Use Your Loaf
Sandwiches are a great way to accommodate the all-day needs of customers because of their versatility, the ease of preparation and their growing popularity amongst consumers.
According to the British Sandwich Association (BSA), more than 3,000,000,000 sandwiches are bought from retail or catering outlets each year – meaning that any outlet producing the dish can take a slice of the hefty market. As the foodstuff is easy to make, catering facilities with limited space can produce a high quality product, which is sure to be popular with punters, as a grazing and snacking culture becomes the norm in the UK.
Growing pressures of modern living, such as people have to juggle work, family and social commitments, mean that people spend less time on eating – the sandwich is the perfect solution to this modern day conundrum.
The BSA in a recent release stated that chicken remains the No. 1 most popular filling in commercially made sandwiches, accounting for around 30 per cent of the market. Jayne Hall, Marketing Manager, Moy Park Foodservice, comments: “It is an ideal filling that takes on any flavour and is delicious both hot and cold, so is a very versatile food item which underlines its key role at the heart of menus.
“Caterers need to consider updating their menu on a regular basis to take account of customers’ ever-expanding repertoires. There are many simple ways in which caterers can create delicious hot and cold sandwiches.
“There are definite advantages for operators who can offer freshly-made sandwiches particularly in terms of the enhanced customer appeal of their offering. It means that ingredients are fresher – so customers have a better experience and are more likely to have a sandwich on their next visit.
“There are also real commercial benefits from focusing on freshly-made items. Perhaps the biggest is that there is less wastage, which is very welcome at a time when caterers are facing a challenging business environment and continued food inflation.”
Recipe: Hunter’s sandwich
- Moy Park’s Crunchy Chick ‘n’ Mini Fillets
- A crunchy baguette
- A handful of leafy salad
- Lashings of melted Cheddar cheese
- Smoky BBQ sauce
