Christmas is coming

The festive season is traditionally a prime time to increase profits, but it can also be a headache if you haven't prepared in good time. New product launches and catering for greater numbers than usual all need careful planning.

"If you find you have a problem with a new product during the first week of December, it's too late, unless you simply want to learn a lesson for next year," remarks Bob Hart of the Leatherhead Food Research Association (LFRA).

Common problems include overloading equipment to cope with increased demand. "If you usually chill 1,000 units a day and want to make 3,000 for Christmas, remember that it will take longer for things to cool if your equipment is working harder. Bacteria begins to grow in tepid conditions as the food is cooling, so it's a risky time," Hart says.

He quotes a case where inadequate research led to disaster. "Sausages wrapped in bacon are a classic example," he says. "Since they are labour-intensive to make, caterers may be tempted to prepare them in advance and freeze them. But bacon goes rancid if not frozen in airtight conditions. I know of one caterer who defrosted a load of carefully prepared nibbles only to find they all had to be thrown away."

The LFRA provides a crisis management service for caterers, plus advice on food safety issues, food storage and analyses and quality control checks on new products. Priority is given to members, but the service is open to everyone. Call 01372 376761 for details.

Fun for all

When Christmas is problem-free, it can be big business. Peter Stutchbury, head of e-commerce and research at Brake Bros, says the market for its products grew 20% during the five weeks up to Christmas last year compared with the previous five weeks - "13% increase in fast food, 23% increase in hotels, 25% increase in restaurants and 27% increase in pubs".

In the five weeks before Christmas last year, Brakes found some foods proved more popular than others:

• Frozen meat substitutes and frozen pizza: up 2%.
• Frozen red meat and pork: up 6%.
• Frozen poultry: up nearly 40%.Other products showing large increases in the run-up to Christmas include:
• Frozen soup: up 33%.
• Frozen desserts: up 42%.
• Frozen pasta: up 54%.
• Frozen fruit: up 99%.

Other findings

• Frozen potato products are used less at Christmas in hotels, but show a healthy increase in restaurants.
• While frozen desserts increase by 50% in restaurants and hotels, the figure in pubs is much higher.
• Uptake of frozen fruit is extremely high in hotels and restaurants at about 90%, but in pubs the figure is a whopping 170%.
• In pubs, frozen pasta increases by nearly 80% and in hotels by nearly 600%.

Contacts

3663 08701 575757
Arkady Craigmillar 0151-343 1600
Brake Bros/Brakefresh 0845 606 9090 www.brake.co.uk
Caterplan (Christmas recipe book) 0800 389 8421
Grampian 01953 457 719
King UKwww.king-uk.com.
Machphie 0141-222 2040
MasterFoodServices 01858 434142
Padley's 0800 085 2749
Quorn (free recipe leaflet) 0870 607 0182
Silver Spoon Foodservice 01672 564805
The Ilchester Cheese Company 020 7240 2444

On the party menu

• The most popular starter for Christmas meals is soup, according to market research company Taylor Nelson Sofres, and Caterplan's range of 18 Knorr soups includes seasonal flavours such as Broccoli & Stilton, Spicy Parsnip and Cream of Chicken.
• Top of the bill from Arkady Craigmillar is the Bon Vivant savoury snack portfolio, in three ranges: Buffet, Take-away and Centre Plate. Offers include Delice de Mignon Pastry Cups, with Ham & Gouda, Turkey & Mushroom, Emmental & Olives and Turkey Curry flavours.
• New from Brake Bros in time for Christmas are Gressingham Duck Breast with Morello Cherry Stuffing, as well as Salmon & Spinach Terrine. For vegetarians, there's Sweet Potato, Parsnip & Chestnut Bake in individual dishes. For Christmas buffets, the company's Mini Wrap Selection is made from filled wraps cut into a round swirl. Flavours include Duck Hoi Sin, Roast Pepper Mousse and Coronation Chicken.
• Cranberry Coulis, made from pure fruit purée, is the latest addition to the Macphie Fruit Coulis UHT range. It joins the company's traditional brandy sauce.
• Brakefresh has launched Fresh Pigs in Blankets this year - raw 17g pork sausages wrapped in smoked streaky bacon. Raw Boned & Rolled Turkey Breast with Pork, Sage & Orange Stuffing comes trussed with string and ready to roast, and Parsnip Quarters and Brussels Sprouts join the range of ready-prepared vegetables.
• Marlow Foods is offering an alternative to the traditional Christmas meal, with several new ideas and recipes from Quorn, such as Quorn Pieces & Vegetables in a Puff Pastry Pillow with a Creamy Mustard Sauce.
• 3663 is running a Christmas Cheers! Bonus bonds promotion in which customers are rewarded with points on selected products ordered from a wide range of brands and Christmas items to claim cash vouchers. The free customer advice line offers product information, recipe suggestions and catering advice.
• Grampian Foodservice suggests perking up Christmas menus with Marinated Chicken Butterfly Breasts, available in flavours such as Thai Style, Chargrilled, Lime & Chilli, Honey & Mustard, Lemon & Pepper, Cajun, and Garlic & Herb.
• For dessert, Brake Bros has a new Blood Orange Torte, which combines a chocolate biscuit base with an orange mousse, and Chocolate Cookie Drop, a textured chocolate-cookie base, layered with soft vanilla cheesecake and topped with a ganache lid, as well as a Peach and Champagne Tart and the relaunched thaw-and-serve Yule Log. Christmas Pudding with Brandy Custard is also now available as an individual microwaveable pudding.
• For those who like to make their own puds, Silver Spoon is offering caterers a free pack of Alternative Christmas recipes using its brown sugar from the Stay Soft range. Ideas include Passion Fruit Pavlova and Baked American Cheesecake.
• The Ilchester Cheese Company is launching a range of festive cheeses, including Drambuie Dream, Pineapple Calypso, Orange & Cranberry explosion and Chocolate & Black Cherry Sensation.
• Caterplan, the food service division of Unilever Bestfoods, is offering caterers advice with menu-planning and a Christmas recipe book.
• King has a new Christmas catalogue which includes new products such as a pre-decorated Christmas tree, Santa's eggs (containing miniature toys), reindeer antlers and flashing Christmas hats.
• Padley's has a new Party Solutions brochure which contains more than 20 recipe ideas using its wide range of chicken products.
• Cadbury Trebor Bassett's festive launches include Dream Snow Bites, Mye chocolates and a White Buttons advent calendar, as well as new chocolate Christmas tree decorations.
• New recipes from MasterFoodServices include Festive Ebly & Cranberry Filo Parcels and Turkey Tikka X-Masala.