Page 252 - Bord Bia - Irish Foodservice Directory 2024

Product mix

An example of their hot meals menu includes a range of options from
chicken curry with rice, pasta bolognese with meat balls, vegetarian pastas
and curries, chicken or chicken goujons with vegetables and potato, in
addition to roast dinners everyday.

Hot Meals are cooked, chilled and portioned whilst cold and then
transported to the school, or a local kitchen for regeneration just prior to
lunch service.

Opportunities for Irish food and drink suppliers

The Company is looking for items suitable for a midday hot lunch and for
healthy snack items. They are always looking for innovative products in the
school food space.

As Carambola supplies more than 6 million lunches per annum, any supplier
must have demonstrable capacity for consistency and quality with high
volume.
The Company reviews a lot of artisan producers, but prices are often too
high. The price point of Carambola products is very tight due to being part
of a Government scheme. In addition, some artisan producers may not have
the necessary volume capacity.

Purchasing policy and supplier requirements

Carambola has a preference to source local produce, where possible.

There is an approved supplier list and although the Company is open to
ideas at any time of the year, all products are tendered for from Easter
onwards for the start of the school year.

HACCP is mandatory and demonstrable systems must be in place. All
premises are audited by the Company’s internal auditor.

The majority of products must be delivered to the Carambola campus in
Limerick.

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