Food & Drink News May/June 2018 by Food & Drink News

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MAY/JUNE 2018

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

{ May / June 2018 }

Contents ONLINE E MAGAZINABLE! AIL NOW AV

04 INDUSTRY NEWS 12 LOGISTICS, TRANSPORT, WAREHOUSE & REFRIGERATION FOCUS 14 BREWING, BEER & CIDER FOCUS 17 R & L HOLT 21 NATIONAL MILK LABORATORIES 24 PERFECTION FOODS 26 LASCAR ELECTRONICS 28 COTTAGE DELIGHT 30 SHERWOOD GROUP 33 ALS

To view The 2018 feaTures lisT please visiT WWW.FOODANDDRINKNEWS.CO.UK or conTacT us aT +44 (0)1484 321000 To email a copy To you

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Editor’s Foreword }

A Merger of Multiples

puBlisher planet media & Design ltd Brooke’s mill, huddersfield hD4 7nr

manaGinG DirecTor Jillian evans

creaTive DirecTor paul roper

naTional sales manaGer emily holroyd

chief eDiTor michelle hodgson

suB-eDiTor rachael whiteley

social meDia Benjamin wainman

he biggest food industry story of recent months has to be the proposed merger between sainsbury’s and asda, announced at the end of april. The move would create the largest supermarket chain in the uK, toppling Tesco from the top spot. along with 10% price cuts on core products, sainsbury’s has said there will be no compromise on welfare and quality standards, and that no store closures are planned.

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while sainsbury’s ceo, mike coupe, was famously filmed singing The Gold Diggers’ song (we’re in the money) prior to a Tv interview about the merger, the hope is that the move will benefit customers, staff and suppliers, as well as the shareholders. in this issue we discuss the challenges facing the brewing industry, along with a focus on cooking sauces; BBQ/meat, fish and poultry; and logistics, transport, refrigeration and warehousing. accompanied as usual by the latest industry news and views.

Michelle Hodgson CHIEF EDITOR

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

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Industry News }

RCS LOGISTICS AWARDED AA STANDARDS rcs logistics, a leading third-party logistics provider based in corby, northamptonshire, have successfully passed the British retail consortium (Brc) Global standard in storage and Distribution; issue 3. surpassing their previous score of an a grade, they have maintained and improved their systems even further to achieve the double aa! Between the 27 and 29 of february 2018, rcs logistics were put to the test undergoing their Brc accreditation audit. The objective of which is to ensure that product integrity during storage and distribution are maintained and that customer confidence is upheld through audit and certification. having worked with some of the uK’s largest food brands and having been awarded a number of fmcG contracts since first gaining the Brc accreditation in 2016, the Brc accreditation gives the customers of rcs logistics who are in the food and drink industry peace of mind that they’re

receiving the highest level of service in their supply chain operations. a food-based client of rcs logistics commented: “The standout part of working with rcs for me is their openness to investigating and trialling new ways of working to improve service levels and supply chain efficiencies. They understand the importance of a service underpinned by strong systems capability, whilst not forgetting the need to maintain strong relationships with their customers through dedicated account management structures.”

EASY HANDLING BOTTLE COMBINES SAFETY AND PROTECTION The 900g euro squeeze multi-layer polypropylene bottle from rpc corby has been selected by leading Greek food manufacturer provil sa for its new sandwich creams range of sauces for the foodservice sector.The bottle combines safe handling, ease of use and effective product protection to support and maintain provil sa’s brand image and help build customer loyalty. its excellent clarity enables the five products in the range – Tartar, sundried Tomato, smokey, wasabi and sweet and spicy mustard – to be attractively displayed, while the large labelling area ensures effective on-shelf branding. The multi-layer pp/evoh/pp structure provides effective protection against oxygen ingress to deliver an extended ambient shelf life for the products. “The euro squeeze bottle is lightweight, easy to use and squeezable, making it the ideal solution for both professional and home use,” comments mrs hara Kougiournitzi, marketing coordinator at provil. The euro squeeze range is available in a wide variety of sizes to meet individual customer requirements.

Tel: 01536 263488 Email: sales@rpc-corby.com

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

Developed by multi-stakeholder groups including industry representatives from certification bodies, foodservice organisations and retailers, the Brc Global standard is designed to reflect best practice and facilitate a process of continuous improvement through a well-designed riskbased product safety management system. The Quality manager at rcs logistics, oana pricop, added: “The systems and procedures that we enforce on a day-to-day basis have been recognised once again. not only have we maintained our previously awarded a-level standard, we have improved and strengthened these systems to Double a standard. The Brc accreditation, as well as our iso 9001;2015 certification, proves that our customers are in business with a company continuously developing and progressing by using the best practice methods.”

www.rcslogistics.co.uk

{ Industry News }

GETTING FOOD COMPANIES PUMPED UP ABOUT 4.0 POTENTIAL with the race towards industry 4:0 on, progressive cavity (pc) pump specialist seepeX is assisting food producers, particularly those starting from a ‘low tech’ baseline, to think ahead and utilise smart pump technology to boost process productivity. “There’s a general misconception that enhanced connectivity, smart manufacturing and industry 4:0 are for big operations with ultra-sophisticated data capture strategies,” states lesley eaton, Business Development and marketing manager for seepeX uK. “yet, like most decisions in business, whatever your size, it’s about thinking smarter, selecting the right pumping equipment for the job and factoring in current and future demands.” ‘smart’ doesn’t mean more data is being generated; the data just becomes more accessible and relevant. for example, using pressure transducers which send a variable signal to a plc integrated to a variable speed drive will speed up or slow down the pc pump, varying the flow rate as required. This reduces the wear rate, extending the service life and lowering Tco. similarly, replacing sensors using io-link interface capabilities with variable sensing

technology reduces reliance on remote data processing, enabling intelligent analysis of performance. and using flow meters linked to variable frequency drives (vfDs) allows for real-time feedback and speed control of motors, achieving accurate product flow and enabling predictive maintenance schedules. a properly selected pc pump can also collect data to provide diagnostic tools for the entire system. for example, an unexpected pressure increase could signal a product change or pipework obstruction, while an increase in measured flow could indicate narrowed pipework. however, when selecting pump technology, it’s equally important to consider existing technology infrastructures. used either as a standalone item or

integrated easily into scaDa systems, seepeX’s smart dosing pc pumps maintain accurate flow using continuous real-time feedback and adjustment. pump and system protection can also be managed using temperature and pressure sensors linked to the integral plc. even a simple pump becomes exponentially more valuable when connected. Data from one sensor can be combined with data from another and linked with cloud intelligence to make smarter, even autonomous, business decisions. Data connectivity has the potential to revolutionise how we work.

Tel: 01935 472376 www.seepex.com

INTERROLL’S CONVEYOR SOLUTIONS FOR CHILLED AND DEEP-FREEZE ENVIRONMENTS food processing, as well as conveying, sorting and storing packaged food and beverages are crucial processes in the food industry and interroll offers a wide range of solutions in the field, even for deep freeze logistics. interroll’s new modular conveyor platform (mcp) for chilled and deep-freeze environments, with decentrally controlled rollerDrive drive technology, expands the range of applications of the company’s conveyor solutions. Deep-freeze logistics poses special challenges for material flow solutions but can now benefit from an efficient, zero pressure accumulation (Zpa) material flow

down to minus 30 degrees celsius (-30 °c). The energy efficient 24-v roller conveyors and diverters support a zero pressure accumulation operation and increase the work productivity. it can also reduce

manual labour in deep-freeze temperatures and leads to a better and safer working environment. The new deep-freeze mcp from interroll offers flexible and scalable configuration with standard plug-and-play components. it accommodates all conveying needs and offers flexibility for future growth. The new solution has been tested in several conditions and ambient temperatures and has proven to be a solution perfectly suitable to harsh temperatures.

For further details contact Interroll or view online https://vimeo.com/260211891

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Industry News }

GP STRATEGIES AND NEXUS GLOBAL SIGN PARTNERSHIP TO DRIVE PRODUCTIVITY FOR MANUFACTURERS Global performance improvement solutions provider Gp strategies corporation and nexus Global have joined forces to launch a range of complementary services and software that improve plant reliability and drive productivity for european manufacturers. The asset management portfolio combines nexus Global’s innovative management software tools with Gp strategies’ engineering knowledge, maintenance and reliability training skills, and service delivery. providing a comprehensive solution to manufacturers’ asset management strategy, the complete toolkit enables users to train staff, validate asset performance data, plan maintenance activity, and investigate the root cause of machinery failure. “asset management is about ensuring that the physical assets we use to manufacture products are fully with operators and maintenance staff having the right skills and data to maintain them. Better planning,

based on superior knowledge and data, means that equipment can be used more efficiently with fewer interruptions for planned maintenance or for failures,” stated paul nokes, Gp strategies’ vice president for engineering and Technical services, emea. Gp strategies is a global engineering and technical services organisation headquartered in the united states. european multi-national division lorien engineering solutions, which employs 120 people in Burton on Trent, uK and wroclaw, poland, is an engineering design and project management firm that specialises in capital projects in the food and drink, brewing and life sciences sectors. Doug robey, vice president of Gp strategies in the us, said: “Gp has long-

established expertise in the areas of engineering craft skills assessment, handson craft skills training and maintenance documentation development, which we are now bringing to the uK thanks to this partnership. The nexus Global tools focus on reliable engineering, driving the correct actions that are based upon good data. we believe that this combination provides Gp with a comprehensive and powerful offering, particularly to the process and general manufacturing industry.” us-based nexus Global Business solutions is a global asset performance management consulting company that provides customised, comprehensive solutions to organisations across the us, canada, south america, africa, the middle east and asia. larry olson, president, nexus Global, said “we believe there is nothing else like this in the market.”

For further information, contact pnokes@gpstrategies.com

RULMECA DRUM MOTORS RISE TO THE CHALLENGE OF CRANBERRY PRODUCTION a leading producer of cranberries contacted rulmeca to test and review a possible application for the use of motorised drums in their ceiling-mounted conveyors handling this deep-red fruit. The current handling system included the use of elevated and overhead conveyors. There was a concern to eliminate any possible risk of an oil leak from an exposed overhead drive that could risk contaminating the product below. Being difficult to reach, there was also the question of difficulties of maintenance and washdown capabilities. The rulmeca Drum motor Tm 138ls in stainless steel, with its ip69 rated sealing system, was the perfect solution for this application, mitigating any risk of oil leaking. a conventional geared motor could further contaminate the products on the conveyor belt

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

This drum motor housing a helical gearbox is a very flexible component thanks to the wide range of powers and speeds. it is an ideal power-packed drive for high duty conveyors with the capability of reversible operation. The lower weight compared to geared motors and the centred mass of drum motors simplifies the design of self-

supporting conveyor technology. The high pressure washdown capabilities of the rulmeca 138ls with ip69 sealing is ideal for dissolving caking caused by the dried cranberries. in addition to the possibility of highpressure cleaning, rulmeca was awarded the contract to manufacture this custom drum motor in full stainless steel with ip69 rated seals and white lagging. This was completed and easily installed into the conveyor frame and continues to provide remarkably low noise, trouble free, hygienic conveyance and requiring virtually no maintenance.

For further details contact T:01536 748525 or visit www.rulmeca.com

{ Industry News }

CEIBA DRINKS LAUNCHES EXCITING CINNAMON RANGE ceiBa Drinks (pronounced say-Ba) has just launched a range of drinks into the uK that combines the exciting taste of sri lankan cinnamon in a fruit-based drink – the perfect and refreshing alternative to alcoholic or ‘traditional’ soft drinks. This range of still cinnamon drinks is refreshingly different, thirst quenching and 100% natural; takes influence from mexico’s Té de canela (better known as cinnamon tea); so popular across central america. with only 25 calories in each 250ml bottle it is also packed full of health benefits. Three subtle exotic flavours are currently available: coconut; lime & Ginger; and mango & passionfruit. These flavours hit the palate at different times, with the outcome being not too sweet and the added flavour of natural fruit coming through. Best served chilled with a good handful of ice and a slice of lime for a truly refreshing experience whatever the weather or time of day. made in a uK microbrewery using the finest cinnamon known to man – sri lankan ‘ceylon’ cinnamon (not an extract or

powder) – these cinnamon infusions deliver great aroma and crisp flavour. Blended with natural fruit purees and sweetened with natural agave syrup, drinks from ceiBa are truly special.

regarded as one of the most beneficial spices on earth, cinnamon is great for the immune system and the metabolism. in a controlled study by the university of columbo, scientists evaluating the effects of ceylon cinnamon on the body found 13 overwhelming health benefits which include lowering both blood pressure as well as cholesterol. cinnamon also has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti diabetic, anti-microbial, immunity boosting and potential cancer and heart diseaseprotecting abilities. ceiBa drinks are increasingly being stocked by bars, pubs and hotels looking to provide new alternatives to both traditional alcoholic beverages and ‘classic’ soft drinks. They are also increasing in popularity with health shops, gyms, farm shops and independent deli’s plus can be obtained online directly from ceiBa Drinks for £23.99 for a case (12x250ml) plus delivery. for more information and availability visit www.ceibadrinks.com, call 07557 142343 or email: info@ceibadrinks.com.

PAXTON RE-LAUNCHES MATERIALS HANDLING RANGE The paxton name has been synonymous with quality plastic packaging and materialshandling products for many years. formerly a part of the linpac empire and now a division of leafield environmental, paxton is re-launching its range of materialshandling products with the introduction of a new website and shop:

www.paxtonmaterialshandling.com The range comprises stacking ingredients, tubs and lids, ingredients dispensers, tank bins, plastic pallets, pallet boxes, mobile trucks and dollies, all manufactured from ‘easy clean’ polyethylene with outstanding durability. primarily designed for use in the food

industry, their in-built resistance to both physical and chemical attack makes paxton products an ideal choice for many industrial applications. not to be confused with plastic injection moulded items, that are lightweight and in many instances fragile and prone to cracking, paxton products are durable and substantial… constructed to last a lifetime… the professionals’ choice. and at the end of their useful life, paxton materials handling products are completely recyclable. Because all products are marked and traceable, paxton commits to accepting these products back and converting them into raw materials for further use... so closing the recycling loop.

Tel: 01225 816545 www.paxtonmaterialshandling .com

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Industry News }

GETTING THE RIGHT RECIPE FOR HEATING FOOD PRODUCTS heat is fundamental to the food and drink industry, which is the fourth highest industrial energy user in the uK, with a total demand of 37Twh a year, of which up to 60% is attributed to heat, including ovens, boilers, sterilisers, driers, etc. recapturing and reusing heat from existing sources (such as surplus heat from cooling operations or spare boiler capacity) can be an effective way of increasing capacity without the need for major new heating or energy infrastructure. Depending on the application, hrs heat exchangersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; equipment can recover as much as 50% of previously wasted heat, which can then be used for water, space or process heating, waste treatment or other thermal applications. heat exchangers are an effective and efficient solution, and more likely to enable heat regeneration than other systems. The choice of heat exchanger will depend on many different factors, such as the nature of the process to be carried out (pasteurisation, sterilisation, dehydration, etc.); the viscosity

of the food or drink being processed; and whether it contains particles or pieces, etc. corrugated tube heat exchangers, like the hrs mi and mr series, are available in various configurations so that delicate materials such as cream can be processed without damage. The corrugated design minimises fouling in the heat exchanger, which increases the thermal efficiency and prolongs operational periods between

cleaning. for some materials, such as curd production in the dairy sector, increased turbulence can be beneficial. alternatively, where low pressures are required, scraped surface heat exchangers, like the hrs unicus series, keep things flowing smoothly while handling the product gently: one way to overcome the pizza sauce example above. using the right type of heat exchanger can also help to reduce product losses caused by materials remaining in equipment at batch changeovers or when cleaning is required. some scraped surface heat exchangers, such as the hrs r series, can be configured to run in reverse, effectively removing product from the heat exchanger without damaging it or affecting its quality. all heat exchangers are not alike, but these differences mean that there is undoubtedly a heat exchanger solution that fits your food processing needs.

Tel: 01923 232335 www.hrs-heatexchangers.com

FREUDENBERG SEALS HELP MINIMISE FLAVOUR TRANSFER PROBLEMS Beverage bottlers know the problem of flavour transfer all too well. if the wrong elastomer is used, a new batch can taste like the previous one, even though the facilities were cleaned between batches. The

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

problem being the flavour is transferred from the beverage to the sealing material and then, far worse, back to the (new) beverage. with the right choice of sealing material from freudenberg sealing Technologies, this problem can be minimised or avoided completely. The number of beverages on the market is immense and a major difficulty in beverage production is the rapid changeover from one product to the next, which makes well thoughtout process optimisation and batch sequences

indispensable. This involves not only efficient planning of the bottling process, but also guaranteeing the desired taste of the individual batches. freudenberg sealing Technologies can provide sealing materials optimally suited to the process media, to help prevent unnecessary downtimes caused by constantly changing seals. These products are available from Dichtomatik uK ltd, the exclusive provider for freudenbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food and beverage related products in the uK. whatever the beverage being bottled, seals from freudenberg sealing Technologies help to minimise or even completely avoid flavour transfer between batches.

Tel: 01332 524422 food-beverage-seals-uk.fst.com

{ Industry News }

ALL EYES ON THE PIES AS MAJOR INVESTMENT PROJECT COMPLETES lorien engineering solutions has completed a major refurbishment for the uK’s leading pork pie brand. addo food Group enlisted the help of Burton on Trent-based lorien to augment manufacturing facilities at its Tottle Bakery in nottingham, a specialist pork pie bakery that sits within the pGi-designated melton mowbray pork pie region. lorien was appointed as designer and project manager for the 12-month, multimillion pound project, which has seen manufacturing areas further enhanced to meet the large-scale needs of a major uK multiple. The works were completed with zero production downtime.

Tottle Bakery is the only uK manufacturer with process capability in every type of pork pie manufacturing, whether it is baked in a hoop, tin or freestanding. The flagship facility makes and distributes over 40 million pork pies each year, with a heritage that stretches back to the 1940s, when local lad Ken parr took out a loan to open his first bakery. Today, the business is an integral part of addo food Group, the uK’s premium producer of chilled savoury pastry products. The Tottle Bakery is the home of the pork farms and Bowyers brands and is one of six addo food Group business locations around the uK. The year-long investment project, led by a team of specialist utilities engineers from lorien, reaffirms Tottle Bakery’s position at the forefront of fmcG manufacture and signifies the Group’s commitment to meeting the needs of the uK’s major multiples. phil colquhoun, senior project manager at lorien engineering solutions, said: “we are delighted to work closely with the technical team at addo food Group in bringing a major project such as this to completion on

time, within budget, and with no production downtime.” Tony ombler, General manager of the Tottle Bakery, added: “from the outset it was clear that lorien is accustomed to integrating seamlessly with in-house teams and project managing the entire process from start to finish. it took the pressure off our internal resources and allowed our focus to remain entirely on production. This was a demanding project and the team at lorien rose to the challenge.”

www.lorienengineering.com

NEW COLOUR LABEL PRINTER recently announced lX910e is primera’s fastest-ever desktop colour label printer. with a print speed of up to 11.4cm/s, it can print a 10.16cm x 7.62cm label with 50%

coverage in just three seconds. ink costs are the lowest ever from primera, due to a new, ultra-high capacity ink cartridge. on the same 4” x 3” label, cost per label is around €0.03 each. This single cmy ink tank has an integrated print head. with every cartridge change users get a new print head, simplifying maintenance and lowering ongoing operating costs. process black is dark and crisp and uses no more ink than a separate black ink tank would on the same amount of text or

graphics. lX910e can print with dye-based ink for brilliant, eye-popping colour or with pigment ink for maximum durability against water and uv light. Both types of ink work interchangeably on the same printer. Typical applications include product labels for foods, beverages, retail and a wide variety of other markets. lX910e sells for €2395.00 (msrp). 24 months warranty (the standard 12 months plus additional 12 months for free upon product registration on its website) is offered for all european units.

http://primeralabel.eu

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Industry News }

OMBAR ANNOUNCES FAIR FOR LIFE CERTIFICATION: CHOCOLATE YOU CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT ombar, the leading producer of raw chocolate in the uK, is pleased to announce that it is now certified as fair for life, an internationally recognised programme for fair Trade and responsible supply chains. The move shows ombar’s ongoing commitment to social responsibility, traceability throughout the supply chain and fair Trade practices. The fair for life certification is a third party accreditation system that ensures the ingredients used are produced and handled by those with genuine fair Trade and socially responsible practices all the way to the finished product, and also allows all producers and workers who are at a socioeconomic disadvantage to access a wider range of social and economic benefits. This ties in to the existing work ombar are doing in ecuador – the origin of their premium raw cacao – where they have a permanent team member working directly with small farming cooperatives. ombar help to improve their growing and harvesting practises, finesse their techniques and

directly invest into improved infrastructure, thereby guaranteeing higher quality ingredients, resulting in security of supply for the farmers and a higher worth for their crops. founder of ombar, richard Turner, comments: “our ethos at ombar is to be empowered, healthy, mindful and bold, and we certainly believe our supply chain should reflect these ideals too. our cacao is sourced directly

from farmers’ cooperatives with whom we work closely to improve quality and infrastructure, enabling farmers to charge premium prices for their fair Trade cacao. The new certification with fair for life is testament to our constant commitment to mission-driven trade as a driving force for positive and sustainable change.” ombar have a range of organic, dairy-free and vegan-friendly chocolate products in a wide range of tasty flavours. every ingredient in an ombar chocolate is natural and sustainably sourced, for a delicious and ethical chocolate experience. using only real fruits and berries – with selected bars containing probiotics to support digestive health – ombar promises to be good for you and good for the planet!

RRP: Starting from £1.49

IPL PLASTICS LTD INTRODUCES A NEW ‘NAPOLI’ STYLE CONTAINER FOR THE UK ICE CREAM MARKET leading manufacturer of plastic products, ipl plastics is launching a 5-litre rectangular ‘napoli’ style ice cream container to complement its existing 1, 2 and 4-litre rectangular tubs. ipl plastics has invested in a new tool to

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

produce this 5-litre container for the uK ice cream market. The new size ice cream tub will not panel under blast chilling operations, due to innovative design features. available from stock in natural, black, silver and white options the napoli container is an industry standard which means that ipl is now able to supply the frozen dairy market with all sizes of containers required. Jamie clark, Director of retail sales at ipl plastics europe, commented: “our new 5-litre ‘napoli’ container is a welcome addition to our existing ice cream range, completing our frozen dairy line-up. whilst our standard range

is all iml-capable, the napoli is offered in four standard colours without iml, and other colours would of course be available on request. our dedicated team has developed these containers with ease of use for ice cream producers in mind, ensuring they can be blast chilled after filling without panelling and with easy-to-apply snap-on lids.” Jamie continued: “This large, popular and robust container is a perfect addition to any ice cream producer’s portfolio, standing out in design to showcase the product whilst ensuring it is transported in safety. we now have a diverse range of ice cream packaging which complements our existing range of dairy and food containers, all manufactured in our brand new Brc Grade aa accredited production environment in cork, ireland.” www.protechplasticsuk.com (a division of ipl plastics europe ltd)

{ Industry News }

CAFEPOD COFFEE COMPANY ANNOUNCES BOLD RELAUNCH “next month sees independent challenger brand cafepod coffee co. relaunch with a bold, exciting new identity, range extensions and a multi-channel marketing campaign throughout 2018 to support its vision to build a coffee superBranD. cafepod’s new brand identity, which uses a chevron motif and a colour-palette that is the antithesis of the take-home coffee market, will give supermarket aisles an exciting makeover this summer. in terms of npD, the relaunch will see a range extension into coffee beans and ground coffee across their entire range including the popular livewire, supercharger and intense sKus. in addition to the existing core strength focussed range, cafepod will launch a distinctive new range, listings for which are expected from July. Designed to capture the vibe and buzz of some of the world’s most exciting cities and their coffee cultures, the

range will launch with an initial four sKus las vegas all in: sin city roast, Brooklyn hustle: Bottomless Brunch Blend, Tokyo ‘Till Dawn: Karaoke long Drip and havana revolution: smoky rum roast. The four sKus will be available across pods, ground and whole bean. The rebrand will take effect in June 2018, with the new city-inspired coffees launching in July 2018.”

NEW CASE STUDY FROM AUTOSCRIBE INFORMATICS HIGHLIGHTS USE OF MATRIX LIMS OVER 20 YEARS a new case study from autoscribe informatics discusses the use of the matrix lims (laboratory information management system) in the cereal, milling and Baking science laboratory at allied Technical centre (aTc). it illustrates how a flexible, configurable lims can be adapted by the users themselves to meet changing requirements. successive versions of matrix have been implemented at aTc for over 20 years, beginning with v2 in the mid-1990s. allied Technical centre, in maidenhead, Berkshire, uK, is part of associated British foods plc. aTc provides technical leadership in a number of areas. These include food safety, food law, product assurance and nutrition, bakery development, environmental management, consumer contact management and cereals, milling and baking science. matrix v2 was initially purchased for registering samples and logging jobs. following training on the configuration of matrix, the aTc Technical support team took ownership of matrix and began an internal development program

that has continued to the present day, extending the scope of the lims and utilizing matrix to the best benefit of the laboratory. The case study, available for download

at: www.autoscribeinformatics.com/casestudies/matrix-gemini-lims-in-a-cerealsmilling-and-baking-science-laboratory, shows how matrix has transformed the management of sample data at aTc. The major benefit offered by matrix is the configurability and the flexibility it brings in allowing staff at aTc to evolve the system to meet their needs. The case study also shows how many of the individual functions within matrix have been found to be particularly useful. John Boother, president of autoscribe informatics, said: “This case study is the perfect illustration of how matrix can provide a ‘lims for life’. aTc has ported its data through different versions of matrix over many years and has used the inherent configurability of the system not only to meet their needs exactly but also to adapt to changing requirements over an extended period of time”.?

Tel: 0118 984 0610 www.autoscribeinformatics.com

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Logistics, Transport, Warehouse & Refrigeration Focus }

WHY SUPPLY CHAIN SHOULD BE YOUR BUSINESS’ PRIORITY TO AVOID MAJOR CRISES The food and drink supply chain is evolving at a rapid pace with its process becoming increasingly more complex, but how can manufacturers ensure their products meet demand for quality and traceability and they don’t get caught up in a supply chain nightmare? lucy pamment, head of product at supply chain software specialist, access Group, explains how she believes the key lies in having clear and transparent processes. This year has already seen some major supply chain mishaps. from Kfc’s chicken shortage earlier this year to meat supplier russell hume’s hygiene scandal, it’s clear to see just how quickly supply chain problems can escalate. not only must the obvious ramifications of lost sales be taken into account but, once the issue comes to light, it can be very hard for food and drink manufacturers to regain customer confidence from both the retailer and the end consumer. when it comes to supply chain, one of the best ways to avoid a nightmare scenario is by being able to demonstrate the traceability of

every ingredient from when it arrives at your factory right through to when it leaves and arrives at its next destination. with the rise of supply chain software, manufacturers can now ensure product information is accurate, up to date and easily available at the click of a few buttons. not just a safeguard against disaster, supply chain software tools such as access supplychain erp help businesses improve operational efficiency and drive down costs. with the ability to carry out stocktakes in real time, the tool can save companies hours, and free up production managers to

put their skills to use with more important tasks. naturally, all food and drink manufacturers will be no stranger to the numerous pitfalls surrounding working with perishable goods and dealing with manufacturers up and down the supply chain. although they will all no doubt still have to face issues of availability, safety, hygiene and/or legal compliance at some point, incorporating supply chain software into their business strategies will allow them to deliver high-quality products as efficiently as possible, time and time again. with many of the big players in the food and drink manufacturing world already starting to adopt such practices into their strategies, it’s surely a no-brainer for all forward-thinking manufacturers?

For more details on Access Group, including information on its supply chain software, visit www.theaccessgroup.com/suppl y-chain-management

NEWCOLD ON TRACK AS UK’S BIGGEST DEEPFREEZE NEARS COMPLETION newcold has nearly completed the second phase of construction at its wakefield deep frozen storage and distribution centre which, says the company, is set to become the largest of its kind in the uK. Due for full operation by June 2018, the facility will handle 3,000,000 pallets annually and, with a total volume of over 1 million cubic metres and pallet storage capacity of 143,000, at minus 23 degrees, it boasts some of the most advanced automated technology anywhere in the world. The storage plant is fully automated to ensure cold chain integrity, and minimal handling helps to eliminate temperature fluctuations. for example, when the doors of a

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

trailer open they do so into the frozen environment which eliminates risk of exposure to ambient air. pallets are off-loaded from newcold’s bespoke-designed double deck trailers using moving floors which connect to a conveyer system. from there, shuttle cars and buffer lanes handle 175 pallets in and out every hour and just five minutes is required to unload a trailer. The automation used maximises product integrity and eliminates human error on picking orders. “automation is all about investment,” says newcold’s country Director Jon miles, “and wakefield is consistent with our business model in all the countries we operate throughout the world. we have a number of major contracts on the horizon and already we are projecting to be over 70% full by June 2018. our logistics operation is also expanding in line with the core operation and we now operate 50 tractor units and 75 temperature-controlled trailers – many of which are high-volume doubledeckers with auto-loading.”

although rapidly expanding, newcold’s growth plan for the uK is far from complete. Demand is at its highest ever in the uK deepfrozen storage sector and this, coupled with the probability of additional business stemming from Brexit, has led to the company seeking additional uK facilities. Jon miles concludes. “The establishment of a new uK hub will further strengthen our leading position as a ‘one-touch’ provider of end-toend frozen logistics and supply chain solutions.”

Tel: 01924 601071 www.newcold.com

{ Logistics, Transport, Warehouse & Refrigeration Focus }

STAR REFRIGERATION UNVEIL NEW INDUSTRIAL CO2 REFRIGERATION PACKAGES FOR SMALLER INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS specialist in the industry star refrigeration have announced the launch of their new envi range of eco-friendly, industrial co2 refrigeration packages to provide a longterm solution for smaller scale industrial applications for temperature controlled storage, food and drink manufacturing, inline freezing and chilling, building services, industrial processes, data centres and leisure and ice applications. The range of pre-engineered, energyefficient industrial co2 refrigeration packages are one of the industry’s first industrial co2 refrigeration solutions to offer longevity along with high performance and a competitive price tag. up until now, those seeking refrigeration

solutions in an industrial setting but with a capacity of under 300kw faced something of a conundrum. The f-gas regulation is moving end users away from hfcs through the imposition of stringent restrictions in the production of high global warming potential refrigerants and sharp price hikes. at the same time, the use of industrial ammonia systems is unsuitable in certain applications due to its capital costs and toxicity potential when used in enclosed environments. as a result, customers have been forced into adopting commercial, line-assembled co2 packs, geared towards non-industrial applications or hfcs which are subject to phasedown. David wallace, Director of sales at star refrigeration said: “from the initial development phase we strived to respond to market demand by developing a competitive solution which allowed customers with

smaller industrial applications to move away from hfcs and use natural refrigerants, without compromising quality or lifespan.” “with over 40mw of project install capacity, star refrigeration leveraged their wide experience in delivering bespoke co2 refrigeration solutions for industrial applications to engineer the new generation of industrial build, self-contained co2 refrigeration packages.” The low temperature envichill, envicold, envifreeze and envichiller are efficient and longterm solutions for industrial applications with capacities up to 300 kw. • envichill: suitable for temperatures between 0°c and 8°c • envicold: suitable for temperatures between -22°c and 0°c • envifreeze: suitable for temperatures between -40°c and -20°c • envichiller: suitable for a range of chiller temperatures The envichill, envicold and envichiller solutions feature single-stage transcritical co2 packs, multiple semi-hermetic reciprocating compressors and star

refrigeration’s patented low-pressure receiver, delivering enhanced efficiency via semi-flooded evaporator operation. meanwhile, the envifreeze features a twostage compression booster system for lower temperatures and enhanced performance. The envi range is designed around star’s low-pressure receiver technology, which means that minimal refrigerant charge and no refrigerant pumps are required in its operation, and follows on from a variety of co2 projects completed in 2017 for two of the largest bakeries in the united Kingdom and a local pizza manufacturer. all members of the envi family are ideal alternatives to existing ammonia refrigeration systems and synthetic hfc refrigerants. all units come with welded steel pack pipework and base frames and are designed for hassle-free installation, while the accessible component layout of the machines and the dual pressure-relief valves make maintenance as straightforward as possible. The new envi range combines highquality, industrial components with innovative developments in the technology and a thorough understanding of the industry to deliver a tailor made, sustainable refrigeration solution for smaller-scale industrial applications.

To find out more about Star Refrigeration and the company’s groundbreaking CO2 systems, visit: http://www.starref.co.uk/CO2refrigeration

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Brewing, Beer & Cider Focus }

Change is Brewing As CAMRA widens its remit, craft brewing continues to flourish and millennials drive the market for low-calorie alternatives, what’s ahead for the brewing industry?

hile the freeze on duty for beer and cider announced in the november 2017 budget was widely welcomed by breweries, pubs and their customers, uK levels remain high compared with our neighbours on the european mainland. coupled with high levels of vaT and business rates, the industry continues to face challenges in the run-up to Brexit. as more than 80% of beer drunk in the uK is brewed here, the brewing industry is an important contributor to the economy. however, breweries importing raw ingredients are seeing their costs increase following the fall in the value of the pound, and there continue to be many uncertainties in the political and business landscape ahead.

Widening its remit one of the biggest industry stories so far this year

was from the campaign for real ale (camra), a notfor-profit consumer group established in 1971. at its april aGm, members voted to approve all but one of the changes to the organisation’s purpose and campaigning activities, as recommended by its national executive. The new objectives, which are designed to make the organisation “more inclusive, relevant and welcoming”, are: 1. To secure the long-term future of real ale, real cider and real perry by increasing their quality, availability and popularity. 2. To promote and protect pubs and clubs as social centres as part of the uK’s cultural heritage. 3. To increase recognition of the benefits of responsible, moderate social drinking. 4. To play a leading role in the provision of

Reversing the trend of pub closures may seem a big ask, but incentives such as these could help the brewing industry thrive in an era of rapid change.

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Brewing, Beer & Cider Focus }

information, education and training to all those with an interest in beer, cider and perry of any type and 5. To ensure, where possible, that producers and retailers of beer, cider and perry act in the best interests of the customer. The outgoing national chairman, colin valentine, said of the changes: “The recommendations for change that we made to the membership were based entirely on feedback received from members when we consulted with them as part of the revitalisation project. we’re delighted that all but one of the special resolutions was approved, which shows the majority of members agreed with the consultation findings that camra needs to change to remain a relevant and effective campaigning organisation. The hard work now starts to define new strategies to position camra where our members have told us they want it to be.”

companies are becoming more savvy with marketing opportunities too. The Great exhibition of the north, to be held in newcastle and Gateshead from 22 June to 9 september, will see the launch of eight new limitededition brews from eight breweries based across the north of england. The northern powerhouse Brew series will be brewed at wylam Brewery in The palace of arts in newcastle and there will be events held at each of the breweries. on a larger scale, somerset cider company Thatchers has been working with the adi Group to install a stateof-the-art kegging facility at its sandford plant, which features machinery that can fill 454 kegs an hour and a 50,000 unit per hour canning line. The installation is part of a five-year strategic investment, aimed at doubling output at the plant.

Brexit and beyond New generation having been around for 47 years, camra is wise to be aware of the trends and respond to the changes in habits of the next generation of beer and cider drinkers. microbreweries championing artisan and craft products continue to thrive, bringing in new customers who are looking for a quality product with a contemporary presentation. These include new low-calorie beers and ciders with the same aBv as standard versions to suit those who follow or wish to follow a healthier lifestyle but don’t necessarily want no-alcohol drinks. some of these, like Bud light and coors light, have been on the market for decades, but newer kids on the block include skinny Brands, which bills itself as “The first company in the uK to specialise in producing a perfect range of ‘skinny’ alcoholic alternatives”. The company’s skinny lager is a low-calorie lager that is also gluten-free and vegan friendly. in the past the booming craft cider market hasn’t paid too much attention to low-calorie and low-alcohol products, but again this is now changing. in april old mout launched a new alcohol-free cider, with the alcohol taken out at the end of the fermentation process. meanwhile, the canadian cider brand Bulwark was launched in the uK in march. an award-winning, superpremium 5.8% cider, Bulwark is handcrafted in nova scotia and has a particularly high juice content and just 52 calories per 125ml glass.

with the combined high levels of duty, vaT and business rates, it’s perhaps no surprise that the latest figures from camra’s whatpub online guide (1 July to 31 December 2017) show that 18 pubs are closing every week. “from these new pub closure figures, it is clear that a fundamental change is needed if the British pub is to survive for future generations,” said camra’s colin valentine. “as Britain prepares to leave the european union, the government has a unique opportunity to update the tax system to better support pubs, which are a bastion of British culture and at the heart of communities across the country. This could include implementing the australian model of having a lower rate of duty for beer sold in pubs, radically changing the business rates system, or charging a lower rate of vaT for pubs or, even better, all three.” reversing the trend of pub closures may seem a big ask, but incentives such as these could help the brewing industry thrive in an era of rapid change.

A modern and traditional mix craft brewing today often combines age-old traditional processes with the latest machinery – and

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ R & L Holt }

Investing in the Future It has been a labour of love, but Rick and Laura Holt’s tomato growing business is thriving – and in excellent shape to pass on to the next generation

triving to do better is all part of the holt’s passion for growing tomatoes, whether it’s trialling new varieties or investing in technology to make the sites more energy efficient. with their latest biomass boiler now up and running, and new vertical fans installed, the next project is expansion into a brand new growing site.

Yield versus quality Despite their quest for higher yields, the one thing the holts will never do is compromise on quality. “we’re always looking for something better – growing wise and taste,” says laura holt. “we have quite a few new lines that we’re trialling at all three sites, including a small baby plum, dictated by what our marketeers prefer for their contracts.” some of the trials are being carried out under lights to see if the crop will work as winter production, allowing r & l holt to carry on growing all year round. “There’s still a great demand in the uK for cheap food and the only way we’ll be cheaper is to put in an inferior product that doesn’t taste as good, which we won’t do,” explains laura holt. “so we’ve got smarter and we are making savings through energy efficiency.”

Biomass and beyond having seen good results from installing a biomass boiler at hornsfield nursery in 2016, the holts started the ball rolling to put in a second biomass system, this time on their springhill nurseries site. after the government unexpectedly passed legislation to reduce the tariffs for biomass, then backtracked to say the previous tariffs would continue to be made available until 31 march 2017, the holt’s were left scrambling to meet the deadline. This involved securing planning permission, erecting the building to hold the boiler and sourcing a suitable machine. in the end, the business managed to purchase a machine from italian company uniconfort, which had a Global G240 2,700kw biomass machine available after another customer had cancelled their order. construction work on the building to house it began in January 2017 and the machine was finally commissioned on 29 march, two days before the tariff deadline. “since the biomass was commissioned we’ve had a few minor problems and it’s taken a while to get it running at 100%, but we’re almost there. we only had one walk-in floor at the end of march 2017 and we now have three.”

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ R & L Holt }

Saving money – and the environment The rush to meet the 31 march deadline has led to increased costs for the overall project, although the boiler is expected to save the company money in the long term. “it will turn out well in the end, but you put the money up front and hope and pray you’ll get it back,” says laura holt. “i’m sure we will, but it takes time. we needed to make some savings to make us more effective going forward. fruit prices aren’t getting any higher but wages and other costs are going up so we have to make savings elsewhere.” The other benefit of biomass is its green credentials. “it will reduce environmental impact and we’re hoping to export some electricity too. we’re putting co2 directly into the glasshouse from the anerobic digester next to it. it has to be properly done with the sensors put in and new programmes on the computer.”

Going Dutch never a business to stand still, r & l holt is now trialling a bay of stainless steel vertical fans, which hang from the top of a greenhouse. The aim is to even out the temperature of the growing area and offer a cooler working environment for those staff who are trimming and layering the tops of the plants. “some of the Dutch growers have put them in and they swear by them, so we thought we’d have a go,” explains laura holt. “it will be the hot weather that will tell us how effective they are.”

Plans for expansion The next move for the business is to increase production by opening a new site, owned by evG (evesham vale Growers) who market their fruit. “They have planning permission for 16 hectares of glasshouses; they are funding it and we’re advising on the growing requirements. we’ve finished the

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

archaeology and we’re hoping to get the report signed off soon, then build as fast as we can with a view to planting next spring. we’re starting with two blocks of four hectares that will be lit and we’ll take it from there. according to how we get on, we’ll then put up the other glass.”

Succession plans laura and rick’s daughter felicity and son roly are both directors of the company and will be taking over when their parents retire in a few years’ time. “our aim was always to leave the business in a good shape,” laura holt explains. “we have very good succession plans in place and time to train people up and make sure they know what is involved. we plan to move out to somewhere in the surrounding area, so we’re not on call!” There will be staff in place to support the business moving forward, with a mixture of new and experienced people on each site. To encourage new recruits, the company has recently created a promotional film for the agents they use. “we think it’s important that no one should arrive here not knowing what to expect, and the film shows every nationality we’ve got. with the lit production we have the advantage that we can offer more full-time jobs.” as for the next few years, laura is looking on the bright side. “i’m very optimistic for the future, whatever happens with Brexit. ultimately, i think the food and drink industry will sort itself out, whether through desire or necessity.”

Tel: 01386 761816 www.randlholt.co.uk

Plant Raisers Ltd is the largest propagator of Tomato, Cucumber and Pepper plants in the UK and the only one to have a quality system certified to conform to Global Gap. Proud to be associated with R&L Holt and wish them continued success for the future

Thorpe Road Howden East Yorkshire DN14 7PB

Tel: 01430 432200 Fax: 01430 432182 Email: sales@plantraisers.co.uk www.plantraisers.co.uk

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ National Milk Laboratories }

Best for Tests Demonstrating the integrity of food products is a key challenge in the current market with growing consumer demands for assurance – and National Milk Laboratories are working with dairy processors across the UK to meet the challenge in the dairy sector as food processors look to build their brands, product integrity has never been more important. contamination issues can cause major damage to a brand, especially those pitching at the high-value market. The provider of payment testing services to dairy processors in the uK, national milk laboratories (nml) delivers a range of testing services from confirming the constituents in farm milk to checking for bacteria and screening for contaminants such as antibiotics and water. clients include small processors sourcing milk from local farms up to large-scale businesses such as arla, Dairy crest and müller.

Advances in testing technology Testing technologies today provide wider analysis and greater sensitivity than ever before. “as a service provider we are constantly offered new testing instruments that provide quicker and more sensitive tests,” explains nml Director Ben Bartlett. “we are looking for those that have the appropriate level of validation, and that offer speed and cost efficiency. at the same time the sensitivity of the test needs to be in line with domestic and international market requirements. Testing methods have developed such

that it is now possible to detect analytes not just in parts per million but also parts per billion or trillion and there is even the prospect of testing to parts per quadrillion. it’s the equivalent of a drop of a contaminant in a bath, a swimming pool, or a lake. The challenge for nml is to find the test that is suitable for the purpose. This will be affected by the source of the sample and the rationale for the testing.” in the past the industry was able to base its surveillance on the european maximum residue limit (mrl) – which is a limit that is based on the level of contamination that could be injurious to human health. however, these days test methods are capable of sensitivity levels that go well below the mrl – effectively raising the bar on surveillance standards. sometimes such levels of sensitivity can be useful, but equally in other scenarios such levels of sensitivity are not needed (e.g. for a low risk contaminant). meeting the demands of the domestic consumer for appropriate surveillance is not the only challenge, as export markets are also raising the bar on surveillance requirements with importing countries checking imported goods using increasingly sensitive test methods.

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ National Milk Laboratories }

Evidence Investigator Instrument new solutions for uK processors include nml’s investment in an evidence investigator instrument, sourced from randox, for its laboratories in four ashes, near stafford, and in hillington, Glasgow. The previous range of broad spectrum antibiotic tests would result in a pass or fail, but wouldn’t identify the particular active antibiotic ingredient that causes the fail. The evidence investigator instrument uses multiplex arrays to help identify the precise analyte(s) causing failures in antimicrobial testing. The instrument can simultaneously detect up to 129 antibiotics/nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and anti-parasitic drug residues from a 25l sample of raw bovine milk. with this information the source of the contamination can be found and steps taken to prevent a re-occurrence. “our mantra as an industry should be that drugs are used as little as possible but as much as necessary and treatment choice should be evidence based,” says Ben Bartlett. “if a cow is effectively diagnosed and needs to be treated, then the case for the use of antibiotics is clear. But the pressure on antibiotic use will continue to rise due to antibiotic resistance and concern about medicines penetrating the food supply chain. The challenge is ensuring we have the management systems to reduce antibiotic use without any negative consequences for animal welfare. it’s all about balance and getting relevant information collated more effectively into systems that allow the vet and farmer to

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

make informed decisions. nml is working intensively in this area on enabling the transfer of data from the vet practice and the farm to ensure that the principle of ‘as little as possible, but as much as necessary’ can be applied across all dairy farms.”

Surveillance and record keeping with many imported products used in both farming and food production, horizon scanning is all important, along with risk-based surveillance testing to check that contaminants are not getting into the food chain. surveillance should be set according to risk and regularly reviewed. when contaminants are found in the milk supply, swift action is key – to determine the source of the contamination and to prevent any further occurrence. in these situations, having accurate and current information is vital, which is where the supply of data on treatments dispensed and treatments used is so important. fortunately the track record of the GB dairy industry is good, but from time to time incidences do occur. These are nearly always by accident, when an agreed process is not followed properly within the supply chain. minimising the occurrence of these accidents requires effective training of those responsible for managing the use of veterinary treatments. The industry has taken a key step here in the development of the milksure programme – a training programme that is already in widespread use across the sector.

{ National Milk Laboratories }

Looking ahead “The future will centre on data,” says Ben Bartlett. “as the industry looks to move towards risk-based surveillance practices, the more information that it has the better. The challenge, which we can meet perfectly well, is gathering the data in a fashion that allows riskbased surveillance for each farm or group of farms.” The business is also developing its technical advisory capabilities, with two full-time vets on the team able to advise on the likely source of contamination on farm and potential strategies to minimise the risk of issues arising. There are also questions around whether Brexit will affect european workers and food assurance standards. “The British dairy industry will need to be able to demonstrate that its assurance systems are at least as good as – if not better than – its european neighbours,” says Ben Bartlett. “nml is committed to playing its part in providing solutions for the industry such that this level of assurance can be achieved, giving the sector a competitive advantage as it looks for new opportunities in the wider global marketplace.”

Tel: 01902 749920 www.nmr.co.uk

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Perfection Foods }

It Has to be Perfect Supplying retailers and wholesalers across the UK, mainland Europe and beyond, Perfection Foods is an award-winning bakery that always delivers the goods

t perfection foods it’s all about quality. each cake created at the company’s production units is either hand-made or hand-decorated to a very high standard, which you may find unusual considering the company counts major multiples and large wholesalers among its clients.

Midlands manufacturers one of the fastest growing companies in the midlands, perfection foods manufactures more than 40 different ranges of high-quality cakes. The business operates out of three sites in total. manufacturing for the uK market takes place in wednesbury, with a further manufacturing site in walsall, which is Brc approved and has been designed with an area for gluten-free production. The head office – opened in february 2012 by lord Green, the uK minister for Trade and investment at the time – is a 110,000 sq ft site located at walsall enterprise park. from here, orders are dispatched to the company’s international customers. Being centrally based allows the firm easy access to the rest of the uK, but the midlands is also a region where there are many key resources, suppliers and manufacturers close to hand.

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

A broad client base perfection foods’ clients range from the major multiples, including the co-operative, morrisons and asda, to leading independent wholesalers and retailers such as makro, nisa and spar. looking over the channel at mainland europe, the company supplies supermarket giants such as carrefour and intermarché. as the export team step up activities further afield, new customers have come onboard in key north african markets and asia, as well as north and south america.

The Fabulous 40 The 40-plus ranges produced by perfection foods cover a broad selection of British staples, such as round cakes, finger slices, loaf cakes and flapjacks. There are also american-inspired products, from muffins and brownies to giant cookies in a wide variety of flavours. for those operating in the foodservice sector, there is a dedicated range suitable for catering, comprising a number of cake slices, fairy cakes, cupcakes, muffins, mini square loafs and mini cakes. To celebrate the annual festive events in the calendar, perfection foods also produces specialist

{ Perfection Foods }

products, with christmas loafs, individually wrapped cake slices and muffins for christmas; cakes, cupcakes and muffins for easter; and specially designed cupcakes or round cakes for valentine’s Day.

Award-winning artisans over the years, the company has won a raft of regional and national awards, including beating more than 120 rivals to the Barclays Best Development of international markets award in 2010. in 2012, perfection foods was awarded the made in the midlands award for export Growth, following its expansion into new markets abroad.

Millennium start-up perfection foods was founded in the year 2000 by two brothers, both with more than 30 years’ experience of baking and other industries. while Balwinder singh Bath learned his craft working in a number of bakeries, sukdev singh Bath followed a varied business career from markets to retail shops and garment factories. Their first factory was a small unit of 4,500 sq ft, from where they supplied local independent retailers in walsall and wednesbury. The company grew steadily, winning custom among the larger wholesalers and multiples.

A quality and friendly accountancy service with a personal touch We offer a full and prompt professional service to the highest standards including: • Accountancy • Audit • Taxation • Business Planning * VAT and Payroll • Book-Keeping • Self Assessment Tax Returns

For a free financial health check please contact us on TEL: 0121 446 6000

staffing levels increased and the family-run business welcomed each of sukdev’s three sons into the fold as they graduated from university, with the eldest, Gurdeep, focusing his attention on export possibilities. even during the early years, the company wanted to explore the many possibilities in the export market and carried out intensive market research to identify suitable products for specific countries.

The process Baking exceptional products begins with sourcing high-quality ingredients, some of which are organic. There has also been extensive investment back into the business, in the form of state-of-the-art ovens. following quality control, cakes are filled and decorated by hand and quickly packaged and dispatched within 24 hours of production to ensure maximum freshness. when it comes to the export market, perfection foods has perfected its process, offering frozen or ambient products with an extended shelf life. with a dedicated in-house export team and a partnership with Kapital exports, the company is able to rebrand and repackage products speedily to suit the requirements of overseas customers. for domestic customers, the central england location of the factories ensures quick and speedy delivery across the uK, using its own fleet of vans. Delivery is usually within 24 hours of the order being completed.

The future as the company expands in the domestic market and reaches further afield into the export market, it will continue to provide local employment for many in the midlands. with significant expansion achieved in its first 18 years of existence, perfection foods will no doubt continue to grow and thrive as it heads towards its 21st birthday.

Satnam Chumber • Email: satnam@brindleys.co.uk 2 Wheeleys Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2LD May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Lascar Electronics }

Data access from any internet-enabled device

Remote Temperature & Humidity Monitoring in the Food & Drink Industry Safety standards in the food processing, transportation and service sectors make a significant impact on the day to day handling of food in all commercial settings.

old chain management and the increasing need for due diligence in the storage of food present technical challenges to everyone needing to track the conditions in which that food is prepared, transported and stored.

Data access from any internet-enabled device lascarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solution? el-moTe wifi-based temperature and temperature & humidity sensors and the easylog cloud monitoring system. an inexpensive series of wifi-enabled sensors streaming data remotely, discretely and securely to the easylog cloud for access from any internet-enabled device. monitor and manage compact systems with just a few measuring points or corporate solutions with hundreds of sensors

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

around the globe.

Never miss a critical alarm with instant email alerts on the easylog cloud, critical data is stored securely and indefinitely. view sensors in multiple locations in a single account. change their settings remotely and view a record of any past triggered alarm events. powerful graphing functionality allows extensive analysis and review and its flexible notification system means youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never miss a critical event such as an alarm breach.

Simple device set up Device set-up is simple using easylogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smartphone app. once complete, place the sensor anywhere within

{ Lascar Electronics }

the wifi network where data will be streamed to the easylog cloud. el-moTe sensors have single and dual channel options and are waterproof for use both indoors and outdoors. each sensor has a battery life of up to two years or can be mains powered and include an on-board indicator and sounder.

Fuchs’ cereal case study with more than 80 years of operation, fuchs cereals is a leader in the production of cereal-based produce, which it distributes to over two dozen countries globally. To ensure all products meet the highest quality and food regulatory standards, systematic and regular quality control is a vital part of the company’s operations and logging regular and detailed temperature updates from refrigerator cells and freezers is vital to avoid the risk of spoiling. previously, fuchs monitored all of its environmental data manually with physical checks performed by quality control operatives. Time consuming, relatively expensive and open to human error, simon fuchs, administration and Technics manager, began looking into alternative solutions to simplify the data logging process. fuchs now uses easylog wifi sensors across its business. each sensor communicates via an existing wifi connection updating temperature data automatically to the cloud. easylog sensors offer round the clock monitoring, providing fuchs freedom from a separate, dedicated iT team to check the data in the time intervals specified.

EL-MOTE, Cloud-based data logging

Device set-up is simple using EasyLogs’ smartphone app

Never miss a critical event with flexible notifications

Tel: 01794 884567 www.lascarelectronics.com

Fuchs Cereals, a leader in the production of cereal-based produce

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Cottage Delight }

Gourmet Gifts Creators of artisan foods for independent retailers, Cottage Delight utilises taste panels and customer feedback to ensure that its award-winning products are always at their best.

upplying farm shops, garden centres and other retailers such as John lewis and lakeland, across the uK and ireland, cottage Delight produces speciality foods for the artisan and gift markets. preserves, chutneys, pickles, sauces, dressings and more are all made in their staffordshire moorlands kitchen in leek, staffordshire, using high-quality ingredients and traditional methods.

Great taste, great times The company was founded in 1974 by nigel cope, after he developed a traditional all-butter tablet fudge in his kitchen at home, still made to the same recipe today. Two years’ ago the business was acquired by vestey holdings, a family of food businesses. now one of four companies within the vestey holdings fine food division, cottage Delight continues to operate autonomously, following the principles that its founder set out over 40 years ago. “Taste was the most important thing to nigel,” says commercial Director Gary Johnston. “he loved

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

everything made with real butter: fudge, cakes and other bakery products. we run taste panels once a month, where we’ll compare our products with something that we have discovered, which could elevate the taste of our existing product even further.’’ The artisan appeal is evident from the product names: Three fruit marmalade with scotch whisky, peach & prosecco Bellini Jam, caramel latte sponge cake and sea salted caramel fudge, to name but a few. This focus on quality has led to 167 Great Taste awards to date. “we’re successful at Great Taste because if we think a product needs improving due to changing tastes, we will revisit the recipe.”

British beers popular in the gift market, the company’s bottled beers and ciders are known for their cheeky names and slogans. “The humour gets a lot of reaction at store level,” says Gary Johnston. “we never knew that it would take off this well when we started selling it nearly seven

{ Cottage Delight }

years ago, but it’s a growing part of the business, which we will continue to invest in and will be relaunching next year. we buy the beer from a local staffordshire brewery, but most is made to our original recipes and we create exclusive flavours such as chilli Beer that we think the market will react positively to. we also design all of our labels which use tongue-in-cheek British postcard humour – and people buy it as a fun gift, as well as for the great taste.”

Feedback at store level at cottage Delight, feedback from retailers is taken extremely seriously and used to inform product and marketing decisions. “it’s about getting a real understanding of the marketplace,” says Gary Johnston. “if a product is not successful it could be too niche or not at the right price point. we try to learn and build on this all the time, so that when we launch a new product we can see where it fits in.” providing marketing material and advice is a cornerstone of our approach. “it’s not just about filling the shops with stock. we offer a merchandising service where we provide stands and also encourage the retailer to take stock off the shelves and provide inspiration for the consumer walking through. something that is appealing and in season, whether it’s wimbledon or christmas. it’s about showcasing the best products that link with occasions or seasonality for the consumer at a particular time of year.”

Rebranding and relaunching

Code-It Labels Ltd have been producing high quality labels to end users for nearly two decades. We are a family run business that understand the importance of quality, reliability and more often these days - a quick turnaround. We supply throughout the UK and Ireland. We are proud to be associated with Cottage Delight and wish them continued success for the future. Code-It Labels Ltd 21 Trinity Court, Risley, Warrington WA3 6QT Tel: 01925 820900 Email: sales@codeitlabelling.co.uk www.codeitlabelling.co.uk

This focus on helping the retailer will continue with a full relaunch over the coming year. “it’s huge for us,” says Gary Johnston. “our products had a paper-top look from day one, but as the brand grew, the consumer couldn’t differentiate between the 12 different marmalades, so around 10 years ago we introduced a front label. when the vestey holdings took over, it was agreed that we should undertake the biggest relaunch in the brand’s history. packaging, marketing, glass – everything will look very different and very exciting!” Bespoke gift packs showcasing some of the new branding will be trialled in John lewis and lakeland from september, for the christmas market, and the entire new look cottage Delight will be rolled out in february 2019. “if you don’t continually look at product, packaging and servicing, you will be left behind,” says Gary Johnston. “But we’re delighted with the support our retailers are giving the range in its new packaging – they are very excited with this new look.”

Tel: 01538 382020 www.cottagedelight.co.uk

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ Sherwood Group }

Banish Plastics with Puracoat™ With consumer concerns over single-use plastics hitting the headlines, the demand for the Sherwood Group’s water-based coating – Puracoat™ – has never been higher

irst developed in 2010, puracoat™ is an innovation whose time has come. as the public clamours for more recyclable food packaging, retailers and food manufacturers are actively seeking sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics. relaunched at packaging innovations in february, with a tested accreditation from third-party industry specialists smithers pira (https://www.smitherspira.com), puracoat™ is an evolutionary product in food barrier packaging.

An environmentally friendly alternative a water-based coating, puracoat™ can be applied to any food-grade cartonboard to give it the grease and moisture resistance properties of a pe plastic-lined board. “The beauty of a water-based coating is that it’s not classed as a contaminant and doesn’t impact the recycling or composting stream,” explains packaging Design and innovation manager, Kim Durose. “with pe lined boards you have to go through a mechanical reclamation process to recycle the paper fibres and you’re still left with a plastic sheet to dispose of, usually through landfill or incineration. The waterbased coating can be recycled or composted as part of

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

the cartonboard.”

Perfect for food-on-the-go although puracoat™ is applicable to a range of markets, the company is seeing particular success in the chilled and ambient food-on-the-go sector. recent case studies include a recyclable sandwich pack for Dobbies sandwiches, recyclable packaging for Booths Tortilla wrap pack and an innovative cartonboard solution for Tesco croquembouche kit. “There are a lot of single-use plastics involved in the food-on-the-go market,” says the sherwood Group’s ceo, Jeremy Bacon. “The recyclability of the packaging is a real issue, as is littering.” By combining it with other materials, puracoat™ can also be suitable for frozen, microwavable and ovenable products. “we know that puracoat™ will perform,” says uK packaging sales manager chris waplington. “But we always test and trial it, as different foodstuffs have different migration and leaching properties.”

Relaunch – with accreditation in february, puracoat™ was relaunched at packaging innovations with main distinction: third-party

{ Sherwood Group }

accreditation. independent verification from smithers pira – on various substrates with two levels of coating – showed the product to be grease resistant to the highest Kit 12 rating, as well as fully recyclable and biodegradable in line with Bs en 13432. “even though we know from our in-house testing that we can stand behind the product, we wanted a third-party accreditor to put their stamp on it,” says Kim Durose. Jeremy Bacon agrees: “we had an absolutely fantastic reception at packaging innovations. That was very much the difference maker, that it was independently accredited. not only from our typical customer base of food manufacturers but specifically from retailers, because there is a huge demand from the general public about the elimination of single-use plastics in the supply chain and the timing was right. it was almost as if the product was too good to be true, but having the accreditation meant that the conversations we had with retailers were specific, and we have a number of products that we are bringing to market in the near future for household-name retailers.”

Innovation and awards To support the relaunch, the sherwood Group has

Fedrigoni UK are proud suppliers of specialty materials for greeting cards and packaging to The Sherwood Group and wish them continued success in the future! Fedrigoni is an Italian paper manufacturer that offers more than 3000 different products, as well as providing a dedicated samples and paper advisory service, a direct sales order line and technical information to support you through the process of choosing the right papers for your card range.

created some bespoke campaigns targeting retailers, including a video exploring the issues around plastics and presenting puracoat™ as the solution. “we encourage people to visit our website and have a look at our case studies, which focus on on-the-go food and confectionery,” says marketing manager, anna fawcett. “There’s a lot of innovation taking place at our smartcentre and we are very agile. we can develop high-quality samples, digitally printed on any stock material, cooperating with our far east manufacturing site.” The company has won several packaging and printing awards, including the ‘cartonboard pack of the year 2016’ for a diamond-shaped christmas tree bauble containing confectionery, designed for harrods. “it was a design challenge, as the weight of the product sits at the bottom but they wanted a pack with a closure in the centre,” explains Kim Durose. “a comment we got from the judges was that it was a brilliant construction and graphics; it did really look the part when it was done.”

Investing in the future a strategic alliance has been formed with KmD company, specialists in luxury packaging and point of sale, and the company has now moved onto the sherwood Group site. as a result, there has been additional investment to ensure that the smartcentre meets the needs of luxury clients. a board-mounting machine has been installed to allow laminating onto corrugated and rigid board as well as cartonboard, and there are plans for investment in a new packaging press, and for increasing the dyecutting and blanking facility. with investment, innovation and a revolutionary product in puracoat™, the sherwood Group is a force to be reckoned with in food packaging and printing today.

Tel: 0115 928 7766 www.sherwoodgroupuk.com

THE FUTURE IN PRESS READY TOOLING

Fedrigoni UK Unit 11, Queenspark Industrial Estate Studland Road, Kingsthorpe Northampton, NN2 6NE Telephone: 01604 722 722 Email: sales_uk@fedrigoni.co.uk www.fedrigoni.co.uk

By offering the right range of products and services, we ensure that our customers have the very best portfolio of press ready die tooling systems, for die-cutting, embossing and foiling. Proud to be a tooling supplier to The Sherwood Group

Tel: 01527 516665 www.lasercombgroup.com May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ ALS Laboratories (UK) Ltd }

Client Led & Technology Driven Following recent acquisitions, ALS Laboratories (UK) Ltd has grown its client base, consolidated its offer, and invested further in people and equipment

ffering a comprehensive range of food, drink, water and pharmaceutical testing, als laboratories prides itself on the integrity of its results and the quality of its customer service. a client-led and technology-driven business, the company has also developed a fast-growing food consultancy business, offering everything from audits to technical training.

New acquisitions in December 2016, als took over the 2 sisters food Group in-house testing laboratory at Biocity, nottingham, which carries out microbiological analysis. The purchase followed the acquisition of alcontrol’s uK food and waters business, completed a month earlier, with the water testing becoming absorbed by sister company als environmental. over the following year, the business went through a rationalisation process that included significant structural changes. in keeping with the company’s huband-spoke model, alcontrol’s chemistry labs in rotherham and shrewsbury were absorbed into the business hub in chatteris, cambridgeshire, and a small lab in Dunstable was also closed. “it’s more efficient to run a chemistry operation from

one site because of the scale of the capital investment involved,” says nigel richards, sales and marketing Director at als laboratories (uK). “micro testing is still a very traditional, labour-intensive process, whereas chemistry testing is technology driven, which is why we’ve centralised it.”

Increased client base absorbing alcontrol’s clients meant harmonising the business based on one common laboratory information management system (lims). “it’s the machinery that holds the business together and it’s important as it puts all of the former alcontrol labs and ours on the same platform,” explains nigel richards. “more pertinent to our clients, we’ll be standardising the results portal, ‘webtrieve’, which we are rolling out to former alcontrol clients. integration is all about standardisation and making the business more efficient, and we’ve planned the transition very carefully.”

A client-led business having worked hard to retain alcontrol clients, als has continued to run regular client surveys, using the feedback to measure performance. During the course

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

{ ALS Laboratories (UK) Ltd }

of last year, 82.5% of those surveyed rated the company’s overall service as either ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’. following the acquisitions, als has significantly increased the headcount at its hub lab in chatteris – with numbers rising from 45 to 90 alone in the nutritional chemistry laboratory. staff are made aware of the importance of providing a positive ‘als experience’ where all employees are encouraged to understand their value to the business and the part they can play in giving memorable client service. “it’s all about reliability, service and value,” says nigel richards. “as a service-led business, the quality of our staff and the way in which they interact with our clients can make all the difference and help us to stand out from our competitors.” als has continued to invest in its people, with a competency framework, salary progression and celebrating success schemes, designed to reward staff and promote career development. operating in such a specialised industry, als also recognises the importance of providing comprehensive technical training for staff. a new Talent acquisition co-ordinator has recently been appointed to help source new industry talent whilst a dedicated Training manager runs the in-house Training academy at chatteris.

Consultancy business operating alongside the core testing activities, the company’s consultancy work has proved the fastest growing area of its business. Based in rotherham, the Technical consultancy Team assist retailers and food manufacturers with the management and interpretation of test results, factory audits, technical training and activities that address food safety and fraud issues. “with the downward pressure on prices leading to cost cutting within food manufacturing, companies are looking to outsource a greater range of services and are coming to us for things like technical training for new staff,” says nigel richards.

Technological advances a technology-driven business, als has recently invested in lcms equipment at the chatteris site to detect a greater range of contaminants, along with investment in new ankom machines, which partautomate fibre analysis, reducing the turnaround time for clients. an enhanced allergen testing service has also been launched, and ‘collaborative robots’ are in the process of being installed to perform some of the more repetitive laboratory tasks, freeing up staff to direct their expertise elsewhere.

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News

“we are at the forefront of changes in the food testing industry,” says nigel richards. “als has always had a strong record in leading rather than following. we’re offering our clients a faster turnaround and the volume of work is producing economies of scale, which has enabled us to offer our clients a more competitive price. we prefer to focus on value for money rather than the lowest cost, but we’re aware of the pressure on our clients to keep prices low.”

Looking ahead while the recent acquisitions have increased overall revenues substantially and total revenue has almost quadrupled since 2010, the company is well prepared for future challenges. “we’re in a very challenging marketplace, with Brexit looming ever closer, online shopping continuing to increase and the potential of a merger between sainsbury’s and asda all having a big impact on the industry. in addition, the move away from plastic to recyclable packaging is likely to have implications on food safety as manufacturers and retailers will still have to put safe products onto their shelves. That’s something we’ll be helping clients with.” moving forward, the company’s key objective is to continue to build a resilient business that is able to withstand change, while still providing a comprehensive service package to clients. “we’ve seen a major shift in our business model from a test-based transactional organisation to one that’s now more integrally involved with our clients in terms of providing a complete range of food safety solutions. we’re a dynamic business, where change is constant. following the alcontrol acquisition, we have maintained service levels and emerged as an even stronger organisation that is geared up to meeting the needs of our manufacturers.”

THE WORLD’S LEADING QUALITY BRAND

We are proud of our association with ALS. They’ve successfully tested millions of food samples using our bags and straws for many years. Telephone: 01530 275755 Email: sales@gradeproducts.co.uk

May/June 2018 Food & Drink News