Just Eat launches nancial support package to aid small businesses with in ationary pressures.

Just Eat launches financial support package to aid small businesses with inflationary pressures

Just Eat has announced the launch of a £1 million financial support package for its small, independent Restaurant Partners, designed to help businesses as they navigate rising inflation.

The package, named “Just Eat’s Inflation Support Package”, is now available for eligible independent Restaurant Partners across the UK.

Inflation and continuing food shortages are further contributing to increasingly challenging economic conditions for small independent food businesses to operate in, especially as Brits tighten their purse strings.

The £1 million fund includes a consolidated package of measures offering marketing and financial support for its Restaurant Partners to access. The package can be used for additional advertising, to help boost orders or to provide financial support on the Just Eat platform.

Alongside this £1 million fund, the package for Restaurant Partners includes access to fast funding with flexible repayments, via embedded finance provider, YouLend, with whom Just Eat has partnered to deliver financing at market leading terms. This will provide restaurants with support towards helping with cash flow or investing in growth, purchasing new equipment, recruiting more staff or leasing a new site.

Working with partner Booker to offer all Just Eat Restaurant Partners cashback on their supply purchases, for example a spend of £500 a week earns 5% cashback for restaurants. Just Eat was able to give a whopping £9.3 million cashback to restaurants last year through this partnership.

Provision of 1000 discounted pedal bikes to restaurants who make their own deliveries to provide a cheaper alternative to fuel deliveries.

Andrew Kenny, UK managing director at Just Eat, said: “Just Eat is only successful if our Restaurant Partners are successful. Our Restaurant Partners are facing an increasingly tough economic climate - Brexit has reduced the supply of staff and delivery drivers, multiple Covid lockdowns forced the closure of dine-in businesses, and inflation has now put upward pressure on prices, as well as on customers’ wallets. Supporting our independent Restaurant Partners is a key priority for us. We hope that this financial package will provide them with the support they need during what is a challenging time for them to operate.”

Jakob Pethick, chief commercial officer at YouLend added: “Supporting businesses through uncertain times is core to YouLend’s mission. Flexible financing can help restaurants stabilise their cash flow, freeing up time to focus on the challenges and opportunities ahead. We are therefore pleased to partner with Just Eat to support their Restaurant Partners.”

Cost of living crisis combines with lack of pay rises

The UK is now facing a cost of living crisis with high fuel, food and other costs, and many pay rises aren’t enough to cover essential bills due to rising inflation with the news that UK pay has fallen at its fastest rate on record, according to Forbes Advisor, who conducted a survey of 5,100 Brits to discover how many have considered asking for a pay rise due to the cost of living crisis, amongst other issues.

Their findings include a breakdown of responses from workers in the hospitality industry, revealing that only 2.4% of hospitality employees surveyed were voluntarily offered a pay rise - the lowest of all industries. 65.6% of hospitality employees considered asking for a pay rise, and of those that asked, just 17.9% received a pay rise (below the national average of 26%). Only 4% of the companies surveyed have voluntarily awarded financial compensation, with the hospitality industry among least generous

Out of the 5,100 people surveyed, 3,546 (68%) people revealed they have considered asking their employer for a pay rise. The highest number of respondents answering yes were those aged between 35-44, with 75% revealing they had considered asking for more money. The age group which were least likely to consider asking for a pay rise were those aged over 54, at 69%. Regionally, those living in the East Midlands were considering asking for a pay rise the most due to the cost of living crisis with 76% of respondents answering yes, it was found. In second place were those in Wales at 73.9%, followed by the North East with 73.4% responding yes.

Cash still king for UK staycationers

Brits have picked up a penchant for staycations in recent times with a whopping 76% going on holiday in the UK in the last five years with over half of Brits planning on a UK holiday this year, new research by the Post Office has found.

Four in 10 Brits planning to go on holiday this year admitted that the love of holidaying in the UK was their number one reason for taking a staycation, they found, with the ease of not having to plan a trip aboard (35%) and supporting the UK economy (24%) also featured in the top three reasons.

In an increasingly digital world, cash is still king for British staycationers, their research showing that Brits carry twice as much cash with them whilst on holiday in the UK compared to their day to day lives, with over £50 on average lining the pockets of Brits when on holiday in the UK.

What’s more, the survey found that only 14% of Brits want to live in a cashless society and that 40% of those carrying cash do so as it helps them to budget and keep track of spending.

The new research also revealed the situations where holidaying Brits are most likely to use cash. Paying for ice cream scooped first place as the most common cash-spending occasion with parking and tipping at restaurants also shown to be common reasons for going card-less.

Commenting on the research, Martin Kearsley, banking director at Post Office said: “Our research has shown that in recent years the UK has become a top choice holiday destination for Brits. Hard earned holidays are a time for relaxing, not worrying about being caught out by not having enough cash. Whether you’re heading to the seaside, scenic countryside or a festival, no matter the staycation destination, Postmasters are on hand to help with any holiday cash essentials.

“Free cash withdrawals to the penny are available at all branches across the UK and small businesses benefitting from all that seasonal cash can pay it back in through any Post Office too.”

Seggiano launches new, all-natural vegan Panettone

With demand for vegan products ever growing, Italian food specialist, Seggiano, is launching an all-natural, artisan panettone which is vegan, enabling retailers to offer every one of their customers a slice of traditional Italian cake this Christmas.

Last year Vegan Society research confirmed that over 26% of Brits opted for vegan choices at Christmas, and with vegan sales expectations even higher for this year, the new Seggiano Vegan Panettone is perfect for those seeking alternatives which can be enjoyed by everyone inclusively, at this important annual season of gatherings with friends and loved ones, feel the company.

Seggiano Vegan Panettone is baked in small batches by award-winning panettone master baker, Beniamino, in his small Italian family bakery. It’s made without industrial emulsifiers, stabilisers, binders or preservatives, setting it apart from almost every other vegan cake on the market.

“We are incredibly excited to be able to offer a panettone that everyone can enjoy this Christmas,” said David Harrison, co-founder of Seggiano. “This is a delicious recipe that’s lovingly made using the authentic artisan techniques and clean ingredients that are the hallmark of any product in the Seggiano portfolio. As well as being free from industrial additives, preservatives and emulsifiers, the recipe features sulphite-free candied fruits and healthy high oleic oil to deliver a superior quality panettone with unrivalled taste in the vegan cake category.”

Award for new Italian gin

Casa Julia have launched a new lemon gin to the UK market and it has recently been awarded gold at the Gin Masters 2022.

The new Italian Costiera gin is imported from Sorrento Italy, mainly to businesses and Italian wholesalers who were in attendance at the recent European Pizza & Pasta trade show held at Olympia, London, and where the new product was launched officially.

The gin has an addition of lemon juice from the Sfusato lemons, specially grown on the Amalfi coast to make Limoncello.

“Initially in London, we have a presence in quite a few off licenses, and some prestigious stores will have our new gin in the next few months. Manchester is also on the map!” said Enzo Santomauro, who will be overseeing the expansion of Costiera gin in the UK.

Chicago Town kicks off festival experiential campaign

Chicago Town has officially launched an experiential campaign across the festival scene this summer.

For the first time ever, the UK’s leading frozen pizza brand (according to IRI Frozen Pizza Value Sales 16 Jul 22 data) will be taking Chicago-inspired Deep Dish to four different festivals across the UK, the first of which was Tramlines Festival in Sheffield. Chicago Town will also be showcasing its Deep Dish range at Kendal Calling (Lake District), Boardmasters (Cornwall) and Victorious (Portsmouth).

As part of the campaign, there will be 75,000 samples of Chicago Town’s Deep Dish pizza given out to pizza and music lovers alike, across 15 days. Festival goers will be able to choose from four different flavours – Four Cheese, Pepperoni, Cheezeburger (vegan), and a special, festival exclusive flavour, and Sausage and Blueberry, inspired by the brand’s trips out to Chicago.

Along with the range of Deep Dish pizza samples, Chicago Town will issue free pizza vouchers to festival attendees so they can continue their love for Deep Dish when they get home. As well as keeping festival goers content with delicious food, fans can go even deeper with Deep Dish by visiting the brand’s full gallery wall – made up of exciting branded content. Festival attendees will also be able to become part of the gallery wall themselves too, by taking a selfie with their Deep Dish sample.

To give people the chance to experience the taste of Chicago Town, whilst simultaneously enjoying their favourite music acts, Chicago Town gave consumers the chance to win free tickets to the festivals via owned channel social media competitions.

Rachel Bradshaw, marketing manager from Chicago Town said: “Festivals are such a big attraction during the summer months, with millions of the British public attending a range of different festivals every year.

“Whilst they enjoy the music and everything else that comes with the festival experience, we really wanted to introduce festival goers to the great taste of Deep Dish and a chance to offer them an exciting festival exclusive flavour, sausage and blueberry, alongside the favourites we know our customers love. With each Deep Dish pizza fully loaded with toppings and lashings of our signature tomato sauce, we know festival-goers are going to love tucking in.”

General Catering Solutions become Pizza Group’s new UK partner

Doncaster based General Catering Solutions have announced that they are now the new UK partner for the Pizza Group range of Italian manufactured pizza equipment in the UK market, supplying everything from dough mixers and dividers/rounders through to deck and conveyor ovens.

Pizza Group Srl who have been supplying high quality Pizza Equipment solutions globally since 1974 offer a full range of pizza equipment from dough production and preparation through to all styles of pizza ovens.

General Catering Solutions say that they are thrilled to be working with the Italian manufacturer and will provide great synergy with their existing brands which include Mam Dome Pizza Ovens, Irinox Blast Chillers and Joni Steam Jacketed kettles, and meaning that this family of brands means are an ideal perfect partner for the Pizza Group range in the UK.

Operators can view the entire range of products at General Catering Solutions head office where you can try before you buy by putting all the equipment through its paces in a live demonstration area.

Papa John’s celebrates Egham Store relaunch with free lunch for NHS workers

Papa John’s celebrated the relaunch of its Egham store with a free lunch for local NHS workers in the Surrey town during its opening week at the end of June.

Multi-unit Papa John’s franchisee, Abid Hussain, said: “We have moved our Egham Papa John’s to a more central location on the high street. We normally offer a discount to those working in the ambulance service or in our local hospital as a thank you for their valuable contribution to our community. What better way to celebrate the opening of our brand-new store than inviting all local NHS workers to enjoy a free lunch?

“The revamped store is really welcoming and has been updated with Papa John’s new branding which gives a bold, fresh and fun look. We have more free parking both in front and at the rear of 43 High Street for added convenience for our customers. The store is also much bigger and means we have been able to grow our team by creating seven new jobs, already filled by recruiting more local team members.”

Abid Hussain who first joined Papa John’s in 2016, now runs 19 Papa John’s in the Southeast and the Midlands. Before becoming a franchisee, he worked in advertising and marketing in London and was a consultant in a web firm.

“Running multiple franchised stores offers economies of scale in relation to ordering, marketing and it can make recruitment easier too. Once you’ve hit on a successful formula, why not replicate it many times over?” added Abid Hussain.

“However, my success wouldn’t be possible without my staff. I have really capable area and store managers and the team behind each of them ensures we deliver superb service and top-quality pizza every time. My Egham store manager has worked with me for three years and it’s great to be able to offer these opportunities and watch team members grow as they take on more responsibility as part of our Papa John’s family.”

Stroud set to enjoy at taste of Papa John’s this summer

Residents of Stroud are set to enjoy a taste of Papa John’s this summer when the pizza franchise opens a brand-new store in the Gloucestershire market town.

The Stroud store has created more than 15 new jobs with the team now ready to make, bake and deliver fresh Papa John’s pizza to the local community.

Amit Pancholi UK director of business development, Papa John’s said: “Our aim is to create more convenience for our customers. Therefore, as a brand, we continue to expand throughout the UK and the Stoud opening follows the successful launch of Glastonbury and Midsomer Norton in the region this year. By opening Papa John’s in more trade zones, it means we can supply our top quality pizza to more communities across the UK while maintaining quick delivery times as the company’s popularity continues to grow. “We are also exploring further flexible franchise opportunities by developing partnerships to extend our reach in non-traditional locations too. By working with holiday resorts, sports stadiums and leisure venues, so many more people can enjoy the treat of Papa John’s at home, on holiday or wherever suits them! This may mean partners investing in a full Papa John’s store which can deliver to a venue’s visitors plus local residents, or adding branded mobile delivery units serving hungry customers at several sites on a holiday resort for example. “For us, it’s about being where our customers are. Our Stroud opening now means Papa John’s pizza can be the ingredient to bring people together so they can add to the fun by sharing their favourite pizza with family and friends, making any occasion even more memorable.”

DeliBox receives an iF 2022 Product Design Award

Founded in 1953 in Germany, the iF Design Award is one of the world’s most prestigious accolades signifying outstanding design for consumers and the design industry and this year, the iF jury, composed of international design experts, reviewed a record number of 10,776 products and projects from manufacturers, designers and design officers around the world.

Dometic’s DeliBox - a temperaturecontrolled mobile delivery solution - received recognition from the iF jury with the impressive accolade of a 2022 iF Product Design Award. “We are thrilled to see DeliBox acknowledged by such an industryleading programme for global design,” said Juan Vargues, president and CEO of Dometic. “Receiving an iF Product Design Award for this solution further underscores the DeliBox’s innovation and function. It is poised to disrupt the ever growing food delivery industry and we would like to thank this year’s iF jury for its belief in our product.”

DeliBox is a smart delivery box that has been designed to preserve the quality and temperature of or other perishables seamlessly throughout the delivery process. Offering a temperaturecontrolled transportation solution, it guarantees a better customer experience and offers build trust and brand loyalty, claim the company, aiming to secure the bridge from the restaurant to the table without compromising the food quality.

The Dometic DeliBox can be mounted on e-bikes, mopeds and motorcycles as well as placed in cars. With compartments and two dedicated temperature zones, it offers both active heating (all models) and active cooling (premium model) elements to keep food at optimal temperatures throughout them handle large and even multiple orders.

Featuring an air purification system with cold plasma Ion technology, the box assures a clean interior atmosphere devoid of lingering odours of previous deliveries, and the premium version also offers a smartphone application that makes it possible to keep track of every delivery and monitor the temperature during transport.

The industry is primed for an innovation of this kind, feel the company. In a rceent white paper released by Dometic on residential food delivery trends, it’s research suggests that the market landscape for delivery will continue to rise at a yearly growth rate of 13%. By 2025, their report states platform- to-consumer will be the leading category in the delivery space. The study also finds that 87% of Americans who use thirdparty food delivery services do so because it makes their lives easier. However, 52% would order delivery more often if it was delivered at the right temperature, they found.

Riso Gallo UK & Ireland Young Risotto Chef of the Year 2023

Riso Gallo’s UK & Ireland Young Risotto Chef of the Year 2023 has officially opened for entries.

It is the sixth year of the competition, aimed at young chefs aged 17-23 years, who are either in education or starting out in their professional careers. Entries are open until 1 December 2022. Entrants are asked to produce, photograph and say why they selected their risotto dish, and those selected will be asked to attend a regional heat to produce their recipe.

Regional finalists will have their dishes judged by professional chefs at the top of their game at the Grand Final in London at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the 3 April, where the winner will be named the Riso Gallo UK & Ireland Young Risotto Chef of the Year 2023. The winner will receive an all expenses paid three day work experience with renowned judging chef Fabio Pisani and his team at the 2 Michelin starred Il Luogo in Milan, Italy. The runner up will win a stage at the Italian Embassy in London.

Fabio Pisani commented: “It’s always a pleasure for me – and for us, at Aimo e Nadia Group – to support the Riso Gallo’s UK & Ireland Young Risotto Chef of the Year. This competition is a great opportunity not only for the young chefs to grow but also for us to meet a different culture and food perspectives, share new ideas, and imagine - together - different ways to honour and celebrate the finest rice.”

The final judging panel will include consultant chef Paul Gayler MBE, Danilo Cortellini (consultant chef at the Italian Embassy), Adriano Cavagnini (executive chef at the Bvlgari Hotel), Fabio Pisani from Il Luogo in Milan, Davide Degiovanni (head chef at 5 Hertford St) and Francesco Dibenedetto (head chef at Bibendum in London). Jason Morrison, MD Riso Gallo UK added: “For over 165 years, Riso Gallo has supplied many of the top chefs across the world with Italian rice of the highest quality. We understand their passion and commitment to their craft, and the years of training they undertake. We launched this competition to help foster and reward the next generation, who can inject personality, passion and creativity into their own vibrant, exciting risotto dish. Our UK & Ireland Young Risotto Chef of the Year has gone from strength to strength each year.”

Pizza Punks continue to ‘tear up the rule book’

Since 2016, sourdough pizza brand Pizza Punks says that it has been tearing up the rule book – launching with its legendary unlimited topping concept for one set price, with no hidden costs.

Now, the UK-wide, San Franciscan sourdough, pizza restaurant is once again taking a stand: by refusing to hike up prices, but instead introducing inflation busting deals with high quality pizza and cocktails. An anti-establishment move, say Pizza Punks, their new series of deals are a triumphant protest against the scandalous cost of living crisis, giving power to the people advocating freedom of expression through punked up pizza and money-saving deals.

A Kill The Bill favourite deal buster is the new Pizza Punks Bottomless Brunch, Start the day right, available every day from 11am to 3pm and until 5pm on Sundays, and featuring a line-up of unlimited Pizza Punks’ cocktails. Kicking off the week, Pizza Punks says it will be embracing the cheap date mantra with Cheap Date Mondays offering lovers two pizzas and two beers for £22. Thursday’s see the Thank FCK it’s Thursday deal offering a line-up of two sides, two pizzas and a bottle of wine for £39.50. For those rebellious late-night diners, Pizza Punks’ new Late-Night Pizza deal serves up pizza and four cocktails for £25, on Friday and Saturday, from 9pm. And finally, but by no means least, there are two for one cocktails every day (in Belfast and Glasgow restaurants, selected cocktails are £5 on Sunday-Thursday, all day and night).

Commenting on Pizza Punks Kill The Bill, money-saving movement, founder, Brad Stevens, said: “The rising cost of living is crippling the people of Britain and I believe we owe it to the loyal customers that keep us afloat to set realistic and fair prices. Kill The Bill goes beyond this – it’s good quality pizza and cocktails that save our customers money every day and they have a good time whilst there here, with friendly service and good music. This is what Pizza Punks was born for, a need to rip up the rule book – unlimited toppings at one price. And we’re doing it again. We’re taking on the machine, we won’t be hiking up prices we here to stick a pin the inflation and deflate prices with Kill The Bill.”