Blend Issue 5

at the heart of the region’s industry

Issu

e 05

2010 awards – the winners revealed Exciting Future Plans for Food NW

6 Fabulous Food NW Awards Night Review

8 Focus on Winners 2010

12 The Big Interview with Jonathan Warburton 14 Food Northwest Fine Food Awards 2010 – Judging and Winners Roll Call

16 Stories of success – Scoop! Ice Cream Café & Southport Seafoods

19 Centre of Excellence at Reaseheath College & Supply Chain in Focus

20 In Conversation with Lucy Danger, Chief Executive of FareShare Emerge

22 Focus on Rural – Will Cockbain talks to blend

CONT

ENTS

This month sees Andy Scully taking up the reins as Programme Manager of Food NW’s resource efficiency drive for the Northwest’s food and drink industries.

Andy joins us from AEA, where he worked for a number of years as Northwest Regional Manager for the national resource efficiency programme, Envirowise.

He has first-hand experience of advising on ways to use resources more efficiently, including tackling energy efficiency, waste minimisation, water efficiency, packaging design and legal compliance.

Based at Food NW in Runcorn, Andy’s new role supports food and drink businesses of all sizes and sectors across the Northwest. He co-ordinates a team of specialist environmental consultants who advise businesses on all aspects of resource efficiency, with the aim of cutting costs, improving profitability and maximising the use of their resources.

Andy said: “I have a strong personal interest in resource efficiency because it’s an area where simple measures can deliver substantial benefits for business.”

The free resource efficiency support Food NW provides is part of the internationally recognised ENWORKS programme, funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency and the European Regional Development Fund. ENWORKS has helped more than 10,000 companies since 2001.

SERVING UP RESOURCE SAVINGS

Pat ForemanChief Executive, Food Northwest

RECOGNISING AND CELEBRATING INDUSTRY ACHIEVEMENT IN CHALLENGING TIMES

A warm welcome to our 5th edition of blend. I must again report that it continues to be a really challenging time within our industry, but I’m pleased to see many businesses responding to change and excelling in their own particular sector.

In support of this and together with the Northwest Regional Development Agency and key regional partners, we have helped save or create almost 3,000 jobs, supported by over £195 million of investment.

On the export side of the Food and Drink Industry I am happy to report a 10% increase over last year, which takes the total value of Northwest Food and Drink exports to over £1 billion. Working with UK Trade and Investment to identify businesses eligible for the Passport to Export scheme has been an important part of our activity.

Our Business Awards, profiled in this edition of blend, were presented at the Food NW Gala Dinner at the Midland Hotel in Manchester. We had over 150 entries to the awards, 40 finalists and over 300 guests joining us to recognise and celebrate our industry achievements. Jonathan Warburton delivered a positive and particularly inspirational speech – he certainly made our special evening one to remember. I was delighted with the high quality standard of the award entrants and would very much like to offer my congratulations to all our winners and runners up. A huge thank you to our sponsors and supporters, without whom the evening could not have taken place.

In addition, there was a substantial increase in applications for our Fine Food Awards and we saw more “fabulous food” than ever before at our judging event held on 2nd June at Ewood Park, Blackburn. I was truly impressed with the innovation and hard work of our many talented Northwest producers and processors and my sincere thanks must go to all our judges especially Helen Colley and Nigel Haworth.

In a changing political and economic climate Food NW is keen to respond to the needs of our members and will be launching many exciting new initiatives in the coming months. These will be showcased on our website along with regular industry news and articles, including as always…. our NW “Fabulous Food”.

The 126m wind turbine is now up at leading Lancashire cheese producer, Dewlay at its site in Garstang, making it the first UK cheese maker to be powered by renewable energy.

Staff at all Northern Foods sites are being offered cut-price energy-saving products in a pioneering new scheme which teams ‘green perks’ with donations to environmental projects in the area. The innovative ‘eco-incentive’ scheme for its 10,000 employees will help raise thousands of pounds to combat climate change. The move will see cash donated to local environmental projects such as solar and wind power schemes, every time employees at the leading food manufacturing firm take action to reduce their own carbon footprints.

Staff can generate funds by signing up for free home energy surveys and then benefit from purchasing discounted green products such as loft insulation and energy efficient boilers.

The money raised will go to Foundation – a climate fund for the Northwest which provides grants for community-based carbon reduction projects. Mark Turner, Foundation’s Chief Officer said: “The money raised will help to fund long-term community projects which will reduce carbon emissions and improve residents’ quality of life”.

Paula Widdowson, Northern Foods’ Corporate Social Responsibility Director said: “This is a really imaginative way of supporting green projects on our doorstep, as well as helping our employees to cut their household bills by becoming more energy efficient at home.

The scheme is being delivered in partnership with insulation specialist Home Insulation Services (HIS) Group. HIS donates a minimum of £1 to Foundation every time a Northern Foods’ employee signs up for an energy-saving survey or product. It is hoped that the scheme, which is to be rolled out across the Northwest, can save 2,000 tonnes of carbon each year, and around £500,000 in reduced household energy bills.

Local companies interested in joining the green perks scheme should contact David Marnell, Business Development Manager at Foundation. Tel: 0161 234 6104 or email [email protected]

NORTHERN FOODS BACK ECO-INCENTIVE SCHEME

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH TOP OF AGENDA AT PRESTON FORUM Montpelier Chartered Accountants, the leading adviser to SMEs in the food and drink sector, is hosting its second NW Food & Drink Forum, fronted by Helen Colley, one of the region’s top entrepreneurs.

Helen, who built Farmhouse Fare into an award-winning luxury pudding manufacturer, will give a keynote speech on achieving sustainable growth and a successful exit. She will then join a panel of experts to debate the big issues affecting the sector.

The forum, to be held on September 22 at the Farrington Lodge Hotel in Preston, is expected to attract as many as 100 of the region’s farmers, speciality food producers and drinks companies. BBC North West Tonight newsreader Mark Edwardson will chair the event and take questions from the audience.

Robert Jackson, CEO of Montpelier Chartered Accountants, said: “Even though the economy remains tough, entrepreneurs need to plan ahead to capitalise on an upturn and take their businesses through to the next phase of growth.

“The forum will consider key financial issues, such as how businesses can maximise sales and improve profitability and whether supermarkets are making it impossible for small producers to compete. We’ll also debate changes in consumer habits including quality versus price and the rise of food and drink as affordable ‘treats’ in the recession.”

To book a place at the NW Food & Drink Forum please email Mike Fountain on [email protected] or call 0161 831 6464.

WIND TURBINE GOES UP AT DEWLAY

The turbine has been erected on Dewlay’s own 18 acre green field site behind its cheese manufacturing and packaging facility.

Operational director, Nick Kenyon said; “As a business, we are fully committed to our environmental objectives and are excited to be at the forefront of this technology. The dairy industry accounts for a high proportion of the country’s carbon emissions and we are confident that the wind turbine will reduce our own emissions by 2,260 tonnes per year, paving the way forward for the rest of the industry.”

Third generation cheesemaker, Nick added: “Garstang is famous as the world’s first Fairtrade town and we hope that this will raise the region’s profile even further and prompt other UK cheese manufacturers to take their environmental responsibilities to the next level.”

www.foodnw.co.uk

Sean Bolton from HIS group (left) and Mark Turner from Foundation

4 5www.foodnw.co.uk

2009 was a lean period for M&A in the UK in all sectors. The reasons for this are well documented but include:• theimpactoftherecession – the worst downturn of the post-war era ensured businesses

are focused on their own trading performance rather than on expansion

• thecreditcrunch – a lack of available debt funding has hindered the ability of would-be

buyers to pick up bargains

• vendorexpectations – trying to persuade a seller to part with a business, at a time when

valuation multiples and the business’s performance are at a low point, is no easy feat.

In the first half of 2010, the UK food and drink sector has shown signs of renewed appetite

for M&A. Some eye-catching deals have been completed – Kraft’s controversial takeover of

Cadbury is the most reported but the acquisitions of Gu and Kettle Foods are deals worthy

of note. Langholm’s acquisition of Bart spices and Darwin’s acquisition of Plum Baby show

the market for smaller deals is still alive too – particularly for strong brands.

Is this the start of a resurgence in M&A in the UK food sector? Quite possibly. Why?• performanceofthesector – as a recession-resistant investment, the UK food sector

is attractive to buyers

• privateequityappetite – there are funds with money to spend which would rather

buy assets than return money to investors

• corporatebargainhunters – larger companies with cash will be keen to take advantage

of cheaper assets. They may see now as the window of opportunity before valuations

increase

• overseasbuyers – for overseas buyers, UK assets look increasingly good value given the

weakness of sterling

• tax – it was feared that the recent Budget increase in the rate of capital gains tax would

penalise individual sellers of businesses – thereby dampening any M&A recovery.

However, for many owner managers, the Budget actually did the opposite. Those

individual sellers who realise lifetime gains of between £2 million and £ 5 million

on a sale (and who have their full entrepreneurs’ relief available) will be considerably

better off than they would have been.

The recovery in the UK is far from secured and we live in uncertain times (a “double dip” is

not just a sherbert-based confectionery it appears!). However, conditions for M&A are much

better than they have been for some time and owner managers of strong food businesses may

be tempted to look again at their options. The trick, as ever, is in the timing.

Peter Allen is the Head of the DWF Food Group and a Partner in the Manchester

Corporate Team. He specialises in a broad range of corporate matters including

M&A, takeovers, flotations (on AIM and the Official List), joint ventures and

shareholder disputes. Peter has advised on transactions in a number of

different business sectors, but has particular experience in the food sector.

Peter Allen 0161 604 1639

[email protected]

www.dwf.co.uk

“We are all about making a difference in skills and knowledge to realise the full potential of our members’ products and services in this exciting sector. So I report with pride on what my team – and all its partners – have been able to provide this year and celebrate with those who have benefited. Here’s a quick overview of what we have been doing and what we have planned for the next 12 months….

“We have recently established a retail training initiative in partnership with Kent Business School through which 32 SMEs received invaluable access to high value market data and training in advanced sales techniques and negotiation skills preparing them to ‘meet the buyers’. Food NW members including Adams’ Very Clever, Tasties and Island Cuisine all got a foothold with supermarkets after this course.

In fact through the Meet the Buyer scheme Tesco has listed six companies and Morrisons eight regionally in the last 12 months. This is hugely satisfying for everyone involved – including the supermarkets, who get access to excellent regional produce. Food NW will be running more Meet the Buyer events throughout 2010 with a confirmed ASDA event planned for later this year.

We will also be introducing a new service that we have recently piloted where we help you create an in depth understanding of your business, sales, and channel strategy and help you prepare for retailer presentations and meetings. We will create bespoke gap analyses and branding positioning for your products using the experience and expertise we have gained during our pilot scheme with companies like; Worthenshaws, Island Cuisine, Cheshire Farm Chips and Adams’ Very Clever.

We have also recently launched an initiative to assist businesses achieve that all important branding clarity by using our new consumer focus group service. We will provide the consumer feedback and direction in a session that will save you both time and money in getting your branding right. Combining this with our market data service and you have the option of creating a product that is as well thought through as the biggest manufacturers in the industry.

In the past year we have also delivered ‘Safer Food Better Business’ food safety training to 444 companies in 12 local authority areas throughout the North of England, and have seen the popular Innovation Vouchers taken up by 113 food and drink companies.

We are also working with ENWORKS on a Resource Efficiency Project – see more on this on page 23- to help businesses reduce CO2 emissions, water and material usage and divert waste from landfill to help meet environmental targets and increase competitiveness and productivity. We know this is going to be a major consideration for all our members in the future and we are keen to ensure that Food NW takes the lead for the industry in this important area.

Following the successful completion of the dairy pilot of the Supply Chain Project which saw a twenty six fold saving on investments, we will now be proceeding with similar work in the Red Meat, Bakery, and Brewing sectors.

We have recently embarked on an £8.1million project supported by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This will focus on four areas: Technical Support, Regional & Speciality Food and Drink, Business Resilience and Ethnic & Organic businesses. We have partnered with a range of organisations to deliver this project including Enterprise4All, Reaseheath College, Myerscough College, CREA, MMU, Chester University and Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.

Food NW will continue to offer its members and the wider industry maximum opportunity for sustainability; supply chain support; training and skills; routes to market and business development. Here’s to a busy and profitable next 12 months.”

KIRSTY GETS JUST DESSERTS IN DRAGON’S DENFood NW member Kirsty Henshaw, 24, from Preston has a 4-year-old son, Jacob, who is dairy intolerant and has a serious nut allergy. Having unsuccessfully tried to find an alternative ice cream, the mumpreneur decided to create her own range of tasty frozen desserts that Jacob could enjoy.

This July Kirsty became one of the youngest entrepreneurs to tame the fiery Dragons on the latest series of BBC1’s hit show, Dragon’s Den, to secure investment for her brand of iced desserts, suitable for people with eating intolerances.

Food NW assisted Kirsty in securing a listing with Tesco and even travelled to Cheshunt (Tesco HQ) with her to help Worthenshaws secure their national listing with the retailer, which the Dragons took particular interest in.

Having scooped the attention of all five Dragon’s with her recipe for success, Kirsty settled on a deal with Peter Jones and Duncan Bannatyne and has since secured a licensing deal with R&R Ice Cream Limited, Europe’s largest ice cream manufacturer, who will make and distribute the range.

Peter Jones said “I am absolutely delighted to be supporting Kirsty. She has the spirit and enthusiasm essential in today’s budding entrepreneurs. Her product was a great success on the show and I’ve subsequently tested the range with my kids who fortunately agreed with their Dad’s verdict!”

The brand of healthy iced desserts, which are also free from added sugar and an array of common allergens including dairy, gluten, soya and nuts, is expected to secure distribution in leading grocery outlets.

4 5www.foodnw.co.uk

blend talked to Food NW Chief Executive Pat Foreman on achievements in a regional food and drink industry worth £9.5billion a year.

Adams’ Very Clever Veg Tubs was set up by Lindsay Moores two years ago. She identified that busy people had difficulty in easily accessing healthy food. Her Clever Veg Tubs have met this need for fresh, superior quality vegetable meals that are quick and easy to prepare, convenient and versatile.

Premium grocery retailer Booths agreed with her and this month will put Lindsay’s Clever Veg Tubs on shelf for the first time.

Lindsay is very excited at the prospect. “I really believe in this product, these Veg Tubs are absolutely packed with nutrients and can be ready in under 4 minutes so you can look after yourself however busy you are.”

Lindsay – as a member of Food NW – has been working closely with the team in the last 12 months. “Their support and contacts have been incredible,” she said.

Through the organisation’s retail and food manufacturing experience Lindsay has had help with marketing and selling to buyers in bigger retailers. She has also been given access to consumer focus groups to assess the relative strengths of key consumer benefits.

Food NW introduced her to a contract manufacturing business in the same market sector to help her meet future customer demand. “It was a perfect fit,” said Lindsay.

Lindsay has also been able to access free market and consumer data. Lindsay again: “This has been invaluable in identifying key market sectors and development opportunities.”

“Food NW has also been a huge supporter and invaluable business partner, encouraging me and building confidence and motivation.The Booths listing is a real result for everyone involved.”

VERY CLEVER VEG TUBS WIN LISTING

Food NW Awards 2010

6 7www.foodnw.co.uk

On June 24th guests arrived at the Midland Hotel in Manchester to acknowledge those who continue to push back boundaries and excel.

There are two strands to the Food NW Awards; the Business Awards, which recognise companies from all sectors of the industry in categories such as innovation, international trade, best new regional business and social responsibility; and the Fine Food Awards, which celebrate individual Northwest food products from chutneys & preserves to prepared meals. From this award scheme come contenders for Fine Food Producer of the Year and Best New Fine Food Product in the Business Awards.

All the tough economic challenges were left at the door and everyone – all 300 guests – raised the New York-themed roof for award-winners, enjoyed a sumptuous five-course meal, reflecting everything that is good about Northwest produce, and then danced to live soul band One Stop Boogie.

Granada TV’s Lucy Meacock took charge of proceedings again and gave it her usual polish. A big supporter of Northwest produce, she made every nominee and winner feel very special on the night. Lucy said: “This industry is unique. Our region bubbles over with ideas and enthusiasm and fantastic quality products – it’s a pleasure to host this celebratory evening.

Food NW Chief Executive Pat Foreman warmly welcomed everyone to the occasion, following an impressive video round-up of the organisation’s achievements over the last 12 months. See page 5 for all the detail.

Keynote speaker Jonathan Warburton, Chairman of Warburtons, kept up the focus on great business with some savvy, honest advice about employing people who are better than you (but not telling them!), and about the need to focus single-mindedly on what you do best. See his Big Interview on page 12 for more insights on what makes Warburtons tick.

Food NW Board Director Stuart Ross rounded up the evening with a plea for more industry people to get involved in sharing best practise to bring on fabulous young producers. “Please spare some time to bring this talent through.”

The proceeds from the raffle – some £1,687 – was donated to Emerge representing Fareshare in the region.They accept donations of edible food and then redistribute it to beneficiary organisations around the Northwest. See page 20 for more details. Chief Executive Lucy Danger said: “It was a super night and a great chance for us to raise our profile with the regional industry. The money raised will go towards developing what we do and gearing it up to do more.”

Pat Foreman had the final word. “You worry in these hard times that people will give celebratory events like this a miss. But not the Food NW Awards. Five years on the industry has proved its resilience and its absolute commitment to the development of its skills and talents. There was as much enthusiasm as ever – thanks to everyone for making it such a great night.”

All the winners of this year’s Awards line up on the opposite page.

For more detailed backgrounds on what tipped the balance in their favour pages 8, 10 and 11 have all the information you need.

Thanks to everyone who sponsored an award, donated produce to the menu or the goody bag. Your support is appreciated.

The fifth anniversary of the Food NW Awards, celebrating business success in the food and drink industry across the region, did not disappoint.

FABULOUS FOOD

6 7www.foodnw.co.uk

Food NW Award for Outstanding SMEsponsored by Business Link

Clippy’s Apple PreservesDonna Edwards from award sponsor, Business Link presents Michelle McKenna or ‘Clippy’ and Paul Gorman from Clippy’s Apples, with the Food NW Award for Outstanding SME, with event host, Lucy Meacock.

Highly Commended – Manchester Rusk CompanyHighly Commended – Cheshire Farm Ice Cream

Food NW Excellence Awardsponsored by DWF

Cranstons Cumbrian Food HallPaul Attwood of award sponsor, DWF presents Caroline Dinham and Ashley Pearson of Cranstons Cumbrian Food Hall with the Food NW Excellence Award, with event host, Lucy Meacock.

Food NW Award for International Tradesponsored by UK Trade and Investment

Advanced Food SafetyClive Drinkwater of award sponsor UK Trade and Investment, presents Chris Hodge of Advanced Food Safety, with the Food NW Award for International Trade with event host, Lucy Meacock.

Food NW Award for Skillssponsored by Reaseheath College

Northern School of Asian and Oriental CookingMargaret Bardsley of award sponsor Reaseheath College presents Soodsawat and John Rigg of the Northern School of Asian and Oriental Cooking with the Food NW Award for Skills, with event host, Lucy Meacock.

Food NW Green Business Awardsponsored by Foundation, a climate fund for the Northwest

The Authentic Food CompanyMark Turner of award sponsor, Foundation, a climate fund for the Northwest, presents Pirrin Mitchell and Paul Harnetty of The Authentic Food Company with the Food NW Green Business Award, with event host, Lucy Meacock.

Food NW Best New Regional Business Awardsponsored by Montpelier Chartered Accountants

King Henry VI Spring WaterRobert Jackson of award sponsor Montpelier Chartered Accountants presents Nick Brigstocke and Joanne and Christopher Bosonnet of King Henry VI Spring Water with the Food NW Best New Regional Business Award, with event host, Lucy Meacock.

Food NW Award for Innovationsponsored by Enworks

Chestnut MeatsTodd Holden of award sponsor, Enworks, presents Marnie and Tim Dobson of Chestnut Meats with the Food NW Award for Innovation, with event host, Lucy Meacock.

Food NW Award for Fine Food Producer of the Yearsponsored by Northcote

Southport SeafoodsHelen Colley, Chair of the Food NW Fine Food Group presents father and son, Chris and Christian Peet of Southport Seafoods with the Food NW Award for Fine Food Producer of the Year sponsored by Northcote, with event host, Lucy Meacock.

Food NW Award for Best New Fine Food Productsponsored by Northcote

Scoop! Ice Cream CaféHelen Colley, Chair of the Food NW Fine Food Group presents Karl Kondal and Peta Carter of Scoop! Ice Cream Café with the Food NW Award for Best New Fine Food Product 2010 sponsored by Northcote, with event host, Lucy Meacock.

Food NW Award for Social Responsibilitysponsored by Barclays Corporate

United BiscuitsShaun Cross award sponsor Barclays Corporate, presents Neil Smith and Stuart Deeley of United Biscuits with the Food NW Award for Social Responsibility, with event host, Lucy Meacock.

FABULOUS FOOD

8 9www.foodnw.co.uk

British apple-based preserve, Clippy’s Apples continues to grow at a rapid pace and, with a new contract to export products to the US which will be supported by a cookery tour, the company is planning to create six new jobs in the next 18 months and position ‘Clippy’s’ as a household name in the UK and overseas.

The company is enjoying a really exciting year with Michelle McKenna (or ‘Clippy’ as she is better known!) taking the Clippy’s ‘Preserving the Nation’ tour (www.preservingthenation.org) to some of the most prestigious cookery school venues across the country.

With two new products using seasonal apples - Apple & Figgy Chilli Relish and Apple, Tomato & Roasted Garlic Relish – launched in April, Clippy’s range has been snapped up by five new distributors in the last 12 months and the products are now available at Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols, John Lewis, Booths, The National Trust,

Clippy’s Apple Preserves

WINNERFood NW Award for Outstanding SME

WINNERFood NW Award for Innovation

A partnership approach with the local dairy industry has helped Cheshire goat farmers Tim and Marnie Dobson, deliver their fresh goat meat across the country, while helping to reduce waste and cut costs.

It was a bit of a risk when they decided to rear a herd of South African Boer goats, taking a traditional small tenant farm and moving into the added value sector. But the gamble has paid off and now, having introduced goat meat to the Northwest, they have grown a strong customer base and are excelling in an increasingly educated and demanding market place.

In the last 12 months the business has taken on an additional member of staff and has seen a 40 per cent increase in turnover. The pair continues to look at ways to expand the product range and use as much of the carcass as possible, with a new line in goat hides and skins now under development.

Tim says: “We are absolutely delighted to win this award. Operating in a niche market means that we have to be innovative in everything we do and this is recognition of all of our efforts.”

Chestnut Meats

WINNERFood NW Excellence Award

Cranstons Cumbrian Food Hall is known as ‘the home of fresh local produce’ and works closely with local farmers and producers to offer a unique and extensive range of regional food and drink.

At the end of last year the company completed a successful £1 million makeover and expansion programme, creating 40% more retail space in the Food Hall, a new 86 seater restaurant called Café Oswald’s and 20 new jobs.

Now run by the Cranston brothers – Philip and Roger – the company began life as a local butchers shop in 1914 in the Cumbrian village of Kirkoswald, not far from Penrith.

Cranstons Cumbrian Food Hall

Fenwicks, Ocado and will be in Littlewoods Direct Christmas 2010 hampers.

Michelle said: “We have been highly commended in this category for the last two years and our win this year is a fantastic reward for all of our hard work, and will help us to continue to spread the word about Clippy’s both at home and abroad.”

Based in Sale, Clippy’s creates a range of British apple-based preserves, including jams, jellies, relishes and chutneys. They are all based 100 per cent on British apples and are lovingly handmade in small batches to retain their true flavour, with no nasty extras added.

The full range of Clippy’s Apples products can be purchased on-line at www.deli2dine4.co.uk an online British deli offering artisan products from small UK producers.

In 2009 they realised that some of their deliveries of goat meat were not arriving with their customers in the same quality state as they were when they were despatched. So, Tim, who used to run a dairy farm, approached local cheesemaker Joseph Heler to see if there was a solution.

The company now works in partnership with Joseph Heler, to collect the large polysterene boxes in which its cheese ‘starters’ and rennets are delivered to the factory. Chestnut Meats uses the boxes to despatch its fresh meat to its customers, keeping the meat completely fresh and stopping the boxes from going into landfill.

The company has also started to work with Becketts Farmhouse Cheese and First Milk, achieving cooperation right across the dairy chain.

The full range of Chestnut Meats products are available from the farm, at food fairs, farmers markets or via their online farm shop at www.chestnutmeats.co.uk

Philip Cranston, managing director of Cranstons, said: “Winning this award will help raise awareness of the recently expanded Cumbrian Food Hall and is fantastic recognition and a great morale boost for all of our passionate staff, who work hard to promote regional produce on a daily basis.”

As well as the Food Hall in Penrith, the business also has stores in Carlisle, Brampton and Hexham and its products are available online at www.cranstons.net

www.clippys.com

www.chestnutmeats.co.uk

www.cranstons.net

8 9www.foodnw.co.uk

WINNERShevington-based food hygiene and safety training and consultancy company, Advanced Food Safety, continues to see its business go from strength to strength, increasing its year on year sales by 16 per cent and doing business with 59 countries across the globe.

The team, which has grown from three to four during the last 12 months, spreads the food hygiene and safety message through training courses and distance-learning projects, and has a global export trade from Azerbaijan to Yemen. All of its overseas business is secured via its online presence, with its most recent order coming from the Training and Productivity Authority of Fiji.

In 2009 the company helped the catering contractor for a major oil producer to become the first local company in Kazakhstan to achieve the prestigious ISO22000 accreditation, visiting them both on shore and off shore and providing materials translated into Russian.

Advanced Food Safety

Food NW Award for International Trade

WINNERUnited Biscuits (UB) has over 100 years of heritage in the Northwest, with its biscuit and snack factories in Aintree (Jacobs), Manchester (McVitie’s) and Carlisle (Carr’s) employing over 2,500 people.

The business has a long-term commitment to the community and believes passionately in supporting the locations in which it operates. UB’s recent initiatives include:

•providingthechildrenofemployeesthatarein full-time education with work placements

•asocialclubandJacobs’oldboysfootballteam at the Aintree site

•employeesworkingwithlocalcommunity projects including painting and decorating a day care centre for the elderly

•helpingthelocalfirebrigadeinlive training exercises

United Biscuits

Food NW Award for Social Responsibility

The company has trained more than 75,000 people at level two food safety alone, helping people to start food businesses, move into jobs in the food industry and also improve their promotional prospects.

Since 2007, the business has launched distance learning courses translated into Latvian, Polish, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Chinese and Russian, giving relevant training for the industry in the languages now demanded by the food sector. The business has partnerships across the world and currently works with companies that are exclusive distributors of its publications in the Maldives, Macedonia (for the Balkan region), Latvia, (for the Baltic region) Malaysia, Holland, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Kazakhstan.

Chris Hodge of Advanced Food Safety said: “This award is a great boost and makes us ever more determined to focus on export to help us on our route to success, during this difficult economic climate.”

•openingtheManchesterLearningResource Centrein2008andrunningafestivalof learningtoraiseawarenessofhealthissues.

UBhasalsodemonstratedaseriouscommitmenttoimprovingthecompany’senvironmentalsustainability.Itachieveda5%reductioninfactorycarbonemissionsin2009;uses28%lesswaterthanin2007andhasreducedpackagingby13%since2003.

AndrewHawley,manufacturingdirector–biscuits,said:“WinningthisawardrecognisesthehardworkandcommitmentthattheUnitedBiscuitsemployeeshaveachievedwithintheirlocalcommunities.”

“AsalongandestablishedemployerwithintheNorthwestwinningthisawardalsodemonstratestothewidercommunityourcommitmenttooursocialresponsibilities,evenintimesofrecession.”

WINNERAfter just five months of trading, Lancashire’s King Henry VI Spring Water, is now supplying its bottled still and sparkling water nationwide and is planning to double its workforce in the next 12 months.

The company bottles water drawn from an ancient underground spring said to have been discovered by Henry VI on the Bolton Hall Estate more than 500 years ago. Legend has it that the King commissioned a stone well, and used the water for bathing, as well as a source of drinking water. Buckingham Palace has given the company permission to use the King’s name on its bottles, which is now a registered trademark.

King Henry VI Spring Water

Food NW Award Best New Regional BusinessBolton Hall Estate is a private country estate run by Christopher and Joanne Bosonnet. The couple have fully restored King Henry’s Well, which is now a listed monument, and have ambitious plans to support the estate using its own natural resources.

The water is the only one of its type being bottled in England and is purified through 300 million year old limestone coral reefs which give the water a unique calcium bicarbonate composition and acts as an aid to digestion.

Joanne Bosonnet said: “As a very young company this award will be a real motivator for all of our team, who worked so hard to get it off the ground.”

www.food-safety.co.uk

www.unitedbiscuits.com

www.kinghenryviwater.com

10 11www.foodnw.co.uk

Husband and wife team John and Soodsawat Rigg have developed a unique business teaching people how to cook Asian and Oriental food, and are now planning to launch a range of their own ready meals and sauces.

The Northern School of Asian & Oriental Cooking based in Park Road, Barrow, was established three years ago as a not-for-profit business, and since then, Soodsawat, or Ooy, as she is better known, and her husband and business partner, John, have taken their Cultural Cooking Roadshow to more than 1,000 schools and venues and 100,000 children and adults.

John and Soodswat have operated 14 Asian and Oriental food outlets over the past 23 years and had found it difficult to recruit well trained home grown chefs, so they started training people at an evening adult education centre. The course was over-subscribed, so they sold one of their businesses, and created a £150k purpose built training facility 18 months ago. Now they run the fully booked courses from Monday to Thursday evening with a waiting list for people to join.

Their cultural roadshow teaches children and adults about the diversity, customs, languages and cuisine of Asia, inspiring them through food, music and learning. They also run the delivery-only Wox Express takeaway, with meals delivered in the company’s own Indian Tuk Tuk.

The company’s new range of ready meals will be made at its training facility at Park Road. Production of some 1,000 ready meals a week will be quickly followed by the development of ‘Ooys Traditional Thai Cooking Sauces’.

The ready meals are packed in bio-degradable food containers made from sugar cane, which biodegrades in 45 days. Soodsawat and John have been teaching children about the benefits of using bio-degradable containers over the last three years. As a social business, all of the profits from the ready meals will be reinvested into the company.

Soodsawat said: “Winning this award reassures us that all the hard work, dreams and aspirations have been worth it. It will help to open doors for us and help us win new contracts and we are delighted to be recognised in this way.”

Northern School of Asian and Oriental Cooking

WINNERFood NW Award Best New Regional Business

WINNERFood NW Green Business Award

The Authentic Food Company based in Sharston has been manufacturing frozen ready meals and snacks for 24 years and in the last 18 months has put green credentials at the top of the agenda. Its ‘Go Green’ campaign has helped to save an estimated 4,580 tonnes of carbon, has reduced its cardboard consumption by 41 tonnes and by compacting its food and cardboard waste, has reduced its bulk disposal charges by 80 per cent.

The company has a team of dedicated chefs and over 230 employees, which span 25 different nationalities, across three sites, catering for the foodservice and retail industry under five key brands, Indian, Oriental, British, Tex Mex and European. The team creates and supplies international dishes to pubs, restaurants, hotels, travel and leisure, business and industry, healthcare and education sectors across the UK.

In 2009 the company’s ‘Green Panel’ set up a number of initiatives to help it become more environmentally friendly in five key areas; energy use and minimisation; waste generation and minimisation; environmental impact of all materials used; and in consideration of the communities surrounding the production sites, the prevention of pollution.

In the last 18 months along with reducing the amount of cardboard packaging it uses by 50 per cent Authentic is working with suppliers to introduce re-useable plastic pallets to help further reduce cardboard consumption.

Authentic Food Company

The company has also minimised steam leaks within the factory by purchasing thermal imaging cameras to regularly check its steam and air lines. The company’s energy efficient boiler and steam compressors are on variable timings so use can be monitored, making sure only the correct amount of steam required by the factory is actually produced. Authentic has also started using controlled paper towels, saving 50 per cent of previous consumption and has installed a chemical dosing system, which controls the amount of chemicals used to clean equipment. In addition to this, all of the company’s waste electric and electronic items are collected by a third party for recycling or re-use, to prevent them going to landfill and the company’s used rapeseed oil, is collected by contractors and is recycled as bio-fuel.

Paul Harnetty, Authentic Food Company’s Operations Director, said: “Our environment and local community are very important to us and we ensure our business regularly invests time, money and effort into making sure we are minimising our impact.”

He continues: “Winning this award will help us to raise awareness of the environment and highlight how other companies can work towards improving their environmental credentials.”

www.nsaocc.biz

www.theauthenticfoodcompany.com


Montpelier Chartered Accountants working with like minded individuals who have the drive and passion to succeed.

Supporting the entrepreneurial spirit in everyone.

Carlisle Fylde Manchester Preston

For pragmatic advice on securing funding, strategic business advice and effective tax planning.

0161 831 6464 www.montpelierchartered.com

Montpelier Chartered Accountants, a key ingredient to business success.


blend caught up with Jonathan Warburton at

Liverpool’s Noble House restaurant during a break

from a company innovation conference at the Arena.

Just the right moment to get a glimpse of the man at the helm of a fast-modernising,

energetic and go-ahead family business with a

£1billion turnoverin its sights….


hile growth is always more tricky in tough times I believe if you are not growing, you are going backwards, so you need to be prepared to adapt your business to a new environment.

It’s tremendously difficult economically at the moment and has been for some time. I think we can expect more of the same and maybe even worse trading conditions in the next 12 months as we start to see the impact of the new government’s approach.

I think what got us here, won’t get us there. So you can’t rely on all the things you did before – you have to constantly recreate.

At Warburtons we are really driving this now. Not just on product, but in every aspect of the business – people, packaging, how we make things.

We are no different from anyone else. And when you’ve moved from growing comfortably over many years to only just growing you have to look hard at lots of areas.

Focus on the environmentAs a family company I think people expect us to be looking after things.

A lot of middle-aged businessmen like me could be forgiven for being sceptical about this whole climate change thing, but I know it is here to stay and so we are working hard on it.

I am amazed at how much we recycle at home nowadays and we are not at all at the cutting edge of it. When my kids encourage me to recycle it really makes me think about how much more we could do in the business and what savings we can make.

Offering great value for money Quality is the whole platform for the business. Our aim is to make better products than anyone else that are good value for money. Quality does not have to be expensive. Yes, you pay a bit more for a Warburtons loaf, but we believe it delivers great value.

Our bread is fresher because we have more bakeries, more vans and are closer to our markets and it’s fresher for longer because we use the best flour in the world.

I would really like more of that flour to be coming from British farmers, but you can’t if you want to make the best. Striving for excellence is more important.

It can’t just be British, it needs to be the best. We are very proud to be a British company, based in the UK, employing British people, but we have to source products from the best part of the world.

Vision that passes the pub test With over 4,500 employees across 27 locations having a motivating vision for the business and being able to communicate it is key. We have just launched another one for the next few years. It is important to have something everyone understands which can survive what I call ‘the pub test’.

If a person can explain to a mate over a pint what the company he works for is all about, and what they are aiming to do in the next few years, then I consider my vision a success. If they haven’t got a clue it’s too complicated. Visions need to be simple, easy to understand and motivating.

Courage and commitmentPeople ask me whether you need courage in business and I guess along the way we’ve had to demonstrate that. Spending £50m on a bakery you’d think would need courage and you do think, wow, that’s some investment. But when you’re so committed to the cause, it’s the day job, what you do, it’s just a way of life.

I do remember feeling very courageous and slightly out of our depth when we made our first foray out of Lancashire up to the North East.

We were very naive then. I honestly had no idea if this large industrial building we were looking at could be converted into a bakery and would do well. I thought the fact that it was just off the A1 was good. We could get our products out I thought. In the end we built on an old electronic components factory in Newburn, near Newcastle, but it was a lesson. We’ve learnt an awful lot since then.

We have spent all our careers – my two cousins Brett, Ross and I - building the business on solid foundations. We know we do this very well so the investment is a sound one. Twenty years ago Warburtons was a very different place, with just 3% market share and barely out of Bolton. Today we are a national business with 25% market share.

People are everythingHaving a positive attitude is a must. I am a half-full type person and I’ve never had a problem with that. This is definitely a special half-full kind of business, a fairly can-do outfit and this is something I am keen to push on from now and develop further. We need a lot less intellectualising as a business and much more doing, with plenty of ambition.

People are everything. Our company manifests itself as a pack of crumpets or a loaf of bread. For an existing consumer to say that’s why I buy it, or for a new customer to say that’s better than I have had before, is our collective goal in life. For that you need the best people who are really committed and care about what they do.

I know we don’t have everyone within the business up for that 24/7, but we do have lots of folk who are and the more people you can get to buy in the more consistent an experience you will give consumers – I really believe that.

Anyone can build factories. It’s people who have to get up in the morning and say I don’t mind my job, because I work with nice people, with good values, who treat me well. People who feel good about work, work harder so it’s self-fulfilling.

A clear eye on the sunny uplandsWe have a constant eye on the future. The business has a 130-plus year history and I am extremely proud of it. It’s nice to have that reassurance, but people join us now for the future. They are thinking about themselves – quite rightly – and what opportunities this company can give them.

If you don’t talk about the sunny uplands you are not going to get those who can deliver it for you. I spend time talking about what the future looks like, because it’s really important and I am determined to stretch people. Good people want to be stretched. They want to see a fully-thought through strategy that makes sense and makes them think I really want to be a part of that.

Building a brand with depthI think with Cadburys bought there is an opportunity for Warburtons to aim for that fondness and affection in British hearts. It won’t happen overnight and that’s fine, we have time. It’s about building a brand with depth. So when you scratch the surface of it there’s more and more stuff beneath. Thin brands don’t have that. Tescos are brilliant at it. The only way to sustain success is by having a higher vision backed up by detail.

With a 360 day stock turnover we have a lot of people focused on today. Some 95% in fact. But if that was all we did we would be lost. The other 5% have to be able to manage the complexities of our daily reinvention with a desire to see where the future is.

We have changed more in the last five years than at any other time in our history. Being a national business gives you a different perspective and it will be harder in the future. We have realised that accepting change is the only way to keep moving forwards, but we are mindful of babies and bathwater!

The challenges aheadI think the two biggest challenges facing us are the Internet and ethnicity.

Britain has the most developed Internet shopping culture in the world and by 2012 we expect one in 10 British people not be traditional white Anglo Saxon.

So for a business built on traditional van sales into retailers and traditional products, home shopping and cultural shifts will inevitably alter the way we do business in the future.

I say again what got us here will not get us there. We need to grasp all the new opportunities with energy and determination.

W


A team of hand-picked judges including top chefs, speciality food retailers, food journalists, restaurateurs and supermarket buyers tasted their way through almost 350 fine food entries. Chairing the judging panel was Celebrity Chef Nigel Haworth, co-owner of Northcote Manor.

All the products were blind tasted and judged solely on their quality, taste, texture and appearance to find winning foods in 45 sub-categories – from chutneys and preserves to prepared meals and dairy, sausages, fish and seafood, cured and cooked meats, baked goods, fruit and vegetables and beverages. From these successes the judges then picked the top 10 category winners which then formed the shortlist for the Food NW ‘Fine Food Producer of the Year’ and ‘New Fine Food Product of the Year’ categories at the main Food NW Awards event on June 24th.

Southport Seafoods and Scoop! Ice Cream took the respective honours this year. Read their stories on pages 16 and 17.

JUDGING A WINNER

The annual Food NW Fine Food Awards took place on 2nd June at Ewood Park. The Awards are designed to celebrate the rich variety of fabulous food that is produced, reared, baked or processed in the region.

Nigel Haworth leads the hunt for talent


JUDGING A WINNER The Farm Burscough operates a farm shop, tea-room and bed & breakfast based out of a stunning renovated 18th Century brick-barn. The Neale family have been farming in Burscough for generations and offer a superb range of local food products that are sold in the shop and served to visitors and guests. Located just five miles from Southport and the historic market town of Ormskirk, the family run company has found a roaring local trade for their range of award winning chutneys and preserves, as well as local bacon and sausage, seasonal vegetables, jams and preserves, fresh bread, home baked cakes, handmade crisps and local cheeses.

www.thefarmburscough.co.uk

Category Chutneys and PreservesProduct Lime Curd

WINNER

Cranstons is now recognised as one of the best suppliers of high quality local produce in the North West.

The family run firm now operate five stores, including the flagship Cranstons Cumbrian Food Hall in Carlisle which offers a huge breadth of foodstuffs – almost all supplied by trusted local companies including their own meat products and meals.

Brothers Philip and Roger Cranston are committed to maintaining the firm’s role as a champion of authentic, wholesome, and delicious foods sourced from a wide range of Cumbrian quality producers.

www.cranstons.net

Category Prepared MealsProduct Lentil and Ham Soup

WINNER

Alison’s Homemade is a small artisan producer of specialist handmade food. Local produce is used where available to create an array of interesting and tasty products.

Alison started the business in 2001 as a way to “escape the rat race”, formally working in Management Development and Consultancy for 10 years. Her desire was to produce high quality, tasty food using high quality, tasty ingredients.

Alison’s biscuits, cakes, cordials and preserves are handmade in her kitchen in Nantwich using her own original recipes. Natural ingredients are used, to ensure good keeping qualities, naturally. Everything is made by hand in small batches. Her products are available at a selection of Farm Shops and Quality Food Stores throughout Cheshire.

Category Baked GoodsProduct Stem Ginger Biscuits

WINNER

Deliciously Wild (Cumbria) Ltd sources, processes and markets wild food – particularly venison – and is aiming to become the UK’s leading supplier of locally sourced wild meats.

Venison meat in particular is gaining in popularity with consumers, being low in saturated fats and cholesterol and high in Omega 3 and 6, as well as iron.

Founded by leading environmentalist, Dr Stuart McLanaghan, Deliciously Wild is committed to educating people about the wider benefits of eating wild meat. All of the meat sourced by the company comes from approved suppliers, with animal welfare and conservation issues at the top of the agenda.

www.deliciouslywild.co.uk

Category Fresh MeatProduct Venison Medallions

WINNER

Broughs Butchers of Birkdale pride themselves on their free range meats, produced from animals that have been reared in the open air naturally.

With an extensive range of award winning products from sausages & burgers to BBQ packs and a wide range of meat and poultry based ready meals, Broughs of Birkdale is a fantastic example of a traditional butchers shop with a modern twist.

Multi Award Winning Broughs Butchers operates from five thriving stores across Merseyside including a new partnership with Delifonseca, Liverpool’s leading delicatessen.

www.broughs.com

Category Cured and Cooked MeatProduct Dry Sweet Cure with Sunfower Honey Bacon

WINNER

Shaw Meats source all their meat within 30 miles of the Butchery in Wigton, Cumbria and offer a superb range of both traditional and innovative meats and flavours.

With a full mail order product service customers are able to sample everything from rare breed bacon and traditional Cumberland sausages to the more unusual kangaroo burgers and Cumbrian Biltong. The range also features an extensive game range including pheasant, partridge, mallard and grouse. All their meat is sourced within 30 miles of the Butchery in Wigton, Cumbria.

Anyone keen to sample the Shaw Meats range can also find them at a large number of country shows and farmers markets across the region.

www.shawmeats.co.uk

Category SausagesProduct Pork and Sun-dried Tomato Sausage

WINNER Shaw Meats

Wareings is a small family run business that attends farmers markets all around Lancashire, providing good quality, fresh seasonal vegetables and salads to their customers across the region.

The quality of the produce speaks for itself, and the company have won a number of awards for products including the January King cabbage and their Pink Fir Apple salad potatoes.

Wareings have also been named Re:Fresh Independent Retailer of the Year 2009 and 2010.

www.wareingsveg.vpweb.co.uk

Category Fruit and VegetablesProduct Lettuce

WINNER

Halal Kitchen has been established for over seven years and has built a reputation as a strong chilled food supplier, focussed on driving the business forward through constant new product development and customer satisfaction.

The company has efsis food and halal accreditation and supplies halal products including lassi smoothies, sandwiches, ready meals, savoury snacks, pasta snack bowls, fruit salad and flapjacks to a range of high street, wholesale and academic customers.

www.expresscuisine.co.uk

Category BeveragesProduct Mango Lassi

WINNER


Scoop! Ice Cream Café in Warrington started trading in July 2007. The concept was created by Karl Kondal and Peta Carter; their focus being on providing an experience for all the family to enjoy.

The company is keen to expand and negotiations are already underway to secure a further three Northwest shops in the next 12 months, with the potential to create around 30 new jobs for the local economy.

The company won one of only ten coveted categories at the Food Northwest Fine Food Awards 2010, with its ‘Rich Chocolate Indulgence Ice Cream’. Its ‘Lime Sorbet’ was also recognised as a winner of the sorbet sub-category.

Karl, who grew up near Johannesburg in South Africa, and lived there for 27 years, traces his love for ice cream back to when he used to help his friend’s father in their family ice cream shop, while holding down a full time job in the financial services sector.

Returning to the UK 17 years ago and now living in Lytham St Anne’s, Karl continued working in financial services, but it was always his mission to create the perfect place to take his children for freshly made ice cream.

He set about researching his idea and realised, with the emergence of café culture, that there was a potential gap in the market. He met Peta Carter while working on a project together at Royal and SunAlliance. Peta, who lives in Culcheth in Warrington, was looking for a new challenge after working in financial services for nearly 30 years.

Together, they’ve built Scoop! into the quality family destination they felt was missing on the high street. More recently, Scoop! has started to manufacture ice cream for wholesale and now supplies other retailers, restaurants and children’s play centres across the Northwest.

Karl says: “It is our aim to grow the business and winning this award will help us to do that. We were over the moon to win our category, but to pick up the overall prize is fantastic – the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae! It is our aim to put a smile on people’s faces and winning this award has certainly put a smile on ours! It’s a real reward for all of our hard work.“

Karl and Peta have worked with some of Italy’s top ice cream producers to perfect the recipes for their ice cream, which is made freshly, in store, every day. The company sources its milk and cream from award-winning farms on the Fylde coast, an area reputed to have some of the best pastureland in the world. They create their ice cream in small batches, using artisanal methods. A light texture is achieved by limiting fat content in their milk-based gelato to only eight per cent fat.

While the company works with local farms it also selects the finest ingredients from across the world to flavour its ice cream, including Madagascan vanilla, Belgian chocolate and Amarena cherries from Italy.

Scoop! prides itself on the quality of its products, so as well as producing its luxury ice cream in store every day, its toasted sandwich range is also freshly made on site. The company’s strap line, “Something for Everyone, What’s your Favourite” is demonstrated by an extensive menu, which includes speciality teas, quality Italian coffee, cakes, muffins, freshly baked waffles, smoothies, milkshakes and indulgent ice cream sundaes.

Scoop! Ice Cream Café is based in the Golden Square Shopping Centre in Warrington. Visit www.scoopicecream.com

THE FOOD NW AWARD FOR BEST NEW FINE FOOD PRODUCT

Category Dairy Product Rich Chocolate Indulgence Ice Cream

WINNER


THE FOOD NW AWARD FOR FINE FOOD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Category Fish & Seafood Product Genuine Southport Potted Shrimps in Butter

With roots in the fishing business dating back more than 100 years, Christian Peet has been shrimping since he was just five years old.

The company has won the ‘Fish and Seafood’ Category at the Food Northwest Fine Food Awards for the last two years running.

Christian set up Southport Seafoods with his brother Kevin, and his father Chris, over 18 years ago, making traditional Genuine Southport Potted Shrimps from a property in Shellfield Road, which has a long history in the shrimping business.

Using tractors and amphibians to catch the shrimps, rather than boats out at sea, Christian says: “Being close to the shore we are able to boil our shrimps in fresh water rather than in sea water. This gives our shrimps a much lighter look to them and gives us a clean shrimp with a much better taste. However, as our shrimps are caught in open sea rather than inshore, for example in a river, we get a much bigger shrimp.”

All of the potted shrimps are made on a day-to-day basis, using only fresh shrimps, salt, spices and butter. They are re-cooked in a large pan and then potted by hand and sealed with butter. With many businesses peeling shrimps by machine, Christian is proud that all of the company’s shrimps are still peeled by hand and believes it makes a better quality product, as no additional water is used.

Christian said: “My father, brother and my wife Tuk have worked hard to make the business a success and I am absolutely delighted to win this prestigious award. It makes all the hard work worthwhile.”

Genuine Southport Potted Shrimps are available wholesale and retail.

www.pottedshrimps.co.uk

WINNERShrim

ping images: courtesy of C

olin McPherson

Jacqui AdamsRoly's Fudge Pantry

“Business Link hasplayed a very important

part in the successof my business.”

- Free, confidential, business support and information

- Impartial advice from a dedicated team of specialist food and drink advisers working in all areas of food production, hospitality and catering, retail and distribution, agriculture and their supply chains

- Online guides to help you with sales and marketing, accessing finance, training and development, networking, innovation and much more

- The latest information for the food and drink sector at www.businesslinknw.co.uk/foodanddrink

- Support to produce a bespoke business action plan highlighting areas for improvement with timescales and responsibility

Supporting Food & Drink Businesses

businesslinknw.co.uk/foodanddrink



The Duke of Westminster and celebrity farmer Jimmy Doherty launched the final phase of a £7.2 million investment into a food centre of excellence at Reaseheath College.

The Duke unveiled a plaque to mark the start of the new build and also cut the first sod of turf at the specialist Nantwich based College. The Duke was joined by BBC television personality Jimmy, who became a viewers’ favourite with Jimmy’s Farm and Jimmy’s Food Factory.

Food producers were in attendance to celebrate the new state-of-the-art food processing centre which is to be built on campus. They included Tom Fell, of Cheshire Farm Ice Cream in Tattenhall, yoghurt producer Andrew Hope of Tiresford Guernsey Gold in Tarporley and Bryony Barraclough of Saucy Mare Fine Foods, Malpas.

The first phase of the food centre was opened in July this year by Steven Broomhead of the NWDA and provides the dairy industry with factory-standard facilities used for new product development and trials. The final phase, unveiled by his Grace will add to this facility a state-of-the-art bakery, butchery and innovation units.

The Duke, who is Patron of local food champions Made In Cheshire, is a major dairy producer himself with more than 1,500 cows producing more than 20 million litres of milk annually. The Duke said: “As a producer myself, I know that the support Reaseheath gives the dairy industry and also the people they teach is invaluable to Cheshire and the UK as a whole. This investment of £7.2 million is creating a Food Centre of Excellence here alongside a 21st century dairy processing hall, which is at the very centre of the dairy processing industry.”

Jimmy added: “Britain is full of opportunities for food producers. Our farmers are world beaters. I am so excited to be here today. The opening of a food hall represents so much hard work from everyone involved. This shows a commitment to Britain’s farming industry, creating real opportunity.

No doubt this College will continue to be a fertile seed bed of future talent. I do visit lots of Colleges, but Reaseheath stands out. There’s a uniqueness here – students studying pig production can witness the whole process here. The college gives students the opportunity to follow the whole food journey from primary production right through to the finished product. For instance, you can watch a cow being milked and then see all the processes that the milk goes through to make yoghurt.”

The current capital investment at Reaseheath is supported by the Northwest Regional Development Agency, the Skills Funding Agency and through industry investment.

Reaseheath Principal Meredydd David commented: “The world and our communities are facing a great challenge. The population is predicted to grow to eight billion by 2050 with a doubling in food requirements without any increase in land. Investment in research, technology and specialist staff will need to continue to make sure science can help to meet the need for more food. Reaseheath College will continue to support the food and low carbon agenda by working at the forefront of knowledge transfer, research and technological advancement.”

www.reaseheath.ac.uk

DUKE OF WESTMINSTER AND TV STAR BACK WORLD CLASS FOOD CENTRE

The first phase of a three year supply chain project being led by Food Northwest targeting the dairy sector (milk, butter and cheese products) is now producing great results for participating companies.

The project aims to strengthen the well-established food supply chain in the Northwest by creating a collaborative environment for the key players in the sector and their respective supply chain partners.

Mark Parker, Director of UK Supply Chain Associates Ltd and Food Northwest’s lead for the project said, “The difference with this project is that it goes much further than just looking at potential efficiency savings in one company because we are creating the conditions for long term supply chain partnerships.”

Blend talked to Mal Rowley, Business Development Consultant and Craig Stoppard, Lean Consultant at Peter Rowley, a company specialising in Lean Manufacturing training and consultancy, on how they have delivered some significant early wins.

“The key goal in this phase was to look at increasing efficiency within the dairy supply chain, improving profitability and in so doing securing jobs and promoting growth,” said Mal.

“We were tasked with identifying potential areas of waste and opportunity within the dairy supply chain, focusing on downtime, scrap, rework and giveaway.”

Craig Stoppard takes up the story, “Our consultants use the Margin Recovery Model, designed and developed by us, to reduce and eliminate areas of margin erosion. This unique methodology not only identifies waste, but quantifies accurately the financial savings, making the selection of continuous improvement team interventions a transparent process.

The translation of the identified savings in to real savings is led by experienced Lean Engineers.”

Under the direction of Food Northwest, Peter Rowley consultants worked with key supply chain companies including Renshaw Napier in Liverpool (marzipan and sugar paste products), Burtons Foods (Maryland Cookies line), Tangerine Confectionery (boiled sweets line) both in Blackpool, and Park Cakes (unit cakes line) in Bolton.

Simon Doran, Interim General Manager at Park Cakes, is delighted with increased overall efficiency and capacity on a key line for the business.

“Peter Rowley came into our organisation to work on the unit cakes line which produces high volume, high quality product for a leading high street retailer.

“Using their margin analysis tools they identified – in detail – not only the areas in which our business was losing money, but the potential opportunities for growth if we could resolve the issues.

“The detail of the report enabled us to set up continuous improvement teams, mentored by Peter Rowley consultants, to work on the specific challenges around giveaway and scrap.

“The results have been incredible. Scrap is down from 11% to less than 2% and the variance in terms of giveaway has disappeared, delivering savings of over £200,000. It has been a truly worthwhile project.”

Peter Rowley also understands that, as a result of freed capacity, Park Cakes have been able to take on a new and significant contract to supply product to another major high street retailer.

Mal again, “The work has achieved its original goals of increasing productivity, reducing waste and creating jobs – the whole team is really pleased with the outcome.”

Mark Parker concluded: “This is exactly the kind of result we are looking for. By promoting positive behaviours and creating win/win situations between customers and suppliers, we are finding robust solutions to drive continuous and sustainable improvements which will result in a more competitive regional supply chain which will be in place for many years to come.”

The next phases of the supply chain project will be in the bakery and red meat sectors which will start this month followed by brewing.

For more information on the Supply Chain Project please contact Mark Parker on 07810 528 468.

For more information on Lean Manufacturing training and consultancy contact Mal Rowley on 0161 881 9765 or mobile 07824 594789 or visit www.peterrowley.co.uk.

FANTASTIC RESULTS IN FIRST PHASE OF SUPPLY CHAIN PROJECT

Celebrity farm

er Jimm

y Doherty

The D

uke of Westm

inster with Principal M

eredydd David

EMERGE Food is a subsidiary of the charitable group and runs the franchise of FareShare in partnership with the national organisation who wanted to see a Manchester – and indeed wider Northwest presence.

FareShare – now 10 years old – was recently voted Most Admired Charity of the Year by Third Sector magazine. It’s a partnership Lucy is delighted to be in. “FareShare originally grew out of Crisis – the homeless charity – who were redistributing food, while EMERGE, which has also been going for nearly 15 years, has a strong waste management pedigree – so it’s an ideal alliance!

“EMERGE works with schools and the wider community to promote the 3Rs of sustainable resource management – reduce, reuse, recycle. By working with FareShare we can better meet both agendas, diverting edible food away from landfill and supporting people in food poverty.”

From its depot on New Smithfield Market EMERGE’s FareShare operation accepts donations of food and mobilises the redistribution of that food to beneficiaries. “It’s run on a highly professional basis,” said Lucy. “The beneficiary organisations have to meet an agreed set of procedures, including food hygiene standards, as most of them provide meals.”

Typical recipients include church organisations, charity groups, working with local councils or schools, usually in deprived communities. Lucy comments: “It is often about lack of skills and motivation as well as cost. People just don’t feel confident or capable of cooking a meal for themselves.”

Last year FareShare Northwest diverted over 150 tonnes contributing to over 350,000 meals!


LucyDangerLucy Danger, Chief Executive of Manchester based charity EMERGE which runs FareShare North West, talks to blend about her passion for bringing people together to tackle two major issues – minimising waste whilst addressing poverty, “Surely we can find a solution to that?” says Lucy. blend met her to find out how….

FareShare’s goals nationally include developing a national network of distribution centres. “Liverpool has recently opened,” said Lucy.

A staggering 350,000 tonnes of edible in date food is going to waste every year across the UK and even 350 tonnes could help at least 80 organisations in Greater Manchester and the North West. Lucy again: “We need to convince food companies to redirect any surplus food to us.”

So how would you define ‘edible food’? Food redistributed by FareShare has to be “in date” i.e. within the best before or use by date, even if that means a couple of days. It can be pretty much anything. The types of food currently received include staples like bread, cereal and pasta, although, ideally, more fresh fruit, vegetables, chilled produce and meat is needed. Frozen or chilled foods can be received if supplied according to food industry standards, as FareShare Northwest has industrial fridge and freezer units.

As a charity EMERGE also provides meaningful work and volunteering opportunities. Lucy again: “the charity adds value at every turn.”

Working full-time at the FareShare scheme is one paid project manager and 12 regular volunteers. “We have a number of individuals from varied backgrounds including asylum seekers, who’ve come to us via beneficiary organisations; the work provides valuable experiences, which in many cases helps people regain some order into their lives. So they have to be here at a certain time and do a day’s shift. It helps them re-establish a work/life discipline, build self-esteem and gain skills. We’ve often been a stepping stone to food hygiene training, manual handling or even fork lift truck certificates.”

And what about supporters from the food and drink industry? “Food distribution company, Brake, is a huge supporter on a national basis,” said Lucy “and we are working with a local contact in the Northwest region. We are developing relationships with the Co-operative and Kellogg’s, and have a number of other working agreements with food companies which we really appreciate. New Smithfield Market itself is a wholesale market for fruit and vegetables, fish and meat. We are very handily placed for traders to pass on any surplus supplies to a good cause! But the goal is to get many more organisations involved, especially where they are prepared to drop pallet-loads of food – that’s where we will make a bigger difference.”

The support of organisations like Food NW has been invaluable in building awareness and persuading people to get more involved. “There is obviously a climate impact to poor management of surplus food, whilst there are people locally who really benefit from these supplies. As pressure is brought to bear on amounts going to landfill we are ideally placed to offer a safe, secure solution.”

M&S are one of FareShare’s national partners. “We know we have to be super professional in everything we do to retain their support,” says Lucy. “Nobody wants to undermine a brand known for its food quality. So from depot to kitchen there are strict codes of conduct – just because the food is coming into our channels does not mean it should be handled differently. Good food handling, management and hygiene practice is fundamental.”

Lucy again: “I am a pretty practical sort of person. And the vulnerability you see in our recipient organisations could happen to anyone.”

Cornerstones in Moss Side in Manchester is one of EMERGE’s busiest beneficiaries, who Lucy describes as ‘brilliant’. They make and serve about 250 hot meals every day.

As well as running a wide range of successful and innovative waste management services through their recycling subsidiary, the EMERGE team has recently begun some educational work supported by Manchester City Council’s Carbon Innovation Fund. They have set up a kitchen garden at Smithfield Market to demonstrate how to grow your own food. “It’s shows what you can do in a small space – very simple, resourceful and satisfying!” says Lucy.

Food manufacurers wanting to know more should contact Paul at FareShare Northwest on 0161 223 8200 or [email protected].

As well as food donations there are numerous opportunities to get involved in fund-raising, volunteering or project development.

www.emergemanchester.co.uk


When your family’s been sheep farming in the Lake District for over 300 years and all within 10 miles of current family farm, Rakefoot, just outside Keswick, you know it’s in your blood. In fact Will’s great Uncle Joe was a close friend of the legendary Beatrix Potter, so it is a generational love affair with the region, which shows no signs of ending any time soon.

No wonder then that Will has been representing upland farming for the NFU for the last six years and was invited to champion sustainable food and farming in the region – a role that occupies 50 days a year and that he has held for the last four.

So what’s the biggest challenge facing farmers?“At one time farmers just produced food. That was when food accounted for a whopping 25% of a family’s income. Today, that’s fallen to around 11%, which makes it much more difficult to earn a living. Also farmers are asked to do a lot more in terms of managing their environmental impact and preserving the landscape. So in the past farmers have had to combat over-grazing by reducing stocks on the hills – an issue that has been largely resolved. But now farmers are being asked to increase production – with a renewed consumer interest in where their food comes from – and still meet environmental targets, which can result in a bit of a juggle.”

Will is confident the conflict will get addressed. “For farmers sustainability has been at the heart of farming production for years, in fact food production sustains the environment.”

Farmers play a key role in delivering ‘fabulous food’. Do you think they are properly recognised?“I read a survey recently which said that 81% of the general public did see farmers in a positive light and the old image of subsidy junkies, responsible for food mountains had been shaken off. Celebrity chefs talking about the virtues of locally produced fresh food and seasonality on prime time TV have had an impact, as has the BBC’s compelling Lambing Live. It all plays a role in raising awareness, but we can’t be complacent.”

What has been the most satisfying part of the Sustainable Food and Farming role for you?It’s a challenge because it covers such a lot of policy areas and it’s been great to see progress in public procurement, where prisons and schools have started to source food more locally. The Year of Food and Farming 2007- 08 was a highlight because it gave us the chance to target school children and open up farming from lots of different angles – nutrition, environment and the effect of the weather on produce. I will never forget visiting a school in Wigan, which had spent £250 on a growing box and had succeeded in building around it a whole curriculum of learning across many subjects. So for maths it was about measuring the volume of soil required, in art it was drawing the plants as they grew, in climate change studies, it was about spotting a beetle, which had travelled miles unexpectedly northwards. So that was the real beauty of the year. It got so much community buy-in that in some places vandalism went down in the local area. An amazing result!

“I have been very involved in developing the Northwest Livestock Programme as well, looking at resource efficiency, better animal welfare and better training – practical help where it is needed. In developing the programme we adopted a bottom-up approach and took in the views of farmers as to what was needed in the region. I certainly believe that we now have a very useful scheme.”

How do you add value to the Food Northwest board?“Food NW is a great organisation and plays a really important role in promoting the sector – especially for new and small producers wanting to get into supermarkets. The Meet the Buyer programme is very effective. I was also impressed with a business start-up advice package it put together a few years ago. It was a great set of materials. At board meetings I am most definitely the voice of the wellies!

Do you have a message for those companies, who were shortlisted, or actually won, awards this year? “Pat yourself on the back,” says Will, “You are doing a really good job and obviously doing something right. The other message would be thanks for taking the time to get involved and share best practise – it means standards get pushed ever higher.”

And finally, do you have a favourite ‘fabulous food’ from the region? “I am going to have to say Cumberland sausage because I was brought up on it. I have fond memories of being a hungry eight-year-old, rushing in from the snow and tucking into a cracking sausage. There used to be a local butcher in Keswick, who, sadly, is no longer there, but he made the best Cumberland sausage ever. It was excellent. I am also rather partial to a Morecambe shrimp and I love cheese, especially Lancashire and Cheshire. That’s what makes the regional food and drink sector so enjoyable – the diversity of produce and its quality. A huge percentage of it is truly fabulous and helps sustain the environment we love.”

RURALAFFAIRS

Will Cockbain is a full-time farmer and NFU spokesperson on upland matters. He is also the Northwest Sustainability Food and Farming Champion for DEFRA and the voice of farming and rural affairs on Food NW’s board. blend met Will to chew the fat…

81% of the general public see farmers in a positive light and the old image of subsidy junkies, responsible for food mountains had been shaken off.


EFFICIENCY DRIVE COOKS

UP PROFITS

The Northwest’s resource efficiency drive has got off to a flying start in 2010.

Free support from Food NW’s consultants is already helping a wide range of food and drink businesses to use energy, water, material and waste resources more efficiently.

Programme manager, Andy Scully, explains: “Our work with businesses is all about cutting costs and boosting profitability and the majority of improvements can be implemented with little or no cost. The initiatives help to minimise environmental risks, ensure legal compliance, enhance company reputation and open up access to whole new markets.”

The support is available to all Northwest businesses through ENWORKS and funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). ENWORKS is supported by partner organisations such as Food NW and has helped more than 10,000 companies since 2001.A TASTE

OF WHAT’S ON OFFER…

To speak to Andy Scully at Food Northwest about how your business can benefit, call 01928 511 011 or visit www.getsupport.enworks.com

One of the food and drink industries’ most recent success stories is the Whitehaven Brewing Company, a small, independent business which owns Ennerdale Brewery in the Lake District, West Cumbria.

The company brews ales from traditional recipes, using modern technologies and no chemical treatment. It has benefited from free support to review its product distribution, improve energy and water efficiency, waste management and recycling on-site, complete grant application forms and comply with environmental legislation.

New systems have been introduced, including a continuous brewing system which saves energy, an insulated temperature control room, a low-energy, heat exchange chilling unit, and a water efficient cask washer. Utilities bills have been slashed and a new delivery scheme has been adopted to save money on fuel.

As a result, Whitehaven Brewing Company is benefiting from annual cost savings of £14,000, on top of CO2 savings of 48 tonnes per year.

Managing Director, Shelagh Ferguson, said: “My message to other small businesses would be to take the time to do the homework and you’d be surprised by how much money you can save with these kinds of things. It’s also extremely good PR and can generate networks of like-minded people.”

ENWORKS is helping thousands of businesses like Whitehaven Brewing Company with annual cost savings of over £100 million and we will be featuring more in forthcoming issues of blend. A number of companies, including the Ennerdale Brewery, are featured in a series of short films on www.enworks.com/case-studies.


at the heart of the region’s industry

Wri

tten

by

Sout

ers

ww

w.s

oute

r-rm

c.co

.uk

Des

igne

d an

d pr

oduc

ed b

y D

esig

n Fo

rce

Ass

ocia

tes

ww

w.d

esig

nfor

ce.c

o.uk

Food NorthwestThe Heath Business & Technical Park Runcorn Cheshire WA7 4QX

T. 01928 511011 F. 01928 581330 [email protected]

Blend Issue 5

Documents

food northwestrecognising

northwests food

total value of northwest

food nw gala dinner

aspects of resource

northwest regional manager

water efficiency

drink businesses