Booker expands catering portfolio with new World Cuisines range

Booker has expanded its catering portfolio with a new World Cuisines range.

The range features Greek, Turkish, Italian, Indian and African-Caribbean products, as well as chicken shop products.

Aimed at the hospitality and catering sector, 70 new food and drink lines are available in 57 branches, which have been chosen based on their customer demographic and the types of cuisines on offer at dining outlets in their catchment areas.

Booker has also appointed World Cuisine champions – dedicated colleagues in each branch – who will act as an ambassador for each global region. They will work closely with customers to identify their requirements, preferred brands and products, and this insight will be used to advise the wholesaler’s buying team to help source items in demand and expand the range.

New products available include Greek fresh meats for gyros and skewers, sourdough pittas, and authentic edesma and Kolios feta, and from Italy, premium truffle oil and pistachio spread, continental beers and speciality wines. Hailing from Turkey are halloumi, tahini, pomegranate molasses, sucuk (beef sausage) and bulgur wheat, and from India are paneer, frozen parathas, okra, chutneys, ghee and clay oven spicy giant naans.

Chefs can stock up on African tilapia, shaki (beef tripe), goat meat, chicken gizzards, and fresh produce such as yams and plantains, while chicken restaurants can source breader mix, chilli flame marinated chicken pieces, strips and wings.

On the drinks side, the new range includes premium Turkish raki brands Beyler Beyi Gobek (70cl) and Tekirdag (70cl), and beers such as Italian Menabrea and Ischnusa, African Star Beer, Gulder and Orijin as well as Greek Mythos. A selection of trending wines will also be available, such as Primitivo and Gavi di Gavi, as well as non-alcohol 0% Birra Moretti and Nozeco Spumante.

The World Cuisines range is targeted at restaurants, casual diners, street food and market vendors, pubs, and dark kitchens looking to expand their international food and drink offering and source premium ingredients and trusted brands from around the globe.

Mark Suddaby, Booker’s director of trading for fresh foods, said: “This is a unique launch for us as it’s highly targeted, based on customer feedback and interviews, research on the local landscape, and data on the growing consumer demand for ethnic and world cuisines. Our initial focus will be on urban and city centre-based branches, particularly those with international populations and a high level of home delivery restaurants, takeaways and dark kitchens.

“Our World Cuisine champions have already identified opportunities for premium world foods, ingredients and brands from specific regions, popular with different demographics across the UK. Our new range is tailored to suit evolving regional food preferences and we have insights to show growth in demand for the five global cuisines we have selected, as well as for chicken shop foods and ingredients. For example, our London branches will stock a more extensive African-Caribbean range, while Bristol features items from all five of our global regions to cater for the ethnically diverse dining out scene in and around that area.

“We are now able to offer sought-after food and drink products from around the world in brands our customers trust and love, as well as specialty continental beers and spirits, and premium wines. In addition to colleagues being on hand to advise customers on the new lines, we’ll also be running national promotions, customer discounts and offers.

“Our combined food and drink proposition is unmatched, making us a one-stop-shop for restaurants and hospitality outlets, whether independent, local networks, franchises or national chains.”