CATEX – 60 Years a-Growing and Still a Vital Date for Food and Technology Suppliers
The biennial CATEX event rolls out on February 18 th for three days, this time marking some 60 years of existence. Much has changed in that time, which has seen monumental changes in Irish society. This constant feature of the Irish catering industry landscape has evolved in tune with those changes.
In the words of industry veteran (and former chair of Tourism Ireland) Joan O’Shaughnessy, CATEX is a “must”. “You must go to CATEX,” she says. “The reason why you must go is that you have the opportunity to see new foods that you mightn’t be familiar with through your existing supplier, innovation in the culinary side, new technology and to make you more aware of what the trends are in the business; what we should be looking forward to doing; how cost-effective we can become.
“One of the most important things is the networking side of it – that you have a chance to chat and have a coffee with people and learn more, about what they’re doing and what you can do.”
And, while there are great technical innovations to admire at the show, the more ‘social’ side of it is equally important, with many focusing on CATEX as a golden opportunity to network and to make one’s presence felt, rather than on only making a sale. “For us, we see it as the best trade show of this type in Ireland,” says Marek Pisarczyk, Marketing Manager of McCormack Family Farms of Dunsany, Co. Meath. “It’s a very well run trade show.”
McCormack Family Farms has been supplying service customers for over 40 years and traditionally, haven’t ever dealt directly with the final consumer – going through distributors instead.“We’re slightly detached from the final user,” says Marek. “Any opportunity where we can reconnect with the end user – which is the chef 60% of the time in our case – it’s fantastic for us. And CATEX definitely provides that platform to reconnect. When we go to CATEX, it’s not to strike a deal; it’s really to foster those relationships.”
The company re-branded approximately four years ago. Prior to date, says Marek, their identity was not so widely known. But now, their produce is clearly and strongly labelled, so CATEX’s role in getting that message out is vital. Furthermore, he says, the feedback from those attending is of great benefit to the evolution of their product.
“Now, there’s a huge recognition of the brand. I’ve been involved in a number of the CATEX events and in particular with the last one, I had a lot of chats with chefs which in turn, has really helped us with ideas and innovation.
“So, it does two things for us – first it helps with that awareness and brand recognition, but secondly it gives us that fantastic feedback from our chefs. That helps drive innovation in-house.”
Since last year, McCormack Family Farms has been part of the Irish Producers Village, along with Ballymaloe Foods, Glenilen Farm, Folláin, Clonakilty Food Company, Barry’s Tea, Velo Coffee Roasters and Flahavan’s. This year, there will be even more interaction with chefs, including the sponsorship of cooking competitions together.
“This year is the first time that we’ve done a really good job with it,” says Maxine Hyde, General Manager of Ballymaloe Foods. “It was in 2019 that three of us came together for the first time (when they were joined by Barry’s Tea and Glenilen Farm) and we’ve built on it each year since.”
The marketing group’s common theme, she says, is that they are all manufacturing in Ireland, producing high quality produce using really good ingredients. She says that Irish producers face constant challenge in the price-driven domain of food service. Irish producers can easily be undercut by external competitors in bigger countries with lower cost bases, so there’s great benefit in coming together as a group.
“It really is the place to be for the food service industry, for networking and the opportunity to showcase your products more than any other occasion in Ireland”
Maxine Hyde, General Manager of Ballymaloe Foods.
Maxine has been attending CATEX for a long time, having first attended as a teenager helping out her mother Yasmin (daughter of Myrtle Allen).
“We’ve been going to CATEX for 25 years or more,” says Maxine. “I would have been attending when I was still in Secondary School, helping out my mother. It was the same through college and then I joined the business.
“It’s such a wonderful opportunity for us to meet existing and potential customers from all over Ireland over three days. It really is THE food service show in the Republic of Ireland…it really is the place to be for the food service industry, for networking and the opportunity to showcase your products more than any other occasion in Ireland.
“CATEX is also really enjoyable. Over the last 12 years or so, it has always had a very positive start-of-the-year vibe.”
For Sysco – the largest supplier of food service companies on the island of Ireland – the thought of missing out on CATEX is inconceivable.
“CATEX is a firm fixture in the diary and has been for the last 40 years,” says David McEnroe, Speciality Business Director at Sysco Ireland. “It’s a brilliant event and it gives us a unique opportunity to meet with, talk to and learn from our wide range of customers.”
Sysco serves its 11,000 customers across Ireland – from Cork to Derry – via regional sites and employing over 1,700 people. Their newest state-of-the-art facility Sysco Belfast is due to open this year and will double their operations in Northern Ireland. Amongst their existing facilities are Classic Drinks in Cork and Ready Chef in Dublin, which supplies pre-prepared fresh fruit and vegetables.
Over 70% of Sysco’s product range is sourced in Ireland and the company is planning a packed programme of events at this year’s CATEX.
“From butchers to bakers, we’ll be showcasing specialist food innovations to help our customers deliver next-level dishes,” says David. “Our Development Chef, Simon Hudson, will be on hand to provide top tips on sustainable menus, and our World Food Team alongside culinary specialist, Liam Byrd – fresh from his summer spent on the Chinese Culinary Culture Programme – will be showcasing a wide range of world food products.
“We also look forward to welcoming guest Chef Andrea Clementi from Dallagiovanna, a master baker turned award-winning pizza aficionado and the team at Classic Drinks will be expertly pairing wines to each of these dishes.”
Rosie and Jimmy McLoughlin run a Dublin-based family food producer that has been producing a wide range of premium chicken products for almost 30 years. Their ‘Rosie & Jim’ business will be at stand J36 this year.
“We produce our own unique versions of classic coated products such as Butterfly Chicken Breast, Garlic Chicken Kiev, Crispy Shredded Chicken, to name a few,” says Jimmy.
They live by the principal of product innovation and are continuously challenging themselves to improve, creating better coatings and flavours, using cleaner and more natural ingredients.
“We’ve been making big strides in food service,” says Jimmy, adding that they’re excited to be launching their newest product innovation at CATEX this year – Chicken Parmigiana. “It’s a flattened chicken breast fried in seasoned breadcrumbs, then topped with tomato pizza base and chewy mozzarella cheese.
“Our products have been growing in popularity within the hotel and restaurant sectors, where one item can be utilized across all dayparts; unlocking opportunities for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and sharing boards.”
For Rosie & Jim, it’s all about the taste and quality and they are particularly proud of the fact that their gluten-free range upends the outdated notion that gluten-free means a compromise on taste.
The company seems to have the right combination and is going from strength to strength, with a team of over 70 employees and a major factory expansion underway.
“We’re experiencing strong sales growth in the UK and EU markets,” says Jimmy, “but food service in Ireland remains hugely important to us, as the key players here see the benefits that our brand has to offer, including reduced food miles compared to breaded chicken imports from South-East Asia, Brazil or China.
“We’re excited to meet all walks of hospitality this year at CATEX as they celebrate 60 years of supporting Irelands food service and hospitality industry.”
CATEX isn’t just for Irish food producers, of course. In today’s international catering sector, there are many elements that make up the food chain, so to speak. One of those elements is packaging and Belgian-based food packaging company Sabert, who will be back this year at CATEX after an absence of a number of years.
“We’re coming home to CATEX after a few years away,” is how Senior Vice President and MD of Sabert Corporation Europe, Alex Noake puts it. “And we’re really looking forward to showing our latest foodservice packaging innovations to Irish customers. Coming back to CATEX gives us the opportunity to focus on the importance of the Sabert brand in Ireland, and we’ll be showing the new Hot2Go range alongside the award-winning Tray2Go and Snap2Go ranges.”
The company is an important market leader in the area of packaging for hot takeaway food in delis and shops. Their product is high-performing and their Hot2Go range consists of fully recyclable micro-fluted paperboard which is entirely free of plastic lamination. They will also be showcasing the Deli2Go packaging range at their stand D55, as well as the award- winning Snap2Go and Tray2Go ranges. The latter is a fully recyclable packaging solution for sushi, other takeaway chilled foods, confectionery and bakery products.
“We have over 40 years of experience in providing innovative, value-added products to the highest quality standards,” adds Alex, “supported by outstanding customer service… Our mission is to make food look great while offering our clients the best guarantees in terms of quality, safety and service.”
German food preparation equipment maker Rational is another market leader who will ensuring not to miss out on CATEX 60.
Taking Stand N26 this year, Rational will be hosting a number of Arena Shows where people will be able to witness some of their innovative cooking systems up close and personal.
“With only 15 seats available per session, these demonstrations provide an intimate setting to experience the precision and versatility of Rational’s equipment,” says Vanessa Millard, Marketing Communications Manager with Rational UK, “and we’re also very excited to be at CATEX this year because the iHexagon has been shortlisted for the IFSA’s (Irish Foodservice Supplier Awards) Dragon’s Den.”
The iHexagon will be making its debut at CATEX, showcasing its ability to combine steam, hot air and microwave technology –perfect for operators focusing on speed and quality. Also, on show at Rational’s stand will be some of their other cutting-edge cooking solutions and these include the advance iVario bratt pan and the iCombi Pro combi- steamer.
“We’d encourage visitors to reserve their spots for the sought-after Arena Shows at CATEX,” says Vanessa. “They can register online at rational-online.com. Visitors can also discover ConnectedCooking, Rational’s innovative digital solution for seamless kitchen
management.”
