Waste2zero award win for asset management specialist and ceda Associate Ramco.
Waste2zero award win for asset management specialist and ceda Associate Ramco
Ramco, specialists in the management of surplus catering equipment, has been named Best Resource Management Business of the Year at the waste2zero awards. The online event was hosted by TV presenter Mark Durden-Smith on 25 March.
The objective of waste2zero – the first awards of its kind in the sector and now in its fourth year – is to give the out-of-home industry a platform to showcase best practice and recognise excellence in this vital area.
The Resource Management Business of the Year category focuses on fresh thinking and innovation in foodservice sector waste management to improve resource management, waste prevention, reuse and recycling. Entries were judged by a panel of industry specialists.
Liam Cameron, Marketing Executive at Ramco, said:
“A prevalent and unacceptable waste culture has seen levels of food, packaging, and equipment waste increase exponentially in recent years, and whilst the waste food and packaging agenda is already well established, the same unfortunately cannot be said for equipment waste. Understandably, operators struggle to see the value in surplus catering equipment, which is why it typically ends up either in a skip or in landfill.”
“We’re delighted with our waste2zero win, and hope the award will help in our aim to transform the negative perception of surplus or second-hand catering equipment, raise the profile of surplus catering equipment as a fundamental environmental issue, and educate the foodservice sector about the importance of effectively managing and disposing of surplus catering equipment.”
Ramco is a leading provider of asset disposal services and one of the UK’s largest outlets for quality surplus goods. In 2017, it set up a dedicated foodservice business that has now cemented itself as the UK’s leader in the sustainable disposal of surplus catering equipment.
Ramco Foodservices has established a growing reputation for providing foodservice operators with a value for money and environmentally friendly solution. Collaborating with some of the industry’s largest and most successful companies, including many well-known household brands, Ramco has seen a real shift in the mindset of businesses within the sector.
In 2020 alone, Ramco Foodservices collaborated with more than 20 new clients in the foodservice/ catering sector, preventing in excess of 26,000 pieces of catering equipment from going to landfill.
Mechline offers free guides to help operators bounce back
Mechline offers free guides to help operators bounce back
As the hospitality industry looks ahead to the lifting of lockdown restrictions, ceda Partner Mechline Developments has released two free guides containing a wealth of practical advice to help operators bounce back and generate sales opportunities for dealers. The guides offer six steps to help increase restaurant covers and footfall, plus a comparison of air sterilisers and air purifiers so operators can choose the best solution to keep their customers and staff safe.
Commenting on the launch of the guides, Kristian Roberts, Marketing Manager at Mechline said:
“After three lockdowns hospitality operators will understandably be eager to finally welcome back diners so they can start rebuilding their businesses. However a recent study has shown that 53% of consumers are not confident or unsure about visiting restaurants, pubs and hotels when they reopen – so operators face a challenge to reassure returning diners that hygiene measures are in place to protect them.
“As a specialist manufacturer of innovative hygiene focused equipment for the foodservice and hospitality industry we are keen to support operators with the insights, advice and strategy shared in these free guides. In turn, we hope our dealer partners will benefit from sales enquiries as operators look to install advanced technologies like HyGenikx to make their premises as safe as possible ready for reopening.”
Mechline’s guide to increasing covers and footfall includes six strategic steps encompassing: Providing a customer loyalty scheme; Building customer confidence with improved service and experience; Marketing to target local customers; How to leverage the potential of social media; Reducing ‘no shows’ and how to change and adapt your offering with the seasons. Insights shared in the guide include how loyal customers tend to spend 36% more and that 67% of customers would stay longer and spend more money if they enjoy your customer service.
One of the biggest challenges operators face in the year ahead will be customer confidence. Patrons will want to relax, safe in the knowledge that the hospitality business has taken all the necessary precautions to protect them from infection. With this in mind the second Mechline guide explains the differences between air purifiers and air sanitiser/sterilisers, examining how the various technologies work and their respective benefits so operators can make informed decisions about the best solution to protect and reassure customers and staff.
The free guides can be downloaded at:
- · https://info.mechline.com/guide-to-increasing-restaurant-covers-and-footfall and
- · https://info.mechline.com/air-steriliser-sanitiser-vs-air-purifier
A fascinating insight into ceda Partner Novameta
A fascinating insight into ceda Partner Novameta.
ceda Partner Novameta, who has also updated their profile on our website, provides a refreshing and fascinating insight into their background and future plans in this engaging article that includes comments from their director Mindaugas Jonuškis.
ceda Digital Event: watch again!
ceda Digital Event: watch again!
What a day! Thank you to everyone involved and everyone who attended. You all made the first ever ceda Digital Event a great success.
Whilst we appreciate it wasn’t quite be the same as a live face-to-face event, we hope you’ll agree the digital platform allowed for a professional, smooth and efficient business day. One massive benefit to the digital nature of the event is the ability to watch the content again.
All the excellent speaker interviews and presentations are available for you to watch again via the event platform:
pheedloop.com/ceda040321/login/
Please use the same unique log-in details you used to access the event, and navigate through to the ‘Programme’ option in the left-hand menu.
The event site will be available until 31/03/21.
ceda Grand Prix Award Winners 2020
ceda Grand Prix Award Winners 2020
The postponed ceda Grand Prix Awards Ceremony 2020 took place yesterday evening (Thursday 4th March) via video link from a London studio, wrapping up ceda’s first ever Digital Event.
As well as the Project Awards for projects completed in 2019, the ceda Rising Star Award winner was also announced.
Victorious Members included Hatherley Commercial Services Ltd, Caterware Ltd, TAG Catering Equipment Ltd, Vision Commercial Kitchen and KCCJ Ltd.
Commercial Kitchen’s Chris Brazier was the Awards host, who did an admirable job considering the virtual nature of the event. Nominees were present via video link, and were able to give acceptance speeches, replicating a live Awards ceremony as much as possible. With no live audience and no physical awards to hand over or handshakes with the winners, Chris was able to keep the magic and excitement of the Ceremony alive. ceda’s Adam Mason could think of no-one within the industry better suited for the job. He said, “Chris was the best man for the job. He’s been our first choice for Awards host at the physical conferences for the last few years and I saw no reason to change that for the Digital Event. Chris is lively and engaging by nature and really made the Awards come alive, even via our screens.”
ceda Grand Prix Awards 2020
Judged by experienced industry veterans Ron Neville and John Savage, six categories were up for grabs in the ceda Grand Prix Awards 2020; Design Project Under £50K, Design Project £50K to £200K, Design Project £200K to £500K, Design Project over £500K, Project Management Excellence and Outstanding Customer Service.
The ceda Grand Prix Awards 2020 winners, sponsored by Falcon Foodservice Equipment, are:
Design Project Under £50K – Hatherley Commercial Services Ltd for their project at The Griffin Inn
Design Project £50K to £200K – JOINT WINNERS – Caterware Ltd for their project at The Cottage at Fulham FC AND TAG Catering Equipment Ltd for their project at Brother Marcus at Spitalfields Market
Design Project £200K to £500K – Vision Commercial Kitchen for their project at Lu Ban Liverpool
Design Project Over £500K – KCCJ Ltd for their project at the new Tottenham Hotspur Football Club stadium
Outstanding Customer Service – Tailor Made Catering Equipment Service Ltd for their project at Loungers/Cosy Clubs
Project Management Excellence – TAG Catering Equipment UK Ltd for their project at Studley Castle Hotel
Arguably, the most sought-after award is the Overall winner, and recipient of the Sir Donald Thompson Cup. Chosen from the winners of the six Grand Prix categories, this year’s victory belongs to KCCJ Ltd.
The ceda Rising Star Award celebrates the best new talent in the industry by recognising and rewarding an individual’s outstanding achievement and contribution to the development of a ceda member company. Candidates are nominated by their company and this year’s winner is Katie Brierley of FSW Gas Services.
Summing up the Grand Prix Awards, Adam Mason said, “The final shortlists covered a wide range of projects that our talented Members had carried out in 2019. The common theme among all was excellence. Congratulations to the winners of all the categories and to KCCJ for the overall winner accolade. My personal thanks too to John and Ron for their commitment to judging the awards.”
Chris Fay C.F.S.P from BRITA Professional explains why preventative maintenance is key to keeping kitchens running smoothly when the industry reopens.
Time-saving SOS: How to achieve optimum kitchen equipment efficiency.
In this article Chris Fay C.F.S.P from ceda Partner BRITA Professional explains why preventative maintenance is key to keeping kitchens running smoothly when the industry reopens.
In 2020 alone, kitchen professionals dealt with 84 days of equipment breakdowns, that’s almost a quarter of the year! As well as having an impact on efficiency and budgets, this is also a huge source of stress. And, at a time when more than eight in ten (81%) professional kitchen workers admit to feeling stressed at work, it has never been more important to take steps to reduce the pressure.
New research from BRITA Professional reveals that almost two-thirds (61%) of kitchen professionals have to manage equipment breakdowns on at least a fortnightly basis. So, it’s not surprising that almost half (47%) believe having more reliable equipment would make their kitchen more efficient when able to reopen. Although unreliable equipment is a longstanding issue, there are some simple steps that staff can take to minimise the risk of disruption to service when the industry reopens:
- Create cleaning schedules: Almost four in ten (39%) hospitality workers would like more robust cleaning schedules to keep the kitchen running more efficiently. Creating a schedule also ensures that the whole team shares the workload – and it feels like less of a chore when everyone is doing their bit.
- Prevent limescale build-up: A high proportion of breakdowns are related to limescale, so preventative maintenance is vital. Limescale build-up not only causes breakdowns, it also means that machinery requires more energy to reach optimum temperatures. Using the correct water filter and changing it regularly will help machines to run more efficiently – and last for longer, as well as eliminating costly repairs.
- Invest in quality equipment: Always choose machinery that meets your maximum needs so that you have the capability to match demand. It may cost more initially, but it’s a worthwhile investment as it will last for longer, saving money over time.
- Outsource maintenance: BRITA Professional’s research found that 35% of kitchen staff say cleaning equipment sends their stress levels soaring. So, it makes sense that a quarter of professionals would like all maintenance to be outsourced to a third party, giving chefs more time to focus on what they love the most: creating incredible food for customers.
- Focus on sustainability: Three-quarters (75%) of hospitality professionals would like to increase sustainability in 2021, with over a third (36%) saying they would like to achieve this by focusing on equipment and energy efficiency. Preventative maintenance can reduce the amount of machinery sent to landfill, so it’s not only an important way to save time and money, but it also helps to protect the environment.
BRITA Managed Services can help to improve kitchen efficiency by supporting operators with a bespoke preventative maintenance package which suits their business needs. By offering advice, monitoring filter usage and carrying out essential filter exchanges, kitchen professionals can rely on their equipment to have a longer life span and deliver a smooth service when they need it most.
The research results are available in a new BRITA Professional toolkit: At Boiling Point: which offers vital tips on how to ‘filter out’ inefficiency and stress, as well as save time, money and the planet in 2021. Take a look at our At Boiling Point Toolkit here: brita.co.uk/boiling-point
0844 742 4940
Twitter: @BRITAPRO
LinkedIn: BRITA Group
#LifeIsBetterFiltered
*All stats in this article relate to research conducted by BRITA PROFESSIONAL and 3GEM among 500 professional kitchen workers (November 2020)
ceda Partner First Choice Group secures approved partner status on 3M Water Filtration portfolio
ceda Partner First Choice Group secures approved partner status on 3M™ Water Filtration portfolio
Adding to its extensive list of Master Distribution Partners (MDP), ceda Approved Partner First Choice Group is proud to announce that it has become an official approved supplier of OEM water filters from leading brand, 3M™.
With over 60% of businesses in the UK being impacted by limescale, the 3M™ range combines multiple technologies developed over many years of experience in the foodservice sector, to remove the unwanted impurities found in water. Protecting valuable beverage equipment, including the latest coffee and hot beverage units, 3M™ water filters have been found to improve customer satisfaction and generate repeat business by delivering of high quality hot and cold beverages.
In addition to the hot beverage range, First Choice stock list includes 3M’s ice machine and cold beverage equipment specific filters, it is clear that great water makes great ice, and that is why the filters help, by removing excess sediment, inhibiting the build-up of scale and ultimately reducing downtime of your machine. Leading to significantly better looking and tasting ice, customers can enjoy their drinks just how you intended to serve them.
When it comes to cold beverage equipment, not only do unwanted particulates significantly reduce the service life of expensive cold beverage equipment, but they can also have a detrimental effect on the look and taste of the customer’s beverage. The 3M™ Water Filtration products are available to suit a range of cold beverage needs, including carbonated systems, high flow rate pumps and even to suit the quality of a site’s local water supply.
Alternatively, the 3M™ ice machine specific filters have been created to keep your ice machine in top condition, crucial to maintaining efficiency and to give customers the very best chilled beverage experience. The 3M™ range is suitable for many of the most popular cuber, flaker and nugget machines on the market, they have been proven to reduce waterborne bacteria by 99.9%* and they can significantly reduce the corrosion caused by residual chlorine and scale build-up.
As a complete one stop solution, First Choice Group is the UK’s largest stockist of OEM spare parts, providing customers with direct access to thousands of genuine products from hundreds of leading equipment manufacturers at competitive prices. With our logistical solutions including same day dispatch (on orders placed before 7pm) and next-day delivery as standard for mainland UK orders, tailoring our service to meet the specific demands of the foodservice industry.
In addition to purchasing 3M™ Water Filtration products using its ecommerce website, customers can harmoniously shop from any location by using the First Choice Catering Spares app, with features including intuitive text, voice search, 360° images, and fast, secure checkout facilities.
On the announcement, Steven McLaren, Head of Manufacturer Partnerships at First Choice Group commented:
“We are delighted to be working with 3M™ Water Filtration as their official distributor to the Foodservice market. Not only does this give direct access to a much more competitively priced product range, which will benefit our customers, but we also have direct access to the knowledge professionals at 3M™ and the fantastic distributor support they provide across many areas. We look forward to a partnership where we both develop positively through 2021 and beyond.”
Confirming the latest partnership with First Choice Group, Cheryl Thomas, Channel Manager at 3M™ explains:
“It is crucial for 3M™ that we have confidence in the quality of our supply chain, the First Choice Group allows us to enhance our offering using their state of the art ecommerce capability along with their technologically advanced mobile app. Our customers can quickly and efficiently purchase water filters from our ranges including, ice, cold beverage, coffee, espresso, hot and cold water knowing the level of technical knowledge and customer service offered by the First Choice Group is exemplary.”
First Choice Group prides itself on our award-wining customer service, the ease of access to the necessary technical and supporting documents and of course, our commitment to offering our customers the best, genuine OEM spare parts. The partnership with 3M™ allows it to give direct access to the company’s Water Filtration products, including same day dispatch and next day delivery as standard (on orders placed before 7pm weekdays), whilst ensuring access to resources including supporting documents and technical information. So, whether you are an operator looking for a one-off water filter purchase for your kitchen, or you are a service engineer looking to stock your van with essential stock for PPM visits, First Choice Group are here to help.
*As tested with E. Coli ATCC (11229). Tested and verified by manufacturer’s laboratory.
Stellar line-up of industry speakers announced for ceda Digital Event 04.03.21
Stellar line-up of industry speakers announced for ceda Digital Event 04.03.21
With the first ceda Digital Event now just one week away, we’re delighted to confirm our full event programme and introduce our impressive industry speakers and exhibitors.
The event, supported by Cedabond, AutoQuotes and Commercial Kitchen, takes place one week today, on Thursday 4th March. With guest speakers such as UKHospitality’s Kate Nichols and NHS Food Review Chair Philip Shelley giving their expert thoughts and opinion on the future of their sectors, the event promises to be both informative and enlightening.
Host Peter Martin will be kicking off proceedings and setting the scene by mapping out the five big behavioural shifts in the market that are already shaping and thinking about the future of the out-of-home food and drink market.
Peter is followed by Mowgli’s CEO and Founder, Nisha Katona MBE, who will talk about the challenges of keeping an entrepreneurial business alive and on track.
Next up is Noel Mahony, Chief Executive at BaxterStorey. Noel will reveal how one of Britain’s biggest and most diverse catering businesses has reimagined the food experience for a changing post-pandemic world of work and travel.
After a lunch interval Philip Shelley, Chair of the NHS Food Review will share the experiences, collaboration, involvement and recommendations to ensure that there is a clear pathway forward to improve our food and drink services in the NHS.
Last, but certainly no means least, is the head-to-head interview with Kate Nicholls OBE, CEO of UKHospitality and Ralph Findlay, CEO of Marston’s PLC. With the reopening of hospitality in sight, Peter Martin will be asking these two industry giants what they perceive to be the big political and business challenges that still lie ahead. What shape is the sector in and what is the plan for navigating the new, emerging market landscape?
Find out more about all our Speaker here: ceda.co.uk/conference/2021-speakers/
ceda’s Director General, Adam Mason, is excited with the line-up and can’t wait to hear what each of the speakers has to say. He said, “This is arguably the best speaker, presenter and guest line-up we have had for any event, and I’m most grateful to everyone that has agreed to join us to share their thoughts, opinions, knowledge and expertise. There will be so much to learn for all of our attendees both from our programme but also in visiting the exhibition booths and we are delighted to have AutoQuotes, Cedabond, Commercial Kitchen Show, Electrolux, Falcon, First Choice, Hobart UK, Liebherr GB, Maidaid Halcyon, MCS, Mechline Developments, Meiko, MKN, Rational UK and Welbilt supporting us.”
Mason adds, “Due to the timing of the event, with the Budget the day before on Wednesday 3rd March, we hope to have some exclusive reactions and comments from our speakers on any announcements made by Chancellor Rishi Sunak.”
Following a short break, the event programme continues with Chris Brazier who will host the ceda Grand Prix Awards 2020 ceremony, sponsored by Falcon Foodservice Equipment. Chris will announce the winners of the various categories for projects completed in 2019, as well as the Rising Star Award which celebrates upcoming talent in the industry.
“Our Rising Star and Grand Prix Awards are a really important part of our year and although announced virtually there is no less importance or credibility to be derived. The short-listed people and projects are all outstanding and they wouldn’t have made it this far if they weren’t. Good luck to all. ” concludes Mason.
The full list of shortlisted projects can be viewed here: ceda.co.uk/conference/grand-prix-awards-2020-nominees/
For more details on the ceda Digital Event 2021, the full speaker line-up, Grand Prix Awards, and how to register, please visit ceda.co.uk/conference/
ceda Partner Liebherr on stage at The Digital Event 2021
ceda Partner Liebherr on stage at The Digital Event 2021
Liebherr is delighted to have been invited to take part in ceda’s first live event in 2021 addressing the wider industry and ceda members who are the best in design, projects, and equipment for the foodservice and hospitality sectors.
To join us at our ‘digital booth’ and ask any specific questions about our new ranges and key appliances for foodservice please click here, call, or email:
Andy Clarke | Andy.Clarke@liebherr.com| National Account Manager |+44 (0) 7720 497 075
or:
Stephen Ongley MInstR CFSP stephen.Ongley@liebherr.com | National Sales Manager – Business & Industry | +44 (0) 7713-270167
Explaining its extensive choice of refrigeration and freezing solutions Liebherr will focus on its new range of heavy-duty refrigeration solutions for foodservice and hospitality. These include the 600 and 1400 litre single and double door fridges and freezers in the following models, GKPV 6540 / GGPV 6540 / GKPV 1440 / GGPV 1440.
Key features are:
- 304 grade stainless steel liners
- Self-closing doors with fitted locks
- Eco-friendly hydrocarbon refrigerant as standard
- Energy efficient operation
- Factory fitted castors.
The double door units can be disassembled and reassembled, using a qualified engineer, on-site where as ceda members will know that access can be a problem.
The online audience will also get a real understanding of what Liebherr considers to be its ‘universal’ model for commercial refrigeration the GKv 5790 forced air refrigerator. Its wide temperature range of -2°C to +15°C makes it stand out and allows it to deliver optimum performance in a range of settings and challenging temperature environments in food service and hospitality. It has two humidity settings that are invaluable for maintaining the integrity, freshness, and food safety of ingredients.
The GKv 5790 also has a lockable, self-closing door and integrated temperature alarm to ensure food safety and quality is maintained in the busiest of professional kitchens. Ergonomic design with multiple shelf configurations, castors with the option of height-adjustable legs and cleaning drain add to the appeal of this Liebherr refrigerator in a variety of settings and different sectors where food and drink needs to be reliably refrigerated.
Liebherr will go on to underline the position of its global commercial refrigeration business (foodservice, wine, ice cream, wholesale/retail and medical), German design and engineering quality, commitment to sustainability and outstanding support for the market by offering internal and external sales advice, AQ listing, marketing collateral including enhanced web content and a minimum of ten years for spare parts availability.
There is still opportunity to register and attend for free by clicking on here.
ceda Partner First Choice Announces The Reopening of its Training Courses
ceda Partner First Choice Announces The Reopening of its Training Courses
We are delighted to announce that from Monday March 1st, following the Government’s latest announcements, First Choice Group Training centre is reopening its doors for technicians’ courses, our OEM manufacturer partners training and demonstrations.
The First Choice Training team are working hard to ensure that we are able to accommodate as many attendees as possible while maintaining enhanced safety standards during the pandemic
To ensure qualifications are up to date upon returning to work, technicians are allowed to book and attend courses & assessments while furloughed and up to 6-months before their ACS Gas accreditation expires.
Martin Dagnall, Head of the First Choice Training Division comments:
“Reopening while ensuring the safety of our team and customers was the number one priority.
First Choice has introduced a number of safety and hygiene measures since the start of the pandemic to ensure that the supply of crucial equipment parts could continue in support of the healthcare sector. We’ve built on top of those measures to enable technicians to come into the building safely for ACS assessments.
Safety screens, hand sanitiser stations and social distancing signage are just some of the measures that are now regular features at First Choice HQ. Additionally, having ample space in our training centre means that we can ensure social distancing is comfortably maintained during ALL assessments and training sessions.”
As the pandemic continues online meetings, conferences and training sessions have become more and more prevalent in our industry.
Martin and the team are in the process of developing bespoke digital solutions that may enable online training seminars in the future; particularly for our Managed Learning Programme for New Gas Engineers (MLP). This is another way in which First Choice seeks to innovate and provide solutions to the current challenges faced by our industry.
First Choice Group Training is the only assessment centre in the UK that is dedicated purely to commercial catering equipment. That familiarity with the assessment equipment means that technicians can complete their assessments far quicker than at a domestic centre. Our range of assessments cover the following classifications:
- CCCN1– Core Commercial Catering Gas Safety
- COMCAT1– Open Burner Equipment
- COMCAT3– Deep Fat & Pressure Fryers
- COMCAT5– Forced Draught Burner Appliances
- CONGLP1– Various LPG Classifications
More information on assessments and booking is available on our ACS Assessments page. Members of the FEA and ceda receive a 20% discount on all bookings.
First Choice Training is also beginning to offer some of our other training courses, and we will be publishing more details on these soon. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns relating to training and assessment needs, please contact our Training Team who will be happy to help.
Contact Information
Call: 01543 460 385
Email: acs@firstchoice-cs.co.uk
We are delighted to be able to be welcoming customers & suppliers back to the First Choice Training centre. With the safety of All attendees our number priority.
Please subscribe to the First-Choice social media channels for more updates on specific catering courses, future OEM manufacturer and specific industry associations events being held at our Training centre and online.
Stay safe. Together will beat this.
