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Sustainability Index Trends Report 2016

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Driving and sharing best practice in foodservice

Who’s doing what, why, and what needs to happen next: an analysis of the key trends in sustainability in foodservice.

Covering the key topics of supply chain, natural resources, energy and emissions, health and vitality, waste, and employees and local communities, this report outlines where we have come from, and where we need to go next.

We hope you enjoy reading the Footprint Sustainability Index – Trends Report and we hope you will enjoy acting upon it. Download the report now:

Footprint Sustainability Index ReportIndex Image 3

Please do let us know your thoughts.

Tweet us @footprintmedia #sustindex #plate2planet

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Phat Porridge – No Added Sugar

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Phat_Porridge_-_No_Added_Sugar_-_plate2planet_powered_by_Bidvest_FoodserviceIt was a customer’s email to the Phat Controller that prompted a change to their Phat Porridge Pot.

Phat introduced an individual Traditional Porridge pot last year, selling nationally through Bidvest Foodservice.

One of their regular Phat Porridge customers wrote to them explaining how she loved the porridge but had just been diagnosed as having diabetes and was therefore unable to continue with her daily morning porridge. She asked for a ‘special batch’ to be sent to her without the added sugar – however this was not possible. Then came back the reply ‘So why don’t you simply add a sachet of sugar inside? Just like the salt sachet in my crisps of old. Then customers have the choice to add or not’

‘This was such an obvious and simple solution! So that’s exactly what we have done’ said the Phat Controller. ‘The new format contains both a spoon and Demerara Sugar sachet inside, so it’s healthier and gives everyone the choice to add or not’.

The Phat Porridge Pot is a 65g ‘simply add boiling water’ pot and is made with 100% Scottish Oats. It’s ideal for both a hot breakfast option or as a snack throughout the day.

Bidvest Foodservice now stock the ‘Sugar Free’ Phat Porridge and it’s available nationally to operators. Not available in supermarkets or retail outlets, this was developed to give foodservice operators a fully branded quality porridge with no ‘retail’ price comparison to sell in cafes, coffee shops and restaurant areas.

 

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Ecological cleaning range – the benefits

Five ways to drive up energy efficiencies in your business

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There are real cost and carbon savings if you drive up efficiencies across your energy, fuel and resources. Here are five ways to drive up efficiencies in your business.

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According to the International Energy Agency, approximately 40% of the emissions reductions required by 2050 to limit global temperature increase to less than 2 degrees centigrade would potentially come from energy efficiency. But, there are a myriad of energy efficiency and renewable technologies to choose from, and costs of installation and maintenance can vary enormously. Keeping up with the Government’s ever changing ‘green’ subsidies regime only adds to a sense of confusion. Still, it pays to get on top of it.

Here are five ways to drive up efficiencies in your business:

  1. Pick your battles – focus your investment on the carbon-intensive areas of your business first. A simple energy saving audit will identify areas where you’ll get the best return on your investment
  2. Location, location, location – depending on how many sites you operate from, a sensible approach when investing money in carbon saving activities is to pilot your investment at a single location first. Once you have the results, your can decide whether to roll it out wider
  3. Invest in proven technologies – it’s tempting to invest in technologies that are marketed as the ‘next best thing’ (or with a ‘great’ pay-back because of Government subsidies, for example), but if they don’t work your investment could end up being a costly mistake. Early adoption can seem like an opportunity to position your business as a sustainable leader, but beware the cost to your bottom line and reputation of taking such risks. Well deployed, proven technology is often the best
  4. Stay informed – unfortunately, uncertainty is something of a pre-requisite of green investment, so staying informed is advisable. Make sure you are signed up to the latest news and updates from Government sources such as the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Treasury, but also use trusted independent news sources
  5. Get independent advice – seeking expert advice is always a good idea when making investments of this nature. However, consider taking advice from an independent expert that is not tied to a particular distributor or manufacturer of a product.

To read our case study from Bywaters and for more carbon cutting tips, download our free Practical Guide to Cutting Carbon Emissions.Your text to link here…

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Catering for sustainability – making the case for sustainable diets in foodservice

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The Food Ethics Council was commissioned by WWF-UK and Sodexo UK & Ireland to undertake independent research to explore the business cases for adopting and promoting sustainable diets in the foodservice sector.

The work comprised a mix of desk-based research and semi-structured interviews with 16 senior foodservice sector personnel and other opinion leaders linked to the industry. The report, ‘Catering for sustainability,’ reflects the authors’ findings from the research and draws extensively on the interviewees’ insights and opinions.

The work aims to understand whether, why and how sustainable diets are promoted by individual foodservice companies, and to assess the business cases for adopting and promoting sustainable diets across the sector. It seeks to understand the policy environment and other external drivers of change in the industry.

It makes recommendations for foodservice within businesses, as well as across their stakeholders and the industry as a whole. It also contains case studies of some companies taking positive steps.

You can download the full report and executive summary here

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Populus poll – sustainable diets and eating out

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Young diners are increasingly likely to want higher-welfare meat and ethical choices when they eat out, according to a recent Populus poll. But are foodservice companies ready for this shift in demand….?

The Food Ethics Council gathered a number of foodservice business and supplier executives together to discuss this and other findings from our new report ‘Catering for sustainability’, on 24th May 2016.  Guests included representatives from sit-down and quick service restaurants, and private and public sector caterers, as well as suppliers to the industry.

For a blog of the key issues discussed at this senior-level roundtable, see here.

Populus interviewed a sample of 2,000 adults representative of the UK population on 7th May 2016. To see the full dataset, click here.

 

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Premier Foods unveils ‘McDougalls Young Baking Team of the Year 2016’ shortlist

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Premier Foods is delighted to unveil the five shortlisted schools which achieved the highest scores in the preliminary judging, congratulations to: Bolsover C of E School, Derby; Lymm High School, Cheshire, Phoenix Community School, Kent; Spaldwick Community Primary School, Huntingdon and Trinity and St. Michaels, Leyland. The judging panel including Carol Harwood representing LACA; Andrew Green, Director of Operations at the Craft Guild of Chefs, and Mark Rigby, executive chef at Premier Foods will pick the winning school following a live final at LACA – The Main Event on Thursday 7th July.

Sarah Robb, Channel Marketing Manager, at Premier Foods commented: “We have been overwhelmed by the quality and number of entries we received. The entries were all of a high calibre and it was incredibly difficult for the judges to pick just five teams to go through to the final. We received a variety of exciting and mouth-watering recipes, from alluring pizza snakes to tantalising garden carrot pots. Congratulations must go to all schools, but especially the five shortlisted teams who will be taking part in the live final in July.”

The mission was for school caterers to recruit an enthusiastic team of up to three children between the ages of 7 and 11, to take part in the competition. The children were then tasked with creating one sweet and one savoury recipe using McDougalls Flour or a product from its Flour Based Mix Range, which included a locally sourced ingredient, produced from a maximum of thirty miles away from their school; meeting this year’s ‘Provenance’ theme.

The five schools will compete in a live final at LACA – The Main Event for a chance to win top prizes for their school worth £1,000, where they will cook their chosen dish at 1pm in the Arden Suite. The dishes will be judged at 2.30pm with the winners announced at 3.15pm by Peter McGrath, chair of LACA, who will present the victorious school with its prize.

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Premier Foods raises the bar with new and improved McDougalls Sponge Mixes

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Mcdougalls-Reduced-Fat-Sponge-MixWe have redeveloped our McDougalls Sponge Mix and Reduced Fat Sponge Mix, now both with 30% less fat than previous versions[1], helping caterers rise to the challenge of creating freshly baked cakes which will appeal to a growing number of health conscious consumers. From restaurants and coffee shops looking to offer a lighter cake, to school caterers who need to comply with the School Food Standards, the new recipes ensure the mixes are versatile and deliver consistent results time after time.

The McDougalls Sponge Mix recipes for both products have been reformulated and now come with improved mixing instructions, helping to create an even better, quality product. With a demand among profit and cost sector caterers for time saving solutions when it comes to baking, these products are well placed to meet their needs. Although some caterers may turn to ready-made products to cope with the time constraints faced in the kitchen, it is far more cost-effective to prepare baked goods using flour based mixes.

Sarah Robb, Channel Marketing Manager at Premier Foods, comments: “We have listened to customer feedback and are pleased to re-launch these two products, offering caterers an improved baking experience. The Reduced Fat Sponge Mix is ideal for those caterers looking to provide a lighter option; whilst the new Plain Sponge Mix offers greater rise, making it perfect for use when baking large cakes and gateaux.

“Our McDougalls Mixes are ideal for creating fresh baked goods quickly and easily, and the new Plain Sponge Mixes will offer caterers the versatility and freedom to create a range of on-trend cakes. As a business, we are committed to continually updating our product portfolio to suit the developing needs of our customers.”

 

[1] McDougalls Reduced Fat Sponge Mix is now 6.2% fat and McDougalls Plain Sponge Mix is 9.4% fat

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Health remains important to consumers and, with a growing obesity challenge in the UK, is fast becoming a priority for a range of stakeholders, including wholesalers and caterers.

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For many years we’ve been adapting our recipes, portion sizes and labelling to encourage healthier food choices making sure we maintain the quality and taste our consumers and customers expect. But we recognise there’s more to be done. Over the next three years we’re therefore planning to go further to reduce the amount of added sugar in our products and introduce calorie caps for our cakes. We’ll also build on our strong track record of salt reduction by further reducing salt levels to meet government targets. And we’ll increase the number of new products we launch with a nutritional benefit.

Specifically we’ve agreed 10 new commitments to encourage healthier choices including the following:

  • Remove a total of 1000t of sugar in our cake, desserts and cooking sauces brands by 2018
  • Introduce a 150 calorie cap for individual cakes with higher caps for pastry products and premium ranges
  • Expand the proportion of our cake sales generated by single portion packs from 40% to 50%
  • Further reduce salt levels to meet government targets for 2017
  • Launch nutritious new products with wholesome ingredients
  • Continue voluntary front of pack traffic light nutrition labelling
  • Tighten marketing restrictions to avoid advertising foods high in fat, sugar and salt to children under 16

To support our foodservice customers, we recently reformulated our McDougalls Sponge Mix and Reduced Fat Sponge Mix, now both with 30% less fat than previous versions[1], helping caterers rise to the challenge of creating freshly baked cakes which will appeal to a growing number of health conscious consumers. Find out more about our improved McDougalls Sponge Mixes here.

 We look forward to updating you on our progress.

[1] McDougalls Reduced Fat Sponge Mix is now 6.2% fat and McDougalls Plain Sponge Mix is 9.4% fat

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Premier Foods unveils ‘Dysphagia Chef of the Year 2016’ shortlist

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Premier Foods is delighted to unveil the five shortlisted caterers who achieved the highest scores in its first ever Dysphagia Chef of the Year competition. Giles Conroy, Sunrise Senior Living; Malcolm Shipton, Wren Hall Nursing Home; Mike Baker, Random Light; Stephanie Steel, Coed Du Hall; and Suzanne Corless, Random Light will compete for the title on 1st September at Premier Foods head office in Hertfordshire in front of a live audience.

The dishes will be judged by a panel of experts including Premier Foods’ dysphagia catering expert, Preston Walker, and representatives from the healthcare sector.

Mark Taylor, Foodservice Channel Controller, at Premier Foods comments: “We look forward to welcoming our finalists to Premier Foods to battle it out for the Dysphagia Chef of the Year title. The quality of entries was fantastic and we’re pleased to be showcasing such talent and creativity in dysphagia catering. We see this competition as a key opportunity to showcase the skills of chefs and caterers working in the care, healthcare and education sector; they have a really important role to play in catering for and ensuring dignity in dining for dysphagia sufferers.”

The mission was for chefs and caterers, working in the specialist area of dysphagia catering, to develop two recipes, one main and one dessert, using at least one Premier Foodservice product. Recipes had to meet either C or E descriptors and the two courses for one diner had to cost no more than £5.

The five caterers will compete for a chance to win £1,000 worth of kitchen supplies/equipment for their workplace.

To find out more information about the competition and Premier Foodservice’s leading Healthcare Solution Programme, visit www.premierfoodservice.co.uk

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Nursing Home Chef Crowned Premier Foods ‘Dysphagia Chef of the Year 2016’

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We’re pleased to announce that Malcolm Shipton, of Wren Hall Nursing Home in Selston, has been crowned our Dysphagia Chef of the Year 2016.  The final, which took the form of a competitive cook-off, was held on 1st September at the Premier Foods head office in St. Albans in front of a live audience. Competing against four other caterers for the title, Malcolm won with his Herbed Chicken Cannelloni.

Mark Taylor, Foodservice Channel Controller for Premier Foods, comments: “All of the finalists’ dishes were of exceptional standard, but there can only be one winner – on behalf of everyone at Premier Foods I would like to wish Malcolm huge congratulations on his achievement. This competition has showcased the skill and creativity in the healthcare industry, and highlights the hard work and talent that is required to provide texture modified meals. The role of these caterers is fundamental in ensuring dignity in dining for dysphagia sufferers.”

The Dysphagia Chef of the Year competition tasked care caterers with the challenge of developing two recipes, one main and one dessert, suitable for a dysphagia sufferer. Recipes had to meet specific requirements based on current UK standards developed by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA).

The judges – Andy Jones, Chair of PS100; Carol Harwood, former training and standards manager at Hertfordshire Catering Ltd.; and Preston Walker, Premier Foods’ dysphagia catering expert – had the tough task of choosing an overall winner from the five finalists. Malcolm received high scores for presentation, taste and texture with judges praising him for his innovative approach towards recreating a classic pasta dish. He will receive £1,000 worth of kitchen supplies/equipment for Wren Hall Nursing Home.

Preston Walker comments: “We were all extremely impressed with the innovation and skill demonstrated by the finalists. It was an incredibly tough decision, but Malcolm’s dish really stood out to us. It’s a real challenge to make pasta dishes suitable for a texture modified diet, and Malcolm’s Cannelloni not only hit the mark in terms of texture and presentation, but the flavour on the plate was spot on.”

For more information about Premier Foods’ leading Healthcare Solutions Programme, visit www.premierfoodservice.co.uk

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Biodiversity and The National Pollinators Strategy

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During the last six weeks at Bidvest Foodservice, I have become more interested in Biodiversity, particularly the decline of England’s bee and pollinator population. According to research carried out by Defra ‘the evidence on the status of pollinators is that wild bees and other wild pollinators are likely to be less abundant than they were in the 1950s’. This can largely be attributed to:

  • habitat loss,
  • pests and diseases,
  • extreme weather,
  • competition from invasive species,
  • climate change, and
  • use of some pesticides

In 2014 Defra published The National Pollinators Strategy in an effort to identify and address problems faced by England’s pollinators.

Why is this relevant to the food industry? Surprisingly, pollinators play a hugely important role in the efficiency of our agricultural systems and in turn impact the food industry as a whole. The report states: ‘If these pollinating insects went into serious decline, the health of our £100bn food industry, which is at the heart our economy, would be damaged.’

Defra’s strategy document presents an exhaustive list of plans and initiatives in place to mitigate the risks associated with pollinator declines and also outlines their work with a number of British organisations who are committed to the cause.

The 10 year strategy aims to deliver across five key areas:

  1. Supporting pollinators on farmland
  2. Supporting pollinators across towns, cities and the countryside
  3. Enhancing the response to pest and disease risks
  4. Raising awareness of what pollinators need to survive and thrive
  5. Improving evidence on the status of pollinators and the service they provide

There are many interesting initiatives underway, a number of which I have outlined below:

The Wildlife Trusts: Bees’ Needs

Pollinator Champions Award

Case Study – Marks & Spencer


‘The National Pollinator Strategy: for bees and other pollinators in England’

Full report can be downloaded here

 

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Case Study: McDougalls Young Baking Team of the Year 2016

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Following the success of the first McDougalls Young Baking Team of the Year Competition in 2015, we began our search to find out who would be crowned the 2016 winners. We asked school caterers to recruit an enthusiastic team of up to three children between the ages of seven and 11 who were then tasked with creating both a sweet and savoury recipe using McDougalls Flour or Flour Based Mix and at least one locally sourced ingredient meeting this year’s ‘Provenance’ theme.

The 2016 finalists – Bolsover C of E School, Derby; Lymm High School, Cheshire; Phoenix Community School, Kent; Spaldwick Community Primary School, Huntingdon and Trinity and St. Michaels, Leyland – took part in the live final at LACA – The Main Event. The team from Spaldwick Community Primary School baked its way to the top spot with delicious profiteroles. Pupils Maddie Thorpe, Rebecca Lucas and Daisy Ritchie, supported by school caterer Alison Leaver, used locally sourced eggs and strawberries in their recipe to adhere to the provenance criteria, achieving high scores for teamwork, presentation, taste, aroma and texture. The school was awarded £1,000 worth of kitchen equipment, a prize which was presented to them by Peter McGrath, Chair of LACA.

We spoke to this year’s winners about their experience and how the win will impact the entire school:

“We were absolutely thrilled to have been shortlisted for the final and to have won the competition was just the icing on the cake (or the chocolate on the profiteroles!)… It was the most fantastic experience for our pupils which they will be talking about for weeks to come – after all, it’s not every day we get to bake in front of a live audience and a judging panel!

“The experience has been invaluable for the children and has created real buzz at our school – one member of our team now wants to become a baker. The prize of £1,000 of kitchen equipment will benefit the entire school and will mean we can offer more opportunities to get children interested and excited about cooking.”

Alison Leaver, Higher Level Teaching Assistant
Spaldwick Community Primary School

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Vegware is Manchester Coffee Festival’s official sustainability partner

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We’re delighted to announce we’re Manchester Coffee Festival’s first ever official sustainability partner!

Sustainability is a new focus for the festival. Spurred on by reports earlier in the year of coffee cup recycling issues, festival organisers Cup North invited Vegware to be their official sustainability partner – a first for the festival. They also created the Vegware Sustainability Hub, an area dedicated to workshops and talks on waste and recycling issues in the coffee industry.

Taking place on the 5th-6th November, the festival will also bring together independent coffee shops, roasteries, importers and baristas from across the north of England for a weekend of talks, tastings and even a coffee-themed cinema.

Don’t miss Vegware’s workshop on coffee cup recycling, explaining the issues the UK currently faces and the compostable solution. Hosted by our Recycling Advisor Kate Chambers, you can catch us at 12pm on Saturday 5th and 2:30pm on Sunday 6th November.

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Case Study: Dysphagia Chef of the Year 2016

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We were proud to crown Malcolm Shipton of Wren Hall Nursing Home in Selston our Dysphagia Chef of the Year 2016. Competing against four other caterers for the title, Malcolm won with his Herbed Chicken Cannelloni.

We spoke to Malcolm about his experience and what the competition meant to him:

“When I was first told that I had made it to the final of the first ever Premier Foods Dysphagia Chef of the Year, I was delighted and started perfecting my recipe, Herbed Chicken Cannelloni with pea purée and tomato, to ensure it was the best it could be on the day.

“It is rare to be able to offer Italian-inspired pasta dishes to dysphagia patients because of the natural texture of pasta itself, so I was keen to develop something different for the competition that would really impress the judges. Perfecting this recipe would also allow me to offer the same meal to my dysphagia residents as those around them without the condition.

“The live final at the Premier Foods head office, was extremely nerve-wracking but I got stuck in and kept to my very specific timings that I had practiced in the run up. I was thrilled when my name was called out as the first ever winner of the competition! I am extremely proud and grateful of the prize of £1,000 of kitchen equipment which will be extremely beneficial to Wren Hall Nursing Home.

“It was a pleasure being in the company of the other talented finalists, the time and effort they put in to enhance the lives of dysphagia patients was fantastic. Having worked in many high standard restaurant and hotel kitchens my whole life, working at Wren Hall for the past 10 years has been the most rewarding of my career. It is fantastic that Premier Foods recognises the great work that care chefs do on a daily basis with the launch of this competition.”

Malcolm Shipton, Wren Hall Nursing Home, Nottingham

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Premier Foodservice launches brand new Educations Solutions Guide

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This month we have launched our brand new Education Solutions Guide which has been created to equip school caterers with recipe ideas to help them stay at the forefront of pupils’ meal demands, as well as advice and top tips on how to keep the school menu fresh and exciting.

Education-Front-Cover

The guide contains hints and tips to help caterers create a wider variety of dishes for the new school year. The guide contains eight new recipes using Premier Foods’ loved and trusted brands, all of which have been created by our expert culinary team, and are compliant with the school food standards. We have also provided allergen information and advice on using social media to help caterers market menus effectively.

Sarah Robb, Channel Marketing Manager, comments: “At Premier Foods, we understand the pressure that school caterers face daily; developed with school caterers’ needs in mind, the guide contains a variety of innovative recipes that can be easily adapted to incorporate seasonal ingredients. It is important for caterers to have brands they can trust in the kitchen, as well as ones that will please pupils’ taste buds, which is why we’re proud to supply schools with some of the nation’s best loved brands including McDougalls, Homepride, Bisto, Ambrosia, Bird’s and Angel Delight.”

Visit www.premierfoodservice.co.uk to download the new Education Solutions Guide.

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Premier Foodservice unveils new Care Catering Solutions Guide

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We were delighted to launch our brand new Care Catering Solutions Guide at this year’s NACC Training & Development Forum. The guide has been created to help equip care home caterers with recipe ideas and practical tips to help create nutritious, safe and appetising meals, which ensures dignity in dining for residents.

Care-Catering-Front-CoverWe understand the important role that mealtimes play in the daily lives of care home residents and we are proud to continue our collaborative work with our customers. With an ageing population and the increasing prevalence of conditions such as dysphagia, dementia and diabetes posing challenges to caterers, we’ve worked with our experienced culinary team to develop solutions and a source of information which care home caterers can trust.

Within the guide, caterers will find a number of new texture modified recipes and supporting dietary guidance to help them deliver a safe, nutritious and varied diet for individuals with dysphagia. All these recipes use our trusted brands which many caterers will already have in their store cupboards, including Bisto, Paxo and McDougalls. We have also included practical advice around mealtimes for those who suffer with dementia or diabetes, in addition to recipes and product recommendations to help caterers overcome some of the everyday challenges they face.

Visit www.premierfoodservice.co.uk to download the new Care Catering Solutions Guide.

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Vegware Community Fund Focus: School Food Matters

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The Vegware Community Fund supports sustainability in its broadest sense, offering regular funding or product donations to charities and not-for-profit organisations from Ayrshire to the Amazon.

This month’s Vegware Community Fund Focus is one of our newest recipients — School Food Matters, a food education charity based in London. Founded in 2007 with a mission to ensure that every child enjoys fresh, sustainable food at school, School Food Matters has been a Vegware Community Fund recipient since September 2016.

school food matters vegware community fund charity sustainability

School Food Matters receives a monetary donation from Vegware’s Community Fund every month to help them with their core costs. Project Assistant Gaby Woolf explains this keeps the charity going:

“It’s exciting to find a fund that it happy to contribute to the bits and bobs that keep a small charity running. Vegware’s Community Fund keeps us connected to our community by funding our internet and phone costs. The support is invaluable as it means we can be super responsive and spread the word about our food education programmes.”

gaby

Gaby Woolf, Social Media & Project Assistant at School Food Matters

With their communication costs covered, School Food Matters can get on with what they do best — developing and delivering food education programmes for schools. Gaby explains,

“Our quest is to introduce children and their families to the joys of growing, cooking, eating and sharing delicious fresh food so that they learn to make healthier choices, value food and waste it less. All programmes include hands-on cooking and food growing and will often include a visit to a working farm.”

With the Community Fund’s ongoing support, the charity will continue its good work in London and beyond. Their new enterprise project for secondary school students called Know Your Onions is set to launch in 2017, aiming to support schools to develop food growing spaces. Vegware is delighted to support School Food Matters and the work that they do. You can find regular updates on their work here.

school food matters vegware community fund charity sustainability


Watch our Community Fund film, below, or find out more about the Fund and how to apply on the Community Fund website.

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Premier Foods launches Christmas cracker of a competition

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Premier Foods is getting into the Christmas spirit with the launch of a festive competition and brand new recipe guide to help caterers prepare for the upcoming season. Launched this month, chefs and caterers can enter for a chance to win a £500 restaurant voucher, simply by purchasing any three products from Premier Foods’ Bisto, Paxo, Bird’s or Ambrosia foodservice ranges, all of which are essentials for Christmas menus.

Within the foodservice channel last year, nearly two thirds of all Bisto Turkey Gravy sales and a third of all Paxo sales were delivered during November and December alone. With sales showing real demand from diners for these best-loved brands at Christmas time, our new Christmas Recipe Guide aims to inspire caterers throughout the festive season. Available to download from the Premier Foodservice website, the new guide contains eight delicious, festive recipes, such as Spiced Braised Red Cabbage and Ambrosia Sherry Trifle, as well as the winning Profiteroles recipe from its McDougalls Young Baking Team of the Year winners, Spaldwick Community Primary School.

Sarah Robb, Channel Marketing Manager at Premier Foods comments: “Almost two thirds of the British public dined out on Christmas day last year[1], a trend that shows no sign of slowing down. For many families that choose to eat out on Christmas day, chefs and caterers play a pivotal role in their festive celebrations with research showing that an astonishing 42,000 chefs were hard at work on Christmas Day last year[2]. Christmas 2016 is set to be busier than ever for the foodservice industry, so our competition looks to reward chefs and caterers by giving them the chance to win a treat for their hard work and dedication, simply by purchasing three of our products.”

To enter, chefs need to purchase any three products from Premier Foods’ Bisto, Paxo, Bird’s or Ambrosia foodservice ranges from their wholesaler. They must then visit www.premierfoodservice.co.uk and follow the online instructions to enter by the 31st December 2016*.

[1] Bookatable, 2015

[2] Over 900,000 workers set to work on Christmas Day, TUC analysis reveals. Available at: https://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace-issues/work-life-balance/employment-rights/working-time-holidays/over-900000-workers-set [accessed 23.09.16]

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Education Recipe: Hovis Best of Both Pizza

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PREP TIME: 20 mins
COOKING TIME: 25 mins
SERVES: 10
MEAL TYPE: Lunch
CHANNEL: Education (Secondary and Primary)

Ingredients

  • 300g Hovis Best of Both Mix
  • 200ml Warm water
  • 350g Homepride Tomato & Basil Sauce
  • 300g Grated cheese
  • 2 Tomatoes (finely sliced)

 Method

  1. Place the Hovis Best of Both Mix into a bowl fitted with a dough hook and slowly blend in the water. Continue to mix for 6 minutes on a medium speed.
  2. Roll the dough out into a rectangle to fit into a 25cm x 35cm tin, prick the base with a fork and then leave to prove in a warm place for 10 minutes.
  3. Spread the Homepride Tomato and Basil Sauce over the pizza base and then sprinkle over half of the cheese. Layer the tomatoes on top of the pizza base and then finish off by sprinkling over the remaining cheese.
  4. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Additional tips

Additional toppings can be added to the pizza such as ham and pineapple or tuna and onion

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