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SCOTLAND’S FUTURE CATCHING POLICY CONSULTATION

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation seeking the views of stakeholders on Scotland’s Future Catching Policy (FCP), which will establish a new approach to managing sea fishing activities within Scottish waters and will ensure that the right management measures are in place to support reasonable and pragmatic decision making.

The publication of this consultation paper seeks to gather views on Scotland’s Future Catching Policy as a fundamental part of delivering sustainable and responsible fisheries management under the Fisheries Management Strategy. They are seeking a wide variety of stakeholder views of the proposals they are setting out in order to inform delivery.

The consultation closes on 7th June.

To read the consultation or give your views, click here.

TRIBUTES PAID FOLLOWING DEATH OF BIDFOOD’S COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, ANDREW ROBERTS

It is with great sadness that we learned that Andrew Roberts, Commercial Director of Bidfood, passed away over the Easter weekend.

Andrew was a great supporter of the BFFF and served as a non-executive director on the board for 5 years.  When I joined the Federation, Andrew kindly invited me down to the Bidfood offices where he spent time with me, helping me understand the Out of Home market.

His enthusiasm and passion for the industry was always evident. He also knew how to have fun and I can still see him with his team at the People Awards in 2020 – revelling in the evening and enjoying every moment.

Whilst it is a well-worn phrase, Andrew really was larger than life.  It was a pleasure to have known him and I am personally saddened by his passing.

The whole team at the Federation who all knew Andrew join me in sending our deepest sympathies to his colleagues and family.

 

Statement received from Andrew Selley, CEO of Bidcorp UK:

“It is with deepest regret that we announce the incredibly sad and untimely passing of our colleague and dear friend, Andrew Roberts, who passed away of natural causes over the Easter weekend.

Fiercely loyal, incredibly kind and immensely supportive are just some of the many ways those who knew and loved Andrew described him.

Andrew committed nearly 30 years to the UK foodservice industry, having joined Booker Cash & Carry in 1994 where he assumed the role of Buying Controller before being seconded to Booker Foodservice to head up the buying team.

In 1999 when Booker Foodservice was sold to Bidvest (renamed 3663 First for Foodservice shortly after), Andrew was brought on board to start building from scratch a buying department. Alongside the directorate at the time, Andrew built and developed the commercial arm of the business to become the incredibly successful team it is today and so it wasn’t a surprise that he was promoted to Director of Buying within just a few years of joining 3663.

He continued to impress over the years, winning several accolades, most notably the Chairman’s award across the entire Bidvest Group in 2009. In 2015 Andrew progressed to the role of Commercial Director overseeing the Buying, Campaign and Activation, Studio and Events functions, and in 2018 was appointed to Bidfood’s Senior Leadership Team, where he remained until the present day.

His passion and determination radiated through his work and his teams. He revolutionised the way we now work with our suppliers, which every year is validated by the Advantage Group Survey drawn from supplier feedback. The survey consistently positions Bidfood as a leading and trusted wholesaler, with fantastic feedback across the board on how we communicate, value and work in partnership with our supplier partners. Andrew was instrumental in this.

Andrew leaves a lasting legacy through his creation of Bidfood’s incredibly successful customer loyalty programme, Safari, as well as Legends, a sales incentive scheme supporting Bidfood’s key suppliers to drive volume and distribution.

He was a larger than life character, well-loved and respected across the industry and amongst his peers. He will forever be famous for his compelling presentations and captivating storytelling which made the events he was involved in so enjoyable, inspiring and memorable!

Andrew leaves a huge hole in our Bidfood family and we will all miss him dearly. Gone too soon, he will never be forgotten. Rest in peace, Andrew.”

SCOTLAND’S MANDATORY OOH CALORIE LABELLING CONSULTATION

The Scottish Government has published a consultation – closing 1 July – on mandatory calorie labelling in the out of home (OOH) sector in Scotland. The consultation seeks views on whether the provision of calorie information in OOH settings at the point of choice should be mandatory, and if so:

  1. The manner in which calorie information would be presented so that it is easily accessible and understood
  2. The advice and guidance that OOH businesses may require to ensure that there is parity in provision of calorie information across the sector
  3. Identifying any unintended consequences and impact on health and other inequalities that may arise from mandating calorie information at the point of choice in OOH settings and measures potentially required to mitigate the unintended consequences and impacts
  4. Whether there should be any exemptions to the application of requirements for the provision of calorie information in OOH settings.

For more information on the consultation, click here.

BIG VALUE FOR THE BIG JUBILEE LUNCH

Iceland announces its official partnership with The Big Jubilee Lunch, the main community celebration for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend.

With the supermarket’s stores deeply rooted in their communities, Iceland will host over 1,000 of its own Big Lunches across its local communities, all of which will be raising money for Action for Children, Iceland’s charity partner. 

The Big Lunch is a chance for everyone in the UK to celebrate community connections and get to know one another a little better – and Iceland is helping people to celebrate regardless of their budget. 

According to a survey carried out by Iceland with 2,000 Brits, the nation can expect to see 51.7 million people celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this summer, that’s more than three quarters of the nation (77 per cent).

And it seems it’s not just the older generation that have caught the Jubilee bug, with a staggering 80 per cent of those aged between 16 and 29 saying that they are looking forward to the celebrations. In fact, 40 per cent of this age group named the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee an important event.

The occasion has come just at the right time too, as three quarters of us (76 per cent) said that following the restrictions over the last few years, they are looking forward to the excuse to reconnect with friends, family and our community. Sharing food and drink (58 per cent) was one of the activities they were most looking forward to about the celebrations alongside sharing hugs (33 per cent) after years of requiring to keep our distance from others.

 Brits’ top 10 street party foods 
1 Sandwiches (61%)
2 Sausage Rolls (50%)
3 Scones with cream and jam (43%)
4 Pizza (43%)
5 Cupcakes (42%)
6 Chips (39%)
7 Ice Cream (38%)
7 Pork Pies (38%)
9 Cheese (37%)
10 Quiches (36%)

But why is the Queen’s Jubilee so important to us? It comes down to the way it makes us feel – with over one-third of Brits saying it makes us feel good to be part of a community (34 per cent) and nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) saying social occasions are good for their mental health. 

Brits have also revealed what their ultimate street party looks like ahead of celebrating The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, from who their dream guest would be, to which party food they’d like to see on the tables.

It seems that for such a royal occasion Brits are looking forward to some British classics to enjoy with their neighbours. Taking the crown at top spot, is the humble sandwich at 61 per cent was the most wanted party food. This was followed closely by sausage rolls (50 per cent) and another British classic – scones, cream and jam (43 per cent).

If street party hosts wanted to have all three of these much-loved foods on the table for their neighbours, they could get it all from Iceland for under £10 – including:

  • Two loaves of Iceland’s Thick Sliced Soft White bread (£0.95, 800g)
  • Two choices of Iceland’s Sandwich filler (£1.00, 180g) such as Coronation Chicken and Egg Mayo
  • A pack of 20 Mini Sausage Rolls (£2.00, 200g)
  • A pack of Becky’s Bakery 4 Sultana Scones (£0.69)
  • A pot of Rodda’s Classic Cornish Clotted Cream (£2.25, 227g)
  • A jar of Hartley’s Strawberry Seedless jam (£1.00, 300g)

 

 Brits’ top 10 celebrity guests 
1 David Attenborough (35%)
2 Ed Sheeran (28%)
3 Adele (24%)
4 Elton John (21%)
5 Holly Willoughby (20%)
6 Stephen Fry (19%)
7 Helen Mirren (18%)
7 Mary Berry (18%)
9 Stacy Solomon (18%)
10 David Beckham (17%)

But, aside from food, what else would make or break a dream street party scenario? Well, it seems that the calibre of the guest list is also an important factor; 35 per cent would like to sit down and celebrate alongside David Attenborough.

It doesn’t stop there, with the nation having high hopes of who will be joining in with the community, almost three in ten (28 per cent) said they would love Ed Sheeran to attend, whilst nearly a quarter (24 per cent) stated Adele would be their ideal companion for the event.

Richard Walker, Managing Director of Iceland, said: “We’re delighted to have partnered with The Big Jubilee Lunch for the official community celebration for The Queen’s Platinum Year. We’re encouraging our 1,000 stores to support our chosen charity Action for Children, a cause close to our hearts as a business with deep connections to our local communities.

“This is the second consecutive year we have supported The Big Lunch. They do some incredible work connecting people to encourage friendlier, safer neighbourhoods where people start to share more – from conversations and ideas to skills and resources, and, for some, it ignites a passion for doing more good things where they live.”

Peter Stewart, Executive Director of the Eden Project who are behind The Big Jubilee Lunch said: “What makes The Big Jubilee Lunch ‘big’ is not how many plates of sandwiches you can eat or the size of your event, it is that everyone is invited to take part at the same time across the UK.

“The Big Jubilee Lunch is all about sharing – everyone can bring something to the table from food and decorations, music and games to lending out chairs to sit on or even bringing along a neighbour. We’re thrilled that our wonderful partners at Iceland and The Food Warehouse are supporting The Big Jubilee Lunch because we know that their support will help even more people to come together, get to know one another a little better and share some great party food too!

“There are more reasons than ever to get together this year so get yourself a free organiser pack at www.thebigjubileelunch.com, pop an invite through a neighbour’s door and see what happens!”

Iceland will be launching its official Big Jubilee Lunch range from 25th April 2022 that will see the nations party food favourites, with plenty of British classics at unbeatable prices.

For more information on Iceland’s Jubilee Range and its work with The Big Jubilee Lunch, visit: www.iceland.co.uk

 

GOODFELLA’S LAUNCHES THREE NEW PIZZA VARIANTS TO ELEVATE AT-HOME MEAL OCCASIONS

Goodfella’s is expanding its portfolio with the launch of three new pizzas SKUs, as the brand looks to add excitement to the deep-pan and thin crust segments as well as build upon its strong share within the frozen pizza category. All three launches are HFSS compliant, and with more than 50% of Goodfella’s existing range already non-HFSS, the NPD is further testament to the brand’s commitment to increase the proportion by the end of 2022.

The new Stonebaked Thin Sloppy Joe Pizza combines two classic American dishes into one, providing a twist on the popular dishes to tap into the shopper demand for indulgent pizza. Launching exclusively into Iceland from mid-April before rolling out more widely later this year, the pizza plays into Goodfellas’ Italian American heritage with the authentic Italian style tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy minced beef and diced green peppers on a stone baked thin pizza base.

Nicola Bates, Senior Brand Manager at Goodfella’s, said: “As a major player in the UK’s frozen pizza category with 19.5% value share[1], we’re committed to leading the way with innovation that continues to deliver great tasting, quick and simple meal solutions for consumers. We’ve carefully developed our latest recipes so that we can provide retailers with HFSS compliant options of shopper’s favourite toppings as well add exciting new variants that will grow the category even further.”

Goodfella’s are also rolling out a new Stonebaked Mushroom, Spinach and Garlic pizza, which takes a fresh spin on the popular mushroom pizza. Having undertaken extensive qualitative and quantitative research, the launch looks to tap into demand for vegetarian option pizzas, which was voted as the number one topping of choice[2]. During testing[3], the NPD has outperformed a leading branded competitor mushroom pizza when tested directly, scoring significantly better versus competitors across appearance, overall liking and overall flavour.

Goodfella’s have also recently launched a Deep Pan Chicken Sizzler Pizza exclusively into Iceland, with the ambition to continue outperforming the segment[4]. With Goodfella’s leading the deep pan segment in Iceland across a 52- and 12-week read[5], the Deep Pan Chicken Sizzler will add also appeal to shoppers looking for a spicy offering, with topping such as Cajun marinated chicken, spicy drizzle and roquito peppers helping to give the pizza an extra kick.

Lastly, building on the strong success of Pizza Pockets in Iceland, which accounts for a third of the products’ value[6], Goodfella’s will also be launching their Mini Pizza Range into Iceland stores to offer shoppers a smaller sized offering, ideal for lunchtime occasions or light meals. Ready in 11 minutes, and portioned perfectly for lunchtime or snacking, the Minis are high-quality, tasty solutions to smaller mealtime needs – all while being HFSS compliant too.

Full product list and details are available at www.goodfellaspizzas.com

[1] Nielsen 26.02.22

[2] Omnibus research: Total Respondents (504) – Men (221), Women (282), 18-34s (134), 35-54s (170), 55+ (200) (March 2021)

 

[4] Nielsen 26.02.22

[5] Nielsen 29.1.22

[6] Nielsen 26.02.22

ONGOING OUTBREAK OF LISTERIA IN SMOKED FISH

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and Food Standards Agency (FSA) are investigating the ongoing outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes linked to smoked fish.

Whole genome sequencing has identified an outbreak of 12 linked cases of listeriosis since 2020, with six of these since January 2022. Cases have been identified in England and Scotland, with the majority of these individuals reporting eating smoked fish. One of the cases was in a pregnant woman.

Given the ongoing outbreak, as a precaution, information for people who are pregnant has been updated to advise that they thoroughly cook smoked fish before eating it. Advice for avoiding listeriosis infection is being updated to include smoked fish as a high-risk product which should be thoroughly cooked before being eaten by anyone in a high risk group.

Tina Potter, FSA Head of Incidents, said:

“Due to an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes linked to smoked fish, we are reminding people who are vulnerable to Listeria infection – including people who are pregnant and people with weakened immune systems – of the risks in consuming smoked fish and asking them to make sure that the smoked fish is always thoroughly cooked including when served as part of a dish before they eat it.

“We are working closely with UK partners across government to ensure that this advice is as clear as possible – members of the public do not need to avoid these products, but should ensure risks are reduced as far as possible.

“You can do this by keeping chilled ready-to-eat smoked fish cold (5⁰C or below), always using products by their use-by date, following the storage and usage instructions on the label, and cooking or reheating smoked fish until it is piping hot right through.”

 

 

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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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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