Genetics are one of life's great unfathomables. This writer's father is a brilliant journalist, for instance ñ work that one out. But the Kershaw family in Bradford are just one of the produce industry's congratulatory nods to the adage ëlike father like son'.

Father Paul spent his working life building up a business in Bradford's wholesale market. Sons Tim, Simon, Noel and Johnathan have worked alongside him and are now embarking on the same journey, all from a slightly different angles but with one, common objective ñ to succeed.

Johnathan, the youngest, is heading up Burbank Imports, which in a year has established itself as a supplier of produce from France and all corners of the globe to the wholesale and catering trades in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Elder statesmen Simon and Tim run Burbank Wholesale, which supplies the wholesale and catering trade the length and breadth of Yorkshire and in surrounding counties. He is also president of the Bradford Wholesale Market Tenants' Association.

Last and by no means least, Noel has set up and swiftly built up Delifresh, also situated on the market, as a supplier of the complete range of fresh delicatessen products for the chef desiring the true one-stop-shop.

The first two companies are linked, albeit as separately run businesses. Delifresh is an entirely independent company. The three, however, have fed off each other's strengths to grow to pre-conceived levels in the last 14 months or so.

Johnathan Kershaw says: “The two businesses ñ import and wholesale ñ are totally separate. From an accounting point of view it is vital that we look at them like that. One of the benefits of a family company is that we can dot the Is and cross the Ts at all stages. Any decisions that need to be made are done so quickly. The wholesale side is a customer of ours and is treated exactly the same as any other customer. In some ways, our product is probably scrutinised more than other suppliers, but we wouldn't want it any other way.”

Working alongside Johnathan on imports are Eddie Bowers, who shares sales and is responsible for procurement of product through France, and Andrew Sapsford, who is charged with buying and selling produce from around the world.

Last week's article described direct sales of product brought in from Rungis market to Burbank customers in the south of England. Burbank's facilities in Bradford, which were last week extended by two units to seven, are used to consolidate and reassemble consignments for its customers after the 10-12 hour journey from Paris. Attention to detail continues to dominate the approach.

Three deliveries a week come in each week from Rungis and either Kershaw or Bowers will be on hand to personally check the produce when it arrives, usually at around 10pm. “We quality check immediately on arrival to ensure there is never any bottleneck, and the produce is then repacked and redistributed overnight. Quick turnaround allows us to eradicate delays for vehicles and other routes,” says Kershaw. Burbank has eight vehicles in total, and drivers with many years of collective experience are also helping to smooth the logistical process.

“There is more of an opportunistic element to our business in London and the south,” adds Bowers. “If we have the right product, at the right price, there will be a market there for it. Around 70 per cent of our business is on contract and we would like to increase the ratio to around 75:25. It is more difficult to budget for ad-hoc business obviously. There is a seasonal nature to this, though. At the moment we are heavily involved in the Moroccan season and there is a big market for this in London.”

Bowers believes that the Moroccan job has become cluttered. “There are too many people involved. As people have seen the volume potential there has been a rush of takers. There is never any shortage in the market now and too many people are simply having a go, which brings the price down. Business needs to be conducted on a more consistent and specialised basis, which is where we come in,” he says.

While the medium-term goal is constancy, Burbank has thrived in its early stages on picking up irregular custom, by differentiating its offer through the consistency and level of its service, says Kershaw. “The personal touch of Andrew Foster in Rungis is followed through the process, and that's where Andy [Sapsford] comes in too. He adds a wide range of both general and specialist product to our more specialist offer,” he explains. “This is a free market and the only thing that allows us to stand out is the that our service levels are higher than the next company.”

Sapsford has more than 15 years experience in purchasing what he terms “everyday produce” and while he has concentrated largely on specialised lines ñ such as Escobi branded salads from Spain ñ and direct deliveries, he is beginning to look further afield, to Africa and Asia for example, and revisit old partners for some of the more specialised lines. “We have limited storage capacity at Bradford at the moment, so we adopt a just-in-time policy,” says Sapsford. “Direct sources are the only way to do that and more than 70 per cent of my business is done that way. That will rise as a proportion.

“As volumes rise steadily, there will be more opportunity to develop relationships. We want to keep relatively small, but offer a comprehensive range from recognised suppliers. We are not big enough, and do not want to be, to buy containers of Brazilian melons, for instance, but we are still large enough to have a healthy relationship with major shippers. The beauty of getting our produce direct is that we have a five or six day advantage on most of the wholesalers and catering suppliers in the area.”

Kershaw believes that chasing volume is not the route to follow for long-term solidity. He says: “We have seen that handling vast volumes increases costs and obliges you to chase turnover to cover them. In turn, that can cause you to lose focus and control of the business. We have concentrated on keeping costs at a level where we know the level of turnover required to sustain profitability. It is a considered approach to growth and allows us to be selective in what we do.”

He adds that this new outlook on business creates a different business style, with more predictable targets. “We have cut back on costs, but not through a cost-cutting exercise,” he says. “But we can't stand still ñ we want to get to a sustainable level, be content with that and maintain it.

“The business has changed totally and our customer base reflects that. We have a diverse offer and we need a good mix to optimise our distribution. In catering, we have had considerable success in our initial target regions ñ London, the north west, Northern Ireland and Scotland. But we are still looking more at the north of England.”

One of the reasons that the north of England remains relatively untapped is that Burbank's wholesale section has much of that covered itself. Simon Kershaw says: “Johnathan's side of the business adds a dimension to our wholesale business. We do not buy from them and sell outside the market though. Anyone else importing French gear in Bradford would love our source and it would make no sense to begin competing with each other for customers.”

Delifresh has also proved an invaluable outlet for Burbank Import, and vice versa. “Having a permanent presence in Rungis means we can source fresh fruit and vegetables and other delicatessen items for Delifresh if necessary. Noel has targeted the high end of the catering market and the extent of his range has opened up a number of avenues,” says Johnathan Kershaw. “He is a great customer to have as he has many years of experience and therefore knows the product, he has worked in Rungis and understands what we can source there, and he is extremely enthusiastic. It is nice when a customer wants to talk with you about how good a product is and not only when there are problems.”

The additional purchasing power has assisted Delifresh's swift growth. In outlining his objectives though, Noel Kershaw is clear. “We have achieved more than we expected in year one, what we are looking for now is consolidation,” he says, adding that the pressure of the first year of a new business is released slightly as building on early success takes over as the main priority.

“We are committed to being strong regionally, not nationally. We have customers as far north as Durham and south as Sheffield, but we have turned down opportunities to supply national accounts. Control of the supply chain has been integral to our success so far and being selective with our customers means that we know that the products we buy will have an outlet ñ even at a premium.

“Burbank Imports has sourced around 25 per cent of our range to this point and it has therefore played a big part in our establishment. The key thing for us is that we make the most of what they have there in Rungis. If I press the right button at the right time, I know they can get me most produce from Rungis by the end of the next day - which definitely gives me an edge.”

As a supporter of Leeds United, Johnathan Kershaw is aware of the need to survive first and foremost, before moving on to fresher and potentially more lucrative pastures. He and his brothers are also hell bent on keeping their businesses in perspective. The temptation to overstretch yourself once success strikes ñ we're back to Leeds again ñ is hard to resist, but resist it they insist they will. Crossing the divide from comfortable stability to ruinous cost spirals is not in the business plan.

He echoes the sentiments of Noel: “The first 12 months is about establishing yourself, the second is about consolidation of what you have achieved,” says Kershaw. “Now we will look at the systems we have in place, the way we have done things and aim to make everything more robust. The business has grown according to plan and broadly things are moving in the right direction. Now we want to reinforce that.”

A logical outlook should ensure the sequels keep coming. Keep reading for Burbank IV - the consolidation years.