Last year we recommended to you our faithful and loyal customers, a fantastic Christmas gift idea; the Christmas Hamper. However we ended up inundated with people looking for Christmas Hamsters! So today we yet again bring you the announcement that Office 365 sell gorgeous Christmas Hampers, the perfect gift for staff, clients and customers with plenty of different options to choose from. But please, if you’re looking for the perfect Christmas Hamster, you’ll need to go to your local pet shop! I really don’t think you’re child would be particularly pleased with a basket filled with nice grub instead of their new squeaky friend, just as Vice Versa, I’m not sure what your clients would think if you bought them a hamster?  We are Office 365 for a reason, buy your animals elsewhere!

This year instead of offering you ready made hampers, we’re giving you the chance to create your own! All you need to do is find the box or basket that you’d like to present the goodies in and we’ll do the rest. Take your pick from a large variety of different goodies and treats that would put a smile o the face of any recipient. But what’s more, it doesn’t even have to be a food hamper, take a look at your options;

• Food – Choose from items such as Cadbury’s chocolate fingers, Cadbury’s biscuit selection, Crawford’s biscuits, Fox’s biscuits, Fair-trade biscuits and many more from Maryland, McVities, Oreo, Go-Ahead and Traidcraft. We also have various different chocolates and sweets available from Cadbury’s, Divine, Fox’s, Mars, Mentos, Nestle and Twix. Finally select from various different hot and cold beverages and you have the perfect hamper selection!
• Stationery – Why not create the perfect hamper for your child starting school, college or university, or indeed the ideal hamper selection for your friend or loved one starting their new job? Select from a wide variety of pens, paper, rulers, ink, pads, envelopes, labels, files, pockets, diaries and calendars. With a great selection of all these bits and pieces, your child, friend or loved one can be all prepared for the year ahead!
• The Clean Freak – Do you have a Mr Muscle in the family, or maybe a washer woman? Do you know someone close to you who just loves to clean? Then why not buy them their dream cleaning hamper collection? Choose from various kitchen and bathroom cleaning products, towels, polishes, bin liners and so much more, what a treat!..

You get the idea; at Office 365 you can tailor the hamper to the individual, you just need a touch of imagination and a box or basket. If you’d like some help choosing or are in need of more information, please get in touch, we’re always happy to help! – 0870 766 1624

For every cafe, canteen, eatery and coffee shop you will find the same dilemma; which one, the silver spoon or the plastic drink stirrer? It used to be that plastic drinks stirrers were only found at your local fast food restaurant, however it seems that many businesses are coming to realise the perks of these little plastic sticks.

So you’re in the queue of your favourite cafe, tray in hand, blueberry muffin selected, next to order a nice hot cup of tea. You collect your sugar sachet, your napkin and your spoon and take a seat. After enjoying your morning snack you take you tray to the bin and slide the contents into the trash…oops, there goes the spoon!

Another past common dilemma, the drive through; you order your coffee, your sugar, your milk and your burger and then park up to enjoy your hurried meal. Ah, how are you meant to stir in your sugar and milk? Fast food chains with drive through’s will never hand out real cutlery as it would be chucking money down the drain; what are the chances of the customer returning the spoon?

It was clear a solution had to be designed that would do the job of a spoon, was disposable and most importantly, was cheap; this is where plastic drinks stirrers were born.

The ideal accompaniment to any on-the-go hot beverage, the featured CaterX Plastic Drinks Stirrers are perfect for fast and convenient use in cafe’s and coffee bars. Featuring;

• 110mm plastic drink stirrer
• Packed in dispensing box which contains approx 2000 stirrers
• 62% off!
• Now just £16.96 for 2000 stirers!

These drinks stirrers are also great for cafe’s and eateries who are looking to save time on dishes! Unless you have someone working full time in the kitchen doing the washing up, then you would need to purchase hundreds of spoons which would cost a fortune! It’s clear to see why disposable drink stirrers are so popular and why in many scenario’s, they are the favoured choice. If you’d like to stock up on plastic drink stirrers, then contact us at Office 365 where we would be more than happy to give you a quote for bulk orders. Alternatively you can get a quote online.

When running a business this often means you must also run a busy office. With new, vigilant health and safety law’s this can be quite a daunting responsibility! You must be aware of every possible risk and take precautions to prevent these potential hazards from happening. One obvious danger which can often be over looked is burnt fingers. It is a well known fact that we all drink more tea and coffee at work than we would at home. Maybe this is because we’re trying to cram in as many breaks as possible, or maybe a nice hot beverage has positive effects on the stress of work. Either way, with the constant to-ing and fro-ing, backwards and forwards with hot drinks, spilling, dripping, dropping and scolding are frequent risks. I’ve worked in many offices over the years and have seen many people drop their drinks due to scolded fingers, spill them over their keyboards due to burns and basically not make it across from the canteen to their desk until the drink has cooled first. This is an obvious problem which is very easily resolved with the use of office cup holders.

Investing in something as simple as plastic cup holders can protect your business from unexpected nasty claims whilst showing your staff that you value them and their quick typing fingers! Take a look at our Acorn Insulating Drinks Holders featured to your right.

• Insulating holders for use with plastic disposable cups
• Keeps the cup stable whilst enabling the user to lift the cup without burning their fingers
• Designed to fit standard 7oz squat and tall cups
• Quantity 10
• 24% off!

Perfect for use with hot drink vending machines, these cup holders are an essential item for retailers selling hot drinks in plastic cups and for the office. Also providing stability when plastic cups don’t quite cut it, these re-usable holders are a more economically sound option than the disposable cardboard variety.

Some Green Advice From Acorn

Government ‘Pre Treatment’ regulations came into force October 2007. These regulations stipulate that all businesses must recycle part of their waste.

Landfill tax is increasing every year, making the disposal of conventional waste more expensive. Recycling may enable you to reduce your waste disposal costs.

Christmas is a time of huge importance to many businesses either bringing further custom or far less. This increase or decrease in demand can take its toll on your staff and on your clients. With an increase in sales, your employees are likely not to get a moment’s break working flat out in order to keep your business going during this busy time of year. Other companies experience a decrease in demand and sales and will have to lay off staff during the period, disappoint clients and bring down the staff morale. In either case, your people need rewards; they need motivation to keep them positive and to make them feel appreciated. Have you considered treating them this season to Porter & Woodman Christmas Hampers? 

Porter and Woodman offer an exquisite range of wine and food hampers, ideal for Christmas festivities and rewards. Available in small, token varieties including 2 Bottle Crates and Champagne & Chocolates right the way to big gesture crates including the Christmas Chest and the Christmas Tray. Each option can be branded with your company logo and personalised with messages for the recipient. It has proven to be an excellent way to reward customers, staff and even supplier loyalty and service.

The featured Christmas Chest includes;

• Edinburgh After Dinner Coffee 56g
• Buitemans Walnut and Cheese Selection 75g
• Perguina pandorino 80g
• Thick and Chunky Shortbread 150g
• Florentines 100g
• Porter and Woodman Belgian Chocolates 125g
• Organic Zone Stuffed Dates with Nuts 200g
• Roasted and Salted Mixed Nuts 100g
• Christmas Conserve 340g
• Hot Gooseberry Chutney 230g
• Chocolate Greetings 90g
• Vine Leaf VDP Rouge 75cl
• Vine Leaf VDP Blanc 75cl
• Packed in wood hamper
• WxDxH: 330×200x210mm

At Office 365, our Porter & Woodman Christmas Hampers start from as little as £23.51 and include plenty of varieties of wine, chocolate and beautiful Christmas sets. It’s all here for every budget and taste, plus if you’re buying for multiple people, don’t forget to get a quote!

When we hear the name Buxton, up pops an image of a bottle of Buxton water in our minds…well it does with me anyway. The brand is huge across the entire globe with sales growing by 9.4% in the UK last year where other leading brands saw a fall in sales of a similar percentage. In fact, Buxton Natural Mineral Water is the Official Water Supplier to the England Cricket Team!

But why is it, when tap water in this part of the world is as safe as it can be; that sales of bottled water have been so successful?

Water can never be purer than when it falls as rain. However, once it hits the ground, this all changes. It passes through the soil, moving underground through passages and caverns carved over millions of years, corroding the rock and dissolving metals, salts and minerals on its journey. It is this process that changes the character of the water, depending on the type of rock it contacts. This water eventually arrives in underground lakes or aquifers, in its purest form. This is the source of most bottled mineral waters, the obvious attraction – complete clarity. Not so hard to get your head around now huh?

According to the British Geological Survey, Buxton water that emerges from the Peak District source today fell as rain over 5000 years ago! Travelling at a depth of 1500 meters, Buxton water voyages through ancient limestone, filtering on its way. It acquires a natural balance of minerals on its epic journey, giving it, its distinct and invigorating flavour. Above this limestone aquifer is a layer of volcanic lava, which has the effect of confining the water to the limestone region and protecting the aquifer from surface contamination.

Do you have an up and coming event, meeting, conference or an office of thirsty people? If so, get your hands on our Buxton Water here, available at the cheapest prices on the net, guaranteed with our price match policy. Looking for a lot? If you have a large order request, we can fulfil it. Just ask us for a quote online or by calling 0870 766 1624.

If you’re looking for a classy set of catering mugs for your canteen or office kitchen we have some help for you hear. It’s no secret that you can’t go wrong with white dinnerware, they will remain chic and stylish for years to come and can make any meal or drink look fit for royalty. Every kitchen should have a set of basic white dinnerware and certainly a set of white mugs. You must think of those who will be drinking from them, possibly clients, customers or maybe the company director?! Impress them with our selection of beautiful white Churchill Serenity Mugs made from fine bone china.

Churchill are one of the world’s major manufacturers of high quality ceramic tableware for the catering industry. Delivering exceptional design and customer service, they leave no stone unturned; basically, put in simple terms, Churchill is one of the strongest ceramic bodies in the world. With their amazing reviews I just had to try these out for myself and if you’re like me and enjoy a good cup of coffee, you will find the Churchill Serenity Mugs a dream purchase. For me, it’s not just about drinking fine coffee from an equally fine mug, but also about the feel of the china and the quantity it can hold! I like a large mug of coffee and these Churchill mugs do not disappoint! All alone, sat in the corner and gathering dust you’ll now find my old smaller mugs, replaced… The fine china feels smooth and clean to the lips increasing the enjoyability of that morning or after dinner cup of coffee, plus the large and well shaped handle doesn’t get hot! What’s more, the mug is designed with stability and balance in mind, and so is very unlikely to topple and spill my oh so needed morning cuppa. Another useful perk is that these mugs can be used in a microwave oven with safety, so on those mornings where I get carried away with work, I can give my beautiful beverage a quick blast and it’s safely nice and hot again. When you’ve enjoyed every last mouthful and your coffees all done, you’ll have an easy cleaning experience with these mugs too! What more could you possibly want? Money off of course! At Office 365 you can take advantage of a very tasty 24% off making this exquisite set of 6 mugs just £26.56!

Caring For Your China

• Churchill Cookware is ovenproof to  180 – 200 degrees followed by immediate cooling to 20 degrees.
• Never stack Churchill dinnerware with other makes of dinnerware, particularly those with an unglazed foot
• To protect the glazing, avoid rubbing and scuffing when stacking plates
• The more plates in the pile, the greater the pressure and the greater the risk of scratches
• Do not slide, always lift products
• Always use rinse aid in the dishwasher. This reduces friction.
• Do not stack hot wet china
• Keep china, metal and glassware separate
• Wash within 30 – 40 minutes of use
• Allow items to air dry before stacking
• Do not put detergent directly onto dinnerware as this may result in damage
• Ensure the water is not too hot as this may bake-on leftovers
• Never use scouring pads to remove stains as this will permanently scratch the surface

Volvic, as seen all over the world is said to be the most popular natural spring water, producing over 1 billion bottles a year. We all know of its purity and how it is drawn from the heart of the Parc Naturel des Volcans d’Auvergne in central France. The area is a protected environment which is free from industry and intensive farming. However, did you know that the ancient “Temple of Mercury” was crowned the summit of the famous Puy de Dôme, which proves the volcanoes have been recognised and celebrated for centuries?

It all began for us in 2004 when we began trading Volvic water. However it began as early as 1751 for Volvic, when a Parisian mineralogist, Jean-Etienne Guettard, noticed that the stones used to build local homes resembled lava from Vesuvius and Etna. Jean-Etienne  then travelled to Puy de la Nugère, overlooking Volvic, where the pumice stone and areas of lava confirmed his theory that these were in fact volcanic mountains. The following years saw Guettard announce his findings before the Académie des Sciences, however his theory was not finally accepted for a quarter century! Leaping forward to 1927, significant water resources were discovered under the Puy de la Nugère lava flow and in 1961 the deep exploration of the area revealed water with remarkable purity and composition which lead to the Clairvic spring. Today Volvic are the No. 1 still water brand in Germany, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand and the No. 2 spring water in the UK and Ireland. In 1993, the Volvic Company became part of the Danone Group as seen on TV (“hummm Danone”).

The Green Bit

The quality of the environment is a constant and vital concern at all times for the Volvic company. They closely monitor the energy consumption of their plants in France, as well as their waste recycling and impact on the Auvergne landscape. They are well aware of the environmental implications of using plastic bottles to hold spring water. Since 1997, Volvic have been using PETE to make their bottles, which is a highly recyclable material and strongly encourage their customers to recycle.

Many would consider coffee and biscuits to be an absolute must have for the office. They provide a caffeine and sugar boost to your staff whilst boosting moral and giving them that feel good feeling that can only be achieved when they are valued. If you can have all this in just a cup of coffee and a biscuit, then it’s well worth the petty cash. However, there’s a whole new feel good factor that can be achieved from buying these sugary treats but this means buying fair trade. So how about it, happy staff, happy you and happy farmers too!

At Office 365 you will find a range of products made by the very respectable Fairtrade organisation. This is an independent and non-profit making organisation that licenses use of the FAIRTRADE Mark on products in the UK in accordance with internationally agreed Fairtrade standards.  The Fairtrade Foundation is a registered charity (no. 1043886) and is a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales (no. 2733136). Their vision is of a world where justice and sustainable development are at the heart of trade structures and practices enabling everyone, through their work, to be able to maintain a decent, fair and dignified livelihood whilst developing to their full potential. In order for this to happen, Fairtrade seeks to make a change to the trading structures and practices in favour of the poor and those who are at a disadvantage. Fairtrade contributes to sustainable development for marginalised producers, workers and their communities, by facilitating trading partnerships based on equity and transparency. Through the demonstration of alternatives to conventional trade and further forms of advocacy, the Fairtrade movement empowers and enables citizens to campaign for an international trade system based on true justice and fairness. 

Since its launch in 1994, the Fairtrade Mark has become established as a credible and independent consumer guarantee for products that help producers in developing countries get a better deal from their international trade. The Fairtrade Mark currently appears on a range of products including Fairtrade Office Coffee (featured to your right), tea, cocoa, fresh fruit, juice, honey, wine, dried fruit, nuts, Fairtrade Meeting Biscuits (featured below) and sugar, and non-food products such as flowers, sports balls and cotton products, many of these consumable products you will find at Office 365.

But what are the benefits to the producers?
There are a large number of farmers and workers in developing countries who struggle to provide for their families and their communities. It is poor market access and unfair trade rules that often mean the price they get for their crop does not cover the cost of the production itself. Recent reports (Fairtrade and the Global Food Crisis) proves that Fairtrade is helping to offset the worst impacts of the crisis for poor farming families in the developing world. Take for example sugar growers in Malawi. They now spend 80% of their income on food compared to 50% a year ago which shows how the Fairtrade price means they can carry on putting food on the table. The premium empowers them to maintain levels of investment in community development through this challenging time. 

Sugar Sachets are a vital and essential ingredient for every cafe, canteen, restaurant and food court. If you consider that 150 million cups of tea and 70 million cups of coffee are consumed every day in the UK alone, and that 45% off tea drinkers take sugar and over half of all coffee drinkers take sugar, this amounts to a lot!

Sugar sachets are a convenient to supply, distribute and transport sugar. They allow the user to measure their sugar intake when out and about without any mess and extra washing up! These Tate & Lyle Sugar Sachets are in our opinion the best available. For a start they do actually contain a teaspoon of sugar in each, unlike other sugar sachets which get rather confusing! Each box contains 600 sachets of white sugar enabling you to give your staff or customers control over their portions.

Tate & Lyle where founded in the UK in 1921 with roots tracing back to a number of companies established in the middle of the 19th century. They are a company focused on sugars in Europe and corn milling in the USA and Europe. Tate & Lyle have been purchasing corn from US farmers and cane sugar from a variety of countries for over a century. Tate & Lyle make sure they have high-quality raw materials at the right price which is the starting point for how they do business.

Nowadays, consumers are looking for foods and beverages that not only taste good but also help them to make healthier choices. Tate & Lyles portfolio of ingredients includes many products including SPLENDA® Sucralose, a no-calorie sweetener, portion control sachets and a range of fat-replacing ingredients that help their customers provide new reduced-fat options. By using Tate & Lyle ingredients, food producers can offer consumers a wider range of food and beverages than ever before.

The Green Bit

Tate & Lyle believe that companies must take steps to manage their impact on the natural environment. As a consequence, they are committed to conducting their business in a manner that is sensitive to the environmental needs of the communities within which they operate. Tate & Lyle aim to achieve this by upholding defined, key environmental standards in all of their operations, and they actively encourage their business partners to demonstrate similar levels of commitment.

All the company’s locations fully integrate environmental management into their operational systems and procedures. The Board reviews environmental performance and their policy annually.

Plastic cup holders come hand in hand with hot drink vending machines. They are an essential item for retailers selling hot drinks in plastic cups, unless of course you don’t mind your customers burning their fingers or your staff spilling their drinks.

Acorn are a company who specialise in all kinds of things and we’ve found that their Plastic Cup Holders are among the best that we’ve tried. The company also specialise in bins which are manufactured in the UK from up to 80% recycled paper fibres (typically 70%) and also from sustainably sourced materials. In order to minimise ‘manufacturing miles’ all products are made in the UK. From the site of manufacturing all the way to their distribution centre is a total of 99 miles. To put this into perspective, Chinese Imports are typically 11,000 miles.

Acorns cup holders are for use with plastic disposable cups. They aid in the stability of the cup whilst also enabling the user to lift the cup without burning their fingers. These insulating drinks holders are designed to fit a standard 7oz squat and tall cups and come in packs of 10. Take a look to your right for an example.

• Insulating holders for use with plastic disposable cups
• Keeps the cup stable whilst enabling the user to lift the cup without burning their fingers
• Designed to fit standard 7oz squat and tall cups
• Quantity 10

Completely re-usable, these cup holders are perfect for any business and are a more economically sound option than the disposable cardboard ones we so often see lying around outside cafe’s and burger vans. With a saving of 23% taking the price right down to just £7.73, you can afford to stock up and make your business more eco friendly at the same time as keeping your customers happy.

Prices available as from the 1st April 2010