Well, it was quite a summer! Thanks to the continual growth in north tourism, we’ve been busier than ever and I hope all our customers have benefited from this trend too. Long may it continue – especially into the shoulder months of the year!
During August we overcame a significant challenge as a fire at the Glasgow Fruit Market threatened to disrupt operations. Thankfully our buying team worked round the clock to firstly source new stock and secondly, to have it transported from all over the UK and Europe to Inverness for onward distribution, minimising the impact on customers as much as possible.
We are still dealing with the immediate aftermath of the fire with insurance claims and such like but this shouldn’t affect the usual quality and service standards you expect from Williamson Foodservice.
Our latest 24 page September/October brochure will have arrived with most customers by the time you read this. We have worked hard to gradually improve it during 2017 and this current edition is the latest step in delivering a fresh, new design that is more clearly laid out. With around 200 products included, we hope it helps customers understand the breadth of what we offer as well as featuring a good mix of new products, great offers and flexible options to enhance your food and beverage offering.
The front page showcases House of Broughton syrups (from the Fentimans soft drinks stable). These are crafted to help bartenders and mixologists create superior tasting drinks. Now is a great time to take advantage of the burgeoning cocktail market with demand for these set to soar and cocktail drinking consumers generally spending more than their non-cocktail drinking counterparts.
Fentimans have also just released a family of premium 250ml cans for the first time (see page 9). They offer the same great Fentimans taste but without a bottle – ideal for the mobile ‘on the go’ market or places/events where glass is not permitted or impractical.
On page 6, you’ll also find a range of intriguing fruit purees from Ravifruit which are perfect for pastries, ice creams and sorbets. Osprio present their rice, pulses and cereals on page 11 that are ideal for comfort food as the days become noticeably fresher. Kitchen staples from brand’s like Colman’s and Knorr also help develop a more ‘hearty’ and autumnal theme.
Spey Valley Brewery (page 15) is the new kid on the craft beer block for Williamson’s in this issue. Their range of four distinctive beers from the heart of Speyside use the best ingredients and have some exciting names to capture your customer’s imaginations from ‘David’s not so Bitter’ to ‘Sunshine on Keith’! The latest single serve products from Café Express – a brand many of you have supported throughout the year – are also included. A new artisan yogurt producer has also emerged in the shape of Rora Dairy from Aberdeenshire (back page) and we are really excited to have them in our dairy range.
Finally, a big thanks for all the generous donations we have received towards the Highland Hospice Everest Challenge which we recently took part in. This very worthwhile north charity strikes a chord with all of us at Williamson’s and in the wider Highlands and Islands. We completed the Challenge on Saturday 16th September and if you are able to make any final donations I would be very grateful indeed.
www.williamsonfoodservice.co.uk/everest-highlander-challenge
To view an electronic version of our latest September/October brochure:
https://www.williamsonfoodservice.co.uk/current-promotions
Best wishes for the remainder of the season!
Gary Williamson
Managing Director
