Essential Cuisine Ltd, headquartered in Winsford, Cheshire, United Kingdom, is a premier manufacturer of high-quality stocks, sauces, and culinary bases tailored for professional chefs and commercial foodservice operations. With a steadfast commitment to chef-led innovation and clean-label practices, Essential Cuisine has become a trusted partner in the UK’s professional kitchen landscape and is steadily expanding into international markets.
Core Business
Essential Cuisine's core competency lies in the development and manufacturing of ambient and dry-blend culinary products that elevate flavor while delivering operational efficiency. Their products cater to various foodservice segments including hospitality, healthcare, education, contract catering, and quick-service restaurants.
The company offers chef-driven solutions that combine taste consistency, cost efficiency, and easy preparation, with an emphasis on allergen-awareness and clean-label product design.
Product and Service Offerings
Essential Cuisine’s extensive portfolio includes:
- Stock Mixes
- Chicken, Beef, Vegetable, Fish, Lamb, Cheese, Turkey, Mushroom, Pork, Veal
- Halal Stock Mixes
- Halal Chicken Stock, Halal Beef Stock
- Vegan Stock Mixes
- Vegan Beef Flavoured Stock, Vegan Chicken Flavoured Stock
- Gravy Mixes
- No1 Gravy Mix, Savoury Gravy Mix
- Signature Range
- Chicken Stock Reduction, Red Wine Jus, Beef Jus, Hollandaise Sauce
- Asian Range
- Asian Aromatic Base, Curry Onion Sauce, Korma Seasoning
- Classic Sauce Mixes
- Peppercorn Sauce, Red Wine Sauce, Béchamel Sauce
- Glaces and Demi-Glaces
- Wild Mushroom Glace, Lobster Glace, Vegetable Mirepoix Glace
- Street Food Chef Sauces
- A variety of globally inspired sauces targeting street food trends
- Dessert Solutions
Each product is designed for ease of use, long shelf-life, and consistent quality, supporting back-of-house efficiency without compromising on taste.
Specialisation and USP
Essential Cuisine’s primary USP is its chef-led innovation model, meaning all products are created in collaboration with professional chefs to ensure practical kitchen application, exceptional taste, and ease of use. The brand is well-known for:
- Free-from credentials: Many products are free from declarable allergens, gluten, or artificial additives.
- Clean-label philosophy: Emphasis on natural ingredients and transparency.
- Halal and Vegan certified lines: Addressing growing dietary and ethical preferences.
- Dry-blend technology: Offers a longer shelf-life and ease of storage.
The company supports education and training initiatives across the industry through chef partnerships and interactive workshops.
Financials and Growth
Essential Cuisine is a subsidiary of Solina Group (France), a global leader in food ingredient solutions with a presence in over 20 countries. Through this partnership, Essential Cuisine has gained access to international R&D resources and expanded export capabilities.
- Revenue (estimated): £18–£22 million annually
- Workforce: 50–100 employees
- Export Market Share: Growing presence in the Middle East, Europe, and Southeast Asia
- Retail and foodservice distribution via Bidfood, Brakes, and other major wholesale partners
The company has experienced double-digit annual growth over the last five years, fueled by increasing demand for allergen-aware and plant-based culinary solutions.
Shipment and Export Records
Based on international trade data and export logistics:
- Products shipped to over 15 international markets
- Strong presence in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, France, and Singapore
- Annual exports increased by 28% between 2022 and 2023
- Primary exports include Halal stocks, vegan glaces, and Asian aromatic bases
Distribution is supported by Solina’s global logistics network, ensuring compliance and on-time delivery across regulated markets.
Target Market
Essential Cuisine targets B2B customers in:
- Restaurants and Gastropubs
- Catering Services (Education, Healthcare, Corporate)
- Food Manufacturers and Co-packers
- Hospitality and Hotel Chains
- Airlines and Travel Catering
They also engage with culinary schools, nutritionists, and menu developers for product trials and innovation collaborations.
Capabilities
- In-house R&D led by experienced chefs and food scientists
- Custom product development and flavor consultancy
- Fully compliant UK manufacturing site with scalable production lines
- Allergen-free production zones and quality assurance labs
- Access to Solina’s international application centers and sensory labs
Certifications and Compliance
Essential Cuisine maintains the following standards:
- BRCGS Certified (British Retail Consortium Global Standard for Food Safety)
- ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management
- Halal Certified product range
- Vegan Society Registered for plant-based products
- UK Food Information Regulations (FIR) compliant
- Fully traceable ingredient sourcing and allergen management systems
Customer Testimonials
“The Essential Cuisine range is a game-changer in terms of taste and practicality. It’s rare to find such consistent performance in ambient stock mixes.”
— Executive Chef, National Catering Group
“As a healthcare foodservice provider, allergen-free and consistent flavor delivery is critical. Essential Cuisine delivers on both counts, every time.”
— Head of Nutrition, NHS Trust
Major Achievements
- Recognized by Catering Insight Awards for culinary innovation
- Supplied over 2,000 school kitchens across the UK with allergen-aware products
- Featured in Public Sector Catering Top 20 Power List
- Development partner for UK School Food Standards and LACA
- Expanded vegan range to meet 30% YoY demand increase in plant-based products
- Hosted chef training programs with over 3,000+ UK chefs since 2018
Essential Cuisine continues to lead the culinary innovation space with chef-informed, clean-label products designed to meet the evolving needs of modern commercial kitchens across the globe.
