Page 191 — British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF)

STAR REFRIGERATION’S BREAKTHROUGH CO2 REFRIGERATION SYSTEM REVOLUTIONISES BIDFOOD GLASGOW’S ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Posted on October 4, 2023October 4, 2023 by Billy Moone

The technologically advanced CO2 refrigeration system installed at Bidfood’s new Glasgow site consumes just half the energy recommended by UK’s Best Practice Guidelines for cold and chill stores.

Star Refrigeration has helped Bidfood move one step closer to meeting their Net Zero targets by installing two dual temperature CO2 cooling systems at its recently built cold store in Glasgow. The systems set a new industry standard in energy performance, consuming 49.5% less energy than the ‘Best Practice’ Benchmark for similar size facilities in Britain.

Bidfood, one of the UK’s leading foodservice providers, has continuously demonstrated its commitment towards a greener future. The installation by Star Refrigeration aligns seamlessly with their ambitious climate targets to reduce carbon emissions by at least 90% by 2045, particularly as the new facility now boasts an environmentally benign refrigerant providing close to a 50% reduction in energy consumption compared to UK ‘Best Practice’.

Dr Rob Lamb, Group Sales and Marketing Director at Star Refrigeration said, ‘The refrigeration systems at Bidfood’s Glasgow site demonstrate the potential for businesses aiming to transition towards energy efficient and climate friendly operations by using CO₂ cooling technology. Bidfood’s decision to prioritise sustainability has not only set a commendable benchmark but has also delivered tangible benefits, showcasing reduced energy costs and carbon emissions that outperform the industry’s Best Practice standards across the country”.

Operational since November 2022, Bidfood Glasgow’s refrigeration system uses carbon dioxide (CO₂) as the refrigerant. Unlike synthetic refrigerants under the F-gas Regulation, CO2 is a sustainable, future-proof natural alternative with a global warming potential (GWP) of just 1.

The CO₂ refrigeration systems are located externally, adjacent to the building, and provide cooling to a freezer, chill store and marshalling area. The site’s core freezer system maintains a temperature of -25⁰C, with a design cooling duty of 245kW, while the chill areas operate at +2⁰C and have a combined cooling duty of 268kW. To ensure optimal air circulation and a consistent temperature throughout the facility, multiple coolers equipped with efficient EC fans have been installed. Running at a speed of 50%, these fans offer savings of up to 87.5% over their traditional counterparts.

The cooling plant has also been fitted with a heat recovery system which repurposes waste heat for underfloor heating and provides warm glycol defrost on the air coolers. Its control system offers real-time data monitoring, fault dial out and remote access capabilities to allow for swift performance adjustments, and ongoing maintenance.

Energy data recorded for the 37,500 m3 facility has been collected and analysed since it was installed in 2022. The results reveal that the Specific Energy Consumption at Bidfood’s Glasgow site stands at 10.2 kWh/m3/year – an energy consumption that is half of that of the UK’s Best Practice industry standard of 20.4 kWh/m3/year. This translates into a CO₂ emissions reduction of 77 tonnes annually, helping the company cut their energy spend and achieve their long term vision of reducing their environmental footprint.

Claire Cox, Head of Property for Bidfood, said, “Partnering with Star Refrigeration has been instrumental in strengthening our commitment to sustainability while improving the efficiency of our operations across our cold stores. The energy efficiency achieved at our Glasgow site through the installation of a CO₂ refrigeration system far exceeded our expectations. We appreciate Star’s contribution and are encouraged to continue our joint efforts towards improved sustainability and operational efficiency at our facilities in the future.”

Star Refrigeration has been a leading force in the research and development of energy-efficient and sustainable industrial cooling technology since 1949. Its Bellshill branch, located 20 miles from the Bidfood site, has over 20 years of experience in CO2 cooling, stretching back to the installation of Star’s first CO₂ refrigeration system in central Scotland in 2002. With a team of 20 engineers, management and admin teams, the branch is now set to deliver essential aftercare and continuous support to Bidfood locally.

TRACEGAINS UNVEILS SALES HUB SOFTWARE DESIGNED FOR SUPPLIERS IN RESPONSE TO EXPANDING MARKETPLACE AND SURGING DEMAND FOR INGREDIENT TRANSPARENCY

Posted on October 4, 2023October 4, 2023 by Rachel Jones

TraceGains, the food and beverage industry’s only networked ingredients marketplace, today announced the launch of TraceGains Sales Hub, the newest application in the TraceGains Gather™ platform. Sales Hub empowers ingredient suppliers to better compete in today’s increasingly dynamic global raw food environment by amplifying their presence on the TraceGains Marketplace with the ability to identify and capitalize on high-quality leads, expedite sales processes, and enhance customer satisfaction.

“Sourcing is so much easier with TraceGains Gather,” said David Phuong, QA Director, Snak-King. “Our R&D team was able to quickly find several suppliers for a hard-to-find ingredient. In the past, we had to use a search engine for sourcing, and it would take twice as long.”

As the global food and beverage ingredients market grows rapidly, sales and marketing professionals in the supplier sector often face challenges in their roles, including emails, cold calls, and lengthy waits for customer inquiries. TraceGains Sales Hub allows suppliers to market their products on a dedicated global marketplace exclusively designed for food and beverage industry services. This innovative platform connects suppliers with buyers who are actively seeking ingredients and new supplier relationships, and know precisely what they need, facilitating a smoother and more efficient transaction and helping suppliers sell more in a highly competitive world.

“Suppliers are the lifeblood of our marketplace, and we’re continually looking for innovative ways to enhance their presence and streamline connections with brands,” said Emma Karp, Product Manager, TraceGains. “For years, we’ve pushed back against single-use portals and burdensome, one-off processes, helping suppliers serve multiple customers at once. TraceGains Sales Hub is the next logical step for our Gather platform, creating that same experience for suppliers looking to reach new markets and grow their businesses. This exciting innovation is poised to transform the way ingredient suppliers operate, allowing them to focus on what they do best while getting more direct leads from active buyers, leaving the guesswork and confusion behind.”

TraceGains Sales Hub Features
With access to the world’s most extensive networked ingredients marketplace that attracts brands and manufacturers from across the globe, TraceGains Sales Hub empowers ingredient suppliers to thrive in today’s competitive market, reduce manual processes, and never miss a sales opportunity. Key features include:

Showcase: Sales Hub enables ingredient suppliers to create virtual storefronts for their product catalogs. Suppliers can configure featured products and listing information and market directly to buyers actively seeking specific materials.
Sales Requests: Managing samples and requests from buyers has never been easier. Sales Hub helps suppliers efficiently receive and handle customer inquiries, ensuring no opportunity falls through the cracks.
Sales Leads: The platform automates the capture and tracking of current and potential customer interactions, producing high value leads from interested prospects, and making it easy to manage them for effective follow-up. Active buyers are paired with capable sellers.
Listing Analytics: Sales Hub’s intuitive reporting tools automatically track listing performance and activity. Suppliers can identify top-performing listings, monitor views and trends over time, and measure requests and document downloads.

With more than 64,000+ supplier locations and 466,000+ items and ingredients, TraceGains has become food and beverage brands’ de facto marketplace for supply chain support. Now, with the launch of TraceGains Sales Hub, TraceGains is setting a new industry standard for efficiency and customer engagement and creating a modern sales vehicle for the food and beverage industry.

For more information about TraceGains Sales Hub and to request a demo, please visit www.tracegains.com.

REGISTER YOUR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR TRUSTED TRADER SCHEME PILOTS

Posted on September 28, 2023September 28, 2023 by Sarah Collison

The Expression of Interest (EoI) for the Accredited Trusted Trader Scheme (ATTS) is now live.

The proposed ATTS is a scheme aimed towards frequent importers of ‘medium risk’ Products of Animal Origin (POAO) and Animal By-Products (ABP) from the European Union (EU) and the Rest of World (RoW).

ATTS has been designed with a modular framework which will provide businesses with flexibility and choice in how they engage with the Trusted Trader approach. Businesses will be able to build a package of facilitations that aligns with their specific operational needs rather than needing to engage with a one-size-fits-all solution. Each module will be piloted as a first step to determine if the module will be included as part of the scheme indefinitely.

The Border Target Operating Model (TOM) has now been published and can be viewed here, for further details on the Trusted Trader scheme, please review the Trusted Trader section within the TOM (P.44 – P.47)

The Expression of Interest will be open from 11th September 2023 to the 6th October 2023. Please refer to the application form on gov.uk for further details.

To be considered for the EOI, all applications must be completed in full otherwise your application may be rejected.

Providing that a business meets the minimum entry requirements to become a member of the ATTS, it will have the option of applying for different facilitations on a modular basis. These include conducting checks away from the border, simplifying the certification process for goods moving to Great Britain from a consolidation hub, and sharing supply chain data with the UK Government in return for a reduction in checks at the border proportionate to the level of assurance provided by the data. Please refer to the EOI policy document for full details of the membership criteria on gov.uk

What are the modules that a trader can apply for?

Certification Logistics module

This module focuses on streamlining the certification process for animal products. It allows an Export Health Certificate to be used from the point of origin of the goods (e.g. a manufacturing site) without the need for re-certification at a consolidation hub in the EU prior to dispatch to Great Britain. This is as long as the Trusted Trader can provide acceptable assurances regarding the biosecurity integrity of the goods in the interim, throughout transport, storage and any limited manipulation that is permitted.

This benefit will initially be limited to packaged medium-risk POAO and ABP which originate from the EU.

The Certification Logistics module will initially be available only to traders importing goods into Great Britain from EU/EFTA countries.

Checks Away from the Border module

This module would allow frequent importers of animal products to reduce the need for routine physical checks at the Border Control Posts by taking responsibility for carrying out checks at other locations, to ensure the protection of biosecurity, animal and public health whilst being closely regulated by Government. The checks carried out by the trusted trader at their own site will not necessarily replicate the BCP model but will provide equivalent biosecurity and public health assurance to Government.

This benefit can be applied to medium-risk POAO and ABP.

This benefit will be available initially to traders importing goods from both the EU/EFTA countries and the Rest of the World.

Journey Assurance module

This module will consider how supply chain data and technology already utilised by businesses could be drawn upon to provide biosecurity and public health assurances.

The precise benefits associated with this module would need to be determined as part of the co-design and pilot phases, but one possibility envisaged that it would be a proportionate reduction in the level of checks based on the assurance secured via the relevant technology.

This benefit can be applied to medium-risk POAO and ABP.

This benefit will be available initially to traders importing goods from both the EU/EFTA countries and the Rest of the World.

When will the pilots take place?

The pilot of the Certification Logistics module will begin in January 2024.

Pilots for the other modules will operate from April 2024.

Defra will conduct an Expression of Interest process to provide an opportunity for a representative range of businesses to participate in the pilots delivered in 2024

Help and further information

If you would like to know further information, please visit here.

You can also get in contact with Defra here.

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESSING ON MAJOR COLD STORE EXPANSION

Posted on September 27, 2023September 27, 2023 by Sarah Collison

Magnavale, one of the UK’s leading providers of temperature-controlled storage, has announced that its development currently taking place at its Chesterfield cold storage facility has made significant progress and is on track to be completed in late 2024.

Since breaking ground in February 2023, construction of Magnavale’s Chesterfield cold storage expansion has progressed smoothly. As of August 2023, the company reports that the steel framework is now complete, and the installation of insulated wall and roof panels is also nearing completion.

Over the month of September, the construction crew will be finishing the roof membrane and intumescent painting of the new steelwork. Concurrently, work will commence on the small plant rooms and internal services including electrical, plumbing, refrigeration, and other systems.

On completion, the expansion will add a significant 25,000 pallet positions to the cold stores’ existing capacity of 44,000, bringing the total pallet capacity of the facility to 69,000, making it one of the largest cold stores in the area.

This expansion will not only accommodate the increasing volumes of Magnavale’s existing customers but also open doors to new customers wanting to utilise Magnavale’s temperature-controlled facilities and value-added services.

The facility features one of the most comprehensive portfolios of value-added services, encompassing, blast freezing, microwave up-tempering and contract packing. Coupled with its strategic location, just off the M1, Magnavale Chesterfield is extremely desirable for food manufacturers that wish to cut unnecessary cost, risk, and complexity from their cold chain.

TASTE TREND ALERT: ASIAN FLAVOURS SET TO BE THE NEXT TOP STREET FOOD FLAVOUR, ACCORDING TO NEW RESEARCH

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Sarah Collison

New research from Lantmännen Unibake’s Americana brand reveals that 86% of consumers think Asian flavours could be the next big flavour in street food and burgers, inspiring vendors to spice up their menus and capitalise on this growing taste trend.

The research shows that a third (33%) of consumers purchase street food at least once a week, and 35% order a burger out of home once a week or more. Almost half (49%) of respondents say that the opportunity to enjoy Asian flavours would inspire them to choose a street food burger, and 53% agree that when considering a street food purchase, trying new flavours is a deciding factor.

Samantha Winsor, Marketing Manager at Americana, comments: “Our market reports show growth within the dining out and street food sector. However, this is mainly driven by branded chain outlets catering to consumers looking for a quick and cheap refuel menu option, or a pricier but value-driven indulgent meal. This shows an opportunity for outlets to regain market share and increase sales.

“Street food operators, pubs and restaurants that offer a classic but quality burger menu to cater to the masses will reduce operational pressures in the kitchen and cut food waste. Then add on-trend, indulgent seasonal or LTO burger options to provide intrigue and excitement that will appeal to consumers looking to indulge and willing to pay a higher price point, developing the overall sales opportunity.

“Our new research into Asian street food trends provide the most desirable Asian street food inspired fillings matched with the perfect Americana gourmet buns in easy recipe solutions, to help operators successfully compete with the branded chains and increase their market share.”

Korean Fried Chicken (31%) has emerged as the preferred Asian-inspired street food burger recipe; Chinese Pulled Pork (25%) comes in second, followed by Katsu Curry (22%). Sweet chilli (42%), Korean BBQ (42%) and Teriyaki (28%) are the top Asian flavours when purchasing street food. When asked what they find so appealing about Asian street food, consumers agreed that it tastes delicious, the flavours are bold, and there is a great variety of dishes available.

Outside of Asian flavours, and despite the popularity of plant-based options in everyday life, people eating street food burgers are more likely to purchase it with a meat-based protein. Beef is the most popular (50%), followed by chicken (29%) and pulled pork (10%). In comparison, just 9% chose plant-based options, such as jackfruit, mushroom, tofu, bean burgers or whole vegetables.

When it comes to general street food burger toppings, the advice is to keep it traditional. The findings show cheese and bacon are the most popular, followed by onion. Avocado was the least favourite, with only 7% of consumers choosing it as their preferred topping. Tomato sauce continues to be a British favourite, with 45% selecting it as their favourite burger sauce. Mayonnaise and barbeque sauce come in at joint-second, with 41% choosing each one as their favourite burger sauce.

Winsor continues: “A burger should always have a delicious main ingredient – and vendors should ensure they finish off the dish with a premium bun. In fact, 69% agree that a high-quality bun would make them more likely to purchase a street food burger. The majority prefer a Brioche Bun with their burger, with a Vegan Brioche Style Grill Marked Bun and Gourmet (Sourdough Kaiser) Bun also making the top 3. Not only does a high-quality bun make a burger look great, but it will also hold a variety of fillings, allowing vendors to experiment with more flavours and textures, giving customers a better eating experience. Plus, premium buns show their quality and taste better, adding to the overall dish.”

The research from Americana also looked at consumer spend; on average a consumer would spend £9.97 on a street food burger and £11.82 on a street food meal. This shows that when purchasing a street food burger, consumers are looking for quality and value. It also gives outlets the opportunity to hit that higher price point and develop their margin, by adding further street food inspired flavours to enhance the overall burger offering whilst still demonstrating quality and value.

Outlets should also look to capitalise on the afternoon rush with a more street food inspired offering. Lunch is the most likely time that people want to purchase street food (40%) with dinner falling behind – just 27% agreed this was their preferred time to enjoy street food.

Feeling inspired? Check out Americana’s new Asian inspired burger recipes below and visit our campaign page here.

BBQ Korean Fried Chicken Burger

Serves 4

Ingredients

· 4 Americana Grill Marked Vegan Brioche Style Buns

· 500g boneless skinless chicken thighs and/or breast

· ½ tsp minced garlic

· ½ tsp minced ginger

· 1 tbsp rice wine

· 40g corn starch

· Pinch of salt

· Pinch of pepper

· 4 tbsp Kimchi

· Lettuce – torn or chopped

· Sweet chilli mayo – for the bottom bun

· Oil for deep frying

Soy glaze for the chicken ingredients

· 1 tbsp soy sauce

· 3 tbsp rice wine or mirin

· 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

· 1 tbsp gochujang paste

· 3 tbsp honey, corn or rice syrup

· 2 tsp sesame oil

· 1 tbsp brown sugar

· 1 tsp minced garlic

· 1 tsp grated ginger

· Pinch of pepper

Korean BBQ sauce Ingredients (or alternatively use store-bought as a time saver!)

· 230ml soy sauce

· 150g dark brown sugar

· 2 tbsp minced garlic

· 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

· 1 tbsp chilli garlic sauce (such as Sriracha®)

· 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper

· 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

· 1 tsp Asian (toasted) sesame oil

· 1 tbsp cornstarch

· 1 tbsp water

Method:

1. Remove any visible fat from the chicken, then cut into bite sized pieces.

2. Marinate the chicken for 20-30 mins in a mix of salt, pepper, rice wine, garlic, and ginger. Then coat each chicken piece well with corn starch.

3. In a pan, add all the soy glaze ingredients and stir well. Bring to a boil, and when it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until it thickens slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat off.

4. Pour about 1 inch of oil into a heavy bottom pan. When the oil is sufficiently hot (165°C), drop the chicken pieces in one at a time and fry in batches to prevent overcrowding. Cook until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove and set them on a wire rack or a paper towel lined plate.

5. Reheat the oil to 165°C. Deep fry again until golden brown, about a minute or two. This can be in one batch.

6. Heat the soy glaze over medium low heat. Add the chicken and stir well until the chicken pieces are evenly coated. Sprinkle white sesame seeds.

7. For the Korean BBQ sauce, stir the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, rice wine vinegar, chilli garlic sauce, pepper, ginger, and sesame oil together in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until the cornstarch dissolves; pour into boiling soy sauce mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the sauce is thick, 3 to 5 minutes.

8. Toast the buns.

9. Add sweet chilli mayo to the base.

10. Layer on the lettuce.

11. Add the soy glazed chicken.

12. Add the Korean BBQ sauce.

13. Layer on the Kimchi.

14. Top with the bun lid.

Japanese Teriyaki Bean Burger

Chinese Pulled Pork Burger

The research was conducted by Opeepl on behalf of Americana, July 2023 and followed a study of 500 diners from across the UK and all demographics.

UK UKRAINE TRADE HUB LAUNCHED BY OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL

Posted on September 27, 2023December 22, 2023 by hayley.smith@oakland-international.com

Known for creating innovative business solutions, total supply chain solutions provider Oakland International has launched the UK Ukraine Trade Hub based at their Redditch HQ.

The concept driving Oakland’s UK Ukraine Trade Hub is to assist Ukrainian manufacturers reach the UK market and expand sales. Initially twenty-seven products have been sourced via six different suppliers with foodstuffs including Beehive’s natural honey, Chumak’s sunflower oil, Bob Snail’s natural fruit snacks, granola and breakfast cereals from Dobrodiya through to instant soups from Streetsoup and tomato sauces from Runa. In time, and as the Hub grows, Oakland’s UK Ukraine Trade Hub is set to handle an expanded and more diverse product range from multiple suppliers with Oakland International playing a pivotal logistics role encompassing delivery, storage, and distribution.

UK Ukraine Trade Hub Director Taras Krykun said: “This initiative has the power to generate employment and contribute to Ukraine’s GDP. Furthermore, this will introduce some of the best Ukrainian products to British consumers and bring a part of home closer to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who since the war have sought refuge in the UK.

“The UK Ukraine Trade Hub marks a milestone in the British retail landscape as it represents the first introduction of Ukrainian merchandise into the high street, and not just niche stores catering for Eastern European customers, familiarising British consumers with the best Ukrainian products available.”

In an additional gesture of support 50% of all profits within the UK Ukraine Trade Hub will be paid directly back to Kyiv based charity Super Humans for as long as the war continues.

Oakland International is a leading D2C/B2C/B2B specialist in contract packing, storage, picking, food distribution and brand development support covering ambient, chilled, and frozen food, and services retail, convenience, discount, wholesale and food service markets in the UK and Ireland. They are also BRCGS AA accredited and have taken the first step to becoming B Corp certified and are working towards becoming the first business within their sector to achieve net-zero.

Backed by the Ukraine Embassy and viewed as a win-win by all parties concerned, it positively impacts Ukraine manufacturing as well as their economy and provides access to cost-effective, top-tier products in the UK.

Added Taras: “The first shipment arrived just ahead of Ukrainian Independence Day on the 24th August, and such a splendid gift for the 200,000 Ukrainians currently residing in the UK.

“Tuffins Supermarket & Garden Centre was the first UK retailer to showcase UK Ukraine Trade Hub products and we are now in negotiations with several prominent UK retailers to establish Ukrainian food product shelves within their stores.”

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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