Our staff party to celebrate RH Amar’s 70th anniversary was an emotional occasion for me. As we sailed down the Thames, passing through the City of London where our company was founded, I was asked to say a few words about the company’s history.

Of course, I have no recollection of the early years, other than realising (as a very small boy) that my father

was working very hard, travelling a lot, and spending a huge amount of time searching for food products to sell to his British customers. In those early days it was very definitely a seller’s market. The much repeated grocery trade joke of the post-war era involved the following conversation:

Seller: “I’ve got a hundred cases”

Buyer: “I’ll have them. What are they, and what’s the price?”

By the time I joined RH Amar in 1960, it was very much the kind of buyer’s market with which we are familiar today – but that was about the only resemblance to modern conditions. My weekly salary was slightly lower than the hourly Living Wage now imposed by our Government. I worked a 5 ½ day week, with two weeks holiday per annum, and absolutely no benefits. We are fond of calling our first office in Holborn Viaduct “Dickensian”, but even Charles Dickens himself might have found them a bit Spartan. They were freezing in winter, and much too hot in summer. Almost everyone

smoked – I shared an office with our Sales Manager, who smoked a pipe from morning to evening. But if the office was full of smoke, it was also full of laughter and banter. We worked hard, but we had fun, and a real sense of satisfaction that we were building a business that would last.

As we celebrated on the Thames that evening, I tried to imagine what my father would have made of the RH Amar of 2015. He would have loved our High Wycombe headquarters, except for the air-conditioning, and been intrigued by all the technology. The idea of five weeks holiday per annum would have been greeted with a wondering frown. He would have enthused about the quality and variety of our 1,200 products, except for the Garlic (a foodstuff which he detested). Above all he would have been delighted to meet all the people who work for RH Amar, recognising in them, I am sure, the team which will ensure that the company will thrive for many years to come.

RH AMAR • Famous For Fine Foods Summer 2015

Three score years and ten Henry Amar, chairman, writes:

Party time afloatOn June 27th, RH Amar’s staff and partners celebrated the company’s 70th anniversary aboard The Elizabethan - a beautiful replica of an 1890’s Mississippi stern-wheeled paddle steamer. Sailing on London’s Thames from the Festival Pier to the Thames Barrier, we were fortunate in having a truly perfect summer’s evening.

Anniversaryfine foodguidePlease find enclosed a fine food guide which celebrates the stature of RH Amar’s achievements over the years. It also provides an insight into today’s fine food market and some predictions on future trends.

New brands – See Pages 2 and 3

FINE FOOD NEWS

NEW BRANDS2 Fine Food NewsSummer 2015

Award for Sacla’ free-from Basil Pesto

During the recent Healthy Food Guide awards, expert judges whittled down the shortlist to find entries that delivered both taste and health credentials. For the Ready Meals category,

Sacla’ did just that, and won the Best for Special Diets Award with its Free From Basil Pesto.This Pesto substitutes one of the core ingredients, cheese, with tofu - a natural ingredient made with soybeans and water. The addition of tofu produces the delicious Pesto known and loved by consumers, without compromising on taste or texture. Clare Blampied, Sacla’ managing director, says: “With the ever increasing popularity of free-from products and ingredients, our Free From Basil Pesto continues to be a great success and is loved by consumers for the same great taste as our standard Pesto.”

RH Amar launches three new brandsWellaby’s gluten-free snacksRH Amar extends its snacking portfolio with the addition of Wellaby’s gluten-free snacking products. The range combines great taste with strong nutritional values.

Wellaby’s crisp snacking products are baked not fried, using only natural ingredients. They are low in fat and free from preservatives. Usage of core ingredients which are high in protein, such as Lentils in the Lentil Chip range, further boosts the range’s health credentials. Meanwhile its gluten-free Hummus Chips combine iron and vitamin B1, as well as chickpea flour which is a good source of protein.

There are several groups of consumer who will be attracted to the range:

• The 15% of households that avoid gluten, this figure rising to 21% for those aged 25-341

• The 44% of snack buyers who look for snacks with low/no or reduced sugar content2

• The 28% of those with a food intolerance who seek a better range of on-the-go snacks and treats2

• The increasing number of shoppers who seek gluten-free alternatives as part of broader healthy lifestyle2

Wellaby’s believes that healthy snacks should not be boring. They should be natural, fun and enticing. The range includes:-

• Lentil Chip Sea Salt Crisps (140g)

• Lentil Chip Cracked Black Pepper Crisps (140g) – (a Great Taste Award winner in 2014)

• Pitta Chip Italian Herb Crisps (130g)

• Hummus Chip Kalamata Olive Crisps (120g)

• Hummus Chip Roasted Red Pepper Crisps (120g)

1Mintel – Free From Foods November 20142Mintel – Consumer Snacking March 2015

Del Monte unveils PMP rangeDel Monte has extended its canned fruit range, offering Price Marked Pack (PMP) in the UK for the first time.

With all products packed six to a case and priced at £1, the range includes Pineapple Slices in Juice, Pineapple Chunks in Juice, Peach Slices in Juice, Peach Slices in Light Syrup, Fruit Cocktail in Juice, and Fruit Cocktail in Syrup.

The use of PMP is becoming increasingly popular in the Impulse and Convenience sectors, as shoppers look for clear and transparent pricing.

According to HIM research, 48% of shoppers say PMP encourages them to switch to a different brand. With Del Monte, the No.1 branded tinned fruit manufacturer in the UK*, the strong shelf standout should help convert even more people to the famous brand.*IRI Total Grocery Outlets Value share of Canned Fruit 12 w/e 23rd May 2015

MARKETING NEWS

NEW BRANDS 3Fine Food NewsSummer 2015

Galvanina’s Fruit Drinks from Italy

Galvanina’s sparkling fruit drinks are made from only the finest tree-ripened, hand-picked organic fruits and blended with mineral-rich sparkling Italian spring water from the Apennine Mountains.

Available in distinctive, carefully crafted, embossed glass bottles, they deliver a real sense of occasion both visually and for the taste buds. The drinks range is organic and free from artificial flavours, colours and preservatives.

They are available in refreshing Sicilian Ruby Orange, Sicilian Lemon and Sicilian Clementine flavours in 750ml glass bottles as well as single serve bottles of 355ml. There is also a delicious Red Grapefruit drink variant available in the single serve 355ml glass bottle.

The range has won plaudits from the food and drink press for its refreshing taste and exceptional quality.

Making a drachma out of a Greek tragedy?

Rob Amar, managing director, writes:My grandfather and founder of RH Amar was born in Thessaloniki, so I have always had some affinity to the country of his birth, and Greek food has long been an important part of our offering. And why not? There are few things I like better than feasting on meze with family and friends!

As I write this article, prior to knowing the outcome of the negotiations, I can only say it has been concerning to watch the Greek crisis unfold over recent years, and especially the past few months. Political and economic commentators are much more qualified than I am to pass judgement on what is going to happen next, and if we will see the return of the drachma with a Greek exit from the Eurozone.

One thing I do know is that our Greek suppliers are well placed to ride the storm, and represent some of the few success stories to come out of this Greek tragedy. They are all established, export-led businesses, and are committed to ensuring a reliable and continuous supply for their products.

There may be difficult and uncertain times ahead, but with the support of their distribution partners, customers and consumers around the world, Greek food companies can look ahead with more optimism than many Greek businesses.

And as interest in the Mediterranean diet continues to grow, along with a current trend towards modern Greek cuisine, I am sure we will be enjoying meze and other Greek food for a long time to come. Καλή όρεξη!

Brown & Polson CornflourAs the trend towards scratch cooking continues to grow with one quarter of people cooking sauces from scratch at least once a week1, RH Amar adds Brown & Polson to its portfolio of fine food suppliers.

Brown & Polson has been at the heart of Cornflour since the 1840s when John Polson made a breakthrough discovery and launched its patent Cornflour in 1854.

Cornflour is a thickening agent for soups, stocks and sauces, both sweet and savoury. Brown & Polson Cornflour is a pure fine white corn starch milled from maize grain from which the outer hull, germ and gluten have been removed by a patented milling process. This results in a product that is naturally smoother than ordinary flour, giving superior results when used in cooking.

The product is gluten-free and contains no other added ingredients. It is available in three sizes - 250g, 500g and 3kg.

1Mintel – Cooking Sauces, Pasta Sauces and Stocks – UK – January 2015

4Fine Food NewsSummer 2015

Tel: +44 (0) 1494 530200 Fax: +44 (0) 1494 472076Email: info@rhamar.com Website: www.rhamar.com

The Italian Sauce category continues to decline* as consumers seek to become more involved in their cooking. Pesto, however, bucks this trend and is showing growth. Sacla’, who has been making Pesto for 75 years, has seen its brand share grow to nearly 58%*.

Market research suggests that one of the barriers to consumers buying even more Pesto is wastage. Families do not always eat together any more and we are seeing smaller households, therefore it is often impossible to use the whole jar. To address this problem of wastage, Sacla’ has launched its No. 1-selling Classic Basil Pesto in a single portion 45g pot, thus making it even more convenient and versatile.

The pots are packed four to a case and are designed to increase usage opportunities for Pesto. The sauce can be used in pasta dishes but also as a tasty topping or accompaniment to fish or chicken. It can be drizzled over roasted vegetables or added to mayonnaise to create a delicious dip.

*-7% IRI 52 week ending April 2015

RANGE EXTENSIONS

Turnpike Way, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 3TF, UK

Summer season Pesto from Sacla’

Sacla’ is introducing a Limited Edition Broad Bean, Pea and Mint variety of Pesto. This light, subtle, and understated blend of summer vegetables is perfect to stir through pasta and is especially suited to pasta salads.

To decide on the perfect summer

Pesto, Sacla’ asked their 90,000 Facebook community to vote for their favourite combination of flavours, and that of Broad Bean, Pea and Mint was the clear winner.

Kühne’s welcome addition to free-from fixture

Kühne has launched three new 300ml gluten-free salad dressings in three delicious flavours; Chilli and Tomato, Honey-Ginger & Mustard, and Lemon & Buttermilk. All dressings are 100% gluten-free, and the Honey-Ginger and Chilli varieties are also lactose-free.

With the huge growth in free-from, these dressings are a welcome addition to the free-from fixture where currently there is no salad dressing offering.

Welcome to Zara

Anniversary competition

Sacla’ introduces Pesto Shots

Zara Schultz joined the Customer Services team in June. Previously she worked for 12 years for the Modena Group in their International Racing Team division. The company is another family business – owned by Zara’s father – and is also based in High Wycombe.

To celebrate our 70th anniversary, RH Amar is running a competition that is open to readers of Fine Food News. Entrants who answer the following question correctly will go into a prize draw that will take place on 1st September 2015. Three winners will be picked to receive a delicious fine food hamper.

Question:- In what decade did RH Amar start distributing Crespo Olives?

To enter, please email your answer to winahamper@rhamar.com along with your name, job title, company name and postal address. Please add a brief sentence with your thoughts on our quarterly newsletter, Fine Food News. It would also be helpful if you could let us know if you would like to receive email updates from us occasionally, and are happy for us to use the email address provided with your competition entry.

FINE FOOD NEWS