Baxter Storey Brochure

WELOVETHISBUSINESSa book about our company

visit us at:

www.baxterstorey.com

19849.0010 BS 165x220 60pp BROCHURE AW:19849.0010 BS 165x220 64pp BROCHURE AW 13/11/08 15:45 Page 2

We know that good foodmakes a difference.Everyone wants, anddeserves, to eat well andwhen they do they performbetter, so good food makesgood business sense.

That’s why we demandthe best – the best qualityingredients, prepared,cooked and served by the very best people.

That’s our business,and we love it.

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FOOD WITH THOUGHT


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‘I was seduced by restaurantsat an early age. I loved theatmosphere, the anticipation,the excitement and of course,the food.

Now it’s a passion. The challenge of deliveringnot just good, but exceptional food. It’s what drivesthe company… and it’s what gives us our edge.’

William Baxter, Deputy CEO

‘On every level, whether it be the food, the service orthe quality of our staff, weset ourselves incredibly high standards.

It’s not enough for us to meet clients’ expectations, we have to exceed them. It keeps us ahead of the field and we have to be… there’s a lot of competition out thereand it’s never wise to underestimate it.’

Alastair Storey, CEO


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contents page

All about us .................................................. 12

Better and different ................................20

Our clients love us .................................... 30

Our people .....................................................40

Chef academy ............................................ 44

How we do it .................................................50

Being green ................................................. 54

a book about our company

WELOVETHISBUSINESS


WELOVE

GOOD FOODCOMMITMENTNEW IDEASPASSIONCREATIVITYTEAMWORKSAYING YESFUN

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ALLABOUT US

WELOVETHISBUSINESS

It’s simple,superb food, and a greatteam

This was not only exciting, it was also extremely gratifying. Winning this award acknowledged that the company hadachieved its goal: to set new standardsin the food services industry.

When Alastair and William came together in2003 to discuss the possibility of a merger itsoon became clear that they sharedthe same passion – delivering great food.The joint venture would capitalise on theirindividual strengths: William Baxter’sentrepreneurial skills, having built twosuccessful niche catering companies,would perfectly complement Alastair Storey’sextensive business acumen and strongfinancial record.

We don’t want to be the biggest, but we do have to be the best

In 2004, Alastair Storey and William Baxter merged their companies and formed BaxterStorey.Three years later Alastair was voted ‘Caterer of the Year’.

Food Service Caterer of the Year 2007


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We firmly believe that the values that made us the bestsmall company will be the same ones that make us the best big company… caring passionately about our food,our people and our clients.

Delivering a great service requires greatpeople – talented, highly-skilled individualswho really care about food.

So in 2007, in an initiative new to the foodservices industry, we signalled our commitmentto training and development by establishingthe BaxterStorey Chef Academy in conjunctionwith Michelin-starred Chef, John Campbell.

Here, school and college leavers, trainee andexperienced Chefs are able to improve theirskills and gain academic qualifications. The benefits are obvious: it ensures that ourpeople are trained to our standards and givesstudents the opportunity to learn in an exciting,creative environment that generates realenthusiasm and commitment.

We focus on our people

We aim to be inspirational, to be the company that talentedyoungsters, and established Chefs, aspire to join…

We are Britain’s leading independent foodprovider for business and industry, operating ona truly national basis and employing severalthousand people throughout the UK and Ireland.Our client list is long and impressive. However,we are still privately owned and that’s how we

like it. Being independent means we can offer our clients all the resources of a largecorporation whilst delivering a moreresponsive, personal service which allows us to focus on the end product – great food.

We are passionate about the food we deliver.Equally, our respect for the environmentdemands that we do everything possible toprotect its resources. These commitmentsform the core of our operating practices:

to source and buy all our fresh producelocally for our clients’ sites, enabling us toselect better quality, fresher food andsimultaneously reduce the distance theproduce has to travel.

…and we focus on food


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Measuring value isn’t easy. But what we do know isthat our service works:people enjoy using it andthey enjoy our food. It addssomething to their workingday. And, inherent in that,is good value. You can'ttaste it, but you cancertainly appreciate it.

DELIVERING GOOD VALUE


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BETTERAND DIFFERENT

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Not just fresh food...fresh thinking too

Our success has grown from a commitmentto re-assess and re-evaluate how the foodservices industry operates. This approachtook us back to the drawing board but wascrucial in helping us establish new initiativesthat would deliver a better service: how could

we attract and retain the best people,improve relationships with clients andsuppliers and provide a better qualityproduct that also delivered better value? The collective strengths of our boardprovided the answers.

Alastair Storey – Chief ExecutiveAlastair has the perfect blend of experience, financial acumen andentrepreneurial spirit and has been a leading light in the food servicesindustry for many years. Winner of the Catey Food Service Caterer of the Year in 2007.

William Baxter – Deputy Chief Executive William, previously co-founder of Baxter and Platts and BaxterSmith is one of the great ambassadors for this industry. Winner of theCatey Food Service Caterer of the Year in 1996.

Noel Mahony – Managing DirectorNoel has worked in senior positions for most of the big names in the food services industry, including Trust House Forte and more recently as Managing Director of Baxter and Platts.

John Bennett – Managing DirectorJohn's success has been built on developing strong client relationships.Previously Managing Director of Corporate Accounts for the CompassGroup, John was awarded Cost Sector ‘Contract Caterer of the Year’ in 2003.

Rick Holroyd – Managing DirectorA recent addition to the board, Rick Holroyd is one of the joint founders of the hugely successful independent contract caterer Holroyd Howe, who have now joined forces with BaxterStorey.

Jeremy Wood – Regional Managing DirectorA new addition to the board, strengthening our operations in the Northand Scotland. Jeremy’s past experience includes overseeing the G8summit at Gleneagles and the opening of the new Scottish Parliament.

Matthew Thomas – Regional Managing DirectorA US graduate, joins the board having spent the last ten years working within the Business and Industry sector, predominantly for Holroyd Howe.

Simon Esner – Sales DirectorSimon joined BaxterStorey in 2000 and has been instrumental in the expansion of the company people recognise today. He is without doubt one of the industry’s leaders in his field.

Richard Flynn – Sales Director NorthRichard brings to the team a wealth of experience from the RetailIndustry. Throughout his career, he has achieved a strong customer focus and a passion for quality service.

Marc Bradley – Finance DirectorHaving previously worked for a professional services firm Marc brings experience gained across a variety of different industries and financial transactions. Marc is a qualified chartered accountant and has spent the last few years working on international assignmentsbased across Europe.

Linda Halliday – HR and Training DirectorIn 1985 Linda founded Halliday Catering Services, building the familybusiness into a multi-million pound operation that merged with Wilson Storey in 2000. Linda was awarded the Catey Food ServiceCaterer of the Year in 2003.

Building a business to be proud of

Board of Directors

Passion comes from the top. And because all ourDirectors are from a food services background – theyeach bring their own brand of creativity, commitment and business insight to everything we do.


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Different… because we buy fresh produce locally for each of our clients

Buying locally makes for better quality- it’s assimple as that. We don’t buy and distributeour fresh produce centrally because it wouldcompromise quality. So, we literally get backto grass roots and track down the best fresh

produce from the best local suppliers. It enablesus to talk to the people who produce the food,learn about its provenance and seasonalityand, most importantly, taste it for ourselves.

Because we know our suppliers well, we’reable to form strong, long-term workingrelationships with them. These relationshipsare collaborative in every sense –

we respect their dedication and reward themappropriately. They in turn, respect ourstandards and work hard to meet them.

Better…because our relationships with our suppliers are stronger

The food we deliver is fresh, creativelyprepared and beautifully presented – that’s agiven. But, it also has to be the sort of food ourcustomers really want to eat. Whether it’ssnacks from our ‘Grab and Go’ or ‘Fine Dining’,

it’s vital that our menus reflect employees’work patterns and cater for their specifictastes. And of course, menus should beexciting and innovative, acknowledging global influences and changing trends.

Exceptional… because it’s not just good food, it’s the right food

‘We went to visit Nathan De Rosalieux at the CornwallFisheries Resource Centre who talked to us about fishingstyles and conservation. It was fantastic to see so muchglistening, fresh fish all in one place. It really brought ithome to us – the need for careful management of ourfish stocks.’

Rik Razza, Company Development Chef


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‘Good service. It’s all aboutstriking the right balance:understanding yourcustomers, gauging theirmood and giving them thelevel of service they want.You have to be sensitive to the kind of day they’rehaving – keep yourantenna finely tuned…’

Tony Brand, Director of Hospitality

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OURCLIENTS LOVE US

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It’s not about us…it’s all about them

Our client retention rate is a very rewarding97%. They stay with us for one very simplereason: because we continue to deliverexceptional food and exceptional service.There’s no magic formula – just a commitmentto continually exceeding expectations andnever saying ‘no’. We provide food servicesto some of the UK’s largest companies,covering a diverse range of public and

private sectors including finance, legal, media,manufacturing, telecommunications and retail.Underpinning our relationships with ourclients is a respect for their individuality andan enthusiasm for investing time and energyin getting to know them. Only then can wedeliver a service that fully reflects theirpersonality and caters specifically for theirindividual needs.

The answer is ‘Yes’

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We have a responsibility to provide ourcustomers not just with good food but thekind of food they actually enjoy eating. To do this it’s vital that we anticipate new

trends, changes in lifestyle and globalinfluences so that we can assess their impacton workplace eating habits and create menusthat reflect these changes.

Anticipating what our clients need

Good relationships are based on good communication.Sitting down with the client from day one and listening...listening carefully to what they want and developing areal understanding of how their business operates.There’s no shortcuts here; we put in the time and effort it takes because it pays off – for everybody.


It appears that a staggering 17% of the nation’sworkforce struggle through the day withouthaving eaten breakfast. Even more worryingly,a further 8% of these weary souls don’t eatlunch either. Research consistently reports thatpeople who eat breakfast are more physicallyenergetic, have better co-ordination levels andscore up to 15% higher in memory tests thanpeople who skip breakfast.

At the same time, we are all much betterinformed about our food choices and arebecoming increasingly aware of the benefits of a healthy diet. So what gets in the way ofeating more sensibly? The increased paceand demands of the average working day.Longer hours and hectic schedules areresulting in eating on the move and a greater reliance on snacks.

Lots of facts – and a few surprises

It was clear from our survey that to helpemployees eat more healthily, better choicesand greater flexibility were needed, allowingstaff to fit good nutritious meals and snacksin and around their working day. Providingthe choice, variety and flexibility people needallows them to eat well, whenever theywant. The results are obvious – happierpeople who work more effectively. And that’s got to be good.

The solution

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What happens when we don’t eat breakfast? The resultingdrop in productivity costs England, Scotland and Wales anestimated £8.1 billion or 46.5 working days per year.

So… how do we eat today?

In 2004 BaxterStorey commissioned aWorkplace Eating Habits survey – the firstcatering company in the UK to commission areport of this kind. It provided us, and our

clients, with a whole new perspective on thenation’s eating habits and most importantly,how we could accommodate them.


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The beauty of seasonal food

Working with British food that’s in season isbetter in every way: it offers freshness, goodnutritional quality, great taste and bettervalue for money. We have a great wealth offantastic produce on our doorsteps so we’reall for celebrating and enjoying it. If we don’t,some of our best British produce will simplydisappear. The British countryside and itsfarmers and growers need our support and at BaxterStorey we’re more than happy to give it.

A healthy approach

Good food, great tastingfood, healthy food. To us,they’re the same thing. We know our customerswant to eat more healthilyand we provide everyopportunity for them to do that.

Food that is eaten on themove can be tasty and at the same time, nutritious.That’s why we’ve created our own range of

sandwiches, salads, snacks,desserts and drinks so we canguarantee taste and goodness.Look out for the logo.

Labelling the facts

Our customers deserve to know exactly what they are eating, so we provide detailednutritional information on all our take-outproducts. We also subscribe to the FoodStandards Agency’s Traffic Light Systemwhich labels fat, sugar and salt content.Customers increasingly want to know theprovenance of ingredients in our dishes, socomprehensive details are included in all our menu descriptions.

Healthy eating tips from our Chefs

Cook to maximise the good, minimise the bad:

1. Steam, chargrill and dry roast wheneverpossible, don’t fry.

2. Use semi-skimmed milk, low fat crèmefraiche or yoghurt.

3. Use wholemeal breads, brown rice, wheat flour and bran.

4. Use less salt and more fresh herbs for seasoning.

5. Use vegetable oils and unsaturated fats.

6. Enjoy cooking it – that’s good for you too.Healthy eating roadshows

Because we love food, we don’t take muchpersuading to spread the word so weregularly hold healthy eating demonstrationsat our clients’ premises. We encourageclients to participate but if they’re not up topreparing a few smoked haddock and leekfishcakes, we’re happy to let them sit backand watch! Demonstrations can last fromforty five minutes to two hours and can coverspecific topics such as:

- How to cook more healthily- Foods for concentration- Food and sport- Understanding allergies and intolerances


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We love a blank canvas, an empty plate – they’reopportunities to be morecreative. Whether it’s inthe ingredients we choose,the way we cook a dish orjust the final touch thatelevates the good to thefantastic...

CREATING SOMETHING NEW

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OURPEOPLE

WELOVETHISBUSINESS

What we ask of our peopleis that they aspire to be the best. We work hard tofind talented, exceptionalindividuals who share ourpassion for good food and our commitment to delivering it.

When people demonstrate that level ofmotivation we’re happy to invest in them. We provide training and developmentprogrammes where they can gain practical

experience and academic qualifications andexciting, creative environments where theycan develop their talents.

We offer courses at every level from NVQs to Catering Degrees, which are open to everyone of our employees. We ensure too thatwhilst our people are becoming betterqualified, they also possess the levels ofpractical skills necessary to deliver thequality of food and services we demand.

When we find, train and nurture new talent,they reward us with their commitment andenthusiasm – and because they are bright,ambitious and motivated, their ideas andenergy keep us moving forward.


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The BaxterStorey way

People who like people

A personal approach

We begin training new employees as soon asthey walk through the door. On day one, all ourstaff take part in our ‘Welcome to the BusinessIntroduction’. It’s an initiation in BaxterStoreyculture – to our ethos, our history and ouroperating philosophy. On a more practicallevel we also introduce them to our health and safety procedures and service standards.For our Chefs and Managers, inductioncourses last for four weeks and providecomprehensive training in menu developmentand innovation, food presentation, servicestandards and management techniques.

By focusing on our people and what they do best, theyreward us by giving their best. We invest in our staffbecause we are reliant on them for sourcing, cookingand serving our food. When they do that well we can all be proud of the service we deliver.

Fortunately anyone who takes up a career in front of house is usually outgoing andwelcoming, but that’s not the onlyrequirement. We demand high levels ofcustomer care so it is essential that our staff build good relationships with customers. The four week induction course teachesthem how to listen, to anticipate needs and build an ethos where the customercomes first.

After successful inductions and three month’sexperience, each employee is reviewed andprovided with an individually tailored trainingprogramme and personal development plan.By this point we understand their strengthsand can help them improve their skills andtheir personal goals.

Wake up and smellthe coffee

We have now opened our own Barista Academy – the first of its kind in the industry.Knowing how to make a great cup of coffee is now an art form…and an art we’re delighted to teach.

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CHEFACADEMYThe Academy is proving to be inspirational.Already producing talented and highly-skilledyoung Chefs, including its first batch ofgraduates, the Academy now provides themost comprehensive Chef trainingprogramme in the catering sector.

Founded in 2006 and inspired by CompanyDevelopment Chef Rik Razza, its aim was todeliver a structured training programme thatoffered both academic qualifications andthorough technical training. Rik, along withhis team of Development Chefs, arecommitted to equipping today’s young Chefswith the high-level skills and the long termlearning opportunities necessary to sustaintheir catering careers.

The Academy represents a huge investment in training and development and an acknowledgement that our successis dependent on the skills of our Chefs andkitchen staff. We can only be as good as they are, so the Academy is an investmentin their futures, and the company’s.

Enthusiasm, passion, adesire to please… that’swhat ends up on the plate– you can taste it.


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The Academy offers training at five differentlevels allowing students of varying abilities to progress towards the next stage of theirdevelopment, with courses ranging from thebasic Chef’s Certificate throught to a BSc[Hons] or Masters Degree in InternationalCulinary Arts.

Level One for example, develops andevaluates a student’s abilities as a Commis

Chef or Chef de Partie introducing them to specific practical skills and kitchenmanagement methods while they study on day release for an NVQ qualification.Higher up the kitchen hierarchy, Chefs withfive or more years’ experience can progressto the Culinary Arts Diploma Course enablingthem to attend university on a day releasebasis specialising in kitchen, larder or pastryskills or a combination of all three.

Training and qualifications for everyone

Opportunities to visit suppliers are scheduled into training programmes at every level enablingstudents to develop an in-depth knowledge ofthe seasonality and provenance of the produce

they work with. They visit the farms and thefisheries, the markets and auctions. Mostimportantly, they handle the produce forthemselves – smell the cheese, eat the apples.

Learning about food… and the people who produce it

The thought processes that go into the cooking of foodare just as important as the food itself. Good planningand meticulous organisation are vital, so we train our Chefs to cook creatively… and to think creatively.


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‘At the Vineyard our food has to pack a wow factor but it’s notabout culinary ‘showing off’. It’s an ongoing commitment toraising the bar which means we have to constantly focus on theintegrity of our ingredients. That’s what I teach the students –get the best from your ingredients and the rest will follow.’

John Campbell, Executive Chef, The Vineyard at Stockcross

Cooking in a two Michelinstar kitchen – all in thecourse of a working day

The culmination of the training programme is a week spent in the kitchens of the Vineyardat Stockcross under the watchful eye ofExcecutive Chef John Campbell, now the proud owner of two Michelin stars.

A daunting proposition perhaps for trainees buta unique opportunity to work in one of the bestorganised kitchens in the country. Designedspecifically for the Academy’s most promisingtalent, the week long course at the Vineyardincludes learning about sourcing, training in fishand meat techniques, cooking tutorials and visitsto major European food markets. Under closesupervision, the trainees also work alongside theVineyard’s own Chefs during service so they getto feel the full heat of a two Michelin star kitchen.

Throughout the year, Chefs at all levels will visitthe Vineyard for tutorials which cover topicssuch as kitchen structure and financialmanagement and for question and answersessions with John Campbell.

The partnership between John Campbell andBaxterStorey is now one of the longest runningrestaurant Chef and caterer relationships in thebusiness and based on a shared belief: thatrigorous training and development are crucialto the industry’s success and as John Campbellsays ‘If you train properly the first time round,then you don’t have to do it again’.

Happy people happy to stay with us

The Academy is already producing results.Staff turnover levels have already reduced by5% and it’s a figure that can only improve asthe Academy continues to consolidate itsreputation. The Academy is proving to beinspirational – not only for our students butfor the catering industry as a whole.

Finding new talent

Because we love what we do, we are constantlysearching for young talented people who shareour passion, and because they may not alwaysfind their way to us, we go out and find them.

We have already built strong links withschools, colleges and universities throughoutthe country arranging work placements andwork experience programmes. Our boardmembers have all re-established ties withtheir old universities and colleges and invitestudents to come and spend time with us to‘feel the heat’ in the kitchen.


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HOW WE DO ITPutting systemsin place

BaxterStorey, as the biggest privately-ownedfood services company in the UK, occupies aunique position within the industry.

Its size affords us distinct advantages: smallenough not to be constrained by corporateconcerns yet big enough to provide a robustinfrastructure and comprehensive resources.

Our board has brought together a team ofprofessionals each with their own area ofexpertise – HR, Finance, IT, Health and Safety,CSR and the Environment. Their departmentsprovide the expertise necessary to fullysupport our operating teams, allowing themto concentrate on what matters most – delivering our food services.

Our IT system allows staff, clients andsuppliers to communicate and access criticalbusiness information quickly and efficiently.Each of our clients’ operations has its ownsecure extranet site where location specificdata can be viewed by clients and operatingmanagers. This provides senior managementwith continuous access to information.

Our unique data collection system, ‘Evolution’provides real-time information such as salesvolumes and purchasing levels, allowing us toprocess data efficiently and cost-effectivelyat each of our operations.

Our infrastructure and resources are geared towards one goal – to constantlymaintain the quality of service in our cafés,our delis, and our restaurants. The support we provide enables our staff to focus 100%[single-mindedly] on delivering good food and good service.

The resources to help us do what we do best


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BEINGGREEN

Sustainability practices are thereforeembedded at the core of our operatingmethods and our initiatives for wastemanagement, carbon reduction andsustainability currently lead the way in

the food services industry. The Earth is good to us and in return we are committed to puttingback as much as we take out – and demandthat our suppliers join us in our efforts.

We have a huge respect for the produce we work with and are committed to driving forward new and innovative environmental schemes that will help protect those resources.

WELOVETHISBUSINESS


Our industry inevitably makes heavy demands on foodand fuel resources, so initiating sustainability practiceswas an urgent priority. To this end, BaxterStorey invitedMike Hanson to join us as Head of EnvironmentalManagement and we are currently the only company inour sector to have invested in a dedicated specialistresponsible for developing environmental managementschemes – for our business and those of our clients.

Our coffee grounds go back into the ground. Coffeegrounds are a great source of organic matter and arechemical free. So, we offer them to our customers to use as compost, saving 200 tonnes of waste that would otherwise go to landfill.

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Leading the field ingreen initiatives

BaxterStorey was the first company in theworld to implement and receive certificationfor the UKAS accredited BS8555 STEMS[Steps to Environmental Management]monitored by BSI Management Systems.We were also the first contract caterer in theUK to achieve BS EN ISO 14001 accreditation.

Converting food waste to energy

We are also the first UK food services companyto trial food waste collection. The waste will beconverted into renewable electricity andpurchased by the national grid.

Our vans run on cooking oil

In the last year we have achieved a carbonemission reduction of 10.6 tonnes by convertingour refrigerating delivery vans to run on therecycled cooking oil from our clients’ kitchens.

We offer Fairtrade products

When we buy produce from suppliers in thedeveloping world such as tea and coffee, weneed to ensure they get a fair deal. That’sexactly what Fairtrade does – ensures fair and stable prices to cover production costsplus a premium for growers to invest in their business, their community or localenvironmental schemes.

Signing up our suppliers…and clients

BaxterStorey have also implemented initiativesto help suppliers reduce their own packaging,setting them a reduction target of 20% over atwo-year period. And wherever practical, weencourage all our clients to use recycled andbiodegradable packaging to reduce resourcedepletion and minimise energy consumption.

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A carbon neutral head office

Conservation starts at home – and afterimplementing in-house target reductions inpaper, fuel and waste materials, our Head Officein Reading has now been awarded OfficialCarbon Neutral status.

We don’t waste waste

Through careful recycling of paper, cardboard,cans and cartridges, we have reduced theamount of waste going to landfill sites by 36%.Wherever possible we also install wastecompactors at larger sites which reduce wastevolume by up to 80%.

Wooden ‘plastic’ cutleryand cornstarch cups

We don’t use plastic cutlery, we use coatedwooden cutlery made from wood fromsustainable forests. Our take-out coffee and tea containers are made from cornstarch which biodegrades in six weeks – better drink quickly.

The UK’s firstbiodegradable bottle

We have recently launched Belu Mineral Water inour sites. The bottles are made from corn andcan be re-composted back into the soil in twelveweeks which is roughly a million times faster thantraditional plastics. Belu contributes 100% of itsnet profit to clean water projects and, working withWater Aid, every bottle bought provides someonein India or Africa with clean water for one month.


SUPPORTINGBRITISHSUPPLIERS

SOURCINGGREAT LOCALPRODUCEPROTECTING

OURRESOURCES

FRESHTHINKING

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Documents

Baxter Storey Brochure