NEWS

NEWS Ukraine crisis set to add further cost and supply pressure to food & drink

By Greg Pitcher

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will add to the cost and supply pressures already being felt by ne food retailers across the UK, key gures have warned.

Representatives of delis, bakers and farm shops said the economic consequences of the con ict would reach far beyond the borders of the countries directly involved. Since Vladimir Putin’s forces entered Ukrainian soil in late February, relations between Moscow and the West have broken down and oil and gas prices have risen sharply.

Nick Carlucci, director at Berkshire-based importer and distributor Tenuta Marmorelle, stressed that the war represented a truly “horri c situation” for those directly involved.

Beyond the humanitarian crisis was a series of challenges for European businesses, he added.

“The main issue for us is that Ukraine is one of the largest producers of sun ower oil in the world,” he added. “Our suppliers use it to preserve antipasti in jars. At the moment they still have stock but they have warned us it could become a problem.”

With Italy highly reliant on gas supplies from Russia, the cost of drying pasta has almost trebled in recent weeks, Carlucci said.

Meanwhile, UK Flour Millers director Alex Waugh said Russia and Ukraine accounted for almost a third of global wheat exports.

“Although much of what they produced from the harvest in 2021 has already been shipped, there is some that remains in store,” he said. “There are also medium-term concerns about the prospects for the next harvest in August/ September and what may be available.

The price of wheat on the London futures market rose 28 per cent between 16th February and 3rd March, Waugh added. As well as feeding directly into bread, wheat is critical in the preparation of eggs, meat and other food, he pointed out.

George Fuller, chairman of the Cra Bakers Association, said the cost of bread and baked products was “likely to increase”, particularly at the next harvest. “We may also see some disruption to the supply chain, sooner rather than later, if stored wheat is not exported from Ukraine or Russia,” he added.

Barbara Cossins, proprietor at Dorset’s Rawston Farm Butchery, said she had seen a “de nite” impact on demand since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine a ected pump prices on UK forecourts.

“The fuel crisis is having an e ect,” she said. “People do one shop at a supermarket rather than drive around smaller businesses. Customers are telling us they are watching their fuel use.”

Russia and Ukraine make up almost a third of global wheat exports

Waitrose and Tesco launch pointof-di erence displays in-store

Last month – to mark B Corp Month – Waitrose launched areas dedicated to ethical businesses bearing the certi cation in 187 of its stores and promoting its online B Corp shop.

Under the banner ‘BE THE CHANGE’, the retailer showcased the B Corp-certi ed products it sells in aisle-end displays including messaging explaining what the certi cation means.

Waitrose launched its online B Corp shop in 2019 with it now boasts hundreds of ethically certi ed lines.

Meanwhile, Tesco launched a cra co ee xture, collecting its range of co ee challenger brands that produce ethicallysourced, specialty-grade co ee, aiming to provide a point of di erence in the category in-store.

Co ee from Löfbergs, Littles, Roastworks, Rokit and multiple awardwinning SKUs from Change Please.

waitrose.com tesco.com

Belfast deli owner working ‘non-stop’ to help refugees

The Polish owner of a Belfast deli has devoted her time and business to collecting donations for Ukrainian refugees.

Monika Rawson, who owns Smokey Deli, told FFD her life had been turned upside down in the weeks since the Russian invasion. Born in Poland, Rawson has family living across the border in Ukraine and found the scenes of the conflict extremely upsetting. “The first few days I just cried,” she said.

After seeing social media posts about supplies being taken from Belfast to Poland for refugees fleeing the violence, she decided to use her position in the community to help.

“I thought if we fill half a van then it would be worth it; in the end, we loaded a full van from Smokey Deli alone,” she said. “People came from all over after hearing what we’re doing.”

Regular customers have volunteered to help sort donations after the volume became overwhelming.

“Since 25th February my life hasn’t stopped,” said Rawson. “The phone rings a hundred times, there are non-stop messages.

She pledged to keep collecting for “as long as it is needed”.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT... HOW THE WAR WILL EFFECT PRICES

NICK CARLUCCI TENUTA

MARMORELLE

“Costs are going up on everything from pasta to empty pallets. On 1st March we put our prices up – on average about 5%. It’s the first time we’ve increased them in three years. Everyone knows it is a difficult situation, though, and we’re doing our best.”

GEORGE FULLER CRAFT BAKERS ASSOCIATION

“The cost of bread and bakery is likely to increase due to a number of factors. The cost of wheat combined with the significant rise in energy prices will mean that craft bakers will have to recover these additional costs by increasing the cost of bread and bakery.”

“Ukraine is one of the strongest agricultural producers in Europe. With the Russian invasion, this has all changed for the foreseeable future as borders are closed and getting these commodities into the UK is currently impossible. In the UK, our shelves will be emptier and our prices will be higher.”

BARBARA COSSINS RAWSTON FARM BUTCHERY

NEWS Groundbreaking research reveals true value of Britain’s farm shops to economy

By Greg Pitcher

The UK boasts more than 1,500 farm shops with a combined annual income of £1.4 billion, groundbreaking research has revealed.

Harper Adams University found that the sector had blossomed during the two years of the pandemic and now employed 25,000 workers.

The research, commissioned by the Farm Retail Association, represents the rst known study of its kind.

Nine in 10 farm shops surveyed by the university’s academics said their sales gures had grown since 2019, and two in three expected further growth this year.

Alastair Boot, senior lecturer in food retail and marketing at Harper Adams, told FFD the scale of the industry revealed by the research “knocked my socks o ”.

“My personal opinion is that this is the largest the sector has ever been,” he added. “Two-thirds of respondents opened in the last 20 years.”

But the most “impressive” element of farm retail was the bene t it o ered to local communities, said Boot.

“Sta are local as are the majority of suppliers – on average, farm shops had 50 suppliers, 30 of which they counted as local.”

He added that there was scope for further growth.

“I am con dent more farms will diversify into retail, particularly when they see the growth and job satisfaction it o ers.

“Also, convenience aspects such as click and collect are growing, and so is the number of cafes.”

The greatest challenge cited by established farm retailers was attracting talent or skilled sta – and Boot called for action to remedy this problem.

He said working at farm shops meant people were “involved in good businesses contributing good things to local economies” and added that there was more scope to deliver “really good service” at an independent retailer than at a high street chain.

“That is a good place to work,” said Boot. “We all have a duty to spread that positive message.”

Farm Retail Association chairman Rupert Evans said the total income of the sector was “absolutely staggering”.

“We knew anecdotally that consumers were preferring to shop and support local more than ever before – and this data con rms just that,” he added.

“Trust was built up through the pandemic as farm retailers could adapt quickly to introduce Covid-safe measures and people felt safer shopping in smaller environments as opposed to large supermarkets. We think the pandemic will have changed shopping habits for many.”

Farm shops contribute £1.4bn to the economy, says new research

IN BRIEF

The results are in for the British Pie Awards 2022, with the vegan Gluten Free Mooless Pie by Pieminister of Bristol coming out on top in a year that attracted a record 976 entries.

britishpieawards. co.uk

Wholesaler Cotswold Fayre last month launched its B Corp Accelerator Programme, designed to inform and help its suppliers through the B Corp accreditation process.

cotswold-fayre.co.uk

Adding to its outlets in King’s Cross, The City and Soho, Lina Stores new operation in Marylebone is now set to open in June, after previously being due to open in spring.

linastores.co.uk

Sustainable Irish food & drink producers in the spotlight

Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) has partnered with Amazon Prime’s The Three Drinkers to showcase premium quality, sustainable Irish food and drink producers in their new show which launched on St Patrick’s Day.

Now in its second season, The Three Drinkers in Ireland will take a slightly di erent tack from the previous show, discovering some of Ireland’s oldest and most in uential distilleries as well as taking a deeper dive into the country’s food scene.

The Three Drinkers are food and drinks experts, writers and broadcasters Helena Nicklin and Aidy Smith, who are joined by a diverse revolving roster of ‘third drinker’ guests.

With the new season’s focus on Irish food & drink, Bord Bia hoped to showcase some of the nation’s sustainable producers, including Great Taste Golden Fork-winning Carlingford Oysters, Blackshell Mussel Farm, Five Farms Irish Cream Liquor and Cashel Blue Farmhouse.

Donal Denvir, General Manager of Bord Bia UK comments, “Ireland is renowned for quality food and drink that is sustainably produced, so we’re really excited to be able to champion some of our fantastic Irish producers on the show. All producers chosen go to great lengths to be as sustainable as possible.”

Tributes paid to ‘force of nature’ Judy Bell MBE

Tributes have been paid to the popular Yorkshire cheesemaker Judy Bell MBE, founder of Shepherds Purse Cheeses, who passed away last month, aged 71.

Bell was a pharmacist before launching Shepherds Purse in 1988 to diversify the family farm and boost income and ran the famous artisan creamery until 2012 when she handed the reins to daughters Caroline Bell and Katie Matten.

The company said in an official statement: “It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of our founder, the mother of Shepherds Purse, Judy Bell MBE.

“Judy was all things to us at Shepherds Purse, our founder, our colleague and friend. Loving wife to Nigel, proud mum of Caroline, Katie, Justin and the late Jonathan, and a devoted and proud grandmother. A true force of nature.”

Bell won many accolades during her time as a cheesemaker – and as an advocate for independent business and Yorkshire food & drink – including World Cheese Awards Super Golds and most recently The Guild of Fine Food Lifetime Achievement Award at last year’s Great Taste.

MD of the Guild John Farrand said: “Judy Bell has been a wonderful constant in my food and drink consciousness all my adult life.

“It is a mark of her generous soul that she spent as much time helping others get on in our trade as she did with her own family business.

“Judy blazed a trail for women, not just in cheese but in speciality food & drink generally.”

NEWS Last year’s top farm retail businesses announced at FRA awards ceremony

By Tom Dale

The winners of this year’s Farm Retail Awards have been announced, with the West Country boasting many of the successful businesses.

The FRA’s celebration of rural retail excellence returned to an in-person ceremony at the Hilton Gateshead in Newcastle.

Among the winners was wholesaler and distributor Cotswold Fayre’s rst foray into retailing, Flourish Foodhall & Kitchen, which picked up the Rising Star of the Year trophy a er being open for just eight months, beating o competition from Lawn Farm Shop in Wiltshire. The food hall, based in Saltford, near Bath, opened in June 2021 and has a strong focus on sustainability and ethical business.

Flourish impressed the judges with its focus on attention to detail and retail layout, stating that sta had created an environment that their customers love.

Also among the winners was The Lambing Shed in Knutsford, Cheshire, which picked up the award for Café/Restaurant of the Year, with the judges noting the high quality of food and service. The panel also hailed its café as a “superb example of a business which understands its customer pro le and then delivers a range of food and service to meet its customer’s needs”.

The Cheshire business pipped Nottinghamshire’s The Harley Café (Welbeck Farm Shop) and Bath’s Newton Farm Foods to the foodservice gong, but the latter did not return to Somerset empty handed.

The Newton St Loe retailer was handed the Small Farm Shop of the Year award a er wowing judges with its impressive displays and high level of customer service as well as its focus on local products.

This year’s winner of the Large Farm Shop of the Year was praised for its ‘wow factor’. The judges felt Darts Farm, in Topsham, Devon, was a true “destination”, o ering a large range of produce without losing its focus or customer perception.

Two consultancies –Malcolm Scott Consultants and The Flying Fork –picked up joint honours in the Supplier of the Year category, as judges praised both businesses for their enthusiasm, helpfulness and knowledge, and commenting that both would be a good choice for budding businesses.

Meanwhile, owner of Farndon Fields in Market Harborough, Kevin Stokes was handed the FRA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Flourish Foodhall won the Rising Star of the Year Award

farmretail.co.uk

IN BRIEF

The Rhug Estate has celebrated 10 years of producing renewable energy on-site. One solar panel on the farm shop roof in 2012 has grown to 11 solar schemes, two wind turbines, hydro schemes, heat pumps, and a biomass boiler.

A delegation of Estonian farmers has travelled to Wales to see how beef and lamb produced ‘the Welsh Way’ has an international reputation for farm-tofork traceability.

meatpromotion.wales

Research by The Food Foundation shows that by reducing meat intake by a third, Brits could help reverse the population decline of up to 536 endangered UK species.

Study to probe labour shortage DOWN ON THE FARM The latest from farm shops across the country

A major new study aims to shed light on the current labour and skills shortages responsible for the sta ng crisis in the farming industry.

Farm employers are needed to help researchers look at the issues of current skill levels, critical skills gaps and priority training needs within agriculture.

The University of Exeter study wants to analyse the changes taking place in the UK farming industry, including opportunities and constraints to growth.

It will also look at how these might in uence farm employers’ skills needs over course of the next 10 years. Interested parties should email:

LabourSurvey@exeter. ac.uk Long Eaton Farm Shop

opened in Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire, at the beginning of February.

The owners began with a simple vision of a zero-waste farm shop, but the offer has already grown to include fresh fruit and vegetables, spices, jams and sauces, household products, pet food and treats, garden planters, garden seating, coffee and cakes.

A deli counter which will be filled with cheese and meats, is the next feature to be installed on the site.

The owners are also conducting market research – listening to what their customers want and adding the most requested items to their shelves. Brent House Farm Milk Store near East Brent in North Somerset closed temporarily in mid-February and was upgraded to a new farm shop with a tearoom.

The popular fresh milk vending machine which supplies fresh, free-range milk from the farm’s herd is still there, but the shop has expanded with even more local produce, fruit, vegetables and meat and a coffee, cake and pasty corner.

Brent House Farm Shop

Just off the A418, between Aylesbury and Leighton Buzzard, Wild

Raven Farm Shop & Tea

Rooms is expanding and diversifying.

The farm shop and tea rooms have been expanded and a new barn opened on the 12th March that will house local independent businesses, and a florist, pet supplier and a refillable/zero-waste store are being sought for the new space to complement the fresh fruit, vegetables and local meat sold in the main farm shop.

wildraven.co.uk

A new business –

Newlands Farm Shop

– will be opening its doors in the Derbyshire village of Hilton after it was granted planning permission by the district council.

The farm’s owners have stated that over 60% of the shop’s stock will be from the farm, with the remaining 40% being sourced from within a 10mile radius.

In association with