S&FTG News Issue 189 September 220

Sandwich food to go news INTERNATIONAL

www.sandwich.org.uk

ISSUE 189 SEPTEMBER 2020

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CONTENTS EDITOR CLARE BENFIELD t: 01291 636336 e: clare@jandmgroup.co.uk

ADVERTISING PAUL STEER t: 01291 636342 e: paul@jandmgroup.co.uk

NEWS

OPINION

Page 05. Latest ban threatens consumer confidence and sector’s recovery.

Page 28. Packaging in the spotlight – the FPA’s Martin Kersh’s view.

Page 06. Positive tests lead to poultry company closures Page 08. Pret completes UK restructuring in wake of virus impact Page 10. Buyers and suppliers to get tucked in at virtual food and drinks trade show

Page 30. The plastic packaging time bomb – Sancroft’s Dom de Ville.

FEATURES Page 34. Packaging - Catering to a challenging market.

Page 38. Hot products – Hot food and beverages.

Page 42. Cheese – Cheese solutions.

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW

Page 52. Good to go – Visit Britain’s campaign.

Page 54. Tackling obesity together – new government initiatives.

REGULARS Page 56. New products.

Page 58. Listing index.

In association with The British Sandwich & Food To Go Association.

PHONE +44 (0) 1291 636338

ARTICLES

Page 16. Pret’s Clare Clough.

THE BRITISH SANDWICH & FOOD TO GO ASSOCIATION Page 20. The Sammies Awards 2020.

Page 27. Association update.

SUBSCRIPTIONS t: 01291 636335 membership@sandwich.org.uk

Page 26. Preparing for Natasha’s Law – advice from Ashbury.

Page 48. What now, and what next, for food to go? - market analysis from Mealtrak’s Nick Blake.

FAX +44 (0) 1291 630402 WEB www.sandwich.org.uk EMAIL info@sandwich.org.uk Paper used in the production of this publication is sourced from sustainable managed forests

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www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk September 2020 3

NEWS

Government unveils new obesity strategy A raft of measures has been revealed as part of the government’s new obesity strategy to get the nation fit and healthy, protect themselves against Covid-19 and protect the NHS. Obesity is one of the biggest health crises the country faces.

Almost two-thirds (63%) of adults in England are overweight or living with obesity – and one in three children leave primary school overweight or obese, with obesity-related illnesses costing the NHS £6 billion a year, report the government, and the urgency of tackling the obesity time bomb has been brought to the fore by evidence of the link to an increased risk from Covid-19, they claim.

The measures being taken include the banning of unhealthy food adverts (new laws will ban the advertising of food high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) on television and online before 9pm when children are most likely to see them), as well as the ending of ‘buy one, get one

free’ (BOGOF) promotions, with new legislation restricting the promotion of foods high in fat, sugar, such as ‘buy one get one free’ offers. There will also be a ban on these items being placed in prominent locations in stores, such as at checkouts and entrances, and online, say the government.

New laws will require large restaurants, cafés and takeaways with more than 250 employees to add calorie labels to the food they sell, and a new consultation will be launched before the end of the year on plans to provide calorie labelling on alcohol.

NHS services, in particular weight management services, will be expanded so more people get the support they need to lose weight, including more self-care apps and online tools for people with obesityrelated conditions and accelerating the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme. And from next year doctors will be offered incentives to ensure people living with obesity are given support for weight loss

and primary care staff will also have the opportunity to become ‘healthy weight coaches’ though training delivered by PHE. Separately, GPs will also be encouraged to prescribe exercise and more social activities to help people keep fit, say the government.

A consultation will also gather views and evidence on the current ‘traffic light’ labelling system to learn more about how this is being used by consumers and industry, compared to international examples.

Prime minister, Boris Johnson, said: “Losing weight is hard but with some small changes we can all feel fitter and healthier. If we all do our bit, we can reduce our health risks and protect ourselves against coronavirus – as well as taking pressure off the NHS.”

FSA launches Here to Help campaign The FSA (Food Standards Agency) have launched a Here to Help campaign with free tools and resources to help food businesses trade safely.

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit food businesses hard. However, the sector has shown great resilience, with many businesses adapting their operations to continue to serve customers in new and innovative ways.

Customers are returning, but research shows that they’re still cautious about dining outside of their homes again, report the FSA, and in addition to social distancing, customers want reassurance that food businesses are complying with

food hygiene and safety standards, they advise.

The FSA says that it is keen to support businesses get back and stay on their feet, which is why they have launched their Here to Help campaign - food.gov.uk/ heretohelp - to provide easy access to practical information, best practice case studies and resources on business registration, allergen messaging, hygiene management and the importance of customer communication and reassurance They will be offering support and guidance to existing food businesses that are reopening, with information and tools to keep their food hygiene management and

4 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

training up-to-date, to businesses who have diversified or are considering it, so they know exactly what they need to have in place for their new methods of operation and to new food businesses, where we will raise awareness of the importance and benefits of business registration to comply with the law.

NEWS

Latest ban threatens consumer confidence and sector’s recovery After a rise in Coronavirus cases, say the UK government, new law which takes effect from 14 September 2020 now means that larger groups (of more than six people) will no longer be able to meet socially - indoors, in homes and outdoor spaces, and in pubs, bars and restaurants - in England, although these new regulations do not apply schools, workplaces or Covid-secure weddings, funerals and team sports (for those failing to comply, there will be fines of £100, up to a maximum of £3,200).

In England, the new limit will apply to both indoors and outdoors, and to all ages, meaning that gatherings in private homes, and venues such as pubs and restaurants, and in outdoor spaces such as parks will all be affected (before this announcement, up to 30 people from two households, or six from multiple households, could meet outdoors). Current guidance also says that you should only socialise indoors with members of up to two households.

In Scotland, the limits are being reduced to a maximum of six people from two households, but unlike England, children under 12 will not be included. In Wales, as of 14 September 2020, is it illegal for more than six people from an extended household to meet indoors (this rule will not apply to children aged 11 and under there, and up to 30 people from different homes can still meet outside, according to BBC reports). People in Wales are also now required to wear face masks in shops and other indoor public spaces from this date. At the time of going to press, no changes had been announced for Northern Ireland.

This means that although hospitality venues, shops and other venues can remain open, people can only attend in groups of up to six, and these venues need to provision for the social distancing of those groups present.

Some parts of the country – Bolton,

Caerphilly, and now Birmingham, for example – have also had the added pressure of local lockdown.

For the already struggling food and hospitality sector, and to the many small and medium-sized businesses within it, this represents another blow, and just as many were starting to experience some signs of recovery alongside a return of consumer confidence.

Helen Skripek, director of the Derby-based caterer, the Butlers Pantry said: “We were just getting back on track with events of up to 30 guests, so this announcement is a disaster for our catering and events business. We woke up (on Wednesday morning) to our first cancellation email for the end of October and there’ll be many more on their way. Urgent help is needed now for our industry: We’ve built up our family business over 18 years, working up to 16 hours a day and all for this to happen. It’s a complete and utter tragedy.”

Robert Kincaid, director of the Birmingham-based office catering company, Trenchers, added: “The new restriction to gatherings of six in England may not apply to Covid-safe workplaces, but it does feel like the walls are starting to close in again. If this is the beginning of a trend back towards hard lockdown then it will be devastating for my small business.

We are dying a slow death. As a small catering company that mainly caters for

office events, we have had next to no orders since the middle of March. The only way to help us is to get the office workers back in, as Birmingham is a ghost town.”

According to a snap poll carried out by CGA’s Consumer Pulse Survey, this new ban in England has left nearly a third (31%) there feeling less confident about visiting pubs, bars and restaurants with just 4% saying the new measures had lifted their confidence.

The survey also found that well over half (59%) of consumers who were intending to go out had cancelled plans or would not be making new ones in the future. Around one in seven (15%) of all consumers said they would alter their plans to observe the new regulations, while one in ten (10%) intends to go ahead with their visits regardless.

“This research really highlights the fragility of consumer confidence at the moment,” said Hannah Payne, consumer research manager at CGA. “The new restrictions come just as restaurants and pubs were enjoying strong momentum from the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, and they are a warning if it were needed that the road back to normality in the out-of-home sector is going to be very bumpy.

“Many consumers will now be cancelling or changing their plans, and the restrictions increase the pressure on operators to show guests that they can eat and drink out safely.

Understanding their anxieties and demonstrating rigorous precautions without compromising the experience of going out for a meal or drinks will be absolutely crucial over the autumn.”

CGA’s Consumer Pulse data is based on a survey of 500 adults in England, nationally representative of the outof-home visitor based on age and was carried out on Thursday, 10 September 2020.

www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk September 2020 5

NEWS

Greencore temporarily cease production at Northampton site On 13 August 2020, Greencore announced that as a result of a rising number of Covid-19 cases in the Northampton area, it had taken the decision to proactively start testing all their employees at their Northampton site, in turn confirming that a number of their employees had indeed tested positive for the virus and were therefore self-isolating.

“We are liaising closely with PHE East Midlands, Northamptonshire County Council and Northampton Borough Council, who are fully supportive of the controls that we have on site. In each case we have immediately conducted contact tracing and instructed potentially affected colleagues to self-isolate. All of Greencore’s sites have wide-ranging social-distancing measures, stringent hygiene procedures and regular temperature checking in place, and we are doing everything that we can to keep our people safe. As

ever, the health and well-being of our colleagues is our number one priority,” said Greencore in their statement issued at the time.

On 21 August 2020, the company went on to announce that, in consultation with the Department of Health & Social Care, Public Health England and other government bodies, it had taken the decision to temporarily cease production at its Northampton facility – a decision which also enabled all remaining employees at the site to self-isolate as a precautionary measure, the company reported (a proportion of production from the Northampton facility – which makes sandwiches for Marks and Spencer - was also moved to other sites within the Greencore network to help mitigate any shortfall).

More recently, in an update statement issued on 4 September 2020, the company announced: “We can confirm that colleagues who have completed

their self-isolation periods have been continuing to return to our Northampton facility on a gradual basis. From 4 September, colleagues who were selfisolating as a precautionary measure following the temporary ceasing of production at the facility on 21 August will be able to return to work. We will be bringing colleagues back in phases in line with customer demand.

“We are continuing to work closely with the Department of Health & Social Care, Public Health England and other government bodies to ensure that the process of returning our colleagues to work is carried out as safely and smoothly as possible.

“We would like to sincerely thank all of the colleagues at our Northampton facility for the extraordinary levels of resilience, patience and professionalism that they have shown throughout this exceptionally challenging period for everyone connected with the site.”

Positive tests lead to poultry company closures A number of chicken factories had to close, or partially close, in recent weeks after their employees tested positive for Covid-19.

At the end of August, Banham Poultry in Attleborough, Norfolk, had to partially close after 96 of its employees tested positive for Covid-19. Earlier that month, three employees at the Coupar Angus site of 2 Sisters’ chicken factory also tested positive for the virus, resulting in the closure of the site (earlier on in the pandemic, 2 Sisters, Rowan Foods and Kepak in Wales were closed for a while).

After working with local authorities and the relevant government agencies, most of those companies affected have now been able to take the necessary steps to re-open.

“We are pleased to announce we are now able to reopen our poultry

processing factory in Coupar Angus from Monday August 31st,” said 2 Sisters Food Group in a statement at the end of August.

“Working closely with the incident management team, NHS Tayside and the local authority, we have been working hard during the temporary closure to supplement our existing Covid-19 control measures to keep all colleagues safe.

“Whilst it is important to ensure our measures on site are robust and working, we believe it is also critically important for our people to understand their obligations away from the factory in the local community, which our initial analysis suggests has played a significant role in the transmission of the virus.

“In addition to a series of enhanced measures, colleagues will also receive training and best practice guides

6 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

on issues ranging from transport arrangements, conduct in the community, to keeping Covid-safe in a shared household. We expect each and every colleague to take personal responsibility for their own behaviours outside of work.

“As one of the largest employers in the area, we are more than aware of our responsibility in the community to ensure we act with care to ensure everyone’s health, safety and wellbeing.

“We also realise there will be colleagues who have tested positive and may believe this provides them with some level of immunity. The reality is that we don’t know this to be true, so our teams will be making sure everyone knows we all have a shared responsibility to protect each of us and our wider community from any further outbreak.”

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NEWS Tossed and Vital Ingredient enter administration Simon Bonney and Michael Kiely of business advisory firm, Quantuma, have been appointed as joint administrators to Zest Food Ltd (Zest Food) – the company that trades the healthy eating brands Tossed and Vital Ingredient.

Founded in 2004, Zest Food operated from 20 sites across central London, trading as Tossed in 14 of these stores. In March 2018, the group acquired Vital Ingredient with the ambition of creating ‘one of the largest healthiest eating groups in the UK.’ The group reported a turnover of £17.9 million in the year to 31 March 2019.

After a period of closure triggered by the Covid-19 lockdown, Zest Food re-opened four of its stores in June on a trial basis, but these were later closed due to insufficient trade.

The directors appointed Simon Bonney and Michael Kiely as joint administrators on 21 July 2020.

All of the company’s 260 staff have been made redundant and Quantuma is working with the directors to find a buyer for the assets of the business.

Simon Bonney, partner at business advisory firm Quantuma commented: “Now is a very challenging time for hospitality businesses in London, especially for food establishments that rely heavily on walk-in sales. Despite Zest Food’s considerable efforts to assess all options including restarting its operations, the directors took the difficult decision to close again and lay off all 260 of its workforce. Our primary focus will be to ensure that we work closely with the board to find a suitable buyer for the company’s assets.”

Pret completes UK restructuring in wake of virus impact The end of August saw Pret A Manger announce that it had completed the restructuring of its UK business following almost two months of consultations with team members.

Although sales and footfall have started to show clear signs of recovery, report the brand, their sales over the last month stand at where they were around 10 years ago, when the business was considerably smaller.

Trade across UK shops remains around 60% down year on year, they add, and weekly sales for Pret UK are averaging around £5 million (the level they were at in August 2010).

To reflect this changed retail environment, the business says that it has been forced to take the difficult decision to reduce the number of roles in its UK shops by 2,800, and this follows their decision earlier this summer that 30 shops across the UK would close permanently.

The reduction in roles is a reflection of shorter opening hours, lower transaction levels, and the losses faced by the business in 2020, the company stated. However, significantly, a further 1,000 roles have been preserved thanks to the support of thousands of Pret Team Members to move to a lower level of minimum weekly hours, report the company (these hours will be continuously reviewed to reflect levels of sales and footfall during the remainder of 2020 and early 2021).

Alongside the reductions in shops, a further 90 roles have been reduced in Pret’s Support Centre teams.

Despite the reduction in trade, Pret says that it is maintaining a much larger number of team members in the UK than 10 years ago, encouraged in particular by the growth the business is seeing each week. Since the end of July, weekly sales have grown on average by around 7%, and the company is confident it can continue to build on this growth. They are also

8 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

continuing to transform their business model, bringing Pret to more people, through different channels and in new ways, with further initiatives to be announced in the coming weeks.

Pret’s CEO, Pano Christou, said: “I’m gutted that we’ve had to lose so many colleagues. Although we’re now starting to see a steady but slow recovery, the pandemic has taken away almost a decade of growth at Pret.

“We’ve managed to protect many jobs by making changes to the way we run our shops and the hours we ask team members to work. I’m hopeful we’ll be able to review all these changes now that trade is improving again, and I’m encouraged by the improvements we’re seeing every week.

“We’ll soon be announcing a number of big changes to help bring Pret to more people. We’re grateful to the Government for the support they’ve given our sector, and hope that support will continue as long as possible to give Pret time to adjust.”

Following the end of all ongoing consultations, Pret will now be employing 6,000 team members in the UK. Their weekly sales for August 2010 were circa £5.2 million (in 2010, weekly sales in August were circa £5.5m). In 2010, Pret employed in the region of 4,500 team members in the UK. Currently, Pret has 367 shops in the UK, as well as a further 130 shops internationally.

At the end of May, Pret appointed A&M and CWM to advise on a comprehensive transformation plan for the business, focusing in particular on the cost base of the business, including leasehold pressures in light of the changed market conditions.

Discussions with landlords across the Pret estate over a more sustainable leasehold model are ongoing, say the company.

New Look, New Lines, Same Great Tasting Sushi Welcome your customers back with something new from Tanpopo.

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NEWS

Buyers and suppliers to get tucked in at virtual food and drinks trade show Product Guru, a product discovery platform that allows brands to showcase their products to retail buyers, is continuing to champion emerging brands by launching the Pantry Live - a virtual alternative to food and drink trade shows.

The online experience will be held from 5-6 October 2020, offering a unique opportunity for suppliers to showcase their products in a virtual exhibition hall and network with industry experts at a time where meeting face-to-face is challenging, say the organisers.

For many food and drink suppliers, trade shows are crucial for lead generation within the sector and with inperson events continuing to be pushed back to next year, Product Guru says that it spotted an opportunity to pioneer a new digital experience that will give suppliers a fantastic opportunity to get in front of major retail buyers and make instant connections - all from the comfort of their own home.

The Pantry Live embodies the Product Guru ethos of empowering emerging brands by giving them the platform in which to showcase their unique products to potential retail buyers. The virtual exhibition hall will be an extension of the company’s software platform, which has been designed to make it easy for buyers to identify suitable suppliers and view their products all in one place.

Industry response to the event has been overwhelmingly positive, they report, with major names choosing to throw their support behind the exclusive virtual event, including GS1, Fairtrade Foundation, the Vegan Society, and the British Soft Drinks Association. Buyers confirmed for the Pantry Live include Tesco, Waitrose and WH Smith.

Exhibitors will also be given a crucial opportunity to talk to organisations, giving them the chance to have important discussions and take advantage of being able

For more information or to sign up to The Pantry Live, visit https://www.thepantry.live

to ask questions. Exhibitors are also eligible to apply for an exclusive ‘Meet Your Match: Product Pitch’ session, where brands will be matched with a panel of buyers and given the opportunity to do a short pitch.

Attendees and exhibitors will also be offered the chance to hear from 30 prestigious speakers, and attend a range of exclusive virtual sessions such as masterclasses and discussion panels on industry hot topics including local sourcing, current food trends and brand success stories. One-of-a-kind online tasting tours and buying events will also be available where leaders from retail, food and drink will provide reviews on product samples.

The foodie extravaganza will be rounded off with a virtual awards ceremony to celebrate the crème de la crème of the food and drink sector.

Simon Coyle, founder of Product Guru said: “By launching this virtual event, we want to give brands the opportunity to be seen and our hope is that this event will help create a space for talented and deserving food and drink producers to get themselves out there.

“The Pantry Live shows how we can adapt to an increasingly digital world, giving brands that allimportant visibility despite not being able to meet face-toface. We want to give brands the chance to be centre stage, wowing buyers with their delicious produce.”

Sara Cunnew, buying manager at Oxfam, added: “I’m delighted that the Pantry Live will open up more opportunities for Oxfam buyers to source new products.

This year has been particularly challenging; all of our trade shows and press days have been cancelled.”

LEON launches Unlimited Coffee offer Hot on the heels of Pret’s coffee subscription offer, LEON has launched what it is calling an Unlimited Coffee offer.

It was announced via LEON’s twitter account, and according to their terms and conditions, can be purchased for £15 via gifts.leon.co which will release a unique code for customers that can

be used to order coffee at any LEON restaurant via SmartOrder.

The code can be used for any coffee, but it cannot be used in conjunction with any other LEON deals and offers (for example, the Breakfast Meal deal, or for teas and hot chocolate), say LEON. The code is valid for use for 30 days from the

10 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

date of purchase, and there is a total redemption limit of 75 coffees across the 30 day offer period.

The offer can only be used via purchases on Smart Order, not at kiosks or tills in a LEON restaurant, and at the end of 30 days, any unredeemed coffees will no longer be available.

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NEWS

Eat Out to Help Out has desired effect Food sales in Britain’s managed pubs and group restaurants rose by a third week on week after the launch of the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme for August, according to research by data consultancy CGA. The data, from CGA’s Volume Pool of 7,000 managed outlets, showed that on the first day of the initiative, Monday 3 August, food sales were 100% up on the previous Monday (27 July), with similar surges of 95% and 106% on Tuesday and Wednesday (4 and 5 August), and following news from the government that diners used the scheme more than 10.5 million times in the first week.

With the Eat Out to Help Out deal only available from Mondays to Wednesdays, there was some uncertainty over whether it would benefit trade later in the week. CGA’s data revealed that following the first three days of the scheme, sales on the Thursday were down 4% week-onweek. However, across the seven days to 7 August, there was a 31% rise in food sales week-on-week, for example.

CGA’s Consumer Pulse survey also revealed that the initiative brought a wave of consumers back to restaurants - just over a quarter (27%) of British adults had used the scheme by Tuesday (11 August), but, at the time of survey, even more (31%) said they had yet to use it but were likely to do so.

Crucially, the scheme appears to have achieved the sector’s hope of bringing back people who were previously hesitant about eating out. Two in five (39%) of those who had used Eat Out to Help Out were making their first visit to the sector since the end of lockdown, and of those who were still to eat or drink out, a quarter (26%) say they were likely to have made use of the scheme before it ended.

Some of the consumers brought back by the initiative will have been anxious about their safety, but they seem to have been reassured. Half (52%) said that the experience made them feel more confident about going out in the near future, and

most of the rest (45%) said their confidence was unaffected.

The Consumer Pulse survey also suggested that a quarter (26%) of adults would be less likely to eat out at weekends having made use of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, although half (54%) said their frequency would be unaffected, and a fifth (20%) would be more likely.

“This data shows the Eat Out to Help Out scheme has had the desired effect of boosting food sales for restaurants, pubs and others at a time when they need it most,” said Karl Chessell, business unit director for Food and Retail at CGA. “Along with operators’ stringent hygiene precautions, it has encouraged consumers to venture out and see that they can have a safe as well as good value meal out. Hopefully it will have a positive impact on footfall on other days of the week too—though it is already clear that the sector will need sustained support from government.”

Proposed closure of Bakkavor Salads Alresford On 5 August 2020, Bakkavor announced a proposal to close its salads factory in Alresford, Hampshire, due to a significant loss of business at the site with one of its key customers.

Despite its best efforts, Bakkavor, which employs around 100 people at the Alresford site, said that it had not been able to replace the business (which is due to transfer from the site to another supplier in October).

Mike Edwards, UK COO at Bakkavor, commented: “This is a sad day and it has been a very painful decision to make. We have worked hard over the last 20 years to become an integral part of the

local community, both as a major employer and a supporter of many local community projects. As with businesses all over the UK, we are having to adjust our operations to a very different economic landscape, and this unfortunately involves the proposed closure of Alresford Salads.

“We will be working closely with employee representatives throughout the consultation process and fully appreciate that this is a difficult time for everyone concerned. This proposal is in no way a reflection of the commitment and dedication of all our colleagues at Alresford, who we thank for their hard work and loyalty over the years.”

Since acquiring Alresford Salads in

12 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

2000, Bakkavor has been committed to supporting the Alresford local community - sponsoring a wide range of initiatives and community projects including a decade as main sponsor of Tichborne Park Cricket Club, working with local schools to raise awareness of healthy eating and watercress, and supporting events such as the Watercress Festival, the Alresford Music Festival, the Agricultural Show and the Alresford 10K. Bakkavor has been proud to have been an active and integral part of the local community.

The announcement followed on from news in June of the proposed closure of one of the Group’s salads factories in Spalding.

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NEWS

Fratelli Beretta and Everton Football Club showcase sandwich-making skills

Greggs’ festive bake available from November Greggs tweeted recently that they are lining up a ‘little taste of normal’ for their customers in the form of their popular Festive Bake.

“2020 has been strange, to say the least. We’re trying to bring back a little taste of normal, one bake at a time.

After all, what’s more normal than your favourite Greggs order? Our much anticipated Festive Bake is back on the menu in November, so aside from all the uncertainty we’re pleased our customers can have a little something they look forward to,” said a Greggs’ spokesperson.

Everton stars Andre Gomes, Michael Keane and Theo Walcott have featured in a video campaign from Italian charcuterie giant, Fratelli Beretta, and Everton Football Club.

Filmed before lockdown at the Blues’ Goodison Park home, the #Berettacreations videos see Italian street food chef and Everton die-hard supporter, Luca Sanvittore, judge the sandwich-making efforts of the three Blues stars as they are invited to choose their ingredients from a range of Fratelli Beretta products including prosciutto, salami, bresaola, porchetta and mortadella, alongside various accompaniments. The #Berettacreations campaign has also seen the Blues stars talk candidly about being part of the Everton family, and their favourite family meals and moments.

Evertonians were also invited to share their own favourite sandwiches via Twitter and Instagram using #Berettacreations - the latest campaign in the partnership which began in 2018, when Everton became the Italian food brand’s first Premier League partner and Fratelli Beretta the club’s first Italianbased sponsor.

In 2019, the partnership was expanded to include the Everton

Academy, in recognition of both sides’ shared values of family and their commitment to investing in future generations The eighth-generation family company’s training academy supports up to 30 of its most promising employees each year to become the next generation of managers for the company, leading operations worldwide.

In the UK, Fratelli Beretta currently supplies Tesco own label Italian meat and Beretta branded products are also available in Costco, and now Fratelli Beretta is also seeking to inspire UK customers by showcasing the versatility of Italian charcuterie and how it can be incorporated into everyday meals, such as by swapping bacon for Parma ham or pancetta. (visit https:// berettafoodcreations.co.uk/ or @ FratelliBeretta and @Everton).

Pret launch UK’s first ever in-shop coffee subscription Pret A Manger has launched what it claims is the UK’s first ever in-shop coffee subscription, and the company’s first major step to deliver against its new multichannel strategy to bring Pret to more people, say the brand.

The YourPret Barista coffee subscription covers all drink options prepared by Pret’s specially trained barista team, including all its 100% organic and 100% Arabica coffee products. All Pret’s organic teas, hot chocolates, smoothies and frappes are also included, and as always, organic milk alternatives are also free of charge, they point out.

YourPret Barista comes at a fixed subscription rate of £20 a month, and to celebrate its national launch, the first month for all subscribers is free (the YourPret Barista coffee subscription can be accessed directly via a subscriber’s email, phone or digital wallet, one per transaction, up to five times a day).

14 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

Pret CEO, Pano Christou, commented: “As people across the UK begin to get back to the things they’ve missed, our new subscription service is perfect for customers who have been craving one of our barista-prepared drinks. Whether you’re a coffee enthusiast or tea devotee, we hope this new service helps you start your day strong.

“This is just the first step in our plan to bring Pret to more people. We now have the building blocks to establish Pret as a multi-channel, digitally-led business, and YourPret Barista is the first big launch we’re able to deliver through our new technology platform.

“Since reopening back in May, our coffee sales have been rising faster than food – evidence that coffee has become an integral part of both our customers’ everyday routines and the Pret experience.”

Agrail Advert_August2019.qxp_Layout 1 20/08/2019 13:40 Page 1

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW

Taking Pret

to the people A bold move into subscription coffee, as well as a specific focus on how Pret can best meet and interact with its customers in the wake of Covid, is now shaping how the brand is adapting and evolving, says its UK managing director, Clare Clough.

What’s the current position with regard to job cuts, store re-openings and closures at Pret in the UK in light of a sales uplift since July?

No changes to what was announced towards the end of August, as (decisions taken then) based on how the business has been performing, and also on what we felt the recovery was going to be like in the coming months. The good news is that we are recovering in the way that we thought we would be, and therefore we don’t think there will be further shop closures as it stands, and we don’t believe there’ll be any further job losses as it stands, so the figures announced then are still correct.

What’s triggered the uplift (7% weekly sales increase since July)?

We found that people are moving around a little bit more than they have been previously, so we are definitely seeing footfall rise in some of the city centres. There’s a gradual rise in London, and that’s being reflected in the sales that we are seeing. We are also seeing our delivery channels continue to grow.

People are getting more used to ordering online, and maybe that’s becoming a little bit more habitual.

We also definitely saw some benefit from the Eat Out To Help Out scheme

in encouraging people to eat out.

It’s very encouraging to see the business starting to come back, but like everyone in the sector, we’ve still got quite a long way to go. We’re trying to grow back as sensibly as we can, ensuring that the shops are feeling safe for customers and for our teams, and making sure that we’re ready ‘as and when’ the sales do come back.

When we went into lockdown, we had 430 stores in the UK, 310 of which are in Greater London. We are a London dominant business and the majority of our London shops are within Zones 1 or 2, so that’s why we’ve found ourselves so significantly impacted because it really has been about the change in working patterns as much as anything else. We’ve got a big business in the City, and obviously that has not been anywhere near where it would have been in terms of customer numbers. Similarly, we have a sizeable business in the West End which definitely is impacted by the way people work, but also by the way tourism has changed.

We’re not seeing international or domestic tourism, we’re not seeing people coming in to visit museums or galleries, and that impacts the footfall around our shops. That’s really been a significant impact for us.

16 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

London the place to see signs of significant recovery, although conflicting reports about whether or not big businesses will require their staff to go back to work in offices…

Yes, which is why we are focusing a lot on how we can adapt the business to try and adapt as we see how this ‘new normal’ plays out. It maybe even that if people are coming back into the offices, they might not want to go out and about very much during the working day, so we’re looking at things like office drops where we can bring more people their Pret food to them, and where they are in their office location. We’re also looking at things like MobilePay or OrderAhead where people might not just want to transact in a shop environment in the quite the way they have done before.

What has been the most significant challenge Pret’s UK business has had to face during Covid?

I think, for the whole industry, the speed at which we saw change come into daily routine is really the most significant challenge. For anyone in the sandwich, or food to go, sector, you get used to a typical type of customer behaviour at a typical day part, and that obviously changed incredibly quickly, and is returning incredibly slowly. So, for Pret, adjusting to the speed of the

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW change has been the most significant challenge. Also, where you’re talking about something related to public health, or customer safety, or team member safety, being able to manage that dynamic as well. It was the right thing for us to do, to close the shops.

That was an incredibly challenging time for us to stop trading in the UK, but it was the right thing to do at that point, and then what we had to do was work out relatively quickly how to re-open in a safe way for our teams and our customers, and what that meant in terms of ways of working back of house, and how we would ask our customers to be front of house. Normally when you look ahead, you have a business plan and lots of things you are working on, but obviously none of that had been in the plan.

We have a business in Asia, a business in Hong Kong, and we’d started to see some of the Covid impact into that business earlier in the year, but even then, the world was looking at Wuhan. I don’t think anyone was then yet thinking “what’s going to happen across the globe throughout the rest of the year?”

How has trading continued, and has there been a greater focus on delivery?

Our over-arching approach has been “taking Pret to the people.”We’re a business that operated a lot on customers coming to visit us. So, if that is no longer customer behaviour, we need to turn that on its head almost, and think about how we take Pret to more people and more places, and so obviously delivery is a key part of that.

Other things such as the launch of our first grocery – coffee – products onto Amazon which allowed people to enjoy Pret coffee at home for the first time. We introduced some products in our ‘heat me at home’ range where people who were coming into the shops, or who were getting a delivery from us, could order soups that they could then heat at a different time to enjoy at home, or porridge, and some of the other dishes we put together.

We really were adapting to trying

to fit more into where customers were, and how they were behaving. We adapted existing recipes, such as our soup, which we would normally sell hot from the hot cabinet. We worked with our suppliers to sell them more in a prepacked, retail format, but keeping to those recipes so that if you’d always enjoyed a particular dish in our shops, you could now buy it to heat at home.

We’re also looking at other products, or ingredients, throughout our larder, and how we can put some of them into our customers’ hands and allow them to create their own products at home as well, having had positive experiences with giving customers recipes to try at home (such as our cookies).

Our latest coffee subscription, for example, really was inspired by understanding how much our customers had missed their favourite coffees, or their favourite baristas. As people started to come back into the shops as we’d started to re-open, or started to return to their workplaces, we saw these Instagram photos of people holding their coffee aloft! So, I guess the coffee they may have been making at home was not as good as that made by our baristas. We realised that there was a real opportunity for us to welcome people back, so we started to think about how we could drive that engagement with coffee, and get them back into that habit they’ve missed.

The latest subscription coffee offer – up to five coffees a day for £20 per month – is a great offer and also quite a business commitment?

It’s fantastic value, because you don’t need to drink too many coffees in a month to be able to get the benefit of this subscription. We hope that customers will be really pleased, and that it will help with the return to normality. We know that people have relied upon subscription services of other types while at home, like Netflix or Spotify, so we’re hoping we can provide them with a great start to their day and encourage them to

stay positive as they come back to work. And if they need it to fuel them through the day, it should do that as well!

Our offer is for coffee as customers would normally drink it. We’re not taking re-usable cups at the moment because we haven’t found the right way to manage that with the right safety processes around that for our customers, but we’re hoping to return them to our shops soon, and then it will be if you’re a customer who brings your re-usable cup, we will of course make it in your own cup, but if not, we will make it in one of our cups as we normally would.

We’ve always been known for our food, but I think it’s great that our coffee can now also be in the Pret ‘limelight’.

What changes have there been to your stores?

We’ve installed Perspex screens at our tills with small hatches at the bottom that products can be passed through.

We’re asking all customers and team members to wear masks when they’re in the shop environment, and we have a cap on the number of customers we have in any one shop at any one time which is related to the size and layout of the store itself.

We’ve got some stars on the floor to show people how they should be spacing themselves. Back of house there are changes too. We have team members socially distanced from each other at the production benches, and we use a ‘runner’ to and from the fridge to avoid lots of different people congregating at the ingredients area at the same time.

www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk September 2020 17

IN

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW

What do you see as now being the biggest challenge for the business in the immediate future?

For us, it really is a footfall-related challenge, and how people do return, and especially in London, where the majority of our shops are. We can forecast what we think is going to happen, but now we have to see what actually happens in the coming months. I would say that’s the most outstanding challenge that we have.

All our forecasts are based on a steady recovery, but we are not anticipating reaching pre-Covid levels at all this year. We certainly hope that we will in the future. We haven’t put a distinct time on that, and we think that the mix of how that performance comes together will be different, so we expect to retain a higher proportion of delivery sales than some of the other channels being the composite business performance, but we’re definitely not anticipating that it’s all back before the end of the year.

There has been press coverage of Pret reviewing and renegotiating with landlords in relation to their sites… Is there a need for the government to get involved with this issue?

Firstly, we’re very grateful to the government for the support it has given the sector. Without the job retention scheme we would have seen a higher number of job cuts, and it helped up protect as many jobs as we possibly could. From a landlord perspective, we have been working very collaboratively with our landlords. We haven’t concluded everything, as you might expect at this point, but I think we’ve had some very constructive conversations and

collaborative support, and I think we hope to continue those conversations to conclusion. In fact, we are grateful for the support from many of our partners, not just landlords.

We already have some agreements in place for some sites based on revenue, which I think has been a useful position during the pandemic because it does link the rent to the revenue, and we do think that it is something which has been positive through this.

When you start to have true digital relationships with customers, and that goes beyond the use of a payment card, definitely we hope that we can be more insightful in our decision-making. Many, many businesses have been really able to understand their customers by having rich, digital relationships with them, that would be a great outcome for us as part of our digital transformation. We will be able to tailor our products and offers to what customers really want.

Has the pandemic provided Pret with any unexpected opportunities?

I would say that we have probably accelerated some of our change programmes as a result of the speed at which we came into the pandemic.

We’ve pushed harder on some things we would have perhaps taken longer to bring to fruition, and that’s certainly true of a lot of the digital transformation activity.

We had set up plans where that was very much in our one to two-year plan, but we’ve moved much more quickly as a result of the pandemic. This has mostly been on the customer-facing side, but that requires a tremendous amount of back office support. And this has all been very much about underpinning the fact that if we want to change the way we interact with customers, and have enjoyed our customers coming to us, what does it now mean for us to go to them? That’s the change programme that has really been accelerated.

How is the brand encouraging its UK customers to return?

Firstly, we want people to feel confident to come into our shops in a safe manner.

So we want to demonstrate that we are managing the requirements of social distancing with screens etc. We want people to feel confident to come and visit our shops again. And we want to make sure that we are bringing them back to some of their everyday joys. We were very proud that we were part of many people’s daily, or weekly, routines, and when they come back, we want to make sure they can enjoy the quality and freshness of our products that they might have missed by bringing back a bit of joy into their day.

We set our standards on the requirements and the government advice, and that’s really where we’ve stayed focused. We also listen carefully to the feedback we get from our customers.

Our customer services team has been carefully listening out for any consumer feedback around any of the standards we have in shops. We also have worked really closely with our teams to evolve the standards that impact them as well.

We ran a number of different trials on different ways of doing things in shops to make sure that we get solutions that work for our team members as well. For example, use of visors or masks, and how we arrange the benches in the kitchen to make them as comfortable as possible in a socially distanced way. So we’ve been trying to listen to our teams and our customers as much as we possibly can, but always taking the guiding light of the government advice and requirements as they stand.

Will there be a time when Pret no longer accepts cash payments?

Personally, I struggle at the moment to see an entirely cashless world.

However, there was a long period after we re-opened when we did not accept any cash. That was just how we were operating in that period. For some time, cash sales have been a smaller proportion of the way we’ve interacted with our customers, so I think it will continue to decrease. I’m not sure I would personally be bold enough to say we’ll be entirely cashless yet, but that might just be me!

18 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

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We are planning to bring The Sammies back bigger and better next year so make a date to join us in 2021. The award categories and Sandwich & Food to Go Designer competition will be launched in November.

To register your interest for both the awards and competition please contact caron@jandmgroup.co.uk

2020 WINNERS More profile coverage in future issues and online at www.awards.sandwich.org.uk

INDEPENDENT SANDWICH RETAILER Sponsored by

WINNER - No. 11 deli, Castle Donington Winning the Independent Retailer of the Year Award was the cherry on the cake for our busy littl e deli in the heart of the East Midlands.

We celebrate our 10th anniversary this year so winning the platin um award really made it special.

No. 11 deli is a successful, busy sandwich takeaway and delicatessen based in Castle Donington, a village between Notti ngham and Derby. We were up against some sti ff competi tio n from London and Birmingham in the finalss o being the overall winner was just amazing. I have put my heart and soul into the business over the years and have a wonderful team behind me who all feel as proud of the business as I do.

20 September 2020 SANDWICH & FOOD TO GO NEWS

This year has been a challenge for everyone, but we have adapted the business in accordance with the government outlines and No. 11 deli continues to grow. Having the Independent Sandwich Retailer trophy on display in store and posters promoting our win displayed throughout the deli has given the us the extra boost we needed during these uncertain times. We will definitely be entering again and would recommend any small independent retailers to give it a go too.

Liza Fox, Owner

To advertise please call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 September 2020 21

NEW FOOD TO GO PRODUCT Sponsored by

WINNER - Pure, Rolled Omelette We are the proud three time winner of The Sammies New Food to Go award and 2020 winner of the Workplace & Catering Retailer award.

We recognised that our Super Eggs were a leading product at breakfast time because, not only are they delicious, but they fit into the nutritional requirements so many people are looking for at breakfast. High protein, filling and free of gluten.

Knowing this, we wanted to challenge ourselves with innovation in this product category and launch a new product which also fits into another key business requirement for us – eating on the move.

As such, the Rolled Omelette was born: delicious, omelette wraps, each made with two free-range eggs. They are then filled and rolled with a range of tasty ingredients by our onsite kitchen teams, each and every morning, to ensure maximum freshness and quality.

We are very grateful to The Sammies for their continued support and recognition of our dedication to provide the most delicious, healthy and accessible food and drink on the high street.

We proudly display and promote our accolades to our customers and we look forward to what 2021 may bring us!

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WINNER TMI, Coffee Bacon for Caffè Nero We were delighted that TMI Foods was selected as the winner in the prestigi ous New Product Award Ingredients Category of the annual BritishSa ndwich Industry Sammies Awards 2020, for our innovativ e TMI CoffeeB acon for CaffèNe ro.

A huge congratulatio ns to everyone involved in this cross-collaborativ e project - great to receive and celebrate the recognition.

22 September 2020 SANDWICH & FOOD TO GO NEWS

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To advertise please call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 September 2020 23

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WINNER - Barny Luxmoore, Jabberwocky Catering, Korean Wrapsody We have always been very proud of our sandwiches and go to great lengths to source interesting ingredients and flavours to try. Like all our best creations, the Korean Wrapsody started with an ingredient: Kimchi, which I was trying to perfect because it is delicious when you get it right and worth making from scratch. Having got my kimchi game on point we wanted to make a meal out of it, so we talked to our tame butcher, hit the Asian supermarket for some gochujang and made ourselves a meal of it. Like all the best sandwiches it has some classic combinations that hold the entire sandwich together.

I think the sandwich did well firstly because it is delicious, we make everything ourselves wherever possible, but also it is a properly viable item that can be sold to the public. We are going to be serving it next summer and already have at least one booking where it will be on the menu (a wedding on May bank holiday).

We love to enter the BSA competition every year (we have been doing so since 2015) for various reasons. I enjoy going to the competition and meeting the judges, competitors and BSA staff. Entering the awards has led me to meet loads of people who I would never have come into contact with, as they are from a totally different part of the same industry as us. It is good for business, in the past we have won a “highly commended� for our Tuna Melt. We have this proudly advertised on the outside of our van when we are trading (along with our other awards) and it has definiitely led to an increase in sales. Award wins also help us to secure bookings for both weddings and festivals as 24 September 2020 SANDWICH & FOOD TO GO NEWS

they assure people who have not eaten our food before that it is going to be delicious. However, the most important part of entering the awards is that it helps us to develop new menu ideas and items. These days with two vans (and two kids) we have very little time to make up new things to sell. Each year with the BSA we have a new set of ingredients to play with and a new impetus to try some new recipes. In the past the awards have led to five new menu items that are used regularly and an entire menu based on the Tryptophilia that we entered a few years ago (this is a rosti bap menu that is served like veggie burgers, but less fake).

We will definitely be entering again next year, it is always helpful and fun to enter.

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Rewinding

ALLERGENS

Preparing for Natasha’s Law Ashbury’s (www.ashbury.global) Pete Martin and Steve Spice consider Natasha’s Law. AN EVOLUTION OF THE CHANGE This year - for the first time – we saw the industry meeting to discuss allergens at the FSA Allergy Symposium. We have also seen the introduction of new legislation that aims to protect these consumers.

Mandatory allergen labelling on prepacked food was one of the main features of revised labelling law when the EU’s Food Information to Consumer Regulations (FIR) came into effect. What, then, of foods that are prepacked for direct sale to a customer? This was left very much up to individual Member States to set out their own national measures. In the UK, this was done by allowing a business the option of providing written or oral allergen information. Contrast this approach with that taken in Ireland where only the indication of allergens in writing was allowed.

Since the establishment of the FIR, it was found that confusion between prepacked food (purchased from suppliers) and food packed on the premises for direct sale was leading consumers to misinterpret labels and not ask about allergens. For example, a consumer familiar with a prepacked tuna and mayo sandwich which indicates the presence of some allergens by highlighting them in the ingredient list on the label will not face the same manner of providing information on an identical sandwich if it were prepacked for direct sale; the information may only be available orally.

NATASHA’S LAW The Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 (so called Natasha’s Law) comes into force in October 2021 allowing a transition period that will enable all businesses to make the necessary changes.

All prepacked for direct sale foods will have to clearly display the following information on the packaging (no allergen

charts or other alternatives) - name of the food, full ingredients list and allergenic ingredients emphasised (in bold, italics or a different colour).

The intention is to label allergens in food prepacked for direct sale in the same fashion as prepacked food to further protect consumers and avoid tragic deaths, such as that of Natasha EdnanLaperouse.

HOW CAN YOU PREPARE? In June 2020 the Food Standards Agency (FSA) modified its existing technical guidance document on food allergen labelling and information requirements.

This guidance gives details on what prepacked for direct sale means; it does this because of the absence of a legal definition in either EU or domestic UK legislation. It also includes a simple decision tree which might prove useful for businesses unfamiliar with this term. Food ‘Prepacked for direct sale’ is: “Food packed before being offered for sale by the same food business to the final consumer.

• On the same premises; or • On the same site; or • On other premises if the food is offered for sale from a moveable and/or temporary premises (such as marquees, market stalls, mobile sales vehicles) and the food is for sale by the same food business who packed it.”

What if you have one kitchen and multiple sites? The definition excludes one preparation site serving other sites unless they fall within that list of moveable or temporary premises (at least for now).

In terms of legislation, you should design your labels in accordance with regulation 1169/2011 FIR which outlines the details regarding where and how this information should be presented on your packaging.

SOME AMBIGUITY REMAINS There is a difference in the legal status of the FSA guidance (https://www.food.gov.

26 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

uk/business-guidance/food-safety-forfood-delivery) and the legislation itself, so some ambiguity remains until the matter is resolved by a further revision of the legislation to incorporate a definition or an interpretation by the courts that can be used.

The guidance does not cover loose items for sale, meals in sit-in restaurants or cafés, items prepared freshly and then wrapped or packed (such as a build your own sandwich), or items prepared but kept hot or cold on display and ready for sale. While the change aims to give consistency of labelling allergen information between prepacked and prepacked for direct sale, it does not address other means of selling food-to-go products. This oversight means a tuna and mayo sandwich packaged in front of the consumer versus prepacked or prepacked for direct sale may be labelled in three different ways and presents a comparable risk to the end consumer should they suffer from allergies. Some businesses are addressing this by providing labelling in all circumstances.

This raises questions of practicality.

How will smaller premises ensure labelling on prepacked items is up to date and present? What will happen during busy periods when ingredients are swapped in and out as required to meet demand?

Are businesses and their employees sufficiently trained and aware of allergens? How will cross contamination be controlled and informed – on the label as well? What about other allergenic foods not mandatory to be declared on nonprepacked items? And most of all how will this engender confidence in labelling or stop confusion in the mind of consumers?

So many scenarios mean a ‘one size fits all’ answer is challenging. Further refinement up to October 2021 is expected. Meanwhile, work towards the current guidance provided, taking into consideration how to incorporate this into your food safety plans.

Association Update BSA LAUNCHES ON-LINE MEMBER MEETINGS The Association has announced that it is to hold open members meetings on a regular basis in future following two trial events with presentations from market analyst Simon Stenning and research company Mealtrak. The meetings, which are free for members to join, will take place once or twice a month.

The September meeting, which was due to take place as we went to print, covers allergen labelling with contributions from the Food Standards Agency and from the parents of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died after having an allergic reaction to a sandwich.

Future meetings will be posted on the BSA website at www.sandwich.org.uk LISTERIA ALERT Following another outbreak of listeria involving sandwiches, this time from a London manufacturer (not a BSA Member), the Association has been liaising with the NHS and Hospital Food Review chair over the need for stringent controls chilled food temperatures and maintenance of the chill chain. Guidance on the handling of chilled foods, including sandwiches, to minimise the risk of listeria is available on the BSA website at www.sandwich.org.uk.

The industry is currently

waiting for publication of the Hospital Food Review report, which was delayed due to Covid-19 with a view to working more closely with the NHS in future.

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OBESITY Following the prime minister’s wake-up call in hospital, the government has announced a new campaign to tackle obesity, including plans to ban 2-1 promotions and the advertising of foods high in fat, sugar and salt before 9pm. The government also wants calorie labelling on menus in larger foodservice establishments and is reviewing traffic light labelling. In its response, the Association is calling for total calories to be boldly displayed on all food products so that consumers can more easily make reasoned choices.

GOOD TO GO The Association is talking with Visit Britain about adopting the Good to Go campaign as a way of giving consumers assurance about safety. Under the scheme, operators who follow the appropriate guidelines for complying with COVID-19 rules, can display the Good to Go logo which is due to be supported by a government marketing campaign. We will circulate details as they become available.

for enquiries please email:

info@blackrodcm.co.uk

www.sandwich.org.uk September 2020 27

OPINION

Packaging in the

SPOTLIGHT Executive director of the Foodservice Packaging Association (FPA), Martin Kersh, assesses the implications of Covid-19 and the lockdown of the hospitality sector for packaging in the food to go sector and looks at what we might expect going forwards.

picture credit: courtesy of CH&Co

MIXED MESSAGES At the height of the pandemic it was curious to read that NGOs and others were accusing the foodservice sector in general, and foodservice packaging in particular, of exploiting the pandemic for its own ends.

Curious, because a sales downturn of 90% was experienced by many foodservice packaging manufacturers and distributors as a result of the almost complete closure of the hospitality sector. The accusation centred on the public choosing packaged items over loose as they instinctively felt the former to be safer, and a delay to the plastic straws ban.

For some FPA members, the pandemic brought an increase in demand from the health and care sectors for items destined to be banned such as wrapped plastic cutlery, plastic plates and plastic straws. The point made by the FPA was that, had these items been banned in 2019, NHS procurement

would have been forced to purchase them from the Far East at vastly increased prices. Some would have been of dubious quality, just as some PPE (personal protection equipment) fell short of UK standards when the government bizarrely removed the highly tuned NHS procurement channel and ran it themselves and made some purchases from poorly vetted suppliers.

It so happens the FPA negotiated a delay to the ban on plastic straws with Defra in order to enable the NHS and care sector to be supplied. It was this delay that led to accusations of exploiting the pandemic.

By far the biggest impact on the sector has been the huge downturn in our customers’ business. Eat Out To Help Out has been a positive development and it is good to see that some restaurants have been busy for at least three nights a week. However, it is very depressing to observe that large numbers of restaurants are not re-opening, or only partially so. Many will never re-open their estate to pre-pandemic levels. The VAT reduction on hot takeaway food was greatly welcomed but why couldn’t all takeaway food have been included? Eat in or eat out, it is still much-needed business and would help drive the rejuvenation of the sandwich and food to go sectors.

28 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

REFORM All the way through the pandemic government has continued to consult on its legislative programme for reform of packaging producer responsibility.

This includes the proposed Deposit Return Scheme, and consultations on Waste Management Consistency, Extended Producer Responsibility and the Plastics Tax (on plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled content) proposals.

Lots of issues have been raised successfully as the requirement of those delivering meals (which can include anything delivered by Deliveroo, Just Eat, similar third parties or direct delivery) to take back beverage containers equivalent in number to those they delivered.

Not so simple if you deliver on a moped and only visit an address once a quarter which is quite typical.

Also of concern is the requirement of producers in 2023 to pay for the full cost of packaging related litter, including the emptying of litter bins. It seems placing an item in a litter bin is now to be considered litter.

A possibility that has been discussed is a modified system based on the volume a pack takes up in a litter bin.

Businesses operating in the sandwich and café sector, for example, will certainly need to encourage their customers to flatten sandwich packs in order for them to take up less volume.

At the time of writing Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall’s new BBC1 series War on Plastics is about to air, and will have appeared by now. As reported, the issues raised demonstrate the need to encourage the recycling of foodservice packaging by setting up collection systems for used packaging.

PAPER CUP BLUEPRINT A fine example of this in our sector is paper cups, where, through the Paper Cup Recovery and Recycling Group (PCRRG), paper cup producers have set up systems to increase the numbers of cups recycled, resulting in an uplift in the recycling of paper cups. Figures from Valpak, which operates the National Cup Recycling Scheme, back up the increased momentum behind paper cup recycling.

Since May 2019, 130 million paper cups have been recycled through the

picture credit: courtesy of Benders

OPINION

scheme, equivalent to 1,422 tonnes of material. This work, which has required competitors to collaborate and work together to achieve results, has been acknowledged by government and recognised in January 2020 by the OPRL (On Pack Recycling Label) with the awarding of a specialist recycling label for paper cups.

This label means that facilities to collect and recycle paper cups now exist in every postcode in the UK, covering in-store collection points,

bring banks and specific recycling schemes and it is hoped that for cups carrying the label, consumers will be encouraged to recycled their cup at one of the recycling facilities.

This work is an excellent blueprint for the sandwich sector, which will be receiving negative media coverage as a result of the War on Plastics programme.

To reduce the costs of complying with the new legislation and perhaps to secure your future and avoid additional levies and taxes, the sandwich sector must ensure all actions relating to recovery and recycling packaging produce measurable results. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall likes to take businesses to task for saying they are going to do something but not achieving improvements or, worse still, misleading the public. Let’s hope this programme is the catalyst for positive action for sandwich pack recycling.

Sandwich industry set to challenge recycling issues The UK’s £8 billion sandwich industry is to undertake a detailed study into how it can better help consumers recycle more sandwich packs.

The industry is to set up a broad working group, including manufacturers, retailers, packaging and recycling experts, with the aim of working collectively to review current packaging systems and how these can better be delivered to waste plants capable of recycling them.

Many of the retailers and manufacturers in the industry have already done a considerable amount of work in this area, in collaboration with packaging and recycling businesses. The current OPRL (On-Pack Recycling Label) rules, for example, reflect much of this work and the Association understands that more than 75% of authorities are now able to recycle lined board sandwich packaging.

Nevertheless, work still needs to be done and the Association is keen to encourage the sharing of best practice.

One of the key considerations is the important role that packaging plays in helping to maintain shelf-life and avoid excessive food waste, which creates a much higher carbon footprint than the packs themselves.

The Working Group aims to bring retailers and

producers together with packaging suppliers and recyclers to share their experiences and knowledge. One of the first tasks will be to draw up guidelines for the industry covering packaging and waste.

“Our industry has already done an enormous amount of work developing more eco-friendly packaging,” says the director of the British Sandwich & Food to Go Association, Jim Winship.

“We are totally committed to finding the best possible solutions to packaging but we are also governed by other considerations, particularly the need to ensure that packs fully protect the foods they contain. The last thing we want is to create a bigger problem by shortening shelf-life and creating more food waste, which has a higher carbon footprint than packaging. There are also moral and ethical issues about creating more food waste.

“Most sandwich packs are now recyclable if they are handled correctly and get into the correct waste streams.

We are keen to work with consumers to find ways to make it easier to ensure the packs get recycled.”

The decision to set up the Group was made in February but has been delayed by Covid 19 which has brought most of the food to go sector to its knees. However, the Association plans to restart the programme in October.

www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

September 2020 29

OPINION

The plastic packaging time bomb What can the sector do to prepare for the plastics and packaging time-bomb, asks Dom de Ville, a senior consultant at Sancroft (www.sancroft.com), an international sustainability consultancy, which works with some of the world’s leading companies to improve their environmental, ethical and social impact.

UBIQUITOUS? From the wrappers and trays that keep our food from spoiling to the boxes, sleeves, films and cushioning which ensure our goods arrive in one place, there is no getting away from the fact that plastic packaging is ubiquitous today – and hospitality must be ready to address critical sustainability issues when the obvious and ongoing challenge of Covid-19 subsides.

However, organisations in the UK’s highly regarded food to go and café sector which use or produce significant amounts of plastic packaging are faced with a combination of new recycling rules and increased compliance costs that is having a fundamental impact on the way they do business. This new environment brings significant threat, of course, but also great opportunity.

PLASTIC PACKAGING TAX It seems like a lifetime ago, but it was only in March that the Chancellor announced in his Spring Budget that a plastic packaging tax will come into force from April 2022.

This will see businesses whose products have less than 30% recyclable material being charged £200 per tonne. However, the rules for this tax will provide a powerful advantage for businesses that reduce the amount of packaging they use, ensure it is made from the maximum recycled content, and that it is universally recyclable.

The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules, which are due to go live in 2022, will force producers and users of packaging to pay the full net cost of collecting, reprocessing and recycling packaging to local authorities in the UK. By the government’s own calculations, EPR is set to increase the cost of packaging compliance fees by an estimated 21 times what businesses were paying in 2017, a huge jump.

Also on the rise are Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) charges, the fees businesses must pay towards the collection and disposal of plastic packaging waste they put on the market. On its own, the per-tonne increase of plastic compliance – from an average of £50 in 2017 to

30 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

over £400 in 2019 – is eye-catching enough. However, when these costs are modelled for large and mid-sized businesses, it is calculated that for every £1,000 a company was spending on plastic compliance in 2017, they are now spending over £8,000. The cost of these PRNs has effectively risen from a level many businesses might have considered a manageable marginal cost of doing business, to a major cost centre.

Add to that hardening consumer attitudes against plastics packaging, as well as increasing pressure from investors interested in sustainability and the implications for supply chains to remove or reduce packaging, and this places organisations which use plastics at a fork in the road with some critical decisions to make.

RECYCLE SHORTFALL Reduction and recycling have an important role to play, not just to manage compliance costs but to protect the environment, yet they cannot in themselves avoid increased costs.

OPINION this link and how it applies to your business opens up vital opportunities to reduce costs and add value. For many organisations this requires changing the way they think about packaging. Instead of focusing on cost management and compliance, businesses need to think about how product use, disposal and production methods can be adapted for lower costs and reduced consumption.

There is simply not enough plastic in the recycling economy to achieve this.

Instead, the new operating environment calls for business to rethink their business model from one that sees plastics and packaging as a basic cost of doing business - much like paying your monthly gas bill - to one that understands the fundamental changes that need to be made to the business for it to thrive sustainability and profitably going forward.

For businesses which do not grasp the extent to which the changing rules around the consumption and recycling of plastic will reshape business supply chains and consumer demand, a failure to adapt will threaten their commercial viability. At the same time, those who respond by reshaping the way they source, use and recycle plastics have much to gain. In an economy which is moving away from the redundant makeuse-discard model, they will already be doing business in a way which can accommodate the inevitable further disruption and change as we look to further reduce waste.

Yet, in my experience many businesses have yet to grasp the extent to which the costs and pressure associated with plastic packaging will fundamentally threaten their current business model. So what action should they take to turn this potential disruption into an opportunity?

Understand the risks to your business today The first step is to evaluate the impact of current and future changes to packaging on your business. This requires establishing the implications of the evolving packaging landscape. You will need accurate data on all the packaging you currently use – including types of materials, quantities, recyclability and recycled content – which should be mapped against the current PRN system and proposed legislative changes so you can understand your exposure to risk.

Join up your packaging and business strategies Packaging and business strategy are now intertwined. Understanding

Lead from the top and take a companywide approach Done the right way, efforts to reduce plastics and packaging require change across the business and extend to relevant suppliers and partners.

Identifying and prioritising these changes needs top-down support.

It will also require people in different functions, including operations, finance and marketing (where these exist, of course), to work together. Do not leave an individual department or functional team to drive these changes on their own; it will fail without the support of others.

Avoid knee-jerk reactions As plastics activism has grabbed the headlines so too have the number of businesses going for ‘quick fixes’ around packaging, typically swapping plastic for another material perceived to be more eco-friendly. The risk here is a failure to reduce overall environmental impact. If the goal is to make sustainable changes to the business then it is imperative to research alternative packaging suppliers, and understand the limitations and opportunities offered.

Don’t try to do it on your own A key facet of the packaging revolution is the need for businesses to communicate and collaborate within supply chains and across sectors as the entire system changes. As such, this is not something that should be navigated or tackled by a business working alone.

Business leaders should be outwardlooking and open-minded, ready to forge new relationships with industry peers and partners, and to co-operate on areas of shared challenge.

www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

September 2020 31

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PACKAGING

Catering to a challenging market Packaging companies have had to respond to a variety of challenging demands in recent months as operators in the food to go sector seek to reassure their customers and maintain good standards of hygiene. At the same time, the drive to become plastic-free continues, with new rules and taxes taking effect in 2022.

Celebration Packaging’s Wrapped Wooden cutlery.

READY TO REACT “The food to go sector was quick to react at the start of the Covid 19 lockdown, re-inventing itself with contactless delivery and collection methods. Safe, practical and above all, hygienic disposable packaging played a huge role in enabling businesses to continue, and hungry customers to be fed,” acknowledges Celebration Packaging’s managing director, Nick Burton.

“As restrictions eased and sandwich shops and takeaways re-opened with social distancing and hygiene as the top priorities, the role of disposable packaging became even more important. The right foodservice packaging ensures speed of service – essential when managing patient queuing customers – but also demonstrates and delivers hygiene and safety. As eat-in restaurants and pubs re-opened, single-use paper products have also become increasingly important.

“At Celebration Packaging, we quickly realised that operators needed to know where to obtain the right packaging. We wanted to make the process of choosing and ordering the most appropriate packaging easier, so we launched the Packaging Food2Go website.

“Foodservice packaging, microwaveable food containers, tamper-evident packaging and disposable cutlery was immediately in high demand, and there was an increasing move towards wanting products to be wrapped to enhance hygiene and safety.”

Responding to this preference for wrapping, Celebration report that they have recently relaunched their popular high quality, EnviroWare® smooth wooden cutlery range either individually wrapped or as a meal kit option containing a knife, 34 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

fork, spoon and 22cm square brown paper napkin.

Despite the changes brought about by Coronavirus, say the company, they haven’t lost sight of the importance of environmental sustainability. The cutlery is made from wood from sustainable forestry and has full FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) chain of custody accreditation, while the unbleached paper wrapping is plastic free.

As food businesses re-opened, owners and managers realised that they needed to visibly guarantee hygiene to operate safely and to entice customers back; consumers needed to be reassured to regain confidence in the dining environment and single-use paper products visibly protect utensils and surfaces.

Celebration Packaging supplies many different types of hygienic single-use paper table-top items such as place mats and tray liners which can be supplied custom printed to include social distancing and hygiene messages alongside branding.

“Back in March, we were in a pretty strong position. Having managed a two-year period of significant growth, during which we had introduced new manufacturing capacity and invested in increased warehouse space, we were starting to reap the benefits. Our turnover had doubled, our customer base was expanding and we were considering the next stages of our development,” reflects managing director of quality disposables manufacturer and supplier, Herald, Yogesh Patel.

“The Covid virus and subsequent lockdown came out of left field and we had to react immediately and decisively, narrowing our focus somewhat to ensure our customers’ changing needs were met. We chose not to furlough any

PACKAGING staff, instead making use of the increased warehouse space to stockpile certain products in anticipation of demand.

“It was essential that we maintained a tight relationship with the supply chain so that we could assess the risk of product shortages and identify alternative means of securing certain items.

“We stepped up our supply of foil trays, lids and bagasse hot boxes and burger boxes in the first instance, in a bid to support cafés, pubs and restaurants operating as hot food takeaways during the early stages of the pandemic.

“There was a rise in demand of single and double wall, 8 oz, 12 oz and 16 oz hot paper cups as the public followed government advice, avoiding social settings and consuming drinks on the go rather than sitting in proximity to other customers. We’d anticipated that this would be the case and added to the supply chain accordingly to ensure we could provide variety of choice and maintain a healthy supply of the increasingly popular eco-friendly, sustainable items.”

Needless to say, Herald’s extra warehouse space has proved invaluable this year, and by holding more stock, they have also been able to fulfil orders quickly, which has in turn helped their customers tremendously, they report.

“Often, our customers have been in the position where they are not sure what they will need and so have been grateful that we have a good selection of stock readily available and can supply in varying amounts,” adds Yogesh Patel.

Herald’s bagasse range.

“The extra space, together with a tight supply chain and a team that has been willing to put themselves on the frontline and pull together, means that we have been able to work through these difficult months and enable our customers in the catering and food to go sectors to do the same.

“We anticipate that take out services will continue to be in high demand for some time. The UK is a long way from getting back to where it was and our role is to support the wider industry, taking a proactive approach and keeping a robust supply of the most sought after catering disposable packaging products moving. We don’t ever take our customers for granted and we appreciate their returning business.”

SEPARATION CHALLENGE The BBC’s recent War On Plastics programme highlighted the problems caused by ‘unrecyclable’ retail sandwich packs, and

packaging company, Sirane, say that they have a solution.

The programme claimed that six million PE-coated packs and laminated board packs flood the nation’s waste bins and recycling centres every day, and in the vast majority of cases they cannot be recycled easily – despite labelling suggesting they can – as you just cannot always separate the plastics from the cardboard, and so the packs invariably end up in landfill.

The programme’s presenter, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, met with Simon Ellin, CEO of the UK Recycling Association, who told the programme: “We have several problems, we have got the plastic window on the outside, we have got the plastic liner on the inside – so even if you remove the front layer the inside plastic layer is so tightly glued and bonded to the paper that you are never going to be able to remove it, so to me that renders it unrecyclable.”

Traditional sandwich packs are invariably labelled as ‘Widely Recycled’ and the show focused on the ambiguity of that statement and what the logo means.

Simon Ellin went on to explain: “The criteria to use that label is if 75% of local authorities in the country actually collect them for recycling, it doesn’t mean they are recycled. Technically, you might possibly be able to recycle it, in reality you are not – so it is wholly misleading.”

IN WITH THE PAPER RECYCLING Sirane (www.sirane.com) is an innovative packaging development-to-manufacture company, with expertise in absorbency and material science. Their specialisms include board, bags and pouches, absorbent products, shelflife extension and dual-ovenable products.

The company’s new eco-friendly sandwich packs – branded as Earthwedge – have been developed using a combination of coated boards and coated papers, and meaning that the whole pack can be recycled as part of the paper stream, report the company.

“Our Earth Packaging range now includes many ways to replace plastics effectively in the supply chain. Many plastics can be replaced, and new materials and technologies are coming on board all the time,” says Simon Balderson, Sirane’s MD. “Earthwedge is a great example of somewhere it is possible to remove the plastic entirely whilst allowing the product to still be functional and fit for purpose. And end of life is important – these packs will be able to go in with the paper recycling.

“We’ve put them through extensive trials, to make sure they offer the necessary ease of use as well as the needed shelf-life. Coated boards are used for a reason – commercially, the sandwiches need a certain shelf-life to make the supply chain work – but we can now offer a viable alternative which is environmentally friendly.”

They are suitable for heat-sealing as well as in-store assembly and can be supplied fully printed/branded or plain, as required, in standard and custom sizes, point out the company. www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk September 2020 35

PACKAGING The whole pack can be easily recycled in the paper stream – there’s no need to try to separate layers, or remove films from the pack, a system which makes some packs on the market technically recyclable but practically impossible to do so.

Part of the War on Plastics programme focused on supposed ‘easier to peel’ packs -designed to make it easier to separate the plastic and cards – but as demonstrated on the programme, this is still difficult.

FUTURE INNOVATION Sirane says that it completed the acquisition of a UK-based manufacturer of board products earlier this year, and now has ambitious growth plans for the new site, as well as plans to enhance the Earth Packaging range, by combining technologies. Their eco-friendly and plastic-free sandwich skillet Earthwedge is one of the developments which the acquisition will allow Sirane to manufacture.

“The result is a sandwich pack, with a window, which gives the required barrier, which will help remove a lot of

unnecessary plastic from supermarket shelves,” says Simon Balderson. “It ticks every box going, and we anticipate strong interest.”

“This will be the first of many innovative new products which combine existing Sirane technology with the boardprocessing operations at Olympic. But there will be more.

We’re a development company, always looking at new ideas.”

Plastic-free utensils Earlier this year, EcoTensil (www.ecotensil.eu) - a global pioneer in sustainable paperboard utensils - announced the European launch of its plastic-free single-use cutlery for food packaging. This popular range of folding multi-functional paper utensils was developed to replace small plastic spoons and sporks found in pot lids, trays, and other grab-and-go packaging, with a more environmentally friendly option.

Addressing the upcoming EU ban on single-use plastics, say the company, California-based EcoTensil is now bringing its sustainable paperboard solutions to Europe through its European-based sales team.

The award-winning multi-functional EcoTensil utensils all have a much more pleasing ‘mouth-feel’ than that of rougher wooden spoons and forks, and the sturdy EcoSpoon® is formed with one simple ‘bend to touch dotsTM fold, making it easy enough for a young child to do, claim the company.

The EcoTensil team has designed its current product line specifically for single-serve packaging, foodservice and sampling applications and supplies its utensils formatted ready to be easily

fitted into customers’ existing packaging, or customised as needed (all EcoTensil products are made from materials from well-managed FSC®-certified forests and use 50-80% less material than plastic, bio-plastic or wood cutlery).

“Using less resources is the best way to reduce waste going to landfill,” says EcoTensil creator and CEO, Peggy Cross.

“The GreenDot© line is made from a similar material to a coffee cup, but fully compostable, recyclable and contains no plastic. There is no taste, after taste, dissolving of the coating in one’s mouth, or falling apart after a few bites.

“The work Europe is doing to reduce single-use plastic is very important. EcoTensil is supporting companies in meeting their plastic reduction goals with our wonderfully simple folding paper spoons. We have spent the last decade perfecting the silky mouth feel, smooth edges, structural strength and overall pleasing nature of the utensils.”

There is an EcoTensil utensil to fit just about any size package and application process. The pre-folded TabLock© EcoSpoon4 (49mm folded length, 89mm unfolded), for example, is locked shut and

36 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

comes packed stacked in tidy rows for easy placement on the assembly line. This product is also currently available to order across Europe. EcoTensil also offers an unfolded, 82mm utensil and a 95mm size, both of which may be ordered hygienically flow- wrapped or loose pack. The 95mm also can be ordered folded to a 48mm length and wrapped for small spaces.

EcoTensil has won multiple packaging and design awards over the years, and has received consistently positively reviews from chefs, retailers and consumers alike.

It functions effectively as a spoon, spork and spreader for most foods that are scoopable or easy to cut, such as cake, desserts, yoghurts, deli salads, flans and quiches, hot or cold grain and legume dishes, porridge, soups, stews, gazpacho and everything in between. For gelato and other frozen desserts, EcoTensil – distributed

by Celebration and Plastico in the UK - offers its extra sturdy iScoop® which has been designed specifically for ice cream type products.

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LAUNCH! Herald’s new brochure has landed and the leading disposables supplier has added an abundance of new products to the mix.

From single, double and triple wall hot cups and complementary sip lids to soup containers, plates, bowls, chip trays and boxes, Herald offers a wide and varied selection of quality ‘food to go’ disposables, in a full range of sizes and materials, to meet every need.

To see how Herald can offer you more, call now to order a brochure

Tel: 0208 507 7900 Email: sales@heraldplastic.com www.heraldplastic.com

To advertise please call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 September 2020 37

HOT PRODUCTS

Hot food and beverages

Whether in delivery, or ‘to go’ formats, many outlets have been upping their game when it comes to their hot food and beverage menus to make the most of the VAT reduction and prepare for the colder months.

VERSATILE “As we move towards autumn and winter, it’s a good idea to hot up takeout menus with a range of warmer items,” suggests Gordon Lauder, MD of frozen food distributor Central Foods (www.centralfoods.co.uk).

“Street food is still very popular and makes a great food-to-go alternative to traditional sandwiches, rolls and wraps.

Try bao buns filled with pulled meats, crunchy veg and sticky sauce. As a vegetarian or vegan option, how about pulled jackfruit, soya meat or tofu to replace the meat?

“Bao buns are bang on trend and these delightful steamed Asian street food staples take less than half a minute to cook from frozen in a microwave, making them super speedy ideas for the lunchtime rush. Using frozen bao buns will help to cut waste, reduce costs and ensures that a ‘fresh’ supply of bread is always available – whatever your location or the time of day. Our bao buns are suitable for vegans and vegetarians too, which makes them a really versatile warm snack that works well in a bento box or popped into a bag for takeout.

“Hot boxes are ideal for takeout too and provide a tasty alternative to pasta or noodle salad pots. Add tasty gluten-free chicken chunks or goujons alongside crisp salad and rice for a delicious and filling lunch that is suitable for gluten-free diners.

It’s important to consider free-from customers, so offering gluten-free chicken products will ensure that those with dietary requirements don’t miss out. Our Golden Valley Foods glutenfree chicken products range includes plain breaded chunks, plain breaded goujons and Southern-fried goujons, and goes down well with all chickenloving customers, not just those who require gluten-free items.

“Chicken really flew during lockdown when home delivery and takeaway was especially popular, and it’s bound to remain a big food-to-go favourite as we move into autumn and winter. It’s the most popular meat served in the UK, is available in various formats which means it can be served in lots of different ways, and it travels well for takeout too.

38 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

“To enable social distancing back of house and in kitchens, for many operators it will mean reducing staff numbers per shift so consider food to go items that will work throughout the day, are likely to be popular with a wide range of customers, are easy to prepare and quick and convenient to serve.”

HOT RIGHT NOW With the government’s announcement in July of a temporary reduction in VAT to 5% on food and non-alcoholic beverages, now is the time to embrace hot holding.

The reduction in VAT is an excellent opportunity for those who serve, or are looking to serve, hot food, suggest Flexeserve (www.flexeserve.com), suppliers of the Flexeserve® Zone range of hot holding equipment. Applying

HOT PRODUCTS from 15 July 2020 until 12 January 2021, the reduction relates to hot takeaway food and all food sold for dining-in (for example, in restaurants, hotels, cafés and pubs).

Although people are venturing out again in the UK, there has been some reluctance, and it’s the role of brands to build trust with consumers that they can shop, eat and drink safely, feel the company. Consumer confidence in the safety of public spaces, and not least the high street, has been shaken and food retailers need to build trust from here, with equipment such as Flexeserve Zone offering the tools to operators do that whilst helping build sales and create new opportunities at the same time, they suggest.

“You can achieve food security through a carefully crafted solution – encompassing food preparation and cook methods, hot-holding technology, in-store service and packaging,” says Flexeserve’s CEO, Jamie Joyce.

The ‘heat-to-eat’ techniques used by many major food-to-go retailers are becoming increasingly undesirable, feel the Flexeserve. Consumers are expecting increased food security, so methods that introduce additional moments of contact before consumption should be avoided, they advise. In short, food security is a major selling point, they suggest; it may even draw in new customers who would otherwise go elsewhere or prepare food at home.

“Hot-holding enables you to offer hot, ready-to-eat food items that are individually wrapped and have had minimal contact before consumption,”

adds Jamie Joyce.

The reduction in costs may also be a chance for operators to consider an ultra-hygienic solution to serving hot food – hot-holding. If done correctly, this can reduce waste, increase basket spend and create new profit centres for businesses, claim Flexeserve.

The reduction in VAT is more than just a reduction in costs, it’s also a marketing tool, they propose. The six-month period is a chance to actively build hot food-to-go sales.

Many businesses have already used the lowered VAT in their advertising – relating it to promotions and price drops- and operators can even incorporate this messaging into their POS on-site.

Are customers going to be comfortable with the way hot food is currently served? Do operators need to find ways to build their confidence and attract their custom?

Hot-holding can offer a solution that many sectors will begin to consider, and this period of reduced VAT provides a great opportunity to embrace it, feel Flexeserve. Where kitchens are yet to re-open, hot-holding can also allow the re-introduction of hot food in place of what is normally offered to customers, and potentially with lower labour requirements whilst demand returns, they add.

Flexeserve say that they can help operators develop a no-touch process to creating and serving hot food via their Flexeserve Zone heated display, and this also includes creating packaging solutions in collaboration with leading packaging manufacturers.

“The unique technology within Flexeserve Zone also allows you to tightly control the temperature of products. This consistency of temperature that surrounds each product and its packaging ensures optimum food security,” explains Jamie Joyce.

“It’s inspiring to see some of our longstanding customers proactively using the 5% VAT rate to push sales of hot food to go forward. Now is a great time to make the most of hot-holding

investments that offer the food security that consumers need in the new normal.”

HOT DRINKS According to the Tetley Tea Report 2018, 7.1 million UK consumers like to try new or different hot beverages out of home, so the need to have a wider range available to consumers is vital to ensure operators can offer the right solutions for their consumers, feel the brand (Tetley’s research has shown that, typically, 31.4 million cups of tea are consumed out of home on the average weekday).

“Tea drinkers are becoming progressively more adventurous in their choice of flavours and blends, and are also inclined to spend more money on their drinks as they seek out premium and healthier hot beverage options,” says Michelle Jee, Tetley senior brand manager – out of home.

“According to CGA TATA Tea Project 2019, matcha and green tea are two blends that consumers are willing to pay a little more for, and are drinking with more frequency than they were 12 months ago. Combined, green and matcha tea accumulate 21% of favourite non-black blends out of home, reflecting consumer demand for new flavours and blends opposed to just traditional tea offerings.”

With the health and wellness trend in mind, Tetley (www.tetleyfoodservice. co.uk) launched their Super Tea Envelope range, available now for the first time in foodservice in three distinctive flavours to offer fresh blends that also deliver added nutritional benefits, from reducing tiredness to supporting healthy immune systems (Super Fruits Boost, Super Green Tea Boost and Super Green Tea Immune).

Operators can also promote availability using Tetley’s POS which provides key signposting for consumers, particularly for those in a rush who can’t stop to look at the selection.

Hot drinks menus have seen the additions of popular coffee-shop

ww.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk September 2020 39

HOT PRODUCTS

style beverages, with cappuccino, latte and Americano expected as the norm. However, with the possibility for consumers to have their coffee their way when purchasing drinks out of home, extra shot, oat milk and flavoured syrup coffees are no longer reserved for the picky, and operators need to broaden their offer to meet expectations, feel sector supplier, Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE).

“To tap into the trend of personalisation and to help operators offer a barista-style experience without additional staff training, time or pressure, Jacobs Douwe Egberts launched the Cafitesse Excellence Touch coffee machines,” says Martyn Bell, category marketing manager convenience coffee, Jacobs Douwe Egberts.

JDE claim that their Cafitesse Excellence Touch is one of the fastest and most reliable front of house coffee machines; suitable for operators looking to offer a self-service option, or who are looking to elevate their current coffee offering.

Also available in a compact model, the new machines boast touchscreen technology, meaning that consumers can quickly and easily choose from a wide range of coffee-shop style drinks.

The machines also allow customers to adapt the strength, amount of milk and size of their chosen coffee to perfectly match their tastes too, and simply with the swipe of a finger.

“With hygiene at the forefront of operator and customer minds alike, Cafitesse Liquid Roast machines are

compliant with an HACCP certified environment and the unique closed system means there is much smaller chance of contamination,” adds Martyn Bell. “Easy to fill, and with simple maintenance requirements, the Cafitesse Liquid Roast system is ideally positioned to reduce any risks or concerns over hygiene; perfectly designed to meet high usage demands in a safe and convenient way that will benefit any operator looking to provide quality coffee with consideration.”

The Cafitesse Excellence system can create a cup of black coffee in just six seconds, and a cappuccino within just 12 seconds. It can brew up to 600 cups per hour, keeping queues to a minimum and satisfying customers’ coffee needs in an efficient, super consistent and convenient way.

The machine’s interface can even be personalised to leave messages for customers to add to the customer experience.

Getting your coffee right for consumers is as much about the experience as the product and with 56.7% of consumers stating that a beverage handmade by a barista adds value to their purchase (Allegra – UK Coffee Shop Report 2020 – Role of the barista), coffee knowledge and quality training are essential in every outlet, stress JDE, who offer the Barista Workshop, hosted by Stuart Haden (who is SCA trained to Barista Skills, Professional level). This course provides trainees with an understanding of milk science so they can create the perfect latte and cappuccinos, as well as an introduction to Latte art, enabling graduates to return with the necessary skills to enable them to compete confidently against high street coffee chains, claim the company.

“As an operator, you should be looking to encourage visits from new customers alongside looking after your loyal and frequent visitors. By offering a wide range of exciting and full-flavour coffee options tempts customers by tapping into seasonal and on-trend varieties, providing limited edition and seasonal offerings creates excitement

40 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

around the products even for noncoffee drinkers. Seek feedback from customers and staff to ensure that you are producing the best possible quality coffee experience,” says Martyn Bell.

Callebaut and Van Houten report that they have created a range of premium chocolate beverage products to help operators offer their customers an indulgent hot chocolate drinks menu. Operators can choose from milk, white, dark and even gold caramel chocolate to suit all preferences, as well as serve something extra special.

Callebaut has become loved by pastry chefs for its fine Belgian chocolate and is renowned for its full flavour, offering chocolate callets that can simply be melted into hot milk for a premium chocolate drink, and nondairy alternatives, such as oat milk, also work well with the range, say Callebaut.

“The beverage collection also includes a variety of formats to meet operators’ equipment provision and specific requirements, including ground chocolate, cocoa mass, catering sized and single serve packs of Callebaut’s signature callets, single origin powders and three component powder,” says Anna Sentance, gourmet marketing manager, Callebaut UK and Ireland.

“Our Ground Dark Chocolate combines the wealth of authentic and overwhelming chocolate taste with great convenience in serving for bars and baristas. Additionally, our Ground White Chocolate boasts the rich character of a creamy white chocolate taste. Both variants easily steam up with milk or non-dairy alternatives and creates a frothy cup of pure indulgence.”

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CHEESE

heese Csolutions Demand for premium ingredients with provenance, as well as vegan options, continues to prevail on the part of consumers.

At the same time, value for money, portion and waste control have taken on greater significance in recent times.

VALUE During the pandemic, supermarket, Aldi, committed to supporting some British cheese suppliers by taking nearly four tonnes of surplus stock from artisan cheesemakers whose businesses had been affected by Covid-19.

Following the closure of restaurants and deli counters, many producers were left with unsold fresh cheese with a limited shelf life on their hands.

To help out, Aldi introduced a limited-time Specialbuy, offering a variety of artisan cheeses including Norfolk Mardler, Cornish Blue and Sussex Charmer priced at a pursefriendly £1.49 each.

“Aldi is committed to supporting farmers, growers and suppliers throughout the UK, which is especially important during these difficult times. Cheese is a staple product on most people’s shopping list, and we hope our customers enjoy these high quality cheeses knowing they’ve helped small British businesses when they needed it

most,” said Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi.

Eurilait (www.eurilait.co.uk) - a subsidiary of two leading and highly experienced French dairy cooperatives (Laita and Eurial) - offers an extensive range of cheeses to all sectors within the food industry (retail, foodservice and industrial), and say that they take a flexible approach and are capable of a bespoke service, whether promoting retailers’ own labels or the brands of its own producers.

“We’ve seen increasing demand from our customers for value added formats. We use state of the art cutting machinery for portioning continental cheeses including our brie, goat’s cheese and Manchego. Offering a wide variety of cuts has benefits to our customers in terms of labour savings and addresses skill shortages, portion control as well as wastage, especially in sandwich manufacturing,” says James Millward, managing director, Eurilait Ltd. “When running average weights, giveaway on cut portions is one area we pay attention to. We recently

42 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

purchased a specific machine for cutting hard cheeses that has reduced waste by over 65%, which in turn, has helped us offset various areas of inflationary pressure we were feeling due to the current climate and currency exchange.

“One of our growth areas is in halloumi and feta. Popular formats for hot sandwiches include halloumi slices, in a range of sizes. Also, grilling cheese can offer a more cost-effective alternative solution to the Cypriot Halloumi range, and Feta crumb and Feta cubes, in response to customer demand to help minimise wastage and labour. We have therefore also invested in a new halloumi baton line, so where previously we were cutting batons on two hand-operated machines, now we have automated the process and increased by four-fold.”

CHEESE NEW LAUNCHES With growing popularity amongst consumers for vegan and plant-based foods NSF Foods reports that they were determined to bring a premium range to the UK & Irish market, despite the general hesitation across the market to launch new products as the pandemic hit.

After many months of research and development, NSF Foods Ltd report that they have signed an exclusive agreement with YES Sourcing Srl of Italy in order to bring to customers in the UK and Ireland an exclusive range of high-quality, bespoke Italian food products, supplied directly from the production facilities in Italy.

The ranges include ambient, fresh and frozen foods, all designed to meet the uptake in demand for Italian meats, cheeses, pastas, grilled vegetables and pestos, as well as authentic pizza and pizza bases. Even real Italian coffee is on the list. But the biggest development area has been in vegan and plant-based foods, say the company. Everything from vegan bacon and pepperoni through to vegetable slices for the sandwich and food to go sector.

“We’re witnessing high interest in provenance and locality i.e.

British, along with named and branded cheeses,” says Susannah Montgomery, NPD manager at the Soho Sandwich Company, one of Eurilait’s customers.

“There is also demand and requirement for vegan and plantbased options. We launched two variants in January, which were well received and enjoyed for Veganuary.

However, plant-based options can be quite an expensive option which makes it difficult to sell from a ‘replace your cheese sandwich with…’ stance.

“I have found cream ‘cheeses’ to be good alternatives, though, as they are adaptable and work well with additional flavours such as chipotle or basil.”

www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

September 2020 43

CHEESE sector to cater for customers with dietary requirements.

Their Menuserve brie and red onion tart is suitable for gluten-free and vegetarian diners, say the company, while the Menuserve beetroot and thyme tarte tatin is perfect for vegan and vegetarian customers; making them both ideal for the growing demand for plant-based menu options.

Managing director of Central Foods, Gordon Lauder, said: “We are really pleased to launch two new tasty savoury products for foodservice and extend our growing selection of pre-prepared, frozen items that are suitable for free-from diners.

“Along with the one in a hundred who are coeliac and need to avoid gluten in their diet for health reasons, there are many others who actively choose to avoid foods containing gluten. The Menuserve brie and red onion tart will make it easier for food service operators to satisfy demand from their customers for delicious gluten-free, easy-to-serve menu

items, while the Menuserve beetroot and thyme tarte tatin is perfect for vegan diners.

“Some 36% of meat-eaters buy vegetarian and vegan products, and 23% of Brits eat gluten-free despite having no intolerance, according to Ubamarket, so it really does make commercial sense to add gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan products to menus.”

The Menuserve brie and red onion tart is a gluten-free Cheddar and chive pastry tart filled with a brie and cheddar sauce and topped with a red onion compote. The Menuserve beetroot and thyme tarte tartin features balsamic roasted beetroot wedges and thyme on a crisp, puff pastry base.

Both items are premium products that suit the increasing demand in the food service sector for good quality, pre-prepared options that are suitable for those with dietary requirements, feel Central Foods, but which will also prove popular more generally, thus helping to avoid menu proliferation.

“We are working on several Italian produced products – vegan cheeses like mozzarella and Parmesan substitutes, as well as plant based flavoured sandwich slices, and are planning to have a staged programme of marketing support over the next six to twelve months,” says Steve Money, managing director, NSF Foods Ltd. Historically, NSF Foods’ sole focus has been on seafood, with a well-established global supply chain and Brexit-ready approach ensuring customers continue to be well supplied, say the firm. Now, with over 120 years combined food experience, they feel that they have lots to offer in the wider food sector and this expansion into Italian foods symbolises the next stages of growth for the company.

“Most of us have been in food all our working lives and believe we live to eat, not eat to live. Our passion for high quality foods remains as strong today as it did when we first started out. But now, with our partners and new friends in Italy, we are committed to introducing a taste of authentic Italy to our customers,” adds Steve Money.

“Customers of NSF Foods have come to expect a high level of service, with a great range of quality products, all supported by just in time logistics for total convenience. We might be considered the ‘new kids on the block’, but certainly have ambitious plans to support this new and important sector and have a track record to prove their commitment to quality.”

Frozen food distributor Central Foods (www.centralfoods.co.uk) has unveiled two new savoury, cheesethemed items for the food service Menuserve brie and red onion tart and beetroot and thyme tarte tatin.

44 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

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To advertise please call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 September 2020 45

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RESEARCH

WHAT WHAT

NOW NEXT AND

for food on the go?

Nick Blake – founding director of Mealtrak – considers the unfolding consumer perspective on food and drink out of home during and post-lockdown.

BACKGROUND Nick Blake is one of the founding directors of Mealtrak (www.mealtrak.com) which, for the last six years, has provided market-leading industry intelligence on food and drink consumption out of home (OOH), covering both food on the go and eating out, via a largescale continuous consumer panel, which is nationally representative of the OOH consumer. With 36,500 interviews per annum, Mealtrak provides comprehensive coverage of market and sector performance, channel and competitor dynamics, consumer profiles and purchase behaviour, and shopper missions and satisfaction.

During Covid-19, Mealtrak has adapted its service to reflect the tremendous upheaval consumers are experiencing across the entire food and drink landscape. Its Road to Recovery tracker provides invaluable, week by week insights around the fundamental changes in consumer sentiment and behaviour that are affecting FOTG, in order to help businesses understand both the ‘What now?’ and the ‘What next?’

Feast and famine On the one hand, we saw supermarkets and local stores adapting to meet unprecedented demand for grocery shopping and addressing new challenges around their operational capabilities and ways of working.

On the other, we saw a huge ‘black hole’ where the pre-Covid £40 billion out of home (OOH) food and drink market used to exist: £25 billion Food on the Go (FOTG) and £14 billion Eating Out (EO), with sales falling by as much as 75% overall, before beginning to recover from June.

48 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

Empty high streets have seen food to go take the brunt of the pandemic.

So, what has happened and how will it affect your own plans and strategies as you look to emerge successfully from the lockdown?

Life has changed…

The pandemic has driven structural and economic changes that impact on all our lives. Over onethird of the total population have been redeployed and are now either working from home or furloughed. A similar proportion say they are experiencing real financial difficulties in meeting the immediate needs of their household

RESEARCH

– over 50% in some of the more affected groups.

And all of our lives have been turned upside down by the combined impacts of the medical emergency, lockdown, working – or not working – from home, social distancing, travel restrictions and more.

Of the parties supporting us, the NHS sets the benchmark, but the public’s rating of the response from supermarkets has also been consistently high. Despite stockpiling, shortages, queues and delivery problems early on, they have risen to the challenge, leaving them in a strong position to retain loyalty as the lockdown eases.

The same cannot be said for the government, who’s response was initially viewed quite positively, but is now seen to be wanting.

beneficiary, shopping frequency in key channels quite quickly settled back to something like pre-Covid levels, as can be seen in the chart.

However, this disguises some major changes with long term implications.

The first of these is what we think will be a permanent structural shift towards online shopping and home delivery. As Mike Coupe, the outgoing boss of Sainsbury’s, observed - it had taken them 25 years to grow online sales to 8%, whilst in eight weeks the pandemic doubled this to 15%.

But food delivery is unlikely to be restricted to the home. We anticipate rapid extension of the food delivery proposition into FOTG following lockdown. The seeds for this have been sown, with Greggs trialing food delivery pre-lockdown and M&S, Aldi and the Co-op all now on Deliveroo. This may not be a sustainable platform longer term, but it is a great proving ground and likely to pave the way for workplace food delivery to shake up the FOTG arena.

Takeaway, which suffered during the pandemic over fears around food safety and hygiene, is likely to play a significant role in this. Over a quarter of takeaways ordered during the pandemic were from outlets new to the market, many of which will continue to operate, thereby expanding the competitive set. And the established online brands (Just Eat, Deliveroo etc) are well placed to extend both into workplace delivery and FOTG deliveries to those working at home.

It is vital for manufacturers, brands and retailers to embrace this as an area of opportunity, or there is a real risk of being left behind.

Consumers want to get back out there Out of home may not have featured much in lockdown, but most consumers were really missing their ‘fix’, so there is some cause for optimism as lockdown eases.

People were missing the experience

…so has food shopping After some fairly dramatic changes in consumer behaviour early on, with local stores the major www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk September 2020 49

RESEARCH of the specified activities shown in the chart, one third have yet to consume any food or drink outside the home and nearly 50% have yet to make a FOTG purchase. And 59% have yet to return to work or venture back on to public transport.

It is clear that it will take time to bounce back.

of eating out most; especially the more rewarding channels (pubs, restaurants and coffee shops) and products, notably hot FOTG (coffee, fast food, hot breakfasts).

More functional FOTG such as sandwiches will need to raise their game to re-engage consumers and re-energise their propositions postlockdown.

A challenging road ahead Despite pent up demand, there are real barriers preventing consumers returning to FOTG at anything like pre-Covid levels.

Asked about changes in behaviour, post-lockdown, consumers foresee a rebalancing of consumption towards food at home as defining ‘the new normal’ - focused on more cooking from scratch, healthier eating and online shopping. Interestingly, views on working at home diverge. Those who have experienced it envisage it playing a much bigger role and this is likely to be the case, with others becoming converts as working patterns change.

On balance, FOTG does look likely to experience some longerterm contraction. However, importantly, we do not see a wholesale retreat to value.

only between 20% and 30% have been active in individual OOH or FOTG activities.

In terms of food and drink, the most notable driver is the impact of the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme; one area of policy that looks to be conspicuously successful, with 30%of adults taking part during August, equating to 100 million meals. This stimulus may well also act to help overcome the fear associated with returning to eating out, leading to a positive longer-term impact. However, the success does seem to be, at least in part, at the expense of FOTG; whilst poor weather may have played its part, we saw over 90% four-weekly growth in eating out to mid-August, whilst the recovery in FOTG stalled over this period, experiencing a four-weekly decline of 7%, as can be seen in the first chart above.

More worryingly, the majority of people have yet to get out in a meaningful way. Nearly one in five have not yet engaged in any

Recovery As of late-August, in round numbers, close to half of the adult population have done an in-store shop since lockdown eased, but 50 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

When will FOTG return to preCovid levels?

This is the deepest recession since WWII. Q2 between April and June saw a 20.4% fall in GDP – that compares with 2.2% in Q4 2009 at the height of the financial crisis.

However, because the lockdown was ‘engineered’, it is reasonable to anticipate a relatively rapid recovery, at least initially. We have already seen this in the wider economy, with almost half this loss in GDP being recouped.

Beyond that, our recent record of regenerating growth is poor – a decade on, GDP is only 11% higher than during the financial crisis.

As the Institute for Fiscal Studies say: “What has proved remarkable about the (financial) crisis and the recession is not its initial scale but the persistence of its effects.” So, the omens are not great.

The consensus projection for the UK economy for 2020 points to a significant decline of around 10% in GDP (Her Majesty’s Treasury/Office for Budget Responsibility, Bank of England, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, International Monetary Fund,

RESEARCH PricewaterhouseCoopers). Given that the sector was significantly harder hit than the economy as a whole, FOTG can expect to see an annualised decline at perhaps double this level.

Looking ahead, most ‘base level’ (most likely) forecasts do not see a return to pre-Covid levels until sometime in 2022.

PricewaterhouseCoopers is fairly typical, with a ‘smooth’ projection of -1% versus pre-Covid by the end of 2021 and a ‘bumpy’ projection of -7%.

Again, we would anticipate FOTG lagging behind this, with a number of key dynamics impacting more strongly on the sector. Unemployment is projected to rise to around 10% (Bank of England and Office of Budget Responsibility), whilst PricewaterhouseCoopers note that of 9.4 million employees furloughed (31% of the workforce) some 17%, or 1.6 million, are at risk of redundancy. A rise in the numbers working at home could also suppress demand, although there are some indications that those working at home may actually be quite heavy FOTG consumers.

Brexit remains an unknown, though uncertainty is rarely a positive.

These come on top of the changes in consumer attitudes and behaviour we have already highlighted.

On balance, our view is that FOTG will be doing well if it can get back to 10% below pre-Covid levels by the end of 2021, targeting a return to pre-Covid levels during 2022.

Should we experience a serious second wave of Covid over the winter months however, all bets are off and a longer-term ‘W-shaped’ recovery seems almost inevitable.

Defining the ‘new normal’ The ‘new normal’ will embrace more unemployment and associated

recessionary behaviours, including a greater focus on value in part of the market, and more working – and entertaining - at home, as well as an increasing role for online shopping and food delivery. Beyond these economic and structural changes is the consumer’s new relationship with food, in both real and online worlds, and what it means for the future of FOTG. We are seeing a much higher level of engagement with food (and consequent upskilling), from scratch cooking, to home baking, alongside intensification of social media involvement and sharing.

And a reorientation of healthy eating to focus on foods that are ‘intrinsically healthy’, rather than the more proscriptive, lifestyledriven propositions such as vegan.

A return to core food values is also evident, with consumers searching for products that respond to both the physical and emotional impacts of Coronavirus.

Trust is likely to come to the fore, as represented by products that deliver simplicity and transparency as well as the more obvious hygiene and safety factors. Products that convey authenticity, integrity and naturalness will be at a premium.

‘Comfort foods’ alongside greater experimentation also play to different emotional needs generated by the pandemic.

Being a winner One thing is for sure, the world of food and drink outside the home will not be the same – so a ‘more of the same’ strategy is unlikely to succeed. Future success is likely to feature the following.

Knowing your consumer Understanding how the pandemic has changed them will be the key to success. Increasingly, we will need to target distinct propositions to different consumer segments, built on intimate understanding of how their FOTG needs have evolved.

Improved range segmentation and clearer propositions Healthy - intrinsically healthy, tasty and nutritious; including plantbased, but less vegan.

Great value - a strong core range and value proposition in recessionary times.

Hot FOTG - re-engage consumers by focusing on what is missed most and most rewarding.

Treaty FOTG - recognise indulgent and adventurous options are a key element of the mix.

Enhanced convenience – embrace the food delivery opportunity, extend the FOTG offering and propositions to meet the needs of home working and evolve functional benefits to meet emerging needs for safety, less processing, sustainability and transparency.

Focus more strongly on food values – deliver clear, targeted, compelling and well-executed propositions, with provenance, food safety and integrity at their heart.

Eating out of home will remain an exciting, vibrant and substantial market in which many opportunities exist, but it will take time to revitalise, so growth will be at a premium and will be driven by those businesses that adapt and respond most successfully to the emerging new landscape.

Currently, Mealtrak are able to offer BSA members who are food manufacturers or retailers, three months of free data, with no strings attached. This will cover both the ongoing Mealtrak out-of-home consumer panel and results from their Road to Recovery weekly Covid-19 tracking study (if interested, please contact Nick Blake at nick@mealtrak.com).

www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

September 2020 51

GETTING BACK

Good to

GO

At the end of June, Visit Britain announced the launch of a UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark, in partnership with the national tourism organisations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to provide a ‘ring of confidence’ for tourism as the sector works towards reopening.

SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE The ‘We’re Good To Go’ industry standard and supporting mark means businesses across the sector can demonstrate that they are adhering to the respective government and public health guidance, have carried out a Covid-19 risk assessment and check they have the required processes in place.

The initiative enables businesses to apply for a free UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark to reassure their customers that their business adheres to government and public health guidance. The scheme is also free to join and open to all businesses across the sector.

To obtain the mark, businesses must complete a self-assessment through Visit Britain’s online platform (https:// goodtogo.visitbritain.com), including a check-list confirming they have put the necessary processes in place, before receiving certification and the ‘We’re Good To Go’ mark for display in their premises and online.

Businesses across the UK are required to follow their respective national guidance, including the social distancing and cleanliness protocols that must be in place. In England, the government’s guidance for hotels and accommodation providers - such as campsites, caravan parks and short term lets – indoor and outdoor visitor attractions and conference and events centres outlines the processes and facilities that tourism businesses in England need to put in place before reopening, so that both staff and visitors can be kept safe.

An ‘alert’ system has also been set up to ensure that businesses signed up to the ‘We’re Good To Go’ industry standard are notified if there are changes to the official guidance.

A call-handling service will provide support and assessors will also carryout random spot-checks to ensure businesses are adhering to the guidance.

The scheme has been developed in partnership with Tourism Northern

52 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

Ireland, VisitScotland and Visit Wales to ensure a standard-led approach across the UK with input from more than 40 industry bodies including UK Hospitality, the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, the British Holiday & Home Parks Association, the British Beer and Pub Association and the National Caravan Council as well as destination management organisations across the country. The self-assessment includes specific guidelines for sectors including accommodation, visitor attractions, restaurants and pubs, business conference and events venues and tour and coach operators with signposting to further industry and trade association guidance as required.

REASSURANCE To support businesses as they re-open and welcome customers, the ‘We’re Good To Go’ Covid-19 industry standard and consumer mark will help provide a ‘ring of confidence’ for businesses, attractions and destinations, as well as reassurance to local residents and

GETTING BACK each general manager, or site lead, understand what needs to be in place and if you operate in different parts of the United Kingdom respective national guidance, including social distancing and cleanliness protocols, must be in place. In England, your business must align with the UK government’s official guidance for the sector including ‘Working Safely during Covid-19: Visitor Economy’, and a ‘alert’ system ensures that businesses signed-up to the standard will be notified if there are changes to the official guidance. A callhandling service will provide you with support and assessors will also carryout random spot-checks to ensure your business is adhering to the guidance, add Visit Britain.

The BSA (the British Sandwich & Food To Go Association) is also talking with Visit Britain about adopting the Good to Go campaign as a way of giving consumers assurance about safety so that, under the scheme, operators in the sector who follow the appropriate guidelines for complying with Covid-19 rules, will be able display the Good to Go logo which is to be supported by a government marketing campaign.

guidance, understand the guidance from Public Health England and have a Coivd-19 Risk Assessment in place, then you can apply for the industry standard mark by simply completing a selfassessment through our their online platform, say Visit Britain (goodtogo. visitbritain.com). This includes a checklist confirming you have put the necessary processes in place. You will then receive a certification and the ‘We’re Good To Go’ mark to display on your premises and online.

A separate application is required for all of your business’s sites, say Visit Britain, as it is essential that

‘KNOW BEFORE YOU GO’ Alongside the industry standard, Visit Britain have also launched a ‘Know Before You Go’ public information campaign to support tourism in England as businesses re-open, reassuring visitors as restrictions are lifted by checking about what it is safe to do and when and sign-posting to information about destinations and available services before travelling.

Visit Britain have been inviting business to take part in this national campaign, having created a free toolkit for them to download, and which contain access to assets and the “Know Before You Go” campaign messaging for business to use in their own marketing activity (businesses that have any questions, or require guidance about, the available supporting assets can also email brand@visitbritain.org for more information).

visitors that clear processes are in place and that as a business you are good to go, say Visit Britain.

If your business operates in England and you have read and implemented the government’s Covid-19 re-opening www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

September 2020 53

BSA

Tackling

OBESITY together

NEW APPROACH Calorie labelling on menus in larger foodservice establishments is also to become a requirement and traffic light labelling on retail products is being reviewed to see if there is a better way to encourage consumers to manage their diets better.

There are also plans for Public Health England, which has been leading the government obesity programmes, to be scrapped and replaced with a National Institute for Health Protection.

The fundamental problem with the obesity campaign to date has been that it has been largely focused on food businesses and the assumption that they can reformulate products and consumer demand will follow. As we all know, in the real world it tends to be the other way around, if you don’t provide consumers with what they want, they may well go elsewhere.

The key to really tackling obesity has to start in the classroom and by convincing consumers that they need to manage their diets for their own wellbeing. We also have to provide consumers with the information they need to make the right choices, particularly at the time they are purchasing products.

54 September 2020

www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

Following the prime minister’s wake-up call in hospital, the government has announced a new commitment to tackle obesity, including plans to ban two for one promotions and the advertising of foods high in fat, sugar and salt before 9pm, reports BSA director, Jim Winship.

This is why the British Sandwich & Food To Go Association, in company with others, has been calling for total calories to be boldly displayed on all food products so that consumers can more easily make reasoned choices and manage their diets better.

We have to recognise that as food suppliers we have an important role to play in tackling the UK’s obesity crisis and we need to show we are prepared to play our part in helping to make the nation healthier.

Furthermore, it is much more sensible for us to do this voluntarily, and in a way that makes commercial sense, than by being forced to meet targets that are unachievable and potentially damaging to our markets.

It makes much more commercial sense to reformulate products in response to consumer demand rather than by reformulating in the hope that consumers will accept them.

DRIVING DEMAND FOR HEALTHIER PRODUCTS The priority for any campaign must be to get consumers on board and for them to drive demand for healthier foods.

BSA We need to do this through a joint programme of encouragement, with food businesses and government working in harmony to persuade consumers that healthier options are the best. We believe this can be achieved in three key ways: 1. Calorie labelling: All products should be boldly labelled with their total calories and portion recommendations so that consumers can immediately compare products and make informed decisions. This labelling needs to be bold and not lost amongst the traffic light or other information. It also needs to be mandatory on all retail products and, where feasible, on foodservice menus.

We believe calories are the key to success as key nutrients such as sugar and fat will automatically be driven down in order to reduce calories in products. For example, fats contribute the most calories on a weight by weight basis, therefore focussing on calories will undoubtedly drive fat levels down.

Furthermore, one single – consistent – message will have more impact and cause less consumer confusion than the targeting of multiple individual nutrients.

This one key change to packaging would create an environment where food businesses would be driven by competition to create healthier products.

eating. The government needs to get the message across that people being overweight puts added pressures on our health service which is unfair as it means that others have to wait longer for help. Somehow, we need to get to the position – like that achieved by the anti-smoking campaigns – that being overweight is antisocial.

A PARTNERSHIP APPROACH We strongly recommend that the development of this campaign should be established as a collaborative venture between the food industry and government, with a joint steering group set up to drive it with representation from all interested parties. If clear objectives are agreed at the outset, we believe this can create a positive commitment from all to drive change.

2. Think health: We need to reach out and persuade consumers that health matters. To this end we suggest that the food industry and government should develop a cohesive campaign that supports healthier products.

This might be along the lines of a ‘Think Health- Think Calories’ logo that could only be applied to products that meet certain criteria. The government could support this campaign by creating a ‘Think Health – Think Calories’ drink-drive style campaign that underlines the risks of poor diet. This should be part of a national campaign to educate consumers (and particularly school children) about the link between calories and health.

3. Health promotions: The banning of two for one promotions is a step in the right direction but we believe that the industry needs to refocus its approach around specifically promoting the healthier products in ranges.

By recognising the important role consumers have in this process, we can together drive change in a way that does not pile all the risk onto food businesses. Instead, food businesses can have the confidence to reformulate because they know that in doing so they are meeting consumer demand.

Unfortunately, there will always be those in society who will ignore the arguments or struggle to manage their diets without further persuasion. Reaching this group will necessitate getting across the stark messages about the health risks to them and others if they persist with over-

www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

September 2020 55

NEW PRODUCTS DTM Print expands its product portfolio with the DTM LF140e Label Finishing System

Tanpopo Japanese Food undergo complete rebrand Tanpopo Japanese Food have undergone a complete rebrand, bringing new products and a fresh look to this established sushi manufacturer.

Not only will the boxes look different, they will also be made from transparent PET, meaning the range can be widely recycled.

Commercial director, Andrew Woods, said: “The change to our brand and packaging is reflected in changes happening to the sushi market right now. Customers are looking for high quality solutions, rather than machine made, massproduced products.

“Traditional ‘supermarket sushi’ sales are dwindling whilst sushi concessions are on the rise. As high quality, handmade products are at the core of our range, we are positioned perfectly to help customers transition into sushi’s growth area.”

Call 01784 440957, or visit www.tanpopo.co.uk.

DTM Print, international OEM and solution provider for speciality printing systems, completes the production chain for the on-demand production of small and medium label runs with the newly available digital finisher DTM LF140e.

The DTM LF140e is a compact system for simple, fast and cost-efficient label processing on-site. It can be used to handle all the operations involved including unwinding the pre-printed rolls, laminating and digital contour cutting, waste matrix removing, slitting and rewinding the finished rolls. Preprinted rolls with a media width between

100 mm (3.94’’) and 140 mm (5.51’’) and a maximum roll diameter of 200 mm (7.87’’) can be processed making it the ideal addition for all types of roll printers, such as the inkjet printer LX2000e from Primera Technology, Inc. or the toner-based LED printer OKI Pro1050.

Noteworthy is the optical black mark registration through an integrated camera and LED spotlight, which guarantees an accurate repetitive precision even with complex cuts (call +49 (0) 611 92777-0, or visit dtm-print.eu).

The real deal, tamper evident labels from TamperTech providing food security!

Dramatic growth in on-demand food deliveries in the recent pandemic means the need for security of your food on the move and building customer confidence is vital, no matter if you are a local restaurant or a global fast food giant.

Tamper Technologies - a UK manufacturer of tamper evident labels and tapes - have been producing food security tamper evident labels throughout the pandemic, meeting demand and supplying worldwide and providing over 50 million tamper evident seals per order. The competitive nature of this business has led to threats from logistical reliability, product quality

through to fraud. Food security is now an issue that must be tackled.

The real deal food labels from Tamper Technologies are designed with an innovative finger lift to enable restaurant employees to remove the labels quickly from the roll and apply them easily to the packaging without them getting glue on their fingers or stuck to each other, preventing waste and increasing speed of customer service (visit www.tampertech.com or contact Harriet@tampertech.net).

Faerch strengthens its commitment to making food packaging truly circular with new UK sustainability appointment Faerch is pleased to announce the appointment of Clover Walton, responsible for CSR, Sustainability and External Affairs in the UK. Prior to joining Faerch, Clover Walton was heavily involved in pushing the sustainable packaging agenda in her previous positions, including providing guidance to retailers at WRAP, developing the sustainable packaging and rPET agenda at Innocent Drinks, and leading the global sustainable packaging strategy at Pepsi Lipton.

“I have worked in packaging for 15 years. I have always been

56 September 2020 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

passionate about sustainability and very much appreciate the public sustainability debate, but I am concerned about the fierce anti-plastic movement, due to the unintended environmental consequences of moving to alternative materials,” Clover Walton commented. “I feel very proud to be part of the solution with Faerch and our customers, pioneering and shaping the future of true circularity in rigid food packaging.”

Call 020 8254 2300 or visit www.faerch.com.

NEW PRODUCTS LX610e Pro and LX600e – the new dream team for the production of short runs of high quality labels

Herald launches brochure to support new product range Quality disposables manufacturer and supplier, Herald, is publishing a new brochure to support extra lines introduced across multiple product categories, focusing on the catering and food to go sectors where demand is currently high.

New products include a wider selection of single, double and triple wall cups and a choice of eco sip lids made from CPLA - a renewable material created from plants to complement Herald’s 8 oz, 12 oz and 16 oz hot paper cups, which have long been market favourites.

The company has recently expanded its sustainable offering, adding to its range of bagasse items to include square, round and rectangle plates, in varying sizes, along with bowls and hot boxes, chip trays, burger boxes, noodle boxes and other lunch boxes – all of which are in great demand.

Herald’s natural birchwood cutlery, stirrers and skewers and a complete cornstarch cutlery range – which looks and feels like plastic but is natural and completely biodegradable – also features (call 0208 507 7900 to order a copy).

DTM Print, international OEM and solution provider for speciality printing systems, recently announced the EMEA sales start of the two newest colour label printers in its portfolio: LX610e Pro and LX600e.

Compared to other similarly priced colour label printers, these two offer outstanding advantages - print quality, interchangeable dye or pigment inks, super low maintenance with single ink SKU, and a green footprint. The LX610e Pro integrates digital diecutting, a unique feature in the desktop printer market. In combination with DTM Genuine Label Stock, it produces labels in

any size or shape without die costs and waste due to overproduction.

The LX610e Pro includes the easy-to-use software PTCreateTM Pro with auto-trace function that will automatically find the edges of the artwork to print and cut out the label shape regardless of the complexity. Both printers come with the label design software BarTender UltraLite and NiceLabel Free 2019 DTM Version (call +49 (0) 611 92777-0, or visit dtm-print.eu).

NEW MEMBER

NSF Foods Ltd is managed by a small team of professionals with many years’ experience in food and food production. Their passion to offer exceptionally high-quality foods, along with transparency and traceability is key to their success. Their reputation is important to them, and they adopt a simple, old fashion approach to customer service and satisfaction.

NSF has had its roots in seafoods for over twenty-five years and works in many countries to source high quality,

bespoke and sustainable seafood.

However, in the last six months, they have been involved in a project to work with a selected number of Italian food manufacturers, alongside their partners in Italy. This is a new and exciting development for NSF UK and YES Sourcing Italy, and they look forward to taking their business in a different direction. The opportunity to use their combined experience and understanding of food will now mean that they can offer the same high level of support, service, and product knowledge that their customers have come to expect.

The new range includes fresh and dried pasta, Italian meats and cheeses, sour dough pizza bases and kits, but the most exciting part of the new range is

their vegan and plant-based products.

“We are convinced our vegan products will work well within the sandwich and food to go market as the demand for vegan products continues.

We are also working on several new plant-based development ideas, so watch this space and look out for our new and innovative products,” says managing director, Steve Money. “We are ready to discuss your requirements and look forward to working with the sandwich, snack, and food to go market.”

NSF Foods Ltd Deansgate, 62-70 Tettenhall Road Wolverhampton WV1 4TH Telephone: 01902 925330 www.nsffoods.com

www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk September 2020 57

BSA Product Index ADVISORY & CONSULTANCY

Yoghurt

Sauces & Ketchups

Salmon

SERVICES

Freshfayre

Blenders

Caterers Choice

Freshfayre

Bespoke Software

Futura Foods UK Ltd.

Caterers Choice

Freshfayre

Leathams

Muller Milk & Ingredients

Freshfayre

Leathams

Duck

Ornua Ingredients Europe

Pauwels UK

Seafood/Shellfish Products

2 Sisters Food Group

Piquant

H Smith Food Group plc

Freshfayre

The Ingredients Factory

Royal Greenland Ltd.

H Smith Food Group plc

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Tuna

Ham

Chutneys

DRINKS

Caterers Choice

Freshfayre

Freshfayre

Juices

Freshfayre

Leathams

Leathams

Caterers Choice

H Smith Food Group plc

Smithfield Foods Ltd.

Mizkan Euro Ltd.

Freshfayre

Moy Park Ltd.

Lamb

The Ingredients Factory

Leathams

Platopus Systems Ltd. Business Systems Platopus Systems Ltd. E Commerce Platopus Systems Ltd. Factory Grote Company Food Attraction Ltd. FSC Millitec Food Systems Ltd. Zafron Foods Ltd. Food Safety ALS Food & Pharmaceutical Retail Food Attraction Ltd. FSC BAKERY PRODUCTS

Sour Cream Freshfayre CHUTNEYS & RELISHES

Zafron Foods Ltd. Relishes Blenders Freshfayre Harvey & Brockless Leathams Mizkan Euro Ltd. The Ingredients Factory

Doughnuts

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Moy Park Ltd.

Pickles

Morning Goods

Freshfayre

New York Bakery

Leathams

Tortilla & Wraps

The Ingredients Factory

Food Attraction Ltd.

Salsa

Freshfayre

Blenders

Mission Foods

Freshfayre

BREAD & ROLLS Fresh

Zafron Foods Ltd. DRESSINGS, SAUCES AND

EGGS & EGG PRODUCTS Eggs (hard boiled) Freshfayre Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods Fridays Egg Products

Zafron Foods Ltd.

H Smith Food Group plc

Booker Wholesale

Meatballs

Country Choice Foods

Snowbird foods

FRUIT Canned Fruit Caterers Choice Ltd.

Moy Park Ltd. Smithfield Foods Ltd.

Futura Foods UK Ltd.

Leathams

Sausages

Leathams

Pineapple

Freshfayre

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Caterers Choice

Fridays

EQUIPMENT & VEHICLES Buttering Machinery Deighton Manufacturing

Moy Park Ltd.

INSURANCE

Smithfield Foods Ltd.

Insurance Protector Group

Grote Company

LABELS

Millitec Food Systems Ltd.

Bunzl Catering Supplies

Conveyors

Planglow Ltd.

Blenders

Millitec Food Systems Ltd.

Bacon

Cutting & Slicing Equipment

Dawn Farms UK

Grote Company

Dew Valley Foods

Bread Making Ingredients Caterers Choice Ltd.

Pauwels UK The Ingredients Factory Zafron Foods Ltd.

Harvey & Brockless

Dressings

BUTTER & SPREADS

Pauwels UK

Butter

Blenders

Spreads

Deighton Manufacturing

Millitec Food Systems Ltd. Depositing Machinery Grote Company Millitec Food Systems Ltd. Labelling Systems & Barcoding Planglow Ltd.

Leathams

Freshcut Foods Ltd

Speciality

Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods

H Smith Food Group plc

Guacamole

Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods

MEAT PRODUCTS

Mission Foods

Freshfayre Leathams

Grote Company

Jacksons Bakery

Dawn Farms UK

The Ingredients Factory

Freshfayre

Dips Freshfayre

Pork

General

MAYONNAISE

New York Bakery

Freshfayre

FOOD WHOLESALERS

Jacksons Bakery

Food Attraction Ltd.

Continental

Tri-Star Packaging Supplies Ltd.

Freshfayre Leathams Moy Park Ltd. Smithfield Foods Ltd. Beef Freshfayre H Smith Food Group plc

Snowbird foods Stephen’s Fresh Foods Ltd. Turkey 2 Sisters Food Group Freshfayre H Smith Food Group plc Leathams Moy Park Ltd. Smithfield Foods Ltd. MILK Muller Milk & Ingredients OILS Freshfayre ORGANIC PRODUCTS Fridays Leathams

Mobile Catering Vehicles

Leathams

Jiffy Trucks Ltd.

Moy Park Ltd.

Sandwich Making Machinery

Canned Meat

PACKAGING

Deighton Manufacturing

Freshfayre

Cardboard

Grote Company

Moy Park Ltd.

Millitec Food Systems Ltd.

Smithfield Foods Ltd.

Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods

FISH PRODUCTS

Chicken

CHEESE & DAIRY PRODUCTS

Harvey & Brockless

Crayfish

Cheese

Pauwels UK

Freshfayre

Piquant

Royal Greenland Ltd.

Freshfayre Spreads Freshfayre Harvey & Brockless Spreads (olive) Freshfayre Leathams

Freshfayre

Blenders Pauwels UK Mayonnaise Blenders Caterers Choice Freshfayre

Futura Foods UK Ltd.

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Harvey & Brockless

2 Sisters Food Group Cargill Protein Europe Dawn Farms UK Freshfayre

Pauwels UK

Colpac Ltd. Coveris Flexibles (St Neots) UK Ltd. RAP Ltd. Disposable Bunzl Catering Supplies Colpac Ltd. Coveris Flexibles (St Neots) UK Ltd. RAP Ltd.

Prawns

H Smith Food Group plc

Mustards

Freshfayre

Leathams

Tri-Star Packaging Supplies Ltd.

Leathams

Blenders

H Smith Food Group plc

Moy Park Ltd.

Food wraps

Norseland Ltd.

Pauwels UK

Royal Greenland Ltd.

Seara Meats BV

RAP Ltd.

Ornua Ingredients Europe

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Smithfield Foods Ltd.

Tri-Star Packaging Supplies Ltd.

58 July 2020 www.sandwich.org.uk

BSA Manufacturers & Distributors Plastic Tri-Star Packaging Supplies Ltd. Sandwich Packs Colpac Ltd. Coveris Flexibles (St Neots) UK Ltd. RAP Ltd. Tri-Star Packaging Supplies Ltd. PASTA

Caterers Choice Ltd. Freshfayre Leathams Pasta Foods SANDWICH FILLINGS (READY

AROUND NOON LTD. Unit 24A Rampart Road, Greenbank Industrial Estate, Newry, County Down BT34 2QU Tel: 0283 0262333 info@aroundnoon.com www.aroundnoon.com

PREPARED) Fresh Fillings

2 Sisters Food Group Freshfayre Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods Fridays Harvey & Brockless Zafron Foods Ltd. Frozen Fillings 2 Sisters Food Group SOUPS

Freshfayre Leathams VEGETABLES & HERBS Canned Vegetables Caterers Choice Ltd.

AROUND NOON (LONDON) LTD. 762A/763A Henley Road, Slough SL1 4JW Tel: 01753 523 636 Fax: 01753 573 125 infoANL@aroundnoon.com www.aroundnoon.com

Caterers Choice Ltd.

BRADGATE BAKERY Beaumont Leys, Leicester, LE4 1WX Tel: 0116 2361100 Fax: 0116 2361101

Freshfayre

commercialftg@samworthbrothers.co.uk

Freshfayre Chargrilled Vegetables Leathams Moy Park Ltd. Jalapenos

SALAD Fresh Agrial Fresh Produce Ltd. Freshfayre Salad (prepared) Agrial Fresh Produce Ltd. Sundried Tomatoes Caterers Choice Ltd. Freshfayre Leathams Plc Sweetcorn Caterers Choice Freshfayre Tomatoes Caterers Choice Freshfayre

DELI-LITES IRELAND LTD. Unit 1 Milltown Industrial Estate, Warrenpoint, County Down BT34 3FN Contact: Ronan Gourley Tel: 028 417 54807 ronan.gourley@delilites.com www.delilites.com

GREENCORE FOOD TO GO LTD PARK ROYAL Willen Field Rd, Park Royal, London NW10 7AQ Contact: Clare Rees Tel: 0208 956 6000 Fax: 0208 956 6060 clare.rees@greencore.com www.greencore.com GREENCORE FOOD TO GO LTD – MANTON WOOD Manton Wood, Enterprise Zone, Retford Road, Manton, Worksop, Notts, S80 2RS Contact: Sales Tel: 01909 512600 Fax: 01909 512708 www.greencore.com GREENCORE FOOD TO GO LTD – BROMLEY BY BOW Prologis Park, Twelvetrees Crescent, London E3 3JG Tel: 0207 536 8000 Fax: 0207 536 0790 Contact: Sales sales@greencore.com www.greencore.com GREENCORE FOOD TO GO LTD. – ATHERSTONE Unit 7, Carlyon Road Industrial Estate, Atherstone Warwickshire CV9 1LQ Contact: Alex McLaren Tel: 01827 719 100 Fax: 01827 719 101 alex.mclaren@greencore.com www.greencore.com GREENCORE FOOD TO GO LTD. – HEATHROW Unit 366 Stockley Close, West Drayton, London UB7 9BL Contact: Alex McLaren Ray-Odekeye Tel: 0208 629 8600 alex.mclaren@greencore.com www.greencore.com

IMPRESS SANDWICHES Units 6-7 Orbital Industrial Estate, Horton Road, West Drayton Middlesex, UB7 8JL Tel: 01895 440123 Fax: 01895 441123 info@impress-sandwiches.com

www.impress-sandwiches.com MELTON FOODS 3 Samworth Way, Leicester Road, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE13 1GA Tel: 01664 484400 Fax: 01664 484401 commercialftg@samworthbrothers.co.uk

ON A ROLL SANDWICH COMPANY The Pantry, Barton Road, Middlesbrough TS2 1RY Contact: James Stoddart Tel: 01642 707090 Fax: 01642 243858 jstoddart@onarollsandwich.co.uk www.onarollsandwich.co.uk

RAYNOR FOODS Farrow Road, Widford Industrial Estate, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3TH Contact: Heather Raynor Tel: 01245 353249 Fax: 01245 347889 sales@sandwiches.uk.net www.sandwiches.uk.net REAL WRAP COMPANY LTD. Unit Haslemere Industrial Estate,Avonmouth, Bristol BS11 9TP Contact: Jason Howell Tel: 0117 3295020 jason@realwrap.co.uk www.realwrap.co.uk

SAMWORTH BROTHERS MANTON WOOD Manton Wood, Enterprise Park, Worksop, Nottinghamshire S80 2RS Tel: 01909 511800 commercialftg@samworthbrothers.co.uk

www.samworthbrothers.co.uk

STREET EATS FOOD LTD. Prince William Avenue, Sandycroft, Deeside, CH5 2QZ Tel: 01244 533888 Option 1 orders@streeteatsfood.co.uk enquiries@streeteatsfood.co.uk www.streeteatsfood.co.uk

THE SOHO SANDWICH COMPANY Unit 7 Advent Business Park, Advent Way, London N18 3AL Contact: Daniel Silverston Tel: 0203 058 1245 Fax: 0207 739 1166 dan@sohosandwich.co.uk www.sohosandwich.co.uk

TIFFIN SANDWICHES Tiffin House, 20 Commondale Way, Euroway Trading Estate, Bradford, Yorkshire BD4 6SF Contact: Paul Thornton Tel: 01274 494939 paul.thornton@tiffinsandwiches.co.uk

www.tiffinsandwiches.co.uk

The British Sandwich Quality Promise The sandwich manufacturers and distributors listed above support The British Sandwich Association Code of Practice as The Minimum Standard for Sandwich Making and are subject to regular independent audits. Copies of BSA Audits are available, on request,to buyers (subject to agreement of manufacturers) by calling us on 01291 636338

www.sandwich.org.uk July 2020 59

BSA Suppliers Index 2 SISTERS FOOD GROUP B2B

Leechmere Industrial Estate, Toll Bar Road, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear SR2 9TE

CARGILL PROTEIN EUROPE Clerkenleap Barn, Bath Road, Broomhall, Worcester WR5 3HR Contact: Bradley James Tel: 07880 096132 bradley_james @cargill.com www.cargill.co.uk

Contact: Sam Bennett

HARVEY & BROCKLESS 44-54 Stewarts Road DAWN FARMS UK Lodge Way, Lodge Farm Ind. Est, Northampton NN5 7US Contact: Orla McDonagh Tel: 01604 583421

Tel: 07873 301954

Fax: 01604 587392

Sam.Bennett@2sfg.com

info@tmifoods.co.uk

www.2fsg.com

www.tmifoods.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA CATERERS CHOICE LTD Parkdale House,

1 Longbow Close, AGRIAL FRESH PRODUCE LTD.

Unit 5 Walthew House Lane, Martland Park Industrial Estate, Wigan WN5 0LB Contact: Emma Hesketh Tel: 01942 219942 emhesketh@afproduce.co.uk

Pennine Business Park Bradley, Huddersfield

DEIGHTON MANUFACTURING (UK) LTD Gibson Street, Leeds Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire

HD2 1GQ

BD3 9TR

Contact: Sarah Booth

Contact: Andy Hamilton

Tel 01484 532666

Tel: 01274 668771

Fax 01484 532700 sarah@catererschoice.co.uk www.catererschoice.co.uk

Fax: 01274 665214

FRIDAYS

London SW8 4DF

Benenden Rd, Cranbrook,

Tel: 0207 8196045

Chequer Tree Farm, Kent TN17 3PN Contact: Bridget Friday Tel: 01580 710250 Fax: 01580 713512 bf@fridays.co.uk

Contact: Tina Alemao Fax: 0207 8196027 tina.alemao@ harveyandbrockless.co.uk www.harveyandbrockless.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA

www.fridays.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA FOOD ATTRACTION LTD. Langham Court, 21

Langham Road, Leicester LE4 9WF Contact: Jake Karia Tel: 0116 2744066 jake@foodattraction.com www.jakeandnayns.com

sales@deightonmanufacturing.co.uk

H SMITH FOOD GROUP PLC 24 Easter Industrial Park,

Ferry Lane South, Rainham, Essex RM13 9BP Contact: Chris Smith Tel: 01708 878888 chris@hsmithplc.com www.hsmithplc.com

www.deightonmanufacturing.co.uk INSURANCE PROTECTOR

www.agrialfreshproduce.co.uk

GROUP

B1 Custom House, The COLPAC LTD ALS FOOD &

PHARMACEUTICAL

Enterprise Way, Maulden Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire

FSC DEW VALLEY FOODS Holycross Road, Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland

MK45 5BW

Contact: Christina Murphy

Huddersfield Road

Contact: Sales Department

Tel: 00353 504 46110

Mirfield, West Yorkshire

Tel: +44 (0) 1525 712261

Fax: 00353 504 23405

WF14 9DQ

Fax: +44 (0) 1525 718205

Contact: Nigel Richards

info@colpac.co.uk

cmurphy@dewvalley.com

Sands Mill,

Tel: 01354 697028

www.colpacpackaging.com

www.dewvalley.com

Cheddar Business Park, Wedmore Road, Cheddar, Somerset BS27 3EB Contact: James Simpson

Ireland Contact: Barnaby Barber Phone: 00 353 14536960 /07741 639006 barnaby.barber@blenders.ie

business@ipgdirect.co.uk www.insuranceprotector.co.uk

james@thefscgroup.com www.thefscgroup.com

JACKSONS BAKERY 40 Derringham Street, Kingston upon Hull HU3 1EW

www.als-testing.co.uk

Dublin 24 DV24 VY75,

Tel: 0800 488 0013

Fax: 01934 745631

sales.uk@alsglobal.com

Whitestown Road, Tallaght,

Brierley Hill DY5 1XH

Tel: 01934 745600

Fax: 01924 499731

BLENDERS

Waterfront, Level Street,

Contact: Commercial Team

FRESHFAYRE COUNTRY CHOICE FOODS Swan House, New Mill Road, PANTONE 1585 U

PANTONE NEUTRAL BLACK U

C 0% M 60% Y 65% K 0% WEB #FF854F

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St Paul’s Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3QD

Unit 10, Severn Way, Hunslet Industrial Estate, Hunslet, Leeds LS10 1BY Contact: Caroline Bartrop

Contact: Neil Lindsell

Tel: 0113 277 3001

Tel: 01689 301203

sales@freshfayre.co.uk

neil.lindsell@brake.co.uk

www.freshfayre.co.uk

www.countrychoice.co.uk

FUTURA FOODS UK LTD. The Priory, Long Street,

Dursley, Gloucestershire GL11 4HR Contact: Jo Carter Tel: 01666 890500 Fax: 01666 890522 jo@futura-foods.com www.futura-foods.com

www.blenders.ie

Phone: 01482 301146 hello@jacksonsbread.co.uk www.jacksonsbread.co.uk JIFFY TRUCKS LTD

26 Jubilee Way, Shipley West Yorkshire BD18 1QG Tel: 01274 596000 Contact: John Briggs john@jiffytrucks.co.uk www.jiffytrucks.co.uk

FRESH-PAK CHILLED COVERIS FLEXIBLES UK LTD. BOOKER WHOLESALE

Equity House, Irthlingborough Road,Wellingborough, NN8 1LT Contact: Andy Milne 07587 886315

7 Howard Road, Eaton Socon, St Neots,

Cambridgeshire PE19 8ET Contact: Sales Department Tel: 01480 476161 Fax: 01480 471989

FOODS 1 Waterside Park, Valley Way, Wombwell, Barnsley S73 0BB Contact: Mike Roberts Tel: 01226 344850 Fax: 01226 344880

andrew.milne@booker.co.uk

stneots.sales@coveris.com

mike.roberts@fresh-pak.co.uk

www.booker.co.uk

www.coveris.com

www.fresh-pak.co.uk

60 July 2020 www.sandwich.org.uk

GROTE COMPANY

Wrexham Technology Park, Wrexham LL13 7YP Contact: Paul Jones Tel: 01978 362243 Fax: 01978 362255 sales@grotecompany.com www.grotecompany.com

LEATHAMS LTD 227-255 Ilderton Road, London, SE15 1NS Contact: Des Hillier Tel: 0207 635 4000 Fax: 0207 635 4017 des.hillier@leathams.co.uk www.leathams.co.uk

BSA Suppliers Index MILLITEC FOOD SYSTEMS LTD. 20 Victoria Road, Draycott, Derbyshire DE72 3PS Contact: Richard Ledger Tel: 01332 320400 sales@millitec.com www.millitec.com

NORSELAND LTD.

PIQUANT LTD

Ilchester, Somerset

Bloxwich, Walsall,

Somerton Road, BA22 8JL

Contact: Luke Barfoot Tel: 07807 236 473 Fax: 01935 842801 lbarfoot@norseland.co.uk www.norseland.co.uk

Willenhall Lane, W.Midlands WS3 2XN

Contact: Julie Smith Tel: 01922 711116 Fax: 01922 473240 salesinfo@piquant.co.uk www.piquant.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA

MISSION FOODS EUROPE LTD Renown Avenue, Coventry Business Park, Coventry CV5 6UJ Contact: Karina Sprigg Tel: 01527 894256 Fax: 02476 676660 karina_sprigg@missionfoods.com www.missionfoodservice.co.uk

MOY PARK LTD. 39 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, County Armagh BT63 5QE Contact: Emma Hallam Tel: +44 (0) 28 3835 2233 Emma.Hallam@moypark.com www.moypark.com MULLER MILK AND INGREDIENTS Donnington Wood Business Park, Granville Road, Telford TF2 7GJ Contact: Cara Williams Tel: 07731 337824 Cara.Williams@muller.co.uk www.muller.co.uk

Deansgate, 62/70 Tettenhall Road,

Wolverhampton WV1 4TH Contact: Steve Money Tel: 01902 925330 steve.money@nsffoods.com www.nsffoods.com

PLANGLOW LTD The Quorum, Bond Street, Bristol BS1 3AE Contact: Rachael Sawtell Tel: 0117 317 8600 Fax: 0117 317 8639 www.planglow.com

ORNUA INGREDIENTS EUROPE

Dymock Road, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 2JQ

SUPPLIERS

PLATOPUS SYSTEMS LTD. One Pancras Square, London N1C 4AG Contact: Yousaf Shah Tel: 0207 7000044

Contact: Alan Mackie

yousafshah@datatherapy.com

Tel: 01531 631300

www.datatherapy.com

alan.mackie@ornua.com www.ornuaingredients.com RAP LTD.

Mansel Court, 2A Mansel Road, Wimbledon, PASTA FOODS Forest Way,

Norwich NR5 0JH Contact: Stuart Mills Tel: 01493 416200 stuart.mills@pastafoods.com

London

1st Floor, Axiom House, High Street, Feltham, Middlesex TW13 4AU Contact: Andrew Breeze Tel: 0208 818 7617 Fax: 0203 187 0071

SMITHFIELD FOODS LTD. Norfolk Tower, 48-52 Surrey Street, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 3PA Tel: 01603 252454 contact@smithfieldfoods.co.uk www.smithfieldfoods.co.uk SNOWBIRD FOODS Wharf Road, Ponders End, Enfield, Middlesex EN3 4TD Contact: Helen Swan Tel: 0208 805 9222 Fax: 0208 804 9303 helen.swan@ snowbirdfoods.co.uk www.snowbirdfoods.co.uk THE INGREDIENTS FACTORY Unit 2-3 Hamilton Road Ind Estate,160 Hamilton Road, London SE27 9SF Tel: 0208 670 6701 Fax: 0208 670 9676 Contact: Tim Marcuson tim@theingredientsfactory.com www.theingredientsfactory.com

SW19 4AA Tel: 0208 069 0700 catherine.young@rapuk.com www.rapuk.com

ROYAL GREENLAND LTD. Gateway House, Styal Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5WY Contact: Solenne Labarere Tel: 0161 4904246

andrew.breeze@pauwels-sauces.com

soll@royalgreenland.com

www.pauwel-sauces.com

www.royalgreenland.co.uk

LINKED ASSOCIATION LOCAL AUTHORITY CATERING ASSOCIATIONS LACA Administration Bourne House, Horsell Park, Woking, Surrey GU21 4LY Tel: 01483766777 Fax: 01483751991 admin@laca.co.uk

THE BRITISH SANDWICH AND FOOD TO GO ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The following are elected members of the British Sandwich and Food to Go Association Management Committee CHAIRMAN Camilla Deane – Supplier THE COMMITTEE

Dan Silverston, Soho Sandwich Company (Producer) Samantha Brett, Waitrose (Retail) Georg Buhrkohl/ Mike Attwood, Subway (Sandwich bar chain) Robert Potts, Greencore (Producer) Simon Parton, Compass (Catering) Neil Wood, Woods (Independent Sandwich Bar) David Winter, Street Eats (Producer)

Contact: Martin Beaver

www.pastafoods.com

PAUWELS UK NEW YORK BAKERY CO. 4 Heathrow Boulevard, Bath Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 0DQ Contact: Angela Young Tel: 0208 283 0500 angela.young@grupobimbo.com www.newyorkbakery.co.uk

SEARA MEATS BV 2nd Floor, Building 1, Imperial Place, Maxwell Road, Borehamwood WD6 1JN Contact: Valeri Zhekov Tel: 0044 2035358857 valeri.zhekov@seara.com.br www.seara.com.br

NSF FOODS LTD.

info@planglow.com MIZKAN EURO LTD. 2nd Floor Building 10, Chiswick Park, 566 Chiswick High Road, London W4 5XS Contact: Craig Dillon Tel: 0203 6752220 craig.dillon@mizkan.co.uk www.mizkan.co.uk

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TRI-STAR PACKAGING SUPPLIES LTD Tri-Star House, Unit 4, The Arena, Mollison Avenue, Enfield, Middlesex EN3 7NL Contact: Alex Noake Tel: 0208 4439100 Fax: 0208 4439101 info@tri-star.co.uk www.tri-star.co.uk ZAFRON FOODS LTD. Unit B-G Eagle Trading Estate, Willow Lane, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 4UY Contact: Jack Kenny Tel: 0844 847 5116 Fax: 0844 847 5117 jack@zafronfoods.co.uk www.zafronfoods.co.uk

These suppliers are members of The British Sandwich Association and subject to its rules, codes of conduct and accreditation. While the Association cannot guarantee the products supplied by those listed, it does make every effort to ensure that the companies are reputable and offer quality products and services.

Anthony Minto, Ginsters (Van Sales) Peter Mayley, La Baguetterie (Independent Sandwich Bar) Frank Boltman, Trade (Independent) Ben Newby, Fresh Fayre (Supplier) Martin Beaver, RAP (Supplier) David Ross, Greggs (Baker) SECRETARIAT Jim Winship, Director Gavin Rothwell

Classifieds International Sandwich Manufacturers SIGMA BAKERIES PO Box 56567, 3308 Limassol, Cyprus Contact: Georgios Georgiou Tel: +357 25 878678 Fax: +357 25 346131 info@sigmabakeries.com www.sigmabakeries.com SUBWAY Chaston House, Mill Court,Hinton Way, Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire CB22 5LD Contact: Georg Buhrkohl Tel: 01223 550820 www.subway.co.uk TAMARIND FOODS SPRL Brixtonlaan 2c, Zaventem, Brussels 1930, Belgium Tel: +32 2 731 6977 Fax: +32 2 731 6978 fteichmann@tamarindfoods.be Contact: Frederic Teichmann

Product Listing

BAKERY INSERTS Sigma Bakeries Ltd BREAD Sigma Bakeries Ltd FRANCHISING Subway ORGANIC PRODUCTS Sigma Bakeries Ltd SANDWICHES

Tamarind Foods SANDWICH FILLINGS (prepared) Sigma Bakeries Ltd SPECIALITY BREADS Sigma Bakeries Ltd

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