Delicious Partnership Displays Bright Future

New innovations in catering display raise the standards for buffet and hospitality solutions.

Launched in July 2004, CthruSolutions is the brainchild of Ian Boyd-Stevenson, an associate consultant of Catering Consultancy Bureau. With foundations built around the presentation of food, CthruSolutions' products represent something different, something classy and something that will make people remember THAT event.

A range of cubes, stands, trays and various “see through” objects of various shapes and sizes have been produced alongside Dudley-based acrylic manufacturers Point Eight with aesthetics and functionality in mind to add an element of sophistication to otherwise monotonous buffet displays.

The flagship product, the “Static Butler” as seen above, has a series of five suspended shelves, ideal for holding a variety of foods and drinks. Its “wow factor” is matched by its sturdiness and ease to assemble and store, making it the ideal accompaniment for guests and catering staff alike.

The “Cthru” products are manufactured using PETG; an extremely strong food-safe material with a strength much greater than standard acrylic, making it far less susceptible to scratches and damage.

Summarising the product range, Boyd-Stevenson comments:
“The Cthru products are ideal for a range of functions at hotels and conference centres. Use them anywhere…and for anything”!

For further details or a brochure please call CthruSolutions on 0800 085 1227 or visit www.cthrusolutions.com

Case Study: South Norfolk Council

Opening Day at South Norfolk Council
(left to right: Chris Dady of South Norfolk Council,
Shirley Edwards of Edwards & Blake,
Peter Pitham of Catering Consultancy Bureau).

When CCB were commissioned to retender the catering contract at South Norfolk Council, the client Chris Dady set out a challenging set of objectives that needed to be satisfied.

The council offices at Long Stratton, Norfolk are home to some 300 staff members with catering facilities consisting of a staff restaurant, vending facilities and the provision of hospitality catering. The catering had been subsidised by the council for a number of years with relatively low take up from on-site staff and the current contract was also approaching its end.

CCB were tasked to tender the contract, develop and improve the service offering, attract more users to the facilities, and all of this at a lower subsidy level than previously - a tall order I'm sure you would agree.

However, after a thorough and extensive tender exercise and negotiations, CCB were in the position to recommend catering organisations who were able to meet the client's needs. As a result, South Norfolk Council awarded an initial 3 year contract to local caterer Edwards and Blake in August 2004.

The services of Catering Consultancy Bureau have been retained to audit the contract to ensure the continued delivery of high standard services to SNC and their staff. This process is beneficial for both caterer and client, as a thorough analysis and dedicated support function will ensure that performance targets and standards are achieved.

"Your input into the tender of our catering has been invaluable and we have not only achieved enhanced value through your involvement, but the whole catering service in terms of look, feel, quality and customer satisfaction has been transformed! The added dimension of establishing a measurable contract with performance carrots and sticks will ensure this value is carried through the term, and the risks from the operation can be managed. I would have no hesitation in recommending you to others. Thank you".

Chris Dady, Head of Property & Facilities, SNC

Purchasing - The Bottom Line

In our discussions with client organisations, by far and away the topic that the discussions invariably centre upon is the question of purchasing, and the cost of food and sundry consumables purchased by catering organisations and passed onto the client account. Purchasing is a specialist area and is a very complex and sensitive issue, and the following represent just a taster of some core questions and answers.

How do catering companies earn their money, as the fee they charge doesn’t appear to be very much?

Catering contractors may generate income from a number of different ways, some visible, some not. Their income can be generated from a management fee, commission on sales, share of the profits, share of the savings, or in other ways. Some caterers will retain purchasing discounts in exchange for a lower management fee, and this arrangement can suit some situations. Catering Consultancy Bureau generally advise against the latter.

Why do you advise against discounts being retained?

One of the key benefits promoted by both large and small caterers is their ability to “negotiate the best possible prices for clients”. As in all walks of life the more that you buy, the better the price. Logically therefore the larger contractors should have the best purchasing power and be able to pass on the best prices to their clients. In reality however, this does not always happen. Frequently, we find evidence of small operators or in-house caterers seemingly buying better than the national contractors.As long as the effects of any discounts being retained by the caterer are minimised and by ensuring that you are paying a fair market price for the food commodities, then the discount scenario doesn’t tend to be a problem, as long as the contract has been structured and set up correctly.

So it all seems to centre on paying a fair price for food and sundry commodities. How can I be sure that I am?

As mentioned previously purchasing is a highly specialised subject, especially in the catering industry. It is very difficult to determine with any real accuracy the prices that you should be paying for food and sundry commodities. Clearly, your contractor’s accounts should be regularly audited to ensure contract compliance, but this doesn’t always highlight that you are paying the correct prices. You can perform a random “dip check” against an agreed shopping basket, but this exercise can be flawed It is for this reason that Catering Consultancy Bureau employs the services of a professional purchasing analyst, who specialises in food and sundry commodity purchasing, to undertake a purchasing benchmarking project on our behalf. However, you should be cognisant that contractors should be allowed to earn a fair income from their managing your contract. It will be of no benefit to drive down their income to a level where they are not generating a fair profit. It will more often than not encourage them to generate income from another source that may have an adverse impact on the service.

If you have doubts over your purchasing arrangements or are intrigued as to how you could gain peace of mind, then please request CCB's Purchasing Guide.

More Gains for CCB

Catering Consultancy Bureau are proud to announce a series of further contract gains over the course of the last quarter.

Auditing

Two local authorities have taken advantage of contract auditing services offered by Catering Consultancy Bureau. Both councils had employed CCB to manage the tender of their respective catering contracts, which have since come to a successful conclusion. The quarterly audit will ensure that the initial standards set by CCB, the clients and the successful contractors will remain high. Auditing will make certain that costs will stay under control, customers will remain satisfied and it will also encourage continual innovation and new ideas.

Catering Review & Purchasing Audit

Catering Consultancy Bureau have also won a contract at a prestigious blue-chip organisation based in Docklands to undertake a catering review that involves analysing the incumbent caterer's labour structure, accounts and in particular, a benchmarking exercise of their purchasing arrangements.

Tender Management

Our most recent project involves supporting a central London law firm with the market testing of their catering services, advising on various aspects of the process.

• Most of us choose food we like the taste of rather than what's good for us. However, the trend is reversing and we are seeing a desire for healthier menus.
• The average lunch hour is now just 27 minutes, with women and older workers being more likely to skip lunch altogether.
• 57% of workers take a lunch break every day, although one in five work through lunch.
• Due to inappropriate or over-priced restaurant facilities, over one third of workers bring in packed lunches.
• When it comes to choosing lunch, taste (65%) tops the list, with healthy options (54%) pushing price (44%) into third place and high quality (39%) following up in fourth.
• 2% of workers in the South and South East and the Midlands find time for horizontal jogging during their lunchbreak!
• Workers splash out £3.10 a day on snacks, more than they pay for lunch, which on average costs £2.02.

Peter's Atkins Challenge

Oysters in a Spinach Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:
(Serves 3)

4 oysters, with shells
55g/2oz spinach, chopped
For the sauce:
55g/2oz butter
30g/1oz plain flour
splash of milk
30g/1oz parmesan, grated

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2. Prepare the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and stir until a paste forms. Gradually add the milk, stirring all the while to thicken the sauce. Add the parmesan and stir to melt. Take the sauce off the heat.
3. Place the chopped spinach in the bottom of four oyster shells. Place the oyster on top and drizzle over the cheese sauce.
4. Place the oysters on a baking sheet and bake for 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve while hot.

Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time less than 10 mins

Jokes

Guests for Dinner
Little Johnny and his family lived in the country, and as a result seldom had guests. He was eager to help his mother after his father appeared with two dinner guests from the office.

When the dinner was nearly over, Little Johnny went to the kitchen and proudly carried in the first piece of apple pie, giving it to his father who passed it to a guest. Little Johnny came in with a second piece of pie and gave it to his father, who again gave it to a guest.

This was too much for Little Johnny, who said, "It's no use, Dad. The pieces are all the same size".

Avoid these Foods
A dietitian was once addressing a large audience in Chicago. "The material we put into our stomachs is enough to have killed most of us sitting here, years ago. Red meat is awful. Soft drinks erode your stomach lining. Chinese food is loaded with MSG. Vegetables can be disastrous, and none of us realise the long-term harm caused by the germs in our drinking water. But there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and we all have, or will, eat it. Can anyone here tell me what food it is that causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?"

A 75-year-old man in the front row stood up and said, "Wedding cake".