Food & Drink News March 2015

LJ FAIRBURN & SON FROM FARM TO YOUR FRIDGE ALS GROUP PASSING EVERY TEST

NEWS UPDATES RADNOR ROADSHOW TO CELEBRATE ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY

MARCH 2015 £4.75

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CONTENTS PAGE 04 NEWS UPDATES 12

ONBOARD CATERING FOCUS

16

ALS GROUP

19

NEWTECH LTD

20

THE SHERWOOD GROUP

22

POINTENS DAIRY

23

AMERICK GROUP

24

CONTRACT BOTTLING LTD

26

LJ FAIRBURN & SON

28

NATCO FOODS LTD

04

16

19

22

26

TO VIEW THE 2015 FEATURES LIST PLEASE VISIT WWW.FOODANDDRINKNEWS.CO.UK OR CONTACT US AT +44(0)1484 321000 TO EMAIL A COPY TO YOU Food & Drink News is published by Planet Media & Design Ltd. Company registered in England & Wales, number 09365661. All material is the copyright of Planet Media & Design Ltd. All rights reserved. Food & Drink News is the property of Planet Media & Design Ltd. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form whole or part without the written permission of a Director of Planet Media & Design Ltd. Liability: while every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers can not be held responsible for the accuracy of information herein, or any consequence arising from it. In the case of company or product reviews or comments, these have been based upon the true and honest opinion of the Editor at the time of going to press.

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

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production manager rachael whiteley

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accountant kerry finn

ext 223 MICHELLE HODGSON - CHIEF EDITOR

proofreader becky ashwell

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ON THE UP? For some time now there has been talk of improvements in the economic climate and signs of buoyancy in the market. But talk can be cheap and not every business is bouncing back from what most will admit has been a tough few years.

However, one recent survey from the Shop and Display Equipment Association (SDEA) has reported a positive outlook for the shopfittings and display industry. The food and drink industry is of course supported by many ancillary businesses and retail outlets will always need a way of displaying their goods.

In the survey, more than half (54.2%) of those who responded said they had registered an increase in sales averaging 22.6% over the past six months, compared with the same period of time the previous year. Another 33.3% said that sales had remained level, leaving a minority registering a decrease in sales.

As we are all consumers as well as industry professionals, we have all encountered badly laid out stores and badly displayed products.

Like dining out, food shopping is not only about products and price, but also about the

overall experience.

When we go to a supermarket, we want to be able to find what we need quickly and easily, and will get frustrated if products are not in the logical place. Visiting a specialist outlet, such as a delicatessen, local butcher or fishmonger, we are likely to have different expectations. These might include specialist products that can’t be sourced elsewhere and shop workers with good product knowledge who spend time getting to know you and can make recommendations.

Last week I had an unexpected call from my local butcher, which had nothing to do with an order. Our cat, who came from a rescue centre and who has a habit of wandering off, had sauntered into the shop and was making a nuisance of herself.

By the time I got there, she had climbed on to the roof out at the back. I coaxed her down, apologised and carried her out on my shoulder.

Pets are not usually welcome in shops but at least her antics provided an entertaining diversion for the customers waiting in the queue.

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NEWS UPDATES SOUS VIDE ® THERMAPEN THERMOMETER

In recent years sous vide cooking has become increasingly popular with chefs.

New cooking methods require different temperature testing techniques. With this in mind, ETI has developed the new Sous Vide Thermapen® thermometer for sous vide cooking where precise temperature measurement is paramount. The thermometer measures temperature accurately and quickly over the range of -49.9 to 299.9°C. The Sous Vide Thermapen incorporates a miniature, stainless steel needle probe that has a 1.1 x 60mm reduced tip, which conveniently folds back through 180° into the side of the instrument when not in use.

Sous vide is French for ‘under vacuum’ and is a method of cooking food that has been sealed in airtight plastic bags then cooked in a water bath for a long time at a lower than normal temperature, typically between 60 and 140°C. Testing the core temperature is important in sous vide cooking and an accurate thermometer is a must, however the actual process of probing food in a sealed bag is somewhat demanding, as chefs need to maintain the integrity of the food at all times.

However utilising the Sous Vide Thermapen and special self-sealing foam, it is possible to probe the food without compromising the sous vide bag.

The Sous Vide Thermapen is competitively priced at £64 each (including a FREE traceable certificate of calibration) exclusive of VAT and is available direct from www.etiltd.com ordering code 231-011.

‘WAREING’ THE TOP CHEF HAT A Farrington Lodge chef has won this year’s Classic Lodges Culinary Challenge, winning the opportunity of a lifetime to meet celebrity chef Marcus Wareing at London’s Berkeley Hotel.

Alex Mather beat off other contestants by creating a guinea fowl main course and dessert from surprise ingredients. As such, he will be given a tour of the kitchens, have supper at the restaurant, and meet the twoMichelin starred chef.

Now in its sixth year, the competition displays the culinary proficiency of chefs throughout the Classic Lodges hotel chain.

Iain Shaw, Director of Key Accounts at PSL, the company working with Classic Lodges on food procurement, and a judge, said this year was especially tough: “The end product’s taste and presentation was important, but we also adjudicated on a range of other factors including hygiene, knife skills, waste management, dish costings and for the first year allergens were included through ‘What in my Dish’ with the

recent change in food legislations.”

Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Classic Lodges, Richard Smith, highlighted the competence of chefs throughout the group: “We are proud to be producing such high quality food, and competitions like this emphasise constant improvement that continues to draw in customers at record levels.”

WWW.CLASSICLODGES.CO.UK

PARKSIDE LAUNCH FULLY ACCREDITED HOME COMPOSTABLE FLEXIBLE PACKAGING SOLUTION In line with the recently announced APEX product development strategy at Parkside, the company has just announced that its Park-2Nature™ multi-layer laminates have been approved for industrial and home composting.

Achieving the Vincotte OK Compost and OK Compost HOME accreditations is a first for the UK flexible packaging market and comes after months of work at the Normanton site.

Steve McCormick, Director of Technology, comments: “The challenge of recycling flexible packaging is well known and we felt that offering a credible alternative solution to landfilling was important. Having the OK Compost accreditations, as well as the seedling certification, for both of our paper and film barrier laminate substrates is a big step forward for the industry and opens up significant opportunities for us to develop business with customers working with green, organic and environmentally sensitive brands.

“We’ve seen a lot of brands claiming home compostability on their packs without the relevant accreditation and testing. The OK Compost certification system is well known throughout Europe and should give brands the

confidence that consumers can truly compost the packaging in their gardens!”

The duplex laminates, launched under the Park2-Nature brand name, are initially being targeted towards the coffee bag market where many brand owners have been requesting sustainable solutions for their flexible packaging but is also suitable for a great many different food products such as dried fruit and confectionery.

EMAIL: INFO@PARKSIDEFLEX.COM WWW.PARKSIDEFLEX.COM

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NEWS UPDATES

RADNOR HILLS ROADSHOW TO CELEBRATE ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY Heartsease Farm comes in the following six flavours: Elderflower Pressé, Raspberry Lemonade, British Blackcurrant Crush, St. Clements’ Pressé, Fiery Ginger Beer and the award winning Traditional Lemonade. Heartsease Farm is available in a single serve 330ml glass bottle as well as a larger 750ml table sized bottle for sharing with friends. There is also, uniquely, a plastic (425ml) single serve bottle.

Stockists are nationwide and bottles retail from £1.29.

FOR SPECIFIC STOCKISTS PLEASE CONTACT MILLY AT LUXXPR ON MILLY@LUXXPR.CO.UK OR T: 00 44 (0)20 7736 6662.

2015 will see Radnor Hills achieve its aspiration of getting 1 million people to taste their hugely successful brand, Heartsease Farm.

This year Radnor Hills is celebrating its 25th anniversary. To share this wonderful occasion, Radnor Hills will be taking Heartsease Farm on a road show, inviting customers to taste the range at over 50 food and drink events up and down the country.

We will be visiting some of the largest national food and drink shows, as well as regional and trade shows, including BBC Good Food Show, Taste, Royal Welsh Show, Sandwich and Café Culture.

The aim is to get 1 million people to taste Heartsease Farm and to raise awareness of this fantastic product. It is the best way to bring a product directly to the consumer, giving them the chance to try the drink and really find out what we are about. We are dedicated to creating the best tasting drink possible for our customers, therefore it is really important for us to hear what you think! “…the key to the success of this

product is getting people to taste/experience it. We know that if consumers try it, then they buy it…” William Watkins.

Radnor Hills Ltd was founded by William Watkins in 1996 to produce soft drinks at his family farm in Mid Wales. The Watkins family have farmed at Heartsease since 1903.

William Watkins commented on his new, premium pressé drinks range saying: “Our exciting, new, Heartsease Farm range of drinks reflect the heritage of the farm and our passion for great flavours. We use only the best available ingredients from the countryside, blended with our own spring water, to traditional British recipes.”

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NEWS UPDATES THE CHEFALARM® COLOUR-CODED COOKING THERMOMETER AND TIMER

The ChefAlarm® professional cooking thermometer and timer, is now available in five food safe colours – blue, green, red, white and yellow. The unit incorporates a fully programmable count up/down timer and includes a multi-functional LCD display, which simultaneously indicates the elapsed time, the current and the min/max temperatures during a cooking cycle. Its loud audible alarm sounds when the food reaches the pre-determined temperature or programmed time.

The ChefAlarm measures temperature over the range -50 to 300°C, with an accuracy of better than ±1°C. Utilising the unit’s ‘CAL’ feature it is possible for the user to fine-tune the thermometer’s accuracy to better than ±0.5°C; ideal for critical food safety areas.

The alarm with adjustable volume (92dB) can be heard in the noisiest production area.

The main temperature digits are big and easyto-see from a distance, plus the one-touch backlight button allows the user to read the display in poor light conditions.

Each ChefAlarm is supplied with a robust stainless steel food penetration probe, designed for commercial use. An optional miniature needle probe is also available for thin or tiny food portions, as well as sous vide cooking.

The ChefAlarm is competitively priced at £35.00 (+VAT) and is available direct from Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd. TEL: 01903 202151 WWW.ETILTD.COM

EVENT SUCCESS FOR LANCHESTER WINES AND TOYOTA MATERIAL HANDLING Toyota Material Handling UK has supplied Lanchester Wines with a new fleet of Toyota Tonero gas-powered forklifts after meeting at the Commercial Vehicle Show.

Lanchester Wines uses forklifts to move 1,600 pallets of wine daily at its distribution centre in County Durham.

Managing Director Tony Cleary says, “We were really impressed when we met Toyota Material Handling. I found the team on the stand incredibly professional.”??

Lanchester Wines conducted trials with three different competitors’ trucks and were impressed with the comfort and ease of use of the Toyota Tonero forklift. Tonero forklifts are suitable for all applications up to 3.5 tonnes and feature industrial engines, a choice of transmissions, outstanding all-round visibility and Toyota SAS, which constantly monitors forklift operations.

Zoe Johnson, Marketing Manager at Toyota Material Handling UK, explains, “The events are a great opportunity for us to meet companies, let

them see our products but more importantly meet our sales and service teams. We believe that people buy from people, so we always make sure we have an experienced team on-hand.”?Toyota Material Handling UK will attend the Commercial Vehicle show again on 14-16 April 2015, Hall 3, Stand 3A80.

0370 850 1409 WWW.TOYOTA-FORKLIFTS.CO.UK

MANOR CONCEPTS ACHIEVE THIRD PRESTIGIOUS CERTIFICATION IN ONE YEAR

Manor Refrigerated Cabinets and coolsuredoors, both trading divisions of Manor Concepts Limited, have been awarded certification to ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. This makes an impressive total of three ISOQAR certifications being awarded to both companies in less than a year.

The implementation of ISO 14001 on site has seen changes made to waste segregation processes, the management of waste streams including reducing the amount of waste produced and the

handling of waste or bi-products in an appropriate manner. The certification ensures that both companies have an ongoing commitment to reduce the impact of manufacturing processes on the environment.

Martin Corken, Operations Director, comments: “Having previously been awarded the ISO 9001:2008 and BS OHSAS 18001 in February 2014, both businesses are officially operating at a certified level across all manufacturing processes.

These accreditations will help to efficiently drive the businesses forward, benefitting not only both the companies, but also their customers too.”

Michael Tucker, Managing Director, concludes: “Our customers, based in the retail marketplace, have a responsibility to monitor their impact on the environment very carefully. ISO 14001 guarantees that the products they are purchasing from us are manufactured within an environmentally responsible business.”

TEL: 01767 222100 WWW.COOLSUREDOORS.CO.UK

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NEWS UPDATES

OFFLINE CODERS RESPOND TO THE PREMIUMISATION OF DAIRY DESSERTS Many high-end desserts come in sophisticated pack formats, which can cause headaches for the sleeve coding operation.

Premium desserts are often made and packaged by hand. To code the packs with use by dates, factories can hand stamp or runn the packs past a coder mounted on a dedicated conveyor belt. Applying the code in the right place can be tricky and mis-coded packs can potentially cost manufacturers thousands in retailer fines.

Thankfully, there is a third way: offline coding. Many companies are seeing the benefits of such systems.

When a multi-site food company won a contract to produce a new range of desserts for one of the multiple grocery retailers the packaging consisted of a tall conical sundae container with a watch-strap sleeve. As the dessert was packed by hand, online coding didn’t make sense and would have been difficult due to the pack design.

Rotech recommended its RF2 – a standalone friction feed overprinting system that would enable the manufacturer to code sleeves offline and bring them to the production line already printed.

Engineered specifically for the food industry, the RF2 uses Rotech’s

stack-to-stack feeding technology to pick sleeves from a stack, accurately print date or batch codes, and place the printed sleeve neatly onto another stack for collection, all at speeds of 400 per minute.

Offline coders also come into their own when immediate additional capacity or super-fast coding is needed. Artisan dessert producer Pots & Co produces a retail range of high-end desserts packed in individual ceramic ramekins with plastic lids and an outer cardboard sleeve.

Fraser Thomson, Operations Director at Pots & Co, comments: “Over the past couple of years we have rapidly expanded and using the Rotech RF2 coding system has allowed us to keep up to speed with production levels to meet our customer demands. The RF2 prints date and batch codes with ease in the correct position each and every time. We are delighted with the system and no longer have the worry of poorly printed illegible codes which can be resultant of hand stamping.”

TEL: 01707 393 700 WWW.ROTECHMACHINES.COM

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NEWS UPDATES NEWMAN’S OWN LAUNCH SALAD DRESSINGS INTO TESCO From January 2015 Newman’s Own, the all profits to charity brand of premium dressings, sauces and marinades will launch three dressings into Tesco stores nationwide, complementing the existing four dressings already on shelf.

The salad dressings new to Tesco will include Caesar Dressing, Santa Cruz Chilli & Lime Dressing and Honey & Mustard Dressing. These will join the popular Italian, Balsamic, Ranch and French Dressings which are already listed with Tesco.

Newman’s Own, the all-profits-to-charity family favourite, already has a range of salad dressings, BBQ sauces, pasta sauces and marinades available throughout the UK. Newman’s Own Foundation donates all posttax profits to charity, with over £1million already being donated to a wide range of charities in the UK alone and over £250 million donated around the world.

“The range of seven Newman’s Own Dressings now available in Tesco stores demonstrates how firmly the brand has become established in the UK”, says Sally Haydock, Newman’s Own Brand Manager in the UK. “We’re delighted to be working with Tesco to be able to offer this range to Tesco shoppers.”

The Dressings are available at selected Tesco stores nationwide at £1.49 per bottle.

HEALTHY JUICES LOOK GOOD IN PET 250ml and 500ml clear PET bottles from RPC Containers Llantrisant are helping to convey the health and wellness values of a new range of organic, cold pressed juices, super-food smoothies and cleanses.

The Juice Well is a cold pressed juice bar in Soho, London that promotes healthier eating through increasing the daily intake of fruit and vegetables.

In cold pressed juices the plants’ cells are crushed slowly to release the nutrients without altering, heating or destroying them in any way.

The Juice Well’s cold press system optimises the extraction process to get the most nutrients out of raw vegetables and fruit. The company also offers one- or three-day juice cleanses and has a nationwide delivery service.

The PET bottles from RPC Llantrisant enable the colourful juices to be clearly visible to

maximise their impact on shelf, with plenty of room for the label that details the healthy ingredients. The bottles are fully recyclable, lightweight and easy to handle.

“Our juices have important health benefits but they also taste good,” explains Georgie Coventry of The Juice Well. “Our packs therefore had to look appealing on-shelf while conveying their health message and reflecting the quality of the juices. The bottles from RPC Llantrisant have proved to be the ideal solution.”

TEL: 01443 225520 WWW.RPC-LLANTRISANT.CO.UK

FALLING ENERGY COSTS PROMPT CONCERNS OVER RENEWABLES Against a backdrop of falling fossil fuel prices, Lorien Engineering Solutions, which produces the Energy Index, is cautioning business against losing sight of progress made on energy efficiency campaigns and self-producing projects.

The Index monitors the overall cost of energy for business users, enabling companies to analyse energy consumption and find savings through efficiencies and renewable technologies.

Lorien’s Sustainability Consultant Tom Jordan said: “In the UK particularly, lower energy prices are expected to have a positive effect on GDP during 2015. However, there is a concern that ultimately, lower energy prices will stimulate an increase in fossil fuel usage, which could diminish the headway made in driving energy efficiency and renewables take-up.”

Lorien is advising investment in renewable energy provision now, particularly with the first reporting deadline for the Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) at the end of this year.

Tom Jordan concluded: “Lower energy prices shouldn’t be seen as a negative when considering the current attractiveness of renewables, which benefit from schemes such as the feed-in tariffs (FiTs) and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

A protracted period of lower fossil prices may yet see these initiatives reduce the payments required from eligible generating schemes.”

Lorien Engineering Solutions has recently become part of GP Strategies Corporation.

WWW.LORIENENGINEERING.COM

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NEWS UPDATES

PPS REPORTS A POSITIVE REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2014 Looking back over the last 12 months, PPS acknowledges it has a lot to celebrate. As more customers engage in the positive switch to returnable packaging, there has been over 20% year-on-year growth, with 2015 set to be even higher as a result of recent investment in the infrastructure and strategic planning at both the Grimsby and Midlands plants.

PPS East in Grimsby, which largely manages returnable packaging for major UK seafood processors, was nominated for two Northern Lincolnshire Business Awards for Economic Investment and Innovation, winning the latter.

The company has helped reduce the need for using one-trip polystyrene boxes for the transportation of fresh fish and has also started providing

supply chain support services, including delivering its returnable fish boxes all the way to Iceland and Norway for fish suppliers to use for delivery into the UK market.

PPS also invested in a new industrial box washing line and additional returnable equipment for its box and pallet pools, winning another two-year contract with Young’s Seafood to hygienically clean vital equipment. Following this, another new contract was signed by expanding fresh fish processor, Jaines Seafood, for the rental and washing of specially sourced fillet trays for the next three years.

A major achievement during 2014 was the move of the Midlands warehouse to Marchington, a site three times the size of the previous

depot. A large financial investment commitment has also been made in terms of staff, machinery and equipment, whilst expanding its dedicated repairs division.

It’s also been a very social year: the company exhibited at Foodex showcasing its Returnable Packaging services and demonstrated its crate hire range at the Movers and Storers Show.

Managing Director, Joanne Moss, reported, “2014 was an exciting year for all of us at PPS, with the team working tirelessly to put the new infrastructure in place to enable the business to grow. We are enthusiastic

about the environmental and financial benefits of returnable packaging and are looking forward to welcoming new customers on board in 2015.”

TEL: 01472 245554 WWW.PPSEQUIPMENT.CO.UK

LEADING EUROPEAN BRAND DESIGN AGENCY LANDS IN THE UK Little Buddha, the leading brand design company launched in Barcelona in 2006, has opened its first UK office in Cambridge. Little Buddha offers innovative packaging design, corporate identity and effective brand engagement solutions.

Founded by Bertrand Massanes, Little Buddha is a dynamic and fast growing firm that designs packaging for FMCG organisations such as in the food, drink, distillery, health, beauty, lifestyle and other product sectors. In the last two years the agency has doubled in size and moved its Barcelona head office to bigger premises. The UK office has been opened to attract new British clients and support existing customers in Northern Europe.

With a fresh approach and

creative flair, Little Buddha has brought brands ‘to life’ for many prestige household names such as DE Master Blenders 1753 (formerly Sara Lee), Danone, Henkel, Revlon, Wrigley and Orangina Schweppes.

The team of designers in Spain comprise a wide range of multicultural talented people. This combination of marketing experts, first class designers, inspired creative and dedicated project managers, complemented by a production team that have the highest standards, make for a winning combination.

The team’s keen eye for detail and graphics allows them to draw on the experiences and benefits from their own cultural identities and blend them together into something unique. This enables design to be influenced for local, regional or

global reach and creates a synergy that has won them long-lasting clients globally.

Newest recruit, Chief Creative Director Walter Ochoa, previously worked at London-based identity agency Small Back Room and at the multinational CB’a (Ogilvy group).

Cristina Travieso, Project Director for Little Buddha, comments: “I am delighted to announce the launch of Little Buddha’s UK office, based on the strong foundation and support of our Spanish headquarters.

We are confident we can mirror our reputation for being able to offer the most innovative and eye-catching packaging, with qualities that will enhance sales and business for all types of companies all over the world. We are so pleased that our energy and enthusiasm for brands has found its way to the UK!”

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NEWS UPDATES AMC FOODS TO PRESENT BOTH REGIONAL PRODUCTS AT IFE2015

NEW HOTEL GIVES CLASSIC LODGES A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE MIDLANDS Premier wedding venue and high-class hotel and restaurant, Hadley Park, has become the 16th hotel to join the Classic Lodges group as a Partner Property.

Built in 1773, the AA three star, 22-bedroom property has been lovingly restored, whilst retaining many original features, including the wide wooden staircase and oak panelled lounge.

The Partner Property programme offers

Kent based artisan food producers AMC Foods are confirmed to be present at IFE2015, showcasing both of their product ranges, Kentish Oils and Kent Crisps. The team will be on site throughout the event-advising visitors how they can utilise their diverse range of oils, including holiday cooking demos, whilst highlighting the many beneficial health properties of the product.

The event comes shortly after a successful rebrand for Kent Crisps that saw revised packaging – including a matt finish and new artwork- as well improved flavours for the entire range, and a brand new flavour, Smoked Chipotle Chilli. At the same time Kent Crisps revised their POS products, improved shelf life, change in case size and shelf ready boxes.

Samples of the full range from both brands will be on offer throughout the event.

AMC Foods Director Laura Audsley says “We are very excited to be part of IFE2015; a great show to support the development of our fast growing export sector. Myself and the entire team are confident that our products are now stronger than ever and so we are thrilled to showcase them at IFE.” AMC Foods will be exhibiting their Kentish Oils and Kent Crisps ranges at the Kent Crisps & Kentish Oils, IFE2015, ExCeL London, 22-25 March 2015 stand number: N1265.

independent hotels the opportunity to share the Classic Lodges brand and to benefit from sales and marketing support.

Owner, Mark Lewis, says there is a real synergy between what he is trying to achieve at Hadley Park and the main focus for Classic Lodges: “We held over 100 weddings at the hotel last year and want this to be a real push for us in 2015. Classic Lodges has many years of marketing experience that we will be tapping into, not only through its presence online, but also through its thousands of Privilege Club members.”

Richard Smith, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Classic Lodges, says Hadley Park sits well within Classic Lodge’s existing portfolio: “We look forward to working closely with Mark and his team to grow their business and offer our expertise to help innovate their offering in what is an incredibly competitive market.”

WWW.CLASSICLODGES.CO.UK

CLEGG FOOD PROJECTS COMPLETES SCHEME FOR UK’S LEADING SUPPLIER OF FRESH EGGS CLEGG FOOD PROJECTS has completed work on a multi-million pound contract to build a new state-of-the-art facility for the UK’s leading supplier of fresh eggs.

The Nottingham-based supplier for major food operations all over the country is pleased with the end result of the project for client Noble Foods, the provider of the UK’s leading egg brand.

The new facility, based in Witney near Oxford, will be used to receive and pack eggs incorporating specialist machinery before the products are delivered to retailers.

John Moxon, business development director at Clegg Food Projects, said: “We are delighted to have delivered this large-scale specialist construction project for our client Noble Foods.

“We are pleased with the outcome and believe our skills and vast experience of delivering schemes of this size has meant we were ideally placed to meet

the requirements of this contract.

“We always ensure we work very closely with our clients and feel we have built an even stronger relationship with Noble Foods after working with them on their value engineering programme.”

Clegg Food Projects provides solutions for major food operations all over the country, including design, engineering, specialist construction and consultancy.

MARCH 2015 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P11

NEWS UPDATES

WILLIAM HAGUE MP OPENS NEW BOTTLING LINE AT RADNOR HILLS

The Rt Hon. William Hague MP officially opened a new bottling line at Radnor Hills Mineral Water Co. Limited yesterday on the 16th February 2015. Radnor Hills, near Knighton in Powys, is a soft drinks business and one of the largest employers in the region.

William Watkins, Managing Director & Founder of Radnor Hills, said, “I’m absolutely delighted that William Hague was able to come here and open our new plant. Radnor Hills currently produces over 175 million bottles a year employing 144 people and this

new line will enable us to increase our capacity to 250 million.”

Founded in 1988, Radnor Hills produces water and soft drinks for some of the leading supermarkets, as well as, the foodservice, education and on-trade markets. With a product range that includes mineral water, tonics, flavoured waters, juices and premium pressés, it has a turnover of £26m and is one of the largest businesses in Mid-Wales.

A key factor in the success of Radnor Hills has been the local workforce. Situated in the rural setting of Radnorshire, the company has a committed, knowledgeable and loyal workforce that has adapted and learnt new skills to help the business progress and grow.

William Hague said: “This is an outstanding example of a successful

British business manufacturing a range of world beating soft drinks employing talented local people and the best locally sourced produce.”

Radnor Hills will be taking some of its drinks brands all over the UK this year in a series of national and local food festivals. This ‘Roadshow’ is designed to give potential customers the chance to taste and try drinks, including the new premium pressé range ‘Heartsease Farm’. Just over the border from the factory, in Herefordshire, they own a local inn called ‘The Lion’ in Leintwardine which serves some of the brands and provides Radnor Hills’ employees with a place to socialise together in the evening and weekends.

WWW.RADNORHILLS.CO.UK

CSB-SYSTEM SOLUTION A ‘PERFECT MATCH’ FOR MEAT PROCESSOR ERP software from CSB-System is providing control of the entire value-added chain at the Wolf group of companies, one of the leading players in the German meat industry. The fully integrated solution ensures effective planning and product management as well as comprehensive traceability of all finished products.

In coverage planning, the system provides a link between the key processes to ensure production volumes can be planned in the best possible way, taking into account previous data, current inventory stocks and possible individual campaigns. The resulting calculated production quantities are transferred to the CSB production order management system, and these are then generated for each cost centre.

This provides a production plan for every cost centre manager, leading to effective material procurement, operator deployment and machine allocation.

“The integrated function for calculating the delivery rate allows us at any time to recall up-to-date information for verifying the delivery capacity,” explains Jan Seidel, Head of Logistics and IT at Wolf. “Thus delivery bottlenecks can be detected and eliminated at an early stage.”

Full traceability starts with the labelling of all incoming raw materials via the CSB system. The entry label includes information such as the item number and description, entry date, quantity, storage location, supplier and lot number.

In addition, the weigh labellers and labelling devices receive the information via the CSB system and the data is transmitted to the ‘mynetfair’ internet platform for consumers.

Wolf supports both ‘upstream’ and ‘downstream’ traceability. This means that both suppliers of the raw materials and consumers can be identified.

“Over the years we have steadily increased the level of automation

in our group of companies,” concludes Jan Seidel. “Today, all processes are represented and perfectly matched in a fully integrated overall system.”

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

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ONBOARD CATERING FOCUS

DESTINATION SUCCESS WITH HOSPITALITY EMPLOYMENT ON THE INCREASE, CELEBRATED CHEFS ON BOARD AND A MAJOR EXPO ON THE HORIZON, THE TRAVEL CATERING SECTOR HAS DEFINITELY TAKEN FLIGHT

The in-flight and onboard catering industry is subject to tight parameters, which is why innovation has always been at the forefront for successful caterers and equipment suppliers alike.

Archana Sharma, Event Manager at The World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (www.worldtravelcateringexpo.com) , has been particularly impressed by the pioneering spirit taking hold of the industry at present.

“The sector is rife with innovation at the moment, which is great to see and there are lots of new launches due to be demonstrated at this year’s WTCE, from food and drink products, to packaging designs and retail items,”

she says.

Examples include Crantock Bakery, which will be showcasing its new innovative range of ‘The Bake Factory’ products, created by chef James Strawbridge to fit standard airline size. Inspired by street food, the products, which are ideal for ‘on the go’, combine a range of globally inspired flavours. “Crantock are pushing the boundaries with their foods and encouraging consumers to try new combinations,” says Archana Sharma. “Another organisation that is always innovating is Virgin Atlantic. For example, it recently transformed its meals service with low-tech tableware.”

The Expo, which last year attracted 245 exhibitors and around

1,500 total visitors, will take place from 14 – 16 April 2015 at the Hamburg Messe, Germany and, as always, industry representatives will be keeping a keen eye out for new products and ideas.

Recent major trends include regional cuisines that offer travellers highly specialist dishes, as well as partnerships with celebrity chefs, says Archana Sharma. “Chefs and well-known industry experts are more frequently being called upon to impart their wisdom and collaborate with travel companies.

Last year Raymond Blanc worked with Eurostar and Joel Robuchon with Air France, to name but two.”

Cathay Pacific Airways has also recently signed up top chefs from

Mandarin Oriental hotels across the globe in a special partnership. The chefs, including innovative Hong Kong chef Uwe Opocensky and celebrated French chef Thierry Marx, will be creating in-flight meals for First passengers travelling on Cathay Pacific flights between Hong Kong and London, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Tokyo and Boston. Menus will be available throughout 2015 and will incorporate seasonal produce, prepared and cooked in both traditional and contemporary ways.

As with any business, companies operating in the travel catering industry have to make decisions about which sector of the market they want to cater for and adjust

MARCH 2015 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P13

ONBOARD CATERING FOCUS their offer accordingly.

“There will always be customers looking for competitive pricing and customers looking for high quality so it’s important that travel operators decide on what they are aiming for, understand their travellers and work towards both of these goals,” says Archana Sharma. “The price vs quality war will vary from person to person and differ for each travel company too. Some operators pride themselves on offering the highest quality, whether that be in service, entertainment or food and drink.

Whereas other providers will offer a more competitive price but perhaps offer a slightly lower quality.”

Of course some travel caterers are required to provide a wide range of options for a large number of people, all on one site. A good example of this is the Royal Caribbean liner, Oasis of the Seas, one of the biggest in the world.

Longer than the Shard is tall, the

£800m cruise ship offers 24 distinct dining options, from upmarket contemporary cuisine to a Tuscan influenced trattoria, a Seafood Shack popular with families and the firstever moving bar at sea.

While it may not face the complexities of catering on such a grand scale, Rail Gourmet (www.railgourmet.com), which supplies many of the train companies in the UK, operates a FoodLab in London for the benefit of chefs, caterers and suppliers.

Chef David Small, an expert in catering for the rail travel sector, works with leading-edge suppliers to showcase their products and draws on information from global research, latest trends and the challenges of working onboard trains to create innovative menus.

There is a galley and equipment design advisory service for train companies and practical training for onboard chefs.

Moving forward, the picture for the catering sector as a whole appears to be improving.

Caterer.com – the UK’s largest hospitality job board – recently revealed in its Hospitality Employment Index report that hospitality recruitment levels grew significantly in 2014 – a rise of 18%, based on 158,456 jobs advertised by employers on the site last year.

Growth was also seen in the share of salaries advertised over £30,000 and for lower skilled and entry level roles.

The travel catering sector is, of course, a major employer across the UK, and as the economy recovers, the hope will be that more people will travel, whether for business or pleasure, helping to support job opportunities in this sector.

BEECHDEAN BRING QUALITY ON BOARD Beechdean are the UK’s largest farm-based Ice Cream Group and have been producing high quality dairy ice cream since 1989. Going from strength to strength over the last 25 years, Beechdean can manufacture over 10,000 litres of ice cream per hour and 16,000 individual tubs every hour across their two sites in Buckinghamshire and Cheshire. Beechdean Ice Cream Group’s extensive range of brands includes Beechdean Farmhouse, Loseley, Cheshire Dairy, and licensed partners Nickelodeon, Scooby Doo (Warner Bros) and The Simpsons (Fox).

Their versatile range of classic and luxury

products are supplied to food service, leisure and retail outlets including on board flights and cruise ships. Beechdean pride themselves on their commitment to deliver an excellent level of service, and only the highest quality of ice cream, maintaining successful relationships with their customers across all market sectors.

“We have been supplying clients in the leisure and airline sector with their ice cream requirements for many years, and dedication to product quality and service have always been at the top of our list,” Andrew Howard, Managing Director.

Made fresh on the farm, Beechdean Farmhouse Dairy Ice Cream is available for the out of home market in six flavours, including the classic Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry, and the more indulgent favourites such as Sticky Toffee Fudge. The Loseley brand offers Treacle Toffee, Belgian

Chocolate Truffle and Eton Mess, among other flavours. Produced in 90ml and 110ml tubs for in-flight catering, Beechdean and Loseley ice creams make the perfect portion for an onboard dessert, with spoon-inlid packaging for an easy serving and minimum waste. Made with milk from Jersey cows, rich double cream and only the finest selected ingredients, Beechdean offer a desirable treat to enhance the onboard dining experience.

Beechdean’s 5L range includes over 30 classic and indulgent ice cream and sorbet flavours, bringing unique choices to scooping parlours on cruise lines. This year, under the Loseley brand, Beechdean are launching Best of British flavours to bring exciting, dessert-inspired ice cream on board. New flavours include Peach Melba, Lemon Meringue Pie and Queen of Puddings.

WWW.BEECHDEAN.CO.UK

P14 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MARCH 2015

ONBOARD CATERING FOCUS

TRAVEL CATERING TAKES CENTRE STAGE WTCE HAMBURG 2015 WTCE, 14 – 16 APRIL, HAMBURG MESSE, HAMBURG The World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) – the world’s largest event dedicated to travel catering, passenger comfort and buy-on-board products – is set to return to Hamburg on 14 – 16 April 2015. The world-class exhibition will boast plenty of opportunities for professionals from across the air and rail industry to network and discuss new business partnerships. In addition, there will be exciting new content, as well as a host of first-time exhibitors offering visitors plenty of food for thought.

WTCE has established itself as an international hub where the airline and rail elite can come together to discuss the travel catering and onboard services industry’s most significant evolutions. The event showcases a wide range of innovations from over 190 exhibitors from countries as diverse as Canada, Lithuania, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand and the UK. As a result of its popularity and growth, 2015 marks a move for

WTCE to larger halls; alongside its co-located show Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX).

This year, WTCE will expand its remit with the launch of the new Travel Retail Zone, reflecting the huge growth this sector has experienced in recent years. In this area buyers can meet with suppliers of sale-on-board items and discuss how they can boost their offering to appeal to the modern traveller. A company trail will also lead attendees to other exhibitors at the show with a travel retail offering, making it easy for them to target their visit and come away with plenty of inspiration.

Visitors can also take advantage of The Taste of Travel theatre, as it returns following its great success in 2014. With live demonstrations, interactive presentations and sampling and tastings, visitors can stay up to date with evolutions in onboard services and travel catering and gain insights into key topics, including vegetarian and vegan

meals onboard, a tea masterclass and African cuisine.

With more than 50 new exhibitors already set to take to the WTCE floor, attendees will have the opportunity to discover the latest innovations the industry has to offer.

Bagel Bakery’s inaugural appearance at WTCE will feature its wide range of authentic American baked goods, including muffins, brownies, cookies, and doughnuts with a special focus on bagels. Bagel Bakery offers flexible solutions to meet bespoke needs of customers and the wide selection of flavours across the range, such as apple and amaretto muffins, walnut brownies and parmesan and oregano bagels, provides customers with adaptable packages and clear solutions.

Another first time exhibitor, DIONE Dairy Ice Cream, will be exhibiting its natural ice cream that is covered with a layer of Belgium chocolate. The company, based in Lithuania, will be showcasing the natural ice cream that comes in four

flavours: mint choc chip, chocolate and coffee, vanilla and caramel, and biscuit. The ice cream contains natural milk and fresh cream, and for customers looking to emphasise natural products, the ice cream includes no preservatives or artificial dyes.

Cornish bakery, Crantock, returns to WTCE for a third year to exhibit its new ‘The Bakery Factory’ range, which includes small pies in a selection of flavours such as Lebanese Lamb and Moroccan Chickpea, filled potato skins with maple bacon pork and red bean chilli and a number of toasted bread and bagels with different toppings.

In addition to the exhibition, the highly regarded Passenger Experience Conference runs on Monday 13 April. Acting as the industry’s premier networking and business forum, the core theme for 2015 will be on building flexibility into the cabin experience to satisfy passenger needs and expectations.

P16 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS ALS GROUP MARCH 2015

MARCH 2015 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P17

ALS GROUP

PASSING EVERY TEST NEW CONTRACTS, NEW CUSTOMERS AND NEW AWARDS – ALS IS REAPING THE REWARDS OF ITS SHIFT TO A MORE SOLUTIONS-BASED APPROACH TO FOOD TESTING. the traditional identification of organisms such as listeria from several days down to just a few minutes.

“There are few things that you can call groundbreaking but MALDI-TOF does legitimately fall into that category,” says Nigel Richards. “It not only offers the potential for significant time savings, but also improved consistency and traceability. In addition, we will be offering our clients these benefits at no extra cost to their current routine identification methods.”

THE KEY TO GROWTH

“2014 was another year of solid progress and growth for ALS,” says the company’s Sales & Marketing Director, Nigel Richards. “One of the challenges for all food testing businesses is how to encourage customers to focus on all elements of our service and not only on price.”

This is reflected in the company motto: ‘Right Solutions, Right Partner’. “What we started to do in 2014 – and will continue in 2015 – is to shift our strategy from simply being seen as a provider of testing services to one where we are seen as a provider of business solutions.”

After ‘Horsegate’, what next?

While the 2013 ‘horsegate’ scandal was a wake-up call for those who had cut back on their testing budgets, ALS has always been keen to get across the message that not all food testing laboratories offer the same range of tests and services.

“The consultancy service that we offer within ALS has expanded

significantly over the past year,” explains Nigel Richards. “We help customers in a variety of ways, from labelling advice to problem solving, trouble shooting and horizon scanning. Looking to the future is very much a concern of our customers; they are asking what the next scandal might be after ‘horsegate’.”

One of the benefits of belonging to a global organisation that has more than 350 operations in 55 countries, is the sharing of information and best practice. This includes picking up early on issues that arise in other parts of the world that could potentially find their way over to Europe.

MALDI-TOF – A REVOLUTION IN MICRO-ORGANISM IDENTIFICATION

In addition to continuing to expand the range of allergen testing it offers to customers, ALS is preparing to launch a new testing service to its clients providing a

rapid identification of microorganisms.

The ‘MALDI-TOF’ technology – which stands for Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Timeof-Flight – has been installed at ALS’s new state-of-the-art laboratory in Chatteris and reduces

Founded in its current incarnation in 2009, ALS has enjoyed four consecutive years of growth, with double-digit growth in the current fiscal year.

Nigel Richards attributes the company’s success to three key factors: “Firstly, we’ve continued to maintain excellent levels of client retention and benefited from the organic growth that many of them have seen in the past few years.

P18 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MARCH 2015

ALS GROUP Secondly, we’ve been successful in securing new testing contracts from some of our competitors and thirdly, we have grown through acquisition, the most recent being the acquisition of the Carlisle-based company Kingmoor Technical Services last April.

CUSTOMER SERVICE – THE BEDROCK OF THE BUSINESS

But the common element behind the company’s success remains its continuing focus on customer service. “It has always been the bedrock of our business,” says Nigel Richards. “We have a customer service team based at our Chatteris site in Cambridgeshire, who proactively engage with customers and carry out a detailed customer satisfaction survey; for 2014 the overall customer satisfaction level was 98.6%.”

In order to offer its clients an extensive range of testing, efficient

sample collection, fast turnaround times and good geographical coverage, ALS is committed to a programme of continuous improvement. Recently it has invested heavily in its IT platform ‘Webtrieve’, and last year the company completed a £3m extension at the Chatteris site, which has effectively doubled capacity on microbiological and nutritional testing. With sample numbers increasing, this was an essential part of the company’s ongoing expansion plans, ensuring it has the necessary capacity to meet future demand.

“We need to make sure that our solutions are keeping pace with customer requirements,” says Nigel Richards. “Given that supermarket competition is as fierce as ever, we are increasingly working with our clients to identify ways in which we can optimise their testing regimes to help reduce testing bills without

taking down the cost price, while ensuring they fulfil their legal and statutory obligations.

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

As well as winning the Society of Food Hygiene and Technology ‘Company of the Year’ award for the second year running in November, ALS picked up a trio of awards at the Fenland Business Awards: namely the ‘Green Company of the Year’, the ‘Medium Sized Company of the Year’ and the overall prize for the ‘Business of the Year’ in the Fenland region.

“It was a great vote of confidence in Chatteris, the largest of our six sites in the UK, which acts as a hub for nutritional testing, as well as being a European hub for pesticide and vitamin testing,” says Nigel Richards.

LOCAL EMPLOYER

In tandem with the growth of the business, ALS has increased headcount by around 20% over the course of 2014, expanding its apprenticeship scheme and working with local schools and colleges to encourage students to look at careers in science and testing.

“We have excellent staff across all our sites and a very clearly defined career path for them: our structure works well and we like to promote

from within. There is now greater staff access to internet-based learning and training courses and we have internal courses such as I-Lead to identify aspiring managers and future leaders.”

WHAT NEXT?

Future plans include expanding the company’s footprint in Europe, says Nigel Richards: “A lot of our customers are European and global manufacturers and it’s important that we are able to provide the same consistency and breadth of service across a wide geographical area. It’s an exciting time for ALS.” ALS MEDCALFE WAY, BRIDGE STREET, CHATTERIS, CAMBRIDGESHIRE PE16 6QZ TEL: 01354 697028 WWW.ALS-TESTING.CO.UK

MARCH 2015 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P19

NEWTECH LTD

PRECISELY SLICED THE FIRST COMPANY TO COMMERCIALLY CUT FOOD ULTRASONICALLY USING ROBOTS, NEWTECH LTD OFFERS ENHANCED AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS FOR CUSTOM CUTTING, HANDLING AND PACKING APPLICATIONS

The slicing technology uses ultrasound, which oscillates at very high frequency, a technique originally developed for the welding industry. It’s extremely precise; ideal for high-end bakery products such as gateaux, and other products such as tray bake cakes, cheese, paté and sandwiches.

“Effectively the soundwave parts the product; it can part a peppercorn, for example,” explains Managing Director Steve Rawlinson. “It’s a lot cleaner process so it’s very good for high-end products that requires precise cutting.”

Based in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, Newtech had its genesis in the early 1990s when Richard Canvin and David Gunner, who owned a meat-processing business, began supplying associated machinery, such as ovens and meat slicers. With experience in the food business and having previously run a machinery plc, Steve Rawlinson got involved 14 years ago.

After a problem arose with a factored ultrasonic machine, they decided to manufacture one, and gradually the business moved away from being a distributor to selling its

own products and technology.

Today, the company designs and builds application solutions, usually incorporating robots, which are ideal for the cutting process as they can work flexibly on six axes, allowing innovations such as sandwiches being cut on the move.

“We were the first in the food industry to use robots to cut ultrasonically and we’re an addedvalue partner of ABB, the largest robotic company in the world,” says Steve Rawlinson. “We have very highly skilled graduate engineers with many years’ experience and our expertise is developing over the years. We do have standard machines, but almost every machine has some bespoke part, and we produce all our own software.”

Recently we delivered a twin robotic in-line tray bake cutting system and an ongoing customer asked Newtech to design a machine that could cut both round and rectangular cheese blocks. The end result effectively combined two machines in one, saving on costs and taking up less space, with a unique centralising device to reduce waste.

As well as supplying manufacturers of all sizes across the UK, Newtech has won custom in France, the US, Australia, Argentina and South Korea and there are plans to develop this export market

further.

Turnover is around £3m and this is expected to double in the next five years through organic growth, with word-of-mouth recommendations and an increasing number of website enquiries.

“Our single biggest issue is that not enough people know us,” says Steve Rawlinson. “We want the company to move forwards through exciting, intelligent developments with more people in more countries. The more we get known,

the more it will snowball. We have great people and a great range of products and our excitement is driving the company forward.”

NEWTECH LTD STOKE MILL, MILL ROAD, SHARNBROOK, BEDFORDSHIRE MK44 1NP TEL: 01234 783680 EMAIL: SALES@NEWTECHLTD.CO.UK WWW.NEWTECH-LTD.CO.UK

P20 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS THE SHERWOOD GROUP MARCH 2015

MARCH 2015 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P21

THE SHERWOOD GROUP

THE INNOVATORS OF THE PACKAGING WORLD OFFERING AWARD-WINNING PRINT AND BUSINESS INNOVATION, THE SHERWOOD GROUP SPECIALISES IN FOOD PACKAGING THAT HELPS ITS CUSTOMERS STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

Innovation may be a buzz word in food packaging but not all companies follow through by investing in the equipment and expertise required to produce the kind of pioneering products that The Sherwood Group offers.

“We have a deliberate strategy as regards innovation,” explains Chief Executive, Jeremy Bacon. “When we look at our competitors, particularly large groups, it can often just be a word on the website, but in our case it’s at the centre of everything we do.”

The company recently invested £250,000 in a new ‘Smart Centre’ for innovation, which allows it to

offer customers a highly advanced prototype service. Instead of being limited to carton board, prototypes can be printed on surfaces such as corrugated, plastics, metal and wood, with a range of finishes from foiling and embossing to varnishing and even glitter.

“Technology has reached a stage where we can produce a prototype on the exact materials that customers will be using for the final product,” says Jeremy Bacon. “We also have a large-format digital printer, which allows us to print to any size. When we put a prototype in front of a customer, what they see is what they get: a colour-correct

sample with the correct materials and all of the finishes they want. To my knowledge, I don’t think anyone else in the UK is doing this.”

Despite the challenges of the credit crunch, the company has seen rapid growth since 2010, particularly in the food packaging division where turnover has been doubling year on year. The UK division contributes around £12m of the global group’s £25m turnover and currently has a split of around 40% greetings cards and 60% packaging (of which around 80% is for the food market).

One of the key segments is the food-on-the-go market. “It’s a fastmoving market in which brand owners and retailers are looking for innovative packaging for convenience and bakery products,” says Jeremy Bacon. “There’s also a strong heritage in sweets and chocolates in the UK, and this is another area where our customers are looking for innovative packaging that has that stand-out presence.”

In February, the company won the Innovation Award at Easyfairs’ Packaging Innovations expo for its Crouquembouche, having produced not only the packaging but also the kit and display stand for Tesco.

“Customers are looking to sell more products by adding value, and we have the capability for low-cost innovative finishes around foiling and special varnishes.”

Founded by Jeremy’s parents in 1976, the business next year

celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Having expanded into Hong Kong and China, the group now services those markets as well as manufacturing products in China for the UK market. “We have some case studies for supermarkets where we have gone from an idea to a product on the shelf within six weeks.”

Since 2009, the group has invested around £5m on renewing its packaging machinery and building the factory in China, which opened in 2011.

“Our plan for the future is to continue forging strategic partnerships with likeminded companies, whether customers, suppliers or even competitors,” says Jeremy Bacon. “We’re also looking at widening our product offer, with particular focus on the point-of-sale market. Finally we’re looking to grow through UK acquisition.”

For an enterprise that truly understands the meaning of innovation, these aims are eminently achievable.

THE SHERWOOD GROUP HADDEN COURT, GLAISDALE PARKWAY, GLAISDALE DRIVE WEST, NOTTINGHAM NG8 4GP TEL: 0115 928 7766 FAX: 0115 928 0271 EMAIL: SALES@SHERWOODPRESS.CO.UK WWW.SHERWOODGROUPUK.COM

P22 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MARCH 2015

POINTENS DAIRY

HAPPY COWS ARE PRODUCTIVE COWS THAT’S THE MOTTO OF POINTENS DAIRY – AND THE RESULTS CERTAINLY SHOW IN THE WONDERFULLY RICH-TASTING MILK, ICE CREAM, YOGHURT AND BUTTER PRODUCED BY THE FAMILY-RUN FIRM

Having started the business in 1966 on Grange Farm in north Norfolk with a dairy herd of eight cows, Roger Pointen has built Pointens Dairy up over the years into a successful local enterprise, with around 60 cows.

As well as delivering milk in the immediate local area, the company specialises in homemade ice cream and fresh live yoghurt, offering six different flavours of ice cream and 12 flavours of yoghurt, from

strawberry and raspberry to peach melba. When there’s excess milk available, in particular in the winter months, it’s used for butter making.

Everything that comes off the farm is homemade and branded with the Pointens Dairy logo.

Delivering daily to local customers ranging from village shops and caravan sites to schools and care homes, the dairy prides itself in supplying fresh products straight off the farm and most

business is won through word of mouth.

Having succeeded in building up a loyal customer base in the local area, Pointens is now winning new custom further afield for its ice cream and yoghurt with the help of a delivery firm with freezer vans.

“I can’t compete with the supermarkets on price but my milk is very fresh: it’s in the shops the day after being produced,” Roger Pointen explains. “It’s important to get the message out to customers that our milk is not homogenised.

When you blast milk through small holes it alters the molecular structure and it’s harder for our digestive systems to benefit from the goodness that is found in it. Also, supermarkets standardise their milk, which I don’t want to do. With the exception of pasteurisation, our full milk is how it comes from the cow.

People who haven’t had this don’t realise how good milk can be. I believe all children should drink milk. My calves have nothing else for five weeks and they grow like the devil!”

Over the years Roger Pointen has seen many changes in the dairy

industry, including other local dairy farms going out of business. “What annoys me most is when I see a bottle of water on sale for a pound and a bottle of milk is 50p. If you think about what goes into a bottle of water and a bottle of milk, why that’s happened, I just don’t know, I guess it’s a fashion thing. It’s virtually wrecked the industry, people can’t afford to be in it.”

While Roger’s brother Brian retired in 2010, the business has continued to bring new family members into the fold; today Roger’s son runs the dairy and his two daughters churn the butter.

“Everybody loves our yoghurt and everybody loves our ice cream,” he says. “Even in the winter it’s surprising how much ice cream you can sell to restaurants: it goes so well with hot desserts like sticky toffee pudding. Looking ahead it’s simply about keeping the quality up – our customers appreciate that.”

POINTENS DAIRY GRANGE FARM, STODY, NORFOLK NR24 2EB TEL: 01263 860338

MARCH 2015 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P23

AMERICK GROUP

UNIQUE APPROACH, UNIQUE SERVICE, UNIQUE RESULTS WITH A WIDE PORTFOLIO OF PRODUCTS AND A NUMBER OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, AMERICK GROUP OFFERS BESPOKE PACKAGING DESIGNED TO SUIT ALL CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS

The company’s objective is simple: to become the number one supplier in terms of service, innovation and quality. To achieve this, it has developed a unified strategy that delivers efficiencies and develops strategic partnerships across every aspect of the business.

Whilst some companies might be limited by their production capabilities, Americk’s wide portfolio of products allows the group to present clients with packaging that fulfils their specific needs, rather than standardised formats.

“The inception of the Americk Group represents a vision to establish a cohesive group of companies to service all the various packaging needs of major and minor brands,” says Group Retail Director, Brendan Cowey. “We analyse each individual customer’s needs and offer them a unique service and product.”

Catering for three main sectors: labels, flexibles and cartons – and are keen to drive innovation across the whole packaging market. Recent ground-breaking innovations include work on unique shelf-life

extension products, NaturSense™ for food products. “As has been widely publicised, the retailers dispose of vast quantities of food. We believe it is our responsibility to help reduce this waste,” says Brendan Cowey.

Traditionally the group’s customer base is in the UK and Ireland in the FMCG and healthcare markets.

Through recent and ongoing investment, Americk have moved into Europe and Africa, while continuing to diversify its customer base and product range in traditional locations.

With five independent manufacturing plants, the group has a combined turnover of approximately €110m (£86.4m) and over 550 employees. Americk Group CEO Chris Hart has invested in people, machinery and innovation while introducing operational efficiencies, taking the group into a strong position for further substantial growth.

“We believe it’s refreshing for our customers to have a specialist supplier that is not only interested in their packaging but is actively involved in helping to improve their business,” says Brendan Cowey.

The origins of the company go back to 1986 when Marchmont was founded, followed by the acquisition of Webtech in 1990. In 2011 the decision was taken to grow the £30m business by filling the gap in the market for a major player motivated by the need for consumer-led packaging. A series of

acquisitions followed – James Townsend Labels (2011), Primpost (2012), ASP Flexibles (2012) and Systems Labelling (2013) – with several more planned for 2015.

Today, the business employs a number of specialists with many years’ experience of the UK and European packaging market.

“Each sector of our business is performing strongly and we have invested heavily in every site,” says Brendan Cowey. “We are very

excited about expanding the organisation; we aspire to be a leading pan-European packaging provider, strategic partner, market leader and innovation specialist.”

AMERICK GROUP CLOVERHILL INDUSTRIAL PARK, CLONDALKIN, DUBLIN 22, IRELAND TEL: +353 1 4130234 EMAIL: BCOWEY@AMERICKPACKAGING.COM WWW.AMERICKPACKAGING.COM

P24 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MARCH 2015

CONTRACT BOTTLING LTD

THE GENIES OF BOTTLING DEVELOPING A STRONG PORTFOLIO OF BRANDS WHILE PROVIDING CONTRACT BOTTLING SERVICES TO OTHER DRINKS MANUFACTURERS IS PROVING A SPARKLING SUCCESS FOR CBL With the market for flavoured waters growing by almost 20% year on year, Contract Bottling Ltd has been experiencing particular success with its own brand of flavoured water, Perfectly Clear. At the same time, it has continued to work closely with clients to develop their soft drink brands.

“From a business perspective, we’re in the right place at the right time,” says Sales & Marketing Director, Maurice Newton, one of the company’s four main directors.

“At the moment the move is very much away from fizzy drinks, due to

health concerns. This is the perception whether they are sugary or diet drinks. Some of our retailers, such as Waitrose, are reporting huge growth in flavoured sparkling water and we’re seeing that with Perfectly Clear.”

PERFECTLY CLEAR

Available in still and sparkling formats and a range of fruit flavours, Perfectly Clear is sugar free and has only one calorie per 100ml. It’s made with water from the company’s own onsite spring, reducing its carbon footprint and

facilitating quality control.

As the company’s major brand, Perfectly Clear has recently been revitalised with new packaging, an updated bottle shape and new flavours. These include

MARCH 2015 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P25

CONTRACT BOTTLING LTD orange, blackcurrant, elderflower and raspberry / cranberry, two very popular flavours in the British taste profile that weren’t in the original range. The company has also launched multi-pack formats for retailers and a new children’s version, with smaller bottles containing multi-vitamins.

“It’s a good consumer and brand story and there’s more in the pipeline,” says Maurice Newton.

“The focus remains on building the distribution of our brand and continuing to offer a really high quality service.”

A LEADING NAME IN CONTRACT BOTTLING

Additionally, CBL has established an enviable reputation as a specialist contract bottler, manufacturing unique branded products in PET or glass for a range of international clients. Operating from a 60,000 sq ft manufacturing site in Southwick, Sunderland, CBL is able to produce high quality products, even on shorter runs.

Processing options include carbonation, tunnel pasteurising and Velcorin dosing, which means that CBL can process alcoholic ready to drink (RTD) beverages, added juice drinks, spring water, carbonates and still drinks. In PET, bottles can be provided with either sports caps or flat caps and the range of glass bottles is available with either twist (ROPP) caps or crown tops.

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE

While the north east has not been the easiest environment for manufacturing companies during the economic downturn, consumer confidence is starting to return and is filtering into the business. “We’re very much into premium products and there is year on year growth for all of them, which suggests that things that are improving,” says Maurice Newton.

Originally known as Villa Soft Drinks, the company began in an era before supermarkets, when lorries would travel round the country bringing crates of lemonade and other soft drinks to local communities.

YEAR ON YEAR GROWTH

Since March 2011, when Martin Thornton acquired the assets of the old Villa Soft Drinks business and renamed the company CBL, the business has never looked back, enjoying a 178% increase in production output.

Its manufacturing and bottling facility has been BRC ‘A’ rated since last August and the team at CBL works hard to maintain standards.

INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE

Last year, the company purchased a new 42,000 sq ft warehouse, added a third production line and made a substantial investment in new machinery. There are also plans to upgrade one of the PET lines and the glass line, as well as increasing the syrup room capabilities in the near future.

Staffing levels have increased from around 20 employees four years ago to more than 60 today, providing valuable local employment, and more staff will be needed as capacity increases. “Some of them are managerial, bringing extra new capability to the business, and some of them were needed to man our busier production lines,” explains Maurice Newton.

CUSTOMER COMMITMENT

The company attributes its success to putting the customer first.

Working closely with customers over many years has allowed CBL to build up valued partnerships. “Our understanding of packaging and marketing allows us to specialise in premium products for our clients rather than own label,” says Maurice Newton.

A LONG HERITAGE

Through its various incarnations, CBL has been bottling drinks in the north east for more than 100 years.

MOVING FORWARD

Looking ahead, there are plans for brand development on other

product lines, including 1870, a premium quality brand in the mixers category. Comprising tonic, tonic-light, soda water, ginger ale and bitter lemon, the range was created from English heritage recipes using premium ingredients and is proving popular in the home and mainland Europe markets.

“As well as bringing in more business on existing lines, we’re considering diversifying into other product lines; for example, we’re currently looking at a product in a completely new pack format that we haven’t made before,” says Maurice Newton. “It’s an upward

spiral, as the more we grow the more we can invest and the more we invest the more efficient we become, which gives us more capacity. Ours is a very good story of growth, improvement and profitability.”

CONTRACT BOTTLING LTD RIVERSIDE ROAD, SOUTHWICK, SUNDERLAND SR5 3JG TEL: 0191 516 3300 FAX: 0191 516 3317 EMAIL: SALES@CBLDRINKS.CO.UK WWW.CBLDRINKS.CO.UK

P26 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MARCH 2015

LJ FAIRBURN & SON

FROM OUR FARM TO YOUR FRIDGE IT MAY BE ONE OF THE LARGEST EGG PRODUCERS AND PACKERS IN THE UK, BUT LJ FAIRBURN & SON LTD REMAINS A FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS THAT VALUES LOYALTY AND INTEGRITY Established in 1951 by Leslie James Fairburn, who had 150 chickens and £150 in the bank, the long-standing family-run business today packs more than 13 million eggs every week.

In the past they were the largest contract producer to Noble Foods, but today the company is now supplying direct to retail customers, which include multiples Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi, Iceland, Netto and wholesalers 3663. They also have their own Lincolnshire Free Range egg brand that can be found throughout Lincolnshire in the Co-

operative, ASDA and a number of independent stores.

This ensures continuity of supply and quality – an approach that won LJ Fairburn a succession of awards including the IGD Business Transformation of the year and Most Improved Agricultural Business at the 2014 Sainsbury’s Farmer Awards in December, following on from winning Sainsbury’s Best New Supplier Award in February 2014.

This new strategy of supplying direct to retailers began around three years ago, following major

MARCH 2015 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P27

LJ FAIRBURN & SON

investment to comply with new EU laws banning battery cages, when a new approach was needed to guarantee the sustainability of the business.

“Marketing direct to retailers allowed us to take control of the business for the future,” explains the company’s Brand & Accounts Manager, Lynette Fleeting. “It has allowed the business to go from strength to strength. The Fairburn family took control of the business and went straight to the top people in the supermarkets who were already receiving our eggs – it was just a case of cutting out the middle men.”

The company operates their offices from Alford in Lincolnshire, with rearing, production, milling and packing facilities all within a 25-mile radius. They own and manage 70 units across 15 farms and employ over 170 staff. Both its stateof-the-art packing centre at BurghLe-Marsh and facilities at Barfen Farm Packing Centre are accredited to BRC Grade A standards, the Lion Code of Practice, Freedom Foods (RSPCA), the Organic Food Federation and the Organic Farmers and Growers Association.

Still proudly family owned and managed by directors Stuart and Judy Fairburn, their son Daniel,

Managing Director, with his wife Sarah Louise as Brand & Sales Director, and his sisters Caroline Fairburn-Wright as Business Director and Sarah Hall as Operations Director.

In addition to producing and packing their eggs, they also rear their own chicks from day old and mill their own feed. “We manage all inputs so we can control the end product – the egg,” says Lynette Fleeting. “We offer colony, barn, free range and organic eggs, and because we have the mill we can also produce specialist feed that allows us to produce speciality products such as Omega-3 eggs.”

The eggs are loaded onto the machine and high tech equipment checks for faults such as cracks, dirties or blood spots, before being weighed, and packed for our retail partners. Last December, a new state-of-the-art egg grader was installed to increase capacity and reduce the number of man hours in the packing centre. “Our other

machine, a Moba 330, packs 330 cases an hour and our new Moba 530, allows us to pack an additional 530 cases an hour so it has hugely increased our capacity – this is now the largest grader in the UK! We have further plans for reinvestment in the farms, to bring some of our older units up to the highest standards.”

With turnover currently around the £45m mark, the plan for the future is to continue with sustainable growth. “We will keep reinvesting building chicken sheds and producing more eggs,” says Lynette Fleeting. “It’s what the family loves most.”

LJ FAIRBURN & SON IVY HOUSE FARM OFFICE, FARLESTHORPE ROAD, ALFORD, LINCOLNSHIRE LN13 9PL TEL: 01507 462264 FAX: 01507 466657 EMAIL: OFFICE@LJFAIRBURN POULTRY.CO.UK WWW.LJFAIRBURNPOULTRY.CO.UK

P28 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MARCH 2015

NATCO FOODS LTD

A GROWING COMPANY THAT LIKES TO GIVE BACK CHAMPIONS OF NATURAL AMBIENT FOOD INGREDIENTS, NATCO FOODS IS GROWING ORGANICALLY AND THROUGH ACQUISITION WHILE CONTINUING WITH ITS CHARITABLE WORKS In October 2014 the Natco team were thrilled to take home the most prestigious award at the English Asian Business Awards ceremony in Manchester - Power Business of the Year.

Supplying multiples and independents across the UK, Natco combines hi-tech processing facilities with a love of natural ingredients.

Gracing the shelves of supermarkets and independent

ethnic-speciality grocers across Britain, Natco products range from flours, rice, lentils, beans and chick peas, to herbs and spices, nuts and dried fruit, pappadoms and pickles – and more.

NEW ACQUISITION

In September 2013, T. Choithram & Sons London, owners of Natco Foods, purchased Trigon Snacks, a well-established nut processor and supplier based in Aintree, Liverpool.

MARCH 2015 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P29

NATCO FOODS LTD Trigon produces Big D nuts, a well-recognised brand mostly sold through pubs, and owns the rights to sell the US peanut brand Planters in the UK. It also produces nuts for UK retailers’ own-labels. A good fit for Natco’s suite of products, Trigon’s snack processing capabilities include nut coating, dry roasting, and honey roasting.

“We were looking to expand,” explains Natco’s Business Improvement Manager, Natasha Pagarani. “We already sold nuts, including roasted and salted peanuts, cashew nuts and pistachios, but we didn’t process them ourselves, so we saw the opportunity to increase our capability. It allowed us to offer some new products and to continue tendering for the supermarket contracts.”

SAVING JOBS

Having gone into administration, Trigon was at risk of closure but by purchasing the company and continuing to run the processing facility in Liverpool, Natco saved 110 jobs at the plant.

“That was one of the main things: 110 jobs were at stake,” says Natasha Pagarani. “Everything that was happening is still happening up there but we’re finding new ways to

expand up there, as well as bringing out a delicious range of flavoured nuts in our Natco brand.”

CHARITABLE WORKS

Natco is part of the Choithram Group, whose global activities include supermarkets, manufacturing and distribution in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the US, as well as the UK. Its charitable foundation, the Choithram International Foundation, also funds and runs schools and hospitals in India and West Africa.

Every year, Natco looks for opportunities to give something back and since 2012 it has donated almost all of its profits to a charity, the Human Capability Foundation.

CURRY FOR CHANGE

This year the company is linking up with Find Your Feet (www.findyourfeet.org), a charity that enables vulnerable rural families in Asia and Africa to grow their own food, earn money and strengthen their voices so they can speak out against injustice.

Find Your Feet is running the Curry for Change campaign throughout 2014, in order to raise funds for its good causes and raise awareness of families who suffer

from hunger.

The idea is that people host a curry dinner party, and invite their guests to donate money, as well as participating restaurants donating for each dish sold – and Natco is matching all donations raised by the 2014 campaign. Natco’s minimum pledge is £10,000, and Curry for Change has already exceeded this amount.

“It fits very nicely with Natco’s profile as a food company that sources some of our products from the countries where Find Your Feet operates – for example, we buy lentils from Malawi,” says Natasha Pagarani. “So we’re buying these ingredients products, and then some of the profits we have made will go back to those countries. We ran a competition for food bloggers to create recipes using Natco products which were judged by a professional chef in London. We then made fun cookery videos for the winning recipes, which are up on YouTube for people to follow and cook at home.”

Raw materials are sourced from across the globe, from India and Egypt to Australia and Canada. A pioneer in the natural foods business with a strong commitment to ethical and green policies, Natco places great importance on provenance. It is also dedicated to recycling waste materials and reducing its carbon emissions, for example in 2013 the roof of their Buckingham site became home to more than a thousand solar panels which produce a significant proportion of the electricity needed to power their operations.

EARLY DAYS

BUILDING THE BRANDS

Natco was established in the UK in 1961 in London’s East End to cater for the emerging south Asian community.

As it continues to build on the success of its own-brand packaged goods, Natco is looking to broaden the range, in particular by offering more blended spices and herbs for use by ready meal manufacturers.

There are also moves to further develop own-label packaging for major retailers. Having achieved an A Grade BRC accreditation, the business is able to supply a broad range of companies and the benefits have been seen in terms of widening the customer base and reaching into the own-label brands.

By the mid-1970s, Natco had grown sufficiently to take over the old art deco Marconi Factory in Wembley. As the company grew further, it moved to a purpose-built facility in Buckingham; it also runs a cash and carry wholesale operation in Hayes, Middlesex. Several family members have key roles in the business, including Luke Pagarani, who is Managing Director.

SOURCING AND THE ENVIRONMENT

NATCO FOODS LTD CHOITHRAM HOUSE, SWAN BUSINESS PARK, OSIER WAY, BUCKINGHAM MK18 1TB TEL: 01280 825 430 FAX: 01280 825 431 EMAIL: INFO@NATCOFOODS.COM WWW.NATCOFOODS.COM

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