Unveiling our brand new vans

In a world where business success is often associated with global expansion and cutting-edge technology, there is something refreshing about a local business investing over £300k to transform their fleet of vans into eye-catching symbols of innovation.

As part of a large investment plan for our business, we recently took delivery of seven brand new vans. In recent years, we have had to use hire vans as a way to expand our fleet to cope with business demand and now we are able to launch our own new vehicles.

Four of the new vans are being used by our Carlisle depot […]

Family Business Community North West Awards 2023

Wholesaler – winner!

We’re so excited to be award winners again after scooping the ‘Wholesaler’ category in the North West Family Business Awards 2023.

The glittering event was certainly a night to remember!

Held at The Concorde Conference Centre, Manchester Airport on Friday 19th May, Graham, David and Lizzie Jenkins attended the black-tie event to which distinguished names within the north west family business world were invited.

The awards evening brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs and industry experts to recognise the hard work, dedication and achievements of innovative and successful family businesses.

The awards were once again presented by food […]

Honouring long service and dedication

We recently recognised and honoured employees who have dedicated 10 or 20 years of their career to the company.

The long service awards handover took place in Carlisle, where employees from different departments gathered to celebrate their achievements and commitment to the company

The 10-year service awards were presented to four employees, while another four employees received the prestigious 20-year service award. The awardees met with Graham Jenkins, our managing director and he handed out vouchers as a token of the company’s gratitude.

Later Graham met with Alan Farish who is a driver and missed the original group together. Alan is celebrating 10 years’ service.

It has just been announced that we’re a finalist in the North West Family Business Awards 2023!

We’ve been nominated in the following categories:

Food and Drink Producer – Large

Wholesaler

Haulage & Logistics

People’s Choice Cumbria

This first-class event will be held at The Concorde Conference Centre, near Manchester Airport.

Co-hosted by Dave Clarkson and Sue Howorth of The Family Business Community, alongside renowned food and drink writer, and presenter Nigel Barden, and will take place on Friday 19^th May 2023.

Graham Jenkins, our managing director, says:

“We’re both honoured and excited to part of […]

A successful working partnership

with Orian Solutions

Orian Solutions is a facilities management company and they offer bespoke school meal catering services for both primary and secondary schools across the north west and north east of England.

We are proud to be Orian Solution’s chosen single supplier for all food produce to their school customer base in Cumbria and the North East. We supply and deliver a wide range of meat, frozen and ambient products alongside fresh fruit and vegetables to their school clients on a daily basis. We have worked together for over six years now and the relationship is going from strength-to-strength.

Connect & Inspire

Caterforce Conference 2022

The Caterforce conference is held every two years at the prestigious hotel, Celtic Manor, in south Wales. The eight members of the buying group come together to connect with a wide range of suppliers from across the country. The conference gives everyone the chance to catch up with friends, new and old, to learn about the future direction of the buying group and its members.

This year’s conference was held on Wednesday 16th November.

There were several themes covered in the conference agenda:

1. Sustainability and regionality

2. Growth, investment and business […]

Taking mental health seriously

We’ve been developing some of people leaders and helping them in their personal and role development. Some of them attended Mental Health Awareness seminars in March and we’re currently running a second cohort.

The sessions are lead by Chris Graham of Carlisle Eden Mind to help start conversations about mental health and how to help those around us. For many years there has been a stigma around mental health issues and the purpose of the seminars are to start open, honest conversations.

An introduction to mental health can help people gain a better insight into a range of common mental health problems. It will also dispel the myths […]