SHELF TALK

Frozen food By Ruby seeks growth from young a uent consumers

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

By Ruby has identi ed a potential gap in the frozen ready meal market and is targeting sales growth via the young professional demographic.

Using local and sustainable produces, it hopes to break down misconceptions about frozen food tap into the “young a uent consumer” market – a demographic it ages at 30-45.

Statistics gathered by the company found that 62% of customers fall into that age bracket, and that almost nine out of 10 of them earn over £50,000 a year.

The company has plans to ramp up production, and told FFD its current suppliers could keep up with the increases while maintaining product consistency and quality.

The London-based company’s latest addition, Thai Red Prawn Curry, is the priced at £3.95 per single portion and £6.96 per double portion for trade, with an RRP of £5.95 and £9.95 respectively.

The company sources most of its ingredients in Britain, from Covent Garden market via wholesaler Nature’s Choice or directly from farmers.

Retailers can purchase single or double chest freezers from By Ruby for £920 or £1,840, with an expected return on investment within four months. They can also have their own equipment personalised with the company’s branding. The rst ll is discounted by 15%.

byruby.co.uk

WHAT’S NEW

Artisan producer

Hawkshead Relish

has timed its two latest releases for barbecue season, introducing a Sriracha Ketchup and a Sticky Chilli Marinade. Both are sold in cases of six for £13.90, with an RRP of £3.55.

hawksheadrelish.com

Simply Ice Cream is eyeing up the four-legged customer market this summer with a range of Simply Pawfection frozen dog treats. Available in either Natural or Blueberry flavours, the ice creams come in at an RRP of £2 per treat and are being sold to independent retail in boxes of 48 at wholesale price.

simplyicecream.co.uk

Expanding into the vegan market, Hunter & Gather has introduced a range of Olive Oil Egg Free Mayo – available in Classic, Garlic, Sriracha, and Basil Pesto. Freefrom egg, added sugar, soy, milk, seed oils, and all top 14 allergens, the condiment comes in at an RRP of £4.50 for a 250g jar. Trade prices are available on request.

hunterandgatherfoods.com

Paley Photography

Water in a Box’s new packaging is almost entirely made from plant-based materials as it seeks to increase the product’s sustainable credentials in contrast with cans, plastic or glass bottle alternatives. The cartons are available in two sizes 330ml and 500ml with a RRP of 89p and 99p.

waterinabox.co.uk

Counter points Butter

Food writer and former deli owner Glynn Christian offers up some category-specific conversation starters to sharpen your sales technique.

• Butter is one of the purest products around: just churned cream, pasteurised or not.

• Cream is aged or ripened to increase flavour before churning.

• European and Scandinavian butters introduce a bacterial culture instead of salt; this is known as cultured or lactic butter.

• Lactic cultures improve keeping quality but add flavours that differ country to country.

• Unless otherwise specified,

UK and US unsalted butter is not cultured. • Butter heated with oil reaches a higher temperature before burning.

• Cook in melted butter only after it has fallen silent, meaning residual water has evaporated

European lactic butters introduce a bacterial culture instead of salt.

WHAT’S NEW

Purveyor of sweet treats Ginger Bakers has added Lemon & Blackcurrant Blondie Tarts to its summer range. Encased in sweet pastry, they have a blackcurrant jam base topped with a layer of Amalfi lemon blondie, fresh blackcurrants and a drizzle of white chocolate. The tarts are available to trade in boxes of 6 for £12, with an RRP set at £3 per portion.

gingerbakers.co.uk

Salcombe Brewery

Co has introduced a Session IPA in homage to the South West’s seafaring heritage. The hoppy 4.0% ABV beer has an RRP of £24 for 12 x 330ml cans.

salcombebrewery.com

Mr Filbert’s has stepped into the South African-style dry-cured meat market with two Biltong products. Available in ‘Original’ or ‘Chilli’ flavours, the 30g pouches are made with British and Irish beef.

mrfilberts.com

My magic ingredient

Finest Persian Sa ron

SALLY BUTCHER, owner, Persepolis, Peckham, London

Saffron grows in all sorts of corners of the world (hence Saffron Walden in Essex).

It grows in Italy and South America, but the best saffron in the world undeniably comes from Mashhad, in the north east of Iran. I’m not just paid to say this, it’s a fact.

It comes from crocus and it’s reputedly – ounce by ounce – worth more than gold. This isn’t strictly true, but it takes an awful lot of crocuses to make one gram.

It’s a lovely spice and a little goes a long way. The best way to use saffron is to grind it into a powder and then steep a tiny pinch into boiling water, then use your saffron water to carry through the dish.

It’s very versatile. You can use it in tea, mashed potatoes, rice, anything you like. In Iran, they do tend to put it in everything.

I like to sneak it into salad dressings and all sorts of other dishes. Persian saffron ice cream is amazing, as well.

Although it’s an elegant and delicate flavouring, I think it’s actually the secret to putting a smile on customers’ faces.

It’s very versatile... In Iran, they do tend to put it in everything.

Dark Woods Co ee delivers 6kg re-usable cans to B2B customers

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

B-Corp certi ed Dark Woods Co ee is continuing to improve its environmental credentials with the introduction of returnable, re llable co ee cans to replace the 1kg laminate packaging delivered to its B2B customers.

Inspired by a similar system used by Imbibe Co ee Roasters in Dublin, and informed by its Circular Economy plan, the company came up with the 6kg cans, comprised of a kra paper bre drum and reusable lid, metal clasp and wrap.

Co-founder Damian Blackburn told FFD that the format will signi cantly reduce packaging waste by o ering at least 10 re-uses, and by virtue of being 100% recyclable, including the replaceable components.

The cans will be delivered to and picked up from local businesses including cafés, delis, farm shops and zero-waste retailers using an electric van or electric cargo bike.

All core ranges of its hand-roasted speciality co ee will be available in the new format.

Starting rollout in its immediate locality – The Colne Valley, Hudders eld and over the Pennines into Saddleworth – it will continue across its most accessible city regions in Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. Where delivery and collection isn’t feasible for Dark Woods’ customers further a eld, it is replacing its 1kg bags with home compostable packaging. Each of the can’s journeys will be tracked using a QR code and reuse data collection rm Reath so ware, in order to log the number of uses, distances and location of the cans and ultimately measure their carbon footprint in contrast with the company’s more traditional packaging and delivery options.

darkwoodscoffee.co.uk Preston-based House of Gelato has collaborated with fellow British producer Clive’s Wines to create two alcoholic sorbets: Raspberry & Elderflower and Mint & Lime (pictured above).

They are available in 4-litre tubs, for ice cream counters and foodservice, with a trade price of £59 (RRP per scoop £3.20) while 16oz retail tubs cost £5.99 (RRP £7.99)

The producer has also added another three flavours to its trade range. Salted Caramel, Italian White Peach and Rose Tea & Pear Sorbet all come in 4-litre tubs (wholesale £40, RRP per scoop £2.99) and 16oz tubs (trade £5, RRP £7). houseofgelato.co.uk

MEET THE PRODUCER

A farmer’s daughter and a former project manager in confectionary, The Yorkshire Pasta Co. founder Kathryn Bumby has put her values, experience and determination into becoming Britain’s only purveyor of dried pasta.

What were you doing before you started the Yorkshire Pasta Company?

I worked for Nestlé in confectionary. My last role was KitKat project manager.

How did The Yorkshire Pasta company come to be?

We were on holiday, chatting away as family and I said, ‘I wonder why no-one makes pasta in Britain?’

When we got home, I did some research: I took days off work to drive around farm shops and delis thinking I would find something, but I didn’t.

The options were always cheap, imported, mass-manufactured pasta versus high-end imported premium pastas. I saw a gap for something that sat in the middle, that wasn’t packaged in plastic and used British ingredients.

Then we went to Italy and learned what we could from small producers and traditional family artisans. We went around factories looking at the manufacturing and we visited restaurants making fresh pasta.

What challenges did you encounter when you set up your company?

One of the biggest challenges for us was how to source the ingredients. Typically, pasta is made using Durum wheat, but there isn’t a commercial supplier for this in the UK because of the climate – it’s not a viable crop to grow here.

At Nestlé I had worked with flour a lot, so I was able to go to millers with a specification to match semolina flour with something that was available here.

How long did it take you to develop the final product?

The pasta took just over a year – with a lot of help. We had the Italian producers we’d met on speed-dial, helping us with our drying process, because it’s so different depending on temperature and humidity. The packaging took another year. I knew that I wanted something sustainable and after doing some research I realised people didn’t understand recyclable plastic. The one thing that was coming on top was paper. We went through 45 different manufacturers to find someone who could make the bags.

What has your journey been since then you

We were on holiday, launched in March 2020? and I said, ‘I wonder why no-one makes We’re stocked up and down the UK now, which is crazy, because pasta in Britain?’ when I did my business plan at the beginning, it was almost “will attend farmers’ markets and try and get into some local farm shops”, so when we realised we wanted to become the British pasta brand, we knew we had to go for national distribution. In the summer of 2021, we quadrupled the size of our manufacturing. We’re expecting to grow into that capacity by the end of 2022.

Are you worried about companies trying to compete on the British dried pasta scene?

I was really secretive when I first left my job and while we were developing the product because it felt too good to be true, but the more I understood about the process and the hurdles that we got through, it was almost impossible. If someone else wants to give it a go, credit to them, because even learning how to dry pasta is a skill of its own.

What are your expansion plans in terms of who you are looking to sell to?

We’re working with wholesalers who are helping us with the independents and then a big part of this year is looking at high-end restaurants and getting ourselves on some menus.

We also want to grow the online side of the business and we’re looking into launching a subscription model.

In terms of retail, we’re at the 450 listings mark and we know that there’s still 3,000 shops to go for, so I’d like to get into all of them. We sell direct to retailers, as well as via The Cress Co., Diverse, Mahalo and Crofters.

WHAT’S NEW

Dunnet Bay Distillers

has launched a new Smoked Orange flavour gin, created by the Scottish company’s 23 year-old graduate trainee, Craig Chambers. Initially available in a limited quantity, the flavour will become part of the core range from November.

dunnetbaydistillers

Teapigs is expanding its cold drinks range with the introduction of 250ml cans of black iced tea. Available in two flavours, Peach and Super Fruit (a mix of hibiscus and berries), the drinks are available to wholesale in packs of 6 and 12 with an RRP of £1.99 per can.

teapigs.co.uk

Luscombe has added a new Organic Strawberry Bubbly to its single serve sparkling drink range. The drink, which features Sicilian lemons, Madagascan vanilla and Dartmoor spring can be sipped on its own or as a premium spirit mixer. RRP £2.95 per 27cl bottle.

luscombe.co.uk

Gift packaging supplier Gadsby has launched a new gift box in the style of a wicker hamper, made from recycled cardboard. The boxes arrive pre-assembled and are strong enough to hold heavy items such as bottles and jars. The boxes are available individually in a range of sizes (10”, 12” and 14” 10” for £4.40, £6.36 and £8.40, plus VAT) and as a nested set of three (12”, 14” and 16” £19.16, plus VAT).

gadsby.co.uk