FFD January-February 2022

January-February 2022 Volume 23 Issue 1 gff.co.uk ff.co.uk

Making frozen cooler Find out how Fieldfare MD Matt Whelan aims to court new customers

ALSO INSIDE Buffalicious mozzarella The latest in pickles & chutneys Town End Farm Shop

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

CONTENTS 5

NEWS

I honestly wish I could don a big-collared cape, gaze into a crystal ball, and see even a glimpse of the future for the sector, but it’s just not possible.

10 SHOP TALK 15 INTERVIEW: FIELDFARE

By Michael Lane, editor

21 CHEESEWIRE 28 CATEGORY FOCUS: PICKLES & CHUTNEYS, BISCUITS 37 SHOW PREVIEW: THE SOURCE 39 FOODSERVICE 43 SHELF TALK 48 DELI OF THE MONTH 55 GUILD TALK

If you’ve ever spoken to me about football, you’ll probably have heard me say I don’t do predictions. It’s a philosophy I’ve stuck to for as long as I can remember – partly because of my own weird set of matchday superstitions and partly because I’m not sure they’re of much use to anyone other than bookmakers.

The thing about predictions is that they can also be slightly naff; bear in mind that I grew up during Mystic Meg’s primetime TV heyday.

Despite my reservations, part of my job as a journalist means I do actually have to ask other people to speculate.

One deli owner I spoke to recently was at a loss when I asked them to explain the shopping patterns they encountered during December, even though it was a successful month for them.

“I’ve written off the last two years of trying to understand customers’ behaviour,” they told me.

“You can subscribe to all sorts of theories. Who knows?”

Another retailer I spoke to was in a quandry over whether to order stock for this year based on sales and footfall from 2019, 2020 or last year.

There were several other conversations I’ve had during January where – regardless of the topic – uncertainty was deemed the only thing that we could forecast.

I honestly wish I could don a big-collared cape, gaze into a crystal ball, and see even a glimpse of the future for the sector, but it’s just not possible.

The truth is that 2022 is going to be another year of responding to social, economic and political changes. But, then, isn’t every year?

While you’re waiting for all these things to happen (or not happen), it might be worth thinking about what you can do regardless.

Our first edition of the year is full of businesses, who are going for it.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

January-February 2022 Volume 23 Issue 1 gff.co.uk ff.co.uk

Tom Dale, assistant editor

Making frozen cooler Find out how Fieldfare MD Matt Whelan aims to court new customers

ALSO INSIDE Buffalicious mozzarella The latest in pickles & chutneys Town End Farm Shop

Borna Foods

Sweet Roast Pistachio Butter Borna Foods makes several varieties of this nut spread, but the new Sweet Roast Crunchy Pistachio Butter is a standout for me. Some of the pure pistachio butters out there have an offputting colour that reminds me of something made by newborns I won’t put into print!

EDITORIAL

ADVERTISING

GENERAL ENQUIRIES

Assistant editor: Tom Dale

Sales director: Sally Coley

Fax: +44 (0) 1747 824065

Editor: Michael Lane

Art director: Mark Windsor

Contributors: Nick Baines, Matt Lawrence, Patrick McGuigan, Jules Mercer, Lynda Searby

advertise@gff.co.uk

Sales manager: Ruth Debnam

Sales executives: Becky Haskett, Sam Coleman ADDRESS Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB United Kingdom

Take our cover story about Fieldfare pursuing new demographics after 40 years in business (page 15), or the singular vision of Chris Wildman in our Deli of the Month (page 48), or the Somerset farm making buffalo mozzarella (page 25). And there are countless more examples of retailers or producers who have made the decision to develop their ideas. Yes, not everyone or every plan succeeds but our sector thrives on this kind of attitude.

In the last two years, independent food retail and its supply chain has proved that it can adapt to whatever is thrown at it.

But really, it’s always been good at being creative.

As we do with every issue, the FFD team hopes that this edition inspires you to think about not just what 2022 is going to do to you but what you’re going to do in 2022.

Here’s to a happy new year!

This version is blessed with the addition of cashews, coconut oil and agave syrup to make a pleasantly green, super smooth (save for the nuts, of course), and delicately sweet pistachio-rich spread.

I slapped it on just about anything sensible – toast, porridge, and even spooned onto dates (lovely!) – and it got me thinking what culinary delights I could create with it.

Before I could try any of them, I’d eaten it all...

Read more on page 44.

Tel: +44 (0) 1747 825200

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

editorial@gff.co.uk

© The Guild of Fine Food Ltd

Printed by: Blackmore, Dorset

2022. Reproduction of whole or

part of this magazine without the publisher’s prior permission is

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

prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are

not necessarily those of the editor

Turn to page 55 for news from the Guild

or publisher.

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

NEWS

Businesses welcome cut to isolation period as industry still hit by absences

By Greg Pitcher

Fine food businesses have welcomed a plan to end COVID-19 isolation rules altogether as staff shortages continue to plague the sector.

Ministers slashed the legal minimum stay-athome stint to just five full days after a positive test from Monday 17th January, providing people return two consecutive negative tests.

Leading industry figures welcomed the move but urged the government to consider going further, allowing everyone to go to work even if they do have the virus.

Gabriel David, founder of drinks manufacturer Luscombe, said about one in 15 of his staff were isolating in mid-January and it was common to find himself and other managers abandoning their own work to fill gaps on the production line.

“We need two specialists milling and pressing the

Guild show moves to June The annual Fine Food Show North trade 2022 show will return to DATE Harrogate again in 2022 – but it will now take place on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th June at the Yorkshire Event Centre.

The show’s organisers, the Guild of Fine Food, decided to alter the timing from its previous October slot to maximise the opportunities for both exhibitors and visiting buyers, particularly with Christmas ordering in mind.

For more information, visit gff.co.uk/shows/ffsn/

COVID-19 isolation rules have been disruptive for suppliers

ginger for our ginger beer, so if one is off sick you have to pull a day’s production,” he added. “It has had an impact on fulfilment.”

David said the cut in the minimum isolation period was positive but relied on free lateral flow tests remaining available to all businesses until all stay-athome rules were dropped.

“In a couple of weeks, if the data is good, let’s remove isolation,” he added.

“If Omicron is weaker, let it infect people and build up immunity so we can get back to normality.”

Emma Macdonald, founder of Devon-based condiment producer The Bay Tree, had one member of staff isolating when FFD spoke to her, and another needing time off because family members had COVID-19. She said the situation had sparked anxiety in the team and increased workloads.

“I have about 18-20 members on my production team and if three or four are knocked out by isolation we can’t run the line,” she said.

Macdonald said the cut to a minimum isolation

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT...

period of five days relied on “free, available lateral flow tests” and a longer-term view to “start to ease away from isolation entirely” later this year.

Paul Hargreaves, chief executive at Cotswold Fayre, backed the latest easing of isolation rules, pointing out that the wholesale distributor had nine people isolating on one day in early January.

“We worked a full Saturday, which is very unusual at that time of year, just to catch up from the week,” he said.

“Suppliers are also saying they have problems; if their ratios are the same as ours then they have people off who would be making products.

“Everything is taking at least a week longer to get to us, and that is a big hit in what we can supply retailers with. Our fulfilment rates are about 10% below what they should be, which is highly frustrating.”

When do staff have to stay at home?

In England, people have to self-isolate immediately from when they receive a positive test result for at least the following five full days.

Once five full days elapse, and two consecutive days of negative lateral flow test results are recorded from day five onwards, isolation can end. After 10 full days isolation can end without a negative test result unless non-cough symptoms remain.

Anyone experiencing one of the trigger symptoms of a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a change in their sense of taste or smell must also start their self-isolation period,

which can end when they receive a negative PCR result or fulfil the criteria above.

Anyone told to selfisolate by NHS Test and Trace, most likely because they have not received their full pre-booster allocation of the approved

Covid-19 vaccines and have come into close contact with a confirmed case of the virus, also has to isolate.

In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland people must self-isolate for at least seven days as soon as trigger symptoms develop or they test positive. Again, consecutive days of negative lateral flow test results are required to release people at this point.

There are extra testing and isolation requirements for travelling across borders and other situations. For full legal requirements see government websites. gov.uk/coronavirus

MINIMUM ISOLATION PERIODS EMMA MACDONALD THE BAY TREE

“If someone has a contagious illness, they have to stay at home. As an employer you take a massive risk if you bring that person in. But the five days with two negative tests is a practical and pragmatic way to manage the situation so those who are well can get back out to work.”

GABRIEL DAVID LUSCOMBE DRINKS

“We know it is unlikely we will have our full contingent at any time. But the cut to five days isolation is positive. Lateral flow tests should be freely available to businesses while they are needed for release from isolation. We don’t want people coming back to work without a negative test.”

PAUL HARGREAVES COTSWOLD FAYRE

“The drop to five full days’ isolation will certainly take the pressure off both our logistics operation and our suppliers’ manufacturing operations. Work from home doesn’t work for production.

Now, if someone tests positive in the second half of the week they may only need three working days off.”

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

5

NEWS

CYBER CRIME

Several independent producers facing losses after collapse of online retailer The collapse of online retailer Farmdrop should act as a warning to independent food producers, commentators have urged.

Farmdrop entered administration shortly before Christmas, leaving many small suppliers with anger and unpaid invoices – while key figures grimly predicted that more businesses could fail.

Accounts filed with Companies House show Farmdrop made a pre-tax loss of £11 million in the 12 months to 30 June 2019 yet still raised £7m in loans over the following year – during which it made another £10m loss.

One anonymous industry source told FFD that Farmdrop’s business model of delivering artisan goods to online customers could only be profitable “at enormous scale”.

The timing of the firm’s demise in mid-December

Ben Terrett (Flickr)

By Greg Pitcher

Online retailer Farmdrop collapsed in December

told its own story, the source claimed, as “you would only give up on Christmas revenue if you knew it was loss-making”.

They added: “Suppliers need to be aware. There are lots of companies out there that appear heavily funded but are just sharks looking for market share.

Only one will survive.

Whether by acquisition or lack of investment, these loss-making companies will disappear. You have to mitigate the risk by making sure you get paid.”

Mike Duckworth,

Farmdrop exec: firm sought buyer in bid to save business Farmdrop chief executive Eleanor Herrin said in an email to suppliers shortly before 11pm on Thursday 16th December that the company had tried for 18 months to secure financing to allow the firm to “continue in our mission to change the food system for the better”.

She added that Farmdrop had decided last summer to try to sell the business “within four to five months” as finding a home in a larger organisation was “the only viable option to ensure the company’s future”.

Herrin said that despite “deep and meaningful engagement with a number of potential acquirers” this sale process ultimately failed and Farmdrop had 6

decided to cease trading.

“It has been at our core to try to improve outcomes for suppliers, with whom we have enjoyed working in close partnership to delight customers with amazing groceries,” she wrote. “We hope that we have been able to create a positive impact for all of our producers over the years.”

RMT Accountants & Business Advisors was appointed on 17 December. Administrators said suppliers with valid claims had been invited to collect stock that had not been paid for by Farmdrop. It is understood the administrators set a deadline of 21st January for bids for the intangible assets of the failed company.

January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

founder of Somerset producer Nutcessity, said he had already implemented changes in his own approach despite not losing out financially from his relationship with Farmdrop.

“I have now put a policy in place where new customers pay invoices up front and I don’t send any orders out until due invoices are paid,” he said.

“You need to be quite headstrong. As a small business you don’t have the time or resources to chase payment and escalate it.”

Duckworth added

that he feared Farmdrop had been “taking small suppliers’ money and putting it on the roulette wheel” by “gambling” that it would find the investment needed to keep it viable.

Nicola Simons, founder of Single Variety Co, expressed fury at how her Bristol-based preserves business was treated by Farmdrop.

“We were owed payment of 12 invoices stretching back to July,” she said.

“They owed us £2,200. All we received was a general round-robin email the night before they went into administration.”

Single Variety Co was eventually able to recover stock amounting to about half of what it had sold to Farmdrop and not been paid for, according to Simons.

Like other creditors, it will now wait to see if it will receive any cash to cover any of its remaining bills.

“It makes me really, really angry,” says Simons.

IN BRIEF Packaging specialist Walter Smith Fine Rawlings drinks Foods hasand announced processing the closuresupplier of Vigo merged threehave stores in the to create a The business Midlands. butcher offering end-to-end chain revealed production to food over Christmas that & brands.

The itsdrink Denby Village, move allows bothand firms West Bromwich to increaseshops capacity, Coventry would efficiency, andleaving scale. it stop trading, vigoltd.com with 11 outlets – many rawlingsbristol.co.uk of which are within garden centres.

Jeremy Clarkson’s farm shop Diddly Squat Tracklements has has temporarily closed hired Ben Hallam until March, it has for the role of been announced.

As commercial manager, FFD went to press, no which includes reason has been given identifying new market for the closure of the opportunities.

Hallam Cotswolds estate. joins the Wiltshirediddlysquatfarm based condiment shop.com specialist after 11 years at dairy firm Yeo Valley.

Johnsons’ Delicatessen, first Health food retailer opened in Merthyr Tydfil Planet Organic has in 1982,into is back moved the on hotthe high after being food street delivery market revived by theup original and teamed with owners’ high-endgranddaughter. service

Waitrose launches recipe box with Mindful Chef Waitrose has announced it is to partner with recipe box brand Mindful Chef, in a UK supermarket first.

The chain will not be providing the recipe box itself – this will be supplied, as normal, by the meal delivery service – but will instead act as an additional supplier, with a full-size complementary Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients product to be included in the cobranded boxes.

The bulk of the ingredients and the recipes will be provided

by Mindful Chef during the 12-week trial period.

Each box will also contain a co-branded leaflet with recipe details, information about the Waitrose product and hints and tips for other recipes or ways

to use Waitrose products.

Charlotte di Cello, commercial director at Waitrose said: “We know many of our customers are moving to a hybrid way of shopping and eating, with a mix of recipe boxes, in-store

and online shopping. We want this collaboration to help spark recipe inspiration for those customers looking to try something new, whilst still maintaining our fundamental values.” waitrose.com

THE

GUIDE TO

POLITIC AL PA RT I E S

WINE FRIDGE

S U I TC A S E

Nothing kills productivity like room temperature Prosecco. The office fridge should have everything a serious party needs. Drinks, more drinks and plenty of porky pies. A large enough fridge can also provide refuge for those keen to hide from difficult questions.

In the UK, it’s generally expected that you BYOB to work parties. However, once the Sauv runs too dry, a wheeled suitcase makes the dash to the supermarket much more efficient.

To properly focus on the job at hand, every little helps.

SUNGLASSES It’s important to make the most of the lovely weather in Westminster offices, all the more so when the office is garden based. Sunglasses will not only protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, they can also help disguise that rosé-fuelled hangover the next day.

VACUUM CLEANER It’s safe to assume accidents will happen, especially if Deborah from accounting gets invited. A cordless vacuum cleaner will allow you to clean up your mess with the one hand, while you keep a steady hold of your Merlot in the other.

K A R AO K E M AC H I N E Sooner or later the mic will be dusted off, and the criminal crooning will begin. While horrible things are done to UB40’s ‘Red Red Wine’, you can make sure your glass of vino is well looked after by partnering it with some Mondovino crackers.

No matter the contents of your cabinet, Mondovino crackers for wine will support your party.

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

Tavola

Trade fair for fine food retailers and delicatessens

20-21-22 March 2022

Kortrijk Xpo (Belgium)

Discover carefully curated premium food & drinks from 500 market leaders and craft producers: a unique range of rigorously selected delicacies and exquisite high-end products.

www.tavola-xpo.be

Free visit:

register at www.tavola-xpo.be with code FF473

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

OFF_2112-16607_TAVOLA-2022_Adv_FineFoodDigest_230x315.indd 1

17/01/2022 16:58

NEWS

Omicron and staff shortages fail to ruin Christmas as indies trade well

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT...

By Michael Lane

DECEMBER TRADING

Despite the threat of the Omicron variant and staffing shortages, independent retailers across the UK seem to have got the Christmas they needed – thanks in part to a late surge in sales.

Several retailers that FFD spoke to in January all reported year-on-year sales increases in their stores, but the lion’s share of them came in the last few days before 25th December.

While none of these retailers experienced the anticipated supply chain issues, most experienced some level of staffing disruption due to COVID infections and isolation periods.

Bayley & Sage founder Jennie Allen, who has nine stores across West London, told FFD that at one point in December she had 24 members of staff off sick.

“I’m not going to remember sales this

Christmas – although they were good – I’m actually going to remember it for thinking ‘How are we going to keep trading?’”

Allen said that sales came very late this year, describing the final two days before Christmas as “mental”. While caviar was especially popular, Allen said that generally, customers were not too adventurous. “When people are stressed they go for tradition,” she said.

Sales also surged late at Farmer Copleys farm shop in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.

“Early December looked a little quiet then when Christmas finally came we were up on last year. Just,” said co-owner Rob Copley, crediting the return of the site’s café for the rise.

“Between Christmas and New Year, wow, I don’t know where it came from but we got absolutely hammered,” he added, reporting 10% upswing in

Scotland’s Speciality Food Show delayed until end of March Scotland’s Speciality Food Show has been postponed until 27th-29th March 2022, to mitigate the effects of new restrictions introduced north of the border before Christmas.

The show was originally due to run 23rd-25th January at Glasgow’s SEC and organiser Springboard Events felt these dates were too close to the proposed 16th January date for reviewing them.

Springboard said it has spoken to a selection of key exhibitors who supported the new plan and the majority are expected to participate as usual.

Show director Mark Saunders said: “As Q1 buying patterns are going

to be uncertain we feel a postponement would be helpful to the trade not least in providing a better trading environment but also a much safer one, giving buyers the confidence to attend.” scotlandstradefairs.com

retail sales on last year’s and a fully booked café.

Clare Jackson of Slate, which has two cheese shops in Suffolk, told FFD that she was worried two weeks before Christmas because sales were underperforming, and she was short-staffed.

However, sales picked up in the last week and trade was up overall. “We felt that people were leaving their shopping late because they didn’t know who was going to be around the table,” she

said, adding that her biggest triumph was maintaining the same level of online sales as those during 2020’s locked-down Christmas.

At Indie Füde in Northern Ireland, founder Johnny McDowell said Christmas had exceeded expectations because both the public and corporate customers gained last year had returned. The latter group – because of gifts to staff in lieu of a Christmas party – gave overall sales a little bump.

John Sinclair at Craigies farm shop, near Edinburgh, said he was concerned in the run-up to Christmas about Scotland’s stricter whole household isolation rules affecting his team numbers, but made it through relatively unscathed.

He said that year-onyear sales were around 5% up. A decent portion of these sales came earlier, with online orders even being placed before December.

IGD reveals how new variant impacted Christmas According to research from IGD, uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant of COVID-19 impacted how and where shoppers bought their food at Christmas.

IGD’s ShopperVista service reported that a large proportion of consumers felt a return to normality for Christmas (56%) but just under a third of shoppers (32%) stated the news of Omicron affected their celebrations and 27% claimed to have avoided making plans at all.

Rhian Thomas, head of shopper insight at IGD, said: “Our pre- and post-Christmas research showed some shoppers approaching the season differently in how they conducted their shopping to ensure they didn’t miss out, from the channels they used to the types of products they bought.”

Just over a third (35%) of shoppers claimed they began shopping earlier this year, while 17% left it until the last minute due to uncertainty over plans.

Of those who claimed that they were directly impacted by the Omicron variant, 44% claimed they shopped online or used click-and-collect services to avoid going into stores. shoppervista.igd.com

JENNIE ALLEN BAYLEY & SAGE

“Actually the biggest challenge was staffing.

One week we had 24 off sick, so the biggest challenge was keeping the stores open. I’m not going to remember sales this Christmas – although they were good – I’m actually going to remember it for thinking ‘How are we going to keep trading?’”

ROB COPLEY FARMER COPLEYS

“Early December looked a little quiet, but we were up on last year. Just. Between Christmas and New Year, I don’t know where it came from but we got absolutely hammered. It was almost as if people were saying COVID’s over, we’ve done Christmas, we’re going to enjoy ourselves and go out.”

CLARE JACKSON SLATE

“Two weekends before Christmas, we weren’t seeing as much cheese going as we were expecting.

We were concerned, but we exceeded sales targets across our two shops. We felt that people were leaving their shopping late because they didn’t know who was going to be around the table.”

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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SHOP TALK IF I’D KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW...

REBECCA WRIGHT, owner, The Deli on the Hill, Prestatyn, North Wales I have owned and run a children’s nursery for 15 years. When it was forced to close for three months in March 2020, I spent lots of time exploring the local area. I realised that, although our town had a flourishing high street, it lacked an independent deli.

When I have an idea, I only focus on the positives. So, the question of whether it was wise to open a deli in the midst of a pandemic never crossed my mind. I applied for a Government Bounce Back Loan and found premises. I loved that it was split level and had a deep pavement on the sunny side of the street for al fresco seating. However, I didn’t envisage the amount of work that would be needed to make it fit for purpose. As soon as I took the lease, it was a race against time to get money coming in.

We opened in November 2020 and in the months that followed, when life was hard and restaurants were closed, we gave people the opportunity to treat themselves. We were making up hampers during the really dark times, and we launched £30 grazing platters with Scotch eggs, pork pies, cheese, salami, ham, and antipasti – as an alternative to Saturday night takeaways.

My background isn’t in food but I applied my business experience, attention to detail and customer service skills. I treat every customer as I like to be treated. If a customer isn’t happy about something, I make sure they leave happy. I make a point of remembering customers’ names and what they bought last time they were in, and I make customers feel special. No bottle of wine leaves the shop unless it is beautifully wrapped.

I also read. A lot. Books on cheese, on finance and on retail psychology. I’m still reading now.

Other than having to remove a door to get the fridges in, there haven’t been any major disasters. I wish I had set up an online shop sooner. I’m in the process of doing this now but as long as the online system isn’t there I am seeing opportunities being missed.

I want the bricks & mortar shop to be a window to the rest of the business, which will include a nationwide gifting and hamper service, cheese celebration cakes and home delivery of grazing platters. I also wish I had made friends with my EPOS system earlier. All the information is there – I just haven’t had a chance to learn how to use it. I get emails telling me products have sold out yet I am still using a pen and paper to tot up what stock is on shelf.

Saying that, we’re a one-year-old business that was born in a pandemic. I think that in itself is a triumph.

Interview Lynda Searby Photography Matt Lawrence

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER ANONYMOUS TALES FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER I HOPE YOU had a good Christmas. We did and I’m feeling pretty pucka, basking in some January sunshine. It’s time to roll out the New Year and possibly a resolution.

So, I wondered whether I could dust off that marketing plan I drew up in 2019 that never quite happened. Well, let’s just say it was a little out of date and I’ve had to draft a new one.

I have labelled this new document Sell Happiness. No-one is interested in bad news, dour weather or hard work anymore. Or at least I’m not. Let’s cast off COVID and treat ourselves nicely this year. My marketing plan is focused on making my customers happy, happy, happy.

Truthfully, I have always had a marketing plan but, on an average year, only half gets done and half of what does get done gets done badly.

Working on promoting the shop and its wares is always last in the queue behind tackling the staff member who is always late, addressing the shortage of take-away boxes and the urgent request for 120g of camembert from Mrs Cappuccino-no-chocolate (of course, I know all of my customers by name!).

And because I never get around to actually

MODEL RETAILING

After a good Christmas, it’s difficult to get enthusiastic about Burns Night or Valentine’s or Mothers’ Day

executing the marketing plan, I can’t shift the feeling that everyone else is doing it better than me.

Plus, after a good Christmas, it’s difficult to get enthusiastic about Burns Night or Valentine’s or Mothers’ Day. I know I should, but it’s a few hundred quid of stock.

10% of it won’t sell and it will sit forlornly and reproachfully in the back room, whispering that I hadn’t tried hard enough to catch those

Scots, lovers or desperate children.

Other shops plaster their windows with splashy signs, QR codes and promotions to attract gift-givers. It makes me feel a bit inadequate seeing their pitch-perfect offers of heart-shaped chocolate boxes, vegan-friendly haggis and labour-saving homemade apple tarts.

Is it just me who sees magic in other stores but not in my own? My eyes go green looking at action-packed blackboards, smartly logoed uniforms, dainty shelf wobblers, artfully arranged tasters and bountiful gondolas. But all I see in my shop is a tired but beloved work horse – all effort and enterprise.

I was once told that you can spot the difference between a good and a bad retailer by which one walks the shop floor every morning and which one doesn’t.

Clearly, I need to be better. And, as I touch up the displays, straighten the jars and polish the counter, maybe I’ll discover the magic I can’t yet see. Then, I’ll be able to show it and sell it to my customers too.

You know, this might be the most achievable New Year’s Resolution I’ve ever attempted.

SOLVING EVERYDAY SHOPKEEPING DILEMMAS. IN MINIATURE. I bet that packaging contains harmful plastics.

Customers of 2022, step right up! Whether you’ve gone plant-based, flexitarian or freefrom, we’ve got your new year’s resolutions covered with this fantastic new range.

What about all that palm oil in them?

And were the farmers paid a fair price for the ingredients?

FFD says: It’s sound business sense to improve your offer for health-conscious consumers in the new year. Even after all the casual adopters fade away in spring, there will be plenty of customers that keep it up. But the diet itself is not the only box you have to to tick. Make sure you check the sustainable credentials of anything you list, because more and more people want to know about how something is made, what’s in it and what materials it’s supplied in.

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.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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SHOP TALK

CODE OF PRACTICE

WHAT’S TRENDING NICK BAINES KEEPS YOU UP TO DATE WITH THE NEWEST DISHES, FLAVOURS AND INNOVATIONS IN FOOD & DRINK

Technical and regulatory advice from the Guild of Fine Food’s Assured Code of Practice for Deli Retailing This month we take a look at... making pâtés in-house

Ambient pâtés Retailers who wish to make jarred ambient pâtés will need to understand the risks associated with these products. Proteolytic Clostridium botulinum must always be considered as a hazard with these types of products. Proteolytic Clostridium botulinum spores are heat resistant and the severity of the illness caused by the toxins produced by the organism is of significant concern, very low doses being sufficient to cause lifethreatening illness.

The products must reach a temperature of 121˚C for 3 minutes or equivalent or have a pH of 4.5 or below throughout the entire product for the duration of its shelf life.

Before starting to produce pâtés, advice should be sought from a specialist

Expert’s view AJ SHARP OF SHARP RELATIONS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF AN ACTIONABLE MARKETING PLAN Success needs a killer strategic marketing and PR plan, and one that fits on to one page....

At the start of the year, people make resolutions, but usually by week two or three the resolutions are becoming a bit distant, motivation is waning. It could be powerful, but only if you have a goal, strategy and plan – a set of related actions to make it happen.

It has to be measurable, and replace the old routine with a new habit, something that’s going to keep you accountable, otherwise nothing will really change. Marketing is no different.

The businesses and brands that I have seen really succeed – that grow hard and fast every year – have one thing in common: they have a very strong focus on marketing. They make marketing a routine; a positive repeatable habit which is accountable for itself and measured at every stage. Those who struggle lack marketing plans altogether or engage in random acts of PR and marketing without any strategy.

Just having a great product or service is not 12

January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

Before starting to produce this type of product, advice should be sought from a specialist food safety body.

Chilled pâtés When producing pâtés in a kitchen for sale in the retailer’s own establishment, the Food Standards Agency has provided guidance called A Method for the Preparation of Chicken Liver Pâté that Reliably Destroys Campylobacters (available at food.gov.uk).

It is essential the thickest part of the livers reach at least 70˚C for 2 minutes or equivalent.

If a shelf life longer than five days is to be given to the pâté, it must be determined using the proper process, with advice from the retailer’s Environmental Health Department and/or a UKASS accredited laboratory.

The Chilled Food Association has developed some guidance specifically for Listeria monocytogenes – Shelf life of ready to eat food in relation to L. monocytogenes – Guidance for food business operators (available at chilledfood.org). This guidance applies to the production of all pâtés.

The guide is available in PDF format and is free for Guild members. For non-members, it costs £250+VAT. To request a copy of the Code of Practice, or for further information, email support@gff.co.uk

always enough for it to see success. No-one knows how good your product is until after the sale has occurred. So, the business with the best marketing will win.

Start with the commercial objectives of your business. This is crucial, because if your marketing is not focused on the same objective, you might as well give up now. Define your end goal, but then make it SMART – if you haven’t heard of the acronym, Google it.

Knowing your customers, and where to find them is the next step: trade publications, social media, or likely a mix of the two. You have to drive awareness among the right people, but again, make sure it is specific and measurable. l AJ Sharp is running free weekly webinars to help food & drink businesses develop their marketing and PR plan every Wednesday at 9.30am.

Visit sharprelations.com and check the events page for more informtion

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1 Kaya As the food scene continues to probe into the fabric of South East Asian cuisine, kaya is the current staple making waves in the UK. Kaya is often categorised as a coconut jam that’s most commonly spread on hot buttered toast and served in Singaporean coffee houses. However, the product is actually made more like a curd – with eggs, coconut milk and pandan leaf for the attractive green hue it carries. British brand Madam Chang’s turns out a luxurious pandan kaya, as well as those made with ube, and durian. Meanwhile Borough Market’s Mei Mei serves up a kaya toast comparable to Singpore’s finest.

2 The TikTok Effect With its engagement figures currently overtaking Instagram, TikTok is a social media platform to take note of. The influence of TikTok has spurred on a number of food trends in the past year, including a baked feta pasta dish and corn ribs. The Independent reported that after crunchy fried pasta was trending on TikTok in October, that sales of air fryers at John Lewis went up 400%.

Keeping a close eye on the platform is a sensible step for any savvy retailer in 2022.

3 More (British) Hard Seltzer We touched on the rise of hard seltzer back in 2020 when the alcoholic fizzy water trend was in its infancy. At the time, it was largely imported hard seltzer on the market. We now have a thriving roster of British hard seltzers, though.

London’s Beavertown Brewery has launched a standalone boozy seltzer line called Ghost which comes in eight flavours ranging from 2% to 8% ABV. Leeds’ &Soda blends vodka, sparkling water and natural fruit flavours in its range of cans, while in Cornwall, Curio knock out a rhubarb & ginger hard seltzer, and one flavoured with peach & rose.

W H AT ’ S WA N T I N G I N WA I T R O S E ? here’s a clu e.

the fine cheese co. brand: exclusive to independents.

First in fine for 30 years: fine cheese, fine charcuterie, fine crackers, fine condiments, fine chocolates...

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

We work with local producers to help identify new trends, bring forward innovative products and grow their business.

Northern Ireland.

Bringing our world-class food and drink to your table.

Long renowned for the superb quality of milk produced by cows grazing on its lush green fields, Northern Ireland is now becoming celebrated for the wonderful cheeses made from that milk.

Over the last decade a growing movement of talented artisan cheesemakers have been perfecting their craft, creating award-winning cheeses which are now in demand across Ireland and the UK and throughout the international market.

For more information on Northern Ireland’s wide range of quality and innovative food and drink products, contact Michelle Charrington, T: 07817 173 514 E: michelle.charrington@investni.com or Drew McIvor, T: 07813 544 535 E: drew.mcivor@investni.com

Northern Ireland. Altogether more.

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

700007 Fine Food Digest Cheese Ad_AW2.indd 1

14/12/2021 09:38

INTERVIEW

Matt Whelan, Fieldfare range of scoop-your-own foods from chest freezers in farm shops for more than 42 years with a great deal of success, but is now hoping to grow its customer base beyond its stalwart clientele of 40-60-year-olds.

Now, the brand is targeting a younger, more environmentally savvy market with the first consumer-facing advertising campaign in the company’s history, which highlights its zerowaste credentials. “We’re trying to become more dynamic,” Whelan tells FFD. Founded in 1978 in Kent by Richard and Ann Cryer, the family business’s unique retail concept has endured, and its chest freezers can now be found in more than 350 stockists across the UK. The brand’s ubiquity has not put paid to the directors’ desire for further growth, though, as its recent marketing activity proves.

Starting last March with a complete rebrand – overseen by London-based agency Big Fish – and continued with the launch of the advertising campaign in September, the end goal is to raise Fieldfare’s profile among consumers.

Its new eye-catching livery will drive instore presence, but the biggest job facing the business is increasing awareness in the public, says Whelan.

We need to get the end customer to understand the concept of loose, frozen food – it’s not something that we can just assume consumers will get immediately.

The changing face of frozen Fieldfare had been selling loose, frozen food for more than 40 years before embarking on its first major rebrand. And its new modern look is part of a plan, led by MD Matt Whelan, to attract a new type of customer and grow its presence further in independent retail.

Interview by Tom Dale

“FROZEN IS NO longer a barrier, perceptions have changed there,” says Fieldfare MD Matt Whelan, when discussing the company’s first foray into marketing beyond the trade. “But many consumers aren’t familiar with our concept, so we’re trying to convert them.”

It’s fitting that Whelan is meeting FFD at The Udder Farm Shop in Dorset, a long-term customer that exemplifies the simple-yeteffective concept of allowing customers to scoop their own loose frozen goods on the shop floor.

Fieldfare has been selling an ever-growing

Having operated in the same way for more than four decades, he says, the time is right for a change.

Packaging-free options are increasing in popularity, with zero-waste hoppers frequently being found in independent shops, and the range of products on offer is growing, too. Fieldfare’s campaign is looking to capitalise on this momentum.

Launched under the banner #Chooseloose, the series of adverts and advertorials highlights the environmental credentials of the brand: allowing consumers to buy only what they need in a format largely free of packaging.

And these efforts seem to be paying dividends. At The Udder Farm Shop, manager Nick Edwards has seen the brand buck trends.

“We’ve definitely seen sales grow since the rebrand last year, there’s no doubt about that,” he says. “The only section of our business that’s in decline is frozen, but Fieldfare has continued to be in growth.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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INTERVIEW Edwards puts this down to changing consumer behaviour. “There’s definitely a big shift toward more conscious consumerism, and Fieldfare has always done it and done it really well.”

At Udder, sales of Fieldfare products have grown at a similar rate to the shop’s refill section, which the manager attributes to the brand’s environmental credentials. And, while Fieldfare’s core customer – 40-60-year-olds – has been increasingly scooping their own, the farm shop manager has also seen a younger shopper taking more interest in the offer.

This slice of the market is a target for Fieldfare. Gen Z and Millennials are the two groups most likely to make purchasing decisions based on environmental concerns and, with many of the latter now firmly in their 30s, the power of their pound is only growing.

Fortunately for the brand, it is not short on green credentials. The campaign draws on the environmental benefits of lower food waste and less packaging, but additionally, the brand’s chest freezers consume roughly a third of the energy of a standard upright freezer, while its scoop-your-own bags are biodegradable.

“We’re now working with a social media advertising company,” says Whelan. “We’re trying to draw new consumers into farm shops and delis to get them to understand: if you like loose, lower-waste food, we’re here. Come and see us.”

The campaign, spread across Instagram and

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Matt Whelan, Fieldfare Facebook (TikTok was a stretch too far this time for Whelan), is aimed at educating consumers on the process of shopping Fieldfare’s products; something that the MD recognises is the biggest obstacle for uninitiated shoppers.

“We need to get the end customer to understand the concept of loose, frozen food – it’s not something that we can just assume consumers will immediately understand,” he says.

When social media users interact with the campaign, the team highlights local stockists to capitalise on the momentum, and Whelan is pleased with the initial feedback.

He says the offer fits perfectly with the modern world in which families are often catering to a variety of dietary choices, allowing consumers to buy only what they need. And, with an ever-growing range of more than 150 lines, you would be hard-pressed to argue.

NPD is another area the business is targeting to draw in new customers. With trendy lines added last year, such as rainbow fries and Portuguese custard tarts, and more in the pipeline for the spring, Fieldfare hopes to further appeal to a younger consumer.

By growing the brand’s presence and relevance among new consumers, it is also aiming to grow its appeal to its core customer: independent retailers. And the new branding and ad campaign seem to be achieving this.

New customer inquiries have increased, Fieldfare’s existing customers have expanded the

We’re about collaboration and working with business owners to find the right range for them. number of freezers in their operations as sales have grown following the campaign, and end consumers have been increasingly seeking out the brand’s produce online, according to its own data.

But it isn’t job done, says Whelan.

The brand’s #Chooseloose campaign is set to continue alongside more social media advertising and more advertorial content in print magazines.

“We want to keep talking to the shoppers, but also our stockists. Staying in touch with retailers and engaging them with the brand is key to making sure we’re doing everything we can to drive traffic to their stores.”

And this collaborative approach underpins the business’s relationships with its customers.

Whelan says when new stockists come on board, the idea is to have Fieldfare’s offer fit with the retailer’s pre-existing proposition. Livery is not compulsory, and, while the initial range proposition is data-driven, it is not set in stone and is designed to complement each shop.

“We’re not about forcing the hand of any retailers,” says Whelan. “We’re about collaboration and working with business owners to find the right range for them.”

Business at Fieldfare, for Whelan, is about nurturing good relationships in this way. And it is this that has seen the supplier struggle less during the recent supply chain crisis.

Edwards, Udder’s manager, says that, while the shop’s staff had to drive to the depot of another frozen food supplier to stock up, Fieldfare always managed to keep the farm shop in stock. “Keeping the availability up is key,” he says.

While Whelan admits the business has not been impervious, he says its strong relationship with its distribution partner has served it well.

“We try very hard to focus on our customers.”

While the rebrand and advertising campaign seem to be having the desired effect, Whelan is keen to keep the momentum going with more NPD being released in the coming months and plans to launch in-store sampling this year – an attempt to bring the products out of the freezer and before consumers’ senses. Though, with the COVID situation still uncertain, the brand may have to keep the more tactile plans on ice for now.

Fieldfare’s strategy is very straightforward, as Whelan sees it: Work with more stockists and give them compelling reasons to have more freezer space, and then communicate to their shoppers to pull people into their stores. “It really is that simple,” he says.

“That and always delivering delicious products. That’s all we’re doing.” field-fare.com

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M AW R T H 1 a f

#CaruCymruCaruBlas y Dydd Gŵyl Dewi hwn

I weld gwybodaeth ynghylch cynhyrchwyr bwyd a diod Cymreig, ewch i: For info on Welsh food and drink producers please visit: www.Cywain.Cymru/Our-Producers 2

January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

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1st MARCH

#LoveWalesLoveTaste this St David’s Day

#LoveWalesLoveTaste #CaruCymruCaruBlas

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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THE PERFEC T ACCOMPANIMENTS Like our cheeses, our chutneys hail from North Wales, an area of outstanding natural beauty. They are handcrafted using only the finest ingredients, chosen for their quality and flavour.

BEST BRITISH CHEESE BR AND as voted by the Fine Food Digest Survey 2022

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

CHEESEWIRE

news and views from the cheese counter

More UK retailers adding in-house production to their businesses

By Patrick McGuigan

British cheesemongers are no longer just selling cheese; they are now making and maturing it themselves as they develop into must-visit cheese destinations.

Several retailers have announced ambitious new ventures for 2022, which will see them move into cheese production as a way of adding value to products and attracting shoppers.

Northern Irish deli and cheesemonger Indie Füde has teamed up with local cheese company Velocheese to open a shop and cheesemaking unit in February at Belfast’s Banana Block – a living museum, bar and events space.

The 100 sq m space will house a shop, maturing rooms

and cheesemaking laboratory, where Velocheese owner Davide Tani, who is from Sardinia, will make mozzarella, burrata and scamorza. The production area will also host cookery, cheesemaking and tasting classes.

“We’ve seen similar developments in craft beer and gin, and now cheese is going the same way,” said Indie Füde co-owner Johnny McDowell.

“People want to learn more about where their food comes from.”

The Newt in Somerset estate, which is home to gardens, a hotel and farm shop, will also soon be making its own cheese after receiving permission to convert buildings next to Castle Cary railway station into a creamery,

Cheesemaker Davide Tani’s collaboration with Belfast’s Indie Füde is just one of several examples of retailers moving into production

complete with café, retail and office space. The new development will be used as an “initial arrivals hub” for guests travelling to The Newt from London.

Meanwhile, The Courtyard Dairy in Yorkshire plans to become “the epicentre of traditional farm-made British cheese” by more than doubling the size of its premises with a newly expanded museum, café, shop and cheese maturation cave for ageing cheese made by an on-site cheesemaker.

Paxton & Whitfield also plans to create its own unique cheeses using state-of-theart maturing rooms at its new headquarters in Bourton-onthe-Water.

Meanwhile, award-winning Leeds cheesemonger George & Joseph has acquired the lease of a railway arch in the city.

“We have plans to start doing our own maturing and affinage,” said owner Stephen Fleming. “A couple of my team have affinage experience and they’re keen to see where we can take some of the cheeses.”

The arch will also host events with other food and drink retailers. “There should be a really nice vibe down there. We’re thinking the Bermondsey of the North,” said Fleming.

Former MasterChef winner Simon Wood has launched a cheese & wine fine dining restaurant in Manchester called Homage, serving dishes like Truffled Baron Bigod with Beluga caviar.

Feltham’s Farm, which is best known for the washed rind Renegade Monk, has launched an organic mould-ripened, soft cheese called Gert Lush, which is West Country dialect for “very lovely”.

Norwegian ambassador Mona Juhl marked the start of her presidency of the UN Security Council by presenting other members with a gift of Brunost, in a so-called act of “cheese diplomacy”. Her chosen brand of the country’s traditional brown cheese was Ski Queen, made by Tine.

Pic: BBC

NEWS IN BRIEF

Online retailer The Cheese Geek has secured £150,000 of investment after appearing on Dragon’s Den. The BBC TV show’s newest dragon, Steven Bartlett, who made his fortune in social media marketing, agreed to invest in return for a 5% stake in the £1.54m business, after a convincing pitch from Cheese Geek founder Edward Hancock and COO Richard Simpson. “Steven’s involvement with the business can only be a huge boost for us in achieving our ambition of getting the world more excited and more knowledgeable about small-scale, artisan cheese,” said Hancock.

THREE WAYS WITH...

The Triple Rose

Crerated by Ballylisk of Armagh, this triple-cream cheese is made with pasteurised cows’ milk from the Wright family’s herd, enriched with double cream. The cheese has a bloomy coat and rich, creamy interior with an abundance of mushroom and dairy notes. The texture starts chalky, but becomes soft and gooey with maturity.

Pickled gooseberries There’s a mouth-coating quality to Triple Rose, which calls for something sharp to penetrate the butteriness. Step forward Pickled Gooseberries in Apple & Elderflower Vinegar, made by Craic Foods, which is also based in Armagh. The whole gooseberries, which are sweet and sour, bring little bombs of refreshing acidity to the cheese, but also interesting floral notes.

Blood orange marmalade Bitterness also contrasts nicely with the super-rich cheese, especially the sweet tang of marmalade. Try Tarrocco Blood Orange Marmalade from the Artisan Kitchen in Gloucestershire, which won a Great Taste 3-star award three years in a row, between 2018 and 2020. It’s one of the best out there.

Milk Stout The roasted, cocoa notes of porter and stout are a failsafe match for triple cream cheeses, combining to create a dessert-like experience of chocolate and cream. To up the ante even further, look out for milk stouts, which are made with added lactose to create a creamy texture with a touch of extra sweetness. Bristol Milk Stout, made by the Bristol Beer Factory, is a great choice.

Smooth and chocolatey with notes of coffee and plum, it melds beautifully with the luxuriously creamy Triple Rose.

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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CHEESEWIRE

news and views from the cheese counter

Cheese guidance for pregnant women remains confusing despite revision

Gemma Williams, The Little Cheesemonger, North Wales

By Patrick McGuigan

NHS guidance on which cheeses are safe to eat during pregnancy has been changed for a second time in a year, and is still being criticised by cheesemongers.

The advice, which is drafted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for people in England, was first revised in November 2020 to state that all rawa milk cheeses should be avoided during pregnancy.

Previously, the guidance had said hard, raw milk cheeses were safe to eat, and the change was criticised by cheesemongers last year for being “confusing” and “poorly written”.

In November 2021, the guidance was changed once more so that “hard unpasteurised cheeses, such as Parmesan, raw milk cheddar and Gruyère” were deemed safe again. But confusingly, in a later section the advice also states that “any foods made from unpasteurised milk” should be avoided.

It also continues to categorise Stilton as a hard,

CHEESE IN PROFILE with Époisses de Bourgogne AOC What’s the story?

An unmistakeably pungent, washed rind cheese, Époisses dates back to the 16th Century, when Cistercian monks from the village of the same name in Burgundy, developed a hearty cheese to eat on their fasting days, when meat was forbidden.

Until 22

BEHIND THE COUNTER TIPS OF THE TRADE

NHS guidance about eating cheese when pregnant was revised in November

pasteurised cheese that is safe to eat, even though the cheese is crumbly with a high moisture content.

Martin Knapp, technical manager at The Fine Cheese Co, said the advice was contradictory. “It still makes a frustrating read,” he said. “Their grouping of Stilton in with cheddar and Edam is very odd.

“They are still focusing too much on the wrong variable: heat treatment, as opposed to moisture content. Moisture levels in the cheese and

the 1930s, there were hundreds of producers washing their cheeses in their own distinct Marc de Bourgogne brandy, when post-war industrialisation almost brought the cheese to extinction. It was eventually revived in the ‘50s and awarded a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in 1991.

An Époisses produced by Fromagerie Berthaut took second place out of 4,000plus cheeses at the 2021 World Cheese Awards Milk: Unpasteurised and pasteurised cows’ milk, animal rennet.

January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

How is it made?

Made initially as a lactic

openness of texture are the risk factors, not pasteurisation.”

The FSA told FFD the review process was ongoing and further changes may be introduced.

“The guidance was amended, originally taking a more cautionary approach,” said a spokesperson.

“Based on feedback on the updated guidance, we are working with several stakeholders to review the advice.” nhs.uk/pregnancy/keepingwell/foods-to-avoid

cheese, the curd is allowed to acidify and coagulate slowly for at least 16 hours, before being cut coarsely and moulded. The rinds are washed up to three times a week in a mixture of water (and sometimes salt) and Marc for 4-6 weeks, when natural development of Brevibacterium moulds occurs.

Gemma Williams, who owns two shops in Prestatyn and Rhuddlan, has several techniques to ensure no cheese goes to waste in the notoriously quiet months of January and February.

“We track use-by dates in the diary and have green, amber and red zones depending on how close they are to being out-of-date,” she says. “When a cheese enters the amber zone, the staff start tasting it out. We might also put it into our cheese boxes and platters.

Sometimes it’s just a case of moving it to the centre of the counter where people look first.” The staff have also come up with a simple system where a ceramic mouse is placed on the cheeses that need to be sold as a reminder to everyone.

Williams also occasionally lists cheese on an app called Too Good To Go, which drives footfall even if it doesn’t make much money. thelittlecheesemonger.co.uk

Appearance & texture: The rind is sticky and red-orange in colour, which varies depending on the season.

As the cheese ripens, the edges peel away from its box to present an almost chewy texture, revealing a powerfully rich, creamy, meaty flavour.

Variations: Now there are just four producers that adhere to the regulations of the PDO for making Époisses.

This states that the cheese must be made in Côte-

d’Or, Yonne or HauteMarne departments of Burgundy and Champagne Ardenne and from the milk of Brune (French Brown), Montbéliarde or French Simmental cows.

Cheesemonger tip: Do not be put off by its aroma. Époisses smells stronger than it tastes. It is delicious on sourdough, accompanied by pears, grapes and walnuts.

Chef’s recommendation: Simply bake the cheese in its box, pour over sliced potatoes and serve with a strong, dark ale.

There are a number of ways you can study Level 1 & 2 Academy of Cheese courses: online as self-study eLearning, interactive virtual classes or traditional classes at a venue. Visit academyofcheese.org for more information.

NO HALF MEASURES. UNLESS IT’S FONDUE YOU’RE SHARING. GRUYERE.COM

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

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Call for Expressions of Interest Growing and expanding Garden Centre group, based in the south of England is seeking a “butchery partner” for retail and supply to our restaurants.

TRADITIONAL UNPASTEURISED CHEDDAR

MADE BY US, ON OUR FARM, SINCE 1899

CHEDDAR

We are looking to partner with an innovative business to deliver an exceptional choice and service to our customers. We’re interested in hearing from all butchers who have a great mix of customer staples as well as new and exciting products to offer.

Provenance, traceability and integrity are key within our food proposition.

Sites available are equipped with serve over fridges, grab and go”, walk-in chillers, walk-in freezers and a number of additional equipment items (list on request). The units are finished to a high standard both aesthetically and to high food safety standards.

Our partner must demonstrate full adherence to all food safety and hygiene regulations, with complete traceability.

Our expectation and need are for a partner that embraces this and for it to be engrained in their culture.

Our centres are high profile stores in their locations, with a mixed customer attitude and affluence. Customers here are likely to do a large secondary shop of fresh seasonal weekly shop. Large baskets or trolleys contain products from a mixture of departments. The trading peaks for these are between a Friday afternoon and Sunday.

Please apply in strict confidence with a brief company background, and trade references that could be approached.

PO Box 6081 The Old Bakehouse ASCOT SL5 5FS

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The Fine Cheese Co. • BATH ENGLAND www.finecheese.co.uk 01225 424212

Walo von Mühlenen LTD • walo@affineurwalo.ch +41 79 217 54 11 24

January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

CHEESEWIRE

news and views from the cheese counter

What we make is completely different to what most people are used to

Where the buffalo roam Somerset-based Buffalicious is converting people to the taste of mozzarella made the Italian way.

Interview by Patrick McGuigan

WHEN STAR MOZZARELLA-MAKER

Maurizio Vozzolo visited London last year to provide consultancy to an upmarket pizza restaurant, Jon Corpe couldn’t resist sending a speculative DM on Instagram.

The Somerset farmer, who has a herd of 260 buffaloes and makes raw milk mozzarella under the Buffalicious brand, wondered whether he could tempt Vozzolo down to the farm near Yeovil to share his expertise from a long career as a globe-trotting consultant.

The Italian ‘mastro casaro’ (master cheesemaker) was happy to oblige. The only problem was the language barrier.

“We had to communicate through Google Translate, but I learned so much just by watching,” says Corpe. “Small changes we learned from him have made a big difference to the cheese, from changing the temperature of the room and how we cut the curd to how we stretch the mozzarella and the brine solution we use.”

Corpe’s father first bought buffalo in the late 1990s when milk prices were so low that he decided to diversify from traditional dairy farming, initially selling the meat at local farmers’ markets. “He would sell out in an hour-and-a-half, which was a new and refreshing experience. Selling direct and getting paid in cash was a real eye-opener.”

Inevitably, customers would ask about the milk, which the farm started to bottle and turn into ice cream. Corpe began cheesemaking in 2019 and was soon attracting people tired of the rubbery balls found in the multiples.

“What we make is completely different to

what most people are used to,” he says. “Our cheese has really nice sweetness and lactic acidity, plus a silky, elastic texture, rather than being just soft. There’s nowhere to hide when it comes to making good mozzarella.”

Watching Corpe delicately break up the curd to maintain moisture and softness, and expertly spinning and stretching it by hand in 95°C water, it’s clear that a light touch is key.

But so is freshness, he explains.

“In Italy, cheesemakers start at 3am and people are queuing at the dairy door at 9am to get it as fresh as possible. When mozzarella is freshly made it’s stringy and fabulously warm and milky. That milkiness lessens after two or three days and it becomes softer and creamier.

Our cheeses have a 14-day shelf-life and by that point, they are almost like burrata - very soft in the middle, but with enough of a skin to hold together.”

To ensure freshness, Buffalicious sells through its own farm shop and delivers direct to local customers, including The Pig Hotel group, Durslade Farm Shop and the Bristol Cheesemonger. Some shops collect from the farm and there have also been talks about distribution with wholesalers.

“Our cheese needs to be handled carefully and reach people when it’s fresh, so it’s not going to work with wholesalers who see it as just another product that gets added to a list.”

Some retailers are wary of short shelf-life cheeses, but there is a strong market for fresh, buffalo mozzarella, says Corpe.

“Durslade started with 10 balls of mozzarella and grew to doing 50 a week last summer and we couldn’t keep up with demand,” he says. “Once customers tasted it they were converted because it’s so different to the white balls of gloop they are used to from the supermarkets.”

CROSS

SECTION

Buffalicious Mozzarella 1 Buffalicious Mozzarella is made with raw

milk from the farm’s herd. The animals are fed on fresh pasture in the summer and silage and wholecrop in the winter topped up with alfalfa.

2

3

There are around 60 animals in the farm’s dairy herd of water buffaloes, which live up to their name by escaping into the brook at the edge of the farm to wallow during the summer. Corpe says they are sensitive and inquisitive by nature, and are easily unsettled.

The company uses a 100-litre vat to produce around 260-280 balls per batch. The curd is stretched and spun in almost boiling water by hand until the texture becomes supple and elastic. It is then fed into a small machine, which forms the 110g balls using a rotating cylinder mould. These are brined and then packaged in plastic pots filled with a brine storage solution.

buffaliciousuk.com

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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Do you make fantastic food & delicious drinks?

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GREAT TASTE. OPEN FOR ENTRY Guild members’ fortnight 18 January -1 February General entry

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For cost of entry and further key dates visit www.gff.co.uk or follow the QR code to sign up for entry alerts

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CATEGORY FOCUS

Start with stalwarts

pickles & chutneys Ouse Valley Foods says its new Spread the Word trio has generated lots of interest from outlets in historical settings thanks to its unusual branding, which marries food and literature.

The jars feature fruity Shakespearean illustrations and a lighthearted plot summary. Henry V themed Potager Pickle (RRP £5.60) is a deep golden pickle, made with courgettes, onions, apples and apricots. ousevalleyfoods.com

Paxton & Whitfield has become the latest producer to tap into the black garlic trend, with the launch of a pickle with a caramelised, savoury umami-infused profile.

Said to be a showstopper with Alpine cheeses and Territorials, Black Garlic Pickle is made from whole cloves that have been slowly cooked for 45 days.

RRP £5; trade price £3.25. paxtonandwhitfield. co.uk

We kick off the New Year with a round-up of launches in two categories that are staples in the independent trade. We begin with pickles & chutneys, followed by sweet & savoury biscuits (pg 31)

Packs a rich smoky punch

Prices Spices has tweaked its spiciest pickle – Naga Raja Special Reserveto – to modulate the bitter taste of the extremely hot chilli peppers it uses.

It says the addition of fenugreek, paprika and freshly squeezed orange juice helps to balance the recipe. The Special Reserveto edition is aimed at the chilli aficionado who knows what flavour they are looking for. RRP £7.50; wholesale price £4.55. pricesspices.com

Sri Lankan food brand RUCI has launched two fish pickles. Tuna Achcharu preserves tuna chunks in a spicy and aromatic tomato sauce (RRP £6 for 250g) whilst Brinjal Moju (RRP £5 for 175g) is a local favourite made with aubergine, fried sprats, green chillies and onions.

The fish is bought directly from fishermen who are registered with RUCI and follow sustainable practices. rucifoods.com

The London Fermentary, whose kimchis and krauts can be found in Planet Organic, Selfridges, Ottolenghi’s and Neal’s Yard Dairy, has launched two new raw, fermented products.

Smoky Kraut (RRP £6.99 for 460g) packs a rich, smoky punch with garlic and smoked spices, whilst Umami Kimchi (RRP £7.90 for 460g) combines the nuttiness of soybean paste and sesame seeds with earthy shiitake mushrooms to create a milder, umamipacked twist on its Classic Kimchi. londonfermentary.com

Greek producer Mam Ellada has developed a new fourstrong range of no-addedsugar chutneys sweetened with fruit sugars. The Orange, Apple, Smoked Pepper and Pepper chutneys are not yet on sale in the UK. RRP is €5.50 for 250g. mamellada.gr

Brigid Killen aka Mrs Picklepot has used balsamic vinegar to give silverskin onions an earthy and indulgent flavour, earning a Bronze Award at the International Cheese Awards 2021 along the way. Pickled Onions with Balsamic have an RRP of £3.99 for 440g. mrspicklepot.co.uk

September saw the launch of three new chutneys from The Carved Angel: Punch (platter chutney), Wicked (apple chutney with orange, carrot & spices); and Harmony (sticky fig chutney). All three have a trade price of £2.75 per unit; RRP £4.50-4.75. thecarvedangel.com

Compiled by Lynda Searby

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>> Tracklements has taken inspiration from the exotic flavours and fiery heat of the Caribbean to launch a “ferociously good” Hot Banana Chutney.

Pitched as the ideal accompaniment for fish curries, jerk chicken and rice dishes, this chutney is available in cases of 6 x 220g jars with an RRP of £3.35. tracklements.co.uk

Super Beet Kimchi, the latest naturally fermented, live cultured condiment from Vadasz, launched this month, combining the health benefits of superfood beetroot and gut-friendly kimchi. The kimchi is live-cultured, a result of lactic acid fermentation. Vadasz says this means it contains probiotics which are beneficial to the gut. RRP £4.50 for 400g. vadaszdeli.co.uk

Responding to demand from customers for hotter chilli jams, Bristol’s Single Variety Co has launched a new super-hot limitededition recipe featuring orange habanero chillies.

Orange Habanero Chilli Jam is said to be great with sausages, superfood salads and hard cheeses such as Comté. RRP £6.50 for 225g, trade price £4.10. singlevariety.co.uk

Leicester’s Drivers Pickles has launched some of its best-selling pickles and chutneys in catering sizes. 1906 Pickled Onions, Mini Onions in Honey & Balsamic Vinegar & Cornichons in White Balsamic Vinegar are available in 1.7kg jars, while Spicy Mango Chutney, Real Ale Chutney, Chunky Piccalilli, Farmhouse Pickle and Cucumber Relish infused with Gin now come in 1.3kg bottles. pickle-lovers.co.uk

The Cherry Tree has translated a classic cocktail into preserve format by fusing vodka with tomatoes, celery and pepper.

Bloody Mary Chutney is the Dorset producer’s latest introduction, alongside Spicy Tomato & Caramelised Onion Table Sauce. Inspired by its Spicy Tomato & Caramelised Onion Chutney, this sauce can be used as a ketchup, dip, topper and cooking ingredient. RRP £4.75. cherrytreepreserves.co.uk

North East fermentary Belle and Herbs Farm has developed two Myanmarese preserves.

Spicy Fermented Onions are sour-sweet, spicy silverskin onions, while Myanmarese Shan Tjin (Fermented Mustard Green) is a hot kimchi that blends greens with mouli, carrots and silverskin onions with chilli, schezuan pepper, fennel, wood ear fungi, coriander and rice wine. belleandherbs.farm

The Garlic Farm’s minis gift set gives garlic lovers a taster of sweet, sticky Roast Garlic Jam, rich, warming Garlic Jam with Chilli and fiery Garlic, Onion & Jalapeno Relish. It is available via Cotswold Fayre at a trade price of £36 for a case of 6; RRP £8.95. thegarlicfarm.co.uk

North Yorkshire’s Rosebud Preserves has created a classic tomato chutney by combining tomatoes with Bramley apples, herbs and smoked paprika for a little heat. With an RRP of £4.75 for 198g, Tomato Chutney is best enjoyed with mature cheddar and cured meats. rosebudpreserves.co.uk

Cumbrian preserves producer Wild & Fruitful has launched a trio of chutneys for cheese and is now offering direct distribution nationally for the first time.

Until 2020, the Wild & Fruitful brand was only sold within Cumbria but, following a change of ownership and a rebrand, the range is now available nationally.

It says its new chutney range is proving particularly popular with cheesemongers, with Pear & Walnut Chutney its best seller. The chutney’s mellow, autumnal flavour is said to complement blue cheese in particular.

Cheese Lovers Fig Chutney, which balances figs, caramelised red onions, orange and cinnamon, and Chilli Jam, which combines red chillies, peppers and nigella seeds, are the other two combinations in the line-up. RRP is £3.68 for 200g; trade price £2.45. wildandfruitful.co.uk

Northern Ireland’s Craic Foods says its three new fruit pickle products use a unique pickling process that maintains the structural integrity of the fruit in a complimentary sweet, flavoured vinegar.

Pickled Blackberries in Blackberry & Thyme Balsamic Vinegar are best served with roast pork, chicken, beef, lamb, duck, game, or grilled cheese dishes, or can be added to sauces, gravy, pan roasting juices and dressings. Pickled Gooseberries in Apple & Elderflower Vinegar are pickled in the company’s Great Taste 3-star Bramley Apple & Elderflower Vinegar and are said to pair well with oily fish. Pickled Sour Cherries in Sweet Cherry Vinegar are ready to serve straight from the jar with cheese, charcuterie, pâté, terrines and rillettes.

RRP is £4.45 for a 150g jar; trade case price £17.70 (£2.95 per unit). The pickles have also been appearing on Michelin star chefs’ menus, prompting the introduction of a 500g foodservice format in February. craicfoods.com

Kent-grown apples are the star ingredient in Karimix’s two newest fusion products. Apple & Ginger Chutney is tangy and sweet, whilst Spiced Apple Chutney is sweet and sour, with heat from the spices. Both have a trade price of £2.35 (RRP £3.95) and pair well with roasted meat, cheese and charcuterie. karimix.com

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Low carb, low sugar, high fibre.

Deliciously Guilt-Free.

www.8foodsuk.co.uk @8foodsuk

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@8Foodsuk

January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

@8Foodsuk

sweet & savoury biscuits

>> Seggiano has relaunched its gluten-free Dolcetti with a new recipe that contains less sugar and more nuts.

The Brutti ma Buoni now have an Italian hazelnut content of 42%, while Amaretti biscuits are made from 45% Puglia almonds.

These traditional Italian biscuits are produced by a Tuscan family bakery that uses organic eggs and local honey. RRP £6.65 for 180g/200g. Trade price £4.30. seggiano.com

Somerset bakery Easy Bean has enlarged its range of bean & seed crackers to take in two new varieties based on protein-packed pulse flours. The Yellow Pea & Sunflower Seed crackers are recommended as a partner for soft cheese, while the Indian spiced Chickpea, Turmeric & Nigella Seed crackers can be served with a dal or a raita dip. RRP £3.20 for a recyclable 160g carton. easybean.co.uk

The Great British Biscotti Co has changed its name to The Artful Baker and this month launches a range of sweet and savoury biscotti under the new brand.

Since Paul Rostand founded the Dorset business in 2016, distribution has grown significantly, and it is now in its third bakery.

“We also had ambitions to start baking other delightful bakes in addition to biscotti, so in 2021 we changed our company name to The Artful Baker to free us up to expand our range,” says Rostand. “We also took the decision to rebrand all our products to The Artful Baker and the new range has just launched this month.”

Listed with Cotswold Fayre, The Cress Co, Diverse Fine Foods and Holleys Fine Foods, the line-up comprises Sour Cherry & Dark Chocolate; Salted Caramel, Pecan & Roasted Hazelnut; Triple Belgian Chocolate; Fennel, Pink Peppercorn & Sea Salt; Sundried Tomato, Kalamata Olive & Oregano and Smoked Jalapeño & Lime. RRP is £3.29. theartfulbaker.co.uk

Dried rosemary and thyme leaves and Cornish sea salt

Due to popular demand, Horsham Gingerbread has made its Twelfth Nights Christmas biscuits available year-round as Sussex Martlets. The oat and butter biscuits are gluten-free and made with eight simple ingredients including butter, glutenfree oat flour and raw cane sugars. They can be enjoyed on their own or with cheese. RRP £3.50 for 175g; trade price £22.80 per case of 10 units. horshamgingerbread. co.uk

Angelic’s six-strong biscuit range taps into the current zeitgeist by offering plant-based, allergen-free indulgence with an ethical dimension.

Angelic claims to be the UK’s first top 14 allergensafe biscuit brand; the biscuits are made in a dedicated allergen-safe bakery which means there is no need for a ’may contain’ waiver on pack – it guarantees no tree nuts, peanuts, gluten, dairy, soya or eggs. The biscuits also come in recycled packaging, and contain ethically sourced chocolate that is made using 100% renewable energy.

There are three sweet and three savoury varieties: Double Chocolate Cookies; Chocolate Chip Cookies; Ginger & Chocolate Chip Cookies; Rosemary & Sea Salt Savoury Biscuits; Chilli & Caramelised Onion Savoury Biscuits and Multi Seed Savoury Biscuits.

RRP £2.95 for all. angelicglutenfree.co.uk

Williams Handbaked’s Eccles Cakes are launching next month in Booths with new livery. The Lancashire producer says the new packaging gives the cakes a much better shelf presence and they are now flow wrapped into 2 x 2 packs.

RRP £4.95; trade price £2.40. williamshandbaked.co.uk

Original Biscuit Bakers has introduced a new sugar cookie base to complement its classic iced gingerbread portfolio. Launching in three new designs – Easter Egg, Chick and Bumblebee - the cookies are presented in a countertop display box. They are available via Cotswold Fayre, The Cress Co and Holleys Fine Foods, priced at £1.73 per unit (RRP £2.69-£2.99). originalbiscuitbakers. co.uk

Lazy Day Foods’ new Rocky Road is gluten-, milk- and eggfree, as well as being suitable for vegans. Topped with vegan marshmallows, it combines Belgian dark chocolate truffle with shortbread pieces and sultanas. RRP £2 for five pieces. lazydayfoods.com

Peter’s Yard has enlarged its new sourdough crackers collection with two variants made in small batches using its signature sourdough starter. Both Rosemary & Sea Salt Sourdough Crackers and Poppy Seed Sourdough Crackers are crafted from natural ingredients such as rapeseed oil and Shipton Mill flour and have an RRP of £2.95. They are available in cases of 8 to allow smaller retailers to trial them with less up-front commitment. petersyard.com

Traditional Oat Flips and Dark Chocolate Oat Flips have been Farmhouse Biscuits’ two top-selling biscuit lines for many years.

Now, the Lancashire producer has added a milk chocolate version to its line-up. RRP £1.99 for 150g. farmhouse-biscuits.co.uk

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sweet & savoury biscuits Produced in a dedicated Yorkshire bakery, nibnibs has a new line of “healthy yet indulgent” cookies that provide fewer than 90 calories per pack and are said to contain a third less sugar than traditional biscuits. Already supplied to several airlines, the cookies are launching into the retail channel this month after securing a Booths listing. RRP £1 for a five-pack. nibnibs.com

Retailers looking for individually portioned impulse treats should check out Rhythm 108’s new Swiss Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Soft-Baked Filled Cookie.

With an RRP of £1.39, this 50g peanut butter filled cookie ticks lots of boxes; as well as being organic, gluten-free and dairyfree, it contains no palm oil or refined sugar, plus the packaging is 100% compostable. rhythm108.com

The market is awash with sweet cookie dough mixes, but when it comes to savoury biscuits, bake at home options are non-existent.

Spotting this gap, Highland Crackers has launched its Seeded Cracker Mix, which enables consumers to bake savoury seeded crackers at home, simply by adding a tablespoon of olive oil and water.

The company’s founder, Donna Peacock, says: “The impetus is to get people baking savoury, with nutrition its priority.”

With this in mind, the plant-based mix contains no added sugar and is FodMap certified, grain-free and gluten-free, but also free from processed starches that often dominate gluten-free options.

Peacock says follow-up mixes will feature adaptogens and spice blends. RRP £4.95 for a 170g pouch; wholesale price £2.97. highlandcrackers.co.uk

20g mini boxes in a dispensing unit

The Fine Cheese Co. has launched a new trio of all-butter, crumbly biscuits featuring cheese from France, Italy and Switzerland. Buttercrumb Biscuits contain no artificial powders or flavourings – they get their flavour from real cheese. Choose from Real Gruyère, Real Parmigiano-Reggiano and Real Roquefort. RRP £3.95 for 125g. finecheese.co.uk

Readers who were at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair might have seen this new seven-strong biscuit canister range from Catalan bakery Paul & Pippa.

Delicioso launched these naturally flavoured vegan biscuits into the UK last autumn and has already secured a listing with Selfridges.

Artisan bakers Paul and Pippa make the biscuits in Barcelona using completely natural ingredients and real fruit and vegetables. Thanks to the use of olive oil (no palm oil), the biscuits develop a flavourful crunch. There are two savoury and five sweet flavours: Tomato Bravo (with sundried tomato, olive oil and oregano); Cheese Me (with Parmesan and olive oil); Lady Carrot Cake (with carrot, olive oil, cinnamon, anise and ginger); Me & Ma (with apple, cinnamon and olive oil); Lime after Time (with lime and olive oil); Cocoa Chips (with cocoa and olive oil) and Coconut Valley (with coconut and olive oil). RRP £4.95; trade price £28.75 (10 x 130g). delicioso.co.uk 32

January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

Kincardine Castle Kitchen’s 2019 Great Taste 2-star Cheese Crispies have been rebranded as Cheese Sablés and relaunched in new packaging.

Packed with Scottish Cheddar, these crunchy little cheese biscuits offer a twist on a French classic. RRP £3.30 for 120g; trade price £2.40. kincardinekitchen.co.uk

Nairn’s “delicious, natural and wholesome” ethos is apparent in its latest addition, Gluten Free Salted Caramel Oat Biscuit Breaks. Based on wholegrain oats, the biscuits are high in fibre, and are said to contain 40% less sugar than the average gluten-free biscuit. But at the same time, buttery caramel fragments and sea salt create a ‘sweet-savoury’ taste sensation. RRP £1.85. nairns.com

For organic, vegan biscuits with Italian style, see Biscotteria Le Furezze’s 200g glass jar range (RRP £14; trade price £6.90) and a 200g gift tin (RRP £12.50; trade price £5.90).

Varieties include Chamomile & Orange Peel; Rosewood & Dark Chocolate, Lavender and coconut-sweetened Hazelnut. lefurezze.com

The Drinks Bakery has developed a dispensing system for its trial size 20g mini boxes of biscuits (RRP £1.50 per pack). The Edinburgh producer says the wallmounted refillable unit is ideal for co-locating its biscuits with beer, wine and spirits in retail settings. Drinks Biscuits are available in four savoury varieties that are profiled for pairing with drinks. Trade price for the dispenser is £9.75 including 12 packs. thedrinksbakery.com

Isle of Mull-based Island Bakery has launched a new coeliac-friendly brand, Sweet FA Gluten FA. There are four gluten-free, organic, vegan cookie varieties: Oat & Raisin, Peanut Butter, Cranberry & Orange and Double Chocolate Chip. RRP £2.95 for 125g. islandbakery.scot

TIME WELL SPENT At Peter’s Yard, we know good things take time. Our sourdough crackers are made from a 45-year-old sourdough starter, fermented for 16 hours before each batch is baked. Crafted without shortcuts or artificial ingredients for award-winning flavour and crunch.

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

ME

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SUPPORT | KNOWLEDGE | CONNECTION | ADVOCACY

FUTURE–PROOF YOUR BUSINESS JOIN US NOW

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

SHOW PREVIEW

Back in its normal slot for 2022, The Source trade show will be showcasing the best of the South West’s food & drink on 9th-10th February at Exeter’s Westpoint

Six reasons to visit… …The Source

1

2

3

The region’s main event

A full range under one roof

Safe and easy access

Staged by Hale Events in partnership with food group Taste of the West, The Source is focused on connecting food businesses in the South West. It runs on Wednesday 9th (9:30am-5:30pm) and Thursday 10th February 2022 (9:30am4pm).

Whether you’re a buyer from the retail, hospitality or foodservice sector, The Source will play host to a variety of the region’s food & drink producers, as well as equipment suppliers and service providers.

Located just off the M5, the Westpoint Exeter exhibition centre is well connected to the region and offers thousands of free parking spaces, so it’s an easy trip for any visitor. Of course, COVID-safe measures will be taken throughout the show.

4

5

6

Find the newest suppliers

Get yourself a deal

Enjoy a second helping

The show’s special Newcomers’ area showcases new companies from the region that have never exhibited at a trade show before, so you can be among the first buyers to discover them. The roster includes Cornwall’s Copperfish Distillery, The Healthy Chocolate Hut and food wrap specialists Bee Retro.

Several exhibitors will have showexclusive offers for visiting buyers.

These include discounts, free delivery, and deals on service packages. Among those participating are GingerBeard’s Preserves, Devon Rum Company and accountants Everett King.

If you want more buying opportunities (or miss the Exeter event), the show will return in the summer, with the one-day Source Roadshow taking place at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol on Thursday 16th June.

Visit thesourcetradeshow.co.uk for more information on both shows.

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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ENGLISH RUSSET APPLE JUICE

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ENGLISH DISCOVERY APPLE JUICE

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

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

THE TASTE OF THE FINEST ENGLISH PEPPERMINT Find out more about our award-winning chocolates and teas at

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

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Homemade, healthy energy balls that taste amazing.

Rich in protein, vitamins and antioxidants, Claire’s Amazeballs are guilt free, loaded with buckets of natural energy. No long lists of unpronounceable ingredients and each energy ball is carefully measured, made and rolled at home by Claire.

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Suppliers of High Quality Italian Food Products 38

January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

Flavours with Benefits. Simple. Happy. Amazing. clairesamazeballs.com

clairesamazeballs

FOCUS ON

foodservice

INGREDIENTS

FROM THE DELI KITCHEN SIMPLE RECIPES TO BOOST YOUR MARGINS

CAULIFLOWER STEAKS WITH CAPERS, LEMON AND ANCHOVIES These ‘steaks’ are packed with umami notes, which makes them ideal for serving to customers looking to cut back on meat but not on flavour.

They can easily be switched to a vegetarian dish by removing the anchovies and adding soy sauce or some seaweed.

• For the sauce, melt the butter and stir in the capers. When they start to sizzle, cook for another minute, then add the anchovies.

• Stir in the lemon zest and juice, season well.

• Remove the cauliflower steaks and serve with the sauce and top with crispy breadcrumbs.

Serves: 4 Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 10 minutes Ingredients: 2 cauliflower heads, cut into 2-3cm thick steaks, (any florets that break off can be frozen for cauliflower mash) 50g butter 4tbsp salted capers, rinsed 8 anchovies 1 lemon, juice and zest 4tbsp toasted sourdough crumbs

Yorkshirebased bakery Just Desserts has extended its vegan product range for farm shops and deli-cafés, with the launch of a Spicy Ginger Traybake. The new line, which has already picked up a Great Taste 2-star award, comes in a 9” x 9” x 2” deep tray (£15.50), which serves 12 portions.

The company’s vegan range also includes cakes, brownies and oatie crumbles. just-desserts.co.uk

Method: • Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/ Gas 6.

• Heat a few glugs of olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan. Fry the cauliflower ‘steaks’ for 2 minutes a side until browned.

Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven while you make the sauce – this takes about 5 minutes.

Michael Lane

Vadasz is now supplying 1kg formats of its Raw Kimchi and Raw Garlic & Dill Sauerkraut to foodservice via wholesaler Brakes. Naturally fermented, Vadasz’s products are made by hand in Clitherore, Lancahsire, and contain live cultures and lactic acid fermentation. Suitable for plant-based diets, these pickles are ideal for adding texture and flavour to burgers and sandwiches, stir fries and salads. vadaszdeli.co.uk

Recipe by Jules Mercer for Fine Food Digest

Henley Bridge has added Belcolade’s new vegan milk chocolate to its range to coincide with Veganuary. Belcolade Selection M. Plant-based is a creamy plant-based ‘milk-alike’ chocolate. It is dairy- and nut-free and suitable for bakers, chefs and chocolatiers. Supplied in 15kg bags (£131.04). It is also Cacao Trace certified, meaning that cocoa farming communities benefit from every sale. hbingredients.co.uk Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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CALLING ALL INDEPENDENT RETAILERS Direct your customers to the award-winning food & drink you stock by running an in-store promotion this February.

Receive a FREE Great Taste pack containing: • a guide to running promotions in-store & online • decorative bunting, window stickers, shelf wobblers & roundels to display • copies of Great Taste Book to distribute to customers • downloadable posters & social media assets Limited packs available – book now to avoid disappointment.

Contact stephanie.hare-winton@gff.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 7403 0214

Participating retailers could also WIN a day with a professional photographer at your store. To find out more, follow the QR code or email Stephanie today.

The Henley Larder: competition winner 2021

RETAIL CHEESE TRAINING LEARN | TAS TE | UNDERS TAND | COMMUNICATE Our one-day course is for anyone sourcing or selling cheese. Delivered by industry and retail experts you will understand how cheese is made and how it should be stored and sold, whilst gaining skills that will help you communicate with your customers and sell more cheese from a position of knowledge.

Dates 2022 London: Dorset:

22 February 2 March

The North: London:

29 June 4 July

London: Scotland:

15 September 20 September

Read more and to book a place on our 2022 courses visit www.gff.co.uk/training

+44 (0)1747 825200

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

@guildoffinefood

get real. it’s time to

From the farmers and the communities who protect and nurture the fragile ecosystems on the Equatorial Belt, to the professional chefs, home cooks and bakers who use REAL vanilla in their creations all over the world, we are united in a common message that speaks to us all.

That message? That the shopping choices we make have a global impact that must never be underestimated. That the people who live in the Equatorial regions and look after the rainforest environments are relying on us to always demand REAL vanilla.

Make it simple to use quality real vanilla. Join our # LittlePod campaignforrealvanilla to support sustainable farming & discover the true taste of vanilla with our award-winning ingredients range.

www.littlepod.co.uk

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Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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Experts in Delicious, Loose frozen food Committed to farm shops and fine food independent retailers

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41

SHELF TALK Host of new food & drink brands joins sustainability certification performance” is one of the most recognisable.

To be certified, businesses must undergo a B Impact Assessment and achieve a B Impact Score of more than 80 out of a possible 200.

Overall B Impact Scores are calculated by combining the scores from five Impact Areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers.

For a full list of all the new food & drink brands that have joined the 600 UK B Corporations and more information about the certification, visit bcorporation.uk

By Tom Dale

A raft of food & drink businesses has joined the ranks of certified B Corporations in recent months as sustainability continues to grow in importance to consumers.

Since November last year, 15 new brands have grown the number of food & drink companies with B Corp status in the UK to 103, joining the likes of Tracklements and Dark Woods Coffee.

Sustainable canned English sparkling wine brand The Uncommon is among the latest cohort.

“We achieved a high B Corp score due to our fully domestic supply chain, commitment to local production, and support of local conversation projects and the environment,” said co-founder, Henry Connell.

Also certified are climate-positive spirits brands Sapling Spirits and Two Drifters Distillery, as is Summerdown Mint, growers of Black Mitcham peppermint and producers of chocolates, teas and treats. A spokesperson for the Great Taste award-winning brand – which is also part of the B Corp working group on regenerative agriculture – said it was delighted to have been granted the status.

As sustainability becomes increasingly important to consumers, more businesses are seeking external accreditation to assure the public that their operation is as green as it claims to be, and the B Corp certification of “environmental and social

Wold Top Brewery has launched its second low alcohol beer after the success of its first foray into the low-andno market. The Wold Newton-based producer has launched Inkling (<0.5% vol.), a light, golden ale. Inkling has an RRP of £1.26 for a 330ml bottle and is vegan friendly. woldtopbrewery.co.uk Organic flour brand Doves Farm has launched two new seeded bread flours.

Seedhouse – containing organic pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, millet and golden linseed – and Heritage Seeded – a blend of ancient grains and seeds – are sold in 1kg bags (RRP £2.69-£2.99). dovesfarm.co.uk Normandy cider maker Maison Sassy has lanched its first Calvados. Made by distilling a young, fruity cider (1-3 months old) in a column copper still in small batches, the Calvados is then aged in oak casks for a minimum of two years. The 40% ABV spirit has a £32 RRP for a 70cl bottle. maison-sassy.com

Counter points Coffee Paley Photography

Launching at the tail end of last year is Pureté’s first product, wholemeal sourdough Sangak flatbreads.

The traditional Persian recipe has been in the founders’ family for generations, and now the brand is bringing the vegan-friendly, high-fibre bread to the UK. The wholemeal, 16-hour fermented flatbreads – which have been in development for four years – contain no oil, preservatives, added sugar, or dairy, and have an RRP of £2.49-£2.79 (trade, up to £2.07 based on a case of six, cases of up to 40 are available).

Pureté Sangak Flatbreads are available through Cotswold Fayre, or direct. ilovepurete.com

WHAT’S NEW

Food writer and former deli owner Glynn Christian offers up some category-specific conversation starters to sharpen your sales technique.

• Arabica is the finest variety of coffee bean, robusta beans give harsher flavours and up to 2½ times more caffeine.

Liberica beans are coffee, but not as most of us know it.

• Boiling water should not touch ground or instant coffee: 92°C is ideal. Stream off-theboil water from a height to reduce its temperature.

• Sealed refrigeration or deep freezing prolong the life of ground coffee and beans.

Frozen coffee grounds cool water that is too hot.

• Coffee strengths on packs are not caffeine levels but degrees of roasting. The higher the roast, the lesser quality the bean.

Skimmed milk gives better cappuccino foam than full-fat

• Skimmed milk gives better cappuccino foam than full-fat.

• The first coffee house opened in Mecca in 1511.

Floriano’s on St Mark’s Square, Venice, opened in 1645. The first in England was in Oxford in 1650.

This is an extract from Glynn Christian’s book Taste! How to Choose the Best Deli Ingredients, published by Grub Street

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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SHELF TALK My magic ingredient

WHAT’S NEW New London-based start-up snack brand Cheesies has turned cheese into a crunchy, baked snack.

Made from 100% cheese, the brand has launched five variants – Cheddar; Red Leicester; Gouda; Goat’s Cheese; Emmental; Chilli Cheddar – each with an RRP of £1.19 for a 20g bag. cheesies.co.uk Yorkshire-based Otterbeck Distillery has launched Cotton Garden Gin, which the producer says is a gin perfect for the colder months. Botanicals include juniper, cassia, cardamom, yarrow, elderberry and coriander leaf. The 42% ABV gin has an RRP of £37.95 for a 70cl bottle. otterbeckdistillery.co.uk Vegan chocolate brand the Raw Chocolate Company has undergone a major rebrand to celebrate 15 years in the business. Made in carbon-neutral kitchens, the range is free from dairy, gluten, soya and refined sugars, with the brand’s B-Corp certification pending. therawchocolatecompany.com

Nonya Secrets, Rendang Curry Mix IAIN HEMMING Owner, Thyme & Tides Deli Nonya Secrets is a jarred sauce brand that I think is going to really catch on next year.

As we Brits branch out into new Asian taste territory, these Malaysian sauces are real winners.

They’re made in London in small batches; really fresh. They do a Rendang that I love and which is doing really well in the shop.

The branding is great, it tastes great and – once bought – people are coming back for them again and again. You can’t argue with that.

It all comes down to the small-batch cooking. The flavours are so fresh, it tastes like a freshly made sauce. They retain their colour and their consistency – and you can taste the proper ingredients and aromats that are in there.

They’ve got a strong price (£5.95 for a 175g jar) but it packs a punch! People are willing to come back again and again which is great.

It all comes down to the small-batch cooking. it tastes like a freshly made sauce

nonyasecrets.com

Pistachios take centre stage in range of nut milks and butters “You could say that Bahram & I earned our ‘nut stripes’ from the ground up, having both grown up picking pistachios on family-friend owned farms in Iran,” said Behnam Heydaripour, co-founder of Borna Foods with his brother Bahrum.

The pair have since set about bringing pistachios to the fore of the burgeoning plantbased milk and healthy breakfast-at-home trends which have both grown during the pandemic.

Launched in 2014 in Greenwich as a nut wholesale business, Borna entered the retail market in 2018 when the brothers decided to enter the retail market and offer an alternative to the “tired and uninspiring nut offerings”.

The brand now makes a range of five pistachio butters, including the recently added Sweet Roast Crunchy Pistachio Butter, and two pistachio milks – sweetened and unsweetened.

The brand has kept the 44

January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

price of the spread down thanks to its access to affordable pistachios.

While the lines still weigh in at a higher RRP than comparable products made with other nuts, Heydaripour believes the unique gastronomic appeal and consumers’ growing appetite for premium food make the range viable.

“The pistachio is a nut brimming with gastronomic allure, and create a dense, velvetytextured nut drink that’s low in calories yet high in fibre and good nutrition,” said the co-founder. “Plus, with the resurgence in breakfast’s popularity caused by stuck-athome commuters, clean-deck pistachio butters offer so much.”

Borna Foods’ pistachio milks have an RRP of £1.99 for a 500ml carton, while its pistachio butters have RRPs of £8.49-£8.99 for 170g jars.

The nut-focused brand is also launching a range of trail mixes later this year. bornafoods.com

The Wasabi Company has launched a trio of vegan mayonnaises: Vegan Wasabi, Vegan Miso and Vegan Wasabi.

The Dorset-based wasabi grower has been developing vegan versions of its popular sauces for some time, and has combined its British-grown wasabi, the popular Japanese citrus (yuzu) and umami-rich miso to make its trio of vegan condiments.

Available in individual jars (175g), and as a gifting pack including all three variants, the lines have RRPs between £3.60 and £3.95 (presentation box, £11.50) and are sold to the trade in cases of six direct from The Wasabi Company. thewasabicompany.co.uk

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Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

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SHELF TALK MEET THE PRODUCER

WHAT’S NEW Genie Drinks has launched a range of three kombuchas, one of which picked up a 1-star award at last year’s Great Taste. Sweet Citrus Kombucha, Dry Apple Kombucha, and Fiery Ginger Kombucha are sold in both 330ml cans and 275ml bottles. geniedrinks.co.uk

Sam Storey is the co-founder of BELLE & HERBS FARM, a fermented food brand launched mid-pandemic with business partner and fellow chef Pan Hmwe. Their big range has proved popular, picking up stars in last year’s Great Taste What were you doing before you launched Belle & Herbs Farm?

I’d been involved in food for the past 20 years, and when COVID hit, I’d spent six years with a social enterprise working to research and help people with ‘altered eating’ problems, following cancer or other conditions, but COVID forced closure. Pan was forced to become a refugee in the UK 10 years ago. It was very hard to be parted from her family, and she decided to pursue her love of food.

She has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Asian food. Just before COVID, she became head chef at an Asian restaurant, which had to shut.

Magnesium reportedly has a raft of health benefits including increased concentration and better sleep, which is why OHMG has launched the world’s first drink containing three types of the element.

The range includes Still, Sparkling and three flavoured sparkling varieties. ohmgwater.com

our white kimchi, we squeeze pear juice by hand as using a machine makes for a cloudy product.

Why did you decide to launch the brand?

We’ve been friends for 10 years, initially bonding over a shared love of food. When we found ourselves simultaneously unemployed, I floated the idea of doing a start-up, and Pan went for it.

You have a big range right out the gate.

Did you have all the recipes ready to go?

No. In the early stages, we thought we’d make a good variety of products and see which emerge as favourites; sort of market research. It turned out they all sold equally well. We only dropped one product, a radish kimchi, which was perhaps a little too exotic.

Though now, our Pickled Pink Mouli is a top seller.

Pan’s mum is our guru and seems to know the solution to any issues we encounter

What is the biggest lesson you have learned?

We still have a bit of a mountain to climb before fermented products become fully mainstream. There’s a growing awareness, though; we go to lots of food markets and talk to people, and the groundswell is there. After nearly a year, we now feel we’re in the right place at the right time, but initially, we started to think, ‘Oh god, what have we done,’ when days of sales calls, emails, and door knocking resulted in not much at all.

What is the best thing about being a small business?

The challenge. The thrill of the chase. The feeling that you live or die on the sum of your efforts. The seat of the pants holding it all together. Seeing something you dreamt of come together and stagger to its feet is amazing.

Why fermented foods?

When I was working with Altered Eating, we were part of a large multi-disciplinary research network. I got to do a deep dive into eating and wellbeing and became fascinated by gut biome and began researching it, then experimenting with fermentation. For Pan, growing up, fermentation was a part of life.

Her family had been involved in fermentation businesses for generations. Her mum is our guru and seems to know the answer and solution to any issues we encounter.

What makes your ferments and pickles stand out from others on the market?

We strive for deliciousness first and foremost.

We aim for our ferments to be naturally colourful and of the highest quality we can make them. They’re all hand-prepared with obsessive attention to detail. For instance, in

Two former employees of VitaCoco have launched a sugarfree cereal that “tastes like the cereal you loved growing up”, but is healthy and functional. Aimed at beating HFSS legislation, Surreal is high in plant protein, low in carbs and comes in four flavours: Cocoa, Frosted, Cinnamon, and Peanut Butter. eatsurreal.co.uk

…and the worst?

Ironically, eating very badly! And having to be a salesperson when really you just want to create food.

What’s next for Belle & Herbs?

We’re scaling up for kombucha and kvass which we’ll be starting in the spring. We’re also busy getting our products ready for Great Taste 2022. We entered two products last year Freshly Ground advert 2016 ready.pdf and were thrilled toSponsor get a 1-star andprint a 2-star.

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The producer of the first Assam liqueur in the UK – and possibly the world – has come away from the Spirits Business Liqueur Masters 2021 with a best-in-show accolade for its Assam Black Cold Brew Tea Liqueur.

Whistler’s Storm’s ’s Earl Grey liqueur also picked up an award in the brand’s first year of business.

The liqueurs have proven successful in bars and restaurants 16/08/2016 10:37in the brand’s native West Midlands, but its founder is now seeking independent retail stockists.

The two 20% lines are available in 70cl bottles at an RRP of £24.95 as well as a gift pack, including truffles. whistlersstorm.co.uk Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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DELI OF THE MONTH While some retailers pay lip service to the local food approach that is gaining traction among the public, Chris Wildman is an evangelist of the movement. If a product hasn’t got provenance or a story, you simply won’t find it in Town End Farm Shop, where, when it comes to food...

Interview by Tom Dale

The only way is Yorkshire THE LAST FEW miles as FFD approaches Town End Farm Shop are about as quiet and rural as they come. Tight, dry-stonewall-lined roads divide apparently endless agricultural fields.

Given its location in the sparsely populated area between Skipton and Settle at the foot of the Yorkshire Dales, you might think that the business would struggle for custom, but the roaring trade this small, locally focused farm shop and café has done over the past two years says otherwise.

“It’s gone absolutely mental,” says managing director Chris Wildman while packing sausages made from pigs reared on the family farm. “When people were allowed back out from the lockdowns it was just crazy.”

VITAL STATISTICS

Location: Airton, Skipton BD23 4BE Turnover: £750k Staff members: 25 (10 full time eq.)

Average spend: £16

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1

It’s mostly tourists, he says, but perhaps it is the nation’s new-found appetite for supporting independents and shopping local – and ‘staycationing’ – that has fuelled the growth.

Wildman, a self-confessed “local food evangelist”, is a zealous advocate of the localfirst approach that many independent fine food retailers follow, but for this retailer, it is in his blood.

“The family has been in the food production business forever, I’m a fifthgeneration butcher,” he says. “I’ve no qualifications, I was just born a butcher’s son of a butcher’s son, of a butcher’s son, so I can’t help it.”

The family’s shop – killed off, says Wildman, by the rise of the supermarket

in the ’90s – lay ten miles away, and was supplied by its own abattoir.

“It was a fantastic example of field to table with no miles, with no stress on the animals,” he says. And he has carried this approach with him into Town End. The family still farms in the area, but eight years ago, after being approached by the business’s former owners, Wildman took over the farm shop in the small village of Airton in response to dwindling farmers’ market and online sales in the family’s butchery business.

“We went from web and market sales to bricks and mortar,” he says. “I’m a born-andbred shopkeeper, so it was a natural change for me.”

Since then, he has set about putting his

own, Yorkshire stamp on the business.

“The customer profile has changed massively since we took over. It was very much a tea-and-a-wee destination before,” he says.

Because of the farm shop’s picturesque location – it boasts unspoiled views to Malham Cove and the Dales – more than two thirds of its trade would come for a cream tea, and pick up some cake and jam.

“That’s great, but it’s not very exciting for me,” says Wildman.

Revamped menu items like his ‘Yorkshire quesadilla’ – a wrap filled with Yorkshire mozzarella, spinach, and Yorkshire chorizo – were added to the menu. “Not great for grannies,” he says, “but we sold tonnes.”

Now, the customer base is still made up largely of tourists and passing trade. The pandemic has increased the nation’s appetite for staycations and getting out in local areas, and Wildman attributes this to the shop’s growth over the past two years. When he speaks to FFD in January, the shop is about twice as busy as it would have been in the new year pre-pandemic.

The owner also revamped the shop’s offer, ditching big brands and palm oil, where possible, and focusing the range as locally as possible.

As Wildman shows FFD around his modest retail space, he proudly announces the short distance that many of the lines have travelled to get here. His recall is impressive, reeling off names, personal family connections and what makes each product unique, sustainable, or just ‘Yorkshire’. As if arranged, mid-tour, cheesemaker Robert Essler strides in with the shop’s latest half wheel of East Barn Brie in hand. “One mile!” Wildman shouts.

Needless to say, he has a story of the cheese’s creation, which – in Town End’s

spirit of local collaboration – involves the man himself.

“I always say it’s got to have provenance or a story, and really I’d like it to have both,” he says. And while some farm shops may pay lip service to this notion, Wildman is pious in his adherence. Out-of-season fruit and veg is sacrilege and palm oil, profane.

He fills the butcher’s counter with meat from the family farms where possible, buys very locally; ideally from Yorkshire, he says.

There is the odd exception, though.

COVID forced the retailer to expand his usual range. Extra pasta came from The Yorkshire Pasta Co. – naturally – and environmentally friendly toilet paper from wholesaler Suma – Yorkshire-based, of course.

Town End sells only artisan or farmhouse cheese with one exemption. Kick Ass Strong Cheddar is a “more processed” product made near Preston, Lancashire, by Tim Proctor, an old school friend of Wildman’s and the son of the man who supplied cheese to Wildman senior’s butcher’s shop, “but it gets in because of the story.”

Another pandemic-induced addition is the shop’s Post Office counter, absorbed when the village’s closed at the start of the crisis. “It’s a pain in the arse, but it feels like a duty to the area.”

And the appeal of Wildman’s offer – for both locals and the burgeoning tourist trade – is palpable. A continuous stream of custom snakes its way around the shop’s natural one-way system, some taking in the full gamut of regional produce, tightly but carefully packed onto Town End’s wooden shelving, others shipping a parcel and picking up a pint of milk.

Wildman dashes between seating

MUST-STOCKS Hesper Farm Skyr, Bell Busk Rosebud Preserves Raspberry Jam, Masham Lottie Shaws Parkin, Brighouse Bothams Yorkshire Brack, Whitby Yorkshire Chorizo, Kirkby Malham Wildman Longhorn Bresaola, Kirkby Malham Dale End Cheddar, Botton, Nr Whitby East Barn Brie, Calton, Nr Skipton Whittaker's Gin, Dacre North Brewing Yorkshire Beers, Leeds Cotton Gin, Otterbeck Distillery, Bell Busk Rounton Coffee, Northallerton Lucy's Fudge, Settle Drake & Macefield Pork Pies & Sausage Rolls, Skipton

CONTINUED ON PAGE 51

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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OVIEDO 2021

DELI OF THE MONTH customers in the café – his wife exclaiming that teacups are running dangerously low (a sign of good trade, not poor dishwashing) – and jumping on the second till. In spare moments he returns to the back room to continue packing sausages.

It’s all action at Town End, and – with a Champion of Champions Product at the British Charcuterie Live Awards just under his belt – any downtime Wildman gets is spent keeping production going on his other venture, Wildman Charcuterie.

Based at the farm shop, with a second site for curing, Wildman, along with his brother, produces a range of Continentalinspired charcuterie with a Yorkshire twist.

The range sold particularly well in the runup to Christmas, both in-store and online.

“This is just a continuation of what my family has been doing for generations,” he says.

The operation even makes use of some of the equipment that had been in the family butcher’s shop: meat slicers, presses and sausage trays that Wildman was using as a

boy when helping out.

This family legacy is something important to the retailer-charcutier; he continues to rear animals on the rugged fells and supply the community with good, local produce, only with his own modern spin.

It was while he was working for the family business, selling meat at farmer’s markets that he started relationships with many of the small producers that today he calls suppliers.

“We’ve got such a rich culture of food right here. It’s very close to my heart, so I know everything about that product, everything about these jams, I know the people, I’ve been to the production site,” says Wildman.

For the retailer, these personal relationships are paramount. It means he has the story of each product straight from the source, but, more importantly, that he can have discussions around palm oil, for example, and work with the producers to make a truly regional product.

“It makes the books quite difficult

to maintain, but I’ve developed a pretty sophisticated IT system to deal with that,” he says.

He does use wholesalers to top up his range – The Cress Co, Springvale, Suma – but his strict criteria still apply when picking lines from a catalogue. “I like Cress because they’ve got a northern and Scottish focus, so I can still get those small, artisan producers with good provenance.”

Looking to the year ahead, Wildman has plans to grow the e-commerce side of his business. It is a popular addition to the shop’s offer at Christmas but is quiet for the remainder of the year. The owner hopes to use the growing success of Wildman Charcuterie to drive traffic and maintain the focus on provenance.

Included in each order is a card relaying some of the stories he is so passionate about to the online consumer.

So, it seems, you can take the produce out of Yorkshire, but you can’t take Yorkshire out of the produce. townendfarmshop.co.uk

I always say it’s got to have provenance or a story, and really I’d like it to have both

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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GUILD TALK

View from HQ

By John Farrand managing director

I DO NOT recall when Christmas grocery sales became mainstream news in January, but it feels recent. Along with the images of folk fighting to buy a discounted television set, it is a new year rite of passage to read how the multiples have traded over the festive period.

You may well switch off from the various supermarket food & drink stats, we’re in the independent retail sector after all. It makes it doubly difficult to decipher as the media seems to quote slightly

news from the guild of fine food different figures depending on your news feed of choice.

Let me pick out some sales stats for you that curiously should warm the retail heart as we kick-start the year. According to Nielsen, M&S was up 9.9% in the four weeks to 1st January and Kantar stated that Ocado was up 8.4% in the four weeks to 26th December. Kantar also reported that Christmas sales of premium own-label lines in Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda were up 6.8%.

Even considering that inflation is running at 3%-5% depending on who you believe, it is good news for us all, as it demonstrates that shoppers traded up when buying their mince pies, Stilton and Yuletide-themed water kefir. They are our customers too. There’s a round-up of deli-world performance on page 9 to make it more relevant to you. It seems we followed the trend in the mults with retailers reporting positivity around sales. I expected FFD to be reporting stock issues given the import debacle, but it was lack of staff and challenging rota management that chimed more often according to our shopkeepers.

The Word on Westminster

By Edward Woodall ACS

I’M WRITING THIS the week before the Sue Gray inquiry into No.10 parties has been published, but it would still be fair to say that the future of Boris Johnson’s premiership hangs in the balance.

For all his campaigning flair and cut-through with the public there was always a big question mark over his capacity to lead and govern effectively. Now mid-term, he is crashing from scandal to scandal, has a cost-of-living crisis on the horizon and his leadership credentials are looking fragile.

However, there are a number of reasons why he might survive.

Firstly, Johnson wants to carry on – allegedly he has expressed

an interest in being ‘world king’ from a very young age. He is also motivated to create a stronger legacy from his time in office.

His whole premiership has been tarnished by the pandemic, and the Brexit dream he sold is yet to be delivered (and may never).

Secondly, it appears that noone amongst his Cabinet is willing to brandish the knife to Boris Johnson’s premiership. Perhaps a reflection that front runners, Sunak and Truss, are not ready to run yet and fear the repercussion of failing to fully tear down brand Boris that runs so deep in the Conservative party.

Finally, I think Conservative backbenchers are not sufficiently organized and decisive about The PM’s replacement. The Conservative party has been known for its ruthlessness in

news from the guild of fine food

You could also draw from the upward spend that a decent chunk of the population still has money burning a hole in the pocket for decent cheese, charcuterie and [insert your favourite deli product here] after 20-odd months of no

A decent chunk of the population still has money burning a hole in the pocket holidays, eating out less and no train fares because we’re all working from home.

And the other annual retail news favourite? 2020 gave us Colin the Caterpillar and 2021 was gin-gate.

M&S are suing Aldi for duplicity: the bottle shape, an integrated light feature, a winter forest graphic and, suspended in the spirit, edible gold leaf flakes. Unsurprisingly the intellectual property infringement doesn’t seem to extend to how great the gin tasted. removing leaders and adapting its offer to voters, but they have also never been so divided. They are split between red wall MPs in the North and red cord-wearing MPs in the South.

What does all this mean for industry watching on the side?

Well, probably an extended period of “operation red meat” meaning lots of little fast-tracked policies that play well to the right of the media and Conservative party. This is a worrying space as we have seen how this has undermined Government’s willingness to act quickly on issues that impact the food industry, like supply chain. Or move too quickly on complex areas like the sale and marketing of certain ‘less healthy food’.

Edward Woodall is head of policy & public affairs at small shops group ACS edward.woodall@acs.org.uk

Great Taste 2022 general entry open Great Taste Members' Fortnight – the two weeks before general entry opens in which Guild members may enter at a discounted rate – is set to close at midday on 1st February, marking the opening of general entry.

Great Taste entry is then open to all, though places are limited. General entry is set to close on 14th February at midday, though the competition will close early if the entry limit is reached.

Judging will take place from mid-March to mid-June at venues in Dorset and London.

Retail promotion Following last year’s successful Great Taste Retail Promotion photography competition, the Guild is once again offering one lucky Great Taste retailer the opportunity to win a series of professional photographs of their shop. The images can be used for your own marketing purposes in print, online or across social media.

To be in with a chance of winning, you must register to take part by emailing stephanie.hare-winton@gff. co.uk. Running throughout February 2022, it will help you to highlight and sell more Great Taste-winning products.

There are limited numbers available, so don’t delay in booking your place. Simply email Stephanie to order your free promotional pack today.

The Guild of Fine Food represents fine food shops and specialist suppliers. Want to join them?

GENERAL ENQUIRIES Guild of Fine Food Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB UK Tel: +44 (0) 1747 825200 Fax: +44 (0) 1747 824065 info@gff.co.uk gff.co.uk

THE GUILD TEAM: Managing director: John Farrand Special projects director: Tortie Farrand Sales director: Sally Coley Operations & marketing director: Christabel Cairns

Sales manager: Ruth Debnam Sales executives: Becky Haskett Sam Coleman Operations managers: Claire Powell Meredith White

gff.co.uk

Events manager: Stephanie HareWinton Marketing manager: Sophie Brentnall Financial controller: Stephen Guppy Accounts assistant: Julie Coates

Chairman: Bob Farrand Director: Linda Farrand

Vol.23 Issue 1 | January-February 2022

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January-February 2022 | Vol.23 Issue 1