Tues 18th Nov, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London

BFFF SPECIALIST INTEREST GROUP (SIG) ON SUSTAINABILITY

Posted on by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

Introduction

At last year’s Business Conference, we announced the launch of a Specialist Interest Group (SIG) on Sustainability. Unfortunately, the workload of the Federation in dealing with the pandemic and the end of the Brexit transition period resulted in us having to delay the launch of this group.

We now feel we have the resources to facilitate the creation of this SIG. Indeed, we feel that one of the consequences of the pandemic is a renewed focus on the sustainability topic.

 

Why Create the SIG for Sustainability?

It is clear that the way we look at the sustainability agenda today is different to five years ago. It is inevitable that the agenda will change and develop over the coming five years, and therefore it is vital that we help members to understand the narrative and focus as it evolves.

Also, we would like to find ways to help smaller members take part in the debate and process. This could cover how members deal with water stress, coping with the possible introduction of food waste or carbon footprint reporting as examples.

 

Policy

The United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) form the basis of many of the targets adopted by Governments and companies, not just in the UK but globally.

We would therefore like to develop BFFF policy and guidance to assist members in working towards these SDGs. It is only by taking a collaborative approach that the UK will reach its net zero targets by 2050.

 

Climate Balance

The frozen food industry is a heavy user of energy, from the freezing process, storage, transport, and the display of product in retail stores or as an end user. However, the industry is very efficient in the use of this energy and the way we produce product. Normally, production in frozen utilises longer production runs with very efficient use of natural resources, including dealing with the waste and/or by products in a cost-efficient way.

One of the key benefits our industry can promote is helping both consumers and professional kitchens in reducing food waste.

Consumers often ask what they can do to reduce emissions. One very simple and practical way is to convince them that by simply purchasing more frozen food, will help them to reduce their food waste. Additionally, there is evidence that by doing this it will also save them money.

We therefore need, as an industry, to promote the concept of the Climate Balance. To do this, we need to bring the industry together to work and develop this concept.

 

Invitation

We already have a list of interested companies and we will be reaching out to them to plan a kick-off meeting at the end of April/early May.

We also invite any member who wishes to be part of this initiative to send their details to Siobhan O’Callaghan.

ADBA CALLS FOR URGENT FUNDING FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO IMPLEMENT SEPARATE FOOD WASTE COLLECTIONS BY 2023

Posted on by vera.litvin@adbioresources.org
  • Separate food waste collections will become mandatory in England from 2023.
  • Local Authorities need to put structure in place now to be ready by 2023.
  • The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) calls for funding to be provided without delay to make this possible.

In its annual monitoring report, published last week, the National Infrastructure Commission reiterated its recommendation – first made in its 2018 National Infrastructure Assessment – to “enable separate food waste collection for households and business for biogas production“.  In 2017, the UK Government made separate food waste collection mandatory in England by 2023 as part of its Resources and Waste Management Strategy.

However, there are no plans for the Government to financially support Local Authorities (LAs) to implement this directive before 2023 – by which time it will be too late to meet the deadline.

“Local Authorities are in the process of putting their waste management contracts in place now for the years to come, and they need government funding NOW to be able to implement separate food waste collections by 2023.“, explains Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA).

“In England, 50% of local councils are currently collecting food waste separately or as part of their green waste collection.  However, still some 2.3Mt of household-produced food waste goes to either landfill or sewer, where it emits harmful methane gas as it breaks down. This food waste could generate up to 2.7TWh of energy if it were taken to an AD plant. But lack of funding is preventing LAs from putting the infrastructure in place to collect this food waste, and being able to do so, as required by Government, by 2023. We cannot afford any delays if the UK is to meet its Net Zero targets by 2050 and hope this funding will feature in this week’s Budget announcement.”

For further information, contact:
Jocelyne Bia, Senior Communications Consultant
email: Jocelyne.bia@adbioresources.org ; tel: 00 44 7910 878510

STREET FOOD PARTY WITH THE PERFECT INDULGENT PARTNERSHIP – GERMAN SAUSAGE AND BRITISH CHIPS!

Posted on by andreadeutschmanek@lambweston.eu

Lamb Weston teams up with The Sausage Man to inspire operators with innovative, celebratory dishes for the coming summer months.  And Chef Philli Armitage-Mattin, Master Chef the Professionals 2020 Finalist, has joined the two companies to help kick-off the collaboration in style!

Joy is in the air as people across the land anticipate letting loose and whooping it up after lockdown is lifted.  So, there’s no better time to share our exciting news – we at Lamb Weston are beyond chuffed to announce our exciting new partnership with The Sausage Man!  Their premium quality range fits perfectly with Lamb Weston, reflecting our own high standards.  They bring the best from award winning butchers in Germany, with a huge sausage range including delicious bratwurst, beef, pork and turkey sausages, paprika sausages, frankfurters and even vegan hot dogs.

Street Food, outdoor eating, delivery and fusion cuisine will all play a big role for operators reopening in 2021 so how can pubs, restaurants and food truck owners surprise their guests easily with tantalising new recipes?

Lamb Weston and The Sausage Man have the solution – and who better than Chef Philli to cook up some of the yummiest, most irresistible and instagrammable recipes to celebrate the partnership.

Think German food fused with exciting flavours.  One typically traditional German dish is currywurst and fries, packed full of spice.  So why not go crazy for katsu with Philli’s katsu curry with crispy currywurst and togarashi fries, using Lamb Weston Hot2Home or Stealth fries?

“How can you improve upon sausage and mash or a hot dog with fries?  Chef Philli has dreamed up some super creative, highly flavoursome recipes for us such as Korean kogo – sausage and fries on a stick – that is so Instagrammable consumers and operators will love it!” says Andrea Deutschmanek, Lamb Weston’s International Marketing Lead, Northern Europe.  “We gave her the freedom to create these dishes and she stunned us with strong and bold flavours that will wow!”

“Being a chef is about being passionate and creative.  It’s about being an artist.  We use simple foods and turn them into beautiful creations.  Just like Lamb Weston’s products, The Sausage Man’s products are perfect for this!” says Chef Philli.

“When designing dishes today we have access to a larder of worldwide ingredients.  This gives you the ultimate creativity.  Along with that, it’s important to make dishes colourful and Instagramable.  People want their food be beautiful on the plate.  The camera eats first.

“I’ve created some simple sausage-based dishes with Lamb Weston and The Sausage Man, fused with flavours from around the world, that both look and taste fantastic.  I hope keen cooks will take these ideas and build on them.

“My passion is creating delicious dishes that you crave and simplifying them so that the recipes are easy to make for everyone.  I love Asian cuisine, and have really enjoyed experimenting to find the best ways to fuse Asian flavours with these traditional German favourites.”

Joshua Grocott, Marketing Director for The Sausage Man, said: “Chef Philli delivered some extraordinary dishes, completely reimagining ‘sausage and chips’ as a concept.  Using Lamb Weston’s Dukes of Chippingdom, Proper British Chips, and our authentic German sausages as a starting point, Chef Philli tied in complimentary flavours from around the world to develop tasty plates that please the eye as well as the tastebuds.  This menu is easy to recreate, especially with Chef Philli’s step-by-step videos, and every recipe looks and tastes fantastic!”   Cooking with Chef Philli – Episode 1: The Korean Kogo – YouTube

Street Food party with a perfect indulgent partnership | Lamb Weston / Meijer

For more innovative ideas, recipes and potato inspiration, head over to www.lambweston.eu/uk, call 0800 963962 or email us at salesUK@lambweston.eu

OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL ENCOURAGES OVERSEAS MANUFACTURERS TO RECONSIDER THE UK

Posted on by hayley.smith@oakland-international.com

Multi temperature supply chain solutions provider Oakland International is encouraging overseas manufacturers to rethink the UK as a solution to border challenges and expensive transport costs.

With around half of the company’s trade coming from overseas manufacturers, Oakland International believes that there are real opportunities for many large and small businesses to embrace the possibilities available within the UK in terms of retail channels and supply chain network.

Oakland International’s CEO, Dean Attwell, explains: “UK has fantastic retail channels and probably the best supply chain network in the world.

“According to recent DEFRA stats, the UK is around 64% self-sufficient in food. The debate over the need for food security needs to be tied into the need for some types of food to travel such as milk, water, eggs etc. They can all be produced in the UK within regional supply chains and would drive significant environmental benefits and ultimately deliver against the sustainability agenda.

“Supermarkets have a major part to play in driving sustainability as they are the custodians of many brands’ frontline consumer engagement and have a role in upselling the benefits of sourcing locally and buying British produced and manufactured products.”

Oakland International believes manufacturers located outside of the UK should consider moving part of their operation to part-manufacture, as an end-of-line process, or full manufacture their products in the UK.

About to unveil plans for a carbon-neutral hub for manufacturers, Oakland International is taking the firm a step closer towards solving a national challenge for sustainability and protection of the environment.

Added Dean: “The British are very curious and supportive of new products and authentic foreign dishes, but there are ways in which we can work smarter with foreign brand owners who want to service the UK, bringing their know-how and equipment to a UK based manufacturing centre, located preferably near to their target market or supply chain partner, they can then take full advantage of being a local, regional or a national supplier to UK consumers, avoiding border challenges and expensive transport costs, product stock wastage and the shelf-life erosion associated with being in a separate country.”

Oakland International operates 24-hours/7 days a week and is a D2C/B2C/B2B specialist in contract packing, storage, picking, food distribution and a brand development support provider for ambient, chilled and frozen food to the retail, convenience, discount, wholesale and food service markets in the UK, Ireland and via their partner in Spain.

NEW PROJECT TO IMPROVE THE MICROBIOLOGICAL SAFETY OF BREAD

Posted on by karen.jones@campdenbri.co.uk

Campden BRI is looking for partners to join a new research project that aims to help manufacturers and retailers understand and control the potential risks posed by Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) in bread products. Proteolytic C. botulinum is a pathogenic bacterium that theoretically has the potential to grow in association with long shelf-life breads and similar products, particularly if they are Modified Atmosphere Packaged (MAP).

The project will identify the factors that prevent the growth of C. botulinum on breads to ensure safe products for consumers.

Campden BRI microbiologist Phil Voysey, who is leading the project, said:

“When it comes to microbiological safety, many consider baked and part-baked goods generally safe, largely because of the positive experiences they’ve had with these products. However, in theory, these goods can support the growth of pathogenic microorganisms such as proteolytic Clostridium botulinum, which has been linked to human illness. Further still, there have been cases where the flour used to make these products has been contaminated with pathogens such as Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. This is a particular concern when you consider that baking processes are generally not designed to achieve spore-forming pathogen elimination. To top it off, these products are then stored at ambient temperatures which are ideal for microbial growth.”

The scientists are looking for retailers and bread producers to work with them on the project so that they can identify the most likely factors contributing to microbiological safety. They’ll then use a range of comprehensive analysis to determine the effectiveness of these factors which will help determine the risk of new and existing bread products.  Part of the project will be focused on contamination levels of ingredients used to make breads.

Two-thirds of consumers worry about the safety of the food they eat according to a global survey conducted by Lloyd’s Register, with more than three-quarters of Chinese consumers changing their consumption habits following the coronavirus pandemic.

Voysey continued:

“We’re currently living through a time when food safety is at the forefront of the consumer’s mind, and this is changing their buying habits. Demand for bread exceeded 50% at one point during the current health crisis, proving it as one of the UK’s favourite staple foods. It also tells us that ensuring the safety of bread has never been more important. So, when considering its microbiological safety, no stone must be left unturned.”

The research will begin on 1 April and run for 18-months. It will involve suppliers and retailers from across the bread sector. Any companies wanting to take part in the research should call Greg Jones on +44(0)1386 842143 or email him at greg.jones@campdenbri.co.uk

BIRDS EYE EXPANDS INSPIRATIONS RANGE WITH RESTAURANT-INSPIRED CHICKEN

Posted on by Pete.Johnson@birdseye.co.uk

Birds Eye is delving into the latest consumer trend for restaurant standard meals, with the launch of two new Inspirations Chicken SKUs. Made from 100% chicken breast, the restaurant-inspired dishes will come in two variants; Light & Crunchy and Southern Fried.

This launch follows extensive research carried out by the trusted frozen brand, which identified more upmarket offerings as an area of the category that consumers felt was lacking, highlighted by the majority of respondents citing a desire for a more luxurious proposition. The new SKUs will join the Birds Eye core chicken grills line-up from the 15th March, offering a natural trade-up option that will also attract the attention of new shoppers looking for something a little different.

Birds Eye’s thriving core chicken grills range currently holds 64.3% of the sector, growing +15.5%[1]. These restaurant quality dishes are set to build on the success of the core range, giving shoppers a premium alternative – made from 100% whole muscle chicken.

Francesca Cremonesi, senior brand manager at Birds Eye, said: “With a lot of us still spending most of our time inside and longing for the day we are able to enjoy a meal out, we wanted to bring that restaurant experience to people’s homes.

“The nation loves our current Birds Eye chicken grills, with 27.3% of UK households stocking our products[2]. And with the trend for at-home dining and experimental cooking continuing to flourish, we’re confident the new Birds Eye Inspiration Chicken Fillets will be a real hit with shoppers. Plus, they’re super convenient and versatile for our family shoppers.”

Birds Eye will be supporting the range with meal inspiration which can be found on their website – https://www.birdseye.co.uk/recipes.

The products hold an RRP of £3* and will be rolling out to Tesco’s from the 15th March, followed by Sainsbury’s from the 10th May.

[1] MAT 30.01.21

[2] Kantar WPO 52 Weeks to 24.01.21

THE BEST NEW CENTRE PLATE MEAT RETAIL PRODUCT SHORTLIST SPONSORED BY XPO LOGISTICS

Posted on by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

Welcome to the announcement for the Best New Centre Plate Meat Retail Product in the 2020 – 2021 British Frozen Food Awards sponsored by XPO Logistics.

The First Shortlisted Company

Congratulations to the Gammon Joint with Marmalade from Iceland Foods. Our judging panels thought; the ham was moist in the centre, well glazed and had an excellent texture.

Iceland comments; “We are really excited to have been shortlisted for this prestigious award. We believe that this product is of the highest quality and offered to our customers at an amazing price!”

The Second Shortlisted Company

Congratulations to the Chicken, Ham Hock and Leek Pies from the Specially Selected range at Aldi. Our judging panels thought the product had; great texture, a good crust with flaky pastry and a nice looking pie.

Aldi comments; “We are extremely proud that Aldi’s frozen food range has been shortlisted for nine categories at this year’s BFFF Awards. The frozen food category continues to be important to our customers and working together with the UK’s best suppliers, our Buying team has developed some incredible quality products at amazing prices to meet the ever-evolving needs of shoppers. We are honoured that this effort has been recognised by the British Frozen Food Federation.”

XPO Logistics Banner

The Third Shortlisted Company

Congratulations to the Chicken Balti Pies from Iceland Foods. Our judging panels thought the product had; really good flavours, the pastry had a good golden colour and a spicy fun eat.

The Fourth Shortlisted Company

Congratulations to the Chicken Makhani Masala from the Iceland Luxury Range at Iceland Foods. Our judging panels thought the product had; a good flavour in the sauce and a bright attractive orange colour.

Congratulations to all our shortlisted companies and commiseration to the rest of the category product entries. The BFFF look forward to announcing more category shortlists, they will be released once a week until early march 2021.

XPO Logistics BannerThank you to our Category Sponsor XPO Logistics.

BFFF LAUNCH A SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCE FOR THE FROZEN FOOD INDUSTRY

Posted on by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

The British Frozen Food Industry have created a resource for industry sustainability. The section of the BFFF website brings together all the educational and informative content to help support members in becoming more sustainable.

The section currently covers; Cold Chain Solutions, Industry Targets and Packaging with Industry Certifications being developed to include information on BCORP certification.

The BFFF is working with its membership to create and sculpt the sections structure to ensure it is a true representation of the initiatives and work the Frozen Food industry is doing. If any BFFF members would like to contribute to the Sustainability section on the website, please email harryhinks@bfff.co.uk.

View the Sustainability Section here