The highly complex, fragmented nature of the foodservice market is getting easier for fresh produce suppliers to access in the future as national providers come on the scene and fresh products become more attractive to caterers, Brakes commercial manager Stuart Smith told Re:fresh delegates.
“Foodservice customers are changing their product mix towards chilled,” said Smith. “Historically where they have bought frozen they are moving over to chilled, there is also some steal from tinned.
“And we are starting to see the experience in retail leaking into foodservice with the perception of chilled being better quality, fresher and healthier.”
Smith also emphasised that in the restaurant supply business top quality is absolutely vital. “We are talking about caterers - not shoppers - these are customers who are constantly using the products and expect them to perform consistently.”
Brakes expanded into the fresh produce sector by bolting on the activities of an established supplier when it acquired Pauleys in 2002.
Smith said there were a number of challenges for suppliers. “We want to have in place the same due diligence as the supermarkets and when it comes to food safety, we need to be whiter than white, not just for the Brakes brand, but for our customers’ names.”
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