S&FTG News 194 July 2021

Page 1

Sandwich food to go news INTERNATIONAL

www.sandwich.org.uk

ISSUE 194 JULY 2021

Sweet as sugar In stock now, we’re sweetening our hot drinks ‘to go’ offering with a selection of brown and white sugar sticks and sachets. Available in single cases, the sticks and sachets can be added to your regular cup, stirrer and lid order to make Herald the one-stop shop for your every day coffee ‘to go’ needs.

Call: 0208 507 7900

Email: sales@heraldplastic.com


British free range liquid egg

Range Farm Liquid Egg products are produced from fresh free range, British eggs. Available as Whole Egg, Egg Whites and Yolk supplied in pallecons, BIB and cartons. To start cooking with ease, call 01249 732221 or email Adrian.Blyth@stonegate.co.uk


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

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

SUBSCRIPTIONS t: 01291 636335 e: kevin@jandmgroup.co.uk

NEWS

FEATURES

REGULARS

Page 04. Hiring crisis driving up wages as operators turn to temps.

Page 36. Allergen labelling solutions.

Page 22 & 53. New products.

Page 46. Extra flavour.

Page 54. Listing index.

Page 05. lunch! announces big name keynote speakers for comeback show. Page 06. British Sandwich Week reveals Britain’s top 20 sandwiches.

ARTICLES

Page 08. Latest research considers future nature of UK’s food retailing landscape.

emerged during lockdown here to

Page 14. A sushi sandwich for summer.

THE BRITISH SANDWICH & FOOD TO GO ASSOCIATION Page 22. Association update.

Page 20. Are the food trends that

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

stay? Page 30. Ready for Natasha’s Law?

PHONE +44 (0) 1291 636338

Page 32. The importance of allergen labelling.

FAX +44 (0) 1291 630402 WEB www.sandwich.org.uk

Page 44. Tackling the sector’s staffing

EMAIL info@sandwich.org.uk

crisis.

Page 24. The Sammies Awards 2021.

Page 50. Demanding times and future

Page 52. New members.

challenges.

Paper used in the production of this publication is sourced from sustainable managed forests.

FRESH FLAVOURS, HOMEMADE TASTE & AWARD WINNING PRODUCTS We make our handmade products fresh everyday using the finest ingredients from trusted local suppliers

Whether you’re Toasting in Torquay, Spreading in Spalding or Drizzling in Derby, do it with Geeta’s Premium Chutneys. www.geetasfoods.com

LETS TALK SANDWICHES SOHOSANDWICH.CO.UK - 0203 058 1245 - UNIT 7, ADVENT BUSINESS PARK, ADVENT WAY, LONDON, N18 3AL Soho Advert layout 2018 V3.indd 1

Email: trade@geetasfoods.com Tel: 020 8450 2255 To stock, contact Petty Wood & Co Ltd on 01264 345 500

18/01/2018 20:23

www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk July 2021 3


NEWS

Hiring crisis driving up wages as operators turn to temps Greggs’ strong recovery in performance continues Greggs, one of the UK’s leading food-on-the-go retailers with more than 2,000 retail outlets throughout the country, has announced continued strong performance in its latest trading statement. Greggs last reported trading performance on 10 May 2021, at which point they had seen a strong recovery in sales levels following the easing of restrictions on non-essential retail across the UK. Since then, they had expected to see increased competition as cafés and restaurants were allowed to compete more effectively with their largely take-out offer. In recent weeks, the impact of pent-up demand for retail has reduced, they acknowledge, but nonetheless, like-for-like sales growth in company-managed shops has remained in positive territory ranging between 1 and 3% when measured against the same period in 2019, they observe. This level of sustained sales recovery is stronger than they had anticipated and, if it were to continue, they would have a materially positive impact on the expected financial result for the year (they will be providing a further updated picture when they present their interim results on 3 August 2021).

Hiring bottlenecks in the UK’s reopening hospitality sector are increasingly prompting operators to turn to temporary staff to keep up with demand, forcing them to increase wages by as much as 14%, according to Indeed Flex, an online marketplace for flexible workers, who compared the average hourly rates for shifts on weekends and weekdays in May 2019 with May 2020. Hospitality has been one of the sectors hit hardest by the pandemic, but it is now bouncing back strongly as customers rush to enjoy two pleasures that were denied during lockdown - a meal out or a drink with friends in the pub. However, the decision to postpone ‘Freedom Day’ in England to July 19 is now hitting hospitality hard. Venues are caught in a bind as social distancing rules still oblige them to provide table service only - requiring extra staff - and limit the number of customers they can serve. The hospitality industry is likely to come under further pressure when the business rates holiday ends (30 June 2021). In particular, analysis of pub, bar and restaurant shifts posted on the Indeed Flex platform revealed that temps willing to work at the weekend could benefit most from the rapidly rising wages. Average hourly pay for a weekend shift is now up 9% compared to this time in 2019. Meanwhile, weekday pay rates have risen by an average of 5% across the UK, far exceeding the 1.8% rise in the minimum wage between 2019 and 2021 (according to the government’s National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates). According to official ONS employment data, the food services and accommodation sector recorded the biggest spike in vacancies - up 265.5% - of any industry in March as lockdown restrictions first began to ease.

4 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

With so many venues scrambling to find the staff they need, businesses are turning to experienced temporary workers to fill rotas, but Indeed Flex’s data also reveals that businesses are paying more to attract the best people. Pay increases vary around the country, however, with Greater Manchester and Cheshire seeing the biggest increases in pay. Hourly rates for temporary workers there have risen by 11.15% for weekday hospitality staff, and by 13.87% for weekend workers compared to May 2019, they have found. Pay growth has been weakest in Merseyside, where hourly rates increased by just 0.84% on average, and in London, where they notched up by only 3.73%. Jack Beaman, CEO and co-founder of Indeed Flex, said: “The combination of booming demand from customers and the table service-only rule means thousands of pubs and restaurants need more staff - and fast. But with bottlenecks holding up the supply of workers, forward-thinking businesses are increasingly turning to temporary staff to fill shifts, and raising wages to woo the best people. “We’ve also seen an influx of people opting for temporary work as a post-lockdown lifestyle choice - as it gives them a variety and a work-life balance that a permanent job cannot. Temporary workers offer hospitality businesses vital flexibility in the current uncertain trading environment in which customer demand is strong but margins are squeezed.”

Turn to page 44 to read more about the current issues affecting the current staffing challenge in hospitality.


NEWS

lunch! announces big name keynote speakers for comeback show The organisers of lunch! - the definitive event for the café, coffee shop and food to go sector - have revealed the first group of industry leaders joining its keynote speaker line-up at the show (taking place live 23-24 September at ExCeL London). Taking place throughout the two days over three stages, lunch!’s Keynote Speaker Programme is free to attend for all trade visitors and offers remarkable access to some of the biggest names and operators in the industry. The organisers have confirmed exclusive interviews with first-time lunch! speakers Alasdair Murdoch (CEO of Burger King), Spencer Craig (CEO and co-founder of Pure) and Neil Lake, MD of Costa Coffee. The show is welcoming back Marta Pogroszewska, MD of Gail’s Bakery, who recently described the show as “inspiring, impactful, ingenious… I’ve attended lunch! for years and it just gets better and more unmissable every time.” Following Julian Metcalfe’s appearance in 2018, lunch! says that it is excited to welcome itsu’s newly appointed UK CEO, Ganan Kanagathurai, who will be exclusively revealing the story behind the company’s digital transformation and reimagining of the ‘store of the future’. The organisers have also announced the return of Greggs CEO, Roger Whiteside, an icon of the industry who, since he last graced the lunch! stage, has been awarded an OBE for his services to women and equality. Roger described the show as “the one place our entire sector comes together – you need to be there to see what they are up to.” lunch!’s event director, Chris Brazier, said: “We have always prided ourselves on offering trade visitors a free, worldclass speaker programme alongside hundreds of innovative new products. We’re especially excited to be returning

with such an incredible line-up. Though the last year has been challenging, it’s also prompted a huge amount of innovation and this year’s Keynote Programme echoes that eagerness to regroup, reconnect and inspire each other. We’d like to say a special thank you to all the industry leaders and exhibitors for their support.” Other speakers announced include Hannah Munns (head of market street strategy, innovation and concept development at Morrisons), Richard Franks (MD of Chilango), Neil Sebba (MD of Tossed), Amy James (category manager of Greggs), Russell Simpson (operations director of Leon), as well as Ole & Steen’s MD, Lee Nixon and their marketing director, Katie Lister. The line-up also features input from industry associations including Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, and two sessions with Jim Winship (director of the British Sandwich & Food to Go Association, the main show partner on lunch!). This year also sees the return of the hugely popular Coffee Shop Keynotes Theatre to an even bigger stage, reflecting the continued importance of this vibrant sector. After a successful launch in 2019, this dedicated Keynote Programme will feature talks and panels from industry innovators and experts, including sessions with the

‘Coffee Queen’ herself, Anya Marco, Neil Lake (MD of Costa Coffee), the Gentlemen Baristas and Hannah Mackay (head of food & beverages at Caffè Nero). A regular visitor, Hannah Mackay expressed her delight at the introduction of the Coffee Shop Keynotes Theatre at the last event, saying: “I love coming to lunch! and it is great to see that coffee shops are being showcased more than ever, it’s a good place to seek out new innovation!” The organisers have also confirmed several industry experts and commentators who will be sharing insights at the show, including Simon Stenning, founder of FutureFoodservice. com and Gavin Rothwell, director of Food Futures Insights, as well as Peter Backman, industry analyst and commentator. As Sainsbury’s buyer, Rosie Bambaji, commented: “The show always attracts the best brands and industry experts, which is a testament to how good it is.” lunch! 2021 takes place on 23-24 September at ExCeL London and is co-located with Commercial Kitchen and Casual Dining. Registration is free and strictly for members of the trade only (for more information and to register for your free trade pass, visit www.lunchshow.co.uk and use priority code VLU1. Alternately, use the direct link https://eventdata.uk/ Visitor/FoodPortfolioShows2021. aspx?TrackingCode=VLU1)

www.sandwich.org.uk July 2021 5


NEWS

British Sandwich Week reveals Britain’s top 20 sandwiches This year’s British Sandwich Week, which took place in May, and was an occasion for operators and suppliers alike to promote and celebrate the ever popular and versatile sandwich, revealed that the chicken sandwich can be crowned Britain’s favourite sandwich according to a new ranking mechanism created by meal box delivery company, HelloFresh. With demand for sandwiches spiking 49% over the past year, HelloFresh has created their own metric to rank the most popular sandwiches in the UK, and it is based on the number of Google searches, Instagram posts and TikTok views for each. In total, online coverage of the humble chicken sandwich totals over two billion, including 3,700 monthly searches, 385,449 Instagram posts and 2,136,000,000 TikTok views, they found. In second place, Brits favour a breakfast sandwich - this morning staple totals over 135 million in collective online coverage, they discovered, making it a deserving runner-up, they feel. The egg sandwich took the third spot in the UK’s favourite sandwiches, according to their analysis, with over 100 million hits online.

Britain’s Top 20 Sandwiches Based on Total Online Searches, Instagram Posts & TikTok Views Chicken sandwich (2,136,389,149) Breakfast sandwich (135,989,966) Egg sandwich (100,851,539) Ham sandwich (59,058,603) Cheese sandwich (18,975,440) Club sandwich (17,924,263) Grilled cheese sandwich (17,615,144) Ham and cheese sandwich (12,312,102) Pulled pork sandwich (7,379,064) Steak sandwich (7,115,402)

Other classic combinations which made the top five included the ham sandwich which reached fourth place, closely followed by the cheese sandwich in fifth

Cuban sandwich (5,322,856) Bacon sandwich (4,754,811) Turkey sandwich (2,781,322) Pastrami sandwich (2,467,477) BLT sandwich (2,157,574) McChicken sandwich (2,104,368) Tuna sandwich (1,907,226) Avocado sandwich (1,826,312) Bombay sandwich (1,812,097) Reuben sandwich (1,514,258)

place. Interestingly, their data also revealed that Brits continue to enjoy a meaty sandwich, with 65% of the top 20 sandwiches being meatbased, they discovered.

FSA to publish further labelling guidance To continue to support food businesses with these changes, the FSA (Food Standards Agency) have now published further guidance on labelling requirements for PPDS (pre-packaged for direct sale) food to help provide detailed information on what food businesses are required to provide on the packaging of the PPDS food they sell, and which can be found at www.food.gov.uk. It also includes information on the legislative labelling requirements,

as well as related information that the producers of PPDS food will find helpful such as Quantitative Ingredient Declaration (QUID), multipacks, food additives and flavouring, and the responsibilities of food businesses and suppliers. They will soon be sharing sectorspecific web content with further information for different types of food businesses, say the FSA. This content is being produced with input from industry specialists and will provide tailored information for

butchers, bakeries, restaurants cafés and pubs, fast food and takeaways, mobile sellers, as well as caterers and schools. Additionally, the FSA will also be hosting a webinar on Wednesday, 4 August 2021 at 2pm for food businesses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, during which they will explain allergen labelling changes, help participants identify if it affects them, as well as share guidance and tools to offer further support and answer questions.

6 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

1041


USE YOUR CARD IN EARN 3% CASHBACK SAVE WITH CLUBCARD PRICES PURCHASE SMALL PACK SIZES UTILISE EXTENDED TRADING HOURS Scan here to view our how-to video Ask for more details at your local Booker/Makro or email: feedback@Booker.co.uk 104120 Booker - TopUpAtTesco Leaflet.indd 1

06/04/2021 14:55


NEWS

Latest research considers future nature of UK’s food retailing landscape In its annual retail food and grocery channel forecasts, IGD, provider of foresight and analysis for the food and consumer goods industry, predicts that the unprecedented 8.5% growth in 2020 will slow to 1.7% in 2021 and then to 0.9% in 2022, as shoppers economise and the eating out industry reclaims sales. This sharp decline will be followed by a period of modest recovery, that will see the UK retail food and grocery market grow by 8.1% to £229.1bn over 2021-2026, they anticipate. Recovery will be fuelled by rising employment levels, growing consumer confidence, economic recovery and the new channels and opportunities created by the unique disruption of COVID-19, such as quick commerce, they add. “The significant dip we’re forecasting in the short term is to be expected; many households will be under increased pressures, making shoppers more value conscious. The re-opening of the hospitality sector, despite being from a very low base, will also divert some spend away from retail in the short term,” said Simon Wainwright, director of global insight at IGD. “That said, there’s an opportunity for the sector to engage with the many shoppers who built up savings during the pandemic and contributed to the estimated £150bn (according to Bank of England Speech: Inflation: A Tiger by the Tail?, 26 February 2021) savings pot, by focusing on quality and convenience as the ‘K-shaped recovery’ takes hold. “Longer term, the grocery sector will remain bigger than our pre-pandemic forecasts, primarily driven by elevated levels of home-working benefitting stores in suburban areas, the adoption of digital technologies in-store which will alter how and where people shop, and fewer out-of-home eateries operating. Maximising growth will be down to stores inspiring shoppers with an

improved choice of relevant products and developing opportunities around events and occasions.” Online will slow after the 2020 growth, as some shoppers, particularly the older demographic, return to stores, feel IGD. However, new capacity and the new quick commerce channel – which sees food and grocery delivered in less than one hour and often sub-30 minutes – will see online become the fastest-growing channel post-2024, they believe. Simon Mayhew, head of online retail insight at IGD, added: “Quick commerce has exploded as a result of the pandemic and is now a channel in its own right with a current estimated current value of £1.4bn. The size of the opportunity is significant and has the potential to grow to £3.3bn. Multichannel retailers will need to reduce fulfilment costs and nurture loyalty to protect margins as the online channel takes a greater share of the sales mix.” Rachel Sibson, a retail analyst and author of a new series of reports examining the landscape of the quick commerce channel at IGD, added: “Quick commerce is an exciting, fastpaced channel which presents a huge opportunity for suppliers, retailers, aggregators and pure plays. Our annual market estimate is based on our ShopperVista data which shows that 13% of UK shoppers already use quick commerce, but there is a further 22% of shoppers interested, who are still to play for.” A combination of new stores, the need for many shoppers to economise and the increase of food and grocery within variety discounters will fuel this channel’s growth, but it will slow through the forecast period, feel the researchers. Maxime Delacour, senior retail analyst and specialist in the discounter channel at IGD, said: “Discounters are a natural

8 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

destination for households looking to economise and the key players have extensive expansion plans. But, growth will be held in-check by strong competition on value from the multiples and new entrants to the market.” Over the next few years, a continued focus on neighbourhood locations underpinned by the higher levels of working from home and suburban living will boost the convenience channel, predict IGD, with the reopening of city centres and transport locations also adding to short term growth. Patrick Mitchell-Fox, senior business analyst, IGD commented: “The historic significance of ‘impulse’ has declined and now top-up shopping is more dominant for the convenience sector: basket sizes have become much larger with a wider range of goods. The convenience sector is now focusing on how it retains its current 21% share of the grocery market, by focusing on neighbourhood stores and extending ranges to meet local demand. We expect it to maintain its position over the next five years and predict it will grow to 21.8% by 2026.” In the short term, hypermarkets are well positioned to benefit from the K-shaped recovery, offering a wide range of value-oriented options whilst simultaneously offering the most extensive choice of products for shoppers looking to trade up, observe IGD. Of the longer-term implication, Nick Gladding, senior retail analyst at IGD, said: “Shoppers will need to justify the time and travel to large stores as other, more convenient options become increasingly available to them. Operators will need to offer distinct benefits to attract customers. We’ll see more investment in this channel to position large stores as retail destinations.”


FOODSERVICE

The new interactive way to explore our extensive collection of specialist Foodservice products ProAmpac | RAP’s dedicated Foodservice division provides food packaging solutions that drive sales and delight consumers. Our extensive collection of specialist Foodservice packaging products can now be viewed in a brand new interactive format. Visit rapuk.com to explore our interactive Foodservice chiller.

SALES info@rapuk.com HOTLINE +44 (0) 20 8069 0700 ProAmpac London Limited, Mansel Court, 2a Mansel Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 4AA


NEWS

Reconnect at this year’s Caffè Culture The eagerly anticipated Caffè Culture will be throwing open its doors to welcome back 1,000’s of industry professionals to celebrate the first speciality coffee event of the year since the lockdown began. The show, which will host over 100 innovative brands will be taking place at the iconic Business Design Centre on 2-3 September 2021, and will provide an extensive and compelling programme packed with new feature content and sponsors. After a crippling 14 months, the hospitality sector is finally re-opening with a renewed sense of optimism and relief due to the strongest growth forecast in 70 years. The sector has been given an essential shot in the arm as consumers flock back to their favourite coffee shops to reacquaint themselves with old friends and family. As an integral part of the recovery, Caffè Culture will be providing a vital resource for coffee shop owners and operators who are looking at ways to stimulate their businesses. With its most wideranging programme to-date, visitors will be given the opportunity to immerse themselves in a series of live demonstrations and debates, barista competitions, workshops, speciality tea and coffee tastings, plus other sensory delights. An over-arching theme of the show this year is about bringing the industry back together, say show organisers, so to celebrate that Victoria Arduino will be inviting visitors to come and share a coffee with some of the UK’s finest roasters in their aptly named Roasters Village ‘Re:connect’. Continuing that theme, the curated Talks Programme will provide a full 360 of the speciality coffee industry with over 70 expert panellists and speakers offering

Visitors can register for free at www.caffecultureshow.com/register

insight and debate on a host of critical issues within 4 distinct streams. New for 2021, ‘People & Culture’ has been launched in partnership with the Kore Directive and will highlight a number of crucial conversations around equality and inclusivity to promote a better future for the coffee industry. Launched online during the lockdown, ‘CaffeInsights’ is being sponsored by The Good Till Company and will continue to provide practical advice from a wide range of operators. These owners managed to adapt and thrive during the worst economic crisis of modern times - despite several being in extremely challenging locations. Host John Richardson of the Café Experts will be welcoming back previous CaffèInsight contributors to hear how they were able to innovate, pivot and ultimately accelerate their recovery. And, in all cases, create a more resilient and valuable businesses for the future. John will also be hosting

10 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

a half-day workshop on ‘How to produce a profit producing system – without you having to be there’. Bringing some necessary excitement and competition to the show, the SCA will be hosting their first championships in over 18 months. 20 competitors will battle it out by showcasing their complex and visually appealing designs to be crowned the SCA UK Latte Art Champion 2020 with the winner going on to represent the UK at the prestigious World Latte Art Championship in Taipei, later this year. Event director, Elliot Gard, commented: “After the devastating impact of the last 15 months, I’m delighted we can now get on with our lives and get back to business. We will be doing our upmost to deliver on our aim of reconnecting the industry, to stimulate growth and ultimately bring old friends and colleagues back together at what will be a fantastic celebration of the industry we have all missed and love.”


ADVERTORIAL

How a large sandwich producer automated their wrap processing line with Grote robotics Improving production and quality, reducing labour, and increasing plant and food safety OVERVIEW A large sandwich and wrap manufacturer in the UK was manually assembling, cutting and packaging wraps. They turned to Grote Company – with whom they had a long relationship for food processing equipment. Grote’s robotic solution reduced manual labor and increased production and quality, as well as food and plant safety.

– Labour availability due to rising wages, Brexit and ultimately the COVID-19 pandemic – During COVID-19, having that many operators in close proximity was high risk

RESULTS – Eliminated 6 operators/shift – Increased production capacity up to 100 wraps per minute – Improved quality to 95% (+/3mm)

APPROACH The manufacturer and Grote Company collaborated on an automation solution that would improve production rates and quality, reduce line labour and increase plant and food safety. They chose Grote because of a long-standing history using their sandwich assembly equipment, and because Grote robotic solutions were proven and installed in the market.

CHALLENGES – Manual wrap assembly, handling, cutting and packaging – Inconsistent and lower production rates

SOLUTION Grote Company configured a robotics solution that would pick and place assembled wraps in correct alignment to be cut by an ultrasonic blade, then presented in

an organised fashion to be quickly and accurately packaged. The solution: – Fit the existing footprint – Interfaced with the existing packaging conveyor – Was custom configured with an end effector, and infeed and outfeed conveyors specific to this operation The twin line solution features two 3D vision systems, custom end effectors, two 4 axis Stäubli HE robots and a Grote ultrasonic cutter – all surrounded by dedicated guarding and operated by a single display. Wrap alignment and cutting is only one application of Grote’s installed robotics capabilities. Our range of solutions and integrations with our equipment can further automate several processes.

www.grotecompany.co.uk www.sandwich.org.uk July 2021 11


NEWS

Food industry must act now to address potential ‘ticking timebomb’ An anaphylactic shock-like experience sparked by something in her food prompted international food safety expert, Heather Landex, to write her first book – Inclusive: The New Exclusive - and she hopes it will serve as both a rallying cry and an inspiration to what she feels is an industry in need of change. In her book, Heather Landex, originally from East Yorkshire and now living in Denmark, focuses her attention on the commercial potential behind greater inclusivity for hospitality businesses. She looks at the growing number of people with everything from life-threatening allergies to ethically-driven food preferences and highlights the best and worst practices, demonstrating how better communication, customer service and food safety standards are needed to help protect businesses and consumers alike. Serving people with dietary preferences, food allergies and intolerances (which she estimates to be 20-40% of the worldwide population) better could also help food outlets unlock increased market share, potentially increasing their income by 10-15%, she proposes. “Many people in the food service industry believe that less than one in 1,000 people has a serious food allergy, which is possibly true of the more dangerous anaphylactic cases. However, closer to one in 10 people has a food allergy or intolerance. Food businesses are afraid of providing for this larger segment because they are afraid of also attracting more people with potentially anaphylactic allergies and the increase in risk and liability they could bring,” said Heather Landex. “Unfortunately, though, this means they could be turning away 10% of their potential customers, plus whoever would have dined with them, when there are ways of providing for them in a risk-free way, with a little more understanding and effort. And addressing the issue is becoming more and more urgent, given the increasing number of people suffering from food intolerances.” Not only that, but what Heather Landex dubs ‘the plant-based revolution’, which is seeing around 40% of people – including the estimated 3% of the population who call themselves vegans – choose plant-based options when they eat out of the home, also means businesses need to re-think the diversity of their menu options and adapt, she argues, “if they want to remain in business over the next five years, or they face losing their customers to the competition.” 12 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

In particular, she feels, the most significant risk to consumers and the industry is ambiguity around the labelling of vegan and plantbased foods, as they are usually not safe for people with allergies, or those trying to avoid animal products such as milk, egg, shellfish and fish, often because they become contaminated within the production process, she claims. Ironically, despite clever marketing, the small print surrounding plantbased options served by some of the world’s biggest fast-food chains, often states they are not suitable for vegetarians, she points out. “It is such hidden ingredients that harbour significant dangers,” said Heather Landex. “Contamination thresholds are not regulated yet and therefore the terms ‘may contain’ or ‘traces’ are disclaimers used to pass liability about food allergies and contamination along the food supply chain, eventually to the consumer. “The chef or consumer often has no idea what these disclaimers actually mean for them in terms of risk, just as the lack of a ‘may contain’ disclaimer does not mean ‘free-from’. Food businesses have absolute liability for the safety of their customers and risk can never be reduced to zero, whether food be marked with ‘free from’ labels or not, but it can be minimised and carefully considered.” However, this needn’t be all pain and no gain for foodservice businesses feels Heather Landex, who believes the growing population of people opting for vegan or plant-based lifestyles, means it makes good commercial sense, too. “Food businesses should be willing to go the extra mile, ensuring they are allergyfriendly when it comes to use of animal-derived ingredients, because it future-proofs their businesses,” she concluded.


MPLIANT STA CO YC AY

TAY COMP T S LIA AN I N L

OMPLIAN AY C T ST ST T

Natasha’s Law S IANT TAY CO PL M M P O

Helping your business to stay compliant From October 2021, all foods produced and

To support your business through this change, Faerch

prepacked for sale at the same premises, must be

are offering a bespoke printing service for you to use,

labelled with a full list of ingredients. The UK Food

and subject to minimum order quantities, we can

Information Amendment, also known as ‘Natasha’s

support your business in meeting these new

Law’, is being introduced to protect allergy sufferers

requirements.

and give them confidence in the food they buy. For more information please contact your Account According to the new rules, PPDS (Prepacked for

Manager or email ukely@faerch.com,

Direct Sale) food will have to clearly display the

alternatively contact the Customer Service team on

following information on the packaging:

01353 740990.

• Name of the food • Full ingredients list, with allergenic ingredients emphasised

#Follow our story

@faerchgroup

Faerch Group


NEWS

A sushi sandwich for summer KellyDeli, owner of international sushi franchise Sushi Daily, has launched two new sandwich-based concepts for summer. Available at Sushi Daily kiosks in convenient locations across the UK, such as select Waitrose and Asda stores, the new Sushi-San and Sando range takes the traditional sandwich to new heights – Japanese style. Replacing traditional bread with Sushi Daily’s much-loved sticky rice, the all-new Sushi-San is generously filled with western flavours and finished with a wrapping of

jet-black nori seaweed. The Sushi-San is an evolution of onigiri (triki) and a sushi rice snack or sandwich known as onigirazu. Sushi-San is available with three choices of classic filling, each with an Asian twist: cheese and pickled veg, salmon and cream cheese or prawn mayonnaise, or even in a combination pack of all three. The Sando offers authentic zingy fillings between cloud-like slices of Japanese shokupan bread, with a unique recipe developed by the brand enhanced with a sourdough

starter. Healthier than traditional bread, Sushi Daily’s white shokupan also delivers an umami-packed taste. Customers opting for the Sando can choose from chicken katsu, ‘tamago’ (Japanese omelette), or Sushi Daily’s take on the club sandwich, as well as a combination of all three. KellyDeli’s UK managing director, Ian Roberts, said: “The new Sushi-San and Sando ranges are an eastern take on a western classic, offering a familiar sandwich with a Japanese twist. “We love keeping things exciting for our customers

who are looking for fresh inspiration for their food onthe-go or picnic options. “Our customers value healthy living and that’s why these new ranges are packed full of protein and veg, giving them the chance to feel great about their choices. What’s not to love?” Prices range between £4.15 and £5.75, and all products are freshly handmade in Sushi Daily’s open kitchens.

British grown apples, strawberries, carrots and pumpkins facing extinction? Agriculture and conservation experts have warned of the threat of extinction of some of the UK’s best-loved crops, predicting that we are on the brink of a biodiversity crisis because of our dwindling population of pollinators such as bees, butterflies and bugs. According to conservation experts, a third of the food we eat every day relies on pollinators, which are suffering due to habitat fragmentation, essentially a lack of regular patches of pollinator friendly flowers across the country. This pollinator network is critical to help bees and other insects to transfer pollen around the nation to effectively pollinate plants and the foods we love. Many farmers across the UK are tackling this habitat fragmentation by creating pollinator patches on their land, but according to experts, this isn’t enough on its own to address the problem. Therefore, dairy cooperative, Arla, which is owned by 2,300 farmers in the UK, is urging Brits to give up a corner of their back gardens, backyards, balconies, hanging baskets, window boxes or plant pots to help save our

pollinators. Working in partnership with the invertebrate conservation charity, Buglife, Arla is encouraging a nationwide planting of flower seeds to try to avert the crisis. Roger Hildreth, an Arla farmer in Yorkshire, commented: “Arla’s farmer owners have been working to support biodiversity both through a scheme we call ‘project pollinator’ but also as part of Arla’s overall farm standards programme for many years. “Working alongside Buglife, we see how urgent this issue is and feel now is the time to ask the nation to also heed the call and help us help nature. It’s vital that the great British public and businesses join us and help fill in the gaps, ensuring our treasured pollinators are never far from a pit stop.” Said Paul Hetherington, director at Buglife: “One out of every three mouthfuls of the food we eat every day depends on pollinators. These pollinators are the backbone of our biodiversity and without them there would be no British strawberries, apples, cherries, carrots, pumpkins and so many more of the foods we love, as well as the flowers

14 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

in our gardens and countryside. Urgent action is needed now, or we stand to lose the food and plants that are such an intrinsic part of the British way of life.” According to a recent Greenpeace report a third of UK bees have disappeared in the last ten years and a quarter of European species are at risk of extinction. To help support this pollinator patch drive, Arla is giving away 100,000 seed packs to create their very own pit stops, and as the network grows, this will help to provide more of the habitats needed to produce the fruits, vegetables and flowers that are staples of the British diet, gardens, and countryside. To find out more about the Bee Road, how Arla farmers around the country are inspiring others and to claim seed packs, visit the Arla website www.arlafoods.co.uk/thebeeroad


HE

R QUA

L

ER

AB

Y, G R E E N

LES • HI

IT

G

DISPOS

The eco-friendly Herald food range Helping you to provide your customers with a cost-effective, greener alternative We’ve recently added to our ‘food to go’ disposables range to offer you a wider choice of environmentally-friendly options. From paper to bagasse products, our selection includes double and single wall hot cups, plates, bowls, trays, cartons, noodle and chicken boxes, cutlery, skewers and chip forks. We’ve got everything covered and, best of all, we’ve kept it cost-friendly, offering you an all round better alternative.

Call: 0208 507 7900 Email: sales@heraldplastic.com


NEWS

Gen-Label readies for Natasha’s Law implementation Gen-Label is the new name for Tri-Star Packaging’s Tri-Label division, rebranded at an important time for the foodservice industry, and representing the next generation of food labelling, say the company. “There has never been a more critical time for labelling in the foodservice industry,” said head of Gen-Label, Alan Bryson. “Through the pandemic as businesses swapped to takeaway and delivery models, we were able to help with advice based on over 30 years of foodservice labelling experience. As the industry gears up for the full implementation of Natasha’s Law in October, labelling is crucial – and since the announcement of the new legislation, we have been urging the industry to act immediately. “While correct allergen identification and labelling is an important health issue, it is also one of corporate responsibility. Lives are literally at stake, so why leave risks in place? As an industry, we can act right away, and improve our reputation if we take action today rather than waiting until October. And at Gen-Label we can help businesses to fully comply with Natasha’s Law through our easy to use Gen-Label Online software solution.” It is estimated that almost one in five people in the UK suffer from an allergy,

and while consumers may be allergic or have intolerance to any number of ingredients, only 14 allergens are required to be declared as allergens by UK food law, report Gen-Label. Natasha’s Law is so called due to successful campaigning by the family of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse who died, aged 15, in July 2016, after suffering a fatal allergic reaction from eating a baguette purchased in Heathrow Airport (Natasha had a sesame allergy and wasn’t aware that sesame seeds had been pre-baked into the product’s bread). Natasha’s family passionately campaigned for increased transparency around UK food labelling requirements, and the resulting law will ensure that essential information is always available to help people with a food allergy or intolerance make safe food choices. From October 2021, food pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) will need to have a label with a full ingredients list with allergenic ingredients emphasised within it. The Gen-Label Online software solution works by allowing caterers to build and maintain lists of ingredients including specific allergens and then simply print them off onto pre-formatted blank labels using a standard PC and laser-jet printer. Accessed via a secure web portal, Gen-Label Online can

manage labelling requirements from product descriptions, ingredients and bar codes to allergen and nutritional information, including the government’s front of pack traffic light system. Instantly updateable, Gen-Label Online also enables caterers to amend labels and comply with changes in food labelling legislation with ease, point out the company. “Natasha’s family also set up the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation,” added Alan Bryson. “The Foundation’s aim is to prevent and end allergic disease and also to bring about positive change by focusing on law and policies, medical research and educating and raising allergy awareness. Gen-Label, through it’s parent company Tri-Star Packaging are proud to have chosen to support Natasha’s Foundation, and we are donating a percentage of all sales of allergen labels to the Foundation. Look out for the Natasha’s Foundation logo on our products.”

Délifrance reveal key UK bakery trends for 2021 and beyond Prove It: A Bread Focus, a new report from Délifrance, reveals that while the popularity of white, brown and wholemeal loaves remains strong, other trends such as health, sustainability, indulgence and Covid-related hygiene concerns are impacting the bread arena for operators and retailers alike. Taste, quality, freshness and convenience are top of the agenda when it comes to purchasing bread, however the report also reveals that the perception of bread is evolving as consumers increasingly search for functional foods

both in terms of health and indulgence. To help retailers and operators benefit from these changes, in-depth insight is provided into what consumers want (such as inclusions and alternative flours), when they want it and what will encourage them to buy. Stéphanie Brillouet, marketing director for Délifrance, said: “The UK bread market is currently worth £7.5bn (Gira data, 2021). As some 41% of consumers eat bread every day or almost every day, there are plenty of opportunities to reach staple bread fans and new consumption

occasions, particularly when we take into account that we expect to see increased indulgence and health-based snacking in the category. Indeed, our research reveals that healthier options could encourage 21% of consumers to eat more bread. “With the new hybrid working model set to continue, our report also includes invaluable advice and tips on how retailers and operators can maximise on this way of life, from highlighting ‘added value’ ingredients and sustainable packaging to making a limited menu more versatile through bread choices.”

16 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

9072


BEST SELL

IN

WR AP

THE W O

D’S

G

RL

VERSATILE MENU OPTIONS FOR EVERY OCCASION AT MISSION Our flatbreads, tortillas & chips make the perfect canvas for inspired chefs to create brilliant menus. Ideal for a range of meal occasions - starters, small plates, mains, deliveries and more!

Visit MissionFoodservice.co.uk for more information or visit our socials Mission_Foodservice_UK 9072_2106_f - Mission - S&FTGN – July - FP.indd 1

Mission Foodservice UK 16/06/2021 15:03


NEWS

DTM Print welcomes Guy Boxall DTM Print, international OEM and solution provider for speciality printing systems, has announced and welcomed Guy Boxall – a well-known specialist in the printing industry with more than 30 years of sales and technical solutions experience in the AIDC industry with Omron Europe, Casio Electronics and more recently OKI Europe as its new senior sales manager for the UK at the company’s new subsidiary DTM Print Ltd. “We are thrilled to have Guy on board and join our sales team. He will be heading up sales in the UK, working with channel partners and end-users, providing the best speciality printing solutions our industry offers today. He’ll bring a fresh perspective and approach on sales development in that region,” said Andreas Hoffmann, managing director of DTM Print. “The British market has been a major one for us since the beginning. So, it is a logical step to have a permanent subsidiary with DTM Print Ltd and a local sales representative for our customers.”

Hiring spree could risk health and safety Faced with a shortage of almost 200,00 staff, the UK’s hospitality sector is on a hiring spree. Yet, this could severely risk the health and safety of consumers, claims an environmental health expert. Following lockdown restrictions coming to an end and a staffing crisis brought on by the pandemic, online recruiter Indeed recently reported that during June 2021 the number of job postings in the hospitality industry was up to 29% higher than prepandemic recruiting levels in February 2020. The demand for staff comes as the need for table-only service has increased, outdoor seating has expanded and an improved confidence amongst consumers has rapidly surged eating-out bookings. In addition, there is fierce competition across hotels, pubs, restaurants, cafés and takeaways all looking for temporary and full-time recruits as they have cut hours to operate. But the speed in which both waiting on and back-of-house staff are being placed into new roles could mean that food safety standards are in jeopardy and could risk consumer safety, says

18 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

Kirstie Jones an environmental health expert with Navitas Safety. “For many previously furloughed employees it may have been months since they have been at work, and with staff shortages across the sector there is a vast number of new recruits who have no prior experience working in a food-related environment,” said Navitas Safety’s Kirstie Jones. “Not only has Covid-19 meant regulations have changed dramatically since pre-pandemic, but it is imperative that businesses actively train staff and update their safety procedures as they hire new people, particularly as new laws, digitalised menus and table service come into play.” As of October this year, Natasha’s Law will also be enforced across the UK, adds Kirstie Jones, meaning that all businesses that sell foods which are pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS), will need to clearly label all ingredients and allergen information, and with that in mind training staff on the importance of allergens and intolerances will become increasingly imperative.


INTRODUCING A NEW RANGE OF ITALIAN FILLED DOUGH BALL SNACKS, AVAILABLE AS SOFT OR CRUNCHY

Italian dough balls with delicious fillings EACH BUBBLE: 60g/75g

HAM & CHEESE

CALABRESE

RE

A DY T O E AT

AUBERGINE

PESTO

BOLOGNESE

BLUEBERRY

VEGETABLE

COCOA

EASY COOKING INSTRUCTIONS :

Cook from frozen in the microwave for 30 secs

Or for a crunchier snack, put in the toaster for a minute

Brought to you exclusively by NSF Foods Ltd

Call +44 (0)1902 925330, visit nsffoods.com or email info@nsffoods.com

DISCOVER THE FULL RANGE BY SPEAKING WITH US TODAY

NSF Foods Ltd, Sutton Farm, Claverley, Shropshire, England, WV5 7DD


OPINION

Are the food trends that emerged during lockdown here to stay? With lockdowns having a huge effect on the food service sector, consumer routines and eating habits have inevitably had to change. Alastair Cupper from allmanhall, an independently owned food procurement consultancy, considers whether these changes are here for the long-term, or whether the food trends that emerged through the lockdown were just a fad. COMFORT COOKING At the height of lockdown there was a huge focus on home cooking and baking as flour sold out and people turned to the kitchen for a source of entertainment, searching online for bread, pizza dough and scone recipes. As the BBC reported, supermarkets such as Waitrose, the Co-op and Tesco saw upward trends in the sales of dessert favourites such as rice pudding, custard powder, jelly and trifle. There was also an increase in sales for longerlife items including tinned fruit and vegetables, jarred pickles, tuna, spam and other tinned meats, and long-life milk. Whilst consumers may keep up their new-found cooking skills, it seems likely that the popularity of somewhat nostalgic tinned goods is a passing rather than lasting trend, driven more by the uncertainty of the lockdown period. FUNCTIONAL FOODS Whilst comfort and indulgence may be a passing trend, the focus on health and well-being is one that seems likely to be a lasting change. Food products that boost immunity and have wellness properties are

increasing in popularity as people pay more attention to their health and the goodness of their food. Balancing work and the general day-to-day to now include the reopening of gyms and leisure facilities, there is less time for the leisurely food preparation that we saw in the early lockdowns and instead the focus will be on convenience. With an array of products promoting probiotic, antioxidant and superfood qualities, new launches such as cold-pressed juices and immune support shots are consistent across the market. We are even seeing the trend extend into the drinks industry, with launches of alcoholic versions of healthier drinks such as hard seltzer (alcohol and carbonated water) and hard kombucha – an alcoholic fermented cold tea. Yet there also seems to be a particular focus on the health benefits of raw ingredients such as ginger and turmeric. We may view this as a more lasting trend, particularly when looking at well-being not only in terms of our own bodies, but as a much larger scope of the environment and the traceability of where our food comes from.

20 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

NO MORE PLASTIC Whether it is classified as a trend or as more of a growing sense of awareness and accountability, the topic of sustainability and our planet is a huge focus for the food industry and consumers alike. With every one of us having a responsibility to step up and do our part, many will be looking for guilt-free purchasing whilst understanding the story of where their food comes from and how it was made into the end product. As a visible change, the reduction of plastic and packaging waste is an ongoing process with manufacturers looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint. Many drinks companies are actively looking at the option of cans versus plastic bottles.

TRANSPORTABLE EATING Since last summer we have become used to eating and drinking outside


OPINION

as lockdown measures have restricted meeting friends and family in our homes. Whether in a park or a garden, the idea of food that is easy to serve and transport is a familiar concept. We have seen growth in the range of pre-mixed cocktails and spirits aimed at outdoor gatherings. And with picnics, barbecues and staycations lined up for summer, it is likely this is a trend that will last throughout the year. GRAB AND GO Within the food service sector, an emerging trend from the pandemic has been the need for more grab and go food options. With businesses adapting to takeaway methods, there has been no other alternative than to offer pre-packaged products. Yet reducing waste food packaging is key within the food service sector and so whilst grab and go is necessary, it is important that businesses are mindful of packaging choices. As hand sanitising is encouraged and customers look for reassurance that every measure is taken to reduce the spread of Covid-19, it could be likely that pre-packaged foods and meal options will still be available, even as the food service industry resumes.

That said, many are looking forward to enjoying the social experience of eating-in after such a long time and it is possible that as confidences return and lockdown eases so will the need for such a focus on takeaway meals. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE As hospitality and the food sector returns to normal service, there will be a desire to drive business and make up the sales that have been missed over the past months. From looking to upsell on a drink or meal by adding a sweet treat or dessert, the idea of ‘buy now, eat later’ may become more apparent. We are familiar with the concept of subscription services from those such as Netflix, Gousto and Hello Fresh, all of which offer a product for a monthly fee; however, this is starting to emerge in everyday food service too. Pret a Manger’s YourPret Barista coffee subscription offers up to five drinks a day for a fee of £20 a month, with choice from their organic coffees, teas, hot chocolates, smoothies, frappes and iced coffees. Leon also has a subscription offer, charging £15 a month for unlimited coffee, or £6 a month to enjoy 30% off all drinks, cakes and vegan dishes.

The food trends of 2021 - whether passing or lasting - have certainly been influenced by the national lockdowns we have experienced since the beginning of last year. Yet some, such as the conscious move towards making more sustainable choices, are perhaps less trend-driven and more movements that have been slowly building momentum. There are trends that we will be happy to put behind us, but others that will continue to develop and will be seen as a lasting change on the way we sell, serve and consume food and drink.

About allmanhall Established in 2006, allmanhall (https://allmanhall.co.uk/) is an independent, family owned and managed business providing expert food procurement and supply chain management, combined with hands-on catering and nutrition advice. Working in a partnership with its clients, allmanhall’s purpose is to deliver the best food, the best cost savings, and the best support, and is committed to a focus on sustainable food supply. Alastair Cupper (pictured) leads their team of MCIPS qualified buyers, to build relationships with suppliers to assist negotiations and manage the supplier base to achieve the best service levels, quality, value, risk mitigation and cost savings.

www.sandwich.org.uk July 2021 21


ASSOCIATION U P DAT E

STAFF SHORTAGES START HITTING HOME The Association has written to the prime minister and his cabinet about a major crisis in staff shortages which is beginning to be felt across industry and could lead to product shortages in the near future. The letter, which was co-ordinated by the BSA, was also signed by over 40 other trade bodies. The shortages are already starting to impact the food sector severely, both in terms of staff available to work in businesses, and also in supplies. The situation is exacerbated by some 1.3 million EU workers returning home during COVID as well as others being re-deployed during the lockdown. The Association is calling on the government to delay its immigration restrictions, which will make it more difficult for lower skilled workers to come to the UK after the end of June. As well as writing to the prime minister, the Association is talking to several All Party Parliamentary Groups about the problems with the aim of generating a debate in parliament. LUNCH! QUESTIONS The Association is to host an industry panel at the lunch! show at 3.45pm on Thursday, 23 September 2021. Chaired by BSA director, Jim Winship, the panel will answer questions from the audience. Panellists include Amy James (Greggs),

Neil Wood (Woods Catering) and Lee Conway (STS). Questions can be submitted in advance of the show to jim@ sandwich.org.uk Director, Jim Winship, will also be providing an update at the show about issues affecting the industry. He will be speaking on Friday, 24 September 2021 at 1.45pm. ALLERGEN LABELLING GUIDELINES There is increasing evidence that many sandwich and food to go businesses are not yet prepared for the new allergen labelling regulations which come into force on 1 October 2021. Under these new rules, businesses selling prepacked grab-n-go foods will need to label them with their ingredients, with any allergens highlighted. To help members comply with the regulations, the Association has developed advice which is available to download on its web site at www.sandwich.org.uk. The advice is Assured, which means that, provided members follow it, they are covered by the Association’s Primary Authority Assurance Agreement.

NEW PRODUCTS

Herald offers one-stop shop for coffee ‘to go’ market Quality disposables manufacturer and supplier, Herald, has completed its hot drinks and ancillary products offering with a selection of white and brown sugar sachets and sticks. In stock now, the sugar is available by the case, meaning it can be easily added on to orders for hot cups, lids and stirrers, completing the supplementary products requirement for any hot drinks on the move offering. Herald currently supplies a full selection of single, double and triple wall, ripple cups, in a range of sizes, with a choice of biodegradable and fully compostable options, along with eco sip lids, made from CPLA, spoons and stirrers. Herald’s MD, Yogesh Patel, said: “As an established, leading supplier to the catering and food ‘to go’ sectors, our chief concern is to expand our range of products to meet the growing needs of this market. “Catering to consumers who are on the move has been the predominant requirement for many of our customers

22 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

over the past 18 months and we are delighted to now be able to provide a one-stop shop for all who serve this market, while maintaining the competitive pricing structure that Herald is known for.” Call 0208 507 7900 to order a copy of the new catalogue, or visit www.heraldplastic.com.


lunch! is the one place our entire sector comes together – you need to be there to see what they are up to.” ROGER WHITESIDE, CEO, GREGGS

CO-LOCATED WITH:

@lunchexhibition #lunch21

VISITOR REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! Book your free trade ticket at www.lunchshow.co.uk | Quote VLU6


Perfection? Virtually May saw the climax of the British Sandwich & Food to Go Industry Awards, with the winners being revealed online with a digital fanfare. Since then, we’ve been catching up with some of the winners and finding out what set them apart in the judges’ eyes. The team at Starbucks showed that, these days, they are so much more than a coffee house as they picked up the awards for New Sandwich (Hot), Healthy Eating and Marketing. Their Friends’ themed “The One with the Gravy Layer Sandwich” campaign particularly stood out in the Marketing Award. The judges felt it a “was totally in tune with their target market and tapped well into the timeless values of Friends.” Simon Gibbs

Simon Gibbs, food developer (UK) at Starbucks said the company was delighted to receive these awards and was keen to share the credit around. “Starbucks and our suppliers work hard together on innovating new and exciting products for our customers. We look forward to showcasing more innovation in the years to come,” he said.

M&S took away the New Sandwich (Cold) award with their “No Salt Beef Pretzel Roll” which the judges praised as an amazing product with well-balanced flavours and texture. Rounding out the ready-to-eat award winners were Scotmid Coop who took away the New Food to Go Award as their crossover hit “Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Rocket Pizza Sandwich” impressed the judges who described it thus, “a great product and the quality of the ingredients shone through. Deliciously crispy and the sourdough base was the star of the show.” Food to go operations manager, Danny Scobie, expressed pride at the win and went on to say: “To take part and compete against the very best within the industry and win is great recognition for what we strive to do each day at Scotmid.”

Danny Scobie – Food To Go Operations Manager Rebecca Walker – Food To Go Sales Development Manager

There was surprise from André Quist, managing director of SeaValue. “We are delighted and very surprised to win this award for our Chilled salmon pouch. This is the first time we have entered a product and to have taken the top spot for Best New Product (Ingredients) confirmed that we have a high quality and unique product,” he said. André shouldn’t have been surprised as the judges loved everything about it, saying: “This product provides a new base of flavour innovation with an excellent chilled shelf life. A great packaging format reducing waste and maximising yield with good versatility in pack sizes and functionality.”

Managing Director Mr. André Quist

Packaging specialists, Colpac, took the honours in the New Product (Packaging and Equipment) Award as their Stagione range received praise for being well presented and easy to recycle offering huge product flexibility.

CEO – Neil Goldman, Kate Berry – Head of Marketing and Product Andrew Grimbaldeston – Commercial Director


“A real game-changer” was how the judges described the winner in the Environmental Award and Peter Ralten, head specialist packaging at Sirane Ltd. was thrilled. “It was fantastic to see our name on the screen as a Winner, amongst some wonderful companies who presented in the same category. We are thrilled to have won this year’s Environmental Award for Peter Ralten, Head Specialist Packaging our fully Paper Recyclable Rachel McKenna, New Product Development Lead Ross Griffin, Head of Innovation Board Products Sandwich skillet, “The Earthwedge”. It is brilliant to have external recognition for the endless hard work and dedication provided by our team” he said.

Newton Deli received the Independent Retailer Community for their initiatives to help their local area during the pandemic. Other awards were presented to Wild Bean Café (En-Route Retailer); Greggs (Chain Retailer); Tesco (Multiple Retailer); Caffè Nero (Café Retailer) and Co-op (Convenience Retailer). The Co-op also claimed the Business Development Award for their “Ever Ground Self Serve Bean to Cup Coffee.”

The team at Greggs

Deli Lites were named Manufacturer of the Year having coped well with the challenges of Covid together with a clear strategy and approach to the EU exit. This involved the development of a new Webshop together with the expansion into frozen products and the growth of their export business.

Jackie and Brian with our Manufacturing Award and our Highly Commended Sustainability Certificate

One final special award was also announced, and this was in recognition of Business Resilience and presented to Preta-Manger. The judges could not ignore the remarkable way that the company has managed throughout the pandemic to overcome the adversity of its city centre locations to maintain and reshape its business.

Huge congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who entered. You’ll find a full rundown of the award winners at www.thesammies.co.uk.


BRITISH SANDWICH

DESIGNER OF THE YEAR 2021 Prepared to win! The lure of competition brought contestants from far and wide together in cyberspace to impress the judges with their creations. Here, we spotlight the winners in each category, starting with the overall winner, Sandwich & Food to Go Designer of the Year, Emma Taylor.

THE TOP SPOT Emma Taylor’s winning sandwich – Prawn to Be Wild - first grabbed attention during the judging for the Royal Greenland - MSC Cooked and Peeled XL Cold Water Prawn Category. The BSA’s Jim Winship elaborated: “Winners are judged on innovation, technical ability and of course, taste, across five sub-categories with one overall winner taking ‘best in show’. “This year, the standards were extremely high, but we were delighted to award the top accolade to Emma Taylor for her Prawn to be Wild Bao Bun – which combines fresh oriental

flavours with avocado, prawns and just the right amount of spice to take a walk on the wild side. The judges thought this was a brilliant concept and one to be applauded. It really showcased the product brilliantly.” Emma Taylor has worked for Greencore, one of the UK’s leading producers of convenience foods, for ten years. Talking of the award Emma Taylor said: “I started at Greencore as a work placement and actually fell in love with sandwiches on my sandwich year, so it’s a real honour to pick up this award. I enter this competition every year and it’s something I’m very passionate about. Scooping the overall winner’s prize is a kind of a dream come true. “What I love so much about this competition is that it really helps to showcase how food to go has changed and adapted over the years and continues to give developers an outlet to be really creative and have fun with food.”

The British Sandwich & Food to Go Designer competition has provided us with great networking opportunities outside the traditional commercial supplier-manufacturer relationship. However for us, the biggest take away has been to see the level of innovation, commercial viability and professionalism from participants. This competition for us has really helped to push the boundaries of what you can do with prawns in the Food to Go sector - ‘Prawn to be wild’ being a perfect example of premiumisation and food trends combined to create a pungent, delicious, colourful and gluten-free FTG prawn product. Solenne Labarere, UK market development manager at Royal Greenland


SPONSORED BY

DANISH CROWN PRECOOKED BACON CATEGORY

Competitors were asked to create a sandwich or food to go dish featuring Danish Crown - Pre-Cooked Bacon

Ed Melloy from Chandos Deli claimed the prize in this category with his Crispy Eggs & Bacon. “A creative take on a traditional bacon and egg sandwich, it was the showstopping panko runny egg that sealed the winner’s accolade for this entry, along with that amazing homemade brown sauce,” said Jim Winship. Ed Melloy is the chef at Chandos Deli Exeter. He has always been passionate about food and has worked in hospitality his whole career. He joined Chandos Deli just over a year ago and loves the freedom he now has to create new sandwiches, salads and other food to go dishes. Making everything from scratch championing local and seasonal ingredients from Devon.

SPONSORED BY

H. SMITH FOOD GROUP SHREDDED CHICKEN BREAST CATEGORY

Competitors were asked to create a sandwich or food to go dish featuring H. Smith Food Group Shredded Chicken Breast.

Frances Cope from Greencore won this category with her Naan Chicken Tikka Taco. “This was certainly an entry that looked good enough to eat. Colourful, vibrant, and full of flavour. It is especially delightful when served warm on the homemade naan bread,” said Jim Winship. Frances Cope is a product technologist at Greencore, living in Sheffield. She graduated last year with a BSc in Food Development and Innovation and this is her first time entering the competition. “I’d like to say it was a great experience entering the Sammies this year, it was fun getting involved with the sponsors ingredients creating my own recipes, and I will definitely be entering again next year!” she told us.


SPONSORED BY

LA BOULANGÈRE  BRIOCHE BAGUETTE CATEGORY

Competitors were asked to create a sandwich or food to go dish featuring the La Boulangère - Brioche Baguette.

Barny Luxmoore from the Jabberwocky won here with his Banging Finger Sandwich. “A simple but proper sandwich with loads of flavour and the judges particularly liked the banging sauce. It was also spot on for the target market of street food and festivals,” was Jim Winship’s appraisal. Barny Luxmoore has been working with food for the best part of 20 years and ten years ago he and his partner Flic started their adventure with street food when they founded The Jabberwocky. Since 2011, Barny Luxmoore has hand-made, cooked, and sold 100,000 sandwiches and toasties at events ranging from weddings to the Glastonbury Festival. “Sandwiches are my passion. I have built a life and a business around the humble sandwich, and I’m absolutely thrilled to add another Sammies award to my collection,” he said on his latest win. SPONSORED BY

MISSION FOODS CHOCOLATE FLAVOUR VEGAN TORTILLA CATEGORY

Competitors were asked to create a sandwich or food to go dish featuring the Mission Foods - Chocolate Flavour Vegan Tortilla.

Catherine Farrell from Greencore, Park Royal won this category with The Poacher’s Pocket. “We were blown away with the combination of chocolate wrap and venison on this entry. We always try to reward creativity and those who think outside the box, which was certainly the case here – especially when finished with nettle fries and blackberry chutney,” said Jim Winship. A previous winner, Catherine Farrell has been working in the sandwich industry for seven years. Having started out in technical she realised her passion was to be found in the foodie side of things and so she moved into a product development role in Greencore’s Southern sites and currently looks after the Waitrose account as product development manager. Talking of the award, Catherine Farrell said: “I’m thrilled to have won the award in this category. Food is certainly my passion, outside of work I try to make the most of living in central London and the vibrant food to go scene that is here in usual times. I regularly trawl food markets and enjoy the London restaurant scene.”

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!

“Huge thanks to everyone who sponsored, entered, judged and made what could have been a difficult process a pleasure. Congratulations to all the winners. We are already making plans for next year but in the meantime, stay safe and we will catch up again later in the year,” said Caron Parry, events manager, the British Sandwich & Food to Go Association.


THE BSA INDUSTRY DINNER

On Thursday, 21 October 2021 we will be holding the BSA Industry Dinner at the Royal Lancaster London We are delighted that Patrick Coveney, CEO of Greencore, has agreed to join us as guest speaker.

Patrick Coveney

John Maloney

The evening will also include a session with comedian John Maloney and a disco for those who wish to cast off the lockdown blues. For information about purchasing a table please contact Sandra@sandwich.org.uk


ADVICE

Ready for

Natasha’s Law? The tragic death of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse in 2016 gave the food industry a clear message that changes needed to be made with regard to the labelling of allergens. Miss Ednan-Laperouse’s death was caused by an allergic reaction to a store-bought baguette which contained unlabelled sesame. This heart-breaking event instigated work towards new legislation on allergen labelling for prepacked food for direct sale (PPDS) and ‘Natasha’s Law’ as it is now known, was the outcome. It is nearly two years since the legislation was laid before Parliament and it will come into force on the 1 October 2021. As the deadline looms, it is crucial to understand what the changes are and why they are so important. ALS Laboratories (UK) Ltd (www.als-testing. co.uk) is one of the UK’s leading providers of food and drink testing services. With six accredited laboratories located across the country, they offer a comprehensive range of high quality, analytical testing services, including microbiological, nutritional, vitamins and minerals, pesticides and contaminants, allergens and speciation. They also provide clients with a wide range of consultancy services and technical support on food safety, labelling requirements, allergens management and sensory testing. This article is written by ALS’s Luke Manning, allergen laboratory manager. WHY DO WE NEED NATASHA’S LAW? Daily life for the estimated two million individuals in the UK living with food allergies is not an easy one. Food allergies turn everyday events such as food shopping, snacking, eating at restaurants and buying convenience food into potentially life-threatening tasks. Under the ‘Food Information for Consumers Regulations 1169/2011’, the UK currently recognises 14 foods as allergens for labelling purposes: Celery, Cereals containing gluten (such as barley and oats), Crustaceans (such as prawns, crabs, and lobsters), eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs (such as mussels and oysters), mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, and tree nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, and macadamia nuts). However, many people are allergic to foods not recognised by regulation. There is no cure for food allergies and so individuals must avoid the allergen. The key to this avoidance is information which needs to be accurate, clear and readily available. 30 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

The coroner’s report of the events surrounding Natasha’s death emphasised some key points. Firstly, the allergen (sesame) was not visibly present in the product but baked into the bread dough. Secondly, as the report stated, “there was no specific allergen information on the baguette packaging … and Natasha was reassured by that.” (S. Cummings, ‘NatashaLaperouse-2018-0279 – Coroner’s REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS’. Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, Aug. 10, 2018. [Online]. Available: chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebf nladdacbdfmadadm/https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2018/10/Natasha-LAPEROUSE-2018-0279.pdf). The food item had been prepared and packaged in store. It was therefore exempt from the legal requirement to have full ingredients and allergen information labelled on the product. Add to this the presumably busy environment in the airport store where it was sold and allergen information only being available through speaking with staff or on an information sheet separate from the item. In addition, the hospitalisation admissions due to food allergy shows that events continue to increase each year, further emphasising the need for preventive measures. It becomes easy to agree with the coroner, Dr Cummins’, statement: “In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.” (see above referenced report).


ADVICE WHAT IS NATASHA’S LAW? Food has always been essential and has appeared throughout history in legislation, some laws protecting producers and other consumers. In medieval times laws existed to regulate the price, weight and quality of bread and beer. The introduction of a “baker’s dozen” (13) may have been meant as a way for bakeries to avoid “shorting” customers and invoking penalties. Today, the Food Safety Act of 1990 provides the framework for all food legislation in England, Scotland and Wales. It outlines three main responsibilities of food businesses (E. Participation, ‘Food Safety Act 1990’. Statute Law Database. [Online]. Available: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ ukpga/1990/16/contents): • Not to include anything in food, remove anything from food or treat food in any way which means it would be damaging to the health of people eating it. • Food served or sold is of the nature, substance and quality which consumers would expect. • Food is labelled, advertised or presented in a way that is not misleading or false. The Food Information for Consumers Regulations 1169/2011 significantly impact restaurants as they were now required to provide allergen information for nonprepacked food. This was implemented in the UK by the Food Information Regulations and came into force on the 14 July 2014. Natasha’s Law is part of this continuing evolution of legislation. These laws and good practice guides ensure food safety for individuals who have food allergies. Natasha’s Law specifically amends Food Information Regulations 2014, to ensure PPDS food packaging will include three mandatory items: 1) The name of the food, 2) A full Ingredient’s list ordered from largest to smallest quantity in the product (Quantitative Ingredient Declaration - QUID), and 3) The allergenic ingredients within the food must be emphasised (e.g. bold type) every time they appear in the ingredients list. This change will ensure that critical safety information about the product, will literally be in the palm of your hand. DOES THIS AFFECT MY BUSINESS? If your food business currently provides food that is PPDS, you will be affected. You must be compliant with the new legislation by the 1 October 2021. If you are unsure if any of your products qualify as PPDS foods, here is what to look for. A PPDS food is an item of food that is 1) Packaged at the same place as it is sold or offered to consumers, and 2) The packaging process is completed before the food is ordered or selected. Examples of PPDS food would include sandwiches made and packaged before a customer selects or orders them, sausages which have been packaged at a butcher ready for sale, or chilled bake-at-home pizzas pre-packaged for sale. Foods pre-prepared in institutions such as schools and care homes are not exempt from the requirements. Typical businesses which may be affected are sandwich shops, cafés, bakeries and catering companies.

It is equally important to understand which products are not affected. If the products provided are ordered by customers not on the premises while ordering, such as in the case of many take-away restaurants, it would be considered “distance selling” and those restaurants are exempt. But whether a product is classified as PPDS is not always straight-forward. If, for instance, you need to open or change the packaging of a partly packaged food product in any way, it is still considered PPDS. The decision tree below is a useful tool for classification of a product. An interactive version of the below decision tree is available on the Food Standards Agency’s website (‘Allergen and ingredients food labelling decision tool’, Food Standards Agency. https://www.food.gov. uk/allergen-ingredients-food-labelling-decision-tool). Does the consumer choose or order the food in person at the premises?

NO DISTANCE SELLING

YES Is the food presented to the consumer in packaging? (Packaging that prevents alteration of the product without removal/change) changing)

NO

NON-PREPACKED FOOD

YES

Is the food packaged before the consumer selects or orders it?

NO

YES

NO Is the food packaged at the same place it is sold?

PREPACKED

YES PREPACKED FOR DIRECT SALE (PPDS)

In summary, Natasha’s Law will now require all PPDS foods to be labelled with: • The product name • An Ingredients list (QUID) • All allergens emphasised in the ingredient list The changes must be implemented by the 1 October 2021. The Food Standard Agency has produced several highquality technical documents, guides, and training materials to support businesses through the transition period. These documents are freely available through their website (www. food.gov.uk). As the food industry takes another step along the road towards safer food for all individuals, it is a testament to the sector’s ability to continually adapt and improve even during difficult times.

www.sandwich.org.uk July 2021 31


The importance of

allergen labelling As food businesses across the UK re-opened last month, many have only just begun to look at the obligations and compliance requirements that need to be met by 1 October 2021 for Natasha’s Law (the legislation coming into effect following the tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who suffered a fatal allergic reaction after eating a pre-packed baguette). FULLY INFORMED Food allergens can be life threatening, and the only way people can manage a food allergy is to avoid the foods that make them ill. In the UK, it is estimated that 1-2% of adults and 5-8% of children have a food allergy. This equates to around two million people living in the UK with a food allergy; this figure does not include those with food intolerances (indeed, there are even more people living with a food intolerance).

An allergic reaction can be produced by a tiny amount of a food ingredient that a person is sensitive to (for example a teaspoon of milk powder, a fragment of peanut or just one or two sesame seeds). Symptoms of an allergic reaction can range from mild symptoms such as itching around the mouth and rashes or can progress to more severe symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, wheezing and on occasion anaphylaxis shock. It even can cause, like in the tragic case of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, death.

32 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

When purchasing a product, labels, especially brand labels, are the first thing consumers tend to see. Labels draw attention to the product. Depending on the design of the product, labels and packaging make a strong team and should complement each other. In addition, labels are a source of information for consumers – a list of ingredients pointing out allergens so as to prevent people from buying the wrong products. In turn, this makes foods safer as required by UK Food Information Amendment (also known as Natasha’s Law), and requires food businesses to provide full ingredient lists and allergen labelling on foods prepackaged for direct sale on the premises. The legislation is being introduced to protect allergy sufferers and give them confidence in the food they buy. PPDS (Prepacked for Direct Sale) food will have to clearly display the name of the food and a full ingredients list, with allergenic ingredients emphasised (for example


all-in-one solution & easy-to-use

FREE samples & more information

Print Speed 15.24 cm /sec.

Toner CMY dry toner

Volume 1-7500 labels

Warranty 36 months

Print labels that are conform to Natasha’s Law! Can be placed directly at POS due its compact size.


ALLERGENS in bold, italics or a different colour) on the packaging. A few years ago, the EU also installed the EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation (No.1169/2011) that outlines the requirements for businesses providing food sold prepacked and non-prepacked (loose), such as food sold in a restaurant or takeaway. In order to have food product labels that are compliant with the new UK Food Information Amendment regulation, it’s not enough to just list allergens that are included in your product, point out DTM Print (who offer label printers that print full-colour, as well as ondemand labels, that are well suited for labelling PPDS food in order to meet the requirements of Natasha’s Law). You also have to use a certain font size depending on the size of your label, and you also have to highlight those allergens in a certain way (more information about this can be found at the BSA web site – www.sandwich.org.uk).

FIRST SOURCE A product label is the first source of information for people with food allergy and/or intolerance to help them decide if they can buy and eat that product without risking an allergic reaction, and recent studies have shown that the readability of information is a key factor to the consumer’s purchasing decision, DTM Print report. Food producers also have the challenge of designing a product label, which on the one hand contains all information required by the authorities but is on the other hand attractive for the customers.

To capture all ingredients listed on a product label - at a glance - could be quite difficult, especially when the product itself is rather small (like chocolate bars). In the creation and production of these labels, manufacturers therefore need a printing process which guarantees razor-sharp printouts even with a very small font size on a small label - the printed quality and appearance of these labels being extremely important and thus necessitating a professional appearance on packages. As well as helping to ensure compliance, this can easily make the difference between a product selling well or simply sitting on the retail shelf, advise DTM Print. DTM Print, as an international OEM and solution provider for speciality printing systems, offers label printers that give food businesses the opportunity to print their own labels. Printing labels in-house gives the flexibility to react to market changes and to changes in their ingredient list, they feel, with operators able to print labels on-demand the day their foods are packed (you can then connect them with your database that contains all the current ingredients of each product). Their product portfolio includes label printers using either inkjet or dry toner LED laser printer. The advantages of colour inkjet and colour laser label printing over other label printing technologies, they propose, include a lower cost per label leading to higher profits, time savings and fast adaption. Printing only the number of labels you need is always a better choice and will cost less, they point out. Why order thousands, or even tens of thousands, of labels from an outside vendor when you only need 500? You’ll also save money by eliminating obsolete label inventory. Since businesses invariably print the labels when and where they need them, and only in the

34 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

quantities needed, you can also save time and be able to get your product to market faster, they add. And since ingredients or legal requirements can change from one day to the other, manufacturers have to be able to adapt their product labels immediately without additional costs for new printing plates or cutting dies, DTM Print also emphasise. INCREASED CONFIDENCE CGA research conducted on behalf of Access Hospitality has shown that 87% of consumers with serious food allergies or intolerances are poised to feel more confident in trusting the content of pre-packaged food out of home once Natasha’s Law is in place. The CGA survey showed that 39% of British consumers have some form of dietary requirement and over one in seven consumers (15%) with serious food allergies or intolerances feel that they can’t trust the food they eat out of home. Nearly two thirds of this group (61%) are likely to purchase food to go “more” or “much more” frequently than they did previously once Natasha’s Law is in place, they found, so operating procedures should not only be compliant but communicated clearly to improve confidence and trust and attract this important customer base, the researchers recommend. The research was shared in a webinar to help operators understand and implement the adjustments to operating practices that are required. Hosted by Henry Seddon, managing director of Access Hospitality, the webinar also included clear advice on the details of Natasha’s Law from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), supply chain procedures from BidFood and the role of technology in implementing changes consistently and safely and is now available to watch on demand via their web site. Henry Seddon commented: “Although 39% of British consumers have dietary requirements, 88% of people will personally feel the


ALLERGENS benefits of Natasha’s Law, or know someone who will. It therefore makes good business sense for anyone involved in the production and sale of pre-packaged food to be absolutely clear on their responsibilities and share that certainty with customers. “Consumers with a serious food allergy or intolerance will spend, on average, £94 a month drinking or eating out, compared to an average monthly spend of £76 by non-allergic or intolerant consumer, highlighting how valuable their custom is to the market. The advice provided by the FSA in the Access Hospitality webinar clarifies exactly what is included in Natasha’s Law, with some practical examples, and we explore how technology can make compliance and communication a seamless process along the supply chain.” The Access Group is a provider of business management software to mid-sized UK and Asia Pacific organisations, helping more than 47,000 customers across commercial and not-for-profit sectors become more productive and efficient. The Access Hospitality webinar – Getting ready for Natasha’s Law – forms part of a wider support hub offering free resources, including a factsheet and guide to preparing for the law, that is available for all out of home operators at https://theaccessgroup. com/allergens.

ALLERGEN LABELLING ETHOS Rozanne Stevens an award-winning wholefood chef, cookery tutor, speaker and sustainability champion - is one of the partners with nutrition analysis and menu management company, Nutritics, in the UK Food Labelling Resource and her views on Natasha’s Law are informed by experience of working in a kitchen, tutoring students and a background studying law. Her tips include the following for managing Natasha’s Law. Look at the spirit, the ‘why’ behind the law When I’m preparing food or if I’m working in a kitchen, I’m very much aware that I could be feeding someone’s elderly parents, someone’s child or a vulnerable person. Having this attitude transforms it from being a ‘ticking the box’ exercise and it becomes something more meaningful. We must never forget that there is an intrinsic duty of care behind the law. Start now For food businesses carrying out correct allergen management, it should start before procurement, with menu planning, training your staff and knowing your ingredients. Knowing the ingredients is about more than just creating an itemised list but understanding the allergens and nutrient content of the foods you use. Correct allergen management involves using solutions like Nutritics - inputting all ingredients accurately and having standardised menus and recipes. Training staff is also a very important part of the overall process. Don’t be afraid of allergenic foods I’ve seen companies that jump through hoops to avoid allergenic foods but that’s not necessary. The one caveat I’d make is for choosing glutenfree products where possible, and not using peanut or sesame oil. Easy changes which equal less chance of cross-contamination. The key is to be accurate, diligent and take your duty of care seriously. Use all the tools and technologies that are available to you. Don’t make it up as you go along. It is your responsibility to provide accurate information to allergy sufferers. They are placing their trust in you. Approach this as you already do with food safety/HACCP In many ways, the new law is about transferring an attitude you already have and adopting it to another area of your business. Most food businesses are already vigilant when it comes to clean kitchens and preparing foods safely. Now you need to take that experience and attitude and adopt the same level of care to your allergen labelling. It’s not about reinventing the wheel. It’s simply another layer of what you’re already doing or should be doing. It’s just that now there’s a new law enacting it.

www.sandwich.org.uk July 2021 35


LABELLING PRODUCTS

Allergen

labelling solutions Natasha’s Law means that all businesses selling pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) food must, by law, from 1 October 2021, display a label on the packaging which contains the product name and a full ingredient list with all 14 allergens highlighted, with an increasing number of solutions now available to enable operators to do this. PREPARATION Stephen Nolan, managing director of Nutritics – a well known provider of recipe management and food labelling software – says that they have been working closely over the last year with businesses of all sizes, enabling them to set up accurate and efficient processes to comply with Natasha’s Law. “This regulation means that from 1 October 2021 any PPDS food sold, or provided to a consumer, needs to be labelled to the standards set out by the FSA. To produce an accurate label, food businesses need to ensure that for each product, they have accurately tracked its development from individual ingredients as they arrive from suppliers, to the recipe of that product, whether it’s bread, salad dressing, a sauce or sandwich filling, and make sure that they’ve noted every ingredient and allergen so consumers can make an informed choice,” explains Stephen Nolan. “At Nutritics, we find customers are looking for a solution that will give them peace of mind that the information on the label is completely accurate. The first advice we give any business is to look at their stock and suppliers across their product range. They need to know what ingredients they have coming in from each supplier, what exactly is in anything that is pre-made, and also have a process in place where any substitutions are agreed in advance and notified. This will allow the food operator to create an accurate database of ingredients and any associated allergens which integrates into their PPDS food offering. “One impact of Natasha’s Law is that food businesses need to think differently when it comes to making a last minute substitution to a recipe or adding a new product at short notice. If you don’t already have that substitution or new ingredient in your database, you need to go back and check for allergens and what that means for the label to the customer. Staff need to be aware of this extra step and why it’s important. Our team works through all of 36 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

these scenarios with each customer and then we look at how having a software package can provide a solution and minimise any risks. “We’ve been incredibly busy working with both existing and new customers preparing for Natasha’s Law and we expect it to continue this way for the rest of the year. We believe that Nutritics is the only software on the market that offers a single, end-to-end solution for Natasha’s Law. “From capturing ingredient information right through to printable, compliant labels, our solution takes care of everything. Not only that, it manages updates automatically, minimising human error. We match food operators with our database of suppliers and then empower them to manage their own recipe information, showing them how to flag substitutions and print accurate labels - regardless of location.” STAYING COMPLIANT York-based chef, Mark Morgan-Huntley, is one of several labelling solution providers to the sector who is urging business owners to plan ahead for new legislation that will affect hundreds of thousands of organisations selling food products. In particular, Natasha’s Law impacts businesses and traders who produce and package food for sale. Under current rules, food prepared on the premises in which it is sold does not have to display full allergen information in writing. The new requirements apply to ‘prepacked for direct sale’ (PPDS) items, which is food that is packaged onsite at the same premises where a customer then selects or orders it, meaning that once Natasha’s Law comes into effect, each PPDS food item will need a label containing a full ingredients list. Using his knowledge and insight into the industry, Mark Morgan-Huntley has pioneered a food labelling system called Allergen Checker, which is helping hundreds of businesses ensure they will be compliant with the new regulations.


Follow Us On

Your Complete Food Labelling System For less than £1 per day* Easy Online Software Allergen Management Labels • Menus • QR Codes Clear Allergen Icons

Celery

Crustaceans

Egg

Fish

Milk

Molluscs

Gluten

Mustard

Lupin

Nuts

Peanuts

Sesame

Soya

Sulphur Dioxide

Trace

Ingredients

QR Codes Available For Allergen Menus GET YOUR 7-DAY FREE TRIAL

We donate

£10

per every new subscription

allergenchecker.co.uk

* Yearly subscription is £360 incl. VAT and is required to print labels and menus. © Allergen Checker 2020 Limited. All rights reserved. Reg no: 12511552


LABELLING PRODUCTS “For some people who have food allergies, eating the wrong thing can mean life or death. It is estimated that two million people are living with a food allergy in the UK, and around 600,000 people suffer with coeliac disease,” says Mark Morgan-Huntley. “Natasha’s family have campaigned tirelessly to bring about these regulatory changes and I agree that we should do as much as we can to ensure our products won’t harm anyone. Natasha’s Law will not only prevent severe reactions and deaths, it will also provide reassurance to people who have food allergies. “As someone who has worked in catering for many years, I wanted to find a solution to this challenge for businesses in the industry. I have designed Allergen Checker to help conscientious caterers protect their customers.”

SAFETY FIRST Allergen Checker allows users to create their own virtual store cupboard, input ingredients, identify allergens and print menus as well as customised full ingredient labels to attach to items, so customers know exactly what’s in their food. Sean Gobbi is the catering manager at the Little Green Rascals Organic Day Nursery group based in North Yorkshire, which caters for around 450 hungry little mouths a day. He has invested in Allergen Checker’s ‘Plus’ package and describes the system as “a lifeline”. “It is our responsibility to ensure the safety of all our children on a daily basis, as babies up until pre-school these young people do not yet have the immune system development to try and fight any substance that could be detrimental to their health,” says Sean Gobbi. “We work with nearly 50 different dietary requirements, including some severe allergies to ingredients not on the official allergen list, so we treat this responsibility with the utmost importance. “Allergen Checker has been integrated into each of our seven Little Green Rascals sites, and it is proving to be a real lifeline. Mark manages our data inputting, ensuring that all our information is completely accurate, and saving us a huge amount of time. 38 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

“All that is left to do for us is to print off the label that corresponds with the dish we are producing and attach them to the products. The information that is displayed instantly lets the chefs and the practitioners know exactly what is present in every dish. “The peace of mind Allergen Checker gives us married with the procedures we have in place already means that we can be 100% confident we have done everything that we can to keep our future generation as safe as possible.”

EASY TO USE Another Allergen Checker user, Nathan Kelly, who is the head chef at the famous stately home Castle Howard in North Yorkshire, says: “We use Allergen Checker’s software on a daily basis. It allows us to package our own range of freshly baked goods and daily prepared sandwiches while complying with all allergen guidelines and requirements. “The software is incredibly easy to use and navigate. We input ingredients directly from our suppliers and create personalised labelling. It produces a clear and informed label that can be printed on site using your own choice of label paper. “It is visually, well designed, up to date software. In summary it is extremely effective, easy to operate and maintain.” The Allergen Checker subscription-based service costs less than £1 per day for unlimited ingredients labelling, and the company is also donating £10 per subscription to the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, which funds vital research into food allergies.


LABELLING PRODUCTS

NEW PARTNERSHIP Labelling and packaging provider, Planglow, has teamed up with food data specialist Erudus (www.erudus.com) to offer caterers direct access to thousands of branded products which may then be added directly to the caterers own food and drink labelling. This includes data sets from 140 national and regional wholesalers as well as the full ingredient declarations for 42,000 branded products from 800 manufacturers. This new feature is available through Planglow’s multiaward-winning labelling app LabelLogic Live. A quick and easy to use piece of software, it allows users to create and print their own food labelling online using any internetconnected device and a standard office/home printer,

helping ensure legally compliant labelling for its users including the UK Food Information Amendment (also known as Natasha’s Law). “With Erudus’s support we’ve been able to complement the existing capabilities of our own food labelling software to create an enhanced labelling solution for caterers using branded products in their food to go items. Our ethos is very similar, and we are delighted to have partnered with a company whose trusted data expertise so ably supports our own,” says Planglow’s national account director, Neil Steadman. Erudus COO, Jon Shayler, adds: “Planglow’s LabelLogic Live label printing is the crucial kind of solution that’s going to help caterers adapt to the upcoming Natasha’s Law, and the forward thinking of integrating it with our data pool means caterers can benefit from multiple efficiencies and benefits that will ultimately be passed on to their customers. Welcome to the Erudus fold, Planglow.” Devon-based college, Petroc, is one customer already benefitting from the integration. “It’s really easy to use. For example, if I was building a sandwich product (in the software), I select the code for the bread, the code for the butter, and the code for the filling - it’s as easy as that - and I know it’ll be correct. At the end of the day, it gives me peace of mind and that’s what this is

www.sandwich.org.uk July 2021 39


LABELLING PRODUCTS really about,” says Petroc’s catering support administrator, Paula Young. Through LabelLogic Live, caterers can already create and print their own branded food labels, including basic product information, right through to barcodes, QUIDS, nutritional data, Reference Intakes and allergen information. However, by integrating the Erudus database with LabelLogic Live, this now encompasses the full ingredient declarations and nutritional breakdowns of thousands of branded products, as well as offering direct access to the data sets of 140 wholesalers. “For caterers working with a regional or national wholesaler, the integration offers a direct route for automatically adding ingredients purchased from the wholesaler to their own food and drink products,” adds Neil Steadman. “So it’s a case of simply typing in the product code as opposed to manually inputting data from a spec sheet, which then provides users with accurate product information that’s always up to date. Meanwhile, in the case of foodservice providers who might not necessarily purchase from a wholesaler but who use a lot of branded ingredients, that caterer is now able to access a full ingredient declaration and nutritional breakdown of say a specific mayonnaise and incorporate that information into their own labelling.” LabelLogic Live (www.labellogiclive.com) is accessible via any internet connected device (laptop, mobile phone, computer etc). It prints labels using a standard home/office printer, and is offered on a subscription basis with flexible payment options available. It can also be integrated with a range of recipe management software programmes allowing users to automatically sync recipes, ingredients and other data, and Erudus integrations are available on request.

ON SITE, ON DEMAND Positive ID Labels originally developed their software some time back to deal with the EU FIC regulations that came into force in 2016. “The crux of the problem this created for food producers is the data preparation for labels. The software solution we have is web-based, so independent of 40 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

operating systems - i.e. it works on Apple, Windows, Linux, Android etc.,” says director, Peter Howells. The company’s software solution is called Nutridata (www.nutridata.co.uk) and works by defining allergens in a library, loading pantry ingredients to make a recipe with all the allergens highlighted so as to be able to associate them with a particular product where additional data like barcodes, use by offset dates are defined. The products can then be downloaded as an Excel spreadsheet. Their software comes in two variants. Nutridata Lite automatically highlights allergens (there are about 150 pre-defined allergens in the 14 categories, but the user can edit these themselves, and the system will not detect misspelled allergens), automatically prepares ingredient declarations and automatically places ingredients in QUID order (with percentages). Nutridata Pro has the added feature of offering nutrition data per 100g and per serving. It also calculates cost of ingredients for each recipe, performs a cook loss calculation and provides a product data sheets for kitchen staff. “When the data has been prepared, the data is downloaded from the website. On the user’s computer, this is linked to the labelling software so all the products in the database become available immediately. There is no need to design every label, we just design a template around the business brand that the information is placed on,” explains Peter Howells. “Nutridata forms the first stage of our solution towards labelling for food producers. The main components of our solution for any food producer, irrespective of Natasha’s Law, includes the following.” 1. Nutridata prepares the data that goes on the label. 2. LabelDirect - an off-the-shelf programme which designs labels using a Windows PC. 3. Label printer - we supply label printers using direct thermal or thermal transfer printing (direct thermal suits the food sector as the labels do not need to endure for years). 4. The labels. “The components outlined above are great for single user businesses who just need a single system running on a Windows PC.” Printing on site, on demand, gets rid of lots of problems, point out Positive ID Labels. There is minimal waste, as printing on demand produces the right quantity of labels every time. No stock holding, other than template labels for the printer, is required (having 30 product lines would mean lots of storage and stock management if you opted for ‘bureau printed’ labels supplied in advance). Additionally, there is minimal risk of running out of stock and preventing sales from not having the right labels available, as well as limited risk of having to bin labels if there are errors on them (preordering lots of labels means any changes in product


Are you ready for Natasha’s law? With Natasha’s law coming in to effect on 1st October 2021, all pre-packaged food and drink will require full ingredient labelling. Our easy to use software LabelLogic Live creates and prints compliant, eye-catching labels at the click of a button. It’s nice and quick and I know I can trust that information. It’s made ordering much easier too. We had a lot of software companies contacting us, but LabelLogic Live was so user friendly and low cost, it fitted our requirements, meaning we didn’t need to look elsewhere. At the end of the day, it gives me peace of mind and that’s what this is really about. Paula Young, Catering Support Administrator, Petroc College

T 0117 317 8600

E info@planglow.com

W www.planglow.com


LABELLING PRODUCTS cannot be implemented). Labels can also be date stamped at time of print with no need for additional date labelling. “We recognised that training staff to use a standalone labelling system - if it was managed on-site - would potentially be a huge cost burden and prone to error, so we made the user-end of the system child’s play to use, and confidently estimate training a user to be less than one minute,” adds Peter Howells. “The company can manage their labels and data at head office with a well-trained individual in charge - a pretty normal arrangement for compliance. When the head office controller prepares the label data and design, they can then upload the data to another website we developed that does all the work of distributing the data. It is just a functional website at www.labeldata.uk “The controller uploads their nutridata database and label design files from LabelDirect. This is now available to be polled by the remote outlets. “At the remote outlet, an Android device has our Label Printer app installed. They need one of our printers and labels for that printer. The user simply opens the app and is presented with the categories of labels that have been prepared by the head office controller. So the user might see a list like baguettes, white sandwiches, salads, pastas etc. Whatever categories the controller created. The

42 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

user then uses the touch screen to select the category, then the product they want labels for. They choose the number of labels they want and press print.” Their system also allows for each remote site to identify itself for public health tracking and the use by or best before date can be added to the product based on the specification set by the controller in Nutridata. One major challenge faced by businesses is implementing changes or adding new products, point out Positive ID Labels, but because their solution works over the internet (rather than distributing memory cards or distributing pre-printed labels), they can instantaneously distribute new data. “To add a new product, the head office controller builds the recipe and product in Nutridata and then re-runs the Label Direct software to create the new label file. This gets uploaded to the LabelData.uk website and hey-presto, every remote outlet has the new product,” explains Peter Howells. “An ingredient change is done the exact same way. The controller updates an ingredient composition in Nutridata, downloads the new database then re-runs the Label Direct file and uploads the files to LabelData. uk. This means any errors or new allergens found in ingredients are immediately updated across the business.”


THE ONLY SINGLE SOLUTION FOR NATASHA’S LAW COMPLIANCE COMPLIANCE WITH FOOD LAW

REAL-TIME INGREDIENT UPDATES

STRONG COMMUNICATION WITH SUPPLIERS

ACCURATE ALLERGEN LABEL INFORMATION

IMPROVED CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

SIMPLE SETUP AND FREE TRIAL

info@nutritics.ie

www.nutritics.com

0203 769 5265

To advertise please call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 July 2021 43


EMPLOYMENT

Tackling the sector’s

STAFFING CRISIS Trade body, UKHospitality – which acts a voice for some 730 companies operating around 85,000 venues - has unveiled a new 12-point plan to tackle the current staffing crisis facing an industry that remains in a hugely fragile state following more than a year of closures and severely restricted trading. IMPACT OF UNCERTAINTY Recent UKHospitality research has confirmed widespread anecdotal reports of an acute shortage in various roles, particularly front-of-house staff and chefs, which in some areas is preventing sites opening and forcing businesses to restrict their trading hours. While there are a variety of reasons for the current shortage, UKHospitality have found, ongoing lack of confidence in the hospitality sector is having a damaging impact on recruitment efforts. To redress this shortage, UKHospitality has produced a comprehensive 12-point plan that aims to help attract people to jobs and careers in the sector and fill vacancies. The plan focuses on shortterm solutions the sector is facing but also looks at some medium- and long-term actions, outlining what both employers can do and how the government can support these efforts. This includes short-term actions to boost collaboration between the industry and government, schools, colleges and universities, along with broader measures to improve perceptions of the sector as an employer, introduce new qualifications and grow the pool of available workers in the economy. The plan follows the launch of a new partnership between

UKHospitality and the Department for Work & Pensions to promote jobs in hospitality, which saw sessions run by work coaches in every region of England, as well as across Scotland and Wales recently. “Hospitality offers a wonderfully diverse range of roles and exciting careers and is a stable employer for millions of people across the UK. Staff at all levels play a crucial role delivering world-class hospitality at the very heart of their communities, with employers large and small offering high-class training schemes, apprenticeships and career development pathways,” says

Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality. “However, it’s clear that we need to attract new people to our sector and highlight the benefits of a job or career in hospitality. Prior to the pandemic, we employed 3.2m people and were the third largest private sector employer in the UK. By working closely with government on implementing this plan, the sector can restore confidence and bounce back even stronger, so hospitality is once again seen as a dynamic and exciting sector of growth, and a provider of fulfilling careers that will help power the UK’s economic and social recovery.”

BSA’S DRIVE FOR PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE “There is a serious crisis arising over shortages of labour across a number of sectors of the UK economy. We wrote to the prime minister very recently about this, and we are also liaising with a number of All Party Parliamentary Groups in order to get a debate in the House of Commons,” says BSA director, Jim Winship. “As part of this campaign we are also working with the Food & Drink Federation and a number of other trade bodies to gather evidence to support the case. Our aim is to generate a report which can be presented to Ministers and MPs to demonstrate that this is a very real problem that will have a substantial impact on the economy. “We would welcome any evidence you can provide us to support our arguments, both in terms of specific staffing shortages, as well as the impact this is having on your business (e.g. reduced production). If you would prefer not to be named in the report, please let me know and I will treat the information in confidence, but we would still welcome any evidence you can give us.”

44 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk


EMPLOYMENT VITAL CONTRIBUTION According to UKHopitality, the sector as a whole creates £130bn in economic activity and generates £39bn of tax for the Exchequer, in turn funding vital services. Hospitality represents 10% of UK employment, 6% of businesses and 5% of GDP. Hospitality is the third largest private sector employer in the UK; double the size of financial services and bigger than automotive, pharmaceuticals and aerospace combined. THE 12-POINT PLAN Short-term 1. Government to commit as early as possible to remove all restrictions and restore confidence in working in the sector. 2. Government – central and local - and industry to highlight the looming deadline for Settled

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Status applications (30 June 2021) and reassure workers overseas that they can return. Industry to work closely with DWP and others to promote jobs and careers in the sector, with government ministers talking up the sector at every opportunity. Industry to engage with secondary schools, colleges and universities to encourage their students into the sector when term finishes. Industry will continue to work in collaboration with DWP to make sure Kickstart works to the fullest for young people and the sector. HMT to immediately freeze the liquidation of employers’ Apprenticeship Levy funding – to allow industry to invest in high-quality training. UKH to facilitate additional promotion of CareerScope web site.

8. Hospitality and tourism sector to launch recruitment and retention campaign. Medium-term 9. Expedite the introduction of a Catering T-level and commit to a Hospitality T-level. 10. Government to amend the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) and ensure that chefs and other vital roles are returned to the list – alongside a Youth Mobility Scheme. 11. Make permanent the reduced rate of VAT and double the Employer National Insurance Contribution threshold to support businesses to grow and pay higher wages. Longer-term 12. Review the impact of the new immigration system and its effect on the competitiveness and recovery of the hospitality sector and the wider economy.

www.sandwich.org.uk July 2021 45


flavour EXTRA

FUTURE OUTLOOK Global flavour expert, McCormick, says that it has uncovered some of the likely trends that will shape the way we all cook, flavour and eat, having just revealed the twenty first edition of its Flavour Forecast®. Since 2000, McCormick’s Flavour Forecast has been identifying the top trends and ingredients to discover the tastes of tomorrow. Created by a global team of McCormick experts, including chefs, culinary professionals, trend trackers and food technologists, the Flavour Forecast aims to inspire culinary exploration and innovation around the world. This year’s latest trends open up new limits in the plant-based world with Plants Pushing Boundaries, invite comforting global flavours to the table in approachable ways with Humble Nosh and deliver the fresh, undiscovered ingredients and textures of the coast direct to the palate with Underwater, Under Discovered. In addition, there is a burgeoning trend to reignite our health and wellness through the re-emergence of mindful eating and intentional ingredients based on ancient philosophy, say McCormick, with the Physiological Eating trend. McCormick describe the Humble Nosh trend as “approachable, nostalgic

and global”. Drawing inspiration from the Yiddish word ‘nashn’, meaning ‘to nibble on’, rising global flavours are combined with universal food and drink formats to ‘travel locally’ and taste new flavours comfortably. In a time when many of us are seeking order and comfort in our lives, food delivers the nourishment we’re craving, feel the company, and so we seek out familiar ‘nosh’ that has the power to give us ‘the warm fuzzies’ with each bite or sip. As a result, we find pleasure in the approachable, allowing us to gently dip a toe or two outside of our comfort zone, but without the risks sometimes associated with diving in the whole way they propose. This connection to people, places and comfort through food is happening all over the world. From East to West, nostalgic foods, twists on classic meals and an emphasis on global curiosities all help us feel well-travelled in a safe, ‘still close to home’ way. “Chefs and home cooks alike are using vibrant and unusual blends such as Chaat Masala (a fruity, savoury Indian spice blend with mango powder and black salt) to add a flavoursome twist to everyday comfort classics,” reports Ian Craddock, senior research chef, McCormick UK. “Chaat Masala Seasoning is a fruity and totally unique seasoning blend

46 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

As the food to go sector welcomes back its dearly missed customers, operators will need to tap into the latest trends and product launches to help make their offerings exciting and desirable, with the right use of herbs and spices, sauces and condiments helping to elevate any dish from average to wonderful. traditionally used to flavour Indian street snacks but can be used for so much more, like in drinks, curries and salads. Try pairing it with lemon in Chaat Masala and Lemon Loaded Fries (main picture) for a play on Indian street food.” Gary Patterson, executive chef and culinary director, McCormick US suggests Pandan Kaya Donuts. “Made with both pandan extract and filled with pandan kaya custard, these donuts are a sweet way to enjoy the coconutty, eggy flavour of the popular Malaysian green jam,” he says. The Plants Pushing Boundaries trend is all about indulgent, satiating, sensational and playful, flavourful vegetables, say McCormick - fruit and botanicals are pushed beyond their healthy halo into sweet and savoury food and beverages. Plant-based eating is now mainstream, they point out, veggies have moved from the side of plate to the main event. This trend is about embracing all the brilliant colour, vibrant ingredients and playful plants flavours that heighten the eating experience, and whether vegan or just curious, there’s something for everyone - colour, texture, satiety and even sweetness - in this boundary-busting trend.


TMI makes the perfect Pigs in Blankets for the perfect Christmas offer Festive Favourite The perfect balance of savoury and sweetness make this product everyone’s winter favourite. Delicious cocktail sausages are hand wrapped in perfectly cooked bacon, made from premium pork bellies for a delicious snack. Visit www.dawnfarms.ie/tmi-foods to place your order


SAUCES & CONDIMENTS Whatever your reason for exploring plant-based (dietary, environment or just for fun) these exciting innovations dig below the surface to discover a new way of florafocused eating. Explore how the simple effect of charring elevates produce to a whole new sensory level and consider outside-the-box ingredients like juniper and Sichuan buttons for a dining experience like no other, suggest McCormick. “Try an umami-rich Charred Tomato Ketchup,” says Ian Craddock. “Charring tomatoes on the grill brings a rich, complex flavour twist to this umamipacked favourite.” NEW LAUNCHES A London-based woman who lost her father, grandmother and two brothers in the Somali Civil War says that she has now achieved a life-long ambition by launching her own range of Africainspired sauces and pastes. Saida Mia is behind a range of six products – three sauces and three pastes – using plant-based ingredients to create bold and distinctive flavours that have been passed down through generations of her family. Her range of sauces and pastes come in three flavours – Spiced Tagine, Berbere and Maraq – inspired by Morocco and Tunisia, Ethiopia and Somalia respectively. The sauces can be used to create a delicious meal quickly and easily, making delicious, traditional or fusion meals with vegetables, meat or fish. They are also suited to serving with couscous, flavoured or plain rice, or bread or a traditional Injera flatbread. Saida Mia was born in Somalia before her surgeon father’s job took her to Italy when she was six, but after returning to her country of birth to see family in 1990, she and her seven sisters and two brothers were caught up in the conflict that raged between the Somali armed forces and various rebel groups. Saida and a sister managed to flee to

neighbouring Kenya, but not before her father, grandfather and two brothers were killed in the fighting; Saida then being separated from her mother and the rest of her siblings for decades. However, she made it to the UK as a 15-year-old and was taken in by a family and subsequently went on to graduate with a master’s degree from what is now the University of Westminster. Saida Mia says that her love of cooking began as a young girl when she used to return to Somalia from Italy for the summer holidays. There she was taught the art of using herbs and spices by her grandmother, Xowa, an inspirational cook who had travelled around Africa, the Middle East, Italy and Portugal.

“These recipes have been in my family for a very long time,” says Saida Mia. “The only communication I had with the Somali side of my family was through food – we’d talk about food all the time and share recipes.”

ADDING A SPICY KICK Earlier this year, Firelli launched its all-natural Italian hot sauce from Parma, Italy, as part of the Biggar & Leith portfolio of fine food and drink brands. An artisan hot sauce, it is hand-crafted from natural ingredients in Parma, including Calabrian chilli peppers, roasted red peppers, porcini mushrooms, Balsamic vinegar and a touch of Italian sea salt. Described as a healthier alternative to chilli oil on pizza, it is also delicious on pasta, egg and salads, suggest Firelli, having been created to offer a medium spiced, not overwhelmingly hot, but rich and rounded, spicy kick to food.

48 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

The Saida Mia range of Africainspired sauces and pastes is currently available to buy on her web site (www. saidamia.com), but she is hoping to launch her products into retail stores very soon, and is looking for retail partners who are especially interested in ethnic products. Country Range (www.countryrange. co.uk) has announced the launch of a new smooth and silky Vegan Mayonnaise just in time for the key condiment month of August. The new flavour-forward mayo has been specially made to provide a thicker, creamier and more luxurious mouthfeel, claim the company, and is perfect for those following a vegan or plant-based diet, or those simply looking to cut down on the amount of animal products they consume. The new versatile mayo contains no allergens and comes in a convenient 2.27 litre pack to help chefs cut down on wastage. A record 500,000 people signed up for Veganuary in January and a survey earlier this year from shopping comparison site Finder.com highlighted that there has been a further 40% increase in the number of people following a vegan diet since January 2020. With an estimated one in four new products launched in the UK now vegan, it’s no surprise that the quality within the plant-based sector has shot up as discerning consumers search for great taste and not just a vegan tick box. “The vegan and plant-based trend is showing no signs of slowing down so it’s vital that operators of all sizes are able to cater to this growing market. With summer approaching and the key barbecue season of August on the horizon, where condiments reign supreme, our new Vegan Mayo is a winner every day, whether you’re sprucing up salads, saucing up sandwiches or lubricating and livening up your barbecued treats,” says Kate Bancroft, Country Range Group marketing manager.



PACKAGING

Demanding times and future challenges Having launched a number of new packaging products in recent times - all aimed at the food to go sector - Colpac’s commercial director, Andrew Grimbaldeston (pictured), reports that they have learnt a lot more about their customers, while also drawing attention to the latest trends, waste disposal and sustainability initiatives that are likely to shape packaging development in the coming years. What are food to go operators requesting from their packaging suppliers at the moment? The hot food to go category is witnessing significant growth. This sector is looking to make the most of the developments in food and internet technology to provide much more choice across all day parts. For instance, sizes are being pushed out against both ends of our Stagione®

range (main picture) with the launch of the 150ml and 250ml supporting requirements for single proteins, desserts, and the travel market. We are looking at developing the range still further, to cater for further food to go operator requirements. But it is not just hot food to go that is driving this growth. The increased awareness around food provenance is extending into packaging and the

50 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

continued growth of “fresh” really fits across our ranges. The takeaway and delivered food sectors have grown exponentially as a result of COVID. Through our existing product ranges, we are well placed to


PACKAGING support this development, and we have won new accounts in different parts of the world to supply the expansion of businesses entering this market. We have been very active with our customers, helping them create solutions for their clients to respond to business needs. One of the consequences for us has been an even better understanding of our customers and the strengthening of relationships that derives from working so closely in such demanding times. Apart from the upsurge in takeaway, have there been any other changes/ impacts due to coping with the effects of Covid? Hygiene factors have also been impacted through COVID with foodservice operators looking to increase tamper evidence and packaging security in general. Our Stagione range features tight fitting lids, as well as the ability to either heat seal or attach tamper evidence labelling, for example. Our foodservice customers also report that they have faced considerable challenges during the pandemic. In response, they have showcased creativity and flexibility and we have worked with them to repurpose packs for delivery as well as supporting businesses as they introduce entirely new concepts. We feel that Stagione, as part of a bento box and tiffin style propositions, helps create premium delivery options consistent with the menu and brand offering. This fits into our areas of expertise - providing flexible packaging solutions that enable our customers to not only protect and deliver their food, but which enhances their brand, reflects their values, and showcases their food at its best. Give us an example of a business Colpac has designed/created for in the food to go sector… We have worked with one of Europe’s largest specialist food companies to reach a new generation of customers with a sustainable packaging solution

for the launch of an innovative noodle brand. Westmill Foods required packaging which would not only be able to carry its eye-catching designs but would also meet the sustainable and convenience demands of consumers. We worked closely with Westmill Foods, who carried out extensive testing before selecting a 16oz souper pot design. The PP coating eliminated the risk of leaks when the consumer added water to the noodles. The entire pot, including the lid, is also recyclable as one unit once any food waste was removed. The pots were manufactured with a white base colour which would effectively carry the striking black branding Westmill Foods had developed for Noodl PLUS to offset vivid product images. The pots were then heat sealed before adding a paperboard lid which continued the product branding. A matt coating was the final touch to complete the distinct brand of the Noodl PLUS pots, which are on sale online via Ocado.

What do Colpac see as the major packaging challenges for food to go operators in the future? The balance between mega trends such as reducing food waste, resources, and energy alongside the consumer demand for increasing amounts of choice and convenience all play out in packaging. For example, performance versus recyclability, reduction of plastic use and engaging their customers in assessing the most appropriate and achievable packaging solution.

There is a huge amount of legislative change in progress currently. We have a dedicated team within Colpac who have responded and are working on responses to three DEFRA consultations for extended producer responsibility (EPR), a deposit return scheme (DRS) and Consistency of Waste Collections for households and business. This is a big commitment and cost, but it is important that we, along with companies of any size, add their voices alongside the concerns of the industry. We are constantly reviewing this in the UK and beyond to identify opportunities for our customers to meet their sustainability goals and gain from these changes. We regularly work with waste companies and visit their facilities. Our focus is on ensuring that our customers can utilise our products, confident that they fit into existing recycling processes. Currently, there are significant gaps in provision. A good example is managing food contaminated waste, especially with burnt-on food, which is unlikely to be recycled whatever the material. There is a big opportunity to reduce landfill and incineration with these materials and create a value-added circular solution through anaerobic digestion or composting. However, we need a coordinated national and local government response to make it happen and every company can play their part to achieve this. Colpac’s (www.colpacpackaging.com) two compartment, cartonboard lidded hot food to go box allows environmentally conscious delivery and take-away businesses to use a single piece of recyclable carton board packaging for hot or cold food on the go and is coated with a barrier to prevent any grease or liquid permeating through the pack.

Changes in legislation are due to come into force affecting packaging use and disposal – what do food to go business, particularly the smaller, independent ones, need to be aware of/make sure they comply with? www.sandwich.org.uk July 2021 51


NEW MEMBERS

Gierlinger – perfection is our family tradition Founded in 2000, a small family run production unit based in Tunari, Romania, we produced small volumes of highquality cooked skewers for the catering industry, and due to their popularity we were soon working with the Europe’s biggest, brightest and best customers developing a full range of value-added meat products to suit their individual requirements. Due to the continued growth and development of our business, today’s Gierlinger is a very different place - the company operates in five locations across Europe, employs 1200 people in production, technical, NPD and management all dealing with food production and complex supply-chain solutions that cover the continent. We have market specialists stationed in key regions across Europe and the UK that feedback the latest regional customer requirements, market data & trends to ensure we are at the forefront of the market, delivering specific solutions to our ever-growing client list. All that said our family values still hold true today. Despite the size of our business, we are very much a family business and extremely customer focused - continued product innovation, employing the latest production technologies and techniques, using the best raw materials and utilising the best supply-chain services we continue to deliver real solutions to all sectors of the market with professionalism and a personal service. If your business is foodservice, QSR, manufacturing and retail, our range of value high quality products produced safely and efficiently provide you the client with every reason to come back to Gierlinger time and time again. Namely… Premium cooked bacon Our clients tell us ”nobody produces cooked bacon that is so delicious, thin and crispy”. Our production, NPD and technical teams have looked to continuously perfect our bacon flavour, quality and yield over the past 20 years. Our continued pursuit of the perfect bacon rasher is our passion and our clients benefit. Steam cooked and contact-roasted poultry Utilising the freshest raw materials from accredited EU suppliers ensures our steam cooked & roasted chicken breast fillet products are the best they can be. We use the 52 July 2021 www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

latest production techniques and technologies to produce the very best products that the EU has to offer. Be it off-shelf or be-spoke we have the solution. Food on the go Whatever your choice we have a solution, from authentic schnitzel to goujons, popcorn to Kiev and skewers or pork rib packs all cooked and conveniently packaged. Our group’s motto is «convenience like home-made». Al our products are produced with real care and attention to detail without the use of additives or flavour enhancers. Real ingredients that go into producing the highest quality value added products that give a true taste of homestyle cooking. 
 Sausages and ham Our traditional recipes of ham, cold cuts, air-dried sausage, fermented salami, and pepperoni products. All are Gierlinger specialities produced in collaboration with our NPD teams across Europe. The Gierlinger speciality range caters for all markets and all tastes. Products for all product applications deliver commercially, but more importantly deliver on taste. Gierlinger Holding GmbH Weingartenstraße 14, A-4100, Ottensheim, Austria Contact: Harry Prutton. Tel: 07747 621586 hp@gierlinger-holding.com www.gierlinger-holding.com


NEW MEMBERS

The FINtastic Fish Co. André Quist - Managing Director

We are the EU sales and marketing office for Sea Value PLC in Bangkok Thailand - one of the largest OEM canned tuna and petfood manufacturers in the world. Sea Value Atlantic is our newest production unit based in Brittany, France. It specialises in production of a unique style of pouch pack tuna and salmon for the foodservice,

food manufacturing and food to go industries across Europe. Our Pouch salmon is truly unique in offering a single cooked Poached style product in a retorted and chilled format with a long chill stable shelf life. Pack sizes are 700g/1kg/2.8kg and 4kg and available in a chunk and flake style. The plant has BRC Grade A and IFS accreditation and is MSC/ASC COC approved. The FINtastic Fish Co. (Part of Sea Value Europe BV) Melkrijder 16 (1st Floor), 3861 SG, Nijkerk, The Netherlands Contact: Gary Davies (UK) Neila Thaalbi-Azzabi (Netherlands) Tel: +31 (0)33 253 32 06 (Netherlands) 07536 173808 (UK) info@fintasticfish.eu www.fintasticfish.eu

NEW PRODUCTS

Manual feed allows for Eddie to print on larger foods EU- and FDA-approved edible ink printer, Eddie, prints full-colour logos, photographs and text directly onto the surface of cookies, macaroons, white chocolate toppers, marshmallows, and other confectionery with a maximum diameter of 89mm and 20-25mm height. The machine prints up to six print objects per minute. Due to direct printing, there is no strange film or aftertaste, which would decrease the quality of the food. Holding up to twelve print items on a circulating tray, each item is automatically drawn into the printer one at a time. As of now the new additional manual feeding option extends printing parameters to a maximum of 120 x 120mm and a maximum height of 27mm. Special food trays by DTM Print enable the production of multiple items in one run. The company also produces trays according to customer specifications. For more information call DTM’s UK office on +44 (0)7827 955 799, email sales@dtm-print.eu, or visit https:// dtm-print.eu

Supplyline committed to helping companies implement new regulations Natasha›s Law comes into effect 1 October 2021 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, requiring food businesses to provide full ingredient lists and allergen labels on foods pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS). Supplyline is committed to helping companies implement these new regulations as seamlessly as possible. So whatever your current capabilities for labelling are, we can provide industry-leading software to automatically bold allergens in your ingredients lists, plain or pre-printed labels, and printers capable of producing a multitude of different labels. We can even print your labels for you, offering peace of mind that your products comply with all regulations and are made to the highest standard (we can print any artwork of your choice in CMYK Digital!). At Supplyline, we not only produce plain and printed labels but we also stock a range of retail labels for pricing, discounts and special offers. We›re happy to provide comprehensive quotes on any of your current labels, even just to make sure you›re paying the right price currently. Call 01403 865111 or email sales@ supplylineid.com to speak with one of our experienced sales advisers. www.sandwich.org.uk July 2021 53


BSA Product Index ADVISORY & CONSULTANCY

Yoghurt

Sauces & Ketchups

FISH PRODUCTS

SERVICES

Freshfayre

Blenders

Bespoke Software

Futura Foods UK Ltd.

Freshfayre

Crayfish

Mezze

Ornua Ingredients Europe

Pauwels UK

Sour Cream

Piquant

Platopus Systems Ltd. Business Systems Mezze Nutritics Platopus Systems Ltd. E Commerce Platopus Systems Ltd. Factory Grote Company

Freshfayre CHUTNEYS & RELISHES

British Lion Eggs Nutritics Retail Food Attraction Ltd.

Freshfayre

Mizkan Euro Ltd.

Leathams

Freshfayre

EGGS & EGG PRODUCTS

The Fintastic Fish Co.

The Ingredients Factory

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

BAKERY PRODUCTS

Freshfayre

Doughnuts

Leathams

Moy Park Ltd.

The Ingredients Factory

Morning Goods

Salsa

New York Bakery

Blenders

Tortilla & Wraps Food Attraction Ltd. Mission Foods BREAD & ROLLS Fresh Jacksons Bakery Speciality

Royal Greenland Ltd.

Leathams

FSC

Freshfayre

H Smith Food Group plc

Juices

Relishes

ALS Laboratories (UK) Ltd.

Freshfayre

Freshfayre

FSC

Food Safety

Prawns

DRINKS

Food Attraction Ltd.

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Royal Greenland Ltd.

Chutneys

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Millitec Food Systems Ltd.

The Ingredients Factory

Freshfayre

Eggs (hard boiled)

Zafron Foods Ltd. Salmon Leathams

Chicken 2 Sisters Food Group Cargill Protein Europe Dawn Farms UK Freshfayre H Smith Food Group plc Leathams Moy Park Ltd. Seara Meats BV Smithfield Foods Ltd. Continental Freshfayre Leathams Duck

Seafood/Shellfish Products

2 Sisters Food Group

H Smith Food Group plc

Freshfayre

Royal Greenland Ltd.

H Smith Food Group plc

Tuna

Ham

Egg Products

Freshfayre

Freshfayre

British Lion Eggs

H Smith Food Group plc

Gierlinger Holding GmbH

Freshfayre

Moy Park Ltd.

Leathams

Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods

The Fintastic Fish Co.

Smithfield Foods Ltd.

Fridays

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Lamb

Futura Foods UK Ltd.

FOOD WHOLESALERS

Freshfayre

Freshfayre Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods Fridays

Leathams Zafron Foods Ltd.

Booker Wholesale

H Smith Food Group plc

Country Choice Foods

Meatballs Snowbird foods

EQUIPMENT & VEHICLES

FRUIT

Baking Pans

General

Freshfayre

American Pan UK

The Ingredients Factory

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Buttering Machinery

Guacamole

Gierlinger Holding GmbH

Deighton Manufacturing

Leathams

H Smith Food Group plc

DRESSINGS, SAUCES AND MAYONNAISE Dips Blenders Freshfayre

Grote Company Millitec Food Systems Ltd. Coffee Machines La Cimbali UK

INSURANCE Insurance Protector Group

Pork Dawn Farms UK Freshfayre

Leathams Moy Park Ltd. Smithfield Foods Ltd.

LABELS

Sausages

Bunzl Catering Supplies

Freshfayre

Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods

Conveyors

Nutritics

Gierlinger Holding GmbH

Pauwels UK

Deighton Manufacturing

Planglow Ltd.

Leathams

The Ingredients Factory

Grote Company

Reflex Labels

Moy Park Ltd.

New York Bakery

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Millitec Food Systems Ltd.

Tri-Star Packaging Supplies Ltd.

Smithfield Foods Ltd.

Bread Making Ingredients

Dressings

Cutting & Slicing Equipment

MEAT PRODUCTS

Harvey & Brockless

Blenders

Grote Company

Bacon

BUTTER & SPREADS

Pauwels UK

Millitec Food Systems Ltd.

Dawn Farms UK

Butter

Spreads

Depositing Machinery

Dew Valley Foods

Freshfayre

Blenders

Grote Company

Freshfayre

Spreads

Pauwels UK

Millitec Food Systems Ltd.

Mayonnaise

Labelling Systems & Barcoding

Food Attraction Ltd. Jacksons Bakery Mission Foods

Freshfayre Harvey & Brockless Spreads (olive) Freshfayre Leathams CHEESE & DAIRY PRODUCTS

Blenders Freshfayre Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods Harvey & Brockless

Nutritics Planglow Ltd. Reflex Lables Mobile Catering Vehicles

Pauwels UK

Jiffy Trucks Ltd.

Piquant

Retail Display

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Flexeserve

Mustards

Leathams

Cheese

H Smith Food Group plc Gierlinger Holding GmbH Leathams Moy Park Ltd.

Snowbird foods Turkey 2 Sisters Food Group Freshfayre H Smith Food Group plc Leathams Moy Park Ltd. Smithfield Foods Ltd. OILS

Smithfield Foods Ltd.

Freshfayre

Beef

ORGANIC PRODUCTS

Freshfayre H Smith Food Group plc

Fridays Leathams

Leathams

Pauwels UK

Moy Park Ltd.

PACKAGING

Sandwich Making Machinery

Canned Meat

Blenders

Cardboard

Deighton Manufacturing

Freshfayre

Colpac Ltd.

Norseland Ltd.

Pauwels UK

Grote Company

Moy Park Ltd.

Coveris Flexibles (St Neots) UK Ltd.

Ornua Ingredients Europe

Zafron Foods Ltd.

Millitec Food Systems Ltd.

Smithfield Foods Ltd.

Pro-Ampac RAP

Freshfayre Futura Foods UK Ltd. Harvey & Brockless

54 July 2021 www.sandwich.org.uk


BSA Manufacturers  & Distributors Disposable Bunzl Catering Supplies Colpac Ltd. Coveris Flexibles (St Neots) UK Ltd. Nutritics Pro-Ampac RAP Reflex Lables Tri-Star Packaging Supplies Ltd. Food wraps Pro-Ampac RAP Tri-Star Packaging Supplies Ltd. Plastic Tri-Star Packaging Supplies Ltd. Sandwich Packs Colpac Ltd. Coveris Flexibles (St Neots) UK Ltd. Pro-Ampac RAP Tri-Star Packaging Supplies Ltd. PASTA Freshfayre Leathams Pasta Foods SANDWICH FILLINGS (READY 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 Freshfayre Chargrilled Vegetables Leathams Moy Park Ltd.

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

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 BRC Rating – AA BRADGATE BAKERY Beaumont Leys, Leicester, LE4 1WX Tel: 0116 2361100 Fax: 0116 2361101 commercialftg@ samworthbrothers.co.uk BRC Rating – AA

Jalapenos Freshfayre SALAD Fresh Agrial Fresh Produce Ltd. Freshfayre Salad (prepared) Agrial Fresh Produce Ltd. Sundried Tomatoes Freshfayre Leathams Plc Sweetcorn Freshfayre Tomatoes 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 BRC Rating – AA

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 BRC Rating – AA 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 BRC Rating – AA 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 BRC Rating – AA 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 BRC Rating – AA+ 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 BRC Rating – AA

MELTON FOODS 3 Samworth Way, Leicester Road, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE13 1GA Tel: 01664 484400 Fax: 01664 484401 commercialftg@ samworthbrothers.co.uk BRC Rating – A 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 BRC Rating – AA

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 STS Audited REAL WRAP COMPANY LTD. Unit 2 Haslemere Industrial Estate,Avonmouth, Bristol BS11 9TP Contact: Jason Howell Tel: 0117 3295020 jason@realwrap.co.uk www.realwrap.co.uk STS Audited SAMWORTH BROTHERS MANTON WOOD Manton Wood, Enterprise Park, Worksop, Nottinghamshire S80 2RS Tel: 01909 511800 commercialftg@ samworthbrothers.co.uk www.samworthbrothers.co.uk BRC Rating – AA+

SIMPLY LUNCH LTD. Unit 2 ,ZK Park, 23 Commerce Way, Croydon CR0 4ZS Contact Sales Tel: 0345 2007631 sales@simplylunch.co.uk www.simplylunch.co.uk BRC Rating – AA 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 BRC Rating – AA

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 STS Audited TIFFIN SANDWICHES Tiffin House, 20 Commondale Way, Euroway Trading Estate, Bradford, Yorkshire BD4 6SF Contact: Sales Tel: 01274 494939 sales@tiffinsandwiches.co.uk www.tiffinsandwiches.co.uk BRC Rating – A

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 2021 55


BSA Suppliers Index 2 SISTERS FOOD GROUP B2B Leechmere Industrial Estate, Toll Bar Road, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear SR2 9TE Contact: Marie Marandola Tel: 07873 301954 sunderlandsales@2sfg.com Marie.Marandola@2sfg.com www.2fsg.com

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 www.agrialfreshproduce.co.uk

ALS LABORATORIES (UK) LTD. Aspen Court, Centurion Business Park, Bessemer Way, Rotherham S60 1FB Contact: Nigel Richards Tel: 01354 697028 sales.uk@alsglobal.com www.als-testing.co.uk AMERICAN PAN UK 6 - 8 Seddon Place, Stanley Industrial Estate, Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 8EB Contact: Mark Picconi Tel: 0161 504 1176 mpicconi@americanpan.com www.americanpan.com BAWNBUA FOODS NI 67 Crowhill Road, Bleary County Armagh BT66 7AT Contact: Joanne Grant Tel: 028 38 344244 joanne.grant@bawnbua.com www.bawnbua.com

BLENDERS Whitestown Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24 DV24 VY75, Ireland Contact: Barnaby Barber Phone: 00 353 14536960 /07741 639006 barnaby.barber@blenders.ie www.blenders.ie

BOOKER WHOLESALE Equity House, Irthlingborough Road,Wellingborough, NN8 1LT Contact: Andy Milne 07587 886315 andrew.milne@booker.co.uk www.booker.co.uk

BRITISH EGG INFORMATION SERVICE British Lion Eggs 95 Cromwell Road London SW7 4DL Sales Contact: Phil Slaney Phone: 0207 052 8899 E-mail: info@britegg.co.uk Web: www.egginfo.co.uk/ british-lion-egg/products

CARGILL PROTEIN EUROPE Clerkenleap Barn, Bath Road, Broomhall, Worcester WR5 3HR Contact: Claire Thomas Tel: 0121 7253476 Claire_Thomas@cargill.com www.cargill.co.uk

COLPAC LTD Enterprise Way, Maulden Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 5BW Contact: Sales Department Tel: +44 (0) 1525 712261 Fax: +44 (0) 1525 718205 info@colpac.co.uk www.colpacpackaging.com

COUNTRY CHOICE FOODS Swan House, New Mill Road, St Paul’s Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3QD Contact: Neil Lindsell Tel: 01689 301203 neil.lindsell@brake.co.uk www.countrychoice.co.uk PANTONE 1585 U

PANTONE NEUTRAL BLACK U

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

C 0% M 0% Y 0% K 85% WEB #4B4846

DEIGHTON MANUFACTURING (UK) LTD Gibson Street, Leeds Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD3 9TR Contact: Andy Hamilton Tel: 01274 668771 Fax: 01274 665214 sales@deightonmanufacturing.co.uk www.deightonmanufacturing.co.uk

DEW VALLEY FOODS Holycross Road, Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland Contact: Christina Murphy Tel: 00353 504 46110 Fax: 00353 504 23405 cmurphy@dewvalley.com www.dewvalley.com

FLEXESERVE The Alan Nuttall Partnership Ltd Orchard House, Dodwells Road, Hinckley Leicestershire LE10 3BZ Contact: Warwick Wakefield Tel: 01455 638300 Email: info@flexeserve.com www.flexeserve.com

FOOD ATTRACTION LTD. Langham Court, 21 Langham Road, Leicester LE4 9WF Contact: Jake Karia Tel: 0116 2744066 jake@foodattraction.com www.jakeandnayns.com

COVERIS FLEXIBLES UK LTD. 7 Howard Road, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Cambridgeshire PE19 8ET Contact: Sales Department Tel: 01480 476161 Fax: 01480 471989 stneots.sales@coveris.com www.coveris.com

FRESHFAYRE A trading division of Fresh Direct Unit 10, Severn Way, Leeds LS10 1BY Contact: Telesales Tel: 0113 277 3001 sales@freshfayre.co.uk www.freshfayre.co.uk

DAWN FARMS UK Lodge Way, Lodge Farm Ind. Est, Northampton NN5 7US Contact: Hannah Foster Tel: 01604 583421 Fax: 01604 587392 info@dawnfarms.ie www.tmifoods.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA

FRESH-PAK CHILLED FOODS 1 Waterside Park, Valley Way, Wombwell, Barnsley S73 0BB Contact: Mike Roberts Tel: 01226 344850 Fax: 01226 344880 mike.roberts@fresh-pak.co.uk www.fresh-pak.co.uk

56 July 2021 www.sandwich.org.uk

FRIDAYS Chequer Tree Farm, Benenden Rd, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3PN Contact: Bridget Friday Tel: 01580 710250 Fax: 01580 713512 bf@fridays.co.uk www.fridays.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA

FSC Cheddar Business Park, Wedmore Road, Cheddar, Somerset BS27 3EB Contact: James Simpson Tel: 01934 745600 Fax: 01934 745631 james@thefscgroup.com www.thefscgroup.com

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

GIERLINGER HOLDING GMBH Weingartenstraße 14, A-4100, Ottensheim, Austria Contact: Harry Prutton Tel: 07747 621586 hp@gierlinger-holding.com www.gierlinger-holding.com

GROTE COMPANY Newtech Square, Zone 2 Deeside Industrial Park CH5 2NT Contact: Paul Jones Tel: 01978 362243 Fax: 01978 362255 sales@grotecompany.com www.grotecompany.com

HARVEY & BROCKLESS 44-54 Stewarts Road London SW8 4DF Contact: Tina Alemao Tel: 0207 8196045 Fax: 0207 8196027 tina.alemao@harveyandbrockless.co.uk

www.harveyandbrockless.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA

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 INSURANCE PROTECTOR GROUP B1 Custom House, The Waterfront, Level Street, Brierley Hill DY5 1XH Tel: 0800 488 0013 business@ipgdirect.co.uk www.insuranceprotector.co.uk

JACKSONS 40 Derringham Street, Hull HU3 1EW Contact: Commercial Team 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 LA CIMBALI UK LTD

Centennial Park

280 Centennial Avenue Elstree, Borehamwood WD6 3ST Contact: Daniel Clarke Daniel.Clarke@cimbali.co.uk Tel: 07967 183494 Tel: 020 8238 7100

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 MEZZE 12 Colston Yard, Bristol BS1 5BD Contact: Hugo Walker Tel:: 0117 379 0309 Email: hugo.walker@mezze.io Web address: www.mezze.io MILLITEC FOOD SYSTEMS LTD. 20 Victoria Road, Draycott, Derbyshire DE72 3PS Contact: Richard Ledger Tel: 01332 320400 sales@millitec.com www.millitec.com

MISSION FOODS EUROPE LTD Renown Avenue, Coventry Business Park, Coventry CV5 6UJ Contact: James Brown Tel: 07725 496799 Jbrown@missionfoods.com www.missionfoodservice.co.uk

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

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

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 NORSELAND LTD. Somerton Road, Ilchester, Somerset BA22 8JL Contact: Luke Barfoot Tel: 07807 236 473 Fax: 01935 842801 lbarfoot@norseland.co.uk www.norseland.co.uk

SUPPLIERS

NSF FOODS LTD. Sutton Farm, Claverley, Shropshire WV5 7DD Contact: Steve Money Tel: 01902 925330 steve.money@nsffoods.com www.nsffoods.com NUTRITICS 22c Town Centre Mall Main Street, Swords Co Dublin, Ireland Tel: 020 3769 5265 Email: info@nutritics.com www.nutritics.com

PLANGLOW LTD The Quorum, Bond Street, Bristol BS1 3AE Contact: Rachael Sawtell Tel: 0117 317 8600 Fax: 0117 317 8639 info@planglow.com www.planglow.com PLATOPUS SYSTEMS LTD. One Pancras Square, London N1C 4AG Contact: Yousaf Shah Tel: 0207 7000044 yousafshah@datatherapy.com www.datatherapy.com

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

ORNUA INGREDIENTS EUROPE Dymock Road, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 2JQ Contact: Alan Mackie Tel: 01531 631300 alan.mackie@ornua.com www.ornua.com PAPAYA UK Crown Lane, Tinwell, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 3UF Contact Sales Tel: 01780 758560 Email: solutions@papayauk.com https://papayauk.com/

PASTA FOODS Forest Way, Norwich NR5 0JH Contact: Stuart Mills Tel: 01493 416200 stuart.mills@pastafoods.com www.pastafoods.com

Fax: 0208 804 9303 PROAMPAC-RAP Mansel Court, 2A Mansel Road,Wimbledon, London SW19 4AA Contact: Martin Beaver Tel: 0208 069 0700 catherine.young@rapuk.com www.rapuk.com

www.snowbirdfoods.co.uk THE FINTASTIC FISH CO.

(Part of Sea Value Europe BV) Melkrijder 16 (1st Floor), 3861 SG, Nijkerk, The Netherlands (UK) Neila Thaalbi-Azzabi (Netherlands) Tel: +31 (0)33 253 32 06 (Netherlands) 07536 173808 (UK) info@fintasticfish.eu www.fintasticfish.eu THE INGREDIENTS FACTORY

Unit 2-3 Hamilton Road Ind Estate,160 Hamilton Road, London SE27 9SF Tel: 0208 670 6701 Fax: 0208 670 9676

PAUWELS UK 1st Floor, Axiom House, High Street, Feltham, Middlesex TW13 4AU Contact: Mark Cardon Tel: 0208 818 7617 Fax: 0203 187 0071 mark.cardon@pauwels-sauces.com www.pauwel-sauces.com PIQUANT LTD Willenhall Lane, Bloxwich, Walsall, W.Midlands WS3 2XN Contact: Julie Smith Tel: 01922 711116 Fax: 01922 473240 salesinfo@piquant.co.uk www.piquant.co.uk Accreditation body: BSA

ROYAL GREENLAND LTD. Gateway House, Styal Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5WY Contact: Solenne Labarere Tel: 0161 4904246 soll@royalgreenland.com www.royalgreenland.co.uk

Contact: Tim Marcuson tim@theingredientsfactory.com www.theingredientsfactory.com

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

Dan Silverston, Soho Sandwich Company (Producer) THE COMMITTEE

Robert Potts, Greencore (Producer) – Vice-chair Hannah Pearson, Subway (Sandwich bar chain) Simon Parton, Compass (Catering) Ben Newby, Freshfayre (Supplier) Neil Wood, Woods (Independent Sandwich Bar) David Winter, Street Eats (Producer) Anthony Minto, Ginsters (Van Sales)

TRI-STAR PACKAGING SUPPLIES LTD 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

LINKED ASSOCIATION

helen.swan@snowbirdfoods.co.uk

Contact: Gary Davies

REFLEX PACK PLUS Moat Way, Barwell Leicestershire LE9 8EY Contact: Melissa Aplin Tel: 01455 852400 melissaa@reflexlabels.co.uk www.reflexlabels.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

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

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.

Peter Mayley, La Baguetterie (Independent Sandwich Bar) Martin Beaver, ProAmpac / RAP (Supplier) Amy James, Greggs (Baker) Marc Faulkner, Denton’s Deli (Caterer) Cathal McDonnell, Deli-Lites (Producer) SECRETARIAT Jim Winship, Director


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

Save money and time

with the RJLasap wholesale delivery solution A simple, easy to use software system. • • • • • •

Standing orders Delivery notes Production Invoicing & accounts Ingredients & nutrition Handhelds etc. 24/7 support, free installation & training

Seamless links to labelling, EDI and accounting packages.

Visit rjlsoftware.co.uk or call 01962 761313

Much more than just a

✔ Engineered to exacting standards. ✔ So compact in design that it replaces the sink, complete with integral mixer taps. ✔ Independent wash and rinse water tanks that uses less water (just 5 litres per cycle). ✔ Adjustable, programmable, temperature controlled wash cycle. ✔ Environmentally friendly automatic soap and rinse dosage system. ✔ Rinses utensils with clean hot water (85°C) encompassing exceptional energy efficiency. ✔ Stainless steel construction representing a sound investement.

SAVE TIME AND MONEY EMPLOY; ®

All this within only 3 or 6 minutes wash time!

INTERBAKE Ltd P. (01706) 825596 www.interbake.co.uk

E. david@interbake.co.uk

Unit 2, Bridge Mills, Rochdale Road, Edenfield, Ramsbottom, Bury, Lancs BL0 0RE


Safe salads healthy living By using Fresh Produce Wash on all your fruit, salad and vegetables you will help protect consumers from food posioning caused by pathogenic bacteria, such as E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella.

Fresh Produce Wash: Kills over 99% of Bacteria Odourless & Taste Free No Need to Rinse Safe to Eat Classified as Non Hazardous under EU Regulation

Chlorine Free

WASH

for Salad, Fruit and Vegetables!

ke Ma

y

ou . rp ay rod d uce safe to

For a FREE sample please call 01384 569556 or E-mail: sales@drywite.co.uk

drywite.co.uk


O

1 R 202 EA EY TH

BRITISH SA ND W I

TO GO DESI OD GN FO ER

F

CH

&

Royal Greenland UK, Gateway House, North Wing 2nd Floor, Styal Road, Wythenshawe Manchester, M22 5WY enquiryuk@royalgreenland.com www.royalgreenland.co.uk

Follow us on:


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.