an advertising supplement Central Foods Group Ltd Tithe Barn Blisworth Hill Barns Stoke Road Blisworth Northants NN7 3DB Tel: 01604 858522 Fax: 01604 879205 E-mail: enquiries@centralfoods.co.uk Website: www.centralfoods.co.uk Key personnel Managing Director ­ Operations Gordon Lauder Managing Director ­ Sales Tony Levy Sales Director Ray Hingle Financial Controller Kevin Higham Technical Manager Elaine Lambert Marketing Co-ordinator Alison Hooper Key clients & brands Goldstar Meats Big Al's Gott Foods Haldane Foods Group Realeat, VegeMince, SuperVeg! Karea KaterKing KaterKids Kitchen Range Foods Perkins Frozen Foods Springs Bakery Tulip International (UK) Limited Danepak The cooler service Frozen foods have traditionally been seen in food service brokerage as a polar ice cap ­ nobody bothers to go there. But there are signs that a thaw is beginning to take hold and the company raising the temperature is Central Foods Group. In four years it has grown to become a leading supplier of frozen foods to the foodservice industry ­ quite a feat in a sector which has historically been reluctant to support such businesses. "It's all about focus," according to Tony Levy, md with overall responsibility for sales. "We operate in a fast-moving, highly competitive environment. Our success is down to our total focus on one market sector ­ and we are experts in our field. We know we need to provide a better service than our competitors' own sales forces and to take responsibility for the quality of the products and brands we represent. We see ourselves as custodians of quality ­ both for our own brands and the manufacturers' brands we represent." Ally the above with a passion for frozen foods and you have an insight into what lies at the heart of the Central Foods' philosophy. Levy is convinced of the need for brokers and he sees their role growing as more manufacturing businesses look to cut costs. "The fundamental principle of broking still applies ­ that of offering a shared sales service. We aim to offer a service which benefits both the manufacturer and our customers, by adding value throughout the supply chain and reducing costs. "The other services we provide, such as market research, stock forecasting, exhibition management, marketing & PR, are really the icing on the cake." An example of how the company works is illustrated by their approach to the school meals sector. "With a specialist school meal sales team, tailored products, our own cartoon character (Kaptain KaterKid) available for in-school visits and a full PR and promotional support package, we have made major inroads into this traditionally difficult market sector," says Levy. "We understand the specific cost and nutritional needs of school meal operators and have tailored a package to suit them." The company claims to offer more routes to market than virtually any other in its sector, with over 240 frozen food distributors supplied, in addition to the major end-user caterers. The range consists of almost 200 frozen food lines, across a wide range of product sectors. "We still have room for new principals in our portfolio, but they'll have to be quick," says Gordon Lauder, who manages the operational side of the business. "New suppliers are approaching us all the time and we like to maintain our policy of offering non-competing products from each supplier we work with." The company has its own comprehensive Quality Assurance system, which ensures that all of the factories it works with operate to rigorous technical standards, at least complying with the BRC standard. It has achieved the Cmi Q Mark & STS higher level accreditation in its own right. And with one sales contact and consolidated ordering, distribution and invoicing for both suppliers and customers, Central Foods is committed to making life easier for everyone who does business with them. {{Z SUPPLEMENTS }}