Unicorn: A new way to buy specialist ingredients

Unicorn Ingredients, a new company which sources high quality ingredients, believes it has found the way to take much of the risk out of buying exotic products from locations around the world.

Concentrating initially on seeds and pulses, Unicorn Ingredients will use the specialist knowledge of its founders to source the highest quality products to meet the demands of the most exacting food industry clients.

“The increasing instability of international markets is a huge problem for the food industry,” says co-founder Frank Horan. “What we can do is take much of the uncertainty out. Our close links with suppliers mean we can set up a secure supply base tailor made for every one of our clients.”

“At a time when commodity prices and currencies are highly volatile, we believe that what the food industry needs more than ever is certainty, especially about its raw material supply,” he says. “Food manufacturers need to be able to rely on supply and price levels.”

The two founders of Unicorn Ingredients, Frank Horan and Nicola Divers, have, between them, more than 40 years of experience in sourcing specialist ingredients. Most recently, Frank Horan was Divisional Director of the Seeds and Natural Products Division and Nicola Divers the Commercial Director of specialist ingredient supplier Fuerst Day Lawson.

“We know where to find the best quality for every food industry need,” says Nicola Divers. “We know the growers, the traders and the processors. We can help make the right choices for every type of food need.”

“Unicorn Ingredients is designed to be a knowledge-based organisation, not a bricks and mortar organisation,” says Frank Horan. “We’ve worked for some of the best known firms in the specialist ingredients business and one reason why we wanted to start our own business was that we were sure we could provide a better service.”

“What we do have is industry leading knowledge and experience in sourcing seeds and pulses, as well as other specialist ingredients,” says Nicola Divers, “That we believe is what makes Unicorn Ingredients different. We’re all about finding the right solution for you, not selling you the solution we already have.”

Ends

Notes to Editors:

Frank Horan left college in 1984 with a degree in physiology, biochemistry and nutrition. Armed with this scientific grounding he went into the animal feed trade; then transferred into human food with a move to specialist ingredient traders Kimpton Brothers in 1988. After two years, he moved on and has since spent a total of 20 years working for some of the biggest names in seeds, pulses and other ingredients supply.

Nicola has spent more than 22 years working for a succession of the best known names in the sector, including stints with Kimpton Brothers and the worldwide food and ingredient traders H P Schmid Inc of the US.

Seeds and pulses are without doubt some of the most exciting ingredients available to the food industry. Growth in the bread market, for example, is almost entirely driven by products with added seeds and grains. The seeds Unicorn Ingredients can source and process include poppy, pumpkin, sunflower, golden and brown linseeds, and sesame.

Unicorn Ingredients can supply just about every possible type of bean from the huge range available. They include borlotti beans, haricot beans, black eye beans, canellini beans, dark red kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans and soy beans. Most of the beans come from China or North America.

Unicorn Ingredients can also supply a huge range of lentils, including red split lentils from Turkey, laird lentils, puy type lentils and whole brown lentils, as well as chick peas.