Gardner Fines Foods has launched an attack on the sandwich 'cowboys' it says are encroaching into the corporate food industry.

The Walsall-sandwich maker and distributor which picked up this month's Birmingham Post Business Award, is now looking to expand into the business buffet arena.

The company, which delivers to companies from its fleet of vans, has seen increased competition in recent months from lone operators selling home made food from the backs of cars.

Managing director Tony Gardner said: 'We are not against competition in itself, but we think there should be a level playing field.

'Our vans have fridge units to keep the food fresh, but they are selling food out of the back of boots.

'Our food is totally traceable as well, so if there is something wrong with it we can find out where it has come from.

'If you get food poisoning or something from one of these cowboys, you get no redress.'

Mr Gardner said there had been cases of other sandwich sellers shadowing his company's vans to copy their routes on the next day.

He said: 'There have been instances of cars following our vans to poach the business by following us around.

'It is on the rise. We are producing a quality product but when you buy one of their sandwiches it is often a case of spot the meat.'

Gardner Fine Foods, which employs 90 people, including 20 self-employed DJ Fast Foods drivers, has recently completed the #210,000 acquisition of Snack Attack Catering, a sandwich business based in Flintshire.

It has also bought Fletchers Foods, the Walsall baker and confectioner, for #210,000.

Greg Thomson, the firm's financial director, said the acquisitions were bedding down well into the rest of the company.

Meanwhile, Gardner was now looking to complete the #500,000 acquisition of a new site just around the corner from its current home in Willenhall.

The new premises will help it expand its current production of 3,000 sandwiches and pies per day, while also increase its presence in the catering and corporate buffet sectors.

Mr Thomson said: 'We are now looking to do more in corporate catering and buffets. Competition is getting harder, especially with the cowboys, while more and more companies are having in-house canteens.

'That means the only way we can expand is by having more vans or by acquiring other companies and expanding our territory, which means we are moving further away from our supply depots.'

The company has signed a catering agreement with Walsall College to supply sandwiches and food, and is now targeting other educational institutions across the Midlands.

Mr Thomson said: 'With the colleges we can deliver high volumes in one go. If we had a shop in a city centre location, it would be very expensive in terms of rates and rents, and we would have to sell an awful lot of sandwiches.'