new product development

In a world where many people change mobile phones annually, the public's taste for the new is insatiable.
New food products are part of that appetite for change. Ronald Lento can create food products that capitalise on the
desire for the new.
We can develop new recipes to meet client requests or devise new products and ranges you can offer existing or
prospective clients. Being proactive, anticipating what your customer might want buy - and maybe call their own -
puts you ahead of your competitors.
Having the right product at the ready is a great way to influence busy buyers with tight timelines.

selling to retail

Having a culinary professional at hand when you invite buyers to product tastings shows that you value quality and
know your business. It allows development goals or product changes to be discussed competently and immediately,
and helps you close the sale.

upscaling recipes

What works in the development kitchen needs sympathetic technical adjustment before large-scale production can
commence. Batch recipes need to account for the manufacturing process and equipment used.
Commercial requirements like packaging and shelf-life must be addressed.
Factory trials have to be run; equipment speeds, process temperatures and times are just some of the factors that
need fine-tuning to achieve a consistent, quality result.

additives advice

There is increasing concern about the use of additives in processed foods. Retailers are under pressure to offer food
with fewer additives, so the manufacturer has to find a way to reduce colourings, preservatives and thickening agents
to counter the public fear of E-numbers.
Finding alternative ingredients that are considered more natural while maintaining the appearance, texture and
shelf-life of products requires knowledge of food chemistry as well as culinary flair.

nutrition and allergens

Consumers are concerned about the nutritional value of foods and the possibility of allergies. That's something that the
retailer has to respect, and food manufacturers must respond. Designing food for a healthier lifestyle means disproving
the myth that healthy, allergen-free food can never taste as good as food laden with fat, salt and sugars.
Many healthy products in the marketplace still lack taste and appeal - don't let yours be one of them.
We'll help you put flavour into healthy foods.

procurement advice

Reviewing existing recipes offers an opportunity to re-specify with ingredients that save money without sacrificing
quality. A recipe we recently reviewed called for marinaded chicken breast: we substituted thigh meat which costs less,
absorbs marinade better, tastes better and remains jucier when reheated.
The result was a better product with an increased profit margin and, in that particular case, an extra £15000 on the
bottom line, year after year. The culinary advice paid for itself many times over.

contacts and contracts

With an intimate knowledge of suppliers and their pricing strategies we can negotiate great deals, and fix prices for a
set period of time. This lets you budget predictably, offering your customers competitive prices, confident that food
costs won't eat into your profits if prices climb.

optimising production

A factory kitchen must make the production process easy, fast and safe. It requires detailed planning and logical
adjacencies between dry storage, refrigeration and production equipment. Equipment types and layout determine
how efficiently a product is processed from ingredient receiving through storage, preparation, cooking, packaging,
warehousing and despatch. A well designed kitchen minimises labour cost and maximises your return.

processing systems

Food production is complex and heavily regulated. Every business must maintain high standards of hygiene and
food safety. A system tailored to your exact requirements will monitor product at every stage of its progress through
your facility. Controlling ordering by setting par levels, structuring goods reception to ensure first-in first-out,
stock keeping and temperature monitoring - these are just some of the systems that help you track production
while minimising waste and exposure to contamination.

health and safety

Ronald Lento can help you understand and comply with the requirements of the Environmental Health Organisation,
meet the standards of the British Retail Consortium, and prepare for inspections.

quality matters

Do your staff follow correct procedures? Is product quality at its best? Is your product consistent?
Regular third party audits help you spot problems before your customers do.
The underlying problem may be simple or complex, easy or hard to spot, but we will find it and fix it.