QuickBite Magazine December 2013

Terrace Restaurant makeover

Look inside to find out about the £4.6m makeover of the Terrace Restaurant at London Zoo Hot dogs

Marketing

Equipment focus

What’s new

Officially the nation’s fastest selling menu item, we find out more about hot dogs

Make the most out of your Christmas offering

QuickBite takes a look at ovens and what’s on offer

We feature the latest products available in the food-to-go market

December 2013

Print edition £3.25

www.quickbitemagazine.co.uk The only monthly magazine specifically for the food-to-go industry

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A message from the editor

Welcome!

Everywhere you look at the moment, it’s all about Christmas.

Whether it be TV advertising, Christmas products in the shops and supermarkets, or eating establishments publicising their festive menus, you can’t hide away from it!

With it just a matter of days before the festivities really begin, make sure you’re already thinking about what you’re going to offer your customers to help capture the Christmas spirit – and help improve your sales at the same time! Take a peek at pages 28-31 to get inspiration on what to add to your menu to tempt customers in.

As Christmas time is a busier time of year, it’s also worth looking into ways in which you can run your business smoother and slicker during the busy festive period. Our Technology feature on page 23 takes a look at alternatives to merchant services which could mean quicker service with simpler payment methods for you – resulting in happy customers and potential increased profit for you too.

And hot on the menu this month is hot dogs. This food choice now tops the menus in popularity. Find out more in our special Hot Dogs feature (pages 14-17).

At the time of going to press we are all busy getting ready for the Takeaway Expo 2013 (28th-29th November at Olympia London). If you went, we’d love to know what you thought about it. Just get in touch via editor@quickbitemagazine.co.uk or reach us on Twitter @ QuickBiteMag. Until next time.

Editor

Linda McKeown editor@quickbitemagazine.co.uk Office: +44 (0) 7981 080173

Editorial contributors Trevor Langley

Commercial Manager

Lewis Wantling info@quickbitemagazine.co.uk Office: +44 (0) 1978 664176

Advertising sales

Ian James sales@quickbitemagazine.co.uk Office: +44 (0) 208 1446170 Mobile: +44 (0) 7805 543110

Design

Simon Warbrook design@quickbitemagazine.co.uk

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

Issue 3 December 2013

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Contents 06

23

14 06

12

35

Industry news

ll the latest on what’s been A happening in food-to-go

UK Border Agency news

ind out about the latest arrests F made by the UK Border Agency

41

Employment law column

atherine Hill, Director of C HR Services at Kirsty Craig Associates tells you how to ensure you’re calculating your holiday payments right

Features 14

18

Technology 23

Business profile

I n the spotlight this month is cheese company, GRH Cheeses

45

Food review

around the corner so make sure you’re prepared

32

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Issue 3 December 2013

uguste Kettner – a chef to A Napoleon III – opened Kettner’s as a restaurant in 1867. Trevor Langley tells us more about his dining experience here

Design inspirations

uickBite finds out more about Q the three-year, £4.6m project to transform ZSL London Zoo’s main restaurant

Menu

4

irst aid - are your first aid F procedures in good health?

Design

20

ccountancy A Self assessment season is just

I nformation on how to safeguard your kitchen from the threat of fire

Focus on…

Marketing

Make the most of your 28 Christmas offering

It’s all about Christmas – and making the most of your Christmas products on your menu

How to…

Keep your kitchen safe

44

Hot dogs

I t’s official! Hot dogs are the nation’s fastest growing menu item. Find out more about what’s on offer, here

e take a look at the latest W technology you can incorporate into your business to help improve productivity and increase sales

Sweet treats

ew products and ideas to add to N your menu

Equipment focus 25

Ovens

ocusing on what you need to F consider when choosing a new oven

What’s new 42

New products

eaturing just some of the new F products available now

Diary dates 46

Dates for your diary

hat events are happening in the W food industry? Find out here

Contents 25

20

45

28

42 37

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Industry news News in Brief One of the leading wholesale food distributors, 3663, has announced the second stage of a multi-million pound infrastructure investment.

This investment is the second phase of an on-going process and includes bringing on stream four new depots as well as updating the company’s nationwide infrastructure, multi-temperature vehicle fleet and IT systems.

Money is also being spent on new technologies to improve customer service and efficiency to ensure 3663 is able to continue to expand in-line with growing customer demand.

3663 has already built a new 121,000 sq ft multi-temperature depot in Wakefield which has just opened and has recently received planning permission to develop a similar depot in Chepstow.

Additional facilities are also planned for Hoddesdon, Herts and Bicester, Oxon.

Alex Fisher, Managing Director of 3663 said: “This investment is part of our strategy for growth based on continual improvement in customer service and the creation of a local and national depot network that is fit for the future.

“This announcement comes on top of £40 million of recent new account wins and additional category supply agreements with major regional and national customers including Subway, TGI, Rank Group and David Lloyd Leisure.

“These customers’ choice of 3663 as their business partner is a vote of confidence in staff, service and product range as well as in our investment plan and organic growth strategy.”

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Polar explorer headlines frozen conference World renowned explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, will be talking to the frozen food industry about perseverance, pressure and overcoming adversity at the British Frozen Food Federation’s Business Conference on 20th February 2014 in Warwickshire Sir Ranulph, who was described by the Guinness Book of Records as the ‘world’s greatest living explorer’ has climbed Everest, run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days and is the only person to reach both poles by foot. He’ll be sharing his experiences and talking about how the qualities of an explorer can be likened to achieving goals and success in the business world.

Brian Young, Director General of BFFF said: “It’s great to have such an inspirational and renowned speaker to keynote our 2014 conference. After a sometimes challenging 2013 for the food industry, Sir Ranulph’s experiences of battling against adversity and under extreme pressure can offer some valuable and inspiring lessons.”

In addition to Sir Ranulph’s keynote address, speakers including economist Dennis Turner, will discuss the state of UK economy as well as the outlook for the retail and foodservice industries.

This year the conference, which attracts industry leaders from BFFF’s 300 member companies across the frozen food industry, will focus on current consumer perceptions. Speakers will address whether consumer confidence has returned to the industry and whether all supply chains should be British.

The conference will be held on 20th February 2014 at the Chesford Grange Hotel, Warwickshire and will offer delegates a networking and product showcase opportunity for businesses across the frozen sector.

For further information, visit bfff.co.uk/category/ business-conference/ or call 01400 283090.

Chop’d look to the future with two new format store openings Chop’d, the London salad bar chain, has opened up two new store formats The first, in Selfridges’ newly re-developed Selfridges Kitchen on 4, is a full sit down restaurant and offers a more premium dining experience.

This format still incorporates the ‘create your own’ option but will include a greater selection of gourmet menu items, plus a selection of high end juices and

smoothies. Chop’d will retain its existing concession in Selfridges Food Hall, which will continue to provide a take away option.

The second new store is situated in Unit 3, The Arcade at St Pancras Station. The new 300 sq ft store will offer a selection of freshly made gourmet salads, soups, stews, wraps and flatbreads with

a focus on the ‘grab & go’ option to cater for the transient commuter market and travelling public.

Although a step away from the create your own salads Chop’d have become famous for, customers can still personalise their purchases with fifteen different salad dressings, three soup broths and numerous breakfast options.

Eddie Holmes, Managing Director of Chop’d said: “We’re confident both stores will be a great success and it shows just how diverse and adaptable the Chop’d product offering can be.

“These are two high footfall, prestigious locations but rather than simply forcing our existing set up into these sites we’ve thought long and hard about what our customers would want and how we can ensure the formats would be right for the location.”

Industry news News in Brief

Cooks Global Foods announces acquisition of Esquires Coffee Houses UK Esquires Coffee (UK) Ltd is set to benefit from a new global network following the acquisition of the business by Cooks Global Foods Ltd (Cooks) The acquisition is just one of four that Cooks has completed in order to bring together a wealth of established businesses under one worldwide network. Along with Esquires’ UK group, Cooks has also purchased Esquires Coffee Houses Ireland Limited, Franchise Development Limited and the business and assets of Progressive Processors Limited.

Following the sales, Cooks will now work to deliver its vision for the Esquires Coffee Houses brand; to become the world’s leading Fairtrade organic coffee retailer. Having become the master franchisor of the global intellectual property rights to Esquires Coffee Houses, Cooks has also announced a six fold increase in the number of units it plans to operate worldwide taking the network to approximately 400 coffee houses by 2020.

Here in the UK, although business will remain as usual for Esquires Coffee Houses, General Manager Peter Kirton is confident that the business’ integration into Cooks’ growing group will provide ample opportunities for the future. Speaking about the acquisition, Peter said: “Esquires Coffee Houses is an extremely successful business and now, as part of Cooks Global Foods with its highly motivated board, we will be assisted to continue to deliver ambitious and innovative expansion plans.

“Having access to the company’s experience and expertise will not only strengthen our current offering but will provide new opportunities for the future too. The scalable model and efficient supply chain they have in place allows for rapid growth in both turnover and store numbers and we’re extremely excited to see what lies ahead.”

New Est. India restaurant opens

Est. India, located at 73-75 Union Street, is spicing up London’s latest food mecca while endorsing the regeneration of one of Bankside’s first Urban Forest Projects – Flat Iron Square Est. India is an Indian brasserie with a modern urban feel, offering individual seating booths and long tables with the capacity to seat up to 70 people in one sitting. The establishment also benefits from a private dining area seating up to 22 people.

Taking inspiration from traditional Indian street food and authentic Indian cafés with a twist of fine dining, Est. India’s aromas of spices and dishes cooked in traditional tandoor aim to tempt locals and visitors walking through the pedestrianised square.

With over 42 years of experience in five star hotels such as the Taj Hotel and Oberoi Group, Executive Chef Singh has devised a menu taking traditional Indian street food to another level. Using the finest produce some of the highlights from the menu include traditional dosas - thin rice and lentil pancakes topped with a choice of chicken, lamb or vegetables; malai jhingha with king prawns and cheese, garlic, green chili and saffron; kasundi fish tikka - betki fish cubes marinated with kasundi mustard cooked in tandoor and railway lamb curry cooked in special spices.

Ensuring high levels of service and getting regular customer feedback is high on the agenda for most hospitality businesses. But Chop’d, the London salad bar chain, have taken this one step further with Managing Director Eddie Holmes leading by example.

The introduction of the new ‘Neil’s Perfect Caesar Salad’ has come about following feedback from an unhappy customer who was disappointed by the fact that the ‘create your own’ version he requested wasn’t quite what he expected.

Upon hearing the news Eddie promptly asked to meet with the customer in person and subsequently whipped up the perfect Chicken Caesar Salad using only the finest and freshest ingredients.

The customer, who we’ll just refer to as Neil, is now a true advocate of Chop’d. “It was the best Caesar Salad I’d ever tasted. It was perfect – truly delicious and the addition of tarragon just lifted the whole dish.

“My friends and colleagues were astounded by the level of customer care shown by Eddie at Chop’d.”

Following on the success from last year, The Fat Duck has bowed to guest demand and will once again open the festive season with its special Christmas Lunch Menu.

Only available for three Sundays in the month of December - 1st, 8th and 15th - The Fat Duck aims to offer a truly unique Christmas experience designed by internationally acclaimed chef Heston Blumenthal and his Experimental Kitchen team to herald in the seasonal festivities.

Diners will be delighted with dishes such as ‘Plum Porridge’, ‘Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh’, ‘Advent Candle’ and many more surprises on the day. Priced at £350 per person – excluding drinks and service charge – the Christmas lunch menus hope to provide for an exceptional afternoon in the picturesque village of Bray.

Also on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th of December, and only two minutes walk from The Fat Duck, Heston’s Michelin starred pub, The Hinds Head, will transform its upstairs Vicar’s Room into Santa’s Grotto with delicious bites and gifts along with the opportunity to meet Santa himself.

Indian restaurant Est. India has opened in London

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Industry news News in Brief Talented craft baker Martin Hargreaves, who works for Greenhalgh’s Craft Bakeries in Bolton, has been crowned National Cupcake Champion 2013.

Martin, (27), who lives in Preston, received his title from Britain’s queen of baking, the food writer and presenter Mary Berry, before an audience of hundreds at Cake International in Birmingham in November.

The pastry chef overcame stiff competition from 47 other professional bakers to take the title for his classic Lemon and Lime Cupcake.

Martin trained as a pastry chef at Stanley House in Blackburn and under the chef Paul Heathcote before joining Greenhalgh’s. His winning cupcake is a twist on the classic lemon meringue pie. The judges praised the cupcake as fresh and really tasty.

“I can’t believe it, I’m absolutely gobsmacked to have won,” said Martin. “It’s my own recipe which I have developed, based on a lemon meringue pie, and incorporating the lime. I love developing cakes and desserts. I have also just qualified to be a teacher and I want to teach food.”

Fairway’s ‘meet the member’ event scores highly £700,000 worth of business has been generated by the two ‘Meet the Member’ events organised by Fairway Foodservice during 2013

The ‘Meet the Member’ event is a twice yearly event held centrally in the UK at Villa Park, home of Aston Villa FC. The aim of the event is to bring together 19 suppliers with Fairway’s 19 member organisations, in order to introduce new lines and gain insight into new market trends.

The event takes a ‘speed dating’ format where every member has a dedicated time slot of 20 minutes to meet with each supplier.

“Over the past few years, we’ve seen how effective our ‘Meet the Member’ events have been,” commented Richard Ellison, Marketing and Events Coordinator. “As time is precious and budgets are forever tightening, it makes more sense for our suppliers to meet with our members all in one place, at the same time, for a fraction of the cost when compared to travelling

to see each member individually.

This frees up more resource for suppliers to focus on what is important – the product.

“I believe it’s very important for suppliers to keep challenging themselves to create new products and to constantly adapt their current lines to keep up with changing consumer tastes and market trends or to react to social expectations such as reducing salt levels.”

This year the two ‘Meet the Member’ events have collectively generated £700,000 worth of

Setting the stage for a personalised eating out experience When asked in Tpoll’s recent Eating Habits 2013 study, nearly a fifth of ‘Youth’ stated the most important criteria when choosing somewhere to eat out next to food quality and price was service, atmosphere and an authentic experience

Quality Equipment Distributors (QED), based in Glasgow, a leading UK designer and supplier of modular bar, coffee shop and food service equipment, has recently supplied a complete coffee shop system for the newly opened café at the Ayr campus of Ayrshire College.

The college selected the Decoration O design from QED’S Continental Coffee Shop System which includes bar modules, refrigerated serveover counters, back bar shelving and storage, with provisions for coffee machines, sinks and dishwashers.

The design was chosen to be in harmony with the college’s contemporary décor, with a ‘Pur Metal’ laminated finish and dark granite worktops.

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Issue 3 December 2013

business for suppliers over the two days. During the September event £250,000 of contracts were generated, with 17 new frozen, chilled and ambient lines and 13 new lines for Fairway Professional range agreed.

The next ‘Meet the Member’ event will be held in February 2014, with application packs shortly available from www.fairwayfoodservice.com.

For further information or to become a member of Fairway Foodservice call 01422 319100.

During the week and in their every-day lives, Gen Y’s are very thrifty when deciding on restaurants or QSRs: it has to be quick, trendy and match their budget. However, when they go out on special occasions or treat themselves to a good meal in company, they will go for a place that offers that little extra something.

This little extra something can often be hard to figure out and some establishments can end up going over-the-top with offers and bonuses rather than focusing on a restaurant that offers little things such as high service standards and a personal experience which can be the essential ingredients.

Restaurants trying to engage the young customer should let them co-create their experience by involving them in areas such as the music being played, the menu options or maybe even the décor. TPoll believes that this will give them a more personalised experience and involve them emotionally.

For more information or a full report please contact Nana Nielsen on 0203 176 0719 or email nana.nielsen@tpoll.com.

Industry news International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science publishes new issue

The International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science – the first scientific publication to combine gastronomy and science – has published its second issue, establishing itself as a benchmark communication forum for chefs and scientists across the six continents

This second issue, like the first, combines scientific perspectives with thoughts and ideas from different sectors such as the arts, humanities and sociology and analyses their relationship and interaction with gastronomy. The latest issue features an article by Spanish chef Josean Martínez Alija, describing the creation of desserts without the addition of sugar and the three Michelinstarred Basque chef, Eneko Atxa, explaining how to naturally extract aromas and transfer them to the plate without using aggressive techniques. American researcher Christine E. Hansen contributes an article on chemical and sensory changes during flambéing.

Published in English it covers three main areas: ‘Gastronomy in Perspective’, ‘Science and

Rail Company commits to end ‘British Rail Butty’ syndrome

Gastronomy’ and ‘Innovation in Gastronomy’.

‘Gastronomy in Perspective’ includes articles on culinary techniques, the history of gastronomy, nutrition, international food trends, consumer studies, ethnicity and anthropology, among other topics.

‘Science and Gastronomy’ presents scientific papers written ​​ by chefs and scientists from different disciplines.

‘Innovation in Gastronomy’ focuses on articles written by chefs about their original creations.

The printed edition of the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science is distributed worldwide in prestigious restaurants, scientific institutions and universities

News in Brief A disused South Yorkshire colliery’s transformation into a thriving retail development and dining experience has reached another stage with the completion of Phase Two construction at the Onyx Retail Park in South Yorkshire.

Despite more than doubling the retail space available at the Park from 7,500sqft to 17,500sqft, demand is as great as ever and only three of the seven newly-built units in Phase Two are still available, a testament to the success of the area’s regeneration into a popular shopping and eating destination, that has already led to the creation of around 100 new jobs.

Grocery giant Spar is leading the way by taking 4,000sqft of new space at the site to launch a flagship outlet for the region.

related to food.

To download a digital version visit www.elsevier.com/ wps/locate/ijgfs or for more information visit www.sciencedirect.com.

First Great Western has promised that 50 products in a newly launched on-board menu will be sourced from specialist producers within 15 miles of its railway lines, as part of its pledge to banish the memory of the dreaded British Rail Butty forever

This includes awarding-winning produce from a third generation family butcher, fourth generation family baker and fifth generation family cheese maker.

Diners can eat kippers smoked over oak on the Somerset Levels; enjoy cheese from cows that graze the banks of Frenchman’s Creek – made famous by novelist Daphne du Maurier; or tuck into pies hand-raised by the winners of Britain’s Best Pasty Award.

Restaurateur and Chef at the award-winning Seahorse restaurant, Mitch Tonks – who created FGW’s Pullman menus - offers his verdict on food now on board. He describes the burrata as, “the best I’ve tasted outside Puglia”, the Devon pork pie as, “awesome – simply world-beating”, and the company’s new Larder Boxes as, “way better than a sandwich”.

“This is a window on the food of the West Country,” said Jo Elliott of First Great Western. “This country is full of the finest ingredients on earth, so it would be inspiring if we all could give passengers a taste of the region they are visiting. We have taken the plunge and I urge all other train companies to get on board!”

The other 6,000sqft is split into six 1,000sqft units, and three of these are already earmarked for a national food outlet, a well-known charity and a hair and beauty salon. They will join a host of blue-chip names who located during Phase One of the site.

These include an award-winning Greggs the Baker, Domino’s Pizza and Subway, as well as two restaurants – Thai Garden Café and Bistro 63.

SCAE helps Coffee Kids reach donation target as Grow It Forward campaign draws to a successful end.

Coffee Kids have announced that they managed to reach their goal of raising $30,000 for their ‘Grow it Forward’ campaign to help Coffeefarming families throughout Latin America.

The money raised will go towards contributing to projects that secure long-term food security for coffee-farming families. Having agreed earlier this year to contribute to Coffee Kids 1 Euro for every Coffee Diploma Certificate issued, SCAE has offered to divert this contribution to the Grow It Forward campaign.

This figure stands at an incredible 7,000 certificates across their five disciplines! Therefore SCAE have donated this amount towards the ‘Grow It Forward’ as the association strongly supports the campaign and the work Coffee Kids provides to coffee-farming families in South America.

First Great Western has pledged to banish the memory of the dreaded British Rail Butty forever

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Industry news News in Brief Workplace equipment supplier Slingsby is celebrating 120 years since it opened its doors and began supplying products to UK food manufacturers.

St James’s opens five new restaurants to revive historic legacy As part of their key investment strategy for St James’s, The Crown Estate welcomes the launch of five new restaurants before Christmas, reviving the area’s historic legacy as a centre of dining and entertaining excellence in London

The company was established in 1893 when Harry Crowther Slingsby, who previously worked in the family beer bottling business, devised a trolley to make it easier to move the heavy crates around. He went on to manufacture and sell a wide range of robust trucks and trolleys to move loads around large buildings.

The Bradford firm’s product range continued growing and today Slingsby supplies more than 35,000 workplace products through its catalogue and website, including a wide range of handling and lifting equipment, storage and shelving, safety and security products, signs and labels, environmental and waste related goods, office equipment and access solutions.

Dominic Slingsby, Managing Director of Slingsby, who is the fourth generation Slingsby to run the business, says: “After 120 years it’s fantastic that Slingsby continues to thrive as a business and we are still very much a family run firm.”

Visitor registration is now open for Casual Dining – the highlyanticipated new trade event from lunch! organiser Diversified Communications, which launches next year at the Business Design Centre, Islington, in London, on 2627 February 2014.

“The launch of Casual Dining is inspired,” said Ian Neill, one of the industry’s most successful and respected operators. “Trade shows are great for finding fresh ideas however they also help create a sense of community, which helps to make us better operators,” he explains.

It’s not just the buyers that are getting behind the Casual Dining concept. With the launch now just over three months away, the show is already 80% sold out. The latest exhibitors to confirm their presence are Nestle; Department 33 (Wines of Bordeaux); Fresh Direct; Lamb Weston; Purified Air; Rational; Reynolds Catering Services; and Taylors of Harrogate.

For further information and to register for a free trade ticket, visit www.casualdiningshow.co.uk quoting priority code PR4.

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Butcher inspired Chop Shop can now be found at 66 Haymarket

The new restaurants will provide 200 new jobs, increase trade for local restaurant suppliers and drive an apprenticeship programme supported by The Crown Estate, to offer training for the unemployed within the area. For the diner, 2,000 new covers per day will be created, allowing customers to experience a wide range of new dishes and tastes from Spanish ‘pintxos’ tapas to the revival of the famous French cooking of Marcel Boulestin.

The new openings complement the existing restaurants within St James’s and are a response to an increase in demand as London’s economy and tourism goes from strength to strength.

“Our investment in St James’s has redefined its offer for future generations, providing quality restaurants and destination dining at a range of prices that stand the test of time and meet the needs of the St James’s diner,” said Anthea Harries, St James’s Portfolio Manager for The Crown Estate.

Among the new openings sees the return of Angela Harnett to St James’s, to the building where she trained under Marcus Wareing at Gordon Ramsay’s Petrus. Café Murano will offer the quality of Murano at more affordable prices in a more relaxed setting.

“It is a thrilling prospect to return and open a restaurant in the very same 33 St James’s Street site where I trained in the kitchens of the original Petrus at the beginning of my career,” enthuses Angela Hartnett MBE, Café Murano.

“The Crown Estate’s plans for the future of St. James’s mean that its profile as a destination will continue to improve and evolve, and I am delighted to be part of the expansion of this fantastic area.”

Butcher inspired Chop Shop by Will Guess from the family who founded St James’s Rowleys in 1977 and Ahmass Fakahnay of American high end restaurant group Altamarea, can now be found at 66 Haymarket.

Favourites include the rosemary-brushed beef rib chop and smaller dished ‘jars, crocks and planks’ providing a fun and relaxed place to eat.

French restaurant Boulestin can now be found on St James’s Street, a revival of the 1927 restaurant headed by chef Marcel Boulestin infamous for writing the French cookery book ‘Simple French cooking for English Homes’ and being the first ever television chef.

St James’s has also attracted international pinxtos specialists Bilao Berria to open its first UK restaurant headed up by the 2011 Masterchef winner Ash Mair who quotes Regent’s Street as one of the, “busiest and emblematic streets in possibly the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.” The concept offers pintxos tapas on a stick as well as a more formal a la carte in the basement with favourite dishes including their infamous Txuleta – a huge bone in rib eye steak simply grilled over hot charcoal.

Phillip Le Roux who successfully brought Le Pain de Quotidien to the UK has also opened the first Villandry under his new ownership at the south end of Regent Street.

“St James’s is home to some of London’s most celebrated heritage and is a world-renowned destination,” explains Philippe Le Roux, Villandry.

“That’s why we’re looking forward to building on The Crown Estate’s investment to create a restaurant that offers affordable luxury and a place to meet and relax.”

Industry news Wrapid takes off on Thomson Air flights Fast-growing food brand Wrapid has taken to the skies with a listing for two of its wraps on flights operated by leisure travel specialist Thomson Air Passengers can now enjoy both Wrapid’s All Day Breakfast Wrap and Vegetarian Wrap on outbound flights on the newly-launched Thomson Air service to Thailand, with both the Wrapid Margarita Pizza Wrap and Ham & Cheddar Wrap served on inbound flights. The new route is Thomson Air’s longest flights to date, and the first with two meal services.

Thomson Air parent company TUI added the All Day Breakfast Wrap to its seasonal flights to Lapland in late November, and there are also plans to introduce the Wrapid Chicken Fajita Burrito to the company’s on-board menus.

Victoria Graham, on-board Supply Manager of TUI said: “Wrapid’s products are ideal for our in-flight menus, proving both a breakfast and lunch option. They are simple to store, heat and serve, and the flavour and quality are proving very popular with our passengers.

“We look forward to seeing our partnership with Wrapid grow as we add more of their range to our menus.”

Wrapid’s range of eight wraps and burritos offers operators a simple way to serve high quality hand-held food consistently from limited serving space. The frozen products are supplied ready-made and so require no preparation, and once defrosted can be served hot or cold.

Stephen Minall, co-founder and Director of Wrapid, said: “We’re delighted to be working with TUI, and that customers on Thomson Air flights are enjoying the great taste of our products.

Wrapid’s All Day Breakfast Wrap features on flights operated by leisure travel specialist Thomson Air

“Travel is one of the fastest growing sectors for our products, with Whistlestop SSP’s convenience stores in major UK rail stations also seeing strong sales of the range. We will be announcing further travel listings soon.”

British rapeseed oil set to replace olive oil Sales of British cold pressed rapeseed oil are set to soar as health conscious consumers look for a lower fat alternative to olive oil

In a recent independent survey of over 1100 UK consumers, 58 per cent of respondents said they would consider switching from olive to rapeseed oil when it was explained that it is less than half the saturated fat of olive oil and is produced in Britain.

A further six per cent said that the higher burn point of the product (the stage when a cooking fat begins to smoke or burn) would be enough to encourage them to choose rapeseed oil over olive oil during their next supermarket shop.

There is also a growing interest from celebrity chefs around the country who like its versatile nature. Michelin Star Chef Kenny Atkinson said: “Rapeseed oil can be used as a healthy butter and margarine replacement for baking as well as for dressings and dipping.

“It makes the best roast potatoes and excellent mayonnaise. I wouldn’t be without it in my kitchen.”

Ben Guy, Managing Director of Borderfields, the company that commissioned the independent survey and the leading producer of rapeseed oil in the UK, said: “The Mediterranean diet has traditionally been seen as healthier than the British diet due to its reliance on olive oil.

“That could all be about to change as British consumers are becoming more educated on the health, economic and environmental benefits of rapeseed oil.”

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UK Border Agency news More restaurants targeted by UK Border Agency Surrey restaurants face fines Restaurants in Guildford and Woking face fines totalling £50,000 following operations by UK Border Agency officers.

Acting on intelligence, officers visited Rose Valley Indian Cuisine, Chertsey Street, Guildford, and Kebabish Original, High Street, Woking, on Friday 8th November. Individuals were questioned to check if they had the right to be in the UK. At Rose Valley, they arrested a Nepalese man, aged 25, and a 34-yearold Bangladeshi man, both of whom had overstayed their visas.

Officers then moved on to Kebabish.

There they arrested two Pakistani men. A 29-year-old had overstayed his visa while a 46-year-old was found to have entered the country illegally. A further Pakistani

man, aged 32, was found to be working illegally but was not arrested.

All those arrested were transferred to immigration detention pending removal from the country apart from the two men, aged 46 and 32, found at Kebabish. They have been placed on immigration bail while their cases are progressed and will also face removal from the country if found to have no leave to remain.

The businesses were served notices warning that civil penalties of up to £10,000 for each illegal worker arrested will be imposed unless proof is provided that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out. This is a potential total of £20,000 for Rose Valley and £30,000 for Kebabish.

Paul Smith, from the Thames Valley and Surrey Home Office Immigration Enforcement team, said: “Businesses in Surrey that follow the rules have nothing to fear, but those who either deliberately employ people with no right to work or fail to carry out the legally required checks on their staff, should expect to face heavy financial penalties.

“Illegal working has a negative impact on communities. It defrauds the taxpayer, undercuts honest employers and cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities.

“I would urge members of the public with information about suspected immigration abuse to get in touch.”

County Antrim restaurants face penalties Two restaurants in Co Antrim face potential penalties totalling £30,000 following an operation by UK Border Agency officers.

Acting on intelligence, officers visited Zara’s Indian restaurant and the Captain’s Table chip shop on 7th November. Individuals were questioned to check if they had the right to be in the UK. Officers entered Zara’s on Market Square, Antrim, at about 17:45 and arrested a 43-year-old Indian man who had overstayed his visa. A 28-year-old Bangladeshi man who was working without permission was dismissed from employment.

They then moved on to The Captain’s Table on Carnmoney Road, Newtownabbey, at about 20:00. There they arrested a Guyana man, aged 24, who was working illegally.

All three men were temporarily released and must now report to the Agency while their cases are progressed. If it is found that they have no right to be in the UK they will be removed from the country.

“Illegal working defrauds the taxpayer, undercuts honest employers and cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities” 12

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The businesses were served notices warning that a civil penalty of up to £10,000 per illegal worker found will be imposed unless proof is provided that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out.

For Zara’s this is a potential total of £20,000, and £10,000 for The Captain’s Table. Mike Golden, Northern Ireland immigration enforcement team, Home Office said: “The message to employers in Northern Ireland who choose to use illegal labour is clear. We will catch you and you will face a heavy penalty.

“Illegal working is not a victimless crime. It defrauds the taxpayer and undercuts honest employers.

“We are happy to work with businesses to let them know what checks need to be made on staff, but those who break the law should know that they will face heavy fines.”

Get in touch Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit the preventing illegal working section of the UK Border Agency website at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk or call the UK Border Agency’s employers helpline on 0300 123 4699.

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Hot dogs

Hot dogs make it to the top on menus

Houston (we have a problem) is just one of five gourmet hot dogs developed by Rollover

Hot dogs are officially the nation’s fastest growing menu item according to the Horizons Menurama Survey in August 2013.

So, what’s so great about hot dogs? Linda McKeown finds out On 85% more menus than this time last year, the humble hot dog has kicked scampi and chips out of the Top 20 most popular dishes in eating out establishments (Horizons Menurama Survey August 2013).

With this growing trend, it’s no wonder that there are ever increasing variations of the hot dog surfacing on food-togo menus. Rollover, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of hot dogs, has been one of the companies at the forefront of 14

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this trend, growing its business in the restaurant sector as well as building on an already significant presence in the food-to-go market.

Over the last three years, Rollover has been successfully working with retailers and forecourt operators building hot dogs as a core and successful part of

their food-to-go offer. Key to the success on this has been the quality of the Rollover product, the consumer appeal, free-on-loan equipment and in-store branding.

More recently Rollover has added a Gourmet concept to its line-up. This latest Gourmet range delivers customers

“Hot dogs have kicked scampi and chips out of the Top 20 most popular dishes in eating out establishments”

an easy to offer menu of five Hot Dogs with new sausages, artisanal brioche bun, a menu approach to topping and sauces and premium packaging.

Tony Owen, Sales & Marketing Director, commented: “We’ve been working hard developing what we think is the strongest gourmet offer in the market. Gourmet is about the whole package and the presentation is very, very important.

“We’ve got a great new sausage, an artisanal sliced brioche bun, a grainy mustard and tomato relish, as well as the packaging. We’ve developed a menu of five distinctive dogs – The Diamond Dog, El Fuego (the fire), Houston (we have a problem), the BLT and The Brat.

“Hot dogs are officially the nation’s fastest growing menu item” “What we’ve done is taken a menu approach with great toppings to make it simple and give guidance to our customers to serve fantastic Gourmet Hot Dogs.”

Farnham based Mom’s Fabulous Hot Dogs is a relatively new hot dog company offering an innovative portfolio of gourmet hot dogs, each variety offering a different taste and texture.

The new range includes Mom’s Chilli Cheese with fresh Gouda chunks, which was included in London’s lunch! exhibition Innovation Challenge 2013; and Mom’s Bad Boy™ - a huge ‘mean and meaty’ hot dog said to be big enough to fill even the hungriest of appetites! In addition, Mom’s have also developed Dinky Dogs – a smaller bite with lower salt, which are said to be ideal for children.

A newcomer in the hot dog business, Mom’s is rapidly expanding and is already serving a wide range of sectors including zoos, cinemas, filling stations, colleges, bars and restaurants.

Mom’s hot dogs are slowly smoked over kiln dried woods

Issue 3 December 2013

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Hot dogs The company was started by Nick Pagett who spent years learning and understanding how to produce excellent hot dogs by working alongside numerous production sites and smokehouses in Germany. This knowledge and experience has led to the creation of what they believe to be the perfect hot dog combinations.

Made using only fresh premium quality meat from trusted suppliers, Mom’s hot dogs are firm and meaty, with a deep rich flavor – a result of being slowly smoked over kiln dried woods.

“Hot dogs are not a fad, they are a core product, like burgers, that are here to stay,” says Nick Pagett of Mom’s Dogs.

“They are a well known product but not trusted. However, with the emerging American influences in the fast food industry – and public demand for better quality food – hot dogs are finally stepping up to the mark.

“Mom’s Fabulous Hot Dogs are simply the tastiest hot dog experience you’ll ever get your teeth into,” enthuses Nick.

Rolls As previously mentioned, hot dogs are officially the nation’s fastest growing menu item according to the Horizons Menurama Survey August 2013 and are Rollover says the key to their success is the quality of the product, consumer appeal, free-on-loan equipment and in-store branding

Butt Foods’ hot dog rolls are available in two flavours, classic and brioche

now featured on 85% more menus than this time last year.

And when you think of hot dogs, it’s not just the actual hot dog you need to think about. The type of roll used also counts.

Butt Foods Ltd has launched a new premium hot dog roll to try and help caterers take advantage of this fastgrowing menu trend in the UK. The seven inch top-sliced roll is aimed at

“With the emerging American influences in the fast food industry... hot dogs are finally stepping up to the mark” restaurants, pub chains and event caterers who offer gourmet sausages as hot dogs.

The egg-glazed hot dog roll is baked individually rather than batch baked, which means there’s no join mark, and each roll is quick frozen to retain freshness. All operators have to do is simply thaw and serve the fully baked item with their gourmet sausage and toppings to create a first-class meal.

“The toploader hot dog roll has been developed to help caterers take advantage of the growing trend towards ‘haute dogs’, which are proving to be a popular choice for consumers,” said Butt Foods Ltd Managing Director, David Williams.

“A number of national chains now include

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gourmet hot dogs on their menus, and our new hot dog roll provides the perfect bread for the job. They are ideal for gourmet event caterers who are looking to make the most of their offer, as well as restaurants, pub chains and other hospitality outlets.”

Available in two flavours, classic and brioche, the big softy toploader hot dog roll is one of a range of bakery products, including naan breads, flat breads and

fruit breads, supplied by Butt Foods.

Based in Nottingham, the firm was established in 1990 and now bakes up to 60 million products per year for European foodservice and manufacturing markets.

Useful contacts Rollover

01753 575558 www.rollover-uk.com

Mom’s Fabulous Hot Dogs 0845 548 2100 www.moms-uk.com

Butt Foods Ltd

0115 9850009 www.buttfoods.co.uk

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Business profile

GRH gets a slice of the action QuickBite talks to Gareth Hockridge, Director of GRH Food Company about the business and what it has to offer GRH Food Company are packers of grated block and sliced cheese, with a fully integrated quality control department with three full time members of staff. Located on the outskirts of the picturesque Snowdonia National Park and employing over 50 full time members of staff, the company packs over 5000 tons of cheese every year.

So, how did it all begin? Director Gareth Hockridge has been involved in the food industry since 1975 and in 1989 he recognised a niche in the market, took the plunge and formed his own 18

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small cheese producing business. Now, 24 years later, Gareth is still very much involved in the day to day operations in his current role.

His son Andrew is at the head of the business, while Gareth looks after the commercial and sales side, dealing with the sales team on a daily basis. He also ensures that he is in constant talks with manufacturers – he feels it’s important

to build relationships with suppliers for businesses and their customers.

When asked if he ever imagined GRH Foods Ltd. developing the way it has, Gareth is humble in his admissions that whilst he never envisaged the business to turn out the way it has, he also admits that the open minded nature of his team has helped the company develop and grow with the industry.

“We also provide bespoke blends of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses to meet our customers’ exact requirements”

Business profile GRH has two brands in their portfolio – Signature cheese and Papa Ginos. “Pappa Gino’s Pizza Cheese is a superb Mozzarella cheese, which can also be carefully grated together with other fine cheeses, to produce a fantastic flavour for all Pizza and Pasta products,” enthuses Gareth. “We only grate cheese from whole block, chosen for their specific qualities.

“Our grated blends are selected for their ability to cook and melt easily, as well as for their full-bodied flavour.

We also provide bespoke blends of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses to meet our customers’ exact requirements.”

When it comes to the company’s Signature range, this is available for retail, industrial, wholesale and food service organisations in grated, block and sliced cheese.

When it comes to GRH’s Signature Block Cheese, these are selected for flavour and texture in order to meet the high expectations of their customers.

“Working closely with manufacturers,

“Using sliced cheese rather than grated or cutting cheese yourself from a block, is the most cost effective way of using cheese in any kitchen” “Our Signature Grated Cheese is available in catering and retail packs,” explains Gareth. “Our fully automated grating line and rapid delivery service allow us to quickly provide our customers with the products they need.

“We only grate cheese from whole block, chosen for their specific qualities and our grated blends are selected for their ability to cook and melt easily, as well as for their full-bodied flavour.”

we source smooth textured, full bodied cheese with clean, creamy flavours,” says Gareth.

“The expertise within our business enables us to extensively research and select cheese at its optimum level of maturity from the whole of the marketplace,” continues Gareth when asked about the company’s sliced cheese offering.

“Sliced cheese gives optimum cost and portion control. We can supply individual slices from 15gms to 50gms to meet individual specifications. Our Signature brand is available in mild and mature formats; you can buy it as a block, grated or sliced product which will offer you complete portion control.”

Proving popular to the Signature range is GRH’s Signature Quality Blended Cheeses. But what is the company’s core product?

“More and more of our customers are now buying grated cheese than block cheese,” explains Gareth. “But it is the change in trend to sliced cheese that has surprised us.

“When we have spoken to end users of cheese as to why they use slices over grated and block cheese the answers that they give aren’t too surprising really.

These include positives such as portion control as with pre-sliced, they are guaranteed that each slice will have a fixed weight – every time. The product is also easier to handle.”

Available in a variety of cheeses including mild cheddar, mature cheddar, Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Emmental, Smoked Cheddar, Hot & Spicy, Gouda, Edam, caterers will be spoilt for choice.

And the catering packs of 500g and 1kg are ideal for the majority of GRH’s customers. “I really think that our 1kg packs are particularly great value for money and can help caterers save money,” says Gareth.

“Could you make 50 sandwiches from a 1kg bag of grated cheese? How do you measure a portion of cheese that you put on a sandwich? Using sliced cheese rather than grated or cutting cheese yourself from a block, is the most cost effective way of using cheese in any kitchen.

“There is no cutting, no grating, no giveaway and no loss of product, so it’s perfect,” concludes Gareth.

Issue 3 December 2013

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Accountancy

Self assessment preparations

Peter Williams, Associate and Client Manager at D.R.E & Co

Self assessment season is just around the corner! Here Peter Williams, Associate and Client Manager at D.R.E & Co, provides his top tips for preparing your Self Assessment Tax Return It is a fundamental part of the self assessment system that responsibility lies with you, the taxpayer, to file Returns and pay the right amount of tax, at the right time – you must not wait for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to ask.

Tax Returns Tax Returns covering income for the year ending 5th April 2013 were issued on or after 6th April 2013, and consisted of a main Return and supplementary pages. Your tax office will have sent out the pages they thought you would need.

However other pages can be requested or downloaded.

The completed Return has to be submitted to HMRC by the ‘filing date’ (31st October 2013 for paper Returns, 31st January 2014 for Returns filed online).

If you have taxable income or capital gains for 2012/13 and have not received a Tax Return, you should have already advised your tax office by 5th October 2013 at the latest. There are automatic penalties for late filing of Tax Returns.

Failure to file the Tax Return by the filing date incurs a £100 penalty. If it has still 20

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not been returned three months later, daily penalties of £10 per day will accrue, running for a maximum of 90 days. There will be further penalties of 5% of tax due for the return period (or £300 if greater) for prolonged failures, which arise after six months and again after 12 months.

All records relating to the Return should be kept for a period of one year from the filing deadline. If trading or rental income is involved, all records should be kept for a further four years.

D.R.E & Co can prepare your Tax Return for you, file it with HMRC and advise on the appropriate payments to make.

If there is an enquiry into your Tax Return by HMRC, they can also provide assistance.

If a Return is not submitted by the due date, HMRC can, within five years of the filing date, make a determination to the best of its information and belief of the amount of tax due. This amount of tax will be payable without appeal, but will automatically be superseded when the Return and self assessment are sent in.

Returns and Repayments: Amendments, enquiries and record keeping You have one year from the filing date to make any amendments to the Return.

HMRC may correct obvious errors or mistakes within nine months of receipt of the Return.

Within a period of one year from the date the Tax Return is submitted, HMRC will have a right to make enquiries to check that the Tax Return has been completed correctly. No reason for the enquiry need be given.

Determinations

Payment of tax Payments on account of income tax for a particular tax year are due on 31st January in the tax year and 31st July following the end of the tax year. For these purposes income tax includes Class 4 national insurance contributions (NICs).

“There are automatic penalties for late filing of Tax Returns”

Accountancy These payments are set by reference to the relevant amount – the amount by which the total income tax exceeds the amount of any income tax deducted at source for the previous tax year. The payments on account are each equal to 50% of the relevant amount.

Payments on account are not due where the relevant amount is less than £1,000 or if more than 80% of the total tax liability is met by income tax deducted at source. In these cases, the balance of tax due for the year, including capital gains tax, is payable on 31st January following the end of the tax year.

You have the right to reduce payments on account if you believe the income tax for the current year will be lower than that for the previous year. However, you may be charged interest if the reduction is more than it should be.

Late payment penalties and interest An automatic late payment penalty of 5% will be levied on any 2012/13 tax outstanding at 2nd March 2014, and further penalties of 5% will apply to any 2012/13 tax still outstanding at 31st July 2014 and 31st January 2015. There is a right of appeal against the penalties on the grounds of reasonable excuse.

In addition, interest will arise on tax (and penalties) paid late, from the due date of payment to the actual date of payment.

HMRC will pay interest on amounts overpaid, from the date of payment (or the due date if later) to the date of repayment.

Self assessment for employees For employees, self assessment is comparatively straightforward. The PAYE system means most employees should pay the correct amount of tax at source. An employee with a relatively straightforward tax situation is unlikely to be asked to complete a Tax Return.

Tax codes The main cause of under – or overpayments of PAYE – is actual benefits-in-kind being different from the estimates included in the tax code. If

there is an underpayment of less than £3,000 for 2012/13, HMRC will try to adjust the 2014/15 PAYE code to collect the underpayment. Self assessment allows taxpayers who have a PAYE code to carry forward underpayments in the same way provided the return is filed by 30th December 2013. The taxpayer

“An automatic late payment penalty of 5% will be levied on any 2012/13 tax outstanding at 2nd March 2014”

has the option of paying the outstanding tax by the normal payment date of 31st January 2014.

Information deadlines So that employees can complete their Tax Returns, information deadlines are imposed on employers:  Form P60 must be provided to employees by 31st May following the end of the tax year  Copies of forms P11 D and P9D must be provided to relevant employees by 6 July following the end of the tax year  Form P45 has a part for the employee to retain.

Key dates to remember 30th December 2013

Tax Return to be filed online if you want a tax underpayment of less than £3,000 collected via your 2014/15 PAYE code

31st January 2014

Online Tax Return for 2012/13 to be submitted with self assessment payment of balance of income tax and Class 4 NICs for 2012/13 and payment of capital gains tax for 2012/13 First payment on account of 2013/14 income tax and Class 4 NICs (normally half the total 2012/13 income tax and Class 4 NIC liability, adjusted for tax deducted at source) First payment due date for 2013/14 Class 2 NICs Issue 3 December 2013

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Sliced & Grated

Cheese

GRH have been packing cheese for over 20 years at our state of the art packing facility on the outskirts of Snowdonia National Park ➤ All cheese is selected for flavour, consistency & functionality. ➤ Varieties include Mild & Mature Cheddar, Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Emmental, Edam, Gouda & our popular additives which include Hot & Spicy & Oakwood Smokey. ➤ Grated cheese is packed in various pack sizes to suit your needs. ➤ Our sliced cheese is shingle packed into tray with sizes to suit your requirements.

GRH Food Company Ltd | 01766 810062 22

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sales@grhltd.co.uk | www.grhfood.co.uk

Technology

Get smart with technology

AppOS Systems has also launched a new app, with the aim of making front and back of house communication, and stock management easier

Technology is advancing at a rapid pace so it makes sense to incorporate new technology into your business to help you reap the rewards financially. QuickBite takes a look at a few of the latest innovations available getWaiter! is a new smartphone app (for both Android and iOS) and internet-based portal for merchants and consumers, which is said to offer radically improved customer service in the hospitality industry.

Designed to work in any business that offers customer-focused service – from restaurants and hotels, to bars and cafes – getWaiter! is a tool for organisations striving to provide quick and attentive waiting service for their customers.

The company believes it offers something different by enhancing customer service and the personal touch with a reliable and

Businesses simply register with the new free service at www.getwaiter.com/ merchant, which lets them allocate a site and table specific getWaiter! code (similar to a barcode) to each of the tables of their establishment. Then all they need to manage their waiting service is their own Internet-enabled tablet.

When customers are seated at the start of a meal, they use the getWaiter! app to scan that table’s unique getWaiter! location code. This connects them with the getWaiter! portal displayed on the tablet at the bar or waiter station so that a member of staff in charge of their area can quickly respond. Then, whenever customers need to call the waiter, they just press a button on the smartphone app. The restaurant can instantly see which tables require assistance and the elapsed time since the customer requested attention.

The system is completely stand-alone from existing EPoS and IT systems.

The merchant web-based service also comes with optional sophisticated

easy-to-use cloud-based tool. It doesn’t lock the merchant into a particular payment process either, and it doesn’t need any costly on-site equipment or support.

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Technology getWaiter! is designed to work in any business that offers customer-focused service – from restaurants and hotels, to bars and cafes

house, kitchen and management easier.

“They will be less prone to arguments about who ordered what or how many bottles of House Red should be in stock.”

PayPal The PayPal Heretm portable Chip and PIN card reader and free mobile app is said to make it easy to accept debit, credit card and PayPal payments – wherever you do business.

There are no monthly fees – you just pay £99 (includes free delivery) for the card reader and then 2.75% for every payment made using Chip and PIN or PayPal check-in. analytics software so that merchants can track exactly how well teams are performing by pinpointing which parts of the room are busiest, spotting bottlenecks, and fine-tuning staffing levels to minimise wait times and increase table rotations, so that they are always working at optimum levels. getWaiter! was created by entrepreneurs Paul Tombs and Dominic McGuinness following their frustration of eating out and not being able to get the waiter’s attention. “The pleasure of dining out is about being able to completely relax because everything will be done for you, but it’s frustrating if you keep having to break off your conversation to grab the attention of a hard-working but very busy waiter,” explains Dominic McGuinness, Marketing Director of getWaiter! “getWaiter! is a really valuable, easyto-use tool that tells them waiting staff exactly who needs their attention.”

Paul Tombs, Managing Director of getWaiter! adds: “Even if the food is great, customers can be left with a sour taste in their mouth if it takes too long to pay the bill. The aim is for the app to become instantly recognisable as a badge of excellence for customer service.”

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Maximise productivity AppOS Systems has also launched a new app, with the aim of making front and back of house communication, and stock management easier. AppOS is a system available for iOS devices and has been adapted to meet the requirements for iOS 7. The use of AppOS aims to maximise productivity front and back of house and increase face-to-face time between waiters and diners. Available on iPad, iPhone and iPod, the app enables wireless connectivity to take orders, process billing and report earnings.

All payments are in one account so that all of your online and face-to-face payments can come in to one central PayPal account straightaway.

To get started, simply download the PayPal Heretm app, available on iPhone®, iPad® and Androidtm, and use it to set up your account. Then you’ll need to order your card reader, which you can do through the app. Once it arrives, simply connect it to your mobile device via Bluetooth and you’re ready to accept payments straight away!

“Even if the food is great, customers can be left with a sour taste in their mouth if it takes too long to pay the bill” Founder Fabrice Paget, has created a new system to enable independent restaurants to manage ordering, stocking and financial reporting more efficiently.

Having spoken to expert restaurateurs, he saw there were several flaws in existing operating systems. Paget identified cost, connectivity, and issues with reporting as areas for development.

“With AppOS, there is finally an alternative to expensive, unreliable and complex systems,” says Paget. “We’ve developed everything from the ground up, with the simple idea of making lives of front of

PayPal Heretm also allows you to accept debit and credit card payments, log cash and cheques and send electronic receipts and invoices. Or you can let your customers pay with PayPal check-in, PayPal’s new cashless, cardless payment system, using just their mobile phones.

The app also comes with extra features to help make life a little easier for you and your customers. Speed up checkout with your own product list, add options to give your customers discounts or let them tip you. All this can be done directly from the PayPal Heretm app.

Equipment focus Cavity Liner is said to help save operators valuable time and money

Get the right oven for your business “When choosing an oven or range caterers must remember that it is a legal requirement for it to carry the CE mark to show that it meets the required manufacturing standards,” explains Martin Hall, General Manager, Brakes Catering Equipment.

“After that it depends on usage and personal preference. For example do you require a digital or analogue timer and do you want a programmable option? These decisions will probably be determined by the skill set of the operator and what it is going to be used for.”

Most ovens on the market are very energy efficient these days. In all probability the biggest savings can be made through correct use of the oven.

For example: don’t keep opening and closing the door during baking; keep the door closed when not in use to retain residual heat; bake at the right temperature.

“If you are doing a lot of baking then you are obviously going to need a large capacity,” says Martin Hall. “However, rather than going for one large oven it might make more sense to get two

“In terms of basic features... look for a timer, easy to set temperature control, an interior light and double glazed doors”

There are lots of things to consider when choosing a new oven. Linda McKeown takes a look at what’s on offer smaller stackable ovens. That way you can save energy by only using one of the two during quieter periods, rather than going to the expense of operating the larger one at half capacity.”

In terms of basic features Martin advises that you look for a timer, easy to set temperature control, an interior light and double glazed doors that keep the glass cool to the touch and prevent staff getting burned.

When you get up to larger ovens and combis then he advises that you look for fat filtering systems and self cleaning programmes. Digital control panels are becoming quite common but bear in mind that these are susceptible to misuse – staff often use a spoon or knife to operate them and this can lead to the Issue 3 December 2013

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Equipment focus panel being damaged, something that will not be covered by a warranty.

For food-to-go retailers that are looking to expand their menus with pizza but think they haven’t got the space or budget for a pizza oven, then think again.

The new Cuppone range of Tiziano electric pizza ovens, available exclusively from Linda Lewis Kitchens, is said to be a popular choice throughout fast food outlets where space and money is at a premium.

Available in various deck sizes, Linda Lewis believe that these ovens are cost effective and compact in size, with selected models capable of cooking up to four 12” pizzas in 3-6 minutes with the authentic stone-baked taste of Italy.

Tiziano pizza ovens can also cook a variety of other dishes too, including

The new Tiziano range of Cuppone pizza ovens from Linda Lewis Kitchens is said to be perfect for small kitchens where space is at a premium

pies, sausages, pasta and jacket potatoes, as well as being useful for reheating or finishing off dishes during busy service hours. For those outlets that cater for large volumes, this model comes in single, twin and triple deck sizes and can even be stacked to cope to cope with reduced space.

With pizza recognised as one of the most popular foods in the UK, adding fresh takeaway pizza to the menu – sold either whole or by the slice – will substantially widen menu options and draw in the crowds. Quick and easy

The gas and electric models in the Advance Concept range promise speed and flexibility, with convection, steam, combi and regeneration functions on hand, combined with maximum power and strength. Easy to use, the ovens have digital push button controls with two scroll buttons, a preheating option and a cold-down chamber cooling system, humidifier and EZ temperature sensor. Selected models also have a quick door-closing feature.

Two speeds and two power ranges are complemented by a special technical support system that makes it possible to check all parts without having to dismantle any exterior panels for service and maintenance purposes.

“Invest in a good brand that carries a solid reputation for quality and reliability” to prepare and cook from fresh or frozen dough, pizza offers impressive margins too.

When choosing a pizza oven, it’s important to invest in a good brand that carries a solid reputation for quality and reliability, and to make sure a warranty for breakdowns is included in the purchase.

Valera’s Fagor Advance Concept combi steam ovens are said to be ideal for the professional caterer

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Valera’s Fagor Advance Concept combi steam ovens are said to be ideal for the professional caterer looking for simple, yet powerful and robust ovens at an affordable price.

Whether preparing signature dishes from scratch or regenerating plated meals in bulk, Valera believes that their Advance Concept combi steam ovens can rise to the challenge, while promising years of trouble free service with low running costs. With seven models in the range there is bound to be something to suit all operations – from the smallest ACE061 model which holds six full-size Gastronorm pans, up to the ACE-202 model which can accommodate up to 20 pans.

With so many kitchens today using a microwave oven for everything from tempering chocolate to cooking rice, Patrick Bray, Managing Director, Cavity Protection Systems Ltd thinks that everyone should be using Cavity Liners.

Equipment focus “Most ovens on the market are very energy efficient” “With many years of expertise in microwave ovens and an awareness of the regularity with which certain breakdowns were occurring; burnt ceiling plates, cracked base plates, penetration by grease into working parts, after much research Cavity Protection Systems launched the very unique Cavity Liner, as these breakdowns are not covered by manufacturers’ guarantees and the cost for repair lies with the operator,” says Patrick.

“Now with more than 10,000 Liners in the industry, bespoke designed to fit a number of commercial microwave models, the Cavity Liner is set to save operators valuable time and money.”

The Cavity Liner is essentially a specially developed rigid liner that can be removed and washed at the end of service and

replaced for use time and again avoiding any cross contamination of burnt food particles, making the microwave interior much easier to clean and avoiding down time and costly repairs.

“They are made to out-last the average commercial microwave oven, and with a price tag less than the typical cost of a repair, this innovative piece of kit is already cherished by the likes of Prezzo, Hard Rock Café London and The Orchid Group, among others,” enthuses Patrick.

“The Liner is available from just £40 when bought with a microwave, or £100 when sold separately. The Cavity Liner is available from a large number of national and local catering equipment distributors. And it’s not only proud to be ‘made in England’ but has NSF worldwide certification!”

Useful contacts Linda Lewis Kitchens 0161 633 5797 www.linda-lewis.co.uk

Cavity Protection Systems Ltd 01329 285518 www.cavityprotectionsystems.com

Brakes Catering Equipment 0845 931 9494 www.brakesce.co.uk

Valera

0845 270 4321 www.valera.co.uk

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Marketing

Make the most of your

Christmas offering Christmas is an important time for the food-to-go and casual dining industry. It provides you with the perfect opportunity to maximise your sales so it’s important you get it right. And it all should start with ensuring you’ve got the right products on your menu When it comes to Christmas profits the brand-power of confectionery products rule^ and operators can maximise the sales season through confectionery-inspired cakes to cater for the phenomenon that peaks during the Christmas period, says Almondy.

With best-selling cakes Almondy with Daim and Almondy with Toblerone as part of their foodservice range, the popular Swedish bakers are encouraging caterers to put their faith in their chocolate branded cakes this December, as customers throw caution to the wind and indulge.

Andrew Ely, Managing Director of Almondy, said: “Christmas is the time when customers are open to indulgence and are likely to spend more when they eat out. We all know the popularity of 28

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confectionery brands such as Toblerone over the festive period with adults and children alike, and our cakes allow caterers to cash in and bring this brand appeal to their menus with minimum effort.”

With an impressive brand awareness of one in four people and 50% of respondents stating they’d buy Almondy if they saw it on a menu*, the premium sweet is said to be the perfect Christmas companion for festive menus. With the added bonus of being gluten-free, Almondy also takes the headache out of catering for special dietary needs during the party season.

Andrew adds: “Brand power aside, our cakes mean that customers with a gluten intolerance don’t have to miss out at Christmas. In fact we were highly commended at this year’s Free From Food Awards! Plus, at a time of year when the kitchen is most under pressure, caterers don’t have to worry about sourcing a separate gluten-free sweet offering or risk losing out commercially.

“The gluten-free market is valued at £240million and these diners have a big influence on where parties choose to eat, so they shouldn’t be ignored, especially at Christmas.”

“Christmas is the time when customers are open to indulgence and are likely to spend more when they eat out”

Marketing With over thirty years of baking expertise, Almondy has three almond biscuit-based cakes to choose from; including the bestselling and Rainforest Alliance certified Almondy with Daim - a Daim Bar variant with a classic creamy almond cake, topped with crunchy almond caramel. A ‘Peanut & Caramel’ variety and Almondy with Toblerone – topped with pieces of Toblerone. It combines an almond base with rich chocolate cream and smooth milk chocolate mousse.

Each Almondy cake is conveniently pre-cut into 12 servings – ideal for busy caterers in the heat of a Christmas service – to ensure portion control and a slice defrosts in just ten minutes. This means that there is no waste – essential in an environment where every penny counts.

Savoury ‘V’ sweet Country Choice promises a strong presence on the festive fixture with a sparkling line-up of Christmas flavours and fillings. Get off to a cracking start with two new savoury bakes, then spice up the sweet counter with Christmas pastry, muffins and gingerbread.

The Christmas Cracker Sub has all the flavours of the party season wrapped up. Succulent minced pork, turkey, ham, cranberries and stuffing are combined in a soft bread roll sub that can be

Artis believes that it has something for everyone for the Christmas season

baked from frozen in 15 to 20 minutes and contains only 316 calories. For the purists, however, a Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry Bake aims to please with a generous fill of turkey pieces in gravy mixed with sage and onion stuffing balls and cranberry sauce, all encased in crisp puff pastry. Both have a hot shelf life of four hours, though Country Choice is confident that they are unlikely to be around that long!

From savoury to sweet pastry, Cranberry Twist is a butter croissant pastry filled with luscious crème patissiere and cranberries. With an RRP of £1, it will keep fresh for two days wrapped once defrosted.

When a mince pie just isn’t enough there’s also a new Spiced Christmas Muffin – 130g of spiced mixed fruit topped with snow white icing and a holly leaf decoration. The shaped Christmas Tree Gingerbread, on the other hand, has icing and chocolate decoration, turning the classic biscuit into a cool Yule treat.

The newcomers have an RRP of £1.39 and 89p respectively.

And Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without mince pies and Country Choice has five to choose from – Puff, Shallow Shortcrust, Luxury Deep Fill Shortcrust with Brandy, Star, and Fully Baked Shortcrust, the last two being ideal thaw and serve products.

Turkey Tornados from Classic Cuisine is a popular turkey meal for Classic Cuisine

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Marketing Just to make sure nobody feels left out, including children, Country Choice are encouraging caterers to stock up on the ever popular Christmas Cake Slice, Chocolate & Cranberry Cookies, and Festive Friends, reindeer and snowman biscuits fashioned from marshmallow and sugar.

There are also Christmas POS and ambient display units available to enable retailers to make the most of the lucrative Christmas impulse confectionery opportunity.

Pastries and pies Classic Cuisine have had a very busy year not just overseeing their dessert product lines but also developing their innovative new pastry and pies. They recently put together their latest range of Christmas products and the delicacies offered this year includes a diverse selection that aim to satisfy even the fussiest of pallets.

A well established frozen ready meal company, Classic Cuisine have been manufacturing a variety of meals for the foodservice industry which includes well known chains of bars, restaurants, pubs and catering establishments since 1990. And with the popularity of their turkey dishes last year, Classic Cuisine have continued with a number of turkey dishes for this year. Incorporating festive ingredients and adding their own innovative twist, they hope that the Christmas range won’t disappoint. Paul Hunt new product development chef at Almondy are encouraging caterers to put their faith in their chocolate branded cakes this December

Classic Cuisine explains: “This year we have seen a continued growth with our traditional turkey meals, the most popular being the turkey tornado topped with a festive blend of zesty orange, cranberry and chestnut wrapped in bacon.

“We have also had an increased interest in our innovative vegetarian dishes. For example this year our vegetarian range includes a fennel, cranberry and chestnut roast served with a cranberry relish and a tasty mushroom and artichoke Wellington. Our seafood offering of salmon en croute with hand torn oyster mushrooms, asparagus and cream cheese has also been a popular option.”

At Classic Cuisine client requirements are always at the forefront for their new product development team. Mark Dean Sales Director at Classic Cuisine said: “We have ensured that we continue to

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They are said to be an exceptionally efficient method of adding flavour and because they are so highly concentrated, can be used very sparingly. For example, just one drop (which equates to one ml) is sufficient to flavour a litre of base liquid.

Flavour Drops need to be stored away from direct sunlight in dry, cool conditions.

If this is done, shelf life is 18 months to two years and, once opened, they should be used in around six months.

“The beauty of... Christmas inspired blends is that they instantly bring some seasonality to hot drinks menus and because they’re only around for a limited time, they allow operators to price them that bit higher” offer Christmas meals that are delicious, unique and competitively priced. We pride ourselves on offering ready meals that are full of flavour and texture, products that are easy to store and serve and most importantly we use quality ingredients and ensure a high end finish.”

The drops are priced at £5.95 (VAT exempt) and come in a 30ml glass bottle with a pipette for ease of use and are available for next day delivery from the Cream Supplies website.

Flavouring

Yorkshire based tea and coffee merchant, Taylors of Harrogate has launched two exclusive festive blends to help caterers hark in the profits this Christmas.

New Xmas Pudding Flavour Drops from Cream Supplies are loaded with a blend of festive flavours including orange, lemon, apple, cinnamon, clove, raisin, currant and sultana.

They are an intensely concentrated and highly versatile, multi-use flavouring that can be used to add enhanced flavour to a wide variety of food, hot and cold drinks and cocktails. The drops contain no artificial ingredients or sugar and are water-based which means they disperse readily and, because they don’t contain alcohol, they won’t evaporate quickly when used with hot foods. Neither will they affect freezing point.

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Just one drop of the Flavour Drops from Cream Supplies is enough to flavour a litre of base liquid

Tea and coffee

Available for a limited time, Taylors’ Spiced Christmas Tea is blended with tangy lemon, fruity orange and mellow, warming spices. Coffee lovers aren’t forgotten either with a limited edition Christmas Blend from the UK’s number one roast and ground coffee brand**.

Made from a mix of Latin American beans for a chocolate richness and aromatic Ethiopian beans to provide a floral note, the characterful coffee is said to be the perfect match for rich and fruity Christmas foods.

Marketing The company believes that its limited edition blends provide an easy way for operators to give their menus real ‘stand out’ over the festive period and drive sales. John Sutcliffe, Out of Home and Convenience Controller, Taylors of Harrogate, explains: “When it comes to seasonal sales opportunities, nothing comes bigger than Christmas! After a year of watching the purse strings, it’s the time of year when customers really want to get into the spirit of the season and will pay that little bit more to enjoy it – especially affordable treats such as tea and coffee.

“The beauty of our Christmas inspired blends is that they instantly bring some seasonality to hot drinks menus and because they’re only around for a limited time, they allow operators to price them that bit higher.”

The Spiced Christmas Tea is supplied in cases of 6 x 50s string & tag format and Taylors’ ground Christmas Coffee Blend in 6 x 227g.

Glassware and tableware Artis believes that it has something for everyone for the Christmas season; glassware and tableware perfect for showcasing festive delicacies, canapés, amuse bouche, desserts and drinks, with maximum flair.

Taylors’ Spiced Christmas Tea is available for a limited time

The Cranberry Twist from Country Choice will keep fresh for two days wrapped once defrosted

“The pressure is on for establishments to maximise the profits to be had at this key trading period” “With the Christmas and New Year season fast approaching, the pressure is on for establishments to maximise the profits to be had at this key trading period; the way food and beverages are presented, and the seasonal sense of drama that can be created, is crucial and key to success,” said a spokesperson for Artis.

“To help your establishment stand out from the crowd there is a diverse range of Artis glassware, including on-trend, mix and match vintage style cocktail glasses and Champagne coupes/flutes, and handled glassware suitable for hot mulled wine, liqueur coffees and eggnog.

“For dramatic food presentation, try the new bamboo and slate ranges, revolving glass plate, amuse bouche glasses, sampling plates, a range of elegant tasting forks/spoons and an extensive range of stylish cake stands, perfect for serving and displaying Christmas patisserie or canapés.”

Artis has a wide range of serving dishes and platters, including the Isola and Symphony oriental-inspired ranges offering maximum versatility to chefs.

Because of the number of smaller dishes that can be used together in many different combinations, these ranges are

particularly suited to canapés, amuse bouche, tasting menus, sharing dishes and buffets. ^ 10 Crucial Trends for the UK eating & drinking market, Peach Factory * Toluna July 2013 ** Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 25 Nov 2012

Useful contacts Country Choice

Freephone 0800 521366

Almondy

01604 858 522 www.almondy.com/uk

Classic Cuisine

01604 644 884 www.classiccuisine.co.uk

Cream Supplies

0845 226 3024 www.creamsupplies.co.uk

Taylors of Harrogate

01423 814006 www.taylorsoutofhome.co.uk

Artis

020 8391 5544 www.artis-uk.com Issue 3 December 2013

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Design inspirations

SHH remodels Terrace Restaurant at London Zoo Architects and designers SHH have transformed ZSL London Zoo’s main restaurant (The Terrace Restaurant), by remodelling and extending the 1920s building as part of a three-year, £4.6m project. QuickBite finds out more about the transformation The restaurant’s capacity has nearly tripled as

“The existing restaurant at the zoo was updated in

The project began with a feasibility study,

a result of the works, from 240 to 700 covers,

order to meet the growing needs of Zoo visitors,”

commissioned by ZSL (the Zoological Society of

making it one of the UK’s largest day-visitor

said SHH Associate Director and Project Leader

London), looking at catering across the whole site,

restaurants, whilst the building’s footprint has

Brendan Heath. “As visitor demands increased

which also includes various kiosks and a retail

also increased by almost 1,000 sq m, to include

at the London attraction, the restaurant became

and café area within the ‘Animal Adventure Café’.

two expansive terraces and a hugely-increased

in need of increased food storage space and

The study, carried out in conjunction with catering

mezzanine floor area.

modernised equipment.

consultants Boyd-Thorpe Associates and cost

“SHH are honoured to join the long list of illustrious

“The new design had to ensure that the restaurant

best way forward was to make a major investment

architects who have worked with ZSL London Zoo

worked as a venue space for special events at the

in main Regent Building restaurant building, so

on the creation of new buildings and enclosures

Zoo and also maintained the architectural quality

that it could become a true flagship for the Zoo’s

over its 187-year history,” commented SHH

of the original John James Joass building. Above

hospitality offer.

Creative Director Neil Hogan. “This is an important

all, our aim was to create a highly-functional and

public building project for us and a strong addition

high impact space, which would add real quality to

When SHH were appointed to the project,

to our portfolio. Our work in the hospitality sector

the visitor experience and be able to cope with the

they began by assessing the original building,

has been mainly focused on restaurant interiors,

huge volume of people coming through the zoo -

made up of ground, mezzanine and first floor

on projects such as Café Liberty, the Coach House

up to 10,000 per day.”

spaces. The 1,196 sq m ground floor offered

consultants WT Partnership, summarised that the

at Hatfield House and our multi-award-winning

assisted restaurant service for visitors and a staff

Barbican Foodhall and Lounge projects.”

canteen area. The 445 sq m mezzanine floor was

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“The restaurant’s capacity has nearly tripled as a result of the works, from 240 to 700 covers, making it one of the UK’s largest day-visitor restaurants” comprised of a staff changing area; offices and

6m-high, double-height space at the front and

The overall feel of the newly-remodelled building

support space, along with public toilets for the

creating new stairs up to an expanded mezzanine

is clean, raw and urban in glass, timber, exposed

first floor hospitality/private hire space, the Prince

level, a well as a generous new mezzanine terrace

brick and steelwork columns, with a striking ribbed

Albert Suite (the interior of which was to remain

deck and a smaller first floor terrace directly

deck ceiling in the double-height extension.

outside of the brief for the new building). Whilst

above. SHH also built a small extension to the

a 1960s, single storey, timber frame extension

rear of the building to create new storage space

Externally, soldier course block paving announces

at the front (extending just beyond the wings

for food.

the new building and separates it off from the

of the original red-brick building) had allowed

herringbone paving of the external square (Barclay

for increased visitor numbers, it was no longer

After ripping out a series of suspended ceilings

Court). Outside seating and tables are part-

adequate to cope with the current levels of

on the ground floor, SHH took the building back

canopied by the building’s overhang (in quartz-

demand.

to its original structure and revealed three of the

coloured Parklex) for maximum solar shading.

original five arched windows, which now link the

South-facing, full-height curtain wall glazing to

SHH began by demolishing the 1960s extension

new extension to the original ground floor space

the front of the extension is punctured by six

back to its foundations and creating a brand

as a dynamic connecting feature, visible from the

2.5m-tall doors. At the top of the doors, a feature

new tiered extension to the front of the building,

building’s exterior.

grille in anodised, matt aluminium in silvery grey

increasing the ground floor area with a new

takes the eye away from the plasterboard of the

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Design inspirations “The overall feel of the newlyremodelled building is clean, raw and urban in glass, timber, exposed brick and steelwork columns” On the mezzanine level, the huge (245 sq m) external terrace features grey ceramic floor tiles in 600 x 600 mm squares from The Deck

“The front extension features a variety of loose and fixed tables and seating, from oak tables with bar-stool height chairs in vibrant orange to white smaller tables with black and white seating” ceiling above. The grille is also featured along the

Tile Company, with a rough finish for safety. A Steel-framed, cantilevered stairs with glass

balustrade at the front offers views down onto

balustrades for an open feel lead up from

Barclay Court and into the new penguin enclosure,

both sides of the ground floor to the extensive

whilst external deck-mounted lighting washes over

mezzanine seating area and the terrace beyond.

the terrace when the lights are low or when the building hosts evening events.

The interior of the front extension features a variety of loose and fixed tables and seating,

On the first floor, the remodelling encompassed

from oak tables with bar-stool height chairs in

a goods lift; further Parklex-clad plant rooms

vibrant orange to white smaller tables with black

(which act partly as balustrades for the new first

and white seating, plus curved ‘S’ shape modular

floor terrace). The first floor terrace, belonging to

seating, offering ease of access and informal

the hire-out Prince Albert suite, is set back and

arrangement for families with small children or

offers 215 sq m of space, with a glass balustrade

pushchairs.

protecting the skylight at its rear edge.

edge of the mezzanine floor plate as a means of minimising its visual bulk.

At the centre of the glass front to the extension sits a double-sided kiosk with a barista coffee bar and bakery product offer, open throughout the day and a little before the main restaurant opens.

All service stations for the food servery area were created by Design Front, who also created the logo and signage for The Terrace Restaurant at the front of the building. A newly-refurbished kitchen to the building’s rear has been designed to accommodate the large increase in capacity and includes new canopies, state-of-the-art cooking equipment and two new goods lifts to service all the floors. A new dry food store has also been incorporated into the newly extended rear of the building.

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Photography: Alastair Lever

Employment law

Just how do you calculate holiday payments?

Catherine Hill, Director of HR Services at Kirsty Craig Associates

With Christmas coming up, Catherine Hill, Director of HR Services at Kirsty Craig Associates tells you how you can ensure you’re calculating your holiday payments right It was all over the news when John Lewis Partnership announced that it was paying out a total of £40 million to staff, having discovered that it had been calculating holiday pay incorrectly for several years. The newspapers seized on the story with the headline ‘Never knowingly underpaid’!

Recently an employment tribunal decided, in Neal v Freightliner, that a worker’s holiday pay should include not only salary, but also any element of remuneration ‘intrinsically linked’ to the tasks required under the worker’s contract. It was held that holiday pay should represent what the worker would have received if they had been at work and that this included both compulsory and voluntary overtime, as well as basic salary.

There is even growing concern that the principle could extend to other variable pay such as commission or even some bonuses. Currently, many businesses calculate holiday pay on the basis of basic salary only, so this tribunal decision could have a major impact.

Tribunal claims risk This outcome seems likely to invite similar claims by workers in industries where overtime is common – for example retail, hospitality and construction – and these claims could be challenging for businesses. Risk areas for employers include casual workers and any contract where the worker has irregular hours and overtime.

The good news is that the liability isn’t open-ended – tribunal claims must be brought within three months of the last underpayment.

The bad news is workers can potentially backdate their claims 15 years to 1998 (when the Working Time Regulations came into force) or to the start of their employment if that’s later. Not only does this increase the potential cost of compensation, but it also greatly adds to the complexity and cost of defending any claim or calculating the money owed.

Two key issues for businesses are: how to deal with potential claims and how to calculate holiday pay now.

First, a word of caution... The Neal v Freightliner decision is being appealed by the employer (and may go all the way to the Supreme Court) so the most sensible

implemented swiftly once advised to do so • For new starters, consider whether overtime should be paid at the normal hourly rate rather than at an enhanced rate • Analyse the business’ risk exposure (particularly in relation to backdated claims) and start to gather the information required to calculate the money owed to each worker if the decision is upheld

Directive Bear in mind that the principle that overtime should be included in holiday pay applies only to the four weeks’ annual leave guaranteed under EU law, rather than to the additional 1.6 weeks’ leave provided for in UK law. Businesses should consider whether their current payroll and holiday pay systems would

“The principle that overtime should be included in holiday pay applies only to the four weeks’ annual leave guaranteed under EU law” approach may be to wait for the outcome of the litigation before putting major changes in place.

enable this distinction to be made, and what this would add to the administrative costs.

In the meantime, employers should: • Make sure that working time and overtime records are accurate • Investigate now whether any changes to payroll systems would be necessary, so that any new scheme can be

If you need further information, help with people management issues or specific help in calculating holiday pay call 0844 846 1864 or email hello@kirstycraigassociates.co.uk.

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Advertise with us

QuickBite magazine is the perfect place to get your products and services noticed by an engaged and influential audience For further information or to discuss a cost-effective presence, please contact: Ian Lydon-James sales@quickbitemagazine.co.uk Office: +44 (0) 208 1446170 Mobile: +44 (0) 7805 543110

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Issue 3 December 2013

GRILLSTOCK GETS A PERM

ANENT HOME

QuickBite finds out mo re about Grillstock Sm okehouse Bristol’s design concep t from Simple Simon Design

FOOD-TO-GO & CINEMAS

Find out about the growin g trend of food brands linking up with cinemas November 2013

Print edition £3.25

MENU IDEAS

FROZEN FOOD

In this issue, it’s all about sandwiches and wraps

How using frozen doesn ’t mean you have to lose out on quality or flavour

www.quickbitemagaz

WHAT’S NEW

The only monthly mag

azine specifically for

We feature the latest products available in the food-to-go market

ine.co.uk

the food-to-go industry

Menu ideas

The sweet taste of success!

Julie Zalesny, joint founder and Managing Director of multi award winning premium cakes and desserts company Vittles Foods, talks to QuickBite about the importance of getting your sweet offering right

I remember reading a quote from the owner of Selfridges, the London department store, which went along the lines of “nobody should ever leave the store without a Selfridges carrier bag”. In other words, no customer should leave without buying something.

I often think about that quote when talking to operators – no customer should ever sit down with just a cuppa, there is always an opportunity to increase revenue by selling a slice of cake or a dessert at the same time.

So how do you persuade your customers to part with their money, especially at the moment when there is less spare cash around?

Developing the sweet menu We are all familiar with the traditional cake selection, the classics that everyone loves – the Victoria sponge, lemon drizzle, chocolate cake – and these should be the mainstay of your sweet menu.

“Look at food blogs for inspiration – there are some great recipes online” But it’s important to add interest so look for a couple of eye catching additions that will make a real statement on the cake stand. For example beetroot cake or a carrot cake made with courgette. If you are stuck for ideas and make your own cakes in house, then look at food blogs for inspiration – there are some great recipes online.

It’s useful to have a range of cakes, from the more indulgent premium cakes down to simple options such as scones and tray bakes. That way you have an offer across all price points and tastes with something to appeal to all customers.

I always suggest varying the textures too. Instead of all sponge cakes, look for variety. Use meringue, baked desserts, fruit cakes, different cheesecake mixes e.g. a cookie or granola base, to add contrast or, for example, fruit tarts to add colour.

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Menu ideas Macaroons, cake pops, whoopie pies and cupcakes are all very current and will generate a lot of interest, especially if you use them to make a stunning counter display. This is a great way to inject some visual interest.

Operators are moving away from having whole large cakes on display. Once cut large cakes can dry out very quickly if not stored correctly. Pre-sliced frozen products are more versatile as two or three slices can be taken out as required throughout the day instead.

It is also worth thinking about the impact of home baking which is enjoying a real surge in popularity right now. This is good news for caterers as it means that customers are going to be highly likely to buy a sweet treat with their morning coffee or afternoon tea. They will also be well aware of quality and conscious of the fact that whatever they buy has to be at least as good as the cake they can make at home or they will feel cheated.

And that really is the key point, quality.

How often have you visited a coffee shop and been swayed by the swirls of ‘cream’ and fresh fruit on that fabulous slice of Victoria sponge only to find the enticing presentation hides a multitude of sins?

The cream is synthetic, the sponge is dry and tasteless and perhaps made from a low quality cake mix. Plus the cake has definitely been sitting in the cabinet for far too long.

So what I am saying is quality, quality quality! It really is the key to success.

Everyone has a ‘lipstick moment’; times when we like to treat ourselves with

affordable luxuries such as a gourmet cake or dessert and if you get it right your customers will definitely be back for more.

It’s all in the presentation In terms of presentation, this is where you can let your imagination run wild.

Starting with the basics, invest in wire cupcake holders, tiered ceramic cake stands, domed plates and basket ware to enhance the offer and make the cake display look as appealing as possible.

There is fantastic shaped plate ware available which is cheap to buy yet can add a touch of drama and make your cake or dessert look fabulous.

“Whatever they buy has to be at least as good as the cake they can make at home” There is no quicker way to ruin a fantastic display than by using old and scratched plastic cakes domes. Much better to invest in some good quality glass ware instead.

At Vittles we have just launched a guide to serving individual desserts.

Our products are all hand crafted and for that reason they look and taste just like home made yet are made to a consistent professional standard. We have put together some simple serving suggestions which illustrate how easy it is to take a ready prepared product and give it the real wow factor.

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For example, one of our popular options is Panna Cotta, a classic Italian dessert.

By adding a raspberry coulis and a garnish of poached mini plums with vanilla and fresh figs you can create something with real plate appeal. And, more importantly, with just a couple of ingredients and a few minutes of preparation time, you can charge a premium for it. No skill required!

If you are using bought in product, try and trim it where you can to give it that home-made look. If it is a frozen product, remove the packaging before you start to defrost it to avoid the wrapping sticking to any soft icing.

Any unsold cake should be covered with cling film and stored overnight in the fridge to stop it drying out. Refresh with fresh fruit or cream before putting it out the next day to make it look that little bit more inviting.

Menu ideas

Sweet treat inspiration So, just what can you add to your menu to entice customers in?

Dessert sales are worth around £1.5 billion, according to Mintel, and offer operators a significant profit opportunity – especially when you factor the compulsory hot drink purchase that goes with them. “The beauty of Almondy is that it comes pre-cut and a single slice defrosts within ten minutes making it ideal for operators, as a fast service and minimal waste is the key to commercial success,” explains Andrew Ely, Managing Director, Almondy.

Almondy’s frozen cakes aim to capture the imagination of customers with its mix of novelty and tradition – the cakes are based on a Swedish recipe dating back to the 1800s yet, also command high brand appeal from their co-partnership with confectionery brands Toblerone and Daim.

And they’re naturally gluten-free too!

“Almondy enables caterers to easily update their menus and make the most of a significant dessert trend and keep customers on site,” explains Andrew.

The best things come in small packages which is why the new Country Choice range of grab and go mini treats is sure to be a hit.

The Rocky Road Bites are bundles of crisp rice, currants, marshmallows and digestive biscuit pieces, all held together with a coating of milk chocolate. Cornflake Clusters are simply that, clusters of toasted flakes of corn coated in milk chocolate.

Those looking for a chocolate alternative will enjoy crunchy Mini Gingerbread Men. All three varieties come frozen, ready to thaw and serve within two hours, and once defrosted have a shelf life of 28 days.

The suggested RRP is seven for a £1 and each case contains a set of round £1 stickers that can be used on the three types of packaging available – a clear bag, a 10oz cup and lid, and a rectangular hinge pack.

If doughnuts are the order of the day then the Country Choice mini collection includes Mini Jam Ball, Chocolate Topped Ring, and Sugared Ring doughnuts, all with a unit price of 10p.

Frozen dessert sales continue to rise in value year on year, showing resilience despite the recession and customers’ general desire for affordable treats. Recent reports from Mintel now value the UK frozen yogurt market at around £4m, whereas over the pond in the USA the same sector is worth a whopping $200m and contributes substantially to the value of the overall yoghurt sector.

With regards to flavour trends in frozen yogurt, the natural flavour is certainly the most popular and by offering a variety of toppings this allows you to offer your customer endless possibilities to customise their own recipe.

“When we are selling our CoolberryCafé frozen yogurt, fresh Strawberries or indulgent Chocolate brownies top the poll for frozen yogurt toppings,” says Michele Young, founder of CoolberryCafé, “This just highlights that customers are still very much trading off between healthy and indulgent cravings and still love to treat themselves when they are out”.

Unless you are in a seated restaurant, ice-cream and frozen yogurt style products are predominantly ‘impulse purchase’ items. Good footfall is always key to sales Below: Coolberry offers a variety of toppings to allow customers to customise their own recipe

The new three varieties of grab and go mini treats from Country Choice range

success, but effective merchandising through point of sale material, menu boards and photography can enhance your sales in all locations.

Coolberry’s frozen yogurt is also a versatile product helping to drive average spend throughout different day parts: breakfast, lunch and snacking. The company’s yogurt base can also be a key ingredient in recipes for sundaes, parfaits, chilled drinks, smoothies, and lassis.

Source

* Kantar Worldwide July 2010-July 2011 ** Coeliac UK ^Toluna 2012

Useful contacts Vittles Foods

0116 246 1951 www.vittlesfoods.co.uk

Country Choice

Freephone 0800 521366

Almondy

01604 858 522 www.almondy.com/en

CoolberryCafe

www.coolberrycafe.com www.foodservicesupport.co.uk

Issue 3 December 2013

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QuickBite finds out more about Grillstock Smokehouse Bristol’s design concept from Simple Simon Design FOOD-TO-GO & CINEMAS Find out about the growing trend of food brands linking up with cinemas November 2013

Print edition £3.25

MENU IDEAS In this issue, it’s all about sandwiches and wraps

FROZEN FOOD How using frozen doesn’t mean you have to lose out on quality or flavour

WHAT’S NEW We feature the latest products available in the food-to-go market

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Issue 3 December 2013

How to...

Keep your kitchen safe Richard Norman, MD of specialist ventilation ductwork cleaning firm Indepth Hygiene Services talks to QuickBite about the importance of keeping grease extract systems clean to help prevent a fire hazard An example of a grease extract before cleaning

There has been a spate of kitchen fires in recent months in restaurants around the capital. The most high profile was at Jamie Oliver’s Barbecoa restaurant which led to around 150 people being evacuated from a nearby shopping centre. Four fire engines and more than 20 fire-fighters tackled the blaze. Part of the ducting, in the first-floor restaurant’s extraction system, had caught light.

There is on average one kitchen fire every day in the London area; in nine out of ten fires linked to catering facilities, uncleaned grease deposits in grease extract ducting have ignited to make fires more widespread and destructive.

But despite the compelling evidence that grease deposits in extract ventilation systems present serious fire hazards, Richard believes that the message simply isn’t getting through.

He says: “Grease extract systems are often not given the attention they demand because extract ducting from the kitchen canopy often runs hidden behind ceilings and walls.

“Until a fire occurs, there are often seldom other clear signs of danger. But I am

What a grease extract would look like after cleaning

shocked at how many establishments still don’t prioritise grease extract cleaning; the costs of not doing so in terms of business disruption, damage to reputation, danger to the public and staff not to mention the legal implications, can be substantial.”

“Most property insurers require grease extracts to be cleaned every six months and annually at an absolute minimum” Fire authorities believe that the grease extract ventilation system linked to catering facilities is the greatest risk to the safety of building occupants, and indeed grease deposits in extract ventilation systems must be removed for compliance with the Fire Safety Order.

Indepth Hygiene works closely with the fire authorities presenting to their inspecting officers on the issue of uncleaned grease extract systems. Norman says: “The Fire Safety Order requires that ‘a person who has some level of control in the premises must take reasonable steps to reduce the risk from fire’.

“It is worth noting that should a fire occur in grease extract ductwork where there has been compliance failure and a fatality arises, the ‘responsible person’ could be facing criminal prosecution.”

In addition to the requirements of the Fire Safety Order UK, property insurers such as Aviva, Zurich, Liverpool Victoria and AXA are now demanding kitchen grease extract ventilation ductwork be ‘cleaned in its entirety’ to comply with policy warranties.

“Most property insurers require grease extracts to be cleaned every six months and annually at an absolute minimum.

However, we are seeing an increasing number of insurers requiring as many as four ductwork cleans per annum under their policies,” says Norman.

“Businesses need to pay attention to fire risk management. If it’s not done in-house, it’s important to ensure the company it’s out-sourced to is accredited by the Fire Protection Agency (FPA), Institute of Fire Engineers (IFE) or the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH). Failure to ensure this could lead to substantial financial implications if a fire was to occur.”

Issue 3 December 2013

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What’s new

Keep up to date with this month’s new products Anti-slip matting Company: Plastic Extruders Ltd Product: Vynagrip anti-slip matting Contact: 01268 571116 www.vynagrip.com Vynagrip anti-slip matting, manufactured by Plastic Extruders Ltd, is a very durable and hardwearing mating widely used in all types of working environments to provide a permanent slip resistant surface in temperatures down to -26°C. Vynagrip’s durable, extra aggressive and deep etched surface provides an excellent slip resistant performance.

Furthermore, its non-porous 100% vinyl composition means it is resistant to acids, oils and fats making it ideal for use in food storage and preparation areas. It can be easily rolled up to facilitate cleaning while its open grid construction allows liquids and debris waste to fall through, thereby further reducing the risk of slipping or tripping.

Air hygiene system maintenance Company: Deduct Contact: 0161 288 1989 www.de-duct.co.uk Keeping your canopies and extractors clean is not only a hygiene requirement; it also extends the lifespan of your equipment as well.

Deduct offer a fast, friendly and reliable service that covers most of the UK and fits around your business. They respond to any enquiry promptly and will be happy to arrange a free onsite meeting to discuss your needs.

All their staff are fully qualified and insured and each member of our team has undertaken the latest duct hygiene course so you can expect a fantastic and reliable service.

Get in touch today and see how Deduct can help keep your ducting clean.

Icecreams

Company: Suncream Dairies Product: Gelato Gold™ and Summertime™ Contact: 01730 811490 www.panartisan.com The chocolate and raspberry ripple sauces in selected Gelato Gold™ and Summertime™ icecreams from Suncream Dairies are now thicker and tastier than ever for all-round better flavour and consistency.

Developed to give consumers a much improved taste experience and made on the premises at Suncream’s Tamworth factory, the new ripples are being added to the Summertime™ Choc Mint Ripple and Raspberry Ripple flavours, and to the Gelato Gold™ After Dinner Mint ice cream.

“The new ripples mean that some of our most popular flavours now taste even better than before,” said Suncream’s Managing Director, Rebecca Manfredi.

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Issue 3 December 2013

Warewashers Company: Nelson Product: Advantage Pass Through Contact: 020 8993 6199 www.nelsonwash.co.uk Nelson’s latest Advantage Pass Through which, despite having a similar footprint to other pass through machines, has a 30% increased load capacity!

Both the hood operating handle and raising and lowering mechanism are sited in unobtrusive positions thus significantly increasing useable internal capacity.

This means that it can easily accommodate a 600 x 500mm basket which will hold 24 x 26cm plates, processing 1440 plates in an hour on a one minute wash cycle or, more realistically, up to 1700 items.

Not only does the Nelson Advantage wash a third more items than a conventional pass through, it uses 30% less energy.

What’s new Meat alternative products Company: MTA Foods Product: Various meat alternatives Contact: 01978 666175 www.meetthealternative.co.uk MTA Foods have launched a range of meat alternative products that uniquely match the taste and texture of the real meat equivalent – interestingly called ‘Meet the Alternative’.

The company has spent many years developing their products which are high in protein and low in fat to appeal directly to the health conscious meat-reducer and are also suitable to vegetarians – their products are all approved by the Vegetarian Society and their packaging carries their logo too.

Research indicates that 35% of the UK population are actively seeking to reduce their meat intake for various reasons from animal welfare concerns, ethical concerns or health.

See your product here!

Want to see your new product or piece of equipment in What’s New? Then call Ian James on 0208 1446170 or 07805 543110.

Alternatively, email sales@quickbitemagazine.co.uk

Drink dispenser Company: Sielaff Product: Sielcup Contact: 01992 743010 info@sielaff.co.uk Sielcup is an all-new dispenser of in-cup drinks and is designed to dispense a broad spectrum of in-cup drinks. Now operators can choose their own ingredients and mix brands in the same machine if they so wish.

The machine dispenses 16 different lines at 75 cups per channel. All manner of in-cup drinks can be vended, from tea and coffee to hot chocolate and soup. Product selection is at the touch of a button and drinks are vended into the delivery carousel within 16 seconds of product selection.

The Sielcup will take all commercially available cups with a diameter of 73.5mm and a maximum height of 90mm.

Hot Water Boilers

Company: Burco Product: Auto-fill Filtration Contact: 0844 815 3742 www.gdpacatering.com

Burco as a brand has been synonymous with commercial water boilers for over 50 years.

Now, in one of the biggest announcements from the brand in its long history, Burco Commercial has launched a new range of British built auto-fill, filtration water boilers.

Ideal for QSR/Takeaway establishments the new boilers feature an easy-to-change water filtration cartridge, designed to remove limescale and other impurities, providing enhanced clarity and taste, while prolonging the life of the unit. In addition, a touch sensitive LCD screen allows users to select a temperature between 80°-98°. Finally an innovative eco-mode helps to significantly improve energy efficiency by automatically putting the appliance into ‘sleep’ mode during a period of inactivity.

Issue 3 December 2013

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43

Focus on...

Are your first aid procedures in good health?

First aid legislation can be confusing and with the majority of businesses forced to self-regulate, many organisations are failing to meet the legal requirements according to a warning from workplace equipment supplier, Slingsby

First aid products Below is a small selection of popular first aid products that can help workplaces meet their legal requirements. For further information on Slingsby and its range of products call 0800 294 4440 or visit www. slingsby.com.

Small workplace kit

Fully stocked. Recommended for up to ten employees. £20 + VAT

Under The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, employers must provide ‘adequate and appropriate’ first-aid equipment, facilities and training so that anyone who has an accident can receive immediate help.

As part of this legislation all workplaces must provide a first aid box that is appropriate to the number of employees and suitably stocked depending on specific hazards. Plus all employers should have at least one trained first aider, although businesses in high-risk industries and those with large numbers of employees require considerably more.

“Every workplace has to undertake a thorough assessment of first-aid needs on a regular basis”

Metal locking cabinet

Fully stocked. Recommended for between 21 and 50 employees. £254 + VAT

Lee Wright, Marketing Director at Slingsby, explains: “We are regularly approached by businesses seeking advice about first aid legislation because some aspects of it can be confusing or easily misinterpreted. Furthermore as health and safety has improved and accident rates have fallen across many industries, lots of employers have inadvertently relaxed their first aid procedures. However the fact is it’s no use having a first aid kit that’s never been restocked or a first aider who hasn’t refreshed their training for years.

“Every workplace has to undertake a thorough assessment of first-aid needs on a regular basis and someone needs to be made responsible for first-aid. Typically, the appointed person will look after all first aid equipment and be responsible for calling the emergency services in the event of an accident. The number of first aiders a business needs depends on things like the industry sector it operates in, the number of employees and any previous history of accidents.”

Lee adds: “Once a business has everything in place it’s important to make all employees aware of the first aid procedures and notices should be displayed explaining where first aid equipment is kept and who the relevant people are to administer it.”

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Issue 3 December 2013

Economy first aid room

Easy ‘all in one’ which fits in virtually any room. Ensures compliance with Health and Safety at Work legislation.

Consists of examination couch, first aid room signs, first aid guidance poster, trolley, blanket, pillow, first aid work station, pedal bin, economy couch roll. £1145 + VAT

Food review

A taste of modern European

Trevor Langley tells us about his recent visit to Kettner’s which opened its doors as a restaurant in 1867, by Auguste Kettner – a chef to Napoleon III

Many distinguished clients have visited Kettner’s, including King Edward VII, Lillie Langtry, Agatha Christie and Oscar Wilde, plus many more. The parties were renowned for being lavish and Kettner’s became the place to be seen.

In modern-day Kettner’s – which is a grade II listed building – the Brasserie, Cocktail and Champagne Bar, plus several private rooms for Dining and Events, are truly exquisite. This legendary venue has the elegance of the 1930’s, serving Modern European-style dishes and beverages from a quick coffee, through business lunches, regular lunches, afternoon teas and evening dining, plus parties, events, receptions etc, all accommodated with ease.

Located in the heart of theatre land, Kettner’s is ideal for pre and post dining, in conjunction with a show. The enjoyment of music, with the grace and loveliness of a white grand piano, adds to the delights. Having an extensive champagne list, Kettner’s has superb champagnes, from small family growers, to the big, well-known names. There is also a cocktail menu, with some concoctions inspired by characters of the past who visited Kettner’s.

The cuisine at Kettner’s is exceptional, with lunches having ample choices, including Coq Au Vin, Salmon and Beef Bourguignon, for example. Afternoon teas have dainty sandwiches, home-made scones with jam and clotted cream, old English trifle and more.

Evening menus can include steamed whole native lobster, braised lamb shank, plus 31-day-aged Aberdeen Angus steaks. Excellent salads and smaller dishes are also available,

throughout. Pudding selections include white chocolate cheesecake, blueberry compote, pecan and caramelised apple Pavlova, plus Bakewell tart with clotted cream. All cuisine can be paired with recommended wines, if you wish. Very tempting bar snacks are available too, with superb smoked salmon and a delicious charcuterie platter, for example.

“This legendary venue has the elegance of the 1930’s, serving Modern European-style dishes and beverages” Whatever your requirements, from coffee through corporate meetings, to a lavish wedding and reception, Kettner’s can provide every possible need. A stunning and fascinating venue for regular visits. It was an absolute delight!

Get in touch Kettner’s

29 Romilly Street, London W1D 5HP T: 020 7734 6112 E: reservations@kettners.com www.kettners.com Issue 3 December 2013

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Dates for your diary

Find out what events are taking place in the world of food-to-go over the coming months

Scotland’s Speciality Food Show 17th-21st January 2014

Location Glasgow’s SECC

Scotland’s Speciality Food Show (SSFS) 2014 will be the 7th year that the show has been running in its present format and is the result of a joint venture between Scotland’s Food Show in Glasgow and the Speciality Food Show in Edinburgh, which has created Scotland’s largest trade sourcing event for the speciality food market.

This year the show has been fully incorporated into the Trade event and will dominate the top end of the hall and will host all the main catering areas for the two shows as well.

Over the three days 120 companies will be exhibiting all types of speciality food including gift food, bakery, cheese, cooked and cured meats, chutneys, preserves, oil and vinegars, herbs and spices, confectionery, tea and coffee, beers, spirits and cordials.

There will also be exhibitors who specialise in food presentation such as lighting, packaging and refrigeration.

Source Food and Drink Trade Show 5th-6th

February 2014

Location Westpoint Exhibition Centre, Exeter

Source Food and Drink Trade Show combines the popular Source and Taste of the West Trade show with Expowest Westcountry, to create a combined show that covers the whole of the food, drink, catering and hospitality market.

The ‘super show’ will take place at the Westpoint Exhibition Centre, Exeter on the 5th and 6th February 2014.

The combined show will have stands for between 300 and 400 exhibitors, and should attract more than 4,000 trade buyers. As the show takes place well before Easter, buyers will have the opportunity to meet all the suppliers they could possibly need to be ready for the season ahead.

In addition to the main show, Source 2014 will host the Westcountry Tourism Conference, as well as the regional heat of the UK Barista Championships, both of which took place within Expowest Westcountry this year.

For more information, visit www.thesourcetradeshow.co.uk.

The show will also incorporate the SSFS Live Theatre where a number of events will be hosted to help educate and entertain visitors and exhibitors alike.

For more information about the event, visit www.scotlandsspecialityfoodshow.com.

Casual Dining 26th-27th February 2014

Casual Dining – the highly-anticipated new trade event from lunch! organiser Diversified Communications UK – has kicked off its visitor marketing campaign with a bang having already secured nearly one thousand pre-registrations in just the first few weeks.

Launching next year, the event has already garnered industry-wide support from across the UK. And with visitor registration now open a ‘who’s who’ of big name buyers from across the Casual Dining sector have been quick to signal their intention to attend.

It’s not just the buyers that are getting behind the Casual Dining concept. With the launch now just over three months away, the show is already 80% sold out. The latest exhibitors to confirm their presence are Nestle; Department 33 (Wines of Bordeaux); Fresh Direct; Lamb Weston; Purified Air; Rational; Reynolds Catering Services; and Taylors of Harrogate.

“We work closely with many growing casual dining businesses, including Peach Pubs, Snug Bars and Benito’s Hat, helping them manage their buying costs as they expand,” says John Pinder, Managing Director of buying specialist Lynx Purchasing. “Casual dining is one of the most dynamic areas of the foodservice market and we’re delighted to be part of the first show dedicated to the sector.”

For further information on exhibiting, contact Chris Brazier on cbrazier@divcom.co.uk. For more information about the exhibition or to register, visit www.casualdiningshow.co.uk.

In the next issue...

So, what do we have in store for the next issue?

Here’s a little taster...

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Issue 3 December 2013

Location Business Design Centre, Islington, London

Main features: gluten free; pizzas Marketing: loyalty schemes Focus on: equality rights for staff How to: improve hygiene in the workplace Equipment focus: beverage equipment Menu: breakfast market

Chicken at its very

best!

www.meadowvalefoods.co.uk Issue 3 December 2013

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47

Kebab

reinvented...

Finally, a precooked and sliced doner

that tastes great!

Just heat and serve No need for a kebab machine (microwave, hotplate etc)

Rolls

Pizza’s

Serving suggestions

Panini’s

Another Double A Kebab Innovation If your wholesaler doesn’t stock Double A, call 0871 423 7123 or email info@doubleakebab.co.uk New wholesale enquiries welcomed