland, Italy, Russia, Romania, Brazil and the US. Each subsidiary specialises in a product group or a particular market segment, which allows The Greenery to adapt at any given time to customer demands globally.

For example, Dutch grown produce is

complemented by imported produce from all continents such as citrus fruits, banana and other exotic fruit, as well as produce that does not grow in the Netherlands all year round - such as cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes or cauliflowers.

In the Netherlands, some 276 supermarkets are supplied with up to 4000 pallet loads of fresh produce each day, which creates demanding storage requirements for The Greenery.

Its pallet live storage installations have been equipped with picking tunnels to link buffer areas with picking areas.

Pick pallets are supplied in live storage lanes, with pallet buffer stock located on top. Buffer stock is also kept in live storage lanes as well as products that do not grow in the Netherlands during some months of the year. Relocating

The FlowStop load separator operates without activator. Although permanent product in-feeding into the roller conveyor lanes is possible, there is no lane pressure.

6

www.foodchain-magazine.com

fully loaded pallets from the buffer area on top to the live storage lanes at floor level guarantees continuous supply to the order pickers. This, in turn, ensures an uninterrupted supply chain to retailers. Moreover, BITO’s solution makes optimum use of the warehouse capacity, which would be much lower with static pallet racking. D Edward Hutchison is managing director at BITO Storage Systems, an internationally operating manufacturer of storage and order picking systems.

The company’s product range includes shelving and racking; storage and order picking systems; bins and containers and warehouse equipment and accessories. www.bito.co.uk

IndustryNews

Sorting the good from the bad

Sensor solution

Data revealing aflatoxins to be the biggest cause of food-related recalls demonstrates the important role effective sorting and quality analysis systems can play in boosting food safety on the production line, says TOMRA Sorting Food.

The first quarter European Recall & Notification Index, produced by Stericycle Expert Solutions, found that aflatoxins – a fungal toxin that contaminates crops - were behind 21 per cent of all food recalls, followed by salmonella, pesticides/fungicides, metal fragments, chemicals, listeria, insects and E. Coli.

Ashley Hunter, head of TOMRA Sorting Food, says that implementing sorting technology can significantly reduce the risk of contamination from aflatoxins, mycotoxins and foreign material, driving up food safety on the production line and offering a smart investment for processors and manufacturers.

He adds: “The data from Stericycle Expert Solutions demonstrates the challenge faced by food processors operating within a global supply chain. The food industry is growing significantly and facing productivity, economic, efficiency and environmental pressures more than ever before. Increasing demand on the world’s food resources has made today’s food supply complex and multifaceted and whilst a global supply chain brings many benefits it also presents a major food safety headache. The

Morgan Advanced Materials has created a groundbreaking ultrasonic sensor solution for use within the food & beverage sector.

Higher operating temperatures and pressures, in addition to the presence of steam and potentially corrosive products such as alcohol and solvents, require robust measuring components that can function correctly under demanding conditions. Similarly, with the drive for smaller machine footprints, there is an increased demand for sensors that take up less space.

All of these factors have influenced the design of the new sensors, which will enable manufacturers to enjoy optimum performance across a variety of applications.

Charles Dowling of Morgan Advanced Materials commented: “We have designed a solution that will make systems designers’ lives much easier. Our ultrasonic sensors can cope with the most demanding of conditions without unduly imposing on the production process and crucially, without the premium price tag.

“With high sensitivity, wide bandwidth and stable electrical properties demonstrated even at very high temperatures and pressures, our sensors are pushing the boundaries for ultrasonic metering in these highly demanding conditions.”

Ultrasonic sensors have a variety of other uses. For instance, they can be discreetly placed within gearboxes to provide realtime information on coolant or lubricant levels, allowing users to make informed decisions on when a top-up or replacement is needed, minimising downtime and disruption in the process.

longer and more complicated the chain is, the higher the risk of contamination and spoilage.

“In addition, increasing exports and imports mean food processors and manufacturers have to comply with numerous cross-border regulations. In some cases, imports are from countries where safety standards are lower than in the EU or US, making it all the more necessary to ensure food sorting and analysis systems operate in line with emerging food safety issues.” www.tomra.com/food

Safe for food At the recent Smithers Pira’s Global Food Contact conference, Henkel expert Dr. Monika Tönnießen gave a framework presentation on ‘Adhesives for Food Contact Applications’.

Dr. Tönnießen gave a clear outline on the latest developments for adhesives for food contact applications. The presentation went into detail on the regulatory background of adhesives in food contact, risk assessments for adhesives and communication of Non-Intentionally Added Substances (NIAS). Dr. Tönnießen also offered a global outlook for food contact adhesives.

The presentation is available now in the Premium Area of Henkel’s Food Safe

Packaging Portal www.henkel.com/foodsafety. In addition, this knowledge platform includes white papers, webinars, and videos dealing with the key matters of food safe packaging. www.henkel.com/foodsafety

www.morgantechnicalceramics. com/ultrasonic-sensors

www.foodchain-magazine.com

7

Dairy tales Developing dairy plant infrastructure – understanding and appropriately managing risk. By Matthew Hardwick 8

www.foodchain-magazine.com

A

s with the other process sectors, the dairy industry relies on the construction and operation of high-value and complex processing/manufacturing plant. It is only with detailed planning in the development and implementation of contract structures used for the delivery and operation of plant infrastructure that developers and investors may appropriately and effectively mitigate

their exposure to time and cost overrun risk. A lack of attention in this regard can often mean the difference between delivery of plant infrastructure on time, on budget and to a required technical specification and an expensive project failure.

Contamination control Matthew Hardwick

Setting aside for one minute the ‘human’ loss that can be caused by illness or

Risk Management

‘

Investors need to appreciate the technical challenges involved in constructing and operating a dairy process plant

cleanroom is an area of plant in which the concentration of airborne particles is process-controlled to specific limits, often driven by regulatory standards and other best practice standards voluntarily undertaken by dairy producers.

The only way to control contamination is to control the entire environment.

The relevant specifications must be clearly defined at the start of any project to avoid quality failure, developer disappointment and disputes between the developer and its supply chain.

They must also be captured properly in the relevant testing and commissioning requirements for the plant.

Contract structures At the conceptual design stage, it is usually the developer and its in-house engineering team that establish the developer’s requirements and consider the appropriate construction delivery structure. Planning at this stage is key to achieving specification requirements and mitigating, from a developer perspective, the risk of time and cost overrun.

Whilst we have highlighted two common structures below, variants from these structures may, of course, be considered.

Interface risk death arising from contaminated dairy products, the cost to a dairy producer of a contamination claim or a recall on product may be significant. This is certainly a ‘hot topic’ in the dairy sector internationally.

Cleanroom technology Increasingly, the dairy sector has embraced the use of cleanroom processing and contamination control. A

A key issue for the dairy sector is what is seen as the ‘interface risk’ arising between the: • Different stages of processing (often being procured from different suppliers); • Process plant and cleanroom technology in areas housing the process plant; and • Cleanroom technologies at each stage of the process.

Examples of interface risk could include: • The design or technology being delivered by different parties failing to be compatible such that the combined results fail to meet the developer requirements; • The acts or omissions of one contractor delaying other contractors and/or causing additional costs to other contractors giving rise to claims against the developer; and • Unintended gaps in responsibility and, accordingly, liability cover as between the different contracts.

The identification of these risks and the development of a strategy to manage them is key.

Turnkey solution To mitigate interface risk, developers and third-party investors may look to one financially robust contractor to assume full responsibility for delivery of the plant on time, on budget and on specification for a fixed price.

Often referred to as a ‘turnkey’ or EPC (engineer, procure and construct) contract solution, this approach to contracting will see the contractor essentially ‘wrapping’ the interface type risks identified above.

The robustness of the terms of the EPC contract will be an important consideration for the developer and its investors. Care should be taken to ensure that there is a full and complete risk transfer to the contractor. Any developer retained risks should be identified, and appropriate measures and management strategies adopted; and further, any limits on the contractor’s liability should be properly sized, with appropriate exclusions, and finally, liability must be backed by a reliable and robust security package

www.foodchain-magazine.com

9

Risk Management (guarantees and bonds etc.).

Experience shows that careful consideration of the terms used is necessary to ensure that risk is allocated in a manner contemplated by the developer.

There are common pitfalls in this regard that are often missed or are identified too late, which can stress the developer and undermine project delivery.

EPC contractors will often charge a premium for project delivery on an EPC contract basis, since contingencies will be included in their price to account for the management of project delivery and all associated risks (including third-party contractor risk that the EPC contractor cannot pass through to its supply chain and the interface type risks identified previously.)

Multi-contracting Where the developer has experience in terms of in-house capability and project delivery, it may undertake the co-ordination and management function itself under a multi contracting structure.

This approach will typically give the developer greater autonomy over design development and procurement, and can generate cost savings in the absence of EPC contractor price contingencies.

Under a multi-contracting solution, the developer will assume a far greater proportion of project delivery risk. This is because:

• No single party will assume the entire project delivery risk; • The multiple interface structure will make it more difficult to allocate liability; and • The aggregate liability of the supply chain will probably not match that usually accepted by a contractor delivering the project on an EPC contract basis.

Experience shows that the management of this additional risk under a multicontracting solution may be best achieved through the use of an EPCM (engineering, procurement and construction management) contractor working alongside the developer’s own in-house team.

Unlike an EPC contract, an EPCM contractor will not perform construction works. Instead, the EPCM contract will provide for the contractor undertaking certain design, procurement and construction management services.

Whilst the EPCM contractor will procure and manage the works and supply contractors, it will typically be the developer that will enter into the contractual arrangements with these parties.

Whilst these contractors will not provide a liability backstop for ultimate project delivery risk, they will assist in the management of project delivery on behalf of the developer and the

achievement of the key project targets.

More sophisticated players in the EPCM market however may accept incentive regimes under which they will assume a certain degree of financial risk if the key cost and time targets are not met.

For EPCM contracting to be successful, key risks need to be identified and properly managed either through the works and supply contracts or by the developer team and the EPCM contractor. As the buck essentially stops with the developer, other options such as insurance or cash contingencies may also be considered as part of a wider risk management package.

Conclusion Potential investors should enter the dairy market with their eyes open.

Investors need to appreciate the technical challenges involved in constructing and operating a dairy process plant, and plan appropriately to mitigate exposure, on one hand, to construction cost overrun and, on the other, to contamination claims or liabilities arising from product recall resulting from defects or poor plant performance.

All these risks can be managed by taking the appropriate care when formulating the contract delivery structure to identify and manage risk. D Matthew Hardwick is a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright in London.

Norton Rose Fulbright is a global legal practice, which provides the world’s pre-eminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. It has more than 3800 lawyers and other legal staff based in more than 50 cities across Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. www.nortonrosefulbright.com

10 www.foodchain-magazine.com

IndustryNews Exotic chocolate

Top of the pops

Award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate company Madécasse has added a new Milk Chocolate Toasted Coconut variant to its growing range of ‘Fair for Life’ bars.

Handmade in Madagascar in small batches using organic, rare heirloom cocoa varieties, the new bar is made from silky smooth milk chocolate and contains delicate pieces of toasted Madagascan coconut to give it a tropical taste.

Available in 75g bars with an RRP of £2.99, the Milk Chocolate Toasted Coconut bar contains no artificial additives, ingredients or preservatives and joins the innovative brand’s other unique offerings such as Salted Almond, Espresso Bean, Dark Chocolate Toasted Coconut and Sea Salt & Nibs.

Co-founder of Madécasse Brett Beach said of the new launch: “We’re

Pecan Deluxe Candy (Europe) has launched a delicious and unusually versatile new range of popping candy inclusions, perfect for ice cream, bakery, chilled and frozen desserts and even cocktail drinks.

As well as desserts, popping candy is ideal for bakery toppings: the pips and clusters are fat or chocolate coated to retain their ‘pop’ – a feature coveted by the frozen dessert market as well. The cereals and snacks sector is also showing significant interest in popping candy, with clusters a popular choice to liven up old favourites on retailers’ shelves. Even the beverages market is paying attention with popping candy showing up in innovative new cream-based cocktail offerings in fashionable bars across Europe.

Pecan Deluxe’s managing director, Graham Kingston, explained: “Popping candy offers so many opportunities to dessert and bakery manufacturers: thanks to our ongoing investment in product development, it is stable in use whether frozen, chilled or at ambient temperature. Pecan Deluxe is constantly leading the way in product innovation and this additional range will only serve to increase our already unrivalled selection of inclusions for all markets.” www.pecandeluxe.eu

delighted to be extending our exciting range of ‘Fair for Life’ bars. The new Milk Chocolate Toasted Coconut bar has a rich and tropical flavour and after the continued success of our Dark Chocolate Toasted Coconut line, we’re positive it will become a favourite with consumers.” www.madecasse.com

Italian coffee menu Jamie Oliver has announced that Jamie’s Italian has teamed up with Kimbo, the historical Italian brand which embodies the authentic Neapolitan espresso, to launch a new bespoke Italian coffee menu.

Already available, guests at Jamie’s Italian restaurants all over the UK are now enjoying a rich premium blend, obtained from selected origin coffee, subject to strict quality controls and brewed according to extensive knowledge and craftsmanship, typical of the Neapolitan tradition.

Having spent the last six months to meticulously look for the best classic Neapolitan-style espresso, Jamie Oliver eventually chose Kimbo, a company whose mission has always been to offer an excellent quality coffee, authentically ‘made in Italy’, and produced with respect for people and the environment.

The new Jamie’s Italian bespoke coffee menu includes a wide selection of coffees, first of all the original and authentic Neapolitan espresso, created to give consumers a rare, special and unmistakable taste.

Paola Rubino, chairman of Kimbo, said: “We are absolutely delighted to work with Jamie Oliver and his great team. We share the same love and passion for authenticity and tradition, and this is reflected in the new bespoke coffee menu that we created together.

“This is an exciting opportunity to promote the culture of Neapolitan espresso in the UK through the renowned Jamie’s Italian restaurants and we look forward to a long and successful collaboration.” www.kimbo.co.uk

www.foodchain-magazine.com 11

Watching waste lines

At its most fundamental, the fact that 30 to 50 per cent of all food is wasted, and that half of this wastage is down to inefficiencies within the food industry, is – quite frankly – imprudent and unnecessary argues Mikko Kärkkäinen 12 www.foodchain-magazine.com

T

he challenge retailers have lies in connecting all the data throughout a supply chain – from farm to transportation; warehouse and store understanding where to look for these inefficiencies, and then to standardise processes to allow for efficiencies to be achieved consistently.

By utilising the latest supply chain management technology and improved processes around data gathering, control and transparency, the industry can start to address some of these points.

One of the biggest supply chain challenges that retailers face is

Mikko Kärkkäinen

forecasting, according to recent research by Martec International and RELEX.* The majority of supply chain managers are struggling with forecasting demand for new products, the changes in the rate of sale and forecasting effectively for promotions and promotional lift.

However, better forecasting and stock planning is the key to better economics, better ecology and ultimately improved customer service: • Less spoiled or wasted food is better for the environment • Less spoilage through better planning invariably means fresher goods for the consumer

‘

There is no longer an excuse for the food retail industry to accept the current levels of wastage; the technology and processes are readily available

• Savings will help both retailers’ and manufacturers’ bottom lines and can help to reduce prices later to further help the consumer.

The financial impact for food retailers and wholesalers is also massive: for a food retailer or wholesaler who throws away goods worth two to five per cent of its turnover each year, the possibility of cutting down this wastage by 15 to 40 per cent is significant as the saving is directly visible in the company’s P&L. And, on a wider scale, the estimated spoilage reduction that can be achieved through the application of better data and technology, in the EU would mean an estimated annual reduction of 11 million to 30 million tonnes of spoiled food, which equals to the annual food consumption of Canada. This spoilage reduction would reduce CO2 emissions by 22 million to 60 million tonnes, which is over ten per cent of EU’s 20-20-20 target.

Companies differ so supply chain solutions must differ Of course, these numbers indicate the scope and scale of the challenge. So how can retailers take practical steps to effect change in their own supply chains? Eliminating all waste is generally good advice in any business setting.

However, in practice zero spoilage is rarely the best goal on perishables inventory management – and the optimum level depends on a store’s concept.

The basic fundamentals of good inventory management are always the same - accurate day level demand forecasting, day level safety stock management and advanced promotion, season, and weather based forecasting.

However, there are peculiar differences in each case. A good example is the inventory management of perishable products such as fresh meat, fish, bread and vegetables.

Food Waste With the food retail business consisting of high-end food markets as well as discounter formats for price conscious customers, there are significant changes in some approaches of control. Those focusing on high-end offering tend to press the importance of high availability and well-presented shelves. They generally command good sales margin, which enables them to build appealing shelf appearance even with the expense of increased spoilage.

With perishable goods, retailers are generally maximising availability by taking forecast spoilage into account in ordering in addition to the spoilage recognised by scanning out-of-date products. To ensure that shelves are not left empty or half empty after the removal of a spoiled batch, retailers should look at how technology can help keep track of the simulated spoilage of each order batch in the shelf, and automatically order a fresh batch to replace the old one going to be picked out. The functionality can ensure impeccable shelf presentation at all times.

However, stores with concepts relying on lower prices and with lower sales margin do not want to fill shelves with new fresh batches to ensure that older ones are left in shelves to perish, as it definitely increases waste. In these circumstances, automatic alerts could be placed on products where they are deemed unprofitable for example due to forecast case-pack sales duration related to shelf life.

It is actually possible to find out the best potential spoilage and availability level by factoring in estimated lost sales in out of stocks and sales margin of the product. The result is highly dependent on substitution probability in the product group as well as sales margin.

However, many food retailers also want to consider the effect of availability on customer satisfaction, and in the high end chains it is the most important goal.

Let the system take the strain Undoubtedly, fresh food forecasting and replenishment and the short shelf life of items makes accuracy essential.

As sales fluctuate significantly day-today, precision is only possible through

day-level forecasting and replenishment parameter calculation.

Technology also allows for the potential for a food retailer or grocer to be notified when a cold product is about to go out-of-date or if they are approaching the last possible date for sales, enabling store managers to remove the items from storage and put them on a reduced offering.

Furthermore, when stores are equipped to optimise and calculate shelf availability against expected or forecasted demand, they can remove risk of wastage at the point of sale.

Retailers and grocers have at their fingertips a huge volume of data that should be being used to minimise wastage, increase efficiencies and reduce emissions. Even with the most complex supply chain, the latest technology is now enabling the industry to harvest this data and apply it intelligently to not only achieve these objectives, but also increase the control and visibility all stakeholders have in the process.

There is no longer an excuse for the food retail industry to accept the current levels of wastage; the technology and processes are readily available, and the ROI too compelling, on too many fronts, to ignore. D Mikko Kärkkäinen is Group CEO, RELEX. RELEX Solutions is the first supply chain solution provider to offer retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers the power of In-Memory Computing. Customers in 15 countries use RELEX demand forecasting, inventory optimisation, replenishment automation solutions to cut spoilage by 40 per cent, inventory by 30 per cent, boost on-shelf availability to 98 per cent plus, and become more profitable in the process.

www.relexsolutions.com *Martec conducted detailed research with senior supply chain executives from a cross section of British retailers accounting, between those surveyed, for 23 per cent of the UK retail market by sales. Source BRC 2013 **A downloadable copy of the full ‘State of the Retail Supply Chain 2015’ research is available from the RELEX website.

www.foodchain-magazine.com 13

Look to the cloud Reduce costs - but don’t settle for less.

Tim Waterman discusses data logging as a service

14 www.foodchain-magazine.com

C

areful monitoring of the supply chain only works when it is holistic and comprehensive in its scope. It needs to start where food begins its life on the farm; through to the warehouses it is stored in, the logistics trucks used for deliveries, and the supermarket chillers it is retailed from. To simplify this process, new, hightech solutions like remote data loggers have arrived on the market, providing new opportunities for greatly simplifying the process - ensuring the produce arrives at its destination in perfect condition.

The benefits of these new solutions are numerous. Primarily, the use of data loggers helps mitigate health risks, principally the growth of dangerous bacteria on food. But more generally, failure to comprehensively and accurately monitor the supply chain can lead to reduced revenues through loss and damage to produce. Therefore, the use of modern automated data loggers helps reduce these risks by ensuring continual monitoring across all stages of the supply chain.

To guarantee continual monitoring, existing systems need extra equipment,

Technology to protect insuring against potential downtime. Some companies do this through the installation of a backup power supply, which takes over in the event that the primary supply fails.

However, it’s not viable for a small business to invest in the purchase and maintenance of a continuous back-up power source, simply for insurance against a rare instance of power outage.

Nor should they be expected to - in 2015 there are now a number of far more practical solutions.

The most interesting of these, and the one I want to explore in more detail, are new cloud-based solutions. By abstracting monitoring and logging away from the site, to externally managed and hosted servers, a number of benefits are available to the data logger user.

Anytime, anywhere As control and logging is handled remotely, cloud-based data loggers can now be entirely battery powered. As a result, power outages and surges no longer impact negatively upon the logger – and the use of external logging servers, managed by expert technical teams, means there’s no risk of an onsite power outage disabling the system used for monitoring and data storage.

Many businesses already have a mains powered logging system in place, and are not in a hurry to simply throw out the resource they’ve invested in the installation of this. Thankfully, battery powered loggers can work alongside these systems, serving as an incredibly low cost backup system that can pick up where the other system failed in the event of an outage – resulting in no loss of data.

For those that are installing a new system, or are looking to upgrade away from mains-power, there are other attractive features to cloud-based loggers. As data is continually logged to a centralised, remote location, monitoring can also be performed remotely.

A good cloud system is accessible from anywhere, by anyone (anyone who is authorised, that is) and from any device. Typically management is performed via a standard internet browser. Should a problem occur, it is

possible for any member of the team to be notified – without needing to be onsite – and take the necessary steps to rectify the situation.

More importantly, given many businesses deploy several sensors across several sites, it gives a greater insight in to where the problem is, not just the problem itself. As cloud-sensors tend to be low-cost, multiple sensors can be easily deployed in unison, tagged through the cloud interface with their location or role, and monitored from a single point. Then, in the event of a temperature alarm, email alerts can be set up to immediately notify the relevant members of staff in the supply chain to what situation has occurred and where, reducing the time spent by staff in rectifying these issues.

Finally, cloud-based sensor systems are scalable. Should a business’s need for monitoring expand or contract, sensors can simply be registered or disabled from the remote management interface.

Protecting your company and your customers We’re already seeing the benefits of cloud-based loggers in real world supply chains. Fuchs Cereal, a leader in the processing and production of cerealbased produce, distributes to over twodozen countries globally. As such, it is

of paramount importance that it ensures the quality and integrity of its products from the beginning of the process until the very end.

Previously, Fuchs monitored all of its environmental data manually, with physical checks performed by quality control operatives. Not only was this approach time-consuming, relatively expensive and prone to human error, there was no data backup in the event of a power failure. As a result, the business investigated alternative solutions that could simplify their existing setup, and enhance the data logging process. The business invested in cloud-based sensors for round the clock monitoring, and found it gave them the freedom to no longer rely upon a separate, dedicated IT team to verify data records.

Not such a big step It’s clear that cloud-based monitoring solutions could revolutionise the systems that monitor food industry chains, and many companies have already begun to migrate to the new technology.

Although moving to a Cloud based logging service can feel like a big step for some companies, it is deceptively simple to do. However it is absolutely essential that those undertaking their first venture, work alongside a trusted supplier to manage servers and guarantee the reliability of data. This is crucial as, whilst modern Wi-Fi sensors run in the background for long periods with little or no human supervision, the business must be able to place its faith in the accuracy of its records. D Tim Waterman is Technical Director at FilesThruTheAir. Corintech develops and manufactures environmental monitoring devices, offering PC or Cloud-based data logging systems incorporating its FilesThruTheAir WiFi sensors. They are used in commercial, research and industrial applications. The company also offers a complete contract electronics design and manufacturing service combining mechanical, electronic and software design with prototyping, and full product manufacture and test.

www.filesthrutheair.com

www.foodchain-magazine.com 15

TasteTest

Squeeze me For anyone who enjoys cooking but doesn’t want to spend hours in preparation or be left with wastage, Very Lazy has the answer. The company peels, chops, slices and dices the very best ingredients, then captures them in all their tasty glory - in handy jars or tubes. The range includes chopped ingredients like chilli and garlic as well as cooking concentrates and pastes that will bring some fantastic flavour to any dish. www.verylazy. com

“Was this designed just for me?” queried the ‘very lazy’ tester chosen deliberately for this product. “The Lazy Garlic made superb garlic bread with virtually no effort. Perfection!”

Thoroughly good stuff Makers of naturally scrumptious chutneys, curds, condiments & salad dressings since 1979, English Provender Co.’s range includes sweet and savoury delights including chutneys, condiments and curds.

While the products are brilliant to use straight out of the jar, the company is also very creative with its recipe suggestions, using its own products as an ingredient in items such as cheesecake and quiche, in order to take them to the next level of deliciousness!

With National Afternoon Tea Week taking place from 10th – 16th August, English Provender’s website promises to be busy, as it gets visited by those wishing to whizz up some muffins or jazz up some scones! The Lemon and Ricotta cheesecake recipe certainly does look worth trying. www.englishprovender.com

The Taste Team tried the Apple, Pear and Fig Chutney and Ginger Curd. Online the chutney is described as ‘naturally delicious and extremely versatile…brilliant with blue cheese & spicy foods, as well as with sausages and unsmoked

ham.’ “I tried it with chicken Kiev!” admitted the tester. “It may sound unusual but it was really lovely – added a sweetness and tangy aspect that enhanced the garlicky chicken very nicely. I also had it with some cheese and biscuits in a more traditional use of chutney, and again, it lends itself to this as well, working with a strong cheddar and a Stilton.”

Fuel with flavour America’s favourite energy bar, CLIF Bar has arrived in the UK. Combining wholesome ingredients including organic rolled oats and organic dates all wrapped up in a moist, fulfilling bar, CLIF Bar is a source of protein and fibre and contains 11 vitamins including B6 and B12 which contribute to the normal release of energy for use in the body. Carbohydrate rich, the energy bar also supplies working muscles with the fuel they need for extended periods of activity – helping you to stay stronger for longer.

CLIF Bar is available in six delicious flavours – Chocolate Chip, Crunchy Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut, Blueberry Crisp, Chocolate Almond Fudge and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. www.clifbar.co.uk

16 www.foodchain-magazine.com

The Team were impressed with the credentials of the CLIF bar and also its appeal to active lifestyles. All the flavours that were tried tasted great, in some cases, to the tester’s surprise: “I did fear this was going to be bland and difficult to get through,” she said. “However, it was really good – in fact, I would actively choose this for breakfast over a sugary cereal bar, and it actually did make me feel full – it was very satisfying to eat. I would even go as far to say that if I was out and about and wanted a snack, I would try and buy one of these – I enjoyed it that much!”

TasteTest Going crackers

Little wonders How do you create a box of chocolates that stands out from the competition?

Noble Chocolates differentiated itself by introducing speciality, fragile and slender chocolate cups, filled with delicious flavours, which caused a stir when launched and are still being met with delight by buyers and consumers alike.

Having won a Trends and Innovation award at SIAL, and also been crowned as Chocolate of the Year as well, Noble Chocolates continues to focus on creating new and delicious chocolate cups for a variety of markets across the world.

The range includes the original cups – a combination of two hazelnut layers, coconut, vanilla, a touch of cinnamon and a soft caramel filling, but has been extended to include spirits (cointreau, whisky, amaretto, kirsch or coffee liqueur) and fruits (orange, blueberry,

lemon, raspberry and forest fruits), as well as a variety of others. But the small cup format remains the same, so each individual chocolate is crafted into a little container of delightful flavours. www.noble-chocolates.com

The appearance of these products certainly sets them apart before you’ve even tasted one! The little cups are adorable, available in different chocolates, white, dark or milk to appeal to pretty much every palate.

“These are so cute and at the same time sophisticated,” one reviewer said, while admiring the packaging.

“The are clearly of high quality and a lot of thought has gone into the flavour combinations, which are just the right sweetness, and the variety in each box is really impressive.”

Sanchi is a premium range of over 50 Japanese foods made in an uncompromising traditional manner from the highest quality, 100 per cent natural ingredients and methods based on the macrobiotic principles of food production. For instance, the Award Winning Sanchi Tamari (wheat free soy sauce made with soya beans) is naturally fermented in cedar wood barrels for a minimum of 18 months.

These flavours are included in its crackers and chips. The traditional Japanese crackers are made with brown rice and tamari soy sauce, and they are lightly steamed and then baked making them low in fat.

They can be enjoyed on their own or with dips and several other flavours are available alongside the Tamari, including Black Sesame or White Sesame, Brown Rice and Quinoa and Tamari. www.sanchi.co.uk

Time for tea The London Tea Company has come of age in its 12 year history to become one of the UK’s leading fully Fairtrade tea brands and master blenders of the highest quality teas and fun, exotic herbal infusions.

The London Tea Company now boasts an incredible range of award-winning teas, all Fairtrade and environmentally friendly: five black traditional teas, six green teas and eight herbal infusions that really show-off the innovation behind the brand. No fewer than four of the teas have been awarded Gold Awards at the 2014 Great Taste Awards.

The tea team scours the world for the leading growers and producers to bring the freshest tastes from the Ambootia Tea Estate nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Nilgiris in Southern India, the plantations in Ceylon, to the highland plains in Kericho west of Kenya’s Rift Valley to the banks of the Brahmaputra River in Northern India and China. www.londontea.co.uk

The team sampled a range of London Tea Company teas and all were met with universal praise, especially the Jasmine Green Tea. The London Breakfast Tea was described as: “really nice, with a round, mellow flavour - it was a great way to start the day.”

The Vanilla Chai had an intense flavour – our tester could get two cups from one bag! The smell was also noted as ‘wonderful’ and this was echoed by the taster of the Moroccan Mint Green Tea variety: “As soon as I opened the pack I got the waft of tantalizing mint fragrance, and once the bag was in the water it was like a bouquet of exhilaration steaming up from my cup! The taste was refreshing, the colour not too dark and it gave me an energising boost for the afternoon.”

The satisfying crunchiness of the crackers was one of the first things commented on by the team, quickly followed by the tangy savouriness of the flavours.

The Tamari flavour came out as the favourite – ‘it’s not as harsh as dark soy, but still has a nice saltiness and a moreish quality,’ said one reviewer. The black sesame’s appearance was commented on – all enjoyed the intense sesame flavour.

www.foodchain-magazine.com 17

TasteTest

Getting fruity When enjoying the rare hot days of summer that the UK experiences, a cold drink is always welcome, but not everybody wants a fizzy soda full of sugar. With so many wonderful fruits in season, it is nice to be able to experience the very best British ingredients in a refreshing sparkling fruit pressé, perfect for sunny days.

This is possible thanks to a new range from Radnor Hills’ Heartsease Farm brand, which features Fiery Ginger Beer, Elderflower Pressé, award winning Traditional Lemonade, Blackcurrant Crush, St Clement’s Pressé, and lovely Raspberry Lemonade flavours.

By drinking what is in season, you are getting the best of the crop, the most intense flavour and the most nutrients too. All of the Heartsease pressés are made from all natural ingredients, so all that flavour comes from real, fresh ingredients, expertly blended with spring water at Heartsease Farm in Wales. www.radnorhills.co.uk

These drinks were so welcome in the FoodChain offices as temperatures outside began to climb. Chilled in the fridge, each flavour was robust and bursting with fruit. The Raspberry Lemonade came out top with the team, with the Blackcurrant crush a close second. “I think it’s the fact I can taste a real raspberry flavour in there,” said one tester.

“It’s not only a taste of summer, but a treat for my tastebuds too!”

Let’s get ready to crumble The sequel to the much loved Ben & Jerry’s Core range, the Cookie Cores, have made their debut to the freezer aisle.

Each tub features an all-new crunchy, spoonable cookie core, surrounded by Fairtrade ice cream with even more cookie thrown in for good measure!

Starring crumbled chocolate, peanut butter or caramelised cookies, these tantalising tubs are set to be a hit with flavour fans. The three new concoctions are: What-a-lotta Chocolate, Utter Peanut Butter Clutter and Speculoos?

Specu-Love.

When the team was faced with tasting a new range of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream it was the editor herself who stepped up to the challenge. “I am already a huge fan of Ben & Jerry’s so I was never in doubt that this ice cream was going to be amazing,” she said. “It’s chocolately, biscuity, creamy, and has added biscuits as well. How could I not love it?”

A charitable treat A commemorative chocolate bar has been launched by Wickedly Welsh to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The chocolate bar launched in conjunction with the Royal Air Forces Association, the charity that supports the RAF family.

The range will see bars with British flavours such as ‘Tea and Biscuits’ and ‘Rhubarb Crumble and Custard’ as well as gift boxes with both nostalgic and fun flavours such as Strawberries and Cream, Salted Caramel and Raspberry with Vodka.

The chocolates are available in Wickedly Welsh’s factory shop, based on the Withybush Industrial estate, Haverfordwest, as well as via the factory’s online store. www.WickedlyWelsh.co.uk

FoodChain’s resident chocoholic kindly volunteered to test these products for us! “The tang of rhubarb is not a

18 www.foodchain-magazine.com

What-a-lotta Chocolate comes not only with a core of crushed chocolatey cookie, but it’s surrounded by rich chocolate ice cream, with chocolatey cookie added in.

The Peanut Butter variety packs Utter Peanut Butter Clutter with three peanut buttery punches; a core of crunchy peanut butter cookie, peanut butter ice cream & peanut butter cookies too.

Those gingery, cinnamon, spicy, caramelised biscuits often served with coffee took the lead in Speculoos?

Specu-love, supported by caramel ice cream and a crumbled biscuit core (and it has extra bits of caramelised cookies too). It’s a crunchy, creamy concoction that will leave you wanting more. www.benjerry.co.uk

companion I would have teamed with a delicate milk chocolate so I did have some trepidation, but WOW was I surprised… pleasantly! The balance of flavours present is spot on. It’s the creamy taste of the chocolate that kicks in first in a welcome manner, complemented by a nicely satisfying crunch. I didn’t get the zesty hit of rhubarb until the creamy milk chocolate had slowly melted down and then I was left to relish the ‘boom’ of the rhubarb. There was a lovely crunch to it as well, which really gave the feeling of rhubarb and crumble. A great partnership!”

Professional Pastry Chefs tell us they prefer Tate & Lyle Caster and Icing Sugar*

www.sugarandsyrup.com * Based on research carried out by MMR Research Worldwide for Tate & Lyle Sugars in April 2014, out of 202 UK-based Pastry Chefs interviewed, 30 used www.foodchain-magazine.com 68% Tate & Lyle’s Caster and Icing sugars for baking.

PURE

. CONSISTENT . QUALITY

Growing global

C

Tradin Organic sources premium certified organic food ingredients, as well as offering its own sourcing initiatives and processing operations 20 www.foodchain-magazine.com

elebrating its 30th anniversary as an importer of organic ingredients in 2015, Amsterdam headquartered Tradin Organic Agriculture BV (Tradin Organic) is in a coveted position as a pioneer in a niche market that has witnessed incredible growth over recent years. Founded by Gerard Versteegh and Wim Rabbie in 1985, the firm was originally named The Organic Corporation BV (TOC) and Tradin Agricultural International before becoming Tradin Organic in 1994. Following the name change, the company expanded its services in the trade of globally sourced organic agricultural ingredients to Germany and China in 1999; Tradin Organics USA was established in Santa Cruz, the US, in 2001, with a sales office in France set up in 2002. Growth continued with Trabocca BV added to Tradin Organic’s

portfolio in 2004 and the establishment of a joint venture in Ethiopia in 2007; the latter resulted in the formation of Selet Hulling PLC, a specialised sesame hulling facility.

Part of SunOpta Inc.’s international sourcing and supply division since 2008, the company has further expanded with the initial establishment of SunOpta Foods Bulgaria, Tradin Organic’s organic sunflower project; this was completed in 2013 with the acquisition of a sunflower processing factory in Silistra, Bulgaria.

In the same year Tradin Organic also established its dedicated cocoa processing facility, Crown of Holland, which focuses on organic and specialty cocoa.

Today boasting an extensive worldwide network of suppliers, processors and partners, Tradin Organic is a well-reputed and reliable partner for those operating in the international organic food industry.

With Tradin Organic directly sourcing more than 150 products from organic farmers in over 60 locations, engaging over 5800 small holder famers in its global sourcing initiatives and moving an estimated 25 trucks filled with its ingredients worldwide every single day, commercial and sales director at Tradin

Tradin Organic Cocoa pods

Organic, Wouter Floot discusses the reasons behind the company’s success: “Being involved in origins gives us a strong sourcing network, while our location in The Netherlands provides us with an enviable logistical hub.

Moreover, as a part of SunOpta we benefit from financial strength, which allows us to finance in origins and provide farmers with crop financing and also grant payment terms to the food industry; ultimately, we can offer a service to our customers with credit terms and minimise their risks.”

Not only a trader of premium certified organic food ingredients, the company also develops its own sourcing initiatives and processing operations worldwide and is involved in the entire supply chain for these projects, from cultivation to export. “A recent project for us is our Citrus project in Mexico, which has gone on for several years and has resulted in the production of approximately 50,000 tonnes per year of organic citrus juice for the European and the US market,” says Wouter.

“Since moving the project to organic we eliminated the use of 1200 metric tonnes of synthetic chemical fertiliser and stopped using 9000 litres of

www.foodchain-magazine.com 21

The analyses of Food and Feed TLR provides an extensive range of analyses of finished goods and raw materials for the food & feed industry. Our modern lab is equipped with the latest technology and is located in the ARAG region (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp & Ghent), two factors which enable us to offer rapid processing times and help you save money.

To cope with EU hygiene and safety standards, we fulfill the requirements of a variety of EU quality programs as well as HACCP concepts. TLR offers a wide range of analyses. Basic chemical testing is used to determine nutritional values such as protein and moisture. We also perform more complex analyses to test for contaminations such as residues of pesticides, mycotoxins, dioxins, heavy metals and PAH’s. Last but not least, we perform classic microbiological methods such as plate counts (yeasts and moulds) as well as modern PCR techniques for pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella, E. Coli O157, Norovirus and Hepatitus A. All analyses are performed using state-of-the-art instruments and technology to ensure the lowest possible detection limits. TLR is your one stop shop for all services in food/ feed safety control.

If you have any requests do not hesitate to contact our experts for further information: www.tlr-international.com

22 www.foodchain-magazine.com

Tradin Organic poisonous pesticides; we also stopped using 25,000 litres of herbicide. The environmental impact of this organic project is clearly measurable on the input side; however proving the sustainability of organic production from the output side is not so easy to measure. This is something we will focus on in the future, particularly with our own projects as we are more involved and have more data available.”

In addition to researching ways to measure sustainability for organic production against more conventional farming, Wouter says Tradin Organic is also facing the challenge of meeting market demand: “The organic market has really started to boom again, particularly in North America. We realise that for us this is a luxury position, as there is more demand than supply; however, because of this we have to work very hard to get our sources lined up, which can be difficult as we are usually dealing with less developed countries and transferring conventional farming to organic takes a three-year conversion period.”

Another issue for the company is chemical residue testing. Because customers expect organic products to be chemical residue free, this causes issues for organic farmers who operate in line with expectations may have products affected by drift via water or air from neighbouring conventional

fields. “One hundred per cent residue free products are often an illusion and organic legislation currently isn’t clear on how much residue an organic product may contain. On top of this, laboratories are getting better at analysis methods and can detect the smallest trace of chemical residue, which poses a major challenge for us as our customers then don’t know if chemicals were used on purpose or if it is drift and will then refuse batches that have any trace of residue.” Keen to educate the public and consumers of this issue, the company is lobbying

as much as possible through industrial groups of companies.

Moving forward, Tradin Organic will continue to expand with a number of its own independently run sourcing projects while also maintaining close working relationships with its farmers and consumers across the globe, as Wouter concludes: “We want to have more control over food safety issues in origin as well as organic integrity; by maintaining risk management we can be sure what we supply is organic and keep up with demand.” D www.tradinorganic.com

Crown of Holland

www.foodchain-magazine.com 23

Premium

responsibility

I Warsteiner has established itself as a highly respected and successful beer manufacturer over its 260 years due to its strong marketing strategy and outstanding corporate responsibility 24 www.foodchain-magazine.com

n 1753, Antonius Cramer, who had brewed so much beer in this home, had to pay his first beer tax for his side business and the foundations were laid for what is now one of Germany’s largest privately owned and most respected breweries.

Over the next 260 years the company passed from generation to generation of the Cramer family and driven by its motto: tradition through innovation, the brewery’s production output grew.

After a series of acquisitions in the nineties and noughties, and now under its ninth generation of Cramer management Warsteiner employs over 2200 people across a number of brands and breweries across the world. With a presence in over 60 countries through either own sales offices or distribution partners, the group manages the

Warsteiner, Herforder, Frankenheim, König Ludwig Schlossbrauerei Kaltenberg and Paderborner breweries.

Meanwhile, to accompany its expansion strategy, in 1998 Warsteiner founded the Welcome Hotel chain. Specialising in business travel and conference hosting, the company now operates 17 threeand four-star hotels across 14 locations throughout Germany.

The group’s portfolio of brands generally encompasses high end, premium pilsners that represent truly traditional and regional breweries across Germany. In particular, Warsteiner’s own Premium Verum pilsner is extensively distributed as a popular product across the world, as is its Premium Fresh non-alcoholic beer. The brand has also been successful in reacting to changing tastes and emerging trends in the

Warsteiner

market with the introduction of flavoured beverages into its product offering. The classic Radler style, a shandy-style beer and lemonade mix has been subject to Warsteiner’s innovation and it now offers alcoholic and non-alcoholic lemon and grapefruit flavoured drinks. Setting these products apart from the market is the use of 100 per cent natural fruit juices, as opposed to artificial aroma flavourings and citric acids providing the flavouring.

Contributing to Warsteiner’s international presence is a strong marketing campaign supporting sport, arts and music across the world. In particular, Warsteiner is a sponsor and official team partner of Audi ABT’s racing team in Formula E’s debut 2014/15 season. The company’s relationship with sport is not out of the ordinary for an alcoholic brand,

however, what is unique is the way it responsibly serves the sector.

Continuous development into the nonalcoholic recipe has resulted in a beer that has isotonic properties to ensure quick fluid absorption by the body, and is therefore popular amongst athletes.

The brand has also partnered with a number of music festivals in Europe (the Netherlands and the UK).

The company’s vision is to maintain its position and further expand by growing market share with high quality products and services, effective sales efforts and innovative marketing. To achieve these goals it places significant emphasis on continuously improving technical optimisation against a background of solid finances and longterm planning. Sustainability innovation plays a major role in achieving this

vision, as Martin Hötzel, Managing Director Sales and Marketing explains: “We are aware that we are just a little wheel within a complex global structure, whose future depends on the actions of all who participate in the system. Therefore, it is important to us to make our own contributions within our possibilities for a sustainable development. At the same time, we would also like to be a model with our sustainability policy and provide motivation for others to follow this thought that our own pro-active actions within the sum of the activities of many other companies, organisations and individuals can have a significant impact.”

As part of this drive to improve sustainability the company set up the Warsteiner Brew Academy for Research and Development in 2011, which represented a milestone for its

www.foodchain-magazine.com 25

FoodChain THE BUSINESS OF FOOD AND DRINK

To advertise in FoodChain magazine please contact: Sales Manager Joe Woolsgrove jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales Rob Wagner rwagner@schofieldpublishing.co.uk T: +44 (0)1603 274130 | F: +44 (0)1603 274131 www.foodchain-magazine.com

26 www.foodchain-magazine.com

Warsteiner sustainability concept. As a result, through continuous improvement Warsteiner is now one of the top breweries in the world with the lowest energy and water consumption in its production, with only 3.46 hectolitres of water being consumed for every hectolitre of beer brewed. The energy consumption for the production of this amount is also down to 135 mega joules.

Warsteiner has also developed a number of technological innovations to improve general energy consumption across its operations. One part of this is a block heating power plant set up at the Warsteiner Waldpark Brewery in 2009. This process produces electricity from natural gas and uses generated exhaust heat directly in the brewing process, saving up to 5000 tonnes of CO2-equivalents each year. As a result of this, the Warsteiner brewery fulfilled the norm DIN EN ISO 50001 in 2012 to be the first brewery enterprise in Germany to have a certified energy management system. In 2011, it went even further by installing wind turbines at its Paderborner Brewery capable of supplying 40 per cent of the site’s annual energy requirements.

The company’s attention to sustainability extends beyond its production facilities as well. In 2005, it began operating a proprietary rail siding with its own container terminal to move truck traffic from the road to the rails. This logistical strategy has

OVERSEAS Logistic Services OVERSEAS Logistic Services GmbH has been active as an international forwarding and shipping agent since 1997 and has continued to grow with its services. Based in Mönchengladbach, Germany, on the periphery of one of the largest industrial areas of the world and in the intersection of inner European waterways and land links, OLS covers all aspects related to import/export in door-to-door transport.

As a member of the FMS-Group and with agencies on all continents, OLS offers intelligent logistics around the globe. As logistics does not allow any weaknesses as an integral link in the value-added chain, OLS tailors each part of the transport process perfectly to customers’ requirements and documents this individually.

helped to save 5500 truckloads, and up to 1700 tonnes of CO2 every year.

In a remarkable demonstration of sustainability, Warsteiner’s responsibility is not confined to environmentally friendly operation but extensively encompasses procurement, recipe development, production and the way it treats its employees and customers.

As it looks forward, Warsteiner is about to embark on a five-year expansion plan involving further acquisitions and the development of a new factory. Such a company doesn’t survive for 250 years without a popular product and strong strategy, and its commitment to effective and creative marketing has been successful in promoting the brand on an international scale over the past few years. Couple this to its exemplary programme of sustainability and

it’s clear to see why the brand is not only popular for its products, but also respected for its business operations.

With a current turnover of over 500 million euros and a growing portfolio, Warsteiner’s future success is supported by strong brand loyalty but it will only be secured by continued commitment to these values that have defined it throughout its long history. D www.warsteiner-gruppe.de

www.foodchain-magazine.com 27

A friendly service

O Through expanding its product range in recognition of market trends, AS Pals has built a strong reputation as a trustworthy partner in the delivery of high quality food products 28 www.foodchain-magazine.com

riginally a direct supplier of AS Day New Margarine Factory products, Norwegian firm AS Pals has grown since its inception in 1936 to become one of the leading suppliers of goods to bakeries and patisseries, with a customer base exceeding 1200.

Alongside its operations within these business segments, the company also established itself as a major supplier of coffee to the catering market after entering this increasingly popular product range.

“AS Pals was founded by my father in 1936 as a margarine manufacturer before eventually growing into production of almond paste and mixers and coffee. Our original product was a margarine that was low in fat, high in water, which was successful as

Norway was a poor country lacking in raw materials and with limited access to food stuffs after the war.

We then went onto become involved with some Scandinavian companies to manufacture sweetened fat for export to the UK, which was lacking in sugar at the time,” says Jens B Raanaas, Managing Director at AS Pals.

“As markets developed in Norway the country developed a high purchasing power due to oil in the North Sea, which led to a high purchasing power and lower unemployment rates. With the economy on the up we got involved in supplying semi finished product solutions to Norwegian bakeries, hotels and restaurants. Over the years we have developed close relationships with craftsmen bakers; we also saw opportunities with the coffee bar trend

AS Pals coming over from America and have been proud to provide bakeries with solutions to meet competition from multi-national coffee chains. To do this, we began to import French croissants and more sophisticated foreign food and drink products such as espresso coffees and machines to these outlets.�

Today the company sells a range of food products to bakeries, hotels and canteens in Norway; these include its own manufactured items such as coffee, margarine and marzipan as well as products from the wellknown French companies Lessafre, a manufacturer of yeasts, soudoughs and bread-making ingredients; Callebaut, a Belgian chocolate brand; Delifrance, a manufacturer of frozen breads, savouries and pastries, and Zeelandia, a Dutch bakery ingredients manufacturer.

Within its plant in Billingstad, Asker, the company has four different production facilities for coffee, margarine, powder mixes and marzipan; the former of which is where it roasts and produces special blends of coffee for office cafeterias, cafes, restaurants and institutions. In more detail, Coffee Pals is divided into two main groups, mixtures and pure types, with Pals Company Providers, Pals Teacher Coffee and Pals Prima Coffee the most popular blends. The company also sells a range of espressos, including its own manufactured product, espressokaffe, which is burned in a gentle manner and packed so oil secretion is kept to a minimum.

Created to deliver a rich, intense flavour that lingers in the mouth, AS Pals has also added a faint hint of chocolate to its creation.

Dedicated to delivering the best coffee to its customers, the company carefully tests all coffee before it is sent out; the test, known as cupping, involved six grams of coffee per cup of hot water, at an average temperature of 96 degrees.

Using a stopwatch, the company tastes the coffee and then makes a decision as to whether or not to buy a batch from the supplier. To maintain quality and ensure customers receive a stable mix all year round, the company re-tests whenever a new batch arrives.

Alongside the production and wholesale of coffee, AS Pals also provides customers with a range of coffee makers to ensure their bakeries deliver high quality, efficiently made coffee products; the available equipment includes fully automatic coffee machines, manual coffee makers and coffee grinders. “We are proud to have played an active role in keeping craftsman baker shops competitive against the American coffee bar trend, which has not penetrated Norway and the surrounding countries as much as it has in other areas. By working with other companies and countries we have created a level of quality in the interior and offerings that we provide,� highlights Jens.

Alongside its highly popular coffee range, AS Pals also produces a variety

of 100 per cent vegetable fats and margarine products for the bakery and catering market; these include table margarines for all types of cakes; roller margarines for pastries; 100 per cent pure fat products for baking, frying and creaming of butter related desserts; special grease designed bake fats for all types of yeast doughs, and lubricating/ parting agents for the greasing of shapes and plates. The company also creates raw materials, semi-finished and finished products for the manufacture of bakery and confectionary products, such as bread bases, cake mixes, marzipan, bake pulps, jelly products, cream products and aromas and spices.

Through its own production operations and close collaborations with other relevant manufacturers, AS Pals has become a leading wholesaler for a

www.foodchain-magazine.com 29

30 www.foodchain-magazine.com

AS Pals range of major product groups, which includes sugar, sugar masser, sugar, syrup and salt; raisins, almonds, nuts, seeds and coconut masses. With a broad product portfolio in place, the company has also established five depots in strategic locations to ensure it remains in close proximity to clients in all areas of Norway.

In addition to its depots, AS Pals has a factory outlet in central Oslo, which allows customers to view its product range, special offers and get personal guidance from dedicated employees.

Tastings and demonstrations, in co-operation with suppliers, are also offered several times throughout the year, as well as theme days and special promotions. “It is important to provide good value, not only in the value from the cake or bread itself, but also to provide it via friendly personnel,” says Jens. “Another key way to deliver customer satisfaction is to pay attention to market trends. Norwegians travel a lot along the Mediterranean, so we try to provide these foods here; they are also willing to pay high prices for

a good quality, healthy loaf of bread, so wholemeal, whole grain and less salt are all important topics for our customers.”

As Norwegians continue to enjoy a high quality of life thanks to a strong economy, AS Pals sees opportunities to flourish as more people can afford to eat outside their home. “Traditional bakeries offer a friendly environment with healthy food that is suitable for both the young and old. In the present day, there is still great value in visiting a pleasant bakery store,” concludes Jens. D www.pals.no

Jens B Raanaas, Managing Director at AS Pals

‘

We are proud to have played an active role in keeping craftsman baker shops competitive against the American coffee bar trend, which has not penetrated Norway and the surrounding countries as much as it has in other areas

www.foodchain-magazine.com 31

Best of the

bunch

With the import, ripening and distribution of fruit, SH Pratt & Co Ltd represents one of Europe’s leading providers of fresh produce

32 www.foodchain-magazine.com

T

he roots of SH Pratt & Co (Pratt’s) date back to 1947, when its founder Robert ‘Bob’ Wells carved out a modest banana import and ripening enterprise from his family’s existing fruit and vegetable wholesale business at a premises in Kings Langley. The import business began solely with bananas, which remain Pratt’s primary produce although the company today also imports and ripens pineapples. As the company continued to expand, Pratt’s eventually outgrew its Kings Langley base and moved to larger premises in Hemel Hempstead during 1967. This expanded its banana ripening capacity by 40 tonnes per week. Pratt’s is today guided

by Bob Well’s son Robert Wells, who joined the company in 1982 and would go on to become managing director.

Under Robert’s leadership the business continued to expand and again relocated to a new location to accommodate its growing needs during 1997. The company’s new location was a 50,000 sq. ft. bespoke premises, built in Luton, Bedfordshire and remains its current base today. Within eight years of its completion the site was further expanded by an additional 80,000 sq. ft. and now totalling 145,000 sq ft. – making it the largest site in the UK for banana ripening.

Today Pratt’s operates at one of Europe’s largest players in the areas of fruit import, ripening and fruit distribution with more than 200 employees and a

‘

SH Pratt & Co

Pratt’s Bananas is unique in the realms of banana supply to the main UK retailers, in that; in the face of multinational competitors, it has managed to deliver scale and still remain truly independent and family run

ripening capacity of around 3900 pallets.

With 117 separate ripening rooms the company is able to ensure that fruit is ripened to the level that its customers require and with its own fleet of vehicles, Pratt’s is well placed to deliver produce to clients all over the UK. On average Pratt’s ripens 21.6 million bananas a week, which if placed end to end would be enough to circle the M25 motorway 25 times! Sourced from countries including Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador the fruit is available throughout the year and in varieties ranging from conventionally grown to organic and Fairtrade. Pratt’s fruit is handpicked from around the world for its exceptional quality and as an expert fruit importer and ripener, it works with trusted growers and checks the fruit at every stage to ensure that its clients receive fruit of the highest class.

“All fruit arrives at our premises in a ‘green’ condition and is ripened in our state-of-the-art ripening facilities whilst being monitored by our experienced fruit ripeners. The ripening process takes approximately six days at varying

temperatures with air containing ethylene gas (400 ppm),” explains Commercial Director Simon Trewin. “Once our fruit ripeners have finished their work, the fruit is packaged according to each client’s requirements and branding before being delivered directly to their regional distribution centres.”

The typical banana sold in the UK is of the Cavendish variety, as are Pratt’s bananas. Presently around 22 per cent of all bananas in the UK are from SH Pratt, which supplies some of the country’s leading retail including the Tesco, Costco, One Stop and Reynolds.

As well importing, ripening and distributing bananas, Pratt’s also imports and distributes pineapples throughout the UK. Pratt’s pineapples are harvested at a stage when they are fully ripened and once they have been picked, the pineapples are checked to determine their use. To achieve this, Pratt’s pineapples are transported to a packing facility where they are sorted according to colour, size and internal and external quality. Once divided into these groups, they are then allocated to one of three

www.foodchain-magazine.com 33

34 www.foodchain-magazine.com

SH Pratt & Co main market types, processing, local market and export. Pineapples that are destined for the UK market are then prepared by being washed and treated with wax and post-harvest fungicide to protect them from containments, before being packed according to size and weight and refrigerated at 8oC to be

veg. With absolute focus on low prices and delivering value, margins can be tight. However, we have managed to fair reasonably well through the recession by focusing on efficiency and productivity,” Simon concludes. “With a drive for quality, reduced wastage

and lean process, Pratt’s Bananas is unique in the realms of banana supply to the main UK retailers, in that; in the face of multi-national competitors, it has managed to deliver scale and still remain truly independent and family run.” D www.shpratt.com

shipped to the UK. One arrival the fruit is sorted and inspected before being approved for dispatch.

In addition to the banana ripening business, Pratt’s is also developing its transport division. There are plans to double the fleet of 28 articulated trucks currently, with recent investment in the latest twin-evaporated (dual temperature) trailers. This allows for a wide range of products to be delivered UK wide.

At the core of Pratt’s business is its promise of both quality and service. In order to assure quality the company maintains close relationships with its growers through constant communication and regular visits. This allows Pratt’s to understand the needs and workings of its growers, while providing the finest produce. In terms of service, Pratt’s grants its clients the same close attention by treating its customers individually and providing ongoing support and assistance through it customer support team.

Over the past five years the company has invested over £2 million into the business to ensure that its high levels of service are maintained.

“The general UK market place is challenging for anyone who supplies food products, particularly fruit and

www.foodchain-magazine.com 35

Prime location E Located in the heart of the city, the InterContinental Prague Hotel attracts a global audience whilst operating an exemplary local supplier strategy 36 www.foodchain-magazine.com

stablished in 1974, the InterContinental Prague Hotel is steeped in historical and geographical significance to the city of Prague and the Czech Republic. At the time of opening the American owned InterContinental brand was the first western hotel to emerge in the communist city, representing an important time in the country’s history. Situated in the heart of upmarket Prague and with views out over a stunning old town, the five-star hotel occupies the city’s number one spot amongst designer outlets and iconic buildings like the Prague Castle. Revered for its Brutalism architecture, the building itself is protected by the city of Prague and is highly representative of the movement that took shape in the seventies. The

hotel attracts both leisure and business guests, is popular with blue chip company events and regularly hosts celebrities and high ranking politicians, most recently of note, Head of the UN Ban Ki Moon.

General Manager of the hotel, Robert Rudge, tells FoodChain that tourism in Prague is very much on the up at the moment. “The city is going through an exceptionally positive period of performance. This year it is one of the best performing cities in Europe in terms of year-on-year growth.” Despite having its own currency, the Czech Republic is very much connected to the performance of the euro and a weakening of this has attracted distant tourists from America and Asia who can get good value from visiting. “A lot of our customers are retired Americans

InterContinental Prague Hotel

who are exploring Europe with a lot of disposable income, and the Asian tourism market is growing as travellers there mature in the way they travel to Europe,” adds Robert. The Prague hotel occupies the upper-tier segment of the InterContinental brand, which is currently as a group experiencing around 15 per cent year-on-year revenue growth, so performance in a number of respects is positive for the Czech-based hotel.

With regards to catering, the hotel has two separate restaurants. A regular breakfast and lunch facility based on the ground floor, and the prestigious top floor Zlatá Praha restaurant. “This has been a key feature of the hotel since it opened,” notes Robert. “It has really wonderful views of the old town, which is really enchanting with the roofline of

all the old buildings and churches. In addition to the restaurant is the terrace, which offers a panoramic view over the city and Prague Castle over the river – it’s beautiful in the summertime. We serve mainly fine dining Czech cuisine with some European dishes as well so that the guests have a choice.”

Rooftop honey The hotel’s sourcing strategy is heavily focused on being as local and specialised as possible, and it can’t be any more local than on its own rooftops where the hotel houses eight beehives.

Now in its second year of maintaining the hives the hotel harvests three times a year to acquire 160kg of honey. “This supplements the 600kg of honey that we consume each year at the hotel in breakfasts, homemade pastry and also

given away in gifts,” says Robert who goes on to outline how the rest of the hotel’s needs are catered for locally: “At breakfast we derive benefit from products supplied by our partner farmers who deliver bio-quality smoked meat products, cheeses, yoghurts, fruit juices, eggs and bread products. These items represent a part of the buffet offer and are all organic.

At the Zlatá Praha restaurant, we focus on supporting local products as well, as we benefit from the supplies arriving from our farmers and we buy vegetables and fruit from the Kunratická stodola region.

Herbs and flowers are grown for us by a gardener, we have a certified professional mushroom-picker who delivers seasonal mushrooms and the same goes for raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and rhubarb.

“We take pride in purchasing the

www.foodchain-magazine.com 37

38 www.foodchain-magazine.com

‘

We serve mainly fine dining Czech cuisine with some European dishes as well so that the guests have a choice

Sysco Guest Supply Sysco Guest Supply has enjoyed a long standing relationship with IHG and has platinum membership of the IHG Owners Association.

InterContinental Hotel Prague and Sysco Guest Supply have been working in close partnership providing their guests with the Agraria Amenity Collection for many years. This exclusive Amenity Collection is provided globally by Sysco Guest Supply for all InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.

The success of Sysco Guest Supply and InterContinental Hotel Prague is attributed to excellent service with a personal touch.

InterContinental Prague Hotel traditional Czech pork labelled Czech Prestik, as well as in preparing dishes based on red-spotted beef cattle bred on the Czech grasslands – these two meat varieties are supplied to us by Amaso CZ s.r.o. And of course, the menu cannot exclude the traditional Czech duck either, which we buy in chilled twice a week from a company called Jankri based in Vyzlovka.”

The hotel runs a constant programme of improvement to maintain a fresh and up-to-date environment for its guests, and the next project on the cards is a renovation of the Zlatá Praha restaurant. “It has a great location and view, but it does need refreshing,” explains Robert. “We are looking to do this in Q1 of next year.” As well as this, the hotel is also exploring the

idea of installing an external elevator from street level up to the restaurant, but this requires city approval due to the protected status of the building.

“Our goal is to be the hotel of choice for guests both in leisure and business, individual and groups, when they are looking for an upmarket city experience,” concludes Robert. Sitting atop the historical foundations of successful growth and a strong reputation at the heart of a busy tourist-rich city, the hotel won’t be going anywhere fast. A continued attention to offering a refined experience will ensure that the growth trend is maintained. Catering-wise, the hotel’s sourcing strategy is exemplary and meets the expectations set by being a top tier venue. D

www.icprague.com

www.foodchain-magazine.com 39

Topping the menu I

Offering diners the unique opportunity to design, build and of course eat their own artisan pizza, Project Pie represents a tasty opportunity for its entrepreneurial founders and hungry customers alike 40 www.foodchain-magazine.com

t was literally a case of ‘one bite and we’ve got you’,” says Director Susan Canavan on her first experience of Project Pie in San Diego that would lead Susan and her husband John Canavan to take the exciting step of introducing the concept of bespoke artisan pizza to the UK. Prior to arriving in the UK, the story of Project Pie begins in the US where the company’s founder James Markham set out to provide fantastic pizza without a prohibitive price tag. Soon after he pioneered the fast casual, custom pizza restaurant by opening MOD Pizza in Seattle and PieOlogy in California to popular acclaim.

Following this success James took the decision to move the project forward and the next generation in the company’s history, Project Pie was born.

The Project Pie concept offers diners the opportunity to build their own custom pizza from a broad range of quality, fresh ingredients at a set price. Customers may choose from the restaurant’s signature red sauce or olive oil white base, as many toppings as they like and American BBQ sauce, pesto and extra virgin olive oil after bakes. For a lighter meal, diners may also opt for a simple classic cheese pie or salads that can

be served as a side, on their own or Project Pie’s unique crust. Gluten free is available as well as parmesan and garlic strips and dessert options such as the ‘black and white’ and Nutella and banana pizzas, meaning Project Pie can provide an option to suit almost any taste. These can all be washed down with a cool glass of the classic American beverage Boylan’s soda, which is made using real sugarcane and served with free refills.

All of the ingredients and toppings used by Project Pie are delivered fresh and the vegetables and other produce used are cut daily rather than arriving pre cut and frozen. This ensures great tasting pizza that is also ‘guilt free’ and healthy, which is something Susan attributes to the company’s access to trusted suppliers: “I have to say that the UK and Scotland have incredible produce and I think that it actually tastes better than what is available in America.

We have a very unique country in that famers and suppliers are not allowed to put so many preservatives into the product and there is a very strict level of control. Of course the water available in Scotland is wonderful, so the dough tastes fantastic,” she elaborates.

Project Pie After living in California for 35 years Susan and John decided to introduce the Project Pie concept to the UK, basing their decision on the exceptional quality of their first experience of the restaurant’s pizza. “We actually went to Project Pie in Hillcrest, San Diego on the advice of a friend. The concept was so different to anything else and the pizza was absolutely the best that we had ever tasted in our lives. It was artisan pizza with a great crust that you could pick up with out all of the toppings falling off,” Susan reveals. “I mentioned to my husband that this was a concept that would really work in the UK. We then decided that we had to give it a try and this is how we got started. We soon negotiated a deal with Project Pie to obtain the master franchise in the UK and Ireland.”

Project Pie first opened its doors in Dundee, Scotland during February 2015 and has proven to be extremely popular.

The decision to open the first Project Pie restaurant within the UK in Dundee was taken to test the appetite for the concept and to ease establishment of the venture under the guidance of former Hakkasan CEO, Niall Howard. “We opened in Dundee to allow us to establish proof of concept,” Susan explains. “As former CEO of Hakkasan Niall is famous for taking Chinese food to China by opening a venue in Shanghai. With Niall living in Edinburgh it was decided that opening in Dundee would make is easier for Niall to keep a close eye on the running of the business.”

While clients can expect the same level of service and delicious food at every Project Pie within the US and UK, each restaurant has a different design and local flavour that makes each dining experience unique and helps to integrate the business with the local community.

“Project Pie is called project because it is ever evolving – we leave each unit free

to have some of its own personality and interior decoration,” Susan details. “For example presently we are established in a grade two-listed building in Dundee, which gives it the feel of neighbourhood pizza house that has existed for many years and this gives it a wonderful atmosphere. We also have the UK’s

largest pizza oven as the restaurant’s centrepiece.”

With the highly acclaimed and publicised success of Project Pie both in America and within Scotland, it is only matter of time before the franchise is established elsewhere in the UK to provide diners with a truly unique culinary experience. Concluding with some thoughts on the future of the business, Susan comments: “We are now looking aggressively to secure new sites, although we are a fledgling franchise within the UK we would like to expand very quickly. One thing that is so important to the company is the welcoming enthusiasm and energy of our staff as well as our Director of Operations, Chantal Nell, who has been in the pizza business for over 20 years.

We are not a five-minute wonder and we are dedicated to getting into the market and establishing our brand as a special business.” D www.projectpie.co.uk

Bentleys Bentleys are a bespoke joinery manufacturer and interior fit out specialist. Over the past 25 years Bentleys has focused on building loyal relationships with its clients. From first contact a firmly proactive stance is adopted, working alongside clients’ design and management teams, contributing experience and practical solutions through the project to achieve their design objectives.

By being flexible and innovative, and prepared to step outside the traditional confines, Bentleys has broadened its market place and portfolio of satisfied clients.

www.foodchain-magazine.com 41

Freshness that lasts

With an unfaltering commitment to innovation Oerlemans Foods is focused on bringing awareness to the fresh-frozen food industry and driving the market forward

F

Below: Andre Hendriks

42 www.foodchain-magazine.com

ounded in 1977 and based in the Netherlands, freshfrozen fruit, vegetable and potato producer Oerlemans Foods has grown to become a leading company in its industry. With a history defined by growth and acquisition, the company now serves both the domestic markets and the export markets across 50 countries world wide, from four separate production sites in the Netherlands and Poland, with 740 employees. Serving the retail and foodservice markets through a combination of own and private label brands, Oerlemans is moving towards becoming a much more market driven and innovation delivering company in a bid to attract attention to the often

undervalued frozen vegetable market.

The strength of Oerlemans can be found in its ability to work collaboratively with its customers to serve the ever changing demands within the consumer market. “We are a midsized company and I think one of the things that we have always been good at is our ability to be flexible,” highlights the CEO of Oerlemans, Andre Hendriks. “This means that we can customise our product offering to align fully with the needs of our key accounts, which are asking us for very specific solutions to ensure that they can differentiate themselves in the market. This flexibility of services is in the DNA of the company and really gives us a competitive edge.”

Andre’s vision for the industry is to

Oerlemans Foods

‘

The strategic vision is to strengthen our footprint in Europe, whilst at the same time making sure that we bring excitement to the category across all markets with innovations that benefit all

bring a greater awareness to the benefits that come from the fresh-frozen sector.

“A lot of the time frozen products are undervalued,” he expresses. “Yet, in essence most vegetable products arrive at the production facility within four hours of harvest, which means that they are really fresh, having been harvested at their peak and then directly frozen at arrival. The products are really fresh with all the vitamins, fibres and minerals locked in because of this fast process.

In some cases it could be more so than the actual fresh products because of how long fresh could have been in the supply chain. The other point is the level of food waste at the consumer level.

You eliminate this with frozen products because you take what you need, and

you can use it all year round. We also increasingly see consumers appreciating the ease of preparation as they are having less time to do this in their hectic lifestyles.”

In order to achieve this vision and attract consumers to the fresh frozen sector of the market, Oerlemans is working closely with both its end consumers and its customers to listen to demands and develop new products to meet them. “We are putting more of a focus on innovation at the moment, because we are becoming more market driven and see that innovation and communication are vital parts of adding value for our customers,” Andre continues. “We work together with our customers to develop new recipes and packaging formats. For example, we have successfully launched a new range of fresh frozen spinach products with a twist. We have for instance a Mediterranean and Napolitano spinach in case the customer is looking for something special aside from normal spinach. We have also developed a special microwaveable packaging for a big retail customer in the UK, and a range of individual fruit portions

for the Polish market. It’s through this combination of packaging and recipes that we will get attention to the company and bring excitement to the market.”

To help achieve this, in May 2015, Oerlemans opened a customer experience centred dubbed ‘The Food Lab’. Here, the company invites its customers to collaboratively brainstorm, taste, present and inspire them with new ideas to bring to the market. The Foodlab is Oerlemans centre of innovation and mainly aimed at inspiring and co-developing together with its main customers.

Another area where Oerlemans has been particularly successful in responding to market trends is in the bioorganic sector. “We have been one of the pioneers in the bioorganic fresh-frozen market and it is still a very important part of the current business,” says Andre.

“The company has strong relationships with its farmer partners, and some of those relationships have stood since the beginning of the company.” Because of this, the company is able to have full control over the supply chain and can ensure that high quality products are delivered on time. This also means that Oerlemans is able to control and ensure

www.foodchain-magazine.com 43

that products are bio organically produced and processed. “We keep working on this because we see growth in the sector in general and we expect this to continue as consumer demand maintains its steady rise,” explains Andre.

With these strengths in mind, the future for Oerlemans looks positive,

and Andre is keen to point out that the company will be investing in its facilities in order to secure this and capitalise on emerging markets. “As a midsized company we have a lot of room for growth across all our markets,” he says.

“We can see some potential in Asia at the moment because of the large populations and that they are looking for

alternative solutions to run alongside more traditional food dishes. We have invested in our production location for potatoes, as we will be focusing on driving growth for this part of the business in the future – we aim to double our potato capacity. We will also be investing into our vegetable sites in the Netherlands to ensure that we have efficient high quality production and the

Evers Specials Evers Specials is a company that has a long tradition in growing fresh beansprouts.

Key features of the company are customer orientation and determination to meet challenges in a responsible and sustainable way. Oerlemans has recognised and valued this dedication resulting in a long lasting partnership for over 20 years now.

It’s this kind of partnerships that over the years helped to transform Evers Specials into the leading beansprout company of Europe.

44 www.foodchain-magazine.com

Oerlemans Foods flexibility to continue delivering tailor made solutions to the customer.”

Oerlemans is very much focused on continuing the hard work it has already put into to achieve its competitive position in the market. “The strategic vision is to strengthen our footprint in Europe, whilst at the same time making sure that we bring excitement

to the category across all markets with innovations that benefit all,” concludes Andre. “This is a key role we have to play. We will also ensure that we keep pace with the growth regions outside of Europe.” Oerlemans rightly sees itself as a key player in the fresh-frozen industry across the world and its commitment to helping drive the industry forward by

increasing consumer awareness and bringing innovation to the market place is clear. By remaining tuned into a consumer market, that is undoubtedly becoming increasingly health conscious - with rising consumer understanding of the importance of the needed daily vegetables and fruit intake - but at the same time demanding increased convenience, the company is well placed to continue its pioneering position in the market. As the market grows, so will Oerlemans, and in this respect the company looks set to achieve a future defined by further growth and success. D

Foodlab

www.foodchain-magazine.com 45

EXX

EvXXX

XXXXX

s

Savour the 46 www.foodchain-magazine.com

a e

The Seafood Pub Company

F

Still in its infancy, the Seafood Pub Company is already taking on major competitors with its commitment to offering quality food at unrivalled value

ounder and managing director of the Seafood Pub Company, Joycelyn Neve’s vision is simple: “To put the produce that I’ve grown up with around me from my dad’s business in front of people, in a relaxed, informal environment.” Realising this vision in 2010, over the last five years Joycelyn has built the Seafood Pub Company up to an award-winning group currently spreading across seven sites around the northwest.

“Seafood and pubs are my two favourite things, so bringing them together was an easy concept to come up with,” she says. The Neve family’s fishing roots go back generations and Joycelyn’s father has established a strong reputation and level of experience in sourcing and supplying the best quality produce. Still in its infancy, the company has proven itself on the national stage and remains true to its core values of quality and value for money.

“Our supplier connections are a huge strength for the business,” explains Joycelyn. “My family’s background is all in fishing and seafood, and we’ve got a lot of family friends in the catering supply industry outside of seafood. Our competition can’t come close to us with what we offer – we’re able to give people good value for money and the wow-factor in terms of quality.” This focus on value for money is complemented by a robust and reactive attitude to the market conditions. “In the midweek and at lunch times people are going out more frequently but are spending less,” Joycelyn highlights. “At the weekend, however, it’s still very strong. So the versatility of our

www.foodchain-magazine.com 47

48 www.foodchain-magazine.com

‘

To now be able to bolt the strong reputation we’ve built for food and drink with premium accommodation is changing the shape of the business

offers is really important so that people can choose to use us throughout the week and not spend too much money with ten pound lunch offers, or they can come at the weekend when we’ve got some high end specials and top end wines and champagnes. Having a good versatile range of offers means that we’re always busy.”

Aside from the solid public facing side of the business, is the internal team. “I know that internally it is the people that make a business, and the people here are very passionate about it,” continues Joycelyn. Completing the executive team alongside Joycelyn is Andrew McLean, executive chairman, and Antony Shirley, executive chef.

Founder of the Devonshire Pub Company, Andrew brings a wealth of acquisition experience, which stands the company in good stead as it continues its successful expansion strategy. Antony has amassed a bank of knowledge and

The Seafood Pub Company experience in developing menus and setting up restaurants across the country and is now responsible for the Seafood Pub Company’s star dishes.

With seven restaurants currently set up, the company has a view to open 12 new sites over the coming years. “We have a number of areas that we want to get into, and we have people looking constantly for sites,” outlines Joycelyn. “The area’s we’ve got highlighted are North Yorkshire, the Lake District, Cheshire and Merseyside.

Predominantly we are looking for pockets of either affluent residential or premium destination sites.” The premium sites are central to the Seafood Pub Company’s up-market offering.

One of the company’s highest profile sites, the Assheton Arms, is a grade-two listed building situated in the Lancashire village of Downham. “It’s an absolutely unspoilt village, and probably one of the most beautiful places in the UK,” says

Joycelyn. “The company’s ethos of offering an informal service with food that is quality and a bit different still remains, but making sure the sites have all got different personalities, and allowing them to do what’s right for that particular area and building is really important. Once those combinations are right, the sites really fly.”

This combination is the key to the business’s changing shape. Joycelyn demonstrates her awareness of the current market and how the company is reacting to it. “Food tourism is becoming a big thing as its becoming more and more peoples’ hobby to stay away. We’ve recently added bedrooms to three of our sites, and we’re revisiting another two sites to add bedrooms on, including The Fenwick near Lancaster. Food tourism is the side of the business that we’re really developing now, so rather than just marketing to a radius of an hour and half’s drive from each site, we are now marketing to the whole of the UK,

www.foodchain-magazine.com 49

50 www.foodchain-magazine.com

The Seafood Pub Company and situating the pubs in premium destination sites is essential to this. To now be able to bolt the strong reputation we’ve built for food and drink with premium accommodation is changing the shape of the business.”

It is a shift in focus that is already having a positive impact on the company. The Assheton Arms, for instance, has gained its first rosette and was awarded five stars by the AA for its accommodation. Bearing in mind its accommodation was only opened in April 2015, this is a big achievement. “It’s really good to be on their radar,” notes Joycelyn, “and to have an inspection within a month of opening our rooms comes off the back of winning the awards that we do.” Of note the company has been the recipient of Restaurant Magazine’s ‘R200 Pub Company of the Year 2014’ and the Publican’s best food offer, amongst many others. “We are still the new kid on the block going up against some much larger companies that have been trading for ten to 15 years already,” she continues.

“Even to be nominated against some these prestigious companies is great, but to win as well is quite humbling. For the team it’s great because we all work very hard and it shows that we’re doing a good job, and it also puts us on a platform to get noticed by the public.”

Despite this success Joycelyn strays clear of complacency. “It’s easy to get distracted by the here and now,” she says. “So making sure we know what is next is really important, because if you’re passionate about what you do its easy to get totally engrossed in it. Now that we’ve got to the size that we are at, we have a really good central team with a strong skill set and we all enjoy working with each other. As we’ve grown we’ve been able to get staff to focus on

what they’re good at rather than just a couple of people trying to do everything.

This means that we now have the capacity to carry on growing at the speed that we are.” Looking ahead at this growth, over the next year the focus is very much on extending its accommodation offering as this is working in the current market, particularly in the locations it has chosen to situate itself.

Ultimately the strategy for the Seafood Pub Company is illustrative of what it has done to achieve the rapid success it has. “Our vision is to carry on doing what we’re doing,” concludes Joycelyn.

“That’s not just opening new sites – it’s not in my nature to just have everything doing well. I always look at things to see what more we can do to be better. It’s about continually looking at the sites to make sure that we can offer the best.”

The Seafood Pub Company is very much a success story born out of a passion for food and drink, and the desire to deliver this to the public. The drive comes from a team of experienced and focused people who don’t take their success for granted, but use it to see where they can take the company next. As such, the future looks positive for the company as it continues to deliver high quality food at good value, in a relaxed yet premium atmosphere. D

www.seafoodpubcompany. com

www.foodchain-magazine.com 51

Cream of the

crop

Since being acquired by the Glacio Group, the Belgian Icecream Group has strengthened its services and improved operations

52 www.foodchain-magazine.com

The Glacio Group

T

he Glacio Group is in a strong position for impressive growth, following the take over of the Belgian Icecream Group in 2013. The Glacio Group, as we know it today, is the result of the joined forces of Glacio on the one hand and the Belgian Icecream Group on the other.

Created from the merger of three Belgian ice cream brands, the Belgian Icecream Group’s history stems as far back as 1935, when 15 year-old Staf Janssens drove his wheelbarrow full of ice cream through the streets of Tielen and founded IJsboerke. Over the years, Staf and his small team of employees began using company-triporteurs, then motorcycles, to deliver the products before progressing into deliveries via orange trucks; these trucks, used for door-to-door sales, became synonymous with the company’s brand.

Today the IJsboerke-brand, celebrating it’s 80th Anniversary, is the second largest ice cream brand in Belgium and a leader in the production of sugar-free ice cream and soy ice cream. IJsboerke has built in the course

of recent years a strong position in retail and foodservice. Alongside IJsboerke are the brands Mio and Artic, whereby the Mio Brand is mainly focused on food service and export sales. Sales Manager Retail Belux & UK at Glacio Group Eric De Man begins: “The name of our group today is the Glacio Group as the Belgian Icecream Group was taken over by this icecream company in 2013. Historically Belgian Icecream Group was the result of a merger of three brands: IJsboerke, Mio and Artic. Mio and Artic had their own factories, however these have been

closed since 2011, with all production lines moved to the IJsboerke-site in Tielen, in the region of Antwerp.”

The Glacio organisation is of a more recent nature, being the result of a MBO in 2003, when five managers decided to buy this Belgian production site from Nestlé.

The Glacio Icecream brand is today primarily sold as a top of the range quality to foodservice customers and is particularly strong in the Far East.

“Since our acquisition by Glacio, we

www.foodchain-magazine.com 53

have benefited from having a more diverse range of products within our portfolio. For example, Belgian Ice Cream Group was and still is specialised in volume impulse products such as cones, sticks and waterice products, while the Glacio factory has always focused on ice cream specialities like individual desserts and scooping ice.

Once we got together the two companies were able to combine their strengths in order to ensure we can now offer a total range of products.”

As a generalist organisation, the group can take advantage of its many production lines to ensure flexibility in the delivery of a broad spectrum of products. To maintain this competitive edge, it has a dedicated new product development department that operates in close partnership with customers to realise their needs and act upon this.

Discussing the Glacio Group’s facilities, Eric highlights: “We have two production

54 www.foodchain-magazine.com

sites in the Antwerp province that are based approximately eight kilometres from one another; one is in Tielen, the other in Beerse. As mentioned earlier, both sites are complementary and have their own strong points.

“In 2014 we strengthened our services with an investment in a wholly new production line for ice cream pralines, which is totally automated and allows us to produce ice cream pralines in a high frequency. Although we regularly invest in updating our other lines, this is our most recent major investment in diversifying our product range.”

CSM Bakery Solutions CSM works closely with the Belgium Ice Cream Group (BIG) to create solutions that delight BIG’s customers. CSM connects technical needs and consumer insights to provide tailored ingredients, such as fruit- and chocolate based sauces, toppings and fat based coatings that find their perfect match in BIG’s delicious ice creams.

CSM also partners with its customers in co-creating new concepts that bring fun, adventure and exciting new opportunities into this category.

The Glacio Group

Naturally, the group’s broad product range has resulted in a wide customer base in Belgium, with clients including retail chains where the national brands are sold; the Glacio Group also delivers innovative private label products to stores and food service organisations.

Alongside this customer base, the company works with the out-of-home consumption market, where products are sold to restaurants and kiosks as well as schools and hospitals. The third and final customer segment is distribution abroad to locations such as the UK, Japan, Russia and Asia through wholesalers. This way the Glacio Group has developed over the years an important export business, with customers not only in neighbouring countries like France, Germany, the Netherlands and UK, but also in countries like Japan (where the group has its own sales office) and Russia.

To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the IJsboerke brand this year, the Glacio Group launched a metal truck in the colours of Ijsboerke in remembrance of the brand’s humble beginnings as a door-to-door provider of ice cream products. “The IJsboerke-brand is only sold in Belgium and Holland as it has a very Flemish sounding name.

The company was famous for home deliveries back in the day, before it became more industrial. These little

trucks are being sold in Belgian supermarkets and come with a range of products of cones and sticks and other assorted items,” says Eric. “On top of this, we have adapted our IJsboerke-logo temporarily on a number of products to highlight this milestone for the brand.”

The Glacio Group sees further opportunities to develop its foothold in export markets, as Eric notes: “The Belgian market has it’s limits, so we are really obliged to expand abroad; our current markets show promise for further growth, particularly the areas in and outside of Europe where we are already active.”

As the sales and production activities in Tielen and Beerse continue to merge strengths and implement changes to

create one united organisation under the Glacio umbrella, the future looks positive as the Glacio Group also looks to develop new products and maintain the strength of its national brands. “Core activities for us over the coming years include enhancing our geographical market in the Benelux region and also boosting our export level,” concludes Eric. D www.glacio.be

www.foodchain-magazine.com 55

Best of the

W Blackdown Hills West Country Eggs delivers fresh quality free-range eggs, with a strong commitment to the local area and consumer demands

56 www.foodchain-magazine.com

West

ith its brand very much centred around the West Country, family owned Blackdown Hills Eggs has been operating within the UK free-range market since 2003 after the Cottey family decided to exit the dairy and beef industry. Taking advantage of the increasing consumer popularity of free-range eggs, the company decided to open its own packing centre in 2012 and since then has established itself as a strong supplier of free-range eggs to the retail, wholesale and foodservice industries in southwest England.

Outlining the current market conditions, general manager, Nigel Williams, explains: “Free-range eggs are very popular at the moment, and because of this the big retailers are dropping the prices to attract customers into stores. However, there is a lot of growth in the market with the retailers being very aggressive with the products, so it’s a very competitive market.” As a result of these market pressures, the company has to make sure its products exceed on quality and meet expectations to remain competitive.

One of the ways it does this, Nigel

continues, is to focus on the branding.

“The fact that we’re a local business and that all our eggs are West Country eggs is a particular strength for us. We very much base the business on that. They’re good quality, West Country eggs, which is very much supported by consumers wanting to know where their food comes from.”

Exemplifying this, the company is a regular recipient of the Taste of the West award, a locally recognised mark of excellence. “It’s a good stamp of quality for people in the West Country,” notes Nigel.

The site at Buckland St Mary in Somerset is well set up to support the growing demand for free-range eggs in the region. The packing centre is a bespoke, state-of-the-art facility with a modern MOBA grading machine, which ensures every egg meets the exacting standards demanded by both the company itself and the wider industry. With the ability to grade and pack up to a million eggs a day, the company prides itself from getting eggs from the farm, packed and delivered within a day making sure exceptional freshness is served to the consumer.

All eggs are also marked according to maintaining 100 per cent traceability right back to the individual hen shed.

Blackdown Hills West Country Eggs The farm itself is home to 30,000 of its own hens, and additional demand is filled by a number of contracts set up with other local producers. The farm works closely with the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group to deliver the best living conditions to its birds giving them spacious roaming areas with tree shelter, a healthy diet and the greatest freedom. All of which lead the company to being RSPCA, Freedom Foods and BRC accredited. Enhancing the company’s commitment to responsibility is its approach to sustainability, running a number of initiatives to protect the surrounding environment. Planting over 6000 trees not only improves the hen’s living conditions, but also provides chipping to power the biomass boiler that generates power to the packing

across the farm in a range of ways.

Standing testament not only to the quality provided by Blackdown Hills but also its ability to supply demand is its relationship with supermarket, Aldi.

“We supply a large volume to Aldi in the southwest with their free-range eggs, so it’s an extremely important contract for us,” says Nigel, and it is this presence within the major retail market, which the company hopes to explore in the future.

“We want to increase our penetration

operations. All hen sheds have solar panels attached to roof generating power to the shed themselves, and rainwater harvesting supplies water to be used

into the retail sector,” he continues.

“We’re in the discount sector at the moment, but we’d also like to expand on that by entering into the multiple and

convenience markets. We also see a niche opportunity in golden yolk and organic eggs – there are things you can do with eggs to premiumise them. However, the core of the business will always be our quality freerange egg offering.”

To supplement this plan, the company’s long-term strategy is simple: “The strategic vision is to get more producers working with us, that’s always going to be where the growth comes from,” Nigel says. “You can only grow as fast as you’ve got eggs coming in, so one of our main aims is to encourage more producers to work with Blackdown Hills eggs.” With a brand centring around the local area and a strong commitment to quality and freshness the company is in a strong position to secure its future, Nigel concludes by expressing his ultimate aim for the company: “The brand is built around the West Country, and we would like to be known as the preferred ‘West Country Free Range egg packer’.” D www.blackdownhillseggs.co.uk

www.foodchain-magazine.com 57

FoodChain The business of food and drink

Schofield Publishing Ltd

10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road l Cringleford l Norwich l NR4 6AU T: +44 (0)1603 274130 | F: +44 (0)1603 274131 Editor Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales Manager Joe Woolsgrove jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales Rob Wagner rwagner@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

www.foodchain-magazine.com