September/October 2018

Se p te mbe r/ O c tobe r 2018

The magazine for the frozen food industry

Freedom ANNUAL LUNCHEON ANNUAL PRODUCT AWARDS Event roundup Launch

A COMMUNITY EFFORT FREE FROM MEANS FREEDOM Interview with John Marren Feature

INTO THE DEEP FREEZE MARKUS STRIPF Feature Interview

Stock the top selling Danish Pastry in the UK Maple Pecan Plait

*

Made with 24 layers of crisp flaky Danish Pastry, sweet maple syrup, roasted pecans and 150 years of baking experience.

Contact your supplier to find out more. www.schulstadbakerysolutions.co.uk

@LantmannenUK

* IRI Value Sales data March 2018.

PROUDLY PART OF LANTMÄNNEN UNIBAKE

The Bulletin

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

01400 283090 www.bfff.co.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE John Hyman HEAD OF COMMERCIAL & SPONSORSHIP Paul Murray paulmurray@bfff.co.uk 07718 588431 ADVERTISING & MEMBERSHIP Kate Miller katemiller@bfff.co.uk 07793 499871

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

John Hyman Chief executive

WELC OME

Welcome to the September/October edition of the Bulletin.

I hope you have all had the opportunity to enjoy the UK summer heatwave!

Nominations are underway for the 2nd year of our People Awards. With the introduction of new categories including the option to enter teams as well as individuals we encourage our members to take a moment to reflect on those who deserve recognition. Don’t forget the deadline is 15th October with judging taking place late November by our independent panel of experts from across the industry.

I’m delighted to announce that we are refreshing our 2019 Annual Product Awards, with three new categories in both retail and foodservice reflecting the latest consumer trends and industry dynamics. Please see page 16 for full details and deadline for entries is 16th November.

I am pleased to see that tickets are selling well for our Annual Luncheon on the 20th of November so book as soon as possible for what is set to be another great networking event!

Also taking place on the 20th of November is BFFF’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Board elections with two Board members up for re-election.

Please see page 20 for further details and I urge all members to be involved in the process as BFFF is your organisation and your involvement is important to our future.

The next phase of our Member Benefit launch takes place at our Industry Forum on the 21st of November following the Luncheon and I look forward to sharing new invaluable services available to members.

IN THE NEXT ISSUE...

Convenience & bakery To contribute to this issue or advertise, contact your account manager or email: bulletineditorial@bfff.co.uk

Go online

The programme for our 9th Annual Conference is almost finalised with another line up of key industry experts and welcome futurologist Dr Morgaine Gay who will share with us her insights and predictions around our conference theme “Frozen Food in 2025”.

On a people front, Martin Forsyth, our Head of Technical, is leaving the BFFF. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his terrific contribution and commitment to the BFFF over the past 3 years. We wish Martin well.

I look forward to catching up with as many of you as possible at our events in November.

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

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

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The Bulletin

CON TEN TS

PEOPLE AWARDS

04 BFFF NEWS

There is still

T I M E to enter!

www.bfffpeopleawards.co.uk

Entries close: 15th October

05

MEMBER NEWS 2

The Bulletin

16

PRODUCT AWARDS NOW LAUNCHED

20

LIFE IN THE FREEZER: WINNERS OF THE 2018 PEOPLE AWARDS

10 26 IGD

24

42

HEALTH & SAFETY

FACTS & FIGURES

13

INTERVIEW: MARKUS STRIPF

22

UPCOMING EVENTS

45

INDUSTRY SERVICES

34

NEW PRODUCTS

37

NEW MEMBERS

40

TECHNICAL& LEGISLATIVE

28

FEATURE: FREE FROM MEANS FREEDOM

48

MEMBER BENEFITS

3

DIARY DATES

The Bulletin

BFF F NE WS

Updates from BFFF team

Oct

15

People Awards

Nov

20

Entries are open for the 2019 People Awards.

This year we see the addition of some new

categories including the introduction of team awards, a charity and community champion plus an unsung hero category to ensure we have the opportunity to recognise all those who go ‘above and beyond’ to ensure our £8.3b frozen food industry continues to grow and prosper.

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Tickets are selling well for this incredibly successful networking event and we would urge members to book at their earliest opportunity to

avoid disappointment. The Annual Luncheon is being held on Tuesday, 20th November 2018 at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

For further information please contact jillywallis@bfff.co.uk. The form and further information are also available on our website: http://bfff.co.uk/category/annual-luncheon/

Entries close on the 15th of October so go now to www. bfffpeopleawards.co.uk to nominate your well-deserving colleagues.

Nov

Annual Luncheon

Industry Forum

Nov

20

Our next Industry Forum will take place on the morning of Wednesday 21st November, following the Annual Luncheon.

Following on from the successful launch of our first group of member benefits at June’s Industry Forum, we will be announcing further services to benefit BFFF members along with our ever-popular market updates from Kantar and CGA.

AGM & Board Elections

The Annual General meeting takes place on Tuesday 20th November.

This year we have two positions up for re-election: large Wholesaler and Chair of T&L Expert Group Senior Independent Director. The large wholesaler role is currently being served by Andrew Roberts of Bidfood and the Chair of T&L is currently being served by Vince Craig of McEvoy Foods International, both of whom will be seeking re-election at the AGM.

The free-to-attend event for members is taking place at JLT Group PLC, (The St Botolph Building, 138 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7AW) and we would like to thank JLT for their continued support hosting the forum.

We have provided more details later in this Bulletin of the criteria and requirement for being a board member. If you are interested in standing for election for any of these positions please do contact us for a nomination form or give me a call if you would like a chat to find out more before applying.

Registration opens at 9.45am and presentations follow at 10.15am. The forum will finish at 12.30pm with refreshments and the opportunity to network with BFFF members.

Spaces are limited so If you and your colleagues would like to attend, please contact clairemathieson@bfff.co.uk as soon as possible.

We would encourage all members to vote either by attending the AGM which is a brief meeting starting at 10.45am at the Hilton on Park Lane or return your proxy vote to ensure that you have your say in the running of the Federation.

If you are a company with offices in London with a meeting space capacity of around 100 delegates and would like to host a future Industry Forum please contact clairemathieson@bfff.co.uk

We look forward to welcoming as many of our members as possible.

Experience the taste of tomorrow at IFE 2019!

Clear your diaries and get ready to be inspired! The UK’s leading and largest food and drink industry event is back.

Taking place from 17 to 20 March 2019 at ExCeL London, join the celebration of global, cutting-edge products at the 21st edition of The International Food & Drink Event (IFE).

Journey through the senses as you see, taste, smell and touch revolutionary food and drink from more than 1,350 international suppliers showcasing the latest innovations. Divided into 12 easy to navigate sections, there will be a dedicated frozen food area where you will be sure to discover the perfect products for your business.

Plus, broaden your network by meeting your peers, and witness thought-provoking content in a way that simply cannot be done over the phone, online or in print.

drink innovation, and co-located with Pro2Pac, the UK’s only food and drink processing and packaging event, the joint festival is a must attend event for all future focused companies.

Stands are selling fast, if you would like to enquire about exhibiting, please contact Daniel Gray on Daniel.Gray@freshmontgomery.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 7886 3056 for more information.

To find out more, visit the new look website www.ife.co.uk/bfff and follow the action on Twitter @IFE_Event using #IFE19.

Taking place once every two years in London, the home of food and

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The Bulletin

M EM B ER N E WS Updates from BFFF members

Top Grades: Rick Bestwick celebrates the best standards in the industry Rick Bestwick, the UK’s leading temperature controlled food storage specialist, has received the highest possible achievements in storage and distribution standards.

The company’s Chesterfield facility has achieved AA+ status following an unannounced audit from BRC Global Standards.

Andrew Lawrence, site manager, at Rick Bestwick Chesterfield, said: “The BRC unannounced audit program is the toughest in the industry.

It requires coldstores to be in exemplary condition year-round in preparation for an inspection that could happen at any time.”

Student chefs win gold at the UK’s largest culinary competition

Just a day later Rick Bestwick Warrington also received an announced audit and achieved AA status once again – the highest standard available in BRC’s announced audit scheme.

BRC Global Standards are designed to reflect best practice and facilitate a process of continuous improvement. They ensure that product integrity during storage and distribution is maintained, and that customer confidence is upheld through rigorous audit and certification.

Student chefs took part in the annual Craft Guild of Chefs Wessex Salon Culinaire at Brockenhurst College in Hampshire, the largest live culinary competition in the UK.

Colin Taylor, CEO of Magnavale, said: “We are delighted to have received the highest possible standard in both inspections. It is an acknowledgment that we not only strive for the highest standards, we surpass them.”

With 300 competitors, the event broke the record for the number of entrants to this year’s competition. Led by the Craft Guild of Chefs', Steve Scuffell, the judging team also consisted of international chefs and hospitality experts from local establishments.

● www.rickbestwick.co.uk

In its fifth year, the competition aims to provide young competitors with their first taste of professional competition experience and showcase the emerging talent of the hospitality industry.

Chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs, Andrew Bennett was there to support the event. He said: “As an organisation we are always looking for ways to encourage the younger generation to compete in events like this. The standard and effort from all competitors this year has been exceptional.”

The two-day event was divided into five different categories: live hot, live cold, restaurant, display and the Wessex bake-off. In a race against each other and the clock, competitors demonstrated a wide range of culinary skills from marzipan modelling to fish filleting and napkin folding.

Pallani Burke from Merton College, winner of the live hot, pasta competition shared her joy: “I’m unbelievably happy. It means so much as I’m trying to build a name for myself and hopefully become a wellknown chef one day.”

Other award recipients included Fiona Campbell from Westminster Kingsway College, Sarina Cole from Merton College, Morgan Foreman from Brooklands College and Kris Insaton from Brockenhurst College ● www.craftguildofchefs.org 5

The Bulletin

M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members

A Hard Day’s Night . . .

But Another Successful Country Range Group Annual Exhibition.

The Country Range Group saw a record attendance with over 400 member delegates and suppliers attending its trade exhibition and after-party at the Beatles famous Cavern Club in Liverpool.

Taking place at the Arena and Convention Centre (ACC), the annual event provided suppliers with the opportunity to reach, demonstrate and sell to the group’s twelve independent members. This year there have been more than 270 member delegates in attendance.

The exhibition also saw last year’s record-breaking sales of £2.75m, with more than 90 foodservice brands exhibiting and sampling products as well as running interactive demonstrations to the group’s members.

Coral Rose, Managing Director of the Country Range Group, said: “It’s been a huge pleasure to be in Liverpool for another massively successful and enjoyable CRG trade event and it’s amazing to surpass last year’s orders on the day. The event is a vital way of supporting suppliers and enabling them to showcase NPD and network with our members. Member purchasing through the Group is increasing

by 17% YOY which is a fantastic sign of the health of our Group and our independent members, plus also highlights the benefit and opportunity we offer to brands.” ● www.countryrange.co.uk

Aviko hacks into food trends

MICHAEL WARD L I M I T E D

FLEET REFRIGERATION SERVICES

YOU CAN

RELY ON!

Aviko has launched a series of Chef Hacks videos showing how to tap into the latest taste trends from Indian street food to breakfast on-the-go. .

JOBS CARRIED OUT

With a focus on the latest flavour profiles, Aviko’s new series provides chefs with time-saving tips to bring the hottest food trends that are sweeping the nation to their menus. From innovative vegan and vegetarian options to re-imagining comfort food classics, the Chef Hacks show how the humble potato continues to be a trendsetter.

ROUTINE SERVICES

COMPLETED

Mohammed Essa, Commercial Director UK and Ireland, Aviko, explains:

Call us today on: 01204 669 247 www.michaelwardonline.co.uk

“Keeping menus on-trend is an essential consideration for all chefs and is the reason why we have launched our Chef Hacks to support them in their efforts. The new series will provide chefs with useful tips on how to elevate everyday ingredients – such as hash browns, fries and sweet potato – to save time and money and ultimately boost profits.”

Follow us:

8,991 REPAIRS

CARRIED OUT

Chefs looking for inspiration on the current taste trends can visit www.aviko.co.uk to see the new videos as they are released every fortnight throughout the summer. Showcasing the most popular Aviko products from Sweet Potato Diced to the newly launched Premium Crunch Fast Food Fries, the video series offers a host of recipe ideas including Vegan ‘Pulled Pork’ Loaded Fries, Sweet Bombay Potatoes, Mac ‘n’Cheese Fries and Vegan Breakfast on-the-go Hash Browns with Avocado Salsa and Poached Eggs.

Authorised service partner We also service and maintain all marques, Thermo King, Carrier, GAH, Hubbard/Zanotti, Webasto, Eberspacher

● www.aviko.co.uk 6

The Bulletin

M EM B ER N E WS Updates from BFFF members

Iceland extends reverse vending machine trial

Iceland continues its trial for the use of reverse vending machines across the UK, as a way to encourage recycling and end the scourge of plastic pollution.

‘Meals & More’ Becomes a charity to end holiday hunger

Meals & More, the initiative created to put an end to holiday hunger, has been awarded charitable status.

Initially set up three years ago by Brakes, a leading foodservice company, and a number of its suppliers, Meals & More was created to alleviate the risk of children going hungry during the holidays when the school support network is not accessible. Partnering with suppliers and local charities/community organisations, Meals & More allows local groups to run holiday clubs – providing grants, tasty, nutritious food and enrichment activities within a safe, stimulating environment.

Becoming a charity in its own right is an important step in Meals & More’s development, enabling it to build on the ongoing support of Brakes, and raise funds and apply for funding from other sources as well as being recognised for the work it does.

Pem Hulusi, Meals & More Programme

In my

VIEW with

Dr. Phil Hadley

Manager, said: “The sad news is that rather than becoming a thing of the past, child poverty is predicted to grow, with the number of children living in poverty set to rise to more than five million over the next five years. That is a million more children living in poverty.

Meals & More is supported by Trustees from a range of professional backgrounds and with a wealth of experience within their respective sectors; Kate Woodhouse, HR Director at Brakes, Ken McMeikan, former Brakes’ CEO, James Mannering, Brakes’ Operational Finance Director, Peter McGrath former LACA Chair (Lead Association for Catering in Education) and Kevin Coles, a Director at Nexus Communications.

Following the launch of Iceland’s industry-first trial in Fulham, the company has decided to extend the project to its other stores including the Food Warehouse in Wolverhampton, with a further two to be installed in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh and Mold, North Wales.

The six month trials are designed to help the company better understand consumer perceptions and appetite for plastics recycling technology across the country.

The reverse vending machines reward individuals for recycling, by providing money or vouchers in return for empty containers.

The vending machines collect plastic bottles and in return a customer receives a 10p voucher for each recycled bottle to be used in store. ● www.iceland.co.uk

● www.brakes.co.uk

British farmers and food producers are set to benefit from a valuable new market as Taiwan prepares to welcome British pork exports for the first time.

The deal also means UK exporters can further tap in to the overseas demand for parts of the pig carcass that are not commonly purchased in the UK, such as offal. This means UK farmers and pork processors will be able to generate income for the whole carcass.

The deal has been secured by the UK government, working with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and UK Export Certification Partnership (UKECP).

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Exporters can take advantage of the market as soon as the administrative listing process is completed and export certification is made available.

Dr Phil Hadley, AHDB International Market Development Director, said: “We estimate the value to the UK to be in excess of £50m based on current UK export capacity but if this were to rise to match the strong demand for pork imports in Taiwan, where last year alone imports rose by 26% to US$178.3m, the opportunity could be worth more than £100m over the next five years.

“This is an exciting development and a great step forward for the UK and Taiwan.”

The Bulletin

M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members

New sustainability report from Bakkafrost Bakkafrost has underlined the growing importance to the UK market of its expanding salmon farming operation, the largest in the Faroe Islands, with the publication of a two year plan which addresses important sustainability issues.

possible and to continually innovate,” said Torkil Davidsen, head of UK operations.

Against a background of very high (96%) customer satisfaction, the employment of more than 1,100 people on the islands and the successful roll out of cleaner fish its salmon farms, Bakkafrost has opened one of the most modern processing plants in the world.

portions.

He added that through 2018 the company would be looking for additional customers for its unique breed of salmon, which are high in Omega-3, whilst starting production of exciting new salmon fresh fillets and

● www.bakkafrost.com/sustainability

The company has now announced plans for a new biogas plant, using waste products from fish and dairy farming, to produce energy and fertiliser, thus further enabling the implementation of a sustainable feed policy.

Bakkafrost produced almost 700,000 salmon meals, fillets and portions a day for the UK and other global markets in 2017 and is currently growing its market share worldwide.

Anglia Crown ready for growth Prepared meal manufacturer Anglia Crown Ltd has been sold in a management buyout.

The company has been acquired from previous owners Bakkavor and the management buyout was led by Paul Howell and Andrew Lone.

• • • • • • • • •

Contracts Debt recovery Product recalls Agents and distributors Employment Intellectual property and branding Transport and logistics Competition Corporate and commercial

Contact Peter Cusick of our food team on: 01775 842500 www.roythornes.co.uk

Fulton Foods launch online store

Heritage value retailer, Fulton Foods has announced the launch of its online store trading as Star Bargains.

Starbargains.co.uk will offer UK and overseas customers a variety of food, drinks and home basics at low prices, every day. Providing the option for savvy UK shoppers to top up their discounted supermarket shop from the likes of Aldi and Lidl with family favourite brands.

GS1 UK welcomes new board member

“Operating in a small country like the Faroe Islands restricts growth so it is important for us to be as efficient and sustainable as

Lawyers for the food sector

FAST NEWS

Founded in 1992, Anglia Crown Ltd has an annual turnover of £15million and is an award-winning, chilled and frozen prepared meal manufacturer for the healthcare and complementary markets. Supplying a range of multi and single portion dishes to customers and patients, it has operated in the UK market for more than 25 years, and currently works with around 100 hospital sites nationwide.

Based in Colchester, the 4600 square metre facility employs more than 160 people, and manufactures approximately 40,000 chilled and frozen meals every week day.

It has recently added new ranges to its core offering, including an innovative finger food range for patients who struggle to eat with cutlery, and a paediatric range for children. ● www.angliacrown.co.uk

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GS1 UK, the not-for-profit supply chain and data standards organisation, has announced Graham Biggart, director of commercial operations at Sainsbury’s, has joined its supervisory board.

Graham joins at a time when GS1 UK is working closely with leading retailers and suppliers in grocery to implement product DNA – a solution for managing product data, which aims to improve efficiency and the

Cornish pasty producer increases frozen capacity

Award winning bakery and Cornish pasty producer, Prima Bakeries has increased its frozen capacity through acquisition of a portable cold store from Blue Cube Portable Cold Stores.

The bakery, based at Redruth in the heart of Cornwall took delivery of the cold store in June following a requirement for additional frozen capacity.

Using a portable cold store meant capacity could be increased quickly and within budget.

The Bulletin

M EM B ER N E WS

Updates from BFFF members

Europe “must get ready for food waste collections”

Local authorities and municipalities across the European Union (EU) need to ‘get ready’ to introduce separate food waste collections, according to the global and UK food waste recycling associations.

The EU has published in its Official Journal its, Circular Economy Package, which includes new targets of 65% recycling of municipal waste by 2035 and separate biowaste collections by December 2023.

The package officially came into force on 4th July, which obligates EU member states to transcribe the regulations into their own national laws within the next two years.

Responding to the news, David Newman, President of the World Biogas Association (WBA), said: “There are huge environmental, economic, and human-health benefits to separately collecting inedible food waste and recycling it into valuable resources using biogas technologies. Our latest research suggests that doing this on a global scale would have the same impact in terms of CO2 emissions reduction as taking all cars in the EU off the road.”

Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of the UK Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) said: “We fully expect the UK to implement these targets as an existing member of the EU. December 2023 is just over five years away, so local authorities in England need to start factoring the requirement for separate food waste collections into their plans and use contract renewals as an opportunity to introduce collections at the lowest possible cost and with maximum effectiveness.”

Inedible food waste can be recycled through AD into biogas, which can be used to generate renewable heat and electricity and as a clean transport fuel, and digestate, which can be applied directly to land as a nutrient-rich biofertiliser.

● www.adbioresources.org

Top ratings for Dalziel

Dalziel Ingredients has been accredited to the highest level - AA - at its Gateshead and Hull manufacturing sites by the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety.

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

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

INDUSTRIAL CHILLERS / COLD ROOMS / COLD STORES

It’s the 11th consecutive year, Dalziel’s Gateshead factory has successfully passed the rigorous BRC audit, together with the recent BRC accreditation at nine of its major depots across the UK. The BRC audits were carried out against BRC v7 Global Food Standard with Gateshead (Felling) also successfully passing the additional module 12 Gluten Free Production.

Paul Crinnion, technical manager at Dalziel Ingredients, said: “BRC demands the highest global standards of excellence. It demonstrates that we operate at the highest levels in food safety and quality production.

“Importantly, it means our customers can be 100 per cent confident in our production methods, food safety and supply chain management.” ● www.dalzielingredients.co.uk

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The Bulletin

NEW

Love ice cream? Love Vegan!

Suncream Dairies has launched a new natural vanilla Vegan ice cream in response to the growing demand for free from desserts.

Love Vegan, made with real vanilla beans and flecked with vanilla pod seeds for a rich, indulgent flavour, is a perfect alternative to traditional dairy ice cream. Free from all 14 declarable allergens including gluten, soya, nut, lactose and egg, it is also registered with The Vegan Society.

and products. We focus a lot on catering for vegans and we believe Suncream’s vanilla bean vegan ice cream is the best on the market.”

Love Vegan Vanilla is the latest addition to the Suncream ice cream collection which includes the Gelato Gold range of luxury Italian-style ice creams in 17 classic and contemporary flavours, premium Sorbets and the Summertime ‘value’ range.

“With veganism and free from predicted to be two of the fastest growing food trends, we wanted to create a non-dairy ice cream that everyone can enjoy,” said Rebecca Manfredi, Suncream’s managing director. “It’s packed full of flavour and despite being milk-free, delivers a lovely creamy mouth feel.”

“Ice cream remains a popular choice all year round – whether on its own, as an accompaniment to desserts or as a scoop for a treat – and with the demand for vegetarian and free from food growing all the time, it makes good business sense for caterers to offer a vegan option,” added Rebecca.

Love Vegan Vanilla, made with coconut oil and dextrose, is easy to scoop and available in 5 litre resealable Napoli containers - ideal for use ‘back of house’ or in Napoli scooping cabinets.

For more information or for details of your nearest distributor, call 01827 282571 or visit www.suncreamicecream.com

Gavin Kellett, head chef at the renowned The Vine Tree restaurant in Llangattock, Wales, and twice winner of The Cordon Vert Chef of the Future competition which specialises in vegetarian cuisine, said: “At The Vine Tree we try to source the best possible ingredients 10

The Bulletin NEW PRODUCTS

Dr Oetker Professional Sweetens Up Pizza Offerings

Mini Ciabatta Rolls Bolster Speciality Breads’ Growing Range

The latest research from Dr. Oetker Professional shows that over half of UK consumers are bored with traditional dessert options and three out of four people would like to see menus refreshed.

The Chocolate and Caramel Dessert Pizzas support Dr. Oetker Professional’s existing Chocolate Dessert Pizza and will enable operators to boost profits by appealing to consumers looking for the ultimate indulgent treat.

Speciality Breads’ artisan selection of frozen breads has been further enhanced after the Red Tractor-certified baker launched a range of Mini Ciabatta Rolls.

The new addition is available in cases of 120 costing approximately 12p a roll and are perfect for hotels, restaurants, pubs and cafés, whilst also being ideal when used in bread baskets at conferences, banquets, weddings and events.

Whatever Happens - Hot & Crispy Fries

BigFish brand breaded range now available from Ocado

One of the world’s leading brands in high quality potato products, Lamb Weston is launching a brand new fries concept, Hot2Home™, that ensures fries are delivered hot and crispy to the consumer at home, everytime. A combination of product and packaging innovation, Hot2Home™ is set to boost repeat sales from happy consumers and in turn drive profits for operators across the industry.

JCS Fish has achieved national distribution in Ocado, for its range of BigFish Brand Salmon Bites and Goujons.

BigFish Brand Salmon Bites and Goujons are ultra-convenient, made with premium salmon fillet and coated in a deliciously crispy breadcrumb. Three products are listed in Ocado, Salmon Bites and Salmon Goujons with a plain golden crumb and Salmon Bites with Lemon & Pepper crumb.

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Free of Gluten, Full of Flavour Adopting a gluten-free lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality or flavour. Our expert chefs have developed a range of delicious gluten-free products including sweet potato fries, sweet potato wedges, vegetable fries and honey glazed parsnips. Discover the range today!

Honey Glazed Parsnips

Sweet Potato Wedges

Sweet Potato Fries

Vegetable Fries

Rustic chopped parsnips seasoned with natural honey. A delicious accompaniment to any family roast.

Delicious Sweet Potato Wedges, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Great as a snack or as a side dish.

Crispy, prefried Sweet Potato Fries are a healthy alternative to the classic Potato French fries. Rich and delicious flavour.

A mix of carrot and parsnip fries, pre-fried in sunflower oil and deliciously crunchy.

Can be prepared in the deep fryer or the oven.

For more details go to www.ardouk.com

INTERVIEW

A spoon full of innovation INTERVIEW WITH

MARKUS STRIPF As he watched his wife’s ongoing battle to identify which foods were safe for her to eat, Markus Stripf knew he had to do something.

“It was crazy that in this day and age she was still reading the ingredients list of every product to understand whether she could have it,” he tells The Bulletin.

Markus, a former Warner Music Group MD who spearheaded the music industry’s transition from CDs to downloads, soon realised there was a crucial gap in the market.

“Jeany had complicated allergies and it was such a frustration for her so I looked into what apps and websites there were to help.

“There was nothing reliable out there but there is zero room for error when it comes to food allergies.

The problem is clearly defined but it’s not easy to solve.”

It was to be a discussion over the garden fence of his North London home with neighbour and digital expert Simon O’Regan that kick-started the journey to Spoon Guru’s present day success.

Markus and Simon, who also had a personal connection to food intolerances, teamed up with Tim Allen, who Markus had worked with in the music business.

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The Bulletin INTERVIEW

As he watched his wife’s ongoing battle to identify which foods were safe for her to eat, Markus Stripf knew he had to do something.

Markus Stripf, founder of Spoon Guru

food choices that fit their individual food preferences exactly, and in doing so has made their shopping journeys easier than ever before.

Together they agreed that if they could raise enough start-up capital to launch Spoon Guru, they would resign from their jobs to focus on the venture full time. Within weeks the pledge became a reality.

Markus said: “Tesco was the first leading retailer to recognise this need and they approached us about the app.

Markus said: “Around 64% of the world’s population is on some form of restricted diet. This isn’t a niche issue, it is mainstream. It’s a global problem and no one solved it."

“They witnessed how reliable and robust it was and from there we rolled out the technology to Tesco’s online channels.”

Spoon Guru is a B2B2C smart search tool. Through an app, currently available to download in the UK and USA, it enables consumers to find foods and recipes to match their unique dietary requirements. Users can set up a profile based on intolerances, such as egg, milk and nuts, and also food preferences, including organic, vegan and low salt and sugar.

Tesco’s website customers can now filter their product preferences with all search results powered by Spoon Guru’s software.

“The feedback has been fantastic,” said Markus. “We’ve not had one single error.

As well as being able to search and save hundreds of recipes unique to their profile, users can also use the app’s in-built barcode scanner to check whether products meet their needs.

“Not only has the partnership taken the fuss out of finding the right food, it has also boosted Tesco commercially. Search rates and conversion volumes are up and it also enabled Tesco to really capitalise on Veganuary in particular.”

Markus said: “It’s highly personalised and highly granular. We approach everything from a consumer’s point of view because we knew they wanted a solution which would take the hassle out of finding food.”

With more people than ever before taking part in Veganuary 2018, Markus says it is proof the free from diets are not just a fad.

“The figures speak for themselves. 70% of the UK’s population are making significant dietary choices and half of the UK are on a free from diet,” says Markus, who has also established relationships with Allergy UK, the British Dietetic Association and the Anaphylaxis Campaign.

But perhaps the biggest breakthrough for Spoon Guru came last May when it announced a partnership with Tesco.

By adding Spoon Guru’s technology and nutrition expertise to Tesco’s leading online shopping platform, it has enabled shoppers to make

14

The Bulletin INTERVIEW

“In 2017, £230 million was spent on free from foods in the UK – 40% more than the previous year. Those numbers are only going to increase.

“People are sick and tired of putting things into their bodies that are not good for them. They are making conscious decisions and they want transparency.”

Three years into business, Markus is now looking forward to the future. With ongoing talks to licence Spoon Guru’s software to leading organisations and partnership launches imminent across four continents, it may seem a world away from where he began.

But he explains: “Tim and I were at the forefront of the digital transformation of the music industry. With the launch of platforms such as Napster, almost overnight, people no longer wanted to pay for music.

We were tasked with coming up with the strategy to transition the music industry into digital.

“I recently met a little boy who could only eat seven ingredients and when he saw the app his face lit up.”

“The food industry is now facing the same challenges as it reacts to shifts in consumer demand. Those who don’t react will get left behind – those that make the most of the digital opportunity can really thrive.”

But no matter what success is on the horizon, for Markus the achievements all go back to the beginning.

“Jeany was my inspiration for Spoon Guru,” he says. “Spoon Guru is all about making life better.

“I recently met a little boy who could only eat seven ingredients and when he saw the app his face lit up.

“That’s what gets us out of bed. It’s not just a business, it’s a mission.”

15

BFFF ANNUAL PRODUCT AWARDS NOW LAUNCHED! If you have an exciting, new or innovative product, don’t miss out. The BFFF Annual Product Awards provides members with an opportunity to showcase product excellence on the biggest stage in the industry.

We are pleased to announce the launch of the 2019 Annual Product Awards. This marks the 32nd year that BFFF will recognise the very best of product excellence from across the frozen food industry.

Foodservice products are prepared by chefs in a state of the art catering facility and scrutinised by experts drawn from across the industry.

Last year we introduced the online entry portal in response to member feedback and we will once again be accepting entries by this method. Further information about the awards as well as full terms and conditions can be found on the website: www.bfffproductawards.co.uk

This year sees the introduction of new product categories based on popular trends and growing sectors

A report detailing product feedback from the judges can be ordered on entry or by separate request to the BFFF. As always, no shortlist will be revealed, and the winners will remain top secret until they are presented with their Gold, Silver and Bronze awards at the Gala Dinner Dance and Awards Presentation at the London Hilton on Park Lane on Thursday, 13th June 2019.

Not to be missed, this is an opportunity to gain sectorleading product development status amongst the elite of the food industry, as well as joining friends and colleagues on a great night out.

We take pride in our robust and independent judging process. Retail products are prepared and judged by panels of consumers up and down the country.

Deadline for entries: 16th November 2018

FOODSERVICE

RETAIL BEST NEW MEAT PRODUCT

BEST NEW POULTRY PRODUCT

BEST NEW STARTER

BEST NEW BAKERY PRODUCT

BEST NEW FISH PRODUCT

BEST NEW DESSERT / ICE CREAM / CONFECTIONERY PRODUCT

BEST NEW MEAT PRODUCT

BEST NEW FISH PRODUCT

NEW CATEGORIES BEST NEW PARTY FOOD/ STARTER

BEST NEW INGREDIENT / COMPONENT / ACCOMPANIMENT

BEST NEW FREE FROM / MEAT FREE / VEGETABLE BASED PRODUCT

BEST NEW ETHNIC OR WORLD CUISINE

BEST NEW DESSERT / ICE CREAM / CONFECTIONERY PRODUCT

NEW CATEGORIES BEST NEW INGREDIENT / COMPONENT / ACCOMPANIMENT

BEST NEW FREE FROM / MEAT FREE / VEGETABLE BASED PRODUCT

BEST NEW ETHNIC OR WORLD CUISINE For more information please contact Alex Gipps on Tel: 01400 283090 or Email alexgipps@bfff.co.uk 16

NOW AVAILABLE!

heinzfoodservice.co.uk Simply heat up the pack and serve!

Suitable for vegetarians

ADVANCED COLD LOGISTICS

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary, is that little extra” Newly extended 143,000 pallet frozen automated warehouse in prime Wakefield location, built to 21st Century standards with proven technology and systems Compelling transport offer utilising Euro V1 tractors and a variety of trailers including Standard, Double Deck and Automated trailers, for optimum flexibility

NewCold is proud to support the BFFF and sponsor this year’s Annual Lun cheon

Integrated, collaborative, logistics solutions offering improved product, security, safety and quality from the production line to delivery Sustainable supply chain planning. Working with customers to add value, through innovative thinking and a genuine partnership approach to finding improvements A culture, and a team, focused on service and supporting our customers to achieve their goals

Contact: Jon Miles +44 7740 924 695 E: jon.miles@newcold.com www.newcold.com

INTEGRATED SERVICE PROVISION THROUGHOUT THE COLD CHAIN

“Join us at one of the most prestigious networking events in the frozen food calendar” Tuesday 20th November 2018 London Hilton on Park Lane

g 7 n 0 Yea i t a b e l r e s C

Tickets Cost: £130 + VAT STILL TIME TO BOOK! Contact: Jilly Wallis on Tel: 01400 664321 Email: jillywallis@bfff.co.uk Headline Sponsor:

In partnership with:

BFFF Board

Election of Directors 2018/19 Board Directors are elected on a 3 year rotational basis at the AGM. The process for candidates to be nominated begins in September.

The following vacancies are due for election by rotation: Large Wholesaler: Membership subscription Band D - over £25m frozen UK turnover Andrew Roberts is currently serving in this role and will be seeking re-election.

Senior Independent Director: Vince Craig is currently serving in this role and is seeking re-election.

Eligibility Criteria: •

Any Senior Manager/Director from a Voting Member is eligible for election

•

Board Directors will serve for an initial term of 3 years and are entitled to be elected for a second term

•

Only one representative per Voting Member may sit on the Board at any one time

•

Each individual nominated by a Voting Member must be proposed and seconded and must, in the opinion of the Board, fulfil the necessary criteria to become a Director of BFFF

Responsibilities/Requirements: •

Attendance at board meetings (4 physical meetings per year)

•

To stay informed about Federation matters, prepare well for meetings including reading all Board papers, to review and comment on reports appropriately.

•

With other Board members, build an effective working relationship that contributes to consensus

•

Actively participate in the Board’s annual evaluations, strategic planning and subsequent reviews of the strategic plan

•

Approving BFFF’s annual budget, subscription levels, audit reports, any capital expenditure and being informed of, and meeting all, legal and fiduciary responsibilities

•

Contributing to an annual performance evaluation of the chief executive and chairman

•

Assisting the chief executive and Board in identifying and recruiting other potential Board Members

•

Partnering with the chief executive and other board members to ensure that board resolutions are carried out

•

Where appropriate, serving on ad hoc committees or put forward suitable representatives

•

Ensuring BFFF’s commitment to a diverse board and staff that reflects our membership

If you are interested please contact johnhyman@bfff.co.uk or emmacranidge@bfff.co.uk for an application form 20

From our kitchen to yours.

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

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Part of

WHEN:

Thursday 7th February 2019

WHERE:

Birmingham Hilton Metropole The NEC Birmingham, Pendigo Way, Birmingham B40 1PP

The programme for our 9th Annual Conference is almost finalised with another line up of key industry experts who will share with us their insights and predictions around our conference theme

‘Frozen Food in 2025’

Speakers confirmed so far include: ⊲ Roger Martin Fagg, Economist ⊲ Adrian Gahan, Sancroft International ⊲ Simon Stenning, MCA ⊲ Chris Hayward, Kantar Worldpanel

Keynote Speaker: ⊲ Dr. Morgaine Gaye, Food Futurologist

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

DEADLINE APPROACHING

BUSINESS CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY:

BUSINESS CONFERENCE

Entries close: 15th October 2018

To download the booking form visit:: http://bfff.co.uk/category/business-conference/ or contact Jilly Wallis on Tel: 01400 664321 or email: jillywallis@bfff.co.uk

PEOPLE AWARDS

You still have time to nominate a deserving colleague or employee.

Visit www.bfffpeopleawards.co.uk for further information and entry forms.

Interested in exhibiting at the conference or advertising in the conference or people awards brochure?

Winners will be announced at the annual conference dinner & people awards on Thursday 7th February 2019.

Contact Kate Miller on Tel: 01400 664320 / Mob: 07793 499871 or Email: katemiller@bfff.co.uk

To book tickets or for more information please contact Jilly Wallis on 01400 664321 or email jillywallis@bfff.co.uk PEOPLE AWARDS SPONSORED BY:

22

UPCOMING SEMINARS

HEALTH & SAFETY

TECHNICAL

Join us for the 10th BFFF Health & Safety Seminar.

Following the success and fantastic feedback from BFFF’s first ever Technical Seminar, join us at the next one in February 2019.

Join leading industry experts to discuss a wealth of relevant topics currently affecting the sector.

This event is designed to provide members with guidance on a multitude of topical health & safety matters, delivered in through case studies and topical key note speakers.

Again there will be a wide-ranging and interesting debate on the major technical issues facing food businesses today. The seminar will focus on issues that are currently having an impact on your business and solutions that are available to help current challenges.

Topics will include:

Topics will include:

⊲

‘Safe Isolation Saves Lives’ – Electrical Safety - Louise Taggart, Sister

⊲

⊲

Wellbeing and Stress - Peter Kelly, Senior Psychologist, HSE

‘Where are we heading?’ – including the post-Brexit landscape, culture measurement and updates from FSA

⊲

‘Innovation’ – with topics such as stable isotope testing, rapid testing and frozen manufacturing developments

⊲

‘Looking to the future’ including big data, blockchain and insurance issues

⊲

Noise - Clare Forshaw, Occupational Health & Hygiene Partner, Park H&S

⊲

Key Note Speaker – Wayne Bagnall MBE

The following details are the same for both of the above events: WHEN:

Thursday 7th February 2019

WHERE:

Birmingham Hilton Metropole, Pendigo Way, B40 1PP

COST:

£195 + vat for member delegates £295 + vat for non-member delegates

EVENTS SPONSORED BY:

RESERVE YOUR PLACE:

To request a booking form please email: crystalholmes@bfff.co.uk ** As seminars are organised many months in advance, alterations, substitutions or cancellations to the speakers and/or topics are sometimes required. Whilst we make every effort to find a direct replacement should a speaker cancel, this is not always possible within given timeframes.

23

The Bulletin

FACTS & F IG U RES FROZEN FOOD RETAIL GROWTH ACCELERATES TO +5.4% YOY The latest frozen food retail statistics have shown that frozen food continues to excel with value growth across almost every category in the 52 weeks to 18 June 2018.

The latest statistics, provided by Kantar Worldpanel, value the retail frozen food market as a whole at over £6.1bn having seen impressive 5.4% value growth year-on-year.

“This quarter’s results are particularly encouraging with almost across the board value growth as well as exceptional volume growth, the category is outstripping growth of several leading retailers.

So far this year, the pizza category continues to lead, followed by savoury food, which includes frozen bread savoury bakery and other frozen foods. These two categories are driving growth with a combined increase in value of over £100m year-on-year. The categories also saw 6.4% and 2.6% volume growth respectively (yoy), and now represent 16% of the value of the total frozen food retail market.

“What we’re seeing is testament to the fact that frozen food, particularly ice cream and savoury food such as meat products, is ideally placed to tap into the trends underpinning consumer eating habits. Consumers are still buying traditional products like ice cream but NPD is driving premiumisation and encouraging more savoury products into their daily diets, which is good news for the frozen food industry.

Another category performing well is ice-cream which has seen a 7.7% value and 0.8% volume growth. The recent hot weather sparked a peak in market growth for this category, with over 16.6 million households choosing to pick up an ice cream as temperatures soared . With weather forecasts predicting more sunshine over the next few weeks, it is expected this category will see further growth.

“More and more people are heading to the frozen food aisles where they know they can get restaurant quality products to enjoy at home.

Frozen makes it easier to access convenient and nutritious food such as frozen fish, which has also seen a 3.1% value increase in sales over the last year.”

John Hyman, chief executive of British Frozen Food Federation said:

For more information on the frozen food retail market visit British

Source: Kantar Worldpanel *Savoury food includes frozen bread, frozen stuffing, cooked poultry, meat products, processed poultry, savoury bakery, vegetarian products and other frozen foods.

24

NICCO FOODS AND MAGDA – WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP Nicco Foods are delighted to announce our partnership with Magda, the leading French supplier of frozen mushrooms and premium vegetables.

For over 25 years Magda have specialised in finding the finest flavours and freshest ingredients. With quality at the forefront of their priorities, the products provide all of the elements necessary for a balanced diet and of course they taste great.

For this Christmas we are launching into the UK their Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles and Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles – the perfect accompaniment to your Christmas dinner!

For more information please visit www.niccofoods.com or contact the Nicco Foods sales team: Tel: +44 (0) 1606 594946 Email sales@niccofoods.com

The Bulletin

Meeting the needs of free-from shoppers

by Nicola Ball, Shopper Insight Manager, IGD Most shoppers aspire to eat and live well with 85% of shoppers saying they are actively trying to improve their diet in some way. Rising obesity levels and an aging population coupled with government campaigns and media interest are keeping health and wellbeing on the nation’s radar. With healthy eating being top of mind for shoppers, Nicola Ball, Shopper Insight Manager at IGD explores why retailers and suppliers should make health a priority within their business.

British shoppers eager for free-from products With a quarter (25%) of British shoppers interested in purchasing freefrom products, investment by retailers to innovate and expand their free-from products appears to be in line with shopper demand.

With such popularity among shoppers, retailers should ensure they have the right range of free-from products to meet shoppers’ needs.

Not only can a great free-from category help a retailer to differentiate from its competitors, but the right range will also drive shopper loyalty, a priority for all businesses.

Developing free-from versions of well-known brands, is one strategy to attract new shoppers and drive growth in the category. For example, Flora has aligned recent innovation to current food trends, producing a dairy-free, coconut and almond spread. Birds Eye gluten-free fish fingers provide a quick evening meal solution for younger shoppers who are trying to avoid gluten.

Currently a greater appetite for free-from products in London There is higher engagement with the free-from category in London, potentially driven by the widespread availability of free-from products in restaurants and food-to-go outlets. Nearly half (46%) of free-from shoppers in London believe they will buy more free-from products in the next 12 months than they are currently, compared to 36% of all free-from shoppers. However, there is more competition from specialist stores in London, resulting in more shoppers choosing to buy free-from products from health food shops or specialist stores rather than supermarkets. To compete, supermarkets need to continue innovating, while also providing inspiration, excitement and education.

Price and taste are the main barriers to purchasing more free-from products Across all food and grocery categories, price and quality are important when shoppers are deciding what to purchase and the free-from category is no exception. Perceived high prices and poor taste perceptions are holding back growth of the category and there is some resentment from shoppers that they are required to spend more for products that cater to their specific diet.

“My daughter has a lactose intolerance, so we have to be conscious of what she eats, which has been interesting. The products that I have to buy are expensive.” -UK shopper with a young family.

Free-from shoppers would like more choice Just under two thirds (61%) of free-from shoppers would like to see more free-from food-to-go products and over half (55%) would like more free-from evening meal solutions. In many instances these products are available to shoppers but just not in the right area in store to target these shopping missions. Placing the relevant freefrom products at the checkout, or in the food-to-go section is likely to increase visibility and drive incremental sales.

Lower prices and improvements in product quality and taste are likely to accelerate growth in the free-from category, especially among younger shoppers.

Continued growth in free-from We expect to see continued growth in the free-from category as new players emerge, product quality improves, and retailers provide greater choice for shoppers at affordable prices. Retailers and suppliers need to provide variety, relevance and distinctiveness in the category and ensure that ranging, pricing, promotional and merchandising strategies are each viewed through the lens of promoting good health.

For more information on this free-from shopper research or to speak to Nicola, email shopper@igd.com.

Variety and choice are even more important for younger shoppers, who we know are innovation hungry. Over half (53%) of free from shoppers aged 18-34 claim they like to experiment, trying new and different free-from products, this compares to 46% of all free-from shoppers.

Therefore, innovation in this category should take into consideration the preferences of younger shoppers.

26

Life in the

FREEZER 2018 People award winners

Ginny Durdy Marketer of the year

Jane Marren Commercial champion

After creating a marketing department from scratch and relaunching the Ice Co’s range, Ginny Durdy received the prestigious marketer of the year award.

Following a nomination from the Group Board for her work growing both Company Shop and Community Shop, which she describes as a ‘real vote of confidence’, Jane Marren received the coveted commercial champion award.

“It was a complete shock,” she said. “I didn’t know anything about the award nor expected to be nominated, let alone to win! So it was a real honour to receive this type of recognition.”

“I was so surprised,” she said, “I’ve never even won a raffle before!

I was thrilled to be nominated but never even considered winning.

As an industry there’s so much to celebrate and we owe it to each other to say well done, so I was very proud to be part of the first ever People Awards and winning has been a real highlight.”

She added: “Winning the award was a team effort, without the support and commitment of my colleagues we wouldn’t have been able to make this change happen.”

While her background is in finance as a chartered accountant, Jane’s real passion was always working with people, so in her role with Company and Community Shop she is able to put both skills to use. “The mechanics are the same for both companies, but the outcomes are very different with my role at Company Shop focusing on maximising profits, while at Community Shop it’s about maximising social impact, so this job fits me really well.”

Yorkshire born and bred, Ginny, 29, studied marketing at Newcastle University and began her career working for an active holiday company in Greece and France, before returning to the UK and working at William H Brown Estate Agents in the auctions department.

She then started as a marketing coordinator for the J Marr Group in 2014, incorporating The Ice Co, The Ice Co Storage and Logistics and Blue Keld Mineral Water.

Working to a ‘profit and purpose’ business model means Jane is part of a really diverse team, one of the highlights of the job. But alongside this she says it’s about making a difference to unlock the full potential of surplus. “What excites me most is having the chance to change mind-sets within the industry.”

Determined to succeed, she quickly progressed to the role of marketing manager and continued to take more responsibility as the business increased in size. Since then she has shaken up the ice category, reinvented consumers’ perceptions of ice and secured numerous awards for the business.

So what does the award mean to Jane? “Winning the award made me reflect on the distance the business has travelled in the last few years, realising the difference that has been made to people and the environment and I’m thankful for that. These awards give you the chance to reflect or nominate a colleague to tell them they’ve done something great, which is always worth doing.”

And the best thing about her job? “It may sound cliché, but honestly no day is the same. One day we could be looking at consumer data to help us understand more about the fans that buy our ice and the next day we could be filming a video for our latest ‘drink of the month’ as part of a collaboration with another great brand.”

Outside of the office, Jane enjoys spending time with her husband and nine year old son, socialising with friends and flower arranging.

When she’s not at work, Ginny likes to keep fit and healthy. An enthusiastic netball player, she also loves exploring the outdoors and spending time with friends, family and puppy Willow.

27

Free From means

Freedom Bells of Lazonby, We Love Cake Chocolate Pecan Brownie

28

The Bulletin FEATURE

A

s a category, freefrom seems to be invincible, with a rise in retail value sales of 37.5% in the past year it’s now worth almost £1.5bn, according to Kantar Worldpanel.

Success isn’t only down to pricier products however, as volumes have also increased considerably by 26%.

Over the past year, Brits have shopped the free-from category an average of 18.6 times a year, an increase of 24.4% and penetration has reached 92.1% of households. With the Food Standards Agency estimating only 1-2% of adults and 5-8% of children have genuine allergies or intolerances, it’s clear

MoyPark, Gluten free onion rings

that this growth is no longer down to those

Despite record levels of penetration, the

with specific dietary requirements, but the group that has been named ‘lifestylers’. This refers to those purchasing free-from products including dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free to name a few, for perceived health and well-being reasons.

Free-from’s meteoric rise in recent years has been underpinned by a dramatic transformation from what was traditionally seen as an uninspiring category full of products manufactured simply to tick the ‘free-from’ box, but offering little in the way of taste or enjoyment. Following consumer demand for higher quality, a number of smaller exclusively free-from brands spotted a gap in the market and the quality and variety of products available grew rapidly.

free-from category is still evolving. Today, so-called ‘lifestylers’ are putting pressure not only upon exclusively free-from brands, but on household names to cover a range of dietary requirements as standard.

Consumers now expect their favourite products to be just as tasty, but available as free-from, and retailers are responding.

With more and more meat substitute brands launching and meat-free products being trialled in the meat aisle, it’s clear that this is not being seen as a ‘food fad’ that is likely to go away any time soon. So what does this mean for manufacturers and frozen food in particular?

Frozen is often seen as a meal solution category, mainly catering for families around tea-time. This is an opportunity that the sector can use to tap into free-from growth. Recent IGD data states that 55% of consumers would like more free-from evening meal options.

Steve Challouma, Marketing Director at Birds Eye says, “Frozen ready-meals have traditionally focussed on classic staples such as lasagne or curries, while the free-from ready-meal market has generally remained in the chill sector. Birds Eye’s new Veggie Bowls range includes gluten-free and lactosefree variants and all contain two portions of vegetables, frozen to naturally retain goodness.”

Riverside, Gluten free mini fillets 29

The Bulletin FEATURE

believes “everyone should enjoy the same taste experience, regardless of intolerances.

Up until now, gluten free has typically been branded as bland, dry and unappetising. But through its patented approach, The Pastry Room has developed products that are

“as good as, if not better than wheat dishes.”

Reflecting retail trends, while early free-from items tended to be exclusively aimed at those

Bells of Lazonby, We Love Cake Chocolate Muffin

who follow restrictive diets, inclusivity is the

RECOGNISING THE OPPORTUNITY

next big step for the category. Too Good To

For the foodservice sector, free-from

the menu.” The TGTB range includes classic

presents the potential for big wins and big

comfort foods such as pork pies, sausage rolls,

losses. As Frannie Santos-Mawdsley, senior

macaroni cheese and apple & blackberry pie.

customer marketing manager for Moy Park

What’s more, being frozen, these products

reminds caterers, “it is the diner with specific

offer venues a huge range of benefits as they

dietary needs who often dictates where

can have

a group will eat out. With 1 in every 100

“multiple choices on the menu with zero wastage.”

Be (TGTB) producer Addo Foods’ head of marketing Kim Burgess says “within the freefrom arena, people want choices. Consumers want the favourites they love without compromise on taste, not just a token dish on

customers reportedly affected by coeliac disease (intolerance to gluten) caterers could be missing out on £800m of potential business by offering limited or unappealing gluten-free menu options.”

Clearly it’s a significant opportunity, and that’s not taking into account the rise of the flexitarian. Indeed rising demand has driven innovation throughout the frozen food industry to provide chefs and caterers with solutions that are on-par with their alternative, but also easy to prepare and store.

Food producers are clearly taking this opportunity seriously and putting the time and effort in to developing products that don’t simply tick the ‘free-from’ box, but provide alternatives that are high enough in quality to appeal to all consumers. Leading gluten-free and vegan pie makers The Pastry Room have helped customers increase

Birds Eye, Vegan Veggie Bowl

their pie and pudding sales by 30-40% by introducing gluten-free products to their menus. Managing Director John Hendy

30

The Bulletin FEATURE

While the focus on catering for those looking for free-from options such as dairyfree, gluten-free and vegan has definitely intensified, the focus on quality brings numerous additional benefits. Catering for intolerances will clearly provide potential sales growth opportunities for a business but this goes further when products can standalone on taste and quality. Kitchen Range, part of the Moy Park Group conducted research that showed 64% of respondents would be interested in purchasing glutenfree coated products, such as onion rings, should they be made available on menus.

“This lays bare the profit potential of serving frozen gluten-free items with absolutely no MoyPark, Gluten Free Sugar Mini Donuts

quality compromise.”

THE DETAILS

Riverside Foods is well aware of the pressures facing caterers as they look for high quality products while maintaining the highest health and safety standards, But

One thing that must be considered with the

managing director Leigh Morris believes that

rise of free-from is that while development is

“the catering sector is now well prepared

rapid and innovative products are entering

for delivering allergen free meals safely by

the market all the time, the technical and

creating dedicated storage and preparation

health and safety guidelines around this

areas to avoid cross contamination and

category must be followed to the letter.

by training staff effectively to ensure hygiene and safety standards are adhered

Caterers are required by law to provide

to. Clear labelling is key, combined with

information on all products and with more

good communication and identification of

free-from products than ever, accuracy

allergen free meal choices in order to help

and transparency is vital. Consumers are

consumers.”

becoming much more conscious of where there food is from and what’s in it, so the availability of accurate information is vital for caterers. Caterers are turning to new

While catering for

solutions such as cloud-based software Erudus which collaboratively shares product

intolerances will

data, simplifying the process and minimising

clearly provide

the risk of human error, making life easier for all involved and giving the consumer exactly

potential sales

what they need.

growth opportunities for a business, this goes further when products can standalone as high quality, tasty products.

Birds Eye, Gluten Free Fish Fingers

31

The Bulletin FEATURE

WHAT'S NEXT? It seems that the only way is up.

In terms of product trends, Bells of Lazonby

Supermarkets are giving increased shelf

Marketing Executive, Emily Sudell believes

space to free-from and this is also happening

that demographic has a part to play here too.

across foodservice, so it is expected that

“Across this research from Harris Interactive,

category growth will continue.

the second largest group was 35-44 year

As the quality and range of products continues to increase, and products become more inclusive and attractive to a larger consumer audience, manufacturers will continue to innovate and invest in new product ranges to meet demand.

While research from Harris Interactive states that a younger audience (25-34) is most likely to buy and use free-from products, the frozen food shopper is usually a little older.

Mihaela Costea, Marketing Executive at Ardo foods believes “this should be a golden opportunity for both brands and own label to educate a new audience in the benefits of frozen. Often fresher than fresh and with a longer shelf life,

frozen free-from products could be a fantastic educational tool for marketers to push to the younger generations.”

olds at 59% buying into free-from. These customers are often looking for a brand that is a little more premium in style and flavour pallet. More sophisticated inclusion in freefrom replicas of mainstream products tend to suit this audience more”.

Quality can therefore be seen as a key theme that manufacturers should consider as they enter the free-from category or expand their range of products. A product that is inclusive should also be seen as just as important as one that meets specific dietary requirements and will likely lead to repeat purchases by all consumers.

Thanks to recent developments, the stigma around freefrom is lifting, which presents huge opportunities for the sector to continue its rapid and impressive growth.

The story is definitely not over for free-from, that’s for sure.

The Pastry Room, Chicken, Ham and Leek 32

It seems that the only way is up.

Supermarkets are giving increased shelf space to the category and this is also happening across foodservice, so it is expected that category growth will continue.

33

HR SUPPORT

MEMBER BENEFITS

Free, confidential advice from professionals

...we’ve got you covered

Employment law can be complex and ever changing, keeping up to date can be a time-consuming task. Our HR support line is free for members and the key features are:

Over the past 6 months, BFFF has been working on developing a suite of additional member benefits exclusive to members. Our priorities have been to add value for members and/or provide a discounted cost on relevant industry costs.

•

Exclusive to members

•

Advice line- Unlimited access to experienced HR advisors- call as often as you need to

•

Available 24/7, 365 days a year

•

Online support with over 350 free downloadable employment documents

•

Free HR Healthcheck

Why you need HR support: •

Membership of the BFFF entitles companies to a range of services and benefits offered impartially to each individual member company. These services include specialist advice, representing and protecting the industry within Government and relevant organisations, marketing the benefits of frozen food and major industry networking events.

•

•

Right to work in the UK

Flexible working

•

TUPE

•

Unfair dismissal

BFFF is delighted to offer this service through QDOS Consulting. Get in touch to understand how they can support your business.

CALL NOW on

We are delighted to launch these benefits with our strategic partners, Shakespeare Martineau, Qdos Consulting, NFU Mutual and SmithCarey Ltd who are all looking forward to working with members on these new benefits.

0845 697 0413

CONTRACTUAL/ BUSINESS LAW HELPLINE Shakespeare Martineau LLP are a full service national law firm with expertise across a range of specialisms. We are delighted to offer members of the BFFF Free confidential, unbiased and exclusive access to this CONTRACT / BUSINESS LAW helpline.

Welcome to our first suite of Member Benefits!

This helpline provides BFFF members with access to experienced legal professionals for support on CONTRACT / BUSINESS LAW implications which covers general legal enquiries including advice on debt recovery, property, litigation both corporate and commercial As part of the helpline, each BFFF member will receive:

For more information on any of the benefits offered contact your Membership Account Managers: Dan Schofield Tel: 01400 283095 Email: danschofield@bfff.co.uk or Kate Miller Tel: 01400 664320 Email: katemiller@bfff.co.uk

Contracts of employment

•

Free 30 minutes’ phone consultation concerning any new legal matter

•

A discount of 12% against the standard hourly rates of the fee earners involved thereafter

To discuss any of your legal concerns or issues call Shakespeare Martineau: CALL NOW on

34

0845 697 0416

TRAINING SUPPORT

BREXIT SUPPORT

Dedicated commercial training support by industry professionals.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP are a full service national law firm with expertise across a range of specialisms. We are delighted to offer members of the BFFF Free confidential, unbiased and exclusive access to this BREXIT advice line.

Our BREXIT helpline provides BFFF members with access to experienced legal professionals for support on BREXIT implications which includes advice around immigration, contract support in relation to import/export of goods and support on trade implications relating to tariffs once the WTO rules come into effect

•

Exclusive to BFFF members

•

Bespoke 1 day non-residential course programme tailored to the needs of the industry BFFF Programmes: 1.

Commercial Selling Skills a. End User b. Key Account

2.

Effective ‘Account & Customer Management’ a. Foodservice b. Retail

3.

Negotiating ‘Cost Price Increase’

4.

GSCoP in Action (GCA approved)

As part of the helpline, each BFFF member will receive: •

Free 30 minutes’ phone consultation concerning any new legal matter

•

A discount of 12% against the standard hourly rates of the fee earners involved thereafter

To discuss any of your legal concerns or issues call Shakespeare Martineau: CALL NOW on

0845 697 0410

•

Discounted rates for members

•

Free telephone support as part of each programme CALL NOW on

COMMERCIAL INSURANCE ADVICE

‘MOCK’ EMPLOYERS LIABILITY TRIAL

Speak to us to get advice on the wider insurance market and changes that could impact your business by calling our skilled professionals.

•

Free service to BFFF members

•

Confidential and impartial review of your current insurance provision

•

Identify gaps in your current cover

•

Improve your risk profile

CALL NOW on

0845 697 0412

Employers liability claims can have a significant impact on any business and their directors. We have secured funded places at a Mock Trial event held at the Royal Society, London.

0845 697 0414

•

Experience a civil trial environment

•

Real legal professionals

•

Learn to improve your day to day processes in order that your claims are more defendable

•

20 delegate spaces (for BFFF members)

•

Book your space - Thursday 20th September 2018 CONTACT: clairemathieson@bfff.co.uk

35

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING ADVICE

THERMOGRAPHIC RISK ASSESSMENT

As your business grows and site requirements change, new space is needed. By offering a desktop consultation at the point that developments are planned, advice on a range of matters to avoid future complications can be considered.

What is thermography?

Electrical installations are made up of complex electrical components. As they start to age, they deteriorate and consequently may display elevated temperatures. If left undetected this can result in a catastrophic fire event.

•

Free service to BFFF members

•

Independent advice

Thermography is ideal for seeing what is visible beyond the naked eye.

•

Objective review

•

Exclusive discounted rate for BFFF members

•

Avoid costly mistakes

•

Full report at the end of the survey

•

Dedicated account management team

•

Free access to your e-report online

•

Highly trained surveyor

(You should still discuss any development plans with your current insurer) CALL NOW on

0845 697 0415

CALL NOW on

PRIMARY AUTHORITY Primary Authority is a Government run scheme that helps businesses from unnecessary legal challenges.

BFFF members joined to our Primary Authority schemes enjoy receiving guidance for the local authorities chosen by BFFF for their competence in our sector. Members can take advantage of expertise in for the following areas: • • •

Health and Safety Food Safety & Hygiene Food Standards & Labelling

• • •

Weights & Measures Fair Trading Fire Safety

How can the BFFF Scheme Benefit Your Business?

• We can facilitate access to a wealth of experience and understanding of the scheme • Over 30 pieces of sector wide advice - additional advice driven by member requirements • BFFF do all the administration for setting up a scheme for you – just contact us and we will do the rest • Trade with confidence- no unnecessary enforcement queries • Can potentially save you money • Free to join- as it’s free why wouldn’t you?

CALL NOW on

0845 697 0411

0845 697 0417

MAJOR INCIDENT GROUP First alert for major food safety incidents Following recent food scares and the necessity for members to receive prompt information relating to food safety issues, BFFF created our unique Major Incident Member Interest Group.

BFFF receives the information from a number of reliable food safety information sources and disseminates this to members rapidly. The key features are: •

Exclusive to members

•

Relevant information is gathered from a number of sources and disseminated accordingly

•

Free for members

•

Information is distributed electronically to an unlimited number of BFFF member contacts- add as many of your team to the distribution lists as you would like.

Around 100 of our members have already joined up to this scheme with over 8 communications already going out to the industry.

CONTACT: deniserion@bfff.co.uk

update

From Paul Murray, Head of Commercial.

More new members

With the recent launch of several new and exciting member benefits, BFFF continues to look after the needs of its members. This has meant that our membership continues to grow with the addition of 10 new members since the last issue.

We are please to welcome the following companies to the BFFF family: Alpine Fine Foods - a large Food Service Wholesalers based in Yorkshire offering a large range of Ambient, Chilled, Frozen, Fruit and Vegetables, Fresh Meat and Non Food products Camseng – a Foodservice distributor based in Belfast Qdos Consulting - Leicestershire based Qdos Group deliver HR, Health & Safety, Insurance and Legal services direct to businesses and to membership organisations throughout the UK Optimise Logistics Ltd. - empowering shippers to order, track and manage the movement of goods on one central website.

They streamline logistics by removing unnecessary phone calls, emails and manual documentation.

SAI Global - a leading Assurance Provider, supporting businesses worldwide with auditing, certification and training schemes from farm to plate.

Kirks Kebabs Ltd. - Started out as a kebab takeaway in Skegness. Due to great success, they began supplying other local kebab houses. They now supply many wholesalers throughout the UK and Europe, with the same great taste of our original Kebabs we made by hand when we first started.

Collins McHugh Ltd. - a commercially focused CSR consultancy working with some of the UK's largest companies.

Sco-Fro Group Ltd. - an award winning leader in the processing, selling and marketing of food products, branded and own label, to major retailers and food service distributors worldwide.

Activation Digital Ltd. - an agency built for the digital world, providing clients with a complete range of digital services – from digital full service to specialist individual disciplines, including social, sales promotion, digital media and branded content.

Cordant People – offering tailored recruitment solutions across the UK to a wide range of multi-sector clients. Their expert teams effectively supply a daily workforce of over 6,000 to leading public and private sector companies and organisations across the UK. In this issue we are pleased to feature the profiles of recent new members Kirks Kebabs Ltd. and SAI Global If you would like to book your New Member Profile in The Bulletin, please contact neeshacleary@bfff.co.uk.

For membership enquiries please contact: Kate Miller Tel: 01400 664320 Mob: 07793 499871 Email: katemiller@bfff.co.uk

37

New member profiles

MEM B E R S H I P

Kirk's Kebabs Limited Established in 1990 and incorporated in 2004, we started out as a kebab takeaway in Skegness.

Due to great success, we began supplying other local kebab houses and the business simply grew from there.

Now we supply many wholesalers throughout the UK and Europe, with the same great taste of our original Kebabs we made by hand when we first started.

Who do you work with/for?

We work with many wholesalers, businesses and international food suppliers such as Bidvest / Bidfood.

What do you do?

Why have you joined BFFF?

We supply both Raw Kebabs in a variety of Sizes and Flavours from 15lb to 60lb and also our Authentic Pre-Cooked Hand Sliced Kebab Meat to a wide range of businesses and wholesalers. Without doubt the biggest growth has been in our Authentic Hand Sliced Cooked Kebab Meat. Such a delicious versatile product.

We're looking to form more successful partnerships with food suppliers and distributers throughout the country and Europe.

“We started out as a kebab takeaway in Skegness. Due to great success, we began supplying other local kebab houses and the business simply grew from there.”

What’s your USP? Consistent high-quality pre-cooked kebab meat products that save time, save costs and reduce waste to practically zero.

With these products you don’t need expensive machinery or highly trained staff; It is a highly versatile, simple Re-heat and Serve Product.

Contact Tel: : 01754 763097 / 07770 461124 Website: kirkskebabs.co.uk Email: john@kirkskebabs.co.uk

Where are you based?

Skegness

38

SAI Global

As businesses raise their expectations of suppliers along the food supply chain, the need for a consistent approach to food safety management is critical – whether you are in food production, storage, packaging or preparation.

At SAI Global we’re committed to being a trusted partner and offer:

Operating over 20 years in the Agri-Food sector, SAI Global is the preferred inspection and certification services provider to a wide range of businesses across the food supply chain - from farmers, to manufacturers, processors, retailers, food service providers and restaurant chains.

Reliable services and solutions: SAI Global has a suite of solutions designed for food safety and makes each one fit your business

With a head office in Chicago, and European head office in Milton Keynes, SAI Global operates in over 130 countries, delivers more than 125,000 audits annually and trains over 100,000 customers across public, in-house and on-line courses.

Our teams understand the challenges of building stakeholder trust and confidence for companies at all stages of maturity. They work hard to help companies meet stakeholder expectations for quality, safety, sustainability, integrity and desirability whilst embedding a critical riskbased thinking and a platform of continual improvement.

Certification Services (Management Systems such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001)

•

Audit and Inspection - For compliance with industry, national and international standards including BRC Global Standards, SMETA, FSSC/FS 22000, ISO 22000, SQF, HACCP, IFS, GFSI, PACsecure, GlobalGAP

•

Training solutions

•

Product Certification

•

Technical Advisory

Ease of implementation and management: With simple terms and conditions, our service is easy in every way

•

Affordability: Our competitive pricing takes cost out of the equation allowing you to focus on finding the right solution

•

Trusted Brand: SAI Global is a leading provider of technical, training, auditing and risk management solutions - providing auditing and certification services globally for over 20 years.

•

Confidence: Trust and be confident you will be making the right choice in SAI Global

“With a head office in Chicago, and European head office in Milton Keynes, SAI Global operates in over 130 countries.”

SAI Global's integrated services and solutions include: •

•

Contact Website: www.saiglobal.com/assurance Email: information@saiglobal.com Tel: 01908 793245 39

The Bulletin

T EC H NICA L & L E G I S L AT I V E

From head of technical, Denise Rion

update

FROZEN: THE FOOD WASTE HERO?

Building on a feature in The Grocer, Helen White, Special Advisor – Household Food Waste, from WRAP examines the frozen sector’s opportunity for boxing clever in helping people to make the most of the food they buy, and the size of the prize of reducing frozen food waste.

Big hitter

At the end of May, The Grocer’s ‘Focus on …’ feature shone the spotlight on frozen food with the headline ‘The Comeback Kid’ and an image of Sylvester Stallone as Rocky … The premise of the piece was the rise and rise of frozen, Balboa-esque, from underdog to champion, on the ropes to punching well above its weight.

According to Kantar Worldpanel, and as quoted in The Grocer, that hero could be frozen food. Frozen would appear to be this year’s big hitter: its value has increased by 6.1%, taking sales to £6.1bn, with growth in every sub-category - from ready meals to red meat, potatoes to pizza.

In addition to overcoming previously negative perceptions of frozen as inferior in quality to fresh and chilled, there’s another heavyweight opportunity for the category to strike a decisive blow - in the fight against food waste.

BFFF Chief Executive, John Hyman, noted the plethora of marketing campaigns challenging the perception of frozen as inferior to chilled or fresh, but what about the role of frozen in helping to prevent citizen food waste, which currently stands at 7.1m tonnes per annum (compared to 260,000 tonnes from retail, 1.85m tonnes from manufacturing and 1m tonnes from Hospitality and Food Service)?

But first, let’s get over the idea that frozen food can’t be wasted. It’s frozen, you use what you need, when you need it, right? True, but where there’s food, there’s waste. More than half of us claim to throw away no or hardly any food, yet a quarter of a tonne of food per household ends up in the bin every year, equivalent to 500 meals more than one a day …

WRAP data on the top 10 products most wasted from our homes offers some potentially interesting insight on which foods to focus, with meals (homemade and pre-prepared) at number four, chicken at number eight and processed potatoes at number 10.

The BFFF is now signed up to the Courtauld Commitment 2025 – the UK’s voluntary agreement to make food and drink production and consumption more sustainable. At its heart is a 10-year commitment to identify priorities, develop solutions and implement change to cut the waste and greenhouse gas emissions associated with food and drink by at least one-fifth per person by 2025.

WRAP recently re-stated the UK’s food waste figures, bringing them in line with the international Food Loss and Waste Standard, which coincided with the publication of the C2025 baseline for 2015. So, for the first time, the UK has a complete and comparable estimate for total UK food waste post-farm gate: 10.2 million tonnes.

•

UK citizens waste 420,000 tonnes of meals every year. 150,000 tonnes come from pre-prepared meals, which includes ready meals and takeaways, and costs us £830m per annum

•

Just over half our meat and fish waste (100,000 tonnes) is poultry, most of that chicken, costing £910m

•

We waste 10 times less (77,000 tonnes per annum) processed potato than fresh, but at £260m processed potato waste costs almost half that of fresh potato waste

The biggest reason for wasting meals, poultry and processed potatoes is ‘cooked, prepared, served too much’, unlike fresh produce, which is wasted mainly due to ‘not being used in time’. 130,000 tonnes of meals (home-made and pre-prepared) worth £580m, 33,000 tonnes of poultry worth £300m and 48,000 tonnes of chips, hash browns and waffles etc. worth £160m, are wasted for that reason. Appears to make perfect sense when you consider that frozen food, with a typical shelf life of 18 months, doesn’t really ‘go off’ …

Achieving the C2025 target and reducing food and drink waste in the UK by 20% looks like 1.5 million tonnes less food ending up as waste every year by 2025. Or a reduction from 156kg per person in 2015 to 125kg per person in 2025.

Maybe we do need a hero, after all.

40

The Bulletin TECHNICAL & LEGISLATIVE

A true champion

BOX – Portioning: frozen food’s sucker punch?

Frozen has great waste prevention attributes that can talk the talk almost as well as Mohammad Ali: •

Quality – veg from field to frozen faster than you can say “the pod went pop”, locking in both flavour and nutrients. WRAP research suggests that the journey of food is a powerful hook in bringing the issue of food waste to life; the more citizens can connect with where their food has come from and the effort that has gone into producing it, the more likely they are to value, as opposed to waste, it.

•

Innovation - avocados, breakfast pastries and cocktails – as easy as ABC to prepare and perfect for the health-conscious, adventurous millennial who values convenience (and Instagramability). Of Love Food Hate Waste’s priority segments, Aspirational Discoverers are the highest-wasting group and contain the biggest proportion of 18 – 34-year-olds. Busy, urban, ambitious, three-quarters use convenience foods and change their plans at least once a week …

•

Health & wellbeing – the trend for carb-swapping continues, with products such as vegetable chips offering a one-of-your-five-a day alternative to traditional fries and vegetable pizza bases striking a blow for plant-based eating on the back of the biggest Veganuary to date. WRAP research reveals Aspirational Discoverers are receptive to messages that help them become smarter and savvier, enhancing their lifestyles, not detracting from them. They won’t change their routines wholesale to waste less, but there’s a role for big-picture motivation in helping drive meaningful everyday change. And a true champion can adapt to anything, which is a quote beloved of Floyd Mayweather Junior apparently.

“Perhaps one key area on which the frozen industry could focus is better portioning advice - to counter the issue with preparing, cooking and serving too much?” suggests Helen. “There is also the opportunity to change product portions, packs and labels - to help people to get it right, rather than asking them not to get it wrong. There’s so much that’s original and exciting about frozen food right now, surely, it’s too good to waste?”

Achieving the C2025 target and reducing food and drink waste in the UK by 20% looks like 1.5 million tonnes less food ending up as waste every year by 2025. Or a reduction from 156kg per person in 2015 to 125kg per person in 2025.

41

The Bulletin

H EALTH + SAFETY

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

update

HSE Work-Related Fatal Injuries The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released its annual figures for workrelated fatal injuries for 2017/18, as well as the number of people known to have died from the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, in 2016. The figures can be found here: http://www. hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm

The three most common causes of fatal injuries continue to be due to; workers falling from height (35), being struck by a moving vehicle (26) and being struck by a moving object (23), accounting for nearly 60 per cent of fatal injuries in 2017/18.

The new figures also highlight the risks to older workers; 40 per cent of fatal injuries in 2017/18 were to workers aged 60 or over, even though such workers made up only around 10 per cent of the workforce.

In addition, there were also 100 members of the public fatally injured in incidents connected to work in 2017/18 with just over half of these fatalities occurring on railways.

Mesothelioma, contracted through past exposure to asbestos and one of the few work-related diseases where deaths can be counted directly, killed 2,595 in Great Britain in 2016. The current figures are largely a consequence of occupational asbestos exposures that occurred before 1980. Annual deaths are expected to remain broadly at current levels for the rest of the decade before beginning to decline.

Injured between April 2017 and March 2018 (a rate of 0.45 per 100,000 workers).

Although this represents an increase of nine fatalities from 2016/17, there has been a long-term reduction in the number of fatalities since 1981 and the number has remained broadly level in recent years.

A fuller assessment of work related ill-health and injuries, drawing on HSE’s full range of data sources, will be provided as part of the annual

HSE Chair Martin Temple said:

Health and Safety Statistics released before the end of the year.

“Despite the fact that Britain’s health and safety record is the envy of much of the world, the increase in the number of workers fatally injured is clearly a source of concern.

“Published in the same week as the 30th anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster, the figures serve as a reminder of why health and safety is so important and that we must not become complacent as we continue on our mission to prevent all forms of injury, death and ill health at work.”

The new figures show how fatal injuries are spread across the different industrial sectors: •

38 fatal injuries to construction workers were recorded, accounting for the largest share of any industry. The annual average rate over the last five years in construction is around four times as high as the all industry rate.

•

29 fatal injuries to agricultural workers were recorded. This sector continues to account for a large share of the annual fatality count. It has the highest rate of fatal injury of all the main industry sectors, around 18 times as high as the all industry rate.

•

2 fatal injuries to waste and recycling workers were recorded.

Despite being a relatively small sector in terms of employment, the annual average fatal injury rate over the last five years is around 16 times as high as the all industry rate.

•

15 fatal injuries were recorded in both the manufacturing and the transport and storage sectors. Both industries have an annual average rate of fatal injury around 1.5 – 2 times the rate across all industries over the last five years.

42

The Bulletin HEALTH & SAFETY

New guidelines recently published by the sentencing council New guidelines recently published by the sentencing council are likely to result in longer prison sentences for employers or managers where gross negligence manslaughter occurs.

The Sentencing Council has drawn up comprehensive guidelines for manslaughter cases for the first time, covering everything from an assault to a workplace fatality caused by a negligent employer.

Defendants found guilty in gross negligence cases - where, for example, an employer’s long-standing and serious disregard for the safety of employees, motivated by cost-cutting, has led to someone being killed - are likely to see their sentences increase.

Current sentencing practice in these sorts of cases is lower in the context of overall sentence levels for manslaughter than for other types. Gross negligence manslaughter occurs when the offender is in breach of a duty of care towards the victim which causes the death of the victim and amounts to a criminal act or omission. The circumstances vary greatly. In a work environment, it could cover employers who completely disregard the safety of employees.

•

“high culpability” offences starting at eight years’ custody with a range of six to twelve years,

•

“Medium culpability” offences starting at six years custody with a range of three to nine years,

•

“lower culpability” offences starting at two years custody with a range of one to four years.

For more information see below link: https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/ Manslaughter_Definitive-Guideline_WEB.pdf

A total of 10 offenders were sentenced for this offence in 2016.

The new guidelines apply to sentences in England and Wales on or after 1st November 2018. The new guidelines aim to give consistent sentencing for all forms of manslaughter, this is likely to increase sentences in gross negligence cases. The new guideline sets out four levels of culpability for those convicted, with the sentence range for: •

“very high culpability” offences starting at twelve years’ in prison with a range of ten to eighteen years,

WORKING AT HEIGHT SEMINAR Preventing Falls Whilst Working on Mobile Refrigeration Units 4th October 2018 - The Kube, Leicester Racecourse

In August 2017 the British Frozen Food Federation published new industry guidance on Preventing Falls Whilst Working on Mobile Refrigeration Units. Since then the BFFF and FSDF has been working together to provide evidence of best practice within the industry and definitive examples where this guidance is being put into practice.

Join us for a range of theoretical and practical sessions of working at height including: •

HSE presenting the legal expectations of preventing falls from height

•

Case studies of actual falls from vehicle accidents

•

Legal and claims implications if the guidance is not followed

•

Summary of BFFF Preventing falls guidance to ensure legal compliance

•

Practical solutions to work on vehicles with refrigeration units with risk assessment concept of ‘avoid’, ‘prevent’ and ‘minimise’ - including 6 HGV vehicles with practical access solutions.

Price: £150 + vat members / £180 + vat non-members Please email crystalholmes@bfff.co.uk for your booking form

43

BFFF Primary Authority Scheme

A Free Member Benefit Service What is Primary Authority?

Our Primary Authority partners are:

Primary Authority is a government run scheme that helps protect businesses from unnecessary legal challenges. It helps to ensure businesses operating in the food sector are doing so safely and legally.

Primary Authority is an extension of the old ‘Home Authority’ principle where your local authority and your business worked together to ensure you were on the right side of the law.

Government have recognised that enforcement and interpretation of legal regulations was sometimes variable in its approach, and that many businesses operated outside their own local area, so in 2009 they launched the Primary Authority scheme.

The vision for Primary Authority is to allow business to ‘trade with confidence’ throughout England. Once you have Primary Authority advice signed off within a registered partnership, your operating practices can’t be challenged by any other enforcement authority.

Types of Partnership There are 2 types of Primary Authority scheme; direct and coordinated.

Direct partnerships: A direct partnership with a Primary Authority can look at your specific policies or operating procedures on site and assure themselves that you are operating within the law. In effect they endorse your operations and policies. Given their legal status as a Primary Authority partner this advice then has legal backing for your business.

Co-ordinated partnerships: BFFF operates a co-ordinated Primary Authority scheme and we have an expanding range of sector-wide advice. This partnership operates in the same way as the direct partnership but you don’t need to deal with the Primary Authority directly, BFFF does that for you. You can also rely on this advice as it also has the legal backing for your business.

Why Join the BFFF Scheme Now? The national Primary Authority Scheme has just been amended and relaunched. Up until now it has been difficult for all but the biggest businesses to have both co-ordinated and direct partners but recently this has changed. Now any BFFF member can benefit from advice, whether it is tailored to your business or sectoral advice put in place by BFFF. Don’t worry if you were signed up to the BFFF schemes before, it all still applies.

[A series of unique BFFF schemes are available for Fire Safety only, please contact us for more information.]

What Expertise do BFFF’s Partners Have?

Over the past few years BFFF has worked with a number of local authority experts. We have chosen our partners with care based on their knowledge of the sector and expertise in each of the specialised areas: • • • • • •

Health and Safety Food Safety & Hygiene Food Standards & Labelling Weights & Measures Fair Trading Fire Safety

We have found the advice from our partners to be consistently practical and sympathetic to the views of the industry, whilst they all have first class knowledge of the relevant legislation. More information about BFFF’s PA partners and their expertise can be found on our website, here: http://bfff.co.uk/members/primary-authority/

How Can the BFFF Scheme Benefit Your Business?

•

We can facilite access to a wealth of experience and understanding of the scheme.

•

Over 30 pieces of sector wide advice - additional advice driven by member requirements.

•

BFFF do all of the administration for setting up a scheme for you just contact us and we will do the rest.

•

Trade with confidence - no unnecessary enforcement queries.

•

Can potentially save you money.

•

Free to join – as it’s free why wouldn’t you?

Member Testimonials “Having access to a resource such as the PA scheme with BFFF has meant that our business has always had a route to obtain advice on such subjects as and when was needed.

The advice has always been delivered concisely, quickly and was no more complicated to request than writing an email. This has allowed our business to trade confidently with customers on technically difficult areas while avoiding additional costs which are sometimes associated with obtaining third party assistance.”

“We have used the PA almost since its inception for Fire Safety Advice. We have used our annual visit to verify that the Fire Risk Assessment has been completed / reviewed and remains compliant. We have also used the service to argue a point with our insurers, who were asking for unnecessary improvements. I cannot fault the service, you would be ill advised not to make use of it.”

“These initiatives led by BFFF have led to reduced risk for our business/greater confidence to operate in a grey legislative area and has saved time and money on queries being raised in these areas.”

For further information please contact: Denise Rion Email: deniserion@bfff.co.uk Dir Tel: 01400 664319

or

Crystal Holmes Email: crystalholmes@bfff.co.uk Dir Tel: 01400 664309

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

45

Industry services

The Bulletin The Bulletin

transforming temperature control

The Bulletin

IN DU ST RY S ERV IC E S

SECTOR

Technology

Seven Telematics Ltd. Seven Telematics is the leading manufacturer of temperature data loggers, remote monitoring and vehicle tracking for road transport and cold storage applications.

Transcan® temperature data loggers are recognised as the world’s most widely used road transport temperature monitoring device.

Transcan® products have been watching over freight across the globe for over 20 years and provide the standard in monitoring critical cargo conditions whilst in transit.

Seven Telematics combine the trusted format of Transcan® recorders with state of the art technology through their Seven Eye® telematics system, offering both standard vehicle tracking for dry freight vehicles and real-time temperature monitoring and alerts for refrigerated transport, via satellite links to

their range of EN12830 verified temperature data loggers. Live temperature monitoring with alarm alerts deliverable by SMS and/or email to designated recipients is in addition to all the usual vehicle and driver management data including fuel economy analysis, digital tachograph interface, KPI reporting, fuel tank level, axle load monitoring, etc.

Seven Telematics has been founded on delivering the highest standards of service and product knowledge. Customers demand exacting standards as the transportation and temperature controlled logistics sector begins and ends with product integrity. With years of proven experience in the sector, Seven Telematics will ensure that product standards remain paramount to your transport and logistics operation.

CONTACT DETAILS

ADDRESS The Coach House, 67 London Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1RZ WEBSITE www.seventelematics.com TEL +44 (0)1636 550320 EMAIL

KEY TEAM MEMBERS

sales@seventelematics.com

Michael Kane, Sales Director Martin Jane, Key Account Manager

47

The Bulletin

The Bulletin

DAT E S f o r y our

D I A RY .

13th June

2018

2019

4th October

7th February

Working at Height Event

BFFF Annual Conference & People Awards Birmingham Hilton Metropole www.bfff.co.uk

The Kube Leicester Racecourse www.bfff.co.uk

Specialist event for anyone working at height.

21st–25th October SIAL Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris www.sialparis.com

The world's largest food innovation exhibition.

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

Top networking event for retail and foodservice.

21st November BFFF Industry Forum JLT Offices EC3A 7AW www.bfff.co.uk

Hear about the latest market updates as well as our new member benefits.

Find out the future of frozen food.

7th February Technical Seminar Birmingham Hilton Metropole www.bfff.co.uk

Keep up to date with the latest technical news.

7th February Health & Safety Seminar Birmingham Hilton Metropole www.bfff.co.uk

Keep up to date with the latest H&S news.

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

The UK's largest food and drink event.

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

The definitive awards for the frozen food industry.

25th-26th June TCS&D Exhibition East of England Arena Peterborough Tel: 01732 868288

The UK's only event for the perishable product supply chain.

26th November Annual Luncheon London HIlton on Park Lane www.bfff.co.uk

Top networking event for retail and foodservice.

For more information on any of our events or to book tickets, please call: 01400 283090 or email: jilly wallis@bfff.co.uk

visit us at bfff.co.uk

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MEMBER BENEFITS...We’ve got you covered!

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