R&R - Chairman's Statement

R&R was originally formed by bringing together Roncadin in Germany and Richmond Ice Cream in the UK. While relatively new as a combined entity, the parts have a long and successful history. Richmond Ice Cream celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2010. R&R is one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of ice-cream in Europe with major market shares in the UK, Germany, France and Poland and a significant presence in many other markets. Since its formation it has continued to grow both organically and by acquisition. Over the past 2 years we have added Kelly's of Cornwall and Rolland in France to our stable.

While the name may be unfamiliar, our products certainly won't be. Across the UK & Europe, we manufacture products for many of the major retailers, such as Tesco and Asda in the UK, Aldi and Edeka in Germany and Carrefour and Leader Price in France, to name but a few. We also manufacture a whole range of brands, some of which we own and some of which we manage together with other brand owners such as Nestlé and Thorntons in the UK and Landliebe and Del Monte in Europe. We produce After Eight, FAB lollies, Smarties, Landliebe, Nasch, Kelly's, Zielona Budka, Ribena lollies, Thorntons and Skinny Cow - again just to name but a few. We produce mini-cones, big cones, sticks, lollies, push-ups, family tubs, premium tubs, ice cream rolls, choc ices, bars, frozen smoothies, mousses and everything in-between. We produce our ice cream in state-of the-art factories in the UK, Germany, France and Poland.

At R&R, ice-cream is everything we do. And everything is possible. Whether it's treats for the kids, something indulgent or refreshing or something with low calories. Whether it is something to go with dessert or something to enjoy on the beach, we make it. We are large, but we are also flexible, making 2,700 different products. Our factories use a broad range of local ingredients and all products are produced to demanding quality standards. All our factories are certified to EFSIS higher level.

We take the health and safety of our operations very seriously and have seen continual improvement in all major areas. We are recognised as an employer keen to develop our people. Whether on the factory floor or in the office, all our employees are provided with training and are encouraged to advance. We are proud to operate a continuous programme of investing in our people across the UK and Europe. We also take cost very seriously. We have grown because we are so cost-effective. Our offices are part of our factories, our management structures are lean and for both cost and environmental reasons, we are committed to reducing waste. We are also committed to growth. We are growing and expanding our own portfolio of brands and those of our brand partners. For example, we have taken a primarily regional business in Kelly's of Cornwall and expanded it throughout the UK, supported by some of the most distinctive advertising in the category. We are category leaders in understanding the consumer and their needs in ice cream and driving future direction and growth potential for our retail partners. We also have sales teams, dedicated to understanding how to best grow the ice cream profits and sales of our retail partners across Europe.

We at R&R are passionate about ice-cream and believe that everything is possible.