March/April 2018

M a rch/ A p ril 20 18

The magazine for the frozen food industry

THE CONFERENCE & PEOPLE AWARDS Event roundup

CITY FOOD LECTURE

Interview with Dave Lewis

THE RISE OF CAPTAIN VEGGIE Feature

WHEN 69% of your burger is bun *

make sure you serve the best:

SERVE AMERICANA Research shows on average 69% of the burger is bun.* 83% of pubs & restaurateurs† agree a high quality bun is a key characteristic of a gourmet burger.

“We are always prepared to pay a cost premium for a better quality product.”‡ – Group Executive Chef, Pub Chain Can your business afford to miss out?

85

%

71

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OF PUBS AND RESTAURANTS SERVE GOURMET BUNS

OF OUTLETS RECOMMEND OTHERS PREMIUMISE THEIR BURGER BUN

“A CHEAP BUN JUST DOESN’T CUT IT”

FOR MORE BURGER INSIGHTS TO MAXIMISE YOUR SALES, VISIT: WWW.AMERICANA.CO.UK

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PROUDLY PART OF LANTMÄNNEN UNIBAKE

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*Burger Lad Research – January 2018. **Opeepl | Classic & Gourmet Burger Consumer Research – December 2017.

MCA | Pub & Restaurant Decision Maker Classic & Gourmet Burger Research – January 2018. ‡ MCA | Pub & Restaurant Decision Maker Classic & Gourmet Burger Interview Report – January 2018.

“OFFERING PREMIUM PRODUCTS IS PARAMOUNT FOR REPEAT CUSTOMERS.” ‡

The Bulletin

BRITISH FROZEN FOOD FEDERATION

John Hyman Chief executive

Registered office: Warwick House, Unit 7, Long Bennington Business Park, Main Road, Long Bennington, Newark NG23 5JR. A company limited by guarantee.

Registered in England and Wales No: 7687541

01400 283090 www.bfff.co.uk

CHIEF EXECUTIVE John Hyman HEAD OF COMMERCIAL & SPONSORSHIP Paul Murray paulmurray@bfff.co.uk 07718 588431 ADVERTISING & MEMBERSHIP Kate Miller katemiller@bfff.co.uk 07793 499871

PUBLISHER Pelican Communications www.pelicancommunications.co.uk EDITOR Michael Bennett bulletineditiorial@bfff.co.uk ASSISTANT EDITOR Jessica Beckett DESIGN Cheryl Conant

Go online The Bulletin is the exclusive magazine for BFFF members. Printed six times a year, it has a readership in excess of 3,000 industry leaders, decision makers and buyers.

The Bulletin is available to read online at www.bfff.co.uk/about-bfff/bulletin – where you can also read all the latest news from BFFF and its members.

W ELCOM E

Welcome to the March/April edition of the Bulletin Wow! What an event!

The 2018 Annual Conference was our most ambitious Conference ever, with over 350 members enjoying the inspirational Kelly Homes journey.

Simultaneously, the first ever Technical Seminar and the well-established Health & Safety Seminar were both very successful and well attended.

We launched the new three-year BFFF Gold Membership, an all-inclusive package of membership and attendance at key events to simplify administration and planning for members. Please contact Paul Murray (paulmurray@bfff.co.uk) before the end of April to secure your “early bird” discount. See page 31 for more information.

The addition of our inaugural People Awards Dinner on the evening of the conference, offered a relaxed and enjoyable end to the day, as we celebrated the achievements of our stars of the industry. The Judges certainly had a very difficult task when selecting the 11 category winners, from over 100 top class applicants. Our congratulations go out to all the winners and the finalists who joined us for the evening celebrations.

Early feedback suggests the day and evening was a resounding success.

We have already started to consider another stellar line up of speakers for the 2019 Annual Conference and are forming another superb independent judging panel for the 2019 People awards.

With next year’s date confirmed as Thursday 7th February 2019, returning to the Birmingham Hilton Metropole, the 2019 BFFF Annual Conference & People Awards promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Preparations are now well underway for the 2017 Gala Dinner and Product Awards on 7th June and we hope to see as many of you there as possible.

The next Industry Forum takes place on the morning of 7th June at Stephenson Harwood’s offices in London where we will be launching five new Member Benefits. Please contact Claire Mathieson (clairemathieson@ bfff.co.uk) to secure your place at this free to attend event.

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The Bulletin

CON TEN TS

04

MEMBER NEWS

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NEW PRODUCTS

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BUSINESS CONFERENCE SUCCESS

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TECHNICAL SEMINAR 2

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H&S SEMINAR

The Bulletin

PEOPLE AWARDS

25

STARS OF THE PEOPLE AWARDS

30

36

TECHNICAL& LEGISLATIVE

FROM CGA

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FEATURE: THE HEROIC RISE OF CAPTAIN VEGGIE

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33

INTERVIEW: DAVE LEWIS

38

HEALTH & SAFETY

45

NEW MEMBER PROFILES 3

INDUSTRY SERVICES

56

MEET THE TEAM

57

DIARY DATES

The Bulletin

M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members

Green light for labelling system Birds Eye has announced plans to introduce the voluntary Traffic Light labelling system on its entire product portfolio during 2018.

The move aims to help consumers make informed food choices and better understand the benefits frozen offers on a nutritional level.

Developed by the Food Standards Authority (FSA), Birds Eye says the decision will help to provide the nation with easy-to-understand information about the food they’re eating.

With shoppers buying over 250 million Birds Eye packs every year, it also marks a significant step for the frozen industry, driving home the message that frozen and fresh are on-par when it comes to nutrition.

Steve Challouma, Birds Eye Marketing Director, said: “At Birds Eye we are passionate about helping consumers eat a healthy and balanced diet. With the adoption of the Traffic Light system, we hope to take Birds Eye, and the frozen category, to a place where frozen is seen as, and understood to be, nutritionally as good as fresh”. ● www.birdseye.co.uk

New plastics-free pledge range revealed

Iceland has launched the first ranges to be rolled out as part of its commitment to eliminating plastic packaging from all of its own brand products by the end of 2023.

The supermarket has used the latest technologies to create packaging for the new Mumbai Street Co and Hungry Heroes ranges.

They comprise paper-based trays which are recyclable through domestic waste collection or in-store recycling facilities, and therefore less harmful to the environment.

Iceland Managing Director, Richard Walker, said: “We’ve been working on our plastic-free pledge for the last 18 months and wanted to quickly demonstrate our commitment to it.

The launch of these latest ranges is just the start of Iceland’s journey to becoming plasticsfree.”

The launch marks a landmark partnership with Alder Hey Children’s Charity with five pence from every pack of Hungry Heroes (£1.59 - £2.00) going to the cause. The nutritionally-balanced children’s meals include convenient versions of family favourites developed in collaboration with Channel Mum. The range goes against the current trend of

Left: Iceland's Hungry Heroes range, Right: Iceland's Mumbai Street Co. Range

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hiding vegetables, instead they are ‘heroes’ in the dishes and completely visible.

The Mumbai Street Co dishes (£1.50 or 4 for £5) are easy-to-cook fusion Indian street food ‘small plates’ at a fraction of the cost of a similar dining out experience.

Iceland says the plastic-free initiative will save a total of 150 tonnes of plastic every year. ● www.iceland.co.uk

The Bulletin

M EM B ER N E WS Updates from BFFF members

Triple honour for Paramount 21

Premium frozen seafood and vegetarian specialist Paramount 21 took home a trio of awards at the Caterer Product Excellence Award.

It won the frozen category award for its Aromatic Garden Burger (Vegetarian) whilst its Gluten-free Fish & Chip Shop Bites were named winners of the special diet category and also winners of the food and drink trophy – a new award which is only given to one company in the entire food and drink category.

Jess Pritchett of the Sales & Marketing Team of JCS Fish (centre) receives the Award for Best Seafood Product from John Torode and Hollie Topliss of category sponsor, Dawson Rentals.

Reeling in the awards

Lisa Jenkins, host of the night and Products and Suppliers Editor said: “The judges were unanimous in their decision that Paramount’s Fish & Chip Shop Bites was the best product and they would even go so far as to say, overwhelmingly the best!”

JCS Fish has said it is ‘over the moon’ to receive five endorsements for its BigFish Brand products in the Food Management Today Industry Awards.

Sarah Cumber, Paramount 21 Marketing Manager said: “Our new product development team, production and marketing team work hard to create innovative and on-trend foodservice products and our deliciously moreish Fish & Chip Shop Bites seems to have hit the spot.”

The Grimsby firm achieved one overall category winner and had two products named as ‘Finalists’ and two ‘Highly Commended’ across the two categories of Best Seafood Product and Best Frozen Product.

● www.paramount21.co.uk

JCS Fish’s BigFish Brand Smoked Sea Trout was the winner of the Best Seafood Product at the London awards ceremony presented by John Torode. Also praised were its Salmon Bites in a Chilli and Lime Crispy Golden Crumb, Salmon Fillets Marinated with Garden Mint, Natural Sea Trout Fillets and Salmon Goujons in a Lemon and Pepper Crispy Golden Crumb.

Louise Coulbeck, Director of JCS Fish said: “Well done to every single one of our JCS Fish colleagues for all the work that goes into making our products so delicious every day, these awards really are for the whole team in Grimsby!”

The Food Management Today Industry Awards celebrate the creativity and excellence of the British food industry. The awards shortlist is chosen through the votes of FMT readers before a judging panel evaluates the products to receive the final awards. ● www.jcsfish.co.uk

Paramount 21's Aromatic Garden Burger

In my

VIEW with

Greg Clark

“I am someone who has known all my life that farming is foundational not just to our economy, but to our country.

Providing the food and drink we live on and stewarding the countryside that is so much part of our national and local identity means there is no more essential industry.

“As part of the Industrial Strategy, we announced a Transforming Food Production Challenge and I’m delighted to announce the government will invest £90 million to make this challenge a reality.

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“This will include the creation of ‘Translation Hubs’ bringing together farmer's and grower's businesses, scientists and Centres for Agricultural Innovation to apply the latest research to farming practice.”

Mr Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, made the announcement in a keynote speech to the NFU18 Conference. The funding is designed to help food and farming businesses to access and use innovative technology, such as AI and robotics.

The Bulletin

M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members

40 years in the job

Engineering and manufacturing recruitment specialist, Jonathan Lee Recruitment, is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

TV deal for Birds Eye

To mark the milestone a number of events including the launch of a new website, a re-brand and a gala luncheon have been planned.

Birds Eye Inspirations has announced a £1.4million sponsorship of Channel 5 drama which will run across TV and digital platforms throughout 2018.

Established in 1978 by the current chairman, Jonathan Lee, the vision for the company was to establish long-term partnerships with clients in order to fully understand their business and its needs.

The sponsorship comes following a redesign of the full portfolio which spans fish, chicken meals and pies.

“Whilst this might seem obvious, that was not the standard practice at the time,” said Jonathan.

“Coming from an engineering background I knew how crucial it was to fully comprehend not only the businesses I was working with, but how the engineering industry functioned as a whole.”

Jonathan started his career as an apprentice at GKN, inspired by his father who was an engineer and ran his own firm. He said: “I’d been surrounded by the industry my whole life and realised that there was a need for a recruitment consultancy that understood both the core tenets of good recruitment and the manufacturing and engineering world.”

Headquartered in Stourbridge with offices in

CoolKit bucks industry trend Jonathan Lee, Chairman of Jonathan Lee Recruitment

Basildon and Dubai, and design offices in Hatton, Jonathan Lee Recruitment has experienced steady growth over the last four decades. It now boasts 100 employees and one of the lowest staff turnovers in the recruitment industry. ● www.jonlee.co.uk

McCain Foodservice releases What’s Hot guide Trends for 2018 have been outlined in a new report from McCain Foodservice.

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In its new What’s Hot guide, the frozen giant predicts turnover in the foodservice sector is set to slow amidst continued consumer uncertainty as Brexit draws closer.

Jo Simmons, McCain Foods senior brand manager, explains: “As new trends come and go, changes to what consumers eat, where they eat, and how they eat take place. Operators take influence from fresh new cuisines, bold new flavours make it on to menus, and new dining options emerge. Technology also has a big influence.”

Trends on the horizon include value scrutiny, convenience, technology and informal dining.

Indulgence, foodie culture, provenance and sustainability, meals that look as good as they taste and healthy eating are other key trends outlined in the report. ● www.mccainfoodservice.co.uk

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Refrigerated vehicle specialist CoolKit has announced revenue growth of 21% in 2017 – a sevenyear run of double-digit year-on-year growth despite a contraction in the light commercial vehicle market at large.

The past year saw CoolKit’s revenues exceed £12million for the first time. Growth in the sale of converted vehicles was the main driving factor behind the growth, with 360 vans sold, an increase of 11% over 2016.

Record year for Birchall Foodservice Sales figures for January to December 2017 show company turnover reached an impressive £25,288,059 – a 17.5% increase on 2016.

The projections for the coming year indicate performance in excess of this and, in line with that expectation, the company will be expanding its premises by 48,0000 sq ft, increasing employment opportunities and further investing in trucks and equipment.

The Bulletin

M EM B ER N E WS Updates from BFFF members

Craemer's Moving on up Around 70 jobs will be created when Craemer builds a second factory.

The firm which manufactures a range of products including plastic pallets, fish boxes and storage and transport containers, is opening the site following a boom in growth.

Since the launch of its existing Telford factory in 2006, Craemer UK Ltd has increased turnover 500% to £25.5 million in 2016. It has been looking to expand its existing site in Hortonwood but has been constrained by the nearby A442 and adjoining occupiers.

So instead Craemer intends to develop its new factory at Hortonwood West, creating up to 70 jobs and safeguarding the 65 posts at its existing Telford site. The purchase is part of the Telford & Wrekin Council and Homes and Communities Agency Land Deal, aimed at bringing forward spare industrial land for development.

Dr Achim Brandenburg, senior representative of the German entrepreneurial family and the company group’s Senior Managing Partner, commented: “Our decision to build a new factory as an expansion of our existing UK subsidiary clearly demonstrates the fact that Craemer feels very much at home in Telford.”

Dr Achim Brandenburg, Craemer Group's Senior Managing Partner, Steve Poppitt, Managing Director of Craemer UK, and Councillor Lee Carter, Telford & Wrekin Council's Cabinet Member for Economic Development

● www.craemer.com

Oakland International launches Dublin hub

Multi temperature supply chain and logistics specialist Oakland International has moved its Irish operation into a new purpose-built hub in Dublin.

Opening their first Irish hub in Ashbourne, Co. Meath in 2009, a joint venture with Mark Caffrey of Caffrey International, Oakland offered Irish and European food producers a cost effective, efficient and environmentally friendly route to market.

Eight years on, Oakland is a key supply chain and logistics partner supporting indigenous Irish food producers, UK and continental food suppliers accessing Ireland, the UK and European retail markets.

Oakland International Director, Richard Hill said: “Dublin’s multi temperature capabilities gives us the scope to develop and expand, to encompass more services and signifies a clear vote of confidence in our business and in our people.”

Located at Food Central, St. Margaret’s Co. Dublin, the hub will provide opportunities for further growth, expansion and extended supplier support, with Ireland more closely replicating its UK counterpart, launching supplemental value-added services such as food tempering and product rework, with the plan to increase its Ireland workforce to a team of 100 over the next three years.

He added: “The opening of Dublin is a key point in Oakland’s growth in Ireland and positive testament to our desire to continue to invest in Ireland in the years ahead.”

A multi award winner, BRC accredited (for storage and distribution), Oakland International provides contract packing, storage, picking, food distribution and brand development support for food producers delivering to retail, convenience, discount, wholesale and food service markets. ● www.oakland-international.com

Oakland International Director, Richard Hill

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The Bulletin

NEW

Premium pasty promises to be a big hit

Country Range has added to its award-winning premium pasty range with the launch of a new Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese variant.

It joins the independent foodservice brand’s Traditional Cornish Pasty and is available to operators immediately in cases of 24 exclusively through the 12 independent wholesalers that make up the group.

With more than 25 years of heritage servicing the UK’s innovative foodservice sector, Country Range is the leading independent foodservice brand and now offers over 850 products, all developed exclusively for professional caterers. Covering grocery, chilled, frozen and non-food, Country Range is widely recognised by caterers as a trusted and reliable brand delivering consistent quality and value for money without compromising on taste and flavour. The brand is developed and produced by the Country Range Group and is distributed exclusively by the 12 independent wholesalers that make up the Group.

Country Range Broccoli & Cauliflower Cheese Pasty 283g is filled to the brim with tender pieces of broccoli and cauliflower in a delicious, thick cheese sauce and encased in a golden pastry. They are MSG free, contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and meet the current salt guidelines.

Country Range Group’s Trading Director Martin Ward said: “Winning the People’s Choice Q Award last year for our Traditional Cornish Pasty was one of our highlights of 2017 and we have high hopes for our latest pasty launch too. Loaded with chunky vegetables in a tangy cheese sauce, this really is a showstopper and a guaranteed award winner in the future.”

● www.countryrange.co.uk

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The Bulletin NEW PRODUCTS

Frozen dough has risen

Get creative with frozen dessert discs

Pre-cut cake discs, perfect for customers to get creative and make an assortment of unique desserts, have been launched by Dawn Foods.

The range offers endless possibilities with warm or cold toppings. Dawn Dessert Discs come frozen in cases of 60 and being individually wrapped means that bakers only use what they need. Simply thaw and get creative! Using natural flavours and no preservatives, the discs are light in texture and can be served alone or used as a base to extend dessert or sweet treat menus.

Speciality Breads is going against the grain with its latest launch by rolling out its first ever range of first class frozen doughs.

The first products to be launched by the Red Tractor-certified baker include a trio of large 470g dough mixes in white, brown and multi-grain formats, which when baked, produce a 400g loaf.

They just need to be defrosted in a refrigerator overnight before being proved, shaped and baked in an oven at 200°C for approximately 25-35 minutes.

Gluten free gets a global flavour

Spring cakes added to Indulgent Collection

Paramount 21 has launched a gluten-free veggie burger and fishcake range.

Two new uncoated, vegan burgers are versatile alternatives to rival meat burgers and diversify menu offerings.

The Quinoa, Beet & Edamame Burger is seasoned with aromatic flavours and spices, finished with a citrus twist. The BBQ Lentil & Mixed Seed Burger has hints of smoky sweet BBQ and a kick of chipotle. They can be oven baked or deep fried.

Kara, the Foodservice brand of The Finsbury Group, has extended its successful Indulgent Cake Collection by launching four new additions for spring menus.

The two round cakes are ideal for coffee shops whilst the sliced products make a handy snack on-the-go.

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NFU MUTUAL IS PROUD TO SPONSOR THE BFFF 2018 BUSINESS CONFERENCE YOUR BUSINESS OUR SAFE HANDS Our team of insurance specialists understand the unique challenges the food & drink industry face. We know how important your business is to you so pride ourselves on handling claims fairly and efficiently with minimum hassle.

At NFU Mutual our service is not just limited to insurance. We can offer a range of quality services for your business, from health and safety management to key employee assurance.

The right insurance starts with the right conversation, please contact us by emailing corporate_enquiries@nfumutual.co.uk

The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (No 111982). Registered in England. Registered office: Tiddington Road, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire CV37 7BJ. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

The Bulletin

£10 Billion frozen food sales is the target...

John also highlighted the developments of BFFF as an organisation, including the launch of the 3 year Gold Membership, new and exciting marketing initiatives and the re-launch of BFFF's member benefits at the Industry Forum on June 7th.

And it is in reach, according to speakers at the eighth British Frozen Food Federation’s Annual Business Conference 2018 which was held at the end of February.

Alongside this vision for growth across the sector, over 300 delegates at this year’s conference experienced a day of valuable insight and expertise from key industry players, focusing on topics such as how to drive long-term growth in the sector, as well as how best to navigate the impending Brexit outcome and “turbo charge” exports to create a Brexit success story.

BFFF Conference favourite, economist Roger Martin-Fagg didn’t disappoint with his straight-talking analysis of the current UK economy. He looked at the role that the internet and social media is having on younger generations’ understandings of the news and how the economy reacts to feedback. He suggested that as younger generations no longer take in their news from a traditional newspaper and are inundated with information from a number of channels, the less of an understanding they have. Behaviours are starting to boil down to a ‘like’ or a ‘share’ and this creates feedback. The economy is driven by positive feedback and a small change becomes magnified by a systemic response, which is why the media is currently a major cause of instability for economic performance.

This year’s conference, which was sponsored by NFU Mutual returned to the popular venue of Birmingham’s Hilton Metropole, which also played host to the evening’s first ever BFFF People Awards, celebrating the unsung heroes of the frozen food industry. New to this year’s proceedings was the Technical Seminar as well as the ever popular Health & Safety Seminar.

For the first time in living memory, he explained, the world is on a synchronised upswing with a number of drivers. The massive monetary stimulus since 2009 is finally working and banks are lending money again and changes in bond yields are a major driver.

John Hyman, chief executive of BFFF launched the day by outlining his vision for the industry to achieve frozen food sales of £10bn. Following the news at the end of last year that retail sales have hit the impressive £6bn mark for the first time ever, this growth opportunity is becoming ever-more reachable. John said that growth opportunities are plenty, urging manufacturers to work to bring premium products into all categories, while highlighting the opportunity for foodservice growth as younger consumers continue to spend more on eating out.

In terms of Brexit, Martin-Fagg predicts that a hard Brexit will lead to us reverting back to WTO agreements. With Sterling dropping to $1.20 and €1.05 or lower, supply chains will be severely disrupted and companies will delay payment, leading to a recession. Whereas his soft Brexit predictions involve the UK fully aligning to EU regulations and ECJ case law being taken into account post-21. The UK would likely

Thank you to our headline sponsor:

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The Bulletin

own homes, declaring: “Everything you experience on your holidays you can experience at home or in a restaurant because those people are exploiting the benefits of frozen…. Everybody is interested in frozen food and we need to respond to changing demands in our industry.”

grow at a maximum rate of 1.5% pa until businesses have invested in labour saving automation, which would take around five years.

Driving long-term growth in the frozen food industry was a key theme throughout the conference and Birds Eye’s Kate Forbes stated the main challenge for frozen food is ultimately to change shopper behaviour. She called upon retailers and producers to work together to ‘delight’ the shopper and position frozen food as ‘instrumental’ in every store trip. While she praised recent retailer trials of rebranding the frozen food aisles in a number of stores, and the well-documented overhaul of Iceland Clapham, Forbes stressed how it is imperative that the growth of frozen food needs to be strategic and consistent.

An ongoing challenge for the frozen food industry is that of merchandising and gaining support from retailers to maximise the category. This is a consistently hot topic and IGD commercial director Nick Downing explored this and provided a detailed and inspiring analysis of how frozen food merchandising is reaping rewards across the globe, including IGD’s Store of the Year, Centra (Musgrave), Parnell St, Dublin.

These examples of how frozen can be showcased and turned into a must-visit area, and can work alongside fresh and chilled to create an integrated offer, show that challenging the norms and invigorating formats can engage new shoppers and be well adapted to shopper missions. Nick compared the attitudes to frozen retail around the world, including Norway, Finland, Singapore and Thailand with the gradual changes being made in UK supermarkets, and showcased the opportunity for innovation and an evolution of traditional formats.

Right now, only 13% of meal occasions include frozen, so according to Kate there is a wealth of opportunity to grow the category, but consistency and communication is key. A twice-yearly push for frozen food is not enough to generate long-term growth and, faced with continuing pressures such as an ageing demographic, range rationalisation and decreasing basket size, gradual, regular shifts need to occur in order to see success.

Similarly, Andrew Roberts of Bidfood shared his passion for the frozen food category and explored the potential possibilities for growth of frozen food in the foodservice sector. He stated the success behind frozen food in foodservice lies in the passion and innovation of its producers and generating awareness of the flexibility of these benefits including ‘operational efficiency’ across the spectrum of foodservice outlets, from school cafeterias to gastro pubs.

Giving an overview of the current retail climate, figures show the UK has the largest convenience sector in Europe at 22%, while supermarkets still hold 43% of overall sales, so physical stores are far from dead. According to IGD, the shoppers to look out for are the post-millennials, who are less likely to shop online but with 20% shopping in convenience stores due to a preference for little and often shopping, which presents an opportunity for growth if frozen responds to changing shopper missions.

He put the responsibility on producers and manufacturers to pursue the foodservice opportunity and eradicate the view that frozen operates in the ‘ice age’. He brought the focus onto the innovation and potential that frozen food offers, particularly in a climate where consumers are expecting exotic meals they find on their travels in their

Bev Mitchell, Trading Director for Iceland rounded off a thoughtprovoking morning with an insightful look into Iceland’s prolific ‘Power of Frozen’ campaign and the work the retailer is doing to change

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The Bulletin

consumer perceptions of the frozen food category as a whole.

included a range of elements from the privileges that Norway holds to the responsibilities of Canada, offering the key advice of “do not allow your business to be a passive recipient of whatever comes out at the other end”, and urging industry influencers to meet with their MPs and make the case for stability and gradualism.

Mitchell analysed Iceland’s strategy of being ‘different’ and owning this difference in the market place. She explored the brand’s exclusive brand tie ups and marketing and promotional work pitting fresh against frozen, in order to educate the consumer and shine a light on the freezing process and benefits of frozen. Delegates were also taken through the modernisation process of the Iceland Clapham store, which has been so successful it is now being rolled out further and has seen 40% like for like sales growth in the first year, showing the opportunity for continued growth in the category through merchandising alone.

Kantar Worldpanel’s Chris Hayward took delegates on a whirlwind tour of retail trends over the Christmas period which saw sales of £10bn in the 12 weeks before Christmas with the discounters and Tesco leading the success.

With the industry’s sales target set at £10bn, Hayward offered some statistics which show that at the current rate of growth, without inflation, it will take the take-home frozen food market four years to hit £7.5bn of sales. However, so far the frozen food market is growing faster than any other at 6.4%, compared to 4% of total fresh and chilled and 3.2% ambient, holding 7.6% of the market (excluding alcohol).

Back by popular demand, lunch was this year provided in a street-food market style in the break out room, allowing delegates to network and catch up with familiar faces while tasting the delights of BFFF members’ latest products. This year the menu was provided by KK Fine Foods, Moy Park, Food Team International, ABP Food Group, Visual Foods Ltd, The Authentic Food Co., Laila’s Fine Foods, Meal Creations

by Kerry Foods and Dawn Foods.

Hayward discussed a shift in the way frozen food is being purchased, with big retailers growing behind the market while discounters and online retailers are pushing the furthest growth with a staggering 18.8% and 9.9% respectively compared to main stores at 4.1%. Main stores are struggling to gain shopper engagement, growing through price alone.

Hayward warned that the £10bn target is not going to happen through main estate alone and frozen food needs to explore new avenues.

Starting the afternoon’s proceedings in front of over 300 full delegates is never an easy task, but one that the Scotch Whisky Association’s Graeme Littlejohn took in his stride. Although he unfortunately didn’t come armed with any samples of the good stuff, he did come armed with a case study of how Scotch whisky has seen success in exporting and how frozen food manufacturers can take these learnings as we navigate our way through Brexit.

Online retailing was cited as the key opportunity for frozen to reach £10bn target, adding £49.3m to frozen sales. Frozen ready meals alone added £6.1m (to £49.7m) despite being smaller than the other top five sectors of ice cream (£84.3m, +£11m), frozen fish (£73.2m, +£5.9m) frozen vegetables (£55.6m, +£4.9m) and frozen potato products (£66.8m, +£4.6m). Frozen is also outperforming chilled in many categories, with frozen ready meals growing +14% compared to chilled at +9.8%.

Adrian Gahan of Brexit Analytics followed with an upfront and direct Brexit update and overview of the types of Brexit that are likely to occur and warned delegates to prepare themselves for a scenario of a free trade relationship.

He went on a whistle-stop tour of potential Brexit outcomes which

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John Hyman, BFFF presents a trophy to Rob Palmer of NFU for being the headline sponsor of the Business Conference

Finally, ease of preparation is becoming a key driver of purchase, more important than speed as consumers look for options that ‘make my life easier’. However, consumers will spend more to save time on not just preparation but also on washing up etc. and will on average spend 56p more per person to save 16 minutes, which presents a key opportunity for frozen food to tap into.

transformed by the work and opportunities afforded to him by the team at The Company Shop. John spoke about the effect The Company Shop has on its community members and presented BFFF members with a unique opportunity to cut their food waste and benefit people and communities in need.

The jam-packed day of insight and knowledge sharing was brought to a close with an inspirational and emotionally-charged keynote speech by Dame Kelly Holmes who took delegates through her journey to Olympic glory and offered insight on how her learnings can be translated into business and personal development. The day was followed by the inaugural People Awards, celebrating the best and brightest stars the frozen food industry has to offer and was a truly exceptional night for all involved. Turn to page 25 for the full run down of the evening.

On the foodservice side of things, Simon Stenning of MCA painted a picture of a sector that may be in turbulence, but offers real opportunity for growth for those outlets that know their customers and can navigate the market. Nine in ninety meals are currently eaten out of home, while the frequency in 2016 was one in nine so while there is pressure, smaller brands are growing at 20.4%, while emerging brands are growing at 8.6% with 10 new branded stores opening each week.

So while pressure is definitely on, the restaurant sector is worth over £20bn and foodservice is a good place to be right now.

Next year’s conference will take place on 7th February at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole and will run alongside the Health and Safety and Technical seminars, being followed by the 2019 People Awards. Make sure to keep an eye out for upcoming information about ticket packages so as not to miss out on this must-attend event.

Rounding off the afternoon was a touching and thought-provoking presentation from John Marren, founder and chairman of Company Shop and Community Shop. Company Shop stops good food and household products going to waste and is now the UK’s largest redistributor of surplus. John told the story of Sam whose life was

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The Bulletin

Thank you to all of our exhibitors:

15

The Bulletin BFFF BUSINESS CONFERENCE

info@1cold.com www.1cold.com

Call us today on 01564 702269 Specialists in the Design, Project Management and Construction of Hygienic, Fire Rated and Temperature Controlled Environments

INDUSTRIAL CHILLERS / COLD ROOMS / COLD STORES

John Hyman, Chief Executive, BFFF

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The Bulletin BFFF BUSINESS CONFERENCE

Andrew Roberts, Commercial Director, Bidfood

Kate Forbes, Head of category development, Birdseye

Nick Downing, Commercial Director, IGD

Bev Mitchell, Trading Director of frozen, Iceland

Keynote Speaker, Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE, MBE

John Marren, Founder and Chairman, Company Shop & Community Shop

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The Bulletin BFFF BUSINESS CONFERENCE

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The Bulletin BFFF BUSINESS CONFERENCE

19

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The Bulletin BFFF BUSINESS CONFERENCE

21

The Bulletin

TECHNICAL

SEMINAR Sponsored by:

Nearly 100 members and guests enjoyed the first ever BFFF technical

can improve future food safety.

seminar held at the Birmingham Metropole Hotel on February 22nd.

Victoria Targett of Public Health England was unfortunately unable

The event featured a packed agenda of topics from industry experts.

to join the seminar but her presentation on the UK’s sugar reduction

The speakers were consistently excellent and this was confirmed by

programme is available on the BFFF website. However Chris Wells

immediate feedback from the event. Members went away with some

from Leatherhead Research explained how sugar reformulation is

great ides as to how to protect and improve their businesses.

being done in the industry.

As well as useful insight into the Brexit process from Julie Robinson of

The event came to end with key note speaker Laura Sandys, the

Roythornes solicitors, Rod Ainsworth from the Food Standards Agency

Deputy Chair of the Food Standards Agency. In her first presentation

spoke about the agency’s approach to regulating food businesses in

to industry since her appointment, Laura laid out her views on how

the future.

to build trust between all parties in the food chain but especially with consumers. The aim is to create an international reputation for the UK

Elspeth Macdonald for Food Standards Scotland followed this up a with

regulatory system as a key element of UK food import/export.

a summary of the approach taken by Scottish regulators and also set out the Scottish Government’s approach to tackling obesity.

Laura offered an interesting and thought provoking view of life after Brexit and how consumers will engage with their food going forward.

Erica Sheward from the Office for Product Safety and Standards Regulatory Delivery told the audience about the relaunch of the

There was great organisational support from BFFF staff, our sponsor

Primary Authority scheme which enables businesses to form a legal

Air Liquide and moderator Vince Craig who kept the event running

partnership with one local authority who then provides tailored advice

smoothly.

on environmental health, trading standards and fire safety regulations.

The pressure is now on to top this next year and following the

There were lots of great ideas emerging from the second session on

feedback we have a few ideas, so watch this space!

food fraud and risk assessment. Eoghan Daly, Manager Forensic and Counter Fraud Services at Crowe Clark Whitehill LLP, explained what exactly food fraud is while Brendan McIntyre, Consultant at Brenstech, opened everyone’s eyes to thinking like a food fraud criminal.

Stephen Whyte of Qadex talked about the opportunities for software to fight food fraud. Finally Martin Ford of Greencore demonstrated how his business has managed the risks.

Opening the final part of the seminar, sponsor Air Liquide, gave examples of case studies and innovation in the cryogenic gas sector.

Ed Haynes from FERA explained the science and implications of whole genome sequencing both in the UK and USA. Mathew Sharman, Director and Lead Expert in Food Safety and Quality at Sharman Scientific, outlined how emerging technology and expert knowledge

22

The Bulletin

Health & Safety

SEMINAR Sponsored by:

This year’s 10th annual Health & Safety Seminar proved to be a fun and informative event for delegates and speakers alike.

Nathan Brew from NFU Mutual talked about crisis management and business continuity starting with figures relating to companies and business continuity:

The first speaker was Todd Hallam of Chalcroft Construction Ltd, who also sponsored the event. Todd, who sits on the BFFF Health & Safety Expert Group, kicked off the event by outlining the seven deadly sins of composite panels.

20% 80% 50% 73%

The keynote speaker for Health & Safety was Professor Tim Marsh; chartered fellow of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and a chartered member of the British Psychological Society. Tim took the delegates on a rollercoaster which was both engaging and interactive.

The highlight for many, following a public health warning, was a clip of call centre operative hoping to sell services and contacting an exdirectory recipient who was having a really bad day. Tim covered a multitude of topics and provided a thoroughly fun learning experience.

Have an unplanned/unwanted event Never recover Do not have a plan Not tested in last 12 months for relevancy

Last year we had feedback from our members who asked for more tools on tackling workplace related stress (WRS). Dr Roxane Gervais described recognising the signs of WRS and using the management standards approach. The impact of stress was discussed in terms of the individual but also how it can affect a team when an employee being off sick increases the workload of others.

An update from the HSE was provided by Warren Pennington. Warren outlined the progress of Helping Great Britain Work Well and the work being completed by the Food and Drink Manufacture Forum and the progress of the common strategy. In addition Warren also gave us a progress report on the Q4 HSE inspections together with a legal update on the Workplace (HSW) Regulations 1992: Application of welfare duties to visiting drivers.

This year BFFF included three real-life case studies: 1.) Dave Penson from Young’s Seafood explained how a no blame culture change had led to the achievement of reducing reportable accidents from 20 in 2015 to zero in 2017.

2.) Mark Lovett of Apetito and Matthew Peace of Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue gave an account of a fire apetito suffered in 2014 and then went through measures which can be taken by companies to reduce the impact of fire.

Simon Brentnall gave a BFFF update describing the Federation’s achievements including those over the last 12 months such as the massive success of Safe Use of Ammonia Seminar and the Health & Safety Seminar in 2017. He outlined the Primary Authority advice delivered by BFFF such as the Preventing Falls from Refrigerated Vehicles Guidance and the Materials Handling Equipment Observation

3.) Stuart Taylor from Mentor FLT Training focused on forklift training and practical segregation. He highlighted the fact that three people are hospitalised with life changing injuries every day from forklifts. Free resource materials on this topic are available at: www.mentorflttraining.co.uk

Assessment Guidance. Simon informed members of future events such as the Work at Height event in October 2018 and the plans for an Advanced Fire Workshop in 2019. He also encouraged members to keep submitting their accident data through to BFFF to collate as this makes for a management tool in benchmarking across the sector.

For our logistic service provider sector, we introduced Nina Day from HSL to speak on road transport risk. Nina explained that for many companies, moving goods on the road and in the workplace can be their most dangerous work activity. Over half of all RIDDOR incidents reported to HSE are workplace transport related. She went on to say that employers must assess and control the risks of their work activities, both for their own employees and anyone else affected by their work activities. Many risks in road transport are both foreseeable and preventable.

Simon Brentnall, BFFF Head of Health & Safety

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PEOPLE AWARDS Stars shine at BFFF People Awards The best and the brightest talent of the frozen food industry were recognised at the British Frozen Food Federation’s first ever People Awards.

The awards were presented at a glittering event at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole, following the BFFF’s Annual Business Conference.

Finalists were invited to an exclusive Finalists’ Reception before the awards dinner, where they celebrated their achievements amongst their peers.

The first-of-its-kind awards was launched by BFFF to raise the profile of the unsung heroes of the frozen food industry. Nominations were submitted by the finalists’ manager or team leader and covered a wide range of job roles and experience.

The awards received entries from across the industry with the overall champions being selected from 10 categories including Commercial Champion, Purchaser/Buyer of the Year and Factory Manager of the Year.

Highlights of the night included the Rising Star and the Lifetime Achievement awards. The Rising Star award was won by Chris Healey, site manager at XPO Supply Chain UK. He was praised by judges for: “delivering clear and tangible benefits to every part of the business he's involved in.” They added: “Chris is a true rising star and a prime example of the great and talented people we are so fortunate to have in the frozen food industry.”

Other winners were Jane Marren from Company Shop who won the Commercial Champion of the Year, Sharni Rigby from The Authentic Food Company who won the Technical Champion of the Year, Todd Hallam from Chalcroft Construction who won the Health and Safety Champion of the Year, Brennan Green from Paramount 21 who won the Sustainability Leader, Rachel Cook from Bidfood who won the Product Developer of the Year, Jason Ash from Greenyard Frozen UK who won the Factory Manager of the Year, Michael Round from Rick Bestwick who won Supply Chain/Logistics Champion of the Year, Ginny Durdy from The Ice Co. who won Marketer of the Year and Michelle Clever from The Authentic Food Company who won Purchaser/Buyer of the Year.

All entries were judged by a six-strong judging panel of experts from across the food and drink and HR industries. They included Lynda Hulme, HR director Fowler Welch, Vince Craig, BFFF board member, Alison Cannon, founding partner, Resonate Search & Selection, Noli Dinkovski, associate editor, Food Manufacture, Nick Downing, IGD commercial director and Cheryl Bennett, director, Pelican Communications.

For more information about the BFFF People Awards, please visit www. bfffpeopleawards.co.uk.

The Lifetime Achievement award went to Andy Breffit, commercial director of Hopwells, one of the UK’s largest independent frozen food distributors. He was recognised for his contribution to the frozen food industry. Being presented with the award, Mr Breffit was described “as an excellent mentor who commercially is renowned for striking the sharpest of deals” - all qualities which have earned him this prestigious award.

Commenting on the winners, John Hyman, BFFF chief executive, said: “These awards are a real triumph for all the winners and their companies and teams should be incredibly proud of their achievements.”

He added: “We launched the People Awards to celebrate the unsung heroes that continuously drive the frozen food industry to be the dynamic and developing sector that it is. The standard of entries we received was exceptional and it was really encouraging to see how many industry leaders put forward members of their teams that they believe are deserving of recognition.”

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Nik Basran(c) kicks the event off by winning the ice breaker competition.

Presenting the prizes for the evening were John Hyman, BFFF Chief Executive(L) and celebrity host Dr. David Bull (R).

The Bulletin BFFF PEOPLE AWARDS

Technical Champion

Health & Safety Champion

Sharni Rigby, The Authentic Food Co.

Todd Hallam, Chalcroft

Sustainability Leader

Factory Manager of the year

Supply Chain / Logistics Champion

Purchaser / Buyer of the year

Jason Ash, Greenyard Frozen UK Ltd.

Brennan Green, Paramount 21 Ltd.

Michelle Clever, The Authentic Food Co.

Michael Round, Rick Bestwick Ltd.

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The Bulletin BFFF PEOPLE AWARDS

Product Developer of the year

Marketer of the year Ginny Durdy, The Ice Co.

Rachel Cook, Bidfood

Rising Star Winner

Commercial Champion

John Marren, Company Shop accepts the award on behalf of Jane Marren

Chris Healey, XPO Supply Chain

Lifetime Achievement Award

Could this be you??

Andy Breffit, Hopwells

2019 People Awards Coming Soon

27

The Bulletin BFFF PEOPLE AWARDS

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Thank you to all our sponsors:

28

TEL: +44 (0)191 469 3078 info@dalzielingredients.co.uk

BEAT THE RUSH! With over 850 BFFF members expected again this year, there’s never been a better time to guarantee your seats at the industry’s biggest and most established dinner dance.

Celebrate product excellence from across the frozen food industry as we announce the winners of this year’s annual product awards.

Enjoy an evening of superb networking with industry colleagues.

Email jillywallis@bfff.co.uk to book your tickets now!

Gala Dinner Headline Sponsor:

Product Awards Headline Sponsor:

The Bulletin

Full of beans – the growing importance of vegetables and sustainability in the out of home eating market As a huge 78,000 Brits marked the end of a month of abstinence from meat, fish, dairy and eggs in the name of Veganuary, it is perhaps apt to look at the rise of meat-free diets and the broader, growing consumer attitudes towards health and sustainability in 2018.

There can be no doubt that the movement towards meat-free diets has increased in the past 12 months. This is to the extent that, when asked about the top food trends for the year to come, business leaders from across the eating and drinking out market have tipped vegan as their number one trend for 2018, up from 8th for the equivalent CGA survey in 2017. Second to this are ‘free-from’ options, followed by food waste/ sustainability and then vegetarian food. The fact that all of the top four trends are linked to health and sustainability should not be ignored, especially when previous indulgence-led winners, such as barbecue and burgers rank 18th and 25th of 26 respectively.

Nowhere is this typified more than the once frowned–upon fast food sector. Although the ‘go large’ burger and fries deals are still very much the go-to options for many consumers, there is a realisation among operators that the demand for healthy options is increasing. Led by the likes of Leon, the reaction has been to introduce lower-calorie options, including rice boxes, salads and vegetarian options, to the extent where McDonald’s have begun trialling a McVegan burger.

Charlie Mitchell, senior consumer research manager at CGA

Suppliers who are able to demonstrate their dedication to reducing waste, limiting their carbon footprint and celebrate local and community-sourced produce will have an advantage when it comes to discussions with operators and retailers, adapting to what it is that consumers are increasingly demanding.

So why has there been such a shift in opinion from extravagant and glutinous offerings to a more health based approach? The cynical answer would be a desire from operators and suppliers to cash in on a perceived consumer fad, with low cost and high margins. With meat costs high and rising – the CGA & Prestige Purchasing Foodservice Price Index shows inflation of 4.6% for meat – vegetables provide a cheap alternative, with prices relatively steady (the equivalent inflation figure for the vegetable category is 2.7%).

The final and possibly most cited reason for the shift towards vegetarian, vegan and healthy options is the change in consumer lifestyles to become more health conscious. CGA BrandTrack data shows that 63% of Brits now agree that they proactively try to lead a healthy lifestyle and, although just one in seven say that they always take availability of healthy options into consideration when choosing a meal, one third of consumers class themselves as visiting outlets because of the healthy options available. Perceptions of health can be complex and what one consumer classes as healthy will differ from others, be it protein content, fat or sugar content. As such, it is key for operators to emphasise their products health credentials. For frozen food suppliers, this may be in the form of speed of freezing, or the ingredients themselves, with the importance of the story behind ingredients a vital component behind consumer perceptions of ‘healthy food.’

However, this is a risky game, as highlighted by the furore surrounding M&S’ pricing of a Cauliflower Steak – two slices of cauliflower and a lemon and herb drizzle – for £2. Not only did this create negative press for the brand and a subsequent loss in brand equity, M&S was also forced to remove the product from shelves and lost trust from potentially valuable vegetarian, vegan or experimental customers.

The second factor to take into account are sustainability, sourcing and environmental concerns around the current dependence on meat within western diets. As consumers continue to take an interest in the journey from farm to fork, there is a growing realisation that alternatives to traditional sources of protein may be more sustainable. Almost half of the GB adult population (48%) rate the sourcing of ingredients as important when selecting a meal when out of home. This is a figure that has jumped from 40% just two years ago and reflects a broader trend of environmental factors affecting purchasing decisions. Sustainability of ingredients is also an influential factor for 44% of consumers when choosing meals out of home and this is another factor that has increased over the past two years. The issue of sustainability within food and drink has firmly hit the mainstream over the past 12 months, with the current move towards paper straws in place of plastic a current example of this.

What is clear, however, is that vegetarian, vegan and free-from foods are on the rise and here to stay. Focussing from the land may well lead to the cream of the crop…

CGA is the data and research consultancy of choice for the out of home market, specialising in market measurement, consumer research and location planning. For more information, please contact fiona.speakman@cga.co.uk Charlie Mitchell, Senior Consumer Research Manager, CGA @charlie_cga

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You requested..we delivered!

BFFF Launches 3-Year Gold Membership It’s Arrived!

The launch of our new 3-Year Gold Membership Package - an all-inclusive package of membership subscription fees and attendance at key events, simplifying administration and planning for members.

What’s included?

Three year membership fees and tickets for attendance at: Gala Dinner Dance & Annual Product Awards Annual Luncheon Annual Conference / People Awards / H&S Seminar / Technical Seminar

The benefits: Simplified membership payment and event attendance in one annual invoice Secure best possible tables/seats at key events Allows improved planning of internal/external attendees Improved budgeting 30% discount on conference day delegate rates 5% “early bird discount” on overall package available until 30/04/2018

To find out more and take advantage of this exciting new offer, contact Paul on Email: paulmurray@bfff.co.uk or Tel: 01400 283090

The Bulletin

DAVE LEWIS

@ City Food Lecture 32

The Bulletin

The UK food industry must work in partnership to bring about heavy duty transformational change in the way we feed the nation.

“For a country that imports nearly 40% of the food it eats, Brexit presents both a challenge and an opportunity. The outcome of the negotiations are crucial to the food strategy of how we feed the nation in the future. To face those challenges our industry will need to change.

They will be large transformational changes and we will need to bring our expertise together to work in a very different way.”

That was the message from Tesco CEO Dave Lewis who said the

On the supply of affordable food, Dave said: “The UK is not nor will it ever be self-sufficient for food. Trade is crucial. If following Brexit negotiations, WTO tariffs apply, and we continued to source our food from where we do now without changing anything, then inflation on food would be at least 3%, and that’s before any customs costs.”

challenges faced by the sector are complex and evolving.

Speaking at the City Food Lecture, he urged the audience of farmers, producers, retailers, wholesalers and their representative bodies, to do this by focusing on ‘the 95% of what we agree on, not the 5% we don’t.’

The CEO also outlined Tesco’s five year partnership with Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK and the British Heart Foundation as a means of tackling health issues around food. He added: “The partnership is focussed on sharing expertise to help change behaviour around health because obesity is a driver of all three of those diseases.”

“The UK food industry has done a great job of feeding the nation though many challenges. But the challenges we face today are complex and evolving,” he said. “To overcome them, we must seize the future and change.

“Not simple incremental change, but heavy duty transformational change. The sort of change that means we all have to bring our expertise together and work in a very different way. To feed all of our nation, in a sustainable, affordable, healthy way.

As a result, the supermarket has reformulated more than 4,200 products to reduce sugar, salt and fat. In doing so it has removed 9.4 million calories from the food that it sells. Dave said: “Health for our customers is increasingly a priority. We are working to remove barriers to that step and initiatives such as our Healthy Little Swaps are helping that. This is particularly significant in younger families according to the data we have.”

“I believe customers want businesses to make responsible decisions.

Quite rightly they deserve higher standards and responsible leadership from all of us. They want us to make the right calls on their behalf.”

The event, at London’s Guildhall, is organised by the seven livery companies of the City of London for agriculture and food. Addressing the audience Dave, who joined Tesco three-and-a-half years ago following 27 years at Unilever, said: “Only since then have I begun to understand the true intricacies and vast scale of the food chain. It’s been a huge journey and privilege to understand more of what’s being built in the food supply chain and I’ve become increasingly passionate about the sustainable future of the food industry.”

Meanwhile, Tesco’s ten Sustainable Farming Groups in areas including dairy, pork, lamb, and poultry and eggs are supporting its environmental goals. It has also made a commitment to measure and publish its own food waste data, and ensure no food fit for human consumption is wasted in its own operations by the end of February 2018.

Outlining the challenges the industry faced – farming and agriculture, health and food waste – he continued: “Our industry has done a great job of feeding the nation in many challenges, but the challenges we face today are complex and evolving. We know almost one billion people around the world go to bed hungry every night while two billion people are overweight or obese and this is driving an increase in numerous health conditions. We know that from an environmental point of view, to feed the world’s growing population, we will need to increase production by 50%.

33

The Bulletin INTERVIEW

“The business model technology that’s allowing Tesco to donate its surplus food is available to the industry. Nobody has to create anything new, having proved it works, we’re very happy to share that with our competitors so the UK food industry can take one collective step to eradicate food waste.”

Described as a “landmark moment” by Julia Glotz, editor of The Grocer, Dave said the deal was good news for small businesses which are part of Booker. “For the small retailers, initially there was a surprise that Tesco and Booker were having the conversation. The independent retailers are entrepreneurs and they’re finding that things are incredibly challenging from a labour, cost, and rates point of view. By coming together, if we’re able to provide better quality and service, why wouldn’t it be something that could be beneficial for their business?”

He added: “The business model technology that’s allowing Tesco to donate its surplus food is available to the industry. Nobody has to create anything new, having proved it works, we’re very happy to share that with our competitors so the UK food industry can take one collective step to eradicate food waste.”

Food waste tackled, the supermarket says packaging is one of its next big initiatives. “There are three steps that need to be followed – looking at materials in the supply chain and making decisions about those we would like in it and those we wouldn’t. At the same time reaching out to government for a truly national infrastructure that is consistent borough to borough against those materials. We will also use the car parks of our large stores to collect recycled materials and then use those in our supply chain to create a closed loop – the circular economy. It’s a fundamental change in how we think about things but it’s eminently doable.”

When questioned if the merger was based on a “fundamental weakness” due to consumers not going to store but shopping outside stores, Dave said: “No, when we were looking at the business, it was clear we had some issues and to turn it around we did some simple things in going back to what our customers wanted from us.

“Food was at the epicentre of everything we did. When we looked at customers and how they are living their lives today – penetration and frequency of them visiting our stores hasn’t changed – it’s just that as habit has changed, and more food is consumed out of home, there was a growing appetite elsewhere.

The event fell on the day shareholders were due to vote on the Tesco Booker merger. The £4bn deal to combine Tesco, Britain’s biggest retailer, with Booker, the country’s largest wholesaler, was given the seal of approval just hours before Dave took to the stage.

“How do we take the skill and capability we had in product development, resourcing and supply into the channel that was serving that customer need? That’s where the deal came in. Serving customers better and helping businesses along the way that are part of that service. It wasn’t born out of weakness it was actually about building strength.

Commenting on it he said: “The retail market is worth £110bn. The out of home food market is worth about £90bn and growing. Customer’s habits are changing and we’re pleased to see there’s an opportunity for us with our merger with Booker, as a group, to meet that demand much more consistently both in home and out of home.

“It is the coming together of two complimentary businesses – leading in retail and leading in wholesale – to create a very large, capable food business in the UK. It is an opportunity to grow for all stakeholders and allows us to take thinking and apply it to the whole of the food market rather than just one part of it.”

“We know that eating out goes up or down depending on disposable income. So strategically depending on what happens with the economy, we now have greater optionality as a business to be able to serve people wherever.”

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The Bulletin

BFFF Thinking of Joining Seminar Monday, 2nd July 2018 Do you know a company that could benefit from becoming a member of BFFF? Then they should attend our recently launched Thinking of Joining seminar in Windsor on Monday 2nd July 2018.

Companies interested in joining the BFFF are invited to join us at this complimentary event.

Attendees will hear from our team of experts about all the benefits the BFFF has to offer and the services we provide.

You will also hear first-hand how being part of BFFF has benefited an existing member.

Members of the BFFF team will be on hand to answer your questions and make introductions to industry colleagues.

Whether you’re interested in marketing your brand, raising your company profile, accessing our vast technical and health and safety expertise or engaging existing or potential customers, then this is the event for you.

There is even an opportunity to have fun whilst networking as we move to the Windsor races later in the day.

Spaces are limited so to register your interest in attending this event, please email: neeshacleary@bfff.co.uk Sponsored by:

35

The Bulletin

TE C H N I CA L & L E G I S L AT I V E

From head of technical, Martin Forsyth and Denise Rion, technical manager

update

2017 Technical & Legislative recap 2017 was a busy year for the Technical and Legislative department. So we’d like to update you on the progress of some of the background projects we have been working on‌

assumption is that their presence only arises from use of the material as a PPP.

Biocides and Chlorates

Historically, two quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) had been favoured in food processing due to their effective biocidal properties.

However, as they are also listed as plant protection products, in 2015, they fell foul of a revised lower MRL of 0.1mg/kg and industry looked for alternatives.

There are a growing number of issues affecting all food businesses that use cleaning chemicals. In response to this, BFFF joined the Food & Biocides Industry Group (FBIG). Made up of 17 UK trade and professional organisations, FBIG came together in response to EU reviews on the use of biocides and the setting of maximum residue levels (MRLs).

A similar issue relates to chlorate. Use of chlorate as a herbicide had originally been authorised under Plant Protection Regulations but it was banned in 2009, meaning the default limit of 0.01mg/kg was applied. However, as chlorate is a common impurity in chlorinebased disinfectants, and is also a by-product of water treatment numerous non-compliances were found. In this instance, the European Commission agreed to suspend any enforcement action and began discussions on revised MRLs. The Commission has announced that Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption, under the responsibility of DG Environment, is currently being revised and that the setting of a chlorate limit for drinking water is being considered.

Biocides are chemical substances widely used in the food industry as disinfectants and food preservatives. They treat production plants, processing areas and food containers to control the microbial growth in food and drinks.

Biocidal actives are primarily regulated through the EU Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) 528/2012. However, if a biocide is or has ever been used as a pesticide it is then also regulated by EU plant protection products (PPP) legislation 396/2005 which sets maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides in or on food and feed.

Furthermore, in the absence of a specific MRL, a default MRL of 0.01 mg/kg is then set. MRLs are not safety levels but relate to best agricultural practice in the use of pesticides. Furthermore, MRLs are set without consideration of dual use materials usage to assure hygiene and food safety. The

If new MRLs are too restrictive this could mean a reduction in the use of chlorine-based disinfectants throughout the food and water industry as they are replaced by less effective products or procedures. Ensuring cleanliness of the food production environment is a fundamental requirement of food hygiene legislation and a critical control point (CCP) so understandably, this has led to major concerns as to the 36

The Bulletin TECHNICAL & LEGISLATIVE potential to impact on the microbiological safety of food especially the control of Listeria spp.

carries Primary Authority Assurance on those parts referring to regulatory compliance.

Working together, FBIG have developed guidance on the use of biocides in cleaning and disinfection which can be found here: https:// tinyurl.com/y7qc68ws. They have also lobbied in the UK and with the European Commission for a risk-based regulation in general (not 0.01mg/kg default MRL), and have stressed the need to maintain an adequate range of effective biocides and cleaning agents in order not to compromise food safety through increased microbiological risk.

During the review process the Technical Expert Group suggested a number of areas which were considered to be outside of the scope of the guide at this time. Those suggestions have not been forgotten and have been logged for future consideration.

Inevitably, changes are on the horizon and no doubt more guidance will follow but if you feel strongly that the membership would benefit from advice in any particular area then please do let Denise know (deniserion@bfff.co.uk). As always, your thoughts would be most welcome.

As a result, in March 2017, the EC and member states endorsed an interim approach to decide in which situations and/or under which conditions it is necessary to establish limits for residues of biocidal active substances. However, this interim approach will only last for three years to 2020, with review thereafter based on gained experience and data.

New Major Incident MIG Launched!

Although the Commission favours a proportionate and risk-based approach with MRLs for active substances being established under contaminants regulations, a number of member states still prefer the hazard-based approach in line with that taken for pesticides. As a consequence, there is still no consensus and a number of questions still remain. For example, what about composite products?

We are always looking for ways we can do things better here in technical and the contamination of imported eggs with the insecticide, Fipronil last year gave us chance to reflect.

Some of our members had found benefit from the information that we’d been sending out to the Technical Expert Group and a couple of our MIGs and whilst the initial focus was on whole shell eggs it quickly became clear that a potentially major issue was arising involving egg products and egg as an ingredient which then would have affected many more BFFF members.

Thus, we decided to introduce a Major Incidents MIG.

These issues and concerns were recently presented at a Food Hygiene Expert Panel by Kaarin Goodburn, Director & Secretary General of the Chilled Food Association. Kaarin has very kindly agreed to allow our members access to the presentation which can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/ycs6y72v

Launched in January, the new MIG was put to the test within days after the FSA launched an investigation into Russell Hume Ltd – a major meat supplier to the catering trade and others, such as care homes and hospitals, across the UK. Information from various sources was summarised and circulated to the MIG as soon as it was available, including feedback from conference calls directly with the FSA. This ensured members were kept up to date as the situation developed without them having to wade through the mountain of information circulating in the press. If you haven’t joined the Major Incidents MIG yet then there’s still time. As a member, it’s a free service to you which I’m sure as it develops will become invaluable. Just drop Denise an email (deniserion@bfff.co.uk ) and we’ll get you signed up.

The aim now is for the EC to legally recognise that it is not appropriate to apply MRLs, as biocides used for disinfection (of water and equipment etc) are not being used as Plant Protection Products (i.e. pesticides). In the meantime, members would be well advised to ensure that they are adhering to the specified usage instructions for cleaning chemicals and if in doubt regarding suitability for the specific use should contact their hygiene suppliers.

We will keep members updated with developments as they occur.

To ensure you are on the circulation list for such information please consider joining the BFFF Biocides and Chlorates Member Interest Group.

Relaunch of the Gold Book The revision of the Guide to the Storage and Handling of Frozen Foods, or Gold Book as it is more commonly referred to, is now complete and is available on the website for members to access.

It was originally produced in 1994 to provide guidance to the Quick-Frozen Foodstuffs Regulations 1990 and 2007 and was last updated in 2011 to reflect the prevailing legislative references at that time. It is still widely used by members and is a flagship piece of BFFF intellectual property therefore those changes in European legislation along with advances in technology prompted us to once again review and update this well-established guide.

With the valued input of the Technical Expert Group the guide has been reviewed in its entirety and brought up to date with respect to the advice contained within it. All regulatory references have also been updated and checked by our Primary Authority Partners to ensure they reflect the latest legislation. As a result, we are pleased to announce that this edition now has the added bonus that it

37

The Bulletin

H EALTH + SAFETY

From head of health & safety, Simon Brentnall and Crystal Holmes, health & safety assistant.

update

BFFF Health & Safety Pledge

BFFF would like to invite members to sign up to the Health & Safety pledge for members in line with the HSE’s (Health and Safety Executive) common strategy for the sector.

We are delighted to have had engagement from so many members to our current pledge, and would encourage as many as possible to get involved. It’s free to join and helps to demonstrate commitment to reducing incidents/accidents and improving overall health and safety in the workplace.

injury rates. Currently the food and drink manufacturing sector has over twice the average injury rate as other manufacturing sectors, and the BFFF pledge supports the HSE strategy in trying to combat this.

The full pledge can be found here: http://bfff.co.uk/health-safety/ pledge/

HSE produced their revised strategy for our sector last year, which covers a five-year period from 2016 to 2021. The revised strategy builds on previous success by focussing on delivering measurable improvements against four key objectives: • • • •

Our sector needs to focus on effective workforce engagement and show commitment to leadership to reduce ill health and injuries in the workplace.

We would like to thank all of the BFFF membership that have been part of the pledge so far, and look forward to working with those and others in the future.

Reduce accidents and incidents of ill health Effectively manage musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risks Effectively manage slip and trip risks Deploy an effective occupational health management system

To get involved and for more information, please contact crystalholmes@bfff.co.uk

The outlined objectives aim to accelerate reduction in ill health and

BFFF Materials Handling Equipment (MHE) Guidance published Revised guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for operators using materials handling equipment (MHE) was published in 2017, emphasising ‘the importance of competent observation.’

BFFF members asked for an efficient way to observe the safety performance of MHE operators through the H&S expert group.

We are pleased to announce this guidance is now available and assured. It covers: • • • • • • •

The law Supervisors Selection and training requirements for MHE operators Monitoring and assessment of operators Observation process Example observation/assessment criteria Example MHE observation log

The guidance can be found on the BFFF website under ‘Materials Handling Equipment’ on the following link: http://bfff.co.uk/healthsafety/guidance/

38

The Bulletin HEALTH AND SAFETY

Food Sector Lawyers • Contracts • Debt recovery • Product recalls • Agents and distributors • Employment • Intellectual property and branding • Transport and logistics • Competition • Corporate and commercial Contact Peter Cusick or Peter Seary of our Food and Drink team

01775 842500 www.roythornes.co.uk @roythornes_food

Call for stronger action to combat modern slavery Anti-slavery commissioner Kevin Hyland has contacted a quarter of Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 100 companies calling for stronger action to combat modern slavery.

Hyland has written to 25 firms identified as non-compliant with the Modern Slavery Act (MSA) regarding their reporting of efforts to address slavery in supply chains.

“Taking action on modern slavery and human trafficking is not just a moral obligation – it is in fact good business sense: forced labour in company operations or supply chains has potential to disrupt business, weaken investor confidence, incur litigation costs and cause significant brand damage.”

Under the MSA, firms with a turnover of £36m or more must produce slavery statements approved by the board, signed by a director and published on a website with a link from the homepage.

The commissioner, in collaboration with the Local Government Association, has also produced guidance for procurement professionals working in local councils to help them tackle slavery, which can be found here: http://www.antislaverycommissioner.co.uk/ media/1201/modern-slavery-a-council-guide.pdf

Research by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) last year found a quarter of FTSE 100 firms had not met these three minimum requirements, and had still not done so by the end of 2017.

This includes advice on mapping supply chains, engaging with suppliers and collaborating with other councils to reduce costs.

Hyland said: “Despite some encouraging, positive change since the legislation came into force, 2016’s corporate modern slavery statements were patchy in quality, with some companies failing to produce them at all and others demonstrating little meaningful engagement with the issues.”

The report quotes Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights: “If the government expects business to take human rights issues in their supply chains seriously, it must demonstrate at least the same level of commitment in its own procurement supply chains.”

Some 40m people are estimated to be enslaved today, of which 16m are thought to be working for companies around the world.

BFFF remains a supporting partner of Stronger Together, which has the sole aim of reducing modern slavery and providing tools for business.

All of the free resources are available here: http://stronger2gether.org/ resources/

“FTSE 100 companies have a major influence in eradicating modern slavery,” said Hyland. “Therefore, I have written to 25 companies identified in the BHRCC research as non-compliant, and which had still not corrected their omissions by December 2017, to encourage improved efforts in the coming year.

39

40

The Bulletin

THE HEROIC RISE OF

CAPTAIN

Like everything in our daily lives, what we eat – and the ways we eat it – is going through continual change.

From the fast food of the nineties to the gastronomy of the noughties, perhaps we’ve now come full circle.

The rise of veganism means vegetables and clean eating are now reigning supreme.

But why are we getting back to basics when it comes to food? Like most trends – let’s first look up to the stars. The list of celebrities and high-profile personalities following plant-based diets is vast. This, coupled with the influence of social media (indeed 99% of 16 to 34-year-olds are regular internet users) means their lifestyles are trickling down into ours.

attractive and practical,” he says. “Our ideas about what’s healthy are also changing – we’re more focussed on foods that are natural and less processed and eating a varied diet. High profile celebrities and social media influencers are also raising awareness and promoting eating less or no

Richard Allen, Usage expert at Kantar Worldpanel agrees. “The surge in vegetarian evening meals over the past year is down to the wider availability of products which make eating meat-free more

Latest statistics from Kantar show that more than a quarter of all evening meals in the UK are now vegetarian or vegan – something which has grown consistently over the past few years.

meat as a healthy lifestyle choice.”

41

The Bulletin FEATURE

Dalziel flexitarian ingredient options

But for those who don’t want to go the whole hog, flexitarian is proving to be the answer. Casual vegetarianism is increasingly popular allowing all the benefits of vegetarianism with the occasional meat or fish dish. It’s something that Dalziel Ingredients has seen first-hand.

The biggest spike however has been over the past year, during which we ate an additional 200m meat-free evening meals. So is 2018 the year of the vegan? Quite possibly.

A quick look at Instagram puts it into context with over 17m images tagged as vegetarian, 39m clean eating photographs and over 56m images labelled vegan. The growing popularity of campaigns such as Veganuary – which this year was record breaking with more than 150,000 people taking part – means adopting a vegan diet for many consumers isn’t such a stretch.

The increasing availability of vegetarian, vegan and free-from products is making it easier than ever before. Tesco, for example, has recently launched Wicked Kitchen, an entirely vegan range including ready meals, sandwiches and pizzas. The supermarket, which launched the range in January, said it has directly seen the effect of those lifestyle choices with demand for chilled vegetarian ready meals and meat substitutes soaring by 25%. Sales of vegetables, such as spinach and aubergine, are also up 43% and 23% respectively, compared to the last 12 months.

But following fashion could prove costly for the consumer. In a recent investigation, The Grocer said that vegetarians are counting the cost of rising supermarket prices. The trade magazine recorded the prices of more than 200 vegetarian foods and found they were on average 2% higher than since February last year. Linda McCartney’s sausages cost about 13% more, Quorn’s vegetarian steaks have increased in price by 8% and its no-meat mince by almost 12%.

But it’s not just meat-free brands that are bucking the trend. Many retail and foodservice manufacturers are adding free-from options to their ranges to cater for the growing number of consumers changing their eating habits. From adding more vegan and vegetarian options to menus or incorporating gluten free coatings to products – like Lamb Weston’s range of sweet potato fries – there is no doubt that plant-free is going mainstream.

42

Denise McGrahan, marketing co-ordinator at Dalziel Ingredients, said: “The flexitarian trend is creating huge demand for more creative and unusual flavour ideas as well as functional ingredients.

“Food manufacturers are increasingly asking us to develop new flexitarian products in their ranges, particularly for sausages, meatballs and beef mince products.

“We can create any flavour but the skill is to include it in meat without losing the integrity of the product. And our functional ingredients, like citrus and vegetable fibres, help bind the products together, as well as further contributing to the vegetable content.”

There can be no denying that social media affects every aspect of our daily lives – from the news we read to the food we eat. Because of that, diners want meals that are good for us, that taste good, but also look good. It’s something McCain Foodservice has pointed out in its What’s Hot food trend guide for 2018.

It says: “Buddha bowls are one instance of this trend bringing new meals mainstream success. They’re highly photogenic and, for that

The Bulletin FEATURE

From McCain Foodservice's What's hot food trend guide for 2018

reason, quickly became the centrepieces of many social media users’ posts and photographs.

“The same goes for the year’s most popular spices. Harissa, sumac, cumin, and matcha all brim with wonderful flavours and colours, and bring dishes to life.

“Of course, it’s true that chefs and customers have always valued food that’s pleasing for the eye. However, advances in contemporary tech present pubs, restaurants and caterers with a new opportunity to really focus on their dishes’ visual presentation to make ‘Instagram ready’ meals which accrue interest on social media, acquire peer-to-peer recommendations and turn diners into compelling digital brand advocates.”

But one story doesn’t fit all. In fact fresh meat and poultry had a strong year in 2017, with the volume sold growing faster than can be explained by population growth (1.8% vs c1%). Nathan Ward, Kantar business unit director for meat, fish and poultry, argues therefore that talk of us abandoning meat altogether is premature: “One dynamic we’re seeing is that shoppers are trying to find ways to cope with rising prices and falling promotions,” he said. “A jacket potato and beans might be an easy (and vegetarian) midweek dinner, but consumers may also be motivated by other factors such as saving money.”

Chicken has always been a healthy and popular food choice,

primarily due to its low fat content and versatility as a flavour carrier.

High in protein and vitamins, it fits in perfectly with the clean eating trend.

Riverside Foods supplies premium poultry products to foodservice and wholesale including a recently launched gluten free whole muscle chicken range. Despite the success of its core product and increasing frozen food sales, the firm says the same cannot be said of frozen meat and poultry which has experienced significant declines.

Managing Director Leigh Morris said: “We feel that this sector has been devalued as a result of a lot of new short-term suppliers offering ever decreasing price reductions to obtain UK business.

We believe in encouraging our customers to stock premium whole muscle products which will drive the value of the sector up and deliver better quality products to the end consumer.”

Whilst frozen meat may yet to have ‘had its day’ surely the increasing popularity in conscious consuming can only be a good thing for the fruit and veg sector? Not according to the experts. The Food Foundation recently launched #VegPower campaign to encourage more children to eat vegetables.

The think tank says poor diet is now the greatest threat to health and well-being in the UK and calls for an advertising fund to promote vegetables to the public. Jamie Oliver and Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall are among the celebrities to have backed the drive.

The Veg Ad Fund, made up of contributions from the Government, retailers and producers, will give veg the marketing budget they need to compete with branded snacks, fast food outlets and softdrink firms.

Perhaps now is the time for frozen to shine? Our products complement the current healthy eating and plant-based trends perfectly – convenient, cost-effective and nutritionally locked-in. Our industry must now work together, using its innovation to maximise the opportunity in proving that the benefits of frozen continue to

43

Healthy meets Delicious Healthy eating is moving up the consumer agenda with more and more consumers changing their eating habits for the better. Ardo offers a range of delicious, convenient and healthy plant-based solutions that your customers will love.

Cauli Power mix

This low-carb veggie mix is a blend of cauliflower pieces (sometimes called “cauliflower rice”), red quinoa and green lentils.

Green Wave mix

An intense green mix of small and finely-chopped broccoli, curly kale, spinach, courgette and wakamé seaweed.

Sweet Life Mix

A classy mix full of Mediterranean colours, full of broccoli, sweet potato, cauliflower and dried tomatoes.

Avocado

Quinoa Stirfry

For recipe ideas go to www.ardo.com Please call our Customer Services team for more details.

ARDO UK LTD ASHFORD ROAD, CHARING, ASHFORD, KENT TN27 0DF ; TEL: 01233 714714 WWW.ARDOUK.COM

Quinoa -Kale B urger

Edamame Soya Beans

The Bulletin

update

From Paul Murray, Head of Commercial.

More new members Since the last issue, we are pleased to welcome seven new members into the BFFF family.

Suncream Dairies, a family-owned wholesale ice-cream manufacturing business which combines the rich heritage and tradition of Italian ice cream with 21st century manufacturing techniques to bring you a tempting and delicious range of great tasting, great value, award-winning ice-cream.

Strong Roots, a start-up food company from Dublin in Ireland. Their vision is to be the first choice for premium healthy branded frozen food, with focus on innovation and building strong relationships with consumers, customers and partners alike.

Stefano Toselli, a chilled and frozen pasta meal producer. Its origins go back to 1981 when the company was formed as La Roue du Pays d'Auge ‘in France.’ It has grown over the years and was transferred to the present site in Mézidon-Canon in 1990. Throughout their evolution they have targeted the private label market and in doing so they have grown to become the number one chilled pasta readymeal manufacturer in Europe.

FMCG Executive Network Ltd, recruiters of professionals for the FMCG sector, specialising in sales, marketing and category management positions. Their growth and success comes down to the simple but powerful promise they make to their clients: “To work for you as though we are one of you.”

Master Good KFT, ‘The Master Good group of companies is one of the biggest integrated poultry production systems located in northeastern Hungary. The company manufactures marinated products for the domestic market and convenience foods for the export market.

The company group satisfies the strictest quality assurance requirements and complies with all the significant quality control systems of Europe.’

Avara Foods, a new joint venture business created by Cargill and Faccenda to form one of the UK’s biggest food companies. Its team of over 6000 people is trusted to provide a wide range of high quality chicken, turkey and duck products for some of the biggest retailers and restaurant chains in the UK. Your Membership Account Managers: Kate Miller Membership Account Manager Tel: 01400 664320 Mob: 07793 499871 Email: katemiller@bfff.co.uk Dan Schofield Membership Account Manager Tel: 01400 283095 Mob: 07921 405196 Email: danschofield@bfff.co.uk

IBL Cold Stores, provider of temperaturecontrolled storage and distribution services, together with blast freezing and product tempering primarily to the food industry. All their services are accredited to BRC and to ISO 9001:2008.

45

New member profiles

M EM B E R SH I P

The Bulletin

. solutions

y

high density

ng

A P F

EW

IAW Logistics Solutions IAW Logistics Solutions specialises in high density storage systems which are particularly applicable in temperature controlled facilities.

“Our powered Mobile Racking has precision engineered, shaft driven bases to ensure accurate tracking.”

Our Powered Mobile Racking has precision engineered, shaft driven bases to ensure accurate tracking. It is equipped with the latest optical safety features and can be controlled manually, by remote control or by WMS. The “on board” diagnostic system can also be remotely monitored, at the factory, via modem.

Other solutions offered include dynamic systems such as Push Back and Live Storage as well as static systems like Narrow Aisle, Double Deep and Drive In Pallet Racking together with mezzanine structures.

IAW will also integrate or redeploy existing equipment as part of an overall solution.

Contact Roger Young Tel: 07711 475 448 E-mail: roger@iawlogistics.co.uk Website: www.iawlogistics.co.uk www.poweredmobileracking.com

Recent installations include: • • • •

Powered Mobile Racking for Shield Foods Mezzanine Floor with Gravity Feed Lanes for XPO Logistics Roller Push Back Racking for Il Fonaio Drive In Racking for Park Cakes

IAW has just been awarded the contract to install a 4,800 pallet capacity system for Nagel-Landons at their new facility at Knowsley near Liverpool.

46

The Bulletin

IBL Cold Stores IBL Cold Stores is a division of International Bulk Liquids (S&T) Limited, a company that was formed in 1947 to facilitate the handling, storage and blending of edible oils on the east coast of England.

“Alongside traditional frozen and chilled storage chambers, IBL is able to provide for more specialised, niche temperature requriemnts.”

The cold store division operates from a facility on the west coast just outside of Liverpool on a site that provides temperature controlled storage space across a variety of specifications from +16°c through to -18°c. Alongside traditional frozen and chilled storage chambers, IBL is able to provide for more specialised, niche temperature requirements and also bespoke, dedicated solutions in one of its many temperature controlled chambers.

More recently, IBL Cold Stores has invested in its own onsite blast freeze capacity and tempering facilities including the addition of microwave and rapid air facilities, all of which are supported by an experienced and dedicated team who are able to ensure that your product specifications are met in full.

IBL is keen to explore further opportunities to develop and promote the benefits of frozen food in today’s ever-changing marketplace and with this in mind, IBL is delighted to have joined the British Frozen Food Federation and look forward to playing their part as an active and sharing member of the British Frozen Food Industry.

In addition, IBL Cold Stores operates its own dedicated fleet of vehicles / trailers ensuring a one stop shop solution for UK food manufacturers in particular who require that JIT delivery service of raw material to point of production, a tried and tested solution for many of the UK’s food manufacturers currently using IBL’s services.

Contact Ian Desmonde, Managing Director Tel: 0151 549 1082 E-mail: ian.desmonde@intbl.co.uk Website: intbl.co.uk

47

The Bulletin

FMCG Executive Network FMCG Executive Network specialise in recruiting professionals across the whole FMCG sector. We recruit at all levels across the following disciplines: •

Sales, Marketing & Category Management

•

Production & Engineering

•

Supply chain & Procurement

•

Technical & NPD

“Our success over the past 19 years has come down to simply taking the time to understand our customer's business, how it operates and providing bespoke recruitment solutions that add real value.”

Our success over the past 19 years has come down to simply taking the time to understand our customer's business, how it operates and providing bespoke recruitment solutions that add real value. That means understanding how you and your business tick, building a true partnership - one that’s not just about ‘finding the right person’ but supporting the growth and success of your organisation from within.

But perhaps most importantly, it means doing what’s right, never delivering quantity at the expense of quality, and always offering you the most honest, tailored and insightful advice.

Contact Richard Clarke (Joint Managing Director) Tel: 07791 489442 Sarah Todd Tel: 02036 676700 -London 01159 841801 -North E-mail: sarah@fmcgexecutive.com Website: www.fmcgexecutive.co.uk

FMCG Executive Network is a trusted and recognised recruitment brand within the FMCG industry who always provide a professional service for both our customers and candidates alike. To find out a little more about how we’d operate as your chosen recruitment partner please get in touch.

48

transforming temperature control

has changed its name to...

Transforming energy demand into opportunity GridBeyond finds flexibility in your equipment’s energy consumption for savings, revenues and sustainability.

GridBeyond optimises your demand side response participation to uncover revenue, optimise energy cost savings and boost your sustainability credentials, all with an asset-first focus for absolute peace of mind. The world-class technology behind GridBeyond’s portfolio of aggregated energy assets means your site can respond less, yet earn more through National Grid revenue opportunities. By working together, your site not only benefits from our in-depth understanding of energy opportunities but from a hub of collaborative expertise across a number of carefully selected third parties. All with the most advanced portal dashboard, analytics, reporting and benchmarking for optimum OEE and predictive maintenance.

For more information Call 01923 431 638 Email service@endeco-technologies.com Visit endeco-technologies.com/gridbeyond

From transport partners to solicitors, suppliers to retailers, The Bulletin industry services directory is your goto guide for member services. Featured this edition is: Rick Bestwick

BOC Limited

51

Industry services

The Bulletin

195,000+

Pallet spaces nationwide 4 sites strategically located across Northern England in Liverpool, Warrington, Chesterfield and Scunthorpe

Temperature Controlled Storage All our facilities have multi‑temperature stores, meaning we can tailor our capacities to fit demand.

Microwave Up-tempering

– Purpose built high bay cold stores – Mobile racking – Multi‑temperature chambers – 24/7 Operation – Online stock level monitoring

Microwaving can raise the core temperature of a product from -18°C to -3°C in under a minute allowing a true Just in Time solution and extremely consistent results.

Project Management – 24/7 dedicated contract management – IT and EDI specialists – Satellite tracking – Roadrunner Live – ePod and live discrepancy reporting – bespoke customer solutions

Value Added Services – – – – – – – – –

Expert Transport Partner Product Trials Pallet Rebuilding Shrink Wrapping Re‑packing Co‑packing Date coding Labelling Sleeving

Blast Freezing

Rapid Air Up-tempering

Export

Every new product is trialled for the blast freezer to ensure that a consistent and optimal core temperture is achieved every time.

Rapid air takes longer but it can bring products to above 0°C and just like Microwaving has full traceability at all stages.

All sites are approved for export product storage to: USA (USDA Approval), Japan, South Africa, Hong Kong, Canada.

Blast freezing is the fastest and best way to rapidly chill your product, maximising shelf life and reducing drip loss.

Chesterfield No 3 unit is also approved to export to: Australia, South Korea and Singapore.

We are one of very few cold storage providers in the UK to have authorisation from the UK and Beijing authorities to export to China.

Our Services – Everything you require in one place Quality We hold BRC Storage & Distribution certification (Issue 2) and participate in the Unannounced Audit Programme for all services and activities with outstanding results.

Even at high volume we strive to fullfill and exceed their code of practice standards. This is enabled by our expert health, safety and technical team. We have dedicated vets on site who quality check our customers’ stock and can authorise it for export.

The Bulletin

IN DUST RY S E RV IC E S

SECTOR

Logistics, cold storage

Rick Bestwick

Combining over 30 years of expertise in the food industry and with cutting edge technology and processes, Rick Bestwick is one of the UK’s leading temperaturecontrolled food specialists.

With sites in Chesterfield, Scunthorpe, Warrington and Liverpool, the company has built a reputation of being a trusted ‘just in time’ partner for food manufacturers and retailers, offering a complete end to end solution.

Rick Bestwick not only has the country’s largest blast freezing capacity but has recently expanded their up-tempering services with investment in a multi-million pound purpose-built state-of-the-art up-tempering facility, now the largest in Europe. With their unique portfolio of services, which includes bespoke temperature regimes, advanced coding, sleeving and co-packing services, and pioneering technology, Rick Bestwick is at the forefront of bringing specialist solutions to the food industry.

Rick Bestwick, Part of the Magnavale Group also has extensive expertise in food exports, with operations allowing food producers to export to the USA, Japan, South Africa, Hong Kong, Canada and Australia, South Korea and Singapore from our Chesterfield facility.

Most recently Rick Bestwick became one of very few cold storage providers in the UK to have authorisation from the UK and Beijing authorities to export to China and Chinese shipments are already underway.

With operations running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whatever your temperaturecontrolled food requirements, Rick Bestwick has the solution.

CONTACT DETAILS

ADDRESS Park Road Holmewood Industrial Park Chesterfield S42 5UY WEBSITE www.rickbestwick.com TEL +44 (0)1246 854999 EMAIL enquiries@rickbestwick.com

KEY TEAM MEMBERS Colin Taylor, CEO Stuart Hancock, Founder and Co-Owner 53

The Bulletin

IN DUST RY S E RV IC E S

SECTOR

Industrial Gases and Engineering

BOC Limited BOC supplies the UK & Ireland’s most comprehensive range of industrial, medical and special gases, associated products and services. BOC has been producing atmospheric gases, including oxygen, nitrogen and argon, for over 120 years.

and speciality gas equipment for food freezing, chilling and modified atmosphere packaging applications. With a secure supply in stock around the UK and Ireland, BOC provides unrivalled national coverage and a comprehensive service that can be customised to clients’ needs.

CONTACT DETAILS

ADDRESS

With seven Air Separation Units (ASUs) and a network of major production facilities, distribution centres and retail stores across the UK and Ireland, its portfolio covers thousands of different gases and mixtures, and the equipment and services required to support them. Within the food sector, BOC supplies high purity gases, gas mixtures

The Priestley Centre, 10 Priestley Road, Surrey Research Park, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XY, England WEBSITE www. bocfood.co.uk TEL 0800 111333 EMAIL

KEY TEAM MEMBERS

food@boc.com

Andrew Baldwin, Managing Director, Cold Storage Marcus Boardall, Deputy Chief Executive

55 55

The Bulletin MEET THE TEAM

Meet the team

In this series The Bulletin catches up with one of the BFFF team. This edition we spend five minutes with...

Claire Mathieson Admin Controller

How long have you worked at BFFF? Almost a year.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I’m still on a steep learning curve but I’m really enjoying the variety of my role. I’m particularly enjoying working with our PR and marketing agency, Pelican Communications, on a variety of projects. It’s been really good getting to know my great colleagues here at BFFF who have been so welcoming and supportive during my first year.

What is your favourite colour?

Blue – in a variety of shades from duck egg to royal! I’ve been told I’m not allowed to use blue when decorating my new house. That’s just not going to happen!

What do you like to do at the weekend?

I love to cook so having the time to prepare something nice for my family is great. If the weather is dry I love to get out into the countryside for walks and a picnic if the sun is shining.

Starter and main or main and dessert?

Definitely starter and main although if sticky toffee pudding is on the menu I’m tempted to have all three!

Who inspires you?

Mary Berry is up there. She has achieved so much in her life despite living with the lasting effects of polio for the majority of her life and tragically losing a son. If I can cook and look like that when I’m in my 80s I’ll be happy.

Do you have any hobbies?

Amateur dramatics has been a hobby of mine for a number of years, however I have just joined a local singing group for a change. I also love to cook and usually have a book on-the-go.

What is your biggest achievement?

Surviving (just!) a male household without turning to football just to join in!

What is your favourite place?

I love nothing better than going for a walk and finding an idyllic spot with a great view on a sunny day. Heaven!

If you could invite one person round for dinner, who would it be and what would you eat?

Diana, the Princess of Wales. We would have a retro meal of garlic mushrooms, lasagne and banoffee pie!

56

“It's been really good getting to know my great colleagues here at BFFF who have been so welcoming and supportive during my first year. ”

The Bulletin

DAT E S f o r y our

D I A RY

2018 6th-18th April Food & Drink Expo NEC Birmingham www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk

24th-26th April Seafood Expo Global Seafood Expo Global Brussels Expo, Belgium www.seafoodexpo.com/global

17 May th

Frozen & Chilled Foods Golf Day Belton Woods, Grantham Contact: Richard Cogan Tel: 01732868288

Social Event.

29-30th May PLMA Show Amsterdam www.plmainternational.com

7th June

21st November

BFFF Gala Dinner Dance & Product Awards London Hilton on Park Lane www.bfff.co.uk

The definitive awards for the frozen food industry.

2nd July Thinking of joining BFFF? The Harte and Garter Hotel Windsor, Royal Berkshire SL4 1PH www.bfff.co.uk

Find out about becoming a member of BFFF.

20th-21st September Lunch!

ExCel London www.lunchshow.co.uk

21st–25th October

Trade Show.

SIAL Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris www.sialparis.com

7 June

The world's largest food innovation exhibition.

th

Industry Forum- Member Benefit Re-launch Stephenson Harwood LLP's offices, Finsbury Circus, London EC2M 7SH www.bfff.co.uk

BFFF unveils exciting new member benefits.

20th November BFFF Annual Luncheon London Hilton on Park Lane www.bfff.co.uk

Top networking event for retail and foodservice.

57

Industry forum JLT's offices, The St. Botolph Building, London EC3A 7AW www.bfff.co.uk

Keep up to date with the latest industry news.

2019 7th February BFFF Annual Conference & People Awards www.bfff.co.uk

Find out the future of frozen food.

17-20th March IFE ExCel London www.ife.co.uk

The UK's largets food and drink event.

Go online Visit bfff.co.uk for even more news from the frozen food industry.

From our kitchen to yours.

We provide authentic tasting dishes from all around the world. From our kitchen to yours, every single dish we create is unique. To find out more visit mealcreations.co.uk

@mealcreations mealcreations

Part of