Product

When cooking dishes for your customers to eat there are two main priorities – the first is that the food is safe for consumption and the second is that the food is cooked to specification.

Thursday December 21, 2017

Offering consumers’ plenty of choice on the menu, and serving food in quality packaging with consistency, is a key aspect to success in today’s competitive foodservice market. An article on the RSM website called Top trends to watch in restaurants in 2017 suggests that, “Branding [in foodservice]…starts with creative menu options, the quality of the […]

Wednesday December 20, 2017

According to online publication HSE (Health and Safety Executive), slips and trips comprise 35 per cent of ‘major’ injuries in the food and drink industries (e.g. causing a broken arm or requiring hospitalisation).

Tuesday December 19, 2017

This winter season, the drink of choice on coffee shop menus is the gingerbread latte. The drink has become so popular with consumers that a recent Starbucks Twitter poll revealed that the gingerbread latte was the consumers favourite winter hot drink in 2016 (up 34 per cent on the second favourite, toffee nut latte).

Monday December 18, 2017

Sweet yoghurt (often filled with sugar) is being pushed aside in favour of yoghurt with savoury ingredients and toppings, like spices, olive oil, cucumbers, pulses, beans, seeds, and garlic.

Friday December 15, 2017

As if the chilly weather, dark mornings and runny nose weren’t enough to deal with this winter, the season has another down side – the winter vomiting bug.

Thursday December 14, 2017

Consumers continue to be concerned about potential side-effects of artificial substances sometimes used in skincare products, such as parabens, petrochemicals and toxins. Euromonitor predicts that consumers are increasingly seek out a ‘greener approach’ looking for products that do not harm their skin, and are kinder to the environment.

Tuesday December 5, 2017

From the 1st of September 2017 vacuum cleaners sold in Europe are required to be more cost- and energy-efficient. The European Commission is making use of the latest state-of-the-art technologies to ensure that European consumers have the most energy efficient products available. The updated eco-design requirements will lower appliances’ maximum power, annual energy consumption and […]

Monday November 20, 2017

According to the Automatic Vending Association (AVA) the UK vending industry turnover has increased by 2 per cent to £1.53 billion, with more operators expecting growth this year than delivered growth in 2016. The average hot beverage vending machine dispenses 282 units per week and consumers are expecting a larger variety of high quality premium […]

Thursday November 16, 2017

Street food is enjoying its time in the limelight thanks to growing demand from the consumer for innovative, globally-influenced lunch and snack options. According to global food trend website ‘The Food People’ street food has become so popular that it is now consumed by an estimated 3.5bn people worldwide, everyday! The reason the concept of […]

Thursday November 9, 2017

The trend for turmeric infused hot drinks has been brewing for a while. The market research firm Mintel named turmeric as one of its ‘foods to watch’ in 2016. Google singled-out turmeric’s ascent to stardom after searches for the spice increased by 56 per cent from November 2016 to January 2017.

Tuesday October 10, 2017

Our partner supplier Plastico has just launched a unique, new Flexy-Glass Hi-Ball disposable tumbler – the latest addition to its range of market leading polypropylene tumblers. Its slim, refined shape lends itself perfectly to long drinks – so we thought we’d look at some of the exciting long-drinks fashionable in 2017:

Wednesday September 20, 2017

Until Fresh Produce Wash entered the market, washing salads, fruit and vegetables in a chlorine solution was a common way to kill bacteria and remove pesticides. The usual way of making up a chlorine solution was by dropping soluble chlorine sanitiser tablets into a sink of fresh water, waiting for them to dissolve, then throwing […]

Friday August 11, 2017

There are many great ways to serve ice cream – curled on top of a wafer cone with a chocolate flake on top, scooped into an ice-cream sundae dish with fruit and cream, or even blended into a milkshake to be slurped through a straw. In 2017 these traditional ice-cream servings have been joined by […]

Tuesday August 1, 2017

There’s absolutely no doubt that the rise of the coffee bar culture has changed customers’ expectations when it comes to the style of cup they want their hot beverage to be served in. Those looking for a contemporary, sleek style solution with superb insulation to cater for the latest coffee culture trend need look no […]

Tuesday April 11, 2017

It’s a fact that commercial kitchens can get very dirty. Surfaces need to be regularly cleaned and sanitised, equipment needs to be washed so it’s free from contamination and floors need to be clean and dry to prevent slippages. With a multitude of activities taking place in a kitchen at once, it’s easy to see […]

Monday April 10, 2017

When cooking dishes for your customers there are two main priorities – the first is that the food is safe for consumption and the second is that the food is cooked to specification. Food safety is essential in all foodservice environments; measures must be in place to prevent cross-contamination, monitor the freshness of food and […]

Wednesday March 29, 2017

Humble jam jars – with their delightfully old-school-chic, bohemian appeal, are increasingly being used in hotels, restaurants and bars to serve food and drink. From breakfast oats to layered salads, cocktails and milkshakes – jar cuisine is massively on-trend. In the past, the image of preserving food in jars had a utilitarian, make-do-and-mend vibe, food […]

Monday March 27, 2017

In December 2014 the EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation (FIR) came into force, requiring foodservice operators to provide allergen information for all food on the premises. In back-of-house areas, or anywhere that food is prepared, it͛s important to ensure that all allergens are labelled correctly (throughout each stage of preparation) for the safety of […]

Thursday February 16, 2017

When choosing the right napkins for your catering operation it͛s important to think about what tasks the napkins will be required to complete. To help you identify some suitable napkin choices by task, we’ve created a simple guide below. Most of these napkins can be custom printed with your own business logo or branding.

Thursday February 16, 2017

Take a look on the grab n’ go shelves of coffee shops and supermarkets and what were once unimaginative combinations of sandwiches, bags of high saturated crisps and pots of pre-chopped fruit are now an ever-evolving selection of seasonal recipes, Asian-influenced dishes and mix and match snacks and nibbles.

Monday February 6, 2017

In a new series of blogs for 2017 we’re bringing food operators the latest trends for the on-the-go food market.  From Acai bowls and Poke, to Bao burgers and rolled ice-cream – we’ll be taking a close look at the must-have dishes essential for any 2017 take-out menu; and we’ll be exploring why these dishes […]

Tuesday January 31, 2017

Snacking consumption has been on the rise for a few years now, but the most significant growth has come in the past two years. The proportion of consumers snacking everyday grew from 76% in 2014 to 83% in 2016, according to the Technomic “2016 Snacking Occasion Consumer Trend Report”.

Thursday January 19, 2017

Forget quality food, good service and a great atmosphere, when it comes to choosing where to eat, consumers think that hygiene is the most important factor. New research* has revealed that more than two-thirds of people put hygiene first when it comes to choosing where they dine, and a further 84% wouldn’t eat somewhere if […]

Thursday December 1, 2016

When Costa Coffee asked us for an alternative means of placing orders, we developed a custom online ordering system to help Costa baristas optimise their time serving customers during busy periods.

Wednesday November 30, 2016