Burgers for breakfast

Outside, rain and wind lashed the front of Brighton's Metropole Hotel. Inside, Rachel Johnson, Quadrant's purchasing manager for provisions, admitted that the coastal town's annual Fast Food Fair was "the place to go to be seen".

Responsible for 400 catering outlets (mostly Post Office staff canteens), her main reason for being there was to spy out new products, glean information and secure contacts with manufacturers. She instructs her suppliers as to which producer/manufacturer she wants them to use, which gives her control over cost and quality.

With a largely male, C1 customer profile, for many of whom the most important meal of the day is breakfast, her priority is to find items that appeal to this group.

The Quadrant definition of breakfast is elastic. Given that 9am for a postman's stomach is more like 1am for everyone else, middle-of-the-day foods such as chips and burgers are integral parts of this meal.

Accordingly, Johnson headed straight for burger specialist JL Quality Foods, part of Sims Food Group. It was launching pre-cooked burgers and sausages, designed for easy heating in a microwave.

Yet Johnson's attentions focused on the company's 4oz pepper grillsteak, square-shaped and coated in seasonings such as peppers, chilli and paprika. With 100% pure beef content and aimed at the pub and fast food sector, Johnson was interested but felt an 80% meat content would be better for her market.

Also on display were a number of vegetable products such as a spicy beanburger and vegetable sausages for which the company sees strong demand. Johnson thought the use of colour and texture in these items was impressive. She called it "eye appeal" and handed in her business card in anticipation of future business.

Over at Vegetarian Express, she was drawn by the mention of a mushroom and herb brioche and was surprised by its attractive texture and volume.

She realised the item was viable for use as a main course, rather than as a snack or starter as she had at first thought. She also liked its taste. She was less impressed with the Mexican pie, which she felt looked dense and forbidding.

Her interest was also caught by the Americano-Italiano Pizza Pie Company. Under the banner of Speciality Food Services, the company was displaying pizzas, stromboli, parmesan panini and focaccia.

Johnson was hooked by crñsti, a new concept that involves a bread base and a series of hot toppings such as chicken tikka, chilli con carne or bolognaise. Johnson saw a possible use for such an idea in the ever-demanding sandwich market at Quadrant.

Showing cursory interest in Lockwoods' mushy peas encased in batter, Johnson predicted the dish was unlikely to react well to being microwaved.

A sweeter note was struck with C&D Continental Patisserie. Johnson was interested in the company's Naughty Neopolitan, a mass of chocolate and raspberry mousse, supported by layers of light chocolate and vanilla sponge. She wanted to know how the item would stand up in a display case. The answer was that it is pre-portioned.

Johnson's feeling was that Fast Food Fair 1994 was busier than previous years and that the stands were better organised, although she was irritated that some stand representatives were still not clued up about their products.