Sandwiches

Citation

(1999), "Sandwiches", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 99 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.1999.01799eaf.003

Sandwiches

In the nine years since the British Sandwich Association was formed, the industry has grown to become the UK’s fast food market leader with annual sales worth more than £2.8 billion. This represents a 41 per cent market share, compared with one-time leaders burgers (18 per cent) and fish and chips (12 per cent).

This commercial market of over 2.2 billion sandwiches a year is served by more than 500 manufacturers, who supply and distribute packaged sandwiches to thousands of supermarkets, forecourts and catering outlets, as well as thousands more sandwich bars, pubs and other outlets where sandwiches are made on the premises.

Market growth has been made possible by an industry which has been highly entrepreneurial in developing the infrastructures and technologies needed to match consumer demands for convenience foods which are fresh yet easy to eat in the hand. This is particularly so as far as the packaged sandwich market is concerned, where a short shelf-life – normally production plus two days – is a critical factor in the marketing of products. However, this entrepreneurial approach is equally evident in other sectors. In sandwich bars, for example, rapid turnaround of customers is essential both in terms of matching customer demands for a ‘‘quick’’ purchase (two minutes is considered critical by some outlets) and in achieving the volume sales needed to be profitable. Technology and systemisation are the only ways this can often be achieved.

On average the British worker takes just 32 minutes for lunch and 14 per cent of them do not take a break at all. Many more consumers are nowadays prepared to eat foods ‘‘on the move’’, whether in a car or on the street, than ever before. They also see foods, such as sandwiches, as a convenient meal to sustain them as they continue to fulfil their priorities in life, which these days involve fewer and fewer long lunch hours and meals around a table. Yet, they are increasingly discerning about the foods they buy, which are expected to be good to eat, wholesome and healthy.

While the sandwich industry has very much responded to this demand, it has also had to recognise the nature of the business it is in which often involves the handling and assembly (much manual) of high risk ingredients. This necessitates that high care must go hand in glove with the development of speedier production and distribution systems. This, in itself, carries a cost and the investment needed nowadays to enter the manufacturing market on any scale reflects this.

Nevertheless, the manufacturing sector has been particularly innovative in developing the infrastructures that have allowed it to serve such a wide marketplace. With a limited two-day chilled shelf-life, there was never any possibility that the industry could initially link into established distribution channels and, instead, had to build its own structures. Hence, the emergence of small manufacturer-distributors with the ability to make and deliver products within a limited area daily.

Many of these early businesses were highly entrepreneurial and did not always recognise the risks they were taking in terms of food safety. They did, however, recognise the market opportunities and the benefits they could gain by developing their own chilled distribution rounds. Indeed, many still operate in this way, although the market is increasingly turning to bigger factories who can offer greater product security and capacities, with distribution often being taken on by third parties. This also suits buyers who are thus able to deal with fewer suppliers over whom they can exercise greater control.

Shell Select, for example, has recently reduced its suppliers to three by centralising all its distribution through a network it has set up with Hays; Ginsters now handles a large part of the production from the Walkers two factories; and major chilled food distributors are now beginning to enter the market carrying products to forecourts, convenience stores and others on behalf of manufacturers and retailers.

As the market has grown, and become more mature, many of the early manufacturers have failed to keep up, either in terms of investing in the technologies required by today’s buyers or by having the business experience and/or resources needed to keep pace with the market’s growth. Nevertheless, there is still a market for the smaller producer and, indeed, there are some highly successful ones which have established strong local brands or niches for themselves.

However, all have had to come to terms with the need for high care – a factor which originally led to the formation of the British Sandwich Association in 1990, at a time when food safety was becoming a major public issue. Hence, one of the first tasks of the organisation was the development of Codes of Practice and the establishment, behind these, of an accreditation scheme with its own auditors.

Although the Association now has more than a thousand ‘‘members’’, only those that are accredited are entitled to call themselves ‘‘Members’’ and to use the BSA’s triangular symbol. All others are referred to as ‘‘Subscribers to BSA Information Services’’.

To be a Member, businesses have to prove that they comply with, and support, the principles of the Association, and particularly the standards it lays down. All sandwich manufacturers and suppliers who are considered high risk are audited by the BSA. In the case of others, such as retailers and suppliers of low risk products, the association requires evidence that they comply with good practice and operate to safe standards. Indeed, wherever possible the BSA likes to support independent audits carried out by reputable organisations as it is concerned that in some areas supplier auditing is driven by commercial, rather than food safety, motives.

The aim of the accreditation scheme is not just to ensure that ‘‘Members’’ comply with the Association’s standards, but more to ensure that standards across the industry are good enough. The BSA standards are, in fact, considered to be the minimum that should be operating, yet many producers still find them hard to achieve, despite the fact that many retailers demand even more.

The standards cover all aspects of a sandwich business, from the fabric of a building to personnel hygiene standards and procurement procedures. They also set down guidelines for shelf-life, micro-testing (see Table I) and good practice in terms of labelling as well as other issues that affect the market. Indeed, with the increasing volume of technical information being needed for reference, the Association is shortly to introduce a special manual for members which will be up-dated on a regular basis.

The standards laid down in the various BSA Codes of Practice, which separately cover manufacturing, sandwich bars, vending and buying, are considered by the Association auditors as only guidelines. The same level of emphasis is placed in audits on the management of the business and whether those involved are sufficiently aware of the risks and disciplines needed to operate a sandwich business. The employment of someone who is technically competent and in a position of authority is considered vital for food safety reasons.

In many cases BSA Accredited businesses are not large but are, nonetheless, well run and managed. Indeed, some of these smaller plants have systems in place that are considered as good as, and sometimes better than, their bigger counterparts.

The most worrying aspect for the Association is not that so many manufacturers continue to fail to meet the minimum standards it sets, but that so many buyers are prepared to throw caution to the wind and buy from these producers without thought to the safety of their consumers. There are, for example, factories still operating which the BSA and bigger retailers have delisted, yet which continue to supply major high street brand names with sandwiches!

Whilst the Association does not want to be seen as being ‘‘Big Brother’’, it does believe that it is preferable that the industry controls its own standards rather than having to face legislation. It is also in the interests of the entire industry that standards are set that will help to safeguard it against a food scare in the future. However, such an approach requires co-operation from everyone in the chain, including those retailers and caterers who are sometimes prepared to put margins before food safety or the reputations of their brand names.

But the Association is not only involved in the manufactured sandwich market. It is equally concerned about the standards operating in the sandwich bar sector where, it says, there can sometimes be a much greater degree of complacency. Other than the fact that much smaller volumes are involved and shelf-life factor is different, those making sandwiches in cafes, sandwich bars and catering units face much the same problems as those involved in manufacturing. Indeed, in some areas they may even be exacerbated by the limited space available. Certainly many of the risks of cross-contamination, personal hygiene and handling are similar. In some cases they may even be made worse by the environmental conditions of a kitchen combined with the four-hour ambient rule which allows sandwiches to be sold out of chill for up to this time.

In addition to food safety, The British Sandwich Association takes an active role in encouraging the development of the sandwich market in the UK and Europe. Each year it organises a number of events for the industry in the UK, including an industry dedicated exhibition called the Total Sandwich Show which took place at the Business Design Centre, Islington, London on 20/2 May. It also organises the annual industry awards which take place on 21 May at the Royal Lancaster Hotel and is actively encouraging the UK industry to get involved in the emerging sandwich markets of Europe.

Within the Association there are various specialist groups which meet each year, including a strong technical group which is currently involved in putting together specifications for raw materials which will be published in the near future.

Further information about the Association can be obtained by calling 01235 821820.