FFD make the most of organics 2017

A supplement to

2017-18 Edition

MAKE THE MOST OF

ORGANICS A guide for delis & farm shops

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

INCLUDES:

• Consumer insights

• Non-foods

• Ranging & merchandising

• BOOM award winners

• Case studies

• New products

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Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

A supplement to Fine Food Digest

WELCOME ????????

VIEWPOINT

One clear message: ‘Food as it should be’ Local, free-range, pasture-fed, Red Tractor, nutritional labels... Shoppers are confused and bombarded by point-of-sale, bloggers and advertising messages, but at the same time they want to know where their food is coming from and how it has been produced.

The Soil Association carried out research across the country in 2016 to understand some of the barriers to buying organic. We discovered that rather than price, the main thing stopping people from buying organic is that they don’t really understand it: what it means, why it’s different and why might it cost a bit more.

Following on from the research, we realised that the root of the problem is it’s not always clear what organic is all about, and we were missing a single, simple message that sums it up when the shopper is in front of the fixture.

Over the past year, we’ve worked with brands to identify that message, which might not sum up all of what organic is about, but can be built on with more detail where relevant.

We developed the simple line “Organic: food as it should be”. This isn’t a strapline or a campaign, and it’s not just for Organic

September, although that’s where we’ll start. We’ll be focusing on this message all year round, as it really goes back to basics and keeps things simple.

It’s supported with a simple statement telling people what certified organic means along with a five-point pledge of what organic always means: 4 Fewer pesticides 4 No artificial colours and preservatives 4 Always free-range 4 No routine use of antibiotics 4 No GM ingredients During our research, we found that these statements resonated most with shoppers. In fact, over 76% of the sample said that ‘food as it should be’ would encourage them to buy more organic food.

As retailers and brands, we all know that one message always works best, so we’re encouraging everyone to use and support this message too – by using it on pack, on point-of-sale material, websites and in media.

It’s simple, but it works. By using it, we can move beyond that uncertainty and confusion which makes a shopper hesitate in front of the fixture and potentially choose not to buy.

There’s a growing market for organic and more and more shoppers are looking for it to help answer some of their concerns around where their food comes from, so there really couldn’t be a better time to start explaining it better and engaging them.

By CLARE MCDERMOTT, business development director, Soil Association Certification

EDITORIAL editorial@gff.co.uk Editorial director: Mick Whitworth Editor: Michael Lane Assistant editor: Lauren Phillips Reporters: Sally Morgan, AJ Sharp Art Director: Mark Windsor

A supplement to Fine Food Digest

By MICK WHITWORTH Editorial director, Fine Food Digest Remember when the organic sector was considered worthy but dull?

Not anymore. You can’t argue with the stats, and the sector has lately been delivering strong growth at a time when overall spending on groceries in the UK is declining.

As we’ve reported in Fine Food Digest in recent editions, and are happy to repeat in this special guide to organics, the sector grew 7.1% overall last year and – importantly for us – by 6.3% in independent stores.

Foodservice has done even better, with sales of organic dishes growing by nearly a fifth in 2016.

There’s a message there for the many delis and, especially, farm shops with a significant café or restaurant operation.

The Soil Association, sponsor of this supplement, saw a 10% increase in licensees – companies that have undergone its certification process – so more firms are seeing the benefit of that little logo.

And it’s not all about food, either. Sales of organic textiles rose 30%, while beauty and ‘wellbeing’ products were up 13% – signals that consumers either like the ethos of organic or like what it says about them as a shopper.

And, of course, shoppers also like the products. The Millennial generation, who are coming to dominate organic purchases, are notoriously unforgiving about poor quality or poor packaging and insist on knowing the provenance of what they’re buying.

All of which suggests that organics are not only more interesting these days but are bang on trend.

INSIDE • Why stock organics?

4

• Ranging & merchandising

6

• Case studies

10

• Product round-up

12

• BOOM awards

14

ADVERTISING advertise@gff.co.uk Sales director: Sally Coley Sales manager: Ruth Debnam Sales executives: Becky Stacey, Maria Burnett GENERAL ENQUIRIES Tel: 01747 825200 Fax: 01747 824065 info@gff.co.uk, www.gff.co.uk ADDRESS Guild of Fine Food, Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB UK

PUBLISHED BY The Guild of Fine Food Ltd www.gff.co.uk © The Guild of Fine Food Ltd 2017. Reproduction of whole or part of this magazine without the publisher’s prior permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher.

PRINTED BY Blackmore, Dorset

Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

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CASE STUDIES

Ticking the boxes for shops and shoppers Battered by the last recession, organics are firmly back in growth – and becoming a catch-all to address a raft of consumer concerns

By MICK WHITWORTH

4

Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

Whether your customers care about their health, animal welfare, the environment or just impressing mates with their food choices, organics seem to be ticking more and more of the boxes.

At the end of the decade the sector took a beating in the mainstream market, as supermarkets dumped organics in pursuit of ‘value’. But independent shops, less driven by rock-bottom price tickets, stood by organics, and now they’re reaping the rewards.

The 2017 Organic Market Report from the Soil Association shows sales in independents rose 6.3% over the previous year – ahead of supermarkets (6.1%) and only just behind the overall market (up 7.1%).

According to the report, there are several reasons why indies choose to stock organics.

Some just believe in organic principles or see it as an ethical choice, and others see it as

a way to enhance their ‘better for you’ food credentials. But it’s not much of a stretch to see how organics fit neatly into most speciality shop ranges, delivering on many of their priorities: local, provenance, quality and so on.

What’s more, many of the perceived negatives about organics have been addressed over the last decade, particularly in terms of packaging, branding and general product quality. Producers now recognise that simply being organic is not enough. Better quality has made the business argument for stocking these premium lines more compelling.

According to Soil Association business development manager Alison Muirhead, independents have “come at organics fairly naturally” in recent years. “They’ve seen it as an opportunity,” she says, “and that’s partly down to some excellent brands that have fallen into their laps, like Pukka, Clipper, Doves Farm and A supplement to Fine Food Digest

MARKET OVERVIEW ????????

Sales in indie stores

grew 6.3%

last year

Yeo Valley – ranges that are really exceptional, have sharp branding and where organic just happens to be part of their story.

“And organic producers are making a huge effort with the independent sector. They see them as being very special, better at telling the story around the brands.

They talk to customers, they do more sampling – it’s more experiential.”

Independents can also plough their own furrow. While the multiples make slick use of farm imagery to suggest they are close to producers, indie stores can do this in a less corporate, more honest and convincing fashion.

“Independents have both the challenge and the advantage of presenting things in a different way,” says Muirhead. “They don’t have to sit behind a set of brand guidelines and they can adjust quickly to what’s in season, which is where merchandising and blackboard marketing skills come in.”

In fact, she says: “There’s a danger of too many people conjuring up the same look and feel. That’s not what independents are about.

They are about novelty and speciality.”

The Organic Market Report suggests the sector will continue to grow if producers,

retailers and Soil Association licensees – those that have been inspected and certified by the body, and can use its logo – can encourage “small organic changes” from a larger proportion of shoppers, rather than relying on a highly commited segment. People who are open to buying organic will do so if its more widely available across more categories.

As the report puts it: “it’s possible to buy organic, but not to shop organic”.

Currently, says Muirhead, a surprising 39% of shoppers are buying organics on a weekly basis. But they may not be buying more than one product per week, and for many the purchase may be almost accidental – for example, if they buy a Rude Health granola out of taste preference, not because it is organic.

But it does point to a big latent opportunity to grow a category that fits the ethos of so many delis and farm shops.

“We know that the imagery conjured by organic – healthy animals, rolling hills, green fields – is strong and advantageous,” says Muirhead. “The ideas people keep in their head about organic would benefit any shop.”

Independents are better at telling the story around the brands

39% of

shoppers buy organics on a weekly

basis

WHO’S BUYING ORGANIC? Whether your image of the typical organic consumer is all sandals and patchouli oil or corduroys and elbow patches, you’re at least partly wrong.

“The profile of the organic shopper has shifted in the past five or six years,” says the Soil Association’s Alison Muirhead.

“We used to see the typical customer as retirement age and quite ‘fear-led’, trying to avoid contact with pesticides and other chemicals.

“Now it has shifted towards 18 to 35-year-olds as

the biggest buyers, and they tend to be more ethically concerned.

“So it has changed a great deal – we’re not mainly talking about the ‘sandal wearing’ type any more.”

To help the organic sector get its products and messaging right, the Soil Assocation has identified six broad consumer segments: • PRINCIPLED STRIVERS: Busy working people who “want to do the right thing” but feel time-pressured.

“They make food choices to fit round their hectic

A supplement to Fine Food Digest

schedules,” the Soil Association says.

• FOOD ADVENTURERS: These shoppers are “highly engaged” with food, seeing what they eat and drink as part of their identity. They like organics, and are happy to pay for great food.

• TREND LOVERS: Highly social, these shoppers like to make a statement through their food. They’re interested in organics, but it’s not core to them.

• CARING PARENTS: Focused on their children, they have to balance money and time and, where food is concerned, want to be role

models of sensible eating and drinking. They’re proorganic but worried about the cost.

• HEALTHY LIFESTYLERS: This group have strong views on food, production and retail. They like maximum control of what goes into their bodies and “how it makes them look and feel”.

• PRACTICAL IDEALISTS: Highly engaged with organics, this group “see the bigger picture”, says the Soil Association. They’re thinking about their community and the health of planet Earth, not just themselves and their kids.

ALISON MUIRHEAD: “The imagery conjured up by organics – healthy animals, rolling hills, green fields – is strong and advantageous”

SENDING THE RIGHT MESSAGE The argument for organics is complex, and – as Clare McDermott explains on p3 – the Soil Association is trying to narrow down its case to consumers around the broad message ‘food as it should be’.

But some aspects of the organic story are bound to resonate more strongly with speciality store shoppers rather than eco-warriors.

According to business development manager Alison Muirhead, the “food adventure” – the story behind products with a clear provenance – will always be “front and centre” for independent farm shops and delis.

But coming a close second is health, which has returned as a major influence across retail and foodservice.

Quality is important too, with shoppers now seeing organic as a shorthand for superior products with trustworthy provenance.

Certification – and with it, the ability to display a logo from one of the UK accreditation bodies, of which the Soil Association is the largest – is by far the most important signpost of this, Muirhead suggests.

“Certification is an assurance of quality for the consumer because they’re assured of the supply chain,” she says. “It’s an iron-clad guarantee.”

Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

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RANGING & MERCHANDISING

Key categories for new stockists Are you intrigued by the idea of stocking more organics but not quite sure where to start?

The first thing is, you probably have an organic product somewhere in your shop. For example, many speciality teas and coffees on the market are organic.

Dairy is a major category in the organic sector and is something that an organic consumer will look for – local, organic milk, cheese, yoghurt, cream and butter should have a place in your fridge and will appeal to many of your customers.

There are also a number of basic organic items that you should consider stocking – canned beans, tomatoes and pulses appeal to the organic consumer who enjoys cooking from scratch. There’s often less of a price difference than you might expect between organic and non-organic, which makes organic realistic for a broader range of customers.

You may even choose to just stock the organic version if pricing is very similar.

Fruit and vegetables are considered the “entry categories” for those new to the sector, so if you currently stock fruit and veg you might want to consider organic. If products are kept in their packaging you won’t require an organic license but, if you’d like to explore this market in a bigger way, you may want to consider it.

Keep an eye out for a certification symbol and the word “organic” on products and you’ll notice that more and more brands are dipping their toe in. There’s a strong connection between “health” and organic, with consumers asking for organic more and more.

It’s important that organic messages are clear on-pack as well as on point-of-sale

Fruit and vegetables are considered the ‘entry categories’ for those new to organic

SIGNPOST ORGANIC OPTIONS THROUGHOUT THE STORE Consumers expect to find organic options throughout the shop, says the Soil Association’s Alison Muirhead, but she adds: “The challenge is making sure consumers identify them.”

The Soil Association can provide retailers with a generic, year-round merchandising kit as well as specific point-of-sale for Organic September.

But it’s also important for retailers to stay “true to their own brand”, and integrate the organic message with signage they already use to highlight diet-driven options like vegan or gluten-free.

“The risk is you could end up with dozens of different shelf labels,” says Muirhead, “so there’s a role for the retailer in picking products that are obviously organic from their packaging.”

There’s an onus on brands, too, to ensure products are recognisably organic, she adds, and the organisation has been working with producers to ensure this key message – and the Soil Association logo – is visible to shoppers.

MERCHANDISING TIPS 1

1. Take customers on a journey.

There’s a reason milk is always at the back of the supermarket!

Showcase dearer, high margin lines at the front of the store and basics towards the back, so shoppers experience all areas of your shop.

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Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

2

2. Take a leaf out of Waterstones’ marketing – use staff picks.

Customers are always more inclined to buy after a recommendation, so tell them the products you love and why they’re special. The Soil Association is including ‘staff pick’ cards in its Organic September toolkit for 2017.

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4. Refresh: Don’t feel bound to your usual displays.

Move things around and try new visual ideas. Customers will appreciate the change and discover new products.

3

3. Focus on key words around the shop. Positive reinforcement adds to the story. If you have a collection of local, organic or ethically sourced products, remind shoppers of these attributes on signage and blackboards.

A supplement to Fine Food Digest

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A supplement to Fine Food Digest

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Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

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RANGING & MERCHANDISING

Clean up on non-foods

Seregey Bogachuk/Dreamstime

Organic is increasingly extending into non-food categories to satisfy consumer demand.

Organic cleaning products are available – for example, the Bentley Organic and Greenscents brands – to cater for consumers that want traceable, ethical products throughout their shop.

While this category is currently quite small, it’s definitely something to keep an eye out for with health high on the agenda.

Organic and gifting go hand-in-hand, particularly at celebratory times of the year. There are many organic brands that do gifts beautifully. There’s an abundance of organic chocolates, teas, coffees, cheeses, biscuits etc that are particularly well packaged and special, that offer a great deal of choice for your customer.

The certified organic beauty and wellbeing market, which includes

Few mainstream retailers stock organic health & beauty products, leaving a gap for indies to fill

skincare, cosmetics and supplements, has grown 34.6% in the last two years, making it one of the Soil Association’s fastest growing sectors.

Currently, however. very few mainstream retailers stock organic health and beauty products, leaving a gap for independents to fill.

The category has become in such high demand that this year the Soil Association held its first pop-up shop dedicated to Beauty & Wellbeing in East London’s Shoreditch.

The week-long pop-up shop saw a record volume of press and social media coverage and was well attended throughout the week by members of the public and retail buyers exploring the category and the brands that operate within it.

With no legal standard in place to protect organic cosmetics, certification has become a trustworthy option for consumers.

MERCHANDISING TIPS 5. Freshness is key. There’s nothing more offputting than soggy salad, green potatoes or droopy flowers. It doesn’t matter how many positive statements or lovely displays you have if your “fresh” produce isn’t up to scratch.

6. Group classic combinations. Make it easy for customers to add products to their baskets, and showcase your knowledge by suggesting special combos.

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6

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5 A supplement to Fine Food Digest

7. Create a display around your tasters. Enhance the sampling experience by piling new products high, writing their story on a blackboard or bringing some fresh decorative items into the mix.

8. Think about your till area. Don’t just use it to dump stock. Maximise your captive customer audience and offer healthy or snacking options. Organic snack sales are growing, so ensure you’re presenting your customers with a good choice.

Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

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CASE STUDIES

Nobody does it Better You don’t have to be a specialist store to succeed with organics – but does it help?

We look at two quite different stores – Bristol specialist outlet The Better Food Co and Scotland’s mainstream Blair Drummond Smiddy farm shop – to assess their different approaches.

By SALLY MORGAN

THE BETTER FOOD CO

Whapping Wharf, Whiteladies Road and St Werburghs, Bristol The Better Food Company has plenty to cheer about. Named Best Organic Independent Retailer in the 2017 BOOM (Best of Organic Market) Awards, the Bristol-based chain has recently opened its third shop.

Set up as an organic delivery service by Phil Houghton in 1992, Better Food moved into retail 10 years ago and has gone from strength to strength. Its three outlets are each in a very different building and location, so while all have a groceries, big produce displays, cafés, and health and beauty areas, each has its own character.

Organic makes up 75% of Better Food products, with local and independent making up the balance. All the fresh produce is organic and much is grown just 10 miles away at the Community Farm. Where local, organic produce isn’t available though, the firm prioritises organic

Where local organic produce isn’t available, the firm prioritises organic over local

10 KEY ORGANIC CATEGORIES Eggs Milk and milk alternatives Bread Fresh produce staples (bananas, apples, potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, brocolli etc) Fresh meat and fish Dairy items – yoghurt, butter etc Store-cupboard ingredients (including a good range of flour) Teas (especially herbal) and coffee Beer Avocados

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Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

A supplement to Fine Food Digest

CASE STUDIES ???????? over local because it’s committed to supporting sustainable farming practices.

Equally, it promotes products of high integrity over some of the bigger brands in certain categories.

Currently, its top selling items are avocados, cherries (when in season), eggs, beer and bread.

There is increased interest in vegan, coconut and milk alternatives, and plenty of in-store tasting is carried out. The cafés and delis have samples out most of the time, while growers and producers are encouraged to come into store and meet customers face to face.

Shoppers tend to be knowledgeable and interested in new products, so understanding the personalities and production methods behind the brands influences their buying choices.

There is investment in good point-of-sale, with boards and displays providing information about local producers, and this is backed up with a monthly email, newsletter and website updates, plus social media.

The newest store, in trendy Wapping Wharf, is used by many customers as a convenience store. These are shoppers that the company draws into organics by “stealth”. They pop in, buy an organic item on their way home and, if they like it, will return for a wider range of items.

It’s often thought organic food is too expensive. While some products are dearer because organic production simply can’t compete with large-scale farming, many ranges can actually work out cheaper than their non-organic equivalent, such as seasonal produce.

At Better Food, prices are matched with the major stores on everyday items such as eggs, milk and milk alternatives, flour, juice, tinned tomatoes and pasta. There are also refill stations for household cleaning products.

A supporter of Organic September, the company uses the campaign as an opportunity to celebrate their suppliers, customers and their commitment to organic.

And for those thinking about dipping their toes into organic, marketing manager Lucy Gatward says: “Just do it! Make a start with a few products. Tell the stories.”

The organic retail landscape is full of “ideas, innovation, fascinating people and projects”, she adds.

BLAIR DRUMMOND SMIDDY FARMSHOP & CAFÉ Blair Drummond, Stirling, Scotland HOUSED IN a former blacksmiths just 10 minutes from Stirling is Blair Drummond Smiddy farm shop and café, championing the best of local produce.

It’s a young enterprise, opened in autumn 2016, but already has a loyal following. As well as serving the community, the shop, run by general manager Linda Findlay, supports local young people, giving them opportunities to train and gain employment experience.

One of its key roles is to provide a hub for the community – it’s somewhere where locals can pick up grocery essentials, buy high welfare meat from the butchery counter or pop in for a quick coffee and cake.

The café, with its beautiful surroundings, draws in tourists too, as the Smiddy is located on a busy route from Stirling to the north. However, there is a balancing act involved in supplying everyday goods for locals as well as displays to catch the eyes of tourists.

As much produce as possible is sourced from local farmers, growers and producers. Meat is selected

from local, high welfare farms and, as a minimum, is free range.

Among the organic meat on sale is beef from Moss-side Farm, just three miles from the Smiddy. The Peelham Farm range of

Meat is selected from local, high welfare farms and, as a minimum, is free range Scottish organic charcuterie, including bresaola and salami, is also popular.

With around 15,000 sq ft of floor space including the butchery and deli counter the shop stocks around 300 organic lines. These range from teas and coffees, tinned goods and juices to freefrom foods.

The Biona range of canned goods, including lentils, chick peas and

beans sells particularly well, says Linda Findlay, and is competitively priced.

There is a selection of speciality flours from both Doves Farm and Marriages, plus organic porridge oats and granola from the Borders-based Eden Valley and gluten-free organic crackers. Newer products include organic Scottish butter from Grahams, a local company that sells nationwide, and traditional Scottish organic shortbread.

Findlay is keen to sell products with a great story and you can’t get much better than Cream o’Galloway ice cream from Rainton Farm, which runs a ground-breaking organic dairy system in which calves stay with their mothers.

It’s early days for the farm shop. Findlay is continually trying out new lines and she’s learning fast.

Overall, she’s delighted that her organic lines sell well and that there is little waste.

This year sees the shop’s first Organic September, and this enthusiastic supporter of organics is hoping to see a significant sales boost. blairdrummondsmiddy. co.uk

betterfood.co.uk

A supplement to Fine Food Digest

Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

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NEW PRODUCTS

The great and the good Milk alternatives, superfood chocolates and essential oil flavourings are some of the latest innovations in premium organic foods, inspired by health-conscious consumers and an abundance of free-from options.

Compiled by AJ SHARP and MICK WHITWORTH

Handmade in Devon, Clive’s nut roast is described as “fantastically moist with a satisfying crunch”. RRP is £5.25 for 280g. Also new from CLIVE’S PIES is the saag aloo curry pie, filled with potatoes and spinach in a spicy tomato, ginger and coconut sauce. Suitable for vegans, its RRP is £2.79 for 235g. clivespies.com

Organic baby food producer GOODNESS GRACIOUS has added three new flavours to its purée range, including pumpkin, coconut milk & cardamom. Based on Indian alternative medicine Ayurveda, every ingredient is chosen for its health benefits, including kale, quinoa, fennel seeds, parsnip and butternut squash. RRP £1.45 for 140g. goodnessgraciousfoods. com

Loose leaf Bio Tisane tea is the latest creation from TZEKOS ORGANIC HERBS. Handcrafted in small batches combining flowers and leaves from the farmland of northern Greece, the four blends are said to “enclose the scent and feeling of Greek nature”.

Available in 20g card packs from £2.60 (trade) or tins from £3.60. tzekosorganicherbs.com

Consumer wariness of excess sugar and chemicals has inspired GUSTO ORGANICS to create a premium drink, Real Cola, sweetened with Fairtrade blue agave (RRP £1.89). Also new is Gusto’s organic lemon energy drink, described as a complex lemonade with Siberian ginseng and lemon oils. RRP £1.99. drinkgusto.com

STEENBERGS’ range of flavoured waters include rose water, made by extraction from classic Persian Damask rose blossom, and orange blossom water, which is said to have a “summery feel reminiscent of Lebanese cookery”. Suitable for use in drinks, baking or on fruit salads, both are priced at £2.50 trade, RRP £3.75. steenbergs.co.uk

The “guilt-free organic eating company”, G.ORG.E, has launched a range of raw organic superfood chocolates. With no added sugar and free from dairy, gluten, soya, grains and egg, they are suitable for vegan, diabetic and coeliac diets, and are described as “a chocolate hit without any of the nasties”. gorgetruffles.co.uk

Somerset meat and dairy business BROWN COW ORGANICS, whose range includes River Cottage’s own-brand yoghurts, has gone veggie this year with the launch of two live organic yoghurts in vegetable flavours.

The carrot & tumeric and beetroot yoghurts are described as “lusciously thick and creamy” despite being naturally very low in fat and using no emulsifiers or stabilisers.

Packaged in British glass jars, they are made using artisan methods, with milk from the producer’s own Guernsey herd and British organic veg.

Sold exclusively to independents via chilled distributors, the yoghurts come in retail packs of 6 x 170g jars (RRP £9.00). browncoworganics.co.uk 12

Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

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NEW PRODUCTS ????????

Blood orange, cinnamon and nutmeg are among the intense foodie fragrances used in the Aromachefery range of seasonings from ZING ORGANICS. The small Scottish business, based in Tarbert on the edge of Loch Fyne, has taken inspiration from perfumery to create salts, sugars and gourmet chef oils infused with essential oils that include lemongrass, lime, oregano and rose geranium.

Its potent chef oil concentrates, presented in 16ml essential oil bottles with pipettes, come with a seasoning suggestion on the rear label and an illustrated recipe leaflet.

“One drop of rose geranium in a lamb tagine is amazing,” says founder Kirsty Morrison, who also suggests adding a drop or two of coriander leaf oil to a guacamole or stirring oregano or rosemary oil into pasta at the point of serving.

RRP for the oils is £9.50 per bottle, with a case of 60 priced at £360 (trade), equivalent to £6 a unit. zingorganics.co.uk

The newest additions to the RUDE HEALTH kids’ range are Banana Berry Oats (RRP £3.79) and Honey Spelt Puffs (RRP £3.50). They join a new cashew drink (RRP £1.99) containing 5% cashews and natural spring water, and mini almond drink (£1.50), which can be used as a milk alternative. rudehealth.com

VINTAGE ROOTS has launched four dual-varietal Hoopoe Wines from Sicily (RRP from £5.75), an ownlabel house range called Organic Roots (RRP from £5.45) and Pri-Secco: a range of non-alcoholic sparking fruit drinks (RRP from £5.95). Pri-Secco flavours include pear, hawthorn & Douglas Fir tips and pear, apple & rose hip. vintageroots.co.uk

An award-winning pastrami from ROAM & RELISH, the charcuterie brand launched last year by Eversfield Organic, is made using homegrown, organic, grass-fed beef brisket, which is matured on the bone for a minimum of 21 days before being smoked, smothered in a blend of spices and cooked to tender.

Trade price £2.80, RRP £4 for 90g. eversfieldorganic.co.uk

Raw Fairtrade coconut oil supplier LUCY BEE has launched two new additions to its organic healthy ingredients range: a creamed coconut (trade £5.96, RRP £7.95), which can be blended with water to make coconut milk, and a coconut flour (trade £2,63, RRP £3.50) a raw, gluten- and grain-free flour. Both are available through Tree of Life. lucybee.com

ROOTS & WINGS has added an organic pork pie to its range this year (RRP £6.19 for 340g), produced for the organic umbrella brand by Lincolnshire’s Geo. Adams & Sons.

The hand-finished pies are made using whole cuts of pork shoulder and a crisp, water crust pastry, made from British wheat.

“To ensure the pastry is perfectly thin and crisp, we use an amazing hand press that was invented just after WW1 when wheat was scarce,” says a spokeswoman.

“A lever is pulled down pressing A supplement to Fine Food Digest

Three flavours of Italian sauces are now available under distributor TREE OF LIFE’s own brand: tomato & basil, spicy arrabiatta and vegetable bolognese (trade £1.40, RRP £1.85 for 350g).

Also new is a gluten-free pasta range, with spaghetti, fusilli and penne made from corn and rice flour (trade £2.19, RRP £2.91 for 500g) treeoflife.co.uk

the pastry into the bottom and sides of the mould. So, unlike hand-raised pork pies, the pastry is thinner and when it’s cooked, it’s much crispier.”

The Roots & Wings line-up also includes biscuits, preserves, condiments, biscuits, confectionery and a range of free-from hair and body products.

Another newcomer this year is the PowerPod soup range: four flavours created for their nutritional benefits, including parsnip & honey and celeriac & leek. RRPs from £2.99 for a 400g pot. rootsandwingsorganic.com Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

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BOOM AWARDS

More bangs for your buck?

The UK’s only dedicated organic awards, the Soil Association’s BOOM scheme celebrates businesses, producers and brands offering “food as it should be”.

Judges range from chefs, retailers and food critics to the organisation’s own experts, and the 2017 list included chef and food writer Rosie Birkett, eco-chef Tom Hunt, Ocado head of brand Alison Rhodes and Harrods marketing manager Gurdeep Loyal.

The wide-ranging scheme covers everything

from supermarkets (Waitose was 2017 winner) to farmers (Guy Watson of Riverford Organic), and there is also a consumer choice award, Nation’s Favourite, which went to Island Bakery’s Lemon Melts – a zesty organic lemon biscuit with a sweet white chocolate coating.

Around two dozen category awards were presented at the 2017 ceremony, held at London’s Borough Market, chosen from over 100 finalists.

Here are some of the more independent-focused products.

DA MHILE BOTANICAL GIN Da Mhile Distillery An organic, artisan farmhouse gin, produced at Glynhynod Farm in Ceredigion, West Wales, using 18 botanicals. damhile.co.uk

DANILO MANCO EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL Apulia Blend (The Olive Oil Co) A balanced, nutty, green finishing oil produced in Puglia and brought to the UK

by Danilo Manco, who has been retailing at Borough Market since 2001. apuliablend.com

OMBAR 72% RAW CHOCOLATE BAR Mood Foods The raw chocolate in Ombar is said to be ideal for those trying to ‘eat clean’, those who are lactose intolerant and who are “discerning about their chocolate”. ombar.co.uk

ORGANIC FRUIT BREAD Daylesford Organic Packed with apricots, raisins & walnuts, this loaf is said to work well with a mild cheese like Single Gloucester and can also be used in bread & butter pudding. daylesford.com

SEA SALT & CRACKED BLACK PEPPER BISCUITS The Authentic Bread Co Made in Gloucestershire by a family business with over a decade of baking experience. authenticbread.co.uk

ORGANIC OAK SMOKED ISLE OF WIGHT TOMATOES The Tomato Stall Slowly roasted tomatoes, smoked over oak then finished with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of Anglesey sea salt. thetomatostall.co.uk

Hazelnut chocolate truffles Booja-Booja Set up in 1999 to create organic, dairy-free, gluten-free and soya-free chocolates, Booja Booja has won 93 awards in 18 years. These “melt in your mouth” truffles are made with roasted Italian hazelnuts. boojabooja.com 14

Make the Most of Organics 2017-18

If you’re looking for top organic foods, the annual BOOM awards are a good starting point. Here’s our pick of this year’s more indie-focused winners and finalists.

Dairy-free organic chocolate mylk Rebel Kitchen Made with spring water, organic coconut milk, date nectar and cacao, this dairy-free milk alternative from London’s Rebel Kitchen is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. rebel-kitchen.com

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