Sandwich & Food to Go Magazine - 209 - February 2024

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ISSUE 209 FEB 2024

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CONTENTS

____________ Welcome It’s a bumper first issue of 2024, as we launch into the new year with a series of exclusive interviews and features.

Vegetarian, vegan and plant-based are all the rage in food to go, so get stuck in to our 10-page special.

Frozen sushi goes under the microscope, while our AI/machinery special highlights operators doing great things in the automation space. News is jam-packed with insight as usual, as we hope for a prosperous year ahead for foodservice. Cheers!

Editor Alex Bell, Tel: 01291 636349, email: alex@jandmgroup.co.uk Advertising Paul Steer, Tel: 01291 636342, email: paul@jandmgroup.co.uk Production Gareth Symonds, Tel: 01291 636339, email: gareth@jandmgroup.co.uk

NEWS & MARKETPLACE Pages 04-18. News.

PREVIEW Page 19.

FEATURES Page 20.

Page 36.

Page 50.

UK Food & Drink Shows.

A growing trend – Vegetarian/vegan/plant-based.

A starring roll – Sushi.

On the button – Vending machines

THE BRITISH SANDWICH & FOOD TO GO ASSOCIATION Page 30.

The Sammies 2024.

ARTICLES Page 44.

Page 54.

REGULARS Page 57.

Page 58.

Page 59.

Covering all bases – AI/machinery.

Top tips for effective interviewing – People matters.

New products.

BSA new member.

BSA listing index.

Subscriptions and Customer Service Tel: 01291 636338, email: subscriptions@sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk Editorial Address Sandwich & Food To Go News, Engine Rooms, Station Road, Chepstow NP16 5PB www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

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FRESH FLAVOURS, HOMEMADE TASTE & AWARD WINNING PRODUCTS

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

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We make our handmade products fresh everyday using the finest ingredients from trusted local suppliers

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

Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of J&M Group Ltd or this magazine. No responsibility is accepted for the opinions of contributors. This magazine is published by J&M Group Ltd. and supports British Sandwich Association. It is circulated to managers, executives, buyers, retailers and traders in the sandwich industry. © 2024 J&M Group Ltd

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NEWS

Our first edition of the new year is a bumper one across 15 pages, with all the latest industry developments, appointments, previews and trends.

Vegetable prices still a challenge, as inflation falls Inflation as measured by the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index (FPI) fell again during November to 15.0% – its lowest level since July 2022. But the speed of that fall is much slower than the equivalent rise to the 22.9% peak of December last year. On the way up, it took just four months to rise from 15% to the peak; on the way down, it was over twice the time period at 11 months.

Meanwhile, levels of supermarket price inflation (measured by CPI), which fell sharply between May and September, began to firm again in the run-up to Christmas.

In November, FPI saw just two categories (oils and fats

at 1.4%, and dairy at 8.8%) performing below 10% yearon-year. This was in stark contrast to vegetables, where inflation remained extremely high at 27.3%.

The UN FAO Food Commodity Index averaged 120.4 points in November 2023, unchanged from its October level, as increases in the price indices for vegetable oils, dairy products and sugar counterbalanced decreases in those of cereals and meat. The index stood 14.4 points (10.7%) below its corresponding level one year ago. Brent Crude eased one dollar a barrel in the month, with a sharp fall in early December. Sterling appreciated 4% during the month against the dollar, while annual growth in employees’ average total pay (including bonuses) remained over 7% in November.

Shaun Allen, CEO of Prestige Purchasing, said: “With the market coming off peak-levels of inflation, operators need to be vigilant as suppliers seek to enhance margins to rebuild balance sheets.”

James Ashurst, client director at CGA by NIQ, said: “After such rapid rises in inflation, it’s frustrating to see a much slower journey back towards more normal levels. The general UK rate may be coming down, but businesses across the supply chain feel the heat for some time to come.

UK factory for Sustainable Bottling Co. On the back of a £1million investment, the founder of anti-plastic campaigning soda brand, GUNNA Drinks, has launched a new aluminium bottling facility near Leicester.

The 8,000 sq ft site is the first in the UK and Europe with the capabilities to bottle drinks in aluminium beyond water and, as well as bottling GUNNA’s own lemonades, will also offer white label aluminium bottling to the broader industry. This move comes in line with the booming aluminium bottle market in the US, as seen via brands such as PepsiCo’s Proud Source Water.

Launching as The Sustainable Bottling Co., this step has positive environmental implications, due to the new ease and availability of aluminium bottling for drinks brands across Europe. Currently, around 70% of soft drinks are bottled in damaging single use plastic (SUP), whereas aluminium is infinitely recyclable.

The Sustainable Bottling Co. will offer not only 470ml aluminium bottles, which GUNNA Drinks are packaged in and is comparable to most plastic bottles on shelf currently,

but will have the capabilities to produce bottles from 330ml to 750ml. The offering of an aluminium bottle also has exciting implications as it can house more liquid and mimics the footprint of a plastic bottle on shelf.

Melvin Jay, founder of The Sustainable Bottling Co. as well as GUNNA Drinks, said: “It’s exciting to offer the industry access to significantly more planet-friendly bottling. There are far-reaching needs for aluminium bottling and we can’t wait to start fulfilling these.”

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NEWS

Enhanced digital footprint at Frank Dale Event food specialist Frank Dale has unveiled a new website to showcase the company’s range of buffet products.

Regarded as the unseen chef, Frank Dale supplies a range of sweet and savoury frozen canapés and other finger foods to the foodservice sector via frozen food distributor Central Foods.

The site unveils a new logo and branding for the party food manufacturer, featuring a product catalogue to download. It also showcases the extensive range of buffet items and highlights opportunities for serving Frank Dale products.

MD of Frank Dale, Edward Miles, said: “We are proud to be launching into the new year with a new website that reflects our current range and will be a showcase for future innovation.

“The Frank Dale brand has a 30year history of supplying exceptional British-made party and buffet food and we have exciting plans to build on this for the future.

“The website is an opportunity for customers to find out more about our products, and to be inspired to serve our miniatures and other items at events they are catering for.”

Frank Dale specialises in sliced quiches, mini quiches and pies, mini smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels, cheese and bacon bites, mini cheeseburger crostini, and mini Yorkshire puddings with beef and horseradish, along with a sweet range that includes miniature cakes and scones.

Products are made in the company’s BRC AA+ graded manufacturing unit near Norwich.

Visit the new website at frankdalefoods.co.uk.

Lemon Grove drinks are a Cracker The Cracker Drinks Co. has unveiled its latest premium drinks brand: Lemon Grove.

It’s entering the market with three stand-out, all-natural flavour combinations: ● Cloudy Lemonade ● Cloudy Lemonade with Peach and Basil ● Cloudy Lemonade with Rhubarb.

that we’ve had for Lemon Grove thus far have been hugely successful, and we are confident that the products will be a massive hit with customers, no matter if they are looking for a soft drink, or premium mixer.”

Lemon Grove carbonated juice drinks also contain fewer than 70 calories per 250ml serving.

For more information on Lemon Grove or The Cracker Drinks Co., check out crackerdrinks.com.

Lemon Grove lightly carbonated juice drinks are targeted at teetotal customers looking for a new drinking experience, or to elevate a spirit and mixer menu thanks to its bold but balanced flavour combinations which can also pair with vodka, gin, or even tequila.

Containing only naturally occurring sugars and no added nasties, Lemon Grove blends make for a healthier alternative to traditional lemonade drinks and are suitable for vegans.

CEO of Cracker Drinks Co., Christopher Banks: “We have taken considerable time perfecting our Lemon Grove blends, which is why we are delighted to be kicking off 2024 with this exciting launch. The trials and taste-tests

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NEWS

Welcome to Food, Drink & Hospitality Week IFE Manufacturing, IFE, The Pub Show, HRC and International Salon Culinaire have joined forces under a new over-arching brand – Food, Drink & Hospitality Week.

In a celebration of innovation and quality suppliers, there will be opportunities to network and discover thousands of products and services.

In addition to the core shows taking on 25-27 March at ExCeL London, the Food, Drink & Hospitality Week brand features additional events – including the Campden BRI conference, the IFST (Institute of Food Science & Technology) conference, and Love Hospitality gala dinner organised by The Burnt Chef Project.

Over 30,000 industry leaders will be in attendance, alongside more than 1,500 UK and international suppliers.

Visitors can expect insightful debates, chef demos, panel discussions and product pitches across 10 dynamic stages, plus over 100 live competitions as part of International Salon Culinaire.

This year will see the launch of the World Catering Technology Awards, in partnership with FoodBev Media, the IFE Manufacturing Ingredients Awards, in partnership with the IFST, networking events hosted by HSPA, Arena and the FEA, the return of Chef HQ and more.

Portfolio director, Philippa Christer, said: “The launch of the Food, Drink

& Hospitality Week brand is an important step in an exhilarating period of growth for our March portfolio of events.

“Our vision for Food, Drink & Hospitality Week is a citywide celebration of everything that makes this sector unique: showcasing product innovation, connecting visitors with the trailblazers that can transform their business and providing a platform for discussions vital to the industry’s future.”

Food, Drink & Hospitality Week 2024 includes: IFE Manufacturing: A productsourcing platform for manufacturers and brand owners. Discover sustainable packaging providers, ethical ingredient brands, accreditation and product testing experts and quality processing equipment suppliers. The Trends & Innovation Platform will have experts on topics at the forefront of food science and food development.

IFE: For over 40 years, IFE has been a trusted resource. Explore the Startup Market, hear directly from

brand owners in the New Products Tasting Theatre and gain insights into the trends of tomorrow at the Future Food Stage. New for 2024 is a dedicated Cheese Pavilion, a Fresh Produce Section in partnership with the Fresh Produce Consortium, and a Producer & New Supplier Showcase by Aramark. In addition, the Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD) will be hosting an exclusive Meet the Buyer event.

HRC: Source suppliers across Hospitality Tech, Professional Kitchen, Foodservice, and Design, Décor & Tableware, and explore the new Light Equipment Pavilion packed with quality brands. Expect inspiring hospitality leaders to dive deep on the Vision Stage, and on the TechX stage visitors can learn about how to elevate their tech stack and optimise customer experience.

International Salon Culinaire: The chef competition returns to challenge and inspire chefs of all levels to demonstrate their skills. With over 100 live and static competitions across three days – including Sugarcraft, Salon Display, Static Display and the Live Theatre – the event is set to welcome up to 1000 chefs for 2024 alongside new judges, including Cherish Finden and and Afzal Khan.

Visit fooddrinkandhospitalityweek.co.uk.

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Elevate your sips with style: New circular »to-go« tumbler range Faerch are proud to introduce their new Tumbler range to the UK Food Service market, offering a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled material and the promise of full recyclability.

Our focus is on creating packaging with recycled material, fully recyclable back into new food packaging in an endless number of cycles, without compromising safety or functional properties.

The Tumblers range meets the increasing consumer demand for sustainable packaging, and stands as a testament to Faerch’s commitment to the environment and our customers’ evolving needs. Instead of taking more of the world’s resources, we should make better use of those we already have, again and again.

For further information and to request samples, please contact your Account Manager or Internal Sales Coordinator at ordersely@faerch.com.

The range offers a selection of capacities, with 4 common lid designs to fit all tumblers, simplifying supply chains, creating versatility and a seamless user experience.

FAERCH.COM/FOOD-TO-GO To advertise please call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 I 7

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NEWS

Pret pushing out the vegan-friendly boat Pret A Manger has revealed its latest menu, featuring a mixture of new products and customer favourites returning to the roster.

Off the back of Veganuary, Pret has two vegan-friendly products. Firstly, the Veggie Pret bestseller, The VLT, is joining the main estate menu in all shops, ensuring more choice for those who are vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian.

This bestselling sandwich is made up of shiitake and chestnut mushroom ‘rashers’, sliced tomatoes, salad mix and a dollop of vegan-friendly black pepper and parsley mayo on malted bread.

Also, the Sticky Mushroom Bánh Mì is a vegan-friendly baguette with sticky roasted mushrooms, dressed in a spicy BBQ sauce with crunchy carrot and mooli slaw, sliced cucumber, coriander and a dollop of black pepper and parsley mayo, topped with sesame seeds on a baguette.

A new warming Butternut Masala Soup is made with rich coconut cream and chunks of butternut squash, lightly spiced with turmeric, garam masala, cinnamon, cumin and a hint of cayenne pepper.

More hot options include the freshly baked Meatless Meatball Marinara hot roll and Chipotle Chicken & Feta hot roll – a hit with customers since they launched in autumn.

As Pret’s global growth continues, popular choices from international markets are making a UK appearance.

Customers can have a taste of New York with The Big Apple Bowl, made up of yoghurt layered with sweet cinnamon, brown sugar and topped with crunchy granola.

Pret have also listened to Oscar nominee Florence Pugh, who championed the return of their Banana Cake, made up of squidgy banana sponge with cream cheese icing.

The iconic Slims range of sandwiches and baguettes are back; single portions of its Chicken, Avocado & Basil sandwich, Crayfish & Rocket sandwich, Chicken Caesar & Bacon baguette, Avo, Olive & Toms baguette and Italian Prosciutto baguette to allow mixing and matching of customer favourites.

These join an expanded Petite range of smaller salads, including the US-inspired Petite Chicken & Bacon Cobb – made up of British chicken breast coated in Caesar mayo, beechwood smoked bacon, avocado, baby plum tomatoes, Italian matured cheese, half a free-range hardboiled egg and a pot of Pret’s French dressing – and the Petite Tricolore Salad – a classic combination of creamy mozzarella, sliced avocado, baby plum tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and chargrilled red pepper, French dressing, a sprinkle of seasoning and a wedge of lemon.

The new Petite salads can also be paired with the new snack-sized yoghurt pots, the Five Berry Yoghurt Pot or Banana & Honey Yoghurt Pot. Katherine Bagshawe, UK food & coffee director at Pret A Manger, said: “We’re excited to be bringing back many of our customer favourites this year, including our beloved Banana Cake, and introducing our Veggie Pret bestseller – the VLT – into all shops across the country as we look to ensure more vegan friendly and veggie options in our main estate. We’re always inspired to launch exciting products using trending seasonal flavours and ingredients, and this January is no different with our vegan Sticky Mushroom Bánh Mì.

“I am passionate about Pret’s menu offering customers choice – be that a range of ingredients or healthier lines versus a treat, we want to make sure our range accommodates the broad tastes and needs of our customers. So, we’ve brought back our much-loved Slims range of sandwiches and baguettes to sit alongside our new snack-sized yoghurt pots and Petite salads.”

Club Pret subscribers will continue to get 20% off the entire menu, as well as up to five Barista-made drinks per day for £30 per month, with the price frozen until at least the end of 2024.

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NEWS

Strong trading for Greggs through Q4 Greggs’ Q4 trading update showed progress in digital channels and relationship development with Uber Eats.

In the financial year 2023, total sales were up 19.6% to £1,089 million (2022: £1,513 million), while company managed shop like-for-like (LFL) sales increased 13.7% for FY 23. Company managed shop LFL sales were up an impressive 9.4% for the fourth quarter, with continued growth in transaction numbers and reduced contribution from price inflation.

Extended trading hours have been a focus, while the delivery service rolled out to 710 shops with Uber Eats, alongside the existing service with Just Eat. A record 220 shops opened in the year, with 33 closures and 42 relocations resulting in a net 145 shop openings and 2,473 shops trading as of 30 December 2023. The year-end net cash was £195 million, compared with £192 million in 2022.

Roisin Currie, chief executive, commented: “2023 was a year of further progress by Greggs. We enter 2024 with plans to continue to invest in our shops and expand supply chain capacity to deliver the growth strategy, supported by our strong balance sheet.”

The strong finish to the year reflected the favourable Christmas trading pattern and less disruption than the same period of 2022.

Seasonal lines – including the Festive Bake, Chocolate Orange Muffin and Christmas Lunch Baguette – were in high demand in the fourth quarter, featuring alongside shopbaked Sweet Mince Pies and festive hot drinks.

Pizza continues to perform strongly during the day and into the evening, with pizza boxes and bundle deals contributing to growth.

Planned investment in the supply chain is progressing well. A fourth production line is currently being commissioned at Balliol Park in Newcastle upon Tyne and will provide significant additional manufacturing capacity.

Work is progressing to expand the logistics capacity of the Birmingham and Amesbury distribution centres, both of which are due to come on stream later in 2024.

Wiltshire Gammon

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info@blackrodcm.co.uk www.sandwich.org.uk I 9

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NEWS

Bourdain the inspiration for Burnt Chef campaign In a concerted bid to get the hospitality industry moving in 2024, The Burnt Chef Project has launched an epic fundraiser – the Bourdain Challenge – asking supporters to join forces to virtually cover an astounding 35,218 miles.

Commemorating the late Antony Bourdain, participants will focus on the 35,218 miles that the legendary chef and bestselling author covered during his award-winning Parts Unknown series, which first aired 10 years ago.

Bourdain’s love for food, culture and people was well documented – as were his mental health struggles. As a force for good in the foodservice sector, The Burnt Chef Project is on a mission to eradicate the stigma around mental health and offer support to the industry.

The Bourdain Challenge is a virtual activity, where participants become part of a team looking to achieve the incredible 35,218-mile distance. With the option to sign up individually or as a group, participants can walk, run, cycle, swim, hula hoop or any other activity. Joining fees start from £15 per person and all participants will receive a custom The Burnt Chef Project ‘Bourdain Challenge’ die-cast medal. Proceeds go directly to supporting the work of the project throughout the hospitality industry.

Kris Hall, founder and CEO of The Burnt Chef Project, said: “Antony Bourdain was a truly iconic chef and someone who through his own, well-documented struggles, helped to change the way that we view mental health in

hospitality. Commemorating 10 years since Parts Unknown first aired, we felt it was only right to launch an epic virtual activity challenge of our own.”

Despite starting on 19 January, participants are free to sign up, with activity being added to the collective total.

Visit theburntchefproject.com/bourdainchallenge2024.

Exciting future at Geeta’s Geeta’s, the leading premium Indian brand, is evolving its business model. Geeta’s is the top pickle and chutney brand, with its Premium Mango Chutney the UK’s favourite.

From 1 October 2023, rather than utilising a business model which was predominately distributor led, Geeta’s has ‘taken its destiny into its own hands’. It’s bringing all key business activities in-house, including sales and distribution, in addition to strengthening marketing and product development, as well as technical and finance functions.

In addition, a new partnership with Grace Foods, based in Welwyn Garden City, will apply in relation to the retail wholesale, foodservice wholesale, cash & carry, plus independent trade

sectors. Grace Foods currently manages a wide range of ethnic brands, to be complemented by Geeta’s Indian products.

Executive director, David Page, said: “I am delighted Geeta’s is embarking on this forward-looking and progressive action, as we are determined to grow the Indian category by ensuring that flavours relate to all eating occasions.

“We intend to introduce new and exciting products and ranges such as roti flatbreads, now available in Tesco, Ocado and Asda, with further listings pending. A new, differentiated range of sauces is now available in over 190 Asda stores, again with further distribution pending.”

Sales and marketing director, Eleanor Bridgman, said: “Indian food is the UK’s third most popular cuisine and Geeta’s intends to reignite category growth via innovative product development, supported by strong below-the-line and abovethe-line support using national TV, influencer partnerships and social media, plus PR.”

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To advertise please call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 I 11

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NEWS

Team developments at Valentine & CuisinEquip Known for supplying catering equipment, Valentine & CuisinEquip conveys an equally strong focus on distributor and operator service. In a move to bolster customer support, it has appointed Carol-Ann Marshall as regional manager for Scotland and promoted Philip Sanderson to business development director.

With more than 30 years of foodservice experience, Marshall brings a wealth of knowledge.

An impressive CV features stints at leading distributors as well as prominent catering equipment manufacturers, including Frialator, Welbilt and, most recently, six years as account manager for Scotland and Ireland at Hoshizaki.

In the newly created role of regional manager for Scotland, Marshall will support Valentine & CuisinEquip’s dealer and distributor partners and operator customers. Focusing on the extensive product portfolio with

brands including Valentine, Vito, LightFry and Bottene, she will also deliver aftersales support, training and culinary menu development.

Marshall said: “To be joining such a well-respected company as Valentine & CuisinEquip and to be able to specify such reliable, respected and efficient catering equipment to our partners throughout Scotland is something I’m truly proud of and very much looking forward to.”

Sanderson moves from regional account manager for London and the South East to his new role.

Having spent almost six years with the company, this promotion comes after a period of sustained growth. Sanderson not only joins the company’s board of directors but will focus on sales and new business opportunities in the multi-site group and chain sector.

Steve Elliott, sales director at Valentine & CuisinEquip, added:

“Supporting partners and customers is of utmost importance in our business, especially during a period of consistent growth. That’s why we’re delighted to have expanded our team.

“Carol-Ann brings more than three decades of industry experience to our team. Recognising his unquestionable commitment and dedication, Philip has accepted his promotion to business development director.”

Valentinefryers.com; cuisinequip.com.

On a roll with Moduline’s hot-holding tech The Moduline HHA series of hotholding trolleys has been launched.

The all-new range of four models is perfect for events, banqueting, and any service which requires food to be transported quickly, efficiently and in perfect condition.

Designed and developed in Italy, the new AIRFLOW+ ventilated trolleys are made from high-grade stainless steel, featuring smooth-running castors for ease of movement from kitchens to canteens, or any dining space separated from the central kitchen. Perfect for hotels, conference facilities or events locations, the Moduline HHA Series features an integrated water tank to effectively manage moisture control, ensuring food avoids dehydration and arrives with front-of-house service teams in optimal condition. The tank itself features overspill control, so each

trolley can be moved simply, easily and without fear of spillage.

Each trolley door features additional manual vents for additional moisture control, and the whole range includes removeable internal GN-compatible mounting runners for simple, easy post service cleaning. Completing the package is a low weight profile, as well as integrated shock absorption and full-length side handles for ease of control. The HHA Series is also available in neutral hold configuration.

Characterised by low energy consumption, the Moduline HHA range features best-in-class air distribution to effectively control moisture content and maintain perfect food temperatures, all controlled from an on-unit, Wi-Fienabled digital display and control panel. With an operating temperature range from 30°to 90° each, the trolley

can deliver precision control and ease of transportation to any kitchen and caterer.

Michael Eyre, Jestic product director, said: “With the continued expansion of event catering, more operators find that their kitchen can be some distance from the dining area.

The Moduline HHA Series removes any concerns chefs have about this distance being a factor in the quality of food served.”

The HHA range is available in a variety of sizes and configurations to ensure maximum flexibility.

For more information, visit jestic.co.uk.

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NEWS

Colpac achieves AA+ rating from BRCGS After seven years of consecutive AA ratings, Colpac received its first unannounced audit last month. Due to the firmly embedded management systems and ongoing commitment from the team leaders that enforce these daily, the company passed the audit with no non-conformances.

The auditor specifically commented that the Colpac site was the best he had ever seen it, and that the team should be extremely proud of this achievement. He praised the company for its audit ready status and considered Colpac to be ‘match fit’.

“This result is testament to a superb effort from our staff across our sites,” said compliance & QA manager, Frances Dickman. “Our team leaders meticulously tailor our training programmes to continually improve

their effectiveness, positively frame good practice, and shape a culture where all staff want to contribute towards progress. The result demonstrates our shared focus on maintaining the highest of standards on a day-to-day basis.”

The BRCGS Standard for Packaging Materials is viewed as a global benchmark of quality, safety and legality for food packaging manufacture. It provides a robust framework for all types of packaging manufacturer in the production of safe and legal packaging materials, and to manage product quality to meet customer requirements.

Colpac’s AA+ BRCGS accredited rating demonstrates continuous and sustained achievement and is highly regarded by retailers and foodservice organisations. The audit covered its full product range, including those manufactured at Colpac’s factory and those manufactured elsewhere.

FareShare wants to turn surplus into smiles

FareShare, the UK’s biggest food waste charity, is calling on businesses to share their seasonal surplus with those in need this winter.

The rise in the cost of living has had a disproportionate impact on those already struggling to make ends meet.

One in five in the UK, including four million children, worry about where their next meal is going to come from*.

FareShare has launched its winter campaign to help turn more surplus food into meals for those in need, with the help of food and drink retailers, manufacturers and foodservice operators.

The food given will be distributed to 8,500 frontline UK charities and community groups, reaching a variety of those in need, including school breakfast clubs, older

people’s lunch clubs, homeless shelters and community cafés.

Each week, FareShare is able to provide enough food to make almost a million meals.

Simon Millard, director of food at FareShare, said: “We know that surplus food can be put to good use. In 2022-23, 91% of the food we provided was excess that otherwise would have gone to waste. By signing up, your business’s seasonal surplus can make a huge difference to the lives of people across the UK. “This initiative helps the environment too. For every tonne we’ve redistributed, we’ve prevented the waste of two tonnes of CO2e and 2.66 million litres of water. Through reducing emissions and providing these meals, FareShare takes the environmental problem of food waste and turns it into a social good. Just another reason to smile!”

FareShare is the UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors, made up of 18 independent organisations who take good quality surplus food and get it to nearly 8,500 frontline charities and community groups.

For more information, visit fareshare.org.uk.winterfood. *Food Fndtn 2023, Food Insecurity Tracker Rd 12

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Is your packaging

NEWS

Hot ‘n’ Fresh?

‘Brand’ New to H-Pack.

Providing you with the very best food packaging - in all materials.

Global food packaging brand, Hotpack’s European arm has launched a new brand in the UK. Hot ‘n’ Fresh is colour-coded so buyers can immediately identify products across all lines based on materials used, from paper, wood and bagasse to foils and recyclable plastics.

Reflecting the slickness of H-Pack’s operation, supplying premium, quality food packaging products within a tightly competitive price structure, the Hot ‘n’ Fresh badge is what to look for when it comes to one stop shop packaging solutions - including the very best recyclable lines.

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Paper & Bagasse Range

Aluminium Range

Recyclable Plastic Range

Hot ’n’ Fresh trades under H-Pack

For further information on Hot ‘n’ Fresh Call: 01978 855 595 sales@h-packglobal.com www.h-packglobal.com

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NEWS

New range of Celebration tamper-evident packaging Celebration Packaging has introduced a new range of tamper-evident food packaging made from a minimum of 30% recycled PET. Introduced under Celebration Packaging’s SolutionWare brand, it includes sandwich packs, rectangular salad containers with hinged lids, and deli containers with separate lids.

“Our new ranges of high-clarity tamper-evident food containers feature a patented safety lock lid, giving tamper proof protection to prepared foods,” said Celebration Packaging managing director, Nick Burton. “They’re manufactured with a

minimum of 30% post-consumer rPET recycled plastic, and are therefore not liable for the plastic packaging tax. It can be rinsed and recycled through kerbside collection.”

The rectangular tamper-evident rPET salad containers with hinged lids, and the square tamper-evident rPET deli containers, with separate lids, are available in 8oz, 12oz, 16oz, 24oz and 32oz sizes. An rPET tamper-evident triangular sandwich pack with hinged lid is also available.

Celebration Packaging has been supplying innovative off-the-shelf catering disposables since 1983.

Today, the SolutionWare brand encompasses a wide range of essential foodservice packaging solutions, from hot and cold drink cups and salad and deli containers, to platters, trays and bar accessories, and microwavable and tamper-evident containers.

The SolutionWare brand sits alongside the PrintPac brand, offering a range of custom print and bespoke packaging options from drinks coasters to placemats and cutlery sleeves, and the EnviroWare® brand, which was established over 17 years ago to deliver exciting and innovative sustainable food and drink packaging.

Sustain all set for Tri-Star Tri-Star Packaging is expanding its responsibly sourced renewable and compostable single-use packaging for foodservice. The disposable packaging experts will add the Sustain™ range to its sustainable solutions, which can be composted in just 12 weeks.

Steve Norris, managing director at Tri-Star Packaging, said: “Sustain™ is part of our commitment to evolve our packaging offer, with sustainability sourced items made from renewable and compostable materials.

“Sustain™ products are fully compostable in commercial composting facilities. Products with EN13432 certification are engineered to break down into organic matter when disposed of correctly. EN13432 is a standard recognised worldwide that gives clear information on how to dispose of a product responsibly, so that it may undergo a controlled and efficient decomposition process in industrial composting facilities.”

Sustain™ cutlery, stirrers, paper straws and wooden boats

meanwhile are made from FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) certified materials. This not-for-profit organisation sets high standards to make sure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible and socially beneficial manner. The use of FSC® certified materials can help to alleviate the pressure of demand on sources of virgin material, thereby helping to protect the world’s forests.

“We audit and manage our supplier performance against many commercial and social measures to ensure the products we source are fit for purpose with the relevant ethical and legal compliance.”

Norris continued: “Our Sustain™ range ticks all the boxes. It’s a fantastic option for those in the foodservice sector, whether FTG, takeaway, contract catering or local authority.

It’s made from renewable materials and is compliant with recent changes in legislation. Choosing Sustain™ reduces waste, conserves resources, and appeals to the consumer in need

of convenience. Responsibly sourced compostable materials provide alternative end-of-life solutions for food packaging which can help cut down landfill and incineration waste.

“Composting Sustain™ supports soil systems and helps to regenerate renewable materials. It also lets consumers know that the supply chain is ethically and sustainably sourced. Sustain™ food packaging also reduces reliance on fossil fuel-derived materials and adheres to existing and incoming legislation.”

It includes sustainable cups, lids, food boxes, trays, boats, clamshells, containers, cutlery and stirrers.

View the range at tri-star.co.uk.

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25/01/2024 17:25

NEWS

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NEWS

Chorizo sales soar, as Brits get a taste UK sales of authentic Spanish chorizo have soared in the past year, on the back of a wide-ranging campaign highlighting the product’s quality.

The Consorcio del Chorizo Español – a group of Spanish producers who make the popular meat according to established ingredients and production methods – has been running a trade and consumer-focused marketing campaign in the UK from July to December.

Figures for Consortium-labelled chorizo from January to September show that some 1.69 million kilos were sold in the UK, an increase of 28% on the same period last year. The UK is the Consortium’s major market, accounting for 60% of its exports.

The campaign saw specialised content, including photography for a monthly newsletter and placements in consumer and tradefacing media. Promotional campaigns in Tesco and Waitrose included tear-off shelf talkers with recipes and information, as well as giveaways for portable barbecues.

In September, a show cooking event was held at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair in London, while the quality label received a mention in an article in The Times discussing culinary tips with chorizo.

The PR push comes as the Consortium has been working hard to boost trade buyer and consumer understanding of what it means to purchase a Consorcio del Chorizo Españolbranded product.

The group’s chorizos must carry garlic and paprika, which differentiates it from other origins and sausages.

Cured outdoors or smoked, the main base is minced pork, which is then marinated with spices such as paprika to give it its typical red colour.

Despite the optimism of this year’s sales growth, Consortium director, Alejandro Alvarez-Canal Estrada, urged caution. “It’s important to consider that 2022 was a tough year for exports in general due to factors such as inflation, rising raw material prices and energy costs,” he said. “There are also specific issues in the UK stemming from Brexit, like uncertainty around the continuous postponement of implementing customs and health controls for animal-origin products.

“All of this unfolds within an increasingly complex and uncertain international economic and political context. For 2024, therefore, our minimum aspiration is to achieve the same labelling figures as 2023.”

IBC Simply acquires March Foods Italian Beverage Company (IBC Simply), renowned for shaking up beverages in foodservice for over 25 years, has acquired March Foods, one of the UK’s leading co-packing and comanufacturing companies. It promises to create a new force in UK food and drink manufacturing and packing.

The acquisition sees the two companies coming together as Delightful Food Group, propelling them towards unprecedented growth opportunities through cutting edge technology, innovative packaging formats and enhanced capabilities.

Delightful Food Group is headed by the co-owner of IBC Simply, Ricky Flax, who will continue to run the business day-to-day. March Foods’ operations will remain unchanged, with the entire team continuing to be led by the current MD, Steven Dor.

Flax said: “We’re delighted to announce the acquisition of March Foods. We plan to invest in new technologies, enhance our product manufacturing capabilities and open up more opportunities for customers, offering a totally rounded solution.

“We have been working together with March Foods for many years, and the synergy between product and manufacturing was the perfect match to grow both businesses to the next level. We complement each other and now customers can benefit from the teams across the group, particularly those with unique offerings or who need support with NPD.” Dor commented: “Being a part of the newly formed Delightful Food Group is a hugely positive move for March Foods and will enable the business to develop and grow to the

next level, thanks to the experience and vision of Ricky Flax and his team who we already share a close relationship with.

“We’re looking forward to demonstrating the benefits to our customers of this joined-up approach to co-manufacturing and co-packing and seeing the results of the planned investment in the very latest technology, equipment and packaging formats.”

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25/01/2024 17:25

PREVIEW

Food & Drink Expo is back in April 2024!

From 29 April to 1 May 2024, the UK Food & Drink Shows return to the NEC Birmingham for the UK’s largest food and drink event.

Uniting Food & Drink Expo, Farm Shop & Deli Show, National Convenience Show, The Forecourt Show and The Restaurant Show under one roof, the UK Food & Drink Shows encompass food development, manufacturing, grocery, hospitality, specialist retail, forecourt and convenience retail, wholesale and foodservice.

With inspiration and industry insights from across the UK and around the world, uncover the hottest trends, product launches and the industry’s vision for the future at Food & Drink Expo 2024!

Brands on show include Hovis (Stand M71), Lavazza (S30), Mondelez International (S41), One Stop Stores Ltd (Q100) and Grenade (Q41).

Discover the latest innovations and NPD within the ontrend Healthy & Natural and Plant-Based zones: ● The Healthy & Natural zone is the one-stop-shop for wellness & natural products including: Free-From, Vegetarian, Low-Calorie and Organic items. Dedicated to showcasing the best of this booming sector, it includes products and services covering grocery, foodservice, speciality and convenience outlets. ● The Plant-Based zone returns after its successful launch last year, supported by The Vegan Society and Vegan Friendly. This is focused on the very best of vegan and plant-based, including meat alternatives, snacks, drinks, ingredients and everything plant!

With a cutting-edge content programme for 2024, hear from an exclusive line-up of professionals. See the likes of Sam Akinluyi from Innocent Drinks, Cassandra Stavrou from Proper Snacks and Sorcha Simons from Lumina Intelligence across five content theatres.

To find out more,visit foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk.

FMCG FOOD DRINK

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VEG/VEGAN/PLANT-BASED

A growing trend Taking a healthier, sustainably focused approach to food to go is a huge opportunity for operators – so, we spoke to some trail-blazers in the sector.

LEADING THE WAY The vegetarian, vegan and plant-based food to go marketplace is more competitive than ever. Consumer numbers around out-of-home lunching are on the rise again post-pandemic, while people are much more aware of healthier options. Throw in the loyalty cards, drive-throughs and evening trading and you have a fascinating and constantly evolving picture.

Family-run sandwich supplier, Simply Lunch, has more than 40 years in the trade, vowing to improve lives through delicious food.

“We have a strong pipeline of vegan development to meet the needs of this growing and important sector,” said Sam Page, Simply Lunch managing director. “Our aim is to deliver authentic flavours and ensure there isn’t a compromise in quality and taste. We also want to meet the demands of the flexitarian consumer looking to reduce weekly consumption of meat-based protein, so we are

trying to develop traditional core products with a vegan twist to meet these missions.”

This flexibility can be seen by Simply Lunch’s product development, responding to a changing demand for flavour profiles.

“We have witnessed a shift in consumer preferences, with a growing appetite for more adventurous products,” continued Page. “Influenced by the challenges of lockdown in 2020, this led to a surge in interest in international flavours, as people sought to explore other cultures while unable to travel. Recognising this, we have expanded our range to incorporate innovative flavours inspired by global cuisines, represented beautifully by our fantastic Better by Simply Lunch brand.

“There have also been higher expectations for healthy and sustainable consumer missions, as our nation becomes more informed about what foods they should be eating to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Planet-conscious individuals now better understand the impact their food choices have on the environment.”

COMING TOGETHER While the emerging desires for a healthier FTG marketplace are a commercial opportunity, there is still a requirement to put correct processes in place. Simply Lunch zone in on innovation, trends and sourcing quality ingredients.

“It’s important to ensure our ranges meet various consumer missions,” said Page. “It’s imperative we offer entry through to premium ranges. And our talented development chefs ensure we keep these entry ranges financially competitive.

“Interestingly, we have noticed a selection of our premium ranges increase in popularity throughout this cost of living crisis. While there are various theories, it is clear

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VEG/VEGAN/PLANT-BASED that consumers are trading down from a QSR offer to a grab & go option, but still want a premium product quite often as part of a premium meal deal.”

With an end-to-end supply chain solution from product development to final mile delivery, Simply Lunch is in a great place to be agile when it comes to those plant-based, vegetarian and vegan expectations.

“From a supplier and product level, we have key relationships to ensure customers have a market leading FTG offer. Our partnership with Quorn brings the country’s most loved ‘meat free’ brand to those looking for options throughout the day.

“Additionally, we’ve recently partnered with the incredible Wildfarmed, an organisation on a purpose-driven mission to promote regenerative farming. This focuses on soil health and biodiversity, while supporting a healthier longterm environment, aligning perfectly with our commitment on sustainability while refusing to compromise on taste.

Through collaboration across the industry, we would like to see how this partnership can make a lasting impact on wheat farming across the country.”

This dedication to working with reputable and sustainable suppliers leads to a much more transparent development process, undoubtedly sending a message to the consumer.

“We ensure that the ingredients in our products contribute to overall health, wellbeing and the planet. This forward-thinking approach helps us provide options that

prioritise quality, nutrition and value throughout our supply chain. There is huge optimism for the FTG market in 2024 and the years ahead, so it’s important that our industry steps up to the opportunity by moving the market forward with innovative products. It’s all about communication and collaboration.

“As an industry, I believe there is strong focus on doing business sustainably and 2024 is a great year to pick up the momentum on making meaningful progress towards net zero,” concluded Page.

MASS APPEAL Another operator acutely aware of the opportunities around vegetarian, vegan and plant-based is potato product specialists, Lamb Weston.

“The value of the global vegan food market was close to £12.65 billion in 2021 – and it’s forecast to reach over £17.4bn in 2025,” said Craig Wescott, UK & Ireland marketing manager, Lamb Weston. “It’s not solely serving vegans, but also a growing number of flexitarians who cut down on meat consumption to varying degrees, replacing their food in part with vegan offerings.

“So, it’s vital that FTG options are inclusive – offering up tasty and healthy dishes for vegans that will appeal to all customers.”

According to Tastewise.io, the dominating diet for sweet potato fries is vegan*. And with a high perceived value for consumers, this should make them appealing and profitable to sandwich and FTG operators.

Lamb Weston’s Sweet Potato Fries offer variety and value, are naturally sweet, with a fluffy inside. The coating gives a crispy first bite and keeps them firmer and warmer for longer. Vegan and gluten free, they’re a lower fat, lower calorie alternative to traditional fries and the cut size of 6x13 means consistent frying and portion control. They’re also hand harvested to preserve quality.

High solids, better length compared with regular fries and a thick 10% coating create generous looking portions,

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VEG/VEGAN/PLANT-BASED

One of a Kind The LIVEKINDLY Collective is a group of founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders on a plant-based mission. We found out more from head of business development, Nick Jacobs.

Tell us about your plant-based meat brand, Oumph?

Oumph! features on the menus of many leading UK restaurant groups. With the arrival of our Ready-To-Eat products, we can now offer plant-based alternatives for the FTG sector. Initially launching with our Oumph!

Chunks, a plain chunk for you to add your own sauces or flavours, and our Pulled Oumph! BBQ Chunks, they are the perfect additions to your sandwiches, wraps, salads and poke bowls. And look out for our breaded strips, launching in Q2 2024.

How are you looking to grow key partnerships?

We’re present in the major UK retailers, so our products are already very well known by consumers. With our new Ready-To-Eat range, we can now partner with manufacturers of sandwiches, wraps, salads and other FTG products to grow our offer together. Our Ready-To-Eat offering all comes from our very own manufacturing site!

What’s your USP? Our products are not trying to be anything they’re not.

They’re simply great tasting and happen to be plant-based.

while the allure of sweet and savoury flavours can certainly appeal. An interesting upgrade option for operators.

MAJOR PORTFOLIO Of course, to make the meat-free diet more appealing, a varied menu offering is essential. “With veganism on the rise, it is not enough to simply produce a vegetarian alternative with a basic meat substitute and call it a day,” said Fergus Martin, development chef at Major International, who specialise in free-from stocks, sauces and gravies. “There is an appetite for inventive plant-based meals and a demand for more adventurous menus free from animal products, with exotic flavour profiles in a sandwich and FTG environment.”

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Whether vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or committed carnivores, everyone can enjoy the great tase of Oumph!

How are dealing with challenges facing the sector?

By focusing on plant-based, we understand our consumers, their palates, values and expectations. Oumph! is a long established, well-funded sustainable company. We’re a 100% plant-based business with our own BRC ReadyTo-Eat factory and are in it for the long run. Our Oumph!

Chunks are a delicious plant-based alternative, allowing meat reducers or meat avoiders to enjoy a wider range of products. They provide a simple swap for many of the UK’s FTG bestsellers, such as Coronation Chicken, Chicken and Sweetcorn and many more.

Plant-based is often seen by consumers as more expensive. What’s your approach to this?

We have solved it! Our new Ready-To-Eat Oumph! Chunks are on a par with the cost-per-kg of sliced and diced Ready-To-Eat cooked chicken breast strips.

For more info on the Live Kindly range, visit thelivekindlyco.com.

A straightforward way for chefs to add variety to a vegan diet is via a choice of different cuisines. Major International’s ever-growing portfolio consists of a large variety of culturally inspired options. They’re simple to use, but far from simple in terms of taste.

Flavours from Latin America are always popular. From deep south Barbecue, with sweet and sticky notes, to a fruity Caribbean Jerk. Major’s Gluten Free Barbecue Maris Base delivers a unique oak-smoked flavour, while the Jerk offers a real celebration of authentic spices and citrus fruits.

New to the market, Major’s Mushroom Stock Base is an easy-to-use alternative to a meat-based stock, while adding depth of flavour to a dish – made using wild porcini mushrooms, the concentrated paste combines a strong aroma with a rich, deep flavour.

“Major constantly leads the way in innovation, with an experienced culinary team on hand for menu development, allergen support and dietary requirements,” said Martin. *Sweet potato fries consumption trends, analysis and statistics 2023 report.

WITH THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS simplylunch.co.uk lambweston.eu/uk. majorint.com.

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L E A B I L NOW AVA T A E O T Y D AS REA

Delicious plant-based chunks,

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APPROVED READY TO EAT FACTORY

To advertise please call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 I 23

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VEG/VEGAN/PLANT-BASED

Tastes of the exotic Inspired by street vendors, two operators are taking food to go to the next level.

CAPITAL GAINS Vegetarian and, more recently, vegan products have always been an integral part of the menu at London’s Chapati Man, since launching in 2007.

Having just opened a flagship store in Whitechapel, the business has had to look closely at the area demographic.

“Our street food menu was born from this research, using the experiences of Chapati Man partners and staff to come up with items which are authentic – with a Chapati Man twist,” said Chris Rai, CEO. “They need to be booming in taste and flavour and at a lower price point, which is vital in this current climate.

Our Chana on the Go!, for example, is a simple yet innovative product.”

Other popular options include the Chana Aloo, with chickpeas and potatoes cooked in fragrant spices, as part of Chapati Rice Bowls and Indian Burritos. While Tarka Daal is always a traditional favourite, and both are gluten-free as well as vegetarian friendly.

Chapati Man is ideally placed to benefit from vegan and vegetarian opportunities. “We have the advantage of many Asian veggie dishes to choose from, but how you perfect them is key,” continued Rai. “I could say we spend hours and hours on a product, but when you have a team full of culinary experience, the process is fairly simple – just don’t overcomplicate.

They have to be commercially viable and we want customers to keep coming back.”

FIVE ALIVE Of course, maintaining interest is incredibly challenging in the current economic climate. So, Chapati Man has created a vegetarian Street Food Menu of eight items, all a fiver or less. These include:

Aloo Tikki Burger (V) – spicy Indian potato cake served in a brioche bun, with salad and sauce. £5. ● Chana on the run! (V) (VE) (GF) – Masala chickpeas in a cup! £2.50. ● Pani Puri (V) –six filled balls with chana aloo, salad and chutney. £5. ● Samosa Chat (V) – freshly crumbled vegetable samosa and chickpeas, topped with Chapati Man spices and chutneys. £4.50. ● Large Vegetarian Samosa (V) – crispy pastry filled with a mixed, spicy vegetable masala filling (90g). Freshly made on site. £2.50. ●

“Businesses have to adapt to the economic climate. It’s not easy, given the rents, rates, bills, etc. But we must get real and connect with what the consumer is going through at any period of time. Connection is key.”

All of Chapati Man’s vegetarian and vegan products are made on site, with a Central Production Unit on the ground floor of the flagship store. It will look to utilise this CPU to service future operations. Favourites such as Pani Puri, Samosa Chaat and Chana on the Go are all carefully built in front of the customer, made to order in a matter of minutes. The sense of theatre is a draw in itself.

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VEG/VEGAN/PLANT-BASED

CUSTOMER INSIGHT Healthier ingredients are more important than ever, but it’s about striking a balance. “Customers also want ‘craveability’,” said Rai. “We use minimal oil in our products. Our Whitechapel store is opposite Royal London Hospital, so NHS staff are integral to our business. They are always looking for healthier options – for example, we have a salad counter with 12 toppings. Our priority is highquality and tasty, which is easier said than done. But where there’s a will, there’s a way!”

While the past few years have been tough, there is growing optimism for 2024. “It’s been a huge few months, with the launch of our flagship store,” said Rai. “Even prior to this, the planning process took months to navigate. But it’s an exciting period for our brand, so the plan is to build sustainably and open further stores.

Foodservice is a crazy business, so let’s see what the year brings.”

The Chapati Man team collectively has more than 65 years of restaurant experience – and its creative take on modern Indian cuisine certainly promises an exciting future.

GAP IN THE MARKET Another Indian-inspired operator is Jake & Nayns’, founded by two brothers immersed in the world of flavours, with an enduring passion for food. Recognising a gap in the on-

the-go category, and a lack of options that not only satisfied the palate but also essential convenience, they decided to create versatile products suitable for any time of day.

Drawing upon decades of restaurant expertise and amazing street food vendors, the creation of the Naanster was a response to a discerning market and an in-depth consumer understanding. Crafting the perfect bread took three years, ensuring it retained its softness when microwaved. Rooted in family recipes, the flavours were meticulously curated to elevate the dining experience beyond mundane salads and wraps. Every product launch undergoes rigorous testing and research, resulting in a portfolio that has resonated triumphantly within the sector – which is also why the recipe has stayed the same.

But one exception is the Chickpea Naanster. Initially created vegetarian, it was redesigned as vegan due to demand. And the latest Jake & Nayns’ innovation is a newly crafted vegan star: the 4 Bean Chilli and Sweet Potato Burrito. Available at Blakemore’s, with further distribution to come.

After delving into numerous flavour profiles, the team settled on a 4 Bean composition, introducing a distinctive Jake & Nayns’ touch by infusing a chilli kick. It went through an extensive process of tasting and experimenting, with the vegan experience elevated by sweet potatoes and a cheesy texture.

Marketed as a complete wrapped meal to enjoy on the go, Jake & Nayns’ Naansters and Burritos offer something a little bit different.

And the theme of innovation is set to continue in 2024, with the introduction of a ground-breaking, self-service MicroStation, featuring its very own Heat & Eat station.

It was launched at lunch! 2023, showcasing not just traditional favourites, but microwavable toasties.

Available at diverse locations – including forecourts, hospitals and other convenient spots – it marks a significant new era for the business.

FLAVOUR PROFILES Product development undergoes an exhaustive research process, coupled with a plethora of tastings to ensure quality, with Jake and Naynesh engaging personally at every step.

Responding to the increasing demand for vegan FTG options, and looking at the success of the Chickpea Naanster, their NPD team set out to create something for Burrito fans.

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OPINION

Putting the ‘plant’ back in

plant-based Elin Roberts is CMO and co-founder of Better Nature Tempeh – and is welcoming the FTG sector focus on protein staples.

This Veganuary, it was difficult to avoid the scaremongering. Not a day goes by when we haven’t seen a newspaper article asking if the plantbased boom is over or if veganism is dead.

The reality is that for the plant-based sector, the past year hasn’t been an easy ride. The word ‘vegan’ has lost its shine and concern about ultra-processed meat alternatives is on the rise.

But this doesn’t mean the boom is over – far from it. As a young and evolving sector, the reality is we’re only just getting started.

We know that UK consumers are looking to eat less meat, with 58% saying they’re actively cutting meat consumption. In fact, meat-eating is at its lowest point since records began.

For a while, this meant direct replacements. Meat-free burgers and chicken, for example. This was the quick, easy way when people were new to the world of meat-free foods.

But things have changed. With the growing debate around ultraprocessed foods spearheaded by Dr Chris van Tulleken, programmes like ZOE promoting a whole food plant-centric diet, and an increasing concern around gut health, the shift has gone from cutting out meat to adding more whole food plant-based options to our plates.

Instead of only direct replacements, sales of tofu, tempeh and beans are

"Here in the UK, we’re finallY catching up.

Plant-based is going back to its roots."

diet. Take tofu and tempeh: the former has been eaten for thousands of years and the latter hundreds of years, and both remain protein staples in Asia.

Here in the UK, we’re finally catching up. Plant-based is going back to its roots and we’re starting to see more veggies, pulses and legumes take centre stage.

For FTG operators and manufacturers, the challenge is to find new and innovative ways to put veggies on menus, to give them the starring role and appeal to consumers looking for nutritious, wholesome and tasty plant-packed options.

Meat alternatives still have a place, but plants are the future, and the FTG sector is perfectly poised to take the helm. A TLT sandwich (Tempeh, Lettuce, Tomato), a tofu curry or bean salad anyone? Yes please!

soaring – foods that are natural, count towards ‘plant point’, and support a diverse and healthy gut microbiome.

They’re nutritious too. Tempeh has over 20g of protein, which is double that of eggs and the same as cod.

Ironically, this is a shift back to what many countries were doing before colonisation introduced meat into diets more heavily. Back then, plantbased whole foods formed the staple

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VEG/VEGAN/PLANT-BASED

Packing a punch The Protein Ball Co. has two new vegan flavours – but the business isn’t stopping there.

AT THE DOUBLE Launched in 2015, The Protein Ball Co. arrived with a simple mission – to make all-round healthy protein snacking easier. With a variety of choice, demand continues to grow.

So much so, two new vegan flavours have been released.

The Choc Chip Muffin and Salted Caramel protein + vitamin balls are the newest 100% natural, gluten free, no-added-sugar snacks, branded as the perfect on-the-go treat for healthconscious individuals. With a blend of rich cacao nibs, peanut butter and oats, the muffins have 9g of plant protein per pack, while the caramel option is made with thick roasted nut butter, sweet dates, pink Himalayan salt and a dusting of almond nibs.

“We are excited about the two fantastic new flavours in our popular

range of protein + vitamin balls, designed for consumers with specific health goals in mind, but who also have a sweet tooth,” explained Matt Hunt, founder of The Protein Ball Co. The launch also coincides with a brand refresh, with the 45g packs sporting a more mature look. “This has come in response to feedback.

We wanted our packaging to reflect the quality of the products and really highlight our USPs,” continued Hunt.

STRATEGIC MOVES Ambitions for 2024 are clear. “We are now fully up and running across Amazon and anticipate expanding this into new territories later this year,” said Hunt. “We’re also looking at a new category launch for later in the year, but that’s under wraps for now!”

Challenge Accepted: Protein Alternatives

Expansion is certainly on the menu, with The Protein Ball Co. working closely with external stakeholders. “In terms of our recent packaging revamp, we sought input to make sure we were as inclusive as possible with USPs on packet. We also have many white label clients, so we’re at the forefront of innovation when it comes to effective manufacturing.

“We’re seeing reports demonstrating the staying power of plant-based products on a wider scale – and hope that as the economy stabilises, we see the trailblazers in this category continue to thrive.”

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VEG/VEGAN/PLANT-BASED

Are you being Flexeserved?

Holly Francis, head of customer development at Flexeserve, talks about collaboration, new tech and future goals.

The plant-based sector is under increasing pressure, with various manufacturing site closures recently.

What’s your response to this?

We really strive to stay up-to-date with the latest developments and trends.

We understand the unique challenges that operators face – and have tailored our technology and expertise to support them in achieving their goals.

From ensuring optimal meal temperatures and textures to providing solutions for specific dietary requirements, we are committed to providing clients with the highest service and support. Whether you are a small start-up or large multinational corporation, we are here to help you navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of the plant-based industry and stay ahead of the curve.

FTG is a growing sector. Give us an understanding of your key relationships with manufacturers, providers, operators or retailers.

Being in the industry for several decades has seen us form strategic

partnerships with major operators, including Pret A Manger, Greggs and ASDA, to provide a wide variety of hot FTG options that cater to the diverse tastes and dietary requirements of customers. Through our collaborations, we have gained deep insights into consumer preferences and have used this data to develop menus for different dietary groups, such as vegans and vegetarians.

To deepen these connections, we work closely with them to understand their needs and provide tailored solutions. Our team of experts conducts rigorous market research and data analysis to identify emerging diet trends and customer preferences, which we use to develop innovative menu options.

We are committed to growing partnerships with more leading food operators and forging new ones with other industry players. We aim to continue leveraging our expertise in customer analytics and market insights to deliver value and help clients achieve their objectives.

You’re in a hugely competitive market. How does your product stand out?

As a company, we excel in showcasing the expertise and innovation that goes into our unit. Our technology enables food to stay hot and fresh for an extended period, ensuring the best quality every time. Moreover, we’ve developed a proprietary program called the Flexeserve Solution that provides real-time insights and industry-only expertise.

This enables clients to optimise foodservice operations, enhance the customer experience and increase revenue. Flexeserve Solution is designed to facilitate business objectives by providing tools and support. Flexeserve is a reliable partner for those who want to stay ahead of the competition and provide customers with the best foodservice experience possible.

Ultimately, where do you want your products to be?

In a word, everywhere. Flexeserve products are applicable in any retail and foodservice environment you can think of. From convenience stores to coffee shops and fast-food chains to supermarkets, we strive to provide hot FTG solutions that meet the needs of every business. We want to improve the efficiency and quality of hot food offerings across the board, ensuring that customers can enjoy delicious, freshly prepared meals, no matter where they are.

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CASE STUDY How do you approach the plantbased conundrum of prices generally being higher?

It is essential to take a holistic approach. One key strategy we employ is to focus on operational efficiency in our processes. We can better manage costs and reduce waste by streamlining manufacturing and distribution channels. This approach has additional benefits beyond cost savings; it also helps us maintain our commitment to sustainability by reducing the environmental footprint.

Ultimately, we look to ensure that our plant-based hot FTG solutions remain accessible to all, without compromising on quality or nutrition.

What are your ambitions for 2024?

We are dedicated to improving the efficiency of operations when it comes to preparing, serving and displaying hot FTG. Our main goal is to minimise queues and eliminate bottlenecks in the serving and display process. This year, we are excited to integrate new interactive and cloud-enabled features into our award-winning Flexeserve Zone and Flexeserve Hub range, further expanding our patented air-recirculation technology into even more diverse spaces. By doing so, we aim to provide our customers with a more streamlined and efficient experience.

Our newest technology, ‘Connect’

by Flexeserve, is a cutting-edge solution we are introducing to the market this year. This innovation enables cloud-based connectivity, allowing operators to manage and automate their entire hot-holding estate efficiently.

It delivers unparalleled visibility and efficiency, essential in the vegan and vegetarian space. Operators can use Connect to effortlessly control and automate their hotholding equipment, so that keeping food at the right temperature and maintaining its quality is easier. This technology is a game-changer for the industry, offering new levels of control and efficiency in foodservice.

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A seamless Solution Flexeserve has enjoyed a long and successful partnership with FTG giant, Pret A Manger.

And it was uniquely positioned to work on the Veggie Pret concept, which aims to offer a wide range of healthy and sustainable vegetarian and vegan options to customers across the UK and beyond.

Veggie Pret wanted to incorporate the hot grab-andgo concept into their project – seeking a solution similar to the award-winning Flexeserve Zone, which utilised advanced technology to ensure that hot food items remained fresh and delicious even after extended periods. The Flexeserve team worked closely with the group to develop a customised plan.

The latest Pret vegan and vegetarian hot food selection was tested using the state-of-the-art Flexeserve Zone hot-hold units. As result, a comprehensive solution was developed to help reduce wait times and provide customers

with a seamless food prep and display experience. The longer hot-hold times also helped create savings on energy costs, making operations more sustainable.

The Flexeserve Solution has assisted Veggie Pret in optimising packaging solutions and determining the optimal holding times for each meal item.

In addition to providing valuable insights into ideal packaging and holding conditions for various items, the Flexeserve Solution also extended its support to the menu development team by providing a loan unit for the process.

As a result of this collaboration, Veggie Pret has offered customers a range of quality food items, packaged and presented to perfection.

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SANDWICH & FOOD TO GO INDUSTRY AWARDS The deadline for entries is fast approaching, so head to www.thesammmies.co.uk and submit yours now.

Here’s a reminder of each of the award categories.

En Route Retailer Award

Convenience Retailer Award

Multiple Retailer Award

Focusing on travel. From forecourts and motorway services to airports, railway platforms and bus stations, this award recognises the work these businesses are doing to develop and drive this sector.

This award will recognise the work being done by the convenience retailers to develop the sandwich and food to go market in the high street.

This award recognises those retailers who have done the most to develop their business over the last year.

Sandwich Industry Award Presented to a business or individual who the BSA Management Committee consider deserves recognition for the work they have done to advance the UK sandwich and food to go markets.

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New Sandwich Award

New Product Award Ingredient

Packaging & Equipment

Open to any sandwich (not a range), this award rewards innovation within the sandwich market, in both the hot and cold sectors

This award recognises development and innovation by suppliers and focuses on new ingredients.

This award recognises development and innovation by suppliers and focuses on new packaging and equipment.

Healthy Eating Award

Marketing Award

Manufacturer Award

This award recognises the work being done to provide consumers with new, interesting and innovative healthy eating products.

This award is presented to a sandwich or food to go retailer, manufacturer or supplier who has initiated a successful and innovative marketing campaign to achieve strategic goals.

This award recognises the overall contribution made by manufacturers to elevate and grow the industry.

Environmental & Sustainability Award

Business Development Award

New Food to Go Award

This award is designed to recognise the work being done at all levels of the industry to reduce the sectorʼs impact on the environment and improve sustainability.

This award recognises business developments that have helped progress the industry.

This award recognises development and innovation in the food to go market by manufacturers and foodservice businesses.

Independent Retailer Award

Café Retailer Award

Chain Retailer Award

. This award shines a spotlight on the independent retailers which so often lead the way in new trends and tastes.

This award will recognise the work being done by the café retailers to develop either the high street or in-store market.

This award recognises the work being done by the chain retailers in developing the market in the high street

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New Product Award

25/01/2024 15:37

JOIN US FOR

THE SAMMIES AWARDS DINNER THURSDAY, 9 MAY 2024

Hosted by celebrity chef Theo Randall, comedian Charlie Baker and with dancing through to the wee small hours courtesy of “DJ to the Stars” Tony Perry.

AT THE ROYAL LANCASTER, LONDON BOOK NOW

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SPONSORED BY

SAMMIES AWARDS DAYTIME PROGRAMME If youʼre attending the Sammies Awards Dinner, why not make time to join us at the Royal Lancaster, London for our daytime programme of events?

Weʼd love to see you there so guarantee your place, contact Sandra Bennett at the BSA by email to sandra@sandwich.org.uk or call her on 01291 636348.

The live finals of the Sandwich & Food to Go Designer competition provide a fantastic opportunity to gain insight into the creative process of the industryʼs cullinary superstars.

There will also be a presentation from one of the leading Market Reasearch agencies plus plenty of networking opportunities during the day to meet sponsors, colleagues and competitors.

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This yearʼs competition is well underway as competitors received the sponsor ingredients in early January. The incoming recipes will be judged by the sponsors in February, with the best progressing to one of the regional heats. ● ● ●

5 March 2024 – Holiday Inn, Darlington 6 March 2024 – Flexeserve, Hinckley 11 March 2024 – Brakes, Reading

Heat winners move on to to the live final which takes place on 9 May 2024 at the Royal Lancaster, London ahead of the Sammies Awards Dinner, where the winners will be revealed.

FUTURA FOODS GORGONZOLA PICCANTE CATEGORY Futura Foods are the UKʼs Mediterranean dairy specialists.

Their Gorgonzola Piccante is produced in the Lombardy region of Italy to a PDO recipe. It is matured for longer and is therefore stronger and more piquant. As well as having a firmer and more crumbly texture, it is savoury, tangy and extremely versatile for delivering punchy flavours.

Contestants are encouraged to explore complimentary ingredients, alternative cuisines, different carriers and application methods to elevate the cheese.

JDM FOOD GROUP NUT FREE CATEGORY A business driven by flavour, JDM Food Group believes that what you eat matters! With roots in the import and supply of fresh Garlic & Ginger but now, with a series of wide-ranging on-site capabilities, they pride themselves on a reputation for supplying high-quality, added value, delicious solutions.

JDM Food Group bring an exciting new challenge to this yearʼs competi tion, as they want contestants to consider the free-from market, creating an enticing recipe using either their Nut Free Green Tahini Yoghurt Mayonnaise or their Nut Free Satay Sandwich Paste.

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H. SMITH FOOD GROUP DELIGHTFUL BREADED CHICKEN CATEGORY H. Smith Food Group plc is one of the UKʼs leading independent suppliers in the foodservice, manufacturing and food to go sectors and are long-time sponsors of this category.

The Delightful range has been created to simplify foodservice, and these chicken breast fillets are fully cooked, making them quick and easy to prepare.

This year, competitors are asked to create a sandwich or foodto-go dish which showcases the Delightful breaded chicken breast fillet.

MONA DAIRY GOUDA CATEGORY Mona Dairy is a new generation of cheese production business and for this competition category, they have chosen a delicious Gouda from their range.

One of the worldʼs most popular cheeses, Gouda is made from cowʼs milk and its dense but springy texture compliments the aromatic, almost caramel-like flavour.

The recipe can be a sandwich or a food to go dish, but Mona Dairyʼs Gouda must be the key ingredient.

COTTAGE DELIGHT CHUTNEY & CURD CATEGORY Originally creating handmade butter fudge, over the years Cottage Delightʼs range has grown to include jams, marmalades, curds, chutneys, table sauces and many more delectable delights.

For this yearʼs competition, they want to inspire contestants with these products selected from their range. ● Balsamic Red Onion Chutney ● Spiced Tomato & Caramelised Onion Chutney ● Passion Fruit & Mango Curd

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SUSHI

A STARRING ROLL Sushi and Asian cuisine are all set for further success in food to go, with Tanpopo a key player in the market.

COMMON GROUND A mere six months ago, Tesco broke the news that sushi was officially the UK’s fastest-growing premium lunchtime main – even replacing the smoked salmon sandwich as numero uno. Having launched its £5 Clubcard Meal Deal at the start of the year, sushi sales increased by a staggering 90%.

The supermarket giant now sells over 20 million packs a year. Rest assured, the impact on food to go cannot be underestimated.

In the US, the sushi restaurant market is forecast to expand to the tune of around $3.2 billion (£2.5bn) [Technavio] in the next five years – a CAGR of 3.13%. Kura Sushi USA has a billion-dollar market value, with its robot servers and toy prizes a fascinating snapshot of what the future may hold.

All eyes will be on innovation for a dish that not only offers convenience and an abundance of flavour varieties, but also has a reputation as a healthier FTG choice. Japan has one of the highest global life expectancies and

fish is a common filling and nutritious source of protein.

Our blossoming relationship is unsurprising when you consider the cultural synergies between the UK and Japan. We are both islands, with large tea drinking and gardening cultures, while we also enjoy many of the same food and drink options during the week and weekends.

were perhaps unsuited to the UK grab-and-go market.

“Over time, customers have become more open to exploring the Japanese and Asian flavour profile, so we have catered to this with innovative lines. Capitalising on snacking opportunities and heat-toeat has helped diversify the range outside of its traditional role as a sandwich alternative at lunch, into

WHOLE NEW WORLD A business at the heart of this success story is Tanpopo – with nearly three decades as wholesale sushi suppliers.

Established in 1996 by a young couple that met in Japan, they returned to England with a desire to introduce us to an exciting product.

“When I started here as a sales executive 13 years ago, I encountered people who had an aversion to stocking raw fish lines,” said Andrew Woods, Tanpopo managing director.

“Sushi was treated as a rather obscure foreign delicacy. As a company, we were also focused on making traditional sushi lines in formats that

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SUSHI

items that can be enjoyed throughout the day as an accompaniment to other cuisines,” continued Woods.

FACING CHALLENGES Tanpopo employs over 100 people, with all products made at its SALSAaccredited factory in Feltham, West London. Around 15 chilled/frozen vans deliver around the country, while working with a few third parties, who take stock to more distant UK areas.

The resilience of the company is illustrated by the pandemic response.

“We were affected massively by Covid-19, shrinking down to 50% of our pre-pandemic size, with only a handful of customers ordering. It was difficult. The entire office staff (myself and the chairman included) were drafted into production to help keep things going. But while a stressful time, working in the factory for long periods enabled us to identify areas where we could make efficiencies. It also helps us now, as we better understand the pressures on manufacturing staff and the

importance of running a streamlined business,” said Woods.

There are also continuing challenges around ingredient and operating costs.

“We are paying well above prepandemic levels for all components – almost every element of our business has been hit. We are in regular discussions with suppliers, looking for any ways to save. But unfortunately, over the past two years, some of this has been passed on to customers.

“Ingredient prices have stabilised, but we are not seeing big discounts from suppliers. I have already been advised of more price increases in April, due to the living wage increase.

Ultimately, we are striving to operate as efficiently as possible.”

“It’s noticeable how pricing has moved to the forefront of people’s minds. Last year, we launched a range of 6pc boxes which have been positive for customers looking for an entrylevel product. Introducing items with lower-cost ingredients has also gone well and enabled us to use innovative flavours. New lines are being launched next year, specifically tailored to those feeling the pinch, as well as exploring items outside of our usual hinterland.

“Ultimately, we assess every aspect of our business to see where we can drive savings, before affecting any

SWEET SPOT Keys to the success of Tanpopo are quality and innovation, establishing a loyal customer base while always looking to open up customer profiles.

With consumers under increasing financial pressure, agility is vital.

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SUSHI

"While convincing buyers to take a punt on something different has sometimes been a struggle, we are seeing more options in the mainstream."

price increases. I think everyone in manufacturing is doing the same.”

But the ultimate attraction of sushi is the flavour.

“Waitrose has launched a range of Japanese recently and Korean also appears to be popular,” continued Woods. “And while convincing buyers to take a punt on something different has sometimes been a struggle, we are seeing more options make their way into the mainstream – and this can only be a good thing.

“We have launched a variety of popular katsu lines, plus rice bowls with toppings like Korean Chicken, Gyoza and Teriyaki Salmon have performed well. Our microwave meals are also strong. Simple things like short-grain rice have set us apart from the competition and, of course, our authentic curry recipe!

“There are so many sweet and savoury items in Japan that are still to come to the UK, so the future is interesting. Taking a business

trip to Japan early last year, one of the big differences was how flavours are diluted or altered when they make it over here. There is definitely a space for more authenticity. We have seen this shift in other ‘world foods’, and customers will be receptive to products with a genuine Japanese taste.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE Another major focus is sustainability.

Tanpopo has just moved its fresh

salmon to a single supplier with ASC accreditation, while using a mixture of MSC, ASC and BAP suppliers for seafood ingredients where possible.

“Balancing this is difficult, as sustainable options are usually more expensive. Luckily, vegetarian and vegan lines have always been well represented by us – and customers can purchase a balanced range. Plastic is a big issue, and a specific one for sushi. We have moved some of our lines into kraft bowls, taking over two tonnes of plastic out of the company.

This is something we are actively looking to expand across the range.

“Our fridges and freezers have also moved to energy efficient CO2 systems, and we are working with waste management partners who collect all our excess food for anaerobic digestion.”

With developments around packaging and untapped flavour opportunities still to be revealed, 2024 is likely to be another stellar year for sushi.

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To advertise please call Paul Steer on 01291 636342 I 39

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SUSHI

FROZEN ASSETS Sushi from the freezer is looking to impact mainstream FTG, so we spoke with the business director of major distributor Wismettac, Clive Moxham.

Tell us about your business and key food-to-go relationships.

Nishimoto Wismettac Group, known as Nishimoto Trading Co., Ltd., was founded in 1912 in Japan, as a food importer and exporter. We have remained committed to our core principle of supplying Japanese and Pan Asian food to the world. We sell over 8,000 authentic and innovative Japanese and Pan Asian products to restaurants, wholesale and retail outlets across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.

In the UK, our trading business is Wismettac Harro Foods based in Chessington, supplying a wide range of independent and chain restaurants, FTG retailers and sushi kiosks including YO!, Kokoro and Sushi Daily.

We are in final conversations with many mainstream customers who will be looking to launch more Pan Asian foods onto their menus in 2024.

You’re pioneers of frozen sushi. How does this process work?

It starts in exactly the same way as fresh sushi is made, in that the rice is cooked and then seasoned.

The sushi is filled and rolled and Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) with a cryogenic nitrogen liquid machine (at below -60°C), with the core temperature after freezing being controlled to at least -35°C, to lock in the natural flavours.

Platters are packed into trays of 20 pieces. The key is the vacuum seal of the bag, which stops the air getting to

the sushi and keeps it fresh through the freezing and defrosting process and free from contamination. It has an 18-month shelf life when frozen.

Once removed from the freezer, it has five days of chilled life in the sealed pack and when removed from the bag, the sushi has two days of life, as any fresh sushi would.

Crucially, we have the know-how from our expert Japanese sushi developer, who ensures the product is of a very high quality and authentic in its flavours.

The range that we have now launched to the UK FTG market includes: ● California Roll Banqueting Platter: 500g x 12 case ● Fish Nigiri Roll Platter: 400g x 12 case ● Fish & Vegetable Nigiri Roll Platter: 400g x 12 case.

What are the keys to great-tasting sushi – and preparation challenges?

The Japanese would say it is all about quality ingredients, especially the rice – which has to be cooked to perfection and specifically seasoned for best results. The beauty with frozen sushi is that you get consistency of flavour every time.

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wants to sell sushi but does not have the skill or time to make it themselves.

Do you see sushi as an opportunity for FTG operators to diversify?

Definitely! We remove the barriers so anyone can serve it. Additionally, the platters allow them to customise and add their own toppings – and we sell condiments and chopsticks.

Within our range is also a frozen sushi rice sheet for bespoke options, rather than premade frozen platters.

Asian cuisine is being tipped for great things in the UK in 2024. Why? It perfectly dissects key food trends as, in the main, Pan Asian foods and sushi are healthy, convenient, look great and taste even better.

What are the main benefits of sushi for FTG operators?

Simply less waste and a high-quality fresh sushi once defrosted, which is perfect for any FTG operator that

SUSHI

authentic products that would appeal to all foodservice channels, including FTG outlets, pubs, hotels, contract caterers, etc. Our new product pipeline is strong, including Rain-Bao buns, Kimbap, Edamame Sticks and plenty more, so watch this space.

To help the mainstream customer benefit from the trend of Pan Asian foods, we are partnering with the Lean Kitchen Network, who can provide authentic branded concepts and menus covering such cuisines as Poke, Sushi Burritos and Dirty Dumplings.

What can we look forward to from Wismettac in 2024?

The strategy is to bring Pan Asian and Japanese foods to the mainstream marketplace. We have tailored a range of exciting and

Transparency talks Vegware presents ‘Transparency Talks’, a series of educational webinars where we give direct access to a range of our subject specialists.

What to expect: Who are Vegware: Learn why transparency is at the heart of Vegware. From fantastic products and environmental consultancy to our excellent customer service and production processes.

Green claims code: Dive deep into the concept of greenwashing, as we unveil the truth behind misleading environmental claims.

Plus many more!

Scan the QR code to find out more! vegware.com

@vegware

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SUSHI

Premium presentation from Sabert’s Tray2Go Practical to use, the multifunctional and versatile Tray2Go range features a robust and durable double-wall tray designed for efficient nesting, delivering secure stacking, while retaining excellent product visibility.

“The popularity of sushi as a premium lunchtime choice deserves the very best presentation, and that’s where our new Tray2Go solution wins every time,” said Sabert UK & Ireland managing director, Alex Noake.

“Tray2Go is an ideal, fully recyclable packaging solution for sushi, other chilled FTG, confectionery and bakery products. We are developing bespoke opportunities now, with an off-theshelf range available from April.”

The innovative, secure fitting, high-clarity click-lock lid offers great protection for food-on-the-go and delivery, enabling one-hand closure for more efficient preparation in the manufacturing process.

The Tray2Go range uses sustainable materials and is fully recyclable. The board bases, manufactured in the UK, are made with FSC® certified material, while the lids are made from rPET, at a facility in Belgium, comprising a minimum of 50% recycled material.

Available in kraft, black or white – ideal for bespoke printing and customisation – the tray has an inner PE varnish and GR coating on one side for oil and grease resistance. The recessed (footed) base offers added protection from wet food preparation conveyor belts and manufacturing processes, while providing excellent ‘nestability’. Further to enhanced functionality, the feet also offer a premium design and this new concept is fully patented by Sabert.

“Tray2Go represents a practical, new sustainable solution for the presentation of sushi, and the design enables easy use in food preparation,”

"Tray2Go is an ideal, fully recyclable packaging solution for sushi, other chilled FTG confectionery and bakery products." claimed Noake. “True to our slogan: ‘Sabert makes food look great’, Tray2Go delivers stand-out shelf presence and premium product presentation.”

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SUSHI

Wild-caught Cold-water Prawns The Sustainable Choice

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Royal Greenland UK, Gateway House, North Wing 2nd Floor, Styal Road, Wythenshawe Manchester, M22 5WY

CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD

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enquiryuk@royalgreenland.com www.royalgreenland.co.uk

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Follow us on: TM

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AI/MACHINERY/AUTOMATION

Covering all bases

Grote is a pioneer of sandwich assembly line equipment, with an exciting arrival.

So, we got the lowdown from director of technology, John Truscott.

Tell us about your latest automation innovation for food to go?

It uses robotics to place tortilla wraps onto a high-speed production line. Many FTG products start the manufacturing process with a base: bread for sandwiches, flour tortillas for wraps, naan for a flatbread sandwich.

Wraps are manually sorted from a bulk container and placed on a production line by the operator, who has to maintain the pitch and speed of the line. We’ve automated this process.

Stacks of wraps are placed on the in-feed and scanned by our 3D-vision system, which recognises the shape of individual products from the stack.

The robot can then pick out individual tortillas or slices of bread, understand their shape, and place them in the best alignment to optimise the automatic placement of ingredients further down the line. This not only saves labour but improves product quality and throughput. The machine can feed the line with between 4080ppm. The first machine of this type was completed in 2023 and integrated into a collaborative wrap line which

included slicing, automatic depositing and robotic wrap cutting. We are developing the technology and working on applications for burrito, pizza and other sandwich production.

Let’s discuss your relationships with key players in the sector.

We’re a long-standing trusted supplier in the UK and designed this technology for the UK FTG market. We also have a lot of interest in robotics and automation from key players outside the UK. We’re learning about regional differences in FTG and using the power of robotics and our endeffector technology to easily adapt to these changes. It’s exciting!

How has Grote responded to the world post-Covid?

The pandemic was a great disruptor.

The aftershocks of reduced labour and component shortages greatly impacted the industry. I would say that we are getting back to normal, and the availability of labour is not the only driver for automation. Innovation is key to staying on top.

AI and robotic machinery are certainly hot topics.

We’ve been developing robotic technology for years. There have been elements of AI and machine learning within our robotics from conception. Our vision systems allow the robot to adapt to changes in each individual product run on our production lines. AI is an overused term, but true AI – where the machine can come to a decision independent of the programmer’s knowledge – would be a powerful element to explore. For example, some operators can grab a handful of prawns and be accurate to a few grams, but others struggle without the use of a check scale. We could train a robot, without us needing to understand the visual clues used, to estimate the weight.

The robot could learn this new skill without us learning it first!

Are you seeing patterns in terms of machinery and innovation?

There has been so much economic change, the industry’s management has been very reactive. The future is becoming more stable and the opportunities for leaders to champion innovation are becoming easier.

The tech is maturing but the applications are constantly changing.

New customers all over the world want to work with an established, reputable supplier like Grote. Our experience means they are no longer investing in high-risk technology.

What are your ambitions for 2024?

To make Grote’s advancements in technology a standard part of many of the industry’s efficient production lines.

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Grote_

FURTHER AUTOMATE SANDWICH & WRAP MAKING

AI/MACHINERY/AUTOMATION

Grote robotics automates base, ingredient, and end product handling throughout the sandwich assembly process.

FIND OUT MORE

Scan below to get sandwich assembly robotics application details, specs, videos, and more.

Make more sandwiches and wraps with high accuracy and quality without manual labour. www.sandwich.org.uk I 45

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AI/MACHINERY/AUTOMATION

Poetry in motion There’s a new machine on the market that takes bread de-nesting to the next level.

PROBLEM SOLVING Millitec Food Systems Ltd, headquartered in Derby, specialises in designing and manufacturing food automation machinery. In a ground-breaking move, after conducting nearly 20 trials from April to September 2023, it has unveiled its latest innovation: the BDN400 bread de-nester.

This cutting-edge machinery is aimed at revolutionising sandwich production lines, introducing a unique motion mechanism that sets it apart.

While bread de-nesters are not new, the BDN400 distinguishes itself by incorporating an entirely innovative motion mechanism. There are different ways to handle bread during production, such as sliding motions and stab-and-place methods – however, these come with their own set of challenges. Sliding can cause issues with sticky bread, disrupting the production process, while staband-place can also be problematic, as they may damage the bread due to its soft and pliable nature, making it impractical for use. Therefore, Millitec has opted for a revolutionary peeling

motion, offering a gentle and precise approach to handling during the de-nesting process.

Julija Kazakeviciute, mechanical designer at Millitec, highlighted the importance of food appearance and the company’s commitment to sustainability: “When we noticed that de-nesters in the market have the potential to damage products and increase waste, we decided to develop a new method to solve this problem.”

QUESTION OF SYNCHRONISATION The BDN400’s standout feature lies in its fundamentally different de-nesting motion. By utilising rollers to separate the top edge of the bread slice from the loaf, this ensures ultimate productivity and reduced wastage.

“The biggest challenge during the design process was to synchronise the timing of the rollers’ rotation and conveyor speed to peel the bread slices accurately,” said Kazakeviciute.

But after several software adjustments, the de-nester can now effectively and efficiently feed 70 bread slices in each lane to the production line per minute. Unlike conventional methods, the BDN400 overcomes the inherent obstacles and establishes itself as a game-changer in terms of operational efficiency and quality.

Millitec’s commitment to innovation is underscored by the BDN400’s advanced design, offering a solution that not only meets, but exceeds industry standards. With its gentle yet effective peeling motion, this machinery is designed to redefine the landscape of bread de-nesting, providing a reliable and high-quality solution for sandwich production.

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AI/MACHINERY/AUTOMATION

Bread De-nester Bread De-nester Speeds up to 70 picks/ min/ lane Speeds to 70 picks/ min/ lane Small up fooprint Small 2 tofooprint 6 lanes 2 Innovative to 6 lanes patented design Innovative patented design Servo setup to recipes Servo setup to recipes Super hygienic design Super hygienic design Rapid stripdown and cleaning Rapid stripdown and cleaning Optional buttering Optional buttering

igeneRobots Robots igene Speeds operations/ Speeds upup toto 6060 operations/ minmin Precision servo height alignment Precision servo height alignment Fully equipped Fully AIAI equipped Quick change heads Quick change heads Rapid strip down cleaning times Rapid strip down andand cleaning times Super hygienic design Super hygienic design Inbuilt conveyor speed detection Inbuilt conveyor speed detection visioning system 3D3D visioning system Fully mobile robots Fully mobile robots With tooling available multiple With tooling available forfor multiple tasks tasks

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AI/MACHINERY/AUTOMATION

Signed, sealed, delivered With a recent injection of valuable business experience, Soken Engineering’s ambitions to be the perfect packaging partner are more focused than ever.

NEW OWNERSHIP With more than 30 years of experience in heat sealing and packaging machine manufacturing, we know that any innovation from Soken Engineering is significant. And with a new business structure now firmly established, the future looks bright.

Designing and providing all their own products for distribution into 50 countries, Soken was purchased by Jenton International Limited in 2022.

“Jenton has long-term experience in manufacturing food and medical industry production equipment, and saw the synergy in the Soken Engineering range,” said Richard Little, managing director, Jenton Group.

“The Soken facility in Leighton Buzzard was moved to Whitchurch in Hampshire, where it has dedicated production facilities alongside Jenton.”

It’s a fluid partnership thanks to Jenton’s background, including its Ariana brand which covers ‘clever conveyors’ such as stackers, convergers, seal testers, divergers and product flow automation. While the Dimaco brand includes label and data verification systems (on and offline) for food packaging lines and the JenAct brand includes UV disinfection conveyors.

“Soken’s extensive product line has all been retained,” said Little. “Small and medium operators have a choice of simple to use, robust equipment. In addition, Jenton’s expertise in control systems is being used to upgrade and improve consistency of temperature and pressure.”

FOR TODAY… AND TOMORROW It was at the 2023 PPMA show that Soken showcased its latest heat seal packaging machine – the HS32CF-MAP. It offers maximum convenience to extend the shelf life of portioned tray-packed foods stocked by convenience stores, retailers, farm shops and garage forecourts.

Including ready-to-eat mixed salads pre-cut fruits and veg, sliced deli meats, raw meats and cheeses.

Rather than limiting caterers, test kitchens and other food producers to a small number of set packaging formats, it enables users to choose from an extensive tooling range or bespoke order to suit existing packaging. This provides greater freedom for plastic and biodegradable MAP compatible packaging.

This is just one of the many exciting developments lined up for the year ahead. “There is more demand for plastic-free, recyclable and sustainable packaging – and Soken’s consistency in relation to temperature and pressure allow more difficult-to-seal packs to be dealt with effectively and reliably,” said Little.

“There’s a whole design coming for an in-line tray and top sealer, with all sorts of options for different packs, printing, etc.

“We need to build on our reputation for reliable, long-lasting and dependable machines. The key is to extend our range to cover more of the ever-increasing consumer demands for new-style packs and flexibility for a variety of pack formats on the same machine. We enjoy partnerships with several packaging material suppliers, as they appreciate that will sell more if the machines keep working… and we are in partnerships to help develop materials that promise to be sustainable and reliable.

“There is emphasis on the retail market, but many of our innovations can also enhance the experience of customers without a direct choice – schools, hospitals, prisons, airlines, etc.

And we wish to contribute to this area also, helping to improve the quality of ‘customer experience’ in these sectors,” concluded Little.

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PACK

SEAL

SELL

QUALITY HEAT SEALING MACHINES FOR SANDWICH, WRAP, SALAD AND READY MEAL PACKS Here at Soken Engineering we have 20 years experience, including worldwide sales.

Our innovative UK built all electric machines range from low-cost entry level to high throughput production line models.

SOKEN ENGINEERING IS PART OF THE JENTON GROUP

• Increases shelf life (for up to 3 days) • Less food waste • Greener packaging options • Food-to-Go and Convenience packs • Medical, Pharma, Parts

FROM SINGLE PACK MANUAL TO HIGH SPEED LINEAR AUTOMATIC MACHINES

www.sokenengineering.com

+44 (0)1256 892 194

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On the

BUTTON Andrew Barrow, Evoca UK Ltd sales director, takes us through the exciting opportunities for vending and food to go.

The FTG sector is growing exponentially. How is your business looking to benefit?

Whether in the workplace or public locations – such as airports or train stations – there are places to grab food wherever you look. Each site has a different need, however, in terms of the type of vending machine required.

There are many variables, like the product itself, footfall and available space. Any site needs to ensure they take these factors into consideration when selecting a machine – and for multi-site businesses, one single brand that can meet all those requirements means consistency across all locations, which is important. There are similarities across every machine in our range, making it simple for operators to program, manage, instal and maintain. We have a saying: ‘If you know one Necta machine, you know them all.’ We ensure our machines have similar characteristics to make them as easy to operate as possible.

Talk to us about relationships with the FTG sector and 2024 ambitions.

This year holds many exciting opportunities. Necta is a very

well-established brand, with an extensive network of distributors who operate the machines. But we have witnessed an upsurge in enquiries from new operator businesses in recent months, ensuring an even more extensive network of partners to take the machines to end users. We are in a strong position to respond to evolving market needs – for example, the increase in hybrid working since 2020 has changed demand in many offices, and some locations have reduced in-house catering facilities.

This has necessitated a flexibility in the provision of food in the workplace, and the machine configurations that we manufacture guarantee that employers can continue to offer staff a wide range of snacks and meals.

Vending is becoming more technically advanced. What are you seeing in the market?

The big watchword for 2024 and beyond is telemetry – we will be launching our Amiclo telemetry service in 2024, and this allows operators to push and pull data from the machines. It will make a huge difference, providing data that enables

them to manage stock and plan routes more efficiently. It can even diagnose faults remotely, making the lives of engineers much easier. It’s something we’re very excited to launch, so watch this space!

While drinks are a major focus for your business, how are you approaching the food offering?

Necta is just one of the brands in the Evoca portfolio. We also manufacture both Gaggia Milano and Saeco coffee machines. There are a number of machines – both vending and tabletop – in the Necta brand too.

So, while it is true that we have an extensive hot drinks portfolio, Necta snack machines are a large part of our range. What this means is that we can respond to customer needs across all of their out-of-home refreshment requirements. Our range of snack vending machines is extensive – from our top-of-the range Orchestra Touch, with its bright white internal lighting and flexible tray configuration for an enticing retail experience, through to Vivace, which has been designed to fit in more compact locations or those with a lower footfall. We also

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VENDING MACHINES

meet the needs for an onsite catering option: our Festival machine offers an automatic canteen to staff. Festival can hold a variety of different food options – from snacks, to drinks to plated meals – and can even be configured to reserve certain selections for different shift patterns. We are also continuing to invest and develop new snack and food machines. Later in 2024, we will introduce Soprano to the UK. This is a 10 spiral machine that will be a fantastic addition to the range and enable us to offer another option for high footfall locations.

What advice would you give FTG operators considering a new vending machine or upgrade?

When operators are looking to instal any new machine, we always recommend that they talk to us.

There are so many factors to take into account – such as size and shape of the product, storage temperature and so on. However, our team have been working in this sector for many years, and there’s virtually nothing that we haven’t had a request to vend over this time (from rice pouches to butter, as well as conventional drinks bottles,

cans, crisps and chocolate). We also test samples to ensure products vend as they should, and that the machine is configured to deliver the best experience for both the consumer and operator.

Finally, what do you think the future holds for the vending sector?

It’s exciting and there are always new developments. We’re looking forward to introducing them during the coming months – it’s certainly a time when vending operators can continue to grow their machine estate.

THE

FUTURE VENDING OF

•

MORE space for products

•

MORE environmentally friendly

•

MORE economical to run

01902 355 000 www.evocagroup.com

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The evolution of

FOOD TO GO Selecta deliver vending solutions for a variety of customers. Paul Hearne, managing director, UK & Ireland, is perfectly placed to tell us what’s coming next.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS In recent years, the FTG landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation, transcending traditional boundaries of convenience stores and retail outlets.

The rise of fresh food vending machines and smart fridges has played a pivotal role in reshaping consumer expectations, extending the reach of on-the-go options into workplaces, healthcare facilities and even airports. And with over 460,000 vending machines in the UK, of which food represents 4% of revenue, the opportunity for fresh FTG is huge.

Gone are the days when this simply meant grabbing a bag of crisps or a chocolate bar. Today’s consumers crave variety, seeking quick, convenient, yet healthier and tastier meal options. And the industry is responding to this, with 17% of sandwiches and other prepackaged ready meals now containing

fewer than 400 kilocalories and 5g of saturated fat per 100g, reflecting a rise from 10% in 2018 [Vending International, June 2023].

"Today’s consumers crave variety, seeking quick, convenient, yet healthier and tastier meal options."

CATERING TO CHANGING TASTES The modern consumer demands more than just sandwiches. They are seeking an array of salads, healthy wraps and sushi, as well as vegetarian, vegan and halal options, reflecting evolving

tastes and preferences. This shift is particularly evident in workplaces and healthcare environments, where employees and patients alike want nutritious and delicious alternatives.

Saying that, there is still a place for a BLT sandwich and a sausage roll, according to Selecta UK’s top 10 food products sold in 2023.

Airports across Europe are also embracing the fresh food vending revolution, moving towards unmanned retail solutions in underused areas, ensuring passengers have access to drinks and snacks before they board. One notable success story is Selecta’s collaboration with East Midlands Airport, where their innovative solutions have enhanced the overall travel experience for passengers seeking FTG. By strategically placing vending machines and smart fridges in high traffic areas, convenient hubs have been created for individuals to

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VENDING MACHINES grab a quality bite before flights. This not only adds value to the airport experience, but maximises revenue from previously underutilised spaces.

EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY The evolution of the grab-and-go market owes much of its success to advancements in technology, with smart fridges taking centre stage in reshaping how consumers access fresh food on the move. These innovative refrigerated units have not only broken away from manned retail areas, but also revolutionised the traditional vending experience.

Imagine a vending machine that goes beyond dispensing snacks, offering a curated selection of fresh sandwiches, salads and more. Smart

fridges – equipped with refrigerated units and weighted shelves – provide a safe and secure method of delivering perishable items to the end user.

This technological leap ensures that freshness and quality are maintained.

Smart fridges offer consumers the convenience of a vending machine combined with the interactive experience of traditional retail units. Shoppers can check detailed information about ingredients and allergens, empowering them to make informed purchase choices. The ability to return items, much like a retail store, adds an extra layer of flexibility, making the grab-and-go experience seamless and consumer-friendly.

In line with the fast-paced nature of grab-and-go, Smart Fridges embrace

cashless payment methods, providing a quick and hassle-free experience.

Additionally, the integration of telemetry technology allows for real-time monitoring of stock levels.

This not only ensures that the Smart Fridges are consistently stocked but also enables data-driven insights for optimised replenishment strategies.

CONCLUSION Fresh food vending machines and smart fridges have truly revolutionised FTG, breaking down barriers and opening up opportunities in different sectors. It’s no longer just about satisfying a quick craving; it’s about offering diverse, healthier and tastier options that cater to the dynamic lifestyles of today’s consumers.

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PEOPLE MATTERS

Top tips for effective interviewing Worknest helps business owners proactively solve staffing issues – and making sure you recruit the right people is a skill in itself.

What’s the optimal approach for conducting interviews? How do you ensure a fair and impartial process?

And how do you extract the required information from candidates to make well-informed hiring decisions?

Mastering the art of effective interviewing is a fundamental skill for any manager. It enables you to get to know a candidate, assess suitability against the specific requirements of the role and evaluate their compatibility with company culture.

As well as ensuring you appoint the right person, a rigorous interview process serves to pre-empt potential future issues and sets the foundation for a positive working relationship.

Achieving interview success requires meticulous preparation, time investment and a solid grasp of best practice. Here are our top tips:

1. Preparation is key Employers often make the mistake of going into the interview process ill-prepared. Before conducting interviews, be sure to familiarise yourself with the role and its specific requirements well in advance.

Take time to understand the key responsibilities, identify the relevant

"As well as ensuring you appoint the right person, a rigorous interview pre-empts potential future issues."

experiences that would benefit the role and outline the essential skills the ideal candidate should possess – then use this to formulate questions.

2. Take steps to eliminate bias Objectivity and impartiality are essential to a fair process. To uphold these principles, interviewers must undergo training in techniques and unconscious bias awareness.

We all have unconscious biases which can influence decision-making.

It is important to recognise these, to avoid making unfair judgments about candidates. One way to do this is through ‘name-blind recruitment’.

Also known as blind recruitment or anonymised recruitment, this involves removing personally identifiable information – such as names – from job applications and CVs. This ensures

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PEOPLE MATTERS candidates are evaluated solely on qualifications, skills and experience, rather than factors like name, gender or ethnicity.

Strategies like this aim to create a more equitable hiring process, ultimately promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

3. Refine your questioning style When formulating interview questions: ● Avoid convoluted, lengthy enquiries. Instead, opt for openended questions that encourage candidates to elaborate on skills, problem-solving abilities, experience and motivations. ● Present candidates with real or hypothetical challenges related to the role. Their responses provide valuable insight into how they approach complex issues. ● Enquire about long-term career aspirations and how they envision their future within your organisation. Understanding goals can help determine if there’s a match with your company’s growth opportunities. ● Pay attention to consistency in a candidate’s responses and probe further if something doesn’t add up or if you need more detail.

Follow-up questions can help you gain deeper insights and clarify uncertainties. ● Don’t forget to ask questions that evaluate cultural fit. Enquire about values, work preferences and

aspirations to determine personal and professional values. ● Gauge communication skills. These are a fundamental requirement for many roles. As such, it’s important to not only consider the content of the candidate’s responses but also how they articulate thoughts. Asking candidates to explain complex concepts or scenarios in simple terms is another way of doing this.

A well-rounded set of questions should cover technical skills, soft skills, behavioural competencies and

"Remember, interviews are not one-sided interrogations; they are dynamic dialogues."

cultural fit, depending on the role and business priorities. Tailoring questions to the specific job requirements will help you make more informed hiring decisions.

4. Practice effective listening Successful interviewing isn’t solely about asking questions; it’s about active and empathetic listening. Pay

close attention to both verbal and non-verbal communication, as they often convey as much, if not more, than the words spoken. Additionally, maintain eye contact and use nonverbal cues like nodding to show that you’re not just hearing, but genuinely listening and engaged in the conversation.

Remember, interviews are not one-sided interrogations; they are dynamic dialogues. Take the opportunity to probe deeper when a candidate mentions something intriguing or when you wish to get a better understanding of their response. Asking follow-up questions or seeking clarification demonstrates your commitment to appreciating the candidate’s perspective.

5. Be open and transparent Allow candidates ample time to ask their own questions to gain a deeper insight into the role and your team.

Provide candid responses, so they can assess whether the opportunity is the right fit for them.

Once both parties have concluded their questioning, establish clear timelines for the subsequent stages of the hiring process. Make sure candidates know when they can expect to receive feedback or hear from you. This transparent communication not only aids decision-making, but also enhances the overall candidate experience by demonstrating your organisation’s professionalism and commitment to respectful and open dialogue.

British Sandwich Association and Food to Go members get an ‘initial free call for Employment Law or Health & Safety advice’. Contact WorkNest via 01244 667120 or sandwich@worknest.com to redeem. Remember to quote that you’re ‘BSA’ members.

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COMING UP

NEXT ISSUE MAR/APR 2024

SPECIAL

Packaging Eco responsibility, innovation and profiles

FOCUS

Meat products Category development, ingredients, trends and consumer demand

PREVIEW

FOOD & DRINK EXPO

PLUS...

…all your usual regulars. News, reviews, interviews and so much more 56 I www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

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NEW PRODUCTS

H-PACK announces success of ‘brand’ new HOT ‘N’ FRESH Europe’s packaging one-stop shop, H-Pack Packaging, is celebrating the success of new brand Hot ‘n’ Fresh, since its launch at the end of last year.

The packaging expert has reported a jump in sales enquiries following the brand’s soft launch across social media and online.

The branding, which provides a colour-coded, easy way for buyers to identify products based on the materials used, is receiving unprecedented interest from existing and new customers in the UK and is being championed by parent company and global food packaging brand, Hotpack.

The new Hot ‘n’ Fresh logos are in green, red and blue: Green covers all eco-friendly materials from paper to wood and bagasse; the red label is foils; and the blue represents plastics.

Head of merchant sales for H-Pack, David Martin, created the slick Hot ‘n’ Fresh brand and is delighted with the

response so far: “We knew that the new branding needed to be simple and eye-catching to be effective and it’s great to know that we’ve delivered according to the brief and have pleased the Hotpack family.

The external response has exceeded expectation and we’re now looking forward to closing sales, generated from this high level of interest.”

Hotpack is recognised across the world stage as a brand that holds market leading status as a manufacturer and distributor of food packaging materials and solutions. H-Pack benefits from its role as part of the Hotpack family and has made a name for itself in Europe as a supplier of premium quality products within a tightly competitive price structure.

Hot ‘n’ Fresh is a brand trading under H-Pack from its site on the outskirts of Wrexham.

For further information and for details on the products H-Pack manufactures and supplies, visit h-packglobal.com or call +44(0) 1978 855595.

Sandwich King unveils exciting rebrand The Sandwich King, familyrun, food-to-go sandwich and catering manufacturer, proudly unveils its exciting new rebrand, catering to distributors and discerning consumers.

The vibrant transformation spans the logo, ranges, packaging, menu, website, refrigerated fleet and much more, reflecting 30 years of evolution and a commitment to quality ingredients, king-size selection and service excellence.

Distributors now gain tailored marketing support, and downloadable promotional POS on the new website. End consumers can anticipate an elevated food-to-go experience through an expanded menu of seasonal delights.

This rebrand signifies their dedication to evolving tastes, ensuring The Sandwich King remains a culinary leader in the industry.

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NEW MEMBERS

GrowUp Farms’ story began 10 years ago when founder Kate Hofman met Tom Webster and they launched in a small unit in London, combining new and existing technology to grow leaves that tasted better, lasted longer and reduced the environmental impact of getting healthy food onto plates.

Within a short time, GrowUp Farms was supplying Borough Market and London restaurants with the salad they had grown in a controlled environment in their small unit.

Fast forward 10 years and £100 million worth of investment, GrowUp Farms is now a sizeable vertical farm in Sandwich, Kent, supplying restaurant-quality salad grown 365 days a year in a highly controlled indoor environment, using state-of-the-art tech, to create the perfect Mediterranean spring day, every day.

The salad leaves are harvested, grown and packed at the vertical farm in Kent – significantly reducing the food miles – without using pesticides and are not chlorine washed unlike other bagged salads; processes that degrade the quality of leaves. The salads are also grown using 94% less water than bagged salads produced from a field or greenhouse.

And for this reason, the leaves are tastier, crisper and stay fresher for longer than other ready-to-eat salads.

GrowUp Farms is B Corp certified with a high B Impact Score of 104.7 points, against the pass threshold of 80 points.

It’s the first vertical farm to score an A rating in its first-ever BRCGS audit and is also the first vertical farm to launch bagged salads into major supermarket groups.

GrowUp Farms is keen to work with retail, wholesale and foodservice partners this year. Any businesses who would like to find out more about GrowUp Farms and its salad range of longer-lasting leaves should email sales@growupfarms.co.uk.

Food to Go Conference ‘24 An exciting addition to the sandwich and food to go industry calendar is scheduled for an early summer debut.

Organised with the support of the BSA, the inaugural Food to Go Conference will take place on Thursday, 27 June 2024 at London venue One Birdcage Walk.

Delegates can expect to enjoy presentations from leading industry heavyweights covering hot-button topics affecting the sector. Specific details of speakers and subjects are still in development but we know there will be a broad focus on three key areas.

exciting for the adventurous tastes of the modern consumer.

1. MARKET Featuring the latest data from leading market researchers; analysis of emerging trends and insight on keeping your product ranges fresh and

3. OBESITY & HEALTH With an ongoing health crisis, what can the food to go sector do to educate consumers and inform government to contribute to a healthier society?

2. SUSTAINABILITY It is clear that the impact we have on our environment has become a key driver of consumer choices; manufacturing processes; packaging developments and so much more.

In this section of the conference, we will be hearing about success stories; new initiatives and the ways the industry can work together for the collective benefit of a healthy, sustainable future.

DISCUSSION Each themed session will conclude with a discussion forum where speakers will be able to explore some of the points they have raised.

SPONSORSHIP If you are interested in supporting the Food to Go Conference 2024 as a sponsor, please get in touch with Sandra Bennett on 01291 636348 or by email to sandra@jandmgroup.co.uk.

MORE DETAILS We will be previewing the conference in more detail in forthcoming issues of the magazine.

In the meantime, keep an eye on the events page of the BSA website at www.sandwich.org.uk/events.

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BSA Manufacturers & Distributors 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

DELI-LITES IRELAND LTD. Unit 1, Milltown Industrial Estate, Warrenpoint, County Down BT34 3FN Contact: Barbara Hawkins Tel: 07786 435198 barbara.hawkins@delilites.com www.delilites.com BRC Rating – AA

GREENCORE FOOD TO GO LTD - PARK ROYAL Willen Field Rd, Park Royal, London NW10 7AQ Tel: 0208 956 6000 www.greencore.com BRC Rating – AA GREENCORE FOOD TO GO LTD – MANTON WOOD Manton Wood Enterprise Zone, Retford Road, Manton, Worksop, Notts S80 2RS Tel: 01909 512600 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 www.greencore.com BRC Rating – AA GREENCORE FOOD TO GO LTD. – HEATHROW Unit 366 Stockley Close, West Drayton, London UB7 9BL Tel: 0208 629 8600 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 LTD. Farrow Road, Widford Industrial Estate, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3TH Contact: Sales Tel: 01245 353249 sales@sandwiches.uk.net www.sandwiches.uk.net BRCGS Rating AA+ 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+ SANDWICH KING Enfield Street, Leeds LS7 1RF Contact: Julie Crimlisk Tel: 0113 2426031 enquiries@sandwichkinguk.com www.sandwichkinguk.com STS Audited

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

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

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

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BSA Suppliers Index AGRIAL FRESH PRODUCE LTD Unit 5 Walthew House Lane, Martland Park Industrial Estate, Wigan WN5 0LB Contact: Sales Department Tel: 01942 219942 hello@afproduce.co.uk www.agrialfreshproduce.co.uk ALLSOP SOFTWARE Scottish Provident Building, 7 Donegall Square, West Belfast BT1 6JH Contact: Luke Johnson Tel: +44 (0) 77 7666 0727 luke.johnston@allsop.software https://allsop.software BAWNBUA FOODS NI 67 Crowhill Road, Bleary County Armagh BT66 7AT Contact: Joanne Grant Tel: 028 38 344224 joanne.grant@bawnbua.com www.bawnbua.com BIOPAK Unit 13, Nunnery Park, Worcester WR4 0SX Tel: 01386 555777 sales@biopak.co.uk www.biopak.co.uk

COVERIS FLEXIBLES UK LTD Cromwell Road, Eynesbury St Neots, Cambridgeshire PE19 2ET Contact: Sales Department Tel: 01480 884300 UKfoodservice@coveris.com www.coveris.com

DARTMOUTH FOODS 1-9 Hearder Court, Beechwood Way, Langage Business Park, Plymouth PL7 5HH Contact: Greg Choulerton Tel: 01803 833123 greg.choulerton@ dartmouthfoods.co.uk www.dartmouthfoods.co.uk

DAWN FARMS UK Lodge Way, Lodge Farm Ind. Est, Northampton NN5 7US Contact: Jon Watkin Tel: 01604 583421 info@dawnfarms.co.uk www.dawnfarms.ie www.dawnfarms.ie/tmi-foods

CARGILL PROTEIN EUROPE Clerkenleap Barn, Bath Road, Broomhall, Worcester WR5 3HR Contact: Helen Walker Tel: 0121 274 1107 Cpe_Customerservices@cargill.com www.cargill.co.uk

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

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

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 info@flexeserve.com www.flexeserve.com

FOOD ATTRACTION LTD. Triam Court, 17-21 Langham Road, Leicester LE4 9WF Contact: Jake Karia Tel: 0116 2744066 jake@foodattraction.com www.jakeandnayns.com

FRESH-PAK CHILLED FOODS 1 Waterside Park, Valley Way, Wombwell, Barnsley S73 0BB Contact: Joe Martin Tel: 01226 344850 Fax: 01226 344880 joe.martin@fresh-pak.co.uk www.fresh-pak.co.uk FSC Cheddar Business Park, Wedmore Road, Cheddar, Somerset BS27 3EB Contact: James Simpson Tel: 01934 745600 james@thefscgroup.com www.thefscgroup.com

FUTURA FOODS UK LTD. The Priory, Long Street, Dursley, Gloucestershire GL11 4HR Contact: Rhian Kinman Tel: 01666 890500 Fax: 01666 890522 rhian.kinman@futura-foods.com www.futura-foods.com

GIERLINGER HOLDING GMBH Weingartenstraße 14, A-4100, Ottensheim, Austria Contact: Mark Seibold Tel: 07747 621586 mark.seibold@gierlingerholding.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

GROWUP FARMS Pepperness, Montagu Road, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9FA info@growupfarms.co.uk www.groupupfarms.co.uk

H SMITH FOOD GROUP PLC 24 Easter Industrial Park, Ferry Lane South, Rainham, Essex RM13 9BP Contact: Chris Smith Tel: 01708 878888 chris@hsmithplc.com www.hsmithplc.com 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

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTIC SOLUTIONS Unit 2, Block C, Park Office Village, Nesfield Road, Knowledge Gateway, Colchester C04 3ZL Tel: 07734 365705 enquiries@ industrialroboticsolutions.com www.industrialroboticsolutions.com

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

KINGS FINE COOKED MEATS 69 Queen Street, Wigan, Greater Manchester WN3 4XH Tel: 01942 322398 Contact: Adele Rooney adele@kingsfinecookedmeats.co.uk www.kingsfinecookedmeats.co.uk

LEATHAMS LTD The Circle, Units 10-12 Queen Elizabeth Street, London SE1 2JE Contact: Des Hillier Tel: 0207 635 4000 Fax: 0207 635 4017 des.hillier@leathams.co.uk www.leathams.co.uk

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BSA Suppliers Index MEZZE 12 Colston Yard, Bristol BS1 5BD Contact: Hugo Walker Tel: 0117 379 0309 hugo.walker@mezze.io 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

PASTA FOODS Forest Way, Norwich NR5 0JH Contact: Matthew Clark Tel: 01493 416200 enquiries@pastafoods.com www.pastafoods.com

PLANGLOW LTD Suite 6A1, Whitefriars, Lewins Mead, Bristol BS1 2NT Contact: Rachael Sawtell Tel: 0117 317 8600 Fax: 0117 317 8639 info@planglow.com www.planglow.com

PROAMPAC-RAP Mansel Court, 2A Mansel Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 4AA Contact: Martin Beaver Tel: 0208 069 0700 gbenlon-info-dl@proampac.com www.proampac.com PURPLE PINEAPPLE FILLINGS (KFF Kent House, Priory Park, Mills Road, Aylesford, Kent ME20 7PP Contact: Mark Prior Tel: 01622 612345 sales.orders@kff.co.uk www.kff.co.uk

REFLEX PACK PLUS Moat Way, Barwell, Leicestershire LE9 8EY Contact: Jamie Gordon Tel: 01455 852400 enquiries@reflexlabels.co.uk www.reflexlabels.co.uk

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

SABERT UK LTD. Unit 2, Harvard Ind. Estate, Kimbolton PE28 0NJ Contact: Clive Pickerill Tel: +441480 869077 cpickerill@sabert.com www.sabert.eu

SEARA MEATS BV 2nd Floor, Building 1, Imperial Place, Maxwell Road, Borehamwood WD6 1JN Contact: Alexandre Mattos Tel: +44 (0) 7899 982144 alexandre.mattos@seara.com.br www.seara.com.br SNOWBIRD FOODS Wharf Road, Ponders End, Enfield, Middlesex EN3 4TD Contact: Adrian Blyth Tel: 0208 805 9222 Fax: 0208 804 9303 helen.swan@snowbirdfoods.co.uk www.snowbirdfoods.co.uk

SOKEN ENGINEERING Ardglen Industrial Estate, Whitchurch, Hampshire RG28 7BB Contact: Stephen Hawes Tel: 44 (0) 1256 892 194 shawes@jenton.co.uk www.sokenengineering.com

ZAFRON FOODS LTD. Unit B-G Eagle Trading Estate, Willow Lane, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 4UY Contact: Graham Cox Tel: 0844 847 5116 Fax: 0844 847 5117 gcox@zafronfoods.co.uk www.zafronfoods.co.uk

LINKED ASSOCIATION

WADDINGTON EUROPE Brue Avenue, Bridgwater TA6 5YE Tel: 01278 410160 we.sales@novolex.com www.waddingtoneurope.com

LOCAL AUTHORITY CATERING ASSOCIATION LACA Administration 11-13 The Quad, Sovereign Way, Chester CH1 4QP Tel: 0333 005 0226 admin@laca.co.uk

WOODLY Firdonkatu 2 T 63 00520 Helsinki Finland Contact: Patrik Kuitunen Tel: +358 (0) 40 1259 101 patrik.kuitunen@woodly.com www.woodly.com

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 James Faulkner, Leathams (Supplier) VICE-CHAIRMAN David Winter Street Eats (Producer) THE COMMITTEE Robert Potts, Greencore (Producer) Rusty Warren, Subway (Sandwich Bar Chain) Hannah Wilson, Greggs (Baker)

Dan Silverston, Soho Sandwiches (Producer) Jared Winder, WHSmith (Retailer) Wayne Greensmith, Ginsters (Van Sales) Jude Walker, The FSC Group (Buying Agency) Jake Karia, Food Attractions (Producer) SECRETARIAT Jim Winship, Director

Gary McDowell, Deli-Lites (Producer)

SUPPLIERS

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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.

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Classifieds International Sandwich Manufacturers

Product Listing

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

BAKERY INSERTS Sigma Bakeries Ltd

SUBWAY Chaston House, Mill Court,Hinton Way, Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire CB22 5LD Contact: Georg Buhrkohl Tel: 01223 550820 www.subway.co.uk

ORGANIC PRODUCTS Sigma Bakeries Ltd

Read it online sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

BREAD Sigma Bakeries Ltd FRANCHISING Subway

SANDWICHES Tamarind Foods

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

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

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62 I www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk

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BSA Product Index BESPOKE SOFTWARE/IT EGGS & EGG Allsop Software PRODUCTS Mezze Planglow Ltd.

FACTORY MACHINERY Deighton Manufacturing Grote Company

Industrial Robotic Solutions

Millitec Food Systems Ltd. Soken Engineering

BAKERY PRODUCTS Food Attraction Ltd. Jacksons Bakery Mission Foods

CHEESE & DAIRY PRODUCTS Futura Foods UK Ltd. Leathams

CHUTNEYS & RELISHES Leathams Zafron Foods Ltd.

DRESSINGS, SAUCES AND MAYONNAISE Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods Futura Foods UK Ltd. Leathams Zafron Foods Ltd.

Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods Futura Foods UK Ltd. Leathams Stonegate Zafron Foods Ltd.

EQUIPMENT & VEHICLES

Deighton Manufacturing Flexeserve Grote Company Jiffy Trucks Ltd. Millitec Food Systems Ltd. Planglow Ltd. Reflex Lables Soken Engineering

FISH PRODUCTS

H Smith Food Group plc Leathams Royal Greenland Ltd. Zafron Foods Ltd.

FOOD TO GO Food Attraction Pasta Foods

INSURANCE

Insurance Protector Group

LABELS & LABELLING Colpac Planglow Ltd. Reflex Pack Plus

MEAT PRODUCTS

RED MEAT Bawnbua Foods NI Dartmouth Foods Dawn Farms UK Dew Valley Foods Gierlinger Holding GmbH H Smith Food Group plc Kings Fine Cooked Meats Leathams Seara Meats BV Snowbird foods POULTRY Cargill Protein Europe Dartmouth Foods Dawn Farms UK H Smith Food Group plc Kings Fine Cooked Meats Leathams Seara Meats BV

ORGANIC PRODUCTS Fridays Leathams

PACKAGING

Biopak Colpac Ltd. Coveris Flexibles Planglow Ltd. Pro-Ampac RAP Reflex Pack Plus Sabert Soken Engineering Waddington Europe Woodly

PASTA

Leathams Pasta Foods

PLANT BASED Food Attraction GrowUp Farms Leathams TMI Foods

SANDWICH FILLINGS (READY PREPARED) Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods Fridays Purple Pineapple Zafron Foods Ltd.

SANDWICHES

See BSA Sandwich Manufacturers

SOUPS

Leathams Pasta Foods

SALADS, FRUIT & VEGETABLES

Agrial Fresh Produce Ltd. GrowUp Farms Leathams Pasta Foods

FRUIT

Leathams The Ingredients Factory

For specific information visit www.sandwich.org.uk/directory S&FTG_209_Jan24_p58-64_G.indd 63

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IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MOMENT when great beans become great business.

At Franke, we’re not just in the business of selling coffee machines. We’re in the business of creating wonderful coffee experiences for your customers. It’s all about the moment.

Want to know more? Contact us at Franke Coffee Systems 6A Handley Page Way, St Albans. Herts AL2 2DQ Tel: 01923 635 700, Mail: CS-Sales.GB@franke.com

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coffee.franke.com

26/01/2024 13:31 09.04.2021 10:13:00