Frozen food distributor Central Foods expands gluten-free range with new pasta product

New gluten-free pasta from Central Foods

Leading frozen food distributor Central Foods has boosted its free-from range with a new individual portion of gluten and dairy-free penne pasta.

The ready-cooked penne pasta, which is also suitable for vegans and vegetarians, provides a convenient product for chefs and foodservice operators to use either hot or cold.

“The free-from market is huge and growing all the time,” said Gordon Lauder, managing director of Central Foods. “Diners quite rightly expect high quality free-from dishes to be available, and the penne pasta offers a simple and quick way for chefs and operators to create tasty and appealing menu ideas.

“According to the British Frozen Food Federation, 95% of chefs are now stocking and using frozen ingredients and 82% claimed that frozen food could help with long-term menu planning. It’s very useful as a back-up, in case demand outstrips supply, but there are many other reasons why it makes good sense to have pre-prepared frozen items to hand.

“Pre-prepared frozen food is supplied in a consistent shape, size or portion which helps with presentation and cost controls. Being able to defrost and serve just what is required is key to reducing waste and unnecessary costs. It’s also a great idea for operators to have frozen back-up supplies of free-from items to avoid being caught out when customers have specific dietary requirements.”

The penne pasta, which microwaves to reheat from frozen in around two minutes, is the latest in a wide range of savoury and sweet free-from products supplied by Central Foods to the foodservice sector.

With a defrosted shelf-life of five days, the penne pasta is available in packs of 20 x 200g portions.

Central Foods, which is based at Collingtree near Northampton, supplies more than 220 independent wholesalers, as well as larger national and regional wholesalers. It also supplies to foodservice caterers across the entire foodservice industry, including pubs, hotels, restaurants, staff canteens, schools, hospitals, coffee shops, football grounds and universities.

Offering a one-stop shop to the foodservice sector, Central Foods sources products from around the world and the UK, supplying more than 400 different lines, ranging from meat, bakery items and canapés through to buffet products, desserts and puddings.

The company has steadily grown since it was founded 21 years ago, and recently was named for the first time in a report by Grant Thornton as being in the top 100 companies in Northamptonshire. The company was also a finalist in the Family Business United Family Business of the Year Awards 2017 for the Midlands.

For more details about Central Foods, visit www.centralfoods.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

New spicy Indian salsa launched to celebrate 20 year anniversary for Anila’s sauces

Premium curry sauce producer Anila’s Authentic Sauces is launching a new spicy Indian salsa to celebrate 20 years in the business.

It’s 20 years since Anila Vaghela sold her first jar of homemade curry sauce at an Easter fair in Weybridge, Surrey, in 1992.

Now a supplier of award-winning curry sauces, chutneys, pickles and dips to top delis, speciality stores and farm shops across the UK, Anila’s Authentic Sauces is unveiling a new product to mark the occasion, together with a recipe leaflet.

The spicy Indian salsa complements the current range of 16 accompaniments produced by Anila’s which are made with single fruits and vegetables.

Handmade with fresh ingredients, the spicy Indian salsa is gluten free, dairy free and contains no onions or garlic.

A delicious blend of tomatoes, red peppers, green chillies and spices, the salsa is the perfect accompaniment to Anila’s range of eight authentic curry sauces.

“I started by using old traditional family recipes and I still use them today as the basis of my products, 20 years on,” said Anila Vaghela. “We continue to make our curry sauces and accompaniments in small batches, and we sell direct to the public via farmers’ markets and other events.

However, production has obviously increased significantly since those early days and my products are now on sale at places like Harrods, John Lewis Oxford Street and Bluewater, Chatsworth Farm Shop, and more recently Booths in Penrith and Manchester.

“The new spicy Indian salsa is also based on a family recipe, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with our customers.”

Recommended retail price for the 200g jar is £3.30. The salsa is currently available via www.anilassauces.com and is expected to be rolled out to stockists across the country.

Growing up as the eldest child and grandchild in the family, Anila learnt to cook alongside her mother, her grandmothers and her great grandmother while they were living in Zimbabwe.

Years later, as a busy mum living in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, Anila would make large batches of curry sauce for convenience. Her cooking had always been popular with friends and family, and in the early 1990s she began selling jars of curry sauce on a very small scale in her local community. She sold all 80 jars at her first fair at Easter in Weybridge in 1992. Phone calls from very satisfied customers followed, and Anila began fulfilling small orders.

In 1997 she was made redundant from her job as a PA and decided to seize the opportunity to form her own company to develop Anila’s Authentic Sauces. Before long Anila’s curry sauces were on the shelves of a range of health stores, delicatessens and independent specialist shops.

Anila outgrew her kitchen at home and moved to a catering kitchen in Surbiton in 2002. A year later the business needed larger premises once more, and Anila’s re-located to a 1400 sq ft unit in Hounslow. In 2006, husband Dan also joined the team as operations manager and is in charge of production, whilst Anila takes care of sales & marketing.

Anila’s now produces eight varieties of curry sauce and 16 types of a mix of pickles, chutneys and dips – plus the spicy Indian salsa. The firm supplies hundreds of outlets that include garden centres, delis, farm shops, gift shops and also health stores. It also sells direct to the public at farmers’ markets and at food shows and festivals as well as online via www.anilassauces.com

“It’s amazing to think that it’s been 20 years since I made my first proper sale,” said Anila, who’s 55. “At the time, Indian food wasn’t anywhere near as popular as it is today, and there were very few small producers like myself, only large manufacturers supplying the supermarkets. I started with four flavours of curry sauce – additional sauces and the chutneys and pickles came later as a result of demand from customers.

“I was 40 when I was made redundant, and having set up my own business, I haven’t looked back. Since I was a child I have had a great love of food and of cooking, and it’s been a dream come true to run Anila’s.”

Anila’s sauces are based on a traditional family recipe, made from the freshest ingredients in small batches. They are free from artificial colours, additives and preservatives, and are sugar, dairy and gluten free, and contain no onion or garlic. Using 23 different spices, the sauces have a homemade quality just like “Mum makes” and there are certainly no imitations.

FoodLovers Approved, Anila’s Authentic Sauces has won 11 Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food for its products. Its Goan Green Curry Sauce was named Best Vegan Product in The Veggie Awards 2011 by Cook Vegetarian! magazine, with the judges saying: “Not only one of the best vegan curry sauces we’ve ever tried but one of the best curry sauces available. Its complexity of flavours makes its taste truly sensational.”

In 2009 Anila’s Spicy Korma Curry Sauce scooped a “Free From” Food Award.
Visit www.anilassauces.com for more information.


Issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

New outlets selling Anila’s Authentic Sauces products

Products from Anila’s Authentic Sauces are going on sale in two new premium stores from next month.

Anila’s range of curry sauces and accompaniments is being taken for the first time by North West retailer Booths. The products are going into its new Penrith store which opens in Cumbria on November 15th.

A selection of Anila’s products is also going on sale in Glasgow in Whole Foods Market – the world’s leading organic and natural grocery store. The retailer is opening its first outlet in the UK outside London on November 16th.

“I am delighted to have secured shelf space for Anila’s products in two such well-regarded retailers,” said Anila Vaghela, who runs Anila’s Authentic Sauces. “It’s exciting to be going into Booths for the first time, and also to be part of Whole Foods’ expansion plans.

“We’ve supplied the Whole Foods branches in London for more than ten years now, and it is great news that a store is being opened in Glasgow.”

The stores are the latest in a number of new outlets that have recently taken Anila’s products, including Bents Garden & Home, Cheshire – four times holder of the best destination garden centre in the UK.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces produces an eight-strong range of award-winning gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free curry sauces. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, the sauces are sold in speciality food stores, farm shops, garden centres and health shops around the country, including top stores like Harrods and John Lewis Food Halls at Oxford Street and Bluewater.

The company, founded by Anila in 1997, also produces a mouth-watering range of 16 chutneys, pickles and dips.

The Penrith Booths store, which will be the 28th outlet for the family-run retailer, is taking 15 lines, including all eight curry sauces. Whole Foods Market, which sells some of the finest natural and organic food available, is taking a similar number.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces has won 11 Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food for its products. Its Goan Green Curry Sauce was named Best Vegan Product in The Veggie Awards 2011 by Cook Vegetarian! magazine, with the judges saying: “Not only one of the best vegan curry sauces we’ve ever tried but one of the best curry sauces available. Its complexity of flavours makes its taste truly sensational.”

In 2009 Anila’s Spicy Korma Curry Sauce scooped a “Free From” Food Award.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces is based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, with a unit in Hounslow, and is run by Anila and her husband Dan.

Visit www.anilassauces.com for more information.

Issued by Nottingham-based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Anila's Authentic Sauces gains first Scottish distributor

Award-winning premium curry sauce and accompaniments producer Anila’s Authentic Sauces has gained its first dedicated Scottish distributor, who has almost immediately begun supplying to six independent retailers.

The move will help Anila’s to expand its retail stockists north of the border, and comes as the firm launches its stylish new branding with peel and reveal labelling that will inspire customers to create fantastic dishes of their own.

Anila’s products, which sell through delis, farm shops, health food stores and quality food retailers, recently unveiled new labels to reflect the distinct characteristics of the range.

The labels highlight the concentrated nature of the superb Indian curry sauces – adding water doubles the quantity of curry sauce. The labels also emphasize the authentic great taste …and that the sauces contain only natural ingredients, are free from dairy, gluten, added sugar, onion and garlic, and are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

And behind the new-look label on each jar is a guide to making the perfect authentic meal using the ingredients of choice along with serving suggestions and contact details for even more great recipe ideas.
The curry sauces, chutneys, pickles and dips are also being packaged in chic new jars.

“We are very pleased to have our first dedicated Scottish distributor,” said Anila Vaghela, who founded Anila’s Authentic Sauces in 1997. “This will make it easier for our existing Scottish stockists, and should hopefully help us to increase the number of retailers who would like to have our curry sauces, chutneys, pickles and dips on their shelves.”

Wholesale supplier Blue Mountain Scotland, run by Raymond Wilson, will be working with Anila’s Authentic Sauces to provide a distribution service covering most of Scotland.

“Raymond came to London to visit our manufacturing unit, as he is very hands on and wanted to see how our fantastic products are made. The ethos of Raymond's business is that people buy from people and customer satisfaction is number one priority,” added Anila.

Raymond said: “I have been looking for some time for a product that I could add to my portfolio, and felt that Anila's range was just perfect. I am delighted with how well it is being received in Scotland.”

Anila’s produces eight premium concentrated curry sauces, covering most regional tastes of India, handmade in small batches, as well as a range of 16 chutneys, pickles and dips made with single fruits and vegetables. The chutneys and pickles, which are also made using natural ingredients, are delicious accompaniments to curries and cheese, and perfect in sandwiches and marinades.

The firm has won 11 Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food for its products. Its Goan Green Curry Sauce was named Best Vegan Product in The Veggie Awards 2011 by Cook Vegetarian! magazine, with the judges saying: “Not only one of the best vegan curry sauces we’ve ever tried but one of the best curry sauces available. Its complexity of flavours makes its taste truly sensational.”

In 2009 Anila’s Spicy Korma Curry Sauce scooped a “Free From” Food Award.
Dairy-free, gluten-free and with no added sugar, the curry sauces are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. They also don’t contain onion or garlic, which make them ideal for families with differing dietary requirements.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces is based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, with a unit in Hounslow, and is run by Anila and her husband Dan.

Anila’s products are sold at John Lewis Oxford Street and John Lewis Bluewater, and top quality gourmet stores, such as Harrods, Wholefoods and Planet Organic, plus hundreds of other outlets that include health food stores, garden centres and gift shops, as well as smaller independent stores such as Budgens at Ascot, Shepperton and Crouch End. Anila’s also sells direct to the public at around 20 farmers’ markets across Surrey, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire, including Guildford, Walton, Windsor, Maidenhead, Ascot, Ripley, Reading, Beaconsfield and Farnham, and online via www.anilassauces.com


Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Stylish new look for award-winning Anila's Authentic Sauces

Premium curry sauce and accompaniments producer Anila’s Authentic Sauces has unveiled a stylish new branding with peel and reveal labelling that will inspire customers to create fantastic dishes of their own.

The award-winning producer, which sells through delis, farm shops, health food stores and quality food retailers across the UK, has designed new labels to reflect the distinct characteristics of the range.

The labels highlight the concentrated nature of the superb Indian curry sauces – adding water doubles the quantity of curry sauce. The labels also emphasize the authentic great taste …and that the sauces contain only natural ingredients, are free from dairy, gluten, added sugar, onion and garlic, and are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

And behind the new-look label on each jar is a guide to making the perfect authentic meal using the ingredients of your choice along with serving suggestions and contact details for even more great recipe ideas.

The curry sauces, chutneys, pickles and dips are also being packaged in chic new jars.

“The new labels give a clear message that the products created by Anila’s Authentic Sauces are speciality products, while at the same time highlighting the concentrated nature of the curry sauces,” explained Anila Vaghela, who founded Anila’s Authentic Sauces in 1997.

“What we provide are concentrated curry sauces that consumers use as a base to make a great-tasting, authentic home-made curry, as well as a range of fine, authentic pickles, chutneys and dips. We believe our new look accurately captures the sophistication of our award-winning range.

“The peel and reveal labels are a great way for customers to get even more from our authentic sauces, chutneys and pickles.”

Anila’s produces eight premium concentrated curry sauces, covering most regional tastes of India, handmade in small batches, as well as a range of 16 chutneys, pickles and dips made with single fruits and vegetables. The chutneys and pickles, which are also made using natural ingredients, are delicious accompaniments to curries and cheese, and perfect in sandwiches and marinades.

The firm has won 11 Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food for its products. Its Goan Green Curry Sauce was named Best Vegan Product in The Veggie Awards 2011 by Cook Vegetarian! magazine, with the judges saying: “Not only one of the best vegan curry sauces we’ve ever tried but one of the best curry sauces available. Its complexity of flavours makes its taste truly sensational.”

In 2009 Anila’s Spicy Korma Curry Sauce scooped a “Free From” Food Award.
Dairy-free, gluten-free and with no added sugar, the curry sauces are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. They also don’t contain onion or garlic, which make them ideal for families with differing dietary requirements.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces is based in Walton-on-Thames with a unit in Hounslow, and is run by Anila and her husband Dan.

Anila’s products are sold at John Lewis Oxford Street and John Lewis Bluewater, and top quality gourmet stores, such as Harrods, Wholefoods and Planet Organic, plus hundreds of other outlets that include health food stores, garden centres and gift shops, as well as smaller independent stores such as Budgens at Ascot, Shepperton and Crouch End. Anila’s also sells direct to the public at around 20 farmers’ markets across Surrey, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire, including Guildford, Walton, Windsor, Maidenhead, Ascot, Ripley, Reading, Beaconsfield and Farnham, and online via www.anilassauces.com

Anila’s will be at the following events over the next few months:
The East of England Food Festival, 16-17 April, Knebworth House, Knebworth
Badminton Horse Trials, 21-25 April, Badminton, Gloucestershire
The Grow Your Own Show, 1-2 May, Loseley Park, Guildford
Food & Farming Fair, 1-2 May, Singleton, West Sussex.
Malvern Spring Fair, 12-15 May, Malvern, Worcestershire
Surrey County Show, 30 May, Guildford, Surrey
The Petersfield Food Festival, 4-5 June, Petersfield Town Centre, Hampshire
The Garden Show, 10-12 June, Stansted Park, Rowlands Castle, Hampshire
BBC Good Food Summer Show, 15-19 June, Birmingham NEC
The Great Yorkshire Show, 12-14 July, Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate
The Holkham Country Fair, 16-17 July, Holkham Hall, Norfolk

Recent customer comments about Anila’s range include:
“Your Hot Methi Curry was amazing!”
“I am in raptures of pleasure, your sauce is a triumph, I cannot praise it enough. The word exquisite does not do it justice.”
“Anila's Goan Green Curry Sauce tastes amazing, as good if not better than much of the food I ate whilst travelling in India a few years ago.”

The recommended retail price of Anila’s Curry Sauces is from £4, with the pickles, chutneys and dips from £3.30.

www.anilassauces.com

Nottingham PR consultant Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Anila's Authentic Sauces provide the perfect ingredient for a feast of dishes

A curry sauce from Anila’s Authentic Sauces is not just the key ingredient for a great-tasting curry… it can also be the basis for a whole range of different dishes.

Perfect for pepping up pizzas, superb in sandwiches, delicious in dips, and mouth-watering in marinades, Anila’s award-winning curry sauces are the ideal store cupboard essential.

And with the barbecue season fast approaching, it’s a great idea to have a few jars on standby so that you’re fully prepared to take advantage of the sunshine…when it appears!

“There are so many different ways that a jar of Anila’s curry sauce can be used in recipes,” explains Anila Vaghela, who founded the family-run business in 1997. “As well as being the key ingredient for tasty authentic curries, they can also be used to spice up a range of dishes….from pizzas to sandwiches.”

Try spreading Anila’s curry sauce onto bread, adding sliced cheese and tomato, and grilling for a delicious snack. Or add a tablespoon of Anila’s curry sauce to salad cream or mayonnaise for a tangy dip that can be served with fresh crunchy vegetables or chips.

Anila’s produces a range of eight premium curry sauces, handmade in small batches and free from preservatives, sugar, dairy and gluten. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, the sauces are also perfect for those with allium intolerance, as they don’t contain onions or garlic.

Anila’s sauces have won ten Great Taste Awards, and last year her Spicy Korma Curry Sauce scooped a Free From Food Award.

Anila’s also produces a range of 16 chutneys, pickles and dips made with single fruits and vegetables, which team up perfectly with a variety of dishes, snacks and cheeses.

The firm is based in Walton-on-Thames with a unit in Hounslow, and will be exhibiting at The Real Food Festival at Earls Court, London, from May 7th to 10th.

Anila’s products are sold at John Lewis Oxford Street and John Lewis Bluewater, and top quality gourmet stores, such as Harrods and Selfridges, plus hundreds of other outlets that include Wholefoods, Planet Organic, delis, health food stores, garden centres and gift shops. Anila’s also sells direct to the public at 28 farmers’ markets across Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, including Guildford, Walton, Windsor, Maidenhead, Ascot, Cobham, Beaconsfield and Farnham, and online via www.anilassauces.com

Anila's range to be exhibited at the Natural & Organic trade show in April 2010

Revised branding that highlights the health messages of Anila’s curry sauces and condiments will be showcased at the Natural & Organic trade show in April 2010.


The labelling of Anila’s authentic range has been tweaked to emphasize the gluten-free, dairy-free, onion-free and garlic-free nature of her products.

The move has been made in response to an increase in demand for Anila’s curry sauces, chutneys, pickles and dips from those with intolerances and allergies.

The entire range of eight curry sauces and 16 chutneys, pickles and dips will be on display at the trade show, which runs from 11th to 12th April at Olympia, London.

“Our branding changes to Anila’s products have been slight, but they have been made to highlight and promote the fact that our products are dairy-free, gluten-free, onion-free and garlic-free,” said Anila’s founder Anila Vaghela, who launched the family-run business in 1997. “They have several USPs, including the benefits to those who have intolerances to certain ingredients.

“The ‘free from’ market is becoming an increasingly important side of the business. Anila’s curry sauces weren’t specifically designed to be ‘free from’ foods – it’s just the way they are. However, it’s more than a happy coincidence, because it’s the way I like to cook and the sort of food I like to eat. One of the things that appeals to Anila’s customers with food allergies or intolerances is that they can eat sit down and share the same food as the rest of their families.

“My curry sauces also illustrate the fact that ‘free from’ foods don’t have to be bland or tasteless in any way. Anila’s Spicy Korma Curry Sauce won a three star gold Great Taste Award in 2007, and last year was also crowned the winner in the Free From Food Awards in the pies, flans, sausages and sauces category. It’s won a gourmet award and a ‘free from’ award, which says a lot.”

Anila’s sauces are based on traditional Indian recipes, and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. As well as the Spicy Korma Curry Sauce scooping a Free From Food Award last year, Anila’s sauces have also won ten Great Taste Awards.

Anila’s distinctive and delicious range of mouth-watering ‘handmade’ chutneys, pickles and dips are made with single fruits and vegetables, and team up perfectly with a variety of dishes, snacks and cheeses.

Anila’s products are sold at John Lewis Oxford Street and John Lewis Bluewater, as well as top quality gourmet stores, such as Harrods, plus at hundreds of other outlets including Wholefoods, Planet Organic, delis, health food stores, garden centres and gift shops. Anila’s also sells direct to the public at 28 farmers’ markets across Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, including Byfleet, Guildford, Henley, Walton, Woking and Windsor, and online via www.anilassauces.com

The firm is based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, with a unit in West London.

See Anila’s at stand 8080A at Natural & Organic.