Earlier this year we ran a customer survey and one of the biggest pieces of feedback we had from our customers around their current challenges was rising costs and not wanting to pass too much of this on to their customers. If you are looking at making cost savings in your independent pub, restaurant, hotel or catering business, one avenue you could go down it to create a ‘capsule menu’. Much like a capsule wardrobe, limiting the amount of produce but getting creative with how you use it can help you cut costs whilst still producing excellent dishes for your diners. Here are some tips on how to create a capsule menu:

• Choose a theme: One route is to offer a limited menu that focuses on a specific cuisine or theme. This can help you to reduce your food costs by streamlining your ordering process and eliminating items that are not popular or that require a lot of preparation. With a bit of creativity this can still ensure an excellent experience for your customers, for example as part of a theme night of the week.
• Use seasonal ingredients: As you well know, seasonal ingredients are often more affordable than out-of-season ingredients and diners are becoming increasingly discerning about the provenance of their food. Of course, seasonal ingredients are also fresher and tend to taste better too!
• Keep it simple: AS well as keeping costs low by limiting the number of ingredients, simple dishes are often easier and less expensive to prepare than complex dishes. Ensure you use high quality produce and you can afford to let the flavours speak for themselves. Depending on your clientele, they may also prove more popular with customers.
• Use less expensive cuts of meat: There are many delicious and affordable cuts of meat that are often overlooked in the catering industry. With a bit of creativity and culinary flair, these cuts can be used to create flavorful and satisfying dishes without breaking the bank.
• Offer smaller portions: Do your plates come back clean or is there often a good few mouthfuls left? Offering smaller portions can help you to reduce your food costs without sacrificing quality. They can also help you to control portion sizes and prevent food waste.
• Promote your capsule menu: Let your customers know about your capsule menu and why they should try it. You can do this through your website, social media, and signage.

With a dollop of imagination and a pinch of flavour, you can create a capsule menu that is both delicious and affordable. Don’t forget to talk to your suppliers about what options are available to you, for example less expensive cuts of meat. At Cooper Foods, our friendly sales team are always up to date on what’s in stock and can advise you on the best options to suit you.

Head to our website to apply for an account if you’re not already a customer, or give our customer service team  a call on 01264 321050.

Our supplier sources Atlantic Cod and Haddock making sure the fish they buy is sustainable. Meaning that fish stocks can replenish and that procurement does not contribute to over fishing in any particular area or species. They are monitored and certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) exceeding the high standards by setting their own sustainability targets.

Only the finest fillets of these wild species are selected to be rolled in freshly baked golden breadcrumbs.

Three Oceans have developed a wide range of breadcrumb and ‘dusted’ coating recipes which can be rolled with a wide variety of white fish.

Either way you can be assured of a delicious combination of crisp, golden finish surrounding succulent fish.

• MSC Certified
• Caught in the Atlantic
• Cases are sold Net Weight
• Suppliers of Quality Fozen Fillets for 25 years
• All the Frozen Cod & Haddock Fillets are 99% Boneless

To talk to us about our range of frozen seafood, call us today.

We work hard to source local produce for you. We stock a fantastic range of local cheese from Hampshire, Dorset, Sussex, Oxford & beyond.

Local & Artisan Cheese are a fabulous addition to your Cheese Board. With distinctive flavours, these Cheeses are made with tradition, precision, passion & care.

If you would like some cheese from a particular region, call us today.

• 1 Pork Loin or Belly (boned & skinned)
• 1 Scored Pork Skin
• 1 Onion
• 1 Handful of each of Parsley, Fresh Rosemary, Fresh Thyme
• Grated Rind of 1 Lemon
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• Teaspoon Fennel Seeds
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil

Put Onion and herbs in a food processor and blitz to a paste.

Rub paste into the pork and roll, wrap scored skin around and tie off.  Rub skin with a salt and any remaining paste.

Roast at 120 degrees for about 4 hours then turn up the heat to get the crackling for the last 30 – 45 minutes.

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

According to YouGov, an online pollster, 2% of the British public are vegan, rising to 3% during the month of January. That is small fry though, when compared to the 10% of the British population that follow a gluten-free diet! What does this mean for your establishment? In reality, you could potentially be missing out on one in every two bookings for 10 people and one in three of bookings for 5 people. If you don’t adequately cater of vegan and gluten-free diets, on average you could be losing one in eight bookings.

There is good news!

Fortunately, there is a simple solution: ensure your menu has at least one vegan and gluten-free option for starters, main course and dessert. Perhaps less simple, but no less important: you will also need to ensure that your food preparation processes eliminate the chance of cross-contamination (for gluten-free options). Some foods are of course naturally gluten-free, such as meat or vegetables, but by the time you have added dressings, sauces and popular side dishes the whole meal may not be. Unless the menu item is specifically labelled as gluten-free then many customers might not be prepared to take the risk, particularly if they are coeliac rather than gluten intolerant. Even a small amount of gluten can have catastrophic consequences for many!

Do you promote the fact you cater for one in eight of your customers?

If you have recently added vegan and gluten-free labelled options to your menu and you are confident in your food prep processes, then make sure you shout about it! Is there a chalk board sign outside your venue highlighting the fact you cater for vegan and gluten-free customers? Is your latest menu available online? Have you gone one step further by offering a multitude of vegan or gluten-free menu options or gluten-free beers?

Win back repeat custom

If you use social media, it’s worth highlighting that you cater for vegan and gluten-free diets – this could be the edge that wins you the customer. Are your vegan and gluten-free menu options on a separate menu that may not be seen by customers? If so, consider including them in your main menu so that your full offering is obvious to diners.

You asked, we answered

It was clear from our recent customer survey that our customers wanted more vegan and gluten-free product options. As a result, we have now significantly increased our range of these food products. We now supply 17 vegan and 40 gluten-free food products to our customers in what is a very fast-growing diet sector.

What’s next?

If you are already an existing Cooper Foods Customer, then you can simply call 01264 321050 and ask about our range of vegan and gluten-free product options. If you are not already a Cooper Foods customer, then you can apply for an account here. 

Pacific West, through their global connections, are proud to offer some of the finest raw & cooked seafood available on today’s market. The product range includes Salmon Portions, Raw and Cooked Prawns, Scallops, Squid and many more.

Pacific West are a socially and environmentally conscious organisation, committed to sourcing seafood from sustainable and well managed fisheries. Pacific West’s parent company, Golden Fresh became the first company in south East Asia to receive the chain of custody accreditation from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in 2005.

It is with this unparalleled commitment to quality and sustainability which has led to Pacific West’s success as being a leader in the seafood market.

Our Pacific West products

• Battered Chunky Cod Bites
• Marinated Butterfly Prawns
• Tempura King Prawns
• King Prawn Twisters
• Tempura Hake
• Salt & Pepper Squid
• Salt & Pepper Shrimp Bombs

For more information about our Pacific West products call us today.