Food & Drink News February 2015

HUNT'S FOODSERVICE FROM FROZEN FOOD EXPERT TO ONE-STOP SHOP

NEWS UPDATES FEBRUARY 2015 £4.75

AFFINITUS FOODLOGIK OFFERS FLEXIBILITY AND SAVINGS NEEDLERS GAINS BRC ACCREDITATION

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CONTENTS PAGE 04 NEWS UPDATES 10

ETHNIC FOODS FOCUS

12

MONMORE CONFECTIONERY

14

VISION COMMERCIAL

15

TARIQ HALAL

16

VIDEOJET

17

JD COOLING

18

HUNT’S FOODSERVICE

24

CCE GROUP

26

LA FAVORITA DELIVERED

04

14

16

17

18

TO VIEW THE 2015 FEATURES LIST PLEASE VISIT WWW.FOODANDDRINKNEWS.CO.UK OR CONTACT US AT +44(0)1484 321000 TO EMAIL A COPY TO YOU 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.

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EDITOR’S FOREWORD chief editor michelle hodgson deputy editor rachael whiteley art director paul roper senior designer jamie quarmby graphic designer ben wainman advertising production rachael whiteley

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production manager rachael whiteley

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accountant kerry finn

ext 223 MICHELLE HODGSON - CHIEF EDITOR

proofreader becky ashwell

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FULL OF FLAVOUR You’ve probably noticed that the options in the herbs and spice section of your local supermarket have grown significantly in recent years. While the stand-alone branded and own brand jars remain popular – from chilli and chives to cinnamon and coriander – there’s also a wide range of ready-packaged herbs and spice combinations that make it easier for the home cook to flavour a specific dish.

Buying a packet of flavourings for a chilli con carne or a casserole is nothing new – indeed Schwartz calls these its ‘traditional’ range. But newer products like the company’s Flavour Shots, launched in 2013, have an altogether more modern feel both in their packaging and the name – which sounds a little like something a twentysomething might order in a bar.

Meanwhile, Kent’s Kitchen began with a range of Meal Kits made up of three stacked pots – the Madras Curry kit comprises madras curry paste, curry spices and infused garlic oil – to save the busy consumer the time and trouble of sourcing all the separate ingredients themselves. As well as convenience, the company champions the fact that its products

are free from additives, preservatives and artificial colourings and manufactured on a nut-free site, with several gluten-free options, all packaged in a simple but contemporary style.

So where does this leave traditional flavourings and sauces? Under the headline ‘Has Britain lost its love affair with brown sauce?’, The Mirror recently reported that market research company Mintel revealed that brown sauce sales had fallen in 2014 – although a spokesperson from Heinz, which now owns the brand, said that their data and independent analysis was ‘at odds’ with this report. The same report said that tomato ketchup and mayo sales had also fallen slightly and suggested that more people were trying out alternative options such as piri-piri sauce.

Rightly or wrongly, British cuisine is often viewed as blander than that of many other countries. But now that generations have grown up with world cuisine a familiar sight on their high street and retail shelves, the options for adding flavour to dishes when cooking at home seem likely to grow rather than shrink.

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NEWS UPDATES

COMPAL, MEDITERRANEAN ORANGE Compal has the expertise of creating healthy and delicious juices and nectars that our consumers find superior. It all starts with the dedication of those who work the orchards and the art and passion of those who create new recipes and combinations. This expertise we call fruitology!

The novelty that we have to offer matches the needs of today’s consumer: juices and nectars more natural and closer to fruit, respecting fruit’s truth. As passionate about fruit as we are, Compal has developed a new and specific range of NFC (Not From Concentrate), because nectars naturally taste better when they are made only with real fruit

juice and pulp.

The fertile, sunny lands of the Mediterranean produce the sweet, juicy oranges from which this very special nectar Compal Mediterranean Orange is created. It is part of this specific range of NFC (Not From Concentrate), and each litre of our juice Compal Mediterranean Orange is made with five of these oranges. Its taste is bright and sparkling in colour, with a strong aroma of recently-picked fresh fruit. Nectars naturally taste better when they are made only with real fruit juice.

Compal, juices and nectars experts since 1952.

FEBRUARY 2015 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P05

NEWS UPDATES

AFFINITUS FOODLOGIK OFFERS FLEXIBILITY AND SAVINGS production, back office, retail outlets and transport, including hand-held solutions for van deliveries. Feature rich and easy to use, the system has already established itself as a highly regarded product in the field and is providing huge benefits to nearly 100 MEAT SECTOR CATCH WEIGHT EXAMPLE, THE client sites.

USER CAN THEN ITEMISE THE UNITS IE PUT AN The software can be INDIVIDUAL WEIGHT TO EACH PIECE configured to suit individual needs and can help small Ideally suited for manufacturers and medium-sized businesses working in the bakery, meat, fish, compete at a higher level. Highdairy and recipe processing market quality user and product training is sectors, FoodlogiK is a revolutionary offered, along with 24/7 technical new software package with an support. extensive range of modules. This The system was created by Merit, flexible, modular approach to system a company with a long history implementation means it can be servicing the food industry, which adapted to suit companies of any was integrated into the Affinitus size and offer flexibility as a Group in January 2014. company grows.

As with the Affinitus Group’s Designed to deliver quantifiable returns on investment from day one, other solitions, Freshware , Chefserve, and Agrilogic the benefits FoodlogiK offers features that help of FoodlogiK include tablet and to control processes, improve portal solutions that allow users to efficiencies and manage costs in

collect and share information both within a company and when dealing with customers and suppliers.

“The system is very wide reaching, covering a number of different market sectors and offering a wide scope of functionality,” says Affinitus Sales Director Ian Parfitt. “It has synergy with our existing suite of products, but it also gives us an extension into new territories beyond our core market sector, giving us a broader client base within the food and drink industry. As a company, the Affinitus Group covers a wide net of market sectors and is a very forward thinking, progressive operation.”

VAN SALES STOCK SOLUTION EXAMPLE: 3. NEGATIVE STOCKS ARE NOW ALLOWED

TEL: 01795 508750 WWW.MTUK.CO.UK

STRONG PARTNERSHIP BRINGS EFFECTIVE IT SOLUTIONS Food and drink IT specialist CSB-System and leading factory automation solutions provider AutoCoding Systems have formed a strategic alliance.

Under the agreement, both companies will be able to offer each other’s full range of products, including CSB’s food and drink specific software covering areas such as ERP, MES, production planning and traceability, and AutoCoding Systems’ proven coding and packaging verification solutions.

Founded in 1977, CSB-System creates tailor made business software solutions that help food and beverage companies achieve increased performance, profitability and efficiency.

AutoCoding Systems has been providing factory automation solutions to FMCG companies in the UK for over 10 years, with particular expertise in coding and packaging verification and data integrity on the packing line.

“We are delighted to have formed

this alliance with AutoCoding Systems,” comments Paul Griffin, International Business Development Director, CSB-System. “The company’s experience and market knowledge will be invaluable in helping us to further grow our presence in the UK market.”

Mike Hughes, Managing Director of AutoCoding Systems, adds: “CSB-System is a like-minded company, which has a clear synergy

with our own operations, and forming a closer working relationship will allow us to use our joint expertise and technical knowledge to open many mutually beneficial opportunities.”

TEL: +49 2451 625 430 WWW.CSB.COM

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NEWS UPDATES

PARKSIDE LAUNCH APEX INNOVATION STRATEGY TO SUCCESS Since the appointment of Nick Smith as Managing Director, Parkside Flexibles have gone from strength to strength, culminating in the adoption of their new APEX strategy – Advanced Packaging Expertise. Being launched at Packaging Innovations, Birmingham on February 25th and 26th, this new innovation strategy brings together all their competencies in printing, specialist lamination, laser technology, security, compostable and anticounterfeit solutions under one roof to excite and inspire brands and retailers.

The packaging specialist has grown sales significantly in 2014, well in excess of packaging industry general growth, and is looking forward to an exciting 2015. Nick Smith comments: “When I joined Parkside we had a breadth of ideas and innovations on the table but we needed to bring this together into an overall strategy, in order that our customers and key stakeholders could understand what we could do for them.

“Today under our unique APEX Strategy, we have invested in a new dedicated APEX product development team and therefore have platforms of technology, that when integrated into other packaging companies solutions, or

our own packs, deliver tremendously cost effective developments that our clients really appreciate.

“From film easy peel and reclose systems to compostable triplex laminates, from printed vacuum skin packs through to high value added embedded image technology, Parkside is becoming a true technology integrator and the APEX strategy is enabling us to deliver value….fast!”

To understand more about the Parkside APEX Innovation Strategy, please visit Stand F53 at Packaging Innovations, Birmingham.

WWW.PARKSIDEFLEX.COM

APPOINTMENTS TO DRIVE FURTHER GROWTH AT CHARAPAK INTEGRATED FULFILMENT Charapak Integrated Fulfilment has made two key appointments to further develop its range of specialist fulfilment services.

Aaron Gibson has joined the business as Warehouse and Logistics Manager and Peter Wright has been appointed Business Development Executive.

A History graduate, Aaron has over five years’ experience in logistics management, working for leading companies TDG and Brands2Hands, servicing a wide range of well-known clients including Brakes Brothers, Matches.com and Autobar.

Peter graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 2014. He joined Charapak Integrated Fulfilment initially to work on the

company’s packaging and fulfilment service for the distribution of the worldfamous ceramic poppies which were displayed at the Tower of London last year.

“We are delighted to welcome Aaron and Peter to Charapak,” comments Group Managing Director Richard Smith.

“The success of the poppies project has ideally demonstrated the

expertise and breadth of fulfilment services that we can offer, and both will play key roles in helping to take the business to the next level of

success and growth.”

Charapak Integrated Fulfilment offers a multi-functional fulfilment service, including design, copacking, assembly, labelling and rework, tailored to the precise requirements of each customer.

Markets served include retail, manufacturing, food & drink, cosmetics & toiletries, household & automotive, DIY, pet care and entertainment.

The Charapak Group was established in 1980, and is now the largest independent manufacturer of corrugated packaging, specialising in promotional displays and retail ready packaging.

EMAIL: SALES@CHARAPAK.CO.UK

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NEWS UPDATES

TRAY SEALER STARTS A REVOLUTION AT VALEFRESH A recent installation of PA’s Revolution tray sealer at Evesham based Valefresh has dramatically improved the efficiencies and reduced costs of their grape tray sealing line.

Valefresh are a packing site based in Evesham and part of the Fresca Group. They handle storage, ripening, packing and distribution of fruit and vegetables to the major supermarkets.

The Revolution is the fastest most energy efficient single lane tray sealing machine on the market and features PA’s PowerdriveTM fully electric technology. Interpolated multi axis robotic motion ensures a continuous flow of trays through the machine from infeed to outfeed eliminating any need for pauses or buffering allowing the throughput

of up to 150 packs per minute. The seal force has been increased by 300% compared to pneumatic systems however PA’s novel technology allows the tool lift mechanism to be deactivated during the seal process therefore significantly reducing the energy usage.

Paul Gardner, Production Manager at Valefresh, said: “PA has really thought outside the box with this system, the Revolution ticks all the boxes, it’s flexible with a small footprint and we’ve had no downtime to date. The continuous flow of product allows us to run more effectively, the simple loading and unloading of tooling and films is very quick, reducing further downtime. The hygienic nature and access design of the machine helps

us with the clean downs and simple operator maintenance.

“The Revolution was chosen to increase productivity, and reduce costs, it has achieved all the objectives set out at the beginning of the project, the machine produces the lowest cost per pack and we’re already making significant cost savings.

“Our overall experience of PA has been first class; from the first initial contact to the installation and commissioning of the line, I have been very impressed.

“I would recommend PA to anyone looking for a high speed,

high quality top seal machine with an excellent after sales service”.

01565 755000 WWW.PAL.CO.UK

NEEDLERS GAINS BRC ACCREDITATION

Needlers, the Food Industry hygiene and safety specialist, based in East Yorkshire, has gained the BRC Global Standard, covering the safety, quality and legality of products the company stores and distributes to food manufacturers in the UK and Ireland.

The BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution goes beyond operations, however as

Commercial Director, Tony Mercer, explains: “For our customers in the food industry, traceability is vital, and it’s something we’ve always taken steps to ensure. In preparation for the BRC Global Standard we invested in a barcoded warehouse system, which has helped us to provide a more efficient method of traceability throughout the supply chain.”

While the BRC Global Standard focuses on the storage and distribution elements of Needlers’ operation within its 53,000 sq. ft. warehouse, the company’s quality management system (QMS) covers all departments.

Building a culture of understanding for the challenges faced by Needlers’ customers across the company is something Managing Director, Alistair Needler, attributes a large part of this latest achievement to: “We all talk about best practice, but as a company we understand that one of the ways to truly achieve this is to understand how the job each person does affects our customers.

“That’s why we’ve taken a

number of measures to ensure our reputation as the Food Industry Specialist runs throughout the business, including producing training guides in our customers’ food factories which are delivered on screens throughout our building, and allowing people time out of the business to visit our customers’ facilities and understand their challenges first hand.

“The BRC emphasises the need for continuous improvement, and that is something everyone at Needlers works tirelessly to achieve.”

BRC accreditation brings the Food Industry Specialist in-line with the standards expected of food manufacturers, but Needlers is the only specialist food industry PPE and hygiene supplier to be accredited by the BRC. WWW.NEEDLERS.CO.UK

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NEWS UPDATES

TCS&D SHOW TO SERVE UP LARGEST DEDICATED COLD CHAIN EVENT IN 2015 The UK’s increasing appetite for food and drink will make this September’s TCS&D Show at the Peterborough Arena the largest yet, say event organisers, pointing to the huge importance of the sector at the heart of the logistics industry.

Office for National Statistics estimates for January - October 2014 showed the quantity of food and drink bought in the UK increased by more than 3% year-onyear, continuing a pattern of growth stretching back more than a decade.

Approximately 41p of every £1 spent in the retail industry in October 2014 was in food stores – with a large share of these goods moved through the cold chain.

Rob Fisher, TCS&D Show Exhibition Director, explains: “As the country’s demand for food rises, companies have faced decisions about whether to increase their

fleets and warehousing space accordingly, or to balance this growth by getting smarter at asset specification and utilisation.

“Arguably it’s the latter which is often the most cost-effective. That makes events like the TCS&D Show invaluable as a place to gather and see the latest innovations under one roof.”

Fisher also says this year’s event will be the first since the European Commission’s publication of a new chapter on transportation quality and integrity within its guidelines on Good Distribution Practice of medicinal products for human use.

The TCS&D Show takes place on 16 and 17 September 2015 at the Peterborough Arena. Held in conjunction with the Food Storage & Distribution Federation (FSDF) and the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), it is the only UK

tradeshow dedicated to the storage and distribution of temperaturecontrolled products.

More than 70% of the available exhibition space has already been sold, highlighting high levels of confidence in the market from original equipment manufacturers, ancillary providers and service suppliers. Organisers urge firms interested in exhibiting to secure

space quickly to avoid disappointment.

The TCS&D Show 2015 will be supported by a comprehensive seminar programme, plus the annual TCS&D Awards Dinner.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.TCSDSHOW.COM

SLIMMER JAR PACKS A PUNCH AT TANGERINE CONFECTIONERY A new, narrower jar which loses none of the on-shelf impact of its larger predecessor has been created for Tangerine Confectionery by RPC Containers Blackburn.

The injection-moulded 3.6L PET jar, made in a custom mould, is the same height as a 4L version, meaning it carries the same on-shelf presence.

The UK’s leading sugar confectionery manufacturer has switched its Taveners traditional sweet shop range and Jameson’s high-quality chocolate-covered confectionery to the new, classicstyle container, which has been specifically developed for Tangerine’s cash and carry customers.

Its glass-clear appearance

highlights the colourful, high-quality product within, and the wide neck for easy dispensing uses a 105mm black cap supplied by RPC Halstead.

Speaking about the new packaging, Sarah Brown, Senior Brand Manager at Tangerine Confectionery, said: “We’ve been really impressed with the response from the RPC team following our brief for the new jars.

“The new, bespoke jars feature a more traditional style, which we think will really appeal to the wholesale market, while also offering retailers great value for money. We’ve worked with RPC on a number of projects now and look forward to working with the team

in the future to develop further new packaging solutions for our products.”

RPC was asked to create the new pack as a result of its long-term supplier relationship with Tangerine Confectionery in Pontefract, Yorkshire.

For further information on Tangerine Confectionery, please visit www.tangerineuk.net To discover Candyland, please visit, www.candy-land.com, www.facebook.com/Candyland or on Twitter @Candyland.

RPC CONTAINERS LTD TEL: 0 1254 682298 WWW.RPC-BLACKBURN.CO.UK

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NEWS UPDATES

RAVENWOOD LINERLESS GO RUGGED FOR PRO2PAC Environmental labelling engineers, or ‘Raveneers’, get set to showcase more ‘robust’ linerless ideas.

Linerless labelling specialist Ravenwood Packaging will be exhibiting with their ‘field of our own’ stand at Pro2Pac 2015.

Amongsst the airstream caravan and animals Ravenwood Packaging will be demonstrating the Ravenwood Packaging Linerless label solution.

The flexible adhesive backed labels are now regularly used as the eco-friendly replacement for traditional labels that carry wastecreating backing paper.

The recently launched ‘Slideable’ labels from Ravenwood are progressing well and attracting much interest in the UK and worldwide.

Made from thicker materials up to 300gsm, they are unlike conventional linerless labels in that they slide on the pack allowing the customers to view the product inside. The ‘slideable’ labels which can be produced 500mm x 200mm are ‘sleeves’ with a difference in that they come on a roll. They offer the advantages of lightweighting and automation.

Also new is ‘skin pack’ labelling.

The main benefit of this technology

is that various products can be packed in fewer trays as the product can be applied to fit to a standard tray which can simply incorporate large and smaller items. Special material allows for ‘superprotruding’ packs to include exceptionally bulky items such as roasting joints.

FOR MACHINERY AND LINERLESS SALES PAUL BEAMISH TEL: +44(0) 7989 561718 PAUL@RAVENWOOD.CO.UK

OFFLINE CODERS STAND UP TO POUCHES According to Euromonitor, standup pouches are among the fastest growing packaging formats but some of the more structured pouch designs are not so easy to produce on a form, fill, seal machine. For smaller volumes, many snack producers are buying in pre-made pouches. The downside is that a thermal transfer printer cannot easily be employed to print on the formed pack.

While Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) is ideal for printing small amounts of information, snack producers are looking to overprint large amounts of information needed to look at thermal transfer.

TAKING CODING OFFLINE

One solution to these problems is to code pouches off-line before they are filled. This has considerable advantages for code quality and where an online coder is struggling and creating a bottleneck, removing the process from the critical path can deliver efficiency improvements.

To this end, Rotech has developed the RF1-V, a standalone

vacuum feed overprinting system that has been engineered specifically for pouches, bags and other otherwise awkward to feed products. By using a thermal printer with a print width of up to 128mm and printing continuously, a very large print area of almost any length can be accommodated.

Many pouches are equipped with closures such as zippers and resealable labels. Whilst this adds consumer appeal, it can present problems to offline coders, as it can create variations in the pouch thickness of as much as 0.5cm in places. Most offline coders use friction feeding, designed for uniform thickness and widening the gap between the roller and rubber friction insert may result in inaccurate feeding.

The RF1 assuages this issue by

using vacuum pick and place technology to pick a pouch from a stack, place it onto a conveyor for printing, and place the printed pouch neatly onto another stack for collection, at speeds of around 40 pouches per minute.

Snack companies worldwide are

already using the RF1 to print pouches that are to be filled with anything from beef jerky snacks to dried fruit and nut mixes.

T: 01707 393 700 E: SALES@ROTECHMACHINES.COM WWW.ROTECHMACHINES.COM

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ETHNIC FOODS FOCUS

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE INDIAN, THAI, MEXICAN OR CARIBBEAN: WORLD CUISINES ARE INCREASING IN POPULARITY EVERY YEAR AND THEY USUALLY SHARE A COMMON INGREDIENT – SPICE

From the wholesale and retail sectors to food service and restaurateurs, no one can deny the all-pervading influence of ethnic cuisine. Whether ordering from the local takeaway, cooking at home or

eating out, more of us than ever want the dial on our food turned up to spicy.

An essential ingredient in many cuisines, spice is a huge market. A recent Canadean

(www.canadean.com) report forecast that even in India, where you might expect the market to be saturated, the volume of the Indian herbs, spices and seasonings market would grow by 14% between 2013 and

2018. Furthermore, Western food outlets in India have started to alter their menus to include spicier product that will appeal to the Indian palate.

In the UK, a huge range of spices are readily available in supermarkets and independent stores, with brand names becoming more and more familiar to the average shopper. Bart Ingredients (www.bartingredients.co.uk), which has a consumer spice range on the shelves at Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, has recently launched its speciality Répertoire range, designed for chefs and others working in food service.

It has already had an enthusiastic response from chefs, such as Roux Scholar 2013 Paul O’Neill, now head chef at Hattusa restaurant, Berwick Lodge, Bristol. “The Bart Répertoire spice blends have fantastic authenticity. The individual spices are also fantastic and help me to capture the real essence of our ‘East meets West’ fusion dishes at Hattusa, as well as devising some great new recipes for our future menus!”

For chefs working at this level, quality is key. “Professional kitchens want products that they can use with confidence,” says David Collard, CEO of Barts Ingredients.

“They are creating beautiful dishes and have taken time to select the best quality ingredients. They want herbs and spices that will enhance the dish. Quality is very important: you want to ensure that the spice you selected gives you the required taste. You don’t want a bitter smoked paprika or juniper berries that don’t have a fresh piney flavour.”

Compared with other ingredients, spices may be considered a small part of the dish, but, he argues, they

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ETHNIC FOODS FOCUS can make all the difference. “Spices are relatively inexpensive due to the small amount used, but they can make or break a dish. If you have good quality herbs and spices you don’t need to use much as they are carefully processed to retain the volatile oils, maintaining the flavour.”

For Thai cuisine, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves remain top of the discerning chef ’s shopping list but David Collard has also seen a rise in popularity of some of the more unusual spices, including sumac, ras el hanout and zatar for Middle Eastern cooking and black cardamom and curry leaves for Indian cuisines.

Another key ingredient that can transform the flavour of a dish is the chilli – and one of the largest selections of chillies offered in the UK can be found on the Mexgrocer.co.uk website. Supplying Mexican groceries and ingredients, the site has been listed as a Times Top 50 Food Site and one of The Independent’s 50 Best Food websites. Authenticity is key, with ingredients – some of which are not readily available in UK retail outlets – shipped in direct from Mexico.

“Chilli is one of the main ingredients in many Mexican dishes,” says Katya Torres, CEO of mexgrocer.co.uk. “It gives them a wonderful infusion of heat. At mexgrocer.co.uk, we know the importance of chillies, which is why our range is so extensive. We want people to experiment and find the chilli that suits their individual tastes.”

While British children growing up in households with parents from other backgrounds – Asian or Caribbean, for example – may be used to a wider range of spicy dishes from a young age, not all parents who would happily order an Indian takeaway for themselves would think of cooking spicy food for their children. That may be about to change with the success of Easy Indian SuperMeals for Babies, Toddlers and the Family by Zainab Jagot Ahmed.

A British Asian, she spotted a gap in the market for Indian-inspired dishes for children, with the aim of encouraging families to eat together, from the same recipe, and introducing babies – from weaning – to aromatic spices and flavours.

Published last year, it has already won awards and praise for encouraging parents to replace salt and sugar in children’s diets with Asian flavours and spices.

It will be interesting to see whether starting children on spicy food from a young age becomes more widespread in years to come, helping to boost sales of this kind of cuisine in this country even further.

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MONMORE CONFECTIONERY

A SWEET PROPOSITION FROM RETRO CLASSICS TO FAMILY FAVOURITES, LIFE IS A LITTLE SWEETER WITH MONMORE CONFECTIONERY, SPECIALISTS IN PREPACKED SWEET BAGS AND BULK SWEETS Bright colours, mouth-watering names and delicious flavours – we all remember the confectionery of our childhood with affection. While new products are launched into this sector every year, along with new flavours of existing brands, one company has made it a mission to bring to the market traditional sweets, retro classics and family favourites, all at affordable prices.

Trading since 1989, Monmore Confectionery supplies sweets, candy and chocolates direct to the public, trade and wholesalers. By offering reasonable prices and short lead

times, the company has proved itself able to compete in a strong marketplace.

Sukhdev Mehta, who set up the family-run firm, says: “We started as a small company but we have grown over the years. Our sharing bags, pre-packed sweet ranges and ownrange bags for sharing are doing especially well.”

A BROAD CUSTOMER BASE

With a customer base that ranges from small independent sweet shops to pound shop chains and the larger multiples, the company has all bases

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MONMORE CONFECTIONERY covered, from the budget end of the market to high-quality outlets.

valued at over £500.

COMPREHENSIVE ONLINE STORE

WIDE PRODUCT RANGE

Monmore Confectionery buys hundreds of leading brands in bulk direct from the confectionery manufacturers, the company is able to offer high-quality confectionery at cost-effective prices.

“We don’t manufacture ourselves, but 90% of the confectionery is purchased from UK manufacturers,” explains Sukhdev Mehta.

As well as own-brand services, it stocks many major confectionery brands, including those from leading manufacturers such as Haribo, Stockley’s Sweets, Lutti, Shoebury Confectionery Ltd, County’s Confectionery, Barratt, Brays, Crawfords, Glisten/Victoria and Edward Grays of Dudley.

Specialising in pre-packed sweet bags, pick ‘n’ mix, bulk sweets, traditional sweets, budget lines and contract packing, Monmore Confectionery also offers jars of sweets and lollipops, retro sweet ranges and toffees. Its bagged sweets range from mints and boiled sweets to fudge and marshmallows, and it also supplies sugar free and vegetarian options.

While well-known brand names are available to order, Monmore Confectionery also packs product under its own name and contract packs for other companies.

EASY TO ORDER

Customers have several options for ordering products, with internet orders particularly popular. Orders can also be taken by phone or email and retailers can visit the company’s cash and carry store, located in Bilston, West Midlands, Wolverhampton.

Most of the ranges are available for next working day delivery if orders are placed before 12 noon, although this can extend to up to 48 hours during busy periods. Orders are delivered nationally through a courier service or locally by the company’s own vehicles and there are discounts available on orders

The company’s online store offers thousands of product options, with regular promotional offers online, which are also promoted via social media on its Facebook site. In addition to sweets, customers can order bags and equipment from the online shop.

The online store is easy to use: all customers have to do is browse through the range of confectionery on offer and add the products they wish to purchase to their shopping cart, then select the delivery address and payment method.

CONTRACT PACKING

For those who prefer to sell product under their own brand name, Monmore Confectionery offers a reliable contract packing service, designed to suit the requirements of each individual customer.

Over the years, the company has invested in the latest state-of-the-art machinery at its production facility, which means it can package sweets in most sizes and varieties of bags,

including clear or printed, depending on customer preference.

It can even pack in film supplied by the customer.

Product can either be supplied by the customer to be packed under their name, or Monmore Confectionery can supply the products and pack it under the customer’s brand, as well as handling the labelling.

MODERN FACILITY

The company’s facility in the West Midlands comprises a 20,000 sq ft warehouse with extensive storage and a modern packing facility.

While there is currently plenty of capacity on the packing line and the company welcomes approaches from new customers, it is already looking at the options for extending the building to allow for future storage and distribution.

FUTURE SUCCESS

Moving forward, the plan is to employ further staff at the facility, while turnover – currently around £4.5m – is expected to continue to increase year on year, with the

expectation that it will top the £5m mark in another 12 months.

“Over the next five years we’re looking at more growth,” says Sukhdev Mehta.

MONMORE CONFECTIONERY UNIT 7 PHOENIX INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, LOXDALE STREET, BILSTON, WEST MIDLANDS, WV14 0PR TEL: 01902 403336 FAX: 01902 403346 EMAIL: SALES@MONMORECONFECTIONER Y.CO.UK WWW.MONMORECONFECTIONERY. CO.UK

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VISION COMMERCIAL KITCHENS

A VISIONARY APPROACH FORMED IN 2002, VISION COMMERCIAL KITCHENS HAVE GROWN TO BECOME ONE OF THE UK’S LARGEST COMMERCIAL CATERING DESIGN COMPANIES. WORKING ALONGSIDE THE LEADING MANUFACTURERS AND BRANDS IN THE INDUSTRY, VISION HAVE BENEFITED FROM WORKING WITHIN A BROAD SPECTRUM OF MARKETS INCLUDING RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, CARE HOMES, GARDEN CENTRES AND MANY MORE. Vision provide a truly customerfocused service by taking an individual approach to each kitchen, ensuring that the brief is fully understood from the very start.

Vision work directly with each client and have the knowledge and expertise to manage the entire

project from the initial design right through to the installation and after sales service, including planned maintenance and replacement equipment when required.

Having significant experience within the commercial catering sector, Managing Director Jack

Sharkey understands the importance of people. “Customer service is paramount to us, and what makes that point of difference is the people we employ.

We have some of the best people in the industry and they make us unique.”

Based in Heywood, Manchester, the company has seen a continuous rise in turnover, even during the economic downturn. “It comes back to the level of service we offer,” says Jack Sharkey. “The vast majority of the work that comes into us is via word of mouth, which is priceless.

Our strategy from day one was always about delivering value for money and exceptional service along with good product quality, and I think that is inherent in every good business.”

In 2014, the company passed a rigorous independent assessment to be awarded Altius accreditation and Jack himself received the accolade of the Foodservice Order of Merit from the Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA). Vision hold many accreditations and are one of the few companies in the industry accredited with the quality standard ISO9001:2008,

ISO14001:2004 and BSOHSAS 18001:2007. The company are also proud members of the Catering Equipment Distributors Association (CEDA) of which Jack Sharkey is the Chairman.

Recent projects completed by Vision include, Fortnum and Mason at Heathrow Terminal 5, Mondrian London, Ashridge Business School, Forest Lodge Garden Centre, The University of Portsmouth Library, Pizzaluxe Leeds and in the last 12 months 10 Leon Restaurant sites (the up and coming healthy fast food chain) to name a few.

VISION COMMERCIAL KITCHENS LIMITED UNIT A1, AXIS POINT, HILL TOP ROAD, HEYWOOD, LANCASHIRE OL10 2RQ TEL: 0844 8117210 EMAIL: SALES@VISIONCK.CO.UK WWW.VISIONCK.CO.UK

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TARIQ HALAL MEATS

THE HARRODS OF HALAL SPARKLING SHOPS WITH QUALITY PRODUCTS, WELL-TRAINED STAFF AND REASONABLE PRICES – NO WONDER CUSTOMERS ARE QUEUING ROUND THE BLOCK FOR TARIQ HALAL MEATS before.”

With a background working in the fast food industry and running butchers’ shops with his father, Tariq Sheik understands the importance of quality, service and presentation in any retail outlet, as well as marketing – establishing the brand through advertising on Muslim satellite channels. Operating from a large warehouse in north-west London, the business has exclusive deals with many licenced abattoirs and a strong operations team in place.

Introducing frozen products with a high meat content and developing

As success stories go, the tale of Tariq Halal Meat Wholesale’s shift into retail is an impressive one.

Although the retail operation only began in earnest in 2012, when the company opened its first franchise in Ilford, it was supported by two years of careful planning and many years’ experience in butchery and the wholesale halal meat trade.

“We’re changing the way halal meat is sold to the public,” says owner and Managing Director Tariq Sheikh. “I’ve always thought that halal meat should be sold in a very clean, modern, well-presented manner – to the same kind of standards you’d find in the large fast food restaurants. Our shops are among the most modern butchers’ shops that anyone has seen.”

The stores have been so popular that a ticketing system had to be introduced to help control the crowds looking to buy the quality fresh beef, lamb and chicken.

TV screens are used to advertise products and around 25 butchers wait to serve customers from behind long, modern counters. Because of

the high turnover, the meat is constantly being rotated on the counters and the deli, keeping it fresh. And with around 35 highquality suppliers in place through the company’s long-standing wholesale operation, the shops are able to source the best products.

“Tariq Halal is like going into Selfridges or Harrods to buy meat,” says Tariq Sheikh. “But because of the high turnover, we’re not any more expensive than the competition.”

Six months after opening in Ilford, a second retail outlet was added in Upton Park, closely followed by Leyton, Streatham and Hounslow. Fulham opened in December 2014 and further stores are planned for 2015.

“We look for prime halal meat locations across the London area,” says Tariq Sheikh. “Two months before opening we do heavy TV advertising and on the opening day we have queues of customers. When people walk into our butchers’ shops they can see that we’ve done something that nobody’s ever done

the export market are both seen as important for future expansion, as well as opening up new franchises, both in London and beyond.

TARIQ HALAL MEATS WHOLESALE LTD UNIT 4, QUAD ROAD, EAST LANE BUSINESS PARK, WEMBLEY, MIDDLESEX HA9 7NE TEL: 0208 9089440 FAX: 0208 9040940 EMAIL: SALES@TARIQHALALMEATS.COM WWW.TARIQHALALMEATS.COM

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VIDEOJET TECHNOLOGIES

CRACKING THE CODE POSITIONED AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE FAST-MOVING SECTOR OF CODING AND MARKING, VIDEOJET TECHNOLOGIES WORKS HARD TO DELIVER THE LATEST INNOVATIONS TO ITS CUSTOMERS With clients ranging from small dairy farmers to global brands, Videojet has developed a broad portfolio of products that can be scaled up or down to suit customer requirements and customised for different applications.

“Anything that you find in a supermarket probably has one of our codes on it,” says Managing Director Richard Roth. “For us, it’s about finding the right solution for the customer. We are truly customercentric; we’re tuned in to what they want to accomplish and work with them to give them the solution they

need. Just because a client is small does not mean they do not need sophisticated technology – and the inverse can also be true.”

The purchase is usually only the start of a relationship: the company offers back-up support from experienced engineers across the UK and Ireland and its centralised dispatch can divert resources from another region so that customers get the best possible response time.

“The ongoing customer relationship is at the heart of our business,” explains Richard Roth.

“Food and beverage is an interconnected market – many of our customers know each other – and if we don’t earn their trust as a good supplier, not only do we make things hard for that business but also the people they deal with.”

Established in the late 1960s in Wood Dale, Illinois, Videojet initially moved into Europe through the beverage industry. Today it’s a fullline supplier of industrial coding and marking systems for product identification, with 26 branches worldwide, including Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire and Dublin.

Interestingly, much of the technology behind its portfolio of products was developed by R&D teams based in the UK. “We are very proud of two aspects of the business,” says Richard Roth, “one is delivering what the customer wants; the second is that a lot of the technology we use comes from the UK.” With pressure today to speed up the supply chain, attention is turning to the back as well as the front of the production line, and the company has responded with several innovative new products including

the Videojet 9550 with Intelligent MotionTM, launched last year.

Designed to integrate into production lines, this label print and apply system can run with very little intervention and handle variable speeds, maximising uptime, reducing errors, and increasing efficiencies and productivity.

By offering a broad range of products and launching new and innovative technologies, Videojet has weathered the economic downturn well and is now looking to see how the wider market fares, as many of its customers sell into Europe.

But ultimately the company’s goal is simple, as Richard Roth explains: “Videojet’s mission is to partner with our customers and bring them new innovations and expertise to help grow and protect their brands.”

VIDEOJET TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED 4/5 ERMINE CENTRE, LANCASTER WAY, HUNTINGDON, CAMBRIDGESHIRE PE29 6XX TEL: 0870 240 5542 EMAIL: UKSALES@VIDEOJET.COM WWW.VIDEOJET.CO.UK

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JD COOLING SYSTEMS LTD

FUTURE PROOFING COLD STORAGE SPECIALISING IN REFRIGERATION STORAGE FOR THE PRODUCE SECTOR, JD COOLING CARRIES OUT LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS THAT HELP FUTURE PROOF THEIR CUSTOMERS’ BUSINESSES Having started the company with two engineers in 2000, Managing Director John Dye has steered JD Cooling to become a major industry player with around 50 staff.

Although he has always worked in the industry, his aim was to offer a specialist design and service for produce.

“From day one, everything has grown,” he says. “Systems have got bigger as our clients have got bigger – and we’ve been able to demonstrate a competency in terms of financial confidence to take on and manage major products.”

The bespoke systems designed and installed by JD Cooling can range from long-term storage for root vegetables through to facilities for fresh food manufacturers of sandwiches, prepared salads and ready meals.

Four recent projects demonstrate the current scale of the company’s operations. First, a cooling system has just been installed at Worldwide Fruit’s new £2m facility in Spalding, Lincolnshire. Second, a £1.5m refit for a factory making prepared salads has seen the old cooling system replaced by a natural ammonia, glycol plant, which is already seeing significant energy efficiencies.

Finally, two projects of around £500,000 each involved new systems with secondary glycol technology being installed at the 10,000-acre Elveden Estate in Suffolk and at a potato storage facility in Ely, Cambridgeshire.

The company’s head office in King’s Lynn and a satellite office in Dundee are close to the key produce growing areas of Norfolk and the east coast of Scotland respectively. Meanwhile, its

engineers offer 24/7 service and maintenance from Scotland down to Land’s End. The biggest impact on the industry has been changes in legislation brought about by environmental concerns. CFCs, commonly used in the refrigeration industry, are now banned and hybrid forms are being phased out. New European F-GAS regulations also came into force last month on HFCs. As a result, JD Cooling has been encouraging clients to future proof their systems by using natural primary refrigerants, such as ammonia and propane, to cool an antifreeze solution, which forms a benign fluid for use as a secondary refrigerant.

“Our stance is that with new equipment it’s best to choose an alternative to HFCs, before it becomes an issue. Commercially it’s not always the easiest thing to do, but long term it’s better financially to future proof a system.”

To consolidate their position in the rapidly increasing market for natural refrigerant solutions, the JD Group will grow again from March 2015 with the opening of JD Industrial Cooling Systems. JDI will concentrate on sales of larger scale industrial installations but will also provide the technical expertise and support to allow JD Cooling to continue to offer their existing client base the ‘right solution’. Says John Dye: “More and more of our clients are aware of the potential of natural solutions to save them money in the longer term and are prepared to look at their investment over a five-year period rather than just looking at the bottom line with the initial capital investment. It has

always been our policy to offer our clients cutting edge technology and so the evolution of natural refrigerants is an area that we must continue to push the boundaries of to deliver these systems to our client base. Key personnel from the industrial industry have been recruited into JDI to enable the JD Group to maintain our position at the forefront of cooling technology into the fresh produce industry and we see this as a major step forwards for us and our clients.”

Referrals and repeat business – along with the addition of a new

electrical contracting company – have increased JD Cooling’s turnover from £3m to £9m over the last five years and the company is confident in its capability to deliver new technologies while expanding further into the frozen food industry.

JD COOLING SYSTEMS LTD GENESIS HOUSE, LUBECK ROAD, NORTH LYNN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, KINGS LYNN PE30 2JE TEL: 01553 767446 FAX: 01553 767457 WWW.JDCOOLING.COM

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HUNT’S FOODSERVICE

FROM FROZEN FOOD EXPERT TO ONE-STOP SHOP THROUGH A NUMBER OF ACQUISITIONS AND ORGANIC GROWTH, HUNT’S FOODSERVICE HAS EXPANDED FROM A SMALL FAMILY FIRM TO A MAJOR SUPPLIER OF FROZEN, CHILLED AND AMBIENT PRODUCTS Supplying both the retail and foodservice markets, the company stocks more than 6,000 lines, aimed at a broad customer base from mobile ice cream vendors to five star hotels based across the south and west of England – from Birmingham to Brighton and from South Wales to Land’s End. Built on the frozen food market, which remains at the heart of what it does, the long-established family firm is today more of a one-stop shop, offering dry and chilled goods and a state-of-the-art licenced butchery department.

An ambitious programme of acquisitions has led to significant growth of around 30% a year over the past 10 years, with recent purchases including an ice cream company, a food service company and, last October, a wholefood company, which has given Hunt’s Foodservice access to the health food and gluten free markets.

With cold store, blast freeze and distribution capabilities, and two hotels in the group, Hunt’s Foodservice is clearly a major player in the region, operating a fleet of around 80 vehicles and providing employment for 300 people at its hub in Sherborne in Dorset, and depots in Winchester, Weston-SuperMare and Redruth.

Despite recent growth, the business remains dedicated to the principles on which it was founded 60 years’ ago. “Our strength is that we have great relationships with our suppliers and our customers – both are equally important,” says Managing Director Richard Hunt.

RECENT ACQUISITIONS

EXTENSIVE PRODUCT RANGE

While the company continues to see organic growth, recent acquisitions have also made a major contribution to its annual turnover.

Last year saw a move into Cornwall with the purchase of food service business Dobles and ice cream company Cornish Farmhouse. Most recently, Hunt’s has launched into a whole new sector with the acquisition of Queenswood, which specialises in wholefood and health food, including an extensive range of gluten free products. Based in Bridgwater in Somerset, this will be run as a standalone business, although some of the products will be incorporated into the Hunt’s business.

Having started in frozen food, the company remains committed to this sector, while at the same time making the most of its expansion into the chilled and ambient markets and meat products. It has also introduced a range of non-food items related to the catering market, including cleaning products, bags and napkins.

Rigorous stock rotation and control systems, along with a nextday delivery service ensure that products supplied to its customers benefit from maximum shelf life.

As well as adding to its product range through company acquisitions, Hunt’s Foodservice is continually sourcing new products, whether fresh items from local suppliers, such

as locally made cheeses, or specialist products from across the globe.

These are offered to customers along with special monthly promotions that the company is able to access through its network of suppliers and the buying groups it belongs to.

Establishing long-term relationships has always been vital to the success and growth of all parties involved and good customer service has always been and will always be a key element of the business.

COLD STORE AND BLAST FREEZING

Having developed plenty of expertise in cold storage and blast freezing over the years, it was a logical progression to offer these

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HUNT’S FOODSERVICE services to food producers.

With a combined capacity of around 9,000 pallets at the Sherborne and Stalbridge facilities and blast freezing capabilities too, Hunt’s is able to provide a fully integrated food storage solution for its customers.

INVESTING IN THE BUSINESS

A programme of major investment has also contributed to the company’s recent growth.

Sixteen new 15-tonne vehicles were added to the fleet in 2013, and a further eight in 2014.

Staffing has also been on the increase, an investment in new technology has improved efficiency even further.

“We’ve always had a very strong sales and telesales team, but we’ve invested very heavily in the operation in recent times,” says Richard Hunt. “We brought in voice headset picking in the autumn of 2014, which is aimed at increasing accuracy. We’ve already had a few nights where we’ve picked close to £200,000-worth of product and had no errors at all.”

As well as state-of-the-art systems in the stores, the business has also invested in Microlise, a system that tracks both the location of its delivery vehicles and how efficiently they are being driven. There are also plans to introduce Paragon tracking software for route scheduling,

transport planning and fleet management.

Drivers have a point-of-delivery tablet, so that they can collect electronic signatures, reducing the amount of paperwork, and the sales team also use tablets when they are out and about, in order to provide instant online quotes.

“These changes make us a very dynamic operation,” says Richard Hunt. “I did look at investing in this kind of technology three or four years’ ago, but I felt that the systems

weren’t up to it. However, just like the recent improvements in mobile phones, the improvements in the systems that can help us run our business have dramatically improved and we felt it was the right time to embrace them. We’ve always had very good staff but it will help us manage what we do even better.”

MORE THAN 100 YEARS OF HISTORY

While the business itself was founded over 60 years’ ago, its roots

go back even further.

Managing Director Richard Hunt’s great-grandfather moved to Blackmarsh Farm in Sherborne in 1912 and Richard’s older brother still runs the farm where the family business started. But it was Richard’s uncle, Michael Hunt, who inherited the family dairy and ice cream business in 1948 and transformed it into one of the largest doorstep delivery operations and bottling plants in the south west.

In the 1950s when the frozen food sector began to make an impact in the UK, he decided to enter this market and, in 1969, he built a 100,000 cu ft cold store for third-party products – at the time this was one of the largest in Europe.

Following the growth of the frozen food industry, by the early 1970s the decision was taken to focus exclusively on this sector, and the dairy side of the business was sold to Express Dairies. The company was renamed Hunt’s Frozen Foods (Sherborne) Ltd and a new 1.2 million cu ft cold store was constructed, along with a head office building. As demand increased, a further 300,000 cu ft of

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FOOD & DRINK NEWS - IT’S FULL OF BEANS

FOR MORE INFO CALL 01484 321000

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HUNT’S FOODSERVICE with the relevant accreditation bodies to ensure that the service it offers customers is the best it can be.

At present the company is accredited by CMi, the British Frozen Food Federation, the Food Storage and Distribution Federation, and Support, Training & Services Ltd. WHAT’S NEXT?

cold storage was added and, later, a 2,360-pallet purpose-built cold store in the nearby town of Stalbridge.

Although Michael Hunt passed away around 25 years’ ago, his wife continues to chair monthly board meetings and remains actively involved in the business at the grand old age of 94.

Now at the helm of the company, Richard Hunt began his working life as a farmer and still farms around 1,200 acres and runs two dairy herds today. In 2003 he was asked to join the board, and around 10 years’ ago he took over as Managing Director. At the time, the business had an annual turnover of £22m; this has now grown to £52m and the recent acquisitions are expected to push this up closer to £66m by the end of March 2016.

“It’s still very much a family business,” says Richard Hunt. “I have cousins in the business and my son is the Operations Director.”

From the 1990s, the company has embarked on a process of acquisitions, including Webb’s Frozen Foods at Winchester, Snow’s Frozen Foods and Price’s Frozen Foods in Bristol and RG Frozen Foods in Ferndown. Since 2000, the acquisitions have continued with the purchase of Country Fresh, a

catering butcher and frozen food supplier based upon the Isle of Wight, and Sunnyside Distribution in Weston-Super-Mare.

With a wider geographical reach and a changing product portfolio, the decision was made to rename the company Hunt’s Foodservice Ltd, with clear divisions between the food service and the retail sector.

BUYING ADVANTAGE

In 1991, Hunt’s became a founding member of Caterforce, one of the largest food service buying and marketing consortiums in the UK. Based in Macclesfield in Cheshire, the organisation today services eight of the biggest independent foodservice wholesalers, including Hunt’s, with a combined turnover in excess of £350m.

With substantial national buying power, Caterforce sources products from a huge range of leading suppliers and manufacturers and works closely with its members to offer a wide range of quality products in the frozen, chilled and grocery sectors. It also offers marketing advice to the consortium.

“Caterforce is a very successful buying group, which is very important to us as a group and gives us a buying advantage, which is why

we were a founder member,” says Richard Hunt.

The business has also been a member of Ice Cream World since January 2007, following its purchase of Sunnyside Distribution.

Offering national distribution, Ice Cream World is the biggest ice cream wholesaler in the UK, which operates from 31 depots with dedicated local call centres. Because it deals with all of the major ice cream manufacturers, the organisation can offer its members competitive pricing and access to a range of special promotions.

ACCREDITATION

Hunt’s has always worked closely

Following the success that the business has seen in recent times may seem like a tall order, but Hunt’s Foodservice has everything in place to continue along this path, with potential growth in the cold stores and further acquisitions.

Meanwhile, Richard Hunt has ambitious plans for the company when it comes to annual turnover.

“We’d like to think that within the next five years we can get to £100m through acquisition and organic growth,” he says.

From a company that has successfully built on its heritage while at the same time investing wisely in the latest technology to streamline its processes and ensure maximum efficiency, this ambition seems highly achievable.

HUNT’S FOODSERVICE LUDBOURNE ROAD, SHERBOURNE, DORSET DT9 3NJ TEL: 01935 810200 EMAIL: ENQUIRIES@HUNTSFOODSERVICE. CO.UK WWW.HUNTSFOODSERVICE.CO.UK

P24 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS CCE GROUP LTD FEBRUARY 2015

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CCE GROUP LTD

THE BEST KEPT SECRET OF TOP CHEFS FROM REFURBISHMENTS TO REDESIGNS AND FROM SERVICING TO BRAND NEW SITES, CCE GROUP LTD HAS THE COMMERCIAL KITCHEN MARKET COVERED – JUST ASK THE TOP CHEFS! Producing high quality kitchens for award-winning chefs, CCE Group values innovation, craftsmanship and good service above all. Its designers understand the need for working kitchens to maximise the available space and create a fast and effective flow of service. By partnering with suppliers and contractors, the company can provide a full turnkey service from design and installation to servicing and maintenance.

Clients range from schools, colleges and universities to hotels, restaurants, pubs and clubs – essentially, any venue where food is served to the public. While many of their clients are located in and around London, the company has worked on kitchens as far afield as Scotland and Jersey.

“We’re very busy at the moment but surprisingly some people still don’t know we’re here, so we’d like to be less of the best kept secret,” says the company’s MD Ray Costelloe. “Most of our work is either repeat business or through word of mouth, including recommendations from some of the top chefs.”

A BESPOKE APPROACH

All kitchens are bespoke, taking into consideration the specific requirements of each client – both ergonomic and economic. Chefs are welcome at the design studios to chat with the CCE team and observe the manufacturing process or they can arrange a visit to some of the best kitchens in hotels and restaurants in London that CCE have previously fitted.

“Clients often contact us for kitchen refurbishments or a redesign to make better use of their available

space,” says Ray Costelloe, “we can turn any cupboard into a fully functional commercial kitchen. All the fabrication we carry out is bespoke; they can have exactly what they need. The process takes into consideration the chef ’s menu and the number of covers and we recommend the most suitable equipment for the most effective service.”

EARLY HISTORY

Based in Essex, the company started life in 1987 as Contract Catering Equipment. At the time, sheet metal worker MD Ray Costelloe only had enough money for one month’s rent on a workshop at Bentley Farm in Langdon Hills, but fortunately the company began to grow quickly.

Now known as CCE Group Ltd, today the company has two fully operational manufacturing factories, 48 employees and a turnover of around £6.4m.

NEW FACILITY

In October 2014, a second design studio was added and an open day was held for chefs to meet the designers and chat with representatives from Rational, Charvet and many more of their suppliers. “Rational and Charvet are among our main suppliers,” states Ray Costelloe. “We have their equipment in our new showroom and we will be working with Charvet to help market their new product the ‘Charvet ONE’.

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

For chefs who are considering a new piece of equipment, but unsure if it will complement their menu and service ‘try before you buy’ is a

great opportunity.

“If they are unhappy with the performance of the equipment on loan, they can give us a call to arrange collection,” says Ray Costelloe. “Also training can be arranged on any loan equipment.

So far we have had only happy clients, and this has resulted in a purchase. Clients are normally reluctant to part with the loan equipment. It’s proved to be very popular.”

CUSTOMER CARE AND AFTER SALES

The amount of custom that comes through repeat business and word of mouth is a testament to CCE Group’s focus on customer care and after sales and by offering servicing, maintenance, leasing, refurbishment, storage, testing and deep cleaning, the company ensures it keeps in regular contact with all clients.

“CCE do not want to just fit kitchens and then walk away,” says Ray. “It’s all about building up a really good business relationship and establishing trust. We offer a 36 month warranty on all our fabrication. For that extra peace of mind our service desk offers PPMs on all your equipment needs.”

TASTER SPOON

In recognition of their continued custom and ever growing business relationships, Ray Costelloe came up with a very innovative idea. A chef ’s tasting spoon…..stamped with the CCE Group logo. “This delightful chef accessory has proved

to be a must and the new must have kitchen addition!”

The life of the taster spoon started out as an observation, Ray Costelloe observed on his many visits to London’s restaurants how the chef ’s so desperately needed somewhere to put their taster spoon that was accessible to them at all times. Realising this was a real problem for them, and true to the CCE Group Ethos, the taster spoon was born. “It may be small but it really is truly a neat bit of kit!”

MOVING FORWARD

As the company grows bigger and stronger in this ever changing industry, with the expected turnover to continue to rise each year: “It would be lovely if everybody knew the name CCE Group and associated us with the best commercial kitchens,” says Ray Costelloe. “It would be nice if that was worldwide too! Watch this space!”

CCE GROUP LTD BENTLEY FARM, UNIT 1, OLD CHURCH HILL, LANGDON HILLS, ESSEX SS16 6HZ TEL: 01268 412121 EMAIL: SALES@CONTRACTCATERINGEQUI PMENT.CO.UK WWW.CONTRACTCATERINGEQUIPM ENT.CO.UK

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LA FAVORITA DELIVERED

PIZZAS WITH PROVENANCE FRESH INGREDIENTS, A UNIQUE PIZZA FLOUR RECIPE AND DISHES MADE FROM SCRATCH – LA FAVORITA DELIVERED IS BRINGING A BRAND NEW LOOK TO THE PIZZA DELIVERY MARKET Already established in Edinburgh and currently fitting out sites in Glasgow, La Favorita Delivered has a clear and bold strategy for expansion: moving into a city, opening up a number of pizzerias at carefully chosen sites and then moving on to the next location.

Each pizzeria operates a delivery service and customers can order at the venue, on the phone, or via the company website, which will direct them to the nearest site. There’s also a sit-in space for those who want to eat in the pizzeria.

“The food is the most important element,” says Chief Executive Kenny Scott. “Our aim is to provide consistent, high-quality pizzas and pasta dishes, using the best ingredients, so that the customers’ experience of the product is at the highest possible level.”

THE SECRET IS IN THE INGREDIENTS

Unlike many pizza chains, La Favorita Delivered employs chefs at every branch. The pizzas, pasta dishes, salads and other offerings on the menu are made on site with fresh ingredients delivered daily to the pizzerias.

The morning deliveries not only

include fresh vegetables, which are chopped up and cooked on site for the pizza toppings, but also freerange, corn-fed chicken and fresh meat from the finest local butchers for the Bolognese sauce, which is cooked from scratch.

A couple of years ago, Kenny Scott went over to Italy to oversee the development of a special flour to be used in the pizza dough. “What we wanted was a great flour that was unique to us. It’s our little secret bag of flour; even our chefs don’t know what the ingredients are, they just know the procedure for making the dough itself. Our dough gives the pizza a nice crispy base and we leave it for 24 hours after making it, which makes it light and more digestible. It also has a lower level of salt than many other pizzas.”

The tomato base is simply San Marzano DOP tomatoes – one of the best on the market – rock salt, olive oil and fresh herbs; topped with the customer’s choice of fresh ingredients.

Specials are designed by an executive head chef then rolled out across the pizzerias. These can be seasonal or themed, for example a 6 Nations’ pizza was created for the rugby tournament and a special

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LA FAVORITA DELIVERED haggis pizza for Burns Night.

“It’s all about the provenance of the food,” says Kenny Scott. “We like to know that we’re giving the customer the best that we can offer and it’s important that we can tell our customers where a product comes from if they ask us. We really want our customers to realise that eating pizza can be a healthy option.”

WOOD-FIRED OVENS

Another USP is that all the pizzerias use wood-fired ovens, which were developed by the company in the UK. “They give us all the benefits of an Italian oven but also incorporate certain ideas of our own, which have been built into to ensure that we have the procedures to monitor how we cook the pizzas.”

ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT

Initially one of four restaurants in the Vittoria Group, La Favorita Delivered Pizzeria broke away on its own in 2012, when Kenny Scott and his business partner Tony Crolla decided to develop the delivery side of the enterprise.

Working from a head office in Brunswick Street, Edinburgh, the team set up La Favorita Delivered, adding pizzerias in Morningside, Portobello and Blackhall and establishing a centralised production

centre.

“The aim was to establish ourselves in Edinburgh with the four pizzerias that we have at the moment and then move over to Glasgow and start to establish ourselves there,” explains Kenny Scott.

The first Glasgow site is on Gibson Street in the city’s west end; this is currently being refurbished and expected to open at the end of March. This will be closely followed by a site in the south side of the city.

“There’s still room in Glasgow for another three pizzerias after these two,” says Kenny Scott. “After that, the aim is to grow across the UK, choosing sites that match our demographics.”

Each time a new pizzeria is opened, it creates 25-plus jobs in the area, from managers and chefs to front of house staff and delivery drivers. The company currently employs 125 staff and turnover is just under £5m – both are expected to grow significantly as more outlets are opened.

LOOKING AHEAD

With investors already interested in backing La Favorita Delivered, the company looks set to continue its expansion into the rest of the UK. “Our aim is to grow the business

into a group of 50 units across the UK,” says Kenny Scott. “We’ll continue to look after our customers, to offer fresh ingredients with a strong provenance, and to keep our standards high.” With its passion for quality and drive for expansion, La Favorita Delivered

may well be coming to a high street near you very soon.

LA FAVORITA DELIVERED ( ADDRESS ) TEL: EMAIL: WWW.LAFAVORITADELIVERED.COM

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