Endurance athlete Paul Spencer has smashed the world record for cycling across Europe by an astonishing 17 days.

Paul began his gruelling journey on 12 May from Europe’s most northerly tip, in Norway. He was aiming to finish in 29 days, on 10 June, in Tarifa in Spain – Europe’s most southerly point. However, he managed the amazing feat inside just 22 days, obliterating the previous record of 39 days.

Paul dubbed his record attempt the ‘Tour d’Europe’, and passed through Norway, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, The Czech Republic, Germany, France and Spain on the way to the record. He was raising money for charity Lupus UK as well as the Lupus Foundation of America, which help sufferers of Lupus, a rare but incurable immune system illness.

KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* pledged £15,000 in sponsorship and funding towards Paul’s Tour d’Europe, and donated products to help him during his challenge, including wipes, toilet paper and protective glasses.

Paul was the only cyclist on the trip. He was supported by a driver in a motor home, where he slept, and a chef to cook the energy-rich meals he needed to maintain his world record bid. A blog detailing his incredible feat can be read on his website, http://www.yeshesmad.com.

Jon Purdy, EMEA Healthy Workplace Platform Leader at KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*, said: “It’s difficult to put into words how immensely proud we are of what Paul has achieved. We’re all delighted for him personally and also for the very worthy causes he is supporting.”

He continued: “We’re delighted to have backed Paul in his successful bid to break the cross-Europe cycling record. His efforts chimed with our own commitment at KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* to promote healthy and hygienic workplaces and lifestyles. His new record is exceptional – and this really resonates with our corporate philosophy at KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*, which is to help all our customers create Exceptional Workplaces. Well done, Paul!”

The first time saw the launch of a paper bag to support the Artisan 2 insert for sandwiches. The addition of the Artisan 2 Tortilla™ bag extends the Artisan range and makes it widely available to the foodservice market, including smaller, independent cafés and sandwich shops.

As its name implies, the Artisan 2 Tortilla insert and bag have been specifically designed to package filled wraps and tortillas, a sector of the food-to-go market that is experiencing sustained growth as an alternative to the traditional sandwich. Growth is being driven by consumer demand for new flavours, such as ethnic fillings, healthier (lower fat and calorie) options and smaller, shareable portions.

The Artisan 2 Tortilla packaging solution will help promote further growth in this sector through optimum presentation and preservation of the product. The tortilla or wrap sits within the rPET insert from Anson and is then placed within the purpose-designed bag from Dempson Crooke. The bag is film-lined for freshness and may be heat-sealed to promote longer shelf life of the product. The addition of the bag is the key ingredient in that it facilitates grab-and-go service, preserves the freshness of the food, extends its shelf life and offers bespoke presentation. The bag may also be printed with the retailer’s own logo if required.

Paul Laskey, sales and marketing director of Dempson Crooke said, “We are delighted to have partnered with Anson for a second time in the development of a family of Artisan products. I hope there will be more to come as, with our heritage of innovation and years of experience in paper bag production, we are perfectly placed to design paper bags to complement inserts for many other product lines.”

A total of 84 colleagues from BUNZL will take part in the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Blenheim Palace Triathlon on 8 June 2013 – led by Managing Director Paul Budge.

They will be sponsored by The Healthy Workplace Project* – the KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* initiative developed to enhance wellness in office environments.

Participants from BUNZL will be raising the cash for both the event charity, Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, their own personal charities and the Company’s chosen charities – Alzheimer’s and Hospitality Action.

Held at Blenheim Palace, a 2,000-acre stately home in Woodstock near Oxford, the triathlon will comprise a lake swim of 750 metres followed by 19.8 kilometres of cycling and then a 5.4 kilometre run through the venue’s beautiful grounds. The event has attracted in the region of 7,000 entrants of all ages and abilities.

Craig Bowman, End User Marketing Manager – UK at KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*, said: “This incredible effort by 84 BUNZL staff will raise thousands of pounds for charity, and we’re proud to be sponsoring them through The Healthy Workplace Project*.”

He continued: “Training for, and taking part in, a triathlon is a wonderful way to get fit and stay healthy, so it’s completely in tune with the principles behind The Healthy Workplace Project*.  As our channel partner, we work very closely with BUNZL – and we wish them all the best at Blenheim Palace on 8 June!”

The Artisan 2 Tortilla pack is designed specifically to enable café and sandwich shop operators to display popular wrap-style products in a way that presents the food inside the pack in a highly visible and appealing way.

Holding two wraps per pack, the tortillas are packed and presented standing on their base, protecting the shape and integrity of each wrap and showcasing the quality of the ingredients through the windowed bag.

With ridged walls to add strength, the construction of the new Artisan 2 Tortilla prevents the products inside from becoming misshapen, while maintaining all-important freshness.  The pack is available with either a white or kraft coloured bag, both of which offer excellent branding and marketing opportunities through the use of bespoke printing.

Manufactured from environmentally-friendly recycled and recyclable rPET, the Artisan 2 Tortilla also offers direct benefits to consumers, because the tortillas can easily be eaten straight from the pack.  This helps to keep the products in one piece, cutting down on mess and enabling the customer to graze with ease.

Kevin Curran, managing director of Tri-Star, said: “Tortilla wraps are no longer a trendy fad, but have secured a permanent place in the fixture of pretty much every café and sandwich shop.  Consumers consider them a delicious, healthier and lighter alternative to traditional bread sandwiches and the Artisan 2 Tortilla enables food-to-go businesses to market them in a way that highlights their quality and authenticity.”

The Artisan 2 Tortilla joins the existing Bloomer 2 and Bloomer U packs in the Artisan range, which was named ‘Sandwich Product of the Year’ at the prestigious British Sandwich Association Awards (nicknamed the Sammies) and ‘New Product of the Year’ at the Café Society Awards in May 2012.

Kevin Curran added: “Using the Artisan 2 Tortilla is a sure fire way to boost sales of wraps, which often command a higher price point in the chiller cabinet and therefore generate better profit margins.  This new pack is the perfect addition to the outstanding Artisan range, with a classy and minimalist style that would grace any café or sandwich shop.”

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Adhering to a stringent checklist, the selection process allows a maximum number of producers in any one food category.  Director Nicki Stewart explains, “We take hand selected products for their unique qualities and we dedicate time and effort in selling each brand, and their individual stories.  We purposely keep the number of producers low to sell their products effectively, with concentrated effort.”

Diverse support their retail customers with personal visits, point of sale material, promotions, sampling activities, product support and constant product sourcing.  New products and flavours are continually sourced and promoted to retailers when launched.

Director Mark Wiltshire adds, “We want to be more than just another food distributor, we want to become a partner to all that we work with. We want to supply an unbeatable service offering not only a unique range of products but an opportunity to increase business with promotions, brand awareness, media coverage and sampling.  We have a modern, pro-active, flexible approach with our business and our intentions are to give our customers a reliable service based on individual requirements.”

With their distribution centre becoming fully operational from the end May 2013, Diverse will begin their planned promotional activity 3 June.  Retailers can contact the company using the information below:

W: www.diversefinefood.co.uk E: hello@diversefinefood.co.uk  T: 01278 429843

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Blazer Bears have been much loved and are very popular with children and parents alike. They make fantastic class leaver presents, special birthday presents, or a gift representing memories of times gone by.

Typically any achievement badges are sewn on the back of the bear; pin badges go on the front.  To personalise the bear further, the name tag is stitched behind the ear. Any special items such as ties, hat ribbon, etc. can be incorporated into the ears and paws. 

Blazer Bears have been made from many school or club uniforms, ballet outfits, first baby clothes, bridesmaid dresses and an assortment of other memorable items of clothing, as far ranging as a 1940’s RAF jacket and an ex-Lions player’s rugby shirt. 

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Sofra founder, Huseyin Ozer, wanted to offer a new range of ice creams and sorbets combining traditional flavours from Turkish cuisine with some more popular and familiar ice cream varieties.  Taywell managing director, Alastair Jessel, added extra provenance with the inclusion of local ingredients.

“Our previous supplier was failing to deliver consistent quality ice cream,” explained Huseyin.  “We wanted to offer our customers some special flavours and a consistently high quality product.”

Taywell has developed some unique and individual flavour combinations to feature traditional and authentic ingredients of Turkish cuisine.  Turkish Delight is one of Turkey’s most famous exports.  The new Sofra Turkish Delight sorbet has a rosewater base with sliced pieces of actual Turkish Delight added by hand.

Another very traditional Turkish flavour, Tahini, is a paste made from ground sesame seed, which is commonly used in hummus, baba ghanoush and halva.  In the Sofra Tahini ice cream it is added to a vanilla base of Wealden milk and cream.

Organic Apricott & Walnut is made with authentic, organic Turkish apricots and Turkish Mulberry molasses as an additional sweetener.  It has been specially created to replicate a delicious Sofra dessert.

Turkish Coffee, another famous Turkish export, has been re-created in Turkish Coffee ice cream, which boasts large quantities of Efendi Turkish coffee infused into a creamy, vanilla base.

Keçiboynuzu is more commonly known as the ‘Carob Tree’ and the key ingredient of this ice cream is carob syrup, which is added to ice cream containing a thickening agent of seeds from the carob tree, also more commonly known as ‘Locust Bean Gum’.

The popular ice cream varieties included within the range for Sofra have also been carefully refined to meet the brief from the client and satisfy Kent-based Taywell’s desire to include local ingredients.  Vanilla Madagascar is made with Wealden milk (from West Kent/East Sussex), free-range British egg yolks and real vanilla pods.  The combination makes this one of the richest vanilla ice creams available anywhere in the world.

Chocolate & Roasted Cobnut is another locally inspired recipe.  Cobnuts are hazelnuts that are only found in Kent and originate from fields located close to the Taywell kitchen.  They are roasted for extra flavour and combined with rich, dark chocolate, which is made with fructose rather than sucrose or glucose and is suitable for diabetics.

Two other top selling ice creams from Taywell’s extensive range complete the new line-up of ice creams and sorbets at Sofra.  Cinnamon is a flavour that crosses international borders and Taywell’s Cinnamon ice cream is regularly used as an accompaniment to dessert dishes that contain apples.  Taywell’s Pistachio ice cream is made with pure pistachio oil with nut pieces making it rich in colour and flavour.

Taywell first started developing non-traditional ice creams and sorbets with the flavours of international cuisine in 2012, when it successfully partnered with Japanese restaurant chain, Feng Sushi, and followed that with the launch of its Asian flavours range.  Alastair Jessel explained, “I have a passion for ice cream and it is this passion that is pushing us, at Taywell, to break the taboos over traditional ice cream flavours.  We are using the finest ingredients to re-create the authentic tastes and flavours of international cuisines in an ice cream or sorbet.  We really are pushing the boundaries and challenging the general perception of ice cream flavours.”

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In one recent large-scale study conducted in 2012 by Eurofins-Inlab, an independent laboratory based in Germany, researchers measured micro-organisms on hand drying equipment and on floors below them in real life washrooms[1] washrooms.

The results showed that the bacterial counts found on the surfaces of paper towel dispensers were on average 1,000 times lower than those recorded on the surfaces of jet air dryers. Meanwhile, floors tested beneath paper towel drying systems were found to have bacterial counts on average 20 times lower than the floors beneath jet air dryers. Among the bacteria recorded in the study were germs such as Staphylococci and coliforms, which can cause sickness, food poisoning, diarrhoea, skin complaints and other infections.

The findings of the Eurofins-Inlab study complement an earlier study by the University of Westminster[2], which found that while paper hand towels rubbed off and absorbed most of the germs on a person’s hands (up to 76%), warm air and jet dryers could increase them by up to 194%.

In addition, while paper towels captured germs, other systems blew them up to 2 metres away[2]  into the surrounding area.  The researchers also said that germs collected on the surfaces and insides of jet dryers. They concluded that paper towels dry hands efficiently, remove bacteria effectively and cause less contamination of the environment.

Evidence that air dryers harbour bacteria is particularly significant, because observational research conducted by KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* has found that 100% of the people who use jet air dryers touch their surface one or more times during the hand drying process[3].

If their hands were to be contaminated during drying, bacteria could be carried out of the washroom and spread to others. Research has shown that a virus can be transferred from one hand to another up to six times[4], while some viruses can live on a hard surface for up to eight hours[5].

The University of Westminster study featured in a scientific review of the literature relating to hand hygiene, which was published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings in August 2012[6]. The authors evaluated 446 studies, of which 12 were identified as key – the University of Westminster study being one.

The review concluded that, from a hygiene standpoint, paper towels were superior to air dryers and should therefore be recommended especially in areas where hygiene is of paramount importance, for example hospitals and clinics.

Jon Purdy, EMEA Healthy Workplace Platform Leader at KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*, said: “Taken together, this body of evidence demonstrates that hand towels represent the most hygienic method for people to dry their hands after washing them. Good hygiene during drying is all about removing bacteria and maintaining a healthy environment – and paper towels tick those boxes.”

The latest research underlines a recommendation by the World Health Organization that people should “dry hands thoroughly using single use towels” after washing[7]. In 2010, the Journal of Applied Microbiology stated: “The use of paper towels consistently outperforms all other drying techniques, especially with regard to the count of bacteria on the palms and fingertips.”[8]

Jon Purdy added: “Drying hands is critical but so is making sure a washroom environment is as hygienic as possible there is no doubt hand towels are the best option. This is particularly important in the workplace, where the spread of germs could cause illness among staff and result in absence from work, which burdens companies with extra costs.”

He continued: “That’s why we’ve made sure effective hand drying is a key cornerstone of The Healthy Workplace Project*, an initiative designed to help companies take a few simple but effective steps to reduce the spread of harmful germs in office environments – cutting absenteeism and raising staff satisfaction and productivity levels in the process.”

He concluded: “Staff absence costs UK businesses nearly £30 billion annually. Preventable minor illnesses – such as colds, flu and upset stomachs – represent between 30% and 40% of total sickness-related absence. As the science shows, using paper hand towels in workplace washrooms can prevent the spread of the germs that cause these illnesses and keep staff healthy and happy.”

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Endurance athlete Paul Spencer began his gruelling journey on 12 May, from Europe’s most northerly tip, in Norway. He is aiming to finish in 28 days, on 10 June, in Tarifa in Spain – Europe’s most southerly point.

Pedalling an average of 160 miles a day, Paul will attempt to obliterate the current record of 39 days, while passing through Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Germany and France on the way.

He has dubbed his record attempt the ‘Tour d’Europe’ and is aiming to raise money for charities Lupus UK and the Lupus Foundation of America, which help sufferers of Lupus, a rare but incurable immune system illness.

Paul is the only cyclist on the trip. He is supported by a driver in a motor home, where he sleeps, and a chef to cook the energy-rich meals he needs to maintain his world record bid.

KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* has pledged £15,000 in sponsorship and funding towards Paul’s Tour d’Europe, and has donated products to help him during his challenge, including wipes, toilet paper and protective glasses.

Jon Purdy, EMEA Healthy Workplace Platform Leader at KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*, said: “Paul’s bid to break the cross-Europe cycling record really chimes with our own efforts at KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* to promote healthy and hygienic workplaces and lifestyles. We’re delighted to be making a difference with our contribution to his challenge and we wish him all the very best of luck on his incredible tour.”

Through its Healthy Workplace Project*, KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* is also sponsoring 400 employees to take part in the forthcoming Global Corporate Challenge, a workplace health and wellness initiative involving 35,000 teams of seven people from all over the world. Paul is entering the Challenge as a ‘team’ in his own right – so other participants will be able to benchmark their own progress against his during the Tour d’Europe!

Jon Purdy added: “What Paul is attempting to do in the Tour d’Europe is exceptional – and this really resonates with our corporate philosophy at KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*, which is to help all our customers create Exceptional Workplaces. We look forward to celebrating his new world record in Spain come 10 June!”

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