Boomtime for Pork Farms’ quiche factory in wake of summer heatwave

01-Aug-2013 - Last updated on 19-Aug-2020 at 08:35 GMT

Izamis claimed quiche was the 'most volatile' pastry product on the market

If you thought ice cream and cold drink manufacturers were the only ones working flat out during the recent scorching weather, think again.

Sales of quiche have rocketed, with one boss reporting a surge in retailer demand from 70,000 to 250,000 units in the space of 12 hours.

In this exclusive podcast for FoodManufacture.co.uk, Johnny Izamis, operations manager at Pork Farms’ Riverside Bakery in Nottingham, revealed how he coped with soaring demand from the likes of Asda, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury.

He explained how contingency planning and a close relationship with labour providers are crucial, especially when the number of staff on site needed to increase by 200 at peak times.

Fluctuating demand

With Izamis claiming that quiche is the most volatile pastry product on the market when it comes to fluctuating demand, it’s no surprise he told us he is never far aware from a Met Office forecast.

Also in the podcast, Izamis discussed how the firm is trying to increase demand all year-round in what he termed an “ageing market”.

He revealed some of the new product development work that had been undertaken in a bid to make quiche a “sexy category”.

Don’t miss the Me and My factory feature with Izamis in a forthcoming edition of our sister title Food Manufacture magazine.

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