Welcome to Rise & Shine
If you have any news about your business you’d like to see here please contact our News Editor, Carolyn Moss, at news@breadandbutter.media or call her on 01305 575155. Follow us on Twitter @BreadButterNews for updates.
Robin Alway
Editorial Director
INDUSTRY NEWS
C&C buy wholesale division of Conviviality
The wholesale arm of struggling Conviviality has been acquired by C&C Group with backing from AB InBev in a pre-pack administration.
The Irish owners of Magners announced their intention to buy out Conviviality brands including Matthew Clark and Bibendum on 4th April. The move follows a series of profit warnings and the discovery of a £30m tax bill.
C&C Group now owns 100% of the company, which has been renamed Matthew Clark Bibendum. The new company will operate independently of C&C Group, CEO Stephen Glancey confirmed.
He said: “The last few weeks have been challenging for employees, customers and suppliers alike. We hope today’s announcement can put an end to this period of disruption and uncertainty.”
Bibendum and Matthew Clarke supply some 25,000 pubs, restaurants and hotels including JD Wetherspoon.
The Bargain Booze and Wine Rack retail chains, which were also owned by Conviviality, are not included in the deal and have been acquired by grocery wholesaler Bestway.
English wine competition announces winners
England’s only independent national wine competition, The Independent English Wine Awards (The IEWA), saw Dorset and Sussex producers take the top spots for still and sparkling with English red also taking gold.
The competition saw 88 different wines from 22 counties and 51 different producers blind tasted by an 18-person judging panel and chaired by Master of Wine Liam Steevenson.
The top sparkling wine was judged to be the 2014 Rosé from Langham Wine Estate in Dorset, while the top prize in the still wine category went to the 2015 Pinot Gris from Sussex’s Stopham Estate.
Langham owner Justin Langham said: “The calibre of this competition is extremely high and we are very proud that such an acclaimed group of judges deemed our Rosé 2014 the top sparkling wine. This is a huge boost for our small team as we move into a busy time bottling last year’s wines, tending the vines and welcoming visitors to the estate.”
In addition to Langham, the producers to pick up gold medals for their outstanding English sparkling wines were Wiston Estate, Hattingley Valley, Cottonworth, Laverstoke Park, Jenkyn Place, and Astley Vineyard.
Taking home a gold medal for a red English wine was Lyme Bay Winery’s 2016 Pinot Noir. Of the award, Lyme’s head winemaker Liam Ldzikowski said: “The grapes were grown by Michael and Heather Bunker in Essex and were of such excellent quality, the challenge for us was to do them justice. In an exceptional year, making world class English Pinot Noir is now possible.”
The competition awarded 13 gold medals, 28 silver medals and 31 bronze medals, with winners a near even split between sparkling and still wines.
A full list of result can be viewed at https://www.iewa.uk/gallery/2018
Dorset Gin House triples in size
The Gin House in Wimborne, Dorset is moving to new premises three times larger than their old bar in the town. Set to open in May 2018, the move will mean an expanded menu featuring 200 gins plus other drinks.
The bar team will be six strong, including three full-time members working under award-winning bar manager Aiden Brinkhurst.
Owners Kate and Gordon Compston are retaining the prohibition theme of the bar and will be investing in a refurbished interior and table service in the 120 cover venue which will serve local, seasonal food alongside the drinks.
Kate Compston said: “We feel very much a part of the community, and we have expanded due to popular demand, thanks to our loyal customer base… We remain committed to investment in Wimborne as we grow our business and are thrilled to have found a heritage property as wonderful as this one.”
FOOD & DRINK NEWS
Jude’s launch vegan ice cream range into foodservice
Hampshire-based Jude’s ice cream are launching their first vegan range into foodservice. Made using a coconut and soy base it will include vanilla, chocolate and coconut flavours.
Chow Mezger, MD, said: “We are really excited to be leading the way by offering a vegan ice cream range into foodservice. Our development team has been working hard to create the best-tasting flavours on the market and will be expanding the range over the course of the year.”
The Jude’s ice cream vegan range will be available to order via foodservice from May.
Wadworth seasonal ale for St George’s Day
Wadworth, the Devizes-based brewer and pub operator, is again brewing its George and the Dragon seasonal ale to celebrate St George’s Day.
The beer will be available to buy from pubs across the Wadworth estate throughout the month of April. It has an ABV of 4.5% and is brewed using Pale Ale, Crystal and Amber, together with two British hops; WGV and Bramling Cross. Wadworth describe it as having “fruity notes and a biscuit malt finish, it is both refreshing and easy to drink with delicate spice and a satisfying bite.”
Andy Weaver, brewer at Wadworth, comments: “Following the previous success of St George and the Dragon, beer lovers have been crying out for us to brew it once again. As a patriotic business, we’re proud to be celebrating St George’s Day in the way we know best.”
Healeys lower alcohol for cider in cans
Cornish cider maker Healeys are launching a new lower alcohol can format for their Rattler Cornish Cloudy Cyder.
The 6 x 330ml cans in the pack will contain 4.8% ABV cider compared to the original 6% Rattler to “meet the demand for a more sessionable cider from its fans.”
The cans join the current range of 500ml individual bottles, 8 pack 330mls cans and draught, offering a “Rattler for all occasions.”
Joe Healey, Commercial Director at Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm, said: “We know consumers love Rattler’s biting refreshment, so NPD has focused on making Cornish Cloudy Cyder convenient for everyone to enjoy. We identified a gap for on-the-go Rattler drinking occasions such as festivals and socialising with friends while recognised that some of our fans were looking for a lower alcohol cyder in a smaller format. Rattler Original 6% will always be a popular choice however, the new lower alcohol cans provide a key point of difference in the range.”
APPOINTMENTS
New chair for Devon hotel and restaurant association
Alexandra Penn has been elected as chairman of the Exeter and Heart of Devon Hotels and Restaurants Association.
She is head of sales at the University of Exeter’s Event Exeter business and has over 15 years of experience in the industry.
Mark Godfrey, managing director of Deer Park Country House hotel in Honiton; Derek Phillips; John Wheeler, head of the hospitality faculty at Exeter College; and Jemma Mitchell, owner of Rendezvous Wine Bar, Exeter retain their positions as honorary treasurer, honorary secretary, chair of training and chair of marketing, respectively.
Penn said: “I am keen to build on the success of the association, working with existing members, identifying new ones, and to help leverage new partnerships to support the growing market here in the county. It’s going to be a pleasure to work with a group of such highly experienced and innovative hoteliers and restaurateurs from the region as the Associations continues its work promoting our destination county and its charming member hotels and restaurants.”
The Exeter and Heart of Devon Hotels and Restaurants Association represents more than 50 Hotels and Restaurants in Devon.
New director at St Austell Brewery
Tamsyn Hawkins has been appointed as people director at St Austell Brewery.
She has over 20 years’ experience in the restaurant and retail sectors, including seven years in a similar role at Zizzi Restaurants.
In her new role, Hawkins will be responsible for the company training and development centre and recruitment.
She said: “I’m thrilled to be starting in my new role at St Austell Brewery. Being from Cornwall, I’m excited to be joining such a successful and diverse West Country organisation. My main focuses will be to develop and attract talented people and deliver effective training across the board. Investing in our people will ensure we are able to grow our business even further and continue to deliver a great service for our customers.”
CEO, James Staughton, added: “We are delighted to welcome Tamsyn to St Austell Brewery. In the pub and hospitality sector, people are at the very heart of our business and so investing in recruitment, training and development is hugely important to us. Tamsyn’s wealth of experience and skills will help ensure St Austell Brewery continues to be a great company to work for.”
PROPERTY
Cotswolds inn on the market for £450,000
Foston’s Ash Inn, midway between Cheltenham, Gloucester, Cirencester and Stroud, has come onto the market at £450,000 for the freehold with Colliers International.
It includes a bar/restaurant with around 50 covers, a two-bedroom owners’ flat, and a further one-bedroom flat presently bringing in a rental income of £550 per month. There is planning consent to extend the premises if required. According to the agents, it is popular with walkers exploring the Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods National Nature Reserve.
Peter Brunt, a director in Colliers International’s Hotels Agency team, said: “Our clients, who bought the business in 2006, are active, multiple site operators with a growing business portfolio – and have rather outgrown Foston’s Ash.
“It would be an ideal property for private operators looking for a proper hands-on business.
While the present management shows modest profits hands-on operation would reduce overheads considerably.”
TASTE OF THE WEST AWARDS
Last chance to enter products into the Taste of the West Awards 2018
The Taste of the West Product Awards have been promoting and supporting the South West’s thriving food and drink industry for over 25 years and have now become the most prestigious food and drink awards in the South West. You now have just three weeks to enter your products, the closing date for all entries is 30 April.
Entries are open to all producers in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. This year producers will also benefit from a free analysis of their product’s label carried out by expert consultants at Food Labelling Services, who’ll be looking in particular at legal names, ingredients, false claims and allergens. If you are entering the awards for the very first time, your product(s) will also automatically be entered into the Best Newcomer Award, sponsored by Tracklements.
All producers entering this year’s Taste of the West Awards will receive an objective evaluation of their product from professional and experienced judges. If your product wins an award you’ll also receive a certificate, a digital logo and the opportunity to display the award on your packaging too.
Winning a Taste of the West award conveys the quality and provenance of your product to consumers and is the ultimate endorsement of your efforts and achievements. It’s a powerful marketing tool that generates great press and media coverage too. If you want to benchmark your products against the best in the region, the Taste of the West Awards are definitely the right place to start.
Sharpham Partnership, winners of Taste of the West’s Supreme Champion Product Award in 2017, comments “Being awarded the accolade of Taste of the West Supreme Champion has been brilliant for Sharpham Wine and Cheese. Not only has it made the cheesemakers even more proud of the cheeses they create by hand every day, but interest in and sales of the whole range of cheeses has increased and we have had new enquiries as a result of the publicity generated”.
Don’t forget… ALL Taste of the West members receive at least one FREE entry as a benefit of membership.
To enter your products complete the online application form: https://www.tasteofthewest.co.uk/awards-product-entry-form-2018
Alternatively visit www.tasteofthewest.co.uk/business/awards to download your entry form, or call 01404 822012 to find out more.
SPOTLIGHT
Goddards Brewery – 25 years old, and for sale as a going concern
Goddards Brewery will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2018 and its founder Anthony Goddard sees this milestone as significant for himself and the business. He has now started the search for a worthy and suitable successor to take the brewery forward into the next 25 years.
“Having recently reached the age of 72 l feel that I’m in danger of being past my ‘best-before’ date (if I ever had one)”, commented Anthony, “and I don’t think it makes any sense to die in harness. Ideally, I’d like to find a person or business that understands and appreciates what we’ve achieved here at Goddards and who can build upon these really sound foundations.”
Goddards is ‘Isle of Wight Born and Brewed’ and one the country’s best established independent breweries. As well as providing an excellent range of real ales to pubs on the Island, it has an impressive distribution network across the UK. Sales to national supermarkets and multiples including Sainsburys, Waitrose, Tesco and Majestic is a growth area with regular ‘guest ale’ slots with numerous national pub chains such as Fullers, Greene King, Wetherspoon and Mitchells & Butlers.
In 2017 Goddards started contract brewing for others and is one of only about 80 breweries in the country to have achieved the prestigious SALSA accreditation, a testament to the quality of its production process. This was recently further enhanced by a significant investment in a top-of-the-range bottling line where bottling previously had to be undertaken on the mainland.
“We’re part of what the government describes as the ‘UK’s brewing powerhouse’”, continued Anthony, “the demand for real ales and craft beer shows no sign of diminishing in the UK. Investing in a new brewery is an expensive and risky project. It takes years to acquire the experience and reputation to survive in an increasingly competitive environment. For the right person or business, buying Goddards comes with the advantage that someone else has overcome and dealt with those growing pains.”
The Isle of Wight has an unrivalled reputation for picturesque scenery, stunning coastline and a relaxed way of life; all an hour or so from the M25. Add to this an unusual and exceptional investment opportunity and you have the complete package.
“It’s true. I can think of worse ways to earn a living than owning a brewery and it’s a very genial trade with which to be involved. The past 25 years have been hard work, but tremendous fun and thoroughly rewarding. As a lifestyle I can thoroughly recommend it!” added Anthony, who continued, ‘every 36 seconds over the past year, a pint brewed at Goddards has been drunk. To date, we have brewed over ten million pints – that’s enough in pint glasses side-by-side to stretch from London to Prague or, if you prefer, from the brewery in Ryde to the southern tip of the Shetland Isles!”
Goddards has a stable and loyal customer base, as a few more statistics demonstrate. Its top four pubs combined have sold over 1,000,000 pints, the top 11 pubs combined have sold over 2,000,000 pints, 15 pubs have each sold over 100,000 pints, 30 pubs have each sold over 50,000 pints and 127 pubs have each sold over 10,000 pints.
In many ways, Goddards has been one of the pioneers of the “craft beer” movement in the UK having started more than ten years before the term was even heard of. As part of its celebration during its 25th year, the brewery will be bringing back an old favourite – GSB (Goddards Special Bitter). “It was the first ever pint that we brewed back in 1993 and I can’t think of a finer way of marking the occasion,” says the man who started it all 25 years ago.
Prospective purchasers are invited to contact Goddards direct in order to get a more detailed sales brochure. Please email in the first instance to anthony@goddardsbrewery.com or call 01983 611011.
EVENTS
Welcome to Excellence courses
8th March – 3rd May 2018
Exeter, Bournemouth and St Austell
“Welcome Host Gold customer service courses and Welcome All disability awareness courses running in locations across Devon, Dorset and Cornwall. Enhance the customer experience and reap the rewards in increased customer loyalty and repeat business. Provide great service to every single one of your customers – smart businesses know how to make everyone welcome.”
Further information available at http://www.purplecloudconsultancy.com
To book https://purplecloudconsultancy.digitickets.co.uk/tickets
April
Farm Shop & Deli Show
16th – 18th April 2018
NEC, Birmingham
“Bringing the latest developments in artisan produce, Farm Shop & Deli Show is the sector’s leading event for delicatessens, farm shops, restaurants, garden centres, food halls, butcheries and bakeries as they look to discover the latest trends in speciality food and drink.”
https://www.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk/
Food & Drink Expo
16th – 18th April 2018
NEC, Birmingham
“Showcasing some of the industry’s hottest new brands and talent, the show will provide buyers with a wealth of information and product sourcing opportunities. With over 100 live events and 250 speakers across the show portfolio, Food & Drink Expo retains its position as a show that owners and buyers in the food business can’t afford to miss.”
https://www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk/
Foodex
16th – 18th April 2018
NEC, Birmingham
“The UK’s premier trade event for the food and drink processing, packaging and logistics industries, Foodex returns to highlight the latest innovations in supply chain efficiency.”
https://www.foodex.co.uk/
The Ingredients Show
16th – 18th April 2018
NEC, Birmingham
A new event to provide manufacturers with a one-stop-shop for innovative new ingredients and equipment.
https://www.theingredientsshow.co.uk/
National Convenience Show
16th – 18th April 2018
NEC, Birmingham
“The National Convenience Show offers the perfect forum for convenience stores, forecourt traders, independent retailers, off-licences and wholesalers to review the best fresh produce and products, as well as identifying new technology and services that can improve efficiency and the in-store experience.”
https://www.nationalconvenienceshow.co.uk/
The Natural Food Show
22nd – 23rd April 2018
ExCel, London
“The Natural Food Show will showcase thousands of the best natural, organic and healthy food and drink products on the market.”
http://www.naturalproducts.co.uk/food/
Taste of the West Workshops: Food Labelling & Nutritional Information
26th April 2018
Old Mill, Exeter Business Park, EX1 3LJ
Taste of the West will be holding back-to-back workshops on Food Labelling and Nutritional Information with affiliate member Food Labelling Services. The sessions are designed to give you practical, bespoke advice to ensure your products give consumers the information they need while meeting all legal requirements in a time of complex and changing regulations. We invite our members to attend one or both sessions. A sandwich lunch will be provided between the sessions.
WORKSHOP 1: FOOD LABELLING, 9.30am – 12:00pm
WORKSHOP 2: NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION, 12.30pm – 2:00pm
Cost: TOTW members – £50 + VAT for one session or £75 + VAT for both.
Non-members of TOTW – £75 plus VAT for one session or £100 plus VAT for both.
For more information and to book, please visit https://mailchi.mp/a3c3cf9ae8fc/workshops-for-taste-of-the-west-members-685381