FROZEN FOOD INDUSTRY RECOGNISES PIONEERING PRODUCTS OF 2019

Posted on June 17, 2019January 9, 2026 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

FROZEN FOOD INDUSTRY RECOGNISES PIONEERING PRODUCTS OF 2019

The best new frozen food products in both retail and foodservice have been recognised at a glittering awards ceremony in London.

The annual British Frozen Food Federation’s (BFFF) Product Awards showcase the finest innovations and product excellence across the frozen category, culminating in an awards event and Gala Dinner Dance at the Park Lane London Hilton on June 13^th.

Retail Product of the Year 2019 Yorica (left to right): Michael Simpson-Jones of Waitrose, on behalf of Yorica UK, with Jonathan Baker of Lineage Logistics.

Yorica UK Ltd scooped the prestigious Retail Product of the Year for its double chocolate cookie frozen dessert, which is free from 14 allergens.

Foodservice Product of the Year Paramount 21 (left to right): Andrew Green, Craft Guild of Chefs, with Ali Hannaford and Steve Lamont of Paramount 21 and Jonathan Baker of Lineage Logistics.

Meanwhile, Paramount 21 Ltd took home the Foodservice Product of the Year with its headed and gutted coated whitebait, which is Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified.

The BFFF competition received entries from across the industry with the overall winners being selected from categories across both retail and foodservices, including Best New Ethnic or World Cuisine Product, Best New Bakery Product, Best New Starter Product, as well as special awards for innovation.

The retail awards are unique in that the winners are judged by panels of independent consumers from across the UK who mark the products for appearance, taste, innovation, packaging, preparation instructions, likelihood of purchase and value for money.

The winning products in all retail categories received high praise from the judges, with Aldi’s mince pie and brandy butter ice-cream – which picked up the Gold Award for Best New Ice Cream – described as ‘perfection’ and ‘a must-have for Christmas’.

Strong Roots Food Company made such an impact with its broccoli and purple carrot bites it was honoured with the Special Award for Innovation within retail, with one judge saying: “Loved everything about this product.”

Meanwhile in the foodservice awards, the Gold Award for Best New Ingredient, Component, Accompaniment Product went to Patchwork Foods Ltd for its bacon jam. The same product also picked up the Special Award for Innovation. Praised for its ‘unique flavour’ and ‘strong, balanced bacon taste’, the judges were impressed by its versatility as a savoury accompaniment.

The foodservice awards are well respected throughout the catering industry as all the entries are impartially judged by representatives of the prestigious Craft Guild of Chefs, who, as executive chefs, catering managers and recipe developers, are expert in their field and uncompromising in their assessments of the entries.

Richard Harrow, BFFF chief executive, said: “This is my first awards event as chief executive and I am incredibly proud of the hard work and creativity demonstrated by all the entrants and the BFFF team. The impressive innovation happening across frozen is incredibly encouraging, especially considering the important role the sector has to play as we look towards a future of increased value for the consumer and decreased food waste for us all.

He added: “Our Product Awards are testimony to the dynamism and development within the frozen category. Standards were exceptionally high, showcasing the very best in new product development and innovation. I’ve been really encouraged by the number of businesses and brands putting their products forward, which speaks volumes about the confidence they have in their offering, as well as the future of frozen.

“We are looking forward to being able to further recognise and reward the people behind the products with the upcoming BFFF People Awards, entries for which open later this summer.”

Click Here for a full list of winners.

For more information about the BFFF Product Awards, please visit www.bfffproductawards.co.uk

BFFF To Deliver Industry First

Posted on June 12, 2019January 9, 2026 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

‘Industry First’

Event Programme

BFFF are proud to deliver an industry first – Join us for our Fire safety and composite panel seminar, speakers and topics include:

Keynote Message

Neil Gibbins – QFSM FIFireE

(Past President Institution of Fire Engineers)

Theoretical Sessions

Identifying, testing and inspecting composite panels – Matthew Peace, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue

Thermography – Craig Morris, Vulcan Inspection Services

Fire Case Study – Tony Ryan, Kingspan

Hot works, managing composite panels, site development planning – Glenn Woolley, NFU Mutual

Sprinkler systems – Stephen O’Reilly, Hall & Kay Fire Engineering

Practical Sessions

Checkmate Fire/Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue – Live fire stopping demonstration

Kingspan – Live composite panel flammability demonstration

Lincolnshire fire and rescue – Live fire extinguishing systems/media demonstration

Vulcan inspection services – Delegate session using thermographic

Protect your people and protect your business!

This is an event not to be missed and industry first, brought to you from BFFF in association with Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue and Sponsored by NFU Mutual

To secure your place contact: carlabrown@bfff.co.uk

Click Here to download the booking form.

BFFF Fire Safety and Composite Panel Seminar – Keynote Secured

Posted on June 7, 2019January 9, 2026 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

‘Keynote Secured’

We can now announce that Neil Gibbins QFSM FIFireE will open the seminar with a Keynote message.

Neil has almost 40 years in the fire service and has held the position of CEO and President of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE). He is now the Strategic Advisor to IFE and IFE Global Ltd and also leads the Product Safety Recall Working Group (BEIS) which has embarked on a programme of work to improve the UK’s recall system on consumer goods including White goods; which many companies have inside the workplace. The Grenfell tragedy further goes to highlight the importance of the work the group has done.

Neil previously chaired the working group that prepared UK fire services to implement the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which lead to him working with UK Government and other key stakeholders through the “Regulators Excellence Forum”. Prior to that Neil was Deputy Chief Fire Officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service until June 2013.

Click Here to download the full program.

Protect your people and protect your business!

This is an event not to be missed and industry first, brought to you from BFFF in association with Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue and Sponsored by NFU Mutual

To secure your place contact: carlabrown@bfff.co.uk

SIX DECADES OF FOOD SALES

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

SIX DECADES OF FOOD SALES

John Catherall has been a significant presence in the UK food industry for nearly sixty years and has been an important factor in the growth and development of companies like Smedleys, Ross Foods, Dawnfresh Seafoods, United Biscuits, Seabay and Faroe Seafoods, the latter now a Bakkafrost subsidiary based in Grimsby.

Having joined Faroe Seafood, Mr. Catherall immediately identified an opportunity to build sales of the company’s high quality salmon, farmed in the clean waters around the Faroe Islands and focussed initially on the Irish Market, he having lived there for ten years.

“I soon became a “trusted advisor” to this new and exciting market and created a workable logistics plan to enable the reliable delivery of fresh salmon to all 32 counties twice a week,” he said.

He quickly learned that the short life fresh fish sector had to be handled very differently from the frozen market with which he had earlier become familiar but the successful Irish experience enable Faroe Seafood to develop sales throughout the UK and into many other markets.

Looking back on six decades of the food business, Mr. Catherall said it had been a pleasure to work for Bakkafrost, a great company that focussed on the all-important and sustainable aspects of the business, fish welfare and employees and customers.

New look for Big Fish™ Traditionally Smoked range

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

New look for Big Fish™ Traditionally Smoked range

Family seafood firm, JCS Fish, has unveiled a fresh new design for its BigFish Traditionally Smoked products. The distinctive new packs for BigFish Oak Smoked Salmon and BigFish Oak Smoked Sea Trout will bring added seafood appeal to either the chilled or frozen aisle of any discerning retailer.

Commercial manager of JCS Fish, Jack Coulbeck, said: “The redesign of our core smoked range marks the first step in our project to improve packaging across the BigFish range. As well as updating visual appeal, we are planning new formats which will improve the environmental friendliness of our packaging, with less waste and increased recyclability. In this case, we have reduced the pack dimensions by about 10% to cut the use of plastic film.”

Despite the smaller format, pack weights for both BigFish Traditional Smoked Salmon and Traditional Smoked Sea Trout remain the same. Products are available in either 100g or 200g, in both chilled and frozen formats. All are traditionally cured and D-sliced for convenience and easy serving.

BigFish Oak Smoked Sea Trout is using a strain of rainbow trout that is slow grown at sea. It is an increasingly popular alternative to Salmon and from the same family, but with a uniquely delicious, slightly sweeter flavour and a character all its own.

Also in this range is a new BigFish Whole Smoked Salmon Side, also pre-sliced and with a minimum weight of 900g, which makes it perfect for seasonal entertaining.

BigFish Traditional Smoked Salmon was the winner of a Great Taste Award in 2018.

Range details

Traditionally Smoked Salmon OR Smoked Sea Trout, 100g RRP £4.95 (fresh) £4.49 (frozen)

Traditionally Smoked Salmon OR Smoked Sea Trout, 200g RRP £7.95 (fresh) £7.49 (frozen)

Traditionally Smoked Salmon Side, D Sliced (1kg) £28.50 (fresh) £27.00 (frozen)

www.jcsfish.co.uk

www.bigfishbrand.co.uk

Stock up on Sriracha for the Summer

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

Stock up on Sriracha for the Summer

Sriracha chopsticks from Meadow Vale Foods are the perfect product for your summer ranges, and with barbecue and bank holiday season around the corner now is the time for the foodservice industry to get stocked up with this quick cook, easy to serve chicken.

These innovative boneless and skinless chicken fillets are coated in a mild, authentic, sweet and spicy marinade, which uses traditional ingredients including chilli, garlic, sugar and salt. They are then hand skewed between two wooden sticks for a modern and home cooked look.

They can be thawed and served or cooked from frozen, meaning these on-trend chopsticks are ideal for a hot or cold sharing platter, a zingy salad, to cook up on a barbecue or to serve warm on a bed of cous cous as a light starter.

They are individually quick frozen, allowing full portion control, and although they can thaw and serve, they can be cooked from frozen in a microwave within three minutes. This makes them ideal for smaller kitchens and those with limited freezer and holding space.

Meadow Vale foods Managing Director Nigel O’Donnell said: “The beauty of our Sriracha chopsticks lies in its versatility. It is as tasty and succulent served warm as it is served from thawed, and can be used in so many dishes.

“The chopsticks look as good served as a hand held street food snack as it does plated up on a bed of cous cous salad. As with all our products, customers can expect the same quality and taste from our sriracha chopsticks as they have come to expect from all our products”.

For more information about our sriracha chopsticks or to order a free sample, please call us on 0845 00 30 300. For information on all of Meadow Vale’s products and services please visit their website

at www.meadowvalefoods.co.uk

A few reasons to become a member of BFFF

To find out more about becoming a member call 01400 283 095 or email the team

Join BFFF

Member profile on BFFF website

Free BFFF Member List

Free listing in the annual Member Directory

Access to latest industry news and information

Weekly newsletter, press and media opportunities

Press and media opportunities

Marketing, sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities

Networking via opportunities at BFFF events

Free market data provided by Circana and World Panel

Access to industry specialists

Expert guidance from Technical and Health & Safety teams

Access to Primary Authority schemes and assured advice

H&S Audit Service/Advice

Free access to HR and legal guidance and advice line

Training and Education

Member Benefits

Exclusive Partnership deals on key products and services:

BFFF energy deals and rates
Vypr member deals and introduction
Defib Plus deals
Company Shop – membership
Mentor – MHE training health check

Exclusive access to networking opportunities and events:

Meet the Buyer events (retail & foodservice)
Annual Business Conference with networking dinner
Specialist H&S and Technical Conferences
Special interest groups (packaging, frozen food temperatures)
Annual Lunch
Awards Night

Become a member

Sponsorship Packages

We offer a range of sponsorship opportunities to BFFF members across our events throughout the year, with flexible packages that can be tailored to suit your business objectives.

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what our members say...

Helen Atkinson

Wakefield Council

“What an amazing piece of work and indicative of how BFFF respond to the concerns of their members and make an impact on the whole industry sector.”

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Sysco

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Darta

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Kantar Worldpanel

“The Business Conference was an excellent day that was very well organised and allowed so many likeminded individuals in the room to learn so much more around the Frozen industry….

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Lakeside Food Group Ltd

“This Not For EU labelling situation alarmed us and quickly became a major worry to our business. These are times when you really rely on some support and from previous…

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Meadow Vale Foods Limited

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Newberry International Produce Ltd

“I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for the outstanding event you organised. I have only worked in this sector for the past nineteen months coming from twenty-five years…

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Place UK Ltd

“The BFFF 2024 Conference was compelling and thought provoking, with a many relevant and interesting topics covered at great pace and some depth by excellent speakers – will certainly attend…

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Roswel Spedition GMBH

“Thank you and the team for rushing around so brilliantly before, during and after the conference. It was pleasure to be part of the conference.”

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Alexandre Alves De Mattos

Seara

“The event was great, in my opinion. Not only it was very well organised, but the venue and the catering were excellent too. Furthermore, the content of the presentations was…

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