Excuses for not adhering to allergen laws put to the Sword

Posted on July 10, 2019 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

Excuses for not adhering to allergen laws put to the Sword

Martin Beatty, product development director at Sanderson

The product development director of a specialist IT software company for the foodservice sector is calling for more collaboration, with customers praising its latest innovative move.

Martin Beatty of Sanderson, which has launched an integration partnership with food specification provider Erudus, also warned those in the industry that adopting new technology is essential in order to survive.

Sanderson has linked its Swords system to Erudus, which means its users can instantly access key product specifications including allergen and nutritional information.

Martin said: “We are a customer-led organisation and our wholesale clients want accurate, up-to-date product data because that’s what caterers are looking for.

“We have been able to deliver that for our clients thanks to the integration partnership with Erudus. The feedback has been fantastic, with comments ranging from the quality of the information to the ease of which it’s provided and the fact there is no data maintenance required on their depot system.

“Our users now benefit from their websites and apps being automatically updated with key product specifications. In addition, we have used the data to improve our product search facility, making searching faster and more accurate for searchers.

“One of Erudus’ strengths is its quest to continually improve its platform, and one of the updates to be rolled out shortly will allow for notifications on allergen changes.”

Erudus has more than 90,000 caterers, wholesalers, and manufacturers using its software.

Jon Shayler, chief operating officer at Erudus, said: “We hold information on more than 60,000 products, and our goal is to push this data as far as possible across the industry. Integration partnerships with the likes of Sanderson play a key role.

“We’re thrilled Sanderson Swords’ customers have reacted positively to the collaboration and that they have seen immediate benefit in their day-to-day operations.”

Sanderson Swords is used by more than 120 wholesalers and cash & carry businesses and provides a single, integrated platform to streamline processes, improve visibility of operations, and support business growth.

And Martin added that in a changing wholesale sector it’s imperative that organisations embrace new technology to survive.

He said: “The change is driven by regulation updates, new competition from large retailers, and the influx of the next generation of leadership at both the wholesaler and their customers.

“There is more demand on improved service, increased product range, and reduced lead times – all at competitive pricing.

“It’s impossible for any business, even one the size of Sanderson, to meet all of the demands of the industry by itself, which means it’s really important to develop partnerships with the likes of Erudus. For us and product specifications, Erudus was the ideal partner as they are best placed to create and maintain rich product information of the nature demanded by regulation and our customers.”

For more information visit https://www.sanderson.com/ or erudus.com.

Ends

Caption: Martin Beatty, product development director at Sanderson.

Lion processors praise award-winning poached egg from Brakes

Posted on July 10, 2019 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

Lion processors praise award-winning poached egg from Brakes

A new, award-winning poached egg product from Brakes has drawn praise from British Lion egg processors. The British Lion Quality Free Range Poached Egg took the Egg Products accolade in the Cash and Carry Management 2019 Chef’s Own-Brand Award, in partnership with Craft Guild of Chefs.

Andrew Joret, Chairman of the British Egg Industry Council, said: “Brakes deserves a huge pat on the back for introducing this new British Lion poached egg product. Not only is it an innovative product for chefs, but it also capitalises on the growing demand for British egg products.

“As one of the leading food wholesalers in the UK, and the catering and food supplier of choice for thousands of businesses in the catering industry, Brakes has been a fantastic supporter of the British Lion for many years.’’

Natalie Phillips, Dairy Category Manager for Brakes, said: “Brakes is delighted to have won no fewer than thirteen awards at the 2019 Cash & Carry Management Awards. The judging was conducted in blind tastings over two days by chefs from the Craft Guild of Chefs.

“Among the winners was Brakes’ British Lion Quality Free Range Poached Eggs, which won the Egg Products category and one of the coveted “Best of the Best” awards. The judges were amazed by this product which they said offered great consistency, portion control and versatility. Their comments included: Really good. Great consistency. That is a product I would use. It is unbelievable. I’m amazed – such a surprise. Very versatile. It looks impressive as well. A brilliant product.

“Launched to offer customers a perfectly poached free range egg every time, and backed by the Lion accreditation for food safety assurance, the product is available now to all Brakes customers.”

With nine of Britain’s largest processed egg suppliers now fully accredited to British Lion standards, there are more Lion egg products processors than ever before, more availability and more products for businesses that wish to specify Lion.

Annual Exhibition for The Country Range Group Raises over £3million in Orders

Posted on July 10, 2019 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

Annual Exhibition for The Country Range Group Raises over £3million in Orders

Exhibition Paul Dickson – Country-Range-Development Chef, Moya McBride – Country Range Group Quality Manager and Vasita Jantabutara – Country Range Group Brand Manager

The Country Range Group’s annual exhibition returned to the Telford International Centre on June 20th and saw over 100 foodservice brands showcase their products and run interactive demonstrations to over 500 attendees.

The exhibition extravaganza helped generate a record £3million in orders for visiting suppliers from the buying group’s 12 members – Birchall Foodservice, Blakemore Foodservice, Caterite Foodservice, Creed Foodservice, Dunns Food and Drinks, EFG Foodservice, Harvest Fine Foods, Henderson Foodservice, Savona Foodservice, Thomas Ridley Foodservice, Trevors Foodservice and Turner Price.

Following the exhibition, a conference session took place for the delegates before a presentation from guest speaker Bonita Norris – the youngest person to stand at both tops of the world and one of the UK’s leading adventurers.

The hugely beneficial day was then completed with a 3-course Gala Dinner, which was hosted by writer, actor and creator Jonny Cochrane.

A 70’s theme ensured attendees were suitably adorned in an array of wigs, flares and colourful flower motifs plus a performance from the world-renowned Abba tribute act – Björn Again, livened things up and crowned the evening.

Martin Ward, Country Range Group’s Trading Director, commented:

“Our annual exhibition forms an integral part of our sales and marketing plans and is a fantastic way to get suppliers and members all under the same roof to highlight, discuss and promote the latest products, techniques and innovation on show. The event grows year on year and provides great opportunities to food and drink producers of all sizes to generate UK-wide business, which is highlighted by the record amount of orders generated on the day. Roll on Manchester next year!”

About the Country Range Group

With 25 years of heritage servicing the UK’s innovative foodservice sector, the Country Range Group is made up of 12 independent members: Birchall Foodservice, Blakemore Foodservice, Caterite Foodservice, Creed Foodservice, Dunns Food and Drinks, EFG Foodservice, Harvest Fine Foods, Henderson Foodservice, Savona Foodservice, Thomas Ridley Foodservice, Trevors Foodservice and Turner Price.  In addition to offering leading brands, the Group also provides over 800 products, all developed exclusively for professional caterers under the Country Range brand. Covering grocery, chilled, frozen and non-food, Country Range is widely recognised by caterers as a trusted and reliable brand delivering consistent quality and value for money without compromising on taste and flavour.

Website: www.countryrange.co.uk

Twitter/Instagram: @countryrangeuk

Castell Howell Foods banks on 16 tried and trusted Mercedes-Benz Atego rigids

Posted on July 10, 2019 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

Castell Howell Foods banks on 16 tried and trusted Mercedes-Benz Atego rigids

Proven reliability and durability over a demanding working life led wholesaler Castell Howell Foods back to the Mercedes-Benz Atego range for the latest additions to its temperature-controlled fleet.

The Cross Hands-based company has taken delivery of 16 new Atego 12-tonners from South Wales Dealer Euro Commercials. All are 1224 LnR models with low-frame chassis, and S- ClassicSpace day cabs. Their 7.7-litre six-cylinder engines produce 175 kW (238 hp), and drive through Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated transmissions.

Castell Howell Foods’ fleet of more than 100 trucks and vans is dominated by mid-sized rigids, the majority of which wear three-pointed stars. Fitted with dual-compartment insulated bodies by Gray & Adams, and Frigoblock refrigeration units, the latest arrivals carry both chilled and frozen product.

“We’ve been running Atego rigids in a variety of sizes for 15 years or more,” said Martin Jones, the company’s Director of Transport Operations. “They’ve been an integral part of our ongoing success story, proving in service to be exceptionally tough and reliable, as well as highly competitive in terms of whole-life operating costs.

“With each model revision the level of refinement and driver appeal has gone up. The latest versions are as well engineered as ever, and drive very smoothly, while smart touches like LED daytime running lights mean they really look the part too.”

The new trucks are being used primarily on distribution routes into rural West Wales. Their lower frames allow for a reduced overall height, to minimise the risk of damage from overhanging trees, but the trucks retain a load volume comparable to a standard vehicle.

Urban deliveries are typically assigned to 15-tonne Atego rigids, while the flagships of the fleet are a pair of 375 kW (510 hp) Actros GigaSpace tractor units, which trunk between Cross Hands and satellite depots in Avonmouth, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Chirk, near Wrexham, and Merthyr Tydfil, as well as a cash and carry in Carmarthen.

Mr Jones continued: “This latest acquisition further cements our already excellent relationship with Euro Commercials. Sales Executive Steve Bastin knows our business very well and understands what we need – he always handles our orders efficiently and keeps us fully informed. We have also forged a strong working relationship with the Parts and Service teams at the Dealer’s Swansea branch.”

Castell Howell Foods celebrated its 30^th anniversary last year. The company serves customers throughout Wales, the Welsh borders and the West Country, and prides itself on promoting and supplying premium quality regional produce. It stocks over 10,000 catering products and is best-known for its Celtic Pride Premium Beef Partnership, a supply chain initiative launched in 2003 which now has more than 80 farmer members, all of whom follow strict husbandry and management rules. Most recently it has launched Celtic Coast Fish Co., a specialist division which provides fresh fish and seafood from around the coast of the UK.

www.castellhowellfoods.co.uk

Erudus secures integration partnership with wholesale digital services specialist

Posted on July 10, 2019 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

Erudus secures integration partnership with wholesale digital services specialist

A leading provider of food product data has announced another integration partnership, this time with a digital services specialist for the wholesale foodservice industry.

Erudus has partnered with RNF, which provides a suite of services dedicated and tailored to the industry including a mobile ordering app and a digital marketing and advertising platform.

Now, users of RNF’s Beam Commerce platform who have signed up to Erudus, will receive enhanced product data during the purchasing process.

It is the latest move from Erudus as it continues to promote the use of manufacturer data across the industry, having partnered with Nielsen Brandbank and launched integrations with other app providers in the last 12 months.

The partnership comes during a boom in demand for apps amongst wholesalers, with five wholesale foodservice apps now in use across the industry, despite none being launched until 2018.

RNF, which was established in 2009, became the first developer to create a bespoke mobile ordering app for the wholesale foodservice industry.

The developer works with 18 wholesalers, including Blakemore Wholesale Distribution and Bestway Wholesale.

Rob Mannion, founder and managing director at RNF, said: “The partnership is fantastic news, as we continue to see more foodservice operators switch onto the potential of mobile ordering and digital customer engagement.

“The data we receive from Erudus will form part of a high-quality user experience, seamlessly integrating product specifications into the ordering process.

“I’m pleased to be providing customers with reliable online information on their food products, in a world that is becoming increasingly aware of technology, and what we eat.”

Jon Shayler, chief operating officer at Erudus, added: “We’re excited to be linking up with a developer that is well-respected in the in the industry, and recognises the importance of data in the modern age.

“This means even more manufacturers, wholesalers, and caterers will benefit from Erudus, with just under 90,000 of them currently signed up to the platform.”

Erudus, which is approaching its fifth year in business, has experienced significant growth in the last year, including seeing its number of users grow by 800 per cent.

The data provider, which launched in 2014, hosts the specifications of major manufacturers including Heinz, Kellogg’s, and Unilever.

For more information visit www.erudus.co.uk.

Campden BRI celebrates 100 years

Posted on July 10, 2019 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

Campden BRI celebrates 100 years

John Carter, Danone; Steven Walker, Campden BRI; Alec Kyriakides, Sainsbury’s and chair of Campden BRI; and Sarah Bradbury, Tesco.

Campden BRI, one of the world’s most respected food research and science organisations, is 100 years old this year. To mark the occasion, the Annual Campden Lecture was delivered by Tesco and Danone, who also celebrate their centenaries this year. Five hundred delegates from across the food and drink industry attended the annual Campden BRI Day conference to hear its chief executive, Steven Walker, together with Tesco group quality director Sarah Bradbury, and Danone vice president quality EDP, John Carter, speak on the past, present and future of the food industry.

Campden BRI’s beginnings go back to the First World War, when the UK government wanted to develop ways of preserving food to ensure food security in times of conflict. A milling facility for pheasant feed, next to Chipping Campden railway station, was chosen as the base for this critical endeavour as it was located in the Vale of Evesham, a major area of fruit and vegetable production.

The war ended before the facility was established, but the project continued, and the Campden Experimental Factory came into being in 1919. It started off developing canned food processes and over the years its work spread into all areas of food production including scientific, technical and consumer research and testing. Today, as Campden BRI, it is the world’s largest independent membership-based food and drink research organisation, serving food and drinks companies across the world. It currently has over 2,500 member companies from 80 countries, including all of the top 10 UK retailers, the top 15 global food and drink manufacturers, and many of the world’s biggest brands.

On the centenary, Campden BRI chief executive Steven Walker, said:

“Since the early days of canning and freezing food we have grown and diversified and are proud to be the world leader in scientific and technical research for the food industry. Many of our members and clients are household names. Key to Campden BRI’s success is that our work is directed by the industry. ‘With industry for industry’ is our motto so we’re continually working on issues and areas that make a valuable contribution to the sector. I’m proud to lead a great team which is looking forward to being at the centre of the industry for the next 100 years.”

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