The last-minute Christmas wish list
Just like Father Christmas, National Account Manager Miriam Bonner is getting ready for her busiest time of the year. Although the outdoor dining months of July and August see demand soar, it really snowballs – her words – as the festive season looms. Preema International, a family-run business for more than 50 years, stocks thousands of catering and cleaning products that people always forget.
“You’d be amazed how some venues focus on consumables and neglect things like scourers, black bags and gloves… not to mention chafing fuel,” she says. “We’re in the run-up now and we’re having to restock mops, so it’s wise to have a checklist of things you might need because they’re never wasted.”
Preema’s best-sellers
Blue centrefeed rolls
Fast-moving kitchens mean festive spills.
Kitchen sanitiser
Keep kitchens sparkling during the busiest service of the year.
Nitrile gloves
Essential for safe food prep during marathon festive shifts.
Heavy-duty refuse sacks
For when the wrapping paper, food waste and empty bottles pile up.
Scourers
Those burnt roasting trays won’t scrub themselves.
Tea towels
They disappear quicker than mince pies in December.
Washing-up liquid
Sadly the dishwasher can’t do everything.
Bar-food order pads
To capture those extra festive specials.
Duplicate stock books
Perfect for any emergency festive stock counts.
Bamboo skewers
Increase your order to create popular festive cheese boards and canapés.
Chafing fuel
Keep buffet food hot until well after the speeches begin.
Butcher aprons
Protect the team’s uniforms during heavy carving sessions.
Bucket and mop heads
Mud, snow and mulled wine always find the floor.
Paper plates
For outdoors and parties.
and a few other bits and pieces to remember
Cling film
Make more of the leftovers after Christmas parties and buffets.
Santa hat for the dishwasher
Your hardest worker deserves festive recognition.
Elastic bands
Holding menus, cables and Christmas together through the years.
Catering foil
Every extra turkey, gammon and traybake will need covering.
Cocktail napkins
Eggnog deserves more than kitchen roll.
Takeaway containers
For guests who want a Boxing Day ‘doggy bag’.
Paper straws
For flamboyant festive cocktails.
Disposable coffee cups
Fuel your staff on caffeine.
Lids for coffee cups
To avoid someone wearing the latte.
Greaseproof paper
The friend of festive burgers, pastries and loaded fries.
Baking parchment
Stop your trays becoming permanent Christmas decorations.
Date labels
Because nobody remembers for sure when the stuffing was made.
Food-rotation stickers
Stock control without festive confusion.
