The Stancold Food Projects team recently completed a freezer fit-out for Proper Cornish, a renowned South West food production company and Taste of the West award winner. Since its founding in 1988, Proper Cornish has earned widespread acclaim, winning multiple awards - including Taste of the West Awards, British Pie Awards, and World Pasty Championships - for their celebrated Cornish pasties and other savoury delights.

Proper Cornish reached out to Stancold in March to help expand the frozen storage capacity at their Bodmin production facility. This need arose after securing a new contract with a nationwide distributor, requiring them to scale up both production and storage capabilities.

A section of their facility was initially planned to be a freezer space but left fallow—until now. Stancold Food Projects was tasked with transforming the space into a fully operational freezer, ideal for storing bacon destined for their delicious pastry goods.

Always eager to assist Taste of the West award winners in any way that they can, Stancold were excited to work with Proper Cornish on this project!

The process started with a site visit by Stancold’s Food Project Specialist, Andy Connell. During the site visit, Andy was able to better understand not only site logistics but to make an innovative suggestion to bring down the overall cost of the project for Proper Cornish. 

The original project plans called for whitewall to be fitted around the building’s columns. Fitting small sections of whitewall around the columns raised the cost of the project while only adding a handful of additional storage capacity. Andy suggested fitting the whitewall straight across the columns. The slight reduction in usable space had no impact on Proper Cornish’s operations due to the size and shape of objects they were storing but significantly lowered the project’s overall cost.

‘Fitting the whitewall across the columns rather than around them is a prime example of a value-engineered solution,’ says Andy, ‘it lowered the project's overall cost without sacrificing what Proper Cornish looked to achieve with the space.’ 

Over the course of seven total days on-site, Stancold constructed the space into a suitable freezer environment, complete with Kingspan Quadcore panels for the walls and ceiling, a strip curtain, and an insulated concrete floor with a modular heater mat to match the floor level of the existing facility.

Stancold Food Projects enjoyed the opportunity to work with the fantastic team at Proper Cornish and further support the Taste of the West community. 

As an added perk, Stancold’s expert installers were treated to Proper Cornish’s delicious pasties each day on-site—though it’s a wonder they didn’t try to extend the project just for more!

Get in touch with the Stancold Food Projects team to learn more about how they can assist at your facility:

Visit website
📞 0117 316 7000
📧 [email protected]

As the nights draw in and the craziness of the festive season is now upon us, Five Rivers Fostering would like to raise awareness of Christmas as a foster carer and how to make a foster child feel welcome.
They spoke to foster carers to ask about experiences of Christmas...
"One of my friends fostered a young lad and asked him if they could write a Christmas list together ready for Christmas. He asked them what they meant. They explained that at Christmas time, children write down what they might like to get for Christmas. He told them, 'Last year, Mum forgot it was Christmas, so I got a pound and a Pot Noodle'."
Viv, Foster Carer.

Now that lad can enjoy Christmas by being part of a foster family and totally spoilt by lovely food and lovely presents.

Could you think about starting your fostering journey this Christmas?
Well first let's bust some myths you might have heard about fostering…
Just like their foster children, the foster carers at Five Rivers are individuals who come from all different backgrounds and are all different types of people.

• You don’t have to be married, you can be in a civil partnership or you can be single
• You can be a foster carer and have a job, including being a farmer!
• You don’t have to own your own home
• You don’t have to be a parent
• You don’t have to do it full time
• And of course ... you get paid for fostering!

 
We are being asked to look after some very special, vulnerable young people and you need to be rewarded financially for doing this amazing job. You will be part of a professional team and be treated as such with financial reward and excellent training.
Some experience of children is necessary but this could be through work or through family or friends.
Most of all, foster carers need to have room in their heart and room in their home to bring a child or children into their lives and offer them love and stability.
If you're ready to explore how fostering can work for you and your family, Five Rivers are here to help.

Have an informal chat with their friendly team, call 0333 0603 962 or visit www.five-rivers.org/fostering to see the amazing work they do.

Figures released by the Government in September showed that British businesses paid the highest electricity prices of anywhere in the developed world throughout 2023.
It also highlighted that the cost of power for industrial businesses had climbed 124% over the past five years, with electricity in the UK now around 50% higher than in Germany and France, and four times higher than the USA.
With 2023’s high prices and subsequent struggle to remain competitive impacting on a wide number of UK businesses, Enexus Energy examines how the energy market has developed throughout 2024, as well as a look ahead at upcoming winter energy markets.

Click here to read the full market insight.

Somerset based Aldwick Estate announces it has released its Gold Award winning Woodlands Oak Bacchus following success at this year’s Wine GB awards. Wine GB represents, leads and supports the sustainable growth of the Great British wine sector and its awards are highly respected, with rigorous judging by a panel of nine judges, chaired by Susie Barrie MW, Oz Clarke OBE, and new co-chair Peter Richards MW. The limited-edition Woodlands Oak is a white wine made from 100% 
Bacchus Grapes and is a rich, medium-bodied wine with a floral nose and a complexity of flavours – tropical fruit, honeysuckle and grapefruit.

This crowning success recognises 33 years of masterful farm diversification for a business which now embraces a well-established vineyard, an award-winning wedding venue and tours, tastings and conferences. All parts of the business have seen strong growth in recent years. Sales over the past year were 50% higher than their pre-covid level with visitor numbers increasing for both tours/tastings and weddings. 5* reviews on Trip Advisor have also increased as have the positive
personal reviews given in visitor books (see example below). The beauty of the Aldwick Estate and all it offers attests to these developments.

Speaking today, Managing Director, Sandy Luck comments, ‘the business really does seem to have come into its own over the last few years with more focus on the synergy between the vineyard and the venue. We get such wonderful feedback from our visitors, whether they have been on a vineyard tour experience or have spent the evening with friends and family enjoying a private party in the venue, drinking the wine that has been produced onsite. Having my own wine behind the bar, is a real bonus and I believe is what makes Aldwick Estate that little bit more special. Last year we added additional accommodation and a new luxury lodge overlooking the vineyard, so that more visitors can stay and enjoy what’s on offer. It’s the attention to detail and the friendly family feel that I believe sets us apart.’

Victoria Greenhalf, a genuine vineyard tour and wine tasting visitor has also stated  ‘absolutely fantastic vineyard tour and wine tasting. Howard is excellent, in depth knowledge and a genuinely nice guy who loves the business. Picnic hamper was well worth it - excellent quality food and even a bottle of wine included! Would recommend to anyone’.

About Aldwick Estate

As a brief background, the Aldwick Estate is set in the beautiful North Somerset Countryside overlooked by the Mendip Hills. The family owned Aldwick Court Farm expanded into wine production in 2008 when it created its first vineyard in Homefield. In 2010 a second vineyard was planted in the hillside field, Woodlands. Aldwick now boasts 4.59 hectares of vines and six grape varieties. Following DEFRA grant, also in 2010, a new visitor centre and function room (the new barn) was completed as an adjunct to the vineyards. After the sudden demise of the business’s leading family entrepreneur, Chris Watts, in 2011, sister Sandy Luck picked up the baton to continue to realise his long term vision for the farm. In this year they harvested their first Seyval Blanc and Early Pinot Noir from Homefield to make a well-received Sparkling Blush, released in October 2013.  

Rebranded in 2018 to Aldwick Estate, it now produces a full range of wines from sparkling and rose to whites  and reds. Throughout the year visitors can enjoy vineyard tours and tastings to enhance knowledge and understanding of what it takes to produce national and international award winning wine.  As a fourth generation custodian of the family business Sandy aims to keep it secure and profitable, hopefully to eventually pass it on to one of her children.

To find out more, please contact Mrs Sandy Luck, MD at Aldwick Estate ([email protected]) or Ms Julia Brand, PR – Brand e Marketing ([email protected]). 

Taste of the West, the UK’s largest independent regional food group, will be supporting Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) as its long term regional charity partner.

The group, which promotes and supports local food and drink producers from across the Westcountry, will be supporting CHSW which offers care and support to children and young people with life-limiting illnesses, and their families, through its three hospices across the South West.

John Sheaves, CEO of Taste of the West said: “We at Taste of the West are delighted to be partnering with Children’s Hospice South West. There is a very natural synergy between our two organisations – as the UK’s largest independent food group, we have supported the South West’s food and drink industry for over 30 years and a crucial part of this is supporting the people who live here. We are really looking forward to developing an exciting partnership in the coming months.”

CHSW will be an invited guest and exhibitor at the Taste of the West awards on 12 November at Westpoint where members will be able to find out more about the services offered to families by the charity.

Taste of the West will also become a member of CHSW’s Business Club; a network of local businesses who share a passion to give back to the local community by supporting CHSW.

Hayley Wallbank, Regional Partnerships Fundraiser for CHSW said: “From the moment we started conversations with Taste of the West it became clear that not only are we operating across a very similar area of the South West, there are also so many similarities between our two organisations. We are really excited that our hospices and families will have the support of Taste of the West who, in turn, are supporting local food and drink producers every day. We have some exciting plans coming together for the festive season which we look forward to announcing soon.”

Taste of the West champions food and drink producers in the West Country, as well as the places that serve and sell them. They have over 1,000 members and run an annual awards scheme which sees producers entering their products into the programme to be tried and tested by a panel of industry experts. Alongside this they also run an awards programme for hospitality and retail businesses where judges visit establishments selling food and produce across the region to recognise the best in the industry.

CHSW has three children’s hospices across the South West; Little Bridge House in North Devon, Charlton Farm in North Somerset and Little Harbour in St Austell. The charity is currently supporting over 500 children and young people who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. The hospices provide those children and young people with a place to visit with their families for short breaks, resilience stays, palliative care as well as end of life care and bereavement support.

MJBaker and Westcountry Foodservice, leading providers of premium foodservice solutions in the Southwest, are thrilled to announce the launch of their new brand identity and logo.

This significant milestone represents the two company’s commitment to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction in the rapidly evolving foodservice industry. The rebranding initiative aligns with their strategic vision to enhance its market presence and deliver exceptional value to its customers.

The new logo, a clean and modern design, features a simple outline of the Southwest UK, with the bold and familiar colours of Westcountry Foods, but with sleek new fonts. The logo symbolizes the company’s dedication to freshness, creativity, and excellence in the services they provide.

This refreshed visual identity is now prominently displayed at their newly opened 80,000 sq ft depot near Kingsteignton, where the two companies come together under one roof. This new site has been built under the strict BREEAM sustainable building certification process.

“Our new brand identity reflects our growth and the evolution of our company,” said Chris Young LLB - Divisional Operations Director at Kitwave Group PLC “We are excited to introduce a look that matches our innovative spirit and dedication to quality. This rebrand marks a new chapter for us as we continue to expand our offerings and strengthen our relationships with suppliers and customers. We look forward to this new era and the
opportunities it brings.”

Devon-based Salcombe Brewery Co. is thrilled to announce its award-winning Shingle Bay golden ale is now available to buy in select Waitrose stores across the West Country. Known for its easy drinking style and crisp bite, Shingle Bay (ABV 4.2%) has a fruity aroma of blackberry and spiced fruit.

The initial six Waitrose stores where Shingle Bay will be stocked are as follows: Exeter, Holsworthy, Okehampton, Salisbury, Saltash and Sidmouth.

Jordan Mace, Salcombe Brewery’s Managing Director, comments: “Securing a listing in Waitrose has been a longstanding ambition for us and we’re incredibly proud that Salcombe Brewery will now feature alongside the other premium brands in its portfolio. As a team here we’ve worked extremely hard to achieve this.” He continues: “We’re looking forward to introducing Shingle Bay to a new audience through this leading retailer.”

Waitrose Beer & Cider Buyer, Jourdan Gabbini added: "We are delighted to introduce Salcombe Brewery’s Shingle Bay to our South West stores. It's no secret that Devon is a region full of fantastic producers and we are proud to be able to offer Shingle Bay to our customers at Waitrose.”

This exciting development follows a flurry of awards for Salcombe Brewery Co. Island Street Porter and Pilsner both won a Silver in the taste category of the recent World Beer Awards. At the 2024 Great Taste Awards, Its Seahorse was awarded a 2-star and its Devon Amber a 1-star. Over the past two years, the brewery has received an impressive 30 medals for its diverse range of beers.  

SALSA accredited Salcombe Brewery Co. produces a range of premium cask ale and keg products at its state of the art Estuary View brewery which can be found in the Devon countryside above the world famous Salcombe Estuary.

Salcombe Brewery has joined forces with The Seahorse Trust to help conserve these amazing animals, donating 5p a bottle towards their work. This innovative brewery, which was established in 2016, is also partnered with the Devon Environment Foundation.

Explore the full range of beers at salcombebrewery.com. Salcombe Brewery Co. has introduced a new ‘Pick & Mix’ offering, with the opportunity to pick 12 or 24 cans from the Discovery range or 12 bottles from the Heritage range. The range is available on a next day delivery service.

For further information on Salcombe Brewery Co. please visit www.salcombebrewery.com or follow Salcombe Brewery Co. on X, Facebook and Instagram.  

What should businesses do? Are they affected? Read on for some key insights and advice from our Affiliate Members at Enexus Energy...

You may have seen in the news that the domestic price cap is increasing this October. This is the first major increase in price cap since recovering from the peaks of the energy crisis over the Winter of 21/22.

The first thing to know is that there is no price cap for businesses. The second thing to know is that the price cap, and domestic prices in general, take their cues from market movements 4-6 months ago. Business prices on the other hand, are much more current and move daily in line with the prevailing conditions. So anything that happens in the domestic market is 'old news' in the business energy world! 

With that in mind, let's take a look at the energy market: 

Prices hit a floor late February as the market reacted to another very mild UK winter and the resulting lower heating demand across the country. Post February we saw a steady increasing pattern throughout Q2. It is this period of rises that has resulted in the increase in price cap for domestic users that will be applied in October. 

However, prices have increased further in recent weeks, largely due to increasing tensions in the Middle East and energy assets being directly affected in the Ukrainian conflict. Businesses are already dealing with these further increases as any business looking at a new contract will see these increases reflected in their offers.

So what is the best course of action? 

Well, for domestic users, unless something significantly changes in the next month or so, it is likely that the cap will again rise in January to reflect the increases we have seen in the last few weeks. So fixing a rate before October, will likely be the best solution 

For businesses, we can never be as certain which way the market will move. The key drivers right now are the tensions in the Middle East, the Ukrainian conflict and the prospect of cold weather this winter.

The weather is uncertain of course. Another mild winter could see prices fall around the turn of the year. But, in that time, if we see an major escalation of violence in the Middle East, or significant damage to an energy asset in either Ukraine or Russia and we could see prices move very quickly. Our advice to any business with a fixed contract due to end in the next 12 months, would be consider eliminating these risks, by securing today's rates to start when your current contract ends

Clipper Teas, the Beaminster-based B Corp brand owned by Ecotone UK, has launched a special pack for food service operators that celebrates 40 years of ethical and sustainable tea production in the county. 

The Fairtrade tea brand has expanded its range  with a new design to commemorate its Dorset heritage, featuring renowned regional landmarks.

With an eye-catching design, the new box features iconic hotspots such as Durdle Door and Portland Bill. With an enveloped, string and tag format, each teabag in the 250 box is plant-based, biodegradable, and unbleached and the box is made with fully recyclable packaging.

Adam Perry, Clipper Teas Head of Out of Home at Ecotone UK, said: “This has been an eagerly anticipated launch for the whole team and one we’re immensely proud of as a Dorset-born brand. Despite operating on a global scale, we choose to remain in the county where we were founded. This is something we’re incredibly passionate about as it allows us to continue boosting the local economy. Our message as a brand is to showcase what goes into making a ‘good’ cup of tea,  our Fairtrade sourcing and B Corp certification being a true testament to this. And what better time to launch a blend that celebrates our heritage than on our 40th birthday.”

Clipper has called Dorset home since 1984 and pioneered the production of ethical and sustainable tea. From its factory in Beaminster, Clipper blends and packs an extensive variety of organic and Fairtrade teas – from everyday blends to green tea and infusions. Clipper is Fairtrade’s first and longest-standing tea partner and exports its products to over 50 countries worldwide.

The Dorset Classic Everyday pack will be available across regional food service touchpoints such as hotels and offices and supplied via Clipper’s regional foodservice wholesale partners.

In launching on Clipper’s 40th birthday, the new pack commemorates the Dorset heritage of the brand. It also gives local businesses an opportunity to stock a product which celebrates the timeless beauty of Dorset, and appeals to thirsty tourists and locals alike. 

Clipper Teas was a pioneer in being the world’s first to launch a plastic-free, non-GM, plant-based, and unbleached heat-sealed teabag to market. The brand has since invested £1m on a new production line to remove plastic packaging across larger packs.