Food Chain - Issue 205 - April 2025 | Page 44

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
These are then developed through a series of cook-offs, during which we refine and evolve each dish to ensure it meets the highest standards of quality while being visually appealing and providing great value for money,” she continues.
Working cohesively with the right suppliers is central to Parogon’ s ability to provide its renowned dishes across all of its brands. Kat tells us more about the company’ s criteria when it comes to choosing suppliers who maintain its stringent quality standards.“ One key aspect of this is ensuring that the drinks brands we feature genuinely align with our brand portfolio. For example, at Willow, with its Mediterranean-inspired look, feel, and menu, we have carefully selected brands to collaborate with whose products complement our story telling, both in restaurant and online. However, quality does not stop there for us, as we also prioritize sustainability. As a B Corpcertified business, we engage with partners and sponsors who adopt sustainable practices in their production processes. Whenever we onboard a new product, we go through a tender process which includes asking potential suppliers about their efforts to reduce carbon footprint and maintain sustainability in their operations. We also aim to source 50 percent of our purchases from local suppliers within a 50- mile radius of our head office,” she enlightens.
Prioritizing people
Alongside the planet, Parogon is also devoted to its workforce and strives to remain one of the best companies to work for in the UK.“ As a people-focused business with over 700 team members, fostering a positive culture is at the heart of our company. About seven years ago, we partnered with Best Companies, a benchmark in service excellence, to establish a framework for building core values that guide our team’ s work. Best Companies’ surveys have been a great format for gathering feedback from our employees on how we are performing and engaging
EXCEPTIONAL MEAT SUPPLIERS TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
GET IN TOUCH T: 01782 744488 • thecateringbutcher. co. uk Sutherland Road, Longton, Stoke on Trent ST3 1JB
44