From the monthly archives:

July 2008

Spar gives Southern Salads retail first

by UK News Releases on July 26, 2008

Southern Salads, a leading provider of leafy salads and fresh fruit and vegetables to the food service sector, has entered the retail market for the first time, to supply 14 different fresh produce lines to convenience store chain Spar.

Andrew Boakes, Southern Salads’ Operations Director, said: "We are entering an exciting time. The partnership with Spar will bring us to the forefront of the retail industry, at a time when consumers are appreciating the benefits of healthy eating more than ever. Our range of high quality salad solutions are as versatile as they are fresh and to take them to the retailer is an important step for us."

Kent-based Southern Salads has been supplying fresh produce and ready-made salads to the largest food service operators in the UK for 21 years.

The company, which prides itself on quality, freshness and choice, with excellent service levels, will supply Spar on a national level, sourcing fresh fruit and vegetables from suppliers in the UK and the world over, including its joint venture plants in Poland and Belgium. Southern Salads has the BRC Global Standard and all suppliers have either BRC or EurepGap Accreditation. Being a low cost operator enables Southern Salads to provide the highest quality services at competitive and affordable price all year round.

A family business, Southern Salads has entered a period of organic growth. It plans to more than double turnover by 2010, by expanding its plant in Tonbridge, Kent and increasing its retail presence. Thanks to continued investment the expansion plans will exceed 100,000 sq. ft; to include increased high risk, packing and dispatch areas, new development kitchens and on site testing laboratories that will meet the demands of increased product development calendars.

Boakes concluded: "The growth plans are ambitious as we expect the business to double its size in manufacturing capacity and turnover from £25m to £50m by 2010."

The Spar chain has some 2,600 stores across the UK, with an annual turnover of £2.7 billion.

For more information on this story please contact:
Suzanne Howe Communications
PO Box 325
Medway Valley
Kent
ME19 4WW
Email: info@suzannehowe.com
Tel: +44 (0)1732 875697
Visit their website

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Multiple Menu Options for Wallops Wood Dairy’s Slow Roast Shoulder of Pork

by UK News Releases on July 7, 2008

Wallops Wood Dairy, a specialist farm with a focus on the production of Gloucester Old Spot pigs, has devised a delicious slow roast shoulder of pork recipe that can be used for a variety of starter, main and bar snack menu options and requires very little preparation.

“The recipe, which uses a whole Wallops Wood Dairy pork shoulder, produces the most succulent roast pork in quantity, and at the same time is versatile, guaranteed to improve menu offerings and increase margins,” said Sam Martin, farmer and owner of Wallops Wood Dairy.

According to Adam Cordery, Chef/Proprietor of The Bakers Arms in Hampshire, “We have found that Wallops Wood Dairy’s pork is a great selling point in our restaurant due to the fine quality of the product. In fact, we are serving more roast pork than beef which is highly unusual.”

Sample uses for Wallops Wood Dairy’s Slow Roast Shoulder of Pork include:

Starter ideas:

Pea soup with pork confit and fresh mint oil

Aromatic slow roasted pork with pancakes, cucumber, spring onion and hoi-sin sauce

Pork rillettes with hot buttered toast

Mains:

Classic roast pork with crackling and all the trimmings

Aromatic slow roasted pork shoulder topped with crispy crackling and served with pak choi, sautéed in chilli infused oil, and a rich pork and anise sauce

Pork shoulder ‘steak’ in a fennel and Pernod sauce served with new potatoes and a seasonal green vegetable medley

Lighter mains:

Chilli, ginger and coriander pork salad with cucumber, red pepper, sugar snap peas, spring onions and baby corn

Warm salad of pork with caramelised apple and crisp thyme croutons on a bed of baby spinach leaves tossed in a cider dressing

Smoked pimento pork on a bed of cannelloni beans with a sun-blush tomato sauce

Five spice roast pork tossed with pak choy, sugar snaps, spring onions, red peppers and bean sprouts. Served on a bed of noodles with a sake and ginger dressing topped with deep fried ginger

Bar snacks:

Roast pork and stuffing baps/sandwiches

Wallops Wood’s free-range pork shoulders retail from £4.55 per kilo, providing excellent value for the quality of the Gloucester Old Spot pigs reared at Wallops Wood Dairy. Sam Martin added: “We provide more than just quality pork, we work closely with all our customers to maximise their marketing efforts.”

The pigs are reared slowly on a free range system and fed on a cereal-based diet. Pork from Wallops Wood Dairy is distributed by the company for free, allowing the product to be traced right through the entire supply chain.

For easy ordering and/or more information Click Here.

In America, this type of slow roasted meat is known as “pulled” pork and is very popular in the Southern States where it is served in sandwiches or in tacos and tortillas with spicy salsas. Making a slow roast shoulder of pork can be the last job of the day in the restaurant before going home so that the best pork to serve for lunch is ready at the start of the next working day.
 

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Multiple Menu Options for Wallops Wood Dairy’s Slow Roast Shoulder of Pork

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