May / June 2020
TRENDS Could Covid cut food waste?
THE BIG INTERVIEW Global thought leader Prof Louise Fresco
BFFF Helping members through the pandemic
YOUR ESSENTIAL PARTNER IN SOURCING QUALITY FROZEN FOOD.
#FROZENTOFLAVORFUL contact@breconfoods.com
www.breconfoods.com
The Bulletin
Richard Harrow Chief executive
BRITISH FROZEN FOOD FEDERATION 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
WELCOME
01400 283090 www.bfff.co.uk
CHIEF EXECUTIVE Richard Harrow richardharrow@bfff.co.uk 07930 345326 ADVERTISING & MEMBERSHIP Kate Miller katemiller@bfff.co.uk 07793 499871 BULLETIN EXECUTIVE Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary neeshacleary@bfff.co.uk 01400 283090
PUBLISHER Pelican Communications www.pelicancommunications.co.uk EDITOR Michael Bennett michael.bennett@pelicomms.co.uk CHIEF WRITER Emma Scott emma.scott@pelicomms.co.uk @BFFF_Tweets BFFF British Frozen Food Federation @Britishfrozenfoodfed @Britishfrozenfoodfed
About The Bulletin
As I write this introduction I have been working from home for eight weeks, along with most of the BFFF team. We have also had to furlough several team members, in part due to personal circumstances which made working from home challenging. This has meant a whole new way of operating, but the remaining Federation team has done an amazing job of communicating with members, other federations and each other to ensure everyone is kept up-to-date with the latest developments during the COVID-19 crisis. At times the pace of change has been almost hourly as Defra and other government departments issue updates on an evolving situation and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team for its dedication. COVID-19 has affected different parts of the membership in varying ways. The closing of virtually the whole out-of-home market at such short notice has had a devastating effect, taking what were once thriving businesses, built up over many years, to the brink of collapse. There is a very real prospect that many of these businesses may never reopen. Equally, many members who operate between agriculture and hospitality are also deeply concerned about their chances of surviving the effects of the pandemic. Meanwhile, members in the retail part of our membership have had the opposite experience, seeing a massive spike in sales. According to Kantar, category sales increased year-on-year 28% by value in the four weeks to 22nd March, with frozen vegetables reaching an amazing 40% growth.
The Bulletin is the exclusive magazine for BFFF members. Produced six times a year, it has a readership in excess of 3,000 industry leaders, decision makers and buyers.
We have also seen much commentary about the need to support farming and the hospitality sector. The Federation has been working hard to raise the profile of the many businesses downstream - processors, manufacturers, wholesalers, storage and transport - that also need support. Therefore, our focus has been on getting more liquidity into the market where it is needed to ensure companies can pay their bills.
All editions of The Bulletin are 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.
In addition to this, the Federation has created freezing guidance to help the whole supply chain save chilled food nearing its use-by date. Whilst this is not our normal area of operation, it illustrates how we have worked with other trade bodies to address the challenges COVID-19 has thrown up.
To contribute to this issue or advertise, contact your account manager or email: bulletineditorial@bfff.co.uk
In this edition you will read not only about the initiatives members have implemented to help their customers and communities during this unprecedented time of uncertainty, but how we in turn are helping members. If you need advice or guidance, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We will, as ever, do everything we can to help.
richardharrow@bfff.co.uk Tel: 07930 345326
May / June 2020 | 3
The Bulletin
C O NTEN TS
The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) is the UK’s frozen food trade association, with around 300 members comprising producers, wholesalers, importers, exporters, brokers, retailers and related associate businesses.
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CEO Update
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How the BFFF is Helping Members
Membership provides an excellent opportunity for frozen food companies and associates to gain awareness of both commercial and legislative issues and to understand how the Federation is promoting the industry. The BFFF has a unique and substantial membership covering the entire cold chain from large companies to SMEs, which increases its influence with government and outside agencies. Membership services are offered impartially to each individual member company.
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Contact Kate Miller to find out more about becoming a member.
Tel: 01400 664320 Mob: 07793 499871 Email: katemiller@bfff.co.uk
New Products
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Member News 4|
The Bulletin
CON TENTS
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Into the Unknown
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The big interview:
Prof. Louise Fresco
Feature:
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Could Covid Cut Food Waste?
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WRAP Research:
Household Freezing
Food Waste and Beyond
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Technical & Legislative
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Facts & Figures
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Health & Safety May / June 2020 | 5
The Bulletin
CEO update
All the latest news and views from Richard Harrow Retail sales
The Kantar data featured on page 29 shows strong sales growth in frozen. I have been reaching out to key retail category directors since the data was published and it seems sales are still strong, with most reporting frozen growth of between 20% and 30%. The mix of what people are buying has changed from items such as ready meals in favour of products they can cook with or are popular with kids who are now at home all day.
NHS support
It was great to hear that Iceland has committed all of the profit from its new Rainbow Ice Cream to the NHS. Whilst I am sure the product was created long before COVID-19 appeared on the scene it was a generous thought to donate the money to such a worthwhile cause.
The Grocer WRAP
Another change in consumers habits was illustrated in a recent WRAP online survey that revealed 36% of consumers claim they have reduced food waste in the last month. What was striking in the research was the amount of references to the use of freezing, combined with consumers checking their freezers more often. One of the biggest issues we have faced as a category has been encouraging consumers to use and visit their freezers more often. My issue with WRAP remains that they do not nudge consumers to buy frozen.
Media interest
Over the last few weeks, I have had many interviews with the consumer media as changing buying habits have piqued their interest in the category. This has resulted in some very positive coverage, especially in comparing the nutritional benefits of frozen vegetables vs fresh.
The frozen category was featured in The Grocer 13 March edition when they published the Frozen Food Power List of the top 10 people that influence the industry. The top three were Wayne Hudson MD, Nomad Foods, UK, Ireland and Nordics, Nigel Broadhurst joint MD, Iceland and president, British Frozen Food Federation and Samuel Dennigan group CEO, Strong Roots. Frozen was again in The Grocer when Andrew Staniland, frozen trading director at Iceland, was included in the Own Label Power List.
Brexit
With COVID-19 creating such a crisis over the last few weeks it’s easy to forget the deadlines for Brexit are now almost upon us. The government has so far ruled out any extension to the withdrawal date at the end of 2020. At the Federation we are now refocusing our attention onto the issues surrounding this, not the fact we are leaving, but ensuring the operational impacts are clear. With so much work still to be completed we are concerned many areas of the movement of goods and the future trading relationship with the EU remain unresolved.
Supporting international trade
The Federation has joined with other trade bodies, including the FDF, in supporting the concept of international trade. The government is concerned there may be calls for a reduction in international trade, which would not benefit either the UK or global economy. Global trade has helped the world economy grow to the benefit of many nations including the UK. As we come out of COVID-19 there are bound to be calls for a more inward-looking approach. Whilst we would fully support increased investment in UK food production, we should not close our eyes or minds to the benefit of international trade.
Plastic tax
In the budget on 11 March the chancellor advised that from 2022 any plastic packaging that does not include at least 30% recycled content will be taxed at ÂŁ200 per tonne. This creates some major issues for our industry. Firstly, it is estimated we currently only generate enough recycled packaging for 10% of UK plastic to include this level of recycled content. However, the main challenge is that current legislation stops us using this recycled packaging when it is in contact with food. We will work with other federations in the coming months to challenge this tax, otherwise this will not be about driving new ways of working, but will merely be a tax.
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The Bulletin
CEO U PDAT E All the latest from Richard Harrow
Richard Harrow – one year as CEO Many milestone moments have happened during lock down, but there’s one we couldn’t let pass without a mention. It’s been a whole year since Richard Harrow took the position of CEO at the BFFF. We caught up with him to find out the highlights of his first year at the helm.
the website and we have made more use of video conferencing software. The onset of coronavirus has of course accelerated this process, but it has forced us all to use certain technologies which might otherwise have taken a long time to adapt to.
Room for improvement
There have of course also been periods of disappointment, in particular when I hear we haven’t met members’ expectations. This is hard to hear when you put every effort into providing a valuable service. But all feedback is an opportunity to learn and we do take member concerns seriously and use them to identify where there is room for improvement.
What’s next?
Richard Harrow with Stuart Ashton at Greenyard Frozen, in 2019
First impressions
In the immediate future we need to think about how we support members – many of whom are struggling to survive - as we come out of lock down. In the longer term, our trading relationship with Europe will be a focus, because an orderly agreement with the EU is essential to our sector.
My first impression on becoming CEO was the amazing culture evident in the office team. I had known them from being a member and other involvement with the Federation, but only by working with them do you realise just how committed they are.
There is also going to be a renewed focus on packaging reduction, but we may see a different view of plastic after coronavirus, as people come to see the role it plays in preserving food. That said, we still need to prevent plastic waste from damaging the environment.
My second was how dedicated our membership is to frozen food, which combined with some market-leading innovation, means we have a truly vibrant category.
This will be a focus of one of our Special Interest Groups (SIGs), which were launched at this year’s business conference.
Proudest moments
From a personal point of view it was probably the first time I presented the product awards. I thought it was important I do it myself, but it was incredibly nerve-wracking. The fact I got through it without tripping over too many words felt like an achievement! Events like these are also a great source of professional pride. Seeing the BFFF team working together to deliver an event really is something to behold. It’s a small team who usually work quite separately, but they all come together and pitch in. People always congratulate me on the success of these events, but the truth is I have very little involvement. I stand on stage but the team does all the leg work.
Big changes
When I first took up the CEO position I was surprised we hadn’t embraced technology more. While I’m the first to admit I don’t always understand a lot of it, I do know where it can take us in terms of teams working together and engaging with members more effectively. In an effort to increase our use of technology I appointed a new marketing manager who boosted the technological knowledge I lack. With this dynamic team a lot of work is now being done on
The Packaging SIG concept was driven by consumer demand to remove plastic, and this group will look at whether ideas to do this are fit for the frozen sector. It is critical that we seek to reduce packaging not only for the image of the category but also for the bottom line, as it is clear that government will seek to pass higher costs onto industry for recycling of packaging. The Sustainability SIG will help the Federation develop policy around this topic, the group will look at the issue of food waste, the narrative of which has evolved from economic to environmental. The frozen sector has been accused of heavy energy use and we need to explain how efficiently we use that energy. As the voice of an industry, we will also continue to campaign to WRAP to highlight how frozen food does so much to reduce food waste. My overarching aim for the coming year is to better understand the different needs members have, particularly in out-of-home and wholesale. It’s a challenge to find the common ground among members and I don’t feel I’ve met this challenge yet. What I want to do is reinforce that our members are at the heart of everything we do, and our aim is to make the Federation as relevant as possible to them.
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How the BFFF is helping members through the pandemic The pandemic and associated lock down have been a major challenge for all of us in the frozen food industry. Here is how the BFFF is supporting members during this crisis. As your trade federation we have never been busier protecting and promoting your interests. From one-to-one advice for individual members to industry-wide initiatives to find customers, prevent food waste and trying to maintain liquidity: we’ve been amongst the most active trade associations in the food industry. There’s still a long way to go and you can be confident that the BFFF team will be here for you every step of the way. With so many initiatives underway, here’s a summary of all the help and support currently available to BFFF members.
The Frozen Food Platform As the out-of-home market has faced a massive downturn in trade, retail sales of frozen food have reached levels only seen during the trading period in the run-up to Christmas. Launched on 18th March the Frozen Food Platform was created to restore some balance and helps put struggling foodservice suppliers in contact with the retailers striving to meet demand. Frozen food manufacturers supplying the foodservice/out-of-home sector can register their details with retailers to discuss supply possibilities. So far 124 BFFF members have registered and every major retailer has accessed the system.
The Transport Support Platform The lock down has meant many businesses having to take vehicles off the road due to a reduction in demand. At the same time there’s been increased demand from some businesses for wheels to keep the food chain moving. The Transport Platform was created in March to bridge this gap, matching businesses which have idle vehicles in their fleet to 8|
those requiring additional transport solutions. A total of 24 transport companies registered.
The Wholesale Support Platform This initiative has helped foodservice wholesalers redistribute chilled products fast approaching the end of their shelf-life and avoid unnecessary food waste. Launched by BFFF, in conjunction with the FWD and PTF, the platform on the BFFF website collated data on the top ten overstocked chilled lines such as cheese, cooked meats, fruit juices and other short shelflife products. In the first few hours of the platform going live £3.1 million worth of food had been registered by 18 companies. Instead of being binned much of this food was sent to companies such as Company Shop or given away to charity operations such as FareShare. We also published on the website an extensive list of blast freezing and storage facilities to enable businesses with perishable stock to preserve it until demand improves.
The Spare Worker Availability Portal The BFFF is working with the Association of Labour Providers (ALP) to help promote the Spare Worker Availability Portal (SWAP). SWAP is a free tool which allows organisations to post details of spare and available workers and be contacted by GLAA licensed ALP labour providers who have work for them, so businesses needing extra staff can find the workers they need.
The Bulletin
The COVID-19 Weekly Webinar
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The Job Retention Scheme
Since the end of March, we have held regular webinars which cover a wide range of topics, from information on issues around PPE, to the Coronavirus Job Protection Scheme and the situation in the out-ofhome market.
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First aiders
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Guidance on fire safety
So far, the webinars have included: The UK Foodservice Industry with Simon Stenning, the founder of FutureFoodservice.com, the challenges in securing supplies of PPE with ARCO marketing director, Adam Young and Social Distancing in Food Manufacturing with Paul Irwin-Rhodes, the SHE manager of Greggs who outlined their journey during the COVID-19 crisis. We will continue to host these 30-minute webinars to update members on the latest developments and what it means for your business. Webinars take place on the third Wednesday of the month at 2pm and will be available afterwards on the BFFF website for anyone unable to listen live.
COVID-19 Queries Members can ask pandemic-related questions to the BFFF and our team actively seeks answers from both government and nongovernment sources. Questions and answers are uploaded to the COVID-19 section of the BFFF website so they are available to all members.
Maintaining cash flow In mid-April an open letter from BFFF CEO Richard Harrow and BFFF president Nigel Broadhurst was sent to customers in a bid to keep cash moving throughout the frozen supply chain. It recognised the incredible job the food production and distribution chain has done to ensure supply has been maintained during the pandemic, but that many BFFF members were suffering financially. Though the government had transferred more than £3bn to local authorities, and as a result many businesses have received support grants, the letter asked that this financial aid be used to pay wholesalers and food manufacturers to keep cash moving back up the supply chain. It stated: “Like you, all our members want to be in business when this is over. So, we need the government’s financial assistance to flow through the industry to ensure that when the recovery comes, we are all able to return to normal business as soon as possible.”
Health, safety and legislative support All advice coming from government departments is being closely monitored by the BFFF and we will publish anything that might relate to our members on the website. This is an on-going process with information reviewed daily and advice updated accordingly.
Health and safety
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Pressure systems and lighting inspections
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Social distancing for food wholesalers/customer collections
Recognising the issues in the membership we have been writing to government bodies such as HSE, PHE and DHSC with concerns over PPE shortages such as dust masks. This resulted in the HSE looking at the current supply and demand to food manufacturing and allowing the temporary use of masks and respirators with an assigned protection factor (APF) 10 rather than those specified in HSE guidance with an assigned protection factor (APF) of 20. In addition, as part of a collaboration with a cross sector working group, we helped produce a briefing document to highlight the challenges faced by the food industry in sourcing PPE to maintain food production. This joint document represented a call to government departments and agencies including HSE, DHSC, FSA and Defra to help us meet the needs of food production during this difficult time.
Technical advice Early in the pandemic we started to get reports that, due to the closure of the hospitality sector, wholesalers were holding stock which was rapidly going out of date. As a result, we produced “Guidance on freezing down of chilled and ambient product to preserve life”. This good practice guidance has been written in response to these problems with the intention of helping businesses manage unexpected supply problems effectively by freezing products down.
Speaking for our members Through an active public relations campaign we have been promoting many of these initiatives and making sure our voice is heard by the media, government and other stakeholders. We have featured in numerous trade publication articles as well as a range of national newspapers and websites including the BBC, The Daily Telegraph, BBC Radio 4 Farming Today, The Guardian and The Mirror. We have also been actively engaging with consumers to answer their queries about storing and using frozen food. Visits to our consumer website www.freshfromthefreezer.co.uk surged with an extra 45,725 visitors between 1st and 25th April, a 320% increase on April 2019.
Website Much of the support and advice has been delivered via the BFFF website. Our new digital CRM and marketing manager, Harry Hinks, has been driving our web and social media activity with the support of colleagues.
BFFF’s health and safety team has supported members throughout the crisis with numerous queries answered and a plethora of guidance sourced from both government advice and membership best practice. The guidance includes pertinent topics such as:
There is a clear appetite for information from members and we plan to adopt a similar approach to communicating the imminent changes that will result from Brexit. At the heart of this effort will be a new BFFF website with a dedicated members-only section.
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Safe homeworking
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Social distancing in food manufacturing and logistics businesses
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Car sharing
During the pandemic the BFFF team can still be contacted on the office line and by email and we will continue to do whatever we can to support our members throughout this period. May / June 2020 | 9
The Bulletin
M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members
More space for Redditch foodbank to support local people People in Redditch have seen their local foodbank double in capacity just in time for the increased demand that has resulted from the coronavirus pandemic. The Redditch Foodbank can now to offer significantly more scope to help its community as referrals increase, with more families than ever in food crisis seeking help. A fifth of the UK population currently live below the poverty line, including 8 million working-age adults, 4 million children and 1.9 million pensioners. It has been reported that demand at foodbanks across the country has surged since the lock down started, in some cases more than sevenfold, with numbers driven by the sudden rise in unemployment. Even before the lock down the Redditch site had observed a significant increase in demand. Between April 2018 and March 2019, the Foodbank fed 2,346 people compared to
1,436 people from September 2014 to 2015. A key partner is Oakland International, which has housed the Foodbank at its Beoley facility since it opened in 2013. Working in partnership with the Redditch Foodbank, which is part of a nationwide network of foodbanks supported by The Working together - Oakland and Redditch Foodbank Trussell Trust, the firmly believes businesses should play foodbank uses Oakland International’s a leading role in supporting the community. distribution hub in Beoley, Redditch to sort, store and distribute food. “The Redditch Foodbank had outgrown its original location so having identified a much Oakland International provides its facilities larger area within our Beoley warehouse we free of charge. were able to upgrade the Foodbank to a new Peter Vaughan, Oakland International facility which offers significantly more storage strategic development manager, said: space for their expanding operations.” “As a family business Oakland International ● www.oakland-international.com
Frozen classics but not as you know them The beers were brewed at Northern Monk’s brewery in Holbeck, with the two brands collaborating on the recipe and ingredients.
A Leeds brewery has teamed up with Aunt Bessie’s to create a truly unique beer, and the result is something Willy Wonka himself would be proud of.
Speaking about the collaboration, founder of Northern Monk, Russell Bisset, said: “It’s been an honour working with Aunt Bessie’s, a truly iconic Northern brand. There’s nothing quite like a Sunday Roast with all the trimmings, and on a weekend where we’d usually be getting together with our families for a traditional Sunday Dinner, we’ve teamed up to bring you something a little different. We’ve worked together to create something never been done before, and we hope that it brings some well-needed positivity to the nation.”
Hull-based frozen food brand Aunt Bessie’s and Northern Monk brewery have pooled their expertise to create the UK’s first, two-course, roast dinner beers - the first time a roast dinner beer has ever been attempted. Sam Dolan, head of marketing at Aunt Bessie’s, said: “To join forces with a fellow Northern brand to create something which has never been done before is really special. We’re sure Aunt Bessie’s fans are going to love the combination of a two-course roast dinner beer and as we celebrate Aunt Bessie’s 25th birthday this year, what better way to mark the occasion?” The two ales include a Roast Dinner Brown Ale, and a Jam & Custard Pale Ale. 10 |
Sunday Dinner, a 5.7% Roast Dinner Brown Ale, is brewed using Aunt Bessie’s Crisp & Fluffy Roasties and classic Original Golden Yorkshires. Jam Roly Poly, a 5% Jam & Custard Pale Ale, is inspired Aunt Bessie’s iconic dessert and brewed with plum, apricot and strawberry along with custard to round out the flavours.
The Sunday Dinner and Jam Roly Poly beers have launched on Northern Monk’s online shop, with cans available either separately for £3.50 each or as a “Two-Course Dinner Pack” for £6. ● www.auntbessies.co.uk
The Bulletin
IN DU STRY N E WS
Updates from BFFF members
Deli Lites help for unsung heroes
Donations from DELI LITES have been supporting NHS and front line staff pictured
With front line staff often too busy to think about lunch, one of Ireland’s leading food-to-go manufacturers has stepped in to keep them well-fed throughout the coronavirus pandemic. DELI LITES Ireland is responding to the outbreak of COVID-19 by distributing freshly-made ready-to-eat lunches to NHS staff and others working on the front line.
schooling their children, or both in many cases. There are a range of Food Boxes to choose from which are available for home delivery and can even be sent as a gift with a personalised message.
Recognising the long hours and dedication of these hardworking heroes, DELI LITES believes delivering lunch to frontline workplaces is one less thing for them to think about.
The Food and Treat Boxes can feed up to four people for 2-3 days per week and are available now.
Catherine Harvey, a GP in Newtownabbey, said: "Many thanks to Deli Lites for providing a number of lunches to the staff in the surgery, one of which was kindly donated by the team themselves. The food was of the highest quality and it was a great boost for team morale during this difficult time".
â—? www.delilites.com
The business has also been thinking about new ways to provide a convenient service for its retail customers in line with safety guidelines, and this has led to the development of an online store. It ensures people can still receive quality food and maintain some degree of routine when it comes to working from home or home
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The Bulletin
M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members
Nomad unveils wide-ranging lock down response The resulting Birds Eye Learning Series includes material to entertain and educate all with a nutrition or frozen food focus. It includes ready-made lessons plans on the importance of eating vegetables and the science behind frozen, which were created last year in collaboration with the National Schools Partnership.
As households across the country tuck into its family favourites in lieu of school dinners, Nomad Foods has turned its attention to ways it can support customers, colleagues and the community. Europe's leading frozen food company has created a €3.2m fund for company charitable donations and over the coming weeks and months this money will be donated to good causes across the Nomad markets. In the UK, a share of this fund will be distributed to three great causes: Grocery Aid, a national charity that helps people across the grocery industry; FareShare which works to redistribute surplus food to charities; and The Trussell Trust, which supports a nationwide network of food banks. Efforts to make life easier have also addressed concern for colleagues who suddenly found themselves under the additional pressure of keeping children entertained and educated whilst working from home.
As part of the series, James is filming a YouTube series on “How to Grow Peas” which is updated weekly with new episodes. This has also been made available to the public given how pertinent gardening is at the moment and, of course, reflective of the #stayhome message.
James Hopwood in his YouTube series 'How to Grow Peas'
Nomad Foods group nutrition leader Lauren Woodley and Birds Eye agricultural manager James Hopwood suggested that by pooling in-house expertise they could develop fun, educational content for their colleagues’ children via a weekly digest.
Meanwhile, as part of its new reactive TV campaign entitled ‘What’s for tea?’, Birds Eye has also updated its website with content to help families cope with lock down, including games, kids’ activities, meal-planning ideas and recipe tips. ● www.birdseye.co.uk/lifehacks ● www.nomadfoods.com
Initiatives making a difference to members Surplus redistributors Company Shop Group have been helping our frontline workers access discounted products as well as spreading some much-needed Easter cheer. as deliver a muchneeded pick-me-up to frontline workers. Over Easter, 275,904 chocolate eggs, donated by Cadbury, were delivered to NHS and care home staff, as well as people at risk of food poverty around the country.
Jane Marren of Company Shop
As the UK's leading redistributor of food and household surplus products, the work of Company Shop Group has arguably never held more significance. All its members are key workers from across the food supply chain, the NHS and the emergency services. For this reason the Group has taken steps to enable key worker communities to shop more easily, as well 12 |
The mass egg delivery has been just one of the ways Company Shop Group is helping its members through the coronavirus crisis. Not only has it introduced new ways to help members access the products they need, such as click and collect and home deliveries, it has widened its membership so even more key workers can access discounted food and essential products. This includes carers and those in frontline public service roles.
Additionally, the Group’s community reach has been extended to ensure those located in areas of deprivation where there is a Company Shop but no Community Shop, can now use that to access discounted food and essential household items. Managing director Jane Marren said: “We are working with the food industry, local councils, charities and voluntary organisations to deliver thousands of emergency food parcels to individuals and families most in need across the UK. We are calling on support from the retail and manufacturing industries to be able to maximise the impact of this initiative as we work together to change even more lives. “We are of course continuing to support industry partners with commercial return for their stock; working with them to deliver individual COVID-19 response plans and ultimately helping to unlock the power of surplus by getting good food and essentials to those who need it most.” ● www.companyshopgroup.co.uk
The Bulletin
M EM B ER N EWS
Updates from BFFF members
Creative ways to help the community From supplying soap to making school meals, Creative Foods Europe has been going above and beyond to help those most in need during the coronavirus crisis. Carlisle-based Calder Foods, one of the companies within the Creative Foods Europe group, has made caring for its community a priority since the start of lock down. Aside from delivering 140 tubs of sandwich fillings, salads, and coleslaw to the FareShare hub in Harraby, it has donated 9,000 blue vinyl gloves, 40 litres of hand sanitiser, 6,000 alcohol wipes, 20 litres of hand soap, Calder Foods donation to COVID-19 Mutual Aid UK 19,000 blue hair nets, 10 blue aprons and 12 rolls of cleaning cloth to COVID-19 Mutual Aid UK, a team of volunteers that supports local community groups.
These products have helped businesses and individuals including GP practices, care homes, hospitals and home care workers. Calder Foods has also donated sandwich fillings, coleslaw and 500g dips to a community café and delivered products to the councillor for Currock & Upperby, who oversaw the distribution of these products to those unable to get to the supermarket. Individuals within the organisation have also been doing their bit. In West Sussex, account manager Shaun Standing has been delivering free school meals around East Wittering. Shaun is working with a restaurant which is making meal kits for local school children. Each Monday, more than 120 children receive a free meal kit made up of five meals. The kit contains a lunch equivalent to what they would usually get at school Monday-Friday, as well as a school learning pack. Nigel Parkes, commercial operations director, said: “At Creative Foods Europe we wholeheartedly support all those in our industry who are doing what they can to help the people most in need during this unprecedented and difficult time. We are playing our part by continuing to manufacture products that remain in demand, albeit with a slightly reduced workforce. We are making the best use of technology to ensure all of our colleagues who can work from home are doing so and every measure has been taken to respect social distancing at our factories in order to keep our colleagues healthy and safe.” ● www.creativefoodseurope.eu
Industry top 10 shine in Grocer Power List The industry’s most influential people were profiled in the 13 March edition of The Grocer.
Here’s a run-down of the industry leaders featured: 1. Wayne Hudson MD, Nomad Foods, UK, Ireland and Nordics 2. Nigel Broadhurst, joint MD, Iceland and president, British Frozen Food Federation 3. Samuel Dennigan, group CEO, Strong Roots 4. Howard Snape, regional president GB & Ireland McCain Foods
Wayne Hudson MD, Nomad Foods, UK, Ireland and Nordics
The Frozen Power List was a ‘breakthrough’ for the category according to BFFF chief executive Richard Harrow. He said persuading The Grocer to focus on our industry is an acknowledgement of the growing profile of the category. All 10 people featured are committed to growing the market, driving innovation and continuing to change the image of frozen. If you didn’t get a chance to read the article it’s available online.
5. Duncan Cross, senior category director meal solutions and frozen, Asda 6. Hugo Mahoney, CEO, Brakes 7. Yvonne Adam, MD (frozen) Young’s Seafood 8. Mike Fraine, country head UK & Ireland, Froneri 9. Rebecca Stanton-Hall, head of buying, marketing and merchandising, Heron Foods and B&M Frozen 10. Simon Staddon, MD, Finsbury Food Group
● www.thegrocer.co.uk May / June 2020 | 13
The Bulletin
M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members
New eco-friendly packaging for BigFish™ range Grimsby-based seafood firm JCS Fish has relaunched its BigFish™ range of frozen salmon products in completely redesigned packs that have cut the brand’s use of plastic by around 60%. BigFish has had a big makeover. In a bid to dramatically reduce plastic use, the brands salmon products now come in cardboard packaging featuring an eye-catching new design. The move eliminates the brand’s use of dual polymer plastic bags. Commercial manager, Jack Coulbeck, said: “Our aim was to cut as much plastic packaging as possible and give the brand a refresh at the same time. We've worked hard to find the most responsible supply chain for our salmon so it’s only natural we should also want to find the most sustainable packaging solution to put it in.” BigFish is the first brand in the UK to commit to responsibly sourced fish through the GGN
aquaculture label, which appears on all the new packs. JCS Fish is also the only UK seafood company so far to have made the source of all its fish fully transparent through the Ocean Disclosure Project. The new packs are already stocked in independent retailers across the UK and available online through Ocado and the BigFish website. The BigFish brand is described as ‘perfect for consumers seeking to stock up on healthy, convenient frozen products’ and has seen an upturn of about 150% in its online sales since the start of the current lock down. The design of the new packaging features an image from 25 years ago of JCS founder, Andrew Coulbeck, holding a large salmon.
Co-founder Louise Coulbeck added: “Although Andy was initially reluctant for us to use his mugshot on the packs, the younger members of our team all thought it was great and we’re delighted with the new look. Given that times got pretty tough in March with the coronavirus lock down, we initially held back on our relaunch but now feel the time is right for some colourful new branding. It certainly looks good in the freezer and is a boost to our hardworking team, helping us all look forward – hopefully to more cheerful times ahead.” ● www.jcsfish.co.uk
How XPO Logistics is putting safety first Supply chain solutions provider XPO Logistics has introduced extensive measures to protect its global workforce as it transports critical medical supplies, food and beverages and household essentials.
goods through supply chains, including medical products, personal protective equipment, food and beverages, telecommunication devices, household goods and business supplies. The company provides essential support to industrial, retail and institutional customers, as well as government agencies. Bradley Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of XPO Logistics, said: “I’m beyond proud of the way our employees have stepped up to fulfil our responsibilities in serving communities around the globe. We’ll continue to prioritise the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of every person on our team.”
Like so many businesses, XPO Logistics has had to adapt quickly to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to maintain continuity of vital services and safeguard its workforce. The company is using a combination of rigorous protective measures, technology and virtual communications to help keep employees safe in the 30 countries it operates. XPO teams are working in unprecedented circumstances to move critically important 14 |
Nearly all XPO’s sites continue to operate, with short-term shutdowns for deep cleaning as needed, and customers have uninterrupted access to the company’s full range of transportation services. Additionally, XPO is aiding national, regional and local authorities with crisis management. In Spain, the company is distributing masks and other protective measures for the Junta of Castilla and León. In the United States,
XPO has partnered with the New York City Emergency Management Department for the distribution of life-sustaining supplies to people isolated in the epicentre of the pandemic. XPO has moved quickly to deploy comprehensive operating protocols that prioritise employee safety. Employees are working remotely if able to do so and the company has introduced online programs in seven languages to help employees manage change during the pandemic. These include video sessions on health and safety, stress management and working remotely, as well as information on special policies in effect. Of course, not all employees are able to work from home. XPO’s drivers and transportation contractors are carrying out no-contact deliveries whenever possible and using digital image verification as proof of delivery and managing capacity on the company’s digital freight platform. The company has also arranged for additional cleaning measures inside its workplaces and provides personal protective equipment and sanitisation supplies to employees. ● https://europe.xpo.com
The Bulletin
M EM B ER N EWS
Updates from BFFF members
Simply fries inspires chefs Potato manufacturer Farm Frites is continuing its focus on creative recipes to support operators trying to create take away and home delivery menus during the coronavirus crisis. Farm Frites #SimplyFriesProfitRise campaign was launched to support sustainable use of store cupboard ingredients for profitable kitchens producing minimal wastage. The campaign was an extension to its annual sustainability reports and a reaction to the increasing prices seen with ingredients recently. “In these testing times for foodservice and hospitality, our Simply Fries campaign could not be more relevant and we are putting more support behind it,” explains Nic Townsend, trade marketer for Farm Frites UK & Ireland. “We have produced recipe cards and will be sharing this inspiration through recipes and step-by-step videos on our social channels. There are so many considerations when it comes to a takeaway menu; cost, ease, convenience and the suitability of delivery for certain product types.
“We want to support businesses who are going through this process to extend or set up their takeaway menus. When ingredients are scarce and in low supply, we aim to help maximise sales and maintain a level of business in these challenging times.” The recipes find a use for a range of vegetables, proteins, spices and sauces; whether mixing into mash, layering over fries or wedges, making alternate burgers or pancakes with potato cakes and a host of other inspiring ideas. There are even recipes which mix ice cream and fries for those with a sweet tooth. “We have always thought that almost anything goes when it comes to loaded fries and in these challenging times cost effective dishes like this seem to hit the spot. We are looking to be inspired as much as inspire and would love to see everyone’s lock down delights!” concludes Nic. Follow Farm Frites on Instagram @farmfritesuk and share with #SimplyFriesProfitRise. ● www.farmfrites.com
In my view Is food labelling out of date?
Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good to Go UK
Date labelling has, and continues to be, a confusing issue for consumers. This uncertainty can lead to food waste on a large scale across society - with 10% of all food waste in Europe attributed to date labelling confusion. Whereas ‘use by’ labels indicate when food is safe to eat, ‘best before’ is simply a measure of quality. Often food that is past its ‘best before’ date is still perfectly edible. Take eggs for example. If you've been throwing your eggs in the bin based on the dates on the box, you’ve probably been wasting perfectly good food. In fact, last year we found almost a third of Brits (29%) throw away eggs because they have passed their ‘best before’ date. Yet a simple test in a bowl of cold water can help identify the good from the bad. Those that sink to the bottom are fine to eat, whereas those that float are not. Flour is another ingredient that is fine to use past its ‘best before’ date. Flour should have a neutral smell and colour so any change in this will indicate if it is fine to use. Always store flour in airtight containers to reduce the chance of moisture getting in. As a rule of thumb, white flour tends to last longer than whole wheat or wholegrain. The same goes for grains. White rice can last years, as opposed to brown which does not keep its freshness as long.
To keep milk fresher for longer, check your fridge temperature. The average UK fridge is set to seven degrees. That’s at least two degrees warmer than it should be. Milk stored at this temperature can spoil after just a few hours, as opposed to the minimum five days it should last. Some milk and dairy manufacturers have removed the ‘use by’ dates on their produce, favouring the ‘best before’ date in a bid to reduce food waste by encouraging customers to use their senses; smelling and tasting before chucking. As we continue to deal with these uncertain circumstances, it is important for our relationship with food to change. Now more than ever is a time to appreciate what we have and ensure that as little as possible goes to waste.
www.toogoodtogo.co.uk
May / June 2020 | 15
The Bulletin
NEW
Iceland supports NHS with launch of new rainbow ice cream Frozen food giant provides NHS boost with sales of its colourful new frozen treat. A multi-coloured Rainbow Cheesecake Ice Cream is the latest sweet treat from Iceland and The Food Warehouse, which is part of the frozen food retail chain. Consumers of the colourful treat can offset any dessert-induced guilt by knowing all profits from sales of the ice cream are being donated to the Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation to support NHS charities during the coronavirus crisis. Inspired by the rainbow emblem that has become a symbol of support for the NHS as they tackle the outbreak, the colourful ice cream promises to "brighten up dessert plates across the nation",
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according to a company spokesman, while donations from the sales are to "thank the frontline staff for the incredible work they’re doing". In this issue's CEO Update, Richard Harrow praised Iceland's decision to donate the profits as a generous move. Described as a "perfect after-dinner treat", the rainbow ice cream has a cheesecake flavour and contains strawberry and black cherry flavoured sauces, as well as a decoration of sugar sprinkles. It is available in Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores as well as online and costs £2 for a 900ml container. ● www.iceland.co.uk
King prawns join Country Range
Dawn gets fresh with lime and mint
Country Range has strengthened its seafood selection with the addition of sustainably sourced frozen king prawns, which are available exclusively through the Group’s independent wholesalers in two pack sizes. The new products, which are IQF frozen within hours of harvest and come raw, peeled and deveined, join the brand’s burgeoning seafood portfolio, which already features coldwater prawns, cod fillets and farmed Atlantic salmon portions. King prawns are one of the most popular seafood lines for consumers and can be used in a number of dishes, including curries and pasta dishes, or simply grilled and served with a seasonal salad. www.countryrange.co.uk
Dawn Foods has added a Lime & Mint Compound to its range of fruit flavouring pastes. With a nod to the popular Mojito cocktail, the new compound is made with real lime juice concentrate and a hint of spearmint. Pectin, which is found naturally in fruit, is used as the binding ingredient, making the product all-natural and vegan-friendly. The compound benefits from a low water content and can be added to mousses, non-dairy creams, ice creams, fillings and frostings to give a delicious summery flavour. Dawn Lime & Mint Compound is supplied ambient in 1kg sealable tubs for easy storage. www.dawnfoods.com
Goodfella’s plant protein pizza
Crispy new potato offering
Goodfella’s has launched a new stone baked Meatless Mediterranean pizza - the UK’s first frozen vegan pizza product to feature plant protein. Launched in April, the pizza is approved by the Vegan Society and aims to tap into the UK meat-free market. The pizza features a thin stone baked base topped with traditional Mediterranean vegetables as well as pea protein mince, which closely replicates meaty pieces and provides 13g of protein per serving. Pea protein is a good source of fibre, rich in protein and has low-allergenic properties, unlike soy which is a common food allergy. The new pizza can be found in the frozen aisle in Asda and Sainsbury’s for an MRSP of £2.50. www.goodfellaspizzas.com
Following the success of its Crispy Coated Shoestring fries, Country Range has added to its potato options with the launch of Crispy Coated Skin On Fries. These frozen potato fries, which are pre-fried in a crispy coating to stay crispier for longer, come in 2.5kg packs and can be fried in less than five minutes, making them perfect for busy kitchens and canteens. Vasita Jantabutara, brand manager for the Country Range Group, said: “These quick and easy to use Crispy Coated Skin On Fries have a satisfying crunch and fluffy centre with every bite and can stand alongside the finest burger, steak, fish or vegetable dish and much more.” www.countryrange.co.uk
May / June 2020 | 17
The Bulletin
Into the unknown Simon would normally be spending his days predicting the long-term future of the food industry, looking as far ahead as 2030. However, we are not living in ‘normal’ times, and by his own admission during a webinar for BFFF members in April, his report on the forecast through to 2030 is currently ‘completely irrelevant’ because it’s difficult to predict what the next few months hold. While the implications of the lock down are not yet fully clear, Simon outlined how the industry could re-emerge and what that involves.
With more than 30 years’ experience of working in, analysing and commentating on the UK foodservice and hospitality industry, Simon Stenning is the founder of www.futurefoodservice.com. At a time when the immediate future has never been more uncertain, Simon recently gave some insight into how the sector will re-emerge post-coronavirus.
Analysing the current figures, he said: “It is of course the largest channels that have been most dramatically affected through the lock down; we’ve lost so much of the eating out industry. And yet a quick check on Deliveroo for central London shows there are more than 400 operators working today. “There are even services delivering meals from Michelin starred restaurants, so there are some operators who have pivoted swiftly, reacting to the challenge of this new normal, and it’s fantastic to see.” He also highlighted that KFC, Burger King and Nandos are re-opening a handful of sites on the proviso that staff continue to work safely and not travel via public transport, something we’re seeing across Europe as certain sectors of the market start to re-emerge. These measures, he said, are also instrumental in helping get supply chains back into action. “Because everything has been turning off very quickly it’s going to take some time before it fully gets back up and running. Opening up small numbers of stores is going to be very helpful.” Simon also praised the commitment and hard work of many operators in supporting key workers, but also pointed out the business benefits of this approach: “By opening to serve key workers they’re going to be open for normal business as well. They’re also gaining credibility that will last for a long time once we get back to some form of normality.” He went on to accurately predict that around 15% of the fast food and takeaway market would be operating by the start of May with more opening as the lock down and social distancing are relaxed. But it is not just fast food sector continuing to operate. Pubs, Simon observed, are recognising their role in the heart of neighbourhoods.
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The Bulletin
“The strength of the tenanted model which went through some very difficult times over the last 10 years is coming through. These teams are able to cook, provide meals for takeaway along with some other services to help keep their businesses going and obviously help support key workers and their community.” He estimated by the start of May 20% of the total pub market would be providing some services. Then of course there is the contract catering sector, which is still working, particularly within healthcare, but also other sites providing a service to keep people fed in the workplace. Simon also touched on emerging changes in consumer behaviour which are likely to have a lasting impact on the industry.
“Of course there have been some casualties. I forecast that as the lock down relaxes and businesses start up again there will be more that fail.” He says the greatest challenge for the industry is going to be the way in which pubs and restaurants fully re-open rather then just provide a takeaway service. Health fears and social distancing will continue, perhaps until Autumn 2021, and most businesses will probably only start at about 20% of normal trading levels. But there is also concern in the industry that by relaxing the lock down measures too soon we will only see them switched back on again to prevent another peak.
“There are even services delivering meals from Michelin starred restaurants, so there are some operators who have pivoted swiftly, reacting to the challenge of this new normal, and it’s fantastic to see.”
“Consumers have increased their use of delivery services,” he said, “It’s been their taste of getting their eating out ‘fix’. I expect that this is going to continue. But there are also people who aren’t using their normal delivery. Certainly older generations who may well have been eating and ordering from local restaurants are not doing that.” While it’s impossible to know exactly how the consumer will behave going forward, Simon expects younger consumers - gen z and millennials - to return to normal, while the over 60s will significantly change their behaviours.
He added: “Other factors will come into play. Unemployment will affect younger generations much more than older. Older generations will be affected by drops in investments. Everyone has been affected and won’t revert to generational norms.” On the financial impact of the lock down, Simon commented: “Regrettably operators have furloughed lots of staff, they’re cutting all their spending including payments to suppliers. But its only because they have to do everything to try to keep their businesses alive.
Nevertheless, he expects coffee shops, sandwich shops and bakeries to be at the forefront of re-opening throughout May and June, with pubs and restaurants following later in the summer.
The Restaurant Group has already announced its plans to have 400 of its 600 sites open by the end of December, and Simon thinks that probably reflects the whole industry. “None of those operations are going to be opening on 100% of previous revenues though. I think if restaurants are allowed to open by putting social distancing measures in place, spacing out tables, we might see 50% of capacity achieved. We won’t reach 100% until a vaccine is distributed.” Of course a lot depends on the financial stability of the economy. Simon warns we are going to be in recession, experience greater levels of unemployment, personal debt, business debt, taxation and a lack of consumer confidence. “Fair to say that if 2020 is badly wounded, 2021 is going to show some significant scars.”
May / June 2020 | 19
The Bulletin
Could Covid cut food waste?
Could Covid cut food waste? Pandemic-induced panic-buying has meant a sales spike for the frozen sector, and while it may be the appeal of long shelf life driving these sales, the sustainability credentials of frozen will in turn become clear. So could Britain’s new-found appreciation of frozen lead to a long-term reduction in food waste? By Emma Scott
At the end of March, BusinessWaste.co.uk warned panic buying would result in more food being thrown away as people bought far more than they needed. Company spokesperson Mark Hall said at the time: “As people overstock, bins are overflowing. People should only buy what they need… there’s only so much you can eat.” Undeterred, UK consumers stocked up on everything from toilet roll to baked beans, and sales of both frozen food and freezers surged. Online appliance retailer AO.com saw freezer sales jump more than 200%, while John Lewis saw three times the usual level of freezer sales for the time of year. Frozen food aisles in some supermarkets were stripped bare by anxious shoppers and Iceland said sales of frozen food, as well as store cupboard staples such as dried and tinned food, had rocketed. It’s easy to see why frozen immediately became a target for stockpilers; its long shelf life would inevitably appeal at a time no-one knew when they’d be able to do their next big food shop. But despite the over-stocking which resulted in an initial spike in food waste, one of the primary benefits of frozen soon became clear. Food waste at household level actually went down.
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The Bulletin
Three quarters of household food waste is edible
According to research from environmental charity Hubbub at the start of April, 48% of respondents said they were throwing away less food than usual, which is not just a financial win for the consumer, but a win for the planet. Despite the focus on plastic, food waste that ends up in landfill produces a far more powerful greenhouse gas than even CO2: methane. WRAP research shows the UK threw away 6.6 million tonnes of household food waste in 2018, three quarters of which was edible.
For this reason the frozen sector must continue to find new ways to not only push green messages but to make their businesses and products more sustainable. There are opportunities throughout the supply chain to do this.
Research published in the British Food Journal in 2014 found frozen food generates 47% less food waste at home than non-frozen food.
The resulting greenhouse gases, including methane, absorb infrared radiation and heat up the earth’s atmosphere, contributing significantly to global warming. Yet research published in the British Food Journal in 2014 found frozen food generates 47% less food waste at home than non-frozen food. Given these figures it seems obvious that frozen can play a vital role in helping to minimise climate change. Despite this, and evidence that frozen produce has an overall lower carbon footprint than fresh, many still argue that the energy required to store frozen food outweighs its environmental benefits.
Ardo, for example, is working to develop what it calls ‘truly sustainable ways of growing crops’ and making optimum use of all resources.
Marketing manager, Mihaela Costea, said: “Some of our sites collect rainwater, purify it and use it to clean the factories or for irrigation purposes. We have also invested in biomethanisation plants that can turn vegetable waste into green electricity used to freeze and store the frozen vegetables as well as heat the offices.” In addition to this, Ardo is initiating and supporting several sustainable projects with transport contractors worldwide. This includes using trucks with compressed natural gas and thermoelectric (TE) cooling systems. These actions are reducing the number of trucks on the road, the consumption of diesel and the CO2-emission levels. Similarly, Lamb Weston’s sustainable agriculture plan for 600 growers in Europe includes a 24% drop in energy used and 30% drop in CO2 emissions generated per kg of product.
May / June 2020 | 21
The Bulletin
It considers collaboration with its growers as key to its Sustainable Agriculture Plan.
supply chains and markets becoming increasingly volatile, the frozen sector now has an even more essential role to play.”
Andrea Deutschmanek, country marketing manager UK & ROI said: “The plan focuses on healthy soils as the most valuable and scarce natural resource growers use. Other relevant topics in the plan are water, greenhouse gas emissions, plant protection products and biodiversity.”
There has arguably never been a better time to capitalise on changing buying habits. To keep the momentum going post-coronavirus, the sector should continue to innovate, both with new products and in the promotion of frozen ingredients for everything from scratch cooking to the convenience of nutritious ready meals.
Of course, aside from being ‘the right thing to do’, this all makes commercial sense. As Andrea Deutschmanek reminds us: “Nearly one in two consumers say it’s very or extremely important that food and drink eaten out is sourced from environmentally friendly ingredients, and that environmentally friendly packaging is used.”
The combination of increasingly sustainable practices and exciting new products that keep the consumer shopping in the frozen aisle has the potential to make a real, positive change when it comes to reducing food waste.
There has arguably never been a better time to capitalise on changing buying habits.
But alongside ticking sustainability boxes, the frozen sector should continue to invest in NPD to keep customers coming back post-coronavirus. Much like contestants in ‘I’m A Celebrity’, consumers will quickly tire of the rice, pasta and beans they’ve hoarded. Products that offer not only long shelf life and great value, but variety in flavour, will become more popular than ever, and this is where frozen comes into its own. As Jane Marren managing director at Company Shop points out: “With consumer habits rapidly changing, and with demand,
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There have already been several positive environmental outcomes that are directly linked to the pandemic. China fast-tracked a ban on the trade and consumption of wildlife as a direct result of the coronavirus outbreak. The move to greater use of video and teleconferencing could help companies review their travel policies. Nationwide shutdowns have led to drops in air pollution in major cities and fish are visible in Venetian canals for first time in years. If the frozen sector can successfully drive its sustainability message and maintain consumer interest, a dramatic reduction in food waste could be among these environmental wins.
The Big Interview:
Professor Louise Fresco We’re on the threshold of an unprecedented challenge for our food system; how will we feed the world’s population whilst reducing the carbon emissions produced by the food chain? Global thought leader Professor Louise O Fresco shares her insights.
Feeding the world without starving the planet By 2050, 9 billion people will inhabit the planet and two-thirds of the world’s population will live in cities. Fewer and fewer people will be involved in growing the food we eat and the process of urbanisation will consume more land that has previously been used for growing food. Without proper planning this will put a devastating strain on both our food system and the environment. Food is already a source of great confusion, with individuals and societies struggling to work out what is best to eat in times of climate change, obesity and concerns about animal welfare. How we address these issues will have far-reaching effects on the environment and our ability to feed the booming global population. So how can we feed everyone and address the carbon emissions produced in the process? One increasingly popular theory is that we all give up, or drastically reduce, our intake of meat. There is little doubt we all eat more meat than we need to, but cutting it out of our diets entirely would actually be detrimental to the environment. In fact, meat is essential to a sustainable world. May / June 2020 | 23
There are several reasons. Large parts of the world cannot be used for crops. They are too hot, too cold, too dry or too steep for anything other than grazing. These grazing animals provide valuable protein, whereas the wildlife that would otherwise takeover would simply make their own contribution to greenhouse gases in the form of methane. Permanent pasture has some of the best carbon capturing qualities of any land and not using it to extensively graze ruminant livestock does not make any sense.
Fundamentally, we need to rethink what we eat, how we produce food and rebuild urban societies’ relationship with how their food is produced.
Of course, another major source of methane is food waste. Currently, up to 500 calories of food per person, per day are being wasted. Much of that food is inedible for humans, but if we could at least use that waste to feed animals which provide us with other nutrients, we are already a lot better off.
This is not to say meat production is ideal. Animal production does have an impact on the environment through its emission of greenhouse gases, but we still need to provide the world’s population with protein, so clearly something has to change. Fundamentally, we need to rethink what we eat, how we produce food and rebuild urban societies’ relationship with how their food is produced. Another suggestion is that re-introducing traditional local food systems is the answer. Whilst local food production certainly has a key role to play in re-establishing the link between cities and farms, this is not enough to meet the challenge of feeding the world’s growing population. The attraction of eating carrots grown just a few miles from home is of course understandable. Shopping local is surely the quickest way to reduce your carbon footprint and if we all did it the world’s problems would be solved, right?
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The future will see complex distribution systems, involving drones and meals produced in local community kitchens
Not quite. In a growing, rapidly urbanising world, small farms simply cannot feed billions more people, especially as many of these farms in the developing world are focussed on producing commodities for export or are primarily concerned with feeding the farmer’s extended family. Even in the UK, shopping exclusively at farmers' markets is simply not an option for the vast numbers living on a limited income. Plus of course, rapid urbanisation and a growing middle class has led to big changes in dietary preferences and consumer behaviour, and local food systems are not always able to adapt to these trends. It is therefore important that food is produced at an affordable price and at a scale that allows it to be shipped to cities. The industrialised farming which increased agricultural production worldwide between the 1950s and late 1960s has done a remarkable job of producing more food. However, it’s now accepted the system is far from perfect, resulting in environmental damage, chemical usage and communities dependent on global commodity prices and is in need of reform. The solution is to make this industrialised food production more sustainable, environmentally friendly and morally acceptable. I envisage a food system with centralised food production zones close to cities. These highly industrialised systems will produce most of the food we need, much of which will be plant-based. There will be complex distribution systems, involving drones for drop-off of shopping as well as pre-prepared meals produced in local community kitchens designed to reduce food waste. In addition, people may become interested in supplementing their diets by growing their own food, with balcony gardens and neighbourhood allotments popping up in urban areas, helped along by new agricultural techniques and technologies.
These are all changes that can and are being made. Whilst progress needs to be more rapid, we are already seeing a move to more plant-based diets in many Western societies and more awareness of improved land management combined with a greater focus on reducing food waste throughout the food chain. Developments such as vertical farms are bringing agriculture back into cities and even some supermarkets. But much more needs to be done. Food systems need to be tightly integrated and co-ordinated to ensure they can react to the changing demands of urban societies. The food system needs to utilise technology such as robotics to improve production, better logistics and packaging to reduce food waste and the development of more added-value products in countries that depend on perishable commodities for export. It’s clear there is no blanket solution to the challenges ahead, but by looking closely at labour use and technologically driven efficiencies, I am confident we can develop an efficient industrialised food system that will meet the challenge of feeding our growing population with the added benefit of minimising the growth in carbon emissions.
Professor Fresco is the President of the Executive Board of Wageningen University & Research, Europe’s leading academic agri-food organisation and research and development centre, and one of the foremost global thought leaders in the food industry. She also gave The City Food Lecture at London's Guildhall in February 2020.
May / June 2020 | 25
The Bulletin
Household freezers help cut lock down food waste Research carried out for WRAP has shown a marked reduction in household food waste as consumers make better use of their freezers. But alongside messages about the benefits of freezing fresh produce there should be an equally strong call for people to buy ready-frozen food.
Freezer use has increased during the lock down according to new WRAP research.
With the coronavirus crisis having a profound impact on our daily lives, WRAP used its bi-annual Citizen Survey to learn more about how lock down was affecting consumer behaviour. The survey, ‘Citizen responses to the COVID-19 lock down – food purchasing, management and waste’, compares current citizen behaviour with that reported in previous surveys. As supermarkets continue to operate strict social distancing rules, restaurants remain closed and many people are working from home with their families, food shopping habits have inevitably changed. The survey shows we are shopping less frequently and buying more items. Crucially, it also reveals householders have become more resourceful in managing food, using up cupboard stocks, meal planning, batch-cooking and freezing. As consumers adopt these new habits, more are managing to reduce food waste.
New habits cutting food waste A new-found attention to storage is reflected in the huge rise in visits to the Love Food Hate Waste Food Storage A–Z. Visits have increased by 158% since the lock down began, with people actively seeking information to help them manage their food better.
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But of all the actions people reported as being useful, ‘freezing more food’ rated most useful of all by 97% of recipients. Saving leftovers, batch cooking and making a shopping list were also rated highly by more than 95% of respondents. Marcus Gover, CEO of WRAP, said: “In this sustained period of uncertainty, UK citizens have shown how resilient they can be when it comes to managing their food. These actions should mean less food goes to waste, helping take the pressure off the supply chain and reducing the number of trips we need to make to the shops – or deliveries to our homes..” But while respondents to the survey have been willing to adopt many new behaviours, the results reveal several important knowledge gaps around how best to reduce the amount of food thrown away. Almost 40% of people believe food such as chicken breasts must be frozen on the day of purchase, when in fact these can be frozen up to the ‘use by’ date, giving people more flexibility around when to freeze such foods. Helen White, special advisor for household food waste at Love Food Hate Waste, said: “It’s so encouraging to see this uptake in good food behaviours, especially during challenging times. Taking on new behaviours is a big change for people, so we want to provide the answers to people’s questions and fill in these knowledge gaps where we can.”
The Bulletin
Q. In the past month would you say you are buying the following items more often, less often or the same as always? If you don't ever buy this, select N/A Base: 4,197 UK adults aged 18+ with responsibility for food shopping and/or preparation in the home. April 2020 Key Findings Report by WRAP, 05/05/20
Key behaviours and percentage of people saying they are doing these more often WRAP press release, 05/05/20
Better food management Consumers have responded to the challenge of the COVID-19 lock down with a wide range of positive food management strategies, including more pre-shop planning (checking what they already have in and making a list), better in-home food storage (fridge and freezer management) and creative approaches to cooking and preparation such as batch cooking and using up leftovers. These ‘food smart’ behaviours should lead to less food ending up as waste. Of four of the key food items people waste most – potatoes, bread, milk and chicken, the survey shows respondents are reporting a 34% drop in how much they throw away. This reported reduction is especially welcome since people are also buying more of these items than before.
An opportunity for frozen The encouraging results around new consumer habits and the reduction of food waste represent an opportunity for the nation to cement these behaviours in the future and re-evaluate our relationship with food. But it also represents an opportunity for the frozen food industry to be seen as a major contributor in the reduction of food waste.
Richard Harrow, BFFF CEO, commented: “One of the biggest challenges the frozen category faces has been how to persuade consumers to use and visit their freezers more often. It is therefore encouraging that the WRAP research makes various references to the use of freezing, from consumers freezing meals to checking their freezers more often. “However, references to frozen remain in the context of freezing meals, leftovers and as a means to extend the shelf life of fresh produce, rather than encouraging the purchase of frozen food in the first place.“ Research published in the British Food Journal shows frozen food generates 47% less food waste at home than non-frozen food, and buying frozen food is a great way to support the movement to stop throwing away ‘ugly’ fruits and vegetables that are used in frozen products but may not make it to the fresh produce aisle. Richard Harrow added: “With wasted food costing billions every year and associated with millions of tonnes of Green House Gas emissions, it is not enough to simply encourage people to freeze their leftovers. Running in parallel to this message, WRAP should help promote the environmental and economic benefits of frozen. "We will continue to make the case for frozen food with WRAP, as I believe frozen food has a key role to play in fighting food waste.” May / June 2020 | 27
Since 2017, IGD has been working collaboratively across the food and consumer goods industry to help businesses reduce the food waste they create. Nameeta Baichoo, sustainability programme manager at IGD, outlines what’s happened so far and looks at other sustainability initiatives that are making a difference in our industry.
Food waste and beyond
how our industry is shaping the sustainability agenda The food and drink we consume forms the single biggest part of our sustainability impact and our contribution to climate change; bigger than the emissions created from travel and from the energy we use at home. According to the Food & Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, approximately one-third of all the food produced in the world is lost or wasted and if food waste was a country, it would be the third-largest contributor of carbon emissions after the US and China (FAO 2015). Therefore, reducing food waste is very important in efforts to address climate change. September 2019 saw the first anniversary of IGD and WRAP’s ground-breaking Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, developed to help food and consumer goods companies adopt a consistent approach to Target, Measure and Act on food waste. The Roadmap aims to help the UK achieve both the (UK) Courtauld Commitment 2025 targets, and the (international) United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3. The Roadmap is hugely ambitious, and the UK was the first country in the world to set a nationwide plan of this size, scale and ambition.
Where we are now Currently, 156 UK food businesses have committed to target, measure and act on food waste, representing more than half of the UK food industry by turnover. Many are already providing evidence to WRAP of their work to reduce waste. In addition, more companies than ever are reporting their food waste data publicly.
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The 121 businesses now reporting on their waste have a combined turnover of more than £220bn and generate over 1.1 million tonnes of food waste in their own operations. This shows what a difference can be made when industry works together, even in such a short timeframe. Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of working on the roadmap has been its range and scope, across all areas of the food and grocery industry – retail, manufacturing, agriculture and primary production, hospitality and foodservice, and beyond. IGD and WRAP have also worked closely with supportive organisations such as trade bodies, which have been vital to access other companies that want to reduce their food waste.
Businesses taking the initiative UK government, through the Resources and Waste strategy launched in 2018, said it would consult on introducing regulations to make reporting mandatory for businesses of an appropriate size. If mandatory reporting is introduced, those already committed to the Roadmap would have a huge advantage. In the meantime, both manufacturers and retailers are voluntarily taking huge strides to act on food waste reduction, including some companies that are publishing their food waste data publicly. Other recent developments across the food industry include a notable increase in the charitable redistribution of surplus edible food through companies such as FareShare. Technology has also made a difference. Apps like Too Good To Go, offered by HEMA in the Netherlands and also available in the
UK, have helped to match up food due to be discarded with consumers looking for a bargain. Meanwhile, Olio has been a major success in the UK, and Karma has made a big impact with restaurants in the past year. We have also seen the introduction of ‘wonky vegetables’ as a way of selling produce previously deemed not suitable for sale. Some promotions pair these products with recipe ideas to show different ways of preparing and cooking a wide variety of food items. Along the chain, manufacturers and suppliers have been making use of a process known as ‘waste valorisation’, which means the reprocessing of waste or discarded materials to create a new product with its own market value. This could be something simple such as recycling old newspapers into tissues, or it could mean turning used cooking oil into energy. Mexican company Biofase has even been making cutlery from avocado stones.
What next? Our industry has made great strides on the important issue of food waste, but we are not complacent. Reducing food waste is a longterm journey and we recognise there is more we can, and will, be doing in the future. Beyond food waste, if consumers continue to place an emphasis on sustainability and their environmental impact, then we believe the retail and FMCG industries will be in a strong position to roll out many more innovative products and processes to meet this demand. There are huge opportunities for our industry to continue shaping the sustainability agenda in the months and years ahead.
Facts & Figures Lock down lunchtimes drive frozen food sales up 28% With much of the UK population forced to stay at home, sales of fish fingers and frozen peas are rocketing as families find affordable ways to replace school meals and weekday lunches. Sales data from Kantar reveals that in the four weeks from 23rd February to 22 March British shoppers spent an extra £130 million on everything from ice cream to frozen meat and poultry as they filled their freezers before the lock down began on 23rd March.
“The lock down has clearly given retail sales a major boost. Whilst the effects of the pandemic are not the way we would have wanted people to re-engage with frozen food, there is clearly a massive demand and I hope these consumers will be impressed with the quality, innovation and range available in the freezer aisle.”
Total sales of frozen food jumped 28.3% in volume and 28.1% in value compared to the same four-week period last year.
Research from WRAP during the lock down has also revealed a marked reduction in household food waste as consumers make better use of their freezers. (Read more on pages 26 and 27).
The Kantar figures reveal every category of frozen food has seen a sales increase over the four-week period with frozen veg sales up 42.5% in volume, frozen meat and poultry up 34.8% in volume and frozen savoury food up 36.7% in volume. Ice cream and frozen confectionery sales also increased in volume by 5.4% and 7.4% respectively.
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And the rate of sales has continued with some retailers reporting to the BFFF a 48% increase in the sale of fish fingers and a 68% increase in purchases of frozen peas.
20 10
%
0
Total
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“The recent warm weather has also seen one supermarket chain’s sales of ice cream increase by 50%. Supply remains in good shape although supply chains are at full stretch. Various actions such as simplified ranging have been introduced to help ensure the industry can keep products on sale as demand continues to remain high.” Kantar’s 52 week ending 22 March figures show that in total UK shoppers bought over £6.4 billion worth of frozen food in the year between March 2019 and March 2020.
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Overall sales of frozen food were up in terms of both value by 1.7% and volume by 1.3%. Categories that did particularly well were Pizza up 7.9% in value and 10% in volume, frozen veg up 3.7% in value and 5.1% in volume and potato products plus 5.7% in value and 3.4% volume. Frozen fish was also up 4.6% in value and 1.6% in volume. Savoury food was up 4.5% in value and 3.3% in volume, whilst ready meals saw a 0.1% drop in volume but a 0.2% increase in value.
Volume Growth Rates
30 20 10
%
But the figures reveal a mixed picture elsewhere, with frozen meat and poultry experiencing a 5.6 % drop in value and a 7.5% decline in volume, reflecting a wider market trend to meat-free and vegan products.
0 -10
Total
Richard Harrow, BFFF chief executive said: “Our research with individual retailers has revealed they are all experiencing a surge in frozen sales. Some have reported sales of pizza up 50% and sales of frozen broccoli up 93%.
Value Growth Rates
Meanwhile, ice cream and frozen confectionery remained strong, but both saw reduced value and volume sales compared the previous year’s figures which covered the exceptionally hot summer of 2018. Richard Harrow, BFFF chief executive said: “Pizza and veg are two of our strongest success stories for the period and have helped buoy total sector growth of 1.7%.
52 Weeks
12 Weeks
4 Weeks May / June 2020 | 29
The Bulletin
T EC H NICA L & L E G I S L AT I V E
From Head of Technical, Denise Rion
update
Dishing the dirt – why soil matters On 25 September 2015, the 193 countries of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Development Agenda entitled "Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". Outlined in the agenda were a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all" and cover such things as poverty, hunger, health and well-being, clean water and sanitation, climate action and responsible consumption and production. But what isn’t widely known is that one of earth's most valuable, yet overlooked resources specifically relates to four out of those 17 targets. That resource is soil.
What is soil and why is it so important? Soil is a mixture of minerals from rocks, organic matter derived from decaying plant and animal material, air and water. It also contains tiny living creatures such as insects, earthworms, bacteria and fungi. In fact, it is estimated that 1 gram of soil contains approximately 4,000 - 50,000 species of micro-organisms!
also in relation to taste. So, as we are a nation of food lovers, you can start to see why soil is just as important as the air we breathe and the water we drink. However, this natural resource we rely on so heavily is eroding at an alarming rate. Astonishingly, it is thought the world is losing the equivalent of 30 football pitches of soil every minute! Furthermore, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN FAO) one third of the world’s soil is now moderately to highly degraded.
Where does the problem lie and how do we fix it?
It also contains more carbon than the atmosphere and all the world’s forests put together and the more fertile it is, the more carbon it holds, meaning it is one of our key defences against climate change. But soil can only capture carbon when it has a good amount of organic matter.
Unfortunately, although modern farming practices and the use of synthetic fertilisers have produced good harvests, this has affected the long-term health of our soil. Farms and agricultural machinery have got bigger, areas of land have been overgrazed and we have lost a large number of hedgerows and trees, meaning increased exposure to water and wind erosion. Cumulatively, this has resulted in more organic matter being lost from the soil than has been returned.
About 95% of our food comes from the soil and the quality of the soil influences the quality of food, especially in relation to the amount of important trace elements, such as selenium and zinc, and arguably
A solution to the problem may lie with the use of ‘cover crops’. Generations ago, farmers would use crops such as rye grasses, oats and radishes to help to slow soil erosion and loss of nutrients
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The Bulletin
by keeping roots in the ground all year long, thus increasing the amount of organic matter in the soil, enhancing water availability, smothering weeds and reducing greenhouse gases. Ploughing also disrupts life in the soil and because of this some farmers have shifted to ‘no-till farming’ (also known as zero tillage or direct drilling). This is an agricultural technique for growing crops or pasture without disturbing the soil through tillage. No-till farming decreases the amount of soil erosion tillage causes in certain soils, especially in sandy and dry soils on sloping terrain. It also occasionally uses cover crops. Of course, cover crops then need to be killed so the newly planted crops can get enough light, water and nutrients. Target 2.4 of the SDGs also suggests that, wherever possible, practices such as farming following the direction of the slope which can cause soil erosion should be substituted with sustainable practices such as terracing or construction of grass strips following the elevation contour lines of the land. Whilst target 15.3 talks about increasing and maintaining the organic matter of soil by promoting crop rotation and diversification.
Few of us probably think about soil when we are doing our weekly shop, but the reality is that if changes aren’t made, food production will decline and we will be unable to meet the rising needs of our growing population. In fact, at the current rate of degradation, it is estimated we only have enough soil left globally to provide food for another 60 years, or in UK terms, another 100 harvests. We need soils to produce higher yields in the years to come and therefore urgent action is needed to move to a more sustainable soil management programme which will generate benefits for all including: n
Food security and nutrition
n
Increased biodiversity
n
Adaptation to climate change
n
Economic growth….and even prosperity
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The Bulletin
HEALTH + SAFETY
update
From Head of Health & Safety, Simon Brentnall
COVID-19 – mental health & wellbeing: returning to the workplace BFFF recently encouraged employers within our industry to reflect on the labour force survey from 2018/19 for mental health awareness week. The survey reported 602,000 workers suffering from work related stress, depression and anxiety (new and long-standing cases) and also 12.8 million working days lost, these statistics being published before COVID-19 crisis existed. The office for national statistics now reports around 86% of adults in England, Wales and Scotland have felt either stressed, anxious or worried about their future or that their mental health had become worse in light of the COVID-19 lockdown. Find out more here.
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Another survey completed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists involving 1,300 mental health clinicians revealed a 43% increase in urgent and emergency mental health cases since the end of March. But nearly half surveyed had also seen routine appointments cancelled thought to be due to people being too fearful to seek help. With the possibility of many individuals returning to the workplace and still experiencing mental health problems due to the lockdown, we have found the below guidance from the Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) which could help. This outlines considerations and provides advice for employers, people professionals and people managers on how employee mental health can be supported. Find out more here.
The Bulletin
FPA issues security and arson protection advice during the COVID-19 outbreak The Fire Protection Association (FPA) has compiled a guide to help businesses manage the risk of unauthorised occupation of nonoccupied premises” during the COVID-19 crisis. The guidance is free to download and aimed at business who have been forced to temporarily move out of their properties at speed, potentially leaving vacant buildings at risk of fire, criminal activity and malicious damage, occupation, and fly tipping. The guide from the FPA explores what measures can be applied to help manage this risk. Insurers report that there is often a significant increase in the frequency and severity of claims for damage and clear up costs arising from unauthorised occupations of vacant properties.
Handling the media following a health and safety incident There have been many examples of high-profile health and safety incidents in recent years, including major rail disasters, the serious incident at Alton Towers and of course the tragedy at Grenfell Tower. In an article for SHP, Amy Sadro, principal associate, and associate Kara O’Neill at Eversheds Sutherland, explain that how the media covers an event can have lasting and potentially damaging effects on an organisation’s reputation; the key is to be prepared and to act proactively, quickly and decisively... The media now takes many forms, from digital media to social media, print media, TV and radio, and organisations need to be able to respond proactively and reactively as an event and investigation unfolds.
The main areas covered by the guide are: n
The challenge of unauthorised occupations
n
Reporting occupations by well organised groups
n
Actions required and risk assessment
n
Importance of planning
n
The law and policing
See full report here.
The main areas covered by the guide are: 1
The growing challenge of unauthorised occupations: Insurers report there has been a significant increase in the frequency and severity of claims for damage and clear up costs arising from unauthorised occupations of vacant properties.
2 Evolution of the problem: Frequently reported are occupations by large numbers of well-organised groups making use of empty buildings for dumping by fly tippers in return for cash payment. 3
Vigorous action required: In light of how this problem is developing, managers and owners would be well advised to revise their risk assessment and, if necessary, take rigorous action to reinforce the physical resistance of their vacant building.
4
Importance of planning: Advance planning covering the preparations that need to be made in advance of an occupation, the actions required should an occupation occur and those needed to protect the operation and assets going forward, is just as important as physical preparations.
5
The law and policing: As part of the advanced planning, managers and owners should acquaint themselves with the legal and policing environment they will find themselves in should the worst happen and trespassers need to be ejected.
6 Help and support: The advice and support of professionals, consultants and specialist services can be invaluable before, during and following an unauthorised occupation.
We have set out below our top tips to proactively prepare for dealing with the media: 1
Initial reaction is important – it is often hard to know what to say at the outset of an incident when the facts remain unclear, particularly in the face of very serious injuries or even death. However, organisations should not be afraid to say sorry for what has happened, acknowledge the incident and human impact and that it is investigating and assisting the police or a regulator with its investigation.
2
Have a tested and trusted crisis management plan in place – this can also encompass having an effective communications person or team alongside lawyers to assist in the event of an incident to structure the most appropriate level of engagement with the media.
3
Brief all senior people and your workforce – it is important that all levels of employees within an organisation are aware of an incident and briefed on how to respond to the media as well as have the right level of support.
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Choose an appropriate spokesperson – this should be someone at the right level of seniority who has had some experience/training in communications and can therefore best handle any media requests/responses.
5
Give a face to your organisation – this could be through having a consistent spokesperson communicating with the media or through creating a social media presence to give the company a level of ‘personality’.
6
Cultivate a relationship with the media generally as part of your overall business strategy – by speaking with journalists (who specialise in the sector you work in) on a more frequent basis or even allowing the press into your organisation on occasion, it may assist in how incidents are reported.
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