QuickBite Magazine February 2015

Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar comes to life Juice bars

Marketing

Menu

Equipment

A look at how to make a success of your juicing offer

Get six creative ideas to make your marketing budget stretch

Vegetarian/vegan ideas and inspiration for your menu

What should you be looking out for when it comes to contact and Panini grills?

February 2015

Print edition ÂŁ3.25

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

A message from the editor Welcome to the February issue It’s February already and we’ve got another big issue for you, filled with lots to help you in your business.

Last month we were at the Hospitality Show in Birmingham and had a fantastic few days there. Many thanks to those of you who took the time out to come along and say hello – we hope that you had a great Show!

Juice bars remain a popular concept and the variety on offer continues to grow apace due to it being a quick and nutritious menu item that can be made in front of customers. In this issue we take a look at what juicing equipment is available to help you make a success of your juicing offer – as well as giving top tips to help increase sales (pages 14-17).

And when it comes to timing, speed can be everything! Fast food outlets are increasingly turning to e-bikes for their food deliveries. The bikes, which look like a normal cycle but have a small, battery powered engine attached, don’t need licences, do away with petrol costs and can reach speeds of around 15 miles per hour. Lyle Metcalfe of the Electric Bike Store tells us more about this growing trend on pages 18-19.

Keeping costs down is paramount to any business’s success and looking at your utility bills as well as the equipment you use, is key. Find out more in our How to... feature (pages 22-27).

In this issue we’ve also got creative ideas to help make your marketing budget stretch (pages 35-36) as well as ideas for your menu when it comes to catering for vegetarians and vegan diets (pages 37-39); plus so much more.

And now to sign off this issue – and to bid farewell from me! I’m moving onto pastures new, so this is the last issue from me as editor of QuickBite magazine.

EE !

Linda McKeown editor@quickbitemagazine.co.uk Office: +44 (0) 333 003 0499

Editorial contributors Trevor Langley Scott Rumsey

Commercial Manager

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

Advertising sales

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

I’ve had a fantastic time working on the magazine for the last few years and have met some wonderful people along the way – and eaten lots of amazing food too! Many thanks go to all those I have met or spoken to during my time here – and of course to all of our readers. It’s been a pleasure to of been able to bring you the latest news and features to help you in your business.

Finance

Enjoy reading this issue and the magazine will be back again next month.

Simon Warbrook design@quickbitemagazine.co.uk

Best wishes and a fond farewell

FR

Editor

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

Design

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Contents 06

Marketing Six creative ideas to make 35 your marketing budget

14 06

12

Industry news

ere you’ll find all the latest news H about what’s been happening in the industry

A word from...

Getting an award for you or your business is a great way to show off and promote yourself. Ian Dawes, Subway franchisee, tells us more

Features 14

e take a look at what juicing W equipment is available to help you make a success of your juicing offer – as well as giving top tips to help increase sales

peedy e-bikes are on the rise S for city centre deliveries. Lyle Metcalfe of the Electric Bike Store (www.electric-bike-store.co.uk) tells us about this growing trend

20 Kebabs

4

ebab businesses currently K contribute over £2.2 billion annually to the British economy.

We take a look at who’s leading the way in kebabs – revealed with the results of the recent British Kebab Awards

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Issue 17 February 2015

How to...

ips and advice on how to keep T your utility bills down

Focus on...

28

Round-the-clock service calls

for round-the-clock support, advises The Help Desk’s CEO, Dan Smith

Business profile 30 Filthy Cow makes its debut in

Juice bars

Electric bikes & the 18 takeaway industry

22

Manchester this month. Linda McKeown talks to founder Jordan Gallimore to find out how it all began

Food review 44 Trevor Langley tells us about

the little piece of Italy he experienced at Vivo

Accountancy 45

Peter Watters, ACA, takes a

look at the Autumn Budget Statement, which was the final Autumn Statement of the current Parliament ahead of the election in May 2015

Design inspirations 32 Design

Design focus this month is

‘Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar’ – designed by SHH

stretch

hristina Richardson, founder of C The Brand Gathering gives ideas to help make your marketing budget go further

Make your leaflets 40 impactful

op tips to make your leaflets T work for you

Menu Vegetarian/vegan 37

look at menu options when it A comes to catering for vegetarian and/or vegan diets

Equipment 41

Contact/Panini grills

hoose the right contact and C Panini grill to help you meet the demand for quick and tasty food on the go

Property roperty 46 P Take

a look at what properties are available for sale throughout the country, right now

What’s new ew products 48 N

Find out what new products are

now available for the foodservice sector

Diary dates ates for your diary 50 D

Make sure you’re up to date with what events are taking place where in the coming months

Contents 18

20

30

32

40

37

48

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Industry news News in Brief For the third year in succession Pipers Crisps has been voted Britain’s ‘Best Brand’ of savoury snack.

The Lincolnshire-based crisp maker once again topped the survey of speciality food products on sale in UK delicatessens, farm shops and food halls, as voted for by the retailers themselves.

“We’re so proud to have won the ‘Best Brand’ accolade not once, but three times in a row,” says Pipers Crisps’ founder Alex Albone. “It’s an especially important award because it’s voted for by the retailers themselves; our own customers. It shows that we’re not only doing the right things, but we’re also doing them well.

“We believe that Pipers represents something a little bit different. We don’t supply the major supermarkets, so our crisps are not seen everywhere; this fact is appreciated by consumers who value our originality and distinctiveness. It also benefits our retailers who can offer a real point of difference at a sensible margin.”

Specialist management software company CSfD has announced it is working in partnership with Bidvest 3663 to develop its Pentelon product suite that will improve distribution and customer service in the wider supply chain industry.

Pentelon aims to deliver fast and efficient order processing, purchasing, warehouse management and inventory control. The two businesses believe that it will become the new industry standard software as a result of the joint development project.

The partnership builds on an existing relationship between the two organisations and follows the purchase in August 2014 of a 20% stake in CSfD

by BFS Group, the parent company of Bidvest 3663.

The deal is part of an on-going investment strategy in facilities and support services across Bidvest 3663, which makes over 50,000 deliveries a week from 24 depots, and five support centres across the UK. The partnership will also allow CSfD to develop and test the Pentelon software in a controlled commercial environment in order to accelerate the delivery of the best version of the system. The software will remain commercially available for other wholesale and distribution businesses to meet their specific requirements.

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Issue 17 February 2015

Allergen Accreditation awards its first B&I accreditation to Artizian Boutique contract caterer Artizian is celebrating after receiving the first ever Allergen Accreditation in Business and Industry Sector at the Telegraph Media Group headquarters in Victoria, London The accreditation means that the new EU legislation is fully complied with across all of its business, giving customers with allergies the confidence that Artizian can cater to their requirements.

Allergen Accreditation CEO Julian Edwards had high praise for Artizian’s approach to the new legislation: “Artizian have embraced the new EU regulations, going above and beyond the basic requirements and setting industry standards for best practice. The level of engagement and knowledge demonstrated by the whole team, strongly supported by their client, is fantastic”.

In order to meet with the award criteria, Artizian had to implement a fully documented and traceable journey of foods and beverages from supply to service that includes all of the 14 EU food allergens. The awarding body felt that Artizian had shown extreme diligence in questioning labels and allergen information.

Industry guidelines also advise at least one front of house and one back of house Allergen Advisor be present during any one shift. So judges were particularly impressed by the fact that all of Artizian’s on-site staff were able to act as Allergen Advisors and respond to customer queries.

Other elements which the boutique caterer won praise for included their excellent crosscontamination controls, clear customer-friendly signage and an abundance of well-located food allergen charts. Allergen Accreditation CEO Julian Edwards continued: “Essentially Artizian scored Artizian receive Allergen Accreditation Award at Telegraph Media Group HQ

100% from 45 key interrogation areas for the Allergen Accreditation application form that was backed up with supporting evidence.

“This was a real challenge that required skill and determination on their part. It meant new policies, procedures and a new way of handling foods and beverages to remain within the new EU FIC law.”

Judges also commended the way in which Artizian involved their client, Telegraph Media Group, in the process. Ceri Jones, services manager, Telegraph Media Group commented: “Artizian, as always, are ahead of the pack, and completely took over the handling of this for us.

Any worries were allayed as the whole catering team were fully trained, and all labelling in place, months in advance of the 13th December 2014 deadline. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

Naturally staff at Artizian are delighted with the accreditation, as Artizian’s manager for Nutrition and Wellbeing, Catherine Attfield explained: “This accreditation demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that customers with allergies and intolerances can eat with confidence in all of our restaurants.

“We’re thrilled to be leading the sector with the first award. The EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation is a positive and progressive thing for our customers. It caters to the customer need for clearer and more consistent allergen information on all food.

“By helping our customers to make safer food choices, a greater sense of wellbeing is achieved.”

Industry news Great British breakfast boosts profits New research has revealed the profit boosting power of the great British breakfast, with 29% of people choosing to eat the most important meal of the day out-ofhome at least once a week and 52% opting for brunch and dining after 9am The independent research commissioned by Aviko, has revealed a growing window of opportunity for caterers when it comes to breakfast after delving into consumer breakfast eating habits across cafés, hotels, restaurants, bakeries and pubs.

An incredible 75% of people will order a cooked breakfast when kick-starting their day out-ofhome, with 70% most likely to order a ‘Full English’ followed by scrambled eggs on toast. For caterers planning their breakfast menu, the top three items consumers want are sausages and bacon (52%), followed by eggs (23%) and hash browns (18%).

Mohammed Essa, general manager UK and Ireland, Aviko, said: “Caterers who carefully consider their morning menus can really profit.

A large number of people are eating breakfast out-of-home on a regular basis and the window of opportunity to serve it is widening as traditional eating times blur and brunch grows in popularity.

This is all great news for operators looking to deliver the breakfast of champions and Aviko can help.”

The potato product supplier offers a range of breakfast sides including Hash Browns which have become an essential breakfast item for many consumers – in fact, 68% think a great British breakfast should include them!

The research revealed the not so humble bacon

butty to be the nation’s favourite (50%), while 21% of people opted for sausage and 16% preferred a vegetarian breakfast with egg & mushroom.

Mohammed adds: “Not only are they in demand, our research found that 80% of people would expect to pay 50p more if their breakfast was served with a hash brown. This presents an important profit opportunity for caterers – especially given that they can increase the revenue per ticket by as much as 30%+.”

Special diets proved another opportunity for caterers – a staggering 80% of people don’t think there are currently enough gluten-free cooked breakfast choices, while 54% believe vegetarian options are lacking.

Mohammed continues: “The growth in special diets such as gluten-free means it’s essential that caterers offer appropriate menu options to increase traffic through the door and maximise profit. Our Hash Browns are not only suitable for vegetarians, they are also gluten-free, helping caterers tap into the growing market, while giving peace of mind that they appeal to coeliac suffers and non-sufferers alike.”

News in Brief Following a strong year of sales, Eau de Vie – one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of filtered water systems – has announced a new nationwide contract with Gourmet Burger Kitchen, marking their first foray into the casual dining sector.

Eau de Vie, part of the Winterhalter group, has gained big name fans in the last couple of years through its pioneering filtered water including Angela Hartnett, Alan Bird and Eric Chavot, and have been instrumental in driving the sustainability revolution in the hospitality sector.

David Smithson, CEO of Eau de Vie commented: “Operators have previously been faced with two water options – bottled or tap – which could also be seen as choosing between offering an over-indulgent product or simply lacking in customer service. Neither are appealing to either operators or consumers, so it’s no surprise that we have seen a real interest in filtered water.

“As that message spreads across the industry it has reached the mainstream, and we are delighted to have signed a contract with Gourmet Burger Kitchen.”

* Aviko/Toluna, November 2014 + Based on adding a portion of Aviko Hash Browns to a breakfast bap costing approximately £2.50

Pizza Rossa launches rewards scheme

City based, artisanal pizza-by-the-square-slice Pizza Rossa scores another ‘first’ by becoming the first food-to-go operator to introduce a leading-edge rewards scheme

‘Pizza Rossa Rewards’ is a loyalty scheme which employs state-of-the-art technology which uses an Oyster or a contactless bank card to register customers.

By simply tapping their chosen card on the fully integrated till reader, and entering their email address, the two-step account creation allows customers to become registered in less than 30 seconds and start accumulating points straight away (worth £0.10 per £1 spent).

Customers then receive an email with an invitation to complete their registration on the website by logging into http://rewards.pizzarossa. com so that they can monitor the points earned, received money off vouchers to spend in-store and exclusive rewards.

No money is ever taken from either an Oyster or a contactless card, but when the card is swiped on the reader at the till, the Pizza Rossa server can instantly see what discounts are available to the customer and offer them there and then.

Rewards include personalised discounts and vouchers and can also be exchanged for all Pizza Rossa’s products and retail items on sale in store.

Corrado Accardi, founder of Pizza Rossa, comments: “As a growing business, we wanted to

The Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) UK & Ireland has announced the launch of its new UK website, www.fcsihub.org.

have a sleek and fast system to operate a loyalty scheme, as we would rather have our staff interact with the customers and offer them flexibility to accumulate points on every single purchase in our stores.

“Customers love the simplicity and speed of the system, and the ease of getting their rewards. We have only been open for seven months and have two units. Now we have a solid foundation for a loyalty scheme in preparation for our planned roll out.”

Inspired by the street food vendors of Italy, where pizza al taglio – by the square slice – is an urban lunchtime staple, Pizza Rossa is aimed at time-poor city workers offering a delicious and healthier product, easy to eat on the go, conveniently available and served piping hot in just 90 seconds.

The FCSI Hub is the new home for FCSI UK & Ireland news, opinion and statements on industry issues and its latest events. The site, which complements the existing FCSI Worldwide website, will also showcase the expertise of its UK members through case studies and product launches.

Niccola Boyd-Stevenson, Chairman, FCSI UK & Ireland says: “With over 250 active members in the UK – including consultants, contract caterers and equipment manufacturers – we have unrivalled experience and insight into the foodservice industry.

“The FCSI Hub gives us a great platform to share our expertise with the wider industry and demonstrate the value FCSI members can add to a range of businesses. It also forms part of our digital strategy, which reflects our commitment to embracing new trends and remaining current.”

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Industry news News in Brief Manufacturing authentic stone hearth pizza ovens, rotisseries, char-broilers and more for over 20 years, Wood Stone has become an instantly recognised brand for caterers throughout the industry.

And now Jestic, the exclusive UK distributors for Wood Stone products, has announced a ten year comprehensive warranty on a number of ovens in the range.

The extension to the warranty covers appliances under the Wood Stone Mountain, Bistro and Firedeck series and includes a complete parts and labour warranty backed by Jestic’s own nationwide service team of factory trained engineers.

“This new ten year warranty represents a significant step in the catering equipment market, not only reaffirming our confidence in the quality of Wood Stone appliances and their continued reliability, but also being able to provide operators with the added peace of mind associated with a ten year comprehensive warranty,” says Michael Eyre, product direct at Jestic Foodservice Equipment.

Workplace equipment supplier Slingsby has published its latest catalogue and reduced prices across thousands of its best selling products that appeal to the hospitality and leisure industries.

Slingsby supplies more than 35,000 workplace products to all industries through its website and catalogue and the company is investing an estimated £½ million in its ‘Price Drop’ campaign which will see it reduce or hold prices on over 8,000 products.

Lee Wright, marketing director at Slingsby, says: “We already enjoy a longstanding reputation for being one of the UK’s largest and most reliable suppliers of workplace equipment and our new campaign is all about cementing this position by ensuring we provide even better value.

“In recent months we have worked hard renegotiating supplier contracts and further expanding our global supplier network, which has enabled us to identify a wide range of cost saving opportunities without compromising on product quality or service levels.”

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Issue 17 February 2015

Bidvest 3663 showcases cheese range with new online tool One of the UK’s leading foodservice providers, Bidvest 3663, has created a digital cheese guide to help its customers maximise the opportunities that cheese can hold on their menus The guide provides information about cheese varieties, tempting accompaniments, guidance on which wines to pair with cheese and advice on how to widen the appeal of cheese boards by positioning them as sharing platters.

Available as a digital PDF from the Bidvest 3663 website, ‘Your Perfect Cheese Guide’ has been designed to make it easier for foodservice venues to choose the cheese which best suits their menu and customers. By bringing the full range together in one place customers can view everything easily and Bidvest 3663’s sales team can use the guide to deliver a more personalised service.

The comprehensive guide provides customers with information on 190 cheese products which have been carefully selected to suit a wide range of customer needs and price points. It includes regional specialities from Great Britain and Europe, such as Cornish Yarg, Irish Cashel Blue and Austrian smoked cheese; a convenience range comprising grated, sliced and individually portioned cheese including Monteray Jack slices and grated Mozzarella to save chefs valuable time; and salad and cooking varieties like Mevgal Greek Feta Wedge and Alambra Halloumi Cheese to help chefs expand the eating occasions for cheese.

To help operators make the most of upselling opportunities and increase profits, the guide also includes notes on pairing cheese with wine that can be used as a simple reference guide, while information about cheese types and production

processes help operators and their teams to become more knowledgeable about the cheese they sell.

Graeme McKenzie, head of offer development at Bidvest 3663 said: “Cheese is a diverse and versatile category that holds masses of menu potential for our customers. That’s why we have brought all product information and expert knowledge together in one user-friendly reference guide to help them make the most of the opportunities.”

The guide also presents market insights and statistics to help customers and Bidvest 3663’s sales team make informed product choices.

Graeme added: “Cheese is a key category for any foodservice provider as it has so many applications, so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for our customers to make best use of it on their menus.”

World’s first crisp sandwich shop sells out A pop-up cafe selling crisp sandwiches at the core of their menu were forced to close just two hours after opening in order to fulfil demand Simply Crispy in Belfast is the brainchild of Andrew McMenamin who decided to transform his business - That Wee Cafe - after seeing the success of another quirky concept, the Cereal Killer Cafe in London.

The business based in Bedford Street was said to be overwhelmed as they opened their doors and offered customers soup, chips and a crisp sandwich for just £3.

The cafe boasts 35 different flavours of crisps from brands such as Tayto and Walkers and they can be paired with a variety of breads and sauces.

For those looking to rekindle those childhood memories it is also possible to buy lovely crisps such as Frazzles, Onion Rings and Monster Munch.

These inclusions on the menu are sure to get the customers nostalgic and Mr McMenamin told reporters: “I have been told it is a world’s first.

“It is a school thing, people remember it from

their school days, it is a classic and it is oldschool.

“At the moment we are riding on the back of the publicity the Cereal Killer Cafe got in London.”

The concept is only expected to stay open for a few weeks but Mr McMenamin added that he would play it by ear based on the popularity of the idea.

Industry news UK Coffee Leader Summit aims to ‘Transform the High Street’

Renowned speakers and thought leaders from within the coffee industry will converge on the Langham Hotel, London, on 27 February 2015 for the Allegra UK Coffee Leader Summit

The leading industry conference is dedicated to the UK coffee shop and food-to-go sector and the 2015 conference which is titled ‘Transforming the High Street’ will see renowned figures from across the UK coffee industry and leading global organisations join the exciting speaker line-up to share thought leadership, growth strategies and pioneering expert insights.

These industry leaders will reflect on how the coffee sector is transforming the UK High Street, as well as explore how changing consumer behaviour, economic factors and technology are changing the coffee shop of today.

With the presence of branded and independent coffee shops boosting local high street economies by 2 to 4% (Source: The Role of Coffee Shops on the High Street 2014 report, Allegra Strategies), coffee shops have become an integral part of the British high street, with the power to increase footfall, stimulate frequency of consumer visits, and regenerate local areas.

As coffee shops evolve into destinations, work spaces, and community meeting points, the UK Coffee Leader Summit seeks to discover how leading branded coffee chains and independents are capitalising on this trend, and what this means for the future.

The itinerary for the day will begin with an insight-focussed first session as Jeffrey Young, managing director of the Allegra Group, presents key findings from Project Cafe15. During his time on stage, Jeffrey will provide a snapshot of the state of the industry and look at stand-out trends of the last 12 months. Following this he will be joined by Mark Fox, managing director of Starbucks UK, to discuss the evolution of the coffee shop as they become high street destinations.

The morning session will concludes with a panel

of industry experts seeking to answer ‘How coffee can help us build a better high street’.

Some of the confirmed speakers and panellists for the event include: • Jeffrey Young - managing director, Allegra Group • Mark Fox - managing mirector, Starbucks • Luke Lang - founder, Crowdcube • Tim Hall - founder, POD • Mark Lilley - founder and Managing Director, Abokado • Ben Warner - founder, Benugo • Afroditi Krassa - founder, Afroditi Krassa The afternoon session, titled ‘Coffeepreneurs’, will explore how entrepreneurship within the coffee shop sector has shaped the industry, with four founders sharing their insights and experiences as well as talking about growth opportunities, the importance of coffee to the bottom line in a food focused business and their work with Public Spaces.

The UK Coffee Leader Summit is a key date in the coffee industry calendar where more than 250 senior executives from the branded coffee shop, food-to-go and food-for-now sectors will gather to debate, discuss, celebrate, share and network.

Coffee shop to offer private tuition

With an increasing number of students relying on a caffeine fix to keep them awake during any late night revision, one cafe in Swindon has decided to incorporate the two and help those struggling with their learning

The Swindon Tuition Centre which is headed

by Luke Wareham, will operate out of the cafe,Baila,which he also co-owns and will offer private tuition every Monday and Tuesday.

Those seeking help can attend sessions between 3.30pm and 8.30pm in the ‘Little Lounge’ above the cafe. These sessions will be held by nine different tutors and will cover a range of topics including Maths and English.

Speaking to the Swindon Advertiser, Luke said: “We’ve been running out of Baila for two weeks now and it’s really exciting.

“It’s been hard work to organise everything. I also own Baila so it provided a good opportunity to expand and make use of the space here in the evenings.

“It also means that if parents wanted to they can leave their children here while they go to the shops, or they could even go to one of the Old Town restaurants since sessions last for an hour and 20 minutes, which gives plenty of time to do that.”

The sessions are open to children aged between six and 19 years-old and there are currently 12 children taking part in the scheme.

News in Brief Katherine McCarthy, coffee specialist at UCC Coffee UK & Ireland, is now a Q Grader – one of the industry’s highest accolades – having passed the challenging Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) course.

The professional qualification positions Katherine among the best coffee specialists in the UK and the world – there’s only 4,000 specialists who have passed the qualification globally. To qualify as a Q Grader, specialists undertake a rigorous six day course, which includes three days of exams on over 20 different coffee areas, including sensory triangulation (selecting the odd one out based on coffee origin), coffee cupping (to identify coffee regions and origins) and green grading (ascertaining defects in green beans).

Elaine Higginson, managing director, UCC Coffee UK & Ireland, comments: “Coffee quality is at the heart of our business and we are committed to continually delivering the best products to our customers.

“Katherine’s fantastic achievement reflects both her individual and professional passion for coffee and further cements her coffee credentials.

She’s a real asset to our team and her Q Grade status demonstrates just how dedicated our team is to recognising quality coffee in everything we do and developing it further.”

For many whisky aficionados out there, the thought of adding water, coke or even ice to their favourite tipple is seen as sacrilege, as is the thought that the ‘world’s best’ would come from anywhere but the spirit’s ancestral home of Scotland.

Yet this is exactly what has happened, following critic Jim Murray’s decision to name the Yamasaki distillery’s Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 as the best in the world in the Whisky Bible 2015.

The move sees the whisky, produced in the outskirts of Kyoto, beat 1000 other competitors to the prestigious title and with it become the first Japanese product to win the award.

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Industry news News in Brief Chocolate fans around the country may notice something a little different this Easter, after Cadbury’s confirmed that they would be making changes to the beloved Creme Egg. The seasonal favourite will have the signature Dairy Milk chocolate swapped out of the shell, for what is being referred to as a “standard cocoa mix.”

It is believed that the standard mix will see the percentage of cocoa solids used drop from 14% to 9% and that the product will become sweeter, moving away from that famous Dairy Milk taste.

US based company Kraft who took over Cadbury’s in 2010 are sure to face scrutiny for the change but have defended their position by saying: “It’s no longer Dairy Milk. It’s similar, but not exactly Dairy Milk.

“We tested the new one with consumers. It was found to be the best one for the Creme Egg, which is why we’ve used it this year.

“The Creme Egg has never been called the Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Creme Egg. We have never played on the fact that Dairy Milk chocolate was used.”

Another change will see the end of the traditional ‘half dozen’ with the number of Creme Eggs in a multi-pack being reduced from 6 to 5 whilst retailing at the same price as the original boxes.

Advertisers looking for new and inventive ways to get their message across, have put their mouth where their money is so to speak with many food outlets now turning to advertising on ATM screens to secure extra lunchtime sales.

According to research by Crowd DNA on behalf of ATM advertising specialist atmAd, the campaign seems to be working.

In total, 268 respondents gave their views on lunch time habits and advertising having visited the cash points which covered a national area and displayed various campaigns before, during and after the ATM transaction, highlighting special offers.

During the past 12 months, global brands – including Kellogg’s, Unilever, Wrigley’s, McDonald’s, Cadbury’s and Pizza Hut – have used atmAd to promote their products and influence customer purchasing decisions in prime retail locations.

The research demonstrated consumer campaign recall was as high as 60%, rising to 80% when prompted. Almost half of the respondents were more likely to visit the advertised store to purchase their lunch as a direct result of seeing the atmAd campaign.

Ads were also printed on ATM receipts, a unique atmAd feature often used for distributing vouchers and barcodes, given to consumers alongside their withdrawn cash.

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Healthier eating hots up in Nottinghamshire Takeaway businesses across Nottinghamshire are being supported to offer healthier choices to their customers in a new Healthier Options Takeaway merit (HOT) scheme launched by Nottinghamshire County Council with Environmental Health partners at Nottinghamshire’s district and borough councils The Healthier Options Takeaway project, which forms part of an approach to reduce obesity in Notts, rewards takeaways and sandwich shops that make simple changes to how they prepare, cook or display their food to make it that little bit healthier.

Offering more choice to customers will also give a competitive advantage to businesses in a market where people are increasingly looking for ways to achieve a balanced diet.

Businesses that meet the criteria for the scheme will be able to display the HOT branding in their premises to let customers know that healthier options are available, and will be added to an online database on the Nottinghamshire County Council website; www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/hot.

Takeaways will be scored on how they already sell and promote healthier alternatives, and are being asked to make at least three new pledges to make changes to their menu or practices.

The launch of the HOT scheme is just part of a wider approach to tackling obesity in Nottinghamshire, where two in three adults are estimated to be overweight or obese. Excess weight and poor diet is linked to a range of long term illnesses including type-2 diabetes, cardio-vascular disease, heart disease and certain cancers.

Councillor Joyce Bosnjak, Chair of the Nottinghamshire Health and Wellbeing Board said: “Tackling obesity is a priority for the Health and Wellbeing Board, and looking at ways in which we can help people to achieve a more balanced diet when eating outside of the home is just one of the ways we’re looking at addressing this issue.

“Particularly in the New Year, we’re all thinking a little bit more about our diet. This isn’t about making sweeping changes to how people eat, but about working with businesses and residents to consider different ways of preparing or serving food so that people can still have that treat, but without some of the guilt.”

The HOT scheme has been trialled in Rushcliffe and is being launched at one of the outlets which has been registered since early 2014, Café Olive on Radcliffe Road in West Bridgford which has been offering hot and cold breakfasts and lunches for nine years.

Mr Saied Omoomian, Café Olive owner said: “We’re delighted to continue to be part of the HOT merit scheme, and the healthier options that we offer have been really welcomed by our customers.

It’s good for business if we can offer customers what they want, and we’re also aware of our responsibility to the health of our community.”

Restaurant voted ‘Britain’s Favourite Chinese’ secures investment

Chop Chop Restaurants, which appeared on the Channel 4 series ‘Gordon Ramsey’s F-Word’ and was voted Britain’s Favourite Chinese restaurant in both 2010 and 2012, has teamed up with crowdfunding platform Angels Den in order to raise capital for development of its winning concept across the UK in a national roll-out Chop Chop restaurants selected Angels Den to help them raise finances by offering customers a choice to either invest in shares, or to donate £100 in return for meal vouchers.

Lois Cook, co-founder of Angels Den said: “Donation/reward crowdfunding for serious business is the new market research. It enables companies to check that their product or service is something their customers actually want, before incurring set up costs.

“Chop Chop now have a group of loyal customers ready to use the restaurants as soon as they are open and it takes a lot of the guesswork out of business expansion.”

Since opening the first of two Chop Chop Restaurants in Edinburgh back in 2006, the owners

have witnessed the business grow; as they serve their 20,000+ loyal customers, quality dishes from Northeastern Chinese cuisine.

With two AA rossettes accredited to each restaurant, twice winning the title of ‘Britain’s Favourite Chinese Restaurant’ and an appearance on Gordon Ramsey’s F-Word under its belt, Chop Chop Restaurants has already positioned itself as an industry leader in the restaurant business.

Roy King, the co-owner of Chop Chop Restaurants said: “It’s no surprise that there has been an enormous rise in the popularity of ethnic food, especially Asian, in recent years.

Chop Chop offers a very distinctive, inexpensive dining experience, and we aspire to become a wellknown brand across the UK.”

Industry news Minister to open ScotHot 2015 as part of Scottish Tourism Week

Fergus Ewing MSP, Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism is to open ScotHot, Scotland’s event for the food, drink, hospitality and tourism industry

ScotHot runs from 4th-5th March 2015 at Glasgow’s SECC as part of Scottish Tourism Week’s Signature Programme. Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing said: “2014 has been a hugely successful year for Scottish tourism, with the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup and Scottish Homecoming all shining the global spotlight on our fantastic country and providing a boost to tourism.

“Looking forward to 2015, the Year of Food & Drink is a chance to build on this success and build a strong, high quality experience that visitors will remember that will keep them returning to Scotland for many years. We will celebrate Scotland’s natural larder and quality produce with Scots and visitors alike, ScotHot provides the perfect platform to do this.”

ScotHot will bring together suppliers of food and drink; catering equipment; décor and design; tableware and technology products with chefs and buyers from hotels, restaurants, bars, catering outlets and tourism destinations. The show will also include the 30th Scottish Culinary Championships, which challenges chefs to create show-stopping food sculptures as well as being judged in a live cook-off.

Visitors will also be treated to a line-up of experts giving business advice and workshops at The Spotlight Stage. Cutting edge developments in catering equipment will be showcased in the CESA Innovation Zone, providing the largest collection of

Frankie’s Fish & Chips in Brae, Shetland, Scotland, is now officially the best fish and chip shop in the UK after frying out on top at the 2015 National Fish & Chip Awards, organised by Seafish.

The shop was crowned the Independent Takeaway Fish and Chip Shop of the Year by awards host and voice of food and drink reason on BBC Radio 2, Nigel Barden, during a prestigious ceremony at the Lancaster London Hotel in London in January.

new catering products available anywhere on the market.

ScotHot is part of Scottish Tourism Week’s Signature Programme, which brings together other must-attend events for the hospitality industry including the Scottish Tourism Industry Conference; Scottish Tourism Week Dinner with a Difference and the ‘Oscars’ of the Scottish tourism industry, the Scottish Thistle Awards.

Train operator, ScotRail have agreed to extend a 20% discount on rail travel to all tourism and hospitality professionals travelling to attend the 2015 Scottish Tourism Week Signature Programme of events in Glasgow over the period 2nd-6th March 2015.

For the latest show news, exhibitor information and to register for the show visit www.scothot.co.uk.

Search to find the best in the North West begins The search to find the cream of the North West of England’s young cooking talent has begun again, with entries into Essential Cuisine’s 2015 North West Young Chef of the year competition now open

Now in its 13th year, the contest invites young people from across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Flintshire, Merseyside, Cheshire and Cumbria to compete against each other to produce a threecourse meal for two with an emphasis on local and seasonal produce.

Regional heats are set to take place in March and April, with a grand final scheduled for 7th May. Alongside the kudos of being crowned the North West Young Chef of the Year, the eventual winner will receive £500 and automatically qualify for the semi-finals of The Young National Chef of the Year competition.

Introduced three years ago, county heat winners also get to attend a masterclass with an acclaimed chef prior to the final as an opportunity to hone particular skills with the industry’s best. 2014 finalists enjoyed a session with Aiden Byrne at Manchester House, and also met the renowned Pierre Koffmann.

Essential Cuisine managing director, Nigel Crane, said: “The competition serves as a timely reminder that supreme cooking talent in the North West of England is alive and kicking. I urge chefs, 23 or

News in Brief

under, that value their place at the pass to sign up today.”

Over the years, the contest has produced some spectacular results, overseen by a panel of regional judges including big names such as: Steven Doherty, Lisa Allen, Christopher Basten, Marcus Bean and Sean Kelly.

2014’s winner, Danny Young from Accrington, a chef at Nigel Haworth’s reputed Northcote Manor, wowed the judges with a “well researched” and “sublimely constructed” menu of local and seasonal produce.

Valerie Johnson, owner of Frankie’s Fish & Chips, said: “We now get to go home to Shetland and say that our fish and chips are the best in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales - without exception. How amazing is that.

“This is the highlight of my working life.

I can’t thank Seafish and my brilliant team enough. You’re a credit to the seafood industry. 2015 is Frankie’s year.”

The final ten places were shortlisted during earlier judging rounds which included unannounced shop visits from industry judges. They were assessed on a wide variety of judging criteria including product quality, sustainable sourcing policies, marketing initiatives and customer service.

Paul Williams, chief executive of Seafish, commented: “Every year we see new and established talent vie for the top title, and the competition gets fiercer each year. This year was no exception and the judges were faced with a particularly tricky job in determining a winner.

“Frankie’s Fish & Chips stood out throughout the judging process. Their passion and determination has to be admired. I would like to offer my warmest congratulations and wish them the best success in the future.”

Healthy fast food chain pod have become the first UK stockist for gourmet popcorn brand Love popcorn.

Over 20 stores across London are stocking the range of healthier wholegrain snacks as part of their food to go range.

Frances McDavid from Pod said: “We are thrilled to be the first stockists of Love Popcorn.

“It’s a great gourmet popcorn handmade using traditional artisan methods. Not only are their products healthier and low in fat, they are also high in antioxidants and gluten free so they are a great choice for our customers.”

Pod offers all five of Love Popcorn’s flavours which include Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper, Fiery Salsa and Salty Sweet.

Richard Furze, director of Love Popcorn said: “We are very happy to now be stocked in all pod stores.

“They have a great brand and a vision that mirrors ours for Love Popcorn”

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A word from...

And the winner is...

Getting an award for you or your business is a great way to show off and promote yourself. Ian Dawes, Subway franchisee, tells us more Ian Dawes, Subway franchisee

The awards season is here again and February will see plenty of celebrities on the red carpet with the Bafta’s in London and the Oscars in America.

Every year millions of pounds are spent by sponsors to help promote awards ceremonies that celebrate music, movies and the media industry at large.

So what has this got to do with the quick service industry? Getting an award for you or your business is a great way to show off and promote yourself to your local media and your customers. Just a nomination alone is a real honour and well worth sharing publically.

In 2012 I was lucky enough to be made ‘Franchisee of the year’ for Subway® in the UK and Ireland, both regionally and nationally and it’s something I’m incredibly proud of. The following year I won a regional award for local store marketing within Subway® and since then have picked up nominations from the lunch business awards and the Oliver restaurant awards in Leeds.

The great thing about this is you’re given the chance to promote yourself in the local press for free and your customers will feel reassured by your skills and talents. With these awards 12

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I’ve made hundreds of column inches in local press, featured on local TV and have been interviewed on two local radio stations. Normally this would cost you thousands of pounds to achieve when trying to market your business. So you can see there’s real value to getting involved in these events, especially as they cost nothing to enter and have a far reaching appeal.

“Getting an award for you or your business is a great way to show off and promote yourself to your local media and your customers” If you fancy a go yourself just look online and search for awards relating to your business or sector. There are so many awards linked to the food industry but here’s a few of the biggest: •T he BFA Franchisee of the year Awards • The Catey Awards

• • • •

The Casual Dining Awards Lunch Business Awards The Fish and Chip Awards The Franchise Marketing Awards

But don’t stop there though. You could also apply for business or entrepreneur awards like the Daily Telegraph’s national business awards or European business awards. You could try to see if there are smaller more local awards run by the Chamber of Commerce or local paper. There’s even a ‘loo of the year’ awards for those businesses with immaculate toilets!

If you do find something you want to enter, remember that just a nomination could get you some press attention and help raise your profile. When entering always remember to be honest in your application – don’t boast about your business, just offer the facts and support your application with suitable documents or financial information. So, best of luck to you and maybe we’ll see you on the pages of QuickBite magazine holding a trophy in a few months’ time!

Editor’s note: All written content is the personal view and opinion of Ian Dawes and does not necessarily reflect those of Subway® and its affiliates. All content is correct at time of going to press.

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Juice bars

Ensuring consistent quality when it comes to a diverse juice bar menu requires consideration as to the type of commercial blending or juice equipment used, says Jestic

Get juicing Juice bars remain a popular concept and the variety on offer continues to grow apace. Here we take a look at what juicing equipment is available to help you make a success of your juicing offer – as well as giving top tips to help increase sales “Often regarded as a healthy alternative to many processed soft drinks within the beverage industry, freshly prepared juice and smoothie products provide operators with an opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and flair, while also achieving excellent 14

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profit margins,” says Michael Eyre, product director at Jestic Foodservice Equipment.

“With the popularity of juice bars having taken a sharp rise in recent times following the push for a

healthier lifestyle and the benefits of consuming fresh fruit and vegetables more prominent than ever, producing a product that is perceived as good for you, yet packed full of flavour is a real win-win situation for the caterer - especially at a time when many

Juice bars consumers continue to hang onto last of their new year resolutions.”

However, Michael says that ensuring consistent quality when it comes to a diverse juice bar menu requires consideration as to the type of commercial blending or juice equipment used.

“Vitamix has been the manufacturer of choice for operators around the world for over 70 years, helping to deliver diverse and successful juice and smoothie menus,” advises Michael.

“Delivering consistency through

“Freshly prepared juice and smoothie products provide operators with an opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and flair, while also achieving excellent profit margins”

improved speeds, customisable program selection and enhanced blend techniques, the range of countertop appliances are renowned for reliability.”

The Vitamix BarBoss Advance® is said to be a smart and efficient blender featuring six optimised program settings for consistent blends and a pulse function to quickly refresh a drink. It also features automatic shut off, which allows the operator to prepare the juice and start the blend, before continuing with the rest of the customer’s order, safe in the knowledge the unit will automatically stop when finished.

For establishments looking to create a relaxing atmosphere, the Vitamix ‘The Quiet One®’ from Jestic features a magnetically secured sound cover and advanced vibration-dampening technology to make it up to four times quieter than the competition. The unit also includes variable speed and 34 programmes.

What’s more, both the Vitamix BarBoss® and ‘The Quiet One®’ are fully customisable so the customer can work with one of Jestic’s blending experts to create the perfect blend for their specific menu.

“For those looking for the ultimate in natural juice and juicing techniques without the requirement to blend multiple flavours into one drink, Zumex is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of automatic juicers to the catering industry,” says Michael. “Building on over 25 years of experience, the brand offers caterers a range of appliances to suit the needs of their beverage offering.

Jestic says that freshly prepared juice and smoothie products provide operators with an opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and flair

“Take for example the Multi Fruit, the most advanced juicer on the market.

Designed to extract the greatest amount of juice from any fruit or vegetable, the Multi Fruit uses centrifugal force and an advanced filtering system to obtain the best performance and pulp-free juice every time. Simple and easy to use, the operator simply places whole items into the funnel, allowing the machine to extract the juice in seconds.

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Juice bars and pulp from the fruit is collected neatly in the bin at the back of the machine, aiding quick and easy cleaning after use.

Nisbets believes that its Santos Centrifugal Juice Extractor – ‘Miracle Edition’ is a ‘must have’ piece of equipment for juice bars

“Quickly filling jugs, glasses or bottles, the operator is then able to serve 100% natural juice within seconds of being squeezed. Using a hard-wearing blade, the Multi Fruit is also capable of juicing even the toughest of ingredients including apple, pear and even carrot, for a delicious tasting, fresh and healthy juice.”

Increase profit Establishments are bound to benefit from the nation’s New Year health kick, and subsequent demand for healthier options. For outlets offering a grab and go service in particular, this recent shift in consumer behaviour and attitudes towards natural and organic ingredients has meant that nutritious drinks have become much more favourable than their sugary counterparts.

“For operators looking to increase sales in this profitable area, you must first identify the varieties of juice you’ll be serving in relation to your operation,” advises Guy Cooper, managing director at Mitchell & Cooper. “For example, a juice bar within a vegetarian café may choose to implement a juice menu encompassing a wider variety of exotic fruits and vegetables, as well as superfoods such as wheatgrass, in comparison to smaller outlets looking to provide a comprehensive range of citrus juices.

“The juicing equipment should then be chosen, as capabilities vary depending on ingredients, so this is crucial to avoid menu restriction.”

The Omega Citrus Juicer from Mitchell & Cooper is said to be a great starting point. “With citrus juices generally being the most popular amongst a wide range of consumer groups, utilising the durable Citrus Juicer offers long-term productivity in commercial environments and will add longevity to the juicing trend,” continues Guy. “And for more ambitious operators, the Omega Megamouth Juicer is the ideal next step, 16

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“For outlets offering a grab and go service in particular, this recent shift in consumer behaviour and attitudes towards natural and organic ingredients has meant that nutritious drinks have become much more favourable”

as it is designed to accommodate larger portions as well as whole fruits. It makes light work of juicing larger ingredients, and as such, is very well-suited to busier outlets, or those who have found juicing to be a particularly popular area of their beverage menu.”

With talk of super-foods, detox-diets and advice on the best way to get your ‘5 a day’, it’s no surprise that consumers are becoming increasingly healthconscious. This focus on nutrition has seen the demand for healthy drinks rise, with juice bars fast becoming a firm favourite with consumers looking to get that ‘feel good’ feeling.

“Operators can tap in to this healthy

Juice bars juice trend with one piece of ‘must have’ equipment – the Santos Centrifugal Juice Extractor – ‘Miracle Edition’,” says Heather Beattie, Santos brand manager, Nisbets Plc. “A result of 60 years of worldwide experience the new generation model more powerful and robust than ever before, boasting an exceptional output of up to 140 litres per hour.”

“The extra-wide feeding tube means fruits and vegetables can be fed in whole – so no need to waste time chopping! And the new patented Ezy-Clean System™ II makes cleaning simple.

Incorporating buzz words such as ‘Fibre Active’ and ‘3 of your 5 a day’ to your juice offering can help to

The Omega Citrus Juicer from Mitchell & Cooper

“If customers can see that their order is being made fresh, not only are they more willing to wait until their drink is ready, but it means you can charge a more premium price” increase their perceived value, as can making drinks fresh to order in front of customers.

“Not only will they enjoy the theatre associated with it, they’ll also appreciate being served a quality beverage which not only looks great, but tastes great too. If customers can see that their order is being made fresh, not only are they more willing to wait until their drink is ready, but it means you can charge a more premium price.”

The Natural Food Show launches new juicing championship for 2015 The Natural Food Trade Show, taking place 19th-20th April at the new venue of ExCel London, is launching a new, live juicing competition for 2015 The UK’s Juicing Championship, sponsored

by Juico, will see professional juicers compete to be crowned the UK Juicing Champion 2015.

According to research firm IBISWorld, juicing has seen steady growth over the past five years in the UK, driven by a rise in health awareness1. The competition will be judged as much on health benefits as it will flavour, with marks also awarded for looks and originality.

The UK’s Juicing Championship will take place on Sunday 19th April in the ‘new’ Natural Food Kitchen Demonstration Theatre at Natural & Organic Products Europe. During three heats, contestants will be judged by show visitors, with the winners going on to the final. Industry judges will include nutrition experts Christine Bailey and Dale Pinnock. The winner will claim national recognition as the

industry’s top juicer and win a Juico juicer worth over £300.

From cafés and juice bars to health food stores, all juicing professionals are welcome to enter the UK Juicing Championship. Entries are now open and entry forms can be submitted online at www.naturalproducts.co.uk/ juicingchampionships/. To be eligible, all juices must be made up of at least 75% pure juice and the remaining 25% can be made up of other ingredients such as superfoods and milk that can be blended with the juice. Entries close on Friday 6th March 2015.

organic, Fairtrade, sustainable, ethical, free-from, eco and healthy-living products on offer, from over 600 exhibitors.

Natural & Organic Products Europe will celebrate its 19th anniversary at the new venue of ExCel London. The event sees over 9’500 health, beauty, and food professionals from across the UK and Europe discover the best quality natural,

Registration is now open for Natural & Organic Products Europe. For more information and to register for a free trade only pass, please visit www. naturalproducts.co.uk and quote priority code NPG30.

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Electric bikes & the takeaway industry

Faster fast food

Speedy e-bikes are on the rise for city centre deliveries. Lyle Metcalfe of the Electric Bike Store (www.electric-bike-store.co.uk) tells us more about this growing trend Fast food outlets are increasingly turning to e-bikes for their food deliveries. The bikes, which look like a normal cycle but have a small, battery powered engine attached, don’t need licences, do away with petrol costs and can reach speeds of around 15 miles per hour.

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“Fast food outlets in the UK are relishing this new way to get food to customers�

Their size, speed and lack of running costs make electric bikes the ideal choice for fast food delivery, particularly in cities. As well as avoiding congestion (and its associated charges in inner London), e-bikes are completely silent, meaning they are ideal for late night deliveries in quiet residential areas.

Electric bikes & the takeaway industry that Transport For London has been consulting him about a planned electric Boris bike trial for the city in 2015.

Philip McGuinness’ Tootoomoo brand operates restaurants in London’s Highgate, Crouch End and Islington.

The growing chain provides good quality Pan Asian food to eat in and for delivery.

“We pride ourselves on a largely organic food and drink offer, with gluten free, dairy free and vegan options,” he said.

“Sales are increasing around the world, with particular popularity in Japan, Netherlands, Germany and now the UK” “We’re passionate about recycling and all of our packaging is biodegradable. Our customers love to see our delivery guys on their e-bikes.

A visible commitment to sustainability in business is important for our brand and our electric bikes form a key part of this”.

The help from the engine means the deliverer can cover more ground, more quickly, whether it’s uphill or against the wind.

One fast food operator has been a fan since he opened his first restaurant in 2012 – and is such an advocate

But for Philip, whose CV includes stints with Tesco, Dairy Gold and Jurys Inn, going electric is not just about customer perceptions.

“Recruiting reliable delivery drivers is tough,” he said. “With the never ending growth in internet sales, drivers are increasingly in demand. Providing e-bikes means we can employ drivers who don’t have a motorbike licence”.

Tootoomoo currently uses around 15 e-bikes to deliver dishes including sashimi, sushi, noodles, frozen yoghurt and even cocktails. With a cost of between £500 and £1,000 each, Philip

feels they are a good investment and plans to purchase more as he grows his business. “We make sure our electric bikes are washed every week and we looked after them well,” he said. “They are an asset to our brand and to our company.”

But while fast food vendors in the UK are just waking up to the benefits of e-bikes, they’ve become so popular in New York they’ve been branded dangerous nuisances and banned.

Outlets being found to use the bikes for deliveries will be slapped with a fine of up to $1,000, although that hasn’t stopped many of them. Some disgruntled members of the public say they’re dangerous, with their ability to reach significant speeds in complete silence, and that they’re the cause of many accidents. But with New York Police Department not differentiating between electric bikes and normal cycles in its accident reports, it’s not certain whether e-bikes are any more dangerous than the traditional variety.

One thing that is certain is their popularity among fast food outlets, particularly in the Chinese community.

The Chinese Staff and Worker’s Association has organised a petition to repeal the ban, saying it is destroying their livelihoods. They say e-bikes allow them to make more deliveries, much faster, increasing the number of tips they receive in a shift and topping up low pay.

The New York authorities seem to be on their own with their dislike of electric bikes. Sales are increasing around the world, with particular popularity in Japan, Netherlands, Germany and now the UK. It’s not hard to see why: for outlets that rely on cycle power for deliveries, e-bikes increase the delivery area and food arrives quicker and hotter. Those who have used e-bikes to replace deliveries by car or van are helping to reduce the impact of their business on the environment, as well as reducing fuel costs.

While the authorities in New York argue over whether to lift the ban, fast food outlets in the UK are relishing this new way to get food to customers.

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Kebabs

A look at kebabs

Kebab businesses currently contribute over £2.2 billion annually to the British economy. QuickBite takes a look at who’s leading the way in kebabs – revealed with the results of the recent British Kebab Awards

The third annual British Kebab Awards took place on 7th January in London, with restaurants and suppliers across the UK celebrating as they were honoured for their contribution to the industry.

Attended by over 1,200 people, awards were presented for a total of 14 categories following a competitive nomination process.

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A panel of judges including MPs Nadhim Zahawi, Jonathan Reynolds, Andy Love and Keith Vaz, as well

as Baroness Hussein-Ece, helped decide the winners of each category – although anyone could vote for their

“The British kebab industry contributes over £2.2 billion annually to the British economy, supporting around 200,000 jobs across restaurants, suppliers and the food industry in the UK”

Kebabs favourite kebab outlet from a shortlist for each category.

The Awards have become a fixture in the annual food awards calendar, and celebrate the growing contribution of the kebab industry to the UK. The British kebab industry contributes over £2.2 billion annually to the British economy, supporting around 200,000 jobs across restaurants, suppliers and the food industry in the UK. There are also around 200 doner kebab manufacturers in the UK, with a turnover in excess of £750m.

The first kebab shop opened in North London in 1966 and there are now over 20,000 kebab outlets in the UK selling an estimated 1.3m kebabs every day!

“The first kebab shop opened in North London in 1966 and there are now over 20,000 kebab outlets in the UK selling an estimated 1.3m kebabs every day”

supply the UK kebab market with the best quality charcoal, combined with a fast, efficient and reliable service.

“The British Kebab awards has quickly established itself to be the premier event in our industry and when we saw how well organised and respected the awards had become we wanted to get involved. Big K is proud to be associated with the British Kebab awards and we look forward to seeing it grow from strength to strength over the coming years.”

And the winners are...

Below are the winners from the 3rd annual British Kebab Awards

The awards are sponsored by one of the UK’s largest takeaway websites Just Eat, as well as Big K and Bulldog Energy Drinks, with the aim of showcasing the wide range of restaurants serving kebab styled food.

Ibrahim Dogus, director founder of the British Kebab Awards, said: “These awards are a true celebration of kebabs as a Great British institution, and recognise the contribution of the industry throughout the country.

“There was a very high standard of nominees for every category, and I am delighted that we have been able to honour some of the leaders in the industry for the third year running.

Graham Corfield, UK managing director of British Kebab Awards sponsors Just Eat, said: “The British Kebab Awards are the perfect showcase for the best in the business. The growing success of the awards is testament to the great cultural and economic contribution the industry has in the UK and to the takeaway industry as a whole.”

Mike Theodoru, sales director of Big K, said: “Big K products have been supplying the kebab industry since its birth in the UK some 40 years ago. Much has changed in this time; however one thing that remains constant is Big K’s determination to

JUST EAT Best Delivery Winner: Kebabalicious in Manchester Paragon Quality Foods Best Takeaway in London Winner: Super Kebab/Ocakbasi Bulldog Power Energy Drink Best Takeaway Outside London Winner: Botan Kebab House Big K Best Value Winner: Selale Restaurant Altan&Co Fine Dining Winner: Sheesh Harlequin Printing & Packaging Customer Satisfaction Winner: Durum Ocakbasi Best Related Business of the Year Winner: Baran Meat / Veli’s Doner Kebab Manufacturers

Outstanding Contribution to the Kebab Industry Winner: Edmonton Meat Best Newcomer Kebab Restaurant Winner: Pivaz Best Kebab House in Northern Ireland Winner: The Sphinx in Belfast Best Kebab House in Wales Winner: Pizza Choice Best Kebab House in Scotland Winner: Javit’s Best Young Chef Winner: Murat Poyraz of Blue Legume and Mazlum Demir of Skewd Kitchen Best Chef Award of the Year Winner: Haci Akdogan of Haz Restaurant Source of information: http://britishkebabawards.co.uk/ british-kebab-awards-winners-2015/

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How to...

Keep utility bills down

Keeping costs down is paramount to any business’s success. What can you do to ensure that your utility bills are kept to a minimum?

What technology can you incorporate to help you do this? And is going green the answer? QuickBite takes a look here

“Energy saving has to be the focus for every caterer buying or specifying catering equipment”

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How to...

Samsung heavy duty commercial microwave ovens

running costs to a minimum,” explains Simon. “CESA, DEFRA, the BHA, CEDA and the FCSI, are collaborating on the Save It! campaign, featuring a full programme of support which will include various training aids and wipeclean, kitchen-proof stickers designed to remind staff to save energy by shutting it, filling it and turning it off.

“Amongst the training aids is a series of carbon management podcasts. The first three cover refrigeration, dishwashers and cooking equipment and show how to minimise energy consumption.”

“Caterers can reduce energy consumption (and in turn utility bills) by also following best practice routines, such as using programmable controls and timers, and switching off equipment during quiet periods” The Carbon Trust estimates that better practices and more efficient equipment could save the foodservice industry £0.25billion every year, or 30% of total energy use and the podcasts are designed to help caterers reduce their costs significantly.

“Energy saving has to be the focus for every caterer buying or specifying catering equipment,” says Simon Frost, chair of Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA). “Not just because it’s the right thing to do for the environment, but also because it’s the right thing to do for the budget.

“Running costs are rising dramatically.

Specifying a model that cuts consumption of resources, such as energy or water, may cost more, but it will pay for itself through the savings,

sometimes in as little as a few months – and the savings will carry on throughout the life of the machine.”

In the kitchen, Simon says that misuse of equipment is the most common reason for energy wastage. Big savings on running costs can be made by training staff to turn off cooking equipment when it’s not in use, not over- or under-filling warewashers, and keeping refrigerator doors shut. “This type of good energy practice, combined with regular maintenance, keeps

Energy saving technology The Carbon Trust’s Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA) gave a clear insight into how the catering industry uses energy, and how its energy use could be improved. The report, undertaken in partnership with DEFRA, the BHA and CESA, studied several contract catering sites and recommended a variety of ways to save energy consumption.

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How to... combi steamers in place of electric.

“The report confirmed that most units currently sold are electric – only 10% of combi ovens at the surveyed sites were gas-powered,” comments Simon.

“Amongst the potential ‘best practise’ innovations and trends the report highlights the use of combi ovens for traditional frying and grilling tasks, as well as their traditional functions of roasting and steaming, and for low temperature, slow cooking.

“The research also highlights the energy saving potential of ‘best available technology’ (BAT). With refrigeration, it concludes that the improvement potential of BAT, compared to ‘base case’, is up to 62%, depending on the type of refrigeration. It also says that BAT delivers the least life cycle cost – in other words, investing in the best available technology works out cheaper over the lifetime of the equipment.

Since 28% of a kitchen’s energy is used by refrigeration this is a significant issue.”

Ovens Caterers can reduce energy consumption (and in turn utility bills) by also following best practice routines, such as using programmable controls and timers, and switching off equipment during quiet periods. Another way is by specifying energy efficient equipment.

“When choosing a new piece of equipment, caterers should compare power consumption to find the most energy efficient,” advises Mark Hogan, marketing and sales manager of FEM. “Combi ovens are an energy efficient way to cook. Most chefs agree that once you’ve cooked with a combi-oven you can’t go back.”

Combi ovens offer an all-in-one cooking solution, combining multiple cooking functions in a single appliance. They can bake, roast, steam, poach, grill, broil, proof, braise and oven fry, so one oven can replace several pieces of traditional equipment and rarely stand idle. They also cook up to 70% faster than conventional cooking methods.

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Moffat’s Premier hot cupboard with Enviro bains marie

from Foodservice Equipment Marketing (FEM) feature a PROpower mode which are said to deliver an instant ‘turbo’ boost of heat to speed-up production times. This means the ovens cook 20% faster than standard combi ovens and 80% faster than conventional cooking methods. The ovens increase production by 60%, whilst saving 40% of energy and 80% of water compared to conventional cooking methods.

“Induction hobs are another alternative which are taking off as energy costs spiral ever upwards” Induction hobs are another alternative which are taking off as energy costs spiral ever upwards. They provide an extremely energy efficient and fast way of ‘stove-top’ cooking. Induction hobs, such as FEM’s Vollrath induction hobs, are said to be ideal for small kitchens where countertop space is at a premium and food production needs to be speedy. Because of their efficiency and rapid heat up time, induction hobs also require less energy.

Microwaves Cost control and green efficiency are at the top of everyone’s agenda these

days – that’s why microwave ovens are in great demand. It’s all about the fast regeneration of certain foods, retaining moisture and nutrients.

“Professional kitchens are more than aware that switching on the six burner for hours is bad on all sorts of fronts – energy, kitchen environment, over working the ventilation, costs, and so on,” comments David Watts, senior manager of Samsung Professional Appliances. “Much better to par-cook food items and then regenerate them on demand. Microwave ovens are perfect for this: they are flexible, so chefs can regenerate either in single or multi portions, and fast, cooking or reheating one or two servings in seconds. By cooking or regenerating on demand, kitchens cut down on wastage, too.”

Commercial microwaves are easy to operate, cook fast and don’t take much space. They don’t produce large quantities of steam, heat or odours so, in most cases, they don’t require much in the way of extraction or ventilation.

They are also great for cooking and steaming foods to order, as they don’t need any start-up time.

Samsung’s latest CM1929 is a tough, efficient commercial microwave which has a capacity of 26 litres – that’s 35% more useable cooking space than comparable microwaves on the market, so it can accommodate large plates and

How to... serving dishes. It has an overall power output of 1850W, a redesigned soft touch control pad, seven power levels and a digital display showing status and mode of operation.

“Especially useful is the CM1929’s facility to pre-program settings for popular menu items,” explains David.

“Lack of staff training is a common cause of energy wastage. Preprogrammable microwaves make it easy for staff to reheat menu items at the touch of a button.

“If food is re-heated for the correct time it not only saves energy but means the quality is better.”

Dishwashers Dishwashers are big users of resources – energy, water and chemicals – and reducing consumption of all three is essential to keep utility bills down. “In common with other

leading manufacturers, Winterhalter is developing new technologies that reduce the use of resources by introducing heat exchangers and other technologies into machines to reduce the water needed per cycle and produce significant energy savings,” says Paul Crowley, marketing manager of Winterhalter.

“Dishwashers are big users of resources – energy, water and chemicals – and reducing consumption of all three is essential to keep utility bills down”

“Heat exchangers extract the energy from the warm, humid water vapour inside the machine and use it to heat the incoming cold fill. As well as saving energy, it improves the room atmosphere, as when the door is opened very little steam escapes from the machine.”

Warewashers that use less water, without compromising on the wash result, will reduce energy consumption, since less water means less energy is required to heat it. An added bonus is that they will use less chemicals, too. Manufacturers have developed sophisticated filtration systems allowing the use of less water but still producing excellent wash results.

“Winterhalter’s recently launched PT Series is setting new standards in the dishwashing world, in terms of economy of energy use and brilliance of wash,” enthuses Paul. “Its energysaving heat exchange technology, fitted

Samsung’s CM1929 microwave in use

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How to... as standard, extracts energy from the waste water, using it to heat up the incoming cold water supply, reducing energy costs by up to 10%.”

Not content to stop there, Winterhalter has also introduced the PT Energy Plus, which they say further reduces operating costs by up to 20% per wash cycle.

Refrigeration Refrigeration operates 24 hours a day so it’s vital that to reduce the amount of energy it consumes in order to keep utility bills down. “Look for refrigeration with intelligent controllers to minimise the cabinet’s energy consumption through processes such as fan and heater pulsing, intelligent defrost and

independent management of evaporator and condenser fans,” advises Malcolm Harling, sales and marketing director, Williams Refrigeration. “These can cut your refrigerator’s energy costs by up to 15%.”

Refrigeration manufacturers are looking at clever design to minimise energy consumption. Many open chillers use an air curtain refrigeration system, whereby

“Buyers should look to the brands they trust, as reliability and back-up service still feature large in lifetime running costs”

a wall of cold air cascades down the front of the unit. This protects the food and drink by maintaining temperature while offering customers easy access and an attractive display. However, traditional designs have been energyhungry, since much of the cold air curtain is lost into the environment.

An example of energy saving design is in Williams’ new open-fronted, selfservice Gem Sandwich Chiller cabinet.

This features an innovative air curtain system, which recycles the cold air that is normally wasted in conventional designs. “Careful angling of the curtain ensures that, once it has done its job, nearly all the cold air is recycled, either into the cabinet, helping maintain temperature, or by being drawn through vents and grills to cool the refrigeration system itself and thus reduce energy consumption,” explains Malcolm.

“Williams’ R&D team developed the new air curtain system as part of the company’s Greenlogic initiative.”

Cost versus reward The cost of green technologies has come down significantly in the past five years, while energy costs are rising. Even so, a lot of caterers still don’t fully understand why it’s important to use sustainable, energy-saving equipment. Take induction vs. gas. Gas is inefficient: up to 90% of the money a caterer spends on keeping a gas flame alight under the pan is wasted – it disappears up the extraction. Switching to a more energy efficient system, such as induction, not only helps the environment but reduces your outgoings, too.

The Gem open fronted sandwich chiller from Williams

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“If equipment needs replacing, upgrade to energy-saving models,” says Michael Joslin, director, Marlin Catering Solutions. “For example, if the dishwasher breaks down and is not economically viable to repair, replace it with a machine fitted with an energy-saving device such as a heat exchanger. These reuse the steam given off from the cleaning cycle

How to... the lifetime running costs. “With many catering equipment manufacturers boasting energy saving options, buyers should look to the brands they trust, as reliability and back-up service still feature large in lifetime running costs,” he says.

The PT warewasher from Winterhalter

“The right catering equipment can help restaurants and pubs cut down on consumption of resources. For example, an upgraded hot cupboard Bain-marie unit incorporating a multi-fan heating unit proved to be 48% more efficient than before.”

Moffat’s Sahara multi-fan system is said to save energy by heating and chilling more efficiently in, for example, banqueting systems and regeneration ovens. “The system blows re-circulated air through heating or chilling elements, rather than the conventional method of drawing air through the heat exchanger or heating elements first,” explains John. “The system gives safer, more predictable temperature control and is up to 55% faster than using standard elements.

“Moffat has also made refrigerated food display units up to 62% more energy efficient, by redesigning components such as refrigerated cold wells and vent panels, which result in the compressor working less hard to achieve the same temperature control with the same food capacity. to reheat the fresh, cold water going into the machine, significantly reducing energy bills.

“They are slightly more expensive, but they more than pay this additional cost back in savings on the electricity bill. It’s all about cost versus reward.”

Every kitchen will need an extraction system and they use a lot of power. It’s generally the first thing turned on and the last thing turned off, every day. With the laws on having extraction and interlock safety systems getting tighter, they have become even more expensive. There’s now the option to make extraction systems greener and less costly by using heat exchangers.

“During cooler months these use the heat

“If equipment needs replacing, upgrade to energy-saving models”x

“Meanwhile the use of extra-high density foam for refrigeration products has improved energy efficiency and reduced running costs. Energy saving can amount to up to 43% compared with traditional models.”

contained in the extracted fumes, which is normally pumped outside, to warm the air that is drawn into the kitchen,” advises Michael.

As one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of countering, Moffat has pioneered the use alternative lighting systems for counters, such as fibre optics and LED lights. These can save energy, increase performance (for example, by using ‘cool’ light for refrigerated wells, so the refrigeration system isn’t having to fight against heat from the lights) and enhance the appearance of the food display. LED lights save about 85% compared to conventional lighting and the bulbs last much longer.

“This helps maintain and regulate kitchen temperatures and avoids the need for expensive, inefficient heater batteries.”

John Wannan, sales and marketing manager, Moffat Catering Equipment, agrees that to keep costs down, it’s important to not only consider the capital cost of equipment but to also factor in

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Focus on...

Give your business round-the-clock support Round-the-clock service calls for round-the-clock support, advises The Help Desk’s CEO, Dan Smith The commercial pressures fuelling the drive towards longer trading hours, a greater reliance upon technology and the need to be constantly fully-functional create a resource challenge that some hospitality businesses struggle to address.

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Whilst we tend to associate 24/7 trading with retail operations, an increasing crossover between food retail and food services – especially in leisure and travel environments such as cinemas, arenas, railway stations and motorway services for example – means greater focus needs

to be put on technology support from the early hours of the morning till late into the night, if not right through the night.

These days, pubs open for coffee and trade until late, cinemas start multiscreenings and serve food and beverages

Finance from mid-morning through till midnight, bars and nightclubs stay open later and later. So, when it comes to keeping staff supported and systems at peak performance, a ‘9-6’ help desk is simply not adequate; it risks leaving staff stranded with a till malfunction or a late evening cashing-up problem.

A good help desk should match its support service to its customers’ trading hours. To make this possible, many hospitality operators supplement in-house teams with outsourced resources. By outsourcing this function, they gain not just more hours of support but also a breadth of skills that comes from using a shared service. And this is frequently a more cost-effective option too; many find outof-hours support in particular is provided at a fraction of the cost they would pay individually.

“A good help desk not only prevents revenue loss but also saves money by analysing where costs are being incurred” To eliminate the risks of till down-time or other systemsrelated problems that negatively impact service during busy periods such as weekends or bank holidays, or to cope with seasonal peaks such as the run-up to Christmas, hospitality and leisure operators can gain reassurance from a third-party help desk’s ability to flex and scale with little prior notice.

Whilst playing a ‘behind the scenes’ role, a well-run help desk can nevertheless make a business more profitable by delivering greater systems up-time at the point-of-service.

Also, a good help desk not only prevents revenue loss but also saves money by analysing where costs are being incurred.

Improved systems availability, reduced overall service cost and greater accountability for problem resolution are all benefits to be expected from a well-resourced help desk. Staff are likely to suffer less systems-related stress and be more productive.

Recurring problems that waste time frustrate both staff and customers and are a drain on the business are likely to be eliminated too. All these factors suggest an ‘open all hours’ help desk is a good asset for any hospitality business.

Specialist operation, The Help Desk, keeps hundreds of retail, hospitality and leisure businesses fully operational and thousands of staff competent and confident in their use of critical systems. Find out more at www.thehelpdesk.uk.com.

Explore ways to raise money Banks have lost the appetite to support small businesses so business owners are having to look elsewhere. Cash4Business tells us more The growth of alternative funding such as crowd funding (usually only available to established businesses) and increasingly remortgaging of family homes, provide short term money at a cost but often aren’t available to everyone.

But there are other ways to produce the cash to provide the cash-flow required to pay tax, vat and wage bills. If you take credit card payments you can ‘sell’ future credit and debit card receipts to provide an instant cash injection – an instant way to provide the means to exploit new opportunities Even a new business can fund equipment through lease and rental deals giving them the opportunity to be profitable from day one and to compete with more established businesses.

If you think that business borrowing should belong to the business and not be at the expense of your family home, then you need to explore the other ways of raising money. For a free discussion about funding call Howard on 0800 142 433 or e-mail - howard@cash-4business.co.uk.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU TODAY? For good food you need the right ingredients, modern equipment, flair and money to: Buy equipment Software and IT Working capital Enable Expansion Fund Takeovers Buy Premises Pay wages, vat and tax

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Business profile

Filthy Cow to make its mark on Manchester

Jordan Gallimore, founder of Filthy Cow

QuickBite’s editor, Linda McKeown, talks to Jordan Gallimore, 23, founder of Filthy Cow – a brand new concept which opens in Manchester’s city centre later this month Tell us about the Filthy Cow brand and how it came to fruition The name and the brand you see today were the last pieces of the Filthy Cow puzzle. The brand was born from the burger and its quality. I always wanted Filthy Cow to deliver quality, with excellent service, in an interesting environment and at a price that is excellent value for money. That was the goal 14 months ago and this is still my 30

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“I love how close social media can bring me to my customers and I can’t wait to hear ideas for Filthy Cow from customers themselves”

mission going forward with Filthy Cow’s future.

So, tell us more about you and your experience within the foodservice industry Up until recently all of my experience has been working in front of house roles. After Filthy Cow was born I worked full time in numerous restaurants around the country learning from existing companies.

Business profile However, although I have a passion for cooking and baking, I had never worked in a commercial kitchen! I recently worked for free in Sam’s Chophouse, it was an excellent experience working throughout December in their busiest time of the year. I learnt so much about the inner workings of a kitchen where everything is made from scratch. As much as I liked being in the kitchen, it reinforced my love of entertaining and making people happy, so I am excited to get back to that!

What makes Filthy Cow unique?

Our style of service, combined with a quality product that is very good value for money, in an environment designed to be memorable and encourage people to have fun!

And your vision for Filthy Cow in its first year?

Filling the restaurant with repeat customers who ultimately love the food and enjoy the experience we create! I want these customers to get involved and become part of shaping Filthy Cow. Then I will look to take Filthy to its second site!

Tell us more about the food you will offer The aim has always been to deliver consistently high quality food, which is why the menu is so limited. I spent ten months with my development chef

picking every single ingredient. Each ingredient has been carefully perfected, from the way we slice our pickles to the way we press the beef.

“I spent ten months with my development chef picking every single ingredient. Each ingredient has been carefully perfected, from the way we slice our pickles to the way we press the beef” Have you faced any challenges in setting up Filthy Cow? It’s been really challenging to find a location for the right price! My biggest challenge however, has been getting people to take me seriously. But now I’m surrounded by people that believe in the brand and understand my vision.

Aims and objectives for the next five years?

Initially I want to refine the concept by getting customers involved but then I see Filthy Cow heading north! I’m aiming

to use social media to keep people up to date and also share special offers specifically for our customers.

I love how close social media can bring me to my customers and I can’t wait to hear ideas for Filthy Cow from customers themselves. This will definitely be a big part of my brand.

What do you think are the key things you need to do to be successful?

Listening and learning from customers – at the end of the day they are the heart of Filthy Cow and I want them to shape it with me. Also, believing in the product and yourself – and being absolutely in love with your product is so important. It’s this passion that makes it infectious.

Any advice for anyone else wanting to start their own food business?

Get out there and get as much experience as you can. Listen and learn from all the people around you!

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself that not everyone will know Charity is very important to me and my latest challenging fundraiser was that in September 2014 I climbed the Great Wall of China to raise money for Challenge Cancer UK. I hope to be able to continue doing this and involving Filthy Cow where possible.

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Design inspirations

New hospitality offer comes to life

Photography: Gareth Gardner

SHH salutes the architect of Somerset House’s New Wing in its designs for ‘Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar’ SHH – newly-named ‘Interior Design Practice of the Year’ at the FX Awards 2014 and ‘Best Large Design Studio’ at the London Design Awards 2014 – has just completed its latest interiors project: Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar. The Cafe Bar is a new hospitality offer for long-term client and operator Levy Restaurants UK (the sports and leisure division of Compass UK & Ireland), located within Somerset House, one of London’s most dynamic arts and cultural centres and is now open in a site on the building’s west face, looking out onto Lancaster Place and Waterloo Bridge.

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food created by head chef Richard Robinson and head baker Michela Potesta. The space is named after and has been created in honour of Sir James Pennethorne, the highly-reputed nineteenth century architect of what is still referred to as the ‘New Wing’ of Somerset House, completed in 1856 and for which Pennethorne won the RIBA Gold Medal the following year.

SHH branded the new venue and also designed the interiors concept for the 85-cover space, taking inspiration and design cues from Sir James, including references to the classic European ‘Grand Tour’ he undertook in the early part of the 19th century, which went on to have a great influence on his architecture and his world-view, as was the case for so many of his generation.

“The overall interior design treatment is rich, dark and daringly moody”

Roy Westwood, creative director of Levy Restaurants UK, commented: “This is a great addition to the Somerset House hospitality portfolio and I’m sure it will be a very, very successful venue.

We’re extremely proud of the end result and of our continuing partnership with SHH, who completely connected to our

Design inspirations vision, especially in creating the right balance between heritage and modernity – expressing the historical story of Sir James Pennethorne, but via completely contemporary means.”

“The overall interior design treatment is rich, dark and daringly moody,” explained the project’s lead designer, Georgia Stevenson of SHH. “It references early 19th century tastes, but with a modern twist and features inky blue walls, antiqued bronze mirrors, pre-faded rugs, dark timber loose furniture, dramatic lighting and bespoke banquettes in navy leather and velvet. A number of playful features referring directly to Sir James Pennethorne have also been incorporated.”

Branding SHH’s branding work include the identity – taken from Pennethorne’s own flowing signature - and a range of applications, from signage to staff uniforms, which nod to 19th century attire and feature cravat-style neck-ties for male staff and specially-designed aprons for female staff, with a detailed waistband and ‘bustle’ feel, which were directly inspired by 19th century costume detailing. Staff are also encouraged to put their own spin on their outfits to add a note of individuality and underscore the venue’s relaxed and informal atmosphere.

SHH’s head of brand, Priya Patel, has created a series of fantastical images

“The space is named after and has been created in honour of Sir James Pennethorne, the highlyreputed nineteenth century architect of what is still referred to as the ‘New Wing’ of Somerset House”

to accompany the identity, using 19th century cartoon illustrations of people, with their heads replaced by drawings of either fruit and veg or culinary utensils: a perfect encapsulation of the overall design treatment as a contemporary twist on 19th century inspiration. The surreal depictions (with the figures undertaking a number of activities, from cycling and playing sports to having their hair cut) have been used across a range of graphic items, such as menus, point of sale and disposable paper cups, bringing a ‘smile factor’ to the overall graphic treatment.

Design walk-through As guests enter Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar, the space is signed by a brass plate above the main entrance.

The rectangular layout of the space is partially divided halfway along by a central wall, which features a further direct reference to Sir James Pennethorne in the form of almost 50 identical cameos (each one 25cm high), bespoke-made from his portrait image.

In the first half of this space, the right hand side is home to ‘The Larder’, where the pass for staff to pick up orders is located, along with certain elements of the food offer, such as breads and hanging dried meats. Metal gantries above and timber shelving to the rear are used for food display, with a gloss Issue 17 February 2015

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Design inspirations buildings, as well as illustrations of key locations from his European tour, plus some classic 19th century imagery.

Additional outward-facing identity signage is also located in each of these windows.

The stand-out feature bar is located in the second half of the space and has a leather front, with an almost patent sheen, along with a Carrera marble top and steel detailing. In the daytime, the ‘Brew Bar’ is located here, serving gourmet coffee (along with a traditional bar offering). At night, the ‘Brew Bar’ is dismantled and the bar becomes a dedicated service area, serving speciality craft beers and a range of fine wines, predominantly displayed in a feature wine wall to the rear of the bar. charcoal tiled back wall providing a dramatic backdrop.

Directly ahead as visitors come in, is the ‘Chef’s Table.’ SHH project architect Rose McShane explained: “The ‘Chef’s Table is a central feature of the space and acts both as the main servery and food display area in the daytime – complete with till point – and as a long communal drinking table at night.

“It features a blackened steel façade, a Carrera marble top, a brass bar on the front for menus to hang on and lighting from Atelier two-sphere pendants with T-shaped black metal fittings and frosted spherical lamps, supported by the blackened steel frame.”

The bespoke navy banquettes in this and the next section, located below the row of six tall windows facing out onto Lancaster Place (and a dramatic overhead lighting feature), were designed

by SHH, with leather seats and buttoned, velvet backs. Loose furniture here and throughout includes brass-wrapped tables (bespoke-made by UHS) and black-painted timber chairs with upholstered seats (the Ton Chair 33).

A number of one-off antique furniture ‘finds’ have also been incorporated into the mix.

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“At night, the ‘Brew Bar’ is dismantled and the bar becomes a dedicated service area, serving speciality craft beers and a range of fine wines” between the six windows are filled with gold-framed pictures of Pennethorne’s drawings and sketches of London

Additional loose furniture in this half of the space includes a number of higher tables and stools. Lighting here includes a number of Tom Dixon lights, grouped together for added drama – the Cell Wall Light and two varieties of the Cell Short Pendant. Flooring throughout the scheme is in timber, with the existing flooring re-laid and stained a mid-grey.

A secondary space, called the ‘Drawing Room’, is located directly opposite the internal secondary entrance to the venue and serves both as an overspill area for busy periods and a space for private hire.

Marketing

Six creative ideas to make your marketing budget stretch Christina Richardson, founder of The Brand Gathering gives you six creative ideas to help make your marketing budget go further It’s taken a long time for our industry to start showing signs of recovery following the recession, but there is a definite change in the air. Consumers are starting to spend again and the mood is positive.

The temptation is also there to invest large sums of cash on marketing.

Social sharing

Marketing is extremely important, if not more so now than ever before, but just because the tills are pinging, doesn’t mean we should be parting with our hard earned cash. There are many smart ways of generating exposure for your business and collaborating with like-minded brands to share costs or swap services is a smart place to start. Here are a few ideas to inspire you to get collaborating.

One of the most effective ways of doing this is via social media. Collaborating on social media with a like-minded brand is a great way to introduce potential new customers to you business. Begin by identifying a business with similar customers to you. This could be one of your supplier brands, or a neighbouring, complementary business. For example, if you are a coffee shop and the hairdresser around the corner has a strong following on Facebook or Twitter, why not team up and do something special for both of your customers, such as a competition or a special offer.

“There are many smart ways of generating exposure for your business and collaborating with likeminded brands to share costs or swap services is a smart place to start”

All successful businesses focus on building and engaging communities around their brands. In doing so, their customers become brand advocates who amplify their brand and marketing messages to an extended network.

Who doesn’t love free stuff?

People love freebies! Give-aways and competitions can be valuable tools to draw new customers in and give you the edge over your competitors. However big or small your promotion is, your mission should be to source products or services to give away that will cost you either nothing, or very little. Collaborating with a supplier to offer your customers a freebie product is a great way for you to gain an added value item at no cost and a fantastic way for your supplier to drive trial of their products.

Large chain outlets charge suppliers a lot of money to run sampling projects on their premises, so take the opportunity to offer it for free in return for an offer or giveaways. It offers you both a low cost win-win situation.

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Marketing Be the good guy - it’s worth it Sponsoring events and individuals can be a fantastic way of gaining exposure and potentially generating press coverage for your business. Estate agents all around the UK do this very well by sponsoring local school summer fairs. Start by looking at opportunities that are suited to your business and your budget.

Think about your target audience and where you want to make

an impact. If you own a high street café and want to attract local mums, you might want to look into sponsoring one of the local school’s fundraising projects. Or, if your business is a pub, perhaps you could sponsor the local Saturday football team’s kit? Branding on sports kit need not cost the earth and will give you continued exposure.

Give-and-take With the growing popularity of user review sites such as TripAdvisor and Square Meal, online user testimonials are of increasing importance. One of the lowest cost ways to gain word of mouth is by exchanging products or services for positive user testimonials. Consider offering your regular customers a free coffee in return for an online review. The cost implications of such a promotion are minimal and positive testimonials are priceless. 8 out of 10 people research products or services online before purchasing* and in a survey by Dimensional Research, nearly 90% said that previous user testimonials made a significant impact on their buying decision. *GE Capital Band Report 2013

“One of the lowest cost ways to gain word of mouth is by exchanging products or services for positive user testimonials”

Operate in the same space Local fairs, markets and shows can offer great exposure, but buying space at some larger events can be expensive.

Consider collaborating with other, relevant, local businesses or suppliers to buy a joint space. If you are for example looking

to sell lunch dishes from your regular menu outlet, you could perhaps join forces with the local pub and they could sell beer and wine. Your stand will have joint branding and you could share staff and all other related costs.

Equity cut for exposure Giving away shares in your business, or a share of revenue agreement, is a big consideration for any business. However, it can help you to secure investment that you would not be able to secure otherwise. Businesses are finding all kinds of new ways to fund growth projects and striking a well thought-through deal with an appropriate partner, may help you to bypass the bank and gain substantially in the long run.

One of high-growth organic baby food brand, Ella’s Kitchen’s earliest strategic decisions was to form a partnership with the children’s television channel, Nickelodeon. In return for revenue share, Ella’s Kitchen received advertising time on the popular television channel. This can work on multiple levels. On a more local scale, you may want to consider using this form of collaboration to negotiate a deal with a local web designer to help you with updates to your website, or offer a share of revenue in return for a stand at a local event. The deal will help you avoid parting with large sums of cash up front, but it also gives your partner a vested interest in ensuring that they help you to succeed. Win-win again!

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Christina spent much of her career managing and growing FMCG brands worth in excess of £100 million, and then founded The Nurture Network, the UK’s ondemand marketing department for ambitious SMEs; and cofounded the Brand Gathering to help business partner up and collaborate. As well as this she is a business mentor at University College London, a Titan for School for Start-ups and a regular speaker at industry events including The British Library.

Menu ideas Meet the Alternative is a new meat-free brand with a difference in that they only use high quality ingredients including an exclusive, bespoke soya plant protein

Vegetarian and vegan options “Whether from an ethical, dietary or health-oriented standpoint, vegetarians are a key demographic of diner,” says Mohammed Essa, general manager, Aviko.

Mohammed says that these diners haven’t given up meat completely, but are making a conscious effort to eat less of it, which could explain the forecasted rise of the meat-free food market to £657 million in 2014, up from £543 million in 2009. This presents a great opportunity for caterers to target with relevant and appealing dishes that tap into growing demand for non-meat options among the population at large.

According to Mintel, 12% of adults in the UK follow a vegetarian diet, rising to 20% of 16 to 24 year olds. However, the real demand is said to come from so-called ‘occasional veggies’

“As a vegetarian, you don’t want to feel that you are missing out good food, yet what’s on offer often pales into insignificance in comparison to the main menu,” explains Mohammed. “One sure fire way to welcome more vegetarian custom is to offer the hearty equivalent of a dish that’s found resurgence in popularity in the last few years – the burger.

“An estimated one in eight adults are now vegetarian or vegan”

“No matter the location, burgers represent big business; build your own ‘add on’ sales and incremental deals on sides make for impulse purchases and higher profits.”

Made from a variety of vegetables, coated in crispy breadcrumbs, Aviko’s Veggie Burgers can be stored in the freezer for up to 18 months and are suitable for oven, grill and deep fry preparation.

One issue that vegetarian consumers often complain about is the disappointing lack of offering, so caterers have to address that challenge to win the veggie vote. “Offering potato dishes is Issue 17 February 2015

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Menu ideas a simple way of satisfying the needs of people who do not eat meat,” explains Mohammed. “The great thing about potatoes is that they are bursting with vitamins B1, B6, B12 and C, providing many of the nutrients that may be lost in a meat-free lifestyle.

Bannisters’ Farm says that their Baked Potato Dippers are a great grab and go choice

“Potatoes are also incredible versatile and cost effective, particularly preprepared potato products, because they can be cooked to order so minimise prep times and reduce the level of food waste for caterers.

“Potatoes don’t have to be boring either.

The ever-widening choice of lengths, sizes and textures on offer enables restaurants to refresh their menus by simply rotating everyday varieties with premium fries, wedges, mash and gratins.

“Aviko’s new Mini Gratins with Parsnip & Jerusalem Artichoke, for example, can add a real point of difference to dining occasions if used instead of mash or roast potatoes. The 35g Mini Gratins with Parsnip & Jerusalem Artichoke feature specially selected potatoes, real cream, French Emmentaler cheese, chives, parsley and chervil.”

Grab and Go Crown Foods new ‘Simply Vegetarian’ range focuses on offering grab and go British products to the meat-free market.

James Rasor, product assurance director at Crown Foods Ltd, describes the motivation behind creating the new lines: “An estimated one in eight adults are now vegetarian or vegan, on top of many modern consumers who are following a flexitarian diet.

“Our grab and go retailers reported that there was a real lack of convenience products for these busy diners, so we wanted to develop a range of quality products to cater for this.

“We’re thrilled to launch ‘Simply Vegetarian’, which offers easy to serve puff-pastry products with as much flavour and appeal as meat equivalents!

Customers can choose from British Beef Style Meat Free Pasties and British Meat 38

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“Meat-free dishes are on trend, with diners considering them healthier and more environmentallyfriendly than traditional meat dishes”

ingredients, we’ve been working with operators and contract caterers for over 25 years. During this time we’ve seen a new wave of people choosing healthier, vegetarian and vegan foods to diversify their diet.

Free Sausage Rolls – both of which are suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and are also dairy free.”

Creating exciting, vegetarian dishes can often be a challenge, so to help overcome this, Vegetarian Express’ website – www.vegetarianexpress. co.uk – provides advice on nutrition and menu planning as well as recipe videos developed by renowned chef, Paul Gayler MBE. “It brings our team’s expertise together in one place to show just how easy it is to create interesting and healthy dishes customers will love,” says Will.

With the industry under growing pressure to deliver healthier menu options, Vegetarian Express, as supplier and consultant to the catering industry, believes that they can help operators meet consumer demand and boost their bottom line. “We’re encouraging caterers to think ‘meat-free’ when it comes to menu planning in order to tap into a market predicted to be worth £882.4M by 2016*,” says Will Matier, managing director, Vegetarian Express.

“As the UK’s premier specialist distributor of vegetarian and vegan

“Mintel recently reported that 12% of the UK population follow a vegetarian or vegan diet – that’s one in eight adults^ – but 38% of people actively purchase vegetarian food+. There’s a growing demand for meat-free dishes so caterers need to give them as much thought as the rest of their menu.”

“Offering a decent selection of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options can appeal to a cross-section of customers,” comments Marie Medhurst, sales and marketing director for Bannisters’ Farm.

“It makes it much easier for mixed parties

Menu ideas to choose somewhere to grab a bite to eat, whilst giving meat-eaters the opportunity to try something out of the norm.

“Meat-free dishes are on trend, with diners considering them healthier and more environmentally-friendly than traditional meat dishes. Meeting vegetarian and vegan demands needn’t be difficult either. Potatoes, in particular, offer great versatility when it comes to serving up enticing, yet cost-effective, vegetarian and vegan food-to-go options.”

On a cold, bleak winter’s day, what could be a better takeaway food than a piping hot jacket potato, filled with tofu and wilted spinach, mixed bean chilli or spicy chickpea curry? Marie says you should forget about having ovens baking away for hours on end, as their ready baked jacket potatoes are microwavable in minutes with the flavour and texture of a traditionally-cooked version.

Meet the alternative Meet the Alternative is a new meat-free brand with a difference in that they only use high quality ingredients including an exclusive, bespoke soya plant protein, and this, along with an innovative manufacturing process results in a range of products that are said to have excellent flavour and a similar texture to meat.

Crown Foods new ‘Simply Vegetarian’ range focuses on offering grab and go British products to the meat-free market

Aviko’s new Mini Gratins with Parsnip & Jerusalem Artichoke

“38% of people actively purchase vegetarian food” “We like to call it, ‘Meat Free, but full taste, without compromise’,” says a Meet the Alternative spokesperson. “Apart from satisfying the vegetarian consumer, our range is also popular with the growing number of ‘flexitarians’ or ‘meat reducers’ who want to cut down on the amount of meat they consume.

“This could be for reasons of health, ethics, diet, or just because they are

seeking an alternative source of healthy, low fat protein.”

Sales for meat free substitutes are extremely buoyant, and with even more non-vegetarians coming into the category this trend looks set to continue.

Meet the Alternative’s premium product range in 1kg bags is available from Meadow Vale Foods & includes: • Beef style mince • Chicken style pieces • Meatballs • Big Eat BBQ burgers • Beef style pieces

As of their products are made from high quality Soya protein, have zero cholesterol, are very low in fat and contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. * Keynote June 2012 + Mintel ‘Meat-Free Foods’ UK Report 2012 ^ Mintel October 2014

Did you know?

National Vegetarian Week 2015 takes place from Monday 18th-Sunday 24th May

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Marketing

Make your leaflets impactful Top tips to make your leaflets work for you Susan Bolam, client services director, Jellybean Creative Solutions Ltd, gives her top tips to help you make your leaflets have the impact they need

1. Make it impactful

“Know what you want to get across and make it short and sweet”

Have an attention grabbing headline and clear branding.

5. Include a call to action

2. A picture is worth a thousand words

But only if it’s a nice one! Make sure you use good photography or source royalty free shots from websites like Shutterstock or iStock.

Give people a reason to act on receiving the leaflet e.g. money off when you spend over £x or free x when you buy Y etc. If you want to drive customer footfall during quieter times, you can focus the offer to encourage visits when you are usually not busy.

3. Know what you want Be single minded and clear in your messaging. Know what you want to get across and make it short and sweet and above all, clear (even down to the typeface you choose being easy to read).

4. Get it out there!

Identify where your prospective customers will be e.g. train stations, hairdressers, nail bars, office blocks etc. and get them in their hands!

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Keep it simple!

“People are very time poor so keeping wording down to a minimum is key to a leaflets’ success.

Give the customer a reason to react as quickly as possible by delivering one message (not multiple offers) on the front. Then, if they are interested, they will read on.

Graphics are secondary to the text but should be simple, impactful and work with the text to get the message understood.”

Matt Mason, managing director Full Service Marketing agency, Chocolate Ltd.

6. Be clear in your message Always state the closing date of any offer and any limitations clearly. You don’t want to have disgruntled potential customers on your hands.

7. Ensure your customers know where to find you

Make sure you include where you are e.g. address, map or simply opposite the town hall etc.

8. Get social Include a telephone number and any social media channels you are on.

Encourage people to engage with you on social media with an incentive e.g. free coffee for anyone who tweets us or likes our Facebook page (just show us on your smartphone when you come in).

9. Have an eye for detail Get your leaflet triple checked by more than one person. Once it’s printed there’s no going back.

10. First impressions count So work with a designer, agency or printer to get a professional end product (from the design to the paper it’s printed on).

Equipment focus

Italian café, deli and restaurant Food Lab in London is a real fan of their Buffalo Grill from Nisbets

Contact and Panini grills

Demand is high for quick and tasty food on the go – and having the right contact and Panini grill will help you meet this demand “Modern life can be hectic, meaning consumers often find themselves with little time to stop for lunch,” says Heather Beattie, product brand manager, Nisbets Plc. “Quick to make and easy to eat, the Panini is the perfect ‘lunch on the go’.”

The Buffalo range from Nisbets offers a selection of Panini/contact grills said to suit any catering requirement. From bistro to larger sized grills, all are available in single and double plated options.

“It’s important to note that for reliability and consistency even the smallest of outlets should invest in a commercial, rather than a domestic model – ensuring their grill is built to last,” advises Heather.

The Buffalo Bistro Contact Grill from Nisbets combines a tough stainless steel construction with ribbed cast iron plates for long-term use and healthier grilling.

Or to help make cleaning even easier,

“For reliability and consistency even the smallest of outlets should invest in a commercial, rather than a domestic model”

select a flat base plate, but keep a ribbed top plate for an attractive chargrilled look.

And with a counter-balanced top plate and variable heat controls for different thicknesses and temperatures, you have complete control over the entire grilling process.

Supplied with a removable grease tray (ideal for catching excess grease from things such as cheese), it also comes with a griddle scraper for easy cleaning.

For those with a higher output, the larger double grills make cooking multiple Panini’s quick and easy. The Buffalo Double Contact Grill is said to be ideal for busy outlets looking to turn around large Issue 17 February 2015

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Equipment focus lunch orders quickly. These units offer fast heat up and recovery times which are essential during busy periods such as the morning rush hour or lunchtime. Digital timers conveniently bleep (without turning the machine off) to alert the user that the Panini is ready, reducing the chance of over-grilling and ensuring staff can carry on with other tasks while food is in the grill.

Variable temperature controls also mean maximum functionality, whilst the robust design, cast iron plates and satin (scratch resistant) stainless steel finish offer enhanced durability. The model also boasts independent controls and timers either side, so whether you choose to allocate one side for vegetarian options, or cook multiple Panini’s at a time, you can be sure that each Panini remains in the grill for the correct length of time.

Counter balanced top plates also mean that food is not overly squashed.

Founder and owner of Italian café, deli and restaurant Food Lab in London Liliana Tamberi is a real fan of her Buffalo Grill, which has proved invaluable particularly for breakfast, brunch and lunch trade.

“Simple and delicious food is at the heart of everything we do,’’ says Liliana “We make as much as 90% of everything that we serve to our customers on site from scratch, with breakfast, brunch and lunch our busiest times.

“Roband has revolutionised the Panini grill,” says Neil Richards, managing director, Metcalfe Catering Equipment. “A traditional Panini grill has cast iron plates that sit on top of heating elements. This is a very inefficient way of transferring heat and means that the elements have to work really hard to give a high enough temp on the grill surface.

“Roband uses high pressure die cast aluminium plates which are a very good conductor of heat with the added benefit of having the heating elements cast directly into the plate. This eliminates the risk of element burn out which is a very costly maintenance issue for regular units.”

“With energy saving being at the forefront of caterers minds there are new Panini grills on the market that provide a reliable energysaving option”

“Our Buffalo Panini Grill has become invaluable to the success of our morning and lunchtime service, and is still going strong after years of use.’’

Versatility and speed The main advantages of grills are two-fold – versatility and speed. A contact grill will allow an operator to extend their menu dramatically. Think of all the other items that can be cooked on it. Apart from the obvious things like burgers they can be used for a whole range of other products including fish and chicken, as well snack items such as omelettes, sandwiches, fried eggs and bacon. Cooking time is very short, as is the preparation time required, and adding things like cheese or bacon to a standard burger will allow operators to make additional profit on them.

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A Roband grill station from Metcalfe

With the Roband units the elements are not having to work excessively hard and in addition there is no moisture ingress either. All of these features are said to allow the Roband grills to cook both evenly and very quickly – a toasted sandwich only takes a minute.

“Secondly,” continues Neil, “the majority of Panini grills have a cable running out of the back of them which feeds the top plate with power. This cable often gets broken or pulled out when the machine is pushed up against a wall, or moved about, and the unit is then unusable.

“It is a very common fault. Roband does away with this by feeding the power cable for the top plate through the inside of the handle where it cannot get snagged, cut or pulled out. Simple, but very effective!”

There are currently eight different models in the Roband range of Panini Grills – 4 x 6 slice units and 4 x 8 slice units.

Each one offers the choice of a natural aluminium or Teflon non-stick plate coating and is available as either a ribbed or smooth unit. All units operate from a standard 13a plug and have a precise thermostat, the ability to switch between top and bottom plate or bottom plate only operation, a counterbalanced top plate

Equipment focus The Buffalo range from Nisbets offers a selection of Panini and contact grills said to suit any catering requirement

for easy one handed loading, a load limiter that reduces the resting weight of the top plate, high splash guard, front positioned grease collection box, angled control panel and five minute timer with warning bell.

Energy saving With energy saving being at the forefront of caterers minds there are new Panini grills on the market that provide a reliable energy-saving option. For example, Foodservice Equipment Marketing (FEM) has launched the PDVC Ceramic Panini Grill from Sirman, a double grill said to be perfect for caterers who need long-term reliability as well as excellent cooking results.

The grill’s durable stainless steel construction and non-stick ceramic coating mean it is easy to clean after cooking and is hard-

wearing for a long service life.

“When choosing a new piece of equipment, caterers should compare power consumption to find the most energy efficient,” advises FEM. “For example, if purchasing a new Panini grill, look for models with infrared elements, which work more quickly than conventional grills.

“Ones that keep the temperature of the grill surround at around 10% lower than the grill itself reduce energy consumption further and create a safer, more userfriendly working environment.”

FEM says that the Sirman PDVC ceramic Panini grill, which includes these features, uses 35% less energy than a conventional model. The infrared elements, controlled by a thermostat, bring the cooking surface of the PDVC to its maximum temperature in significantly less time than traditional grills.

PARRY MORE for less...

Fryers, Water Boilers, Merchandisers, Ovens, Griddles, Panini Grills and even the Kitchen Sink.

Find out MORE... parry.co.uk/more4less @ParryCatering #more4less Issue 17 February 2015

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Food review

Dining out at Vivo Italian cuisine is famed around the world and we can now all enjoy this. Trevor Langley tells us about the little piece of Italy he experienced at Vivo Italy boasts numerous attributes and the production of highquality products, along with culture, food and wines, attract a lot of people to this way of life. There are many Italian restaurants in the UK that are excellent and I located a piece of Italy in Nottinghamshire.

From opening in 2007, Vivo restaurant quickly established a reputation for high-quality, with service to match. The coproprietor and general manager is Massimo, who ensures that everyone has a most memorable visit. Head chef Nico and his team have everything coming from the kitchen cooked and presented to perfection. Senior waiter is Alessandro. So, it really is difficult to say that we are not in Italy!

popular. The two-course meal options are amazing value, and, with the full menus, have something for all tastes.

Very impressive cuisine, with exemplary service to match, throughout, from Alessandro. Booking at busy times and periods is most advisable.

“Vivo does go that ‘extra mile’, to provide a dining experience to remember” Choices of superb antipasti dishes are available and include Salmone Mediterraneo. I chose a selection of Italian Cured Meat served with focaccia bread, olives and sun-blushed tomato.

My main course selection was for a splendid Whole Seabass.

Fillet of Sea Bream, Medallions of Fillet Steak, plus Chicken Stroganoff, are also available, amongst an impressive array, with several different pasta presentations. For dessert I opted for Tiramisu with amaretto liqueur.

Produce is sourced locally, where possible, plus, with other cuisine and drinks from Italy, Vivo does go that ‘extra mile’, to provide a dining experience to remember. Numerous high-quality wines are available, by glass and bottle, plus champagne.

The ambience here is perfect, complemented by background, Italian music. All dietary requirements can be catered for, plus parties and events etc, accommodated with ease. Themed events also take place throughout the year and are extremely 44

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Where you’ll find them Vivo Italian Restaurant 164 Derby Road Stapleford Nottinghamshire NG9 7AY

0115 949 1000 nott@vivorestaurant.co.uk www.nottingham.vivorestaurant.co.uk

‘Sister’ restaurant

(with the same provisions of excellent value and quality)

Vivo Italian Restaurant

Churchill Way (off High Street) Burton Latimer 01536 726666 Kettering kett@vivorestaurant.co.uk Northamptonshire www.kettering.vivorestaurant.co.uk NN15 5LA

Accountancy

Autumn Budget Statement Every month, Peter Watters, ACA, shares some useful financial tips especially for QuickBite readers. This month, he looks at the Autumn Budget Statement. This was the final Autumn Statement of the current Parliament ahead of the election in May 2015 Fuel duty George Osborne confirmed that fuel duty has been frozen and that other fuel price surcharges will also come down. As such, air passenger duty will be reduced on flight tickets and will be abolished for under 12s from 1 May 2015, whilst a reduction for under 16s will follow.

Stamp duty On the subject of stamp duty land tax, the Chancellor declared that it “is a badly designed tax system” and had to be changed. From midnight on 3 December, no duty needs to be paid on a sale price up to £125,000. It’s then 2% on the next £125,000, 5% on the next £675,000, 10% on the next £575,000 and 12% on the remainder of the purchase price. As a result, stamp taxes “will be reduced for 98% of people buying homes,” according to George Osborne, who points out that “on an average home sale price of £275,000, a buyer would pay £4,500 less tax than current levels.”

Personal tax The current £10,000 tax-free personal allowance will rise to £10,600 and bring three million people out of tax. This is the first step towards a goal of a £12,500 taxfree personal allowance. Additionally, the highest rate of tax will apply from £42,385 and ultimately £50,000 by the end of the decade.

Business, enterprise and employment Businesses received a lot of attention in George Osborne’s Autumn Statement and a proposal that was well-received in the House of Commons was the announcement that big multinational companies will be forced to pay more tax and this ‘diverted profits’ tax will raise £5bn.

As a result, there will be help for high street retailers with a business rate discount rising from £1,000 to £1,500. Also, a £45m package will be made available for first time exporters and there will be tax relief available for businesses in flooded areas.

Furthermore, tax breaks will “usher in a new era and help British businesses with research.” Consequently, there will be a 230% tax relief for SMEs and an 11% relief for large companies.

Announcing that “employment has risen by half a million over the last year,” George Osborne revealed that “on average, for every day this party has been in government, 1,000 jobs have been created and 85% of those jobs are full-time positions.”

Adding that the government’s goal was to “abolish youth unemployment”, the Chancellor introduced a policy that will see a “job tax” on young people taking up an apprentice being abolished.

Pensions, savings and benefits Total welfare spending is set to be £1bn lower and the 55% ‘death tax’ on certain pension funds is to be abolished so that people can pass on their pension pots tax-free.

Health As a result of spending £10bn less than in the original spending plan, the Chancellor has allocated £2bn per year for the NHS. This is in addition to a £1.2bn investment that will be made for GPs. “We cannot have a strong NHS without a strong economy,” announced George Osborne, who went on to extend a £2,000 NIC employment allowance to careworkers and offer VAT refunds for hospice charities.

Entrepreneurs’ relief This will be removed for individuals in respect of the transfer of goodwill to their own company and corporation tax reliefs will be restricted for payments of intangible assets.

Summary The Chancellor was optimistic that Britain’s economic health is improving and we are only a few years away from seeing a surplus instead of a deficit. Confirming that the country’s “economy is growing faster than almost any other”, George Osborne commented that “we are all in this together” and confirmed that “future living standards depend upon productivity.” He added that in the coming years there is a need to invest in infrastructure and expand the British Business Bank as well as strengthen entrepreneur relief.

Need more help?

This feature aims to give some informal hints and tips. McPhersons Chartered Accountants and McPhersons Financial Solutions are offering businesses free advice so get in touch now to arrange your meeting. Simply email Peter Watters p.watters@mcphersons. co.uk or call our Head Office on 01424 730000 for a free consultation at mcphersons’ London, Bexhill or Hastings offices. www.mcphersons.co.uk

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Property

Property

Our property pages highlight businesses for sale, nationwide!

Thriving sandwich bar with low overheads Excellent trading position, Brighton. The business is located close to American Express, Law Courts and the popular St James’s Street trading thoroughfare. The business has been in the present vendors hands for over 19 years and is genuinely offered for sale at the present time.

The business enjoys an excellent all year round trade and has developed a loyal and established customer base. The present vendor has established a highly successful and lucrative business during their stewardship, and there would still be significant scope to build on this further with the introduction of sandwich rounds to service local offices and to extend the current opening hours.

We are instructed to quote for lease, goodwill, equipment, trade fixture & fittings £49,950 SAV VIEWING: On no account should any approach be made to the Manager or the staff without a prior appointment through the vendor’s agents, Watkins Commercial, Telephone: 01273 709090.

Village hotel and lounge bar Sovereign Business Transfer takes great delight in offering for sale this extremely profitable village hotel and lounge bar with function facilities, which is situated in an unopposed trading position, in the highly desirable and affluent village of Newton-Le-Willows. This free of tie inn boast 20x ensuite letting rooms, a newly refurbished private hire function room with 60+ covers, a pool room and spacious open plan lounge and bar area with an attractive enclosed beer garden to the rear.

Weekly turnover is currently IRO £5,000.00 (85% wet / 15% Accommodation). This is an ideal opportunity for an enthusiastic owner operator to acquire a well established business with vast scope for growth. Viewing essential to fully appreciate.

Price £59,950.00+sav Leasehold & Contents. Visit www.sovereignbt.co.uk Or call 0845 60 10 227

Well regarded quality bistro Set in the renowned and affluent foodie town of Tavistock, The Fat Goose Bistro is a profitable and highly desirable catering business with extensive accommodation. The leasehold business is now for sale through licensed property specialists Stonesmith of Exeter.

Set in a prime trading position, The Fat Goose trades as a quality licensed restaurant specialising in classic British bistro style cuisine with Mediterranean influences. With excellent levels of regular and repeat business with an influx in the summer months from holiday makers and tourists.

A substantial 3 storey, Grade II Listed Georgian building offering an open plan dining room for 46+ and commercial catering kitchen. The owners accommodation has 4 double bedrooms, lounge, office area, kitchen/breakfast room and 2 bathrooms.

Outside there is a garden and further an enclosed lawn area with patio. This secret garden offers spectacular views across Tavistock and Dartmoor.

Stonesmith are looking for offers of £30.000 for the leasehold interest. Details can be downloaded from the www.stonesmith.co.uk and viewings arranged by calling 01392 201262

The Malin Bridge Fryer, Hillsborough, Sheffield This is ideal for a first time buyer, as it has much potential and is ripe for an enthusiastic owner.

Available at offers around £15,000, the business enjoys a busy location, is close to plenty of housing and is convenient for local public transport. Well equipped the business has been established for 16 years and is ready for more openings and possibly a wider menu.

The business has no late openings and the current vendor closes 2 days of the week. At this price this is a perfect first business, and something of a bargain as the busy vendor wants to concentrate on his other businesses. Clifford Lax with AWG Business Transfer Tel: 0113 2390330/01924 368200 www.clifford-lax.co.uk

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reduced

Property OIRO 30k

THE POPPY SEED, BEVERLEY Beverley, East Yorkshire Type: good weekly sales, low level entry point into the cafe/coffee shop world Price: Priced at offers around £30,000 Details: www.clifford-lax.co.uk

SOLD

The Picnic Basket Poynton, Cheshire Type: Sold Less Than 48 Hours From instruction Price: £29,950 Leashold

Details: www.sovereignbt.co.uk

under 20k

Sandwich Bar Warrington Type: Busy Main Road Location, W/T £1,500 Mainly Staff Operated, Low Running Costs Price: Price £17,950

Details: www.blacksbrokers.com

OIRO 695k

under 90k

150k

The Burrington Inn Burrington Combe, North Somerset

1950’s STYLE LICENSED AMERICAN DINER Southampton

LICENSED RESTAURANT & WINE BAR Thorpe Bay, Essex

Type: An impressive destination licensed coffee shop, with seating for over 220

Type: Well equipped servery/cocktail bar & 1st floor catering kitchen

Type: Established trading in Chinese cuisine, although will also suit other food types

Guide Price: £695,000

Price: £85,000 + SAV

Price: £150,000 plus SAV

Details: www.stonesmith.co.uk

Details: www.andrewgreenwood.com

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What’s new

We take a look at some of the latest products available!

Tea

Company: Cream Supplies Product: Red Espresso® Contact: 0845 226 3024 www.creamsupplies.co.uk Red Espresso® is Rooibos tea that has been refined, under patent, to a consistency that allows it to be used in any manual or automatic coffee maker. Now, as well as the original loose form and soft pods, it’s available in convenient, new, Nespresso compatible capsules.

Red Espresso® is an antioxidant rich coffee alternative that contains no caffeine, preservatives, colouring or additives and is made entirely from wild grown, hand-harvested South African Rooibos.

It’s naturally sweet and dark red in colour, producing an excellent crema so that, visually, it has the appearance of espresso coffee. In the same way, it lends itself well to the speciality drinks usually associated with coffee – cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos and so forth.

Duck oven

Company: Parry Product: Gas duck oven Contact: 01332 875544 www.parry.co.uk

The six burner gas duck oven from Parry can handle up to six birds along with 3.5kg of char-sui in under one hour.

The 900mm(w) X 805mm(d) x 970mm(h) oven, the largest of its kind on the market, comes with two shelves that can be set in two different positions as required. The sizeable oven is also equipped with a duck rack, a char-sui rail, and rotating pins which are designed to hold the ducks in place while ensuring even cooking and a crispy skin.

The robust stainless steel, CE certified unit houses large twin burners with independent ignitors and burner shields. A flame failure device is incorporated for safe operation.

Equipment

Company: Vivreau Product: DDA Module Contact: 0845 674 9655 www.vivreau.co.uk The DDA Module from Vivreau has been designed to address the needs of an abundance of customers within self-service operations, from cafés and coffee shops to conference centres and the workplace.

The module is installed remotely from the Vi Tap system, and is mounted at the most convenient position for use, also avoiding any safety issues where the dispense of boiling water is concerned. It can be mounted on a wall near to the equipment, as well as at the front of or underneath a worktop – whichever works best for the location of the equipment and the customer’s needs – based on a feasibility study undertaken by the client before implementation.

Aprons

Company: Oliver Harvey Product: Stud halter aprons Contact: 0161 342 1032 www.oliverharvey.co.uk

Follow the trend for all things fashionable with the new range of stud halter aprons from British chefs wear specialist Oliver Harvey, available in Navy, Slate Grey, Sage Green and Cocoa Brown.

Ideal for front of house staff or chefs on show in an open kitchen, the smart, premium quality bib apron has an adjustable studded halter that snaps into position on the apron top to ensure a perfect fit. A hidden welted pocket at the top is perfect for holding a pen or pencil.

The rugged 100% cotton garment with matching neck halter and ties costs £15 ex VAT per apron and can be personalised for an individual look.

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Packaging

Company: Huhtamaki Product: Hot Food takeaway packaging Contact: 02392 512434 www.foodservice.huhtamaki.co.uk Items from Pret A Manger’s new hot menu are being served in a bespoke range of Hot Food takeaway products created by manufacturer of disposable packaging solutions, Huhtamaki.

“Huhtamaki has a long-standing relationship with Pret A Manger, having supplied them with disposable packaging since 2002,” says Andrew Shepherd, sales director, Huhtamaki BCP. “With eating-onthe-go a popular and convenient choice for many of Pret’s customers, the development of these innovative new Hot Food products has been exciting for us, and has seen us work alongside Pret’s development chefs to create a range of food containers that satisfy the demands of the ‘grab n go’ food culture for both the caterer and the consumer.”

Vegetarian Company: Paramount21 Ltd Product: Four new vegetarian products Contact: www.Paramount21.co.uk Paramount 21 Ltd has added four innovative vegetarian products to their range.

Made using an authentic Middle Eastern recipe, the Falafel Hot Dog is perfect with grilled halloumi and chunky salsa. The contemporary, versatile Sweetcorn Fritter is crisp and light with hint of chilli, a great alternative to hash browns, ideal in breakfast stacks, as a South American themed burger or even a dessert.

Mac n Cheese Croquettes transform a classic dish into an on trend bar snack or children’s menu item. Finally, the Trio of Arancini easily adds variety to a menu. Three individually flavoured rice balls using sundried tomato and basil, chestnut and porcini mushroom, spinach and nutmeg, then bound with creamy mozzarella.

Pies

Company: Country Choice Product: Family Fruit Pies Contact: Freephone 0800 521366 Made with sweet shortcrust pastry and generously filled, the new range of Family Fruit Pies from Country Choice has a flavour for everyone.

Traditional Bramley Apple combines a generous sliced apple filling with the sweet, crisp pastry shell. The Apple & Blackberry Family Fruit Pie is another popular combination, while the Family Rhubarb Pie and Cherry Pie complete the collection.

Sharing the same sugar glazed pastry top that browns evenly to produce a golden finish when baked, all four 450g pies can be easily identified by the different markings on the lid.

Country Choice Family Fruit Pies are supplied frozen, 18 to a case, ready to bake at 180° C for 25 to 30 minutes.

Packaging

Company: Labels Product: New label designs Contact: 0117 317 8600 www.Planglow.com Labelling experts Planglow have created three new label designs to aid the provision of allergen information and nutritional data on pack.

Rachael Sawtell, marketing director, Planglow commented: “These new designs have been developed to support providers through the changes in law as well as those looking to exercise best practise.

“Prima Nutri provides a premium, colourful setting for basic front of pack information plus full nutritional data on the back. Whilst the Plain Nutri Label is for providers wanting to continue using their current labelling on the front of pack by adding allergen, nutritional and other info to the rear.

“The Allergen Label is primarily for back of house as it combines kitchen prep and allergen info in one resource.”

Equipment

Company: Nisbets Product: Thor Contact: 0845 1405555 www.nisbets.co.uk/Thor Next-day catering equipment supplier Nisbets has introduced a new brand of commercial cooking equipment to the UK market. Already a huge success in Australia since its launch in 2014, ‘Thor’ has become renowned for its high level of workmanship and use of top quality components.

The Thor portfolio includes a comprehensive range of grills, fryers and oven ranges, with many products available in either LPG or natural gas fuelled models. The new Thor products feature in the January 2015 edition of the Nisbets catalogue and are available online at www. nisbets.co.uk/Thor.

Highlights from the range include the extensive choice of Thor Oven Ranges – available in either 4 or 6 burner sizes, made from stainless steel.

Cake mix Company: Dawn Foods Product: Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix Contact: 01386 760843 www.dawnfoods.co.uk Dawn Foods, experts in American bakery products has added a just add water Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, available in 12.5kg bags, to its range of cake bases and mixes.

Dawn’s easy to use mix gives a soft eating, moist sponge that is ideal for indulgent American style chocolate gateaux and fudge cake as well as mini sandwich cakes, loaf cakes and cupcakes, or even as a base for a chocolate dessert. Using a mix means caterers do not need to buy in additional ingredients or ‘skill up’ either to offer a home-made authentic American cake on the menu.

Cleaning towel Company: Chicopee Product: Chicopee Coffee Towel Contact: www.chicopee-europe.com Chicopee, manufacturer of professional cleaning wipes, has launched the Chicopee Coffee Towel, specifically designed for professional coffee machines.

Its heat resistant properties and superior cleaning capabilities allow baristas to clean machines thoroughly in seconds, without risk to their own safety and comfort.

Heat resistant up to 250˚C and proven to be stronger than traditional cloths, whether used wet or dry, the Chicopee Coffee Towel has a unique weave structure, is 30% more durable and can absorb up to nine times its own weight.

The structure also reduces bacteria pick up, is easier to rinse and reuse and enables the towel to be machine-washed multiple times without losing its cleaning properties, providing excellent value for money.

See your product here!

Fryers

Company: JM Posner Product: LightFry oven Contact: 01923 220805 www.jmposner.co.uk Catering professionals looking for healthier ways to serve chips and other fried foods can do so thanks to the innovative LightFry oven, available exclusively in the UK from equipment specialists JM Posner.

‘LightFry’ is an oven that prepares fries without the need for any oil. The two-phase patented preparation process sees steam thoroughly cook the fries, before a stream of hot, dry air gives them a crispy surface; resulting in classic golden fries that taste fried yet are 40%-60% lower in fat.

The same method is also used to cook other fried foods such as onion rings, chicken nuggets and breaded mozzarella.

With a basket capacity of up to 2.5kg, the LightFry can cook 16kg fries/hour.

Want to see your new product or piece of equipment in What’s New?

Then call 0333 003 0499 Issue 17 February 2015

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Dates for your diary Discover what exciting events and exhibitions are taking place over the coming months for the foodservice industry Casual Dining Show

25th-26th February 2015

Location Business Design Centre London

Allegra UK Coffee Leader Summit 27th

February 2015

Location The Langham London

Hotel & Catering Show 2015 17th-18th March 2015

Location Bournemouth BIC

IFE 22nd-25th March 2015

Location ExCeL London

Waste-Works

22nd-25th March 2015

Location ExCeL London

Fresh from winning the prestigious ‘Best Trade Show (under 2000sqm)’ award for their inaugrual show, Casual Dining will return to the Business Design Centre, London in February for what is set to be even bigger and better.

Karen Forrester, CEO, T.G.I. Friday’s UK will present a keynote session at the Show at 11am on Thursday 26th February called, ‘Theories, Philosophies, Values and Traditions’, which will focus on how important great customer service is to the Friday’s philosophy

The UK’s most high-profile gathering of senior executives from across the branded coffee shop, food-to-go and food-for-now sectors returns to the Langham, London on the 27th February 2015.

Delegates can expect leading-edge market analysis, exploration of key market trends and actionable business insight alongside unparalleled business development and networking opportunities.

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Issue 17 February 2015

Karen will discuss traditions that have been upheld in T.G.I Friday’s for almost 50 years, and the renewed values that help drive the company to behave with “pride, passion and personality”.

You can register now for your free ticket by visiting www.casualdiningshow.co.uk.

will focus on the role of entrepreneurs in this dynamic industry, the impact of coffee on the UK high street, and how the industry is adapting to the digital age.

The day promises to engage, inspire and provoke discussion among key industry decision makers.

For more information, visit www.ukcoffeeleadersummit.com.

Mark Fox (Starbucks, Managing Director), Tim Hall (POD, Founder) and Ben Warner (Benugo, Founder)

One of the biggest hospitality shows dedicated to hoteliers and caterers in the South and South West returns to Bournemouth BIC next year. Event organiser Evisstar is promising a range of new and exciting features to attract the highest ever visitor numbers when doors to the Hotel & Catering Show 2015 open on 17th and 18th March.

A number of new features have also been introduced for 2015, including the much anticipated ‘Grazin’ Running for more than 30 years, IFE is back bigger and more innovative than ever before. The show will draw an estimated 30,000 professionals from across the industry spanning today’s dynamic retail, foodservice and manufacturing markets.

The exciting show programme for IFE 2015 includes new and inspirational elements, such as The Artisan Food Market and the Gourmet Drinker, featuring the best alcoholic drinks available from smaller producers.

The event also welcomes the return and support of the show’s prominent partners such as the British Frozen Food Federation, the Craft Guild of Chefs and Food & Drink Federation.

Waste-Works launches this year and is the only waste and resource event dedicated to the food and drink industry and will take place alongside IFE, the leading UK food and drink event, and Pro2Pac, the UK’s only packaging event designed exclusively for the food and drink sector.

Corby Ganesh, event director at Fresh Montgomery, the show organiser, said: “We are launching Waste-Works to provide the food and drink industry with the knowledge and solutions to continue the progress already being made in reducing waste.”

WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) estimates that the UK food and drink manufacturing sector could save about 720,000 tonnes, equating to £404 million per annum, by implementing operational improvements and becoming more resource efficient, primarily in the areas of food and packaging.

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and how it is maintained through their long-standing values.

Kitchen’. An area dedicated to manufacturers and distributors of cooking equipment, the working kitchen will feature live demos and delicious tastings, with suppliers and their development chefs creating the perfect ‘grazing’ area for visitors.

To book a stand or to enquire about sponsorship opportunities visit the website at www.hotel-expo. co.uk or call George Doyle on 01932 301249.

Boasting 80 high profile speakers and chefs, the exhibition will also encompass a large number of live culinary demonstrations on The Skillery with award winning chefs Hayden Groves, Damian Wawrzyniak, Mark Greenway and Alan Bird, to name but a few. While live business seminars will offer visitors the chance to gain industry insight from some of the most respected names in food and drink.

Register to attend by visiting IFE’s new look website www.ife.co.uk and follow the action on Twitter @ IFEexhibition using the #ife15.

Mr Ganesh continues: “Whilst many of the industry’s major players are already actively tackling the issue with impressive results, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are thousands of small to medium food businesses in the UK that have a genuine interest in reducing the waste they produce and improving efficiency, but don’t know where to start.

“They are looking for the information, ideas and inspiration to reduce their costs and increase their profits. Waste-Works will cater to this by providing them with an outstanding programme of real-life examples and case studies from the leading businesses and brands in the industry, along with suppliers explaining the latest developments and innovations.”

For more event information, visit www.waste-works. com. To keep up with the latest developments, follow the event on Twitter @WasteWorks.

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> Premium quality poultry

products > Extensive range — endless possibilities > Easy portion control — no waste

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Issue 17 February 2015

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Food & Drink

Interiors, Exteriors & Tableware

Catering Equipment

Technology

Sustainability

Part of The Signature Programme #STW15

The Home of Scottish Hospitality REGISTER NOW www.scothot.co.uk/qb

#ScotHot15 The Signature Programme

3rd-5th March 2015. 6 events, 3 days, 1 city - A Spotlight on Food, Drink, Tourism & Great Hospitality

Issue 17 February 2015

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