Tues 18th Nov, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London

YOUR FAVOURITE KNOBBLY CRISP BRAND IS BACK – WITH A TWIST

Posted on by mel.matson@iceland.co.uk

Iceland is launching Nik Nak Shredded Chicken in the classic crisp flavours – Nice ‘n’ Spicy and Rib ‘n’ Saucy. The crunchy, cult, crisp has been given a 2023 upgrade just for Iceland shoppers.

The range, which allows Nik Naks lovers to feast on their favourite flavours at lunch or dinner as well as in snack form throughout the day, is due to grace Iceland’s supermarket freezer capsules soon with variations including the cult classics, Nice ‘n’ Spicy (£4.00, 450g) and Rib ‘n’ Saucy (£4.00, 450g), and it’s fair to say people are getting a tad excited.

Comments on a NewFoodsUK post about the release read: “Rib n saucy chicken yessss can’t wait to try this”, “mate I’m hibernating for the rest of the year with these” and “there goes my diet”. Some fans are even begging for more flavours already, with one asking: “Where’s the Scampi ‘n’ Lemon?!”.

In fact, the post which went live yesterday has already racked up nearly 11K comments, 3K reactions and 4K shares.

The range will be available exclusively at Iceland from Monday 30th January 2023.

FOOD PARK DEVELOPMENT MANAGER APPOINTED BY OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL

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

Total supply chain solutions provider Oakland International has announced the appointment of James Whittall as their new Food Park Development Manager.

With an experienced background in food retail for over a decade, James has a strong managerial and project management track record holding several decision-making positions including store manager, project management, supervisory and engineering roles.

Said James: “I am delighted to join Oakland International at the start of their journey to create socially and environmentally responsible food science, technology and manufacturing parks, with my immediate focus being to research low carbon technology and to expand our existing connections and partnership network to champion green energy solutions.

“Oakland’s Food Park project has been developed conceptually over the last 10 years and is designed to bring food businesses of all sizes together to help them develop and grow and aims to benefit everyone involved with shared benefits including supply chain, labour, green credentials, energy security and waste.”

Oakland International is a double Queen’s Award for Enterprise recipient for International Trade and Sustainable Development and has taken the first step in B Corp certification.

Added James: “Oakland is a fantastic company, who have outstanding values that align with my own in terms of being environmentally responsible. The staff are incredibly warm and welcoming, and I’ve seen how they come together as a team, and I am excited to join them.”

Working to become the first business within their sector to achieve net-zero, Oakland International operates 24-hours/7 days a week and is a retail, food service and direct to consumer 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 and Ireland.

Oakland International’s Co-Founder and CEO Dean Attwell said: “We are fully committed to a journey which leads the way in sustainable practices, and we are delighted to welcome James as we work to develop and then deliver our planned food retail parks.”

COMPANY SHOP GROUP ANNOUNCES OWEN MCLELLAN AS NEW MD

Posted on by lee.wood@companyshop.co.uk

Company Shop Group, the UK’s leading redistributor of surplus food and household products, has today announced the appointment of Owen McLellan as its new Managing Director.

Owen will take over from outgoing Managing Director Steph McGinty, who having led the business through a successful two-year period following the Group’s acquisition by waste management company Biffa, takes on the role of Sourcing and Partnerships Director.

Owen joined the business as Group Finance Director in May 2022 from Morrisons, where he held senior Finance and Strategy roles during his 10-year tenure with the supermarket.

To enhance the Group’s impact, Owen will oversee the further development of the business’ expert intervention capabilities, helping existing and new industry partners to redistribute all types of surplus stock. This includes working with partners on their manufacturing sites to identify and capture unfinished products that are higher up the supply chain and typically harder to reach.

Expanding the reach of the Group’s award-winning social enterprise, Community Shop, is also firmly embedded into plans. This follows a record Christmas period where more individuals and families than ever before were able to benefit from the high-quality, low-cost food and products on offer, alongside life-changing personal development support.

As a Non-Executive Director for the Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust alongside his Company Shop Group role, Owen will also provide invaluable insight as the business continues to actively support NHS workers through its retail store membership, which is also open to other key worker categories, and employees within the FMCG food and supply chain industry.

Michael Topham, CEO for Biffa, said: 

“I would like to congratulate Owen on his appointment as Managing Director. Company Shop Group is central to our strategy of providing businesses with an end-to-end solution for all their surplus and waste, and I’m looking forward to seeing him continue the great work that Steph has delivered over the past two years.” 

Owen McLellan, Managing Director for Company Shop Group, said: 

“During my time with the business, I’ve been extremely impressed by the passion of our team and the impact that our sustainable redistribution model makes for our industry partners and the communities we serve. 

“In today’s landscape, Company Shop Group has a more important role than ever, helping businesses achieve their ESG commitments and wider sustainability objectives as part of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Our priority is to continue meeting these demands and use our unrivalled technical capabilities and expertise to extend into new categories and supply chains to help more companies to realise the value of their surplus.” 

Company Shop Group’s vision is that no surplus products go to waste and it provides unparalleled solutions to the industry, handling almost any surplus that can be eaten, used or worn. It works with retailers, manufacturers and businesses to handle more than 100 million surplus items a year (equivalent to c.40,000 tonnes) providing a financial, social and environmental return.

BIDFOOD STRENGTHENS ITS ESTATE WITH TWO NEW DEPOT OPENINGS

Posted on by Billy Moone

One of the UK’s leading foodservice providers, Bidfood, is set to open the doors to two brand new depots in 2023 as part of a wider plan to strengthen its current 24-strong depot network, offering customers a truly local service.

The first of the new sites will be based in Glasgow, covering the West of Scotland, and is set to open in early spring of 2023. The 90,000 sq. ft site will open as part of Bidfood Scotland’s initiative to expand the business’s local depot network, supporting continued growth, whilst helping meet the increasing demand from both existing and new customers.

Aiming to commence trading in autumn 2023, Bidfood will also be opening a site in Bedford in order to strengthen its service across the South East of England, and will become one of the company’s largest site to date, boasting 160,000 sq. ft.

Both Glasgow and Bedford have been designed with the latest state-of-the-art systems, technology and fittings to support Bidfood in reducing its carbon footprint as well as continuing to work towards its target of greener depots.

Mark Wood, Chief Operating Officer at Bidfood said, “This is a really exciting time for the business, as we continue to grow our infrastructure to strengthen our support for customers.

“Both sites will enable us to operate from a high quality and modern facility which will alleviate pressure on existing depots in Scotland and the South East, as well as serve the communities in which they operate by providing jobs to local people.”

A third additional depot in the Midlands has also been commissioned, however, this will not be active until 2024.

 

BRAKES LAUNCHES NEW PERSONALISED MYBRAKES REWARDS

Posted on by clare.twiss@brake.co.uk

Brakes is set to revolutionise customer rewards in the foodservice sector with the launch of mybrakes rewards. The new rewards are personalised to customers and enables them to make savings, earn cashback, receive gifts and donate to charity.  In addition, when customers redeem their cashback, up to 5 trees are planted on their behalf in partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects, supporting worldwide communities impacted by deforestation.

mybrakes rewards will see Brakes transform the way in which personalised promotions are delivered, while continuing the community support that has become synonymous with Brakes’ campaigns. 

mybrakes rewards is designed around customers and based on feedback that showed they wanted more bespoke options, with a wider choice of rewards, and to earn cashback of a known value, not points. As well as redeeming cashback on their spend, customers can save on merchandise including new electronics, kitchen items, days out, holidays and gift cards, at the mybrakes rewards store. Alternatively, customers can choose to donate their cashback to selected local charities.

Customers will earn cashback on all online Brakes purchases and those signing up in January will also receive an extra tree planted on their behalf, kick starting their tree planting journey.

Leon French, Customer Marketing Director for Brakes, said: “It’s clear that while the market remains so tough, everyone in foodservice needs some support. mybrakes rewards will offer our existing and new customers the opportunity to re-invest in their business, themselves, staff and communities.

“We believe that mybrakes rewards is a real step forward. Customers will know exactly what they’ve saved, and what it’s worth, benefiting from a massive choice of rewards, while continuing to support communities and great causes on a local and global scale, as well as further enhancing the customer support they receive from Brakes.”

RISK ASSESSMENT ON NOVEL INGREDIENTS

Posted on by Rachel Jones

The 21st century has given us a wealth of new wonders, such as rainbow bagels, gold flake pizza, and charcoal ice cream. And the trend doesn’t appear to be slowing down. If anything, it’s accelerating.

But this “new product renaissance” isn’t without risks. It doesn’t matter if the ingredients are new or if brands blend them in a novel way. When it comes to food and beverages, safety remains paramount. Risks inherent in the production process, the absence of proven test methods, or ineffective supply chain controls all threaten product safety.

Are you looking for a way to elevate the safety of new, uncharted processes or ingredients?

If so, join us this week for our upcoming webinar, where we’ll reveal the secrets to performing a successful risk assessment. You’ll learn the divergent origins of food novelties, from ingredients to the production process, and how to best approach risk assessment for novel ingredients while using effective implement evaluations to develop appropriate controls, and much more.

Register

YORKSHIRE FROZEN FOOD BUSINESS HAS BUMPER YEAR AS IT TAPS INTO HALAL FOOD TREND

Posted on by accounts@dimafoods.co.uk

Leeds-based Jahan Foods is a Yorkshire business success story with its range of frozen Halal convenience food products. It launched two years ago and has quickly grown to become the UK’s largest supplier of premium quality frozen Halal food with its products in all major supermarkets and most independent retailers.

The business is celebrating phenomenal success by doubling its turnover each financial year and is on track for its biggest and most successful year yet in 2022/2023 and is on target to achieve well over eight figures.

Jahan Foods was founded in 2020 by Kaleem Ahmed who with over twenty years’ food manufacturing and retail experience, spotted a gap in the market for quality, affordable convenient frozen halal food which appealed to third and fourth generation Halal consumers.

The business launched with a range of Halal frozen coated chicken products under the Dima brand which were quickly listed in a range of discount retailers.

This initial success gave the business confidence and it developed the ‘Jahan’ brand which quickly grew to around 40 products. This included coated and marinated chicken, pizzas, kebabs, samosas and ready meals and is sold in all the major supermarkets, discount retailers and thousands of independent shops across the UK.

Growth has also come in the shape of an acquisition made in 2022 when a decision was made to purchase the assets of frozen halal product ranges from Vibrant Foods. This acquisition resulted in adding £3.5m turnover and new customers.

Kaleem AhmedKaleem Ahmed, Founder and MD of Jahan Foods said:
“Before we launched Jahan Foods, the world food frozen aisle in supermarkets was extremely dull and lacked innovation. It played safe with traditional foods such as parathas and samosas. I knew we could do better and offer modern Muslim consumers a more innovative range of products.

“Working with our manufacturing partners, we created a range of everyday frozen family meals which were Halal and offered both convenience and quality. We have been overwhelmed with how shoppers have bought into our ranges and especially the ‘Jahan’ brand. Due to this success some of our retailers have further supported us with substantial space within the cabinets and increased listings.”

The business has also opened new offices in Leeds and works with a range of BRC and SALSA accredited manufacturers in the UK and Europe.

Nick Bowyer, finance director at Jahan Foods added: “We are proud to have our products in every major supermarket and we are on target to achieve well over eight figures for 2023. This is testament to the hard work of our team and our relationships with retailers who trust us to deliver. There is an even bigger opportunity for Halal frozen food to cross over into core category and hopefully we will look to share some incredible news soon.”

There are over 4 million Muslims in the UK who are demanding convenient, quality and competitively priced ranges. The global Halal food market is forecast to expand by a CAGR 9.7% in the next 10 years as demand grows and is currently worth US $1.2 tn in sales in 2022 (Future Market Insights Report 2022).

‘BRING YOUR TEAM’ DISCOUNT TO START THE YEAR OF CELEBRATION FOR THE BFFF

Posted on by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

To begin the celebrations of the 75th anniversary year of the BFFF, for the very first time, the events team are offering the food industry a ‘Bring Your Team‘ discount to both our 2023 Technical conference and our 2023 Health and Safety conference.

The offer allows conference attendees to get four tickets for the price of three. The discount allows companies to mix and match between Health and Safety conference tickets and Technical tickets to ensure you get the most out of our specialist events.

The conferences usually attract over 150 professionals in the food industry to learn and explore how, together, they can build a better future. The BFFF Health and Safety and Technical departments build a programme with the membership in mind and include topics frequently discussed or raised throughout the year.

Denise Rion, Head of Technical at the BFFF, said: “We are members of a number of specialist government and non-government forums and industry support groups. The programme, we have built, pulls on the key topics from these groups as well as analysing frequent member queries to ensure the content at our conference is the most useful for the frozen food industry”.

Last year marked the first time the BFFF held both conferences at the British Motor Museum where historical cars were mixed in with the latest innovation from health and safety and technical companies. This year, on the 8th March, attendees have access to an exhibition hall, a seat in the conference hall, refreshments during speaker breaks and lunch at the British Motor Museum.

Simon Brentnall, Head of Health and Safety at the BFFF, added: “There’s always a buzz at our annual Health & Safety conference, we have quite a following, delegates are always eager to increase their knowledge on industry hot topics and become inspired while developing new skills and experience. The event provides a great opportunity to network throughout the day.”

Both conferences are available to anyone in the industry, with special member pricing for full BFFF members*. To take advantage of the discount make sure you purchase your tickets here and once you have added four tickets (in any combination) to your basket, the discount will be automatically applied on checkout.

*Members need to ensure they are logged in to their full member account before purchasing the member tickets.