Introducing Orkney Ice Cream

We’re excited to introduce Orkney Ice Cream – a family owned business based in Orkney, Scotland – now available to our customers as our new Scottish supplier.

For generations, Crantit Dairy – run by the Bichan family on Orkney’s unspoiled land – has sourced rich, creamy milk from local cows.
With some of the purest grazing in the world, it’s no surprise the cream stands out.

Orcadians have long known its quality, and now others can too – through Orkney Ice Cream.
Made in small batches using their signature cream, it’s available in 12 flavours.

Whatever you pick, it’s the cream that sets it […]

Zane Fell completes painting & decorating apprenticeship with flying colours

We’re delighted to celebrate the success of Zane Fell, who has officially completed his Level 2 Painting & Decorating Apprenticeship at Carlisle College—and impressively, he finished ahead of schedule. Zane’s quick learning, prior experience, and strong work ethic allowed him to complete the two-year programme early, demonstrating true dedication to mastering his craft.

His journey was supported by us, as we provided valuable workplace training and mentoring throughout the apprenticeship. A key figure in Zane’s success was his mentor, Stuart Pattinson, who played a pivotal role in guiding him on the job.

“Zane is a […]

Introducing Three Hills Gelato

We’re excited to introduce Three Hills Gelato – a truly local, handcrafted gelato made in the heart of Cumbria – now available to our customers as part of our artisan range.

A fresh chapter in Cumbrian gelato

Three Hills Gelato is based on the edge of the Lake Dstrict at Park House Farm, Torpenhow. Their gelato is made using traditional Italian recipes and the finest local ingredients.

The name Three Hills Gelato pays homage to its roots in Torpenhow, a village whose name intriguingly means “hill, hill, hill” in three ancient languages.

From Pasture to Pot: Farm-to-Scoop Freshness

What truly […]

Cheers to the years: our Long Service Award recipients

Celebrating dedication: our Long Service Awards

We believe that loyalty, dedication, and hard work should be celebrated. Our team is the heart of our success, and we’re proud to recognize and reward the milestones our employees achieve through our Long Service Awards.

These awards are a way of saying thank you — for the years of commitment, the wealth of experience, and the invaluable contributions our team members bring to the table every day.

Recognising milestones with meaningful rewards

We […]

Our food show was a record-breaker!

After a six year absence, our food show was back and it was bigger and better than ever.

Held on Tuesday, 11th March, at the Carlisle Racecourse, the event attracted 1,100 visitors and showcased an impressive 97 suppliers, making it the busiest one-day show in our history.

From established industry giants to local artisans, the food show was a vibrant celebration of quality produce, innovation, and culinary excellence. Renowned brands such as Whitby Seafoods, Lamb Weston, Heinz, and Coca-Cola were among the many household names present, drawing significant attention from attendees.

However, it wasn’t just the big brands […]

Our MD Graham Jenkins was pleased to be recently appointed chairman of the Caterforce buying group. He is pictured here on his appointment at the head office in Macclesfield with Gary Mullineux, right, managing director of Caterforce.

Pioneer joined Caterforce back in 1992 and today we are one of nine member companies with a collective turnover of over £800m.

Caterforce is one of the biggest independent foodservice buying groups in the UK and Ireland whose collective strength means that we can supply the best products at the right price, including our Chefs Selections own label.