MBWA

Henry Amar, chairman, writes:At a school where I was once a governor, senior teachers developed a practice they called learning walks. Initially viewed with suspicion by some members of staff, it soon became apparent that these regular visits to all parts of the school were hugely beneficial in raising standards in every aspect of school activity. Because the senior management team became aware, thanks to these walks, of everything that was happening around the place, they were able to eliminate bad practices and build on the many strengths to create an even better school.

These learning walks really resonated with me because, throughout my business life, I have found easily the most effective management tool to be MBWA – Management By Walking Around. No doubt the army of management gurus, who daily tell us how to run our businesses, would dismiss MBWA as superficial and worthless. I take a very different view. You cannot run a business sitting behind a desk, gazing at a computer screen. When I am in the office, I make a point, at least once an hour, of leaving my room and taking a walk around the building, chatting to colleagues, seeing what is going on, what is going well, and where there are problems. It is a sociable and instructive process, and often the briefest and most casual chat can throw up useful insights and sensible suggestions which improve company performance.

(continued on P8)

Drink - and be Appy RH Amar is launching an exciting new range of tasty and healthier drinks designed especially for children. These are from award-winning producer, Appy Food & Drink.

Appy’s range of drinks is created using the most innovative natural ingredients, such as stevia, to ensure that they are always affordable, approved by mums

and loved by the family. The drinks are low in calories, low in sugars (all from natural fruit) and free from artificial ingredients. In other words, they are 100% natural, tasty and healthy. Appy drinks juices are school approved and endorsed by respected nutrition expert, and Lunchbox Doctor Founder, Jenny Tschiesche, as well as being approved by the trusted Vegetarian Society.

The 200ml cartons come packed in fours (soon to be moving to threes). The cartons feature some TV characters best loved by children, such as Peppa Pig (available in Summer Berries, Tropical and Orange), SpongeBob SquarePants (Orange and Pineapple) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Apple and Blackcurrant).

Irine Gujabidze, head of marketing, says: “Appy Food & Drinks is thrilled to have formed a new partnership with the respected fine foods distributor RH Amar. We are confident that the union will give retailers a superior Appy brand experience and boost our presence in the shopping isles”.

Bobby Patel, CEO and founder, says: “Appy Food & Drink has been a labour of love for me and my team to combat the issue of high sugars in our diets the natural way. For us to place trust in a company to represent our brand values they would have to be something special. We know with RH Amar we have found a fantastic partner with an amazingly passionate team that will help our company spread our healthier generations message the Appy way.”

(See Pages 2/3 for other new brands)

RH AMAR • Famous For Fine Foods Winter 2016

FINE FOOD NEWS

NEW BRANDS2 Fine Food NewsWinter 2016

Join the Herd!RH Amar is pleased to announce the launch of Top Herd, an exciting new entrant into the UK’s jerky and meat snacks market.

In the UK, meat snacks have been experiencing a meteoric rise behind the trend for missed meals. With nutrition experts and health bloggers increasingly advocating the importance of protein in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, this growth is only expected to continue.

Using the ancient techniques of air-drying, Top Herd combines premium quality cuts of beef, turkey and pork with exciting flavours such as Chilli & Lime, Tangy Tomato, Sweet Pickle, and Tomato & Paprika. The range consists of both 35g and 70g jerky varieties plus two delicious 40g Skinny Salami products. Quality is absolutely paramount with all meat coming from quality sources with no nitrates, preservatives or additives used.

Top Herd has an entirely unique proposition in that its products are aimed at a predominantly female audience. Most jerky and meat snack products alienate female consumers as they are perceived as being a beer snack and a generally unhealthy treat. With distinctive packaging designs and bold flavours, Top Herd snacks are the perfect choice whether for beating the 3pm slump or simply choosing a healthy and nutritious treat as part of a balanced diet.

Mary Berry’s builds on 2015 success Mary Berry’s continues to be the star performer within the salad dressings category as the brand continues to grow ahead of the market at +16%. This should be seen against a total market decline of -0.6%1.

Building on this success, Mary Berry’s will be launching a range of three vinaigrettes this spring:

Honey & Balsamic, Lemon & Mustard Seed, and Roasted Garlic & Red Onion.

Vinaigrettes are one of the fastest growing types of dressing2, as they are regarded as healthier alternatives to traditional salad dressings. The range has been tested with consumers, and has been seen as highly differentiated from and more special than the current market offering. Over 50% of consumers stated they would purchase Mary Berry’s vinaigrettes in addition to the dressings they already buy, thus adding value to the category3.

2016 will be a very exciting time for the brand as it also launches a major sampling campaign with its Home of Good Taste Tour. Mary Berry’s will be featured at several “foodie” festival events throughout the year in the brand’s biggest marketing campaign to date. Over the 13 days on the road, the brand aims to reach over 130,000 food lovers. Throughout the period of the tour, there will also be online discussion and content relating to Mary Berry’s.

1AC Nielsen Total Market 52 w.e 07.11.152AC Nielsen Total Market 52 w.e 12.09.153Instantly Concept Testing, June 2015.

RANGE EXTENSIONSPrewett’s newest free-fromWe are pleased to announce that Prewett’s has extended its range of award-winning biscuits. A premium all butter cookie range has been added and consists of Dark Chocolate & Ginger and Oat & Raisin (150g).

Prewett’s is also proud to launch the Chocoful bar which is a multipack of five individually wrapped chocolate-coated biscuit bars – a first gluten free version of these consumer favourites.

Growth in the biscuits category is being driven by everyday treats and speciality treats (+1.2% and +16.6% respectively)1. However in the free-from category, these two are under-represented as there is a lack of a credible offer for the consumer. Thus the aim of the new Prewett’s range is to help the free-from category increase its share of the market for treats and snacks to be eaten out of home.

1Kantar Category

Tracking Report to 29th

March 2015

NEW BRANDS 3Fine Food NewsWinter 2016

Tasty Toddler Meals now availableElla’s Kitchen Toddler Meals are now available from RH Amar. Designed for those aged 12 months and over, the meals offer a variety of tastes and textures, each one containing at least five different fruits and vegetables.

Research reveals that parents of children in this age group are ready to move on from staged weaning to more “grown up” meals which will keep their toddler full of energy. The Toddler Meals provide parents with the opportunity to continue developing their child’s healthy eating habits, marking a distinct step in a toddler’s food journey.

With engaging child-friendly visuals, and names such as “Brrooom Brrooom Bolognese Bake”, each 200g meal comes in a microwaveable tray and can be eaten warm or cold. Where the pouch format continues to dominate fixtures, marking the decline of jars, tray meals are also proving to be immensely popular, growing by 6.9% versus the previous year1.

Claire Moore of Ella’s Kitchen said: “Ella’s Kitchen has been helping parents through every stage of the weaning journey. We are proud to have created a product full of high quality organic ingredients with no added salt or sugar. This will help toddlers continue on their healthy eating journey and ensure they enjoy the fun and nutritional benefits of Ella’s Kitchen foods for longer.”

1IRI 31.10.15

De Cecco – our pasta partnerRH Amar is delighted to be working with De Cecco, the No. 1 premium pasta brand in both Italy and the UK, and No. 2 in both countries for the pasta market as a whole1. The brand has a portfolio of more than 160 different shapes and formats.

De Cecco is one of only a few producers to mill its own wheat, producing 500 tonnes a month of premium quality pasta. Only the heart of the very best durum wheat is used to ensure that the highest possible percentage of gluten and protein is retained. The milled semolina flour is combined with natural spring water obtained direct from source, then extruded through bronze dye and finally slow dried at a low temperature.

RH Amar will be working with De Cecco in specific trade channels offering an extensive range of shapes and specialities, including 1kg and 500g formats.

1AC Nielsen Total Coverage MAT 26.09.15

RANGE EXTENSIONS

RANGE EXTENSIONS4 Fine Food NewsWinter 2016

Fundraising fun RH Amar gives 10% of its net profit to charities selected by our colleagues. In addition to the regular donations made by the company, there are occasional fundraising initiatives in our offices to provide extra support.

A cake sale in November, with cakes baked by members of staff and sold to their colleagues, raised over £275, the money to be divided between Cancer Research and Guide Dogs for the Blind.

In December, we took part in the ITV Text Santa official Christmas Jumper Day, to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, Make-A-Wish® UK, and Save the Children. A surprising number of our staff already owned a Christmas jumper. Others either bought one or wore festive jewellery on the day. Each participant had to make a minimum donation of £1, and many non-participants also donated. The total collected was £108.

We are not sure Paul Tuhrim’s fundraising efforts can be described as “fun” - he certainly undertakes some gruelling cycle rides abroad to raise money for Norwood. His most recent was across the Negev desert to Jerusalem – 250 miles in rough, hilly terrain. One climb alone was 15 kilometres long. Douglas Silas was one of three disabled participants in the group. Among the 40 cyclists were fathers and daughters or sons (including Paul’s 22 year-old son), and husbands and wives. £125,000 was raised.

D&A adds more colour to its grinders Drogheria & Alimentari, the Italian spice experts founded in Florence in 1880, has extended its range of popular grinders with a selection of colourful salts.

The four new products – Blue Persian Salt Mill, Red Hawaiian Sea Salt Mill, Black Cyprus Flake Sea Salt Mill and Smoked Cyprus Flake Sea Salt Mill – are all available in attractive adjustable grinders.

The eye-catching salts each have their own unique properties. For example, the Blue Persian leaves a spicy taste in the mouth and is ideal as a table salt; the Red Hawaiian has a high iron content with a flavour resembling toasted hazelnuts, and goes well with grilled meat.

An existing coloured salt in the D&A portfolio – the Pink Himalayan Salt – has been the No.1 selling product in their range for many years.

In demandRob Amar, managing director,

writes:Firstly, may I wish all our valued customers, supply partners and other service providers a year of success, health and happiness, both professionally and personally.

For RH Amar, and me personally, 2016 has already been very busy. I cannot remember a time when our services have been more in demand. In the past few months we have received dozens of approaches from brand owners wanting to partner with us. The approaches come from far and wide - some from UK, some from overseas; some big, some small; some established brands, others entrepreneurial start-ups.

But one thing unites them - a desire to find a sales, marketing and logistics solution that is effective both in delivering results, and in managing costs. I have long held the view that the distributor model has value and longevity, even at times when sceptics spelled doom for what they saw as nothing more than “middle men”. But the past few months have shown me that the distributor model is not just alive and well, but very much in vogue and thriving as a result. More and more brand owners, and a good few customers see the value we bring.

Part of the reason is a simple case of supply and demand. There are hundreds, if not thousands of brands wanting (and in many cases, needing!) a distributor for the UK market, but there is only a handful of distributors who have the scale, knowledge and experience to be successful.

Of course, we have to be selective. Our warehouse walls are not elastic, nor is our time. Historically, we have limited the number of new brands we take on in any year to ensure we do not dilute our focus. In some cases, especially if there is a conflict with an existing brand, it is easy to say no. But most approaches need careful consideration, so that we pick out the ones we think will be of most interest to our customers, and have most chance of success – also mindful that we don’t want to miss out on “the next big thing.”

So what does this mean? For RH Amar, it means a break from the norm, as we are taking on no fewer than five brands in Q1 alone. It

also means lots of other exciting opportunities ahead. For our customers, in the months and years to come, it means you can expect more new brands supported by the same great RH Amar service.

RANGE EXTENSIONS 5Fine Food NewsWinter 2016

Welcome – and congratulations!We are happy to welcome two new members of staff - Ashley Hanson and Grainne Lawless.

Ashley joined us in October as a warehouseman. He previously worked for PSV Glass, again as a warehouseman.

Grainne joined the technical team in November as NPD and specifications technologist. On leaving university in Ireland in 2012, her first job was as quality technician with her parents’ company, The Foods of Athenry, which specialises in free-from food. She has also worked for worked for the Harrods technical team on a new online specification system.

Congratulations to Albina Lukaszek and Luke Dodsley, who, having been in temporary positions for the past two years, have now been given official employee status. Albina is working as an operations assistant, and Luke as a warehouseman.

Cooks&Co’s continuing creativityCooks&Co’s new product development team has been busy creating new products to launch this January to extend the fine food ingredients range across both retail and foodservice.

The first of these is a range of peppers from Peru - Sweety Pepp Cherry Peppers (available in red and a mix of red and yellow) and Sweety Drop Peppers.

The Sweety Pepp Cherry Peppers have been sourced from the highlands in Peru and their flavour is sweet with mild heat. These are ideal as a tasty appetiser or for adding into stir fries and pasta dishes.

The Sweety Drop Peppers are authentic Amazon Inca red drops. They are unique in shape, colour, size and texture. They have a sweet and sour flavour with an added kick. Perfect for pasta, stir-fries and for adding into couscous, they also make an ideal topping for pizzas and salads.

In addition Cooks&Co is launching a Coconut Oil in a 300ml jar to build on its extensive speciality oils range. There is also a 1.1kg PET jar of Semi-Dried Tomatoes to partner the very successful Sun-Dried Tomatoes product that is already available for foodservice.

MARKETING NEWS6 Fine Food NewsWinter 2016

Monini anticipates a bright 2016 Monini’s Classico Extra Virgin Olive Oil is Italy’s No.1 brand of extra virgin olive oil1. Monini was successfully introduced into the UK wholesale sector across retail and foodservice during the last year. Since then interest in it has rocketed following its introduction to Ocado shoppers in December 2015.

Monini’s arrival in Ocado has enabled the brand to secure a loyal following with savvy shoppers who are keen to try some of the finest and most popular olive oils from Italy. The listing in Ocado also builds on the traction that RH Amar is already developing for the brand across the wholesale channel for both retail and foodservice.

There is a huge opportunity in the UK for an authentic range of top quality olive oils from Italy, especially oils that come from a producer with an excellent global reputation like Monini. Its oils come with a seal of approval from the Monini family, who have been famous for selling olive oil in Italy across three generations.

1Nielsen Italia 2014

McCormick’s Flavour Forecast McCormick has unveiled its Flavour Forecast for 2016, revealing the trends which will shape culinary exploration across the globe for years to come.

Compiled by a leading team of McCormick chefs, food technologists and flavour experts, the report indicates some key developments. These include the evolution of our appetite for spicy cuisines and the emergence of ancestral flavours, with herbs such as thyme and parsley being rediscovered.

Heat + Tang – Spicy finds a welcome contrast with tangy accents and includes Peruvian chillies and sambal sauce.

Tropical Asian – Pinoy BBQ and rendang curry come to the forefront as the vibrant cuisine and distinctive flavours of Malaysia and the Philippines attract the adventurous palates .

Blends with benefits – Flavourful herbs and spices add everyday versatility to superfood heavyweights such as flax and chia seed.

Alternative “pulse” proteins – Packed with protein and nutrients, pulses including pigeon peas and black beluga lentils are enhanced when paired with delicious ingredients.

Ancestral flavours – Ancient herbs such as lavender and rosemary experience a renaissance, pairing with modern dishes to celebrate food that tastes real, pure and satisfying.

Culinary-infused sips – The classic culinary techniques of pickling, roasting and brûlée provide new tastes and inspiration in the creation of the latest beverages.

The entire report can be found at http://www.mccormick.com/Flavor-Forecast-2016

MARKETING NEWS 7Fine Food NewsWinter 2016

Ella’s Kitchen’s Downton Abbey spoofElla’s Kitchen ushered in the festive period with the launch of a Downton Abbey parody on YouTube, complete with piano introduction, aristocratic children, Brussel sprouts and the upstairs-downstairs divide.

“Down Town Babby” tells the tale of a Christmas disaster averted by the ingenuity of mini-Lady Edi. The staff, distracted by learning to read and write, have forgotten to turn the oven on, but the Crawling family rustle up some last minute ingredients, saving Christmas lunch.

The short film, which currently has over 350,000 views on YouTube, was produced in conjunction with Save the Children. It forms part of Ella’s Kitchen’s ongoing support of FAST - the Save the Children’s award–winning Families and Schools Together programme.

The initiative aims to build stronger bonds between parents, schools and communities in the UK to make sure children get the support they need to fulfil their potential at school and in life. It also promotes the importance of family meal-time and the positive impact this can have on a child’s development.

The film itself ties in with the Ella’s Kitchen brand, referencing fresh ingredients, as well as children’s education.

Mark Cuddigan, managing director of Ella’s Kitchen, said: “We’re really excited to have partnered with Save the Children for the launch of our special Christmas film. We think we’ve created something that will not only raise awareness of our charity partnership in a fun way, but also puts children at the heart of the campaign.”

The link to the film is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OxpyGzOr2M

Implications of new season olive cropWhilst there has been much press coverage recently regarding the poor olive oil harvest, what about the humble table olive? Has this crop been good or bad, and how has the situation with olive oil affected the table olive market? Here we give an update on the new season crop and how it impacts on olive pricing and availability.

In the past, there has been little correlation between the crop used for olive oil and that for table olives. Different olives are used, with Spanish Hojiblanca olives being the main variety grown for oil, and Spanish Manzanilla or Moroccan Picholine used for table olives. However, with poor Hojiblanca harvests over the last two years, there has been increasing pressure on all olive crops.

In Morocco, for the second year running the crop has been impacted by the pressure on the olive oil crop. Farmers who normally pick their olives only for table olives are choosing to hold on to them for olive oil production, where they expect to achieve higher prices. Therefore, whilst the crop has been good, due to the above the raw material prices have increased.

In Spain, the situation is worse, with a mixed harvest due to weather conditions over the key growing season. The fruit has been smaller and there has been more damaged crop than in previous years, meaning a decrease in the quantity of useable stock. In addition there is very little carry-over from the previous season and the situation with the olive oil crop conditions has again added pressure on demand and pricing. The growers have been able to command much higher prices, as they have the bargaining power to hold onto their crops and sell for olive oil production. This has led to increases in raw materials of up to 50% for the new season.

The UK’s No.1 brand1, Crespo, has factories in both Morocco and Spain and has been working hard to minimise the impact of the increases. As always, quality and consistency are of the utmost importance and Crespo is confident that the new season olive stocks that have been secured meet these high standards.

1ACNielsen Scantrack data 52 w/e 10.10.15

8Fine Food NewsWinter 2016

Tel: +44 (0) 1494 530200 Fax: +44 (0) 1494 472076Email: info@rhamar.com Website: www.rhamar.com

MARKETING NEWS

Turnpike Way, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 3TF, UK

FINE FOOD NEWSBritain – a nation of “weanagers”Celebrating “weanagers” all over the country, Ella’s Kitchen has created a fly-on-the-wall documentary series called “Britain’s Weanagers”1, exploring the exciting and sometimes hilarious weaning journeys of babies. Starring in the series are four families who have all featured in the popular Channel 4 TV programme, One Born Every Minute. The aim is to highlight that every baby is different and that there is no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to weaning.

The mini-series, which is currently being hosted on Ella’s Kitchen YouTube Weeny Weaning channel, continues to position the brand as an innovator and authority on children’s weaning. Ella’s Kitchen is ensuring that the channel provides digital-savvy parents with a comprehensive resource during this important milestone in their child’s development.

The increasing focus of the brand’s marketing efforts into digital marks a departure from the traditional TV campaigns. Rather than missing a dialogue with parents between campaigns, the use of YouTube and social media encourages continuous engagement with parents. Early results would indicate this has been highly successful with web engagement and email click-through rates soaring. Further investment in these areas is expected over the next three years.

1https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt7uieunh20

High fives all round for Mutti!Following its listing on Ocado in October, tinned tomato range, Mutti, is proving to be a real success with consumers.

It appears that Italy’s No.1 brand of tomatoes1 is quickly developing a cult following among UK shoppers, judging by the five-star reviews which are being posted on Ocado’s website.

Time and again, it is Mutti’s quality which is capturing the imagination of customers. Their comments include “without a doubt the best tinned tomatoes we have ever tasted” and “the flavour and quality in these are head and shoulders above the others”. One reviewer even found his children asked for more Mutti at breakfast!

1IRI/Nielsen Year ending Dec 2014

(continued from P1)

MBWAOf course, there is usually a lighter side to these conversations, and plenty of banter takes place. All my colleagues know that, if Arsenal has won at the weekend, I shall be visiting all parts of the office on a Monday morning before the clock strikes nine. But the real value to me of MBWA is that it provides a deeper understanding of our business and its people, and that is what every business owner needs.

Must stop now. I’m going for a walk.

What an egg-cellent idea!When draining a can of chick peas, it probably does not occur to people to keep the liquid brine from the tin – but this could all be set to change.

That is because the liquid – dubbed “aquafaba” – is proving really popular among vegans and those with food allergies, as it makes an ideal replacement for egg whites.

The discovery was made by an American software engineer named Goose Wohlt, who in March 2015 proclaimed its suitability as an egg white substitute. He coined the name from the Latin words for “water” and “bean”.

Whipping up the chick pea brine is a simple way to ensure that recipes for meringues, confectionery and baked goods are back on the menu!

Tel: +44 (0) 1494 530200 Fax: +44 (0) 1494 472076Email: info@rhamar.com Website: www.rhamar.com

RH AMAR • Famous For Fine Foods Winter 2016

Turnpike Way, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 3TF, UK

FINE FOOD NEWS

Meet our new friend, PaddyWe are delighted to announce RH Amar has partnered with Paddy’s Bathroom, the latest creation of Paul Lindley, better known as the founder of the Ella’s Kitchen baby food brand.

Since its launch in 2015, Paddy’s Bathroom has secured national listings in several multiple retail chains, and has achieved a growing base of enthusiastic and loyal parents. As exclusive distributor, RH Amar will be responsible for sales and supply chain for the whole UK market.

The brand’s vision is to make bath time fun for young kids and stress-free for parents. The products contain natural and organic ingredients that are good for the skin, and smell fantastic too. The range consists of bubble bath, shampoo, conditioner, hair and body wash, and hand wash – all in bright, colourful and fun packaging.

Paddy’s dad Paul Lindley said: “We are delighted to be working with RH Amar to take our natural toiletries brand for babies and toddlers to the next level. Having worked together on Ella’s Kitchen for many years, I know the team have the expertise and enthusiasm to make a big splash in kid’s toiletries, and as a company that shares our belief that businesses can do social good, we are excited about what the future holds for this partnership”.

While Paddy’s Bathroom is a completely separate company from Ella’s Kitchen, clearly there are similarities between the two brands, not just in their appearance, but also in their ethos and how they engage with parents and children.

As we’ve already learned to say, “Let’s get messy with Ella’s, and get clean with Paddy’s!”

New year, new horizonsRob Amar, managing director, writes:

So the news that we are to be the distributors for Paddy’s Bathroom signals RH Amar’s first move into non-food. After 70 years of selling only food and drink, you might be wondering why we are making this move into health and beauty. Let me explain.

Firstly, as part of our current strategic plan, we have been looking at new growth areas, and non-food is one of these. We have been quite specific in terms of what we would take on to ensure it doesn’t take us too far away from our core food business, and health and beauty (personal care) are high on our agenda. The way I think about it is: “good in the body, good on the body”.

Secondly, while the products may be different, the skill set needed to be successful is largely the same and the supply chain is the same. So really there is no practical reason not to take on Paddy’s Bathroom. It’s just a question of will.

Thirdly, and linked to the previous point, some of my colleagues have experience in health and beauty and have been used to selling food and non-food at the same time. Years of pester-power have finally worked, they might say.

Thus when Paddy’s Bathroom launched a year ago, it seemed like a natural fit, and I immediately contacted Paul Lindley to express our interest in working with the brand. Paul obviously knows the part RH Amar has played in Ella’s Kitchen’s success over the past five years, so I am thrilled and proud that he now trusts us to look after his other “baby”.

Food will long remain the core of our business. But if there are complementary areas where we can add value to brand owners, customers and our own business, we’ll do it. And one day soon our company logo might read something like: “RH Amar – Famous for Fine Foods…and foamy stuff”!

STOP PRESS!