Adventure Island gain the first Cater Allergy Safer awards!
As a pleasure and adventure theme park in Southend on Sea, Adventure Island is family focused. There are rides, eateries, snack bars, slot machines, and a Sea Life Centre.
The park has received many accolades and awards over the years, including The Queens Award for Enterprise in 2020, Gold Awards in Customer Service, Best Seaside Theme Park, Visit England Visitor Attraction, and more through-out 2021 to 2024. They also hold a Guinness World Record in 2011 for the largest portion of chips! The team is also learning British Sign Language.
The latest award is the Cater Allergy Safer recognition, which is given to venues where there is a demonstration of commitment to managing allergens and serving the Food Allergic Community.
As a whole, the catering team at Adventure Island is led by a Catering Director, who shows dedication to excellent customer service. He is also very aware of the impact of allergies, and thus wanted to extend that excellence to the service of customers with food hypersensitivities and special dietary requirements.
Adventure Island is the overall site, carrying responsibility for all the outlets, and was assessed for allergen policy, allergen information, training, and processes.
Each outlet was audited individually, considering delivery, storage, preparation, and service. Across the site, there are 26 outlets, five of which now display the Cater Allergy Safer window sticker. There is more information about each outlet on their own pages.
Adventure Island as a whole site, takes allergen management very seriously.
The team has dedicated a lot of time and effort to putting procedures in place to minimise the risks of allergenic cross-contamination. All the catering team have undertaken training in allergen awareness, both online and in person, with role-play to embed the knowledge. They also have an allergy policy, which includes them knowing what to do in case of an allergic or anaphylactic reaction occurring.
Team leaders and managers have taken an accredited Level 3 qualification in Food Allergen Management. Separate equipment has been installed and is clearly labelled to identify which food it is to be used for, to cook or serve. The allergen information available goes above and beyond legal compliance, by providing full ingredients listing, instead of only the 14 groups.
As a business, Adventure Island took the decision to provide some gluten free options as standard, as well as some milk free scooping ice-cream.
Each outlet underwent a detailed audit.
The nature of the business, and the space available in the majority of the outlets, does not allow for more allergy friendly accommodations. It would not be practical. Neither is it reasonable to expect every outlet to provide free from options. Therefore, the staff are trained to direct customers to alternative suitable food outlets to meet their requirements.
There truly is ‘something for everyone’ at Adventure Island.
Individual outlet specifics
For more information about Cater Allergy Safer, what it means for hospitality businesses and what it means for the Food Allergic Community, please visit the relevant pages.