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Live and let diet

Once the preserve of specialist retailers or tucked away in dusty corners, free-from, organic and vegan items are now considered the norm and command their own sections in most shops. You’ll find plenty of the latest launches in this feature, and you can wash them down with some low- & no-alcohol options (page 47).

Compiled by Lynda Searby

The launch of organic beef and chicken bone broths under its new Home Farm Kitchen label marks

Eversfield Organic’s

first foray into in-house production. Bones from roasted grass-fed beef and organic chicken are simmered for 24 hours in small batches, producing 100% organic broths that can serve as a base for risottos, curries, stews, casseroles and gravies. RRP £5.50 per 500g.

eversfieldorganic.co.uk

Projuice’s new preportioned Vegan Milkshake Tubs take the fuss out of serving dairyfree shakes. The contents of the shake tub (coconut ice cream and fresh fruit / vegan chocolate) simply need to be blended for 20 seconds with 200ml of oat or soya milk to produce a plant-based vanilla, strawberry or chocolate shake. Wholesale price £18.65 for 18 x 250ml frozen tubs. RRP £4.50.

projuice.co.uk

Ubley-based Kinetic Kitchen has reinvented the refined sugar- and carb-laden doughnut to align with today’s more health-conscious lifestyles. Made with almond flour, the KETOnut is both low carb and high protein. RRPs start from £18 for a fully recyclable box of six Original KETOnuts, with flavours such as Chocolate Orange, Gingernut and PecanButter+ also available.

kinetickitchen.co.uk

The hot honey trend is heating up and the latest entrant to this space is WilderBee Hot Honey. Originally created by chef Dan Shearman to add to his street food truck menu, this versatile hot sauce infuses organic wildflower honey with fresh chillies. It can be drizzled on pizza, fried chicken, cheese or ice cream. RRP £8.99 for 350g.

wilderkitchenfood.com

Cafés looking to expand their repertoires of freefrom treats should check out Brutally Honest Bakery’s new range of vegan, gluten-free fudge brownies. The trays of 10 (trade price from £14.50) are stuffed with the bakery’s handmade flavoured fudge. There are three flavours to choose from: Choco Orange Fudge, Triple Choc Fudge or Salted Caramel Fudge Brownie.

brutallyhonestbakery. com

Mr Organic has elevated the humble tinned bean with its International Beans range designed to provide convenient and nutritious plant-based meal options for busy cooks. Featuring internationally-inspired flavours, the five-strong line-up comprises Italian Style Cannellini beans, Brazilian Style Black Beans, Moroccan Style Chickpeas, Mexican Style Beans & Corn, and Green Style Butter Beans. RRP £2.25 per can.

mr-organic.com

Booja-Booja’s new Fine de Champagne Chocolate Truffle gift box has just won Gold at the Free From Christmas Awards 2022. The box features 16 chocolate truffles that are made from organic ingredients, as well as being dairy-, gluten- and soya-free. RRP £11.99.

boojabooja.com

Crosta & Mollica’s new Vegana Pizza is a celebration of Italian-grown produce, with grilled mushrooms, red onion and broccolini florets scattered on a slow-proved sourdough base that has been wood-fired on lava stone. RRP is £5.25 for either 2 x 251g pizzeta or 1 x 498g pizza.

crostamollica.com

The latest creation to come out of Yorkshire’s Side Oven Bakery is Winter Indulgence Organic Granola with Chocolate, Orange & Almond. Gently toasted with blossom honey, this granola juxtaposes fruity citrus with almond and dark chocolate. RRP £5.35 for a 400g 100% biodegradable pack.

sideoven.com

York producer Tofoo is on a mission to prove that tofu does not have to be soggy and tasteless. Its latest piece of evidence is its frozen pre-cubed Straight to Wok range: prediced cubes coated in spices and cornflour, making it easier to make quick meals with tofu. The cubes are ready in just 10 minutes, as they can be added to the pan from frozen and stir-fried, or baked in the oven.

“More consumers than ever are scratch cooking but are still looking for products that can be ready quickly while still delivering on taste,” says brand manager Kirsty Jones. “Straight to Wok removes the faff and fiddling prep associated with cooking with tofu.”

They come in three organic, vegan flavours: Ginger & Chilli, Sriracha and Teriyaki. RRP £3 for a 280g pack.

tofoo.co.uk

Solkiki has joined forces with the National Hemp Service to develop a “calming” new vegan chocolate bar with full spectrum CBD oil and organic adaptogenic mushrooms.

Adaptogens and CBD are both natural substances that are believed to help the body and mind relax and adapt to stress.

Made with rare Cacao of Excellence, sourced direct from farmers in Costa Esmeraldas, this bar contains adaptogenic mushrooms that are said to complement CBD’s calming effects. It also features notes of pineapple from organic ‘Pineapple Chunk’ cannabis terpenes which are said to aid CBD absorption and contribute to the flavour.

Each bar is handcrafted in micro-batches in a Dorset workshop powered completely by renewable energy. RRP £12.99; trade price £6.49.

solkiki.co.uk

Following the success of his signature TiramisUGO, which has sold more than 60,000 units since its launch in 2018, Italian born Ugo Massabo, aka The Cornish Italian, has adapted his late father’s original family recipe for vegan diets. Created in partnership with Rosemullion Distillery, this dairy-free dessert is said to have the same light and creamy consistency as a classic tiramisu.

cornishitalian.com

While canned jackfruit is a vegan staple, Ausha claims to be the only brand in the UK to be selling organic jackfruit powder as an ingredient for baking porridge, cereals and smoothies. Rich in fibre, iron and other minerals, the glutenfree powder is made from raw green unripe fruit and certified by the Soil Association and Vegan Society. RRP £7.45 for 250g; trade price £4.95.

ausha.co.uk

Created by Dr Megan Rossi, new Bio&Me GutLoving Porridge sachets provide a serving of highfibre instant porridge, containing 13 fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, seeds and spices that have been selected with the biome in mind. They are available in two vegan varieties: Apple & Cinnamon and Super Seedy & Nutty. RRP £2.65/ pack (6 x 35g sachets).

bioandme.co.uk

Rare & Pasture has launched what it claims are the UK’s first organic beef Frankfurter. Available in Curry and Original flavours, these Germanstyle sausages are made at the company’s smokery on Fowlescombe Farm in south Devon. They contain no artificial additives, preservatives or allergens – just finely chopped native-breed meat that has been seasoned and woodsmoked. RRP £6.95 for a pack of six.

rareandpasture.com

New from The Free From Bakehouse, Peanut Butter Date Caramel Cups promise guilt-free, vegan indulgence. A digestivestyle teff biscuit base is topped with soft date caramel combined with crunchy peanut butter and maple syrup, then covered with sugar-free 72% dark chocolate and roasted salted peanuts. RRP £6.507.50 for a pack of two; wholesale price £3.10.

thefreefrombakehouse. com

Spotting a gap in the market for healthy and tasty on-the-go plantbased food options, ChicP has teamed its flagship hummus with breadsticks in a new snack pack format. The pack has an RRP of £2-2.10 for 150g (trade price £1.40) and can be supplied with sweet potato falafel instead of breadsticks for a gluten-free option.

chicp.co.uk

Food Thoughts has expanded its vegan home-baking options with the launch of Oat Mylk Chocolate Chips. Made from 43% fairly traded single origin Fino de Aroma beans, the plant-based choc chips are available in 500g and 1kg bags with an RRP of £14-£25.

foodthoughts.co.uk

Ginger Bakers has responded to customer requests for a vegan, alcohol-free fruit cake, with the development of its Vegan Fruit & Nut Cake. This spiced tea-time cake is packed full of vine fruits, pecans, almonds and maple syrup, and finished with a glazed nut topping. RRP £9.50.

gingerbakers.co.uk

Sweet Freedom’s new Choc Pot Caramel spread is said to deliver “all of the goodies and none of the nasties”. The vegan, palm oil free spread is made from Fairtrade cocoa and cocoa butter, so its calorie content is said to be 44% lower than mainstream brands. RRP £3.20 for 250g.

sweetfreedomshop.co.uk

Helen Browning’s has branched out beyond its core organic pork and beef product range with the launch of an organic gin. Distilled locally using pears, sea buckthorn, elderflower and rosemary from the brand’s Wiltshire farm, this London Dry style gin is sold in recycled glass bottles, with a refill pouch available. RRP £45 (70cl bottle), £30 (50cl refill pouch).

helenbrowningsorganic. co.uk

Mergulo has set out to bust the myth that plant-based butters lack substance and taste, with a trio of vegan butters that are said to be rich, thick and creamy. Unlike many dairy alternatives, the butters don’t rely on additives or emulsifiers - they are made from 100% natural ingredients and already listed with Whole Foods, Planet Organic and Harrods. RRP £3.99.

mergulo.com

Green Gold, the newest addition to the OMGTea matcha tea family, is the brand’s highest grade. This super premium organic matcha is made exclusively with leaves from the first harvest which have been selected from the top third of the plant. It combines leaves from different plants and tea fields in the same way grapes of different varieties are combined to create some wines. RRP £42.95.

omgteas.co.uk

Following a successful rollout in The Netherlands, The Flower Farm – a new palm-oil free, plant-based margarine – is launching in Booths in the UK. Instead of using palm oil, the new margarine uses shea butter extracted from the nuts of the karité tree, which grows naturally in the African Savannah, with no deforestation required. RRP £2.95 for 450g.

theflowerfarm.world

With the belief that no-one following a plant-based diet need miss out on mayo, The Wasabi Company has released its Vegan Mayonnaise Collection. With an RRP of £11.50 for 3 x 175g jars (trade price £8), the gift set contains its Vegan Wasabi, Yuzu and Miso condiments.

thewasabicompany.co.uk

Grain & Bowl says its Choc Orange is its most indulgent granola flavour yet. Jumbo oats, almonds, crystallised ginger, orange and Belgian dark chocolate all star in this gluten-free, plant-based, high fibre recipe. RRP £6.50 for a 300g recyclable pouch. Trade price £3.95.

grainandbowl.com

Craft beer brand UNLTD is hoping its new canned range of non-alcoholic (0.5% ABV) beers will appeal to the ever increasing number of health-conscious consumers. Both the Lager and IPA are low in calories (23 and 13 respectively) and gluten-free. The addition of B vitamins means they are also isotonic. Wholesale price £12.50 for 12 x 330ml cans.

unltd.beer Reformed Characters

is setting out its stall as a maker of “bold botanical alcohol-free drinks for healthy hedonists looking to take a break from booze”. The brand’s first three drinks – Herbaceous Character, The Dark & Decadent Character and The Bittersweet Character are low in calories and sugar and free from additives and preservatives.

reformedcharacters.com

Wetherby distiller Bax Botanics has taken its signature alcohol-free spirits and pre-mixed them with classic light tonic in an ready-todrink canned format. The Smooth Sea Buckthorn & Tonic and Zingy Lemon Verbena & Tonic 0% ABV cocktails contain just 49 calories per 250ml can, providing a light, refreshing, non-alcoholic alternative to a G&T. RRP £2.40 per can.

baxbotanics.com

Just So Italian has a range of non-alcoholic Balsamic Gins. The importer’s balsamic vinegar producer has distilled three expressions – White, Orange and Reserve –using a blend of seven botanicals (including juniper, rosemary, blood orange and rhubarb), along with Balsamic Condiment. The gins are available in 250ml and 500ml bottles, with respective RRPs of £13.99 and £24.95.

justsoitalian.co.uk

Half the calories of alcoholic cocktails

Since launching

Highball Alcohol-Free

Cocktails at the end of 2019, founder Kate Johnson says she has consistently been asked by the trade for a gift format. This request has now been met with a gift pack that brings together four of the brand’s best-selling cocktails: Mojito, Pink G&T, Classic G&T and Italian Spritz. RRP £11.99; trade price £46.08 for a case of six.

highballcocktails.com

Jingle Berry Punch is Lakeland Artisan’s take on a traditional winter cordial, with lightly spiced winter berries. It can be diluted with hot water or mixed with lemonade or sparkling water. RRP £4.40 per bottle; trade price £22.60 for a case of 12 bottles.

lakelandartisan.co.uk

Pitched as a healthy alternative to sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages, Booyah Vitality’s kombuchas come in Lemon & Ginger, Orange & Cinnamon, Cucumber, Mint & Lime and Lemon Iced Tea. RRP £3.50£5.50, depending on size.

booyahvitality.co.uk

Cayenne is the surprise ingredient that gives Nix & Kix’s range of 45% juice carbonated adult soft drinks an alcohol-free kick. The latest flavour, Raspberry & Rhubarb, is now available to the trade in 750ml glass bottles (RRP £2.95).

nixandkix.com