Food & Drink News May 2016

IMPRESSION TECHNOLOGY EUROPE: THE FUTURE OF IN-HOUSE DIGITAL LABEL PRINTING IS IN YOUR HANDS & HERE TO STAY

MAY 2016 £4.75

P02 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

CONTENTS PAGE 04 NEWS UPDATES 16

04

WORLD TRAVEL CATERING REVIEW

18

CHELTENHAM F&D PREVIEW

20

BREWING FOCUS

22

SAMBROOK’S BREWERY

23

LEEDS BREWERY

24

LONDON COFFEE FESTIVAL

25

SALT AND PEPPER

26

IMPRESSION TECHNOLOGY

16

22

EUROPE (ITE) 28

CHOUGH BAKERY

30 JOE’S ICE CREAM LTD 31

WALTER BLACK FOODS 25

26

TO VIEW THE 2016 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.

MAY 2016 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P03

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 production manager rachael whiteley accountant kerry monkhouse MICHELLE HODGSON - CHIEF EDITOR

proofreader becky ashwell

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THE CALM AFTER THE STORM From corner cafes to restaurant chains and from takeaways to supermarkets – all kinds of businesses were affected by the devastating floods that swept through the country in the recent storms.

More than a month’s rain fell on some parts of Cumbria on 5 December as Storm Desmond wreaked havoc. Heavy rainfall led to further flooding later in the month then on Christmas Day and into Boxing Day, Storm Eva hit, causing devastation across West Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Around 16,000 houses were flooded in December alone in the UK. Parts of Leeds, York and Greater Manchester were under water, including shops, restaurants and other businesses. On the news, the Co-operative in Hebden Bridge, where I had shopped on a visit a few months earlier, was waist-deep in water after floods hit the Calder Valley. On 30 December, Storm Frank caused devastation in Scotland and there was further flooding in the north of England. In March it was the turn of

London and the south – hit by Storm Katie.

It’s easy to forget, on a sunny spring day, that many people are still putting their lives back together following the devastation. A reminder landed on my desk the other week in the form of the announcement of the reopening of The Honest Lawyer, ‘Cockermouth’s most historic restaurant’.

The town in the Lake District saw the worst flooding since 2009 during Storm Desmond and the restaurant, located in the town’s former courthouse on the banks of the River Cocker, was completely destroyed.

Now it’s reopening with a modern interior, furnishings and equipment, a new Italianinspired menu, and a refurbished outside terrace overlooking the river.

This month’s focus is on brewing and I hope you’ll enjoy our monthly feature and editorials, while raising a glass to the resilience of those who have rebuilt and reopened their businesses following the storms.

P04 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

NEWS UPDATES

ALISON APPOINTED SALES AGENT FOR ‘RE-FRESH’ REUSABLE PLASTIC BOXES Alison Handling announce their exclusive appointment as sales agent for ‘Re-Fresh’ reusable plastic boxes designed to meet the need for smaller volume packaging. The hygienic plastic tray is ideal for full supply chain distribution of fresh foods into retailers, restaurants and food service businesses.

Available in 3kg and 6kg capacities they feature new resealable leak-proof type lids that can be easily fitted and removed over and over again.

Both boxes have the same footprint dimensions, but differing heights, so when stacked, two 3kg boxes equal the height of one 6kg

box. This is great for a mixed pallet of differing volumes and maximises the load. Re-Fresh boxes are extremely strong and their multistack/nest capability helps to maximise on product distribution without fear of damage.

They can be reused in a typical food supply chain for up to 10 years

and then 100% recycled to support companies to achieve their carbon footprint and reduce waste.

Alison Director - Alison Dearden - reported, “Re-Fresh boxes can be purchased with no minimum order requirement and is a welcome addition to our food quality storage solutions.”

For further details contact Alison Handling or visit www.alisonhandling.com TEL: 01772 687940 EMAIL: ENQUIRIES@ALISONHANDLING.CO M WWW.ALISONHANDLING.COM

RENAISSANCE FOR CAMEROON’S COCOA COOPERATIVES The Cargill Coop Academy, an adult education managerial programme aimed at cocoa farmer cooperative leaders, has been extended to Cameroon.

The programme aims at helping to reduce poverty for vulnerable local communities and professionalise farmer organisations.

A four-year commitment providing education in partnership with Telcar to almost 900 executives from 227 farmer organisations has been made

by IFC, a member of the World Bank and Cargill.

Welcoming the initiative at the inaugural ceremony, H.E. M. Henri Eyebe Ayissi, Cameroon’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: “Agricultural and cooperative education as much as the improvement of living standards in rural areas are our priorities. With the Cargill Coop Academy, we see an inspirational initiative developed in Cameroon to the benefit of our

cocoa farming communities.”

Cooperatives have proven to be one of the most efficient and effective means to reach cocoa farmers, reduce poverty and impact their livelihoods. Decentralised and local, they help farmers bring their products to the market. Further developing and professionalising farmer organisations is a key priority of the Cargill Cocoa Promise.

The Cargill Coop Academy was initiated in 2013, and since then some 320 executives from 80 cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire have had access to 28 days of intensive classroom training followed by a full year of personalised on-the-ground coaching.

“Empowered farmer organisations play a pivotal role in the development of rural infrastructures

and the improvement of living standards of agricultural communities. With our support on the ground, executives are able to make a tangible difference to their business,” says Mehita Sylla, IFC Country Manager in Cameroon.

More than $1.1m has been committed until 2020 by the partners to roll out the programme.

“There is an opportunity to provide the nascent cooperatives in Cameroon with the appropriate support right from the beginning.

Along with the performance indicators we defined, we will keep monitoring progress and report back in full transparency to ensure a measurable impact,” says Lionel Soulard, Managing Director for Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate business in West Africa.

WWW.CARGILLCOCOACHOCOLATE. COM

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NEWS UPDATES HOWARD TENENS FURTHER EXTENDS WAREHOUSE FOOTPRINT INTO THE NORTH WEST Howard Tenens has just purchased a new site in Heywood, Manchester. The site includes 175,000 sq ft of warehouse space and significant yard and outside area. This increases Howard Tenens’ total warehouse footprint to over 3,500,000 sq ft in the UK. The unit has been bought by the Group as a result of the growing demand for logistics warehouse space from their customer base. Jamie Hartles, Logistics Director at Howard Tenens, comments: “Manchester represents an important purchase from a strategic standpoint. As a national logistics business Manchester further supports our continued growth. The added advantage of owning the sites means we can provide our customers with enhanced service options”.

“This is part of a significant investment package to create capacity in the business, enabling us to grow,” Hartles continues. “This includes a warehouse build at our Sharpness site of 169,000 sq ft, new market leading warehouse and transport management software and investment in people development.”

As part of the purchase the Manchester site will

undergo significant refurbishment to ensure that the finished facility is of the usual Howard Tenens standard.

TEL: 08702 415640 WWW.TENENS.COM

DEB INSTANTFOAM® COMPLETE – THE WORLD’S 1ST FULLY VIRUCIDAL FOAM HAND SANITISER Deb Group has launched Deb InstantFOAM® Complete, the world’s 1st alcohol-based foam hand sanitiser that is proven to be fully virucidal, bactericidal and yeasticidal. The unique perfume free and dye free formula is dispensed as soft-structured foam and is designed for use without water to provide a complete solution for hand sanitising by combining its highly effective broad spectrum biocidal efficacy with safety and user preference.

Deb InstantFOAM® Complete kills 99.999% of many common germs in just 15 seconds and its non-specific biocidal action ensures there is no risk of antimicrobial resistance. The product meets the highest levels of European microbiological standards for bactericidal (EN1500), virucidal (EN14476), yeasticidal (EN1650) and mycobactericidal (EN14348) activity.

Part of the new Deb Stoko® Range, Deb InstantFOAM® Complete has been created to provide the highest level of hand hygiene in sensitive environments, such as the food industry, and also germ transfer ‘hot-spots’ in general workplaces and

NEW DISHTEMP COMMERCIAL DISHWASHER THERMOMETER

public facilities.

In the food industry, from restaurant kitchens through to food handling and manufacturing facilities, Deb InstantFOAM® Complete can be used to prevent the spread of pathogens found on raw meats and other food products, protecting both staff and consumers from food-transmitted infections. The formula has been independently tested and assessed by experts to demonstrate that it is non-tainting and does not influence the quality and safety of food products.

WWW.DEBGROUP.COM/UK

The new DishTemp thermometer from ETI Ltd is designed to sit inside a commercial dishwasher simulating a plate and accurately recording the maximum surface temperature during the wash cycle. Designed for everyday commercial use the unit incorporates a durable watertight seal rated to IP66.

Featuring just one on/off push button the DishTemp is easy to use, and the clear LCD display indicates the current and maximum temperatures over the range of 0 to 90°C with a resolution of 0.1°C/°F and an accuracy of ±0.5°C. Supplied with a traceable certificate of calibration at one temperature point (71°C), the DishTemp allows users to comply with current UK guidelines and US FDA food code requirements for monitoring the wash cycle in commercial dishwashers.

Using the DishTemp eliminates the need for costly and inaccurate test strips or stem thermometers that don’t stay in place during the wash cycle and often don’t record the temperature at the plate surface.

The DishTemp thermometer (order code 810-280) is competitively priced at £25 each (exclusive of VAT and carriage), available direct from www.etiltd.com

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NEWS UPDATES HANOVIA LAUNCHING NEW UV SYSTEM FOR MIDDLE EAST REGION AT DUBAI DRINK TECHNOLOGY EXPO UV disinfection specialist Hanovia is launching its new PureLine Ultraviolet Energy Optimised (UVEO) disinfection system in the Middle East region at the Dubai Drink Technology Expo (DDTE) on 16 May. Designed for disinfecting process water in the food, beverage and brewing industries, the launch will be at booth C41 at 10.30am, where Hanovia and its local distributor, Water Engineering Technology (WET) are exhibiting. The DDTE is being held at the Dubai Convention & Exhibition Centre between 16-18 May. Commenting on the launch Halim Mirza, Hanovia’s MEA Manager, said: “Ensuring product quality in the beverage production process, while also being price conscious, can be a difficult balancing act for producers. They need to know that the disinfection technology they’re using is fit for

purpose and will protect the product from pathogens such as Cryptosporidium or bacteria like E. coli. At the same time they need to balance the cost of the technology with the financial realities.

“Hanovia’s PureLine UVEO range ticks both boxes, as it offers a very high level of biosecurity while also reducing operational costs.

UVEO technology powers the new generation of PureLine UV systems, delivering up to 60% less power usage than conventional, equivalent UV systems. This means lower energy use while still delivering effective water disinfection at required flows – all with a single medium pressure lamp.

“With customers becoming more

NATIONAL FLEXIBLE’S GRAB BAG GRABS ATTENTION National Flexible had several new packaging formats on show at the Packaging Innovations Exhibition but were surprised when most visitors simply wanted to talk about the new flow wrap grab bag. It was undoubtedly the star of the show.

Originally developed for flow wrapping of high quality sandwiches, a market segment estimated at some £3.5bn per

annum. Visitors to the stand considered the use of the flow wrapped grab bag suitable for many other packaging applications.

They perceived the grab bag’s real benefits were the lower cost of the bag compared to conventional bag packaging (particularly by hand) allied to the unique structure of the pack and the various formats in which it can be used.

The pack is formed using standard flow wrapping machinery with few

modifications. It is essentially film on the reel which dramatically reduces the labour costs associated with packing by hand, whilst also improving manufacturing efficiencies at speeds of up to 30 packs per minute.

Having already won a Starpack Award for a paper laminate with a registered window on a Tesco Finest pack, National Flexible can now tailor the laminate to variable structures to create the perfect grab bag pack.

The film is currently being used with a paper finish or a lower cost alternative paper-feel lacquer. The film has no pre-creasing and the window aligns 100% every time. An

conscious about energy saving, the PureLine UVEO range lines up with green initiatives, providing a critical barrier against contamination by non-chemical means. Using the system at particular points in the water treatment process also allows customers to prolong the life of other components, such as reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, by eliminating the risk of downstream contamination. All in all, PureLine UVEO technology provides a more effective barrier and is optimised for the industry,” he added.

PureLine UVEO systems come in two ranges for water disinfection: the ‘Standard’ edition and the ‘H’ edition, designed specifically to meet the highly stringent food, beverage and brewing industry regulations.

TEL: 01753 515300 WWW.HANOVIA.COM

extra benefits of this thinner film is it not only saves packaging waste but gives perfect ‘on shelf pack presentation’. The combination of this upright laminate pack, on an automated machine, has already been recognised as a breakthrough for sandwich pack manufacture and presentation.

The show unveiled the pack, on a commercial scale, for the first time and interest in being the first-tomarket with the pack was tangible with a number of food and nonfood manufacturers alike showing great interest in a new format. In summary this innovative packaging film gives food manufacturers an opportunity to save money with superior on shelf pack presentation.

For more details, please contact Sales and Marketing Director, Mark Thompson, at National Flexible on 01274 685566 or email sales@nationalflexible.net

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A trAditionAl coAstAl inn • Home-cooked food • Selection of real ales • Crackling fires • Recently refurbished restaurant and bar • Dogs are very welcome

Try our new spring menu Ship Lane, Thornham, Norfolk, PE36 6LT T: 01485 512 236 E: info@lifeboatinnthornham.com www.lifeboatinnthornham.com

Recently refurbished, delightful coastal inn on the North Norfolk coast

Irresistible food | traditional bar |contemporary dining room | cosy atmosphere

We are now open for food and drink!

Call to book 01485 512229

High Street, Thornham, Norfolk, PE36 6LY www.chequersinnthornham.com info@chequersinnthornham.com

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NEWS UPDATES LINPAC SHORTLISTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS EUROPEAN AWARDS

Leading fresh food packaging manufacturer, LINPAC, has been chosen as a finalist in the 2016 European Business Awards for the Environment (EBAE).

LINPAC is one of 11 UK entrants selected by the award organisers, the RSA Environment Awards Forum, to compete on the European stage. UK entrants are selected from the winners and runners-up of various award schemes accredited by the RSA. LINPAC was crowned in the Sustainability Leaders Awards for its Rfresh® Elite rPET tray for meat, fish and poultry. The tray uses a unique, patented sealant on the tray flange to create a secure seal with the lidding film, removing the need for the industry standard laminated PE base film.

The ingenious sealing system can be removed in the hot wash processes employed by Europe’s PET recycling companies, meaning a recycled Elite tray will yield 100% crystal clear PET - a breakthrough in tray packaging design.

Alan Davey, Director of Innovation at LINPAC, said: “Representing the UK in such a prestigious award is a testament to the hard work and dedication that goes into keeping LINPAC at the forefront of the packaging environmental challenge. We are proud of our commitment to working with packers and retailers to develop supply chain efficient and sustainable packaging solutions.”

WWW.LINPACPACKAGING.COM

DELIVERS 1,000BPH WITH ONLY 5 FILLING VALVES, DOUBLE PREEVACUATION & A 30% LOWER PRICE THAN EXISTING ALTERNATIVES! The brand new Microblock 551 EPV is an innovative new generation system compared to similar all-in-one machines on the market.

An automatic three-turret rinser-filler-capper with low oxygen pick up. This high quality, high tech, automatic beer bottling machine features new EPV electro pneumatic filling valves, with special pre-evacuation of air.

This machine is perfect for bottling wine, soft drinks, cider, or other still and sparkling drinks.

The 5.5.1 is very flexible thanks to our new EPV (electro pneumatic valve) technology which allows total flexibility in adjusting the filling cycle by adapting the vacuum and filling timings to the necessity of each different carbonated drink via Siemens PLC.

Microblock 551 EPV consists of a rinsing section supplied with 5 rinsing nozzles, 5 elecropneumatic isobaric counterpressure filling valves and a single head crowning turret suitable for crown cork application on glass bottles.

The capper can close both 26mm and 29mm crown caps.

The machine is also equipped with a device for the detection of the bottle on the conveyor (no bottles on conveyor, no rinse) featuring a photocell, which stops the machine and closes the rinser electro valve in case of missing bottles and a turret height adjustment system to accommodate different height bottles.

These automatic beer-bottling machines represent the best solution available for entry-level automatic beer filling lines.

Our beer bottle filling machines are hygienic and easy to clean and made from stainless steel wherever possible.

TEL: 01865 481444 EMAIL: SALES@ICFSGROUP.COM WWW.ICFILLINGSYSTEMS.COM

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NEWS UPDATES CORNELIUS AND ASIROS PARTNER TO SUPPLY DANISH BERRY SUPPLEMENTS IN UK Danish biotech company, Asiros, and leading UK distributor, Cornelius, have joined forces to supply two premium berry-derived nutritional supplements to the UK healthy foods market.

MitoActive and BerryShield can be used to create healthy, phyto-nutrient (or polyphenol)filled drinks or added to food products. Both have strong scientific documentation and product profiling to guarantee the superior value compared to standard berry products.

MitoActive is a special concentrate of scientifically selected species of red and blackcurrants containing high levels of Ribetril A, a unique bioactive polyphenol-alkaloid that was patented by Asiros. It provides an energy boost to consumers and can be taken as a concentrated shot or mixed with water to create a longer drink.

BerryShield is a range of berry-powders, which can be used in beverages and solid food, as well as health supplements.

Per Rehne, Cornelius Director for Health and Nutrition Europe, said: “Asiros is an ideal partner

for us to work with in this sector, offering a premium range of products which we can supply to customers.

“MitoActive and BerryShield are a perfect fit to our nutritional product range and will support our strong expansion in this area. Cornelius is the main supplier of value added products in the food and supplement industries in the UK and we are delighted to be able to offer these products to our customers.”

WWW.CORNELIUS.CO.UK

RHU THE DAY That’s right, Radnor Hills have been busy again concocting brand new flavour combinations, and have recently launched a delicious new Apple and Rhubarb Heartsease Farm – and they have really cracked it this time! This fresh tasting thirst quencher seems to be the most popular in the range yet and is made with all natural and best available ingredients which have been blended with their own spring water from their farm in Wales. Getting the fresh sweet taste of the apple to blend with the sharp twang of the rhubarb wasn’t easy, but they are particularly thrilled with this one!

The Watkins family have farmed at Heartsease, in Mid Wales, since 1903. It was soon after joining the family firm that William Watkins discovered that he had a source of delicious spring water on their land, and this was the trigger to diversify the business into bottled water based products. Radnor Hills Limited produces a whole range of soft drinks including pure water, flavoured waters, school compliant drinks, fruit juices and the Heartsease Farm range of premium pressé drinks.

“Provenance of our ingredients is key,” says William Watkins, whose pure blackcurrant juice and raspberries will arrive from a farm down the

road in Herefordshire. “Our Heartsease Farm range of drinks reflects the heritage of the farm and our passion for great flavours.’’

Heartsease Farm Premium Pressés feature some timeless traditionally British flavours including Traditional Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade, Fiery Ginger Beer, Apple and Rhubarb, Blackcurrant Crush and Elderflower Pressé. These drinks are available in single serve 330ml glass and 425ml PET or a family sized 750ml glass bottle.

WWW.RADNORHILLS.CO.UK @HEARTSEASEFM #LOVEHEARTSEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT HOLLY WAGSTAFF AT HOLLY@RADNORHILLS.CO.UK

LORIEN’S NEW RECRUIT TARGETS LIFE SCIENCES GROWTH

Lorien Engineering Solutions has bolstered its growing team with the appointment of a business development manager to grow the company’s presence in the life sciences sector.

Tim Bednall has joined the engineering design and project management specialist from Molins Technologies.

An experienced technical, sales and project engineer, Tim will focus on identifying opportunities and building strategic partnerships, which will underpin Lorien’s continued growth in the life sciences sector.

Tim has joined the firm’s UK office in Burton during a period of growth; Lorien has also recruited an engineering manager to lead its newly formed Utilities department and a further business development manager to focus on the food sector. The company is also planning to add a senior project manager, a senior building services engineer and a safety compliance engineer to the team.

Tim Bednall said: “Lorien Engineering has a fantastic reputation across a number of industries, and I’m looking forward to contributing directly to their success in the pharma sector.”

Lorien Engineering specialises in capital projects for food, brewing, drinks, life sciences, biotech and safety compliance, and sustainability. It is a division of GP Strategies, a global engineering and technical services organisation headquartered in Maryland, USA. TEL: 01283 485100 WWW.LORIENENGINEERING.COM

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NEWS UPDATES EXCELLENT CONTRAST INK IS HIGHLY VERSATILE

Linx Printing Technologies is launching a new opaque yellow pigmented ink that delivers excellent contrast on both light and dark substrates to ensure effective code visibility across a wide range of food packaging applications.

In addition, the new Linx Yellow pigmented ink 1079 provides a fast drying time of within two seconds, allowing it to be used on fastmoving production lines or where products are handled soon after printing.

The ink can be used with Linx’s Midi plus and Ultima plus printheads on the company’s Linx 5900 and Linx 7900 series printers to code a wide variety of materials including plastics, in particular PVC, PP and OPP, dry glass, card and steel.

For industrial environments, it provides broad chemical splash and rub resistance, as well as excellent resistance to alkali, acid, water, alcohol, petrol and cutting fluid.

Linx 1079 also offers superior lightfastness, making it particularly suitable for products and packs that are exposed to light for extended periods.

The ink’s nine-month shelf life is longer than many competitor pigmented inks and enables companies to carry out effective stock management. Using the ink, printers can operate for up to 1,400 hours between scheduled maintenance.

WWW.LINXGLOBAL.COM

NEW CUP IS A COOL SOLUTION RPC Bebo Plastik has developed a multilayer onthe-go cup for a new ready-to-drink iced coffee from one of the fastest growing coffee shop brands in the world.

Frappé Chill is the latest offering from Café Coffee Day, which was established in Bangalore, India in 1996 and now has outlets throughout the world, including Austria, Czech Republic, Dubai, Malaysia and Egypt.

The new drink is the company’s take on the original frothy Greek beverage with a unique flavour and an impeccable iced coffee blend. To maximise ambient shelf life and maintain the quality of the coffee, the thermoformed cup from RPC Bebo is manufactured in multilayer polypropylene with an EVOH layer that prevents oxygen ingress.

The cup is retortable and the product is hotfilled and then retorted for 30 minutes at 118°C. The travel-friendly design offers convenience and ease of use for the consumer, including an integrated telescopic straw in the lid that can be expanded and contracted as required.

The eye-catching label features elegant brown and tan hues, accompanied by a dash of blue, a combination which conveys both a rich coffee tradition and a feeling of youthfulness. At the same time, a sprinkling of snowflakes on the cup reinforces the image of an icy-cool, refreshing cup of coffee.

WWW.RPC-BEBOPLASTIK.DE

UK-BASED NATURAL TEA COMPANY, ONLY NATURAL PRODUCTS, WINS 2016 QUEEN’S AWARD FOR ENTERPRISE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE Manufacturer and supplier of natural and organic teas, Only Natural Products, was last week a proud winner of a 2016 Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

This prestigious award, conferred on 21 April to coincide with Her Majesty’s 90th birthday, awarded outstanding achievement for growth in overseas sales over three years.

Storrington-based Only Natural Products, whose brand portfolio includes Higher Living, Kromland Farm and Dr Stuart’s teas, currently exports to nearly 60 countries worldwide. Total overseas sales have doubled over the last three years, now accounting for more than 70% of all production.

The business’s success in overseas trade is largely due to its decision to concentrate on 100% organic and natural ingredients, and to innovate by creating strong brands and tastes, to meet growing worldwide consumer demand for this quality and style.

The Made in the UK brand is regarded as a mark of quality and

ethical production. This has enabled the company to maintain manufacturing in the UK, when the trend in the wider tea industry is to move production to the Far East or Eastern Europe.

LEFT TO RIGHT: MANAGING DIRECTOR KEITH GARDEN AND SALES MANAGER ARRAN ELLIOTT

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NEWS UPDATES NEW BRITISH MADE RAYTEMP 2 NON-CONTACT THERMOMETER The RayTemp 2 is the first in a new series of non-contact infrared thermometers designed and manufactured here in the UK by ETI. ETI’s Managing Director, Peter Webb, commented “the development of infrared thermometer technology is an exciting breakthrough for ETI and we now have the capability to manufacture high accuracy non-contact infrared thermometers here in our UK factory. It has been a long time coming but it is now a reality”.

Compact and lightweight, the RayTemp 2 is an easy to use low cost, infrared thermometer that measures surface temperature over the range of -49.9 to 349.9°C with an assured accuracy of ±1 °C over the range of 0 to 100°C. The RayTemp 2 features a three-button user friendly keypad. Simply aim and press the measure button to display the surface temperature, the mode button allows the user to select °C or °F, display the ambient temperature and the emissivity value whilst the max/min button displays the highest and lowest recorded temperatures over the measurement period.

Incorporating a 5:1 optic ratio (target

distance/diameter ratio) and a fixed emissivity of 0.95 the RayTemp 2 is suited to a wide range of temperature measurement applications where contact with the item being measured is not desirable or possible.

Supplied with a FREE traceable certificate of calibration the RayTemp 2 (order code 228-020) is economically priced, at £30 each exclusive of VAT and carriage and is available direct from www.etiltd.com

NEW ADDITION TO CORIOLIS FLOW FAMILY OFFERS TRULY SMART FLOW MEASUREMENT ABB’s FCB400 coriolis mass flowmeter includes a new electronics platform that features selfconfiguration, integrated accuracy verification, built-in valve control and many other smart tools.

The automatic self-configuration function synchronises the configuration data in the sensor and the transmitter after power has been switched on. The FCB400’s “SensorApplicationMemory” duplicates and stores all data including configuration and calibration settings, measuring point parameters and totalisers in a permanent memory. This ensures safe data synchronisation during maintenance, including when the transmitter is replaced.

Application-specific software packages enable the FCB400 to be used in a range of installations.

In filling processes, the “FillMass” function directly controls the downstream valve via a special digital output. “DensiMass” enables the precise determination of the concentrations of liquid mixtures through high-precision density measurement, as well as the “net mass or volume flow rate”.

The FCB400’s “VeriMass” verification function enables it to test operation within the specified range. Users can detect possible erosions or deposits inside the sensor without removing the device.

Compact, lightweight and suitable for use in SIL2 applications, the FCB400 is also available in a hygienic design variant for food and beverage applications.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT ENQUIRIES.MP.UK@GB.ABB.COM REF ‘FCB400’

REPORT OFFERS FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The importance of good hygiene in restaurants and takeaways has been highlighted in a new report: ‘The Financial Impact of Poor Food Safety’. It states that UK consumers are not tolerating poor food hygiene ratings and won’t visit places that have had food safety issues.

Jan-Hein Hemke, Managing Director of contract cleaning specialists, Facilicom UK, said: “It shouldn’t be a surprise that hygiene is such a priority for consumers. Poor hygiene increases the likelihood of food poisoning and pests, hardly the recipe for a successful food business.”

The report’s findings reinforce the message that any hygiene or contamination issues can have a serious financial and reputational impact. If an establishment doesn’t pass environmental health inspection, it may be forced to close.

“Facilicom works with a number of businesses in the food industry and we specialise in kitchen deep cleaning. These deep cleans are carried out in accordance with legislative guidelines and remove the grease and grime from those difficult areas not covered by our daily service. With people’s health, as well as a business’ sustainability, at stake proper cleaning needs to be the priority,” said Jan-Hein.

Read the ‘The Financial Impact of Poor Food Safety’ report by Checkit at http://bit.ly/1SOtI61 WWW.FACILICOM.CO.UK

P12 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

NEWS UPDATES

OPTIQUAD - CONTINUOUS IN-LINE MEASUREMENT OF LIQUIDS The OPTIQUAD range of In-line spectroscopic analysers uses four different optical methods to provide accurate, continuous monitoring of edible oils, dairy liquids and wastewater. Measurement takes place directly in the pipeline every 10 seconds, eliminating the need to take routine samples for conventional laboratory analysis.

With no moving parts the measuring speed, long-term accuracy and repeatability is significantly better than typical bypass devices.

The OPTIQUAD-EOF measures free fatty acids (FFA), peroxide value (PV), p-anisidine value (AnV), total

polar material (TPM), iodine value (IV) and moisture levels in frying oil. Providing extremely precise readings in seconds it enables much tighter control over dosing and

replenishment of oil leading to significant cost reductions.

The OPTIQUAD-M measures fat, protein, lactose and total solids in milk and cream at any temperature,

enabling much quicker production intervention and opening up new possibilities in process control and optimisation. It is ideal for applications such as raw milk reception monitoring, standardisation of fat content in milk and setting a constant ratio of fat to protein for cheese production.

The OPTIQUAD-WW measures the COD in wastewater across an extremely broad measuring range and is capable of measuring extremely large COD loads.

TEL: 01342 820820 WWW.QCLSCIENTIFIC.COM

FRUELLA - THE TASTE OF SUNSHINE Radnor Hills Mineral Water Company is renowned for creating delicious soft drinks and now they are launching for 2016 a brand new ambient still fruit juice range – FRUELLA. The drinks range is gloriously colourful and reflects so well the Radnor Hills’ ‘We Love Great Flavours’ ethos! The 100% Apple and 100% Orange pure juice variants boast no preservatives, no

additives, no added sugar, no colourings - just pure juice and one of your recommended five-a-day portions. Also in the range are some inspired thirst quenching dual flavour blends including Cranberry and Raspberry, Orange and Carrot, Apple and Blueberry, and Tropical which contain a blended mixture of the finest pineapple, passion fruit, mango fruit and banana!

William Watkins, founder of

Radnor Hills, commented ‘We are really excited about the launch of our new Fruella Range, it’s been a long time coming but we wanted to use our years of expertise in the soft drinks industry to blend these drinks perfectly for you to enjoy! We can’t wait to see what you think!

The new Fruella range is full of juicy goodness and is a great way to feel refreshed. Each flavour has been carefully crafted to create a

delightful taste experience and comes in a 400ml PET bottle and has a six-month ambient shelf life.

But the test is in the taste, so why not try some today! @RADNORHILLS #FRUELLA SALES@RADNORHILLS.CO.UK WWW.RADNORHILLS.CO.UK

MAY 2016 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P13

NEWS UPDATES

STO TAKES YOU TO THE POLE WITH AMUNDSEN VODKA Stock Polska extended its top premium product range with the introduction of Amundsen Expedition, created to honour one of the greatest expeditions of the 20th century that saw a team of explorers reach the South Pole in 1911.

For this exciting project, Stock Polska once more relied upon the huge expertise of the Stรถlzle Glass Group in order to manufacture a stylish vodka bottle. The result is a unique light blue bottle, which has been manufactured from feeder coloured glass. It features a stunning mould embossment all over the body, aimed to resemble ice bricks. Additional embossing on the front and left side of the

bottle is a reminder of the date of the historical expedition to the South Pole and its exact geographical position. It was an exciting challenge to Stolzle Czestochowa, the Polish production site of the Glass Group, to prove its technical expertise in glass production, mainly in the field of mould maintenance, which was continuously required in order to ensure such a perfect bottle shape.

Stรถlzle Glass Group is a specialist in producing high-end glass containers for its Prestige Spirits and Perfumery & Cosmetics divisions.

Headquarters located in Austria, the Group consists of six European production plants and three inhouse decoration sites.

Stรถlzle has great expertise in both custom design and standard glass containers. The Innovation Team, which also consists of designers, works closely with their clients, taking their beautiful concepts and producing outstanding products. An exclusive touch of luxury can be added to all products in decoration.

Latest innovations include printing with special effect inks, metallisation, laser cutting, embossed lettering and accessory application.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: STร LZLE GLASS GROUP EMAIL: OFFICE@STOELZLE.COM WWW.STOELZLE.COM

FREE READY-TO-USE MOISTURE ANALYSER METHODS To celebrate the launch of the new HC103 halogen moisture analyser, METTLER TOLEDO are giving away a special edition USB key ring with over 100 drying methods.

With many tested and validated drying methods - simply choose which best suits your needs and upload it.

Also save 25% when you trade in your existing analyser. For more details visit: www.mt.com/ukmoisture-offer.

P14 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

NEWS UPDATES

CHOC CHICK WINS PLAUDITS AT FREEFROM FOOD AWARDS 2016 The company was highly praised by the judges in the Superfoods & Sports Supplements category for its organic raw cacao powder.

The ceremony took place on 26 April at the Royal College of Physicians, London.

Speaking at the event, Galia Orme, founder of CHOC Chick, said: “I’m so thrilled that CHOC Chick was highly commended here tonight. We were competing against some incredible brands across a wide range of categories. The last 12 months has been an incredible journey. I’ve launched CHOC Chick’s Blissful Blends, and my products have continuously been Holland & Barrett’s online

bestseller” She continues “Much of the credit for this recognition must also go to the cooperatives in earthquake

stricken Ecuador. Their knowledge and expertise in producing the organic, single origin, Nacional Arriba Fino de Aroma cacao powder we use is invaluable. I’m convinced it’s the best cacao in the world.”

Renowned for its fine aroma with floral and fruity notes, Nacional Arriba Fino de Aroma cacao powder has been growing in Ecuador since Aztec and Mayan times.

The FreeFrom Food Awards are the industry’s only awards for gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soya-free etc. foods. They’re run by the FreeFrom Matters team, which also runs the FreeFrom Eating Out Awards, The FreeFrom Skincare Awards and the Foodsmatter

website, one of the biggest online resources for food allergy and intolerance.

CHOC Chick products are stocked at 400 stores across the UK and Europe. These include Whole Foods Market UK, Harvey Nichols, Infinity Foods and Magasin Du Nord in Copenhagen. They’re also at 400 Holland & Barrett stores in the UK and in 200 stores in the Benelux region.

Introduced to the east coast of the US following a recommendation to Whole Foods Market North Atlantic, CHOC Chick products can also be found in 30 stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine.

PORK FARMS ANNOUNCES UK BOARD GAMES CHAMPION 2016 The UK’s leading pork pie manufacturers, Pork Farms celebrated the nation’s favourite pastime, , with the UK’s Board Games Championship with seven finalists going head-to-head at the grand final at One Inn The Wood in Orpington, Kent on April 30.

After a week of preliminary heats in March, which saw over 40 UK micropubs participate, Pork Farms, announced Tim Bentley, representing his local micropub Bake & Ale House in Westgate-OnSea, Kent, the Pork Farms UK Board Games Champion 2016, culminating the first National Board Games Week.

Kim Burgess, Head of Markets at Addo Food Group said: “Pork Farms is a traditional British brand and

what better way to celebrate the best of British then with a great British pastime such as Board Games.

"The Pork Farms Board Games Championship campaign was created in partnership with micropubs across the UK. Micropubs herald a return to community led pubs with conversation, cask ales and pork pies as the focus; a perfect brand fit with Pork Farms.

“The grand final was a great day and Pork Farms was delighted to crown Tim Bentley the Pork Farms UK Board Games Champion 2016.”

To see how the championships all began and an in-sight into Pork Farms upcoming campaigns for 2016, visit www.pork-farms.co.uk

MAY 2016 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P15

NEWS UPDATES

HERBS THAT CAN BOOST YOUR MOOD AND MEMORY The herbs peppermint, chamomile, rosemary and lavender have been proven to have an impact on mood and memory, with significant benefits displayed for older people, according to new research from Northumbria University.

Researchers from the University's Department of Psychology have found that drinking peppermint tea improves alertness, while chamomile tea has a calming effect. They also found that smelling the aromas of rosemary and lavender impacted on memory in people over 65, with the scent of rosemary enhancing their memory, while lavender impaired it.

The findings have been presented at the annual British Psychological Society Conference in Nottingham this week (26-28 April 2016).

In one study, the researchers asked 180 volunteers to consume either a chamomile or peppermint tea drink and tested their cognition and mood before and after drinking. A control group drank hot water for comparison.

They found that peppermint enhanced and aroused both mood and cognition, helping to improve long term memory, working memory and alertness, while chamomile had a calming and sedative effect which significantly slowed memory and attention speed.

In a separate study, 150 healthy people aged 65 and over were placed in rooms which had been scented with rosemary and lavender essential oils, or a control room which had no scent. They were asked to undertake tests that assessed their prospective memory - the ability to remember to do something at a given time, such as taking medication, or after receiving a prompt, such as posting a letter after seeing a post box. They also completed a mood assessment test.

Those who had been in the rosemary scented room displayed significantly enhanced prospective memory, with test scores 15% higher than those who had been in the room with no aroma. They were also more alert.

In contrast, those who had spent time in the lavender scented room displayed significantly increased calmness and contentedness, with a decrease in their ability to remember to do something at a given time.

Dr Mark Moss, Head of the Department of Psychology, said: "Peppermint has a reputation for being psychologically or mentally alerting. It picks you up and makes you feel a little bit brighter, so we endeavoured to test this out by giving people peppermint tea, or chamomile tea, which is a more calming drink and then put them through some computerised tests.

We found that those people who had drunk the peppermint tea had

better long-term memory. They were able to remember more words and pictures that they had seen. In contrast, the people who had the chamomile were slower in responding to tasks.

"Rosemary meanwhile has a reputation about being associated with memory - even Shakespeare said ‘rosemary is for remembrance' and it's also associated with being invigorating. We have found that people are more alert after being in a room that has rosemary aroma in it. We tested prospective memory our ability to remember to remember to do something - on people over 65 years of age, to see if we could improve their ability and we found that rosemary could do that. This is potentially very important because prospective memory, for example, enables you to remember to take your medication at certain times of the day.

"It is interesting to see the contrasting effects that different

herbs can have on both mood and memory, and our research suggests that that they could have beneficial effects, particularly in older age groups. If you were otherwise healthy then this research suggests that there is an opportunity to have an improved memory."

Northumbria University's Department of Psychology has undertaken a number of studies into the effects of herbs and substances on mood and memory. They have also found that sage, ginseng, lemon balm and gingko biloba can all have positive effects on improving mental performance.

Northumbria is ranked in the top 20 in the UK for its research in psychology, which was judged to have outstanding reach and significance for its impact, according to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, which measures the quality of research undertaken at UK universities.

P16 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

WORLD TRAVEL CATERING REVIEW

WORLD TRAVEL CATERING & ONBOARD SERVICES EXPO AIR AND RAIL ELITE CELEBRATE 5TH ANNIVERSARY OF WORLD TRAVEL CATERING & ONBOARD SERVICES EXPO The World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE®) returned to Hamburg on 5-7 April where it welcomed over 100 new exhibitors from all over the world, resulting in the biggest and best WTCE yet.

With the world’s leading air and rail professionals in attendance to celebrate its fifth anniversary, the exhibition saw a wide range of innovations showcased from over 300 exhibitors, with visitors sourcing the latest products, attending a wide range of networking events and watching educational presentations delivered by the industry’s elite.

Two dedicated ‘New Exhibitor Zones’ enabled visitors to view firsthand many of the latest product innovations from new exhibitors.

Speaking at the event, Manual Diggelmann, CIO of Yaos, said: “WTCE has provided us a great opportunity to meet with our future customers. The New Exhibitor Zone turned out to be the perfect location for us. We will definitely be back next year.”

On the show floor, visitors also discovered newly launched products

in the expanded ‘What’s New Onboard’ feature, including a new relaxation beverage from Tranquini, which contains natural ingredients that are scientifically proven to reduce stress and relieve anxiety. Also on show, individually wrapped B4® Hand sanitiser products and Authentic Germany Currywurst with bread from Tops Foods.

Speaking at the show, VIP guest Oliver Reeve, Supply Chain Relationship Executive for British Airways, said: “The show has been brilliant. There are so many fantastic products and suppliers on show. I don’t have enough time to see them all.”

Reflecting the significant growth and importance of the rail sector, this year’s event saw the launch of the Rail Trail. The trail featured 140+ companies offering solutions to improve passenger comfort on board trains. Nicky Beads, Managing Director of Onboard Logistics, an exhibitor featured on the new Rail Trail stated, “We’ve had the best

opening day in five years and we’ve met lots of good contacts at the show. We’ve had an excellent show this year.”

The fifth anniversary show also saw the return of the Travel Retail Trail, following its popularity at the 2015 event. The trail, which featured over 100 exhibitors, provided plenty of inspiration to air operators looking to expand their onboard retail offering.

In addition to the popular exhibitor trails, the Travel Retail Zone returned, dedicated to suppliers of onboard retail items and services. The Zone offered buyers the opportunity to meet with suppliers of sale-on-board items and discuss effective ways to boost their offering to appeal to the modern traveller.

The show also welcomed back the popular Taste of Travel – in association with Onboard Hospitality – to promote the latest innovations in onboard services and travel catering. Leading industry

speakers included Stathis Kefallonitis, Founder of branding.aero, Mathieu Castex, Executive Development Pastry Chef at LSG Sky Chefs and David Small, Product Development Manager for Rail Gourmet, who provided interactive demonstrations and thought-provoking presentations along with tasting and sampling opportunities.

Syreeta Tranfield, WTCE Event Manager, added: “WTCE 2016 has been a resounding success and we’re very pleased with how the event has run this year. The feedback we’ve received from visitors and exhibitors alike has been overwhelmingly positive and it’s great to see how the travel industry has benefited from the show, built new relationships and secured business deals.”

The next WTCE will take place in Hamburg from the 4-6 April 2017. To book your stand at the 2017 show, contact Mara Veith at mara.veith@reedexpo.co.uk or 020 8910 7193.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE EVENT VISIT: HTTP://WWW.WORLDTRAVELCAT ERINGEXPO.COM/ FOLLOW WTCE ON TWITTER: HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/WTCEEX PO #WTCE2016 #5THANNIVERSARY ‘LIKE’ WTCE ON FACEBOOK: HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ WTCE.EXPO JOIN US ON LINKEDIN: HTTP://WWW.WORLDTRAVELCAT ERINGEXPO.COM/LINKEDIN

MAY 2016 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P17

WORLD TRAVEL CATERING REVIEW

WELSH HILLS BAKERY TO MAKE TRAVELLING EASIER FOR COELIACS AND THOSE WITH GLUTEN INTOLERANCE UK BASED WELSH HILLS BAKERY IS MAKING LIFE EASIER FOR TRAVELLERS WITH FOOD INTOLERANCES AND SPECIFIC DIETARY REQUIREMENTS WITH ITS LOVEMORE FREE FROM FOODS PRODUCTS Already available in America, Australia, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Hungary, the Middle East, Finland, the Netherlands, Malta, France and Germany, manufacturer Welsh Hills Bakery is now targeting the travel industry.

Showcasing the Lovemore range, which includes shortbreads, cookies, pies, tarts and slices, at the recent WTCE Expo, Welsh Hills Bakery were keen to show visitors that those with particular dietary needs shouldn’t have to sacrifice on quality, tasty food – even when on the go.

Key Account Manager for Welsh Hills Bakery, Julian Cruttenden, said: “There is a growing number of people suffering with food intolerances such as coeliac disease and they need to know what is in their food. Monitoring this while travelling can be particularly difficult and that is why we are making the travel industry a top priority for 2016.

“The WTCE Expo was extremely valuable for us in terms of meeting both potential customers and

business partners and seeing what the market already offers. Our stand was visited by many major airlines who are now actively looking at gluten free options as part of both special dietary needs and a consumer lifestyle choice.”

The total free from food market in the UK, including gluten, wheat and dairy, is currently worth £365m and is predicted to grow by 50% by 2019. The gluten free cakes and desserts market specifically has an estimated value of £234m which Welsh Hills Bakery accounts for an impressive 12% of.

The family-run bakery, which is celebrating its 60th year, developed the Lovemore range of wheat, gluten and dairy free products in 2008 after supplying UK supermarkets with own brand gluten free products for seven years previously. They now supply products to Morrisons, Ocado and the NHS. After significant investment, the factory is a world class dedicated gluten and wheat free production facility and Welsh Hills Bakery, winner of the Success Through Overseas Trade Welsh Business Award 2015/16, employs 70 staff and supplies in excess of 80 product lines around the world.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.LOVEMOREFOODS.COM

P18 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

CHELTENHAM F&D PREVIEW

CHELTENHAM FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL JUNE 2016 THE CHELTENHAM FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL OPENS ITS GATES ON FRIDAY 10 JUNE 2016 This three-day event, held in Cheltenham’s Montpellier Gardens, has an excellent reputation for attracting a host of celebrity chefs as well as local and regional chefs from across the country. Amongst the highlights in the 2016 Parlour Farm Chef ’s kitchen is a demonstration from Steven Lamb from River Cottage on Sunday 12th at 1.45pm.

Steven, who works closely with River Cottage’s founder, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, specialises in curing and smoking meat.

On Friday 10th we have chefs from StarBistro’s Incr-edibles, The Fleece Inn, Pamela Chen-Moore from Chenmoorechopsticks and Marjorie Lang and Daryll Taylor from The Thyme Cookery School.

Saturday’s chefs include master baker Richard Bertinet, Will & Calum Thompson from Eat Wild in Cirencester, Cathryn Dresser from the 2012 Great British Bake Off, Paul Mottram from Hotel du Vin & Bistro and the Holistic Chef, Jamie

Raftery.

On Sunday, apart from Steven Lamb, we have Nick Deverell-Smith from the award-winning Churchill Arms and Tess Ward from the ‘Naked Diet’.

Wine connoisseurs can enjoy learning about champagne, sherry

and wines from around the world in the Yealands Estate International Wine Theatre.

A series of talks covering many subjects ranging from real ale to nutrition to cheese to gluten free will be held in the Real Food Theatre. Helen Browning from the

Soil Association will be talking about organic farming and there is an interesting talk about Glenlivet single malt whisky. YO Sushi are doing a masterclass for up to 30 children aged 6 to 16 and Jenny Chandler will also be inviting children to learn more about experimenting with ingredients to make cooking fun. These talks are held in a relaxed atmosphere where visitors can ask questions and get information. Each talk is limited to 70 people so the organisers can ensure a quality talk and in some cases samplings.

There is live music and children’s entertainment. To complete the day, visitors can purchase a range of quality food, drink, kitchenware and gifts from UK and European producers. What a great way to spend a summer’s day!

MAY 2016 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P19

CHELTENHAM F&D PREVIEW

SOUP WITH BENEFITS SOUPOLOGIE, THE UK’S ONLY FREE-FROM VEGAN SOUP COMPANY, HAS ARRIVED IN CHELTENHAM!

Available from the gluten-free fridge in Waitrose, Whole Foods Market and Ocado, the online supermarket, Soupologie makes deliciously nutritious plant-based soups that are all dairy free and gluten free, with no added sugar.

Packed full of veggies, each serving of Soupologie soup contains two of your five-a-day. From Spinach & Kale with Garlic to Curried Sweet Potato with Coconut & Raw Cacao, you can eat your way through a rainbow of nutrients with our wide choice of flavours! Along with wholesome vegetables, we also search out some unusual nutrientpacked ingredients to make sure our soups are supercharged nutritional powerhouses. We believe that consuming healthy, plant-based soups is the answer to looking and feeling good, inside and out.

When founder and Master Soupologist, Stephen, was persuaded by his family to share his unique and delicious soups at a local Christmas fair, little did he know he would

soon be supplying people with soups all around the country. That was back in 2012, and since then people’s love and enthusiasm for that most comforting of foods, soup, has spurred Stephen on to cook, create and share all over the UK.

Soupologie’s aim is to make soups that taste just as good as those made in your own kitchen, with ingredients everyone has on their shelves. The soups are freshly made each week, and freeze beautifully if you want to stock up! As an

antidote to ready meals and fast food, our soups are healthy and convenient without compromising on taste. So you will keep coming back for more!

Our soups are versatile too! Turn our Watercress Courgette & Quinoa soup into a delicious salmon dressing, or mix our Spinach & Kale with some pasta, in a new twist on pesto. Feel free to be adventurous and use them as a base for your own healthy fast meals. (And send us a pic, when you do, as we love sharing ideas!)

We’re thrilled to now be available in Cheltenham and to be attending the wonderful Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival. Come and visit us, taste some of our amazing soup and turn yourself into a Souper-star!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to find out what we are up to, and perhaps win yourself some super soup!

TEL: 0207 4352 245 WWW.SOUPOLOGIE.COM

P20 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

BREWING FOCUS

THE FUTURE IS YOUNG AS GLOBAL BREWING GIANTS BECOME EVEN BIGGER, THE BREWING INDUSTRY IS LOOKING TO INNOVATION IN PRODUCT TASTE, DESIGN AND MARKETING TO ATTRACT YOUNGER CONSUMERS This year’s Budget freeze for beer duty, following the previous three years’ cuts may have been welcomed by the industry but, according to the Lost Pubs Project, pubs are still closing at the rate of four a day. The reasons include the cheaper retail price of alcohol, and – more recently, in some areas – the Late Night Levy, an additional cost for pubs and bars with late opening hours.

However, one of the most significant factors is the changing habits of consumers, which lead them to drink at home, in bars or restaurants or at events like music festivals, rather than in pubs.

This is especially the case when it comes to the younger generation.

Appealing to the younger consumer is a key issue for many brewing companies.

“Ensuring your brand stays relevant and appealing to the younger consumers of today is a task that marketers all around the world are faced with,” explains Geoff Tirrell, General Manager of Chang Beer in UK and Europe www.changbeer.com).

“This becomes increasingly difficult in an age where consumers

are spoilt for choice. And where new technology has taught them to expect new offerings more frequently. So marketers can no longer remain complacent – they have to constantly excite and innovate but ensuring that what they do is appealing to the younger drinking generation.”

First introduced in Thailand in 1995 and now attributing 74% of its sales to on-trade sales in the UK, Chang Beer is marking its 21st anniversary by launching a new distinctive-shaped bottle with an easierto-grip waist and an emerald green and gold design. Its beer cans and secondary packaging have also been modernised to increase shelf impact.

“Consumers are willing to pay more for quality products,” says Geoff Tirrell. ”This can be seen in the global trend of ‘premiumisation’, where consumers look for that ‘something special’ and are willing to pay more for it. Price, as we know, is also an indicator of quality in the consumer’s mind.”

Linking a brand with the social activities that appeal to younger consumers is another familiar marketing approach. For example, Chang Beer sponsors Everton Football Club and is launching its new look at festivals and concerts around the world.

Sponsorship of, and presence at, music festivals is, of course, a well-

established marketing tool. The Purity Brewing Company (www.puritybrewing.com), an award-winning craft brewer based in Warwickshire, has just announced a two-year partnership for a presence at the Lunar festival in Arden, Warwickshire, and at the Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul festival and Moseley Folk festival, both held at Moseley Park in Birmingham.

“We can’t wait to be back at the festivals this year, enjoying the weather, the music, the food and the drink,” says Purity MD, Paul Halsey.

“Supporting music festivals in our backyard and adding to people’s enjoyment with our beers is what Purity Brewing Company is all about and long may it continue.”

Some brands look to raise their profile and celebrate their local connections by banding together with other producers in the region.

One example is Somerset-based Thatchers Cider (www.thatcherscider), which is partnering with Wyke Farms and Miles Tea & Coffee to celebrate Somerset Day on 11 May. An initiative of local group, Passion for Somerset, the event will be supported with a social media campaign #LoveSomerset throughout May. All three brands are family run and have long-standing Somerset heritage. Thatchers Premium Gold brand is also in its third year as the official cider of Glastonbury Festival and the

MAY 2016 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P21

BREWING FOCUS company is running a competition on its website to win tickets to the music festival.

If you’re sitting in the middle of a field you might not have a bottle opener to hand, and Budweiser has become the latest – and biggest – beer brand in the UK to introduce twist-off caps to the UK market.

As well as suiting the off trade, the twist-off caps mean that bar staff won’t need to use bottle openers when serving up the beer.

“This is so much more than a packaging innovation for Budweiser,” says Aina Fuller, Senior Brand Manager UK&I at Budweiser.

“We’re proud to continue to lead the category in the UK by being the

first major beer brand to bring twist-off caps to British consumers, ensuring they now never have to miss a minute of the action – like a goal in an exciting football match.”

A multi-million pound throughthe-line campaign will support the launch, including TV advertising, digital advertising, PR, social media, and in-store activations.

Despite the success of craft and artisan brewers, the industry remains dominated by a few key big players. As Geoff Tirrell of Chang Beer points out, this looks set to continue with the proposed merger of AB InBev – the world’s biggest brewer, and producer of Budweiser,

Stella and Becks among others – with SABMiller, which counts Miller, Peroni and Grolsch among its brands. “It’s part of the further consolidation of the global brewing giants that has been prevalent in the last couple of years,” he says.

Whether multi-national or artisan producer, companies in this sector will no doubt continue to look closely at the spending and social habits of the younger generation to ensure the future of their own brands.

AWARD WINNING ALES The Liberation Brewery in all its various forms (Ann Street Brewery, Jersey Brewery) has been brewing continuously since 1871 but especially in recent years its range of bottles, casks and keg beers have become not only nationally but internationally recognised.

The brewery’s flagship brand, Liberation Ale, a delightful, balanced pale ale at 4% abv, not only took the Channel Islands by storm when it was released in 2009 but went on to win it’s cask category in the Brewing Industry International Awards (“The Brewing Oscars”) in consecutive competitions which was the platform for the Brewery to launch a range of seasonal in cask, that now includes Noire (a dark stout made with local chocolate), EPA (a traditional English pale ale using the best of UK raw materials), Rouge (an autumn ale with robust malt and hop character), Ambree (a spring ale with biscuit malt flavours

and the distinct Amarillo hop) and a Christmas ale infused with Jersey black butter. Add to this a series of one-offs, and the now permanently available, and world renowned Liberation IPA (India Pale Ale), itself

a winner of many Gold medals in cask and bottle, and it is easy to see why Jersey is now firmly on the map of craft beer producers.

All the while, whilst producing new and innovative beers, the

brewery team of seven people, never took their eye off the other products they produced and Mary Ann best bitter in keg, despite being produced in various guises for over a century, also won Gold in the brewing industry international awards, and a new Blonde Craft Lager and Pale Ale in keg have been added to the portfolio.

The next step was to make these outstanding products available for the take home trade and in the last three years Liberation Ale, Liberation Herm Island Gold and Liberation IPA have seen ever increasing sales.

As Paul Hurley, Head brewer says “We are very proud of our genuine Jersey heritage and every beer we produce is made with passion, dedication and with quality as the hallmark.”

WWW.LIBERATIONGROUP.COM

P22 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

SAMBROOK’S BREWERY

A NEW LOOK FOR SAMBROOK’S BEERS SAMBROOK’S BREWERY HAS BEEN TRADING IN BATTERSEA SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2008. IN THIS TIME IT HAS GROWN FROM A SMALL, BOOTSTRAPPING, SINGLE-BREW OUTFIT TO ONE OF LONDON’S LARGEST AND MOST WELL-RESPECTED INDEPENDENT BREWERIES Now delivering an exceptional range of beers across cask, keg and bottle, it has shown that success and quality can be achieved in all formats.

Sambrook’s Wandle and Junction currently hold Gold and Silver respectively for Best Bitter in the SE Champion Beer of Britain competition (2016), and the company took top order for its Imperial Stout at the 2016 SIBA Independent Beer Awards, claiming Champion Premium Strong and Overall Keg Champion.

Beer enthusiasts are increasingly asking for local, British products.

Add this to a growing market of drinkers looking for real ales and craft beers and it’s a good time to be

in beer. An opportunity exists to drive growth by providing a point of difference across your taps. You may be familiar with some of Sambrook’s core beers, however in the coming months you may also be surprised to see they’ve received a fresh coat of paint. Not content to rest on brewing success, the team have devised new look lenses, clips and bottles. In market April 2016, they’re already catching the eye of punters and delivering increased sales on higher margin, craft product.

If you’re not already familiar with the Sambrook’s team or products, the good thing is you’ll get plenty of opportunities to see them in action this summer, with a number of community and festival

outings on the cards. Battersea Park will host Foodstock on 30-31 July and Beer By The River returns on 10 September at Tooting Common, where the best of British will be on show with 25+ breweries and over 50 beers available for thirsty beer lovers.

Great tasting product, that looks on point and makes you more

money? Sambrook’s Brewery would love to hear from you – they’re just happy to talk about beer and brewing (and those tickets to your local Sambrook’s event).

TEL: 0207 228 0598 EMAIL: SALES@SAMBROOKSBREWERY.CO.UK WWW.SAMBROOKSBREWERY.CO.UK

SAMBROOKS BREWEY PRESENTS

BEER BY THE RIVER 10th SEPTEMBER 2016, TOOTING COMMON

• BEER • FOOD • MUSIC beerbytheriver.eventbrite.co.uk

MAY 2016 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P23

LEEDS BREWERY

THE GREAT OUTDOORS WHAT BETTER WAY TO ENJOY THE SUMMER DAYS AND LONG EVENINGS THAN RELAXING WITH A DRINK AND A FRESHLY COOKED MEAL IN ONE OF LEEDS BREWERY’S STYLISH PUB GARDENS We may have a love-hate relationship with the British weather, but when the sun is shining in the heart of the city, we do love to flock to the nearest beer garden.

When it comes to outside spaces, Leeds Brewery has created a range of attractive gardens with the same fresh, contemporary appeal showcased in their stylish pub interiors.

Established in 2007 by Sam Moss and Michael Brothwell, the vibrant, forward-thinking business has grown to be the largest brewery in Leeds.

Starting small with just three cask ales – including Leeds Pale, now its flagship beer – today it produces more than 70,000 pints a week in cask, keg and bottles, for distribution throughout the UK. Orders can be placed direct with the brewery or through SIBA DDS and many national wholesalers and pub companies.

While its group of pubs match the brewery’s ethos of offering quality products with a contemporary edge, each is distinctly different in style.

Among them is The Brewery Tap, conveniently located next to Leeds railway station, with a cosy terrace that’s both a suntrap and a great place to people watch. Next to the Leeds Minster, the newly renovated Lamb & Flag has a spacious beer garden overlooked by a stylish outdoor terrace, with a barbecue on Friday evenings.

Crowd of Favours is located just off the main thoroughfare of Kirkgate, handy for a break from shopping, while the courtyard of the

Midnight Bell in the Holbeck Urban village is popular with office workers and boasts a charcoal barbecue, perfect for private events.

The company also has two pubs in York: the Duke of York and its newest addition, the Eagle & Child, a quiet secluded spot with wooden trestle tables within the enclosed garden walls.

With a range of top quality beers supplied by the brewery, an extensive wine list, and gourmet menus with freshly made, locally sourced ingredients, each Leeds Brewery pub provides a welcoming venue for special occasions.

Anyone lucky enough to have a summer birthday or anniversary – or simply looking for an excuse for a barbecue or party – has the option of private hire. Depending on the pub, you can take over the beer garden, hire out a function room on one floor or take over the whole pub as an exclusive space. Private hire has also proved popular with local businesses for corporate events.

Wedding receptions are often held in the historic and atmospheric spaces offered by The Midnight Bell, Lamb & Flag and Eagle & Child, and dedicated events coordinators are on hand, whether you’re planning a small family get-together or a party for over 100 guests.

LEEDS BREWERY 3 SYDENHAM ROAD, LEEDS LS11 9RU TEL: 0113 244 5866 EMAIL: INFO@LEEDSBREWERY.CO.UK WWW.LEEDSBREWERY.CO.UK

P24 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

LONDON COFFEE FESTIVAL

OPTIAT - A SUSTAINABLE BEAUTY BRAND PUTTING BY-PRODUCTS TO USE Optiat (www.optiat.com) recycle used Arabica coffee grounds to create an all-natural coffee body scrub. The company’s name comes from the phrase ‘One Person’s Trash Is Another’s Treasure’.

Optiat harnesses the power of coffee as a natural beauty product for three reasons: 1) The small grains act as a natural exfoliator.

2) The caffeine stimulates blood circulation, helping the fight against skin conditions like cellulite, stretch marks and eczema.

3) The level of antioxidants in used coffee grounds has been found to be as high, if not higher, than in freshly ground coffee.

With more than 500,000 tonnes of used coffee grounds sent to landfill every year in the UK alone, Optiat help to address a serious

waste problem.

There are currently three products in their range: Stimulating Lemongrass & Peppermint, Calming Clove & Cinnamon and Energising Lemon & Black Pepper. All are made using natural ingredients including Sweet Almond Oil, Vitamin E and Himalayan Pink Salt.

Currently Optiat’s sustainable coffee body scrub is only sold online on their website, but the company is looking for new commercial relationships with wholesalers and distributors. Send them an email at contact@optiat.com for more information. #DOYOURBIT AND #SCRUBYOURBITS WITH OPTIAT!

ROCKBERN COFFEE GROUP - KENYA Rockbern is an embodiment of Africa youth entrepreneurship and a salute to the Republic of Kenya vibrant coffee brand. We are no longer a company - we are a brand that exudes passion, determination, happiness and energy of young Kenyans keen to participate in shaping the continents’ future. We love what we do, working together to WOW you by offering quality coffee and service while we create direct and indirect employment.

Medium roast, medium grind or beans.

3. Rockbern Mt Kenya SUPREMA: Medium- dark roast, medium grind or beans 4. Rockbern Mt. Kenya ESPRESSO: Medium dark roast, fine grind or beans.

5. Rockbern Mt Kenya HOUSE COFFEE: Medium dark roast, medium grind or beans

OUR COFFEE

Green Coffee: As part of our promise on quality, we painstakingly roast and cup, a broad spectrum of brilliantly complex coffees, within our laboratory to ensure that the client’s needs and requirements are fulfilled. We supply our clients with the below grades of Kenya coffee in

hierarchical order: * Kenya AA as the finest grade * Kenya AB * Kenya PB (Pea Berry) * Kenya C Roasted Coffee: All our roasted blends are 100% Kenyan Arabica

packed in both 500g and 250g foil gusseted bags with one way valve for freshness.

1. Rockbern Mt Kenya GOURMET: Medium roast, medium grind or beans 2. Rockbern Mt Kenya AA:

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US VISIT: WWW.ROCKBERNCOFFEE.COM EMAIL: INFO@ROCKBERNCOFFEE.COM TEL: +254 733 704 407/20 3861938/20 2593030 FAX: +254 20 2593031 METHODIST MINISTRIES CENTRE, LAVINGTON, NAIROBI KENYA.

MAY 2016 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P25

SALT AND PEPPER

A DEPARTMENT STORE OF INDIVIDUAL SHOPS LOCATED IN THE MARKET TOWN OF MONMOUTH, SOUTH WALES, SALT AND PEPPER HAS DIVERSIFIED FROM A SINGLE COOKSHOP TO A VARIETY OF FIVE POPULAR, AWARD-WINNING OUTLETS It all began with a small cookshop, opened by Brenda Elsmore after the sale of the family bakery business.

Following the sale, Brenda found she missed the buzz and adrenaline of having a business so set up the cook-shop selling a wide range of quality kitchen equipment in 2000.

“My granny sold bread from her back kitchen, and as the business grew, my father took on the first factory; we ended up with factories all over the country. I trained as a master baker and went on to being involved with the factories and developed our hot bread outlets from one shop to 18.”

When the shop next to the cookshop became available a gift

department was developed. A bistro cafe in the upstairs space of the cookshop quickly followed.

Previously used to display and demonstrate coffee machines, the space lent itself to the expansion.

“We do 120-plus meals on a Saturday and quite often you have to wait for a table, but this gives customers a perfect opportunity to browse in the shops, which is good for business and it keeps the shops looking busy which encourages more custom.”

As two nearby premises became available, Brenda’s daughter, Catherine, joined the business and together added a clothes shop selling designer labels for women and men,

and a traditional toy shop. Keeping abreast with retailing trends, investment in a shopping website followed, introducing Salt and Pepper to a worldwide market.

“It’s like a department store of individual shops,” she explains. “We can have someone in the cookshop in the morning then I see them having coffee before a visit to the gift shop and toy shop, next I see them having lunch and then they go over to the clothes shop. You could spend hours here, it’s all so diverse.

Many customers comment it is like an Aladdin’s cave!”

The emphasis is on quality items at good prices, but also includes good value bargains. “If it’s something I wouldn’t have in my own house, I won’t sell it. It’s a good business with a good reputation all round; we get regular customers from places like Bristol and Cardiff and with the website we can draw people in from even farther afield.

The shop staff are really good at recognising regular customers, even people who came a year earlier, and remembering what they bought.

We believe in traditional customer service.”

The 34 employees range from Saturday staff who are still at school

to a 75-year-old who has been with Salt and Pepper from the beginning.

Staff are well trained, both in-house and with external supplier training days and Brenda is full of praise for the enthusiasm of her team, encouraging them to come up with suggestions and to feel they have a stake in the future of the business.

While turnover has remained constant, trade in the cookshop has changed. “People want professional items, they don’t want to waste their money on gimmicks. Everything we sell has style and is made out of good quality materials. Customers want value for money and that doesn’t mean the cheapest but the best you can get for the right price.”

Future plans include refurbishing the cafe and looking out for new opportunities. “We don’t really plan but if something comes along and it’s a good idea then we’ll go for it.

I’ve never planned any of this: opportunities came and we took them.”

SALT AND PEPPER LTD 31-33 MONNOW STREET, MONMOUTH NP25 3EF TEL: 01600 719717 WWW.SALTANDPEPPER.CO.UK

P26 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

IMPRESSION TECHNOLOGY EUROPE (ITE)

IN-HOUSE LABELLING IS HERE TO STAY! WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR OWN PRODUCT LABEL PRINTING AND STAY AHEAD OF THE EVER-CHANGING GAME ON PRODUCT LABELLING The rise of in-house digital label printing over the last few years has not come as a surprise to many industry insiders but what has taken many people by surprise is the speed at which this change has taken hold of the market.

As we know, increasingly changing government regulations have placed a demand on companies to produce extra labels or add more/different information to their existing labels. This is resulting in wastage, confusion and supply chain problems as companies struggle to get their labels delivered in time.

Many label suppliers, although gradually moving into more modern technologies such as digital, are quite simply failing to deliver labels quickly and accurately, meaning there is waste and inflexibility for many companies in the industry.

Now the ability to print your own short runs of food labels quickly, safely, professionally and affordably is in high demand. And, as

an added bonus, the ability to take control yourself also offers many opportunities - new versions, special editions, trials and personalisation are all made possible when you

incorporate digital label printing into your food and drink production facility.

We are all familiar with the story of the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign and for many it is ingrained as the breakthrough success story of digital using personalisation and is a project that’s constantly referenced and copied. What is incredible is that this campaign only went mainstream less than two and a half years ago.

Since then we have seen the likes of Iron Bru, Marmite and Famous Grouse, Whiskey to name but a few, all follow suit. These are all examples of larger companies utilising digital technology to maximise their brands but what of the smaller, mid size companies, start-ups and one man bands? Can they also compete? Well, the answer, whether you are a start-

up or multi-national, is... yes, you can make digital an integral part of your strategy!

During a recent meeting with a large multi-national company, one of our sales team was having difficulty convincing an international board of directors why they should spend more of their budget exploring digital label printing. He explained the pro’s such as smaller inventory, the ability to quickly react to market trends and of course personalisation, none of which really seemed to raise much enthusiasm.

After an hour or so going down this route and getting nowhere he decided to try an alternative approach and told them about a small start-up company in their industry that had recently invested in their own desktop digital label

MAY 2016 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P27

IMPRESSION TECHNOLOGY EUROPE (ITE) printer. Right from the moment the machines arrived they were able to use the technology to create their own labels whenever they wanted, play with branding and marketing ideas as much as they liked and perfect the packaging of the product until they were happy. Eventually what resulted was a major national contract. This story is true!

How to choose an in-house solution that works for you...

FIND THE RIGHT PROVIDER

The solution you select depends on your budget and requirements.

At ITE we only select label printing machinery that is fit for the purpose of our clients, and we actually design and manufacture our own finishing (cutting and rewinding) machinery, 'Eclipse', because we thought the ones on the market for that sector could be improved. Our portfolio of digital label machinery solutions can cater for companies of any size, and we’re careful to only prescribe the ones that are appropriate for your business, whether you have longer term plans or a more immediate need to either solve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity.

We have just launched a brand new partnership with Epson, and after testing we decided to introduce the ColorWorks range to our portfolio of high performing digital label printers that includes brands Vortex and Compress. The Epson models we’ve chosen offer a lower entry level price point without impacting quality, and we are impressed with the range.

TRAIN TO GAIN! KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Make sure your provider knows their products; investing in a company that cares means they are not a ‘box shifter’ and will be more than happy to assist you with the initial mentoring and training, upgrades and troubleshooting which will help you save money as your

business and the market changes. At ITE we know about all of the latest inks, papers, cutters, software, you name it - and this is combined with industry knowledge on labelling regulations. Our mission is to empower you throughout your business journey.

THINK ABOUT NOW, AND THE FUTURE...

As mentioned earlier, you may have a market opportunity to jump on, or a problem to solve, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t consider where you will be in a few years.

Are you going to need more machines as your business expands?

Perhaps you are trialling in-house printing with a view to rolling it out? And even if you are not interested right now, have you thought about the ever-changing

labelling requirements? Could you and have you handled labelling changes with ease?

ALL CHANGE FOR FOOD LABELLING AGAIN!

As we know, new European regulations on food information to consumers came into force in 2011 covering all aspects of food labelling.

The next stage in the changes is coming up in December and it will affect the nutritional information on the label. Here is the lowdown (below).

MANDATORY ‘BACK OF PACK’ NUTRITION LABELLING

The back of pack information has to be presented per 100g/ml or per portion. The following needs to be included: energy value (in kJ and kcal), and amount in g of fat,

Food for thought...

Back of pack nutrition labelling will be compulsory for pre-packed foods from 13 December 2016.

Front of pack labelling remains voluntary but the regulation specifies which information is presented if it is used (see below).

Specific information (for example the name of food, weight or volume, ingredients, date and storage conditions, preparation instructions, name and address of manufacturer, packer or seller, lot number) must appear on food labels by law, although there are some exceptions.

Additional information may also be provided, such as cooking instructions/serving suggestions.

In the UK, foods sold loose are currently exempt from many of the food labelling laws.

saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt.

If a nutrition or health claim is made on the packaging then the nutrient in question must be declared.

VOLUNTARY FRONT OF PACK LABELLING

Repetition of certain nutrients from back of pack labelling is allowed on a voluntary basis. This information must include: energy value alone or energy plus amounts of fat, saturates, sugars and salt. In the UK a front of pack labelling scheme was implemented in 2013, and it combines guideline daily amounts (GDA) and traffic light colour coding with high, medium or low. Indeed we have recently seen more debate on food labels containing the amount of exercise to burn off the energy consumed or ‘activity equivalent’ as the Royal Society for Public Health has named it. So another change on the horizon that in-house digital labelling could make smooth, quick, simple and cost effective.

ABOUT IMPRESSION TECHNOLOGY EUROPE

Impression Technology Europe (ITE) is a global provider of digital self-adhesive label printers, food printers, textile decoration machinery and manufacturer of label finishing machines. ITE firmly believe that most digital printing and finishing applications can be actioned in-house, and at a low entry cost. Family owned and run since 1995, ITE is a brand of Your Embroidery Services Ltd (YES Ltd) and employs over 30 people. ITE is based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom, with over 50 distributors globally.

For more information visit our website www.impressiontechnologyeur ope.com, email us info@impressiontechnologyeur ope.com or call us on +44 (0)1623 861173 – we’re here to help.

P28 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

CHOUGH BAKERY

ALL CHANGE AT THE CHOUGH BAKERY WINNER OF THE CORNISH PASTY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2016, THE CHOUGH BAKERY IS NOW REACHING A WIDER AUDIENCE WITH ITS HIGHQUALITY TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS every morning, and two regional distributors for frozen bread, The Chough Bakery is finding its products very much in demand.

These include several awardwinning pasties, sausage rolls, artisan breads, sweet pastries, scones, buns and cakes.

Having worked hard to extend the wholesale operation over the past couple of years, the business has brought forward plans to treble its freezer storage capacity in the wake of the World Championship win.

“The potential for frozen products is huge for us, moving forward,” says Jon James. “Up to now, if someone wanted five boxes of frozen pasties delivered to Liverpool tomorrow, our problem was being able to turn that around, every time. Now, with additional freezer space, and improved logistics, we can deliver smaller amounts, at short notice, across the whole of the UK.”

A new structure, additional staff and increased frozen storage capacity – the past couple of years have been a busy time at the Chough Bakery.

While traditional craft baking techniques remain at the heart of the Padstow-based company, The Chough Bakery’s business strategy shows that it has a firm eye on the horizon.

“While it was clear that the bakery had great potential, the whole structure of the business needed to be reviewed,” explains Managing Director, Jon James. “I came to the business to work with the family and move the business on. We’re very clear now in what we’re doing. We’re not trying to compete at the simple bakery level, our strength is that we’re a traditional producer of quality, artisan bakery goods.”

A WINNING APPROACH

This goal-driven approach has already paid off. In March 2016, the bakery walked away with the most coveted ‘Best Cornish Pasty’ award

at the Pasty World Championship.

“The fact we won the award means there’s increased interest in

our pasties,” says Jon James. “The challenge for us now, is how we take this success away from our home base”. With Cornwall being a tourist destination, sales tend to be very seasonal, whereas the rest of the UK is much less so. Now that the Cornish pasty has PGI (Protected Geographical Indication), it has to be made in Cornwall, which increases the opportunities for producers to sell outside the region.”

REACHING A WIDER MARKET

With two retail shops in Padstow, six industrial units on the outskirts of the town, around 150 wholesale customers who take in fresh product

NEW SUPPLIERS

Recent changes include a review of suppliers – a key consideration for a high-quality producer like the bakery.

Flour is now sourced from speciality miller, Shipton Mill, based near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, which has a royal warrant of appointment to the Prince of Wales. “It’s a

MAY 2016 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P29

CHOUGH BAKERY relatively small supplier but it produces the very best flours, and is a perfect fit for us,” says Jon James.

Following a blind tasting with staff and customers, other key ingredients have also been changed, but only if the quality and taste of Chough products has improved.

Communicating these changes to customers – in particular local wholesale customers – is a key part of the new strategy. “For the first time, we will be holding open days at our facility, inviting customers old and new to come and see how we’ve made our products even better.”

NEW STAFF

Employing 25 core staff, with 20 further seasonal staff during the summer months, the bakery has recently brought in some new blood. This includes a European competition winner for sourdough products, who has developed a new sourdough for the company.

Another development is a ‘taste the difference’ challenge, encouraging customers to try products and compare the quality with their existing suppliers.

Then there are the bespoke creations for the local region.

“Working with the very best local restaurants and pubs, we have the skills and ability to develop and supply bakery products only for them. Service is also key to what we do!”

NEW STRUCTURE

Formerly a limited liability partnership, The Chough Bakery has been re-established as a limited liability company with a board of directors.

Founders Elaine and Rob Ead have retired, although they remain shareholders, and their daughter Louisa is now Retail Director, with responsibility for the company’s two retail outlets.

“Elaine and Rob are pleased that ‘The Chough’ has evolved at its most dynamic rate since the business started, whilst they have been able to

step back and enjoy their retirement, - every time we meet, Rob’s tan gets deeper from playing golf, so I know the team and I are doing a reasonable job,” says Jon James.

Looking at the year ahead, there are further plans to extend the capability of the production areas.

“It’s more of the same of what we’ve been doing over the past 12 months – consolidating where we are and then growing from that position. The key drivers are clear: quality, improving the way we do things, efficiency, getting costs down, but at the same time recognising that if costs have to go up, that’s not always a problem if the improvement means that our wholesale customer can increase their sales and profit, and our retail customer can instantly see and taste why our products are the very best.”

As its success at the Cornish Pasty World Championships and increasing sales indicate, The Chough Bakery has clearly hit on a winning formula.

THE CHOUGH BAKERY UNIT 2D, TRECERUS INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, PADSTOW, CORNWALL PL28 8RW TEL: 01841 533361 WWW.CORNISHPASTY.COM

P30 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MAY 2016

JOE’S ICE CREAM LTD

EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST ICE CREAM FROM RUNNING SUCCESSFUL ICE CREAM PARLOURS TO CREATING BESPOKE PRODUCTS FOR RETAIL OUTLETS, JOE’S ICE CREAM IS A FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS THAT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME It all began in 1922 when Joe Cascarini added his Italian ice cream recipe to the menu at one of his father’s coffee shops in Swansea. Still serving fresh vanilla ice cream made to Joe’s same secret recipe, Joe’s Ice Cream on St Helen’s Road is today one of four Italian-style ice cream parlours operated by the company in South Wales, with a fifth due to open later this year. All offer a takeaway and eat-in service and some serve sandwiches in addition to ice cream cones, wafers, specialities and sundaes.

The popularity of Joe’s fresh vanilla ice cream is all-important.

“The focus of our brand and company is our vanilla ice cream,” explains General Manager, Lucy Hughes, Joe Cascarini’s great-great niece. “Our tagline, ‘Everything else is just ice cream’, was coined for our unique vanilla.

“Due to our almost century-long history, customers have a real attachment to our ice cream and brand, they often tell us and send to us their own Joe’s Ice Cream stories from their childhood memories.”

Brothers, Dominic and Adrian Hughes (Joe Cascarini’s great nephews), developed the wholesale operation of Joe’s Ice Cream almost 20 years ago. Today Joe’s Ice Cream has a fleet of 10 vehicles that deliver ice cream to hundreds of outlets throughout Wales. Whilst the fresh parlour vanilla ice cream is made on site at each parlour, the wholesale ice cream is produced at the production unit in Llansamlet, with all NPD carried out at the modern facility, which has a five-star hygiene rating. The company’s 40-plus fulltime staff are supplemented by parttime and temporary staff, especially

in the summer, and employees gain experience in different parlours.

With strong competition from other local ice cream companies and Cornish brands, Joe’s USP on the wholesale side is creating bespoke products for different customers, from restaurants and cinemas to activity centres.

“The wholesale side of the business sells a variety of flavours including a tweaked vanilla recipe as our famous and fresh vanilla is designed to be eaten fresh over the counter,” says Lucy Hughes. “We have a lot of requests for our ice cream at weddings and we can create special products for different organisations and events.” This includes a Welsh cake ice cream for St David’s Day and various ice cream cakes designed for Christmas and Easter.

Moving forward, a traditional ice cream cart is being revamped to use at events: “It’s a way of increasing brand visibility and attaching to the street food trend. Events are our best marketing strategy, waving the flag and getting new audiences to taste our fresh vanilla ice cream.”

With plans to open more parlours in key locations, Joe’s Ice Cream will no doubt be on the menu for more and more customers moving forward.

JOE’S ICE CREAM LTD UNIT 1-5 CLARION COURT, LLANSAMLET, ENTERPRISE PARK, SWANSEA SA6 8RF TEL: 01792 702265 EMAIL: ENQUIRIES@JOESICECREAM.CO.UK WWW.JOES-ICECREAM.COM

MAY 2016 FOOD AND DRINK NEWS P31

WALTER BLACK FOODS

BIGGER AND BETTER A NEW ACQUISITION BY WALTER BLACK FOODS LOOKS SET TO ADD TO THE ONGOING SUCCESS OF ITS GOLD STAR BRAND AND SUPERMARKET OWN LABEL PRODUCTS When Devon sauce company Country Stile came up for sale last year, it was a perfect opportunity for Walter Black to increase its presence south of the Scottish border.

Although its Gold Star brand has been making inroads outside Scotland, Country Stile has both brand recognition and extensive listings in the south for its ketchups and other sauces.

Following the purchase in October 2015, the new brand was integrated into Walter Black’s Glasgow factory in January 2016, which has seen improved efficiencies to accommodate the new production.

Established in 1901, Walter Black Foods started as a small operation in Walter Black Snr’s backyard. His first foray into sales was supplying everyday medicines, such as aspirin; later he developed a sauce and the company evolved from there. In time his son took over, then his grandson and now the fourth generation of the Black family is also involved in the business.

Based in Glasgow, the company

today supplies fish and chip shops throughout Scotland and beyond.

The company’s selection of sauces, pickled goods and condiments can also be found in many of the high street retailers in Scotland, and its Gold Star brand can be found in major retail outlets such as Aldi.

South of the border the company produces own label brands for the likes of Asda, the Cooperative, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. It also supplies frozen food specialists Farmfoods, which has around 300 shops across the UK. Over the years the company has grown in part through a series of acquisitions, including Taylor's Speciality Foods in 2002 and AMB Products in 2004 – the latter bringing with it a second site in Swinton, South Yorkshire. In 2012, Walter Black also took over Kings Vinegars in Bristol and integrated it into the Swinton operation, broadening further the range of retail, catering and bulk vinegars on offer.

Moving forward the company expects to have a new website at the end of May and is benefiting from adding Country Stile clients to its customer base. Meanwhile, NPD remains important, especially when dealing with the multiples.

“We’re always trying to improve our own products and looking to bring out something new, generally driven by the supermarkets,” says Walter Black, the Managing Director of the business and grandson of the founder of the company. “Margins are getting squeezed all the time and multiples put pressure on manufacturers because of the likes of Aldi and Lidl.”

Following the new acquisition,

the company is hoping to add to the Country Stile listings with Walter Black products through cash and carries and wholesale. Walter Black himself has a positive outlook for the future. “Business can’t stand still, it either falls back or moves forward and we’re always looking to move forward.”

EMAIL: SALES@WALTERBLACK.CO.UK

WALTER BLACK FOODS LTD 3 DRUMHEAD ROAD, CAMBUS LANG INVESTMENT PARK, GLASGOW G32 8EX TEL: 0141 6410000

Proud to supply Walter Black since 2009

• HDPE containers 30ml – 5 ltr. manufactured in the West Midlands • 95% of our standard bottle range available to dispatch same day from stock • National network of distributors for smaller quantity lots • Personal service via our account managers • Established since 1997 Contact our account managers Val Brown, 01902 394 800, v.brown@plasticbottlesupplies.co.uk Mark Rennison, 01902 394 804, m.rennison@plasticbottlesupplies.co.uk

or call 01902 397 397, sales@plasticbottlesupplies.co.uk

www.plasticbottlesupplies.co.uk