Foreword from Nigel O’Donnell, M.D. of Meadow Vale Foods
"I would like to welcome you all to the Meadow Vale Foods review of the year for 2023. "
"The year started with continued uncertainty surrounding the UK foodservice industry, with the ongoing cost of living crisis and consumer habits still being shaped by previous years during the pandemic. You however, as our valued customers, stood firm to these challenges and were as resilient as ever, proving yourselves to be the very lifeblood of the industry, and showcasing how with a focus on new industry trends and the need for innovation, we can all succeed together. "
"2023 saw Meadow Vale expand our reach far and wide, with more trade shows, cook offs, on-site merchandising days, new product launches and marketing campaigns than ever! None of this could be possible without the continued support of the whole team at Meadow Vale HQ, with our customer service focus and commitment to excellence remaining as first-rate as ever. "
"And now on to you, our valued customers, thank you for choosing Meadow Vale to be your partners in poultry. We look forward to sharing more exciting projects with you and moving forwards together into 2024 and beyond."
Meadow Vale in 2023
The time has finally come to catch our breath and look back at all the interesting and exciting projects that have been going on here at Meadow Vale Foods over the past year.
After a busy year let’s reflect in more detail below and showcase some of our personal highlights of the year.
On the Road at National Shows
In 2023, we exhibited at more national food shows than ever before, allowing us to take our market leading, great tasting chicken out on the road and present it to thousands of existing and perspective customers.
It started with the IFE Food & Drinks show at London Excel Arena in March, followed by the UK Food & Drink Expo at the Birmingham NEC Arena in April.
On the back of the great success of these two shows we returned to the capital on two more occasions, once for the European Pizza and Pasta show at Olympia in June and finally for Takeaway Expo at London Excel Arena in October.
The planning and execution of these shows were months in the making, but come with great reward, as these trade shows allow us to showcase the brand to a much wider audience. National shows serve as a great way to introduce many more people to the brand, allowing them to sample some of our seriously tasty chicken and then discuss its fantastic adaptability to suit multiple menu ideas.
In 2024, our attendance at these shows is set to grow! So if you find yourself at any of the major events in 2024 make sure to follow the crowds and come visit us at our eye catching street food stand!
Brand New To Meadow Vale
Here at Meadow Vale we pride ourselves on innovation, and are constantly looking to increase our offering to deliver on trend frozen poultry products for the food service industry. 2023 saw us dive further into the market, with the release of four new and exciting lines.
In April we launched the Original Fried Chicken, 48 succulent grade-A chicken drum and thigh portions which feature our unique blend of herbs and spices, delivering a perfect chicken shop classic! Fast forward to November and we released not one, not two but three new and exciting lines!
First up, we added Peri Peri to our award-winning Shredded Chicken range, along with a brand new 200g Crunchy XXL Fillet, taking our fastest growing chicken range, Homestyle, to 13 products.
The Peri Peri Shredded Chicken encapsulates all of the outstanding quick cook and crunchy coating USP’s of its predecessors with a slight twist, a delicious citrusy aftertaste from the on-trend sweet and spicy Peri Peri coating. The Crunchy XXL Fillet is our biggest fillet to date, weighing in at a whopping 200g it is an ideal option for a supersized chicken burger or the classic Chicken Parmo.
Bigger is better continued to be the theme for our final release, as we introduced the Crispy Chicken Schnitzel to our core Meadow Vale range in October. Dubbed ‘the ultimate plate filler’, this sizable chicken fillet also weighs in at 200g, but with a light and crispy panko coating that separates it from the Homestyle XXL fillet, the Meadow Vale fillet is more suitable for the classic chicken schnitzel dishes that are hugely popular across Europe.
Releasing new products is a testament to all the hard work and determination that goes on behind the scenes within the business. From initial concepts and flavour trend meetings, to sample tastings, packaging design and marketing launch plans, the launching of new products is a much harder task than it may seem! Nevertheless, 2024 is set to be one of our biggest years for new product releases, and you won’t have to wait long to get your first taste of a new and exciting brand that will be delivering new lines hitting the market in early January…
Freezer Branding Increasing In-Store Presence
At Meadow Vale, we take pride in supporting our wholesalers. Our sales and marketing toolkit showcases all of the ways in which Meadow Vale can help you grow your business, including our bespoke freezer branding offering, which saw a significant uptake in 2023.
Meadow Vale chicken is now gracing many freezers the length and breadth of the UK, and so the need to find it quickly and efficiently is more important than ever.
We have installed branded freezer point of sale graphics in numerous cash & carry’s across the UK this year, each of which received a full planogram to match alongside A2 posters displaying vibrant product imagery and key USPs.
General marketing support for our wholesalers is set to be a key growth area in 2024. As you can see from the images, the bright and vibrant freezer branding is clear and makes it easier for customers to locate our products quicker, receiving high praise from many top selling customers.
We will continue to offer free POS and promotional materials to all Meadow Vale stockists in 2024 and beyond. If you’d like to get involved just speak to your Meadow Vale sales representative.
Increasing Brand Awareness
Whether it be end-user sampling campaigns or targeted brand campaigns with our wholesaler customers, the increase in marketing campaigns in 2023 was testament to our period of growth and commitment to excellence across the board.
Marketing campaigns allow us to further delve into the specific USP’s of a product or group of products, meaning when we raise the spotlight on new or existing lines, the message can be seen by wider audiences.
To run alongside our new product launches, POS and appearances at the national shows, one key metric to measure campaign success is the amount of samples we send as a result of responses to our promotional materials. By the end of 2023, we will have sent well over 1,000 samples to end-users, further highlighting our commitment to the campaigns and the importance of letting the incredible quality of our products do the talking. It’s one thing to read about how good our chicken is, but another to taste how great it is!
More Stock, More Logistics Partners, A Better Offering To You
Following unprecedented years of uncertainty for every aspect of the food service industry, we made it our mission to futureproof the business, ensuring we were always ready to support our customers with a consistent supply chain.
One way we have achieved this is by fortifying our global supply chain to ensure the constant production and delivery of stock from overseas into our UK distribution network. At any one time we have around 7,000 pallets of stock being held in frozen storage facilities across the country, which equates on average to around half a million cases ready to be shipped!
Alongside holding more stock, we also looked at how we get the stock out for delivery in the most efficient manner. Adding more delivery options to our already robust routine allowed us more flexibility when it comes to the delivery of frozen pallets across the country, ensuring we can fulfil the day 1 for day 3 delivery promise.
Sustainable practice and reducing our carbon footprint was another area of great importance in 2023. Proactivity including the streamlining of boxes to fit more cases onto a pallet, introducing more recyclable packaging for our Goodness Me! brand, and the inclusion of more eco-friendly boxes and lining for our sample boxes are just some of the measures already put in place.
In 2024, we will also be looking at streamlining the way we fill our shipping containers. The same number of pallets and cases will enter the country every year, but our carbon footprint will improve.
Everything Else Meadow Vale!
So far, we’ve touched upon some of the many exciting projects that have been ongoing around the business, but to summarise it all would take us well into the next year so here’s some of our main achievements from the past year…
We continued to support multiple local charities this year, with regular food donations to the Chester Soul Kitchen and the Wrexham Foodbank, and continued support for Nicola’s Fund, a charity that organises events and holidays for families of children suffering with cancer.
Our offices in Thailand grew as we hired more staff and began the process of moving to a new purpose-built facility that will assist in the growth of the business. Our supply chain links are imperative for a streamlined business and the factory visits ensure we are always seeking out new production methods as market leading innovators of great tasting chicken.
We increased our supply of products into mainland Europe, allowing us to make steady gains on the continent. The challenges that have come with increased regulation post-Brexit means this side of the business is going to be one that keeps evolving, but with plans in place for further expansion, you may be noticing a bigger presence of Meadow Vale Foods globally in the not-so-distant future!
Our marketing department embarked upon a project to further increase the images and videos we have available for our branded brochure items, meaning that we can increase the levels of marketing materials and highlight how diverse our products really are. For any image requirements you may have, speak to your account manager or reach out to us any time using our online contact form.
2024: Why Choose Meadow Vale?
Our business motto reads, ‘Your Partners in Poultry’ and that is simply what we will be for you, not only next year, but for every year to come. 2023 was a great year for us when it came to strengthening relationships with key wholesalers, and being introduced to so many new and inspiring end-user chains along the way.
As we approach 2024 we are seeing more and more people switch from raw to frozen and in doing so, making Meadow Vale Foods their preferred supplier of added value frozen poultry. The reduction of waste and guaranteed quality each time a product is cooked is a main contributing factor to this shift in cooking trends. In 2023, we are proud to say we continued our excellent service record, culminating in a 99.25% service level*, further highlighting how Meadow Vale chicken really is the best on the market.
So let’s see out the year and look forward to a future full of exciting new projects, brand new product launches, innovative online ordering launches and most importantly, a lot of great tasting chicken!
*data correct as of 12/12/23. Service level equation relates to cases sold minus the returns requests raised against sales.
