Food - Kelsius

Kelsius Digital HACCP and wireless temperature monitoring exceeds expectations for Hastings Hotels

On average, each property saves three hours per day for all food staff

Hastings Hotels is a luxury hotel group operating six hotels and a stand-alone Gastro Pub, Cultra Inn, situated on the Culloden Estate in Northern Ireland, serving a wide range of prepared and fresh food to its customers. These seven properties offer guests an impressive choice of venues, catering across leisure, events, sporting pursuits and gourmet dining.

Challenges Faced by Management and Chefs

Hastings Hotels faced the challenge of managing food safety and HACCP records across multiple locations. Larger properties like the Grand Central and Europa Hotels have different areas for multiple kitchens, bars, delis and large catering spaces, all requiring up to date records to be kept.

Management had little oversight of all food safety records, with a paper process that was prone to errors, and too much time was spent on recording data rather than providing the best guest experience.

Chefs spent too much time reviewing paper records and manually recoding temperatures across different kitchens and floors. Stock was being lost due to no notifications of faulty appliances, and there was little traceability for food.

Introducing the Kelsius System

The Kelsius FoodCheck 2.0 system was introduced into operations at Hastings Hotels. With the system now in use in their properties, management has more confidence and peace of mind as audits and inspections are easier. Reporting is streamlined and it’s much easier to train any agency staff who are required ad hoc.

Digital traceability means better transparency and accountability, with no risk of falsification or mistakes due to human error. Automated alerts have hugely reduced the risk of food waste due to temperature excursions, improving the shelf life of products.

Benefits

Three hours saved per day on average per property by all food staff
Estimated £2000 per year per property saved on wasted food
Four hours per week saved by management using automated report
Paper, ink and folders used reduce to zero
Food safety training time reduced by half
90% estimated reduction in mistakes caused by human error

Raymond Duncan Compliance, Operations & Procurement Manager, Hastings Group:

“Using the Kelsius system, I have peace of mind knowing all food safety processes are being adhered to. The automated system minimises human error and it’s so much easier for management to remotely identify trends or gaps in any hotel and act in real time. Our EHO loves the system as it gives them full visibility of our processes, in turn they are more confident in us to maintain outstanding food safety for our guests. We’re delighted with the system.”

Kelsius becomes Associate Member of the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF)

Kelsius is delighted to announce that it has become an Associate Member of the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF).

Established in 1913, the NFFF is the official body that represents the fish and chip industry, protecting the interests of fish friers and their businesses and promoting the fish and chip brand.

As an Associate Member, Kelsius will be able to provide NFFF members with digital HACCP and wireless temperature monitoring via its FoodCheck 2.0 automated food safety system.

FoodCheck 2.0 allows businesses in the fish and chip industry to save time and cost by replacing manual food safety tasks with automated temperature monitoring, thereby reducing the risks associated with manual checks and allowing staff to spend more time on serving customers.

The Kelsius Oil Tester app ensures oil quality while extending the life of cooking oil to reduce costs. For every food business, cooking oil now represents a significant cost that needs to be managed effectively, while at the same time ensuring a consistently safe standard of cooking oil quality.

The Kelsius Oil Tester app captures cooking oil data, accessible from any web-enabled device:

Cut cooking oil costs by up to 35% while ensuring you serve only the best quality food by maintaining your oil in its best condition.
Reduce cooking oil costs by extending the life of the oil while maintaining oil quality.
Eliminate unnecessary oil changes and reduce your operating costs.
Reduce your CO₂ emissions by eliminating unnecessary oil collection and oil disposal.

With the digital Kelsius Oil Tester app, NFFF members and all businesses in the fish and chip industry can operate more efficiently, eliminate paperwork, have easy access to waste disposal records, and have a simple solution for storing waste disposal documents.

Contact Kelsius to learn more.

Kelsius sponsors the Craft Guild Culinary Team as it prepares for the Culinary World Cup 2026

Already a winner, Team GB will compete using the Kelsius Digital HACCP system, FoodCheck 2.0

Kelsius, a leader in digital HACCP and wireless temperature monitoring solutions for the food industry, is delighted to announce its sponsorship of the Craft Guild Culinary Team as it prepares for the Culinary World Cup 2026.

The Craft Guild Culinary Team is an elite group of chefs who work together to compete in culinary competitions at the very highest level in the UK and beyond. The team took part in the recent 2024 Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart where they excelled, taking home seven medals including five gold, one silver and one bronze.

Currently the team consists of nine chefs who have demonstrated not only their skills in culinary excellence but also their ability to perform in the highly pressurised environment of competition.

The team aims to grow to 17 chefs in 2025 and to 20 by 2026.

The Craft Guild Culinary Team is already preparing for its participation in the Culinary World Cup 2026 which will take place in Luxembourg in November 2026.

To exercise best practice in the competition, teams are required to use a digital HACCP system and FoodCheck 2.0 from Kelsius will be the system of choice for the competing Craft Guild Culinary Team. In addition, the team will use Kelsius’s world-class digital sensor technology which will provide automated temperature recordings of fridges and freezers. This will remove the need to manually take and input temperature recordings and all alerts will be directed in real time to a push notification app or email.

Team Captain for the Craft Guild Culinary Team, Terry O’Riordan said, “We are thrilled to have Kelsius on board as our sponsor and providing us with the critical digital HACCP system that will support our team in competition. We need robust and reliable digital HACCP that will give us real-time results under pressure. We believe that Kelsius provides us with that, and we look forward to working with the Kelsius team to help us ensure that the system is optimised and tailored for our very specific needs.”

Kelsius Sales Manager UK, Rob Lelliott said, “The Craft Guild Culinary Team has already demonstrated their extraordinary levels of delivery and performance at the 2024 Culinary Olympics. We are delighted that our FoodCheck 2.0 digital HACCP system has been selected for the team. Having demonstrated its capabilities we are extremely confident that it will meet and exceed the standards required for the World Cup scoring system. FoodCheck delivers and performs to the very highest levels, whether this is for a small hospitality business or a professional team competing on an international stage. We look forward to supporting the team as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup and we wish them every success.”

Pictured above: Wayne Corbett, Cold Team Captain, part of the Craft Guild Culinary Team, uses the Kelsius Digital HACCP system.

To learn more about FoodCheck 2.0 for chefs, click here.

Kelsius announces partnership with foodservice tech provider Nutritics

Kelsius has announced a partnership with food health software solution provide Nutritics. The partnership brings together Kelsius’ digital HACCP and wireless temperature monitoring solutions and Nutritics’ advanced recipe management and food information software to provide one seamlessly integrated solution for the food services and hospitality sectors.

A winning collaboration

The collaboration comes about as Kelsius and Nutritics have already completed several successful integrations with customers. As one combined solution, food businesses have access to a streamlined system that provides full food safety compliance, 24/7 temperature monitoring of food and ingredients, less food waste, access to real-time data, and improved operational efficiencies. Food businesses and organisations can ensure better management of ingredients and recipes for consistently fresh and nutritionally balanced dishes, all through one system that helps them to improve their sustainability.

The integration ensures that every part of food preparation, from sourcing ingredients to serving the final dish, is monitored for compliance and efficiency. Automated monitoring reduces human error and frees up staff to focus on other priorities.

Commenting on the partnership, Kelsius Chief Commercial Officer Mario Kelly said, “At Kelsius we are incredibly excited about our partnership with Nutritics and the unique set of benefits that this will deliver to our customers. For any organisation looking to reduce waste, improve sustainability and drive efficiencies, the technology integration between Kelsius and Nutritics will deliver huge improvements across their day-to-day operations.”

Angela Hart, Director Pre Sales at Nutrtics, said,” Nutritics and Kelsius have joined forces to offer a powerful combination of solutions. Nutritics provides a single platform for comprehensive food data management and digital publishing, while Kelsius is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of wireless temperature monitoring systems and digital HACCP systems. By integrating these solutions via APIs, customers can seamlessly automate their data flow with confidence and accuracy. This integration not only reduces manual labour but also minimises errors, ensuring greater efficiency and reliability.”

A sustainable solution

Both Kelsius and Nutritics place sustainability at the heart of their operations. The Kelsius wireless temperature monitoring system reduces food waste and removes paperwork by providing 24/7 real-time alerts when storage unit temperatures fall outside of set parameters. Temperatures and related data are stored in the Kelsius portal, allowing for ease of access for audits and reports.

With Nutritics’ food management software, businesses can monitor portion sizes, optimise ingredient ordering, and reduce food waste. The system provides detailed reports, allowing businesses to refine processes that lead to more sustainable practices, like reducing over-ordering or serving excess portions.

The integration gives businesses complete control over their inventory and storage processes, ensuring that ingredients are used safely and efficiently, and that unnecessary waste is minimised.

Together, Nutritics and Kelsius are helping food businesses embrace a greener, more sustainable approach to food service – one that is better for both the planet and the bottom line.

Customer safety

Customer safety has never been more important, and Kelsius and Nutritics have made it a priority. By automating the tracking of ingredients, monitoring shelf life, and ensuring full traceability across the supply chain, the partnership enables businesses to remain compliant with food safety regulations, including Natasha’s Law in the UK.

Pictured above: Ciaran Gallagher, Sales & Marketing Manager Kelsius; Richard Ward, Regional Director of Business Development (UK & IRL) Nutritics; Rob Lelliott, Sales Manager UK South Kelsius.

To learn more:

Click here to contact Kelsius.
Click here to contact Nutritics.

Nisa to kickstart trial with Kelsius to automate food safety management processes

The symbol group Nisa commences a trial in September 2024 with Kelsius, providing digital HACCP and wireless temperature monitoring for independent grocers in the group.

The Kelsius system will allow automated temperature control for stores to ensure food is stored and cooked properly. The system includes sensors and probes for deli, bakery or butcher counters, as well as in fridges and freezers.

The sensors automatically alert retailers when a fridge or freezer temperature falls outside set parameters, helping them to prevent loss of stock and food waste. Probes can be used to monitor temperatures on the spot.

Accessing data in real time makes it easier for the retailer to create reports, gain insights, and provide data for audits. The system can also help Nisa retailers to automate checklists and monitor routine activities such as cleaning tasks.

The system saves retailers time and resources on processes that would otherwise be undertaken manually, while removing the risk of human error.

Kelsius UK food retail sales manager Danielle Guy said, “We are all aware of the challenges that continue to affect convenience retailers. Labour shortages, increasing costs and supply chain issues mean that more and more, retailers are looking to engage in processes and procedures that help them to maximise efficiencies.”

She continued, “Using the Kelsius system means that managers and business owners have peace of mind that the system is monitoring valuable stock 24/7. Food safety practices are automated, consistent and compliant with regulations, with traceability assured from delivery through to serving customers.”

Read The Grocer article covering this story here.

Case Study: Musgrave Operating Partners Ireland (MOPI)

Musgrave Operating Partners Ireland (MOPI) represents 22 SuperValu stores that are owned and managed by Musgrave. As Ireland’s leading food retail, wholesale and foodservice company, Musgrave is proud to be one of Europe’s most successful family-owned businesses with a 140-year heritage in food and brand innovation.

In a busy and highly competitive food retail environment, MOPI was looking for a food safety system that would:

help them to streamline their HACCP process.
reduce time spent on manual temperature checks.
reduce time spent on paperwork.
provide reliable digital HACCP to automate processes for high food safety standards and regulatory compliance.

Kelsius worked with MOPI to deliver results for their stores. Using the Kelsius system, MOPI:

has achieved a 50% reduction in time spent on HACCP.
has all but eliminated stock loss due to temperature failures in plug-in fridges and freezers.
saves management time thanks to remote visibility of food safety activities in-store.
has achieved simpler and easy-to-access traceability for all colleagues.
can assure auditors with the ability to provide graphs and charts showing the history of a temperature and that spikes in temperatures are under control.
has achieved significant labour benefits as temperatures do not have to be manually checked, thus reducing the risks associated with manual processes.

Kelsius joins TUCO supplier framework

Kelsius is delighted to announce that it has joined the TUCO supplier framework as a technology provider that supports members to enhance food safety in their catering operations.

TUCO is one of the leading professional membership bodies for in-house caterers in the UK, supporting procurement and learning excellence. It works to provide quality standards and advice to those working in public sector catering. The organisation procures goods and services, helping members to drive down costs and maximise quality.

Kelsius is particularly proud to be part of the TUCO framework as it operates to very high standards for quality-assurance, value for money and to ensure that suppliers meet the needs of its members.

All framework suppliers are vetted and assessed by TUCO. TUCO’s dedicated procurement team works to provide members with access to over 15 EU-compliant framework agreements. Annual review meetings are held with each supplier and independent benchmarking is carried out. The eProcurement system provides members with an easy-to-use, one-stop-shop solution to manage supplier trading relationships.

Kelsius is now a technology supplier in the TUCO framework for Catering Innovation and Concept Solutions (CICS). The Kelsius FoodCheck 2.0 solution provides wireless temperature monitoring and digital HACCP systems for the catering and hospitality sector. It improves food safety, ensures regulatory compliance, and helps caterers to control the costs associated with food safety management.

Kelsius launches the KELSIUS App for push notification alerts

Falcarragh, Co. Donegal, 8 May 2024 – Kelsius has launched the Kelsius App which allows all Kelsius customers to receive push notification alerts directly to their smartphone or device.

Recently mobile phone network operators have been increasingly treating automated SMS and automated voice calls as spam. This can result in the non-delivery of messages and in turn risks the user not receiving critical alerts. Now with push notification alerts via the Kelsius app, users can receive push notifications in real time for alerts such as alarms warning of temperature excursions, the status of sensors and other events.

Secure

Push notifications via an app have multiple benefits particularly around security and reliability. The Kelsius app uses the most robust encryption protocols, providing a secure way to transmit information. This is particularly crucial in the food sector and life sciences industries for sensitive notifications affecting high-value stock, products or samples. With high level encryption protocols in place, messages are less susceptible to interception, being isolated or not delivered, and are delivered in a reliable, consistent and dependable manner.

The app also supports two-factor authentication (2FA), adding an extra layer of security. Users can receive secure authentication codes directly through the app, enhancing the overall security of the communication. In the event that a user’s password is compromised, 2FA means that a potential hacker will be unable to gain access to the system using a password alone.

Reliable

Where managers and supervisors need to know that an alert has been received and actioned, the Kelsius app provides delivery confirmation. This lets users know when a message has been successfully delivered and when it has been read. Managers have peace of mind that alerts reach their intended recipients who are responsible for undertaking corrective actions when required.

Offline message delivery is another feature of the Kelsius push notifications app. Push notifications are designed to be more reliable in delivering messages even when the recipient is offline. The app can store notifications until the user is back online, ensuring that important messages are not missed.

Remote Access

Kelsius alerts via the app means that all alerts can be viewed and managed whether the user needs access on site or remotely. Remove access delivers:

Secure login from any mobile device
Ability to select any individual alert event by entering a PIN.
Ability to enter a predefined or custom corrective action.
Ability to close the alert event without going back to an office or a central location.
The app will report if an alert notification was delivered, if it was opened and if it was actioned.
All actions are recorded and viewed on the portal audit section.
Provides improved traceability, convenience and saves time.

Kelsius customers who currently use the Kelsius portal and receive alerts via SMS or voice call alerts can start using the Kelsius app today. Download the KELSIUS app from Google Play for Android or from the App Store for iOS. Login using your Kelsius portal login details.

If you’re new to Kelsius and work in the food sector or life sciences, learn more about Kelsius Push Notification Alerts here. Or contact Kelsius to find out how FoodCheck 2.0 and CoolCheck can automate your digital HACCP and wireless temperature monitoring processes.

Food Allergens – Your customers’ safety, your obligations.

For people living with severe allergies, specific foods and drinks can be a potential threat that they live with every day. Around a quarter of the global population have a food allergy, food-intolerance, or a relate illness. In the world of allergies and food intolerances, we have much more knowledge than ever before, and the foodservice industry has become more proactive when it comes to catering for specific allergies and dietary requirements.

Evidence suggests that the number of food allergy related incidents is increasing worldwide. In New Zealand, the annual food-induced anaphylaxis hospital presentation rate increased almost three-fold between 2006 and 2015. In the US, the incidents of food-related anaphylaxis in children and adults increased by 177% between 2004 and 2016. And in the UK the prevalence of all types of allergies including food allergies appeared to be increasing in children between 2006 and 2020, based on a sevenfold increase in new allergy appointment capacity to meet the growing demand.

With increases in the rate of food allergies worldwide – some potentially fatal – improved testing to detect allergens, and the prevalence of legislation for food allergens, it is critically important that food businesses ensure that customers are aware of food allergens. Customers need to be able to make informed and safe choices and they can only do this when food labelling and the information provided is accurate and up-to-date.

Five steps to food allergen compliance.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland outlines the five steps that help food businesses to be compliant with allergens legislation.

By law, food businesses must declare the use of the 14 food allergens in writing. These allergens are:

celery
cereals containing gluten (found in barley and oats)
crustaceans (such as shrimps, crabs, and lobsters)
eggs
fish
lupin
milk
molluscs
mustard
peanuts
sesame
soybeans
sulphur dioxide and sulphites (if at a concentration of more than ten parts per million (ppm))
tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, and macadamia nuts)

Ensure the allergen information is legible and clear: The allergen must be indicated in the list of ingredients with clear reference to the name of the allergen and highlighted in a way that makes it stand out from the other ingredients. For example, this could be through font, style or background colour.
Ensure the allergen information is easily accessible to customers: This information can be provided by labelling the allergens contained in individual dishes, or by displaying a sign directing customers to ask staff for allergen information. This information must be visible, clearly legible, and easily accessible to the customer.
Ensure the allergen information is up to date: Allergen ingredients information should be included on ingredients labels and all allergens information should be recorded and up to date. This can, for example, be recorded digitally.
Monitor your suppliers’ allergen information: Suppliers should disclose, for instance, all allergenic products manufactured in the same facility as the business’s own ingredients. In addition, food businesses should be up to date on suppliers’ allergen testing procedures and preventive measures against cross-contamination.

The importance of food allergen labelling and compliance.

In the UK, the food industry is required to label common allergens in their products under the UK’s Food Information (Amendment) Regulations 2019, commonly known as ‘Natasha’s Law’. The introduction of the legislation has heightened awareness of food labelling compliance which is essential for food businesses to launch successful products that are safe for consumers to eat.

Food businesses must declare the presence of food allergens used as ingredients in their foods. High profile cases of issues with allergen packaging shows how important it is for food retailers to ensure that foods are labelled correctly, that allergen information is easily accessible, and that ingredients can be traced necessary.

As well as highlighting which foods contain allergens, labelling also serves to highlight allergen-free alternatives, ensuring that customers with allergies still have safe options to choose from.

While the growing awareness and prevalence of allergies increases the importance of compliance for food businesses and their obligations, digital solutions can help food business owners to implement safe allergens management.

Digitalising allergen folders improves efficiencies as customers can find the information they need quickly and easily.
This also reduces the need for paper stocks from the business, saves time spent printing, and removes the associated costs.
Most importantly, with the ability to update digital folders more quickly and from any location remotely, it reduces the risk of human error where paper folders might not be updated by staff, sheets are overlooked, or folders in multiple locations are not updated in a timely manner or are updated at different times.

To learn about solutions for food businesses that make food allergen management safer, easier and more efficient, contact Kelsius. Our aim is to make the world safer for consumers food, through automated and digital processes that help save time and save costs.

We have solutions for allergens information management that we can tailor for your food business.

Hospitality: What costs will affect your business in 2024

The last number of years have seen a series of increasing costs for all small and medium sized businesses in the UK and Ireland and many economic factors continue to cause challenges particularly for the hospitality and catering industry. While some are easing into 2024, others remain of concern. So what are the factors that the industry will need to consider as businesses get ready for their busy seasons in 2024? Whether the business is looking to diversify, grow, invest, or simply maintain the status quo, here we look at the factors that will have the biggest impacts.

Cost of Labour: Cost of labour recurs as one of the most significant costs in hospitality. This will increase in 2024 and in foreseeable years, as workers in the UK will see wage increases depending on their age from 01 April. From this date, workers aged 21 and over will be entitled to the National Living Wage of £11.44 per hour. This is a rise of £1.26 per hour for those aged 21-22, and a rise of £1.02 for those aged over 23. Those aged under 18 and aged 18 to 20 will also see rises in their minimum hourly rates to £6.40 and £8.60 an hour respectively. Those employing apprentices at the current £5.28 rates will also be affected, with apprentices’ hourly rates rising to £6.40 per hour.

Similarly in Ireland, the National Living Wage increased on 1 January 2024. The national minimum hourly rate becomes €12.70. This rate applies to employees aged 20 years and above. Sub-minimum hourly rates apply to employees aged under 20. These rates are €11.43 for those aged 19, €10.16 for 18-year-olds, and €8.89 if aged under 18.

Sick Leave: As part of a 4-year plan, the Irish government is gradually increasing employer-paid sick leave which will rise to 10 days in 2026. As part of this plan, the entitlement to paid sick leave recently increased from 3 to 5 days for employees. While this measure aims to provide protection and certainty to employees who are unable to work due to illness or injury, the government recognises that the overall cost of doing business is of concern particularly for small businesses. As part of targeted measures to support businesses, the increased Cost of Business Scheme announced in Budget 2024 provides direct financial support to small businesses directly impacted by increased costs. The scheme includes a once-off grant which will benefit up to 130,000 small and medium businesses from a fund of €250m.

In the UK, employers without a company sick pay scheme should pay Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) to eligible employees. This is £109.40 per week and paid by the employer for up to 28 weeks.

Energy costs and geopolitical factors: Businesses and households alike were hit by soaring energy prices after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In the UK the Energy Bills Discount Scheme runs until March 2024. However this has been most beneficial to heavy energy-using sectors, particularly manufacturing. In addition, recent research has suggested that over half of SMEs were unaware of the financial support it provides and therefore have not availed of potential savings.

Across Europe, while many predict energy prices may drop in 2024, they are unlikely to fall to pre-invasion levels.

Events affecting shipping in the Red Sea and recent drought in the Panama Canal have the potential to affect the price of global raw materials and cereals, as rerouting options mean more time and cost. These have not materialised into significant additional costs for businesses at the end of distribution chains as yet, but it remains to be seen if this happens should these events continue long term.

Inflation: Inflation in the UK stalled at 4% in January, having fallen significantly during 2023. While this is some good news for the hospitality sector in that this is a long way from the 10.4% rate just a year ago, it may not stay at this rate. Many analysts believe it may well hit the Bank of England’s 2% target later this year but that may not last if as expected, energy prices continue to fluctuate.

Similarly in Ireland, the inflation rate is currently 4.1%. this is a drop of 0.5% on the previous month. Hospitality however had one of the most significant price growths in the 12 months to January. This is no surprise as multiple factors are contributing to the challenge of doing business in this sector. According to the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI), this includes low margins, rising costs and the housing crisis. Among costs, the RAI points to increasing PRSI rates which will increase by 0.1% in October, and the VAT rate which returned to 13.5% last September.

Looking for ways to reduce costs in your hospitality or catering business? Find out more here.