Memorable meetings

Henry Amar,

chairman, writes:If you come from a sales background, which I do, you are not supposed to feel sorry for buyers. Yet an old college friend of mine, who joined the buying team of a major retailer, often enlisted my sympathy with tales of the hours he spent in boring meetings with suppliers. He complained that so many of their presentations were too long and too dull, without a spark of humour or imagination. “Make your meetings memorable”, he told me, “and you will get the buyer on your side”.

Following his advice, I tried to make sales pitches which were lively, light-hearted and interesting, but I never achieved the impact made by one of my colleagues, back in the days when RH Amar sold dried fruit.

One morning this colleague had an appointment with the dried fruit buyer of a northern supermarket group, which no longer exists. He walked into the meeting wearing an academic gown and a mortar board. He set up an easel and a blackboard, took out a piece of chalk, and started writing: “1066 Norman Conquest - 1215 Magna Carta - 1492 Columbus discovers America……”

(continued on P4)

RH Amar to boost Tilda rice salesIn August, we added No. 1 Basmati rice brand, Tilda, to our portfolio to help grow its business in the independent wholesaler and retail sector. Tilda was the first company to introduce Basmati rice to the western world. It is a global authority on the product and has its own dedicated DNA lab to ensure the authenticity of its rice.

Tilda has over 40 years’ experience with great ethical credentials and a strong focus on using the highest

quality ingredients and continued innovation. The entire range is gluten-free, has no cholesterol and no trans fats.

Tilda has an extensive range of products and we will be stocking varieties including the Dry Rice, Steamed Ready-To-Heat Rice, and a children’s range. Please contact our customer services department for full details.

Six of the best at Great Taste AwardsThis year, six of our products achieved Gold Star status at the Great Taste Awards.

The biggest winner was Provena Gluten-Free Jumbo Oats, gaining a

two-star award, with judges praising the “lovely creamy porridge with great flavour and texture”. It was described as “a great start to a day” and “a lovely honest example of how good porridge oats can be”. Provena Gluten-Free Flour Mix with Oats was awarded one gold star.

Taylor & Colledge was recognised for two of their new Extract Pastes - the Lemon and Peppermint varieties. The judges noted the convenience of these baking products.

Mutti - Italy’s No.1 brand of tomatoes - picked up a Gold Star for Passata, thanks to its “lovely vibrant colour” and “appealing creamy texture”. Gaea Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil was also a winner.

RH AMAR • Famous For Fine Foods Autumn 2015

FINE FOOD NEWS

RANGE EXTENSIONS2 Fine Food NewsAutumn 2015

Crespo takes salt reduction seriouslyThe UK’s leading olives brand, Crespo1, has extended its popular Olives du Marché pouch range to include a reduced salt single portion variety. The salt has been reduced from 4g to 3g, thus there is 25% less salt in the product.

The newly launched Pitted Green Olives with Herbs and Garlic contain only 53 calories per pouch. They are strongly positioned to appeal to health-conscious shoppers seeking a tasty, low calorie, reduced salt snack.

With an RRP of 50p in 30g single portion pouches, Crespo’s new product offers consumers a liquid- and mess-free olive snack solution that is ideally suited to lunch boxes.

Crespo has also relaunched its popular range of 70g Olives du Marché re-sealable snacking pouches. The vibrant new pack designs boldly highlight key features on the front, such as the calorie count and liquid- and mess-free convenience. The pouches also feature “hang holes”, making them clip-strip-ready and more easily merchandisable alongside lunchtime chillers. The following flavours, each with an RRP of £1.00, are offered:

• Pitted Dry Black Olives with Herbs • Pitted Green Olives with Herbs and Garlic • Pitted Green Olives with Chilli Peppers • Pitted Mixed Cocktail Olives

Pouches are the fastest-growing pack format in olives, and Crespo is already by far the leading brand in the format with an 85% share of this segment.2

1AC Nielsen Total market 52 w.e. 02.01.152AC Nielsen Total Market 52 w.e. 31.01.15

Cooks&Co’s new stuffed olives for caterersCooks&Co has launched a new range of high quality, ambient stuffed olives in 1kg screw-top plastic jars. These provide caterers with a compellingly priced quality alternative to chilled olives.

As an ambient range, Cooks&Co olives have a substantially longer shelf life than fresh equivalents which consume chiller space from the date of purchase. The conveniently sized jars are re-sealable, so that once opened, the olives can be stored in a chiller cabinet without taking up too much space. This provides caterers with an economical, low-wastage, high quality olive range.

Marinated in either brine or oil, Cooks&Co olives have a shiny aspect with a high visual appeal and superb flavour profile.

The new range uses superior Jumbo and Colossal Greek olives and includes five variants:

• Green Olives Stuffed with Sundried Tomatoes in Oil

• Green Olives Stuffed with Jalapeños in Brine

• Green Olives Stuffed with Feta Cheese in Oil

• Mixed Pitted Greek Olives Marinated with Chilli in Brine

• Olive Anitpasto Mix

RH Amar continues to back IGD’s Feeding Britain’s FutureOn 25th September, we opened up our doors for the third time to local jobseekers to help them understand the various roles in the food and drink industry.

The jobseekers attended a special CV and interview masterclass before being given a tour of our warehouse. It was a fun and useful day and all participants said they were now more likely to consider a job in the food and grocery sector.

RANGE EXTENSIONS 3Fine Food NewsAutumn 2015

Cash in your chips with SchwartzIt is unquestioned that we are a nation of chip lovers with almost 676,000 tonnes of British potatoes being made into fresh chips in Great Britain every year1. In addition to this, consumers are becoming increasingly adventurous when it comes to flavour, as they seek to experience new tastes but with low risk.

Seeing the enormous value in these two trends, the team at Schwartz has responded with its brand new Chip Seasoning. This is a product aimed at spicing up the UK’s favourite meal-time staple whilst generating enormous profit potential in the process.

Research has shown that 70% of consumers would consider upgrading their chips to include a flavoured seasoning, with more than one in three of these being willing to pay 20p or more to do so1.

The RRP is £3.99 per 300g jar from which there are approximately 167 servings. By charging 25p per serving, customers have the potential to gain over £35 profit per jar, making this a veritable money making machine!

For an opportunity to experience this product first-hand with a FREE jar of Chip Seasoning, please visit www.chipseasoning.co.uk .

1Toluna Research June 2015

Sweet and tangy taste from Geeta’sIn August, Geeta’s launched a new Pomegranate and Mango Chutney, to meet the growing demand for unusual flavour combinations and superfood ingredients.

The Chutney can be used either as a cooking ingredient, or an accompaniment to an Indian meal, or as a topping for a toasted sandwich, or even as part of a cheeseboard.

Geeta’s MD, Anita Samtani, says “Quality sauces and condiments that offer both provenance and convenience are continuing to benefit from the scratch cooking trend.”

We have heroes!RH Amar is pleased to announce the introduction of the brand new Superheroes range from Ella’s Kitchen.

Research shows a growing concern among parents that children’s snacks contain too much sugar and not enough vegetables1.

Building on the incredible success of its baby ranges, Ella’s Kitchen has developed this perfect new offering to provide three to five year-old children with nutritious and healthy snacks.

The range will consist of three Fruity Bar products with flavours including Pineapple and Coconut, and Raspberry and Mango. There is also a selection of Smooshy Snacks in four exciting fruit and vegetable combinations.

With a strong cartoon theme throughout, the packaging is designed to engage and excite parents and children alike. Many of the new products will also feature pop-out masks and finger puppets aimed at keeping the little ones entertained.

1Kantar 52 w/e 4 January 2015

MARKETING NEWS4 Fine Food NewsAutumn 2015

(continued from P1)

Memorable meetings At this point the buyer asked what on earth was going on. “Simple”, replied my colleague, “you asked me to come in today to talk about dates”.I have no idea how the buyer brought this play-acting to a close, but I do know two things about this episode. First, the buyer never forgot that meeting. I met him several times in subsequent years and he always referred to it. The other thing I know is that my colleague walked out of that meeting with a signed order in his pocket for the buyer’s entire Christmas requirement for glove-box dates!

Customers love new Del Monte range

Initial sales of Del Monte’s new Price Marked Pack (PMP) range show the products have been a great success in the cash and carry trade.

In July, the iconic fruit brand launched a £1 version of its six most popular variants: Pineapple Slices in Juice, Pineapple Chunks in Juice, Peach Slices in Juice, Peach Slices in Light Syrup, Fruit Cocktail in Juice, and Fruit Cocktail in Syrup.

The likes of Bestway, Dhamecha, Parfetts, East End Foods, Londis and Blakemore are just some of the customers to have listed the range.

The popularity of Del Monte PMP has helped the brand to increase its market share of canned fruit in the convenience channel from 16.8% to 18.2% (Value YTD)1.

Another boon for stockists has been the fact the products are

packaged in cases of six – perfect for retailers concerned about shelf space.

1IRI Total Convenience YTD to 12.09.15

Sacla’s Gluten-Free makes a hit

Sacla’s Gluten-Free Pesto is having a great year. As well as strong sales leading to its becoming the brand’s third best-selling Pesto1, it has also won two industry awards (Great Taste Award and Health Food and Drink Award ). In addition, it was shortlisted for the Free-From Food Awards.

Consumers clearly love Sacla’s Gluten-Free Pesto and have shared their views, making such comments as: “It tastes how I remember normal pesto tasting”;

“Best vegan pesto! It’s fantastic”; “Delicious! So pleased to find a dairy-free pesto which doesn’t taste of vinegar”; and “This is my new favourite vegetarian pesto – lovely flavour and not too oily – really nice”.

The product is available in two flavours - Classic Basil and Sun-Dried Tomato. These come in 6x190g packs.

1IRI 52 w/e 12th September 2015

Best BRC!In October, we had our BRC audit, which resulted in our receiving just two minor non-conformances. “This was our best result yet!”, says Markus Endt, Food Technologist.

Switching the lights to LEDIn 2015, RH Amar switched 78 lighting units in our offices to LED lighting, and next year we will make the change in our warehouse.Though partly inspired by The Grocer’s “Switch the Lights” campaign, and while acknowledging the financial benefits of the switch, the main reason for the initiative was to meet the Company’s Green Plan commitments. As a business, we are constantly seeking ways to make a difference to the environment through our supply chain, from field to fork.

Praise indeed – from the Today’s Group RH Amar was one of three suppliers shortlisted for the Today’s Group “Own Label Supplier of the Year 2015” award. Whilst we did not win the award, we were listed as “Highly commended”.

MARKETING NEWS 5Fine Food NewsAutumn 2015

Christmas with Cooks & COChristmas will soon be with us, the shops filling up with tinsel and baubles, and Noddy Holder’s dulcet tones blaring out everywhere. Here at Cooks&Co HQ, we have put together an attractive range of special offers especially for the Christmas period.

Among these are Cooks&Co Goose Fat and Duck Fat, both staple ingredients at this time of the year. Consumers and chefs alike are attracted to the consistent flavour and crunchiness that these fats give to roast potatoes. Both products are available in a retail 320g jar or a 1.2lt plastic catering jar.

Cooks&Co Green Pesto and Red Pesto are most appropriate for the party season as they are very versatile and full of flavour. In addition, the delicious Roasted Red Peppers means there is a full range of ingredients to make any menu extra special.

The Cooks&Co promotion will run from 1st November to 31st December. Full details are available from your account manager or our customer services team.

Mary Berry in The Grocer’s “Big Interview”During November, The Grocer magazine’s “Big Interview” will be with Mary Berry. It will focus on her collaboration with RH Amar on the Mary Berry & Daughter’s range of sauces, dressings and condiments. In 2014 RH Amar bought the licence to sell these products, and the brand is currently offering a new range of luxury mayonnaises.

Recently launched, and in time for Christmas, is the Mary Berry duo-chutney gift set containing any two of the brand’s chutney variants: Spiced Tomato, Special Ploughman’s, and Peach & Apricot. These are housed within an attractive jute bag.

Mutti secures Ocado listingMutti – Italy’s No.1 brand of tomatoes1 – will be available from Ocado from October after RH Amar secured listings for eight products.

The online retailer will stock Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes, Passata (a Great Taste Award winner), Tomato Purée, Peeled Tomatoes and Cherry Tomatoes.

“The brand has been incredibly well received by both retailers and consumers alike,” explains James Amar, Brand Manager for Mutti at RH Amar. “More than 100 RH Amar customers now stock Mutti across retail and foodservice, with quality being the driving force behind the brand.”

Mutti is aiming to replicate the same success it already enjoys throughout the world. It is the best-selling Chopped Tomatoes brand in Austria, France and Sweden2. It is recording fast growth throughout Scandinavia, Germany and Benelux, as well as further afield in Japan and Australia.

1IRI/Nielsen YE Dec 20142IRI YE Dec 2012

Chefs vie for Kikkoman Master titleDay one of this October’s Restaurant Show saw eight of the UK’s top chefs battle it out for the highly coveted title of Kikkoman Master 2015. The prize is a seven day working trip to Japan.

To qualify for the final, entrants were asked to submit a modern European dish that utilised Kikkoman as a key ingredient. A huge volume of entries were submitted. The eight finalists were selected because they demonstrated a keen understanding of the brief, whilst showing real creativity and innovation in their proposed dishes.

On the day of the final, contestants had one hour and 30 minutes to create a two course menu in front of a live audience. The finalists’ entries were then judged by an illustrious panel including Simon Hulstone (chef/owner at Michelin-star Torquay restaurant, The Elephant), Brian Turner CBE, Scott Hallsworth of Kurobuta, David Mulcahy, (Craft Guild of Chefs), Stefan Chomka from Restaurant Magazine, and Bing-yu Lee of Kikkoman UK.

Despite some stiff competition with all the finalists producing some truly spectacular dishes, Ben Champkin of L’Enclume emerged victorious. His impressive menu consisted of Penny Bridge Dexter beef, oysters, soy and sea Herbs for a starter, and a main course of Cornish monkfish,miso, radish, turnips and Hen of the Woods mushrooms.

Kikkoman UK Manager, Bing-yu Lee said “The Kikkoman Masters gives innovative chefs the opportunity to showcase their creativity and skill, and at the same time experience the quality, taste and versatility of Kikkoman Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce.”

MARKETING NEWS6 Fine Food NewsAutumn 2015

It’s all about tasteRob Amar, managing director, writes:

At RH Amar we talk about our purpose being “to make life taste better”. A major supermarket used a very similar strapline in the late 1990s. Their marketing obviously found its way into my sub-conscious, because it was a surprise to me when someone told me I had inadvertently plagiarised their words. But this phrase is totally relevant to the premium brands in our portfolio and our desire to get Brits to eat better quality food.

Over the past year I have become more involved in The Guild of Fine Food, whose purpose is “to promote excellence in fine food and drink”, and I now sit on its steering group. The Guild is also the organiser of the Great Taste Awards, and I was fortunate enough to spend a day judging a wide range of entries.

Apart from our own selection of one and two star awards for Gaea, Mutti, Provena and Taylor & Colledge, it was fascinating to see how food trends influence the entries. Some had very clever flavour combinations, whilst others were just strange! My personal favourite was a mojito sorbet, which stood out from the umpteen salted caramel ice creams I tasted.

Also of note was that the Top 50 three-star winners included two supermarket private

label products, and the Supreme Champion was an Irish beef dripping . I am reliably informed that “fat is back”!

I also attended the Speciality & Fine Food Fair, where hundreds of small UK producers showcase their creations. It was great to spend a day in an arena where everyone is so passionate about their products, and to see so many small UK food and drink producers – some established, some start-ups – doing well.

At a time when many retailers are reducing their ranges and putting more focus on private label, the past few months have shown me there is a strong and growing consumer demand for “life to taste better” through quality products from premium brands.

MARKETING NEWS 7Fine Food NewsAutumn 2015

Kikkoman TV launching 2016January 2016 will see the Kikkoman TV advertisements on our screens once again. These are scheduled to appear ahead of the Chinese New Year celebrations and will demonstrate Kikkoman’s versatility as an all-round seasoning. They will show Kikkoman being used on everything from more typical meat and fish dishes through to pasta dishes and dessert toppings

Advertisements will be running from 4th January to 14th February 2016. In support of this activity, Kikkoman will also be running an online video campaign during the same period.

Welcome to David Cantle

So what is a caper anyway?Perfect in salads, sauces and as an ingredient, the humble caper is a popular store cupboard ingredient, but few people know much about it. Where does it come from and what is the difference between a Baby Caper and a Capôte?

Well, Crespo, the No.1 brand of capers in the UK with a 21.5% market share1, can enlighten you. With over 60 years selling to the discerning UK customer and building a reputation for quality, Crespo knows a thing or two about the caper and not just that they are “those pea-sized, dark green, salty things you find in salads and tartare sauce.”

Capers are flower buds that are picked by hand from a bush called Capparis Spinosa, before the buds have a chance to flower. After picking, the capers are sorted into sizes and then dried in the sun and preserved in brine. Yes, it’s that simple!

The two most popular retail sizes in the UK are the Non-Pareilles (or Baby Capers), measuring up to 7mm in diameter, and the Capôtes, which are larger at between 9 to 11mm. The Fines Capers, which are the largest at 11 to 13mm, are popular in catering channels.

Crespo sells both Non-Pareilles and Capôtes in retail jars and all three varieties in catering tubs.

11ACNielsen Scantrack 52 weeks MAT to 18.07.15

In September, David Cantle joined the marketing team as a Brand Manager responsible for Ella’s Kitchen, Kikkoman, Kühne and McCormick. Previously he worked for two and a half years

as a Product Marketer at Future Electronics, a distributor of electronic components.

8Fine Food NewsAutumn 2015

Tel: +44 (0) 1494 530200 Fax: +44 (0) 1494 472076Email: info@rhamar.com Website: www.rhamar.com

Cook&Co scores again – with Hearts of PalmSales of Cooks&Co Hearts of Palm soared this year, up over 20% year on year.

Harvested from the soft core of the palm tree, these Hearts of Palm add a delicious healthy crunch to any dish. Their unique flavour and texture make them a surprisingly versatile food in a range of dishes. Quick appetisers can be made by adding a simple vinaigrette dressing, or by wrapping the Palm Heart in smoked salmon or Parma ham for a more luxurious treat. Alternatively, they can be sliced to make a delicious addition to summer salads, pizzas, quiches and tarts.

One of the cornerstones of our Green Policy is to protect the environment. In order to fulfil our mission, we ensure that only cultivated hearts of palm (Bactris gasipaes) are used, and that wild hearts of palm have never been harvested.

MARKETING NEWS

Turnpike Way, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 3TF, UK

Garlic prices on the rise Garlic prices are on the increase for several reasons. Firstly there is a reduced crop. Farmers are planting less garlic in favour of other crops, and this combined with warm weather has led to a reduction in bulb size. Furthermore, China, from where most of the garlic is imported, is now itself consuming more garlic, meaning there is less to export.

All these factors have led to a 36% price increase year on year1.

1Mintec, Garlic Prices from China on the Rise, 8th September 2015

Use Certo Liquid Pectin for this Orange & Whisky Marmalade Ingredients (for 7–8lb marmalade):

3lb (1.4kg) oranges

1 ½ pints (850ml) water

1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda

5lb (2.2kg) sugar

2 tbsp. of whisky

1 bottle of Certo

Method:

1. Wash the fruit, cut in quarters and remove the skins using a sharp knife

2. Shave off and discard about half the white pith3. Shred the peel very finely and place in a pan with the water and bicarbonate of soda4. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally5. Chop the peeled fruit, discarding the pips and tough membrane6. Add the pulp and juice to the cooked peel and simmer, covered, for a further 20 minutes7. Put the sugar and 3 pints (1700ml) of prepared fruit into a pan, making up the quantity with

water, if necessary8. Heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved9. Add a small knob of butter, bring to a full rolling boil and boil rapidly for 5 minutes10. Remove from the heat and stir in the Certo pectin and whisky11. Stir and skim alternately for 7 minutes to cool and prevent the fruit floating. Pot and cover in the

usual way

FINE FOOD NEWS