Food & Drink News July/August 2019

{

ONLIN E MA NOW AGAZINE VAILAB LE!

JULY/AUGUST 2019

EXCLUSIVE FEATURES GOLDEN BAKE GOLDEN BAKE ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF ITS VEGAN PUFF PASTRY RANGE KERVAN GIDA TURKISH DELIGHT FOR CONFECTIONERY BRAND MAKING ITS MARK IN THE UK SIMPLI BAKED AND THAT’S A WRAP!

W W W. F O O D A N D D R I N K N E W S . C O . U K

{ July / August 2019 }

Contents ONLINE E MAGAZINABLE! AIL NOW AV

04 INDUSTRY NEWS 16 PRODUCT CHAIN 18 GOLDEN BAKE 20 KERVAN GIDA 23 SIMPLI BAKED 28 NASCO UK 30 GLOBAL FOODS LIMITED

TO VIEW THE 2019 FEATURES LIST PLEASE VISIT WWW.FOODANDDRINKNEWS.CO.UK OR CONTACT US AT +44 (0)1484 321000 TO EMAIL A COPY TO YOU

2

July/August Food & Drink News

{ Editor’s Foreword }

Editors Foreword

PUBLISHER Planet Media & Design Ltd Brooke’s Mill, Huddersfield HD4 7NR

MANAGING DIRECTOR Jillian Evans

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Paul Roper

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Sarah Hoyer

CHIEF EDITOR David Barnett

SUB-EDITOR Rachael Whiteley

SOCIAL MEDIA Benjamin Wainman

CONTACT US: FACEBOOK @food&drinkmagazine

INSTAGRAM @food&drinkmagazine

TWITTER @food_drink_news

CONTRIBUTE info@planet-media.co.uk

The restaurant trade is in many ways on the front-line of the food and drink industry… it is where the hard work of many retailers, manufacturers, producers and transport companies ends up.

So taking the pulse of the restaurant and cafe industry in many ways gives us an idea of how well the larger industry overall is doing. But, as we can see from our focus piece in this issue, that can be a complicated thing with many factors that requires far more thought and analysis than merely adding up the numbers of openings and closings.

What gives us perhaps a better idea is the success of those retailers, manufacturers and producers, many of who are profiled in this latest magazine, and who show that hard work, ambitious planning and a confident approach are all drivers of success… both of the individual companies and the wider industry in general.

ADVERTISING advertising@planet-media.co.uk EDITORIAL editorial@planet-media.co.uk MAG SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@planet-media.co.uk

David Barnett CHIEF EDITOR

Food & Drink News is published by Planet Media & Design Ltd. Company registered in England & Wales, number 09365661. All material is the copyright of Planet Media & Design Ltd. All rights reserved. Food & Drink News is the property of Planet Media & Design Ltd. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, whole or part, without the written permission of a Director of Planet Media & Design Ltd. Liability: while every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers can not be held responsible for the accuracy of information herein, or any consequence arising from it. In the case of company or product reviews or comments, these have been based upon the true and honest opinion of the Editor at the time of going to press.

July/August Food & Drink News

3

{ Industry News }

RIGGS AUTOPACK FILLING MACHINES FOR ARTISAN FOOD PRODUCERS Based in Nelson, Lancashire, Riggs Autopack is an award-winning British manufacturer of highquality volumetric filling machines. They are a UK market leader with an excellent reputation and supply their equipment to the food production industry.

The mainstay of the company is their Model 1000 range of semiautomatic filling machines, designed specifically for artisans and small-scale food producers that require quick product changeovers and short batch runs.

These high-quality filling machines are at the forefront in terms of hygienic design and food production efficiency. They provide damage-free depositing of hot or cold liquid, semi-liquid and suspended solid products, and accurately fill most types and size of container.

Manually filling jars and other containers can be tiring and time consuming, often meaning much of the working week can be spent in production fulfilling orders. This can then impact heavily on promoting other areas of a food manufacturer’s business in terms of winning new business and bidding for supermarket contracts.

By using a Riggs Autopack semiautomatic filling machine, there can be huge time and production savings resulting in dramatic benefits for small-scale food producers.

Here’s what a small selection of our customers have had to say: Mark Butler (Twist Condiments): “I’m very impressed with our machine. To say I’m pleased is an understatement and I can see this filling machine will transform my

4

July/August Food & Drink News

business. I used to dread filling jars by hand and now it’s no bother!”

Mark Whitehead (The Hawkshead Relish Company): “Riggs Autopack has been excellent to deal with. We’ve been thoroughly impressed with the filling machine and it’s easy-to-use features, which have given us extra flexibility and the capacity to expand our product ranges even further.”

Karen Austin (Peckish Kitchen): “We couldn’t live without the Riggs Autopack filling machine now, it’s awesome! We remember what is was like spending hour upon hour hand ladling our jam products into jars and we couldn’t go back to that now. Dealing with Riggs Autopack has been

a delight.”

Hugh Monroe (Christine’s Cheshire Preserves): “Pleased really isn’t the word we’d use to describe the opinion of our filling machine. We’re delighted. Really couldn’t have coped without it, other half poorly and out of action just at the busiest period in our calendar, and just after a 10,000 jars order was secured from a customer. Thank you for all your help and the speed with which you were able to get a filling machine to us.”

Suitable products typically include jam, marmalade, chutney, pickles, relish, honey, syrup, peanut butter, mayonnaise, sauces, dips, marinades, soup, ready meals, coleslaw, pate, sandwich and pie fillings, dairy products, cake, pudding and dessert ingredients.

If you’re seeking a highquality filling machine to accurately fill jars, bottles, pots, tubs, trays, cake tins, buckets, jerry cans, pouches or bags, then Riggs Autopack could have the solution!

Riggs Autopack Ltd Premier Mill Brunswick Street Nelson Lancashire BB9 0HU Tel: 01282 440040 Email: info@riggsautopack.co.uk www.riggsautopack.co.uk

{ Industry News }

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL A machine available from food processing specialists Interfood Technology is offering extensive opportunities for new product development and is generating a great deal of interest from companies involved in a wide range of processing applications.

The ASP flattening machine is manufactured by German food machine engineers Alco and is available in the UK and Ireland exclusively from Interfood. As its name suggests, it is designed to flatten and roll out all types of fresh and soft frozen products. On show at the recent IFFA 2019 exhibition, it features an upper and lower belt through which the product passes.

Three pairs of rollers alternatively press and release the product to produce a standard and homogenous thickness. This helps to achieve excellent product consistency, with reduced cooking times and lower product loss during the cooking process, along with a bigger product surface area.

Offering continuous adjustment of

production speed, the Alco ASP ensures perfect delivery of product through a swivelling discharge conveyor. The belt is prevented from slipping by rubberised drive rollers and the machine’s integral water spray system prevents build-up of protein on the belts. Ease of cleaning is provided through a belt unit which features a quick tensioning system.

Steve Naylor is Manager of Interfood’s Cooking & Cooling/Pasteurisation Division.

He comments: “The flattening machine is

ideal for products such as chicken breast fillets, kebabs, roulades and schnitzels. It also offers significant potential for developing new products which require a consistent thickness and a larger surface. Flexibility is ensured through the inclusion of a handwheel to allow the roller height to be adjusted.”

Versatility is extended through the availability of various belt widths, from 250mm to 1,000mm, along with the opportunity to include a number of additional options and add-on equipment.

The flexibility afforded by the numerous combination options is extended even further with the Interfood offer to work with processors to develop bespoke solutions if required. By combining the ASP flattener with other equipment from Alco’s extensive range, a complete linear solution can be provided.

www.interfoodtechnology.com

CUSTOMISED WEIGHING AND QUALITY CONTROL FOR INDIVIDUAL PACKET SOUPS A customised multihead weigher and Xray inspection system from Ishida are major components of a new packing line for instant dried soups.

The line installed at Swiss manufacturer

HACO AG includes an Ishida linear multihead weigher and IX-GA X-ray inspection system. The 12-head linear weigher processes the soup ingredients at a speed of up to 170 weighments per minute

with a weighing accuracy of 0.1g.

The main reason for HACO AG’s investment in the new line was the desire for greater flexibility during end-of-line packing. The manufacturer also wanted to considerably increase output and ensure maximum availability.

HACO AG packs the dry soups in bags.

During filling, pasta or vegetable ingredients are mixed with a soup powder. The linear multihead weigher was specially developed for the high-performance handling of freeflowing products with small target weights.

Once the ingredients are in the bag, soup powder is added using auger fillers. The sealed pre-printed bags are then conveyed for quality control in the Ishida X-ray, which is able to handle the commonly-used aluminium-coated bags.

HACO AG places great importance on foreign body detection, less on account of the company’s in-house processes and more to monitor the raw products.

Tel: 0121 607 7700 www.ishidaeurope.com July/August Food & Drink News

5

{ Industry News }

REAPING THE BENEFITS OF THE ‘DIGITAL SAUSAGE FACTORY’ Investment in cutting-edge technology, including industry-specific software from food and drink IT specialist CSB-System, has enabled leading Austrian sausage producer Wiesbauer to be at the forefront of the development of the smart food factory.

When the company’s facility in Vienna was conceived more than 20 years ago, all the major factors for a smart factory were taken into account during the planning stage. They included paperless information processing, automatic production and logistics processes, intelligent material flow control, and networking with other company locations.

A strategically important part of this was the integration of all processes into one software system.

The design of the factory ensures a highly automated and therefore fast process flow

from cutting to production. Movement of hanging meat to the cutting lines is carried out automatically using CSB software. The meat cuts are placed in E3 crates and transported to the high-bay meat warehouse in accordance with information from Recipe Management. On their way, scanners at strategic information points read the crate barcodes, including the crate number, weight excluding tare, item number and batch number as well as the destination defined in the CSB-System.

Tel: +49 2451 625 430 www.csb.com

BOXMART SCOOPS TOP INDUSTRY AWARD WITH TINY REBEL MULTIPACK Innovative packaging provider BoxMart has won a prestigious Starpack Gold Award for its limited edition seventh birthday pack for Welsh craft brewery, Tiny Rebel.

“We were already immensely proud of this project, but to win the Starpack Gold Award is testament to the incredibly innovative team here,” said BoxMart MD Jo Offord. “We’re thrilled the judges recognised the combination of design expertise and technical innovation that delivered an impressive opening experience while securely holding seven beer cans, balloons, pencils – and even a glass!

“As the brand’s first multipack, it needed to feature exceptional design and securely hold the contents during transit. Our unique pack echoes the brewery’s strong identity while delivering a memorable opening experience reflecting its celebratory nature.

“The design featured a tab for easy re-sealing, ensuring it could be reused and saved

6

July/August Food & Drink News

by enthusiasts, while the exterior showcased brand imagery in bright, bold colours with a gloss finish to ensure standout.

“This was a fantastic project to demonstrate our expertise and drive to deliver something unexpected and beyond

expectations,” said Jo. To speak to our expert team about bespoke packaging solutions for your business, please contact BoxMart Sales Director Gary Whitmore on 07710 393081 or contact gary.whitmore@boxmart.co.uk

{ Industry News }

CLAMP SEALS PROVIDE SECURE, HYGIENIC TUBE CONNECTIONS Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has unveiled a series of newly developed clamp seals that ensure rapid and extremely secure tube connections in food and beverage production machines that are required to operate on a continuous basis.

Using the new seals allows customers to eliminate the expense of converting connections to a ‘hygiene flange’ in accordance with DIN 11864, while undesirable over-compression into the interior of the tube connection is averted. In addition, the seals are especially easy to install and re-separate as, by the defined compression, any ‘sticking’ on the flange is contained. The new clamp seals are available from authorised distributor Dichtomatik Ltd, the exclusive provider for

flange connection is sealed.

Ultimately, when it comes to hygiene, the latest clamp seal from Freudenberg is a major advance as the risk of contaminating entire product batches is reduced thanks to its flush closure. As a result, the internal diameter of the seal precisely matches the dimension of the tube’s internal diameter, eliminating any mounting mistakes.

Freudenberg’s food and beverage related products in the UK. Development of the clamp seals has been prompted by the lack of pre-defined compression provided by conventional alternatives. This deficiency results in a portion of the clamp seal protruding into the internal tube connection space once a

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies Dichtomatik UK Ltd Tel: 01332 524422 http://food-beverage-sealsuk.fst.com

TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT MADE EASY WITH THE THERMAPEN IR INFRARED THERMOMETER WITH FOLDAWAY PROBE Infrared thermometers may seem like they have limitations, however, they really are very useful and are ideal for taking surface temperature measurements without ever having to touch the object you’re measuring. This can be advantageous when it’s impractical to insert a probe into the item being measured or if the surface is just out of reach.

Combining the advanced technology of two ETI designed and manufactured products (the RayTemp 2 Plus infrared thermometer and the Thermapen Professional digital probe thermometer), the Thermapen IR offers the convenience of two instruments in one compact unit.

Infrared thermometers are fantastic tools for quickly measuring surface temperatures.

To utilise the infrared function, simply aim the infrared thermometer at the target and press the scan button to display the surface temperature.

The Thermapen IR thermometer features a max/min temperature function accessed via the mode button (IR only). The distance to target ratio is 5:1, therefore the thermometer should be positioned as close to the target as possible. The default

emissivity is 0.95 but can be adjusted between 0.1 and 1.0, if required, via the mode button.

Alternatively, it is possible to take liquid or semi-solid product temperatures using the reduced tip, stainless steel penetration probe (Ø3.3 x 110 mm). The probe conveniently folds back through 180° into the side of the instrument when not in use.

Housed in a robust ABS case containing ‘Biomaster’ additive which reduces bacterial

growth, the Thermapen IR incorporates a motion-sensing sleep mode (penetration probe only) which automatically turns the instrument on/off when set down or picked up, maximising battery life.

Each Thermapen IR is supplied with a traceable certificate of calibration. Competitively priced, at £65 each exclusive of VAT from www.etiltd.com

July/August Food & Drink News

7

{ Industry News }

IWM TO SHOWCASE NEW RANGES OF HYGIENE EQUIPMENT AT PPMA Industrial Washing Machines (IWM) will be exhibiting at the PPMA show, a brand new T400 tray washer, the CW13 EX BT generalpurpose cabinet utensil washer and the new range of boot washers which are ideal for food and pharmaceutical manufacturing environments. Visitors to the event, which is being held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham from the 1 - 3 October, will be able to view IWM’s products and discuss their applications and benefits on stand B104.

The T400 single-lane continuous-wash tray washer which will be taking centre stage at the event, is ideally suited for smaller to medium throughputs, or where operational space is at a premium. The T400 can accommodate up to 400 trays, crates or boxes per hour. It is typically supplied in a continuous straight-through tunnel configuration but overhead feed for oneperson operation is optionally available, as are twin-tank versions for high-care applications.

IWM will also be showcasing its highly regarded CW13 EX BT cabinet washer which boasts solid construction and user-friendly

operation. The new CW13 EX BT generalpurpose cabinet washer provides efficient batch washing for a wide range of items, including trays, machine components/change parts, weigh pans, buckets and utensils. This cabinet washer has been designed with hygiene in mind, with an internal self-cleaning function and the interior of the machine being completely

rounded with no right angles.

The machine is supplied with standard reinforced pull-out washing trays measuring 1,320mm x 700mm, and can accommodate items up to 820mm high. For convenient handling of heavier items, such as machine parts, smaller trays are optionally available.

Another important hygiene solution exhibited by IWM is represented by the new boot and shoe-washing stations range that are ideal for food manufacturing plants and designed specifically for areas where the production and clean zones of a food manufacturing facility meet. The machines come in many varieties, from simple manual versions to sophisticated walk-through models with multiple brushes, automatic chemical dispensing and access control options.

If you would like to see any of the above machines in action, simply arrange a meeting with one of the IWM specialists or drop by for an informal chat on the day.

Tel: 0121 459 9511 www.indwash.co.uk

MIDF HYGIENIC ELECTROMAGNETIC METER FOR ACCURATE ICE CREAM PRODUCTION Badger Meter’s MIDF Hygienic Electromagnetic meter, exclusively supplied by Bell Flow Systems, was the solution to a dairy farm’s flow measurement requirements in the production of ice cream.

The dairy farm required a high accuracy meter to measure the quantity of milk being added to their product.

They had to ensure the consistency in the quality of their final product, whilst also making their process more efficient. Electromagnetic meters are ideally suited to the food and drinks industry due to the superior performance of this technology,

8

July/August Food & Drink News

the design materials and hygienic connections available.

Electromagnetic meters are ideal for applications requiring high accuracy and, compared to other types of flow meter, they require less flow conditioning or minimum piping requirements. This ensures that they can be installed into existing systems easily without lengthy installation times and at reduced cost. The minimum desired conductivity of liquid for these models is 5 microsiemens/cm.

The MIDF has a calibrated accuracy of ±0.2%, it has high repeatability and long-term stability.

The practical application of these features is that the dairy farm management could be confident that each measured batch would have the same accurate volume of milk. The MIDF Electromagnetic meter’s easy-to-read backlit LCD display shows flow rate and both the accumulated total, as well as the batch total, which made their process more transparent and production process more efficient.

In food-grade applications, the MIDF meter is suitable due to its stainless steel housing and high temperature PTFE liner. It has a straight through design and no moving parts, which facilitates quick and easy cleaning.

For more information contact mail@bellflowsystems.co.uk or 01280 817304.

{ Industry News }

INTRODUCING GALLYBIRD – THE UK’S 1ST NATURALLY SUGAR-FREE PREMIUM TONIC WATER Gallybird is the UK’s first naturally sugarfree, zero-calorie premium tonic water.

Sweetened with pure, plant-based stevia leaf extract and expertly blended with natural

quinine, it has the perfect balance of subtle sweetness with a little extra sparkle to give a feather-light, delicious-tasting tonic.

Gallybird has harnessed the sweetness of

stevia leaf extract and blended it with quinine and citrus notes adding extra bubbly mineral water to create its unique, delicately light and naturally sugar-free taste.

Its feather-light taste is refreshingly different to other tonic waters and allows the flavours of your chosen spirit, or nonalcoholic alternative, to shine through.

Wellness today is a way of life for more and more people and consumers are increasingly demanding natural, plant-based ‘clean’ products. Gallybird offers a natural, sugar-free and zero-calorie tonic water – part of a movement of emerging healthconscious premium brands defining a new era in retail.

Fo Kemp, co-founder of Gallybird, says: “We realised that there was a gap in the market for a completely natural, sugar-free tonic water. By using the delicate sweetness of stevia leaf extract we created a naturally delicious, beautifully light premium tonic water that is completely sugar-free with zero calories and doesn’t compromise on taste”.

‘CRACKED’ IT: JUST EGG’S OVAL POACHED EGG WINS FOOD INNOVATION OF THE YEAR The oval version of Just Egg Chilled Foods’ free-range poached egg is proving to be a winner.

Launched earlier this year, the egg took the award for ‘Food Innovation of the Year’ at last week’s National Egg & Poultry Awards at London’s Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington.

The first British manufactured product of its kind, the new oval poached egg is made with free-range, British Lion eggs and prepared and packed to ensure optimum freshness and to preserve flavour,

following the same remit as its round counterpart.

Judges were bowled over by the consistent, high quality of the egg and the simplicity and ease of the level of preparation involved in presenting the product as part of a dish. Perfect for restaurants, hotels and all catering opportunities, the oval egg can be used to complement a varying selection of dishes.

Managing director of Just Egg, Pankaj Pancholi is delighted to receive such an esteemed accolade: “As with all our egg products, our major remit is to meet a high standard for quality and for taste.”

For further information on Just Egg Chilled Foods and its products, log on to www.justegg.co.uk or call 0116 274 2822.

July/August Food & Drink News

9

{ Industry News }

ECLIPSE MAGNETICS EXHIBITING MAGNETIC SEPARATION & DETECTION SYSTEMS AT PPMA SHOW 2019 Eclipse Magnetics will be attending the PPMA Total Show from 1-3 October at the NEC in Birmingham this year. On display will be a selection of products from our comprehensive range of highperformance magnetic separation and detection systems on stand E62.

As the UK’s largest ever event in the processing and packaging machinery sector, the PPMA show is a great platform in which to showcase Eclipse Magnetics’ range of high-quality, high-power magnetic separators for most applications, including bulk, grain, dry powders, damp powders, liquids and syrups, as well as a comprehensive range of metal detectors and vibratory sieves. Used in almost every

processing industry, our magnetic separation systems are the perfect solution for preventing product contamination and damage to machinery.

Martyn Cotterill, General Sales Manager

for Foreign Body Removal at Eclipse Magnetics, said: “One of the greatest challenges to processing industries is ensuring the maximum integrity of the finished product. Our high performance separation systems have a worldwide proven reputation in the food industry, enabling you to protect your brand and your customer.”

As the official partner for Sesotec products in the UK, Eclipse Magnetics is delighted to be able to feature Sesotec’s impressive range of metal detection systems, X-ray detection systems and magnet systems on its stand.

www.eclipsemagnetics.com

IWM LENDS A HAND FOR HIGH-CARE HORTICULTURE The Jones Food Company (JFC), a leading horticulturalist supplying fresh ingredients for many of the high street supermarkets, needed a reliable sanitising solution for the trays in which herbs are grown but because of the unusual size of these trays, no standard washing machine was suitable.

Industrial Washing Machines (IWM) was, however, able to develop an efficient and cost-effective customised machine to meet JFC’s requirements.

To support its drive to achieve greener operations and greater efficiency, JFC challenged IWM’s engineers to develop and build a specialised washing machine for sanitising hydroponic growing trays. These are 1,500mm high x 3,000mm wide x 65mm deep – a completely non-standard size. And the challenge was made even more interesting because JFC needed the machine to be delivered and working within 12 weeks!

10

July/August Food & Drink News

The solution developed by the IWM team was a tailor-made pallet washer that provides an efficient and effective wash process using a hot detergent wash, followed by a fresh rinse, sanitising and twostage drying. The machine uses recirculated and filtered hot water for the washing cycle,

which saves water, energy and detergent.

Apart from loading and unloading it is completely automated and achieves an impressive throughput of up to 50 trays per hour.

www.indwash.co.uk

{ Industry News }

STAINLESS STEEL CRATE DE-STACKER Responding to a growing requirement for stainless steel crate de-stackers within the food industry, L.A.C. Conveyor Systems & Automation have developed a de-stacker that delivers the rapid outputs modern food productions units require. Manufactured to a robust design which provides a costeffective solution for food producers and a reduction in manual handling.

The crate de-stacker handles the two most commonly used sizes of crates in the supermarket sector: • Maxinest Bale Arm Crate 600x400 narrow edge leading in singles or • Maxinest Bale Arm Crate 400x300 wide edge leading in pairs There are two versions: • Non-servo version supplies up to 15 full size crates per minute • Servo version supplies up to 25 full size crates per minute

belt conveyor.

Clamping systems retain the bottom tray whilst the rest of the stack is lifted. The released tray is driven out of the unit by a chain and peg conveyor system and the cycle repeats until all trays have been processed. During de-stacking an anti-topple arm swings across the entrance to control the back end of the stack.

L.A.C. can supply all controls including HMI screens to the destacker whether it be a stand-alone unit or one that is fully integrated into a turnkey solution.

The de-stacker can be used in standalone situations or integrated into a system and is an ideal addition to pick and place units.

Up to four stacks of crates can be queued either onto a stainless-steel bed or modular

Tel: 0115 975 3300 Email: sales@lacconveyors.co.uk Web: https://www.lacconveyors.co.uk

July/August Food & Drink News

11

High-speed doors for Budweiser Efaflex is fitting the new logistics centre of the traditional brewery with 32 industrial doors

EFAFLEX

placed under a great deal of strain: In a few areas of the logistics centre, over 250,000 opening cycles are completed per year.

Efaflex took care of the planning and installation of the doors as well as their connection with the central management system of the logistics centre, In addition, the Bavarian company supplies the brewery with replacement parts when required. Budweiser has been working with Efaflex since 2005.

Bavarian door manufacturer Efaflex has fitted the new logistics centre of the Budweiser brewery in České Budějovice, Czech Republic, with 32 high-speed industrial doors. Among other things, the door systems act as a separation for conveyor belts and between warehouses, as exits as well as insulating hall closures.

In the brewery’s new logistics centre, which was established in spring 2018, there are now 23 highspeed doors which can be traversed when loading the manufactured products. Nine further examples are integrated into the conveyor systems in the fullyautomated production process. In Budweis, the brewing roots go back to the 13th century and the Budweiser brewery has been continuing the old

Seven-aisle logistics centre The logistics centre with its seven aisles was added to an existing plant from 2009. This covers approx. 20,000 pallet sites. More than 160 pallet deposits and 280 pallet removals are recorded here each hour. The existing warehouse and the new warehouse were incorporated in coordinated material flows with reactionless product transport.

The production building and the new distribution centre are connected via a 164-metre-long overhead bridge with an electric monorail conveyor 12 metres high above the street. This system transports more than 2,000 bottles per minute. In the opposite direction, pallets with empty bottles are guided into the bottlefilling plant.

The new bridge reduces street traffic between both company sites, as up until then, the filled beer and the packaging material had to be transported by lorry between the two brewery sites. In the new distribution centre, a further electric monorail conveyor with 21 cars takes over the transportation of pallets between the pre-storage high bay area and the shipping area.

www.efaflex.com

Budweis brewing tradition for over 700 years.

“For us, the flawless operation of the doors is particularly important”, explains Dalibor Čáp, Head of Technology at the Budweiser brewery. “Only when the plants run without a hitch, we can ensure that production and the logistics processes in the factory can work without down-time.” Because part of the products is cooled, a door malfunction would result in an enormous economical loss. Here, the systems are

{ Industry News }

GINS PUT ZING INTO SUMMER Award-winning Yorkshire Wolds-based Raisthorpe Manor is launching three new fruity gins to celebrate summer.

The three small batch flavoured gins – Bubble Gum, Lemon Drizzle and Orange – are all made with Raisthorpe’s finest 40% proof gin.

Quirky and retro, Bubble Gum Gin builds on the success of nostalgic flavours such as Raisthorpe’s popular Sweet Violet Gin Liqueur.

A combination of fruit flavours including strawberry, cherry and cinnamon flavours evoke memories of the childhood sweet favourite.

With all the luscious citrus flavour of a lemon cake, Raisthorpe’s Lemon Drizzle Gin is zesty and naturally sweet while its new Orange Gin is made with a twist of aromatic orange peel to provide real zing.

All three gins can be served over ice, either neat or mixed with premium tonic waters, lemonade or for an extra special drink, a sparkling wine or prosecco.

Raisthorpe’s Sales and Operations Director

Oliver Medforth, said: “We pride ourselves on a close relationship with our customers and we noticed a real trend for nostalgic flavours. Our favourite is the new Bubble Gum Gin which recalls the flavours of

childhood confectionery and is proving popular with consumers.”

The gins are the latest addition to Raisthorpe’s range of award-winning gin, vodka and whisky, and follow the company’s success at this year’s Great Taste Awards.

Raisthorpe won six coveted gold stars for its Rose and Sloe Gins, its Raspberry Gin Liqueur and Pink Grapefruit Yorkshire Tonic at the awards.

Raisthorpe products are made using only the finest (locally sourced where possible) ingredients and have won 12 Great Taste Awards in total. Two of its liqueurs are currently stocked in the cocktail bars of Harvey Nichols nationwide.

Available in 50cl bottles, the new summer gins retail for £22.00 a bottle and are available from independent retailers throughout the country as well as via Raisthorpe’s website.

www.raisthorpemanor.com

PERISHABLE SUPPLY CHAIN SPECIALISTS … WE’LL MAKE A GREAT PEAR Brunel Shipping are a leading logistics provider based in Essex. With continued growth we now have offices in Heathrow, Manchester, Basildon and Schenzhen China.

Initially specialising in container imports from China, Brunel now have dedicated air freight, european road freight and project cargo handling services and have also placed a special emphasis on Ecommerce services at Felixstowe and Heathrow in order to service the growth in online shopping habits.

E-commerce and Amazon Specialists Brunel have E-commerce fulfilment centres at Heathrow and Felixstowe, specialising in ecommerce customs clearance, labelling and FBA delivery to Amazon hubs throughout the UK. We also offer long-term storage on request.

Brunel also have our own in-house Customs Consultancy service giving

specialised advice on any issues that relate to Brexit.

We believe we have the perfect blend of traditional freight forwarding services coupled with the growing demand for specialised supply chain and e-commerce solutions.

Contact us today Brunel can be contacted for a quote or to arrange an appointment on info@brunelshipping.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can visit our website: brunelshipping.co.uk

July/August Food & Drink News

13

{ Industry News }

HERALD’S FOLDING CUTLERY ‘CLIKS’ WITH THE MARKET One year on from the launch of its Clik range, quality disposables supplier and manufacturer, Herald has reported unprecedented sales success, with this easyto-use selection of folding cutlery now ranking among its top-selling items.

Herald also supplies meal pack solutions, containing plastic cutlery, napkins and condiments, and other wrapped cutlery which have likewise enjoyed a rise in sales in recent months. The supplier is now increasing the amount of warehouse space it allows for these items in order to meet demand.

Managing Director of Herald, Yogesh Patel, comments: “We’re particularly delighted with the response to the Clik range. The products are extremely versatile and handy. They’re fully recyclable and have been competitively priced so, all in all, it’s no surprise that they have become best sellers.

We knew we had a good product and the level of demand has been especially high.

“Sales of meal packs, containing salt and pepper, are consistent with food-to-go providers competing to ensure that their offering is the very best. Providing cutlery, napkins and condiments in a single pack is both convenient and hygenic, which is a winner with the customer. We expect to see sales of the wrapped products continue to

rise.”

Clik products are available in black and white, and are suitable for an array of foods, including fruits and salads. The range sits alongside Herald’s three other disposable cutlery ranges, Carizma, Tuzcani and Windzer.

The company’s wide selection enables the customer to shop according to style and budget preference, with products that vary from standard to deluxe.

Herald has been careful not to sacrifice quality for price and adheres to a standard, refusing to stock products that fall below a certain grade in order to protect its reputation and its customers’ expectations.

For further information on Herald, log on to www.heraldplastic.com or call 0208 507 7900.

NOLUMA BRINGS FIRST LIGHT-PROTECTED DAIRY TO CHINA AND THE USA Noluma International, LLC, the leader in light protection technology, has announced two new partnerships with dairy brands that are setting a new benchmark for the global dairy industry by better protecting their products from light damage. Both Honest

14

July/August Food & Drink News

Dairy in China and Lancaster Local in the USA now carry Noluma-certified dairy products.

Light exposure from retail lights or refrigerators can degrade vitamins, nutrients, freshness and taste in dairy. Now that consumers are more health conscious than ever before, it is critical the products they buy contain the nutrients promised on the label, and remain fresh until the expiration date.

Noluma works with companies on packaging improvements, in a science-based, patented testing process.

In China, the new partnership with Guongzhou-based

yogurt producer, Honest Dairy, certifies its Body Knows™ probiotic yogurt for its capacity to prevent damage caused by light exposure. Shelf life is extended from 18–21 days as a result of the upgraded packaging.

In the USA, the first-ever light protected organic milk is now available in the MidAtlantic region, from a Pennsylvania coalition of dairy farmers who worked with Noluma to certify new organic milk with A2A2 protein. The product is now available in grocery stores in Pennsylvania, D.C., Maryland, Delaware and New York.

Companies who work with Noluma to meet the gold standard for light protection can add the Noluma™ logo to their packaging, certifying that packaging achieves the best scientifically possible protection from light damage.

www.noluma.com

{ Industry News }

INTERFOOD CONGRATULATE ADDO AS WINNER OF NATIONAL AWARD Interfood Technology were delighted to be the sponsors of an award which saw the Addo Food Group crowned ‘Manufacturer of the Year’.

Addo won one of 20 categories at the 2019 Meat Management Industry Awards presented as part of a celebratory dinner at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel on 27 June.

This year the annual awards attracted a record number of entries, with some 400 guests in Birmingham to see representatives from the winners receive their trophies from British magician and TV presenter Ben Hanlin.

Addo Food Group is a UK-based producer of chilled savoury pastry products, with a wide range of brands, including household names such as Pork Farms, Walls and Bowyers. The company proved victorious in the hotly contested ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ category, sponsored by Interfood, winning against stiff competition from many of the UK’s leading food manufacturers and processors.

Interfood has been a long-standing

supporter of the awards, with Mark Bishop, Joint Managing Director of Interfood, commenting: “events such as this, which celebrate the best that the UK meat industry has to offer, are an important way of rewarding those companies that continue to innovate to deliver the products that today’s consumers demand. We have a role to play in that process, offering the equipment and the all-important support services that help in the manufacture of such quality produce.

“As such, we are delighted to support the industry through initiatives such as the Meat

Management Awards. Having received a number of awards over the years ourselves, we recognise their importance in driving the industry forward by shining a spotlight on those companies and individuals who are demonstrating best practice, professionalism and excellence in what they do. We offer our hearty congratulations to the Addo Food Group and indeed to all this year’s winners.”

In addition to the awards presented to companies, there were also a number for individuals, including George Williamson of Dunbia who won Young Manager of the Year and Penny Tomlinson of Fairfax Meadow who received the coveted Meat Management Excellence Award.

With representatives from meat manufacturers, the supermarkets, suppliers to the industry, trade organisations, catering butchers and independent retailers all amongst those who attended the awards, the evening provided a true representation of the many facets that make up the UK meat industry.

www.interfoodtechnology.com

BAUMER LAUNCH NEW PRODUCTS AT PPMA SHOW Sensing and instrumentation specialists Baumer Ltd will be showcasing their extensive range of Sensor Solutions for Packaging and Food & Beverage applications at the PPMA Total Show, NEC 1-3 October on stand D54, Hall 5. launched at the show will be a new multi-spot laser measurement sensor with Ethernet interface and webserver, together with robust, IP67 ultrasonic sensors.

Also on display within the theme of ‘Everything we do from Process to Packaging’ will be: the latest generation of miniaturised photocells, Nextgen, hygienic and wash-down photo-electric sensors, FlexFlo, hygienic flow sensors and Cleverlevel, the new standard of the high performance level sensor that works for all media. Also available will be high performance distance measuring sensors which provide high accuracy, irrespective of

the packaging material and VeriSens smart camera technology with the industry’s only IP69K variant.

Baumer will be demonstrating working

models of sensors which illustrate their expertise in the food, beverage and pharma sectors emphasising their core strengths of EHEDG and hygienic compliance for flow, level, temperature, pressure and conductivity products. They will also be showcasing detection and position/distance sensing products with live demonstrations of photoelectric, laser, ultrasonic, capacitive and encoder sensor technologies for applications such as packaging, filling OEMs, end users and system integrators.

July/August Food & Drink News

15

{ Product Chain }

Backing the chain gang to get your product in pole position So you’ve got a killer idea for a brand new product. You’ve got the means of production in place, you’ve got the confidence that it could be a huge success.

T

here’s only one problem: how do you get it on to store shelves across the land? Enter Product Chain. Their business is making your food business idea work, and helping you get it into the hands of consumers, whether you’re the aforementioned hypothetical entrepreneur with a great idea, or an international business looking to get a foothold in the UK market.

But don’t make the mistake of thinking they’re just any old sales agency. Product Chain is a team of experienced and, in their own words, “passionate foodies” who excel in gaining traction for food and drink brands in the UK. Their speciality is FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) and they have 25 years’ experience and a network of influential contacts to die for, as well as being able to tap into extensive resources and specialist knowledge to allow any new brand to get into the heart of British retail. Based in Berkshire, they are only 25 miles from Heathrow and at the heart of Britain’s motorway transport network.

They say, “Developing a new product is just the first step. There are many more hurdles to overcome if you want to see that product on the shelves of big national retailers.

“Passionate entrepreneurs drive exciting food and

16

July/August Food & Drink News

drink innovation. However, many of these entrepreneurs do not come from an FMCG or retail background. So how do you know the process to get a product onto supermarket shelves? As the saying goes ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’.

“Well, that’s where we come in. At Product Chain food and drink retail is our lifeblood. We can help guide you through the process, and believe us, there is a process. Big companies like Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Boots have many procedures and time-plans that must be followed to maximise the chance of a successful listing.”

Product Chain prides itself on “spotting what’s hot and most likely to tickle retailer and consumer taste buds”, and says the team has “an insatiable appetite for

{ Product Chain }

trying new things.” They add: “We’re always on the lookout for new products and enjoy regular ‘tasting sessions’ where we love debating upcoming trends and issues. We believe that living and breathing food and drink is essential to keep at the forefront of the industry.”

Product chain say: “Every member of our team is highly experienced in what they do, lending you the skills and insights you need to deliver your brand vision. Our Sales team are incredibly well connected, tenacious and resourceful. Ultimately they deliver results. Both our clients and our Sales team are supported by skilful Client Liaison Managers who ensure smooth operations all the way.”

There’s no off-the shelf solutions at Product Chain – they offer a tailor-made service to each of their clients, whether that be a full, bespoke service from start to finish or picking some key areas that are most important.

As Product Chain likes to say, knowledge is power, and they are upfront in advising clients on the viability of their products, always ready to suggest ways to improve the chances of take-up by both retailers and consumers.

They say: “If there is doubt regarding the viability of a proposition within the UK marketplace, we can conduct bespoke consultancy projects to help inform the final decision. Conducting a thorough market analysis upfront allows all parties to make a more informed choice before embarking on a potentially costly launch programme.”

Perhaps the best way to illustrate the Product Chain process is to look at a case study. When three close friends made a trip abroad they were shocked at the number of discarded plastic water bottles they saw.

They decided to come up with a solution, and that was CanO Water – water in a can, which is far more easily recycled and doesn’t contribute to the mountain of plastic that’s choking our oceans.

The CanO Water team met with Product Chain in the summer of 2017, who immediately spotted that the concept was both well-timed – there was starting to be increasing concern about plastic – and also a beautifully-designed product.

Product Chain say: “In a climate where we are all concerned about the negative impact of plastic on the environment, the idea of water in a can clearly offered huge potential if positioned correctly.”

Product Chain worked with the team at CanO Water to define the primary sales targets and they agreed that a combination of foodservice plus at least one major retailer was the best way to launch.

Product Chain says: “Price positioning within foodservice can often be challenging due to the

multiple tiers to get to shelf. Accordingly, we advised some practical packaging changes to achieve a more appealing price point. Working together we achieved this and subsequently landed deals with Bidfood, Brakes and Compass, opening the door to thousands of food service sites nationwide.”

On the supermarket front they debated whether the same strategy would work. Following a meeting with Tesco they discussed a slightly different format to offer the greatest consumer appeal. Together, with a wellthought-out proposition, supported by market data, they achieved a listing in almost 700 Tesco stores as of summer 2018.

Within the first year working together, CanO Water and Product Chain achieved a very solid base from which to continue growing the brand. You can now find Cano Water in Tesco, Morrisons, Spar and Budgens as well as across many foodservice sites.

That’s just one of the many, many success stories Product Chain has been involved in. And getting the products on the shelves isn’t the end of the story.

They say: “Of course, once your product is live instore the work doesn’t stop there. We’ll monitor sales and promotions, review results and apply learnings so together we continue to build your business. We can also help you with your operational and logistics if required.”

Product Chain can manage invoicing, stock forecasting – ensuring the product stays in stock once on the shelves – and ensure the money is delivered into clients’ bank accounts. They add, “Our reputation with buyers for presenting well-thought-out, quality product propositions means doors are open to us that may be closed to unknown brands.”

www.productchain.com

July/August Food & Drink News

17

{ Golden Bake }

Golden Bake announces the launch of its vegan puff pastry range With tradition and experience on their side, innovation and new product development continue to be the key to success for Golden Bake who announce the launch of their vegan puff pastry products.

G

olden Bake has been making the finest frozen puff pastry products in Dublin, Ireland, since 1987 and are industry experts in puff pastry production. With a wide range of sweet, savoury and unfilled products using the traditional French method of lamination, Golden Bake pride themselves on having the highest quality pastry in the market with up to 100 layers of light flaky pastry.

Providence and supporting local suppliers has always be a cornerstone to Golden Bake’s success and this is unchanged as they source Irish reared pork and chicken, Irish cheese and UK Bramley apples to name but a few.

With continuous product development and investment, they have expanded and evolved to become Ireland’s leading producer of frozen puff pastry products and supply the biggest retail and foodservice customers in Ireland and the UK, meeting their complete puff pastry requirements. Golden Bake also have their own retail brand which allows the consumer to buy their products in the freezer aisle to bake off

18

July/August Food & Drink News

later at home. The retail range was expanded and the brand updated in 2017 and the company has seen over 100% revenue growth in those products since then.

Golden Bake are best known for their Ham & Cheese Crown which is known locally simply as a ‘Jambon’!

There are few people left in Ireland who don’t know of or who have not tried one of Golden Bake’s products and with distribution growing across the UK don’t be surprised if you hear about the ‘Jambon’ coming to a shop near you.

Golden Bake CEO, Robin Jones, explained about Golden Bake’s plans for the future, saying: “We have recently invested in a new test bakery and expanded our New Product Development team as we are committed to creating the most innovative and tastiest products in the puff pastry industry. We have seen phenomenal interest in our new product ranges and are delighted to announce that we are launching a vegan puff pastry range. We have also increased our production capacity to satisfy the increased demand as we are on course for 50% revenue growth across the

{ Golden Bake }

company in 2019�.

The vegan pastry range will include a vegan sausage roll and a vegan version of the ‘Jambon’ with a curried cauliflower and sweet potato filling. Both products will be available in a bulk-in-box offering for the foodservice market from August and will be available in a consumer retail freezer aisle offering by the end of the year. Golden Bake are committed to expanding its vegetarian and vegan friendly ranges both in its savoury and sweet categories.

If you would like further details on Golden Bake, visit their website: www.golden-bake.com, email contact@golden-bake.com or call +353 1 847 0857.

July/August Food & Drink News

19

{ Kervan Gida }

Turkish delight for confectionery brand making its mark in the UK The Kervan Gida confectionery operation came to the UK from its native Turkey in 2015, and has established itself as one of the premier suppliers of sweets across the country.

The company began as a chewing gum producer in 1995, expanding to create its Bebeto brand three years later. The mid 2000s saw a series of link-ups with established brands such as Wrigley’s and Frito Lay, producing high-quality confectionery for them and others.

It remained a Turkish operation until 2012, when it established its first foreign office in the USA, and in 2015 the UK operation was started, headed up by Stuart Johnston, who has a long history of confectionery and food production work over here.

The company has a five-point mission-statement that sets out their stall: We are trusted. Because we do not produce and sell products that we do not trust. Our reliability stems from our principles.

We are brave. Because while we produce new and different tastes in the globalising world, we get our strength from the individuals with whom we share our products.

We are joyful. Because colours and flavours are indispensable sources of our joy at the work.

We are dynamic. Because we have brands preferred in the world and in Turkey with our young, agile and innovative team.

We are determined. Because it is our dreams that lead us to success. We progress with this awareness and belief.

20

July/August Food & Drink News

Kervan Gida has three factories in Turkey which produce a huge amount of confectionery, both under their own branded labels such as Bebeto and own-brand products for other retailers and suppliers.

One of Stuart’s first actions was to get the Bebeto brand known over here in the UK, and he instigated a mission to get stocked in some of the major High-Street outlets. Now you can find the products in One Stop, Morrisons, Nisa, B&M, Iceland and all the major cash-andcarry groups.

He says: “Over the past four years we have started to become more well-known as a business in the UK, and our aim in the near future is to be as wide-ranging as possible in terms of the products we are offering and where you can buy them.”

Stuart set up the UK operation with the family that had established the business in Turkey, coming from a background of importing, retail and manufacturing in the confectionery industry.

Kervan Gida has sales over £100m worldwide, and supplies to 90 countries, with 1,500 employees internationally and offices in four countries.

The UK side of things experienced huge growth early on, and has maintained that, growing year on year, with the plan going forward to keep increasing by double digits every year.

It’s an ambitious mission, but with the Bebeto brand

{ Kervan Gida }

Perishable goods are highly specialised and require extra levels of care and attention. With extensive experience in this area, Brunel Shipping are experts when it comes to arranging shipping, customs clearance and delivery of these products.

We have a key understanding of the various logistics and temperature controlled issues that come with cool chain and supply chain management operation.

Perishable & Food Stuff Supply Chain Specialists We provide a full range of services to ensure the proper conditions and compliance of a wide range of perishables across the supply chain. With carefully chosen partners we can service the food and beverage industry from origin to destination by working with our air freight and road freight divisions and by planning the most economical and cost-effective routes for each shipment.

Our Perishable Services Include: • Full DEFRA / PEACH compliance • Local Port Health and CVED specialists • Customs Clearance in all UK Ports • Direct access to all UK Sea & Air Port systems • Nationwide & European Refrigerated Transport • Global presence for Worldwide Supply Chain • Full Deferment Facility • Free Expert advice on all Shipping or Documentation • 24 hour / 7 days a week availability Tel: 01268 243620 Email: info@brunelshipping.co.uk

and the Dexter’s brand that the UK operation introduced and focused on, and the products they make for other brands, such as Vimto, Stuart is confident they will do it.

He’s also thinking laterally to maximise opportunities.

Earlier this year he struck a licensing deal with Cartoon Network, the US animation giant, to create branded products based on their Dexter’s Laboratory show – a nice bit of synergy as the company already has the hugely popular Dexter’s brand.

At the moment, the split between what Kervan Gida put out is two thirds own-branded products and one third for other companies. The UK operation is based in Chichester and brings in produce made by the factories in Istanbul and Izmir, with their own warehouses in Chichester and Liverpool, which is then distributed all over the UK by a third-party transport operation.

While growth and visibility are of course the key strands of future development, Stuart says innovation is the key to the business, in how they get future suppliers and own-brand contracts, in the range of products that they have available, and also meeting new consumer and retail demand for both what goes in the products and what the products are packaged in.

The company’s main focus for 2020 is to expand their reduced-sugar ranges, which Stuart says is retailer-driven rather than consumer-driven. There is growing awareness and interest in the sugar content of sweets especially, and Kervan Gida is responding to this with a range of products that have 30% reduced sugar.

Another area they have been making great strides in is in high fruit content ranges, to also meet the demand from retailers who want to be able to provide a sweet treat to customers that also allays parents’ worries about what their children are eating.

And another big concern is the environmental impact of packaging from snack foods, which is why Kervan Gida is working hard on finding alternatives to plastic packaging and are hoping to move towards fully compostable and recyclable packaging in the future.

www.kervangida.com/en

July/August Food & Drink News

21

{ Simpli Baked }

And that’s a wrap!

It’s been a year of growth for the Flat Bread Company with expansion into new markets, innovating in new product lines, and investment in brand new production capabilities that has paid dividends.

S

pecialising in premium quality bread products for the home and export markets, the Tullamorebased company manufactures wraps, tortillas and pizza bases, including gluten-free products, with a wide range of flavour profiles.

Trading under the brand name of Simpli Baked, the business has increased turnover by 60% since 2017, and gone from strength to strength.

Attracting a number of new clients who were themselves expanding meant that the factory was working flat out to meet demand.

Managing Director, Kieran Walsh, says:“In late 2017 we successfully attracted a number of key new customers who have all grown their business and we needed to run the facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“We only stopped production for Christmas and Easter in 2017 and 2018. So we really needed to invest and I am happy to say that in 2019 we will now have doubled our capacity, allowing us to take a breath.”

That breather was a result of £2.3m investment, and Kieran adds: “The increasing of capacity and capability pretty much has just come online in the past few weeks so we are currently working through exciting times.”

Keeping up with current trends in the market is key to the company’s success, as is seeking out new markets further afield.

Kieran says: “The product development department

have been quite busy working with customers and current trends. It’s always moving forward, the day the business stands still is only one day away from going backward. We’ve developed the gluten-free side of the business along with niche flavours for key customers, the most unusual probably being vanilla for a German customer, or black tortilla.

“Tastes in the UK and Ireland are pretty much the same, but when you get into Europe there are plenty of differences. Probably the Dutch are the closest to us in what they like.”

He says the customer type has remained fairly constant but the company has increased the number of sandwich manufacturers they work with, as well as driving up business with the retail brands in the home market.

It’s especially impressive when you know that the company’s previous factory was destroyed by a serious fire just four years ago, in 2015.

“That was a very difficult year, but since then we’ve gone from strength to strength,” says Kieran, who previously worked at the Kerry Group for 10 years before founding the Flat Bread Company Ltd in 2009 with his brother Sean and business partner Niels Ladefoged.

The only factory in Ireland producing ambient and frozen tortillas, Simpli Baked in the last couple of years widened the flavour profile of its core process to include ingredients such as beetroot and Thai ginger. It

July/August Food & Drink News

23

Best wishes and continued success to The Flatbread Company from the team in

www.keyingredientseurope.com We specialise in the Installation, Service & Maintenance on a wide range of Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Equipment.

Huge thanks & best wishes to Kieran & all the team in Simpli Bake.

Buggy Refrigeration, bringing a fresh approach to your cooling needs.

Unit A3/A4 Annacotty Business Park, Limerick, T: 00 353 61 358977 E: sales@keyingredients.ie

24

July/August Food & Drink News

Buggy Refrigeration, Tanyard Lane, Tullamore, Co. Oaly, Ireland.

Tel: +353 (0) 57 9333850 Email: info@buggyrefrigeration.com

{ Simpli Baked }

also specialises in thin crust pizza bases, made with fresh yeast.

Both the tortillas and pizza bases are now available with gluten-free options to cater for the growing number of consumers requesting such products, whether they are coeliacs or going gluten free by choice.

These developments have brought new customers on board and boosted existing customer relationships, as well as foodservice customers, which the company supplies both directly and via distributors. The Flat Bread Company also creates products for some customers’ own label brands.

“It has allowed us to get into a lot more and very significant customers over the past few years,” says Kieran. “The gluten-free market is now a very important part of our business. It brings challenges, there’s a lot of work goes into making gluten-free products, but it’s an interesting market to be in.”

Following the devastating fire, the company managed to keep going until the new state-of-the-art facility came online exactly 300 days later. At 23,000 sq ft, the new site has a better layout and plenty of capacity for future expansion.

Having just made the significant investment, though, they’re not planning any further huge expansion, at least not publicly. “Firstly we need to bed down the expansion we’ve just commissioned but at the same time we are still working on the next phase but that’s a little confidential to release just yet.... but watch this space!” says Kieran.

“When we built the factory after the fire, we made sure it was capable of taking up to four more production lines,” explains Kieran. “The new line that we’ve just completed is part of that, it sits within the building and effectively doubles our business. I didn’t expect to be at this level so quickly, but it’s great that we can increase our capacity so much.”

The production line only stopped for Christmas Day and Easter, but the new equipment has enabled them to run 24 hours a day five days a week rather than seven, which allows them time for general maintenance.

The increased customer base is due to a combination of winning additional business from existing clients and bringing new ones on board.

“One of the consequences of the Brexit vote was that we decided to look beyond the UK and become less dependent on that market,” says Kieran. “Historically we would have probably done about 80% sterling export, now we’re at around a 50/50 split. It’s about not putting all our eggs in one basket. The UK and Irish markets remain crucial, but we now also export to France,

Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and Greece.”

These new markets have driven NPD, to produce different products and flavour profiles, such as the launch of a range of sweet wraps in Germany.

Most of the company’s products are made under the Simpli Baked brand, although it does manufacture for other retail brands. While there is always the option to diversify and bring in new product ranges, for now the company is focusing on what it’s known for. “If you’ve got a niche and you’re good at it, sometimes it’s better to be good at what you do, rather than being OK at new products,” adds Kieran.

In 2017, the business won the Innovation & Excellence category at the Small Firms Association (SFA) National Small Business Awards. “I’m extremely proud of the team and it was great to get the recognition from our peers,” says Kieran. “We operated under the radar for quite a long time and it was nice to go out with the team and celebrate our win.”

That’s one to go with the awards they picked up in the 2011 and 2013 ‘Best Technology’ category for two engineering projects it carried out in its production facility. The MEETA society is a special interest group within Engineers Ireland for maintenance, reliability and asset management practitioners. MEETA promotes all aspects of maintenance and asset management in industry, the public sector, semi-state bodies and third level institutions, and represents interests on national and international issues such as education, infrastructure and all development of the practice in Ireland.

“The last time we did an interview like this our business was just under 50% of the current size in terms of value, and the commitment to quality and customer service has certainly driven that growth,” says Kieran. “For us its not about being the cheapest in the

July/August Food & Drink News

25

Edible Oil Specialists

We are pleased to be associated with Flat Bread Company and wish them continued success for the future.

Millbrook Edible Oils Ltd. Oldcastle, Co. Meath Tel +353 49 8542072 Email: info@meo.ie

26

July/August Food & Drink News

{ Simpli Baked }

market, it’s about being very competitive as well as being innovative. Our customers seem to like what we do and we’re delighted to be able to help with the various projects.”

The factory is Double A Grade BRC accredited and RSPO certified. In keeping with the company’s culture of ongoing reductions to its carbon footprint, it has also signed up to Origin Green, Ireland’s food and drink sustainability programme, which is run by the Irish Food Board, Bord Bia. Kieran says, “Being part of the Origin Green sustainable programme has certainly proven to be beneficial in terms of helping to improve the way we do things and our customers seem to appreciate this. It has been a bit of hard work in addition to the BRC but I think it’s worth it”.

It’s all part of the corporate responsibility the firm has to its customers and its staff. As it says on their website: “These are big words for a fairly simple idea, doing what is right for our team, and the community we work in. Here at Simpli Baked we try to make it an enjoyable place to come to work. We are always looking for ways to improve what we do, and happy to try most ideas if we think they will improve the quality of our workplace or products for our customers.”

Having more than doubled the headcount over the past few years from 19 staff in 2016 to almost 50 in 2019, the company is very much focused on retaining staff and creating a positive working environment.

“I’m a strong believer that it’s about the people within our team,” says Kieran. “We try to make it a fun, enjoyable place to work. If someone spends eight

hours a day at work, you can seriously affect their mental health if you don’t make it a good place to be.

We’re not like Google, or jumping around in clown suits on beanbags, but it has to be a place where people enjoy coming in.”

Ultimately, Kieran Walsh attributes the Flat Bread Company’s success to product innovations and good customer relationships. “It’s a combination of doing what the customer wants, paying attention to when they need tweaks and modifications, working with them on short turnarounds and looking ahead on innovations. We try to bring in new flavours and work six months or more ahead for their range ideas.”

While the fire in 2015 was a devastating blow, the company has certainly risen from the ashes. “I didn’t expect to be in such a strong position so soon after the fire,” he says. “We’ve got a lot of support and goodwill from our customers and it’s great to be able to say that it’s a good news story.”

And where would Kieran like to see the company in, say, five years’ time?

“We’d like to be seen as being innovative and competitive delivering exceptional products full of flavour for our customers. With a team that are working in a place where it’s enjoyable to come to work. We could not build this business without the team we have and our customers, both are equally important and we need to remained focused on ensuring we deliver for both.”

www.simplibaked.ie

July/August Food & Drink News

27

{ Nasco UK }

Global domination is in sight for Nasco Nasco is an export and wholesale company with a global reach — and that reach is getting bigger.

T

he company has been at the forefront of the food and drink industry for 15 years, specialising in fast-moving consumer goods and doing brisk business in around 50 countries.

They’ve recently added two very important strings to their bow, gaining licences to allow them to trade in both alcohol and pharmaceuticals, which Nasco’s Nisha Vidani says massively expands the company’s portfolio and the offer they can provide to customers and clients.

Nasco has also expanded into several new territories, ranging from South Africa to Vietnam and taking in Fiji and Latvia among the many new regions they’re now working in.

Nasco says: “Our strong relationship with both our suppliers and clients enables us to deliver the most popular brands at the best possible prices. Our rapid success, we believe, is as a result of this; the competitive prices and the personal service we provide.”

Nasco has been recognised several times by the Queen’s Award for Enterprise by International Trade, which they have received four times, and have also been featured in the Sunday Times International Track which ranks Britain’s mid-market private companies with the fastest-growing international sales.

As well as dealing with some of the biggest brands in

28

July/August Food & Drink News

the UK and beyond, Nasco has also ventured into the own-brand market, launching a line of drinks that is proving incredibly popular.

And all this is paying dividends. Nasco’s turnover to date this year is up about 20% on the same period last year, proving that their ethos of combining the best possible products at competitive prices, with unrivalled customer service, is the way forward.

All this new activity means that Nasco has upgraded its ordering system, digitising the processes to ensure that customers can have access to the massive stock at their fingertips. Nisha says: “This also gives us a detailed picture of what people want and helps us to improve stock management.”

As well as awards for entrepreneurship, Nasco has also been picking up accolades for its environmentallyfriendly practices.

And the expansion into new territories means that staffing levels are on the up as well, especially staff with foreign language skills in the countries Nasco has recently moved into. Nisha says: “As we look to increase even further our presence in foreign markets, it is very important to us that we can converse with customers in their own languages, especially in the big Arabic and Chinese-speaking markets.”

On the tech side, the company is also looking to develop a mobile app to give their customers even

{ Nasco UK }

greater flexibility on ordering, with a view to making the whole ordering process fully automated so customers can access it 24/7 and on the go.

Nasco has a five-point plan to give the very best service they can, taking in: Competitive pricing: “We are able to leverage our strong alliances with our manufacturers, suppliers and agents to provide lower prices and faster deliveries.”

Complete export solutions: “We offer a complete export solution from the provision of export documentation to foreign language labelling to logistic requirements.”

Local expertise: “We value the importance of local knowledge and customs. Our team have broad geographic experience and are trained in individual market requirements.”

Range of products: “Our growing network of suppliers and agents means we are able to provide a range of products from established brands to new and emerging names. We stock more than 5,000 products for a streamlined delivery process. We are also able to source any item we do not currently stock.”

Customer service: “Our experienced team are with customers every step of your order from keeping them

updated with the status of their order to post-shipment assistance.”

Nasco’s network includes supermarkets, cash and carries, distributors, retailers, wholesalers and reexporters. They say: “Our lasting relationship with our suppliers and customers speaks for itself. With over 15 years of trading we have built up a track record of excellence, efficiency and trust.”

The company is based in Southall, close to the M4, the east M25 and the A40, and is easily accessible from Heathrow airport and central London.

With all this happening at Nasco, you might think they’d be looking forward to resting on their laurels for a little while and taking stock of all the changes they’ve been making, but that’s not on the agenda for this always-moving company.

“In five years’ time I would expect us to have increased our turnover and be managing a portfolio with a lot of new brands,” says Nisha. “And we are looking to launch our business into many more markets, as well as maintaining the customer service that we feel is at the core of our business.”

nasco-uk.com

July/August Food & Drink News

29

{ Global Foods Limited }

From a local corner shop to global food giant Today, Global Foods is based in a purpose-built 50,000 sq ft warehouse in Cardiff, employing over 100 staff. But, the company started on modest foundations.

T

he business began in 1964 as a convenience store but, from little acorns do mighty oaks grow. The company now lays claim to being the market leaders in food wholesale in Wales. This is demonstrated by the fact that Global Foods has a customer base of over 5,000, and a product inventory listing more than 20,000 items. The vast spectrum of goods range from crisps, confectionery to beer, wines and cider, dairy products to meat.

The company trades as a cash & carry, and delivery service, providing provisions to retailers, catering outlets and wholesalers across Wales, and other regions in the country. Delivery customers are serviced from a fleet of 20 vehicles which are equipped to ensure vendors receive ambient, frozen and chilled goods in a perfect condition.

Global Foods is true to its name by directly importing their frozen foods from all over the world such as chicken, seafood, lamb and mutton, as well as spices.

The company supplies soft drinks and a wide range of alcoholic beverages from wines, spirits and keg beers for the connoisseur. The business also specialises in Indian and Chinese catering ingredients and goods, together with cleaning products and packaging from heavy duty detergents, and industrial cleaners through to chip trays and kitchen foil.

Global Foods branched into catering supplies in the 1970s from its humble beginnings in a corner shop.

Catering sales increased significantly which directed

30

July/August Food & Drink News

the owner towards wholesale business who eventually sold the shop during the 1980s. The current warehouse was bought by the company directors in 1987 from which Global Foods solely functions, extending the business forward.

Global Foods prides itself on a reputation for unbeatable and reliable customer service, with a team of trained, multi-lingual staff readily available to deal with customer queries. The variety and choice of goods make Global Foods a one-stop shop for every conceivable food and drink required.

{ Forward Features List }

ComingSoon...

FOOD&DRINK NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2019 CHRISTMAS DESSERTS / PUDDINGS FROZEN FOODS

NOVEMBER 2019 CHEESE FISH READY MEALS

OCTOBER 2019 CONFECTIONERY LABELLING & PACKAGING

DECEMBER 2019 BAKERY MEAT

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO ANY OF THE ABOVE ARTICLES PLEASE CONTACT EDITORIAL: RACHAEL@PLANET-MEDIA.CO.UK ADVERTISING: SARAH@PLANET-MEDIA.CO.UK

July/August Food & Drink News

31