Sandwiches & salads

The Sandwiches & salads team are recognised experts in producing fantastic sandwiches, great tasting salads and superb sushi.

We have three sites dedicated to production: Gunstones in Sheffield and Solway Foods in Manton Wood and Corby – employing around 2,250 people.

Sandwich & salad excellence

Convenient, portable and good value, sandwiches and salads are firm favourites when it comes to lunchtime eating or for food on the go.   We are the second biggest supplier of sandwiches and salads to multiples in the UK, making a wide range of sandwiches, rolls, wraps, salads and sandwich fillers for customers including Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons. Northern Foods is growing its market share year on year.

In salads, the market is made up of two sub-categories. Firstly ‘prepared salads' - bought at the sandwich fixture and usually sold with a 'ready to eat' fork.

Secondly, so-called ‘wet salads’ which tend to be meal accompaniments, such as coleslaw, potato or pasta salads. Both have proved increasingly popular over recent years, enjoying year on year growth.

Our job is to make our sandwiches and salads look and taste as if they’ve been made at home or at the local deli.

For example that could mean using best Wiltshire cured ham or branded cheeses, such as Davidstow Cheddar in our sandwiches or using artisan-type breads such as Ciabatta. For our Caesar Salad we use only Baby Gem and Cos lettuce and we chargrill the chicken to make a truly fantastic salad. The only difference is that we just make more of them.

Our attention to detail can also mean taking ingredients out .  For example, by moving to low sodium bread for one of our Sandwich customers, we removed 12 tonnes of salt over a period of one year. Increasingly we are using foods that people associate with feeling good. That could mean using ingredients such as probiotic mayonnaise and superfoods like avocadoes or pulses. It also means that we make our salads with chunks of seasonal vegetables, cut the way you would in your own kitchen.

We’ve also invested a lot of time developing packaging that matches the quality of its contents. For example, we worked closely with M&S on the wrapping for their sandwiches which reflects the freshness and authenticity of the ingredients used. As well as looking great, they are also kinder to the environment, and open out to make a convenient plate.

Superb sushi

Our Sandwiches and Salads team also produces a range of sushi for M&S which is recognised for its great quality. It’s a complex challenge to make authentic sushi but bespoke production processes and the skilled people on our lines ensure that we can deliver the perfect Tuna Maki Roll. - every time.