Food & Drink News July/August 2018

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ONLIN E MA NOW AGAZINE VAILAB LE!

JULY/AUGUST 2018

EXCLUSIVE FEATURES EAST COAST BAKEHOUSE BRINGING BISCUITS BACK TO IRELAND RODANTO THE SPANISH CONNECTION

COELIAC UK THE CHARITY CHANGING THE WORLD OF GLUTEN FREE WITH THESE THREE SYMBOLS

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

{ Editor’s Foreword }

Not Left on the Shelf

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

MANAGING DIRECTOR Jillian Evans

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Paul Roper

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Emily Holroyd

CHIEF EDITOR Michelle Hodgson

SUB-EDITOR Rachael Whiteley

SOCIAL MEDIA Benjamin Wainman

W

ith the wide range of choice on supermarket shelves, it’s always a bit of a surprise when you don’t find what you’re looking for. One of my personal bugbears is free-range organic milk. There is clearly a demand for it, otherwise it wouldn’t keep running out.

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While the higher price point will put off some consumers, I would love to see retailers display it more prominently – in reach and with point of sale to explain the benefits – and to ensure it’s well stocked to meet demand.

@food&drinkmagazine

TWITTER @food_drink_news

CONTRIBUTE info@planet-media.co.uk

This issue includes a major feature on snacks, crisps and nuts, along with a focus on corporate catering, restaurants and Halloween. We also celebrate 50 years of Coeliac UK’s work in the gluten-free arena and feature many other successful organisations operating in the food and drink sector.

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Michelle Hodgson 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 2018 Food & Drink News

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{ July / August 2018 }

Contents ONLINE E MAGAZINABLE! AIL NOW AV

05 INDUSTRY NEWS 14 PPMA PREVIEW 18 SNACKS, CRISPS & NUTS 22 WILLIAMS POTATOES & CATERING PRODUCTS 23 UNITED SNACKS 26 EC DRUMMOND AGRICULTURE 30 RODANTO 36 RIBBLE FARM FARE LTD 44 COELIAC UK 46 ORTON’S WHOLESALE BAKERY 48 SPEAR ASSOCIATES 50 MERIT 52 EAST COAST BAKEHOUSE 54 BEECH’S CONFECTIONERY GROUP 56 SAGE 58 SMITH COOPER 60 DATEL 62 PINNACLE

TO VIEW THE 2018 FEATURES LIST PLEASE VISIT WWW.FOODANDDRINKNEWS.CO.UK OR CONTACT US AT +44 (0)1484 321000 TO EMAIL A COPy TO yOU

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July/August 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Industry News }

MALT PRODUCER RAISES GLASS TO IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY WITH ABB DRIVE A production facility that turns barley into malt for use in beer and whisky production has increased productivity and safety by installing a new germination machine controlled by an ABB variable speed drive (VSD).

The ABB industrial drive, ACS880, controls four gear motors located on the corners of a 15-tonne trolley that is used to agitate the barley during the germination process at Bairds Malt’s production facility in Witham, Essex. Should a blockage occur, the VSD slows the speed of the motors driving the

trolley – known as a turner – giving it time to work through the obstruction. Since the new system was installed, stoppages at the site have been reduced from once a fortnight, on average, to practically zero.

In the previous installation, the turner was powered by a single motor operating at a fixed speed. As a result it was unable to slow down to negotiate any blockages, such as hard lumps of barley. The machine would attempt to break up any obstruction by trying to drive through it. This would cause a spike in current, making the machine

break down.

The blockages also had more serious implications, as the machine’s attempts to drive through the restrictions would, on occasion, cause the 15-tonne turner to ‘jump’ backwards, putting workers at risk of serious injury.

Bairds designed the new machine itself and approached ABB authorised value provider, Gibbons Engineering Group, to design and supply the control package.

With the new system, the VSD takes its signal from a programmable logic controller (PLC). The PLC monitors the load drawn by the gear motors to detect spikes in current of 20% or more that signal a blockage.

Should this occur, the drive reduces the speed of the motors to 50%, giving the turner time to work through the obstruction.

It repeats this process three times. If, after this time, the blockage is not cleared, an alarm is triggered to notify the operator.

Since the new machine was installed, stoppages at the Witham site have been reduced to almost zero. In addition to increasing production time, this has improved safety for staff as there are no longer any blockages that could force the turner to move out of place.

WHEN “MADE FROM FOOD SAFE MATERIAL” IS NOT ENOUGH The migration of a hazardous substance into foodstuff is the main safety concern for food contact materials (FCMs). The principles set out in Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 require that materials do not release their constituents into food at levels harmful to human health or change food composition, taste and odour in an unacceptable way.

All Paxton Materials Handling products, manufactured from non-coloured polyethylene, meet these most stringent requirements and come with a Declaration of Compliance (DoC), supported by comprehensive migration testing.

Compliance can only be verified by migration testing. Simply stating “made from

producer are all responsible for producing DoCs supported by detailed test results showing that the material, intermediate or finished article meets Specific Migration Limits and Overall Migration Limits.

If you purchase plastic materials handling containers that are destined to come into contact with food it would be wise to request DoCs along with all your requirements. The consequences of noncompliance could be costly. food safe material” as many in the industry still do, is clearly not enough. In the case of plastics, the monomer producer, the intermediate producer and the finished item

Tel: 01225 816545 www.paxtonmaterialshandling.com

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{ Industry News }

PACKAGING AUTOMATION HELPS SEAL IN FRESHNESS When Funky Nut Company, a small business manufacturing creative, healthier alternative peanut butters were looking at developing their product range and tapping into the snack packs market, they needed a solution to seal in the freshness. Wanting a British manufacturer with reliable products and great service, Packaging Automation ticked the box from day one.

Being new to tray sealing Funky Nut Company were offered a full service by PA, covering advice and industry contacts to help with the sourcing of suitable trays and film. Also included as part of the free of charge support service was the preparation of presentation sample packs in our test kitchen to show prospective customers.

Funky Nut Company took advantage of PA’s hire scheme and hired a flexible, semiautomatic tray sealing machine which has increased their capacity and efficiency leading to cost savings.

Hiring a tray sealing machine allows customers to automate packing processes

from day one with minimal investment. The hire scheme offers entry level machines on short-term hire periods for seasonal products such as fruit with a sealing tool for one pack format on hire for a fixed weekly hire rate. At the end of an initial six month hire period, users have the option to return the machine and stop making payments, keep the machine at a reduced weekly rate or upgrade for a small uplift in cost to a quicker machine with a sealing tool to suit

the same pack if demand for products is increasing.

Julian Campbell Managing Director from Funky Nut Company commented: “As a small but growing business we wanted to make a product that would stand out in a slow moving category. Putting nut butter into a snack format was one way of doing this.

However, we knew nothing about sealing trays etc. but PA came to us with a midrange machine that is ideal at our stage of growth. Every step was easy and the great customer service meant I could work on other projects.”

Tel: 01565 755000 www.pal.co.uk

THE ALL-YEAR-ROUND ICE CREAM What better way to cool down in the warm weather than with a delicious boozeinfused ice cream? Speakeasy, named after the illicit bars and clubs that sold booze during the American Prohibition era, has partnered with the award-winning craft spirit and liqueur producer Abelforth to launch three luxury ice creams.

The Spiced Rum flavour is infused with Abelforth’s Rumbullion, which won the Best Spice Rum accolade at the World Rum Awards. It combines rich spices such as cinnamon, cloves and cardamom with Madagascan vanilla, orange peel and, of course, the finest Caribbean rum. The Cherry Brandy is made with Ableforth’s high-quality version of the spirit, with real cherries and French brandy. Finally, the light and refreshing Ramos Gin flavour boasts orange peel, juniper, coriander, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom in the multi-award winning Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin. All three

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offer a light flavour of alcohol with the creamy taste of artisan ice cream.

Available through Ocado, in Wholefoods and independent retailers, Speakeasy Ice Cream is an all-year-round treat. Delicious

July/August 2018 Food & Drink News

with fruit or over crumbles or pies, and good enough to eat straight out of the tub, it’s also perfect for pairing with festive treats such as Christmas pudding and mince pies.

{ Industry News }

SIG’S ‘HEAT&GO’ HOT DRINKS MICROWAVEABLE CARTON The heat is on! Research has shown that consumers, in Asia in particular, are looking for hot drinks that can also be taken with them for on-the-go consumption. To meet the need to heat RTD beverages, carton solutions expert SIG has developed a leading microwaveable solution to aseptic carton packs: The new ‘Heat&Go’ pack is aluminium free and can be heated in a microwave, either in a vending machine, store, café, home or office.

Ali Kaylan, Vice President of Global Marketing at SIG, said: “Our new high-barrier aseptic carton ‘Heat&Go’ can be heated in the microwave up to 60oC, with a recommended temperature of 50oC, by allowing brands and co-packers to launch

innovative nutritional hot beverage products into new channels and categories.”

‘Heat&Go’ offers protection to beverage products, and can be produced on existing SIG filling machines with a simple, one-time upgrade to enable it to run standard and aluminium-free material structures. By replacing the aluminium foil with a highbarrier film and a light blocking pigment, ‘Heat&Go’ protects the product from oxygen ingress, flavour migration, light and water, and is perfectly suited for still drinks and low viscosity, sensitive, enhanced juice and liquid dairy beverages.

www.sig.biz

PERNOD RICARD’S HAVANA CLUB RUM PUT STREET-CULTURE AT THE HEART OF THE BRAND WITH THE HELP OF CREATIVE AGENCY IMPERO Creative agency Impero has been appointed as a key strategic and creative partner for Pernod Ricard’s Havana Club Rum. The agency will be responsible for taking the Cuban rum in a new direction by putting street-culture at the heart of the brand in order to establish its leadership within the category.

Impero are designing a new creative direction for the Cuban award-winning rum, with a raw, edgy aesthetic and messaging style, as well as putting influencer activities at its epicentre, to make Havana Club more

relevant to a new generation of rum drinkers. On the win, Michael Scantlebury, Creative Director, said “Rum as a category has been obsessed with the hipster aesthetic and culture for long enough – it’s a strategy that’s on an extremely short life span. So, it is exciting for us to announce this new partnership with Havana Club, the only rum brand confident enough to buck this trend.

As an agency, we know how to make brands resonate with new, younger consumers – and that’s what our strategy for Havana Club will do.”

Nick Blacknell, Global Marketing Director, from Havana Club said: “Having seen the work Impero did for some of our sister brands, we’re incredibly excited to be working with them to take Havana Club to a whole new level. More and more, consumers are choosing rum as their drink of choice, so it’s important that, as a brand, we find a way to appeal to and engage them on their level, and on their own terms that’s what Impero can do for us - they know this audience.”

Havana Club is a 100% authentic Cuban rum: made in Cuba from Cuban sugar cane and distilled, aged and blended in Cuba.

Produced through a joint venture between Cuba Ron S.A. and Pernod Ricard, using the knowledge and expertise passed down from generation to generation of Maestros del Ron Cubano (Masters of Cuban Rum).

Impero also work with other Pernod Ricard brands such as, Beefeater Gin, Beefeater Pink, Chivas Regal and Campo Viejo wine.

www.weareimpero.com Twitter @weareimpero

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{ Industry News }

BARRY CALLEBAUT BEVERAGES APPOINTS SALES DIRECTOR Barry Callebaut Beverages has appointed Tracy Southwell as Sales Director. With extensive knowledge and experience across multiple channels, Tracy’s appointment reflects the leading hot drinks manufacturer’s ongoing strategy to increase its beverage market share.

With approximately 25 years’ experience within the food and beverage industry, Tracy has overseen the supply of a range of FMCG brands and B2B ingredients for companies such as Florette UK & Ireland, New york Barkery Co, Tetley Tea and Unilever.

Tracy comments: “I’m delighted to be representing the heart and engine of the chocolate and cocoa industry and I’m looking forward to sharing the progress of some of the company’s key initiatives such

as Forever Chocolate, which aims to make sustainable chocolate the norm.

“We have established a reputation for creating quality products for the UK beverage market and I am thrilled to be working alonside a fantastic team to deliver the next phase of Barry Callebaut Beverages’ growth. In an ever evolving market, it’s essential that we continue to meet the needs of our customers and continue to build on our strengths to ensure that the chocolate we all love is around for generations to come.”

For further information on Barry Callebaut Beverages and its products call 01244 370500.

SELIG LAUNCHES FATTY FOOD COMPLIANT INDUCTION SEAL LINER FOR GLASS JARS AT FACHPACK 2018 Selig launches an innovative new induction liner that is EU compliant for fatty food contact at FachPack 2018. In addition, the company will showcase a wide range of innovative, consumer convenient induction cap sealing technologies.

Selig’s new DELTASEAL™ 9000 is a temporary polymer bonded two-piece liner for glass containers. It is one of the first induction seal liners for glass sealing to be EU compliant for fatty food contact and opens the way for companies looking to seal a wide range of foods that contain oils and fats.

Selig’s new Lift ‘n’ Peel™ TamperSeal induction liner concept for pharmaceuticals is also on stand. Based on the company’s highly successful Lift ‘n’ Peel™ induction liner, this new easy open, hermetic seal with tamper evidence sealing concept solution is being offered to manufacturers as a collaborative partnership to allow for custom development of the liner for the brand owner’s specific application and specifications.

Also at the show are Selig’s lining products that provide cost efficient anti-

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counterfeit benefits. Global leaders in the induction seal market, with sales and service to all regions, Selig specialises in protecting products from harmful environments.

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FachPack takes place from 25-27 September in Nuremberg, Germany.

Web: http://www.seligsealing.com

{ Industry News }

FORTRESS CELEBRATES QUEEN’S AWARD HAT-TRICK Fortress Interlocks, experts in automation safety and interlock systems, has been awarded its third Queen’s Award for International Trade, recognising the outstanding growth in overseas sales over the last three years. In 2007, the company

won the Queen’s Award for Innovation and in 2008, the Queen’s Award for International Trade.

This award is the result of a five-year strategy by Fortress Interlocks to build export growth, targeting regions such as

Europe, Asia Pacific and The Americas.

Interlocks are traditionally a mechanical solution but Fortress prides itself on embracing the digital revolution to incorporate electronic and software-based solutions.

Jo Smith, Managing Director of Fortress Interlocks, commented “Our business strategy is based upon innovative customisation, creating robust solutions to allow our customers to protect their employees and productivity”. In 2016/17, total sales were £22.5m, with export sales accounting to £18.3m. Over the last three years, sales have grown by over 62%.

Fortress also recently launched the ncGard product range, a complete solution of non-contact safety switches for safeguarding machinery. In autumn the company will launch ATOM, the first high coded RFID gate switch designed in a high robusticity and ultra-compact form factor.

For more information, visit https://www.fortressinterlocks.com/

ALCO SYSTEM PROVES HOT OPTION FOR COOKING APPLICATIONS A system is now available from Interfood Technology which offers a wide range of cooking methods for many different applications, all from a single machine.

Interfood is the sole supplier in the UK and Ireland of the Hot-Cook system from Alco Food Machines, an ingenious technology that can be used for various

products, from soups, sauces and stews to fillings, ready meals, ground meat products, seafood concentrates, confectionery, vegetable preparations and ethnic foods.

It is based on a double-jacketed mixing vessel which is heated by steam or thermal oil, with temperatures of up to 210°C or 190°C achieved respectively. A unique

energy-saving feature is the insulation of the vessel with ceramic/Rockwool materials and a complete weld to seal it. Other systems have considerably less or even no insulation, resulting in hot outer surfaces which not only waste energy but also present a potential burn risk to operatives.

Steve Naylor, Divisional Manager for Interfood’s Cooking & Cooling/Pasteurisation Division, comments – “The flexibility of the Hot-Cook system is highlighted by the range of cooking methods it offers, constantly mixing the product as it cooks. In addition to cooking, it can sear/sauté, blanch, directly inject steam and vacuum cook/cool. This is one of many options from our dedicated division, which also includes batch cooking, smoking and roasting, linear cooking, belt cooking, frying and spiral cooking.”

Tel: 01844 217676 www.interfoodtechnology.com

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{ Industry News }

NEW SERVICE TO SUPPORT NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND REVISION TESTING With over 75% of new product development launches failing in their first year, Nielsen Brandbank has partnered with Vypr to deliver Pilot, an A/B testing solution for the industry.

From product concepts and product descriptions to image optimisation, Pilot delivers consumer-led insight into the decision making process, reducing the chance of failure. Whether the product is being rebranded, the packaging is changing or suppliers want to simply test image optimisation, Pilot provides reassurance that consumers will still be able to resonate the product with the brand.

Abbi Claxton, Product Manager at Nielsen Brandbank, explains: “Nielsen Brandbank are

proud to be able to support suppliers in making valuable, informed decisions when launching, or restaging one or many of their

products. Pilot will provide suppliers with real-time feedback, directly from consumers, helping them to shape their strategies and products’ performance moving forward.”

Mark Fielding, CCO at Vypr, commented: “We are delighted that Vypr will be partnering with Nielsen Brandbank on a joint mission to revolutionise online shopping. Our ability to provide rapid, accurate testing of optimised images combined with Nielsen Brandbank’s image creation will help companies develop better, more successful products, faster.”

www.brandbank.com/services

LORIEN INSTALLS STATE-OF-THE-ART PRODUCTION LINES FOR BRITVIC Global performance improvement solutions provider Lorien Engineering Solutions is working with soft drinks provider Britvic to help install new state-of-the-art production lines at Britvic’s Leeds and Rugby manufacturing sites.

Lorien Engineering Solutions (Lorien) is part of a multi-disciplined project team, created and led by Britvic, to deliver a stepchange in business capability. Alongside other specialists, Lorien is supporting Britvic with project management, compliance and design resources at all stages of the development.

Britvic is the largest supplier of branded still soft drinks in Great Britain and the number two supplier of branded carbonated soft drinks in GB. Headquartered in the UK, Britvic operates in or exports to over 50 countries, selling 2.3 billion litres of Britvic drinks globally every year. Britvic’s Leeds and Rugby factories have been developed to provide new PET bottling facilities, with new bottling lines introduced at both sites.

These upgrades have been designed to optimise operational efficiencies and help the company to minimise the impact of its operations on the environment in line with its sustainable business programme, “A

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Healthier Everyday”. The programme puts healthier people, healthier communities and a healthier planet at the heart of its business.

Adam Hartley, Engineering and Plant Development Manager leading the installation group for Britvic, said: “The project demonstrates Britvic’s commitment to providing the latest technology to optimise operations and reduce the impact on the planet. Working collaboratively with our suppliers and the supporting project

July/August 2018 Food & Drink News

team has been crucial to maximising the potential of the sites and setting them up for success in the long term.”

Chris Bullock, Engineering Manager at Lorien, added: “The cooperation of factory staff at all levels has been appreciated as we assist in future-proofing their site operations over the course of these projects. We are delighted to support Britvic as it continues to grow.”

Lorien Engineering Solutions, which is a division of GP Strategies Corporation, specialises in capital projects for food, brewing, drinks, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, logistics, and safety compliance.

Lorien has announced record-breaking results for 2017. Revenues in the UK and Poland increased by 11% during the year, and with best-ever sales performance, 2017 has been the most successful year in the firm’s 33-year history.

www.lorienengineering.com

{ Industry News }

CORNISH PASTY PRODUCER INCREASES FROZEN CAPACITY Award-winning bakery and Cornish pasty producer Prima Bakeries has increased its frozen capacity through acquisition of a portable cold store from Blue Cube Portable Cold Stores.

The bakery, based at Redruth in the heart of Cornwall, took delivery of the cold store in June following a requirement for additional frozen capacity. Using a portable cold store meant capacity could be increased quickly and within budget.

Prima Bakeries has been baking delicious Cornish Pasties, bread, cake, confectionery and savoury products in the heart of Cornwall for over 30 years. The bakery has a retail range for shops and convenience stores and a foodservice range for cafés, hotels and restaurants. The bakery is also well known for its ‘Pasties by Post’ service, delivering direct to consumers.

Blue Cube – one of the UK’s leading providers of rental temperature controlled storage solutions for the food and logistics industries – has supplied Prima Bakeries with the largest unit from the portable range, giving the site an additional frozen capacity of 37 pallets to cope with 20% growth.

Blue Cube worked closely with Mark Norton, Managing Director of Prima Bakeries, to find the best possible solution for the site. From the initial enquiry in November 2017 right through to delivery in June 2018, all options were considered to ensure we supplied the right product.

Although Blue Cube’s core business is rental, a unit was sold from the fleet to support the customer’s requirements.

It was a challenging site due to ground levels so Blue Cube offered a full package deal including provision for groundwork’s and levelling as part of the sale.

To ensure the unit was future proofed, Blue Cube went one step further and replaced the refrigerant from R404A to

and unloading.

Each portable cold store is fitted with impact bars, lockable doors and locking door bars, whilst emergency lighting, externally mounted audible and visible man trap and temperature alarms provide all the necessary safety features.

In addition, side doors, ramps, dock level platforms and racking are available as optional features. The units can be linked to either a building or each other in order to help improve workflow.

R452A. R452A has a GWP of 2140 – a little over half that of R404A. Mark Norton, Managing Director, said “Blue Cube have delivered consistently good service, right from the start of this process through to procurement of equipment, delivery and aftercare.”

“To ensure Prima Bakeries kept in line with ever changing F-Gas regulations it was important that we considered the GWP impact of the cold store. Blue Cube were on hand to offer advice and replaced the refrigerant which will keep us compliant for years to come.”

Blue Cube’s portable cold stores are available in 14, 22, 31 and 37 pallet capacities. The units have an operating temperature range from -26°C to +26°C permitting frozen, chilled and ambient storage applications.

They can be ground based or elevated to a loading dock.

The latest generation refrigeration systems ensure greater efficiencies and lower operating costs for customers. Plus, LED lighting provides up to 300 lux of light, meeting the standard required for loading

For product information or details on hiring Blue Cube’s temperature controlled units, please telephone 0333 320 2620

July/August 2018 Food & Drink News

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{ Industry News }

NEW PRIMARY METHOD MOISTURE ANALYSER LECO TGM800 LECO’s new thermogravimetric moisture determinator, the TGM800, provides a high precision, automated solution for moisture analysis while using a primary loss-ondrying method. Up to 16 samples can be analysed simultaneously.

3.8 or 6 cm diameter aluminium crucibles are available for sample weights up to 10g.

Workflow and throughput are increased by time-saving automated end-point recognition. The through put is also maximised by a rapid ramping of the oven temperature to the method set point and fast cooling post analysis. The rugged, hardcoat anodised aluminium oven and carousel construction supports perfect heating and cooling cycles while providing an easy-toclean surface. The robust and reliable motor-drive system supports unmatched reliability.

All typical standard parameters like temperatures, ventilation, weight range and stability can be matched. No calibration is

required. The ease-of-use software with flexible method settings is controlled by a touchscreen interface. All determined values are documented and stored according to international standards.

The TGM800 is applicable to a wide variety of sample matrices including food, feeds, milled products and agricultural materials, making it a versatile solution for many laboratories. LECO’s exclusive software enables access to analysis control, method settings, diagnostics, reporting and more in a highly organised, intuitive, immersive environment. Our grouping of sample data into sets and replicates simplifies data output and automatically calculates relevant statistics. It also provides seamless sample login and loading process with real-time graphical displays of analysis cycle data. The integrated 10.1 inch colour LCD touchscreen reduces instrument footprint, and promotes an ergonomic and efficient workflow.

GOMEZ SELECTS LINKFRESH ERP LINKFRESH, the leading global provider of supply chain ERP solutions for the fresh produce industry, has announced a further contract to supply its LINKFRESH ERP solution to one of the UK’s largest fresh produce companies: Gomez.

Gomez’s existing software will be replaced with a fully integrated, industry specific, 250 user LINKFRESH ERP solution to streamline and manage end-to-end business operations, including; procurement, planning, production, inventory, logistics, QC, finance and sales. Gomez will deploy the solution on-premise at Gomez’s datacentre, supported by the LINKFRESH team.

Talking about the project, Steve Parmenter, CIO at Gomez, said: “Our data and processes were fragmented across several different systems with limited interconnectivity, blurring our business performance visibility. We had very little business process automation and we were using manual processes and workarounds,

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which were prone to error and a drain on our resources. The LINKFRESH solution will provide a single solution across the entire business, improving our data capture accuracy and efficiency, standardising and optimising our operating processes and ultimately supporting our business growth.”

Parmenter continues: “We selected Linkfresh ERP, built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations Enterprise Edition, to take advantage of the rich industry specific features and knowledge incorporated in the solution, as well as providing us with a future-proofed solution which will scale and grow to meet the needs of our business both now and into

July/August 2018 Food & Drink News

the future.”

Gomez has been serving produce in the UK for 60 years. With an ever expanding portfolio of some 100 suppliers around the world, servicing both the leading supermarkets and non-multiple customers, Gomez has an annual turnover of over £180m and is headquartered on an 11 acre site near Canterbury, Kent.

Andy Makeham, LINKFRESH CEO, commented: “Many of the world’s biggest and best fresh produce businesses are selecting LINKFRESH and we are very pleased to welcome Gomez amongst them.

Our partnership with Microsoft and closely aligned product roadmaps, coupled with the latest technologies and our vast industry expertise, will ensure that the LINKFRESH ERP solution will keep Gomez ahead of the competition.”

www.linkfresh.com

{ Industry News }

EVERY PETER’S YARD PRODUCT NOW AN ACKNOWLEDGED AWARD-WINNER The trophy cabinet has once again been extended at Peter’s yard, who have received an additional 10 awards from this year’s Great Taste Awards. This latest award win means that every product within the Peter’s yard range now holds a prestigious Great Taste Award; this includes all variants of the sourdough crispbread for cheese and light lunches and also the crispbread bites that are designed for drinks and dips.

Highlights for Peter’s yard amongst this year’s awards were two-star awards for both variants of the crispbread bites, 5 Seed and Sea Salt, whilst their newest packs, Spelt & Poppy Seed, Pink & Black Pepper and Charcoal & Rye, all attained a one-star award. The Great Taste Awards are widely acknowledged as the most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers with 10,000 products blind-tasted by over 400 of the most demanding palates belonging to food critics, chefs, food writers and journalists.

Wendy Wilson-Bett, Co-Founder of Peter’s yard said: “Quality, authenticity and provenance are at the heart of the what we do, so to now have awards for every product within our range is fantastic. As a producer, the Great Taste Awards is the best vehicle to

provide a true benchmark for quality foods and drinks. The feedback is invaluable, especially for a small brand like ours. As everything is blind-tasted all entries are on a level playing field and I am so very proud that Peter’s yard now holds an award for every single product that we make. It is a phenomenal achievement and testament to the team who work so hard behind the scenes to ensure we consistently deliver high quality products to the market.”

Peter’s yard is an award-winning bakery company making exceptionally good, Swedish-inspired crispbread here in the UK. Made using traditional Swedish recipes and all-natural ingredients, the authentic crispbreads are high in fibre, free from anything artificial and use wholewheat flours, fresh milk, honey and sourdough that is allowed to ferment for 16 hours before each batch is made.

COPPERPOT ORIGINALS’ NEW FESTIVE FUDGE GIFT SET Cornish confectioners, Copperpot Originals, have launched a new luxury Festive Fudge Gift set ready for the Christmas season.

Created using Copperpot Originals flagship flavour, English Butter Fudge as a base, sweet-treat lovers will be able to buy and gift a seasonally spectacular Christmas Trio: Christmas Spiced Butter Fudge, Irish Cream Butter Fudge and deliciously decadent Chocolate Covered Butter Fudge presented with a luxury black branded jute bag.

Christmas Spiced Butter Fudge is rich and fruity, the taste of Christmas in a deliciously sweet parcel. Perfect for the festive season this new flavour not only makes a great gift but is also a moreish indulgence for those

who love sweet-treats.

Irish Cream Butter Fudge has a decadently delicious taste of smooth vanilla crème, and

warming whisky – perfect for cold winter days.

Chocolate Covered Butter Fudge has all the gluttonous goodness of crumbly and creamy Butter Fudge smothered in smooth Milk Chocolate for a doubly delicious “melt in your mouth” experience.

Each cube is crammed to the corners with creamy butter, milk and golden syrup. Made in St Ives, Cornwall, our fudge is batchcooked and hand-broken to crumble on the tongue with a melting buttery punch of fudgy deliciousness.

Each box is naturally gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians; make sure you add this decadent duo to your Christmas List!

July/August 2018 Food & Drink News

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{ PPMA Preview }

Celebrating 30 years of excellence in processing and packaging technology The NEC, Birmingham, will host one of the most anticipated and respected events in the processing and packaging sector calendar – the PPMA Show 2018, which runs from 25 to 27 September The three-day event celebrates its 30th anniversary this autumn and is already shaping up to be the biggest and best show in its 30-year history.

With 350 exhibitors presenting a host of new product launches and the latest technology innovations, and a free conference and first-class speaker lineup poised to tackle key industry issues, the PPMA Show 2018 looks set to offer a unique, informative and value-added visitor experience.

The diversity of exhibitor stands will ensure every aspect of the production environment is represented, from filling and packaging machinery, processing equipment to robotics, automation and vision systems, making the PPMA Show the ‘go-to’ industry event.

Enterprise Zone – a hub of knowledge share and networking The Enterprise Zone will be a focus of learning and networking during the show, with its two-day conference providing expert knowledge and insights into the latest industry trends, with presentations, interactive panel discussions, case studies and personal

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experiences on how to increase efficiencies and futureproof businesses.

Topics will include Industry 4.0, automation, augmented reality, sustainability, the future of food manufacturing as well as the impact of plastics in packaging. ‘Visitors can attend keynote speeches from two of the most respected business leaders. Lord Mark Price, the former Minister of State for Trade and Investment, whose previous roles included Managing Director of Waitrose and Deputy Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, will urge visitors to start preparing for what lies ahead post-Brexit. Jonathan Warburton, Chairman of Warburtons, meanwhile, will focus on how to build a long-term business by drawing on his own experiences of leading the growth his business into a £550m turnover organisation.

The Enterprise Zone will also house the Bright Ideas – Ambassador Programme, which is a new addition to this year’s show. It will offer free advice for start-up ventures and entrepreneurs, or those investigating specific products or services.

Visitors will be ‘matched’ with relevant knowledge

experts, who will offer advice, guidance and product information. Daily lunchtime drinks and the PPMA Industry Awards 2018 will also allow for informal networking during the show.

Speaking ahead of the event, Richard Little, PPMA Show Director, said, “It’s really important that the PPMA Show visitor experience doesn’t cease when the exhibition closes its doors.

“We want to ensure that the benefits of coming along to our event continue to deliver well beyond the show, by ensuring that visitors take away the knowledge, foresight and inspiration to make a positive difference to their own businesses.

“The PPMA Show 2018 is an encyclopaedia of processing, packaging, automation and vision companies, providing learning experiences, networking opportunities and hours of free expert consultation,” he added.

To obtain your free visitor badge, visit the PPMA Show website at www.ppmashow.co.uk

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PACKAGING AUTOMATION PRESENT THE ONLY FULLY ELECTRIC MACHINE ON THE MARKET TODAY For 55 years Packaging Automation has driven the tray sealing market with its unrivalled expertise and innovation providing not only the fastest but the most environmentally friendly machines on the market today that can reduce your carbon footprint.

At PPMA 2018, PA will present the only fully electric tray sealing machine on the market today. The high speed, flexible Revolution features proven patented motion control technology to maximize the speed of the machine and operates without using any compressed air. A range of fully recyclable and compostable packaging solutions will also be on display which are available for customers to use with PA machinery. PA’s unique pod tooling system will be demonstrated, this reduces unplanned downtime by up to 90%.

Lastly, on display will be PA’s brand new

integrated weighing system MiWeigh which was driven by a customer need to improve productivity on product assembly lines. The MiWeigh system is directly controlled through the master screen and provides extensive live data enabling you to monitor the packing process, giveaway and efficiency by individual scale and operator.

Commenting on these new product launches Neil Ashton PA’s Operations Director said:

“Our Research and Development team are continually reviewing our product range and examining what improvements can be made for our customers. Through collaboration with the end users of our machinery, our R&D team have been able to bring to the market products that greatly increase the productivity and reduce the carbon footprint of our customers.

With uptime being so critical for our customers, our range of machines can be connected via a network to the internet allowing PA’s service team to dial in and monitor the operating status of the machine or diagnose component failure over the phone at any time. This gives them peace of mind that they can be back up and producing in the shortest time possible.”

Tel: 01565 755000 www.pal.co.uk

ECLIPSE MAGNETICS EXHIBITING MAGNETIC SEPARATION & DETECTION SYSTEMS AT BIGGEST EVER PPMA SHOW Eclipse Magnetics will be attending the Process and Packaging Machinery Association Show 2018 from 25 – 27 September at the NEC in Birmingham. On display will be a selection of products from our comprehensive range of high performance magnetic separation and detection systems at stand E54.

Set to be the biggest PPMA Show yet, the exhibition is the perfect platform in which to showcase Eclipse Magnetics’ range of contamination detection and removal systems, suitable for use at all HACCP stages of powder, granule, liquid and paste production. As a company at the very forefront of magnet design and innovation, the range also includes separation systems for extracting primary tramp metals such as nuts, bolts, screws and secondary ferrous contamination such as fine particles from equipment wear in process.

Martyn Cotterill, General Sales Manager for Eclipse Magnetics, said: “One of the greatest challenges to processing industries is ensuring the maximum integrity of the

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finished product. Contamination risks exist at most stages of production, therefore, failure to ensure that this does not occur can be catastrophic to a brand, as well as a risk of causing personal harm. Robust HACCP systems and high performance foreign body removal equipment are vital to prevent this. Our high performance separation systems have a worldwide proven reputation in the food industry, enabling you to protect your brand and your customer.”

July/August 2018 Food & Drink News

Magnetic separation systems are used in almost every processing industry to remove ferrous and para-magnetic contamination from process lines, preventing product contamination and damage to machinery. Eclipse produce high-quality, high-power magnetic separators for most applications, including bulk, grain, dry powders, damp powders, liquids and syrups and a comprehensive range of metal detectors and vibratory sieves.

To assist customers in complying with customer and independent audits, Eclipse Magnetics also has a dedicated site inspection service to provide documentation for external audits, and vast experience in industries such as food, pharmaceutical and chemical processing. To find out more, visit stand E54 at the Process and Packaging Machinery Association Show 2018 from 25– 27 September at the NEC in Birmingham.

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RIGGS AUTOPACK LAUNCH SERVO CONTROL DEPOSITORS AND FILLING MACHINES AT THE PPMA SHOW 2018 Riggs Autopack Ltd is launching their servo control depositors and filling machines at this year’s PPMA Show, at Birmingham NEC. Visitors to the Lancashire company stand on A21 will see a twin servo control unit which demonstrates the advantages of the advanced control features to give greater deposit control within a recipe-based HMI screen.

the set-up of the depositor, therefore reducing possible human error.

• Data extraction available for reports and analysis with feedback from third party equipment (check weigher, metal detector).

• Reduced cost of electric over compressed air (needs calculating).

Greater Control Product Recipe Control and Data • Reduced down-time on set-up between product changeover with one-touch, preset recipe selection.

• Repeatable re-selection of the fill speed and weight to suit each product and container size with recipes.

• Less reliance is placed on the operator in

• Slow start / ramp up / slow finish control to increase the effective depositing of difficult food products or into awkwardly shaped containers.

• Fine-tune increment weight + / - during cycles without need to stop machine.

• Feedback and automatic adjustment via weigh check cell.

• Automatic synchronisation or alternate strokes of individual pump stroke on multipump applications.

• Multi-head machines will all work at same time and will not be held back by slowest depositor.

• Varying viscosity products have no effect on the speed of the depositing so the volume should remain constant.

• Multi-shot function from a single prime

stroke to reduce cycle times.

• Greater synchronisation with other equipment such as dipping heads, rise on fill, swirl or decorating heads.

Also, on display will be a PLC control twin head automatic filling machine with conveyor, and a selection of semi-automatic filling machines and transfer pumps with pneumatic control designed for small to medium scale food production.

Stand A21 Riggs Autopack Ltd Premier Mill Brunswick Street Nelson Lancashire BB9 0HU Tel: +44 (0)1282 440040 Email: info@riggsautopack.co.uk www.riggsautopack.co.uk

IWM SHOWING NEW HEAVY-DUTY CABINET WASHER AT PPMA At this year’s PPMA show Industrial Washing Machines (IWM) will be launching a brand new heavy-duty cabinet washer [HC Cab

1000], which is ideal for “high care” food production applications. Alongside this new machine will be an extensive range of hygiene solutions that includes boot washers, a new version of the popular EC20 eurobin washer, a cabinet utensil washer, hygiene stations and detergents. Visitors to the event, which is being held at the NEC in Birmingham, will be able to view IWM’s products and discuss their applications and benefits on stand C90.

This innovative new design “High Care” cabinet washer, which is the highlight of the

stand, offers exceptional flexibility thanks to preset programmes with various recipes for washing, rinsing and sanitising in any combination. It recirculates hot water with detergent for a total wash process, offers a 2nd stage sanitising hot rinse and/or a final sanitising cycle. The HC 100 is energy efficient, and it is eminently suitable for cleaning weigh pans, cutting boards, mixing bowls and other food manufacturing items.

Users can choose from single or two-door options, which are suitable for low to highcare areas. To ensure extra safety, the machine is fitted with time-delayed magnetic door locks.

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{ Snacks, Crisps & Nuts Focus }

From ‘Super Snackers’ to ‘Mindful’ Munchers As set meal times become more fluid and lifestyles become busier, snacking products are competing through branding, packaging and convenience, as well as health and taste

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ccording to recent research, the boundary between meals and snacks is becoming less defined, as set meal times become more fluid.

Global snacking company Pladis (https://pladisglobal.com), which has operations in 130 countries, has noticed increasing demand for products that can be consumed on the go and easily shared.

At the same time, consumers are becoming more ‘mindful’ about the food they purchase, with taste, quality and familiarity all important ingredients.

“The boundary between meals and snacks is blurring,” says Colette Noé, Senior Director for Consumer and Market Insights at Pladis. “Most people understand a meal to be influenced by cultural traditions around timing, setting and specific food groups. Snacks, on the other hand, are highly personalised and variable mini meals.”

Other insights include what Pladis describes as the search for a more

‘sensory’ experience, for example last year’s increase in salted caramel-flavoured snacks and the glut of new products with added protein appearing on our shelves.

Millennials are snacking more than previous generations and one in four of them are classed by Pladis as ‘Super Snackers’, people who snack four or more times a day. While their parents have the buying power to drive particular snacking trends, the younger generation tend to talk more about products and post images on social media.

“We know that millennials are a more visual generation than their parents were,” says Colette Noé. “They need to be tempted by a particular type of packaging or instantly register how a product fits into their busy lifestyle.”

Snacking across Europe Major growth in the sales of snacking products has been seen across Europe, in particular crisps and salty snacks,

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{ Snacks, Crisps & Nuts Focus }

according to IRI (www.IRIworldwide.com), the big data and technology expert for FMCG. Its 2017 Top FMCG Categories in Europe, which collates data from consumers in six countries (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands), has found that busy lifestyles and the trend for on-the-go eating have caused an upswing in spend on snacking, with a 3.7% increase in total sales for crisps and salty snacks from last year’s figures.

In particular, consumers are choosing healthier or lighter products, common examples being individually portioned fruit, nuts and popcorn. Baked and vegetable crisps have also seen an upswing, with both mainstream and artisan brands offering new products such as rice and lentil crisps in this category.

“Quick and easy access to food and drink choices is becoming more important, so manufacturers and retailers will need to maximise opportunities here,” explains Olly Abotorabi, Senior Regional Insights Manager at IRI. “Portability and re-sealable packaging, for example, are increasingly valuable assets in delivering convenience for the on-the-go consumer.

But they will need to balance this with demand for healthier options, as sugary snacks become less attractive to shoppers, and offer alternatives more suited to guilt-free grazing, such as nuts and seeds, fruit and popcorn.”

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Packaging the product A key part of presenting snacking products for consumers looking to make a quick purchase is the packaging, with both design and convenience considered key factors.

JIMMy’S UK (www.purepopcorn.co.uk), which launched into this country in October of last year, has now created a new range of ‘impulse’ products for its Pure Popcorn brand. The new packs are designed for the convenience, forecourt and grocery sector, where space is at a premium. “Popcorn sales are soaring in the UK market, which can in part be accredited to the shift in consumer habits from traditional – generally spudbased – snacks to ‘good-for-you’ alternatives,” says Steve Seddon, Director at JIMMy’S UK.

{ Snacks, Crisps & Nuts Focus }

Pure Popcorn contains chicory beet root fibre as an alternative to sugar and has fewer than 100 calories per bag, as well as less sugar and salt than regular popcorn, and no aromatic substances, colourings, flavourings or sweeteners.

“Consumer demand for healthy snacking is growing at a rate that is three times faster than the traditional snacking category. Companies need to adapt to both market and consumer trends and establish a stand-out USP to shine above competitors in a hugely populated marketplace. Popcorn has a strong future in the snacking sector, particularly with those consumers looking for healthier but as equally convenient snacking choices.”

Healthy options Consumers looking for healthier snacking products have a lot more options to choose from in today’s market.

Companies such as Itsu (www.itsu.com) offer a wide range of low-calorie, high-nutrition snacks in contemporary packaging. These include Crispy Seaweed Thins, a light vegetable crisp packed with zinc, iron, B vitamins and iodine. With flavours ranging from sweet soy and sea salt to wasabi, they are designed to appeal to healthconscious snackers, with only 22 or 24 calories per pack, as well as being suitable for vegans and those following a gluten-free diet.

Itsu’s Prawn Crackers come in at 97 calories per bag, dispelling the idea that these are automatically a high-calorie snack, and the brand’s Beef Twerky, also 97 calories a bag, is clearly aimed at the

low-calorie, high-protein market.

Meanwhile, Mindful Bites (www.mindfulbites.co.uk ) goes one step further with a whole ethos based on snacking ‘mindfully’. As an alternative to the quick fix of snacks that are high in sugar, the company markets nutritionally rich snacks that help stabilise blood sugar levels, with a view to improving concentration, focus and energy. This approach even extends to the texture of Mindful Bites products, which is designed to slow down the rate at which the snack is consumed.

The premium nut butters, which are sugar free, gluten free and vegan, are available in sachets and jars. Newly launched in April 2018 with a RRP of £1.79 are Crunchy Bites, where the nut butters are combined with a gluten-free wafer.

With eco-friendly packaging, free of plastic or toxic materials, the company’s products are designed to disrupt the category.

“We offer consumers a healthier and kinder way to snack,” says Stephanie Peritore, founder of Mindful Bites. “Our belief is that snacking has been tarnished with the ‘bad brush’, but in fact if you are careful and select the right kind of snacks, that are better for you and ethically sourced, then this can have positive outcomes.”

While traditional crisps, salted nuts, chocolate bars and sweets continue to dominate the snacking sector, a range of new and healthier options look set to carve out an ever-increasing market share moving forward.

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{ Williams Potatoes & Catering Products }

Next Day Delivery as Standard It’s a bank holiday weekend, your usual supplier is closed and your potato chipper has broken down – who do you call? Williams Catering Products are on hand to help

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rom fish and chip shops to pubs and restaurants, caterers across the UK rely on Williams for the supply of potatoes, chippers, peelers and associated products and parts. With around 300 potato peelers and chippers in stock, the company can supply urgent orders for sale or hire.

“We’re very reliable and can be reached on weekends and bank holidays when a lot of companies are closed,” explains Director, Phillip Williams. “People phone up desperately needing equipment the next day. I’ve got my screen in front of me and as soon as the money is in the bank, off goes the pallet with their order. We also offer hire equipment while we carry out repairs.”

From its headquarters in Exeter and satellite depot in Wantage, Oxfordshire, the company covers the whole of mainland UK for sales, repairs, spare parts and servicing, and ships equipment worldwide.

“We sell a lot of the Bold brand, used by the top fish and chip shops, and we supply restaurants like Rick Stein’s, Rockfish, Krispies, Harbourside, Scallop Shell and Kingfisher.”

A farmer’s son, Phillip Williams ran a fruit and veg shop and moved into supplying potatoes to fish and chip shops, cafés, restaurants and hotels almost 45 years ago. A mechanically minded person, he expanded into catering equipment around 18 years ago.

Today Williams is a family-run business, with Phillip’s youngest son, Brendan, heading up the potato supply to customers including 75 fish and chip shops, and his oldest son, Scott, working evenings and weekends at the Wantage depot, repairing potato peelers and

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chippers.

“The depot in Wantage holds around 20 machines and is helping us expand our area as it’s easier for people in London or the west to get to.”

The warehouse in Exeter has space for the catering equipment and an insulated store for 100 tonnes of potatoes. The 10 staff include trained engineers, with three vans out on the road.

Future plans include seven-day opening and an internet shop. As Phillip heads towards semi-retirement, his sons will continue to expand the business.

“It’s all about building on our good customer relationships,” he says. “Because we do a good job, everybody recommends us.”

Tel: 01626 890871 Email: info@williamspotatoes.co.uk

{ United Snacks }

Better Quality, Healthier Approach With a range of low-salt and gluten-free options on the market, United Snacks is taking a healthy approach to the growing market for extruded snacks

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ew products, new recipes and rebranding for old favourites, United Snacks has certainly been busy over the past year. The company is also opening up new markets, with new clients and product launches in the UK, and seeing success in branching out into mainland Europe and Dubai.

Health-conscious customers “We – and the whole snacking industry – have seen a lot of growth within the extruded snacks market and also the use of grain, vegetables and fruits becoming more widespread,” says Operations Director Peter Fletcher.

“Parents are becoming more health-conscious and we’re seeing a lot more lentils, spinach, vegetables and fruit powders going into extruded snacks made with the likes of corn, rice and quinoa.”

Key customers The company produces snacks for other brands, including healthier snacking products with ingredients such as quinoa, kale and lentils.

“We go to clients and propose new products,” explains Peter Fletcher. “It works particularly well with companies that are open to new ideas. We can offer snacks that are gluten free and introduce new flavours over time. The demand is definitely there for this kind of snack and we’ve seen massive growth.”

As well as finding markets in mainland Europe, some products are being exported to Dubai. Having been on a trade mission last December, Peter is keen to pursue this market, although it may require a redesign for core products. “There isn’t really a market there for value snacks and the supermarkets don’t focus on deals like they do here,” he says.

Breakfast well Future products currently in development include those aimed at the kids’ on-the-go breakfast snacking market. These will be a healthier alternative to crisps and high-sugar snack bars that children might presently eat on the way to school.

“Parents are becoming more health-conscious and we’re seeing a lot more lentils, spinach, vegetables and fruit powders going into extruded snacks made with the likes of corn, rice and quinoa.”

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{ United Snacks }

Salt, allergens and gluten The salt content has been reduced on United Snacks’ core range and the company is working closely with its clients to reduce the salt levels of their current products.

The snacks designed for specific clients are allergen free and gluten free, and the aim is to match this approach across all United Snacks products by the end of this year.

“It’s mostly to do with reformulating the seasoning,” says Peter Fletcher.

“Some won’t quite taste the same when there is no gluten or the salt levels are reduced, but we’re working hard to get them spot on and we’re looking at some larger pack sizes.”

The demand for gluten free is a trend that the company has been aware of for some time. “Our move towards becoming completely gluten free is to show we’re being responsive to customer needs, whether they choose to eat gluten-free or they are coeliacs. I know several coeliacs and for them it has a massive effect.”

Growth and investment The ongoing success of the company has led to the team expanding, with headcount increasing by 25% in the past year.

There is also ongoing investment in the site in the form of a new extruder and a second ZC1 high-speed packing machine from Leeds-based Italian company PFM Packing Machinery. This offers carefully controlled weights at fast speed and minimises packaging waste.

There is also a second production line being put in and another shift, extending production hours to run from 8am to 10pm.

A third-generation family business, United Snacks is run not only by Peter

Fletcher, but also by his father Peter Fletcher Snr, working in an engineering capacity, and his sister Charlie as Head of Operations.

Longer term, there are plans to move to a bigger site. “My grandparents built this place almost 40 years ago,” says Peter Fletcher. “We’ve gone from strength to strength and we’ve added bits here and there, but we are looking at moving in the next couple of years.”

Thingies redesign One of the company’s earliest products was Thingies; these will soon go through a major redesign that will see them become gluten free and sold in foil packs. The well-established brand will also have two variants, a single pack for the wholesale market and a multi-pack, in line with Oooo’s and Happy Snacks.

New products and diversification Current R&D includes looking for ways to formulate pea protein into a solid product while retaining the taste element.

“Now we’ve got a well-established foundation with these products the idea is to diversify and build on that.

Our core range is doing really well and we’re keeping up with demand but the second shift will help with producing additional products. As much as the highvolume big-discount outlets are great, they squeeze the margins as much as they can. We’re hoping that, moving forward, people will be thinking more about the quality of what they buy and will be prepared to spend more for a better food product.”

Longer term, there are plans to move to a bigger site.

“My grandparents built this place almost 40 years ago,” says Peter Fletcher. “We’ve gone from strength to strength and we’ve added bits here and there, but we are looking at moving in the next couple of years.”

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{ EC Drummond Agriculture }

From Produce to Poultry Established supplier of strawberries, potatoes, broilers and turkeys, EC Drummond Agriculture has set up a new company for the construction and maintenance of poultry buildings

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ne of the largest private farming companies in the UK by turnover, EC Drummond Agriculture has developed three successful core branches of business: strawberry production, with direct sales to Morrisons, along with dessert apples; potato production for frozen potato products, supplying Lamb Weston; and broiler chickens and Christmas turkeys for the major integrators such as Avara Foods, Crown Foods and The 2 Sisters Food Group.

“The three arms of the business have been derived from a mixed farm and, unusually for a business today, we’ve maintained them and expanded them in equal terms,” explains Eric Drummond, Chairman of the company, brothers Ben and Sam now run the company as joint Managing Directors. More recently, the company has launched Coverhill Facility Management, which repairs and maintains poultry buildings, as well as constructing them from scratch.

Origins and approach The farming business was started by Eric’s father in 1947 in Scotland, before the family settled in Ross-on-

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{ EC Drummond Agriculture }

Wye, Herefordshire in 1956. Here, they farmed potatoes, cereal crops and blackcurrants, and raised sheep and cattle.

The business grew and was incorporated in 1962.

Stand-out moments in the early days include purchasing the first farm in 1968, setting up dessert apple orchards for direct sales and seeing turkey production reach 40,000 a year. More recently direct sales to Morrisons and a new arable site were added in 2009, the total arable farmed area is now 9,500 acres.

The company mostly works with larger groups. “It’s both for economies of scale and because it’s the larger, progressive businesses that are dealing with the more progressive customers,” says Eric Drummond. “Our clients have the critical mass you need to supply the major multiples.”

Potato production The farm’s location facilitates high-yielding potato crops early in the season and the company specialises in growing varieties specific to frozen chip manufacture, with around 75% of the crop grown on contract for Lamb Weston and the rest sold on the open market.

Strawberry season Supplying 24% of Morrisons’ strawberries, the company has invested in table-top production, where strawberry plants are grown at chest height in grow bags. Although this required an initial capital cost in steelwork and structure, the benefits are threefold. First,

the plants are less affected by soil-borne diseases; second, there’s an increase in production of about 10%; and third, the requirement for picking labour is reduced.

The company also grows fruit such as cherrys and dessert apples, and a three-hectare glasshouse at Evesham provides a further 200 tonnes of production at high-demand periods.

Fruit is handpicked and packed in a BRC-accredited facility, using automated lines that weigh and label produce ready for daily dispatch.

Robotics is being introduced in the pack house to reduce labour, which currently stands at 90 full-time staff and 300 seasonal workers. “We have put a machine in this year that speeds up and assists with the weighing of the fruit prior to dispatch and we’re now looking at robotics to load and take the finished product off the system,” says Ben Drummond. “The biggest threat to our fruit business is the reduction in seasonal labour, as we rely on these workers to pick, pack and dispatch our fruit.”

Poultry sites EC Drummond also has 20 poultry production sites across the UK, each run by a dedicated production manager. These produce 30 million broiler chickens a year, with two of the sites switching to produce 100,000 turkeys between July and November; these are processed by Avara Foods for the Christmas market.

“This model gives us the ability to supply different integrators that then supply the various supermarkets,” explains Eric Drummond. “There’s also the added advantage from a disease point of view that they are not all on one site.”

“We have invested a lot in biomass instillations over the last five years and we are now looking at other renewable technologies, such as solar and groundsource heat pumps, “says Sam Drummond. We are constantly looking at ways to drive down the cost of production, be more efficient and produce a better product for our customers. We are interacting with our customers all the time.

Coverhill Facility Management EC Drummond’s latest division, set up in January 2016, has branched out from managing the company’s own poultry sheds to building, repairing and maintaining those of other businesses.

“We’ve got a commercial manager who runs Coverhill on a day-to-day basis and we’re investing in upper management to drive it forward,” says Sam Drummond. “There’s definitely a gap in the market and it works well for us because we’ve already got the industry contacts. At the beginning of 2018 it was

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{ EC Drummond Agriculture }

turning over about £300K, but by the end of the year we’ll probably hit around £1m-£1.2m.”

Future challenges and opportunities With this year’s overall turnover expected to reach £45m, the aim is to increase this to £60m over the next five years. Investment is being made in all sectors, from the table-top production to increasing yield and quality, and improving staff facilities. Within the arable farm, there are plans to build reservoirs for water conservation and irrigation. Forward planning is key, says Sam Drummond: “We are looking at where we can get our highest return on capital, while maintaining a mixed income-stream business.”

The long production lead-in and weather patterns can also be challenging. “We’re already planning the varieties and quantities we’ll plant for 2019, so there’s a lot of interaction with our customers,” says Ben Drummond. “There are many factors involved: we might have very hot dry weather as we are now, which will affect the yield of strawberries but can be good for other things.”

Most important is the close working relationships that the company has established with its customers, ensuring that it delivers the required product consistently and within specification. At the same time, EC Drummond is open to new markets, and will continue to expand to meet current and future customers’ needs.

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Tel: 01989 764328 Email: info@ecdrummond.co.uk www.ecdrummond.co.uk

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“Queen of your heart” A.Teresa Hermanos 03190 Pilar de la Horadada, Alicante (E) info@teresahermanos.es

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{ Rodanto }

The Spanish Connection An Anglo-Spanish company with roots going back 65 years, Rodanto imports a full basket of produce and has developed its own patented variety of raspberry

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he produce market is typically a traditional one, based on word of mouth and building strong customer relationships. An Anglo-Spanish company, Rodanto has very much followed this blueprint. Over the past 65 years, the business has established itself as a leading global grower, importer, packer and distributor of fresh produce. Today it has an enviable reputation for the supply of high-quality produce to customers in the retail, wholesale and catering sectors throughout the UK. At the same time, Rodanto has developed strong partnerships with a network of growers across Spain, in South Africa and more recently in Morocco, with additional produce grown on its UK farm.

Having long since grown out of its offices, the company now operates from conveniently located headquarters in Kent.

“At Rodanto, one of our key strengths over the years has been our ability to offer a full basket of products,” says Edward Velasco, who has worked in Sales and Procurement for the past four years. “It’s because of our experience and the relationships we’ve established.

Clients such as major multiples have always been able to give us a call and ask us to source produce within a short period of time, whether it’s a popular or a niche product.”

Early days Founded in 1953 by Edward Velasco’s grandfather, who emigrated to the UK during the Franco era, the company has always had strong Spanish links. With relations in Spain and the Canary Islands looking for external markets for cucumbers and tomatoes, it was a logical step to start importing these into the UK. The company first operated from an import office in the original Spitalfields Market, and trade grew steadily from there. Over the past 65 years, the focus has been on gradual, managed growth, rather than buyouts, mergers or acquisitions.

Edward Velasco’s father, Michael Velasco, joined the company in 1975, helping to take the business to the next level; and while he remains Chairman, the day-today running of the company has been in the hands of Managing Director Trevor Shulton since 2001.

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{ Rodanto }

Three sites in Spain With three key sites in Spain – in Murcia, Almeria and Huelva – Rodanto is able to offer a basket of different products to its UK customers.

Around 25 years ago, Rodanto created Terra Agricola in Murcia, which became the Spanish marketing technical and logistics office.

“We realised we needed a bigger presence in Spain to become more competitive in both purchasing and importing in the UK” explains Edward Velasco. “We were already supplying a lot of vegetables and fruit, but we now also have our own plantations of broccoli, brassica and melons through Terra Agricola. So we’ve grown from not only being an exporter but now also a grower, packer and haulier as we now have our own transport office there as well, with a small fleet of six lorries.”

Further along the Spanish coast, the company established Green Valley Almeria, again to help it compete. From there, peppers, cucumbers, courgettes and melons are exported into the UK. Close to the Portuguese border in Huelva, the company established Green Valley, which has seen significant growth over the past 40 years. “Again, we went from being an importer of raspberries and strawberries into the UK to becoming a competitive grower with our own raspberry fields and farms in that region,” says Edward Velasco.

The key plank of this success is the relationships that have been established with local growers over the decades. “In many cases we’ve become partners with them; we’ve invested in them over time and where necessary, created long- term strategies that have enabled our growers to make further investments in

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land or machinery for example. We also have our own experienced technical teams with whom we communicate with daily. The team checks all the produce before it gets loaded and they visit the fields daily whilst communicating any concerns they may have. We also have a fantastic commercial team who visit the growers to make sure contracts are set up and so on which not only makes life a lot easier but also helps us to compete. They also find produce when we need it. With a lot of the produce, we know where to go and who to speak to, but obviously the market is forever changing, and having our own team out there gives us that edge.”

Kwanza raspberries Not content with supplying and growing produce, the company progressed to developing its own variety of raspberry. Patented to grow in Spain and Morocco, Kwanza raspberries are imported not only into the UK but also across mainland Europe.

So far, the business has planted 15 hectares of Kwanza raspberries in the Larache region on the western coast of Morocco. “We’re really excited about it and we’re hoping to have Kwanza production from Morocco towards the end of this year. It’s a new project and something we’re hoping to grow within the next five years.”

Meanwhile, Rodanto has also brought its Kwanza production to the UK at Honeydale Farm in Kent, a former “pick your own” farm bought by Rodanto around 20 years ago. While pick your own has fallen out of favour in recent times, the investment and increased capacity for growing this variety of raspberry

{ Rodanto }

is expected to reap dividends for the home market moving forward.

Citrus fruit To supply the UK demand for citrus fruit, Rodanto imports produce direct from the growers via three companies in South Africa: Dibanisa, based in Ashton in the Western Cape; Katco, located in Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape; and EasyFarm, based in Thohoyandou in the Limpopo Province.

“Quite a high volume of citrus comes in from South Africa for the wholesale and retail markets in the UK,” says Edward Velasco. “We have created partnerships with growers and invested heavily for citrus.”

Vital statistics Although a relatively small company, with around 25 UK staff and an annual turnover of approximately £40m, Rodanto supplies a full range of products to customers of all sizes. Around 60% of trade is with retailers, including major multiples, with the remainder reserved for wholesale customers. With daily delivery across the UK, from Scotland down to the south coast, the wholesale side is a valuable part of the business.

While local delivery to markets such as Spitalfields, Covent Garden and Western International is handled by the company’s own transport, the UK-wide service is outsourced to Fresh Service in Kent and Turners (Soham) Ltd. Both are experts in the temperaturecontrolled storage and delivery of fresh produce across the UK. Staff training is largely on the job, although the company also has an active external training programme to ensure that employees are accredited to the right levels. Training is also given to the temporary staff in the packhouse and warehouse, including English language courses for those who need the support.

A competitive market Although produce is a notoriously competitive industry, Edward Velasco believes that Rodanto’s success is due to a number of factors. “Competition is forever changing and our ability to adapt within the market is vital. What makes us stand out is the fact we’re still a family-owned business with a strong European footprint that enables us to offer a unique personable service. Our longevity in the market, the relationships we have established and the staff we have working within the group make us different. Much of our strength comes from our organic growth and every decision that’s been made over the course of our history has been done so as a team. The key is that we continue to remain true to not only our values but those of our clients too.

Then there’s the Kwanza production: a premium quality berry that sets Rodanto apart from a lot of other berry growers.

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{ Rodanto }

As for challenges, Brexit could potentially affect imports in a negative way but there may be opportunities to develop export markets, in particular with the Kwanza berries grown in the UK. “The biggest issue that we may have in the coming years is Brexit and how that might affect the import market,” says Edward Velasco. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, which gives businesses’ reservations to committing to long-term plans. There is however some interest in how it may improve the export side of the business and we may see exports rise in the fresh produce sector.

“People want to know that costs are not going to increase and that’s the subject of many of our conversations with our growers. They want assurance to know if there will be further barriers to export into the UK. Whilst this uncertainty has grown many growers have begun seeing real benefits exporting to Asia and Saudi Arabia. People are starting to turn that way, rather than towards the UK market, which in the past had the biggest pull to it, so that’s caused quite an increase in competition as well.”

“However, no one really knows how it’s going to affect the marketplace so we need to carry on adapting and evolving as things change.”

have a website and so we were a little bit behind.

Produce is quite an old-school market and mostly relies on word of mouth rather than website clicks. However there are some leaders in innovation with certain products like Tenderstem broccoli, or certain brands of avocado and kiwi too; they have pushed out that marketing and are seeing real growth within those lines. One of the main reasons for avocado growth is how good it looks on Instagram; you post images and people love it.”

As well as being active on Twitter and Instagram and keeping its website updated, Rodanto markets its Kwanza raspberries at events such as Fruit Attraction in Madrid which has helped to gain access to new clients across the EU and beyond.

As for the future, the plan is to continue to innovate in order to remain competitive. This has involved trials of new varieties within raspberry, blueberry and strawberry production, and investment in further land in Murcia, Almeria and Morocco to increase production out there.

Having survived and thrived over the past 65 years in business, Rodanto is certainly well placed to retain its leading role in produce importation, whatever the external challenges.

Marketing the company

Tel: 0208 305 2000 Email: info@rodanto.co.uk www.rodanto.co.uk

One way that Rodanto is looking to increase sales is through further developing its marketing strategy.

“Digital marketing for us is quite new,” says Edward Velasco. “When I came in four years ago we didn’t even

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Proudly supplying Rodanto for over 35 years

P R O U D LY

SUPPORTING

Rodanto FOR

OVER

20

YEARS

Picolito S.L. C/ Isabel La Catรณlica, 14 46004 Valencia Tel: +34 963 526 659 www.picolito.com

July/August 2018 Food & Drink News

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{ Ribble Farm Fare Ltd }

Welcome to the Ribble Family!

Specialists in supplying fruit and vegetables to the catering industry, Ribble Farm Fare has expanded its product list and its client base to meet customer demand

R

ibble Farm Fare is one of the most prominent fruit and vegetable distributors in the north-west of England. Having built a reputation suppling produce to the catering industry, the business has grown further by increasing the range of products it offers and winning new contracts.

“Our customers often come to us with new products and they are the driving force behind our ever-growing range,” explains the company’s General Manager, Marina Goodman. “We are focused on customer satisfaction with no order too big, no order too little.

Our 24-hour ordering and six-day-a-week delivery means we are able to fulfil the needs of every type of customer.”

Early days and growth The business was originally founded in 1964 by David Coulston, who set up the company as a local business working out of a small shed on a farm in Longridge, near Preston, Lancashire. He began by selling potatoes from door to door and later expanded to supplying both fruit and vegetables before moving the business into an old mill, opening a shop and finally establishing the depot from where Ribble Farm operates today.

Ribble Farm Fare was registered as a company in 1985 and, in 1988, David retired and handed the reins over to the second generation: his two sons, Roger and Richard Coulston. Inspired by their father’s passion for business, they have worked hard to grow Ribble Farm

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{ Ribble Farm Fare Ltd }

into the success it is today.

Being a family-run business means that there is always a working director close by, allowing a handson approach to dealing with any issues that might arise.

A wide product range Most products are sourced locally, although adverse weather can mean imports from further afield are required to fulfil customer orders. The company’s location, within the Ribble Valley, means that it is surrounded by many high-quality growers of fresh produce.

With many food service outlets, such as pubs, hotels and restaurants, looking to offer fresh, locally sourced seasonal produce, these relationships with local growers are vital to Ribble Farm Fare’s success. Buying local, in-season produce helps to keep costs down and makes it easier to track quality, while keeping carbon footprints low.

All of the orders are hand-picked to ensure that every customer receives quality produce with each delivery.As well as offering a wide range of fresh fruit, the company supplies prepared fruit products – anything from diced pineapple and melon balls to fruit salads.

The vegetable offer includes various potato varieties,

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{ Ribble Farm Fare Ltd }

chips, diced potatoes and wedges, along with the expected range of fresh vegetables and prepared produce, such as diced or grated carrots, coleslaw ingredients and ratatouille mix.

“Prepared vegetables are our speciality and therefore the real marker of our business success,” says Marina Goodman. “It’s ultimately our USP, so we have invested a large amount in our facilities to ensure we supply the finest produce. As a company we are always on the lookout for new ideas and new products. Our customers encourage us to try new innovative ideas and we do our best to support them.”

Complementary products include oils and mayonnaise, salad and herbs, sandwich fillings, cheeses, cooked and marinated meats, bakery products, juices and water. There are also ranges of frozen berries, vegetables and breads.

All products can be ordered at any time online through the company’s website, by phone or by fax, with orders placed before midnight available for delivery the following day. This 24/7 ordering line accommodates customers such as restaurants who might be working late into the evening and find they need to place an urgent order for the next day’s service.

supplying third-party clients with fruit and vegetables for their contracts.

“There’s no missing our green and orange vehicles making their way around their delivery routes each day,” says Marina Goodman. “We pride ourselves on working closely with our customers to meet their individual needs, should it be bespoke products, invoicing or delivery times, and our hands-on, flexible approach has played a huge part in our success today.”

A broad client base

The Ribble family

The company’s client base varies significantly, from large food production companies to football clubs and other sporting venues, and from universities and schools to hotels and restaurants. Whatever their size and type, every organisation supplied by Ribble Farm can enjoy the best in customer service.

Currently employing more than 250 staff, Ribble Farm prides itself in nurturing a happy working environment and invests in staff training to help promote accuracy when fulfilling orders.

“We always say that when you come to Ribble, you’re not just joining the company you’re joining the Ribble family,” says Marina Goodman. “The same goes for our customers.”

Delivery to the door With more than 60 vans in the Ribble Farm fleet, the company is able to deliver across the majority of the north west and further afield. This has helped to build the client base across the region and is boosted by

Facilities and expansion Based in Longridge, near Preston in Lancashire, the business operates out of one site, which covers more than 20,000 sq ft. A new planned extension will take the facility to more than 44,000 sq ft and the dedicated packing facility is also currently being expanded.

To keep up with customer requirements, the company is constantly upgrading its machinery and investing in the purpose-built preparation building.

“There are constant investments back into the company to meet standards and customer demands,” says Marina Goodman. “The new build is set to increase the area of preparation and picking, which should allow the company to become more efficient in what we do.”

Accreditations and accolades Earlier this year, the company was recognised by the London Stock Exchange Group as one of their Top

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{ Ribble Farm Fare Ltd }

1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. “To see all our hard work be recognised in such a way is extremely rewarding,” says Marina Goodman. “We put this down to our commitment to quality, freshness and consistency.”

Additionally, the company is proud to achieve BRC status every year. “It’s a major achievement as it’s a constant battle to keep up with standards. Especially if you think back to where we were 50 years ago, the company has come a very long way.”

It is also NSF-CMi accredited, showing its commitment to food safety standards, both legislative and industry, and is certified by the Soil Association, the UK’s largest organic certification body, which is recognised and trusted globally.

Finally, Ribble Farm is registered with TUCO, The University Caterers Organisation Ltd, which is the leading professional membership body for standards in higher and further education catering.

A professional sales team Building long-term relationships is a key part of the company’s sales strategy. To this end, Ribble Farm Fare employs a team of fully trained sales representatives, who go out to visit customers and talk to them about their requirements. The office sales manager is also on

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hand to deal with any queries and the company fosters a friendly approach with a focus on reliability.

“Our sales team take a genuine interest in the lives of our customers, which really helps build a special bond with each and every customer,” says Marina Goodman.

“The same goes for our drivers.”

Looking ahead The construction taking place for the new picking building will allow the business to expand not only that area of the site but also its prepared vegetable lines.

This should help the introduction of new systems in both the short and the long term.

With current turnover standing at around £17m, Ribble Farm Fare is looking to double the business over the next five years.

“This next year is likely to be a struggle with the weather having seriously affected the quality and quantity of produce available,” says Marina Goodman.

“However, that’s just the nature of this business and I’m sure that here at Ribble Farm Fare we will come through it stronger.”

Tel: 01772 783 386 Email: info@ribble-farm.co.uk www.ribblefarmfare.co.uk

Smithy Mushrooms Ltd www.smithymushrooms.co.uk Leaders in the field of exotic mushrooms. Supplying to a variety of national supermarkets, Michelin starred restaurants & wholesale markets

Smithy Mushrooms Ltd Smithy Lane, Scarisbrick, Ormskirk L40 8HL Tel: 01704 840982

July/August 2018 Food & Drink News

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{ Coeliac UK }

Gluten Free – The Way Ahead As Coeliac UK marks its 50th year, the charity’s new research fund is providing the food industry with new opportunities to improve their gluten-free offerings

G

luten-free products may be easier to find nowadays, but there remain many misconceptions around coeliac disease.

The condition is not an intolerance or allergy but an autoimmune disease with only one treatment: following a gluten-free diet for life. Even a crumb of bread from a shared knife can cause the immune system of someone with the condition to attack the body’s tissues. While the immediate effect can include diarrhoea and vomiting, continuing to eat gluten long term may lead to nutritional deficiencies, anaemia, osteoporosis and in some cases a rare bowel cancer.

With one in 100 people believed to be living with the condition in the UK and across Europe, around 70% of them undiagnosed, Coeliac UK, the UK charity for people who need to live gluten free (www.coeliac.org.uk), is passionate about providing information and training, while promoting research into the condition.

New research fund appeal A new research fund appeal for £5m was launched at the start of the year and, during the charity’s Awareness Week in May, a £750K fund was opened for research into gluten-free food production, healthcare diagnostics and digital self-care tools, with £500K of the funding coming from Innovate UK.

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Researchers and businesses can apply for a share of this funding. For the food industry, this could include research into new ingredients, foods with improved nutrient profiles and desired flavour or texture characteristics or new methods of preservation. Other areas open to funding include innovation in manufacturing efficiency for lower cost options or technologies that improve shelf life. Deadline for applications is 3 September. See www.coeliac.org.uk/innovateuk for more information.

The prevalence of gluten Gluten is found not only in bread, biscuits, pasta and cake, but also in a wide range of products such as sausages, gravy, sauces and even some chocolate.

“Gluten is very prevalent in our diet,” explains Sarah Sleet, Chief Executive of Coeliac UK. “It’s a big portion of our calorific intake, plus it’s often associated with ingredients that contain important micronutrients, which, if you take out gluten, need to be replaced. It’s a complex issue.”

Origins First described in Ancient Greece, coeliac disease was more formally recognised by a British doctor, Samuel Gee, in a paper published in 1888. After the Second World War, a Dutch paediatrician noticed that

{ Coeliac UK }

the children who had been ill prior to the war and well during rationing fell ill again after eating food aid such as bread. He made the link to wheat and later gluten was recognised as the damaging ingredient.

Changing attitudes In the past seven years or so, gluten-free has moved from a niche market with a few specialist producers to a burgeoning worldwide offer. Retail outlets are allocating more shelf-space to gluten-free products and restaurants are realising that not providing gluten-free means losing both a customer with coeliac disease and also those they are dining with.

“The consumer segment has grown, partly because more people have been diagnosed, partly because some people with other medical issues seem to benefit from a gluten-free diet and partly because it has become fashionable, with celebrity-style endorsements,” says Sarah Sleet. “The growth is worldwide, and gluten-free is establishing itself as a permanent and visible segment of the market in the same way that vegetarianism has.”

Legislation and advice Changes to food regulations have had a significant impact, in particular on labelling, although it can be confusing for food producers.

“Often we are contacted about grey areas,” says Sarah Sleet. “The law is simple, keep it below 20 parts per million, but it doesn’t tell you how, or the right tests for detecting gluten. If somebody is starting out they often come to us. One huge advantage of the labelling regulations was that all companies had to review their allergen procedures. There was an initial slowdown in gluten-free labelling while they got their systems in place, but we said if you find your processes are pretty good, then why not make an advantage out of it?”

Coeliac UK has substantial resources online, and its representatives can visit companies as part of its certification and accreditation schemes to identify high-risk areas and share best practice. The charity runs an accreditation programme for food service and provides face-to-face and online training to suit working schedules.

Cross-contamination, however, is subject to voluntary guidance and remains a major issue in food service, the classic example being a buffet table where spoons and knives are used across a number of dishes.

“Food manufacturers have two advantages, the legislation around allergen labelling has been in place longer for their sector and the controlled environment they work in. Food service is a more manual process and more subject to change. But in both there are some stand-out companies that have worked hard to produce a good, safe, consistent offering. For example,

Pizza Express, who started the accreditation process very early on, changed their processes to avoid crosscontamination without taking away a classic Pizza Express experience. They toss all their pizza bases in the restaurant with gluten-free flour only, so there is no contamination risk from flour in the air.”

Improvements and innovations Creating tasty gluten-free bread is particularly challenging, as it requires additional and often expensive ingredients, which brings up issues of consistency and quality control, especially when sourcing across the globe.

“The manufacture of gluten-free bread and flour has an inherently high cost, so we need manufacturing innovation to bring that cost down,” says Sarah Sleet.

“The reality is that, despite economies of scale, price hasn’t gone down by much and wastage is a massive issue.”

In food service, the high street and commercial arenas have seen vast improvements in availability of gluten-free offerings, but those lagging behind include food-on-the-go, takeaways, workplaces and the public sector – schools, universities and even hospitals.

While a vaccine is theoretically possible, Sarah Sleet says, it remains a very long-term goal, both because of testing and safety hurdles and because those with coeliac disease don’t all have the same genetic profile and are not all equally sensitive to the same protein fragments.

However, by offering a new research fund, Coeliac UK is helping those in food production to help themselves grow and improve the quality and consistency of their gluten-free offer.

Exclusive Food and Drink News reader offer Coeliac UK is offering readers 25% off the usual price of £35 plus VAT for their online catering training course. Or you can contact them about their accreditation scheme, which includes free online training. Offer available until the end of August 2018.

Visit www.glutenfreetraining.org, click through to the private sector and quote code FDNOfferAug18 when registering.

For more information – www.coeliac.org.uk/aboutcateringtraining Catering accreditation: www.coeliac.org.uk/accreditation Product certification: www.coeliac.org.uk/crossed-grain-symbol

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{ Orton’s Wholesale Bakery }

New Owner, Same Great Quality A well-respected name in and around Leeds, Orton’s Wholesale Bakery is moving forward with experienced baker Gary Parker at the helm

F

rom bread and pastries to oven-bottom bread cakes, Orton’s Wholesale Bakery has been supplying customers with quality baked goods for more than three decades.

In November 2017, Gary Parker and his wife Catherine became the new owners, taking over from founder Donald Orton. Having worked in the business in a management role for the past 10 years, Gary was the ideal choice to steer the business forward.

Background and premises After moving to Leeds in 1981, Donald Orton bought his first bakery on Harehills Lane, which he still owns today as a sandwich shop.

At the time Leeds was saturated with bakeries, but the business grew and Orton’s became a limited company in 2002. After the wholesale side took off, winning contracts with local universities and hospitals, the company moved to larger premises, a 2,500 sq ft single-storey unit in a central regeneration area, investing in new machinery and automating some of the process.

Succession plans Keen to see the company and the jobs it provided continue, Donald Orton gradually handed more of the management decisions to Gary Parker with a view to

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him taking over the business when the time came.

Having previously jointly run a small bakery in Denholme near Bradford for 11 years, Gary had plenty of hands-on experience when he joined Orton’s in 2008.

“I’ve had input into a lot of the recent expansion, as the plan was that I would take over, although Don continues to work here two days a week as a consultant,” he says. “I was very grateful for the way it happened; it was a very friendly takeover as I knew the business inside out. We’re into month eight and it’s flying by. At the moment I’m bearing the fruit of Don’s hard work and I’m running it how I ran it for Don. It works, so why change anything, unless we hit obstacles or new opportunities arise. Orton’s is a very famous name around Leeds, so the name will always stand as long as I own it and I would hope it would remain when I pass it to my kids.”

Products and customer base Apart from buying in some frozen savouries to bake off, all of the bread and confectionery products are made from scratch on site. Orton’s biggest seller is an oven-bottom bread cake, baked on wooden boards with rice cones and turned halfway through baking for a unique taste and texture.

Another specialist area is supplying cake bases to

{ Orton’s Wholesale Bakery }

clients in Bradford and Oldham, which they then decorate in bright colours for the gelato parlours and shisha bars popular in these areas.

Four vans are out on the road from 3am, delivering fresh bread to any number of the company’s 150 customers within the Leeds outer ring road. These include Leeds market, sandwich shops, fish shops, retail bakeries and Leeds Beckett University student union.

One of Orton’s biggest customers is a caterer in Farnley that has the contract for Leeds Irish centre, one of the busiest local venues for parties.

“There’s a lot of custom out there, as there are only a handful of wholesale bakeries supplying a very busy city,” Gary Parker says. “The one thing we don’t do is pinch other people’s custom. If I went to a competitor’s customer and undercut him by a penny a bread cake, he’s going to have to undercut that to get it back.

Before you know it, I’ve just cost him two pence a bread cake for no reason.”

Marketing is mostly through word of mouth and from the four liveried vans out on the road, and Gary is keen to build the company gradually and sustainably.

bottom line that will need addressing moving forward.

“We work on tight margins so you have to look at the costs you can manipulate to make savings. We have a little bit of storage so we can buy in bulk to get things cheaper. Don also made a £60,000 investment in a new Oddy roll plant machine to produce different bread cake sizes. It’s worth the investment over the 10 years it will last, as it gives you peace of mind that you have machinery that’s not going to let you down.”

Another issue is the difficulty of finding trained, experienced staff, which is why Orton’s places such great value on staff retention.

Although future plans might include a move to new premises, for now Gary Parker is keen to keep things ticking over as they are. “The business is such a fantastic business,” he says. “Why would you change anything when it’s going as well as it is?”

Tel: 0113 245 0856

Looking ahead Rising fuel costs, increased waste collection fees and pension costs for the 20 staff are all challenges to the

HEYGATES The independent

family flour millers We are pleased to supply Orton’s Wholesale Bakery and we wish them every success in the future.

Bugbrooke Mill, Bugbrooke, Northants NN7 3QH Tel: 01604 830381 Fax: 01604 831865 www.heygates.co.uk July/August 2018 Food & Drink News

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{ Spear Associates }

Providing Solutions for the Dairy Industry

A notable success story in the challenging dairy industry, Spear Associates helps its growing number of customers to balance sales through mutual trade

E

xperts in matching production excess with shortages, Spear Associates trades in all dairy ingredients from milk, milk powders and liquid concentrates to cream, butter, cheese and anhydrous milk fat.

Drawing on market knowledge, trends analysis and product technical expertise, the business helps clients in the dairy industry balance their supply and sales profiles, through trade and consultancy work.

Despite the continuing industry mergers and closures, Spear Associates has grown its client base by 25% and significantly increased its business presence in the industry over the past five years.

“It has been a torrid time for the dairy industry,” says Managing Director Nick Philpott, who worked in commercial, technical and production roles in the dairy industry before setting up Spear Associates in 2008.

“But we operate with low overheads and have worked hard on giving a good quality service at a reasonable cost to our clients.”

The company’s high standards led to it becoming a BRC accredited agent and broker last year, and this year

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it achieved the top Double A standard. “It was very satisfying,” says Nick Philpott.

“A credit to the team for all the hard work, especially my codirectors Andy and Emily Swindley, and a testimony to the standards that we operate to.”

In the first 10 years of trading, the business has surpassed all projections. “I thought after 10 years of trading we’d have around 10m turnover but we had £7m in five years and we’re now at around £16m. An even better indication is the number of trades we have been doing and the amount of product that we’re moving.”

{ Spear Associates }

Indeed, between February year end in 2013 and that of 2018, the company’s tonnage of annual throughput has gone up 121%, from 15,000 tonnes to 34,000 tonnes annually, with annual transactions more than doubling from 701 to 1,552.

Based near Bala, north Wales, the family-run business has invested in staff training and recently taken on new staff to support logistics and trading. Over the next five years, the aim is to achieve £25m turnover, increase staff levels and grow the business asset base by moving from rented to owned offices.

“We’ve established a good reputation for integrity, customer service and value for money,” says Nick Philpott, “and this helps our clients to achieve their commercial goals.”

Tel: 01678 520504 Email: solutions@spear-associates.com www.spear-associates.com

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{ Merit }

Dedicated Software for the Food Industry FoodLogik is one of the UK’s leading integrated business control and management solutions, designed to meet the specific and demanding requirements of the food industry

O

ur customers have a proven track record of driving up sales, productivity and profitability since 1985: our industry knowledge is second to none, as is our product support service.

Whether you are a manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler or retailer with shops or mobile vans, FoodLogik has proved to be intuitive and easy to use for all. Many of our customers have been with us since the early days and with the aid of Foodlogik have grown and thrived. This includes bakeries, dairies, kitchens, food service, meat traders and even hardware stores selling paint products – all achieving great benefits with Foodlogik.

What can Foodlogik do for you?

FoodLogik’s function-rich modular software handles every aspect of order processing, bill of materials/recipe formulation, stock control, production planning, traceability, cost analysis and sales ledger, with standard exports to most industry standard accountancy packages such as Sage, Pegasus, QuickBooks and Xero.

The system comprises more than 700 document and report formats within its ever-expanding library and there is continual customer-driven development that

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always goes into the standard package, so all users have the opportunity to use new features on demand.

With Foodlogik you have the opportunity to switch on optional modules and initiate package developments that suit your operation. Some recent examples include Product Specifications, EDI ASNs and POs, Smart Van for Android, as well as Web- and Android-based order processing and stock control – all initially driven by our customers and now standard Foodlogik modules.

Fully compliant with UK product labelling legislation with many dedicated reports for the real end users – your clients. Ideal for new product development, so no need to send products for expensive lab testing, the allergen and nutritional data can also be sent to label applications such as Sato, Bartender, Nice Label, Planglow etc. not forgetting Epos tills. Our cusomers report that a major benefit of this module is that there is no need to enter all the data again in a third-party system – it’s all completely integrated within Foodlogik, which saves a lot of time and eliminates duplication and mistakes.

{ Merit }

Comprehensive EDI interface The use of EDI by FoodLogik users is not merely an advantage – it’s helping to keep them in business.

FoodLogik comprises off-the-shelf interfaces to industry-standard EDI systems, including GXS/Opentext, BluJay, WeSupply, Tradesimple, Procure Wizard and several others. The EDI packages transfer orders and price lists from retailers, which are then automatically entered into the production system. The advanced shipping notes and invoice files are then automatically sent back to the customer, making much of the process hands-off. Simple to implement because Foodlogik already interfaces with most major UK retailers, this module is a massive productivity improver and has eliminated costly and long-winded manual order processing for many of our customers.

Comprehensive interface to Industrial weighing systems. A true closed-loop between production planning and production execution, as well as enabling traceability from goods inwards through production to dispatch. This interface streamlines the data flow between these complementary systems, improving efficiency and reliability and providing confidence in your traceability records and production costs.

It’s a mobile world and your customers, retail outlets and delivery drivers need to securely place their own orders online. With in-built cut-off times and product lead times, Web and Android integration frees up your office staff to concentrate on managing the operation, not merely data processing. your clients can record their permanent order or next-day orders. For your shops, the staff can record deliveries, waste and stock on-line, which feeds straight into the shop suggested

ordering algorithm. This delivers easy-to-read analytical reports on every aspect of shop delivery adjustments, such as stock received, till sales, waste, damaged, retained, last time sold, stopping early sell-outs and increasing your sales. you can also print the Allergen and Nutrient dataset on the shop’s receipt printer – a seamless “one-stop shop” for your data.

Our Smart Van App is used to work offline with a before- and after-round sync of orders, stock, cash and prices, and can work on a variety of Android units. Use this module to keep track of van stock, to capture waste/returns, for tighter cash handling, signature capture POD and to place orders while on the round.

So FoodLogik directly improves productivity while improving stock accuracy and reducing stock-outs – and that all goes to the bottom line.

Route Dispatch module. This module helps you manage your picking so that you never let your vehicles leave the depot with van or customer shortages. Online order changes or additions are instantly flagged up, even if the order has already been picked, and colour coding helps the operator prioritise – RED for part-picked, GREEN, for fully picked. One food service user reports that, because of this module, “shorting” and unhappy customers are a thing of the past, and turnover and profitablity have been on the rise since Foodlogik was implemented.

Contact Foodlogik on 01795 508750 info@foodlogik.co.uk and see the customer case-studies on our website www.foodlogik.co.uk.

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{ East Coast Bakehouse }

Bringing Biscuits Back to Ireland Just two short years after its first product launch in the UK and Ireland, East Coast Bakehouse is now selling into 22 countries around the world

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n overnight success story in food manufacturing terms, East Coast Bakehouse should be proud of what has been achieved in the two years since the company launched its first products.

Working on the Field of Dreams premise of “If you build it, they will come”, the company started big, raising €20m (£17.8m) in finance and investing in a large facility in Drogheda, Co Louth, with plenty of room for future expansion.

There are three sources of business, the East Coast Bakehouse brand, contract manufacturing and private label. Unusually for a food manufacturer, the company makes its innovations immediately available to private label customers.

“We’re trying to maintain a healthy balance in all three sectors,” says Commercial Director Daragh Monahan. “We’re very excited about our products, and the feedback from retailers and consumers has been extremely positive.”

Sowing the seeds The company was established by five experienced Directors, all former owners of Jacobs in Ireland.

Having sold this business in 2011, they regrouped in 2015 with the idea of bringing biscuit manufacturing back to Ireland, with collectively more than 100 years’ experience in the sector.

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A world-class facility An old engineering facility in Drogheda was transformed into a 50,000 sq ft state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, financed through the banks, Enterprise Ireland and the Directors’ own investment.

The manufacturing equipment installed includes what is believed to be the largest biscuit oven in Europe, at 80m long and 1.5m wide.

“The oven size allows us to manufacture using the finest ingredients, but also at scale, so we can be very competitive,” explains Daragh Monahan. “We believe we’re the first to immediately attain a double A BRC accreditation, and we’re also RSPO certified for sustainable palm oil and UTZ certified.”

Product launch The first products were launched in 2016; the majority made with Irish butter instead of palm oil, for taste and environmental reasons.

“Our initial thinking was we would establish our brand as a showcase of our capabilities,” says Daragh Monahan. “Then Brexit happened and stalled lots of conversations we were having with UK retailers with regards to private label manufacturing. So we started focusing more on our brand, and now it’s available in 22 countries around the world.”

{ East Coast Bakehouse }

Looking ahead

Customers across the globe The company has seen success in Ireland and has made significant inroads in the UK, with five products listed in Morrisons stores.

The export market includes the US and mainland Europe, along with countries further afield, such as Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Kenya. A UK company, Tudor Rose International, has helped East Coast Bakehouse to secure new markets in places they might otherwise have struggled to access, such as Barbados, Cyprus and the Faroe Islands.

As the owners of the business, the Directors are able to make decisions on a day-to-day basis, without levels of bureaucracy, and there are no legacy costs in the business.

The plan is to continue to demonstrate the company’s products and capabilities at shows like PLMA and ISM every year, while increasing marketing activity in the UK. At present the facility can produce up to 20,000 tonnes of biscuits per annum on one oven line, but there’s capacity to increase that fourfold.

“In the future I see the business reaching a turnover of £50m-£60m, with a healthy mix of contract manufacturing and private label, and leaving a mark on the industry that Ireland is a very credible and efficient biscuit manufacturing place.”

Innovation and NPD The business has attracted a strong team of people working in quality control and NPD, with innovation at the heart of everything it does. One of the company’s USPs is that there is no “brand agenda”.

“Traditionally, biscuit manufacturers bring out an innovation under their brand and only make it available for private label retailers after, typically, two or three years,” says Daragh Monahan. “We’ve set ourselves up completely differently. We have an innovation centre in our bakehouse, where we invite retailers from across Europe, and those innovations will be immediately available to them.”

A number of granola SKUs with around 10% protein have been launched and there are plans to develop products delivering up to 25% protein. The breakfast biscuit category is seen as ripe for innovation, as well as other reduced-sugar products.

“It’s very difficult to introduce a sugar-free product that tastes good into the market but it’s not difficult to reduce sugar content,” says Daragh Monahan. “With further sugar taxes likely, retailers are keen to look at reduced-sugar innovations. People walk down the biscuit aisle because they want a treat so products have to taste good, and we believe we are well placed to deliver that.”

Tel: 00353 1244 0680 Email: hello@eastcoastbakehouse.com www.eastcoastbakehouse.com

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{ Beech’s Confectionery Group }

Quality, Packaging and Price Traditional quality brand Beech’s Fine Chocolates now look and taste even better, while the purchase of Jenny Wren has given the company an inroad into new markets

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opular in delicatessens, chocolate shops, garden centres and London food halls, the Beech’s brand comprises more than 60 Beech’s brand SKUs, from high-quality truffles and fondant cremes to chocolate-covered brazils, ginger and mints. There is also a range of 25 vegan products, including a new vegan “Fondant Egg”, available from January 2019.

A recent redesign focused on giving the chocolate an even smoother texture and increasing the cocoa content, while updating the packaging.

“It’s a combination of the right quality, packaging and price,” explains the Chairman of Beech’s Confectionery Group, Andrew Whiting. “By cutting out some of the old products and rebranding with a clear new message, we have altered how people perceive Beech’s at trade and consumer level. Consumers want more of the product, which has put demand on the retailers and that’s given us sales growth. It’s also good for our wholesalers and distributors.”

To complement the Beech’s brand, the company recently bought Jenny Wren chocolates. With its colourful, eyecatching packaging, it’s a popular brand with the large-volume

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retailers and supermarkets. The group also makes own label for household-name brands, prestigious stores and businesses selling into the major multiples, and has recently developed its export and online markets.

“From a few exports to Australia, we now sell into the USA, Canada, New Zealand, the Far East and mainland Europe, including Scandinavia, where there’s great demand for vegan chocolates. We launched new hat boxes last November and they are now in the top five hotels in Singapore. In line with our digital strategy, the Jenny Wren brand sells well online.”

The factory was founded in Preston in 1920 by tea and coffee importers; it was being run by the Hero Group when Andrew Whiting bought the business in 2008. A change consultant who has managed projects for several large chocolate manufacturers, he started running the business full time three years ago.

Beech’s is now a family firm, with Andrew’s son, Peter, as Managing Director.

Peter has designed new company software to run everything from capacity planning to scheduling, resulting

{ Beech’s Confectionery Group }

in a 28% productivity improvement and a 32% margin increase in the past year, on a turnover of around £5m.

The business employs approximately 50 full-time staff, plus Christmas workers, and the team spirit and positive culture were highlighted when the company featured on BBC1’s Who’s the Boss? in 2016.

Now a listed building, the factory has been upgraded to BRC grade A. There are two enrobing and several moulding lines with support areas that make the centres, truffles and bars, plus packing machines and a hand-packing area for speciality work. To meet growing demand, the company has invested in a new boiler and a space-saving spiral chiller on one of the lines, and upgraded a bar line for own label manufacture.

The manufacturing process combines hand-made and traditional techniques with machinery driven batch production. The truffles start as a hand-mixed centre, formed by machine into spheres before being panned by hand in liquid chocolate, then lightly dusted in icing sugar. Fondant cremes are still made using traditional starch moulds to form the centre, which is then enrobed in thick, dark chocolate.

“The changes we have made in the past two years have resulted in a much stronger pull through from consumers for the Beech’s range,” says Andrew Whiting. “We are gaining around 20 new retail customers per week and the products seem to be selling themselves in the new higher quality packaging formats. The minimum of 40% margin for our customers means we can attract new resellers and retain existing customers.”

Plans for expansion include developing new products for the high-end export markets and sectors such as chocolate drinks and biscuits.

“Over the next five years, the Beech’s Confectionery Group will become much larger, with several business strands that line up with the ‘multi-layered’ marketplace,” says Andrew Whiting. “We are all having a great deal of fun at the moment and every day we see further indications that we are on track with both the strategy and the achievement of planned results.”

Tel: 01772 792808 www.beechsfinechocolates.com

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{ Sage }

Sage Makes Business Sense Sage provides the technology to help you manage your business, from accounting and payroll to enterprise management

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age Business Cloud is a market-leading business management solution used by more than three million customers worldwide.

Its time-saving tools will help you to manage your finances and cut down the hours spent on admin, freeing you up to focus on your business activities. And because it’s cloud-based, you can log on from anywhere in the world on any suitable device, and at any time.

What does Sage Business Cloud offer?

Accounting, Payroll, Payments and Banking are all part of Sage Business Cloud; issue invoices in seconds, take care of VAT, get paid faster, and sort payroll easily.

This cloud-based software covers a broad spectrum of business activities, including finance, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM (Customer Relationship Management), accounts and bookkeeping, HR and payroll, retail and ecommerce, planning and forecasting, manufacturing and service management.

Accepting payments and paying suppliers couldn’t be simpler, with Sage Pay and Sage Payment software, while Sage Business Cloud Payroll offers HMRCcompliant software to ensure employees are paid on time. you can choose the best package to suit your business size and type, from Sage 50cloud to Sage 200cloud or Enterprise Management.

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Sage products can also give insights into business performance and keep businesses up to date with the latest legislation. So, no more late-night invoicing, manual spreadsheets, deadline panics, chasing payments, payroll slipups and no more cashflow issues.

What does Sage 200cloud offer?

Sage 200 will help you run a smarter and more connected business. you can co-ordinate all your business activities on the go, 24/7, managing your accounts, customers, supply chain, business planning and more.

By connecting Microsoft Office 365 to your Sage 200cloud software, your staff and teams can easily collaborate with each other, whether they are out on the road, travelling abroad, or based at the office. you can even connect Sage 200cloud to your bank account to save time keying in bank payments and help you gain insights into how your business is performing, from efficiency to profit margins.

With Sage 200, you can easily comply with the new GDPR regulations, as the software has built-in functionality to allow you to easily update and delete your records. It has also been designed to be compatible with the pilot of HMRC’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) initiative.

{ Sage }

Who is Sage Business Cloud aimed at?

Sage software can benefit businesses of all sizes and types, from an artisan start up to a multinational food manufacturer.

Whether operating in manufacture and production, retail, food service, or indeed any other branch of the food and drink sector, companies can benefit from reliable software that is easy to use and fit for purpose.

By ensuring that its software is simple and practical, Sage helps businesses take control of their finances and data. It also provides practical advice and support, from getting started to monitoring progress.

Packages can be upgraded as a business grows and both the software and accompanying services are constantly evolving in response to changes in legislation and advances in technology.

Sage products are designed to work on multiple platforms and can be used with Microsoft Office 365 or Apples iOS to suit your company’s preferred operating system.

help companies working in the food and drink sector – including support businesses such as equipment manufacturers and transport companies – to be more efficient, improve customer service and increase profits.

Sage also understands that, as with any other sector, the food and drink industry has specific activities and requirements. Packages and support can be customised to suit these needs, working across as many sites or locations as necessary. Even where resources are limited, Sage can work with a company to bring greater efficiency.

A little history Founded in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1981 to provide accounting software for small businesses, Sage grew rapidly and was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 as the Sage Group plc. Later growth has been supported through acquisitions and the company now operates globally, serving businesses in 23 countries worldwide.

Other Sage packages Supporting your business Customer focus has always been at the forefront of Sage’s activities. Customers are supported through the Sage Cover service or through specialist support services for large corporations operating across multiple locations, countries and industries.

Before a system goes live, the fully trained and accredited Sage colleagues will work with your company and train your employees, so you can get the most value out of your software. Training is bespoke and can be face to face, classroom style, online or on the phone – or a combination of all of these.

Once a system is up and running, there’s access to a range of support services, including an experienced UKbased helpdesk, able to provide answers over the phone or online.

Tailored to your industry By managing business processes, Sage software can

As well as accounts software, Sage packages have additional optional features, from multi-user licences to the Foreign Trader module, which accommodates businesses working across a variety of different currencies.

As a business grows, so does the importance of analysing and understanding data, such as sales reports and customer profiles. Sage software can help companies to understand performance and therefore make more astute business decisions.

Business Partner network Sage operates an accredited Business Partner network of companies offering its software as part of their service.

Contact www.sage.com or a Sage Business Partner for further information.

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{ Smith Cooper }

Smith Cooper Announce Newcastle Office Opening Smith Cooper System Partners are delighted to announce the opening of our new Newcastle office, based at Metropolitan House, Gateshead

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or the last three years we have operated a certain way of working in the Midlands that has resonated with the Sage user community in that region and seen us achieve significant growth, winning multiple awards with Sage themselves, including the Midlands Sage partner of the year in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2017 we replicated this model in London and the South of England with equal success.

Whilst technical support is naturally always based on telephone and remote access, regardless of location, we believe the best way to manage our clients on a day-to-day basis is with real local people, who can visit you when it suits you and build the essential rapport required for a long-term mutually beneficial relationship.

Managing Director Chris Smith said – “Newcastle is well known as the home of Sage and is one of the most vibrant and progressive regions in the UK, so we

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are naturally really excited to open our Newcastle office. We have no interest whatsoever in creating a random spider’s web of multiple “sales outposts”, but instead have a solid plan to create a central spine of Smith Cooper Sage support centres to cover the length of the UK. This allows us to provide quality local service, using quality local people, but also allows us to easily share resources between our regions.

We have had several members of our team working from home in the North East for some time, but with a noticeable increase in new business in the North of England at large, this is the perfect time to formalise our position in the region. We have a tried and tested model which has been very successful in the Midlands and London/South and we look forward to executing this again over the coming weeks and months in our new Northern region.”

{ Smith Cooper }

Smith Cooper acquisition of Uniq Systems As part of a strategic move to support our continued growth in the London/South region, we were extremely pleased to merge with Uniq Systems back in December.

Based in Reading (two minutes from the Sage Office in Winnersh) and with more than 21 years’ experience as a Sage Business Partner, Uniq Systems has earned a fantastic reputation for customer service and quality Sage 200 support. The business provides all the standard Sage 200 products and services and is rightly proud of the fantastic relationships it enjoys with its loyal customers.

Chris Smith, MD of Smith Cooper System Partners Ltd said “We have all been delighted by our rapid expansion in the London/South region and the acquisition of Uniq is a fantastic addition to our operation in that territory.

From the first moment we met the Uniq team, we recognised a synergy in the way we all believe a Sage Business Partner should work and how Sage 200 customers should be treated. As is normal in such situations, I am sure there were different options available to Graham and Dawn, so I am naturally

thrilled that they chose Smith Cooper as the company best placed to work with them to move their business forwards into a new era, whilst safeguarding the quality of service their clients currently enjoy.”

Whilst Uniq will continue to trade under their own name in the short term, branding will immediately align with Smith Cooper to highlight and emphasise complementary and supporting services across the two businesses.

This announcement comes on the back of Smith Cooper System Partners recently being awarded the Midlands Sage Partner of the year for the third year in a row and three further appointments to our service and support teams in both the Midlands and South region.

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{ Datel }

Creating a showstopper with Sage 200cloud Creative cake decoration company Rainbow Dust Colours needed the right tools at its disposal to support its growing business and meet rising consumer demand for edible glitters, dusts, sprinkles and food paints

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ollowing Real Good Food’s acquisition of the company, there was a renewed focus on meeting commercial targets and streamlining operations.

Making the switch When Rainbow Dust Colours’ previous accounting package, Sage 50, could not keep up with its rapid growth, the business decided to switch to Sage 200cloud – allowing greater scalability and flexibility for the team, which now stands at 30 employees. Plus, the market for cake decoration has been growing substantially in recent years, opening up opportunities for expansion into Europe and the Americas. Sage 200cloud would be integral to supporting this move, as Rainbow Dust Colours needed to implement big changes across the company, including product names, packaging and descriptions.

Added value Since transitioning to Sage 200cloud in 2016, the new business management solution has played a crucial role in the success of Rainbow Dust Colours, both with its ongoing rebranding exercise and with day-to-day activities. “Sage 200 has allowed us to import data quickly, helping us to make the changes to SKU codes, data and product descriptions that have

“It’s much easier to use than our previous system and the time we have saved has been priceless.”

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{ Datel }

been necessary since our rebrand. It’s much easier to use than our previous system and the time we have saved has been priceless,” says James Birch, Financial Manager at Rainbow Dust Colours.

“Our recent growth has also significantly increased our sales orders, and Sage 200 has helped us to input the required information faster than before – with the option to export data easily to Microsoft Office for improved reporting. We have opted for the accounting, stock control and business intelligence modules, which have saved the finance and sales teams valuable time, as well as providing increased traceability. Now, we can see every transaction from start to finish.”

“Datel has been incredibly professional throughout the process – getting back to us pretty much instantly on any queries.”

Looking ahead With the help of Sage Business Partner Datel, Rainbow Dust Colours has ongoing technical support on any issues that arise. “Datel has been incredibly professional throughout the process – getting back to us pretty much instantly on any queries. Overall, we have found Sage 200 to be very reliable,” adds Birch.

In the future, Rainbow Dust Colours has the option to include a planning module as the business expands even further, and a more extensive stock control system add-on to cope with increasing customer demand.

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{ Pinnacle }

Pinnacle’s Sage 200cloud Account Management Consultants

Bradleys goes for growth with Sage 200cloud & IT Services from Pinnacle Bakery and food service distribution specialist Bradleys is going from strength to strength, growing organically and through major acquisitions

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he Kent-based business extensively uses Sage 200cloud business management software, and throughout this period of massive business change has relied on award-winning Sage Platinum Reseller Pinnacle for its IT and telecommunications infrastructure.

Bradleys has made three strategic acquisitions in recent years. Bringing these established businesses under the Bradleys umbrella is a complex process, not least because it requires integrating new product

Nigel Blanks, IT Services Consultant, Pinnacle

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ranges with Bradleys’ original range of 3,500 products.

The business has grown extensively from its early days in the 1960s when founder Fred Bradley ran the business solo, the company now employs a team of over 30 people and has a turnover in excess of £8m.

General Manager Chris Linkins observes: “Pinnacle handled all the technical work involved. In the first business acquisition, the workforce relocated to our Ashford premises, which required adding new users and new email accounts to our network. Next, with the acquisition of a company in Sandwich, Pinnacle brought its Sage 50 accounts software and users into our set-up and security processes. Currently, Pinnacle is migrating cloud-based business systems at our latest acquisition over to our Sage 200cloud systems for us.”

Pinnacle recommended using server virtualisation technology to help in integrating these new companies. This ensures that IT resources can flex to meet increasing business demand. Chris says: “As we grow, Pinnacle makes sure that we never run out of road and always have sufficient IT capacity.”

He adds: “The great added benefit of virtualisation is that we can sort out any issues before migrating to a live environment and be confident it will work on the day, rather than crossing our fingers and trusting to

{ Pinnacle }

Pinnacle’s Sage 200cloud Business Development luck! This is because the hypervisor Pinnacle installed lets us experiment with different scenarios for incorporating our acquired businesses.”

Chris Linkins notes that Bradleys’ commercial success has been achieved in the face of fierce competition, currency fluctuations and rising food prices.

“Operating a food business in a world where food inflation is a fact of life is never easy. We’re fortunate in having Pinnacle on hand to care for the IT and telecoms systems that are critical to our business continuity. Their advice is always focused on our needs.”

The business is a heavy user of the full suite of Sage 200cloud financials and commercials for essential business functions such as stock control, purchase ordering, invoicing, financials and payroll.

Chris praises the Sage system for its versatility in moulding to the business, “Being able to generate reliable, up-to-date information helps us to stay ahead in a highly competitive market.” The company’s website (www.bradleysfoods.co.uk) also links into Sage,

reducing the need to rekey pricing details. Chris remarks: “We can push information from Sage into our webstore at the click of a button. With thousands of product lines to maintain, it’s definitely made us more productive.”

For Pinnacle, Nigel Blanks, Business Development Consultant, comments: “We are proud to be associated with an ambitious company like Bradleys, and to have built such a close working partnership over many years.

Our aim is for the Bradleys management team to be able to focus on winning new customers and making strategic business acquisitions, confident that behind the scenes we are maintaining and developing the company’s IT infrastructure.”

To explore more on how Bradleys supports its business growth with Sage 200cloud and IT services from Pinnacle, read our case study in full at www.pinnacle-online.com/case-studies

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