Humber Quality Foods (HQF) moved onto the Flixborough site near Scunthorpe in May this year, and following a long period of re-design and re-fitting, the premises which were once dedicated to the processing of Thornton's chocolates, are now occupied with innovative and flexible machinery to meet the various needs of preparing, processing and packing the main company lines of carrots and potatoes.
It is a significant step forward from the old site that consisted of eight separate units that then had to be joined together. And it is a progression made on the recognition that the business has moved forward.
“We've been doing prepared vegetables for more than 20 years, since the business started with one unit of 1,000 square feet in 1983,” says managing director Peter Sheriff, “but the customer base has changed radically since then. From supplying local canteens, clubs and caterers we've moved into food manufacturers, packers and food service ñ more blue- chip customers. The old premises weren't conducive to our new customer base and we also needed room to expand for the future.”
With two peeling lines and room for a third, the interior of the new site has been laid out with precision to make the most efficient use of space, and to accommodate more machines in the future. “We've got 24,000sq ft here which we completely refurbished,” says Sheriff. “Whereas before we were constrained by the lack of space, now we have taken great care to ensure that the new premises make the most of the room we have. What we have ended up with is a more efficient area which is also infinitely more workable and secure.”
The staples of HQF's business are potatoes and carrots. Whole peeled potatoes and carrot batons make up the bulk of the product lines but, as with the company's premises there is always room for expansion. “Ultimately we'll expand and adapt to supply whatever our customers want,” Sheriff adds.
With the season for new potatoes and carrots just started, HQF has a wide spread of dedicated and approved growers from which to procure its produce, but while supplies from across the country pose no problem, not having a fixed price does.
This can cause problems in times of tough growing conditions and this year's hot weather has already taken its toll. “High temperatures and lack of water have combined to make conditions very difficult for carrots and potatoes this season,” says Sheriff. “The carrots that we need for processing are all the larger sizes, generally at 40mm plus, which tend to be irrigated, but there's a bit of a shortage at present.”
The heat has not only caused havoc in the carrot fields, but has also posed problems for cold storage, and to combat the detrimental effects of high temperatures, HQF has had to upgrade its refrigeration equipment.
“Because the site was originally fitted out for food use there were already chillers here to keep the chocolate cold,” Sheriff explains. “But during processing it is vital that the correct temperatures are maintained. In order to do this the product has to be blast-chilled ñ so the correct equipment is vital ñ especially during the summer months.”
Because of their size, potatoes pose a certain problem when it comes to chilling. “Potatoes go from 2.5kg bags up to 10kg bags ñ and with the larger sizes it is harder to get the core temperature down. Carrot batons are different because they are a lot smaller. The refrigeration issue is a complex one although pre-chilling always helps, but if orders go sky-high, there can be problems which have to be managed,” he adds.
Refrigeration is not the only issue. Up-to-date, flexible machines are also a vital part of the company's expansion and the premises have been fitted out accordingly. White food-safe walls and resin floors with stainless-steel drains have been installed throughout. In terms of machinery, the Limas step-peeler is fully adjustable so it can control the flow and quality of product. While on the carrot line, a continuous peeler prepares the product for further processing. “On the carrot line we have graders to remove out-of-spec material and vibratory feeders for the packers. We also have an Ishida weigher feeding an Ilapak bagger and we are now considering a second one for potatoes,” Sheriff says.
Around 30 tonnes of potatoes and 40t of carrots find their way through the processing plant each day ñ through the low care area for goods coming in, to medium care where product is trimmed and processed, and finally to the high care unit where product is packed. But there is always room for more. “In the run-up to Christmas last year we were doing around 30t of parsnips a week,” says Sheriff, “and we're always keen to diversify, but processing is not always an easy market. In the last few years we've found that growers and traders have increasingly gone into food processing, because the original customers they supplied have all but disappeared.”
Many peelers have gone bankrupt over the years, Sheriff admits, but HQF has made a point of moving forward. “We've got a good business facility and a good customer base so we're going up,” he says. “It's still a difficult time and a difficult climate so we have to keep our finger on the pulse, but since moving into the new premises, everything has run smoothly.”
To complement the new site, new staff have also been brought in. “We've expanded quality control and have got a new accountant in-house,” he adds. “Basically it's a far easier place to manage than the last premises we had and I am sure that our customers also feel more reassured now by what they see.”
With new office space and new staff facilities, things are on the up for HQF. However there are some factors that are more difficult to control ñ mainly in an area that everyone in the trade would like to see some improvement ñ price.
“Raw material supply is difficult,” Sheriff admits. “Obviously we have specific size, quality and variety requirements so that there is no issue with quality, but when it comes to price, that's something that hasn't altered in the last two to three years for potatoes.
“Many people have got into a rut in terms of price ñ and it's the seasonal variations that are difficult. Historically carrots are much more expensive in May, June and July because we have to rely on imports. But people aren't necessarily prepared to pay more for UK potatoes in the current situation driven by recent high temperatures and fewer plantings.”
But variation could be the key and it does pay to listen to the end-consumer. “We started doing whole peeled potatoes and raw chips, but then the demand for baton carrots overtook potatoes,” says Sheriff. “They're still our main lines but we also do diced swede and quartered parsnip during Christmas.
“With the foodservice sector, everything comes down to convenience,” Sheriff concludes. “It's all about labour-saving produce which has no waste and is ready to cook ñ that's why prepared produce hasn't experienced a recession like other food areas, in fact it's growing year-on-year” he concludes.
Ultimately a new company has evolved from the new premises. “We've moved on and now have much more capacity without compromising quality,” Sheriff says. “We pride ourselves on the consistent quality of our produce which we can supply week in and week out. We've got variable speed cutting machines, feeders, slicers and dicers and can pack anything from 100g to 10 kg in any pack or any format ñ we can even print customers' logos as required onto labelling,” he says. “We've gone from having excellent machinery in unsuitable premises to excellent machinery in brilliant premises. We've got a name for quality of produce and now we've got the facilities to match.”
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