FOOD & DRINK

A small-scale, sustainable sardine fishery in Cornwall has won the backing of the UK’s largest retailer, Tesco, with the launch of a sardine product marking the first time the Cornish sardine is being canned in the UK for sale within the domestic market.

The launch of the new Tesco Cornish sardine product follows a remarkable turnaround for the fishery after pilchards were rebranded as Cornish sardines in the 1990s later becoming certified as sustainable to the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) Fisheries Standard in 2010.

The Cornish sardine fishery is made up of 15 vessels under 15m in length, usually consisting of a skipper and two crew. The vessels, which use ring nets, leave from Newlyn, Mevagissey, Falmouth and Plymouth from the start of the season in July through to February.

One of the fishermen, Tom Pascoe, says: “This fishery has been a huge success and we want to ensure it goes on as much as possible. It’s fantastic to have this new Tesco product in store and the backing of a major retailer.”

While MSC labelled sardines have previously been available in UK supermarkets, they have mostly been sold fresh on fish counters, or in frozen or chilled packs. Most sardines consumed in the UK are sold in a can and the vast majority of canned sardines sold in UK supermarkets come from Morocco from a fishery that has not yet gained MSC certification.

In order to start canning this new product in the UK, Tesco has worked closely with International Fish Canners, which has been involved in the fish processing business for over four generations and remains the only fish canning plant in the UK.

Carmen Stone, buying manager for packaged food at Tesco, explains: “Together with our supply partners, Interfish and International Fish Canners, as well as support from MSC, we’ve been working behind the scenes to help our Cornish fishermen and create a wholly British supply chain for Cornish sardines.

“They really are a versatile, costeffective lunchtime option, and thanks to their MSC certification, customers can be reassured they’re playing their part in helping to promote healthy and sustainable marine environments.”

Sardines, or pilchards as they were previously known, have been fished in Cornwall for 500 years and at the beginning of the twentieth century there were dozens of plants salting pilchards in Cornwall supplying the booming Italian, Spanish and French market. But by the 1980s, with alternatives of fresh and frozen fish, little pilchard fishing took place due to limited market opportunities. In the 1990s, ring nets replaced drift nets and pilchards were rebranded as sardines which led to a rise in demand.

In 2007, under the EU’s protected names scheme, the name ‘Cornish sardine’ was granted the Product of Geographical Indication (PGI) status, meaning that sardines can only carry that name if the fish are caught within six miles of the Cornish coast, landed and processed within the Duchy of Cornwall or the port of Plymouth.

MSC UK & Ireland programme director, George Clark, says: “Cornish sardine fishermen have been looking for this kind of support from UK retailers for a number of years and it is fantastic to see that Tesco have now put their catch on the canned aisle shelf at hundreds of stores.

“The Cornish sardine has an incredible history, a story that goes back centuries, and at one point the preserving of sardines was the bedrock of the local economy for fishing communities in the south west. The canning or preservation of Cornish sardines is as relevant now as it was back then, with the introduction of this new product.”

The Cornish sardine is currently the only MSC certified source of the species (Sardina pilchardus) worldwide. To be certified as sustainable a fishery must fulfil three core principles: the fish stocks must be at a level that fishing can continue, the environmental impact must be minimised and the fishery must be well managed.

North Cornwall-based drinks brand, Pentire Drinks, has secured a £500k equity investment from the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF) as part of a £3 million funding round.

The CIOSIF investment, along with matchfunding from private investors, will be used to grow the team by creating ten new positions over the next three years along with expanding multiple areas of the business.

Pentire is a direct-to-consumer led, omnichannel business with its non-alcoholic botanical spirits championed by chefs across Cornwall and the UK, including Rick Stein, Nathan Outlaw, Paul Ainsworth and Emily Scott. The company’s products can also be found in Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, Fenwick, The Pig Hotels, Soho House Group, Daylesford and Planet Organic.

The business has created Pentire Seward and Pentire Adrift, which are made by distilling plants native to the local coastline. Pentire is also a certified B-Corp business and donates proceeds to the Blue Marine Foundation.

Co-founder, Alistair Frost, said: “The non-alcoholic spirits sector is thriving and Pentire is growing along with it. We’re well on the way to becoming an easily recognisable brand and this funding will enable us to continue this rate of growth and put Pentire firmly in the drinks cabinets of people across the globe.”

St Ives Brewery has opened new, larger premises on the Marsh Lane Industrial Estate in Hayle.

Having secured significant investment, a new brewery and tap room has been built in Hayle, with a capacity for 40,000 litres, or 80,000 bottles of beer a week.

MD Marco Amura said: “We have always been ambitious and single minded in perfecting the art of brewing. We believe that the market for high quality craft beer is still growing and we want to grow with it. We want to provide a home for beer enthusiasts locally and help to share Cornwall with a wider audience.”

St Ives Brewery started over a decade ago and is no stranger to big projects. Its original home in St Ives was shaped from an old toilet block, but it has continued to grow, rebranding and launching and launching a new website over the last couple of years.

The new facility features a state-of-the-art brewery with bottling and canning facilities. The brewery is a four vessel brewhouse with integrated fermentation tank farm.

The latest edition of the south west’s original fine dining guide has been published.

For 30 years, the Trencherman’s Guide has revealed the most notable dining experiences in the south west, including places to dine and stay.

Over its three-decade history, the guide has tracked the careers of some of the region’s most notable chefs – from Michael Caines MBE to Nathan Outlaw.

The 30th edition features 116 Trencherman’s member restaurants spanning from Cornwall to the Cotswolds. Restaurants are only invited into the guide on meeting strict scoring criteria based on AA, The Good Food Guide and Michelin Guide ratings, along with grading visits by experienced Trencherman’s food journalists.

Trencherman’s chairman, Michael Caines, said: “This 30th edition is a fantastic opportunity to look back at the progress that’s been made in the south west dining scene over the last 30 years.

“I think what’s driven the success of the south west as one of the UK’s leading areas for restaurants and hospitality (and why people like to visit) is our connection with the produce grown and reared here.

“We also have a fantastic food community and a wealth of talent – both chefs and service staff. And when you combine those with the natural beauty of the place, it’s no coincidence the south west hospitality scene is buzzing.”

Truro-based Skinner’s Brewery has ceased trading. The brewery, which was founded in 1997, called in the administrators last month.

Owner Steve Skinner said in a message posted on Twitter: “Our strong hope is that a buyer can be found, and that the brewery in some form will continue to be part of life in Cornwall for many years to come.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff, stockists, suppliers, the ‘Skinner’s Beer Tribe’ and the whole community for so many years of steadfast support.”

Bishop Fleming has been appointed administrator.