Whilst the restaurant industry has historically been slower to adopt technology and innovation, the pandemic and ensuing economic instability have forced many food businesses to think differently about what they offer and how they offer it. In parallel customers have changed their spending habits too! The good news is: embracing new technology doesn’t have to be painful, and there are many ways that owners of independent pubs and restaurants can use technology to their advantage. The opportunities for improving their operations are wide-ranging, from online ordering to inventory management. Here are a few of the most common and their potential positive impact:

• Online ordering and delivery: According to statista.com, the market size of the global online food delivery sector was estimated at 770 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. By 2027, the online food delivery market is forecast to generate revenues reaching 1.4 trillion U.S. dollars. What does this mean for your business? Embracing a tech solution that allows your customers to order food and drinks from your restaurant without having to come in can be a great way to ensure customer loyalty, increase sales and potentially reach new customers too. Here at Cooper Foods we have recently launched online ordering to better support our customers to get exactly what they need, when they need it. Get in touch to find out more.
• Point-of-sale (POS) systems: These systems can help you manage your inventory, track sales, and process payments. Whilst they do represent a significant investment of time and money up front, they will save you time and money in the long-run, supporting smooth operations and helping you make better business decisions.
• Restaurant management software: Software such as this can help you with everything from scheduling staff to managing reservations. Managing reservations manually can eat into your staff’s time, but being able to automatically manage waitlists, waitlists and seating, can free up their time to focus on the customers’ experience. An added bonus is being able to collect things such as diet or dining preferences and contact data, to gain market insights or for ongoing contact to maintain a customer loyalty scheme, for example. All of these areas, and many more, can free up your time so you can focus on other aspects of your business.
• Marketing automation: This software can help you automate your marketing campaigns, giving you the opportunity to drive repeat bookings and automatically collect online reviews. . Online reviews are one of the most powerful ways to influence customer decision-making, so make sure you respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, in a timely and professional manner!

These are just a few of the ways that technology can help you streamline your operations, increase bookings and stay ahead of the competition.

On 10th July 2023 Cooper Foods is launching a new wholesale meat brand called ‘Chalk Down Farm’. The new brand consolidates the fact that Cooper Foods are already one of the premium wholesale butchers and preferred catering meat supplier for many Southern counties, including Hampshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Dorset, Somerset, Devon, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

The Chalk Down Farm brand will cover all beef products sold by Cooper Foods. This includes premium beef burgers in addition to popular cuts of beef. For several years Cooper Foods have been producing Beef Burgers from a 50/50 mix of both beef Rib cap and Beef Chuck Roll.

Rib Cap has the fat content of the burger, which is particularly sweet, whilst the Chuck Roll is the lean element which is not only soft and succulent but has no sinew or tough gristle.

With the introduction of the Chalk Down Farm brand, Cooper Foods will now only make burgers that have been made from 100% aged, under thirty-month Steer or Heifer Beef. Seasoned with just salt and pepper, Chalk Down Farm has created a new burger that is exceptional in both flavour and texture and will suit the most discerning menu.

Every brand has a story to tell and the Chalk Down Farm story starts with tradition and of fifty years of expertise. Chalk Down Farm has selected ‘Connoisseurs Choice Beef’ as it’s source of beef. Our supplier has always focused on quality not only selecting the size, weight and conformation of the cattle but also ensuring that the preparation and knife skills are still adhered to with consistency in mind. All the beef is under thirty-months old and is either Steer or Heifer. The beef is then transported to our modern purpose-built facilities in the middle of the county of Hampshire to be then aged for 28 days in our Himalayan Salt Chamber.

After the ageing process is completed, our own in-house butchers, process the meat into the various cuts of meat and burgers that our customers order.

From 10th July 2023, you can order Chalk Down Farm branded products in exactly the same way as you order other products from Cooper Foods. If you are a new customer then you will need to register for a wholesale account first before placing your order.

There are two ways to place an order, the first is by calling us on 01264 321050 between 9am to 3pm and 6pm to 12am, Monday to Friday. The second is via our new online ordering portal.  You will need to contact our sales office to be registered for this.

Any business with a Cooper Foods registered wholesale account can add Chalk Down Farm products to their order.

Our Chalk Down Farm Products will be delivered to your delivery address along with any other food items from Cooper Foods, by our very own fleet of modern refrigerated vans.

For more information about our Chalk Down Farm range and to order, please contact us on 01264 321 050.

Veganism has become a popular lifestyle choice across the UK in recent years, with as many as 1 in 3 British people significantly reducing their consumption of meat and dairy. 

Veganism in the UK has increased and continues to rise, so too should the production and availability of vegan wholesale food; enabling restaurants and eateries to cater for vegan tastes. 

The rise of veganism: takeaways and restaurants

Takeaways and meals out may still be considered a luxury to most; something consumers indulge in for special occasions like anniversaries, birthdays or celebrations with family and friends, but in just 2 years – between 2016 and 2018 – the number of orders for vegan takeaways increased by an incredible 388% with more than 2% of the population (600,000 people) now considered to be vegan.

But what does this really mean for chefs like you? 

This dramatic rise in veganism means that takeaways, restaurants and eateries need to respond to the changing expectations and demands of your diners; offering a generous range of vegan-friendly foods for those who have either chosen the lifestyle, live with food allergies and intolerances or are simply curious to try something new. 

The UK continues to lead in the production of vegan products

In 2018 the UK launched more vegan products than any other nation, according to the World Vegan Society – responding to the increasing trend in this country for vegan tastes. 

Vegan wholesale food

Veganism is rapidly making its way into the mainstream, not only for the health benefits associated; increasing widespread awareness of food allergies and intolerances, but also the environmental benefits, the availability of good quality, vegan wholesale food for restaurants and eateries needs to also respond to this.

Cooper Foods are constantly expanding the range of vegan wholesale products available; delicious foods that are entirely vegan friendly, including sausages, pies and desserts.

For more information about our vegan range and to order, please contact us on 01264 321 050.

Particularly when catering for large groups of people, ensuring your overheads are as low as possible is always a priority; achieving the greatest flavours and experiences for your diners at the lowest costs to your restaurant. However, when it comes to meat wholesalers, is it better to buy cheap or buy quality, and can you ever achieve both? 

Meat wholesalers: quality or price?

We all love the feeling that comes with securing a bargain; whether it’s a 2 for 1 or 20% off specific items, getting the most for our hard earned money is a feeling like no other, and for those of us working in the catering industry, that feeling often comes from securing large quantities of meat, bought at truly affordable prices. 

However, all too often chefs are forced to make the choice between quality and price as prices associated with good quality cuts of meat continue to rise, and consumer demand increases; and, because of this, choosing the cheapest meats may seem like the most sensible short term option. 

The risks of buying cheap meat

Yes, it’s tempting to buy cheap cuts of meat; helping you to feed more for less. However, buying cheap comes with a number of often unforeseen risks that should be carefully considered before a purchase, such as: 

• Loss or lack of flavour: quality meat is often packed with flavour, particularly in comparison to cheaper cuts; due to the way the animal has been reared, the process of preparation, and even the way it’s stored before being delivered to you. Great quality, flavourful meat is generally lined with fat, giving it a marbled appearance. For most meats, the flavour is very much in the fat! 
• Lesser preparation & storage measures: like most products and services, often with good quality meat, you’re paying for the time and energy that goes into preparing that meat; the skills and experience that ensure it’s cut perfectly, it’s stored at the optimum temperatures, and it’s delivered to you in the best condition. Whereas, cheaper meats may not be prepared or stored with quite the same level of care, which could lead to issues further down the line like texture and [lack of] tenderness. 
• It may be full of fillers: it’s becoming more widely known that the cheaper the meat, the more likely it is to be full of fillers like water, making it look plumper and juicer than it really is! More expensive meats are far less likely to contain things like fillers, meaning you get more meat for your money. 

Why buying quality meat is an investment

Buying quality meat for your hungry diners should be seen less as a financial burden and more as an investment in your business; the greater the quality of the meat, the easier it is to work with, the better the favour, and the greater the overall experience for your diners which inevitably leads to… their return!

Can quality be affordable?

Affordable doesn’t always mean lesser quality meat. By getting to know your local meat wholesaler, Cooper Foods, the source of their produce, and the processes they have in place, you can secure mouth-watering flavourful and tender cuts of meat at very fair prices.

To find out more about our range of premium selected meat, talk to us today.

Choosing a wholesale food supplier is an important decision for your business, but with so many options to choose from, how do you ensure you’re picking the best one for you and your business? In this blog we aim to help you do your research to find the right fit, with a list of key factors to consider when choosing a wholesale food supplier:

• Quality of products: Your menu says everything about who you are as a business, so the food you serve up really matters. It’s also what matters most to your customers and a big reason why they choose you, so it’s important to choose a supplier that provides high-quality products. Check out any potential supplier’s website for information about their sourcing practices, to ensure they use sustainable and ethical methods. For example, here at Cooper Foods we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment while sourcing and supplying the best quality wholesale fresh food. We source most of our fresh fish from Brixham fish market, market-leaders on sustainability, plus we have established relationships with many other trusted local suppliers.
• Price: While keeping costs down is often a challenge and you may be on the lookout for a supplier that offers competitive prices, don’t just go for the cheapest option. The quality of your food is a huge part of your reputation with your customers, so as well as pricing, consider the overall value of any potential supplier, including the quality of their products, their delivery service, and their customer service.
• Availability: With all the challenges that come with running an independent pub, restaurant or catering business, you need a supplier that can deliver what you need when you need it! Ensure you scope out a potential supplier’s their delivery schedule, coverage area and minimum order requirements. At Cooper Foods we know how important reliable is for our customers – that’s why our customer service centre is open until midnight and you can order via phone, email and rekki for delivery across the South next day, 5 days a week.
• Customer service: Another key aspect of assessing a potential wholesale food supplier is their customer service. How do they deal with issues? If you have any problems with your order, you need to be able to get in touch with a helpful and responsive customer service team. Check out their customer service policies and availability.

Once you have assessed a few wholesale food suppliers against this list, create a shortlist of the top 2 or 3 options and contact them for a chat and a quote, before making a decision. This will help you compare prices, as well as customer experience, so you choose a wholesale food supplier that meets your needs and helps you run your business smoothly.

Of course, If you are looking for a trusted and established, family run, food wholesaler to provide your independent pub, restaurant, school, hotel, group or catering business with a wide range of fresh, ambient and frozen items – just get in touch! We’d love the opportunity to deliver exactly what you need, when you need it.