FFD September 2020

September 2020 Volume 21 Issue 8 gff.co.uk

Exemplary retailing Step inside Farndon Fields – Farm Shop of the Year ALSO INSIDE New Belgian cheese importer Arcadia Deli’s COVID story Cafés turning profit with fewer covers

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

FEATURING THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

CONTENTS 5

NEWS

We all love this month because it’s when the trade usually gets together to talk shop

12 SHOP TALK 19 CHEESEWIRE 26 RETAIL DISCUSSION 39 THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

By Michael Lane, editor

You’ll all know the well-worn phrase, “Go big or go home”. Well, we’ve still managed to go big this month – while remaining at home.

But it still won’t feel the same as other bumper September issues.

This time last year (it feels like a long time ago), you would’ve been reading this just before you were about to head to Olympia for the biggest trade show in the fine food calendar.

Sadly that’s not the case in 2020, but we have still teamed up with Montgomery Group, the organisers of Speciality & Fine Food Fair, to bring you The September Showcase (starting on page 39).

This special section is not a replacement for a trade show, but we’ve tried our best to recreate some of that sense of discovery – collating a vast amount of new product launches and adding in some breakout areas looking at key topics in the industry.

75 FOODSERVICE 79 SHELF TALK 84 DELI OF THE MONTH 91 GUILD TALK

The other thing sorely lacking this month will be a certain kind of interaction. We all love this month because it’s when the trade usually gets together to talk shop, reconnect and let off a little bit of steam before the busy last quarter.

FFD has attempted to replicate a bit of that too. Admittedly, it’s not quite the meeting we assembled in the grand surroundings of Fortnum’s last year but we’ve managed, once again, to get some excellent retailers in a (virtual) room together to talk about their experiences and expectations for the next few months (see page 26).

There’s plenty of insight across those four pages, but I’ll let you in on one outtake that might reassure those who are finding it tough running their business.

These retailers might come across as unflappable, decisive and successful but even they have felt the strain during the last six

months. One admitted to us that they really didn’t want to open their café, even though the balance sheet demanded it. Another said that they’d never worked as hard in their lives as in the early weeks of lockdown. And another told the group that they still open their shop every day worrying until the first person comes through the door.

We are all human and even though it’s difficult to communicate that to one another in person this September, it’s worth remembering.

The other big takeaway for me was that you cannot plan things at the moment, you just can’t, but you can be prepared – whether that’s for Brexit, Christmas or whatever other challenge the world has in its back pocket.

I hope this issue gives you some ideas about how you might do that – whether it’s a business tip, a new supplier or just the affirmation you need to keep going.

September 2020 Volume 21 Issue 8 gff.co.uk

ALSO INSIDE New Belgian cheese importer Arcadia Deli’s COVID story Cafés turning profit with fewer covers

Photography: Richard Faulks

EDITORIAL

ADVERTISING

GENERAL ENQUIRIES

Assistant editor: Tom Dale

Sales director: Sally Coley

Fax: +44 (0) 1747 824065

Sales executives: Becky Haskett , Sam Coleman

Editor: Michael Lane

Art director: Mark Windsor

Contributors: Nick Baines, Sean Calitz, Richard Faulks, Patrick McGuigan, Jules Mercer, Lauren Phillips, Greg Pitcher, Lynda Searby

advertise@gff.co.uk

Sales manager: Ruth Debnam

ADDRESS Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1747 825200

Published by The Guild of Fine Food Ltd gff.co.uk

editorial@gff.co.uk

© The Guild of Fine Food Ltd

Printed by: Blackmore, Dorset

2020. Reproduction of whole or

Fine Food Digest is published 11 times a year and is available on subscription for £50 p.a. inclusive of post and packing.

publisher’s prior permission is

4

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

FEATURING THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

4

0

Step inside Farndon Fields – Farm Shop of the Year

for producers and improve the response to buyers.

If you’re a trade buyer flicking through this issue and see the logo alongside a product that you’re interested in, all you have to do is call our team on the number – quoting ‘FFD Connect’ and the producer’s name – and we’ll assist in processing your sample request.

BUYERS SHOU ED LD T ES

LL CA

Exemplary retailing

Given the lack of trade events at the moment and the pressure across the supply chain, FFD has moved to help make the process of sourcing new products a little easier.

In truth, following up on sales leads has always been tricky for some but now FFD Connect will take the stress out of that

INT ER

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(0)

1747

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part of this magazine without the

prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are

not necessarily those of the editor

Turn to page 91 for news from the Guild

or publisher.

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

3

Real Italian Taste

ITALY’S FAVOURITE TUNA BRAND Tender and delicious in the finest olive oil.

You’ve not tasted tuna, until you’ve tasted Rio Mare tuna in olive oil.

N°1 in Italia* www.riomare.co.uk *Market leader in Italy (IRI data in Y.E. Sept 2019) 4

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

NEWS

Independents set for tough times as COVID government support fades and costs rise Many independent food retailers face their hardest battle yet over the next 6-12 months, with costs set to soar and revenues likely to remain subdued Firms across the sector have taken advantage of grants, rates holidays, tax deferrals and other government schemes to survive since ministers ordered the country into lockdown in March.

But now the sector is facing up to a winter of discontent as state aid is steadily withdrawn while the pandemic continues to bite and the UK cuts ties with the EU. Sangita Tryner, founder of Nottingham’s Delilah Fine Foods, said the company had so far been able to reduce its costs in line with lower revenues during the COVID crisis.

“It’s not sustainable,” she warned. “There are too many cost pressures coming. It’s daunting at the moment, especially for city-centre

Stephen Craven - geograph.org.uk

By Greg Pitcher

Independents are set for tough times as government support wanes

stores. I can’t see us getting back to full-time trade for a long time.”

Tryner said that as the traditionally quieter summer period faded and employers were asked to pay more towards furloughed staff, companies would be forced to make “big decisions”.

“Some small food shops will struggle to keep going over the next 6-12 months,” she added.

“It will depend on whether they can diversify.

Anyone who stays static in the city centre is heading for a car crash.”

Daniel Williams, project manager at Cheshire’s Godfrey C Williams & Son, agreed that the waves of cost pressures ahead of the sector were “a worry”.

“Costs are likely to go up more than revenue over the next 12 months,” he said. “We buy sacks of green coffee beans from a supplier who ships through Hamburg so we don’t know if that cost will increase

with Brexit. It is a volatile 12 months ahead and I worry that there are businesses that won’t recover.

“The real challenge for many independent retailers is ahead.”

Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, said he feared independent traders could go out of business due to cost pressures – especially if there was a winter lockdown.

“Given the current trends, with £1 in every £3 of retail expenditure being online, the government needs to take action now to reduce the burden on the independent retailer,” he said.

“Costs are increasing, margins are reducing and sales are moving elsewhere.

“We have heard a lot about essential and non-essential retailers throughout lockdown. In our view, independent retailers are essential to their communities and need more support.”

Waves of pressure ahead for food retailers The government has spent tens of billions propping up the economy during the pandemic but the money tap is now slowly being tightened.

From 1st August, employers had to pay national insurance and pension contributions to furloughed staff.

They will also be made to pay 10% of wages from

1st September, rising to 20% on 1st October. The furlough scheme ends on Halloween.

A final grant available through the Self Employment Income Support Scheme must be claimed by 19th October.

Retailers, of course, then have to make tough decisions on stock and staff costs for the critical

31st October furlough scheme ends

31st March 2021 unpaid VAT bill due

5th April 2021 business rates holiday over

Christmas period. And as soon as Auld Lang Syne has been sung, the UK will complete its exit from the EU, potentially bringing in expensive new import tariffs.

Many people paying income tax through self assessment will be hit with a double bill at the end of January after the mid-year payment was deferred due to the outbreak.

VAT payments deferred between 20th March and 30th June this year then need to be paid in full by end of March 2021.

And for retailers who survive all the above, the business rates holiday runs out on 5th April 2021.

Retail consultant Richard Hyman, pictured, said: “Government support is going to disappear and a lot of businesses are going to

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT...

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO NEXT

ANDREW GOODACRE CHIEF EXEC OF THE BRITISH INDEPENDENT RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

“In the short-term we’d like clearer messaging from government about the safety of going out and visiting shops. With all the measures in place, shopping is safer than ever. In the medium term, we need an extension of the rates holiday.”

SANGITA TRYNER FOUNDER OF EAST MIDLANDS BASED DELILAH FINE FOODS

“We’d like a support package according to the revenue you’re achieving rather than the value of your premises.

An extension of the business rates holiday would be massive for a city centre store like mine.”

Richard Hyman

find they are not viable.

“Unemployment will impact on demand for products, and if revenue falls, that puts more pressure on costs. You get into a bit of a cycle.

“Smart retailers need to do a bit of streamlining, a bit of range editing, and provide an experience and service that big retailers can’t. Don’t try to be more like the big firms, offer a personalised experience.”

DANIEL WILLIAMS PROJECT MANAGER AT CHESHIRE’S GODFREY C WILLIAMS & SON

“Clarity on Brexit and tariffs would help. We would welcome an extension of business rates holiday. That will be a big crunch point in April for town centre shops.”

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

5

ANALYSIS NEWS

CYBER CRIME

Rutter to replace Windsor at helm of Paxton’s James Rutter has been appointed as the new managing director of cheesemonger Paxton & Whitfield, and will officially replace the outgoing Ros Windsor in October.

Rutter, pictured, joined the business as operations director in August 2018 and has since been driving online sales and developing the head office functions of the business.

Ros Windsor who has been managing director at Paxton & Whitfield since 2002, has decided to take a step back from the dayto-day business.

Rutter said: “I am honoured to continue Ros’ incredible legacy and to lead Paxton & Whitfield through its next period of history. The business will remain focused on

delivering an exceptional customer experience and retailing the finest quality artisan cheese.’’

Windsor said: “There have been so many highlights. I have loved spending time with producers who care so much about their product; it’s a responsibility to ensure this care and enthusiasm is communicated to the end consumer.”

DOWN ON THE FARM The latest from farm shops across the country The award-winning Keelham Farm Shop in Skipton has recently opened a brand-new coffee bar, perfect for those on the go, in need of a quick coffee or a light bite.

For those customers looking for a sit-down meal and a proper taste of Yorkshire, the wheelchairfriendly Keelham Kitchen is open seven days a week with a menu including gluten-free and vegan dishes. keelhamfarmshop.co.uk During lockdown, Goodies Food Hall in

Diss underwent a major redevelopment and expansion and its new café-restaurant is due to open soon.

With a new head chef who will be introducing and creating dishes made with local produce, Goodies will be offering homemade weekly specials alongside firm favourites, such as its famous all-day full English breakfast. goodiesfoodhall.co.uk Cattows Farm is a diverse working farm and offers not only a farm shop and tearoom but an event and

In association with

Fabulous Farm Shops fabulousfarmshops.co.uk

Bucks deli crowdfunding for cheese emporium

By Tom Dale

Buckinghamshire-based deli No.2 Pound Street is crowdfunding to raise cash to convert a 300-yearold storehouse behind the its shop in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, to save the business from the knock-on effects of COVID-19.

The cheese and wine specialist plans to purpose fit the currently unused building into a cheese and wine tasting room, a purpose-built cheese maturing facility and an event space for private hire.

James Grant, director of No.2, said: “The idea was born out of COVID-19.

I was forced to think about how I can save my business and how I can keep my staff.

“This way we can also work with cheesemakers both locally and nationally to take more cheese off their hands which will support them.”

The plan will allow No.2 to teach about cheese as 6

a recognised partner with the Academy of Cheese and wine in conjunction with The Wine and Spirit Education Trust.

Additionally, the building of a cheese maturing facility will make the shop the first of its kind in the UK. “Our product range can become enhanced and will make us the preferred choice for cheese lovers and businesses needing first-class cheese boards,” said Grant.

The plan has been backed by figures across the industry including food writer Jenny Linford and Irish chef Richard Corrigan who hope the scheme will help to save British cheese from the economic effects of losing the restaurant trade during lockdown.

“It’s a very tough time for British cheese,” said Linford. “We should be buying and eating more cheese, and to do that we need more cheesemongers so I’m all for James’ plan to expand No.2 as it will help him stock and sell more

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

James Grant, left, with a contractor outside the storeroom

cheese.”

Grant is raising funds on crowdfunder.co.uk and hopes to bring in up to £39,000 for the project.

“We’re really excited about it,” said Grant. “We want to preserve our team, we want to preserve small

cheesemakers and indie winemakers and we want to bring something to the community.

We’ve got the go-ahead, now we just need the investment.” l crowdfunder.co.uk/ buildacheesetastingroom

wedding venue too.

Located in the Leicester village of Heather, the farm has recently undergone a huge amount of building work to make improvements as well as create an extension.

Cattows’ new fully licensed tearoom now boasts modern bi-fold doors and sliders to provide unsurpassed views across the Leicestershire countryside. cattowsfarm.co.uk The Elliott family, who run Northampton-based Elliotts Butchers and Noborough Lodge Farm Shop have made the final four in the Family Farming Business of the Year category of The British Farming Awards 2020.

IN BRIEF Walter Smithfigures Fine Foods Government have has announced the revealed that plastic closure bag of three carrier salesstores have in the slashed Midlands. been byThe more butcher chain revealed than 95% since the 5p over Christmas that its charge was introduced.

Denby Village, In the last year West alone, Bromwich and Coventry Asda, Marks and Spencer, shops would stop trading, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, leaving it with 11 outlets The Co-operative Group,– many which are within Tesco of and Waitrose sold garden centres.

226 million bags - 322 million fewer than in 2018/19 (59%).

Tracklements has hired Ben Hallam for the role of commercial The RSPCA hasmanager, launched which includes identifying a petition calling on new market opportuniGovernment to keep its ties. Hallam joins the promises and enshrine Wiltshire-based condiin law the UK’s animal ment specialist after 11 welfare to ban the years at dairy firm Yeo importing of meat and Valley.products from the dairy USA made to much lower welfare standards.

Health food retailer Planrspca.org.uk et Organic has moved into the hot food delivery market and teamed Researchers have up with high-end service revealed that four in 10 Supper, which willplantcourier consumers think a selection of contain to-go items based foods and sushi from two Cenonly natural ingredients stores.

London –tral despite many products containing ‘man-made’ additives while one in five think plant-based foods are always green in colour.

And the Award goes to...

M I LLER ’ S DA M S EL G LU T EN - F REE C H A RCOA L C RAC KERS Winner of a Silver sofi ™ Trophy 2020

America’s internationally acclaimed award for speciality foods “We’d like to thank our parents, Artisan Biscuits, and the rest of the Miller’s family. We’d also like to thank the 40 judges

from the Speciality Food Association, for choosing us in a

blind tasting out of over 1,800 entrants in the Crackers & Crispbreads category. Winning this award with a glutenfree recipe just shows that quality never has to be-” CUT!

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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8

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

NEWS

Independents should not feel threatened

by Amazon’s online grocery expansion Amazon

By Tom Dale

Independent retailers should not fear Amazon’s ramping up of its online grocery offer, according to industry insiders.

The multinational is offering free same-day delivery on Amazon Fresh in London and the South East and launching a partnership with supermarket chain Morrisons.

As of 19th August, Amazon Prime members can do their full food shop in the ‘Morrisons on Amazon’ store and receive free same-day delivery. This announcement comes less than a month after the multi-billionpound company offered subscribers free same-day delivery on their Amazon Fresh grocery service, with the giant aiming to roll both initiatives out nationwide.

Chief commercial officer of Borougbox, Alec Paterson knows the anxiety that the brand’s move into the market creates. When Amazon Fresh first launched in the UK in 2016, Paterson was

An Amazon Fresh employee picks an order

working with Hubbub – an Ocado-style operation which worked with independents.

“Our investors walked away from the table at the last moment,” said Paterson, “because the feeling was that Amazon was going to nail it.”

But that hasn’t been the case. Today Amazon has just a 3% share of the online grocery market, and Paterson believes that, while it can be viewed as a threat, it is also an opportunity.

“Selling online can be very costly, so is this something that you want to do directly, or do you work with the largest logistics

New businesses launched in response to COVID-19 The COVID-19 lockdown has been no barrier to the opening of new specialist food businesses in Northern Ireland.

The newly opened Granny Shaw’s Trading Post in Ballymena and pivoted French Village Food Hall on Belfast’s busy Lisburn Road have been inspired by changes in consumer habits forged by the pandemic.

French Village was one of the capital’s leading restaurants, but Ashley French, managing director, has changed the popular eatery into a food hall which now sells locally produced food and drink as well as a freshly cooked food-to-go range.

“The decision to create the new food hall is the outcome of the lockdown which halted our restaurant

businesses. It’s also a response to the growth in home cooking,” said French.

Award-winning fudge makers Glen and Rhonda Houston of Granny Shaw’s Fudge have recently established Granny Shaw’s Trading Post in Ballymena to sell their handmade fudge while also adding dozens of local foods from other artisan producers.

The couple previously owned a fudge factory and visitor centre, Granny Shaw’s. “Tourism has dried up for this year and events have been postponed so we had to move to a location which offered greater numbers of shoppers to enable us to sustain our business. I’d always been keen on running my own food business so it’s a dream come true,” said Glen Houston.

company in the world who can offer your customers a good service.”

Amazon Fresh is already supplied by a host of artisan producers, including Gail’s Artisan Bakery, butchers C Lidgate and Paxton & Whitfield and is searching for other local, independent suppliers.

Clare Jackson, owner of Suffolk-based cheese stores Slate Cheese who also has a strong online offer, is not concerned by the giant’s expansion of its online grocery operation. “Buying cheese from Amazon is more of a supermarket experience

IN BRIEF

and buying from us is totally different and that experience translates into the online space as well.”

Slate’s online customers can get the same level of expertise as her in-store trade. “People call or email us before they make their purchase to discuss their choice. We can answer all the questions people have and give advice,” she said.

However, Jackson said that the effect Amazon has had on the online market can already be felt. “Customers sometimes say that our delivery charge of £5.95 feels disproportionately high and that it puts them off. They are used to free delivery, but there is a huge cost to delivering fresh produce.”

Despite this, she added it is the “bespoke” service that indies offer that their customers want. “People who choose us are looking for the more bespoke, more personal experience and the difference in service that independents can provide will still be there whether that’s online or in a physical shop.”

A.F. Blakemore has announced theFine purchase Walter Smith Foods of online wholesaler hasthe announced the and retailer Vegan closure of three stores Store.

The onlineThe shop in the Midlands. stocks drink butchervegan chainfood, revealed and and that beauty overhealth Christmas its products.

Denby Village, West veganstore.co.uk Bromwich and Coventry shops would stop trading, leaving it with 11 outlets – many of which are within Oxfordshire garden centres. cheesemaker Norton and Yarrow Cheese has made the final four in Tracklements has the New Entrant Award hired Benof Hallam for category the British the role of commercial Farming Awards 2020. manager, which includes Fraser Norton and Rachel identifying Yarrow soldnew theirmarket first opportunities.

Hallam goats’ milk cheese in joins the Wiltshire-based 2016. condiment specialist after nortonandyarrow.co.uk 11 years at dairy firm Yeo Valley.

Data firm Kantar has revealed that shoppers Health foodare retailer in England deterred Planet Organic has by the mandatory moved into the hot food wearing of face masks delivery market and in supermarkets and teamed50% up with high-end almost of shoppers service Supper, which still do not feel safe, will courier resulting in a2 selection million of to-go items and sushi fewer visits to grocery from two London stores andCentral supermarkets stores. than expected in the final week of July.

Chris Dee steps down as Harrods food chief The man in charge of Harrods’ food halls, Chris Dee, has stepped down from his role after two years with the world-famous London department store.

A spokeswoman for Harrods confirmed to FFD that Dee, pictured, had left the business and was no longer food & home director – a position that also oversaw the Knightsbridge retailer’s many dining areas and its home & technology departments.

“Chris is leaving to focus on new ventures and to spend more time with his family in the North of England.

Harrods wishes him the very best in his next endeavours,” said the spokeswoman.

“Over the course of

two years at Harrods, Chris has been instrumental in some of the most important developments in Harrods’ food and home divisions, including the renovation and relaunch of the historic dining halls as well as the redevelopment of the home and technology departments.”

Harrods said it currently had no further

updates about the food halls or a replacement for Dee, who only last month announced the opening of a new cocktail venue, the Baccarat Bar, in the Knightsbridge store.

At the beginning of July, the retailer was widely reported to have told staff that it would be making around 700 employees redundant – citing reduced footfall and sales brought on

by COVID-19 – but no specific departments were officially identified.

Chris Dee was appointed to his role in August 2018, with a wider remit than his predecessor Alex Dower, and presided over several phases of Harrods’ comprehensive revamp of its food halls and restaurants.

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

9

#CaruCymruCaruBlas #LoveWalesLoveTaste They have been supporte� by Foo� & �rink Wales, an� its Cluster initiative which has kept businesses connecte� an� le� to several collaborative ventures among pro�ucers.

Among such schemes is Wye Valley Pro�ucers – a click an� collect �elivery collaboration establishe� by pro�ucers to sell �irect to consumers. Also, a virtual ‘Meet the Buyer’ service for tra�e buyers has been set up by Foo� & Drink Wales.

We are living an� working in a new worl� – one with new rules an� new ways of coming up with the goo�s – where ingenuity an� a�aptability are at the fore.

But this hasn’t stoppe� Welsh foo� an� �rink pro�ucers from using the past months to hone, innovate an� create.

Welsh foo� an� �rinks pro�ucers have been very busy.

Across Wales, pro�ucers have been crafting an impressive array of new pro�ucts, an� twists on favourites, to meet consumers’ �esire for foo� an� �rink that has quality, taste an� provenance.

Here we highlight just a few of the new pro�ucts an� innovations that Welsh companies have been making.

Promotion has been key too, with Welsh Governmentbacke� consumer-facing initiatives encouraging people to buy local an� to celebrate Wales’ vibrant foo� an� �rink sector.

Throughout the summer, foo� an� �rink companies have been championing their in�ustry as part of the Foo� & Drink Wales #CaruCymruCaruBlas #LoveWalesLoveTaste campaign.

Centere� on a series of Welsh foo� an� �rink ‘Celebration Days’ – an� run in partnership with Menter a Busnes – the campaign has capture� the imagination of the in�ustry an� public alike.

Inclu�e� are enterprises very familiar to Great Taste, having taste� success on numerous occasions an� achieving 3-star triumph in 2019.

While the #SupportLocalSupportWales campaign an� online pro�ucer map – create� by foo� an� �rink businessle� programme Cywain – has provi�e� pro�ucers with a virtual shop win�ow an� attracte� a host of new customers.

By a�apting their business mo�els an� creating new opportunities for customers to access their goo�s, pro�ucers from all sectors have been successful in not only maintaining their levels of service but forging new markets.

2020 is a year like no other, but it’s a year that has seen Wales’ foo� an� �rink in�ustry meet the challenges of the new worl� or�er an� continue pro�ucing an� �eveloping innovative an� exciting pro�ucts.

www.businesswales.gov.wales/foo�anddrink/ email: byw�-foo�@gov.wales www.Cywain.Cymru/Our-Pro�ucers

foo�_�rink_wales

@Foo�DrinkWales

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Food & Drink Wales

Great Taste 3 Star Welsh Winning Producers Showcase What’s New

JIN TALOG Jin Talog have released two seasonal twin botanical London Dry gins by distilling their signature - and 3-star Great Taste winning - single botanical Jin Talog, with a second botanical grown on their farm.

The Lemon Verbena Twin Botanical is summery and has captured the sherbet lemon joy of the plant without being citrusy. The Bay Leaf gin is wintery, spicy and sums up Christmas in a gin and tonic. www.jintalog.wales 01994 284011

BRECON BREWING Lockdown has actually presented opportunities for Brecon Brewing’s Buster Grant – the daily commute through the Beacons has inspired a number of new bottled and canned beers, including the long-awaited launch of the Green Man beers from the iconic Music Festival.

However, he wanted to share the breath-taking landscape and atmosphere of the Beacons, so has made Cribyn, Corn Du and Pen y Fan available to all. www.breconbrewing.co.uk 01656 728 081

CONTI’S ICE CREAM LIMITED Conti’s Ice Cream Limited has collaborated with fellow Great Taste Award winner Afon Mêl Meadery to create its new Heather Mead Ice Cream.

Having used Penderyn Whisky previously to make award-winning ice cream, and knowing that honey pairs superbly with their ice cream; when Conti’s tried Afon Mêl’s Heather Mead, they knew combining it with ice cream would create something special. www.contisicecream.com 01570 422202

DA MHILE DISTILLERY This year has seen West Walesbased Da Mhile Distillery launch a limited-edition batch of organic rum. The rum and other award-winning spirits are produced at Glynhynod Farm – which is also home to the famous Caws Teifi cheese.

Created to celebrate St David’s Day, the oak matured rum has hints of vanilla and raisin, and is just sweet enough to work well as either a sipping rum, or with a mixer. www.damhile.co.uk 01239 851998

CARMARTHENSHIRE DAIRY PRODUCTS As part of a collaboration, Carmarthenshire Dairy Products has produced Copa Blue and Copa White cheeses in new 125g formats.

Copa Blue is soft and creamy cheese with delicate blue veining. It has a rich savoury taste, smooth buttery texture and a natural grey-blue rind.

Smooth, creamy and mild, Copa White has a slight mushroom flavour developing a more pronounced flavour and savoury notes with age. www.carmarthenshirecheese. co.uk 01267 221168

SEIDR Y MYNYDD Seidr y Mynydd’s multi awardwinning bottle-conditioned Cidre Bouché is now available in a ‘bar-friendly’ 50cl hybrid version, which is similar in taste.

Both are full-juice drinks, made from the same 100% fresh apple juice with residual sugar of the apples. Traditional ‘keeving’ is used to produce the stunning taste - akin to the famous Breton and Normandy ciders.

The hand-bottled 75cl cork-and-cage version is bottleconditioned for natural fizz.

The crown cap 50cl version is pasteurized for stability, with added natural sugar and CO2 for a light consistent fizz. seidrymynydd@gmail.com

AFON MÊL MEADERY Teaming up with 30 members of the public and Welsh company, The Content Creators, the award-winning Afon Mêl Meadery has hit positive notes with a new sparkling mead inspired by nature itself.

The latest development since bagging the Golden Fork Award is an amber-coloured sweet, sparkling Cyser named Moon Juice. The 5% abv mead ‘tastes like summer’ and ‘sets your taste buds alight!’ with a clever balance of apples and honey, a refreshing kick, a natural taste, followed by a smooth finish. www.afonmel.com 01545 560822

HALEN MÔN Halen Môn are adding to their best-selling range of outstanding condiments with three new sauces.

Salted Butter Honey is delicious on hot toast or crumpets, Campfire Salted Caramel is a classic sweet savoury sauce with a whiff of nostalgia, and the brand new Gherkin Relish has all the best bits of your favourite pickle, in tangy ketchup form. Also new are Pure White Sea Salt 3g sachets - for when shared containers aren’t an option. www.halenmôn.com 01248 430871 Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

11

SHOP TALK HOW WE’VE COPED WITH CORONAVIRUS… LAURA BROWN, co-owner, Arcadia Deli, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Initially – when the crisis struck in March – we kept on going. People were panic-buying staples like rice, tinned tomatoes and flour and the shop was busy. Too busy. Our shop is small, which made social distancing difficult. We switched to serving from a hatch, but everything seemed to conspire against us staying open.

With the hospitality sector closed and production on hold at many of our suppliers, it was becoming increasingly difficult to source certain items, in particular charcuterie, cheese and pâté.

Distributors simply weren’t willing to send a van from Dublin just to deliver to our shop.

We were also afraid for the health of our staff.

We had already lost a long-serving employee to cancer in March, and two of our staff were shielding. Staying open didn’t feel like the right thing to do any longer.

We closed for three weeks and used this time to take stock and get organised. We sourced PPE and signage, deep-cleaned the shop and serviced our fridges – something we never have the opportunity to do because we are never closed for two or three days.

When we reopened, we changed our opening hours from 8-6 to 9-5 and we’re now closed on Mondays, giving us the extra time needed for our new cleaning regime and management tasks.

Something else that we did during the threeweek closure was to launch an online shop with very localised delivery and click & collect. Now lockdown has ended, demand for these services has tailed off but we are glad to have the facility as a back-up and are investing in our website.

One of my biggest worries now is how we are going to cope with Christmas. At its peak, the click & collect service was very difficult to manage and I can only anticipate that managing demand in the run-up to Christmas will be even harder. It is difficult to know how much to order – we could even be back in lockdown by then.

We usually offer a broad selection of hampers – 20-30 different options. This year we will probably reduce the number of options and encourage people to order a long time in advance so we can anticipate demand.

Throughout this crisis we have felt fortunate to be on a high street in a residential suburb rather than a city centre deli. We have benefitted from people wanting to shop local, plus, having been around for 85 years, the shop is seen as ‘the old lady of the street’ – people would be sad to see it go and want to support us. This goodwill from customers and the commitment and hard work of our staff have got us through these tough times.

Interview: Lynda Searby Photography: Arcadia

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER ANONYMOUS TALES FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER I NEED TO FIND new products to impress my customers and get them revved up for December.

But with COVID putting the kibosh on events, my usual sourcing routine is gone.

In a kind of retro way, I have been browsing some paper catalogues and old show guides, looking for suppliers I slightly remember but didn’t take forward.

Truthfully, I miss trade shows. They are part calendar staple, part jolly day out. And entirely useful.

I head off to London or Birmingham, using it as an excuse to stay with family and friends.

Wandering around the hall makes you feel part of something. I bump into long-standing colleagues, who are more than acquaintances but somehow not typical friends. Then there’s the thrill of ducking my head as I pass the guy I fell out with over a big invoice (it was kind of a 50/50 thing).

And finally that predictable meander through identikit bigger stalls packed with men in black suits looking down at their mobiles. Finally, you get to the good stuff – exciting start-ups, new discoveries, and hidden gems for a treasure trove of samples that I’ll bring home to the team.

MODEL RETAILING Mr Deli, I need a really specific type of Baltic herring for my pet sea lion. Can you order some in?

There is going to be a considerable amount of winging it on my part – even if there are still plenty of new producers out there

I’m guessing most of the retailers reading this follow the Golden Rule – like me – that nothing is allowed onto the shop floor that you haven’t tasted. But I’m not sure this year that’s going to happen. There is going to be a considerable amount of winging it on my part – even if there

are still plenty of new producers out there with lots of potential.

No doubt there will be the usual crop of rookie errors. Slightly cheap-looking caps, or too much white on the box so it shows every ding and scrape. Even the best-tasting products can be let down by a label that looks like it’s come off a LaserJet printer. Have you ever tried telling a proud marmalade-maker that his mop tops are only good for the village tea room, no matter how well the rind has been cut?

The thing is, you can’t always tell from the pictures. I remember one year ordering some bears stuffed with stocking-friendly sweets. I had them down to retail at £9 or so. When they turned up they were the size of a Barbie’s socks.

There are a few new websites selling some good stuff dropship – delivered straight from the producer. It’s not perfect: the minimum orders have to be higher than your regular wholesalers, and often it’s debit or credit card, which means it breaks my other Golden Rule – sell it before you buy it – but I like the products on offer.

It seems the New Normal is going to force us to look under every stone this year.

SOLVING EVERYDAY SHOPKEEPING DILEMMAS. IN MINIATURE.

Yes, I don’t see why not.

Half-price Baltic herring, sir! It’s great a deal.

Erm, no thanks, Mr Deli.

They only come in cases of 50?!?

But I can’t let this customer down.

With kind permission of Geobra Brandstätter Stiftung & Co. KG, Germany. PLAYMOBIL is a registered trademark of Geobra Brandstätter Stiftung & Co. KG, for which also the displayed PLAYMOBIL toy figures are protected.

FFD says: Accommodating customers, and their requests, is something that sets indies apart from the big retailers – but you can go too far. Make sure that if you order anything in specifically you’ll be able to manage the stock that you’re left with.

When you get asked for something, it’s better to take the customer’s details before you say ‘yes’. Then you’ve got time to research whether you can help them without hindering yourself. editorial@gff.co.uk Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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SHOP TALK

THE DELI DOCTOR Paul Thomas

WHAT’S TRENDING Many soft-ripened cheeses may not be suitable for vacuum-packing

NICK BAINES KEEPS YOU UP-TO-DATE WITH THE NEWEST DISHES, FLAVOURS AND INNOVATIONS IN FOOD & DRINK

Technical and regulatory advice from the Guild’s deli helpline Q: I would like to vacuum-pack wedges of hard cheese in order to increase shelf life. Is it true that I must limit shelf life to 10 days?

A: Vacuum-packing can increase the shelf life of a wedge of cheese by removing oxygen, which has the effect of limiting spoilage due to yeasts and moulds. However, there is a potential hazard posed by the growth of non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum. This is a spore-forming bacteria that can grow and produce toxins in anaerobic environments such as those in a vacuum pack.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has identified controls which must be in place to prevent the growth of this organism. In addition to refrigerated storage (3-8°C), vacuum-packed foods must have at least one of the following controls in place: • heat treatment of 90°C for 10 minutes • pH of 5.0 or less • Aqueous salt of 3.5% or more • Water activity (aw) of 0.97 or less Alternatively, a combination of factors which can be demonstrated to control non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum can be used subject to

Expert’s eye SUSTAINABLE KITCHEN’S JULIE CLEIJNE EXPLAINS WHAT ‘PLANT-BASED’ REALLY MEANS More than a quarter of new UK food products launched in 2019 were labelled as vegan, and circa 19 million Brits are choosing a flexitarian diet. But there is still plenty of confusion around ‘plant-based’ foods, and what that term actually means.

The first thing to note, is the difference between the terms ‘plant-based’ and ‘vegan’. Veganism refers to a holistic lifestyle, which is much more than diet, and ‘plant-based’ refers to a particular diet type.

The Vegan Society defines veganism as “a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as possible, all forms of exploitation of and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose”.

So someone may adopt a ‘plant-based’ diet for health or environmental reasons, but be okay with wearing shoes made from leather, as animal welfare may not be as much of a concern.

It’s also important to note that people choose to follow particular diets for a variety of reasons. Those could be personal health reasons (e.g. allergies or heart condition), religious reasons, animal welfare, environmental concerns, or if they’re breast-feeding 14

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

scientific justification. Where these controls are not in place the maximum shelf life that can be applied is 10 days.

Where available, the manufacturer’s product specification may contain data which demonstrates that one of these controls is present.

Otherwise, the physicochemical properties of the food would need to be analysed.

Many soft-ripened cheeses may not be suitable for vacuum-packing as the described control measures may not be present. These cheeses may also be able to support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and the date applied to the packed food must not exceed any use-by date applied by the manufacturer.

For prepackaged foods, there are also specific labelling requirements laid out in Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 which must be observed. https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/ media/document/vacpacguide.pd

Dairy and food safety specialist Paul Thomas runs the Guild’s e-helpline for retailers with technical or regulatory queries.

Send your questions to myguild@gff.co.uk

a baby allergic to dairy.

‘Plant-based’ refers to a diet completely of foods derived from plants, with no animal ingredients – focused on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. But there is a misconception that the term ‘plant-based’ means healthy, and that’s not always the case.

Someone who has chosen to adopt a plantbased diet for personal health reasons might want to exclude refined foods – such as sugar, excess salt, or processed oils – and they will choose foods based on nutritional content of ingredients, rather than just a label. Whereas those more motivated by animal welfare or environmental concerns may not worry about the nutrition as much.

And don’t forget the ‘flexitarian’ diet, which describes someone who has a primarily plant-based diet but occasionally eats meat, fish, or dairy. sustainablekitchenconsultants.com

There is a misconception that the term ‘plant-based’ means healthy, and that’s not always the case.

1

2

3

1 Sparkling yerba maté Whether its via UK-based sparkling maté pioneers Heyday or ethical iced tea pedlars Charitea, this refreshing caffeine-loaded drink is gaining traction.

Brewed from a South American tea plant of the same name, yerba maté sodas are usually low in both sugar and calories. As well as being a spritely pick-me-up, fizzy maté has been enjoyed as a natural energy drink for some time in the US with yerba powerhouse Guayaki challenging big name drinks brands in the sports arena.

2 All hail pea mylk Made from yellow split peas, this protein packed dairy-free milk alternative has the eco credentials edge over other alternatives. Peas requires less water to grow than almonds, and less land compared to oat or soy. However, where pea mylk is really making headway is in the barista community. It steams well and has a neutral flavour that’s said to work in much the same way as cows’ milk – so it’s ideal for all espresso-based drinks. Sproud is considered a benchmark option right now in coffee shops, while on the retail front Mighty Pea has a line of ready-to-drink 330ml cartons.

3 Octo-dogs Nick Bramham of Quality Wines Farringdon has a lot to answer for.

His clever use of octopus has not only won the hearts of post-lockdown Londoners, but has grabbed the attention of the foodies everywhere. The ‘octo-dog,’ now praised across Instagram, is grilled Galician octopus and chorizo that has been sliced, tossed with rocket and aioli, then stuffed in hot dog bun.

A riff on the classic lobster roll, octopus in bread has also been experimented with at North London’s Catalyst Cafe where whole grilled tentacles are sandwiched in a burger bun with lettuce, kimchi, coffee sriracha.

Best Biscuit Brand 2020 as voted by independent retailers

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Every recipe in the Peter’s Yard range is a Great Taste September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8 award-winner.

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Sumptuous Organic Nut Butter During September 2020, receive 20% off your first order with us when quoting ‘GFF2020’* *Maximum one order per trade customer. Cases of 6. Minimum 3 cases. Offer valid on up to 6 cases. Free UK delivery. Usual case price £21.54. Offer price £17.28. RRP £5.99.

A fine food business with the UK’s largest selection of artisan vinegars, speciality olive oils, rare spices, wild peppers, hand-harvested salts, Cantabrian anchovies & tuna, other exciting pantry items for savvy chefs and home cooks.

Please email trade@nutcessity.co.uk and quote GFF2020 for 20% off your first order with us!

For more info & trade prices, contact Andy Harris on 07854892065 or info@vinegarshed.com

www.vinegarshed.com Winner of 56 Great Taste awards - 2017-2018-2019

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Peanut-Free | Plastic-Free | Vegan Organic | No Added Sugar | No Palm Oil

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

The East India Company

The East India Company www.theeastindiacompany.com to see our extended range.

Many consumers are already familiar with The East India Company, whether already found at Luxury food halls, our flagship store in London, or on hotel afternoon tea menus. Others will know the brand because of the history, whose name is familiar to 2.2 billion people worldwide.

The East India Company community is an incredibly dynamic one. Our consumers don’t view tea as just a hot drink, but instead explore the world of tea as a sensory experience with sustainability at its heart. They build relationships with us due to our strong brand values and beautifully packaged products, where they can engage their senses in delightful experiences, both in and out of the home. Every one of our teas tells a story: of undiscovered treasure, of past adventure, of new explorations.

Speciality is the buzzword in tea today, but The East India Company has been at the forefront of speciality tea for over 400 years.

FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO, The East India Company was established by pioneering English merchants under royal charter issued by Queen Elizabeth I. It influenced Britain’s dining tables through the introduction of exotic ingredients and flavours, and changed the world’s customs, tastes and ways of thinking; its warehouses stocked with never before seen teas, coffees, chocolates and spices from around the world.

The tale of tea and The East India Company are deeply intertwined. First introduced by The Company to Britain as a gift to King Charles II in 1664, tea soon became an inseparable part of British culture. In 1848, the company sent botanist Robert Fortune to bring tea seedlings from China to India, establishing the first tea plantation in Darjeeling.

Plantations in Assam, and other countries including Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) soon followed.

Today, we build on this legacy whilst creating a new chapter for the modern world. With the same spirit, we seek to discover the best the world has to offer and fuse cultures and history to pioneer new flavour combinations. It’s what makes every product unique and precious.

Tea drinking is quickly becoming a widely enjoyed indulgence, a moment of delight for oneself.

Tea drinking, once the preserve of Kings & Queens, is the second most consumed beverage in the world after water. But taste matters. Consumer palates have become trained to differentiate quality tea, actively seeking

speciality teas and willing to pay more for them. Tea drinking, once unremarkable, is quickly becoming a widely enjoyed indulgence, a moment of delight for oneself.

New trends continue to develop, and The East India Company have championed them. There is so much variety, based on the soil conditions, climate, region, cultivation, and processing techniques. The East India Company has more than 140 distinct and distinguished teas in every style and taste; the finest teas, carefully sourced directly from Ethical Tea Partnership certified estates and blended by our Tea Master (Lalith Lenadora) with real fruits, flowers, herbs and spices. Teas include signature blends, wellness infusions, single estate teas, seasonal and rare teas, all in a variety of loose leaf, bag and gift formats. Visit

5 SIGNATURE TEAS TO ADD TO YOUR ASSORTMENT

Contact: Lorraine.Jamieson@ theeastindiacompany.com +44 (0) 7958 169 516 www.theeastindiacompany.com

All our products are created to suit different needs, but there are several signature blends that will benefit almost any assortment and enhance the retail experience. These products consistently achieve outstanding sales results whether for personal consumption or as a thoughtful gift.

Available as loose leaf tea, tea bag sachets, fine pyramid bags and gift packs. RRP from £5.00

ROYAL BREAKFAST

THE STAUNTON EARL GREY

The original full-bodied English breakfast, a blend of Assam & Ceylon teas to provide a rich, robust tea. An enduringly popular blend.

A tribute to the man who in 1793 introduced Britain to the Chinese way of flavouring tea long before Earl Grey popularised it.

GOVERNOR AUNGIER’S BOMBAY CHAI

THE FORBIDDEN CITY JASMINE BLOSSOM

ROYAL FLUSH

Honouring the vibrancy of Bombay, this is a lively and exotic blend of Indian teas with real spices.

Chinese green tea, left to absorb the floral fragrance of delicate jasmine, is a calming and irresistible blend steeped in history & flavour.

In 1954, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip made their first state visit to Ceylon. This black tea is from a tea bush planted during that first state visit.

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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Provenance and savoir-faire

Isigny Sainte-Mere · Unit 8B · Oakwood house · 422 Hackney Road · London E2 7SY +44 2070339607 office.uk@isysme.com · www.isigny-ste-mere.com

Adopting the same meticulous approach reserved for tea and coffee, and applying it to herbal infusions, Nazani Tea was born. Partner with the UK’s only luxury herbal brand based on transparency and ethical sourcing for the finest collection of caffeine-free infusions. The Nazani Tea family is here to work alongside you to ensure your clientele or guests experience the most exclusive and memorable infusions either in or out of the home. www.nazanitea.com • contact@nazanitea.com • @nazanitea (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) Instagram

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CHEESEWIRE

news & views from the cheese counter

Coronavirus spawns new generation of aged cheeses

By Patrick McGuigan

A new generation of ‘lockdown cheeses’ has hit the market as Britain’s artisan cheesemakers continue to adapt their businesses during the coronavirus crisis.

As reported in FFD, many cheese producers saw sales fall by up to 85% during lockdown when restaurant, hotel and export orders collapsed, leaving maturing rooms full of short shelf-life soft and blue cheeses.

Although, this stock has now been cleared – thanks to a surge in online sales – cheesemakers have moved to develop new hard and aged cheeses to store surplus milk, reduce the risk of wastage in

the future and help rebuild sales.

King Stone Dairy in Gloucestershire, best known for making the soft, washed rind cheese Rollright, launched two longer ageing cheeses last month – the Morbier-style Ashcombe and Tommestyle Moreton – as a direct response to an 80% drop in forecasted sales. The company is also planning to launch a Single Gloucester-style cheese called Chedworth.

“Producing a soft, volatile cheese exacerbates the precarity of the business,” said owner David Jowett.

“But adversity is the mother of invention. We have to find ways to use the milk and generate income from it. Hard

The Morbier-style Ashcombe is one of the new creations from Rollright’s maker David Jowett

cheese is the obvious answer.”

He added: “We had no idea how much of our cheese was going into restaurants, so it was a shock. We had to take a long hard look at what we make and spread where we sell our cheese.”

Other new lockdown cheeses include Crookwheel, a hard sheep’s milk variety developed by Martin Gott in Cumbria, who is also trialling a hard goats’ milk cheese named Holbrook, after the late cheesemaker Mary Holbrook.

Likewise FW Read & Sons, which makes Lincolnshire Poacher, found itself with a surfeit of milk from its own herd during lockdown as cheese orders and demand for liquid milk fell. In response, the company developed a new hard cheese which can be kept for up to three years. Poacher 50 is made by heating the curds to 50°C, so it has a drier, Parmesan-like texture.

Burt’s Cheese in Cheshire, which makes the soft Burt’s Blue, is also currently developing a new clothbound Cheshire cheese for similar reasons. “It will help the flow of products through our maturing rooms because it lasts longer and is more stable,” said owner Claire Burt.

Derbyshire-based Bradburys Cheese has secured a £1.5m loan as part of the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

The loan will enable the wholesaler to focus on product development and expand its new e-commerce operation. Director George Paul said he was confident the loan would help the business “rebuild, expand and develop”.

Online retailer The Cheese Geek says it is the world’s first carbon negative cheesemonger, after introducing a system where customers can offset the carbon emissions of their orders, from production to delivery – via Renewable Energy Credits – by paying a fee of around 50p.

Shepherd’s Store

Taking inspiration from European sheep’s milk cheeses including OssauIraty and Pecorino, this hard, pasteurised cheese was launched by Tipperarybased Cashel Blue producer J&L Grubb three years ago.

Aged for 10 months upwards, it has a softer texture than many aged sheep’s milk cheeses with a sweet and savoury flavour.

Barrel-Aged Cider There’s a rich, buttery flavour to Shepherd’s Store that makes it a perfect match for fullbodied, oaked white wines, full of creamy, vanilla notes. But also good is the Irish barrel-aged cider Mór, from Cork-based Longueville House, which won a three-star award in last year’s Great Taste. It has big, rounded butterscotch notes that mirror the flavours in the cheese, plus there’s structure from the tannins.

Brown Bread Crackers Irish cheesemonger Sheridans developed a range of crackers with Cork baker Richard Graham Leigh in 2010, including an unusual Irish Brown Bread Cracker. It’s the perfect foil for Shepherd’s Store. The luscious texture of the cheese is complemented nicely by the hard, crunchy cracker and the earthy, nutty flavour of the stone-ground wholemeal flour also provides backbone for the sweet, caramel notes of the cheese.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Renegade Monk, made by Feltham’s Farm in Somerset, won the inaugural Virtual Cheese Awards. The soft blue cows’ milk cheese, which is washed in ale, was named the best cheese from more than 300 entries at the awards, which were judged live online.

THREE WAYS WITH...

There aren’t any mountains in Yorkshire, but that hasn’t stopped The Courtyard Dairy, run by cheesemonger Andy Swinscoe, investing in two ski lift gondolas from the French Alps.

The two new acquisitions, which cwere previously in use at the Courchevel ski resort, will be used as outdoor seating ‘pods’ for fondue and raclette evenings during the winter. thecourtyarddairy.co.uk

Salad Shepherd’s Store can hold its own on a cheeseboard, but the Grubb family also like to use it in the kitchen. Small chunks of the cheese added to a green salad with toasted pine nuts, ripe tomatoes and slivers of prosciutto make a great combination. The sweetness of the cheese contrasts with the savoury, salty ham, while the toasty pine nuts pick up on the cheese’s nutty undertones.

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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CHEESEWIRE

news & views from the cheese counter

UK-Japan trade deal stalls as government stands up for Stilton

CALLING ALL CHEESEMONGERS Debbie Priestley, West Country Cheese Co, Devon

By Patrick McGuigan

Stilton-makers have welcomed the UK government’s strong backing for the famous blue cheese in negotiations for a new trade deal with Japan.

The countries were reportedly close to signing a post-Brexit trade deal last month, only for negotiations to falter when Secretary of State Liz Truss demanded better terms for Stilton exports to Japan, despite sales only being worth £102,000 last year.

“It’s a good thing she is sticking up for UK food,” said Robin Skailes, director at Stilton producer Cropwell Bishop and chairman of the Stilton Cheese Makers Association. “Stilton is a protected product that is worth fighting for.”

Last year, the EU signed a so-called ‘cars for cheese’ trade deal with Japan, which will see Japanese tariffs on European cheeses incrementally fall from as much as 37% to 0% by 2033 in return for similar duty reductions on Japanese cars imported in to Europe.

CHEESE IN PROFILE with Sharpham Ticklemore What’s the story?: Ticklemore is a goats’ milk cheese originally conceived back in the 1980s by Robin Congdon of Devon Blue and Beenleigh Blue fame.

The recipe was passed to Debbie Mumford at Sharpham Estate’s farm where it is still made today. It is named 20

Secretary of State Liz Truss has demanded better terms for exports of Stilton to Japan

It is believed the UK government wants to secure better terms for Stilton than other EU cheeses, so it can claim a symbolic victory.

“Japan is not a huge market for us, but that’s not the point,” said Skailes. “Stilton is being used because it’s a hero product.”

Cropwell Bishop sells 20 cheeses a month to Japan and welcomed a delegation of Japanese cheesemongers after a street in the nearby town of Totnes.

Sharpham Estate has been making various cheeses for many years, using the rich milk from its own herd of Jersey cattle.

The thousand-year-old farm is part of the 500acre estate, which is also home to a vineyard that produces English wines.

Milk: Goats’ milk, pasteurised

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

How is it made?

The cheese is made using pasteurised milk mostly from the herd of ToggenburgSaanen goats at Wrixhill Farm on the

to its dairy last year. Japanese Academy of Cheese trainer Kanako Mathys, who works with cheese companies in Japan, said Stilton is becoming very popular there.

“One Japanese cheesemonger told me that Stilton is its second best seller after Fourme d’Ambert, amongst all other well-known European blue cheeses” she said. “Japanese people love the salty and savoury flavours of blue cheese.”

Online cheesemonger Debbie Priestley specialised in cheese wedding cakes before COVID struck, but has now adapted her business to also sell cheese gifts, including build-your-own hampers and themed boxes.

“We’ve learned a lot during this period,” she says. “People like to see what they are getting, so good photography and descriptions are important, and themes work well. On Father’s Day, we couldn’t keep up with orders, so I’m looking at more personalised gifts with messages printed on labels.”

Conversely, the company has also had success with its Weekend Mystery Cheese Box – a changing line-up of off-cuts, at £19.99 for 800g of cheese. “People like the surprise element and it’s a good price, while it really helps us with wastage,” she says.

Orders for wedding cheese towers are starting to come back but the preference is for smaller cakes. “Some people have postponed their wedding to next year, but are still ordering smaller cakes to have at home on the day they would have got married.”

white paste. It has a fine, firm and flinty texture, and is slightly moist with a lemon citrus and herbaceous flavour. More mature cheeses will start to break down and turn creamy closer to the rind. It is suitable for vegetarians. edge of Dartmoor, next to the River Tamar. It is a very distinctive space-ship like shape, created by the unique moulds that the cheese is drained in for 48 hours. It is hand-salted and regularly turned while maturing for 3-4 weeks.

During this maturing time, each cheese is rubbed by hand to form the thin, natural rind.

Appearance & texture: The cheese has a bloomy natural rind with a stark

Variations: None Cheesemonger tip: Due to its unusual shape, Ticklemore looks great in the cheese counter. So, if space and budget allows, have two cheeses in the counter – one left whole as the base display and the

other cut into wedges to serve. The shape of the cheese means small wedges are likely to topple so keep portions generous.

Chef’s recommendation: Ticklemore is delicious paired with fresh figs, or crumbled into a beetroot salad. The natural wine pairing choice is the Sharpham Estate Selection white wine made using Madeleine Angevine and Pinot Gris grapes grown on the estate. It is a light, dry white wine with aromas of green apple, gooseberry and elderflower.

Whether you have a professional or personal interest in cheese, the Academy of Cheese is a not-for-profit organisation, providing a comprehensive industry recognised certification. Level One courses are available across the UK. Visit academyofcheese.org to start your journey to becoming a Master of Cheese.

The One, The Only...

Le Gruyère AOP Switzerland - a centuries-old tradition of artisanal cheesemaking.

Gruyère AOP was born in Switzerland in 1115 AD, and our milk producers, cheesemakers and affineurs have followed the same recipe, protocols and procedures ever since. This is how we can maintain the quality and flavour that has been trusted for generations. For artisans such as ours, this is what matters above all.

This traditional recipe and the care that goes into every wheel makes Gruyère AOP the finest choice for your customers.

All Natural, Naturally Gluten- and Lactose-Free.

For more information and some great recipes, please visit us at gruyere.com

AOP = PDO (Protected Designation of Origin)

Switzerland. Naturally.

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

Cheeses from Switzerland. www.cheesesfromswitzerland.com

Cahill’s Cheese

now available in prepack

From our family farm in West Limerick, we produce a range of handcrafted, artisan, award winning cheeses including Cahill’s Original Irish Porter Cheddar, Cahill’s Original Irish Whiskey Cheddar with Kilbeggan Whiskey, Cahill’s Ardagh Red Wine Cheddar, Cahill’s Ballintubber Cheddar with Chives, Cahill’s Cheddar with Garlic and Herb, Cahill’s Cheddar with Chilli and Pepper, Cahill’s Cheddar with Blueberry and Vodka, Cahill’s Original Irish Crème Liqueur Cheddar.

The cornerstone of our business is that each cheese is individually made and handcrafted thus retaining the subtlety of flavour that is invariably absent from a mass-produced product.

Old Winchester back in stock!

A very hard 18 month farmhouse cheese which has a distinct nuttiness in flavour and made with vegetarian rennet.

All our range is available in prepack options (200g block, 200g wedge, 150g wedge, 150g block) ideal for a pre-cut deli counter or a retail dairy wall.

info@cahillscheese.ie | 00353 6962365

www.cahillscheese.ie

www.lyburncheese.co.uk 01794 399982

We’d just like to thank Daisy, Ethel, Bessie, Molly, Henrietta, Dorothy, Annie, Gertie…

You have great taste, girls.

It’s official.

Award-winning artisan ice cream from Orkney

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

www.orkneyicecream.com

CHEESEWIRE

news and views from the cheese counter

People are comfortable with Gouda but these cheeses broaden their horizons

Tom Chatfield, MD, European Fine Cheese

Undiscovered Continental gems A new importer is championing lesser-known cheeses from Belgium, Germany and Switzerland

By Patrick McGuigan

BELGIUM IS NOT THE FIRST nation that springs to mind when discussing heavyweights of European cheese, but the space-age maturing rooms at Van Tricht’s headquarters in Antwerp tell a different story. Eight sparkling glass rooms are filled with hundreds of cheeses from artisan producers, each with their own unique characters and stories to tell.

“Everyone knows our beer and chocolate, but there’s a really interesting cheese scene here,” says Frederic Van Tricht (pictured above). “We are proud of our producers and part of our job as affineurs is to support them and spread the word on Belgian cheese.”

Set up by Van Tricht’s grandfather in 1970, the company works with a diverse mix of Belgian cheesemakers, maturing everything from raw goats’ cheeses and organic blues to the last remaining raw milk Herve – the country’s only protected cheese.

As part of his mission to “spread the word”, Van Tricht has joined forces with two other champions of less well-known European cheeses to export to the UK – Norbert Sieghart of Bavaria-based Kaeskuche, who distributes German and Austrian cheeses, and Konrad Heusser of Mundig in Switzerland. The managing director and co-founder of this new joint venture, called European Fine Cheese, is Tom Chatfield – previously head of sales and marketing at Quickes.

Between them, they have a huge range of cheeses that could be exported to the UK, but the initial focus is on hard varieties, which are easier to transport and have the shelf-life to cope with

any logistics problems caused by Brexit.

There’s The Tender Heart, a hard-cooked cheese from Switzerland, and Alp Blossom, an eye-catching Austrian cheese covered in dried flowers.

There are also Belgian Goudas from Van Tricht, including the young, creamy Greendal and the intense, crystalline 18-month-old OG Kristal.

Chatfield has already secured listings with Rowcliffe, Cheese Plus and Curd & Cure.

“The interest is evolving faster than I expected given the current climate,” says Chatfield. “With Greendal and OG Kristal, there’s a level of familiarity with these types of cheeses.

People are comfortable with Gouda, they have a point of reference, but these cheeses broaden their horizons.”

All three companies have a good record of converting people to their unfamiliar cheeses in the US, where they have each built strong businesses. Exports accounted for just 5% of Van Tricht’s sales when it moved its maturing operation to the De Koninck brewery in 2012. Today, it is 30% thanks to a strategy of convincing cheesemongers by getting them to taste the cheese.

“It’s all about getting the people behind the counter enthusiastic, so when customers come in they say, ‘We have something new and interesting - you have to try it’,” says Van Tricht.

Chatfield is no stranger to getting cheesemongers excited about cheese, either. He visited 25 US states and hundreds of retailers during his time with Quickes, helping the cheddar become a fixture on counters over there.

A similar strategy will be adopted with the European Fine Cheese range in the UK, he says.

“We need to build the brand, presenting cheese to journalists, influencers and direct to cheese shops. It’s about taking people down a rabbit hole of different, lesser known European cheeses.”

CROSS

SECTION

Funky Monk 1

Made by the Deweer family in West Flanders (who also make a range of Goudas, including OG Kristal), this washed rind cheese takes its inspiration from Belgium’s traditional Trappist cheeses. It’s made with pasteurised cow’s milk and vegetarian rennet, and is aged 3-6 weeks.

2

3

The rind is washed in brine and has a slightly tacky feel with a pungent, funky aroma.

The paste is supple and fudgey. While it smells strong, the overall flavour is surprisingly gentle. Flavours of sweet cream, caramelised butter and roasted onions balance with smoked bacon notes from the rind.

Frederic Van Tricht, whose father Michel cowrote a book on beer and cheese matching (catchily called Beer & Cheese), recommends serving Funky Monk with a dark Belgian ale, such as a Tripel or Dubbel. It’s also great melted over a burger.

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Unlocking Northern Ireland’s Pure Natural Quality Food and Drink is a £5 billion industry in Northern Ireland and is the region’s largest manufacturer.

Our success is down to our pure, lush countryside, and farmers and producers who are dedicated to traceability and passionate about quality.

It’s a progressive industry based on family farms and fishing businesses, as well as awardwinning enterprising producers, focused on original products for customers worldwide.

Michelle Charrington Business Development Manager, GB +44 (0) 7817 173514 michelle.charrington@investni.com 24

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

Invest Northern Ireland

Ballylisk of Armagh based on the family farm at Tandragee, near Portadown in county Armagh is owned by the Wright family who have been farming their land for generations. Ballylisk’s Triple Rose is a rich, decadent cheese made from pasteurised cow’s milk with added cream. It has a white mould with its full flavour balanced by salty, lemony notes. The Smoked version of the Triple Rose has been very well-received as has their very own

chutney range. Exports have grown substantially over the past year and Ballylisk currently sells more than 60 percent of its cheese to customers outside Northern Ireland including Fortnum and Mason and Borough Market. ballyliskofarmagh.com

Holmes Bakery – In 2019, Holmes, one of Northern Ireland’s most successful independent bakeries was awarded the licence to produce three products under the Santa Claus Foundation, Finland, brand for the UK and EU markets. Holmes is crafting premium Christmas bakery favourites (and of course Santa’s favourite treats): Christmas Pudding, mince pies and shortbread biscuits, under the agreement. The agreement

with the foundation is seen by the bakery as a significant development within its strategic focus on growing sales outside Northern Ireland. It already supplies several outlets in the UK. holmesbakery.com

Ispini Charcuterie - The small batch producer, which is based on a family farm near Aughnacloy in county Tyrone, was formed by brother and sister Jonny and Janice Cuddy in 2016 and produces a range of air dried and cured meat products including salami, chorizo, bresaola, lomo and spiced beef. Jonny studied charcuterie at the School of Artisan Foods at Welbeck in Nottinghamshire. Ispini – name is

Irish for sausage – has won a series of awards for its range of original Irish charcuterie including Great Taste Awards and in 2018 was named among the top three food producers in the BBC Food and Farming Awards. ispinicharcuterie.com

Noisy Snacks - Trigger Your Five Senses - Every pack of Noisy Snacks is a sensory adventure waiting to happen. It’s the chance to try something new, surprise yourself and — most of all — make some noise. Noise is our secret ingredient because every time you shake a Noisy Snack, you activate the extra flavours at the bottom of the bag.

(Most snack companies use 4% flavouring: we use 8%).

Double the taste. Double the flavour. Double the fun. Nice one. noisysnacks.com

Lecale Harvest Lecale Harvest Pate is a small family run business, farming and selling oysters, mussels and now pates. Killough is situated in the ancient barony of Lecale, nestled between the Mourne Mountains and Strangford Lough. Seafood pates are a tempting recent addition to their award-winning repertoire, which also includes confit duck, slow-cooked pork belly, slow-cooked brisket in Irish stout sauce and pork in Kilmegan cider sauce. facebook.com/lecaleharvest/

Rademon Estate Distillery is Northern Ireland’s first craft distillery. Launching Shortcross Gin in 2014, distilling botanicals from the surrounding gardens and forests. Foraging wild clover, apples, elderberries and elderflowers to create a gin with true terroir. Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong welcome guests from all around the world to their visitors centre and distillery where they distil Shortcross Gin alongside their soon to be released Irish whiskey. Rosie’s garden pink gin, bursting with strawberries and raspberries, has no added sugar and is naturally flavoured, winning a double gold at the San-Francisco World Spirits awards 2020. At the onset of covid – 19, Rademon opened their online sales portal to other local craft brewers and cider makers including McCracken’s Ales, Long Meadow Cider and the Armagh Cider Company. rademonestatedistillery.com

The Letterbox Larder is a novel food concept from Burren Balsamics, the co Armagh-based producer of multiaward winning balsamic vinegars and balsamic sugar and salt, to meet the growing demand from home cooks seeking original and flavour rich ingredients for meals. The products have been designed to slot easily into letterboxes across the UK and Ireland

by Susie Hamilton Stubber, founder and managing director, and Bob McDonald, the development chef at Burren Balsamics.

The products contain Burren Balsamics 4 diamond Balsamics Vinegar of Modena which has been dehydrated giving the rubs and seasonings their wonderful umami flavour. Some of the original flavours developed for the Letterbox Larder are: Balsamic Beef Seasoning; Balsamic Chicken Rub; Moroccan Spice Bag; Vegetarian/Vegan Sprinkle; Black Garlic Cloves; Peppermill Spice Bag; Wild Garlic Seasoning. theletterboxlarder.com

Troughton’s Premium Mixers Premium mixer and tonic producer Troughtons has been living up to its branding and ‘raising spirits’ during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The company has developed five new flavoured tonic waters during lockdown, all of which are now available to buy. The Elderflower, Raspberry Blush, Cucumber and Mint, Citrus and Valencia Orange tonics are each available in premium and low calorie Light versions.

All of the tonics are made using County Armagh spring water from the grounds of Ballinteggart House, Portadown, where the Troughton family also runs the Armagh Cider Company and regularly gives awardwinning guided tours to visiting travel groups. The range also includes Indian Tonic Water, Light Tonic Water, Premium Ginger Ale and refreshing Lemonade. armaghdrinks.co.uk

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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plastic waste

Virtual brainstorm No-one in independent food retail can say we’ve been short of a discussion point or two in the last six months – or with the next six months in mind. So, FFD pulled together a panel of the industry’s top minds to mull over the rapid changes they’ve witnessed in 2020 and what might be coming next.

Clockwise from top left: Iain Hemming, owner of deli-bistro-fishmonger Thyme & Tides; Jennie Allen, founder of London deli chain Bayley & Sage; Rob Copley, co-owner Farmer Copleys Farm Shop and chairman of the Farm Retail Association; John Farrand, managing director, Guild of Fine Food; James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores; and Michael Lane, editor, Fine Food Digest

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

RETAIL DISCUSSION DISCUSSION POINT: COVID ALTERING RANGES The convergence of ‘speciality’ and ‘convenience’ has long been discussed in retail circles and, to a certain degree, the coronavirus pandemic has caused more fusion as farm shops and delis looked to satisfy customers who had been let down by the supermarkets.

Rob Copley has assembled what he describes as “the best of both” at his shop in West Yorkshire, with a number of brands and items you might say were supermarket items joining his range and outselling what he would term luxury items during the pandemic. Things have shifted again, though.

“The toilet roll, hand sanitiser and surface cleaner are still selling well but the Budweiser, Peroni and Weetabix has dropped off a bit,” he says. “We will be keeping the best bits. I’ve always wanted to be a one-stop shop.”

Rather than pigeonholing his offer, Copley says he is just giving customers what they want and they will dictate what he brings in or drops as the weeks go on.

Jennie Allen, whose Bayley & Sage chain now comprises eight stores across West London, says that she hasn’t moved away from what her shops have always offered.

“Out of necessity we’ve had to give more space to certain things during lockdown,” she

DISCUSSION POINT: CHANGING CONSUMER HABITS “The challenge is should you make strategic decisions about your business during a pandemic,” says Iain Hemming of Thyme & Tides, suggesting that what customers want now could differ from several months down the line – especially when it comes to buying staple food items from delis.

James Lowman says convenience stores have been most successful by reacting to the gaps in supply and the needs of the communities they serve – citing one that even set up a garden centre style offer while those types of retailers were closed.

“What’s great about independent businesses, however much they start off from a convenience, newsagent, off-license, speciality POV, is how we change and move depending on those local circumstances.”

“But, like Iain said, you’ve also got to be careful about reading all these changes as becoming permanent. To some extent, some of these things are specific to what we’re living through. As we go back to more normal times, some of those trends won’t continue.”

Rob Copley argues that that the COVID situation has been going on long enough that consumers have formed new habits.

says. “More space to eggs, and to flour, but I wouldn’t say we have delisted anything that we would regard as speciality.”

She adds that Bayley & Sage stores are still doing good trade in Parma Ham, pesto, strawberries and wine – particularly magnums.

“People wanted basic things to eat at home and then they wanted treats because they couldn’t go and eat out. So, I think they still wanted that luxury because there were no restaurants.”

James Lowman, chief exec of the Association of Convenience Stores, tells the group that his sector has experienced a similar phenomenon to delis and farm shops – as basket spends have increased and customers have sought to buy everything they need to cook at home.

But c-stores and community shops have moved towards different types of products.

“There has been a little move into local and more speciality. That has been driven more by necessity in terms of supply chain problems that our members have been facing.”

When their wholesaler hasn’t had a certain line, bread being a good example, some convenience retailers have found local suppliers, whose products are more “speciality”.

Having always had quite a distinct offer – deli-bistro-fishmonger – Thyme & Tides in Stockbridge, Hampshire, could look to become

“Suddenly, people couldn’t go out to restaurants so they’re coming to a farm shop and they’re having to create meals,” he says.

“One of the big things that we changed when we put a drive-thru in, rather than giving people a choice, we sold them a box of veg, sold them a box of salad, sold them a butcher’s box and they’ve actually enjoyed having to be creative, looking at a product and saying what can I make from that.”

“There’s a whole load of cooks out there now that wouldn’t have cooked before.”

While he thinks some old habits will return

a little more general with its offer, though.

“It’s been in my mind for a couple of years now that my business needs to be more quality convenience,” says owner Iain Hemming, “We need to be a one-stop shop with a mix of mainstream and multiple lines and tick boxes from my customers’ perspective.

“To be too speciality sometimes can be perceived as being too niche and not giving customers what they require on a day-to-day basis.”

People wanted basic things to eat at home and then they wanted treats Jennie Allen Bayley & Sage

in time, John Farrand says that one aspect of our weekday lives has changed forever.

“Loads more people are going to work from home now. It’s just a fact. And I think that might help the delis, farm shops and convenience stores.

“People will perhaps live a bit more like that, where they’re buying little and often – which would suit us all in some ways – because they’re at home and there’s more flexibility in everyone’s day.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

Loads more people are going to work from home now. It’s just a fact. And I think that might help the delis, farm shops and convenience stores.

John Farrand Guild of Fine Food

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

27

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

Shortlisted for Great British Food Awards 2020: Best StartUp Best Ready Made

RETAIL DISCUSSION DISCUSSION POINT: FOODSERVICE For Bayley & Sage’s Jennie Allen, the working-from-home phenomenon is a “double-edged sword”.

“Our lunchtime trade has collapsed. We stopped making sandwiches and salads and stopped doing coffee and didn’t really start any of that again until coffee shops had reopened.

“You were only recommended to come out once a week for essential shopping and we’d taken the view that sandwiches and coffee weren’t essentials.”

Historically, Allen says that sandwiches have always been a good category for Bayley & Sage and a good way to showcase deli items.

What James Lowman has experienced via the ACS membership may point to some revival of sandwich businesses within retailers, though. While most c-stores scaled back their food-to-go offering during the lockdown some of the more urban locations were able to capitalise where no other options were available.

“Sadly, some hospitality businesses won’t reopen, so it could be that those opportunities open up again.

“It may not be enough in that area to support a speciality sandwich shop but there might be enough to sustain a store with a really good food-to-go offer. You don’t need the same throughput to make that work.”

Farmer Copley’s offers a different perspective on the potential of foodservice operations.

“My café’s only been open two weeks so it’s early days but with the Eat Out To Help Out scheme, we’ve been absolutely rammed,”

I think Christmas is going to be big because we’re going to be in a recession by then. And in a recession, food becomes the luxury that people buy.

Rob Copley, Farmer Copleys /Farm Retail Association

I’ve almost changed my business permanently now and taken away two thirds of my covers to introduce more retail Iain Hemming, Thyme & Tides

says Rob Copley, adding that Mondays to Wednesdays have been fully booked and that appetite has tended to continue throughout the week.

All of the panel acknowledged how successful the government’s scheme seems to have been.

“From what I’m hearing, it has been very effective and that’s in two ways,” says James Lowman. “Firstly to get people back spending in those establishments but also one of the reasons for it is to try and break perceptions and get people to have gone out.”

Despite the green shoots within foodservice, Iain Hemming says he is “reticent” to restore the bistro part of his operation fully, partly because of the much-mooted second wave but also because he may not need to restore it.

“I’ve almost changed my business permanently now and taken away two thirds of my covers to introduce more retail,” he says.

“My retail has doubled. I know nothing can be really measured at the moment but our turnover which was £25-27,000 a week is now £38-40,000.

“My labour savings based on being a retailer compared to a bistro is a significantly better ratio,” he says, with the caveat that he wants to retain covers because they generate a buzz on the premises. “It softens the atmosphere in what can sometimes end up being a library scenario in some shops.”

Hemming has also redeployed the business’s kitchen staff into producing more signature food-to-go items – including sushi, salads and sandwiches – which have gone down well with customers.

John Farrand points out how different this direction is compared to the previous deli blueprints.

“A few years ago, everyone was saying every deli needs some covers to get it through and now this is reversing that.”

DISCUSSION POINT: CHRISTMAS

Jennie Allen says she may even look to open some of her stores on Christmas Day to make things convenient for customers.

“I still think they’re not going to allow you to have parties of 10-12 in pubs. And I think people have learned to cook and do meals at home and they enjoy it.

“So we are anticipating a good Christmas to the extent that we think people might even make cakes and we historically wouldn’t have carried products for that.”

Allen’s other focus will be on increasing her gifting offer, especially non-food items.

Iain Hemming tells the group that his key category will be on cheese, especially in light of how artisan cheesemakers have fared in recent months.

The panel is unanimous about readyprepared party platters being a big hit and all are planning options to offer to customers.

Rob Copley is unequivocal that the festive period is going to be “huge” this year.

“The reason I think it’s going to be big is because we’re going to be in a recession by then, there’s no doubt we’re heading there.

And in a recession, food becomes the luxury that people buy. They stop buying cars, they stop buying holidays and the big things. So at Christmas especially they just let their belt out and say: ‘We’ve had a crap year, let’s have a really good Christmas’.”

As a result, Copley has kept all of his systems in place for click & collect – a channel that has tapered off as lockdown has eased – because the trick to maximising December will be managing the volumes of people. As well as timed collection slots, he is also looking at extended opening hours and hosting evening events for VIP customers.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

29

RETAIL DISCUSSION DISCUSSION POINT: BREXIT AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT Without FFD encouraging it, the discussion naturally turns to the impending January deadline for the UK leaving the EU. Everyone on the panel is convinced that the UK is heading for a No Deal or Hard Brexit at the beginning of 2021 but the conversation doesn’t descend into doom and gloom.

“I think that’s going to be a really interesting period for us,” says Allen. “In many ways, thank you to COVID for forcing us to duck and dive with the supply chain

COVID has been a really good training session for living without products Rob Copley, Farm Retail Association

DISCUSSION POINT: ONLINE The coronavirus pandemic has reframed the usefulness of online as a retail channel for everyone in the independent food sector.

Rob Copley points out that it hasn’t been a panacea, though.

“COVID has taught me that I really don’t want to do home deliveries. I just hate it,” he says. “The delivery is easy. It’s getting the order in, getting the right bits the customer wants, and picking it. It’s just too much work to make any profit out of it.”

While lockdown was a useful, if unsuccessful trial of deliveries, Copley says click & collect performed very well and he has also been embracing an app that allows café customers to order and pay for their food while at their table.

“I’d always said before that it’s a bit too Wetherspoons, but COVID’s given us the excuse to try it. Over 50% of the people are using it, they’re loving it, it’s saving two waiting staff, and it’s simple.”

Iain Hemming says he is also looking into a similar kind of technology to use at Thyme & Tides.

Technology aside, doubts remained across the panel about whether online will ever be a

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

because I suspect Brexit might be making us do the same thing.”

Rob Copley agrees that we will continue to experience supply chain difficulties “I think Brexit will just be a continuation of COVID,” he says. “Every week since COVID started there’s been a problem with a product of some sort. The first one I remember was broccoli – it went from £5 a box to £34 a box. I just said, ‘we can do without broccoli for week’ and it came back.

“Then it was chicken fillets and even things like face shields. It’s sachets at the moment.

You can’t buy a sachet of HP sauce anywhere.

“COVID has been a really good training session for living without products that we just can’t get.”

Allen says that she would have been more worried, as Brexit approaches, about telling customers that she didn’t have something in stock.

Now, post-lockdown, we’re more confident saying, ‘I’m sorry, it’s Brexit. We can’t source that at the moment’ and I think customers will accept so much more than they would if we hadn’t had COVID.” Iain Hemming says the pandemic has also made his customers behave differently.

“Now they come into your shop almost waiting for you to tell them what to do. They’re much more malleable and a little bit more forgiving in some cases.”

Rob Copley thinks that the experience of COVID will also mean that customers are a bit more loyal and accepting of the supply situation but he also thinks that retailers who don’t keep trying to adapt to the situation will be in trouble.

Jennie Allen says she has already started having conversations with her imported goods suppliers to make sure she has stock beyond January and has also set about adding more British lines to her charcuterie and cheese ranges in particular but she doesn’t think shoppers are going to ditch Continental goods entirely.

John Farrand points out that so many retailers and consumers have discovered producers that are very local to them and he feels that 2021 will see more of these kind of products coming to the fore.

“That’s only going to carry on, if we can’t or shouldn’t be bringing things in from across the world. There will be a shift in that for sure – whether it’s Brexit or people saying ‘Do you know what? We don’t need to be moving so much stuff across the planet.’”

James Lowman points out that even products that we might think of as being British could be impacted by Brexit because of imported packaging or ingredients. He adds that supply chain challenges during COVID could be mild compared to the delays caused at ports post Brexit.

truly viable channel for food retail.

“I noted with interest that Amazon Fresh has made free delivery part of Amazon Prime,” says John Farrand. “And I couldn’t work out whether that was them still struggling to crack online food or whether it was very clever. It’s not working as far as I can see.”

“Some people are clearly getting it right and succeeding at it but I still think at our end of food it’s challenge to do online. There’s so much about going into the shop and having that experience.”

Jennie Allen, who only ran deliveries behind the scenes for a few vulnerable Bayley & Sage customers, says she still can’t justify running

an online shop. “If I could find something that could replicate customer service online, I’d think about it,” she says, adding that in-store impulse buying is another thing she cannot reproduce.

“I don’t really want customers going online and just ordering four things. I want them to come in and be tempted by the displays.”

Gifting is another matter, she adds, referencing the success of Hotel Chocolat last Easter “They bundled everything into gifts and they took more money than they ever had at Easter. Whereas all the supermarkets and food halls were all left with their Easter eggs because they didn’t have enough footfall.”

The panel agreed that other categories that would work well online are storecupboard items, hampers and gift vouchers.

Charging for delivery didn’t seem to be an issue for the panel and James Lowman says they could easily be justified with a better service, which would also give smaller retailers an edge over bigger competition and still justify any charges “The model of deliveries to homes is throw a box at a door. There’s not a lot of care or relationship. There’s an opportunity for us to do better and charge for it.”

If I could find something to replicate customer service online, I’d think about it Jennie Allen, Bayley & Sage

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Caring for communities: Chariteas As the fine food sector comes together to help shape and define the ‘new normal’ we find ourselves in, for communities around the world, never has it been a more important time to thrive.

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‘Apple & Vanilla Crumble’ and ‘Cacao & Honey Truffle’ we’ve put a great deal of care and passion into crafting our new blends to marry the finest quality loose leaf tea with the most innovative and tantalising flavours, providing consumers with something unparalleled in terms of quality, taste and innovation.

Caring for the planet: Fine tea and plastic-free Now, more than ever, sustainability counts. From cup to compost, consumers care about the tea they drink. As a business, we’ve worked hard to ensure our new Pyramids are 100% biodegradable and plasticfree so that consumers can enjoy our tea safe in the knowledge that it not only tastes great but is planet-friendly too.

1. Royal Chai 2. Apple & Vanilla Crumble 3. Cacao & Honey Truffle 4. Salted Caramel Macarons 5. Peppermint & Fennel Cleanse 6. Lemon & Turmeric Defence 7. Mixed Berry Boost 8. Supreme Lemon & Matcha

1Kantar research, based on 12 weeks to 12th July 2020 2The Grocer/HIM

research, September 2019 3Mintel Tea and other hot drinks report, July 2019

Ahmad Tea NEW 100% biodegradable Pyramids (RRP £4.25 per pack of 15) are available now. To enquire or to make an order please contact Ahmad Tea at uk.sales@ahmadtea.com or buy via Cotswold Fayre: www.cotswold-fayre.co.uk www.ahmadtea.com

TEA FOR GOOD: HOW AHMAD TEA IS HELPING TO IMPROVE CANCER TREATMENT IN SRI LANKA

In Sri Lanka, people are at a higher risk of diseases like cancer than those in many developed countries. To help address this issue, Ahmad Tea created The Razavi Project, in which we designed and financed the country’s only privately funded, state-of-the-art cancer hospital, The National Cancer Institute.

Throughout 2019, we continued to improve the services and facilities available at the hospital. Today, it offers some of the most sophisticated care available anywhere in the country, using cutting-edge techniques such as stem cell therapy.

The Razavi Project in numbers Since construction of The National Cancer Institute was completed, we are immensely proud to have been able to provide: • 373 beds for adult patients • 5 operating theatres • 60 nurses trained in chemotherapy, radiotherapy and palliative care • A day chemotherapy unit • Indoor and outdoor pharmacies • A neutropenic ward for children • A laundry and sterilisation department • A patients’ canteen on each floor Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Bord Bia – Irish Food Board

Meet the Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers

CASHEL BLUE Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers is a family-owned business focused primarily on the making of blue cheese. Its cow’s milk cheese is branded Cashel Blue of which there is an organic offering, while its sheep’s milk cheese is called Crozier Blue.

Established in 1984 by Louis and Jane Grubb, the company is now managed by a second generation. Cheese quality, flavour excellence, and production sustainability are its primary company objectives. All of their cheese is made, matured, graded and selected at Beechmount Farm, close to the historic town of Cashel.

They offer a rare combination of authenticity, professionalism and production capability. www.cashelblue.com info@cashelblue.com

KNOCKANORE Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese is an award-winning, quality Irish cheese made from unpasteurised milk of their own pedigree herd of Friesian Cows. Their smoked cheese is smoked with locally sourced oak wood in their own smoke house, and all flavours and colours are natural. Their milking parlour and cheese making facility are equipped with the latest technology to ensure first class standards from start to finish.

Eamonn and Patricia Lonergan began making cheese on the family farm in Ballyneety, Co. Waterford in 1987. The land, coupled with the quality of herd, helps Knockanore to produce the best milk. www.knockanorecheese.com info@knockanorecheese.com

COOLEENEY Cooleeney Cheese is a family farm that produces artisan cheese for home and export markets. The farm is nestled in the heart of Tipperary and owned by the Maher family.

Their cheese range includes soft and semi soft cheeses from the milk of cows and goats. Their cheeses have received many awards both at home and abroad over the years.

Their farm is blessed with peaty soil, a perfect climate and clover rich grass, so their dairy herd produces high quality milk for their fine cheeses.

Their cheeses are handmade with the care and attention by a dedicated and passionate team of cheesemakers. www.cooleeney.com info@cooleeney.com

DURRUS Jeffa Gill is one of the earliest established cheesemakers in Ireland and today and has been making Durrus at her hillside farmhouse in West Cork since 1979. Since then, Durrus has gone on to become one of the most highly regarded of all the Irish farmhouse cheeses, collecting many prizes and accolades along the way.

Durrus is a semi-soft washed rind cheese with a delicately pungent flavour made using cow’s milk from two neighbouring farms. It has a mottled pinkorange rind and a semi-firm creamy paste that has a tendency to bulge slightly when cut. www.durruscheese.com office@durruscheese.com

ST. TOLA St. Tola Irish Goat Cheese is known as a premium food product in Ireland. The company’s gourmet cheese has been handmade in the townland of Inagh, south of the beautiful Burren area in Co. Clare, since the early 1980s. Owner Siobhan Ni Ghairbhith has made significant developments to the business over the years – developing it from a local industry to an internationally recognised brand.

However, the cheese is still handmade as the artisanal quality of the product is paramount.

The St. Tola range includes crottins, logs, hard cheeses, Greek style cheese and a soft cream cheese. www.st-tola.ie info@st-tola.ie

CAIS NA TIRE Barry and Lorraine are a young couple who met in secondary school.

They are both from a farming background and have always been interested in agriculture.

With Barry’s love of sheep and their experience in dairy, they visited Stott’s sheep dairy farm in England in 2012. Shortly after, they purchased 70 Friesland lambs and in March 2013, the first lambs were born.

Cáis na Tire sheep cheese is made in round slightly bulging small cylindrical wheels a little in the style of a French Tomme.

The flavour has a little earthiness, but also hints of sweetness, with some caramel and even pear like tones. www.caisnatire.ie caisnatire@gmail.com

CAHILL’S CHEESE Cahill’s cheese business was founded in the late 1970s, in the farmhouse kitchen setting of the Cahill family home by David Cahill and his wife Marian.

Cahill’s cheese contains no artificial colours or preservatives, it is GMO free and made with locally sourced ingredients and milk from grass-fed cows.

Unlike many specialty flavoured cheddars which are extruded, Cahill’s is pressed cheddar, thus retaining the wonderful cheddar texture which is lost in large scale production. Cahill’s have a strong ethos of sustainability and are fully traceable and verified members of Bord Bia’s Origin Green initiative. www.cahillscheese.ie info@cahillscheese.ie

MOSSFIELD ORGANIC Ralph Haslam has been farming at Mossfield, at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, since 1970 and converted to organic farming in 1999. In 2005, he began producing an organic Gouda type cheese which has since gone on to win many awards.

All Mossfield cheese is handmade using organic milk from the family farm, is suitable for vegetarians and comes in a range of flavours including Tomato and Herbs, Garlic and Basil, and Cumin Seed. Their young and herbed cheeses are sold after three months of ripening.

Their mature cheese is at least eight months old before being sold. www.mossfield.ie info@mossfield.ie Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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The Soho Juice Co has created an original still drink for every occasion

The Soho Juice Co create the SOHO range of Great Taste awardwinning alternative soft drinks and spirit mixers. Big flavours kept low in sugar and calories are combined with bright, bold packaging. Vegan certified, these drinks are proving a hit with UK customers seeking a more exciting alternative to traditional fizzy drinks and tonics. In addition to the existing 200ml mixer bottles the SOHO range is now available in sleek new 250ml single serve cans perfect for the growing premium soft drink market. Available in their award winning Cucumber, Mint, Lemon & Lime; classic Blood Orange, Raspberry, Ginger and unique Apple, Honey & Lemon. o ll t ca 51 r se 42 ou ea 9 t y le Pl 745 es mp u a 0 eq e s ack 02 r fre p

• • •

• •

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www.sohojuice.co.uk | info@sohojuice.co.uk

Comprehensive range of volumetric fillers,, injector injectors and decorators.

Robust, compact and versatile designs design with a very low cost of ownership.

Efficiency, y, accuracy cy and consistency for maximised p process return.

Simple and ffast tool free changeover hangeover between products to minimise downtime.

Suitable for a wide range of process such as preserves, sauces, ready meals, bakery and many more.

UK based service and sales support for assured process continuity.

Over twenty years process experience for help and assistance to achieve the best equipment options for every level of equipme production production.

www.depositorsolutions.com Contact: 07484 381042

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

Eighteen month warranty on new equipment

• 100% biodegradable • 1hr+ use time • Flavourless • Edible • ‘Pasta La Vista’ soggy paper and plastic straws • Great Stocking Filler • Inspiring small changes ‘one Stroodle at a time’ • Join our Stroodles Movement info@stroodles.co.uk www.stroodles.co.uk/trade Quote ‘GFF’ for discount

As featured in:

PASTA STRAWS Change made easy

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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BIG TOM GETS SAUCY! Our new Big Tom ketchup is based on the same vegan spice blend and Portuguese tomatoes as our much-loved Big Tom spiced tomato drink.

Liven things up!

BIGTOM.CO.UK 01473 890111

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The Finest Biscuits for Cheese and Cheese Straws from the Outer Hebrides of Scotland

FFD sep ketchup (aug 20).indd 1

Based in Stornoway, Stag Bakeries is a family run business with a heritage dating back to 1885.

Traditional recipes are still at the heart of each and every product we make and the result is an awardwinning range trusted on quality and provenance.

Tel: 01851 702733 sales@stagbakeries.co.uk www.stagbakeries.co.uk 38

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

10/08/2020 11:53

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

39

DAILY DOS E OF WE L L NE S S + I M M U N IT Y + O R G A N IC P R O B IOT IC FA R M ING & F E RM E NT ING

WWW.WILLYSACV.COM

Boost your immune system with our brand new health elixirs Our 300 year old organic orchards are free from intensive modern farming practices, pesticides and artificial fertilisers, making them a beautiful and natural start to our story. It is these ancient orchards in Herefordshire that are also home to our live probiotic Mother with her unique beneficial bacterial profile.

The Mother is present in each and every bottle of Willy’s Wellness products to support your gut-health.

Our Fire Cider ACV is a traditional herbal remedy to support immunity. It steeps for weeks and emerges tangy and hot, making for a warming, decongesting tonic to be taken daily. The horseradish is a typically English “heat,” making this great in a Bloody Mary or Virgin Mary if you’re on a health kick!

Our Honey & Turmeric ACV was crafted to support your immune system, with turmeric and pepper synergistically combined to provide a more effective way of ingesting turmeric. Cooking with turmeric also has an impact on how much curcumin from it our bodies are able to absorb, so this one is great hot.

Trials have suggested that this elixir can help prevent anxiety and depression. More studies are needed

# WI L LYS A P P L E A DAY

A WONDERFUL MIX OF ACV, GINGER, HORSERADISH & TURMERIC

A WONDERFUL MIX OF ACV, HONEY, TURMERIC & BLACK PEPPER

OR DER N OW 01432 8080 90 o r WILLY@WILLYCHAS ES .CO.U K 38

“Used for generations to ward off illness and promote health.”

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE Speciality & Fine Food Fair and Fine Food Digest both acknowledged that buyers must continue to discover new, innovative products. We hope this goes some way to inspiring and uncovering a gem to stock in your retail outlets in the nottoo-distant future.

@specialityfair

WELCOME FOLLOWING A VERY SPECIAL 20th edition of Speciality & Fine Food Fair in September 2019 I don’t think any of us could have predicted the challenges and uncertainty that we would face in the next 12 months and it was with a heavy heart that we postponed our 2020 event. That said, we are never ones to rest on our laurels and with the needs and requirements of the independent food and drink community always at the forefront of our minds, we set about looking at how we could continue to support and inspire our wonderful industry.

Early on into lockdown we produced a series of supportive webinars aimed at sharing advice and guidance to help businesses survive and thrive that covered government updates, social media insights and interviews with inspirational brands Make a date for your diary which proved hugely popular with visitors Speciality & Fine Food Fair tuning in from across the globe.

6th-7th September 2021 Always thinking ahead we then turned Olympia, London to our longstanding partners at the For more info visit: Fine Food Digest to join forces on this collaborative supplement. Fundamentally specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk we both acknowledged that buyers must continue to discover new, innovative products and this supplement highlights some incredible brands that have exciting products ready for market.

As well as a showcase of over 75 products (which we’ve had great fun sourcing!), it was important to cover some of the most pressing trends and topics in the industry. You’ll find expert comment on vegan, organic, plastic waste and improving your social media marketing over the course of this publication.

At Speciality & Fine Food Fair, we operate in a world where our core purpose is providing a platform for food & drink buyers to smell, touch and taste a fantastic array of products. However, with the challenges we have faced, we hope this goes some way to inspiring and uncovering a gem to stock in your retail outlets in the not too distant future.

We look forward to welcoming you back next year on 6-7th September 2021 at Olympia London where we will bring the UK’s artisan food & drink community together again.

Best wishes, Philippa Christer, event manager Speciality & Fine Food Fair

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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G O O D PA S TA D O E S N O T L I E Together our company and our brand have become synonymous with the culture of fine pasta, an art that has been cultivated with over 200 years of experience and a passion for excellence

Each pasta shape has been studied in detail in order to obtain the best in terms of consistency, colour and porosity. This means the perfect result every time.

Pasta made in Gragnano is different from any other pasta because we are able to combine innovation with the age-old traditions of Master Pasta Makers

Perfectly cooked and perfectly ‘al dente’ is the same thing for us. A good pasta does not need to be drained a minute before

Guarantees a product originating from a region or a country whose quality, recipe and characteristics can be traced back to its geographical origin

www.pasta-garofalo.com

From the most traditional to the most creative ones, discover Pasta Garofalo lines DURUM WHEAT SEMOLINA PASTA

ORGANIC PASTA

PASTA, PULSES AND GRAINS

GLUTEN FREE PASTA

ORGANIC WHOLE DURUM WHEAT SEMOLINA

Contact: All shapes and ranges of Garofalo pasta are stocked in the UK for immediate delivery For more information contact Mal Pullan 38

Tel 01438 813444 Email September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8info@garofalouk.com

Get social and follow us

THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

OGGS claims to have cracked egg-free, plantbased cooking and baking – with the UK’s first ready-to-pour, patented liquid egg alternative: OGGS® Aquafaba. The ambient, long-life product comes in 200ml cartons (RRP £1.99) and will also soon be available in 500ml for foodservice and 5-litre buckets (early 2021). loveoggs.com

Brand new for 2020, Jenny Wren Chocolates’ Fabulous Fondants are made to 100% plant-based recipes using Fairtrade Cocoa. They are also non-GMO and free from palm oil and gluten.

English Peppermint, Peach Paradise, Tropical Coconut, Vanilla Custard and Jungle Orange all come in totally compostable wrappers.

Available in shelf-ready displays containing 16 packs (RRP £1.35 each) jennywrenchocolate.co.uk

OLIDYA is an awardwinning organic extra virgin olive oil brand, from Turkey’s Lydia Valley, that plans to enter the UK market in late 2020. The certified organic oils come in three varieties: Young & Verde, Rich and Amber and Vivid and Jade. All three varieties are produced from mono cultivars endemic to Turkey with distinctive flavours. olidya.com.tr

Nottingham-based craft sauce brand Sauce Shop has launched a range of drizzles to join its hot sauces, ketchups and mayos. Honey Sriracha Drizzle and Maple Habanero Drizzle are available in cases of 6x150ml for £13.80 and £16.80 respectively (RRP £2.99-£3.99, £3.99-£4.99). sauceshop.co

The Fine English lineup of crackers has been re-imagined by The Fine Cheese Co. as the Heritage Range. Bath Squares, Charcoal Squares, Oatcake Rounds and Wheat Rounds (6x140-150g, £11.40) have all had their shapes updated and now feature new artwork and packaging with recyclable cardboard inner trays. A selection box is also available (6x430g, £31.98). finecheese.co.uk

Presented in 500ml bottles, Boucha Kombucha is pitched as a non-alcoholic alternative to white wine.

“Organic, zesty and delicately sparkling”, the drink is created by artisan brewers using natural concentrates of gooseberry and quince. The producer says it should suit nondrinkers, designated drivers and the sober-curious alike. bouchakombucha.com

Wild and Game’s new range of game burgers and sausages offers a premium alternative to your average barbeque fare. These new products are the latest addition to a growing range, which is supplied frozen, making it possible to enjoy game all year round, not just in game season. wildandgame.co.uk

New York Delhi produces ViPnuts, gourmet flavoured jumbo peanuts in six flavours – Lemon Chilli, Hot Honey & Mustard, Dry Roasted, Classic Sea Salt, Bollywood Barbeque and Hot Chilli. The 63g pouches retail between £1 and £1.50. newyorkdelhi.com

The full range of charcuterie from serial Great Taste winner, Capreolus, is now available in 100% recyclable packs with new branding for each product – inspired by the geology of the producer’s Jurassic Coast location. Many of its products, like the Sharing Platter, are ambient and suitable to post as gifts or put into a hamper. capreolusfinefoods.co.uk

Clootie McToot Dumplings creates the traditional Scottish dessert in a range of flavours, including Gluten & Dairy Free, Whiskey & Orchard Fruit, Plum & Gin, and Date & Cherry – as well as ‘Make Your Own’ dumpling kits. Wholesale prices range from £5.95 for a 400g dumpling (RRP £8.50-£10.50) to £10.50 for an 800g dumpling (RRP £15£18.50). clootiemctootdumplings.

Granny Gothards is an artisan, award-winning ice cream and sorbet producer based in Devon. Its handmade range of more than 187 flavours contains only natural ingredients and is used by Michelin-starred chefs, top hotels and private airlines. grannygothards.co.uk

English Tea Shop has re-launched its loose tea in new fully compostable 80g caddies. The outer packaging is made from boxboard and the transparent inner pouch is made of GMO-free cellulose fibre. The caddy ensures the freshness of the tea by acting as a bag tightener. A case (6x80g) costs £19.50£24.00 (RRP £8.99-£9.99). etsteas.co.uk

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THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

Holy Cow! has relaunched its range of curry sauces with plant-based recipes, so that they are now suitable for vegans. The packaging for the ambient sauces has also been redesigned with regional Indian patterns and languages reflecting the brand’s heritage. Available via Cotswold Fayre, Treet of Life and The Health Store.

RRP £2.35, 250g. holycowsauces.com

Brighton-based Hoogly Tea has launched a Blueberry Muffin blend of rooibos infused with sweet berries.

It comes in 100% recyclable plastic-free packaging.

Cases of 6x37.5g (15 pyramid bags) cost £21.60.

RRP £5.25 per unit. hooglytea.com

Harnessing the sweet and sour flavours of the tamarind fruit mixed with Southeast Asian Tarsier Gin is RoniB’s Kitchen’s Tamarind Jam. The vegan jam is handmade in small batches and is available in small 41ml and 190ml glass jars (RRP £5). A case of 6x190ml jars costs £15.60. ronibkitchen.co.uk

>>

PLAYin CHOC is launching its best-selling JustChoc in a three-piece bar. Packaged in 100% recyclable or compostable materials, the 30g bar is made up of three individually wrapped 10g bars to encourage portion control and to keep the product fresh. Available in Dark or M*lk, the bars have an RRP of £2.95 and a wholesale case costs £12+VAT. playinchoc.com

One of the latest additions to Epic Spice’s range, the Green Hatch Chile® Blend is made with chillies solely grown in New Mexico’s Hatch Valley. This blend can be added to soups, sauces and rice dishes or used a meat rub or in marinades.

It comes in 75g and 150g tins (€2.85 and €4.70 respectively). epicspice.com

We are proud that our Velox Contact grills are in high demand. High speed cooking at reduced cost, without compromising product lines is not only necessary but possible.

For the past 40 years this valuable team member assists businesses from bakeries to burger outlets, relieving the pressure of queues and waiting customers. Diversification through offering takeaway or delivery options to your customers is achievable.

We are pleased to offer a free case of our recommended Prep Release spray with every grill purchased, giving you all the tools to succeed.* *while stocks last

Martin Scott Contact Grills Pocklington Ltd 01430 879967 / 07748 963060 martin@contactgrills.co.uk 44

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

“The Song of the Sea” NOT A G IN B UT J U ST AS I N T E R EST I N G! Plunge into an invigorating blend of five hand-foraged British seaweeds, including Pepper Dulse, the “Truffle of the Sea”, enhanced by a mouthwatering selection of; Yuzu, Wasabi, Galangal, Sea Buckthorn and finally a pinch of Dorset Sea Salt. Vacuum distilled for fresher flavours in 100% organic spirit. .

Coming soon

Call, email or visit website to find out more ENQUIRIES:

contact@shantyspirit.com

TRADE: orders@shantyspirit.com

07979237649

WWW.HAWKSHEADRELISH.COM

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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The taste of the finest English peppermint Brought to you by the Peppermint People Discover our award-winning chocolates and teas at

www.summerdown.com www.deliwraps.co.uk

We have a simple philosophy: In order to make great charcuterie, you need two things; great animals and time.

When we started Tempus we made a conscious choice to be responsible for every part of what we create; from ethical sourcing of animals, to their age. Our ideology guides everything we do and we believe it is borne-out in the quality of our charcuterie.

Tempus charcuterie won Overall Champion Product at the British Charcuterie Awards 2019, three 2-stars and one 1-star in Great Taste 2019. Overall Champion Producer at the inaugural British Charcuterie Awards 2018 claiming 3 gold medals, 2 silver and a bronze.

Grand Master Charcutier of Great Britain 2019 Our products are available at some of Britain’s most prestigious restaurants, food-halls and delicatessens.

For further information on Tempus or our stockists, please go to our website www.tempusfoods.com.

If you are interested in stocking Tempus products, please email Dhruv@tempusfoods.com for further information +44 (0) 203 778 0630

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

Peanut-free nut butter brand Nutcessity has added Coffee Walnut to its range of butters. Made with only five ingredients (nuts, seeds, coconut, fruit and salt), the stone-ground butter is certified organic and comes in plastic-free packaging. Cases of 6x180g jars cost £21.54, with each jar retailing at £5.99. nutcessity.co.uk

Moose Maple Butter is a Great Taste Award-winning alternative to jams and chocolate spreads that often contain refined or artificial sugars. Made with freshly churned Welsh butter blended with Grade-A Canadian maple syrup and Welsh sea salt, it is produced at a family-run dairy production unit in south-west Wales. Trade price: £2.60 for a 150g tub (RRP: £3.99-£4.99). moosemaple.co.uk

SHORE the Scottish Seaweed Company has launched two ranges of plant-based snacks.

The three flavours of seaweed chips (25g and 80g bags, RRP 99p and £1.99) are Asian Peking, Sweet Sriracha and Lightly Salted. The four new cluster varieties – Sweet Wasabi, Tangy Tomato, Fruity Cranberry and Almond Butter – come in 30g bags (RRP £1.49). shoreseaweed.com

>>

The East India Company’s Darjeeling First Flush 2020 tea has arrived. Picked in March on the Singbulli Estate in the foothills of the Himialayas, this tea brews a golden amber cup with a fresh flavour, floral notes and gentle sweetness.

Available in cases of 8x80g pouches (trade £264) and 8x40g (£144) theeastindiacompany.com

Spanish food specialist Delicioso is now carrying the award-winning range of flavoured oils from Catalunya-based Azada.

A blend of Arbequina extra virgin olive oil and essential oils from pressed ingredients (such as chillies and citrus fruits), all of these oils are also organic. Cases of 12x100ml and 6x225ml (trade £39.95 and £32.95). delicioso.co.uk

Finding consistent supply challenging?

Store cupboard essentials in stock for prompt delivery.

Open an Open an account today! account today!

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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soft drinks THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

Ananda’s Round Up is best described as a vegan version of the Wagon Wheel biscuit. The Derbyshire producer’s new selection box contains four Limited Edition flavours – Ginger Frost, Molten Mocha, Chai Caramel and Spiced Apple – and is available using both gluten-free and standard biscuits. Wholesale cases of 3 units cost £23.10 (plasticfree packaging). anandafoods.co.uk

Daphnis & Chloe has two new loose leaf herbal teas, both sourced from familyrun organic farms on Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. Our Lemon Verbena is grown on Samos while Dittany from Crete is a native plant of the famous island that can be used both as a tea and a seasoning. daphnisandchloe.com

Chase Distillery has launched a range of ready-to-drink, canned gin seltzers. Pink Grapefruit & Pomelo, Seville Orange and London Dry & Lemon Gin all feature a blend of Chase’s gins, all-natural flavours and sparkling water sourced on the family farm.

Containing 89 calories per can, the range is offered in three-packs (RRP £7.50) and 12-packs (RRP £30). chasedistillery.co.uk

>>

Among Charlie & Ivy’s newest launches are Blackberry, Thyme & Balsamic and White Balsamic, Tarragon & White Peppercorn Bread Dippers (200ml, wholesale £3.25, RRP £5.50-£6), made with cold-pressed rapeseed oil.

It has also launched a Chilli & Lime Mayonnaise in 190g jars (wholesale £2.25, RRP £3.50). All three lines come in cases of 6 units. charlieandivys.co.uk

Ingredients distributor Henley Bridge has launched the Barbara Decor brand of chocolate decorations. The range comprises 26 products – including blossom curls, chocolate tagliatelle and handmade chocolate roses – and is aimed specifically at chocolatiers, bakers, patissiers and artisan ice cream makers. hbingredients.co.uk

All Butter Choc Chunk R a s p b e rr y Salted Caramel Fudge Stem Ginger Va n i l l a S h o r t b re a d c a s e s i z e 1 2 , p a c k we i g h t 1 8 0 g , s h e l f l i fe 6 m o n t h s , t r a d e p r i c e £ 2 . 1 7 p e r p a c k w w w. f r a n k s l u x u r y b i s c u i t s . co.uk 48

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

Probably the most ethical marshmallows available ...out of consideration for the planet Flavoured with Organic Fruit, Packaged in BIODEGRADABLE, COMPOSTABLE PACKAGING

ALL NATURAL, flavoured with ORGANIC FRUIT BIODEGRADABLE, COMPOSTABLE, RECYCLABLE packaging ...out of consideration for the planet. GLUTEN, EGG, PALM OIL, GM and FAT FREE 20% discount on volume orders placed before

end of September 2020

Velo Coffee Please contact me for our retail price list and bespoke offerings for your retail outlet big or small. In addition, we offer our own brand roasting subject to minimum orders.

We can service across the UK and Ireland so call or email Rob today for all your coffee service and retail requirements +353 8604 77633 | rob@velocoffee.ie

www.velocoffee.ie

Janet Thompson: 07471655022 | info@grownupmarshmallows.co.uk www.grownupmarshmallows.co.uk

with 10% discount on orders above £150 until 2021 www.terra-rossa.com +44 (0)20 8661 9695

Winner of 65 GTA’s in 14 years Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

49

Award-winning pasta: 70+ Great Taste Awards Freshly made with premium ingredients More than 30 flavours available No additives, preservatives, artificial colours or flavours

10% Off your first order. Quote FFD20 Get in touch with us to discover the full range available and receive samples tel. 020 8961 8024 - info@latuapasta.com - www.latuapasta.com

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE Time to turn off the plastic tap

Nooj is a new brand of nut pastes made with 60% nuts and sold in pouches. The almond or cashew varieties can be mixed with water to make a dairy-free nut ‘mylk’, used as a cooking and baking ingredient or added to soups and porridge. It comes in 150g packs (RRP £4.20). noojfood.co.uk

Lancashire-based The Ribble Valley Gin Co has launched its second signature gin. Country Market vegetable gin pays homage to the simple vegetable patch and the traditional country market by using tomatoes, carrots and shallots. This lends the spirit a subtle savoury and slightly sweet finish. Sold in 70cl (RRP £38, trade £25) and 25cl (RRP £19, trade £11). ribblevalleygin.co.uk

A new range of dairy-free, Brindisa has added plant-based shakes has Navarrico’s Black Beans been launched by Shaken and Fresh Pochas Beans Udder. Shaken Other shakes (both 660g) to its range, as are made with ethically well as a variety of Perelló sourced coconut milk and Gordal olives, including contain no artificial colours, pitted olives in 150g flavours or preservatives. and 600g tins. It has also Available in two flavours, introduced two new snacks Chocolate and Strawberry, from popular brand Torres. the shakes come in 330ml Beans & Peas Bars with Lime (RRP £1.60) and 750ml (RRP & Pepper (70g) and Cured £2.40) bottles.

Cheese Crisps (150g) come shakenother.com in cases of 15.

Most people will tell you that mixing your drinks is a bad idea. brindisa.com But nobody told us.

Sunbird Rooibos aims to source the best rooibos teas in South Africa, and hopes to elevate rooibos tea to a drink comparable to speciality coffees and teas.

The brand has a range of eight organic single-origin teas sold in 100g tins and a range of five tea blends in 50g boxes containing 20 tea bags. sunbirdrooibos.com

Launched shortly before lockdown, Uncommon Drinks’ new range of premium gin and wine liqueurs (20% ABV) includes White Wine Gin, Rosé Wine Gin and Red Wine Gin, adding to their range of cocktail gin liqueurs. With an RRP of £20, a case of 6x50cl liqueurs costs £63. firebox.com/uncommondrinks

Sian Sutherland is the co-founder of global anti-plastic, pro-business campaign organisation A Plastic Planet. She talks to FFD about why now is not the time to forget about cutting down on plastics. aplasticplanet.com During the coronavirus pandemic, politicians stood side by side with scientists to appeal to the public to follow their guidance, but, says Sutherland, nobody is listening to the science on plastic.

During coronavirus, she says, we have “reverted out of fear to using this dinosaur material as the default for almost anything, including PPE”. People are opting for pre-packed goods in favour of loose produce because it seems safer.

“The focus has diverted away from reducing plastic because now everybody is worried about food safety but the reality is that there is nothing safer than washing your produce at home – go back to the basics of buying fruit and veg and washing it under the tap and the scientists tell us it will be fine,” says Sutherland.

The rush back to plastics due to COVID, be it visors and masks, pre-packed produce or single-use sauce sachets is universally evident and has been widely reported.

But, for Sutherland, all hope is not lost. “I’m very positive that the pendulum that has swung one way because of COVID, will swing back the right way with a vengeance.

“Where there is a crisis there is always an opportunity, and I think that the UK has a moment in time where we can become a really big part of this new growing bioeconomy.”

And, says the campaigner, it is the nation’s indies that are at the forefront of the movement.

“It’s the smaller brands and retailers that are leading the charge on plastics, while the bigger brands are treading water, waiting to see the direction of travel.

“And I don’t know why they’re hesitating because the direction has to be less reliance on plastic!”

Plastic-free products do come at a premium, though, which may put some retailers off stocking these lines. But Sutherland is confident that, unlike the early days of organic, the right to buy plastic free must be available to all.

“I think that right now the public wants to be more connected to nature than ever before and buying plasticfree is a reason to buy.”

Sutherland says that when the inevitable plastic tax and ‘extended producer responsibility’ lands, the true cost of the impact and disposal of plastics will be revealed.

“For retailers and brands thinking, ‘is this the right time to be making the switch? I would encourage them to do so because this is about paying it forward.”

What the Soil Association is for organic, A Plastic Planet is to plastic-free, and the body has created a certification standard so consumers can see at a glance that a product is truly packaged in biomaterial.

“You have seconds to appeal to a customer to let them know that you have invested in a nature-friendly material so that’s why certification is so important,” says Sutherland.

“This needs to become a benchmark, so when you see it you know the product is 100% plastic free and without any harmful chemicals added.”

According to research, plastic production is set to be four times what it is now in the next 10 years, so now is the time, says Sutherland, to turn off the plastic tap.

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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soft drinks THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

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London-based Palace Culture makes organic fermented plant-based cheeses using almonds and cashews from sustainable sources – in Andalucia and Goa respectively. Its latest creations form a range of semi-soft cheeses (115g, trade £4.90-£6.40), that includes Truffled Camemvert, the paprikacoated Merken and Le Bleu with Roquefort mould. palaceculture.co.uk

Italian food specialist Seggiano is now offering three new gift box formats.

The Oil & Vinegar set (trade price per unit £11) features 250ml bottles of organic balsamic vinegar and a limited edition Lunaio single estate organic extra virgin olive oil. There is also a Balsamics For Cooks set (£14 per unit) and a trio of 200g organic cacao hazelnut spreads (£13). seggiano.com

The latest kit from Kandy Kitchen Creations is Super Simple Paella, containing everything needed to make the Spanish classic to serve up to 4 people – just add water and cook for 25 minutes. Ingredients are layered inside fully compostable, eye-catching ‘sand art’ style packaging.

Trade price ranges from £3.12 to £3.33 (RRP £4.99). kandykitchencreations. co.uk

Banana Scoops is the only UK brand offering ice cream made from bananas instead of dairy. It also uses natural and plant-based ingredients, and is free from artificial sweeteners or refined sugar. Costa Rican bananas are blended with raspberries, vanilla or chocolate. There are 156 calories in half a tub.

RRP £5.49. bananascoops.com

Four craft rums, a ruminfused French orange shrubb, lime and almond are the ingrdients in the latest bottled cocktail from Tom Savano. The Caribbean Dawn Mai Tai comes in cases of 12x20cl (£83.38+VAT, RRP £12 each) or 6x50cl (£94.25+VAT, RRP £27 each). tomsavano.com

Two Farmers has boosted its range of hand-cooked crisps with the introduction of a Herefordshire Sausage & Mustard flavour. This “local” flavour comes in both 40g and 150g bags, which are the first in the UK to be plastic-free and compostable. twofarmers.co.uk

Biscottilicious has put a twist on traditional almond-based biscotti by introducing exotic nuts, dipping them in Belgian chocolate and adding toppings. Biscottilicious offers five varieties: Raspberrilicious, Rose, Salted Caramel Crunch, Wild Forest and 24 Carat Gold. biscottilicious.com

Seasoned Pioneers has launched Power Pods, a range of premium meal kits made with natural herbs and spices. Free from gluten, preservatives, additives, oil and refined sugar, each Power Pod weighs 10-15g. They are sold in cases of 12 for £15.00 and each unit retails at £1.99. spicepioneer.com

Among the latest products from Ollie and Lucy’s Artisan Food are smoked duck and chicken breasts, which come in 220g vacpacks (wholesale £5.23 and £2.98 respectively). It has also introduced a Rope Hung Smoked Salmon (1kg, trade £35.99) that is drysalted for 8 hours before being hung and coldsmoked over English oak for 8 hours. ollieandlucys.co.uk

The new organic porridge range from Side Oven Bakery includes an original version (RRP £3) as well as three lines with the additions of Sultana & Apple, Spiced Fig & Pumpkin Seeds and Chocolate & Cranberry (RRP £4.20). All four products come in 500g resealable biodegradable packs. sideoven.com

Founder of The Woolf’s Kitchen, Dominique Woolf, was inspired by the sauces her Thai auntie used to make. The brand launched its range of three sauces – Tamarind Ketchup, Hot & Sour, Jalapeño & Lime – this summer. The veganfriendly range comes in 150ml bottles with an RRP of £4.50-£5 (trade, £18 for 6x150ml). thewoolfskitchen.com

Available to order from September is a gift box of three premium vinegars from Womersley. ‘The Best of Womersley’ selection contains 100ml bottles of the brand’s Raspberry Vinegar, Strawberry & Mint Vinegar and Golden Raspberry & Apache Chilli Vinegar. RRP £18.50£19.95. womersleyfoods.com

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

Ethically & sustainably sourced British luxury preserves that don’t cost the earth!

Our entire chilli jam range, spanning the Scoville Scale, are Great Taste winners!

Enquiries welcome for retail/food service/corporate gifting For samples & further info contact Sue: sales@jampackedpreserves.co.uk | 020 8394 1556 www.jampackedpreserves.co.uk

WhErE ThE CrAfT AdVeNtUrE BeGiNs The Thoughtful Forager discovered the very best craft ciders, produced on a family farm by award winning “Celtic Marches”, holding PGI status for it’s Herefordshire apples, developed over seven generations with full control from “pip to pint’.

Contact our sales team for more information on 01538 382020 or sales@cottagedelight.co.uk

thoughtfulforager.com Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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, e s t th m e u 2 a or Co se H1 N d d ow e an an h at st d S o g on oo arr F H ne

Fi

Bumble Wrap is a washable, breathable fabric which keeps food fresher for longer and can be reused over and over again.

It can wrap your sandwiches, a loaf of bread or a piece of cheese. Cover a bowl of leftovers to save for another day.

Simply by using the warmth from your hands you can mold the Bumble Wrap over a bowl or round a sandwich.

When you have used it wash it and re-use again and again.

bumblewrapyork

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

bumble_wrap

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Our award-winning flour is produced from the finest ancient grains which are sustainably grown in the beautiful British countryside.

Our entire range carry the highly sought after Great Taste 2 and 3 star awards, in recognition of outstanding quality and flavour.

Available in 1kg and 20kg bags. Minimum order 2 boxes of 10 Ă— 1 kg bags. No delivery charges.

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UK manufacturers of high quality semi and fully automatic labelling equipment, suitable for operation in both small production environments, and fully integrated production lines.

Please contact us with your current labelling and label printing requirements, we will be delighted to assist you. info@norpakltd.com | www.norpakltd.com | 01274 681022 Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

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What you can say about organic food…

The Soil Association’s Organic September campaign is already in full swing but there’s always room to improve your marketing.

The certification body’s business development director Clare McDermott outlines retailers’ angles for promotion and engaging with customers. …Better for the planet Organic farming is a holistic system that works with, rather than against, natural systems.

Because they avoid fertilisers and use less energy, organic farms have lower emissions and are helping in the fight against climate change.

Sustainable is an appealing word to most consumers and organic products fit the billing in a variety of ways – from farmers encouraging ecological diversity on their land to their prioritising of local resources over imported ones.

Simpleas is a new snack aimed at the healthconscious consumers.

Made solely from 100% sustainably sourced and harvested Great British pea flour, the baked snacks are high in protein, fibre and gluten-free. Lightly Salted, Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar, Cheese & Herb flavours all come in cases of 24x23g packs for £14.40. simpleas-snacks.com

Launched in May this year, Edwards 1902 is a premium single-estate vodka from Lincolnshire-based Elsham Wold Distillery, made with the county’s King Edward potatoes. Batch-produced just a few miles from the farms where its main ingredient is cultivated, the base spirit is made from 100% raw ingredients.

RRP £39. edwards1902.co.uk

French mustard brand Grey Poupon has released a range of mustard mayonnaises made with its original recipe Dijon and wholegrain mustards. The range is vegan, egg-free and free from artificial flavours and colours. The first two flavours to launch will be Dijon Mustard Mayonnaise and Wholegrain Mustard Mayonnaise. RRP £3. abfoods.com

Twelve Below has released its four premium tonics – Classic, Pear & Cardamon, Apple & Mint and Rhubarb & Ginger – in larger 500ml sharing bottles. Made with organic agave and natural fruit extracts, the range provides a low-sugar alternative for those wanting to avoid artificial sweeteners.

Cases of 12x500ml bottles cost £15.40 (RRP £2.19 per bottle). twelvebelow.co.uk

London Fermentary specialises in making probiotic food and beverages with both health and taste in mind. Its range includes fermented vegetables, such as Carrot Kraut and vegan Kimchi, and fermented chilli sauces, as well as a line-up of water kefirs in flavours like Jasmine & Lemongrass and Rose & Acai londonfermentary.com

Moatwood 1485 gin is distilled in Suffolk using local botanicals. Among them is borage, which lends a cucumber-y taste, alongside elder, orris root, ginger, coriander seed and sweet orange. The resulting spirit is said to be smooth enough to serve neat over ice but also works well in a G&T. RRP £35 per bottle, £25+VAT wholesale. moatwood1485.com

…Better for soil Further to that point, organic farming is based on nourishing the soil. Instead of using artificial fertilisers, organic farmers look after their soils using manure, compost, ‘cover crops’ and crop rotations. Preserving the soil and its nutrients means we can keep growing food for everyone. …Better for wildlife COVID-19 has fostered an increasing appreciation for nature in consumers, so organic should pique their interest given that organic farms are a safer haven for plants, mammals and insects. Less chemicals also means cleaner waterways and oceans.

…Better for animal welfare And the livestock reared on organic farms lead good lives too. All animals are free-range and they’re fed entirely naturally diets. Soil Association certified farms have the highest standards for animal welfare in the UK. …food you can trust For a food product to be labelled as organic, every organisation working up and down its supply chain – from farmers and packers to food processors and organic retailers – have to meet organic standards and prove it to a certification body. The Soil Association certifies over 70% of organic food in the UK, meaning when you see our symbol you can be sure what you eat has been produced to a standard you can trust.

For full guidance, download the Soil Association’s free guide What You Can Say When Marketing Organic at soilassociation.org 56

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

FOR Amazing MEALS THE FREEZER Flexible, excellent service available FREE bespoke ready meal branding for your freezer*

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For all your frozen food needs

New chocolates and chocolate nuts! Check out our Autumn Catalogue for these and over 400 other gourmet, award-winning Spanish products.

From charcuterie and cheese, condiments and salsas to drinks and foodie gifts. Stock up now!

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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VIPER R

THE GIN WITH A BITE

With five Red Boat Ice Cream Parlours throughout Anglesey and North Wales we know a thing or two about the finest authentic ice creams and sorbets.

Since 2009 our gelato chefs have been creating flavours of the highest quality using the finest locally sourced ingredients.

We are now looking for new stockists and are offering franchise opportunities.

Get in touch as we’d love to welcome you aboard!

01248 810022

info@redboatgelato.co.uk

www.redboatgelato.co.uk E D Q Come and see us on stand M85 at the Farm Shop and Deli Show in April 2021 at the NEC to try some of the amazing flavours we have on offer.

Avalon, the mystical land from Arthurian legend, only to be discovered by the chosen few is also referred to as the Isle of Apples. This inspired us to use apples in our Viper London Dry Gin. Recognising that the Viper is entwined with the story of King Arthur and Avalon, Viper London Dry Gin was born!

Handcrafted in small batches in a copper pot still using English wheat spirit and ten botanicals, notes of crab apple, citrus and juniper are balanced to create an exceptionally smooth, fresh and memorable gin.

Perfect as a cocktail base but is every bit as good in a G&T! Other products include Viper mulled gin with seasonal spices and Viper barrel aged, which is oak aged in a Somerset cider brandy barrel!

Mae Jum brings six beautifully crafted traditional Thai curry pastes. Each paste is packed full of authentic flavours made from 100% natural ingredients, locally sourced in Thailand.

All pastes are vegan and gluten-free.

Free UK delivery* *reference Ad for offer, retail and wholesale only

Visit www.viperspirt.co.uk or email us at info@viperspirit.co.uk 58

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sales@maejum.com | www.maejum.com

soft drinks THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

Essense Coffee has developed a host of new formats for summer. It is now making a Cold Drip Coffee, for serving over ice or mixing into cocktails, in 125ml bottles (RRP €3.90).

It has also created a canned carbonated drink, Coffee Tonic (250ml, €1.90), and an infusion spray, Coffee Soul, to add coffee flavour to drinks (50 ml, RRP €39). essense.coffee

The Commonwealth Tea Company sources tea from all over the world and blends in the UK, packing it in sleeves of 10 pyramid bags in individual cube boxes. Its 12-strong initial range spans black, green and white teas, as well as infusions like Lemongrass, Ginger & Turmeric. Sleeves cost £8.40 each (RRP £12). commonwealthtea company.com

Joe & Seph’s new fivestrong range of Gourmet Popcorn Bars is now available. Salted Caramel & Nuts, Chocolate & Almond, Apple & Hazelnut, Coconut & Peanut and Orange, Pecan & Cinnamon are all gluten-free, clock in at under 138 kcals and have an RRP of £1.50. joeandsephs.co.uk

>>

Sesame Kingdom is a UK-based brand supplying organic tahini and halva products made from stoneground Ethiopian Organic Sesame seeds. The brand now offers a ‘tahini tap’ service where customers can fill their own jars of tahini in store. sesamekingdom.co.uk

Cabby’s Black Rum is a new creation from distiller Taxi Spirit. Made in London, this product starts with the company’s white rum (rendered from fermented molasses) which is then matured with botanicals and spices – like ginger, Madagascan vanilla and cardamom for 168 hours.

70cl, wholesale £26.20. taxispirit.com

WE NEED YOU, YOU NEED US! Thousands of consumers searching for our brand!

STOCK our foods, GROW your sales, DELIGHT your customers Est.1997

Why choose The Cherry Tree?

• More food awards than any other UK preserves brand – 170+ Great Taste & Taste of the West award • The best social media presence of any UK preserves brand. Fanatical fans, hundreds of recipes, amazing growth!

Want to speak to us about ranging our foods?

Want to try us as a consumer first?

Drop us an email : orders@cherrytreepreserves.co.uk

Check out our full range at www.cherrytreepreserves.co.uk

Give us a call : 01308 458604

Choose from over 100 fine foods, delivered to your door

• The highest and most consistent online reviews of any UK preserves brand on Ocado and Amazon

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Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

London-based Eli & Pie offers a range of pasty-style products. Varieties include the Jamaican-inspired Lamb & Flag, The Cock & Pye (chicken & chorizo) and Pizza Margherita, as well as a host of other options for meat lover, vegetarians and vegans. Pies are usually supplied baked and frozen. eliandpie.com

Celebrate is NOVELTEA’s limited edition line for winter 2020. Made with winter spices, Scotch Whisky and black tea, this low ABV spirit (11%) is being pitched as both a party drink and a festive gift. It can be served over ice or gently warmed.

Available in cases of 6x70cl (RRP £24.95) noveltea-drinks.com/trade

Truffle Trove is the latest creation from Snowdonia Cheese Company. It is a combination of extra mature cheddar, produced in North Wales, and black summer truffles from Italy’s Marche region, all encased in white wax. 150g truckle have an RRP of £5. snowdoniacheese.co.uk

>>

T & M Artisan Chocolates has created a range of chocolate stick bars, individually wrapped in sustainable packaging.

Flavours include Morello Cherry Pate de Fruit in Dark chocolate, Mocha Fondant in White Chocolate, and Salted Dulce de Leche in Milk Chocolate. Available as single bars or boxes of 5 (trade £1.80 and £10). tmchocolates.co.uk

The Gold Rush Continental Treats specialises in high-end traditional Portuguese confectionery – not previously available outside the country. Among these are the Golden Boat – a pastry filled with white bean and candied egg yolk – and gluten-free chickpea cakes.

All pastries are supplied individually wrapped (trade £1.60 each). continentaltreats.co.uk

DRAUGHT

NITRO AND BOTTLE

COLD

Natural.

Simple.

Hearty.

Tasty.

BREW

COLD BREW COFFEE

by Kandy Kitchen Creations b 07814 824180 | kandykitchencreations@gmail.com www.kandykitchencreations.co.uk

KandyKitchenCreations

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@kandykitchencreations

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

@kitchen_kandy

DELICIOUS – DECADENT

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Call or email: 0114 2015815 frazerscoffeeroasters@gmail.com www.frazerscoffeeroasters.co.uk frazerscoffeeroasters

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Label Anglais Chicken voted ‘Best of the flock’ Daily Mail June 20

Adlington Deli and Smokehouse Range

Adlington Smoked Ham

For our full range & Special introductory offer, please contact Hannah on 01676 532 681 or Hannah@adlingtonltd.com

www.adlingtonltd.com

Importing Highest Quality Italian Products

Contact us (or FFD Connect) for all your Italian food needs! Choose from a variety of antipasti items, pastas, balsamic vinegars, extra virgin olive oils, panettone and much, much more Call 01635 744600 or visit www.tenutamarmorelle.com

Directly from Italy, Stocked & Distributed in the United Kingdom Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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TAKE A STAND AGAINST BLAND

The Leader in Bake at Home Innovation The only way to enjoy the true indulgence of real artisan breads and pastries fresh from the oven.

Contact us now for details of the latest new product release and concept support packages.

For further information please call us on 01989 741010

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Hands up who wants bland for lunch? Us neither!

XL REFRIGERATORS Specialists in refrigerated displays Tel: 0113 2577 277 www.xlrefrigerators.com

If depth of flavour, rugged texture and rich, creamy indulgence are what you're after, you've come to the right place.

Welcome to The Yorkshire Creamery www.yorkshirecreamery.co.uk

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Award winning biscuits throughout our range

Sweet & savoury biscuits in both traditional recipes and those unique to McKenzie’s Biscuits baked to the highest standards. Now available throughout the UK and selected overseas markets Traditional butter biscuits and oatcakes. Our own recipe herb flavoured savoury biscuits in various flavours including thyme, rosemary and basil Oatcakes

Stem Ginger Biscuits

mckenzie biscuits

Cheese Oatcakes

McKenzie quality biscuits A Scottish Tradition

01888 562459 |

gerry@mckenzie-biscuits.com www. mckenzie-biscuits.com

Axicon were, we have to say, amazing. They delivered our labels on time and perfectly printed and took our last minute phone calls in their stride.

They understood the importance of the perfect label and gave us the product that (hopefully!) stands out from the crowd!

Digital paper carriers Stylish

These high-quality carriers can be customised and printed on all four sides in full colour – with no origination charges!

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Made from sustainably sourced paper, these carriers are completely recyclable, compostable and biodegradable.

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Axicon Labels Tel: 01869 350442 Email: labels@axicon.com Web: www.axiconlabels.co.uk

Minimum orders start at only 250 bags, with lead times of one week to one month depending on volumes. e-mail: orders@dempsondigital.co.uk call Dempson Digital:07738 767 086

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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new novus quarter page advert.qxp_Layout 1 18/08/2020 16:38 Page 1

New Novus Retail Pack

• Compostable Pack • Plastic Free • Single Origin

• Award Winning Teas • Organics • 20 Fantastic Flavours

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Visit us online or contact us to discover our great range of juices.

We supply good food shops, hotels, pubs and restaurants.

English Pear with Apple Juice

Cloudy Apple Juice

01489 878685 | info@hillfarmjuice.co.uk www.hillfarmjuice.co.uk |

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THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

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Harness the power of social media

Botanical spirit distiller Highland Boundary launched its Larch and Honeysuckle spirit earlier this year. Inspired and flavoured by the plants which grow in the forests around the Perthshire distillery, the spirit was awarded double gold at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition. A case of 6x500ml bottles costs £115.98 excluding VAT (RRP £29). highlandboundary.com

Since the pandemic began, social media has proved to be an even more vital tool for retailers. Avocado Social MD Richard Harmon explains how they can maximise its potential. avocadosocial.com

DTM Print manufactures the LX610e Pro, the only desktop colour label printer that has an integrated x-y plotter for digital die-cutting to enable printing and cutting product labels in any shape or size. dtm-print.eu

How to improve your presence

l Get your first impressions right. Ensure your social media feeds look professional and accurately showcase your business. This could mean getting some fresh photographs taken or downloading a photo app on your phone, like VSCO. l Create a personality for your brand through the language, emojis and hashtags you use. This is a great way of standing out and becoming more memorable. l To get real results, you must be willing to spend.

Competitions, advertising campaigns or influencer promotions are all great ways to get more people following you, sharing your content, and talking about you.

How to increase footfall

Gnawbles from Creative Nature are allergen-free vegan ‘treat’ bites. Lower in sugar than chocolate and high in protein, they feature ingredients like popped lotus seeds. Cheeky Choc Hazelnot Light, Brilliant Orange Cacao, Super Salted Caramel and Creamy Mylk Chocolate Light all come in 30g pouches (trade 99p). creativenaturesuperfoods. co.uk

l Consumers are increasingly looking to social media for word-of mouth referrals, recommendations from people they follow and from brand promotions.

Make sure you have a presence on the social media channels that your target customers use to drive awareness of your business. l It’s vital to have content that entices customers to choose you over another brand or competitor. If your content isn’t eye-catching and isn’t kept up to date, you’re not likely to get a customer’s attention.

Maintaining positive reviews and responding to customer queries will also reinforce credibility. l Facebook and Instagram offer the chance to directly target your desired audience with adverts that will appeal to their interests. This is a relatively inexpensive means of retailers driving footfall from the local area – by setting out the key characteristics of their ideal customers.

Olive oil brand ZEET has also developed an antioxidant-rich herbal drink – Olive Leaf Water. Made using an entirely manual extraction process and olive leaves collected in the Jaen region of Andalucía in Spain, the drink offers similar health benefits to olive oil but without the fats.

250ml, RRP £3.55. evoozeet.com

It’s vital to have content that entices customers

Tasty No Dairy’s Signature Blueberry Muffin is handmade using 100% plantbased and gluten-free ingredients – predominantly avocado and banana – and caters for many dietary requirements, including vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free. Available in boxes of 6 or 12. Wholesale price of £2 per muffin. tastynodairy.com

The Royal Blue Artisan is a new soft blue-veined cheese that will sit alongside the Cheshire Cheese Company’s 15-strong range of waxed truckles. Said to offer a creamy texture without a bitter blue aftertaste, the cows’ milk cheese is presented in a hexagon box (cases of 6x200g). cheshirecheesecompany. co.uk

Hoping to change perceptions of alcoholfree beer, Lucky Saint is a 0.5% unfiltered lager. The beer is a classic pilsnerstyle lager – brewed using Pilsner malt, Hallertau Hops, Bavarian spring water and single-use yeast – that the brewer claims rivals its fullstrength counterparts. RRP: £2 - £2.50, trade: £24 (20 x 330ml). luckysaint.co

How to boost online sales

l Facebook and Instagram Shopping have been complete game changers. They are immersive shop windows for people to explore your products. And you can link directly to a product page within your online shop. Both are free to set up and will help to drive more visitors to your website and product pages from social media. l Social media promotions are also good ways of increasing online sales. Creating urgency by setting up ‘limited time only’ offers or sharing unique discount codes will help to create buzz around your brand.

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1747 825

20

CHINESE SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS MADE WITH 100% NATURAL INGREDIENTS Small batch, artisinal Chinese sauces and condiments. Gluten free and suitable for vegans.

OUR CURRENT RANGE INCLUDES:

Chiu Chow Chilli Oil – Medium spicy, chilli garlic oil.

Great condiment for dumplings, pizza, pasta, rice and noodles

100 x 141.5mm GFF Advert.qxp_Layout 1 22/07/2019 16:56 Page 1

Black Bean Cooking Sauce – Savoury, umamipacked sauce great for stir -fry’s and marinades

SALSA accredited, we offer an extensive range of products and gifts for retail, and our treats to go range is ideal for tea rooms & food service.

Sichuan Chilli Oil – Hot and fragrant chilli oil, great as a dipping sauce for dumplings or to cook with

HAND-CRAFTED | VEGAN | GLUTEN-FREE sales@happyeatinghouse.co.uk | 07758 253116

TRY OUR NEW SALTED PEPPER BERRIES Lottie Shaw’s products are beautifully baked in our family bakery and hand packaged with love and style.

Hoisin Sauce – Sweet and tangy sauce typically served with Peking duck and Pancakes. Equally good to cook with

A Seasoning Renaissance

“ASTONISHING” “A TRUE PARTY IN YOUR MOUTH”

“GREAT TASTE EXCELLENCE” - GREAT TASTE JUDGES 2019

For samples or to discuss your requirements please email: lottie@lottieshaws.co.uk or call: 01484 905227

YORKSHIRE PARKIN GINGER BISCUITS YORKSHIRE PARKIN CAKE

Visit us on stand E138 at Farm Shop & Deli Show

MULTI-AWARD WINNING EXQUISITE SEASONING PRODUCTS FROM KAMPOT CAMBODIA Please see our website for more information:

www.lottieshaws.co.uk 66

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

Contact us for our wholesale pricelist Tel: 01738 248288 Email: sales@botreefarm.co.uk www.botreefarm.co.uk

soft drinks THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

A top-seller in Australia and New Zealand, Nutty Bruce plant-based activated nut m*lk has arrived in the UK thanks to Soulfresh.

Activated Almond M*lk, Activated Almond & Coconut M*lk and Activated Almond & Oat M*lk all come in 1-litre cartons with an RRP of £2.25. soulfresh.co

Belfast’s Suki Tea is taking on the fizzy drinks sector with a diversification into canned sparkling iced teas.

The premium Black Tea & Peach and White Tea, Apple & Elderflower flavours are both created using hand-picked tea leaves, botanicals and natural fruit juices. Packs of 4x250ml have an RRP of £8. suki-tea.com

>>

Now available in the UK, Adamas premium Italian caviar is all sustainably produced at the company’s own farm on the Tormo river in Lombardy. This includes its Black Label variety, which is harvested from Acipenser Baerii sturgeon and preserved using the traditional Russian malossol method. Sold in vacuumsealed tins (in various sizes, 10g-250g).

Trade £9.50 for 10g. caviarandcocktails.com

DREAMING OF A WHITE

Trecko Ltd is bringing Troy Raw Greek Mountain Honey to the UK. The honey is produced in the mountains of central Greece in the region of Thessaly with methods passed down through a fourth-generation beekeeping family. It comes in 290g hexagonal jars (RRP £9.95-£10.95) and is sold to the trade in cases of six. troyrawgreek mountainhoney.com

Pri’s Puddings has launched a range of glutenfree, vegan, and peanutfree on-the-go sweet treats made with only five wholefood ingredients. The range of pocket-sized pies comes in three flavours: Choco Pie, Cashew Pie and Pecan Pie. A case of 16x40g packs costs £20 (RRP £1.79). prispuddings.co.uk

LAKE CHRISTMAS

Take a look online for trade and retail shops or email us

SOMERSET DAIRY

FLY THE FLAG Morn Dew & Tor

Best goat cheese for Rachel

Pave Cobble & Rachel

@whitelakecheese

www.whitelake.co.uk | orders@whitelake.co.uk Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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SALTED FISH

WAKE TO THE TASTE OF 47 DEGREES COFFEE, FROM £13 PER/KG (INC DEL)

ALL OUR COFFEE IS ROASTED IN SMALL BATCHES EACH WEEK TO HELP ENSURE THE COFFEE YOU SERVE IS ALWAYS AT ITS PEAK OF FRESHNESS.

ONE BITE AND YOU’RE HOOKED

Winners of 5 Great Taste Awards for the range, this year, from the Guild of Fine Food. If you would like more information please feel free to get in touch:

aidy@47degreescoffee.com www.47degreescoffee.com

Our six products represent the best of Shetland heritage and seafood. Combining tradition and innovation. Packed with provenance, texture and taste.

Call or email today! info@thuleventus.co.uk | 01950 477787 www.saltcod.co.uk | @thuleventus 68

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

l al ay t C od tac ct t n ne us co on or D C FF

FRESH IDEAS FOR

AWARD WINNING HAND ROASTED COFFEE

soft drinks THE SEPTEMBER SHOWCASE

>>

Plant-based is not the niche market it once was

The Mighty Sesame Co. brand of tahini has already taken the US by storm and is now available in the UK via distributor Kedem Foods.

Made using seeds from the Humera region of Ethiopia, this creamy tahini comes in 310g squeezy bottles (cases of 8 cost £21.50) in organic and whole seed varieties. mightysesame.com

Kyon Drinks has launched The PPinger – a botanical beverage with an alcoholfree kick. The lightly sparkling, all-natural drink is a blend of apple, lime and elderflower with fresh, organic ginger – sourced from Peru and Costa Rica.

Wholesale price is £2 for 250ml and £4.25 for 750ml bottles. kyondrinks.com

Nutcellars produces glass Niche Alcohol Supplies jars of whole macadamia is showcasing its small nuts (140g, RRP £6.25), artisan gin producer GIN as well as crunchy or EVA Mediterrean Artisan smooth macadamia nut Gin and its new Flight butter (220g, RRP £6.95).

Box containing 10cl The brand has recently tasting bottles of three of the brand’s variants: launched chocolate-coated, Award-winning pasta: 70+ Great Taste Awards caramelised macadamia Signature, Bergamot and La Mallorquina Olive Gin. GIN nuts producedingredients

by Wicked & Freshly made with premium Wonderful and macadamia EVA gins are available in the Flight Boxes at More an RRPthan 30 nougat with available Tadinka flavours Nougat. of £27.50 and 70cl bottles No additives, preservatives, artificial colours or flavours from £39.00. nutcellars.com nascorporation.biz

10% Off your first order. Quote FFD20

In March 2020 Dr Honey Discarded Banana Peel Rum La Tua Pasta has added four Get in touch with us to discover the fullnewest range available and receive samples launched Honeycocktails, a is the sustainable Tortelloni lines, including range of raw honey blends release from the Discarded a Lochtel.

Fine® Smoked 020Hot 8961 8024 - info@latuapasta.com - www.latuapasta.com mixed with freeze-dried Spirits Co., a fruit-forward Salmon variety (250g, rum that transforms what fruit or nuts. Dr Honey trade £4.99), and three to the Ravioli range including would otherwise be thrown freeze-dries the fruits to Beef & Black Truffle (250g, away into a unique drink. preserve their colour, taste trade £2.55-£3.65). There Banana peels are dried, and nutrients. The range are also new sauces in 270g fermented and then infused includes Raspberry, Orange, packs, such as Bolognese in rum to make the 37.5% Blueberry, Strawberry, and Amatriciana. Available ABV spirit. A case of 6x50cl Blackcurrant, Pistachio and direct or via The Cress Co. bottles costs £93.75 (RRP Hazelnut-Chocolate. A 130g latuapasta.com £25). jar costs £3.40 (RRP £6.60). discardedspirits.com drhoney.hu

Hannah Carter is the founder Oggs – a brand offering an all-plant egg alternative made using aquafaba from chickpeas and a range of vegan cakes – and an advocate for the benefits of a plant-based diet. loveoggs.com While vegan diets have reportedly become more attractive to Brits during the coronavirus pandemic, the growth in the sector is nothing new. The vegan market has exploded in recent years and innovation in plantbased foods is seemingly ceaseless, so what is driving this trend?

According to Hannah Carter, education and awareness are the biggest factors.

“I only became vegan two-and-a-half years ago. It was only through getting educated, via documentaries and social media, that created a shift in my mindset.”

Greater knowledge of the health benefits of a vegan diet and environmental impact of animal farming, says Carter, is one of the greatest driving forces. “We are realising that animal protein, at least in the volumes that we are eating it, isn’t as good for us as previously thought and it is having a huge impact on the planet.”

It is hard to separate the growing range of plant-based alternatives and the increasing number of adherents of a vegan diet, but the availability of good-quality vegan products certainly makes a shift in eating habits more accessible.

“We live in such a fast-paced world now that you have to make it easy and convenient for people to make a change.

“Many people who don’t want to go fully vegan have more meat-free options now.”

While the multiples can afford to give over large areas of shelf space to what is still something of a niche product area, independents may have fewer options when it comes to stocking plant-based lines. But, says Carter, this should not deter smaller retailers from offering their customers vegan products as the market is not just limited to vegans.

“Allplants, the plant-based ready meal delivery service report that 79% of their customers are not vegan, so it’s no longer a vegan market, it’s a market for those looking for alternatives. I would be looking at my range and thinking wherever I’m doubling up on two or three meat or dairy lines, I would be exchanging for some of the best-selling plant-based alternatives.”

A vegan diet also comes with a raft of eco-friendly credentials and environmental concerns are a huge driver of consumer behaviour.

“From what we know, 78% of people looking for plant-based are doing it for environmental reasons,” says Carter. “But you have to be looking at not just the product, but the supply chain and how it’s grown to ensure it is truly sustainable.

“Right now, it’s plant vs. animal, but soon it will be plant vs. plant.”

It’s no longer a vegan market, it’s a market for those looking for alternatives

Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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Montagnolo Affiné Award winning cheese from Bavaria

We produce hand-cooked crisps using potatoes that we grow, store and cook (using renewable energy) on our farm in Herefordshire. We then pack them in 100% compostable, plastic free bags.

“Well made, attractive cheese with a good amount of blue, rich and creamy flavour” - Judges, Great Taste Awards 2019

For a complimentary sample please email info@twofarmers.co.uk with the code ‘PLASTIC FREE’.

Available in 40g or 150g packets and 500g tins. twofarmerscrisps

ELITE IMPORTS LTD

TwoFarmersCrisps

01989 253 133

TwoFarmersHFD www.twofarmers.co.uk

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Low carb, low sugar, high fibre.

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MULTI AWARD-WINNING ARTISAN CHARCUTERIE MADE WITH PASSION IN CORNWALL WHOLESALE **** RETAIL **** FOODSERVICE

Deli Farm Charcuterie Delabole, Cornwall PL33 9BZ 01840 214106 www.delifarmcharcuterie.co.uk dfc@delifarmcharcuterie.co.uk

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

Sunday 7 March 10-4 Monday 8 March 9-5 Hall 2, YEC, Harrogate

www.gff.co.uk/ffsn showcase of the finest food & drink producers A from across the UK gathered in the north l Discover the story behind the products l Taste and try before you buy l Learn how to create in-store theatre for your customers l Maximise profits and pick up key industry trends l Take part in the Deli Kitchen demos and tastings l Prop up the bar of our pop-up pub The Jolly Tasty for talks and tastings l

gff.co.uk/ffsn

@guildoffinefood #finefoodnorth

Dark Woods Coffee is a Yorkshire based coffee roaster, providing the very best retail and wholesale coffee to the independent trade, with equipment and hands-on barista training support.

Image. Crow Tree

Panama La Huella (Cafe de Panama)

HOLME MILLS . WEST SLAITHWAITE ROAD MARSDEN . WEST YORKSHIRE . UK . HD7 6LS info@darkwoods.co.uk tel . +44 (0)1484 843141

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DARKWOODSCOFFEE.CO.UK

10% discount on your first order 20% off all online orders, quote: FFD21/8

Wicked Wolf® is Exmoor’s premium multi-award winning artisan gin.

A combination of 11 exotic botanicals creates complex layers of citrus and pepper notes, finely balanced with the distinct flavours of juniper and coriander.

A truly distinctive artisan gin.

Yorkshire Flapjack is a family business based in the Yorkshire Dales. Using our trusted recipe which has been passed down three generations we have developed a wide range of highquality artisan flapjacks using the finest ingredients. We bake our award winning flapjacks to be distributed across the UK, selling both via our online shop and also to trade.

07779023096 | yorkshireflapjack@outlook.com 72

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

The Garlic Farm

Wight collaboration

The Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight are now distributing neighbouring Briddlesford Farm Dairy’s cheese to speciality retailers.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A FINE FOOD RETAILER to know that cheese goes well with pickle and chutney. Equally, you don’t need to be a farmer, producer and brand-owner to know that collaboration and efficiency can be powerful tools for sustainability.

When the opportunity arrived, deep in the lock-down, for the garlic herd to collaborate with neighbours Briddlesford Farm Dairy, they both jumped at the chance to be more social and less distant.

Barnes Edwards, director of The Garlic Farm explains: “We’re delighted to be collaborating with Briddlesford through distribution to the retailers we have relationships with locally. We’re also including their cheese in some of our parcels to the mainland, for certain accounts, with great success. We have been inspired by the work done by Cotswold Fayre, who distribute our garlic lines. Through their B-Corp approach, they’ve measured the benefit of consolidation.”

He describes the relationship with the local dairy as follows: “We have strong ties with Briddlesford and huge respect for what they do and how they do it. We use all their different produce in our restaurant and café – their non-homogenised Guernsey milk can turn a good coffee from local supplier ‘Island Roasted’ into a moment of pure luxury! Sales of their selection of cheeses in our own farm shop has always been really consistent and whenever we put some on the farmhouse table, it’s gone in a flash.”

When asked how the arrangement came about, Barnes commented: “Historically, we have only sold our own product through our website. During lockdown, we put the farm shop into hibernation whilst the restaurant and visitor centre were temporarily closed. To prevent the loss of perishable stock from our shop, we quickly added this online and the results were extraordinary! Cheese and pickle sales, direct to consumer totally exploded from mid April.”

What does The Garlic Farm attribute the success to?

“James Martin can take some of the credit here. Natasha (Barnes’ wife) was on his show last year and he explained how much he likes Island produce so when he raved about Briddlesford’s cheese during lock-down, interest soared. It was a great example of an ‘awareness and endorsement’ boost but our customers have known for years that Briddlesford’s produce is first class. The teams from both farms quickly saw and seized the opportunity for efficiency, mechanising an instant saving on transport and delivery and adding value as well.”

From research into both farms and the families within them, there is clearly a deep synergy of process and attitude, especially on conservation and quality. Their collective heritage is strong and the shared view of deep responsibility for the countryside is clear. This stewardship is consistent with many of the producers associated with The Guild of Fine Food who create quality that is commercially successful. The two are so inextricably linked.

There have been some wonderful stories of collaboration, innovation and re-focussing emerge from the period between March and July of this year. Evidence of this has been expressed locally as well as globally. Somehow the big themes have been given space; people have either been forced to or have allowed themselves to ask the big questions.

The true and full meaning of sustainability has been investigated with more collective positivity than ever before and our move to a genuinely circular system has taken big strides.

A couple of farms coming together to save a handful of van trips does not accelerate the transition to a circular economy on a global scale.

But just as every journey begins with a single step, the Isle of Wight’s small-scale producers are attuned to the little things that collectively have big impact. If we have your empathy with this theme, more about the circular economy can be found by searching for ‘The Ellen Macarthur Foundation’ who are also based on the Island, only a few miles from our farm.

www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk 01983 865 378 wholesale@thegarlicfarm.co.uk Our full range is also available with Cotswold Fayre Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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Introducing our delightful new Villager Jim shortbread tins, filled with our all butter shortbread squares.

Smoked Trout Fillet

Free Range Dry Cured Bacon

Smoked Mussels in Oil

Sussex Cooked Ham

Multiple Award-winner

Sliced Smoked Venison

meats and cheeses created with passion, pride and care.

For our wholesale price list contact Andrew Tel: 01580 879601 Email: info@wealdsmokery.co.uk www.wealdsmokery.co.uk

www.deans.co.uk T: 01466 792086

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

Search Weald Smokery

@thewealdsmokery

FOCUS ON

foodservice

INGREDIENTS

Shifting service Innovative thinking can help keep profits up while dealing with fewer covers due to social distancing

By Tom Dale

CAFÉS AND RESTAURANTS have reopened across the UK and many have been taking advantage of the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Now the offer has ended and, with social distancing still in place, covers remain reduced. And in many cases so are profits.

One thing that can bring up the bottom line is to increase average spend, and one West Midlands farm shop is doing just that. Farmer’s Fayre has had to flip its offer in response to the change in customer base brought on by COVID-19.

“We are in a business park which previously had around 2,500 people working in it every day and now there’s only a few hundred,” says director Nicola Reece.

“Our customer base is changing daily, our marketing is changing daily and we are having to think outside the box to survive.”

Having recently launched a new menu to reflect this shift in trade with fewer fast-service items and more dining options, Reece is seeing customers fork out a little more.

“Now our customers are from off the park and are looking to come and have a proper meal with us, we’ve made the menu much more versatile – they can have a proper steak or just a toastie,” she says. “People are spending more time with us, too, and where our average spend was around £8 when we were in the fast-moving lunch trade, now it’s £10-12.”

While expanding the menu and encouraging a longer stay is working at Farmer’s Fayre, on the Rhug Estate in Denbighshire, North Wales, owner Lord Newborough is taking the opposite approach.

Before lockdown, the business operated a bistro-style restaurant, The Bison Grill, but Lord Newborough has adjusted to reflect what customers wanted from indoor

dining with coronavirus still present.

“We had to assess our customers’ needs and my concern was trading for the future – I think we are going to go into one of the world’s biggest ever recessions,” he says.

“To have bums on the seats for an extended period in a bistro would be costly. I thought it would be more appropriate to be able to turn our tables faster and offer a sort of ‘Pret A Manger-plus’ type of fare.”

The kitchen has been scaled back – negating the need for expensive chefs – and the eatery rebranded as Café Rhug, offering salads, pasta, quiches, ‘easy dining’, and a range of off-the-shelf items such as sandwiches and muffins to try to make up for the slash in potential indoor covers from 90 to 45.

“Costs are down, customer turnover is quicker and more important than anything is what appears on the bottom line,” says Lord Newborough. “We have the takeaway offering hot food like burgers, curries and chillies and the drive-thru for a contact-free service, and having the café open reduces some of the strain on these outlets.”

For those with even fewer options as far as seating is concerned, some innovative thinking is required. Buckinghamshire-based deli No.2 Pound Street has had its covers cut by 80% from around 40 to only eight over just two tables

More important than anything is what appears on the bottom line

outside, but, the shop’s director, James Grant says he is launching a project to boost the offer.

“We’ve invested £3,000 in expanding our outdoor area. We’ve bought four branded gazebos and some authentic bierkeller tables which can seat eight people.”

These will be placed on the marketplace which sits opposite No.2 and will allow those who want the sit-down experience to be able to enjoy the lunches, platters and tastings the deli offers.

“We went for gazebos to allow people to eat outside and feel safer, but then – as we live in the UK – if it starts raining we’re covered.”

Launching new concepts and being versatile has been the flavour of 2020, and Stoneleigh-based Farmer’s Fayre is no exception. “Pre lockdown we were renovating our garden for corporate events,” says Reece, “and one thing we invested in was a wood-fired oven which we weren’t planning on using day-today. Now, though, we are making fresh pizzas on Wednesdays and Saturdays and we’re also using it to cook briskets and short ribs and have added them to the weekly menu.”

Alongside this, the farm shop has added “higher spend luxury items” such as picnic boxes, pub lunches and afternoon teas to the menu to try and push the spend up even more and offer something for everyone.

“We’ve got such a mix of customers right now it’s hard to pinpoint what is right, but what we’re trying to do is stay versatile and get as much spend as possible within different people’s budgets,” says Reece.

Whatever you do, ensuring you are flexible and offering your customers what they want – whether they are old or new – is key to operating profitably in these unique times.

Fresh herbs and ingredients supplier R&G FRESH (previously known as R&G Herbs) has undertaken a major rebrand.

The company has expanded its product range, now selling more than just herbs, so they needed an umbrella brand that would encompass both fresh herbs and their other ingredients.

The company supplies fresh-cut soft herbs, hard herbs, chillies and other ingredients to the foodservice trade. rgfresh.co.uk Earlier this year Henley Bridge Ingredients became the UK distributor for Norohy Vanilla Beans.

Ethically sourced from eastern Madagascar’s Maroantsetra and Mananara regions, the premium, non-split, organic vanilla beans have an aromatic profile sought after by pastry chefs, with a high vanillin content and intense woody and floral aromas.

With a shelf life of up to 24 months, Norohy Vanilla Beans come in 125g and 250g packs. hbingredients.co.uk Plant-based meat brand Jack & Bry has refreshed its branding as the company announced it has sold 20 million jackfruit pepperoni slices since it’s 2019 UK launch.

Jack & Bry, which makes a range of jackfruit-based meat alternatives including pepperoni, chorizo, ham, bacon, sausages burgers, beefy mince, meatballs, chicken nuggets, tuna and fish fingers, has partnerships with Zizzi and Papa John’s. jackandbry.com

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Rougette Bavarian Red Multi-award winning cheese: creamy, mild and buttery

SUPREME CHAMPION The Great Yorkshire Show 2015

ELITE IMPORTS LTD

www.elite-imports-limited.co.uk

& the charcuterie golden fork award 2019

smoked mutton

rampisham tingler salami

chorizo

Guanciale

Dorset Coppa

air-dried pork loin

uphall farmhouse air-dried ham

Pork & Wild Venison Pepperoni

dorset Rosette salami

A family owned West Dorset charcuterie producer working with chefs and retailers s ince 2009

www.capreolusfinefoods.co.uk | 01935 83883 76

September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

FOCUS ON

foodservice

FROM THE DELI KITCHEN

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES

SIMPLE RECIPES TO BOOST YOUR MARGINS

POMEGRANATE BBQ SAUCE A firm favourite for any BBQ, this sauce is great used as a basting sauce while you’re grilling – or as a magic marinade. Because of the fabulously piquant pomegranate molasses, a quick marinade of half an hour will be as effective as an overnight one. Chicken pieces, steaks, sausages, butternut wedges and halloumi will all get a lift from this.

Prep time: 15mins Cook time: 0mins Makes: 250ml

Ingredients: 100ml pomegranate molasses 4tbsp ketchup 4tbsp soy sauce 4tbsp honey 1tsp dijon mustard 1tsp garlic powder 1tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1tbsp sesame oil 1tbsp sesame seeds Method: • Mix together the ingredients and place in a sterilized bottle.

• Keep in the fridge for up to one month, use as desired.

Recipe by Jules Mercer for Fine Food Digest

Horticulture services company phs Greenleaf has launched a new range of products to support food and retail businesses to implement social distancing and hygiene measures. The dividers and sanitiser dispensers are decorated with either real or fake plants to make the fittings more aesthetically pleasing and seem less intrusive.

The range includes ‘freewalls’ – mobile dividers for seating or queueing areas (pictured), planters which double as directional signage and planters with embedded hand sanitising units. phsgreenleaf.co.uk Campaign group A Plastic Planet has teamed up with sustainable packaging brand Reel to create the world’s first plasticfree PPE. Made with cellulose from wood pulp, the clear visors are a completely compostable alternative to masks and visors while the cardboard head strap is recyclable.

The visor is also “anti-fog” which, the manufacturer claims, makes it suitable for kitchen or factory environments.

In collaboration with TerraCycle, Reel provides specific disposal units to handle the products once used. reelshieldflip.com

Sean Callitz

Sponsored by Tracklements

A condiment for every meal

Launched this year by travel accessories brand Cabeau, Cabeau Tape is a solution to prevent fogged-up glasses caused by wearing a face covering.

The medical-grade tape can be reused and the brand claims it increases the safety of face masks. cabeau.com Vol.21 Issue 8 | September 2020

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Made in the heart of the Lake District, our luxury, award winning ice creams, sorbets and vegan ice creams are available in a variety of sizes.

Double Jersery

www.brecklandorchard.co.uk

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September 2020 | Vol.21 Issue 8

01539 721211

Thunder & Lightening

| www.englishlakesicecream.co.uk

SHELF TALK Street food brand expands with coffee, tea and hot sauce ranges

By Tom Dale

Hidden Street Food has expanded its range of pastes and sauces with the launch of a range of six speciality single-origin coffees, five chai blends and two fiery hot sauces.

The company was founded by a family with food in their DNA, the Kalams. “We are a closeknit family and are all wildly passionate about food,” said son Adam Kalam. “My dad, Abdul, started working in a large Indian restaurant immediately after leaving Bangladesh for the UK and he fell in love with Indian cooking in a big way.”

The family managed multiple restaurants and, after repeated requests from customers for their recipes, decided to launch Hidden Street Food. “The idea was really simple,” said Kalam, “channel the best street food flavours we had into something people could play around with at home.”

Now, matriarch Alfa and Abdul develop the range of sauces and pastes – incorporating a bit of healthy competition between the couple

over who has the best recipes – with help from Adam and the knowledge he has picked up on his travels. Meanwhile, daughter Malika and son Imran are the company’s resident chai and coffee experts respectively.

Authenticity of flavour is important to the brand, said Kalam as well as its relationship with small retailers. “Independents are incredibly important to our business. They’ve truly helped spur on our creativity and supported our unique range,” he said.

“Often, once we’ve created a new sauce recipe idea, I’ll be round to a few of our local farm shops to test it out with the owners, staff and their customers before rolling it out for full production.”

The brand’s range of speciality grade coffee – Colombia La Laguna Reserva, Costa Rican Tarrazú San Luis, Honduran Aldea Capucas, Indian Monsooned Malabar, Indonesian Sumatran Mandheling, Kenyan Zawadi Peaberry (200g) – is freshly roasted before delivery and has an RRP of £6.25 (trade: £4.50, 6x200g).

The new chai tea range – Indian Chai Latte, Kashmiri Pink Chai, Nepalese Chai Masala, Sri Lankan Cinnamon Chai, Bengali Vanilla Chai – is packaged in cartons of 15 biodegradable tea pyramids.

RRP £5.25 (trade: £3.95 6x15bags).

Also recently added to the range are two chilli sauces, Bengali Naga & Mango Sauce and Trinidadian Scorpion Chilli & Pineapple Sauce. Both cost £3.95 to the trade with an RRP of £5.25. hiddenstreetfood.co.uk

WHAT’S NEW African-tropical food brand Olu Olu Foods has developed a range of crisps for the international market.

The range of plantain chips includes green and yellow plantain in both sweet and spicy variants.

A case of 24 packs costs £15.99, 12 packs, £8.99 and six packs, £5.19 oluolufoods.com Dorset-based preserves brand The Cherry Tree has expanded it’s online ‘one-stop deli shop’ due to a surge in sales during lockdown.

It is now stocking new lines including tailor-made coffee blends, savoury scones, afternoon tea for two boxes and their own selection packs of preserves – Cherry Tree Favourites, Cheese Lovers and Chilli Lovers. cherrytreepreserves.co.uk Big Wave Brands has launched two new products incorporating the tropical flavours of pineapple, ginger, and scotch bonnet chillies. Spirit of Aloha 65 is both a hot sauce and a neutral grain spirit (27%ABV) A 70 cl bottle of Spirit of Aloha 65 spirit has a trade price from £13.50 - £15.50 (RRP £22) and the hot sauce, £2.45 (RRP £3.50). aloha65.com

Distributor in partnership with zero-waste supplier and said: “Reducing plastic is very important to us. The display has enabled us to swap previously packaged goods into a loose format, saving shelf space, waste and of course packaging.”

Catherine Conway, founder of Unpackaged said: “We can’t wait to combine our expertise with Cotswold Fayre to help independent retailers offer a truly sustainable shopping experience to their customers.” cotswold-fayre.co.uk

An Unpackaged unit in use at The Farm Stratford

The Farm Stratford

Ahmad Tea has launched its Great Taste award-winning range of whole leaf teas in 100% biodegradable, plastic-free pyramid tea bags, adding eight new blends.

The new lines comprise Royal Chai, Apple & Vanilla Crumble, Cacao & Honey Truffle, Salted Caramel Macarons, Peppermint & Fennel Cleanse, Lemon & Turmeric Defence, Mixed Berry Boost, Supreme Lemon & Matcha.

The range of 18 different blends is available now. RRP £4.25 per pack of 15. ahmadtea.com

Wholesaler Cotswold Fayre has launched a new partnership with zero-waste specialist Unpackaged to offer farm shops and food halls a unique one-stop solution, called UnpackagedAT, to help reduce plastic packaging in store.

Unpackaged specialises in retail refill systems and offers an advisory service to guide retailers through the installation process and use.

Cotswold Fayre will offer retailers more than 40 different bulk-buy SKUs including nuts, dried fruits, pulses, grains and sweet treats such as yoghurt covered raisins and chocolates.

“In addition to the obvious packaging and food waste benefits that the UnpackagedAT system offers, I was particularly impressed with the ongoing retailer support,” said Paul Hargreaves, CEO of Cotswold Fayre.

“Our ethos is to work in partnership with retailers and suppliers, so the joint initiative is a perfect fit.”

Oliver Stubbins, general manager at Welbeck Farm Shop has been operating an UnpackagedAT unit for two-and-a-half years

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Small Batch, Single Origin Peanut Butters This liquid gold is made fresh to order by sisters Evie & Eliza at NutShed HQ. No added oil, especially no palm oil.

Slather on toast & into brownies, truffles & satays or enjoy straight from the jar!

Interested in stocking NutShed? Contact us at Sales@nutshed.ie for retail and wholesale enquiries.

Welsh Rapeseed Oil Benefits include: Cold-pressed to protect and enhance the oil’s goodness and quality.

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Good viscosity for cold dishes such as dressings and dips.

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SHELF TALK MEET THE PRODUCER

WHAT’S NEW KVIST is a new Nordic-inspired premium non-alcoholic spirit. Distilled with eight botanicals including juniper, silver birch and rhubarb root, it comes in two varieties: Classica and Rosa (RRP £12-14, 70cl). It is made by distilling the macerated botanicals in neutral grain spirit and water before the alcohol is removed, which the company says ensures the juniper flavour is retained. kvistspirit.com

Eliza Jones is the founder of CHOSAN – a company with ethics and healthy living at its core that is bringing the fruits and flavours of West Africa to the UK in its range of drinks, sorbets and now jams and spreads flavours, providing consumers with unusual and intriguing taste experiences. We make healthier products – our exotic ingredients have health and nutritional benefits and we avoid all additives and preservatives – and are “cleaner”, with much shorter ingredient lists than many others on the market.

What were you doing before you launched Chosan?

I worked as a programme manager for a UKbased international health charity, and when I was made redundant at the end of 2010, I felt I needed a career change after spending more than 25 years working in international development. I’d always had a long term vision of supporting women in The Gambia, so it was natural that I should combine my interest in healthy eating with my first-hand experience of food and drink made from the fresh fruits and plants I grew up with and use this to support the country’s women food producers. It took a gentle nudge from a good friend to get started, but I began making hibiscus drinks and selling them at local farmers’ markets around summer 2011.

What was the inspiration behind launching your latest lines – baobab jams and spreads?

Visiting friends, knowing my interest in baobab, brought me a jar of baobab jam made in Mozambique. After trying it I saw the potential for a much wider range of products and set about developing the different flavours.

What is the best thing about being a small business?

You can organise your own work, and you spend time doing something you enjoy that interests and motivate you.

Why did you decide to launch the brand?

Back in 2010, healthy soft drink ranges were quite limited and I missed the exotic flavours of my childhood. I was also interested in a different approach to making a difference and improving the quality of life of poor people. I am a passionate believer in healthy food and drink and felt there was a market for different exotic fruit and plant flavours that were also naturally healthy, made with minimal simple processing, free from additives and preservatives, and organic. Even better if the ingredients are fairly traded and sourced sustainably. So, I started as a sole trader, small business and social enterprise to do all three. A proportion of Chosan’s profits go towards supporting women food producers in The Gambia.

You need to believe in yourself to be able to keep going when things get tough

…and the worst?

It can be quite solitary and feel very risky.

Rollagranola Keto Caveman Granola is a grainfree, premium granola that contains chunky nuts, seeds and fruits.

A plant-based, glutenfree granola is aimed at those following a paleo, keto, vegan or gluten-free lifestyle. The packaging is entirely recyclable, and Rollagranola also supply their lines direct to zerowaste stores. rollagranola.com

What is next for Chosan?

We want to grow our market and reach more people.

We are working on bringing out new hibiscus and baobab products and we are looking into working more collaboratively with other businesses and organisations to support women food producers in Africa chosanbynature.co.uk

Spirit of Hemp says its Pure Hemp Tea can be used to promote “a sense of calm, focus or to prepare for a great night’s sleep”.

The main compounds found in the organic tea are cannabinoid CBDa (cannabidiolic acid), flavonoids and terpenes. The product contains no THC and has no psychotropic effects.

It comes in tea bag (15 bags) and loose leaf (25g) formats. Both are packaged in a rose gold tin and have an RRP of £12.99 (trade, £8.10). spiritofhemp.com

Pictures: Sadie @BigFishPhotography.com

What is the biggest lesson you have learned since starting the business?

You need to believe in yourself to be able to keep going when things get tough.

You can’t do everything entirely on your own, so you need a good support network of family, friends or business contacts.

What makes your products stand out from others on the market?

A combination of different features. Our products are premium and only contain natural, minimally processed ingredients.

Our signature ingredients – hibiscus and baobab – give them unique, distinctive

Proving that you can never be too old to enjoy marshmallows or advent calendars, Grown Up Marshmallows has combined the two. Its advent calendars have a cube of handmade marshmallow behind every window in flavours such as Sicilian lemon, salted peanut & caramel, and raspberry chocolate drizzle. The calendars are also 100% recyclable, with biodegradable trays. grownupmarshmallows.co.uk

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Bottlebrush Ferments produce 3-star Great Taste Award winning Kimchi and other amazing fermented foods.

Created by a health coach and a chef, Bottlebrush Ferments produce deliciously healthy foods that add an instant hit of flavour and colour to any dish. Used as a condiment or as a focal point of the meal, it goes just as well in a vegan Buddah bowl as it does on a burger or a cheese board.

www.bottlebrushferments.com

Artisan crafted gin range

Unique small batch spirits with AmaZing stories It’s all in the taste!!

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NORDISH KNUT HANSEN GIN SAILED IN FROM HAMBURG Characterful & Engaging from the Bottle to the Spirit.

www.nascorporation.co 82

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Caithness Smokehouse is a cottage industry run by John Inglis who has perfected his craft using natural and traditional methods.

We only use the highest quality locally produced products which are available to the discerning market that requires only the best!

info@caithness-smokehouse.com | 01847 635007

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DELI OF THE MONTH The Stokes family has been running Farndon Fields Farm Shop for more than three decades, making changes to the business only when it was right for them. That was until coronavirus forced them to react quickly.

Interview by Lauren Phillips Photography by Richard Faulks

Preparing a Plan C(ovid) FARNDON FIELDS FARM SHOP of Market Harborough, Leicestershire, is an impressive enterprise. The shop has been running for more than 30 years and, in that time, it has grown from a converted garage into a sizable mock barn-style outlet with a turnover of £4.9m.

It’s little wonder it earned the title of Farm Shop of the Year in the Guild of Fine Food’s Shop of the Year awards 2020.

The business was founded by Kevin and Milly Stokes in 1985 and since then the pair have slowly developed the operation into what it is today – but on their terms.

“Over the years, my parents have gained the confidence and experience to know that doing something their way is the best way and not to feel pressured by competition or the economic climate to act quickly,” their daughter Nicola Squires (née Stokes) tells FFD.

In 2018, her visionary parents completed a major refit of the shop floor, which was spearheaded by Milly, a former interior designer for department stores and restaurants across the Midlands.

It took two years of planning before the project could start, with the family even creating a chart outlining each step of the development.

“We were trying to mitigate as many things as possible going wrong and reduce stress for our customers, staff and the builders working on the project,” says Squires who, after growing up with the business, joined full time in 2013 as marketing and branding manager.

But a global pandemic can pull the rug from under even the most seasoned retailers, and the subsequent nationwide lockdown in March left little room to prepare for every eventuality.

“We had about a week to plan what we were going to do before lockdown officially kicked in.”

Like many retailers at the beginning of the outbreak, Farndon Fields’s had to do the opposite of what it had done for the last 35 years – react quickly to an ever-changing situation and pivot the entire operation overnight.

The Farmer’s Kitchen was forced to close, with café staff redeployed to the shop floor or the home delivery and collection service that was swiftly set up in response to consumer demand. On the shop floor, protective screens were installed at the tills, hand sanitiser was made readily available, and a one-way system was implemented.

Instead of face masks, all staff across the business began wearing clear plastic face

VITAL STATISTICS

Location: Farndon Fields Farm, Farndon Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9NP Turnover: £4.9 million Sales split: 74% Farm Shop, 26% Cafe Number of staff: 75 - 80 Number of retail lines: 7,000 84

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Nicola Squires

shields. “It was important that customers could still see their faces and smiles,” says Squires. “It can be unnerving for customers if all the staff are wearing masks.”

One of the busiest areas on the shop floor is the deli counter which, aside from prepackaged and cut-to-order artisan cheeses and cured meats, also offers a selection of pork pies, sausage rolls, pasties, and salad bowls prepared by the shop’s production kitchen. There is also an eye-catching display of desserts, fudge, and macarons made by the in-house pastry chef.

It’s this offering – plus freshly made sandwiches, rolls, and wraps – that has attracted a busy lunchtime trade to the deli counter. Demand has grown during lockdown, too, driven by the café’s closure and an increase in local customers (now working from home) visiting the farm shop on their lunch breaks during the working week.

“People’s work-life balance has changed in lockdown,” says Squires. “40- to 50-year-olds, who would normally commute to and from London in the week, are visiting us Monday to Friday – not just on the weekends.”

Balancing customer demand at peak shopping times with social distancing has been a challenge, though. The farm shop has tried to navigate this with signage and floor markings encouraging the two-metre distancing rule at the deli counter and across the entire retail space.

But now, Squires says, they have had to accept that there will always be some sort of queue at the deli counter during busier times of the day.

“We have had to compromise on serving time,” she says. “There is now usually a queue for the deli because we’re only able to serve one person at a time, but most customers have been patient and understanding.”

Not only has the lunchtime trade grown, but sales of essential items have skyrocketed during lockdown. From mid-March to the end of May, the Stokes family saw a 360% increase in sales of milk, a 188% increase in sales of eggs, and a huge 4,800% increase in flour sales.

The farm shop’s average basket spend has risen, too. From mid-March to mid-August this year, the average spend was £33.50. For the same months last year, it was £18.60.

This is not just generated by existing customers, either. New customers, who were let down by supermarkets struggling to keep up with demand, have been discovering the farm shop for the first time.

The Stokes have been able to measure the number of new shoppers through the shop’s loyalty card scheme. Since March, around 700 customers have signed up for the card – the biggest increase since the scheme was introduced.

“There were quite a few people using our home delivery service, but they didn’t really know us,” says Squires. “After the panic settled down, they felt confident enough to come into the shop and find out about what else we do and what we offer.”

Exclusive member-only events, which run twice a year, encourage shoppers to sign up to the scheme and the farm shop ran its first one this summer to celebrate its 35th anniversary.

During these events, loyalty card members can get special offers on products and redeem double the points they’ve earned.

“We only do two a year so we have enough time to plan with our suppliers and make it more exclusive for customers,” she says. “If we did it often it wouldn’t feel as special and I don’t think the system would feel as valued.”

MUST-STOCKS Freshly squeezed orange juice Farndon Fields homegrown strawberries and raspberries Previns Naan Breads Local Leicestershire honey Farndon Fields strawberry jam Stokes Real Mayonnaise RJ’s Licorice Brixworth paté Farndon Fields homemade pork sausage roll Farndon Fields homemade pork pie Diforti Italian pastries Heygates flour Farndon Fields homemade fruit scones Langton Brewery Inclined Plane Bitter Favola Prosecco

CONTINUED ON PAGE 86

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DELI OF THE MONTH The pandemic might have boosted footfall to the shop but there is one demographic that hasn’t been making the trip. Elderly and retired customers, who were once the regulars on a weekday pre-lockdown, have turned to the farm shop’s home delivery and car park collection service.

In the first week of lockdown, the farm shop took 600 orders which rose to 950 by the second week and remained between 800-900 for several weeks afterwards.

As restrictions have eased, that has since come down to 200-300 orders per week which are predominantly made by elderly couples.

While not visiting the shop (and not making those in-store impulse purchases), these couples are still spending £40-50 on their weekly food shop with the farm.

Food orders have been taken over the phone by some of the redeployed café staff, making it easier to upsell and manage expectations if an item is low in stock.

“The café team are used to remembering orders in a fast-paced environment,” says Squires, “so naturally they’re very good at working efficiently and politely.”

At the height of lockdown, the café was cleared of tables and chairs to make room for the delivery service’s picking and packing lines.

Now, the space has returned to almost its original state (albeit socially distanced) – with only a small area reserved to continue food orders.

The Farmer’s Kitchen reopened on Tuesday 11th August, the day before FFD spoke to Squires and a good month after all cafés, bars and restaurants were permitted to reopen in the UK. But Farndon Fields held off reopening its café right away because of the local lockdown in nearby Leicester.

“We were a 20-minute drive from the lockdown perimeter,” she says. “We didn’t want to jump the gun if potentially we had to lockdown again and, because we were so close, we didn’t want to encourage people to come out when they shouldn’t be.”

Those customers living within the lockdown perimeter were ringing up the business to ask if they could still shop there.

“They could for essential shopping, but they needed to take precautions,” she says.

“We recommended that they did an order for

collection instead so they didn’t have to come into the shop, which quite a few people took us up on.”

Despite a turbulent year, one event the farm shop can prepare for is Christmas. A lot of the grocery buying has already been done for the busy trading season, but Squires predicts there will be some change in consumer shopping patterns this year.

“I think we’ll see fewer orders of whole turkeys and more orders of smaller pre-prepared joints as smaller gatherings meet at Christmas this year instead of the usual big family meetups.”

They are also looking at how to adapt the ordering service and make it as efficient as possible.

“We need to work out how that’s best going to work for customers and for us,” she says.

“Where are we going to do those orders? Farmer’s Kitchen was our ordering space. We’ve got a smaller corner of it that we’re still using but that won’t suffice in December.”

However Christmas will look at Farndon Fields, you can bet there will be a well-thoughtout plan behind it. farndonfields.co.uk

People’s worklife balance has changed. 40- to 50-year-olds are visiting us Monday to Friday, not just on the weekends.

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Christmas is coming and Meridian Sea Limited have just the products for you to enhance your display.

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We offer small minimum orders and a special discount off your first delivery.

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GUILD TALK

View from HQ

By John Farrand managing director

THE FARRAND FAMILY are supporting the ‘Staycation’. I’m sat here in sunny Norfolk (the rest of the week has been soggy) and like most of the population finally feeling comfortable enough to have time away from the office and confident enough to leave our postcode.

Not a relaxing holiday, mind.

Our children are 16 and 18 and that equals a double whammy of exam

news from the guild of fine food results kerfuffle. I don’t have the word count here to relate the ups and downs and huge frustration felt by a generation in this national algorithmic mess. The only good thing that it did was pose the musical question: how could ACDC become ABBA within 48 hours?

For most of us with our own businesses it is tricky to switch off in a normal year, setting apart what we have all endured in 2020, and that doesn’t help the holiday mood.

We’re away with old friends who have a wedding venue business and inevitably talk shop now and then as there’s some shared food and drink politics to chew over.

We’re also exposed to the good, the bad and the ugly in pubs, tea rooms, restaurants and shops on our various trips dodging rain clouds.

There’s the coffee shop that needs someone on the door to monitor customer numbers as the queue outside is huge and no one is quite sure whether they should be grabbing that empty table or not.

Face masks in takeaways? Everyone has a different policy. Then there’s

The Word on Westminster

By Edward Woodall ACS

WESTMINSTER HAS BEEN empty over the summer as parliamentarians return to their constituencies for the summer break. But Whitehall is still awash with activity from officials closely monitoring infection rates, poised to implement the Government’s 'whack-a-mole' strategy by applying local restrictions to stave off a second wave.

These local restrictions' primary aim is the preservation of public health, but the government is also busy crunching numbers about the impact of coronavirus on the economy and totting up how much they have spent on economic life support. This means the Chancellor is deliberating some difficult choices for his autumn budget;

borrow more to stimulate the economy? Increase taxes? Which industries command the most support?

The Chancellor would do well not to forget food retailers, especially smaller retailers that have become increasingly relevant to consumers during the outbreak.

The budget needs to bolster confidence in Britain’s food supply chains for both a potential second wave and no-deal Brexit.

One long-standing problem is business rates. The COVID rates relief will run out in April 2021 and the unsolved problems of business rates will return. It is an important source of income for the government, but this is all the more reason to secure its future by reforming the tax to reflect the changing nature of our economy and more efficient use of property.

The government must seek to taper the COVID business rates holiday

the pub with the most impressive table ordering app. And my, the table service. A jolly young man who engaged, chatted, and declared that he missed the banter that has inevitably gone from a busy bar.

We’ve become so wrapped up with policy that we've forgotten about customer service And that’s the point made by my wedding organiser chum.

We’ve all become so wrapped up with Government direction and policy that we have forgotten about customer service. We went back to that pub and avoided the coffee shop and takeaway. No surprise there, perhaps, but they’ll be banking our COVID-compromised holiday budget and will still be in business when we head back in 2021. they have implemented to avoid big cliff edges in April and use this time to reduce the overall burden of property tax on bricks-andmortar businesses.

The Chancellor also needs to look at how to stimulate the labour market. Each week we are seeing large retail businesses lay off employees to slash costs. There is a strong case for the government to review employer NIC rates to reduce the cost of employing people, and they must also look again at plans to increase statutory wage rates to over £10 per hour by 2024. COVID has put an end to the sustained economic growth that raising wage rates was based on.

We are drafting our submission to the Treasury now on these points and many more, and we would like to hear your views on what more the Chancellor can do.

Edward Woodall is head of policy & public affairs at small shops group ACS edward.woodall@acs.org.uk

Results imminent It may have delayed proceedings but coronavirus has not stopped Great Taste from forging ahead, with the 2020 results set to be announced during the week commencing 21st September.

Over the course of the last three months, more than 12,900 products have been assessed – and this was all made possible due to a mammoth effort from the Guild of Fine Food’s team and plenty of willing judges.

Before lockdown was declared in the UK, only one normal judging week took place. The Guild developed a new remote system that saw judges working in small groups over Zoom to get through products. Just under 6,500 entries were judged via this system.

By mid July, judges were back in the rooms – at both the Guild’s Dorset HQ and its office in London – to tackle the remaining products, with social distancing and safety measures in place (see below).

A big thanks to all of the entrants for bearing with us and, of course, to our team of judges.

The Great Taste judging room in its post-lockdown splendour

The Guild of Fine Food represents fine food shops and specialist suppliers. Want to join them?

GENERAL ENQUIRIES Guild of Fine Food Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB UK Tel: +44 (0) 1747 825200 Fax: +44 (0) 1747 824065 info@gff.co.uk gff.co.uk

THE GUILD TEAM: Managing director: John Farrand Marketing director: Tortie Farrand Sales director: Sally Coley Operations director: Christabel Cairns

Sales manager: Ruth Debnam Sales executives: Becky Haskett Sam Coleman Operations manager: Karen Price Operations assistants: Claire Powell, Meredith White, Hugo Morisetti

gff.co.uk

Events manager: Stephanie HareWinton Events assistant: Sophie Brentnall Financial controller: Stephen Guppy Accounts manager: Denise Ballance Accounts assistant: Julie Coates

Chairman: Bob Farrand Director: Linda Farrand

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w ne Enrobed in pure white wax, Truffle Trove™ is the luxurious combination of exquisite Black Summer Truffles sourced from Italy with expertly graded and carefully crafted Extra Mature Cheddar, produced in North Wales. The result is an unrivalled aroma which delivers a perfectly balanced flavour on the palate with undertones of wild mushroom, earthy hazelnut and notes of garlic.

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