Contributors: Nick Baines, Patrick McGuigan, Greg Pitcher, Lynda Searby
opportunities@gff.co.uk
Sales and publishing director: Sally Coley
Senior sales account manager: Becky Haskett
Sales executive: Henry Coley
Sales support: Tamsin Bullock
I no longer baulk at the idea of sending cards or buying a tree at the end of November
By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox, deputy editor
For once, I’ll gladly admit that the saying is true. Christmas does come around faster every year.
At my previous job, I was the office Ebenezer Scrooge. I rolled my eyes when my colleagues whooped at the first Christmas song on the radio in early November, or exclaimed that ‘this is my first mince pie of the year’, or – God forbid – suggested that we set a date to wear Christmas jumpers to work.
Little did I know that I would soon be writing for a magazine that publishes a Christmas issue at the height of summer (and yes, obviously, it is prepared in the months before that). It all feels a bit much.
Anecdotally, a retailer told me they placed their first pre-orders back in May this year. I had barely emerged from the depths of winter back then. I was only just readjusting to getting more than six hours of sunlight a day.
EDITOR’S
CHOICE
Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox,
deputy editor
The Saucerer
Accounts assistant: Julie Coates
Finance director: Ashley Warden support@gff.co.uk
Managing director: John Farrand
Associate managing director: Christabel Cairns
Partner relations director: Tortie Farrand
Chairman: Bob Farrand
Marketing officer: Jenna Morice
Marketing and operations
assistant: Frances Coleman
Yet of course, for retailers, it’s entirely normal to be placing orders for crackers and panettone in August, because it means you can forget about Christmas and focus on the here and now (selling ice cream and cold drinks, mainly), avoiding a stressful autumn. If you need extra advice on managing pressure during the festive period, Salt.Deli Kitchen owner Iain Hemming has written some for you on page 33.
For many businesses, Christmas is one of the most lucrative times of the year, so it’s worth treating it with the appropriate level of pragmatism. For everything from NPD to trend predictions from Harrods buyer André Lewis, or The Cheese Press’ Amber Lee’s selection of five cheeses to please every palate, turn to page 28.
Piecing together this magazine every year has taught me a few things. For one, I no longer baulk at the idea of sending cards or buying a tree at the end of November. Now,
if I see something in a shop that reminds me of someone, I pick it up and tuck it away.
Being prepared not only alleviates pressure, but it makes Christmas less about that one, two, three days of celebration (I have a large extended family) – it extends it over time, and dare I say makes it much more enjoyable.
Hopefully this issue helps with that, while also informing you about Great Taste 2025 results (page 6), which might help you with festive ordering too, or the consortium of cheese professionals behind the ‘Eat Them or Lose Them’ campaign to support British Territorials (page 15).
You might want to skip the Christmas chat and read about the soft serve ice cream phenomenon (page 51).
If you need me, I’ll be here, tidying my bauble box. You can call me Fred (aka the Spirit of Christmas).
One of my favourite things about food in the United States is how it often brings together a mix of cultures. Italian-American food, after all, is entirely distinct from Italian cuisine, and it has given us amazing dishes like chicken parm, spaghetti & meatballs, and Caesar salad. Tell me you can live without all of those. This collab between the Saucerer and London’s Italian-American restaurant Grasso is an ode to this very cuisine. It’s a flavour bomb, it’s tangy, sweet and seriously unctuous. Stir it through pasta for a delicious meal if you lack imagination, or use it for dipping, bruschetta, pizza, et al. More on page 54
PR & partnerships officer: Claire Fry
Data strategy & insight manager: Lindsay Farrar
Operations coordinators: Chris Farrand, Sepi Rowshanaei, Chloë Warren-Wood
Operations & events coordinator: Zara Williams
Operations assistants: Thomas Jackson, Jessica Radley
Published by The Guild of Fine Food Ltd Fine Food Digest is published 11 times a year and is available on subscription for £50 p.a. inc P&P.
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Guild House 23b Kingsmead Business Park Gillingham, Dorset SP8
Delis will soon face gaps due to import ban on some French and Italian cheeses
By Greg Pitcher
UK cheese retailers were left reeling this summer after the Government introduced a ban on imports of raw cows’ milk products from France and Italy –following an outbreak of lumpy skin disease in herds across the two countries.
Fine food purveyors were struggling to get hold of certain unpasteurised lines including pecorinos, bries and camemberts as shipments were stopped at ports in the wake of this major animal-health scare on the Continent.
Other produce from France and Italy that was travelling on the same pallets as banned items was also sent back, leaving many businesses with gaps on shelves and fears over price increases.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) acted swiftly to suspend imports of certain bovine commodities when outbreaks of lumpy skin disease were confirmed. Although exemptions were brought in, most unpasteurised cheeses made after 23rd May in France or Italy were not allowed into
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT... …THE IMPACT OF LUMPY
“Prices will be impacted. If your regular order is now smaller, your shipment cost has to be spread over less items. People may drop certain lines, which creates scarcity that also pushes up prices. It will be interesting to see whether people buy different cheeses. It is possible for the UK to import from Germany, Austria or Spain but we’re not used to seeing cheeses from those countries as frequently. Will we turn to British cheeses?
the UK as FFD went to press (see box).
Andrew Postlethwaite, sales manager at Mons Cheesemongers, which has four outlets across London, described the ban as “incredibly damaging”.
“Brie and camembert have been the big losses but I know colleagues at other businesses have been hit by other raw milk cheeses,” he added. “We have a good stock of many things but they will run down as the ban continues.”
Postlethwaite said he feared for producers and maturers “who depend on cheeses crossing borders”,
SKIN DISEASE
“There are some high-volume cheeses such as Brie de Meaux and Reblochon that cannot be imported, along with several others, and this will impact on shelves very soon. The impact of the ban continuing indefinitely raises many concerns about product availability and resource, these two countries accounting for the lion’s share of cheese volume imported into the UK, generating significant sales revenue.”
WHAT HAS BEEN BANNED AND WHY?
The UK Government acted swiftly after outbreaks of lumpy skin disease were confirmed in Italy on 21st June and in France eight days later.
Although it does not affect people, the illness can be severe for cattle and some other species, so import restrictions were in place by 1st July.
As of 14th July, Defra said import of milk and dairy products made in France or Italy through a lower heat treatment than pasteurisation, which is
classified as 72°C for 15 seconds, was not allowed unless they had undertaken an ageing or maturation process that started before 23rd May.
A Defra spokesperson said: “This Government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers and their herds from disease. We have strengthened protections by temporarily suspending imports of a small amount of products from Italy and France, following outbreaks of lumpy skin disease
saying many were “small farmhouse producers already in a precarious situation” and facing a devastating loss if unable to serve the UK market.
He added that confusion at customs over the date element of the ban could lead to more produce being rejected than necessary.
Andy Swinscoe, coowner of Courtyard Dairy, said the Yorkshire specialist had a pallet of mixed in.
“Not having fresh pecorinos will make a difference but we sell a lot of Vacherin in the winter so [not being able to import them] would affect us considerably. Sales would go down. It starts getting released in September and people come to us just to buy it for Christmas. We would just lose that market if it is still banned; we wouldn’t try to bring in an alternative. We take a big proportion of some of these cheeses in the UK, so the risk is producers stop making it.”
across Europe.”
Katy Fenwick, technical director at the Academy of Cheese, said Protected Designation of Origin cheeses including Brie de Meaux, Camembert de Normandie, Epoisses and Taleggio could be caught by the ban. She added that younger Tomme de Savoie could also be rejected by Customs, while more products could fall foul of the rules as time went on.
This could include Roquefort, Ossau Iraty and eventually young
“It got held, sent back to Italy, taken apart and they took cheeses off then put some back on when the dispensation came through, and in all the confusion we ended up with frozen octopus sausage as well, which I can’t do anything with.”
Swinscoe said raw-milk pecorino was unable to get through customs while wholesalers had “gaps here there and everywhere”.
Antonio Picciuto, owner of Buongiorno Italia, said the Hertfordshire deli had been able to source the cheeses it needed but was missing out on other produce.
“One of my Italian fruit suppliers in Covent Garden market, who also supplies fresh Italian cheeses, is experiencing major checks of his lorries at the border,” he said. “They can arrive up to six hours later than usual, which means I go home without the speciality fruit and vegetables my clients expect.”
Grana Padano and 12-month Comté, Fenwick warned. Paul Heasman, supplier relationship manager at importer Rowcliffe, said Defra guidance and communication had been “poor” and called for more explanation of when and how the ban might end.
He added: “In order to get any cheese, the level of paperwork required on both sides of the water has increased and every vehicle movement is followed with a high degree of trepidation.”
PAUL HEASMAN, ROWCLIFFE
ANDY SWINSCOE COURTYARD DAIRY
KATY FENWICK, ACADEMY OF CHEESE
Indies should concentrate on their USPs as supermarkets look to up their games
By Greg Pitcher
Industry figures have urged independent delis and farm shops to concentrate on the things they do well rather than worrying about supermarkets trying to mimic them – as a number of multiples launched initiatives that could be seen as muscling in.
Morrisons this summer revealed an overhaul of its stores under new trading director Andrew Staniland, who has introduced “farm shop influence” and “addedvalue fresh products”.
Meanwhile Tesco called for artisan producers to get in touch as it planned to increase its range of “great quality, locally made cheeses”.
Sainsbury’s is due to open on-the-go hubs in stores this autumn to boost its hot food offering, while Waitrose announced plans for a 360,000 sq ft distribution centre in Bristol that would have the capacity to “support new shops” in the region.
Bryan Roberts, retail futures senior partner at
analyst IGD, said: “This resumed investment from some of the major supermarkets indicates that the race to the middle has bottomed out and that differentiation and shopper perceptions are recognised as worth investing in.”
But he added: “A lot of the changes are cosmetic. There is still a gap between supermarkets and most farm shops in key areas
Defra unveils Good Food Cycle strategy
The Government has unveiled a new health-focused strategy called the Good Food Cycle, which outlines 10 priorities for the food & drink sector in England to help it tackle challenges such as rising obesity and climate change.
Defra has introduced this approach as part of the Government’s wider Plan for Change initiative.
While a number of the “priorities” mentioned focus on obesity the Good Food Cycle also highlights environmental impacts and concerns over the food security of the country – especially when it comes to healthy options.
Although the strategy doesn’t specifically explain how these will be reached, key outcomes that Government is aiming
like range, local sourcing, seasonality, freshness, service, authenticity and in-store dining.
“The important thing for independent food retailers is to make sure they are making the most of the areas that differentiate them and not trying to compete on price with the chains, which benefit from greater buying power and economies of scale.”
for will include more environmentally friendly food sales, wider access to affordable and healthy options, and creating more transparent supply chains.
Minister for Food Daniel Zeichner (pictured), said: “Food security is national security – we need a resilient system that can weather any storm while ensuring families across the country can access affordable, healthy food.
“The Good Food Cycle represents a major milestone. We are actively defining the outcomes we want from our food system to deliver a whole system change that will help the amazing businesses that feed our nation to grow and thrive, which means more jobs and stronger local economies, while making it easier for families to eat and feel better.”
Emma Mosey, chair of the Farm Retail Association (FRA), added that supermarkets could never rival local independent shops on visitor experience.
“I don’t see the convenience shopping done in supermarkets as the same as the leisure activity people come to us for,” she said. “They are trying to do those things but their scale means it just won’t work the same as in an indie.”
John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, commented that this policy had been seen before.
“It’s a hamster wheel, where the supermarkets in the middle ground have a crack at the discounters on price and then, a few years later, shift to emulate independents and the speciality sector.
“Most of them don’t quite know where to focus. Ultimately delis and farm shops will always hold the moral high ground as we understand the products we sell and know the producers who make them, selling from a position of knowledge.”
IN BRIEF
Fortnum & Mason is eyeing up UK locations outside of London for new stores and restaurants. Last month, chief exec Tom Athron told The Telegraph he was interested in opening sites “up the spine of the country”.
Natural Umber’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar was deemed the Winner of Winners in the food & drink product categorys of the Soil Association’s BOOM (Best of Organic Market) awards.
Better Food won the organic food retailer category.
Waitrose has trialled a ‘Borrow a Free Cup’ for its MyWaitrose members at nine stores, as part of its free coffee initiative. Customers can scan their loyalty cards to collect a disposable cup that they must return within week –or pay a £3 charge.
ACS survey finds specialist food shops are
one of the ‘most wanted’
The Association of Convenience Stores’ latest Community Barometer survey found that specialist food shops are still among the “most wanted” services on UK high streets.
Its survey of 2,000 consumers during June found that the services that are most desired by consumers are banking (first), followed by specialist food shops.
Specialist food was deemed less important by respondents in the survey’s ‘most essential’ and ‘supporting the local economy’ polls.
The report said: “The most wanted list of services is a good blueprint for convenience retailers when looking at ways to diversify their offer locally.
“We have seen examples of convenience stores featuring all of the top eight most wanted services, often because of a lack of other provision locally.”
The top three most essential services (pharmacy, post office and convenience retail) remained unchanged for 2025, which was credited to their usefulness but also their “trusted” status, in the face of online alternatives.
Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury and Waitrose have all announced measures that might make them appear more “speciality”
Record year for Great Taste as it unveils stars from across the UK and the world
By Michael Lane
After a lengthy judging process and a record year for entries, the results of Great Taste 2025 are now live – with some 14,340 entered products discovering how they have fared.
Despite the volume of entries, the food & drink accreditation scheme proved to be as robust as ever with just 39.6% of entries (5,680) receiving an award. There were 3,899 1-star awards, 1,508 2-stars and only 273 products (1.9% of all entrants) received the coveted 3-star award.
UK producers accounted for some 8,371 products, 3,184 of which received awards; 2,212 received 1-star, 833 took home 2-star and 139 gained 3-star accolades.
The rest of the entries were received from outside the UK, with 109 other countries contributing at least one product to the judging process.
Sales rise at Planet Organic
In its first set of results since founder Renée Elliot returned, Planet Organic has shown turnover increased to £30.1m (in the financial year until 31st August 2024), up from £8.1m in the previous year. Although its losses for the results period were £1.2m, the retailer said it had seen a “marked improvement in performance since the reporting date”, with sales across its eight sites 10% ahead of those in the previous year.
There were several new entrant nations in 2025, including Algeria, Belize, East Timor, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Rwanda, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkmenistan and Zimbabwe. John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food said: “Great Taste continues to play its part in international food & drink diplomacy. Whilst the world is in slight chaos, barriers continue to be broken down as our experts assessed entries from over 100 countries. Global trends will become
more apparent, but rest assured amongst the list of winners on our directory, you’ll find ingredients and products that should inform your menu, help stock the shelves in store or be a firm favourite in your kitchen cabinet.”
All 14,340 products were put through a rigorous blind-judging process that takes more than 110 days to complete and draws in some 500 industry experts, including chefs, critics, food technologists, retailers, and food writers.
As well as at the Guild’s
DOWN ON THE FARM
Having opened a farm shop and butchery in Kendal, Cumbria, in 2021, the owner has now thrown the doors open of a sister shop on the outskirts of Dalton. Located at Killerwick Grange, The Roast Mutton Farm Shop has its own dry-ageing facilities and cutting room. facebook.com/ RoastMuttonButcher
Trough Farm Shop in Hampshire recently played host to three students on a placement from their college in Basingstoke, as part of a work experience scheme which aims to teach youngsters about
two premises, in Dorset and London, judging also took place at specialist venues for tea and coffee, as well as dedicated sessions in Ireland and Italy.
Regardless of the venue, every entry is judged on its own merit as a standalone product and tasted completely blind. There is no packaging to give away anything and the judges consider flavour first and foremost. Written evaluation containing constructive feedback from the judges is shared with the producers, regardless of how the product has scored.
The products awarded a Great Taste 2025 3-star were entered into a further round of judging to establish nominations for the Golden Fork trophies, which will be announced at Battersea Arts Centre on 9th September when the 2025 Supreme Champion product will also be revealed.
View all the results now at gff.co.uk/great-taste
IN BRIEF
Cocoa prices have continued to fall since reaching a record high of $10.75/kg in January. The latest figures, according to YCharts, show the price stood at $8.99/ kg in May 2025.
The annual rate of food inflation in the UK was 3.7% in June, up from 2.8% in May and the highest since March 2024, according to the British Retail Consortium. This rise has been attributed to the impact of dry weather on harvests.
CBD businesses have been told by the FSA to reformulate their products, ahead of gaining approval as ‘novel foods’. Some 12,000 products could be required to adjust both CBD and THC levels to meet new safety guidelines.
the skills required in the hospitality industry. They shadowed staff in various departments around the farm and shop – in event management, accounts, estate & farm maintenance and front of house. silchesterfarm.co.uk/ trough-farm-shop
In May, a devastating fire tore through the Wenlock Edge Farm Shop in Shropshire, leaving nothing salvageable. The owners, the Themans family, have now erected a new building and are looking forward to serving the community of Much Wenlock and Church Stretton once again from this brand new premises. wenlockedgefarm.co.uk
No stranger to winning awards, Devon’s Darts Farm has had another
good year on that front so far. In March, the farm shop was named “Best Farm Shop in the UK” by the Farm Retail Association and now its adjoining restaurant, housed in a former potato shed, has been awarded two AA rosettes. dartsfarm.co.uk
with
Farm Shops
Great Taste 2025 saw some 110 days of judging take place, with more than 500 experts called upon to assess entries
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IF I’D KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW...
JAMES MURRAY, owner, Ogilvy & More, Sherborne, Dorset
After 20 years as a soldier, I wanted to learn about business but didn’t have the time, money or inclination to study for an MBA. Luckily, a friend was building a portfolio of food businesses and asked me to join him on that journey. I played a small part but the learning curve was steep, fascinating, inspiring and truly invaluable.
After 10 years it was time to fly solo; I founded Ogilvy & More with the aim of bringing outstanding artisanal food & drink products together under one coherent, premium brand.
I started small, trading online from a shed. It gave me time to develop relationships with producers, understand our customer demographic and work on the brand. I scribbled four words on the door of that shed: O&M was to be ‘‘trusted, valued, respected and loved’, a mantra that holds true for the business today. Our brand is not about labels and logos; it is about creating an identity, and a loyal, supportive community of customers and producers.
While our origins are in the provision of hampers and gifts – still a key pillar today – I felt we needed a bricks and mortar location. So, last July, we opened our Sherborne store.
There were challenges: signing a commercial lease was terrifying and fitting the shop out wasn’t cheap. I dug deep and we managed to secure a match-funded grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which helped.
We have three sales channels – in-store, online and corporate. In-store activities (retail and our café / restaurant / wine bar) are the beating heart of the business and account for the lion’s share of turnover. So this year is about online performance which, along with our corporate business, is where the growth opportunity is.
Our private label ‘Curators Choice’ range is at the core of the concept: fabulous products made by people we know, like and trust. We started the range with a gin three years ago and now we have nearly 80 products in Ogilvy & More livery, from wine and beer to olives and jams. We focus on products that gift well and work in hampers.
Being a predominantly private label brand has its challenges; it brings additional layers of design, legislation, supply agreements, lead times and MOQs. We can’t just order small quantities to arrive tomorrow – we must plan for larger deliveries, storage, shelf life and, of course, cash flow. This isn’t easy; we strive to be agile and so far we seem to be hitting the brief.
Year two is all about online growth; it won’t see us open another Ogilvy & More on the high street but watch this space... year three just might!
Interview Lynda Searby
Photography Jay Armstrong
View from HQ
AS YOU ARE flicking through the pages of this leading industry journal, I’m going to assume you have a relatively healthy interest in sourcing worthy, great-tasting food & drink. You may even be a food expert, food bore or (God forbid) a food snob. I too know my subject but often ask myself if my values and expectations in food, should be applied to other corners of consumption in life.
Is it wrong to shop in a deli for your cheese but then stop for a Big Mac on the way home later that same day? Should you really be reading that lightweight holiday novel rather than embracing Chekhov?
It was in a meeting with Lisa McWilliam, of Mac Consulting
CHECK OUT THE GREAT TASTE 2025 RESULTS
Great Taste 20205 results were announced on Tuesday 29th July.
14,340 entries were assessed over the course of 110 judging days, and we introduced a new judging room in Italy to discover even more products.
Head to gff.co.uk/ directory to discover the top tasting food & drink of 2025.
OPEN FOR ENTRY
World Cheese Awards 2025 is heading to Bern in November and cheesemakers have until 16th September to enter their products.
Visit gff.co.uk/worldcheese to find out more.
FFD’s
publisher and Guild of Fine Food managing director John Farrand has his say
(also a Great Taste judge), where I explored this duplicity further. Lisa, because she cares, contacted us to challenge our decision not to accept salad leaves and allied horticultural goodies in the accreditation scheme. It was a fair question, and a healthy debate ensued.
Probably to avoid answering her valid point on that call, I steered the conversation away, toward the other side of Lisa’s working life: beauty. I’m a modern man and I have a small selection of smellies in the locker. It may surprise you to know that I recently started applying a fresh smelling, yet manly moisturiser. My interest was heightened. I quizzed Lisa. How on earth do I navigate the unfamiliar and busy world of skincare et al with the same ethics and values that I apply to food & drink? Is buying your cleanser from Boots a little like buying your EVOO from Asda?
The floodgates were opened and, lo and behold, food-grade
beauty products made by small businesses exist. And, yes, you can buy them in independent shops or source direct from the makers online.
This parallel may sound flippant but at a talk at this year’s Chalke Valley Festival, James Rebanks, the farmer-turned author-turned spokesperson, unwittingly underlined its importance. In his direct-yeterudite approach, he asked the audience to consider that everything we pop in our mouths
or drink from a cup becomes a part of us – the very fabric of our bodies. That observation scared me, considering what most of the population consider to be a ‘healthy’ diet.
Consider then that our skin is the body’s largest organ and, while not everything on your skin is absorbed, smaller molecules and emollients do penetrate the bloodstream – making the quality of ingredients imperative.
Everything we pop in our mouths, or drink from a cup, becomes a part of us
Could this perhaps be the newest category in our stores? We have always been about beautifulquality food, perhaps delis should consider food-quality beauty products. Lisa had the last word in our meeting: “In a world craving transparency, beauty brands rooted in the land bring more than skincare - they offer trust, sustainability, and stories worth telling. Farm-to-face isn’t just a trend; it’s a movement.”
So, let’s extend our morals and our values, applying them not only to filling our faces but to consider what we put on them too.
The Word on Westminster
By Edward Woodall Association of Convenience Stores
LAST MONTH, THE Government unveiled its new 10-Year Health Plan, setting out a long-term vision to shift the focus of the NHS from treatment to prevention.
At the heart of this strategy is tackling obesity – and once again, the spotlight is turning to the retail sector.
The plan includes a new requirement for large food businesses (yet to be defined) to report on how they’re meeting Government targets to sell more healthy products.
While this won’t directly apply to smaller independents, it’s a clear sign of where policy is heading.
The Government is also consulting on changes to the Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) - the tool used to define
which foods are considered healthy or not. This could influence everything from advertising rules to how products are promoted in-store.
For small retailers, these developments may feel a world away from the day-to-day realities of running a deli, farm shop or convenience store. But the direction of travel is clear: food policy is becoming more regulated, and the pressure to promote healthier choices is growing.
The challenge is for independent retailers is that they are already juggling a lot, including rising costs, new employment regulation, and constantly changing customer habits.
Most small shops don’t have teams of nutritionists or data analysts to help navigate shifting health guidelines. Stocking healthier options is a good thing but often the journey is long
and slow – and reformulating or replacing popular products isn’t easy if it doesn’t reflect your customer’s needs at this very moment in time.
The Government’s ambition to build a healthier nation is commendable. But as the policy focus sharpens on food, it’s important that small retailers aren’t left carrying the weight of change without support.
If Westminster wants the whole sector on board, it must recognise the unique role and the unique pressures faced by smaller retailers.
Our view is that it would be great if the Government could reflect this in the Autumn Budget and offer some direct support to our industry.
Edward Woodall is government relations director at the ACS edward.woodall@acs.org.uk
CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER
ANONYMOUS TALES FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER
WHEN YOU START a business, what you’re really buying is a lifestyle: a glorious escape from the dreaded rat race. A chance to “give back” to your adoring community. You probably pictured those impossibly early mornings at the vegetable market with rose-tinted spectacles. And the sheer joy of pulling down the awnings as the world wakes up? Pure bliss. Because who doesn’t fantasise about that?
Perhaps once you’ve acquired your miniature kingdom of shelves and fridges, you’re utterly satisfied. Maybe the incessant ring of the bell at the door and smoothing down your apron fills you with unbridled pride. I certainly felt that way once. But after the initial honeymoon phase, other thoughts begin to creep in. Turns out, people who actually want to run their own businesses are usually a bit unconventional. It takes a peculiar sort of bravery to ditch
Expert eye
that cosy job with a salary and security for the glorious unknown. It’s idealistic, sure, but mostly it’s for people who genuinely believe they’re going to change the world, one artisanal cheese at a time. These trailblazers are rarely satisfied with average. We’re perpetually demanding more from our shop, poring over every microscopic detail and asking: “How could this possibly be better?” It’s exhausting, but essential.
If we don’t trust others, I’ll be perpetually stuck on the shop floor
Many food producers work on the principle that as their business grows, their production costs will fall and their profits will grow – but this isn’t necessarily true.
Imagine hiring a builder to replace your kitchen. Their original quote is £18,000, but while working, they discover damp, and that wiring needs replacing. It ends up costing £25,000 and your builder hasn’t foregone any profit.
As a food producer, you introduce a product with an RRP of £5.60, with a 40% gross margin –your WSP is £3.30 and it costs you £1.65.
To make a 50% margin, your wholesale price needs to be double your production cost.In that £1.65, 30% is your cost of distribution. This includes 8–10% built into your minimum order quantity. It’s also the pot you pay a wholesaler from. You should be left with 65p, which is 20% of the £3.30 – which invariably ends up being 10–12%, the average profit for independent food businesses. You can see how this could turn into a financial disaster if you’re running on a 30% GM.
So, how do you transfer this mindset to the people who work for you? When it was just me, motivating myself was a breeze. I inhaled retail books and podcasts, tirelessly teaching myself all the “tricks of the trade” to squeeze every last penny out of the operation. But once you start employing others, the real challenge begins: getting them to care as much as you do when they have no skin in the game. If you’re just clocking hours, that burning desire to merchandise for maximum profit isn’t quite as potent. Trying to get your team to see things your way can feel like Sisyphus pushing a boulder uphill, knowing it’s just going to roll back down and probably crush you.
We’ve experienced this with various managers over the years. Our current one genuinely cares more than any before him. Yet, we still have to painstakingly transfer the sacred knowledge we’ve gained by actually doing the job to someone who clearly hasn’t. Because if we don’t trust others, I’ll be perpetually stuck on the shop floor, smoothing down my apron for the next customer, utterly incapable of thinking objectively about how to improve the business. It’s a necessary sacrifice, but don’t for a second think it’s a walk in the park.
This is what I mean about growth being one of the biggest killers of independent food companies: you start off at home. You start supplying independents and your webshop ticks along. You might pick up a few markets. That’s when you rent a kitchen and take someone on. This can last a few years before you need a bigger kitchen and a team. Your RRP is £5.60 and WSP is locked at £3.30. As you take on extra costs, you can’t keep putting prices up - you might charge more locally but a high wholesale price can block new listings.
If demand is high, rising costs can be matched by sales – but if you’re growing slowly, there can be a lag. You need to know your monthly costs now, in two years, and in five. You need to know you can make and sell enough to cover your burn rate – or growth will kill your company.
Another “death zone” is needing staff but not generating enough profit to employ management. Hiring management allows you to grow.
Another trap is the allure of cutting prices. Ingredients might get cheaper at scale, but operational costs go through the roof. To reduce your prices from £5.60 to £2.30 could result in a product you might not be proud of.
Growth isn’t out of reach, but if you start with a handmade, gourmet, exquisite product, consider your priorities. There’s a culture in independent food that says unless you’re growing, you’re failing – but growth without planning will put you out of business. artisanfoodclub.online
Source: Waitrose
Whether it’s staff training, business advice, event space, making industry connections or opportunities to meet trade buyers and food lovers, the Guild of Fine Food does far more than publish FFD. The Guild has been championing independent food & drink for over 30 years. Join us today and find out what we can do for your business.
Support & ideas: support@gff.co.uk
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GREAT TASTE GOLDEN FORKS 2025
hosted by the guild of fine food
Come and explore new food & drink, try some exceptional products and meet the dedicated producers creating them.
Battersea Arts Centre, London SW11 5TN Tuesday 9 September 2025, 6pm-10.30pm
Partnering and supporting Artisan cheese makers to bring you quality, value, and exclusive local cheeses to your counter.
Purveyors of territorial cheeses unite to boost waning sales
By Patrick McGuigan
Cheesemongers and wholesalers have joined forces in a bid to turn around falling sales of traditional British ‘territorial’ cheeses as shoppers opt for stronger and gooier styles.
Around 40 industry representatives attended a meeting convened by Neal’s Yard Dairy in London last month to discuss ways to boost sales of crumbly cheeses, such as Wensleydale, Cheshire, Caerphilly and Lancashire. Sales have declined in recent years as people seek stronger British cheeses, such as Cheddar and Stilton, as well as Continental styles.
“We’ve seen volumes decrease and wanted to explore ways we could turn that around and broaden it out to talk to other cheesemongers and wholesalers,” said Neal’s Yard technical director Bronwen Percival. “Our whole identity is about British cheeses. Territorials are in our DNA as a nation.”
Percival said the meeting had inspired ideas that could evolve into a wider initiative. Meanwhile, Neal’s Yard has launched a campaign, under the strapline ‘Eat Them or Lose Them’, featuring large displays of the territorials in its shops. It has also
collaborated with the Kernel brewery to develop a beer –Running Porter - that pairs well with the style to be served in pubs with wedges of cheese.
Perry Wakeman, director at Cambridgeshire-based Rennet & Rind, who attended the meeting, said sales of territorials were flat. “They’re not collapsing, but they’re not in motion either, especially compared to the dynamism around washed rinds, bloomies, and alpine styles.”
Rennet & Rind recently ran a survey with online customers asking what came to mind first for cheeses like Red Leicester, Cheshire or Wensleydale. The top response was “supermarket” and 65% said they couldn’t
NEWS IN BRIEF
Glasgow cheese shop & wine bar Starter Culture, which is located in the city’s Shawlands area, is due to open a second site in The Meadows in Edinburgh.
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Cheese Etc - The Pangbourne Cheese Shop, near Reading in Berkshire, is giving away 20 cheese gift boxes to members of the public who make a difference to other people’s lives.
Researchers at the Technical University of Denmark have created milk proteins in their laboratory, with added phosphate, using E.coli bacteria instead of animals. This scientific development opens up the possibility of producing cow-free cheese.
remember the last time they were offered one on a counter.
“We’re now treating territorials like new products, almost like re-launches,” said Wakeman. “The strategy is simple: they need to be the first cheese tasted when a customer walks through the door.” He added the name ‘territorials’ should be dropped. “It’s dusty, unhelpful, and doesn’t mean anything to customers. We need a new frame, something with emotional resonance. Maybe ‘traditionals’ or ‘heritage’, something that communicates the depth, craft and story behind these cheeses, without the baggage of the supermarket aisle.”
The Courtyard Dairy in North Yorkshire is running another seminar as part of its Northern Dairy Cheese School. The two-day, hands-on cheesemaking workshop (8th-10th September) will explore starter cultures and how they affect acidity, curd drainage and flavour.
The three-day course costs £250 and is open to people with cheesemaking experience.
northerndairycheeseschool@gmail.com
THREE WAYS WITH...
Taleggio
Italy’s most famous washed rind cheese is usually associated with autumn, but its rich, creamy texture means it can also work in the summer. Made in Lombardy from cows’ milk, this square cheese has a rosy rind, often flecked with blue and white moulds. The texture is glossy, and the flavour yeasty, boozy and savoury –especially in CasArrigoni’s raw milk Taleggio
Sparkling wine
There’s a supple, silky texture to Taleggio that is just begging for something cold and bubbly. In Lombardy, the local tipple of choice is Franciacorta - a traditional method sparkling wine, made with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc grapes, which has similar acidity and toasty notes to Champagne. Perfect for cutting across the rich cheese.
Burgers
There’s a savoury, meaty flavour from the rind of Taleggio, allied to a meltable heart, that adds real oomph to burgers at a summer barbecue. Drape a slice or two on burgers and warm for a few moments until they start to soften. A drizzle of truffle mayo adds extra earthy depth.
Mushrooms
The brothy character of Taleggio has a natural affinity with the umami notes of mushrooms. It is often melted with wild mushrooms in pasta or polenta, or used as a topping on pizza. You can also serve on a cheeseboard with a dab of mushroom ketchup or sauce. Look out for The Extra One Mushroom XO Sauce from Miam Jars, which is an umami bomb of shiitake, enoki, oyster and chestnut mushrooms.
The ‘Eat Them or Lose Them’ campaign stresses the importance of traditional British territorial cheeses, a part of the nation’s heritage it says are at threat
CHEESE
Dorset’s Hollis Mead ceases all operations and sells equipment
By Patrick McGuigan
The multi-millionaire owner of organic cheese company Hollis Mead, who once compared his milk to Dom Pérignon, has abruptly closed down the business.
Former city high-flyer Oliver Hemsley bought the farm in Dorset in 2017, using milk from his 250-strong pasture-for-life and organic cows to make soft cheeses in a new dairy in 2020. These included the triple cream Benville and Camembert-style Corscombe.
In an interview with FFD last year, Hemsley said he had invested around £5m in the farm and cheesemaking business, which was turning over £2m. He said he planned to grow sales to £3m by focusing on the environmental credentials of the farming operation and the quality of the milk, which he compared to fine wine. The company produced around 70,000 cheeses a year, under head cheesemaker Julia Stantiford, as well as yoghurt, butter, keffir and bottled milk.
CHEESE IN PROFILE with
Burrata
What’s the story?
Burrata, named after the Italian word for butter (burro), is beloved for its rich, creamy texture.
It has its roots in the town of Andria in Italy’s Apulia region and is believed to have been
But Hemsley unexpectedly decided to close down the business in June leading to a dispersal sale of all the farming machinery and dairy equipment. The company’s website was also taken down and its social media channels have not been updated, despite queries from the public about the closure. The business has not responded to questions or messages sent by FFD about the decision to shut down.
created in the 1920s by dairy farmer Lorenzo Bianchino.
Due to snowstorms that halted milk deliveries, he deployed this method to preserve his milk: Burrata is made by forming a pouch from mozzarella using the traditional pasta filata (stretched curd) technique, then filling it with a mixture of mozzarella ribbons and cream, known as stracciatella.
The pouch is tied at the top – once with asphodel leaves, though today green plastic ties or raffia are more common – and packed in brine-filled bags or trays.
How is it made?
Making fresh Burrata is a skill that relies on the maker’s intuition and touch to perfect its unique texture.
The process begins
Hollis Mead had won awards at Great Taste and the British Cheese Awards for its cheese and supplied retailers including Paxton & Whitfield, Neal’s Yard and Planet Organic. Hemsley, who ran the business with his wife Charlotte, previously set up Numis stockbrockers in 1990, stepping down as CEO in 2016. The financial company was bought in 2023 by Deutsche Bank in a deal valued at £410 million.
with either pasteurised or raw milk, carefully warmed in large vats and set with rennet to form curds. These curds are then immersed in hot whey, softening into a pliable, elastic mass.
From here, the cheesemakers stretch and knead the curd by hand, developing the smooth, stringy texture characteristic of stretchedcurd cheeses.
When it reaches the right consistency, the curd is shaped into a tender pouch and filled with a luscious mixture of shredded mozzarella and cream – stracciatella –before being sealed at the top.
Appearance & texture:
Much like mozzarella, Burrata is best enjoyed as fresh as possible – ideally within 48 hours of being made.
Its outer texture is
BEHIND THE COUNTER TIPS OF THE TRADE
Rob Collier, South West Cheese, Barnstaple, Devon
Updating a much-loved cheese shop without compromising its charm was the mission for Rob Collier when he decided to revamp 20 yearold South West Cheese.
“I wanted to improve the working areas and storage, but also the overall look without losing what had made it special in the first place,” explains Collier.
So rather than a radical refurb, Collier carefully tweaked the space, installing a new back counter which makes cutting and wrapping more efficient, while changing the shelving and cluttered displays to make the shop feel bigger.
“There was an Aladdin’s Cave feel before which was almost like sensory overload. By decluttering, people can browse and buy more easily. It’s easier to make a decision when there are three products to choose from, rather than seven.”
Moving a freezer has also opened up the wine section, while a new white colour scheme and fresh branding has also created a more modern feel. “We’ve seen a lot of new faces since we reopened, but regulars have been really positive too,” he says. southwestcheeseuk.com
smooth and supple, with a slight elasticity to the touch and a clean, delicate aroma.
When cut open, the centre should spill out in a rich, creamy stream, offering a flavour that’s beautifully buttery and sweetly milky.
Variations: None.
Cheesemonger tip: Pairs particularly well with a crisp refreshing white such as a Pinot Grigio or a Prosecco.
Chef’s recommendation: Burrata is an excellent ingredient in many dishes, or served simply with salami Milano, basil and extra virgin olive on Bruschetta.
Burrata is one of the 75 cheeses studied as part of the Academy of Cheese Level Two Certification. For more information on this and all of their courses, head to www.academyofcheese.org
Hollis Mead received multiple accolades for its organic cheeses and butter since it was founded by Oliver Hemsley back in 2017
PIE-ONEER IN TASTE.
Celebrating 30 award-winning years 30
YORKSHIRE BLUE
“Rich,
Regional champion
Set up to promote cheese from the Jura, The French Comté has grown by adapting to British buying habits
By Patrick McGuigan
IN 2011, WHEN Florent Gacon had the idea of setting up The French Comté to sell cheese from his native Jura, he soon ran into a rather significant hurdle. British shoppers hadn’t heard of the place – or its cheeses.
“It was a bit of an unknown region to the Brits,” he says. “They knew Alsace and Burgundy for the wine, and they went skiing in the Alps. But the region in the middle was seen as a motorway between them.”
The idea that people weren’t familiar with Comté seems almost inconceivable today. France’s most popular protected cheese has become a mainstay in the UK in recent years with exports more than doubling since 2013. The Jura’s other famous cheeses, especially Mont d’Or and Morbier, have followed in its slipstream. All good news for Gacon.
“Raymond Blanc did a lot when he got on TV,” he says. “He did a show on the Jura and the next day we had people queuing up. Comté has been better at advertising outside of France as well.”
The French Comté, run by Gacon and his business partner Roberto Espinoza, set up a stall at Borough Market in 2014 and is a familiar sight at London’s farmers’ markets, selling other Jura specialities, such as Bleu de Gex, pots of runny Cancoilotte (made from fermented whey) and Morteau sausage.
It has also expanded into bricks & mortar recently, opening a 200sq m wholesale warehouse in Tunbridge Wells last year, which is twice the size of its previous premises in Bermondsey, as well as a French restaurant and two new delis in the Kent area under the La Petite France brand.
Covid and Brexit were serious bumps in the road, especially the latter, which has made recruiting staff significantly more difficult and added several hundred pounds per pallet of produce brought over from the Jura.
Since Brexit, shoppers have also been much stronger in their support of British cheeses, he adds. “The amount of people that come to us and say I only buy British cheeses, not foreign cheeses is a big thing. But to me the fight is not British versus French, but between artisan versus global corporations.
“It doesn’t matter where it’s from; what’s important is how it is made. There’s a nationalism that has come up since Brexit, but it’s the wrong battle.”
All of the company’s cheeses are sourced from one affineur, Charles Arnaud, which is based at the Fort des Rousses in the Haut Jura, 1,000m above sea level. Its best-selling Juraflore Comté ranges from 12 to 36 months, although only about five cheeses out of a thousand can be aged for three years or more, into something “really special”.
Back in France, these older cheeses are rarely seen, largely because the French prefer cheeses at the 12-month mark, when they are sweeter and better for cooking, whereas in the UK it is the 24-month cheeses that are most popular. “Brits are used to stronger flavours when you think about spicy curries and mature cheddars,” says Gacon.
There are also big differences in how the two nations buy cheese. “You struggle to sell 200g to Brits for most of the year and then Christmas arrives and they go mental and want 3kg. It’s like, ‘where have you been all year?’
“In France, it’s much more consistent. After every single meal you have cheese. In the Jura, you buy Comté by the half-kilo as a minimum, but more often a kilo or more.”
Vive la différence. thefrenchcomte.co.uk
You struggle to sell 200g to Brits for most of the year. Christmas arrives, and they go mental.
Charles Arnaud 24-month Comté
The French Comté employs around 30 people across its business, 75% of which is retail. The company imports around 10 tonnes of Comté a year from affineur Charles Arnaud. Its best seller is aged for 18-24 months. It has a fruity flavour, with brown butter and roasted nut notes.
The cheese is matured at Fort des Rousses, which comprises 50,000sq m of vaulted rooms and several miles of underground tunnels, which are home to 100,000 wheels of Comté. It was originally built in the Napoleonic period to house 3,500 soldiers, but was converted into cheese maturing cellars in 1997.
The wheels sourced by the French Comté are made by fruitieres (dairies) and farms that operate at altitudes of around 1,000m, where the cows graze wild pastures. “High pastures give the best cheese,” says Gacon.
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
Cheese with origin, story and substance
Flower Meadow Cheese, Affineur Walo and Antoine unite raw milk, alpine flora and award-winning affinage. All of this makes for a unique Swiss cheese portfolio rooted in nature, history and craftsmanship.
WHERE CHEESE STILL TASTES OF PLACE
In the Swiss pre-Alps, more than just grass grows. Yarrow, thyme, gentian and wild clover shape the biodiversity of mountain pastures. This floral richness gives the milk not only a distinct aroma, but also measurable nutritional benefits: higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) and bioactive plant compounds. The result is Flower Meadow Cheese from Switzerland, a raw milk cheese shaped by landscape, tradition and time.
The von Mühlenen family has been dedicated to cheese maturation for over 150 years. Today, the brand Affineur Walo is led by the seventh generation, with the next already active. The cheeses are matured in the family’s own cellars, with great attention to sensory detail and consistency. Over the years, their cheeses have won numerous international awards, including multiple gold medals at the World Cheese Awards, the International Cheese and Dairy Awards in the UK and the World Championship Cheese Contest in the United States.
FLOWER MEADOW CHEESE:
RAW MILK WITH IDENTITY
The milk used for Flower Meadow Cheese comes from cows grazing on alpine meadows 1,000 metres above sea level. It is free from silage and remains largely untreated – not pasteurised, not microfiltered, not homogenised. This preserves its microbial richness and allows for flavour development that reflects altitude, season and terrain. Each cheese is a direct expression of its origin.
AFFINEUR WALO –
SWISS AFFINAGE AT ITS FINEST
Every cheese matures under carefully monitored conditions. The affinage process is tailored to the individual style, region and age. The result is depth of flavour, consistency across batches, and a character that has earned international respect. Affineur Walo is now one of Switzerland’s most awarded cheese affineurs – recognised for precision, honesty and taste.
ANTOINE – THE CHEESE ARTIST
The Antoine range honours the origins of traditional cheesemaking. Inspired by a fictional alpine herdsman from the 17th century who
WHAT IS RAW MILK CHEESE?
Raw milk cheese is made from milk that retains its natural bacterial flora. It is not pasteurised, homogenised or microfiltered. This results in complexity, terroir expression and nutritional benefits. When combined with alpine grazing, raw milk delivers flavour, character and authenticity – naturally.
was among the first to write down his recipes, these cheeses express authenticity, boldness and narrative. Raw milk, patience and craftsmanship come together in expressive wheels with real depth – ideal for cheese counters that value origin and story.
FOR PREMIUM CHEESE COUNTERS AND ARTISAN RETAIL
Whether in delicatessen displays, in fine dining or specialist mail order, Flower Meadow Cheese, Affineur Walo and Antoine provide strong additions to any curated selection. Already established in Germany, France, the UK, the US, Japan and Hong Kong, these brands offer both substance and shelf impact.
Real cheese. No compromise. No clichés. While many products talk about authenticity, these cheeses live it. From alpine flora to cellar care, from raw milk to ripening expertise, Flower Meadow Cheese and its brand family represent a sustainable, sensorial and honest approach to cheese.
Chef’s cure
SaltPig Curing’s charcuterie draws on Ben Dulley’s background as a chef, demonstrating technique, creativity and nose-to-tail butchery.
By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox
Ben Dulley thought he might strike a better work-life balance by trading his chef whites for a butcher’s apron. While he isn’t quite down to a 35-hour working week, the range of heritage pork charcuterie he’s developed with Salt Pig Cure helps vindicates his decision.
Before starting SaltPig Curing Company in 2016, the Chipping Norton-based chef taught himself the craft by reading what little English-language material was available. A formal course in Italy “confirmed what I’d already figured out,” he tells FFD. “It’s not rocket science, it’s hard work, but if you’ve got a good head on your shoulders and understand food safety, you can experiment a bit.”
And indeed he did dabble with novel takes at first, playing with hedgerow ingredients and inventive flavours. “I wanted to give it a local stamp,” he says, but he soon came to appreciate that “classics are classics for a reason”.
SaltPig’s range now includes familiar cuts like coppa – sliced in a signature style, with five indentations to catch the chilli coating –and a smoked loin cured with rosemary, lemon zest and pepper. Salamis include the back-fat studded Garlic and Pepper and a range of snacking ‘PigSticks’, while among the cooking ingredients are sobrasada, chorizo, pancetta and the Whipped Lardo, which won a 3-star award in Great Taste last year.
“We still want our products to be recognisably ours – not just imitations of European classics,” he says, “so we found more subtle ways to make them ours, like using chillies grown for us in Oxfordshire, or beer
from Hook Norton Brewery.” What really makes SaltPig products unique, though, is the pork itself. The producer works with just two farmers to rear heritage pigs to an uncommon size and maturity.
“They’re twice the size of typical butchers’ pigs – older, more marbled,” says Dulley. “We don’t want spent sows, but something in between.” It’s a big ask for farmers, he explains, requiring more space and more feed. “We pay a premium, and rightly so. That’s what makes our product different.”
Making the numbers add up isn’t easy, and requires efficiency in the kitchen. The Salt Pig team practices a nose-to-tail ethos, which saves costs, and buying whole animals, breaking them down in-house, and curing by hand gives them full control.
It also limits who SaltPig can, and wants to supply. “We prefer working with customers who understand our model,” Dulley explains – mostly restaurants and limited speciality retailers. “If they can’t get collar, maybe they take belly instead. That relationship makes balancing the carcass much easier.”
Although it is focused on organic growth, SaltPig has been able to scale up slightly over the past six years, moving into a bigger unit and expanding to a team of five, including Dulley’s former sous-chef, Andrej Kobzev.
That said, the plan isn’t UK-wide market domination – but NPD might be on the cards in the long term.
“We’d like to do more, but efficiency rules everything. We don’t have as much time as I’d like for R&D. We’ve dabbled in hot-smoked products and mortadella, but no real cooked products yet. That’s for the future.”
Perhaps a bit of extra rest would be welcome, too.
“That’s the dream – doing something you’re proud of without overworking yourself.” saltpigcuring.co.uk
They’re twice the size of typical butchers’ pigs –older, more marbled
CROSS SECTION
Smoked Whipped Lardo
Made with large, rare breed pigs with a high fat covering, SaltPig used to sell its sliced lardo, but half the back fat is needed for the loin cut. This uses a smaller piece but still celebrates the quality of the fat 1
Diced fat is cured under salt and covered in dark plastic to keep light out, and kept in a chamber for six months. It’s then smoked over applewood for a day and minced several times until smooth.
Salt Pig recommends spreading the whipped lardo like butter on dark bread with raw onion or something pickled. It works well as a cooking ingredient to add richness –under chicken skin, for example, on flatbreads, or stirred into pasta.
Held at Tewinbury Farm on 16th September, the Universal Cookery and Food Festival will be a day of networking, tastings, demonstrations and discussions for food industry professionals
Six reasons to visit… ...ucff 2025
The Staff Canteen Live!
Watch Michelin-starred chefs take to the stage for a series of live cooking demonstrations. This year’s lineup features Tom Aikens from Muse; Midsummer House’s Daniel Clifford and Liam Anderson; Tom de Keyser & Sarah Hayward of The Chalk Free House and The Hand & Flowers; and Josh Angus from HIDE in Mayfair.
Trends & Debates Stage
Host Nigel Barden will chair the day’s series of panel discussions about the future of foodservice, with sessions celebrating regional food champions; debating wellness, nutrition, and food as medicine; unpacking the value of ethical business models; and discussing the merits and limits of using AI in professional kitchens.
The Wild Food Stage
Discover nature’s bounty of seasonal ingredients and learn how to create inspired, sustainable menus, by learning about game butchery, wild foraging, fish preparation and more.
Foraging Walks
Farmers’ Market
Discover a vibrant showcase of premium, local produce to elevate your menus, and cast your eyes on cutting-edge equipment from the industry’s most prominent suppliers to streamline your kitchen operations.
Freshly prepared breakfast, lunch, and refreshments will be provided on a complementary basis throughout the day. To find out more information and purchase tickets, visit cookeryandfoodfestival.co.uk 1 4 2 5 3 6
Ground Up Cookery School owner Colin Wheeler-James will lead a guided walk past the River Mimram, sharing his extensive knowledge of sustainable sourcing and menu integration.
Eat your way around the festival
Italy, Uncompromised.
Artisanal ingredients from devoted Italian producers. No shortcuts. No substitutions.
At Seggiano, we honor real food — grown with care, made with purpose.
Minimal ingredients. Maximum integrity. Always from Italy. Always uncompromised.
Explore the collection at seggiano.com
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE Australian Government
Why UK retailers are flocking to Australian Lamb
Australia’s red meat, especially lamb, is earning its place in UK retail with aligned food safety and animal welfare standards, strong sustainability credentials and growing consumer demand for premium products.
Around 30% of the UK’s red meat consumption is reliant on imports. With domestic production tightening and increased pressures across existing supply bases, retailers are importing higher volumes of premium Australian red meat, especially lamb.
Thanks to its contrasting seasonality to the UK (September to November), Australia’s ability to provide off-season lamb has been beneficial for decades.
In this article, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, Austrade, reveals how shared values, aligned regulations and reduced import tariffs are making it easier than ever to source from quality, sustainable Australian red meat producers.
RETAILERS SOURCE FROM AUSTRALIA TO MEET OUTSIZED UK DEMAND
Australian red meat has long held a presence on UK retail shelves, but countries such as Ireland, Spain, New Zealand, Poland and Argentina have historically serviced more of the UK’s import need.
Since the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement came into effect in 2023, Australia has begun exporting in larger proportions to the UK. The aim is to complement domestic production and support supply at times of lower seasonal availability and for cuts that are in high demand.
In 2024, Australian exports made up around 11% of the UK’s sheep meat supply behind domestic production and other importing countries.
With phased quotas and a long-term approach to tariff reductions, the integration of Australian red meat into the UK supply mix has been steady offering British businesses more choice and reducing over-reliance on single suppliers.
IMPORTED AUSTRALIAN MEAT MATCHES HIGH UK STANDARDS
Despite early concerns about a potential influx of Australian meat under the new agreement, the reality has been measured, with a clear focus on premium products.
Australia’s red meat industry is actively reducing carbon emissions through regenerative farming techniques and low carbon shipping. Meat is exported by sea, a method that not only cuts emissions compared to air freight but also enhances the product as it matures in transit. From the use of Asparagopsis (a red seaweed native to Australia) in cattle feed to reduce methane, to grading systems that assess marbling and tenderness with precision, Australia is at the forefront of red meat innovation. Animal welfare is also central. Standards set out in the Livestock Production Assurance scheme align closely with the UK’s frameworks. All beef entering the UK is certified through EUCAS, meaning it is hormone-free and fully traceable.
There’s also a strong emphasis on whole carcass utilisation. Shoulder, neck and leg cuts
are being reimagined for retail and foodservice, delivering value without compromising on eating quality.
A BENCHMARK IN PREMIUM LAMB
The imminent launch of Thomas Foods International’s Mount Schanck Prestige Lamb into the UK market presents an exciting opportunity for retailers and chefs. Already celebrated across Asia and Australia, it’s known for its exceptional marbling, tenderness and flavour.
Michelin-starred chef Russell Bateman said:
“Since I was introduced to Mount Schanck lamb, I’ve been delighted with the results it yields. The flavour, the consistency, the texture and the story are all a hit in my book.”
Raised in Australia’s most prestigious farming regions, Mount Schanck lamb offers both nutritional appeal and premium positioning, ideal for discerning UK consumers.
CONNECT WITH US
Austrade works to help UK business source from trusted Australian suppliers, including in partnership with agencies such as Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).
Contact: Will Downey, Senior Business Development Manager for Agrifood at Austrade UK will.downey@austrade.gov.au
FOCUS ON
The festivities have already begun
You might have your regular Christmas stock sorted – but what of the new launches for 2025? Use our guide to crosscheck your orders and make sure you’re ready for that festive rush.
Compiled by Lynda Searby
authentic kvass with an exotic twist
Step aside kombucha, Quas Drinks is bringing festive spirit to the fermented drink space with a winter edition of what it claims is the UK’s first authentic kvass – a rye-based drink originating from Eastern Europe. Quas crafts its kvass from a rich sourdough starter, rye and barley, and for Christmas 2025, has added warming spices and orange zest to its recipe for a “cosy winter experience”. The single-origin spices –cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice – are all sourced from independent farmers in Zanzibar through Edinburghbased Ukamaa Spice Co. Spiced Quas has a WSP of £1.70/330ml; RRP £3.50+. quasdrinks.co.uk
The Original Biscuit Bakers’ hand-iced gingerbreads feature designs including santa, reindeer, snowflake, snowman and the folkore character known as gonk. Available in a display case from The Cress Co, Cotswold Fayre and Holleys Fine Food. WSP £1.08-£2.21 per unit; RRP £1.75-3.50. originalbiscuitbakers.co.uk
Fontana Formiello has brought a classic Italian festive treat to the UK in the form of a four-strong Torrone (nougat) range from Irpinia - a region known for its nougat. Almonds are toasted and combined with pistachios, coffee or cranberries, then blended with honey, whipped egg whites and cane sugar so it melts on the tongue without being overly sweet. fontanaformiello.com
Xin & Voltaire’s cocktail sorbets are said to offer a sophisticated and light alternative to traditional festive desserts. Developed in collaboration with Nina Métayer, named World’s Best Pastry Chef in 2023 and 2024, the 5% ABV range is expanding this month [August] with special editions – Spicy Margarita, Espresso Martini and Mojito. WSPs £3.10/100ml, £10/400ml and £30/2.5L. xinandvoltaire.com
Billington’s Gingerbread is playing on its nostalgic charm and highlighting its 200-year old heritage. It has been making gingerbread in Market Drayton, Shropshire, since 1817, from a recipe infused with “secret” spices and a hint of rum. WSP £1.80/140g; RRP £3.50. billingtonsgingerbread. co.uk
Thursday Cottage has curated three new gifting packs, all with a WSP of £40.45/case of 6; RRP £8.99 for 3 x 112g jars. The Christmas Trio rounds up the producer’s festive lines (Christmas Jam, Marmalade and Chutney); the Curd Trio contains Lemon, Cherry and Lime & Coconut Curds; and the Preserves Trio brings together Strawberry Jam, Morello Cherry Jam and Blood Orange Marmalade. thursday-cottage.com
Sunday Charcuterie has created two Christmas pâtés that it says deliver the taste of the season. Christmas Pâté with Cranberry & Chestnut and Christmas Pâté with Ham Hock, Apricot & Pistachio are based on the producer’s Country Pâté, which is made with freerange pork sourced from high welfare East Anglian farms. The pâtés have a 20-day shelf life and a WSP of £3.75/135g; RRP £5.40-6.25. sundaycharcuterie.co.uk
Buckinghamshire’s Holy Cow Tea has created a gift box that houses 3 x 40g golden caddies and a tea infuser. Stockists can make their own selection from the company’s portfolio of single origin teas and tisane blends. WSP £23; RRP £40. holycowtea.com
Designer double bottle pack for fruit wines”
Perthshire winery Cairn o’ Mohr has worked with artist Emmanuelle Lydon to create new labels and a presentation box for its fruit wines. The winemaker has selected its white Elderflower & Gooseberry Wine and its red Blackberry & Elderberry wine to feature in the double bottle pack, which has a WSP of £99.96 for a case of 6; RRP is £28.50 (2 x 75cl). The wines are made via a traditional fermentation process followed by at least a year of maturation, in order to achieve “real vinosity” and “smooth, well developed flavours”. cairnomohr.com
Fairtrade chocolatier Divine has a line-up of festive treats, including the returning Giant Milk Chocolate Coin (RRP £3.50), Milk and vegan Dark Chocolate Coins (RRP £3.20) and advent calendars (RRP £7.50) divinechocolate.com
Bennetto has two new gift packs that celebrate the vibrant birds native to the origins of its cocoa –Ecuador and Madagascar. The B Corp chocolate producer says the birds also symbolise its beato-bar ethos, reflected in its conservation and sustainability work in cacao growing regions. RRP £14.99 for 3 x 80g fairtrade, organic and vegan bars. bennetto.co.uk
Danelaw Coffee’s Santa Lucia seasonal blend returns for 2025, sporting new packaging. The West Yorkshire roastery blends coffees from Latin America and Africa to produce a profile that is reminiscent of Christmas - boozy and fruity, with tasting notes of raisin, cranberry, orange and spice. Available as beans and ground coffee, this medium roast has an RRP of £14.95/250g. Trade discount up to 50%. danelaw.coffee
Asilia’s Roast Herb Salt is billed as “the ultimate seasoning for golden roast potatoes and festive feasts”, offering retailers a lucrative upselling opportunity at Christmas. Listed with Fortnum & Mason and Whole Foods Market, it blends sea salt, rosemary and thyme. RRP £5. asiliasalt.com
Build your shelf confidence
Merchandising expert Judy Roberts on making the most of Christmas sales opportunities
Let’s assume you’ve already identified the stock you want and placed your orders with suppliers. The next step is to make sure your shop is ready to receive it. Two key tasks you carry out now can make the difference between a successful season and still having stock on the shelves come January.
• Plan the timetable
Be ready to maximise the Christmas trading period. Starbucks, for instance, launches its festive campaign on the first Monday in November – a cue for the rest of us to start drip-feeding Christmas to our customers. The Halloween crossover can be tricky to manage and visually confusing, so a clean November start often works best.
• Plan the layout
You may need to rework your usual display setup to ensure everything in your Christmas range has its place, alongside the core staples your customers expect year-round.
Five top tips to improve your layout today: 1. Declutter
Streamline the customer journey. Remove anything that isn’t relevant to the current season to avoid overwhelming or confusing shoppers.
2. Prioritise impact
The first thing customers see is what leaves a lasting impression. Make sure your star products are front and centre in visual ‘hot spots’ – and keep these areas looking great throughout the day.
3. Get your signage right
It should be short, clear and easy to read from wherever customers are standing. Help them act on impulse by giving them the key details they need to say yes.
4. Use your pull products
Place popular items next to complementary lines to encourage cross-selling. When they reach for what they came in for, they’ll likely pick up something else too.
5. Make it easy to carry more
Keep bags or baskets close to displays of products you want to shift. If customers don’t have enough hands, they’re less likely to keep shopping.
rightproductrightplace.co.uk
a gift bag for life, not just for Christmas
Following the success of the jute bags it introduced last year, The Bay Tree has added three new (even bigger) jute bag selections. Each contains an assortment of goodies themed around either Christmas, Cheeseboard or Sweet Treats. The bag itself is a practical size for shopping and stands up unsupported, making it a useful carrier throughout the year. WSP £14.25; RRP £19.95. Also new in The Bay Tree’s offering this year are the Sweet and Savoury Gift Selections - hexagonal gift packs housing six single-serve preserves. thebaytree.co.uk
Headlining Mrs Darlington’s NPD for Christmas 2025 is Redcurrant & Rosemary Jelly with Gin (212g). Described as “a vibrant blend of sweet, tangy redcurrants and aromatic rosemary, lifted with a splash of botanical gin”, this delicate jelly promises to enhance any festive cheeseboard or festive joint. mrsdarlingtons.com
Usk Valley Cheese Company is expecting Six Peaks to be in demand this Christmas after winning a Gold medal in the New Cheese category at the British & Irish Cheese Awards. Inspired by the six iconic peaks of the Brecon Beacons, this semi-hard cheese is infused with garlic and mixed herbs. It has a WSP of £5.25/200g wedge; £102/4kg wheel. instagram.com/ uskvalleycheese
Proving that seasonal treats can be nutritious and indulgent is Claire’s Amazeballs, with its Festive Balls – vegan, organic energy balls that are crafted to resemble mini Christmas puddings. Nuts, spices and seeds combine to deliver sustained energy that satisfies Christmas cravings. There are two flavours: Cacao Orange and A Taste of Christmaswith a WSP of £2.75 for a twin pack; RRP £4.95. clairesamazeballs.com
Gingerbeard’s Preserves has elevated two classic ‘pub’ pickles with its latest introduction: a branded gift box containing 2 x 500g jars of Pickled Onions and Pickled Eggs. There are three variantsTraditional, Balsamic and Chilli. WSP £11.49; RRP £15.99. gingerbeardspreserves. co.uk
A cheesemonger’s festive board
A well-balanced Christmas cheeseboard should offer a variety of textures and flavours to suit all tastes. Amber Lee, owner of The Cheese Press in Richmond, shares five of her seasonal favourites.
SOFT
St Jude
St Jude Cheese
I was lucky enough to meet Julie Cheyney recently – a truly lovely and talented cheesemaker producing exceptional raw milk cheeses in Suffolk. It’s always exciting (and humbling) to meet the people behind these incredible products, and this was no exception. Named after the patron saint of lost causes, St Jude is a multi-award-winning cheese: unctuous, oozy and delicate. A joy to unwrap, serve and savour – especially with a glass of English sparkling wine.
HARD
Dale End Cheddar
Botton Creamery
BLUE
Swaledale Blue
This cloth-bound raw milk cheddar is made by Botton Creamery in North Yorkshire, part of the Camphill Village Trust – a social enterprise supporting adults with learning disabilities. Dry and crumbly with a long, satisfying finish, it’s a cheddar that holds its own. Matured for a minimum of six months, it pairs beautifully with a generous spoonful of Christmas chutney.
Swaledale Cheese Company
Swaledale’s cheeses have been a fixture on our counter since we first opened in 2022 – and the blue is one of our biggest sellers, especially at Christmas. It’s always on my own cheeseboard at home. Stilton-style in character, it has a velvety texture and bold, savoury flavour that never overwhelms. Every time I taste it, I’m reminded of just how good it is.
WASHED RIND
Yarlington
King Stone Dairy
WILD CARD
Yoredale Wensleydale
Curlew Dairy
We’re spoilt for choice in the UK when it comes to washedrind cheeses, but this one remains a favourite. Made by David Jowett at King Stone Dairy in Oxfordshire, Yarlington is washed in Tom Oliver’s Somerset cider, made with Yarlington Mill apples. I love both the concept and the heritage – this style of cheese was first developed by monks. Supple, pungent and full of umami, it’s a proper showstopper.
Made by Ben and Sam Spence at Curlew Dairy, this is the world’s only raw milk Wensleydale. I spend a lot of my life talking about this cheese and never tire of it – the smell of a freshly opened wheel is one of life’s small joys. It’s made to a traditional recipe in the village of Wensley and delivers dense, buttery richness with a savoury backbone and gentle complexity. And yes – if you’re going to do it properly, serve it on a slice of fruitcake.
The Cotswold Cardillo has unveiled a Panettone range that blends its founders’ Italian culinary heritage with Cotswold ingredients.
Clara Cardillo and Matteo Conte, who launched the brand earlier this year, say they are dedicated to honouring family recipes whilst reimagining them for today’s market. Their panettone, for example, is made with Nonna Pippi’s strong flours for a long natural leavening, local Cotswold eggs, and fruit that is candied in-house. It is said to be “light citrusy and festive”, and comes in three varieties: Tradizionale, Chocolate and Pistachio, available via Cress Co. RRP £23.50/750g. thecotswoldcardillo.co.uk
Christmas 2025 sees the return of Orkney Gin Company’s nostalgic, full-flavoured twist on traditional Old Tom gin - a slightly sweetened style dating back to the 18thcentury.
This special release is handmade using Orkney Spirits Limited’s signature distilled gin, Aatta, as a base onto which lemons, oranges, dried fruits, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and a touch of ginger are layered. The outcome is a “juicy, warming, sweet and silky” 40% ABV gin that is said to be bursting with quintessentially festive flavours.
According to Orkney Gin Company, Christmas Old Tom saw a spike in demand last year after being featured on James Martin’s Saturday Morning, and has consistently sold out in previous years, making it an attractive proposition for retailers.
RRP £37.90/50cl. orkneygincompany.com
Buckle up your sleigh
Salt.Deli Kitchen owner Iain
Hemming on how to brace for the festive season and avoid getting overwhelmed.
Salt’s Christmas 2025 preparations started on 28th December 2024. “I don’t recognise this man”, I hear my team say, but unless I put my head down immediately after the main event, all of a sudden six months have passed and a tinsel lined fog descends over the previous yuletide trading period.
The extra ‘curve bauble’ thrown at us is that every Christmas is different, as many households take it in turns to host. This doesn’t make life easy for the independent retailer who is trying to plan their buying!
My notes are made up of the following:
Overstocks
• We don’t get many of these as I tend not to stick my head in the sand. When sales don’t come on certain lines, I discount early and get the money back in the bank.
Understocks
• Date of sell out, bring in earlier? Extend range next year? We are a roadside deli and are positioned for the £10-£15 food related gift sales on the go.
Staff Levels
The extra ‘curve bauble’ is that every Christmas is different as many families trade places year-on-year
• It goes without saying that this is vital – having the right levels of experienced team members over period is essential to offer great service quickly.
Team
• Always give a party in the run up to Xmas, too far beforehand or after is never the same. At the party, we hold ‘The Salties’ team player of the year awards – for full-time and part-timers voted for by their colleagues. Winners receive engraved trophies and a £100 voucher.
• Don’t compromise on breaks, even add extra power breaks if you notice someone struggling.
• Record who worked when last year so you can offer them flexibility the next year.
• Close Christmas Day & Boxing Day, allow a day either side for staff travelling further to see distant relatives.
Gifting with a purpose’ is a rising trend and one that Tea People is tapping into with its new Afternoon Tea gift pack. With an RRP of £24.95, this set brings together three mini tins filled with Assam Gold, Organic Darjeeling Green and Organic Vanilla Rooibos, a tea measuring spoon and a tea infuser in a windowed carry handle box.
Founded by husband-and-wife duo, Neeraj and Vishaka Agarwal, Tea People is a social enterprise dedicated to sourcing, creating and promoting speciality teas while reinvesting profits into education, healthcare and women’s empowerment initiatives in tea-growing communities. teapeople.co.uk
Even though Christmas is all about entertaining, consumers will also be looking for easy meal options as they juggle busy calendars. To this end, Girl Gone Wild has unveiled two frozen sous-vide dishes that will feature in Booths’ Christmas catalogue.
“Sticking to our core mission to bring wild game to customers in convenience formats, our sous-vide products are our first move into the finish-at-home category,” said the company’s founder, Mel Phipps. With a WSP of £8.93/500g (RRP £12.75), sous-vide Wild Venison Daube combines chunks of wild venison shank with a rich red wine casserole sauce. The other sous-vide product, Wild Venison Perfectly Pink Steaks with All Things Butter Garlic & Herb Medallions, is a collaboration that pairs infused butter pats with wild venison steaks that are cooked to “fail proof perfection” ready to be seared at home. WSP £14.96/500g; RRP £22. ggwfoods.co.uk
A baked Camembert starter is always a Christmas crowd pleaser, but sometimes a full-size cheese can lie heavy, which is why Isigny Sainte-Mère Cooperative has introduced a mini 150g version of its pasteurised Camembert. Available via Carron Lodge, this cheese is made and matured in the heart of Normandy from milk that is renowned for being rich in fat and protein. isigny-ste-mere.com/en
B Corp beekeeping collective Black Bee Honey has added a special edition Christmas Honey to its ‘flower to jar’ collection. This soft set, single-origin honey is foraged from rapeseed, hawthorn and plum blossom in Somerset, Yorkshire and Northamptonshire, with natural almond flavouring and organic vanilla extract to create a marzipan like flavour and texture. WSP £5.52/227g; RRP £8.50. blackbeehoney.com
Cambrook has added two new sweet snacking lines to its line-up ahead of the festive buying season. Chocolate Almonds and Salted Caramel Chocolate Hazelnuts both come in cases of 12 x 90g bags (RRP £3.49 and £3.69 respectively). cambrookfoods.co.uk
The glass bottle, cork stopper and gold embossed box give Potion De V’s Madagascan Pure Vanilla Extract top tier gift allure. Claiming to be the only UK company to make extract by hand, the producer sources grade A vanilla beans direct from Madagascar and ages its extract for more than 12 months. WSP £24; RRP £40. potiondev.co.uk
Launching under the Charlie & Ivy’s brand is the Mayo Gift Box, a selection of four 140g mini jars of mayonnaise made with Breckenholme’s rapeseed oil. The Yorkshire producer says it is expecting the set – which brings together Mustard & Ale, Lemon & Dill, Chilli & Lime and Smoked Garlic flavoured mayos – to be a hit with those seeking gifts for men. WSP £13; RRP £20. charlieandivys.co.uk breckenholme.co.uk
Christmas 2025 sees the return of The Christmas Collection gift pack from Tracklements Cranberry, Port & Orange Sauce, Sticky Fig Relish, Spiced Plum Chutney and Christmas Spice Chutney all feature in the collection, which is billed as a clever Christmas season hosting gift. RRP £13.80. tracklements.co.uk
Pieminister has created a gluten-free version of its vegetarian Christingle Pie. The Bristol pie maker says that with its rich parsnip, chestnut, cheddar cheese and leek filling, the Christingle Pie has become a festive favourite over the years. Encasing this filling in its very own gluten-free pastry will allow “even more people to tuck into the comfort and joy of a festive pie”, it says. Like all Pieminister’s glutenfree pies, this new pie is certified by the Coeliac Society. RRP £5.50/260g. pieminister.co.uk
These organic cooked and peeled chestnuts from Realfoods By Organico can be added to any number of seasonal recipes. The chestnuts are grown in the orchards of southern France, where chestnuts have been cultivated for centuries. RRP £5.95/200g. organicorealfoods.com
Christmas
flavours with
a slight sweet hit
As we go to press, the team at Somerset Charcuterie will have started making Mulled Wine Salami. This salami, which balances red wine with Christmas flavours from mulling spices, has been making a regular appearance over the festive period since 2015. The mulled wine sits overnight to soak up the flavours of the mulled spices. It is then added to the pork meat, which ferments for 48 hours before being air dried for another four to five weeks. WSP £3.23/60g; RRP £4.85. somersetcharcuterie. com
New Forest Shortbread is expecting its new ginger flavour to be a hit at Christmas. Chewy pieces of crystallised ginger are said to add a spiced flavour that compliments the richness of the traditional, all-butter recipe. WSP £4.40/140g box; RRP £7.50. newforestshortbread.co.uk
Dark Woods Coffee has combined two natural processed coffees from Brazil and Ethiopia with a little washed processed coffee from Colombia in a winter blend characterised by cherry sweetness and smooth chestnut flavour. Snow Stone is named after the Stanza Stone in the old quarry above Marsden, carved with a snowthemed poem. WSP £7.41 for a 250g home compostable bag; RRP £11.95. darkwoodscoffee.co.uk
This autumn, Kaltbach Creamy will become the brand’s first cheese to be available in a prepacked format in the UK – bringing the character of the Swiss Alps to retail shelves. This cow’s milk cheese is said to be smooth and rich with a hint of fruitiness - a result of spending four months in a sandstone cave, as well as the addition of extra cream. RRP £4.75/170g. emmi.com
Illustrated by artist Helen Lee, Roly’s 2025 advent calendar features a selection of its most popular fudge flavours, including Vanilla Clotted Cream, Sea Salt, Honeycomb, Salted Maple, Pecan and Christmas Pudding. The producer uses a classic West Country recipe and small batch methods. rolysfudge.co.uk
What’s in store
André Lewis, head buyer of food, wine & spirits at Harrods, on what Christmas 2025 might bring for retailers.
This festive season, we’re foreseeing a distinct shift in how people celebrate – where global influences, elevated indulgence, and playful innovation are redefining tradition in new and meaningful ways.
At Harrods, our buying and product development team has noticed a growing appetite for flavour exploration. Ingredients like matcha and yuzu are making their way into classic Christmas formats, reflecting a wider UK trend where nearly one in five people now include international cuisines in their holiday meals.
Consumers still crave the comfort of the familiar, but they’re embracing unexpected twists – like the seemingly unstoppable rise of pistachio in festive patisserie, the layering of figs and clementines in a showstopping trifle, or sweet-savoury surprises such as chocolate miso cookies and caramel rosemary
Ingredients like matcha and yuzu are making their way into classic Christmas formats
shortbread.
Visual appeal and shareability are also more important than ever, to create a real ‘wow’ moment. Edible wreaths and Tokyo-inspired festive jellies speak to a desire for celebratory food that can be shared yet feel refreshingly different and perhaps speak to people’s desire for travel and experiences. Tea infusions (so important to our own roots as a tea merchant) are no longer confined to the teacup, they’re now starring in desserts and confectionery, while ready-to-drink cocktails and mocktails continue to grow in popularity, enhanced by seasonal notes like fig, rosemary, and peppermint.
We’re also seeing mushrooms take centre stage in plant-based offerings, delivering sustainability with rich umami depth. And across all categories, there’s a clear move toward all-day grazing, from indulgent Christmas brunches to relaxed evening spreads, signalling a more generous, informal style of entertaining.
What’s emerging isn’t just a trend toward innovation, but a deeper, more expressive way of celebrating: one that balances heritage with modernity, indulgence with curiosity. At Harrods, we have a world class food buying and product development team and are proud to lead this evolution - curating products that capture the spirit of the season while responding to the everevolving tastes of today’s consumer.
Better Roasting Fat, part of the new Sublime Creations range, is slated as the secret to crispy roast potatoes. The recipe blends beef dripping, goose fat, butter, confit garlic and herbs, creating a product that is said to be super easy to upsell when customers are already committed to roasting joints and birds.
With the launch of the Creations range, Sublime has ventured beyond butter into store cupboard staples such as truffle oils and XO-style sauces.
“We created this range to offer our stockists products with considerable shelf life (12 months plus), whilst also catering to those with little or no fridge space. Perhaps more importantly, we have a genuine passion for flavour - and our creative ideas for how to pursue it often bring us outside the realms of butter. So, here we are!” said Sublime managing director Tony Ho. WSP £8.28; RRP £12. sublimebutter.com
Launching in September is Hawkshead Relish’s new Christmas Ketchup. Made with redcurrants, cranberries and Christmas-inspired spices, this seasonal condiment has been designed to bring festive cheer to everything from roast dinners and Boxing Day buffets to turkey sandwiches. WSP £18.70 for 6 x 275g bottles; RRP: £4.45.
The Lakes producer’s Mulled Damson & Port Jam is also back by popular demand for 2025. Damsons are mixed with mulled spices and a glug of port to make a conserve that can be spread on crumpets and croissants or swirled into festive desserts. WSP £15.95 for 6 x 220g jars; RRP £3.95. hawksheadrelish.com
With sustainability a growing priority for fish eaters, West Dorset’s Chesil Smokery has added cold smoked Icelandic landfarmed salmon to its range. The salmon is reared via an innovative land-based approach that is said to have a lower environmental impact than conventional aquaculture. The salmon is available in 100g, 200g, 500g and 1kg packs in a variety of preparations. chesilsmokery.co.uk
Spotting a space on the cheeseboard for a West Country blue, Somerset’s White Lake Dairy has released a semi-soft blue cow’s milk cheese that honours the legacy of classic French blues like Fourme d’Ambert. Moo’dy Blue features blue veining that compliments the rich, creamy texture provided by the Jersey golden cow’s milk, giving it a complex yet mild flavour profile.
whitelake.co.uk
Dylan’s has made up a mini hamper that enables consumers to recreate the Anglesey restaurant’s ‘Chicken in a Basket’ experience at home. With a WSP of £13.50 (RRP £20), the set contains Dylan’s own Chicken Seasoning, BBQ Sauce and Secret Seasoning for fries. dylansrestaurant.co.uk
Rather than going down the usual Christmas route, this year Marshfield has created a grown-up take on mint choc chip. Dark chocolate mint crispies are swirled through white chocolate double-cream ice cream, producing a winter indulgence reminiscent of an after dinner mint. Midnight Mint Crisp has a WSP of £22.84 for 4 x 1l tubs; RRP £8. marshfield-icecream. co.uk
Luscombe says it is bringing back a timeless classic from the archives this winter to mark its 50th anniversary. Apple & Ginger balances organic English apples with Peruvian ginger in a drink that is said to be as invigorating as it is nostalgic. It can be chilled over ice or enjoyed as a festive warmer with a cinnamon stick and star anise. RRP £2.79/270ml; £3.95/740ml.
Wight Whisky’s new gift set gives “confident and curious” whisky drinkers the opportunity to try a bottle that is said to embody the nature of the Isle of Wight. The distillery’s Signature Malt Blend is flanked by two branded glasses in the set, which has a WSP of £39.82; RRP £59. wightwhisky.com
The Fermentation Station says its Apple and Plum Kombucha Chutney can “cut through those rich and heavy platters of seasonal grub”. Kombucha vinegar adds an extra zing and floral note to the seasonal fruit and veg mix, resulting in a spicy, tangy and hearty winter graze board addition. WSP £5.39/275g; RRP £6.50. The producer recommends pairing the chutney with its Sweet Cranberry Cultured Cashew Cheese, which will be making a reappearance this Christmas. thefermentationstation.co.uk
Booja-Booja’s Winter Special Eight Truffle Box features two different dairy-free, organic chocolate truffle flavours: Cherry Bakewell Chocolate Truffles and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Truffles. Available via Cress Co, Cotswold Fayre, Diverse Fine Foods and The Gorgeous Food Co. RRP £7.25. boojabooja.com
How ready are you for Christmas?
Tom Day, co-owner of French & Day
It’s crazy how quickly it’s creeping up already. Sitting and ordering stuff for Christmas in May was a bit of a shock to the system, but we did a little bit of advance ordering, incentivised by offers from wholesalers. Then we put the rest of the orders in in July. In terms of our cheese and that core stuff – I think we have a good system now. We’ve adopted what a lot of shops do, which is to look at what we sold last year and add 10%. That’s worked well for us – it’s meant we’ve had minimal wastage.
We’re not going to buy anything that’s just a regular product with Christmas packaging
It’s the Christmas products where we’re going to slightly change what we’re doing this year. We’re not going to buy anything that’s just a regular product with Christmas packaging – because that’s a disaster from a wastage point of view. I don’t want a normal chocolate bar that has a snowflake on the outside. We try to go for the classic, continental Christmas items – panettone, gingerbread from Eastern Europe, Stollen from Germany.
But we came unstuck a couple of years ago. We got swept up in the whole “panettone is the thing” wave – so we ordered loads, and we had so much left over. Even the budget-friendly ones – £20–25 – people weren’t going for it. Same goes for anything that’s not written in English – we had some lovely Italian products but because the labels were in Italian, no one knew what they were and they didn’t buy them.
So this year, the approach is: we’ll have some panettone, but probably just one. Maybe a gluten-free version too. I think we’re going to get some stocking fillers down the line, and not necessarily Christmas-specific. We’re just going to get more of our normal products. Anything small and interesting that can go in a hamper or in a stocking.
We’ve also learned that as soon as we think we understand what customers want – we don’t. Other businesses that have been around longer said the same – they gave up trying to predict. You have to go with what feels right.
Ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail brand Swish is promising to get the party started with its new Gold Collection. The range takes in three sparkling 12% ABV cocktails - Brazilian Lime Margarita Fizz, Pina Colada Spritz, and Naughty Passion Martini Spritz. £39.00 for 6 x 750ml bottles. swishcocktails.com
Having made brandy butter for retailers for many years, last year, Cotswold Gold decided to develop its own festive butter featuring the Cotswold Distillery’s Single Malt Whisky. Notes of honey, red fruit and treacle compliment the creamy sweetened butter. WSP £4; RRP £6. cotswoldgold.co.uk
Simon Jones, co-owner of Forest Deli
We’re starting to look at last year’s figures –what sold well, what didn’t sell as well – to get a rough idea of what we’re going to be doing. In the next month or so, we’ll start to contact our hamper customers as we have a number of corporate hamper contracts. Some are five or six hampers, but we’ve got one that’s about 150 hampers, predominantly made with local products, which we change every year. We have to start calling people to say, “Yes, we know it’s really hot and sunny, but do you want some hampers this Christmas?”
Then we’ll need to secure stock and work out how much we need and when we need to get it in. And obviously we don’t want to have it on the premises for too long, because it all just takes up space. That one hamper order of 150 basically takes up the entire storeroom. So you get that through over a weekend, get them packed up and get them out.
We don’t want to have stock in the premises for too long, because it all just takes up space
Over the next few months and in the run-up to Christmas, we offer discounts to try and get people to order as much in advance as possible, so we know what level we’re going to be looking at and see if it’s the same or less or more than previous years. We try to gauge how much cheese to order overall based on these - it’s a very rough forecast and then a bit of a guess to add something on. This is our eighth Christmas and we haven’t got one horrendously wrong yet.
It’s always a bit of a nail-biting time when all the cheese is coming in in the first couple of weeks in December and nobody’s buying cheese yet because they’re all saving up for Christmas. The walk-in chiller is literally filled from floor to ceiling.
We need to get the vast majority of cheeses pre-ordered with all the cheesemakers that we deal direct with and with the wholesalers to make sure we’ve ring-fenced our stock so that we know what we’re definitely going to get through the door.
Our very first Christmas was stressful because we massively underbought, so there was a lot of last-minute chasing around and begging favours from other local cheese shops. It’s all good fun.
Cottage Delight has curated a selection of afternoon tea essentials and presented them in a keepsake tin. Splendid Scone Mix, Juicy Blackcurrant Whole Fruit Jam, Original Strawberry Whole Fruit Jam and Classic Clotted Cream all feature in the set. RRP £14.99; WSP £61.92 for a case of 6. cottagedelight.co.uk
Playful festive flavours such as Raspberry & Popping Candy, Candied Orange and Salted Popcorn with Crispy Wafer Pieces star in this “joyful” assortment, which has been designed to be a “Christmas party crowd pleaser”, according to its creator, Monty Bojangles. WSP of £7; ERP £3.50. montybojangles.com
Retailers in search of stocking fillers for the more healthconscious consumer should check out Jinger Tea’s loose leaf tins. They come in two sizes – containing either 10 and 20 tea bags, with respective RRPs of £9 and £15 - and there are four blends, all based on coldpressed ginger. jingerdrinks.com
With gifting solutions from WBC
From luxe hampers to refined bottle boxes, seasonal bags, branded ribbons and all the trimmings, we have everything you need to make it the most festive event of the
Festive shred fi ers
shelf christmas stickers
Contact us at hello@kindredforest.co.uk for availability and samples www.kindredforest.co.uk/shop
Discover the fair that fuels the world of fine food
Visitors to this year’s Speciality & Fine Food Fair will find new dedicated areas and a panoply of fine food & drink producers. The team behind the event, which takes place at the Olympia London from 9th10th September, tells all.
Speciality & Fine Food Fair, the UK’s leading showcase of artisanal food and drink, returns this year with more than ever to see, sample and discover, offering an unrivalled opportunity to uncover the future of fine food & drink in one vibrant, expertly curated space. Over the course of two days, visitors can immerse themselves in a world of innovation and taste discoveries. This is a chance to meet the producers behind the most exciting new products on the market, to discover unique flavours and formats, and to gain an inside view of the trends taking the industry by storm.
Speciality & Fine Food Fair is packed with quality food & drink brands from across the UK and all around the world, with stands from countries including the United States, Turkey, Spain, South Korea, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and more.
The Food for Thought stage will once again be a focal point of Speciality & Fine Food Fair, offering visitors two days of dynamic content exploring the latest challenges, opportunities and innovations in the world of fine food & drink.
Kateline Porritt, head of trends at Egg Soldiers, will be speaking at this year’s event. She comments: “I’m very excited to be talking at Speciality & Fine Food Fair this year as we continue in this run of unprecedented tough years for our food businesses. I’m offering a lighthouse of insight to guide visitors through the changing scene of GLP-1s, geopolitical news, and Gen Z social shifters.
“Our forecasted trends are researched and defined to have real impact and action to solve the challenges facing our partners in foodservice, hospitality, producers and retailers.”
John Farrand, director of the Guild of Fine Food and also a speaker at the show, adds:
“It’s a curious world right now, with more than a dollop of chaos. Speciality & Fine Food Fair will continue to bring global flavours to Olympia and ensure that our industry continues to do business, breaking down international barriers and making sure that the very best food & drink is available on your menu or on retail shelves.”
Speciality & Fine Food Fair will continue to bring global flavours to Olympia
The platform will host a packed schedule of panel discussions, trend presentations and expert-led talks from across the sector, with insights from leading retailers, wholesalers, food industry specialists and pioneering brands. From tackling industry pain points to spotlighting emerging consumer trends, the Food for Thought stage is designed to inspire and inform, offering invaluable takeaways for businesses across retail, hospitality and foodservice.
Whether you’re looking to stay ahead of consumer demand, source new suppliers or spark new ideas, the Fair is packed with insights and opportunities to take back to your business.
NEW ENERGY AT THE HEART OF THE FAIR
New for 2025 is The Village Square – a lively hub at the centre of the show floor, designed to spark spontaneous conversations, valuable networking, and product discovery. This central space will host tastings from wholesalers and regional groups, roundtable discussions, and advice clinics led by expert partners tackling key industry challenges. Sessions are already confirmed with organisations including Invest NI, Diverse Fine Food and Cotswold Fayre.
The Square will also celebrate 25 Regional Stars from around the UK – spotlighting excellence, creativity and community-driven food & drink.
Whether you’re reconnecting with industry peers or forging new collaborations, The Village Square promises to be a must-visit destination for anyone serious about staying ahead in fine food & drink.
SHOW PREVIEW
START-UP VILLAGE EXPANDS FOR 2025
Always a favourite with buyers and visitors, the Start-Up Village is where some of the UK’s most exciting early-stage brands introduce their ideas to the market. For 2025, the space is expanding to reflect surging demand for innovation. Among the confirmed exhibitors are HOTBUBU, a Londonbased condiment brand with bold Korean-inspired flavours; RamTang’ Cello, reimagining limoncello for a lighter, zesty twist; Oh Raw!, creator of uncompromisingly raw fruit snacks and Honey Hills, an award-winning producer of artisan honey from Romania’s Carpathian Mountains. It’s a chance to meet passionate founders face to face –and get in early on tomorrow’s big names.
LEADING BRANDS IN THE FINE FOOD & DRINK SECTOR
Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2025 will once again bring together a carefully selected line-up of wholesalers and distributors, giving buyers the opportunity to explore new ranges, forge valuable partnerships and stay ahead of what’s next in the world of speciality food and drink.Cotswold Fayre, well known for its commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainability, returns with its wide portfolio of premium products. Diverse Fine Food also brings its handpicked, high-quality selection tailored to the needs of independent retailers.
Lituanica, a long-standing player in Eastern European food distribution, will showcase its expansive range from across the region. With more than 20 years’ experience in the UK and Ireland, it remains a trusted name in traditional Eastern European food & drink.
Also exhibiting is Quality Confectionery Wholesale, specialising in high-end handmade and heritage confectionery from across Europe, with a strong focus on supporting independent retailers. This year will also see the return of a name trusted by premium supermarkets and independents alike – Rowcliffe, one of the UK’s leading importers and distributors of cheese and fine foods. In addition, Alsop & Walker of Sussex will showcase its award-winning British artisan cheeses, rooted in traditional craftsmanship and quality.
INNOVATION AND INSPIRATION ACROSS THE SHOW FLOOR
The Fair offers dedicated zones designed to inform, inspire and ignite new ideas.
At Food for Thought, visitors will gain
Taking time out of the business to feel inspired by passionate producers and catch up with friends and colleagues, old and new, is good for the soul
our sector. Whether you’re an emerging producer or a retailer at the heart of your community, these awards are your opportunity to be recognised by the industry’s leading voices.”
Popular categories returning this year include Not Yet on the Shelf, New Product of the Year (UK and International), Small and Large Independent Retailer of the Year (with BIRA), DEI Champion, Outstanding Industry Champion, and new for 2025, Outstanding Regional Star.
Stefano Cuomo, CEO of Macknade and a 2025 judge, comments: “I’m so pleased to be judging these fantastic awards. Speciality & Fine Food Fair is the event of our sector, and the awards represent everything that sets our peers, producers and operators apart.”
WHY WOULDN’T YOU BE THERE?
practical insight into key challenges facing the sector, from supply chain to sustainability, through expert panels and industry briefings. In the Drinks Quarter, a vibrant selection awaits – from smallbatch spirits and craft beer to teas, coffees, and on-trend nootropics. Within this space, The Wine Cellar offers a curated tasting journey through standout wines from around the world.
The Great Taste Deli gives visitors the chance to sample Great Taste Award-winning products – a go-to stop for discovering best-in-class food & drink.
Meanwhile, the Producer Advice Hub provides free, one-to-one sessions with leading consultants and specialists covering everything from certification and compliance to brand building and marketing.
CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN FINE FOOD & DRINK
Returning for 2025, the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards will shine a spotlight on the people and products driving the sector forward. Winners will be announced live on day one of the event. The awards recognise emerging talent, innovation, exceptional retail, and leadership – all hallmarks of a thriving, resilient industry.
Nicola Woods, event manager, says:“The Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards shine a light on the passion, creativity and resilience that define
With so much to discover, taste and take away, it’s no surprise that Speciality & Fine Food Fair remains a firm fixture in the calendars of buyers and retailers across the UK. Bryony TaylorEdwards, head of marketing & buying at Yarnton Home & Garden, says: “2024 was my first visit to Speciality & Fine Food Fair and it was absolutely brilliant. I discovered some fantastic new brands, enjoyed the buzzy atmosphere and its handy location, and placed lots of orders.”
Tom Newey, director at Cobbs Farm Shop, adds: “Taking time out of the business to feel inspired by passionate producers and catch up with friends and colleagues, old and new, is good for the soul.”
Paul Donoughue, owner of Green & Lovely, shares: “Speciality & Fine Food Fair has become a firm date in our diaries and is essential to the success of our business. We get to scope out new products, meet producers and see what fresh plans we can hatch.”
Daniel Smith, managing director at Barbury Hill, sums it up: “We enjoyed every moment, engaged in meaningful conversations and found ourselves truly inspired. Speciality & Fine Food Fair plays a crucial role in shaping our winter and Christmas collections.”
From product launches and industry insights to expert advice and fresh thinking, Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2025 offers more than ever before. With all this waiting at Olympia this September, the only question is: why wouldn’t you be there? Find out more at specialityfinefoodfairs.co.uk
www.burtreepuddings.co.uk
WORLD CHEESE AWARDS 2025
will take place in Bern, Switzerland as part of the Capital of Cheese festival from 13 – 15 November
KEY DATES 2025
Entry opens: 12 June | Entry closes: 16 September
Cheese staged: 12 November | Judging: 13 November
Results available: 15 November
ORGANISED BY
COST OF ENTRY (all +VAT)
Small business (Turnover less than £1m) £59 per cheese
Medium business (Turnover £1-5m) £72 per cheese
Large business (Turnover more than £5m) £95 per cheese
HOSTED BY
PRINCIPAL PARTNERS
Finessing
Make this one a soft serve summer
Fast frozen desserts are appearing everywhere from bakeries and cafés to take-away coffee hatches – here’s why you might want to follow suit.
By Nick Baines
EXPECTATIONS FOR WEEKEND treats have risen. As well as chasing down the latest hyped pastry or hybrid food item, operators have found a lucrative channel in a soft serve machine. A traditional mainstay of ice cream vans, this ‘Mr. Whippy’ style contraption is being hacked to deliver a far more interesting product.
The first adopters of this trend were coffee shops, pairing the ice cream with speciality coffee in high-end affogatos. At London’s speciality coffee powerhouse Rosslyn, customers can try a soft serve made with Origin Coffee cold brew, Mork chocolate, and milk from The Estate Dairy.
Similarities between offering soft serve and coffee include the requisite machines that take up similar real estate on a service counter, and that can both be bought for around £3,000£5,000. “The margins are similar too,” explains Gary Derham, founder of The Bristol Loaf, which started offering soft serve this year.
“Our trade is quite seasonal,” he explains. “People tend to eat less cakes and pastries in the summer, and our trade suffers. So this year we thought we’d try something new.”
Derham initially bought a soft serve machine to install at his Bedminster site in May, but it worked so well that by July all three sites of The Bristol Loaf were equipped.
“We started with much grander ideas,” continues Derham. “But there’s a science to
making soft serve mixes in order to get the right texture.” Derham says early experiments with miso and banana were difficult due to inconsistencies in the fruit. “We’re looking to dehydrate the bananas next time,” he says.
Gabi Wyatt, pastry chef at Rye Bakery in Frome, agrees. “Soft serve is notoriously challenging to master when working with fresh produce,” she says, “especially when trying to use as few additives and stabilisers as possible.” At Rye Bakery, it took six months to land on a recipe. “Our flavour combinations evolve with the seasons,” continues Wyatt. “So far, we’ve featured British blackcurrant & Amalfi lemon curd, and Cal’s chocolate & honeycomb.”
It’s the flavour combinations that arguably make this such an intriguing option. London’s Soft & Swirly churns out innovative flavours like buckwheat & sobacha, and strawberry & kumquat, while Bristol’s neighbourhood restaurant Sonny Stores recently launched a potted soft serve subscription service under the name Little Knuckles, selling 40-80kg a month of flavours like black sesame & roasted strawberry, and salted focaccia & butterscotch.
However, it’s not all straightforward. For places like London’s Jolene, group head chef James Mitchell says: “Using the premixed, offthe-shelf mix would give you a healthy margin.
“When making your own mix with great ingredients, those margins do take quite a hit.”
“Once you get used to how soft serve works, there’s a lot of things you can do,” says Gary Derham back at The Bristol Loaf, which currently puts out individual portions at £4.
“People will spend on a nice ice cream,” he adds. “If you’ve put a bit of effort in and made more interesting, people will happily pay a little bit more.
THREE
OF THE BEST
Exemplary soft serves to inspire your own creations
Cal’s Chocolate and Honeycomb, Rye Bakery, Frome
The chocolate and honeycomb soft serve at this Frome-based bakery has become an all-out crowd pleaser. Fresh soft serve made using local dairy is dressed with shards of chocolate and sauce from a nearby bean-to-bar chocolate producer, contrasted against the crunch and dark caramel notes of honeycomb. rye-bakery.com
Lemon soft serve, Jolene, London
At Jolene, group head chef James Mitchell says sorbets work very well, because “the vibrancy of the fruit really shines through”. This lemon option recently launched at its Finsbury Park location is worth a visit. jolenebakery.com
Matcha soft serve, Soft & Swirly, London
This Japanese green tea is having a bit of a moment right now, as a flavour for everything from crème patissière in donuts to a sauce for savoury cold noodles. At Soft & Swirly’s London Fields shop, the matcha flavour sets a benchmark. instagram.com/soft_n_swirly
THREE SIMPLE SOFT SERVE OPTIONS
High-end affogato
Anyone serving coffee has an easy win with a simple milk-based soft serve in a takeaway cup, topped with a shot of espresso. A simple upsell in hot weather which also helps to increase average spend when serving families.
Wonky fruit coulis
Using ‘wonky’, or frozen fruit to make a preserved coulis can go a long way when it comes to adorning a quality soft serve, using surplus fruit and creating a sharp, sweet, attractive addition.
Honey simplicity
Simple, understated, and classy. Local honey drizzled over the soft serve, particularly if you have one that carries a subtle tang, allows you to promote local produce, cross-promote ingredientsparticularly useful in retail environments - and serve something that’s super quick and easy.
PRODUCTS & MERCHANDISING
Windmill Organics snacks tap into trend towards cleaner plant protein
By Lynda Searby
Windmill Organics is stepping up its focus on protein with the launch of four new snacks under its ProFusion brand.
“Protein is an increasingly important focus, because as the category grows – up 24.2% in value over the past year – it’s clear that protein is no longer just for gym-goers. Consumers are now choosing it for everyday wellness, energy and balance, which aligns closely with our wholefood, plant-based approach,” Carmen Ferguson, brand manager at Windmill Organics, told FFD
“There’s also growing concern around ultraprocessed foods, pushing demand for cleaner, more natural protein sources – a space where ProFusion is already strong. As protein becomes more mainstream and macro-conscious eating rises, we see a real opportunity to meet this need with our nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods,” she added.
The producer’s latest round of NPD takes in two Nut Crunch mixes, in Roasted & Salted and Roasted Tamari flavours (RRP £2.99), and two organic Protein Cakes made from lentil and chickpea (RRP £2.49). The mixes combine soybeans, cashews and almonds, delivering 12g of protein per pack. The Lentil Cakes pack 25% more protein and four times more fibre per serving than rice cakes, while the Chickpea Cakes provide nearly twice the protein and over two and a half times the fibre, says Windmill Organics.
The introduction of these four snacking lines builds on the launch last year of protein pastas
Catherine’s Originals has set out to show that chocolates aren’t just for Christmas, with the launch of its Summer Selection.
The West Sussex chocolate maker says the assortment is inspired by warm summer nights and garden parties, as an extra special gift for hosts. The box contains 20 gluten-free, palm oilfree, vegan chocolates, from fruity caramels to citrusy truffles. RRP £9.50/190g.
The brand has also introduced two summer edition O’Bars: Punchy Pistachio and Raspberry Ripple. Distribution is via Cotswold Fayre, Suma and CLF. catherinesoriginals.com
WHAT’S NEW
Tracklements has unveiled two flavoured mayonnaises. Both Indulgent Garlic Mayonnaise and Sriracha Chilli Mayonnaise are made with Clarence Court eggs, which the producer hopes will boost their appeal with shoppers looking for “top tier” mayos. RRP £3.10/200g. tracklements.co.uk
made from organic chickpeas, red lentils and peas under the ProFusion label.
Asked why fine food retailers, who have historically placed more emphasis on quality and taste than health, should consider stocking protein products, Ferguson replied: “The protein category can still offer quality and taste, and is poised for continued evolution. Several key trends seem to be emerging, notably the demand for less processed options. Consumers are checking the back of labels more and are gravitating towards minimally processed, natural protein sources, such as legumes and whole grains.”
She also advised that, with increasing attention on longevity, menopause and peri menopause, reaching consumers aged 45+ will be key.
profusionorganic.co.uk
Tiba Tempeh has launched Smoky Block (RRP £3/200g), tempeh infused with a smoky marinade which can be sliced, diced or grated to add depth of flavour and protein to stir fries, pasta dishes and sandwiches. The launch coincides with increased distribution for the brand, with its Smoky Block, Original Block and Sweet Chilli Pieces debuting in 200 Waitrose stores.
tibatempeh.com
The Cotswold Cardillo is introducing a range of ready meals blending Italian culinary tradition with local Cotswold ingredients. The founders have drawn on family recipes from ‘Nonna Pippi’ to create three chilled meals: Beef Lasagne, Meatballs and Ricotta & Spinach Cannelloni. WSP £3.75-4.25/400g; RRP £5-7.50. thecotswoldcardillo.co.uk
Overnight oat brands seek to enliven their offer with creative flavours and inclusions
Overnight oats - made by soaking oats in yogurt or milk overnight - have become a popular breakfast option. Not only are they healthy, they are also versatile, lending themselves to different variations and stirins. An entire subcategory has sprung up around this trend, and the players in this space are branching out into new, adventurous flavour directions.
Following the launch of its High Protein Overnight
Oats in Apple & Cinnamon and Dark Chocolate flavours in January, ELEAT released a Mixed Berries variant in May, and Blueberry & Vanilla last month [July]. This latest flavour delivers a creamy, sweet taste, which the brand is hoping will appeal to a broader demographic. WSP £3.99/400g pouch; RRP £6.49.
The Earthy also entered onto the scene at the start of this year, with a range that is billed as blending nostalgic Asian flavours with modern nutrition. Flavours include Matcha & Macadamia, Toasted Black Sesame, Cacao & Goji, Figs, Taro, Peanut & Jujube and Bubble Tea - all conceived to bring a “global, health-forward twist to the
breakfast aisle”. They come in single-serve pouches (WSP £2.05/RRP £3.95).
Whilst both ELEAT and Earthy’s oats need to be soaked in milk overnight, The Good Grain has gone down the RTE (ready-to-eat) route, with a glass-packaged range. Its newest variant - Pistachiolanded in May, inspired by the viral Dubai chocolate trend. WSP £3.20-3.40; RRP £4.95. eleatcereal.com theearthyfoods.com goodgrain.co.uk
WHAT’S NEW
The Saucerer has teamed up with Italian-American restaurant Grasso to launch a creamy vodka pasta sauce. Sapling Climate Positive Vodka is said to enhance and balance the tomato, coconut cream and spice. Listed with Whole Foods Market and DELLI, it rolls out to to independents nationwide from late August. RRP £9.80 for 510ml. thesaucerer.co.uk
Awfully Posh has relaunched its peanuts in a recyclable paper wrapper, replacing hard-to-recycle polypropylene. Developed by EvoPak, the new wrapper uses the same technology as the world’s first recyclable, biodegradable crisp packet. awfullyposh.com
Realfoods by Organico is continuing its pantry ‘glow up’ with the introduction of its first organic sweet biscuits: Vegan Choc Chip Cookies, Speculoos spiced Belgian biscuits and buttery Petit Beurre Biscuits from Normandy. RRP £2.59 for a 110-125g pack. organicorealfoods.com
My magic ingredient
Irish Black Butter
I’m generally sceptical about products recommended by customers, as they’re often the ones that don’t sell. Just because someone loves something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be a hit.
Irish Black Butter, however, has completely proved me wrong. It came to us via a customer recommendation, and it’s turned out to be a brilliant addition.
The ingredients list is short and simple, and it’s made in my home country (I’m not biased – honestly!).
What I really love about it, though, is its versatility. You can use it in every meal –breakfast, lunch and dinner – and it works just as well in sweet dishes as it does in savoury ones. I like to stir a big spoonful through porridge or rice pudding, or spread it on hot buttered toast.
It also works brilliantly as a glaze for barbecued meats, as a chutney on a cheeseboard, or even swirled into cocktails and desserts.
Great Balls of Flour aims to revolutionise pizza at home
By Lynda Searby
Yorkshire producer Great Balls of Flour has launched a range of prepressed pizza bases, pizza dough balls, flours and dusts that tap into the growing home pizza oven trend.
The startup specialises in chilled, Neapolitan dough balls and pizza bases that are said to “remove the stress and hassle out of crafting exceptional pizza at home”.
“Our products are designed to allow home cooks to bypass the often temperamental process of dough making and jump straight to the creative fun of toppings,” founder James Talbot told FFD Consumers can either buy their bases as ready-to-roll dough balls or in a 12” pre-pressed format (RRP £2.75). Slow, low temperature fermentation is said to yield a dough with “exceptional flavour” and, as well as the company’s flagship Original Neopolitan Dough Balls, there are Sourdough, Easy Stretch and Gluten-Free variants. RRPs
from £2 for 250g.
For those who want to make their own dough, Great Balls of Flour offers Pizza Dough Mix in Neopolitan and Sourdough options. RRP £6.50; WSP from £3.95.
Beyond bases, the range includes ‘pizza dusts’ – blends of flours and semolinas. Pizza Preparation Flour prevents dough from sticking or drying out during stretching, while Pizza Peel Dust acts like a layer of teflon on the pizza paddle, preventing sticking and ensuring there’s no burnt taste to the crust. (RRP 4.50; WSP from £2.73).
Great Balls of Flour currently supplies a number of farm shops and says it would love to expand into the wider retail world, teasing the introduction of freezer-friendly packaging in the near future.
greatballsofflour.com
I like to stir a big spoonful through porridge or rice pudding
Coco Pzazz has collaborated with Driftwood Designs to launch a range of chocolate bars in bilingual Welsh-English packaging. The Powys chocolate maker says the new designs, which are the work of artist Lizzie Spikes, will appeal to consumers on both sides of the border.
There are four SKUs in the collection, each sporting a bespoke design. Cariad is a Bara Brith inspired milk chocolate bar; Welsh Dragon is a salted caramel milk chocolate bar; Croeso Cynnes is a coffee milk chocolate bar featuring Poblado Coffi Colombian Alianza Verde beans; and Love me love my dog is a 70% cocoa dark chocolate bar. WSP £2.12/80g; RRP £4.75. cocopzazz.co.uk
AILEEN WRIGHT, owner, Must Be Crackers
Proudly
Cool as a Paleta
Sophia Davidson’s Mexican ice lolly business seems to have landed at the perfect time, when the Central American country’s culinary culture is trending and the appetite for unprocessed treats is gaining ground, too.
Interview by Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox
What were you doing before starting Paletas, and how did it come about?
Before this, I was living in Australia and I was a nanny. Before that, I lived in Nicaragua and had a bakery, and before that, I’d worked in marketing for a video game company in Los Angeles. I’ve always been really interested in food – I was never keen to run a restaurant – but I was definitely drawn to the sector.
We moved to England because my husband got a job at the University of Bristol. We went to the Frome Independent Market on a Sunday, and I noticed nobody was selling paletas. I asked around – “Is there a paleta stand?” – and no one knew what they were. I was like, “It’s a popsicle!” Still, no one recognised it, and I thought, “I’m going to make them.”
Paletas was never really meant to be a business – more a side project. I started doing markets, and then Covid hit. All the events were shut, so I switched to wholesale, and that’s when the business really expanded. Once events returned, I was doing both wholesale and events, which support each other nicely.
It feels like it’s hit the zeitgeist – there’s so much appetite for authentic Mexican food and flavours in the UK at the moment.
Yes, totally. When I first moved here, my biggest complaint was not being able to get a decent burrito. Now you can get really good Mexican food, which is great. As the business grew, I went from working part-time, to full-time, to 12-14 hour days. I realised I couldn’t do it all by myself and started hiring. First one person, then two, three, and now four of us. We’re still a small team – all women – and it’s a bit of a powerhouse.
Tell us about product development. Did you already know how to make them?
I grew up eating them, so I relied on my memory of the flavours. What I noticed here is that people like combination flavours. I started making mango, passion fruit and lime; pineapple and raspberry; watermelon and kiwi – so people felt like they were getting more value. And they’re pretty! That’s also important.
Strawberries & Cream is probably the most traditional Mexican one, despite people thinking it’s British. And horchata is another – but I changed the recipe. I used to use dairy, but in Bristol there are a lot of vegans.
So I now make a homemade vegan condensed milk with coconut milk. They’re still traditional in the sense that it’s whole fruit. If it says mango, passion fruit and lime, that’s exactly what’s in it – no apple juice or filler.
How do you make sure they’re good value for you, given how expensive good-quality fruit can be?
How’s the business split now between wholesale and events?
It’s mostly festivals, but I still do the Frome market monthly – it’s where I started and it’s my favourite. I also do some weekend markets, and quite a few weekday corporate events. For wholesale, I work with Stratford Fine Foods. I had a big fear of distributors, but it’s been a great experience. They make it easy for farm shops. My product won’t suit every place – some shops just need a tub of vanilla ice cream – but it’s nice to offer an option.
Where do you make them?
We have our own dedicated production kitchen – my staff call it the factory. I started at home, then moved into a shared kitchen, and now we’ve got our own. It’s small, but I could double production here if needed.
Do you want to scale up?
If it says mango, passion fruit and lime, that’s exactly what’s
in it.
At the beginning, I was going to the wholesale market myself. The cost of fruit varies wildly. If strawberries were too expensive, I just didn’t make a strawberry flavour that week.
Now I have more buying power – I have to order fruit in 700-kilo batches. I’ll still look for new suppliers, but I need mixed pallets, and only a few suppliers can do that.
Honestly, the biggest price rise I’ve noticed has been in cardboard. Fruit prices have been more stable. All my cream is from Bruton Dairy in Somerset. It’s organic, small-scale, and the quality is phenomenal. It’s more expensive, but it’s 150% better.
I honestly don’t know. I like it how it is. I’m still in the kitchen most days, and I enjoy making the lollies. We still taste every batch. Fruit isn’t consistent – sometimes you need to add a bit more lemon. It’s not just a blend-and-freeze process. That would be hard to scale while keeping the same quality.
Have you seen any competitors?
No, and honestly, that’s my biggest fear. Someone in London with loads of money could launch a mass-market version. I didn’t invent the paleta – but I do think our version is special. You couldn’t mass-produce what we do without compromising quality. You’d have to reduce the fruit content, use juice fillers – at that point, it’s just another lolly.
Eilir Rogers’ experience running a pub and two delis in Suffolk has taught her many lessons – not just about food & drink, but about working alone, and the freedom of doing things her own way
By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox
Essen to your heart’s content
A SHORT CLIMB to the top end of Woodbridge, a Suffolk market town just a few minutes’ drive from the coast, Essen is the latest addition to the square, populated by independent shops and a pub. The name came after some deliberation, as owner Eilir Rogers considered the retail landscape around her. “The chap next door has got The Galley Creamery and Deli, and you’ve got Woodbridge Deli. I was thinking about calling it something like the Woodbridge Pantry,” she tells FFD. But she wanted something snappy and different, so explored a variety of ideas, eventually landing on the
VITAL STATISTICS
Location: 23 Market Hill, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 4LX
Retail space (in square metres): 30m2
Annual turnover: £100,000
Average basket spend: £21
Average margin: 40%-60%
Number of staff: none
latter part of the word delicatessen, which incidentally means ‘to eat’ in German. Rogers’ route into retail was unconventional, but she’s spent much of her working life in food & drink. One of her earliest jobs was on a superyacht, where she began as a stew in the engine room. When the crew chef left, the captain asked her if she wanted the role. “I said, ‘Not really, no, I can’t cook!’ But he said, ‘You can either stay at what you’re doing, or you can be head of your own department.’ So I bought Delia Smith’s How to Cook books 1, 2 and 3, and just practised on the crew.” From there, she
became sous chef to the owner’s private chef, and continued cooking professionally for several years.
Years later, back in the UK, she ran front of house at The Dog, the village pub she leased with her then-husband in the neighbouring village of Grundisburgh. During lockdowns, the pair opened a small shop outside, then inside the pub, to keep suppliers afloat and serve the community. “I started doing veg boxes for anybody in the village,” she says. She fashioned a makeshift counter out of two baskets, two kegs, and two planks of wood – along with a card
reader and an honesty box.
This pragmatic move lit a spark in Rogers. “I realised I really liked retail,” she says. “It reminded me of playing shop, and it felt like something clicked.”
As the pandemic eased and the restaurant reopened, Rogers continued the deli in a reduced form. But with limited seating and tables proving more profitable, she decided to branch out, taking over a disused post office in the village to open her first standalone shop. It proved a success, and within a year, it won Deli of the Year at the Farm Shop & Deli Awards.
Still, she says, “as lovely as Grundisburgh was – I could have just pootled there forever doing the same sort of thing –” she craved a new challenge. That led her to Woodbridge, where she set her sights on the space she now occupies.
Initially, the new location felt unfamiliar. “When I got here, I felt a bit lonely,” she says, “whereas I knew everyone in Grundisburgh from having a pub”.
She’s since built up a loyal customer base, forged relationships with fellow business owners, and seen her turnover double.
Still, the transition hasn’t been without challenges. “It’s been hard. I’m on my own – I don’t have a business partner. I have to
make all the decisions and all the mistakes by myself, and I’m accountable completely.”
Rogers used to run the shop with a shopkeeper, who has since moved on. Her departure meant Rogers had to learn how to make barista-grade coffee while managing the shop on her own, and she has adjusted its hours accordingly. “I used to be open 8.30am to 4.30pm, but now I’ve started closing at 2.30pm,” she says. She now opens Tuesday to Saturday, having realised Sundays weren’t busy enough to warrant opening.
Inside, Essen is a thoughtfully curated space, balancing retail, foodservice and events in a small footprint. It offers cheese, charcuterie, pastries and quiches, as well as storecupboard essentials like olive oil, sauces and tinned fish. Most of her suppliers are local: cheese comes from Hamish Johnston; charcuterie from Sunday Charcuterie – who use only highwelfare meat. “I don’t eat meat myself, so it’s important to me,” she says. “I won’t compromise.” Coffee comes from Butterworth & Son, fish from Lambton & Jackson in Maldon, and other goods via Diverse Fine Foods and Salvo.
MUST-STOCKS
Fen Farm Dairy – Baron Bigod
Black Dog Deli – sourdough
Butterworth & Son – coffee
Woodrow Chocolate – Bonbons
Racalia – olive oil
Sunday Charcuterie
Lambton & Jackson – smoked fish
Pick & mix cannoli and aragostine
All butter croissants
Torres – Fried Egg Crisps
NIO Cocktails
Bio Truffo Organic cheese with black Italian truffle.
Weydeland Rijck Old crumbly cheese.
Villa Verde Farmstead cheese with green pesto, fenugreek, garlic and pine nuts.
Villa Truffo Farmstead cheese with black Italian truffle.
Villa Rosso Farmstead cheese with red pesto, fenugreek and Italian herbs.
Almost everything on a central table as you enter the shop is made in-house. “The quiches, all the cookies, anything up there – it’s all made here,” she says, adding that it makes a good first impression when customers walk in. Cakes, which are made by the baker she used in Grundisburgh, and usually embellish both the countertop and her social media feed, have been dropped temporarily during the July heatwave. “It’s been too hot and they’ve melted,” she says, “and there are only so many leftovers I can take home.”
Cheese is one of Rogers’ favourite items to sell – and eat. As well as a selection of staples, most of them British, bar a few including Parmigiano Reggiano and Brie de Meaux, she’s always on the lookout for something new. “I ask my suppliers for 500g of something I’ve not had before – and hopefully it comes with a story.” She recalls offering a ‘surprise cheese’ which turned out to be Fen Farm Dairy’s Raedwald, before it was officially released. “People went crazy for secret cheese,” she says, laughing. She also creates grazing boards for customers and events. “I love doing them – I can just turn a flat pack of meat into something really pretty,” she says. “People post them on social media. It’s great.” One such customer was reality TV star and influencer Georgia Steel. “She’s got 2 million followers – she did a post and a story. I was like, ‘thanks!’”
When she opened, Rogers intended for the shop to focus purely on retail. “I did not think Woodbridge needed another coffee shop,” she says. But the foodservice side inevitably grew. “I’ve moved two shelves
out to make room for more seating – it’s a reluctant pivot.”
Still, foodservice – and coffee – make up a good chunk of daily trade, and while Rogers can’t run a full menu alone, she copes by keeping things simple. Stuffed croissants or salads using deli items like ’nduja, Brie de Meaux or goats’ cheese and red onion marmalade are easy to prepare and popular. If she does expand the menu, she says, “it won’t be poached eggs on toast”.
Essen’s customer base is a mix of locals and tourists. “I have my regulars now, which is nice,” she says, “and I’m seeing a lot more in the way of tourists coming through the door now. Lots of Dutch people.”
It’s not always the way, but she says her ideal customer is “someone who comes in, picks up a basket, shops and then is like, ‘Oh, I’ll just sit down and have a quick coffee before I go.’ Brilliant.”
Rogers has a particular fondness for merchandising, and lauds the benefits a small change can make. “It’s wild. I had this cocktail spinner over the other side of the fridge, near where I normally keep all the sourdough. One day, I just got a bit bored – I do this at home too – and thought, ‘I’m going to move it’. So I shifted it, and honestly, the cocktails have just flown out.”
She also enjoys collaborating with other independents. A local café is set to host a pop-up brunch in her kitchen, and the nearby hairdresser is mulling a ticketed event, feeding attendees with mini charcuterie boards. The Kings Head pub next door is another friendly neighbour. “They’re really kind,” says Rogers. “If I’ve got a delivery on a day when I’m not here and it’s the only day the supplier can
do, I just ask, ‘Can you take it in? Can I use your fridge or freezer?’ and they say, ‘Yeah, no problem’.”
Hosting events is another of Rogers’ favourite things about the space at Essen. Pizza nights – run with her partner Jamie and a supportive local called Tony (aka Fit Fat Fun Food) – are another chance to socialise and connect with customers. “I just put things through the till and the guys do the rest. I get to stand and chat and have a glass of wine.”
She’s keen to test new formats – like ‘Fondoodle’, a doodling and fondue night with a local artist, and ‘Winyl’, combining wine and vinyl. “When I sell tickets, I know how many I’ve sold, how much food to get. There’s no wastage. And I love building up to an event, worrying about every detail, doing it – and then that feeling afterwards. It’s awesome.”
Despite the workload involved in spinning this many plates, Rogers says she’s learned not to over-plan. “There’s not really any point deciding where it’s going to go. I’m just feeling my way through,” she says. “When I realise something’s working, we go with it. When it isn’t, I just knock it on the head. That’s the thing I love – having that agency.
“I don’t have a fear of failure,” she adds. “I’ll happily try things. If something doesn’t work, fine – we tried.”
Even after five years in retail, Rogers says this still feels like the beginning. “It’s only a baby,” she says. “I thought it would be Grundisburgh but busier – but it’s nothing like Grundisburgh. I’m just learning.” essendeli.co.uk
I don’t have a fear of failure. I’ll happily try things. If something doesn’t work, fine – we tried.
Expert View
STEVE ASHWORTH TAX DIRECTOR
AT PKF FRANCIS
CLARK,
OFFERS HIS PERSPECTIVE ON THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR.
Dining out has become more expensive in the post-COVID era due to rising costs in restaurant fit-outs, labour, food, and wine. Now, both restaurateurs and diners are feeling the pinch.
Restaurants face a myriad of challenges, from managing increased operational costs to maintaining quality and service standards. As an employment tax specialist, I am receiving a rise in calls about redundancies. But, despite the sector’s difficulties, the industry’s resilience inspires me. And I emphasise the importance of innovation and efficiency.
Tracking food and travel trends
To navigate these turbulent times, building and retaining customer loyalty is crucial. Businesses are turning to AI and social media to understand consumer preferences. Social platforms offer a wealth of data. Users frequently share their dining experiences through hashtags and geo-tags. Public profiles also reveal travel habits, which can influence food trends. As people explore new cuisines abroad, they often seek to recreate those experiences at home, shaping local dining
MODEL RETAILING
preferences. It is likely that consumer travel trends incited the move away from fine dining too…
The social change of dining experiences
Traditional fine dining with extensive menus is giving way to more relaxed, experienceled formats. Tapas-style restaurants are increasing in popularity. Diners now favour smaller, shareable plates that encourage social interaction. The trend goes beyond the food itself as it encourages a greater social-sharing activity. The food is what people go out for, but the integrated approach to dining is now central
to customer satisfaction.
I once had a frustrating experience at a restaurant in New York where the music was loud and overpowering and the lighting was dim. It disrupted the enjoyment of otherwise tasty food. The ambiance of a restaurant plays a vital role in customer satisfaction. A successful dining experience engages all the senses, allowing guests to connect with both the food and their companions. The experience is as important as the food itself.
Support local for best value
Supporting local restaurants is another way to find value and unique experiences amid rising costs. Diners can make informed choices by selecting dishes that offer good value and taking advantage of promotions. In turn, this support helps sustain the industry during challenging times.
By making informed choices and being adaptable, both restaurateurs and diners can continue to enjoy the pleasures of dining out while managing those rising costs. pkf-francisclark.co.uk
So, people are telling me that anchovies are the thing these days. You got any?
My friend, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve got these from Spain and these from Italy. And then another one that’s slightly more expensive than the first one but not as good as the last one. And, then we’ve got jars with our logo on them, too.
Spotting signs of pests
Setting up shop for good hygiene
The presence of pests in any food business premises is unacceptable, with the risks posed including the spread of disease (bacteria are transferred from the gut, skin or fur of the pest) via contamination of work surfaces and food, as well as physical damage to your property.
Ultimately, these could lead to a loss of reputation, prosecution and even closure.
All employees should have a responsibility to be vigilant to tell-tale signs of pests and report them to their supervisor immediately.
Signs of pest activity include:
• Seeing live or dead insects (in large numbers) or rodents.
• Droppings, if very recent are shiny and soft and indicate live activity.
• Footprints in dust.
• Gnawing marks and damage, e.g. holes in packaging and product.
• Holes and nesting sites.
• Greasy smear marks from the fur of rodents where their bodies are in regular close contact with surfaces.
• Food spillages around damaged packaging.
• Eggs, maggots, pupae and casings.
Fine
Food’s Assured Code of Practice for Deli Retailing
The guide is available in PDF format (free for Guild members, £250+VAT for non-members). To request a copy of the Code,
This advice is an excerpt from the Guild of Fine Food’s Assured Code of Practice for Deli Retailing. The guide is available in PDF format (free for Guild Members, £250+VAT for nonmembers). To request a copy of the Code, email support@gff.co.uk
So… much… choice. I dare not ask him about sardines now.
FFD says: It’s good to offer options but be really careful not to overload your selection of a single product type. Most people will not appreciate having to make an overwhelming decision – and it doesn’t exactly demonstrate your food curation skills. Customers come to you to guide them and provide them with the best. Keep your range tight. Be a tastemaker rather than a bamboozler.
The UK’s leading showcase of artisanal food & drink is back from 9-10 September 2025 at Olympia London! Join us to discover the future of fine food and drink and to condense a year’s worth of product sourcing into one inspiring journey. Why wouldn’t you be there?
