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QV Foods wins inaugural re:fresh Processor Award

QV Foods has been selected by a panel of industry judges as the Re:fresh Fresh Produce Processor of the Year 2010.

The judging panel, which is chaired by the chief executive of fruit and vegetable industry trade association the Fresh Produce Consortium Nigel Jenney, chose QV Foods as the winner for “excellence in product and process innovation that has delivered exceptional growth for this business”. The award was presented last Thursday night at a gala ceremony at the InterContinental Park Lane, London, in front of 550 industry representatives.

This was the seventh year of the Re:fresh Awards, but the first in which the processing industry had been included as a category. QV Foods Fresh prepared facility is nearly a decade old, but won the award thanks to a significant change of direction over the last two years.

The judgement was based on the following facts:

• QV Foods has established itself as one of the leading prepared vegetable factories in the UK, with both own and private label products being provided to the retail and foodservice sectors.
• Our prepared factory was designed just over 10 years ago to supply peeled potatoes into high-volume, low value manufacturing customers.
• A change in strategy has seen our facility re-avert its focus to the retail and foodservice sectors and significantly expand our range and horizons.
• Our range has now extended to include both own-label and private label products, as well as having diversified into several prepared vegetable lines.
• Our Fresh Prepared facility, which originally housed a potato processing line, now also boasts a vegetable preparation area, additional WIP chilled storage space and a high-care packing area.
• Our fresh prepared offer has extended to ready-to-cook products, which necessitated a cultural shift, not only from staff, but also in regards to the production processes needed to meet exacting customer standards.
• We have added significant value and innovation within the fresh prepared vegetable category. Efficient and effective packaging solutions have led the way, combined with our drive to come up with innovative and creative flavours that offer the consumer a new experience.
• The disciplines and processes learned in the potato sector also work well in the development of a range of root vegetable products.
• The foodservice element of the business serves growers well, as it enhances crop utilisation and the ability to provide a flexible processing service through a cost-efficient in-house preparation and packing model has brought in several new clients in that arena.

QV Director Simon Martin accepted the award from sponsor MVS Food Services. He said: “This is a tremendous accolade for our company and is recognition for the enormous amount of hard work and dedication we have all put in to all parts of the business in the last few years. We were also a finalist in the Packer of the Year category on the night, which is a magnificent achievement and reflects our standing in this industry.

“The Re:fresh Awards are the only industry-wide awards for fruit and vegetable companies. Both being a winner and a finalist validates your business ethos and the direction in which you are heading as a company and I believe it also reflects the influence and impact you have on the environment you work in,” he said.

“To be recognised by colleagues and competitors in your own field is significant, and in a competitive industry such as ours, where there are so many companies doing a good job for their customers and for the consumer, it really gives us something to be proud of and, most importantly, build on.”

Notes for Editors:

• In 2001, QV Foods commissioned the building of a processing factory on its Holbeach Hurn site. The initial aim was to further progress the QV Foods potato business into added value products. This has since been extended into many other vegetable products. Our prepared factory prepares, packs and supplies a wide range of vegetable products in numerous specifications including dice, slice, shred, chips, wedges, chateau, and peeled. We also add a variety of exclusive flavours, oils, butter and herbs to selected vegetable ranges to provide further convenience and point of difference.

Our customer base includes every major UK retailer, and many of the leading food manufacturers and foodservice businesses. An innovative approach to product formats and pack sizes and configurations enables us to tailor our product offer to suit customers stocking both niche and mainstream fresh-prepared products.

• For more information on QV Foods, go to www.qvfoods.com
• For further comment or information on this story, please call Standfirst UK on 07773428325.
• For additional background information on the Re:fresh Awards, go to www.refresh.eu

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