Simon Ball

In the recent edition of the leading fresh produce trade magazine – FPJ – managing director, Simon Ball, looks forward to the scorching summer season in the UK after a difficult winter for the industry.

After the long winter, many of us thought summer would never arrive… Thankfully it has and we are well placed to strengthen our position as a leading supplier of fresh leafy salads to our customers.

The recent decision by William Jackson Food Group (WJFG) to acquire the minority stake held previously by the founding shareholders, making Hazeldene a wholly owned subsidiary, will add fresh momentum to our initiative of ‘putting flavour back on the plate’. This further emphasises the commitment that WJFG has to the fresh produce category, through its ownership of both Hazeldene and Parripak.

Since late April, we have seen a significant increase in sales levels across our customer base and this is reflected in recent Kantar Worldpanel data, showing the bagged salad category remains in strong growth at 8.6% (52 w/e to 18/4/10).

The prospect of a bumper summer, fuelled by the inevitable World Cup barbecues, is set to boost growth for us, which we are all very excited about. It is also clear that the prepared salad market is in good shape ahead of the key summer season, with major supermarket groups enjoying strong growth, despite one of the coldest winter seasons on record. Some are into double digits, which for a mature, high penetration category like bagged salads, is bucking many of the recession-led trends, such the rise in cooking from scratch.

The gloomy views ahead of the recent recession suggested a wholesale reversion to whole head products, which simply hasn’t happened. This is positive news for the industry as it shows that consumers’ appetites for low waste, great tasting leaf products and convenient meal solutions, has not been affected.

At Hazeldene, we are working closely with all our customers to ensure our products are tailored towards their business needs. This is something we are working hard to deliver, some of which will arrive as early as summer 2010. In April this year, we invited a number of key business-to-business customers to our Spanish crop trials, where we looked at ways of enhancing the leaf offer within their products. Some of our customers spent a little longer than originally planned, following the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano – unfortunately coinciding with our trials! However, after what seemed like an outtake from ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’, all of our customers got home… eventually!

So far, indications are that the UK crop is looking good and having just about completed the migration from imported to UK sourced products, we can now reflect on what was possibly one of the most difficult winter season’s supply in most peoples’ memories. Although, on a plus side, we were able to source our products within Europe instead of America, despite the weather issues.

Whilst it is quickly forgotten by many and ongoing supply is a taken as a given, the supply chain effort in ensuring the product was available, is not to be underestimated and has certainly provided some clear direction for the next winter season. Our own operation, based near Murcia in Spain, proved invaluable through the winter season giving us ‘on the ground’ reports on availability, as well as the weather. At times it felt as though Lancashire had moved to southern Spain!

So, as we now embark on the summer 2010 season, I am confident that we will finally see that ‘barbecue summer’ I have been predicting for the last couple of years. A wholly owned subsidiary of WJFG will see us delivering industry leading development initiatives, which continue to fuel growth in the fresh salad category.

Front, second from the right is Lucy Pickup, Scheduling Team Coordinator & Sales Support at Hazeldene (sponsor of the competition) and to the left of Lucy is Dawn Varley, Lecturer of Food and Hospitality at Wigan and Leigh College. Lucy and Dawn are surrounded by students and staff at the award-winning Wheel Restaurant.

Hazeldene is delighted to announce that Wigan and Leigh College’s ‘The Wheel Restaurant’ has been crowned Restaurant of the Year 2010.

Competing against over 800 entrants, the establishment deservedly picked up the top culinary award, which was sponsored by Hazeldene and part of the recent Wigan Food & Drink Festival.

Lucy Pickup, Scheduling Team Coordinator & Sales Support at the leading UK freshly prepared salad supplier Hazeldene, who helped select the winner, said:

“We’d like to congratulate The Wheel Restaurant and all staff for this achievement – it’s thoroughly deserved. It’s a great acknowledgement for the students, particularly as they work hard to ensure the restaurant has a fun and friendly atmosphere, whilst being very enthusiastic about all things culinary. This is reflected in their varied and appetizing dishes.

“At Hazeldene, we are firm supporters of those who contribute to the community, particularly up-and-coming and talented young chefs – these students could be the next big thing in the food world! As The Wheel Restaurant is part of Wigan and Leigh College and run by Catering & Hospitality students, it brings a welcome boost to the area and to the lives of those involved.”

The Wheel Restaurant, which opened in 2007, offers three course lunches and dinners at reasonable prices. Meals are prepared, made and served by students who will progress on to the catering and hospitality industry.

Terry Keyte, Catering & Hospitality Manager at Wigan & Leigh College said:

“We are extremely pleased to have won Restaurant of the Year. The students share a love of food and work hard all year round to ensure that this is echoed in our meals and overall service.

“We’d like to thank everyone who voted for us and hopefully will see many of you at the restaurant in the coming months to join our celebration of winning this worthy award.”

In addition to winning the title of Restaurant of the Year 2010, The Wheel Restaurant will receive a trophy to proudly display to customers and staff, whilst the nominee will receive a weekend break at Taste of London – a restaurant festival celebrating food and drink.

Nominee, Gillian McQuade of Wigan, is a regular diner and big fan of The Wheel Restaurant. In her nomination, she stated: “The food is prepared and served by young and enthusiastic people, who have a zest for life and a love for food.”

Hazeldene was a principal sponsor of the Wigan Food & Drink Festival, which took place between 4^th – 14^th March and was the most successful to date, attracting crowds of over 30,000.

For opening times and reservations of The Wheel Restaurant, contact 01942 761888 or log on to www.wigan-leigh.ac.uk

Simon during his Kilimanjaro adventure

After almost 50 hours of intense trekking, altitude sickness and temporary blindness in one eye, our MD Simon Ball is celebrating after conquering Kilimanjaro and breaking his fundraising goal.

Simon swapped his smart shirts for climbing gear to tackle the highest freestanding mountain in the world in March. He managed to raise an impressive £10,500 along the way for the Outward Bound Trust, beating his original target by £500.

Simon battled through very little sleep, dehydration and severe altitude sickness before reaching Stella Point (18,995ft) – on the roof of Africa, to experience breathtaking views and an incredible sunrise.

He said: “The trip was certainly a once in a life time experience and one which I’ll never forget. It was much more of a challenge than I thought it would be and I never imagined how difficult I would find coping with the effects of the altitude.

“The most difficult thing I had to overcome was my fear of heights, over and above the training and the trek itself. My lasting memory of the trip will be going to sleep on Tuesday night looking at the Great Barranco Wall (all 800ft of it) in absolute fear! I managed to conquer it on Wednesday morning but only with some great encouragement from the team! A really small feat for me to overcome when I think of the children who will benefit from the funds raised.

“All in all, it was a great trip and an amazing experience, matched by some enormous generosity and support by colleagues, suppliers, friends and family to whom I am incredibly grateful.”

Simon’s journey doesn’t end here – he has been invited by H.R.H. The Duke of York to attend the Outward Bound Trust lunch at Buckingham Palace on 27th April, as an acknowledgement of his mountainous experience.

Funds raised by Simon’s Kilimanjaro trek will allow 60 young people to go on a week long course at Outward Bound.

To make a donation online go to: http://www.justgiving.com/simon-ball

To find out more about the Outward Bound Trust visit: www.theoutwardboundtrust.org.uk

Lucy Pickup, Scheduling Team Coordinator & Sales Support at Hazeldene with master chef Brian Mellor at the Hazeldene Market Kitchen Theatre Demo - part of the Wigan Food & Drink Festival.

Brian Mellor, the crème de la crème of master chefs, and Hazeldene helped food lovers turn over a new leaf at the Wigan Food & Drink Festival on Saturday (13th March 2010).

Chef Brian used his culinary skills to demonstrate to the crowd the many ways in which fresh salad can spruce up even the simplest of meals at the Market Kitchen Theatre, sponsored by Hazeldene. Crowds were able to taste a selection of Hazeldene’s key leaves, including Apollo, Bellagio and Rocket, while also tasting three tailored recipes on the day.

Lucy Pickup, Scheduling Team Coordinator & Sales Support at Hazeldene, was delighted to have Brian on board and assisted him on the day. She said:

“Brian did a brilliant job of showing the crowd how to use salad to add new flavours, colours and textures to even the simplest of dishes. There was a real buzz on the day and Brian’s energy and enthusiasm for cooking was clear from the outset. His advice and tips were helpful for both beginners and experts.

“Assisting Brian at the demo is just the start of what will hopefully be a growing relationship with Hazeldene. Going forward, we’d like to delve into Brian’s gastronomic expertise to help our product development and innovations. Sharing the same values, from the importance of producing locally during the UK summer season, with local growers and suppliers, to being honest, friendly, professional and passionate about what we do. Sharing a love of all things salad also helps!

Brian, who runs his own cookery school in the Wirral, said:

“There was a lively atmosphere at the demo and it was great to see so many families in attendance on the day. Hazeldene and I worked together to ensure that the dishes prepared were flavoursome and creative, yet simple enough for everyone to be able to recreate at home easily. We also wanted to make sure that the key ingredients were available in all supermarkets and at a reasonable cost.

“Hazeldene is a key player in the food industry and it was great to be able to work with a local supplier – something which I am a big supporter of. Hopefully the Wigan Food & Drink Festival will be the first of many partnerships with Hazeldene, which will flourish going forward.”

For further information on Brian Mellor, visit www.brianmellor.co.uk

Hazeldene and Master Chef, Brian Mellor, have teamed up to cook up a storm of salad at this year’s Wigan Food and Drink Festival. The award-winning chef will host Hazeldene’s Outdoor Market Kitchen Theatre, which takes place at 11.30am on Saturday 13th March at Wigan’s biggest culinary festival.

Hazeldene, is sponsoring the event and with the support of Brian, will help festival goers ‘put more flavour on their plates’ and learn how to be a little more creative with all things salad. As well as gaining some top advice from Brian, attendees can look forward to demonstrations, tastings and giveaways.

Simon Ball, Hazeldene’s managing director, was delighted to announce Brian’s involvement. He said:

“Brian’s approach is a perfect fit with ours, having been recommended by a friend as being honest, friendly, very professional, highly engaging and passionate during demonstrations. As a keen supporter of locally sourced produce, Brian understands the importance of such relationships, something that we share, value and are extremely proud of with local suppliers, seed houses and growers, to provide a seamless link from plant to plate.

“We’re thrilled to have him on board at our Outdoor Market Kitchen Theatre and are looking forward to seeing his creativity with Hazeldene’s produce through the three differing salad recipes he will be demonstrating on the day. We are expecting the demo to not only be informative but entertaining – something that is not to be missed! So, make sure you, your family and friends come along and taste the flavoursome dishes on offer!”

Brian, the former Executive Chef at Granada TV and Head Chef, was delighted to be teaming up with Hazeldene at this year’s Wigan Food & Drink Festival. He said:

“Ever since a young age, I’ve always loved cooking so I’m really looking forward to being able to share my passion and enthusiasm for all things culinary with people from Wigan and beyond. Chefs love ‘funky’ leaves, shoots and cresses and this chef is no exception, so I’m really into what Hazeldene does. Whether it’s as a side, main on within a wrap, salad can really liven up a meal and it’s healthy too, so you can’t go wrong!”

Hazeldene’s Outdoor Market Kitchen takes place on Saturday 13th March at 11.30am until 1pm. A full festival programme is available from Wigan Tourist Information Centre (contact 01942 825677 or visit www.wlct.org/foodanddrink).

More info on Brian Mellor can be found at www.brianmellor.co.uk.

Our Managing Director, Simon Ball, is attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro on Friday 12 March 2010 in an attempt to raise £10,000 in aid of the educational charity ‘The Outward Bound Trust’.

Following this he will then be working on a community project in Moshi, volunteering three days in the local village of Moshi, in Tanzania to help build schools, watering holes and to set up medical facilities all assisting in the development of a small, yet significant difference to their community.

£10,000 will be sufficient to send sixty disadvantaged young people on an exciting outdoor adventure. This is a safe, yet challenging character-forming experience designed to boost the levels of individuals’ self-esteem and to allow them to realise their full potential in order to achieve higher levels of confidence and motivation than they ever dreamed possible.

This altitude-defying, self confessed food lover is all set to step out of his comfort zone and make radical changes to his lifestyle during his training in order to challenge himself to make a difference. He will experience the same challenges to his motivation as the young people who are supported by this educational charity.

The Outward Bound Trust aspires to boost young people’s confidence and self-esteem helping them to achieve more than they thought they could. The charity provides the motivation to help them develop better relationship skills – which in turn makes them to develop a positive social attitude leading to improved school work and a deeper sense of social responsibility; all helping to unlock the potential that is planted deep within every individual.

To make a donation visit: http://www.justgiving.com/simon-ball. Simon will also be keeping a blog of his progress, which you can find here: http://simonball001.blogspot.com/.

Additional information on the charity can be found on http://www.theoutwardboundtrust.org.uk

On Friday, 4 September, we were out in the field and getting our hands dirty to develop new varieties in a bid to put more flavour on the plate. We welcomed current and new customers from convenience retail and food manufacturing, plus development chefs from foodservice companies.

The trials follow a smaller version earlier in the season (in June), where a handful of key customers visited to provide initial thoughts and feedback. The team here have since evaluated key varieties including; an extended range of Baby Leaf varieties and selections of Rocket, Land Cress, Chards and Mustards, while adding special developments of, Purslane, Sorrel, Chives and Pea Shoots. The trial has grown from 110 varieties to over 150 varieties of Salads: The full list included; Whole Head, Continental, & Baby Leaf Lettuce, Aromatic Herbs and Oriental Veg.

Simon Ball, Managing Director said: “We are really proud of our work to date with local growers and the positive feedback we have already received from customers both current and new. I think we have really captured the imagination of the industry, with our aim to find something new, which not only looks good but tastes even better and offers more flavour and taste to the current salad offering.

“The importance of our relationships within our business is key in achieving our ambition. With the strength of our close working relationships with suppliers, seed houses and growers, we benefit from a seamless link from plant to plate.“

We welcomed over 14 companies to attend the trials including; Co-op, Wagamama, Greggs, Greencore and Solway, plus other retailer and hotel groups. It is hoped their visit to the field will lead to further development of the business and create more jobs for the local area.