FoodChain Issue 120 December 2016

FoodChain Issue 120

l

DEC 2016

The business of food and drink

Creatively crafted cheese Castello is trying to make speciality cheeses more accessible to people across the world

Industry News l

Getting motivated One starting point to improve staff motivation is to develop an EVP

Champagne bar in St Pancras voted one of world’s best l

l

Mochi ice cream product secures Ocado listing

Should dogs be allowed in more cafes across Britain?

Get ready for 2017 Organisations are already preparing critical content for next year

FoodChain ISSUE 120

L

DEC 2016

THE BUSINESS OF FOOD AND DRINK

Editor’s Welcome

Creatively crafted cheese Castello is trying to make speciality cheeses more accessible to people across the world

Industry News L Champagne

bar in St Pancras voted one of world’s best

Getting motivated

L Mochi

Get ready for 2017

One starting point to improve staff motivation is to develop an EVP

L Should

Organisations are already preparing critical content for next year

ice cream product secures Ocado listing

dogs be allowed in more cafes across Britain?

Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Libbie Hammond Art Editor Advertising Design Fleur Daniels Staff Writers Jo Cooper Andrew Dann Joshua Younespour Profiles Manager Emma Crane Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove Sales Mauro Berini Mark Cawston Tim Eakins Darren Jolliffe Jonas Junca Dave King Theresa McDonald William Ramanauskas Rob Wagner Operations Director Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Alasdair Gamble Natalie Griffiths Mark Kafourous Kya Johnson Wendy Russell Office Manager Advertising Administrator Tracy Chynoweth

S

o what did you think of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Autumn Statement?

I’ve had a mixed bag of responses and I see the opinions from a variety

of sectors (did you know we publish five other industry magazines alongside

FoodChain? Check our website www.foodchainmagazine.com for links.)

So while the GMB described the Statement as ‘ridiculous’ in regards to the plans for smart meters, Food and Drink Federation Director General Ian Wright CBE saw more positives for his particular sector: “Exports of branded food and drink are at their highest level on record and yet there is massive untapped opportunity for UK businesses. Doubling of export finance capacity to support trade is welcome.

“With its regional spread, food and drink manufacturers are well placed to help ensure every corner of the UK shares in economic success. The £23bn funding for productivity is the right commitment at the right time. Productivity growth in food and drink manufacturing continues to outstrip the wider economy and FDF, with our President, Dame Fiona Kendrick of Nestlé, has worked with Sir Charlie Mayfield and other industrial partners to identify the levers to turbocharge future progress.

“For food and drink, the Chancellor’s support for the productivity agenda and extra funding for innovation more broadly means better skilled jobs, more sustainable manufacturing processes, and greater capacity for R&D.” But of course, we do still have the looming shadow of Brexit and new US President to contend with, and as Ian concluded, we are facing significant economic challenges and embarking on a new relationship with the EU and the rest of the world. He states

Follow us at:

that: “We need a new industrial strategy, informed by the particular needs of food and drink manufacturers, so we can sustain our workforce needs, access essential raw ingredients and maintain consumer confidence in our industry.”

@FoodChain_mag

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

What do you think?

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

© 2016 Schofield Publishing Ltd Please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, and correct at time of writing, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights reserved. The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

www.foodchainmagazine.com

1

Contents 4

26 8

14 Features Coffee A hot market

4

Andrew Dann takes a look at the coffee sector, which is seeing exciting growth for manufacturers and growers alike

Product research The creative process

8

Isabelle Maillot explains how the team at Sidel keeps on top of new innovations and developments in the beverage packaging sector

12

Is enterprise resource planning really be the optimal framework for holding, accessing and using traceability information

Finding suppliers Asking the right questions

14

Finding the right suppliers isn’t easy, and asking the right questions requires time and effort

Human resources Getting motivated

Sarah-Louise Walker could see a gap in the market for a fine dining catering service and so launched the Leeds Club Kitchen

2

www.foodchainmagazine.com

24

Logistics Boosting efficiency Intelligent equipment control of transit media is a compelling proposition for those companies looking to gain an advantage

26

Printing Print condition When it comes to investing in fast food delivery strategies, it pays to appreciate a proven and mature print technology

28

Protein Muscling in on the act

Moving forward, it doesn’t look like the demand for high protein foods is going to slow down

16

A starting point for companies looking to improve staff motivated is to develop an effective EVP

Premium catering A matter of taste

22

The battle to develop and deliver more choice and greater tasting and healthier gluten free food

Software Strong foundation

Healthy eating The need for options

30

Preparing for 2017 Get ready for the New Year Are you already looking at preparing business-critical content for January 2017?

18

News

11/21

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

32

44

36

65

52 Profiles The Malhotra Group

36

Arla Foods – Castello

94

ichiban UK

41

Crisp Malting Group

99

AKM Foods

44

Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd

108

Chelmsford Star Co-Operative Society 49

Cotteswold Dairy

112

Heemskerk fresh & easy

52

Chopstix Group

114

Portlebay Popcorn

58

Welsh Hills Bakery

120

Hawesta

60

Spendrups Bryggeri

123

London Stock Exchange Group

62

Konspol Group

126

PTC Germany

65

Schokinag

129

Starwood Hotels and Resorts

67

Glacio Group

132

Kohberg

70

Conwy Brewery

134

Purity Soft Drinks

73

Bokomo Foods (UK) Ltd

136

The Restaurant Show

76

Rossi Ice Cream

142

Adnams

78

Aston Manor Cider

144

Bistrot Pierre

82

Innovative Bites

147

ACMI Spa

86

Cosucra

150

Belvoir Fruit Farms

88 www.foodchainmagazine.com

3

A hot market

With reports suggesting that the coffee industry is in ‘rude health’ the growing demand for high-quality coffee products has created an exciting market for both manufacturers and retailers alike. Andrew Dann talks to Barry Kither, Nick Birss and Guy Wilmot about the popularity of coffee within a range of industry sectors

H

ot beverages like tea and coffee have remained an important staple of UK consumers for many years, with tea in particularly being regarded as a quintessential part of British culture. However, in recent years coffee has continued to grow in popularity with some 70 million cups of coffee consumed daily in the UK according to the British Coffee Association.

Additionally according to Mintel research, two thirds of consumers actually buy coffee and other hot drinks out of the home with this level rising to three in four among 16-24 year olds. Indeed within the UK coffee shop market, the sector enjoyed an estimated growth of six per cent during 2015 in a report published by Mintel on April 18th,

4

www.foodchainmagazine.com

2016. Over the past five years the coffee market has grown by an impressive 28 per cent from £2317 million in 2010 to £2968 million in 2015. During 2016 coffee shop sales are expected to reach £3135 million, while market forecasts predict further growth of around 26 per cent between 2015 and 2020, reaching £3747 million.

The growing demand for coffee has created a surge in retail options, with large specialist coffee chains facing increased competition from non-specialists including pubs and fast-food restaurants that continue to improve on the quality of hot drinks that they offer. Established franchise chains also face growing competition from independent specialists, which provide artisan coffees that are

Coffee often at the forefront of innovation.

Independent specialist coffee shops have become an increasingly familiar sight throughout the UK, including in the City of Newcastle where the Director of Northern Espresso Limited, Nick Birss established Laneway &.

Co. during December 2015. “The inspiration behind opening Laneway &.

Co. came from my time spent working in Australia and witnessing the country’s coffee culture. When I left for Australia there was really nothing in Newcastle in the way of speciality coffee shops and when I returned there was still only a very small offering, which is really behind the trend in other major cities in the UK. Australian coffee culture is certainly different to what we are used to but is increasingly having an impact on the way people drink coffee and is slowly beginning to filter into cities like London and Edinburgh that have strong independent coffee scenes,” Nick reveals.

“The key difference between the Australian specialist coffee market and that of traditional coffee chains in the UK is that it is heavily focused on quality over quantity. During my time in Australia I found that you couldn’t find a drink over eight ounces – they just didn’t exist.” He adds: “The advantage of this model is that it is still possible to target the same price point as a chain store, while offering a slightly smaller cup size with a higher level of quality. When I started the business I think the perception was that we would see a lot of clients who were used to high street chain sizes and that would not understand why they were receiving drinks that are of a smaller size, however, clients have been very accepting of the store and its products.”

restaurants. The robustness of the sector also extends to the home, with sales of instant coffee reaching as much as £1.1 billion during 2014 according to Euromonitor figures.

Indeed, the UK is among one of only a few European countries in which instant coffee is more popular in homes than fresh coffee beans and ground coffee. As a result of this, the UK is home to a uniquely dynamic coffee industry with distinctive markets for both home and outdoor products that each demand high quality drinks choices. “What is interesting is that 75 per cent of UK consumers happily drink soluble coffee at home, but are not happy to drink it at a restaurant.

It is a unique foible of the UK coffee market, which is still dominated by large brands such as Nescafé,” explains Sales and Marketing Director at Lavazza (UK) Ltd., Barry Kither.

“When UK consumers go out to restaurants or coffee shops they become real coffee drinkers. Sixteen per cent of consumers go to a coffee shop every day and the perception of customers is that they are indulging in something that is a luxury when they drink coffee away from home,”

he continues. “I think that the fact that the majority of consumers still have instant coffee in their cupboards at home suggests that culturally, UK coffee drinkers are not prepared for the effort of making real coffee at home in the morning. I think at one point we might have dreamed that the public would shift to preferring real coffee in the home, but I think that the present culture surrounding instant coffee is now solidly engrained.”

Further trends The dynamic between the demand for high-quality products in the home and the resistance to investing time in the preparation of real coffee has driven the introduction of products that incorporate the convenience of instant coffee brands and the perceived luxury of real coffee. Microground coffee is a relatively new development within the home coffee market that combines the taste of freshly roasted ground coffee with the convenience of instant coffee.

Today, several leading names in the instant coffee market have introduced microground coffee lines that compete for shelf-space and consumer attention.

“Lavazza has recently released its

UK coffee culture According to the Allegra World Coffee Portal: Project Café 2016 UK, the branded coffee chain segment recorded a turnover of £3.3 billion across 6495 outlets during 2015. The report also suggests that the number of branded coffee outlets within the UK will exceed 30,000 by 2025, despite continued market pressures from independent stores, pubs and

www.foodchainmagazine.com

5

‘Prontissimo!’ line of microground coffee.

Microground is a new product on the market that has created a completely new sector in which Kenco Millicano, Nestlè Azera and our own Prontissimo! products are currently competing in supermarkets,” Barry says. “Often the press will refer to microground as a premium instant coffee, but this is not really accurate because premium instant coffee has existed on the market for several years and not changed very much in that time. Microground is something of a hybrid that is aimed at consumers with an aversion to continuously drinking instant coffee.

The Lavazza brand asset has carried through to this market very well and because we present within the-super premium sector, we haven’t felt any brand damage. We are proud to say that alongside some very strong competitors, the Prontissimo! product has sold very well.”

Further trends in the home coffee market stem from a growing consumer demand for ethically manufactured products. Research from the European Ministry of Foreign Affairs (CBI) indicates that the European coffee sector has a principally ‘bulk’ market to an industry that is increasingly characterised by claims concerning quality and sustainability. According to the CBI, increased concern for sustainable sourcing has spurred demand for certified food and beverage items,

6

www.foodchainmagazine.com

which has resulted in an equally strong impact on the coffee market. Entering into this market in 2009 when the company began selling into North America, Marley Coffee manufactures several lines of ethically sourced organic coffees that are beginning to gain

and drink and expanded internationally.

Marley Coffee is now sold across Europe, the UK, South Africa, Australia, Chile, Japan and South Korea. Rohan Marley is a passionate supporter of the Organic movement. Indeed, Marley Coffee received a Soil Association

traction within the UK and Europe. The genesis of the company dates back to 1999, when Rohan Marley purchased a 52-acre farm in Chepstowe, located in Portland, Jamaica. The region’s Blue Mountains are known for proving an idyllic coffee growing climate and after spending six months living in Ethiopia, Rohan decided to combine his growing love of coffee with his passion to serve humanity and found Marley Coffee.

“By 2012 Marley Coffee had established its headquarters in Denver, Colorado - a hot spot for organic food

Beverage of the Year Award in 2014 in the UK and Rohan is one of the Soil Association’s Organic Heroes,” elaborates Marley Coffee UK/Europe Brand Manager, Guy Wilmot. “All of the coffees produced by Marley Coffee are certified sustainable products, whether that be 100 per cent organic or 100 per cent Rainforest Alliance certified.”

Within the UK and Europe, Marley Coffee presently sells a retail range comprised of its 227g bags of One Love Medium Roast, Buffalo Soldier Dark Roast and Lively Up Espresso

Coffee Rohan Marley, founder of Marley Coffee

‘

All of the coffees produced

by Marley Coffee are certified sustainable products, whether that be 100 per cent organic or 100 per cent Rainforest Alliance certified

Roast coffees in ground and whole bean options. The brand is also present within the foodservice sector with its 500g/1kg ranges for cafes and restaurants. The company currently supplies about 50 cafes and restaurants in the UK including the Turtle Bay Caribbean restaurant chain.

New innovations Like the coffee shop and home markets, the restaurant and foodservice sectors are experiencing an increased demand for high-quality products, which has been accelerated by the UK smoking ban and a decline in the sale of alcohol. This has driven pub owners and larger bar/restaurant chains to increasingly turn to coffee to complement an increase in food sales.

This has again led to new innovations, such as the introduction of espresso capsules to ensure that consistent quality can be guaranteed without the need of investing in expensive coffee machines and training baristas. “It is not unreasonable to expect the coffee to be of a similar standard to the

food and that is where we at Lavazza are scoring well at the top end of gastronomy. If a restaurant has two Michelin Stars, its owner will not want to take a chance on the coffee that the restaurant serves. With capsules this is easy because the espresso will be perfect every time and the equipment that we supply to restaurants has a temperature controlled steam arm that really enables them to be very simplistic when it comes to the steaming of the milk as well,” Barry says.

“We also provide a strong level of support, which allows our clients to work with Lavazza as a partner. For example, one of our most successful food case studies is Wetherspoons, which decided that it needed, not wanted – needed to sell coffee,” he concludes. “While working with Wetherspoons our approach has not simply been about price, but also about working together to sell less than 40 tonnes of coffee eight years ago to just over 600 tonnes today. We have stuck with this and have worked with the company throughout this

process. The UK coffee market is still in a state of evolution and to stay ahead it is important to innovate and explore different sectors. We tend to look at market sectors and work where we think that there is a fit, for example we are doing very well in the vending sector for semi-public sectors and offices. That is growing very quickly at the moment so we are certainly keen to give that a little nudge over the coming months.”

With innovations across the board and increased demand in all sectors, it certainly appears that the UK coffee market is an increasingly hot environment. If market projections hold true and consumer interest continues to grow, the coming months could be extremely exciting for coffee producers, retailers and enthusiasts alike. D Marley Coffee www.marleycoffee.com Lavazza www.lavazza.co.uk Laneway Coffee www.lanewaycoffee.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com

7

The

creative process FoodChain talks to Isabelle Maillot, to find out how her team ensures Sidel continues to help beverage producers remain at the forefront of market developments 8

www.foodchainmagazine.com

Q

: Where does your team get ideas for new innovations and developments?

A: They come from everywhere! But mainly from what we hear from the front-line talks with our customers.

When our people talk to customers on site they can see what their needs are and find out more about how our solutions can help. We also have regular innovation days with our customers and suppliers. All of this input goes into our work and the brainstorming sessions we use to get new ideas. My team closely follows new market, packaging

and technology trends. We attend exhibitions and trade shows, such as pharmaceutical, automation and even military technology shows. This lets us see how innovation and ideas are used in other industries.

Q: But how similar are these industries to the beverage industry?

A: If we, for example, look at the aerospace and military industries, they are driven by research and are not as cost-focused as the beverage industry. They
are often first with new materials and coatings. We keep track of the evolution of these trends and at a

‘

Product research As part of reducing TCO, we’re working a great deal with machine intelligence. This kind of artificial intelligence is a big theme right now

and tomorrow. Therefore, we work both with ideas that we can realise in the short-term, and we also have a pipeline of more long-term ideas with the potential to be game-changers. The product and account managers are important in this process as they have direct contact with our customers.

They know whether an innovation development answers a real customer need. If it doesn’t it will just be a great technological idea with no real customer value – and not a project, we want to work on. Each month, we have a team meeting to discuss all the ideas we’ve received and we assess them using defined criteria and processes.

However, there is still an element of instinct involved.

certain point when it is well integrated and proven, we can use it in our solutions. It’s a balance between finding the right time to be first to market and at the same time with a technology that has been proven, that is also cost-effective and reliable to offer to beverage producers.

Q: It sounds like you get lots of proposals for innovation projects. How do you select which to work with?

A: We have a process in place to help us decide which ideas to work with.

We need to be sure that the project benefits our customers both today

Q: What role does instinct play?

A: Innovation is something that disturbs the standard process. If you use too many processes and criteria, you tend to end up with the safest ideas. And the safest ideas are generally the ones that everyone else is also considering. This can result in a ‘me-too’ solution. That’s where instinct comes in. And because we have people on the team who know the market, the customers and industry, their instinct is highly valuable.

Q: So when you decide to invest in an innovation project, are you sure that it will be a success?

A: No, we can never be sure. We usually start with a business case and then we have targets that we need to meet on the way. We use risk analysis techniques and work using the Six Sigma process methodology that is widely used in the automotive industry.

But if we have a lot of customers who are demanding and validating the project, then we can be more confident.

Q: How involved are beverage producers in Sidel’s innovation process?

A: It varies greatly. Some are very involved in our work and want to influence the development process, which allows us to take more of a long-term view in developing solutions for their needs. This collaboration is not always about the big breakthroughs but often about incremental innovation. For example, they might have the equipment and want to improve its performance.

However, all of our customers are different and others prefer proven technology.

Q: From the customer point-ofview, what are the big drivers for innovation?

A: The packaging itself is the main driver. Any technology or innovation that helps manufacturers produce the packaging they want, in terms of performance, bottle weight, product safety, at the lowest cost is what they are looking for. Reducing total cost of ownership, or TCO, is without doubt a big part of this. This is a broad theme and covers the equipment, costs, maintenance, energy and resource consumption, and need for labour. By focusing on TCO, we can also impact sustainability, which is high on the agenda for most of our customers. As part of reducing TCO, we’re working a great deal with machine intelligence.

This kind of artificial intelligence is a big theme right now. This is how the machine learns by itself from the data it receives. Over time this will lead to the machine making better choices than we humans can make – from adjustments to production processes to predictive maintenance when the machine itself knows it needs a spare part.

www.foodchainmagazine.com

9

Product research Q: Which of Sidel’s innovations are you most proud of?

A: Predis™ has been a real breakthrough and is a project we’re all proud of. It has improved sustainability, ease of use and product integrity for beverage producers. This dry preform decontamination solution works using no water and very few chemicals, which has challenged traditional assumptions that complex blowers with a high chemical consumption are the only way to produce aseptically.

Our Intelliblower™ solution is another solution that I’m very proud to have been involved in. This solution takes a first step towards machine intelligence.

It can analyse various parameters and auto-adjust its processes to ensure production quality. For customers, this means that their production lines can run within specifications without operator intervention in the blowing process. Even if the temperature varies during the day, the Intelliblower produces bottles that meet specifications. It can also identify a

10 www.foodchainmagazine.com

blowing station that is not performing optimally, which is a clear boost to improving production quality.

Q: Which industry innovations do you expect to see in the next five years?

A: I see packaging technology playing a larger role in consumer health. For example, your fridge could analyse the turnover of fruit and vegetables, if you drink more soda than water and so on, and transmit this information to products you buy. Then the product packaging could remind you about the shelf life of the product or encourage you to balance your diet, for example with the message ‘drink me now with an apple’.

Q: Is there a certain type of person who is good at working with innovation?

A: The short answer is no. For a good innovation team, you need different profiles. In my team, everyone is very different but we are all hugely passionate about what we do. That’s actually quite typical for Sidel. We are

all driven by this passion for creating the best equipment and services for our customers. I believe that everyone at Sidel works with innovation at some level. We’re just the catalysts for getting it to market. D Isabelle Maillot is Vice President Technology and Open Innovation, Sidel. Sidel’s purpose is to help brands protect the product inside, preserve the planet outside and touch the lives of millions of people every day. It does so by offering complete and modular PET, can and glass packaging solutions, including people, services and equipment.

Sidel has over 165 years of industrial experience. With 30,000 machines installed in more than 190 countries, it has been helping producers fill beverage bottles for over 85 years, blow them for more than 50 and label them for more than 40. www.sidel.com

IndustryNews

Creamy and natural

Storm in a teacup No More Tea Bags is based on a new patent pending technology that allows for high quality liquid teas to be contained in an aerosol style recyclable can. This means tea can be dispensed into a mug, hot water and milk added and the perfect cup of tea created without the need for waiting for brewing (or mashing depending on which part of the country you’re from) or having to mess about with and dispose of tea bags.

It’s not just the traditional tea market that No More Tea Bags is tapping into. Alongside Original and Earl Grey varieties, the brand is hoping to appeal to the ever-growing green tea market with a Jasmine offering. The drink captures the taste of high quality jasmine green

tea in this convenient and easy format and, as with the Earl Grey version, is created using leaf tea, rather than fannings. www.nomoreteabags.com

One of the world’s best This winter sees the re-launch of one of London’s most loved watering holes. Heralded as one of the best Champagne bars in the world, it is situated in the lofty grandeur of St Pancras International Station, below the Ron Arad installation, ‘Train of Thought’. The station has been a travelling hotspot since 1868 – only 21 years after the Searcys brand was launched.

With trains that whizz directly to Brussels, Amsterdam and Paris, Searcys Champagne Bar is often the first destination before glittering Christmas-inspired city breaks across Europe.

And this year for the very first time, as part of its re-launch Searcys will be showcasing British Sparkling wines, which will be nestled on the new menu alongside their champagne rivals.

If guests are feeling patriotic, they can sample bubbles from the growingly popular vineyards in the UK, or they can stick with offerings from the Champagne region.

Under the headings ‘Best of British’ and ‘Vive La France!’, guests can either pick a theme, or mix and match. British nibbles include dressed Cornish crab, lobster, artisan pork pies, and London cured salmon, whereas over on the French side of the menu nestles French charcuterie, oysters, and a whole Chaource; an indulgent creamy cheese from the Champagne region, served with rustic pain de campagne.

Continuing from this year’s National Champagne Week’s Spotlight on the Magnum (as the optimum pour), and perfect for yule-tide festivities, guests can enjoy the ‘Searcys 1847 | Size Matters’ option. Celebrating the brand’s rich heritage, the luxurious sharing treat costs £184.70 and includes a Magnum of Searcys Champagne, British lobster, oysters, French cheese and charcuterie platters; more than enough for six people to enjoy. www.searcys.co.uk

Britain’s first and most loved coconut milk yoghurt brand, CO YO has entered both the split pot and FoodTo-Go categories with the launch of Toppers: the UK’s first range of decadent dual layered dairy-free coconut milk yoghurts.

Launching in Planet Organic, Toppers have bite: combining CO YO’s silky smooth Natural edition with a separate top layer of the finest artisan and nutritious mixes. Each pot is completed with a spoon under the lid so that they can be enjoyed on-the-go anytime and anywhere.

This is the latest innovation from CO YO, which was the first company to launch a coconut milk yoghurt to the UK. This new range brings the popular split pot format to the dairy-free market and will allow CO YO to reach new consumers by making the brand available to the Food-To-Go consumer for the first time.

The first edition in the range is made with CO YO’s deliciously creamy signature Natural coconut milk yoghurt topped with a power-packed blend of flaked coconut, raw cacao, pumpkin and sunflower seeds for a guilt-free, crunchy chocolate boost. This whole food blend can be shaken onto or stirred into the coconut yoghurt for an innovative nutrient-rich treat.

The ultimate in gourmet snacking, Toppers are all-natural, free from dairy, lactose, gluten and soya and contain absolutely no preservatives, additives, refined sugar. Every pot is made from all-natural ingredients with a whole coconut going into every 100g of the yoghurt, making it the most delicious way to enjoy the exceptional health and beauty benefits of this miraculous fruit. Indeed, every spoonful is a rich source of protein, calcium, magnesium, fibre, vitamin B-12 and vitamin D. www.coyo.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 11

Strong

foundation F

Chris Littley asks: could enterprise resource planning save your bacon?

12 www.foodchainmagazine.com

ew retail scandals capture the public’s attention faster than a high-profile product recall – the ‘exploding’ Samsung Note 7 battery immediately springs to mind. This type of public outrage is often amplified even more so when it comes to products we put in our mouths. Recent years alone have unearthed such headline-grabbing stories as the infamous horsemeat scandal and McDonald’s expired-meat

Chris Littley

crisis, to name a few. This summer proved no different, with supermarkets and manufacturers recalling numerous yoghurt brands, guacamole, sesame seeds, ice cream, potatoes and more.

But drama and scandals aside, recalls continue to represent a major challenge across each and every sector in the process manufacturing market - from the food and beverage industry, to pharmaceutical, chemical, and aerospace manufacturing. Food recall

numbers rose by an astonishing 78 per cent in 2015, at a total of 159 recalls compared to 89 in 2014.

Recalls are big, bad news and the costs can be high - or even ‘catastrophic’, according to 81 per cent of manufacturers surveyed by Grocery Manufacturers Association.

Recalled products typically need to be repaired, replaced, or destroyed. Then there’s the cost of identifying, tracking and executing the recall, as well as the damage to brand reputation and regular operations.

Thankfully, there is a growing industry trend towards taking action and complying with regulations. Many manufacturers obtain insurance against possible recall losses, but it’s paramount they put in place more effective systems for product traceability to limit the size and scope of recalls.

In truth, many of the high-profile scandals we read about could have been prevented with a proper solution in place for data capture and quality management. Recall readiness has today become a test of a manufacturer’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and their ability to implement an effective traceability chain.

Natural foundation While there are a lot of ERP solutions supposedly geared toward the process manufacturing space, many do not take into consideration the real complexities faced by the industry. It’s vital, therefore, to use an ERP system specifically tailored for this space, offering integrated traceability - from the raw material supply chain, through to the finished product.

Being prepared for a recall is about having a traceability chain that allows a manufacturer to visualise and access data on everything from batch, serial number and expiry dates, to quality assurance of incoming materials and finished goods. This way, with sufficient data, it’s possible to isolate which products, ingredients, intermediates, or batches are involved in a recall.

ERP systems should be a natural foundation for storing and accessing

‘

Software

The Internet of Things heralds a new age for increased traceability, one from which small and large companies alike will benefit

this breadth of data because their functionality spans the entire value chain, across its multiple processes for procurement, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain management. In other words, the ideal ERP system governs the entire journey of your materials - where they came from and what has been done with them.

Data collection But building an effective traceability chain is also a matter of effective data capture. That’s why it’s important to utilise partners for more advanced data capture and analysis. Without the support of robust barcode or RFID scanning tools, capturing this volume of data at each level of transaction can be a costly and complex affair.

Equally complicated and costly is the task of accessing or consolidating data from fragmented applications or isolated spreadsheets. That’s why, as one consolidated solution, the ERP system should offer integrated quality management, quality assurance, and formula/recipe management - three of the key domains involved in assessing the root cause of a recall. And, as the industry moves towards more proactive tracking and quality measures, the ERP system should provide the data needed for compliance with key process manufacturing regulations including HAACP, FDA, USDA, and REACH. The collection of data via sensors and scales is not new to the process industry - in fact, companies that run asset-intensive processes at really large-scale have been doing it for decades. The Internet of Things heralds a new age for increased traceability, one from which small and large companies alike will benefit. Now everything has some sort of sensor and can be traced, from forklift trucks

to food and drink storage locations, pallets to trucks. Roughly 25 per cent of our customers are collecting transactional data, a number that will increase to around 80 per cent in the next five years, as the technology becomes cheaper and more available.

There are many compelling arguments for implementing an effective traceability chain - not least the ability to isolate problems before they snowball, protecting your operations and ultimately your brand integrity. Rapid, efficient traceability makes a supplier more desirable to OEMs and provides insight into even the smallest changes in product quality and yield, enabling manufacturers to monitor and fine-tune operations.

But implementing traceability needs to be done in an efficient way that feeds data into an integrated suite of applications that consolidates access to information. A broad and deep ERP suite is the optimal framework for holding, accessing and using traceability information.

Coupled with efficient data collection, it’s the strongest foundation for operation improvement and making sure that today’s issue does not make tomorrow’s headlines. D Chris Littley is senior advisor for process industries at IFS. IFS is a globally recognised leader in developing and delivering enterprise software for enterprise resource planning (ERP), enterprise asset management (EAM) and enterprise service management (ESM).

Founded in 1983, IFS brings customers in targeted sectors closer to their business, helps them be more agile and prepare for what’s next in their industry. www.ifsworld.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 13

Asking the right questions

E Robert Simpson takes a look at how to ensure you have the right players on the team 14 www.foodchainmagazine.com

nsuring supermarkets shelves are kept fully stocked is a team business. Of course, furniture stores and sportswear outlets would say the same.

However, they don’t face the shelf-life issues of the food supply chain, or the breadth and complexity of the product range. Food, in the supply chain management world, is exceptional.

Consequently, all members of the food supply chain need to be exceptional as well. Especially if you’re looking to add a new member to the team. No one wants to be the manager who brought in the wrong team player.

What makes a good team player?

Robert Simpson

It’s important that new suppliers gel with your organisation and its values – which first means ensuring your procurement department has a strong grasp of your own company’s mission and culture, and can communicate this to potential partners.

And this means a marriage of equals: modern businesses know that price and location, although important, aren’t the best guide to supplier choice. Truly successful companies are passionate about their business and about serving their customers, and you have a right

Finding suppliers TrueCommerce we recommend that potential customers consider several key points before deciding which company they choose to partner with.

These include: Flexibility, scalability and reliability Is the supplier ready to form a real meaningful partnership where both the customer and supplier care about each other’s problems and understand the issues that occur can have knock on effects throughout the supply chain?

Once the supplier has understood the value their flexibility can add to the relationship, you can then explore how equipped it will be to respond to changes in your own business.

Ask yourself how much capacity the supplier has to scale up or down, and how quickly.

Also, ask if your new supplier can then provide the consistency of service that’s required, sometimes an SLA can be guaranteed at the outset to avoid any issues in the future.

Connectivity

‘

Don’t be afraid to dig deep – both in your search for a potential supplier, and in questioning a prospective supplier’s capabilities

to expect the same passion from your suppliers.

In addition, you need to have a firm grasp on how those partners will work with you. Taking the choice of an EDI provider as an example, at

Over the past decade, electronic connectivity between customers and suppliers has become a key requirement. With the largest and most valued trading relationships now becoming electronic, this technology has now become prevalent throughout the supply chain and companies who don’t adopt it very quickly become redundant.

Once the technological capabilities have been established, will your new partner be available 24/7 if needed?

How will you contact them? And at what level will that interaction be and at what cost?

If your supplier is providing business critical services, do they offer a full support package; recently, we’ve provided an EDI solution for Yeo Valley, whose decision was made predominantly on the basis that they needed a support package that could cope with the company’s round-theclock order schedule from retailers, including Tesco, Asda and Morrisons.

Prior to moving to TrueCommerce issues occurring outside core office hours would lead to delays, which is unacceptable for a brand dealing with perishable items.

Pricing structure Although pricing shouldn’t be the reason for choosing a supplier, a good understanding of the pricing structure should be gained before engaging with a company. In many circumstances, lower upfront costs can be coupled with costly add-ons, which can add a sting to a trading relationship once it has started to flourish. If possible, it’s always worth requesting a fixed pricing structure with no hidden or variable costs.

Adding value A true partnership means your supplier needs to know about your business as much as you need to know about theirs.

They should be seeking to add value, by suggesting ways to improve your trading processes. Whether it’s helping to streamline the supply chain or improve the performance of key processes, there are usually some benefits that can be gained from creating a close and co-operative relationship with suppliers.

Choosing a supplier that’s more open to this type of proactive relationship can pay dividends in the future.

If in doubt, dig deep Finding the right supplier isn’t easy, and asking the right questions requires investment of time and effort on your part. However, a good supplier, if they want to be on your team, will have the right answers, and the evidence ready to prove them. Don’t be afraid to dig deep – both in your search for a potential supplier, and in questioning a prospective supplier’s capabilities – to ensure you find the right partner for your business needs. D Robert Simpson is Marketing Director at European EDI specialists, TrueCommerce.

TrueCommerce brings together three market leading EDI vendors in Europe: Wesupply, Atlas Products and HighJump B2Bi. It delivers the next generation of EDI and e-Invoicing managed service to companies looking to improve efficiency and reduce cost. www.truecommerce.com/ uk-en

www.foodchainmagazine.com 15

Getting motivated Creating and maintaining an engaged and highly motivated workforce is one of the top priorities of most HR departments, but achieving it is something which eludes many.

By Justine James 16 www.foodchainmagazine.com

T

he key to getting it right is by listening and understanding your employees, but many organisations fail to do so effectively. A good starting point is to tap into information you already have, including employee opinion survey data and exit data. This will tell you what employees think is working and what isn’t. However, typically such surveys don’t tell you what is important to your people on an individual level.

In an employee opinion survey, for example, employees may express a

Justine James

desire for a better work-life blend. In our experience what a good worklife blend means for one employee may not be the same for another. For some it could be about working more flexibly, for others more about having access to things at work that help them relax. In today’s world there are many reasons why employees might want to work flexibly, it’s not just about those with young families. With an ageing population there are more people with elderly parents that need the flexibility to care for them, for example. In short

‘

it is important not to come up with a ‘one size fits all’ approach based on the results of an opinion survey if you really want to get to the heart of what your employees need and want.

If you can truly ascertain what is important to your employees and try to accommodate them as far as possible, then you not only help improve staff motivation, you also get the added bonus of increased staff retention and earn a reputation of being a good employer, which will help attract top talent.

Strike a deal

Our starting point with clients looking to improve staff motivation and engagement is to help them develop an effective Employee Value Proposition (EVP), and we’ve helped develop them for organisations both on a local and global level.

An EVP is the deal struck between an organisation and employee in return for their contribution and performance.

At Talentsmoothie we call this the ‘People Deal’. It’s what characterises an employer and differentiates it from its competition. A well-articulated EVP will bring significant benefits.

It can create an environment where people can thrive and do their best work, and in turn this impacts on the customer experience, customer loyalty and ultimately improves business performance.

An effective EVP can bring an organisation significant benefits.

According to the Corporate Leadership Council’s research, a well thoughtthrough and executed EVP can: • Improve the commitment of new hires by up to 29 per cent • Reduce new hire compensation premiums by up to 50 per cent

Human resources

For an EVP to generate maximum returns, it must be built around attributes that genuinely attract, engage and retain the talent you want • Increase the likelihood of employees acting as advocates from an average of 24 per cent to 47 per cent In addition, an effective EVP allows organisations to source more deeply within the labour market, increasing access to ‘passive’ candidates who may not have even considered entering the food industry. This is a really important factor given the predicted talent shortfalls in the future.

Our clients turn to us for help with their EVP usually because of recruitment or retention issues. All companies have an EVP, but if it’s not well articulated it won’t be working well for you. For an EVP to generate maximum returns, it must be built around attributes that genuinely attract, engage and retain the talent you want.

It must also be firmly linked to the business strategy and it’s requirements from employees now and in the future.

and strategic HR priorities. Knowing where to spend your time and money will make a difference and is one of the great outputs of the EVP process.

We typically help organisations to define and implement their EVPs in eight stages. The full process can take anywhere from three to six months or more, depending on the size of the organisation.

We find that engaging employees in the EVP development process is a very powerful engagement tool in itself and people usually enjoy and appreciate it. It’s also important for building ambassadors who will help implement the EVP once it’s fully defined.

In today’s environment, where talent acquisition is competitive, an EVP can really help you to retain your good talent and attract needed, experienced talent.

It might even broaden the pipeline of talent from outside your sector. Can you afford not to strengthen yours? D

Engage employees The EVP process will tell you what will really improve staff motivation, what’s real and working now and what you can do to make your working environment even better for employees in the future.

It forms the bedrock of your people strategy and will inform what you should carry on doing, stop doing and start doing to support and drive your business strategy forward. It informs recruitment messages, communications

Justine James is Founder of Talentsmoothie, an organisational development consultancy. Areas of expertise include Employee Value Proposition (EVP), Employee Engagement, Employer Brand and Future Focus. Clients include Atkins, Centrica, Enterprise Renta-car, KPMG, Kuoni Group Travel Industry Services, Warner Brothers and Sodexo, and its projects range from one-off reviews, to global strategies and large-scale implementations. www.talentsmoothie.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 17

A matter of taste Recognising a gap in the market for a catering service that would offer more than a list of soggy sandwiches and ‘posh’ crisps, Sarah-Louise Walker, Managing Director of The Leeds Club Kitchen launched a bespoke service that would bring fine dining to doorsteps and desktops

H

The Leeds Club

18 www.foodchainmagazine.com

aving worked in the hospitality industry for more than a decade, Sarah was only too accustomed to the difficulty that clients would have when looking for a catering service that would meet with their growing needs, including foods that were free-from and suitable for people with a growing list of intolerances.

Sarah comments: “I had come across the same frustrations time and time again with clients asking how it could possibly be so difficult for a chef to create a menu that would meet with their specific needs. I wasn’t absolutely

Sarah-Louise Walker

sure of the answer if I’m honest. Surely people couldn’t be so blinkered as to think that companies would be happy with the same thing every month?

However after looking more closely at the market, that is exactly what was happening.

“I’d considered launching a fine dining service for years but now seemed like the perfect time. The market was ready for a new approach to catering that would capitalise upon the awareness of good, quality food, the growing appreciation of dishes with a difference and locally sourced ingredients. It was just up to me to pull it together.”

Premium catering

Clients in control Not even a year later and The Leeds Club Kitchen has proven Sarah’s theory correct. Companies including ASDA, HARIBO and PWC have all called upon the fine dining service to cater for their events, some of which have welcomed global entrepreneurs and international guests.

Sarah continues: “We had to turn the usual approach on its head and rather than telling the customer what they could have, we asked them what they would like. This meant that before we even started they were in control and could add some personality to the

occasion through the dishes that we served.

“All of our food is freshly prepared and presented so that it looks as good as it tastes. There is no point in preparing delicious dishes if you then serve it on paper plates. It defeats the whole object. That is why we provide our clients with a total service, giving customers everything they need to make a lasting impression.

“It doesn’t have to be about business, we cater for private events too and some of our largest engagements have been on location at a customer’s home. These are the events where feedback is often more forthcoming and there is nothing better than hearing people comment on how tasty the food is and more so that they weren’t expecting such an impressive spread.”

From the outset The Leeds Club Kitchen has made sure that the food has been at the forefront of its offering.

With a dedicated executive chef, the business relies on new ideas, current trends and recommendations that will give a twist to classics that people still enjoy but want to see presented differently.

Some of the most popular dishes have included lettuce wraps, seasonal

salads, mini fish and chips, bite-sized Yorkshire puddings and afternoon tea with homemade scones, jam and clotted cream.

Sarah continues: “Our customers want something different, they want a twist.

They don’t want sandwiches or sausage rolls; they want us to take a brief and to come up with some ideas that will impress their guests. Often it’s the little changes that make all the difference like the lettuce wrap. Not only is a healthier option, which is often important to our clients, but it is gluten free, providing those with wheat intolerance with a finger food they can enjoy.”

Bespoke service Despite recognising a gap in the market, The Leeds Club Kitchen is still one of very few catering businesses that provide a bespoke service, giving customers the chance to dictate or manipulate their menu.

Sarah continues: “Fine dining isn’t a trend, it’s increasingly becoming an expectation. People are asking why they should settle for a list of fillings when what they actually want is something that will meet with the requirements of the guests.

“The events that we work on often have themes, and this should be

www.foodchainmagazine.com 19

Premium catering

‘

It is important that we are aware of any particular trends within the industry, although we prefer to lead as opposed to follow we cannot afford to become complacent

reflected in the food but we hear all too often that our clients are told that this simply isn’t possible. Good quality catering shouldn’t be about compromise, it should be about delicious dishes that look and taste amazing.”

Full package With many catering companies claiming to be fine dining but actually providing a relatively standard package, customers have become disillusioned and often expect that they will simply pay more for a menu that they could get elsewhere.

Sarah concludes: “It is frustrating that companies position themselves as offering fine dining when actually what they may have is a few unusual ingredients. If you are going to claim to be fine dining then it has to be the full package.

“We welcome competition, not least because we know that we have an excellent product, great service and a

20 www.foodchainmagazine.com

proven track record. We know that we have raised the bar and we do hope that others will do the same and that we can lead by example.

“When we launched the business we made sure that we had everything in place to allow us to deliver fresh food to the doorstep or desktop. It had to be fresh and we had to have the space and the equipment to allow us to serve hot and cold foods. Our purpose-designed mobile catering van means that we have everything in place to meet with the expectations of our customers wherever they are based.”

There are always trends within the food industry and this means that the requirements of customers are often influenced by things that they have read, seen or tasted.

Sarah concludes: “It is important that we are aware of any particular trends within the industry, although we prefer to lead as opposed to follow we cannot afford to become complacent.

An ongoing trend is seasonal ingredients and those that mean something or have a particular heritage, such as rhubarb or liquorice in West Yorkshire.

“With fine dining people want to know that they are getting the best and we will do all we can to reassure our customers that they will not get a better service from any other catering company in the West Yorkshire region or beyond.” D The Leeds Club is a Grade II listed building in Leeds with 12 function rooms and benefits from its in-house catering team which brings over 40-years’ experience to the venue.

The Leeds Club Kitchen extends this offering by taking fine dining to desktops and doorsteps throughout Yorkshire, encouraging people to opt for handmade produce that is sourced locally. www.leedsclubkitchen.com

IndustryNews Confectionery champs

Barking mad?

Artisan confectioner Buttermilk’s Chocolate Coated Almond Brittle was voted champion of the confectionery category at this year’s Taste of the West Awards ceremony.

Bodmin-based Buttermilk received five awards in total for products including Smooth Clotted Cream Fudge and Luxury Caramel Sea Salt Fudge. However the Almond Brittle, which launched last year, was the overall winner.

Tracy McGoad, managing director, said: “We were up against some tough competition and so it was fantastic to hear the announcement of our brittle as the South West’s champion confectionery product. We’ve been well-known for our fudge for years, so it’s great to see another of our products getting the limelight.”

The judges said: “The Almond Brittle has a kick of saltiness to complement the sweet caramel, nuts and chocolate. It gives a wonderful ‘snap’ when broken.” www.buttermilk.co.uk

A new poll reveals a mixed bag when it comes to Britain’s view on allowing canines into cafes and restaurants. The Restaurant Club, a scheme supporting local restaurateurs over chains monopolising the high street, posed the question to its 11,000 strong fine dining group.

And while almost four in 10 people believe that dogs should be banned entirely from restaurants, a surprising 61 per cent were a lot more flexible.

This includes one in ten saying they’d only be happy for them to enter cafes (although not restaurants), eight per cent saying only guide dogs should be permitted and one in 20 calling for a dog only area.

By popular demand the club has now added a dog-friendly section on its website that offers discerning diners discounts and advice on where to eat out across the capital, so that people have the option of not leaving their pooch at home.

Louisa Walters, founder of The Restaurant Club says: “I love the fact that I can take my shih tzu into my local newsagent, post office, chemist and hairdresser, so it follows that I would want to take her with me into local restaurants too. Every high street needs at least one dog friendly eatery and we’ve scoped out the best ones for our members.

“However, the Club is calling for a dog-friendly code of conduct, not just for restauranteurs in terms of hygiene when feeding dogs, but for pet owners too. For instance, dogs should only be taken out to eat if they are well trained and don’t disturb other clientele!” www.therestaurantclub.com

Munch a moon Little Moons, the British artisan producer of mochi ice cream, is taking this iconic Japanese delicacy mainstream in the UK by being the first ever brand to secure a national listing for the product through a partnership with Ocado.

Already the best-selling ice cream at Whole Foods, this new deal with Ocado will allow more consumers than ever before to enjoy the brand’s unique bite sized dessert. Three editions from Little Moons’ range, Coconut, Mango and Matcha Green Tea, will be sold initially through the online retailer.

Traditionally filled with a sweetened red bean paste, Little Moons has updated the classic mochi recipe by adding artisan

gelato in six contemporary flavours. Each soft sphere of scrumptiousness has a delightfully chewy outer edge and an indulgent and smooth gelato centre, a combination of contrasting textures that makes each mouthful unique.

Little Moons Co-Founders Howard &

Vivien Wong added: “The growth of the brand has been driven by accelerated consumer demand for innovative and luxurious ice cream and by providing Brits with access to a trending new product that they may never have tried before.” www.littlemoons.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 21

The need

for options

Free from taste, texture and calories?

The battle to deliver more choice and create tastier, healthier gluten free food.

By Sue Warren

22 www.foodchainmagazine.com

E

ating healthily continues to be an evolving topic fraught with controversial debate, strong opinion and some might argue, a great deal of misconception.

Whether the food you are eating claims to be lower in fat, sugar and salt or claims it is free from common allergens like gluten, dairy and nuts, there can be a stigma attached that is hard to shake off.

The notion that food free from certain ingredients or lower in fat is bland and tasteless, is an assumption that many forward-thinking food manufacturers are fighting to change.

Clean eating is the name of the game today and it is becoming more important to many people. This is largely due to our increased awareness of the foods we eat and how it can affect both our wellbeing and our environment.

Provenance is also important as we build a greater understanding of where our food comes from and how it’s produced.

As consumers, our expectations are increasing and we want great tasting foods that won’t negatively impact our health.

A shift in mind-set starts with better education The challenge is there can be a stigma attached to some healthy foods or at least a general underlying feeling that healthy and free from foods cost a lot more than those that are higher in fat for example. Of course, this isn’t always the case but it is a perception that many people have and because of this, retailers and manufacturers need to work harder to educate the market and to start shifting the mind-set away from these assumptions. It won’t happen overnight of course, but we need to start somewhere if we are to support the change in culture that is needed.

Despite the topicality of allergens and the rise in people needing to adjust their diet to avoid certain foods, the Free From sector also faces its share of misconceptions. Historically, the perception of gluten free foods for instance, is that these products taste bad or bland and are expensive – another common complaint has been that the texture of gluten free foods resembles that of cardboard.

Healthy eating Of course, there may well have been some truth in this view in the beginning, when food manufacturers new to the market and concept were at the early development stages of these products.

However, with the manufacturers focus, understanding and investment in NPD the results have significantly improved products on the market.

Gluten free doesn’t necessarily mean healthy The market has of course progressed so much further in the last few years alone - but it takes time to changes people’s views. Think of it like an invention that improves and gets better over time.

The issue of healthy food vs. gluten free is an interesting one too as there seems to be another myth that gluten free is always a healthier choice, but that is definitely not the case. A gluten free muffin will not necessarily be a healthier option compared with a muffin containing gluten. Double cream is gluten free but it doesn’t make it the ideal health food – the issue is, our expectations are somewhat blurred and education will play a big part in demystifying those.

From a positive perspective, products and manufacturing techniques have evolved dramatically over recent years and the progress has been amazing. Today we can be confident in demonstrating that gluten free products can - and do in many cases - taste as good as non-gluten free with many people unlikely to be able to tell the difference between them. This remains the focus and consumer requirement,

gluten free shouldn’t be a compromise in any product or category.

Creating tastier food to stay ahead of the game Some larger retailers are also insisting that unless a product is absolutely expected to have gluten (i.e. wheat crackers), then it should be certified gluten free as standard. The gluten free information is there for those looking for it - but it is not always highlighted or labelled under gluten free branding.

This effectively makes these products ‘mainstream’ despite being gluten free – but with most people totally unaware of the fact.

When products are good enough to avoid being pigeonholed in the gluten free category, the consumer perception will begin to change but it will take time.

The industry needs to have faith and to keep doing what it is doing and place the focus on continuous improvement.

To stay ahead of the game and give consumers what they want in terms of healthier food, manufacturers need to continue to look for ways to create tastier products in the sector. Food is about all about taste and texture as well as the visual look. Removing the artificial ingredients can in some cases, take time and some significant NPD to maintain flavour and texture quality; this is a continuous process for many manufacturers.

A sensible approach to removing unnecessary salt, fat and sugar for example is also key to keeping ahead of the competition but we have to be realistic as well - a salty snack needs salt, a fruitcake needs sweetening.

Nowhere left to hide Developing tasty food that is also healthy means looking more closely at those natural flavours that can negate the need for salt and the artificial flavour enhancers often used in products.

The push to create inherently healthier products has been gaining traction for some years. Clear food labelling has really helped to both educate the consumer and drive the manufacturer to make improvements because the visibility of the real nature of the products leaves nowhere to hide.

It is still surprising (and disappointing) to see how manufacturers get ‘creative’ on their food labelling; a recent change in legislation in the US now requires manufacturers to stop using the term ‘evaporated cane juice’ as an ingredient name for sugar. This kind of clear attempt to mislead the consumer is counterproductive to the great progress in transparency being made in the majority of the industry - but this is something that is thankfully getting clearer.

Not always saints - but more choice An increase in diet intolerances (and celebrity-mirrored lifestyle diets) has also fuelled the need for ‘healthier’ and cleaner products. But ten years from now the big selling point for the consumer will still be choice. People want options, not everyone wants to eat like a saint all of the time, sometimes we feel like that packet of crisps or that slice of pizza.

A good range of options with clarity of the nutritional and health attributes will allow individuals to make clearer more informed choices from a point of knowledge and deeper understanding and that can only be a good thing. D Sue Warren is Strategic Development Director at Wellaby’s.

Wellaby’s has recently launched Simple Bakes, a new range of tasty, totally moreish, savoury snacks that everyone can feel free to enjoy.

These delicious wholegrain snacks are also free from most common allergens including gluten, nuts and eggs and they contain no diary. www.wellabys.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 23

Boosting efficiency

24 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Logistics According to Gavin Williams intelligent equipment control of transit media is transforming food industry supply chains

A

s retailers in the food and drink industry seek to drive efficiency, reduce operational expenditures and enhance environmental benefits, the need for intelligent systems has never been greater. Yesterday’s ‘use and throw’ approach to in-store display packaging is being replaced by reusable and recyclable materials. These are the watchwords for retailers looking to minimise waste and maximise yields.

In this efficiency-focused climate, we’ve seen significant growth in the use of reusable transit media, from trays to tote boxes to dollies and pallets.

And while there are obvious savings – both environmental and financial – to be gained from reusable media, the most critical driver of efficiency is the technology that controls the allocation and return.

It’s for this reason that we’re seeing an increased demand for Returnable Transit Packaging handling and tracking software systems. XPO Logistics has developed its own in-house system for this purpose, called COMET (Control of Materials and Equipment Tracking).

COMET provides our food and beverage customers with the control and data they need to manage their critical assets. It’s an intelligent system that can handle the inbound and outbound flows of hundreds of millions of assets each year, while also generating commercial invoices and managing deposits where applicable. The beneficiaries include

Gavin Williams

major grocery retailers, manufacturers and suppliers of chilled, ambient and general merchandise.

The volumes can be staggering.

At XPO Logistics alone we manage 24 million units of reusable retail equipment across Europe on an annual basis. The greatest value is added by the automated system that controls the flow of these millions of units: the online track and trace capability for shipments along the supply chain. Having a bird’s eye view of the hundreds of different suppliers who lease transit media allows retailers to optimise transportation routes, reduce inventory, minimise freight and fuel costs, maximise trailer utilization, reduce CO2 and support packaging obligations.

Being able to monitor these flows in real time adds significant value for food and drink industry customers of XPO Logistics – whether in the UK, across Europe or in global markets. Reusable transit media are valuable assets that require constant visibility as they move throughout the supply chain. Inventory for spares and repairs can also be optimised, ensuring that equipment can be repaired and repatriated quickly.

Through COMET technology, demand can be balanced to ensure that every asset is utilised efficiently and overstocking by individual suppliers is mitigated. Retailers can maximise the earning power of equipment, identify losses and improve revenues without unnecessary investment in excess

stock, sweating the assets through better management of leases to third parties.

Intelligent software also means that users are able to access a complete history of their transactions – giving them full control of their closing balance at any given time – and upload future orders for equipment up to four weeks in advance. This significantly reduces the need for manual intervention and administrative hours.

With retailing margins notoriously tight, food retailers and manufacturers must continue to seek out new ways to maximise efficiencies in the supply chain. Intelligent equipment control of transit media is a compelling proposition for those companies looking to gain a competitive advantage. D

Gavin Williams is Business Unit Director, Supply Chain, at XPO Logistics. XPO Logistics, Inc. is a top ten global logistics provider of cutting-edge supply chain solutions to the most successful companies in the world. The company offers comprehensive solutions for transport, global forwarding and logistics, including e-fulfilment, reverse and temperature controlled logistics, VAS, bonded and COMAH warehousing, and the UK’s largest owned ADR pallet network. www.xpo.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 25

Print

condition T

New benchmarks are being set for continually faster food deliveries but this has to be supported by reliable and efficient print technology says Xavier Nicolaï

26 www.foodchainmagazine.com

he bar is set very high in food distribution and grocery retailing, with the arrival of Amazon Fresh setting new benchmarks for even faster delivery, breadth of product choice and lower prices. The success of its business model, and others that follow, will be in speed of delivery through the supply chain, and being able to accurately track and trace shipments. Many of these processes will still rely heavily on the ‘paper chain’; barcode labels, delivery notes, account statements, reports etc.

While some businesses may have dematerialised a number of their logistics processes, others have found it’s not always a cost effective solution and still depend heavily on printed materials.

Labelling remains a critical element of moving goods through the supply chain and disruption or error can threaten both production and distribution. It can lead to stock mismanagement (both understock and overstock) compliance fines, loss of business, loss of revenue, loss of reputation and ultimately customer dissatisfaction.

And it’s not an uncommon scenario either. Some 47 per cent* of manufacturers experienced significant and costly disruption to their production process because of their existing labelling method.

The need for speed If you’re manufacturing or shipping fresh or chilled foods, your window of opportunity to get them on the road will be time critical, so speed of print delivery will be an important issue. Not only that, but strict regulations require an increasing amount of content to be included in often very space limited documentation, which further multiplies the challenges in terms of print speed.

Indeed some 42 per cent* of global food and drink manufacturers find label print speed a difficult requirement to meet.

Cercle Vert distributes food and nonfood products to private and public sector catering establishments in and around Paris. It needs to print 8000 documents a day, including billing statements, invoices, delivery notes, account statements and commercial reports.

Printing “We face major logistical hurdles.

The challenge is to deliver to our customers quickly as they must be supplied on time in order to run their business well,” explains Patrick Mendez, IT manager at Cercle Vert.

“We do over 1000 deliveries every day, a considerable volume given each order consists of multiple items.” The company’s busiest time is the first week of the month and the pressure is on to ensure delivery documents are printed quickly, without any interruption.

The company uses multi-copy forms to label outgoing pallets and print its accompanying delivery notes and invoices. It chose line matrix printers to do the job because of their large volume printing ability and their reputation for coping with warehouse environments prone to variations in temperature and humidity.

“We cannot process multi-copy forms on a laser,” offered Patrick. “A line matrix printer can print two or three copies in a single pass whereas a laser printer would need to print the document two or three times which wastes time, adds cost and uses more consumables.”

in Britain, France, Spain, Italy and Germany in office IT and printing revealed that only 28 per cent of UK businesses saw sustainability in IT procurement as a necessary expenditure if it costs more.

This attitude is changing but it may have to change faster than it currently is once details of the new international standard for sustainable procurement, ISO 20400, are finalised. While the Act is likely to major on ethical sourcing of raw materials, it’s hoped the new standard will embed sound sustainability practices throughout the supply chain on all key purchases and projects.

And there’s plenty of scope for improvement. A number of businesses, for example, migrated their printer fleet away to laser, a more energyconsuming technology than line matrix.

They believed the older technology was noisy, inflexible and expensive yet, in a demanding, rugged environment like that found on production floors and in logistics areas, line matrix is the most reliable, sustainable and cost efficient print technology out there right now.

Managing costs and environmental impact

Reliable delivery is the key driver

Patrick has found that, when printing, line matrix devices use one third of the electricity of laser, they produce far less consumables waste, their life expectancy is twice that of laser and they emit no fine particles, all of which enables the company to additionally reduce its environmental footprint.

When the printers are idle or running smaller batches or single documents the environmental impact is less than it would be with other devices. But Patrick is pleased with the sustainability of line matrix and has calculated that the total cost of ownership (TCO) is far healthier too; he claims to be saving over €1million in five years.

Interestingly, while Cercle Vert sees managing its ecological impact as important, environmental sustainability does not always feature highly in purchasing decisions in Europe, with the UK falling behind the rest of the continent. A survey† of 500 senior IT managers and procurement leaders

Investing in fulfilment to meet consumers’ needs for convenience, reliability and speed is a priority for most retailers with 95 per cent1 of executives committed to ploughing money into delivery. They recognise the value of reliable delivery to their customers in terms of spend and loyalty and its significance in differentiating them from other brands.

But while the goal is universally agreed, where the money should be invested in the supply chain is not always that black and white. For example, over half1 of supply chain directors see ‘cutting delivery times’ as an investment priority, compared to less than a third of ecommerce experts.

The disparity between the two functions is less when it comes to agreeing to ‘facilitating defined delivery windows’ and ‘updating legacy systems’ and ‘investing in new technology and software’. But if the goal of being able to react quickly and meet ever more

stringent deadlines is to be achieved, both functions need to be on the same page when it comes to buying strategies, particularly in the area of upgrading existing technology.

Business challenges associated with distribution requires the technologies within logistics to be mastered perfectly.

Of these, the choice of printing solutions plays a mission critical role.

From delivery notes to labels that stick on frozen foodpacks, printing is an inevitable part of a producer and transport company’s operating costs so where’s there’s an opportunity to shave costs off each unit price it is worth exploring which print technology to use.

And inadequate labelling or failing to label correctly can have huge consequences, not just financial.

Some 79 per cent* of food and drink companies experienced negative outcomes for mislabelled or inadequately labelled products. Negative consequences include customer or regulatory fines, rejected loads and mandatory recalls.

Cost and speed will always be a requirement of industrial printers but sustainability is increasingly on the agenda so when it comes to investing in fast food delivery strategies it sometimes pays to appreciate a proven, mature technology. D * Source: ‘How does your labelling measure up’ report, Loftware Inc. † Source: Quocirca/Epson 2016 1 Source: MetaPack/Retail Week Connect Report ‘Bridging the delivery gap’, May 2016

Xavier Nicolaï is marketing manager for the EMEA region for Printronix LLC. For over 40 years, Printronix has addressed global customer needs for mission critical industrial printing. It boasts two of the mosttrusted brand names in back office and supply chain printing, Printronix and TallyGenicom, which are widely respected throughout automotive, retail, food and drink, government, utilities, transportation and logistics enterprises around the globe.

See more at: www.printronix.com/emea

www.foodchainmagazine.com 27

Muscling in on the act

Once a niche sector dominated by powders and shakes, the global high protein products market is now expected to reach £8bn by 2017. We speak to Daniel Reeds about what’s driving this trend and which products should be on your shelves

T

here’s not one single reason as to why the protein products market has exploded in recent years, rather a culmination of factors.

Some of the traditional brands in the arena, such as Maxi-Muscle, began advertising their products to a more mainstream audience about a decade ago, producing products that were less aggressively targeted at the bodybuilding world and more focused on everyday

28 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Daniel Reeds

gym users, and they used more women in their adverts and linked up with more sports.

Alongside this, gym membership has gone through the roof and, more recently, social media has helped create a new means to put fitness products in front of a mass market.

Perhaps the biggest driver behind the growth however has been a better understanding, from both the public and brands themselves, of the

Protein nutritional science behind protein supplementation. Previously protein was just associated with muscle growth, but now people are beginning to understand that foods high in protein can also help with weight loss, due to the fact they keep you feeling fuller for longer and therefore less likely to reach for the biscuit tin. As a consequence, it’s now believed more high protein food products are bought for slimming purposes than for muscle building.

Key to the growth has been the innovation shown by brands in the sector, who have met the public’s growing appetite for high protein products in ever more tasty and creative ways.

Dr Zak’s is a great example of a company that has helped bridge the gap between the traditional protein market and the new one. Created by a decorated bodybuilder, with a doctorate from The Royal Free Medical School, to help provide protein products other than shakes to the market, the Dr Zak’s range started out as bread and pasta fortified with protein. The popularity of these products has led to the brand now including bagels and a range of flavoured peanut butters, which allow people to up the protein levels of their everyday meals without even realising.

Other companies in the sector allow for consumers, and manufacturers, to create high protein foods in the comfort of their own homes, and the likes of The Coconut Company’s Organic Coconut

Flour which contains a whopping 22g of protein per 100g of flour (that’s over double the amount in normal flour), has seen a boom in sales as consumers turn everyday dishes into high protein foods and manufacturers snap it up for use in everything from high protein cakes to ready meals. Buoyed by the success of the flour, the company is set to launch a coconut based protein powder; offering a plant derived protein with a high solubility and fibre content and an optimum level of protein, carbohydrates and good fats.

Even the more traditional protein products, such as protein bars, are seeing a face-lift; with brands like The Primal Pantry launching an alternative

protein bar range, combining the growing demand for raw natural ingredients with a high protein on the go snack.

Moving forward it doesn’t look likely the demand for high protein foods is going to slow, as they form an integral part of the functional foods market, predicted to reach a global value of $54 billion by the end of next year.

Furthermore, if sales of red meat continue to slide, amid concerns over environmental and health factors, we may yet see an even greater demand for products fortified with extra plant based protein, as people begin to rely on these kinds of foods not as a means to get bigger muscles or even slimmer waists, but as a way of getting their everyday nutritional needs from nonanimal sources. D Daniel Reeds is MD at health food marketing company New Chapter Marketing. New Chapter Marketing has been working in the industry for over a decade, specialising in food and drink products. Having worked with brands ranging from niche start-ups to some of Europe’s biggest players it has been at the forefront of the ‘functional food revolution’. www.newchaptermarketing.co.uk

www.thecoconutcompany.co www.primalpantry.com www.dr-zaks.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 29

Get ready for the

New Year O

Gavin Drake takes a look at some content resolutions for 2017 30 www.foodchainmagazine.com

rganisations around the globe are already preparing business-critical content for January 2017. This content could be new product documentation, updated policies and procedures, refined disclosures and legal statements, or even updated branding and marketing material. The New Year always brings opportunities to refresh these types of assets for driving revenue and ensuring operations continue to run effectively.

The challenge is that for many, business-critical content must be prepared now – almost a quarter in advance – in order to traverse the

switch seamlessly from end-of-year product offers and updates to new compliance mandates and beyond.

Content for many organisations at peak times of year has to address a variety of audiences, geographies and purposes. The planning, creation and maintenance can be costly, leading some businesses to neglect it or leave things as is and hope for the best. This can be a grave mistake, costing more in the future than it would do address the challenge now.

So what early resolutions can we set for overcoming content challenges that hold us back from being our most competitive?

Preparing for 2017 Resolution 1: Understand which content exists and why The first thing any business looking to improve the creation and management of business-critical content should do is conduct a content audit. By taking an in-depth inventory of what exists a business can define objectives for the content that is produced and identify areas where new content needs to be developed. In an audit, it’s best to review content types and formats as well as the tools your team uses to create and manage the content.

A detailed content inventory can also uncover areas where automation can be used to remove timeconsuming manual tasks. By removing unnecessary rework and allowing easier access to updated information, teams are more effective, businesses are more competitive, and customer satisfaction increases.

Resolution 2: Set content rules Once a content audit or inventory is complete, design rules need to be set for different content types. Many times these rules come in the form of templates that help guide content creators when they are developing print, Web, and mobile content so that branding is consistent across every channel. The templates, created by designers, are accessed by authors so they can focus on writing compelling content and not worry about what the end product will look like.

Content rules also come in the form of taxonomies and metadata that an author can apply during the creation of the content. Once applied, the content can be stored, accessed, tracked and updated as content rules change.

Resolution 3: Streamline content review and approval Another valuable outcome from our resolution #1 (conducting a content audit) is a deeper understanding of the roles and systems involved in completing, approving, publishing and delivering content. When you know who is involved in the content lifecycle,

it’s easier to establish processes for review and approval. But even more importantly, you will uncover how these teams are managing the process.

In many cases, reviewers and approvers will admit that content is shared in the form of static documents (such as Word or PDF) through email! Imagine the version control issues and errors accumulated as teams pass redlined documents back and forth between each other and then off to a designer for more back and forth over email.

When you consider the volume of content global businesses are under pressure to produce, the lack of modern content management solutions is costing valuable time and affecting content quality.

Again, automation can come into play to ensure review processes across departments are streamlined, with the right people controlling the right documents through a centralised system.

Resolution 4: Make content reusable As mentioned in resolution #3, many organisations rely on static document types for capturing content. Once created in a Word or PDF file, for example, the content is stuck there and is very hard to access, track and update. If you need to update one paragraph from a product datasheet, for example, you will have to guess which version has the content you need, open the entire document, copy and paste the portion you need into your new document and hope the team knows where to find the new version.

This is a workflow that plagues most content teams. There is a solution however, and that is to move from creating static documents to creating reusable content components, which is a key aspect of content automation.

Instead of creating one-off documents where content is locked into a specific document and format, authors create content components that can be assembled and delivered to multiple channels.

By eliminating copying, pasting and rekeying of product information, organisations can be sure there are no conflicts between documentation, datasheets and other collateral that is delivered to multiple channels.

Resolution 5: Let’s not go through this again!

Realistically, there isn’t a quick fix to solving the magnitude of challenges that organisations face on an annual (or quarterly) basis in regards to maintaining and updating content. Changing the way people have traditionally created, managed and published content takes time, vision, commitment and leadership.

So perhaps the best resolution you could make is to start looking now at how you can modernise your content lifecycle for today’s omni-channel world. The big payoff will come next year when you can look back and see that you moved the bar, improved your business, and engaged your customers with content that’s deliver with agility.

One resolution at a time The challenge of creating multichannel content for varied audiences applies to every organisation. When automation is appropriate, the results and the return on investment are extremely valuable. Productivity goes up, time to market is reduced, and a company can support more information products without adding resources, and subsequently improve the quality of published content for better customer and employee engagement. D Gavin Drake is VP of Marketing at Quark. Quark Software Inc. develops a content automation platform that helps large organisations streamline the creation, management, publishing and delivery of businesscritical content. Its solutions automate the process with reusable Smart Content components that can be dynamically assembled and delivered with precision in any format and to any channel. www.quark.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 31

TasteTest

Mayo upgrade 2016 saw a shake-up of the sauces category with the launch of the new Heinz [Seriously] Good Mayonnaise range. Consumers were encouraged to ‘upgrade their mayonnaise’ as this indulgent product hits shelves, ready to lift everyday meals across the country.

The mayo is superbly rich, smooth and creamy tasting, made using simple, high quality ingredients, with absolutely no added colours, flavours or artificial thickeners. Consumers can choose from two varieties, Standard or Light,

available in both the Heinz glass jar, and the familiar top down squeezy bottle. www.heinz.co.uk/products/ mayonnaise

usual full fat mayo. Particularly excellent with chips!”

“I never really stray from my usual mayo brand, so I was intrigued by this new Heinz version, especially as we are very loyal to the brand for beans and tomato ketchup!” said our tester. “I was not disappointed – it was very creamy and smooth, with a lovely texture, a bit more ‘runny’ than my

Low sugar, high taste Premium soft drinks brand zeo has launched four new refreshingly crisp flavours, which all boast low sugar content and, use only naturally sourced ingredients and botanicals – all without compromising on great taste.

Zeo wants to dispel popular myths that soft drinks only contain high calories and artificial ingredients by introducing a range that contains just 30kcals per 275ml bottle.

Zeo expertly blends natural stevia from South America with pure cane sugar, which forms the base of its natural sweetness. Its impressive low sugar content categorises the soft drink as an FSA green traffic light and moreover, consumers can drink easy with the knowledge that zeo only uses natural ingredients and botanicals for all of its drinks.

The flavour range is created at zeo’s own flavour house in Holland, where the highly experienced team specialise in producing sweet and natural flavours. The flavour house has spent over five years perfecting zeo’s secret combination of 32 fruits and botanicals, which form the basis of every drink. The flavours are crafted in small batches, distilled and blended with mineral-rich spring water from the heart of England.

Even Zeo’s bright shimmering colours are extracted from nature. www.drinkzeo.com

of blood orange very well. For anyone looking for a healthy drink with genuinely fruity flavours then I would recommend a Zeo!”

“It’s hard for me to pick a favourite from these flavours as they were all so nice,” said our taster. “They were all fruity and weren’t too sweet, plus the fact they were all natural was a bonus. I think I liked the blood orange the best, it was quite sophisticated and captured the interesting flavour

Stay fresh Whether you’re a sucker or a cruncher, the new extra strong addition to the POLO Sugar Free Family is designed to revitalise your taste buds with an intense hit of flavour.

POLO Sugar Free and Sugar Free extra strong have both been accredited by the Oral Health Foundation as being ‘kind to teeth’. POLO Sugar Free mints help to protect the mouth against dental erosion by stimulating the production of saliva, the mouth’s natural defence against acid.

32 www.foodchainmagazine.com

All POLO mints are flavoured with natural mint oils to refresh breath on the go. The POLO range now includes the new sugar-free extra strong, sugar free, original and spearmint as well as Fruit POLO. www.polomint.co.uk

‘Who doesn’t love a POLO’ was the general consensus when these arrived in the office. “Having a mint on your desk, car or bag is always convenient, and these being sugar

free was even better, as I don’t have to worry about rotting my teeth either! I found that I had a lot of visits from colleagues looking for a breath freshener, and everyone loved the extra strong minty flavour. A definite winner!”

TasteTest

Bigger beer

The famous four PizzaExpress has launched a new at home pasta range inspired by its most loved restaurant dishes, so that customers can enjoy their favourite restaurant pizza topping in the comfort of their own home.

If you are looking for something hot and spicy then look no further than the PizzaExpress American Hot Ravioli.

Capturing the famous flavours of the American Hot Pizza, these beautiful ravioli pieces are stuffed with a pepperoni and hot pepper filling, all encased in free range egg pasta.

Hearty and comforting, the PizzaExpress Sloppy Giuseppe Tortelloni encases a sloppy

Giuseppe filling of spicy hot beef and pepper within a free-range egg pasta tortellini case.

It’s hard not to appreciate the simple yet satisfying combination of mozzarella and tomato. The PizzaExpress Margherita Tortelloni offers delightful bites of cheesy goodness with a sweet tomato finish. To complete the dish simply add fresh parmesan cheese and a sprig of basil.

One of PizzaExpress’ best-selling pizzas, the PizzaExpress Pollo Ad Astra Tortelloni combines chicken with a pepperdew pepper filling inside free-range egg pasta tortelloni. www.pizzaexpress.com

“These were so easy to cook at home and so convenient, I was really impressed,” said our tester. “The American Hot had a real spicy kick and I loved how the Pollo ad Astra recreated the pizza topping in a pasta variation so cleverly! For when you want a high quality but simple to make meal, these are the answer – they live up to the high quality I expect from Pizza Express.”

Savoury salami Adrienne E. Treeby, chef at Crowne & Queue charcuterie makers, has perfected the art of turning raw meat into delicious, savoury salami using the alchemy of time.

For a limited time only, her exclusive Leffe Brune infused sausages are available to buy and to savour.

Adrienne is a true connoisseur of her trade and has used her artisan skills to cultivate limited edition; Leffe beer-infused charcuterie sausages to create a unique, extraordinary, experience which will taste like nothing you have had before.

Using only lovingly raised British Heritage pork and as many locally-grown herbs as she can, Adrienne creates the unique taste to reflect the exquisite flavours that are born and raised right here in England.

Time is an essential ingredient in developing the individual flavours, which vary from dark and rich to tart and fruity. Reflecting the age-old heritage of this Leffe abbey beer, the

Leffe-infused charcuterie has been aged over time to create its distinct character and flavour.

Crown & Queue’s limited edition Leffe sausages are available to buy in a box of three for a limited time only for £18. www.crownqueuemeats.bigcartel.com

The team enlisted the help of the sales director on this product, as he is a bit of a salami connoisseur. He was very impressed by the Leffe sausages! “These were really delicious,” he said. “The beer added another level of flavour and I could tell they had been made by someone who really knew and understood what makes a great salami.”

In response to customer demand Viiking Ventures is now importing a 650ml bottle of its Goa Premium Beer.

The new sized 4.8% ABV beer adds to the original 340ml bottles.

Strong sales are being reported with the beer now available in top London venues such as The Painted Heron, La Portes des Indes and Gaylord plus leading regional restaurants such as Chilli Pickle in Brighton, Moksh in Cardiff, Bukharah in Glasgow, Ambrette restaurants in Kent and the Koh Thai Tapas chain throughout the south-west.

The beer is marketed under the ‘Come Alive’ theme embracing the hedonism of the beach party. The packaging is inspired by the Portuguese ‘azeljos’ art form of Arabic origin that is now widely seen in Goan churches and homes.

Located in south west India on the Arabian Sea coast, Goa is famous for its beaches and attracts tourists from across the globe, with many discovering excellent Goa Beers, which have not been readily available in the UK until now. www.goabeer.com

“I was attracted straight away by the bottle – I loved the bright, fun labelling – who doesn’t want to joint that party on the beach!

I also liked the size, as it is nice to have a bigger bottle to share at home. The beer itself was crisp and refreshing – I can see why it is popular in restaurants as it goes so well with a nice meal as well,” said our tester.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 33

Why repair when you can prevent?

Increase quality and extend the service life of your vending machines.

Every day, countless cups of hot beverages are purchased from vending machines. Preparing the perfect beverage in a vending machine requires a combination of factors. Reliable operation, attractive cups, user-friendly equipment – and a dependable source of excellent water – are all crucial to producing the right result, and the right revenue. All factors are equally important, but one topic is on the rise.

“If your business wants to stand out from the crowd and win customer loyalty, you need to offer products of consistently great quality”, explains Dr. Hilmar Walde, Chief Technology Officer at the leading water technology company BRITA and member of the EVA board.

Taste and appearance have become key differentiators for quality.

Coffee is a prime example. Ideally, it should match the standards today’s discerning consumers expect from a barista-staffed café. However,

contains a balanced mix of minerals, such as calcium and sodium.

Only then it has the ideal hardness for brewing hot beverages such as coffee”, he highlights.

Still service and maintenance is the key to profitability and revenue.

that means more than just rich flavor – appearance, including a classic

Therefore BRITA’s filtration systems have been designed for ease of

crema, also plays an important role. But one swallow does not make a

operation. Installation and servicing, including filter replacement,

summer – it is only a consistency within the customer’s experience that

are simple and intuitive. BRITA Professional products offer a variety

creates trust.

of tried-and-tested features: a pivoting wall mount for the filter head enables cartridges to be replaced quickly and smoothly, without special tools. The hoses remain attached to the filter head, and the machine can continue to operate thanks to an integrated bypass system. A convenient interlocking ensures that. Moreover, the filter can be rinsed and drained at the touch of a button – with no risk of water leakage.

Water as main ingredient in your recipe for success.

BRITA’s PURITY filtration systems improve the quality of the water used to prepare hot beverages in your vending machine. Moreover, BRITA-enhanced water extends the service life of your equipment.

All key components that come into contact with water are reliably protected against limescale and deposits of unwanted minerals, such as gypsum. By guarding against damage in this way, you can increase the operational availability of your valuable equipment. And by avoiding repairs and reducing maintenance effort, you generate savings that

Water of the finest quality – and easy maintenance.

boost your bottom line.

Dr. Walde asserts: “We have extensive hands-on

A beverage is only as good as its ingredients. And that applies to vending

experience of your industry.

machines, too. Aromatic coffee beans and fine teas are all-important.

As a result, we understand

But so, too, is the water that goes into each and every cup. Dr. Walde

that the combination of

points to the scientific research provided by BRTA and other mayor

excellent service – provided

players in the market like the SCAE organization: “Water has a significant

by trained professionals –

impact on the taste, aroma, and appearance of the final product.”

and user-friendly technology

Any good water filtration systems turn mains water into a liquid ideally suited to the specific needs of your vending machine. “The filtered water

34 www.foodchainmagazine.com

is key to ensuring high equipment availability.”

WITH BRITA PROFESSIONAL. Enhance your vending business’s profitability.

BRITA’s PURITY filtration systems improve the quality of the water used to prepare hot beverages in your vending machine. Moreover, BRITA-enhanced water extends the service life of your equipment.

Discover the difference now: www.brita.net

THINK YOUR WATER

The

perfect

venues

36 www.foodchainmagazine.com

The Malhotra Group PLC is rooted in family values and has built a large portfolio of venues across the North East of England that all strive for excellence

The Malhotra Group

T

he Malhotra Group PLC is a company that has gone from strength to strength and now boasts more than 25 years’ experience across a range of sectors. The company is renowned for not only being one of the leading leisure operators in the North East, but also for running a number of state-of-the art care homes along with owning a very healthy property portfolio.

The Malhotra Group’s reputation for being a market leader in the North East for its leisure brands has been gained through a combination of a strong understanding of its customer base and providing a venue – whether that be hotels, bars or restaurants – to meet that need.

To mark its 25th anniversary the company held an event where it invited all those associated with the business and thanked them for being a part of the success. This event is not just significant because of the distance The Malhotra Group PLC has travelled in under three decades, but also highlights the strong

‘

relationships with suppliers, businesses and with decision makers in the areas the company operates.

The customer-centred approach might in part be explained by the humble beginnings of the business, and this has meant that The Malhotra Group PLC never takes its customers or their feedback for granted. Its history is an insight into how hard the family that owns the company – and continues to be the majority shareholders has worked and demonstrates how successful its style of business has been: “We started after my dad came to this country. He arrived with nothing and worked in a newspaper shop and he worked his way up over the course of

Since its earliest days, the Malhotra Group and the Malhotra family have shown their business acumen, their passion for the work and their dedication to every one of their ventures

the following years to build the business that stands today,” said Atul Malhotra, the company’s Operations Director.

Loyalty card That business includes having a key stronghold in the leisure activities across Tyneside, with the company owning a number of boutique hotels, stylish bars and restaurants. One of its current projects is the transformation of the company’s Newcastle city centre hotel.

The Grade II listed Grey Street Hotel is undergoing a £1.2m, 32-week phased development programme which will boost its 46-strong workforce and put it at the forefront of the city’s hospitality sector. The first stage of the rolling programme is the refurbishment of the hotel’s 49 bedrooms, which have been individually styled to combine contemporary luxury with unique tributes to the city’s heritage.

“We like to think that we are one of the most innovative families when it comes to hospitality in Newcastle,” said Atul. This is visible through

www.foodchainmagazine.com 37

the company’s willingness to adapt to new ideas and to try to provide something that appeals to customers’ expectations and demands. An example of this within the leisure sector of the business is its loyalty card scheme, which will offer customers five pence back for every pound that they spend in any one of The Malhotra Group’s venues.

Newcastle’s leafy suburb of Gosforth and serves the mainly residential area with an affluent crowd.

In trendy Jesmond the company owns The New Northumbria Hotel and, within that, there is a second Scalini’s; a stylish and upmarket Italian restaurant, which suits the local demographic to a tee. Both of these restaurants provide a large space to enjoy a relaxed and

Perfect brands

Bidvest Foodservice

These are as easy to collect as any other well-known loyalty card scheme and can be redeemed at any of the company’s venues. This new option for clientele began in June 2016 and has already been very popular. The Malhotra Group’s real forte is providing the perfect brand for each of its location. That’s why visitors will find the Three Mile Inn, which includes a large bar and a branch of the group’s Scalini’s restaurant situated in

Bidvest Foodservice Gateshead is proud to

38 www.foodchainmagazine.com

provide foodstuffs, beer, wine and spirits to 28 Malhotra outlets. Bidvest Foodservice North East Head of Business Development Susan Justice says: “I’ve been delighted to work with the Malhotra family for nearly 25 years, starting from when there were just two care homes in their portfolio. It’s been wonderful to work with such a well-respected family run company and see their business go from strength to strength over the years.”

The Malhotra Group

D rustic Italian meal, offering something that customers from all walks of life can enjoy. The Jesmond hotel also plays host to Osbornes Bar, which offers an extensive range of premium spirits, draught lager, real ales, world beers, cocktails and a wide selection of wines.

Customers can also choose from a range of bar food options, which include light snacks and more substantial meals to accompany the drinks range and this food is inspired from foods across America and Mexico.

The company also owns two traditional pubs – the Runhead and the Sandpiper – which, again, are perfectly suited to their local audience. These venues also offer a large drinks and food selection that is tailored to the demands of its customers in the area, both offering a homely atmosphere for all who visit.

Not a company to rest on its laurels, The Malhotra Group PLC is also currently working on creating its first gin

house. It has invested £3.5 million in a redevelopment of its New Northumbria Hotel, which will result in this new exciting and creative development.

The venue will tap into the growing market for gin - and the developing taste consumers have for it. With its knowledge of the market, the company is quietly confident that its strong customer base will completely support and enjoy this new venture.

Since its earliest days, the Malhotra Group and the Malhotra family have shown their business acumen, their passion for the work and their dedication to every one of their ventures.

While this continues to pay dividends, there is never a time when they rest on their laurels – instead, their strong work ethos drives each and every generation, with no indication that this will ever change. D www.malhotragroup.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 39

www

40 www.foodchainmagazine.com

ichiban UK Ltd

Authentic sushi with a twist

ichiban UK Limited, based in Suffolk, is the UK’s largest sushi producer, and combines authentic Japanese rice cooking methods with some of the favourite flavours of the British consumer

i

chiban UK Limited aims to build and maintain a customerfocused business that provides high quality and innovative sushi and it wants its products to inspire and appeal to consumers across all sections of society. ichiban is a Japanese word meaning ‘Number one’ and it prides itself on providing every customer with what it considers to be the best possible sushi product, and believes that quality should never be compromised. In order to ensure this standard is never strayed from the company has round the clock assessors at the facility, and its site maintains the highest BRC accreditation level (Double A), as well as a five star EHO food safety rating. The products themselves combine the traditional Japanese

Andrew Wilkinson

methods of sushi production with modern flavours aimed at a UK market, which has helped the business to bring sushi to an increasingly growing number of consumers.

It has a team of experts that understand both sushi and the demands of the customer, this ensures that its portfolio of products always remain at the forefront of the market.

The company offers a large sushi range of different types that can act as a quick snack or as a substantial lunch, which provides the market with something that both looks beautiful and is exciting to eat, making it a genuine alternative to sandwiches.

In addition to it being a more interesting meal than traditional lunch options in the UK, ichiban’s sushi

also appeals to the growing demand for healthy foods. Similarly, there are an increasing number of consumers in the UK that are concerned with gluten. ichiban is targeting this demographic with a range of products, and one of which has been successful and received several awards as head of commercial Karen Mitchell elaborated: “We have been shortlisted this year for two separate Q Awards, both for our gluten-free Tesco chicken and katsu sauce sushi rice box.

The market for gluten-free products is growing significantly year-on-year, whether from a health or lifestyle choice.

We realised there was an obvious gap within the Tesco food-to-go range for a good gluten-free option.”

The awards demonstrate ichiban’s constant desire to create interesting

www.foodchainmagazine.com 41

products that are targeted at what its customers want and this has been at the heart of the company’s values since its beginning. It believes in combining authentic Japanese methods of sushi with flavours that are popular in the UK, helping to create sushi designed with

Charpak Charpak has been designing innovative, world-class Thermo-formed packaging for the past 32 years and is confident it can offer clients the best possible packaging solution for their products and brands.

Charpak’s focus is on designing packaging that adds value to the product leading to an increase in sales. The design team work on initial concepts through to the finished product. It provides initial rendered drawings enabling the customer to make decisions on how their product will look on-shelf, and produces prototypes in-house which enables its customers to show the product to their customers. The company knows its market, can offer excellent technical support and in-house tooling and prototyping that adds value to the clients packaging and the brand. Charpak believes in working collaboratively with its customers to ensure it gives the best possible service to its clients.

Charpak guarantees to find a solution to its clients’ needs and always delivers on time.

42 www.foodchainmagazine.com

the consumer’s tastes at the centre.

This has clearly been an overwhelming success, as ichiban is now the largest UK producer of sushi.

Cooking by hand ichiban believes that it is essential to retain certain authenticities when making sushi, otherwise the flavour will suffer, and that is why the company continues to make its rice in the traditional method, which managing director Andrew Wilkinson elaborated upon: “A key strength of the business is the quality of the product, and in order for customers to buy it again it must have the best raw materials, and the quality of our sushi rice is absolutely key to this. We have first learnt and then successfully implemented all the tips, tricks, and techniques needed to help us produce the best quality authentic Japanese sushi rice here in England, all of which

ichiban UK Ltd is hand cooked in traditional rice ovens in five kilogramme batch sizes using individual pots.”

The philosophy of ichiban is not just of creating high quality and innovative sushi, it also believes in doing so in an environmentally responsible manner.

This is why it has invested heavily to create a business that follows a green philosophy. Its factory, located in Earl Stonham, Suffolk, has seen a number of improvements to help reduce its carbon footprint, some of which Andrew stated: “We installed a brand new biomass boiler to remove the need for us to use 300,000 litres of kerosene, which has meant we now use none at all. Also, all our hot water is heated by woodchip, and we have replaced all our factory lights with LED lighting, throughout the business we have become very green orientated.”

Its success in this area has also been recognised with awards, which Karen

explained: “We were very honoured to receive the accolade of Suffolk’s Greenest Business this year - the award is designed to acknowledge regional businesses that have actively demonstrated and implemented positive environmental changes. One of our key business aims remains to continuously reduce our carbon footprint and overall environmental impact.”

Due to ichiban having won a number of awards for its products and the approach it has taken to be a greener business, the company is clearly leading the market in many ways. This was further demonstrated when it was shortlisted for a second business award in 2016 by the East Anglian Daily Times, and on this achievement Karen said: “It was a real triumph and cements a successful year of industry wide recognition.” ichiban is determined to build on this success with more investments into its site, which will ensure the company has the capacity and capabilities in place to meet the growing demand for sushi. All of the awards, new products, and expanding facilities no doubt suggest that ichiban will continue to be the first choice sushi provider in the UK for many years to come. D www.ichibanuk.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 43

Cool runnings

One of the UAE’s fastest growing food distribution companies, AKM Food Stuff Trading LLC has been included on the top Dubai 100 SME list for its swift expansion and its growth of 40 per cent CAGR (compound annual growth rate) over the last six years 44 www.foodchainmagazine.com

AKM Foods

F

ocused on quality, reliability and integrity, Dubai headquartered AKM Foods caters to the retail, food service and wholesale markets that require fresh, high quality produce to be delivered in an efficient and competent manner. The company’s products are divided into five segments: fish and seafood, meat and poultry, frozen vegetables, dairy products and appetisers, all of which are stored and delivered in a manner that ensures superior quality in both flavour and shape.

Within the company’s fish and seafood segment, available products include frozen fish fillet and fish steaks such as cream dhori fillet, rohu steaks and pangusius steaks. Freshwater and wholefish, meanwhile, includes rohu, horina, tengra, milk fish, koi and keski; squid, cuttle fish and frozen shrimps are also available as well as other fish and sea food products. Within the meat and poultry range are chicken grillers, chicken breasts, chicken leg quarters, chicken livers, Australian lamb, six way cuts, veal tenderloins and Bobby veal beef. Frozen vegetables include corn

on the cob, broccoli, carrots, spinach, mixed vegetables and green peas; dairy products include blocks of mozzarella and cheddar, pure ghee cubed paneer, milk powder, UHT milk and butter.

Appetisers range from French fries, onion rings, jalapeno balls and samosas to hash browns, pizzas, chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks and breaded mushrooms.

Seeking to be the supply chain partner that its customers need through flexibility and high standards to service, AKM Foods maintains positive relationships with both customers and suppliers; in

www.foodchainmagazine.com 45

AKM Foods addition to this, the company also sources world-class products that it delivers via its own distribution team.

“We at AKM Foods focus mainly on frozen food products such as poultry, beef, seafood, vegetables, appetizers and fruit pulps, for example. We also have our own brands, Country Greens, Searock and Carnival, which are for vegetable, seafood and meat products respectively. Catering to the mass market, we wish to offer value for money to clients in an intensely competitive environment; to provide this service we are looking to form strong relationships with reliable partners who are making products within our business segments.

We want them to supply our private label brands and grow with us in the region,” says Ajit Mishra, Managing Director of AKM Foods.

Award recognition Looking back at AKM Food’s success story over the last six years, the company began operations in a rented office in Dubai and a rented coldstore in Al Quoz in 2010. In 2011 the company set up captive stores with space for 400 pallets in Al Quoz, before responding to market demand by moving to a larger, fully integrated facility with 10,000 pallets spaces in DIP two years later.

In 2014 the company set up AKM shipping and logistics services and went onto receive an SME 100 award in 2015; reaching number 37 out of 100, the young company was chosen by the crown prince of Dubai for its fast expansion and exciting developments.

Discussing this milestone in the company’s history, Ajit commented: “This is a great honour as it brings small and upcoming companies

Mondial Foods As Mondial Foods we started dealing with AKM Foodstuff almost a decade ago. As their supplier from Holland we were able to grow our business together with them in the Middle East markets. Besides commercial achievements, we mutually value business ethics, credibility, loyalty and friendship.

Mondial Foods in Holland are one of the leading Dutch export companies working in the field of fresh and frozen foods with worldwide coverage.

Mondial Foods deal in poultry, meat, vegetables, potato products and dairy to almost every segment of the food industry; bulk-packed, catering & consumer pack for the wholesale trade and retail sector.

in the region, Moreover, the location of the facility, known as the heart of the logistics industry in the Middle East and wider region, also provides networking opportunities as it is a solid platform for companies similar to AKM Foods and AKM Logistics to connect, not only with clients and possible business partners, but also important global markets.

into focus. We are now invited to all major government initiatives and get approached frequently by local and international companies seeking partnerships following this recognition.”

The trend for expansion continued in 2016, with AKM Foods relocating to the South of Dubai, in Dubai Investment Park, a development that resulted in an additional 12,000 pallets capacity for frozen, chilled and ambient products.

This location has temperatures varying in range, from -18 degrees Celsius to 18 degrees Celsius, which offers further opportunities for AKM Foods to deliver a value added service to its growing customer base. Features of this 65,000 sq ft warehouse include state-of-theart SCM/inventory solutions, cutting edge mobile racking, automated cargo displacement/docking and offloading facilities. This additional facility is also complemented by AKM Foods’ new office in Oman, which means the company’s presence has expanded from Dubai to Oman.

Operational advantages Enabling easier access to the perishables market for SMEs in the UAE and wide region, the new 24/7 food products distribution, repacking and storage facility is a reflection of the company’s plans to further expand its third party logistics activities. In fact, AKM Foods’ AKM Logistics division aims to add 50,000 pallet spaces by 2020; the company also seeks to expand into food related cost-effective processing facilities for food importers

“This integrated facility has in-house shipping and clearing areas as well as storage and distribution locations; we also have our own distribution vans and a dedicated team ready to serve our diversified supplier base and loyal customers. These strengths, alongside our strong financial discipline, provides us with many operational advantages over our competitors,” reveals Ajit.

Indeed, aware that logistics is not more merely about pallet space and four walls for storage, the company has strived to understand the total needs for new players in the market and facilitated its customers business at all levels of service. This commitment to delivering a high quality solution to customers has played an integral role in the company’s success in the market as it has developed a solid reputation for providing optimum satisfaction.

Having established a solid platform for further growth, the future looks positive for AKM Foods as it progresses with plans to create new partnerships with suppliers in Europe.

“Food suppliers from Europe need to dedicate time and money on brand building and also work with local partners to penetrate the growing market,” says Ajit. “When it comes to market developments, the new theme for the next SME shortlist is innovation, so we are now trying to see what innovative solutions we can bring to our processes, which will thus enable us to stay ahead of the competition,” he concludes. D www.akmfoods.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 47

48 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Chelmsford Star Co-Operative Society Ltd

Star power New look store

Due to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2017, Chelmsford Star Co-Operative Society Ltd. represents a vital part of the local community with a portfolio of operations including convenience stores, funeral directors and department stores

Celtech Group We are delighted to be the retail technology partners of Chelmsford Star.

Working alongside Barry and his team in a highly collaborative and productive manner means that we operate as partners working towards a common goal, rather than a supplier/client relationship. This makes it so much more rewarding. Celtech’s retail and customer-facing solutions enable Chelmsford Star to truly put its members at the heart of the business, and we wish the management team further success with the growth of the store estate.

T

he rich history of the Chelmsford Star CoOperative Society Ltd. began when iron foundry workers established the business in Chelmsford during 1867, with the intention of becoming ‘the Star of the County.’

Braintree Co-operative Society merged with Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society in 1969 to create the currently structured co-operative society, retaining the name Chelmsford Star. From its relatively humble beginnings the society has grown through prudent investment, insightful management and the support of members and other customers to become a significant trading presence throughout mid-Essex. “Our core business is within the food market with 39 convenience stores, however the Chelmsford Star Co-Operative Society also comprises one off license, a petrol forecourt, two post offices with another three planned for 2016, two department

stores, two travel agents and seven funeral directors,” elaborates Chelmsford Star Co-Operative Society CEO, Barry Wood.

“We also have a handful of commercial properties and residential flats above shops but Food is by far our biggest area.”

Today the Chelmsford Star Co-Operative generates an annual turnover of £101 million, trading in Braintree, Chelmsford, Ingatestone, Danbury, Writtle, Hockley, Canvey Island, South Benfleet, Tilbury and Shoeburyness. At the core of the society’s formation was a vision to meet the needs of its members and ultimately sharing the company’s profits with them.

The Chelmsford Star Co-Operative’s mission is to work together giving life and meaning to the Co-operative’s unique position in the market by trading ethically in order to share its success and serve, support and sustain local communities.

The Co-Operative business believes in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others,

www.foodchainmagazine.com 49

which has led to increasing levels of focus on developing trade with local food producers.

Local focus In addition to being a good fit with the Chelmsford Star Co-Operative’s commitment to working in partnership with the local community, its increased collaboration with local suppliers is also on-trend with the demands of the wider food market. Indeed, YouGov Omnibus research, conducted on behalf of East of England Co-op in June 2015, shows that 79 per cent of adults think it’s important that people in Britain buy locally sourced produce. The report also noted that despite this only 30 per cent of the people interviewed had actually bought locally sourced food in the past week, which was largely attributed to a lack of buying options. Within this sector the Chelmsford Star Co-Operative has proven to be ahead of the curve in the

50 www.foodchainmagazine.com

‘The Only Way Is Local’ producers at the Essex Food Festival tent

Retail Express Retail Express is a UK based software and consultancy company providing pricing promotions & merchandising functionality to support mid- to largescale retailers.

Retail Express develops software solutions and strategies to respond to highly competitive markets in an era of well-informed price sensitive consumers.

From the start, Retail Express helps you mould a strategy and approach that will deliver the optimum go-to-market package for you and your customers, utilising its industry leading Pricing, Promotions and Predictive Analytics technologies.

These are some of the reasons that Chelmsford Star, along with other cooperatives like Midcounties, turned to Retail Express’ merchandising solutions.

convenience store market, by acting swiftly to further develop its relationships with local suppliers. “As a company we have traditionally dabbled in local foods for a number of years, however in 2013 we decided that the market for local foods was one that was growing and fit well into our focus of being at the heart of the community. Therefore it didn’t make sense to not try to raise our game in this area and take the opportunity seriously. Our local food programme is called the ‘Only Way is Local’, which being ten minutes away from Brentwood is obviously a play on the name ‘The Only Way is Essex.’ The brand is well recognised by shoppers and has grown well during the years, with the turnover for local food topping £1.8 million in 2015,” Barry reveals.

“This allows us to demonstrate to both shoppers and members how we are different to other convenience food options and the benefits of shopping

Chelmsford Star Co-Operative Society Ltd with the society in terms of good service, quality products ands the reward of a dividend to members.

“We can also highlight the benefits of the society to the community, which extends to being more than just a local convenience store,” he continues.

“In fact out of every pound that is spent in our stores, 32p is returned to the community in some way, be that through wages, paying local suppliers and charity work. I think that this is an important message to share that onethird of every pound stays in the local area, which in terms of what constitutes local food can also mean adjoining counties at times.”

years. “The refurbishment strategy was something that we embarked on during 2014, when it became clear that the quality of convenience stores in the market generally was improving,” Barry concludes. “We have completed 12 stores, with another store being refurbished at the moment and we are

currently planning to do another six next year. Once all of the stores across our estate are completed, we feel that we will have a superior shopping environment for both our members and customers that can compete with anyone else on the market.” D www.chelmsfordstar.coop

New store openings As well as increasing its relationships with local food producers, Chelmsford Star Co-Operative Society is also furthering its presence within the community through the acquisition of new stores throughout its trading area. In recent years the company has operated with a strategy of seeking to open a new store every 12 months, expanding to include new stores in Leigh-on-Sea and Dagenham during 2016. “We have always had a desire to grow, as we are a relatively small society when compared to societies such as the East of England and Southern counties,” Barry says.

“This year we will hopefully have added four stores to the portfolio, meaning that our store numbers will have grown by ten per cent and that will represent a good year. The new stores in Leigh-onSea and Dagenham are already trading and all being well the other two will be in operation by Christmas. We would also like to open another store in 2017 and hope to continue to grow on that basis.”

This continued expansion in the Society’s presence is being undertaken at the same time as a programme of store refurbishment across its locations, with local businesses such as Envirosigns Ltd. and Figaro Flooring Designs Ltd. providing works at several sites. This refurbishment programme forms a further facet in the Chelmsford Star Co-Operative Society’s intention to create a better environment for its members and the wider community over the coming

New colleagues at a recent acquisition in Leigh On Sea

www.foodchainmagazine.com 51

Healthy food made easy

52 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Heemskerk fresh & easy

Heemskerk fresh & easy provides customers across Europe with fresh, tasty and engaging vegetable or fruit based products

H

eemskerk is a leading supplier of healthy foods, which come in a range of forms for a diverse range of consumers and are largely under private labels and sold through retailers and fastfood service. It provides products that are targeted at everything, from a quick snack that is good for the customer, to vegetables for lunch or dinner. In all its activities Heemskerk works with the consumer’s needs and lifestyle in mind, and it combines this with its long tradition of quality.

Since it was founded in 1960, the company has changed a great deal and has gone from operating out of a small shed, to a facility of 26,000 square metres, and continues to grow. The company has also seen the introduction of more automation with the use of robots, once again a stark reminder of how far the business has come. This is also reflected by the fact that it is now one of the ten largest vegetable processing companies in Europe, and this significant achievement has taken many decades of hard work to reach. However, it continues to

www.foodchainmagazine.com 53

aim even higher, and plans to build upon previous achievements through constant innovation and broadening the markets it supplies across Europe, as Commercial Director Jantine Heemskerk discussed: “We continue to invest in process optimisation, which means new production lines, new techniques, and employees that specialise in methods to achieve quality.” This will no doubt mean that Heemskerk has the capability to meet the customer’s changing tastes, lifestyles, and growing demand for healthy food in the future.

Targeted approach While Heemskerk has clearly grown and evolved over the years, many features have remained the same at the business, and one that has continued to grow in importance is the absolute priority it places on quality. It is this word that underpins everything that Heemskerk does, every supplier

54 www.foodchainmagazine.com

it uses and every product it makes, all must be of the highest standard.

In order to ensure this, it works with suppliers through long-term contracts that allow strong partnerships to be built, which means that the company can be confident it is working with the best. Jantine added: “We do not use chemicals, it is all natural and this is something we have believed in for many years. It is also something we aim to continue in the future, and we want our customer to know that our products are clean and natural.”

In contrast to its long-standing commitment to quality Heemskerk has changed the way that it approaches product development. The early years of the business featured a product-focused attitude, whereas now Heemskerk places huge importance on targeting what it produces to its customers’ requirements. Jantine elaborated further on this approach: “We have a strong

Heemskerk fresh & easy

‘

Heemskerk is not only making being healthy easy, it is also making it enjoyable, and breaking the myth that what is good for you can’t taste great

focus on understanding the market and on what the consumers want, and in order to build up a full picture of this we do a lot of research. This involves understanding the changing behaviours and views towards fruit and vegetables, and a shift in the role food has in the customer’s lifestyle. We not only look at the general consumer of our products, but we also look at those that shop at retailers or fast food chains that we supply. This means that we

can combine our knowledge about shoppers behaviour in general with what specifically relates to each of the retailers and fast food outlets we supply. This better places us to target our products to specific groups of consumers, and create a tailor-made service.”

Healthy options It is thanks to this strategy that the company has developed a range of products that help to satisfy its customer’s needs.

It used to just provide products for the evening meal, however now it offers a wide range which includes precut vegetables, prepared meals, salads, snacks, breakfast products, fruit salads and many more. These all help to provide the customer with

www.foodchainmagazine.com 55

56 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Heemskerk fresh & easy real options throughout the day, and offer healthy food that is easy and flexible, which makes Heemskerk’s products perfect for the modern consumer.

Happy customers The demand for healthy food that is accessible for consumers does not look like stopping anytime soon, and it will no doubt become increasingly important across Europe. This will likely mean that Heemskerk’s current turnover of approximately €120 million will only increase further. That success will be supported by the extensive market research the company conducts, which has enabled it to create products that appeal to the latest consumer demands. Heemskerk is not only making being healthy easy, it is also making it enjoyable, and breaking the myth that what is good for you can’t taste great.

Therefore, whether it is through supplying retailers or fast food outlets with its high quality healthy products, Heemskerk looks set to take its fruit and vegetables to even more customers across Europe. In conclusion Jantine said: “I really believe that when people see that

healthy food is not only something you must do but something you want to do then that is the key to a healthier life. The result of which is you feel healthier, you feel happy, and are more productive, and everyone wants to be happy and healthy.” D www.wheemskerk.nl

Jantine Heemskerk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 57

A classic

twist

With flavours ranging from classic lightly salted to more adventurous options including its hugely popular crispy bacon and maple syrup, Portlebay Popcorn manufactures a range of popcorn products that combine a familiar treat with high quality and a unique twist 58 www.foodchainmagazine.com

S

ince the company was originally incorporated in 2012, Portlebay Popcorn has developed as a small Devonbased business that delivers big taste with its exciting range of both sweet and savoury popcorn varieties. Founded on the promise to deliver great tasting, fun and interesting food, Portlebay Popcorn originally launched with five flavours in 2013 comprised of its Classic Slightly Sweet and Lightly Salted; Crispy Bacon and Maple Syrup; Chilli and Lime; Wasabi and Sweet Ginger; and Orchard Wood Smoked Cheddar varieties.

During the following year the company introduced a further three lines in a sweetened range of popcorn in response to continued consumer interest.

These flavours included its innovative Cinnamon Swirl, Very Berry and Lemon Sherbet packs, which were soon followed by its exotic Cappuccino line.

While Portlebay Popcorn first began production during 2013, the development of the company was actually some years in the making. The decision to establish the business was taken by the former Burt’s Potato Chips employees Jonty White, Neil Adams and Steve Wardlaw as early as 2008. Key to the formation of Portlebay Popcorn was the ambition to develop a unique and high quality product, which led to the invention of the company’s Kracklecorn popcorn. “Jonty, Steve and myself had actually decided to form Portlebay Popcorn some time ago after perceiving

Portlebay Popcorn

a surge in popcorn in the US, however during 2008 popcorn was not really on consumers’ radar here in the UK. We therefore decided to hold off for a short time and by 2012 the timing for us as individuals was right as we were all leaving Burt’s for one reason or another.

During that year we took another trip to America and ordered all of the relevant equipment and located a factory space here in Devon, before finally beginning production in 2013,” explains Portlebay Popcorn Director and Co-Founder, Neil Adams. “We decided that we would make our product unique by cooking it in oil and raw cane sugar, which gives the product a real crunch that we felt was lacking in existing popcorn products. All of our initial popcorn lines also included a sweet and savoury element, which was unlike anything else on the market at the time.”

pop before sending the popcorn along the production line to be seasoned.

These kettles were purchased from C. Cretors & Company in the US, which represents the popcorn industry’s leading manufacturer of production equipment,” Neil explains. “We also worked with a local Devon-based company to develop a bespoke piece of equipment that removes sugar lumps and un-popped corn kernels from the production line. While there is nothing wrong with these unpopped kernels, we wanted to make sure that the customer only receives

premium popcorn in each bag. The new equipment has a huge success rate and eliminates 99.9 per cent of these unwanted elements from the production line.”

Presently Portlebay Popcorn sells its products to a broad demographic of customers who are looking to enjoy a familiar snack that delivers a unique flavour experience. The company’s Crispy Bacon and Maple Syrup line has been so successful that one of the UK’s leading supermarkets has recently introduced its own version of the product. However, for consumers looking for the original and the best product that is manufactured inhouse for the most satisfying results, Portlebay Popcorn is available from a growing base of retailers. “We currently sell to independent delis, farm shops and retailers, as well as directly to the customer through Amazon.co.uk. We have a huge network of wholesalers that filter out to our independent clients and have begun to supply larger multiple stores such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Booths in the north of England and Budgens throughout the UK,” Neil concludes. “Most of our feedback comes back through social media, which continues to help us deliver new products. We are keen to grow and in the future export will become more of a focus alongside increasing our presence in larger chains throughout the UK.” D www.portlebaypopcorn.com

Cooked by hand Unlike many competing companies within the snack popcorn sector, Portlebay Popcorn is able to fully manufacture all of its own products, rather than relying on third party brand label producers. This allows the company to employ cutting edge manufacturing equipment to completely control production and guarantee the highest levels of quality. “We initially purchased a brand new production line of six small hand popping kettles, which are manned by a single member of staff who hand feeds the corn product, sugar and oil and allows the corn to

www.foodchainmagazine.com

59

The best of the sea Hawesta-Feinkost Hans Westphal GmbH & Co. KG produces a range of high quality canned fish products that are not only loved in Germany but in growing export markets across the world

60 www.foodchainmagazine.com

H

awesta-Feinkost Hans Westphal GmbH & Co. KG is a medium-sized company with over 100 years of tradition in the processing of fish. Since its foundation in 1909 by Hans and Maria Westphal, Hawesta has stood for first-class quality, distinctive taste and special care of the product. Due to its many years of experience and knowledge it only uses the best raw materials, which are examined in its laboratory, and all phases of the process are controlled in accordance to the principles of a modern quality system.

Also, with its long-standing tradition of processing fish and its 90 years of managing and marketing the brand ‘Hawesta’ it is now one of the bestknown and most popular canned fish brands in Germany.

The company entered a new era in 2009 when it was taken over by Rügen Fisch AG, which allowed Hawesta to make significant investments in the business. Plant manager and procurement director Uwe Peper provided an insight into some of the investments: “Since 2009 we have invested every year, however it was in 2010 that we saw the biggest investment, and this was a €1 million that went into our brand new sauce

production. Also, over the last few years we have invested approximately €500,000 every year, which has been in the form of new machines, packaging equipment, improvements to the facility, infrastructure, and the transport system. Another area that has received significant improvement is our production floor - we have a production area of 12,000 square metres and a site of approximately 23,000 square metres that we have improved.”

In addition to these improvements there is also a currently process underway to bring a major refreshment to the brand and revamp its website.

Hawesta is already a popular and wellknown brand, however it recognises the importance of continued development and taking its products to a larger consumer base. In December 2017 it will introduce a new look, with new boxes and packaging designs that will combine a younger appearance with the traditional colours of the company, and will have a polaroid picture on the lid to show its contents. It is this kind of customer targeted approach to combine its traditional values and standards with flavours and packaging that appeal to a modern consumer.

Due to this focus on its target audience the company has recently

Hawesta undergone an extensive market research process, as Uwe discussed: “We ensured that we understand what our customers want and who they are, which includes what preferences they might have, and what the customer structure is.” It is information from this research that has influenced the new packaging, and new products.

For example, the company is creating a range of tuna products, which will tap into the popular demand for this fish. The forward thinking nature of Hawesta is not just restricted to the new tuna products, and is indicative of a broader attitude at the company, and has also manifested in its approach to new inventions: “We are working with a chef who is helping advance new ideas and challenge convention, and this will result in a number of new creations. He is taking more old-fashioned sauces and bringing a fresh interpretation aimed at the current market.”

The addition of new products will add to the already extensive portfolio of canned fish that Hawesta offers its customers. The range of flavours includes the classic and best selling fish fillet in tomato sauce, herring fillet in mustard cream, and herring fillet in many more variations. Hawesta also has product lines that use other seafood, and some of these include mackerel, salmon and mussel meat, and will soon contain tuna. In all of its products (wildcaught) it is MSC certified and this demonstrates

the commitment the company has to sustainable and responsible sourcing of its raw materials. Hawesta helps to maintain healthy and stable stocks of fish for the future, and the end result of this is a high quality product that is better for the seas, better for the business, and better for the customer.

Hawesta has a long history and is a firm favourite for many in Germany and across the world, and appeals to all generations and any demographic.

However, the company also understands that it cannot rest on this achievement alone and that it must continue to appeal to the changing tastes and demands of its consumers. This not only means in terms of the contents of its product and its flavours, but also in terms of its visuals and brand recognition. Hawesta is ensuring that its market leading products remain the first choice of its customer for many years to come. D www.hawesta.de

www.foodchainmagazine.com 61

Taking

stock London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) is a world leading financial infrastructure company, built on foundations that stretch back for centuries

62 www.foodchainmagazine.com

T

racing its roots to 1698, when John Castaing began listing stock and commodity prices at Jonathan’s coffee house in the City, London Stock Exchange evolved throughout the 18th century. In 1801, it began inviting members to join on a formal subscription basis. Today, London Stock Exchange is the world’s most international exchange, as nearly 2500 companies from more than 90 countries are quoted across its markets, with a combined value of £4.4 trillion.

As Marcus Stuttard, Head of UK Primary Markets and Head of AIM at LSEG began by explaining, London Stock Exchange’s markets include the Main Market – London’s flagship venue for equity, debt and exchange traded products, offering businesses access to Europe’s most liquid pool of capital – and AIM – the world’s leading market for small and growing companies. He gave more details about AIM: “Since its launch in 1995 AIM has helped more than 3650 companies raise

nearly £100 billion,” he said. “AIM is a tremendous success story for Britain, supporting the re-balancing of the economy away from debt towards equity and boosting access to vital growth finance for thousands of ambitious businesses. Equity funding enables companies to concentrate on innovation, growth and job creation, rather than having to prioritise serving a loan.”

Marcus continued: “In June 1995, the market was launched with just ten companies and an aggregate value of £82 million. More than 20 years later, AIM is now the world’s most successful and established market for growth companies. Our statistics show that in 2005, the average AIM company had a valuation of £17 million at admission and raised £5 million at IPO. This year, the average new AIM company is worth more than £95 million and raised over £30 million - these significant increases reflect AIM’s international profile and the deep pool of capital available to companies joining the market.”

London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) He added: “When looking at AIM I think it is also important to take into account the impact the market and the companies quoted on it have on the real economy. Figures for the latest year available show companies who raised capital on AIM, instead of borrowing from banks, created 731,000 jobs, paid £2.3 billion in tax and contributed £25 billion alone to UK GDP.” While AIM and the Main Market are obviously hugely significant operations, they are not LSEG’s only sources of business. It also operates a broad range of international equity, bond and derivatives markets, including Borsa Italiana; MTS, Europe’s leading fixed income market; and Turquoise, a pan-European equities MTF. It also offers post trade and risk management services, an extensive range of realtime and reference data products, and indexing and analytic solutions.

LSEG is also a leading developer of high performance trading platforms and capital markets software, plus it also organises a range of events, as well as undertaking research projects and creating reports, which are part of LSEG’s broader support for high growth companies including the business support programme, ELITE. Examples of two such reports produced by LSEG have the aim of celebrating the fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The first edition of 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain was launched in 2013, and identifies inspiring companies, as well as demonstrating the continued strength of British business and the thriving entrepreneurial spirit taking hold across the country. 1000 Companies to Inspire Europe was launched in 2016 – Marcus explained that this report is designed to shine a light on European growth companies and the role they can play in driving economic growth in Europe.

“If properly supported, we believe these companies will create high-quality jobs and economic growth. Across the Euro area, SMEs are responsible for two-thirds of jobs and 60 per cent of value added to the business economy,” he stated.

When creating these reports, LSEG ensures that the requirements that

companies have to achieve really set them apart in the market: “For the UK report companies must be active and registered in the UK, with revenues between £6m-£250m. Positive revenue growth must have been recorded in three of the last four years but most importantly, for companies to be included they must have outperformed their sector peers. The result is a showcase of UK businesses that is richer and more varied than, we believe, in any other report of its type.

“We effectively replicated this exercise for our European edition but changed the parameters for inclusion – companies must have revenues between €20m and €300m and must outperform country peers rather than sector peers. The long-list is split among the EU 28 countries according to every country’s contribution to the EU GDP.” Thanks to LSEG’s dedicated research and stringent methodologies, each report examines in detail the opportunities and challenges facing SMEs and looks at the sectors and trends that will shape the future of the UK/European economies. Adding some details from the UK report, Marcus said: “Without doubt, many of these companies find identifying and accessing the right form of long-term financing a challenge. More than half of Britain’s smaller companies resort to credit cards to fund their business, with just three per cent of entrepreneurs in

the UK making use of equity finance.

At London Stock Exchange Group we constantly see the benefits companies experience from using equity finance and are committed to supporting them throughout their growth journey. That’s why we publish our 1000 companies report and run our ELITE business support and mentoring programme for private high growth companies that want help to prepare for future investment.”

For those SME’s looking for finance options, they can gain confidence from AIM’s longevity and proven success – the market celebrated two decades in operation in 2015, and the track record and the proven resilience of the AIM community provides LSEG with the best evidence for success that it could wish for. “Whilst most international growth markets have stagnated or disappeared over the years, AIM has prospered, and has continued to evolve through the business cycles,” agreed Marcus.

“Our goal for the future is to support companies by providing access to investors that can provide genuinely long term capital to support companies long term development plans. We want more of the UK’s exciting manufacturers to become global leaders in their fields and are confident that the capital, credibility and profile that AIM can provide can help them accelerate their growth.” D www.lseg.com/resources/1000companies-inspire

www.foodchainmagazine.com 63

64 www.foodchainmagazine.com

PTC Germany GmbH

Quality

comes first

PTC’s scallops fresh prepared

With several years of industry experience and a tightly controlled supply chain, PTC Germany GmbH is a leading specialist in the production, trade and distribution of both fresh and frozen fish products

O

perating from its headquarters located in the town of Kempen in the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Product Trade Centre Germany (PTC) is a leading enterprise that was recently named as one of the London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Europe 2016. The company was founded in December 2009 before later

opening its Bremerhaven production site during 2010 and offers an extensive range of frozen and fresh fish products that can be purchased from its in-house production facilities. Over the subsequent years PTC has expanded to include processing plants within Poland, Africa, Cambodia and Turkey, while it was also announced that the company has taken control of a new production plant built close to the city of Smederevo, Serbia.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 65

PTC Germany GmbH The first phase of the Serbian production hall encompasses 6000m2 of manufacturing space as well as 2.5km of road and supplementary infrastructure, resulting from an investment valued at around €3 million.

In addition the manufacturing plant, the City of Smederevo has also constructed 500m2 of supporting cold storage, while PTC also plans to open an additional fish farm in the region. At the moment PTC is finalising its plans for phase two and phase three of their project in Serbia. Phase two will include a 6000m2 manufacturing hall for the production of shrimps and value added products.

Phase three will include a 6000m2 fish smoking plant for the production of smoked tuna and smoked trout.

Phase two and three will be will be fully operational in Q2/Q3 2018.

PTC’s longline A-quality Tuna steak

Supply chain control The construction of the new facility is the result of an announcement from PTC during 2015 that was considering relocating its production operations from Vietnam and China to Serbia, due to the region’s business technology and logistical advantages.

With its far-reaching network of manufacturing facilities and logistics support, PTC is able to reach retail markets across the world. Indeed the company is able to present itself as a forward-looking, reliable and flexible partner throughout the retail and wholesales sectors. “We are able to develop long-lasting relationships with our clients by demonstrating that we are in control of the entire supply chain, which means that we can guarantee a high reaching and consistent level of quality. PTC is very transparent in giving its customers prices and offer and it is our goal to be one of the leading seafood suppliers in the world within the next five to ten years, so it PTC’s HQ stationed in Kempen, Germany

One of PTC’s aquaculture farms in Turkey

is very important for us to work closely with supermarkets and wholesalers, not simply as suppliers but also as partners,” reveals Purchasing Director, Jan van Asperen. “We can show our customers what we do, how we do it and what the exact price will be. This means that clients can see the entire supply chain, which gives them a much-improved view when compared to what they would have had in the past. Previously there were around ten companies that would respond to supply tenders and the customer would simply pick the cheapest one without knowing what raw materials were sourced, which facilities were implemented or if chemical treatments were used. All of these things could be an issue if they are unknown and we are able to remove that risk.”

Quality is at the heart of the PTC

service offering, allowing the company to offer excellent fresh and frozen fish products, as well as a fully traceable on trusted supply chain. Furthermore, while PTC is fully aware of its responsibility towards its customers and end consumers, it is also deeply aware of the importance of the environment and therefore works according to several sustainability standards including ASC and MSC. In order to ensure the quality of its comprehensive portfolio of fish products, the company carries out intensive quality control checks at its Kempen headquarters in addition to internal quality control operations at its production plants. Further to both in-house and external quality checks into its processed fish stocks, PTC also implements sustainable production techniques during its manufacturing processes to produce a product that its both sustainable and of the highest quality.

Throughout the company’s history, PTC has continued to invest in creating an open and sustainable supply chain that ensures that the business has full control of the production of fish products form the sourcing of raw materials to delivery. As a result of the development of this vertical supply chain, PTC represents a unique service offering that redefines what is possible in terms of quality within the fresh and frozen fish industry. During the coming years the business is expected to double in size by the end of 2016 and again in 2017. Over the subsequent years PTC aims to continue, to expand and to become one of the leading frozen and fresh fish supplier in the market. D www.ptc-europe.de

Kotra LOGISTICS Kotra LOGISTICS, a partner in the transportation, storage, and handling of fresh and frozen fish and live seafood, distributes daily from HACCP standards compliant conditioned distribution centres in the Netherlands, Denmark and France for clients from all over Europe. Day and night, an up-to-date fleet (± 150 units) travels through Europe. All FRC certified, with advanced cooling/ freezing facilities, to distribute your products quickly, at the right temperature, and under the right conditions.

66 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Starwood Hotels and Resorts

Global luxury

Since its merger with Marriott International Starwood Hotels is now part of the world’s largest and best hotel company

W

ith 1270 properties, employing over 180,000 people across 100 countries it will not come as a surprise that Starwood Hotels is one of the largest and leading hotel companies in the world. Under a number of internationally renowned brands, like The Luxury Collection, Le Méridien, Sheraton, W Hotels and Aloft, the company caters for a number of needs with hotels and resorts providing economy-grade to luxury havens for any corporate or leisure customer.

Customer service inevitably plays a key role in Starwood’s portfolio, but equally valued is its commitment to both the staff and many communities that it engages with across its global footprint.

For instance the group currently has a global commitment to achieve a 30 per

cent reduction in energy consumption and emissions, plus a 20 per cent water reduction across all properties by 2020, and has raised over $30 million through its partnership with UNICEF since 1995.

At present Starwood Hotels is represented by 12 luxury hotels in the UK and Ireland. These include Sheratons, Alofts, independent Tribute Portfolio and Luxury Collection hotels, a W Hotel and a Westin Hotel dotted across London, Liverpool, Scotland and Ireland. However, in line with the company’s global expansion strategy – it signed 175 new sites across the world in 2014 alone – Starwood Hotels has ambitious plans to increase this number, starting with opening a number of key sites over the next two years.

Since previously being featured in FoodChain magazine in December

www.foodchainmagazine.com 67

68 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Starwood Hotels and Resorts 2015, a major milestone in Starwood Hotel’s history has come to pass, with Marriott International, a global leading lodging company with more than 5700 properties in over 110 countries, completing a $13.6 billion merger with Starwood Hotels in September 2016.

This merger not only brings together two different corporate cultures, but has also created the world’s largest hotel chain. Moreover, the merger is anticipated to not only optimise value, but will also add strong benefits when it comes to global scale in an increasingly digitalised market; in fact, the group will now have 30 brands, 5700 hotels, more than one million rooms and a presence in 110 countries.

Loyalty programmes Key to the future success of this significant merger is the combination of Marriott Rewards with the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty programme; should this aspect of the deal go well, there would be 75 million loyal customers that should directly book with Marriott, which thus reduces the impact of competition from online travel agents. Furthermore, with the loyalty packages integrating, the group would also benefit from a reduction in the costs of running these loyalty programmes separately. Benefits for guests of one of the companies are likely to include more reward options via the other company and an increased global reach to take advantage of these rewards.

While the loyalty programmes are currently linked, the two are anticipated to remain separate entities until 2018; until then, guests can link their Rewards and SPG accounts to get the best possible benefits throughout the group’s portfolio. However, it should be noted that the policy remains that guests can be a member of either Marriot Rewards or the Ritz-Carlton Rewards, but not both.

With the hospitality sector broadening into a new area in which companies provide sales and marketing support for independent hotels, this merger also offers Starwood Hotels and Marriott opportunities to focus on developing competitive digital offerings

that engage guests and ensure they return again and again; this could include a tool with recommendations for nearby activities or an app that recognises the preferences of guests and provides a personalised service.

Additionally, interacting with customers via social media and regularly updating guests on offers or developments within the hotel company will also ensure Starwood Hotels and Marriott continue to extend the connection with guests after they have checked out.

Upon looking at Starwood Hotel’s website, it is clear that the company has taken heed of the opportunities for growth that are available online, with offers to guests shown in the lower centre of the homepage; these include the option to double and triple Starpoints for weekday and weekend stays respectively if they register for SPG More for You by November 30th 2016. Other offers available include links to the biggest sale of the year, in which up to 35 per cent can be saved if guests book by December 4th and SPG Breakfast plus, an offer that provides guests with 35 per cent off their stay, continental breakfast for two and more in North America. Additionally, Starwood Hotels is offering guests 40 per cent off their next night for every night they pay at the hotel company’s regular rate.

Despite this major development taking place, Starwood Hotels will continue to operate as an individual brand under the Marriott umbrella, and will continue with its total focus on providing an unrivalled guest experience as well as progressing

forward with the huge plans it has in place for further growth and investment. In fact, over the next five years alone, the company has four new hotels due to open; these include the Aloft London, located at London Tobacco Dock and Aloft Brighton, both of which are due to open in September 2018; the remaining two hotels, Element at London Tobacco Dock, and W Edinburgh at Exchange Crescent, are scheduled to open in June 2019 and 2021 respectively.

With 100 hotels opened and planned in 14 countries across the globe, the Aloft brand makes a departure from the traditional hotel experience with a tech forward, vibrant experience and modern style. Similarly, Element hotels mark an innovation within the hotel industry in its sustainable and natural approach to hospitality. The brand offers stylish settings complete with healthy breakfast offerings, saline swimming pools, spacious fitness centres and electric vehicle charging points. In 2008 Element Hotels made history in being the first hotel brand to pursue LEED certification for high-performance buildings across a complete brand.

This will be the first Element hotel to open in the UK and again conforms to Starwood’s rapid expansion plans.

Committed to expansion and growing its already expansive brand and hotel portfolio over the coming years, Starwood Hotels looks set for continued success as it not only benefits from the strengths of Marriott, but also from an ongoing awareness of key global trends as it moves forward. D www.starwoodhotels.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 69

Bready to grow Kohberg is a leading bakery in Denmark that produces a wide range of products that appeal to the tastes of the modern consumer

70 www.foodchainmagazine.com

T

he demand for breads and baked goods is one that has been central to the European diet for many centuries, and is not likely to become any less important in the future. However, it has changed a great deal during this period, and it continues to evolve and change almost every year, largely driven by the preferences of those that buy it.

That is why Kohberg has throughout its history aimed at understanding the needs of its customers, and the end consumer, to better serve the market.

This approach has given rise to a wide range of product lines, all of which are made with the same commitment to using the best ingredients and methods in order to create breads that are good for customer’s health and taste great.

The company has already spent many years honing its baking skills and developing an understanding of how to appeal to the latest demands. Since 1969 when its master baker Alfred Kohberg opened his craft bakery in Rødekro in Southern Jutland, it has developed a reputation as a leader of baking in Denmark. Its founder became the local rye bread champion, and the success of the business facilitated a

move to a larger bakery near the city of Bolderslev. The tradition for excellence, passion for baking, and belief in improvement all continue to this day.

Since that time a number of further developments have taken place, which included in 1989 when it was bought by a family business that it is still run by today, and now it has a several large and small bakeries throughout Denmark that are able to support the different needs of its customers. Investment has continued in recent years, and these were discussed by Managing Director Peder Christenson: “We have some new equipment at the facility, and one example of this is the new large stone oven we installed, which has increased our capacity and production quite dramatically, increasing some lines capacity by as much as 30 per cent.”

The improvements to the facility enable the company to increase the variety of ranges on offer, and as a result there is now a diverse selection available that addresses a wide array of meal applications. These include ready to eat breads of many varieties, as well as pre sliced, pre made and ready for cooking, frozen, and many more.

Kohberg is able to keep in step with the demands of the market as it has a close relationship with its customers and pays attention to shifts in what consumers want. In various ways it has tapped into the latest developments, as Peder mentioned: “We can offer high protein content that provides consumers with energy for the day in our active

Kohberg product range, as well as other healthy options like our rye bread and soda bread that is good for you. In addition to this we have also responded to the market and are now using barn eggs, and we use sourdough for many of our products to increase the flavour and aid the digestion of consumers.�

It also takes this interest in the market beyond just that within Denmark and has a focus that includes areas such as Germany, Scandinavia, and the UK. The key product that Kohberg supplies to these regions is its Danish pastries, which are world renowned, and prove to be a consistent favourite of consumers, and can be eaten for breakfast, a morning or afternoon snack, or an after dinner treat. There are few other things more synonymous with Denmark, than the Danish pastry. Once again this product encompasses the experience and talent that Kohberg has in its baking, and the traditional roots it has

in the country: “We are able to produce very high quality pastries that are perfectly crisp, and because of this we expect to see a great deal of growth from exports as well as in our home market,�

Peder said.

The modern consumer wants their breads to not only be convenient, but also healthy, made with good quality ingredients, and to taste great, and this combination of demands is what Kohberg manages to achieve consistently. It takes its position as a baker seriously, and from big orders to smaller more specialist orders, all receive the same level of dedication and focus. Therefore, with Kohberg so well positioned to supply the changing tastes and trends in the market, and a continued tradition of high quality products, it will no doubt be the bakery of choice for many more customers across Europe. D www.kohberg.dk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 71

Purity Soft Drinks

In a

healthy position Purity Soft Drinks produces Juice Burst, Juice Burst Skinny, and Firefly drinks, all of which are healthier, no or low added sugar alternatives to the traditional soft drink options

P

urity Soft Drinks is a small drinks company with a big presence in the industry.

It has taken a modern approach to a sector that is changing rapidly in the face of new regulations and new consumer demands. These have been centered on sugar and health, and there has been a growing

social awareness of the impact sugary drinks has – particularly in regards to young people. Purity has carved out a niche in the growing drinks market for its healthy refreshments.

The company has developed at a rapid pace, increasing its staff numbers by approximately 25 per cent over the last two years, and recording a growth

www.foodchainmagazine.com 73

of more than 20 per cent per year on its own brands. The company has recorded revenue of £20 million net sales across 25,000 outlets in the UK and internationally and expects to double the number of stockists in the next three years. This goal has been supported by significant investments that Purity has made in factory improvements, which have seen the company invest £4 million in the past three years. The funding went into securing a new production line, which enabled its drinks to be produced at a greater pace, and these developments were elaborated upon by CEO David Bell: “We are looking to continue to invest in our production lines and increase capacity, plus we are adding to the size of our sales and marketing team to support the new customers and channels we are going into.”

David then went onto discuss another investment into Purity’s facilities: “Previously, we have shipped in the bottles we use for our drinks. But now we have the kit to blow those bottles in our factory - small plastic preforms come into the factory and we blow the bottle. This makes it much more

74 www.foodchainmagazine.com

environmentally friendly, due to the massive reduction in the number of lorries moving around carrying empty bottles. It also means that we are able to speed up the whole production line and run things increasingly efficiently, and that means we keep costs low and consequently prices low too.”

Low in sugar All of these factors help to support the manufacturing of the most important strength of Purity – the drinks. The key selling point of Purity’s drinks is that they offer customers the enjoyment and taste that is traditionally associated with sugar intensive options, but is a fruit based healthy drink. Seventy five per cent of the range is no added sugar and the whole range will be no added sugar before the sugar levy comes in 2018.

Purity and its various drinks brands offer a new form of soft drink, using fruit and increasingly vegetables as well, to make drinks that offer real competition to fizzy drinks. This is a massively significant factor, as with the introduction of a sugar tax, and increasing social awareness of the issues surrounding high sugar intake, consumers want alternatives to

the classic soft drinks. That is what Purity does, within all of its drinks, whether it is Juice Burst or Firefly. It provides people with drinks that are just as enjoyable, but without the same levels of added sugar and at everyday prices.

The key product that aims to succeed in this area is the company’s Juice Burst and its Juice Burst Skinny range.

These are predominantly aimed at 16-24 year olds, and offer one of the recommended five a day, in a range of 13 flavours – some of which include fruit and vegetable combinations. Also, due to the drinks being low in added sugar or

Purity Soft Drinks

D having none at all, there is also a range that is school compliant and one of the approved drinks for children at school.

The results of this have been impressive, and now Purity products are in about 50 per cent of colleges and universities, as well as in one in three secondary schools, and Purity has 20 new schools ordering its drinks every week. All of which demonstrates the significant niche that Purity has filled, offering healthy drinks that parents and schools approve of, but that children and young adults still enjoy.

Juice Burst is an increasingly popular choice, not just those within the UK and Europe, but also for those in Hong Kong and the Middle East.

it launched a personalised bottle campaign, where they could get their pictures on the front of its drinks.

Much like its creative marketing, its drinks also display an innovative flair, with distinctive flavours and focus on reducing added sugar they appeal to the health conscious consumer. Purity offers a clean, healthy, and modern approach to the soft drink industry that is needed

in the 21st century. Whether through its Juice Burst for the younger consumer and young adults, or Firefly for the more premium adult market, Purity is listening to what people want and what people need, and creating tailored refreshments suited to a wide range of different tastes and preferences. D www.juiceburst.com www.fireflydrinks.com

Versatile and flexible While Juice Burst is the largest selling drink that Purity sells, the company also produces FireFly, which is targeted at the premium adult market. Firely offers all the taste of popular cocktails without any of the alcohol, and one that David highlighted was the kiwi, lime and mint flavour – effectively a non-alcoholic Mojito. This is still a growing part of the business, and these drinks are popular sellers in bars and restaurants, both domestically and within international markets. However, while it offers an enjoyable option for those that are not drinking or those that are driving, it can also be used by those that want a ready made cocktail that only needs the appropriate spirit added. It is a versatile and flexible option, offering a great taste for its customers, however they want to prepare and drink it.

This flexibility is a characteristic of Purity that runs throughout the company, whether in its production, product range, or marketing, and it is an area which it excels. There are a number of examples of Purity demonstrating its adaptability, whether it is the fact that in just 12 weeks it was able to create its new range of drinks that would be schools compliant, or its modern marketing strategy that aims to engage with its customers in an innovative and authentic manner. It has taken this approach in several ways, within its Juice Burst range it created a downloadable game that its audience can play, and for its Firefly customers

www.foodchainmagazine.com 75

www

Recognising

innovation

The Restaurant Show has firmly cemented its reputation as the ultimate destination for the hospitality industry. Andrew Dann talks to The Restaurant Show’s Commercial Director, Elizabeth Duncan, about the success of the event’s 28th outing

W

ith an established history and reputation for promoting innovation with the restaurant industry and associated markets, the 28th Restaurant Show was held at London’s venerable Olympia exhibition venue during the 3-5 October 2016.

The Restaurant Show is a unique trade event that caters to both individuals and larger operations that own and work in restaurants, hotels, catering companies, cafes and leisure establishments across the UK. The 2016 Restaurant Show ran alongside three other events comprised of the Conscious Hospitality Show, which was first launched in 2015, and two brand new events, The Bar & Pub Show and Catering Equipment Expo. These events further extended the audience of The Restaurant Show, with more than 450 suppliers in attendance providing a fantastic opportunity for visitors to enrich their commercial opportunities.

“Conscious Hospitality Show was established to focus on specific conscious areas within the restaurant business, including sustainability, health and

76 www.foodchainmagazine.com

nutrition, responsible sourcing and business ethics. These were all areas where we had customers and exhibitors that wanted to be present at the show and who also felt that they could better showcase themselves and their products in a single location. The event enables restaurateurs or hoteliers to easily identify all of the solutions they need to run a more sustainable business,” Elizabeth elaborates. “Conscious Hospitality Show was extremely well received during 2015 receiving a rating of nine out of ten from last year’s visitors and the event has continued to run and attract new businesses in 2016. During the same year we have also introduced The Bar & Pub Show and the Catering Equipment Expo.”

The Bar & Pub Show was held in the Olympia West Hall that joins through to the venue’s National Hall and the Central: Level One where all the other shows are held. This allowed the organisers of The Restaurant Show, William Reed, to expand on the natural synergy of the exhibition and its pub-focused Morning Advertiser magazine to cater to a broader cross-section of clients. “There was a lot

The Restaurant Show of appetite within the industry from both visitors and exhibitors to have an event that looked specifically at the bar and pub market,” Elizabeth says. “There is naturally some crossover between bars and restaurants, but there are also clients including publicans and pub chains that want to perhaps visit The Bar & Pub Show first and the possibly go on to pick out elements within The Restaurant Show to further enhance their business. The Catering Equipment Expo is organised

by Bunzl Lockhart, one of the catering industry’s largest distributors. When all of this came together we had a huge jump in the number of exhibitors from 300 in 2015 to 450 in a single year, which is massive for a show that already has an established history of growth.” She added: “Our visitor number also increased by 11 per cent in one year, so the show is showing really good growth overall.”

Emerging trends Organising and managing the 2016 Restaurant Show has proven to be an impressive undertaking. The event was held across three halls and on two levels, meaning that organisers had to successfully manage the flow of people around the event, while ensuring that attendees could fully appreciate the goals for the show’s combined events.

With a long history of success and growth within the restaurant sector, one of the challenges in continuing to develop the show has been to build on what has gone on before. “Many of the people like the fact that The Restaurant Show is very clear on what it delivers and that it is a leading show that is renowned for all of the food and drink, preparation equipment, technology, tableware and services on top of the speakers and competitions that are featured. Visitors who come to the event know what to expect and our challenge is to continue to try to add something new without losing what we have achieved in the past 28 years. This will always primarily be The Restaurant Show and the new events are additional resources will benefit most of the companies that already visit the show, but new businesses that have more of a primary focus on bars and pubs for example, the opportunity to meet other

industry representatives in hotels and other sectors,” Elizabeth reveals.

“Another challenge with a new show is that it is obviously unproven and I think that the reason we did so well in adding a new show in 2015 was that we already had a shared location and a supporting magazine. William Reed is a very trusted business that both exhibitors and attendees know will run the event properly, with more than 10,000 people coming through the door for the restaurant show,” she adds. “The Bar & Pub Show aims to add a further 3000-5000 guests to the overall event and we also communicate with over 50,000 bars and pubs weekly through our magazine and digitally. The advantage of this when developing the new show was that we already had a good understanding of our audience and it was just a case of investing time to ensure that they were aware of what we were doing to convince them to come and join us at Olympia.”

Across The Restaurant Show the event highlights emerging and established industry trends, while continuing to promote innovation through its Great New Idea awards.

Within The Bar & Pub Show for example, the exhibition had a dedicated craft beer section, which featured 13 craft beer brewers that each offered up to four different beers in tap and bottled options. This allowed relatively small businesses to reach out to meet representatives from the wider bar and pub sector while promoting their unique individual brands. Furthermore, across

the show’s Great New Idea Awards the company Green’s, which manufactures gluten-free beer won in The Bar & Pub Show category, while the Danish furniture manufacturer Thors-Design was recognised in the Conscious Hospitality category. The overall winner of the ‘Best New Idea’ award in The Restaurant Show was Sous Vide Tools for its Control Freak Induction Hob. With big ideas, new events and a continued celebration of innovation, The Restaurant Show 2016 has proven to be a huge success. While the future of face-to-face events may be less certain in other industry sectors, The Restaurant Show has again proven that it is as relevant today as it was 28 years ago. “Within the restaurant sector and throughout the event itself, innovation is what the industry is really interested in.

Part of what makes the Restaurant Show so successful is that visitors can come and see, taste and touch the products on offer, which is extremely important to a customer that is potentially looking to invest thousands of pounds on product to take back to their business,” Elizabeth concludes. “Somebody asked me at the show what I thought is the future of face-to-face meetings and I replied that I believe that they are on the up-andup. Chefs and business owners want to touch, taste and communicate with their potential suppliers and we offer them a unique platform to do this. I think for our industry face-to-face events will not be hit in the way that other sectors already have been.” D www.therestaurantshow.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 77

Always something brewing Adnams is an award-winning producer of beers, wines, and spirits. It has an expanding network of shops, a constant stream of new products, and more recently started producing spirits

78 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Adnams

E

stablished in 1872, Adnams is proud of its long history of brewing, and is constantly experimenting with new, innovative techniques. Adnams brews a range of beers that reflect its heritage but also challenge conventions. Each one has its own unique and vibrant character that will appeal to drinkers who cherish individuality and seek out beers, wines, and spirits with personality and style.

Adnams began in the 19th century as a brewer of fine ales in Suffolk, and while it has kept its roots in Southwold and authentic ales, it has also expanded into more areas. These range from new award winning drinks, such as its gins and vodkas, to operating a number of pubs and hotels, and much more. What unites all of Adnams’ activities is that they are distinctively unique, and yet also undeniably Adnams, and this is at the heart of the company - a reliable and constant quality product or service that is always individual.

many more. The sheer number of these denotes a level of consistency in what the company produces, it also demonstrates that there is a great deal of care, passion, and knowledge that goes into making every beer, wine, or spirit. The company is always working on new products for its customers, and these take many forms – such as seasonal products tailored to the time of year, or the Adnams Diamond Ale – made to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Adnams also has the unique option of providing bespoke products, an example of which is Bill’s IPA, created for Bill’s Restaurants. Two new Adnams spirits were also released in August 2016 – Rising Sun Gin and Rye Hill Vodka.

With modern distilling techniques, traditional values, and high quality staff, it is no wonder Adnams received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development. Adnams

is grounded in everything it does with a commitment to being environmentally aware and finding innovative ways to be a responsible brewer, such as its partnership working to develop the UK’s lightest branded 500ml glass premium ale bottle, which results in packaging and carbon reductions. The company has also undertaken extensive work to make its facilities and processes more environmentally friendly.

Community work Adnams also applies this ethical business approach to the local community in the form of the Adnams Charity, which was founded in 1990 to celebrate the company’s centenary, and which has recently been renamed the Adnams Community Trust. Adnams Community Trust supports worthwhile causes within a 25-mile radius of Southwold, the home of Adnams, through a grant system. The grants range from £100 to £2,500 and

Expand and improve In order to achieve some of the diversification that Adnams has seen through its many years in business, the company has invested in expanding and improving its facilities. Investments began in the 1970s, continuing through subsequent decades, with the overall aim to significantly improve its drinks production. As a result of this approach, over the years the brewery has substantially enlarged and modernised, and this process continues to this day with state-of-the-art brewing equipment regularly being installed. It is currently investing a total of £7 million on boosting capacity, including a brand new kegging line, and a new beer filtration and conditioning facility. The company also invested in 2013 in a distillery to enable Adnams to produce gins and vodkas – which have since both won best in the world awards.

Indeed, many Adnams products have won global awards, including various bronze, silver, and gold medals, such as Ghost Ship pale ale, Sloe Gin, East Coast Vodka, Longshore Premium Vodka, Copper House Dry Gin, and

www.foodchainmagazine.com 79

Adnams can be used for educational, health or social welfare, arts, recreation, community facilities or environmental and conservations purposes and projects. The Community Trust is funded by a percentage of Adnams annual profits, donations, legacies and mandated dividends. Since its formation, more than 1200 grants have been awarded totalling over £1.2 million. These have taken many forms but one recent milestone has been the company celebrating achieving half a million charitable donations by its customers that were made via Pennies the electronic charity box. Over 500,000 donations have been made since Adnams began working with Pennies in 2012, raising over £120,000 through purchases of wine, beer, spirits and kitchenware across its Adnams stores.

This once again demonstrates the combined sense of tradition at Adnams in a modern business. Its products

80 www.foodchainmagazine.com

often receive rave reviews from customers and awards bodies, and it is a business that is always moving forward with new and interesting products. Adnams’ positive approach, leading facilities, and talented staff, make its products popular across the UK and the world. There is no reason to think that its product range, customer base, or popularity will do anything other than continue to expand. D www.adnams.co.uk

Openfield Openfield is a UK leader in supplying cereals, oilseeds and pulses to the food, brewing and animal feed industries. It has developed a reputation as a trusted supply chain partner, supplying grain with provenance and of a consistent quality to the largest brands in food retail.

With its network of stores across England and Scotland it is well-placed to meet the needs of end-user consumers requiring quality grain from local growers on a just-in-time basis.

It is also the UK’s largest grain exporter supplying customers across continental Europe, the Middle and Far East and North America.

y l g n i t n u a H . . . r e e b d o go

AVAILABLE AT

THE EAST OF ENGLAND CO-OP Adnams Ease Up I.P.A, Broadside and Southwold Bitter also available.

adnams Adnams_A4_Ghost Ship.indd 1

adnams.co.uk 01/06/2016 11:24

Expansion on the menu Based throughout the UK Bistrot Pierre is an ever-growing chain of boutique restaurants that serves high quality, authentic anglo-French cuisine to customers

82 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Bistrot Pierre

French restaurant group Bistrot Pierre joint managing directors John Whitehead and Robert Beacham

E

stablished as a single franchise restaurant in Nottingham in 1994 by school friends Robert Beacham and John Whitehead, Bistrot Pierre, originally branded Pierre Victoire, began providing customers with authentic French cooking in a relaxing, lively atmosphere. Throughout the early years Robert and John first operated two successful Pierre Victoire franchises in Nottingham and Derby, however, when the Pierre Victoire franchise model folded in 1999, the restaurants were rebranded as Bistrot Pierre. “At the time the franchisor

went into administration in 1999 we had two franchises and had just opened a boutique 43 bed hotel with fine dining restaurant, cocktail bar and real ale pub: the Lace Market Hotel, Nottingham.

We sold that business in 2005 for £4.25 million, which enabled us to expand our Bistrot Pierre business. The franchise going bust and us going it alone was the best thing that could have happened, although it didn’t feel that way at the time!” begins John Whitehead, Joint Managing Director and Co-Owner of Bistrot Pierre.

Offering freshly prepared Anglo-French dishes that are made from carefully sourced ingredients from both local

www.foodchainmagazine.com 83

producers and artisan French producers and suppliers, Bistrot Pierre has gained a strong reputation for innovative, high quality dishes. In fact, the company’s chefs regularly take trips across the channel to gain inspiration on how to experiment and hone new recipes and create new dishes while also maintaining exceptional value. In October, chef specialities includes the lunch starter Moules: rope-grown mussels that are steamed in a light, creamy Normandy cider sauce that is served with crispy Alsace bacon lardons; and for dinner, the Noix de St. Jacques: pan-fried scallops with Alsace bacon and hazelnut butter.

The main on offer is Canard aux cerises: pan-fried duck breast with dark cherries, port and French beans, served with the day’s potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Focusing on its ‘raison d’être’ of delivering great value French cooking and seasonal menus, the company has grown significantly over the last

84 www.foodchainmagazine.com

decade and today has 16 sites open for business across the UK. The 16th site, in Weston-Super-Mare, opened in September 2016, while the 17th site, in Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield, is currently under construction and is due to open in the first quarter of 2017. “We can’t really comment on Mere Green yet, however Weston-Super-Mare has gone off like a rocket; this restaurant also has a separate bar space and is out-stripping targets at the moment by 60 per cent. Although things are positive, we will see how we fare in the winter months before we get too ahead of ourselves,” says John.

Discussing the reasons behind Bistrot Pierre’s soaring growth in a competitive market, John continues: “We aim to offer outstanding value with no stealth price add-ons and do it consistently; we also make nearly everything ourselves. We are having a big push at the moment on innovating some of our dishes and

menus; in the 22 years since we first opened, the UK casual dining sector has changed immeasurably – if not actually really emerged as an entity. For the customer this is great as competition improves the product and experience while also keeping prices in check; for the competing restaurants a plethora of quality neighbours makes winning the share of the cake tougher. Fortunately, customer demand has generally kept pace with supply.”

Looking at the style and branding of each restaurant, John says all sites have a similar branded design, however each has its own unique touches of character: “There is some common

Wiljon Wiljon is a Principal Contractor to Bistrot Pierre and wishes them every success with their Weston Super Mare restaurant. The company looks forward to working together on all future projects and continuing this successful relationship.

Bistrot Pierre iconography in the Bistrots, but we flex to the individual building where we can; thematically they are similar, but colour schemes and materials do change – we may try a different finish on some of the tables. When it comes to the pewter bar tops, lighting schemes and interior decoration, these touches are nailed down.”

Complementing the brand’s style and solid reputation for great value fresh food are its team members who animate the restaurants and have a major impact on each restaurant’s success. Viewed as equal in importance to the food served, the hospitality and customer service of team members is an integral part of Bistrot Pierre’s continued success story.

With superior customer service at the heart of its operations, Bistrot Pierre has been awarded the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence year-on-year since 2012.

“We monitor customer feedback closely and hve developed fairly robust training methodologies over the years – to a large degree looking at how the stand-out performers in our sector operate. We audit internally and externally on our customer service KPIs

and are moving to a superb interactive HR platform, which I think will really help team engagement and thus enhance customer experience,” says John. “When it comes to repeatedly being awarded the TripAdvisor (TA) Certificate of Excellence, we work hard at TA and view it generally as a force for good; we get the occasional errant/ spurious review but overall if the teams

are delivering against our mystery diner KPI’s then it should all fall into place.”

Having delivered record revenues of £18 million and profits in excess of £2 million in 2015, Bistrot Pierre has developed solid foundations for further growth over the coming years as the company focuses on significant expansion and appeals to a national market. D www.bistrotpierre.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 85

Wrap stars

A specialist in the production of high technology bottling and packaging lines, ACMI SpA serves key food and beverage sectors such as mineral water, soft drinks, beer, wine and spirits, dairy and food

86 www.foodchainmagazine.com

F

ounded in 1984 in Riccò, situated in the province of Parma, ACMI SpA began operations as a manufacturer of palletisers and depalletisers for the food and beverage industry. Over the years the company enjoyed rapid expansion of demand thanks to its focus on innovation and technological developments and its growing reputation as a specialist in all packaging processes. As a result of these developments, the company grew significantly expanding its production site and was able to build new premises in Fornovo Taro and Felegara.

“ACMI has a production facility of more than 20,000 square metres, which is divided into three facilities that are all situated in Italy, in the province of Parma. The main headquarters are dedicated to the production of palletisers, depalletisers and end-of-line equipment, while the other two facilities are specialised in the production of shrink wrappers, handle applicators, multipack systems, conveyors and stretch wrappers,” explains Mr Giacomo

Magri, President of ACMI SpA. “We are in the process of building a new production facility a few kilometres from the main head office, which will enable us to further amplify our production capacity; the new facility has an overall surface of 5000 square metres.”

Today, using the experience it has gained over the last 30 years, ACMI develops, installs and commissions complete packaging lines in a turnkey manner for customers in all sectors of the food and beverage industry.

Aside from producing single packaging machines that comprise of the dry end of the line, ACMI also handles the engineering and automation of the entire line as the main contractor.

Thanks to dedicated project managers, ACMI is able to provide engineering and automation for any food and beverage packaging equipment; furthermore, its energy saving packaging lines have been designed to reduce the use of conveyors by focusing on efficiency and productivity.

Committed to enhancing its products and developing new solutions that

ACMI SpA can improve the packaging process for customers, ACMI has developed an impressive portfolio that includes Fenix shrinkwrappers, the revolutionary Twisterbox layer formation systems, Vortex fixed pallet systems and an innovative multipack system.

Continuous flow Able to handle any types of containers or packs, the highly flexible Twisterbox can be used in all sectors of the food and beverage industry; this includes PET bottles, ten litre bottles, glass bottles, clusters of bottles, cans, packs of cans, hi-cone cans, jars, glass containers and so on. This system is usually placed before the palletiser or robot so the two can work together; the Twisterbox systems that are currently functioning handle more than 200 different formats.

“The Twisterbox is a continuous layer formation system, which consists of a series of robotic arms equipped with special grippers than move according to a specific programme that positions the packs and forms a complete layer,” says Giacomo. “The latest Twisterbox generation can handle 3x2 multipacks of cans at a speed of 140,000 pieces per hour palletised, even with over packaging. Other characteristics of the system include perfect rotation and positioning, multiliner function, the possibility of handling products with special shapes and fragile contents and wide flexibility.”

Another product that Giacomo is keen to highlight is the Compact Line: “This is a concept that leads us to consider the entire line as a single machine, a single system. In this system the various components work and move in a synchronous manner, generating a continuous flow that originates from the filler and ends with the finished pallet. The traditional accumulating tables that have the task of harmonising the different efficiencies of the single machines, disappear, which offers advantages such as reduction in space, reduction in purchasing costs, elimination of the stress on the bottle due to squashing and pressure of the accumulating table and great operating autonomy.”

Mr Giacomo Magri - President of ACMI SpA

ACMI SpA headquarters

The ideal supplier for large multinational groups as well as national bottlers and food companies thanks to its innovative solutions, Giacomo says ACMI has been involved in a number of notable projects: “In 2015 ACMI installed the fastest PET line for CSD in the world at the Coca-Cola Femsa Canlubang factory, in the Philippines.

The line has a nominal filler speed of 81,000 bottles per hour and represents a showpiece in the world wide bottling sector. The line is highly automated and the system is handled in a completely automatic manner.”

Alongside this major project within the soft drinks field of activity, the company has also delivered two superior installations of Easypack systems for the production of bi-pack packaging of PET lines to 36,000 bottles per hour at Coca Cola HBC and a complete line for cans from 60,000 cans per hour high efficiency at the Sibeg plant.

Proud of its leading reputation, ACMI will continue to invest in R&D manufacturing machines with high levels of production performance to stay at the forefront of product packaging. Another way the company will remain competitive is through continuing its commitment to delivering guaranteed efficiency through periodic inspections that are to be carried out by specialised ACMI technicians in order to prevent stops that could slow down or reduce the overall production levels of the line.

“The bottling market is not an easy market sector; continuous investments are required both in terms of technology and human resources in order to maintain and cater for the high level of customer requests. During the current year our company has maintained a high position in the market and we foresee to close the year with a turnover increase of almost 30 per cent. Opportunity and challenges travel hand-in-hand, therefore we believe that each opportunity is also a challenge, however in virtue of ACMI being on the list of accredited suppliers for the most important national and international bottlers, we have a number of goals in place for the future that we believe we can achieve,” concludes Giacomo. D www.acmispa.it

www.foodchainmagazine.com 87

The taste of nature Belvoir Fruit Farms makes cordials, pressĂŠs, and botanicals, with a wide selection of flavours, all of which are made through a traditional and authentic process, using the finest ingredients

88 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Belvoir Fruit Farms

B

elvoir Fruit Farms earns its name from the vale of Belvoir, where the company has been making fruit cordials and presses since 1984, pressing fresh fruit and infusing flowers to mix with spring water.

Renowned for its elderflower drinks, the company still uses the same elderflower recipe developed by co-founder Lady Mary Manners all those years ago.

Today, demand is so high that Belvoir calls on the local community to help with the harvest, picking flowers from its own 90 acres of orchards and from hedgerows in the surrounding countryside. Over the years, the company has expanded

its beverage range to include flavours such as Elderflower and Rose, Lime and Lemongrass, Raspberry and Rose, Blueberry and Blackcurrant, and Ginger to name just a few. The brand now produces more than 40 products, many of which have won multiple awards. Belvoir is still owned and run by the Manners family.

Some of the most recent additions to the Belvoir range have proven to be popular, as production director Frank Fitzgibbons explained: “We have had great success with Raspberry Lemonade, to compliment our Elderflower and Ginger Beer range so while the traditional range continues to prove very successful the new ranges offer something different. There have also been other niche ranges that we

www.foodchainmagazine.com 89

have developed at the company, these have been the Mango and Peach Pressé, which has gone down very well with our customers, as have the Cucumber and Mint Pressé, these have been a real bonus to us and they are picking up a lot of interest.”

Another relatively new product range that the company has worked on and is tailored to the increasing sugar conscious market trends is its lower sugar range of pressés – called ‘light’.

There are several of Belvoir drinks that have this option, these currently include Elderflower Pressé, Raspberry Lemonade, as well as Elderflower and Rose. This diversification of its drinks demonstrates that the company is actively working to appeal to a wide range of customers and adapt to market trends – all the while retaining its commitment to producing authentic drinks made with real ingredients.

Belvoir Botanicals

‘

Belvoir Fruit Farms

Belvoir has recently taken the decision to expand its facilities, and this decision was fundamentally influenced by the increasing demand for its drinks

come in re-sealable 330ml plastic BPA-free wide-necked bottles for easy on-the-go drinking.

Belvoir has recently taken the decision to expand its facilities, and this decision was fundamentally influenced by the increasing demand for its drinks. The development was something that Frank discussed: “The investment was an idea that both myself and the managing director Pev Manners discussed in 2012, and the decision was agreed by the board with the ambition to expand the business, and to help ensure that the facilities allow the increase in production that

will meet the growing demand levels.

The site occupies land that we already owned, and I was able to work on the concept design. The result has been a purpose built factory that will support our increased domestic and international presence.”

The drinks company supplies a range of industries, which includes major retailers, fine foods, wholesale markets, and many more. Its products can also be found in a number of foreign markets, as Frank stated: “We have always had an export side to the business, and this was centred around Scandinavia and Japan, and we still

There has also been an exciting development with a completely new Belvoir Botanicals line that the company has unveiled and it will extend its use of natural ingredients to the health side of the drinks market.

The product range includes Elderflower and Echinacea offering immune support, Lemon and Green Tea to help natural energy, Mandarin and Hibiscus for skin support, as well as Cucumber and Mint to help refresh.

Like all Belvoir drinks, the Botanicals range uses natural ingredients with no artificial colourings, preservatives, additives or sweeteners. They contain no added sugar and each of the four flavours offers a specific benefit obtained from flowers, roots, herbs or fruits that have long been known and used for aiding a particular function.

All are blended with still water and

Enterprise Tondelli Enterprise have been working with Belvoir Fruit Farms for 15 years and have helped grow their premium brand products. Over the years Enterprise have supplied various bottling and packaging machines for the production of their cordial and pressè drinks, as well as offering technical services and engineering support during their recent relocation project. This expansion required a complete new factory to accommodate increased output and Enterprise Tondelli were happy to help with the design and engineering.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 91

see positive results in both of these countries. However, in recent years, we have also been expanding into mainland Europe, Asia and North America, and developing our footprint in these massive markets.”

Award winners It is no wonder that it has an increasing reputation and presence in markets around the world, as Belvoir has won a number of awards for its products one of its very first was a Great Taste Award in 2001 for its Elderflower Cordial. Since 2001, Belvoir has won Great Taste awards for many more of its cordials, Pressés and Fruit Crushes, including the Organic Blueberry Cordial, Raspberry and Rose Cordial, Elderflower, Gooseberry and Muscat Grape Cordial and Lime and Lemongrass Pressé. In 2010, the judges for the Awards sampled over 5800 products, and awarded gold stars for

92 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Belvoir’s Blackcurrant and Cox Apple Cordial, and its Blackcurrant and Apple Fruit Crush.

Belvoir’s Elderflower Cordial has not only been awarded a Great Taste Award but it also received a Gold Award from the Taste of Britain 2005, run by Sainsbury’s and The Daily Telegraph and has also been Highly Commended in the Best British Fruit Drink category in the Farm Produce Awards 2015. Elderflower and Rose Pressé, also won two gold stars in 2013. A single gold star award was given to Cox Apple Pressé, and Belvoir’s Elderflower and Rose Cordial won two gold stars.

The company has achieved a great deal of success in a relatively short period, and this is down to some important factors, such as its family values, as well as some others that Frank mentioned: “The brand is pivotal – we believe a key factor

Belvoir Fruit Farms behind the company’s achievements is the strength of the brand, as well as the quality of the products that we produce. It really comes down to a combination of those two reasons, the brand and the quality, and we are pretty confident of that. We are so sure of this in part due to the market

research that we have conducted, which has all indicated that the power of the Belvoir brand and the quality of the drinks themselves have enabled the company to be where it is today.”

With a product range that continues to grow, expanding presence in more markets, and a brand with a reputation

for quality, Belvoir looks set to build on its previous success and facility expansion with increasing sales – delivering the taste of Lady Manners’ cordial recipe, and all the Belvoir drinks, to an even wider range of discerning customers. D www.belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 93

Creatively crafted cheese Castello cheeses have a history that goes back to 1893 and Arla Foods is proud of the genuine craftsmanship that still goes into the product today, more than 100 years later

94 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Arla Foods – Castello

C

astello’s history dates back to 1893, when the Denmarkbased company Tholstrup Cheese began its trend of bringing a balance of innovation and tradition to the art of cheese making, as well as an ongoing commitment to using natural ingredients and attention to detail. The first cheese to take on the Castello name was Castello White; produced by the company’s first master cheese maker, Rasmus Tholstrup, the cheese was developed to have a thin, delicate rind and perfectly mild and creamy flavor and texture. Since this major milestone, Castello has expanded its product portfolio with a wide range of creatively crafted cheeses.

Following Arla’s acquisition of Tholstrup Cheese in 2006, Castello

became the driver in the mould cheese segment in line with Arla’s strategy of securing its position as an international market leader in the field of speciality cheese. With a sizeable portion of Tholstrup’s sales derived from exports during this period, this proved to be a fruitful decision for Arla as Castello has continued to develop its portfolio and grow within its core markets over the last decade.

“The biggest market for Castello is Germany, then

it is the UK, the Nordic markets, the US, Canada and Australia that are also particularly big. In the UK our cheddar cheeses are the most popular product, however in Germany it is other cheese types such as Castello Höhlenkäse, which is a cave-aged cheese,” says Jens Egelund, Senior Director and Global Head of Speciality Cheese.

He continues: “What makes Castello unique when compared to other brands is that we have such a broad range of cheeses; we aren’t just about white mould cheese, cheddar or parmesan,

www.foodchainmagazine.com 95

Sigpack TTM Today. Tomorrow. More The best when it comes to secondary packaging Make your product shine with the highest quality secondary

A high level of automation, product and pack style flexibility,

packaging. No matter what product you need to pack, Bosch

as well as the safe and reliable process, provide you with

provides the solution: the Sigpack TTM series.

the best secondary packaging solution to help you to meet

The TTM’s efficient and reliable performance perfectly

your production goals.

matches your production requirements. Our patented for-

Bosch Packaging Systems is your competent partner. We

mat change concept includes pre-set format rods for easy

will be by your side, offering comprehensive support th-

and tool-free changeovers of pack styles and different for-

roughout the planning and implementation, as well as local

mats – within just a few minutes. The vertical restart takes

after-sales services.

place with no additional time required for supplementary fine adjustments, which further increases your OEE. The TTM’s open design ensures easy cleaning, optimizing uptime. While the layout is highly flexible, the TTM offers an exceptionally compact footprint and is easy to integrate into any production line.

Your Benefits XX

Q uick and tool-free format change

XX

Maximum product and pack style flexibility

XX

High process safety and reliability

XX

Scalable output from 30 to 150 cartons per minute

XX

Compact footprint

XX

High OEE

Stay flexible with quick and easy format changes Bosch Packaging Systems AG Industriestrasse 8 CH-8222 Beringen Switzerland Phone +41 58 674 1000 Fax +41 58 674 1001 SalesBoschPackaging@bosch.com boschpackaging.com

01_BO_Advertorials_Zweitverpackungen_A4_En_DBO_RZ.indd 1

04.10.16 12:16

Arla Foods – Castello

which is what you see with a lot of our competitors. We cover the full range of cheese, from hard and soft yellow cheeses all the way up to bold and sharp blue moulds; we even do cream cheeses. This broad range means customers can start from one end and eat their way through every cheese; we can take customers through a journey that many of our competitors can’t.

“Furthermore, a number of cheeses have truly captured the spirit of our founding fathers, such as Castello Blue, which was made on the basis of Henrik Tholstrup (son of Rasmus Tholstrup), who truly loved a strong blue cheese while also enjoying the creamy softness of Creamy White. He then put these two cheeses on top of each other on a piece of bread and asked ‘Why hasn’t anyone made this cheese before?’ He spent a lot of time developing creamy blue cheese with a bold sharpness while merging the mild creaminess of white; this is how Castello Blue was developed. Today it is the best selling cheese in Castello’s range; it is simply a great cheese.”

Try, taste and enjoy With the expertise of artisan cheese makers and traditional production methods that ensure the high quality development of cheeses, Castello continues the heritage and tradition of its founders. Never content to make standard cheeses, Castello creates unique flavours and textures through the utilisation of ingredients and techniques from all over the world; each cheese is then made at a single dairy that specialises in the production of that particular cheese. “One example of Castello enhancing and tweaking cheese is Castello Creamy White, which is also the first cheese that was ever developed. This double cream white cheese uses a culture that ensures the cheese ripens from the inside, so unlike a Brie, the cheese has a consistently soft creamy centre.

Additionally, we mature this cheese so it has a very fine and delicate rind. By tweaking and improving our cheeses we offer an even better taste sensation,” explains Jens.

Another example of the company’s innovative nature is its development of a cheese that has been popped to create an indulgent snack. “This is an exciting innovation for us that is coming up over the next 12 months; it is a great way to get more people exposed to specialist cheese and is one of the first real innovations I have seen in the cheese market for a long time,” says Jens.

“For us cheese is the best thing in the world, which is why we create this fusion between creativity and craftsmanship.

It is not enough to merely focus on the craftsmanship; it is only when you merge this with creativity you something unique and amazing. Take some of the best painters in the world, they progress and create something different to everything else; I think this is what Castello tries to do with speciality cheeses. What makes speciality cheese so exciting is that it is one of the most enriching and complex things to work with in food; it’s a bit like developing a fine wine. Speciality cheese is also one of those products that everyone has a polarising opinion on; you tend to either love it or hate it and trying to get more people to love our products makes our job exciting and I love that Castello does exactly that. We try to make speciality cheeses more accessible to more people across the world,” highlights Jens.

Moving forward, Jens has a clear goal for Castello: “Our aspiration is not to be the biggest cheese brand in every category, but to be highly accessible in providing different types of specialist cheese that invite people in to try, taste and enjoy. It is much more about the taste and sensations than it is about specific products in specific countries.

Castello is spearheading this journey for speciality cheeses, and inviting customers on board for the ride.

“Alongside the launch of our popped cheese, we will also be focusing on the marketing of our cheeses; this is something we are looking into building on our success from previous years. We will take marketing to the next level and invest in the brand so we can continue to grow; this is the first step on a longer journey that will begin in 2017,” Jens concludes. D www.castellocheese.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 97

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS Working together to deliver world class design and build technical solutions‌.

Bulk materials handling Drying, cleaning, weighing Steel silos / flat storage Buildings and fabrications Automated control systems Installation and commissioning Design and project management

T H WHITE Installation Ltd Nursteed Road, Devizes, Wilts SN10 3EA. T 01380 723040 F 01380 725707 E projects@thwhite.co.uk www.thwhite.co.uk

Getting the best from machinery, land and buildings since 1832.

Crisp Malting Group

Grains of truth Already well regarded in the brewing and distilling industries, malt can also offer food and beverage companies the opportunity to create amazing flavours, textures and colours.

Crisp Malting Group is unravelling the mysteries of malt so that more people can benefit from this one ingredient’s incredible potential T H WHITE Projects With generations of experience, T H WHITE Projects have built a solid reputation as market leaders in designing, engineering and the resulting construction of grain storage and cereal processing facilities throughout the UK. As an independent company T H WHITE Projects offer a personal service that puts your needs first, founded on performance and reliability and backed by expert service and support in all aspects of the business.

T H WHITE Projects’ versatility and experience has enabled them to work closely with the Crisp Malting Group over many years. They have worked on the successful design and construction of numerous integrated solutions at various UK Malting locations & associated grain storage facilities, and supported the growth; expansion and upgrading programme being implemented by one of the leading UK based maltsters.

I

f you ask people the main ingredient of wine, the national drink of France, most people will know it is grapes - and also be able to name different varieties. Yet if you ask them to name the main ingredient of beer and whisky, the national drinks of Britain, few would know.

The answer is malt. Delve a little further to ask what malt is, and even fewer folk will offer a plausible definition.

Malt is not, as commonly supposed, a variety of grain. Simply put, it’s cereal grain, usually barley, but sometimes wheat, oats or rye, that is turned to malt through an ancient, traditional and natural process. It involves three-steps: steeping, germinating and kilning.

The grain is steeped in water, encouraged to germinate and grow rootlets, then dried by warm air in a kiln. The temperature of the kiln and length of time spent there determines the colour and taste of the malt. It can

vary from pale – almost indiscernible from barley grain – to black, and the whole spectrum in between.

Great British Maltsters in the food chain “Despite the relatively small size of Britain,” says Adrian Dyter, managing director, Crisp Malting Group, “we are the third largest malt producing nation in the world. The two million tonnes of malting barley produced here by excellent cereal-farmers is great quality. It allows the country’s maltsters to turn the raw grain into 1.6 million tonnes of premium malt. This in turn holds the key to the nation’s fabulous brewing and distilling industries. Crisp’s own malt also contributes tasty, nutritious ingredients to the food industry - the bakery sector in particular.”

Malt as major contributor to economy The country’s 1700 breweries buy around 550,000 tonnes of malt a year from British

www.foodchainmagazine.com 99

100 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Crisp Malting Group maltsters using it to make a fantastic range of beers, from milds to stouts and pale ales to lagers.

Malt is also the central ingredient in malt whisky distilling. Exports of Scotch whisky contribute £125 per second – yes that is per second! - to the UK economy – so the importance of malt production would be hard to overstate.

Wholegrain malted flour, flakes and kibbles add hugely to bread, cakes, biscuits and other foods in terms of flavour, colour, texture and nutrition. The proportion of malt that goes to the food industry is relatively small compared with that which is used for brewing, distilling and exporting. However, it still makes a great impact, helping to premiumise an important part of our staple diet – bread – as well as savoury and sweet treats.

Crisp Maltings Crisp Maltings was founded in 1870 in North Norfolk in the heart of what is probably the best malting barley-growing

countryside in the world. Over the years it has grown through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions. It now has three maltings in East Anglia, one each in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, and two in Scotland: one each in Clackmannanshire and Banffshire. It is no coincidence that they are all in regions famed for the excellence of their barley.

Also under Crisp’s wing is Micronized Food Products in North Yorkshire, which produces brewing adjuncts such as torrified wheat and flaked cereals and pulses.

Until recently Crisp was exporting around 25 per cent of its malt production to craft brewers and distillers across the world. The acquisition earlier this year of GlobalMalt gives the company a base in Germany and in Poland: “This enables us to offer our customers a wider portfolio of products and most importantly to broaden the origin of barley and malts that we can supply to our international clients,” says Adrian Dyter.

Relationships with barley growers The company is known for the strong relationships it builds with farmers - who are, of course, a crucial part of the supply chain. Adrian Dyter continues: “We have a very high commitment to quality, which starts with how we source our raw materials.”

The grower-groups set up by Crisp provide the maltsters with a secured supply of best quality, locally grown barley - and provide the farmers with an assured market for the crops they produce. Crisp is able to communicate directly to growers the requirements in terms of quantities, varieties and specifications and facilitate a dialogue on husbandry, marketing and other relevant issues.

“This is a long-term business,” says Adrian Dyter. “The fact is, it takes time to grow crops, and even longer to develop new varieties, both of which are vital. We need trusted, long-term relationships with our suppliers. They

www.foodchainmagazine.com 101

Supporting successful arable farmers with invaluable expert advice on all aspects of crop production.

Talk to the people that work for the company that makes a difference.

T: 0800 227 445 W: www.frontierag.co.uk

Crisp Malting Group Adding value every step of the way “Today, whether in food, brewing or distilling, customers require a more value-added product,” says Adrian Dyter. “We have a lot of very well trained and experienced people who can provide the relevant technical expertise to customers. If a brewer, distiller or food manufacturer is seeking individual specifications to suit their plant or recipe, we have scientific knowledge to tailor the malt exactly to their requirements.

Equally we can advise them on impact of the different ingredients on flavour, colour and body.”

From micro to global

are crucial partners in our enterprise.

We offer seminars to keep growers up to speed with agronomic and varietal developments, and have frequent exchanges of information and insights.”

The raw ingredients Crisp buys more than 300,000 tonnes of barley a year from local farmers in Britain. In most seasons Crisp is able to procure the vast majority of its raw ingredients from farms close to each plant. Barley varieties are carefully selected to provide the necessary levels of soluble nitrogen, extractable sugars and enzyme activity for the perfect mash.

Frontier Agriculture Frontier Agriculture is the UK’s leading crop production and grain marketing business, recognised for its close customer relationships with farmers and grain consumers and its successful management of the arable supply chain.

Operating across all aspects of arable crop production and grain marketing, Frontier supplies seed, crop protection products and fertiliser to farmers, as well as providing specialist agronomy advice through its team of 140 agronomists. Frontier’s grain marketing business has well-established contracts with the UK’s key grain consumers, giving its farmer customers unrivalled access to end markets.

Frontier is proud to work with Crisp Malting to better serve and support barley farmers.

Tradition and technology Crisp Maltings combines nearly 150 years of experience and knowledge of malting with the latest technology and technical expertise to produce around 430,000 tonnes per year of premium quality malt for food and drink. This includes the tonnage produced by the plants in Hamburg and Bydgoszcz.

The traditional floor malting at Great Ryburgh produces malt in the way it’s been done for centuries – if not millennia - while continued investment in state-of-the-art facilities and quality controls puts Crisp at the forefront of modern malt production.

Outstanding customer service “We aim to provide truly excellent customer service; fantastic product range and quality; and first class technical backing,” says Adrian Dyter. “Our team combine impressive technical expertise; an in-depth understanding of the raw materials and extensive knowledge of, and experience in, brewing and distilling.

Our flexible approach, passion for quality – and above all, the desire to get it right for customers means we can offer outstanding levels of service.”

Crisp is well positioned to accommodate growing demand from the burgeoning craft beer and whisky sectors in the UK and across the world. It has developed a wide range of speciality malts to provide everything that the craft brewer or distiller needs and will supply whole or ready-crushed malt delivered in 25kg bags or in bulk.

“It helps that we have one of the country’s four remaining traditional floor maltings where sprouting grain is turned by hand. Craft brewers and distillers from as far away as Japan are fascinated to come and visit the floor malting and try their hand at raking and turning the malt themselves.”

Equally, Crisp supplies global businesses, and has worked closely with brewers AB InBev to develop a supply chain of barley that can be used for the brewing of the Budweiser in the UK.

The malting process Once the barley comes in from the farms, it needs to be dried to roughly 12 per cent moisture to provide consistency throughout the grain. It is also cleaned so small kernels that don’t meet specifications are removed. The barley is stored in silos until ready to process.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 103

104 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Edwards Engineering Portgordon challenge: Edwards Engineering has long term relationships with Crisp Maltings. Its multi-skilled, experienced staff know Crisp and its challenges well.

Crisp’s challenge: The quality of Crisp’s products are of paramount

‘

importance. Malting creates conditions that are hard on the steel structures.

Crisp needed a way to replace the Portgordon Malthouse housing, without impacting production or malt quality.

Crisp Malting Group

Malt is also the central ingredient in malt whisky distilling. Exports of Scotch whisky contribute £125 per second – yes that is per second! - to the UK economy – so the importance of malt production would be hard to overstate

Edwards’ solution: Edwards constructed an innovative approach that allowed the complete replacement of the malthouse structure whilst eliminating the risk of malt contamination.

Result: Crisp’s malt production continued uninterrupted for eight months as the project was delivered on time and budget.

Steeping A batch of clean barley is loaded into large steep tanks and is immersed in water two or three times to increase its moisture content. The grains then start to sprout.

Germination The sprouting barley is moved to a malting floor or vessel. The moisture content and temperature is carefully controlled and the grain is allowed to grow for four to five days. This process naturally modifies the barley releasing starch and breaking down protein into amino acids.

Kilning The germination process is stopped by gently drying the malt on a kiln for one or two days. Varying the final temperature results in different coloured malts with different flavours.

The rootlets are removed and the final malt now has all the extract, enzymes and nutrients that are needed for brewing, distilling and food production.

The maltsters adjust the temperatures of the kiln and the time the grain spends being heated according to the flavour and colour of the malt required. Results vary from malt so pale that it’s barely discernible from raw barley to so dark that it’s black.

Craft brewing For brewing Crisp produces a range of base malts for lighter coloured beers to darker ales. Clear Choice Malt is a unique product developed by Crisp, which helps craft brewers eliminate haze and can help extend shelf life.

The company’s range of speciality malts includes crystal and Cara malts, which are roasted straight after germination. This stews the starchy endosperm of the grain and creates a layer of caramelisation and browning.

Sweet, toffee and caramel flavours can be developed, as well as red hues of colour.

Crisp has also developed speciality malts from new and heritage varieties of barley including Maris Otter and Chevallier Heritage Malt.

Distilling The majority of Crisp distilling malts are produced in Scotland. The finest two-row spring barley is malted by delicately adjusting temperatures, air supply and water levels to balance protein and cell wall modification. It is then skilfully kilned retaining the high levels of enzyme activity desired by distillers.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 105

106 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Crisp Malting Group Food For food production, malt from barley, wheat, oat and rye delivers a great range of flavours, colours and textures. Crisp’s sister company EDME processes malt supplied by Crisp to produce nutritious wholegrain flour, flakes and kibbles for the food industry – bakery in particular.

fillings, pasty fillings, crisps and snacks, and ready meals – can also benefit from malt.

Liquid malt extract has been used in confectionery products for many years to add enhanced flavour to confectionery, chocolate and ice cream and to give a smoother mouth feel in toffees.

Organic malt is also available, as Crisp registered under the Soil Association organic standards.

The food industry’s best kept secret

Malt is used widely in drinks, especially hot drinks. It also lends itself to use in more contemporary products, such as smoothies and health drinks.

A wide range of savoury products – including gravies, sauces, soups, pie

Malt may be respected in brewing and distilling sectors, but is probably still the food industry’s best kept secret and offers huge opportunities to food manufacturers.

Adrian Dyter concludes: “At Crisp, we remain committed to adapting to the changing world of business and flying the flag for British malt in years to come.” D www.crispmalt.co

www.foodchainmagazine.com 107

Local flavour

Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd. has a heritage dating back to 1790 with a rich history of excellence within the brewery and pub industry

H

arvey’s is an historic brewer, wine and spirit merchant and pub operator with a reputation for brewing several award winning beers. Today, the company produces a range of over 20 beers and also owns 48 pubs across South East of England. “Harvey & Son established itself in Lewes during the early nineteenth century, extending its original business as wine and spirit merchants to include brewing. After more than 200 years in the County Town, Harvey’s has become synonymous with Sussex,” elaborates

108 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Joint Managing Director & Head Brewer, Miles Jenner. “The company’s Victorian Tower Brewery sits on the banks of the River Ouse in the heart of the town and is irreverently known locally as ‘Lewes Cathedral’. The philosophy of the company perpetuates the core values of a bygone age where local sustainability was paramount.”

As part of its philosophy of local sustainability, Harvey’s maintains longterm contracts with local hop growers, which provide support for the local farming community. Traditionally, the company’s trade was within a 60-mile

Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd

compost in the nearby market gardens.

Harvey’s is regarded as ‘the beer of Sussex’ and the company is woven into the very fabric of society.”

Modern and relevant

radius of the brewery but with changing market conditions it acquired its first London pub during the 1990’s. It is also selling through distribution channels, which stock establishments such as Bill’s Restaurant chain. The local sale of its popular beers is an important factor in further demonstrating a tangible interaction between Harvey’s and the community. “Our malted barley is sourced within the UK,” Miles adds. “The brewery’s ‘spent grains’ are collected by the local agricultural college and fed to their dairy herd, while the ‘spent hops’ are used as mulch and

Today, Harvey’s beers continue to be produced on the original brewery site.

The brewery itself was rebuilt in 1881 although parts of the original structure still stand, major additional works have doubled the capacity of the brew house, while retaining the site’s flexibility and maintaining the same architectural style. “Harvey’s have a range of 25 bottled beers covering most styles. By bottling ‘in-house’ even our speciality niche products can be produced viably.

Recently the company has invested in kegging plant and has branched out into canning. It has always been the philosophy of Harvey’s to remain both modern and relevant while maintaining its heritage,” Miles says. “Sussex Best Bitter (4.0 abv) is the flagship beer of the company but the core range of traditional draught beers also includes our Dark Mild (3.0 abv), IPA (3.5 abv), Wild Hop (3.7 abv) and Armada Ale (4.5 abv). Additionally, Old Ale (4.3 abv) is available in Autumn and Winter, while our Golden Ale is brewed for the Spring and Summer months.”

Harvey’s was the first brewer to publish a programme of 12 speciality ‘seasonal beers’ that are available for one month at a time. Each beer is brewed uniquely to provide different styles ranging from porters and ruby ales to wheat beers and barley wines. Many of these speciality beers have a local provenance; the company’s Tom Paine (5.5 abv), for example, is named after the celebrated Georgian radical and sometime resident of Lewes who wrote ‘Rights of Man’.

“Southdown Harvest (5.0 abv) is brewed using freshly harvested ‘green hops’ that are picked from the bine that morning and all beers are available in bottle throughout the year. Our newly devised Gold Bier, Malt Brown and Black Stout are served chilled from keg and can to meet the growing demand of a new generation of beer drinkers,” Miles reveals. “There are also two niche products that are worthy of mention: Elizabethan Ale (7.5 abv) barley wine was first brewed for the coronation in 1952 and has remained in production ever since, while Harvey’s Georgian ‘Imperial Extra Double Stout’ (9.0 abv) was created in 1999 and has been the recipient of a national or international award every year since its inception.”

Further to its award-winning range of beers, Harvey’s manufactures and sells different lines including wines,

www.foodchainmagazine.com 109

The name in fine sugars Since our founders created golden syrup the production of pure sugars, syrups and treacles have been in our blood.

Our specialist ingredients are trusted by bakers, confectioners and brewers to create perfect results every time.

Ragus, the professionals choice.

www.ragus.co.uk

Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd

whiskies, foods, condiments and various merchandise. The brewery also procures its own ‘Lewes Blend’ Whisky and recently produced a ‘Malt Gin’ in collaboration with a UK distillery. The company’s brewery shop fronts Cliffe High Street in Lewes, which is the original premises occupied by John Harvey in 1810. The shop sells a large selection of local and foreign wines, some of which it imports, as well as a range of spirits from newly emergent distilleries. The company also sells souvenirs and local foods, including an award-winning marmalade made using Harvey’s Wild Hop beer. “The Brewery Shop is well supported by the local community and is extremely popular with tourists. Harvey’s is the last brewery in the UK to use returnable bottles, thereby forestalling the bottle bank, and the shop charges a returnable deposit to encourage their

return,” Miles details. “Draught beers are drawn from the brewery cellars for customers in containers ranging from four pints to nine gallons.”

its range of seasonal brews, thereby further strengthening the company’s local provenance. It is a move to engage with a new generation of consumer, confident in the knowledge that the existing customer base will remain loyal to the brand regardless of its packaging.

Miles concludes: “Our long-term goal is to retain market share and develop new markets for both established and new products. Within the pub portfolio, more houses are likely to come under direct management but investment will continue within existing outlets and new opportunities to purchase licensed estate in town centres will be examined.

Within the production and distribution areas of the business, investment and programmed maintenance will continue to ensure maximum flexibility and quality assurance.” D www.harveys.org.uk

Local provenance The reputation of Harvey’s beers has resulted in enquires from further afield in recent years. As the market has continued to evolve, Harvey’s has developed as a locally focused business with a growing reputation.

“With changing market conditions, all options are now being considered and wholesalers with a proven reputation for beer management are distributing Harvey beers where new markets are identified. We have also recently undergone a rebranding exercise, redesigning our logo and all pump clips and labels for our core range products.” Additionally, a local artist has redesigned the point of sale for

www.foodchainmagazine.com 111

Mooving with the times

F

Multi-award winning family orientated business Cotteswold Dairy has achieved recognition in the industry for its high quality dairy and other fresh produce

112 www.foodchainmagazine.com

ounded in 1938 by Harry Workman, Cotteswold Dairy Ltd began operating with a 30-gallon a day milk round.

From these humble beginnings the company grew over the years thanks to Harry’s commitment to high quality, customer service and family values.

Today in its third generation, Cotteswold Dairy continues to have these values at the forefront of all business activities, a tradition that has resulted in a thriving, independent family orientated and owned dairy that processes approximately 100 million litres per annum.

“Before my grandfather started at the dairy he worked for the International Stores, where there was a policy for real service to customers and high quality products. He built the company on what he learnt there as well as family values, which is something we have continued over the years and view as a major strength. We are still very much traditional and focus on providing what our customer’s require, whether that is in a specific format for example,” says George Workman, Managing Director.

Providing an overview of the company’s portfolio, George continues: “Today our product range includes various liquid milks and cream; these include conventional milk and Channel Island milk, which is from the Jersey and

Guernsey breed of cow, that is richer in flavour and has a lovely golden colour as carotene is naturally in it. We also process organic milk, which is produced on farms without the use of artificial fertilisers or sprays, Welsh milk from Welsh farms and have just launched a free range milk which carries the Pasture Promise logo; which means it only comes from dairy farms where cows are given the freedom to graze in fields for at least six months of the year. In addition we also offer specialist dairy products such as clotted cream, crème fraîche and Greek style yogurts, all made from the Jersey milk under our Upper Norton Jersey brand.’’

This focus on quality has not gone unnoticed in the industry, with Cotteswold Dairy receiving a number of awards over recent years. In 2016 the company won multiple Great Taste Awards for its products, with the Upper Norton Greek Style Yogurt being awarded the prestigious three star Award, while the Upper Norton Clotted Cream and free range whole milk were awarded one star.

Key to delivering high quality products is the company’s commitment to sustainability, which includes working with 50 farmers who operate to the Red Tractor Farm Assurance scheme. Representing quality food that can be trusted, the Red Tractor

Cotteswold Dairy logo ensures strict governance when it comes to regulations for food safety and traceability, animal welfare and environmental protection. “We also seek to improve and meet targets on recycling and reducing our carbon footprint,” says George. “We still provide a doorstep delivery servicewhereby a glass bottle will do on average 25 to 30 delivery trips, the majority of which is delivered on environmentally friendly electric milk floats; this vehicle was way before its time and was one of the pioneers of electric vehicles.”

Complementing Cotteswold Dairy’s headquarters are its three depots that have been set up in order to get products to a wider range of customers.

The North Wales depot supplies Welsh milk packed under the Dragon brand; The Shrewsbury depot serves mid Wales with the Dragon brand as well as Shropshire and the surrounding area with its Cotteswold milk and products;

the Cheltenham depot, is dedicated to the doorstep delivery service.

Cotteswold Dairy provides multi sector coverage to Doorstep, Bottle milk Buyers, Foodservice, Retail and Wholesale. Its Tewkesbury site provides daily deliveries, serving an 180 mile radius. In addition to dairy products, the company also offers customers an extensive range of other products such as fruit juices, bottled waters, and breads.

While business remains positive, George says Cotteswold Dairy is keen to remain at the forefront of the dairy industry by moving forward with a 15 year masterplan of its eight acre site: “There are seven stages of which we have just completed the first which is the creation of a new lorry park that adjoins our site. The next stage is to produce a cold store extension and other facilities which will free up additional production space. Once the first two stages are complete we will be able to double our current capacity.

“We are looking to continuously improve what we are doing by becoming more efficient and lean while also endorsing our quality, service and family values. Over the coming years we will also be looking at improving the products and services we provide while also seeking opportunities to expand our presence into new sectors,” George concludes. D www.cotteswold-dairy.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 113

114 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Chopstix Group

Fast fusion food Chopstix Group is a take away restaurant brand with over 58 sites across the UK and Ireland, which provides fast and fresh Oriental food

F

or a long time the fast food industry has been dominated by those offering burgers, sandwiches, pizzas and fried chicken, however Chopstix’s success demonstrates the desire within the market for an alternative. The start of

Chopstix and its journey was discussed by chief operating officer Max Hilton Jenvey: “Although the concept of Chopstix was conceived over a decade ago, it has picked up pace and rapidly expanded in the last six years, and it focuses on fresh, nutritious, tasty, accessible Oriental cuisine from the finest ingredients and most innovative and

authentic fusion recipes. Since the first major shopping centre branch opened at Bluewater in 2010, Chopstix has become a staple in shopping centre food courts.”

There are two key demands that continue to increase within the food market, and that is for faster food to keep up with busy lifestyles, and healthy food to keep people well. Both of which are central to the company’s values and ambitions, and have been a key factor behind its level of growth. One way that the company engages the customer with the food is by

www.foodchainmagazine.com 115

having a public cooking process, which Max highlighted: “Chopstix delivers accessible Oriental fusion diversity, delivered through live chef theatre at the front counter, and customers can see exactly how their meal is prepared; in the wok, right in front of their eyes. We

believe that it is a combination of values that set Chopstix apart, quality products cooked live in front of the guests so that they receive the freshest food possible – there are no microwaves in our business – all at a great value price. We really offer something different but in a fast casual dining setting.”

Faster and healthier The company is also always looking for ways to improve and expand, and one constant way it does this is through developing accessible Oriental fusion recipes for its guest’s tastes, an example of which is its new Duck in Orange Sauce. Another development process that has also been underway is by the company’s NPD team, and this has been initiated with the objective of creating even healthier options for younger customers - the outcome will be unveiled by mid 2017. However, what underpins everything that Chopstix does

116 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Keystone Law The food and beverage sector is fast-paced and highly competitive. Offering comprehensive expertise from experienced lawyers, Keystone Law is an industry leader with an exciting client portfolio. Notably, the firm has advised Oriental, restaurant chain Chopstix on a range of legal issues led by Commercial Property Solicitor, Lisa Raymond who has worked with the brand for 20 years. With a deep understanding of the space, its team can guide you through the myriad of legal complexities you may face. By incorporating the skillset of lawyers with proven experience, Keystone Law can advise on acquisitions, commercial contracts, disputes, employment and intellectual property.

Chopstix Group is its commitment to making customers happy, and this was a point that Max presented: “Our guests depend on our fast casual dining and service times that take under a minute. Also, 43 per cent of our guests want to see their food prepared for them and increasingly want to know what ingredients are used. Once again we can appeal to these customers with our use of fresh well sourced ingredients that are used to

prepare every dish right in front of their eyes.”

It is no wonder then that Chopstix’ offer of faster and healthier Oriental cuisine has taken off, and has been the ideal option for those that want a

quick snack, lunch, or dinner option.

The distance that Chopstix has already gone in the market is impressive, and as a result was recently named 25th in the 50 best and most profitable franchise opportunities in the UK.

CP-PACKAGING Cp-Packaging is an industry pioneer, manufacturing a variety of paper-based products for the fast food, restaurant and catering industries. With over 25 years experience in manufacturing and product development, specialising in branded packaging, Cp-Packaging is able to provide key customers such as ‘CHOPSTIX’ with a multitude of packaging solutions, with the focus of offering a complete one-stop-shop to its ever growing customer portfolio. With a range of services available, customer satisfaction is the foundation to Cp-Packaging’s continued success.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 117

118 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Chopstix Group SPA sp. z o.o.

SPA sp. z o.o. is a leading Polish company producing a range of convenience meat products. The company was set up 14 years ago and has been growing since then. At the beginning SPA was a leading producer of skewers in Europe.

Later on the company diversified into production of cooked and raw high value added meat products saving consumer time and offering the best quality of home food. SPA is focused on innovations in food processing and is very much tailoring its products to consumer needs. Products are specifically targeted at the HoReCa segment. The co-operation with Chopstix group is a recent example of the newest development of SPA on the UK market. These two companies are working together to deliver the best quality to food consumers.

chef will cook to order. Both brands are designed for lower footfall locations targeting specific parts of the day, and will maximise revenue generation from smaller footprint and lower staffing costs; ideal for smaller petrol stations, multiple retailers, contract caterers and convenience stores.”

The success of Chopstix is not restricted to just the UK market either, and the company is also looking to

take its fusion food to more areas within Europe. This will mean developing a presence in Poland, France, Spain, Italy, as well as the Benelux and the Scandinavian countries. Therefore, whether it is in Europe, or the UK and Ireland, Chopstix will continue to bring its faster, healthier, and tastier Oriental fusion cuisine to an ever-greater number of hungry customers. D www.chopstixgroup.com

The company has already doubled in size, bought a new office, adding a new restaurant every month, and it looks set to continue this trend: “There are currently 58 Chopstix Noodle Bars that operate across the UK and Ireland which includes ten franchised sites.

Also, four corporate sites will open before the end of the year, including a flagship restaurant on Oxford Street in London. And another two corporate sites are planned for Q1 of 2017. Another five franchise sites will open by Q1 of 2017, which includes two sites in Germany and two in Northern Ireland. The Oriental QSR market is set to increase by 19 per cent by 2019 and Chopstix is very well positioned to maximise the popularity of this trend,” Max said.

Expanding abroad The company is also aiming to appeal to the market with a new version of its stores that will offer an express option, which Max elaborated upon: “The focus is on expansion within the UK and Ireland, and entry into the European market. We have also developed two formats of Chopstix - Chopstix Express Noodle Bar and Chopstix Metro Noodle Bar. The Express brand offers operators the same great Chopstix experience focusing on our bestselling toppings while Metro takes guest interaction and chef theatre to the limits, where guests can select their ingredients and our

Ashtons Legal Ashtons Legal has been working alongside Chopstix and other outstanding brands in the food and beverage sector for many years. Understanding the commercial challenges and legal issues they face, and being able to provide practical solutions, is at the heart of Ashtons’ services. One of its niche areas of expertise is helping businesses to expand successfully through franchising.

Helping food and drink sector clients to succeed is seen as a key to Ashtons’ own current and future success.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 119

Rising

demand

The free-from market is rapidly growing, and Welsh Hills Bakery has been leading the way in the sector with its range of baked goods

120 www.foodchainmagazine.com

W

elsh Hills Bakery, an established bakery for nearly 60 years, started making gluten free cakes and short crust pastry pies in 2001 and was the first to supply two of the UK’s major supermarket chains with an own brand of gluten free products.

Thirteen years later the company is still supplying those same products to these retailers, as well as adding further supermarkets to its customer portfolio.

2008 saw the birth of its own brand of gluten free products named Lovemore Free From Foods. Lovemore has grown steadily to include a range of shortbreads and cookies, along with the traditional apple pies and Cherry Bakewells and fruit slab cakes along with mince pies for Christmas.

Lovemore products can be found across the globe in countries including the USA, Australia, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Republic of Ireland,

Hungary Malta, Finland, and the Middle East as well as the UK. They will also soon be available in Bulgaria, France and Germany, demonstrating the international reach of the brand.

Central to the appeal of its goods is their taste, but also the fact that all Lovemore products are approved by the Coeliac Society and carry the coveted Crossed Grain symbol for verification and to give peace of mind to the consumer.

Welsh Hills Bakery has something for everyone; from those with an allergy or food intolerance to those who have chosen to avoid gluten or wheat as part of a healthier lifestyle, and with Christmas fast approaching, it means everyone can find something special over the festive period.

Managing Director Peter Douglass discussed the exciting ranges of Lovemore products: “At this time of year, our mince pies, gingerbread men and rich fruit slab cakes prove very

Welsh Hills Bakery popular, although they are available all year round. We also have marzipan and icing for these lines. At the moment, we are flat out producing everything in time for the holiday. Our other big sellers include our chocolate chip cookies, chocolate brownies, jammy wheels, lemon cakes, and the chocolate celebration cakes which customers can decorate themselves and indulge in a bit of creativity at home.�

The free-from market is expanding, and shows no sign of slowing down.

While around two per cent of the population can only eat free-from foods due to allergies, there is also a much larger proportion that are choosing to go gluten or wheat free.

This number varies, but around 16 per cent of the UK is doing it out of choice. Some research even suggests that over the past six months around 33 per cent of shoppers in the UK have bought or eaten free-from foods. This

growing demand for free-from foods is something that Welsh Hills Bakery foresaw all those year ago when in 2001 it made the shift to this market. It is now well placed to become the baked food provider of choice for this growing number of free-from customers.

The company’s success has no doubt come from the company’s commitment

THE BAKERITE COMPANY The BakeRite Company is an international supplier of quality ingredients to the bakery industry and has been a significant supplier to Welsh Hills Bakery for many years. Specialising in free from ingredients, The BakeRite Company was one of the first suppliers to be awarded BRC Accreditation for Agents and Brokers. The company is at the leading edge of innovation in this specialist area, and has recently strengthened its team to provide an enhanced level of technical support to a fast-growing, blue-chip customer base that includes household names as well as own label suppliers to the major supermarkets.

Current projects include the evaluation and introduction of clean label and functional ingredients that are both healthy and impart improved texture and mouth feel to gluten free and other free from bakery products, to satisfy a growing demand from increasingly health conscious consumers.

to making its free-from baked goods just as tasty as its conventional rivals.

It does not want its consumers, which due to allergies cannot eat many of the standard products, to have to settle with foods that do not taste great. That is why the company goes to immense effort to utilise various ingredients, research, and testing, so that the range of free-from baked goods will meet the same levels of taste that its mainstream counterpart reaches, and often exceed it. Through working hard to achieve this, the company has made itself stand out in the free-from market, and a favourite of many that buy free-from foods. It clearly has a well-respected reputation as it has a long list of major companies that it supplies, including names such as Tesco, Asda, Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons, and many others.

In addition to the quality of the goods that the company makes, there has also been a recent rebranding of its

www.foodchainmagazine.com 121

Welsh Hills Bakery Lovemore products. This decision was taken to appeal to the changing tastes and trends of its consumers across the world, from Canada to China, once again demonstrating the company’s willingness to adapt and improve. Peter discussed this new direction: “We are spending heavily on marketing a completely new brand image to appeal to our growing international consumer base, and we

122 www.foodchainmagazine.com

will have recently launched this new look at the SIAL food exhibition in Paris.

Our previous packaging looked good years ago, but we have now gone for a bright look to bring a bit of sunshine to the packaging.� Welsh Hills Bakery is always looking to improve and invest, to help maintain the prominent position the company has in a fast expanding niche market.

An example of the distance that Welsh Hills Bakery has come within the free-from food industry is the amount of recognition, nominations, and awards that it has received including being shortlisted in the recent Made in Wales Awards and the Food Awards Wales awards and winning Exporter of the Year in the Welsh Business Awards where it was considered one of the best food manufacturers in the country. The award wanted to recognise the hard work and efforts of the company in the free-from foods sector. Welsh Hills Bakery won another award in 2016 for the business as a whole, taking note of the large investments it has made into the factory and the detailed research that goes into new markets and products.

Awards are always a useful indicator at how a company compares with its competitors and within its market in general, and it is clear that Welsh Hills Bakery stands today as a leader and innovator within the free-foods industry.

Lovemore looks set to become the product of choice for all those that want to enjoy all the taste of baked goods without any of the gluten or wheat, and with the addition of new equipment, a revitalised branding currently being rolled out, plus a Christmas and everyday selection, the company looks set for a positive year to come. D www.lovemorefoods.com

Spendrups Bryggeri AB

Thinking As Sweden’s largest independent brewery, Spendrups Bryggeri AB manufactures, imports, distributes and sells alcoholic beverages across the country

S

pendrups Bryggeri AB is a Swedish family-owned and independent brewery. The business was founded as Grängesbergs Bryggeri AB in 1897 and during more than a century in operation, the company has grown into one of the country’s largest distributers of alcoholic beverages. Spendrups today sells to Swedish restaurants, the country’s government-owned Systembolaget alcohol monopoly retail chain and the grocery trade. The company is Sweden’s leading distributor of beer, while through its Spring Wine & Spirits subsidiary Spendrups represents the second largest supplier to the Systembolaget.

The resources of the Spendrups Group include three breweries situated within Sweden, while its beverage portfolio consists of beer, wine, spirits,

big bottled water, cider and soft drinks.

The company is presently in its fourth generation of private ownership and during its history has build up several successful beer brands such as its Heineken, Norrlands Guld and Mariestads lines, as well as the company’s Loka sparkling water. Spendrups currently employs approximately 900 people throughout the group, with a production capacity of some four million hectolitres of beverages annually. This allowed the business to generate a turnover of around €350 million throughout 2014. “Spendrups has a very long-term perspective on our operations, which is focused on ‘planning for generations, not for quarters.’ We have just finished a grand plan, with which we have made huge investments in production capacity with a clear environmental perspective,” explains Spendrups CEO, Fredrik Spendrup.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 123

“Our overarching strategic ambition centres around ‘being big but acting small.’ Although Spendrups is a fairly small brewing company compared to the global giants, we are a major player in our home market Sweden,” he continues. “In order for us to balance between the giants and the country’s many microbreweries we need to be both small and big at the same time.

This is demonstrated by the fact that we are that we are the producer of Sweden’s most popular beer, Mariestads and two of the country’s most successful craft breweries Gotlands Bryggeri and Brutal Brewing. This offers our clients a strong and robust delivery system as well as a refined portfolio of cutting edge beer brands, which is to the benefit of both customers and consumers.”

Proactive approach With its annual production capacity of four million hectolitres, Spendrups is able to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of brewed products. The company’s manufacturing strength has also benefitted from a continued programme of investment to promote greater

efficiency throughout the business.

“We currently manage four production sites, with one located in Grängesberg which is our major production site for beer, cider and soda. We also operate a ‘water site’ about one hour drive from Grängesberg in Hällefors, which is located in the vicinity of our Loka springs where we source our Loka water.

In Visby on the island of Gotland we have a microbrewery named ‘Gotlands Bryggeri’ that specialises in creative craft brewing. We are now planning to expand the production capacity of this part of the business, with a new production site in coming years. Lastly we have an experimental brewing site in our HQ in Vårby outside of Stockholm, where basically all Spendrups brews are developed and tested,” Fredrik elaborates. “During the last five years we have made major investments valued at around €170 million at the company’s Grängesberg plant. This was the outcome of our production strategy to build one major site with a capacity to handle about 70 different brews in one place. As a result the Grängesberg site is today one of the most advanced and sustainable breweries in Europe.”

Further to investing in the brewing strength of the company, Spendrups has also made great strides in enhancing the sustainability of the business. This represents the company’s ambition to define itself as a market leader in all aspects of the Spendrups Group.

“Spendrups aims to be the best beverage company in the market and this also means that we must strive to be the most responsible company.

We are convinced that a proactive approach to sustainability is crucial to give us the best possible conditions for success both today and tomorrow.

This also includes responsibility for the world and people around us, meaning our owners, customers, suppliers and co-workers. We must always act in a way that shows we deserve their confidence and appreciation.

How we work should contribute to a sustainable world,” Fredrik says.

“Spendrups and its subsidiaries follow the United Nation Global Compacts and the OECD principals. This refers to how companies should act towards consumers and the public, regarding labor law, anti-corruption, human rights and environmental sustainability. We are certified according to ISO 14001 and during the past five years we have invested heavily in building one of Europe’s most advanced and climate savvy brewing sites.”

Strong market During the coming years, Spendrups will seek to continue to build on its investment across the business to increase its presence within Sweden.

This will involve the development of

124 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Spendrups Bryggeri AB its own products, as well as cooperation with other leader beverage manufacturers to further solidify the company’s reputation as Sweden’s leading alcoholic drinks manufacturer and distributor. “Sweden has had a very strong economy for nearly a decade and an enormous growth in craft beer and microbreweries. The market has hence been really strong and Spendrups has managed to grow even faster than the market for the last three years. There has also been a premiumfication of beer and beverages in general which has benefited Spendrups and the whole Swedish brewing scene,” Fredrik concludes.

“We are interested in many sorts of co-operations and collaborations with clients and the brewing community.

Being a fairly small brewery on an international scale we always seek long-term relationships with big and professional companies where we can benefit and contribute. We are very happy and proud to have these existing relationships with internationally renowned companies and brands. Our

vision is to be a world-class brewery and that guides us in all pure strategic efforts now and in coming years. Being a major player in a fairly small however trend sensitive market like Sweden calls for a certain focus on how to expand and broaden our product portfolio and always dare to be willing to try out new areas and products. We are currently in the process of launching a new

three-year strategic plan. But our focus in the coming 12 months is to further expand and reinvest in our production site in Grängesberg and build a new water pipeline from our springs in Loka to our Hällefors site which will benefit the environment and the local community as well as further strengthening sparkling water production for the long-term.” D www.spendrups.se

www.foodchainmagazine.com 125

Passion for food Konspol Group was founded in 1982 and today it is a leading chicken producer, operating the most technologically advanced chicken processing plant in Poland

126 www.foodchainmagazine.com

T

he group is comprised of four vertically integrated companies that follow the food chain – feed plant and chicken farms, slaughterhouse, production plant and distribution operation. Pasz Konspol begins the process with a fully computerised feed production plant that has the potential to produce 16 tons of feed per hour. It also has 88 poultry houses with an area of 130,000 m2, where the chickens are produced on a diet of unmodified soya beans and maize, without bonemeat meal, animal fat, antibiotics or growth promoters. These are free-range chickens.

The next division is Konspol Bis, located in Wielkopolska, and this is the slaughter and cutting plant with a production capacity of 12,000 pieces per hour of chickens up to a weight of 3.5 kg. Konspol Bis is also a processing plant – there are four modern lines where ready-to-eat convenience products are manufactured. This plant features state-of-the-art air-cooling technology to give it a competitive advantage in the market, and furthermore, Konspol Bis is about to commence several significant investments including the

construction of another slaughterhouse and two additional production lines for convenience products.

Next in the chain is Konspol Holding.

This is a chicken-processing plant, and was the first plant in Poland to introduce unique technology to produce 100 per cent chicken meat products. Today it has the potential to manufacture 6000 tons of products per month, and it produces traditional hams and sausages, pates, ready meals, barbecue products and thin sausages as well as convenience products, among them innovative items such as gyoza. Konspol has recently implemented a pasteurisation technology, which allows it to lengthen the shelf life of its products without adding any chemicals.

All of Konspol’s plants are certified GMO free, and are highly integrated, meaning the company is able to control the whole production process at each stage from raw material up to the final product. The total production potential of Konspol Group is 15,000 tons per month and this is still growing.

Finally, the fourth part of the company is Trans Konspol, a fleet of temperaturecontrolled trucks, which assure logistics and delivery support to all of the Group’s operations.

Konspol Group While Poland may be its core home market, such is the status of Konspol that it also ranks as a leader in Europe, and as Magdalena Pazgan-Wacławek, Chairwoman explained, the company bases its success on 35 years of experience of developing and improving its products, services and unique technologies. “We only use carefully chosen Polish raw materials, seasonings and breadcrumbs in our manufacturing process, thus offering products of world-leading quality,” she noted.

Always adhering to this quality driven philosophy, in total Konspol offers over 200 diversified products, including gluten-free products, light products, NATURA products free from preservatives, and an assortment of convenience foods. “We use original, delicious recipes, which make it possible for us to manufacture high quality products that meet our customers’ expectations. We are also able to respond to ever-changing consumers’ behaviour and new market trends such as meat snacks, which are the new ‘it’ food,” continued Magdalena. “We have products for modern women, for children, for people seeking novelties and innovative products. Good taste and heath are our passion and this is also our motto.

We have always paid a lot of attention to what kind of ingredients and raw material we use in the production process and what food we offer to our clients: we were the first company to introduce gluten-free products onto the Polish market as well as NATURA products with no ‘E’ added – products that we call ‘clean label’.”

The NATURA range is free from preservatives, gluten and lactose, and boasts a high meat content – recently Konspol launched a new innovative line of products for children under the brand Zarłaki’ – NATURA, which included frankfurters made from 100 per cent chicken, and a first in the market with NATURA Chicken Nuggets. These featured specially designed packaging driven by consumers’ demand, which makes the products attractive and highly visible on the shelves.

Given the extremely wide range of products on offer from Konspol, the

Group is able to target many different customers and distributes products through a variety of channels. Among these are wholesalers, retailers, super and hypermarket chains, discount chains and the HoReCa sector. In order to deliver a superlative service to such a wide variety of client requirements, the organisation places a high regard on its staff, given that they are the human face of its operation. “We are constantly making investments in our employees – through continuous on-the-job training as well as attendance at external training courses and conferences,” Magdalena confirmed. “These investments are also always underway in the machine park, in order to keep up with customers’ demands and address their upcoming requirements.

The constant improvement of current products and the launch of new ones is what distinguishes us as innovation leaders in Poland.”

Magdalena and the Group as a whole believe that these sorts of continuous improvement programmes are essential in order to compete in what is a very difficult, competitive and challenging market. “Trends in the FMCG market are fast moving, and we have to keep up,” she said. “Considering our 35 years of market experience we can see many opportunities for us, we are working on a number of them and hope that customers will soon have an opportunity to experience them on the market first hand.

“Our aim is to maintain a high quality of products and develop new products with exceptional taste that consider our customers’ demands and follow the trend that ‘food is the new fashion’. We would also like to intensify our activity in foreign markets as the demand for high quality and healthy products is a global trend,” she concluded. D www.konspol.com.pl

www.foodchainmagazine.com 127

Schokinag

A world of chocolate With a new owner arriving in April 2016, German chocolate manufacturer Schokinag is looking to the future with new ambitions

E

stablished in 1923 by the Hermann family, Schokinag was founded with a spirit of entrepreneurship that enabled flexibility, direct communications and fast decision-making. As Rolf Eiermann, Managing Director explained, while this approach was somewhat lost over the years under different company ownerships, today as part of Nimbus and Varova, once again an entrepreneurial ideology is flourishing, with policies such as transparent targets replacing rigid structures and procedures. “Our new Dutch investors have a hands-on mentality and they enjoy taking prompt action,” he added. “They also share our vision for long-term success - in our business we count on enduring relationships with our customers and suppliers and we build a culture of trust. Nimbus and Varova understand this very well and they have the same vision, which is why they have no plans to sell us for at least for the next

seven to ten years. Historically the other companies in which they have invested have adhered to that sort of time line, so they have proven that this is their preferred approach in the past.”

Now that the new owners have taken over, Rolf believes Schokinag has the best of both worlds to draw on: “Being part of ADM gave us the advantages of a corporate identity and structure, and now that is combined with entrepreneurial flexibility. So we combine the greatest parts of the two business models in order to deliver the best service to the customer. This means that when the customer asks a question we can react quickly and do not need days to respond - internally we can rapidly push the right buttons.

It is more a ‘target-orientated’ approach rather than a ‘way-orientated approach’.

These methods are applied to all our departments, including supply chain, research and development and so on.

Overall our focus remains on our clients, with customer intimacy and flexibility as our main goals.”

Thanks to the revitalising effects of the new owners, Schokinag is able to fully focus on re-establishing its reputation for responsiveness and reliability, and turn its attentions to creating the best chocolate products for its customers. Rolf explained how the company’s operations are organised: “When we were founded, we originally processed cocoa beans to cocoa butter and cocoa powder and produced chocolate as a next step of the supply chain.

“Recently the company was divided into a semi-finish branch and a chocolate production division under the wings of Schokinag, and as the company was already based in two separate buildings it was physically divided as well. As a result, the cocoa factory is on the other side of the street, but we still use the original pipeline between the two sites to transport the cocoa butter and liquor and still work closely with Olam, the current owner of the cocoa processing site. We still process our own cocoa beans, especially when it comes to special bean types, sustainable certified like Fairtrade, Utz and Rainforest Alliance or single origin beans.”

Chocolate range Overall, on the liquid side Schokinag manufactures an extended range of dark, milk and white chocolates and offers the opportunity to develop tailor-made recipes according to customers’ specifications and requirements. The liquid product range is complemented by ice cream compounds made with coconut oil and by chocolates in which part of the cocoa butter is replaced by CBE. On the solid chocolate side, Schokinag produces chips and chunks as dark, milk and white chocolates for bakery inclusions and for re-melting in various shapes, as well as speciality chocolates for decoration and inclusions.

“We have a capacity right now of 80,000-90,000 tonnes, which should increase in the coming years,” Rolf highlighted. “We are currently looking at finding all the easy processing optimisation improvements we can make, so your so called ‘low-hanging fruit’, so that we can increase our flexibility and efficiency.”

www.foodchainmagazine.com 129

130 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Schokinag Uelzena Ingredients Uelzena Ingredients, a business unit of the Uelzena group, offers a broad range of high quality milk-based food ingredients and extraordinary expertise in the milk fat processing sector. All products are produced in several group-owned production plants in Northern Germany. Its customer base comprises the largest industrial confectionery, chocolate, ice cream, baking and food companies as well as craft businesses. The product portfolio includes low heat and high heat skimmed milk powder, sweet buttermilk powder, butter, anhydrous and/ or fractionated milk fats and sweetened condensed milk as well as yoghurt and cream products or customised fat compounds.

“We have closely co-operated with many of our customers for decades.

That makes us very proud. Their high standards and a trustful exchange of information support our constant improvement,” describes Peter H. Langner, sales manager milkfat, describing Uelzena’s relation to its customers.

“Schokinag is one of our customers from the chocolate industry, we provide them with anhydrous milk fat for their chocolate production.”

Besides standard butter and butterfat qualities, Uelzena can provide very special milk fat products, like fractionated milk fat products with defined melting points and behaviour or white butterfat for light crèmes, white filled cream candies and chocolates.

Product development The core market where Schokinag focuses its attention is central Europe, but Rolf does see opportunities to expand further afield in the future: “Our location in Mannheim is basically in the centre of Europe and so we do consider ourselves in a rather advantageous position geographically. Certainly we do also see prospects in markets in central and Eastern Europe, the UK and US, the Middle East and may other regions of the world.”

In order to ensure that it is meeting the needs of this broad and growing customer base, Schokinag is constantly supporting its customers in developing new products: “We have a very strong research and development (R&D) department, which in the business-tobusiness sector is crucial for success,” Rolf noted. “We develop and

optimise recipes together with our clients, and when there is a customer thinking about adding a new application or product to their own portfolio then we work together with them on a lab-scale, using our own R&D lab to help them. We do need to follow market trends, which are opened up by customer applications, recipes and products, and we help the client develop these further. So for example, we are now producing a lot more single origin cocoa beans, from Ecuador or Ghana for example, according to the requirements of our customers.”

It is clear that Schokinag is approaching 2017 with a revitalised attitude and a new owner that is keen to invest in order to help the company achieve its ambitions. Concluding with some ideas on where the business is focusing next, Rolf summed up: “We are going to increase our flexibility further, and we are looking at reducing bottlenecks in production. We will also

be making some investments that will enable us to offer a broader product range, including very low fat to very high cocoa content chocolate.

“We are focusing on efficiency measures as well as reducing costs, and finally, we want to continue to perfect our quality levels on our products as well as increase the quantities we manufacture, and all at the right price. We certainly have some major investment plans in our pipeline but we will keep them under our hat for now – it is a very exciting time for Schokinag.” D www.schokinag.com

Olam Cocoa Building on a long working history, existing business relationship, and geographical proximity, every day Olam Cocoa provides unique logistics services and cocoa solutions for Schokinag by delivering just-in-time, superior cocoa ingredients that help meet growing market demands and continually evolving customer requirements. Olam Cocoa is pleased to assist Schokinag as they craft innovative chocolate products of the highest quality and to exacting standards for some of the most discerning chocolate consumers in Europe and beyond.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 131

Flavours for all

G

Innovation and creativity are central to Glacio Group’s aims, and help it in creating new and interesting ice cream desserts for its global customer base 132 www.foodchainmagazine.com

lacio Group was last featured in FoodChain Magazine in July 2015, and since that time the company has continued to retain quality, flexibility, and curiosity at the heart of what it does and implement these into every ice cream product that it creates.

This has resulted in the continued development of new flavours, styles, and recipes for its products, all of which bring something unique to the market. There have been a number of investments made by the company, and one of particular highlight is the new production line that it has introduced produces a new range of ice cream desserts. These will take the form of layered ice cream with chocolate added within each layer, creating an elegant ice cream cake. This investment in a new production line once again demonstrates the dynamic trend that runs throughout the company, within every product, and there is a commitment to always creating something new and engaging to satisfy its customers.

In addition to this new release, there are more products that Glacio has diligently created under the IJSBOERKE-brand. The first of these is the new cone, created in collaboration with the Belgian company ‘CHOCOLATERIE JACQUES’, that includes Belgian chocolate sprinkles – an incredibly popular addition by many across Europe. It will take something that is enjoyed by its consumers and incorporate it into the cone itself, which is something that seems such a simple way to add to the consumers’ experience, and yet is one that is new to the market. This project was successfully launched at the beginning of 2016 for the Belgian retail and outof-home market, and Glacio aims for it to spread into even wider markets in the following year.

The on-going collaboration with the world famous Belgian Chocolate Praline-brand ‘LEONIDAS’ has resulted in the launch of the new Manon Glacée Icecream Pralines, made by IJSBOERKE, which have proven to be a great commercial success.

Perfect indulgence Furthermore, Glacio has also unveiled three new flavours in scooping for the out of home market, one of which is its Belgian Praliné. The second is its Walnut Caramel ice cream that like the Belgian Praliné contains real nut pieces. Both of these products will no doubt prove a popular choice over the Christmas period, as they are the perfect indulgence for the time of the year. The Blackcurrant Cassis Sorbet is the third, and contains vitamin C, which will help to make it a favourite for many during the winter months. Therefore, with Christmas fast approaching Glacio once again displayed its flexible nature, and has organized a range of well thought-out ice cream based treats for the festive season.

The Christmas range is not the only way in which Glacio shows its expertise in producing an ice cream selection that is varied and tailored to the range of tastes of its customers. Another that demonstrates this is its development of low calorie ice cream options, and this was something that Eric De Man,

Glacio Group Sales Manager Retail Benelux & UK, highlighted: “This is an innovation that is currently being developed at full speed and is one to watch for in 2017, we are creating new recipes that involve lower calorie products, which even diabetic people will be able to eat.”

elaborated upon by Eric: “All Glacio scooping ice recipes are all natural, all ingredients are certified to be from natural sources, nothing synthetic, nothing artificial, and we believe this is a very important element in our

Love for ice cream One of the overwhelming points that comes across from Glacio and the desserts it produces is the care and passion it has for what it makes and for who it makes it for. It wants to come up with new and interesting flavours that will help its customers find a new aspect to ice cream that they will love. Glacio’s diligence extends beyond just the range of options that it produces, but also the quality of ingredients and the sustainability of the process, taking care from start to finish, which was

Sensient Sensient have been a partner to Glacio for over ten years. During this time we have built an excellent relationship with various parts of their business. They produce excellent ice cream products, and at Sensient we pride ourselves on delivering quality flavour, inclusions and sauces.

At Sensient, we bring life to products.

products.” Eric continued: “We also have the desire to limit our ecological footprint, and most of our raw materials and packaging we buy from suppliers, that are in the vicinity of the factory, which helps to reduce air miles.”

The Glacio Group is constantly working on something new, and is often working on several innovations at once. It still provides its customers with all the original ice creams that they might be accustomed to, however it is also creating the next generation of ice cream desserts, whether this be in the form of new flavours, new styles, or new low calorie options. Glacio brings creativity and a customer focused approach to ice cream production, and is taking its ice cream products to an even greater audience year-on-year within a growing number of regions, the expansion of the customer-base in China being the most recent project. D www.glacio.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 133

Pride of Wales Founded in 2003 by husband and wife team, Gwynne and Adele Thomas, Conwy Brewery is a Welsh brewing company with a proud heritage and full range of high quality cask and bottled ales

134 www.foodchainmagazine.com

W

hen the Conwy Brewery was officially incorporated on 17th February 2003, it became the first brewery in Conwy for over 100 years and was proud to celebrate its tenth anniversary milestone in 2013. The brewery specialises in both cask and bottle conditioned ales of the highest quality, offering perhaps the best range of ales in North Wales. The company is presently based at its modern premises in Llysfaen, where it has installed a new 25BBl brewery designed by Brendan Dobbin, the brewing engineer behind the Firkin brewpubs. “The Conwy Brewery started in a small industrial unit within Conwy, where it supplied the immediate town and local markets with around 2000 to 3000 pints a week,” explains Head Brewer, Gwynne Thomas.

“We are now based in our third brewery site, which is a much larger 25-barrel brewery with the ability to produce on average of 30,000 pints per week. The company has grown tenfold during the past 12 years and we are now supplying the whole of Wales, including many of the major supermarkets, pubs and freehouses.”

During June 2015, Conwy Brewery celebrated the award of a contract to supply Co-operative food store in Wales

with over 40,000 pints of ale. Research undertaken by The Co-operative Food shows that the UK has become a nation of ‘real ale converts’, with consumers now four times more likely to choose real ale products over mass-produced beer and 71 per cent of drinkers indicating that it is important to find and enjoy locally brewed varieties. Commenting on the award of the contract Gwynne said: “The award of this project is fantastic news, this is our first listing of this scale with a convenience retailer and it opens up new markets for us. We are delighted that The Co-operative shares our passion for local real ales and is now stocking three of our ales including our best selling Welsh Pride. We pride ourselves on taste and quality and we know this approach is shared by The Co-operative.”

Suits all tastes Clogwyn Gold, Rampart and Welsh Pride are all currently playing a role in The Co-operative’s move to alter the way the company sells real ale by offering specially selected beers from breweries based near to its local stores.

Throughout its range, Conwy Brewery produces a comprehensive range of 16 cask and bottle conditioned ales across four distinctive brands. Quality is at the heart of the company’s ethos and Conwy uses soft water from the mountains of Snowdonia, malts from Bairds of Lincolnshire and hops from around the world. No artificial ingredients are used and all Conwy beers are naturally carbonated with no filtering or pasteurisation and the company’s beers are all suitable for vegetarians. “We offer an extensive range of beers with which we try to satisfy a wide variety of tastes. We have lighter, more easy-going beers like Clogwyn Gold at ABV 4 per cent, which is a nice golden, while we also offer Welsh Pride ABV 4.3 per cent beer that is brewed as a bitter variety of ale,” Gwynne elaborates. “We also offer options like our darker, full-bodied Rampart ale, which is ABV 4.8 per cent.

We brew a good selection of beers that offer something to suit all tastes, for example, we also brew a beer called Honey Fayre ale at ABV 4.8 per cent, which is something of a hybrid ale that

Conwy Brewery appeals to lager drinkers with its light, easy-going flavour.”

The range of Conwy Brewery brands is comprised of its Conwy ales, which represent its popular flagship beers that are designed to have broad appeal and are available all year; Seasonal ales including speciality beers that are available at different times of year; the West Coast range, which showcases the brewery’s modern beers; and Small batch brew that includes new beer styles, new hops or even classic archived brews. This extensive selection of beers has allowed Conwy Brewery to work with many of the major supermarkets and local businesses throughout Wales. “We work with most of the major supermarkets within Wales including the Co-operative as well as Tesco, ASDA, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, M&S and Morrisons. All of these businesses have a reasonably strong presence within Wales and are keen

to stock local beers as a response to consumer expectations and this is reflected in local pubs as well,” Gwynne exclaims. “Pubs have increasingly moved to stock more locally brewed beers in line with this wider trend.”

To accommodate the growing interest in its range of beers, Conwy has moved between three brewing sites throughout its history. The company has also recently invested in new equipment at its current Llysfaen location to both increase production and ensure that the facility will be able to continue to

ADS2 Brands We at ADS2 Brands are pleased to be associated with Conwy Brewery with their glassware requirements. As a business we pride ourselves on supporting all major global and developing brewers, retailers and operators with all of their individual generic or bespoke dispense and POS requirements. No matter the size of your brand or budget, we will deliver products that clearly communicate your brand’s USPs and to help you stand out from the crowd – on time, on budget and on brief.

support the business for years to come.

“We have recently invested in a stateof-the-art labeller, which has enabled us to increase our output by around 50 per cent when compared to our older bottling equipment. Prior to that we moved to our current site around three years ago, which effectively enabled us to double the size of the brewery and to quadruple our warehousing space. We don’t intend to be a brewery that is ‘here today and gone tomorrow’ and will still be brewing here in ten to 20 years as a result of this investment,” Gwynne concludes.

“During the next 12 months we will work to consolidate ourselves as a strong and leading brewer in Wales. We are a quality brewery and one of only three or four breweries in Wales to hold SALSA accreditation and we are keen to increase our association through companies like Red Letter Days and to look at the export market in the future.” D www.conwybrewery.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 135

Striving for excellence

136 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Bokomo Foods (UK) Ltd Producing over 615,000,000 bowls of cereal per year, Bokomo Foods (UK) Ltd. manufactures many different types of cereals and packaging, which it sells to clients that include some of the UK’s leading supermarkets

B

okomo Foods (UK) Ltd. is owned by the South African based enterprise Pioneer Foods and first entered into the UK cereal market during September 2000, through a joint venture with the Australian company Sanitarium.

The joint venture was known as Grain Health Foods (UK) Ltd. until 2004, when Pioneer Foods acquired the remaining shares in the organisation and renamed the business to Bokomo Foods. At this time the company only produced wheat biscuits, however during 2005 Belso Cereal was added to the business and Bokomo entered into the wider cereal market. “Strategically we knew that it was important for the company to widen its product portfolio beginning with the acquisition of Belso

Cereal,” explains Bokomo Foods CEO, John Hiles. “More recently we acquired Streamfoods Holdings and its Fruit Bowl brand during August 2016, including the company’s production facility in Wisbech and have started selling ‘Harvest Cheweee’ cereal bars as of 1 August 2016. While research and product development are key to our future plans, so too are the staff and manufacturing needs. As a result, the plan will be to invest in training, development and manufacturing capabilities, all set to position Fruit Bowl as the UK’s leader in the fruit snacking industry.”

The deal to acquire Streamfoods Holdings was valued at around £7.5 million and was in line with Pioneer’s strategy of bolstering the company’s product range in the UK with

further branded options. Stream Foods employs around 98 people at its factory in Wisbech, with its products reaching clients throughout Europe and China.

The company’s Fruit Bowl range includes products such as dried fruit bars, fruit bars and yogurt covered fruit snacks.

“This acquisition is in keeping with the stated strategic intent of acquiring and bolstering Pioneer Foods’ product portfolio in the UK with a branded proposition, namely Fruit Bowl,” comments Pioneer Foods CEO, Phil Roux. “The transaction will augment and leverage our UK private label portfolio and our recently upgraded manufacturing capabilities.”

Bokomo currently operates three manufacturing sites across the UK located in Peterborough, Wellingborough and Wisbech, which allow the company to make products ranging from muesli, granolas, crunch clustered cereal and different formats of oat porridges to flaked cereal products, wheat biscuits and snacking products. During July 2016 Bokomo officially opened its brand new state-of-the-art production facility in the commercial area of Orton Southgate,

www.foodchainmagazine.com 137

European Oat Millers Ltd • Your Milling & Ingredient Partner Mile Road, Bedford, United Kingdom, MK42 9TB

Call: 01234 327 922 enquiries@oatmillers.com • www.oatmillers.com

Proudly supplying Bokomo.

We are a leading supplier of oats and ingredients through out the UK, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa.

About EOM Trusted over 3 decades as an ingredient supplier of oats and grain base ingredients. We operate on our key values of loyalty, reliability, exceptional service and quality.

Milling Division Oat Milling. Whole Grain Products. Oat, Wheat & Barley Cereal Flaking. Oat & Barley Flour. Animal Feed. Bio Mass.

Ingredient Division Toasted Wheat Flakes. Bran Flakes. Spelt Flakes.

Corn Flakes. Multi Grain Flakes. Rice Flakes.

Extrusions based around Rice, Oats and Maize Raw Material. Coated Cereals. Protein Ingredients.

Our dynamic, flexible approach makes us the ideal milling and ingredient partner.

For all enquiries please call 01234 327 922 or email enquiries@oatmillers.com

The highest quality of standard throughout our supply chain, employees, culture and manufacturing.

Certificate 13138 OHSAS 18001

‘

Bokomo Foods (UK) Ltd

Throughout its history Bokomo Foods has continued to invest into its facilities and product portfolio with a focus of ensuring the highest levels of quality across all of its cereal products

Peterborough. The new facility is intended to boost the manufacturer’s positive growth trajectory by supplying healthy, tasty and cost effective breakfast cereals to clients within the UK and around the world. “We are hugely excited to have opened our new, large scale site, which we have designed specifically to meet the requirements of a world class breakfast cereal business. The relocation from our old factory has involved careful planning to ensure there is no disruption for our existing customers,” John says.

“We operate in such a competitive environment that critical to our future growth was the issue of efficiency and cost. The new factory will allow us to expand and we will improve efficiencies across all areas to enhance the overall offering for our customers.”

the amount of available space while housing the entire facility under one roof, meaning that operations have been streamlined and energy efficiency across the entire production cycle has been dramatically improved. The construction of the factory was completed in May 2016 following an investment of over £2 million by Pioneer Foods. Transition planning was undertaken over the course of six months and the site became fully operation in June 2016.

As a result of the development of the facility, Bokomo has also invested in the acquisition of new machinery with a

view to maintain its record for constantly meeting customer lead times. The company currently produces more than ten million bowls of cereal per week for all of the major supermarket chains and the new factory will enable Bokomo to more than double the production capacity of its previous facility. “The installation of a new oven means we’ve been able to increase our baking capacity and a high-speed machine has allowed for increases in packaging capacity, as well as more than 7000 pallet spaces, the business has plenty of room for expansion,” John says.

Room for expansion The previous Bokomo plant offered 6000 square metres of space, comprised of a conglomeration of six separate industrial units. The development of the new site has tripled

European Oat Millers Combining an enviable knowledge of the milling process with a passion for delivering exceptional products, we are one of the world’s leading suppliers of oats and grain base ingredients. The demand for our exceptional grain-based products spans the globe, with our distributor network reaching as far as the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Supplying quality ingredients to major food companies for three decades, we are trusted to produce excellent oat and cereal products that can be used across a variety of retail lines found in most supermarkets and health food shops.

Our milling division capabilities and manufacturing process: Oat Milling, Whole Grain Products, Cereal Flaking, Flour, Animal Feed and Bio Mass.

Our ingredient production plant specialises in: Extruded, Coated and Flaked Products and Ingredients.

www.foodchainmagazine.com 139

Throughout its history Bokomo Foods has continued to invest into its facilities and product portfolio with a focus of ensuring the highest levels of quality across all of its cereal products.

This has resulted in the company receiving several accolades over the years, such as winning two awards at the Good Choice! Quality Food Awards and the Quality Food Awards at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel during November 2015. The company was recognised as the winner of the winner of the ‘Cereals’ category in the Good Choice! Quality Food Awards for its production of Asda’s Good & Balanced Pumpkin & Mango Granola product line. Bokomo Foods was also highly commended in the ‘Cereals’ category in the Quality Food Awards for its production of Tesco Finest Red Berry Granola. The awards are some of the most respected awards within the food and beverage industry and represent

140 www.foodchainmagazine.com

the best grocery products on the market throughout the UK. Each of these awards are highly competitive and are known for their rigorous judging and strict criteria. “This is a fantastic achievement for Bokomo and I am delighted that yet again we have demonstrated our expertise as the UK’s leading cereal manufacturer,” John exclaimed at the time. “Our team is the strength behind our success and we have great relationships with all the big supermarket chains and will continue to work together on producing high quality cereal for the UK market.”

Award wins During 2016 Bokomo Foods has continued to build on its previous success by winning the Food & Drink Manufacturer of the year category at the Central & East of England Manufacturing Awards. “This really represents us striving for excellence. We

Bokomo Foods (UK) Ltd all work hard and are proud in what we do,” John says. “The work environment is such that everybody can work to the full potential and through that we strive to delight the consumers that enjoys eating the products we make. This award is a recognition for all the effort and hard work.”

good at that. If you look at market data then the cereal market is flat both in value and volume, when combining Mintel data and our supply data to the trade discount,” John concludes. “The coming months will be challenging, especially with the additional pressure

of the devaluation of the pound and its impact on commodity prices. However I am a firm believer in that if we stand together as a company and do what we do better, we will be able to maintain our strategic growth plan.” D www.bokomo.co.uk

Quality reputation Although the market in the cereals sector is relatively challenging, Bokomo Foods has a proven reputation for quality and a significant market presence that will help the business to achieve a strategic growth trajectory over the coming years. “The recent market has been fairly difficult because of the price pressures that have been brought on commodities as well as the selling price of cereals. As a result it is a very competitive market where the product quality, service and price differentiate you from your competitors and we are

www.foodchainmagazine.com 141

A scoop of

success

R

Rossi Ice Cream has been producing award winning Ice Cream since 1932. Over 80 years later it continues to be loved by generations throughout Essex and beyond 142 www.foodchainmagazine.com

ossi Ice Cream has a longstanding history in Essex and prides itself on providing premium, traditional ice cream as well as a high standard of customer service. By identifying each customer’s individual needs and offering a service that suits their requirements, many business relationships, including parlours, mobile vans and retailers, have lasted over many decades, which is a testament to both the quality of the ice cream and the company’s business approach. It offers a wide range of flavours and sizes for all market places

including classic Vanilla, Honeycomb, Mint Choc Chip, Lemon Ice and sizes ranging from 125ml to ten litres. With its deep roots in the Essex area, as the business continues to grow, it also cherishes being able to support local charities and contribute to the local tourism in and around the area.

Rossi is a company that is taking a product it loves and supplying it to an ever-growing customer base. Summer 2015 saw the brand refresh of Rossi, introducing the company’s first ever printed containers in over 80 years.

Together with the updated Rossi logo, this enabled products to sit proudly on retailer’s shelves, reflecting the premium ice cream produced and help to support sales. Colin Gray, Director at Rossi Ice Cream, discussed some of the success the company has had: “We have expanded the business into more retail areas, while still continuing to support independent retailers. This reflects on now supplying ASDA stores directly since June, as well as 30 Chelmsford Star Co-op Stores and 40 stores for the East of England Co-op. We have also been awarded an additional 40 stores throughout the region with the Co-op Manchester Group.” The company is fast becoming the ice cream of choice for many establishments as Rossi has been making moves further into the leisure, hotel and catering sectors including Havens Holiday Parks.

No wonder the company is aiming to continue the expansion of its market and broadening its customer base, much further than Essex.

One way in which Rossi is raising its profile and working with a diverse selection of companies is through a unique service of fully branded and personalised ice cream tubs. This is something that few, if any, of the company’s competitors offer and that has been overwhelmingly well received by all those that have used the service. The strengths of this tailor-made ice cream product were highlighted by Colin Gray: “We have supplied personalised ice cream tubs via branding and marketing agencies for a number of their clients including Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss and easyJet. We also offer door-to-door delivery

Rossi Ice Cream using temperature controlled vehicles for events in London, Scotland, even Europe as far as Monaco in the south of France. The tubs are perfect for such a range of reasons allowing companies to offer ice cream at an event or exhibition at the same time as promoting their own product. The unique experience is a great talking point for potential customers as well as a ‘holding point’ at exhibitions and events, as the customer enjoys the ice cream and discussions/ relationships can be built. The tubs used for Hilfiger were for a store grand opening in London and were so successful, they repeated the order a year later for its first anniversary.”

The company even has the capability to create and produce bespoke ice cream flavours with several companies approaching it with wild and wonderful ideas over the years it has been able to make a reality. From Gin & Tonic Sorbet for a Casino, Lavender for a London based hotel, even producing 80 different flavours as part of the ‘Around the World in 80 Scoops’ campaign for Insure & Go. Flavours included Squid Ink Ripple (Japan), Tobacco (Cuba) and Fish with Lemon Grass Syrup (Vietnam).

Rossi Ice Cream has recently been nominated for the ‘Pride of Essex’ award

by Essex Life Food & Drink Awards, which is evidence of the success the company has achieved. As the business continues to grow, so does its

online presence with its social media engagement steadily increasing and the launch of a brand new website due in October helping towards increasing brand awareness.

The quality and appeal of Rossi Ice Cream simply cannot be under question.

The name is spreading and with every mouthful of Rossi Ice Cream the customer base grows. The heart of the business may have started and remains in Essex, but as the company begins to expand and move forward, the whole of the UK may one day, have the chance to enjoy an original Rossi Ice Cream. D www.rossiicecream.com

www.foodchainmagazine.com 143

Crisp from the orchard As the UK’s largest independently owned cider maker, Aston Manor Cider is dedicated to producing quality products from orchard to glass

144 www.foodchainmagazine.com

E

stablished in February 1983, Aston Manor Cider, a familyowned business, is also the country’s second largest cider manufacturer overall. The company produces a diverse range of cider brands from four modern production facilities including three in the West Midlands; a fruit pressing and processing mill in Stourport-on-Severn, a production and packaging facility in Aston and a logistics and warehousing hub in Witton, plus a further production and packaging facility in Tiverton, Devon. Aston Manor also has orchards in Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

Although 95 per cent of its ciders are currently sold in the UK, Aston Manor Cider enjoys sales in as many as 20 countries around the world and its global export presence continues to grow.

“Being a family-owned business gives Aston Manor Cider the advantage of being able to plan for longer-term growth. We have greater control over

business decisions and are focused on sustainability,” reveals Managing Director, Gordon Johncox. “The company’s passion and dedication to making quality products and providing excellent customer service, coupled with the ambition to be recognised as the most capable and progressive cider company, is driven by the business owners and is shared by everyone within the organisation. The strong commitment to the success of the cider category and the future growth of the company filters down from the business owners to all our employees.”

Indeed, throughout its history Aston Manor Cider has worked to further enhance the growth of the business and the development of its cider products.

The company is presently undergoing a major investment plan that will enhance its production and processing facilities, including an investment of £3 million to increase capacity and capability. In total the investment plan is worth around £50 million over a decade.

Aston Manor Cider As part of this, in spring 2013 the business announced the planting of 1000 acres of additional orchards while also agreeing several 25-year contracts with its farming and growing partners.

Furthermore, in order to support further growth in the company, Aston Manor Cider announced a multi-million pound deal to create an outstanding logistics facility in July 2014 at a new site in Witton, just three miles from its main production site. “We have invested heavily over the past four or five years in our manufacturing capability and capacity. As part of a significant investment programme, we have focused on enhancing our operations across our production sites to help us become more sustainable to support wider company growth. The new equipment and initiatives we’ve introduced this year alone will help reduce waste, save energy and will make us even more efficient,” Gordon says.

“Another significant investment that we are proud of this year is our extended relationship with the Rugby Football League and in England Rugby League, giving us a great platform for consumer engagement with our flagship cider, Kingstone Press.” The cider is now the principle partner of England Rugby League, an agreement that covers two major international tournaments, the Four Nations later this year and the World Cup in 2017.

Extensive portfolio Further to its flagship Kingstone Press brand, Aston Manor Cider takes pride in being the only producer that offers a high quality cider that meets the unique requirements of every consumer and occasion. Its extensive portfolio spans the breadth of the cider category from mainstream ciders through to premium brands, which are all available in a variety of different packaging formats.

“Aston Manor Cider has made significant

www.foodchainmagazine.com 145

Aston Manor Cider investments in new product development this year to enable us to manage our brand portfolio and expand into new areas. Premium cider is experiencing a surge in growth, thanks to the rising consumer interest in provenance and quality. This led to us putting increased investment into the premium end of our portfolio,” Gordon explains. “We have developed our craft cider range under the Friels First Press Vintage Cider (7.4 per cent abv) brand to include new packaging formats and flavour variants.

Friels First Press Vintage is made in small batches with 100 per cent fresh apples from the first press of juice from a variety of dessert apples delivering a fantastically fruity, light-bodied yet full-flavoured craft cider. Great for consumers looking for an authentic cider, it is available in 20l bag-in-box, 500ml glass bottle and now a stylish 330ml can. A hops-infused variant has also been added to the range, offering a

146 www.foodchainmagazine.com

unique and refreshing flavour profile.”

In addition to its continued investment into new facilities and increasing its product portfolio, Aston Manor Cider was recently awarded an ‘AA’ rating at its Stourport cider mill and an AA* rating at both its production and packaging sites in Tiverton and Aston by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) meaning that all of its production locations now have the highest possible accreditations for quality of operations.

Print-Leeds Print-Leeds is a specialist printing house producing wet-glue labels, UV litho on plastics and digital print. The labels division prints wet glue labels – wraparound, square cut, punched and tube wrapped – which can be hot foil stamped or embossed. Printed using UV or conventional inks with a gloss or matt varnish, the labels are predominately for the beer, water and food industries.

Print-Leeds expertise is unrivalled, as is the quality of its work, attention to detail and customer service. It believes in investing in new technology and as recently invested over £4m in new machinery, making it one of the most technically advanced printers in the UK.

While the cider market may have suffered in recent years, Aston Manor Cider continues to enjoy growing success and is set to look to new markets in the near future. “UK cider sales have fallen in the last two years and whilst we’re not immune to prevailing market conditions, Aston Manor is doing better than the category as a whole. Though cider has declined as a total category there continues to be opportunities for growth, especially within the premium cider sector which as a category is experiencing the strongest rate of growth,” Gordon concludes. “Whilst the drinks industry will remain very challenging, we anticipate that we will continue to outperform the market over the next 12 months. We’re pleased with how we have improved the mix of business we do and that we are able to invest to support the future success we expect to see at home and abroad.” D www.astonmanor.co.uk

Innovative Bites Ltd

The US of Ate

Innovative Bites Ltd is a leading supplier, distributor and wholesaler of confectionary and grocery products that specialises in the import and distribution of American food brands

F

ounded in 2008, American food wholesaler Innovative Bites has witnessed significant growth and established a deep-rooted culture of success based on winning products and industry-leading customer service. Discussing the progression of Innovative Bites from a company with a turnover of £100,000 in 2010 to an organisation with a group revenue of £55 million in 2015, Vishal Madhu, Founder and Managing Director of Innovative Bites Ltd, begins: “Although the business was incorporated in 2008, no trading happened until August 2010. We have come a long way since our inception as we began operations with one major customer before seeing a gap in the market for American food brands; since then the business has doubled year-on-year.”

He continues: “Of course American products have always been available in the UK, however because their place within the market was niche or high end, products were sold in places such as Selfridges at expensive prices. If you didn’t have the money you couldn’t enjoy these products, but we believed food shouldn’t be expensive and found a way to make American food affordable and sustainable for all customer bases.

The first retailer we worked with was Amazon and we were selling 1,400 products to this retailer; from there we worked with Tesco, Waitrose, Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s to name a few. All of these stores have an American range that we are a major supplier of. We have made products such as Lucky Charms available to customers now for £5 instead of £10 when they first came to market and thus made these

fun, exciting items more accessible; this development drove the market up and resulted in Innovative Bites surpassing the turnover of competitors that have been in the business for the last 18 years.”

Diverse products Having rocked the American market with its low prices, consistency of products and distribution into the UK and Europe’s markets, the company imports over 700 containers a year that carry more than 1400 lines. Proud distributors of key core American brands such as Hostess, Warheads, Cookie Dough Bites, Boylan’s, Ortega, Mega Marshmallows, Herr’s and New York Style chips, Innovative Bites is able to meet the continued growth in demand for its confectionary products.

Providing more detail on the diverse range of products available is the company’s website, which has divided

www.foodchainmagazine.com 147

148 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Innovative Bites Ltd Global Container Services Global Container Services are specialists in customs clearance, freight forwarding and international logistics solutions for the food market.

Our experience, flexibility and knowledge, matched by our attentive personal service, ensures the smooth flow of imported and exported goods enabling you to concentrate on your core business. Our team of dedicated customs clearance professionals will tailor a solution to meet your needs – whatever its scale or complexity may be.

With over 100 agents covering 49 countries, we have the local presence worldwide to expedite the movement of your goods in the quickest and most efficient way possible.

American foods into different segments; these include American breakfast, American soft drinks, American lip balm, American spreads, American snacks, American confectionary, American syrup/toppings, American general groceries and American desserts. Within the confectionary segment, the company offers products from major brands such as Butterfinger, Flipz, M&M’s, Goobers and Tootsie Roll.

Focus on innovation In addition to supplying customers with established American brands, Innovative Bites has also developed its own Mega Marshmallows product, available in sizes of 700 grams and 400 grams bags under the brand Baking Buddy. Aware that the development of its own brands will result in independence and stronger control over the progression of Innovative Bites, Vishal comments: “Should a major manufacturer in the US decide to not bring a product to the UK any more, that would be a big hit to the business; this isn’t something we want so we are focusing tremendously on ensuring we have the right product base to launch.

One great thing about the US is that innovation is a big deal and it is also very good at launching new products; if we focus on that innovation and bring

Palletways London Palletways London, part of Palletways, Europe’s largest and fastest growing express palletised freight network, is the main logistics provider for Innovative Bites, delivering 7,500 pallets annually to shops, supermarkets, remote distribution centres and hotels. Innovative Bites benefits from Palletways’ industry-leading technology which enables them to track and trace all deliveries. Palletways London works with some of the UK’s finest food brands including Amigo Foods, L’Aquila, Sun & Seed, Tiana Fair Trade Organics and Wild Harvest. This experience means Palletways is well equipped to handle large swings in volume quickly and efficiently.

these products into Europe without GMO, artificial dye or colours, we would be providing customers with a much cleaner product, and who wouldn’t want that?”

As growth in demand has continued for the supply of American snack and confectionary products, the company made the strategic decision to acquire Bonds of London, one of the UK’s oldest sweet businesses; a development that is the first step in the company’s long-term plan to become the UK’s leading confectionary supplier. “The acquisition of Bonds of London was a strategic step to grow the company’s turnover,” says Vishal. “We have grown our business over the last few years, but a lot of the products we sell are produced by the same manufacturers such as Kellogg’s, Mars and Nestle.

Furthermore, some manufacturers are non-existent in Europe, but if they see this market develop these manufacturers will see opportunities to expand here. We need to sustain our business in the long-run and to do this we will change the direction of the business from trading to a business of our own brand; this is the drive behind the acquisition of Bonds of London.”

Powerful combination With the acquisition complete in April 2016, Innovative Bites benefits from the lack of common customers between the two firms, which will enable the company to significantly expand its customer base. “We have cross trade now, which makes us a stronger operator with connections to 17,200 retail points across the UK and Ireland; the synergies are huge for the

business,” highlights Vishal. “There is still a lot of ongoing integration between the two companies however we are working together to streamline processes to bring the synergies together so we aren’t distributing from two hubs. To ensure we have the level of space we need to have all operations under one roof we have acquired a new 105,000 square foot site in Dunstable; this complements our 46,000 square foot site in Nottingham where we develop packaging and create bespoke products and packaging for items such as confectionary. With this investment we now have more than 150,000 square feet of space to grow from.”

With the company targeting increased turnovers in 2016 and beyond, these new purpose-built premises will enable the business to operate more efficiently and improve its offering to customers – not only with products from America, but also from the UK. Having created a powerful combination of products, Innovative Bites is preparing for the next phase in its already highly successful history.

“The top priority for us is to ensure the integration phase is completed correctly and that we have the right people in place for this development to be completed smoothly. Once this phase is over we have a number of options for continued growth; we could acquire another business or expand our own product line. Why just focus on confectionary? We could do snacks or soft drinks, we could do anything as long as we have the right thought process behind our decisions,” concludes Vishal. D www.americanwholesale.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com 149

Deep-rooted history ‘From seed to food’ is the motto at Cosucra and is something it truly believes in.

Partnerships with more than 400 food manufacturers and more than 1000 product references worldwide demonstrate that Cosucra works alongside clients from idea to launch 150 www.foodchainmagazine.com

W

ith a rich history that can be traced all the way back to 1852 in Belgium, Cosucra is a family owned business led today by Jacques Crahay (CEO) who is the fifth generation of the family. It began business by extracting the sugar from locally grown beets, something that would evolve in the coming centuries. Having this pedigree that can be followed back centuries is core to the ethos of the company - one of traditional values that are combined with modern methods.

Despite an expanding market across the world, it never yields quality, integrity, or values in order to achieve this. It is a well-established Belgian chicory and pea processor, and has continued to find new ways to improve its high pea protein Pisane, which provides high

levels of nutrition and functionality to its customers. This alternative is free from common allergens, non-dairy, and supports bone health, as well as cutting out many of the sugars and fats that can be found in other high protein foods. Cosucra also produces Inulin Fibruline, which is a chicory root soluble dietary fiber, and is globally recognised fiber that has wide reaching nutritional benefits.

The lists of useful applications of the pea are remarkable, and appear to almost be endless. Cosucra itself is not a small figure in this sector, but rather a leading character. Already having pioneered products such as pea protein Pisane, pea fibers Swelite, Exafine, and pea starch Nastar, it is one of the most experienced companies in the market, and when discussing this with Michel

‘

Cosucra

Cosucra is determined to respect the natural resources, help mitigate any impact on the environment, and to ensure a sustainable process from start to finish

premium with a lot of applications.

We have already greatly increased our capacity, however with the market continuing to grow we have more plans to continue expanding capacity to ensure that we can meet demand.” For most companies this is a considerably more advantageous problem to have. It can still be a concern, but it also offers a lucrative opportunity, which Michel said the company is intending to take advantage of: “There is a reason why

our brand is of premium reputation.

And so we have decided to be the first to announce massive increases in capacity, because the market is really demanding these.” Cosucra is ahead of the competition by having already seen expansion, and Michel presented the intention to increase further: “The future plan is to continue increasing our capacity, as we have already made investments in modern systems, as well as modern abilities.”

Deweal, commercial director, it was something he expanded on: “Pisane has very strong demand, and we have been able to produce this for more than 25 years. We started in the 90s, and we were one of the first ones in the market.

We have built upon this by a continued effort to improve our products. There is a long history, with extensive experience in processing peas and chicory roots, and the subsequent adaptations of these products.”

Expanding capacity One of the biggest hurdles the company has to jump over is that of meeting a higher level of demand, as with good product comes increased reputation, which inherently brings greater consumer numbers. Michel elaborated on this situation: “Our products are

www.foodchainmagazine.com 151

Cosucra Clean label Cosucra is also managing to achieve this success and expansion while maintaining an environmental consciousness at the heart of the company. Crops are grown by local farmers, which Michel cited as having another positive: “Our products are useful for those wanting to have a no GMO diet, and all the things our company puts on the market are clean label products.” Cosucra is determined to respect the natural resources, help mitigate any impact on the environment, and to ensure a sustainable process from start to finish. There are many more ways in which it tries to act environmentally, the use of green energy as much as possible is one, energy effectiveness is another, and managing water use. Sustainability takes another form as well, as Cosucra works long– term with its farmers, ensuring that there is a positive and fair relationship, where there is a dialogue between the two parties.

The overwhelming principles of the company are clear, it believes in the products it makes, and these provide a healthier and more wholesome alternative for people. There is a pride in what is being done at Cosucra, and the product offers dietary and nutrition solutions to needs and preferences of growing sections of society. Whether it is for weight loss, low salt, or low fat, there is a multitude of applications in which Cosucra products can help. There is another benefit of the company, which is that with the market growing it provides a higher quality and more reliable product than its competitors, something Michel was keen to emphasize: “On the market today you can probably find other companies producing this, but of a lower quality. As there are more and more companies in Europe and US that want a large supply of this product, they don’t want to rely on Chinese producers, as they can be concerned about quality issues or safety risks.”

Dietary solutions With people across the world, particularly within Europe and the

152 www.foodchainmagazine.com

Temafield Cosucra has opted to work with Temafield to transform its industrial processes. Temafield uses TPM/WCM – a structured, staff-wide, cohesive management process – to drive change within its partners’ organisations.

TPM/WCM is an effective method that delivers long-lasting results, promotes employee ownership and garners management support. It involves implementing an enterprise-wide project underpinned by practical methods and tools, in which individuals are encouraged to look after, manage and continuously improve their workstation. In turn, this personal ownership contributes to the success of the collective project.

The TPM/WCM method delivers a more structured, coherent organisation in which there is genuine integration across all disciplines. And because the corresponding tools are practical, transparent and easy to use, every member of the organisation is able to make a meaningful contribution to healthy, sustainable performance.

TPM/WCM is about taking the long view and looking ahead with confidence. It fosters a positive corporate culture that benefits each and every employee.

US, becoming more environmentally conscious and seeking alternatives, it is no wonder that Cosucra can boast such success. With people every day moving towards a more varied diet, whether it is a wish to avoid meat, lessen the environmental impact, or due to specific dietary concerns, Cosucra offers the solution, and it comes from the humble yet beneficial and versatile pea. From such a proud history, there will no doubt be an even prouder future to come. D www.cosucra.com

MUNT_FOOD_INGREDIENTS_A4_AD.qxp_Layout 1 15/07/2016 09:52 Page 1

AD & BIOGAS INDUSTRY AWARDS 2016

Best Food & Drink Industry AD project

WINNER MUNTONS Additional Notes: The judges felt this was a very strong category.

Muntons' entry was a compelling, clear submission with commercial logic and technical and operational implementation.

Muntons are an international malt and malted ingredients company supplying a wide range of ingredients - malt flours, extracts, kibbled and flaked grains and band & spray dried extracts - to the food, confectionery and drinks sectors. renowned for their clean label attributes, Muntons malted ingredients bring benefits to some of the world’s leading food and drink brands. when Muntons first embarked on its own green initiative (called ‘practical sustainability’) our modest aim was to reduce the company’s carbon impact to the benefit of our business, the industry and, of course, to do our bit for the planet. the initiative included a robust supply chain carbon footprint reduction analysis that has led the company to invest £15m in energy efficient technology to date.

little did we know, five years on, that our efforts would be rewarded by seeing a significant reduction in environmental impact and substantial energy and cost savings. the practical sustainability programme has enhanced our business and helped to establish a benchmark within the food industry.

Muntons new ad plant at the stowmarket maltings is our latest innovation in the company’s commitment towards a greener, more sustainable future.

Measurable successes from our Practical Sustainability programme include:

water A reduction in

consumption by

>25%

0%

Waste going to

LANDFILL

M u n t o n s p lc , c e d a r s M a lt i n g s , s t o w M a r k e t, s u f f o l k , i p 1 4 2 a g

01449 618300

Leading our industry to identify CARBON SAVINGS of up to

50%

info@muntons.com

w w w. m u n t o n s . c o m

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 Director Joe Woolsgrove jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales Rob Wagner rwagner@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

www.foodchainmagazine.com