Red Boat Ice Cream Parlour Ltd
The Food Technology Centre had been working with Red Boat for many years when the ice cream company approached them in 2019 for advice on gaining SALSA accreditation for their Beaumaris ice cream parlour.
BACKGROUND
The Red Boat Ice Cream Parlour is an award-winning ice cream company, based on the Isle of Anglesey, with a main focus on creating traditional handmade gelato ice cream.
With ice cream parlours across Anglesey and North Wales, owners Tony and Lyn Green know a thing or two about the finest gelato and sorbets. They specialise in Italian gelato ice cream after Tony received extensive training in the art of ice cream making in the world famous Carpigiani's Gelato University of Italy.
Wanting to deliver further business growth and development, Red Boat set out to achieve SALSA certification. This led the company to approach the Food Technology Centre for funded support through Project HELIX.
SUPPORT RECEIVED FROM FOOD TECHNOLOGY CENTRE
The Food Technology Centre had been working with Red Boat for many years when the ice cream company approached them in 2019 for advice on gaining SALSA accreditation for their Beaumaris ice cream parlour.
A food technologist from the Food Technology Centre carried out a site visit to the ice cream parlour and concluded it would be difficult to gain accreditation for the premises. As a result Red Boat decided to look at units which were more suitable for expanding their ice cream production.
On finding a unit in Llangefni, the Food Technology Centre assisted by putting together a plan to develop it into an ice cream production centre. They advised on layout, the equipment and the high care facilities needed. The Food Technology Centre also advised on all the documentation and requirements needed for approval from the local authority.
The Food Technology Centre also put in place quality management systems, production paperwork, supplier approval, risk assessment processes and HACCP. They also helped with nutritional values, labelling, and delivered staff training on food safety and HACCP awareness.
BENEFITS OF THE SUPPORT
As a result of the support, The Red Boat Ice Cream Parlour successfully gained SALSA certification in September 2019.
Sue Lane, Food Technologist said,
I carried out a gap analysis of their site in Beaumaris in 2018, following on from feedback given, Red Boat deemed it appropriate to relocate their current ice cream production to a more purpose built site that could support their increasing demand for their quality product in a state of the art facility that promotes food safety to the highest standards. Through attaining their SALSA accreditation they have been able to meet the strict wholesale requirements, and now supply to the National Trust and numerous other outlets. With the help of the Food Technology Centre and the Project HELIX funding, they have been able to not only expand but to create a factory hub of ice cream production.
Tony Green, owner and founder of The Red Boat Ice Cream Parlour commented,
We have worked with the Food Technology Centre for many years, so when we wanted to expand our business and become SALSA accredited they were our first point of call. The Food Technology Centre team is very supportive, encouraging and proactive. We were a small, high street ice cream parlour but with their help we now have a dedicated production hub and have been able to expand. We now have the space and equipment we need to grow our business, and have taken on a new Sales and Marketing Manager. We would have never have achieved our goals without them, and the Project HELIX funding. They were a tower of strength to us and a great team.
