We're hiring!

We have three new job vacancies at our London HQ that we want to fill as soon as possible – driver, kitchen assistant and food techincal co-ordinator.

If you’d like to come and work for a fun loving, innovative and rapidly growing company (yes, that’s us!) and you think you have the necessary qualifications and experience to fulfill the below roles then please get in touch. Our contact details are at the bottom of this blog post.

 

Driver – 40 hours a week
Description:

• Communicating with the Logistics & Warehouse Manager on customer questions and/or issues; prepare driver notes as needed
• Loading, unloading and moving goods. Daily picking and loading
• Completing daily log books
• Overseeing vehicle and warehouse maintenance: reporting faults, checking vehicle brakes, controls, fuel content on daily basis
• Maintaining all relevant financial, HACCP and organic certification records
• Up-to-date and accurate process recording
• Adhering to organic certification rules and Food Hygiene and Health and Safety Regulations
• Effective communication between members of staff
• Ensuring any changes to delivery schedule are communicated to Logistics & Warehouse Manager
• Promoting a positive working culture, encourage staff to learn new abilities, be open to input from all members of the team
• Promoting good working ethics: timekeeping, positive approach, appropriate behaviour, politeness, being calm under pressure
• Reducing overhead costs through conservative use of company resources
• Supporting and cooperating with management and department staff

Requirements:

• At least 12 months experience as a driver
• Have to be able to carry and move heavy goods in the freezer
• Clean EU Driver's License
• Good knowledge of the area and ability to read maps and use technology

Kitchen Assistant – 40 hours a week
Description:

• Food preparation and manufacturing of products in accordance with general and product HACCP, SALSA food safety practices and Health and Safety rules and regulations
• Ensuring work stations are clean and hygienic at all times
• Adhere to personal hygiene policy
• Ensuring all waste is disposed correctly and put in appropriate recycling bins provided
• Adhere to company Quality Control System and conduct testing prior to release of product. Keeping record of such tests and library of samples
• Ensure appropriate “use by” and “best before” date label is attached to each product according to specification
• Effective communication between members of staff and to relevant departments
• Ensuring that if applied in the kitchen, an appropriate shelf life date is used
• Producing food up to company spec. ongoing quality control and informing/reacting to any changes to raw ingredients that might affect quality and change of recipes
• Strictly follow deadline for the daily production as specifies by supervisor/ manager
• Follow the recipe and method stated on the production card
• Assist supervisor & production manager in any task associated with producing, packaging, labelling & storing of food.

Requirements:

• Available to start ASAP
• Excellent communication skills
• Able to promote positive working culture, encourage staff to learn new abilities, be opened for input from all members of the team
• Able to promote good working ethics: timekeeping, positive approach, appropriate behaviour, politeness, being calm under pressure
• Willing to undergo training
• Flexible and Good attention to detail
• Punctual and a team player
• People person, “can do” attitude, optimistic, “cool head” personality

Qualifications & Experience:

• Have at least 12 months of quality experience as a Kitchen Assistant working in busy catering industry-preferred experience of food manufacturing industry
• Good knowledge of industry standards (HACCP)
• Knowledge of organic market an advantage
• CIEH Food safety qualification would be an advantage

Food Technical Co-ordinator – 2 days per week
Description:

• Ensure all technical standards are met by communicating with department managers
• Maintain technical documentation (ie specs, traceability records), update them it needed and have it available to customers
• Answer all customer technical queries
• Participate in Product Development projects
• Conduct internal audits and HACCP checks, Quality control checks
• Assist third – party auditors, EHO`s and any other inspectors during their audits
• Design labels and keep them in line with EU legislation, Organic standard and good practice
• Conducting tests when needed

Requirements:

• Available to start with us ASAP
• Excellent communication skills
• Able to promote positive working culture, encourage staff to learn new abilities, be opened for input from all members of the team
• Able to promote good working ethics: timekeeping, positive approach, appropriate behaviour, politeness, being calm under pressure
• Willing to undergo training
• Flexible & good attention to detail
• Punctual & a team player
• People person, “can do” attitude, optimistic, “cool head” personality

Qualifications & Experience:

• Have relevant quality experience in busy catering industry-preferred experience of food manufacturing industry
• Good knowledge of industry standards (HACCP)
• Knowledge of organic market is an advantage
• Food technology degree, or any other food technology qualification, HACCP qualification level 3 preferable

 

How to Apply:
If you’re interested in any of the above roles please apply by sending your CV and covering letter to Tara, our HR Administrator, for immediate consideration – tara@whatonearth.co.uk

What on Earth Ltd is an equal opportunities employer. Due to a high number of responses if you have not heard from us within 3 weeks please consider your application as unsuccessful.

 

 

 

We’re now quicker to respond than ever before

We may be slow on occasions but we still like to keep up with the times. We like to be down with the ‘kids’; we like to be hip to the hop. Mmm, ok so maybe the street talk doesn’t suit us but we feel being modern does. That’s why we’ve decided to embrace technology and enter the world of QR codes. We’ve magically plucked our very own QR code straight out of the technological air and we’re going to put it on all our retail products. That includes our organic pizzas, cheesecakes, berry pouches and ambient goods.

For those who are unsure as to what a QR code, here’s a short lowdown. QR stands for Quick Response. A QR code is a 2 dimensional bar code used to transfer information through mobile phone barcode readers. Those with a smart phone can scan the code to access company information. I’ll even give you a little history now – QR codes were created in Japan by Tokyo-based Toyota. Yep, that is the car company, although to be precise the codes were created by a subsidiary of Toyota. The technology was originally created to identify car engines. Right, that’s the lesson over now.

Stacks of our QR codes printed and ready to go

If you guys scan our QR code you’ll be taken to our website where you can find out more about us and our products. You can also read our blog and find out where our shops are. You’ll even be able to read this blog post about QR codes when you’ve scanned the QR code that we’re talking about in this blog. Ha! You follow?

We feel that in an age where packaging should be kept to a minimum, QR codes are perfect for providing lots of detail in a tiny amount of space. Our pizza boxes already contain fun information about us but the QR codes will just allow you to find out that little bit extra. We have become a lot more active in the social media world over the past few months so trying out the QR codes seems a natural progression in terms of our now technological minds.

Our QR code. When scanned this will take people to our website

What’s more it seems we’re a little ahead of the game in our mission to add QR codes to our products. A large article was published in Food Manufacture magazine on the benefits of QR codes – after we’d got our codes printed. The piece also predicted that more and more food producers and supermarkets will use QR code labels. Well I never, maybe we’re more ahead of the times than we first thought!

Keep your eyes peeled for our newly coded packaging and please do give the codes a scan when you see them. We’d love to know where and when you see them so do let us know via Facebook or Twitter. We look forward to hearing from you.

Peace, love and QR coded pizza,

What On Earth

We're going live... minus Philip Schofield and Gordon the Gopher

The time has come...we've finally launched our brand new website.

[insert clapping, cheers, woops, air punches, back slaps etc here]

Hmmm, I guess you'll know about the new site if you're reading this blog because you'll be on said website.  Ah well, we'll still shout about it.  What's more, we're extremely pleased with the new site so we want to show it off as much as we can.  Do you like it?  We hope so!

Our new homepage

If you don't remember the old website, that's fine.  We won't hold it against you.  But basically our new site is just a more modern, colourful and user friendly version.  It also contains a host of new features and allows you guys to see further into our weird and wonderful world, while obviously still reflecting our fun loving attitude to organic food, the environment and life in general.

Among the new features are cartoon interpretations of all our staff members so now you can see all our ugly mugs.  I wonder if we look how you thought we would.   Do we, do we?  There's also a moving, changeable banner in which we will endeavour to show different employees, products and retailers every month.  Plus we've added a login page specifically for What On Earth clients, which can be accessed with a special username and password.  This page allows any clients to see the company’s latest newsletters and price lists.  If you're a client of ours get in touch for details of how to gain access to this area.

Part of our new staff page

We have dedicated more pages to our wide range of organic products and have connected the site with our social media pages (and blog...obviously.)   The interactive and popular What On Earth World is still a main feature on the site, as are the quirky allotment cam, the company’s views on saving the planet and our amusing (some would say) manifesto.  Once you've read this post go and check these bits out.

If you want to hear Jeremy's thoughts on the site don't ask him because he may bore you.  Instead, just read them here:

“We’re extremely impressed with the new site and feel it reflects our personality perfectly.  It continues to show our lazy activist attitude and the company’s more playful side.  It also still encourages consumers to interact with our brand and, most of all, to enjoy it."

Could't agree more Jeremy.

“The client log in area shows our more serious side and has been designed to make dealing with us more convenient.  In such a fast moving society many people now prefer to do things online.  If customers need to know the price of something quickly they can now access it on our website.  We want to show the world that we are moving with the times.  We are active on social media and are constantly launching new products so it’s only right that our website portrays this as well.”

 

Hear hear.

Do you want to know the clever bods behind the site?  I'll tell you.  Our website was developed by Tom Sinclair of www.helloimtom.com.  Tom has previously worked on websites for the likes of The Nike Foundation, Sony PlayStation and Dr Marten’s.  The sound effects for the site were created by Soundtree Productions, noted for its work onLevisand the Guinness ‘Surfer’ TV commercial.

We love the new site but we'd love to know your thoughts too.  Please do let us know what you think of it.

Peace, love and new online pizza,

What On Earth

Turning tribal in the Iban longhouse

I must apologise for the gap between blog posts.  Travelling the world took its toll on me…plus the computers I was using in Indonesia didn’t allow me to upload images in a very quick fashion.  After a couple of hours of messing around with photos I just had to give up I’m afraid.  Sorry about that.  The good news is, however, that now I’m back in the UK with some speedy internet access which allows me to upload photos until my heart’s content.

Now, I’m not one to go on and on about my travels and the experiences I’ve had because I know it bores the boots off everyone.  But, having said this, I would just like to do another blog post that talks about exactly that – my travels.  In my defence the story I am about to tell is a good one.  I promise!   I thought it may be of great interest to all organic food lovers and those who believe in a self sufficient lifestyle. 

While I was in Borneo I spent two days and one night in an Iban longhouse, which resided in Nanga Ngemah on the banks of the Lemanak River.  It was a good four hour drive from my base in Kuching and I was taken there by an Iban gentleman.  He was an impressive man who could speak Malay, Iban, English and other languages of some of Borneo’s native tribes.  We drove part of the way and then had to get a longboat up the river to get to the village.

A bit of history now – just so you know who the Ibans are!  The Ibans are a branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo. In Malaysia, most Ibans are located in Sarawak, a small portion in Sabah and some in west Malaysia. They were formerly known during the colonial period by the British as Sea Dayaks.  Ibans were renowned for practising headhunting and tribal/territorial expansion. In ancient times the Ibans were a strong and successful warring tribe in Borneo. They speak the Iban language.  Traditionally, Ibans that had headhunted a person would get a tattoo on their neck to prove this status.

Ibans live in longhouses called rumah panjai and each house has a leader.  Most of the Iban longhouses are equipped with modern facilities such as electricity and water supply and other facilities.  The Ibans today are becoming increasingly urbanised while retaining most of their traditional heritage and culture (with thanks to Wikipedia for that little description! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iban_people)

When stepping off the boat I could see instantly that the Iban longhouse was rather on the old and dilapidated side.  It was made of wood and corrugated iron and was built high on stilts in case the river ever flooded.  Surrounding it was bits of rubbish, greenery and lots of chickens and puppies.  In this particular longhouse there lived 35 families, all of whom have their own private family room to live in as well as the communal area.

Front of the longhouse

We were welcomed into the village by some of the children who lived there and were warmly greeted at the front door of the longhouse by one of the mums.  She shook our hands and welcomed us in the Iban language.  She carried a baby under one arm.  She was just 16.  She was married at 14 and pregnant at 15 – a completely different life to what we are used to here.

Once settled into the longhouse we were given mug after mug of Malaysian tea and were then left to our own devices.  In the hours that followed we played with the children, some of which could speak a little English, and had a wander around the tiny village.  It consisted of about three or four houses, a series of three toilets and showers (which consisted of a hose on the wall) and a very small church.  When darkness fell the longhouse switched on the generator to get electricity, although candles were still used throughout the house.

The young 16 year old mum

Inside the longhouse

At around 8pm we were called into one of the family rooms for dinner and it was here that I was fed one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten.  All the food used had been grown in the village and the nearby paddy fields. The fish had been caught from the river that morning and had been cooked in bamboo for the majority of the day.  Among other things, wee ate rice, bananas, fish, jungle fern and fresh pineapple.  We got to taste the pepper they grow and were offered their local coffee and rice wine, which was delicious.  Everything they had was grown, picked and cooked by the villagers.  Residents of all ages went out during the days to collect food.  They were an inspirational bunch and eating their food was a humbling experience, as was staying in their home and watching their traditional dance.  Sleeping was more difficult, what with the noise of the generator, the barking dogs and the crowing roosters, but this is what it’s like living in this way.

Peppercorns growing in the village

Emptying our fish out of the bamboo

The family room I ate in

 Staying in the Iban village was a very eye opening experience.  The villagers have very little money and possessions but they are happy.  They live a self sufficient and organic lifestyle, making do with everything they have.  The children go to school until about the age of 12 or 15 but that is where their education stops.  A lot of them stay in the village until they are old, looking after their families and friends.  The women leave if they marry into a family who live in a different village but the men tend to stay if they have no desire to continue their education or embark on a working life.

A resident of the longhouse with his traditional headhunter neck tattoo

More tattoos on his back

Residents showing us traditional Iban clothes

My two days in the longhouse were inspiring and touching and I would love to go back in the future to see how the families are getting along.  It was also a lesson in how we could all live – i.e. self sufficiently and organically.

Peace, love and Iban longhouse pizza.

What On Earth

* All photos are by me - Laura Collins - so please do get in touch if you wish to use them/credit me.

Bumper year for What On Earth

It's been written about on the internet and Jeremy has been giving interviews about it over the phone but we haven't yet told you about it.  Sorry about that folks.  We hadn't forgotten about you - it's just been a busy week.  So, what is the 'it' that I talk about?  'It' is the excellent year we had last year.  Oh yes, 2011 was a magnificent time for What On Earth and for this we feel thankful, proud, appreciative, ecstatic, pleased...the list could go on.

Last year alone we managed to produce more than 15 tonnes of organic dips and almost 200,000 pints of organic soup - almost double the amount of products made in 2010.  We bucked trends and forecasts and proceeded to have one of our most successful years in operation, despite continual reports on the weakening organic market and the slump in food sales.

Throughout the year we generated high revenue and managed to deliver over half a million products to our customers. Pretty amazing huh?  In total, this included seven tonnes of hummus, five tonnes of mezze and more than three tonnes of babaganoush.  You greedy lot you!  Not that we're moaning of course.  Our chefs also managed to cook in excess of 23,000 buckets of soup and more than 16,000 pizzas and pizza bases – a huge increase on 2010. 

Taken from slashfood.com - with thanks

Just add another 16,000 to the pile!

The head honcho, Jeremy, is putting our success down to the fact that we supply smaller, independent stores rather than the large supermarkets.  He thinks we've managed to buck the trends because we work with small, high-end suppliers. It has offered some protection against the rising food prices that are affecting supermarkets across the country you see.  Our products sell in the stores we supply because they aren’t available cheaper in any supermarkets.  Plus you customers are a lot more loyal to the little guys and for that we are truly thankful.

As you know, we act as a supplier and distributor as well as a manufacturer and we have teams working 24 hours to keep up with demand.  In 2011 our night team, which is made up of just six members of staff, delivered almost 180,000 loaves of bread while the rest of the nation slept.  Impressive hey?   We owe them a huge thank you, so...THANK YOU GUYS.

We believe that organic is a choice and we make organic food so all of you can have this choice.  We promise, therefore, to continue making our delicious products for as long as you want them.  It's our New Year's resolution to you.  Jeremy and Rolf started the business in order to put the goodness back in food and to change the way society eats and that is what they are still doing now.  Hurrah. 

Here's to an excellent 2012.

Peace, love and successful organic pizza.

What On Earth