International interest has been attracted by seasonings specialists Unbar Rothon with the launch of a new recipe technique which delivers a consistent free-flow mix that will not “cake”. Known as Seasoning Optimisation Technique, it is attracting interest from European bean canners and processors of cook in sauces, soups, meat and other products.

“This formulation technique doesn’t affect the functionality of seasonings as it has no impact on the flavours and there is no change in the texture,” said Unbar Rothon director, Richard Rothon. Particularly beneficial when used with susceptible seasonings containing ingredients like onion or garlic, it creates less bulky seasonings than those it replaces and generates less dust, in doing so improving factory environments. It is also significantly lighter, thus generating a further benefit for companies transporting large loads. Unbar Rothon, a third-generation Billericay (Essex) based company, has spent months perfecting the new product after years of development.

“There has been a lot of interest from Mediterranean countries and our hope is British food processors will also pick up this breakthrough additive and be amongst the first to improve theirproducts,” said Mr. Rothon.

A number of product recalls in both America and Canada have been linked to adulterated ground cumin which contains the potentially life-threatening allergens ground peanut and almond powders. In the UK a warning has been issued that the adulterant ingredient would present a serious health risk to people sensitive or allergic to the nuts.

It is believed the contaminated cumin is of Indian origin which was routed through Turkey on its way to America and, possibly, European markets. Reacting quickly, third generation UK flavours house Unbar Rothon immediately checked with its supplier who confirmed there was neither peanut nor almond in the cumin it supplied.

The supplier, who is BRC accredited, has been used by Unbar Rothon for many years without any reported incidences of allergen cross contamination. It procures cumin from farmers in the desert state of Rajasthan in an area where no peanuts are grown and it does not handle peanuts. Its processes are limited to cleaning and grinding the cumin.

Recognising that there could be a temptation to indulge in food fraud due to shortages and in a further move to assure its customers, Unbar Rothon, the Billericay, Essex-based company, despatched samples of its cumin for challenge testing at an independent UK laboratory.

“Happily, the challenge testing was able to confirm our findings that we have a clean bill of health – there is no contamination in our cumin,” said Unbar Rothon director, Richard Rothon.

Unbar Rothon has added a new seasoning to its fast growing Butchers Pride range and a prize for naming it has gone to a retired butcher who, decades ago, was feted as the 100th member to join the prestigious Q Guild.

Along with Eastern Region members of the organisation, Robert Munt was invited to sample the new chilli flavour, found it surprisingly sparky and uttered the immortal words: Cor Blimey.

Thus was born the name for the new seasoning – “Chilli Cor Blimey” – which has entered Unbar Rothon’s Pride range for butchers and also attracted attention from sausage and burger manufacturers.

Mr. Munt was born above his father’s butchers shop in Grays, Essex and weighed in on the shop scales. Having made his first sausage as a ten year old Saturday boy he later qualified as an M.Inst.M after two years at London’s Smithfield College and joined his father in the family business, which included two Q Guild shops.

Now, though officially retired, he enjoys the occasional shop experience as a holiday relief in addition to helping manage a free range herd of Little Black Angus cattle. His first contact with Unbar Rothon, now a third generation flavours house, came when he sought help to consistently produce a successful sausage seasoning first created by his father.

“It has been astonishing how they managed to reproduce it exactly every time which was something we rarely managed,” said Mr. Munt.

Even now, he orders a batch every year and it is used to manufacture sausages which he gives away to friends and relatives. Unbar Rothon’s director, Richard Rothon, who attended the Q Guild meeting at which the naming ceremony took place, said that, from a long list of interesting ideas “Cor Blimey” was much the best.

“It fires the imagination into thinking of the sweet heat of the chilli,” he added.

An exciting new selection of premium quality seasonings and marinades, targeted exclusively at top end butchers for their own use, has been launched by one of the UK’s leading flavouring Called Butchers Pride, it has been developed over months and widely tested and is skilfully crafted by Unbar Rothon, a multi generation British family business which has been manufacturingfood ingredients in the UK for nearly 100 years.

Presented in see-through plastic jars, the bright colours of the mixes make for attractive in-store displays. The seasonings are also batch packed in plastic bags – with or without rusk – and in buckets.

Early test market reports suggest the marinades will be the fastest sellers with Chinese Emperor and BBQ the most popular. Other flavours are: India Summer, Piri Piri, Muay Thai and The specially developed seasonings have been produced for beef, pork and lamb burgers and the gourmet beef variant features a balance of onion and leek whilst the pork flavouring includes Granny Smith apple.

Four sausage flavours complete the range. They are Lincolnshire Poacher, Cumberland Gamekeeper, Pepper Pinch and Signature Sausage. Lincolnshire and Cumberland have to-date proved most popular with customers and all four have generated repeat business.

Quality flavourings – 2

“Both the marinades and the seasonings give butchers a chance to add theatre to their customers in-store experience because the products can be demonstrated whilst customers watch and their quality and exclusivity explained at the same time,” said Richard Rothon, general manager of Unbar Rothon.

The company has expanded into the top quality butchers’ market after one of its manufacturing customers won 16 quality and innovation awards for fully cooked sausages and meat balls in three years whilst exclusively using Unbar Rothon seasonings.

The new products will be sold through independent wholesalers and to-date two have been appointed – Alderson Ingredients in Buckinghamshire and Foodpac Technology in Suffolk. More are required.

Premium quality Butchers Pride seasoning’s and marinades have made a big impact on the butchery business since their launch, by Unbar Rothon, in the autumn, with Q Guild members amongst those snapping up the product.

Marinades have proved the fastest sellers with T T BBQ and Chinese Emperor the most popular. Other flavours, like Indian Summer, Piri Piri Fusion, Muay Thai and The Mint, are also attracting repeat purchases.

Unbar Rothon’s general manager, Richard Rothon (pictured), demonstrated the products at a recent Q Guild meeting and the company is programming further demonstrations at future Q Guild get together.

Developed by Unbar Rothon, a multi generation British family business with nearly 100 years’ experience in the seasonings sector, the products are presented in see-through plastic jars which generate attractive in-store displays.

Specially developed for beef, pork and lamb burgers and for sausages, the products are also available in batch packs and pails. At the Guild meeting Mr Rothon demonstrated how butchers could use the products to add theatre to the in-store experience whilst describing the quality and exclusivity of the products.

It was the quality of the products that attracted leading Smithfield Market trader, Thomas Ford and Vicquip, of Co. Dublin, to list the products for sale to butchers, thus expanding the list of wholesalers from whom the products are available.