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Oakland Int’l DLM Service Helping Keep EU/UK Transport Moving

Oakland International’s DLM Service Helping Keep EU/UK Transport Moving

Reconditioning migrant affected loads for more than 15 years, multi temperature supply chain, distribution and logistics specialist Oakland International has seen a significant increase in requests to deal with contaminated loads in recent months.

Oakland Director, Robert Hardy, commented: “Whatever form of Brexit we end up with the safe movement of goods will still need to continue. All parties in the food supply chain from producers and manufacturers, hauliers, importers and retailers, they all have legal responsibilities under regulation EC178/2002 to ensure our food safety, with heavy penalties applied if these regulations are breached.”

Oakland’s HACCP accredited Distress Load Management (DLM) service minimises losses and food waste for customers, loss adjusters and hauliers on distressed loads due to movement during transit, theft or stowaway incursion. More than 5,000 trucks a day arrive in the UK from continental Europe and due to the sheer volume of traffic Border Force is only able to check around 10% of inbound trailers. During the last 12 months they have detected some 56,000 migrant attempts to gain illegal entry to the UK. Vehicles are regularly sent to Oakland when a risk to food safety has been detected, with load recovery and assessment undertaken same day or the following day in most cases.

Added Robert: “Oakland’s accredited DLM service has built a strong reputation trusted by both brands and insurers and consistently operates a recovery level of 85% of product, with nothing sent to landfill. Any residual food waste is redirected to nominated anaerobic digestion plant centres or recycling centres and used for renewable energy.

“A 5-point check includes, swab tests, thermal imaging and CO2 detection, and although we’re not particularly looking for stowaways, we will detect any contamination if this is the case. Our customers rely on us to protect their supply chain with clean cargo given a HACCP certificate of compliance to be presented on delivery, and contaminated cargo quarantined. Our thorough vehicle check and swift turnaround is making many of our customers consider making it a mandatory process for all inbound cargo.”

Free advice is available via www.contaminatedload.com or by calling their helpline on 0044 (0) 333 014 2850. A multi-award winner, Oakland is BRC double A accredited and EHO approved and as a multi temperature distribution business they specialise in contract packing, storage, picking, tempering and support retail, convenience, discount, wholesale and food service markets via hubs and facilities in the UK, Ireland and an overseas partner in Spain.

In Memory of Frank Brake

In Memory of Frank Brake

22 December 1933 – 22 December 2018

www.frankbrake.co.uk

Frank was one of those characters who appreciated the old adage the harder you worked, the luckier you got.

Frank was born into the hospitality industry, as the son of publicans in New Oxford Street, later attending Borough Polytechnic where he developed his love for foodservice. It was here that Frank, with his brothers, began to identify the products and services that would add value to the caterers of the day, identifying some of the trends that would later help them to launch Brake Brothers.

Frank understood the importance of education and established the Frank Brake Scholarship at London South Bank University (formerly Borough Polytechnic), as well as being major benefactors, along with William, of the Licensed Victuallers’ School (LVS Ascot).

The Brake brothers followed in their parents’ footsteps when they opened a pub in Swindon in the 1950s.  And it was here that the brothers’ entrepreneurial spirit began to show, after a local farmer offered the brothers some chickens which had stopped laying.  The Brake Brothers business was launched.

But that was just the start for Frank whose forward-looking opportunism often meant that he was “legging it” across London signing up new customers before heading back to the cold store in Kent to process the next day’s orders.

Developing Brakes from those early days was no mean feat and meant constantly innovating and identifying opportunities.  For example being the pioneers in frozen food and one of the early innovators in foodservice ready meals, creating meals that could compete with freshly prepared foods. The brothers were not afraid to move on either – for example ceasing poultry production when it became apparent that there were better opportunities elsewhere.

Moves into fresh food and an international focus followed and completed the journey from humble beginnings to a major listed company.  As Frank said: “You started plucking a chicken, then you’re putting your shares on the market”, but following the death of his brothers, Frank felt a huge sense of responsibility and duty to their families and failing with the business would have meant failing them.   As he couldn’t be half-involved in the business – he chose to sell his share of the business when he retired because he knew he had to be “in or out”, to sell and walk away or be fully involved.  A perspective typical of his no-nonsense, pragmatism.

He would have been proud that the business he started with his brothers continues to be successful and it provides a lasting legacy to the hard-working entrepreneurial spirit of one of foodservice wholesaling’s founding fathers.

I was privileged to have the opportunity to talk to Frank at length and, although he sold the business many years ago, I know how supportive he was of Brakes today, under Sysco’s stewardship and spoke very highly of colleagues’ success in working in what he described as a today’s incredibly complex foodservice market.  He was a humble man, whose hard-working attitude and entrepreneurial spirit was admired by those who knew him and he will be sadly missed.

Our thoughts are with Frank’s family at this sad time.

Hugo Mahoney

CEO, Brakes UK

Thomas Ridley Respond To Non Alcoholic Trend

Thomas Ridley Respond To Non Alcoholic Trend

The UK is experiencing a huge behaviour shift; the Office of National Statistics recently issued data highlighting that the number of adults who confirm that they do not drink alcohol is at its lowest since records began in 2005. A further 25%* of us are actively trying to moderate our drinking and a record 4.5million** people took part in Dry January® this year.

This change in drinking preferences is driving a huge surge in the sales of non-alcoholic beverages and none more so than the ‘holy grail’ of a non-alcoholic beer that actually tastes good.

Thomas Ridley Foodservice has recently ranged the Suffolk-based micro-brewery, St Peter’s, Without® Gold and Shane Fazackerley, Category Manager- Wines, Beers, Cider and Spirits at Thomas Ridley Foodservice is impressed,

“This is an amazing beer.  A hoppy, golden ale that’s full of flavour and completely alcohol free, full-bodied, with a slightly sweet malt flavour combined with a citrus bitterness. This beer will appeal to a nation of ale drinkers who love a good, full-bodied golden ale, as well as lager drinkers looking for a delicious alcohol-free beer.  Without® Gold is completely different from other alcohol-free beers on the market, most of which are conventional lagers and often thin and watery. Instead, it is made in exactly the same way as a traditional beer, just without the alcohol, and consumers can expect a full-bodied pint, with a good head and delicious taste.”

St Peter’s Without® Gold is available in 500ml bottles and on tap and complements Thomas Ridley’s vast range of draught and bottled beer and cider. For more information and to order from Thomas Ridley Foodservice please contact us on 01359 270536 or order online at www.thomasridley.co.uk

*Nielsen Survey

**Alcohol Concern Data

Anaerobic digestion trade body to recruit Chair to drive growth of green gas in its second decade

Anaerobic digestion trade body to recruit Chair to drive growth of green gas in its second decade

  • ADBA to appoint new Chair on its tenth anniversary, replacing role of Chief Executive
  • Current Chief Executive Charlotte Morton makes announcement at ADBA National Conference 2018
  • New Chair will provide “a new face to take forward ADBA’s exciting vision” for UK AD industry

The UK’s trade body for anaerobic digestion (AD) has announced that it is recruiting a new Chair to lead the association into its second decade and to help deliver its vision to drive the growth of an industry that can reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by close to 5%, improve its energy and food security, and create tens of thousands of jobs throughout the UK, with opportunities to export into a global market estimated to have a £1trn market potential.

Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA), announced at the ADBA National Conference 2018 on Tuesday morning that on its tenth anniversary, ADBA will create a new role of Chair to lead the association into its second decade, supported by ADBA’s Advisory Board and the executive team.

The new Chair will be responsible for leading the association’s strategy, developing its business plan, representing the association at the highest levels, and engaging with ADBA’s members. The chosen candidate is likely to be a high-profile figure with extensive experience in the AD sector and with exciting and deliverable ideas for ensuring the UK AD industry can grow to meet its full potential.

Recruitment for the role will kick off in earnest in the New Year, with a view to the new Chair being in place by the time the association celebrates its tenth anniversary in autumn 2019. Interested candidates should contact Ms Morton in the first instance.

Once the Chair is in place, Ms Morton will continue on ADBA’s Advisory Board and in her associated role of Chief Executive of We Are Orchard, the company that has been providing association management services to ADBA (as well as other green sector trade associations including the World Biogas Association) for the past three years. In this role, Ms Morton will be responsible for the delivery of the new ADBA Chair’s strategy and business plan. The operation and administration of ADBA will otherwise remain unchanged.

Speaking at the opening of the ADBA National Conference 2018 in Westminster, Ms Morton said:

“As ADBA prepares to celebrate ten successful years of supporting the growth of the UK’s AD industry and helping to decarbonise the UK economy, the aim is for the new Chair to be in place to take forward ADBA’s exciting vision for its second decade, which will see the industry build on its success to date and grow to meet its exceptional potential.

“ADBA’s new Chair will be responsible for developing and taking forward the association’s vision, strategy, and business plan and will be a high-profile figurehead for the industry. They will work closely with our members, the Advisory Board, and all key stakeholders to create an exciting new chapter in the story of this vital technology and grow ADBA’s membership to build on existing opportunities both here in the UK and abroad.

“With so much uncertainty as a result of Brexit and a changing political landscape, it’s vital that ADBA stays one step ahead of the game to ensure that we put the AD industry in the best possible position to meet its full potential over the coming years. With the support of ADBA’s Advisory Board, the new Chair will help take the association and the industry to a new level, and will take forward our focus on benchmarking excellence, which started last year with the launch of the AD Certification Scheme.

“When the new Chair is in place, whilst I will continue to oversee the delivery of the services ADBA provides to its members as Chief Executive of We Are Orchard, ADBA will have a new leader to take this exciting industry to the next level.”

The UK AD industry has the potential to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 5% (helping to decarbonise heat, transport, and agriculture), meet 30% of domestic energy demand, and help restore soils through the spreading to land of natural fertiliser from the AD process. There are hopes that a possible commitment to universal food waste collections in the forthcoming Resources & Waste Strategy and increased support for on-farm AD on the back of the government’s changes to farming support will allow more organic wastes to be sent for recycling through AD over the coming years.

ADBA was founded in 2009 by former Liberal Democrat Energy Spokesperson Lord Redesdale and ten founder members. The association currently has over 400 members spanning AD operators, equipment suppliers, finance specialists, farmers, academics, waste management companies, gas distribution networks, and many more.

Sampling for food safety seminar

Sampling for food safety seminar

This seminar, on 19 March, will look at practical approaches and issues associated with sampling in the food industry. It will cover sampling for microorganisms and chemical and food safety, as well as how sampling applies to food safety systems.

Attendees will:

  • gather insights into sampling processes and procedures in a range of contexts
  • hear company views on sampling from Moy Park, Nestle, Premier Foods and McCormick
  • learn about sampling mistakes and errors, so they can be avoided
  • receive an update on sampling techniques and equipment used in the food industry
  • have an opportunity to have their sampling questions answered

Phil Voysey, Campden BRI’s lead on microbiology risk assessment and training, said, “Delegates will have an opportunity to learn about the role of sampling in relation to food safety and quality of food production and gain valuable insights into sampling processes and procedures in a range of contexts. They’ll also learn about common sampling mistakes and how to avoid them. All aspects associated with sampling, including its context in food safety management systems, will be covered.”

This seminar will benefit those involved in obtaining and evaluating the safety and quality of food and drink production.

Our training team will be happy to help with any enquiry on +44(0)1386 842104 or at training@campdenbri.co.uk

 

Contact:

Moya Woolley, Science writer/editor, Campden BRI

moya.woolley@campdenbri.co.uk

+44(0)1386 842247

Campden BRI (www.campdenbri.co.uk) provides technical, legislative and scientific support and research to the food and drinks industry worldwide – with a comprehensive “farm to fork” range of services covering agri-food production, analysis and testing, processing and manufacturing, safety, training and technical information services. Members and clients benefit from industry-leading facilities for analysis, product and process development, and sensory and consumer studies, which include a specialist brewing and wine division.

Pelican on the move with Talent in Logistics

Pelican on the move with Talent in Logistics

The UK’s leading training and development event for the logistics sector has appointed Pelican Communications to deliver an integrated marketing campaign.

Talent in Logistics (TiL) is dedicated to the recruitment, development, engagement and retention of the 2.2 million people working in the UK transport, logistics and warehousing sector. A sector that keeps Britain moving and contributes over £120 billion to the UK economy every year.

Manchester-based Pelican has been briefed to strengthen the TiL brand and promote the organisation’s annual conference and awards, which take place in June 2019.

The Pelican team have already designed and built a new website and will be delivering a thought leadership programme across social and traditional media channels, as well as further brand development work.

TiL was specifically developed to recruit and develop talent from groups that are currently under-represented in the logistics industry. It aims to encourage organisations to address skills, training and career progression to retain exceptional staff and attract new employees. The organisation runs an annual conference and awards in June, which includes the live finals of the Forklift Operator of the Year and, new for 2019, LVG Driver of the Year competition.

Pelican, which specialises in creating marketing communications strategies for businesses, government and trade organisations within the food chain and environmental sectors, was selected through a competitive tender process.

Ruth Edwards, Talent in Logistics business manager, said: “We were impressed with Pelican’s strategic approach and relevant experience of the logistics sector and working with trade bodies. They are ideally placed to support the development of our brand and associated events.”

Michael Bennett, managing director at Pelican Communications, added: “We are working to help Talent in Logistics evolve from a yearly event to a multi-faceted brand that will to help organisations share best practice in learning, development, HR and operations.”

The win follows the recent appointment of former Shell UK marketeer Sarah Taylor-Jones to the newly created role of client services director.

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
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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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