Simply Food Solutions have launched Discovery Kitchen, a new hospitality-focused brand that has launched within Bidfood supplying high quality, British-made global dishes that help businesses deliver consistent, enticing menus with ease.

Offering a trusted core range spanning cuisines from India, Mexico, Asia and Italy, alongside a bespoke development service, Discovery Kitchen is launching five trend-led products for 2026, including Korean-inspired Sticky Gochujang Chicken, Tofoo Red Thai Curry and Mediterranean Beef & Fennel Meatballs.

These complement the existing range, which includes dishes such as a Shakshuka base sauce to make a quick, authentic Middle Eastern breakfast or brunch, as well as easy-to-prepare options like an authentic buttery Makhani Chicken Curry, fragrant Thai Green Curry and aromatic Singapore Noodles.

Developed in collaboration with Bidfood’s Culinary Director, Martin Eshelby, the range is informed by insights from Bidfood’s 2026 Food and Drink Trends[1], and reflects the growing demand for world flavours and the trends that are set to inspire menus in the next two years.

Each product has been tried, tested and developed closely with customers, ensuring they meet the practical demands of modern hospitality kitchens. Designed to save time, simplify preparation and maintain consistent quality, Discovery Kitchen dishes help businesses deal with the impact of labour shortages, rising costs and skill gaps without compromising flavour.

All dishes are halal-certified and supplied frozen in either individual, or multi-portion formats, with pouches and trays for speed, efficiency and consistency. Each dish delivers authentic global flavours while supporting kitchens with limited staff or skills, making them a practical choice for businesses looking to balance quality and convenience.

Yaqoob Ishaq, Managing Director at Simply Food Solutions said: “Discovery Kitchen marks an exciting evolution for Simply Food Solutions, reinforcing our commitment to innovation and quality through chef-led solutions designed to help hospitality businesses stay ahead in an ever-evolving foodservice landscape.

“With consumer demand continuing to grow for global cuisines and culturally diverse flavours, we are proud to offer high-quality dishes that not only meet these expectations but also help simplify operations for foodservice providers.”

Martin Eshelby said: “Discovery Kitchen gives the hospitality sector dependable, on-trend food that performs every time. We focus on flavour, quality and simplicity. We don’t just supply dishes; we work hand-in-hand with our customers to perfect them, fine-tuning flavours and creating customised menu options that work seamlessly in any kitchen.”

The Discovery Kitchen range supports all types of hospitality businesses including pubs, restaurants, hotels, travel and leisure, universities, and business and industry.

Combining authentic world flavours, cook-from-frozen convenience and operational reliability, Discovery Kitchen helps businesses deliver consistently high-quality dishes in a challenging trading environment.

For more information visit: www.bidfood.co.uk/our-products/our-range/discovery-kitchen.

[1] https://www.bidfood.co.uk/food-and-drink-trends-2026/

You can complete the survey here: https://start.yougov.com/refer/vW0nTkrkFgpYJ1

Suppliers have until 22 February to respond and tell the GCA about their experiences supplying the designated retailers.

The survey is carried out by independent polling company YouGov, on behalf of the GCA, and responses will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Past surveys have played a significant role in helping the GCA to understand the retailers’ behaviour and to take action to ensure the retailers are complying with the Groceries Code (GSCOP).

The GCA will also commission YouGov to conduct anonymous follow-up interviews with a select group of respondents to explore supplier concerns in more detail. If you would like to take part, please provide your consent and contact details at the end of the survey.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact the GCA at enquiries@groceriescode.gov.uk

Keeping industrial sites clean is about more than appearances – debris can create hazards, damage vehicles, and slow operations.  Which is why BFFF Member Contact Attachments is excited to introduce its Multi Sweep range of forklift-mounted sweepers, built for the most demanding of environments.

The Multi Sweep sweeper range is built with durability, reliability and long-term performance in mind.  Rather than focusing on low initial cost, the design prioritises heavy-duty components that reduce breakdowns, minimise downtime, and lower lifetime costs.

Unlike other sweepers intended for occasional light use, the Multi Sweep range is specifically designed to withstand continuous operation in challenging conditions.

Key design features include:

• Heavy-duty steel construction with reinforced structural components for extended life
• Non-puncture wheels to eliminate downtime caused by flats
• Protected hydraulic motors engineered for long-term reliability
• Floating broom system that follows uneven ground, improving sweeping consistency and reducing brush wear.

The Multi Sweep range is powered directly by the forklift’s hydraulics, making it simple to operate and highly effective.  An integrated hydraulic collection hopper allows debris to be gathered and discharged efficiently, reducing the need for manual clean-up.

A built-in water spray system provides effective dust control, helping to improve air quality on site – particularly important in enclosed or high-traffic areas.

To suit different site sizes and applications, the range includes multiple models, including:

• Multi Sweep 270 | Featuring a compact design with a 1.2m sweeping width and a generous 270-litre hopper, the 270 model is ideal for narrower spaces while still providing ample debris capacity.
• Multi Sweep 500 | Offering increased capacity and coverage for larger yards and heavier-duty applications, the 500 model provides the same industrial build quality with enhanced productivity.

Both models attach directly to forklifts, allowing users to keep their sites clean without the need for a separate sweeper.  Made with high-grade components, reinforced construction, and highly-practical features, these sweepers need fewer repairs, minimise downtime, and last longer – making them a smarter, more reliable investment for businesses that depend on their equipment day in, day out.

With over 50 years of experience designing, manufacturing, and supplying forklift attachments, the Contact Attachments team can help you choose the right sweeping solution for your business.

To learn more about the Multi Sweep range, or to discuss your general sweeping requirements, contact the team on 01686 611200.

As UK warehouse operators face growing pressure to increase storage capacity, improve throughput and enhance safety—often within existing buildings—automation specialist Spacemaker Inc Ltd is positioning itself at the centre of this challenge with the launch of its UK European Innovation Centre in Nuneaton.

The facility includes a live demonstration area where visitors can see, at first hand, how semi-automated 2-way pallet shuttle systems and fully automated 4-way pallet shuttle technology can transform high-density pallet storage operations. Designed for logistics providers, manufacturers, cold-store operators and systems integrators, the Innovation Centre allows customers to compare traditional racking approaches with modern shuttle-based alternatives in real operating conditions.

 

Demonstrating smarter high-density storage:

At the heart of the Innovation Centre is Spacemaker’s DualAxis Pro® 2-way pallet shuttle, a semi-automated solution designed to maximise cube utilisation by dramatically reducing the number of operating aisles required in a warehouse. Pallets are loaded at the face of each lane, with the shuttle automatically transporting loads deep into the racking, eliminating the need for forklifts to enter storage lanes.

 

Compared with conventional high-density systems such as Drive-In, pallet live, pushback and mobile racking, 2-way pallet shuttle technology offers several clear advantages:

• Higher usable storage density than drive-in racking, without the structural damage risk caused by forklifts entering lanes
• Greater flexibility than pallet live or pushback, supporting both FIFO and LIFO operation without fixed gravity flow lanes
• Improved safety, as forklift movements are restricted to aisle faces rather than inside racking structures
• Lower mechanical complexity than mobile racking, avoiding moving rack structures and floor-embedded guidance systems
• Scalability, allowing additional shuttles to be introduced as throughput requirements increase

The DualAxis Pro™ system is also designed for demanding environments, including cold storage, with freezer-rated components, robust battery technology and precise pallet positioning. Operators benefit from improved stock accuracy, reduced handling time and lower long-term maintenance costs compared with traditional high-density solutions

The next step: fully automated 4-way pallet shuttles:

Alongside its 2-way system, Spacemaker’s UK Innovation Centre showcases the QuadAxis Pro® 4-way pallet shuttle, representing a step change in automation capability for high-density warehouses.

 

Unlike 2-way shuttles that operate within individual lanes, 4-way shuttles can travel both longitudinally and laterally, transferring pallets across multiple lanes and levels via integrated lifts. This allows any pallet to be accessed dynamically, without the need for fixed aisle layouts or manual shuttle relocation.

 

For warehouse operators, the opportunity presented by 4-way shuttle systems is significant:

 

• Substantially increased storage capacity, achieved by minimising aisle space while fully utilising building height
• Higher throughput and picking efficiency, with automated storage and retrieval running continuously
• Greater SKU flexibility, making the system suitable for multi-SKU and fast-moving operations
• Reduced labour dependency, helping address skills shortages and rising labour costs
• Lower cost per pallet stored compared with alternative fully automated AS/RS solutions

 

The QuadAxis Pro® is designed to integrate with conveyors, lifts and warehouse execution systems, creating a modular automation platform that can be scaled over time to match business growth or seasonal demand

 

A practical environment for decision-makers:

Rather than relying on simulations or brochures alone, Spacemaker’s UK Innovation Centre enables customers and integrators to see shuttle technology operating live, ask technical questions and explore how different system configurations impact storage density, throughput and return on investment.

 

The centre also demonstrates Spacemaker’s software ecosystem, including warehouse execution, control and visualisation tools that provide real-time inventory visibility, system diagnostics and integration with existing WMS and ERP platforms

 

Supporting the UK market

With local engineering support, spare parts availability and a growing partner network, Spacemaker is positioning its UK operation as a long-term automation partner rather than simply a technology supplier. The Innovation Centre forms a key part of that strategy, giving UK businesses a practical route to evaluate automation options as they look to future-proof their warehouse operations.

As pressures on space, safety and productivity continue to intensify, Spacemaker’s combination of semi-automated 2-way and fully automated 4-way pallet shuttle solutions offers UK operators a clear pathway from conventional racking to high-performance automated storage—demonstrated in real time, on UK soil.

 

For more information contact Chris Hopkirk – 07814 244817 chris.hopkirk@spacemakerinc.com