CENTRAL FOODS DEMONSTRATES INNOVATION AND STAYING POWER AS IT MARKS 30 YEARS

Fast Food Professional caught up with Oli Sampson, Managing Director of Central Foods, as he marks 12 months at the helm of the unique frozen food specialist

Athol: Where did your passion for the food industry begin?

Oli: Food has always been at the heart of my life, starting with my family. I grew up making and eating great meals with my parents and grandparents, and that same tradition continues in our house today — my wife does a brilliant job of keeping our three boys fed with fresh, home-cooked food every day, which is no mean feat.

Athol: How have you approached taking over at the helm and how has Central Foods changed under your stewardship?

Oli: It’s been a fantastic 12 months and I’m proud of the work we continue to do as a team, but the hard work doesn’t stop here. We’re operating in a challenging market, and it’s important that we keep evolving to give our customers the platform to grow, despite the pressures they’re facing.

In terms of change, we’ve evolved our offer to become more of a solution – delivering a greater range of products across all menu parts, all from one trusted partner.

Athol: How would you summarise the model?

Oli: Our model allows wholesalers to hold less stock, layout less capital and offer more product variety, all with less risk. At any given point, a wholesaler can add a single case to a mixed, consolidated pallet order from Central Foods – that’s incredibly powerful, because it means they can offer something new to their customers whilst reducing exposure and process time. And it means manufacturers can get their products out to the market more easily.

Athol: What can you tell us about the team you are assembling at Central Foods?

Oli: One of our biggest strengths is our team. Some of our employees have been with the business for decades, bringing deep knowledge of the markets we serve and strong relationships with customers.

We’re proud to celebrate 30 years of trading this year, which reflects both our staying power in a challenging market and the depth of knowledge and expertise within the business.

Athol: After a number of years in successful supporting roles in Central Foods, have you found the transition to Managing Director easier than if you were new to the business?

Oli: Having been with Central Foods for more than a decade before stepping into the MD role, I had a real advantage. The relationships I’d built and the understanding I’d developed across multiple parts of the business meant I could focus from day one on delivering for our customers.

Athol: What do you see as the biggest challenge for Central Foods in the next 12 months?

Oli: The biggest single challenge in our industry continues to be cost pressure. Inflation has hit everybody in the supply chain and major global events such as Covid, the current Ukraine and Middle East crisis, along with the Suez Canal disruptions, have all added pressure in recent years.

What makes this particularly challenging for fast-food operators is that menu prices are rising faster than wider food inflation. Industry analysis shows that fast-food menu prices increased from around 4.8% at the start of 2025 to 7.7% by the end of the year, significantly outpacing retail food inflation.1 At the same time, labour typically accounts for around 25–35% of operating costs in quick-service businesses2, leaving operators with limited room to absorb additional cost increases.

Against this backdrop, customers are looking for greater perceived value. They want food that tastes great, looks good on the plate and feels worth the price they are paying. Our role is to help wholesalers and operators deliver exactly that by providing reliable products, menu inspiration and solutions that reduce waste, simplify preparation and protect margins.

Athol: Which new areas of the business do you look forward to attacking in the coming years?

Oli: One of our most exciting opportunities lies in the continued growth of the quick-service restaurant sector. The UK fast-food market is forecast to reach around £40.5 billion, reflecting strong demand for convenient takeaway meals and quick-service dining.3

At the same time, operators are increasingly looking to introduce complementary menu items that help increase basket spend. Sides and sharable snacks such as onion rings, mozzarella sticks and vegetable bites are particularly well suited to fast-food kitchens because they can be prepared quickly using existing frying equipment. Through our partnership with Le Duc, we can offer a range of vegetarian appetisers that allow operators to expand their menus with minimal operational change while appealing to customers looking for snackable or sharable options.

Another key area of growth is plant-based products. The bigger shift is towards flexitarian eating, where consumers reduce meat consumption rather than eliminate it entirely. Research suggests that around one-third of UK consumers now identify as flexitarian, creating opportunities for operators to offer meat-free alternatives alongside traditional menu favourites.4

Our KaterVeg! vegan quarterpounders and vegetable sausages allow operators to introduce plant-based options with the same convenience and consistency they expect from frozen products.

Athol: What excites you most about the future?

Oli: I think there’s a real opportunity for operators to show pride in their quality, and innovate where they can - don’t be scared to try something new and take a chance on things.

Central Foods is known for innovating our product ranges. We were the first to bring bao buns to the UK foodservice many years ago and we continue to prove ourselves as a progressive business with new flavours and new opportunities.

Athol: Who are your food heroes, and what is your favourite food?

Oli: Outside of family, I have a few culinary heroes. Jamie Oliver’s campaigning work on healthy school meals has been genuinely inspirational — it’s had a real impact on how we think about food for the next generation. I admire Gordon Ramsay as a businessman as much as a chef, and we share a love of cars, which helps. And I have to mention Akhtar Islam at Opheem in Birmingham, who served me quite simply the best meal I’ve ever eaten.

As for favourite food, I’m a self-confessed foodie, so it’s almost impossible to pick just one. But fish and chips at the seaside with the family — sun going down, kids getting ketchup everywhere — takes some beating. A great beef wellington is a close second, and I’d never say no to a pepperoni and jalapeño pizza. After a long week, a cold beer or a G&T is hard to argue with either.

Athol: What do you predict to be the next big Food trend/fad and where from?

Oli: Value will remain a major factor in the fast-food sector. Industry analysis shows meal deals now account for around 20% of fast-food menu items, highlighting the growing importance of value-led promotions.5

At the same time, plant-based products are becoming a more established part of fast-food menus. This isn’t just about vegetarian customers; it’s about offering a broader mix of protein choices that appeal to flexitarian consumers. With beef prices up by 45% in the past 12 months, plant-based alternatives can also provide operators with a cost-effective way to diversify their menus.6

Athol: Is there a new food range that you would like Central Foods to take on?

Oli: We’re always looking for new opportunities and welcome conversations with new manufacturers and wholesaler partners. Our focus will remain on supporting customers to deliver the right experience, every time.

Two ranges we’re particularly excited about right now are from Le Duc and Tyson Foods. Le Duc is a Dutch family business specialising in 100% vegetarian frozen appetisers — think premium onion rings, cheese snacks and coated vegetables made with natural ingredients. They bring something genuinely different to fast-food menus, and they fit perfectly with the growing demand for snackable, sharable sides.

From Tyson Foods, we’re introducing Red Thai Chicken and Shredded Chicken products to our range — bold flavours made with whole muscle chicken breast that work brilliantly as a centre-of-plate option or as part of a build. Both ranges reflect exactly the kind of quality and innovation our customers are looking for.

Thank you Oli for this insight

www.centralfoods.co.uk