Latest News

Hundreds of thousands missing out on free school meals

11 March 2013

New analysis by the Children’s Society has revealed what it says are huge numbers of children in poverty throughout the country who are missing out on free school meals.

Chief executive Matthew Reed said: “Our new analysis reveals a stark picture for children living in poverty across England. It found that in 57 constituencies alone, more than six in 10 children in poverty are not getting a free school meal.

“In some areas more than two-thirds of children in poverty missing out on free school meals.”

National School Meals Week campaign ‘highly commended’

11 March 2013

LACA’s campaign for National School Meals Week (NSMW) in 2011 has been highly commended by judges at the recent Marketing Excellence Awards run by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).

Judges said: “The Marketing Excellence Awards celebrate the best marketing achievements across various industry sectors and acknowledge the contributions made by individuals as well as by teams.

“Winning a CIM Marketing Excellence Award means that you have created results that deliver real business benefits.

LACA HOSTS SEMINAR FOR INAUGURAL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MEALS DAY

7 March 2013

LACA (formerly Local Authority Caterers Association) will be hosting a Seminar to officially mark the first International School Meals Day², a new initiative being held simultaneously in countries across the globe, on Friday March 8.

School caterers Alliance in Partnership win Gold Standard for second year running

6 March 2013

The event, which took place last week, saw over 200 delegates from 120 leading UK caterers gather together to attend.

The awards recognised the serving of ethical and environmentally sustainable food, and the assembled caterers' commitment to providing freshly-prepared meals to schools, nurseries, hospitals, care homes, universities and workplaces around the country.

The caterers won the award once again for its 26 contracts in the London Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea region.

£5.45bn budget for new local authority public health services

5 March 2013

A £5.45bn two-year, ring-fenced public health budget for local authorities has been announced as responsibility for taking the lead in improving public health switches from NHS trusts to local authorities on April 1.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that at this would help drive local efforts to improve health and wellbeing in their communities by tackling the wider determinants of poor health.

Red House Foods equine DNA testing statement

28 February 2013

All ingredients of beef origin have been tested for equine DNA and were confirmed clear. In addition to the DNA testing, we also contracted an accredited lab to carry out further testing on our chicken, beef and pork products to confirm the species of meat and to ensure that no cross contamination has occurred within the supply chain, we are reassured by our results and we hope you will be.

To ensure you always get the best we only buy choice cuts of meat and poultry, sourced from UK farms which is prepared by us, in our factory.

Meat adulteration: Update on Brakes brand product testing

28 February 2013

Since news of the first case broke on 16th January 2013 Brakes have been working actively on the issue of meat adulteration.
Brakes can confirm that we have now completed the first phase of testing for Brakes brand products containing beef and have submitted our second list of results to the Food Standards Agency (FSA). We will continue to be vigilant and will closely follow any future FSA guidelines on speciation testing.

Birds Eye issues meat testing update

25 February 2013

Since the first discovery of horsemeat in some beef products produced by a number of manufactures and retailers, we have been DNA testing all our own beef products.

Regrettably, we have found one product, Chilli Con Carne, sold in Belgium and produced for us by Frigilunch N.V. has tested positive for horse DNA at 2%. Whilst this is not a food safety issue, it is clearly unacceptable. In accordance with our high standards, we are immediately withdrawing this product from sale.

LACA STATEMENT REGARDING HORSEMEAT AND SCHOOL MEALS

25 February 2013

Following ongoing Food Standards Agency (FSA) advice and in light of the current checks being carried out on some processed beef products, LACA is aware that a number of local authorities and education catering providers across the country have already withdrawn or, are considering withdrawing, some and in other cases all, processed beef products from school menus.

LACA Welsh Awards 2013

21 February 2013 | Wales Region

LACA’s Welsh Region held its 2013 awards night recently at Vale Resort Hotel where a glittering ‘Hollywood’ style evening helped the 11 category winners and runners-up celebrate in Oscars fashion.

Master of Ceremonies on the night was Stuart Long of MKN and afterwards LACA's National Chair Anne Bull and Welsh Regional Chair Toni Edwards tweeted to say “thanks all who made the Wales Excellence Awards a huge success. Congrats to all the winners!”

The results were:

WELSH CATERING MANAGEMENT TEAM OF THE YEAR 2013 Sponsored by A B M