FREE
ISSUE
2019
SPRING 19
#6
Editor: Fran Currie Sub Editors: Bob Curbishley, Jose Laborda Ubiria Art Director: James Neale
ONLINE
EDITION
THE BELAZU INGREDIENT CO. HERALD
@BELAZU_CO @BELAZU_CO BELAZU.COM 020 8838 1912 MARKETING@BELAZU.COM
POWERED BY
Morocco Group Trip Picture
HOTTEST NEW RELEASES
EMPLOYEES WERE WHISKED AWAY ON THE ANNUAL MOROCCO TRIP
O
n the morning of the 25th April, whilst London still slept, 23 Belazu employees were up at the crack of dawn and making their way to London Gatwick for their flight to Marrakesh. Having made it onto the plane and settled into our seats, we were all eagerly awaiting what was to come, safe to say it definitely did not disappoint! The first port of call was heading into the village of Tidli high in the Atlas Mountains to visit a school that is sponsored by the Zakoura Foundation and the Belazu Foundation. The winding road to the top was, not quite as precarious as suggested back in the office, but it certainly offered unrivalled views back down into the valley. On our arrival at Tidli we were greeted with songs, dancing and a traditional offering of
fresh cows’ milk and dates. After enjoying the music and dancing we were shown to the tent where more food was waiting — this time a traditional Berber breakfast with an assortment of breads, accompanied by jams, honey and olive oils. MOSCATEL VINEGAR
The afternoon consisted of playing, dancing and singing with the primary school children and villagers before feasting on even more food — lamb and vegetable tagines with couscous — our first taste of a Moroccan tagine! However, we couldn’t stay at Tidli forever and our departure was an emotional one as we had all loved spending the afternoon there and were sad to be saying goodbye. Having been awake for over 15 hours soon everyone was snoozing as we wove our way back down the mountain into the chaos of Marrakesh (Continued on page 3).
SHERRY VINEGAR
EDITOR’S NOTE We will see you again in six months for your news fill!
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HELLO! A HOLA | CIAO | CZESC SZIA | DOBRY DZIE HALLO | OLA | NAMASTE BONJOUR | SVEIKI | HEJ DIA DHUIT | HYLÔ
fter 28 years under the ownership and leadership of Adam, Charlie and George, Belazu Ingredient Company was acquired by the William Jackson Food Group in November 2018, an 167 year-old family run business who are focused on the long term development of their companies. Apart from having the knowledge and experience of a larger business behind us and changing the financial year end, day to day Belazu has remained the same.
— Fran Currie, Marketing Executive
S T N E V
E
The events season has begun! We’ve rolled up our sleeves and have started to share the Belazu love with hungry consumers across the country. For the next 6 months we’ll be working with chefs and influencers and holding demos
After getting our heads around the mini financial year that enabled us to get in sync with WJFG financial year, we have had a promising 4 months. The Sales team have seen growth across the board, hitting the target of £11.3m revenue, Purchasing have been busy preparing for Brexit, should it eventually happen, and the Marketing team have finally stopped hiring! Keep reading to hear all about the latest departmental news, the recent trip to Morocco and the instalment of Belazu’s new bee hives.
WHAT’S ON
TREND?
Most popular item on our website at belazu.com
across our ‘gold’ rated events which include Taste of London, Abergavenny and Spirit of Christmas. For more information get in touch with the marketing team or view our busy schedule on the table below.
Blenheim Palace Food Fest, Blenheim
25-27 May
Taste of London, Regent’s Park
19-23 June
Universal Cookery & Food Festival, Northamptonshire
25 June
The Game Fair, Hatfield
26- 28 July
Hampton Court Food Fest, Hampton Court Palace
24-26 August
Food Rocks, Dorset
7-8 September
Abergavenny Food Festival, Abergavenny
21-22 September
Spirit of Christmas, Olympia London
4-10 November
Winter Fair, South of England show ground, West Sussex
23-24 November
ARTICHOKE & TRUFFLE PESTO | £7.49*
*for a case with staff discount
Ingredient Is King
MOROCCO TRIP
STAFF
EVENTS
(Continued from page 1) A quick turnaround and back into the Medina we went, most of the group watched the sunset whilst sipping on Moroccan mint tea overlooking the weird and wonderful events that the main square had to offer. Whilst others braved the labyrinth that is the Souk in search of hidden treasures and souvenirs to take home.
The tour around the factory was very informative which for many of us was our first glimpse around a supplier factory where the sorting, fermenting and processing of the olives takes place. All too soon it was time to say goodbye to magical Marrakesh, go back to the airport and head home. Thank you very much to Linde and George for organising an unforgettable trip.
Dinner was an exotic affair at one of the more elaborate restaurants in the new town of Marrakesh with some out until the early hours of the morning. But, this wasn’t all too wise as the wake up call on Friday was 8am for breakfast before leaving to tour around the Framaco olive factory who are one of our many suppliers.
— Fran Currie, Marketing Executive
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THE BELAZU HERALD
“My highlight was the beautiful children who were all laughing and smiling, it was amazing because these children have nothing, and yet they were willing to give everything.” — Margaret Walton, Customer Service Administrator
A Selection of Pictures from the Morocco Trip 2019
UPCOMING EVENTS
THE BIG BELAZU DAY OUT SATURDAY 20TH JULY
Where is it? The Great Barn Upper Aynho Grounds, Oxforshire, OX17 3AY When? Saturday 20th July Meet at Belazu HQ at 8:30. Coach Leaves 08:50 promptly. Coach returns 17:00.
Who can go? For all Belazu employees, spouses, partners, and children. What activities are included? Rage buggies, pony rides, hovercrafts, clay pigeon shooting, and many more (All TBC). Lunch and drinks will also be included.
How do I sign up to go? Sign up at: belazu.com/belazu-day-out-2019/ or email marketing@belazu.com
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T N E RTM
A P E D NEWS MARKETING
EXPANDING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
E
vents have been limited throughout the winter months with only a couple of consumer shows back in December 2018. BBC Good Food Show was held in Birmingham at the NEC where we showcased our retail range with a new stand layout and design. We also attended the Spirit of Christmas show at Kensington Olympia which was a resounding if not very surprising success, an event which we intend to attend again this year. Although we have been relatively quiet on the event front recently, Max and Bob are gearing up for a busy summer season with Blenheim Food Fair, Taste of London and the CLA Game Fair coming up.
Our social media presence is continuing to grow every month with an average of over 200,000 monthly impressions and a total combined audience of over 21K across all platforms.
The Digital hub has been full steam ahead since January, revamping the shop and homepages on the Belazu website, taking over the trade website, and soon to be launching European shipping with DPD. Website sales have continued to increase with consumers spending more time on the website and the average order value increasing. Our social media presence is continuing to grow every month with an average of over 200,000 monthly impressions and a total combined audience of over 21K across all platforms. Our PR partnerships and coverage continue to remain as strong as ever. We hosted a Vinegar Masterclass with Angela Clutton in The Pembury Kitchen for 10 influencers in March to celebrate the launch of Angela’s new book. Alice has also gained coverage in top magazines such as Olive, Sainsbury’s, Good Food and Delicious magazines. Our Creative team hold recipe photo and video shoots monthly providing beautiful, mouth watering images for use on social media, the website and flyers.
STAFF DISCOUNT
10%OFF DISTRIBUTOR PRICE
José has also been working his way through the seemingly never-ending list of new product labels, but with only 24 left the end is near! Some of the refreshed labels have already hit the shelves so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for them and send us a snap if you spot any. With the arrival of James in January the Marketing team is finally complete and we are now operating at full capacity.
Website sales have continued to increase with consumers spending more time on the website and the average order value increasing. The summer is looking exciting for Marketing with the beginning of the events season, launch support for Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Tesco as well as hiring a team of Brand Ambassadors to help over the summer at events. — Chris Busher, Marketing Director
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SALES SALES TAKE OLIVES TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH SUPERB SELLING
S
ince January we have been casting our nets far and wide over London and the South of England, suppling the best delis, restaurants, sporting events and even airlines with Belazu products. Here are a few of the highlights from our team from new accounts to restaurant openings and events: We will be popping up at several summer sporting events including The Wimbledon Tennis Championships and Royal Ascot, with the newly opened Tottenham Stadium using our products in their restaurants and catering. Rory has also secured a listing with Etihad Airlines through Alpha LSG, meaning our olives can now be enjoyed at over 35,000ft —taking olives to a whole new level. Trade Club, a private members club in the heart of Soho, has now started taking some of our products. The Trade Club is specifically for people working within the hospitality industry, hosting masterclasses, chef’s tables and events. The Court and Allbright, both private members clubs, have both started using our products as well. From the curators of The Great Taste Awards comes the newly opened café and luxury delicatessen The Camden Grocer, nestled within the historic stables of Camden Market. A similar concept but across town is Wild By Tart a new fully immersive, multi-purpose space in Victoria offering a deli, café, bar and restaurant with an accompanying events space. Belazu products will be on offer at the delicatessens as well as served on the menus at both cafes.
Our olives can now be enjoyed at over 35,000ft — taking olives to a whole new level. We have continued to infiltrate the casual dining scene with Las Iguanas launching Smokey Chimichurri for their steaks, Bella Italia and Café Rouge taking Giarraffa as their new table olives and Gail’s Bakery have started using Harissa in one of their signature breads. Furthermore, we have started supplying Homeslice with a number of our products for their mammoth 20 inch pizzas! — Oliver Crumpton, Head of Sales
COMMERCIAL
(Now enjoy Belazu olives on Etihad Airlines)
SUCCESSFUL MINI FINANCIAL YEAR FOR BELAZU
W
ith the mini financial year behind us, we can pause to take a moment of reflection on what we have achieved so far and look towards what our targets are to come with the dawn of the new financial year.
This improvement does not sit solely on the shoulders of the Sales department. The culmination of the hard work that has been put in by Purchasing, Operations, NPD and Manufacturing departments has all contributed to the increased margin of 42.6% vs the budgeted 41.9%.
Last year saw us reach our revenue target of £11.3m ... which in turn has seen us exceed our Gross Profit (GP) budget by £80,000.
In comparison to last year, the fastest growing part of the business was Multiple Retail with Foodservice FO continuing to add the most value to the business.
The first four months of the year saw us reach our revenue target of £11.3m, surpass our % margin expectations, which in turn has seen us exceed our Gross Profit (GP) budget by £80,000. This is largely due to success in two main categories, Olives and Pastes as well as the fact that the Foodservice FO team increased their prices across the board. The EPD work carried out within the Casual Dining sector (swapping Chalkidiki to Gordal Olives) also contributed significantly to the increase in GP.
Looking towards the new year we have a challenge ahead of us with a profit growth target of 12.8%, equalling £1.9m GP. The lion share of this growth is expected to come from Foodservice FO whose target is to grow by 15.5% delivering over £800,000, followed closely by the Multiple Retail sector and Manufacturing with a target of 35% and 20% growth respectively. Although this is an ambitious target, which certainly does not allow us to rest on our laurels, it is definitely achievable should we continue to work well as a business and a team. — Peter Oden, Commerical Director
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PURCHASING RECORD YEAR FOR SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE
L
ast year; 2018, was a record year for our supplier technical performance. Supplier technical performance is a measure based on the number of technical non-conformances raised (“Technical No.”) weighted by their severity (“Technical Weighted %”).
The lower the number and % score the better. As a result of the ongoing work of the Technical, QA and Purchasing teams to change our supplier behaviours, we have seen year on year improvements every year since 2015. We don’t rest on our laurels and will continue to try and drive this score down further.
We have seen year on year improvements since 2015.
— Nick Henderson, Purchasing Director
PURCHASING’S BIG BELAZU BREXIT PLAN
W
ell as I’m sure you know two deadlines have come and gone and still we are none the wiser as to what will finally happen in regards with Brexit. Despite all this uncertainty we have been preparing to ensure that we will maintain our excellent customer service levels to all our customers. We have a new Economic Operator Registration & Identification (EORI) number and have successfully registered for Transitional Simplified Procedures (TSP). Both are designed to help facilitate easier movement of goods across the border in the period post a no-deal Brexit. In addition, we have increased our physical stock holding of some key raw materials, packaging and bought-in finished products. As a result of the most recent extension we may now decide to unwind this stock position.
87% of goods from the EU will (for a period of 12 months) continue to be tariff free.
Late last year we had calculated the impact of customs duties on our input costs in the event that World Trade Organisation (WTO) tariff rules were applied to all our imports from the EU. Following the announcement by the Government in March that 87% of goods from the EU will (for a period of 12 months) continue to be tariff free, we have re-calculated the impacts. The only products we purchase that will, post a no-deal Brexit, attract customs duties will be rice and cheese. We have therefore calculated what those impacts will be. Whilst the immediate threat of a no-deal Brexit has passed, we will continue to talk to our logistic service providers as well as our EU suppliers to ensure we are fully prepared for whatever the final outcome may be. — Nick Henderson, Purchasing Director
Follow the Sun HARVEST HEADACHES
A
fter three good harvest years of Greek Chalkidiki olives, the 2018 harvest has been disappointing. Reports suggests volumes are down by up to 50%, increasing prices by up to 30%. To mitigate the impacts of these price increases to our customers, our EPD team swung in to action and have been able to offer alternatives in the form of Spanish Gordal olives. A number of our customers have agreed to switch whilst some products and mixes will remain with Chalkidiki. On the back of this came further bad news in regards with the Greek Kalamata harvest where the volume of smaller calibre (the ones we buy) olives were significantly down and the quality of those olives in regards to uniformity of colour was not as good as we would like. The Buying team are in discussions with a number of suppliers to reserve the best quality at the best prices to ensure we try and retain the quality of last year. After a headache this year we must hope for an improved Greek harvest later this year. — Nick Henderson, Purchasing Director
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WAREHOUSE
TECHNICAL
STOCKED TO THE BRIM AS WAREHOUSE PREPARES FOR BREXIT
NEW STANDARDS FOR FOOD FOOD SAFETY
I
n the preparation for Brexit both warehouses’ have been stretched to the limit, taking on extra stock of pretty much everything including oils, olives and rice as part of our Brexit plan. Every inch of the warehouse is being utilised to store the extra produce…maybe time for a third site? Along with CS and Marketing we have been eagerly awaiting the introduction of DPD to send out our web orders. Although the transition has taken a little longer than expected and there were a few minor bumps along the way with the labelling system, we are all now ready for the take over which is set to happen in a couple of weeks. In other news, two brand new forklifts were delivered at the beginning of April, replacing the old fleet. Zsolt has also moved from the day shift where he had been for over two years to become a supervisor on the night shift. — Blerim Syla, Warehouse Manager
We are always striving for continuous improvement, therefore have recently changed the food safety procedures on the first floor to stay compliant with the new BRC rules and standards. In the coming months the first floor will be reclassified as an open product area to help to maintain our high standards. You will now be required to wear green coats instead of just high-vis, sanitize your hands before entry into the factory as well as this the position of the hair net station has been moved.
Did you know that the utensils used in the factory are yellow to prevent cross contamination with dairy?
TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT GREETS THE NEW BELAZU VANS
T
he wait is finally over…the new fleet of vans have finally arrived! Although it has taken slightly longer than anticipated it was definitely worth the wait. Our new fleet of Mercedes Sprinters are in action on the roads around London and the South of England so make sure you keep an eye out for them. — Paul Brown, Transport Manager
We are very sad to be saying goodbye to Paola and Mary within the next couple of months. Both have been an asset to the team, we all wish them well for the future and what it may hold for them. However, we would love to give a warm welcome Despina and Azar who have joined the department to fill the vacant positions. — Ainhoa Astobieta, Technical Director
If you didn’t don’t panic – as part of our plan to stay keep everyone’s knowledge up to date with the latest health and safety standards we will be sending out a food safety survey to all employees.
CUSTOMER SERVICE CUSTOMER SERVICES ACTIVATES THE NEW DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM November 2018 saw the activation of the new phone distribution system within Customer Services. This system streamlines the incoming calls, distributing them to each team member in turn before being automatically forwarded to the whole team and then answer machine if no one answers. This enables us to maintain our KPI of calls answered within 5.5 seconds and allows customers to leave orders if calling outside of office hours.
Transport Department Picture with New Vans
This will help us to determine what areas we need to increase our internal comms on and ensure that the food we produce is always safe within the factory and warehouse. Keep your eyes peeled for more information and our ‘Food Safety Fact’ of the week on the internal clip boards.
Looking forward to the next quarter, we will be re-launching our push to encourage customers who are emailing orders typed by hand that they can order on our trade website. We are aiming to get a minimum of 400 orders per month taken online — so watch this space! — Amantha Brown, Customer Service Manager
This enables us to maintain our KPI of answering calls within 5.5. There has also been a lot of activity within the team; having said goodbye to Sarah at the end of February we welcomed new starter Misba to the team at the beginning of April, Rachael has been appointed CS Supervisor and Maxine is now working a four-day week.
Aiming to get a minimum of 400 orders per month taken online. Belazu Mobile Website as Customers are Encouraged to Order Online
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CSR CSR HELPS US GET CLOSER TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
T
he new year; 2019, has seen the launch of the plastic and energy projects within Belazu — these projects will allow us to continue to work towards our sustainability goals, reducing our plastic packaging and increasing our energy efficiency on site. These projects have already helped to increase our energy from waste usage to 12% above the current target of 9%. From this we have also started to add recycling information onto our packaging to make it easier for customers to recycle our jars and bottles. We recently installed a smart energy meter at Long Drive which allows us to see exactly how much electricity and gas we use and therefore identifying good initiatives to reduce our energy waste.
2018 saw us launch our supplier initiative — working together with suppliers to learn and share sustainable practices that can be implemented across the business as well as helping to convert unmarketable crops into value-added products. Over the past 12 months, we have sent a questionnaire to over 150 direct suppliers from countries around the Mediterranean Sea. This enabled us to identify potential solutions towards food waste reduction at the supplier’s side. You might have noticed the changing boards downstairs on your way to lunch — or perhaps you are too hungry to notice? Next time you stroll down to the canteen take a look at the CSR board on the right-hand side. Our waste strategies partner, Veris Strategies, are creating a new poster every month to showcase some of our sustainability facts and figures as well as communicating new initiatives and community projects.
First Name Terms Only
— Linde Stael, CSR & Foundation Manager
NPD
OPERATIONS
NPD LAUNCHES OUR EXCITING NEW RANGE OF SNACKS AND VINEGARS
QUITE IN OPERATIONS AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE SUMMER SEASON
T
he NPD kitchen has been busy this year, developing and launching a whole range of new products. Kicking off the year with the launch of the Organic Balsamic Vinegar and Organic Olive Oil as well as the 250ml bottles of Moscatel and Sherry Vinegar — all of which are now sold on Ocado with more stockists to come. Our snack range has continued to grow in the first part of 2019; launching 4 new bar snacks including Basil Picos, Tomato and Smoked Paprika Picos, Smokey Chilli
Snack Mix and Salt and Pepper Cashews. The Picos are a Belazu twist on a traditional Spanish breadstick that are seasoned with herbs and spices to make a delicious, moreish bar snack — perfect to munch on with an ice cold beer in hand. The next quarter is an exciting one for NPD, testing a new range of pastes that are currently in development including a new line of Harissa’s. — Paola Higuera, NPD Manager
£12.74 ONLY*
I
t’s been — dare we say it — fairly quiet in operations lately but in June (date TBC) there will be the summer CSR event when we re-launch Re-use, Reduce or Recycle for plastics and food waste. Keep an eye and an ear out for that happening! In January we awarded the latest Health & Safety ISO45001 certificate — a year before it is released for general submissions! Thank you to everyone for working hard to achieve this, it really was a team effort. Production will soon be launching laser printing on line 4 for all 1kg pots, which means that all the stock sent to Costco will soon have the latest label technology, in-fact all 1kg pots will have the new labels. — Derek Wiles, Operations Director
*Cost when used with staff discount
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DISCOUNT
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20%OFF FOR FRIENDS & FAMILY ONLY AT BELAZU.COM USE CODE: FRIENDS20
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PEMBURY KITCHEN
THE PEMBURY KITCHEN COOKS UP A STORM
I
t has been a busy start to the year in The Pembury Kitchen, with it only set to get busier. February saw us start to forge new relationships with other members of WJFG at a presentation to Greggs which was held at the brand-new Jacksons Bakery in Corby. Henry created an appetising range of sandwiches to present to the Greggs team using Belazu products on Jacksons bread. The presentation was a resounding success with the Greggs buyer proclaiming that it was the best presentation that he had ever had. We are continuing to develop relationships within the Group by using Abel & Cole fruit and vegetables in The Pembury, with our first delivery expected any day now. After a small hiatus, the Food Service Lunch is back with a bang! A crowd of hungry sales team gathered in The Pembury, eagerly anticipating the feast that was to come.
The focus of April’s lunch was our newly launched vinegars, Vermouth Vinegar and Aged Malt Vinegar in particular.
Grilled peaches with vanilla ice cream drizzled with Aged Malt Vinegar. Henry served up a selection of dishes, each showcasing the versatility and unique flavours of the different vinegars. The grilled peaches with vanilla ice cream drizzled with Aged Malt Vinegar finished the meal off wonderfully and is definitely a dish to try at home. We have also been involved in a couple of exciting press related activities including lunches at BBC Good Food and Immediate Media and dinner for 120 people at a Belazu decked out village hall in Bristol.
Visit
belazu.com/recipes
for an amazing variety of ideas to try at home
A team of Belazu employees, drove down to Bristol with a van full of food and product to sell on a wintery Saturday evening in January serving up a 5-course meal to some very excited guests. The menu showcased the best of what Belazu had to offer, including Henry’s famed Preserved Lemon and custard tart. In an effort to do our bit towards reducing our single use waste we have removed all the glass water bottles from the fridge and will from now on only be serving filtered water from a reusable jug. However, the most important news to come out of The Pembury this quarter is that the fridge has been cleared out, optimising efficiency and airflow throughout. — Henry Russell & Jess Beaumont, The Pembury Kitchen
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A BELAZU TWIST FOR A SPANISH TRADITIONAL DISH ~
Before we incur the wrath of the entire Spanish population, its necessary to point out that the idea to add Rose Harissa to the famous national dish belongs to José. Don’t be too quick to condemn him though, as the Rose Harissa is worthy addition to the trinity of eggs, potatoes and onions, lending them a gentle spice and attractive crimson hue.
Ingredients 2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced 650g white potatoes, peeled 150ml Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil 150ml Sunflower oil Salt and pepper 8 eggs 2 tbsp Rose Harissa
THE BELAZU HERALD
Step One
Put a large frying pan or deep pot on a medium heat, add 50ml olive oil, the sliced onion and 1/4tsp salt. Stir to coat and gently cook for 15 — 20 minutes or until soft and light golden brown. Whilst the onions are cooking, cut the potatoes into half and then cut into 1 cm slices. Place in a colander, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. When the onions are ready, quickly rinse under water then pat dry with a kitchen towel. Add the remaining olive and sunflower oil to the pan and allow to heat up (be careful of the oil getting too hot and do not leave it unattended). Add the potatoes and gently cook (don’t deep fry) for 10 – 15 minutes, so that they are soft and yielding. Carefully drain everything into a colander with another pan or metal bowl underneath. Keep the oil to use for cooking.
Step Two
Break the eggs into a large bowl and whisk till well combined then add the Rose Harissa and whisk again. Add the onions and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, then mix with a spoon. Leave for 10 minutes.
Step Three
Place a medium frying pan (around 22cm diameter, non stick is very helpful) on a medium heat, add a tbsp of the cooking oil then move the pan to coat the base. Pour in the egg mix and as it begins to cook, tuck the edges in to help form a round shape on the sides. Cook for 1 — 2 minutes then turn the heat down to low and cook for around 10 — 15 minutes, continuing to tuck the edges in. The omelette is ready to flip when the edges look firm and the centre part looks around 2/3 set. Place a large plate over the top, pick up the pan and carefully turn it over, keeping your hand clamped to the plate to support the omlette. Place the pan back on the heat and when hot add a little oil then slide the tortilla in. Once again, tuck the edges in with a spatula. Cook for another 5 — 10 minutes, so that it feels firm to the touch but not solid — you want it to be slightly soft in the middle. Remove the omelette from the pan by placing a plate over the top and then flipping it. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before eating, or allow to cool completely and eat later.
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F F A T S NEWS
NEW
Starters
SPECIAL
Altroy
Rodrigues
Engineering
Arabella
Trower
Sales
Omar Abdirizak
Mohamed
Production
Dragos
Tanasa
QA
Efraim
Hege
Warehouse
Zoltan
Hadarics
Hygiene
Joanne
Dodds
Sales
Caner
Mahmoud
Hygiene Transport
Marinela
Tomus-Marina
Product
Vasile
Donca
Engineering
James
Neale
Marketing
Zoltan
Harmath
Warehouse
Arbes
Idrizi
Production
Alex
Richards
Sales
Muriel
Gillabert
Technical
Sarah
Williams
HR
Mitchell
Curtin
Transport
Ionut
Ularu
Transport
Misba
Iiyas
Customer Service
Andre
Bento
Production
Anda
Korotova
Production
Patricia
Greene
Purchasing
Despina
David
NPD
PROMOTIONS & Role Changes Chris
Busher
Marketing Director
Lily
Cook
Senior Account Manager
Laura
Copp
Head of Product
Oliver
Crumpton
Head of Sales
Fran
Currie
Marketing Executive
Caroline
Mc Carthy
Digital Communication Manager
Rachael
Narty
Customer Service Supervisor
Birthdays
Life is short... and birthdays are even shorter. Blow out all your candles and eat as much birthday cake as you want!
30 CARLOS MAYOR
50 NICK HENDERSON
SPECIAL Babies
Mark David – Baby Boy Zion Stacia Vas – Baby Boy Sancho
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DISCOUNT
20%OFF FOR FRIENDS & FAMILY ONLY AT BELAZU.COM USE CODE: FRIENDS20
HR HR’S SARAH WILLIAMS DISCUSSES NEW SYSTEMS
M
y name is Sarah Williams. I am pleased to have joined Belazu as your Human Resources Manager.
Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to say hello and for making me feel welcomed. I certainly feel that the underpinning Company’s ideals of People, Passion, Customer, Accountability and Honesty are real and practiced.
Use your personal mobile device to request holidays and update the personal data the Company holds on you. I’ve been lucky enough to join at a time when the company had recently invested in 2 new pieces of software to help its staff. The first, a People platform, called ADP, incorporating Payroll, Human Resources and Time & Attendance. This has enabled the Company to minimise errors in your pay and you are now able to use your personal mobile device to request holidays and update the personal data the Company holds on you.
The second, a Benefits platform called Enjoy Benefits, which has provided quick and easy access to a much broader range of benefits for you to enjoy. If you’ve not already logged in and had a look at what’s available, then I recommend you do so using the following link below: secure.enjoybenefits.co.uk/login Also, this month, the William Jackson Food Group Employee Satisfaction Survey has been distributed, seeking your opinion on how you feel about working for the Group. The results will be published in July. Going forward, I’ll be responsible for the overall provision of Human Resources services. To varying extents, I’ll get involved in such things as recruitment, training & development, employee relations, benefits, performance management. If you feel I can help you with anything HR related, please do not hesitate to come and find me — I sit in the Finance office. — Sarah Williams, HR Manager
Bring the Best Together
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£1.65 ONLY*
ROSE HARISSA PESTO Save £6.78 with your staff discount when you buy six jars. *Price of individual jar in six pack.
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THE BELAZU HERALD
THE BIG BELAZU DAY OUT Saturday 20th July
The Great Barn Upper Aynho Grounds, Aynho, Banbury, Oxforshire, OX17 3AY Saturday 20th July Meet at Belazu HQ at 8:30. Coach Leaves 08:50 promptly. Coach returns 17:00. Who Can Go? For all Belazu employees, spouses, partners, and children. What Activities Are Included? Rage buggies, pony rides, hovercrafts, clay pigeon shooting, and many more (All TBC). Lunch and drinks will also be included.
Sign up at www.belazu.com/belazu-day-out-2019/ or email marketing@belazu.com
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S T C U ROD
P W E N TOP APPLICATORS
Premium Bar Snacks Bringing You Summer Vibes BASIL PICOS A savoury Spanish breadstick, primarily seasoned with basil along with garlic, salt and pepper. A perfect pre-dinner snack that is incredibly moreish.
PDO SALT AND PEPPER CASHEWS A premium bar snack made from 100% sweet cashews, lightly seasoned with Anglesey PDO sea salt and crushed black pepper.
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n a bid to combat confusion as to how to use our range of pastes in a wide variety of recipes we have created and designed Concertina Top Applicators. The aim of this project is to increase product usage and repurchase rate by offering simple usage and cooking tips as well as inspiration and a link to our website for further recipe ideas. To date we have launched these on Zhoug and Verbena Harissa with more to come across the retail Antipasti and Paste range, hitting the supermarket shelves gradually.
SMOKEY CHILLI SNACK MIX A distinctively hot and crunchy Snack Mix. Made of corn and salted green peas seasoned with paprika, cumin, chilli and cayenne pepper.
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RETAIL LAUNCHES
W
e have some very exciting launches over the next quarter into major retailers. The first of which being our new vinegar range and Verdemanda Extra Virgin Olive Oil launching into Waitrose on the 20th May, followed closely by our revamped pesto range going into Sainsbury’s on the 27th May.
THE BELAZU HERALD
PRODUCT LAUNCHES SHERRY VINEGAR, 250ML | £5.65
MOSCATEL VINEGAR, 250ML | £5.65
Produced in Jerez de la Frontera, the home of Sherry Vinegar, in Southern Spains Andalusia region.This elegant vinegar is aged in American oak barrels using the traditional solera system. Notable for its powerful aroma, our Sherry Vinegar has complex flavours of vanilla, dried fruit and wine-soaked wood.
Our Catalonian Moscatel Vinegar is made from the Spanish Muscat grape which is known for making dessert wine. The vinegar is produced by a 5th generation family business that has been perfecting the craft over the last 100 years. We are currently the only company in Europe to produce vinegar using the 18C German Schützenbach technique. This age-old method helps to maintain subtle flavours that are often lost in modern day production.
ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, 500ML | £9.95
ORGANIC 1.33 BALSAMIC VINEGAR OF MODENA, 250ML | £16.45
Our Organic Arbequina & Cornicabra Extra Virgin Olive Oil is expertly blended, by fourth generation Catalan producer Eduard, to create a fresh flavoured coupage balanced with peppery notes. Blending a combination of Spanish Arbequina and Cornicabra olives gives this oil a slight sweetness with robust peppery finish. Great for finishing or dipping.
Our Modenese Organic Balsamic Vinegar has been matured in oak, chestnut and juniper barrels for up to a total of 30 months to create a unique and rich blend of flavours. Our Organic Balsamic Vinegar is made from 100% Italian grapes, has a high density and a naturally dark colour and is produced in the traditional method.
The vinegars launching in Waitrose will be; Moscatel, Sherry, and our Organic Balsamic Vinegar, continuing the expansion of our range onto the high street. Sainsbury’s will be taking four of five of our current retail pesto range; Traditional Genovese, Oak Smoked Paprika & Tomato, Truffle & Artichoke and Rose Harissa. Keep your eyes peeled over the coming months to spot our jars on the shelves!
The Journey Matters
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CHARITY CALENDAR BURSTING WITH EVENTS
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he charity calendar has been brimming with events during the first 4 months of 2019, starting with a successful Valentine bake sale. The cakes provided were delicious and helped to raise a fantastic £70 for the Belazu Foundation.
We raised a magnificent £230 for the Belazu Foundation. The Eggquizit event, egg-spertly organised by José and Caroline was a roaring success, with 5 teams battling it out for the ultimate prize – an Easter egg, engraved trophy and eternal victory (until next year of course). The quiz included rounds ranging from music to Belazu general knowledge and even a Guinness related question. Thank you to everyone who took part, Henry and Jess for hosting and providing pizza and mocktails and of course the quiz masters themselves. We raised a magnificent £230 for the Belazu Foundation.
Fresh Enterprise is now under way with eight schools participating this year. Following the success of last year, the second round of Fresh Enterprise is now under way with eight schools participating this year.
In early March eight local schools came to Greenford for a factory tour and business workshops held by different departments. The children are currently back at their schools, developing recipes using our products for a paste that could sit within our Mediterranean range. They will be back in June to present their final pastes to a panel of judges who will decide which
The Winning Team
Don’t forget if you missed out this time you can volunteer for the August Food and Fun Club. The beginning of the Easter Holidays brought the return of Belazu’s Food and Fun Club at Willow Tree Primary School in Northolt. 18 Belazu employees volunteered over 4 days at the primary school enjoying a healthy lunch with the children before heading outside for an afternoon of activities. Thank you to everyone for volunteering and giving up your time, the children and staff at Willow Tree were really appreciative and loved having us there. Don’t forget if you missed out this time you can volunteer for the August Food and Fun Club. Keep an eye out for more information from Linde closer to the time.
Quiz Organisors
— Linde Stael, CSR & Foundation Manager
Quiz Participants
£2.49 RETAIL PRICE
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Bee Keeping Course Team: Left to Right; Bob Curbishley, Fran Currie, Linde Stael
BELAZU BUZZES FOR ITS NEXT CHALLENGE
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n Good Friday Belazu took delivery of two colonies of Buckfast honey bees from V & L Honey and supplies in Oxfordshire. They arrived in the back of a range rover complete with BEES IN TRANSIT signs and housed in – what are referred to as – Nuc boxes. Nuc boxes are essentially small hives in which the bees can survive for a week (with some food) even with 10,000 of them in there. It’s quite strange taking delivery of a box that hums and buzzes with the sound of 1000’s of living creatures, even stranger when they are in your front room. Within twenty minutes of delivery though, they were back on the road for a short 5 mile drive to Yeading Ave Allotments, near Rayners Lane, where the quarantine Apiary run by Harrow Beekeepers Association (HBKA) is situated. HBKA are in their 100th year and run annual “Introduction to beekeeping” courses which Bob, Fran & Linde attended in April over two weekends. The two hives will be moved to HBKA HQ near Hatch End in the following weeks as they have passed their health assessment.
They will stay there probably until early winter, when we hope to find a more permanent home nearer to Belazu HQ.
The bee population worldwide has a taken a big hit over the last 15 years. Some of you may remember the idea of keeping the bees came from our annual innovation competition two years ago. Why bees though? The bee population worldwide has a taken a big hit over the last 15 years and the pollination service they supply is valued at £120 billion in Europe (some £690 million in the UK alone) They have struggled due to climate change, pesticide use, varroa mite and a combination of all three. The aim of keeping them is to educate as many of us as possible here at Belazu, about the importance of bee populations to humanity itself. We also hope to get some honey out of them eventually. At the moment Blerim, Bob, Linde and Fran are learning to manage the hives, but it is hoped to involve as many people as possible from the company in learning about these little but industrious creatures. — Robert Curbishley, Outdoor Retail Manager
THE BELAZU HERALD
THE BELAZU HERALD
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