Meet this year’s Great Taste Supreme Champion, plus all of the major trophy winners
ALSO INSIDE
Why local meat is getting harder to sell
Parsnips in Teddington
The Future of Food Competition
CONTENTS
storecupboard
There’s something particularly exciting about going out on a limb and risking everything to feed people something delicious.
By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox, deputy editor
Being small – or in my case, short –can be a bit of a drag. I nd it hard to reach things, and o en have to ask for help. I’m reminded of being six years old, telling my mother I looked forward to being grown up, as this would mean I could nally get my hands on the biscuit tin.
A er all that, I’ve reached a di erent conclusion in my adult life. Being small can be a hindrance, but it can also be a strength.
Last month, we, the Guild of Fine Food team, donned our ballgowns to celebrate the Golden Forks, the crème de la crème of Great Taste producers (p.32). When the Supreme Champ, Callum Reekie of East Neuk Smokehouse, took to the stage, he said that “he could kill his dad”, who, along with his founding partner, was still at work, picking sh when he received the news. It was 8pm. The winning mackerel is sensational for a reason – these producers aren’t about to let their standards slip.
The same week, we visited the
Dawn-Hiscox,
Speciality & Fine Food Fair. The whole show was buzzing with people – and this despite a Tube strike which le visitors with no choice but to walk, cycle, or ght to the death for a taxi. (I chose to cycle, in case you were wondering).
The rst oor of the show was where the most action was. It was hard to move for people milling through the start-up area. I don’t know what it is about young brands, but there’s something particularly exciting about that phase of going out on a limb and risking everything to feed people something delicious. Even when looking to the future – far into the future – things o en start small. Barney Mauleverer, founder of the Future of Food competition (p.51), literally tested his concept out with teenagers. The future-gazing endeavour went on to reward Nice Rice, a small importer of transparently sourced Basmati. Ahead of this year’s event – which has support from the likes of Henry
Dimbleby and Fiona Fitzpatrick –Mauleverer told us that it isn’t about current size or impact, but how scalable a good idea is. Now ain’t that the truth.
More sobering is the rapid disappearance of small abattoirs (p.27). At the current rate, in a few years time we might only be le with behemoth slaughterhouses and mass-market supply chains. When it comes to meat, smaller o en does mean better – if we want traceable, happy, native breed meat, it’s important that we ght for the little guys.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against growth – cheese-like fermented nut producer Nettle Foods (p.59) is a good example of how you can embrace scale without losing a human-sized mindset.
Being small means you can be nimble and adapt to your circumstances – even if that means climbing onto that kitchen chair to nally reach those biscuits.
I’m probably unusual in my cooking habits: I quite enjoy a bit of a faff, even on a weeknight. I’ll make shortcrust pastry for a quiche, smoke some aubergines on the hob to make baba ghanoush. But some days don’t allow me to channel my inner Barefoot Contessa – and yet I still want to cook from scratch. I want to know what I’m eating and I want it to taste amazing. Enter Flavour Bombs’ latest iteration, the Guyanese Coconut Curry. It has the complexity of flavour you’d expect from half a day of sourcing ingredients – it’s aromatic, rich, earthy, subtly sweet with just enough tang – a far cry from your run of the mill sauce in a jar. It’s a win-win: I feel well rested and I enjoyed my dinner. More on p.45
editorial@gff.co.uk
Editor: Michael Lane
Deputy editor: Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox
Art director: Mark Windsor
Contributors: Nick Baines, Patrick McGuigan, Greg Pitcher, Isabelle Plasschaert, Lynda Searby
opportunities@gff.co.uk
Sales and publishing director: Sally Coley
Senior sales account manager: Becky Haskett
Sales executive: Henry Coley
Sales support: Tamsin Bullock
Accounts assistant: Julie Coates
Finance director: Ashley Warden support@gff.co.uk
Managing director: John Farrand
Associate managing director: Christabel Cairns
Partner relations director: Tortie Farrand
Chairman: Bob Farrand
Marketing officer: Jenna Morice
Marketing and operations assistant: Frances Coleman
PR & partnerships officer: Claire Fry
Data strategy & insight manager: Lindsay Farrar
Operations coordinators: Chris Farrand, Sepi Rowshanaei, Chloë Warren-Wood
Operations & events coordinator: Zara Williams
Operations assistants: Thomas Jackson, Jessica Radley
Published by The Guild of Fine Food Ltd Fine Food Digest is published 11 times a year and is available on subscription for £50 p.a. inc P&P.
Pressure mounts on indies as costs continue to increase – and hit margins
By Greg Pitcher
Rising costs are squeezing margins and putting further pressure on prices and sales as Christmas approaches, experienced ne food retailers have warned.
Data from the O ce for National Statistics showed that food & drink in ation, excluding alcohol, hit a 19-month high in August.
Prices in the sector were 5.1% higher at the end of this summer than a year earlier, the largest annual jump since January 2024.
Deli and farm shop bosses have told FFD that employment costs, other overheads and supplier bills were eroding pro ts.
Simon MacDonnell,
co-founder of Papadeli, said the Bristol shop had found the going tough in 2025.
“We have been open for 22 years and ridden a few storms, the credit crunch and Covid among them, but surviving the last year has been the hardest,” he said.
“Business rates, food prices, wages, insurance, energy – everything is going up, it is squeezing you everywhere.”
MacDonnell said Papadeli had strict multipliers it applied to supplier prices.
“We try to stick to a formula in the shop, di erent percentages for di erent products. I am not sure we’re at the point of changing those margins.
“But sta costs and
other overheads are going to have a knock-on e ect on everything and pro tability is becoming less. It’s not a great picture.”
He said he wasn’t con dent in customers paying the higher prices that would be required to reverse the nancial hit the deli was taking.
“Customers are priceconscious at the moment, we’ve seen turnover down in certain months, and if you see that alongside rising costs, you won’t last long.”
Steven Salamon, owner of Wally’s Delicatessen in Cardi , said some product prices had “skyrocketed” including chocolate, almonds, Brazil nuts, co ee and those containing
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT... …HOW INFLATION WILL AFFECT CHRISTMAS
“By Christmas prices will be up 5% year-onyear. People are still buying, we are still a treat. People who have held their belts in all year will go for it at Christmas. Turkeys are up a little. I need seasonal workers but they are costing me more, they are often on minimum wage, so it knocks on more to prices at this time of year.”
“We placed ambient orders from Europe in June and fresh produce will be in October. Any further food price inflation won’t affect Christmas stock, but a kg of panettone was £9 three years ago and now it is £13. People eventually start thinking twice. We have to keep prices as low as we can and that hits margins so you have to look at overheads. I have to keep on top of margins.”
certain crops.
He added that employment cost hikes had put huge pressure on retailers.
“I am trying to absorb National Insurance and National Minimum Wage rises as much as I can and just look at margins I need on the cost of goods.
“But if there are any more tax rises in the Budget or next year, if I have to contend with ongoing increases in minimum wage, and more product price rises, I might have to make a decision.”
Salamon said that while much ne food was very price inelastic, some items were fast reaching their “pinch point”.
“People think ‘hang
“We wouldn’t cut back on seasonal staff. There is a cut-off point on prices. If you have something for £20 with only six chocolates inside, you might put yourself in the mind of the consumer. There is a balance between things you can sell all year round and those that shift at Christmas time. If you are solely a retail shop it could get tricky in January.”
HFSS rules enacted ahead of January 2026 enforcement
New laws designed to restrict the advertising of certain unhealthy foods have effectively come into force after bodies including the Food & Drink Federation (FDF) agreed to act more than three months ahead of time.
Disney, Sky and Channel 4 were also among a raft of big names who signed a letter earlier this year agreeing to “act as though” legislation intended to kick in on 5th January 2026
was in place from 1st October this year.
Ministers laid out the Advertising (Less Healthy Food and Drink) (Brand Advertising Exemption) Regulations 2025 in Parliament in September as part of a crackdown on consumables high in fat, salt or sugar.
New laws will see a ban on advertising certain products on television between 5:30am and 9pm, alongside the outlawing of any paid-for advertisements of
these items online at any time.
Responding to a consultation, the Government confirmed there will be an exemption for advertisements for company brands and brands of ranges of products that do not depict specific less healthy products.
“We have engaged Ofcom and the Advertising Standards Authority as the regulators on the implementation and enforcement of the regulations to ensure they are clear and fit
on a minute’,” he added. “No matter how good a jar of jam is, it might not be worth the price.
“There is pressure. You have to be really careful to balance price increases against a ecting demand. The 5% in ation this year is on top of what we’ve already had, which is still re ected on shelves.”
Farmer Copleys coowner Rob Copley said the Yorkshire farm shop had reluctantly begun to increase the amounts it charged customers.
“Wages are heading towards 30% higher than last year. There is so much pressure on margins the only thing we can do is put prices up.
“It is tough at the moment. Footfall is down. We are getting turnover because prices are 10% up on last year. But wages are the biggest pressure followed by ingredient costs.”
for purpose,” it added.
The letter signed by the FDF and others said the bodies understood that the Government decision to delay implementation of the law until after the Christmas shopping period was “strictly conditional on a clear commitment from us, advertisers, broadcasters, and online platforms, that from 1st October 2025 we will comply with the law as it was understood to apply”.
STEVE SALAMON, WALLY’S DELICATESSEN, CARDIFF
SIMON MACDONNELL PAPADELI, BRISTOL
ROB COPLEY FARMER COPLEYS, PONTEFRACT
Trade bodies seek rates relief and more as Budget looms
By Greg Pitcher
Independent retail organisations have urged the Chancellor to support the sector in next month’s Budget – with crippling business rates among the primary concerns.
Rachel Reeves is due to set out the Government’s tax and spending plans in the House of Commons on 26th November.
The political set-piece comes towards the end of a testing year for small food shops, who have seen employment costs rise along with supplier prices while consumer spending remains constrained.
Meanwhile the retail, hospitality & leisure Business Rates Relief Scheme was slashed from 75% to 40% in April, meaning many companies saw their bill more than double. This subsidy is due to expire entirely next March, being replaced by new permanent rates for rms in the sector.
Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers
Association, called for a range of help for small shops.
“We would like to see the maximum reduction in the business rates multiplier for smaller businesses, which would provide immediate relief to our members who are facing increased costs,” he said.
He also urged the Chancellor to expand the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme to be more generous to those with second properties.
“We shouldn’t be penalising growth and entrepreneurship,” he added.
LABOUR’S NEW APPROACH TO BUSINESS RATES
The Treasury has revealed plans to provide fresh support for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) firms.
Currently most nonresidential properties are charged business rates as a proportion of their worth; premises in England given a “rateable value” above £51,000 have their value multiplied by 55.5p, while those below this threshold use a 49.9p multiplier.
New lower figures will be introduced in April 2026 for RHL properties below £51,000 and between
£51,000 and £500,000.
New multipliers will be revealed at the Budget.
Meanwhile all firms with their sole premises rated below £15,000 receive separate discounts through the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme.
At present if they then open further properties, they will lose this discount unless none of their non-primary properties have a rateable value above £2,899 and the total rateable value of all properties is less than £20,000, or £28,000 in London.
He demanded an expansion of help for small businesses with National Insurance payments, action against VAT fraud and investment in high streets.
James Lowman, until recently the chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said 2025 had been “extremely tough for retailers”.
He called for a 20p cut on the ‘multiplier’ used to calculate rates for small retail businesses.
“The other urgent area of concern is employment,” he said.
The Gov’t has set out
plans to implement its Make Work Pay agenda, which includes giving employees greater rights on their rst day in a role, ending re-and-rehire practices and banning zerohours contracts.
“We want to see reforms implemented in a way that supports investment and the ability for businesses to continue providing secure, local, exible jobs,” said Lowman.
John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, said there was “no doubt that our town centres and our rural retailers are, in some quarters, struggling”.
“The Budget needs to promote investment, lead to a healthier jobs market and encourage small businesses, not strangle them.
“I’m just not sure if this Government has the interests of small business at its heart,” he said.
“It may regard the food and drink sector even less, given that our most relevant minister and secretary of state were red or reshu ed to more ‘important’ departments.”
IN BRIEF
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has launched the £5bn Pride in Place programme.169 areas will receive £20m over 10 years and a further 95 £1.5m towards improvements to local facilities and high streets across England.
The Welsh Government’s flagship food & drink trade show, Taste Wales, returns to the ICC, near Newport, on 22-23 October, bringing together 150 Welsh producers and 300 buyers.
The ongoing sheeppox outbreak in central Greece is now threatening to affect prices and production of Feta cheese. It is thought that 2% of the national goat and sheep herd – some 260,000 animals –has been culled in the last 12 months.
Eagle lands new Defra food & farming role
Angela Eagle was named the UK’s new food & farming minister in September.
The long-serving MP for Wallasey replaces Daniel Zeichner, who held the brief for less than 14 months.
Eagle was first elected to Parliament alongside PM Tony Blair in 1997, also serving in the cabinet under Gordon Brown and holding several posts in the shadow cabinet.
Eagle became minister for border security and asylum in July 2024 and was made minister of state within Defra in September.
The department confirmed she would take on the food security and farming briefs held by her predecessor. Eagle becomes part of an all-female ministerial
team, joining Mary Creagh, Baroness Hayman of Ullock and Emma Hardy in the team led by new environment, food & rural affairs secretary Emma Reynolds, who was previously economic secretary to the Treasury.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer made sweeping changes to his ministerial team after as his deputy Angela Rayner departed amid scrutiny of the level of stamp duty she paid on a home purchase.
Reynolds said she was “honoured” to lead the first all-female ministerial team in a UK department of state.
“Looking forward to getting stuck in with Angela Eagle, Emma Hardy, Mary Creagh and Baroness Hayman as we embark on our mission to deliver this exciting brief.”
Rachel Reeves will unveil the next Budget on 26th November
Dame
Amazon shuts all Fresh stores but plans to grow Whole Foods Market
By Michael Lane
A er nearly a decade of consolidation and closures in the UK, Whole Foods Market looks set to hit double gures with its UK retail estate over the next 12 months.
Having opened a store on Chelsea’s King’s Road earlier this year, the American high-end chain looks set to open as many as six more outlets across the Capital – in the wake of parent company Amazon’s decision to close its Fresh retail chain in the UK.
The online retail behemoth announced at the end of September that it was closing all 19 of its physical stores, which feature till-less transactions, to focus purely on the growing online grocery market.
Of these sites, 14 will close permanently, while ve properties will be retained and turned into Whole Foods shops.
Waitrose £1bn plan kicks on
Last month, Waitrose opened a new store in Bristol with more fanfare than usual.
The 3,000sq ft Little Waitrose (its convenience format) in The Arches is the latest step in the retailer’s £1bn UK-wide investment programme in upgrades and new openings.
In September, former Tesco senior director Tom Denyard also took over the role of MD at Waitrose, following the departure of James Bailey.
As FFD went to press, it wasn’t clear what the chosen sites are. Amazon Fresh’s sites were dotted all over the city, including units close to transport hubs and o ces in locations such as White City, Liverpool Street, Southwark and Euston.
In a statement announcing the closures, Amazon also hinted at the arrival of another entirely new Whole Foods site in 2026.
It said: “With the
proposed addition of these ve stores, the opening of a Whole Foods Market in Chelsea earlier this year, and an additional store in Greater London by the end of 2026, we would have 12 Whole Foods Market stores in the UK.”
It added that Whole Foods Market’s strong focus on ethically robust and quality sourcing will continue across the expanded estate, while looking to add more organic products.
DOWN ON THE FARM
Primrose Farm Shop & Café, the newly opened community hub at Lymburghs Farm in Marnhull, Dorset, will officially celebrate its launch with a Grand Opening event on Saturday 11th October. After months of planning and extensive renovation, the new Farm Shop & Café opened its doors earlier this summer, offering the community a place to shop, eat, and connect. primroseorganic.co.uk
The newest store at 120 King’s Road is 21,800sq , with features including full-service seafood and butchery counters, a cheese counter, bakery and co ee bar, as well as a large selection of local brands and organic items.
In addition to the its physical retail plans, Amazon pledged to continue investing in and expanding its online delivery of essentials and fresh groceries through its own websites and thirdparty devliery partners, including Morrisons, Coop, Iceland, and Gopu .
It said: “In response to strong customer demand, we are working hard to add more grocery selection online and expand our delivery services to new areas.
“By early next year, we plan to more than double the number of Amazon UK Prime members who have access to three or more online grocery delivery options.”
IN BRIEF
James Lowman is set to leave his role as CEO of the Association of Convenience Stores after nearly 20 years at the helm. He joined the trade body in 1997 and took the top job in 2006.
The ban on ‘buyone-get-one-free’ deals and volume promotions for HFSS goods is now live across supermarkets in England. As of 1st October, these deals can no longer be offered on crisps, chocolate, fizzy drinks, pizza and ice cream.
In response to the growth of the UK’s fitness and activelifestyle market, trade show IFE is set to launch a dedicated Sports & Nutrition section at its 2026 event (30th March1st April).
Darwin Nurseries and Farm Shop, which supports adults with learning disabilities and mental health challenges, reopened in September after being shut since the spring. Some maintenance and improvement work took place during the break plus a review of the services being offered. facebook.com/ DarwinNurseries andFarmShop
The Lambing Shed Farm Shop in Knutsford, Cheshire, has submitted plans to grow its site further with a new kitchen and expanded retail & café space, that would see the award-winning retailer double the size of the current footprint. thelambingshed.com
The Martins Arms has applied for planning permission to convert its stables into a farm shop with a small coffee shop and wine store. Its website has been updated to suggest the farm shop is “coming soon”. The pub, which currently offers seasonal menus and four en-suite rooms, is in the village of Colston Bassett, Nottinghamshire. hemartinsarms.co.uk/ farmshop
Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market will soon be adding more sites in London after opening a new store in Chelsea
IF I’D KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW...
BEN PHILLIPS, owner, Parsnips, Teddington
Parsnips is one of six businesses that I own. The others are hospitality focused, so the idea was to bring this experience to a deli environment. At other delis, I am generally disappointed by the lack of engagement with customers; staff always seem to be stacking shelves rather than sharing food knowledge. I wanted to bring theatre and table-side customer service to a deli setting.
Staff have been instrumental to realising this vision. All my businesses have terrific people; we try and employ locally and our teams are a mix of experienced specialists and enthusiastic young people. I firmly believe that if you can build a strong team from the beginning, it is selfperpetuating; good people attract other good people and if you treat them with respect and decency, they want to stick around.
Our shop isn’t huge but it is super full. We have fruit and veg delivered every morning from Covent Garden, sourdough that is baked overnight in our Wandsworth bakery, and lots of lovely deli lines like cheese, charcuterie, wine and oil, with an emphasis on British produce. 95% of our cheeses are British. We also have a production kitchen at the back where we make fine bakery items and celebration cakes.
There is a lot going on in a small space but it doesn’t look overwhelming - more of a feast for the eyes - and I have the guy who helped me to design the deli to thank for that. We also took ages getting the lighting and music right - sensory cues that you don’t necessarily notice when you eat out but that are so crucial in creating the right feel.
As well as the obvious synergies between my local businesses, like shared broadband and recycling facilities, there is a community feel across the three sites. Staff move freely between them; chefs often pop into the deli to get something for the kitchen, for example. Similarly, some items that are sold in the deli, such as our granola, are made and packed in the café kitchen. And if a member of the deli team is off, we can get someone from next door to cover. It works because we have invested in infrastructure and have a process for everything. We have good IT systems and a hospitality management system called Nory. If someone takes 12 sourdough loaves from the deli over to the kitchen, they just tap a few buttons and the system transfers the stock. Creating an extraordinary customer space is key but making sure it is underpinned by an infrastructure that makes it a comfortable place to work is even more important as ultimately, it is the people who make the experience.
Interview Lynda Searby
Photography Isabelle Plasschaert
View from HQ
FFD’s publisher and Guild of Fine Food managing director John Farrand has his say
AIn Norway they have the Food Nation strategy, created across parties, establishing policy to be implemented regardless of who is in power
utumn arrived with an exclamation mark. One minute we were basting ourselves in sun lotion, the next we were basting our autumnal lamb. The sun turned to drizzle as I stood on the platform at Imperial Wharf station, negotiating the travel chaos initiated by the early September tube strike in London.
On the overcrowded platform I bumped into a man with a suitcase. I apologised, because I talk to people in London, and a conversation ensued. Let’s call the man Bernt, as I didn’t get as far as swapping details, but I did establish that he was from Norway. I revert to type when chatting to strangers and we found cheese a comfortable common ground.
He knew his stu and our train was delayed by 9 minutes, so I let him run on the subject. Norway has only recently rediscovered its traditional cheese heritage. In 2004, Government control was li ed, before that there was
ENTRY OPENS 2ND DECEMBER
Entry to Great Taste 2026 will open on Tuesday 2nd December and close on Tuesday 27th January.
This year, members’ and general entry will be open simultaneously for the full period, meaning members can access discounted entry fees until it closes.
Applications for the Bursary will be open from 2nd December – 6th January. gff.co.uk/greattaste
a draconian, centralised milk pool, not dissimilar to the Milk Marketing Board in the UK that encouraged cheese to become a mass-produced commodity.
Our train was inexplicably cancelled. The next one was in 16 minutes. Food and politics kept us warm as the ne rain thickened. As more folk squeezed onto the platform, our healthy debate seemed rather incongruous amongst the silent automatons.
The week before we’d lost our most relevant food & drinkpoliticians in a major reshu e. Steve Reed moved to Housing from Environment, Food and Rural A airs and our Minister of State for Food Security and Rural A airs, Daniel Zeichner, le the Government. I recounted this to Bernt, bemoaning the fact that there was no consistency in policy across the major pillars, and that nothing was joined up across successive Governments, and they didn’t care about food & farming.
The train was delayed again. Bernt had a solution, and time to explain. In Norway they have the Food Nation strategy, created across parties, establishing policy to be implemented regardless of who is in power, and has a tenyear shelf-life. They apply this discipline to other sectors. Wise.
I apologised for the state of our transport network as we battled onto the train. I didn’t see Bernt two weeks later when I travelled to Oslo, to judge at NM i Ost, the Norwegian national cheese awards. I’d hoped to bump into him as I glided from Oslo airport to the judging venue on a clean, on-time train. I could have shared with him that Norwegian cheese is now a serious contender on the world stage, with Nidelven Blå, a former World Cheese Awards champion, scooping second place on its home turf this year. A now consistently excellent cheese, born, in part, out of an excellently consistent food strategy.
The Word on Westminster
By Edward Woodall Association of Convenience Stores
HAVING JUST RETURNED from the Labour Party Conference, I was struck by the repeated reassurances from ministers about their commitment to supporting businesses and driving economic growth. Government wants to enable investment, foster innovation, and help businesses like yours thrive on our high streets and in our communities. Yet, for all the talk of renewal and partnership, our focus remains unchanged. Business rates reform is the litmus test for whether this support will translate into real, tangible benefits for retailers.
The upcoming Budget presents a critical opportunity for Government to prove its intent. The challenges facing our sector are well documented: rising employment costs, fierce competition, and the looming threat of increased business rates bills. Many retailers could see their bills rise sharply from April 2026, with the potential loss of the 40% business rates relief that has been a lifeline for so many.
ACS has set out a clear, practical set of recommendations to the Chancellor. First, we’re calling for the new Retail, Hospitality and
Leisure multiplier to be reduced by the full 20p allowed by legislation. This isn’t just a technical adjustment, it’s a vital step to give retailers the ability to invest, retain staff, and continue contributing to local economies. Second, Small Business Rate Relief thresholds must be indexed to rising property values. Without this, many small retailers risk losing eligibility for relief and facing sudden increases in their rates liabilities.
Finally, we want to see Improvement Relief extended from 12 months to three years, giving businesses the breathing space to invest in their premises without being penalised by an immediate hike in rates. And crucially, essential equipment such as CCTV should be excluded from business rates valuations. Retailers shouldn’t be punished for investing in security. These aren’t just policy tweaks, they’re practical steps that will help you continue to invest in your business and serve your customers with the care that defines our sector. The Government’s rhetoric at conference was encouraging, but the real test will be whether these recommendations are delivered in the Budget.
Edward Woodall is government relations director at the ACS edward.woodall@acs.org.uk
CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER
Anonymous tales from behind the counter
MY TEAM’S WELLBEING is incredibly important to me. It sounds like a noble statement, but it hides a darker truth. A happy team stays, an unhappy one leaves. The headache of recruitment –the time, the cost, the distraction – is a fear that keeps me up at night. The sight of a white envelope has taken on a new, more terrifying meaning since I started this business.
Worse than simply leaving, an unhappy team member can infect the entire business. We’ve all been served by someone who clearly doesn’t want to be at work, and that negativity can spread faster than anything.
I once had a manager who was a manipulative tyrant. If he received any negative feedback, he’d take it out on the team with heavy silences and angry outbursts. We were so afraid to discipline him that he felt untouchable, which caused a lot of resentment. I tried to x it by putting him through leadership training and acting like a therapist, but looking back, that was the wrong call. I was coddling bad behaviour, and it didn’t help.
The Government is planning to introduce a new Workers’ Rights Bill. Of course I want my employees to be protected. But a lot of my own mental health struggles have come from worrying about my team. I
The headache of recruitment is a fear that keeps me up at night
Expert eye
WMORRIS’ OF USK MONGER LILY MORRIS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTRACTING YOUNG TALENT INTO CHEESE PROFESSIONS
hen I nished my A-Levels in 2020, I would never have thought I would now be working at my family’s farm shop, running the cheese counter. Little did I know, Covid actually helped shape my career. I was due to start university in September 2020, but the rst lockdown scuppered that plan. Looking back, that was a sign that good things do come out of bad situations.
When my family asked me to help set up and manage the new cheese and deli counter, I felt quite overwhelmed. Yes, I love a challenge but being only 20 years old, the idea lled me with fear. I remember thinking, ‘there really can’t be that much to learn about cheese’ – oh how wrong I was.
The rst time I felt a glimmer of passion was on a course I took with the Fine Cheese Company. They told me about the stories and people behind each cheese, and I was hooked. I
understand the need to protect workers from bad employers, but what about the need to protect employers from bad employees? The ones who call in sick on a busy Saturday, or leave without notice
The o cial view of business owners is that we’re a faceless entity that always knows what to do. But we’re just as fallible as the people who work for us. I have no management training and o en learn by getting things wrong. I once came down too hard on an employee, thinking the ‘stick’ might be more e ective than my usual ‘carrot.’ They never came back to work, leaving us up a certain creek without a paddle.
Since buying this business, I’ve been thrown into the deep end many times. I experienced burnout when we opened our restaurant, and the only support I received was from my husband.
I’ve had to learn the hard way to take care of my own mental health. I don’t have a ‘boss’ looking out for my well-being, and I can’t take time o with pay. If I’m not working, there is no business. So, I look a er myself, because I know the bad times will come, and I will need to be ready. Although I am very much a working person, there is no rights bill coming to save me.
nally started to see that if I kept learning about cheese, I would never be bored.
I did my Academy Of Cheese Level One course in 2022, which inspired me even more to pursue a career in cheese. I then entered the Young Cheesemonger of the Year competition in 2023, and was selected to take part in the nals at the World Cheese Awards in Trondheim, Norway. I brought the trophy home, which was the most amazing experience ever. It also led to an appearance on ITV Wales News, a er which we couldn’t keep up with the number of customers coming to the counter.
I always thought the sector wouldn’t be open to young blood, but the cheese community is full of wonderful people who are happy to guide you. Organisations like the Guild of Fine Food and the Academy of Cheese make it easier for newcomers to nd their place.
I would de nitely advise young people who want to get into cheese to create a speci c social media account. It can be isolating if you don’t stay up to date with what is new. My social media accounts helped me connect with more people and created exciting opportunities.
If you’re a food lover and like cheese, you should de nitely consider a career in it. Food professionals are always going to be needed, and it’s fun, sociable and full of variety. You’re not stuck behind a computer all day, and there is always something new to learn.
Source: University of Leeds
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR MORE?
Whether it’s staff training, business advice, event space, making industry connections or opportunities to meet trade buyers and food lovers, the Guild of Fine Food does far more than publish FFD The Guild has been championing independent food & drink for over 30 years. Join us today and find out what we can do for your business.
Support & ideas: support@gff.co.uk
Training & venue hire: bookings@gff.co.uk Exhibition stands: opportunities@gff.co.uk
MyGuild assistance: myguild@gff.co.uk gff.co.uk/join Since new laws were implemented in 2022, £2m less is spent each day on HFSS products, with their share of sales down 5%
PROPER CHUTNEY. LEGENDARY TASTE.
Retail and hamper sizes now available.
TRAINING LEARN
| TASTE | UNDERSTAND | COMMUNICATE
RETAIL CHEESE
Our one-day course for anyone sourcing or selling cheese, delivered by industry and retail experts. Understand how cheese is made, how it should be stored and sold, gain skills to help communicate with customers and sell more cheese from a position of knowledge.
Cheese retailers populate high streets with string of new openings
By Patrick McGuigan
A wave of new cheese shop openings across the UK has been driven by changes in working patterns, growing interest in shopping ‘experiences’ and the rise of the ‘picky tea’ at home.
Big names in British cheese including IJ Mellis, Neal’s Yard Dairy and Borough Cheese Company are opening new London stores, while outside the capital other notable new shops include The Welsh Cheese Co in Cardi , The Cheese Connection in Bristol and a state-of-the-art cheese room at Peterley Manor Farm in Bucks.
Supermarkets are also part of the trend with M&S unveiling new-concept cheese ‘barges’ at several of its stores this year. These feature central grab-and-go barge-shaped counters lled with artisan cheese and accompaniments.
IJ Mellis, which has ve shops in Scotland, will open its rst shop in London at a former butcher’s in Crouch End later this month. The store will stock 70 cheeses with added space for wholesale orders. “We’ve run a successful stall at the Chiswick Cheese Market so this was the next step,”
said co-owner Iain Mellis.
“Bricks and mortar retailing is still strong. People want to socialise and have experiences. They want retail theatre and entertainment.”
In May, Neal’s Yard Dairy opened its h store in London in Baron’s Court – a residential area with a busy independent food scene.
“With people working from home more we’re hoping to see more regular trade throughout the week, and not just at the weekend,” said MD Sarah Stewart. “We’re stocking eggs and bread to encourage people to pop in more regularly, which will also help boost cheese sales.
We’re also next door to the Underground station so we’re
Shropshire-based Moyden’s Handmade Cheese, run by Martin and Beth Moyden, has closed after 21 years so the couple can “focus on family and future plans”. The company made Wrekin Blue and ran a shop at Newport Indoor Market.
Yorkshire-based Curlew Dairy, which makes Yoredale Wensleydale, is moving to larger premises. The new dairy and maturing rooms will be based in renovated farm buildings close to the current site in Wensley.
Cheese shop and restaurant group Champagne + Fromage has opened a new site in Harrogate, joining outlets in London, Chester, Bath and the Isle of Wight.
expecting to be busy towards the end of the day when people are on their way home from work.”
Bristol-based The Cheese Connection, which started in 2022 as a mobile cheesemonger, opened a shop in a shipping container at Wapping Wharf last month. “We’ve built a lovely community around cheese at markets and events, so a shop was the next step,” said founder Luke Maslen, who is o ering takeaway cheeseboards at the shop.
“The phrase I hear all the time is ‘picky tea’. People are buying really good cheese, bread and other foods they can share with friends at home, rather than going out for dinner.”
THREE WAYS WITH...
Chaource
With the embargo on raw milk soft cheeses from France, the field is clear for the usually-pasteurised Chaource. Made in Burgundy and Champagne, this soft, bloomy-rinded cheese has a gooey breakdown and lactic core. It could technically be made with raw milk as per its PDO terms, but usually isn’t. It’s a tangy, milder alternative to Brie de Meaux or Camembert de Normandie on a cheeseboard.
Dark chocolate
Made by slowly acidifying milk to create a lactic-set curd, Chaource has a zingy heart reminiscent of yoghurt or sour cream. A couple of squares of good quality dark chocolate bring sweetness and a touch of bitterness, which contrast beautifully with the creamy acidity.
Kir Royal
Best known for its award-winning blue, the Cornish Cheese Company has launched a new bloomy-rinded soft cheese called Dozmary. More powerful than Cornish Camembert, it is made with pasteurised cow’s milk and is buttery, vegetal and oozy. A trial version of the cheese, named after Dozmary Pool on Bodmin Moor, won the Speciality Cheese Class at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards earlier this year.
Bubbles would be the obvious choice for a cheese that is often made in the Champagne region. But NV Champagnes can make for an austere match, as the acidity of the wine doubles up with the acidity in the cheese. Much better is to add a dash of Crème de Cassis to the glass to create a Kir Royal. The added sweetness and fruitiness help the wine dovetail with the cheese, with the bubbles still clean and refreshing.
Plum bread
Lincolnshire Plum Bread is made to be served with a slice of Lincolnshire Poacher, but the spicy fruity bread also works very nicely smeared with a thick wodge of Chaource. The soft, cake-like consistency combines with the creamy cheese in a kind of hybrid between a cheese course and dessert. Teacakes, hot cross buns and Welsh cakes are good alternatives.
Coyau / Wikimedia Commons
Neal’s Yard Dairy opened a fifth store in Barons Court in the spring
CHEESE
Wee Comrie back in production as Strathearn Cheese revived
By Patrick McGuigan
Strathearn Cheese in Scotland, which closed last year, has been resurrected by a 26-yearold former chef, who says the company’s cheeses were “too good to lose”.
The business, based at Cultybraggan (a former Prisoner of War camp) near Crie in Perth & Kinross, was shut down by former owner Pierre Leger at the end of last year. But it has now been bought by former employee Ben Hodgson, who plans to grow sales beyond Scotland.
Hodgson, who previously worked as a pastry chef at the prestigious Gleneagles hotel, restarted production at the unit earlier this year, making the so cow’s milk cheese Wee Comrie. The wild garlic topped lactic cheese Lady Mary is also now being made again with production of the whisky-washed Strathearn due to resume in the New Year.
“We’ve got permission to expand the site with a shipping container, which will
CHEESE IN PROFILE with
help give us more maturation and production space,” said Hodgson. “The cheeses made here were just too good to lose. There isn’t a huge number of artisan cheesemakers in Scotland so it feels good to be back making cheese.”
Hodsgon has re-hired cheesemaker Kirsty McCabe and is in the process of getting his cheeses re-listed with Scottish wholesalers ahead of what he expects to be a busy Christmas. “There’s huge
How is it made?
What’s the story?
Cornish Yarg is a Caerphilly-style semihard cheese made by Catherine Mead and her team at Lynher Dairies in Ponsanooth, near Truro, Cornwall. The cheese takes inspiration from local history: more than 30 years ago, a Bodmin Moor farmer named Alan Gray (Yarg is simply Gray spelt backwards) discovered a 17th century recipe for a nettle-wrapped cheese tucked away in an attic. Each cheese is still wrapped in nettles by hand.
This cheese is made by hand, using a traditional recipe in open vats, from creamy pasteurised milk, produced by their own Ayrshire cows at Gadles Farm and other carefully selected herds, along with starter culture and rennet. The curds are cut, drained, lightly pressed into cylindrical moulds and then brined. After drying, foraged nettles are carefully applied by hand to the outside of the cheese, which changes the acidity of the cheese on the outside and impacts the way the cheese develops and matures.
demand for local food in shops and restaurants in Scotland, and we’ve had a great response from customers at local farmer’s markets. In the long term I’d love to get national distribution across the UK.” He added: “I don’t think there are many people my age with a passion for cheesemaking, but it shows the multi-generational appeal of the simple cheese.” strathearncheese.com
Appearance, texture & Flavour profile:
Cornish Yarg is a young cheese matured for six weeks
BEHIND THE COUNTER TIPS OF THE TRADE
Jon Broadhurst, Cheese & Friends, Sheffield
Cheese & Friends celebrates its 40th anniversary this year with previous owners joining Jon and Debbie Broadhurst to create their favourite cheeseboards.
The shop started as The Silver Hill Dairy, before becoming The Silver Hill Larder. The Broadhursts took over in 2019 and rebranded to Cheese & Friends. “Like the Ronseal ad, we wanted the shop to do exactly what it said on the tin,” said Broadhurst. “‘Cheese’ was obvious, while ‘friends’ reflected our place in the community and the things that go with cheese.”
The shop also got a bright purple paint job to make it stand out to passing traffic. Sales have been growing at 15-20% every year ever since and the brand is flexible so that it has been used in fridges in cheese concessions at other local retailers, and at food festivals and markets.
“We’ve just taken over the 100-year-old chocolate shop next door and changed the name to Chocolate & Cheer,” said Broadhurst. “It’s already helped boost sales and the two shops really complement each other.”
cheeseandfriends.co.uk
cheese develops a dusting of bloomy white moulds across its leafy, edible rind.
with a fresh mushroomy flavour. Beneath the rind it softens into a creamy layer, while the centre stays firmer with a crumbly core. The nettle leaves are carefully brushed onto the cheese in delicate circles, and as it ripens, the
Variations: A heart-shaped version is also made by Lynher Dairies. Cornish Yarg’s
sister cheese is Wild Garlic Yarg, coated with wild garlic leaves instead of nettles.
Cheesemonger tip: Pairs well with pale ales, ciders and full-bodied, zesty white wines. A striking centrepiece cheese that brings wowfactor to any celebration cheese tower.
Chef’s recommendation: Cornish Yarg is a beautiful and creamy accompaniment to a crisp apple, walnut and honey dressed salad. For something more robust, melt it on a Lynher Dairy beef burger in a brioche bun.
Cornish Yarg is one of the 75 cheeses studied as part of the Academy of Cheese Level Two Certification. For more information on this and all of their courses, head to www.academyofcheese.org
Hodgson worked at Strathearn until Pierre Leger shut down the business last year, after failing to find larger premises to increase production
Cornish Yarg
Ageing gracefully
Wakebridge Manor Creamery is more than a retirement project for John Bailey and Heather Benbow, it’s a second career – and a televised one at that.
By Patrick McGuigan
MOST PEOPLE DO more in the garden or take up a new hobby when they retire. And in some ways John Bailey and Heather Benbow are doing both of those things, but just on a much larger scale, and with a TV crew in tow (more on that later).
The couple retired from their successful veterinary practice in 2017 and bought a very big garden – in the form of a 240-acre farm in the Derbyshire Dales. They also took up a new hobby of sorts, acquiring 240 ewes and starting a cheese business called Wakebridge Manor Creamery.
“We didn’t want to just sit and vegetate,” explains Benbow. “And we certainly didn’t want to go on cruises, which would become a job in itself. We wanted a retirement project.”
The decision was also informed by a lightbulb moment in France. “We went to visit my Auntie Sheila and had a day to spare so we legged it down to Roquefort to look at the caves. As we were going round, we thought we could do that in Derbyshire.”
Turning the idea into reality was easier said than done. Planning permission was delayed and then Covid hit, before the price of building materials shot up. Brexit also added time and cost, which meant cheese production only started in earnest last year.
It sounds stressful enough, but every bump in the road was also documented by genial TV presenter Ben Fogle in his Channel 5 programme New Lives in the Country. It’s a fascinating watch, charting how the couple and their grown-up children, who are also part of the business, negotiated the ups and downs.
“I think they wanted us to be stressed out and to burst into tears,” says Benbow. “But we’re not those sorts of people. There’s
always someone worse o than you, so we just keep plodding on. I liked the show. They captured that we are a close-knit family and there is a lot of joking about.”
Today the business has 650 ewes and produces 15 tonnes of cheese a year, across two sheep’s cheeses: Wakebridge White (see box) and crumbly Wakebridge Blue. There’s also Derwent and Derwent Blue made with locally sourced cow’s milk.
Exactly how much capital has gone into the project is hazy – Bailey describes it as a “multi-million pound project” – but it feels like the couple’s retirement project is as much about building something for their family as it is about money. Their daughter Hannah and her husband Jay tend the ock, and their son David and son-in-law Dan Mason make the cheese, which is stocked by retailers including The Cheese Society, The Cheese Hamlet and Neal’s Yard Dairy.
The plan is to eventually get to 1,300 ewes and 40 tonnes of cheese a year, while planning permission is in place for a restaurant, hotel and visitor centre. Before the couple get onto that phase of the project, they are simply enjoying the fact that their cheese is nally out in the world and even winning awards. Derwent was named Best New Cheese and Best Small Producer at the Artisan Cheese Awards this year, while Wakebridge White won Champion Sheep Milk Cheese last year at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards.
“We’ve enjoyed that at the end of everything we’re producing a product that is being recognised,” says Benbow. “It’s really satisfying. Not everybody retires and then picks up a load of cheese awards.”
wakebridgemanor.com
We certainly didn’t want to go on cruises, which would become a job in itself
CROSS SECTION
Wakebridge White
Similar in style to cheddar, the curd for Wakebridge is scalded to 38°C, milled, salted and pressed, before the cheese is wrapped in muslin soaked in vegetarian ‘lard’. 1 2
Made with pasteurised sheep’s milk and vegetarian rennet in 5.5kg rounds, Wakebridge White, sometimes simply called Wakebridge, accounts for around 90% of production. Raw milk versions have been trialled, but the family is wary of going unpasteurised because there is TB in the area.
Wakebridge is aged for around six months and has a dense, fudgey texture and nice balance of sweet, salty and savoury flavours, ranging from salted caramel to roasted almonds.
3
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE Castile and Leon
Creating a culinary buzz
Producers in Castille and Leon – a region rich with gastronomic tradition and heritage –have again received many Great Taste awards. This year, beekeepers and their honey have scored especially high.
The largest autonomous community in Spain has a rich tradition of beekeeping and farming. Another newer tradition there is picking up lots of Great Taste awards for its outstanding products.
In 2025, a signi cant number of honey producers were recognised by the accreditation scheme, and it is true that the rich biodiversity in the area a ord the perfect conditions for producing honey with singular and pure avours.
This year, 11 producers of the golden nectar have collected awards in Great Taste. Among them is Hives, which clinched a 3-star for its unusual avocado honey.
“This product, which has a smooth and complex avour, emerged naturally,” explains director general Javier Morán. “We placed the hives near an avocado plantation and the bees started feeding on it, and we created this mono oral honey by chance.”
For Los Izanes, a third-generation beekeeping business in León, what started as a tradition, has become “a way of life”, according to Raquel Fernandez González, who runs the business with her husband Nacho.
This year Los Izanes received a 2-star award for its honey derived from oak honeydew. “It is a product that fascinates us,” explains Fernandez. “It comes from beehives placed in the middle of an old plantation of oak trees where the bees feed on the sap excretions of the trees.” Los Izanes also received a 1-star award for its pollen – and was the only company in Spain to have its pollen recognised.
Another family business, Miel 79 was founded by brothers Oscar and Samuel Gato who turned their father’s beehives that he kept as a hobby
into a business.
“We try to work the way that he taught us: focusing on the essence, nature, respect for the bees,” says Oscar. “The aim is to achieve this excellent product without losing those values.”
The pair received their 2-star award for the lavender honey. “This is a oral aromatic honey, one of the few that you can guess the origin straight away,” he adds. “Few places grow lavender, so it is not easy to nd and for us it is very special. We call it liquid gold.”
Iberian Honeybee, meanwhile, was born in 2021 and founded to work with smaller beekeepers, o ering fair prices and trading conditions, to combat challenging trading background and competition from imported honeys sold at lower prices.
The business received a 2-star for mountain honey and 1-star for forest honey in Great Taste 2025. Each of them displays unique avours and aromas re ecting the environment it comes from. “The forest honey is woody while the mountain honey is characterised by a deeper, more intense and syrup-like notes,” explains Raquel Fernández González, one of six producers behind the project (as well as the co-owner of Los Izanes).
Borja Jiménez and Beatriz Figueroa from Miel Camino de Santiago in El Bierzo in León say the peaceful location of their hives ensures an outstanding product. The facility where they extract and package the honey is right on the Camino de Santiago while the beehives are scattered around the region of El Bierzo.
“The hives are in privileged zones, far from noise and pollution placed among oaks, holm oaks and chestnut trees,” says Figueroa. Their
chestnut ower honey and the raw forest honey both picked up 2-star awards.
But it is not all about the honey. Julián Martin, a family business in Guijuelo, Salamanca, has produced Iberico ham and other charcuterie since 1933. The company’s Iberico pork loin has received a 2-star. An exclusive product, made to a family recipe, it is produced using with the meat of pure Iberian pigs that roam free in the woodland, feeding on acorn and natural grass. “This diet, rich in oily fats, adds a moisture, its delicate avour and health bene ts,” says CEO Fernando Garcia.
The microclimate of Guijuelo, he explains, o ers particularly favourable conditions to produce charcuterie: long, cold and dry winters followed by short warm summers strengthens this aroma, texture and avour of the Iberico.
From honey to ham, this is a region that stands out for its culinary excellence.
For more information, contact: promocion.ice@jcyl.es
LANDFALL. A CROSSING OF FLAVOUR. WHERE LAND MEETS SEA.
“Harmonious, fresh and inviting on the nose, this is a punchy, saline, and full flavoured gin. Intense without being overtaken by the ABV, the botanicals cleverly complement each other and make sense. Expressive, complex and uplifting. This is a fabulous and thoughtfully made gin. An ode to Lewis!”
Great Taste Judges Feedback 2025
TASTE THE RUGGED COASTLINE OF LEWIS IN EVERY DROP OF OUR AWARD-WINNING LANDFALL GIN. CITRUS, SPICE AND THE SALTY UMAMI OF BLADDERWRACK SEAWEED. LANDFALL GIN IS BURSTING WITH ISLAND FLAVOUR. HAND FORAGED BOTANICALS FROM IN AND AROUND STORNOWAY ARE COMBINED WITH TRADITIONAL GIN BOTANICALS TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL COASTAL SPIRIT. STORNOWAYDISTILLERS.COM
All in good time
Skye’s second single malt Scotch whisky distillery is approaching a decade of distilling, laying the groundwork for its house style with its Legacy Series – developed through vast experimentation.
By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox
The Isle of Skye, with its thunderous skies, saltwashed ruins and rugged peaks, seems like the perfect setting to make whisky. The landscapes were part of the draw for Torabhaig to build the second ever single malt whisky distillery on the Inner Hebridean island (a er Talisker, in 1830). But they also shape the spirit, founder and chief distiller of parent company Mossburn Distillers, Neil Mathieson, tells FFD
“We’re very lucky with the water,” he says, explaining that the local geology lends it a speci c, volcanic minerality. The peat here is di erent to what it’s like on Islay – where famously peated whisky Laphroaig is made. It’s not quite as strong and smoky, or iodine-rich –“it’s slightly lighter, fruitier,” he says, “with bon re smoke balanced by vanilla, spice and brine.”
Mathieson used to spend his holidays between the isles of Skye and Lewis, and later trained with the large Cognac houses in France. He then set up his own company, Eaux de Vie, importing and exporting small-batch, high-end spirits from around the world, and later also o ering small bottling services. When he realised the only
way the business could contend for listings would be to own its own distillery, an acquisition deal with Dutch company Marussia Beverages BV, its current owner, made it possible.
It invested in renovating the heritage site – a 19th century farm, itself built from the medieval ruins of nearby Caisteal Chamuis.
“It certainly was more expensive and more time consuming than putting up a shedand putting some stills in,” he says.
It broke ground in 2014, started distilling in 2017, and released the rst whisky in 2021.
While it builds up to its 10-year bottling in 2028, it is releasing oneo ‘Legacy Series’, now four editions in. The latest is ‘Sound of Sleat.’ [see box-out]
It’s great to be small, even though the whole world can't enjoy it.
Having this period of time to experiment and de ne a house style works with the way the distillery has approached recruitment –hiring only locals, including a ninestrong team of distillers.
There’s something not dissimilar to beer brewing in Torabhaig’s approach to development, which has involved experimenting with 40 di erent types of barrel, alternating oak species, size, thickness ofstaves, and seasoning.
“What we’re doing with some of these things is giving us hints, but they may not all be part ofthe rst permanent SKU,” Mathieson says, and only next year will it settle on its rst permanent SKU.
But creative development will continue to be part of the distillery’s output for the
‘SOUND OF SLEAT’
Named after the four-part reel written by Donald MacKinnon in the 1950s – inspired by the stretch of sea running behind the distillery –Sound of Sleat uses Concerto and Laureate malted barley, peated to 78PPM and fermented with Pinnacle MG Yeast. It is aged in Quercus Alba American oak, giving it an expressive character, with notes of orange, apricot and sweet maritime seaweed on the nose; promising bonfire smoke, honey, sea salt on the palate and a long, elegant finish. Pairing recommendations include game – like wild rabbit, or venison, as the meat’s richness is said to be complemented by the deep, smoky dram.
foreseeable future – annually producing 100 barrels of what it calls ‘The Journeyman’s Dram’, which the team spends a month creating. Aside from abiding by the rules that govern the making of single malt Scotch Whisky, they’re given free rein to test things out. This has seen them use beer yeast, wine yeast and all sorts of heritage grains including barley grown by the retiring distillery manager.
“But all of these things are tools,” he explains. “Experimentation, just for the sake of it, is great for education – even though it might not be great for the pocketbook.”
Whether the experimentals or the permanent SKUs, whiskies produced here are destined for speciality food & drink customers.
And while Mossburn is still a relatively small player, Mathieson is content with that. Taking the example of Roquefort cheese, which only has a total of seven makers, he says, “everybody knows what it is. It’s never inexpensive. But there’s so few people making it that if a larger distribution chain wants some, they know that they have to buy it.
“I think it’s one of the reasons that it’s great to be small, even though the whole world can’t enjoy it.”
torabhaig.com
Spicy Pineapple BBQ Sauce Papa Yo! (Papaya & Carrot) Hot Sauce Doux Doux (Chayote & Tamarind) Hot Sauce
Jeez-AnAges (Apple & Mango) Hot Sauce
The final cut?
As small abattoirs shut across the UK, independent retailers face tough choices. From rising costs to concerns about breed homogeneity and welfare, there are a number of issues that suggest the future of local meat hangs in the balance.
By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox
The cost of local meat is on the rise, and its availability on the decline. There are many contributing factors to these facts, among them the closure of small abattoirs across the UK.
With the number of abattoirs collapsing over recent decades, what was once a network of family-run slaughterhouses serving their communities has dwindled. According to the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA), which represents the UK meat processing industry, there were roughly 2,500 abattoirs spanning the country in the 1970s, but only about 203 in 2024.
The remaining sites, meanwhile, are much bigger: AHDB data for England in 2024 shows that just 13 cattle abattoirs processed more than 50,000 animals a year, accounting for over 60% of throughput. For pigs, five specialist plants –different to the mixed-species services, in that they only accept pigs – each slaughtered upwards of 750,000 animals annually, making up more than 90% of the total.
The reason the change in scale matters is partly
You can’t talk about traceability and sustainability if your animals are travelling halfway across the country.
Will Simkin, Essington Farm
because small abattoirs can reduce animal transport times and stress, ensure all-important provenance for farmers and independent retailers, and make it possible for native breeds to enter the food chain – because large-scale abattoirs tend not to allow them.
UK-based charity The Sustainable Food Trust (SFT) has long highlighted the issue, describing small abattoirs as “a critical part of the infrastructure that supports local food systems, animal welfare and rural economies”. In its 2022 survey of abattoir users, 88% said the existence of small, local sites was “very important” to their survival.
Eleanor O’Brien, managing director of National Craft Butchers, a trade body representing independent butchers in England and Wales, believes regulation is one of the most significant pressures on small abattoirs.
“A medium-sized abattoir killing multiple species and providing private kill services has
Iñigo De la Maza
MEAT & BUTCHERY
the same regulatory burden as a really large plant killing a million pigs a year,” she tells FFD. “That makes it much harder and less cost-effective for smaller abattoirs to run or to offer specialist services.”
She explains that it is efficiency of scale that leads to consolidation, as “the paperwork for 50 pigs from one farm is the same as one pig from one farm, because it’s per lot”.
She adds: “If you bought 50 pigs from 50 farmers, you’d have to do 50 different sets of paperwork. That is always going to be a barrier.”
Just as in farming, abattoirs are no longer being passed from one generation to the next, as explained by Emma Lishman of Lishman’s of Ilkley, a family-owned butchers and charcuterie producer in West Yorkshire. “Our beef abattoir is small, and its future depends on whether they’ve got younger people coming through. A lot of the problems that we tend to have [with sourcing] come from the fact that there’s no continuity from one generation to the next.”
Retailers like Essington Farm in Staffordshire have managed to keep going by outsourcing slaughter to a local small abattoir but managing the farm, butchery and retail in-house, keeping control of its supply chain. “But if you haven’t got someone who can kill your livestock, you’re done,” says owner Will Simkin. “You can’t talk about traceability and sustainability if your animals are travelling halfway across the country.”
But such models aren’t always workable, and for most independent retailers, the loss of local
abattoirs can mean losing the ability to sell local meat at all. O’Brien says businesses will have to make tough commercial choices over the next few years.
“They have to make conscious decisions on what their business priorities are,” she says, “and it may become harder for businesses to diversify or experiment with selling meat to generate revenue.”
Though it has a short and secure supply chain for most of its meat, even Lishman’s has felt the strain.
“This year is the first year we’re not getting our turkeys locally,” says Emma Lishman, “which is a real shame for us because we really do like to shout about getting things locally, but we’re probably moving more towards just getting the best British products we can, because ‘close’ isn’t always ‘the best’.” In this case, it was a generational change that ended the relationship with their local supplier: “They’ve supplied us for over 10 years, but their children just don’t want to keep doing it,” she says.
As ever, independent retailers aren’t passive in the face of these pressures, and they are changing their offers to keep local meat both viable and accessible. Lishman, who acknowledges that the Ilkley shop is “fortunate” to be in an affluent area where customers are more able to accept rising costs, says they have had to be adaptable.
“We’ve done things like, where normally we’d have beef mince and pork mince available, we’ve done a ragu mince – which is just the two mixed together – to try and bring the price down, and that’s gone really well. And we might just try and reduce some portion sizes slightly to just to keep the prices a bit lower.” The butcher has also introduced a points-based loyalty scheme. “Customers love it, it’s been a real benefit for us,” she says.
For Simkin, part of the answer for retailers is differentiation. “You’ve got to offer something supermarkets don’t. That might be service, it might be range, it might be the story behind it.” Essington Farm practices whole animal butchery, selling fresh cuts and producing sausages, pies and even ready meals, to maximise yield and minimise waste.
The paperwork for 50 pigs from one farm is the same as one pig from one farm, because it’s per lot. That is always going to be a barrier.
Eleanor O’Brien, National Craft Butchers
A lot of the problems that we have with sourcing come from the fact that there’s no continuity from one generation to the next.
Emma Lishman, Lishman’s of Ilkley
Lishman’s has gone further still, by building a charcuterie range that now accounts for half of its wholesale business. “It balances out the carcass for us and it means that we can buy whole pigs instead of having to buy cuts in, which we like because we’ve got better control over the size of the pigs that we’re getting – but also the quality,” Lishman says.
Still, the broader trend is fairly fragile. O’Brien sees this as an underlying and fundamental flaw in how the Government perceives, understands and supports food & drink production in the UK. “What we’re seeing is when the whole system isn’t understood or respected, something important is lost, and I think that’s what we’re seeing with small abattoirs – we’re only realising that they’re quite as important after they go.”
The Abattoir Sector Group – a coalition including National Craft Butchers, the Sustainable Food Trust, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and others – has been pressing Government for action. In an open letter published in 2023, the group warned that “the loss of local abattoirs threatens the viability of small farms, reduces consumer choice, and undermines animal welfare”.
The ASG’s priorities for 2025 included
targeted financial support for small abattoirs, reform of veterinary inspection costs, investment in skills, and recognition of abattoirs as critical infrastructure for food security.
And to an extent, the Government has acknowledged the problem. Successive administrations have shifted in tone, with Defra launching a Smaller Abattoir Fund in 2023, offering up to £4m to support modernisation and efficiency upgrades. Ministers recognised small abattoirs’ “vital role in maintaining standards of animal health and welfare, bolstering food security and supporting rural economies”. However, the ASG continues to lobby for long-term policy, arguing that one-off grants fail to address structural challenges like vet inspection fees or skills shortages.
Meanwhile, pressures on the meat sector continue to mount. According to AHDB (the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, which publishes market data for farmers and food producers), both retail and wholesale beef prices rose sharply throughout 2024, driven by tight supply and a falling suckler herd across the UK and Europe. For retailers, this has meant higher prices, and tough conversations with customers.
In practice, many independents find that their customers are more resilient than expected, so long as communication about provenance and quality is clear. Lishman says shoppers “increasingly want to know where things come from and how they’re reared – we try to get our team the different farms throughout the year to so they can see it for themselves and tell the story.”
O’Brien’s advice to retailers is not to isolate themselves.“The top line, without being too corny,” she says, “is working together. I think that can only ever improve everybody’s chances of success.” For her, that means joining trade associations and sharing your experiences with other retailers. “You may find out that actually, you’re still trying to hold to a 60% profit margin while everybody else has upped theirs to 70,” she says. “Sometimes that can give you the confidence to make the tough choice.”
Scotland Food & Drink was proud to sponsor The Great Taste Golden Fork Awards 2025
We empower Scotland's food and drink businesses to achieve their full potential to drive our economy, sustain our environment, and support our communities.
Find out more about Scotland Food & Drink and our membership opportunities at foodanddrink.scot
Welsh Great Tastes 2025.
Congratulations to Mario’s Luxury Dairy Ice Cream, who were named the Great Taste Golden Fork from Wales for their Blackcurrant and Cassis Sorbet at the recent Great Taste 2025 awards. With over 150 Welsh products earning Great Taste status this year, find out more about how Wales is consistently serving up award-winning taste.
Quite the kiln
Whether it was respect for tradition, precise cra or a combination of knowledge and hard gra that saw East Neuk Kilnhouse’s Hot Smoked Mackerel Fillets crowned Supreme Champion and winner of the Golden Fork from Scotland in Great Taste 2025 – the proof was, as always, in the eating.
GREAT TASTE 2025
0 Taste judges si through thousands of entries from across the globe, looking for standout products – with excellent avour, texture, and evidently cra ed with care. This year, out of 14,340 submissions, 3,899 products were deemed worthy of a 1-star accolade, 1,508 earned 2-stars, and just 273 – or 1.9% – received the coveted 3-star rating. From this elite group, the Golden Fork winners were chosen, and nally, one Supreme Champion.
In 2025, the highest title went to East Neuk Kilnhouse’s Hot Smoked Mackerel Fillets. Judges described the sh as “succulent and moist, with a wonderful balance of oil, smoke and salt”, and praised its “mahogany shine, pristine freshness and delicate seasoning”. They noted how “the smoke enhances rather than dominates, allowing the character of the sh to come through with a long, satisfying nish”. As samples were handed out a er the winner’s announcement, murmurings were that it tasted and had the texture of fresh sh, it had been handled so carefully.
Dedicated co-owners Colin Reekie and Billy Morris run the business in St Monans in the East Neuk of Fife. Their connection to shing goes back generations in both families, as Reekie’s grandfather co-owned and skippered a steam dri er – a ectionately named The Honey Bee –while Morris’s great-grandfather shed from the Chrysophrase. Both Reekie and Morris’ fathers were sh merchants, and both sons
The smoke enhances rather than dominates, allowing the character of the sh to come through
trained in the trade from when they were teenagers.
East Neuk Kilnhouse was established in its current form in 2020, when Reekie joined forces with Morris to re-establish his smoking business. There are still only ve of them on the team, but between them they produce a range of nine smoked products including salmon, trout and mussels.
One thing the pair has identi ed is that timing and quality are crucial when it comes to producing smoked mackerel. In the height of summer, the sh can be so oily that it shrinks drastically in size in the kiln. To avoid that, the team buys it when the catch is at its best and freezes it to lock in its qualities. The aim when smoking is always to let the natural character of the sh shine through, rather than to overwhelm it. First, salmon and mackerel are hot-smoked
at rising temperatures until they are cooked and infused with wood smoke. Later, as the kiln settles and cools, llets and sides go in for cold smoking. The East Neuk kiln is a special object – one of only three of its kind in the world. It is a heavy-duty, temperamental machine that requires a skilled user. But once it has been mastered, it allows for more precision and consistency than others might.
Drawing on their heritage and achieving this level of technical control has allowed Reekie and Morris to perfect the avour of their products – and this has borne fruit in the form of accolades. In 2025, as well as the Supreme Champion entry, several other products from the Kilnhouse fared well in Great Taste, including hot smoked trout, salmon and a honey & rum smoked salmon.
As the older generation remained in Scotland, “picking salmon”, collecting the award at Battersea Arts Centre was Calum Reekie, Colin’s son. He described the moment as “surreal” for the family and team. “It means the world,” he added.
With a judging process that ran over 110 days, involving more than 500 judges across England, Ireland and Italy, the accolade strives to be an indication of quality in food & drink. For East Neuk Kilnhouse, the award should serve as a reminder that Scotland’s shing heritage lives on – and that there are many gourmands eager to feast on the fruit of its labour. enkilnhouse.com
WHAT ARE THE GOLDEN FORKS?
The Golden Forks is the awards ceremony that rounds off each year of Great Taste, the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme. Celebrating its 32nd year, in 2025, it attracted 14,340 entries from producers around the world. Over a period of 110 judging days, more than 500 judges – a panel made up of chefs, retailers, buyers, food writers and critics – blind-tasted and debated the submissions. Products deemed worthy – on the sole basis of taste – were awarded a 1-, 2- or 3-star rating.
273 products achieved the top 3-star award and 16 Golden Fork trophies were presented, recognising the very best in each region or category, and those displaying outstanding qualities such as a commitment to sustainability.
Finally, one product was named Supreme Champion 2025.
SUPREME CHAMPION
Callum Reekie, East Neuk Kilnhouse
GOLDEN FORK FROM SCOTLAND WINNER
East Neuk Kilnhouse Hot Smoked Mackerel
GREAT TASTE 2025 >>
Three cheers (and sixteen Golden Forks)
Celebrating Great Taste’s 32nd year, professionals from across the food & drink industry came together to celebrate the cra smanship, passion and dedication behind some of the world’s best food & drink. The 16 Golden Forks awarded on the evening of 9th September were a testament to that.
(L to R) Miguel Lopez, Maria Gil of Conservera Castreña; Brindisa managing director Heath Blackford
(L-R) Claire Andrew, brand manager at Andrew Ingredients; Matthew Broadbent, Ocelot Chocolate founder; Rachel McIntyre, digital marketing executive, Andrew Ingredients
Conservera Castreña Anchovy Filletts in Olive Oil “La Castreña”
The Curly Pigs ‘Nduja
(L-R) Lewis Maslen, sales manager at WBC Packaging; Rachael and Stephen McMaster, founders of The Curly Pigs
Ocelot Chocolate Black Cherry Dark Chocolate
(L to R) Stuart Williams, Riccardo Dallavalle and Francesca Dallavalle of Mario’s Luxury Ice Cream; David Morris, Food & Drink Wales
Mario’s Luxury Ice Cream Blackcurrant and Cassis Sorbet
GOLDEN FORK FROM WALES WINNER
GOLDEN FORK FROM SPAIN WINNER
GOLDEN FORK FOR OUTSTANDING BURSARY WINNER
NIGEL BARDEN HERITAGE AWARD WINNER
Turkey in porchetta “Re Pavo”
Combining the flavour of wild fennel and rosemary, with the addition of salt and pepper after a long, slow cooking process, creates the “Porchetta of the future”.
info@bacalini.it +39 0734633264 bacalini.it
GREAT TASTE 2025 >>
(L-R) Guild of Fine Food managing director John Farrand; Hawkshead Relish founder Maria Whitehead; broadcaster Nigel Barden and food writer Malika Basu
(L-R) Miso Tasty senior marketing manager Katie King and founder Bonnie Chung; Nicola Woods, events manager at Speciality & Fine Food Fair
GUILD OF FINE FOOD CONTRIBUTION TO FOOD & DRINK WINNER
GOLDEN FORK FROM THE REST OF WORLD WINNER
Maria Whitehead, Hawkshead Relish
Miso Tasty Organic White Miso Paste
(L-R) Martha Garbe, Basalt Distillery director; Michelle Charrington, business development director, Invest NI
(L-R) Mariantonia De Cesare, trade analyst at ITA; Virginia Bacalini, business manager, Bacalini
GOLDEN FORK FROM NORTHERN IRELAND WINNER
GOLDEN FORK FROM ITALY WINNER
Basalt Distillery Basalt Volcanic Rock Gin
GREAT TASTE 2025
(L-R) Nadine Gould, Shire Foods owner and The English Whisky Company founder Lee James
(L-R) Diana and Matilda Temperley, co-founder and CEO of The Somerset Cider Brandy Company; Paul Hargreaves, Cotswold Fayre founder and CEO
GOLDEN FORK FROM ENGLAND WINNER
GOLDEN FORK FOR BETTER BUSINESS WINNER
(L-R) John Molloy, owner of Green Pastures Donegal; Estelle Alley, UK category manager for dairy alcohol and seafood, Bord Bia
(L-R) Carolina Cavanzo, sustainability manager at Partridges; Charlotte Hollins and James Martin, co-owners of Fordhall Farm
GOLDEN FORK FROM IRELAND WINNER
GOLDEN FORK FOR SUSTAINABILITY WINNER
Green Pastures Donegal
25% Sour Cream Fordhall Farm
Winner of the Great Taste Golden Fork from Rest of Europe
Konstantinos Ntounas Grevena Greek Honey – Oak
GREAT TASTE 2025
The Golden Forks ceremony welcomed friends of the Guild, judges and fellow food professionals – and nominees in the final round of the award. Tasting stations were set up, allowing guests to try Great Taste award-winning products. These were as follows:
• Organic White Miso Paste, Miso Tasty
• Blackwater Honey, Blossom Honey
• The Norfolk PX, The English Whisky Co.
• Dark Chocolate with Black Cherry, Ocelot Craft Chocolate
• Hot Smoked Rainbow Trout Fillets, Goatsbridge Fish Processors
• Razma, Barrel Aged Keptinis Beer and Untamed Barrel Aged Wild Ale V1, Our Brewery @ Geterbrewed
• Maraška, OPG Matulić
• RePavo - Tacchino in Porchetta, Bacalini
• Blackcurrant and Cassis Sorbet, Mario’s Luxury Dairy Ice Cream
• Deluxe Spanish Castellano PGI, Traditional Cheese Company
• Basalt Volcanic Rock Gin, Basalt Distillery
• Longan Honey, Löver Höney
• miso’grette, grette
• Nátierka Lieskovcová s kakaom, Willmann
• ’Nduja, The Curly Pigs
• 75% Wild Beniano Chocolate, Kindred Forest
• It’s Garden Citrus, It’s Garden
• La Bouche, Seidr Ci Ddu
• Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil ,“La Castreña”,Conservera Castreña
• Savoia Orancio, Casa Savoia
• 25% Sour Cream , Green Pastures Donegal
For the first time, guests were asked to pick their favourite tasting station, to deliver a ‘People’s Choice’ award at the end of the night. This went to Blackwater Honey for its Blossom Honey
For more information about the tasting stations and award-winning ingredients on the menu at the Golden Forks ceremony, visit: gff.co.uk/golden-forks-2025-product-directory
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE PART IN GREAT TASTE 2026?
The Golden Forks marked the finale of the Great Taste 2025 calendar, but it won’t be long before it all begins again.
Entries for Great Taste 2026 open in December 2025 for both Guild members and non-members. Whether you’re ready to enter your products, want to register your interest in judging, or would like to explore the Guild’s directory of Great Taste 2025 winners, head to gff.co.uk/greattaste.
(L-R) Naomi Botting, press and communications officer at Business France; Ana, Maria and Krsto Malutić of OPG Matulić.
GOLDEN FORK FROM GREECE WINNER
GOLDEN FORK FROM THE REST OF EUROPE WINNER
OPG Matulić Maraška
Spilling the tea…
Gone are the days of a builder’s brew and a peppermint tea being enough to meet your customers’ needs. Now, no menu is complete without a matcha, a kombucha, and perhaps even a Boba.
By Nick Baines
THERE’S NO SHORTAGE of sayings when it comes to the British nation’s love for a cup of tea. It’s a beverage that’s as symbolic as the Royal family, red postboxes and Big Ben, but at times it can feel like its popularity is taken for granted, overlooked and not leveraged in the mainstream nearly enough.
We looked into co ee service earlier this year, revealing a detailed breakdown of what a cup of co ee actually costs, and how tight the pro t margin is. However, Britain’s best loved drink, in comparison, can hold a more enviable margin – lower equipment and maintenance costs, but sold at a similar price point.
During the nineties, Starbucks helped commodify the takeaway cup as a to-be-seenwith luxury item. However, today, iced matcha and boba tea have taken over in carrying this kind of credibility. While American pop culture used to lead many of the trends, it appears that today, the younger generations are looking east.
In fact, the news hit last month that Costa Co ee was being sold o by owners Coca Cola, with analysts suggesting its value may have dropped to half what the conglomerate bought it for. A compelling reason for the decline in value was the current market of Gen-Z consumers opting for the matcha-based drinks from chains like Blank Street. Matcha holds a trendy new corner of the market, and one that
many brands are taking note of.
London’s Jenki was founded in 2020, and now has several thriving shops across the city, with a concession in Selfridges and a newly opened store in Canary Wharf. But as well as its own store fronts, co-founder Claudia Boyer says some of the recent attention is due to a wider global interest. “People are seeking a calmer, more sustained source of energy than co ee,” explains Boyer. “And matcha delivers that.”
It would be remiss not to mention the huge popularity of matcha lattes, which seem to have been the chilled drink of the summer. “Iced matcha lattes have been a huge driver of popularity,” continues Boyer. “They’re refreshing, easy to love, and the perfect way to explore avour.” Across Jenki’s ve matcha bars, seasonal specials include avours like strawberry and elder ower, lychee and jasmine, and London fog.
Matcha also features heavily in a barrage of ready to drink products. Scandinavian plant milk producer Sproud has just launched a matcha latte, joining the likes of Cali a Farms, Rodd’s Matcha, and PerfectTed all vying for shelf space.
That’s not to overlook the slow and consistent rise of kombucha, the sparkling drink made from a fermentation of tea, sugars and live cultures. One of the front runners in the UK right now is Momo Kombucha, whose latest round of funding saw it secure £2million, which comes in the wake of American kombucha brand Health-ade being sold for $500million.
So while tea might once have been considered hum-drum, it is in fact a category that continues to impress, and ripe for retailers and foodservice operators to exploit.
THREE OF THE BEST
Matcha teas for your roster
Ceremonial Grade Matcha, JENKI
Ceremonial grade
matcha from Uji, Japan. A benchmark as to how smooth, clean and delicious matcha can be. Described as being ‘smooth and mellow’. jenki.co.uk
Matcha blend, DIRTEA
This matcha powder blend ticks all the right boxes – with slow release caffeine from the tea, and cognitive benefits from added Lions Mane mushrooms and Tremella, it’s the quintessential ‘functional brew’. dirteaworld.com
Single Cultivar Okumidori Matcha, Romi Matcha
Showcasing how diverse matcha can be, Romi Matcha bring this single cultivar matcha that offers a different frontier that’s creamy, umami rich, with notes of cashew. A left turn from the grassy notes you might be used to. romimatcha.com
READY-TO-DRINK TEAS TO TRY
Zerbinati’s Watermelon, MOMO Kombucha
Momo’s longstanding relationship with Natoora has spawned many seasonal specials, including this kombucha made with black tea, hibiscus, and watermelon. momo-kombucha.com
Apple Raspberry, PerfectTed
Using green tea and matcha, these 250ml cans deliver a smooth balance of sparkling crisp apple and tart raspberry. perfectted.com
Lime & Yuzu yerba mate, MISSION
This sparkling yerba mate has no sugars or sweeteners and boasts several performance benefits the wellness crowd shop for. drink-mission.com
CATEGORY FOCUS
storecupboard
Stock your cupboards, fill your stockings
Compiled by Lynda Searby
As the season changes, your customers are ready to retreat indoors to cook, bake, and plan for the festive season. Make sure you’re stocked to facilitate their hibernation with our round-up of NPD.
The Saucerer’s Tim Hillgarth has collaborated with Eleanor Wilkinson, author of One Pot One Portion, to develop a pesto with a South American twist. Chimichurri Pesto is said to marry the herby brightness of chimichurri with the rich, savoury depth of a traditional pesto. Since launching in June it has become DELLI’s number one selling pesto. RRP £4.20/106g. thesaucerer.co.uk
Fresh off the back of launching Giga Chilli Sauce, Homi Kitchen has bottled the flavours of another Singaporean street food dish – black pepper crab. Featuring fresh ginger, garlic and chillies alongside black and white pepper, Hei Hei Pepper Sauce is a tribute to this national dish, and can be used as a meat marinade or to flavour fried rice, fish and vegetables. RRP £7.49/285g. homikitchen.com
The Coconut Kitchen has relaunched its four curry pastes with new improved recipes and fresher base ingredients. “We moved production to a small family-run site in Thailand and now the freshest farm to factory Thai herbs and spices are used in all our pastes,” said the company’s Paul Withington. The exercise has resulted in two of the pastes - Thai Red Curry and Thai Massaman Curry – being awarded 3-stars in Great Taste 2025. WSP £2.70/130g; RRP £3.99. thecoconutkitchen.co.uk
Authentic Thai curry pastes
The Woolf’s Kitchen has treated its Thai-inspired cooking condiments to a glow-up and renamed its Thai Chilli Paste as Tamarind, Garlic & Chilli Paste. The brand, which was conceived by food writer Dominique Woolf to bring “fresh Asian flavour and heat” to dishes, has also secured listings with Cotswold Fayre and CLF. The Tamarind, Garlic & Chilli Paste has an RRP of £4.99/190g. thewoolfskitchen.com
After eight years of serving fresh pasta in the heart of London, Emilia’s has launched a retail range of PGI certified, slow-dried pasta. Crafted in Gragnano, and aimed at people who value “quality, tradition and better ingredients”, the pasta is made using 100% Italian durum wheat semolina and bronze dies. There are three shapes - Casarecce, Rigatoni and Bucatini - all with an RRP of £3.29/500g. emiliaspasta.com
IN BRIEF
Doves Farm continues to champion ancient grains, with the launch this autumn of Organic Spelt Flakes. The wholegrain cereal contains just two ingredients – organic whole spelt and organic syrup – making it a clean, high fibre breakfast option. RRP £3.75/375g. dovesfarm.co.uk
Biona has put a premium, health-conscious twist on an Italian staple with the launch of Organic Wheat Matcha Tagliatelle Nests. The pasta combines organic durum wheat with antioxidant-rich matcha, a marriage that is intended to appeal to modern consumer preferences. RRP £3.19/250g. biona.co.uk
to making authentic
Pizza Sauce Aromatica is made from Italian tomatoes, grown and packed in Campania - a region that is blessed with fertile volcanic soil and a Mediterranean microclimate. coppolasalerno.com
Coppola Salerno’s latest introduction is tipped as a secret shortcut
Neopolitan pizza.
Unimpressed with the lack of innovation and truly authentic options available on retail shelves in the Thai food category, Pan Serirak has launched Wild Rice. Designed to be “convenient, free from unnecessary additives and bursting with the bold, vibrant tastes of Thailand”, its inaugural products are Panang Red Curry Paste and Thai Green Curry Paste (WSP £3.10/250g; RRP £4.90). wildricelondon.com
Store cupboard strategy: if it sells, it stays
Laura Roberts, owner of Laura’s Larder, shares her experience of how to approach the store cupboard ingredients category when you have a very full shop and limited space.
Following the success of its sambols and chutneys, RUCI Foods has unveiled a range of curry kits for making Sri Lankan dishes such as Pirattal, Mirisata and Veggie Vyaganya.
The social enterprise says the move continues its mission of making authentic Sri Lankan cuisine more accessible while supporting smallholder farmers and rural producers in Sri Lanka.
Designed as a gifting option or premium meal solution for food lovers seeking authentic taste and convenience, the kits serve four people and include a sachet of dried herbs and spices, a mini jar of concentrated curry paste, organic coconut milk powder, and 250g Sri Lankan easy-cook rice.
Of all the categories, ‘store cupboard ingredients’ is the one in which we trial the most products, partly because there is so much innovation, but also because the longer shelf life of these products means there is less wastage if something doesn’t sell quickly. Our rule is that if we buy a product and it sells, it stays, at least until it is stocked by the supermarkets. We see our role as an advisor, encouraging people to experiment with flavours and suggesting what ingredients go together.
WSP £6.50; RRP £10. rucifoods.com
Pure Maple has launched Organic Maple Butter Spread on the back of growing momentum behind maple-based sweeteners, as more shoppers look for alternatives to refined sugar. The clean label spread has a similar texture to peanut butter, but is made from 100% pure maple syrup, which means it is nut-, dairy- and gluten-free. puremaple.co.uk
Two Hot Asians has created a plant-based version of the Malaysian all-purpose condiment, sambal. Instead of belacan (a fermented paste made from salted shrimp or krill), its recipe uses brown miso to make it vegan while retaining the all-important umami depth. WSP £4/190ml; RRP £6.95. twohotasians.com
Home baking: strictly gifting When we opened in 2020 we used to sell a lot of flour and baking ingredients, so much so that we had a dedicated home baking section. However, that demand was largely driven by ‘lockdown baking’ and has virtually disappeared now. Probably the only flour we get asked for these days is a 00’ flour and that tends to be during the summer months when people are making pizzas. As a result, we don’t stock baking ingredients and kits apart from gifty ones at Christmas.
The Flavour Bombs line-up has been extended to include Coconut Curry, which is said to deliver the vibrant South American flavours that are the backbone of a Guyanese inspired curry.
The brainchild of Tina Faghihi-Hallam, a former tech executive, Flavour Bombs are balls are packed with herbs, spices, onions, garlic, tomatoes, aromatics and roots, providing the flavour base for curries, sauce-based dishes, broths and consommés.
“Flavour Bombs sit in a category of their own and are drawing a new generation into stores in search of new flavours. They’re not spice mixes, stocks or sauces, they’re full flavour bases and complete cooking solutions with none of the mess or margin for error,” said Faghihi-Hallam.
Since their launch in 2024, Flavour Bombs have been treated to a glow-up, with their brown paper pouches being replaced with windowed tubes to help them stand out on retail shelves.
RRP £7.50; WSP £4.25. flavourbombs.com
Rice & pasta: harnessing homegrown talent Where we can stand out against the supermarkets is with our rice and pasta offer, by building a narrative around provenance and helping customers create a more authentic experience at home. Linked to this, we are seeing a ‘beyond Italy’ trend in pasta, led by brands like Northern Pasta Co, The Cornwall Pasta Co and The Yorkshire Pasta Company, whose pasta is Italian in style, but made with local ingredients. They definitely give Italian pasta a run for its money, and some brands are getting good at doing collaborations with sauce companies, like Northern Pasta’s promotion with The Saucerer. Initiatives like this are really helpful because we can share the social media and then put those two products at the front of the shop.
Seasonings: less is more
As a small shop, we have avoided getting into seasonings because it is hard to know where to stop with them; there are just so many out there. That said, we have tried a few products, and the ones that have done well have been bagel seasoning and toasted sesame seeds, on the back of the Japanese cooking movement.
Cooking sauces: you are what you eat
After bakery, cheese, and coffee, cooking sauces is our largest category. It is hugely important because sauces are the meal completer, the thing that gives dinner its zing. Growing interest in the concept of caring about what you put into your body, driven partly by apps like Zoe and Yuka, is apparent from buying habits in this category. Generally, the products we stock perform well on those apps because if something is made well, it doesn’t tend to need a load of sugar or salt adding to give it flavour.
Fang-melting garlic and chilli sauces
The Garlic Farm has introduced a selection of curated gift sets in time for Christmas. One of these is The Vampire Gift Set (WSP £10.02; RRP £14.95), which features two hot sauces for lovers of searing heat. In Vampire Slayer, intense garlic heat and Indian chilli provide the power, while the blend of herbs, caramelised onion and lime juice adds depth of flavour. Vampire Botherer, meanwhile, is a fractionally more merciful zesty jalapeño sauce. thegarlicfarm.co.uk
Available via Delicioso, this set from Etxenike elevates pâté to luxury gifting level, presenting three Basque mousses and fondants as indulgent treats in gold tins with satin labels. The Duck Fondant with Port, Smoked Salmon Mousse, and Goose Mousse with Port are traditionally produced in the Pyrenean town of Burgete. WSP £14.75 for 3 x 130g; RRP £25.95-26.95. delicioso.co.uk
Boddington’s Berries has chosen a sleeve design rather than a window box for its two-jar gift pack. Its Christmas Cheeseboard Duo gives foodies a chance to sample the Cornish producer’s Christmas Chutney and Chilli Jam. There is also a Bestselling Berries Duo, containing Strawberry and Raspberry Conserves. WSP £6.22 for 2 x 227g; RRP £9.85. boddingtonspreserves.co.uk
Shoppers who fancy a change from turkey may be persuaded to try Packington’s Free Range Cockerel. Cockerel used to be the traditional Christmas table centerpiece until turkey was introduced in the 1500s. Packington says its slow reared cockerel is more popular each year, as consumers seek out ethically produced, high welfare, tasty meat. RRP around £13.50/kg. packingtonfreerange.co.uk
Inspired by traditional festive flavours and designed for cosy moments, Albion Tea’s autumn-winter collection brings two new blends to UK tea lovers.
Christmas Chai is described as “a winter classic, perfect for the festive season”. This black tea blend is infused with cardamom, star anise, ginger and zesty orange for a warming and aromatic brew. The second release, Mulled Wine Fruit Infusion, is said to capture the comfort of mulled wine in a soothing cup. This caffeineand alcohol-free fruit infusion features notes of spiced citrus, tart berries and warming cinnamon.
Dressed in a festive cloak of burgundy wax, The Snowdonia Cheese Company’s Ruby Mist is a stylish addition to the Christmas cheese board. Mature Welsh cheddar is infused with Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port, made from grapes harvested in the Douro Valley and aged for five years in seasoned wooden casks, then finished with a dash of French brandy. snowdoniacheese.co.uk
IN BRIEF
The Fudge Kitchen’s Festive Collection is a nine-piece box new for 2025. It features yearround flavours like Hazelnut Praline, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Fruit & Nut alongside seasonal classics, such as Speculoos, Stem Ginger and Chocolate Orange. RRP £12.50. fudgekitchen.co.uk
Emmi’s Fondü Original is an insider tip for recreating the Alpine holiday tradition at home. Made in Switzerland using traditional methods and mountain cheeses, this readyto-heat mix takes the pain out of making fondue – which can be tricky to get right. RRP from £4.25. group.emmi.com/gbr/en
Having previously tapped into favourite cakes and puds for its flavour innovation, Popcorn Kitchen has delved into the biscuit barrel for inspiration for its latest NPD. It describes Gingerbread Popcorn as “a munchy tribute” to the festive season’s lightly spiced biscuit. RRP £1.69/30g bag. popcornkitchen.co.uk
Albion Tea is a new British brand dedicated to telling the story of tea from extraordinary places. Fronted by Angela Pryce, a former tea buyer for Fortnum & Mason and Twinings, its focus is on quality, authenticity, and natural wellness. RRPs from £12/100g pouch; £15/100g decorative caddy. albiontea.com
All 17 honeys marketed under the Honey Heaven label are organic raw honeys that come from one artisan beekeeper in Hungary. They are bottled straight from the hive without any processing to preserve the pollen and nutrients, which include amino acids, antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins and minerals.
With so many varieties, Honey Heaven decided to create a range of gift sets featuring themed combinations.
For the festive season, it recommends the Honey Spice Essentials duo. This set twins Organic Honey with Ginger - a wildflower honey infused with mild, organic ginger, with Organic Honey with Cinnamon - raw honey with Ceylon cinnamon. The set comes with a handcrafted wooden serving spoon. RRP £28. honeyheaven.co.uk
This autumn will see Stockley’s launch a series of branded hand-decorated chocolate slabs, starting with a tree-themed slab. Despite having worked with clients on chocolate products for years, this is the first time the Lancashire confectionery producer has introduced a range under its own name. The 150g milk chocolate slab is decorated with a white chocolate swirl and salted caramel toffee pieces. RRP £5.99-6.99. stockleys-sweets.co.uk
Seggiano has started working with fourth generation confectioner Torrone Trapani, with the goal of offering more regional Italian holiday flavours and traditions. The first product to come out of the partnership is Torrone, Sicilian nougat that is handmade in small batches from toasted nuts, whipped egg whites and melted honey, using traditional 19th century methods. There are four flavours: White Almond and Coffee (WSP £4.20/100g; RRP £6.45), and Pistachio & Chocolate Covered and Chocolate Covered (WSP £4.80/125g; RRP £7.40). seggiano.com
Strong Horseradish Cream, Tomato & Chilli Chutney and Sticky Fig Relish are just some of the mini jar accompaniments that will reveal themselves in the countdown to the big day. The limited edition 12 Days of Tracklements Calendar has an RRP of £25. tracklements.co.uk
Carla’s has created two seasoning blends for home cooks looking to step up their game this Christmas. A blend of bay and orange, Goose Seasoning is said to be perfect for enhancing the flavour of goose, whilst Sprout Seasoning is a bold, herby blend that has the ability to transform this divisive festive staple from “dreaded to delicious”. WSP £1.60; RRP £3. carlasfoods.co.uk
At The Bake Hive, a cottage industry in the Scottish Borders, orders are flooding in for Moira Lindores’ Stem Ginger & Chai shortbread after it received 1 star in the 2025 Great Taste Awards. For Christmas, the producer will also offer Black Forest, Traditional and Cranberry & Pistachio shortbreads in 60g large singles (WSP £2.50) and six-biscuit packs (WSP £3.50). bakehive@hotmail.com
Spice Kitchen says its new Feasting Kits, released last month [September], were conceived to offer a thoughtful gifting option at a mid-range price point and to bring people together through food. With the help of the kits, people can easily host an Indian Banquet, a Middle Eastern Mezze or a Street Food Supper at home. WSP £12; RRP £20. spicekitchenuk.com
The Big Cheese Making Kit has teamed up with Aardman Animations to create a trio of ‘cracking’ cheese making kits. There are three Wallace & Gromit themed DIY sets: Mozzarella & Ricotta (RRP £22.50), Squeaky Moon Cheese (RRP £22.50) and Cheeses of the World (RRP £32.50). bigcheesemakingkit.com
The Originals bundle is pitched as the perfect introduction to YoYo’s Laotian sauces. It features three of the brand’s bestsellers, including Original Ginger Chilli Sauce, plus a selection of flavours that balance heat, freshness and versatility. Every bottle sold supports the Mines Advisory Group in clearing unexploded bombs in Laos. WSP £10; RRP £18. yoyolaossauce. co.uk
Roly’s Fudge has redesigned its seasonal gift bag headers and unveiled a selection of limited-edition flavours for the autumn-winter season. The new varieties, which include Raspberry & White Chocolate, Chocolate Orange and Chocolate Mint, are said to continue Roly’s West Country artisan fudge making tradition while introducing new flavour profiles that cater to evolving customer tastes. WSP £3.60/150g bag. rolysfudge.co.uk
The Scottish Bee Company has given its blossom honey a festive twist, infusing it with cranberry and ginger to create a spread that can be slipped into a cuppa, incorporated into baking recipes or slathered on toast. RRP £6.30/237g. scottishbeecompany.co.uk
Natural & Noble has brought its individual mulling spices together in a gift set, available via Cotswold Fayre and Holley’s Fine Food. Targeting the sub £10 gifting opportunity (RRP £9.99), the Mulling Spice Variety Pack contains mulling spices for wine, cider and gin. naturalandnoble.co.uk
UP-UP has brought back its gingerbread milk chocolate bar, this year in two sizes: classic (120g) and stockingstuffer (60g), RRP £4.75 and £2.99. As all its bars, it is made from single estate cocoa verified as child labour-free . upupchocolate.com
Booja-Booja is moving into a new category with the launch of an organic, dairy-free hot chocolate. It says the introduction “brings all the indulgence consumers expect from BoojaBooja to the hot drinks market”. The brand also added Orange Scrunch to its Chocolate Wonders range. WSP £3.74; RRP £4.99. boojabooja.com
Callaloo Corner has introduced presentation boxes for its Caribbean sauces. Available in 3–5 bottle formats, they offer retailers a ready-togift solution for creations like Papa Yo! Pepper Sauce, Spicy Pineapple BBQ Sauce, and the producer’s recently launched Roasted Tomato Xtra Sauce. callaloocorner.com
2 STAR GREAT TASTE WINNER
Azores quality skipjack tuna fillets in olive oil
"LIGHT AND DELICATE"
"THE FISH MELTS IN THE MOUTH"
"DELICIOUS" "SATISFYING" DELICIOUS" SATISFYING"
"THE PROVENANCE IS COMMENDABLE"
"MOUTH WATERING"
"THE QUALITY OF THE OIL ELEVATES THE FLAVOUR OF THE FISH"
"THIS HAD THE JUDGES EXCITED" "A VISUAL MASTERPIECE"
Progress that’s edible
What started as a classroom exercise gave life to a competition attracting some of the most innovative food & drink businesses out there. Its aim is to spark ideas with the potential to reshape the food system – as demonstrated by last year’s winner, Nice Rice.
By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox
When considering what the world’s food system might look like in decades to come, and how we can shape it to do what we need it to do – feed billions more humans, without plundering the planet’s resources – who better to imagine this future than the professionals of tomorrow?
This is what food & drink entrepreneur Barney Mauleverer had in mind, when, in 2023, he staged the very first Future of Food Competition at Winchester College, inviting pupils to formulate ideas for his own start-up, FUEL10K, offering advice as if it were the year 2043. “We had these wonderful 16- and 17-year-olds telling us what we should be doing in 20 years’ time,” Mauleverer tells FFD. “It was so inspirational, and all the judges actually had a wonderful day of it.”
Heavyweight names turned out to the event to hear pupils’ ideas, including Adam Leyland [editor in chief at The Grocer] came down, so did Rebecca Oliver-Mooney [Co-op buyer].
“We had the Department for Business & Trade
there, Mintel came along as well,” he says.
The pupils suggested all manner of innovations, like incorporating cricket protein in FUEL10K cereal, and tailoring recipes to consumers’ individual nutritional needs.
So inspired was Mauleverer that, even after selling off his company, he decided to stage the competition again – this time inviting fellow entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas.
“After the first competition, I thought, ‘well, that was a fun day’, but it was quite clear that it had actually piqued quite a lot of interest.”
He thinks the format struck a chord because businesses like to think about the future, but are less sure when it comes to implementing plans. “Most people have quite a short strategic horizon,” he says. “They think in years of three or five, but not really beyond, because it feels a bit too out of reach. And who knows what’s going to happen in five years’ time?”
The way he sees it, a lot of what holds change
back is not wanting to be alone in taking risks.
“They talk about the first-mover disadvantage,” he says. “But can you imagine if we all just picked a few subjects like that and agreed, ‘one, two, three, let’s go’? We could change all at the same time.”
Last year’s event shortlisted businesses who then presented on stage in front of a panel including Premier Foods CMO and director Yilmaz Erceyes, Bread and Jam founder Jason Gibb and Gü puds founder Fiona Fitzpatrick.
There were 105 entries, and among the final 16 were food brands Bold Bean Co, Sylt Pickling and Turaco Coffee; paper cup innovator No More Lids; decentralised vertical farming start-up, Shoot, and Remy – a waste reduction app that allows users to scan the contents of their fridges and cupboards and suggests how to use ingredients.
One runner-up was plastic-free cleaning items brand, Seep, which is on course to eliminate a billion
FUTURE OF FOOD
items from landfill by 2030; the other was Dogtooth Technologies – a company whose robots can harvest delicate berries as effectively as human pickers.
But it was sustainable rice brand, Nice Rice, who finally took the title, perhaps thanks to the simplicity of its idea (see box-out).
“The founder Fergus O’Sullivan stood up and said, ‘do you know the second biggest emitter of methane after beef in the food industry is rice’? And we were like, ‘gosh, I didn’t know that’,” says Mauleverer.
This year, the competition returns to the Royal Geographical Society on 27th November, with speakers including Dr Dolly Van Tulleken, Professor Mike Berners-Lee and Henry Dimbleby MBE. “Henry’s going to keynote and also be head judge,” Mauleverer says, noting that the National Food Strategy co-author’s investment firm, Bramble Partners, has supported the event since attending last year.
You could be working in a small community and having a high impact there. The question is whether that model could scale itself
Barney Mauleverer Organiser, Future of Food competition
INTERVIEW
FERGUS O’SULLIVAN 2024 WINNER AND FOUNDER OF NICE RICE
It’s not often in life that you’re presented with a problem and its solution, all in one place. But that is precisely what happened to Fergus O’Sullivan, the founder of Nice Rice, a brand of premium Basmati rice sourced from North India.
farmers a premium for the rice and incentivise them to commit to SRI; and finally, to channel 2% of revenue into the Nice Rice Foundation, which supports and trains farmers to convert to the method.
“They’ve actually set up a centre for sustainability in a village in Punjab,” O’Sullivan says of his training partner. “Usually the farmers rely on someone from the government coming out once every six months, […] whereas we now have an actual location where farmers can go on a weekly, daily basis if they want.”
Nice Rice remains the only UK brand to be selling rice farmed this way, and it is still a relatively small player – but it is stocked by Ocado, Waitrose and numerous independents. O’Sullivan has also begun fielding approaches from food manufacturers who use rice as an ingredient at scale. “They’re getting in touch and saying, ‘We didn’t have an idea about this…can you help? Can we buy your rice?’”
As the winner of the Future of Food competition last year, Nice Rice received a £10,000 cash prize, £20,000 of data from Nielsen IQ, a place on the Brand Growth Heroes Mini MBA with Fiona Fitzpatrick and a consultancy with data insights firm Northstar. “The prizes were awesome,” O’Sullivan says, noting that the experience was valuable in itself. “ It forced me to think about Nice Rice in quite a different way,” he says. He also describes the day as energising: “There was a nice sense of, ‘we’re all on the same team’.”
Judges will be looking for ideas with proof of concept. “We’re not discounting size,” Mauleverer says. “You could be working in a small community and having a high impact there. The question is whether that model could scale itself.”
The hope is that it becomes a forum for presenting ideas that can contribute to improving our food system. But for Mauleverer, it’s about bringing a community of forward-thinking minds together. “It’s an education play with the backdrop of a competition,” he says. “We might crown gold, silver, bronze, but it’s about what happens afterwards.”
Last year’s panel members have all been made ambassadors to reinforce a sense of continuity. Looking ahead, Mauleverer would like the Future of Food Competition to become a new style of trade show. “You spend an awful lot of money taking a stand as a maker or an innovator, and then there’s a lot of wasted media that walks past your stand,” he says. “Whereas if you had the right sort of businesses, 40 or 50 of them in a unique location, that would be a much more efficient way of getting people to talk.”
futureoffood.org.uk
Not from a food & drink background, O’Sullivan had been reading about rice cultivation when he discovered its devastating environmental impact, chiefly due to how much water traditional paddy irrigation requires, and the large amounts of methane this creates. The System of Rice Intensification (SRI), which uses Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), allows soil to dry between irrigations, reducing methane and improving fertility. And to make things even better, “it wasn’t like scientists discovered this method and had been trying to force farmers to do it against their will,” O’Sullivan tells FFD “Farmers discovered it as a way of improving their yields.”
In fact, it increases output by a quarter, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to half, methane by up to 70%, and water consumption by half. And importantly, there’s little cost involved – the main hurdle to its implementation is education.
When O’Sullivan first learned about it, he was surprised that no rice brand was championing the practice. “Finding out about how big a deal this was, and how positive this type of rice was, I was frustrated that I couldn’t buy it,” he says.
That exasperation was the catalyst for him to start the business in 2021. His aim in doing so, and his pitch to the Future of Food panel, was threefold: firstly, to influence consumers and other rice importers and brands to convert their farmers to the method; to pay
O’Sullivan’s next mission, after convincing consumers of the brand’s credentials, is that Nice Rice is worth buying because it is premium, delicious rice.
“Our challenge is not to lose sight of the food side of the business. I need to try and remember to start conversations with the quality of our rice, because ultimately, that’s why people are going to buy the product and keep buying it.”
wearenicerice.com
LA BANDIERA ORGANIC SINGLE-ESTATE
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL APRIL 2025
La Bandiera Olive Oil is produced in the wine growing area of Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast. Over 1100 mature olive trees are harvested to produce the estate’s exclusive label, ultra premium olive oil.
The olives are harvested from the moraiolo, leccino and frantoio trees when they are just beginning to ripen in October and the characteristics are so typical of the area - full bodied with grassy, fruity and spicy aromas.
La Bandiera extra virgin olive oil is endorsed by the IGP (lndicazione Geografica Protetta). This certification is important to La Bandiera as it is a guarantee of origin; it provides consumers with a guarantee that the oil meets certain quality standards associated with the specific geographical area and the IGP label helps consumers identify and choose authentic olive oils of premium quality. The acidity levels of La Bandiera olive oil is consistently very low at less than 0.3% which puts us in the category of ultra premium extra virgin olive oil.
La Bandiera Olive Oil is produced in 500ml bottles (with a gift box) and 1 litre can. It is available through the online shop. The prices are £25 and £45 respectively. The wholesale price for a carton of 6 x 500ml bottles is £90.
NATURALLY SWEETEN THE SEASON:
PURE MAPLE’S NEW ORGANIC SYRUPS FOR CHRISTMAS
PRODUCTS & MERCHANDISING
The Happy Pear debuts Organic Super Greens Pesto as “a statement of intent”
By Lynda Searby
The Happy Pear has made its foray into organic with the introduction of a ‘super greens’ pesto that launched with Planet Organic in September.
The B Corp certi ed business, whose mantra is to champion ‘veg power’, has a fruit & veg shop, café, bakery, roastery and four-acre regenerative organic farm in County Wicklow, as well as a portfolio of 80 retail products. These include granolas, soups, dips, meal pots, sauces, snacks, pizzas, burgers and oat milks.
Owner Dave Flynn told FFD that an organic range was a “natural progression” for the business that he started with his identical twin Steve in 2004.
“On our own organic regenerative farm in Wicklow, we see rsthand how healthier soils lead to more nutrientdense veg, richer biodiversity and better tasting food. Organic Super Greens Pesto is our rst certi ed organic product, and it’s a statement of intent: we want to align our products more closely with the farming practices we believe in,” he said.
in Ireland thanks to listings with SuperValu and Centra. The brand is less known in the UK, but is building a presence through relationships with distributors like CLF and Cotswold Fayre and retailers, including Ocado.
“We’ve just launched 13 products on Ocado, and we’re actively in discussions with Waitrose, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s. Our UK growth strategy is about building awareness through strong retail partners, supporting launches with our
digital community (we’ve more than two million followers globally, with nearly half in the UK), and showing that plant-based can be both delicious and everyday,” said Flynn.
WHAT’S NEW
In a bid to counter some of the negativity around ultra-processed bars, The Protein Ball Co has revamped its range. Conceived by Robot Food, the changes include stripped back recipes, a new visual identity and messaging that highlights the brand’s high protein, no added sugar and no added junk credentials. theproteinballco.com
Herefordshire cider maker Pulp Cider has launched its first limited edition flavour in time for the spooky season. A play on nostalgic toffee apple, Caramelised Apple Cider is said to be “bewitchingly” smooth, buttery and sweet. RRP £2.79-2.99/500ml. pulp-cider.co.uk
Clearspring’s
With an RRP of £3.69 for 135g, Organic Super Greens Pesto combines organic spinach and kale - some of which is grown on The Happy Pear’s own farm - with toasted cashew nuts, veg oil, garlic, apple cider vinegar and a touch of yeast for depth of avour.
The Happy Pear’s range is widely available
Nuditea has revealed a new visual identity and expanded its range with a single origin Decaffeinated Breakfast Tea, two Wellness Blends, and the debut of retail Matcha.
The Bath-based tea brand says the refresh is part of a strategic push into retail and a broader effort to grow its reach while staying true to its roots.
All products are sporting a new look that has been designed with the help of creative partner Kurt Green Studios to support Nuditea’s mission of making speciality tea “more accessible, engaging and transparent”. nuditea.com
He said that Super Greens is “just the start” of the company’s organic o er, with its second organic product, Organic Creamy Hummus, launching this month [October].
“Beyond that, we’d love to bring more organic pestos, dips, and sauces to market, as these make it super easy for people to add more veg to everyday meals,” said Flynn. thehappypear.ie
Organic Japanese Silken Tofu is now available in a single serve (200g) pack that is said to be ideal for smaller households and busy schedules. The tofu is produced in Japan from three simple ingredients, using water drawn from the Shikoku mountains. clearspring.co.uk
Dough innovation enables consumers to recreate hot cookie desserts
TikTok is awash with videos of hot cookie dessert skillets, and now Bling Ingredients has translated this dessert parlour trend into retail format.
“Consisting of warm, partly baked cookie dough and sometimes known as a pizookies or skillet cookies, hot cookie dough has become a staple menu item for not only dessert bars and parlours, but also pubs, cafés and sandwich shops,” said the company’s Jenny Baillie.
Available in five varieties, Bling frozen cookie dough chunks can simply be poured into a dish and baked
straight from the freezer in a matter of minutes or cooked to gooey perfection within seconds in the microwave, then finished with toppings such as ice cream, sauces, cream and fruit.
RRP £7.60-£8.60 for a 780g resealable pouch.
In other cookie dough news, last month, Londonbased Panela revealed new look packaging for its frozen, ready-tobake cookie balls. The brand’s point of difference is that its dough is made from organic, regeneratively farmed ingredients and sweetened with
Colombian panela (unrefined cane sugar).
WSP £8/300g; RRP £12-13. There is also a newcomer on the scene. Baker’s launched in June with four varieties, including Snickerdoodle and Brown Butter Chocolate Chip - and has just started stocking boutique grocers in West London. Its dough is made from Irish grass-fed butter, free-range eggs, Belgian chocolate and Wildfarmed regenerative flour. RRP £6.99/360g. bakerslondon.com blingingredients.com panelabakery.co.uk
WHAT’S NEW
Sunny & Luna has added Pumpkin Gnocchi to its vegetable pasta range. Made in Italy, the “better for you” pasta contains 50% vegetables (pumpkin and cauliflower), offering a nourishing twist on Italian comfort food. It joins the brand’s existing Cauliflower and Spinach Gnocchi SKUs. RRP £4.25/300g. sunnyandluna.co.uk
My magic ingredient
Zambur Ferments
Kent Kimchi
ELLE CORFIELD, Sandgate Deli
Fife family business The Farmer’s Son has secured a listing with Fortnum & Mason for its Scottish Black Pudding, Haggis and White Pudding. According to The Farmer’s Son, they offer “real provenance, traceability and the high animal welfare option, in a way the typical mass-produced products cannot”. thefarmersson.com
Bistro Chef is rolling out new livery across its menu of frozen mains, sides, soups and desserts. The Bath producer, whose strapline is “A taste of France at home”, says the new branding is sure to stand out in the freezer. Dishes include Coq au Vin & Dauphinois Potato, Wild Mushroom Risotto and Luxury Seafood Linguine. bistrochef.co.uk
Zambur is a local business producing a fantastic range of ferments and kombuchas, made with traditional fermentation methods, crafted with care and packed with flavour. Their Kent Kimchi – recently awarded two stars at the Great Taste Awards 2025 – is a true standout for us and our customers. Made with locally grown, seasonal vegetables, it delivers a lively balance of heat, tang and umami, with a freshness and crunch. At our deli, we especially enjoy it tucked into a sourdough toasted cheese sandwich, where the sharpness and crunch of the kimchi cuts through the richness of the melted cheese. At home, we like to use it to brighten up salads, Asian-inspired noodle dishes or hearty winter soups. Customers are increasingly interested in fermented foods for their probiotics and gut-friendly benefits, and Zambur’s Kent Kimchi captures that trend beautifully – it’s a staple we wouldn’t be without.
zamburferments.com
Canned heat: Lamiri Harissa and Sea Sisters collaborate on conservas
By Lynda Searby
A er years of sharing shelf space in London delis, Sea Sisters and Lamiri Harissa have announced a collaboration that pairs Cornish sardines with Tunisian harissa.
Whole Cornish sardines, caught one mile o the Cornish coast and prepared at Sea Sisters’ Bridport sh cannery, are preserved and marinated in extra virgin olive oil and Lamiri’s Tunisian harissa.
Siblings Sam and Milly Lamiri launched Lamiri Harissa to bring their grandmother’s harissa recipe back to life. Sam Lamiri told FFD that the collaboration had been on the backburner for a while.
“When Sea Sisters rst launched, a lot of the delis we supply were raving about them being the rst UK cannery. Then I met them at a food fair two years ago and we found that although our products are very di erent, our brand ethos and approach aligned,” he said.
The initial idea was to create a harissa tuna, but as Sea Sisters
was unable to source British tuna that met its ethical standards, they chose sardines instead, inspired by the Tunisian sardine sandwich.
The new conservas is available D2C via both producers’ websites and DELLI.
“We’re doing quite small runs at the moment; we’re using it as an opportunity to introduce Sea Sisters to some of our really good stockists and vice versa,” said Lamiri.
It also forms part of Lamiri’s strategy to branch out beyond harissa.
“Harissa will always be the core of who we are but we have done that now for three plus years and have got to the point where we have earned the legitimacy and authority to speak on what a good harissa is. So now we’re looking at other products, some of which are harissainfused and others which are Tunisian classics. The ethical side of it is that we feel that Tunisia is massively underrepresented in the UK and Europe.”
lamiriharissa.com seasisters.co.uk
It delivers a lively balance of heat, tang and umami
Embracing the trend for regional cuisines and the absolute ubiquity of the pistachio nut, organic Italian food specialist Seggiano has added two new products to its bestselling range of pestos.
Tomato Almond Trapanese, made with tomato pulp, Sicilian almonds, basil, garlic, oregano – and a hint of chilli, for depth – is typical of the province of Trapani in Sicily.
Putting the popular nut at centre stage, Pistachio Pesto includes more than 50% pistachios, blended with EVOO, hot pepper and salt, resulting in what the producer says is “a delicate heat and a rich texture”.
Both pestos are said to elevate pasta dishes and grilled vegetables, or to be perfect for zhuzhing up a bruschetta. RRP £5.85 and £9.75, respectively, per 190g. seggiano.com
BEYOND SUSHI
Do you cook pasta Al dente?
You will love this rice. Sticky yet firm. The rice holds its shape when forming sushi and binds well to other ingredients without being overly mushy or dry. That ideal texture, paired with a subtle sweet aroma, elevates every bite into pure culinary pleasure.
As Emma says, sushi in Japan is not an everyday food to cook at home. Sushi is more for weddings, funerals, ceremonies. With Emma Basic Sushi Rice, you don’t have to make sushi, cook it plain, serve with stir fry, curry or for poke.
www.emmabasic.co.uk
Grasp the Nettle
Fermenters Nina-Rose Hubbard and Sam Jackson make cultured, plantbased spreads that behave like cheese – and are championed by chefs, ne food retailers and even cheesemongers – but don’t attempt to mimic it.
Interview by Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox
What were you doing before Nettle, and how did it come about?
We met through acting but were falling out of love with it, trying di erent things, working events, still doing the odd play. Then we both became vegan. I’d been vegetarian since I was 18, but the shi to plant-based was hard because the things that give depth – umami, glutamate –o en come from animal fat or fermentation. Take them away and dishes can feel two-dimensional. The plant-based cheeses we tried then were going for texture or appearance.
So you weren’t trying to make a sliced burger cheese, more something cooks could actually use?
Exactly. If you try to create a replica, you set yourself up to be a substandard version of the original. We thought the missing piece was avour complexity, and you can get that through fermentation – think koji, miso, umeboshi – so could we apply that to nuts for creaminess so it sits in your avour palette like cheese, without being cheese?
How did you develop the method?
Lots of trial and error. We met a fermenter who had applied dairy cultures to nuts and helped us. We thought we could nd the right plant-based cultures and make a truly plant-based product. We tested loads until some worked. From the start we didn’t want preservatives, so moving into retail meant leaning on older preservation methods: pH, salt, oil, and washing herbs in vinegar or lemon.
Talk us through the range.
Haverstock White was our rst. It has a similar pH to feta but the texture is di erent. It drops into recipes where you want depth – whisked into a béchamel or stirred into soup like crème fraîche. Cultured Gold came next because I missed butter so much. We make a buttermilk and emulsify with olive oil; the ferment gives this gentle, almost citrusy li .
Our Mushroom Tru e pâté uses a fermented mushroom by-product from Symplicity. We blend it with a simpler culture pro le and a touch of maple syrup for balance. It’s intense and very singular. Haverstock Blue is a limited run we usually make for winter. We inoculate the fermented blend with Penicillium roqueforti, pierce it, ip it daily and keep it in its own fridge. Flavour-wise it’s got a so brie-blue vibe I always compare to Castello – plus juniper, bay and red peppercorns.
What about ingredients and sourcing?
We thought the missing piece was avour complexity, and you can get that through fermentation
aren’t right. We employ people from prison –including on the inside – so there’s a job when they leave. For us it’s product, community, health – every choice has been informed by that.
How did you get from idea to actually selling your product?
We use organic raw cashew and macadamia activated in water. Cashews are inside a fruit and the shell layers contain a corrosive compound, so historically processing has been unsafe and unethical. We work with partners who can guarantee better standards. We use BELU water, garlic, thyme, black pepper, Cornish sea salt, olive oil and rapeseed oil. We’re desperate to work with a UK organic rapeseed producer but there isn’t one available yet.
You’ve said you were product-first and didn’t tell your story much. What is it that drives you?
Our choices have always been guided by a holistic view of sustainability. Being plant-based isn’t enough if your ingredients are unethically or unsustainably sourced, or your hiring practices
We started six months before lockdown, selling to foodservice. We bought a £30,000 blender and took on a too-expensive kitchen. Our business education was basically The Apprentice – we’d knock on kitchen doors, walk in and say, “we’ve got this thing for you to try; if you don’t like it, we’ll leave”. Luckily chefs were receptive and a er six months we were covering costs, then overnight it stopped. We moved into retail and independents, and sampled as soon as we could.
Where are you selling now?
It’s fairly evenly spread across direct, retail, foodservice and wholesale. We started working with Gail’s last year and that was a game-changer. They get ak for being a chain, but they use Shipton Mill our, Eaten Alive kimchi, UK cheeses – they do support small producers. Since our Great Taste 3-star we’ve gone into CLF and we work with Longman’s, Buchanans, and Harvey & Brockless.
What are your plans for the next one to five years?
Operationally we want to grow and work with more prison leavers, but do it with stability. We’d really like to get into Ocado and Waitrose. The question is how you grow sustainably without harming independents. We think there can be a symbiotic relationship if you work with higherend supermarkets that don’t squeeze margins so you can’t compete elsewhere. We don’t want to shy away from scale if it lets us create good jobs and model better practice.
nettlefoods.co.uk
Ex-pilot turned shopkeeper Nathan Clays has turned a miniscule Northwich unit into a favourite spot for local food lovers, fuelled by his fondness for speciality co ee and carefully selected lines.
By Tom Vaughan
Espresso yourselves
DESPITE BEING A trained pilot, the Stores Delicatessen owner Nathan Clays doesn’t need to be in the cockpit to get a buzz – not when his Cheshire-based deli and co ee shop is ying high.
Housed in the ground oor of a tiny 1960s red-brick shopping parade on Hartford’s high street, The Stores has built up an enviable reputation in the two years it has been trading. Owner Clays moved back home to the village in the summer of 2023, having run a mobile co ee van for 12 years – catering to events and lm sets with his Little Espresso Company. With a key eye for the shi ing demographics of his hometown, he immediately spotted an opportunity. “I’ve been in retail all my life, my parents owned a shop,” he tells FFD. “When I moved back
Average basket spend: £10.80 Floor space: 333 square feet (31 square metres) including the kitchen area
Number of staff: 8
home to Hartford a er a stint away, I knew something that celebrated ne food and particularly incredible co ee was what was missing. I know the landlord well as he had been a customer of my mum’s shop for many years, and I asked him to let me know should a shop come up. Fast forward a month and we had the keys.”
The goal, he says, was to create a “hub for foodies” and at the cornerstone of the o ering is Clays’ passion for co ee. Maccles eld-based supplier Kickback Co ee provides the beans both for wet-trade and retail – its Explorer Blend, a smooth, rounded taste pro le with hints of chocolate and pecan – is Clays’ house co ee,. Clays has built up a strong relationship with the roastery over the years, thanks in no small
part to its ability to meet the high demand of an espresso truck. “When I had the van I would sometimes need to put in huge orders at short notice, and I needed a supplier who would be able to meet that without an issue.”
Twelve years in the co ee trade means that Clays knows his beans (pun intended) and he has grown a loyal following for his barista skills. As a result, hot drinks account for 40% of turnover. As well as co ee, customers can opt for chai and matcha lattes and a line of hot chocolates from producer Kokoa, all made using single-origin solidchocolate tablets.
The remaining turnover is split between retail items and a small food o ering that aims to deliver something for every age group. “We’ve got açai bowls for the Gen Z
crowd, dog treats for the dog walkers, and sweet treats for passing kids.”
While the shop might be miniscule – at just 333 square feet, including the kitchen – a 14-cover pavement terrace means that the business can operate as a sit-down co ee shop during the summer months. This allows customers to linger over a hot drink or lunch. With a tiny kitchen nestled just behind the deli counter, Clays has to be creative with what he can produce within the space, and how he can give it a point of di erence from nearby sandwich shops. The answer: the team bakes its own focaccia each morning. Sandwiches made from homebaked focaccia or bread from north-west bakery Chatwins have become one of The Stores’ best sellers. Meanwhile, acai bowls service the breakfast crowd – açai topped with fresh fruit, granola, coconut and seeds, they are made to order and priced at £8.50 each – and a range of freshly made, decadent milkshakes are a sure- re way of pulling in parents looking to treat their kids.
When it comes to hot food, a creative enterprise has been to make its own pinsa – pizza-esque o ering made by assembling toppings on a sourdough pitta bread (supplied by Greek food supplier, Seven Ate Nine), which are then baked in the kitchen’s super-fast oven.
From the deli counter, there is a selection from the Great North Pie Company, based
just 30 minutes down the road in Wilmslow; its all-butter pastry recipe a hit with Clays regulars. Locally made arancini are also a popular and easily dispensed option, alongside pasties, sausage rolls, quiches and bacon-and-tomato turnovers.
Despite the tiny footprint, The Stores manages to pack an impressive amount of shelf space, with a stock list built up by Clays over the past 24 months. “I’ve spent a lot of time researching, sampling and connecting with suppliers to nd the best range – we are a small shop so choosing products that actually sell is hugely important. It’s important to keep on top of trends and keep things fresh to keep customers engaged.”
While it has made sense for him to work with local companies for the co ee and lunch o ering, when it comes to retail stock, Clays has been led by what sells, wherever it comes from. From the start, his goal has been to showcase “small-batch producers, both locally and internationally”. One of these is a line of frozen Neapolitan pizzas made by Norwich-based company Brick. Clays was initially sceptical about the price. Hand-stretched and sent out vac-packed and frozen, they retail for just under £10 – not far o the price of a restaurant pizza. But his customers have been taken by the quality of
MUST-STOCKS
Victus Emporium – Aioli
Torres – crisps
Brets – crisps
Diforti – Cannoli
Previns – Naan breads
Whitebox Cocktails
Chatwins Bakery – sourdough
Bread Dipper – Oil
Pullin’s Bakery – Gluten-free bread
Cornish Charcuterie – Pâtés
Kickback Coffee
ByRuby – Ready Meals
Perelló – Olives
the pizzas and they have gone on to become one of his most popular items.
Also from the freezer, a ten-strong selection of ready meals from the Londonbased byRuby also prove popular for customers looking for grab-and-go dinner options, as do tubs of Cheshire Farm real dairy ice cream – with an ice-cream stand from the same producer sat on the terrace to serve up cones to passing children. Meanwhile, Whitebox Cocktails – singleserve pre-mixed drinks sold in cans – are a hit with the younger demographic.
Closer to home, Cheshire-based Bidlea Dairy delivers regular milk, fresh from its 1,000-strong herd of Holstein-Friesian cows, while jars of honey come from local small-batch producer Geesbees. Butter is sourced via historic Welsh producer Shirgar, and cream is from The Devon Cream Company. Perennial deli favourites Torres crisps and Perelló olives both sell well, as does the Bread Dipper range, made by Yorkshire-based Charlie & Ivy’s. A recent winner has been a range of artisan muesli from Lakeland Mues in Cumbria. Made
with no added salt or oil, the Berry Blast and Nutter options have proved particularly popular, says Clays.
Alongside all of this, Clays also nds space for a grab-and-go cheese fridge, with picks from across the Continent. Deli staples such as Black Bomber and Keen’s Cheddar are joined on the shelves by Appleby’s Cheshire – the only Cheshire cheese still made in the traditional method, with raw milk – as well as Kinda vegan cheese. This is joined by a selection of packet charcuterie –chorizo from Brindisa, Coppa from Diforti, and pâtés from the Cornish Charcuterie Company.
The Stores’ success in transforming an everyday shopping parade into a foodie hub has not gone unnoticed by rivals. On our visit, a new co ee shop was being readied for opening, just six doors along on the same street. Is Clays worried that these new shops might ride on his coattails and eat into his trade?
“I’m con dent that won’t a ect us too much as I'm looking to push other areas of our o ering to cover any losses from
co ee trade,” he says. In the coming months, Clays hopes to push the hamper side of his business, building a website to launch mailorder hampers come Christmas. He’s also experimented with running barista courses in the past and hopes to continue them, passing on his 15 years of expertise when it comes to pulling the perfect espresso.
Growth has been great this year, says Clays – a fact he partly attributes to a push on social media marketing. The shop has built up nearly 6,000 followers across Instagram and Facebook, thanks to the constant stream of creative posts. In fact, such is the increased footfall, it’s getting to the point where The Stores might have outgrown its bijou premises. “We are limited to how much more we can grow in our current location. So should anything suitable come up in the area I would love to move into a bigger premises, but I’m well aware of what extra costs come with that.”
For now, Clays is happy piloting his smallbut-mighty store, and seeing what new heights he can steer it to.
thestoreshartford.co.uk
We’ve got açai bowls for the Gen Z crowd, dog treats for the dog walkers, and sweet treats for passing kids
TAX DIRECTOR AT PKF FRANCIS CLARK, ON GETTING YOUR CHRISTMAS LEVIES RIGHT
As the festive season approaches, many employers plan to show appreciation to their sta through gi s or a Christmas party, but it’s important to understand the tax rules surrounding these gestures.
Tax on staff Christmas gifts
Generally, gi s to employees are considered taxable bene ts. Fortunately, HMRC o ers a trivial bene ts exemption, which allows certain small gi s to be tax-free. The gi must:
• Cost no more than £50
• Not be cash or a cash voucher
• Not be part of a salary sacri ce or contractual obligation
• Not be a reward for work performed. This exemption can be used multiple times throughout the year for occasions like Christmas, Easter, weddings, or new baby celebrations. However, gi s given as a thank-you for work are not covered. Employers should also be cautious about giving gi s too regularly, as HMRC may view them as expected bene ts.
Gifts over £50
If a gi exceeds £50, the employer must cover the tax through a PAYE settlement agreement (PSA),
MODEL RETAILING
Hi everybody, we’re just working on getting some more wine so you all have a glass for the tasting session
which involves paying the tax on a grossedup basis. Directors and o ce holders of close companies are subject to a £300 annual cap, which includes gi s to their household members. If those household members are also employees, they too are subject to the same cap.
Tax on Christmas parties
Christmas parties are typically considered taxable entertainment. However, HMRC allows an exemption for annual events if:
• The event is held annually
• All employees are invited
• The cost does not exceed £150 per person. This exemption can apply to multiple events, such as a summer party and a Christmas party, if the combined cost stays under £150 per head. If it exceeds this, only one event quali es. The per-head cost includes all expenses, and must include VAT.
Need help?
Navigating the tax rules around employee bene ts can be complex. Professional advice can help ensure compliance and optimise tax e ciency. Services include reviewing remuneration packages, planning non-cash bene ts, and managing PSAs. Contact PKF Francis Clark for assistance as we are always happy to help.
Generally, gi s to employees are considered taxable bene ts
No wonder I couldn’t find a parking space
Setting up shop for good hygiene
Processing milk, and storing or maturing cheese on wooden surfaces
Dairies that obtain clean bottles from central units will not normally require mechanical bottle washing facilities, providing the clean bottles are not exposed to contamination during storage and before being filled at the dairy. Bottle washing and storage can take place in the same room where products are handled, but at a different time or in a separate area – providing hygiene is not compromised. Separation in time between cheese production and packaging means the same room can be used for both, if proper cleaning and disinfecting are conducted between processes.
The FSA Guidance on the use of wooden shelving for the storage and maturation of hard cheese states: “Wood is generally not acceptable as a food contact surface as it is difficult to clean and disinfect and may shed splinters, but it may be acceptable for the storage and maturation of hard cheeses only on this surface, as long as the surface is well maintained.”
Fine Food’s Assured Code of Practice for Deli Retailing
The guide is available in PDF format (free for Guild members, £250+VAT for non-members). To request a copy of the Code,
This advice is an excerpt from the Guild of Fine Food’s Assured Code of Practice for Deli Retailing. The guide is available in PDF format (free for Guild Members, £250+VAT for nonmembers). To request a copy of the Code, email support@gff.co.uk
All I wanted was my usual 150g of cheddar. I’ll go up the road.
FFD says: Running events (and advertising them on social media) is a great way of improving footfall, but beware of creating something you can’t control or that impedes your regular customers when they visit. Use ticketing to keep your numbers to a manageable level and consider extending your opening hours to run events during the evening.
