an advertising supplement Euro Food Brands Ltd 1 Kimbell Mews Humfrey Lane Boughton Northampton NN2 8XB Tel: 01604 821200 Fax: 01604 845667 E-mail: stephen@eurofoodbrands.co.uk sales@eurofoodbrands.co.uk Key personnel Managing Director Stephen Barlow Sales & Marketing Director Michael Adams Development Director Peter O'Sullivan Key brands Baci Barilla Carapelli Coelsanus Fabbri illycaffe Interoliva Leiseur International Monari Federzoni Motta S. Martino Saladays Dressings Sapori Silvo European connection Traditional food brokerage is past its sell by date, claims Stephen Barlow, md of the £35m Euro Food Brands Ltd, one of the new generation of "brand partners". "We are not a traditional food brokerage," explains Barlow. "We act as the UK partner for a number of major European brands and also offer own branded products from various factories, mainly in Italy, France, Spain and Denmark." The company gives strategic advice to suppliers, enabling them to develop a worthwhile business in the UK, working closely with nominated PR companies and advertising agencies where requested. "Euro Food Brands has built its reputation on introducing and developing successful brands in the UK market," says Barlow. "It is also excellent at spotting niche opportunities and gaining distribution through the major multiples and catering. It supplies every major UK multiple and at least 3000 restaurants and catering outlets." Now in its 10th year and employing just 22 people, it operates on lower gross profit margins than the majority of its competitors with fixed overheads kept at the lowest level within the category. Barlow is now looking to develop Euro Food Brands at +40% year on year ­ not as wildly optimistic as it may appear when you consider the company has achieved the same growth rate for the last 10 years. The strategy is simple: "Massive growth from the existing brands and the addition of complimentary new European brands". He's convinced that the partnership approach works and points to the company's track record for developing brands and multiple own brands. {{Z SUPPLEMENTS }}