AB Produce PLC

Around 1000 tonnes of potatoes are washed, graded and packed every week at AB Produce’s Measham facility in the Midlands. The company also prepares vegetables ranging from carrot, parsnip and cabbage to exotics such as baby corn, mangetout and garlic. All the produce is delivered to AB’s 70,000 square foot state-of-the-art site, where refrigerated intake, production, dispatch and blast-chill areas ensure that the customer receives the freshest produce possible. The aim is ‘field to fork’ in less than 24 hours.

Background

Over many years of strategic growth, a highly successful PLC has been built up culminating in re-location to a 70,000 sq ft purpose built factory on a 14 acre site with a turnover of £22M.

The company comprises two divisions;

• Prepared vegetables circa 350 tonnes/week
• Potato washing, grading & packing circa 1000 tonnes/week

Continuous investment has been made in plant and machinery supported by BRC Global Standard – Food issue 4, certification since 2004.

• Delivery performance > 99.99%
• Quality performance > 99.99%

Features of the Measham facility

• Purpose designed food factory layout
• Product flow allows good manufacturing
• Segregated personnel facilities
• Blast chiller
• Large chill store
• Refrigerated loading dock for box unit loading
• A proven history of successful new product and new customer implementation and integration Supported by technical data
• Specifications maintained on database

Packing Formats

Polythene bag -

• Heat seal Tied Vacuum packed heat seal Coloured and uncoloured materials used
• Vertical form/fill/sealing technology
• Pack weights
• 1 kg to 1000 kg

Potato division

• Main varieties
• Estima, Nadine, Cara, Maris Piper Salads – Charlotte, Nicola, Maris Peer
• Pack sizes
• 1Kg, 2Kg, 2.5Kg, 5Kg (poly bag) 5Kg, 7.5Kg, 10.0Kg, 25Kg (paper sacks)
• 10.0Kg, 12.5Kg, 15Kg (cardboard boxes)
• Customer base Retail Wholesale Food service Food processing

Vegetable Division

Potato - major varieties Nadine & Estima Carrot Swede / Parsnip / Turnip Onion & leek Above available in whole/sliced/diced formats Cabbage and other Brassica types ‘Exotics’

• 3 off 4 step abrasive peelers - output capacity approx 2 tonne per hour each
• On line quartering capacity
• Visual inspection & trimming Other vegetable types
• Purchased from approved sources
• Purchase quantities are small
• Stored in chill area

Mixes

• Ability to produce mixes of size reduced vegetables
• Small (circa 2.5Kg) to medium sized batch mixing (circa 150Kg)

Logistics capability

• Undertaken by in-house fleet of 11 vehicles
• Refrigerated transportation
• 90% UK population covered
• 3,000,000 km per year delivery mileage covering majority of England & Wales
• Vehicles replaced at age 2 years

Why Choose AB Produce

• Established and Profitable since 1988
• Modern purpose built premises with further room for expansion
• “Blue Chip” customer base
• Industry leading delivery and quality performance
• Quality accredited to BRC Global Standard Issue 4 at “A” Grade
• “Food safe” Procedures in place
• Mature policies and procedures in place for Recruitment, Induction, Health & Safety, Environment, Training and Discipline
• All temporary labour supplied by Agencies registered under the Gangmasters Licensing Act 2006
• Refrigerated “in-house” transport fleet
• Green credentials – cardboard, plastic, wood, peeling waste and water are all recycled May be hand peeled or machine peeled and then hand trimmed