Eat issue 9 2022

ISSUE 9 2022

The magazine for Confex wholesaler customers

Inside...

MAKE THEIR DAY

A guide to Mother’s Day sales wins CLEAN SWEEP

Prepare your venue for the spring rush DOGGONE GOOD

Why being dog-friendly is the way to go LAMB-TASTIC

Delicious ideas with new-season lamb

Egg-stra special time All is revealed on ways to make the most of spring’s special occasions – Mother’s Day and Easter

SUNSHINE SELLS

FASTEST GROWING FLAVOUR DON’T MISS OUT, STOCK UP NOW! www.drinkrio.com

*IRI Marketplace Data Symbols & Independents 52 weeks Total Soft Drinks 26 December 2021

WELCOME

«

Hello AND welcome… … to the latest issue of Eat, which has a distinctly spring-like feel to it!

Jess’s mustreads this issue

I love this time of year as nature springs back to life, the days start to get longer, bringing with them an optimism for the busy months ahead. And we have the first bundle of key First up is Mother’s Day and while not everyone chooses to celebrate, for those that do we have ideas to make it a

Hop on board!

Easter opportunities for every venue and customer

»

seasonal occasions to enjoy and prepare for now.

memorable day for customers and a profitable one for operators – find out more on pages 12-14.

The big one is, of course, Easter and we look at ways every type of venue can entice customers and increase their spend four days of peak trading, it’s crucial to maximise every

The big clean Advice for spring cleaning

»

over the bumper holiday weekend. With the prospect of opportunity Easter provides – read how on pages 16-19.

And as we emerge from winter hibernation, there’s a new type of customer to welcome through your door… it’s furry and has four legs! Flick to pages 24-25, where we reveal all.

»

Getting creative Five ways to serve lamb – the traditional meat for Easter

JESS DOUGLAS DIRECTOR CONFEX LTD

ISSUE 9 2022

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BERRY

peachy STOCK UP NOW Tango Sugar free range - worth over £18m RSV and HAS grown +14.6% in the last year

Tango Berry Peachy- New for 2022- A great tasting, vibrant liquid with a bold, disruptive pack design Source: Nielsen, Total Coverage, Value Sales MAT to 20.11.21

Time to

CONTENTS

«

12 26 21 16

24 Eat is published by The Bright Media Agency, The Old Bank, 2 Cross Street, Enderby, Leicestershire LE19 4NJ, on behalf of Confex Ltd.

» FOR CONFEX LTD Jess Douglas

» FOR THE BRIGHT MEDIA AGENCY » Content Director Stephenie Shaw

Contents

07 08 09

Emma Bramwell Kate Feasey

» Senior Designer Rafaela Aguiar-Hill

» Head of Sales and Business Development Sally James

» Publisher

11 12

16

Industry round-up

Good news for the sector, reminders and key dates

» Creative Director » Content Editor

What’s new?

A snapshot of the latest must-stock products

KAM Media

Josh Williams, Head of Wholesale & Convenience, explores how to shake up the family dining experience

CORE of it

Focus on your margins with own-brand range advice

Mum’s the word

ut on a profitable P show for Mother’s Day

21

Hopping to it

How to maximise on the many opportunities for operators that the long Easter weekend presents

Clean sweep

Our guide to the big spring clean for your outlet, inside and out

24

Tail-waggingly good

Embrace the new customer on the block and you’ll reap the benefits

26

Five ways with…

This issue it’s delicate and delicious lamb in honour of it being Easter

David Shaw To advertise, please contact Sally James on 07514 623564 or sales@thebrightmediaagency.com

Get in touch

WANT TO SHARE YOUR VIEWS OR YOUR BUSINESS? IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED OR SEE US FEATURE A PARTICULAR SUBJECT, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH EAT@THEBRIGHTMEDIAAGENCY.COM

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ITALIAN

PRODUC

OES FRO AT

CERTIFIE

D

M

ON TOM TI

ROUND-UP

« WHAT’S NEW

Dairy Milk with an Easter twist

It’s a monster Out now is new Monster Energy Ultra Watermelon, which combines a juicy watermelon flavour with the renowned Monster Energy blend, giving consumers a delicious, refreshing energy boost with no calories and no sugar.

As the number-one zerosugar energy drinks range in Great Britain, Monster Energy’s new addition is sure to be popular with customers looking for an energy lift anytime of day.

Part of Mondelēz’s eggs-traspecial 2022 Easter range is brand-new Cadbury Dairy Milk Hot Cross Bun bar, featuring Peter Rabbit on pack to appeal to little ones.

With raisins and a cinnamon crunch, it’s set to become a staple flavour of Easter.

Here’s WHAT’S NEW A selection of the latest products for your outlet

Soup it up with added benefits In a foodservice first, Batchelors has launched a range of dried soups for the sector that are fortified with vitamins A and D to help support a normal immune system. Available in four flavours – Creamy Tomato,

Thick Vegetable, Creamy Chicken and Creamy Mushroom – the range is low in fat and sugar and offers a convenient way to boost vitamin intake. Available in both 25-portion and 180-portion pack sizes.

Gourmet goujons Ideal for vegan menus are new Harvest Farms Plant-based Southern Fried Goujons from Creative Foods. The vegan-friendly, chicken-free goujons are made from fully cooked, pre-fried textured vegetable protein, coated in a light and crisp southern fried-style breadcrumb.

The 50g Plant-based Southern Fried Goujons come conveniently frozen in 1kg bags, which contain 20 pieces, with 5 x 1kg bags to a case.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

»

Dates for your diary MARCH

3-7

British Pie Week

10

International School Meals Day

17

St Patrick’s Day

Despite the rapid spread of the Omicron variant earlier this year, consumers showed increased confidence in visiting restaurants, pubs and bars.

CGA’s Consumer Pulse survey found that more than two thirds (70%) of those

surveyed were happier to dine out compared to 34% at the beginning of 2021 and 52% in July last year. And the signs look promising for the months ahead too, with 33% saying they plan to increase regularity of visits.

Ratings rule

APRIL

15

Good Friday

17

Easter Sunday

20-25 Allergy Awareness Week

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Confidence in eating out remains high

Are your training and certificates up to date? As the busy season approaches, if you haven’t already done so, now is the time to check to ensure your compliance for the months ahead.

With consumers now more conscious of cleanliness and hygiene standards than ever before, they will be looking for verifiable credentials before deciding where to spend their money. In a study by P&G Professional, 64% of people polled said a clean premises and a good hygiene rating were now the most important considerations when choosing where to purchase food from.

Did you n k ow?

THE LATEST PREDICTIONS FROM LUMINA INTELLIGENCE INDICATE THAT THE UK RESTAURANT MARKET WILL RETURN TO AROUND

£18bn IN 2022, JUST 5% LOWER IN VALUE THAN 2019

INSIGHT

« KAM MEDIA

Time to shake things up Josh Williams explores how to put the fun back into the family dining experience

T

he family eating occasion has changed. Families are eating out TWICE as much as 30 years ago. In fact, pre-pandemic, they made up 57% of restaurants’ revenue, which shows eating out is no longer an occasional treat for most people, especially those with kids. And families are one customer group that is eating out as often as it did prepandemic.

RETHINKING MENUS

However, KAM’s latest research suggests the standard children’s menu desperately needs a rethink. A whopping 88% of restaurants and 65% of parents agree it needs a shake-up, so we know there is an opportunity to improve.

More than a third of the parents we spoke to want the adult menu to be available to kids in smaller portions.

While this may present some margin challenges, it is

possible. More than half of parents would like more nutritional food to be available. We’re not talking a plate of greens, but if we can manage to add additional goodness into children’s food, such as blending vegetables into sauces, while still making it attractive to them, wouldn’t that be a step-up from where we are currently?

For more info… … ON THIS RESEARCH CONTACT JOSH@ KAM-MEDIA. CO.UK

colouring pencils at the table just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Service needs to be sharper as 40% of parents told us they felt they’d waited too long for their food when dining out with kids in the last three months.

I truly believe that improving family dining is a huge opportunity for our industry. Surely the 7 million households that are dining out more than twice a week with their children, spending nearly £4,500 a year, deserve more than a plate of dry nuggets?

Josh Williams is Head of Wholesale & Convenience at KAM

FUTURE CUSTOMERS

Why do we rarely see food for kids on Instagram? That’s easy – it’s because, generally speaking, it’s not something we’re proud of or keen to show off. To me, the kid’s offering doesn’t need a rethink, it needs a drastic change to keep this valuable group of people in our venues.

Remember, these are our customers of the future.

And it’s not just the food that needs improvement.

The whole experience needs to be more family friendly.

Throwing a packet of

WHAT MAKES A PARENT CHOOSE A VENUE? ● Child-friendly atmosphere. ● Menu children will enjoy. ● Budget.

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RANGE ADVICE

« OWN BRAND

Finishing TOUCHES Wow your customers and protect your margins with CORE’s sauces and gravies

I

deal for the ultimate Easter roast, CORE’s gluten-free gravy granules provides venues with the perfect combination of great quality and a tasty price point so you can wow customers and protect those all-important margins at the same time.

CORE, the own-brand range from Confex, also offers other storecupboard essentials to help you build

dishes and expand your menu without slashing your profits.

These include chicken, beef and vegetable bouillon pastes, and a demi glace and bechamel sauce mix.

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FEATURE

» MOTHER’S DAY Mother’s Day 27 March

MUM’S the word

Customers wanting to show love for the special women in their lives on Mother’s Day make it a lucrative occasion for operators, whatever your offer

F

lowers and cards are a popular way to show our mums and special ones they mean the world to us, but an extra-thoughtful gesture of a meal out says even more and that’s where operators come in.

Whatever you decide to do for Mother’s Day, you’ll reap the benefits from the occasion’s profit potential.

A GREAT START

Breakfast and brunch is a popular dine-out option for Mother’s Day. A full English is a must but fluffy American pancakes are perfect from breakfast through to lunch.

And they’re a blank canvas for you to throw any number of tasty toppings on.

Make up a batter by tipping 300g self-raising flour, 1 tsp

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baking powder, 1 tbsp caster sugar and a pinch of salt into a bowl, crack in 2 eggs and whisk until smooth. Add 1 tbsp maple syrup and 300ml milk while whisking. Cook, in batches, until bubbles form on top and then flip to cook the other side. Serve immediately or keep warm in a low oven while you make more.

THE MAIN EVENT

A line-up of stellar dishes that are easy to prep in advance but will definitely wow keep it simple for operators and impressive for customers.

Sharing platters can double up as starters and mains and a tray-baked salmon or gourmet chicken salad tick the box for simple but exciting mains. A delicate dessert, such as a pavlova,

LEMON SALMON & ASPARAGUS Super-simple and super-tasty, just lay a handful of asparagus spears on a piece of foil, top with a salmon fillet, 1 tbsp butter and 2 lemon slices and loosely wrap. Grill on high until the salmon is cooked through and asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes.

Season and serve with baby potatoes.

or gooey caramel lava puddings (see recipe on page 14) round off a showstopping meal.

AFTERNOON TEA

It’s a perennial favourite and for good reason. A classic afternoon tea can be as simple as you like and you’ll still up your profit margins. A tier of finger sandwiches, a couple of bakes and a scone with jam and clotted cream with a pot of tea or coffee is perfect.

Upgrade your offer and you’ll upgrade your margins too with plates of open sandwiches or mini rolls, using different breads, plus more extravagant bakes such as Viennese whirls (click to the next page for a recipe) or a passion fruit layer cake.

Provide a premium option by adding a glass of fizz or wine, or a cocktail.

Serves 4

GREEK-STYLE CHICKEN SALAD »PREP: 10 MINS »COOK: 10 MINS

Top tip

CONSIDER OFFERING Could you become a pudding A SPECIAL destination, offering a light TREAT FOR main meal followed by a ALL MUMS, SUCH AS A menu of traditional and DISCOUNTED modern desserts?

OR FREE Charge a set price per DRINK WITH person and they get to enjoy FOOD OR as many servings of pudding A SMALL as they can manage! Throw in BUNCH OF a glass of wine or prosecco to DAFFODILS, TO MAKE make it extra-special.

THE VISIT EVEN MORE BE PREPARED MEMORABLE Have a think about taking (THINK OF advance bookings for THE RETURN Mothering Sunday and VISIT whether to create an exclusive POTENTIAL)

PERFECT PUDS

INGREDIENTS 225g quinoa 25g butter 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 400g chicken mini fillets 1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil 300g vine tomatoes, roughly chopped handful pitted black Kalamata olives 1 red onion, finely sliced lettuce leaves 100g feta cheese, crumbled small bunch mint leaves, chopped juice and zest ½ lemon

METHOD Cook the quinoa following the pack instructions, then rinse in cold water and drain thoroughly.

Meanwhile, mix the butter, chilli and garlic into a paste.

Toss the chicken fillets in 2 tsp of the olive oil with some seasoning and cook in a hot griddle pan for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate, dot with the spicy butter and set aside to melt.

Put the tomatoes, olives, onion, leaves, feta and mint in a bowl. Toss in the cooked quinoa. Stir through the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and season well. Serve with the chicken fillets, drizzled with any buttery chicken juices.

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FEATURE

» MOTHER’S DAY

Mother’s Day event, in other words close your venue to walk-ins. This will give a more exclusive feel for customers. You can charge a premium and really focus on your offer to make it especially memorable.

Take bookings for different meal sittings throughout the day or just make it a day for afternoon tea. It will help you prepare more effectively, knowing how many covers you’ll have. Advertise now to secure those bookings.

AWAY WITH YOU

Takeaway remains big business, so think about creating a to-enjoy-at-home experience – this could be a food and drink hamper, or brunch, antipasti, ploughman’s or sweet treat grazing boxes. Or keep it simple with brownies or a selection of cakes in a box.

VIENNESE WHIRLS »PREP: 25 MINS » COOK: 10-12 MINS

Makes 12 14 Eat » ISSUE 9 2022

Serves 2

Top tip YOU CAN MAKE THESE PUDDINGS THE DAY BEFORE COOKING. SIMPLY COVER THE FILLED MOULDS AND CHILL. YOU’LL JUST NEED TO COOK THEM FOR 3-4 MINUTES LONGER FROM CHILLED

INGREDIENTS For the biscuits 250g unsalted butter 50g icing sugar, sifted 250g plain flour, sifted 60g cornflour, sifted ½ tsp vanilla extract For the filling 100g unsalted butter, softened 200g icing sugar, sifted ½ tsp vanilla extract 100g jam

CARAMEL LAVA PUDDINGS »PREP: 10 MINS »COOK: 18 MINS INGREDIENTS 70g softened unsalted butter 70g dark brown soft sugar 1 medium egg dash vanilla extract 70g plain flour 2 Lindt Lindor Salted Caramel Truffles or other caramel chocolates cream or ice cream, to serve METHOD Preheat oven to 160˚C fan/ gas 4. Lightly grease 2 non-stick mini pudding moulds (about 5x8cm/225ml).

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METHOD Preheat oven to 170˚C fan, gas 5. Line and grease 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

Blend all the biscuit ingredients until smooth.

Spoon mix into a piping bag fitted with a large open star nozzle and pipe 24 rosettes, 4cm wide, on to baking trays, leaving space for spreading.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm

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Beat the butter and sugar with a pinch of salt until soft and combined. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract and then the flour until the mixture is spoonable.

Divide most of the mixture between the moulds, pop a Lindor (or other chocolate) in the middle and cover with the rest of the mixture.

Wipe the inside edge of the moulds clean.

Bake for 18 minutes, then turn out and serve with cream or ice cream.

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to touch. Leave to cool on trays for 5 minutes, then pop on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Beat all filling ingredients until light and fluffy. Spoon mix into a piping bag fitted with a large open star nozzle.

Spread jam over half the biscuits, then pipe with a thin, even layer of buttercream.

Sandwich together with another biscuit, continuing until you have 12 whirls. Dust with icing sugar to finish.

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tea servers of

Britain we are for you Make sure you’re serving the nation’s favourite* on National Tea Day 21st April 2022

To discover our full product range and marketing support visit tetleyfoodservice.co.uk *Kantar World Panel No. of Households Buying Dec 2019

FEATURE

» EASTER

Step forward the first key seasonal event of the year for operators, yes it’s Easter and that means one thing…

Easter BONANZA F

our days of bumper sales, that’s what Easter means and different people will want to celebrate in different ways. So you need to suss out who your customers are going to be and tailor your offer to

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what they’re looking for, depending on the type of venue you operate. Is your target audience for the long holiday weekend the younger generation and groups of friends off work and wanting to party with after-work

drinks and bottomless brunches, early risers and travellers seeking breakfasts, couples after leisurely lunches, or families looking for a tradtional classic roast on Easter Sunday?

LOOK AHEAD

The key is to start planning now, after all, the early chick catches the worm. Decide on your focus for the weekend and start advertising it in-venue and across your social media. Restrictions on hospitality meant last year was a bit of a wash-out, so take advantage of customers

Creamy egg martini

Dip the rims of 2 martini glasses in melted chocolate and leave to set. Whisk 2 tbsp condensed milk with 2 drops of yellow food colouring and divide between the glasses.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add 100ml white chocolate liqueur and 75ml vanilla vodka, shake well, then divide between the glasses. Serve as it is or decorate with half a Cadbury Creme Egg on a cocktail stick for a finishing touch.

wanting to eat and drink out as the longer days beckon and the weather warms up. Entice them in with offers and events and decide on ways you can upsell, such as an early bird booking discount, set menus, food and drink packages or extending the Sunday roast into Monday.

FAMILY FUN

Help families keep little ones entertained and set up an Easter egg hunt. Not only will you draw customers in but they’ll stay longer knowing

the kids are occupied, which means more sales for you. If you can’t do a hunt, can you put out craft activities? And take Josh Williams’ advice (see page 9) and give your kids’ menus serious thought.

PERFECT FILLER

We talk about afternoon tea on pages 12-14 for Mother’s Day but there’s no reason why you can’t serve Easterthemed versions. This special treat is a great filler for that in-between time of day and helps keep your venue buzzing

all day long – and your tills ringing. Think open sandwiches and lighter bakes, fruity tarts and mini hot cross buns. Cater for children too with mini egg-shaped pizzas, mini egg rolls, chick and bunny-shaped biscuits and cupcakes topped with mini chocolate eggs or baked inside for a chocolatey surprise. Team with a milkshake or hot chocolate decorated with cream, marshmallows and mini chocolate beans or eggs. Or try this cool idea: whip 250ml double cream until soft peaks form. Put 180g Cadbury Mini

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Eggs and 400ml milk in a blender and blend until the Mini Eggs are finely chopped.

Add 6 big scoops of vanilla ice cream and blend until you get a thick, creamy milkshake consistency. Pour into glasses and top with the cream, a dusting of chocolate powder, Mini Eggs and a straw.

ON A THEME

Whatever kind of venue you have, you can draw in the crowds. Seasonal drinks and bakes are always a winner for your bottom line and Easter provides enough inspiration for creativity with your menus – think hot cross bun lattes and salted caramel white hot chocolate (below), simnel cake, blood orange sticky iced buns, Creme Egg brownies and an Easter traybake extravaganza.

Serves 6-8

ONE-PAN LAMB » PREP: 30 MINS » COOK: 2 HRS INGREDIENTS 1 leg of lamb, about 2kg 2 garlic bulbs 15 sprigs rosemary 15 sprigs thyme 1.7kg medium-size potatoes (Maris Piper work well), unpeeled 14 bay leaves 4 tbsp olive oil juice of 1 lemon METHOD Make at least 30 small, deep incisions all over the lamb.

Halve the garlic bulbs so at the top, cloves fall away and at the bottom they remain attached.

Peel and slice tops, keeping other halves for later, and push slices into each slit in the lamb.

Pull off small sprigs of rosemary and thyme, keeping stalks on, and poke into the slits. This can be done a day ahead, then cover the lamb and chill. Remove from fridge 1 hour before roasting.

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Heat oven to 190˚C fan, gas 7.

Cut each potato widthways at 3mm intervals – do not slice all the way through. Slot a bay leaf into the middle slit of each potato. Tip the potatoes into a large roasting tin with the halved garlic bulbs and the remaining rosemary and thyme. Drizzle with half the oil and season, toss to coat, then turn the potatoes so they’re all cut-side up. Nestle lamb in middle of tin, pushing potatoes to the outside, then rub lamb with remaining oil and lemon juice and season generously.

Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes, basting potatoes and shaking tin occasionally, until lamb is dark brown and potatoes are crisp and golden.

The lamb will be pink in the middle but cooked. For rare, cook for 10 minutes less and for well done, 15 minutes more.

Remove lamb from tin and leave to rest for 15 minutes, putting potatoes back in the oven if necessary, then serve.

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FEATURE

« EASTER

EASY NO-KNEAD HOT CROSS BUNS » PREP: 35 MINS, PLUS OVERNIGHT PROVING » COOK: 25 MINS INGREDIENTS 525g plain flour, plus 3 tbsp for the cross and extra for shaping 75g soft light brown sugar 2 tsp mixed spice 7g fast-action dried yeast 150g unsalted butter, melted and cooled 200ml whole milk, plus 3 tbsp 4 large eggs 150g raisins 25g mixed peel METHOD The day before you want to serve, mix the flour, sugar, mixed spice, 1 tsp salt and yeast in a large bowl until evenly combined.

In a large jug, mix the butter, milk and 3 of the eggs. Make a well in the flour and pour in the milk mixture.

Use your hands to mix into a rough dough, making sure there are no dry pockets of flour. Cover and set aside for 1 hour.

Use a wet hand to scoop up the dough from the side, lifting and folding it over to opposite side. Do this from 4 sides of the bowl. Cover and rest for another hour, then repeat. Chill overnight or for up to 24 hours.

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Scoop dough on to a lightly floured work surface. Press flat and scatter over fruit and mixed peel, gently pressing into the dough.

Fold over dough to secure fruit in place and then gently work dough for a minute or two until fruit is evenly distributed.

Divide dough equally into 12 portions and form into balls.

Place on a baking-paper-lined baking tray, 3cm apart, and lightly cover with clingfilm.

Set aside for 1-2 hours or until balls of dough have almost doubled in size. To test if buns

are ready, gently press with a floured finger. If dough springs back quickly and fully they need longer; if they spring back slowly and not quite fully they’re ready to be baked.

ADD 70G Preheat oven to 170˚C CHOCOLATE fan, gas 5.

CHUNKS OR Brush buns with CHIPS TO THE DOUGH remaining beaten egg.

WITH THE To make crosses, whisk 3 tbsp FRUIT AND MIXED PEEL of flour and 3 tbsp of milk to FOR A form a thick paste. Scoop into CHOCOLATE a piping bag and pipe a cross KICK! on to each bun.

OR CREATE MINI Bake for 20-25 minutes or BUNS SIMPLY until a rich golden brown.

BY MAKING 24 DOUGH Remove from oven and allow to cool fully before serving.

BALLS

Top tip

5 6 7

Makes 12

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FEATURE

« THE BIG SPRING CLEAN

Clean as a

WHISTLE With warmer days on their way and spring having sprung it’s time to get your venue spick and span and ready for the rush

A

clean, hygienic and welcoming venue is key, no matter what type of outlet you work in. First impressions count and people choose where to eat and drink by how clean and appetising a place looks.

Covid rules and regulations should mean your venue is in tip-top condition and clean from top to bottom but check regularly so customers feel safe and comfortable and eager to return.

First glance

The outside of your venue and signage is the first impression people get, so it needs to be a positive one.

A clean and well-swept frontage with no sign of peeling paint or weeds is the look you need to go for. If you can, pop a few containers of brightly coloured plants outside to catch attention – pansies and violas make a pretty and cheap combo or just a simple tub of primulas and they’ll keep on flowering for weeks and weeks.

Dazzling display

Keep the good vibes going as customers step through the door. Do regular checks throughout the day that floors are swept free of dropped food and spills, make sure glass doors, windows and display cabinets are sparkling, fridges and chillers are gleaming, furniture is in good condition and any repairs made, decorations are dusted, cushions, seat covers and curtains or blinds are washed and clean and that there’s not a cobweb in sight.

Wipe down your coffee and drinks machines, clean containers and trays and any bottles out on display, and ensure work and serving

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FEATURE

» THE BIG SPRING CLEAN

Top tip LOOK UP! WE SPEND A LOT OF OUR TIME LOOKING DOWN BUT LOOK UP AT YOUR VENUE AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERY INCH IS CLEAN AND TIDY AND WELLMAINTAINED surfaces are thoroughly cleaned and sanitised.

If you have sanitising stations, check these are clean and filled up too.

The little room

It’s a well-known fact that the state of the toilets gives a good indication of what the cleanliness of the venue as a whole is. So spotless toilets are essential to keep customers coming back.

Having a checklist with date and time and jobs done is

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Garden days

useful to keep on top of it.

And make sure toilet roll and hand towels are fully stocked.

At the heart

The kitchen is the heart of your business, so empty and clean out fridges and freezers, deep-clean fryers, ovens, grills and hobs, scrub out the cupboards and do a stock check on use-by dates. Give appliances a service and pull everything possible out so you can clean behind, under and on top of everything.

Top tip SPEND TIME IN YOUR CUSTOMERS’ SHOES – TAKE A SEAT AND LOOK AROUND. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS CLEANING, REPAIRING OR REPLACING?

If you have a garden, patio or outside dining space, this needs a spruce up too. Get any outdoor furniture out of storage and hose it down.

Mow grass and weed beds and borders. Jet wash any decking areas and make sure outside flooring is secure to avoid any trips, slips or falls.

Out back

It may not seem important to keep back-of-house areas clean and tidy too but it is.

Staff want to work in a clean environment, plus rubbish left lying around at the rear of your building can attract vermin, and poses a fire risk.

What state are your bins in? Get the hose out and give them a good clean, or find a professional cleaning company to do it for you.

FROM PEPPERS TO PASTA, GET LONGER TO PAY.

Apply for the American Express® Business Gold Card and get up to 54 days to pay1 when you stock up your shelves.

For more information, send an email to wholesale@aexp.com referencing ‘Confex’.

Alternatively, you can speak to your Confex representative.

Annual fee £175 (£0 in the first year)2

Important Information If you’d prefer a Card with no annual fee, rewards or other features, an alternative option is available – the Basic Card.

1. The maximum amount of time for a payment period on purchases is up to 54 days and is obtained only if you spend on first day of new statement period and repay the balance in full on the due date.

2. The first year’s Cardmembership is complimentary and from year two of your membership, a £175 annual Cardmembership fee will automatically be charged to your Account on or after the anniversary of your Account opening date.

Applicants must be UK residents, aged 18 or over. Approval is subject to status and Terms and Conditions apply.

American Express Services Europe Limited has its registered office at Belgrave House, 76 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9AX, United Kingdom. It is registered in England and Wales with Company Number 1833139 and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Where American Express Services Europe Limited cards are issued in the UK but obtained within the European Economic Area, local rules may apply to the way that it conducts its business which can be enforced by that country’s applicable regulatory authority.

Copyright © 2021. American Express Company. All Rights Reserved.

THE PET

pounds T

here’s a pet boom going on. We’ve always been a pet-loving nation but now millions of Brits up and down the country are enjoying the benefits of having a four-legged friend. And these new members of the family are being treated as equals, which means where the owner goes their dog goes too.

This is great news for operators who can turn this pet boom into a profit boom

24 Eat » ISSUE 9 2022

by making your venue THE place to go with a canine companion. Welcome dogs as warmly as their owners and you’ll reap the rewards.

THE NEW CUSTOMER

It’s not just outlets in rural areas that can benefit, an increasing number of town and city dwellers are dog owners – Mars Petcare’s State of the Nation report shows 55% of new pet owners live in urban areas.

Did you know?

RESEARCH SHOWS PETFRIENDLY HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES COULD INCREASE REVENUES BY

30%

A YEAR

Set tails wagging with our guide to creating a petfriendly venue

Whether you already welcome dogs or not, there’s great potential to attract a whole new customer base.

Advertising is key as people will specifically look for dog-friendly places, so signs in your windows or doors, posts on social media and photos of dogs enjoying a treat in your venue on Instagram will all make you stand out. You’ll benefit from brand loyalty too as once people know they can visit

FEATURE

« DOG-FRIENDLY VENUES

Did you know?

10.7%

INCREASE IN THE UK’S DOG POPULATION IN THE PAST YEAR, EQUATING

1.2m

TO

NEW POOCHES

with their pet they’ll be far more likely to return.

Especially if you make it a fun and relaxing experience for the customer and their dog.

apple (remove the core and seeds) brown rice and pasta.

Always have bowls of fresh water available too.

DOGGIE BAGS

It’s important to set some boundaries, so consider introducing policies such as requesting dogs be kept on a lead.

And while there are benefits to being dog-friendly, bear in

Why not put a jar of dog treats on the counter? And consider a dog-friendly menu with items such as special doggy ice cream and biscuits.

Keep it simple by adding a few foods that are safe for dogs too such as carrots,

GROUND RULES

mind not all diners will want to be surrounded by animals, so consider creating a ‘play area’ with toys – near the watchful eye of owners – or a dedicated section for furry visitors with plenty of space between furniture for them to move about and lie down.

Make the most of any outdoor space you have too by creating an al fresco area for dogs.

ISSUE 9 2022

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25

GET CREATIVE

» LAMB

5

WAYS WITH…

lamb It’s spring and it’s Easter, which calls for rich and tender lamb

1

Shepherd’s favourite

Yep, it’s the shepherd’s version that uses lamb but give this classic a new look by topping with pastry or sprinkle breadcrumbs over the potato and you have Cumberland pie. How about shepherd’s pie muffins? Cook the ingredients as usual and then fill muffin tins with the lamb mix, top with mashed potato and cook in the oven for about 15 minutes until piping hot and thoroughly cooked through. You could even line the muffin tin holes with pastry first.

26 Eat » ISSUE 9 2022

2

3

Shank style

Five ingredients is all you need to make super-tasty and supereasy lamb koftas. Mix lamb mince with ground cumin and coriander, crushed garlic cloves and chopped mint, roll into oval shapes, pop on a skewer, brush with oil and griddle. They’re lean too and when served in a flatbread with salad make a lighter option for spring dining.

Braised lamb shanks are great value and make a stunning dish. Easy to serve as each is a portion, you can braise up to two days in advance.

4

Take five

Crowd-pleasing curry

If you’re left with a pile of lamb after Easter Sunday, cook up a fragrant lamb curry. Cooked with spices, spinach, cashews and light coconut milk and served with rice it’s a low-calorie crowd-pleaser.

5

On a roll

Give snacking and afternoon teas a twist with lamb sausage rolls. Fry onion, garlic, rosemary and cumin, combine with lamb mince and divide mix between sheets of puff pastry. Roll up, slice and bake for about 30 minutes until cooked through. Top tip: freeze the roll before cutting for 10 minutes to make it easier to slice.

ISSUE 9 2022

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