Member Article

Trade show helping north-east based food service companies stay ahead of the curve

A north-east based wholesaler has praised the region’s food service companies for taking steps to offer customers a wider choice of food and drink products.

Tyneside Foodservice, which has its depot in Blaydon, Tyne & Wear, hosted its second trade show in as many years, with close to 500 caterers, chefs, and food professionals attending.

The event was held at Gateshead International Stadium, and Tyneside Foodservice, which is a member of buying group Fairway Foodservice, noticed a shift in purchasing patterns compared to last year’s trade show.

And sales director Peter Henderson says the 2016 event laid the foundations for its customers to experiment and explore new opportunities.

“The feedback from our attendees 12 months ago centred on learning about new product ranges,” he said.

“This year, our suppliers have said our customers came back with a view to expanding their offering, either by further enhancing the range or doing something seasonal.

“There was a very positive and vibrant atmosphere throughout the day and customers loved the inspirational ideas. By taking the time and talking with suppliers they were able to truly understand the different approaches they could take with the products. And the suppliers were also able to discuss the latest trends and patterns in the industry, which will help keep them ahead of the curve.

“There is a real appetite amongst food service companies in the region to be innovative and offer people something different.”

Tyneside, which was founded in 1979 offers more than 3,500 products across frozen, chilled, ambient, and non-food. The family-owned business originally started life as a frozen foodservice operation but diversified 12 years ago by adding ambient and chilled products.

This side of the business has grown by more than 30 per cent in the last four years.

Peter added: “We have more than 1,000 customers in the north east and our mission is to support them with their goals and aspirations.

“We strive to close the gap between manufacturers and end users, which means trying to get the latest products into restaurants and pubs as quickly as possible.

“Our trade shows allow us to easily showcase to our customers the benefits of constantly reviewing their product range, as well as illustrating the possibilities for upgrading and enhancing their menus etc quickly.”

Attendees were also treated to demonstrations from chef Sam Rain, who was on the winning team of the Crème de la crème bake off and is also a UK Sosa Ambassador and junior chocolate master.

Tyneside is a member of Fairway Foodservice, a buying group made up of 20 independent wholesalers from across the UK, Ireland, Jersey, Spanish Costas and Balearic Islands. Founded in 1984 by five frozen food wholesale distribution companies, it has grown from a collective turnover of £7m in 1984 to £653.5m in 2017.

For further information visit: http://www.tynesidefoodservice.com/.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .