FFD March 2018

March 2018 Volume 19 Issue 2 gff.co.uk

Redecorate your shop... ...with new lines in biscuits, coffee and confectionery

ALSO INSIDE London-made burrata Brindisa’s founder talks Brexit Waitrose ups the deli stakes

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

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Publication: Guild of Fine Food

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Title: Family Recipe-T

Position: ****RHP****

Bleed Size: 236 x 321mm

CONTENTS Most of the Brexit outcomes being suggested don’t favour a business like ours INTERVIEW Monika Linton, Brindisa

15 5 THE BIG PICTURE 7 NEWS

ARTISAN PRODUCERS

39

18 OPINION 21 CHEESEWIRE Fen Farm Dairy reacts to vegan trolls, Italian cheeses from London

The Cotswold Distillery on how fine food stores can help the craft whisky market

25 CUT & DRIED Patchwork parfait, Staal’s new packs 26 CATEGORY FOCUS Chocolate, coffee, biscuits, soft drinks

People easily get addicted to cheese and it’s the same with trying new beers DELI OF THE MONTH

50

The Grumpy Goat

EDITORIAL

Editorial director: Mick Whitworth

Contributors: Nick Baines, Patrick McGuigan, Lynda Searby

Editor: Michael Lane

Assistant editor: Lauren Phillips Reporter: Andrew Don

Art director: Mark Windsor

Editorial production: Richard Charnley

GENERAL ENQUIRIES

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Printed by: Blackmore, Dorset ADDRESS Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB United Kingdom

41 IFEX PREVIEW Six reasons to visit Northern Ireland’s trade event 43 SHELF TALK Tunisian brand launches, Injera trending 49 EDITORS’ CHOICE FFD’s top picks at Fine Food Show North 54 GUILD OF FINE FOOD NEWS

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

© The Guild of Fine Food Ltd 2018. 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.

Turn to page 70 for news from the Guild

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

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The natural choice for cheese

Voted Best Biscuit Brand 2017 by independent retailers

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

THE BIG PICTURE

Putting on a good show Food critic and broadcaster Jay Rayner (right) offering his take on food production was just one of the highlights at a packed Fine Food Show North.

The organisers (the Guild of Fine Food) moved the trade-only show to an earlier time slot in 2018 – from June to February – and the decision was vindicated by a 30% upswing in visitor numbers compared to 2017. In addition to the show’s usual retail contingent, exhibitors also reported an increase in the number of serious foodservice buyers perusing the stands.

The 2019 show will take place in early March.

Photograph: Richard Faulks

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NEWS

Waitrose signs artisan producers up for market-style deli counter revamp

By Andrew Don

Waitrose has signed up several British artisan suppliers as it looks to bolster its in-store deli counters and emulate the success of foodie markets, like Borough and Maltby Street.

The move – which will initially see the chain upgrade its savoury pastries, patés and salamis at 16 stores – has already prompted some independents to reaffirm that they will de-list any producer that sells to Waitrose.

The supermarket group has already stated that it plans to further develop and roll out the range but for now it has introduced 17 products.

These include sausage rolls from Ginger Pig, two lines from Tom’s Pies, Scotch eggs from Dan Hull and two types of salami stick from Trealy Farm Charcuterie.

Other brands joining Waitrose’s new deli counter

The supermarket has added 17 artisan lines to deli counters at 16 stores with a roll-out to follow

line-up are Little & Cull, Cornish Premier Pasties and Findlater’s, which was already a supplier.

Sally Colter, owner of Mrs Bumbles Delicatessen in Burford, Oxfordshire, said she would blacklist anything stocked by supermarket multiples.

“If they keep going down that route [suppliers] will lose out on independents,” she said, adding that she had already dropped one well-known

producer.

Sarah Fraser-Steele, who owns The Deli Downstairs in Victoria Park Village, east London, said: “It makes me feel tired but, in reality, the thing Waitrose is never going to have that independents have is exceptional customer service, food knowledge and specificity.

“It’s frustrating because supermarkets pretend to be like us but Waitrose will never be able to be a

community hub.”

Top Barn Harvest Shop, Worcester, stocks local cheeses that are not sold in the multiples, and it offers a bespoke wedding cheesecake service. It also sells home-made Scotch eggs and pork pies and makes beef products from its own herd.

Joint owner Joanna Harper agreed that Waitrose staff were not as knowledgeable as those in independents and she had even seen counter staff at the supermarket injure themselves cutting cheese.

Commenting on the supermarket’s new listings, Waitrose’s delicatessen buyer Tom Woodings said: “We spent six months trawling the UK’s best food market and delis in search of the most exciting and delicious products.

“We know our customers love picking up items from the most famous food markets in the country, so we’re making it easier for them to do that,” he said.

IN BRIEF 52% of consumers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are concerned about the amount of sugar in food, according to the Food Standards Agency’s latest Biannual Public Attitudes Tracker. 48% of those surveyed were concerned about waste and 46% about prices.

Amazon has angered animal welfare campaigners with its sale of Fine Food Specialist Canadian lobsters which it packs in boxes for delivery while still alive. The online giant, however, is directing customers to a website detailing humane preparation of lobsters.

After closing 18 years ago, Bay Tree Farm Shop has reopened in Polegate, East Sussex.

It sells ethically-reared meat, eggs and other farm produce.

The Sussex Produce Co is pick of the bunch ACS report shines spotlight on farm shops’ banking struggle

By Mick Whitworth Access to local banking services is a growing problem for farm shops and other rural stores, according to small shops group ACS. Speaking at the launch of its 2018 Rural Shops Report in Westminster, chief executive James Lowman said the cost and inconvenience of banking cash was rising as high street banks closed more branches outside the major urban centres.

ACS – whose corporate members include the Guild of Fine Food – is asking the Government to put more pressure on banks to support businesses in rural communities.

This is one of several policy recommendations made at the report launch,

which was hosted by the AllParty Parliamentary Group of Small Shops.

Business rates were another key area of concern, Lowman said. The Government had made progress by extending small business rate relief at the last budget, but “more could be done”. “There’s an argument that [rural shops] should get special treatment, said Lowman.

According to the annual ACS report, rural food stores do not just offer a vital shopping service. They employ at least 150,000 people – in particular provide flexible part-time jobs for women – and support local suppliers. The majority also contribute to the community through charity work and sponsorship. acs.org.uk

The Sussex Produce Company, in Steyning, was named Food Shop of the Year at the counties’ 2018 Food & Drink Awards.

Runners up in the category were Sharpthorne’s Plaw Hatch Farm Shop and Rushfields Farm Shop, in Poynings.

It is the third time that the retailer, owned by Nick

Hempleman (pictured centre receiving award), has won the category.

Other winners included, Bookham Harrison Farms, (Food Producer of the Year), Ridgeview Wine Estate (Drink Producer of the Year) and New Street Butchers & Deli (Butcher of the Year).

The awards are run

by Natural Partnerships

Community Interest Company, which manages a range of projects to support local farming and the food and drink industry.

Nearly 400 people attended the black-tie awards banquet at the Amex stadium, the home of Brighton and Hove Albion FC on 7th February. sussexfoodawards.biz Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

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NEWS

CYBER CRIME

The rise of food hall developments could both help and hinder indies

By Andrew Don

An upsurge in food halls and a predicted rejuvenation of traditional town centre market halls could provide huge opportunities for speciality food retailers – but potential threats, too.

Commercial property firm Cushman & Wakefield’s new Food Halls of Europe report estimates about 100 food halls are either already open or under construction in Europe’s major cities and at least 200 venues are in the pipeline for the next decade.

Co-author Thomas Rose told FFD he thought that these developments would see “some elements of” foodservice and street food merging with retail – like it has with food hall brand Eataly, which is reported to be planning a 40,000 sq ft Italian emporium in London.

“I think we will see a rejuvenation of traditional market halls in town centres,” said Rose. “Local authorities will invest in

Forthcoming projects like Market Hall’s Fulham hall should boost footfall but might prove to be competition for retailers

these. It may be that artisans get the opportunity to take more space.”

The report says the demand for new-generation food halls is “a long-term trend” and they are likely to become integrated into wider developments, including shopping centres, public realm improvements and transport hubs.

One company, Market Halls, is poised to open six food halls in London this year – offering a mix of local producers, retailers, streetfood vendors, restaurants,

Fairfields Farm buys Ten Acre snack brand

By Lauren Phillips Crisps brand Fairfields Farm has purchased Ten Acre snacks for an undisclosed sum.

The Colchester-based business will now produce Ten Acre’s Free-From Plus crisps and popcorn products in a bid to build upon the brand’s success in the UK and abroad.

“Export is to be a focus at Fairfields,” said Ten Acre’s co-founder, Tony Goodman MBE. “This is great for Ten Acre as we recently received the award for Export

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

Champion from the Department of International Trade.

“Our joint attributes and parallel thinking will push both brands forward to become a force to be reckoned with in the snacking sector.”

Robert Strathern, founder of Fairfields, said: “This is an exciting step for us. Ten Acre has the same values as Fairfields, so we felt they were a good fit.

Plus, their experience and rapid growth in export opens up opportunities for us.”

bars and demonstration kitchens.

Locations include Fulham, Victoria and the former BHS building just off Oxford Street in London’s West End. The latter is said to be the largest food hall in the UK. Danielle Pinnington, retail analyst at Shoppercentric, said it was important for the speciality food sector to see such places as an opportunity although they would appear threatening at first.

“It could be an

IN BRIEF opportunity because it will drive traffic,” she said. “Can you look at what’s being sold and look at how you can complement what they offer or provide something better?”

Mel Sei, manager at MacFarlane’s Fromagerie & Fine Foods, in south-west London, said such centres would bring more footfall.

Existing businesses could benefit if they adapted.

Mike Clark, owner of Country Harvest Farm Shop in Ingleton, in the Yorkshire Dales, said: “We would embrace it because we feel something like that would bring more people to the area and our customers would not want to go to that type of place.”

Jeremy Jagger, managing director of Battlefield 1403 Farm Shop in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, said: “On a national level, and provided it’s not too close to us, this type of business could help as it will help raise awareness about our type of food retailing.”

Colaren Farms, in Fraserburgh, has lodged plans with Aberdeenshire Council for an ecofriendly farm shop and café, selling locallyproduced food and drink, crafts and gifts on a site off the A98, near Percyhorner. It will form part of a larger proposed development.

At least £2.1bn of old paper £10 notes still needed to be spent or exchanged as FFD went to press. The Bank of England announced the figure ahead of the 1st March deadline when they ceased to be legal tender, after plastic £10 notes were introduced last September.

Farmer-owned global Fairtrade producer Divine Chocolate posted its highest annual turnover of £14m,according to its recently published 2016-17 Report.

Fabulous Farm Shops offers both basic free and premium paid-for listings to retailers A new website has launched with the goal of becoming a comprehensive online directory of farm shops across the country.

Claire Mortimer, cofounder, said Fabulous Farm Shops was aiming to list every farm shop, initially in England, but ultimately across the UK. She added that the site was developed as a platform to allow consumers, small producers and retailers to come together.

Farm shops can have listings, with address, telephone number and location pinpointed on a map, at no cost.

But the site will be monetised with the option of fuller

listings with direct live links to websites, priority involvement across social media for sharing news and promotions, listings of all shop amenities and links to promotional vouchers.

Individual farm shops can pay to become a “Featured Fabulous Farm Shop”, placed at the top of its county directory listing.

This entry includes four

images of the shop with links to an editorial on their establishment together with coverage across social media and on the directory’s blog.

Artisan producers will be able to advertise on the site.

Mortimer said her experience of other online directories was that they were incomplete, inaccurate, out of date and confusing. fabulousfarmshops.co.uk

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NEWS

Independents lead the multiples in achieving organic sales growth

By Andrew Don

The growth of organic food sales through independent delicatessens and other fine food stores and farmers’ markets outpaced the multiples last year, new research has revealed.

Figures in the Soil Association’s newly published Organic Market 2018 report show a 9.7% growth in sales in independents compared with 4.2% in supermarkets.

The total organic market is worth £2.22bn, or 1.5% of all UK food and drink sales annually.

Across all channels sales of organic products increased 6% while non-organic sales increased by just over 2%.

About £1 in every £7 spent on organic is through the independent sector, according to the report.

Independent retailers’ specialist knowledge appeals to consumers’ desire to connect more closely with their food, the report says.

9.7%

growth in sales of organic food and drink via independent retailers during 2017 Source: Soil Association It adds that while prices can be higher in independents, consumers appreciate the added value of the personal touch and the concentrated choice in a single store.

Phil Haughton, founder of Bristol-based retailer and café Better Food, which sells organic, local, and ethical food and goods, said organic sales were “there for the taking” and

independents should grab more of the market.

However, he said at least half of customers at Better Food’s three shops visited because they knew they were getting “a good shopping experience with lovely food”, not because they necessarily wanted organic.

Haughton warned that looking after margins was difficult which is why

Fentimans hits London’s trendy streets

Fentimans showed the love when it launched a Valentine’s Day mural on the Shoreditch Art Wall, designed by illustrator Paul Bower, bringing Fentimans Rose Lemonade to life in a fourstrip burst.

The mural comes hard on the heels of the drinks producer’s £1.2m rebrand.

Andrew Jackson, marketing director at Fentimans, said: “We’ve recently completed our rebrand and we’ve got many exciting things

coming up in 2018.

We recognise that as a traditional brand it is important that we continue to move with the times.

The mural is a first for us and we’re really impressed with the work that Paul Bower has done on it.”

IN BRIEF

health food stores so rarely sold much fresh produce.

Shoppers at The Sussex Produce Company, in Steyning “assume” everything is organic, according to owner Nick Hempleman but the shop’s focus is on locally sourced.

“If we only sold organic our local range would decrease incredibly,” he said.

“If we were totally organic we would rely heavily on sourcing from wholesale markets in America and France and by the time it reaches here it would not be as fresh.”

Hempleman added that the independent sector must be careful not to become something just for the wealthy. “Ordinary people should be able to do their shopping here,” he added.

Biona Organic, Clearspring, Doves Farm, Essential and Pukka are the top five brands in independents, according to Soil Association reasearch.

Those in the kitchen at delis and farm shops might be interested to hear MasterChef the Professionals is back for an 11th series and recruiting its next crop of hopeful chefs. Apply at masterchef.com Great Taste, the food and drink accreditation scheme organised by FFD publisher the Guild of Fine Food, reached its official 12,500-product entry cap in record time this year and looks set to bust the limit as producers pushed to be included.

Frozen food specialist Field Fare is set to introduce biodegradeable bags and is also calling on stockists and shoppers to re-use their own containers for its range of loose foods.

The company’s readymeal packaging is now 80% recycled material.

Norwich pop-up boosts farm shop sales The opening of a pop-up farm shop in Norwich city centre has proved the potential benefits of operating the format, with a surge in sales at the operator’s existing rural shop four miles away.

Blofield’s Farm Shop’s co-owners Cara Blezard and Marcus Pearcey opened the 430 sq ft popup because they wanted the chance to showcase locally-sourced products to the general population.

The existing farm shop lacks the passing footfall of the city centre site but Blezard said the pop-up’s launch had increased sales by 16-17% at the original farm shop.

“We’ve found sales have shot up in the existing farm shop because people who were walking past the pop-up didn’t even know

about the original store,” she added.

Blezard said the pop-up could become permanent if it gained traction over the next few months.

“It’s financially standing up well and based on a bit of a punt it’s worked.”

There is a definite demand from people to reconnect with local products, she said, and if you give them the right platform and did not force them to travel, there is a selling opportunity.

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

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NEWS

British applications continue in hope of post-Brexit protected food name deal

By Andrew Don

As yet another British product gains EU Protected Food Name status, producers are hopeful that Defra officials will establish a reciprocal agreement to maintain and enforce the scheme in the UK postBrexit.

Traditional Welsh Caerphilly cheese was awarded Protected Geographical Indication last month and there are still British applications in the pipeline, but no current provision for any products in UK law.

Matthew O’Callaghan, chairman of the UK Protected Food Names Association (UKPFNA), is optimistic the EU will persuade the UK to continue with a reciprocal scheme.

In theory, this would maintain the status of British products in Europe but also protect EU names in the UK. “I think that will be one of Europe’s red lines because

Traditional Welsh Caerphilly is the latest British product to join the EU’s protected food name scheme

things like Parma ham and Champagne are far too valuable.

“On the reciprocal basis, you don’t have to be a member of the EU to have protected food names within the EU.” O’Callaghan added that Defra secretary Michael Gove had said he wanted protected food name status to continue after Brexit.

He said the UKPFNA wanted “something seamless” so current protections continued

as well as for those with applications in the pipeline.

Defra declined to comment on any reciprocal agreement but the but said the department had been conducting a review of how European protected food names were enforced.

A spokesperson said the review had been “to identify clearer enforcement options for trading standards officers operating at a local level, ensuring the strongest level of protection to those who operate under the

Scottish farmed salmon under government scrutiny In a move that is pertinent to the UK’s smoked salmon producers, Scottish Parliament is seeking the input of the whole supply chain for its latest review of the country’s salmon farming industry.

Holyrood’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee has given a deadline of 27th April for people to submit their

views on the current state of the salmon industry, opportunities for its future development, and its environmental impact.

Committee convener Edward Mountain MSP said it would gather evidence from producers, processors and others directly involved in the salmon

Scottish Parliament wants input from the whole supply chain

industry, environmental organisations and Scotland’s food and drink sector.

Mountain pointed to managing farmed salmon health, particularly sea lice and gill disease, its environmental impact, and dealing with climate change.

Farmed Atlantic salmon is Scotland’s largest food export. Some £600m of Scottish farmed salmon was exported last year – up 35% on 2016.

Scott Landsburgh, Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) chief executive, said: “This record-breaking export success of Scottish salmon is a trail-blazer for other Scottish food overseas and a further reminder of the importance of salmon to the Scottish economy and food and drink sector.”

scheme”.

O’Callaghan said: “At the moment, our laws are very lax in terms of enforcing protected food names status.”

Jan Jones, general manager at Caws Cenarth, which led the application for Traditional Welsh Caerphilly, said protected names were an important marketing tool for all foods from the country.

“Welsh products are strongly linked to their place of origin, often combining traditional methods of production and local skills which have been passed down through the generations”.

Susie Abson, senior food manager at Food & Drink Wales, which also supported the successful Caerphilly bid, said the EU scheme had registered products from as far away as China, Thailand, Vietnam, Dominican Republic and Turkey. She said this set a “strong precedent” for the UK negotiations with EU.

New deli for Kendal Wainwright’s Yard, a custom-designed shopping area in the heart of the Lake District in Kendal, has announced the opening of a new food retailer.

Pomegranate and Sage, which opened last month, comprises a delicatessen and café focussing on healthy, fresh and home-made food. Tony Shaw, a former cabin crew manager and contract caterer, owns the new business.

Speaking to The Westmorland Gazette, Shaw said he would focus on gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian food.

He said he wanted to cater for people who wanted to eat as many calories as they wanted as well as those who were conscious about their diet.

Booths supermarket also operates from Wainwright’s yard, along with independent stores, high-street brands, cafés, restaurants and a bar.

Planet Organic responds to demand with online vegan shop Planet Organic has launched a vegan shop – a specialist area of its online store selling a range of 3,700 vegan-only products – in response to increased competition from supermarkets.

The retailer’s launch reflects the growing consumer trend for flexitarian diets, which has recently been quantified by a Kantar Worldpanel survey revealing that one in four UK dinners are vegetarian or vegan.

In response to demand, Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Asda have all announced vegan range launches since the start of 2018.

The latest Google Trends data shows that UK search volumes for key vegan products and terms such as ‘vegan diet’, ‘vegan

chocolate’ and ‘vegan cheese’, are up 100% compare to the same period in 2017.

Planet Organic CEO Peter Marsh said the retailer had “long filled a gap not served by supermarkets”.

He added: “The next logical step was to make it even easier for people to shop our entire vegan range and our new vegan shop can serve as a simple, ‘one-stop shop’ for vegans.”

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

13

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INTERVIEW IT MAY SEEM a tall order asking Monika Linton, founder of one of the most prominent Spanish food wholesale, import, retail, and restaurant businesses today to pick highlights from three decades of trading.

But during our meeting at Tapas Brindisa Soho (one of its five tapas bars and restaurants in Central London), she recounts her first order in 1990, specifically an artisan raw sheep’s milk cheese cured in olive oil.

“It was packaged in a beautiful tin and was probably one of the most expensive cheeses I could possibly have come across, but it was delicious,” she tells FFD. “It sold here in very small amounts due to its price, but those who tasted it absolutely loved it.”

This year Brindisa celebrates its 30th anniversary and Linton’s dedication and resolve to sell only top quality Spanish food at a premium price has remained unflinching.

“To me, the business is the products that we choose,” she says. “If you choose mediocre products, all your food contacts are of that level and we want to continue doing excellent food.”

“Because I had decided to start at the very top of the product range in quality I almost had no product that ever let anybody down. The only thing they had to do was understand why it was expensive and when they tasted it were like ‘wow, that’s worth every penny’.”

Monika Linton, Brindisa

Moving up and beyond borders Brindisa celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and while the Spanish importer has come a long way since 1988, Brexit may pose the biggest challenge yet to founder Monika Linton’s commitment to premium products

“Most of the Brexit outcomes being suggested really don’t favour a business like ours” Now, however, the UK’s decision to leave the EU is posing a huge challenge to Brindisa and Linton’s founding principle.

“Most of the outcomes being suggested really don’t favour a business like ours because we need Spanish people, Spanish language and Spanish food,” she says, adding that Brindisa has already lost some of its staff who have returned to Spain since the result was announced.

And talks of longer queues, new tariffs and increasing administration as a result of stricter border controls post-Brexit are a huge concern for the Spanish importer.

Since 1988, Brindisa has been working to grow its range of sensitive, shorter shelf life products, particularly fragile artisan cheeses, and Linton worries that new logistical challenges could threaten the diversity of products entering the UK. “Because ours is Spanish food, it is kind of discretionary. Not everybody has to have Spanish food, meaning that some people may not choose to buy as much from us and that’s an issue.

“So, we might have to consider reducing those products if it was a logistical problem we CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Interview by Lauren Phillips Portrait by Casey Lazonick

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

15

INTERVIEW had to overcome.”

That said, the wholesaler is already taking steps to prepare for these challenges this year by putting together an in-house team responsible for understanding Brexit and making choices for the business based on what trade deal Britain secures, if any.

The company has also bought an olive business in Barcelona from one of its suppliers who was retiring, and it is now considering what logistical benefits can be gained from this position.

“At the moment, we’re selling olives to ourselves here,” says Linton, “but depending on the outcome, we might need to consolidate our own products in Spain, or work with a Spanish partner to avoid extra costs or logistical challenges here.”

“It also gives us the potential to sell to Continental Europe from Spain, if the British market doesn’t grow for the next 2-3 years,” she adds. “We’ve always done a small amount of export from Britain, but if we are going to be out of the market then we might as well start working more from Spain.”

Pricing has become an issue for the company since the referendum result in June 2016. The plummeting exchange rate has had

a major impact and, compounding exchange rates, potential tariffs and new business costs, has led to price increases across all its product categories.

“We obviously have to watch our margin,” says Linton, “because you can negotiate what you can but there is no point negotiating your way into an unsafe place as a business.”

Competition also makes it more challenging for the company because it only deals in the best calibre of products it can – from Ibérico ham to Marcona almonds – and Linton acknowledges the need to extend its range to include middle and lower graded products to meet different consumer needs.

“Something has to give. Either you buy a cheaper product to try and protect a margin and offer the consumer a price that makes some sort of sense or you target the very top to whom money is no object.”

Although Brexit may threaten the quality of the products, Spanish cuisine itself has only in recent years become mainstream with different varieties of Spain’s core products becoming more widely available in both supermarkets and independents.

The popularity of Spanish food has also been helped by the growing number of tapas

“Cheap Italian food is nicer than cheap Spanish food. If Spanish food is done badly it doesn’t do anybody any favours.”

16

March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

bars with almost every town having some version of a tapas bar as they would an Italian restaurant.

“Some businesses have spread the word [about Spanish food] but are low level in terms of quality profile,” says Linton. “Cheap Italian food is generally nicer than cheap Spanish food.

If Spanish food is done badly it doesn’t do anybody any favours.”

Spanish dishes are also harder for the public to take on as other ingredients from Spain are relatively unknown to consumers and lack the theatricality of Italian cuisine. “We don’t have a mozzarella that is delicious and goes into every salad that everybody has ever eaten.”

“If you’re going to cook with Spanish food it often includes rice or pulses neither of which come easily to people in England and take time to prepare,” she says. “But if you can get a superior pulse, soak it properly, and cook it from scratch, it really is a thing of beauty.”

Linton believes Spanish beans and pulses will be the next popular trend to emerge in the UK, partly in response to the growing number of people reducing their meat consumption and adopting vegetarianism or veganism.

“The Spanish don’t overload the plate with meat,” she says, “you might have a huge bowl of beans with a little bit of pancetta in it. The beans are the main thing with a complementary piece of meat and a very good stock.”

As Brindisa celebrates its 30 years trading in the industry and prepares for any possible Brexit outcome, the next step for the wholesaler is increasing its exposure in the UK, whether that’s opening its base at Balham to the public or developing its mobility with retailing such as setting up a Manchego stand at a local market or chorizo grill at a festival.

“We want to make sure Brindisa is out there, not just at our sites but out on the street, out in the country,” says Linton.

Brindisa currently trades at its shop in Balham as it is, but there are plans to redesign the store on Hildreth Street with hopes of turning it into an iconic destination within its local community.

Food education will be a big part of the re-design, with Linton continuing her ethos of getting consumers to understand top quality Spanish ingredients by holding ham schools, cheese classes, supplier talks, cookery demonstrations and more in store.

“That’s what we can do well, combined with a programme of educational and eating and drinking events,” she says.

And because Brindisa’s warehouse will be close by, the store can also help promote the rest of the business both B2B and B2C. “We’ve decided that because the shop is very close to our warehouse, we can link the activities between the two and develop a customer base that can both visit the cheese maturing rooms in the warehouse and purchase from the shop,” says Linton.

So even if Brexit will be closing doors Brindisa’s will still be open, trusting in the quality of its products to carry on delivering to consumers for another 30 years to come. brindisa.com

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

SHAUN GOODMAN, co-founder, Grass Roots, Harrogate, N Yorks Grass Roots is a joint venture with my brother and his wife. They were looking for a change in lifestyle.

I was a lawyer, practising EU law in London, and wanted to contribute to the venture, particularly when the referendum happened, casting doubt on the future of EU law.

We wanted to establish a leisure destination with a café, food hall and gift shop. We’d looked at a few sites but found that barn opportunities were ripe for residential development and therefore overpriced. We made an offer on a garden centre that required significant renovation. We said we wouldn’t buy a failing business but it was a great location and decided it was a three-year project.

We opened in December 2016 and our aim for the first year was to finish the greenhouse that would house our café. During the building works, our retail space was halved to accommodate the café. This had an impact on revenue – we turned over £300,000 against our three-year target of becoming a £1 million business. This year, we are up 50% on last year.

The café is the largest part of the business; linking the food hall to the café provides opportunities to cross-sell. If we didn’t have that I suspect the food hall would struggle to survive.

Our food hall is a hybrid of a high-end delicatessen and a local food shop. We differentiate ourselves by sourcing products that customers won’t readily find elsewhere.

At the start, we selected products we liked and that looked attractive rather than ones with a commercial justification.

We should have put greater focus on margin. A few months on, when we reviewed the profitability of individual lines, we realised some weren’t selling and the margin on others was terrible. This wasn’t helped by the fact we were using three or four wholesalers. We consolidated to achieve better discounts but it was a steep learning curve and we would have been better to negotiate wholesaler discounts at the outset.

Shelf life management has been another lesson. At the beginning, a lot of products were delivered with short best before dates – crisps with a one-month shelf life, for example. We wouldn’t have contemplated saying to a wholesaler, “I do not want products with a shelf life of less than six months”. Now we wouldn’t hesitate to stipulate.

Next year our focus will be on renovating the front of the building to increase kerb appeal. Beyond that, the plan is to replace a dilapidated barn with self-catering eco-lodges – a diversification that would provide another crossselling opportunity.

Interview Lynda Searby Photography Phil Taylor

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

Regardless of where your moral compass points, I don’t think there’s any place for death threats in an ethical debate about food

By Michael Lane, Editor

Having extolled the commercial virtues of veganism in last month’s issue, I feel I’ve got to touch on its slightly darker side this time around.

On page 21, you can read all about what happened to Fen Farm Dairy’s Jonny Crickmore – the farmer behind the increasingly popular brie-style cheese Baron Bigod.

Regardless of where your moral compass points I don’t think there’s any place for death threats in an ethical debate about food. But that’s what some trolls purporting to be vegans did online, when Crickmore posted a photo of newborn calf triplets on the dairy’s Facebook page.

I’m not knocking veganism in general and I get that most don’t have such an extreme attitude to perceived animal welfare problems but it’s a case study that raises a few interesting points.

As it happens, Fen Farm did well out of these angry outbursts. A TV appearance (the fee was donated to charity) to discuss the abuse has raised the dairy’s profile and boosted sales. But Crickmore is more concerned that it will happen again to other farmers and his proposal is that the public need to be more educated about British farming practices.

This prompted me to think about a more prevalent, albeit less extreme, threat to the UK’s community of independent retailers and small producers.

Waitrose is back in our news pages for adding a variety of artisan producers to its deli counter line-up (page 7), with the promise of a wider roll-out and further recruitment of suppliers that would normally be found in independents’ counters or food markets.

I’ll admit some of the names with listings shocked me slightly but they haven’t done anything wrong. Yet, many retailers react to this kind of news with a threat to de-list and decry

EDITOR’S CHOICE Chosen by Lauren Phillips Assistant editor

the producer’s move to the multiples as a reckless act of selling-out.

Waitrose also came up in a conversation I had recently with a deli owner who’s decided to close. It was cited as a factor, along with staffing costs and footfall. One customer expressed her sadness to him about such a lovely shop closing but she was only coming in for one coffee a week and then driving down the road to Waitrose. He informed me that too many customers treated his shelves like wallpaper – a backdrop to their cup of coffee sipped before a trip to his competition.

What all of these situations have in common is a lack of understanding.

The militant vegans didn’t realise that Fen Farm prides itself on animal welfare – it’s not a factory farm.

Independents that feel betrayed by suppliers sometimes don’t ponder the reasons for seeking listings with supermarkets and that there might be some benefit in increased public exposure, too.

The lady who bemoaned the deli closure hadn’t even considered her role in its demise. If you don’t use a shop and spend some money in it, you might just lose it.

I’m not taking sides at all but it’s worth noting that we’re all caught up in this together.

Everyone likes to read recipes and gaze longingly at perfect plates on social media, but while food may well be escapism for many, it is also a business. That’s why you’re reading this magazine.

No one here is off-grid and everyone – from the beginning of the supply chain through to the retailer and the end consumer – plays a part in the making of money.

The rights and wrongs will always be moot points, but a little empathy might make tough realities a little easier to take.

It must be said that, with an RRP of £5.10 per 170g jar, Nutural World’s Almond Delight Spread may be too expensive for some. That and the non-descript name mean a retailer might have a job to sell it to customers without in-store tastings.

So, you might be wondering why I even picked it. Well, it’s because WKH Ĺ´DYRXU FRPELQDWLRQ ĹŠ the rose essence found in Turkish 'HOLJKW ZLWK DOPRQGV DQG UDLVLQV ĹŠ LV OLNH QRWKLQJ ,Ĺ?YH ever tasted in a spread. An ingenious product with a delightful twist. nuturalworld.com

In a retailing rut?

EDWARD BERRY The Flying Fork food & retail consutancy It happens to more people than you’d think. You made your dream a reality and should be so proud. But instead of the joy of retail, great food and happy customers, it’s invoices, cleaning, broken machinery and stroppy staff. Your day is not eight hours, it’s 15, every day. To top it off, you’re barely breaking even.

At this stage, it’s easy to wonder why you’re doing this and think back to the salaried days when you had a guaranteed income and weekends were yours. ,I \RXĹ?UH DW WKLV SRLQW WKH Ć“UVW WKLQJ WR consider is whether you still retain any love for the job – that is vital. It’s the reason you opened a shop regardless of the risk and warnings. Do you still want to do this?

“You are your own boss.

You get to do what you’re interested in, you set the deadlines and spark the creativity�

1H[W WR Ɠ[ DQ\ SUREOHP XQGHUVWDQG the causes. Ask yourself why you’ve lost WKDW SDVVLRQ ,W FRXOG EH ƓQDQFLDO SUHVVXUH overworking, loneliness or all of the above, and more.

Then, try to remember why you started, the fun you had planning what you wanted to accomplish, and the excitement just before opening.

Look back at your business plan. You are your own boss. You get to do what you’re interested in, you set the deadlines and spark the creativity.

2ZQLQJ D VKRS FDQ EH SURĆ“WDEOH LW KDV variety and no commute. Identify those good bits and celebrate your successes.

Focus on doing the tasks you love and then delegate the others.

Put that extra time to good use. Learn something new, recharge your batteries away from the shop or maybe look at those books and really get to know your business’s numbers.

If none of this works, don’t forget there is help available – seeking it is no indication of failure. It might just be a much-needed fresh start.

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

19

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

CHEESEWIRE

news & views from the cheese counter

Baron Bigod maker wants more awareness after vegan attacks

By Patrick McGuigan

One of Britain’s leading farmhouse cheesemakers has called for better education on farming after he was subjected to a barrage of online abuse from militant vegans last month – but the controversy did lead to improved sales.

Farmer Jonny Crickmore, who makes raw milk Baron Bigod brie at Fen Farm Dairy in Suffolk, had to block dozens of people on social media and call the police after he was overwhelmed by abusive messages for posting a picture of calf triplets on Facebook.

The image was shared on a vegan activists site in the US sparking several days of attacks, which included threats against his children. “It was a disturbing and horrible experience with people saying things like they hoped I die of cancer,� said Crickmore. “They also clearly didn’t have a clue about farming. Vegans are growing in number so as an industry we have to get the message out that animals like ours are looked after in a much better way than animals that are part of big factory farms.�

He added that dairy farmers and cheesemakers needed to be prepared to counter further criticisms in the future.

Crickmore and his wife Dulcie appeared on ITV’s This Morning to discuss dairy farming with a vegan

IN BRIEF Ram Hall Farm in Warwickshire, best known for its raw sheep’s milk cheese Berkswell, has launched an extra mature version called Old Grenadier – aged for at least a year. Available through Harvey & Brockless, the cheese has a KDUG JUDLQ\ WH[WXUH DQG VKDUSHU ŴDYRXU

‘Traditional Welsh Caerphilly’ and ‘Traditional :HOVK &DHUIĆ“OLĹ? QRZ KDYH 3URWHFWHG Geographical Indication (PGI) status from the EU after an application led by Carwyn Adams from Caws Cenarth. It means that only cheeses made in Wales with milk from Welsh farms can use the name.

Fen Farm Dairy’s Jonny Crickmore received a wealth of abuse online after posting a photo of calves on Facebook

campaigner and also wrote a Facebook post explaining the lengths they go to to ensure the welfare of their animals.

The measures seemed to pay off with a noticeable jump in sales. “People aren’t stupid,� said Crickmore. “They’ve seen what’s happened to us and want to support us.�

Crickmore added: “We need the nation to understand farming better. Things like Open Farm Sunday are great, but there’s an opportunity for organisations like the SCA and the NFU to do more.

The government also has a role, with better education in school.�

The number of vegans has more than tripled in the past

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Made with pasteurised milk, the foilwrapped cheese is matured for around 10-12 weeks and is sweet and buttery ZLWK GHOLFDWH VSLFH RQ WKH Ć“QLVK

decade with over half a million people now avoiding foods derived from animals. Industry bodies the AHDB and Dairy UK launched a marketing campaign in November, led by the spoof ‘Department of Dairy Related Scrumptious Affairs’, to help younger shoppers reconnect with dairy, while ‘Februdairy’ – an online campaign to promote the dairy sector and counter ‘Veganuary’ – was launched last month.

A spokesperson for The Vegan Society commented: “Veganism rejects violence and encourages compassion towards living beings and this incident is not representative of the vegan movement as a whole.�

/DQDUNVKLUH EDVHG (UULQJWRQ &KHHVHĹ?V Ć“JKW WR clear its name, after its products were linked by food authorities to a fatal E.coli outbreak, continued last month in a civil hearing at Hamilton Sheriff Court. Dr Richard North, a food safety consultant, told the court that evidence used to show Errington’s cheeses contained KDUPIXO OHYHOV RI WKH EDFWHULD ZDV Ĺ?Ĺ´DZHGĹ?

BEHIND THE COUNTER TIPS OF THE TRADE Blackboards are a FKHDS DQG Ĺ´H[LEOH way to communicate with customers and add personality to the shop.

Use them inside or outside to highlight special deals and promotions, cheeses of the week, what’s in season or even cheese facts, poems and jokes.

Mrs Bell’s Blue Chef Dan Kenny, who runs The Set restaurant in Brighton, makes a sweet and smoky ketchup-like hispi purÊe condiment by caramelising hispi cabbage leaves, before adding shallot, garlic, Madeira, sugar and chicken stock, then reducing and blitzing.

A small dab on a spoonful of gooey, stinky Epoisses is a near religious experience, but it also adds to the depth and intensity of blue cheeses.

Panforte is for life not just for Christmas.

The hard Italian cake from Siena has a sweetness – from the candied orange peel, dried ƓJV DQG KRQH\ Ŋ WKDW FRQWUDVWV with the cheese’s saltiness, while the fragrance of spices such as cinnamon and cloves melds with the blue’s gentle peppery end notes. The cheese-to-cake ratio is vital.

50/50 works well.

Put down the Sauternes.

Stout is a failsafe partner for blue cheese, but it’s particularly true of milk stout, which is sweetened with added lactose (milk sugar).

Bristol Beer Factory’s awardwinning version is a stunning example. Mrs Bell’s Blue’s salty, spicy notes are wrapped up in the sweet, chocolatey brew, making for a supremely comforting experience.

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

21

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CHEESEWIRE

news and views from the cheese counter

Mozzarella is always on my table at home, but only if it’s fresh

Set up by Simona di Vietri (above right), La Latteria makes all manner of fresh Italian ‘fior di latte’ cheeses

Stretch beyond imagination You might think it all comes from Italy, but some of the freshest burrata and mozzarella in the UK comes from London’s La Latteria Interview by Patrick McGuigan

Never mind smashed avocados on toast. Burrata has been the runaway hit food ingredient of the past few years, outmuscling mozzarella on restaurant menus, posting triple digit sales growth in Waitrose and even making it onto the shelves in Asda.

The cheese, which is essentially mozzarella filled with cream, has struck a chord with the public partly because of its luxurious creamy flavour, but also because it oozes so seductively when cut, making it the star of countless #cheeseporn videos on social media. Chefs also love its versatility – adding burrata to salads, desserts and pizzas, or serving it whole with a drizzle of olive oil or a few slices of blood orange.

The burrata boom has been good news for Italian cheesemakers, but it’s also been a blessing for London-based start-up La Latteria, which specialises in Italian cheese.

“It was a complete fluke launching the company when burrata became so fashionable – lucky for me I guess!” says Simona di Vietri, a native of Basilicata in southern Italy who set up the company two years ago after a career in private equity. “I was bored and miserable, so I decided to do something completely different.”

After starting out in Acton, di Vietri moved the business to larger premises in Park Royal last July where she processes around 6,000 litres of cows’ milk a week, collected daily from a farm in Surrey. The majority is turned into burrata, but the company also makes various types of ‘fior de latte’ mozzarella and ricotta. Everything is done by hand with a team of five staff stretching

mozzarella throughout the night so it is ready to be delivered first thing in the morning. The fresher the cheese, the better the quality, says di Vietri.

“Mozzarella is always on my table at home, but only if it’s fresh. In Italy, the day after it is made we only use it for cooking. The big advantage we have is that we are local. Our cheese is as fresh as can be and you can order the night before.”

The mozzarella has a shelf-life of five days and just four days for the burrata, which makes supplying retailers tricky – currently the company sells online and to a handful of Italian delis – but it’s not a problem for chefs, such as Phil Howard at Elystan Street, who serves La Latteria burrata with blood orange, rhubarb and soused red onion.

“I could have gone for big volume and lower prices, at the expense of quality, but instead I went for smaller volumes of a high quality product at a better price,” says di Vietri. “The chefs I supply are brilliant for word of mouth and they understand quality.”

Price is still important, however, with plenty of cheap, industrially produced mozzarella on the market and margins in foodservice under pressure from rising costs, partly caused by the fall in the value of the pound. That said, the UK’s decision to leave the EU was actually a big boost for La Latteria.

“With Brexit, it was another fluke. The day after the referendum, most Italian products went up by 10-15%,” she says. “For some products we are highly competitive and probably equally priced. For some others we are maybe 20-30% more expensive, but you are comparing our super-fresh artisanal cheeses with industrial products made in huge factories that take days to get here.” She might call it flukey, others would say you make your own luck.

CROSS

SECTION

Burrata 1

Named after the Italian word for butter (‘burro’) because of its rich, creamy flavour, burrata originated in the commune of Andria in Apulia. The cheese is said to have been invented in the 1920s by a dairy farmer called Lorenzo Bianchino as a way of preserving his milk and cream when heavy snows prevented him from making deliveries.

2 La Latteria’s cheesemakers create a purse of mozzarella using the pasta filata (stretched curd) method. The whey created during the process is boiled to make ricotta.

3 The mozzarella pouches are filled with an oozy combo of mozzarella scraps and panna (a UHT cream imported from Italy), called stracciatella. It is sealed at the top with a twist of the wrist.

lalatteria.co.uk

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

23

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Fresh eggs help Patchwork crack the perfect parfait

By Mick Whitworth

Posh paté-maker Patchwork says it took advice from a “professor of parfait” at a Welsh university to help perfect its latest launch.

Like all Patchwork’s deli counter terrines, its new chicken liver parfait will be supplied frozen to delis for ease of distribution and storage.

But co-founder Jenny Whitham had to trial more than a dozen recipes before achieving a smooth, creamy product that would not lose its texture after defrosting.

“Parfait can become a bit grainy after it’s been frozen and defrosted,” she told FFD. “I asked a parfait specialist at Cardiff Metropolitan’s food science

Creamy cracker: chefs have already bought into the parfait

department for ideas, and he suggested upping the amount of egg.”

Patchwork is also adding

Michael Lee adds affordable Italian options to line-up North of England distributor Michael Lee Fine Cheeses has added the Veroni range of cured meats to its small but growing charcuterie list.

The products – including Parma ham, mortadella, bresaola and fennel salami – are available as whole meats and salami or sliced in modified atmosphere packs, sized either 80-100g for retail or 250-500g for foodservice.

They are pitched at an affordable, midmarket price, according to Michael Lee, who founded the West Yorkshire wholesaler.

“They’re not mega-bucks,” said Lee, who also lists the Woodall’s British cured meats range. finecheesesltd.co.uk

xanthan gum to help achieve the perfect smoothness, but Whitham said: “If anything made a difference to the creaminess it was using real fresh eggs, cracked here in our factory, rather than bought-in liquid egg. ” The parfait was launched into restaurants before Christmas and shown to retailers at Fine Food Show North last month.

Whitham told FFD: “We’re going to market the parfait for the serveover counter initially, with an introductory price of £10 for 750g.”

A chilled retail version, in a jar, will be launched in time for Christmas, and a duck liver version is also in development. patchworkfoods.com

Fine Food Show North was the UK launchpad for a moist and balanced truffle prosciutto crudo from Italian premium producer Villani.

Newly introduced by importer Tenuta Marmorelle, which added Villani to its portfolio last year, the product comprises classic air-dried, boned and trimmed Italian ham, with a layer of summer truffle added during maturation.

“It’s exactly the same as a Parma ham, but can’t be called that because of the truffle,” said Nick Carlucci, who runs Tenuta Marmorelle with brother Vincent.

“At the moment it’s only available in boned joints, but Villani are stress-testing the sliced product for best-before etc now, so we think a sliced version [in a modified atmosphere pack] should be ready soon.”

Villani prosciutto crudo al tartufo is currently supplied one piece to a box at £24.95 per kg. tenutamarmorelle.com

Justin Staal: “Consumers don’t know what 100g or 200g of smoked fish looks like”

Staal to diversify after packaging revamp Craft producer Staal Smokehouse, based in the East Riding of Yorkshire, has upgraded its smoked fish and poultry packaging for the first time since launching in 2011.

Previously supplied in basic vac-packs with adhesive labels, the range – including smoked chicken, duck, salmon, haddock and trout – now features a striking, fold-over header card. Stick-on labels are used to distinguish each product in the line-up.

Owner Justin Staal said that while farm shops prefer simple packaging that keeps the product visible, “we felt the need to do something a bit different”.

“I didn’t want to do what so many have done and enclose the whole thing in a cardboard sleeve,” he told FFD. “Consumers don’t know what 100g or 200g of smoked meat or fish looks like, and they can easily be disappointed when they open the pack.”

Salmon is Staal’s biggest seller, with output rising from 70-80 smoked sides a week in January and February to 650-700 in the 10 days before Christmas. But with farmed salmon prices more than doubling since 2011 – driven by fish health issues in the global market, and heavy demand – Staal is looking at other options, including wild sea trout, eel, sea bass and pork.

However, hopes of smoking meats and cheeses too have met opposition from his environmental health officer, who wants to see him use separate smokers.

“We may have to think about applying for LEADER funding to build another smokehouse,” Staal told FFD. “While most of the demand is for salmon, we can’t rely on that. There’s no prospect of farmed salmon prices falling any time soon, so we need to look at other things.” staalsmokehouse.co.uk

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

25

CATEGORY FOCUS

A full larder

chocolate and confectionery Fifth Dimension Chocolates’ new MontrealLQĹ´XHQFHG %ULH LQIXVHG ZLWK white chocolate ganache promises to “delight both chocolate and cheese lovers DOLNHĹ? 7KH QHZ Ĺ´DYRXU features in the Explorer box, alongside other travel-inspired handmade chocolates, such as Kolkota chai and Sydney mint & miso. RRP ÂŁ26.50 for 18 chocolates or ÂŁ19.50 for 12.

5dchocolates.com

Translating the gin and prosecco trend into chocolate format is Farrah’s of Harrogate, with two additions to its Infusion bar range: milk chocolate gin & lime and milk chocolate prosecco & raspberry. RRP £3.29 for 100g. Also from Farrah’s is the Hourglass box range, featuring nine varieties of handmade fudge and sugar-free candies such as fruit salad chews and pear drops. RRP £2.99 for 100/150g. farrahs.com

'HPDQG IRU YHJDQ SURGXFWV is on the rise, and cashing into this is Luisa’s Vegan Chocolates. Solomon Island cacao forms the basis of this bean-to-bar range, which WDNHV LQ LQGLYLGXDO WUXIŴHV such as creamy coconut ganache and peanut butter crunch, and chocolate bark (shards of chocolate in honeycomb or goji berry with pistachio and coconut).

7UDGH SULFH e SHU WUXIĹ´H 553 e IRU VL[ WUXIĹ´HV luisasveganchocolates. co.uk

Following its launch onto the speciality chocolate scene last September, Greater Manchester start-up Bean and Pod has introduced a new %LWH 'HOLJKW FROOHFWLRQ of chocolate-coated and cocoa-dusted seed and nut combinations. SKUs include dark chocolate salted pumpkin seeds, milk chocolate cocoa dusted salt & pepper almonds and milk chocolate coated hazelnuts with toasted sesame. RRP from ÂŁ2.99 for 160g. beanandpod.com

Retailers looking to bring some Scandi style to their confectionery displays should check out FjĂĽk Sjokolade 1RUZD\Ĺ?V Ć“UVW bean-to-bar chocolate maker. Its portfolio includes a Nordic collection, inspired

by Norwegian nature and tradition and featuring lines like 70% dark Madagascar with reindeer moss & lingonberry, as well as a range of single origin bars and bean-to-bonbon chocolates. fjaak.no

The Chicken Shed has overhauled the packaging of its raw, dairy-, soya-, JOXWHQ DQG UHƓQHG sugar-free chocolate bars, and introduced two new ŴDYRXUV JLQJHU DQG OHPRQ 5HŴHFWLQJ WKH 2[IRUGVKLUH company’s environmental ethos, the new packaging LV UHF\FODEOH )6& FHUWLƓHG and printed using vegetable-based inks. Trade SULFH e 553 e IRU 60g. thechickenshed.eu

Amelia Rope has added dark salted butter caramel 70% to her collection of single origin Colombian chocolate bars. RRP is ÂŁ6-6.50 for 70g and stockists include Fortnum & Mason and Wholefoods. ameliarope.com

House of Dorchester has FUHDWHG D WUXIĹśH YHUVLRQ RI D FDNH classic. Presented in a themed gift ER[ FDUURW FDNH WUXIĹśHV DUH ZKLWH WUXIĹśHV ZLWK FLQQDPRQ DQG FDUURW extract, milk chocolate, icing sugar and coloured sparkle. RRP ÂŁ9.99 for 150g. houseofdorchester.com

Charbonnel et Walker’s ŜDJVKLS SLQN PDUF GH FKDPSDJQH WUXIŜHV DUH QRZ DYDLODEOH LQ D JLIW ER[ ZLWK D design inspired by botanicals IURP .HZ *DUGHQV DV SDUW RI WKH FRPSDQ\őV QHZ 6XPPHU +RXVH Collection. RRP £26 for 275g. charbonnel.co.uk

This bumper product update features the latest in chocolate & confectionery, soft drinks (p.28), coffee (p.34) and sweet & savoury biscuits (p.35).

Compiled by Lynda Searby and Lauren Phillips

26

March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

>> Bodmin-based Buttermilk says it has been focusing on developing seasonal products, such as pumpkin seed brittle for Thanksgiving, +DOORZHHQ DQG %RQĆ“UH 1LJKW DQG WUHDW Ć“OOHG FKRFRODWH Easter eggs. On sale in Selfridges, the eggs (RRP ÂŁ9.99) come in strawberry bellini fudge, caramel sea salt fudge and chocolate honeycomb varieties. buttermilk.co.uk

A new name on the Irish artisan chocolate scape, Rhoda Cocoa is the creation of chocolatier Rhoda Kirwan, who, from her County Wicklow NLWFKHQ FRQFHLYHV Ĺ´DYRXU combinations that bring out the best in single origin South American dark chocolate. Her bar with spices, morello cherries & pistachio won several awards last year. RRP ÂŁ4.805.80 for 100g. rhodacocoa.com

Ö, the new range from Sweden’s MalmÜ Chokladfabrik, stands for chocolate that is organic and free from traces of nuts, gluten and soy. The eight-strong UDQJH LQFOXGHV ŴDYRXUHG bars like dark chocolate & lingonberry as well as puritan lines like 85% very dark chocolate, and is so far only on sale at Totally Swedish in London. RRP £2.70 for 55g. malmochokladfabrik.se

Bristol-based Adam’s Chocolate has launched its goji berry & pistachio and PLQW Ĺ´DYRXUV RI RUJDQLF FROG pressed chocolate in a new 22g two-cube pocket-sized pack (RRP ÂŁ1.99). The cubes combine yacon, lucuma and maca, which are known as the ‘lost crops of the Incas’, with criollo cacao. adamschocolates.com

Our first retail stockist says it can’t restock the shelves quickly enough

/RQGRQ EDVHG %OLVVV %DUĆ“ KDV VHW RXW WR SXW D Ĺ?WDVW\ QHZ spinâ€? on mithai Indian sweets, with a range of oat-based EDUĆ“ PLON EDVHG FRQIHFWLRQHU\ 7KHUH DUH KRXVH Ĺ´DYRXUV IURP WKH WUDGLWLRQDO &ODVVLF 0LON DQG &RFRQXW Paradise to the more adventurous Cheesecake, Cookie 'RXJK DQG %XEEOHJXP 3RSSLQJ &DQG\ EDUĆ“ 553 e IRU a ten-piece box.

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1DNHG 5DZ LV D QHZ EUDQG RI UDZ FDFDR WUXIĹ´HV containing just three ingredients: organic raw $UULED 1DWLRQDO FDFDR medjool dates and raw organic coconut oil. They

come dusted with either cacao, chilli, ginger, coffee, cinnamon, maca or umami in 100% recyclable boxes.

553 e IRU IRXU WUXIĹ´HV ÂŁ15 for 12. nakedandraw.co.uk

Ethical chocolate producer Seed and Bean has announced the birth of ‘The Little One’ – a new, VPDOOHU VL]HG EDU )RXU ĹśDYRXUV – extra dark 72%, dark espresso, dark sweet orange & thyme and PLON VHD VDOW OLPH ĹŽ DUH DYDLODEOH in the new 25g bar size. RRP ÂŁ1.20. seedandbean.co.uk

0\ON YDQLOOD LV WKH ODWHVW DGGLWLRQ to Raw Halo’s line-up of 70g RUJDQLF GDLU\ IUHH UHžQHG VXJDU free raw chocolate bars (RRP £3.99).

Like the rest of the range, this new ĹśDYRXU LV EDVHG RQ 3HUXYLDQ UDZ cacao and sweetened with coconut sugar. rawhalo.com

Isle of Wight newcomer Slab Artisan Fudge believes it has hit on something with its vegan fudge, available in eight Ĺ´DYRXUV LQFOXGLQJ PDSOH & walnut, cookies & cream and sea-salted caramel. It says its Ć“UVW UHWDLO VWRFNLVW ĹŠ Rice Up Wholefoods LQ 6RXWKDPSWRQ ĹŠ LV continually placing RUGHUV EHFDXVH LW Ĺ?FDQĹ?W restock the shelves quickly enoughâ€?. RRP ÂŁ3.50 for a 150g slab. slabfudge.co.uk

Drippy eggs in milk chocolate with a strawberry drip, or white chocolate with a blueberry drip (RRP £14.95) are just one of the new ideas to come out of Creighton’s chocolate design kitchen in Leighton Buzzard. wearecreightons.com

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

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chocolate and confectionery

28

soft drinks

Bedfordshire-based Raw Spirit Chocolate Company is the latest entrant to the raw chocolate fray, with a library of vegan-friendly bars that are based on criollo cacao, produced at lower temperatures to preserve the nutrients and sweetened with organic coconut blossom sugar. 3% RI DOO SURƓW LV GRQDWHG WR D children’s charity. Trade price from £1.65 per bar. RRP £2.99. rawspiritchocolate company.co.uk

Peakz is hoping to carve out a niche with its chocolate squares, which marry a wholegrain core with a dark chocolate coating, in a convenient, snackable format. Pitched as providing a nutritious energy boost, WKH VTXDUHV DUH KLJK LQ Ć“EUH vegan and packed with iron and vitamin B12. They FRPH LQ WKUHH Ĺ´DYRXUV SODLQ chocolate, chocolate orange and salted caramel chocolate. RRP ÂŁ1.60 per 32g bag. peakz.co.uk

Devon producer Roly’s Fudge is responding to demand for vegan products with the introduction of two GDLU\ IUHH IXGJH ŴDYRXUV Featuring ingredients such as cashew butter, organic soya milk and organic coconut oil, the maple & cashew and salted maple & pecan fudges have a wholesale price of £2.50 for a 175g bag; RRP £4.50. rolysfudge.co.uk

Hot chocolate brand Kokoa Collection has ventured into chocolate, launching .RNRD WUXIŴHV PDGH ZLWK single origin cocoa nibs from Venezuela (RRP £5.99 for 130g) and Kokoa beans – whole roasted cocoa beans covered in 70% chocolate and dusted in cocoa powder (RRP £5.99 for 165g). kokoacollection.co.uk

South west London brunch bar Ben’s Canteen is known for its “bangingâ€? Bloody Marys and now owner Ben Walton has bottled the mix for retail. Rather than being all about spice, Bloody Ben’s mix has a “herbaceous punchâ€? and is pitched as a cordial for making “perfectâ€? Bloody Marys’ (simply add tomato juice and vodka). Wholesale price is ÂŁ4.50; RRP ÂŁ7.99 for a 330ml bottle. bloodybens.com

The Twelve Flavours of Indulgence is a new selection of 12 handmade and hand decorated chocolate coated fudge pieces from Fudge Kitchen. With an RRP of ÂŁ15, LW IHDWXUHV ĹśDYRXUV VXFK DV chocolate rose, stem ginger and butterscotch. fudgekitchen.co.uk

Lancashire’s Choc Amor has rolled out new packaging as it steps up its focus on the wholesale channel.

7KHUH DUH QRZ ĹśDYRXUV LQ LWV retail range, from Chilli Capuccino to multi-award winning Turkish Charm. Wholesale price ÂŁ2.05; RRP ÂŁ3.50 for 100g. chocamor.co.uk

The London-based Berry Company says it that its new açai and goji berry sparklers, which launch this month in 250ml cans, DUH WKH žUVW EOHQGV ZLWK QR DGGHG sugar to hit the category. RRP £0.99. theberrycompany.co.uk

March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

A cordial for making banging Bloody Marys

>> Matilda, the BFG and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory all feature in Appy Kids Co’s new Roald Dahl range of noadded-sugar fruit drinks. RRP is £1 for 3 x 200ml cartons.

Also new from the kids’ drinks brand is a zero sugar range RI IUXLW ŴDYRXUHG GULQNV LQ pouches, featuring characters from Paw Patrol, Dora and Minions. RRP £1 for 5 x 200ml pouches. appyco.com

Amaize Chicha Morada is a new drink based on antioxidant-rich purple corn, which grows in Arequipa, southern Peru, and gets its natural colour from the volcanic soil. Amaize has combined this superfood with lime juice, cinnamon, cloves and sugar to make a Chicha Morada (roughly translated as “purple brew�) for the UK market.

Wholesale price ÂŁ1.95 per 250ml, RRP ÂŁ3. Shelf life six weeks. amaizedrinks.com

Coldpress has added three new varieties to its line-up of fruity nut shakes, as part of a continued drive to provide low sugar almond milks with appeal beyond the “dairyfree community�. Available from this month in 250ml bottles, the new strawberry oat cashew, raspberry pear beetroot almond and spiced oat almond shakes use HPP (high pressure processing) to preserve the nutritional content of the ingredients. cold-press.com

English fruit juice (not from concentrate) and sparkling water are the only two ingredients in FĂŹor Fruit Merchants’ new trio of “no nastiesâ€? sparklers. The 80% juice drinks are designed WR Ć“OO D JDS LQ WKH RQ WUDGH market for “good quality carbonates that don’t FRQWDLQ DUWLĆ“FLDO DGGLWLYHV or added sugarâ€?. Wholesale price is ÂŁ20.40 for 24 x 330ml. Ć“IHIP FR XN

Cumbrian organic fruit and veg producer Eva’s Organics has started making pressed juice from the organic apples grown in its Carlisle orchard. A new venture for the family business, the juice retails at £3.30 for a 750ml bottle. evasorganics.co.uk

Calyx Drinks, the Lancashire producer of natural fruit and ŜRUDO GULQNV KDV WUHDWHG LWV hibiscus range to a new look and developed two new drinks – ODYHQGHU ZLWK KRQH\ ŜRZHU DQG chrysanthemum with star of the east (star anise) – for launch this summer. RRP £1.80 for 330ml. calyxdrinks.co.uk

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

29

New Reduced Sugar Recipes

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

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soft drinks

These tonic waters contain only natural honey as a sweetener

Isle of Man start-up Roots Beverage Co has launched its honeysweetened tonic waters to the UK market after signing a distribution and production deal with Bottling UK in Tottenham. Already on sale in over 30 Manx outlets, the tonic waters are available in WKUHH LQLWLDO Ĺ´DYRXUV Worker Bee Indian style, Queen Bee slimline and UKXEDUE Ĺ´DYRXUHG 5KX Bee. Wholesale price is ÂŁ18 for 24 x 200ml (RRP ÂŁ0.95) and ÂŁ7.60 for 8 x 500ml (RRP ÂŁ1.75).

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Shaken Udder has refreshed the packaging of its kids milkshakes WR Ĺ“EHWWHU UHĹśHFW WKH QDWXUDO LQJUHGLHQWV DQG SUHPLXP QDWXUH RI WKH EUDQGĹ” $YDLODEOH LQ VWUDZEHUU\ DQG FKRFRODWH ĹśDYRXUV 6KDNHQ 8GGHU .LGV KDYH DQ 553 RI e SHU PO FDUWRQ shakenudder.com

>> Launched to the trade at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair last September, Sleep Well is a new drink designed to help you wind down before bedtime. With its combination of full fat Jersey milk, valerian and honey, Sleep Well has already convinced Fortnum & Mason that it is worthy of a place on shelf. RRP from ÂŁ3.75 for a 1l carton. sleepwellmilk.com

6ZHGLVK Ć“UP froosh has adopted a “cheeky tone of voiceâ€? for its not-fromconcentrate juices and smoothies. “Orange is the new blackâ€? and “your dreams crushedâ€? are examples of the bold slogans featured on its branding. Strawberry, banana & guava, starfruit & \X]X DQG RUDQJH FDUURW ginger are just three of the blends available in 250ml and 750ml glass bottles and 150ml cartons. froosh.com

In creating new ice tea brand Kailani, Guy Morley has set out to “improve on what’s good about ice tea and get rid of the EDGĹ? &RQWDLQLQJ QR DUWLĆ“FLDO LQJUHGLHQWV RU DGGHG VXJDU Kailani is positioned as a “tasty alternative to sugar laden soft drinks and bland health drinks which suck the joy out of lifeâ€?.

7KH GULQN LV DOUHDG\ GLVWULEXWHG LQ 6SDLQ WKH &]HFK 5HSXEOLF and Slovakia, in white tea & peach, black tea & lemon, and JUHHQ WHD OLPH JLQJHU Ĺ´DYRXUV DQG ZLOO EH DYDLODEOH WR 8. retailers this year. kailaniicetea.com

This month sees the launch of a new traditional soda range from Manchester’s Steep Soda Co, a small brewery that specialises in small batch, allQDWXUDO Ɠ]]\ VRGDV 7UDGLWLRQDO lemonade (made from freshly VTXHH]HG 6LFLOLDQ OHPRQV sugar and water), handmade cola (made from kola nuts, VSLFHV DQG XQUHƓQHG VXJDUV

and ginger beer all have an RRP of ÂŁ2. steepsoda.co

Category stalwart Fentimans is chasing the premium mixer opportunity with its latest product development. It has added a new Mediterranean orange tonic water to its 500ml glass bottle range and introduced four of its most popular botanically brewed mixers – Indian tonic water, pink grapefruit tonic water, naturally light tonic water and ginger ale – in 150ml cans. fentimans.com

Rejuvenation Water – claimed WR EH WKH ZRUOGőV žUVW DPLQR acid enriched spring water – has RYHUKDXOHG LWV ERWWOH GHVLJQ LQ D ELG WR ZLGHQ LWV DSSHDO 6LQFH UROOLQJ RXW WKH QHZ GHVLJQ WKH water has gained listings with +ROODQG %DUUHWW 2FDGR DQG &RVWFR rejuvenationwater.co.uk

Ginger beer and light tonic water are the latest additions to Bon Accord’s OLQH XS %RWK DUH QRZ DYDLODEOH LQ PO ERWWOHV ZLWK a new look design that has been LQWURGXFHG DFURVV WKH HQWLUH UDQJH 553 e IRU JLQJHU EHHU e IRU OLJKW WRQLF ZDWHU bonaccordsoftdrinks.com

Tapping into the fermented food and beverages trend is Left Field Kombucha.

6FRWODQGĹ?V Ć“UVW FRPPHUFLDO kombucha brewery promotes its fermented teas as an alternative to wine and beer. There are three varieties so far –

Yunnan black kombucha, Tung Ting Oolong and 'DUMHHOLQJ VHFRQG Ĺ´XVK ĹŠ brewed purely from tea, with no added spices or Ĺ´DYRXULQJV :KROHVDOH price ÂŁ22 for 16 x 330ml bottles. RRP ÂŁ2.40.

OHIWĆ“HOGNRPEXFKD FR XN Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

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soft drinks

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Made with fairtrade agave, Madagascan vanilla and real kola nut

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

$W WKH RWKHU HQG RI WKH VFDOH WKH GHOL DOVR VWRFNV ERWWOHG ZDWHU IURP ORFDO EUDQG +DUURJDWH 6SULQJ :DWHU EXW DOVR PDLQVWUHDP EUDQG &RFD &ROD Ĺ?,W KXUWV WR VWRFN LW >&RFD &ROD@ EXW LW LV D QHFHVVLW\ IRU XV EHFDXVH PDQ\ FXVWRPHUV GR EX\ LW Ĺ? VD\V %HUU\ &XVWRPHUV WHQG WR ZDQW D VRIW GULQN WR JR ZLWK WKHLU WDNHDZD\ LWHP IURP WKH GHOL RU ZKHQ YLVLWLQJ WKH FDIÂŤ ZLWK VDOHV KLJKHU LQ WKH VXPPHU PRQWKV VKH DGGV haleyandclifford.co.uk

ZDWHU DQG JLQ WR EXLOG D ĹŒQHZ DJHĹ? * 7 'HULYHG IURP QDWXUDO KHUEV DQG VSLFHV ZLWK 3HUXYLDQ FLQFKRQD EDUN IRU D TXLQLQH NLFN WKH IRXU YDULHWLHV DUH RULJLQDO OLPH JDODQJDO RUDQJH \DUURZ URVHKLS HOGHUĹ´RZHU DQG SODLQ WRQLF jeffreystonic.com

Light Devon tonic water completes Luscombe’s new natural tonics mixers range, which launched last year. The new lower calorie PL[HU MRLQV H[LVWLQJ HOGHUŜRZHU grapefruit and Devon tonic water in a 20cl bottle. RRP £1.20. luscombe.co.uk

.HĹľU EUDQG Bio-tiful Dairy has added a strawberry & grapefruit variety to its smoothie range. Made with whole milk and 2,000-year-old live cultures, the smoothie is free IURP UHĹľQHG VXJDU DQG QDWXUDOO\ high in protein and calcium. RRP ÂŁ1.60 for 250ml. biotifuldairy.com

Gusto Organic, the VRIW GULQNV FRPSDQ\ FUHDWHG E\ *UHHQ %ODFNV IRXQGHU &UDLJ 6DPV DQG IDPLO\ LQ KDV UHLQYHQWHG LWV FROD RIIHULQJ )ROORZLQJ WKH ZLWKGUDZDO RI LWV FDQQHG FRODV WKH /RQGRQ FRPSDQ\ KDV FUDIWHG D SDLU RI DOO QDWXUDO FRODV XVLQJ $IULFDQ NROD QXW %RWK *XVWR RUJDQLF UHDO FROD DQG *XVWR QDWXUDOO\ slim cola are fairtrade FHUWLĆ“HG DQG KDYH DQ 553 RI e drinkgusto.com

The Phrooti brand has reemerged from the drawing board and relaunched with one product, mango water in a 330ml plastic bottle. This latest incarnation of Jerome Jacob’s fruit-water concept is made from crushed mango and spring water, containing no added sugar or sweeteners. phrooti.com

Naturally lovely new flavours

Call 01476 870286 or take a look at www.belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk

Deliciously Different & less than 5% sugar Dating back to Victorian London Franklin & Sons has always had a passion for original, great tasting drinks. 130 years on, today’s all-natural range still combines the finest quality ingredients from around the world.

The portfolio includes Apple & Rhubarb, Strawberry & Raspberry and Lemonade & Elderflower, all of which contain less than 5% sugar.

Experience Worth Sharing

To stock or for more information please call +44(0)1246 216 016 or email info@franklinandsons.co.uk

www.franklinandsons.co.uk for our full range of tonics, mixers, and soft drinks

@Franklinandsons

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

33

coffee

soft drinks

34

Franklin & Sons has launched two new soft drinks that offer a premium take on the UK’s most SRSXODU FDUERQDWH ŴDYRXUV cola, lemonade and orange.

Its new Valencian orange & pink grapefruit with lemongrass, and 1886 cola with West African kola nut & Colombian coffee bean DUH DYDLODEOH LQ PO DQG PO JODVV ERWWOHV globalbrands.co.uk

Continuing its focus RQ GHYHORSLQJ DOFRKRO DOWHUQDWLYHV Belvoir Fruit Farms has launched IRXU QHZ SUHVVÂŤV SLQN grapefruit, rhubarb & apple, botanical juniper & tonic and light ginger beer. The juniper & tonic is billed as the perfect substitute for D * 7 $OO DUH DYDLODEOH LQ PO DQG PO ERWWOHV belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk

Surrey-based Chimney Fire Coffee has launched a new range of organic Fairtrade blends, including a new Colombia Asotbilbao; a medium blend, with notes of raspberry, cherry and honey. The company also introduced Cold Brew, a drink made with coarse ground Ethiopia Yirgacheffe steeped for 18 hours in spring water and double Ć“OWHUHG WR FUHDWH D Ĺ?QDWXUDOO\ sweet and fruity drinkâ€?.

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Coffee & Kin’s speciality grade coffee is now also DYDLODEOH LQ FDSVXOHV ZKLFK are compostable and compatible with Nespresso machines. The three blends DUH 'LVFRYHU PDSOH V\UXS cherry & candy cane), (VFDSH WRIIHH VWUDZEHUU\ & hazelnut) and Explore UHG JUDSH UDVSEHUU\ dark chocolate). Trade price e 553 e EDJ RI capsules). coffeeandkin.co.uk

Hessian Coffee has created new branding for all its products as it looks to encourage brand loyalty.

Speaking about the new look, co-founder Niall 0F&UDH VDLG Ĺ?,WĹ?V D VWURQJ look, which portrays a thoroughly professional and commercial image which UHĹ´HFWV RXU DPELWLRQ WR EH D serious operator within the industry.â€? hessiancoffee.com

8QLYHUVLW\ SDOV 6DEULQD Brooks & Richard Barltrop KDYH WHDPHG XS ZLWK D shared desire to create EROG DQG H[FLWLQJ Ĺ´DYRXUV without sugar or alcohol.

Peel & Spice launches this spring with two VSDUNOLQJ YDULHWLHV JLQJHU cinnamon and lemongrass & black pepper. Wholesale SULFH e 553 e IRU D PO JODVV ERWWOH peelandspice.co.uk

Stress-busting plants from Asia known as adaptogens are the star ingredients in a new range of four organic elixirs marketed under the Humble Warrior brand.

The company’s co-founder Rosh Field says that while the market is awash with supplements and teas, until now, there has been no way to access so-called super ingredients such as reishi, panax ginseng, tulsi and moringa in a ready-to-drink format. the-humble-warrior.com

Ringtons has added three new espresso coffee beans to its collection. Rwandan +LOOV EHDQ FRIIHH D 7ULSOH &HUWLĆ“HG (VSUHVVR Bean, and Ringtons Blend No.1 Espresso Bean all FRPH LQ NJ EDJV 553 e 7KHVH OLQHV MRLQ 5LQJWRQV QHZ VLQJOH VHUYH coffee bags made of biodegradable bio-web 553 e SHU ER[ RI EDJV J

ringtons.co.uk

Edgcumbes’ newest product is a speciality grade coffee called Costa Rica, &HUUR 'UDJRQ IURP WKH Los Santas region of the famous TarrazĂş Estate. It is GHVFULEHG DV D Ĺ?FOHDQ DQG balanced coffeeâ€? ideal for VHUYLQJ LQ D Ć“OWHU IRUPDW WR Ĺ?HPSKDVLVH WKH VZHHW IUXLW\ Ĺ´DYRXUV DQG DSULFRW WDVWH ELWHVĹ? $YDLODEOH VLQFH 1RYHPEHU WKH WUDGH SULFH LV e SHU J EDJ RU ÂŁ14 per kg. edgcumbes.co.uk

Aromistico VD\V LW XVHV GLIIHUHQW FRIIHH YDULHWLHV – from the highlands of 13 different regions within the coffee belt area – in its new Italian hand-roasted coffee range. Among the collection is Venezia Intense Light Roast, Roma smooth medium/dark roast, Napoli strong dark roast, and Firenze rich aroma decaf medium roast. aromistico.coffee

Energy drink brand Scheckter’s Organic has reduced sugar across its range. Its original variant now contains 7g rather than 10g of sugar per 100ml ZKLOH LWV OLWH ŜDYRXU DQG JUHHQ teas have all been cut to 3g per 100ml. schecktersorganic.com

Folkington’s is tapping into the craft spirits trend with a new range of mixers in 150ml cans. Made from citrus and botanical extracts, the range takes in classic tonic water, naturally lower calorie tonic water, ginger ale, bitter lemon, lemonade and club soda. RRP £4.99 for an 8-can fridgepack. folkingtons.com

%UDGIRUGĹ‘V ĹľUVW VSHFLDOLW\ FRIIHH roaster, Casa Espresso has launched new branded retail labels on packs of its seasonal and ethically-sourced, 100% Arabica coffee, including its award-winning Charlestown Espresso Blend. casaespresso.co.uk

Responding to Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall’s War on Waste, North Star Coffee Roasters has launched the Spotlight range, made using 50% recycled FRIIHH FXS žEUH RQ LWV VOHHYH DQG box, both of which are 100% recyclable and biodegradable.

Trade price ÂŁ8.40 per 205g box (RRP ÂŁ12). northstarroast.com

March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

Innocente Orzo has updated the packaging of its Italian barely coffee, Innocente. Available in 500g bags, the coffee has a shelf life of up to 18 months, though should be consumed within one month once opened. RRP ÂŁ10. innocente-orzo.com

sweet & savoury biscuits $ JOXWHQ DQG ODFWRVH LQWROHUDQFH SURPSWHG IRXQGHU 'DYLG 7RZVH WR create Get Nourished DQ LFHG FRIIHH GULQN KLJK LQ SURWHLQ 7KH GULQN FRQWDLQLQJ J RI SURWHLQ SHU ERWWOH FRPHV LQ WKUHH Ĺ´DYRXUV FRFRQXW DQG FDFDR PRFKD KD]HOQXW DQG FDFDR PRFKD DQG YDQLOOD ODWWH :KLOH EHVW VHUYHG FKLOOHG WKH SURGXFW DOVR KDV DQ DPELHQW VKHOI OLIH RI QLQH PRQWKV 553 e getnourished.co.uk

$LPLQJ WR UHGHĆ“QH WKH GHFDI FRIIHH PDUNHW DV Ĺ?WKH ZRUOGĹ?V Ć“UVW GHFDI FRIIHH EUDQGĹ? Decadent Decaf Coffee Company KDV ODXQFKHG LWV Ć“UVW UHWDLO UDQJH 7KH EUDQG VD\V LW RQO\ URDVWV 6ZLVV :DWHU GHFDI SURFHVV EHDQV ZKLFK XVHV ZDWHU WR GHFDIIHLQDWH WKH EHDQV VR WKH SURFHVV UHPDLQV FKHPLFDO IUHH 553 e e IRU J decadentdecaf.com

Caffè Riccardo opened its DUWLVDQDO FRIIHH URDVWHU\ DQG VKRS LQ /LYHUSRRO LQ $XJXVW ODVW \HDU SURGXFLQJ LWV 5DLQIRUHVW $OOLDQFH &HUWLƓHG FRIIHH LQ VPDOO EDWFKHV 7KH WZR EOHQGV RQ RIIHU DUH LWV %XRQJLRUQR 553 e DQG 0HULWR e DYDLODEOH LQ J SDFNV RI ZKROH EHDQ RU JURXQG ,WV VLQJOH RULJLQ 9HOOXWR UHWDLOV DW e caffericcardo.com

0DQFXQLDQ FRPSDQ\ Cool Cold Brew LV ODXQFKLQJ D QHZ UDQJH RI KHDOWK\ UHDG\ WR GULQN FKLOOHG FRIIHHV WKLV PRQWK LQ PO 7HWUDSDN FDUWRQV ZLWK D PRQWK VKHOI OLIH 7KH UDQJH FRPHV LQ IRXU Ĺ´DYRXUV ZKLFK DUH LQVSLUHG E\ FRIIHH VKRS IDYRXULWHV EODFN ODWWH PRFKD DQG FRFRQXW 7UDGH SULFH e 553 e

coolcoldbrew.co.uk

Lean Caffeine is a new “clean FRIIHHĹ” VDLG WR EH FHUWLĹľHG IUHH RI P\FRWR[LQV ,WV 1LFDUDJXD 0LFURORW FRIIHH LV GHVFULEHG DV D VPRRWK dark chocolate taste with a touch RI YDQLOOD :KROHVDOH FRVW LV e SHU J RQ RUGHUV RI DQG DERYH 553 e

leancaffeine.co.uk

Bird & Wild Coffee is on a PLVVLRQ WR KHOS SURWHFW PLJUDWLQJ ELUGV E\ URDVWLQJ VHDVRQDO FRIIHH JURZQ RQ IRUHVW IDUPV WKDW SURWHFW GLYHUVH WUHH FDQRS\ DQG LWV ZLOGOLIH $YDLODEOH LQ WZR EOHQGV ĹŽ VHDVRQDO DQG DQ HVSUHVVR ĹŽ WKH 553 SHU e IRU D J EDJ birdandwild.co.uk

‌ notes of Seville orange, tamarind, mixed spice and dark chocolate

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RIIHULQJ QRWHV RI 6HYLOOH RUDQJH WDPDULQG PL[HG VSLFH DQG GDUN FKRFRODWH 7KH URDVWHU KDV DOVR FROODERUDWHG ZLWK *RULOOD 6SLULWV &R WR ODXQFK 0DUDED ĹŠ 5ZDQGD 5HG %RXUERQ EHDQV FROG EUHZHG E\ WKH GLVWLOOHU\ to produce a coffee OLTXHXU ZLWK Ĺ?EXWWHU\ FKRFRODWH Ĺ´DYRXUV IUXLW\ RYHUWRQH DQG D JHQWO\ FRIIHH DIWHUWDVWHĹ? moonroast.co.uk

Bristol Twenty Coffee has FUHDWHG D QHZ EOHQG FDOOHG 7(1 ĹŽ 5R\ ,UHODQG 0HPRULDO %OHQG LQ PHPRU\ RI LWV IRXQGHU ZKR SDVVHG DZD\ LQ IROORZLQJ KLV WKLUG ERXW RI FDQFHU $ SRUWLRQ RI SURFHHGV IURP HDFK pack sold will be donated to ORFDO KRVSLWDOVĹ‘ FKDULW\ $ERYH Beyond bristol-twenty.co.uk

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Teoni’s Cookies has created hand-dipped Banoffee oat FUXQFK FRRNLHV Ć“OOHG ZLWK toffee pieces and dipped in WKH SURGXFHUĹ?V RZQ EDQDQD Ĺ´DYRXUHG WKLFN FDUDPHO DQG FRYHUHG LQ GDUN FKRFRODWH 7HRQLĹ?V KDV DOVR ODXQFKHG D VDOWHG FDUDPHO VKRUWEUHDG D FUHDP\ EXWWHU ELVFXLW FRYHUHG LQ VDOWHG FDUDPHO DQG GDUN FKRFRODWH teoniscookies.co.uk

/DQFDVKLUH EDVHG Farmhouse Biscuits has WKLV PRQWK ODXQFKHG D UDQJH RI VDYRXU\ ELVFXLWV LQ Ć“YH YDULHWLHV ZLWK WDVWLQJ QRWHV DQG FKHHVH SDLULQJ VXJJHVWLRQV 7KH\ LQFOXGH 0RQWHUH\ -DFN SDSULND FUDQEHUU\ SXPSNLQ VHHG FKLOOL JDUOLF VXQGULHG WRPDWR SHVWR DQG EODFN ROLYH 553 e J SDFNV farmhouse-biscuits.co.uk

Nairn’s has extended LWV UDQJH RI JOXWHQ IUHH ELVFXLWV ZLWK &KXQN\ Biscuit Breaks to tap into WKH Ĺ?VQDFNLĆ“FDWLRQĹ? WUHQG 6DLG WR FRQWDLQ DW OHDVW OHVV VXJDU WKDQ WKH DYHUDJH JOXWHQ IUHH VZHHW ELVFXLW WKH %UHDNV FRPH LQ WZR Ĺ´DYRXUV RDWV GDUN FKRFRODWH FRFRQXW DQG RDWV EOXHEHUU\ UDVSEHUU\ 553 e nairns-oatcakes.com

Arden Fine Foods’ has D FUHDWHG D QHZ UDQJH ĹŠ 6HDJUHHQV 6SHOW 2DW\ 7KLQV )LHU\ &KLOOL 6SHOW 2DW\ 7KLQV DQG 6PRNHG 6DOPRQ &UHDP &KHHVH 'LOO 0HOWV ĹŠ WR FDWHU WR GLIIHUHQW PDUNHW GHPDQGV The Thins tap into the current trend for ancient JUDLQV LQ FRQYHQLHQW IRUPDWV ZKLOH WKH 0HOWV DUH SLWFKHG DW WKH ĹŒELJ QLJKW LQĹ? FURZG WKDW ZDV UHFHQWO\ predicted as a trend for

ardens.co.uk

Cranberry & yoghurt and dark chocolate & ginger are the latest ŜDYRXUV IURP Graham’s Bakery. /DXQFKHG RQO\ ODVW PRQWK WKH QHZ YDULHWLHV Ŏ DYDLODEOH LQ J SDFNV 553 e Ŏ MRLQ its Irish oat cookies and butter shortbread. grahamsbakery.com

Shortbread bites are the latest DGGLWLRQV WR 3RFNOLQJWRQ based Taste of Yorkshire’s biscuit collection. Launched ODVW 2FWREHU WKH ELWHV FRPH LQ WKUHH YDULHWLHV FODVVLF JLQJHU and chocolate. Wholesale price e 553 e

tasteofyorkshire.uk

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

35

BRITISH TO

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Raw, Unpasteur ised, Alive

PRODUCERS OF HIGH QUALITY ORGANIC, RAW, NATURALLY-FERMENTED FOOD AND DRINK

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Original Bramley Apple products from Southwell, Notts.

Juices Vinegar Cider Crisps Compote All natural & sugar free.

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sales@lovingfoods.co.uk (0161) 667 1477 www.lovingfoods.co.uk

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with original herbs and spices Email: sales@jeffreystonic.com I Phone: 07734428857 www.jeffreystonic.com

36

March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

sweet & savoury biscuits

‌ handcrafted Irish apple oatcakes, infused with Mac Ivors dry Irish cider

RHYTHM108 has launched its Ooh-La-La Tea Biscuits in a new 160g (around 20 biscuits per bag) sharing size which is also compostable at home.

2UJDQLF YHJDQ JOXWHQ DQG UHĆ“QHG VXJDU IUHH WKH WHD ELVFXLWV DUH DYDLODEOH LQ IRXU YDULHWLHV DOPRQG biscotti, coconut cookie, double-chocolate hazelnut and lemon ginger chia. RRP ÂŁ2.99. rhythm108.com

Based in Norwich, Bon Bakery produces artisan biscuits including biscotti and gluten-free boncotti. Its ODWHVW ELVFRWWL Ĺ´DYRXUV DUH almond, chocolate orange, salted caramel, coffee & hazelnut, and spiced fruit (RRP ÂŁ3.75, 150g). Its new VDYRXU\ EUXVFKHWWD OLQH XS includes Parmesan & black pepper, Mediterranean, VPRN\ FKLOOL DQG URVHPDU\ ROLYH RLO 553 e J

thebonbakery.com

How we stock it‌

STEVE TURVILL, owner Limoncello, Cambridge

Northern Irish craft EDNHU\ Ditty’s has GHYHORSHG KDQG FUDIWHG Irish apple oatcakes, made using rolled oats IURP &RXQW\ $UPDJK and infused with Mac ,YRUV GU\ ,ULVK FLGHU 7KH EDNHU\ XVHV WKH FLGHU as a replacement for the buttermilk it uses in its existing range of RDWFDNHV $YDLODEOH LQ 150g packs with an RRP £3. dittysbakery.com

Border Biscuits has increased its biscuit offering with the introduction of Strawberry Drizzle 0HOWV 7KH QHZ ŜDYRXU ZLOO MRLQ the brand’s Lemon Drizzle Melts as part of its Classic Recipes collection, which also includes its Viennese Whirls and Golden Oat Crumbles. borderbiscuits.co.uk

Chocolate producer Elizabeth Shaw has expanded into the biscuit FDWHJRU\ ZLWK LWV ODWHVW ODXQFK DLPLQJ WR SURYLGH D premium offering for adults.

7KH %ULVWRO EDVHG FRPSDQ\ KDV SURGXFHG IRXU YDULHWLHV HDFK FRYHUHG LQ LWV VLJQDWXUH FKRFRODWH UDLVLQ KD]HOQXW coconut & hazelnut, mint & cocoa, and raisin & cocoa.

RRP ÂŁ1.79 per shareable J SDFN elizabethshaw.co.uk

Rude Health has created WZR QHZ YDULHWLHV RI its organic, gluten-free FUDFNHUV FKLFNSHD OHQWLO and Buckwheat & black EHDQ FUDFNHUV 553 e J 7KH IRUPHU Ĺ´DYRXU LV VDLG WR KDYH D OLJKW DQG FUXQFK\ WH[WXUH ZKLOH WKH EODFN EHDQ FUDFNHU LV Ĺ?QXWW\ DQG WRDVW\Ĺ? rudehealth.com

This April Stockan’s is launching its oak cakes in new packaging and pack size. Baked with coarse ground wholegrain oats at their bakery, The Granary, the 150g Mini Orkney Oatcakes come in WKUHH YDULHWLHV RULJLQDO FUDFNHG black pepper, and cheese. stockans.com

The Fine Cookie Co – a sister brand of The Fine Cheese Co – KDV GHYHORSHG D QHZ &RFRQXW &KHUU\ 3LH YDULHW\ 7KH VRIW SDOH blonde cookies (RRP £1.55 each) DUH DYDLODEOH IRU IRRGVHUYLFH DQG loose retailing.

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Italian deli Limoncello PDNHV VXUH LW VWRFNV RQO\ unique or unusual sweet DQG VDYRXU\ ELVFXLWV “We want to be different from the supermarkets WR DYRLG DQ\ SULFH FRPSDULVRQV Ĺ? VD\V 7XUYLOO The retailer carries Amaretti in three different VL]HV DQG D VRIW YDULHW\ RI the sweet biscuits, along with Cantuccini, Scapaliati and Sapori, which comes with almonds or chocolate chips. “We stock boxes that come with half a bottle

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Italian food specialist 6HJJLDQR VD\V LW KDV UHYLYHG WKH GLJHVWLYH ELVFXLW tradition with the launch RI DQ DOWHUQDWLYH PRQR grain range. The range LQFOXGHV IRXU YDULHWLHV of stoneground grain – buckwheat, kamut, spelt

DQG U\H ĹŠ PDNLQJ WKHP \HDVW DQG GDLU\ IUHH Recommended as a cheese accompaniment DQG WRSSHG ZLWK FKXWQH\ RU IUXLW MHOO\ WKH ELVFXLWV KDYH DQ 553 RI e (150g & 170g). seggiano.com Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

37

Common Grounds Barrel-Aged Coffee (Bourbon Barrel Edition) Panama La Huella “Cafe de Panama” (Natural) Panama La Huella “Cafe de Panama” 100% Gesha (Natural)

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

ARTISAN PRODUCERS

Retailers key to building market for craft whisky Fine food stores have proved the perfect showcase for craft gin. Can they do the same for small-batch whisky? MICK WHITWORTH put the question to fledgling single malt producer Cotswold Distillery.

Delis and farm shops are ideal outlets for the UK’s emerging craft whisky brands, as distillers seek to persuade shoppers that single malt doesn’t have to be Scottish.

That’s the view of Zoe Rutherford, the former head distiller and now communications manager at Cotswold Distillery, which has just been named one of the world’s best craft producers.

Like many of the 270-plus distilleries now operating in the UK, Cotswold initially focused on gin – a product ready for sale in days rather than years. Last year its London Dry was awarded a rare Gold Outstanding in the International Wine & Spirit Competition.

But the business, set up four years ago by former fund manager Daniel Szor, always intended to major on ultra-premium, small-batch whisky. It released its first single malt last year, after the spirit had aged for the minimum three years required by law.

Having initially targeted specialist whisky

shops it is extending its reach to speciality food stores, which, Rutherford pointed out, have already proved a key outlet for premium gins.

“One reason is that they’re so good at instore tastings,” she said. “And their buying is so discerning, too. It’s all about provenance and taste.”

More than a dozen English whisky producers are currently registered with HMRC, although some have not yet built their distilleries. For all of them, persuading the average shopper to pay upwards of £40 a bottle could prove a challenge.

“When people have only ever drunk a Glenfiddich or Bells, and have been told for decades that Scotch is best, you have to tell them an alternative story,” Rutherford said.

She predicts the new breed of distillers will move away from the traditional marketing language of Scottish single malts, based on region (Islay, Speyside, Lowlands, etc), age (12-year-old, 18-year-old, etc) and peated or unpeated, and

talk instead about ‘production markers’ such as grain varieties and cask types.

“We think the whole idea of a regional style will fade out,” she said. “People now are looking more towards the type of grain they’re using and the conditions it has been grown in.”

Westland Distillery in Seattle, USA, for example, is looking at heirloom varieties like Purple Obsidian, an ancient Egyptian barley strain. Closer to home, the East London Liquor Co will shortly release a whisky made with rye, not barley.

“The other big one is casks,” said Rutherford.

“There’s a divide starting to appear between people who use any old cask, seeing it as just a vessel, and people who see cask type as so crucial they’ll invest all their money in it.”

Cotswold’s own “not so secret weapon” is the predominant use of red wine barrels conditioned by the costly STR (shaved, toasted and recharred) process promoted by global whisky guru Dr Jim Swan. Dr Swan, who died last year, helped the distillery create a young, sweet, fruity and smooth spirit, specifically for sale at around three years’ maturation.

“Maturity and age are not the same thing in whisky,” said Rutherford. “Maturity is about balancing depth of flavour and smoothness. You can achieve that in no time if you’re doing things properly.” cotswolddistillery.com

Chance to win free support from The Seed Academy Business mentoring scheme The Seed Fund is calling for entries for its annual support programme, GHVLJQHG WR KHOS VPDOO IRRG ƓUPV lay down strong roots and grow their brands.

Applicants for the 12 places on the programme must be food and drinks start-ups that have been trading for less than three years and have annual sales below £1m.

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West Country-based marketing and branding consultancy The Collaborators, The Seed Fund went national in 2017 in partnership with Great Taste.

To apply, entrants are asked to make a 1500 word “elevator pitch” via The Seed Fund’s website (below).

These will be assessed by a team of industry experts to produce a shortlist of 12, who will

all take part in The Seed Academy, a summer programme of free seminars, workshops and one-onone mentoring sessions to help them accelerate growth.

Mentors on this year’s Academy include Renée Elliott, founder of Planet Organic; John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food; Emma Murphy, head of buying at Sourced Market; and Gracie and Sophie Tyrrell, the

sisters behind the Squirrel Sisters.

At the end of the summer, one overall winner will be chosen to receive a year of business support and brand development, potentially worth more than £100,000.

The closing date for entries is April 30 and The Seed Academy’s Class of 2018 will be announced in May. theseedfund.co.uk

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

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SPECIALIST ARTISAN DEVON BAKERY

We expertly hand make all our own exquisite cookies and biscuits. hƐŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĮŶĞƐƚ ŶĂƚƵƌĂů ŝŶŐƌĞĚŝĞŶƚƐ͕ ĞĂĐŚ ŚĂŶĚƉŝĐŬĞĚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƐƵƉĞƌď ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ ŇĂǀŽƵƌ͕ ĐŽŵďŝŶĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƐŵĂůů͕ ŚŝŐŚůLJ ƐŬŝůůĞĚ͕ ŚĂŶĚͲďĂŬĞĚ ďĂƚĐŚĞƐ ƚŽ ƉƌŽĚƵĐĞ ƚŚĞ ǀĞƌLJ ďĞƐƚ͘

ESTABLISHED 1994

Hand-made Great Taste Award-winning oatcakes & biscuits contact kenmorebakery@hotmail.com or call 01887 830556 Also available from Ochil Foods www.ochilfoods.co.uk

WWW.TEONISCOOKIES.CO.UK

• Oatcakes: 1-star 2015 • Millers Crunch: 2-star 2017, 1-star 2015 & 2016 • -DFNLH·V 'RXEOH *LQJHUV: 2-star 2017 • Kenmore Shortbread: 1-star 2015 • Scottish Homemade Tablet: 1-star 2016 & 2017 · Stem Ginger Tablet: 1-star 2017 & 2-star 2016 • Traditional Scottish Tablet: 1-star 2015

Our small batch coffees are dragon-roasted by the sea, and freshly made to order.

Available to all independent retailers nationwide Perfect for your deli café, bar or restaurant Private label orders welcome Ring today to have a chat about your business needs on 07900 011 244

Organic All Butter Biscuits www.islandbakery.co.uk 40

March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

www.welshcoffee.com

SHOW PREVIEW Northern Ireland’s premier food, drink, retail and hospitality event, takes place at Belfast’s Titanic Exhibition Centre from Tuesday 20th to Thursday 22nd March 2018. Here’s why you should go:

Six reasons to visit… IFEX 2018

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2

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It’s a biennial thing

Great Taste in town

Chefing talent hits the street

This show only happens every two years, so grab the opportunity to see more than 200 exhibitors under one roof. There are both major players in foodservice, such as Lyans, Bunzl McLaughlin and Musgrave MarketPlace, and local food producers, including Suki Tea, Cavanagh Free Range Eggs and S.D. Bell.

IFEX organiser Fresh Montgomery has once again partnered with The Guild of Fine Food to introduce a Great Taste Market to the show. The market area will showcase the finest food and drink from a variety of Great Taste winners from across Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

IFEX plays host to Ireland’s largest chef competition, Salon Culinaire. As well as IFEX Northern Ireland Chef of the Year and Junior Chef of the Year competitions, visitors might also be inspired by new addition Street Food International, where teams from catering colleges will be producing and serving a range of modern street food style dishes.

ifexexhibition.co.uk

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Meat the world

Get into the spirit

Discover the best in show

Meat@IFEX is a brand-new butchery and meat expo, that will sit alongside IFEX at the Titanic Exhibition Centre. It will also play host to the World Butchers’ Challenge, which pits 12 international teams of butchers against one another.

Casting a spotlight on everything from traditional Irish Whiskey to flavoured spirits, and craft beers to cocktails, Drink@IFEX will showcase the newest and freshest drinks on the market.

Visitors can pick up tips and enjoy tastings in a specialist area aimed at those looking for advice, training and inspiration.

IFEX will be scouring the stands to award the prestigious Product of the Show Award. Judged by an independent panel of industry experts, including Adrian McLaughlin, General Manager of Carton House and chef Jack Duffy, this award will highlight the most innovative and high-quality product at IFEX across all categories including catering equipment, grocery, sustainability and technology.

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

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Your resistance will crumble.

We still hand-bake our shortbread to Helen Dean’s exacting standards using her very own recipe and traditional ingredients. It’s the Dean’s way and as far as we’re concerned, it’s the only way to ensure our baking tastes just as good as my mother used to make.

Bill Dean

o Fa vis rm iti ou ut m Fi n n r g Sh p or d op Co rod e a t u s & w c bou De ol ts t li, d F by st ay an re d a D7 t 8D

deans.co.uk

fuss-free, naturally delicious & equivalent to 20 Madagascan vanilla pods (seeds & all!) in one handy tube

visit

.co.uk 42

March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

SHELF TALK

Tunisian delicacies enter UK market following US success

By Lauren Phillips

After enjoying success in the US and Europe over the last 27 years, a range of gourmet Tunisian products from Moulins Mahjoub will be launching in UK via Mediterranean specialities distributor, The Artisan Olive Oil Company.

The range includes the producer’s olives, preserves, condiments, jams, chutneys, several harissas, m’hamsa couscous (RRP £6, 500g), and Shak-Shuka – a mix of onions, tomatoes, peppers and Tunisian spices traditionally served with fish, chicken or mixed with eggs for brunch (RRP £3.90, 200g).

Commenting on the launch, general manager of Moulins Mahjoub Abdelmajid Mahjoub said: “We decided to enter the UK market as we felt its convergence towards the values of Moulins Mahjoub’s to create authentic taste with the best organic produce from our own estate.� “We hope to offer a new, subtle and Southern take on Mediterranean cuisine,� he added.

Also among its Tunisian offering is the

producer’s range of gourmet tomato-based cooking sauces (RRP £4.50 per 340g jar, serves 4), named after four villages in the Medjerda valley, in Northern Tunisia Each variety is prepared with extra virgin olive oil, regional spices and various vegetables grown on Moulins Mahjoub estate: Testour (artichokes, pickled lemons), Tebourba (artichokes, harissa, black olives), Teboursouk (green olives, pickled lemon, capers) and Tibar (harissa, capers).

The range is recommended for use with pasta, rice, cooked with eggs, mixed with ricotta or poured over the producer’s m’hamsa couscous. “Following its remarkable commercial success in the US, we see significant potential for Moulins Mahjoub in the UK,� said founder of The Artisan Olive Oil Company, Yacine Amor. “It offers a highly attractive offering with versatile delicatessen, combining exceptional taste, honest ingredients and responsible farming.�

Displays that pay PEP-UP YOUR SHELVES WITH THE GUILD OF FINE FOOD’S RESIDENT MERCHANDISING QUEEN JILLY SITCH You don’t always have to assemble pyramids of products or elaborate cross-merchandising acts. Sometimes displays can be about just one item.

Whether you’re trying to shift something or you want to get behind a hard-to-explain product, the problem is usually the same – customers are lazy and want you to do the work. They don’t want to read the small print on that jar, bottle or packet. So, you need to.

Dissect it for them. Assemble some of the raw ingredients (yes, even if you don’t stock them) and, literally, lay them out alongside the product. It doesn’t have to cost much; we’re only talking about a handful of fresh veg here or a pot of herbs there.

Then, consider any damaged stock you might use. There’s always a slightly broken box of crackers in the storeroom that could be scattered about or used as a sampling aid.

And you don’t need a huge space, just a prominent one. My take on The Artisan Kitchen’s Blaisdon plum jam (below), complete with plums, was on a table barely 2ft wide.

artisanoliveoilcompany.com

Mustard ketchup fusion to stir up street dining scene

What’s new The Garlic Farm has released a garlic mayonnaise made with lemon, spices and black garlic.

The producer says the addition of citrus to its existing garlic mayonnaise recipe lifts the Ĺ´DYRXU SURĆ“OH ZKLOH WKH EODFN garlic offers caramel notes and a “velvety richnessâ€?. Each jar features a textured, metallic label. Trade price ÂŁ2.85 (RRP ÂŁ4.25). thegarlicfarm.co.uk

6LQFH ODXQFKLQJ LWV Ć“J OHDI RLO in 2016, Belazu has expanded its fresh leaf olive oils lineup with the addition of fresh parsley and fresh basil varieties.

The parsley oil is bright green in colour with “grassy and peppery notesâ€?, while the basil variety works with stronger, VSLFLHU Ĺ´DYRXUV EHFDXVH RI LWV “distinctive aroma and slight hint of aniseedâ€?. belazu.com

Scottish producer FĂŹor Fruit Merchants will be launching its range of gently sparkling soft drinks to the UK market at the Farm & Deli Show this April. A combination of 80% fruit juice and Welsh water, the drinks FRPH LQ WKUHH Ĺ´DYRXUV DSSOH apple & raspberry, and pear & apple. Wholesale price ÂŁ20.40 (including delivery) for 24 x 330ml cases. Ć“IHIP FR XN

Growing consumer appetite for street food inspired Tracklements to develop a hot mustard ketchup.

Launching this month, the yellow ketchup is this season’s Special Edition.

Described as “moreish� and “tangy�, the product’s heat comes from the addition of cayenne pepper.

In keeping with the street food style of eating, the ketchup is recommended as a hotter alternative condiment at barbecues or to liven up cheese toasties.

It comes in 230ml bottles, with an RRP of ÂŁ3.20. tracklements.co.uk Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

43

SHELF TALK Chickpea water vegan mayo is latest hidden gem from Rubies in the Rubble Famed for its use of wonky veg rejected by the supermarkets, Rubies in the Rubble has now turned its hand to making vegan mayonnaises using the discarded water from canned or cooked chickpeas.

The starch- and protein-rich liquid, known as aquafaba, mimics the effect of egg whites, allowing the producer to whip it up with rapeseed oil, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice, along with a hint of Dijon mustard.

As well as an original variety, the sustainable gourmet condiment producer has also launched a chipotle mayonnaise, flavoured with smoked chilli powder.

Both come in 210g jars with an RRP of ÂŁ3.50.

Rubies in the Rubble co-founder Jenny Costa said the NPD was inspired by a food blogger using aquafaba to make

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

1

vegan meringues. “Every year hummus manufacturers empty gallons of water from cooking chickpeas down the sink,� said Costa. “So we thought we would put this nutritious, golden liquid to great use in our new range.� rubiesintherubble.com

WHAT’S NEW Charlotte Brown’s Handmade latest line LV Ć“J SHDU FKXWQH\ ,WV Ĺ?XQXVXDO VSLFLQJ DQG WH[WXUHĹ? ZRUNV ZHOO ZLWK KDP JDPPRQ DQG EDFRQ DV ZHOO DV FKHHVH $YDLODEOH LQ FDVHV RI [ J MDUV IRU e 553 e SHU MDU

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

Llaeth Y Llan DND 9LOODJH 'DLU\ KDV D QHZ 1DWXUDO ZLWK +RQH\ J SRWV

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AY D ty TO so R k/ TE co.u EN gff.

What is Shop of the Year?

Shop of the Year is an accreditation that recognises and promotes retail excellence.

Independent retailers from all over the UK & Ireland will compete to win these highly coveted awards, covering the key areas of retail skills, food know-how and operations.

Shop of the Year timings 2018 Open for entry

12 February

Closed for entry

13 April

First round anonymous judging

June/July

Second round announced judging Winners announced

August/September Late September/ early October

Why enter Shop of the Year?

Independent retailers deserve recognition for their excellence and continual innovation. This is your opportunity to demonstrate what your business is doing and reward your team. An award will serve as a powerful boost for your business through PR and motiving your crew.

Shop of the Year recognises and promotes retail excellence. The awards offer retailers the opportunity to celebrate the highest levels of retailing, innovation and superb customer service.

Edward Berry, Owner of the Flying Fork and Shop of the Year Judge

How much does it cost to enter?

Nothing. Free entry for all independent retailers.

Enter your business today www.gff.co.uk/soty or call +44 (0)1747 825200 gff.co.uk/soty

@guildoffinefood #SotY

a S on t IF ee st EX us an 20 d 1 F2 8 6

Ireland’s Oldest Independent Tea & Coffee Merchants Great Taste award-winning Speciality Teas and Coffees

a an Co on t IF d s me st EX ee an 2 us d 01 F4 8 6

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N O R T H ER N I R EL A N D ’ S L E A D I N G A R T I S A N B A K ER Y

Award-Winning Free-Range Eggs From the Lakelands of County Fermanagh

For Wholesale enquiries please contact: Gary Dougan, Email: gary @ yellowdoordeli.co.uk Mobile: 07841 347612 Y E L LO W D O O R D E L I .C O.U K

The Halls are dedicated to providing a caring and nurturing environment for their hens and are focused on producing the best quality eggs in the industry. Cavanagh Eggs have won numerous awards for their eggs including a 2-Star award at Great Taste 2016, the Blas na hEireann Chef’s Choice Award 2016, Best Artisan Producer in the inaugural Grow Make Eat Drink Awards and more recently the Northern Ireland Food Manufacturing Awards 2017.

Eileen Hall: 07857964468 | John Hall: 07857964436 Email: info@cavanaghfreerangeeggs.co.uk

Best Artisan Producer

www.awardwinningeggs.com 46

March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

FS&D Sign ad 230x315.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2018 11:55 Page 1

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

DRINKS

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Our amazing Christmas puddings were an Editor’s Choice product at Fine Food Show North 2018!

This luxurious Four Generation pudding is laced with Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey

These puddings are a must as you plan your 2018 Christmas launch and hamper choices.

It’s Great Customer Service And it’s Happy Bakers making the edible taste incredible Click on the website videos to see the bakery elves in action t: 01274 590698 e: Sales@just-desserts.co.uk w: www.just-desserts.co.uk Station Road • Shipley • West Yorkshire • BD18 2JL 48

March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

01905 745 437 |

nanalilys.co.uk

FINE FOOD SHOW NORTH 2018

Show selectors The editorial team at Fine Food Digest – Michael Lane, Lauren Phillips and Mick Whitworth – sampled products from last month’s Fine Food Show North. Here they talk through their top picks.

Incredible Bakery Company GINGER, DATE & CHOCOLATE LOAF incrediblebakerycompany.co.uk The chocolate chips scattered on the outside add to the appeal of this nicely packaged vegan and glutenfree loaf. Although it’s also available as a four-pack of smaller rolls, we preferred the full-size loaf. It’s very versatile too – as good with a slice of cheese as slathered in butter.

Abbey Biscuits EGGNOG BISCUITS abbeybiscuits.co.uk Admittedly, we were dubious about the concept of eggnog biscuits, but these doubts instantly GLVDSSHDUHG RQ ƓUVW bite. The texture is fabulous – they go from crunchy to melt-in-the-mouth – and there is a good balance of sweetness with a hint of spice.

The Great Stuff Company SWEET CINNAMON WITH MAPLE SYRUP POPCORN thegreatstuffcompany. co.uk This is a great snacking product for consumers VHHNLQJ D VXJDU Ɠ[ without feeling like

they’ve overdone it. A good dusting of cinnamon and the light maple syrup coating means it isn’t too cloying and the product ticks lots of health boxes. Novel branding, too.

Nutural World ALMOND DELIGHT SPREAD nuturalworld.com Just almonds, raisins and rose essence – this smile-inducing spread is an ingenious cross between almond butter and Turkish Delight.

We thought the packaging could be bit more explicit about this combination with more of a nod to the Eastern confectionery.

The Sweet Beet HABANERO LIME JELLY thesweetbeetuk.co.uk Although the lime doesn’t stand out, the habanero heat in this sweet jelly comes through slowly and smoothly. Use it with cheese and cured meat or as a dipping sauce, perhaps with prawn spring rolls. The colour combination of the red jelly and teal label should stand out well on shelf.

Nana Lily’s FOUR GENERATION CHRISTMAS PUDDING nanalilys.com This pudding was billed as “light in texture” and lacking “the gritty, heavy taste of many traditional

puddings” and we’d have to agree. It is indeed light, as well as moist and very fruity making it an alternative to the stodgy texture we associate with Christmas pudding.

Yare Valley Oils GARLIC & ROSEMARY COLD-PRESSED RAPESEED OIL INFUSION yarevalley.com At an RRP of £2.99 for 100ml, this is a wellpriced, neatly labelled and sensibly-sized option from Yare Valley Oils. You could easily add JDUOLF DQG URVHPDU\ ŴDYRXU WR DQ\ hot dish or salad dressing, but it’s ideal for roasting potatoes.

Burren Balsamics BEETROOT & COCOA NIB WHITE ITALIAN CONDIMENT burrenbalsamics.com Don’t expect a thick, treacly caramelised balsamic. This clever effort from Northern Ireland’s Burren Balsamics, is a white balsamic vinegar that offers all of the ŴDYRXUV LQ LWV QDPH 7U\ it in a jus or added to a gravy at the last minute to give extra depth.

Craggs & Co SPELT FLOUR craggsandco.co.uk There’s certainly room in the market

for another premium British spelt producer, and with RRPs of £2.50 (wholegrain) and £3.00 (white), this pair from the North East of England provide a slightly lower price point than others already on sale.

Mak Tok SWEET CHILLI PASTE maktok.com A follow up to Mak Tok’s Signature chilli paste, this product is slightly hotter than other sweet chilli sauces but don’t assume that LW PDVNV ŴDYRXU 7KH WH[WXUH LV good and the colour is a natural red rather than a luminous orange of more conventional sweet chilli sauces. Unlike other sauces, its ingredient list is clean, too.

Weetons Food Hall CHEF-TO-GO ROSTI POTATOES weetons.com We sampled the lasagne and ƓVK SLH IURP Harrogate store Weetons’ new wholesale range and were impressed by the quality of ingredients in both. But it was the Rosti potatoes that impressed the most, with the addition of wholegrain mustard proving a stroke of genius.

'HƓQLWHO\ RQH WR SDVV RII DV KRPH cooked.

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

49

DELI OF THE MONTH Four years ago, beer was not riding as high as it is now. But that didn’t deter Anne-Marie and Charlie Beatty from opening one of the country’s few, if only, ale and cheese shops. So far, it’s proved to be a winning combination.

Interview by Michael Lane

Plenty of bottle IF YOU GOOGLE ‘cheese and beer shop’, the results are dominated by references to a small unit tucked away in the slightly neglected Harris Arcade near Reading station.

Given its unusual proposition, The Grumpy Goat seems at home among the arcade’s eclectic mix of tenants, including a tattooist, a Chinese medicine practitioner and a tobacconist.

Nowadays ‘quirky’ has become over-used – often as a backhanded compliment – but The Grumpy Goat is worthy of the adjective in the most positive sense.

It’s not often you visit a shop on a Tuesday morning and the first thing you witness is a customer requesting a kilo of cheese from the counter, for a raclette party. By contrast, I watch other customers silently and reverently browse the impressive and colourful selection of bottles and cans, spanning traditional ales and craft beers, before buying a handful and squirreling them away in their rucksacks.

Now embarking on their fifth year of trading, co-owners Anne-Marie and Charlie Beatty have proved that their chosen specialities are a bona fide retail combination with broad appeal, rather than just an odd gimmick.

VITAL STATISTICS

Location: 8-9 Harris Arcade, Reading RG1 1DN Turnover: £150,000 No. of staff: 2 full-time (owners), 3 part-time Retail space: 320 sq ft No of beers: 400-450 No of cheeses: 40+ 50

March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

“They are two things that make my heart sing,” Charlie tells FFD. “People easily get addicted to cheese and it’s the same with trying new beers. I think someone has described them as fermented friends.”

She adds: “It’s a much more accessible pairing than wine.”

Thanks to The Grumpy Goat’s popular side-line staging cheese-matching events off the premises, the Beattys are able to reel off a roster of crowd-pleasers. For a classic strong cheddar, you need a robust traditional British bitter. Blue cheese works well with 8%+ imperial stouts and for goats’ cheese try a deliberately tart sour beer brewed with wild yeasts. They even suggest partnering chilli cheese with a hoppy red ale.

Given the prevalence of food-matching articles and events, The Grumpy Goat’s concept might not seem that ground-breaking but the Beattys were way ahead of the times when they decided to set up four years ago.

On the cusp of their 30s, they didn’t want to do their 9-5 London jobs any more (Anne-Marie was a teacher and Charlie worked in property development). They both loved beer and cheese and the town, where they were once students,

didn’t have a shop that specialised in either.

Loosely related to an ale-drinking stereotype, the shop’s name just “kind of fell out” and seemed catchy enough. The fact that some regulars now shorten it to ‘The Goat’ indicates how established the shop has become but there were encouraging signs for the Beattys on their “mental” opening day in December 2013, with queues out of the door.

While cheese has always been a banker for independents, beer was a different proposition back then.

“We started with about 100 different beers, most of those local real ales and traditional styles,” says Charlie. “And then as the demand and market’s grown, we’ve grown with it.”

The beer selection has more than quadrupled, thanks mainly to a modern brewing renaissance.

“The craft beer scene is going mad, and that’s happened off the back of the American beer scene,” says Anne-Marie, adding that new breweries are even popping up in places like Poland, Estonia and Israel.

At this point, I have to ask the eternal question. What exactly is craft beer?

“It’s been coined as a term to give an expectation of more experimental beer rather than traditional styles and real ale,” says Charlie, gamely tackling a term that many beer experts find difficult to define. And the term does mean a lot of things.

She adds: “Real ale is defined by CAMRA as undergoing secondary fermentation in its final vessel. Craft beer doesn’t have to do that.”

Anne-Marie says that to be “craft”, a beer should also be small batch, or at least not massproduced. And, often, lots of hops are used in the brewing process.

While traditional breweries are very visible, the collection at The Grumpy Goat is an homage to the UK’s craft brewing scene.

The West Country is well-represented with Somerset’s Wild Beer Co, Arbor and Moor from Bristol and brewery of the moment Verdant from Cornwall. But there are examples from London (Beavertown, Gipsy Hill), the North (Cloudwater, Northern Monk and Magic Rock) and Wales (Tiny Rebel). And of course, there are bottles from the highly regarded Siren Brewery, which is less than 10 miles south of Reading.

Among a healthy selection of foreign beers, there are also top craft brewers from Scandinavia (including Denmark’s Mikkeller, Sweden’s Omnipollo and Norway’s Lervig) as well as traditional stalwarts from Germany, well-known

MUST-STOCKS Verdant Brewery canned beers Siren Brewery - Undercurrent (oatmeal pale ale) Chimay Blue (strong Belgian Trappist ale) Arbor - Yakima (American style pale ale) The Spirit of TOAD - Oxford Dry Gin Two Hoots - Barkham Blue Caws Cenarth - Perl Las Village Maid Dairy - Wigmore Preservation Society candied jalapeños Bosteels - Kwak (strong Belgian ale) Fen Farm Dairy - Baron Bigod Charles Martell - Stinking Bishop Jumi - Blue Brain Lyburn Cheese - Stoney Cross Somerset Cheese Co - Rainbow’s Gold

Belgian brands and a smattering of American beers – Belching Beaver Milk Stout, anyone?

It’s easy to be bamboozled by the brands regardless of your level of interest in beer, so the Beattys have arranged the UK beers on the shelves and racking by style, with a special section for British cans, and then by country.

Creating this kind of structure has helped build The Grumpy Goat range and could also be a blueprint for other retailers looking to dabble in beer.

The Beattys’ first recommendation for newbie retailers is the IPA, or India Pale Ale, and specifically the modern version of the style that is made with hops from America to give the beer a big hit of tropical fruit, pine or citrus notes.

Effectively, this style is the cornerstone of craft beer.

Then they suggest fleshing things out with traditional British bitters and golden ales, before adding some stouts. If they had to choose one brewery, they agree on Arbor, as it bridges the gap between traditional and modern styles with its range.

For the more adventurous, strong Belgian staples like Delirium, Kwak and Chimay are all popular, too.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 53

Co-owners Charlie and Anne-Marie Beatty opened The Grumpy Goat in 2013

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

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Eggnog biscuits new for 2018 already have interested parties placing orders!

• Exclusive distributors through Grocer’s Brokers Ltd also known as Minter’s Fine Foods a family run business founded in 1961 • Always looking to develop new lines, currently in development is a 1R $GGHG 6XJDU UDQJH RI RXU WUDGLWLRQDO ŴDYRXUV Ř &XUUHQWO\ VWRFN RYHU GLIIHUHQW ELVFXLWV %HVW VHOOHUV DUH ŴDYRXUV such as Raspberry & Oat and Mince Pie Shorties, these are available in 150g deluxe tube, box, acetate tray and in twin pack clear wrap Contact us on 01477 500660 or sales@grocersbrokersltd.co.uk for more information

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

DELI OF THE MONTH Anne-Marie points out that this is the approach of supermarkets like Waitrose and M&S. “If they think it’s worth it, then maybe it is.”

In fact, all of the multiples have improved their beer selections to the point where lots of craft brands are available, often on multi-buy deals. As long as they make sure they’re not carrying the same things as local supermarket competition, then the Beattys see it as a boost to consumer awareness rather than a dent in their own sales.

While assembling this many beers in one shop has been challenging, maintaining the range is just as difficult. Much of it is bought direct, which means the Beattys have good relationships with a lot of their suppliers, but ordering and paperwork can be a headache.

They also like to change their line-up to match trends, such as the increasing popularity of Double IPAs (DIPAs), which are brewed with more hops and are higher in ABV, or deliberately tart sour beers made with wild yeasts.

Then there is the nature of craft beer itself.

Even though most breweries maintain a core range, they are coming up with new and soughtafter limited edition creations and collaborations constantly.

“Some of these beers, we’re only allowed to buy one case at a time from the breweries because that’s just how it is at the moment,” says Anne-Marie, adding that enthusiastic beer

geeks will call her every day when a certain batch is expected. Just posting photos on Twitter of a new beer, if it’s the right name, will see some customers make a beeline for the shop.

While certain names and limited releases drive footfall and retail prices are high, selling craft beer isn’t exactly a gold mine.

“The annoying thing is that by the time some beers get to the shelves, the money’s been made on the product,” says Charlie. “We’re at the end of the line.”

“You get your regular Joe coming in off the street, he’s not into beer and picks up a can, sees that it’s £6.65 and goes ‘Oh my god, what the hell?’ And we’re not making much money on that.”

In this instance, the margins are a modest 25-30% but the Beattys’ angle is to try to explain to less knowledgeable customers why prices are so high.

“Craft beers have a lot of ingredients. They’ve got three or four types of hops in them,” says Anne-Marie. “That’s why they’re so expensive.

Not necessarily because the brewery’s making a fortune.”

The Beattys say the younger trendier market of craft aficionados is a key target for them but their customer base is much broader (“It ranges from 18-year-old girls to 80-year-old men”).

Beer might dominate the space but The Grumpy Goat’s small cheese counter is just as well-tended.

The shop is blessed with having great cheesemakers on its doorstep – namely Two Hoots of Barkham Blue fame and Wigmoremaker Village Maid. Anne-Marie also goes direct to Caws Cenarth (Perl Las is a top-seller) and London-based Swiss importer Jumi for some of its trademark oddities. The Fine Cheese Co is the main wholesaler, but she also places orders with Rowcliffe.

The Beattys have taken time to foster personal relationships with cheesemakers, as they have with breweries, and they have also topped up their knowledge with cheese courses and turned their hands to brewing.

All of this investment has paid off, not just when selling to customers but also for the outside tastings they put on. Their cheesematching events, staged for as many as 90 people if they get a corporate gig, have been a great way of supplementing turnover and getting the shop’s name out there. As has the craft beer festival, Craft Theory, that they are putting on for a second year.

Given the cost of a comparable premises with kerb appeal in Reading – more than four times their current rent – it looks as though the Beattys will have to be content with drawing crowds with their exploits outside the business.

But at least The Grumpy Goat will stay quirky for the foreseeable future. thegrumpygoat.co.uk

Craft beers have a lot of ingredients.

They’ve got three or four types of hops in them. That’s why they’re so expensive. Not necessarily because the brewery’s making a fortune.

Vol.19 Issue 2 | March 2018

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GUILD TALK 7KH *XLOG RI )LQH )RRG UHSUHVHQWV RYHU ĹľQH IRRG VKRSV DQG VSHFLDOLVW VXSSOLHUV :DQW WR MRLQ WKHP" ZZZ JII FR XN

View from HQ Chris Lowe challenged the theory that independents are always better at the retail experience than supermarkets

By Tortie Farrand marketing director

THERE WAS mild trepidation as we approached this year’s new-look, new-date Fine Food Show North.

There have been mutterings here at Guild HQ about the future of traditional shell-scheme exhibitions.

Do they still work in our sector?

The same question was raised at a recent think-tank by our friends at Speciality & Fine Food Fair.

Our nerves were banished over the three days in Harrogate. We saw

a record number of visitors and real business done, with talk of contracts with Compass, listings in food halls and orders from serious chefs. The move from June to late winter was universally well received too, with an exit survey of visitors telling us 86% preferred it.

Many visitors took part in our ‘foraging the show’ sessions, aimed largely at chefs, with BBC Radio 2’s Nigel Barden steering them towards novel ingredients from foodservicefriendly exhibitors.

Discussion panels on gastrotourism and retail issues were inspired, with content almost too good to be lost in a trade show and more suitable for a BBC Question Time slot. Some themes were familiar: Brexit, wage rises, workforce availability, property costs and the

pros and cons of sourcing from wholesalers. But it was healthy to see new items on the agenda: plastic packaging, the fact farm shops can often sell fresh produce cheaper than multiples, and being ‘GDPR ready’.

Chris Lowe of Shopper Anonymous challenged the theory that independents are always better at the retail experience than supermarkets. He suggested some complacency was setting in and, more than ever, delis and farm shops need to be on their game to sell well and from a position of knowledge.

He spoke a lot of sense, which is why the Guild is partnering with Shopper Anonymous to mystery-shop members' stores. We’re improving our service to members so you can improve your service to customers.

Learn more at myguild@gff.co.uk

Producers’ code of practice gets sign-off from Cornwall Council ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH and trading standards specialists at Cornwall Council have made WKHLU ƓQDO DPHQGPHQWV WR the Guild’s long-awaited Code of Practice for Artisan Charcuterie Production. ,W PHDQV WKH ƓUVW HGLWLRQ

of the Code – produced by the Council for the Guild, with help from an advisory group of charcutiers – will be ready for release to Guild-member producers by early April.

The Code runs to around 100 pages and covers all the key technical

parameters for safe production of Continentalstyle cured meats. It also covers the trading standards requirements for packing, labelling and selling charcuterie, such as allergen declarations.

The Guild has signed a

Meet the Guild Steering Group

at the family cheese factory in Crewe. Someone put me in charge of ingredients, so it was set up for me to forget to put the toffee in our new sticky toffee cheddar. I ruined about a quarter of a tonne of cheese. The family haven’t let me forget that one.

'DQLHO :LOOLDPV Gen No 5, Godfrey C Williams, Cheshire MOST ADMIRED BRAND...

Cottage Delight. Not the smallest producer, but they’re still close to their roots, they keep winning awards and their quality is great. ...AND RETAILER? We prefer to classify ourselves as a grocer than a deli. There aren’t many traditional grocers left, but Lewis & Cooper in Northallerton is still one of the best.

BEST BUSINESS MOMENT I’ve been working here since I was 10. One of my first memories was at a Spirit of Christmas consumer show, when Anglia TV came round and filmed me on our stand, wearing a white hat and handing out cheese. I haven’t topped that!

BIGGEST BUSINESS CLANGER? Around the age of 18 I worked

March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2

HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY? Half full. In a world of constant change there’s always a positive.

Unless it’s Donald Trump.

GUILTY FOOD SECRET? A good Five Guys burger and a salted caramel milk shake. I have unashamedly diverted train journeys to make sure I’m in a station with a Five Guys outlet.

PRIVATE PASSION? I studied geology at uni, and I've joined a couple of scientific expeditions to Oman, where the geology is spectacular. It's also one of the few places you can see an ophiolite – a section of the earth's oceanic crust and upper mantle thrown onto the land – without going down an ocean trench.

BURGER KING OR M&S SALAD? I’ve made a push on quinoa and couscous recently... but put a McChicken Sandwich in front of me and I won’t say no.

• The retailers and suppliers on the Guild Steering Group meet quarterly to help shape and improve services to members and the wider industry. Want to join them? Email john.farrand@gff.co.uk for details.

GENERAL ENQUIRIES

WHO’S WHO AT GUILD HQ

Guild of Fine Food Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB UK

Managing director: John Farrand Marketing director: Tortie Farrand Commercial director: Christabel Cairns Sales director: Sally Coley

Tel: +44 (0) 1747 825200 Fax: +44 (0) 1747 824065 info@gff.co.uk www.gff.co.uk

54

Primary Authority (PA) agreement with Cornwall Council, which means any Guild member in England who follows the ‘assured advice’ in the Code can use it as back-up in disputes with EHOs. Cornwall already has a similar PA agreement with

the Speciality Cheesemakers Association for its own Assured Code Practise for artisan cheese-making.

Following changes to PA rules, individual Guild-member charcuterie makers will no longer have to opt in to the PA, and will automatically be signed up unless they choose to opt out.

Sales manager: Ruth Debnam Sales executive: Becky Stacey Events assistant: Stephanie Rogers Operations manager: Karen Price

Operations assistants: Claire Powell, Janet Baxter, Hugo Morisetti Training & events manager: Jilly Sitch Circulation manager: Nick Crosley

Financial controller: Stephen Guppy Accounts manager: Denise Ballance Accounts assistant: Julie Coates Chairman: Bob Farrand Director: Linda Farrand

QHZV IURP WKH JXLOG RI Ć“QH IRRG

The 25 Year Environment Plan is a serious document – ignore it at your peril.

The word on Westminster

By Edward Woodall ACS

The deli doctor Paul Thomas Technical and regulatory advice from the Guild’s new deli helpline Q: I’ve had a small shipment of dry goods with badly printed labels that seem to show a best-before date of March 2013. The supplier KDV FRQĆ“UPHG LWĹ?V MXVW D SULQW problem. The labels should show a best-before date of March 2019. &DQ , MXVW DOWHU WKH ODEHOV P\VHOI" A: While it’s an offence to sell a

the plastic bag charge to small shops.

At the moment this is voluntary. If it fails, the Government will regulate, but we are relaxed about this, given how effectively the universal system works in Scotland and Wales already.

However, there are more concerning proposals, particularly around a possible deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and the use of the tax system to cut use of singleuse plastics.

Retailers need to play an important role in shaping Government thinking on what is possible, practical and effective in shops, and what is not.

We will be working closely with the Government this year to help it understand the impact this will have on the products retailers sell and on in-store operations. edward.woodall@acs.org.uk Edward Woodall is head of policy & public affairs at small shops group ACS

food after its use-by date, it can be sold after the best-before date SURYLGLQJ WKH SURGXFW LV VWLOO Ć“W IRU consumption. Best-before dates are about quality, not food safety.

The guidance document on the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 states it is an offence to alter a durability date without the written permission of the manufacturer or packer.

In this case, however, as the problem is just down to poor labelling and the product is still actually within date, you are within your rights to re-label it with the correct date. This would also help avoid unnecessary food waste – an issue the Food Standards Agency is said to be concerned about.

But I would suggest you ask IRU ZULWWHQ FRQĆ“UPDWLRQ IURP WKH manufacturer who labelled the food LQ WKH Ć“UVW SODFH MXVW LQ FDVH \RX DUH ever challenged on it.

Dairy and food safety specialist Paul Thomas runs the Guild’s new e-helpline for retailers with technical or regulatory queries. It can be accessed through the Guild Members’ Hub at gff.co.uk

At a time of year when sales can be slow, why not introduce your customers to Great Taste award-winning products, many of which you already stock?

GREAT TASTE

BOOK

THE GOVERNMENT has been keen to make inroads on environment policy early in 2018, with the publication of its 25 Year Environment Plan.

There are many motivations for this.

One is pressure from environmental campaigners like Greenpeace and the Marine Conservation Society. The BBC’s Blue Planet II prompted the British public to consider the impact their actions can have on our oceans.

And the Government is acutely aware that environmental policies play well with young voters, a group it failed to mobilise during the last election.

However, the ambitious 25 Year Environment Plan is not just a political manoeuvre to rebrand a Government swamped by negative Brexit headlines. It is a serious document setting out the challenges for consumers, businesses and legislators – ignore it at your peril.

7KHUH LV D ORW IRU Ć“QH IRRG UHWDLOHUV to ponder, not least the extension of

driveyour customers to great taste food and drink 68 -1-1 1517 2020

During February and INN ING AWARD-W March 2018 the Guild DI SCOV ERFO OD DR IN K E FI N of Fine Food is giving away free promotional packs to highlight Great Taste products in-store.

Pack contains: + Great Taste roundels for display + Great Taste shelf wobblers + What is Great Taste + Great Taste bunting + Great Taste Books listing 2017 winners* + Great Taste window sticker For your free promotion pack contact claire.powell@gff.co.uk or call 01747 825200 Order while stocks last. Promotion available for independent retailers only. *120 give-away books

gff.co.uk | greattasteawards.co.uk #greattasteawards greattasteawards

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March 2018 | Vol.19 Issue 2