Food & Drink Awards 2018

Page 80 www.lux-review.com LUX 2018 Food & Drink Awards Euro Quality Lambs Limited is a large lamb abattoir based in the beautiful Shropshire Hills. We spoke to Rizvan Khalid to find out more about this award- winning company and how it works to ensure traceability and quality for everyone it supplies. Euro Quality Lambs Limited Best British Meat Distributors 2018 - Midlands Established in 1992 with the motto 'No Compromise on Quality and Service', from the outset Euro Quality Lambs sought to procure high quality lambs from farmers and livestock markets and market these to customers at home and abroad. Since inception the firm has gained a strong reputation in the trade and have won many recognitions over the years. Rizvan provides us with an insight into the work the firm undertakes and how it has remained dedicated to quality and excellence over the years. “Here at Euro Quality Lambs, we supply lamb carcasses, cuts and offal to UK, France, Germany and all over Europe. Our main customers are in France who are very particular about their food, and as such our popularity in the country is testimony to the quality of our products. We are so popular in the country that we supply an artic lorry of lamb carcasses to Paris every day. Another testimony to the quality of our meat is the fact that we have multiple product and process quality certifications with British Retail Consortium, Red Tractor, Quality Standard Mark Lamb and Organic. We employ our own veterinarian and technical manager to ensure standards are being met. “As well as providing quality lamb, it is also vitally important that we provide a great service to customers, and as such this is a key focus for our company. Not only do we provide products that they need but we provide them with the market information to understand the effects on quality and price of the product and how it can be optimised for the different supply chains - whether it be high-end restaurants, up-market supermarkets or main-steam retail outlets. It is also essential to be flexible in meeting the needs of customers and to always keep in touch with trends in food service and retail, because ultimately what affects consumption at the retail level will affect what we should produce earlier in the chain.” This approach has been a key aspect of the firm’s success over the past 25 years, and as such the team at Euro Quality Lambs are keen to give back to the communities that have helped them achieve its strong market position. Rizvan explains how this is achieved through the firm’s charity work and community support. “Alongside our focus on quality and customer service, at Euro Quality Lambs we are strong proponents of business social responsibility. In 2007 we established our own charitable foundation which has supported UK based charities with over more than £2m of donations Rizvan speaking at the National Sheep Association event