Gill's Puddings - Flying the SALSA flag for 10 years
Gill’s Puddings have been a SALSA member since 2007.
Based in Market Drayton in the heart of Shropshire, manufacture a quality range of handcrafted desserts and sauces, and a gluten-free range which includes cheesecakes, roulades and a polenta cake. Using locally sourced ingredients, their team of pastry chefs produces a carefully thought out range of traditional and bespoke desserts that have received numerous awards. They have been proudly flying the SALSA flag for the last decade!
The Company is owned and run by husband and wife team, Gill and Kim Smith. Gill’s career began as a head pastry chef, but it wasn’t long before the excellent reputation of her ‘dessert trolley’ encouraged her to branch out and set up Gill’s Puddings in 1996. The business originally started in the couple’s kitchen and later moved to dedicated manufacturing units following the steady growth and success of the business. Their small team of 28 full-time employees supply chefs and buyers nationwide, using their fleet of temperature-controlled vehicles to deliver to customers.
Gill’s Puddings turned to SALSA in 2007, some 10 years ago when the Scheme had just launched. Kim comments, ‘It was early 2007 and I found myself in a meeting with an Executive Chef at a Premiership football club in the Midlands. They were impressed with our range but wanted to know what accreditation we had. Having recently heard of SALSA Approval, we took the plunge to go for certification… we’ve not looked back since!’
Using the guidance materials and strong support network available through SALSA, Kim quickly got the business up to the Standard requirements and their first SALSA audit was conducted 30th May 2007. All the hard work paid off and Gill’s Puddings were approved and awarded the first SALSA certificate in England. The business has continued to maintain the standards expected of an Approved SALSA site for the following 10 years - and flew through their audit in 2017.
Kim adds, ‘ SALSA approval has been fantastic for the business; it has not only provided us with confidence in what we make, but has enabled us to secure contracts with national contract caterers, restaurants, hotels and of course Premiership football clubs!’ He continues, ‘Over the years we have seen the standards expected from SALSA go up in line with the changes in the food industry, but SALSA has always been achievable through the excellent advice and support we are always given by the Scheme and our Auditors.’
Sally Ball, SALSA Marketing and Client Relations, is delighted for Gill’s Puddings. ‘The Company put their faith in SALSA in our very early days and we too are proud that they have done so well with us over the last ten years. This is absolutely what we set out to do – to help small businesses and start-ups take their place alongside the bigger players. Being a small company can deliver big on satisfaction and quality for customers. They can be inventive and respond faster than a big company. Their size can actually be a strength! Well done, Gill’s Puddings!’
For more information on Gill’s Puddings please see the SALSA Directory or visit their website: https://www.gillspuddings.com/
