Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food - Issue 154

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pizzapasta and Italian food magazine

Issue 154 February 2013 www.papa.org.uk

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pizzapasta AND ITALIAN FOOD

Editor telephone e-mail

Clare Benfield 01291 636336 clare@jandmgroup.co.uk

Advertising telephone e-mail

Andrew Emery 01291 636334 andrew@jandmgroup.co.uk

Production telephone e-mail

Jayson Berry 01291 636344 jayson@jandmgroup.co.uk

Subscriptions telephone e-mail

Welcome In this issue we look forward to next month’s pizza competitions (Giropizza and Pizza World Championship UK) to be held at IFE (turn to page for 14 for a preview), and wish all of the UK competitors the best of luck!

Having visited some of the very popular and successful Vapiano stores in Berlin, Germany, we report on the nature of this brand and its expansion plans for the UK. Franchising, food to go and pizza toppings are featured, and the increasingly important topics of food waste and allergies are also discussed.

Tony Lorimer 01291 636333 tony@papa.org.uk

J & M Group, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow, NP16 5DB. Opinions expressed in Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of J&M Group, Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food magazine or The Pizza & Pasta Association. No responsibility is accepted for the opinions of contributors. Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food is published by J&M group Ltd. and supports The Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Association. It is circulated to managers, executives, buyers, retailers and traders in the pizza and pasta business. © J&M Group Ltd. 2012

CLARE BENFIELD EDITOR clare@jandmgroup.co.uk

Contents NEWS

PREVIEWS

4 Pizza chefs ready to take centre stage at IFE.

16 IFE13 – A taste of Italy comes to the UK!

5 Tests ordered and products withdrawn after horse and pig DNA found.

6 Casual Dining trade show welcomed for 2014.

10 Growth in Parma ham sales is exportdriven.

PAPA 13 PAPA news.

FEATURES 24 Spicy, tasty and trendy – pizza topping predictions for 2013.

50 Parizza – the French pizza and pasta show.

ARTICLES 32 Think, eat, save – the global campaign to tackle the increasingly unsustainable culture of food waste.

38 Vapiano’s vision - the ‘fresh casual’ food concept with its eye on the UK. 52 Allergies – a matter of life or death.

PROFILES 34 The pasta masters – Carnevale’s fresh pasta brand, Pasta & Pasta.

54 Pizza My World – Franco Caroleo, Kudos.

42 Big business – the expansion plans of the high street pizza chains.

REGULARS

46 ‘To go’ temptations – gourmet extras and impulse buy ideas.

56 Index of PAPA registered suppliers.

12 New products.

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news

Pizza chefs ready to take centre stage at IFE Papa John’s teams up with Welcome Break Papa John’s has announced that it will be teaming up with Welcome Break to open eleven pizza outlets across the UK’s motorway network, and is already serving up pizza to motorway travellers in Welcome Break services located in Abington Scotland, Gretna Green, Keele, Hopwood Park, Gordano, Leicester Forest East, South Mimms, Cobham, Oxford and Fleet.

“Welcome Break has a footfall of around 80 million people a year,” explained Dave Galvin, UK franchise sales manager, Papa John’s.“We are delighted that such a trusted brand has recognised the quality of Papa John’s pizza and selected the franchise to be rolled out within multiple outlets. We are keen to grow the number of Papa John’s stores throughout the UK and our deal with Welcome Break is part of this strategy. For our existing franchisees, the increased brand awareness Papa John’s will gain will also further support their businesses throughout the country.”

Papa John’s is now the world’s third largest pizza chain. The company has around 4,000 stores across 33 countries and is the only major pizza chain to use only 100% fresh dough, giving a better natural flavour and a unique tomato sauce is made from the best Californian tomatoes, picked and packed from vine to can in just six hours.

“We trialled Papa John’s in Fleet and Oxford and were delighted with the results,” added Rod McKie, chief executive, Welcome Break.“Since mid-October we have opened two stores a week and plan to open further outlets in 2013.”

Papa John’s currently has 208 stores in the UK and more than 100 new stores are expected to be opened by them over the next few years, creating a substantial number of jobs. The brand reports that it currently has opportunities for potential franchisees throughout the UK, notably the key locations of Yorkshire, Manchester, West Midlands, East Midlands, South West, North East, Wales & Scotland (further information can be found at www.papajohns.co.uk/franchise).

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With a fresh new look, revised layout and interactive programme of events, IFE13 (17 to 20 March 2013, London ExCeL) – the UK’s premier food and drink exhibition – is set to excite the industry next month.

IFE13 is putting visitor attractions at the heart of the show floor to not only bring the event to life, but also encourage attendee participation and inspire debate. In particular, the exhibition will host not one, but two pizza championships in partnership with Campionato Mondiale della Pizza on the Meet the World stage.

The European Final of Giropizza of Europe will take place on Tuesday 19 March 2013, seeing up to 80 competitors in an exciting quick-fire pizza making competition. In just 10 minutes, Europe’s leading pizza chefs will have to make and bake their pizza, before serving it to an international jury of pizza experts.

On the following day, the UK Final of the World Pizza Championship will take to the stage. During the event, which is the preselection of the World Pizza Championship held in Parma (Italy) in April, 25 UK entrants from independent and major pizza chains will battle it out for their place in the final. This is the first time that either event has taken place in the UK, so will make for an impressive feature at IFE as chefs spin, stretch and top their pizzas.

IFE13 will also celebrate some of the best in new product development with its award scheme Fresh Ideas. With one entry crowned the winner at the show, visitors will be able to explore the most innovative product launches

Some of Europe’s best pizzaioli will be in competition at IFE.

on The Boulevard in order to see where new opportunities lie for their businesses.

Alongside this, The Hub will house a comprehensive programme of seminars and presentations for visitors keen to gain valuable insights. This seminar theatre will see the sectors’ leading figures, including David Heath MP, Chair of the London Food Board Rosie Boycott, WRAP and the Faraday Centre for Retail Excellence, share their views on important factors shaping the future of the food and drink sector.

At New Products Live, visitors will have the opportunity to hear about the latest in product innovation. In association with Mintel, the seminars will offer trend forecasting and analysis, as well as guided tastings so attendees can test products, whilst learning about changing consumer preferences and tastes (for more details on the show, how to register and its opening hours, visit www.ife.co.uk).

Domino’s sponsor Splash!

Domino’s Pizza has become a sponsor of ITV1’s new Saturday night peak time show - Splash! - which hit our TV screens on 5 January 2013.

The diving inspired reality TV show features Olympic bronze medallist diver Tom Daley as a mentor to the stars with each episode challenging some of the nation’s favourite celebrities to learn one of sport’s most difficult disciplines. All the high board action takes place in an Olympic size pool with a panel of expert judges and the general public voting for their favourites.

Simon Wallis, sales and marketing director at Domino’s said:“Our decision to sponsor this brand new show fits perfectly in line with our target audience, promoting Domino’s at the ideal time and in the right place. ITV has an impressive track record for

prime time family entertainment, and I’m sure Splash! won’t disappoint.”

Domino’s sponsorship of Splash! signals the latest phase of the brand supporting peak-time family shows (the pizza delivery brand has previously sponsored Britain’s Got Talent and Red or Black). The sponsorship package for Splash! was negotiated by ITV Commercial and Arena Media on behalf of Domino’s Pizza, with the sponsorship idents created by Big Communications.

February 2013

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news Tests ordered and products withdrawn after horse and pig DNA found Many retail food products containing beef were withdrawn from sale in January after Irish food inspectors found that they contained horsemeat, sparking a now Europe-wide scandal with fresh claims and revelations coming to light almost daily.

Initially, burgers containing horsemeat had been on sale in Tesco, Iceland and Lidl with the discovery prompting the FSA (Food Standards Agency) to organise a survey of beef products to test for the presence of horse or pig DNA (subsequently discovered in some apparently halal-certified food products supplied to the Ministry of Justice).

Since then, the FSA in conjunction with the Environment Agency went on to request that a group of some of the UK’s major food retailers carry out tests on all of their processed beef products within a week with the government warning the country that there “could be more bad news to come”,although as yet they have not identified any potential harm to public health, adding that an import ban on meat would be illegal under EU rules.

The problem is thought to be connected to the supply chain giving rise to the opportunity for the inclusion and presence of a particular meat species which may not always then go on to be – or indeed, required to be - specified and labelled as being present, with accusations that supply chains have become far too complex.

Consumers may well see 100% beef burgers advertised, yet in one instance a 29% horse meat level had been identified, according to the FSA, and in the case of some Findus beef lasagne, it was found to be closer to 100% horsemeat. Given the scale of the problem that has now affected most countries in Europe, a criminal conspiracy of some sort is now suspected with legal action under way. Reports from France claimed that the source of the horsemeat can be linked to two abattoirs in Romania, but Romania’s prime minister, Victor Ponta, has strongly denied this.

"On 16 January, we issued an unreserved apology to our customers because tests in Ireland found horse DNA in three Tesco frozen beef burger lines,” said Tim Smith, group technical director for Tesco.

"The evidence tells us that our frozen burger supplier, Silvercrest, used meat in our products that did not come from the list of approved suppliers we gave them. Nor was the meat from the UK or Ireland, despite our instruction that only beef from the UK and Ireland should be used in our frozen beef burgers. Consequently we have decided not to take products from that supplier in future. We took that decision with regret but the breach of trust is simply too great.

"To underpin the strong measures already in place, we will now introduce a comprehensive system of DNA testing across our meat products.

This will identify any deviation from our high standards.”

3663 also withdrew its McColgan Quality Foods Limited halal pastry products from distribution to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ).

“Following recent publicity concerning content of horsemeat in the consumer goods food chain, 3663 recognised a potential connection between a halal beef producer mentioned within the FSAI (Food Safety Authority of Ireland) report and a supplier of halal savoury beef pastry products stocked for the MOJ. We took immediate steps to inform the MOJ of this potential connection purely as a precautionary measure and together took the decision that these halal savoury beef pastry products should be quarantined to prevent their use pending DNA testing,” said 3663’s group managing director, Alex Fisher, in a statement.

The UK’s equine charity, the British Horse Society (BHS), says the 2012 DEFRA decision to withdraw funding from the National Equine Database, and the subsequent loss of that database, has given rise to concerns that it is in any case perfectly possible for contaminated horsemeat to enter the human food chain.

All horses must have a passport which contains details of the drugs that a horse is given during its lifetime. If a horse receives certain drugs such as bute, it may not be slaughtered for human consumption due to fears over the effects of these drugs on people (although the Chief Medical Officer for England, Dame Sally Davies, has stated that even if bute is present, it is likely to be in such low levels so as not to pose a

threat). However, with no central database to facilitate these checks it is now possible for a horse to be issued with two passports - one in which medication is recorded, and an apparently ‘clean’ one to be presented at the time of slaughter – thereby allowing a medicated horse to be passed as fit for consumption, claim the BHS. Rather than coming from animals ethically raised specifically for the purpose, horsemeat produced in the UK tends to come from horses that are surplus to requirements as a direct result of Britain’s equine overpopulation problem, report the BHS. Unchecked and indiscriminate breeding have resulted in thousands of horses with little or no value and a shortage of responsible and knowledgeable owners willing to care for them, claim the charity. Frequently it is these animals that end up at the abattoir and the BHS believes that tackling overpopulation should be the focus rather than debating the issue of consuming horsemeat (the BHS has been raising awareness for a number of years via its “Think Before You Breed” campaign, but say there is still a long way to go).

“Once an animal has died, there is the issue of what to do with a horse’s carcass given their size and the fact that it is, in most circumstances, both illegal and impractical to bury them. Equine cremation services do exist but for many people are prohibitively expensive, leaving sending their horse for meat as the only practical option,” said a spokesperson for the BHS in statement.

This month, Asda is believed to have withdrawn four frozen burger products supplied to it by a Northern Ireland supplier, Freeza Meats.

Bolognese and lasagne products from the French supplier, Comigel, have been withdrawn

by Tesco and Aldi after concerns were raised over labelling issues and these products not conforming to specification. Comigel advised the two supermarkets to withdraw Findus Beef Lasagne and Aldi’s Today’s Special Bolognese, with Tesco also opting to remove their Everyday Value Spaghetti Bolognese as well. A slaughterhouse in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, and a meat firm near Aberystwyth have also been visited by FSA officials and the police.

Papa John’s launches new spring additions Papa John’s pizza says that it has revitalised its menu in time for spring with a new selection of pizzas and desserts, as well as a signature extra for every customer in 2013.

New pizzas include the buffalo chicken pizza – a savoury combination of creamy ranch sauce, breadcrumb coated chicken, crispy bacon and fresh sliced onions - and the tuna deluxe pizza. The pizza company has also decided to reintroduce the pepperoncini - a pickled chili pepper complimentary with every pizza, to kick start

www.papa.org.uk

the launch of the new dishes.

The dessert selection has been completely overhauled to include a mouthwatering range of desserts such as toffee apple crumble, a giant chocolate chip cookie and a chocolate brownie made with Belgian chocolate.

Andrew Gallagher, marketing director for Papa John’s UK, said:“The new additions to our menu reflect the traditions of Papa John’s while offering customers new tastes that we’re sure will be a hit. We pride ourselves on

A new buffalo chicken pizza will be on the menu at Papa John’s.

staying true to the same values and philosophy that made the company such a success worldwide, and these new additions continue this commitment.”

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news

Casual Dining trade show welcomed for 2014 Diversified Business Communications UK, organisers of the highly successful and award-winning lunch! exhibition, have announced the launch of a major new trade show, Casual Dining, to take place at the Business Design Centre in London from 26-27 February 2014.

The launch follows an extensive consultation process with leading industry operators and suppliers which concluded that there was a significant gap for a dedicated trade show aimed at the highly successful casual dining market in which the UK is rapidly becoming a world leader.

The UK’s high streets are dominated by well-known casual dining brands, such as Carluccio’s, PizzaExpress, wagamama, Strada, Nando’s, Gourmet Burger Kitchen

The Casual Dining web site has launched at www.CasualDining Show.co.uk.

and Cotê, whilst traditional pubs across the country have increasingly shifted their focus to concentrate on providing a quality food offering, ranging from national brands such as The Slug and Lettuce, Wetherspoons and O’Neill’s to independents and gastro pubs. The sector is conservatively estimated to be

Michael Harte appointed as Meadow Cheese MD As part of an on-going focus on growth in the UK, the Irish Dairy Board (IDB) has made some key appointments in the UK at its Dairy Trading & Ingredients Division.

Michael Harte has been promoted to managing director of Meadow Cheese Co., having worked as its commercial director for the past six years and held other key roles in the food industry from within commercial, purchasing and supply chain.

“Through investment in equipment, development and people, Meadow Cheese has moved from being a processor of cheese to an expert ingredients manufacturer, operating a comprehensive processing division based on innovation and quality,” commented Michael Harte. “I am looking forward to guiding the company in the future, forging close working relationships with customers to continue the growth that Meadow Cheese has experienced over the recent years” Michael Harte has become Meadow Cheese’s new MD.

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worth at least £5 billion.

The announcement has received universal support from leading industry operators, including Daniel Broude, group supply chain manager at Gondola Group, whose brands include Ask, PizzaExpress and Zizzi.“The Casual Dining show is a great concept, which deserves the full support of the industry. We have no doubt it will be very successful and look forward to attending,” he said.

Glendola Leisure Group’s group buyer Mark Bridge added: “The UK leads the way in casual dining and a dedicated trade show that brings together, and offers inspiration and solutions for, this important sector is well overdue.”

Other leading brands operating in the UK, including

Prezzo, Pizza Hut and Carluccio’s, have also welcomed the launch and said they look forward to attending.

“With the growth in the casual dining market, it about time we had our own dedicated trade show, I have no doubt it will be a great success and I look forward to visiting,” said Paul Lewis, executive chef of Prezzo.

With the tag line ‘Inspiring Innovation’, the event will feature a high profile seminar and keynote programme running alongside a trade exhibition of around 150 hand-picked companies who supply the broad range of innovative products required to run casual dining businesses, including food and drink, equipment, interior design, furniture, technology and table top.

Foodservice sector ready for growth in 2013 In its annual review of 2012, the foodservice consultancy, Horizons, say that despite experiencing another year of negative growth, the country’s foodservice operators had coped well to emerge in good shape for 2013 and the possibility of some growth in the market.

“The last few years have demonstrated that the majority of strong businesses survive, and that operators across all sectors and within the supply chain, have learned to cope. They have developed the systems, and mind-sets, that are effective in exceptionally tough times, and invested money in businesses that can actually deliver profit and growth,” said Horizons’ managing director Peter Backman.

Lack of growth in the market during 2012 was fuelled by restrained consumer confidence, largely due to fears over unemployment, felt Peter Backman. Low interest rates had also left consumers with less money in their pockets, which, together with intensive competition amongst foodservice operators, meant that people were becoming more choosey about where, and when, they ate out.

“The continued use of vouchers and money-off deals means that the battle for consumers continues, particularly amongst mid-spend, high street operators. Operators are also experiencing competition from the retail sector, where keenly priced meal deals are still popular,” added Peter Backman.

While 2012 was a significant year for tourism and the promotion of the UK as a tourism destination with the Queen’s Jubilee and the London Olympics, these events did

little to improve overall spend on eating out.

However, looking ahead to 2013 Horizons has some grounds for optimism.

“The overall position has been characterised by slow decline of the sector over the last few years – but we suspect that this has been a result of a certain amount of culling of inadequate operators. Some sort of bottom has now been reached or will be in early 2013. At some point during 2013 we expect consumer confidence to start returning and spend on eating out will start to rise again,” said Peter Backman.

The year ahead would be characterised by the continued need for operators, and suppliers, to attract consumers with innovation in terms of food offers and new service styles, which perhaps might include a more embracing return to all-you-can-eat buffet styles of service, feel Horizons.

Discounting will continue, but operators will be careful about how they target these offers and ensure the marketing behind them serves to build a stronger relationship with customers as well as maintaining their interest with special offers.

“We are unlikely to see operators abandoning discounts and money-off deals this year as consumer confidence needs to be more robust to sustain an effective price rise," concluded Peter Backman.

Horizons also predicts that ethical issues regarding sustainability, food provenance and ethical trading, which have become less important over the past few years, will once again come to the fore during 2013.

February 2013

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news Consumers prefer to pay a standard price, claims survey Consumers say they get better value for money by paying the standard price for a meal than when dining out with a voucher, according to the findings of the latest Taste of the Nation survey of 3,000 adults by business advisory firm Deloitte and research consultancy BDRC Continental.

In the survey, 26% of consumers rated the value for money of their meal as excellent when they had paid full price, compared with just 19% when using a voucher.

The survey also found a similar pattern across all of the factors considered important to consumers about their dining experience. 32% said customer service was excellent when paying standard price, compared with 22% when using vouchers.

Similarly, 30% rated the quality of food as top notch, versus just 22% of those using a voucher. Quality of food is ranked the number one priority for consumers when eating out. Additionally, 22% rated the range of food as excellent when paying full price, compared with 17% when using a voucher.

Jon Lake, a corporate finance director in the licensed retail group at Deloitte, commented:“Although you would expect a stronger range when paying full price, consumers expect the quality of food to be the same whether they use a voucher or not. When they do use a voucher, consumers expect it to represent better value for money, a not unreasonable expectation.

“Our survey highlights a significant disconnect between consumer expectation and their actual experience. It suggests vouchers are failing to deliver if consumers’ experiences when they are using them are perceived as worse value for money than non-voucher occasions.”

Customers are also much more likely to recommend a venue after a standard price dining occasion than one where a voucher is used (34% versus 22%), claim the researchers, further reinforcing the view that vouchers are not always delivering on consumers’ expectations.

“When we conducted a similar survey a year ago, we found the majority (59%) of consumers have used a special offer voucher when eating out. At the time we questioned the over reliance of some outlets on vouchers. With vouchers an established feature of the eating out market, operators need to make sure that voucher occasions are competitive on more than just price if they are hoping to use them to attract more loyal customers.

A voucher can be a powerful tool when product and service levels remain high,” added Jon Lake.

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Six new recruits land jobs with Papa John’s A new recruitment partnership has served up new jobs for six previously unemployed people in Rutherglen after employment and skills experts, Working Links, teamed up with pizza chain Papa John’s to help people get back into work.

The six have started work at the chain’s new store in Rutherglen after receiving tailored training ready for their new roles via the flagship Work Programme. One to have found work was Rosaleen McQuarrie.

“I was out of work for three and a half years. It was quite a struggle to get back to work but the skills gained at Working Links really helped, particularly the interview skills as I hadn’t had an interview in years. I love my new job and am progressing really well,” said Rosaleen McQuarrie.

Managing director of the Papa John’s outlet, Paul McDermott, said: “I was contacted

by Working Links directly. They were very helpful, screened many applicants and submitted nearly 50 for interview. I wasn’t sure what to expect but was overwhelmed by the quality of candidates that came for interviews.

“I could easily have employed twice as many people had I had positions and will certainly use Working Links for future positions within the business.”

Jim Baird, employer services manager at

Left, Papa John’s manager, Tom McCubbine, and new employee, Rosaleen McQuarrie.

Working Links, added: “Staff training is the bedrock of Papa John’s success, and this starts with their recruitment process, quickly followed by extensive training so candidates are ready to hit the ground running.

“We’re very proud of our relationship with the company and we’ll be working with them to place more people in work over the coming months.”

Working Links delivers the UK government’s Work Programme initiative across Scotland, helping long-term unemployed people get back to work and helping employers get the right staff for their businesses (to find out more, call 0800 917 9262 or visit www.workinglinks.co.uk).

New farm produced, half fat lower sodium cheese The Cheese Warehouse, suppliers of cheese to the foodservice industry, has joined forces with master cheesemaker, specialising in healthy cheeses, Cricketer Farm to develop a new half fat, lower sodium cheese specifically for the catering industry.

Part of the Eatwell Cheese range, West Country Cheese (Cheddar style) has 50% less fat and 30% less sodium than full fat cheddar, say the firm, but still provides the cooking functionality required in the demanding foodservice sector.

Suitable for all cooking applications, West Country Cheese can be used as an ingredient in both hot and cold recipes as well as a topping for pizza and as a sandwich or panini filling, suggest the company.

West Country Cheese was initiated in response to the government’s Responsibility Deal, Salt Reduction Targets and Calorie Reduction Pledge, designed to help improve the health of the nation. And as developers of commercial cheese applications, the Cheese Warehouse says that it was able to apply its technical knowledge to Cricketer Farm’s farmhouse cheese making methods to produce a

product with the provenance demanded by today’s consumers, all the taste of traditional cheese, but with the lower fat and salt content that caterers – particularly in schools, hospitals and other contract catering outlets - are required to deliver.

During development, the new cheese was extensively trialled using various sodium replacements with the final product using LoSo One Grain sodium replacement to retain the best flavour, texture and cooking capabilities. The finished product was trialled in two primary schools where it was used to replace the equivalent full fat cheese in all recipes for a week.

West Country Cheese is available in a range of formats to suit foodservice requirements including grated, crumb diced, sliced or block.

February 2013

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news

Growth in Parma ham sales is export-driven Pre-sliced Parma ham has maintained its strong upward trend of the last few years with 2012 being another memorable year due to an exceptionally high growth rate driven by an excellent export performance, reports Italy’s Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma.

Some 1,400,000 hams bearing the ducal crown were sliced in the production of more than 72 million packs of certified Parma ham - an overall increase of 7% compared with the previous year, say the Consorzio.

International markets account for 73% of Parma ham in presliced packs with a 10% increase in 2012, exceeding one million sliced hams for the first time. The remaining 27% instead was taken up by the Italian market which remained more or less stable in comparison with 2011 at around 400,000 pieces.

“The pre-sliced segment has proved once more to be the

The UK is the leading market for Parma ham and demand remains steady, but new markets continue to open up.

driving force for our growth with the potential for further high growth if we consider Eastern Europe in particular,” commented Paolo Tanara, president of the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma.

“The EU market remains the principal outlet for our exports, today accounting for 87%.

“In 2012, for example, it was countries of central Europe such as Germany, Austria and Holland which recorded the best performances but we also saw the opening of new markets such as Qatar, Turkey, Senegal, Panama and Puerto Rico.”

With regards to the

international markets, Great Britain retained its position as the leading market for Parma Ham, but volumes remained the same as the year before, even though they are very high with more than 300 thousand hams and more than 18 million pre-sliced packs sold. At the same time, growth is continuing in Germany which exceeded 180 thousand pieces and 9 million packs, report the Consorzio. There was a slight fall in northern countries, while outside Europe excellent results were achieved in Russia, Japan and particularly in Australia.

The slicing and packaging operations of Parma ham are carried out in thirty laboratories located in the production area and under the control of the Istituto Parma Qualità inspectors, a mandatory operation to guarantee full traceability and authenticity of the product to consumers.

Top export award for Fracino Fracino, the British espresso machine company with the Italian-sounding name that is marking its fiftieth anniversary this year, has been crowned the UK’s Number 1 Manufacturer and UK’s Outstanding Exporter.

The Birmingham-based firm clinched the UK’s Winner of Winners Award and Outstanding Export Award from the UK manufacturers association EEF. The accolades acknowledges the trailblazing success of the UK’s only espresso and cappuccino machine manufacturer which sells coffee machines to the Italians, engraving a British flag on every machine which leaves the factory!

Launched in a garden shed by founder Frank Maxwell in October 1963, the third generation family business which now employs 40 people on the Wyrley Road Trading Estate just off the M6 in Birmingham - scooped the EEF’s Midlands Outstanding Export title to clinch a place in the national line-up.

The Winner of Winners Award is the highest honour the EEF can bestow on a British manufacturer and reflects how, in four years, Fracino has built a global export business with exports representing 25% of turnover in 2012 and on course to account for 33% of

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turnover this year.

From a virtual standing start in 2008 when Ireland was the company’s only exporting partner, the manufacturer now exports to over 50 countries, having expanded its export horizons to countries including Australia, Russia, Peru, Spain, Finland and Romania.

The business has also been praised at the highest level by Prime Minister David Cameron who, in a speech on exporting and growth in November 2011, said: “It’s not just the film industry where Britain is excelling – Fracino in Birmingham is selling coffee machines to Italy.”

The awards’ headline sponsor, Neil Cunniffe of Infor with Frank Maxwell and Adrian Maxwell of Fracino and Declan Curry the event’s compere.

The innovative SAGA One-Up Express in use on a contact grill.

New cooking paper launched for foodservice Responding to the continued growth of UK’s food-to-go market, Saga, a brand from Metsä Tissue, has entered the UK foodservice market with the launch of its new cooking paper - Saga One-Up Express - designed to save the caterer time and money.

Now available to the UK foodservice market from Terinex Limited (www.terinex.co.uk) with plans to introduce more products from the range later this year, the paper is ideal for the food-to-go market say the company, with one sheet of Saga One-Up Express cooking paper able to be used throughout the food preparation process from preparation, storage, cooking and heating through to customer presentation.

Perfect for paninis and other warm snacks, using contact grills, microwave ovens and rapid cooking systems, Saga One-Up Express also protects the equipment from direct contact with food while still allowing grill strips to remain visible on the product and minimising food odours, and can be used at temperatures up to 220°C. February 2013

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news

SHORTS Fast food ban near schools?

The chief medical officer for Wales, Dr Ruth Hussey, has called for a ban on fast food outlets near schools, saying that by keeping children in school at lunchtime and offering a healthy meal, it would help to tackle obesity. The Welsh government is said to be considering whether or not such legislation would help deal with obesity with Dr Hussey believing that a ban on applications for fast food outlets near schools could make a difference if schoolchildren could access healthy school meals at lunchtime.

New Brakes director for the West Mike Park has been appointed as Brakes’ business unit director for the West region, joining from Palmer & Harvey where he was retail sales director. He will be responsible for ensuring Brakes continues to deliver top quality customer service to both existing and new customers, and joins fellow unit directors Mark Bruce (who covers Scotland), Richard Palentine (who looks after the North), Richard Jones (who oversees the East region) and Kevin Hughes (who looks after Woodward Foodservice).

ISO certification for C&C Catering Equipment Specialist kitchen contractor, C&C Catering Equipment, have announced that they have been awarded both the ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001: 2004 accreditations. In order to gain this approval, C&C had to demonstrate a quality management system where they are able to consistently provide a service that meets their customers' needs, while ensuring they also meet the applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

A first for Grossi On 6 March 2013, Grossi Wines report that they will host their first ever Portfolio event in London, at No. 4 Hamilton Place, Mayfair. Their entire family of artisan wine producers will be flying in from Italy to present their wines throughout the day, and they will also welcome Tim Atkin MW and Dr Tullio Zangrando for Italian wine and beer masterclasses. On the day, lunch will be created by No. 4's caterers with the consultancy of Francesco Mazzei and Lello of L'Anima restaurant, and Qualitasse will present their gorgeous coffee from Hausbrandt in Treviso.

A Chianti showcase 5 March 2013 will see the Enoteca Turi restaurant in London host a wine tasting devoted to Chianti. Many still remember the Chianti flask - that unmistakeable bottle in a straw casing often ending up as a candle holder in the local trattoria - but thankfully, say the restaurant the taste of those wines is a fading memory! In the last 30 years the Consorzio del Chianti has recognised the need to change the obsolete regulation, enabling the producers of Chianti to create world class wines. Rocca di Montegrossi, Querciabella, Fontodi, Felsina Berardenga and Montecalvi will be represented.

Tuttofood partnership The Italian food show, Tuttofood, has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with ASSICA, the Association which unites producers in the meat and cured meat sector. In effect starting from the 2013 edition (19-22 May 2013) of the fair and valid until 2021, the agreement includes an exclusive national right, according to which the Association can participate solely at the Milan-based food exhibition and no others, the aim of the agreement being to create an event that can bring together the sector’s opinion makers.

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Brand recognition award for Lavazza Lavazza has been awarded with the Brand Recognition Award at the sixth annual UK – Italy Business Awards ceremony, held in Milan, and which formally recognises Italian excellence in companies and individuals focused on innovation in their field within the UK market.

Lavazza won the brand accolade in acknowledgement of its work over the last 20 years to establish itself in the UK as the symbol of espresso coffee and Italian authenticity. In recent years, Lavazza has consolidated its position in the British market, thanks to the launch of the A Modo Mio capsule system, as well as the opening of several Lavazza Espression coffee shops and its sponsorship of Wimbledon Championships.

Lavazza’s UK arm was established in 1989 and can now claim to be the market leader in the premium espresso coffee sector (roast and ground), with 86.5% share (volume) and 79% (value) (source: Nielsen Mat Dec 2011).

“Not only is Lavazza Italy’s favourite coffee, it is also a brand of choice of Londoners, with a 14% share in terms of the volume

Luca Piccini (centre) managing director of Lavazza Coffee UK receiving the award on behalf of Lavazza UK from Vic Annells, HM Consul General and Director General of UKTI Italy (left) and Christopher Prentice CMG, HM Ambassador to Italy (right).

of the Roast & Ground espresso market in the London region,” said Luca Piccini, managing director of Lavazza UK. “Wimbledon is a major initiative for us, and we have used this opportunity to demonstrate Lavazza’s strength in the Awayfrom-Home market. Furthermore, the sampling initiatives scheduled during the tournament give even more people the opportunity to taste the Lavazza coffee and decide they want to reproduce this experience at home, enabled by the A Modo Mio coffee machines.”

new product MCE Insurance’s fleet policy perfect solution for basilico MCE Insurance is one of the few insurance companies in the market to offer specialist delivery bike insurance for entire fleets, and more and more fast food outlets are taking advantage of the excellent insurance offers at MCE with Geoff Parsons (chief executive of Londonbased pizza chain, basilico), recently moving all his bikes to one group policy.

“Beforehand, I had all my delivery bikes set up on a number of different policies and this became more and more difficult to manage as my business expanded. I have been working with MCE Insurance for a number of years

now and went to them to see what they could do for me,” said Geoff.“I was opening a new restaurant and wanted all the delivery bikes across my business to be on one group policy. MCE sorted this out for me and I’m delighted with the outcome as my insurance is now much easier to manage. The flexibility of the group policy is great and gives me just one renewal date a year.”

Like others, Geoff is experiencing the great benefits of a fleet insurance policy from the title sponsor of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Series (call 0844 338 68 09 or visit www.mcebikes.com).

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news Princes signs partnership agreement with Italian pasta supplier, Ferrara Princes, the UK-headquartered food and drink group, has signed a supply partnership agreement with Pastificio Guido Ferrara SPA (Ferrara), a leading Italian producer of dried pasta in an agreement that is part of a strategy to more than double Princes’ sales of customer own brand and branded pasta in the European market over the next five years.

Ferrara, a long-term supplier to Princes, operates one of the most modern and well-invested pasta factories in Italy. The company, founded by ancestors of the Ferrara family in 1883, and managed today by the fifth generation of the family, has invested €40m in the past five years into its production site in Naples which has the capacity to make 150,000 metric tonnes of pasta annually. Ferrara intends to continue to invest in its production site and aims to increase capacity to 250,000 metric tonnes in the next 12 months.

The partnership brings together the pasta production capabilities of Ferrara with the supply credentials of Princes to offer reliable, quality products and a leading supply option to the grocery market.

“This new partnership agreement with Ferrara is further evidence of our commitment to expand our international operations and build strong supply partnerships,” said Ken Critchley, managing director of Princes.“Our vision is to continue to enhance Princes’ capability, expertise and supply chain excellence across numerous markets to better serve our customers. We have an ambitious strategy to continue to strengthen our supply chains through partnership and selective acquisitions.”

Luca Ferrara, chief executive of Pastificio Guido Ferrara, said:“Our new partnership with Princes reflects our global strategy of working with leading partners and is a signal of both companies’ ambition to jointly grow pasta sales to new customers, markets and territories. We already have a very strong relationship with

www.papa.org.uk

Promoting Campaign plans PAPA’s Management Committee is currently considering ways of developing a generic promotion campaign using the Association’s new consumer website – www.youlikeitalian.com – to help drive sales and support members.

The new web site is up-and-running and the intention is that a programme of competitions and promotions linked to members through QR codes will be launched through the site shortly.

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Princes and look forward to working with the company over the coming years.”

The partnership with Ferrara is part of Princes’ plan to strengthen its continental European supply base and is its second major partnership in Italy within the last 12 months.

Princes is involved in the manufacture, import and distribution of branded and customer own brand products. Its brands and products span over 20 different categories including fish, meat, fruit, vegetables and soups, pastes, pasta, cooking sauces, edible oils and a broad range of soft drinks (the company’s brands include Aqua Pura, Crisp ‘n Dry, Crosse & Blackwell Farrows, Jucee, Napolina, Shippam’s and Vier Diamanten, as well as the Princes brand itself).

The Princes group employs over 6,000 people, operates 14 production sites, deals with more than 600 suppliers worldwide and is on target to achieve annual sales in excess of £2 billion.

The group’s customers include major supermarkets, convenience stores, foodservice operators, wholesale suppliers and other food manufacturers. The company also supplies high quality copacking services to selected brand owners.

In May 2012, Princes formed Princes Industrie Alimentari SrL (PIA) with long-term Italian tomato supply partner, AR Industrie Alimentari SpA (ARIA).

The new company, which is majority (51%) owned by Princes, acquired ARIA’s 120,000 square metre processing factory in Foggia, one of the most modern and efficient ambient tomato processing facilities in Europe.

PIA is expected to generate annual sales of more than €200 million, employs up to 1,200 people at its seasonal peak and processes in the region of 300,000 tonnes of fresh tomatoes annually.

VAT Reduction Campaign The Association has held a meeting recently with Jacques Borel, who is leading a campaign to get VAT reduced in restaurants and takeaways to 5%. PAPA Secretariat is currently talking to members about providing support for the campaign. It is hoped that the UK Treasury will agree to a reduction this autumn with implementation in 2014.

Change4Life anger The Association has challenged the Department of Health over its recent Change4Life advertising campaign in which it claims pizzas contain a wine-glass full of fat. Research by the Association suggests that this generalisation is incorrect as many pizzas do not have anything like this amount of fat in them. A meeting is being held with the Department to take this up. The Association is also concerned that the Department repeatedly presents pizzas as unhealthy in its advertising.

Primary Authority status The Association is in discussion with the Better Regulation Delivery Office and Monmouthshire County Council about taking on primary authority status for the pizza, pasta and Italian food industry.

Legislation is expected to be passed through Parliament in October that will allow trade Associations to take on a primary role to represent industries and their members. One of the benefits of this approach is that PAPA would be able to deal with industry-wide issues to establish greater consistency in the approach of enforcement authorities.

PAPA awards The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Industry Awards will be returning to the Lancaster Hotel, London on 14th November this year.

Innovation award for Atlantic Foods Atlantic Foods collected a coveted accolade at the 2012 Domino’s Pizza Suppliers’ Conference - the Innovation Award (Atlantic Foods supplies Domino’s with a cross section of key products such as value added chicken, sauces and desserts).

“We have had several wins across all categories and won the award for our commitment to innovation, speed of reaction and constant support within the NPD function,” said Atlantic Foods’, group development director, David Grainger.

“With prices edging upwards we are seeing a subtle but

significant change in the way operators are going about innovation and NPD. It no longer revolves so much around the creation of brand new products, but more around different ways of presenting existing ones. Whilst development remains a joint effort between the operator and supplier, the tough economic climate means that many operators are increasingly looking to their suppliers to have a greater input into their innovation and development programmes. This award is, I believe, recognition of our ability to do just that.”

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Acqua di Chef kicks off 2013 contest For a second year running, the well-known Italian water brand, Ferrarelle, has announced its sponsorship of Acqua di Chef – an independent culinary competition judged by leading Italian industry figures, including Gennaro Esposito (Chef Patron of renowned restaurant Torre del Saracino) and Max Bergami (Professor at MBA Food & Wine of the University of Bologna).

For the first time, the prestigious Acqua di Chef is not only open to Italian chefs living in Italy, but also those working abroad. Testing both taste and imagination, the contest works to the 2013 theme of Scatti di Chef (chef’s snapshots). This follows last year’s focus on filming food, won by Giuseppe Iannotti of Kresios Restaurant in Telese Terme, Italy.

The competition challenges chefs to come up with an original dish that uses water as a main ingredient. Once created, each dish must be photographed it in all its splendour before being uploaded to the Acqua di Chef website

ahead of the closing date (24 May 2013).

There are three different entry categories – Piatto (still life pictures of a water-based dish, along with a recipe), Chef (the portrait of a chef aquatically inspired, along with a recipe) and Concept (the artistic photo of a water-based culinary concept, along with a recipe). Each category will have a separate winner, which will go on to receive a prize that includes a weekend break in a beautiful Italian spa resort and the inclusion of the winning recipe and image in the Acqua di Chef publication and time-lapse video.

Ferrarelle export area manager, Maria Rosaria Tufo, commented:“We’re delighted to be sponsoring Acqua di Chef for a second year running as it recognises a number of our core values - gastronomy, fine food and hospitality.

We recognise that there are many talented Italian chefs living in the UK, so are pleased to be able to open this inventive competition to

Clean filters in a quick, ergonomic way A device which removes the coffee grounds from the filter quickly and to perfection, claim its designers, without the noise and the effort required by the classic hand-shaking of the filter, as well as with no dispersion of the grounds, has been launched.

Called Pro-Fondi, it is an exclusive, patented, electrical device created by Ambrodesign, and speeds up the extraction of the coffee grounds and optimises professional machine filter cleaning thanks to the action of three rotating blades.

It has also been designed to be installed next to the espresso machine. It is sufficient to drill a 10cm diameter hole on the counter top, and then insert into it the steel cylinder containing the brushes, from which, in the underlying part, hangs a bag

where the coffee grounds fall by gravity, without dispersion. This means that the platform does not get dirty, say the designers, but, above all, there is no proliferation of insects caused by the grounds that filter below it.

Periodic maintenance is not required, but rather a few seconds' daily cleaning with a special brush at the end of service so as to remove the residues from the inside of the steel cylinder walls.

Ergonomics is one of its major advantages, feel its designers, the operator's arm is no longer subjected to stresses and shocks causing inflammation of the joints.

It is already present in more than 700 businesses with illycaffè having most recently purchased 100 to install at its premises (a video of how it works can be seen at www.pro-fondi.com).

Rhubarb pannacotta ice cream launched West Yorkshire artisan ice cream producer Yummy Yorkshire has joined forces with fellow Yorkshire business, E Oldroyd & Sons Ltd, to launch a new rhubarb flavoured ice cream as part of its commitment to buy and champion Yorkshire produce.

The new Rhubarb Pannacotta ice cream flavour is made using Timperley Early rhubarb, grown by Leeds based E Oldroyds & Sons, who are also known as the ‘champion of forced rhubarb producers’ and are listed as a Rick Stein Food Hero Producer.

The rhubarb, which is one of the most popular and earliest commercial varieties, is stewed by hand and then rippled

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throughout a pannacotta base ice cream made using the milk and cream from Yummy Yorkshire’s 150 strong Holstein herd at its farm near Denby Dale.

The result is a rich, creamy, pannacottaflavoured ice cream with a tangy, clean aftertaste, say the companies.

them. Ferrarelle is the sparkling water of choice in Italy, so it only seems right that we’re involved in Acqua di Chef – after all, it is designed for Italians, by Italians!”

Ferrarelle naturally sparkling mineral water is bottled straight from the source in Riardo, Italy.

Due to the nearby Roccamonfina volcano, the rich soil imparts precious minerals into the water, which is comprehensively monitored by 615 analytical controls each day.

When it comes to the taste, Ferrarelle, say that their water is a great accompaniment to food due to the fact that its natural bubbles are soft and smooth on the palate, making it a favourite amongst chefs whilst cooking (for more information on Acqua di Chef, visit http://acquadichef.com/ index.php/ the-contest/).

Get your jacket, you’ve pulled!

If you’re bored of buttons and plagued by press studs, then help is at hand thanks to two new pull-on style chef’s jackets from Tibard.

Available in white or black, the long sleeve jackets are made from a mixture of 65% polyester and 35% cotton and have a split cuff and a mandarin collar. Easy to slip on or off at the beginning or end of a shift, claim Tibard, the new jackets make lost buttons and missing studs a thing of the past, also saving on the cost of returns and repairs and keep the chef looking neat and tidy.

The jackets come in four sizes – small, medium, large and extra-large – and are priced at £14.25 for the white version and £16.25 for the black (both can be purchased direct from the Tibard on-line shop at www.tibard.co.uk).

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A taste of Italy

comes to the UK! IFE (17 to 20 March 2013, London ExCeL) - the UK’s biggest and most respected food and drink trade exhibition - will have a special focus on all things Italian this March. As well as a pavilion housing exhibitors with Italian heritage, IFE will also be working in partnership with Campionato Mondiale della Pizza to host not one, but two prestigious pizza competitions – the UK Final of the World Pizza Championship, and the European Final of Giropizza of Europe.

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preview Exhibitors from Italy ALIS SRL (Walk the World, Stand N5206) AZ. AGR. ALESSANDRO MORINI (Walk the World, Stand N5206) AZ. AGR. LEONARDI GIOVANNI (Walk the World, Stand N5206) AZ. AGR. LOSCHI ENRICO (Walk the World, Stand N5206 Bonomi Spa (Walk the World, Stand N5306) Bontà Lucane (Walk the World, Stand N5306) BRAZZALE SPA (Walk the World, Stand N5306 Product of Food Commerce Srl (General Food, Stand S4740) CASABELLA SRL (Walk the World, Stand N5206) Colavita Spa (Walk the World, Stand N5306) DEVODIER PROSCIUTTI (Walk the World, Stand N5206) Distillati Group Srl (Drinks, Stand S4213) Dolceria Alba Srl (Bakery & Confectionery, Stand S2860) ENOTECA REGIONALE EMILIA ROMAGNA (Walk the World, Stand N5206) FATTORIA MONTICINO ROSSO (Walk the World, Stand N5206) Favellato Srl (General Food, Stand S4420) Finagricola Soc. Coop. (Walk the World, Stand N5220) Frantoio Bianco Snc (Walk the World, Stand N5206) GEA S.R.L (General Food, Stand S4420) Gias (General Food, Stand S4420) Italian Food Worldwide (General Food, Stand S6207) La Veneta Az. Agr. Srl (Walk the World, Stand N5206) Maga Food Srl (Walk the World, Stand N5206) M.A.R.S. SRL (Walk the World, Stand N5206) Morgante S.p.A (Meat & Seafood, Stand N3065 Organizzazione Vittorio Caselli Srl (Walk the World, Stand N5206) Pedon S.p.A (General Food, Stand S4420) Prodotti Alimentari Fioravanti (General Food, Stand S4516) REGIONE EMILIA ROMAGNA (Walk the World, Stand N5206) RONCADIN Spa (Walk the World, Stand N5220) Sagem Srl (Walk the World, Stand N5220) SOC. AGRICOLA FOSSA MALA (Walk the World, Stand N5220) SOC. AGR. RANDI SS (Walk the World, Stand N5206) Surgital S.P.A. (General Food, Stand S4816) TENUTA LA PICCOLA SOC. AGR. SRL (Walk the World, Stand N5206) Unioncamere Emilia Romagna (Walk the World, Stand N5206) Zanetti Spa (Walk the World, Stand N5306) International flavour With a fresh new look, revised layout and interactive programme of events, 1200 exhibitors are expected at the show, meaning that opportunities to do business will be plentiful.

Italian exhibitors including Prodotti Alimentari Fioravanti (stand S4516), Surgital (stand S4816), Dolceria Alba (stand S2860), Food Commerce SRL (stand S4740) and Italian drinks supplier Distillati Group (stand S4213) will be joined by wellknown brands from around the world such as Tabasco (stand S2919), Tipiak SA (stand S6144) and Peppadew (S4716).

In addition, there will be a raft of first-time exhibitors attending

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from countries as far ranging as Morocco, Japan, Sweden and the USA, as well as food and drink companies from closer to home in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Italian cuisine at IFE13 The Italian Pavilion - an area dedicated to the passion and simplicity of Italian cuisine - will be a hub for visitors to discover new flavours and products from all over Italy, including a pavilion of producers from EmiliaRomagna. Whether it’s the finest meats, pasta or sauces, the pavilion will be the best place to learn how to combine the freshest ingredients to bring out the natural flavour of food.

Elsewhere on the show floor,

Diary date The European Final of Giropizza (Tuesday, 19 March 2013) The largest competition of its kind in Europe, Giropizza is a touring competition that takes place every year between October and March in eight different venues around Europe.

This elite pizza competition is now in its ninth year and has one aim – to find the best pizza in the house. In 2012, competitors from all over Europe including Italy, France,

other Italian products and ingredients will be showcased by a wealth of exhibitors. For example, Eat Balanced Ltd’s (stand S4076) award winning range of nutritionally balanced pizzas – which provide high levels of nutrients without compromising on flavour - are designed to offer a healthier pizza option, whereas La Tua Pasta (stand S4936) will be displaying its mouth-watering fresh pasta range, including Ravioloni, Tortellini and Gnocchi.

Kiril Mischeff Ltd (stand S4420) offers an extensive range of pizza ingredients, including pork shoulder, ham, spiced and un-spiced pizza sauce, anchovies, sweetcorn, onions, olives, capers and pineapple, whilst Taste of Sicily (stand S6115) will be showcasing ‘Pesto di Basilico’, a unique and much-loved taste, perfect for pizza and pasta dishes.

Over on stand S4605, Discover the Origin will be promoting the provenance and quality of Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese and genuine Parma ham, and the long established Donatantonio Ltd (stand S2935) will reveal products from their extensive range of pasta, tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegars, rice, couscous and vegetables.

Germany, Hungary, Spain and Luxembourg took part. At IFE13, 80 contestants from all over Europe will compete in a live, quick fire competition, to impress an expert jury with the sensory and aesthetic qualities of their products.

Pizza Championship and the European Final of Giropizza of Europe. Taking place on the Meet the World stage, located in the Walk the World section of the show, these events will provide a platform for visitors to gain inspiration and insight into how to create and market original pizzas.

The buoyant UK pizza industry continues to prove itself as one of the most resilient markets of recent times, able to offer an indulgent, yet affordable, meal for all occasions. This universal appeal has led to success stories in both the restaurant and takeaway sectors, whilst also representing a continually expanding business opportunity for anyone able to offer a fresh, A past European Pizza Championship winner and judge at this year’s competition, Mario Signorile.

The art of the pizzeria IFE13 will reflect the versatility and popularity of one of Italy’s most famous exports by staging both the UK Final of the World

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preview high quality, reasonably priced product. Therefore, it also makes it the perfect time to showcase some of the finest pizza making talent from around the world.

What’s on the menu?

Perfect dough, tantalising flavour and innovation are the key ingredients for success.

Daniel Favaro was declared as the winner of last year’s competition with his creation Bianco Carrara, a pizza that included mozzarella, Colonnata bacon, rocket and fresh tomatoes.

In 2010/2011, Mario Signorile won the competition with a pizza topped with cream of pumpkin flowers, garlic panure, Argentina garnels, confit tomatoes, taggiasche olive powder and buffalo mozzarella cheese – a creation he called Margot.

High profile participants at this year’s event include Antonio di Antonio, who was runner up in the 2012 European Pizza Championship, Giuliano Bucci, winner of the competition in 2009 and Emilio Bizzarri, the winner of last year’s World Pizza Championship.

Previous winner and judge at this year’s competition, Mario Signorile, has the following advice for prospective entrants.

“You have to constantly update your recipes - you must use your imagination when working in the kitchen,” he says. “For example, every week in my pizza shop I invent new recipes to offer customers, something innovative, with high quality dough that produces a fantastic end product.

One of the advantages of attending events like Giropizza is having the opportunity to learn about what other pizza makers are doing. Even now, I always take the time to spy on other chefs, try to steal their tricks and secrets so I can apply them to my work. The world of pizza is always changing, there are always new things to learn and the Giropizza competition is one of the best places to discover them.”

The versatility of pizza Pizza is no longer seen as just an affordable treat for the family, or a convenient solution to feeding a group of friends. Instead, it has inspired a new wave of traditions led by the elite gourmet food

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Diary date The UK final of the World Pizza Championship (Wednesday, 20 March 2013) On the last day of IFE13, the UK finalists of the World Pizza Championship will take to the stage, with British competitors pushing their pizza making skills to the limit in a bid to be chosen to represent the country at the finals in Italy on the 15-17 April.

The Championship is the longest running and bestattended pizza event in the world and annually attracts around 450 competitors from 30 different countries, including the U.S, Japan, Brazil, Germany, France

circuit, with fine dining restaurants now offering their own unique take on the creation of pizza. These establishments have been able to bring flair to the industry, offering daring combinations that let creativity and taste move to the forefront.

David Mandolin, events manager for Pizza New Spa (organisers of the competitions) commented: “IFE13 is the perfect platform to bring the World Pizza Championship to the UK for the

and Australia.

Christopher McCuin, IFE Event Director commented: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be hosting two of the most acclaimed pizza competitions in the world at IFE13. Not only will they bring huge buzz and excitement to the show, they are sure to provide great educational content and insight on key pizza trends for both exhibitors and visitors alike.”

first time. The entire food and drink industry will be under the same roof for three days and anyone looking to source new products and ideas for their business will not be disappointed by what the competition has to offer.”

“As our own recent ‘PAPAs’ the UK’s annual Pizza Pasta & Italian Food awards demonstrated, it was clear that quality counts more than ever before in terms of the ingredients

and skill used, as well as the increasingly innovative nature of the delivered product itself - be that a high end restaurant meal, or a home delivered pizza. Across the board, consumers are understandably placing greater emphasis on quality and authenticity, as well as value for money in these challenging economic times,” said Jim Winship, director of the Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association.

“So it was no surprise to us as a long-standing industry organisation and campaigner to learn that another institution - IFE – is looking forward to welcoming two very prestigious pizza making competitions here in London this year, as are we. Not only does this reflect how the UK market is now viewed on the international stage, it also offers great opportunities for new ideas to be showcased and for the chefs and ‘movers and shakers’ in the industry to network, but more importantly to be recognised for their continuing creativity.

“With our own pizza chef competition, we never cease to be amazed by what the pizza business – and in particular, its independent operators - comes up with next! And so we await the European final of Giropizza and the Pizza World Championship UK with great anticipation.”

If you are interested in entering the UK final of the World Pizza Championship, you need to apply as soon as possible (by the end of February at the latest) by calling 00 39 (0) 421 83148, or by visiting www.ife.co.uk/pizza and following the links to the application form).

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Advice from one who knows!

The Glasgow-based restaurateur, Domenico Crolla, has been both a pizza chef competition winner at home and abroad, as well as a judge. Based on his own personal experience, he has the following advice for pizza chefs in search of success at this year’s competitions.

Why bother entering?

I am always disappointed if I see a miserable turn out at a UK pizza contest. UK chefs don’t seem to share the enthusiasm that is seen abroad for entering pizza contests.

UK chefs, or pizza restaurants, don’t realise the marketing potential associated with winning.

Customers love eating a pizza from a champion pizza maker and it’s a great excuse for free publicity. Can you afford to let someone else claim to be the best pizza maker?

So give it a go!

I have been on both sides of the judging table, firstly as a winner at national and international contests, and now regularly as a pizza judge in Italy and America, and I would like to offer a few words of advice…

Think like a judge not a chef Imagine yourself sitting at the table waiting for the pizzas. Pizza after pizza... So yours has to look and taste different. Put yourself in the judge’s position and see if your pizza is still as good as you think it is. The judge has seen maybe hundreds of pizzas before yours so don’t turn up with the ordinary.

Think outside of the box (the pizza box! LOL) Answer the question Many times at school you were upset for spending so much time on an assignment to be told that you didn’t answer the question properly. This is also the case in pizza competitions. Sometimes you are asked to use a certain ingredient. Some chefs may use that ingredient but fail to understand that often one of the judges will be the sponsor of that topping and wants to see it used in a way that shows off the qualities of that ingredient to the fullest. He wants that ingredient to stand out and not be lost amongst other flavours. You will be marked more on your ability to use the ingredient and not necessarily the pizza itself. Even if you don’t like it.

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to sample your pizza. Show a bit of class and bring along your own plates and real cutlery for the judges. Your attention to detail will be appreciated. Offer napkins as well. Warming the plates up above the oven is also a good idea to impress the judges.

Domenico Crolla has now turned his hand to some impressive pizza art, such as this represention of Ornella Fado (hostess of Brindiamo! - a US television show about Italian restaurants).

You eat with your eyes If I had to give you only one piece of advice I would remind you that the judge forms an opinion about the pizza before he or she even gets a chance to taste it just by looking at it. Your customers do the same thing. If it looks good you are expecting it to also taste good. I would put my modest successes in pizza competitions down to my understanding of making the pizza look attractive.

This could be down to distribution of toppings around the pizza or the use of colourful ingredients. An artistic hand and an eye for colour is an advantage to any pizza chef.

Presentation Part of any pizza contest is the presentation to the judges of your pizza. You are asked to briefly explain what you have baked. At this point the judges decide if they like you or not. You may

think this has nothing to do with the pizza, but the judges are human and have to eat something that you made with your own hands. Do you look clean? Are you properly dressed?

Are you sweaty and overly nervous? Keep it very brief but explain anything that sets your pizza apart from the others. Allow the judges to see your passion for pizza and have them believe that you are the best candidate to win the contest. Sometimes a good presentation can swing the contest in your direction. So a little showmanship can help, but keep it short and don’t get arrogant or talk down to the judges. If you feel you are not good at the presentation, maybe bring someone along to present the pizza instead.

Plates and cutlery Most organisers offer paper plates and plastic cutlery for the judges

Don’t forget anything I would always get things ready by closing my eyes and imagining myself going through the process of making my pizza. Imagine everything from picking up your scraper (write that down), putting the dough ball into the flour (write that down). Basically get yourself a checklist of everything you need. During the stress and panic of pre-contest tantrums it’s easy to forget the most obvious of things.

If a fellow competitor forgets something on the day of the contest, do you assist in lending them an ingredient or piece of equipment? I think the answer is no. It’s part of the game that separates the ones that are prepared and the ones that turn up always forgetting something.

It’s the same idiots who turn up year after year asking for stuff.

Think about yourself.

Watch out!

Beware of the rogue chef who ‘accidentally’ turns off the oven when he’s finished baking. I’ve seen it all too often that the oven is mysteriously switched off or turned up, ruining the chance for the other chefs, or the chef who dances about the oven needlessly just as it’s your turn to bake! Don’t be scared to have him escorted away from the oven area.

Remember that it’s only a game It’s impossible for the judges to get it correct every time. What’s more important is watching the guys that continuously get into the finals, they are the true champions. The actual winning is sometimes just good luck.

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Visit us at IFE 2013 Stand number S4840 in General Food For your full range of Fontinella or Own Label Canned, Pouch, Pizza & Pasta Toppings and Ingredients

Pizza Sauces, Sweetcorn, Pineapple Pizza Cut, Jalapeno Peppers, Olives, Artichokes, Asparagus, Sliced Mushrooms, Tuna, Anchovies, Tomatoes, Tomato Paste and Olive Oils etc

Contact Ivory and Ledoux Ltd for your nearest distributor: Phone: 020 7887 0770 Fax: 020 7436 4877 Twitter: @ivoryandledoux enquiries@ivory-ledoux.co.uk www.ivory-ledoux.co.uk

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toppings

Spicy,

tasty& trendy

Just some of Dawn Farms Foods’ range of toppings.

It’s fair to say that a pizza’s toppings have the potential to turn it from an also-ran product into a best-seller, but what’s likely to be in demand this year? We asked some pizza toppings suppliers for their opinions, predictions and latest development news.

Trends for 2013 The award-winning cooked and fermented meat ingredients supplier, Dawn Farms Foods, reports that it has been taking an in-depth look at the challenging pizza toppings marketplace, having identified a number of significant consumer and flavour trends.

Against a backdrop of a lack-lustre economy, Dawn Farms believes that the UK pizza retail market is holding its own, with value-lines performing particularly strongly.

However, consumers have been making it clear that they also want some variety and flavour to spice up the offer, and nor are they prepared to accept inferior product when it comes to toppings.

Dawn Farms has become a major supplier of fully cooked beef, ham, chicken, bacon, pepperoni and salami to a wide range of blue chip customers throughout Europe and recently won the Food and Drink Exporter of the Year Award at the 2012 Export Industry Awards in Dublin. And their specialist innovation team’s detailed examination of trends in the market has revealed valuable insights into the types of pizza toppings consumers will be looking for over the next couple of years, feel the firm.

Jack McDermot, consumer insights manager at Dawn Farms, believes the retail market is polarising.“There are a wide range of value products around the £2 mark, and many sharply-positioned value pizzas are doing well, particularly those highlighting clear consumer benefits,” he says.

“There are also a lot of launches at £3.00 and above – i.e. premium pizzas with clear

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restaurant-quality benefits. Own label is performing strongly and frozen pizza is doing well. In the middle ground, core brands are squeezed between value and premium.

Indeed some more niche pizza formats are becoming irrelevant.”

The Grocer recently reported that own label pizza makes up 64% of the UK market and continues to grow strongly, while the other 36% is made up of a wide range of brands battling to hold share as own labels appear to be tapping into consumer needs more effectively.

According to Mintel, of a total of 107 new product launches in pizza toppings in the last year, pepperoni led the way with 29, closely followed by 27 new margherita products coming to market. Chicken was the third most popular topping, with favourite variations including sweet chilli chicken and piri-piri, with ham in fourth place. This was followed by numerous disparate products including vegetarian, beef and bacon.

Hand-topped in store pizzas - where consumers can choose their own variety of toppings - are being increasingly embraced by the major multiples. For example, ASDA’s ‘pizza destinations’ in store is cross-merchandised with sauces and wines. Morrisons and Sainsbury’s have also created successful meal zones in store offering hand-topped ranges where pizzas can be requested according to individual tastes.

“Essential toppings for these must be ham, chicken, pepperoni and some beef,” adds Jack McDermot.“Retailers are getting very sharp at this initiative – it delivers good profits and is a

clever way of cross-merchandising with other products.”

Dawn Farms supplies ingredients for pizza toppings for both the retail and foodservice sectors from its cooked and fermented meat plants in Ireland and bacon and roasted vegetables from TMI Foods in Northampton.

“What happens in foodservice tends to cross over to retail,” explains Jack McDermot, citing the Gourmet range from Domino’s which now finds echoes in some of the premium range pizzas newly available in stores.

This is not to say retailers aren’t innovators too. Conor Cahill, head of science and innovation at Dawn Farms, who leads the company’s 20-strong technical, culinary and new product development team, says: “A lot of product and flavour renovation is coming from the retailers because of the constant need to refresh their offering. As a result, they are becoming increasingly innovative and cutting edge as consumers tastes expand.”

Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Papa John’s remain the big three delivery businesses in the foodservice market, and essential toppings for UK consumers include ham, pepperoni, bacon, chicken, beef and variants of pork sausage like spicy and Italian.

“These are particularly popular with young pizza consumers who like meaty flavours and lots of cheese,” says Jack McDermot.

Young men, students and single person households remain the established consumers of home delivery and takeaway pizza and provide most sales. But other consumers like women, older consumers and ‘foodies’ can be

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toppings attracted with innovative new toppings, suggest Dawn Farms.

For example, limited time offers (LTOs) like chorizo, Moroccan chicken, pulled ham and street food-style crushed meatballs can give pizza fans something new to try and convert new consumers to become pizza fans. Pizza Hut’s pastrami and mustard, which recreated a ‘New York deli-style’ sandwich, or Domino’s ventricina salami and Roquito peppers, are cases in point.

Dawn Farm says that it places great importance in tracking and predicting consumer trends in the market place and is constantly looking at new menu ideas for customers. Therefore, its specialist food team sees a number of flavour trends coming to the fore over the next year.

“We see a Pan-Asian trend being driven by street foods from Thailand, Malaysia and China crossing over into pizza,” predicts Jack McDermot.

“We also see authentic Mediterranean flavours like new style sausages, chorizo, and Greek flavours coming through, and the use of value-priced mince toppings is key to the increasingly popular range of Mediterranean style pizzas currently emerging on the market.”

USA flavours are also proving a favourite trend moving into 2013, observe the company - using pulled meats, chicken strips and premium steak toppings, while Mexican is a flavour trend that continues to gain in popularity where lime and chilli are key ingredients complemented by pulled pork or beef to give an authentic appearance.

“Looking at toppings as a whole, there is clear consumer demand for fundamentally strong pizza concepts,” concludes Jack McDermot.“Own label is proving far more successful than a lot of misfiring brands, and innovation is expected to come from own label, while the big brands figure out their next breakthrough innovations.”

All cooked and fermented meats in the standard Dawn Farms Foodservice range have no hydrogenated fats, artificial colours or flavours, the company having become well known for the production of fermented and dried meats like pepperoni, salami and chorizo – in addition to its ready-to-eat cooked meats range (visit www.dawnfarms.ie to sign up for their weekly Top 9 for Friday consumer and menu trends report).

In a major expansion of its services to further manufacturers, fully cooked and frozen meat products supplier, Snowbird foods, has unveiled two exciting new convenience products.

Mini Meat Bites, at around 4g each, are irregular tube shaped pieces of pork, beef, lamb, chicken or turkey – or selected combinations of the meats.

They have already been successfully test marketed by international pizza and ready meals manufacturers, say the company, and a

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Mini Meat Bites from Snowbird Foods can be used as pizza toppings.

technical breakthrough means Snowbird is now also able to produce a half size version – the cooked weight of the smaller bite being around 1.7g.

This product has immediately proved attractive to wraps, sandwich, lunch box and snack pot manufacturers as well as pizza and ready meals companies, and both products are already selling as part of prepared products in one of the UK’s top five supermarkets.

Careful attention to colour has improved visibility of the bites when sprinkled on pizzas, say Snowbird, and the increased number of bites means flavour delivery is enhanced throughout entire products.

“International companies have been beating a path to our door to review these new ideas and we are confident this is going to become a pan-European business for us,” says Snowbirds’ sales director, Roy Anderson.

Spicier “The nation’s penchant for pizza clearly shows no sign of abating and more interestingly, diners’ tastes in pizza are becoming far more experimental,” agrees Leann Norris, product development manager at Gilbert’s Foods (www.gilbertsfoods.co.uk).

“An increase in foreign travel, teamed with a surge in exciting cookery programs has exposed Brits to a wealth of exotic flavours and innovative dishes, which has impacted on the demand for rather unique toppings.”

While many pizza lovers still prefer traditional favourites such as Margherita, ham and pineapple or pepperoni, the industry is witnessing an emergence of alternative, more imaginative toppings with a particular rise in popularity of game meats, including venison and duck.

“It’s fair to say that palates vary globally but here in the UK our taste buds are heating up.

Spicy flavours are currying favour amongst Brits willing to experiment with hotter, spicier tastes. The recent UK Flavour Consumer Trend Report highlighted that operators are responding to consumers’ preference for spice by offering a kick of heat to conventional pizza toppings, including fiery Peri-Peri chicken, or

adding smoky chipotle sauce to pizza bases to liven up traditional options,” Leann Norris continues.

According to this report, harissa- a deep Moroccan/Tunisian hot pepper sauce - is particularly on-trend. Featuring a combination of cumin, red bird’s-eye chillies, garlic, lemon juice and coriander, this warming blend is ideal for livening up chicken, beef, lamb and even seafood pizza toppings. With Brits’ fondness for fiery foods, harissa is set to become even more popular and is likely to feature on more menus, feel Gilbert’s.

“Crowning pizza bases with authentic Indian dishes is also gaining traction with Brits.

Tandoori chicken, drizzled with cooling raita has become a real hit amongst experimental diners who just can’t decide between their two favourite dishes,” suggests Leann Norris.

“Being so versatile, there are no limits to the pizza topping combinations available, or indeed in demand from discerning diners.

“We’ve noticed a real uptake in our hotter pizza toppings. Our spicy lamb, mixed with a blend of cumin, chilli and coriander, similar to the harissa blend, has become a firm favourite amongst pizza outlets, thanks to the nation’s palate for spicier foods. Although considered an unusual topping by some, our spicy lamb offers a real bite to pizza, offering consumers something rather unique.

“Orders for our sweet chilli beef continue to rise, as our customers are experimenting with more unusual pizza toppings. The sweet chilli beef offers a real kick and our customers tell us their patrons cannot get enough of it!

“Duck is also another popular choice amongst our pizza customers. A trend for hoisin duck with shredded spring onions and cucumber is making a significant emergence, as consumers experiment with combining popular foods from across the globe.”

Operating from a purpose-built, EC approved, A-graded BRC meat manufacturing plant in Heysham, Lancashire, Gilbert’s Foods says that it supplies to all areas of the food industry, including to retailers, caterers, the foodservice sector and to other food manufacturers across the UK. Established in 1970, the company also offers a bespoke recipe development service to meet specific customer requirements as well as cooking services and cooked IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) meats for food manufacturers and is keen to build partnerships with companies in the food industry.

By understanding changing trends and evolving consumer tastes, Gilbert’s Foods works closely with its customers to meet specific customer requirements. Its development team, led by Leann Norris, can work to a brief, match products, make alterations to existing products, or create new and innovative dishes, depending on requirements and taste preferences.

“Keeping the menu fresh, varied and a little

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toppings spicy will entice more adventurous diners and keep the ever-expanding pizza sector buoyant,” concludes Leann Norris.

“Chilli is set to be this year’s top ingredient across the whole food industry, with the pizza manufacturers being no exception,” says James Faulkner, ingredients sales director at Leathams, and who thinks that there is growing appeal for fresh ingredients that have a clear provenance.

“We know that spicy pizzas have seen an increase in popularity over the last few years, and at Leathams we have a range of products that are well equipped to satisfy the heat requirements of any pizza producer. Our Roquito® and CherryBell® Peppers, for example, are fantastic for providing an intense and sweet heat, whilst retaining their unique flavour.”

Noting that peppers should not be seen as the only source for a spicy topping, James Faulkner highlights other original ways to satisfy the nation’s craving for heat.

“When you think spicy pizza, the default setting is to turn to chilli as an answer; nonetheless we also supply our Nduja Salami Paste along with a range of innovative, regional spicy salamis including Salsiccia Piccante, Ventricina Salami, Spianata Piccante and Inferno Salami. Our soft, smoked and spicy Calabrian sausage can easily be spread over pizzas to add a fiery heat!

“Having the ability to trace the content of your plate back to its very place of origin is currently a hot topic across the food industry and these regional salamis offer the authentic provenance that our consumers are looking for.”

Identifying that end users are now looking for unusual flavour profiles with a clear demarcation between stone baked oven product and the conventional ‘pizza chain’ conveyor ovens, James Faulkner also suggests that customers now possess a higher level of awareness and as palates become more discerning, and consumers are more willing to pay a higher price for better quality pizzas.

“As a result of people becoming more knowledgeable about their food, we are seeing an increase in customers returning to the independent pizza restaurant, where they provide quicker responses to trends with more ‘homemade’ style offers rather than the offering from the national pizza chains,” he adds.

“Fresh and authentic toppings are essential and we supply a range that have great provenance and are prepared using traditional methods and from traditional regions. Our DOP San Marzano tomatoes are perfect for a more traditional pizza, teamed up with some Buffalo Mozzarella and some of Leathams’ authentic Italian Pesto and Roquito® peppers – this creates a classic margherita pizza with a spicy kick. For a twist on this theme, we also offer yellow Marzanella® Tomatoes from Naples.”

February 2013

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Gilbert’s Foods report an increase in demand for more gourmet style meats, such as duck.

Cooked to order trend Food cooked to order the way the customer wants it is emerging as one of the key trends, according to Horizons’ latest Menurama survey which tracks new foods and dishes from the menus of high street pubs, restaurants, quick service outlets and hotels.

While steaks, burgers and sandwiches have generally been served prepared to order, other dishes such as pasta, salads, melts, Mexican dishes, and pizzas are also now being offered with a greater element of choice, report the market researchers.

“Increased customisation of dishes is something we are starting to see more of,” says Horizons’ director of services Paul Backman. “It is a great marketing tool and puts the customer in control of what they are eating. It costs operators very little in terms of time or additional food cost but could give them the edge over their competition.

“The ultimate build-you-own cuisine is Mexican street food, which we have seen growing in popularity in the UK with Mexican-themed restaurants expanding fairly rapidly. Fajitas, burritos and wraps all give the customer greater choice, which is what today’s consumer enjoys.”

Operators with build-your-own dishes on their menus include the international pizza and pasta chain Vapiano, which sells freshly made pasta and pizza bases cooked in front of the customer with a choice of sauce or toppings.

The ‘have it your way’ label is becoming increasingly prolific on menus – whether it be sandwiches and melts at Hungry Horse in white or brown bread, wrap or baguette, or a sirloin steak at Las Iguanas with a choice of relish or toppings, say Horizons. Indeed, high street chains Subway, and Mexican brand Chilango, have built successful operations on the build-your own concept (at Subway, customers move along a line building their sandwich around a choice of meats, salad and sauces, while at Chilango diners choose from burrito, taco or salad with the meat of their choice and which ever salsa sauce they want).

“We are likely to see the ‘build-your-own’ concept used on menus much more as operators seek to offer consumers something different. It’s a simple concept, and certainly not new, but it’s a move away from prescribed dishes to offering consumers exactly what they want. It’s all about giving them control and choice,” says Paul Backman.

Lacto-free partnership In response to the increasing demand for a range of free-from foods, Lactofree® (www.lactofree.co.uk, the UK’s only lactosefree dairy range), has teamed up with basilica (www.basilico.co.uk) to launch what are thought to be the UK’s first lactose-free pizzas. Previously off the menu for up to 15%

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toppings

RH Amar’s Cooks&Co brand has launched a conveniently-sized 800g tin of their Spiced Pizza Sauce.

New 800g size of a popular Spiced Pizza Sauce Cooks&Co - RH Amar’s fine ingredients range - has introduced a new 800g sized tin of its ever-popular Spiced Pizza Sauce to respond to demands from smaller catering establishments, report the company.

While its 2.95kg catering tins remain a favourite with dedicated pizza restaurants, the smaller-sized product is better suited to restaurants with pizza as a single item on the menu and to schools, advise RH Amar.

Cooks&Co’s rich, tomato sauce is seasoned with garlic and a delicate blend of traditional Italian herbs including oregano and basil to create a ready-to-use pizza topping that bursts with flavour. This thick, rich sauce can also be diluted with water for a less intense tomato flavour and of course to make it go further!

Cooks&Co’s Spiced Pizza Sauce can also replace chopped tomatoes in a dish or serve as a substitute for passata and tomato purées. The sauce uses the traditional Famosa recipe that makes it a good base ingredient for tomato-based sauces, and is available to order direct from RH Amar (www.rhamar.com, www.cooksandco.co.uk).

driving growth in the dairy alternatives cheese category, report Lactofree, and which could be down to its versatility across home cooking according to Neilsen 52 we 12.05.12 figures.

In order to capitalise on this, Lactofree engaged its online community with a make at home recipe to encourage further usage.

Consumer PR, social media and Facebook advertising was provided by Euro RSCG London PR and Outside Line respectively, along with a direct marketing campaign by basilico to 250,000 homes within the catchment area.

"Our partnership with basilico provides us with a great platform to show off the taste credentials and versatility of Lactofree cheese,” said Louise Allen, brand manager for Lactofree. “Showcasing our products in this way also gives consumers who may not previously have bought Lactofree an opportunity to try the range.”

Geoff Parsons, managing director for basilico added: “At basilico we pride ourselves on the quality ingredients and premium wood fired pizza range that we offer our customers. Partnering with Lactofree has allowed us to continue to adhere to these standards, while reaching out to those who may have been avoiding cheese on their pizza previously”.

Less is more Just when many of us were indulging in extra turkey sandwiches and copious amounts of chocolate over Christmas, Bella Italia (www.bellaitalia.co.uk) were launching their latest Pizza Vitas.

With fewer than 600 calories and made with light, crisp whole-wheat bases topped with rich cherry tomato sauce, these slim-line pizzas are the perfect way to eat delicious food guilt-free, claim Bella Italia.

Unlike many ‘low-calorie’ pizzas, the Vita is

a complete pizza without any holes in the middle. It also boasts a wide selection of flavours and toppings including chicken breast, roasted peppers, buffalo mozzarella and smoked ham. Thus, the Pizza Vita allows calorie-conscious consumers to treat themselves to pizza whilst keeping their consciences clear!

“All three of our pizza vita bases are around 150g each (245 kcl) and half the base is made with whole-wheat flour to add fibre, and half with white flour to make the dough light and more palatable,” explains Bella Italia’s development chef, Vittorio Lettieri.

“These bases are very low in sugar, salt and contain only 2.5g of fat - all of this helps to reduce the calories. With 350kcl remaining for toppings, these had to be carefully selected to once again avoid anything too calorific or fatty. All three have a base of cherry tomato sauce. This textured tomato sauce adds taste and helps to keep the base soft whilst cooking.

“All three Pizza Vitas are similar in look with lots of rocket, spinach and basil (no calories in those!) and only one dessert spoon of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice to dress the salad.

“All of these pizzas also have their own individuality - one with roasted chicken breast, roasted peppers and parmesan shavings, one with sliced roasted chestnut mushrooms, speck ham and parmesan shavings, and for vegetarians there’s one with olives and vegetarian buffalo bocconcini mozzarella manufactured in Salerno IT just for us.

“Our chefs are also very careful to use the minimum amount of oil when roasting the peppers or mushrooms, and take extra care when assembling the under 600 kcl dishes not to add extra ingredients by mistake.

However, the recipes all fall below 600kcl in order to allow for a small margin of error.”

Bella Italia’s Pizza Vita Speck.

of the population that have lactose intolerance, this brand partnership serves to deliver quality basilico pizza, just without the lactose, to London.

Using Lactofree cheese and Lactofree soft cheese basilico has created two pizzas to add to its menu - the Pizza Buonissima and a lactose-free twist on the classic Margherita basilico. This trial partnership saw the new pizzas available to order online or over the phone for home or office delivery, or pick up.

Lactofree hard cheese sales have been performing well with a 24% growth YOY, 30

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food waste With US$1 trillion’s worth of food wasted and 870 million people starving, UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), FAO (Food & Agriculture Organisation) and partner organisation WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) have now officially launched a global initiative to tackle the culture of food waste with consumers, the food industry and government all having a role to play in reducing 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted or lost each year.

Aims Simple actions by consumers and food retailers can dramatically cut the 1.3 billion tonnes of food lost or wasted each year and help shape a sustainable future, according to a new global campaign to cut food waste launched by the UN Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organisation and partners.

The “Think.Eat.Save. Reduce Your Foodprint” campaign has been launched in support of the SAVE FOOD Initiative to reduce food loss and waste along the entire chain of food production and consumption – run by the FAO and trade fair organiser Messe Düsseldorf – and the UN Secretary General’s Zero Hunger Initiatives. The new campaign specifically targets food wasted by consumers, retailers and the hospitality industry.

The campaign also harnesses the expertise of organisations such as WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), Feeding the 5,000 and other partners, including national governments, who have considerable experience targeting and changing wasteful practices.

Think.Eat.Save. aims to accelerate action and provide a global vision and informationsharing portal (www.thinkeatsave.org) for the many and diverse initiatives currently underway around the world.

Worldwide, about one-third of all food produced (calculated to be worth around US$1 trillion), gets lost or wasted in food production and consumption systems,

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according to data released by FAO. Food loss occurs mostly at the production stages – harvesting, processing and distribution – while food waste typically takes place at the retailer and consumer end of the food-supply chain.

“In a world of seven billion people, set to grow to nine billion by 2050, wasting food makes no sense – economically, environmentally and ethically,” said UN under-secretary-general and UNEP executive director Achim Steiner.

“Aside from the cost implications, all the land, water, fertilisers and labour needed to grow that food is wasted – not to mention the generation of greenhouse gas emissions produced by food decomposing on landfill and the transport of food that is ultimately thrown away,” he added. “To bring about the vision of a truly sustainable world, we need a transformation in the way we produce and consume our natural resources.”

“Together, we can reverse this unacceptable trend and improve lives. In industrialised regions, almost half of the total food squandered, around 300 million tonnes annually, occurs because producers, retailers and consumers discard food that is still fit for consumption,” said José Graziano da Silva, FAO director-general. “This is more than the total net food production of Sub-Saharan Africa, and would be sufficient to feed the estimated 870 million people hungry in the world.

“If we can help food producers to reduce losses through better harvesting, processing,

storage, transport and marketing methods, and combine this with profound and lasting changes in the way people consume food, then we can have a healthier and hunger-free world,” Graziano da Silva added.

Environmental implications The global food system has profound implications for the environment, and producing more food than is consumed only exacerbates the pressures.

More than 20% of all cultivated land, 30% of forests and 10% of grasslands are undergoing degradation. Globally, 9% of the freshwater resources are withdrawn, 70% of this by irrigated agriculture. Agriculture and land use changes like deforestation contribute to more than 30% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, the agrifood system accounts for nearly 30% of enduser available energy. Overfishing and poor management are also contributing to declining numbers of fish (some 30% of marine fish stocks are now considered to be overexploited).

Part of the trigger for the campaign was the outcome of the Rio+20 Summit in June 2012, in which heads of state and governments gave the go-ahead for a ten year Framework of Programmes for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Patterns. Developing an SCP programme for the food sector must be a vital element of this framework, given the need to sustain the world’s food production base, reduce associated environmental February 2013

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food waste impacts, and feed a growing human population, assert these campaigning organisations.

"There can be no other area that is perhaps so emblematic of the opportunities for a far more resource-efficient and sustainable world – and there is no other issue that can unite North and South and consumers and producers everywhere in common cause," continued Achim Steiner.

How and where?

According to FAO (www.fao.org/savefood/en/), roughly 95% of food loss and waste in developing countries are unintentional losses at early stages of the food supply chain due to financial, managerial and technical limitations in harvesting techniques; storage and cooling facilities in difficult climatic conditions; infrastructure; packaging and marketing systems.

However, in the developed world the end of the chain is far more significant. At the food manufacturing and retail level in the developed world, large quantities of food are wasted due to inefficient practices, quality standards that over-emphasise appearance, confusion over date labels and consumers being quick to throw away edible food due to over-buying, inappropriate storage and preparing meals that are too large.

Per-capita waste by consumers is between 95 and 115 kg a year in Europe and North America/Oceania, while consumers in subSaharan Africa, south and south-eastern Asia each throw away only 6 to 11 kg a year.

According to WRAP, the average UK family could save £680 per year (US$1,090) and the UK hospitality sector could save £724 million (US$1.2 billion) per year by tackling food waste.

“In the UK we have shown how tackling food waste through engaging with consumers and establishing collective agreement with retailers and brands, reduces environmental pressures and aids economic growth,” said Dr Liz Goodwin, CEO of WRAP. “With a rising population, even more pressure is going to be put on resources, and we are excited to be a partner in UNEP and FAO’s Think. Eat. Save. campaign, which is a great start to tackling food waste on a global scale.”

In a similar vein to other parts of the world, the European Union is looking into the issue of food waste, and the European Commission has lent its weight to the new initiative.

“In the EU we have set ourselves a target to halve edible food waste by 2020 and to virtually eliminate landfilling by 2020; the Commission is planning to present ideas next year on the sustainability of the food system which will have a strong focus on food waste,” said Janez Potonik, European Commissioner for the environment.

www.papa.org.uk

Understand expiry dates “Best-before” dates are generally manufacturer suggestions for peak quality. Most foods can be safely consumed well after these dates. The important date is “use by” – eat food by that date or check if you can freeze it.

Zero down your fridge Web sites such as WRAP’s www.lovefoodhatewaste.com can help consumers get creative with recipes to use up anything that might go bad soon.

Other actions Freezing food, following storage guidance to keep food at its best, requesting smaller portions at restaurants and eating leftovers (whether home-cooked, from restaurants or takeaway). Composting food and donating spare food to local food banks, soup kitchens, pantries, and shelters.

“Less food waste would lead to moreefficient land use, better water resource management, more sustainable use of phosphorus, and it would have positive repercussions on climate change. Our work fits perfectly with the launch of this initiative,” he added.

For the campaign to reach its huge potential, everyone has to be involved – families, supermarkets, hotel chains, schools, sports and social clubs, company CEOs, city mayors, national and world leaders.

The campaign web site www.thinkeatsave.org - provides simple tips to consumers and retailers, will allow users to make food waste pledges, and provides a platform for those running campaigns to exchange ideas and create a truly global culture of sustainable consumption of food.

For example, the web site provides the following advice, which will help consumers, retailers and the hospitality industry reduce waste – thus reducing their environmental impact and saving money.

Consumers Shop smart Plan meals, use shopping lists, avoid impulse buys and don’t succumb to marketing tricks that lead you to buy more food than you need.

Buy funny fruit Many fruits and vegetables are thrown out because their size, shape, or colour are deemed not ‘right’. Buying these perfectly good fruit, at the farmer’s market or elsewhere, utilises food that might otherwise go to waste.

Retailers and the hospitality industry Retailers can carry out waste audits and product loss analysis for high-waste areas, work with their suppliers to reduce waste, offer discounts for near-expiration items, redesign product displays with less excess, standardise labelling and increase food donations, among other actions.

Restaurants, pubs and hotels can limit menu choices and introduce flexible portioning, carry out waste audits and create staff engagement programmes, among many other measures.

Supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, companies, cities and countries will be able to use the web site to pledge to measure the food they waste and put in place targets to reduce it.

“We support the aims of the UN Environment Programme’s new global campaign and last year, Compass Group UK & Ireland signed up to WRAP’s Hospitality and Foodservice Agreement to achieve certain food and associated waste reduction targets in the UK,” said Compass Group, one of the world’s largest food and support services companies committed to reducing food and associated waste across its business.

“In addition, we continue to work with our suppliers, clients and customers around the world to reduce waste through implementing initiatives such as ‘Trim Trax’, our programme to measure and reduce food wastage.”

Food loss refers to food that gets spilled, spoilt or otherwise lost, or incurs reduction of quality and value, before it reaches its final product stage. Food loss typically takes place at production, postharvest, processing and distribution stages in the food supply chain.

Food waste refers to food that completes the food supply chain up to a final product, of good quality and fit for consumption, but still doesn’t get consumed because it is discarded, whether or not after it is left to spoil. Food waste typically, but not exclusively, takes place at retail and consumption stages in the food supply chain.

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Carnevale (www.carnevale.co.uk) is perhaps one of the most well established importers and suppliers of Italian foodstuffs and ingredients in the UK. Relied upon by many throughout the UK food and restaurant business for the access it provides to a comprehensive range of authentic, premium and quintessentially Italian products, it currently offers in the region of 3000 product lines. It also now boasts a popular brand of fresh pasta that is growing in its own right – Pasta & Pasta (www.pastaandpasta.com).

The pasta

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profile Specialists A family-run business, Carnevale was originally founded in 1966 by Carmine Carnevale with an Edgware Road location in the centre of London. Soon joined in the running of his expanding enterprise by his brother, Giovanni, and two sisters, Anna and Antonia, the company then moved to bigger premises just north of Central London, a site where it has subsequently spread out and remains located to this day, not least because of the ideal access it provides to many of its customers, as well as to some of the best produce markets in the world.

It prides itself on its good and long established relationships with its suppliers in Italy and a quick tour of the business’s premises soon reveals a comprehensive range of Italian brands from famous beers and waters to pastas and olives; many of which over recent decades have become familiar stock items and staples for many who are now able to retail, and enjoy, a very high standard of Italian food in the UK. Initially, Carnevale became well known for its high quality fresh cheese production (notably its mozzarella and ricotta products), then it started to manufacture Italian speciality meats such as sausages, pancetta and coppas too whilst continually adding to its range of imported Italian and Mediterranean food products.

Other subsidiaries which today form part of the Carnevale Group include the Valerio specialist cheese and meat manufacturing plant, Pronto Provisions and J&G Italian food importers as well as Belloni fine wine merchants.

It is the way in which Carnevale has developed and broadened the range of many of its founding product lines that has helped to maintain its success across the years. In turn, this has reflected changing market demands that have been influenced by the requirements of today’s well travelled consumers who are more sophisticated and educated in their food knowledge than ever before. Most recently, Carnevale has entered into partnership with Pasta & Pasta, a premium brand of fresh, artisan pasta (and more besides).

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Premium pasta brand Pasta & Pasta is perhaps less well known to those outside London and beyond – unless you are already one of its existing restaurant customers, always on the look out for creative, premium pastas to help your menu stand out from the competition.

It was established in 2007 but when the opportunity arose and after evaluating properly how some synergies could be utilised Carnevale joined the exciting, new venture during the course of the last two years.

In fact, Pasta & Pasta had already long been up and running and in operation in Carnevale-based premises, renting a purpose built and well equipped factory site from the firm. A new limited company was created in its own right, and fresh pasta was added to Carnevale’s product portfolio.

High quality fresh pasta makers able to supply restaurants and wholesalers are few and far between, even in London, but fresh pasta that can be cooked quickly without the need for double cooking, that is often the case with other dry pastas, has strong appeal to restaurants. And one major benefit Carnevale can bring to Pasta & Pasta is access to

its UK-wide distribution channels via its supply and delivery depots located in Huddersfield, Bristol,

Gateshead and Glasgow so that outlets across the country can source this easy to cook, premium product too.

At the same time, when it comes to the pasta production, Pasta & Pasta has the back up of being able to source from a high standard of ingredients for its products from Carnevale’s authentic supplies, not least its premium ricotta cheese that is made on site and provide fillings for many of the pastas (such as their popular spinach and ricotta, for example).

Pasta & Pasta itself was actually started by Ercole Cappai - a skilled, Florence-trained chef with a practical, technical background extending for over fourty years.

He was also a Brighton-based restaurateur (running “Latin in the Lane”), originally coming to the UK thirty years ago. His aim was to use his own pasta making experience to supply the restaurant trade, wholesalers and small, niche artisan customers with a premium fresh pasta product.

Ercole Cappai’s Italian heritage and training, coupled with his

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profile restaurant background, means that he is very definitely at the heart of things within the pasta operation, enthusiastically sharing his skills and overseeing the factory’s staff in a practical, hands-on manner that demonstrates his passion for the product, as well as his willingness to help his customers – notably some famous chefs and fine dining restaurants – in realising their own pasta ambitions.

Even if this means making up numerous samples that might never go into actual production, restaurant owners and chefs are encouraged to come in and visit, to develop their own ideas with input from Ercole, as well as sample the range of existing products.

“Restaurants expect only the best!” says Ercole Cappai.“But these days pasta has become the main meal on menus, a far more important one than the traditional humble dish it used to be. I think there is a lot more to come, a lot more potential for pasta and associated dishes. In fact, there is still a large area of Italian cuisine that is yet to be discovered.”

Pasta & Pasta’s current product list of filled pastas already reads like a very luxurious restaurant menu indeed, featuring fillings such as Gorgonzola cheese and walnut, lobster, prawn and crab, pumpkin and veal to name but a few, and shapes such as girasoli, tortelloni, mezzeluna and ravioli. Each type of filled pasta is also available in a completely handmade version so as to further enhance the premium nature of their pasta product, should the restaurateur so desire.

Convenience and authenticity “We are finding that chefs want to cook less but prefer the convenience and consistency of filled fresh pasta, gnocchi, sauces, lasagne, cannelloni etc.,” says Luigi Carnevale, the son of the original founder of Carnevale, in explaining the specific current market demands.

“And restaurants are getting smaller, so there’s less preparation room, and less room even for the chefs themselves,” adds Ercole Cappai.“At the same time, restaurants are always looking for the next best thing. Sometimes they ask for the impossible, but this is because they want to serve something that their competitor up the road is not offering.”

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Ercole Cappai’s pasta making expertise is at the heart of Pasta & Pasta.

“There is a lot of discounting going on at the moment,” observes Luigi Carnevale,“but in my opinion it is not always necessarily the longterm solution. If you are prepared to pay more in the first place for premium, quality ingredients, there’s a longer term benefit to be had with ultimately more satisfied diners. We are helping restaurants to give their clients a first-class, authentic dining experience that will be memorable and make them want to come back to enjoy that dish again and again.”

Understandably, there is a price to be paid for such a close attention to quality and detail, and the types/shapes of pastas being made by Pasta & Pasta are not necessarily the cheapest on the market.

Despite the prevailing economic pressures, as well as the fact that a lot of discounting is currently taking place in the food world, paradoxically it is also a time during which authenticity appears to have become king, increasingly valued and sought out by end consumers themselves.

People are seeking to ensure that when they do spend money dining out, they are assured of the very best quality. Thus, freshly

made pastas with stand-out, innovative fillings are proving to be a popular draw, particularly when combined with appropriate and equally authentically-made sauces which Pasta & Pasta have subsequently been asked to make.

In fact, the firm can also supply many other authentic Italian mainstays including potato gnocchi, cannelloni, lasagne, pesto, fresh sauces, meat balls and the classic aubergine containing dish, la Parmigiana di Melanzane.

Production Upon receiving a new recipe idea, Pasta & Pasta claim that it usually takes them two days to put it into production. As they have the backing of Carnevale and good relationships with a lot of key suppliers, and are close to many fresh produce markets in London, they are able to work well with both suppliers and restaurateurs, and take on board feedback

The pasta making team at Pasta & Pasta.

quickly.

The factory runs on two shifts to keep up with demand, with the evening shift being reserved for the biggest orders in order to give sufficient time for all the preparation work that’s required to be carried out, and thus help ensure that the pasta’s constituent fresh ingredients are all processed ‘to order’ and ready on schedule.

The factory’s emphasis is on maintaining a twenty four hour turnaround with no stock levels so that their customers are assured of a consistent pasta product that has been made fresh to order each and every time.

“We prefer to hire people with pasta making experience if possible, or qualified chefs,” says Ercole Cappai,“but I always oversee the training.”

On day one of producing a particular type of pasta, the order is received and the fresh produce required is assembled and processed. On day two, the pasta is made, filled and packed so that on day three it is delivered to the customer. At this stage it has a ten day shelf life. It needs to be kept refrigerated at 0oC to +4oC, and upon opening it needs to be used within two days. It can also be frozen if required by the customer so as to extend its usage for far longer.

The pasta itself is made from flour and semolina imported from Italy, as well as free range eggs, also imported from Italy, so as to guarantee an authentic-tasting product. The flour and egg mixture is carefully processed via machine to the correct, consistent thickness required, before being filled with a freshly made filling, sealed and pasteurised.

The pasta needs to be of the right consistency to cope with the filling, and is also required to have a shelf life of 10 days. Experienced pasta makers know that changes in humidity can affect production, and so this aspect needs to be monitored throughout the different stages of production.

In these health and diet conscious days, it is also worth pointing out that gluten-free or wholemeal pasta options have been developed and are available from Pasta & Pasta for customers that so require.

Photography by Lotta Holmberg

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Vapiano’s Having enjoyed considerable success elsewhere in the world, Vapiano (www.vapianointernational.com) has now set its sights on double digit expansion in the UK. After visiting several of its sites in Berlin, Germany, Pizza Pasta & Italian Food magazine found out more this healthy, fast and friendly self-styled ‘fresh casual’ food concept that’s looking forward to making itself far more widely known over here.

The concept Vapiano is a restaurant group that was founded in Hamburg in Germany in 2002 by a group of German entrepreneurs - Kent Hahne, Klaus Rader and Mark Korzilius. Set up as a European company called a Societas Europaea (SE), it is believed to have generated a turnover of over 230 million euros worldwide in 2011. Having become an extremely successful international business, it’s tempting to observe that this brand is in effect demonstrating how to go about combining a very Italian devotion to fresh ingredients of high quality and authenticity with a German eye and mind for efficiency and organisation.

Vapiano has already built up a strong international presence via franchised and company-owned stores and can now boast some 120 worldwide locations in 26 countries including the US, Middle and Europe (although Italy is a notable exception to date). More stores are in the pipeline, with the US seeming to be a particular area of expansion for them at this stage. However, say the company, who have not long celebrated their tenth birthday, their prime aim right now is some UK-based expansion. In an interview with the FT (Financial Times) in September last year, Vapiano’s chief executive, Gregor Gurlach, announced that the company planned to invest £30 million in new store openings here over the next two years.

The name Vapiano comes from an Italian proverb,“Chi va piano va sano e va lontano” which in essence means “people with a relaxed attitude live a long and healthy life”.It is the sentiment of this statement that is the ethos behind the brand, and that subsequently lies at

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the heart of everything Vapiano does, not least its menu of made to order dishes that centres around freshly made pasta and pizzas, and freshly tossed gourmet salads, as well as handmade desserts.

Everything is produced fresh in house and customers can watch the pasta and dolci (desserts) being produced in Vapiano’s theatrestyle kitchen called a Pasta Manifattura, where all the sauces, dressings, pesto and pizza dough are homemade on the premises (only their ciabatta and the Pasticceria San Marco are bought in from carefully selected producers, say Vapiano).

This approach to freshness and authenticity, as well as a warm and welcoming environment, is typified by the presence of an olive tree in every store, with a seating area and table close by. Often an area that seems to draw people who might be visiting on their own, it encourages customers to engage with each other about their own Vapiano experiences and recommendations, observe the company.

There’s also an in-house garden come greenhouse, called ‘the V’, where herbs are grown. Fragrant basil, for example, can be found in pots on the tables, and which people are encouraged to graze upon or add to their meals.

What really sets Vapiano apart from other competing concepts that are similar but certainly not the same, however, is the fact that it serves up fresh and wholesome Mediterranean style cuisine in a pleasant and appealing, if not chic, environment, but not in a way that makes the consumer feel as though they are in any way paying a premium for the

privilege (for less than £10 you can buy a high quality, two course restaurant standard meal, for example).

In fact, Vapiano seem to be on a mission to redefine and re-educate consumers as to what fast, healthy food should really be all about. And as concerns over health, future sustainability and the sourcing of foodstuffs increasingly take centre stage, such a concept is surely assured of considerable future success?

Upon entering a Vapiano store you are greeted by a member of staff who issues you with a credit card-style card which you keep with you for the duration of your stay, and that effectively allows you to order anything and sit anywhere in the store. After selecting a seating area that suits your occasion (there are communal eating areas, long tables, stools and benches to choose from, so solo customers will feel just as contented in a Vapiano as a large group of friends celebrating a birthday), you then have various food points to choose from. If you are after a pasta dish, you can visit the pasta station, swipe your card at the counter, and tell, or rather discuss with, the chef how you require your order to take shape!

You may, or may not, have to join a queue at this stage and stand while waiting (something which Vapiano has been successful at in getting it customers to do). However, given the nature of dishes being cooked freshly and promptly to order on site before your very eyes, things tend to move fast at Vapiano and ongoing communication with customers is strong.

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queue time. Things are perhaps a little different in the London Vapiano stores right now, however, given their popularity and the fact that there are only two stores for customers to

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go at! In fact, Vapiano’s London stores, they report, are two of its more successful, if not its most successful, and fastest growing stores in operation.

After specifying the type (shape) of pasta you require, you can then choose the sauce.

Then you can specify the inclusion of any additions such as garlic, chilli or cheese. In fact,

the pasta station’s chef will very likely prompt you with some ideas and recommendations to help ensure that the finished dish is prepared just the way you like it. After assembling a tray with cutlery, you are ready to take your meal back to your seating area. In the Berlin stores, it was possible to sit around high or low tables, at a bar, on stools or in comfy armchairs that have

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profile become the must-have seating of choice for many UK café chains.

Other dishes, beverages and desserts, are similarly self-ordered and requested, with each item you select being recorded on your card, and meaning it’s perfectly possible to visit a Vapiano just for a coffee and a dessert, say, while your companions might well eat an entirely different meal. The card system also means you pay for your own bill, and nobody else’s.

Upon request, any leftover or take-out food can be packaged up in Vapiano-branded containers. Pizzas can take a little longer to prepare, but customers are issued with a handheld electronic device that will alert them when their pizza is ready for collection from the pizza making station. Every option, possibility and scenario appears to have been thought about and provisioned for by the Vapiano approach to ‘fast’ food.

Why now?

Given the success and strong presence of Vapiano in Europe and elsewhere throughout the world, as well as the widespread appreciation of healthy, Mediterranean-style food in the UK, it might come as a surprise to some to learn that for a ten year old brand that’s been here since 2008, Vapiano still has just two, but it has to be said extremely popular, outlets in the UK (Great Portland Street and Southwark Street in London).

Everybody has their eyes on London, or so it seems these days. Many new and fledgling food concepts are competing to secure the precise retail space they need to to suit their aims, and our capital is fast becoming - if it isn’t already - a truly cosmopolitan food destination that is the envy of the world and a trend-setter in its own right. So the confirmation that Vapiano is after a more significant piece of the action here makes good business sense, but why now?

For one thing, given its success and growth elsewhere, it’s clear that this committed restaurant group’s finances are more than in place, and that they have the financial backing to make their next move (currently, a further outlet in Berlin, located at a prime site in the main railway station, is under construction and due for completion this month). Once the right location has been found and negotiations made, it takes six months and in the region of a £2 million investment to open up a new store, report Vapiano, their location fitted out to a high standard with well-known catering equipment brands such as Cuppone (ovens) and Cimbali (who came up with bespoke, ‘Vapiano red’ espresso machines for them).

The often expressed opinion that in tough economic times that tend to sort out the ‘main players’ from the ‘also-rans’, it’s also a good time for an existing businesses to expand - just as it’s equally a good time for a new business to start, or in this case, perhaps, re-ignite - applies to the UK right now. This could also suggest that some currently failing, or ‘could do better’, concepts that are still managing to hold on to some

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Phil Sermon, Vapiano’s managing director in the UK

prime sites, might well need to look out and raise their game, else risk being taken over or losing out on their locations. At the same time, we as a nation and not least London in particular, have been acquiring a taste for healthy and high quality food, ideally made fresh and to order and with a Mediterranean, but particularly Italian, theme (pasta and pizza having become the universal ‘comfort’ food here and across the world).

Anywhere from 20 to 50 new UK outlets is the aim, suggests Phil Sermon, Vapiano’s managing director in the UK, with at least 20 to 25 of those to be in London. Some are already in the pipeline, although, tantalisingly, he can’t reveal where specifically until the deals have been signed, but they will be pitching for prime estates in areas where there are other ‘destination’ brands to indicate the established presence of a thriving retail environment. The retail property agents, Jackson Criss, are now on board, assisting in the search.

“I’m very excited and keen about the potential opportunities in the UK,” says Phil Sermon.“It’ll be great to replicate the lessons learned and success already generated in Germany in the UK, and in the cities as well as the provinces. When it comes to property, we are considering both licensing and leasing opportunities, so with proper analysis in place we are not prepared to exclude anything really.

“Our store requirements are quite prescriptive, but it’s important we get the right locations as we need areas with good footfall,” he adds.“We need locations of no less than 6000 square foot, and it’s acceptable if they are split over more than one level.”

Phil Sermon has now been in post for just over a year, having been head hunted for his latest role by the German venture capitalist firm, Mayfair, who have made a significant investment in the company. Having previously worked for Wetherspoon and Grand Metropolitan - companies he reflects upon in glowing terms by noting that their “professionalism was very evident” when it

came to training and development - he has so far spent much of his first year not only identifying potential new outlets “in London, and elsewhere”,but also spending six months of it getting fully immersed in the Vapiano way of doing things.

This ‘work experience’ has seen him working at various Vapiano sites in Germany (such as Bielefeld, Vapiano’s biggest site), and enabled him to learn all the tasks himself, at one point covering nine stations in 10 weeks in order to be able to fully understand what’s required, and appreciate just how well Vapiano’s people are required to get on as a team and perform.

Indeed, at the end of this work and study period, just as has been the requirement of others in the senior management team, he was examined on what he knew, including written tests and practical preparation of some of the dishes, with nothing short of a 95% pass rate being required.

Phil Sermon has also spent time with some of the chain’s most successful franchisees and countries, notably Austria, and claims that it is impossible to tell the difference between joint ventures, franchised and company-owned stores. He has also spent time at stores in the US too, and reports that in the case of a franchise operator, Vapiano would not be looking for a one store franchisee.

Depending on location and size, Vapiano stores have 60 employees, others 100. All employees have the opportunity to learn all of the tasks in the restaurant, or specialise in specific ones, and some might well go on to work at various stores around the world, just as they might ultimately go on to progress their career though the management structure itself.

It is noticeable, report Vapiano, that many of their employees are in fact Italian, and who have been unable to get work in Italy, but who then come to them with the necessary skills and work ethic.

Some particularly keen members of staff are called Vapianisti for their ability to come up with new ideas or ways of doing things that go on to become to new products or accepted practices to help the store, winning the successful Vapianisti a monthly prize, such as 500 euros, in the process (one Vapianisti, for instance, has come up with a way of making fresh bread in the pizza oven). There are also sales-based incentive schemes and performance-related bonuses and after joining, staff can find themselves progressing from pasta making to pizza making and so on, with an increase in skills leading to an increase in pay.

Recruitment of staff is done more along the lines of a ‘casting’, in terms of how well people get on with others and show a willingness to be part of a team and work hard, as working in this fast-paced and demanding environment requires enthusiastic and committed individuals with a strong customer service focus and a good sense of hospitality. This type of approach can mean that some people who might think they are good at the job are

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actually not the type of people Vapiano are really looking for. Recently, at one of their London stores, they had a ‘casting’, and some fifty people applied but only three were taken on.

“We need people with the right approach, desire, passion and commitment,” explains Phil Sermon,“and we need to be able to see evidence of this in the person themselves.”

The food First and foremost, points out Phil Sermon, the lifeblood of any Vapiano restaurant and representing in the region of a £30,000 investment is its Goetz pasta making machine which facilitates the making of between 120 to 130kg of fresh pasta for each store on a daily basis, and therefore representing a not insignificant investment in terms of both time and skill. Consistent delivery is the key, say Vapiano, with their pasta made to a traditional recipe, although, as might be expected given their authentic aspirations, no fresh egg brought in from Italy is used.

After production, the pasta, including ravioli, is packaged and stored at the pasta station, ready to be utilised as part of the made to order pasta dishes. The pasta making area - part of the Pasta Manifattura - is also central and a visual part of the store. As with other areas, it’s on display to customers so that they have further confirmation that all of the components to the meals they are eating have been freshly and authentically prepared.

The Vapiano members of staff who train to use the pasta making machine take great care with it, keeping it clean and making sure that it is well maintained. It is a key part of the whole operation as it is not economically viable to have a back-up pasta machine standing by, for the most part unused, but rather ensure that the existing machine is well looked after and up to speed.

Vapiano’s pizza is made from freshly made dough that is hand stretched and baked at a high temperature in gas fired oven that is similar is effect to what would be on offer in a

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wood-fired one, but allows the brand to ensure consistency and evenness of bake. There are various pizza topping combinations on the menu board, but customers can specify what they prefer. It’s also possible to have a type of pizza base made from a certain grain, an important consideration in catering for people with food intolerances.

Desserts range from the well known such as tiramisu and death by chocolate to the more unusual such as crema di fragola (mascarpone cheese with fresh strawberries), but all have been handmade to order, served in simple dishes such as jars. Beverage-wise, there’s plenty to choose from, from the illy brand of coffee to more unusual pomegranate tea, a good selection of wines and beers, as well as some typical and authentic aperitifs such as Prosecco.

A winning formula As a result, it is easy to see why at any Vapiano you will see young and old, groups and single people or couples, because there is something for everyone. As is the case with many other food oriented concepts these days, the brand says that it has also set out to deliberately make itself female friendly in terms of its design and layout, so branding is hardly noticeable but a pleasant ambiance and environment certainly is.

They have observed that many of their customers are in fact young professionals with up to 60% of their being female, so when they are searching for new locations they look out for central, urban venues that are characterised by high visibility, high ceilings and bright and open architecture to allow in lots of natural daylight. External patios can also be incorporated into their design, helping to offer consumers a range of locations within a single store in which to enjoy a meal at any time of the year.

“The winning formula for us means a location where there is shopping, nightlife and offices nearby.

We have fixed costs in our buildings,

food and staff who are critical as we are a labour intensive concept. In the past, we have chosen a couple of stores which proved to be too small, with too few people to be sustainable and so which we had to close,” explains Vapiano’s chief operating officer, Joachim Gripp, who has previously worked for Yum! Restaurants International Ltd, and points out that the city of Vienna in Austria has a population of ‘just’1.6 million (compared to 8 million in London), and currently has seven Vapiano restaurants.

“We are not necessarily focussed on healthy eating as such, but rather natural, additive-free ingredients and fresh food made on our premises. And this means that one of our biggest challenges is our people skills. We have a people director who is focused on our human capital as we believe that the motivation of our talent will be the key to the growth of the company in the future.

“We are very successful in the UK and in Germany, with some of our provincial town stores in Germany being the ‘800 pound gorillas’!” he jokes.“In the UK I think we will focus initially on owning our own stores there rather than franchising - concentrating on rolling out company-owned stores first in the big markets of the UK, France and Germany. The next wave can then involve the franchisees. We might well open a store in the north of Italy perhaps. We are also looking at Spain, China, South America and possibly India.”

In the meantime, assuming that Vapiano do, as planned, secure the right sites with the right amount of floor space and design potential, it’s hard to imagine this refreshing and visionary brand not taking off throughout the UK. The Vapiano approach to fast and healthily-prepared fresh food should have wide appeal and stand out potential across the whole of the UK. Vapiano’s Joachim Gripp.

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Big franchising

business

The pizza business continues to defy the tough economic conditions with all of the major brands pursuing expansion plans and in turn offering great potential to qualityand customer-focused franchisees.

Expansion plans Towards the end of 2012, Pizza Hut Delivery (www.pizzahut.co.uk/delivery) announced that it will be supporting an aggressive expansion plan with approximately £4.5m of incentives that will see this popular pizza delivery chain set out to open a further 100 new stores by 2014.

This incentive will support a total investment of around £20 million, say the company.

A key part of the investment is the launch of a new franchise incentive scheme that has been developed to support franchisees in opening new stores. The incentive programme offers up to £65,000 support to existing and new franchisees for opening a new store by 30 November 2013 (subject to some basic terms and conditions).

The aggressive expansion plan will create significant opportunities for existing and prospective franchisees across England, Wales and Scotland to invest in a world-class pizza delivery brand that will deliver great value, say Pizza Hut. “We are committed to delivering a major investment in growing our UK system, creating significant new opportunities for existing and would-be franchisees.

Our investment will increase our marketing spend, drive the outlet

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numbers, and visibility of Pizza Hut Delivery and create opportunities for franchisees to grow their businesses quickly,” says Mark Fox, managing director, Yum! III (UK) Ltd, the franchise owner for Pizza Hut Delivery in the UK. “It is testament to the Pizza Hut Delivery brand, and our focus on quality and service, that we’ve seen strong system and same store sales growth over the past three years. The long-term goal is to establish a solid base of over 700 delivery stores across the UK, with an immediate business focus of delivering an additional 100 stores. We hope and expect the whole system to benefit from this great investment in the Pizza Hut Delivery brand in the UK.” Pizza Hut Delivery currently has around 300 stores in England, Wales and Scotland, both company-owned and franchise, and is actively seeking potential new franchisees interested in running their own Pizza Hut Delivery businesses, as well as encouraging existing franchisees to open additional units.

Pizza Hut Delivery is a wholly own subsidiary of Yum! (www.yum.com/investors), one of the world’s largest franchisers.

Around 76% of some 13,000 Pizza Huts around the world are franchise owned with Pizza Hut Delivery having opened its first UK store in 1988, and its first

franchised store here in early 2001 (it now consists of almost 300 units across England, Scotland and Wales, www.pizzahut franchise.co.uk/index.html, www.pizzahutproperty.co.uk).

One of the youngest Aged 30, Eddie el Lamaa is one of Domino’s youngest multi-unit franchisees. A former delivery driver, Eddie’s relentless work ethic and ambition has seen him progress to become a franchisee with nine stores and big expansion plans to double the size of his franchise before the end of the year.

Born in Lebanon, Eddie and his family moved to the UK when he was just three years old. He lived in Kilburn, North West London, until the age of 16 and then in Greenford until the age of 21 (Eddie’s dad owned and ran a Lebanese restaurant).

“I was in the air cadets and wanted to be a pilot when I was a kid,” says Eddie,“but when I reached the age of 16 and was old enough to start earning my own money, I got myself a job cleaning local schools. I used to get up, go to work cleaning, get home and then go to school. I was eager to work and used my wages to buy myself a moped. My parents had always worked really hard and I thought nothing of getting another job after school as a

delivery driver at Domino’s to earn a bit more. As well as cleaning during the week, I used to work Tuesday to Friday 6pm until close at Domino’s and then all day Saturday and Sunday too.”

Eddie spotted the job at Domino’s in the local job centre and went to work at the Edgware store as a delivery driver. After a while, he gave up his cleaning jobs to focus on Domino’s.“I loved it,” he says.“I got to use a company moped and the work was good. I thrived on the busy store environment and always looked forward to going into work.”

After two years, Eddie began to work in-store and moved to the nearby Belmont store to become shift manager. A year later, he became manager of Domino’s in West End Lane, West Hampstead.

After four years at Domino’s, Eddie was well aware of the potential within the pizza business and spoke to his dad about running a franchise. At the time, Eddie was studying architecture in his first year at Kingston University, as well as competing as the English taekwondo champion.“My dad gave me a great piece of advice. He said I was trying to run with three enormous melons and I needed to decide which one I wanted before I dropped them all,” he recalls.“I did the maths and figured out that owning a Domino’s franchise would bring

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franchising me significantly more rewards and a sustainable career, so the decision was made.”

Eddie’s dad encouraged him to go for it and the pair attended an interview at Domino’s head office.

They were approved and offered Domino’s in Rayners Lane, Harrow – an existing Domino’s store.

“I said I’d take it without even having all the finances in place!” said Eddie.“My dad and I went to our accountant and with their help, we raised the funds needed.

My dad re-mortgaged his house to get some of the money for my first store. He really put a lot of faith in me and I was only 20 at the time. I’m so grateful for what he did and it made me even more determined to make a fantastic success of my business.”

In 2003, Eddie became franchisee of Domino’s in Rayners Lane, Harrow. In the first year, sales increased by 44% and by 2005, they had doubled. Eddie’s strong work ethic, passion and dedication saw him get his Domino’s franchise off to a flying start.

After nine months, Eddie opened Hoddesdon, a new store, and took over Potters Bar, an existing store, in 2007, taking his store count to three. In 2011, Eddie more than doubled his store count with the purchase of four stores in the north, located in Scunthorpe, Leeds – Chapeltown, Rotherham and Sutton in Ashford.

In the same year, he also opened new stores in Pinner, near London, and Wath-upon-Dearne in South Yorkshire.

“I always knew I wanted to own a number of Domino’s stores,” says Eddie.“I started my business in the South East but it made sense to expand into the North and develop a network of stores across a range of areas.

When the opportunity came up to take over four stores in the north in a short space of time, I jumped at the chance. This now gives me the chance to expand my business in two locations simultaneously.”

In ten years, Eddie has achieved fantastic success.“I have just applied everything I had learnt from my time working instore and as a driver with the techniques suggested from head office,” says Eddie.“I believe and follow wholeheartedly Domino’s standards and stick to them no

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matter what. That’s the great thing about franchising, you have a proven formula to follow and it really works.”

Today, Eddie has ambitious plans to continue expanding his franchise, with a goal to own 20 stores and then bring the total to 50 by the end of 2015.

Eddie’s family and best friend, Henri Salameh, provide great support for his franchise. Henri also started his Domino’s career as a delivery driver and then went to work with Eddie part time when he took over as franchisee at Rayners Lane. In a matter of months, Henri was working full time and quickly became area manager for Eddie’s stores in London. Today, Henri is CEO of Eddie’s company Lamaa & Co. The support of Domino’s as franchisor is something Eddie also places great value on for his success to date.“The franchise has a real family feel,” he explains.“It’s a big business with several hundred stores but I know there is always someone I can speak to for help, advice and support. There is a fanatical dedication to growing and protecting the brand too and we’re all in this together.”

In addition, Eddie is acutely aware of the vital role every team member plays in his franchise, particularly with stores spread in the North and South. Having

worked his way up from driver to franchisee, Eddie has done every job at Domino’s and offers his staff the support and motivation to help develop their careers in the same way as he did. He spends a great deal of time in his stores and talks to them about how he got to where he is today. Eddie is passionate that people see Domino’s as a career and not ‘just a job.’ Developing his staff is very important and he’s committed to helping people do this – Eddie’s London area manager started working in-store aged 16 and today, she oversees four stores.

Eddie sums up:“I’d highly recommend franchising to anyone wanting to take their destiny in their own hands and build a great new career for themselves. If you’ve got the passion and determination, you can achieve great success. I have loved every minute of my journey with Domino’s so far and I can’t wait to carry on growing my business.”

From small beginnings The original ‘papa’, John Schnatter – the founder and CEO of Papa John’s – also has a story that is an inspiration to all franchisees and would-be franchisees. At high school, he worked as a dishwasher at Rocky’s sub pub in Jefferson, Indiana, later selling his prized car to fund used restaurant

equipment to make and sell his own pizza from a converted broom closet in his father’s tavern and now Papa John’s has become the world’s third largest pizza chain.

John Schnatter founded the Papa John’s pizza delivery franchise in the USA in 1984 and the company recently opened its 200th UK store, aiming to open at least 100 more UK outlets in the next couple of years.

Although the brand is expanding rapidly and now has around 4,000 outlets in 33 countries, its focus is very much on quality with Papa John’s claiming to be the only branded pizza chain to use only 100% fresh dough, giving a better natural flavour. They also use a unique tomato sauce made from the best Californian tomatoes, picked and packed from vine to can in just six hours. This ethos helped Papa John’s win the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association’s Pizza Delivery Chain of the Year Award for 2012.

“Franchisees come from all walks of life and each store is run by a franchisee who employs up to 20 people,” explains Dave Galvin, the UK franchise sales manager for Papa John’s.

“Many of our franchisees have recognised the business opportunity running a Papa John’s

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franchising

Q&A with Mark Fox (MD Yum! UK) What kind of new franchisees are you looking to hear from?

The Pizza Hut Delivery franchise incentive scheme is an opportunity open to both existing and new franchisees. Opening a franchise with Pizza Hut Delivery offers an exciting and secure opportunity for anyone interested in starting their own business that has a strong return on investment and becoming part of one of the UK’s best-loved brands.

We are keen to hear from anyone who has a strong belief in our brand and an aligned set of values as well as great drive and selfconfidence. We also look for people with an entrepreneurial spirit, proven management capabilities and who have a passion for delivering great customer service and developing great teams.

What experience must new franchisees be able to offer?

As well as having a strong belief in our brand and entrepreneurial spirit, we are looking for franchisees who have broad business experience – an advantage if this lies in hospitality – and proven management capabilities. Our current franchise owners come from a range of backgrounds - from two brothers who started their working life at Camp America to a former board director based in the US - they have all established very successful and thriving businesses.

Once applicants are successful, franchisee owners have the full support of our Pizza Hut Delivery Franchise Support Network from the very beginning to help guide them every step of the way.

What financial investment is required from new franchisees?

Franchisees looking to open a new store must have approximately £200,000 (around 40% of which must be a cash deposit) with access to additional funding to suit growth requirements. Under the new incentive programme, Pizza Hut Delivery may offer up to £65,000 in financial support for opening a franchise represents and now operate multiple outlets. We help source premises and provide full training and support to allow franchisees to run a successful operation under the popular and highly regarded Papa John’s brand.

“We aim to support our franchisees as much as we can along the way and have recently developed a new E-learning portal with this aim in mind. Business owners and store personnel

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store by 30 November 2013, subject to terms and conditions.

How has the new incentive scheme come about?

Despite a challenging economic environment, Pizza Hut Delivery is committed to making a significant investment in growing our UK system and creating exciting opportunities for entrepreneurs keen to start or grow their own business. The incentive scheme is part of a total investment of £20 million being made by the company in the UK which we anticipate will create over 2,000 jobs and see a further 100 stores opening by 2014, with our long-term goal to have a total of over 700 stores in the UK. With the UK pizza and pasta market set to top £850 million and still growing, Pizza Hut Delivery offers fantastic opportunities for growth. Within such a strong market, the incentive scheme offers a unique opportunity for anyone dedicated to becoming part of our exciting expansion plans over the next two years.

How will the new incentive scheme work in practice?

As part of Pizza Hut Delivery’s expansion plans, £4.5 million is being invested directly in the incentive scheme. This means that potentially each new store opened will receive an incentive of up to £65,000, subject to terms and conditions. The incentive is realised through a combination of initial fee waiver, and subsidised marketing contributions, representing a significant saving on the usual £200,000 initial franchisee investment.

With this scheme, will preference be given to existing franchisees?

No – the scheme is open to both existing and new franchisees for opening a store by 30 November 2013, subject to terms and conditions. We are keen to work with anyone who is dedicated to working with us to build the Pizza Hut Delivery business in the UK.

access the system - called ULearn over the Internet via a PC or store terminal and it now offers a key ingredient of the blended learning approach to training, advocated at Papa John’s.

“ULearn is divided into 12 core modules designed to cover every essential aspect of the franchise.

From new team member orientation to developing delivery driver skills, the visual and audio presentations provide franchisees with a valuable, additional tool to

Has this type of scheme be tried before, here or in the US? Such a scheme has not been tried in the UK previously. However, there has been a recent incentive in the USA which has led to annual new unit openings increasing by around 200 units.

How should new/existing franchisees apply?

Anyone interested in inquiring about the franchise incentive scheme should visit our website www.pizzahutfranchise.co.uk Where are we likely to see this scheme being utilised first?

We are open to proactive approaches from anyone across the country who has a potential location in mind. The bias of our growth will be outside London and the South East where we already have a very strong presence. We have identified a number of potential locations, available to view via www.pizzahutproperty.co.uk alongside contact details for more information.

train their staff. We have also enhanced the UK version of the portal to enable staff to complete the Food Safety Level 2 certification. In this way, we can ensure franchise owners monitor the progress of staff training easily.

This is particularly helpful for some of our multi-store franchisees who are managing multiple teams.”

Papa John’s, which has become well known for its product quality, reports that it has opportunities

for potential franchisees throughout the UK including the key locations of Yorkshire, Manchester, West Midlands, East Midlands, South West, North East, Wales & Scotland.

“As we expand, we are seeing increased interest from potential franchisees who recognise the lucrative business opportunity owning a Papa John’s pizza outlet represents,” continues Dave Galvin.

“We have found the Papa

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franchising John’s concept of only using the highest quality ingredients to create a top quality pizza with a better natural flavour to be particularly popular. Combine this with a strong brand and the backup of an established and professional support team, and the franchises provide a real chance to create a thriving business with the potential to expand exponentially through the ownership of multiple outlets.”

The total investment in a Papa John’s franchise is in the region of £185,000 (made up of a franchise fee of £18,500, legal fees of £15,000, marketing costs of £20,000, equipment costs of £58,000 and construction from £73,000 www.papajohns.co.uk/franchise).

Grocery shop to pizza outlet Mohammed Zulfiqar Haidar worked in his family’s small grocery store for 15 years. It was based in a troubled area of Greenock, Scotland - a failing shipbuilding town with high unemployment. The day came when the business had become unsustainable, so the family essentially gave it away. However, this time also represented a turning point.

“I realised that no-one was going to do it for me, I had to make the change happen,” Mohammed Zulfiqar Haidar explains.

Going on to work in a call centre, Mohammed Zulfiqar Haidar was holding down three jobs at the same time, driven by the need to provide for his family.

His determination was rewarded with customer service and sales awards and he was subsequently head hunted to secure funding and advertising revenue for the homeless magazine, the Big Issue.

However, this was just the start of his journey which has resulted in him becoming Papa John’s most successful franchisee in Scotland.

A friend introduced Mohammed to Papa John’s 12 years ago as the ‘big thing’ in the USA which was set to come to the UK. Mohammed recalls:“It was a big risk taking on the first Papa John’s store in Scotland. We ploughed everything we had into our first Glasgow outlet and we knew it would be sink or swim.”

In fact, Mohammed bought the

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Papa John’s franchise with his brother Iftikhar, mum, sister and niece, making it a real family business.

The franchise grew quickly and within five years the family team were employing eight pizza delivery drivers in addition to instore staff.

Recession-defying “It was incredible! We experienced 15% growth year on year when the rest of Glasgow was really struggling,” says Mohammed.

Today, Mohammed runs three Papa John’s stores, the third of which was recently opened on Duke Street, Glasgow and was Papa John’s 200th store opening in the UK, gaining widespread national publicity and putting Glasgow in the limelight.

Papa John’s marked the official opening of this 200th UK store by serving up 200 free pizzas to the first 200 visitors to the outlet.

“We are delighted to be marking this special milestone, which signifies the increasing number of people experiencing our ‘Better Ingredients. Better Pizza’ philosophy across the UK,” said Gareth Davies, vice president for Papa John’s UK.“Our 200th store opening is not just a significant achievement for us in the UK, but an opportunity to thank our local customers in Glasgow for choosing Papa John’s by inviting them to share in the occasion with us.”

Mohammed and his team have also been awarded customer

service and satisfaction awards from Papa John’s and won the overall sales award for continuous growth in 2012.

“Although Scotland represents 5% of Papa John’s store distribution, 20% of the highest revenue earning stores are based here,” reveals Mohammed.“The demand means some of our stores have a higher turnover than some of the London-based outlets and we are really proud of that!”

Mohammed puts his success down to a number of factors.

“Our number one success factor is our work ethic. Myself and the team work hard, our business is our home and our work ethic is driven by the desire to provide for our families,” he says.

“Secondly, attention to detail is key. Each customer represents the chance for future repeat business and that is what our franchise relies on. The store must look great, the customer service must be excellent and the product superior to the competition. The business is not about volume, but an all-round quality customer experience to ensure our customers keep coming back for more. This approach has allowed us to maintain continuous growth in the midst of the worst recession in living memory.

“Thirdly, staff training and motivation is critical. We advertised for one delivery driver and one in store staff member and had 490 applications! Because of the high unemployment in the region, highly qualified people are

being forced to take jobs as ‘stop gaps’, but we need dedicated staff who want to work with us and so we do two things. Firstly, we encourage staff to study while they are working for us. The pizza business is an evening operation so this gives plenty of time for people to study at college or university in the day time so we attract intelligent and articulate staff. Their minds are always ticking, these people are constantly learning and so pick things up really quickly!

“Secondly, we work closely with a government organisation called Working Links which is focused on helping long-term unemployed people. Through this scheme we recruit 25% of our staff. These people want to work they are not looking for a stopgap but long-term employment and so the balance works well for us and we are able to contribute to creating job opportunities for our community.”

Mohammed has recently been nominated for a Scottish Asian Business Award in franchising.

These awards honour the determination, hard work and personal achievements of the Scottish Asian business men and women at the forefront of their industries. His Papa John’s franchise business has really has been a success in Scotland and in addition, he has secured investment for three further Papa John’s stores - Paisley, Clyde Bank and Bearsden which will open in the next two years.

The opening of Papa John’s 200th UK store being celebrated in Scotland.

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Much loved in Italy, but rarely seen in the UK is fugasun (torte verde) that’s currently being made by an artisan producer (“Rita’s Fugasun”) in London and offers a healthy and authentic ‘to go’ option with a difference.

‘To go’

temptations What other ‘to go’ foods and impulse buys can pizza delivery and takeaway outlets tempt their customers with?

New gourmet snacks A new, Italian-themed snack product - called Pastinos – has achieved what many might have thought about at some point, but not actually gone on to develop.

Pastinos are made from 100% pasta and are fried and seasoned with a range of Italian flavours that are totally new to the premium snack category, claim their makers – namely, Originale,

Sicilian Lemon and Black Pepper, Tomato and Basil, Arrabbiata and Chianti and Olive.

The proprietors of Martorana Snacks, the company behind Pastinos, are Guiseppe (Joe) Martorana and chef, Roberto Perini, who decided to bring this new product into fruition after months of discussions about an idea of Roberto’s.

“I had a vision five years ago,”

says Roberto Perini. “The most famous Italian food is pasta, so wouldn’t it be great if you could eat pasta while cycling, walking, running or in fact just be able to pasta anywhere?”

Both men have a real passion for Italian food, and both come from a traditional Italian family background. Joe Martorana is a successful businessman who was born in Sicily. He is also a

restaurateur and says that he has fond memories of his early years with his family. “Food was always central to our family, and in typical Italian tradition was quite simple really, but always used the finest ingredients. I wanted this concept to become inherent to our range of pasta snacks, we insisted we used all natural ingredients in the making of Pastinos,” he explains.

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food ‘to go’ Pastinos are currently available through Adnams Southwold who work with local farmers and producers to supply their brewery and hotels - the aim being to expand the availability of Pastinos to the wider market.

Pastinos have a 270 day shelf life, are made from 100% pasta and are available in five typically Italian flavours. They come in 150g and 30g bags (case sizes 12 x 150g and 28 x 30g) and are VAT free. In addition to the launch, Pastinos are being supported by a national promotional campaign involving many of the major UK consumer publications, report Martorana Snacks.

After enjoying his grandmother Rita's fugasun (torta verde) as a child, Roy Rovelli has now realised an ambition by introducing this filling, vegetable pie to Londoners, having made it according to a treasured family recipe. Having been long regarded as a healthy and wholesome addition to the lunch menu, it may just be a vegetable pie to some, but Roy Rovelli says that in fact it is steeped in more than 200 years of tradition and history.

Fugasun or torta verde is a very old recipe that has been cooked in the village of Apricale in Liguria Italy for over 200 years.

The main ingredients are courgettes, Swiss chard, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and Arborio rice. Added to this are some parsley and onions, and it is cooked in the oven (the pastry being made only with olive oil, flour and water).

Wanting to make this healthy treat as popular in London as it is in certain regions in Italy, Roy Rovelli is now producing fugasun on a commercial basis, attracting the attention of health-conscious and hungry Londoners. In fact, fugasun is perhaps one of the very few and unknown traditional Italian snacks to come to our shores for a long time.

More versatile and healthier than a pizza, claims Roy Rovelli, and suitable for vegetarians, fugasun can be eaten hot or cold, as a snack or as a light-bite at lunchtime, or served with soup or a salad for a more filling meal. It is also proving popular as a party finger food, and there are only 168 calories per 100g. Roy

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Rovelli’s company is currently making three different types Original, Wholemeal and Chilli.

Fugasun is currently being sold in shops in central London including Planet Organic, Natural Kitchen and several sandwich shops and delicatessen (it can also be delivered to select work places in London by Darwin Deli).

For more information about the history behind fugasun, as well as a list of ingredients and retail outlets, visit www.ritasfugasun.com.

Henry Braham & Glynis Murray - producers of hemp for food and nutrition – report that they have spent ten years on their farm in Devon developing what they believe is ultimate hempseed ingredients for food and high value nutrition. Best known for their top quality Good Oil that’s used for cooking and for health as well as flavour, they recently harnessed the unique benefits of hemp for sports nutrition with the launch of their Italian Herbs Hemp Seeds product (www.goodhempnutrition.com) under their Good Seed brand.

Braham & Murray’s Hemp Natural Protein contains all the essential amino acids with a similar profile to meat, milk and eggs, report the company, and are suitable for vegetarians and

vegans. They also contain Omega 3 (one serving gives 35% of the recommended daily intake of Omega 3 according to EUFSA Guidelines). The suggested RRP for a 170g tub of Good Seed Italian Herbs Hemp Seed is £3.89.

Hemp is also uniquely good for the environment, point out Braham & Murray as nothing is wasted from the plant (the seed is used for food, the remaining straw is used to make thermal efficient building materials to build eco-houses). It’s free from herbicides and pesticides, additives and preservatives and colouring. So by using hemp instead of whey, you are not only doing something good for yourself but also for the planet.

As well as snacking potential, dishes such as lasagne, soups and fritters can also be flavoured in a healthy way by cooking with Italian Herbs Hemp Seed, suggest Braham & Murray.

Spicy sides Chicken wings are a well-loved food choice and now, thanks to the introduction of three new flavours that tap into the trend for the British love of spicy, Mexican flavours, Plusfood UK says that it is now able to offer caterers BBQ, Buffalo and Mexican flavoured wings.

Inspired by the original and best wings from Buffalo, New York, their latest wings pack a mean punch, say Plusfood, coated in a spicy pepper marinade and perfect for snacking or sharing, suggest the company. They can be served traditionally smothered in a hot pepper sauce or dunked in a cooling blue cheese dip.

Plusfood’s new BBQ chicken

wings are coated in a spicy paprika and herb marinade and can be dipped in a sticky barbecue sauce to create a moreish addition to menus. Their Mexican chicken wings are marinated in a hot chipotle chilli and lime marinade, and can be served with a cool sour cream dip and a side serving of crispy nachos for a real taste of Mexico.

Each of the flavours can be cooked from frozen in a matter of minutes – deep fry in just four minutes at 180°C, or oven bake in 15 minutes at 200°C. They are free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives and available in case sizes of 2kg. They are also available as Halal, produced in Europe at Plusfood’s production facility using Plusfood’s own poultry (www.plusfood.co.uk).

A new range of raw sprinkles from Cream Supplies can help to add a healthy flavour dimension to salads, cooked vegetables and lots of other dishes, not least pizza.

Their Pizzeria Sprinkles are packed with Italian herbs blended with onion and deactivated nutritional yeast for a truly authentic pizza flavour (price is £2.49 per 30g jar, and they are available from Cream Supplies’ online shop at www.creamsupplies.co.uk).

Something sweet It is clear that despite the trying economic conditions, many consumers are refusing to go without their sweet treats, as specialist chocolate maker, Belflair (www.belflairchocolates.com), have found out, having seen sales of their brightly revamped sachets of premium chocolate rise.

Their milk and dark chocolate mendiants, chocolate-dunked ginger and zingy orangettes have proved popular, feel the firm, due to the fact that they provide the perfect

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food ‘to go’ Peros’s ‘to go’ range of bakery goods taps into the trends for indulgence and Fairtrade.

Boosting impulse sales via the stocking of sweet treats is an opportunity not to be missed for operators.

pocket/handbag sized sachet of ‘on-the-go’ pleasure or ‘me time treat’ that can be eaten at home or on the hoof.

The Peros One World bakery range (www.peros.co.uk) also offers a portable option, having been created by artisan bakers to not only provide great tasting snacks, but also to use Fairtrade ingredients wherever possible, say the company.

The packaging is a distinctive, eye-catching design with enhanced quality and reduced environmental impact. Branded point-of-sale materials and display stands are also available.

The most recent addition to the One World Fairtrade snack range is the Caramel Shortbread, which joins the existing popular choices of Choc Chip Shortbread, Traditional Flapjacks, Chocolate Brownies, Fruit Flapjacks, Choc Chip Flapjacks and Eccles Cakes.

There are four One World Fairtrade Cookies - Choc Chip Cookies, Triple Choc Cookies, Fruit Cookies, and Ginger

Cookies. These are individually wrapped in 45g twin packs and customers find them an ideal solution for hospitality and counter service.

A perfect impulse dessert solution for outlets everywhere is the range of One World Fairtrade Muffins, containing up to 43% Fairtrade ingredients (full size muffins are available in chocolate, toffee, lemon and blueberry flavours and there is also a mini muffin selection pack containing the same four flavours).

Peros’s ever-popular One World Fairtrade Crumbles are available in Raspberry and Strawberry flavours, each incorporating Fairtrade sugar and fruit, and there are two different One World Fairtrade Chewy Cookies - Belgian White Choc Chip American Chewy Cookie and Belgian Dark Choc Chip American Chewy Cookie.

Individually wrapped One World Fairtrade Cupcakes are available in three flavours -

lemon, strawberry and chocolate - each containing over 46% Fairtrade ingredients. The cupcakes are topped with a swirl of flavoured butter icing.

Atlantic Foods (www.atlanticfoods.co.uk) has recently announced that it has made two further additions to its popular Go On! range of mini desserts with the launch of a Triple Chocolate Cookie and a Dark Chocolate Cookie.

The Triple Chocolate Cookie is a luxurious combination of milk, dark and white chocolate, whilst the Dark Chocolate Cookie is packed with generous chunks of dark chocolate chips. When baked both cookies have a crunchy outer and a unique, soft,

melt-in-the-mouth centre.

The two new products supplied in cases of 240 x 40g are part of the Go On! ‘Hot Selection’ which contains something for anyone looking for a warm, comforting sweet treat whether it be as a standalone dessert, a coffee-time indulgence, or part of a sharing platter.

Desserts are often one of the great missed opportunities in the out of home and take-out sector, but the new Go On! range from Atlantic Foods has been created to help operators capitalise on this massive opportunity with a selection of desserts that is as wide as it is versatile.

Go On! triple chocolate cookie.

Cap-It-All is has announced the launch of a unique new GoodLife soup bowl, which boasts a vented, leak-proof lid to minimise the risk of spillages due to an innovative lid design so that foodservice operators can rest easy in the knowledge that soup can be moved from counter to table – or even used for takeaway – easily and safely.

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113 years experience!

Placed perfectly, in the palm of your hands website www.doughballpizza.co.uk email: info@doughballpizza.co.uk call:01706831159

www.papa.org.uk

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preview

Parizza

2013 For anyone interested in learning more about the latest trends in snacks and Italian food, Parizza 2013 (20–21 March 2013 – Hall 7.2, Porte de Versailles, Paris) could well be the place to visit.

A showcase Organised in conjunction with the Sandwich & Snack Show, Parizza has become the must-attend event for the snack and catering industry and at the same time is a showcase for pizza, pasta and Italian food.

Once again, Parizza will be spotlighting the latest trends in food products, consumption and equipment, along with new concepts, some unique events, pizza chef demonstrations and themed talks.

As a key business platform and source of inspiration for the Italian food sector, the show will feature more than 100 exhibitors and key industry players who will be presenting their offers in a unique and ever more festive and creative atmosphere.

Trends to look out for 1. The ‘bespoke’ pizza, whereby customers create a pizza tailored to their personal preferences and mood for a recipe that is individual to them.

2. The upmarket pizza: pizza with foie gras, chanterelle mushrooms and maybe a hint of truffle. Let’s face it, pizzas are constantly being reinvented daily to suit a more diverse customer.

3. Selling pizza ‘Roman’ style - a more practical option whereby customers buy pizza by weight or by the slice.

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4. The Fresh 'n' Go concept salad-bar style, where pizzeria customers create their favourite pizzas on the spot then take them home to cook. It could be home-made!

Show highlights New for 2013 is a special pizza Sandwich & Snack Show Academy, and not to be missed are new concepts in Italian food with a pizza category incorporated in to it.

Awards will be given to the year's top emerging concepts that can be duplicated by franchises.

The shortlist will be drawn up by Gira Conseil and the Franchise Observatory with the award ceremony taking place on Thursday, 21 March 2013 at 12 noon.

There will also be themed talks by industry experts such as the not to be missed key pizza market figures for 2012 including the Pizza Barometer, new pizza technologies, advice on creating a pizzeria and the sector’s development prospects.

On Wednesday, 20 March 2013 in the Talks Area there will be a range of unique events such as workshops and demonstrations by top pizza chefs and Master Instructors from the Association of

French Pizzerias featuring brand new recipes and all the secrets to making pizza. There will also be demonstrations of pizza acrobatics!

The final of the France Pizza Tour will also take place on Wednesday with Parizza hosting the final of the third edition during which the top pizza chefs from eight regions will compete for the title of France's Top Pizza Chef.

■

■

January 2012 compared with the same period the previous year.

Consumers want their pizzas to be high quality (60%), tasty (53%) and inexpensive (43%).

All channels combined, for every piece of sushi consumed, 44 pizzas, 8 kebabs, 22 hamburgers, 61 sandwiches and 264 bowls of pasta are eaten.

Source: Gira Conseil (2011 and 2012 figures)

The Italian food market in France ■ 1.3 billion pizzas were consumed in France in 2011.

■ Revenues of €5.23 billion for a total volume of 264,196 tonnes of pizza consumed in France in 2011 (figures include supermarkets commercial catering companies and vending companies).

■ The French are the second biggest pizza consumers in the world (10 kg of pizza per year per inhabitant, behind the USA but ahead of the Italians!).

■ There are 22,372 establishments specialising in pizza, the number of franchises having increased by 8.77% in 2011.

■ The number of independent outlets has fallen slightly down 2%.

■ The average meal price for a pizza in France in January 2012 was €13.40.

■ 43% of establishments have reported an increase in pizza sales since the beginning of

Parizza facts and figures ■ In 2012, it had 100 exhibitors specialising in food processing (flours, ingredients, garnishes, pasta, dairy products, cheese, oils etc.), packaging, equipment and services.

■ In 2012, it welcomed some 8,318 visitors from pizzerias, delicatessens, restaurants, hotels, catering companies, wholesalers, purchasing centres, supermarkets, service companies.

Venue and opening times Venue: Paris – Hall 7.2, Porte de Versailles Wednesday, 20 March 2013 – 9.30am to 7.00pm Thursday, 21 March 2013 – 9.30am to 6.00pm The Sandwich & Snack Show and Parizza are organised by Reed Expositions (for more information and full programme details, visit www.parizza.com).

February 2013

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recipe

No-bake bacon lasagne Serves: 3-4 Cooking time - approximately 35 minutes Ingredients 240g dry cured oak smoked bacon rashers 15mlsp (1tbsp) olive oil 2 large mushrooms, sliced 1 clove of garlic, crushed 400g (approx) can chopped tomatoes 15mlsp (1tbsp) tomato ketchup 15mlsp (1tbsp) fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped Black pepper 8 fresh lasagne sheets, cut in half–or if dried lightly soaked in boiling water Grated Parmesan cheese Fresh basil leaves Method 1. In a large non-stick saucepan heat the oil and fry the bacon, mushrooms and garlic for about four minutes.

2. Add the chopped tomatoes and sauce and simmer for about 15 minutes.

3. Plunge lasagne sheets into boiling water for about two to three minutes (follow pack instructions). Remove from water, rinse well and allow to drain.

In the run up to Bacon Connoisseurs’ Week (18-24 March 2013), BPEX (a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board representing pig levy payers in England who work to improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the English pig industry) is challenging chefs to come up with new ideas to serve quality bacon, following its latest report that reveals the catering sector could be doing far more to recognise the importance of bacon in delivering value to dishes and tempting customers with better menu descriptions. For inspiration, BPEX has created a range of mouthwatering dishes that will appeal to restaurants and other foodservice establishments, with excellent opportunities to drive up sales for Bacon Connoisseurs’ Week and long afterwards.

www.papa.org.uk

4. Assemble and serve. Cut each lasagne sheet in half. On to each plate start with a square of lasagne, top with a spoonful of sauce and repeat making up to three-four layers of lasagne.

5. Finish with the top being with a piece of lasagne, sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan and scatter with fresh basil leaves.

6. Serve with mixed leaf salad.

“Bacon Connoisseurs’ Week 2013 presents a huge opportunity to those in the foodservice sector,” says BPEX foodservice trade manager, Tony Goodger.“This year we are encouraging people to ‘think again about bacon’ and demonstrate that it is not only for breakfast. It is versatile enough to star in meals throughout the day and just by adding a little bit of detail, in terms of the quality, cure or flavour profile, to menus can make a significant difference to dish sales.”

Stating that the bacon you source is quality assured, such as Red Tractor, also gives diners reassurance that the food they are eating has been produced to rigorous standards (visit www.porkforcaterers.com and www.lovepork.co.uk for more news, activity updates and more recipe ideas).

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Allergies

allergies

a matter of life or death

Food Allergy Management Europe (FAME) Ltd was established as a result of the research that Vita Whitaker (main picture, director of Whitco Catering & Bakery Equipment Ltd) completed for her master’s degree at Sheffield Hallam and is based on her personal experiences spanning over three years, as a consequence of her following a very restricted diet for health reasons. Here, she outlines more about FAME’s aims.

A growing issue Whilst eating out, I became acutely aware of the lack of knowledge, attitudes and inabilities of some commercial caterers to serve customers with special dietary requirements.

Globalisation, changes in eating habits and progresses in the food industry have all contributed to the availability and variety of a wide range of foods, as a consequence the allergic population is a growing minority, with the risk posed to them increasing as they are exposed to more food allergens which are not always pointed out to them by catering establishments.

More people are being diagnosed with food allergies.

In fact, latest information predicts that by 2050, 50% of the population will have an allergy, and at the same time more people are eating out.

Social changes such as the increase of two family incomes, working longer hours, and after school activities for children, has increased the use of restaurants, cafés, snack bars, as has the demand for special meals to cater for those with allergies grows; but whilst demand is rising, then so should the need for restaurant

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managers to be fully informed regarding food allergies and the potential for allergy related risks occurring in their business.

A large proportion of allergy-related deaths are caused by food eaten away

from home and most cases involve a deliberate ingredient and poor communication.

Allergic consumers do need to be proactive, but they also need help from catering establishments to make informed decisions.

Regulations After several years of intensive consultation and negotiation, the European Union Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 was finally published on 22 November 2011. It came into force 20 days later on 13 December, and catering businesses were allowed a transition period of three years to adapt to most requirements, with the nutrition declaration becoming mandatory after five years. At this stage, the regulation does not include the implementation decisions for each European country; discussions with DEFRA and Food Standards Agency (FSA) on how the regulation will be implemented are still continuing.

In brief, the new directive will hugely affect the “mass caterer” i.e. establishments such as restaurants, pubs, cafés, not excluding a vehicle or a fixed or mobile stall, staff canteens, school dining rooms, hospitals, in fact all catering enterprises in which their business is to prepare open food ready for final consumption by the public consumer.

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council

February 2013

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allergies of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, replaces the previous regulations/directives in place (Appendix 21) and this regulation replaces the current requirements for the labelling of foodstuffs set out in Directive 2000/13/EC and the nutrition labelling requirements of Directive 90/496/EEC. This recent EU legislation (2011) has taken the seriousness of allergen control and has amended the existing legislation to incorporate those supplying freshly prepared, and cooked food which is served unpackaged, referred to as ‘open food’. The new requirements of this Regulation, includes the introduction of allergen labelling and information for foods sold unpackaged. For example, casein (cheese products) must have a reference to milk and tofu has to reference soya.

Whilst the onus remains with open foods, many caterers also provide pre-packed foods.

Here, the food allergen labelling provisions for pre-packed foods are broadly similar to the legislation already in existence, but there are new requirements regarding the presentation of this information.

The fourteen allergenic ingredients stated in Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 have to be declared in the ingredients list and under the new Regulation, this information now has to be emphasized (for example, in capital letters, bold) and must make reference to the allergenic food as set out in Annex II of the Regulation. The legislation states that these fourteen food allergens must be declared whenever they are used, at any level, open food, pre-packed foods, and including alcoholic drinks.

(EU) No. 1169/2011, Chapter V, ‘Voluntary Food Information’ Article 36, 3. (a), states that ingredient information will be voluntarily provided when asked for. Annex II, lists 14 allergens (Appendix 22) and the bi-products of each and adds that:-

www.papa.org.uk

“…information on the possible and unintentional presence in food of substances or products causing allergies or intolerances must be made known…”

Implications The legislation will require that catering businesses can provide allergy information to customers upon request but again, its ‘flexible’ on how information should be provided to them. Some people in the Commission think this information could be put on menus, whilst others prefer mandatory available, meaning available if consumers ask for it.

The main challenge to catering businesses is how they provide allergy information for open foods, without packaging, and foods sold loose (such as from a deli counter), or sold prepacked for direct sale (such as bread or cakes in a bakery or sandwiches from a sandwich bar). This is already hampered by the current information provided not being clear and each EU country being free to provide guidance and advice to businesses as they choose to interpret it, which could create mass confusion and negativity amongst some caterers, possibly making them admit defeat before attempting to comply or, worse still they choose to ignore the regulation altogether.

Following recent discussions with the FSA, Allergy UK and the Anaphylaxis Campaign, all confirm that it is down to the individual catering outlet as to whether they take a proactive role regarding how they integrate food allergens into their business or not, until it is enforced.

2. Provide products and services that will assist them through this process and beyond.

• FAME Allergen Saf-T-Zone Kits, and accessories • Promote the association of food allergens with the colour purple, effectively creating a safe area in commercial kitchen.

• Operational and management systems, including paper based and computerized tools.

• Consultancy and advice.

3. Create a new accreditation for the hospitality industry that indicates the establishment’s capability to service those with food allergies and special dietary requirements that will be audited and regularly updated.

4. Promote the FAME brand to the food allergic community, so that they feel confident to eat out.

I incorporated FAME on the 20th September 2012, along with Kostas Gkatzionis, operations director (a lecturer in food microbiology, teaching management of food safety and hygiene at Birmingham University with ten years in food industry and research), Adrian Pryce (commercial director and lecturer at the University of Northampton with 10 years in food industry, with proprietary Spanish food business, as well as business school lecturer, teaching business studies and commerce).

The training is currently being developed by a team of professionals and the University of Northampton, and it is our intention to launch the on-line training in April 2013.

For more information, email info@fameltd.eu, visit www.fameltd.eu, or call 01832 737205.

FAME’s aims and objectives 1. Rapidly educate commercial catering establishments (private and public sector) in the UK (followed by the European member countries) with regards to food allergens and intolerances, so that they are can meet the European Directive.

• On line training • Bespoke training

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pizza my world

A Pizza My World Franco Caroleo is the general manager for Kudos, the food and venue experts. Kudos provides all the food and venue management services at the newly opened National Football Museum in Manchester, including the public café and Kaleido, the fifth floor restaurant and bar as part of its six-year multimillion pound contract to provide food and venue management services at the Manchester venue. Franco is responsible for the overall management of the food, drink and events offer at the museum (the café seats 150 people and the events space has formal dining for 250 and receptions for 500. The restaurant and bar, Kaleido, can accommodate 80 guests). He was previously general manager for Kudos at another of its venues - Harrogate International Centre - and has catering and hospitality management experience in leisure centres, hotels, golf resorts and colleges.

1.30pm

7.00am

7.00am I arrive at work and catch up with our café chef who is prepping for the morning opening. We chat to the front of house team who are getting ready for the 8am start, and check that everything is in place for a busy day ahead.

1.30pm I sit down with Michael, who looks after our café, and we discuss how we can capture more commuter business from Victoria station using our loyalty card for cappuccinos, lattes and espressos in the morning.

3.30pm

8.00am

10.00am

10.00am I meet with our fantastic client here at the National Football Museum to go through our finance, future events and our marketing ideas for the café, restaurant and events business.

3.30pm Laurie, our event sales executive, takes me through next week’s events and we discuss everything from venue security to audio and visuals. She’s very passionate about the venue and so it’s a very positive way to end the afternoon.

11.00am

11.00am It is time to head into the Kaleido restaurant and meet with the restaurant manager to discuss the bookings for the day and talk tactics for any VIP’s who may be in for lunch or dinner – we have had quite a few celebrities and prestigious guests in since we opened!

12.00pm

Noon With lunch in full swing, I enjoy walking through both the café area and Kaleido to chat to guests and soak up the atmosphere.

1.00pm 1.00pm I head back to the café for a bite to eat and to look at our operation from a customer’s perspective. The staffing levels are in proportion to the level of business, the homemade panini are looking very appetising and the homemade salad shaker pots are as healthy as ever.

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pizzapasta AND ITALIAN FOOD

6.00pm

6.00pm Tonight we are hosting a networking event in the cocktail bar from 7.30pm following a tour of the museum – so I catch up with our staff as they prepare a selection of cocktails on arrival and trays of canapés.

8.00pm

8.00pm No rest for the wicked! I introduce myself to the guests at the networking event and discuss our Christmas offerings, event space in the Hall of Fame and our ability to service banquets for two hundred and fifty people.

10.00pm

10.00pm It’s been a great night and I’ve met some extremely nice people - just a quick check with the restaurant manager that everything is under control and I head off into Manchester for my tram home.

February 2013

✁

8.00am I meet with the executive chef of Kaleido Restaurant and Bar for a much needed coffee and to talk through ideas and the week’s schedule. It’s then time to head to my office to catch up on all the emails!

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a t s a p a z z i p pizzapasta pizzapasta and Italian food magazine

and Italian food

magazine

apa.org.uk er 2012 www.p Issue 153 Decemb

and Italian food magaz ine

Issue 152 November 2012 www.pap a.org.uk

Issue 154 February 2013

www.papa.org.uk

SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM Please provide the following information: Name of applicant: .....................................................................

Position: .......................................................................................

Business/Company Name: .........................................................

Type of business (please tick as appropriate) Pizza Restaurant

Caterer

Pizza Delivery/

Supplier

Pasta Restaurant

Take-away

Manufacturer

Italian Restaurant

Agency/PR

Retail Buyer

Other (please state)

Would you like to receive information on full membership of the Pizza,

✁

Address: ....................................................................................... ... .................................................................................................. ..................................................................................................... ......................................................Post Code:..............................

Pasta & Italian Food Association? YES/NO I enclose a cheque for £55 (£95 outside the UK). Cheques should be payable to PAPA and returned to: Pizza Pasta and Italian Food Association, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow NP16 5DB or contact Tony Lorimer on 01291 636333 or email on tony@papa.org.uk Alternatively, if you wish to pay by credit card, please enter your details below.

Card No: ________________________ Valid From _______ /_______

Tel No:..........................................................................................

Expiry date: ______ /_____ Last 3 digits of Security No. on Reverse _____

Fax No:......................................................................................... email............................................................................................

Name on Card:__________________ Post Code_________________ House No. _______________ (for security purposes only)

Subscribe on line at www.papa.org.uk

P&PFeb13_p56-60_Layout 1 14/02/2013 16:13 Page 56

index registered suppliers Benier UK 56 Alston Drive, Bradwell, Abbey, Milton Keynes MK13 9HB Contact: David Marsh Tel: 01908 312333 / Fax: 01908 311481 www.benier.co.uk sales@benier.co.uk The following businesses are members of The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association (PAPA) and subject to its rules and guidelines. While the Association cannot guarantee the products and services supplied by those listed, it does believe that those listed are reputable and is confident in recommending them.

The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow NP16 5DB Telephone: 01291 636335 or email kevin@jandmgroup.co.uk

REGISTERED SUPPLIERS 999 Pizza Toppings (UK) Ltd. Unit 6, Teakcroft, Fairview Industrial Park, Marsh Way, Rainham, Essex RM13 8UH Contact: Homayoun Aminnia Tel: 01708 558885 Fax: 01708 555022 sales@999pizzatoppings.com AB World Foods Ltd. 18 Aubrey Road, Harborne, Birmingham B32 2BB Contact: Craig Miles Tel: 07713 313601 craig.miles@abworldfoods.com www.abf.co.uk Allied Mills Ltd. Sunblest Flour Mill, Port of Tilbury, Tilbury, Essex RM18 7JR Contact: Chris Brown Tel: 01375 363100 Fax: 01375 363199 chris.brown@allied-mills.co.uk www.allied-mills-semolina.co.uk Bakkavor Pizza Forward Drive, Christchurch Avenue, Harrow, Middlesex, HA3 8NT Contact: Soum Ghosal Tel: 0208 4242666 / Fax: 0208 4200606 soum.ghosal@bakkavor.co.uk www.bakkavor.co.uk

Bel UK Ltd Suite 1, 2nd Floor, 160 London Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1BT Contact: Camilla Deane Tel: 0333 900 2020 Fax: 01732 467596 cdeane@groupe-bel.com www.bel-uk.co.uk

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C.Carnevale Ltd Carnevale House, Blundell St, London N7 9BN Contact: Mr C Carnevale Tel: 0207 607 8777 / Fax: 0207 607 8774 Cater-Bake UK South Boundary Road, Knowsley Industrial Park, Merseyside, Liverpool, L33 7RR Contact: Mark Hutchings Tel: 0151 548 5818 / Fax: 0151 548 5835 www.cater-bake.co.uk sales@cater-bake.co.uk Continental Quattro Stagioni 8 - 33 Royal Elizabeth Yard, Kirkliston, West Lothian EH29 9EN Contact: Mr Paolo Veneroni Tel: 0131 3191919 Fax: 0131 3315566 p.veneroni@continental-wine.co.uk www.continental-food.co.uk

BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN FINE FOOD INGREDIENT IMPORTERS AND DISTRIBUTORS DONATANTONIO LIMITED BOREHAMWOOD

Donatantonio Ltd. Lupa House, York Way, Borehamwood, Herts WD6 1PX Contact: Simon Bell Tel: 0208 2362222 / Fax: 0208 2362288 www.donatantonio.com sbell@donatantonio.com Doughball Pizza Ltd. 353 Manchester Road, Haslingden, Rossendale, Lancashire BB4 6PT Contact: Giovanni Pillitteri Tel: 01706 831159 doughballpizza@hotmail.co.uk

Eurilait Ltd Leighton Lane Industrial Estate, Leighton Lane, Evercreech BA4 6LQ Contact: Paul Bates Tel: 01749 838100 / Fax: 01749 831247 paulbates@eurilait co.uk www.eurilait.co.uk Freiberger UK Ltd Broadgate House, Westlode Street, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE11 2AF Contact: Richard Harrow Tel: 01775 767655 / 01775 767656 richard.harrow@freibergerukltd.co.uk

Cooktek c/o MCS Technical Products Ltd MCS Technical Products, Building 2, Westmead Industrial Estate, Westmead Drive, Swindon, Wiltshire SN5 7YT Contact: Steve Snow Tel: 01793 538308 / Fax: 01793 522324 sales@mcstechproducts.co.uk www.mcstechproducts.co.uk

Dawn Farm Foods Ltd. Lodge Way, Lodge Farm Industrial Estate, Northampton NN5 7US Contact: Ian Ritchie Tel: 01604 583421 / Fax: 01604 587392 iritchie@dawnfarmfoods.co.uk DeCecco UK Ltd 1 Kimbell Mews, Humfrey Lane Boughton, Northampton, NN2 8XB Contact: Stephen Barlow Tel: 01604 820022 / Fax: 01604 820033 sales@dececco.org.uk www.dececco.com Dingley Dell Enterprises Ltd. PO Box 3534, Kidderminster, Worcestershire WR9 0LQ Contact: Jay Emery Tel: 01905 621636 / Fax: 01905 630311 www.dingley-dell.com dingleydellenterprises@hotmail.co.uk

General Mills UK Ltd. Harman House, 1 George Street, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 1QQ Contact: Liam Ward Tel: 01895 201246 / Fax: 01895 201101 liam.ward@genmills.com www.generalmills.co.uk Giovanni Rana (UK) Ltd 6 Valentine Place, London SE1 8QH Contact: Stephen Hull Tel: 0207 921 9550 shull@giovannirana.co.uk Glanbia Cheese Ltd 4 Royal Mews, Gadbrook Park, Rudheath, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 7UD Contact: David Cruddos Tel: 01606 810900 / Fax: 01606 48680

Jestic Units 3+4, Dana Industrial Estate, Transfesa Road, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6UU Tel: 0845 5048050 Fax: 0845 5048051 Email: info@jestic.net www.jestic.co.uk Just-Eat.co.uk Ltd. Imperial Place (IP4), Maxwell Road, Borehamwood WD6 1JN Contact: Lucy Milne Tel: 0208 7362001 Email: Lucy.Milne@just-eat.co.uk www.just-eat.co.uk Kingdom Cheese Co. Glenfield Industrial Estate, Cowdenbeath, Fife KY4 9HT Contact: Phil Morgan Tel: 01383 610114 / Fax: 01383 610526 phil@kingdomcheese.com www.kingdomcheese.com Kiren Foods Unit 3 Small Bridge Industrial Park Riverside Drive, Rochdale Lancashire OL16 2SH Contact: Mr Nazir Mackmood Tel:01706 526732 / Fax: 01706 869749 nazir@kirenfoods.com La Tua Pasta Ltd. 52 Gorst Road, London NW10 6LD Contact: Francesco Boggian Tel: 0208 961 8022 / Fax: 0208 965 6006 info@latuapasta.com www.latuapasta.com Leathams PLC 227-255, Ilderton Road, London, SE15 1NS Contact: Mr James Faulkner Tel 0207 6354026 / Fax 0207 6354017 ingredients.sales@leathams.co.uk www.leathams.com Maranaforni Di Marana F. Via Turbina 98, Verona, 37139 Italy Contact: Eleni Olivieri Tel: 0039 0456704503 / Fax: 0039 0457156118 elena.commerciale@maranaforni.it

Heineken UK Ltd 2-4 Broadway Park, Gyle, Edinburgh EH12 9JZ Contact: James Woodman Tel: 07884 113534 james.woodman@heineken.co.uk

Martin Mathew & Co 140 High Street, Cheshunt Herts EN8 0AW Contact: Mr M.J. Donnelly Tel: 01992 641641 / Fax: 01992 641333 matthewdonnelly@martinmathew.co.uk www.martinmathew.co.uk

Integer 167 Heywood Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 1LB Contact: Geoff Whittle Tel: 0161 7987307 / Fax: 0161 7733151 geoff@integeruk.com www.integeruk.com

Meadow Cheese Co. Limited Hazel Park, Dymock Road, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 2JQ Contact: Robert Kennedy Tel: 01531 631300 / Fax: 01531 631300 robert.kennedy@meadowcheese.co.uk www.meadowcheese.co.uk

February 2013

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classifieds Montana Bakery Limited Blackthorne Road, Poyle Industrial Estate, Colnbrook, Berkshire SL3 0AP Contact: Jonathan Mellows Tel: 01753 760 800 / Fax: 01753 760 801 jonathan@montana.bakeries.co.uk

Pizza Trading Co Ltd Unit 14 Somerville Court, Banbury Business Park, Adderbury, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX17 3SN Contact: John Mullen Tel: 01257 423376 /Fax: 01257 472086 john@pizzatrading.co.uk

Pasta King (UK) Ltd Plantation House, Milber Trading Estate, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 4SG Contact: Lesley Treeby Tel: 0800 458 7898 / Fax: 01626 334481 www.pastaking.co.uk lt@pastaking.co.uk

Saputo Cheese (UK) Ltd The Creamery, Aberarad Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthenshire, SA38 9QD Tel: 01239 710424 / Fax: 01239 711843 www.saputo.com

Pasta Reale Ltd Pasta Reale House, Fleming Way, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9JW Contact: Donald Boyne Tel: 01293 649700 / Fax: 01293 649741 don.boyne@pastareale.com www.pastareale.com PD Catering International Unit 2, Nile Street, Bolton BL3 6BW Tel: 01204 382800 Contact: Hamid Naraghi info@pizzadirect.com Pizza Plus Foodservice Light Industrial Estate, Liverpool Road, Walmer Bridge, Preston PR4 5HY Tel: 01772 610415 / Fax: 01772 617610 Contact: Chris Smith chris@pizzaplusfs.co.uk

ServEquip Assistance Ltd Suite 8 The Swift Centre, 41 Imperial Way, Croydon CR0 4RL Contact: Diane Bowker Tel: 0208 6868855 / Fax: 0208 6817509 info@servequip.co.uk www.servequip.co.uk Solarsoft Business Systems Solarsoft House, Hampshire International Business Park, Crockford Lane, Basingstoke Hampshire RG24 8WH Contact: Andrew Godliman Tel: 01256 685242 Fax: 01256 685201 andrew.godliman@solarsoft.com www.solarsoft.com Sorrento Express Ltd. Unit 10 Southall Business Park, 142 Johnson Street, Southall, Middlesex UB2 5FD Contact: Alfonso Amitrano Tel: 0208 843 4990 sales@sorrentoexpress.com www.sorrentoexpress.com

Stateside Foods Ltd 31 – 34 Great Bank Road, Wingate Industrial Park, Westhoughton, Bolton BL5 3XU Contact: Ian Kent Tel: 01942 841200 / Fax: 01942 841201 sales@stateside-foods.co.uk www.stateside-foods.co.uk Technomic Inc Knowledge Center, 300 S Riverside Plaza Suite 1200, Chicago, Illinois, IL60606 USA Contact: Patrick Noone pnoone@technomic.com Tel: (01) 205 991 1234 Fax: (01) 205 980 3770 www.technomic.com The Fresh Olive Company 74 Long Drive, Greenford, Middlesex UB6 8LZ Contact: Ali Kirk Tel: 0208 838 9629 Fax: 0208 813 2986 ali@fresholive.com www.fresholive.com The Fresh Pasta Company Shepherds Building, Rockley Road, London W14 0DA Contact: Sole Nasi Tel: 0845 603 7746 pasta@thefreshpastacompany.com www.thefreshpastacompany.com

Ticco Ltd Unit B2Y, Skyway 14, Calder Way, Colnbrook, Slough SL3 0BQ Contact: Emma Hallam Tel: 07779 167474 Fax: 01753 689813 emmahallam@ticco.co.uk W&H Marriage & Sons Ltd. Chelmer Mills, New Street, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1PN Contact: Hannah Marriage Tel: 01245 354455 / Fax: 01245 261492 hmarriage@marriagemillers.co.uk www.marriagesmillers.co.uk

Whitco Catering & Bakery Equipment Limited Cottingham Way, Thrapston Northamptonshire, Kettering NN14 3EP Contact: Sophie Whitaker Tel: 01832 737210 / Fax: 01832 734433 sales@whitcoltd.com Whitworth Bros Limited Victoria Mills, Wellingborough Northants NN8 2DT Contact: Alan Ribakovs Tel: 01933 441000 Fax: 01933 222523 enquiries@whitworthbros.ltd.uk

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index of products DELIVERY & PACKAGING

BEVERAGES Beer Carnevale Ltd. Heineken UK Coffee Carnevale Ltd. Mineral Water Carnevale Ltd. Soft Drinks Carnevale Ltd. Wine, Spirits & Liqueurs Carnevale Ltd. Sorrento Express Ltd.

Computer Delivery Management Systems Integer Computers Heated Pizza Delivery Bag Systems Cooktek (MCS Technical Products)

DOUGH & PIZZA EQUIPMENT

BREAD, CAKES & DESSERTS Bread Rolls & Wraps Ticco Ltd. Cakes & Confectionery Ticco Ltd. Desserts Ticco Ltd. Ice Cream General Mills UK Ltd.

CHEESE, DAIRY & EGGS Cheese 999 Pizza Toppings (UK) Ltd. Bel UK Ltd. Carnevale Ltd. Donatantonio Ltd. Eurilait Ltd. Glanbia Cheese Ltd. Kingdom Cheese Co. Ltd. Leathams PLC Meadow Cheese Co. Ltd. Saputo Cheese (UK) Ltd. Sorrento Express Ltd. Stateside Foods Ltd. Eggs Leathams PLC Mozzarella Carnevale Ltd. Eurilait Ltd. Glanbia Cheese Ltd. Saputo Cheese (UK) Ltd. Parmesan Eurilait Ltd. Sour Cream Kingdom Cheese Co. Ltd.

COMPUTING SOLUTIONS Computers/Software Integer Computers Solarsoft Business Systems Online Ordering Solutions Integer Computers Just-Eat.co.uk Ltd. 58

Dough Preparation Equipment Cater-Bake (UK) PD Catering Internatonal Pizza Accessories Pizza Plus Foodservice Pizza Making Systems & Equipment Benier (UK) Ltd. Cater-Bake (UK) Cooktek (MCS Technical Products) Jestic Maranaforni Di Marana F. Pizza Direct UK ServEquip Limited Pizza Ovens Benier (UK) Ltd. Dingley Dell Enterprises Ltd. Cater-Bake (UK) Jestic Maranaforni Di Marana F. PD Catering Internatonal Pizza Plus Foodservice ServEquip Limited

FISH & SEAFOOD Other Fish & Seafood Leathams PLC

FLOUR & BAKERY Concentrates Allied Mills Durum Semolina Allied Mills Carnevale Ltd. DeCecco UK Ltd. Flour Allied Mills Carnevale Ltd. DeCecco UK Ltd. W&H Marriage & Sons Sorrento Express Ltd. The Fresh Pasta Company Ltd. W&H Marriage & Sons Whitworth Bros. Limited Icings Allied Mills Improvers Allied Mills

pizzapasta AND ITALIAN FOOD

Premixes (Bread & Cakes) Allied Mills

FOOD WHOLESALERS Continental Quattro Stagioni Ltd. Leathams PLC Stateside Foods Ltd. Ticco Ltd.

FRUIT & VEGETABLES Chargrilled Vegetables Carnevale Ltd. The Fresh Olive Company Olives Donatantonio Ltd. Leathams PLC The Fresh Olive Company

KITCHEN & SERVING EQUIPMENT Bakery Ovens Cater-Bake (UK) Drinks Systems Carnevale Ltd. Food Safety & Hygiene Whitco Catering & Bakery Equipment Ltd Fryers Jestic Griddles Jestic Holding Ovens Jestic ServEquip Limited Refrigeration General Mills UK Ltd. Servicing & Spares Whitco Catering & Bakery Equipment Ltd. Serving Pasta King (UK) Ltd.

Pancetta Carnevale Ltd. Pepperoni Carnevale Ltd. Dawn Farm Foods Salami Carnevale Ltd.

OILS & VINEGARS Olive Oil Donatantonio Ltd. Leathams PLC

PASTA, POLENTA, GNOCCHI & RICE Gnocchi The Fresh Pasta Company Ltd Pasta (Dry) Carnevale Ltd. DeCecco UK Ltd. Donatantonio Ltd. Leathams PLC La Tua Pasta Ltd. Pasta (Fresh) Giovanni Rana (UK) Ltd. La Tua Pasta Ltd. Pasta Reale The Fresh Pasta Company Ltd Ticco Ltd.

PIZZA DOUGH, BASES & CRUSTS Dough Balls Doughball Pizza Ltd. Kiren Foods Montana Bakery Pizza Plus Foodservice Stateside Foods Ltd. Pizza Bases & Crusts Doughball Pizza Ltd. Kiren Foods

Montana Bakery Pizza Plus Foodservice Stateside Foods Ltd.

PIZZA TOPPINGS Fish Carnevale Ltd. Fruit & Vegetables Carnevale Ltd. Meat 999 Pizza Toppings (UK) Ltd. Carnevale Ltd. Dawn Farm Foods Pizza Plus Foodservice Stateside Foods Ltd. Pizza Sauces Donatantonio Ltd. Pizza Plus Foodservice Pizza Trading Company Ltd. Stateside Foods Ltd.

READY PREPARED Prepared Pasta Meals Bakkavor Pizza Freiberger UK Ltd. Giovanni Rana (UK) Ltd. Pasta King (UK) Ltd. Pasta Reale Prepared Pizza (Chilled) Bakkavor Pizza Stateside Foods Ltd. Prepared Pizza (Frozen) Freiberger UK Ltd. Pizza Plus Foodservice Stateside Foods Ltd. Ticco Ltd.

SOUPS, SAUCES, STOCKS & DRESSINGS

Garlic Spreads & Mixes Stateside Foods Ltd. Mayonnaise & Other Dressings AB World Foods Pasta Sauces DeCecco UK Ltd. Leathams PLC Pasta King (UK) Ltd. The Fresh Pasta Company Ltd Pizza Sauces Leathams PLC Pizza Trading Company Ltd.

SPECIALIST FOOD CONSULTANCY & MARKET RESEARCH Specialist Food Consultancy Technomic Inc Market Reasearch Technomic Inc

TOMATOES Canned Tomatoes DeCecco UK Ltd. Donatantonio Ltd. Martin Mathew & Co. Ltd. Passata DeCecco UK Ltd. Donatantonio Ltd. Martin Mathew & Co. Ltd. SunBlush© Tomatoes Leathams PLC Sun-Dried Tomatoes Carnevale Ltd. Donatantonio Ltd. Leathams PLC

Chutneys, Relishes & Sauces AB World Foods

MEAT Bacon Dawn Farm Foods Leathams PLC Beef Leathams PLC Chicken & Other Poultry Leathams PLC Ham Carnevale Ltd. Dawn Farm Foods Leathams PLC Stateside Foods Ltd. Ticco Ltd. Italian Meat & Sausages Dawn Farm Foods Donatantonio Ltd. Ticco Ltd.

The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association is the trade body representing the UK pizza, pasta and Italian Food Association. The Association is given direction by a Management Committee comprising: Russell Allen Basilico*

John Prior Papa John’s*

Alan Ribakovs Whitworth Bros Ltd

Maurice Abboudi Consultant/ Domino’s*

Phil Welberry Perfect Pizza

Mark Edmonds Whitworth Bros Ltd

Stephen Hull Giovanni Rana

James Woodman Heineken

Ian Kent Stateside Foods*

(* Primary members of the committee – others generally attend as substitutes when primary members are unable to attend meetings)

David Cruddos Glanbia Cheese* Camilla Deane Bel UK

February 2013

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