Meals & More, the charity started by the UK’s leading foodservice wholesaler, Brakes, is celebrating its 10th birthday.

 

Over the past 10 years, the charity has provided more than 2.5 million meals and has grown from supporting three clubs in 2015 to more than 300 in 2025. In addition to providing grant funding, Meals & More has extended its operations to launch The Big Day Out, giving children a fantastic experience over the summer holidays and The Big Christmas Party, ensuring that children in need can experience the magic of the holiday season.

 

Meals & More was one of the first organisations to identify and challenge the problems associated with holiday hunger, which is suffered by millions of families across the UK when schools are closed and support is not readily available.

 

Since supporting its first holiday clubs in South Wales, Meals & More has funded research, launched campaigns to raise awareness of the problem and helped to ensure that holiday hunger reached the political agenda. As well as funding the provision of millions of meals through a range of delivery partners across the UK, Meals & More also focusses on supporting an environment where children can avoid the social isolation that is often associated with poverty and enjoy some fun and enriching activities.

 

Operations Director for Meals & More, Peter McGrath, said: “The charity has come a long way since the early days of supporting a handful of children in South Wales. What that showed was the tremendous need that exists and every year we’ve raised more funds to help more children. We’ve now supported more than 2.5 million meals and helped thousands of children not only with a good meal, but also creating some positive memories through the clubs and other activity.”

 

Driving the charity’s success since its launch has been Brakes, which has donated the equivalent of more than £3m to fund the charity’s vital work. Paul Nieduszynski, CEO of Sysco GB, said: “Our purpose is to connect the world to share food and care for one another and I can think of no better way of doing that than through Meals & More.

 

“When Brakes founded Meals & More, holiday hunger wasn’t even on the agenda. It is now top of mind for politicians and we’re seeing a growing number of people recognise the problem, and how addressing it can improve the lives of the millions of children that live in poverty in the UK.

 

“We feel we have made a meaningful contribution to change, and yet 10 years on, there is still much to do. We will continue to support Meals & More as our contribution to tackling holiday hunger. We are grateful to all the colleagues across Sysco GB, our suppliers and customers who have all helped to raise funds in support of Meals & More and the important work it undertakes.”

It’s no secret that over recent years, the frozen food market has had something of a resurgence. Frozen food is now recognised for the sustainability and cost benefits it can offer. So much so, in fact, that in 2020 – in the height of the pandemic, the frozen food market was worth over £7 billion1.

Fast forward to summer 2023, and the British Frozen Food Federation reported that the UK’s appetite for frozen food continued to grow.
Frozen vegetables, meat, potato products, pizza and savoury foods were all key drivers of volume growth, but on the other hand products such as ice cream and fish saw demand drop – almost undoubtedly as cost of living caused consumers to cut back on non-essentials.

The cost of living crisis – and the Covid-19 pandemic have undoubtedly changed buying habits for the longer term. As a result we are increasingly seeing food manufacturers change their approach to production, storage and handling of their frozen lines.

What is the reality now?
Consumers can purchase larger quantities of frozen food for a lower cost than fresh food and it lasts much longer, allowing them to stock up on necessities and waste less. It can also be healthy, so an option with multiple benefits. Manufacturers want to keep targeting that market and be ready for the demand.

For those manufacturers we work with, we know they are seeking to introduce new frozen ranges or scale up their existing offer to ensure they are better equipped to deal with the high demand. Producers, for example, may want to invest in cryogenic freezers if low on space and products vary, or in mechanical freezers if running one base food consistently. To find out more about what might be best for you on this front, please read our other post here.

One consistent theme however is a need to use data to enhance production systems. Rather than looking to new systems, our customers, with support from Air Products, are looking to ensure their existing systems and processes are as effective and sustainable as they can be. Data insights can inform and improve key decision making throughout the production process, including which freezers to run and when.

Unlocking the potential of digital
Specifically, the pressure to continuously monitor process operations to improve cost efficiency, and in light of supply chain concerns, is a real pinch point for our customers. As a result, we are facilitating a growing move towards remote monitoring and the use of Freshline® Smart Technology with all cryogenic freezers. The technology uses diagnostic sensors together with operating parameters through wireless communications technology to monitor cryogenic freezing operations remotely, tracking key process parameters to advise and optimise processes based on advanced analytics and machine learning. The system allows our customers to review their nitrogen use so they can make more informed cost-saving decisions. Our customers can also identify any issues that may arise from an easy to use dashboard and, as a result, save operator time when searching/ checking for problems.

What is the future?
Air Products will continue to innovate and challenge what it is our customers need from their freezing solutions, in order to support them in meeting consumer demands while being a successful business.

As the sector increasingly focuses on digitisation, it’s critical that companies not only collate data but use it effectively. This is where a process of collaboration is key. Our expert team can work with our customers to understand the data and analyse it to implement change.

Further improvements and additions will continue to be implemented and brought to our customers as part of our Freshline® Smart Technology continuous development.

The fact is consumer demand for frozen food isn’t showing signs of declining. Our customers need to continue to meet this demand, while maintaining a competitive advantage and innovating their offering.
1 https://bfff.co.uk/the-frozen-food-report-2021

Liebherr, specialists in commercial refrigeration, is proud to announce its Cliff 234 3-door Full Glass Door Freezer has been listed on The Energy Technology List (ETL), a government list of independently verified and accredited energy-saving products.

With over 8,000 listed products, the ETL is one of the world’s largest databases of top performing energy-efficient products. The ETL highlights energy-saving products that meet strict performance criteria set by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero. This means that typically products on the list fall within the top 25% of energy efficient equipment for that technology category in the UK. An easy-to-use procurement tool, inclusion on the list allows purchasers to compare and identify trusted equipment that will enable them to make greener energy choices for their business.

The Cliff 234 3-door Full Glass Door Freezer has an industry-leading class B energy rating and has been designed to ensure units can be opened without causing excess energy consumption thanks to its internal self-closing mechanism, guaranteeing unmatched energy efficiency and low operating costs. It only requires 15.9 kWh per day to run, which is significantly lower energy consumption than other comparable products on the market.

Liebherr guarantees a 2-year parts and labour warranty as standard across all its food retail appliances. Promising reliability, high quality, and longevity, Liebherr food retail appliances, including the Cliff 234 3-door Full Glass Door Freezer, are engineered to offer a lower long-term total cost of ownership (TCO).

Stephen Ongley, UK Business & Industry National Sales Manager at Liebherr, comments on the ETL listing: “This listing is a testament to Liebherr’s unwavering commitment to innovation and sustainability, and truly embodies our company motto; made by professionals, for professionals.

We continue to see energy efficiency and total cost of ownership as the primary decision drivers when specifying refrigeration solutions for the food retail environment. That’s why every Liebherr product is developed with these priorities at the core. Our focus on energy-efficient technologies, such as the use of natural refrigerants, enables retailers to keep running costs low and reduce emissions, all without compromising on performance. This not only supports environmental targets but also helps future-proof retail operations in an evolving market.

At Liebherr, we understand the unique needs of food retailers and are proud to be a trusted manufacturer and supplier of high-performance commercial refrigeration. Our goal is simple; to equip retailers with reliable, energy-efficient solutions that cut costs and support long-term sustainability.”
The Cliff 234 3-door Full Glass Door Freezer now joins the Liebherr Cliff 156 Full and Half Door Freezer models, resulting in the full Cliff range now being listed on the ETL.
To find out more about the Cliff range, or to view the full Liebherr product range for food retail and find out more about the business, visit www.liebherr.com.

Oakland International finance team members Kevin Joyce and Christian Stokes are celebrating after successfully completing their CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) qualifications, following three and a half years of study.

Kevin Joyce joined Oakland in 2017 as a Sales Ledger Controller, already holding a Level 4 AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) qualification. He quickly progressed to Assistant Financial Controller after demonstrating remarkable growth, leadership, and a steadfast commitment to excellence, before taking on the role of Financial Controller – Distribution in 2019 to support the implementation of new systems and account procedures.

Kevin said: “My CIMA qualification course was fully funded by Oakland International, which I wouldn’t have been able to do myself, so I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity and the trust put in me to succeed. We have a wonderful team in finance, and I have had a wealth of support from them to get me through it.

“Being CIMA qualified is a massive deal, equivalent to a master’s degree, accelerating me to another level on my career path. Having lost both of my parents in quick succession in 2021 and knowing my mum had always wished for me to do this, it means so much. I would encourage others to make the most of every opportunity available to them.”

Christian Stokes began his Oakland International journey as an apprentice studying business administration in 2016, completed his final AAT Level 4 qualification in 2021, and served as Senior Accounts Assistant. His attention to detail and proactive approach made a significant impact on the company’s operations before he took on his current role of Management Accountant.

Christian commented: “I began my CIMA qualification journey in 2021, supported by Oakland International throughout, passing my final exam in April 2025. I wouldn’t have been able to undertake my CIMA on my own, so I am very thankful and grateful for the opportunity.

“It’s a massive deal for me to have attained CIMA qualification, which has now accelerated my career path.”
Added Kevin: “As time passed after completing my Level 4 AAT qualification, I started to feel like I would never start CIMA, but when Christian went straight from AAT to CIMA, I took the chance to join him on the journey, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

Apprenticeships and trainee programmes are a key part of Oakland International’s employee training offer, providing a learning platform for all to develop new skills, gain valuable experience, and advance into a range of key roles within the company.

Oakland International Group Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Hoare commented: “The dedication and perseverance shown by Kevin and Christian exemplify the positive outcomes of apprenticeships and training programmes, which help to inspire others.

“Oakland International is proud to support and celebrate the achievements of all trainees, and we remain dedicated to providing enhanced opportunities for development, learning, and career progression for all team members.

“Our congratulations once again to Kevin Joyce and Christian Stokes for their outstanding achievements and for setting a high standard for work ethic and dedication at Oakland International.”
A Certified B Corporation, Oakland International is a total supply chain solutions provider and an expert in saving food and non-food products from going to waste via their distress load management service. The company aims to be the first business within its sector to reach net zero. As a specialist and leader in direct-to-consumer services, case consolidation, contract packing, storage and distribution, food tempering, and brand development support for all types of food, Oakland International serves markets across the UK and Ireland.