FFD April 2021

April 2021 Volume 22 Issue 3 gff.co.uk

Hamper time!

Stock up for the outdoor dining season with our packed product guide

ALSO INSIDE Thornby Moor Dairy Retailers plan café reopenings Galician chestnut-fed ham

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

CONTENTS 5

NEWS

It makes you wonder whether the ‘new normal’ has become more normal than the ‘old’ normal. I reckon it has, for lots of people.

10 SHOP TALK 19 CHEESEWIRE 25 CHARCUTERIE

By Michael Lane, editor

26 FOCUS ON OUTDOOR DINING: SAUCES & DRESSINGS, OILS & VINEGARS, ICE CREAM, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS 38 SUSTAINABLE MEAT 43 FOODSERVICE 49 SHELF TALK 56 DELI OF THE MONTH 63 GUILD TALK

It strikes me that the reactions we have to these big COVID announcements follow a relatively similar arc in most households.

So, when Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of lockdown was first unveiled, there was plenty of initial joy and hope – even though most of the British press had already leaked what was going to happen anyway.

Then comes the next stage, the doubt. Will it really happen on time?

Surely they can’t vaccinate everyone by that date? All it takes is one upward tick on a graph and we’ll all be sat inside on the day that we were meant to go to the pub in June.

As I write this, the plan seems to be working (sorry, I’ve invoked the commentator’s curse). But I’ve detected a slightly strange third stage – one of apprehension among retailers about how things are going to play out over the next few months.

You’ll read about three different approaches to reopening foodservice operations (page 43). At least one interviewee isn’t going to be reviving their sit-down café any time soon.

Then there’s our Deli of the Month, The Farm Stratford (page 56), whose owner has realised she’s been trading for longer under pandemic conditions than not.

It makes you wonder whether the ‘new normal’ has become more normal than the ‘old’ normal. I reckon it has for lots of people. It also begs the question about what the future of retailing might be.

Well, Amazon has had a go at a prediction with its new food store in London – cashless, till-less, almost transaction-less (physically, at least).

You’ll be relieved to hear that several people we’ve spoken to don’t think the concept is going to kill off delis just yet (page 6).

As one of our guest columnists, Nigel Bogle of The EPOS Bureau,

points out (page 15), consumers still value what they get from delis and farm shops. It’s tangible and it’s human. And it’s also remained intact throughout the pandemic.

I suspect some of the nervousness about the reopening of the UK might stem from being completely knackered. After all, most of you reading this have been trading throughout all of the country’s temporary “closures”.

It’s been more profitable for some than others but whether you’ve been serving the masked hordes or attending to a dribble of customers every day, you have all been open during the most unimaginable 12 months (is it safe to say ‘unprecedented’ yet?). That must mean you’ve got something about you.

So, whatever happens in May, June, or beyond, I feel confident that the delis and farm shops of the UK will be able to deal with it.

April 2021 Volume 22 Issue 3 gff.co.uk

EDITOR’S CHOICE Hazelnut Praline Centres

Hamper time!

Cuoco

Stock up for the outdoor dining season with our packed product guide

ALSO INSIDE Thornby Moor Dairy Retailers plan café reopenings Galician chestnut-fed ham

Cover image by © Anton Anton/Dreamstime.com

Chosen by us in the spirit of embracing a forthcoming normal (‘new’ or ‘old’), these biscuits are not weird – but they are wonderful. Their creator – a Somerset biscuit-maker (Percy’s Bakery), now freshly rebranded as Cuoco – may not be the first to put ganache on top of shortbread and cover it in chocolate but they have absolutely nailed it. What’s more, they have done it across the

EDITORIAL

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Sales director: Sally Coley

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Contributors: Nick Baines, Patrick McGuigan, Jules Mercer, Lauren Phillips, Lynda Searby

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Sales manager: Ruth Debnam

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

10-strong launch range.

The most extraordinary thing is that this is a new premium chocolate biscuit brand – pitched entirely at independent retailers. Surely, that’s got to be worth trialling on your shelves? cuoco.co.uk l Read more on page 50

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

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2021. Reproduction of whole or

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

prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are

not necessarily those of the editor

Turn to page 63 for news from the Guild

or publisher.

Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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Shop online at www.jukescordialities.com 24

April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

NEWS

‘Much more to be done’ to ensure food & drink sector survives the pandemic Key bodies have called for further support for food retailers who remained open through the winter lockdown but suffered a reduction in income as COVID-19 continued to grip the UK. Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an extension of business rate relief and the employee furlough scheme in his March Budget, along with fresh loan guarantees and a raft of other measures (see below).

However, Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, said Sunak should have gone further to recognise the impact of the pandemic on food firms.

Cash grants of up to £18,000 were reserved for companies legally forced to close for the first three months of this year, while full cancellation of business rate bills will only last until June.

“All of retail has been

Pictures: HM Treasury

By Greg Pitcher

Industry bodies have called for greater support for food SMEs

disrupted by COVID-19, said Goodacre. “Either by being closed or from lower-thannormal footfall and spending thousands on implementing safety protocols.

“We are pleased to see the rates holiday extended by three months, but we do have to realise that for many retailers it will take much longer than three months to rebuild their business, replenish their cash reserves and develop consumer confidence.”

Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman

said he “strongly welcomed” the measures in the Budget.

But he added: “There is still much to be done to ensure that the business rates system is both fit for purpose and fairer for all in the long term, so we again urge the government to take long-term action on fundamental rates reform.”

He also called for grants to be available to shops that had remained open during the lockdown, saying many essential stores in city centres and other locations had been “severely impacted” by the pandemic.

Seven things the Budget means for fine food firms Business rate relief extended Sunak pledged 100% relief from business rates for eligible retail premises in England from 1 April to 30 June this year. This will be followed by 66% discounts for the next nine months, capped at £105,000 per business for most food firms.

Furlough scheme to continue The Budget confirmed that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme would carry on until September, with employers to start contributing to the cost of subsidising furloughed staff for unworked hours from July.

Further grants for closed businesses Fresh restart grants of up to £18,000 will be available to companies in England forced to close during the latest lockdown. Detail on whether hybrid firms which closed parts of their businesses would be eligible for the cash was awaited as FFD went to press.

New loan guarantees To prompt new lending, from 6th April 2021 the Recovery Loan Scheme will provide lenders with a guarantee of 80% on eligible loans of up to £10 million to UK firms.

Sick pay rebate extended Small and medium-sized employers across the UK will continue to be able to reclaim up to two weeks of eligible costs for employee statutory sick pay until further notice.

Staggered VAT payments Businesses that deferred VAT payments during the first lockdown can use a new scheme to make payments in 11 instalments rather than a one-off hit as initially planned.

Tax relief on investment For two years from 1st April, companies investing in qualifying new plant and machinery are able to claim a “super-deduction” capital allowance that could slash their tax bill by 25p for every £1 spent.

Frankie Dyer, managing director of Barbakan, said discounted business rates and the extension of the furlough scheme would “massively help” the Manchester deli, which has taken a huge financial hit from widespread closures of its wholesale customers.

“We sell our own-brand goods to hotels, restaurants and cafes who have all had to shut,” she said. “We have bakers on furlough and fewer vans on the road.”

Dyer added that there was more pain in the future for retailers, with Sunak announcing a corporation tax hike from 19 per cent to 25 per cent by 2023.

Antonio Picciuto, owner of Hertfordshire-based Buongiorno Italia, said he hoped the Budget would see independent firms through a tough period. “Every little helps,” he said. “I’m pleased that the business rate relief has been extended and the discounted rate will be introduced as it will be a great help in these uncertain times.”

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT...

THE SPRING BUDGET ANTONIO PICCIUTO, BUONGIORNO ITALIA

I really hope what the chancellor has put in place for small businesses will be enough for survival for those hardest hit. I really believe we have to get to this time next year before there is any certainty that we, as a nation, have come through this.

FRANKIE DYER, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BARBAKAN

I am confident our wholesale business will pick up when hospitality opens – our customers can’t wait to open and the public can’t wait to go for a meal. We have moved to local suppliers because of Brexit and I think people will not be travelling this summer and they’ll be supporting local shops.

JAMES LOWMAN, ACS CHIEF EXECUTIVE

The upcoming review of business rates will be crucial in shaping economic recovery from COVID-19, and we have long argued for the system to be designed to promote and reward investment.

It is therefore encouraging to see the chancellor sharing our focus on promoting investment through his announcement of the new super deduction.

Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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NEWS

CYBER CRIME

Amazon’s bricks-and-mortar venture ‘not a threat to independent retail’

By Greg Pitcher

Amazon has opened a futuristic food shop in west London offering deli-style products that customers can choose from the shelves and immediately walk out with.

The online behemoth launched its first UK bricks-and-mortar Amazon Fresh store on Ealing Broadway, offering the public the chance to shop for groceries without the need to use checkouts.

Instead, customers download an app onto their smartphones and scan it as they enter the 225m2 shop, and are automatically billed for any products they leave with.

The concept uses cutting-edge technology such as computer vision, sensor fusion and deep learning to detect when products are taken from or returned to the shelves.

Lines include cured meats, deli meats and cheeses across a range of brands that will be available to shop for 16 hours a day,

Amazon’s new physical retail store uses AI to track purchases

seven days a week.

As well as branded products, the Ealing store stocks Amazon’s own range of goods including meat, poultry, fish, dairy, fruit, vegetables, bakery, freshly prepared meals, hot food, grab-and-go snacks and everyday essentials.

Amazon already operates a number of grocery stores in the US and said it had plans to open further outlets in Greater London.

But Charlie Turnbull – founder of online food marketplace Delishops – said independents had little

Former Waitrose grocery chief takes over role at Fortnum’s Fortnum & Mason has named former Waitrose food and grocery director Rupert Thomas as its chief commercial officer.

Thomas is set to lead buying, merchandising and international teams at the luxury retailer from April, taking over from the outgoing commercial director Lucy Williams.

Thomas added: “I’m hugely excited to be joining the Fortnum & Mason family. An iconic British brand, it continues to distinguish itself around the globe with outstanding quality products and exceptional levels of service. It is going to be an important year for the retail and hospitality sectors, and I’m relishing the opportunity of working with the Fortnum’s team to help drive the next 6

April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

phase of growth and innovation.”

In joining Fortnum’s Thomas is following in the footsteps of former Waitrose CFO Tom Athron, who took over from Ewan Venters as F&M CEO last December.

Athron said: “Rupert is a wonderful fit with this ambition: a highly experienced and inspirational business leader, he has a great track record of driving growth that is underpinned by a passion for premium brands, bold innovation, and an ability to create unique customer experiences.”

The new CCO left the John Lewis-owned supermarket after 17 years in January following a shake-up of the leadership team by boss James Bailey.

to fear from Amazon’s foray into food shops.

“I don’t think it will affect the indies that much,” he said. “It is one more competitor in the already price-competitive multiples sector, which has always been chalk to our cheese.

“Even if they make a go of it, they would have to buy and rebrand one of the big multiples to scale up quickly. Scaling in bricks is a lot slower than scaling in clicks.”

Turnbull said he thought opening a physical store was a strange move from

a company that has made its fortune from internet orders. “It’s a weird step for them to take,” he said.

“Everyone else is going online, Amazon is coming offline.

“Plus it is less convenient than their existing offer of order online and it’s with you within 24 hours without leaving your home.”

He added that fine food producers were increasingly looking to place their products with Amazon as online shopping grew in popularity during the pandemic.

“Every producer we are speaking to with an online channel is building sales up,” he said. “For many, it has been a lifeline. They are also looking to get onto Amazon. Up to last March, Amazon was a dirty word to some people.

“Online universal access is what will make our sector more buoyant – and it will encourage more people to explore their local farm shop or deli.”

Food hall wins IN BRIEF big at awards Walter Smith Fine Foods has announced the The Farm Stratford closure three storesat was theofbig winner in the Midlands. this year’s FarmThe Retail butcher chain revealed Awards. over Christmas that its The Warwickshire Denbyhall Village, food tookWest both Bromwich and Coventry Small Farm Shop of the shopsand would stop Year Café of trading, the leaving with 11 outlets – Year foritits restaurant, many of which within Nourish at Theare Farm. garden centres.

The success follows up

on its FRA 2020 Rising Star award.

Tracklements hasgong This year the hired Ben Hallam for farm for up-and-coming the role ofwas commercial retailers won by manager, which includes York-based Minskip identifying new market Farm Shop. opportunities.

Large FarmHallam Shop of joins the Wiltshire-based the Year was awarded condiment after to Calcott specialist Hall in Essex, 11 years at dairy firm Yeo while Hampshire Valley.

Farmers Market saw success in the Farmers Market of the Year Health food retailer category.

Planet Organic has Stuart Beare, of moved the food Tulleys into Farm inhot West delivery market and his Sussex, who revived teamed up retail with high-end business’s offer as service Supper, hit which the pandemic last will courier a selection year, was handed the of to-go items and sushi Lifetime Achievement from two Central London Award for his quickstores. thinking pivoting.

Cress Co set to expand to keep up with demand Dunfermline-based The Cress Company is set to create 60 jobs as the fine food distributor expands into a new depot.

Due to continued sales growth in 2020, the Scottish brand’s expansion into the new 78,000sq ft warehouse space will help service its “rapidly increasing customer base”.

Managing Director of Cress Co, Joe Wall believes Cress Co’s growth has been accelerated by the “increased demand for local food and drink and food with more traceability”.

Head Buyer at Cress Co Nikki Castley said: “Demand was coming from new and existing retail customers for more items and that was being

The Cress Co’s Nikki Castley and Joe Wall

driven by customers going to them rather than supermarkets.

“In a strange way, COVID has brought awareness to independent retailers.”

The distributor’s new premises are set to be operational from May, will house its new fleet of dual temperature vans and has capacity for 5,500 pallets of stock.

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

Welsh farmers have known for generations that if you look after the environment, the environment will look after you. That’s the secret behind centuries of sustainable farming practices that have made Wales a producer of high quality lamb and beef.

Compared with some of the intensive systems found in other parts of the world, the ‘Welsh Way’ of farming has a very different story to tell. With high standards of animal husbandry and pasture land management, our family-run farms have helped preserve our unique landscape for generations.

Our farmers work hard to produce lamb and beef of the highest quality. Every animal is fully traceable, and processors are regularly audited.

So you can be confident that if it says PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef, that’s what you’ll get, with all the quality, passion, and commitment to sustainability that goes with it.

www.eatwelshlambandwelshbeef.com 2

April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

Fine Food Digest - April.indd 1

03/03/2021 15:01

NEWS

Sector remains positive despite sharp drop in exports to the Continent after Brexit

By Tom Dale

Despite delays and some loss of trade, independent food producers and distributors are remaining positive about the future, due to strong existing trade links with the EU and growth at home.

With some businesses largely ceasing trade with the EU, the ONS reporting a £700m drop in food and animal exports to Europe in January, and almost universal interruptions in distribution being reported, businesses speaking with FFD remain sanguine about the future.

Lake District-based Hawkshead Relish exports widely around the world and, while the company has experienced some delays and extra charges, their business with the EU has continued relatively uninterrupted.

“In terms of exports, we’re roughly the same as the same period last year,” said Jonathan Robb, general manager at Hawkshead.

Deal set to take Cotswold global Cotswold Fayre has begun a partnership with a leading exporter of British produce.

The distributor will be supplying Ramsden International with selected lines from its 4,000-strong range of speciality food and drink products. The awardwinning exporter ships to 133 countries worldwide.

Paul Hargreaves, CEO of Cotswold Fayre, said: “This partnership is great news for us, and you could say, a marriage made in heaven! While we have done a small amount of export business over the years, it makes complete business sense to partner up with an industryleading exporter like Ramsden International – and we’re excited to get started.

£ 7 0 0 m drop in food exports

Robb said the awardwinning preserve maker exports large volumes to Sweden, including a range of products under a Swedish brand, and these have continued. “There seems to be a bit of tax wrangling and customs charges that the customer has had plonked on them, but they don’t seem too worried about it, so we’re not. They’re shouldering the cost at the moment.”

Distributor Cotswold Fayre lost a large tranche of its trade to Ireland due to the UK leaving the EU, with one customer importing chilled goods cancelling its contract in December and other trade

to

EU

deemed unviable due to “prohibitive” administration costs. Managing Director Paul Hargreaves said that the loss of most of its Irish export market is being more than absorbed by strong growth in the UK. “Ireland was quite a small percentage of our total, and growth on the mainland has been so high that it’s not a huge issue,” he said.

The uptick in domestic sales has meant its suppliers will not have noticed any change in demand from the distributor, said the MD. However, some producers are ceasing trading with the EU altogether due to the complications with

DOWN ON THE FARM Food hall Macknade is launching a new food village to offer a street food-style experience.

Offering pizzas, light lunches and drinks every day and acting as a hub for independent food businesses Thurday to Sunday, the venture will include Indian cuisine from Karara, CalifornianMexican street food by California Cravings and a fusion menu from Silver Birch Fine Foods. macknade.com The Middlewick in Glastonbury is not just a farm shop producing and selling its own, locally sourced, and organic products, but it’s now a space to unwind.

Holiday bookings are now being taken for The Middlewick’s range

Macknade Food Village

of accommodation, which includes cottages and glamping cabins.

Or you can relax with a ‘spa & stay’ or detox retreat weekend and be pampered in the business’s new shepherd hut spa treatment rooms, set in a meadow garden. middlewickholiday cottages.co.uk/ middlewick-farm-shop The family-run South Brockwells Farm Shop

deliveries and the extra administrative burden borne by exporters. One independent British sauce producer who wished not to be named told FFD that before the referendum, the brand had built up a good volume of sales to the EU representing around 12% of its total turnover, but that had dropped to around 7% by the end of 2020 and has now plummeted to 2%.

“Shipping mixed-pallet orders of £1,000-£,2000 is no longer viable for any food producer,” said the anonymous source.

“The effort and paperwork associated with what business we have kept make it unviable and we expect to lose it all in April after the rule tightening.”

Robb said that, while the mood at Hawkshead is optimistic about the future of trading with the EU, the tougher conditions make attracting new customers difficult and visits to foreign trade shows less appealing.

IN BRIEF A new food and Walter Smithhall Fine Foods wine bar could soon has announced the be opening in a stores former closure of three fire station in Worcester. in the Midlands.

The According to Worcester butcher chain revealed News, the owner of its the over Christmas that city’s Bottles wine bar is Denby Village, West behind theand development, Bromwich Coventry which will also include shops would stop trading, luxury leavingapartments. it with 11 outlets – many of which are within garden centres.

Distributor RH Amar is adding a number of new positions to itshas sales and Tracklements hired marketing it Ben Hallamteams, for theasrole embarks on a new threeof commercial manager, year strategy.

It whichgrowth includes identifying has the remits newextended market opportuniof channel ties.

Hallamcontroller joins the Karen Jones andcondibrand Wiltshire-based controller Sam Higgins ment specialist after 11 and Jenny yearshired at dairy firmShipton Yeo as marketing controller.

Valley.

The UKfood has topped a new Health retailer PlanEuropean Food et OrganicJunk has moved League complied into the Table, hot food delivery by mealand boxteamed specialist market up HelloFresh.

After with high-end service surveying morewill than Supper, which courier 15,000 people in nine a selection of to-go items countries Europe, and sushi across from two Centhe company found tral London stores. that Brits eat junk food six times per month on average, twice as much as the European average.

The latest from farm shops across the country near Uckfield achieved success with its ‘Buy a Bundle’ scheme, delivering over 350 bundles of asparagus to local hospitals & care homes and it is repeating this with its new ‘Buy a Banger & Support the NHS’ scheme.

Customers can donate whatever monetary value they wish and Brockwell’s will add 25% to the donations made, pack

its handmade sausages and deliver them to local hospitals. southbrockwellsfarm. com A brand-new Norfolk farm shop has opened its doors.

Located in Lakenheath, Tina’s Country Kitchen Farm Shop not only offers delivery but stocks a range of locally sourced fresh fruits, vegetables, meat dishes, breads and crafts and serve a fabulous range of homemade cakes, soups, and sweet treats. tinascountrykitchen. co.uk

In association with

Fabulous Farm Shops fabulousfarmshops.co.uk

Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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

ELLA SMART, co-owner, Ben & Ella’s Farm Shop, Halstead, Essex

In March 2020, coronavirus arrived and we had to adapt, refocusing the shop around a faster and simpler service experience. Then, a few months later, hot weather followed by flash floods meant that the soak-away behind the shop failed and pushed water through the back walls. We had to close for two weeks to repair all the damage. These things taught us an important lesson: you can never plan for everything. You just need to be flexible and determined – no matter how hopeless a situation may appear.

But I would still say that the biggest challenge we have faced was getting our premises retailready in the first place. The old grain store we set up in is a Grade II listed barn with uneven floors and woodworm. It required extensive renovation and structural engineering.

The actual business of running a farm shop plays to our combined experience, which is perhaps why this aspect came more naturally. Prior to opening the farm shop, Ben and I were running a wholesale bakery and working market stalls around Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. Before that, we worked together in Michelin restaurants – Ben as a pastry chef and me as front-of-house management.

We are both very environmentally conscious and wanted a business that would reflect that.

We decided from the outset that we were going to be palm oil-free. We stand by that decision 100%, although it has been a challenge to find like-minded suppliers and has, at times, cost us customers. Our made-to-order cakes, for example, are made with butter, and therefore cost slightly more than the same products made with palm oil.

Our original vision was for a luxury-oriented shop. However, with time, we have found ourselves moving to more of an essentials shop, stocking all the items you might find in a supermarket while maintaining our core values. We are also bigger than we ever expected to be.

In October 2019, less than a year in, we took on a second barn opposite our shop, expanded into ethically sourced homewares and gifts and brought our bakery on-site. In hindsight, we should have incorporated the bakery into the shop from the start instead of operating it off-site as a separate wholesale business. Since bringing it over we have seen a huge increase in demand for bread and bakery items. Fresh bread is our best-seller, along with cheese from our all-British counter.

After two years of trading, the business is turning over £400,000 and has just started to turn a profit. We’d like to look at opening satellite shops in surrounding villages, but first, our focus has to be consolidating and growing our customer base.

Interview: Lynda Searby Photography: Craig Fountain

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER ANONYMOUS TALES FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER NOW THAT IT might finally be coming to an end, I’ve been wondering if there is anything I’ll miss about lockdown. So much of the last 12 months has been against the tide, never getting a chance to look around and take stock. It was always in your face, like a drunk in a night club.

My partner and I talk about dropping balls all the time – completing over half of the tasks I face every day without breaking something is the new definition of success.

What was it Douglas Adams said? “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” My to-do list has become that.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, as another promise falls out of the bottom of the in-tray.

Can I take a moment to envy those people on furlough who have been doing bugger all for the last year? I know it’s not been easy for them, but a bit of furlough would have been nice.

Just a couple of weeks to binge box sets while pretending to study Japanese, train for a triathlon or learn to play the trumpet.

My guess is most people reading this have had a pretty full-on 2020-21, working twice as hard with half the team, half the money or both.

MODEL RETAILING

Is there anything I want to take away from my lockdown experience? Not really.

So here’s my plan. Let’s lobby the Government – that Rishi Sunak seems like a nice chap – and instead of extending furlough for the people whose jobs haven’t come back yet, they can come and do ours for a bit. We can take a break before we all go back to normal. I know that won’t really work for nurses and doctors – bit of a skills gap there – but most publicans could do my job, at least until May.

I’ll drop in once a week and keep them on the straight and narrow.

I’ll pick up my furlough check and get started on some Netflix after breakfast, followed by some midday trumpeting, then a bottle of wine with lunch. Don’t ask me what happens after that. I’m getting to the age where a nap takes up the full afternoon.

So, is there anything I want to take away from my own lockdown experience? Not really.

The normal stuff about Zoom being the new telephone, and that meeting producers online is good. I have really liked the lift in the community – I’ll keep that. Quite a lot less squabbling in town council meetings. My various attempts at pivoting? Well, most of those will go in the bin.

I’ll look forward to the simplicity of selling cheese to customers who actually come into the shop and stay for a chat, without feeling the pressure of the queue of masked banditos trailing down the street at two-metre intervals.

There is one thing I have gained – a bit of pride. We’ve survived. And we worked hard.

That’s what I did during COVID. I’ll settle for that.

SOLVING EVERYDAY SHOPKEEPING DILEMMAS. IN MINIATURE.

How it started…

How it’s going…

Right, we’ve got less footfall and everyone’s wearing a mask but it’s going to be ok. We can pivot with delivery services and food-to-go until everything’s back to normal.

I’m looking forward to that day already...

Do we really have to allow more customers into the deli? How many covers should we have in the café? If they make me take my mask off, I’ll have to start smiling at rude customers.

What’s wrong with the new normal anyway?

FFD says: After such a long period of time trading through the pandemic and various restrictions, it’s only natural that retailers will be slightly anxious about the UK returning to (some kind of) normal.

Don’t forget that many of your customers will probably be feeling the same uncertainty, so try not to put too much pressure on yourself or your staff as you move towards fully reopening.

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

Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

11

SHOP TALK

THE DELI DOCTOR Paul Thomas Technical and regulatory advice from the Guild of Fine Food’s deli helpline Q: How can we demonstrate that the shelf life of ready-to-eat foods, such as cooked meats, that we prepare in-house for retail sale is appropriate?

A: Some ready-to-eat foods are able to support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, which is the principal microbiological hazard associated with chilled foods due to its ability to grow under refrigerated conditions. In some cases the food may have physicochemical properties, such as pH or water activity, which prevent the growth of this organism and can justify longer shelf lives. In other cases, the food will permit growth of this organism and these foods are usually stored in the refrigerator, with an appropriate shelf life to prevent growth of Listeria as well as spoilage organisms. These foods often have a use-by rather than bestbefore date.

Determination of shelf life can be complex.

It may be advisable to seek advice from a food safety professional to conduct a thorough assessment of the potential for growth of harmful bacteria in the food. Additionally, some microbiological analysis will be necessary to

Expert’s eye SAPPHIRA WATERSON OF GRADUATE TRAINING SPECIALIST MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ON HIRING FROM GENERATION Z With a thirst for variety, responsibility and selfimprovement, who could be a more perfect fit for the fast-paced fresh food industry than Gen Z? This group – those born in the late ’90s – is sometimes referred to as a snowflake generation for their perceived lack of resilience and oversensitivity, but that annoys me.

They have been in the workplace for a few years now and – having placed more than 150

WHAT’S TRENDING Determination of shelf life can be complex. It may be advisable to seek advice from a food safety professional

verify the shelf life determined.

Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 requires a minimum of five 25g samples in the case of Listeria monocytogenes where the purpose of testing is to “assess the acceptability of a batch or process”. In the case of verifying a process (or shelf life), it may be possible to draw these samples from more than one batch.

If the samples are taken from a food at or after the use-by date, then this provides evidence to support the shelf-life determination.

Depending on the type of packaging (for example, vacuum packing) or the type of food, it may also be necessary to test against other chemical or microbiological parameters. Your laboratory or a technical adviser may be able to offer guidance on this

Dairy and food safety specialist Paul Thomas runs the Guild’s e-helpline for retailers with technical or regulatory queries.

Send your questions to myguild@gff.co.uk

of them as trainees – we’ve had an insight into how they tick. They have certain demands and priorities, but employers who recognise how they can get the best out of these twenty-somethings will be repaid with hard work and fulfilled, productive employees.

Gen Z-ers are not solely in it for the money, they want a fun place to work where they feel valued. They like to be given responsibility and accountability but also thrive with regular check-ins from managers and colleagues, even if it’s just for five minutes.

You are more likely to see this generation work fewer hours, but their work time will count.

Keep them interested with variety in their roles and talk openly about the opportunity for their progress in the business, and you might just have a future manager on your hands.

Bear in mind that Gen Z prioritises mental and physical wellbeing, and where baby boomers would have worked late to be seen to be diligent, you are more likely to see this generation work fewer hours to maintain their health and happiness, but their work time will count.

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

NICK BAINES KEEPS YOU UP TO DATE WITH THE NEWEST DISHES, FLAVOURS AND INNOVATIONS IN FOOD & DRINK 1

2

3

1 ‘Chocuterie’ boards There’s been a surge of elaborate chocolate sharing boards appearing across Pinterest and Instagram of late, with many savvy retailers capitalising on it during lockdown. While plenty of these ‘chocuterie boards’ are based around a hot chocolate, there’s opportunity to take this up a notch in the fine food sector, exploring criollo, triniterio and forastero cocoa varieties.

With the UK spending around £4billion each year on confectionary, the chocolate ‘flight’ or tasting board would work well for home delivery, retail and foodservice businesses.

2 Amchoor According to Waitrose’s trend predictions, this north Indian spice is going to be big this year. Made from dried green mangoes, the powdered ingredient adds vibrance, sourness and tartness to dishes without increasing the moisture content. As well as being found in regional masala spice blends, amchoor is finding its way into grilled seafood dishes and an abundance of cooling smoothie bowls and juices that provide a mainstay of summer menus. Seasoned Pioneers (pictured) are among the producers offering this blend.

3 Chilli oil revival The Guardian recently reported on the current boom in chilli oil sales, including online retailer Sous Chef’s whopping 1,900% increase in sales of a certain cult icon of the chilli world. The product is Lau Gan Ma chilli oil which seems to have stepped in where sriracha left off, featuring in a barrage of dishes across home and professional kitchens. Across the pond, chilli crisps (oils containing a slurry of dried chillies) are swelling in popularity with lines being launched by restaurants Momofuku and 886. Closer to home, we have the likes of London’s Tonkotsu and its Eat The Bits, which contains dried chilli flakes, miso, garlic, sesame and Japanese spice mix shichimi togarashi.

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SHOP TALK

What we can learn from Amazon NIGEL BOGLE OF THE EPOS BUREAU SAYS THE TECH GIANT’S USE OF DATA IS SOMETHING ALL INDEPENDENTS COULD TRY TO EMULATE LIKE THEM OR loathe them, Amazon can be admired for its ability to adapt to the shifting retail climate and, more than being predictors of the future, they have actively set out to create it by pioneering a variety of tech; streamlining how we acquire and engage with products and information across different sectors.

In my view, a large contributor to their success has been their obsession with information. It is official, data is now more valuable than oil.

Within Amazon, vast amounts of customer, product and purchase data are analysed every second of every day with the intention of making online buying processes, faster, simpler and incrementally more relevant to the consumer.

Does this mean that with the launch of a bricks-and-mortar presence on the UK high street – the pilot Amazon Go store in Ealing – that all independents should pack up and go home? In short, I don’t believe so, at least not in the speciality food space, and I don’t actually think that competing with independents is Amazon’s shortterm objective.

I’d be more concerned for the likes of Tesco and ASDA at this particular time, because this technology has the potential to eradicate queues and automatic tills, The phrase “Unexpected item in the bagging area!” may soon be a thing of the past.

There is no arguing that the plethora of cameras, sensors and artificial intelligence that combines to bring Amazon Go to life is extremely impressive but I don’t see – or want, frankly – this tech popping up in my local deli any time soon.

Surely, part of the sheer joy of going to a deli or cheesemonger is for the customer experience and I believe this is ‘known’ before consumers visit. That said, I believe independents right across the food retail spectrum need to get themselves ‘EPOS fit’ in an increasingly challenging retail climate.

For years, we have urged people to stop wasting money on generic till systems and instead invest in sector-specific EPOS technology which understands the nuances of running a food retail business. Ingredients, allergens, wastage, transferring products between departments, understanding which customers spend, what they buy and what they don’t buy. With the right EPOS system, it’s all there and it’s easy to interpret.

There is a lot of what you might call “data blindness” in the sector and unlocking this is the key to getting businesses in good shape should Amazon (or anyone else) ever decide that today is the day they set their sights firmly on the independent food retailer.

An EPOS system that properly understands food retail can immediately transform your ability to engage with your customer and enable you to make their experience more informed and enjoyable.

By all means be impressed by the technology on show at Amazon but don’t forget, at the end of the technology rainbow, it’s all about the data and what you do with it to keep your customers coming back through the door. theeposbureau.com

I don’t actually think that competing with independents is Amazon’s short-term objective

The power of ‘free’ COLD BATH DELI’S TRACEY TANNENBAUM SAYS SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TAKE A HIT TO KEEP CUSTOMERS HAPPY When a customer is unhappy, act immediately.

If you can replace the item in question, do it quickly. A cold cup of coffee, for instance, can be swiftly rectified by a hot one and an apology.

If, however, there is no quick solution – then the best response is to refund immediately.

Don’t argue, just give them their money back.

And send them away with a free brownie.

I can hear you screaming ‘Free?!? That will

cost me 75p every time there’s a mistake, plus what I’ve lost by comping the meal!’

Yes, that’s right. There is a cost, but in this case, there’s a benefit. You’ve acknowledged there’s an issue (respect). You’ve done something about it (refund) and you’ve given them a sweetener to return (brownie). In other words, there’s more of a chance of the customer forgiving you.

Make sure you have a set policy on refunds and customer service systems. I’ve seen managers and owners argue in front of customers about whether or not to deduct a small amount from a bill. It’s not a good look.

Have some rules and avoid making a bad situation become an angry one.

This might all seem like common sense, but how often have you – as a customer – had a problem where there was no resolution? I bet pretty often.

Accounting advice FLEUR LEWIS, HEAD OF FOOD AT BISHOP FLEMING, HAS SOME POINTERS ON TAX PLANNING Many tax planning ideas can be used throughout the year, but as 5th April (and the end of the tax year) draws near, there is an opportune moment to make sure your tax affairs are in order. Here are five suggestions for you to consider for your business: Expenditure Consider bringing forward revenue and capital expenditure to secure earlier tax relief, subject to commercial considerations. But be aware of the new 130% super deduction on qualifying capital expenditure incurred between 1st April 2021 and 31st March 2023, which could be more advantageous. Capital expenditure on plant and machinery for the business of up to £1m could be 100% relieved under the Annual Investment Allowance. This is already in place and is in addition to the super deduction. If you’re engaged in research or improvements to processes, it may be entitled to relief in the form of enhanced tax deductions or payable credits.

Losses Trading losses, subject to conditions, can be set against other income. Making the right claim for loss relief can result in maximum tax relief and improved cashflow.

Record keeping Making improvements to how you manage the finances of your business and record keeping can help to improve profitability and cash flow.

Adopting a digital accounting solution will help you comply with Making Tax Digital for VAT. Salary and pensions Where possible, a portion of salary could be sacrificed for pension contributions, childcare, low emission cars and health-related benefits (such as cycling to work). Such arrangements save National Insurance Contributions and can save income tax where the sacrifice brings personal income to below £100,000.

Directors of family companies can minimise tax bills by taking a combination of salary, dividends, and benefits in kind. Dividends remain slightly more tax efficient than salary, but their payment needs to be carefully considered.

Off-payroll working The IR35 off-payroll working rules apply to payments made for services provided by a contractor on or after 6 April 2021. So it will be important to have in place the right procedures to comply with the new regime. It will also be necessary to ensure any fee invoices correctly state what work was carried out before and on/ after 6th April 2021. bishopfleming.co.uk Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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World Cheese Awards will take place in Oviedo, Spain as part of the Asturias Paraíso Natural International Cheese Festival from the 3-6 November 2021 KEY DATES 2021: Open for entry: 23 August Closed for entry: 23 September Judging: 3 November

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Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

CHEESEWIRE

news & views from the cheese counter

US export market opening up after Trump tariffs are scrapped

By Patrick McGuigan

Cheesemakers are hoping to boost exports to the US after the Biden administration agreed to suspend 25% tariffs on British cheese, which were imposed by former president Donald Trump.

The tariffs were levied on a range of European food and drink products, including cheese, in 2019 as part of a row over subsidies paid to Airbus.

But these have now been suspended for four months on British goods after negotiations between the countries’ respective governments.

The US accounted for around 25% of Quicke’s sales

before tariffs, but the Devon cheddar-maker has seen sales there fall by 70% in the past year due to tariffs and COVID. “Our American sales were absolutely slaughtered, so this is good news,” said owner Mary Quicke. “COVID is receding, foodservice is making a comeback and the tariff is gone, so there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

The US is the UK’s secondlargest dairy export market after the EU with previously strong demand for British artisan cheese. But cheese exports to the US fell by 30% last year, compared to 2018, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development

Devon cheesemaker Quicke’s is hoping to rebuild its profile in the USA

Board, a reduction worth around £12m.

At Singletons in Lancashire, exports to the US account for around 25% of sales. The company managed to grow its business there last year, despite the tariffs, thanks to new listings. Head of sales Henry Openshaw said the suspension of levies was positive news, but also made pricing difficult.

“We welcome the removal of any barriers to free trade,” he said. “Lower tariffs mean lower prices, which makes British cheese more attractive for US consumers. But a temporary cessation of hostilities leaves us in a quandary. Yoyo-ing prices confuse retailers, who are not all apprised of the wider political and economic circumstances.” He added that he hoped further US-UK negotiations would lead to a permanent deal.

Mary Quicke told FFD that her daughter Jane, who is based in Vancouver, had joined the company to help rebuild sales in the US. “It’s a very different environment there now because of COVID,” she said.

“A lot of the focus has been on supporting American cheesemakers and there’s been a big move to online, so there’s work to be done to get back to where we were.”

NEWS IN BRIEF Tributes were paid across Northern Ireland last month, after the death of Dean Wright, owner of Ballylisk of Armagh. The cheesemaker, who made the mould-ripened cheese Triple Rose on his family farm, passed away suddenly at the age of 48.

Restaurant group Six by Nico has launched a pop-up cheese shop in Glasgow. The Cheese Club Shop will be managed by former George Mewes cheesemonger Stephen Sweet, who will also oversee online sales through the company’s food delivery arm HOME-X. Arla Foods is consulting with 37 staff over plans to end production at its Trevarrian Creamery in Cornwall, which makes brie and camembert. The company aims to shut down the site by the summer due to losing ownlabel contracts and instability in foodservice caused by COVID.

The British Cheese Weekender – launched last year to help cheesemakers – returns this month with three days of online talks and tastings.

Taking place on 23rd-25th April, the online festival is sponsored by Opies Foods, Tracklements and Peter’s Yard, and aims to raise awareness and boost sales of British artisan cheese. Last year saw more than 30 free online events from leading food writers, cheesemakers and mongers. The festival is backed by the Specialist Cheesemakers Association, the Guild of Fine Food and the Academy of Cheese. blog.academyofcheese.org/british-cheeseweekender

THREE WAYS WITH...

Rachael Reserva Somerset-based White Lake’s washedrind goats’ cheese Rachel has an older sister with a big personality. Rachael Reserva (it’s spelled differently because it’s named after a different person) is made in larger 12kg wheels and is aged for at least 12 months, rather than 3, to create a cheese with a much bolder, intense flavour. The texture is pliable with a powerful fruity, nutty and umami flavour.

Sweet chilli sauce There’s a big tropical fruit hit in Rachael Reserva and a spicy tingle at the finish, which means it can handle a punchy condiment. Step forward sweet chilli sauce. The fragrant heat and sweet fruity flavour meld nicely with the cheese, while the red sauce against the pale cheese looks good too.

Palo Cortado sherry Sweet hazelnut notes abound in the cheese, so sherry is a natural choice. Palo Cortado, which is halfway between an Amontillado and an Oloroso, is just the ticket. It has plenty of acidity and nutty tones, but also a rich, mouthcoating sweetness.

Pizza If pineapple on a pizza is your thing, then you might want to give Rachael Reserva a go instead. The cheese melts beautifully and has a distinct pineapple flavour, which complements salty toppings, such as ham and olives. Think of it as a West Country Hawaiian.

Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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CHEESEWIRE

news & views from the cheese counter

Yorkshire Pecorino to double its output with switch to new dairy

BEHIND THE COUNTER TIPS OF THE TRADE Harry Baines, Love Cheese, York

By Patrick McGuigan

Yorkshire Pecorino, which makes a range of sheep’s milk cheeses in Leeds, plans to more than double capacity when it moves to new premises in Otley.

The new 1,200 sq ft site will house a new 500-litre vat, which will be used alongside the company’s existing 300-litre vat, plus much larger maturation fridges and a dedicated packing area. There is also potential to take over a shop unit at the site in the future to sell direct to the public.

Cheesemaker Mario Olianas told FFD he was confident that there was still untapped demand for his cheeses despite the uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

“As we return to normality, I have to grab this opportunity to move forward,” said Olianas, who is originally from Sardinia in Italy and runs the business with his partner Sonia. “We’ve reached capacity where we are now, so this is definitely the

CHEESE IN PROFILE with Cote Hill Blue What’s the story?

The Davenport family has been cheesemaking on their farm in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, since 2004. Mary and Michael diversified into cheesemaking when wholesale milk prices started to fall. Their sons Ross and Joe now both work in the business, tending to their small herd of Friesian Holstein cows and some more recently introduced brown swiss – as well as making cheese.

The Davenports are 20

April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

Volumes of Yorkshire Pecorino will increase once Mario Olianas moves production to a unit on the outskirts of Leeds

right time to grow. We do the farmers’ market at Otley and have a really good customer base.”

Olianas currently makes cheese at his house in Adel, part of which has been converted into a dairy but hopes to start making cheese at the new site this month.

The cheesemaker is best known for Leeds Blue,

all committed to their ethos of contented cows grazing on quality pastures produce amazing milk and, combined with expert cheesemaking skills, greattasting cheese is created.

How is it made?

The fresh morning milk is taken from the milking parlour across to the cheese rooms where the cheesemaking begins.

No pasteurisation takes place, the milk comes in at 34°C and is cooled down to 32°C, before the starter culture and Penicillium roqueforti mould is added.

The resulting curds are cut into large pieces and gently hand-ladled into the moulds. The cheeses are salted using

Yorkshire Ricotta and Yorkshire Pecorino, but said the move will allow him to focus on other products, such as a new halloumi-style sheep’s milk cheese, and an aged Pecorino Fiore cheese.

“It will also mean we can move into supplying wholesalers,” he said. “We haven’t scratched the surface yet.”

a dry rubbing technique and then moved to the maturation rooms.

The outer moulds begin to develop before piercing takes place to create the network of internal blue veins.

Appearance & texture: Cote Hill Blue was born out of Michael Davenport’s love of Continental blues such as Cambozola and Gorgonzola. Over the years, it has developed its own unique personality and, in turn, won multiple

Online cheese tastings have become a feature of the pandemic, but York cheesemonger Harry Baines was one of the first retailers to see their potential.

The owner of Love Cheese launched his first online event last April and has seen demand boom to the point that he and his wife Phoebe now host 90-minute tastings for as many as 400 households every other week.

“It’s exploded as people invite their friends and family all around the country,” says Baines. “We’ve changed from being a cheesemonger to an events company.”

The £50 tasting packs contain five 75g pieces of cheese and five wines decanted into small glass tonic bottles, which are separated by cardboard dividers. They are delivered by DPD. “We tried most of the major couriers and they have the lowest cock-up rate,” says Baines.

He adds that Facebook Live works well because it can handle big numbers and recordings are kept on the home page.

“Online tastings will continue to be popular as we come out of lockdown,” he says.

“People still want to keep in touch with family.”

awards.

This soft blue, with a natural, edible rind is mild and slightly chalky at four weeks old. As it matures, the centre turns into a smooth, creamy, gooey texture and at 12 weeks the cheese has a peppery blue bite.

Variations: There are two sizes available, a 330g baby and the larger 1.2kg cutting cheese.

lunch served on toasted sourdough bread with dried fruits and walnuts.

Chef’s recommendation: It’s superb on the cheese board with walnuts, or chefs could create a filo pastry tart with Cote Hill Blue, roughly chopped cooked chestnuts and sliced pears, dressed with rocket leaves. Serve with a Pinot Noir.

Cheesemonger tip: Promote it as a British alternative to Cambozola.

It’s great for a light While traditional classroom courses are suspended due to the COVID-19, delegates can still sign up to Academy of Cheese Level 1 & 2 courses online as self-study eLearning, or interactive virtual classroom courses. academyofcheese.org

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Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

CHEESEWIRE

news and views from the cheese counter

If we don’t buy from goat farms, there is nowhere else for the milk to go.

Way out North West In business since 1979, Cumbriabased Thornby Moor Dairy has survived the pandemic despite its very remote location.

By Patrick McGuigan

IF YOU AREN’T FAMILIAR with where Thornby Moor Dairy is, you’d be forgiven. “We’re close to Carlisle in the bit of Cumbria that nobody ever comes to,” says director Leonie Fairbairn wryly. “It’s two hours to Manchester, Glasgow or Newcastle, so geographically we’re out on a limb.”

Based on the old Crofton Hall Estate on the Solway Plain, which stretches from north-west Cumbria over the border into Scotland, the dairy is certainly a long way from famous Lake District destinations, like Windermere and Coniston.

Thornby Moor has been making cheese in the area since 1979 and while its remote setting is beautiful, it has made navigating lockdowns difficult. Around 80% of sales go to hotels and restaurants, mainly in Cumbria, while local delis and farm shops are thin on the ground.

“There are very few deli counters in North Cumbria and the population is small,” says Fairbairn, who runs the business with her mother Carolyn. “There are under 500,000 residents in the whole county and to get to the next village or town is often a 40-mile round trip, so it was difficult for us to reach our customer base. We couldn’t do house-to-house deliveries during lockdowns as some cheesemakers did.”

Sales in the past year have suffered, but the company has managed to get through the worst of it, thanks to a combination of the furlough scheme and an understanding landlord – allied to the reopening of restaurants last summer and a relatively normal Christmas.

Cheesemaking has continued throughout the ups and downs, albeit at a reduced rate, with the

dairy juggling production to take less cows’ milk to focus more on goats’ cheeses.

“We can take or leave the cows’ milk because there are other markets for it, but goat’s milk is different. If we don’t buy from our farms, it puts them at risk because there is nowhere else for the milk to go. It’s a precarious business.”

Fairbairn’s mother Carolyn understands this better than most. She set up the business using milk from her own herd of goats to make cheese in the basement of the family home before the company moved to its current site in 1994, when Leonie joined full-time. Carolyn continues to make cheese, working six days a week during the pandemic at the venerable age of 78.

While the past year has been tough, Thornby Moor’s long history has helped put things into perspective. “It’s not the first crisis we’ve been through in 40 years,” says Leonie Fairbairn.

“In 2001, this area was at the heart of footand-mouth and in 2015 Storm Desmond hit just before Christmas and wiped out our main delivery route.”

The pandemic has also opened new doors.

Sales through the dairy’s website have been an important source of income, while Fairbairn has also been more active on social media, making new connections and taking part in an online debate and podcast.

With restrictions on hotels and restaurants set to be lifted, and foreign holidays looking unlikely for a while yet, the coming months could be good ones for the local area.

“Cumbria will bounce back,” says Fairbairn.

“We know people will come and the car parks will be full. But we also saw a different sort of tourist here last summer. People have been exploring more during the pandemic and have found the Solway Plain for the first time.”

It could add up to a bumper summer for Cumbria, even in the bit that nobody normally goes to. thornbymoordairy.co.uk

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Allerdale 1

Thornby Moor makes a range of unpasteurised cows’ and goats’ milk cheeses, but is arguably best known for Allerdale, which was the first cheese ever made by Carolyn Fairbairn. It’s made with raw goats’ milk and kids’ rennet in a similar way to cheddar (the curds are piled in the vat before being milled and salted). The 2kg, cloth-bound cheeses are aged for around five months.

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Milk for Allerdale comes from two local suppliers: Dolken Dairy Goats and a farm near Penrith.

Thornby Moor sold its goats in the 1990s, but many of the animals milked by its suppliers today can trace their lineage back to that original herd.

The cheese has a close, relatively moist texture with small openings, while the flavour is sweet and almondy with earthy, savoury notes, plus a juicy acidity.

Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

CUT&DRIED

making more of British & Continental charcuterie

Chestnuts are a huge part of the culture in Galicia

Jamon with a difference Rather than acorns, the pigs of Galicia are often fed chestnuts. The result is the range of Selecta hams from Coren, which is now looking to gain a foothold in the UK market.

By Lauren Phillips

NESTLED IN SPAIN’S most north-western corner just above Portugal, Galicia is more famously associated with seafood than charcuterie. But, inland from its Atlantic coastline, this region also boasts rolling green hills and leafy forests that are home to pigs and an abundance of chestnuts for them to dine on.

The meat from the pigs is processed and cured for 18-24 months to become the Coren brand’s Selecta range of chestnut-fed ham and is already exported to over 40 countries.

Selecta’s pre-sliced retail packs launched in the UK two years ago as an alternative to the well-known Spanish hams of Jamon Iberico and Serrano. The brand has already picked up listings in Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Brindisa, and Whole Foods Market, as well as other delis in London. Now, Coren – a producer cooperative – is looking to expand into the wider UK market.

Unlike the acorn-fed pigs of Jamon Iberico de Bellota, Coren rears its pigs exclusively on a diet of Galician chestnuts (the only company in the world to do so), due to a readily available supply.

“Chestnuts are a huge part of the culture in Galicia and at Coren we are always trying to develop different products, so we thought, ‘instead of acorns, why not try them?’” says Teresa Gómez-Franqueira, UK sales & business director and granddaughter of Coren CEO Manuel Gómez-Franqueira Alvarez – who founded the Galician cooperative in 1959.

Aside from adding value to agriculture in the region (Coren has a contract to purchase

the entire Galician chestnut harvest), feeding chestnuts to the pigs gives the meat a milder and sweeter flavour compared to other Spanish hams.

It is also intensely marbled and succulent due to the particular breed of pig chosen. “It is a special breed selected by Coren,” says GómezFranqueira. “We use it because it results in meat with a greater infiltration of fat, reminding the customer of Japanese Kobe beef.”

This combination of sweetness and succulence was recognised in last year’s Great Taste, where Coren picked up two-star awards for both its Gran Reserva Paleta and Gran Reserva Boneless Ham. It also received a one-star for its Lacón and a one-star for its Sliced Ham. But its USP is not only its taste. The products’ RRPs range between a reasonable £6-£6.75 for the 100g pack of ham and £5-£5.75 for the 80g pack shoulder, and with Spanish ham like Iberico varying in degrees of quality, Coren is pitching itself in the middle of the market in terms of quality and price.

“You have the 100% Iberico de Bellota at the very top, down to Iberico Cebo where the pigs are reared on fodder in intense farming,” says Gómez-Franqueira. “That is where Selecta comes in. We breed our pigs outdoors and they are fed in a natural way with chestnuts but the product is still competitively priced, so it’s a good point of difference for retailers.”

The Selecta range is available to UK retailers directly from Coren or through Brindisa.

Following a tricky start launching into the UK during the uncertainty of Brexit and then the pandemic closing down much of the market, the Spanish company is looking ahead at the future of importing into the UK. Coren is planning to introduce its chestnutfed chorizo to the UK market this year and hopes to grow the brand in the hospitality and foodservice sector, supplying hotels and restaurants when restrictions begin to ease again. coren.es

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Selecta Gran Reserva Ham 1

The hams are cured for a minimum of 18 months in drying barns located in Lugo. The curing process, which begins in winter and ends in autumn, is carefully controlled to ensure the temperature and humidity conditions.

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Galician chestnuts are collected in season, peeled, cooked and frozen to maintain their nutritional properties and make sure they are available all year round as feed for the pigs. The chestnut-based diet also creates higher levels of fatty acids, such as monounsaturated fats, and antioxidants in the meat.

Animal welfare is a top priority for the company when rearing its Selecta pigs. To achieve the best flavour in the meat, the animals are free to roam, forage, play with toys (balls, teethers, etc) and listen to classical music to reduce their levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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OUTDOOR DINING

Here comes the sun With the COVID outlook becoming more positive and the warmer months on their way, it’s time to gear up for customers who will be looking to eat outside, and in larger groups. We begin with sauces & dressings before moving on to oils & vinegars, ice cream (p30), barbecue hardware (p29), and alcohol & mixers (p37).

Compiled by Lynda Searby

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

sauces & dressings Northampton-based newcomer Vicky’s Kitchen has come to the table with a line-up of Caribbeaninspired condiments derived from recipes that have been passed down four generations. These include a BBQ sauce based on birch-smoked vegetables flecked with smoked scotch bonnet (RRP £4.40; trade price £2.70), and a trio of hot sauces (RRP £4.20; trade price £2.50). vickkitch.com

Soybeans are naturally fermented with a blend of spices to make this Indonesian-style sweet soy sauce (kicap manis) from Mak Tok, whose flagship product is chilli paste. It can be used for dipping or to add natural sweetness and a warm aroma to Asian cooking. RRP £3.95; trade price £2.50. maktok.com

Previously only selling direct to consumer, Pico Sauces has partnered with ShelfNow to allow indies to buy a single case without incurring hefty shipping costs. Pico launched after discovering a gap in the market for Indian hot sauces. Its four-strong line-up comprises: Punjabi Ketchup, Varansi Tamarind Chutney, Konkan Mango Chilli Sauce and Naga Ghost Pepper Sauce (RRP £2.50; wholesale price £1.50). picosauces.com

Catering company Mr Pigstuff has crafted a range of sauces to complement its barbecue food offering – a sideline that is taking off in its own right. Bridging the gap between condiment and marinade, the five sauces in the line-up are Xox2 (Chinese-inspired hot sauce), Lime & Green Chilli, Tomato, Chilli & Tamarind, Barbeque and Pineapple & Ginger. RRP £5; trade price £3.25. mrpigstuff.co.uk

Following the success of its hot sauces and marinades, world flavours sauce brand MAHI is launching a trio of vegan marinades. The Peri Peri Hot Marinade, Peri Peri Garlic Marinade and Wing Marinade will be available from Empire Bespoke Foods from June, with pre-orders already being taken. RRP £2.79. saucymahi.co

Spice brand Yugo is relaunching its fusion sauces as a vegan range to cater to increased demand for plant-based foods.

Designed as “all-purpose sauces for foodies who are better at eating than cooking”, the new line-up will take in Miso Chipotle, Curried Sun-Dried Tomato and Chipotle Barbecue. RRP £5.95 for 125ml. yugospice.com

Halen Môn has created a ketchup for pickle lovers with its new Gherkin Relish.

Combining tangy pickled gherkins with dill and, of course, Anglesey Sea Salt, the relish has taken an old school burger accompaniment and reinvented it. RRP £4.85. halenmon.com

Italian food label Stefania Calugi has treated its truffle mayonnaise to a packaging redesign for the spring season.

This preservative- and glutenfree mayo promises to elevate sandwiches, burgers, fries and meat dishes. RRP £6.90 for 130g. tartufi.it

Béarnaise sauce meets Dijon mustard in the latest creation from Graham’s. Containing 10% tarragon, Graham’s Steak Mustard is the ideal accompaniment to a sirloin, ribeye or fillet. RRP £4.35; trade price £16.20 for a case of six. grahamsmustard.com

oils & vinegars Not for the faint-hearted, this new vegan Bloody Mary Ketchup from Birmingham-based chilli sauce brand Pip’s is bursting with scotch bonnet heat. The base is a rich, natural tomato sauce with anchovy-free Worcestershire sauce alternative Henderson’s Relish and lime. RRP £6; wholesale price £4. pipshotsauce.co.uk

With aromatic floral notes and a peppery kick, this mono-varietal Taggiasca EVOO is from a restored olive grove in Liguria’s Impero Valley. It is the first oil the trees have produced in generations, thanks to the Nudo olive tree adoption programme that has helped to restore abandoned groves and protect traditional olive farming. RRP £20 for 500ml; trade price £12. nudoadopt.com

White balsamics with added mustard or thyme

After breaking into the free-from space last year with a 10-strong sauce collection, Slightly Different is expanding its offering to include a trio of salad dressings.

Sonia Fox founded Slightly Different Foods after identifying a gap in the market for low FODMAP foods.

The Slightly Different range is vegan, gluten-free, free from all 14 major allergens and suitable for IBS sufferers.

Orange, Ginger & Chilli, Raspberry & Mint and Coriander & Lime are the three new salad dressings on offer. RRP £3.95-£4.25 for a 240g bottle. slightlydifferentfoods.com Featuring Cinder Toffee Stout from New Bristol Brewery, this is GingerBeard Preserves’ take on a Carolina mustard BBQ sauce. Hints of Crunchie bar and an underlying mustard punch make for a condiment that could be drizzled over mac & cheese or pork belly. RRP £4.25; trade price £2.50. gingerbeardspreserves. co.uk

Hawkshead Relish is showing that there is far more to ketchup than tomato with the introduction of four new sauces designed to “spice up BBQs and beyond”.

Characterised by vibrant colours and textures and clever flavour combinations, the range comprises: Posh Pickle Sauce – a burger relish derivative packed with gherkins, dill and onions; Spiced Mango Ketchup – a rich mango chutney with a soft pouring consistency; Smoky Mustard Sauce – a mild Dijon with a smoky tone; and Hot Beetroot Ketchup – with beetroot, horseradish and a kick of chilli.

RRP £2.99 per jar; trade price £12.99 for a case of six. hawksheadrelish.com

>>

Tracklements cites rising demand for fiery, chilli products as the motivation for launching Hot Chilli Sauce. The stalwart says “bucket loads” of fiery habanero and jalapeno chillies ensure this latest addition “packs a wallop of a chilli kick”.

RRP £3.80 for 230ml. trade.tracklements.co.uk

Retailers looking for ethical brands should check out these two EVOOs from the non-profit organisation Sindyanna of Galilee. Available via The Oil Merchant, Extra Unified Olive Oil (RRP £14/500ml) and Extra Peaceful Olive Oil (RRP £16.95/500ml) are produced by Israeli Jewish and Arab women who share a vision of peaceful coexistence and channel their profits back into women’s education. oilmerchant.co.uk

Following the popularity of its blackberry vinegar, Peacock Farm has launched a raspberry vinegar. Currently on sale in 20 stores in Nottinghamshire, the vinegar adds sweet fruity flavour to G&Ts, pancakes and salad dressings. RRP is £4.50 for 250ml; trade price £3.60. peacockfarm-muston.com

The Fine Cheese Co is now carrying Acetomodena’s range, which takes in the full gamut of balsamic products, from Extravecchio – a 25 year aged traditional DOP balsamic with an RRP of £85.70 – to white balsamics with added mustard or thyme (RRP £13.70). A small, familyrun business with over 100 years’ experience, Acetomodena uses Lambrusco and Trebbiano grapes from its Modena vineyard. finecheese.co.uk

Balsamic Vinegar with Honey is the newest addition to the Greenolia family, available to via FOS Squared. Made from Greek wine vinegar, grape juice and flower honey, the condiment is said to be ideal for adding a gourmet twist to fresh vegetables or vinaigrettes. greenolia.gr Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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Luxury Christmas Crackers

Luxury Advent Calendar

Gin Liqueur Gift Set

Rum Liqueur Gift Set

Buy 5 get 1 free Intensley infused Liqueurs - Handmade in Cheshire

Offer open to GFF members: Quote GFF2021 on the orders Buy 5 get 1 free (70cl and 35cl bottles) Sample kits available for every customer - contact michelle@riversidespirits.co.uk

oils & vinegars

barbecuing

Artisan Olive Oil Company has added three new oils to its portfolio: aix&terra organic chilli oil - an infused olive oil, hand-made by aix&terra in Provence (RRP £9.95 for 200ml); Diliberto Organic Fiordidrupa Organic – a medium green fruity EVOO from Sicily (RRP £14.75 for 500ml); and Moulins Mahjoub organic early harvest chetoui organic EVOO (RRP: £11.70 for 500m). artisanoliveoilcompany. com

Willy’s Wellness – Will Chase’s health & wellness brand – has been expanded to take in two apple cider vinegar-based elixirs, designed to ward off illness.

Willy’s Organic Live ACV with Honey & Tumeric contains “immune-boosting botanicals”, while Willy’s Organic Live ACV Fire Cider is a fiery blend of native roots and spices. RRP £6.95 for 500ml; trade price £4.20. willychases.co.uk

Heart-healthy food producer Sussed has built on the success of its 2 calorie rapeseed oil with the addition of balsamic vinegar and olive oil 2 calorie spray oils. The IPG certified balsamic spray contains nothing but grape must and wine vinegar while the olive oil spray is made from cold-pressed Spanish olives.

RRP £2.90. sussed.ie

Seggiano has released the oil from its own farm as a limited edition. The organic, single-estate and mono-cultivar EVOO is made from the Olivastra Seggianese olive. These ancient trees, found in small numbers on the Northern slopes of Monte Amiata, Tuscany, are famed for the creamy, delicate oil they produce. Wholesale price £4.95 for 250ml; RRP £8.25. seggiano.com

Taking the vinegar trend to the next level is Three

By One, with a raw, unpasteurised, unfiltered cider vinegar (with the Mother), made from the sap of the coconut tree.

It contains live probiotics and enzymes, amino acids, minerals, vitamin C and broad-spectrum B vitamins, and can be used in cooking or as a dressing. RRP £8 for 250ml. threebyone.eu

Zaytoun is bringing Palestinian unfiltered olive oil straight from the recent olive harvest to UK retailers.

This organic, cold-pressed oil retains a light olive pulp, a product of the natural olive milling process, and has a fresh peppery, straight-off-the-press flavour and intense aroma. RRP £14.50 for 500ml. zaytoun.uk

Hillfarm Oils has become the latest rapeseed producer to create a flavoured oil offering. Its four-strong range comprises Black Truffle, White Garlic, Smoked Chilli and Oak & Apple Wood Smoked. RRP is £3.89 for 250ml except for Black Truffle (£5.95). hillfarmoils.com

Fussels is bringing some Mediterranean sunshine to its rapeseed oil line-up, with an infusion of pure Sicilian lemons.

With its clean citrus flavour, Sicilian Lemon Rapeseed Oil is said to be perfect for dressings, marinades and shallow frying chicken or fish. RRP £4; trade price £2.63 for 250ml. fusselsfinefoods.co.uk

La Cultivada Picual, a single variety EVOO from southern Spain, is the latest addition to the La Cultivada olive oil family.

Using olives that are organically and biodynamically cultivated and harvested in October, the oil imparts notes of freshly cut grass and tomato, with a medium peppery finish. lacultivada.com/en

Serious Rub may have been launched commercially at the end of 2020 but its creators have been making it in their kitchen and sharing it with friends for many years. Well-suited to beef, chicken and roasted vegetables, the rub comes in 50g, 100g, and 250g pouches (RRPs £3.95, £5.45, £9.95) seriousrub.co.uk

>> This summer, Elite Imports Ltd will be carrying a selection of cheeses made just for the BBQ. Rougette Bonfire Grilling Cheese, from Käserei Champignon, comes in burger-shaped discs that will soften without falling apart on hot barbecues. There is also a second variety marinated in herbs and oil packaged in aluminium trays, which can be melted into a dip, mixed with grilled vegetables or diced into salads. elite-imports-limited.co.uk

Retailers looking to up their outdoor dining offer might consider stocking some authentic American barbecue grills – floorspace permitting.

The Primo range of ceramic Kamado-style grills have been built to satisfy the demands of professional chefs and their unique oval shape is said to allow for the simultaneous use of different cooking zones.

For a slightly different take on outdoor cooking, there is the Green Mountain Grill (pictured) – which is fuelled by hardwood pellets. There are a range of accessories that can be added, such as pizza ovens and rotisseries, and the temperatures can even be remotely monitored and changed via WiFi. primogrilluk.com greenmountaingrill.co.uk Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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oils & vinegars While most mustard oils are not deemed safe to cook with due to their high erucic acid content, Hungarian producer Grapoila has developed an oil using mustard seeds that have been specially bred to contain only minimal amounts of this problematic compound. Available via Best of Hungary, the cold-pressed oil is ideal for recreating Asian dishes. RRP £6.95 for 250ml; wholesale price £4.50. bestofhungary.co.uk

Northern Ireland-based rapeseed oil producer Broighter Gold has added Hickory Smoked Oil to its infused oil collection.

Launched just in time for summer, the oil can be used to amplify the taste of barbecued fish, meat and vegetables.

RRP £3.99 for 250ml. broightergold.co.uk

Fire up the plantbased BBQ Sustainable Kitchen’s founder Julie Cleijne explains how retailers should approach catering to vegetarians and vegans this barbecue season.

As barbecue season springs into our lives again, don’t be fooled into thinking that customers won’t be needing to cater for their family and friends wanting plant-based foods at their garden gatherings. The plant-based BBQ is not a misnomer, it’s a reality and a norm. So how can you help your customers stock up on food that will satisfy everyone, from carnivores to flexitarians to fully plant-based eaters?

Be bold with store placement Many good results have been had from a marketing campaign that involves a purposefully selected array of co-located products to plant (pun intended!) an idea in your customers’ minds. If you’re not already planning a specific ‘BBQ inspiration’ section in your store, this coming season could be an opportunity to do so. You could colocate plant-based meat and cheese alternatives with BBQ items for meat eaters. Be bold. Plant-based is the mainstream and retailers need to embrace it to stay relevant.

Plant-based is the mainstream and retailers need to embrace it to stay relevant.

Find those alternatives If you aren’t currently stocking plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, have a review of what products you do stock that are naturally plant-based, and could be sold for outdoor gatherings. Olives, nuts, salsa, dips, nacho chips, marinades, drinks and sweets would all be welcome additions for your customers to help them cater to consumers reducing animal products in their diet.

ice cream

>>

Plant-based ice cream maker Coconuts Organic has been renamed Cecily’s after its founder Cecily Mills (read more on page 50), and relaunched in March in new packaging that capitalises on its Cornish heritage.

Cecily’s is available in a range of flavours, including its flagship Mint Choc, which is packed with cocoa chips, peppermint oil and spirulina. RRP from £4.50. cecilys.co

Plant mylks can be difficult to work with as they can overpower other flavours and taste “cardboardy”, according to Baboo. But after months of experimentation, the Dorset producer says it has perfected a vegan gelato based on Somerset oat milk. The gelato is available in Vanilla and Chocolate flavours in 125ml and 500ml tubs with respective RRPs of £2.99 and £5.99. baboogelato.com

In a new, natural take on the ice pop, Nottingham newcomer Pola has launched Sorbet and Gelato Poles in seven flavours.

Pola prioritises local, British ingredients, such as foraged elderflower from along the river Trent and homegrown roses. Retailers can purchase Poles in packs of 25 for individual sale (RRP £1.99 each) or in six-packs (RRP £9.99) from Stratford Fine Foods. wearepola.com

Salcombe Dairy’s two new dairy-free ice creams promise to transport the tastebuds to faraway places.

Rainforest Nectar is a zingy passionfruit, mango, coconut and lime creation, whilst Cloud Forest Cacao combines a coconut cream base with the Devon dairy’s very own bean-to-bar chocolate. RRP £4.95 for 500ml; trade price £2.90. salcombedairy.co.uk

Create a big deal Financial uncertainty is still very much a reality, so price point deals and pairing products are great ways to create customer loyalty. We suggest pairing products at different price points and demonstrating how to use products together. Something as simple as having vegetables next to BBQ skewers and a plant-based marinade could really appeal.

Rather than just adding a smoke flavouring, Farrington’s has created a true oak-smoked oil. Its rapeseed oil is slowly smoked over wood chips for 48 hours to achieve a deep, rich taste. Mellow Yellow Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil has an RRP of £4.50 for 250ml. farrington-oils.co.uk 30

April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

Be inclusive Your customers will be mindful of making sure they can cater to friends and family with different dietary needs, so they can make sure all their loved ones feel included. So should you. That means making sure that the plant-based products you do stock do not all contain allergens such as soy, wheat, gluten, and nuts. You should aim to stock a variety of products that are free-from these allergens, as well as being plant-based. The more inclusive you can be, the more customers will keep coming back.

Northern Bloc has created a vegan mini tub multi-pack. The Chocolate Collection (RRP £5.49) boxes up four 100ml tubs of plant-based ice cream in two new chocolate flavours: Vegan Chocolate & Honeycomb and Vegan Chocolate Stracciatella. northern-bloc.com

Tapping into the opportunity for “grown-up” ice lollies is Remeo with Sorbet Sticks. Translating fruity Italian gelato into ice lolly form, the sticks come in Trentino Blackcurrant and Alphonso Mango flavours in sustainable paper wrappers. RRP £4.99 for a pack of three; trade price £4. remeogelato.com

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

ice cream

>> Beau’s is a new face on the ice cream scene, offering Italian-style gelato with a vegan and allergen-free sell. The cashew-based gelato is made in-house from scratch using only natural ingredients and no prefabricated mixes.

Raspberry, Pistachio, Mint Choc Chip, Strawberry and Chocolate Chip are the five flavours available in 450ml tubs (RRP £5.99) via CLF Distribution. beausgelato.com

Glastry Farm Ice Cream is proving it has its finger on the pulse with the addition of two new “superfood” vegan sorbets and two new ice cream flavours – all with a low-sugar and high-fibre content. The Berry Berry Blueberry and Peaches & Cream ice cream are both based on milk and cream from the farm’s pedigree Holsteins. glastryfarm.com

A childhood classic brought to life

Granny Gothards is looking to bring the restaurant experience to home dining with a new serving format.

Camembert-style pots made from sustainably sourced wood and lined with waxed paper house 500ml of Devon ice cream churned from fresh egg yolks, milk and cream. Stockists can choose from 12 flavours, from favourites like Madagascan Vanilla and Intense Belgian Chocolate to Salted Honey, Toasted Sesame and Coconut & Charcoal. There is also the option for retailers looking to launch their own branded ice cream to have a fully bespoke label. RRP £6.99. grannygothards.co.uk

Butterscotch and Chocolate & Roasted Hazelnut are the two latest recipes to come out of Hackney Gelato’s East London kitchen.

Chef duo Enrico Pavoncelli and Sam Newman developed the Butterscotch Gelato to serve by the scoop at Secret Cinema’s Stranger Things event series last year and have now added it to their retail range. Notes of toffee and vanilla are enhanced by a sprinkle of sea salt in this slowchurned gelato made with Muscovado sugar, butter and cream.

Rippled with roasted Piedmont hazelnuts and a sprinkle of sea salt, Chocolate & Roasted Hazelnut Gelato is Enrico’s take on a Bacio – a classic Italian gelato with chocolate and hazelnut.

Both flavours are available via Stratford Fine Foods priced at £3.76 for 500ml. RRP £5.49. hackneygelato.com

Following the success of its Banana & Milk Chocolate Ice Lolly last year, Ice Kitchen set out to develop a “more sophisticated fruity version of a gourmet chocolate dipped ice lolly”.

Whole blueberries are swirled into Greek-style yoghurt, then dipped in white Belgian chocolate.

RRP £2; wholesale price £28.30 for a case of 24. icekitchen.co.uk

Start-up dairy-free ice cream brand Blue Skies has created a new Caffe Latte flavour that launched in March in new livery. The vegan, soya-free, glutenfree, nut-free ice cream is made from Ghanaian coconut milk and is available in six flavours, including Simply Coconut, Mango & Passion Fruit and Chocolate & Orange. RRP £4.99 for 500ml. blueskies.com

2021 will see Callestick Farm launch four new flavours for the retail channel. Custard Cream, Amaretti & Cherries, Mint Choc Crisp and Dairy-free Vanilla will join the Cornish producer’s existing six varieties in 485ml compostable tubs. RRP £3.50. callestickfarm.co.uk

Yorkshire’s Brymor Dairy is bringing ice cream lovers the taste of Christmas year-round with the introduction of a new Chocolate Orange flavour in 2l and 5l formats. Brymor ice cream is handmade on High Jervaulx Farm, from local milk and double cream. brymordairy.co.uk

For 2021, Marshfield Farm has taken inspiration from a childhood classic, launching a Jelly & Ice Cream flavour that combines milk ice cream with a strawberry shimmer ripple and jelly sweets.

Also new is Under the Sea – blue raspberry ice cream with a raspberry flavoured shimmer ripple and caramel-filled chocolate turtles. Both flavours are available in 5l scooping and 1l retail tubs. (RRP £6; trade price £4.15). marshfield-icecream. co.uk

Organic ice cream label Luscious has added three new lines to its range. Salted Caramel ice cream made with Jersey milk, cream and caramel, and two sorbets – Raspberry and Mango – launch in 500ml and 120ml biodegradable retail tubs, with respective RRPs of £6.49 and £2.80. lusciousorganics.co.uk Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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alcoholic drinks

Experts’ eye: What alcohol trends will define 2021?

In association with

>> The Organical Botanical Spirit Co distils its Organic London Dry Gin in small batches, which it says all have their own character while retaining leading notes of citrus. Approved organic by the Soil Association, the gin comes in 70cl bottles (RRP £39). obspirit.co

Produced by the Jackton Distillery just south of Glasgow, the RAER brand has launched with two tipples. The naturally, smooth sweet blended Scotch Whisky comes in cases of 6 x 70cl and 12 x 5cl bottles (trade £105 and £42 respectively), while its juniper-led Jackton Gin comes in the same case sizes, priced at £147 and £42 respectively. raer.co.uk

In the Welsh Wind Distillery has launched a limited edition cask-aged gin. The distillery aged 400 litres of its Signature Style gin in Palo Cortado sherry casks. The result is a rich, bronze-coloured spirit that has developed flavours of almonds, dried stone fruit and wood spice to complement the original botanical profile. inthewelshwind.co.uk

The Ballin range is a collection of “ultra-smooth premium spirits” presented in painted frosted bottles (designed and made in France) that glow under UV light. The vodka and gin both have an RRP of £35 while the rum’s RRP is £36. A tequila is due to be added to the line-up soon. ballin.london

London Vermouth Company has developed three new lines in 50cl bottles. No.1 Amber Limon features Kentish rhubarb, blood orange and Surrey honey while No.3 S.E. Dry contains gooseberries, Bramley apples and honey (both RRP £24). Completing the trio is No.2 a rich red vermouth made with Kentish Gamay, Sussex Bacchus, Ruby Port and 23 herbs & spices (RRP £25). londonvermouthcompany. com

With the hard seltzer (or alcoholic sparkling water) market growing in the UK, Two Brooks has a line-up of three 4% ABV varieties – all made with a pure British apple spirit and natural fruit flavourings. Mango Hi-Ball, Passion Star, Lime Cooler all come in cases of 12 x 250ml slim cans (trade £1.65 per can), with a mixed case also available. twobrooks.co.uk

Pirate’s Grog has added Honey Spiced and Pineapple Spiced varieties to its offer, as part of a new Tropical Horizons range. Both made using the company’s smooth five-yearaged rum, these spirits come in 700ml bottles (RRP £32, wholesale £19.50+VAT). piratesgrogrum.com

Chocolate Stout (6.2% ABV), the Belgian-style Baker’s Witbier (5%) and Lemongrass Lager (0.5%) are the latest beers from Toast Ale. All three are made using surplus bread and all profits go to the food system charity Feedback.

440ml, RRP £4 (lager is £3.50). toastale.com

Black Cow has moved into the ready-to-serve cocktail arena with a 24% ABV Negroni (50cl, RRP £25), made up of its English Pure Milk Vodka, Italian Campari, Spanish vermouth, and a secret blend of natural bitters. blackcow.co.uk

Herchelle Perez Terrado, Founder, The Drinks Partnership We’ll continue to see more at-home drinking occasions as we transition out of lockdown into a different and new normal.

There has been an abundance of innovation in ready-to-enjoy cocktails, and this will only continue as the consumer is already engaged and expectations have been set for a quality experience, despite being at home.

However, cocktails can only impress and deliver a repeat purchase if the brand delivers on the promises of great quality, best ingredients and mouthfeel, coupled with real brand values and credibility to sustain that consumer affinity.

Price will always be a consideration but there are some really good quality cocktails now available, which means, per serve, there doesn’t have to be a sacrifice on quality.

Jess Mason, Founder, The Drinks Maven The UK has looked at replicating the hard seltzer and CBD drinks trends from the US, but it’s the broader umbrella trends that are the true indication as to what consumers will be buying.

In the past year, we’ve seen sustainability messages and nods to wellness through low- and noalcohol, but it’s better to look at how consumers are feeling right now. We are all craving the perfect drink in the perfect venue – something that tastes like freedom.

With all of this in mind, next year will be a renaissance for much-loved classic drinks. Canned wine is likely to be on the up, as well as cocktail pouches.

Keep your eye on dark lagers and riffs on martinis, as well as wines, beers and ciders playing with wild fermentation.

Ben Franks FRSA, CEO & wine buyer at Novel Wines Customers are increasingly comfortable with shopping online and have therefore discovered the breadth of choice available in wine.

This gives lesser-known regions like those in Central and Eastern Europe (which is having a true revival in quality) and emerging wineries, both in England and in exotic locations like Asia, an opportunity to shine. It is now easier than ever to discover something new and exciting. The challenge for businesses is to find ways in which they can stand out in an increasingly digital world.

Speciality & Fine Food Fair is calling on new, pioneering drinks producers to pitch their products to a panel of expert judges, with a chance to win a free expert consultation and a stand at the Fair’s Drinks Cabinet. Apply to join at specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk/drinks-pitch-live-form.

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

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In the Welsh Wind Signature Style Inspired by cargoes landed on our west Wales coast, our award-winning contemporary dry gin is full of warm sweet flavours synonymous with Wales that finish long and smooth.

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

mixers

alcoholic drinks Named after a stretch of land first mentioned in the Doomsday Book, Radlow Hundred is a new brand of small-batch English Wine produced on an estate in Herefordshire.

It has launched with a Red (Rondo, Pinot Noir & Regent grapes), White (Schonburger & Siegerrebe) and Rosé (Rondo, Pinot Noir & Dornfelder), as well as a Sparkling Brut (Pinot Noir, Seyval Blanc & Chardonnay). radlowhundred.co.uk

After selling direct to consumers since last November, Mindful Mixology will soon be selling its ready-to-drink, lowsugar cocktails to the trade.

The roster includes Coconut Espresso Martini – sweetened with coconut blossom and containing 60% less sugar than your average espresso martini – and the sugar-free Elderflower Gimlet. Each 250ml bottle (trade £5.75) contains two servings. mindfulmixology.co.uk

Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has created a gin Created by former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan, Declaration Gin is made with ingredients from countries he visited during his career. The gin – which features English botanicals, Australian ginger, and Indian Darjeeling tea – is described as “zesty” with “powerful orange and citrus on the nose” and has an RRP of £44.99 for 70cl and £34.99 for 50cl.

The brand is now working on a second spirit launching later this year. declarationdrinks.com

Brighton Gin has collaborated with local company Sipsup Drinks to produce a 4.8% ABV sparkling pre-mixed cocktail. Brighton Gin Raspberry Crush is a blend of Brighton Gin, English raspberries and Sicilian lemons with a hint of lavender. 250ml bottles, RRP £3.75. brightongin.com

Butler & Brewer has joined the alcoholic mixer market with its Tonic Enhancers. The five-strong range features Raspberry, Basil & Lime; Hibiscus, Lime & Pomegranate; Orange, Thyme & Lemongrass; Elderflower, Cucumber & Apple; and Rosemary, Mint & Lemon.

The line-up is pitched as an alternative to flavoured spirits or tonics – just add four dashes to a glass and top up with tonic and a measure of spirit. Unlike cordials or syrups, the range contains no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Each 100ml bottle can flavour up to 100 drinks. butlerandbrewer.co.uk Recently rebranded, Masons of Yorkshire also rejuvenated its range with a new Orange & Lime Leaf gin. It joins a lineup that includes Mason’s Original Gin, as well as the Tea Edition, Pear & Pink Peppercorn and English Lavender varieties. masonsofyorkshire.com

Binary Botanical has launched a sharing bottle of its 0.5% ABV, low-calorie, low-alcohol drink.

Made using the normally discarded hop leaf, the product is said to be tangy and almost Prosecco-like. Cases of 12 x 660ml, trade £25.00 + VAT. binarybotanical.com

BumbleBee Cider launched four canned sparkling ciders at the beginning of this year. Gribble (4.8% ABV, medium) and Rogue (5.5% medium-dry) come in cases of 12 x 330ml (trade £18+VAT) while cases of Strawberry Mojito and Sloeberry (both 4.0%, medsweet) cost £19.75+VAT. bumblebeecider.co.uk

Continuing with its mission to honour 19th Century seafaring women, Welsh Sisters has launched a ruby blush gin called The Captain’s Wife Portside. Distilled with botanicals, including pomegranate, fig and yerba mate tea, is aged in oak casks imbued with Spanish Ruby Port. welshsisters.com

Fentimans’ Pink Ginger is now available to independent retailers across the UK – having previously been an exclusive listing with Sainsbury’s. Billed by the producer as “the fun younger sibling” of its traditional Ginger Beer, this pink variant is made using a more fragrant ginger root and is said to be more aromatic but with no less punch.

According to its creator, it also makes for a decent pink Moscow Mule, when mixed with vodka and lime.

It comes in cases of 6x750ml bottles. fentimans.com Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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meat Picture: Hybu Cig Cymru

Livestock on trial The argument that removing meat from our diets will slash global warming is unavoidable, but is there substance behind the claims?

By Tom Dale

Meat – in particular, red meat – and the agriculture associated with its production have had a considerable amount of bad press in recent years. Increasing numbers are turning to a vegan diet and independent retailers are having to broaden their offer to support this growing market. For many, environmental concerns are driving this shift in consumer behaviour.

Oxford University researchers claimed in the paper Climactic Change that adopting a vegan lifestyle can cut around 60% in dietary greenhouse gas emissions. But those in the UK meat industry feel that global research into the sustainability of meat production, is being applied unfairly to British farming.

Dr Owen Roberts from Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales) says that the use of some statistics risks misleading the public.

“Most of the lamb and beef on the supermarket shelves here is produced using farming which is a world away from the kinds of intensive and damaging systems that lead to deforestation and consume scarce water resources abroad that we see highlighted in the media,” he tells FFD. What is missing from the debate, according to Roberts, is an appreciation that the global average is not representative of animal agriculture in the UK and that a blanket message of ‘eat less meat to save the planet’ is “nonsense” if you replace sustainably farmed meat with some of the highly processed meat alternatives on the market.

Hybu Cig Cymru supports and promotes what it terms ‘The Welsh Way’, highlighting research that shows that beef and lamb production in Wales has some of the lowest emissions rates in the world, and creating a baseline standard for environmental performance.

Global warming According to a much-quoted figure from the UN 38

April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

Food and Agriculture Organisation, livestock is responsible for 14.5% of human greenhouse gas emissions – 50% of which is methane, with ruminants (the classification including sheep and cows) responsible for 80% of that tranche.

Former vegetarian and co-founder of meat delivery business The Ethical Butcher, Glen Burrows says that the claims around methane have been misrepresented. “Cows are getting blamed for something which the science doesn’t back up,” he says. “Yes, there is no doubt that cows produce methane, but to claim that they are to blame for the sudden spike in the last decade or so is very questionable science.”

Research shows, says Burrows, that while methane has a much stronger global warming impact initially, it has a half-life of roughly 10 years, whereas carbon dioxide is cumulative in that it remains in the atmosphere for hundreds if not thousands of years.

If cattle numbers remain stable, he says, then so will the atmospheric methane levels, creating no net gain to its warming effect. Since 1974, the number of cows kept in the UK has fallen by more than one third.

The grassland that exclusively feeds livestock under The Welsh Way, and that sold by The Ethical Butcher, also captures significant levels of carbon from the atmosphere. “It’s not just trees that capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Grasslands and peatlands are also excellent at capturing carbon and locking it away,” says Roberts.

Maintaining pasture for grass-fed livestock maximises the sun’s potential for carbon sequestration – the locking away of carbon in plants – and minimises its warming effect, says Burrows. “When you have a field of pasture that’s being fertilised and trodden in by grazing animals, you never have bare ground so you’re maximising the benefits of sunlight hitting plant matter to

remove CO2 from the atmosphere.”

Land usage “It is true,” says Burrows, “that animal agriculture uses roughly 70% of all agricultural land to produce just 18% of the calories.” But, he says, this is misleading because, generally, if land can grow crops, that is what it is used for, “because it drives a higher profit”.

“To say that grass-feeding animals uses lots more land is a meaningless statement because it’s land that can’t be used for other things,” says The Ethical Butcher founder.

This is particularly true in rugged landscapes like those found in parts of Wales. “Wales is extremely blessed with the right ingredients for the most sustainable lamb and beef production,” says Roberts. “In Wales and other parts of north-western Britain and Europe farmers can produce high-quality protein from land which is unsuitable for producing other types of food, using natural grass and rainwater and very few additional inputs.”

Burrows also argues that the claim that this type of farming produces just 18% of the world’s calories is disingenuous. Protein is the least caloric macronutrient that humans consume, he says, and is the only one which we cannot do without.

False economy?

Claims made by the Vegan Society, among others, that the most practical step we can take to tackle global warming is adopting a meat-free diet is, according to Burrows, a false economy.

Animal agriculture is inextricably linked, he says, to crop production, and the latter collapses without the former. “You can destroy this Disney idea of a vegan future with a bit of simple ecology,” he says.

From rewilded grassland creating an imbalance in our ecosystems, to the natural fertiliser used in organic farming – all biproducts of the meat and dairy industry, and the fact that 90% of what animals are fed is waste product from human plant-based food processing, for Burrows, removing animals from our diet is simply shifting the issue.

“All of these millions of tonnes of waste plant material from food processing is going to release methane and carbon dioxide when it rots; you’re not solving the problem.

“It’s a nonsense false economy to think that we could suddenly stop eating animals and then have even more plant-based foods, involving even more plant processing creating waste that we then can’t deal with.”

“Diets and food production will continue to be part of the conversation on climate change,” Roberts says. “And sustainable animal agriculture has to be part of the global solution to climate change and food security.” There are, though, still improvements that need to be made, and educating consumers on the difference they can make with their purchasing power is paramount.

With summer around the corner, your customers will be starting to cast their minds toward the barbecue, and the decisions about what to throw on the grill. Perhaps those local, grass-fed cuts are an environmentally-friendly choice after all.

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

The Garlic Farm

Getting it right Barnes Edwards of The Garlic Farm tells FFD about the sustainable credentials of the company’s home, the Isle of Wight – including its recent award from Unesco.

ON A GLOBAL SCALE, there is a growing shift toward the ‘triple bottom line’ of profit, people and planet.

This is not necessarily a new concept for food producers or independent retailers.

After all, their livelihoods depend on the sustainability of crops, livestock, and the people that nurture and deliver them into the hands of customers.

Now however, schemes like B-Corp have helped to legitimise this as an approach to running a business – beyond just making money.

Like many of the farmers, producers and

retailers on the Isle of Wight, The Garlic Farm has adhered to the principles described above for generations.

“The farm produces better stuff if the people, animals and fields are happy and our customers know this and care about it,” says director Barnes Edwards.

“We’re a diversified farm, with retail, hospitality & events, accommodation and seed-garlic wholesale as well as production so we need rock solid people to juggle all that. And every one of us is first-hand aware that our environment and resource is limited. Looking after our people and farm is not a choice, it’s

The farm produces better stuff if the people, animals and fields are happy not a new-found sustainability mission, it’s totally core to what we do.”

Edwards cites organic veg grower Living Larder, the plastic-free carbon-neutral ethos at Mermaid Gin and the ‘eat less, eat better’ sales message from The Isle of Wight Meat Co as some examples of fellow island businesses that hold similar beliefs.

“There are many more examples. Epic cheese, proper milk, magical mushrooms (no, not that kind), all on an island that would fit into London four times.”

Edwards adds that it’s almost like “there’s something in the water”.

Well it turns out, there is. The Isle of Wight was awarded Unesco Biosphere Reserve status a little while before the pandemic struck and consumed global attention. While it may have slipped under many radars, this highly prestigious award recognises that the island has globally significant resources of cultural and biological diversity. People and planet are, according to Unesco existing in a mutually respectful way – at least on the Isle of Wight.

What’s more, the region has formally committed to supporting and continuing the good social and environmental approaches through a regulatory framework.

For independent retailers looking to stock their stores with products that are aligned to their and customers’ sustainable outlooks, Edwards says the food brands based in the region tick all the boxes and more.

“In some ways, the essence of the Unesco Biosphere Reserve status is ‘the next level’ of provenance because people are part of the story and the solution,” he says.

Even if you already understand how the relationship between community and place can have such a mutually positive effect – that’s quite a pitch for the Isle of Wight.

“By the way, I should mention that we have just launched a new Black Garlic Butter,” says Edwards. “It tastes really, really good – and now you know why.”

www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk 01983 865 378 wholesale@thegarlicfarm.co.uk Our full range is also available with Cotswold Fayre Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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www.fryedsauce.com 42

April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

FOCUS ON

foodservice

Back to the kitchen?

With foodservice set to reopen outdoors this month, FFD asks three retailers how they are approaching the revival of their café set-ups

By Lauren Phillips

FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, farm shops and delis have been shutting and reopening their foodservice operations in line with lockdown restrictions.

But with the vaccination programme making progress, there is hope that the country could return to some semblance of normality in the coming months.

In February, Boris Johnson unveiled England’s roadmap out of lockdown – including plans to reopen the hospitality and foodservice industry – with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also making their own plans [see boxout].

The response from retailers about the PM’s plan for the sector has been mixed, with some keener than others to encourage diners back in.

Emma Mosey, co-owner of Minskip Farm Shop near York, says she is feeling positive at the prospect of returning to business as usual.

“We’re really looking forward to getting back to having the café open and motivating the team,” she tells FFD, adding that the farm shop is already taking bookings.

The business has spent the third lockdown planning and preparing for when it can reopen the café with 60 covers indoors and 80 covers outside. That said, some changes might be made to how the café serves customers outdoors from 12th April, with Mosey considering a simpler menu similar to its takeaway offering and using disposable containers rather than plates, to keep demands on frontof-house staff in check.

“We’ve got staff members who

have been off for some time, so we want to ease them back into the throes in that five weeks before we reopen inside,” she says.

In the Cotswolds, Broadway Deli is cautiously reopening its café following the Government’s track

We’ve got staff members who have been off for some time, so we want to ease them back in record of changing strategies at short notice.

“We’ve learnt the hard way from planning too much,” says co-owner George Courts. “The Government set the dates but they’ve also said they could change, so we’re taking everything with a pinch of salt at the moment.”

For now, Broadway’s takeaway service is thriving as customers have become used to visiting the deli for a coffee on their daily walks. But preparations are still being made for when the café can reopen, including extending the outdoor dining area from the rear patio onto a lawn to allow for social distancing.

Inside, café tables have been permanently moved from the shop floor. A retail room on the deli’s first floor has been turned into a

dining area to afford three rooms exclusively for café seating. No covers have been lost through these layout changes, and it is a better use of the first floor which saw lower footfall even before COVID struck.

“We’ve learned a few lessons during the pandemic,” says Courts.

“We’ve done a few things that we wouldn’t normally have done, so it’s made us think and work a bit differently.”

Meanwhile, Scotts of Alnmouth in Northumberland is waiting to see what happens over the next six months before making any decision on reopening the café, having sustained the business without it.

“Although our revenue is down against previous years, our profitability is up quite substantially,” says owner Andrew Scott, citing the temporary 5% reduced rate of VAT for hospitality, lower overhead costs, and a doubling of basket spend.

“If VAT went back to 20% and we continued to work as a takeaway-only business, we’d still be more profitable than we would have been in previous years because our costs have significantly reduced from not running the café.”

Homemade ready-meals, launched during the first national lockdown, now account for 10% of sales with Scott looking to employ a chef to help with production and produce a greater volume of delicounter and own-brand lines.

Even if Scott had wanted to reopen the café following the earliest permitted dates it would have been unviable to do so, as the café can only accommodate eight covers (from the original 24) under

social distancing restrictions.

Whether or not this has a detrimental impact on the business remains to be seen. “Will people no longer start to come to us because we don’t offer a café?

That’s the big unknown.

THE FOUR NATIONS’ ROUTES OUT OF LOCKDOWN England • 12th April onwards – restaurants, cafés and other hospitality venues can offer outdoor dining (table service only) to six people or two households.

• 17th May onwards – restaurants, cafés and other hospitality venues can serve up to six people or two households indoors and up to 30 people outdoors (table service only).

• 21st June onwards – all legal limits on social contact will be removed.

Scotland • 26th April onwards – bars, pubs, restaurants, and cafés can reopen.

Wales • Foodservice and hospitality venues in Wales remain closed until at least the second half of April when plans to reopen outdoors will be looked at by the Welsh Government.

Northern Ireland • At the time of going to press, Northern Ireland had extended its lockdown to 1st April, with hospitality venues remaining closed except for takeaway, drive-through and delivery.

Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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FOCUS ON

foodservice

INGREDIENTS, KIT & TRENDS

FROM THE DELI KITCHEN SIMPLE RECIPES TO BOOST YOUR MARGINS

LOADED FOCACCIA This versatile bread works well when you need to use up left-over roasted vegetables or cheese ends from the deli – just pop them on the top. It’s best if you sell the bread on the day you make it.

Serves: 6-8 Ingredients: 500g strong white bread flour 1 tsp salt 1 tsp fast-action yeast 100ml olive oil 300-350ml warm water 1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced 1 courgette, finely sliced into rounds 1 large potato, finely sliced into rounds 1 log of soft goats’ cheese

Method: Mix together the flour and salt in a bowl.

Add 50ml of olive oil to the flour, set the remaining half aside to use on the top. Add the water to the flour mixture and bring together to form a soft dough.

Knead by hand, or with a dough hook for 5 minutes until the dough is elastic and soft.

Cover and allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes to1 hour, until doubled in size.

Grease and line a 35cm x 25cm x 3cm baking tray. Knock back the dough and knead for a few minutes to bring out the elasticity. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to form a rectangle that fits the tin.

Place the dough in the tin and press your fingers into it to make indents at regular intervals. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Top the dough with the sliced onion, courgette and potato and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper, then bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the focaccia from the oven and dot the goats’ cheese over the top, return to the oven to cook for another 10 minutes.

Michael Lane

Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving warm or at room temperature.

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Recipe by Jules Mercer for Fine Food Digest April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

A new brand has been launched to supply chocolatiers with high-quality cacao beans that are too specialist or too remote to be sold to mainstream manufacturers.

Twenty Degrees is helping farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices and investing in the growth and security of the communities it works with.

This also allows it to provide customers with new levels of transparency and traceability – right back to the farm gate – so chocolate-makers will know every detail about the cacao beans they buy. twentydegreescacao.com Restaurants across the UK have been slashing their menu sizes in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Fresh analysis from Lumina Intelligence’s Menu Tracker has revealed that autumn/ winter 2020 restaurant menus had 24.5% fewer dishes on them than in 2019.

The sharpest decrease in menu items was seen in chain restaurants. lumina-intelligence.com Commercial combi oven manufacturer Convotherm says that its patented system to prevent fumes and vapours from escaping from its ovens also keeps out spores and bacteria.

The unique Advanced Closed System+ has an added significance in this time of heightened hygiene awareness by stopping germs and viruses from entering the oven.

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

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SHELF TALK Cornish plant-based ice-cream brand gets new name and refreshed look

By Tom Dale

Cornwall-based vegan ice-cream maker Coconuts Organic has announced a rebrand and name change to Cecily’s ahead of major NPD announcements this year.

The plant-based ice-cream company, which recently closed a third crowdfunding round early, has designed its new packs to make more of the founder Cecily Mills’ Cornish heritage and reflect more of herself in the brand.

“The rebrand has been on the cards for a long time,” said Mills, “but then in lockdown we were looking at where we wanted to take the brand, how we wanted to diversify products in the future, and it suddenly the time was

right to detach from Coconuts Organic.”

The new image and name, said the founder, gives the brand more scope to develop new products and use different milks in the future.

Mills said that the decision also came about because of a desire to put more of herself into the brand. “We wanted to get across that this is my passion, I started this in the annexe of my house in Cornwall – this is me and it’s my product and I love it so much.”

With a swathe of new lines in the pipeline and yet to be announced, Mills revealed one product she is particularly excited about, Lovely Little Bites – bite-sized pieces of icecream – designed to be eaten like chocolates from a box. “We’ve had a really positive response from buyers that have sampled them,” she said.

“There’s nothing in the freezer at the moment from people who want plant-based snacking options. You have a tub of ice-cream or a stick, but there’s nothing communal.”

Cecily’s has recently launched into M&S Food, but Mills remains dedicated to the brand’s relationship with independents, who, she said, play a huge part in their plans for the future. According to the founder, the company plans to launch indie-only ranges in the future. cecilys.co

WHAT’S NEW Kent Crisps has launched a new addition to its range of handcooked snacks, Lamb & Rosemary flavour crisps.

In keeping with the brand’s local ethos, the new line uses grass-fed Romney lamb from Kent Shepherd. The new flavour is available in cases of 20 x 40g bags. kentcrisps.co.uk Pep & Lekker has rebranded and reworked the recipe of its Seed Snacks to broaden their appeal. The rebrand includes a new recyclable pack and the recipe change has replaced sunflower oil with olive oil and reduced the chia seeds, also adding date syrup to the sweet options. pepandlekker.com Devon-based Sandford Orchards has launched a collection of vintage ciders; a cask-aged cider, ‘Sandford Reserve’, a fresh oak-finished cider, ‘Apple & Oak’ and a vataged cider, ‘The General’.

RRP £32.00 for 12 x 500ml bottles.. sandfordorchards. co.uk

Chocolatier hopes to inject ethics into the industry

Chunk of Devon are launching a Ploughman’s Pasty and new vegan Ploughman’s Pasty ready for British Summertime.

Containing all the key ingredients of a traditional ploughman’s lunch including ham, cheese, apple and a dollop of the nation’s favourite, Branston pickle.

They will be available for nationwide delivery from 28th March from chunkofdevon. co.uk with an RRP of £3.50 per pasty (box of 8 – £28.00). chunkofdevon.co.uk

A new brand is hoping its range of unique bean-to-bar chocolate will inspire a more ethical approach across the industry.

Wnder’s founder Luke Pearson said that child labour, slavery and environmental exploitation are still rife in the cacao industry, despite many attempts by the larger companies to combat the problems. Wnder aims to give consumers confidence that they are “doing the right thing while maintaining flavour and quality.”

“Why wouldn’t you want an ethical brand?” he said. “Modern chocolate should absolutely be doing the right thing in terms of the way cacao is grown, how the people who process the incredible beans are treated and how as a business we can give back.”

Pearson said the brand aims to work with lesser-known cacaos, which was behind the decision to launch the Papua New Guinean bar.

“It’s known to be difficult to work with but returns massively with unique umami smokey notes,” he said.

Launching last year with two varieties – Vineyard from Nicaragua and Campfire from Papua New Guinea – and has recently unveiled

a range of drinking chocolates harking back to the origins of the delicacy.

The 65g bars have an RRP of £6.95 (wholesale price: £124, 30x65g) and Wnder’s drinking chocolates RRP at £14 and £19 (trade, £7.50 and £10) for its 69% and 100% Guatemalan respectively (both 150g). wnderchocolate.com

Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

49

SHELF TALK My magic ingredient

WHAT’S NEW The Cotswold Liquorice Company has introduced a new range of individually wrapped liquorice sticks to its range of ethical, palm oilfree sweets. The sticks come in four flavours: Traditional Black, Strawberry, Caramel and Liquorice with a Chocolate fondant centre. A box of 24 sticks costs £10.80 (trade) and sticks RRP at £1. blackliquoricecompany.com Seggiano has launched its Unbelievably Gluten Free pasta, that “tastes just like the real thing”. Made with Dolomites spring water and 100% Italian rice and corn, the two varieties – Cavatappi and Tagliatelle – are vegan and made without binding agents or emulsifiers. RRP £2.85-£3 seggiano.com Aiming to change the way we enjoy drinking chocolate, Cacao Brew is a cacao drink that is roasted, ground and brewed like coffee. The brand currently has three varieties: Peruvian criollo cacao, Guatemalan singleorigin cacao from Alta Verapaz and Indian single-origin from the Idukki region. cacaobrew.co.uk

Olives et Al Egyptian Style Spiced Dukkah SANGITA TRYNER Founder, Delilah Fine Foods I use so many lines from the shop at home, but I use dukkah nearly every day. Olives et Al’s Egyptian Style Spiced Dukkah is the go-to version.

I always have a generous sprinkle of dukkah on top of on my smashed avocado and, with some chilli and salt, it honestly just changes the whole dish.

I also do a lot of cooking and marinading with it too, in all sorts of dishes.

It even works well sprinkled on top of some yoghurt and harissa as a little snack to keep away from carbs.

My hubby loves it, the kids all love it, even at the ages of 11 or 12 they love it – it’s like tomato ketchup in our house.

The whole family can’t get enough of it.

Sangita gets her dukkah from Olives et Al, available direct or through wholesalers such as Cotswold Fayre

Cuoco launches in independents with an array of chocolate biscuits

By Michael Lane

A Somerset biscuit-maker has completely overhauled its branding and is looking to establish itself through the independent trade with a range made using sustainable chocolate.

From this month, Percy’s Bakery will be known as Cuoco and its 10-strong range of chocolate biscuits will be available to delis and farm shops via several major distributors.

The line-up from the Yeovilbased company – which already counts Harrods and Selfridges among its customers – includes two varieties of Florentines (milk and dark chocolate), three shortbread varieties enrobed in chocolate and topped with chocolate curls (white, dark and milk) and Sticks (orange chocolate finger biscuits).

There are also milk and dark chocolate Thins (salted caramel discs coated in chocolate) and two types of Centres – biscuits topped with ganache and covered in chocolate.

“There are not many new brands that pop up in the world of biscuits,” said founder Liam 50

April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

Pithers. “It’s such an under-innovated category.

And we’re not coming in with just a nice biscuit, we’re coming in with a super special one.”

All of the biscuits are produced with 100% sustainable chocolate from Belgium-based supplier Barry Callebaut.

“The main thing we’re shouting about in all our products is chocolate and if we’re doing that, the chocolate needs a story,” said Pithers, adding that the new brand’s name – which means ‘cook’ in Italian – is a nod to both his cheffing background and the key ingredient, cocoa.

Paul Vita, Cuoco’s commercial director, told FFD that the independent market was the main focus for the launch. “That’s the heritage this business comes from,” he said. “It will help us learn about what sells best.”

Distributors already listing the Cuoco range are Cotswold Fayre, Holleys Fine Foods and Diverse Fine Food. The RRP is £3.50-£4 per pack. cuoco.co.uk

It’s like tomato ketchup in our house – the whole family can’t get enough of it

Inspired by founders Tessa and Robin Gerlach’s adventures in Africa is Elephant Gin which combines rare African botanicals to create its range of award-winning handcrafted premium gins that give back to African elephant conservation.

Elephant Gin is launching its newest creation, Orange Cocoa gin (RRP £31 per 500ml bottle; 40% ABV).

The new line combines the brand’s London Dry Gin – containing 14 botanicals – and combined it with vacuum-distilled, fresh, organic Spanish oranges and roasted cocoa beans to create a bright, zesty and velvety flavour profile. elephantgin.com

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TASTE THE HEAT Jars contain 190ml of full-flavour pepper sauce in 3 different strengths: Seriously Hot, Medium Hot and Mild.

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There are no artificial colours, no artificial flavours and no added sugar.

It’s the perfect accompaniment to any meal; for Vegetarians and Vegans too.

vtardieu@btinternet.com M: 07778 765388

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SHELF TALK MEET THE PRODUCER

WHAT’S NEW Waterdrop has added Mellow Mint to its range of microteas. The brand developed its ‘microtea’, which leaves behind the need for a teabag and brewing time as the drink is brewed from a small dissolvable cube. Mellow Mint has flavours of mint, lemon verbena and a hint of apple. en.waterdrop.com

Matthew Slaughter founded MATTHEW’S PRESERVED after a breakdown forced him to leave his career. His range of jams, jellies and chutneys has since gone on to win a raft of awards including a Startisan of the Year Golden Fork in Great Taste 2019.

What were you doing before you launched Matthew’s Preserved?

I was an environmental and chartered waste manager at the start of 2018, but a massive mental breakdown forced me to walk away from my profession. I spent the rest of the year recovering and ended it signing on with no clear path ahead of me.

Why did you decide to launch the brand?

A mixture of reasons. My wife Lisa and my family actively encouraged me to sell the preserves I loved making but with the intention of giving me a purpose in life, and a meeting with the father of one of my good friends who used to own a preserves business. He tasted my Spicy Pineapple Chutney and told me I had to sell it and I had to enter the Great Taste awards. I’m glad I listened to him!

What is the biggest lesson you have learned since starting the business?

If you don’t ask you don’t get.

There are numerous avenues of support out there for people who have been in the same situation, but not every one is right. Listen, digest and use what you need.

Mistakes happen, but like in life, it won’t be the first or the last – so learn and move on.

jams and jellies which are full of flavours – even the rare ones such as crab-apple and quince.

This was something that my mum did every year growing up and it’s something I have continued.

The chutneys, on the other hand, were mostly born out of my love of curry and using exotic fruits. I wanted to be different from the other chutney producers and be unique in a flooded market.

My business was born because of my mental health, so it was important to give back

Why is it important to you to donate 10p to Mind UK with the sale of each jar?

I’ve had a lifelong battle with depression anxiety and selfesteem and have used the support whenever I required it.

My business was born because of my mental health, therefore it was important to give something back.

A new player in the fermented hot sauce market, Orriss & Son has achieved accreditation from The Vegan Society.

Its range of three sauces – comprising Even Flow, My Wave and Fresh Tendrils – has passed the stringent assessment to join the growing number of The Vegan Society approved products. Orriss & Son is now entitled to use the official and globally recognised Vegan Trademark. orrissandson.com

What is the best thing about being a small business?

Being my own boss and having all the decisions to make. It’s hard but I like the challenges that arise and, to use a cliché, every day is different.

What makes your preserves stand out from others on the market?

I love strong flavours and my preserves mirror this. I’m all for experimenting as well, especially with fruits not usually used in the UK. My banana chutney turns heads and generally, the question is, ‘really, banana?’

Why did I develop it..? because I wanted a chutney to complement my brie and soft cheeses.

Why did you decide to make traditional jams and jellies but experiment more with your chutneys?

Quite simply, I love British

Lake district-based adult soft drink startup, Zingi Bear has launched a new non-alcoholic drink based on switchels – a traditional beverage that was popular in America in the 1700s. Inspired by a historic recipe of sparkling water, apple cider vinegar and fresh root ginger, sweetened with organic acacia honey, the drinks are made in small batches with natural, organic ingredients. RRP of £3.50 per 330ml bottle. zingibear.com

Bonilla a la Vista has launched its patatas fritas made with just organic Spanish potatoes, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt in new 275g tins.

A wholesale case of 6 tins costs £55, with an RRP of £15 per tin. bonillacrispsuk.co.uk

…and the worst?

Cleaning. It’s the bane of my life! Especially scrubbing chutney splatters off the oven, floor and even the ceiling. I’m always asked where I want to be in five years, and “not cleaning” is my go-to answer.

What’s next for Matthew’s Preserved?

This year’s goal has been set to getting into more shops and getting away from markets. I want my weekends back to share with my wife Freshly Ground Sponsor advert 2016 print ready.pdf and our families (when permitted).

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“Brilliantly clear, astonishingly vibrant... Clean and bright... This is just brilliant at every level” Great Taste judge

SPICED COCONUT COOKING OILS The first Scottish Akvavit. We are proud to say we are the only distillery you can buy a Scottish Akvavit! Akvavit is a fresh Scandinavian distilled spirit which normally uses caraway as it’s main botanical, rather than juniper (which is in a gin). Ours is distinctively complex and refreshing with hints of citrus, caraway, cardamom and we distil it eight times to give an incredibly smooth mouthfeel.

Add to your summer selection. Finish BBQ meat, fish and vegetables with subtle and delicious melted spiced flavours. You can fry and roast with them too.

Created by our chef Annabelle, each oil has a blend of up to 12 different spices Naturally vegan, gluten and dairy-free Ethically sourced ingredients & recyclable packaging

Johnsmas

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Sloe & Crow

For more information, please contact us on 01856 731700 or email info@orkneygincompany.com /orkneygincompany

@OrkneyGin

orkneygincompany

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

Supplying premium independent delis, butchers & farm shops

info@zingfoods.co.uk | www.zingfoods.co.uk

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DELI OF THE MONTH Winning multiple awards in its first two years of trading hasn’t led to any laurelresting from Charlie Wells, director of The Farm Stratford – a highly diversified former fruit farm turned food hall. And given her constantly evolving approach to concessions and other attractions, here...

Interview by Tom Dale

...it’s about the journey and the destination WHEN FFD VISITED The Farm Stratford, a modern, spacious food hall just outside the medieval market town it takes its name from, families were venturing out into the drizzle after picking up their essentials to check in on Pamela, the snoozing Gloucestershire Old Spot, the everhungry goats, the brood of hens, and the small flock of sheep.

Only the pigs will end up on the butcher’s counter – except Pamela; director Charlie Wells’ favourite – but all of the animals help to build the ‘destination’ that the nine-acre site has become in the two years since opening in April 2019.

And what a time to have begun trading.

Wells says that by the time FFD is published, the shop will have been open under coronavirus restrictions for longer than it had not. This

VITAL STATISTICS

Location: King's Lane, Snitterfield, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire Turnover: £1.7-£2m (projected 2020/21) Number of line: 3,500 Retail floorspace: 1,000 m³ Gross margin – shop: 55% Gross margin – restaurant: 68-70% 56

April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

hasn’t stopped The Farm attracting the attention of the Farm Retail Association, picking up its Rising Star award in 2019 and, in the days preceding FFD’s visit, winning Small Farm Shop of the Year and Café of the Year for its restaurant, Nourish. The likes of Suitcase Magazine, Condé Nast Traveller and The Guardian have also helped to raise the profile of the burgeoning business.

“The one that got us noticed was The Guardian article,” says Wells. The piece implored motorists to avoid the traditional service stops and head a little further to a farm shop.

“Overnight, that got traction. The next day we had a noticeable rise in customers.”

All these will have helped put the family business on the map, but it’s Wells’ dedication to diversification that’s turning it into the destination it is unmistakably becoming, even

during the third national lockdown.

The Farm’s story started back in 2017 when the Wells family decided to transform a derelict former fruit farm in the village of Snitterfield into a food hall with a focus on sustainability and Cotswolds-sourced fresh produce.

After initially encountering some resistance from planning authorities and locals, both were won around by the family’s plans. “The residents all thought it was going to be a huge supermarket and they weren’t happy. But when they saw the drawings and that we were keeping a bit of the rural heritage they were on board.”

With £3million capital investment, including the acquisition of the land, the neglected site was transformed into a fresh retail environment maintaining a rural feel. Using 95% recycled wood and keeping all the original brickwork and

flooring, as well as the family doing as much in-house as they could, helped keep costs down.

Wells says her father and co-director Richard’s former career in civil engineering proved useful, too.

Turning over £1.5 million in its first year’s trading is no mean feat, but the diverse appeal, large restaurant, and family-friendly environment must have all played a part.

“It’s been amazing, an absolute whirlwind,” says Wells. “On our opening day, we had 9,000 people turn up. It blows my mind even now.”

And – although many visitors had come to check out what in Wells’ words was one of the only big, new, independent businesses to open in the area for years – that appeal has stuck.

The food hall’s varied concessions – Swirls Gelato, chocolatier The Slab, Vin Neuf wines, Barrell & Bone fermented foods and a collaboration with Neal’s Yard Dairy – each provide a draw independent of the food hall itself, all being previously successful local businesses. The Farm’s butcher, the awardwinning Crombies, and fishmonger, The Pickled Crab, are also concessions.

“Nigel [the fishmonger] had a great following beforehand so we knew it would be a benefit for both of us bringing in someone already established,” says Wells. She tells me that initially, they looked after the fish counter inhouse, but some weeks it would only make £20 due to waste. “Now Nigel will make £20 in one sale.”

She says his good following, both among the community and on Instagram, and excellent branding, have helped attract a different “younger and more foodie” crowd from nearby Leamington.

The image-sharing platform is something that the 28-year-old director swears by and has built up a great following through. “It’s the best marketing tool for us.”

People respond to visual media, she says, and this is a great way to sell your products and the

idea of your business, especially during COVID, and the director even uses it as her primary product-sourcing tool.

While initially the model was employed to help drive footfall to the new outlet, the concessions at The Farm pay a fee to rent the space, and then a percentage of each sale on top of that at a flat rate, so now they are both a boon financially and in visitor numbers.

Wells is not inflexible in the approach, though. The business formerly included a florist franchise, which has since left by mutual agreement. “It looked beautiful, but it didn’t work financially. She didn’t sell enough flowers to warrant the space and the waste,” says Wells.

Since then, to replace the offer, The Farm has begun selling houseplants, buying in just £100-worth at first, then, when that stock sold out immediately, growing it week by week. “It just looks cleaner and fresher and has worked well. That’s now led to us building a garden room – we’re having an indoor greenhouse sort of vibe with fresh plants and a small range of flowers, mixing it in with books.”

This trial-and-error ethos has served the director well since opening. “The staff say I should get the phrase tattooed on me,” she says.

“But it works for us. I always listen to the staff if they think that there is something not right, or if they think that the layout isn’t working or make a comment that we haven’t been selling a lot of something and they think we should move it, we make a change.”

One such change is the recent switch from standard shelving to large, open ‘360’ units, made with old scaffolding and boards. FFD can attest to the uncluttered, airy feel it gives the food hall, and the unintimidating appeal it gives to what is a large range of products.

Another upcoming experiment for the business is a 1950s Airstream camper set to be rented by prominent Warwickshire hairstylist

MUST-STOCKS FILL laundry & household products Unpackaged zero-waste refills Purity Beers Neals Yard Dairy cheese Fresh orange juice from our Zumex machine Tubby Toms Hot Sauce The Slabb chocolate bars Cacklebean Eggs Blackfords Limoncello Diforti cannoli

CONTINUED ON PAGE 59

Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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April 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 3

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DELI OF THE MONTH Nashwhite. “It’s growing that destination feel,” says Wells. “Destination is the perfect word for what we’re trying to create here.”

During ‘normal’ times an array of courses are run from an annexe: jewellery-, candle- and wreath-making, floristry workshops and The Farm cookery school. “Gifting ‘experiences’ was such a growing market and was very popular, and then it completely shut down,” says Wells.

Though despite courses being postponed, only five customers have asked for refunds. The rest are set to rebook as soon as restrictions make them financially viable.

Adding to the more-than-a-farm-shop offer are the retailer’s small menagerie, a children’s play area lying adjacent to Nourish, a range of summer events, and a market garden which, while mainly an attraction and educational tool for Flourish at the Farm (an alternative education provider focusing on children with special needs), also serves as a herb garden for the butchers and chefs.

“The customers love to see the guys out there picking the herbs, it’s a great conversation starter and a reminder of our circularity,” Wells says. “The dream is to go for the Green Michelin Star.”

This sustainable approach is at the heart of The Farm’s ethos and is a passion for Wells. The

family wanted a green focus from the outset. As previously stated, the build used 95% recycled wood and retained the original brickwork and flooring where possible, and a 20,000-litre rainwater-harvesting tank was built under the staff car park, providing water for the garden, chilli farm and flushing the toilets. “It’s only failed us once, last summer when we had a bit of a drought,” Wells tells FFD. The building also has 300 solar panels which provide the equivalent in electricity of running 80 kettles for eight hours a day, she says. “That’s the language that customers want to know – you need those visual concepts.”

Where possible, the produce on sale is sourced locally, The Farm’s meat supplier, Lordswood, is “practically our neighbour” says Wells, and has a focus on rare breeds and sustainable farming, and the food hall boasts an impressive refillables area. Here you can find packaging-free staples and sweet treats from an Unpackaged unit, milk, cleaning products, and shower gel and shampoo, and there is currently a refill oat milk station on its way. The business has also committed to avoiding plastic where possible – no plastic bags are used throughout the store, and the café uses compostable vegware.

“I think that everyone should be aware of sustainability by now and everyone should be

working it into their businesses,” she says. “But most importantly, the customers love it.”

As covered in our last issue, the numbers of consumers actively seeking greener retail options is growing rapidly, and this is borne out by Wells’ observations. And if that wasn’t enough to tempt them, The Farm encourages take-up of its zerowaste options by offering customers 10% off for bringing their own containers. “The margins are great, so we can give them back that little extra to encourage them.”

So, what’s next for the double award-winning farm shop and restaurant? Apprehensive about the return to normality that is potentially on the horizon after trading for more time in a COVIDridden world than not, Wells says she will be maintaining many of the hygiene measures that have been put in place, despite the extra cost.

“I’ve almost forgotten what normal retailing is like,” she says. But that hasn’t stopped the motivated owner from planning a co-working space, a fitness and wellbeing suite, and a scheme that will utilise the Farm’s large outdoor grassy area.

Inevitably not all these will work exactly as intended, but if the business’s trial-and-error attitude continues, surely the destination will be as important as the journey. thefarmstratfordshop.com

It’s growing that destination feel - which is the perfect word for what we’re trying to create here

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OUR DECLARATION WE DECLARE THAT OUR GIN LIVES BY ITS PRINCIPLES. HANDCRAFTED, PURE AND HONEST, WITH A TASTE THAT ANNOUNCES, WE HAVE ARRIVED. CONFIDENT, BOLD AND UNASHAMEDLY DISTINCTIVE. WE LIVE BY OUR OWN BELIEFS. TO DECLARE IS STRENGTH. TO DECLARE IS CONFIDENCE. WE ARE... DECLARATION GIN.

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Somjits Chilli Oil has none and says no to all of the above, yet bursts with delectable bits, high spice and flavour – we’re also vegan as-well-as gluten & major allergen-free. orders@somjits.com | www.somjits.com

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Type something

NEW from Glastry Farm Award-winning bespoke creations of ice cream & vegan sorbets direct from our little farm.

All trade enquiries please contact Will on 07802207838 | glastryfarm@btconnect.com GlastryFarmIceCream

glastry_farm_ice_cream | www.glastryfarm.com Vol.22 Issue 3 | April 2021

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Our founder knew that respecting the land was essential for cultivating the best ingredients.

That’s why our organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar and Classic Pesto are made the traditional way for the finest flavour.

For more information contact Andy Coult on: andy.coult@fberio.co.uk

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10815-04 FB Organics 2021_Fine Food Digest_315x230_v4.indd 1

His signature. Our promise.

19/03/2021 10:46

GUILD TALK

View from HQ

By John Farrand managing director

THE BIRDSONG HAS changed, and ‘growth’ seems to be the latest word du jour. It must be Spring, and it must be time for a government initiative to navigate us out of the COVID/Brexit axis of evil and so (“Next slide please…”) Build Back Better: Government’s Plan for Growth.

The latest paper I have seen, HM Treasury’s plan released alongside the Budget, is 112

news from the guild of fine food pages and I sense it is the first of many. The tome outlines three ‘cross-cutting enablers to growth’: infrastructure; skills; and innovation and makes everything relate to net-zero and making Britain global again. It has some punchy commitments but how will it pan out for us in small-scale food & drink?

Infrastructure: There’s plenty of investment in net-zero projects, the promise of replacement EU funding and a whopping £100bn investment in broadband and transport. The lessons of the last year tell us that decent broadband will be a huge help, especially to our often-rural sector.

Skills: Apprenticeships, mentoring and guidance don’t seem to have kicked off in our world. Making quality food & drink involves craft skills that need preserving and cascading to a new generation. Best illustrated, but not exclusively, by a lack of support for the art of cheesemaking. It's worth noting that the government’s own Lifetime Skills Guarantee initiative

The Word on Westminster

By Edward Woodall ACS

REFLECTING ON THE Budget earlier this month, the Government has continued its focus on immediate COVID recovery measures, many of which will be helpful for food retailers and manufacturers; the extension of the business rates holiday to June and a further two-thirds reduction until April 2022.

So too is the continuation of the VAT cut which will hopefully encourage pent-up consumer demand to come forward enabling the economy to quickly recover this summer.

Looking further ahead, there are also positive signs that the Chancellor wants to help businesses to invest and grow.

The super deduction policy

announced by the Chancellor allows businesses to offset capital investment spending on plant and machinery at unprecedented levels. This is a positive signal from the Treasury that they want to support businesses to invest, adapt and grow.

These types of policies to incentivise investment, alongside a better planning and property tax system, can really make a difference and are areas we have long advocated for.

But when it comes to the regulatory environment the Government has a long way to go.

As we speak, the Department for Health and Social Care is drawing up regulations that will regulate how shops will have to lay out stores and limit promotions on high-fat salt and sugar (HFSS) products. This will impact food manufacturers too. From April 2022 pressure will be on food

has no food & drink manufacturing courses included.

These broad-brush initiatives and big ideas never filter down to SMEs Global Britain: A refreshed export strategy and a series of trade and investment hubs may get us exporting again. Those hubs are great if you’re a devolved nation, though no word on anything in England.

It all sounds broadly promising, and I want to be positive. But there’s a nagging feeling that these broadbrush initiatives and big ideas never really filter down to SMEs who either cannot access them, can’t be bothered to access them, don’t see them as relevant or don’t even know they exist. I want to change that and help us all grow. manufacturers to provide detailed information on the nutritional profile of their products to the retailers they supply so they know how and where they can promote on their premises. This will put further pressure on businesses that are already being hard-pressed by COVID restrictions and UK border issues.

This policy represents one of the biggest changes to the regulation of the sale and manufacture of grocery products in a generation. But, despite this seismic change, the Government is fast-tracking the policy for implementation in April 2022 and using secondary legislation that will limit scrutiny of the policy.

We need the Government to look again at these measures and think about how they impact food retailers and manufacturers.

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

Help us to get your voices heard The Guild has released its latest survey aimed at the SME food & drink sector.

Whether you are a retailer, involved in hospitality or a food & drink producer, COVID and Brexit will have touched you.

The past 12 months has seen DEFRA engage more with our market and the Guild has been vocal in presenting the issues and concerns from the smaller, independent businesses in our market.

This survey will enable us to build an accurate picture of the size, skills and the economic future of our trade – and share the findings with you. Our friends at Invest NI, Food & Drink Wales and Food from England are assisting in circulating the survey.

Visit gff.co.uk

Campaign aimed at SME support The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has outlined its Plan for Growth, announced with the Budget in March.

Within this, Government announced the ‘Help to Grow’ campaign which is specifically aimed at supporting SMEs to access training in leadership & management and digital skills.

Visit helptogrow. campaign.gov.uk to read more and to apply for funding.

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

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

THE GUILD TEAM: Managing director: John Farrand Marketing director: Tortie Farrand Sales director: Sally Coley Operations director: Christabel Cairns

Sales manager: Ruth Debnam Sales executives: Becky Haskett Sam Coleman Membership, circulation & awards manager: Karen Price Operations manager: Claire Powell

Operations assistant: Meredith White Events manager: Stephanie HareWinton Events assistant: Sophie Brentnall Financial controller: Stephen Guppy Accounts manager: Denise Ballance

gff.co.uk Accounts assistant: Julie Coates Chairman: Bob Farrand Director: Linda Farrand

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