QuickBite Magazine January 2018

JANUARY 2018

Talking Tech Interview: LOLLY We speak to Peter Moore of Point of Sale and payments specialist Lolly, he tells us more about ‘Lolly Edge’ and the future of the EpoS industry

Four Hundred Rabbits

PIZZA & PASTA

Wood-Fired Pizza

BREAKFAST

Why is Britain obsessed with Italian food?

We find out….

MAKING YOUR BUSINESS GREENER TALKING TECH INTERVIEW: LOLLY

Millennials order pizza-to-go up to

10 times a month!

Pizza & Pasta Pg 24

Breakfast Breakfast sales are booming, the number of breakfast occasions have increased by 8.4 per cent to 1.14 billion year-on-year January 2018 Print Edition £3.25 - €4.50

Making Your Business Greener Businesses are continuing to act and adapt to consumer demand for environmental sustainability

TALKING TECH Find out how you can harness social media to get the most out of your online presence

Accountancy European Data Protection Laws are changing affecting all new businesses in the UK. Are you prepared?

SUGAR LEVY

what can caterers do?

facts

PASS ON THE LEVY

KNow the

What Caterers choose to do with price is at their discretion.

One of the Levy’s objectives is to encourage consumers to consume a broader range of low and no sugar soft drinks.

It is our recommendation that where the Levy is applied to a product, it should be passed on to the price the consumer pays but that’s up to you.

Soft Drinks

OFFER CHOICE

Industry Levy

REVIEW YOUR

RANGE

At Britvic, we focus on producing great tasting low and no added sugar products. With the impact of Levy on costs, Caterers should review the packs included in meal deals for on the go meals and family deals. Are you stocking a range of great tasting no and low sugar products - See below for must stocks.

Consumers will still demand added sugar soft drinks as a treat within their balanced diet and lifestyle.

Continue to stock added sugar products but ensure your space and stock holding reflects the shift in consumer demand.

What’s happening?

In the 2016 Budget, the government proposed a new levy on soft drinks that contain added sugar. This levy applies to the production and importation of soft drinks containing added sugar.

It’s purpose is to encourage ECTIVE FRO manufacturers to offer greater EFF M choice of lower sugar products TH through reformulation and product development whilst encouraging consumers to drink a broader range of low sugar and no sugar soft drinks using differential pricing.

6 APRIL 2018

HOW WILL IT impact CATERERS?

GENUINE GB PRODUCT

MUST STOCK!

LEVY IMPACT BY SERVE

What Caterers choose to do with price is at their discretion. The price tags below demonstrate the impact of the Levy on selected soft drinks if Caterers choose to maintain their cash margin and pass on the Levy in full with VAT applied.

The Levy Facts*

£0.32

Mid levy 18ppl

£0.43

High levy 24ppl

The levy will be applied to drinks with added sugar.

Dairy and Pure Juice drinks will be exempt.

1.5L (PET)

£0.07

Mid levy 18ppl

£0.10

High levy 24ppl

330ml Can

MESSAGE

A message from QuickBite

Publishing Director

Happy New Year and welcome to the January 2018 edition of QuickBite Magazine!

As we begin the New Year, QuickBite is starting as it means to go on….with pizza!

If you turn to page 24 you can read our interview with Daniel Edwards, co-founder of London based pizzeria Four Hundred Rabbits. He tells us how the pizza industry is changing, his inspiration for their unusual name and what the future holds for Four Hundred Rabbits!

We also delve into the world of Breakfast, from hash browns and all-day breakfasts to the eloquent breakfast bowl – consumers want breakfast later and it seems they are willing to pay a premium for breakfast done right. It is the most important meal of the day after all!

Meanwhile as more and more companies strive to improve their green credentials we investigate the ways in which you can reduce, reuse and recycle. From recycling your used coffee beans to ensuring your products are PEFC certified.

Turn to page 6 for our Industry News, featuring 30 years of the National Fish and Chip Awards, all the latest takeaway and restaurant openings across the UK and the latest trends to hit the coffee industry! Have you spotted our new look News Nibs? Turn to page 22!

In this month’s Talking Tech we discuss social media, how you can improve your social media presence and how you can harness the power this important marketing tool possesses.

Lewis Wantling info@mvhmedia.co.uk Office: +44 (0) 333 003 0499

Advertising Sales

Sandra Bouillet sandrab@mvhmedia.co.uk Office: +44 (0) 333 003 0499

Design & Production Editor Natalie Florey-Abbotts natalie@mvhmedia.co.uk

Features & News Writer Susanne Wynne susannew@mvhmedia.co.uk Office: +44 (0) 333 003 0499

Contributors

Clare Gilroy-Scott, Peter Watters

Finance

Laura Williams finance@mvhmedia.co.uk Office: +44 (0) 333 003 0499

Also, as GDPR hits the headlines, our experts assess what this means for businesses large and small across the foodservice industry.

Until next time!

If you would like to have your say, we would love to hear from you.

Please get in touch via editor@mvhmedia.co.uk or you can tweet us @quickbitemag

Front cover courtesy of Four Hundred Rabbits

Publisher

MVH Media Ltd.

Unit 9 Wilkinson Court, Clywedog Road South, Wrexham Industrial Estate, Wrexham LL13 9AE

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The publishers do not accept responsibility for advertisments appearing in this magazine.

The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.

Issue 52 January 2018

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CONTENTS

 News Round-Up

06

A look at the latest industry news from the QSR and food-to-go market.

 Features

24

Pizza and Pasta

38

Breakfast

60

Making Your Business Greener

34

We take a look at the true versatility of pizza and pasta and speak to those making the most of this cuisine.

By getting a menu ‘just right’ food outlets can attract customers from the early hours and offering a varied menu of enticing options is a sure-fire way to boost sales.

From supporting ethical treatment to using technology that conserves and saves, businesses are continuing to act and adapt to consumer demand for environmental sustainability and awareness.

 Business Profile Four Hundred Rabbits

We speak to Daniel Edward’s co-founder of Four Hundred Rabbits who tells us more about London’s thriving pizza scene.

 What’s New

68 52

06

Find out what new products are available for the foodservice sector

 Talking Tech

24

News

We round up the latest innovation in the world of technology.

50

Interview : LOLLY

56

Harnessing the Power of Social Media

We speak to Peter Moore of Point of Sale and payments specialist Lolly, we find out more about ‘Lolly Edge’ and the future of the EpoS industry

Find out the latest trends in Social Media and how you can get the most out of your online marketing.

70

 Services Legal Make the most of the January Blues. Take stock!

71

Accountancy GDPR is coming – are you prepared?

74

4

Dates for your Diary

We handpick the events you should have in your 2018 calendar.

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Issue 52 January 2018

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CONTENTS

38

60

34

68

71 Issue 52 January 2018

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NEWS ROUND-UP

30 years of the fish & chip Oscars!

Although it’s not known exactly where or when fish and chips came together, one thing for certain is that it’s an endless love affair.

Flaky, piping hot succulent fish covered in crispy batter with golden chips – it’s a duo that’s captured the hearts of the British public since the early 19th century.

With approximately 10,500 fish and chip shops and restaurants across the UK, fish and chips are still the nation’s favourite takeaway today.

As we prepare to celebrate The National Fish & Chip Awards’ 30th anniversary, we’re taking a trip down memory lane as we look back at how the awards started, the impact they’ve had on the industry and how they’ve helped shape today’s fish and chip shops and restaurants.

History of the awards…

Initially known as the ‘Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Competition’, the original idea came from the friers themselves in 1987.

With increasing opposition from other food takeaways, friers wanted to establish a UK-wide platform to celebrate fish and chips. At that time Seafish, the UK’s authority on seafood, was aiming to encourage people to eat fish more often.

There was a natural connection and thus ‘The Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Competition’ was born.

“In 1987, with only one award category, we crowned Toffs of Muswell Hill in London the first Fish and Chip Shop of the Year. From humble beginnings, the awards have grown to become the highest accolade for a fish and chip shop to win,” comments Andy Gray, Trade Marketing Manager at Seafish.

From 2007, new award categories were gradually created in-line with the everadapting industry and the development of the awards was overseen by an industry steering group.

30 years on…

In early 2010, the competition was rebranded as ‘The National Fish & Chip Awards’ – and the annual awards programme is now widely regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of the fish and chip industry. With 15 categories 6

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Issue 52 January 2018

encompassing everything from traditional takeaways to mobile operators, the awards culminate every January in a glitzy London awards ceremony with over 600 attendees, creating worldwide media coverage.

“Of course, no ‘Oscars’ would be complete without an iconic red carpet, champagne reception and celebrity host for the evening. We’ve had some fantastic awards hosts over the years including Ainsley Harriot, Antony Worrall Thompson, Aldo Zilli, Jean Christophe Novelli, Brian Turner, James Martin, Rory Bremner, Mitch Tonks, Jilly Goolden and Nigel Barden,” says Andy.

“As we mark 30 years, I’m pleased to say that the awards still have the same goal as when they first started – to celebrate the great British tradition of fish and chips by recognising the best talent, quality and choice.

“The National Fish & Chip Awards are now recognised as one of the UK’s most prominent and respected seafood industry

events which I believe is due to the awards’ constant high standards. With a robust judging process in place, it’s widely known that if you’re crowned a winner then you are, without a doubt, the best of the best.”

Rigorous judging…

“To be associated with the National Fish & Chips Awards is one of the highest industry honours – I’m proud to say I’ve been a judge since 1991,” comments Mike Pili, Training Manager at Midlands Seafish Industry Training Association (MSITA) and the longest serving judge for The National Fish & Chip Awards.

“It’s been remarkable to see how standards have developed and improved over the years. Judging the awards entrants’ gets harder year-on-year, with ever increasing industry standards and businesses which are savvier than they’ve ever been before. I credit much of these changes to the awards programme,” says Mike.

Entrants are put through their paces as they are assessed against a wide variety of judging criteria, including not only the product but wider industry issues including menu diversification and sustainable sourcing policies, as well as training processes and creative marketing techniques.

To be part of the awards, entrants submit an initial entry portfolio through a custom online portal. If successful, they progress through various judging rounds before hopefully reaching the final shortlisting stage. Judges will make unannounced visits to shop premises to

NEWS ROUND-UP

undertake full business audits, while also assessing the fish and chips on offer and customer service levels. The final stage of judging for the flagship Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Award category also involves a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style pitch in front of a specialist judging panel.

The best in the business…

Being successful in the awards is a lifechanging experience. Previous winners have reported increased footfall and turnover of up to 100%. Others have gone on to launch own-branded products and have even travelled the world serving up their award-winning fish and chips.

“Across the board, fish and chip businesses are embracing innovation by utilising wider initiatives such as gluten free days or capitalising on ‘Deliveroo style’ takeaways. We’ve also seen an increase in the number of entrants adapting to the ‘mobile’ fish and chip trend by investing in branded fish and chip vans,” says Andy Gray.

Many finalists have played a significant role in the wider development of the industry, becoming prominent spokespeople and brand ambassadors: Mark Petrou of 2006 winners Petrou Brothers in Cambridgeshire established the trade magazine and online industry forum ‘Chippy Chat’ 2013 winner Calum Richardson of The Bay in Stonehaven has forged links with various high-profile chefs including Phil Vickery, Nick Nairn and Raymond Blanc, and won a contract to supply his own batter mix to North Sea oil rigs 2016 champions James and Bonny Ritchie of Simpsons Fish and Chips in Gloucestershire created a children’s book that educates young customers on the origins of food Winners of the 2014 Takeaway Award Quayside of Whitby, North Yorkshire showcased their award-winning fish and chips to fanatical consumers on a threeweek tour of Japan – an industry first.

An early winner of the awards, Fred Capel of Chez Fred in Bournemouth, Dorset, reflects on his journey: “We were the fourth winner of the national title, but back then there was just one award category up for grabs, now there are over a dozen.

“Everyone wants to be crowned the best fish and chip shop in the UK, but I believe winning is only the beginning. It’s imperative that you continue to up your

game, even after you win this title. My business has changed so much since I won and I’ve been given so many opportunities.

“The awards continue to provide a fantastic opportunity to build your profile, learn from like-minded people and strive for greatness. I was honoured to win the title back in 1991, but for me, it didn’t stop there.”

The reigning champion of the 2017 awards, Kingfisher Fish & Chips in Plymouth, has the world’s most diverse sustainable seafood menu. Co-owner Craig Maw says: “We’ve worked hard to take sustainability to the next level and this is at the core of our business.

We’re proud to offer over 12 Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fish species, and even use QR codes on promotional point-of-sale materials to let

customers trace the journey of their fish; from sea to plate.

As well as co-owning Kingfisher Fish & Chips, Craig has also recently been elected Vice President at The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) which promotes and protects the interests of UK fish and chip businesses. “It’s so important that our fish and chip shops adapt to sustainable sourcing procedures.

Our nation has enjoyed fish and chips for over 150 years, and we want to ensure that there’s plenty of fish in the oceans for generations to come.”

Britain’s love affair with fish and chips has certainly stood the test of time.

Known world-wide as a British institution, trends come and go but fish and chips remain an integral part of British history and tradition – and are here to stay.

Issue 52 January 2018

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NEWS ROUND-UP

Speciality coffee brand, BEAR, set to transform Derby’s café-bar scene BEAR has opened its longawaited Derby coffee store in the heart of the city’s Cathedral Quarter. The 4,500sq ft site, which has created thirty new jobs for the area, has opened after nine months of development.

Founded in 2014 by entrepreneurs Craig Bunting and Michael Thorley, BEAR identified a gap in the food and beverage sector, combining speciality coffee along with fresh seasonal food during the day, and then offering cocktails, craft beers, wines and informal dining during the evening.

The opening of the brand’s Derby store follows the success of its maiden store in Uttoxeter, which opened in January 2016. Building on this momentum BEAR has also expanded its senior management team, welcoming Chris Price, a former Finance Director, as an Investor and Director. Chris will play an instrumental role in driving BEAR’s future growth strategy, utilising his vast

sector experience.

Co-founder of BEAR, Craig Bunting, said: “We’re hugely excited to open our new store in Derby; the city where Michael and I shopped and skateboarded as kids. Our vision for BEAR is to combine high quality coffee served by skilled, passionate staff during the day with an alternative bar experience in the evenings.

BEAR is working to expand first throughout the Midlands, and then beyond, with hopes to open up to 30 stores nationwide over the next five years. BEAR is rapidly building a strong reputation as a dependable, responsible brand, sourcing local and certified produce wherever possible, and promoting a positive, healthy lifestyle through their menus.

Patisserie Holdings see pre-tax profits rise by 17.1% Popular dessert brand Patisserie Valerie have released their preliminary results for the 12 months ending 30 September 2017.

Luke Johnson, Executive Chairman, said: “We have delivered another year of excellent financial results, achieving our targets in a challenging environment. We opened 20 new stores many of which are performing ahead of expectations, and

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the performance of our new bakeries in the Republic of Ireland is encouraging.

“Our indulgent, affordable treats remain attractive to customers, and our flexible business model has enabled us to mitigate inflationary cost pressures. With a highly cash generative group, strong brands and a focused management team I remain confident of another year of growth and achievement.”

Operational highlights for the brand include the successful opening of 20 stores in the year including stores in 12 new geographical locations. Expansion outside of England also continued with two stores opening in the Republic of Ireland, a second store opened in Northern Ireland and two new stores in Scotland.

The brand also reported that since the year end four new stores were opened with a further two still to open

in the next two weeks. According to the trading update the strong performance of the new stores - especially at new geographical locations - continues to provide confidence in their ability to grow their estate across the UK and Ireland.

Highlights include: •

•

•

•

•

•

Revenue up 9.7% to £114.2m (2016: £104.1m) Online sales up 26% to £4.8m (2016: £3.8m) Gross profit of £89.3m up by 9.8% (2016: £81.3m) Gross margin of 78.2% (2016:78.1%) EBITDA of £25.6m up 15.7% (2016: £22.2m) Excellent growth in pre-tax profit to £20.2m up 17.1% (2016: £17.2m)

Issue 52 January 2018

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NEWS ROUND-UP

The Food & Drink Innovation Network (FDIN) predicts healthy guts will dominate 2018 range of benefits making it better than maple syrup and coconut sugar, including reducing constipation, improving gut health by acting as a prebiotic, filling you for longer, boosting heart health and lowering metabolic syndrome risk factors, and increasing calcium absorption.

Already making its mark on the food industry, the food-to-go trend will continue to grow in popularity due to ease of eating, not needing to be chilled, portable, and nutritional. Originally targeted at a younger age group, in 2018 more products for adults will come to the market, from pouches, meals-onthe-go, and sweet and savoury foods in squeezy tubes.

The rise of food-to-go can be attributed to families sharing smaller dishes while spending time together, and a move towards healthier snacks, as consumers increasingly balance their fast lifestyles with good nutrition.

• Plant-based food

• Waste not, want not

Next year, vegan and gluten-free products will become mainstream and aimed at everyone rather than just the few. Due to a growing understanding of health and sustainable production methods, more consumers are reducing the amount of meat they are eating.

As a result, next year vegan products will likely resemble meat in texture and appearance to appeal to this growing market.

In 2018, we’ll see more “clever” ways to reduce food waste, which will prevent food producers from throwing away food classed as rubbish during production, e.g. mushroom stalks, and damaged food. As a result, next year consumers will likely see the whole ingredient being used, rather than just the “good parts”.

Additionally, more restaurants and eateries will pop-up, cooking with food that is nearing the end of its shelf life.

Food trends come and go and 2017 has been no exception – from the everyday to the down-right “cereal”.

In 2017, healthy eating very much dominated food trends. This year, we saw a backlash against “clean-eating” – fad diets often encouraging consumers to exclude certain food groups from their diets, for example gluten and dairy – with consumers instead choosing to eat in moderation. Moringa powder, a nutrient-dense plant containing protein, calcium, and iron, was added to our favourite drinks, while charcoal-infused food became more mainstream.

Social media played a large role in leading and promoting these food trends with cloud eggs, while “unicorn” fever swept the nation evolving cakes, bagels, and drinks.

According to the Food & Drink Innovation Network (FDIN), while 2017 saw an uplift in healthy eating, 2018 is going to take health to another level…

2018 foods trends for industry professionals to watch out for:

• Gut reaction.

Fermented foods and gut health have been bubbling along for the last few years with the rising popularity of kombucha and kimchi, however these foods will become more mainstream in 2018. The focus will turn to prebiotics and probiotics to develop foods that will help with gut health, essential to overall health and well-being.

As a result, eating raw ingredients could become more popular next year, including garlic, leeks, and jicama, also known as yam bean in Asian cooking and a fantastic and healthier alternative to tortilla chips with dip.

• Natural sweeteners Inulin, not to be confused with insulin, is a fibrous carbohydrate, increasingly being used as a sugar and flour replacement. Found in chicory root, inulin can be added to smoothies, our favourite baked, sweet treats such as cake, and even sticky rib glazes. Inulin is not only a natural sweetener, but has a 10

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Issue 52 January 2018

• Snack nation

NEWS ROUND-UP

London tea room becomes the first in UK & Europe to offer the ‘Selfieccino’ – a cappuccino with your face on it!

A London-based chain of tea rooms has become the first in the UK and Europe to offer what it is calling the “Selfieccino”, a cappuccino with the customer’s selfie printed on it using futuristic printing technology that scans the selfie and injects edible food colouring into the froth to print the image.

“We are proud to be introducing something quite unique to the UK market. It’s the first time people will be able to print their selfie, or any image, on their cappuccino, said Ehab Shouly, Managing Director of The Tea Terrace, which owns and operates three tea rooms at the House of Fraser department stores in London Oxford Street, London Victoria Street and Guilford.

Customers simply take a selfie and then send it via a messaging app to the barista at The Tea Terrace who will then prepare a delicious frothy cappuccino as they would normally do. The barista then puts the mug of cappuccino under the high-tech printer which then prints the selfie on to the froth in less than 30 seconds.

“The likeness and accuracy of the image is amazing. And it still looks like what is known among coffee lovers as ‘barista art’, which is when a barista spends time creating a likeness of a customer on the froth manually. “The problem with barista art is that by the time it’s done, the cappuccino’s gone cold,” Shouly said.

While The Tea Terrace, being a tea room, is well known for its wide variety of teas – it serves more than 25 different flavours – the company is keen to offer excellent quality coffees as well. “We use only the best beans to create delicious coffees for our customers. The Selfieccino just takes it one step further,” Shouly said.

“For us, today’s dining experience is no longer just about having great food and drink. It’s all about differentiation and about creating unique experiences that our customers can document on social media.

Our research shows that restaurants today have the highest share of photos posted on social media,” he added.

The Tea Terrace has been a pioneer in terms of creating photo opportunities for its customers to post on Instagram and social media. The company first introduced its fairy-tale ‘throne chairs’ a few years ago which became a favourite with customers.

Last May, the tea rooms introduced Cinderella-style golden princess carriages in which customers can dine.

“Innovation and creating new concepts and new photo opportunities for our customers is the key driver behind our success. Millennials today form more than 50 per cent of our customer base and we have to give them what they want. Today’s customers want great food, great service and great photos,” said Lailana Shouly, Marketing & PR Director at The Tea Terrace.

The Selfieccino will first be available at The Tea Terrace’s branch in London on the 5th floor of House of Fraser Oxford Street and the product will then be rolled out to the company’s two other branches at House of Fraser on Victoria Street in London and House of Fraser in Guildford, Surrey.

Pizza Hut Restaurants adds vegan cheese to menus nationwide Vegan cheese roll-out across the country due to phenomenal customer demand • Brand now caters for all vegan and lactose-free guests serving vegan-friendly toppings and bases • Available to enjoy in all of its 262 UK restaurants.

Pizza Hut Restaurants has announced the roll out of vegan cheese on its pizzas across all of its Huts, following the success of the initial trial and the huge customer demand for the product.

Gareth Hopley, Head of Communications at Pizza Hut Restaurants, said: “Yes, the

reports are true. After an amazing customer response to our vegan cheese trial earlier this year, we’re pleased to announce that the dairy-free alternative will now be served in all of our restaurants nationwide and feature as a permanent fixture on our menus.

“We’re excited that all of our cheese-

loving vegan customers will be able to grab a slice of the action and no longer have to miss out – we can’t wait to hear their thoughts!”

PHR’s tasty dairy-free cheese alternative, Violife, will be available to order and enjoy on a pizza of your choice, from Margherita to Virtuous Veg. Issue 52 January 2018

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NEWS ROUND-UP

Net migration to UK falls by 106,000 year on year, the largest drop since records began In figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), EU nationals account for three-quarters of those who chose to return to their native country. Net migration to the UK stood at 230,000 in the year ending June 2017, down 106,000 year-on-year.

The Office for National Statistics said Net migration - the difference between the number of people coming to live in the UK and the number of people leaving to live elsewhere - fell to 230,000 in the year ending June 2017.

This was down from the recent peak seen in the year ending June 2016 and is now at a similar level to 2014. EU net migration accounts for over threequarters of the fall in net migration.

Nicola White, Head of International Migration Statistics, Office for National Statistics said; “Overall, more people are still coming to live in the UK than are leaving and therefore net migration is adding to the UK population.

“The first full year of data since the EU referendum vote in 2016 shows a decrease in the number of people coming to live in the UK and an increase in the number leaving, resulting in a fall in net migration of 106,000. Over threequarters of the fall in net migration was accounted for by EU citizens.

“The decline follows historically high levels of immigration and it is too early to say whether this represents a long-term trend.

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“The number of people immigrating for a definite job has remained stable but there has been a 43% decrease in the number of people immigrating to look for work over the last year, especially for EU citizens.

“These changes suggest that Brexit is likely to be a factor in people’s decision to move to or from the UK – but decisions to migrate are complex and other factors are also going to be influencing the figures.”

Long-term immigration to work decreased by 51,000 to 261,000, in YE June 2017, those immigrating with a “definite job” remained stable (187,000); while the decrease was driven by fewer people coming to the UK “looking for work” (down 56,000 to 74,000), driven

by EU citizens (down 47,000) (both statistically significant changes).

The variety of cuisines available on our local high-streets is thanks to the impact of immigration and the wealth of flavours available in street food markets, takeaways and restaurants up and down the country is testament to its positive

influence on the food industry.

The British Takeaway Campaign, an umbrella group representing those involved in the supply and preparation of the nation’s favourite foods, has commented on the quarterly migration statistics.

Responding to the latest migration figures, Ibrahim Dogus, Chair of the British Takeaway Campaign, said: “With a third of takeaway restaurants experiencing skills shortages, particularly for chefs, and more than a third saying Brexit will make it more difficult to recruit staff, it’s vital that the immigration system enables the sector to access the skills it needs from inside and outside the EU. “As well as an immediate guarantee on EU citizen’s right to remain, we need to see further action on skills, and investment in high-quality vocational training to develop home-grown talent.

We are also calling for a review of the Shortage Occupation List to enable takeaways to access skilled chefs from outside the EU.”

NEWS ROUND-UP

Simpson’s Stroud takeaway 100th in UK and Ireland to earn ‘blue fish’ label for sustainability Simpson’s fish and chips takeaway in Stroud has become the 100th in the UK to receive a coveted sustainable fish certificate, from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an NGO that sets a standard for sustainable fishing around the world.

Simpson’s can now use the MSC ‘blue fish’ label on its cod and haddock, assuring customers that the fish sold has been caught using sustainable methods. It also means it can be traced back to the fishermen who caught it.

Across the UK from Shetland to Penzance, the number of MSC-certified UK fish and chip shops has grown 30% on last year. Over twothirds of the winners at the 2017 National Fish and Chip awards were MSC-certified.

Simpson’s was the first business to introduce MSC certified fish in Gloucestershire at its Cheltenham takeaway in 2014.

YouGov Research with fish and chip shop customers has shown very positive support for sustainable fish - with four in five fish and chip fans believing that chippies should serve certified sustainable fish.

A family business, Simpson’s first fish and chip shop was opened in 2009 by husband and wife team, Bonny and James Ritchie, but fish and chips have been in the family since 1976.

Their ethos and commitment to sustainability is what led to the Cheltenham shop’s awardwinning accolade of the UK’s Number 1 Fish & Chip Takeaway 2016.

James said: “It makes a considerable difference to us. Many people say they source sustainably but being able to prove this to your customers and promote the widely recognised ecolabel is a huge advantage.

“Stroud is well known for being an ecofriendly town and many customers quiz us on our menu items. People will now trust that we know where our fish has come from and in a time where the news is full of food-based scandals.”

George Clark, senior commercial manager at the MSC, said: “It’s such a huge milestone

that there are now 100 fish and chip shops who care so much about the provenance of their fish to invest in getting MSC certified. It shows how far and fast the industry is moving forward and we are so proud to be able to celebrate this.”

He added: “Congratulations to Simpson’s who are doing their bit to protect the future of the oceans by selling MSC certified fish. We hope that their success will encourage other chippies in the area to follow their lead and offer their customers a sustainable choice.”

Choosing the blue fish label from fisheries, retailers, brands and restaurants guarantees sustainable, traceable methods and helps protect the life in our oceans for generations to come.

Shortlist for inaugural BFFF people awards announced The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) has announced the shortlisted nominees for its upcoming People Awards, celebrating the best talent the frozen food industry has to offer.

Over 40 high flyers from the industry are in contention for 10 awards in categories such as Technical Champion, Marketer of the Year and Factory Manager of the Year.

The first-of-its-kind awards was launched by BFFF to raise the profile of the unsung heroes of the frozen food industry. Nominations were submitted by the finalists’ manager or team leader and covered a wide range of job roles and experience.

The finalists were chosen during an in-depth judging process by a stellar panel

of experts from across the food and drink and HR industries. The six-strong judging panel was made up of Lynda Hulme, HR director Fowler Welch, Vince Craig, BFFF board member, Alison Cannon, founding partner, Resonate Search & Selection, Noli Dinkovski, associate editor, Food Manufacture, Nick Downing, IGD commercial director and Cheryl Bennett, director, Pelican Communications.

The awards will be presented at a glittering event on the evening of 22 February 2018, at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole, following the BFFF’s Annual Business Conference. Finalists will be invited to an exclusive Presidents’ Reception before the awards dinner, where they will be able to celebrate their achievements amongst their peers.

John Hyman, chief executive of BFFF says: “These awards were launched to celebrate the unsung heroes that

continuously drive the frozen food industry to be the dynamic and developing sector that it is. We know the level of talent that is out there, but the standard of entries we received was exceptional and it was really encouraging to see how many industry leaders put forward members of their teams that they believe are deserving of recognition.

“In an industry that is continuously growing, with sales recently reaching £8.3 billion, introducing new talent into all areas of the industry and getting them inspired is crucial. Our Rising Star award aims to shine a light on the up and coming talent in the industry, who will be showcased in front of their peers on the night – make sure to keep an eye on these stars of the future!”

The full list of nominees can be found on www.quickbitemag.co.uk Issue 52 January 2018

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Consumers see coffee as a craft concern and a fuel for fitness, says research Analysing over 186 million social media posts referencing coffee over the course of two years, Foresight Factory, the consumer analytics company specialising in trends, has identified the key trends of the coffee market for 2017 in its latest social media listening report. The findings reveal a consumer base that increasingly embraces a craft culture around the beverage, while novel consumption occasions are also beginning to emerge.

Two prominent trends which reflect this growing perception of coffee as a ‘craft beverage’ are the increasing ‘Instagrammability’ of the drink and the increasing status of the barista.

Over 18 million - almost one in ten - of the social media posts that Foresight Factory analysed were images or conversation about images of ‘photogenic’, visually attractive coffee.

Moreover, this trend has seen huge growth over the period of the period, with 4,446% growth in these kinds of posts. Meanwhile, a smaller but perhaps more insightful trend is the rise of ‘celebrity baristas’ on social media, who showcase their technical and creative coffeemaking skills to a burgeoning audience.

While coffee is gaining craft status, consumers are also increasingly drinking it beyond its conventional consumption occasions. A growing association is with health and fitness – this is not only leading to the

emergence of the pre-workout coffee, which has seen a growth in social media mentions of 84 per cent, but also the appearance of the ’free from’ cold brew, which taps into a growing desire to cut dairy and sugar.

Laura Dennehy, Head of Content Solutions at Foresight Factory, commented further on these trends and what they mean for the market: “We’re seeing the beverage enter a new phase in its evolution, as a craft drink associated with certain lifestyles and valued for its quality.

Intriguingly, in our research we’ve found many parallels between the coffee and the beer market, with coffee drinkers increasingly appearing to drink it instead of beer in some situations, for example with a meal. The market is now mimicking the packaging of alcohol to borrow the premium connotations of craft beer.

“This parallel is even extending to the coffee itself, with nitro cold brewers drawing from the signature texture of stout to infuse

their coffee with a smooth and creamy consistency. The growth of cold brews correlates to a wider development, where coffee is becoming incorporated into the fitness and healthy living trend as a pre-workout drink.

The inception of protein coffee demonstrates how this represents an opportunity for new product development,” she said.

Laura concluded by speaking about the potential business value of these insights: “These findings offer inspiration for all kinds of opportunities to tap into consumers’ consumption habits and their attitude to the drink for commercial advantage. For example, paying attention to the aesthetic qualities of the packaging and the drink itself taps into consumer desire for ‘photogenic’ coffee.

The over-arching narrative of a more ‘craft’ perception of the drink should yield different approaches to the market, with potential for partnerships with food and hospitality companies and a distinct approach to marketing. Regardless, the report reflects the fact that it’s a very intriguing time to be involved with coffee, whether as a consumer or as a business person.”

Many food outlets rely on outdated cleaning methods At this year’s Restaurant Show, Sani Professional found that 45% of surveyed visitors wrongly believe that trigger sprays and cloths are the most effective way of cleaning restaurant tables.

A further 60% of service industry professionals also believed that a restaurant’s cleanliness affects its reputation more so than food quality and poor service. However, many are still reliant on unhygienic and outdated cleaning methods.

Jon Edmond, European business development manager at Sani Professional, says: “Although the results are disappointing, they are unsurprising. We know best practice in hygiene is not as well understood as it should be in the food service sector. Professionals know the reputation of a restaurant is affected by its 14

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cleanliness over food quality and service.

“It’s our goal to deliver food safety and enhance the guest experience across a variety of busy establishments. It’s our hope these Restaurant Show results go some way to help the food service industry professionals better protect customers against germs and foodborne illnesses.”

From farm to fork, Sani Professional gives busy establishments a simple, effective system to meet general cleaning, sanitising, disinfecting and hand hygiene requirements while fighting the spread of foodborne illnesses.

At the Restaurant Show, Sani Professional launched its Surface Disinfectant Wipes and Cleaning Multi-Surface Wipes as well as the Sani Pro Dispenser and the Triple Take Wipe Dispenser.

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Hotelympia Partners with British Hospitality Association to support cut tourism VAT campaign The revitalised Hotelympia is partnering with the British Hospitality Association (BHA) to lend support to its Cut Tourism VAT campaign – a drive to bring UK Tourism VAT into line with competitor destinations within the European Union.

From today, visitors pre-registering for the show (March 5-8, ExCeL London) will be given the chance to opt in and have their say in supporting the campaign. The BHA argues that any reduced rate will stimulate investment, create employment and boost growth within the UK hospitality sector. Additional research by Deloitte/ Tourism Respect found that a reduction would contribute an extra £4.6 billion to HM Treasury over ten years and create 121,000 jobs.

The BHA is joined by Bourne Leisure Group, Merlin Entertainments Group and the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions in championing the Cut Tourism VAT campaign. With the Chancellor announcing a review of Northern Irelands tourism VAT in the latest autumn budget, the group sees 2018 as a

crucial moment for the industry, and Hotelympia as a central platform for promoting the cause.

Government Affairs Director for the British Hospitality Association, Vernon Hunte, comments: “Cut Tourism VAT is pleased to partner with Hotelympia and we look forward to speaking to delegates about how they can support the campaign. UK hospitality businesses compete on an unfair playing field with a Tourism VAT rate twice that of our European neighbours. 2018 is going to be crucial year in pressing home the case for a reduction.”

Hotelympia Portfolio Director, Ross Carter, adds: “At a time of great uncertainty, British hospitality businesses need support from Government in creating an

environment where they can thrive and prosper.

“With an independent treasury adviser attesting that such a reduction represents ‘one of the most efficient, if not the most efficient, means of generating GDP gains at low cost to the Exchequer’ Hotelympia 2018 supports this initiative wholeheartedly.

As the UK’s leading hospitality event we are proud to bring it to the attention of some 25,000 visitors and look forward to hearing more about the progress of the campaign at the show itself.”

Registration is now open for Hotelympia, as the UK’s leading hospitality event introduces four exciting and contemporary shows, united under one roof, as part of a fresh new identity.

Mars Food win sustainability initiative of the year at food matters live awards 2017 Mars Food has been awarded the title of ‘Sustainability Initiative of the Year’ at the newly launched Food Matters Live Awards for its commitment to source all of its rice varieties from farmers who are working towards the SRP standard by 2020.

Taking place on 22nd November 2017 at ExCel, London, the new awards comprised of 10 categories, each dedicated to recognising the latest innovations, achievements and commitments to supporting a sustainable food landscape for the future. Each category was judged by an expert panel of industry professionals, with decisions on the winners being made on the basis of the highest level of commitment, innovation and creativity demonstrated by the entrants.

Sustainable rice is critical to meet the needs of a growing global population. Rice is the daily staple for more than 3.5 billion people and provides livelihoods for 19% of the world’s population. Yet rice farming has environmental impacts. Previous rice production practices use approximately 40% of the world’s irrigation water, and 16

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is responsible for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions – and demand for rice will only increase.

In 2015, Mars Food announced its rice sustainability initiative whereby it pledged that by 2020, 100% of its rice would be sourced from farmers working towards

the Sustainable Rice Platform standard for sustainable rice. In October, Mars Food achieved the first landmark goal following this pledge, announcing that 100% of its Uncle Ben’s Basmati Rice is now sourced in this way – a first in the global rice industry.

Uncle Ben’s Basmati rice is sourced from India and Pakistan, through farmer partnerships which enable the company to trace its rice from field to fork. Uncle Ben’s works with its suppliers and partners, such as the International Rice Research Institute, World Wildlife Fund and Helvetas, to share innovative farming methods with farmers. A 2016 pilot project to test SRP technologies in Pakistan demonstrated that new growing techniques delivered an 8% increase in yield, a 30% reduction in water, and a 32% increase in net income.

NEWS ROUND-UP

4 in 5 businesses hit by rising employment costs

The British Chambers of Commerce’s annual workforce survey of over 1,400 businesses - held in partnership with Middlesex University London - reveals that pensions auto-enrolment, the National Living Wage and the Apprenticeship Levy have increased the cost base of businesses, and could lead to reduced opportunities for investment and wage growth.

From today, visitors pre-registering for the show (March 5-8, ExCeL London) will be given the chance to opt in and have their say in supporting the campaign. The BHA argues that any reduced rate will stimulate investment, create employment and boost growth within the UK hospitality sector. Additional research by Deloitte/ Tourism Respect found that a reduction would contribute an extra £4.6 billion to

HM Treasury over ten years and create 121,000 jobs.

The BHA is joined by Bourne Leisure Group, Merlin Entertainments Group and the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions in championing the Cut Tourism VAT campaign. With the Chancellor announcing a review of UK Tourism VAT in the latest autumn budget, the group sees 2018 as a crucial moment

Ban on takeaways near schools not the answer, say BTC London Major Sadiq Khan wants to ban takeaways near schools, as the draft London plan looks set to shake up the future of takeaways in London.

If the plans go ahead all new takeaways will be required to sign up to the ‘Healthier Catering Commitment’ (HCC), a scheme promoted by local authorities to help caterers and food businesses make simple, healthy improvements to their food - such as grilling and adding less salt.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Takeaway restaurants are a vibrant part of London life, but it’s important that they are not encouraging our children to make poor food choices. I am working hard to create a healthier London and this must start with the food that our children eat.

“As promised in my manifesto, I am using all of my powers through my new London Plan to prevent new takeaways from being built just down the road from schools as part of a package of measures to tackle the ticking time bomb of childhood obesity and help us all lead healthier lives.”

jobs and growth, and have played a key role in regenerating London’s high streets.

“The Mayor should recognise that these are mainly small businesses and local employers who together contributed £4.5bn in gross value added contributions to the UK’s economic growth in 2016 and support 23,000 jobs in the capital alone.

Complex Issue “Obesity is a complex issue and the takeaway industry is more than willing to

engage with national and local authorities to explore how it can play a part in tackling it.

“Many takeaways are already doing their bit to offer healthier menu items and provide more information to their customers to help them make good food choices.

Stifling the growth of one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse industries is not the answer.”

There are now 56,638 fast food shops in England and the industry contributes billions to the UK economy.

Severe impact However the plan could severely impact the future of the takeaway industry in London, a city that currently has over 8,000 fast food outlets.

Commenting on London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s commitment to ban takeaways from opening within 400m of London schools, Chair of the British Takeaway Campaign, Ibrahim Dogus, said: “Takeaways pack a huge economic punch when it comes to Issue 52 January 2018

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Optimism dips among leaders of out-of-home eating and drinking Exclusive CGA survey reveals ‘perfect storm’ of challenges including rising food and property costs and Brexit, but operators remain resilient Optimism among leaders in the eating and drinking out sectors has been substantially dented since the start of the year, CGA’s latest Business Confidence Survey reveals.

The survey finds that only 30% of leaders of restaurant, pub, bar and coffee shop groups are optimistic about general market prospects for the next 12 months— down from 47% in the first quarter of 2017. Optimism about prospects for their own businesses has followed a similar trajectory, falling from 68% in the first quarter to 52% in this latest survey.

The exclusive research, based on responses from well over 100 senior executives across the sector, including big corporates and small entrepreneurial operators, was revealed at CGA’s Peach 2020 Conference last week. It also finds that a third (32%) of leaders admit their business’ performance has been below expectations in the last six months—down by five percentage points from May’s survey.

The new figures chime with other CGA research indicating tough trading conditions. The Coffer Peach Business Tracker reveals that like for like sales

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at leading managed pub and restaurant chains have risen by just 1.3% over the last 12 months, while the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index has demonstrated sustained rises in food costs over 2017.

Property and people costs have also increased this year.

The latest Business Confidence Survey finds that optimism is unlikely to increase in the short term, with more than half (57%) of leaders concerned about consumer confidence over the next six months—though only one in eight (12.2%) is pessimistic about their own business’ prospects for the next year. CGA research presented at the 2020 Conference reveals some more positive trends, including evidence from the CGA BrandTrack survey that consumers eat out just as often as they did four years ago—and that frequency among 18 to 44 year-olds is at a four-year high.

Other issues highlighted by CGA’s Business Confidence Survey include:

• Brexit fall-out—71% of leaders say the decision to leave the EU has had

a negative impact on their business, with only 3% citing a positive impact

• Rising costs —more than three quarters of leaders say increasing costs of raw materials (79%) and rates (78%) have negatively affected their business

• Price rises —more than two thirds (69%) of leaders say their business has increased menu prices over the last quarter in light of soaring costs.

CGA vice president Peter Martin said: “Our Business Confidence Survey is the clearest indication yet of the trials facing the leaders of out-of-home eating and drinking. With food, property and people costs all rising, consumer confidence softening, competition intensifying and Brexit casting a long shadow over the future, operators are enduring something of a perfect storm of challenges.

“But this is a creative and resilient sector, and while leaders’ optimism has been dented this year, they will be rolling up their sleeves and fighting hard for growth in 2018.”

NEWS ROUND-UP

One third of hospitality sector unaware of GDPR According to a survey conducted by Its Lolly, the EPoS and payment solution specialist and The Institute of Hospitality (IOH), one third (33 per cent) of the hospitality sector is still unaware of the upcoming GDPR legislation.

General Data Protection (GDPR) is a regulation intended to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals within the European Union (EU). It aims primarily to give control back to citizens and residents over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment.

The survey also uncovered that nearly three quarters (73%) of those surveyed wouldn’t know what to do if customers requested details of the data being held about them. And half (50%) of respondents said they were not aware of how their methods of personal data processing will be impacted under the new regulations.

Alarmingly, 40% of respondents are unsure as to whether their operational data is safely backed up. However, on a more encouraging note, more than half (57%) of hospitality providers are confident in the systems they have

Pret could double its discount on paper cups as sustainability continues to lead the way Popular coffee and food-togo outlet Pret could double the discount for reusable cups as the brand continues to encourage customers to use less disposable cups.

Pret CEO Clive Schlee revealed the brand is considering doubling the discount for reusable cups, an increase from 25 to 50p. It would mean the chain’s filter coffee would cost just 49p for customers bringing in their own cup.

in place.

Peter Moore, CEO of Its Lolly, said: “A number of the findings uncovered in the survey are alarming given organisations of every size are going to be affected by the GDPR legislation. This will include small hospitality providers with fewer in-house legal and IT resources.

“GDPR is only around the corner. It is time to take action and get to grips with your data before it becomes too late. The fines are high, up to 20,000,000 EUR or up to four per cent of the annual worldwide turnover of the preceding financial year in case of an enterprise, whichever is greater.”

Peter Ducker, chief executive at the Institute of Hospitality, added: “Getting ready for GDPR is a good opportunity for operators

A tasty difference to Veganuary Award winning, ‘Free From Plus’ snack brand, Ten Acre, are proud to support Veganuary 2018 – for a fourth consecutive year. This annual campaign has become a global movement, encouraging people to try veganism throughout January.

to spring-clean their databases. You will be surprised by how much data you hold - about customers, employees and suppliers - that is old, out-of-date or of no benefit to the business at all.

“That’s the first step. Then it’s an opportunity to get in touch with your customers and forge a new and more meaningful relationship with them.”

the market, however, not every brand can tick all the boxes.

“We are changing perceptions with our ‘Free From Plus’ snacks – to show that products can be free from and taste great too. Veganuary shares these ideals and are dedicated to changing public attitudes towards food. Their campaigns have had incredible success in a very short time - they are changing lives all over the world.”

With plant-based diets gaining momentum, there are over half a million people in the UK following a vegan lifestyle. Three and a half times as many as estimated in 2006*. Ten Acre believe that everyone should be able to enjoy great tasting crisps and popcorn, regardless of their dietary needs.

Tony Goodman, Co-Founder and Chief Eating Officer of Ten Acre, said: “Veganism is mainstream – and it has never been easier to go vegan. Whether it is for a day, week, month or indefinitely.

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Millennials most likely to choose ecolabelled fish than older shoppers Millennial seafood shoppers are most likely to choose ecolabelled fish than those older, while all shoppers’ spend on sustainable seafood has increased for a fourth year running, according to a report released by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

Millennial seafood shoppers are most likely to choose ecolabelled fish than those older, while all shoppers’ spend on sustainable seafood has increased for a fourth year running, according to a report released by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

Not only are UK consumers spending more on sustainable seafood, it’s the millennials that have the strongest preference (Consumer Insight Report Globescan, 2016) - with 52% of 18-34 year olds stating they prefer to choose ecolabelled fish and seafood. That’s in comparison to 37% of those over 55 years old in the UK. By choosing seafood with the blue MSC label shoppers are helping to protect oceans, livelihoods and fish for the future.

Toby Middleton, UK Programme Director for MSC says: “The fact is that UK shoppers value sustainable credentials above price and brand.

“We are delighted that the younger generation care about sustainable seafood – they are the shoppers of the future.

With this year’s increase of restaurants, brands, and supermarkets using the MSC blue fish label, we can all help to drive sustainable fishing.”

Shoppers’ spend on seafood in carrying the MSC ecolabel in the UK exceeded half a billion pounds (£754m) in the year 2016/17, a 48% increase on the £509m spent from the previous year 2015/16.

That means £1 out of every £5 spent in UK supermarkets on seafood went on MSC certified sustainable fish, helping ensure the ocean’s health.

The figures, part a recent MSC report “From sustainable fishers to seafood lovers,” confirms MSC certified products are increasing 20% year on year - this increased choice has had an enormous impact on shopping habits. The MSC label can be found on a wide range of products from fresh, frozen and tinned fish to pet food, fish oil health supplements and baby food.

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to use the MSC label than ever before; Sainsbury’s leads the way in the UK, offering over 200 certified products – more MSC labelled products than any other national retailer worldwide. It is closely followed by Waitrose, Tesco (who introduced the blue label to over 600 fishmonger’s counters across country this year), Lidl, Aldi and Birds Eye. The millennial generation is shaping the ‘eating out’ sector; it’s also become fastest growing customer segment within the hospitality industry ( What Millennial’s Want, Survey by Morgan Stanley (2016).

Leading restaurants such as Wahaca and McDonald’s, and even stores such as Ikea continue to make the commitment to certified sustainable seafood for their eco-conscious diners. Fish and chip shops are also upping their green credentials with now over 100 chippies in the UK using the ‘blue fish label’ on their fish, assuring customers that it’s been caught responsibly.

Danielle Pinnington, MD at shopper research agency, Shoppercentric, says:

“It is encouraging that millennials are demonstrating the kinds of attitudes that will push suppliers and retailers to take ethical sourcing seriously.

“There is plenty of evidence emerging that the younger generation of shoppers are interested in the provenance and ethics of the products they are buying.”

Educating consumers and increasing public understanding of sustainable seafood is a vital part of MSC’s plans for 2018, says the report. Next year will see the launch of its ‘Keep it Wild – choose the blue fish’ campaign across the UK, that aims to reach consumers through joint partnerships, ambassadors and storytelling.

The report also outlines the MSC’s plans for the future, including an ambitious target to engage 20% of marine catch by 2020. Choosing MSC labelled seafood from fisheries, supermarkets, brands and restaurants helps to protect the life in our oceans for generations to come by ensuring sustainable fish that can be traced back to its source.

NEWS ROUND-UP

Adelie Foods drive NPD in the free-from category Free-From foods are expected to rally sales of £952 million by 2021 according to industry analysts Mintel, and the sector is growing rapidly as more consumers demand a greater variety of tailored food-to-go options.

We speak to Isla Owen of leading foodto-go business Adelie Foods, who supply the UK retail and foodservice sectors with a portfolio of chilled food products.

Adelie are witnessing first-hand a greater awareness of free-from foods and even greater consumer demand.

“Free-From is increasingly important, since we launched our brand in 2010 we started out with just a couple of freefrom products in our range of over 100 products,” says Isla, Senior Marketing Manager at Adelie. “Now, every new launch we have we are continually adding more and more free-from products to our range.

“We are now at a point where we have eight gluten free products in our range, seven vegan products and there is now scope to build on that even further.”

In fact in the last 12 months Adelie have added brand new products to their range, and have even introduced sub brands catering to this growing demand; “Such as our Urban Roots range,” explains Isla. “Which is specifically for Vegetarian and Vegan products.”

without dairy and gluten in particular.

Kantar say that while only about 5% of the population needed to avoid certain food groups for medical reasons, 54% of households joined the trend in the first three months of 2017 by buying at least one product from the category.

The Future of Free-From “I think the future will involve improvements of what we have already got, so, for example things like glutenfree bread and gluten free wraps, which are coming on leaps and bounds,” explains Isla.

“Which will hopefully open those products up to people who might have disregarded them previously.

Isla also says that the availability of dairy-free cheese will also progress as currently there are a limited amount on the market and they are also relatively expensive; “As they become more available the price will come down and then it really opens them up so that we

Isla Owen - Senior Marketing Manager

can produce an item and make it costeffective,” adds Isla.

“There is also definitely a bigger plethora of ingredients available which makes it much easier for us as a manufacturer to produce products for consumers with these needs. It’s evolving all the time.”

“We’ve had a great response so far and there are plans to expand our range further,” says Isla. “With lots more NPD coming in the near future, we haven’t

Lifestyle Choice There is now a greater awareness and improved means of testing for specific intolerances, but Isla notes that ultimately the free-from category is becoming a lifestyle choice adding; “There is a whole movement of consumers that are looking to lead a healthier lifestyle. Not necessarily because they have got an allergy or an intolerance or want to be a vegan, it’s more of a lifestyle choice.

“Especially with the younger shoppers.”

In fact Adelie sell a large number of their products to University students; “Research does show that a large number of younger consumers follow these type of food trends,” adds Isla.

And according to research from Kantar Worldpanel younger people are leading a trend towards buying products

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NEWS IN BRIEF PUREZZA l BY CHLOE l WAGAMAMA

CHICKENliquor rebrands

Brixton’s CHICKENliquor has had a refurb. The popular South London restaurant will now be called MEATliquor and will offer the full menu to their customers.

Founded by Scott Collins and Yianni Papoutsis in a pub car park in south London the business has gone from strength to strength.

Scott Collins, says: “We are constantly updating our venues and offering to make sure they never get tired, and now it’s CHICKENliquor’s turn.

“With art created by I Love Dust and shiny new grills, the venue will be given a loving face lift.

Once reopened the venue will be a fully functioning MEATliquor.”

Vegan pizzeria Purezza to open second location in 2018

London mayor to tackle plastic waste head on

The UK’s first vegan pizzeria Purezza will open their second in Camden in February 2018 - and the Italian eatery hopes to emulate the success of its original Brighton site.

As well as pizza, they’ll offer pasta, burgers, raw dishes, and lots of gluten-free food as well as vegan versions of desserts like tiramisu and crème brûlée.

A spokesperson said: “Purezza has reverse engineered a number of animal-based foods including vegan meat and cheese in its lab in order to recreate them with plant-based ingredients. It’ll offer a range of artisan cheeses, including

It has been reported that London Mayor Sadiq Khan wants to reduce the usage of plastic bottles in the capital via a network of water fountains and bottle re-fill stations.

The plan is hoped to tackle the issue of single use plastic – more than a million plastic bottles are bought worldwide every minute and in 2016 more than half of these were not recycled.

A survey by YouGov and Keep Britain Tidy revealed that 70% of individuals questioned

its famous house blend rice mozzarella as standard for pizzas.

“It’ll also offer ‘meats’ such as pancetta, mince, and burger patties created with plant proteins.”

Stefania Evangelisti, CoFounder of Purezza added: “London is a hub for both great food and innovation, meaning a London-based Purezza has always been an ambition of ours.

“We are at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what we can create with plants, and we look forward to having London join us on the journey to see where things can develop next.”

//QUICK NEWS// Greggs amongst the UK’s top 20 favourite retailers 22

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agreed that tap water should be more freely available, 59% said they would be more likely to reuse a water bottle if they could easily fill it in shops and other locations.

A spokesperson for Khan said; “The mayor wants to see a reduction in the amount of single-use plastic bottles and cups across the capital and has asked City Hall officers to examine the feasibility of a pilot community water refill scheme, or other interventions.”

l Five Guys to open smaller format sites in west London

NEWS IN BRIEF NEWS IN BRIEF

by CHLOE. to open London site The flagship store will open in January 2018 and will mark the first arrival for the sustainable eatery in the UK market.

Arriving in London’s Covent Garden the plant-

based eatery has a chef-driven vegan menu features locallysourced ingredients in their most natural form to create inspired dishes.

The London site will be the first by CHLOE. restaurant outside of the States with the brand already looking at further expansion across the capital.

7% rise in like-forlike sales at Wagamama British restaurant chain Wagamama has reported strong results in turnover, like-for-like sales and EBITDA for the first half of the year.

Jane Holbrook, said the 7.1% Q2 rise in like-forlike sales was ahead of the UK’s casual dining sector by 8.1%, Wagamama had “outperformed the market for over three years”.

‘We are delighted with the 7.1% UK like for like sales growth in the quarter,”

Kebab meat ban on hold The proposed ban on kebab meat has failed to gather enough votes – three votes short of the required majority – which could see a ban on the takeaway favourite due to the phosphates it contains.

The European Commission proposed a ban on the popular dish across Europe as some studies have discovered a potential link between the contained phosphates to heart disease and stroke.

An estimated 1.3m doner kebabs are sold every day in the UK from more than 20,000 outlets.

Ibrahim Dogus, chair of the British Takeaway Campaign, has opposed the plan as it could damage the takeaway industry, ‘a sector which generates £4.5bn in economic growth to the UK and supports 231,000 jobs.’

The vote may only be temporarily however as the European Food Safety Authority is scheduled to re-evaluate by December 2018.

she said. “Such strong revenue performance has seen the gap between us and the competition continue to widen.

“We remain relatively cautious about the immediate outlook given market conditions, but with our successful and growing UK and international footprint, combined with our consistent performance and strong cash generation, we remain confident in our ability to identify opportunities and manage through the challenges ahead.”

Riverford ditches plastic nets

Burgers back on top in the Fast Track 100 list Casual dining chain Five Guys has been rated the top hospitality company in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list -a list of the top 100 private companies with the fastest growing sales.

Five Guys made it to number 8 on the list thanks to an annual sales rise

of 129%, meanwhile the second highest rating in the hospitality category went to burger chain Honest Burger who have experienced growth of 76% over the same period. Leon Restaurants also made it onto the list at number 71 - with total growth of 54%.

//QUICK NEWS// Burger chain Byron facing sale at discounted price

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Organic farmers and nationwide veg box scheme, Riverford, have ditched plastic nets used to pack their onions, citrus fruits and Brussels sprouts in favour of a compostable alternative made from beech tree pulp.

Riverford’s dedicated packaging technologist, Robyn Copley-Wilkins, explained, “As much as people - ourselves included - might wish that we could do without packaging entirely, it plays a huge part in ensuring product quality and enabling distribution through our whole supply chain.”

Riverford are currently reviewing all existing packaging, making sure it reflects their ethics and are always looking at ways to improve, ensuring they maintain their sustainable, ethical and environmentally friendly status.

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Pizza and pasta are two of the most popular items to order for both eat in and takeaway, both fully customisable with an array of toppings to suit all tastes and dietary requirements.

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intel say that ‘digital innovation and authentic dishes made from simple and fresh ingredients are transforming pizza and pasta into a destination business’. They say this has been aided by the expansive store presence of leading players.

Industry leaders such as Papa Johns, Domino’s and Pizza Hut, as well as Italian casual dining brand Bella Italia have all expanded this year thanks to the versatility of the pizza and pasta industry and the rise of online ordering and home delivery.

“The Pizza Delivery and Takeaway industry has expanded rapidly over the past five years,” say data analysts IBISWorld, buoyed they say by increasing consumer preference for convenience and affordability.

Despite a spending squeeze between 2012 and 2017 in the eating out industry, with people opting to stay in rather than eat out, IBISWorld noted the rise of industry operators who capitalised on this ‘by launching aggressive advertising campaigns and a series of promotional deals to entice consumers which helped buoy the industry.

According to food delivery giant Deliveroo pasta has seen an uplift in orders of 74% in 2017 and pizza has experienced an increase of a huge 106% over the same period.

Scope for NPD

“Other ways to increase the frequency of eating pizza include catering more for lunch and snacking occasions, and expanding beyond the traditional Italian-originating approach to the dish,” says Richard

Caines, Senior Food & Drink Analyst, Mintel. “A greater variety of bases, sauces and toppings, including those influenced by world cuisines, all offer scope for NPD.” ‘Big five’ supermarket Sainsbury’s recently announced the sale of fresh, hot takeaway pizzas as they attempt to take a slice of the lucrative takeaway pizza industry – a sign perhaps that attitudes towards takeaways are changing and that the convenience of ready-made pizza is surpassing the desire to cook at home.

And pizza venues are popping up thick and fast; popular London based pizzeria Four Hundred Rabbits celebrates pizza and everything it encompasses. Their customers love their authentic sourdough pizzas, which are served in laid back surroundings alongside a selection of craft beers. Their popularity lies in the time they have taken to perfect their Napoli inspired recipes, co-founder Daniel Edwards says; “We take an awful lot of care and attention to the sourdough we use for our pizzas. They ferment for a minimum of 48 hours, and are made only with wild yeast.

“The slow rise process results in a great depth of flavour to the base. What we top our pizzas with is equally important. Our tomatoes are ‘San Marzano DOP’ which are pretty much the best tomatoes you can buy.

“I think they love the innovation to what we sell as well.”

“Pizza’s hard to beat when it comes to ticking all the boxes for a popular on-the-go food item – a satisfying and relatively inexpensive menu choice, great for all day parts,”

Contributors • Paul Rayment, Business Development Manager, Papa John’s • Johnnie Tate, Co-founder, Yardsale Pizza • Stuart Jackson, Director of Sales, Pan’Artisan Ltd • Craig Brayshaw, Director of sales, Eurilait • Daniel Edwards, Co-Founder, Four Hundred Rabbits • Nigel O’Donnell, Managing Director, Meadow Vale • Michelle Stapleton, Brand Manager, Big Al’s Foodservice • Gordon Lauder, Managing Director, Central Foods • John Marks, Menumaster Brand Manager, Nisbets • Steve Hemsil, Sales Director for UK & Ireland for Welbilt • Deliveroo

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says Stuart Jackson of Pan Artisan.

“The versatility afforded by a myriad of topping options means all occasions can be catered for, including breakfast, and specific dietary requirements satisfied.

Pizza by the slice offers a superconvenient, grab and go choice and pizza served whole presents a perfect sharing dish whilst socialising.”

Takeaway vs Dine-In

Another popular London based pizzeria is Yard Sale Pizza, which was born out of three friends’ shared passion for simple, good pizza.

Beginning life in Clapton, London they now operate three stores across East and North London.

On the popularity of pizza and why it continues to ‘rule’ as king of the takeaway Co-Founder & MD Johnnie Tate says; “I think it’s pretty simple… everyone loves pizza!”

“Ever since my family holidays to visit my aunt in Naples pizza has been my favourite food. One of my business partners is a passionate chef and as a team we’ve always wanted to do our own thing,” adds Johnnie.

Using the freshest ingredients,

The Pizza Delivery and Takeaway industry has expanded rapidly over the past five years

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Yard Sale offer their customers stonebaked pizzas for dine-in, takeaway or delivery and have seen mixed results regarding the popularity of takeaway vs dine-in.

“We do a big mix of dine in, takeaway and delivery across all our sites. Clapton does the most delivery whilst Walthamstow does the most dine in.

“We only use our own dedicated in house delivery service. This allows us to ensure a quality pizza experience from dough to door!”

Health Concerns

Like pizza the way in which pasta is enjoyed is changing and health and diet conscious consumers are impacting this. Mintel say that in the UK nearly a quarter of adults are actively limiting their carbohydrate intake for health reasons, while one fifth regularly substitute rice, pasta and noodles with vegetables in the style of carbohydrates like spaghetti, for example.

Jodie Minotto, global food and drink analyst at Mintel, said: “Health concerns over carbohydrate intake continue to plague sales of pasta,

There’s no denying the popularity of Italian cuisine, consistently voted the UK’s favourite choice several years in a row

especially in Italy where retail sales have been in constant decline every year since 2009.

“The rising popularity of protein and the resurgence of low carb diets have made for a challenging environment for pasta, which is being shunned in favour of foods perceived to be healthier or more supportive of weight management efforts. New product development centred on positive nutrition and tapping into the ongoing interest in gluten-free food will help to polish pasta’s image.”

Gordon Lauder of Central Foods says; “The free-from market is huge and growing all the time. Coeliac UK estimates that there are now over 1.3 million Britons or 3% of British adults following a gluten-free diet.

“In addition, 8.58 million, or 13%, are avoiding gluten in their diet, so it’s hardly surprising that we are seeing an increase in demand for gluten-free items.”

In response to demand, Central Foods has recently launched individual portions of cooked, gluten-free penne pasta, which are also dairy free and suitable for

vegans and vegetarians. “These are proving particularly convenient for chefs and foodservice operators to use either hot with a sauce, or cold in a salad,” adds Gordon. “And cross contamination within the kitchen is reduced because each portion is individually wrapped, with zero wastage.

“Outlets should capitalise on this by providing diners with gluten-free options of Italian favourites like pizza and pasta to help entice further Italian cuisine consumption.”

What role do pizza and pasta play in the foodto-go/quick service restaurant industry?

“There’s no denying the popularity of Italian cuisine, consistently voted the UK’s favourite choice several years in a row,” begins Craig Brayshaw of Eurilait. “The latest NPD Group forecast predicts one of the strongest increases likely to be the Pizza/ Italian sector within quick service restaurants, with visits set to rise 3.5% from 0.24 billion in 2016 to 0.25 billion in 2017 and a further Issue 52 January 2018

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3.5% to 0.26 billion in 2018.

“Savills Research report ‘Casual Dining in the UK 2016’ also cites Italian and pizza as the most prolific of all casual dining cuisines, with a combined offer accounting for 45% of all branded restaurants,” adds Craig.

“As a subsidiary of two leading and highly experienced French dairy cooperatives (Laita and Eurial), Eurilait is able to offer an extensive range of dairy goods to provide menu options for a variety of foodservice sectors and levels, within the industry.”

“Authentic, regionally specific food is a great cuisine trend and Italian cuisine is particularly popular,” agrees Michelle Stapleton of Big Al’s Foodservice. “The Italian food and drink market has grown exponentially in the UK over recent years, with pizza and pasta restaurants gracing high streets across the UK. It is a cuisine known for traditional tastes and style and the versatility of how

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Authentic, regionally specific food is a great cuisine trend and Italian cuisine is particularly popular

it can be consumed is proving how hungry the UK is for Italian food.

“A Research and Markets report forecasts the global pizza market to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 3.68% over 2016 – 2020,” adds Michelle.

“This is arguably down to pizza consumption steadily growing as an on-the-go choice, as well as a sitdown, dining option. Italian cuisine, particularly the pizza sector was set to rise 3.5% between 2016 and 2017 and then a further 3.5% between 2017 and 2018 within quick service restaurants (NPD Group).”

Indeed pizza is playing an increasingly important role in the quick service market place. “Papa John’s has well over 350 stores across the UK and over 5,000 stores in more than 40 international markets and territories and we continue to expand rapidly following increasing customer demand,” says Paul Rayment of Papa John’s Pizza.

He adds; “This year we have had

a record number of stores opening in the UK and growth is not only confined to the UK, but we are expanding in Europe as well as across the world.”

Pizza consumption has been steadily gaining growth, both as a perfect on-the-go choice and as a sociable sit down sharing option, and the popularity of pizza continues its upward trend.

“A Research and Markets report forecasts the ‘global pizza market to grow at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 3.68% during the period of 2016-2020’ and informs that openings can be found in NPD, especially where pizza toppings are concerned, foreseeing an opportunity for ‘pizza manufacturers to introduce bold flavoured pizza varieties for customers to increase their market reach,” says Stuart Jackson, Pan’Artisan.

Although all demographics and age groups enjoy pizza, it seems Millennials (those aged between

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Gourmet fast food has been highlighted as one of the key trends of recent times and this could include pizza

Image shows serving suggestion

18 and 35 years old) are the main consumer group of pizza.

“A 2016 survey by Aviva health insurers found the UK’s younger generation order pizza-to-go up to ten times a month, that’s twice as often as consumers aged 55 and older,” adds Stuart. “The likes of Deliveroo and Just Eat have made access to readyto-eat food easy; according to NPD Group the delivery sector grew by almost 10% to 599 million visits in the UK during 2016, while total visits to restaurants and other dining venues increased by just 1%.”

“Gourmet fast food has been highlighted as one of the key trends of recent times and this could include pizza,” adds Gordon Lauder.

“Unusual gourmet toppings on pizzas could be one way that outlets differentiate their pizza offering from their competitors – encouraging customers to come back to your outlet time and again.

Gordon suggests; “Instead of traditional rocket, why not add

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nettles or dandelion leaves, which taps into the meadow savoury flavour trend, or the more adventurous might like to try adding insects as a topping.

The idea of insects as a cheap, plentiful source of protein, which are already a staple ingredient in many parts of the world, is gaining traction in the West as climate change and sustainability issues climb higher up the ladder of social concerns, so it’s definitely an ingredient to watch.”

“Other gourmet pizza toppings might be cured or aged meats, and not just beef but also chicken and fish, and smoked ingredients from vegetables, like beetroot, and meat to spices. Pizzas can be pimped up with truffle shavings, or even a drizzle of truffle oil, avocado – grilled for a touch of smoke flavour – or even nori and other seaweeds.

“All these add flavour - the all-important fifth sense: umami or ‘deliciousness’, texture and something different – which can be the catalyst for attracting new customers and giving them reasons to return,” concludes Gordon.

What is driving the continued popularity of pizza and pasta in the food-to-go/quick service restaurant sector?

The snacking market is expected to increase by £5.6b to £21.7b over the next five years (IGD) and the Italian Pizza Twists will help operators tap into this opportunity.

“Big Al’s is conscious the food market is changing; customers have less time and are increasingly in search of food that fits with their busy lifestyles,” says Michelle Stapleton.

“Big Al’s Pizza Twists are ready in less than three minutes from frozen, and require no build time. They are suitable on their own as a snack as well as forming part of a bigger meal, with optional sides like chips or wedges and even a drink as part of a meal deal.”

As the availability of high quality world food broadens, consumers have become more educated in their choice of cuisine. Regarding the 30

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The geographical and climatic differences determine the ingredients used from area to area, as Italians will always prefer to use locally sourced, seasonal produce.

Italian food offer, pizza and pasta remain very popular, yet demand for more authentic and region specific options is increasing.

“Operators would do well to pay close attention to recipe authenticity and the provenance of ingredients used to satisfy their increasingly savvy customers,” says Craig Brayshaw.

“Italy is famous for its food culture; it is a key part of its identity.

Regional dishes abound where the quality and seasonality of ingredients are revered and celebrated. In total, there are twenty regions in Italy, each with distinct characteristics, and this is reflected in the regional food produced.

“The geographical and climatic differences determine the ingredients used from area to area, as Italians will always prefer to use locally sourced, seasonal produce.

Karla Rendle, Euromonitor Research Analyst says; “While options for ‘better’ pizzas have been available for some time in the main stream pizza foodservice, it is the niche back to basics style chains which emphasize the notion of guilt free pizzas that we expect to see more of a trend for.

“As UK consumers are already used to quality authentic pizzas they won’t be willing to pay a premium for a chain unless there is the additional offering in terms of ethical and ecological standing.”

Cooking is an integral part of Italian daily life and even the simplest pasta dish will have been made with passion and great care taken over the chosen ingredients. “This kind of attitude is steadily trickling into our way of approaching what we eat here in the UK, as we see a rise in consumer interest regarding provenance, quality and freshness,” adds Craig.

“The image of pizza is changing, once categorized as junk food, now a growing number of artisanal pizza brands that specialise in wood-fired, Neapolitan style pizza concepts and focus on a healthier, gourmet pizza offering are becoming increasingly popular.”

From Papa John’s point of view, our focus on BETTER INGREDIENTS.

BETTER PIZZA. Is driving the popularity. “It means we only use the freshest ingredients and fresh dough – never frozen – for a better flavour,” explains Paul Rayment. “We deliver a top-quality product combined with excellent service and people keep coming back for more!

“Time pressures mean people want tasty food delivered at their convenience, it’s also a treat for the whole family and we cater for the growing marketplace that values quality.”

For Four Hundred Rabbits the use of fresh ingredients and a perfected recipe is the most important aspect of the pizzeria experience. “We have tried pretty much every single pizza in London (some of these are regarded as outposts of the best pizzerias in the world),” explains owner Johnnie Tate.

“Some were very good, but

pizza & pasta

most were quite dull if I am honest.

I suppose it all comes down to personal preference, but most of these places (some which are very highly regarded, but we found really did not live up to expectation) were just stodgy white flour bases that had not been proved for long enough, the result was always disappointing, especially when the toppings were bog standard Italian salami. We always came away feeling bloated, and desperate to drink water due to how much salt they added to their dough.”

Johnnie adds; “We took all this and developed a sourdough which is crisp on the outside, and has a beautiful deep sourdough flavour and texture on the inside. Our Mozzarella is produced for us in Peckham by an artisan producer, and is literally as fresh as it can possibly be (when

fiordilatte mozzarella is not fresh, it is really not very good).

“These two elements, coupled with the San Marzano DOP tomatoes that we use, we think all combine to make the best pizza we have tasted. We then use this to build on with our innovative, seasonal toppings to create something that is very different to most generic Italian pizzerias.”

What equipment is available to operators thinking of introducing pizza to their menus?

John Marks, Menumaster Brand Manager for Nisbets Plc explains; “Pizza remains a popular choice with customers but not every outlet wants, or needs, a full blown pizza

Don’t forget to ensure that there are gluten-free pasta and pizza options available on the menu to cater for the increasing number of customers who have specific dietary requirements,

oven to ensure they make the most of this sales opportunity.

“It is for exactly this reason that utilising a product that can cook pizza, but which does so much more, can very often help to provide flexibility to the operator and helps to ensure that orders don’t build up, particularly during busy periods.

One such versatile, piece of catering equipment, is the Menumaster High Speed Combi Microwave available from Nisbets.

The Menumaster High Speed Combi Microwave offers an extremely powerful catering solution that operates as both a convection oven and a microwave, allowing operators to cook quickly and frequently without compromising the quality of customers’ meals, so that customers aren’t kept waiting, even during peak times,” adds John.

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“This makes it ideal for preparing a wide variety of traditional or ontrend street-food style hot snacks, including pizza, ensuring operators can create a varied menu filled with good quality quick serve options,” concludes John.

Steve Hemsil, Sales Director for UK & Ireland for Welbilt adds; “Traditional pizzerias with highly trained chefs will most likely use traditional stone and brick ovens. However, this can be time consuming and can offer a limited output which is not capable of withstanding a larger establishment’s demands.

“Another option is a deck oven which can greatly increase the capacity of an operation but also requires staff with a high skill set to operate the unit. This is one of the reasons that conveyor ovens are hugely popular within the industry as they are specifically designed to produce large volumes of pizzas to a consistent quality time and again.

Not only do they solve the capacity issue, they are also the ideal choice for kitchens requiring equipment which is simple to operate. The simple operating system of our Lincoln Impinger conveyor ovens means that staff with varying skillsets can use the oven and still achieve a consistent quality finished product.

“These are more suited to this environment due to their small footprint and speed in which they can cook the product – an essential quality for these ‘grab and go’ style menus.”

What are the latest trends in the pizza and pasta market?

“While pepperoni and the classic margarita pizza remain a staple for any pizza menu we are seeing consumers lean towards more adventurous options with us seeing greater demand for our Tandoori and Chicken tikka pizza toppings,” says Nigel O’Donnell of Meadow Vale Foods.

“We are also seeing chicken sharing boxes which can accompany the pizza being very on trend. This will largely include items such as the 32

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mini fillet, wings and nugget, which you can then further diversify this by offering a boneless sharing box and classic sharing box.”

“Don’t forget to ensure that there are gluten-free pasta and pizza options available on the menu to cater for the increasing number of customers who have specific dietary requirements,” advises Gordon Lauder, MD of frozen food distributor Central Foods. “Demand for gluten-free pizza bases has shot up in recent times. If all the 12inch gluten-free pizza bases sold

by Central Foods in 2016 were laid end-to-end it would measure 250 times the height of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

“Including gluten-free pizza options on menus gives operators the opportunity to pick up additional sales, while at the same time providing customers who avoid gluten with the chance to eat pizza alongside their dining companions,” adds Gordon.

“Pizza remains a very popular menu item – it’s tasty, versatile and reasonably quick to prepare, especially if chefs use frozen dough balls or pizza bases. Of course, it’s also ideal for both the food-to-go and the quick service restaurant market, which is another reason why more venues have introduced pizzas to their menus.”

Papa John’s have recently launched their ‘Papa’s Deep Crust’.

Now available nationwide, the new deep crust pizza offers an appetitesatisfying feasting experience thanks to a new dough recipe which results in a thicker, mouth-watering cheese crust.

“The specially formulated recipe features a buttery, seared crust for a fuller flavour and a light and fluffy deeper dough, almost double the depth of regular Papa John’s pizzas cooked in a specially designed pan, to offer an even more indulgent taste than before,” says Paul Rayment.

“A new recipe tomato sauce has also been created, using Californian vine-ripened tomatoes which go from field to can in six hours. Added to this is a blend of signature spices and extra virgin olive oil which are

then reduced to create a richer tasting sauce, complementing the new thicker base perfectly.

“Each pizza is then completed with all the favourite pizza toppings, including fresh “store cut” vegetables.”

Of course cheese plays an integral role in Italian cuisine as an ingredient, topping or garnish for a variety of dishes. Eurilait, one of the UK’s major suppliers of high quality, speciality cheese and dairy produce, has seen an increased interest in continental cheeses, especially blues and soft Italian cheeses.

In fact, Kantar Worldpanel statistics show growth of mozzarella over 15% in the 52 weeks to January

pizza & pasta

2017, with Gorgonzola showing growth of 2.4%.

“Eurilait offers exclusive distribution of the premium Italian alpine cheese brand, Brimi; the range includes Mozzarella, Mascarpone and Ricotta,” adds Craig Brayshaw. “100% of the milk used to make Brimi’s cheeses come from traditional mountain dairy farms situated high in the mountainous Alpine region of South Tyrol, Northern Italy.

“For these farmers, guaranteeing excellence and meeting high quality standards is deeply rooted in tradition; farms are mostly small with just eight cows on average and the cattle are

bred with passion, raised under completely natural conditions and treated with respect,” adds Craig.

“The wonderfully light and pure flavour in these soft cheeses is captured from the unique characteristics of clean mountain air, pure water and alpine grasses.”

In season

With sustainable seasonal ingredients at the forefront of many operators’ minds, Four Hundred Rabbits very carefully select their ingredients – something that more and more food outlets are also concentrating on.

“Food that is in season generally tastes much better than something

that has been heat grown in a poly tunnel,” adds Daniel Edwards of Four Hundred Rabbits. “We think that the UK grows some of the most interesting, flavoursome products. Like cobnuts, which we turn into a pesto, or Blue pumpkins, which are in season right now, and have such a nice flavour to them.

“Our pizzas celebrate what is best about what we do in London, and the UK, rather than flying something over from Italy, which has gone through a lengthy process to get to us, and has environmentally damaging air miles attached to it, we would much rather use something grown and picked right here in the UK.” QB

Cheese plays an integral role in Italian cuisine as an ingredient, topping or garnish for a variety of dishes

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: E L I F O R P S S BUSINE

Four Hundred Rabbits

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BUSINESS PROFILE

With two locations in the UK, the interestingly named Four Hundred Rabbits has garnered quite a following as their handmade, locally sourced pizzas attract crowds in their droves.

With thanks to their 400 degree wood-fired oven, San Marzano Dop tomatoes, Fior Di Latte mozzarella and seasonal British Ingredients Four Hundred Rabbits has created a traditional pizza in decidedly non-traditional surroundings.

We speak to co-founder Daniel Edwards and find out more about the thriving London pizza scene….

Hi Daniel! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I come from a family where food - and eating with family - was an integral part of daily life. My grandmother was French and her food was just wonderful. It is from her that I chose a path into food. I started our first restaurant, which is called ‘The Lido Café’, in Herne Hill 8 years ago.

It was incredibly difficult at first, working 80+hours a week, but it paid off. It is

critically acclaimed and has a large and loyal customer base. However, it is one of a kind, and I had to look to a different area within the industry to expand.

What inspired Four Hundred Rabbits?

Pizza, beer and ice cream. I have never met anyone who doesn’t love those three things, it is universal. The thing is, yes you can get standard pizza, generic beer and Issue 52 January 2018

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BUSINESS PROFILE

mass produced ice cream in many places especially London, but I wanted to create a place that made and sold the absolute best versions of these three things, and I wanted it to be a celebration of London food and culture, not Italian in any way.

If you search, you can find very good Neopolitan pizza and gelato in London. But the craft beer movement here, and the artisan ingredients we have here in the UK are now world leading in their quality.

What is the best thing about working in the pizza industry?

It’s a very vibrant scene in London, there are a very forward thinking group of new wave pizza places here, like Yardsale, Four Hundred Rabbits and Homeslice.

We love the innovation that we are pushing, pizza doesn’t have to be a ‘diavola’ or a ‘margerita’, well made, and artisan sourdough is the perfect foil for a multitude of interesting ingredients. We love London, and the way if brings everybody from so many different countries and cultures in, then absorbs what they bring, and takes the best of it to create its own ‘London’ version of it. That’s what the current Pizza scene is in London, and it’s great fun.

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In your opinion, which trends are really taking off at the moment in the world of pizza?

Vegan pizzas are really taking off at the moment, veganism has really caught the imagination of the general public this year and we are working on something special for January.

It seems odd when people think of pizza, they think of gooey mozzarella and pepperoni, but you can do wonderful things like blue pumpkin pesto as the base and nut butter instead of the cheese.

They really work.

You’ve achieved so much, could you tell us your proudest moment?

We have had some amazing reviews, In Nunhead the Metro reviewer came and said ‘it is the best pizza I have ever had’ in Crystal Palace, just after we opened, Time Out came and gave us an amazing, faultless review. Both of those are pretty influential in London, and to get them saying that so early on was quite something.

How did you settle on the design of your stores?

We worked very closely with a good friend of ours at Richardson Studio. She listened to our brief that we wanted an interior that was very forward thinking, no squirrel bulbs or exposed brickwork, the whole industrial feel seems quite old fashioned already doesn’t it?

Paired back, minimal, lots of gold and pastel colours. Tilework and lots of emerald green paintwork. We love the result, and it was amazing to be shortlisted in the 2016 international design awards.

It’s interesting watching the way the industry takes note on interiors that break the mould. We are now starting to see interesting takes on similar interiors to what we have pop up all over London.

What are your most popular pizzas?

The spicy ones! You ask any pizza place and they will say the same, people love spicy pizzas.

Ours are ‘Iberico Chorizo, pickled red chillis, tomato, fiordilatte mozzarella and basil’ and ’35 day aged longhorn beef mince, jalapeno chillis, red onion, tomato and fiordilatte mozzarella’

BUSINESS PROFILE

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself‌ When I left college, instead of going on to university, or getting a job, I built and ran a soundsystem with my brother and some friends. We spent our weekends in abandoned warehouses and getting busted by the police for throwing massive raves!

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Literally everywhere! I have just come back from Morocco, and found some really interesting flavours over there that we are working on now. Crispy Ras el Hanout onions, pomegranate seeds and molasses, that sort of thing.

We have some brilliant suppliers we are working with in London, and we have a monthly changing collaboration series currently running with specialist South London producers. London Smoke and Cure is a tiny smokery nestled away in Crystal Palace, Slow Richies are based down the road in Peckham, and produce a wonderful scotch bonnet hot sauce that went on a special last month. We are expanding that next year to incorporate

some extremely interesting London restaurants, watch this space!

What inspired the name Four Hundred Rabbits?

It’s all about fermentation, our dough is fermented for a minimum of 48 hours to give the sourdough a great depth of flavour, and we specialize in craft beers, which are also fermented. We traced the history of fermentation back to the Aztecs, who revered the process.

According to Aztec legend they worshipped a God of fermentation, and a goddess of alcohol.

These two got it on one day and had 400 babies.

These babies were Rabbits (obviously) and spent their lives partying and getting into drunken mischief. We thought they sounded pretty good fun, so we named our place after them.

What is next for you?

We want to carry on innovating with our pizzas, and we are looking to open another site in another south London location. We have some tap takeovers lined up with some fantastic local breweries like Gipsy Hill, and we are going to expand our monthly changing collaboration series

The industry is changing so quickly, what do you think is next for the pizza/restaurant industry?

A few places we know are downsizing and opening slice bars, where you buy slices of bigger pizzas, like they do in New York. I think we may see a bit more of that. I think we will also see a few more of the better Italian places open up in London. But I think that we will keep seeing innovating places expanding on the original idea of pizza, and taking it to new and exciting places.

As for the restaurant industry, it is interesting to see the big players (Jamie’s Italian and Byron for example) starting to struggle. It is very difficult to open a large number of restaurants and keep the quality as good as it was when you were smaller and had control. I think it will be interesting to see what effect Brexit has, we have already had to think about how to train and grow our Pizza chef base here in London, as people are stopping coming over from Italy.

We are also looking closer to home for some key ingredients that we used to get from Italy, as the cost of shipping those in has started to rise dramatically. QB Issue 52 January 2018

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Breakfast

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Some may say we have the avocado to thank for the explosion of the ‘breakfast occasion’, a fashionable addition to a slab of sourdough, accentuated by a perfectly poached egg. Pretty as a picture, quite literally, if the millions of images carrying the hashtag ‘breakfast’ on photo sharing site Instagram are anything to go by - a tag that averages over 66 million uploads per day.

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choose breakfast

I

nexpensive in comparison to a lunch choice - and more often than not healthier - breakfast has evolved more than any other meal. Constantly adapting to keep up with consumer demand, from the smallest cafe to the largest chain.

Breakfasts are tastier, more filling and are continuing to push the boundaries of the foodservice industry.

"Breakfast is turning out to be a transient meal, in line with the blurring of boundaries for all meal times," says Stuart Jackson of Pan ‘Artisan, UK manufacturers of artisan bread products.

"Mintel statistics show 53% of consumers now eat an out-ofhome breakfast or a grab-and-go lunch with 25% of consumers doing so at least once a week. Lunch remains the largest meal occasion but breakfast is hot on its heels, demonstrating demand.

In fact a Kantar Worldpanel report shows breakfast occasions to have risen by 0.7% over the past year to 2.1billion, with carried out breakfasts showing growth of 1.8%. "However, the expected breakfast favourites such as ready-to-eat cereals show a decline in growth with a £39.1 million loss," adds Stuart.

International Influences American breakfast trends have also made their mark on the great British breakfast and many American- and Canadian - themed brands have

established themselves at the heart of British breakfast culture. After all America is synonymous with breakfast, whether it’s a stack of pancakes dripping in syrup or a bacon and waffle concoction, loaded with big flavours and even bigger visual impact.

Take Moose Coffee for example; an American themed coffee hangout that has made a big impact on the UK QSR scene. Offering an American diner experience to the people of Liverpool and Manchester their espresso fuelled breakfast menu is home to 27 different breakfast options, featuring eggs every which way, tortillas, gourmet chipolata sausage, French toast, griddled chicken and sweet brioche - to name but a few.

'We grew from a love of American breakfast culture' they say, and with seven - yes seven - different types of eggs benedict to choose from it’s clear to see where Moose Coffee lay their hat.

Premium Ultimately attitudes to breakfast are changing and according to Statista the share of British adults who ‘rarely have time to eat a proper breakfast’ has fallen by nearly 10% in the last 12 years – and with breakfast now extending into lunchtime (as brunch), there are plenty of opportunities to make the most of the changing landscape.

Improving availability, choice, variety and quality are good starting points

Popular breakfast hangout Black Milk did just this. After opening a small unit in Affleck’s Palace, situated in the heart of Manchester’s trendled Northern Quarter, owners Andy Young and Oliver Taylor unveiled a relatively new concept to the UK – the cereal café. Opening just weeks after London’s ‘Cereal Killer Café’, they offered 50 varieties of cereal and a whole host of unusual milk choices to go alongside – including Squid Ink and Salted Caramel – the duo soon moved to bigger premises and even took on their first franchisee in no time.

Andy told Food Franchise Magazine last year: “We set ourselves out at the premium end of the market, and see little to no competition in this sub-segment of the market.

“Our growth has been averaging in double digit percentage points each month since opening, giving us total confidence there is plenty of room for expansion and growth. We value growing at a sustainable pace above all else. Black Milk will be here for many years to come.”

With cereal still one of the most popular Breakfast choices in Britain -despite experiencing a decline in favour- cereal out-of-home has worked out well for Black Milk, and encorporating an extensive coffee and breakfast menu, with a twist, has helped fuel their expansion.

Q&A

How can businesses tap into the breakfast market and add value to their offering?

"Food on the go is the most successful and rapidly growing sector of the dining market, with breakfast capturing a large share of that," says Stuart Jackson of Pan A'rtisan.

"Consider an all-day breakfast offering, with options of hot and cold items.

"Improving availability, choice, variety and quality are good starting points along with awareness of food trends and addressing the needs of those with food intolerances."

Meals deals are also proving a popular enticement to this daypart, and Stuart recommends perhaps offering a free hot drink in 40

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Contributors • Stuart Jackson, Director of Sales, Pan’Artisan • Neil Clark, co-founder Hessian Coffee conjunction with the purchase of bakery items, or a loyalty scheme for returning customers.

A range of accompaniments, fillings and toppings can also enhance the breakfast experience suggests Emma Macdonald of chutneys, preserves and sauce manufacturer, The Bay Tree. “Jams and preserves are a great addition to bakery products. Try offering The Bay Tree’s Lemon Marmalade with Gin and Lime with toast or pancakes and tap into the current gin trend,” adds Emma.

“Alternatively, Strawberry and Orange Marmajam is great on porridge.”

International flavours can also add a tasty twist to breakfast classics.

South American inspired smoky chipotle or Asian accompaniments, such as garlic pickle, work particularly

well. Emma says; “Add extra oomph to bacon and sausage with sweet chilli jam or jazz up a stack of savoury bacon pancakes by adding mango and ginger chutney with cumin seeds.

“Finishing touches like these give a nod to global cuisine to keep your brunch menu on trend. The Bay Tree’s catering range of best-selling accompaniments is available in 3kg tubs and single serve jars – perfect for stacking at the till.”

With time pressures on consumers only growing, the business of serving breakfast is becoming ever more complicated, as Jon Turonnet of Brioche Pasquier elaborates. “More people than ever are eating breakfast outside the home, but in so many different ways.

“Outlets are catering for those

• Martin Brown, Rowlett Brand Manager,

Nisbets Plc • Allan Pirret, Sales Director of Novus Tea • Jon Turonnet, Food Service Sales Manager,

Brioche Pasquier • Emma McDonald, Founder, The Bay Tree • Aine Melichar, Senior Brand Manager,

Kerrymaid • Tom Noonan, Senior Brand Manager,

DaVinci Gourmet • Anna Sentance, Gourmet Marketing Manager

and Sales Support, Barry Callebaut • Marshall Kingston, Tetley Senior Brand Manager

– Out of Home, Tetley • Fabien Levet, National Account Manager –

Foodservice, Pidy UK • Andy Young, Owner, Black Milk • Mohammed Essa, General Manager

UK & Ireland, Aviko

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who want to stop for a cooked meal, others who will have a wrap or a pastry with a coffee in-house, or increasingly, those who simply want to grab and eat on the go. With so many eating breakfast on the run it is important for outlets to offer a variety of options so that those who don’t want to stop to enjoy their breakfast have a choice that suits their lifestyle,” adds Jon. “That means considering not only the food product itself but whether it can be easily transported, how can it be temporarily stored in a bag or pocket and whether the product can be eaten with ease and minimum mess.”

Convenience And with 63% of consumers loving desserts (Technomic’s 2016 Snacking Occasion Consumer Trend Report) it is no different for those consumers on the lookout for breakfast options.

"With the time-pressed nature of today’s consumers, they are looking for options they can pick to take with them on the go," says Anna Sentance of Belgian chocolate brand Callebaut.

"Whether it be grabbing a quick croissant on their way to the office or a selection of chocolate muffins for a work meeting, grab and go options need to be available.

Anna also advises grabbing the opportunity to add a meal deal option - to add value to your offering. "Offer consumers a croissant filled with Callebaut real chocolate sauce or a personalised breakfast waffle to go, drizzled with Callebaut real chocolate sauce, and a hot or cold beverage.

“With a personalised waffle option, ensure your staff are trained to engage with customers and find out their preferences to help offer them their perfect breakfast option.”

Explorative Tastes The ‘café culture’ that exists today has also become an integral part of our society. It has strongly boosted the hot beverages market and definitely contributed to the everexpanding breakfast market as Tom Noonan, Senior Brand Manager for DaVinci Gourmet explains; “With a seemingly endless increase in consumers’ explorative tastes, 42

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With time pressures on consumers only growing, the business of serving breakfast is becoming ever more complicated

ensuring that operators are meeting the needs of the ever-growing speciality beverage industry is vital, and operators that tap into the latest beverage and flavour trends will thrive by delivering a diverse and varied offering to their customers at breakfast and beyond.

“The increased focus on the importance of health and wellbeing is rising constantly and consistently, with consumers and operators paying increasingly close attention to the ingredients and nutritional contents of their food and drink choices.”

Specifically at breakfast according to Tom as this is where consumers have the intention to start their day off with a ‘better for you’ lifestyle in mind. "Operators should ensure they offer beverage menu items to suit a range of consumer needs," says Tom. “DaVinci Gourmet’s range of flavoured syrups has been reformulated to become the largest brand free-from artificial colours and flavours, so operators can rest assured they are providing customers with exciting and delicious drinks that are full of natural flavours.”

As well as the health conscious mind-set of consumers today, consumers are becoming increasingly discerning in their purchases, so capitalising on the desire to try new flavours is important. Tom says:

“Consumers consistently report that they want to indulge, especially when out of home.

“Looking beyond traditional and standard beverages and introducing variety to a breakfast drinks menus is sure to increase consumer interest."

DaVinci Gourmet offers the full beverage solution; enabling operators to create beverages ranging from espresso based hot drinks, hot chocolates, smoothies, and teas in endless flavour combinations.

Brunch It’s no secret that out of home breakfast and brunch sales are booming. The number of breakfast occasions have increased by 8.4 per cent to 1.14 billion year-on-year, according to NPD Crest research, and growth shows no sign of decline with a rise of 31% in spend at breakfast out of home making the total value of the breakfast time occasion out of home £20.2bn.

Marshall Kingston of Tetley Tea says; “Insight shows that consumers are more likely to drink tea with breakfast than any other hot beverage. Catering to consumer needs in the morning period is essential to operators looking to capitalise on the growing breakfast market.

“Breakfast is an important day

choose breakfast

part when it comes to hot beverages – if not the most important, and Tetley’s Breakfast Guide offers menu ideas that all pair perfectly with a different Tetley blend.”

Mohammed Essa, of catering potatoes supplier Aviko, adds; “It’s also important to consider plate fill when creating breakfast menus in order to maximise profits while still giving customers good value for money. Aviko’s Hash Browns, for example, are 63g versus the market standard of approximately 50g, meaning improved plate-fill and, as a result, improved profits.

“With 80% of people thinking that there aren’t currently enough gluten-free cooked breakfast choices, while 54% believe vegetarian options are lacking, special diets prove another opportunity for operators.

The growth in special diets such as gluten-free means it’s essential that operators offer suitable menu options to increase traffic through the door and maximise profit.

“Our Hash Browns and Hash Brown Bites are not only suitable for vegetarians, they are also glutenfree, helping operators tap into the growing market, while giving peace of mind that they appeal to coeliac suffers and non-sufferers alike,” adds Mohammed. “This demonstrates a huge opportunity to ensure hash browns are a staple of any breakfast and brunch menu.”

Staff Training Investing in staff training will not only help promote your offer, but also ensure you get the most out of your investment in beverage equipment. Neil Clark co-founder of hot drinks specialists Hessian Coffee says; "The coffee journey takes over five years of careful nurturing from the seed to the cup; yet it’s all too easy to ruin the drink in the final 30 seconds of preparation.

"That’s why you need to invest in staff training because a good barista will ensure the best possible result from the coffee. They’ll understand extraction times and grind sizes, will be able to foam the milk correctly and will be able to serve the drink just as your customers expect.

"They’ll minimise your wastage, maintain stocks, keep the production area clean and workable, and carry out preventative maintenance on your equipment.

At Hessian Coffee they believe that staff training and education is so important for your business that they offer it to their customers free of charge and on your own site.

"This ensures that you’ll be able to consistently deliver the highest quality drinks for your customers," says Neil.

"Which will keep them coming back for more, time after time."

What are the latest breakfast food trends?

Continental bakery products are increasingly popular in the breakfast market and operators need to provide high quality take away products to cater for this demand. A filling and

Ensure your staff are trained to engage with customers and find out their preferences to help offer them their perfect breakfast option

tasty breakfast choice, a bakery product can be enjoyed on the spot or picked up and taken away to eat in the car or while walking.

“The most popular authentic French baked products can be difficult and time consuming to make from fresh so quality products which are ready baked and easy to serve offer an excellent alternative," says Jon Turonnet.

“Brioche Pasquier bakers use traditional recipes and methods to create products which deliver the true taste of France. This expertise ensures that their ready baked products offer a real quality alternative to fresh baked products."

In fact Kantar states that morning goods such as continental bakery items are on the rise, appearing at 3.5% more breakfast occasions over the past year. "Of the bread Issue 52 January 2018

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and baked goods that are enjoying success, premium and speciality breads are top of the game," adds Jon. “According to Kantar Worldpanel, sales of brown bread have risen 13.3%, on volumes up 14.8%. The report also highlights the preferred choice of consumers, ‘sandwich alternatives have grown by 4.8% and bakery favourites by 3.3%. Rolls are also making a comeback with sales up 5.1%.”

In keeping with the emerging and growing trend for versatile, foodon-the-go and casual dining options, and taking into consideration the merging of meal time occasions, Pan’Artisan offers a range of Artisan Speciality Breads, perfectly suited to several different day parts and service styles, whether take out, snack or full service, but especially breakfast.

Stuart Jackson says; “The bread stick selection is akin to what is commonly found on the continent, caters to many styles of service and offers an adaptable and easy to use product; great as a morning snack with coffee.

“From The Artisan Speciality Bread range, and particularly suited as breakfast choices, are the Multi Cereal bread stick; light in texture,

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A good barista will ensure the best possible result from the coffee

rich in aroma and flavour, providing a perfect breakfast bread or snack; for a naturally sweet alternative to croissants or pastries try the Mini Raisin bread.”

The mid-morning meal of brunch often kick-starts the weekend for many younger consumers in particular and offers a chance to indulge in a more lavish version of breakfast.

Pan Artisan suggest looking to global cuisines for inspirational brunch dishes – consumers are craving authenticity where world foods are concerned. “Present trends include Northern African and Middle Eastern dishes such as Shakshouka – a dish of tomatoes, eggs, peppers and onions and similar South American huevos rancheros."

Stuart adds; “These more exotic menu items are a hit with the Millennial set and as our younger generations become more familiar with world foods, menus are likely to reflect that in the future."

International flavours are a great way to entice customers to your breakfast offering as strong tastes and textures are becoming increasingly popular. Aine Melichar, Brand Manager at Kerrymaid says;

"Filling your breakfast burrito with scrambled egg, avocado, red pepper and spinach seasoned with paprika and turmeric is a great breakfast alternative with a spicy Mexican twist, that is a healthy, easy to eat on the go option. Cheese is a great topping or filling for any breakfast bagel, sandwich or burrito.

The expansion of the breakfast into the brunch has also offered operators a new opportunity to upsell sophisticated dishes such as eggs benedict and other brunch choices. "The Kerrymaid range of ready to use sauces offers both Hollandaise and Béchamel choices to allow chefs to focus on creating menus rather than sauces," explains Aine. "Tasting as good as a freshly made sauce, the portfolio allows a wider range of chefs than ever to capitalise on the growing brunch trend."

Highly Versatile Coffee is the biggest beverage category out of home, driven by consumers’ increasingly explorative tastes and raised expectations.

Across the UK, many consumers want to enjoy coffee without its natural bitterness, especially younger

people, and as a result look for a sweeter taste. Tom Noonan says that introducing the option of flavour combinations to a speciality beverage offer is essential for those operators looking to keep up with the trends.

“Tea is highly versatile, and this has led to an increase in its rate of consumption, with tea now accounting for just over one-quarter (27%) of all OOH hot beverage servings in Britain (NPD Group 2016).

“As well as tea being a healthy and hydrating beverage, consumers also favour tea for its indulgent factor. Complex and inventive tastes and essences are becoming ever more apparent."

Tom adds; “Matcha, acai and hibiscus are all on the rise and through adding interesting flavour combinations to their menus, operators will be sure to entice different consumer taste buds. Midwinter, a delicious Camomile, Honey & Ginger Soother is the perfect pick-me-up.”

For those looking for a healthier and less caffeine-fuelled start to the day, tea is the perfect alternative to coffee for breakfast. And according to tea manufacturer Novus Tea, English breakfast tea is still the most popular

choice but, with consumers realising the potential health benefits of teas, other choices are growing strongly - including green teas, fruit and herbal teas, and speciality blends like matcha.

Matcha contains the same healthy and nutritional properties as tea but, because you’re ingesting the whole of the leaf rather than just an infusion of the leaf, you’re benefiting from a much higher proportion of these antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Green teas are also a really popular healthy choice say Novus Tea. But for customers less experienced in drinking green tea, why not try a ‘cross-over’ product such as ‘Eight Secrets’. This is a rich blend that combines eight different types of green and white tea with additional fruity flavours to create a full-bodied, flavoursome and refreshing drink.

This is ideal for encouraging drinkers of black tea to take their first steps into the world of green tea; it’s a stronger, fuller-bodied blend which offers more punch than traditional

green teas, making it more akin to an English breakfast tea. The drink is also perfect for experienced green tea drinkers looking for something a bit different.

For customers less experienced in drinking green tea, why not try a ‘cross-over’ product

Hand-crafted Beverages With over £76 million spent on breakfast per day (Beacon) and one in three eating breakfast out-of-home at least once a week (as many as 14% do so everyday) the potential in the breakfast arena is huge. One of the biggest draws to any eatery are its hot beverage offerings and a selection of perfectly crafted lattes, strong and silky espressos or fresh and fruity teas continue to appeal.

Neil Clark of Hessian Coffee says; "In terms of the coffee you serve, many of our customers rely on a choice of just two of our roasted coffees to suit their customers’ tastes.

"Both of these coffees are available as whole beans or preground for filter. Espresso No1 is a 100% Arabica blend of the finest coffees from Central and South America, giving sweetness and body for a bright citrus finish and rounded profile and Bourbon Select is Hessian’s Great Taste Award-winning single-origin coffee."

It's not just about the blend however, fast service is essential at any daypart - but particularly breakfast time considering the needs of time-pressed customers. Neil says; "Bearing in mind you might need to cater for those sitting down for a leisurely cup of coffee, as well as those looking to ‘grab and go’, you’ll probably need to consider two different serving methods.

"Perhaps a traditional espresso machine alongside a filter machine.

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The espresso-based coffee menu takes a little longer for the serve, but will deliver consistently excellent flat whites, lattes, cappuccinos and Americanos. The filter method is ideal for really fast service, giving great results when brewed fresh and held for as short a time as possible."

What packaging solutions are available to allow operators to cater for the demand for breakfast on-the-go?

The out of home breakfast opportunity is being driven by consumers’ increasingly busy lifestyles and catering to these purchase opportunities is essential for operators looking to capitalise on the growing on the go market.

"The Tetley On-The-Go range has been specially developed for time-pressured and on the move customers, offering a complete solution for efficient takeaway tea service," says Marshall Kingston.

"On the Go cups reduce fuss, spillages and mess; some of the most common tea to go complaints."

The range prevents this as it includes branded cups with doublewalls for better insulation, as well as sip-lids and drip-free drawstring tea bags – "Creating a complete solution for breakfast tea service," adds Marshall.

As manufacturers of individually wrapped breakfast pastries Brioche Pasquier produe a

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product that is particularly helpful to those who want to enjoy their breakfast in their own time. "Each of our Pain au Chocolat come neatly wrapped in a clear packet which can be popped into a bag or pocket to transport safely and hygienically," says Jon Turonnet.

"From the outlets’ point of view, offering individually wrapped products helps to reduce waste and ensure freshness."

Being individually wrapped, Pain au Chocolat are perfect as part of a quick and easy breakfast offering complete with a freshly brewed coffee, and are great for those

customers looking for a ‘grab n’ go’ option. "They also make a good mid-morning treat with a pot of tea or just a snack for those looking to take time out and enjoy a break," adds Jon.

A selection of perfectly crafted lattes, stong and silky espressos or fresh and fruity teas continue to appeal

In terms of equipment what does a QSR/Food to go business need to have to ensure they can offer a breakfast menu?

As the UK's largest supplier of catering equipment Nisbets has been providing equipment for foodservice for over 30 years.

Martin Brown, Brand Manager of the Rowlett range of toaster ovens, discusses the latest innovation to appear for caterers looking to streamline their breakfast service.

“Recent research shows that toast remains the single most popular breakfast item overall with consumers, with the vast array of healthier and speciality bread options now on the market leading to an increase in its popularity with the health conscious, making it a must have for any breakfast or brunch menu.

"Toast is a perfect sweet or savoury grab and go choice for those who would prefer an alternative to a croissant, cereal bar or yoghurt, and is, of course, a vital part of many Instagram-friendly on-trend breakfasts, such as “Cloud Eggs”

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on Toast, made with whisked egg whites," explains Martin.

But whether an operator is preparing Organic Avocado Toast with Feta, Citrus and Mint, or a humble classic such as Beans on Toast, what’s crucial is that operators have the appropriate commercial toaster to cope with inevitable demand.

"The award-winning Rowlett range includes the colourful Regent Toaster collection which comes in various sizes to allow operators to easily achieve toasting perfection time and time again! Operators can choose from 2 (DL276), 4 (DL277), 6 (DL278), 8 (DL279) and 12 (CF659) slot models, all featuring an attractive stainless steel top and durable powder-coated body.

"Perfect for use within a busy commercial environment, the outstanding feature of the Regent Toaster collection is that each model automatically switches itself off at the end of each cycle, yet the toast remains warm until it’s taken out of the machine.

"Available in a choice of 5 different colours, the powerful Regent toasters are suitable for both front or back of house use, and all feature a handy ‘toast ready’ ringer which removes the hassle of having to constantly check whether toast is ready and leaves caterers free to get on with other kitchen tasks."

Toast remains the single most popular breakfast item overall with consumers

What does the future hold for the breakfast sector?

With an uncertain economic future, consumers are understandably cautious when it comes to eating out. Stuart Jackson says; "Breakfasting out of home meets the desire to eat out and socialise at a reasonable price point.

"Market growth in this sector is most likely to continue its upward trajectory, as it’s a meal occasion that until now has not realised its full potential. The busier and fragmented working day demands flexible meal times; research suggests success for operators in this sector lies in portable, grab and go, hot menu items."

Neil Clark of Hessian Coffee agrees and thinks that the to-go market will continue to have an impact. "For many consumers, breakfast will be an essential ‘grab and go’ on their way to work, reflecting our hurried lifestyles; for others, having breakfast ‘out of home’ is seen as a luxury, more likely to be enjoyed as a weekend treat with friends or family.

"These two distinct sectors give caterers two very different challenges but, at the same time, huge opportunities."

Hot beverages, particularly coffee, will always be a key feature on a breakfast menu; for many consumers a caffeine kick from

a cup of coffee might be all they want for breakfast. "That’s why your choice of coffee, and the way you serve it, is a vital part of the breakfast offer," advises Neil.

"Consumers have become ever more passionate about what they eat and drink; so, in order to grab their attention and to win their loyalty, your hot beverages need to be top-notch.

"The quality of your coffee will be a major factor in determining whether your customers enjoy their experience and return for more."

Fabien Levet of Pidy UK, global leader in ready-to-fill pastry products recommends sticking to traditional themes; “Breakfast habits rarely change; however it is also nice to add a slight twist to certain dishes to ensure your menu stands out from the competition.

“Pidy products are wonderfully flexible and can be used in various ways throughout breakfast menus. Instead of a usual breakfast roll, why not offer your customers a delicious choux pastry carrier as a different alternative to an English muffin?

“Previously there has been a slight stigma around grab and go breakfast offerings being limited but as time goes on the choice available has become more impressive, as so many customers rely on eating their breakfast this way.” QB Issue 52 January 2018

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Did you know...

53% of consumers now eat an out-of-home breakfast or a grab-and-go lunch with 25% of consumers doing so at least once a week (Mintel)

The nation’s favourite breakfast is a cooked breakfast, followed by porridge, breakfast cereal and then toast (Shake Up Your Wake Up campaign)

There has been a rise of 31% in spend at breakfast out of home making the total value of the breakfast time occasion out of home £20.2bn Morning goods such as continental bakery items are on the rise, appearing at 3.5% more breakfast occasions over the past year (Kantar)

(NPD Crest Research)

Tea now accounts for 27% of all OOH hot beverage servings in Britain (NPD Group)

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28% of under 21s are much less likely to eat cereal versus the national average.

They’re more likely to be opting for toast, eggs or a cooked breakfast (Attest)

TRANSFORMING THE QSR & FOOD-TO-GO INDUSTRY

Harnassing the power of social media

Talking Tech interview: Lolly We speak to Peter Moore of Point of Sale and payments specialist Lolly, he tells us more about ‘Lolly Edge’ and the future of the EpoS industry,

Hospitality apps on the rise

PointOne EpoS Solutions

QR Codes

400% rise in the number of hospitality brands who want to develop their own app

Find out why you should consider adding online ordering, smart phone apps and home delivery…

Research reveals, QR codes must fit advert design and brand, or they get ignored.

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TALKING TECH

ech T g n i Talk iew: Interv

Lolly Tell us a bit about Lolly

An Interview with...

r e t e P re o o M

Role:

Chief Executive Officer

Previous roles:

- O2 - Head of Pre-pay and Head of Revenue Generation.

- Omega Logic - Managing Director

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Lolly is a Point of Sale (PoS) and payments specialist serving hospitality providers. It makes the point of sale simple, efficient and dependable, every time - anywhere.

Lolly’s focus is to serve the hospitality industry in the UK with enterprise grade technology that is affordable to small and growing businesses. Lolly was one of the first companies to integrate card machines with EPoS tills for the hospitality sector.

What makes Lolly unique?

It is our philosophy that any hospitality business should be able to access the very best PoS software and till hardware without breaking the bank. To trade well and have the best chance to

grow requires reliable systems. Lolly provides enterprise level EPoS to small and medium hospitality providers at affordable monthly costs; starting at less than 50p per day. There are no restricting contracts and customers can combine payments with the point of sale. It supports companies at all stages of growth - from small to large contract caterers; providing operational efficiencies and scale when they’re ready.

Today, Lolly is the only UK business of its kind that can truly scale from a downloadable SaaS product to a fully connected network of tills, powered by an enterprise-level inventory reporting information system, all hosted in the cloud so customers can see their trading history in real-time. Lolly has made its PoS software functionally rich based on real customer feedback, telling us what they need.

TALKING TECH

What industry challenges does Lolly address?

Technological innovation and progression - helping smaller hospitality providers to scale easily.

And today, Lolly is supporting its clients with GDPR legislation and other areas of compliance, such as PCI. By helping hospitality customers use modern scalable EPOS solutions with integrated payments and Cloud hosted business intelligence, security and data protection is always at the forefront of our mind.

Our Cloud hosted business intelligence solution has been designed to avoid many of the privacy and security headaches that legacy systems will pose. And Lolly’s scalable offering evolves with changing customer needs, offering peace of mind when it comes to risk and compliance associated with the collection and storage of personal data.

Customers are at the heart of everything we do and our dedication to them will never change.

What challenges does the business face day to day?

providers; from coffee shops, pubs and night clubs, to mobile catering, pop ups and corporate caterers. From start-ups to growing and enterprise level providers, we’ve got something for everyone.

calls coming into the helpdesk. I am delighted that these continue to decrease year on year - indicating how stable the product is.

Could you tell us a bit about the latest developments at Lolly?

What are the latest trends to impact the EpoS industry?

We have recently launched a new software version 4.2 that has some really great new features. These include: split bills, customers/accounts members, product info search, stock count down We have also launched a new piece of hardware, the Lolly Edge, which is exclusive to the UK with a sleek, smart, touch screen till with integral high speed Intel processor and printer.

Our Lolly Bold product has a big screen with an additional customer view screen for speed and quality of service. The screen can be adjusted to any viewing angle for comfort and ease of use.

What was the highlight of Lolly’s 2017?

The business growth that we have experienced; our team continues to expand.

We have also won some exciting new contracts, and recently won the prestigious Caterer Product Excellence award.

We continue to achieve 99.9% uptime; evident in the falling number of support

We are seeing increased technology integration, where companies are creating seamless offerings at the PoS, which includes reporting, CRM, loyalty, supplier management and finance. It’s about managing multiple applications on one platform - in order to help hospitality providers offer the best service in a competitive marketplace.

What do you think the future hold for the EPoS industry?

The sector will continue to evolve.

The next 10 years will be focused around customer data - to create personalisation, and this will require the industry to make real changes.

What does the future hold for Lolly?

Lolly is investing in its growth. The sector is seeing stiff competition, reinforcing the need for hospitality providers to really up their game. They need to cater for their customers’ preferences effectively. We see it as being our role to ensure that we help our merchants to remain one step ahead.

Finding the right talent to help support our business is forever present.

However, we work with some incredibly dedicated partners who really understand our needs, and because of this, we’ve been able to actively support a very successful and thriving apprenticeship programme. We have a great balance of long-standing industry and technical expertise and young talent.

What type of businesses can Lolly help?

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TALKING TECH

JJ Food Service pushes Premium Coffee with Lavazza Micro-Site National wholesaler JJ Food Service has launched a micro-site on its website dedicated entirely to Lavazza Coffee, offering recipe suggestions, free education, training and a range of coffee essentials.

Group general manager of JJ Food Service, Terry Larkin, said, “JJ is the preferred wholesale partner of Lavazza Coffee in the UK, which means no one else offers a better price or a better range.”

With the new micro-site, the business is supporting a range of caterers from casual dining outlets and cafes to higher-end hotels and coffee shops to choose the perfect blend for their business.

“Coffee can be a complex category,” said Terry. “We want to make choosing the right blend easier while inspiring our customers to try something new that might help to grow their coffee sales.”

The mico-site offers seasonal menu ideas including Salted Caramel Cappuccino, Nutella Delight and a traditional Bicerin recipe from Turin.

Lavazza’s new premium espresso-based blends Tierra Brazil, Alteco, Gran

Reserva and Super Gusto are also available via the site.

A dedicated ‘Education’ page offers caterers a free, downloadable Guide to Coffee, which includes information on machine maintenance and how to serve coffee at its best.

Customers can register to attend a free coffee training session at Lavazza’s Training Centres in Uxbridge and Greenford.

Lolly continues to drive growth Lolly, the EPOS and payment solution specialist, is delighted to announce four new starters to its growing London-based team.

Kevin Betts joins as sales manager on the payments side of the business. He comes from Handepay Merchant Services, which makes accepting card payment easy for independent business - offering machine, online and over the phone payment services.

He has built up vast experience having previously worked with Direct North Solutions, First Data and Transax Merchant Services.

Gero Turone joins Lolly in the role of sales support and VAR management.

He was previously with Beyond Stock EPoS hospitality EPoS solutions and has invaluable restaurant experience having spent some eight years managing restaurants. Having direct sector experience will be invaluable in helping Gero to understand customers and their needs.

Jessica Close joins as the new marketing assistant - having recently gained a BA Hons degree in Business Management and Marketing from Keele University.

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Steven Baughan joins as the Quality Assurance manager, as an ISTQB qualified test manager with over eight years’ experience in IT functional integration and back end API testing in the financial, travel and accountancy sectors.

He comes to Lolly from One Savings

Bank and has experience working with CaseWare and Verifone.

Peter Moore, CEO at Lolly, said: “We are excited to be welcoming Kevin, Gero, Jessica and Steven to the team. Their combined skills and understanding of payments and the hospitality sector will be invaluable in helping to support the continued growth of the business.

“Success means understanding customers’ needs, and being able to support our clients with best-of-breed advice and technology - in order to help them to grow.”

Kevin Betts added: “I am joining Lolly at an exciting time for the business, as it continues to gather momentum. I look forward to being a part of its continued growth, and bringing my knowledge of the payments industry and small and medium size businesses to the team.”

Keeping your customer (and your business) ‘appy Recent research has highlighted that QSR and takeaway restaurants is the fastest growing sector in the UK. Whilst these figures are very encouraging to the fast-food operator they also suggest that competition has never been greater and consumer choice never higher.

What service providers are there in the market and what do they offer by way of support for businesses?

There are many options for an operator to choose from, however we believe that in order to fully benefit from online ordering the technology has too enable restaurants to integrate this service into their wider PoS set-up. Our solutions include browser-based ordering, iPhone & Android Apps and in-store order

points such as kiosks. For operators that choose to offer a ‘click and deliver’ service then adopting a driver management solution would also be useful to manage deliveries to the customer.

What equipment/technology do businesses need to ensure a successful home delivery service?

Your EPoS solution provider needs to have a platform that can integrate real time online ordering technology.

Whether this is in the form of a web page, an app or an in-house order point/kiosk it needs to fully integrate with the EPoS. As its web-based, no physical hardware is required other than your EPoS set-up, however if you are going to provide an online ordering service to your customers then you should also consider that they will expect to be able to order online via an iPhone or Android App. What does the future hold for home delivery and online ordering?

Cashless payments and self-service are the developing trends in this sector.

Customer-facing cashless kiosks are now being introduced in many restaurants complementing online ordering by extending click and collect to an in-store option and is already proving very popular with customers. Whilst this technology is still relatively new, many QSR operators on the high street will have this on their radar.

Who is doing home delivery and online ordering best? And what can businesses learn from them?

The traditional home delivery experts like Dominos do this very well and have no doubt invested heavily in technology over the last 5 years to stay ahead of game. What can we learn? If you are going to offer home delivery via a digital ordering platform then do it well and don’t cut corners. It needs to be slick and professional. The customer purchase path and experience must be easy, fast and reliable. This doesn’t mean you have to invest lots of money, but do your research and invest wisely.

pointone Quickbites 1117 V1.qxp_Layout 1 20/11/2017 12:02 Page 1

Faster EPoS, Faster Food Our award winning EPoS is the most focused QSR and takeaway solution available on the market.

• Online Ordering • Customer Facing Kiosks • Ordering App • Kitchen Manager Screens • Customer Loyalty & Marketing • Enterprise Stock Control • Driver Management

For more information on how we can help your hospitality business please call 0345 8620005 enquiries@pointone.co.uk www.pointone.co.uk

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Social Media plays a big part in the marketing of a business and as a visual led industry foodservice is embracing the shift towards an online presence.

A common problem amongst restaurants is embracing the shift towards social marketing, particularly due to the busy nature of the takeaway and restaurant industry. However, utilising the reach of social media to encourage likes, retweets and comments is more important than ever before, as social media is used by billions of people. Popular photo sharing site Instagram says it now has 800 million

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users - up 100 million since April 2017.

Meanwhile, Twitter averages 330 million monthly users, and Facebook has a huge 2.07 billion monthly active users – in 2012 it surpassed 1 billion users the first social network to do so.

According to data analysts Statista, in 2017 71% of internet users were social network users and these figures are expected to grow.

Connecting and Engaging Customers The latest Nisbets Pulse survey recently delved into how the industry overall chooses to promote their business and what they consider to be the most effective methods of marketing. Word of mouth (WOM), social media and a business website are the three most impactful with 34% seeing WOM as the key influencer.

This is backed up further by the impact of customer review sites, specifically TripAdvisor, where a staggering 72% of those surveyed felt that the site had had a positive impact on their business.

Clearly, a satisfied customer is a very powerful influencer for a business, as a user generated endorsement is seen as authentic and an independent insight. For this to happen it is obviously important for a business to have an online presence where they can positively drive interaction with customers and share their own news and brand messages.

Facebook appears to resonate with the industry with 52% of respondents preferring to use this platform to market their business, followed by 20% using Twitter and 18% using Instagram.

Facebook’s popularity is further evidenced

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within the results of The Nisbets Pulse Survey which revealed 81% of respondents feel that it is the most important social media channel for marketing their business. Facebook is still the most widely used social media platform globally and is great for a business that wants to encourage interaction with customers as well as sharing content. Posting competitions and encouraging post shares will build exposure and engagement. With 68% of those surveyed having between 250 and 10,000 in their social media audience, it’s evidently a tried and tested approach for a catering business.

Given that 93% cite that social media has had a positive impact on their business, the content posted online is extremely important and sharing a business’s views with regards to food trends, menu development, sourcing and other topical issues is an ideal way to engage with an audience.

Brand Loyalty Jo Mathers, managing director at Limegreen Communications, a PR company with a number of clients in the hospitality sector says: “Mobile technology and social media have revolutionised the way people are interacting with brands and this has been really apparent in the hospitality industry.

“Social media gives companies the chance to engage with and communicate directly with consumers, in a much more intimate and personal way, even before they step foot inside their restaurant.”

“Customers can now enquire, book, review, check-in and receive recipe tips direct from the head chef. They can see, touch and virtually taste all that the brand has to offer - and what’s more, this can be shared instantly with their friends. Complaints and reputation management can also be handled quickly, directly and smartly.”

It’s true, sometimes the pull of a good review is enough to encourage customers to your establishment.

Casual dining restaurant Zizzi recently conducted research into the online consumer and found that 18-35 year olds spend five days per year browsing food images on Instagram, with a worrying 30% avoiding restaurants if their Instagram presence was weak.

On launching two South American restaurants in the East Midlands recently, Limegreen Communications engaged with social media influencers to draw people in and engage with customers ahead of the openings.

“Word of mouth is nothing new,” adds Jo. “But recommendations from high profile bloggers, posts within friendship groups and honest comments can reach thousands and sometimes millions of people through Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Facebook.”

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QR codes must fit advert design and brand, research reveals - or they get ignored Incorporating them effectively into a campaign remains very important as it’s one of the few ways to jump from a 2D advert to the internet QR codes must fit advert design and brand, research reveals - or they get ignored. People are less likely to scan Quick Response (QR) codes if they aren’t seen to fit the advert or the brand, new research from King’s Business School has found.

Professor Shintaro Okazaki warns that marketers need to be aware that a complex visual design combined with a QR code that isn’t perceived to belong can be thwarting their intentions of drawing in potential consumers.

“Many firms all over the world are using QR codes, but the numbers of people actually scanning them are still quite low,” Okazaki says. “Incorporating them effectively into a campaign remains very important as it’s one of the few ways to jump from a 2D advert to the internet.”

How Pizza Hut saw a 50% increase in organic traffic through a partnership with BRIDGE To sustain growth and increase organic traffic in Europe, Pizza Hut launched a vast project to redesign its websites. With the objective to increase Pizza Hut’s local search visibility in the countries where they operate, they identified two key initiatives: the standardisation of the websites and the deployment of store locators.

Pizza Hut chose the BRIDGE solution over an alternative American provider because of their continued innovation to optimize the digital journey to drive footfall. BRIDGE is the leader in online to offline marketing solutions in Europe and is part of the SoLocal Group.

Thanks to the BRIDGE solution, each country now has its own customized store locator and local pages highlighting each individual Pizza Hut location. On each local page, visitors will find contact details, address, opening hours, as well as the different services offered by the specific Pizza Hut location. The store locator also includes different conversion features such as online booking for “dine in” restaurants along with delivery options to increase sales.

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Many countries including Poland, Malta and Germany have already set up their store locators.

Spain and Portugal are expected to do so in the near future. The main objective has been to increase organic traffic for local search queries such as ‘Pizza + City’. Beyond organic traffic, the store locator will allow consumers to be directed to the Pizza Hut ecommerce pages.

Pizza Hut, which is part of the Yum! Group (includes brands such as KFC and Taco Bell), has experienced double digit growth. Pizza Hut Poland has already seen a 50% increase in organic traffic thanks to the partnership.

Comments from Olivier Guilhot, Digital Director of Pizza Hut Europe; “Pizza Hut is the market leader and has always put digital innovation at the heart of its success. Pizza Hut was the pioneer in many areas such as online orders, fast delivery services, taking orders using PlayStation, Xbox or Messenger using chatbots.

We are in a very competitive market in terms of local search and there are new competitor businesses who are very digitally focused.

“Also, our clients’ behaviour has evolved towards mobile. Standardizing our sites to

The researchers found that people could be overwhelmed by adverts that are too complex and include a code that lacks aesthetic appeal, unless they are unusually curious.

Okazaki says the key to successfully using QR codes lies in giving people a tangible incentive to scan, like coupons or competitions, and ensuring that the code fits with the branding.

“This is all in the design process. The code should be incorporated into the advert and extensive feedback should be sought, perhaps by conducting in-depth pre-tests. If the QR code fits harmoniously in the design, even consumers who are only slightly curious will be more likely to scan it.”

The researchers used Coca Cola advertising posters to assess how curiosity, the complexity of a visual design, and the perceived fit with a brand affected consumers’ intentions to scan. The findings were recently published in the Journal of Business Research.

optimize our position in search engine results and offering a unique experience to our clients with an optimized digital journey is a major step in the consolidation of our position as market leader – this is why we chose the BRIDGE solution from Leadformance.”

Comments from Cyril Laurent, Co-founder and CEO of Leadformance – “We deployed the first Store Locator in Poland last summer and we are already seeing meaningful results. The proportion of organic visits from SEO on local pages is 50% higher than other Pizza Hut pages.

“Also, the store locator generates 16% more visitors with a bounce rate that is 3 times lower.

Our vision is to guide Pizza Hut and all our clients in the deployment of an adapted solution that overcomes their global and local challenges, and increases the volume of both online and in-store sales.”

TALKING TECH

Branded hospitality apps on the rise Over the last 12 months, there has been a steep rise of 400% in the number of high street hospitality brands seeking to develop their own app, according to data from Zonal.

The news coincides with the latest GO Technology report from Zonal and CGA, which indicates that 82% of the 5,000 GB adults surveyed are more likely to use a restaurant’s own app as opposed to a thirdparty provider.

Trust is a big consideration for consumers who are becoming increasingly savvy when it comes to sharing their data. Almost a quarter of 18 to 34 year olds cite lack of trust as their biggest barrier to engaging with a brand. But where trust is gained, 72% are ready to engage with and share their data in return for instant offers.

This can only be achieved if operators have total control over their app and don’t outsource to a third party, who can use valuable customer data to meet their own business ambitions.

Olivia FitzGerald, managing director of Zonal’s Marketing Technologies, said: “Feedback from GO Technology shows that mobile ordering and payment are now mainstream and will continue to grow. It’s no coincidence that operators want a slice of the action, with trust and control being key drivers whereby they can surprise, delight and engage consumers directly with their brand.

“They are looking for smartly branded apps that deliver tangible benefits for their

customers, from making a reservation to ordering and paying for food and drink ‘virtually’, to personalised offers and rewards, that in turn drive revenue in a more convenient, fun and appealing way.”

When it comes to technology, speed is still the key driver for diners who like to use their mobile device to pre-order and pay for food and drink, with 36% respondents citing this as their main reason for using an app.

Convenience is another major factor, with 22% opting for pre-order and online payment during busy trading times or for convenience when part of a large group [21.63%].

But adopting technology is no replacement for human interaction, with almost 40% of respondents citing ordering with a staff member as their preferred method of ordering and paying for food.

“Technology is no replacement for the human touch and should be there to

enhance the overall customer experience,” added Olivia.

Working in partnership with Zonal and CGA, the GO Technology report tracks consumer attitudes and experiences with technology when eating and drinking out.

The research is conducted quarterly to gain an insight over a period of time to measure consumer behaviour and trends, helping operators to keep one step ahead.

Jamie Campbell, Director of CGA, said: “This latest research shows how technology has moved right to the heart of the relationships between consumers and brands. No digital solution will ever replace human interaction in restaurants and bars, but if technology can be properly harnessed then it can substantially improve guests’ experiences. From building loyalty through apps to speeding up payments to engaging on social media, technology has opened up many exciting new ways to connect with consumers, and seizing the opportunities will be crucial in today’s ultra-competitive marketplace.”

Zonal is the leading provider of integrated hospitality management solutions to over 15,000 leisure and hospitality businesses across the UK. For over 38 years, the company has been working closely with clients to enhance the customer experience through market leading technology, experienced people and a partnership approach to business.

CGA is a leading research consultancy and insight business focused purely on the hospitality sector, working with operators of all shapes and sizes as well as leading food and drink suppliers and supporting their business growth.

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Food manufacturers urged to embrace digital Food manufacturers are being urged to embrace digital to win new business by helping wholesalers and caterers adhere to strict EU law.

Foodservice companies are required to provide allergen and nutritional data on all products and one of their biggest challenges is combating the time burden associated with completing necessary tasks.

And Jon Shayler, chief operating officer at Erudus, a cloud-based software solution that contains data for more than 34,000 products, is calling on manufacturers to not only save time but to provide added value to their offering by going digital.

He said: “Suppliers are in the perfect position to ensure the entire chain of organisations involved in foodservice have as simple a process as possible.

“In order for caterers to provide the correct food information to their

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customers, they seek support from the wholesalers that supply them. Wholesalers then look down the line and ask the manufacturers for the information.

“Wholesalers are aiming to cut themselves out of the conversation by using software like Erudus. The data in Erudus is provided directly by the manufacturers and caterers can access it immediately on site. Therefore, wholesalers place significant value on a supplier who is already signed up and using Erudus.

“We have more than 1,200 manufacturers using Erudus and this number is growing daily. Many have commented to us that new wholesalers they do business with have it as a condition of trading, and already using the platform helps them stand out from competitors.

“The platform is continuing to grow in popularity and we have more than 80,000 caterers on board as well as close to 100 wholesalers.”

Erudus teamed up with Nielsen Brandbank in October in a partnership to revolutionise food industry data. This deal, Jon believes, will help make it easier for suppliers to make the decision to sign up.

“Manufacturers often supply both retail and foodservice,” he said.

“Brandbank takes care of the retail side of things, while Erudus focuses on foodservice. And for those manufacturers who are already using Brandbank, Erudus is available for a reduced fee and it’s as simple as clicking a button to share all product data from one to the other.”

One brand that has benefited from going digital is Farrington’s Mellow Yellow, which produces an awardwinning range of cold pressed oil, dressings and mayonnaises from cold pressed rapeseed oil.

Duncan Farrington, founder, said: “Erudus allows us to send data to all our customers who are also users of the software with one click of a button. It is a great way to save on administrative time.

“It also provides product images and our quality accreditation certificates, which is a great feature.”

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The ENTERTAINER secures 500 operators and 1,800 outlets within five months of UK trading The ENTERTAINER, the leading provider of incentive offers from well-known dining, leisure, entertainment, beauty and hotel brands across the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe, has made huge strides in its first five months of trading in the UK. Having already secured 500 hospitality operators across 1,800 outlets to the platform since it launched in July, the app-based business is on track to reach its projected forecast of 1,000 operators across 4,000 outlets by January 2018. Current multisite operators reaping the benefit of its commitment to increase footfall by as much as 25%, include Banana Tree, Busaba Eathai, Snog Frozen Yogurt and Casual Dining Group owned, Belgo.

By promoting offers and incentives, such as two-for-one dining, via the ENTERTAINER’s digital marketing platform, operators can effortlessly reach audiences they might otherwise not have, whilst gaining access to as broad a customer base as possible. Most importantly, the ENTERTAINER works to protect an operator’s brand values by limiting

the amount of discount redemptions available to consumers to just three per year. Offers are valid 7 days a week, for a 12-month duration (excluding public holidays). It’s a win-win for operators as the business model is performance-based – so operators only pay a minimal fee once the customer redeems.

The sheer volume of customer data the app collects, gives hospitality operators valuable insight into customer behaviour and intention. In addition to the usual demographic information, such as age, gender and location, the business can segment its customer audience by types of offer redeemed, frequency of redemption, location of redemption and total estimated savings.

Using geo-mapping, it is also able to pinpoint customers to the level of where they live vs where they work.

Mike Rich, Global Marketing Director, commented: “We’re delighted to welcome our new partners onto the ENTERTAINER platform. With the industry facing mounting pressures and uncertainties from all directions, by way of Brexit, increased rent, rates and operating costs, together with labour

Kitchup hits £100,000 crowdfunding target Kitchup, the UK’s first online managed marketplace for kitchen space, has exceeded their £100,000 crowdfunding target to help fund their expansion and development of their technology. The equity campaign on Seedrs has now closed, raising a total of £108,855 from 112 investors.

Referred to as “driving an Airbnb-style revolution in London kitchen space”, Kitchup matches underused commercial kitchens with food businesses. Kitchen users can easily find and book affordable and flexible space on-demand, whilst kitchen hosts get a secure and simple way to earn extra income from sharing their commercial kitchen.

Founded by twin entrepreneurs Emma and Charlie Jones in October 2015, the London-based start-up has already built up the largest listing of commercial kitchen spaces in the capital, and aided a diverse mix of food businesses with projects ranging from helping artisans expand their production, to supporting street-food traders transition into their first restaurants, to facilitating locations for chefs to teach cookery classes. The team’s mission is to build a sustainable global network

shortages, I believe there has never been a better time for operators to be driving loyalty.

The most difficult part of retaining loyal customers is acquiring them in the first place.

Through offers and incentives, operators can drive footfall, leaving their front and backof-house teams free to do what they do best – delivering a fantastic experience that leaves customers wanting more.

He continues: “Data is king. However, it’s all about the ability to analyse it. It’s about understanding how consumers think, what they do and when they do it. It’s about what they like, when to speak to them and what to say. The more personal, the better! That is the key to higher engagement, which is why we are all about data for the hospitality industry.”

Karthik Ramakrishnan, Group Operations Manager, Banana Tree commented: “Our partnership with the ENTERTAINER enables us to drive footfall and loyalty, whilst attracting a whole new customer base. Most importantly, we haven’t cheapened our brand with too many discounts.”

of kitchen spaces to encourage a more collaborative and resourceful food industry that has social, environmental and economic benefits for all involved.

Commenting on the successful crowdfunding campaign, Kitchup’s co-founder Emma Jones said: “We are delighted to have overfunded with over 100 investors who share our vision. It’s great validation of the business and we are excited and energised for the future.

The funds will be used to develop our technology and grow the team so we can support a growing demand for flexible and affordable kitchen space.”

Current investors include Alan Gross, co-founder of Chef Works, who is also an advisor to Kitchup. He added: “Food Tech is a very important and fast growing sector with huge potential and I’m really excited to be supporting the dynamic Kitchup team as they build a great scalable business and a powerful brand for the future of food.”

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Greener e c u d e R

From the proper management of waste products, to utilising technology to conserve and save energy - as well as making greener purchasing decisions - the foodservice industry is working hard to reduce the carbon footprint that it, like most industries, inevitably leaves behind. At the same rate of consumers demand, more and more businesses are looking at the product they produce, the packaging they use - and how they dispose of it - in a bid to manage their impact on the environment.

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arge companies have been leading the way; McDonalds for example use packaging from sustainable sources that have been certified by either the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). They also ensure that their entire fleet of trucks runs on Biodiesel - 40% of which comes from their used cooking oil - which is converted into Biodiesel that runs on the energy generated by their kitchen food waste, like coffee grounds.

McDonalds say; “We use our scale to maximise our positive environmental impact. We employ 91,500 people in the UK, so if each of them works in a more energy-efficient way we have the opportunity to make a big difference.

“Our people are keen to do their bit for the environment, so we've trained our crew members in ways to save energy, for example putting equipment such as grills and toasters into the standby position when not in use.

“And it's working. Across all of our restaurants, the small changes that

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our employees have made are paying off. In addition we've installed lots of energy saving technologies in our restaurants to help make things run even more efficiently.”

Carbon Neutral

In another example of the industry working to improve sustainability, fast casual Mexican chain Wahaca became the first restaurant group in the UK to voluntarily sign up to the Waste and Resources Action Programme’s ‘Hospitality and Food Service Agreement’– an agreement whereby signatories provide the government with their waste volumes, with the aim of reducing this wherever possible and helping others to do the same. They were also the first restaurant group in the UK to become Carbon Neutral – Wahaca have in the meantime continued to push the boundaries and run their restaurants responsibly.

The group, which currently has 26 locations, has reduced the average total energy consumption of newer sites (those established after 2013) by 36%. Further to this, they have regularly assessed the

efficiency of older locations, and by upgrading systems and appliances have decreased the average energy consumption of older sites by 15%. For example, adjusting a heater battery at the Bluewater Wahaca led to a 76% reduction in gas use. In 2016, through offsetting the remaining unavoidable energy usage by investing in farreaching energy-saving initiatives, Wahaca has been certified as having a net zero carbon footprint.

In 2016 their Edinburgh outlet was also given the highest possible rating from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the SKA Gold - a rating based on the environmental impact of the restaurant, assessing energy consumption, CO2 emissions, waste, water and materials used.

Wahaca say: “SKA ratings help our designers and contractors assess fit-out projects against a set of sustainability good practice criteria, whilst working in conjunction with our zero-waste to landfill policy and the Green Wahaca charter ensuring Wahaca is as sustainable and energy efficient as it can be, and you can tuck into your tacos, safe in the knowledge that they’re not costing the earth.

“It’s not just about building nice green restaurants though. We are proud to have been the first restaurant group to (do so).”

Meanwhile in a bid to conserve and save, Costa Coffee launched their first environmentally-friendly building design in 2015, the eco-pod, which utilised innovative energy saving technology and became the first ‘zero energy’ coffee shop building in the UK. Located in Telford, ‘Zero energy’ is achieved through passive ventilation and innovative construction techniques which mean that the energy required to heat and cool the building is minimised. The low amount of energy that is required for building temperature control comes from solar PV cells embedded in the specially curved roof - balancing out overall.

This was the first time in the UK that a ‘zero energy’ cafe/restaurant building had been built and opened commercially and saw them win an Environmental Leadership award at the Responsible Business Awards 2016.

The brand has now opened a second - and has recently been awarded

Our people are keen to do their bit for the environment, so we’ve trained our crew members in ways to save energy

MAKING YOUR BUSINESS GREENER

the title of ‘Most Ethical Brand’ in Europe at the annual Allegra Coffee Symposium 2017.

Simply Cup

There are many examples of QSRs and food-to-go outlets – as well as manufacturers and initiatives who are actively encouraging their customers to recycle and reuse the most basic of sustainability requirements - but one that seems to be making a big difference.

And the issue of takeaway cups in foodservice seems to be making the most noise. To tackle this the Simply Cup scheme was established back in 2014, a scheme that set out to recycle the mammoth 5 million paper cups used in the UK every year.

Seeing the importance of working across the supply chain, the partnership between Simply Cups and Leafield Environmental - manufacturers of plastic litter and recycling bins - brought huge media and consumer interest, and since their collaboration Leafield have seen a dramatic rise in interest for their cup bins (sales are up 35%). It has also led to the creation of a larger bin the ‘Envirocup XL’ which also has a compartment for liquids making it even easier to dispose of cups responsibly.

Additionally in April 2016 ‘The Square Mile Challenge’ was initiated, whereby a ‘square mile’ of London was challenged to collect and recycle half a million cups in April 2016, and they achieved it with 509,091 coffee cups collected – all of which are to be recycled into something new.

Peter Goodwin, Director of Closed Loop Environmental Solutions who work alongside Simply Cups, told QuickBite in August of last year: “The industry needs to be responsible for driving the solutions. There is the danger of a knee jerk reaction driven by the media, for example sudden bans on materials.

“Ultimately we must understand all materials and come up with a solution. Banning things or putting taxes on things may

Contributors • Holly Bowman, co-owner of North Star Coffee Roasters • Mark Brigden, Technical Director, Biopac (UK) Ltd • David Davies, Managing Director, Checkit • Karen Cripps, Business Development Manager, EcoPure Waters • Becci Eplett, Marketing Manager, Huhtamaki UK Ltd • George Clark, Senior Commercial Manager, MSC UK • Paul Siouville, Buffalo Brand Manager, Nisbets Plc • Matthew Orme, Director of Wenlock Spring • Adrian Greaves, Foodservice Director, Young’s Foodservice • Andrew Stephen, CEO, Sustainable Restaurant Association • Pippa Henderson Marketing and Communications Executive, Bio-Bean • Hilary Khawam, Communications and Marketing Director,

Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)

seem like a quick fix and the right thing to do at the time, but it might not be any better than what we have currently got.”

Front-line

Similarly, in a bid to tackle the waste issue brought on by paper cups, Costa Coffee launched a scheme that gives their customers a 25p discount off all of their drinks and in the spirit of all good recycling schemes, the cup can be from any outlet - even a rival’s.

Costa also established the Paper Cup Manifesto with the objective to ensure that the majority of the UK population have access to information, schemes and facilities to allow them to recycle their takeaway paper cup. And by pledging to work alongside the supply chain the coffee giant works to ensure their cups are designed, used, disposed

of and collected to maximise rates of recycling in the UK. It is clear that the takeaway industry has taken a ‘front-line’ stance to the issue of waste and recycling, as it is very often takeaways and QSRs who are ultimately blamed for the litter present on high streets up and down the country. However is this fair? The Food Packaging Association (FPA) doesn’t think so and actively campaigns to find solutions by working alongside the food service and packaging industry to reduce litter and waste. They say that litter ‘is increasingly given by EU and national governments as the reason for legislative actions impacting on packaging.’ The FPA works to ensure that foodservice operators and packaging providers are not given the sole blame for food and litter issues

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MAKING YOUR BUSINESS GREENER - encouraging a change in behaviour towards littering.

The FPA slammed the government’s plans to introduce a packaging tax to attempt to alleviate the amount of plastic in the world’s oceans. However the FPA say that this equates to a 'fish and chip tax', a decision that could damage the takeaway industry - which brings in thousands to the UK economy every year. Martin Kershe, head of the FPA said; "It’s important that the public understands that taxes will do nothing to deliver a long term solution to onthe-go waste.

"Indeed at variance with the carrier bag charge where net proceeds are given to charities, we believe a tax on single use plastics will simply disappear as extra revenue to a cash strapped Government and won’t provide much needed funding for the UK’s recycling infrastructure.”

Pioneering bottled water With the issue of plastic waste in our oceans making headlines, inevitably operators and manufacturers have been working hard to reduce its impact and as part of their ongoing evolution, Wenlock Spring is imminently including British recycled plastic (rPET) in the manufacturing of their plastic (PET) bottles. Initially starting with 25% rPET in their current bottles, 50% will be introduced in Q1 2018. This is a major step forward for the environmentally friendly water bottler. The pioneering bottled water brand are establishing themselves among industry leaders, who have targets of 40% rPET by 2020.

Matthew Orme, Director of Wenlock Spring explains: "For the second generation independent family business, achieving 50% rPET is an impressive feat. Currently, the UK has a limited supply of rPET - we are simply not recycling enough.

“Change is coming through a number of high profile campaigns. The 2020 Plastics Challenge, the potential Deposit Return Scheme, BBC's Blue Planet and the EU’s ‘Our Ocean Summit’ have brought the issue higher up the political, economic and social agenda. Speaking live at the summit, HRH Prince of Wales, urged industry to ‘recover, recycle, reuse instead of 64

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create, use and then throw away.”

Wenlock Spring believes that we all have a duty and responsibility for future generations to make changes now. They already recycle 99% of materials that the business uses on site. This next step is a significant investment for the brand but one that supports their sustainable approach

How important is sustainability in the food-to-go/quick service restaurant industry?

Operators need to ensure they are doing everything they can to make their business greener

According to the Sustainable Restaurant Association, a not-forprofit membership org that helps foodservice make smart, sustainable decisions through ‘Food Made Good’ with more choice, greater competition and an increasingly savvy consumer, sustainability is as high up the agenda as it has ever been for the food to go quick service industry.

“A number of key issues vye for prominence on the news agenda: from food waste to plant-based eating, single use plastics to healthy children’s menus. And operators can capitalise by providing a progressive offering,” explains Andrew Stephen, CEO. “The frontrunners are already cashing in, taking decisive action and communicating it smartly to their customers. Just look at how businesses like Pret have adapted. Their initial Veggie Pret in London’s Soho was seen as a risk when it launched in spring 2016. Now the third permanent veggie site is open and there is every chance there will be more, such is the demand.

Andrew believes that for too long too many businesses have been content to wait for others to take the lead or for the Government to legislate before they’ll take action.

He says: “We sense that is starting to change, but there are still an awful lot of businesses that need to wake up and smell the coffee – recognising that they have a responsibility to lead as well as to feed.”

Indeed, sustainable operation is increasingly important to any food business. Faced with rising energy costs, pressure from consumers and legislation to reduce the environmental impact of business operations, companies must take steps to go green or potentially risk losing customers to competitors.

David Davies, Managing Director of Checkit - the Smart, wireless food safety monitoring system says; “Improving sustainability can also enable businesses to reduce costs for example by reducing food waste and energy consumption,” says David.

“These are important benefits at a time when food businesses are experiencing increasing cost inflation.”

Young’s Foodservice say it has ‘become easier than ever’ to become greener, with customers at the source of the industry wide change. Adrian Greaves, Foodservice Director at Young’s Foodservice explains: “In recent years, environmental issues have really taken the spotlight in the foodservice industry because customers have become more aware of issues affecting the environment.

“Operators need to ensure they are doing everything they can to make their business greener and with new innovation within technology, and manufacturers making a conscious effort to produce products in a more sustainable way, it has become easier than ever for all foodservice businesses to become greener.”

MSC Certified

The Marine Stewardship Council works with partners to encourage sustainable fishing practices, and any accredited restaurant or takeaway holds the blue MSC label – assuring their customers that they sell sustainable fish and seafood. Wahaca, heralded for its savvy environmental practises hold the certification as do Kingfisher Fish & Chips, officially the best Independent Fish and Chip shop in the UK, as awarded by the National Fish and Chip Awards.

"It’s hugely important: fish and seafood are a big part of the food-togo and QSR offering and, as consumer demand for sustainable food increases, it’s becoming essential that companies offer sustainable seafood options," explains George Clark.

"According to MSC research, 61% of consumers believe that restaurants should offer sustainable seafood on their menus. McDonald’s were the first QSR to recognise the importance of MSC certification and the value it can bring to a brand.”

In fact now every Filet-o-Fish and fish finger sold by McDonald’s in

MAKING YOUR BUSINESS GREENER

the UK is guaranteed to be made of sustainably caught fish.

Eco-Friendly packaging

Packaging manufacturer Biopac manufactures and supplies eco-friendly food packaging and catering products.

Their business has long been inspired by the impact packaging has on the environment – and the small changes each one of us can make which will have significant consequences for the world around us.

Mark Brigden, Technical Director at Biopac explains: “Where QSRs are concerned in particular, the statistics surrounding waste and sustainability used to be shocking – thanks to the nature of the industry and little focus on eco-friendliness.

“Things are improving – but there’s still some way to go for the industry as a whole.”

Additionally according to Biopac multiple studies have shown that consumers actively choose to engage with companies that demonstrate consideration for the environment – and would consider switching from a brand that doesn’t.

Similarly global food and drink packaging specialists Huhtamaki have continued to drive innovation in product design - in direct response to environmental requirements. Becci

Eplett, Marketing Manager, Huhtamaki UK Ltd says: “Food packaging exists for the fundamental purpose of safely preserving the condition of the product that is contains.

“As we all become more aware of the scarcity of natural resources, whether that be energy, water or food, all manufacturers will need to work to reduce the environmental impact of their operations and their products through their entire lifecycle and packaging plays a vital part in that equation. Packaging which is manufactured responsibly, that is innovative and functionally efficient and that can be disposed of with minimal environmental impact has a very bright future.”

What factors do foodservice operators need to consider in order to make their businesses greener?

According to the Food and Drink Federation (FDIN) they believe that in 2018, we’ll see more resourceful ways to reduce food waste, which will prevent food producers from throwing away food originally classed as rubbish during production. As a result, next year consumers will likely see the whole ingredient being used,

Things are improving – but there’s still some way to go for the industry as a whole

rather than just the “good parts”. They also predict that more restaurants and eateries will pop-up, cooking with food that is nearing the end of its shelf life.

According to Andrew Stephen there’s a common perception that going green can take you into the red. Many of the key steps that would help a business to be greener can actually boost the bottom line.

He explains; “When you realise that 70% of the carbon footprint of a foodservice business is attributable to the food it uses and that food waste costs the average business at least £10,000 a year, it’s possible to see the connection between saving the planet and saving pounds.

“In fact, research shows that for every £1 invested in a food waste strategy, a business will save £14. Now that’s some return on investment.

It also flags another crucial point: planning. Like most elements of the business, it pays to plan and look long term when it comes to sustainability.”

There are some investments that will involve an initial outlay, like some energy efficient kitchen equipment for example. “The rewards will come and keep coming though, just as an operator like Wahaca has discovered with its investment in heat capture technology to provide its hot water,” adds Andrew. “Equally, by investing Issue 52 January 2018

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MAKING YOUR BUSINESS GREENER

up front in your employees, treating them fairly in terms of pay and conditions, as businesses like Leon have demonstrated, staff turnover is reduced. Thinking beyond tomorrow’s menu can save time, money and resources.”

Improving temperature monitoring is an easy way to reduce energy consumption and improve sustainability immediately and in the long term adds David Davies.

He explains: “Many businesses are unaware that they are overconsuming energy because fridges and freezers are running at a lower temperature than is necessary for safe operation.

“Automated monitoring solutions, such as Checkit, give businesses better control over the energy usage of critical equipment. If the temperature falls outside pre-approved parameters, for example if the freezer door has been left open, managers will be instantly alerted and can correct the issue before valuable stock is damaged and wasted.”

One of the key factors is packaging; not only the type of packaging used but also the amount of packaging used.

Whilst helping to reduce your carbon footprint it can also reduce the impact your business has on the environment.

“This is particularly important in the food-to-go sector where so much disposable packaging is used,” says Mark Brigden. “This sector will continue to grow and it’s therefore more important than even to start thinking differently.

The environment needs to be considered at each stage of the supply chain.

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What simple changes can foodservice Business make to improve their green credentials?

One of the key factors is packaging; not only the type of packaging used but also the amount of packaging used

Coffee roastery North Star Coffee recently launched their NEW ‘Spotlight’ range, which features some of the best-quality coffee, whilst also highlighting one of the most important issues that the coffee industry faces today; the waste generated from disposable cups that are nonbiodegradable.

The innovative packaging for the NEW ‘Spotlight’ range, consists of a sleeve and box which are made using 50% recycled coffee cup fibre, meaning that they are 100% recyclable and biodegradable. To achieve this, North Star worked closely with James Cropper; a familyrun business in the Lake District who invested £5 million into a new recycling facility which uses groundbreaking machinery to effectively recycle paper cups into paper.

In fact, they are one of just two facilities in the UK which are now geared up to recycle coffee cups. The beautiful new packaging and new coffee range will be available at the new coffee shop and general store.

Holly Bowman, co-founder explains: “When it comes to coffee, this is an incredibly important principle to be aware of due to the extreme volatility of coffee producing environments – not only are coffee producers located in some of the most environmentally unstable areas

in the world, they are also massively impacted by a changing climate with rising temperatures affecting the harvest season and both the quality and yield of the coffee.

“If we are not an environmentally responsible business, we are not playing a role in safeguarding millions of livelihoods across the world but more importantly, coffee will cease to exist before long and if we want to guarantee the supply of the same high quality beans year on year, we have no choice but to integrate environmental sustainability into our business plan.”

Coffee waste recycling

“Sustainability is rising on the public agenda. ‘Making your business greener’ is of particular relevance to the food service industry due to increased awareness and concern around issues such as food waste, ethically sourced products, the use of pesticides versus organic produce and so on,” says Pippa Henderson of Bio-Bean who recycle waste coffee grounds into advanced biofuels - like ‘wonderfuel’ Coffee Logs.

“Businesses that produce volumes of waste coffee grounds as part of their processes can consider recycling coffee with bio-bean. The UK produces half a million tonnes of coffee waste every year and most of it goes to landfill, where it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas,” adds Pippa.

“Instead it can be collected with one of our waste management

MAKING YOUR BUSINESS GREENER

partners, and sent to our worldfirst coffee recycling factory in Cambridgeshire. Here, we recycle waste coffee grounds into advanced biofuels like Coffee Logs – the eco briquettes for stoves, woodburners and open fires. Our coffee recycling service is available throughout the UK and can save participating businesses money.”

From sea to plate

At Young’s Foodservice, one of their main priorities is to protect the environment. With this in mind, they have developed a specific programme to safeguard the key elements of our business; the fish and the sea. Through our Fish for Life Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, we aim to improve the impact of everything we do, from sea to plate.

“This includes doing all we can for our customers and for the planet,” says Adrian Greaves. “Sustainable practices are the only way to protect the future of fish and this is why we work hard to ensure we understand every fish farm and fishery before using them in our supply chain.

“We also work proactively with fishermen and the industry as a whole to help improve long term sustainability. Therefore foodservice operators can be reassured that fish purchased from Young’s Seafood has been sourced responsibly and sustainably which allows them to confidently relay this information to their customers.”

Young’s are confident that the future for sustainable seafood is brighter than ever and want to continue raising awareness to help businesses understand the positive impact they can make by choosing sustainable manufacturers, not only on the environment but with their customers too.

“Fish and seafood is a popular choice with many diners, therefore it is sensible for caterers to offer a good range on their menus and highlight the sustainable sourcing,” adds Adrian. “Foodservice operators should carefully consider the types of fish they offer and most importantly, with sustainability being such a hot topic, be aware of the provenance of where the fish is sourced.

Clare Lloyd. “It’s therefore paramount that we are able to demonstrate our company’s commitment to sustainable sourcing. The PEFC label can serve as an excellent stamp of approval, giving customers confidence in a product’s environmental credentials.”

“We would highly advise caterers to check the sourcing policy as a first point of action when choosing a supplier to ensure they have a responsible policy in place.”

PEFC Certified

“One of the easiest changes a business can make to improve their green credentials is to use certification labels on consumer-facing packaging,” says Hilary Khawam, of PEFC a nonprofit organisation which promotes sustainable forest management.

“A 2017 YouGov survey, 53% of respondents said that they looked for wood-based products carrying a forest certification label. 2 out of 3 respondents believe that certification labels such as PEFC’s are important in promoting sustainable forest management,” explains Hilary. “68% of respondents said they’d think better of a company if it demonstrated responsible sourcing practices through the following certification labels such as PEFC’s.

If companies want to show their customers that their packaging is responsibly-sourced there are a few steps they can take: • Develop and implement a paperboard packaging procurement policy which includes PEFC-certified products • Ask suppliers if they have PEFC Chain of Custody certification and are able to supply you with certified materials • Use the PEFC label on your certified packaging to communicate and demonstrate your business’ commitment to a more sustainable world.

Sustainability and environmental best practice are key elements of Corporate Social Responsibility in any consumerfacing industry. Unsurprisingly then it is becoming increasingly an integral part of the way responsible manufacturing companies supplying this sector do business.

Suppliers such as Colpac, known for their sandwich and food to go packaging, ensure that their packaging features strong green credentials. “Consumer perception is very important to the companies we supply” said Colpac’s

What does the future hold for the industry in terms of sustainability and green legislation?

Sustainable practices are the only way to protect the future of fish

Food waste, sugar and plastic are just three of the areas that could be the subject of green legislation to affect the sector in the foreseeable future.

“In Scotland and Wales businesses have to separate and recycle their food waste,” says Andrew Stephen.

“A number of continental European countries have adopted a similar approach.

“Parliament could well follow suit and introduce that regime in England.

We would urge businesses not to wait for the Government to act, but to make the change now, benefitting from cheaper waste disposal in the process.”

About 80% of SRA members already do this and the vast majority of them measure and monitor their food waste.

This provides them with the data they need to implement changes to prevent waste and save money.

“The sugar tax is due to take effect in 2018. Many producers have already reformulated while operators including Jamie’s Italian have pre-empted the move by either introducing their own levy, removing sugary soft drinks from their children’s offering or ditching the bottomless drinks option,” adds Andrew.

The Chancellor, Philip Hammond announced in his November budget a consultation on the potential for charging or taxing single use plastics – following the success of the 5p carrier bag charge. Again, forward thinking operators have already made a move.

“A number of pub, bar and restaurant operators including JD Wetherspoon and Oakman Inns have stopped automatically serving straws with their drinks, instead providing compostable or biodegradable ones on request,” explains Andrew.

“These are all excellent examples of businesses seeing the future and realising that it is green.” QB Issue 52 January 2018

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S ’ T NEW A H W RACHEL’S l UPBEAT l SALTY DOG

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» The best of what’s new to the market «

Prewett’s expands gluten free range with launch of Chocoful Caramel ‘Chocoful Caramel’ – a delicious new gluten free chocolate coated and caramel filled biscuit bar – has been launched by Prewett’s.

These crunchy gluten free biscuit bars are packed with caramel chunks and coated in deliciously creamy milk

chocolate. The launch of this new product follows on from the success of the ‘Chocoful’ biscuit bar, which has proved popular with consumers.

Available in a 100g box pack containing five individually wrapped biscuit bars, Chocoful Caramel is

Organic dairy brand Rachel’s launches natural yoghurt range Rachel’s, the premium organic dairy brand, has announced the launch of its new Best Tasting Organic Natural yoghurt range, which has been independently verified by consumers as the best tasting organic natural yoghurts on the market, following robust independent blind consumer taste tests.

Launching in response to growing consumer demand for pure, natural, healthy yoghurt, with the Natural yoghurt category continuing to grow at a rate of 7.3%; the new range is made from Organic Welsh milk sourced from Rachel’s local farmers and features a newly formulated recipe.

Overall, consumers preferred Rachel’s Organic Natural yoghurts, confirming that the range offers a superior taste, texture and overall liking to the other yogurts tested – officially making it the Best Tasting Organic Natural yoghurt.

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currently available in Asda.

David Wood, business improvement director of Northumbrian Fine Foods, who own the Prewett’s brand, said: “Chocoful Caramel is an exciting and great tasting new gluten free biscuit bar. It is ideal as a lunchtime treat or as

a quick ‘on-the-go’ snack, providing gluten free consumers with a great new alternative in the market place.”

Rude Health Mini Almond Drink Rude Health has shrunk its best-selling Almond Drink to a compact and convenient 250ml size, perfect for enjoying on the go. Rude Health’s mini Almond Drink is made with nothing more than Organic Italian almonds, Organic rice, pure mountain spring water and a dash of Organic coldpress sunflower oil. A naturally nutty almond milk.

Mini Almond Drink: Creamy crushed almond is blended smoothly with rice, pure mountain spring

water, and a dash of coldpressed sunflower oil. Rice brings its own natural silky sweetness – so you won’t miss the usual thickeners, syrups or added sugars.

Mini Coconut Drink: A refreshing alternative to milk. We take all the lovely white stuff from coconuts and whip it up until it’s smooth.

Then we blend it with rice, pure mountain spring water and a pinch of sea salt. The coconut’s oils give it a creamy texture, and a tropical taste.

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Snack brand Salty Dog launches new popcorn products Cool snack brand Salty Dog has unveiled two new popcorn products as the appetite for popcorn snacks continues to rise. The Salty Dog popcorn comes in two flavours – sea salt and sweet & salty - and has been designed for both retail and hospitality.

With eye-catching packaging and fitting neatly into vending machines, the popcorn is vegan friendly and already has listings with wholesalers around the country. It’s perfect for pubs, bars, cafés and food-to-go venues, as well as ideal for retailers and independent stores. The popcorn is the latest new snack to emerge

from the Salty Dog stable and follows Darling Corn, which has also recently been unveiled in bright new packaging. The roasted corn kernels are available in three different flavours in 18g size – sea salt, smoked and barbecue – and three different flavours in 40g pack size – sea salt, barbecue and jalapeno.

Brindisa launch classic sweet treat in convenient frozen format Churros are Spain’s bestknown sweet treat and now Brindisa are offering a convenient solution for foodservice operators with their new line of ready-made, pre-cooked churros.

Brindisa’s IFS-certified suppler Fridis, has been making commercial pastries in Valencia for 15 years – each foodservice tray contains 12 churros. Serve with sugar / cinnamon, or try crushed nuts with a traditional Spanish drinking chocolate.

Originally, these ridged batons of deep fried dough were a speciality of Madrid’s cafés – famed both for

feeding late night clubbers heading home to bed and hungry school children starting their day. Churros’ comforting, satisfying combination of crunchy and chewy pastry has enormous appeal and they are now found far and wide; from street food vendors, to cafés and restaurants all over the world.

WHAT’S NEW

Sheppy’s launch contemporary cans Sheppy’s is one of the oldest and most distinguished cider making families in the worldwith a rich history that spans six generations and 200 years.

Headed by Master of Cider David Sheppy, the traditional cider makers have launched a brand new format – 330ml cans. Available in two premium varieties; Classic Cider and now Cloudy Cider.

Discussing the launch of the canned range, David Sheppy explains; “We are extremely excited about the launch of our cans. This is something we have wanted to do for a while and after

our recent rebrand, we felt it was the perfect time. Cans are great as they offer a smaller serving size and are lighter than glass bottles, take up less shelf space – and leave less carbon footprint.”

Beond Organic Fruit and Nut Bars Beond Organic Fruit and Nut Bars are made with the highest quality natural ingredients selected for maximum nutritional benefit and great taste, plus we cold press them to provide optimum nutritional value.

The range is vegan and certified organic and all our recipes are free from

gluten, dairy, soya, refined sugars and non GM, making them an ideal alternative to confectionery.

All bars are a source of copper, which is needed for a healthy metabolism, nervous system and immune system, as well as healthy for skin and hair, and has antioxidant properties too.

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LEGAL

MAKE THE MOST OF THE JANUARY BLUES. TAKE STOCK Hopefully at this stage of the year you are looking back at a good trading period over the Festive season. So time to take stock, perhaps, and begin looking to the year ahead.

As well as looking ahead commercially, now is a good time to carry out a bit of compliance health check. Sounds exciting, right? However it is something that is likely to pay dividends in an increasingly tough trading market, especially if you are looking to offload units or exit. In the interim it should in any case help the smooth running of your business. A bit like topping up your car’s oil, or checking its tyre pressure.

Licensable Activities If you use temporary event notices (TENs), there is no particular reason not to get those applications in well ahead of time, rather than wait until the deadlines of 10 working days for ordinary TENs and five working days for late TENs. More broadly, if you have a premises licence are there any tweaks to it that would be useful or are necessary? So, for example, are the plans up-to-date? Are there superfluous conditions, such as conditions that were inherited from an old Justice’s Licence? Might you be able to build in allowances for known special events, such as bank or national holidays? Might you offer some modern conditions that authorities would very much like you to have, as a quid pro quo?

As ever, the rule of thumb is to discuss these sorts of things with the local Licensing team, the Police and possibly Environmental Health.

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Tables & Chairs What about the use of any external areas? Do Table and Chairs Licences need to be renewed?

Do they need to be amended or updated?

Particularly the plan.

Policies The Festive trading period is often a very busy one. Looking at your operating policies, such as Noise, Nuisance, and Dispersal policies, how did they fare? How did they stand the test of that busy time of year? What might be improved or tweaked?

Is your fire risk assessment up-to-date?

What about your Health & Safety file? And Incident log?

Right to Work There’s been a fair amount of publicity surrounding the crack down on illegal workers in this sector. The authorities have been actively checking, and then where issues are found, pressing for tough penalties. A common theme here for those who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law is not having adequate systems in place nor adequate paperwork. So, what systems do you have in place? Would you know when, for example, the visa of a given member of staff ran out? Where are your records kept? Could they be produced quickly and easily? There are a number of good providers who will take some of the burden away from you on that front, such as People Force International. When the risk of non-compliance is closure, we would suggest that this is worth spending some time and money on.

Training What about training? Staff are frequently given some training on induction, but what about ongoing training? Such ongoing training need not be arduous. It is often more a question of reminding everyone of the principles and approaches. That also needs to be backed up by a good paper trail: a log of what training was given and when, with details of the next scheduled session.

Other areas Beyond that, are there other areas of compliance that ought to be given a bit of a once over. Is your PRS and PPL all up to date? Do they need looking at again, or some other revision?

Do you show images for which copyright applies? In which case you might look at getting a so called Umbrella Licence?

Most premises now use CCTV for the purposes of crime prevention. If so, you should be registered with the Information Commissioners Office. Few premises are, but with data protection becoming ever more important (and the penalties more severe) it is becoming equally important to be aware of your obligations and to be fully compliant.

Don’t put it off!

The beginning of the New Year is a time that lends itself to taking stock, and looking ahead.

If you can incorporate into that a bit of what might be seen as early spring cleaning, of the compliance variety, then that should help put you in good stead for the year ahead.

Happy New Year!

ACCOUNTANCY

GDPR is coming – are you prepared?

European data protection laws are changing and come into force 25 May 2018.

These new laws will affect all businesses in the UK and the current Data Protection Act (DPA) will be updated to reflect the GDPR obligations.

The GDPR is a framework with greater scope, much tougher punishments and judicial remedy for those who fail to comply with new rules around the storage and handling of personal data, be it in physical or electronic format.

are now much more common. In 2016, companies in the UK lost more than ÂŁ1billion to cybercrime. Major data breaches have given criminals access to names, birthdates and addresses and even social security and pension information.

A recent report from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) claims that SMEs are now more likely to be targeted by cybercriminals than their large corporate counterparts and cybercriminals consider SMEs softer targets!

The GDPR is considered a necessity for the protection of data in a modern internet based society.

It is also a chance to take a fresh look at your data security as data breaches may impact on your business reputation.

Why are these new laws being introduced?

Since the DPA was introduced in 1998 technology and the internet have developed at such a rapid rate that these rules are now deemed to be ineffective.

Nowadays, the ease and sophistication of data collection means that thousands of SMEs not only collect personal details, but store, move and access them online.

Personal data is used in everything from sales to customer relationship management to marketing. Cybercriminals

What does the GDPR mean for SMEs? Businesses must keep a detailed record of how and when an individual gives consent to store and use their personal data. This means a positive agreement and cannot be inferred from a pre-ticked box. Customers or individuals have the right to withdraw consent. Details must be permanently erased.

This means businesses should review their existing data and delete any that they do not have a valid reason to hold. The

GDPR sets out the legal bases available for processing personal data such as needing it to perform a business contract.

Businesses should review what data they hold, have they got consent and do they need to keep it?

Data should be kept secure and this will require a review of current practices to prevent data breaches.

Personal data is a key tool for SMEs looking to target and retain customers: GDPR means it must be handled with the utmost care.

You should start planning for the GDPR now and consider an information audit and, for many businesses, a change in culture.

How can we help?

We have produced a checklist of actions you should undertake before 25 May 2018 to ensure you have a policy for compliance to ensure you have the correct permissions and data is stored as securely as possible.

For a copy of this checklist pleasego to this link http://www.mcphersons.co.uk/pdf/ gdprchecklist.pdf

Peter Watters McPhersons Chartered Accountants p.watters@mcphersons.co.uk Issue Issue 5052 December January 2018 2017

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PROPERTY

PROPERTY Licensed Restaurant Totnes, Devon Price: Leasehold £59,950

Our property pages highlight businesses for sale, nationwide!

The Rising Sun Inn Sidmouth, Devon Price:Free of tie leasehold £75,000

Prominent and well-presented licensed restaurant, currently trading as an Indian restaurant but with tremendous potential for alternative cuisines.

The Kerala Delicacies occupies a landmark trading position in the highly sought after and historic South Devon market town of Totnes.

Ground floor Bar & Restaurant seats 22, Restaurant Areas (28), Patio Terrace (20) & Restaurant/Function Room (30+). www.stonesmith.co.uk

A well-presented Grade II Listed character village freehouse, which has been sympathetically refurbished and modernised by our clients.

The Rising Sun Inn is situated in the centre of the well regarded and popular village of Sidford. Traditional Bar, character Lounge Bar & Restaurant, Skittle Alley/Function Room, family-sized 6 bedroom Family Accommodation. www.stonesmith.co.uk

Royal Oak Inn Exmoor, Somerset Price: Free of tie leasehold £95,000

The Village Inn Beaworthy, Devon Price:Freehold £495,000

The sale of The Royal Oak represents an excellent opportunity to purchase a well-established and well regarded character village inn, in an extremely desirable area.

Comprising of a public Bar (seating 30 plus), Lounge Bar (28 plus), Restaurant (26 plus), Commercial Catering Kitchen, 8 Letting Bedrooms to sleep up to 16 guests. www.stonesmith.co.uk

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This attractive village freehouse is well presented throughout and occupies a landmark trading position in the heart of the village of Ashwater in North West Devon.

Main Bar, Games Room, Lounge/Dining Area, Restaurant & Conservatory. There is an extensive Commercial Catering Kitchen with Preparation Room, and spacious family sized four double bedroom Owner’s Accommodation. www.stonesmith.co.uk

PROPERTY

UK’s largest food to go and QSR magazine If you have a business to sell or rent and would like details of how you can reach a targeted audience in a cost effective way contact the QuickBite team today

On: 0333 003 0499

UNDER 20k

COFFEE SHOP/BISTRO East Yorks Tourist Town

Characterful interior & very well equipped.First floor function room & large kitchen.

Price: Leasehold Offers Around £15,000 Details: www.clifford-lax.co.uk

UNDER 400k

OUTSTANDING CRAFT BAKERY West Yorkshire

Very long established & extremely well equipped.

On site shop with excellent sandwich bar/takeaway.

Price: Freehold £325,000 + S.A.V. Details: www.clifford-lax.co.uk

UNDER 200k

UNDER 40k

UNDER 100k

FISH & CHIP TAKEAWAY

POPULAR RESTAURANT/BAR

LOCK UP FISH & CHIP SHOP

Very smart shop with first floor flat. Well organised preparation facilities.

Prime trading location, ground floor restaurant seats 80 Basement bar capacity of 120.

Well established & easily run with short hours.

Good quality equipment. On street parking

Price: Freehold £185,000 + S.A.V

Price: Free of tie leasehold £99,950

Price: Leasehold O/A £35,000 + S.A.V.

Details: www.clifford-lax.co.uk

Details: www.stonesmith.co.uk

Details: www.clifford-lax.co.uk

South Yorkshire

Exeter, Devon

Leeds Area

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DATES FOR YOUR

Diary

The Franchise Show 16th -17th February, ExCeL London As the largest franchise show in the UK the show has plenty of useful and interesting features for all our visitors – whatever stage of franchising you are at.

Whether you are looking for free, impartial advice, 121 appointments with funding or legal experts, want to find out more about franchising your business or even chat to existing franchisees across different industries, it is all here.

Just like the rest of the show all of these features are completely free for you to visit and participate in.

Hotelympia 5th-8th March, ExCeL London Hotelympia 2018 will equip visitors with products, trends and innovations to develop their businesses. It is the place to be to source new products from the great volume and variety of suppliers - more than any other comparable UK show.

As well as the latest product innovations covering equipment, food and drink, interiors & tableware, and technology, Hotelympia is set to unveil a variety of new exhibitors, attractions and business opportunities.

Food and Drink Expo 2018 16th-18th April, NEC Birmingham For two decades Food & Drink Expo has provided a vibrant platform to touch, taste and experience an exciting and eclectic mix of undiscovered brands and household names alike - and the 2018 show will be no exception.

Food & Drink Expo 2018 will help hundreds of companies showcase their wares. Buyers and decision makers across the whole industry, from grocery, wholesale and speciality retail to foodservice and manufacturing, will converge to uncover the hottest trends, latest product launches and the industry’s vision for the future.

Burgers

NEXT

ISSUE

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From premiumisation - thanks to the explosion of gourmet fast food and upscale dining – to the rise of the meat-free burger. We take a look at the toppings, flavours and added extras taking the fast food favourite by storm.

The build-your-own burger saw its popularity grow in 2017 as did the ‘clean eating’ burger – free-from is a huge trend set to continue to impact the burger market.

We speak to the key movers and shakers in the industry as we investigate what 2018 has instore for the once humble burger.

Sauces and Seasonings

Avoiding Fire Hazards

Palates are going global, harissa, sriracha and sweet peri-peri are marinating our burgers, chicken and even veg! A taste for the exotic is upon us and tastes for global spices are growing as we look internationally for inspiration.

Of course classic BBQ and tomato are still very much on consumer’s radar as they look for tastes of the traditional, we find out how you can reinvent the classic with We take a look at the latest sauces and seasonings to hit the market and find out how operators can use exotic and home grown flavours to take their menu to the next level!

When kitting out your kitchen and restaurant, most QSR and food to go operators are looking for safety measures which are easy to operate, quick to set-up and robust to deal with the day to day demands of a busy catering or retail set up.

Here are some top tips from suppliers on what to look out for when buying equipment or putting in place preventative measures to avoid fire hazards.

INTERNATIONAL

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A SMALL SELECTION OF THE BRANDS YOU’LL MEET:

16TH & 17TH FEBRUARY 2018 // EXCEL LONDON, 10AM - 5PM 75

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Issue 51 December 2017

FREE ENTRY // REGISTER NOW 0800 157 7950