The Place to go for frozen fruit

When the modern frozen food industry was born in 1924, few could have predicted the great strides in innovation that would follow in the sector.

Since American entrepreneur Clarence Birdseye developed his quick-freezing method exactly 100 years ago, there have been continued efforts to boost the quality and variety of frozen foods available. And techniques such as individual quick freezing (IQF) have improved the preservation of food texture, flavour, and nutritional value.

In fruit in particular, consumers are starting to appreciate the convenience and value of frozen more than ever. “The UK retail market for frozen fruit continues to grow faster than overall grocery sales, and this is partly down to it being healthy and easy to use, reducing waste, and providing good value for money,” says Liam Bresitz, interim commercial director at Place UK.

‘Ahead of the curve’

The Norfolk-based business is a major grower and processor of soft fruit and one of the key players in Britain’s frozen fruit market, specialising in IQF products.

The family company, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, is part of Driscoll’s (formerly Berry Gardens). From Church Farm in Tunstead, northeast of Norwich, the firm supplies both frozen and fresh produce to a range of supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, M&S, Waitrose and Co-op.

Meanwhile, its Cambridgeshire-based sister company Phaseolus is one of the UK’s biggest suppliers of frozen beans and pulses – for use in ready meals, soups, salads, and more, both branded and own-label. The two businesses’ other frozen lines include pasta, rice, grains, and fruit smoothie mixes and purees.

In addition to Place UK’s own production of berries, cherries and rhubarb, fruit is sourced from external producers in Britain and around the world. Imported fruits include mango, pineapple and banana.

“Over the years, we’ve adapted and grown, thanks to forward-thinking decisions like adding IQF freezing in the 1980s and embracing new farming techniques,” says Bresitz.

“[Previous MD] Tim Place helped modernise our operations. And today – led by Pieter van Egmond, and supported by the fourth generation of the family, Ben Place – we’re still pushing boundaries and staying ahead of the curve.

“From supplying raspberries to packing smoothie mixes for your local store, our focus on quality and innovation remains as strong as ever. As we look back on these incredible 70 years, we’re excited for what’s to come.”

A family affair

Initially trading as R & J M Place Ltd, the company was formed in 1954 under the leadership of John Place, who grew berries on the family farm – initially for sale to jam, yoghurt, ice cream and dessert manufacturers.

Then, with the fall of the Berlin Wall in the 1980s, the business found itself in competition with cheap imports of jam fruit from Eastern Europe. John pivoted and decided to install an IQF factory and cold stores, allowing Place UK to sell fruit to a higher-end dessert market.

In the early part of that decade, John’s son Tim joined the family business, fresh out of university, becoming the third generation to do so. He spent most of his time in the engineering department and eventually became operations manager, before taking over as MD in 2000.

Under Tim’s leadership, the company rebranded as Place UK. And over the next few years, the team worked on several projects, including expanding the freezer factory and adding a retail packhouse in 2015.

Six years later, in 2021, Tim stepped down as MD to become group chairman. He was replaced by Van Egmond, who was promoted from farm director.

Innovative approach

With such a long history behind it, Place UK has been innovating in frozen fruit for decades. Indeed, what sets its products apart is that they are ready to eat and require no further processing. In contrast to block-freezing methods, the IQF process also helps the fruit retain its shape and colour, Bresitz says.

“It’s a fairly simple process and reflects what you may do at home,” he explains. “Fresh fruit is quick-frozen to retain its natural goodness, then packed according to need.

“Dried pulses are soaked, cooked, then quick-frozen, ready to be used by our food-processing partners as ingredients in finished products.”

When it comes to NPD, Place UK also recently launched a range of award-winning healthy smoothies under a supermarket’s own label, “with added value including gut health” – innovation that Bresitz says the company is proud of.

Maintaining continuity of supply can be tricky at times, and Bresitz reports that Place UK has not been immune to the sector’s well-reported challenges with logistics in recent years. Nevertheless, the business has been able to plan ahead and ensure all customers are fully supplied, he says.

Meanwhile, sustainability is a priority for the business, and various measures have been taken to limit the firm’s environmental impact and also attract enough seasonal workers.

On the environmental side, the business recently expanded its solar installation from 280kWh to 1,350kWh, equating to 38 per cent of the site’s total electricity usage. Place UK also won the award for Best Farming Innovation Adopter at this year’s Norfolk Rural Business Awards – for its investment in a water source heat pump. The installation heats the supplier’s 2.2ha greenhouse, helping to extend its growing season for strawberries.

When it comes to seasonal labour, Bresitz says the company prides itself on its facilities for workers – including on-site accommodation, a shop, canteen, basketball court, football pitch and gym, as well as 24/7 support from welfare officers. Many of the supplier’s more than 500 workers return year after year, Bresitz says.

With the mission of supplying “healthy, tasty and sustainable” produce to customers old and new, the frozen fruit manufacturer certainly isn’t standing still. And Bresitz says Place UK is on a journey to growing the business, while providing a workplace “where our colleagues can flourish”.