FFD August 2026

August 2026 Volume 27 Issue 6 gff.co.uk

ALSO INSIDE How to diversify

Fromage to Age

The East Street Deli

Lessons from the best in the game

Catching up with the wholesaler

Meet Claire and Simon Warren

Get ready to sleigh Prepare for the festive season with our bumper retailing guide

Alsop & Walker

Cheese to impress 01825 831810 | info@alsopandwalker.co.uk

www.alsopandwalker.co.uk

Alsop & Walker 52

August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

Artists in Cheesemaking

WELCOME CONTENTS

If we adults, woeful creatures of habit, want to benefit from that slowing down of time, we should embrace new experiences and push ourselves to learn new skills.

4 NEWS

New PM’s plans, Tracklements’ sale

9 IF I’D KNOWN

Willow Grange Farm

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox, deputy editor

10 VIEWPOINTS

The importance of consumption rate

Greetings, Fine Food Digest reader, and welcome to our Christmas issue.

Speaking to the kind folk lending us their time, sound advice and personal experiences for our festive feature (page 25), it was tempting to fall into the usual trope of remarking how quickly Christmas comes around every year. Especially as for some retailers, planning for it, working through it and reporting on it does actually take up the best part of the year.

As I do most mornings, I was listening to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the other day, when a speaker came on air to discuss a study into our perception of the passage of time.

Specifically, they said children experience time more slowly than adults because they are constantly exposed to new situations, each day lengthened as they form the neural connections their developing brains need.

(Cue memories of seemingly

13 CHEESE

Drought affects Cheesemakers of Canterbury, Fromage to Age

23 SHOW PREVIEW

Glee and Autumn Fair

25 FOCUS ON Christmas

43 DIVERSIFICATION Advice from Farmer Copleys, Brindisa, Darts Farm

49 DRINKS

Grasmere Distillery, Future Château

53 FOODSERVICE

endless long summers clambering up cherry trees, while our summer workbooks gathered dust on desks piled high with decks of cards and colouring pens.)

The conclusion I took from it was that if we adults, woeful creatures of habit, want to benefit from that slowing down of time, we should embrace new experiences, do adventurous things and push ourselves to learn new skills.

I think the subjects of our feature on diversification (page 43) would agree that every time they decided to make a big change within their business, each day felt like a year too, for good or for ill. They would probably also share the opinion that taking a leap of faith, whether or not it worked out in the long term, gave them a sense of fulfilment and meaning they would never have found by running their business in exactly the same way they always had.

I celebrated a birthday this week.

I’m really not one for lamenting the passage of time or talking about better times in the far distant past – or, worse still, wishing life away.

And while some of you will roll your eyes at this thirty-something’s contemplations on age, I do think I have lived a rich life in the past three decades, and the passage of time has brought many good things.

I now have foundations: a job I love; friends I’ve known since the cherry-tree-climbing days; and the knowledge that there are things I don’t enjoy (like DIY), which, thanks to a bit of disposable income (and an inversely hands-on partner), I no longer have to do if I don’t want to.

That said, what a joy it is to experience the world with a fresh outlook, broaden your horizons, and slow down the time between now and when the queue for cheese is wrapped like a coil around your shop and Fairytale of New York is blaring out of your speakers for the seventh time that day.

Pop-ups

EDITOR’S CHOICE

55 PRODUCTS & MERCHANDISING 61 SUSTAINABILITY No More Lids

62 DELI OF THE MONTH The East Street Deli

Orange & Honey with Hand-Picked Greek Saffron Krocus & Co

67 ADVICE

EPOS data and customer behaviour

editorial@gff.co.uk Editor: Michael Lane Deputy editor: Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox Art director: Mark Windsor Contributors: Nick Baines, Claire Bullen, Richard Faulks, Patrick McGuigan, Tina Nielsen, 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

Accounts assistant: Julie Coates Finance director: Ashley Warden support@gff.co.uk

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

But on looks alone, this infusion of honey, saffron and citrus drew me in like a moth to a strip light. This golden sunset nectar is lightly sweet, subtly earthy and vividly bright, and a real treat. It’s beautifully well balanced, and beautiful full stop. More on page 56.

PR & partnerships officer: Claire Fry Data strategy & insight manager: Lindsay Farrar Managing director: John Farrand Operations & logistics lead: Associate managing director: Chris Farrand Christabel Cairns Operations & judges lead: Partner relations director: Sepi Rowshanaei Tortie Farrand Operations & membership lead: Chairman: Bob Farrand Chloë Warren-Wood Operations & events lead: Head of marketing & digital: Zara Williams Jenna Morice Operations assistants: Marketing executive: Thomas Jackson, Jos Holmes Frances Coleman Warehouse lead & operations Marketing & operations executive: support: James McCall Ophelia Fortescue

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. © The Guild of Fine Food Ltd 2026. Reproduction of whole or part of this magazine without the publisher’s prior permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher.

Printed by Blackmore, Dorset

gff.co.uk +44 (0)1747 825200 Guild House 23b Kingsmead Business Park Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB United Kingdom

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

3

NEWS

CYBER CRIME

By Greg Pitcher

Independent food retailers were watching with a mix of interest and scepticism in early July as Andy Burnham unveiled his vision for the country.

The former health secretary and mayor of Greater Manchester spoke in the weeks before becoming Prime Minister about his support for local growth, high streets, social businesses, farmers and food producers [see box-out below].

Burnham replaced Keir Starmer at Number 10 on 20th July, and is set to spend up to three years in Government before the next general election.

Will Simkin, director at Essington Farm Shop in the

West Midlands, said it was “too early to say” what the new PM would do for the fine food sector.

“No one really knows what he stands for and what his policies will be,” he added. “Either way, if he is going to stick to Starmer’s [2024 election] manifesto, he is going to face the same problems and be bound by the same rules. I’m not overly optimistic.”

Sangita Tryner, owner of Delilah Fine Food in Nottingham, struck a similar note.

“Politics are so farcical at the moment, and I don’t know what to believe,” she said. “Burnham recognises the need to help high streets, but how high up the priority list is that?

“He needs to put his

Laura Hurley/Flickr

Retailers reserve optimism over new PM’s plans money where his mouth is.

The only businesses that will keep cities alive are places like ours.”

Tryner said Delilah’s business rates soared when a long-standing relief scheme for retailers came to an end earlier this year.

“They have gone back to where they were in 2019, but the trade isn’t there like it was seven years ago,” she added.

However, she sounded a note of optimism following a recent trip to Burnham’s most recent seat of power.

“Manchester has been transformed,” said Tryner.

“There is life everywhere, live music going on by the canal, it is magical and we need that in other city centres. If he can do that, then hats off to him.”

Burnham took office on 20th July, choosing to enter No 10 Downing Street after a speech without notes, or a lectern

Andrew Goodacre, chief executive at the British Independent Retailers Association, said firms had heard promises on business rates reform before.

“The reality for our

He added: “Businesses are paying too much for the basics. I would lay out a plan for more public control over water, energy, transport, so we can get bills and fares down.”

Meanwhile he said in a speech shortly before his official appointment as Prime Minister that he would boost devolution and decentralise power, while setting up a satellite office in Manchester.

Kirsty O’Connor/Flickr

Burnham told LBC in July: “I believe there is a case for higher business rates on warehouses and the major developments we see on the outskirts of our cities, so that we can cut business rates for pubs and lift some high street businesses out of business rates altogether.”

“It is important to prioritise and reward the businesses that bring social benefit. You need to bring life back to the high street.”

Simon Dawson/Flickr

WHAT ANDY BURNHAM IS SAYING... ...TO INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES IN THE UK “When the cost of essentials increases, discretionary spend tends to decline

disproportionately. The most important aspect will be to offer value without necessarily reducing prices. I would expect speciality retailers to consider developing bundles and multi-purchase offers.

Furthermore, now is the time to introduce a loyalty programme.”

members has been a 15% increase in their bills this year,” he added.

“Independent high street retailers deserve better than that.”

James Walton, chief economist at retail consultancy IGD, said it was significant that food and farming were namechecked in a recent Burnham speech about protecting domestic supplies.

“This suggests future policy could place greater emphasis on domestic resilience, production capability and the strategic importance of the food system,” Walton said.

“The emphasis on local growth and regional decision-making could also create new opportunities for businesses to engage with regional authorities and local growth initiatives.

Industry urges PM to endorse five-point food system resilience plan The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) joined the British Retail Consortium and UKHospitality in July to urge Andy Burnham to back a five-point plan for a “more resilient and affordable food system”.

The consortium of industry bodies wrote an open letter to “those running to be prime minister”. They said the food and drink industry was worth more than £153 billion and supported more than 4 million jobs across the supply chain.

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The consortium set out five requests: reduce cost pressures on food businesses; minimise disruption to the sector during EU realignment; create a more permissible planning system; draw up a workforce strategy for the industry; and incentivise private investment.

FDF chief executive Karen Betts said: “Too often food & drink has been overlooked by Government, and our industry’s work to ensure households everywhere have access to a wide range of fresh, nutritious and affordable food

has been taken for granted.

“The new Prime Minister should seize this opportunity to partner with us to strengthen and safeguard the UK’s food system today and into the future.”

NFU president Tom Bradshaw added: “British farmers and growers are the foundation of our food system. With 70 million people reliant on us to produce their food, we must act now to secure a resilient, affordable food system in the coming years.”

NEWS IN BRIEF High temperatures put independent shops (and their fridges) under pressure Tanya Barrow/Unsplash

By Greg Pitcher

Independent retailers have had to act reactively and take measures to adapt to climate change in recent weeks as three extended heatwaves in the spring and early summer tested their resilience.

Deli and farm shop chiefs tackled a raft of challenges created by an unprecedented run of high temperatures across swathes of the country in late spring and early summer.

Morgan McGlynn, owner of Cheeses of Muswell Hill, said the north London retailer suffered a damaging fridge malfunction during a regular early-week closed period in late June.

“I opened up on a Wednesday and found I had fondue,” she said. “We lost thousands of pounds of stock.”

“It all went in the bin and we had to replace it and buy a new compressor for the fridge.”

Retailers told FFD that while heat can boost business, it can also slow footfall, put strain on equipment and increase wastage

McGlynn has since taken steps to prevent a repeat disaster.

“Not only have I got CCTV, a Ring doorbell and a baby monitor, I now have a compressor alarm so if it goes down on a Saturday night, I will know about it and move stock to other fridges,” she said.

Lisa Gartell, head of operations and guest experience at Teals, said the Somerset deli and farm shop had made its own adaptions to cope with high

Workplace temperature cap petition nears threshold for Gov’t response More than 7,500 people have signed a petition published on the Parliament website in mid-June calling for the introduction of a maximum working temperature of 25°C in all workplaces.

There is currently no such law in place.

Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says “no meaningful upper limit can be imposed because in many indoor workplaces high temperatures are not seasonal but created by work activity”.

However, the watchdog points out that employers must stick to health and safety at work

legislation, including keeping temperature at a “comfortable level” and “providing clean and fresh air”.

Its guidance suggests measures such as installing fans; ensuring windows can be opened; positioning workstations away from direct sunlight and heat; and providing cold water dispensers.

The HSE also says employers could consider flexible working patterns including rotations; moving workers to cooler areas; allowing more breaks; and relaxing formal dress codes while ensuring personal protective equipment is used where required.

temperatures.

It switched to closeable chillers after problems with open fridge units last summer, and has changed how it keeps its fresh fruit and vegetables.

“In May there were some cabbages wilting so we had to reduce displays and keep a lot in the chiller,” said Gartell.

“Some cheese suppliers use couriers who delivered produce above temperature, so we couldn’t accept it.

We have ordered the same

cheese from different suppliers to guarantee the condition.”

Passing trade at Teals has been down because “people don’t move in the heat”, while buyers have had to rapidly switch from chocolate to ice cream and soft drinks.

Meanwhile Gartell has found herself clearing tables in the restaurant when waitresses had to leave early because their children’s schools closed.

Antonio Picciuto, proprietor at Hertfordshire deli Buongiorno Italia, said dry, warm weather was “always welcome”.

But he added: “When we have really hot weather, it is too hot to eat alfresco, so there isn’t that surge in summer sales.”

A study by researchers at the Met Office and the University of Exeter found that a heatwave in 2022 led to higher energy costs, failure of fridges in “numerous retail facilities” and impacts on livestock and wheat yield.

IN BRIEF Consumer organisation Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has made a case to the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate the domination of global brewers in the UK market, claiming that independently owned brewers are being excluded from bars and pubs, thus restricting consumer choice.

A group of trade bodies, drinks businesses and waste operators have written to the Welsh Government, saying “politics have been put in front of common sense” in its decision to include glass in its DRS scheme, pleading for it to reconsider aligning with England and excluding it ahead of the scheme’s implementation in October 2027.

Warnings of irreversible damage to UK food production unless climate action is taken Experts at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit warned in June that the UK’s food system was “increasingly coming under strain from periods of high heat”.

Senior analyst Jez Fredenburgh said more than 18,000 chickens died in transport due to the extreme heat in 2022, when temperatures exceeded 40°C. She warned that by the 2030s, super-hot summers could cost over £2bn in food impacts.

“There’s lots we can do to adapt, like planting trees to shade livestock and reducing the number of animals in a single indoor system,

but ultimately reducing emissions and hitting net zero is the only way to stop heat stress getting worse.”

Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, said: “Prolonged high temperatures place huge stress on livestock, dry out soils and reduce crop resilience, all while putting more pressure on nature.

“We know there are practical ways to help farming cope with these extremes, like planting more trees, restoring hedgerows and improving soil health but adaptation

can only go so far unless we urgently cut the emissions driving climate change and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels worldwide.”

Chris Manley, founder of Traction Consulting, said heatwaves “increase refrigeration demand, shorten harvest windows and reduce the time available to cool and transport produce before quality drops”.

He added: “Climate disruption is no longer a future threat.

Without faster action on mitigation and adaptation, supply chain disruption will become more frequent and more costly.”

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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NEWS

CYBER CRIME

Tracklements’ new French owner boosts UK offer and opens up European market

IN BRIEF

By Michael Lane

Following its sale to French firm Charbonneaux Brabant, Tracklements has extended the range of European delicacies it is offering to the UK independent trade, while also setting its sights on expanding its sales on the Continent.

The deal, which has seen the Tullberg family transfer ownership to the Champagne-based company, was agreed last summer but has not been widely publicised until now.

“It’s exciting that we’ve found a super home for Tracklements,” said former owner and now-chairman Guy Tullberg. “It’s not a management buyout or a sale to a massive food group. This is a 150-yearold family business buying a 56-year-old family business.”

“Since the sale, they’ve let us get on with it,” he told FFD, adding that the business’s core principle of “speciality retailer first”

Tracklements is now owned by French producer group Charbonneaux Brabant but continues to operate independently

and its ability to operate independently remained.

While he continues in the business via his chairman role, Tullberg’s daughter Ellie – a third generation “Tracklementeer” – is also still working at the firm’s Wiltshire HQ. Among the other fine food businesses that Charbonneaux Brabant owns are mustard specialist Delouis, oil producer Vigean and Italian balsamic vinegar maker Giovanna Pavarotti.

Many lines from these

BUSINESS AS USUAL AFTER SALE OF OLIVES ET AL Dorset-based stalwart Olives Et Al will continue on exactly the same path – selling directly to independents and producing everything in house – after founder Giles Henschel sold his shares and handed over the reins earlier this month.

“It’s all a good news story, and this outcome could not be better for the future of Olives Et Al,” Henschel told FFD. “We’ve always been a small Dorset familyrun business, and that hasn’t changed; it’s just that we’re owned by a different family now. There’s no venture capital involved.”

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August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

The new owners are Sam Southwood and Emilia Bellm, who approached Henschel in October with an offer before officially taking ownership in March.

The deal will see no significant changes to production or workforce – with the new owners having been looking for an “ethical” food business like Olives Et Al. “There will be no changes,” added Henschel, who will remain in an advisory role until next April. “No selling to the multiples, and we’re still focused on the independent retailers.”

brands will now be available to delis and farm shops directly via Tracklements.

“With all these additions, we’ve sort of become a mini wholesaler,” Tullberg told FFD, who added that the move also opens up sales opportunities in Europe for Tracklements – a market that he said had become much harder to service since Brexit was implemented.

Charbonneaux Brabant sells to some 160 different countries around the world.

Tullberg said his family has known the Brabant family for the best part of three decades.

Before Tracklements started making its own mayonnaise, its new French owner was supplying it to them. Members of the families have also worked for stints at each other’s premises.

Still based just outside Malmesbury, Tracklements was founded by Guy’s father William Tullberg in the 1970s as a mustard business. Over the years, it has grown its condiment repertoire to include many lines that have now become iconic in the independent trade, including Onion Marmalade, Sweet Chilli Jam and Sticky Fig Relish.

Charbonneaux Brabant, headquartered in the French city of Reims, owns a handful of artisan condiment producers across Europe. Other brands in its stable include Antichi Colli, mayonnaise brand Crown’s and vinegar producer Caroff.

Food inflation in the UK rose by just 2.2% in June, according to the British Retail Consortium. The organisation says this means it has held at below 5% for two years, after peaking at 15% in 2023.

Tariff-free trade of Scotch Whisky with the US – worth £1bn a year, a fifth of the value of overall exports of the spirit – has been restored, following a deal reached after the King’s visit to the States in April.

The Fresh Produce Consortium is urging the PM to reconsider the negotiation terms of the UK-EU SPS deal, claiming it will “impose EU-style border controls” on fresh world produce, costing consumers an extra £300m a year.

DOWN ON THE FARM The latest from farm shops across the country Trinity Farm in Cossall, Nottinghamshire, is seeking volunteers keen to learn what it takes to produce 150 different fruits and vegetables and keep free-range chickens. Troubled by rising costs, the organic farmer hopes the offer will entice people who want to be active and spend some time in nature, with free lunch from the campsite café. trinityfarmorganics. co.uk Silcocks Farm Shop in Kent has been granted planning permission for a kitchen extension, using two shipping containers to keep up with growing customer

demand. The work is expected to start in the next few months. silcocksfarm-organics. co.uk With 75 years in business as a butcher’s shop, B Curtis Butchers in Dorset has expanded into a second location, taking over a farm shop at its local garden centre, Holme for Gardens near Wareham.

The farm shop features a Himalayan salt wall for

ageing beef. bcurtis.co.uk Not content with producing the iconic Baron Bigod cheese, Fen Farm Dairy Farm Shop has opened a third shop. The new outlet in Darsham, is open seven days a week. As well as cheese, customers can pick up coffee, sourdough loaves, pastries, cured and fresh meats, fish, eggs, cakes and local produce. fenfarmdairy.co.uk

In association with

Fabulous Farm Shops fabulousfarmshops.co.uk

regional specialities make the season bright Explore the festive treats Italians wait all year to gather round and share – fragrant holiday panettoni, honey-rich torroni, buttery biscuits and more.

Crafted by small family producers across Italy for the Christmas season.

Discover the full collection. seggiano.com

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Photo FICT - Réalisation Audrey Paradisi

Be ready for Christmas with some charcuterie

Contact us: charcuterie@pamlloyd.com

VIEWPOINTS IF I’D KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW...

CLARA CAMPBELL-BEAVIS, co-owner, Willow Grange Farm, Chittering, Cambridge

Willow Grange Farm has been in our family for five generations and is still a working farm, mainly focused on Hereford cows and rare-breed pigs.

In 2019, my husband Errol and I had our wedding party on the farm, which gave us the idea of marketing it as a DIY wedding venue. At the time I was director of sales for The Langham Hotel in London, so we thought this could be a side hustle. The business took off, but we couldn’t get planning permission to make it permanent.

We didn’t want to waste the momentum we had built around our brand, so, in March 2024, we looked into opening a farm shop and café.

It made sense; it aligned with my hospitality experience and would give my mother, who still farms here, an outlet for her beef. Plus, one of our barns had historically been a fishing tackle shop, which made planning straightforward.

We opened four months later. Initially, we sold ambient lines sourced from small, local producers, alongside fresh fruit and vegetables. Then last summer we added a cheese & deli counter, and in October, a butchery counter – doubling our turnover overnight. Customers love the theatre and the interaction of butchery and seeing the farm-to-plate lifecycle in action.

We want to disprove the perception that farm shops are expensive by making exceptional food affordable. One of the ways we do that is by working to a margin matrix. Controlling waste is another way of keeping costs in check.

In this respect, having a café has enabled us to create our own ecosystem. If we have items in the shop that are perfectly fine but don’t look quite as appealing, we use them in the café. We turn berries into compote, we turn tomatoes into a sauce for baked beans, and through burgers, sausages, sausage rolls and scotch eggs, we have a constant cycle for our pork and beef.

Cost prices are increasing constantly, and some suppliers have started adding fuel surcharges. We try to absorb those by ordering in larger volumes less frequently, and when suppliers have offers on, rather than dropping our prices to reflect the discounts, we keep them the same to recoup some of the price rises.

Going forward, we want to introduce an own-brand retail range. Errol is first-generation British-Jamaican and is currently working with our head chef on a line of hot sauces. In the café, we already make everything from scratch, so it is a case of packaging those for retail. We would also like to include sides, such as mashed potato and honey-glazed carrots, and ready meals. We’re not trying to rival COOK, but it is an area where we see a great opportunity.

Interview Lynda Searby Photography Richard Faulks Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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I am concerned as I get older and grumpier that the hot air around ‘brand’ takes precedence over what’s in the packet or jar

T

View from HQ FFD’s publisher and Guild of Fine Food managing director John Farrand has his say

GREAT TASTE 2026 RESULTS Following four months of meticulous judging, Great Taste results are out. Explore the full list of 1-, 2- and 3-star Great Taste award winners by visiting our online directory at gff.co.uk/directory.

TIME FOR THE “OSCARS OF THE FOOD WORLD”

The Great Taste Golden Forks and the Supreme Champion will be announced on 15th September 2026 at Battersea Arts Centre.

If you’d like to purchase a trade ticket, visit gff.co.uk/great-tastegolden-forks.

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here’s been an awful lot of hot air this summer.

Literally and figuratively.

Men get to a certain age in life when they cannot stop banging on about their advancing years and bemoaning the tender years of those in positions of ‘power’.

I’m hearing chat in my local pub concerning the relatively young ages of our new PM, our current England football manager and the bloke who reads the news on the telly. The locals seem to rejoice and lament in equal measure that these ‘mere whipper snappers’ are in prominent jobs, and a healthy dose of eavesdropping tells me the boozers think they could do it better.

I’m not certain of the ages of Andy Burnham, Thomas Tuchel or Clive Myrie, although that wouldn’t be tricky to find out, but I do know that my very own late 50s grump is arriving at pace.

I’ve joined the ‘politicians aren’t statesmen and women anymore but

purely in it for themselves’ brigade, I barely watched a match at this year’s World Cup (the ones I did watch were dull) and I’m ignoring Clive at all costs because I need to smile a bit more and not constantly grimace.

Oh, and the weather? I’m not hot under the collar about the heat, apart from sympathising with my farming friends letting off more hot air, and I am acutely aware that the heatwaves this summer have not been straightforward for many independent retailers (p.4).

But you know when you are really getting old when the giants of our deli and farm shop world start to quietly exit. This year has seen Frobishers and Fentimans sold to A J Barr (ok, that’s all a bit big league) but news that Olives Et Al and Tracklements have done deals is significant (p.6). And that makes my ageing heart leap and then sink a little.

British Food Fortnight (BFF) is getting on a bit too – it is 25 years

old this year. Alexia Robinson has put in the hard yards with her Love British Food organisation, helping to create the conditions for the independent food and drink sector to flourish. BFF has hung out with bigger retailers and contract caterers along the way, but that’s what is needed to spread the word to the widest audience.

Both Giles Henschel (Olives) and Guy Tullberg (Tracklements) are proper makers, or at least proper food finders who have done the hard yards and know every one of their retail customers, having got in a van or on a motorbike to find them. Yes, they have developed famous ‘brands’, but they remain makers of excellent food because they understand ingredients. I am concerned as I get older and grumpier that the hot air around ‘brand’ takes precedence over what’s in the packet or jar, and wonder if the makers of today can stand the heat to be around in 2050.

The Word on Westminster

By Edward Woodall Association of Convenience Stores

A CHANGE OF leadership in Westminster has created an opportunity to deliver a genuine “high street renaissance”, after a decade in which too many local parades, high streets and town centres have been allowed to drift. Andy Burnham has put the principle of place at the heart of his agenda. On winning Makerfield, he called for a “Makerfield test” at the centre of British politics, judging every decision by its impact on the many communities that Westminster has too often overlooked.

If the Makerfield test is to mean anything, it must be applied where people encounter the condition of their community. Putting place first means recognising that a thriving local shop, a clean and safe parade, and easy access to everyday essential services are not nice-to-haves.

They are the infrastructure of community life, and the clearest measure of whether a place is working for the people who live there.

Our Community Barometer report explores what it means to put place first through the lens of local high streets and community services.

It examines what people value locally, what

makes a good (or bad) high street, and the policy interventions that are needed to make high streets more appealing to their communities.

The findings of this year’s report paint a clear picture of what people value. Post offices, pharmacies and convenience stores were viewed as the services that had the most positive impact locally, as well as being seen as the most essential. Convenience stores were also ranked as the top service for promoting local growth - a testament to the recognition of the 400,000+ jobs and £10bn in GVA that we contribute to the economy every year. When we ask what people want more of, specialist food shops rank as one of the services that people are most keen to see locally, along with banks, which will come as no surprise to anyone who’s attempted to visit a branch in person recently.

The interventions that are needed to create diverse and thriving high streets are not new or necessarily complicated. We highlight the burden of business rates, the impact of dodgy shops locally, and the need for robust town centre first planning decisions as three areas where the Government can make a positive impact.

Edward Woodall is the CEO of the ACS edward.woodall@acs.org.uk

VIEWPOINTS CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER Anonymous tales from behind the counter FOR MOST OF the UK, the arrival of a heatwave is a national celebration. People strip off way too quickly, lazing in parks or watching the football, and start complaining that it’s “too hot” within forty-eight hours. For those of us running a food business, however, it is not fun at all.

Fine food does not like hot weather. You spend the morning playing a frantic game of musical chairs, moving anything that looks slightly “sweaty” to the deepest, darkest corners of the fridge, while praying that the power grid doesn’t decide to take a nap during the peak heat of the afternoon.

You watch the chiller temperatures climb toward a

number that makes hygiene inspectors’ hearts stop. When you run a business that is effectively a giant, refrigerated treasure chest, a heatwave is the ultimate enemy. You spend your entire morning in a state of high-octane anxiety, praying that the fridge units can make it through one more summer. When we first started, the fridges would trip all the electrics. Not ideal when you’re in the middle of a till transaction.

The sound of a compressor whining becomes the soundtrack to your life. Speaking of whining – don’t even get me started on the staff. “Can we have aircon? I need a break!” Unbelievable that they think we can afford aircon for the two

Heat makes everyone crabby – tempers fray and a lovely afternoon turns into a tense nightmare.

Expert eye ARTISAN FOOD CLUB FOUNDER MARCUS CARTER SPEAKS ABOUT THE FORGOTTEN METRIC: CONSUMPTION RATE

O

ver the last 30 years, I’ve had thousands of conversations with food producers, yet there is one subject that I can barely remember hearing discussed, and that is consumption rate. I believe it is one of the most important metrics any food business should understand. In simple terms, consumption rate is how quickly a customer uses your product and comes back for more.

Take peanut butter: a family of four might easily buy and consume 3-4 jars a month.

Now compare that to horseradish; even the most barbecue-loving and roast-dinnereating family is unlikely to get through more than a few jars a year. Immediately, you are dealing with two completely different business opportunities. The company making horseradish can never realistically become the same size as the peanut butter company unless

weeks of the year we need it. We’re already on our sweaty knees. Heat makes everyone crabby – tempers fray and a lovely afternoon turns into a tense nightmare.

That goes for the customers too.

In the winter, they want comfort; in the summer, they want miracles.

They breeze in wearing flip-flops, looking for the perfect deli platter, completely oblivious to the fact that I am currently wearing three layers of wool because I’ve been inside a walk-in freezer for two hours to stop the food expiring. They want their ice cream to stay rock-hard in the heat, their salads to remain crisp, and their wine to be chilled to perfection, all while the shop floor feels like the inside of an oven.

As soon as the mercury hits 25°C, the collective British appetite evaporates. Why cook a complex meal with high-quality ingredients when you can just eat a bowl of supermarket-brand potato salad while sitting in a paddling pool?

So, the next time you stroll into your local farm shop on a sweltering August day and marvel at how cool and calm it feels inside, please try to look past the aesthetic. I am likely in the back, sweating through my apron, trying to keep a four-figure amount of Brie from becoming a very expensive puddle.

it reaches a significantly larger number of consumers. No amount of clever marketing or branding can change that.

When we talk about growth, we hear endless stories about brands that have gone from a kitchen table to national distribution. But how much of that success was driven by investment in positioning the brand itself, if the category already had a naturally high consumption rate?

When you start looking at categories through the lens of consumption rate, some interesting patterns emerge. Chocolate, crisps, olive oil, bone broth, all chilled food, snacks, curry cooking sauces and many grab-and-go products are consumed incredibly quickly. In some cases, they’re purchased and consumed on the same day, some within just minutes of purchase. Compare that to products that sit in a cupboard for six months, and you begin to understand why some categories appear to grow much faster than others.

And yet, I still hear food producers say, “I want to be as big as that company,” without first asking whether the market dynamics would ever allow it.

I would love to see more examples of relatively unknown products with low consumption rates being taken from a standing start to £3 or £5 million in annual turnover.

That’s where the real challenge lies. artisanfoodclub.online

51%

of Britons say eating three meals a day has become less important to them, preferring to snack or graze on smaller meals throughout the day.

This percentage rises to

66% among Gen-Z consumers surveyed.

Source: Clariti for Ocado, based on a survey of 2,172 adults

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR MORE?

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 Training & venue hire: bookings@gff.co.uk Exhibition stands: opportunities@gff.co.uk MyGuild assistance: myguild@gff.co.uk gff.co.uk/join Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

CHEESE

British cheese businesses welcome UK-EU import-export agreement

By Patrick McGuigan

The new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement between the UK and EU will help slash delivery times for cheese imports and exports, and open up markets for artisan makers, according to distributors.

The new deal, which will align UK and EU rules on agrifoods next year, will remove the need for vets’ Export Health Certificates (EHCs), which can cost up to £200 per consignment. Other layers of bureaucracy to be scrapped include Organic Certificates of Inspection, Port Health Authority identity check fees and sampling fees, which can add £1,200 to a cheese load.

British cheese exporters say the deal will help reduce delivery times and give greater confidence that shipments will not fall foul of bureaucracy.

“Vets’ certificates are pretty substantial in terms of cost and lead times,” said Srdja Mastilovic, export & wholesale manager at Neal’s Yard Dairy, which exports cheese across the EU. “They add a least another week to our shipments to the Continent because we have to prepare it and then wait for a vet to check.”

At Coombe Castle International, which exports

THREE WAYS WITH...

Shadow Blossom Negotiations are still underway, but the new agreement is expected to take effect in the summer of 2027. A detailed plan will be published in October 2026

cheese to more than 40 countries, Ben Hutchins, sales & marketing director, said many exporters have experienced problems around EHCs. “Simple things like page numbers missing mean the shipment needs to return to the UK or documents need couriering to meet the truck,” he said. “The main costs are the checks at the border rather than the process itself. A day’s demurrage is somewhere in the region of €700 at the border, so costs can rack up even on the smallest of details that need resolving. Then there is the cost of disposal and challenges with managing customers.”

The new agreement will also benefit importers, making it easier for smaller producers on the Continent to send cheese to the UK, according to Brindisa’s cheese sales manager Juan Giner. The Spanish food importer has just had to delist a cheesemaker in South Eastern Spain because the nearest vet was more than 100km away.

“We work with a lot of small farm-based businesses, which by their nature are remote,” he said. “Not all of them have vets nearby, so they often have to wait until they are available, which adds to lead times.

Hopefully we can relist cheeses next year when rules change.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

The UK division of Italian cheese specialist Dalter achieved turnover of €73 million in its 2025 financial year – an increase of nearly 40% on the previous year’s sales. The entire group’s turnover increased to more than €200m in the same period.

Bresaola della Valtellina PGI Pepper and beef have long been firm friends, which is why Bresaola and Shadow Blossom work so well. The fruity heat from the peppercoated cheese complements the beefy charcuterie, picking up on the juniper and peppercorns used in the cure. The savoury paste of the cheese also leans into the umami notes in the Bresaola.

Black Garlic Pickle An all-black match that is not only visually striking, but also delivers on flavour.

Hawkshead Relish’s Black Garlic Pickle has a wonderful ebony hue and tangy flavour that complements the spicy rind of the cheese perfectly. It’s made with whole black garlic cloves cooked for 45 days, so the flavour is caramelised and sweet rather than sharp and garlicky.

Scientists at the University of Reading have identified the microbes found in three artisan cheeses made by Nettlebed Creamery in Oxfordshire, which they say could have benefits for gut health.

All the cheeses contained bacteria with recognised probiotic potential.

Village Maid Cheese in Berkshire celebrated its 40th anniversary in July. The company, which makes cheeses including Wigmore and Spenwood, was set up by Anne Wigmore in a garden shed in 1986.

This hard Alpine cheese, made at Hofkäserei Kraus in the Allgäu region of Germany, is the sister cheese to the popular flower-adorned Alp Blossom.

Made from thermised cows’ milk, it is aged for around three months and coated with six spices: wild Madagascan pepper, long pepper, tailed pepper, Kampot pepper, pink berries, and cardamom. The cheese has a sweet and savoury flavour with a warming peppery character.

Baron Bigod maker Fen Farm Dairy has launched another seasonal cheese called Punch. The 175g, washed rind lactic cows’ milk cheese, which is compared to Époisses and Maroilles, will only be available during the summer months when the Suffolk farm has a surfeit of milk. It follows the success of Raedwald – a Reblochon-style cheese only available from February to April. Punch takes its name from a local working horse breed.

Syrah Alpine cheeses tend to match well with lighter red wines, such as Pinot Noir. The acidity cuts through the sweet, nutty flavours, but this cheese needs something with more body. Step forward Syrah. The red grape, most famously grown in the Northern Rhône, often makes wines with rich, meaty tones, but also a trademark peppery finish.

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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CHEESE

Repeated water outages disrupt Cheesemakers of Canterbury

BEHIND THE COUNTER TIPS OF THE TRADE Corinna Hussey, delicatessen manager, Suffolk Food Hall, Ipswich

By Patrick McGuigan

Production was severely hampered at Cheesemakers of Canterbury during a recent heatwave, after the company was left without water by South East Water for several days – the second time it has happened in less than a year.

The Kent-based business met with the representatives of South East Water and local MP Helen Whately in July after its taps ran dry for five days in May. This followed a six-day outage last summer.

The water company has been heavily criticised for a series of supply issues, which have left thousands in Kent and Sussex without water for many days at a time. The issue has been blamed on hot weather, failing infrastructure, and demand from new housing developments.

South East Water’s Chairman and CEO resigned earlier this year after a damning report

by MPs. It is also set to pay a £30.5m penalty following a ruling by watchdog Ofwat.

Cheesemakers of Canterbury

CHEESE IN PROFILE with

Jane Bowyer has been battling week-long outages to her water supply

had to stop making in July last year, just as it geared up for Christmas production, when it would normally have made 320kg of cheese. In May, the company managed to keep production going at reduced capacity by filling up milk tankers and old churns with water.

“The biggest thing is not knowing when it’s going to happen,” said owner Jane

Bowyer. “If we get some warning then we can try to store water.”

At the meeting with South East Water, Conservative MP Helen Whately called for compensation for businesses, more certainty and notice about outages and backup supplies.

Rachel Baker, head of business customer services at South East Water, apologised to affected businesses, adding they had been compensated.

The Suffolk Food Hall had a major refurbishment last year, including a stylish new serve-over, which deli manager Corinna Hussey has been refining this year.

“We keep the counter clear and segregated, so the softs, blues, local and hard cheeses are grouped together,” she says. “We also highlight five or six cheeses each month with signs that give more detail on each one. We focus on cheeses that would make a good cheeseboard, without overwhelming people with information.”

The signs are printed in-house on black plastic using a Magicard 600. Hussey has also developed a map of British cheeses, which sits on the counter, plus A4 signs for ‘cheese of the month’, which are backed up by tasters. “Depending on the cheese featured, we can double or even triple sales.”

A similar combination of signage and tastings is used to trial guest cheeses, as well as cross-sell ‘perfect pairings’ of crackers and accompaniments. There is also a blackboard listing all 60 cheeses in the counter, grouped alphabetically in the same cheese styles as the counter. suffolkfoodhall.co.uk

Beenleigh Blue The Cheesemaker Ticklemore Dairy Type Soft, blue and aged Milk and rennet Pasteurised sheep’s milk, vegetarian Tasting notes When young the flavour is floral, lemony and sweet. It becomes spicier and more robust as it ages.

Texture Beenleigh Blue is moist and crumbly.

Affinage Wrapped in foil and matured anywhere between three and 12 months.

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August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

Perfect pairings Malbec, with its rich black cherry notes, or a fruity pale ale.

Culinary Suggestions Beenleigh Blue is a great addition to a Parmesan, spinach and bacon tart.

Beenleigh Blue is one of the 200 cheeses studied as part of the Academy of Cheese Level Three Certification. For more information on this and all of the academy’s courses, head to: academyofcheese.org

Embellish with Relish WWW.HAWKSHEADRELISH.COM

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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CHEESE

A lesson in not letting go

By Patrick McGuigan

Simeon Hudson-Evans has spent the past 23 years nurturing his wholesale business Fromage to Age – first by himself, and now under Aubrey Allen’s ownership. Together they have grown both sides of the business.

S

imeon Hudson-Evans is proudly holding up his business card to show me his new job title. “There was talk of me being called a cheesemonger, but I don’t cut and sell cheese in the pure sense, so we’ve ended up with ‘cheese ambassador’,” he says pointing at his smartly designed card with a big grin.

It feels like the right title for a man who has devoted 40 years of his life to cheese, and is still going strong in his 70s. After a long career in food (more on that later), Hudson-Evans founded cheese wholesale business Fromage to Age in 2003 before selling it to high-end butchers Aubrey Allen in 2013.

“I said to Russell Allen (Aubrey Allen’s MD) that I would stay on for three years to help with the transition. 13 years later, I’m still here.”

Based at the company’s Coventry headquarters, Fromage to Age at Aubrey Allen supplies restaurants, retailers, caterers and hotels via a fleet of 20 vans. Customers range from Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons to Newlyns Farm Shop, as well as the King – thanks to a Royal Warrant to supply meat, poultry, game and cheese to the Royal Household.

For many years Hudson-Evans was head of cheese at the company, but has recently handed over the title to Guy Dymott and taken up his ambassadorial role.

“Customers can be risk-averse, especially farmers and shopkeepers who rely on the tried and tested. It’s my job to convert them to being more adventurous. I can bore for England about cheese, and probably do. But people still seem to listen.”

The company stocks around 300 cheeses, with recent innovations including a readyto-serve, pre-portioned cheeseboard, which simply requires the gas-flushed packaging

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August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

to be removed. “It overcomes restaurants’ concerns about wastage,” he says.

Other new additions include Primrose Creamery’s soft lactics, and an 18-month Pitchfork Reserve cheddar for Christmas.

“The flavour really stretches out with waves of complexity and umami notes.”

Sales are four times what they were when Aubrey Allen took over. “We had some customers in common, but the growth has come from hospitality. The meat side of the business opens doors for the cheese.”

Black Bear Burger is a case in point. Aubrey Allen supplies the restaurant group with bespoke burger patties, and the cheese slices to go on top. Growth has been solid and steady, says Hudson-Evans, which wasn’t always the case in the early days of his career.

His first foray into cheese was a deli called Hudsons in Lavender Hill, which went to the wall in the 1980s recession. He went on to work for businesses such as Langmans with Arthur Cunynghame (who became the owner of Paxtons), Niclare Fine Foods and Harvey & Brockless, before he set up Fromage to Age. He started the business with a list of 12 cheeses sold from a farmhouse kitchen rented for £50 a month. Deliveries were made from the back of his Peugeot 306. The trading environment is equally unpredictable today, with rising prices, global crises and political turmoil all having an impact, he says.

“Times are tougher than in the recent past.

It’s tough for restaurants, and the uncertainty means retailers are less willing to commit to Christmas orders. But if you have a member of staff that really loves cheese and can talk to customers about the amazing stories behind these products, the public are happy to pay for them.” The words of a true cheese ambassador. aubreyallen.co.uk

The Fromage to Age team (LtoR): Eric Charriaux, Guy Dymott and Simeon Hudson-Evans

I said to Russell Allen that I would stay on for three years to help with the transition. 13 years later, I’m still here.

Comté from Rivoire-Jacquemin Fromage to Age selects very specific wheels of Comté from affineur Rivoire-Jacquemin, whose cellars are located in an old salt mine at Montmorot on the outskirts of Lons-leSaunier in the Jura.

The cheeses come from a single dairy called the Fruitière du Miroir du Comté in the hamlet of Les Fontanelles, which sources milk from two local farms. RivoireJacquemin collects the 40kg wheels weekly, transporting them 150km to its caves, where they are aged for 15-18 months.

Hudson-Evans looks for wheels with a dense, slightly granular texture, damp cellar aromas from the rind and spicy roasted notes from the paste.

The flavour takes in delicate lactic flavours, plus caramelised butter and nutty notes with a persistent brothy finish.

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trade.gingerbeardspreserves.co.uk 0117 957 6252 claire@gingerbeardspreserves.co.uk

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B26-14 Montagnolo_Weihnachtsanzeige_UK_Viertelseite.indd 1 August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

16.06.26 08:44

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

von Mühlenen

The Gold of the Alps Affineur Walo brings its Swiss flower-meadow raw-milk cheeses to Britain — from the legendary L’Antoine range to award-winning Gruyère and Emmentaler, where six generations of craft meet real nutrition.

WALK A SWISS alpine pasture in June and the air hums with insects and carries the scent of dozens of flowering herbs. That biodiversity is not just scenery — it is the first ingredient in every wheel Affineur Walo sends to the UK. For six generations the von Mühlenen family has made cheese from natural raw milk drawn from cows grazing these flower meadows, and that single choice shapes everything that follows: the flavour, the story and the nutrition.

“A cheese is not a mere product. It is the memory of the mountain wind and the rich Swiss pastures,” says Walo von Mühlenen, the affineur whose family has refined Swiss cheese since 1867 and won multiple World Cheese Award champion titles. “When you start with living raw milk instead of pasteurised milk, you keep the character of the place. Our job is to guide it, not to mask it.”

HERITAGE YOU CAN TASTE The family’s flagship flower-meadow range, L’Antoine the Cheese-Artist, is built on a trueto-life legend. Antoine was a 17th-century Gruyère shepherd and former mercenary who — so the story goes — became one of the first cheesemakers to record and refine his recipes, turning cheese into “the gold of the Alps” and exporting it as far as the court of Louis XIV in France. One of his cheeses was born by accident, when a thunderstorm cooled his cauldron and produced a creamier, more aromatic wheel than any before. Four hundred years later the von Mühlenens rediscovered the tale and revived Antoine’s recipes with only the

lightest modern adjustments.

The discovery has become a project across generations. “My daughter found the original Gruyère dairy behind Antoine, and the more I researched, the more the history pulled me in,” says Walo. “The story of Antoine and his daughter building something together repeated itself, in a small way, in our own family,” adds Fabiola von Mühlenen, who represents the sixth generation and translated the full Antoine novel into French. “For an independent retailer, that gives every slice something to talk about across the counter.”

WHY RAW MILK MATTERS The provenance is also a genuine nutrition story — one independents can pass on with confidence. Made with untreated raw milk, these cheeses retain vitamins, trace minerals and the lactic-acid bacteria that pasteurisation reduces. Long maturation does the rest: as the cultures work, well-aged cheeses accumulate vitamin K2, a nutrient naturally formed during long ageing, alongside natural fats such as CLA, while almost all the lactose is fermented away — Affineur Walo’s wheels test below 0.1g per 100g, effectively lactose-free. Milk from herbrich alpine pasture also tends to carry a richer profile of fat-soluble vitamins than milk from intensive systems.

“Customers increasingly ask what is in their food and where it comes from,” says Fabiola.

“With raw-milk cheese from flower meadows we can give an honest, simple answer — and it happens to taste better, too.” As with any food,

the benefits vary from person to person; the point for retailers is provenance shoppers can trust.

That meadow-first philosophy runs through three distinct ranges. L’Antoine the CheeseArtist revives the original 17th-century recipes; the Affineur Walo line carries the family’s own award-winning creations; and a small selection from Käserei Gabriel in St. Gallen completes the offer. What unites them is the meadow itself.

Flower-rich pasture sustains the insects and birds that signal a healthy landscape, and that same diversity of grasses and herbs is what lends the milk — and the cheese — its depth. Buy a wheel from these meadows, and you are helping to keep them, and their biodiversity, alive.

ALREADY WINNING ON UK COUNTERS Through The Fine Cheese Co., a focused selection is already performing strongly. Each wheel carries a story, a clear provenance and a reason for shoppers to trade up — exactly the trio independent specialists are built to sell.

“We are seeing more shops want cheese that does more than fill the cabinet,” says Walo. “It should bring a piece of the mountain, and a conversation, with it.”

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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WORLD CHEESE AWARDS 2026 Taking place as part of the Andalucía-Gusto del Sur International Cheese Festival 2026 from 12 ‐ 15 November

OPEN FOR ENTRY

Enter now gff.co.uk/worldcheese

KEY DATES 2026 Entry closes: 15 September (or earlier if capacity is reached) Cheese staged: 11 November | Judging: 12 November Results available: 24 - 48 hours after judging

COST OF ENTRY (all +VAT) Small business (Turnover less than £1m) £61 per cheese Medium business (Turnover £1-5m) £76 per cheese Large business (Turnover more than £5m) £101 per cheese

ORGANISED BY

ORGANISED BY

HOSTED BY

Cheese

LOCAL PARTNERS

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gff.co.uk/worldcheese | @guildoffinefood #worldcheeseawards

August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

YORKSHIRE BLUE Handcrafted on our family farm in North Yorkshire from the finest local cow’s milk.

Creamy,

Sweet & Mild

SHEPHERDSPURSE.CO.UK

Raw milk, hand-crafted, full of character – farmhouse cheeses made on our family farm in Fife CLASS GOLD

CATEGORY SILVER

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St Andrews Farmhouse Cheddar

Anster St Andrews Farmhouse Cheddar

SILVER AWARD

FOR MORE DETAILS OR TO PLACE AN ORDER, PLEASE E-MAIL TODAY!

01333 312580 info@standrewscheese.co.uk

It’s unique because it’s matured and cured for months in natural caves.

Cave-aged caciocavallo Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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Partnering with artisan producers this Christmas to bring you best-in-class quality cheese and exclusive fine foods.

Our Christmas brochure is now available. Contact us for your copy

Order Now: +44 1892 838999 · sales@rowcliffe.co.uk · www.rowcliffe.co.uk Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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SHOW PREVIEW This September, Autumn Fair (6th-9th September), the UK’s leading marketplace for home, gift and fashion, and Glee (8th-10th September), the UK’s leading garden retail trade show, will come together at the NEC in Birmingham.

Six reasons to visit… …Autumn Fair, and Glee 2 1

3

More than food & drink

Discover the latest trends

Get ready for Christmas

Autumn Fair and Glee offer the chance to discover products that naturally sit alongside food & drink, from gifting, stationery and seasonal accessories to home fragrance, kitchenware and tableware. Adding complementary ranges can increase average transaction value and encourage repeat visits, while helping your shop stand out from supermarkets.

Glee’s Food Hall brings together artisan food & drink producers offering everything from premium beverages to indulgent treats. Alongside this, Autumn Fair’s Food & Drink sector showcases complementary brands such as Lakrids by Bülow, Joypots and Spice Kitchen, giving buyers even more opportunities to source distinctive products that stand out.

Discover Christmas gifting, festive food accompaniments, and early spring launches, all in one visit. Seeing products in person makes it easier to compare suppliers, assess quality and build a balanced range. You’ll leave with buying ideas and supplier connections that will help shape your ranges for the seasons ahead.

4 5 Gain fresh retail insights Stay ahead of changing consumer behaviour with a packed programme of free seminars and expert-led discussions.

Hear from industry experts including British Garden Centres, Macknade, Brakes and BIRA, covering topics such as consumer trends, visual merchandising, marketing, retail crime, sustainability and business growth.

6

Book a free one-to-one mentoring session

Two leading trade shows.

One worthwhile trip.

Receive personalised advice from some of the retail industry’s leading experts.

Book a free one-to-one session with John Abbate, retail design and visual merchandising expert; Ami Rabheru, founder of Retail Huddle; or Samantha Gibbs, director and owner of independent retailer Nest.

Explore two leading trade shows in a single visit – which means more brands, more product categories and more opportunities to discover something new.

You’ll leave with fresh ideas, valuable contacts and inspiration to help your business grow. Visit autumnfair.com to claim your free ticket.

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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Thelma’s Original Caerffili A traditional Welsh Caerffili (PGI) with a light crumbly texture and fresh flavour. Subtle citrus notes provide a clean, refreshing finish, making it a versatile everyday cheese.

Carwyn and his team have made it their mission for the last thirty-five years to produce the best Continental-style cheeses from their family dairy in the heart of West Wales.

To find out more about our range and stockists please get in touch 01239 710432 | cheeseshop@cawscenarth.co.uk

www.cawscenarth.co.uk

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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Pulling it all together For many retailers, Christmas is one of the most, if not the most lucrative periods of the year. To help you make the most of it, we’ve gathered advice from merchandising and procurement experts, as well as experienced and specialist retailers. We’ve also collated a list of products released especially for Xmas 2026, to make sure your festive lines are as fresh as snow.

Compiled by Lynda Searby and Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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CATEGORY FOCUS

This special edition 40% ABV gin from Orkney Gin Company is said to be bursting with the quintessential flavours of Christmas. Harmoniously blended whole fruits, including lemons and oranges, work together with dried fruits, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and other botanicals to weave a complex yet sweet, smooth and festive flavour profile. RRP £36.90/50cl. orkneygincompany.com

christmas sweet & savoury snacks Ethical gifting is the message underpinning Divine Chocolate’s 2026 Christmas collection, which offers Fairtrade, B Corp-certified assurance. Featuring perennial bestsellers alongside refreshed advent calendars, the collection includes Giant Milk Chocolate Coins (RRP £3.50), Milk & Dark Chocolate Coins (RRP £3.20), and advent calendars in Milk and 70% Dark Chocolate (RRP £7.50), striking a balance of accessible price points and strong shelf appeal. divinechocolate.com

Curry Smugglers has united all four of its SKUs in a seasonal snack box, creating a novel gift idea for Desi street snack fans.

Produced in small batches in Kent using locally sourced ingredients and presented in colourful cans, the Bombay Mix, Masala Corn and Pakora are a contemporary take on traditional Indian snacks. RRP £12.99 for 4 x 330ml cans. currysmugglers.co

Tracklements’ Christmas roster features a number of gift packs and festive preserves, but The Twelve Trimmings of Christmas is arguably the pièce de resistance. The Wiltshire producer has boxed up 12 of its store cupboard heroes, including Fresh Chilli Jam, Apricot & Ginger Chutney, Strong Horseradish Cream and Robust Wholegrain Mustard, into a gift for condiment lovers and a show-stopping display for retailers. RRP £25. tracklements.co.uk

Two Farmers’ tin range comes into its own at Christmas, driving value through premiumisation. The Herefordshire hand-cooked crisp maker offers two sizes: 100g tins for gifting and 500g sharing tins which are great for a party. They are available in all flavours, including the producer’s newest variety – Herefordshire Sauce.

Two Farmers is a hand-cooked crisp brand founded by two Herefordshire farmers to celebrate local flavours while protecting their countryside with a 100% compostable packet. twofarmers.co.uk

Elevating crisps to gifting status 26

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

IN BRIEF

Nutural World’s range of dark chocolatecovered nuts spans seven varieties – Almond, Cashew, Hazelnut, Macadamia, Pecan, Pistachio and Mixed Nuts – each presented in a glass jar. RRPs from £5.75/85g. nuturalworld.com

The Homemade Brownie Company’s Festive Brownie Box contains eight brownies in four flavours: Festive Brownie, Panettone Blondie, Hazelnut Praline and Salted Caramel. WSP £10.40; RRP £15. homemadebrownie. co.uk

This Christmas sees the return of Fairfields Farm’s Honey Roasted Chestnut & Sage crisps, made with homegrown potatoes from the Colne Valley at the producer’s Colchester factory. RRP £2.30/150g. fairfieldsfarmcrisps. co.uk

>>

Beautiful chocolate on the inside and out Bennetto, which uses illustrations of birds on its wrapper to convey the origins of the cocoa and its links to biodiversity, has set the robin in a snowy winter habitat on its new Christmas boxes. There are two selections to choose from: the Nut Assortment contains Dark Salted Caramel, Toasted Hazelnut and Dark Coconut, while the Fruit Assortment offers Raspberries in Dark, 70% Organic and Orange with Chilli. WSP £14.99 for 3 x 80g Fairtrade, organic, vegan and gluten-free bars, available via House of Sarunds. bennetto.co.uk

The 12 Days of GingerBeard’s Preserves advent calendar houses 12 miniatures containing both existing and new products. Pickled Quails Eggs, Sour Cherry & Amaretto Jam and Lemon & Lime Marmalade all feature. Available to pre-order from late August, priced at £15 to the trade. RRP £29.99. gingerbeardspreserve s.co.uk

The Isle of Mull Cheese & Spirit Company has filled the gap in the market for artisan cream liqueurs with the launch of Hebridean Cream. The aged spiritbased liqueur is sustainably produced on the family farm using whey that is a byproduct of its core cheesemaking operation.

WSP £21.88/70cl; RRP £34. isleofmullcheese.co.uk

How we get ready for Christmas…

Andy Swinscoe, owner, The Courtyard Dairy, Settle, North Yorkshire We’re very lucky that we’re a slightly more mature business (this is our 16th Christmas coming up), so we know roughly what’s going to happen in December.

We try to do our cheese orders before the last week of August, because that’s key to getting our allocation.

Our selections and advent calendars are already booked in, decided and photographed.

For me, the main planning is staffing.

That’s the tough one, because the business grows so much at Christmas. We start training people in September, then take another wave in late November.

Because we’re in a rural area, a lot of former team members stay locally, and we try to maintain good relationships with them. We ask them to come back for four or five days at Christmas, which really helps.

We also employ a lot of part-timers, so they can step up from two or three shifts a week to four or five. We set expectations from the moment we employ people: Christmas week is a requirement, and there’s no holiday then. But we always give them Christmas

IN BRIEF

Forest Feast’s indulgent Candy Cane Mint Chocolate Almonds are wrapped in Belgian dark chocolate, a layer of white chocolate and crushed peppermint candy cane. RRP £6.50/270g. forestfeast.com

Big Tom is now available in a 250ml can. The spiced tomato juice drink can simply be mixed with vodka to make a Christmas cocktail, without the need for lots of ingredients. RRP £1.45. bigtom.co.uk

Katy Brill, owner, Peterley Manor Farm, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire I’d like to think we’re well organised already. In early June, the team comes in wearing their Santa hats, sits in the office and spends three days doing all the buying.

It works because we use all the data from the year before, so there is a method. Last year was quite interesting

Day and Boxing Day off. A lot are exhospitality staff, so they’re delighted with that.

Christmas puts pressure on every weak point. We go from 20 staff to 40 for two weeks and quadruple mail orders and customer numbers.

We cross-train everyone so if the office is hit, somebody can move upstairs. If the wrapping line is under pressure, office staff can go down there.

We need that flexibility because a small problem becomes a big one at Christmas volumes. thecourtyarddairy.co.uk

because we were doing that in the middle of a refurb, knowing that the shop was hopefully going to be bigger and busier for Christmas.

We were also doing the first-ever cheese room Christmas order when we had absolutely no data. We had literally opened it in September, and the first thing we had to do was order all our Christmas cheese.

I didn’t really believe the quantities our advisor Emma Young said we would need. I remember the Stilton mountain arriving and thinking, “There’s absolutely no way we’re going to sell all that.” We did sell most of it, although there was quite a lot of broccoli and Stilton soup in the café in January.

We also ordered about 70kg of Baron Bigod for Christmas week and thought that sounded like loads, but it wasn’t enough.

So, I’m looking forward to being a lot more organised with the cheese this year – as well as working on making more mince pies for the retail side of the business. peterleymanorfarm.co.uk

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Whack, unwrap and enjoy Some traditions never grow old, like the ritual of using a hammer to break a slab of toffee. Walker’s Nonsuch, thought to be England’s oldest toffee maker, is keeping this custom alive with its Luxury Selection Hammer Pack. With over 130 years of toffeemaking expertise, the producer’s pack contains four bars of toffee and a hammer for the classic experience.

The selection includes Original Creamy, Liquorice, Roasted Hazelnut and Brazil Nut flavours, all made using whole milk and butter. walkers-nonsuch.co.uk

>> The Glorious Mess has launched its first Christmas lines, with the focus on taking the effort out of festive celebrations.

Headlining the range is the Vanilla Gold Sparkle Pavlova (RRP £5.75), for piling high with whipped cream, fruits or decadent toppings, while Vanilla Meringue Christmas Trees (RRP £3.75 for a box of 9) add a creative finishing touch to puddings, trifles and cakes. thegloriousmess.co.uk

The Grand Selection, Booja Booja’s new 16-piece gift box, features two brand new chocolate truffles – Fine de Champagne & Strawberry and Pecan Praline Crunch – alongside existing favourites like Cherry Cognac and Salted Caramel Mocha. The truffles are organic, dairy-, gluten- and soya-free and made with simple, minimal ingredients. WSP £9.37; RRP £14.99. boojabooja.com

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Merchandising expert Judy Roberts guides you from launching your Christmas campaign right through to 24th December.

The run-up to Christmas seems to start earlier each year, and for many retailers becomes mixed with the return to school and Halloween.

The challenge of balancing your space to allow Halloween and Christmas enough air-time to shift the seasonal stock you have arranged for needs careful planning. My suggestion is to leave Christmas until 1st November (or Monday 2nd November this year) to ensure you make the maximum impact with your Halloween event.

Don’t overwhelm your customers with a full-on Christmas display from the 2nd, though. Follow the same principles of Starbucks – the first Monday in November is when they launch their Christmas cup, and then new Christmas products are added on each Monday thereafter.

Week 1: Ease your customers into the new season with a small but appealing display of a few of your most enticing Christmas items close to the entrance. It’s a great time to launch a hamper offer, for instance.

Week 2: Add Christmas product twists and upsells to your main big hitters.

Position them with the main product, with simple signage – name, 2-3 key features, price.

IN BRIEF

Khalaf Olives’gift box of single-estate souri olive oil is made on the Palestinian producer’s family farm. Two 250ml bottles offer its “vivid and peppery” Early Harvest and a “rounder, buttery” Traditional Harvest. RRP £50. khalafolives.com

Get your partridges in a row

Thursday Cottage has selected Strawberry & Champagne Jam, Fine Cut Seville Orange & Whisky Marmalade and Spiced Apple, Cranberry & Port Chutney for inclusion in its Deluxe Xmas Trio Gift Pack. RRP £8.99 for 3 x 112g jars. thursday-cottage.com

Week 3: Time to create Christmas displays in more places within your store.

Highlight new products with height, good lighting and simple signage.

Week 4: Till points should now feature seasonal stock. Choose items that are simple to pick up, look interesting and colourful, and give them clear pricing.

Weeks 5 & 6: Keep the displays tidy and filled, moving products around to give good visibility to all your seasonal range over time.

Week 6: Time to condense the displays to key points in your store as your stock holding reduces. Prioritise displays to areas that face the maximum oncoming customers.

Week 7: The final push before it’s all too late. Till point offers and deals on Christmas products where needed, ensuring no leftovers in January. rightproductrightplace.co.uk

The challenge of balancing your space to allow Halloween and Christmas enough airtime to shift the seasonal stock you have arranged for needs careful planning.

IT ALL RESTS ON A G R E AT C R A C K E R

AWA R D - W I N N I N G SO U R D O U G H C RAC K E R S

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N O N O U R R A N G E O F S O U R D O U G H C R A C K E R S G O T O W W W . P E T E R S YA R D . C O M O R E M A I L I N F O @ P E T E R S YA R D . C O M

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Stornoway Black Pudding

Stornoway Black Pudding A taste of the Hebrides www.charlesmacleod.co.uk

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>>

Much more than a pit stop

Frutteto Italia’s Jingleberry Festive Fruit Spread goes on sale from August as a dedicated seasonal gift line, following a successful limited-edition debut and inclusion in The Guardian’s Christmas Gift Guide.

Made with organic sun-ripened strawberries infused with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, Jingleberry is said to tap into the growing appetite for fruit-and-spice (‘fricy’) flavour combinations.

Like Frutteto’s other preserves, Jingleberry contains no refined sugar, a policy that has resulted in a “naturally festive” taste that captures Christmas flavours without the sugar rush.

The jar is finished with a foil-stamped label and is priced to work as a stocking filler or Secret Santa gift (RRP £4.69/250g).

Jingleberry is available to the trade via CLF Distribution and Infinity Foods, priced at £3.50 per jar. fruttetoitalia.com

Caws Cenarth says this 180g taster selection is the perfect way to explore its range in one sitting. Bringing together four of the cheesemaker’s most-loved Welsh cheeses, it provides a well balanced board of soft, blue, washed-rind and mature cheeses, each handcrafted in Cenarth, West Wales, using locally sourced milk. Perl Las is a soft, blue-veined cheese with a delicate balance of richness and gentle tang; Perl Wen is a buttery briestyle cheese with a fresh, clean finish and hint of citrus; Golden Cenarth is hand-washed in cider for its distinctive orange rind and savoury, nutty depth; and Caws Cryf, is a strong, extra mature cheddar with a full, lingering flavour.

Pair with crackers, a spoonful of chutney and a glass of mulled wine for a cosy evening by the fire or tuck the set into a stocking for the cheese lover in your life. RRP £6.50. cawscenarth.co.uk

Emily Tallontire, head farm shop buyer at Westmorland Services, on what blows customers’ Christmas stockings off when they pop in for a pick-me-up on their winter journeys.

LOCAL TAKES ON CONTINENTAL FOODS A big thing for me since I started working for the company has been the shift towards European and Continental foods.

It wasn’t such a huge part of our buying years ago. Then, post-Covid, customers seemed a little bit more curious about what else was out there.

We try to put our own spin on products, so for example, working with one of our local suppliers in Gloucester, we’ve come up with a range of panettone. The producer is Italian, so they’ve got that heritage and they understand exactly what the product should be. We don’t want to make everything completely English because that’s not our aim. It’s about showcasing the amazing producers we’ve got in our area.

AFFORDABLE LUXURIES Post-Covid, especially over the last couple of years, price has become a big thing. Customers are still willing to treat themselves at Christmas, but there is a price barrier.

Take the panettone example again. It’s something that’s very price comparable.

Why would somebody come to us and spend £26 on a panettone when they can go to Lidl or Aldi and buy one for £4?

They will if it’s so unique that you simply can’t compare it with anything else. It’s about making Christmas products feel more “us”. When we make something that’s truly ours, we’ve got that producer partnership behind it, and we always shout about the producer who’s made it with us.

ON THE UP: BAKED GOODS Bakery is our biggest area of growth and our biggest opportunity to offer something exciting. So at Christmas we ask: what can we bring customers that they haven’t seen before? What can we offer that’s really us?

Yes, we buy extra things for Christmas,

but really it’s about shouting about the products and the suppliers we’ve already got.

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT TRENDCHASING… Flavour-wise, we’re very different to a lot of retailers, in that we’re still pretty old school. Salted caramel is huge for us.

I’m not keen on putting a product into the shop just because it was on Instagram. We have such a broad customer base. People come to us for good-quality products. They don’t necessarily come because we’ve got the latest matcha or cold-foam coffee or whatever happens to be fashionable.

I don’t like jumping on the back of a trend until it’s proved itself and I know it’s going to stick around. We’re more traditional. We’re more interested in what will appeal to everybody. …BUT SOME TRENDS ARE UNAVOIDABLE Pickles are huge, they are everywhere.

We’ve worked with a lady in Gloucester for the whole time I’ve been here, and she was pickle-mad eleven years ago.

But since then, the category as a whole has absolutely exploded, and we’ve expanded the range because people are asking for it.

I’d definitely say pickles are one to watch.

DON’T MAKE YOUR CAFÉ ALL ABOUT CHRISTMAS On the foodservice side, there’s always a sprinkling of Christmas, but we don’t go Christmas-crazy. It’s more about adding a few nice seasonal touches: we’ll always offer the best mince pie we possibly can; we’ll have a Christmas pie or maybe a seasonal sausage roll.

It’s about tweaking products so they feel Christmassy rather than reinventing everything. Hospitality tends to be more winter-focused than overtly Christmasfocused.

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>> Retailers looking for sustainable gifting options should check out The Tea Tin from Summerdown (RRP £12/30g), containing 20 peppermint tea bags, and The Chocolate Tin (RRP £18.50/300g), packed with chocolate peppermint crisps and fondants.

Both use Black Mitchum peppermint from Summerdown’s regenerative farm, which is entirely solar powered. summerdown.com

The Cotswold Cardillo’s festive collection of panettone and biscotti blends Italian family baking traditions with standout Cotswold ingredients such as Matthew’s Flour, Cotswold Eggs and Cotteswold Dairy.

The handmade panettone line takes in Tradizionale with candied orange, Chocolate with dark chocolate chips and Pistachio with pistachio crumb (RRP £23.50/750g), while Biscotti flavours include Almond & Cherry, Chocolate & Orange, Hazelnut, Apricot & Coffee and Pistachio & Bergamot (RRP £6.50).

All products are made in small batches in Stroud, combining local produce with responsibly sourced Italian ingredients.

The range is available via The Cress Company, Mahalo Supplies and Cotswold Fayre.

The Cotswold Cardillo was founded in the Cotswolds in 2018 by the Conte-Cardillo family, who set out to champion Italian culinary culture using ingredients sourced from both Italy and the Cotswolds. thecotswoldcardillo.co.uk

Clotton Creamery’s Brandy Clotted Cream gives hosts a new accompaniment to pair with Christmas desserts. The Cheshire dairy’s clotted cream is infused with French brandy and slowly baked to develop the signature golden crust, and to produce a cream that is “luxurious and velvety… with a deep, warming richness”. It is available via Cress Co, Cotswold Fayre, Carron Lodge and Mudwalls.

RRP £4.25. clottoncreamery.co.uk

Following the successful debut of its Torrone range last Christmas, Seggiano has added a new flavour for Christmas 2026. Described as a “must-try” for its “buttery caramel sweetness”, Caramel & Chocolate Torrone is a traditional white Sicilian nougat coated in caramel chocolate. The nougat base is crafted from toasted nuts, whipped egg whites and slow-melted honey - a celebration of “real ingredients and old-world technique”. RRP £9.60. seggiano.com

Mont58’s festive gift box features three tins (100g) of freshly roasted coffee, ground for cafetière and blended with seasonal spices. Cardamon Twist marries Colombian beans with Guatemalan Cloud Forest cardamom; Winter Clove is a warming blend of Brazilian beans with Indonesian organic clove; and Cosy Cinnamon is a full-bodied blend of chocolatey Ugandan beans and Zanzibar cinnamon. RRP £26. mont58coffee.com

True to its ethos of delighting both the eyes and the taste buds, Original Biscuit Bakers has created two new hand-iced sugar cookie designs for 2026.

The Snowman and Mince Pie biscuits join favourites such as Santa, Deluxe Reindeer, Penguin, Santa Man and Christmas Tree in the brand’s Christmas collection. All designs are presented in a shelf dispenser with WSPs between £1.08-2.21 and RRPs £1.75-3.50. originalbiscuitbakers.co.uk Smoked Bishop’s Apple Crumble Drink is pitched as a comforting alternative to mulled wine for those who prefer a non-alcoholic winter warmer. Designed as a spice blend for infusing in apple juice, it delivers cosy flavours of organic Fairtrade vanilla pods, Ceylon cinnamon and allspice berries. It is available from September at a trade price of £3.25; RRP £6. smokedbishop.com

IN BRIEF Launching on 1st November, Spiced Quas is a limited seasonal edition of Quas, the Edinburgh-made sourdough fermented drink that claims to be the UK’s first authentic kvass.

Quas is a modern take on Kvass – a 1000-year-old non-alcoholic beverage made from fermented rye and barley. Spiced Quas brings a warming festive spice character to the same slow-fermented base, which is made from rye and barley using a 180-year-old sourdough starter, and no artificial additives.

The Edinburgh producer says it has introduced the seasonal SKU to give retailers a distinctive, craftfermented non-alcoholic drink for the festive season.

“Spiced Quas will particularly appeal to shoppers drawn to artisan fermented foods and those looking for a sophisticated non-alcoholic option during the Christmas period,” said Quas founder Anton Puzorjov.

WSP £1.69/330ml; RRP £2.89. quasdrinks.co.uk 32

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Popcorn Kitchen is cashing in on the ‘swalty’ trend with Munch Mix, combining pretzels with either Chocolatey Orange Segments or Chocolatey Snowies, and chocolate popcorn. RRP £14.99/400g. popcornkitchen.co.uk

Following its acquisition

by Bon Bons Wholesale, Choc Amor is now more widely available to independents. A Winter Gifting Range pairs Colombian chocolate with unexpected flavours like Orange Jalfrezi and Salt Liquorice. RRP £4.49. bonbons.co.uk

Snertingdal Ysteri’s Christmas gift offering is a keepsake porcelain jar from Figgjo, decorated with wallpaper pattern from the Norsk Arv collection, filled with the dairy’s Blå Viking blue cheese, sealed with wax.

RRP NOK 700 (£53). snertingdalysteri.no

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TWO NEW WAYS TO GIFT THE FINEST

ENGLISH PEPPERMINT THIS CHRISTMAS

Made with our English Black Mitcham peppermint, grown on our farm in Hampshire.

Discover more at www.summerdown.com

LAYERS OF FLAVOUR

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

TASTE THE JOURNEY

WWW.CHOCAMOR.CO.UK 01937 840 670 34

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Back by popular demand Hawkshead Relish has announced the arrival of three seasonal SKUs. Back by popular demand is the Lake District producer’s Mulled Damson & Port Jam, sold for the first time in Grande Couture jars. It marries damsons with lemons, oranges and oak aged port. RRP £3.95/220g; £8.25.

Next up is Christmas Ketchup, a fruity, savoury sauce to complement festive fare such as pigs in blankets and baked Camembert. RRP £4.45/275g. The third introduction is Ultimate Festive Chutney, with dried fruits, spices and sherry. RRP £9.92/240g. hawksheadrelish.com

>> The Bay Tree’s Christmas 2026 range takes in two new limitededition chutneys (Date & Apple with Cider and Hot Parsnip & Honey), one new SKU in its Flavour Collection (Fireside Chutney), and two gift packs (Cheeseboard Collection and Picky Plate Selection). With an RRP of £11.18 for 3 x 200g, the latter is a curated selection of accompaniments designed for enjoying with cheese and cold cuts. thebaytree.co.uk

Mindful indulgence is one of this year’s buzzwords, and, Simply Roasted, which roasts its crisps in special ovens rather than frying them in oil, aligns with this trend.

Its limited-edition Christmas flavour, Spiced Maple Bacon, has a sweet, smoky and gently spiced profile, and, like the rest of the range, is said to contain 50% less fat than conventional crisps.

RRP £2.50/93g. simplyroastedcrisps. co.uk

IN BRIEF

Horsham Gingerbread’s firstever gift box features its Original Recipe Gingerbread (300g) and Gingerbread Gin Liqueur (50cl). WSP £8.68; RRP £14.50. horshamgingerbread. co.uk

Roots & Wings’ new Organic English Breakfast Tea are perfect for hampers. The single estate tea is crafted from selected leaves from the Tonganagaon tea gardens in Assam RRP from £6.99. rootsandwingsorganic. com

Anything but turkey Charlie Shaw, owner of South London butchers Flock & Herd, on what he recommends to level up a Christmas lunch alongside (or instead of) the classic big bird.

Think rack of lamb but pork. It looks good and is as nice cold as it is hot out of the oven. It can serve as a kind of oldschool guard of honour lamb rack style.

FRENCH-TRIMMED LOIN OF PORK Think rack of lamb but pork. It looks good and is as nice cold as it is hot out of the oven. It can serve as a kind of old-school guard of honour lamb rack style.

It doesn’t have a massive price point, but if it’s free-range pork with a good fat covering and dry skin for the crackling, your customers will get bags of value out of it.

BONELESS ROLLED SIRLOIN This is a real treat, push the boat out kind of thing. It’s a smaller joint than most beef joints but has a higher price per kg. What customers like about this is that you can eat it all, so there is little waste; it is easy to carve, and like the pork loin, it is also delicious cold.

WHOLE DRY-PLUCKED DUCK This is slightly smaller than goose, but just as delicious, if not tastier. It can be tricky to find them dry-plucked, but it’s worth asking your wholesaler for them.

Think nice dry crispy skin, and recommend to your customers that they confit the legs for canapés or Boxing Day sandos.

This trio is a little different, more costeffective, and feels more upmarket.

A THREE-BIRD ROAST But this one is chicken, pheasant, and pigeon.

Say what you will about it, but people love a threebird roast. This trio is a little different, more cost-effective, and feels more upmarket.

VENISON HAUNCH If your customers really want something unusual to zhuzh up the festive table, recommend this. It is seasonal and sustainable, boneless and easy to carve, and cooked well, delicious. flockandherd.com

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>> Bringing Italian sophistication and craftsmanship to the proceedings is DiSanto & Family with its Christmas Cannoli collection. Festive Pistachio Crunch Cannoli joins Cookies & Cream with a Hint of Orange Cannoli and Velvet Chocolate Nougat Cannoli, combining crisp cannoli shells with smooth, creamy fillings in a hosting gift that will be welcome at any festive gathering. RRP £5.95/200g. disantoandfamily.com

Tapping into growing consumer demand for premium at-home experiences, Steenbergs has given its seasonal loose leaf teas a makeover for Christmas 2026.

Both Organic Christmas Tea and Organic Christmas Tisane are sporting refreshed packaging – a move the organic tea specialist says has “transformed a muchloved range into an eye-catching gifting proposition”.

Inside the packs are the same organic blends customers return for year after year. Organic Christmas Tea (RRP £5/100g) combines organic black tea with festive spices to create a rich and comforting brew. Alongside it, Organic Christmas Tisane (RRP £4.75/100g) offers a naturally caffeine-free alternative, blending organic redbush with hibiscus, apple, lemongrass, orange peel, cinnamon, hosehip, ginger and clove for a fruity and gently spiced infusion.

Blended and packed in North Yorkshire, the teas are designed to appeal to tea lovers looking for comforting winter rituals, gifting inspiration and alcohol-free seasonal drinks. steenbergs.co.uk

Crafted in small batches and presented in plastic-free packaging, Nuditea’s limited edition Spiced Chocolate Orange is tipped as the ideal gift for tea lovers. The Christmassy blend combines loose leaf Indian Assam black tea with chocolate notes, orange zest and gentle spice for a cup that is said to be “indulgent, comforting and perfect for cosy winter moments”. WSP £8.65/100g; RRP £12.95. nuditea.com

After getting the green light to sell Beerlao, the national beer of Laos, in the UK after a five-year hiatus, the company behind Yoyo Laos Sauce is printing a 3-bottle gift box for the festive season. The Laotian lager has a cult following and was named ‘Asia’s best beer’ by Time Magazine, making this a great gift for the beer nerds out there. WSP £12.50 for 3 x 640ml; RRP £18. yoyolaossauce.co.uk Smoked salmon always has a place on Christmas menus or as a gourmet gift, and meeting this demand is Burren Smokehouse, with its best-selling Classic Burren Cold Smoked Irish Organic Salmon. The Irish producer follows ancient techniques, using real smoke and fire, and adding just a small amount of salt to the process for taste and preservation purposes.

RRP £13.60/180g pack. burrensmokehouse.com

Pitched as a simple but effective garnish for adding theatre and appeal to salads, desserts, cheese boards and cocktails, Desferas Fruit Pearls combine a delicate outer shell with a liquid core that bursts on the palate, delivering an intense, fresh flavour.

The spherical pearls are available from Delicioso in Strawberry, Mango, Yuzu and Cane Sugar (‘Miel de Caña’) variants, priced at £5.25-7.25 (50g). delicioso.co.uk

Casazul’s FRIDA ‘Viva la Vida’ salsa gift box features Cascabel Salsa (130g), blending the rich, nutty-sweet profile of cascabel chilli with almonds; Chiquipiqui Salsa (150g), which marries piquín chilli with pineapple and lime; and Macha Original Salsa (160g), a hot, Veracruz-style oil infusion packed with árbol chilli and garlic. WSP £16; RRP £25. casazul.co.uk

IN BRIEF

The Whitebox Advent Calendar (WSP £55; RRP £90) offers cocktail lovers an alternative way to count down to Christmas. Behind every door is a mini can containing one of the brand’s creations, including Freezer Martini, Straight Up Daiquiri, Classic Cosmo, Pocket Negroni and Spicy Marg.

The bartender-founded cocktail brand is also expanding its gifting collection for Christmas 2026 with the launch of the Espresso Martini Christmas Cracker.

The new stocking filler joins the existing Pocket Negroni, Squeezy’s Margarita and Spicy Marg cocktail crackers (all WSP £5.20; RRP £12). Each contain two full-strength, single-serve cocktails in a festive cracker format. whiteboxcocktails.com 36

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The Lincolnshire Drizzle Company’s Cranberry & Orange Balsamic (RRP £5.99/ 250ml).is a rapeseed oil-based dressing for salads, roasted veggies, cheeses and cold cuts, balancing rich cranberry with bright orange. drizzleit.co.uk

Handmade in Shropshire, to a recipe that dates back 200 years, Billington’s Gingerbread brings a sense of heritage to festive gifting. Presented in a display case. WSP £2.50/140g; RRP £4 billingtonsgingerbread. co.uk

Mrs Darlington’s Christmas roster spans curds, marmalades, jams, chutneys, jellies, preserves and mincemeat, including Bucks Fizz Marmalade – and Christmas Preserve, which is bursting with plums, port and spices. mrsdarlingtons.com

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Introducing Mrs. Darlington’s Christmas Collection, specially made to bring festive cheer!

Cranberry Sauce with Port Apple & Sage Jelly with Cider Winter Berry Preserve Boxing Day Chutney Tipsy Lemon Curd with Gin Christmas Chutney Christmas Preserve Bucks Fizz Marmalade Mincemeat with Brandy Redcurrant & Rosemary Jelly with Gin Boozy Blood Orange Marmalade Winter Chutney Cranberry & Orange Curd

Available Now!   38

Follow Mrs Darlington’s on our social media channels

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The diversified business of Christmas Hollow Trees Farm in Semer, near Ipswich, knows exactly how to maximise the Christmas opportunity across all facets of its business. FFD caught up with general manager Adam Faiers to get some insider tips.

AMBIENT LINES: DON’T JUMP ON TRENDS Last year chocolate didn’t do as well, especially some of the bigger gift packs. On the other hand, packs of treat-sized individual bars sold really well.

The Dubai chocolate hype was happening when we placed our orders, but those products didn’t shift as well as we were expecting; I think the problem was that by December, the trend had been and gone.

Overall, we do best when we stick with the suppliers we use yearround and stay true to our ethos of selling local and British products.

Tins of biscuits always sell well at Christmas, but make sure they don’t get tired by seeking out new

designs that will pique people’s interest.

DESSERTS: GO FROZEN, NOT FRESH We are finding that Christmas food is no longer just about the day itself – people are seeing family on different days and are looking to stock up for hosting and visiting throughout the festive period. This has implications for fresh lines like cream desserts which might be past their best beyond the big day.

We have now moved our desserts to a frozen format and have changed some of our other recipes to adapt to this shift.

CHRISTMAS ORDERS: START EARLIER We used to start taking

orders from October half term but we have brought this forward to late September in the last couple of years. We were finding that Christmas was already ‘in people’s faces’ by then, as a result of promotions by the supermarkets and other competitors, and we couldn’t afford to lose out. People are budgeting more for Christmas. By the end of September, they only have three paydays if they are going to spread the cost over three months, so you need to hit that first pay period.

CATALOGUES: A CRUCIAL SALES TOOL Our Christmas brochure is ready and printed by the end of September so customers can see

IN BRIEF

Tenuta Marmorelle’s new and unique take on a panettone is flavoured with ‘Nduja. The dough is studded with chunks of dark chocolate and infused with the Calabrian pork salume, balancing sweetness, spice and depth. tenutamarmorelle.com

A wreath of Solomon Islands 75% bean-tobar chocolate with candied Sicilian orange is Luisa’s Vegan Chocolate’s showstopping introduction for Christmas 2026. RRP £12 per 100g wreath. luisasveganchocolates. co.uk

For those craving moments of calm amid the festive celebrations, Dragonfly Tea’s Herbal Tea Gift Collection is here to save the day. The box contains five restful blends, with 30 tea bags in total. RRP £14.45. dragonflytea.com

what lines we are offering and place their orders.

A printed brochure might seem an outdated concept, but it works. It’s just a little visual pick-up that catches people’s attention when they pop into the shop and gets them thinking about Christmas.

CHRISTMAS EVENT: INSPIRES PLANNING AND ENCOURAGES ORDERS Last year we hosted our annual food festival on the first Saturday in October (previously we held it in November) and we will be doing the same again this year. Our suppliers both of turkeys and gifting lines will be there doing tastings, and we will be sampling the things we make in-house. Our plant centre is quieter at that time of year, so we set out 20-30 stalls in that area and a nearby barn. People have to walk through the farm shop to access and exit the event, which encourages them to place their orders on the way out.

FESTIVE CAFÉ MENUS: MIX IT UP

We try to keep the café busy with festive menus throughout December.

On Mondays – a quiet day when not many of our competitors are open – we do a traditional Christmas lunch. On other days, we include items like a pigs-in-blanket hot dog, using our own pork for the sausage and streaky bacon; homemade mince pies; and loaded roast potatoes topped with turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.

SANTA TRAIL: A KEY ATTRACTION We first started offering a Santa attraction over ten years ago. It was ‘Tea with Santa’ but the ‘Breakfast, Lunch, Tea, Dinner with Santa’ market has since become so saturated that last year we changed it to something more original. Now, the children get a tractor and trailer ride round the farm to take them to Santa. That worked well so, with a few tweaks, we will build on it this year.

TREES: ADAPT TO CHANGING PREFERENCES We’ve always sold Christmas trees. We grow some of them here on the farm and we work with a local supplier to buy in other British-grown trees.

I ordered our trees at the end of July. Last year we noticed we sold fewer massive trees and more 5-6ft trees. We also saw that Nordmann trees, which drop fewer needles, were more popular, than the cheaper Norway spruces. hollowtrees.co.uk

Christmas food is no longer just about the day itself Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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GREAT TASTE GOLDEN FORKS 2026 hosted by the guild of fine food

Explore award-winning food & drink, try some exceptional products and meet the dedicated producers creating them.

NEW FOR 2026: The Supreme Champion has yet to be discovered, and will be decided by an esteemed panel of food & drink experts during a LIVE judging session on the night.

Battersea Arts Centre, London SW11 5TN

Tuesday 15 September 2026, 6pm-10.30pm

Trade-only event: £95+VAT | gff.co.uk/goldenforks With thanks to our sponsors & supporters

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August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

gff.co.uk/goldenforks | @guildoffinefood #greattasteawards

New from Horsham Gingerbread Duo Gift Box containing our award winning Gingerbread and a miniature bottle of our Gingerbread Liqueur Contact: lesleyward@horshamgingerbread.co.uk

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Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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FARMHOUSE CHEESE & SUSTAINABLE WHEY BASED SPIRITS, MADE FROM SCRATCH, ON OUR FAMILY FARM

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DIVERSIFICATION

Something a little different Diversification can be as straightforward as opening a café or hosting pick-your-own events, or as significant as expanding from wholesale into retail – but how do you get it right? FFD spoke to three exemplary businesses about how they have changed and made additions over the years.

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Half a century of improvements DARTS FARM, DEVON

Diversification means different things to different businesses. For Michael Dart of Devon’s Darts Farm, it has never been about growth for the sake of it.

“I’m not trying to double the size of the business by next year,” he tells FFD. “I think it’s good to have a mindset that’s about getting better, as opposed to just getting bigger.”

Darts Farm’s first move in the 1980s was simple – adding a small shop selling items to the pick-your-own offer customers had asked for, like milk, butter and cheese.

Subsequent additions were equally intuitive – a café to keep people on site, and gradually building a broad selection of local artisanal items to cater for locals and tourists.

Other additions were a bit more of a stretch, but in line with what Dart describes as creating a “lifestyle cluster” – things like a bird hide and a Cotswold Outdoor concession.

“We’re surrounded by world-class nature,” he says. “We felt that walking, and having kit to enjoy the outdoors, is part of living down here.”

A wellness spa and gut-health

I think it’s good to have a mindset that’s about getting better, as opposed to just getting bigger.

Michael Dart, Darts Farm

workshops were a reaction to an increasingly health-conscious customer base, and the addition of more restaurants, of which there are now four, alongside two bars and a quick-service fish shed, met the demand for more on-site hospitality.

That said, some of the most successful ideas have in fact been happy accidents.

A plan to grow sunflowers commercially proved unviable because of the cost of harvesting them, so instead, Darts turned the field into a pick-your-own charity fundraising attraction.

“My God, it’s become iconic,” Dart says. “We now get the fields full of people picking sunflowers and leaving a donation, and we raise a lot of money every year.”

All of this is the consequence of a significant realisation on the business owners’ part, though: whereas shopping at supermarkets is “functional and dull”, according to Michael Dart, visiting places like Covent Garden is considered a leisurely activity. He believes that this mindset helped turn Darts into one of the first (if not the first) experience-led farm shops in the UK. dartsfarm.co.uk Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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Bedford - Bristol - Glasgow - Huddersfield - Newcastle 42

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DIVERSIFICATION

From importer to retailer to restaurateur, and beyond BRINDISA, LONDON

For Monika Linton, founder of Spanish food importer Brindisa, diversification was less about spreading risk than market education.

When she started importing in 1988, even selling Spanish cheese was “like pushing water uphill, because no one understood it,” she tells FFD. She swayed fine-dining chefs and luxury department stores first, bringing in things like the now iconic organic EVOO from Spain, Nuñez de Prado, and cured sheep’s cheese in olive oil. “It didn’t even say Manchego, because Manchego didn’t exist as a generic brand at that point. It was just called Parra de Guzmán. No one could say it.”

“We were really the first people to pioneer Spanish food as an extension of your cheese counter or olive oil range,” she adds.

“There was none of that at all.”

As the business’s reputation grew, it occurred to Linton that it could be worth selling products under the Brindisa brand “as a name and as a sort of moniker for the pioneer and innovator in this camp, was gaining recognition”. She started with olive oil, cooking chorizo and saffron. But she remained reliant on wholesale customers to choose her products and present them to the public, and, she says: “I was frustrated by that role. It was great to start with, but I didn’t think it would give us enough opportunity to become the authority on Spanish food. That’s where I wanted us to be.”

“My mission was to keep growing demand for Spanish food any way I could and build a brand that was consumer-facing as well as wholesale,” she says.

Brindisa first opened shops at Borough (in 1998), followed by short stints at Exmouth Market and in Brixton, before replacing Volker & Quinn on Balham’s coveted Hildreth Street in 2017. Retail sales across the Borough and Balham stores still account for only roughly 10% of Brindisa’s revenue, but they serve the important purpose of communicating what the company is about, maintaining its position and contributing to online sales.

To have a retail presence, Linton says, is “leading the market, and helping lead the market. I think it’s absolutely vital.”

On the other hand, had running a restaurant been part of Linton’s plan? “No,” she says, amused.

“I hadn’t considered it, I didn’t know how to do it. I knew nothing. I just said yes.”

What seemed like easy money in the early years, because there was no competition, is not so easy now. We have to offer a complete range to keep everyone on board.

Monika Linton

Brindisa’s first tapas restaurant, which opened in 2004, was originally intended to be Brindisa’s Borough Market shop, but a previous prospective tenant had obtained restaurant permission for the site.

“I thought if we had a shop and then another space with a table full of food and wine that was all Spanish, that was my mission complete,” she says. “I’d have covered the full circle of how you can consume Spanish food.”

Or so she thought, before it occurred to her and the team to use the warehouse and maturing rooms in Balham to host tours, educational events and tastings.

Having created a market for and asserted its stewardship of premium Spanish food, Brindisa now faces the challenge of offering a broader range at different price points, without diluting the authority it worked so hard to build.

Its acquisition of Perelló helps it reach younger customers who may not yet be ready to buy the most expensive specialist ingredients, but will pick up olives, pulses or olive oil.

“I started at the top,” Linton says, “but in order to retain our position, we’ve had to diversify those absolute Spanish basics to make sure we have enough choices to keep as many customers as possible interested and able to buy from us.”

In a way, Brindisa has made its own bed by helping us all understand Spanish speciality food better, and must now lie in it.

“What seemed like easy money in the early years, because there was no competition, is not so easy now. We have to offer a complete range to keep everyone on board, but we can only do that kind of diversification within a group now that we’re the size we are.”

“We want to have ranges that enable people to buy because it’s easier, more accessible and more self-explanatory, but also keep our heroes going.” brindisa.com Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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DIVERSIFICATION

All about the customers FARMER COPLEYS, WEST YORKSHIRE Heather and Robert Copley have always done a great job of identifying their target demographic at Farmer Copleys, and at giving them what they want – or better still, at giving them what they didn’t know they wanted until they were presented with it.

The husband-and-wife duo run their business studiously, taking inspiration, for example, from rural businesses they visited in North America to introduce a corn maze.

It generated awareness and brought visitors to the site, but did not quite attract the audience they wanted.

“In a very broad-sweeping comment, the people who came to the corn maze came to do an activity, and wanted us, really, to look after their children,” Heather Copley tells FFD. In keeping with the American theme, they had also planted some pumpkins, which did the trick. “As they say, the rest is history on that one”. The pumpkin-picking events attract over 8,000 people a day on open days over the period from the end of September to the beginning of November, and they even wholesale pumpkins. This year they have planted 60 acres’ worth of pumpkins.

“It soon became clear that the pumpkin picking was much more of Farmer Copley’s crowd than the corn maze people,” she says – people with disposable income and an

It’s like how IKEA do it – the shop is laid out so you get in one door, but you have to go all the way around to get out of the other door.

Heather Copley

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interest in quality food & drink. Strawberry, raspberry, sunflower and tulip picking work a treat as well, and can be even more useful to the wider business. They bring between 200–1,000 visitors a day, who also visit the farm shop.

“So we’re operating at full efficiency without having to get extra staff in. That’s when we go into a much more profitable element,” she says.

Every event is celebrated across the business’s divisions – pumpkin picking shows up in the café and at different ends of the shop, in food, merchandise, decorations and everything in between.

However, another important lesson learned by the Copleys across their ever-growing operation is that there is no point in doing anything if it cannibalises another aspect of the business.

For example, the 2023 addition of a gelato parlour to the farm shop and café has created an offer of what Heather Copley calls “highly Instagrammable” ice creams, made by the team on site. But even though they would fit right in, the menu does not include brownies, because these can be bought to take home from the shop, or eaten on site at the café.

“It’s like how IKEA do it – the shop is laid out so you get in one door, but you have to go all the way around to get out of the other door.”

The shop, café and gelato parlour currently occupy three separate buildings, although there are plans to link them. Even then, Copley says, each will have a distinct offer, to make sure customers visit all of them.

Knowing what not to do has been equally important at Farmer Copleys. For example, it no longer has a petting zoo and has chosen not to install children’s play equipment.

“That’s just our thing,” Copley says. “It’s very tempting to keep thinking about the

market, and children are obviously always welcome at everything we do, but our target market is millennials and above.

“There are some fantastic businesses around here that do that so well. I can’t compete with that, so why even try?”

Before you do anything, Copley stresses, look at what you do and what you do well, and own that market. This is especially important given that no changes come for free.

“You could dip your toe into the pumpkin market for a few thousand – the seeds don’t cost much. Whereas going into tulips, you’re looking at a massive investment, because instead of getting hundreds of seeds for a few pounds, you’re getting two bulbs for a pound.”

And before planting their tulips, the Copleys literally did all the groundwork.

“We tried it small to see if they would grow – they did – and we researched it. We went out to the professionals in Holland and learned from them because it was a big investment, and I wanted to give it our best shot.”

Last but not least, though, Copley says the most important thing you can do is work out your values as a business.

“I don’t mean provenance and I don’t mean quality – those are fundamental necessities within our industry.”

The business actually took on a consultant to help it define its own. “We came up with: ‘friendly, cheeky, trusted, welcoming and honest’. We literally live and die by these.”

“Any time we’ve gone off those values, whether that’s employing a member of staff, creating an event or doing a product in the shop, it’s not worked.” farmercopleys.co.uk

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August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

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DRINKS

Grasmere Distillery to make 100% Cumbrian single malt whisky

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

T

his autumn, Grasmere Distillery will begin malting Cumbrian barley to make an entirely Cumbrian single malt whisky, which it claims will be a world-first.

Established by Grasmere Brewery founder Paul Abott in 2021, the distillery has been making vodka and gin from the outset, and, keen to move into barrel-aged drinks, now also makes rum.

Abott recently bought new equipment – including an immersion tank, a mash turn and drain augers, as well as a bespoke kiln – to start producing whisky.

For its Local Barley Series, it has plans to collaborate with growers across Cumbria and create a series of whiskies to reflect the county’s six regions.

The first batch will be made with high-yielding Laureate grown by Jonathan Bainbridge of Thistlewood Farm, just south of Carlisle.

Malting will be done the traditional way – by wetting

the barley to germinate it and convert all the starches into sugar, then cooking it in a kiln before distilling it.

And rather than use casks – sherry, wine, bourbon – as the biggest flavour influence, Abott tells FFD, the grain will be the main variable. Like some traditional Scottish distilleries still floor malt their own barley, “the idea of pulling different levers, affecting flavour in

different ways, that’s really interesting to me.”

“What is fascinating is that you can drill down to individual fields within farms and talk about the variations of different farms.

The gradations of sweetness and toasted barley flavour that come through make it much more analogous to how you think of terroir in wine,” he adds.

“Back in the day, that would have been the norm

The Bainbridge family has been growing barley, wheat and oats at Thistlewood Farm for 25 years, but never for distilleries.

for distilleries,” he says, but nowadays, “most distilleries buy in neutral spirit from anywhere and call it craft.”

Bainbridge concurs, and adds: “I actually attempted to sell some barley for brewing and distilling a couple of years ago and nobody was interested. They all just buy their products ready-made. Distilling from grain is quite rare now.”

The projected nine tonnes produced will be brewed into beer to experiment with the whisky production, trialling different levels of peat influence to develop a house style. The distillery aims to eventually produce 1,000 bottles a year.

Beyond the romance of making an entirely Cumbrian whisky, Abbott adds, there is an economic incentive: “Moving the flavour around with barley is cheap. A sherry cask is two and a half thousand pounds.

So if I bought 100 casks and put them in the yard, that’s a quarter of a million pounds of inventory.”

Malting on site will also

help level the playing field with Scottish distilleries.

“I could get a Springbank 10-year old for £55,” Abbott says. “The equivalent whisky from a top-drawer English whisky distillery would be £110, and might not be as good.”

“If the English whisky industry is going to survive, we need to cut our costs, become competitive with Scotland, and have a meaningful point of difference. And one of the things we could do is foreground the barley that is being grown here.”

Abbott is hoping to produce single malt whisky that can be sold for £50 a bottle.

He also eventually would like to see a geographical indication to protect English whisky, ensuring production standards and provenance, specifying that beer must be brewed, fermented and distilled on site – and ideally, the barley malted in-house too. “That would immediately give us this huge point of difference.” grasmeredistillery.com

slowly and become more complex. Vine leaves are also trimmed to give the grapes maximal exposure to the sun, meaning they ripen too quickly for sugar levels to rise too much – as sugar ferments into alcohol.

The new, minimalist

design of violet circles on a plain white label, with only a small logo and brand name, reflects what Benn discovered when his wines first hit the market: he thought the wines would be most popular with moderate-drinking Gen Z consumers, but as it turns out, the brand’s key demographic is successful women in their 30s and 40s.

As well as a strong B2B base with regular repeat purchases, the brand has listings in soughtout establishments including Superette, Gladwell’s, Selfridges and Wholefoods. futurechateau.com

Future Château releases second vintage with new design and an inaugural rosé Future Château’s second release of mid-strength wines is newly designed and adds a rosé to the line-up of sparkling, white and red wines, with varietal blends founder Tom Benn says are closer to what he had in mind for the first vintage, last year.

The new Reserve Rouge – which instead of a Grenache-Syrah blend, is made with Tempranillo and Syrah – is fuller-bodied than the first vintage, described as bright and food-friendly, layered with red fruits and cola spice. Whereas the first Reserve Blanc was a Vermentino-

Sauvignon Blanc, the Sauvignon has been replaced with Viognier, giving it more chinchona and blood orange notes, according to Benn. The Brut Sparkling leads with Fiano rather than Chardonnay, and is said to be bone-dry and finely

balanced, with notes of lime zest, warming spices and malt. The new, Provençalstyle Blush Rosé is made with Pinot Noir, and is said to have notes of rhubarb and cream. All have an RRP of £22.49.

The wine is dealcoholised in the winery through gentle evaporation to avoid losing flavour components, but important to the process is to produce a low-ABV wine to begin with. The grapes are grown in Victoria, Australia, where the diurnal range – the temperature difference between the daytime and the night – is high. This means that in theory they can develop flavours

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Food & Drink Wales

Wales raises a glass From globally recognised gins and award-winning wines to the international revival of a 140-year-old lager, Welsh drinks producers are earning recognition for their quality, provenance and innovation on the world stage.

ACROSS WALES, PRODUCERS are crafting spirits, wines and beers that reflect the country’s landscape, heritage and growing confidence as a food and drink nation. What was once a relatively small sector has evolved into a dynamic industry attracting attention from consumers, retailers and buyers both at home and overseas.

At the heart of this success is a commitment to quality and a strong sense of place. Welsh producers are embracing local ingredients, drawing inspiration from their surroundings and blending heritage with contemporary production methods that stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

The growth of Welsh gin has been one of the sector’s most striking success stories. Distillers across the country have helped establish Wales as a producer of premium craft spirits, creating distinctive products that showcase everything from coastal botanicals to mountain-inspired flavours.

Recent international recognition has reinforced the category’s growing reputation.

Earlier this year, Pembrokeshire’s Golden Road Gin was awarded a Gold Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Inspired by the ancient Golden Road that runs through the Preseli Hills, the gin joins a growing list of Welsh spirits gaining recognition beyond Wales.

The wider Welsh spirits category is also benefiting from stronger international recognition of its provenance credentials. In 2023, Single Malt Welsh Whisky secured

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, becoming Wales’ first protected spirit. To qualify, all five stages of production – mashing, fermentation, distillation, maturation and bottling – must take place in Wales, helping safeguard authenticity and strengthen the reputation of Welsh spirits internationally.

Jennifer Wheeler, Co-founder of Golden Road Gin, said: “Consumers and buyers are increasingly looking for products with authenticity, quality and a genuine story behind them. The drinks category has moved beyond novelty, and products now need to earn their place through flavour, provenance and credibility. Wales has that in abundance.

Whether it’s spirits, wine or beer, producers are drawing inspiration from the landscapes, ingredients and heritage that surround them to create distinctive products that stand out in the market.”

Meanwhile, one of Wales’ oldest drinks brands is writing a new chapter in its history.

Founded in 1882, Wrexham Lager is the oldest lager brewery still operating in the UK and has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence in recent years. Its profile received a significant boost when Wrexham AFC co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney became co-owners of the business in 2024, bringing international attention to the historic brewery and supporting ambitious growth plans.

The success story extends beyond spirits and lager. Welsh wine is also experiencing a significant rise in fortunes. Once considered a niche category, the sector has developed rapidly

in recent years, supported by investment, expertise and favourable growing conditions.

Welsh Wine and Welsh Regional Wine also benefit from Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status respectively, providing independent assurance of provenance and quality.

Today, more than 60 vineyards operate across Wales, producing still and sparkling wines that are winning awards and securing listings with retailers, restaurants and hospitality venues. With plans to grow the sector’s value to £100 million by 2035, Welsh wine continues to build its reputation among buyers and consumers alike.

From internationally recognised spirits and award-winning wines to historic brewing brands and emerging producers, Wales’ drinks industry continues to go from strength to strength. With increasing demand for authentic products and strong export potential, the sector is well placed to build on its recent success and reach new audiences in the years ahead.

For more information: gov.wales/ foodanddrinkwales

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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FOODSERVICE THREE IDEAS FOR... ...pop-ups to consider TENs notice If you’re serving alcohol at an unlicensed venue, then you’ll need to get a temporary events notice, and make sure that if you don’t have an alcohol licence yourself, that you collaborate with someone who does.

Pop-up and pay attention…

The impromptu food experience is more popular than ever, offering novelty, cross-selling and repeat custom.

By Nick Baines

BACK IN 2009, the idea of a pop-up meant something specific. A small niche of would-be chefs and excited food bloggers were turning their front rooms into fly-by-night restaurants.

It was personal, intimate and usually ticketed.

Then, a wave of serious chefs got in on the action. Nuno Mendes ran an influential popup in London called The Loft Project, and went on to open some of the hottest ticketed restaurants of the time. Meanwhile, over in Los Angeles, Craig Thornton hosted sensationally popular Wolvesmouth in his loft in Downtown LA. Today, pop-ups are much broader. They could be a visiting chef at an established restaurant, or a mobile food vendor setting up an airstream in a pub garden for a few weeks.

An activewear brand is as likely to host a popup as a producer launching a new line is. Jesse Jenkins, a cook with a significant social media following and the author of Cooking With Vegetables, has run pop-ups at Jackson Boxer’s restaurants and for brands like TOAST. Meanwhile, retailers have started welcoming experts through the doors for events of their own. “Six to eight times a year, I work with a Master of Wine,” explains Ed Bevin, owner of The Fleetville Larder in St. Albans. Every attendee pays for a platter of cheese and meats to pair with seven wines, which are available to purchase at the end of the evening. “It’s a bit of cross-pollination,” explains Bevin, who says that to make a ‘collab’

like this work, you both need a buy-in. “You should both get something out of it,” he says, “whether it’s hitting each other’s customer base or sharing the profits. We split everything down the middle.”

At Dark Woods Coffee in West Yorkshire, Damian Blackburn is well aware of the benefits of pop-ups, having hosted them for 10 years.

The roastery at Holme Mill in Marsden is next to Zapato Brewery, and has opened the space up for dinners, bakery sales and brunches.

“The main thing I’d say is make sure you’re organised,” Blackburn says. “The more detail you have, the better. Things like ‘what are the costs of doing this? Does it make sense? How are we going to staff it?’”

“You don’t want people to have a bad experience and to associate that with you. You need to make sure whoever you’re hosting is on top of their allergen situations, and whether they put the space back to how you need it.”

At The Ealing Grocer, owner Andy Harris started running pop-ups sporadically, as he enjoyed being able to cook with the ingredients in his shop. “They were initially a response to weekday trade being very slow,” Harris explains.

“Now it’s part of the business model.”

The grocery store pop-ups were originally a BYOB affair, but over Christmas 2025, Harris secured a licence to sell alcohol, which cemented them as a permanent fixture. “I call it deli by day, bistro by night,” he says.

Some say consumers are now seeking more real, sensory experiences as technology takes over so many aspects of our lives. As such, the pop-up is ripe for development. Whether it’s bringing guest chefs to a small-town deli or a launch event for a new product, the new wave of pop-ups seems like one worth riding.

The split It’s important to get this one agreed early. As Ed Bevin says, it should be mutually beneficial.

Are you taking money for the food sales and the venue the drink? Or are things a bit more complicated? Dial in on the detail first, including all your setup costs.

Check your facilities Unless you’re doing a kitchen takeover at a restaurant, your workspace is likely to be an issue.

This may force your hand to make an offering that’s prep-heavy and only requires reheating, but you’ll need to check power outlets, gas supply and extraction.

FIRST STEPS TO SET UP A POP-UP Getting the word out Social media is a great starting point, but don’t overlook the power of posters, particularly if hosting a pop-up. The most primed audience for your pop-ups are existing customers - who are also the most likely to promote your event by word of mouth too.

Accessibility & pricing Accessibility is key and you may consider a sliding scale of menu items. A base pasta and ragu dish could be put out at £8, with add-on items like slices of roast porchetta, focaccia and fried greens at £4 a piece, giving you an accessibly point of entry, but a simple ride up to £20 per head.

It’s not all about money…

If you’re hosting the pop-up, it’s worth considering the words of Damian Blackburn at Dark Woods Coffee, “Is it about making money, or more about added value, marketing and interacting with customers? For us, it’s more about the latter.”

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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PRODUCTS & MERCHANDISING New Cornish preserves brand focussing on flavour

WHAT’S NEW Spotting an opportunity for “biscuit betterment”, Nourish has collaborated with OMGTEA to add Matcha Coconut Cookies to its collection of wholesome goodies. The plant-based, refined-sugarfree, organic biscuits combine AA-grade Japanese matcha with Sri Lankan coconut and a smidgeon of Madagascan vanilla. RRP £1.50/20g single cookie. nourish-growcookenjoy.com

By Lynda Searby

The Cornish Jar’s young founders are convinced there is room in a crowded category for a modern brand that crafts “big-flavoured preserves for real life”.

The business started as a passion project for Carly Gilby and Ryan Curtis, when, during the pandemic, they swapped produce with local farmers and friends in their village.

“We started cooking in our home kitchen and before long we had so many jars we didn’t have anywhere to store them, so we gave them away to friends and family. Then I dropped a few jars off at local shops and it grew from there,” recalled Gilby.

The startup’s first products were Hot Garlic Chutney and Blackberry, Apple & Vanilla Jam. New lines have gradually been added, and today there are 18 SKUS in the range, including bestsellers Rhubarb & Ginger Jam, Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Relish, and Spiced Apple & Walnut Chutney.

They are all designed to be used creatively in cooking rather than purely as traditional accompaniments, according to Gilby.

“Our mission is to help people to cook tasty food; we want our products to be ingredients, not just a ‘jam for a cream tea’ or a ‘chutney

on a cheese board’. We always say we want to make Tuesday a little less Tuesday,” she said.

The duo hopes this modern, flavour-led approach will allow the brand to stand out in an already crowded category.

“Lots of the jams and chutneys already out there are very traditional. They might be established, but we think there is still space for a modern brand that is focused on flavour first,” said Gilby.

Asked whether, given its name and emphasis on local ingredients, The Cornish Jar is destined to be anything other than a small regional brand, Gilby pointed out that the brand now operates from a commercial kitchen, has recently secured a listing with Diverse Fine Foods and supplies stockists throughout the UK. “We would love to think that our brand gives people all over the country a little piece of Cornwall,” she said.

WSP £24.75 for 6 x 200g jars. thecornishjar.com

Following the success of its Sweet Dill Pickle Chips, Pickle Project has launched Deli Dill Pickle Chips – its riff on the classic, American-style garlic and dill pickle, with no added sugar.

Made in small batches in the producer’s North London kitchen, the pickles are crinkle-sliced in its signature ultrasonic brine. WSP £36 for a case of eight jars from Mahalo Supplies, Artisan Food Club or Faire. pickleproject.co.uk Fudge Kitchen has introduced new packaging it says is more closely aligned with its values. It features an updated colour palette in vintage tones to reflect the brand’s heritage, and, for the Pantry Collection, windows to showcase the product. Pictured is Sea Salted Caramel Fudge, part of the Pantry Collection. fudgekitchen.co.uk

Big in Japan: is hojicha the new matcha?

Zuppe’s seasonal soup flavour for winter 2026 is Chilli Vegetable and Barley. This warming vegetable-based soup is packed with courgettes, red peppers, spinach, beans and barley, emboldened with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a kick of chilli. It is available via CN Foods, Cotswold Fayre and CLF Distribution, priced at £4.83 (£29 per case of 6 x 1kg packs).

RRP £7.95.

Kerim Suavi founded Zuppe in 2019 after a business to trip to Italy inspired the idea of making small-batch soups from naturally ripe Italian vegetables. Cobbs Farm Shop, Budgens, The Chelsea Grocer and Booths are some of the brand’s key stockists. zuppeltd.co.uk

Produced by roasting green tea leaves then grinding them into a fine powder, hojicha is high in antioxidants and more affordable than ceremonial grade matcha.

Roasting creates a smooth, mellow taste and lowers caffeine levels, making it a soothing alternative to coffee.

When combined with warm milk, hojicha’s nutty aroma and smoky flavour is transformed into a creamy beverage with toasty and earthy notes of caramel and cocoa.

As hojicha latte finds its way onto coffee shop menus across the UK, retail brands are also getting in on the action. The last few months

have seen a flurry of hojicha powder introductions.

Last month, Clearspring, which already offers hojicha looseleaf and teabag lines, added Organic Japanese Hojicha Powder (RRP £8.99/40g) to its range.

Maria Dawson, the company’s MD, said: “I truly believe hojicha powder has the potential to take off globally just like matcha has.”

Hojicha also features in Matcha & CO’s new 30g flavoured matcha range, which was launched early this year as a more accessible alternative to ceremonial

matcha. RRP £10.95/30g tin.

Haru Matcha, which places great emphasis on terroir and provenance, is another first mover in the hojicha space. It is offering Hokkari Hojicha Roasted Green Tea from Yame, Fukuoka. RRP £18.50/30g.

Chroma, meanwhile, has taken the trend beyond beverages with the launch of Hojicha Milk Spread, as part of a teainfused spreads range. RRP £9.50/200g. chroma-uk.com clearspring.co.uk harumatcha.co.uk matchaandco.co.uk Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

55

PRODUCTS & MERCHANDISING WHAT’S NEW Good Phats has added four flavoured finishing oils to its line-up. The Chilli, Lemon, Garlic and Basil oils are made by crushing the fresh ingredients together with the olives.

This results in a more authentic and intense flavour profile. RRP £9.99/250ml. goodphats.com Fortnum & Mason has listed all three of Krocus & Co.’s Greek saffron teas at its flagship Piccadilly store as part of its Fortnum & Makers programme. Krocus & Co. blends hand-harvested Greek saffron from founder Alexandros’ hometown of Krokos Kozanis with selected botanicals to make each tea. krocus.co

London-based ChopChop Noodles made its debut in May with a four-strong sundried noodle range that contains just three ingredients: wheat flour, water and salt.

Taiwan-born Elena Hsinling Lee founded the brand because she missed the simple, honest bowls of noodles from her homeland, and was struggling to find any noodles without additives and preservatives in the UK. ChopChop Noodles are made by a master noodle maker in Taiwan. The noodles are laid on bamboo racks and dried naturally under the Taiwanese sun until they reach target moisture: low enough to ensure 18 months of shelf stability without any preservatives, yet high enough to preserve their signature bite. RRP £8.29-8.99 for 3 servings. chopchopnoodles.com

B Corp Three Bees Spirits has relaunched its drinks in a new bottle that replicates the form of its key workers – five million bees.

Designed to capture the brand’s roots in beekeeping, its use of botanicals and connection with biodiversity, the new format has been rolled out across all six of its spirits, including its best-selling Raspberry Gin. harborough-honey.co.uk

Challenging the assumption that ready meals have to be packaged in plastic trays is newcomer Stoked, with a clean-label canned range.

Stoked started life as a street food business run by husband and wife duo James and Iszy Astle. Tired of being at the mercy of the British weather, the couple developed a retail range of plant-based meals made with simple ingredients.

James Astle told FFD that they chose a canned format because they wanted the packaging to be plastic-free, scalable and robust.

“Cans are infinitely recyclable – they can be melted down and made back into tins over and over again,” he said, adding: “because our cans are also BPA-free, when you go camping, you can just heat an open tin over some embers for 10 minutes, and you’ve got a nice hot meal.”

“Our biggest challenge is to change people’s perception of cans,” Astle said, adding that he believes a shift is underway, amid growing public 56

August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

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concerns about microplastics.

Stoked’s canned offerings are also a world apart from the tinned provisions of the 20th century. The branding is colourful and contemporary, and the labels are clean, shouting about the high-protein, high-fibre, gluten-free, dairy-free and clean label credentials.

The first 18,000 cans of Lentil Dahl, Thai Curry, Bean Chilli, Bolognese and Nacho Sauce rolled off the production line in March and are now available to the trade via Essential Trading, Suma Wholefoods and Infinity Foods with a WSP of £2.50/400g (RRP £4.99).

Looking to the future, James and Iszy have big ambitions for Stoked, including establishing their own charity (‘Lentil Health’), exporting and reducing the RRP through economies of scale. stokedfood.com

nutty Alpine varieties to bold blues. What makes it so exciting is the incredible diversity available. A floral lavender honey, a spicy chilli honey or an indulgent truffle honey (my personal favourite) can each bring out completely different characteristics in the same cheese. I love introducing people to new honey and cheese combinations because there’s always something unexpected to discover.

It’s a simple ingredient that can transform a cheeseboard, and it’s effortless to serve with a honey wand for a touch of theatre at the table. truffleguysuk.com

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www.bossanovachocolate.co.uk Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

57

A NEW CHAPTER FOR SPECIALITY & FINE FOOD FAIR

From 2027, the Fair will move to a new home alongside Food, Drink & Hospitality Week, the UK’s biggest celebration of industry innovation, taking place 5 - 7 April at Excel London.

Everything you value about the Fair stays the same, but there will be more opportunities to connect with a wider community of buyers across the sector.

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August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

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August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

Organised by

SUSTAINABILITY creation of The Good Cup, and we were the first distributor to bring it to market. In a short time, Choose Planet A has grown to 19 global territories. Each distributor is independent but works closely with Choose Planet A.

Good cup good cup What started as an effort to eliminate plastics from his wholesale hospitality business led Christopher Brown to become the UK distributor of The Good Cup, operating here as No More Lids. Its award-winning cups, food boxes, cutlery and straws are aqueous-coated, home-compostable alternatives to PLA-lined versions.

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Tell us a little about No More Lids and The Good Cup’s structure. Is The Good Cup only here in the UK? The Good Cup was designed and created by Cyril Drouet, an award-winning packaging designer focused on sustainability and founder of Choose Planet A, the global home of The Good Cup. Cyril visited Glastonbury about five years ago, saw the plastic waste debris afterwards and set out on a mission to create The Good Cup. I’ve worked in hospitality all my life, from waiting tables to running a wholesale business in Cornwall, helping people compete with high-street brands. Around this time, I was becoming more aware of single-use plastic. The final straw was when one of my dogs started choking on a plastic liner that had washed up on the beach. From that day, I withdrew all single-use plastic from the business. The timing corresponded with the

People just don’t realise they’re drinking out of a plastic bag with a cardboard coat on.

Can you tell us about the technology? What makes it home-compostable rather than industrially compostable?

Most cups have a lining inside, normally PE. Then eco cups came along with PLA, which claim to be made from plants and compostable.

But when you drill down, it’s just industrially compostable. In this country, you can say compostable no matter the method.

With our cup, we use aqueous barrier technology. The aqueous bonds with the paper fibres, locking them together and creating a watertight barrier. When the cup breaks down, that coating disperses with the paper fibres and composts into the earth. There are no PFAS chemicals in there at all.

My biggest bugbear in the industry is clear plastic cups, PET cups. There’s been an alleged improvement, which is now rPET, recycled plastic. But still, at the end of life, about 98% of those products end up in landfill or are incinerated.

We work with schools to educate pupils about circularity and composting. The pupils use their cups during the day, then plant sunflower seeds in them, close the lid and take them home. Once the plant starts to grow on the window ledge, they simply plant the whole cup in the ground. Sunflowers capture 2kg of carbon in their lifecycle, so this both educates and helps reduce carbon.

What other receptacles do you make?

Within The Good Cup range, we have a food cup with vents on the side, so you can put hot food in it for two hours and it’s still as crisp as when you put it in. It doesn’t get soggy.

Alongside that, working with our partners at Zeus Food, we’ve collaborated with them to help us scale. We’ve put together an additions range. It’s all the same technology, all aqueouscoated, but we do food boxes, food trays and clamshells for burgers. We also have durable paper cutlery and straws.

What we’re looking to do is work with people and swap out their entire disposables range for a sustainable alternative. A lot of people are surprised. They didn’t know this existed, or they didn’t know their current boxes had PLA or plastic lining. So a lot of what we do is education. People just don’t realise they’re drinking out of a plastic bag with a cardboard coat on.

If anyone wants to make the change, do you have any terms or minimum orders?

The first thing is to go onto our website, fill in the form and we’ll reach out. If they have a preferred supplier already, we’ll work with them. If not, we have direct routes to market too. The minimum order is one case. We provide point of sale, social media content and support to help people shout about making the switch. nomorelids.com Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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Seizing on the opportunity to serve the community of Wimborne Minster, fine food lover Claire Warren and lifelong retail professional Simon Warren are not just surviving as independents; they are thriving.

By Claire Bullen

Carrying on the family torch I

t’s a Friday afternoon in the Dorset market town of Wimborne Minster, and the atmosphere is decidedly sleepy.

Activity is slow as the July sun pours down, drenching the towers of the medieval church after which the town is named.

Although Wimborne is just nine miles inland from the beaches of Bournemouth, the latter’s high-season hubbub feels worlds away.

“All the shops and residents are very keen on making sure it stays as it was,” says Simon Warren, co-owner of The East Street Deli in Wimborne. “I used to be brought here by my

VITAL STATISICS Location: 41b East St., Wimborne BH21 1DX Average basket spend: £19.09 Customer profile: Women; shoppers aged 35–60 Floor space: 42 square meters Number of lines: 550 62

August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

grandparents, and I don’t think it’s changed very much. It has retained that feel.”

Underneath its timeless appearance, however, Wimborne is evolving. In March, The Sunday Times named it one of the best places to live in the UK, describing it as a market town that’s traditional but not set in stone: “Today Wimborne’s town centre is busy, buzzy and beautiful, with its glimpses of the River Stour, wisteria-covered houses and pedestrianised square with Continental-style pavement cafés,” the paper wrote.

Last year, Wimborne was also named Dorset’s most underrated food destination

by Condé Nast Traveller, which wrote that “a wonderful mix of established old favourites and fresh, innovative new spots means that over the last decade or so, Wimborne has firmly established itself as a place that champions small businesses, artisanal producers and local ingredients, all the while flying under the radar”.

Among its traditional butchers and multigenerational fishmongers, Wimborne today boasts speciality coffee shops, craft breweries, and modern restaurants. And then there’s The East Street Deli, which both publications cite as one of the town’s key food destinations.

For its owners, that level of recognition feels surreal. “It’s amazing,” says Simon, who opened the deli with his wife Claire in June 2020. “Those are sort of pinch-me moments, when we say, ‘Is that really happening? Is that really our little name there?’”

Still, The East Street Deli’s success is no accident. In fact, it’s evidence of the uncommon savvy that the couple brings to running their business. It helps that Simon’s retail experience is practically life-long. “I grew up above a shop,” he says. “My mum and dad owned a village shop about 20 miles away from here. Weekends, evenings, school holidays, I worked there when I was old

enough.”

After graduating from university, he spent 16 years working for the convenience store chain and wholesaler Spar, eventually becoming its head of sales. Along the way, he earned an unofficial education in what it takes to run a successful retail business.

“You see so often, ‘Oh, I’m a real foodie, so I’ll go open a deli, or I’m a chef and I’ll go and do that …’ But that will only take you so far, because it’s all the stuff that goes on after the door shuts at 5 o’clock,” he says. “I knew what I was going into; I knew how much my parents worked when I grew up. My eyes were wide open with that.”

Claire, meanwhile, complemented Simon’s retail background with her culinary expertise.

“I love food, and have always done lots of cookery courses and followed food trends,”

What we’re trying to do is bring that little bit of luxury to people’s week. she says. Today, she does most of the deli’s ordering, taking care to fill its shelves with a rotating array of culinary temptations, guided by her tastes and industry awareness.

She’s also responsible for much of the business’s runnings, including management, bookkeeping, HR, and its website. In turn, Simon manages cheese orders, and primarily oversees the deli’s day-to-day retail operations. “It does actually work out; we divvy it up between us,” Claire says.

DELI OF THE MONTH

Despite their capable approach, however, they were caught off-guard when the opportunity to launch The East Street Deli first knocked, early in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Both were ready for a new phase of their careers, and dreamed of opening something of their own. But they envisioned a coffee shop, or a bakery – not a deli.

“I used to sit at home in that time off, and write business plans for an idea for a shop, and it’d never go anywhere,” says Simon. “And then the one shop that we did take on, we didn’t have time to write a business plan!”

A deli had previously existed in Wimborne, but closed shortly before the first lockdown.

“We thought, ‘hang on.’ That shop that we know was staring us in the face. It was almost a case of, ‘what’s the worst that could happen?’” Simon continues.

The former deli was already outfitted with shelving, and needed little work. What’s more, while they don’t live in Wimborne, the couple had married at its famous minster five years previously, and visited the town regularly.

They knew that it was the kind of place that could support a gourmet deli.

“The opportunity was there, it just needed someone that was able to give it time, passion – everything I knew that you needed for a shop,” says Simon.

He describes its opening months as challenging, but The East Street Deli was a success from the start. Even though customers could only shop from a table placed in the doorway, there were still queues down the pavement. For many Wimborne residents, the

deli became a lifeline, and an opportunity for novelty and enjoyment during a time of very little cheer.

The strangeness of the pandemic period also impacted how the couple placed orders and sought out suppliers. It was generally impossible to meet with brand representatives, and many producers weren’t accepting new customers. “A lot of the time,

we’d have to drive for an hour to go and pick things up because there were so many restrictions – you couldn’t do it as you would normally,” says Claire.

Those sourcing difficulties produced unique results. While it has some recognisable deli staples on its shelves – from tins of Perelló olives to various flavours of Brets crisps – The East Street Deli also offers niche products and goods from local producers that few other comparable businesses stock.

Coffee is one of its primary focuses. While the business doesn’t offer takeaway coffee or prepared food – as Simon notes, Wimborne already has six other coffee shops that do that perfectly well – it does sell a range of grindto-order beans from the Bournemouth–based Bad Hand Coffee, including the deli’s own house blend.

Cheese, too, is another cornerstone. The deli’s compact counter almost overflows with 50 different cheeses, including local favourites such as Dorset Red Smoked and Yarlton Sleights. At Christmas, cheese-hungry shoppers wait in perpetual queues outside.

“When you open the door on the 19th, 20th December and you see a queue down the road and think, ‘That’s going to be there all day.’ It’s amazing,” says Simon.

Indeed, the couple estimates that at least a quarter of the goods they sell end up as gifts for others. “What we’re trying to do is bring that little bit of luxury to people’s week – you can see that from the gifts that people buy,” CONTINUED ON PAGE 64

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

63

DELI OF THE MONTH

MUST-STOCKS Bad Hand Coffee, The East Street Deli Blend Eight Arch Brewing Co. Square Logic Pale Ale Two Fields Extra Virgin Olive Oil White Mausu Peanut Rayu Brets La Bretonne crisps Chococo chocolates Langham Culver Classic Cuvée Fen Farm Dairy Baron Bigod Dorset Red Smoked Perelló olives

says Simon. And those gifts aren’t just pegged to the major holidays. During my mid-July visit, thank-you cookies for teachers are displayed on the counter, while end-of-term gift hampers are also advertised.

The deli’s hampers, largely developed and overseen by Claire, have become one of its great successes. In addition to its range of six hampers, it also offers bespoke and limitededition options, as well as hampers for corporate gifting. Today, they’re sold online and shipped across the country, and have become an important way of exposing the deli to a national audience.

Last year, the couple chose to expand the business to manage the growing demand.

“The unit next door came up about a year ago,” says Simon. “We knew if we missed that opportunity it’s gone forever, so we’ve taken that so we can develop our hamper and online business. That’s where we wrap, pack, and send out our hampers.” In the future, should 64

August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6

the deli continue to grow, they may opt to knock through the two units and double its floor space.

It feels likely that The East Street Deli will keep flourishing, in step with the surrounding town. Wimborne’s population is growing, and the newfound publicity is likely to drive further interest in the town. Its increasingly popular annual events, from the Wimborne Minster Folk Festival in June to the Wimborne Food Festival in September, have also helped put it on the map.

Clearly, Wimborne has been a fertile place for the deli to thrive. But it goes both ways: Wimborne also owes its success to independent businesses like The East Street Deli.

“It’s become more than we’ve ever thought,” says Claire of the business. “We sort of surprise ourselves each year, how much it’s really grown.” theeaststreetdeli.co.uk

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ADVICE

Expert View DATA STRATEGY CONSULTING’S DUNCAN SYME ON WHAT EPOS DATA CAN TELL YOU ABOUT CUSTOMER BEHAVIOURS Three of the four drivers of retail revenue are measurable customer behaviours, yet many retailers still focus only on headline sales figures rather than understanding what their customers are actually doing.

At its simplest, revenue is driven by two factors: the number of transactions and the value of each basket.

Most retailers track these metrics, which is a good thing. The challenge is that these headline numbers often hide the real story behind performance.

My favourite phrase to illustrate this is: “Retail statistics are like a bikini. What they show is alluring, but what they hide is crucial.”

Take transaction numbers. If transactions are increasing, is that because more customers are shopping with you, or because existing customers are visiting more often?

The action required depends entirely on the underlying cause. Falling customer numbers may indicate a need to focus on acquisition and awareness. Declining visit frequency may point to issues with customer engagement, product range or value perception. Without looking below the transaction total, it’s impossible to know which lever to pull.

Likewise, if transactions appear flat, a retailer

MODEL RETAILING

might think no action is required, but customer numbers could be falling while visit frequency is increasing, with the two effects simply cancelling each other out.

This is where a loyalty or reward scheme comes to the fore. These programmes allow retailers to measure customer frequency behaviour over time, to understand what is really driving performance. In my view, this insight is often the most valuable benefit of a loyalty programme.

Average spend can be broken down in a similar way. It is largely a function of the number of items purchased and the average selling price of those items. If average spend increases, is it because customers are buying more products, or simply because prices have risen? The revenue impact may be the same, but the implications for future growth are very different.

When you step back and look at the revenue equation, an important point emerges. Whether customers choose to shop with you, how often they visit, and what they put in their basket are all customer decisions. The only factor directly controlled by the retailer is the price of each item, and even that influences customer behaviour rather than determining the outcome on its own.

If you’re not measuring revenue drivers at this level, you risk missing opportunities, or, worse, fail to spot negative trends until it is too late. Your EPOS data contains the answers.

The challenge is looking beyond the headline numbers to uncover the customer behaviours driving them.

In future articles, we’ll explore how retailers can use these metrics to identify opportunities, respond more quickly to changing trends, and drive sustainable revenue growth. datastrategyconsulting.co.uk

Setting up shop for Protective clothing good hygiene Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the

hygiene of foodstuffs, Chapter I & IX requires that: “food is to be protected against any contamination likely to render the food unfit for human consumption, injurious to health or contaminated in such a way that it would be unreasonable to expect it to be consumed in that state.”

The purpose of protective clothing, including aprons, is to protect the food from the food operative.

• All employees should be provided with sufficient sets of protective clothing, to allow regular changes as necessary.

• Where a change of clothing is required, changing facilities with secure storage should be provided.

• Personal belongings should be stored away from the food handling area.

• Protective clothing should only be worn at work; it should be in a clean condition and changed at regular intervals. Protective clothing should not be worn on breaks.

• Where protective hair coverings are used, put them on first to prevent hair falling onto the protective clothing and then into the food.

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 non-members).

To request a copy of the Code, email support@gff.co.uk

SOLVING EVERYDAY SHOPKEEPING DILEMMAS. IN MINIATURE.

When will our food be ready? You said five minutes, 10 minutes ago…

How long is Table 2’s food going to be?

The kitchen says it really will be five minutes.

It’s his job to hold off these rabid customers.

Like I said, five minutes!

You could at least offer us a free drink.

FFD says: For retailers offering any kind of table service, front of house staff will be the key to success – especially during busy seasons. If tensions arise between customer expectations and the kitchen’s capabilities, your waiting staff have to be prepared to placate the former. Offer them a drink or another complimentary item, so they don’t feel like they’re waiting for a bus.

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

Vol.27 Issue 6 | August 2026

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THE PERFECT GIFT FOR THE

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August 2026 | Vol.27 Issue 6