FFD Jan-Feb 2017 by Guild of Fine Food

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WHITBY DELI 6 ‘Working with a seasonal calendar has been a challenge,’ says Catherine Cook

January-February 2017 · Vol 18 Issue 1

PRODUCE PRICE WARS 4 Supermarket loss-leaders undermine farm shop sales

JOHN SHEAVES 27 ‘People want to get out of the house and look and feel and taste and sample’

INCLUDING: • SOMERSET CHARCUTERIE • PURBECK DELI • DIVERSE FINE FOOD • TOP SUPPLIERS • THE SOURCE TRADE SHOW

NETTLEBED CREAMERY

THE DARK SIDE Why pods deserve a place in your coffee offer

PICKLES & CHUTNEYS CHEF’S SELECTION EQUIPMENT & SERVICES

NEW Sourdough Crispbread Bites

The natural choice for dips

Available in three varieties: Sea Salt, Cumin & Nigella Seed and 5 Seed.

contents news retailers’ 2017 plans cheesewire news

p4 p11 p15

cheesewire: nettlebed creamery p17 cut & dried p19 pickles & chutneys p23 product focus: south west p26 show preview: the source p34 coffee p37 interview: diverse ﬁne food p43 equipment & services p47

show preview: IFE shelf talk deli of the month

p51 p53 p58

opinion AFTER THE THRILLAGE AND SPILLAGE of our annual Best Brands edition, mailed out just after Christmas, it’s business as usual again at FFD for a few months, and like many of you, we’re wondering how 2017 will pan out for speciality stores, given an economic climate that’s impossible to gauge. A New Year phone-round by our reporter Andrew Don (published on www.gff.co.uk on January 9, if you’d like to check it out) suggests Christmas was kind of okay, but didn’t necessarily bring the bumper takings Santa usually promises. The trend for shoppers to leave purchases later and later seems, in some cases, to have extended right up to Christmas Eve, making the last few days’ trading “interesting”. “It wasn’t brilliant but it was satisfactory,” was how Ian Long of Dumfries & Galloway store Harvest Time Delicatessen summed up the festive period. A month later, with the madman across the water casting more uncertainty on global economic prospects, how do retailers plan to keep revenue and margins on a safe trajectory? We put that question to eight very different delis, farm shops and food halls (see p11), and found all were planning add-ons or improvements of some kind. These ranged from upping the number of home-produced foods and expanding the space given to higher-earning categories, to bolting on new foodservice or take-away offers – like the “seaside-type” ice cream parlour planned by Lincolnshire’s Abbey Parks farm shop. All good stuff, but as I wrote in December, specialist stores may now need to go further and rethink their offer more radically. I had a useful chat this month with John Sheaves, chief executive of Taste of the West, which is just about to launch a mobile app (see p27) helping tourists build their own West Country “food trail” around award-winning shops, cafés, restaurants and markets. The focus is experiential marketing – getting consumers to interact with speciality food close-up, in a fun, interesting or inspiring way that encourages repeat purchases when they’re home. Restaurants and street-food operators seem to do the experience thing so much more easily. But, as Sheaves told me, somewhere between the souldestroying and now out-of-favour weekly supermarket sweep and the hands-off, if convenient, online food shop, there has be Another Way for retail too. “The retail market will settle down into something more experiential,” he says. It may need a rethink of distribution by small shops and producers – maybe using consolidation services like the Artisan Fod Club, or Taste of the West own’s online shop on Ocado. Maybe shoppers will visit farm shops to see in-store demos and on-site artisan production but want the goodies delivered to their homes. Maybe deli-restaurants will similarly become places to experience food before buying online. Whatever it might look like, now is the time to be exploring these options with an open mind – deﬁnitely one of our resolutions for 2017.

Somewhere between the out-of-favour weekly supermarket sweep and the handsoff, if convenient, online food shop, there has be Another Way for retail

MICK WHITWORTH, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

editors’ choice MICHAEL LANE, DEPUTY EDITOR

Coffee Care coffee bags (Three Peaks Blend)

p37

www.coffeecare.co.uk

After more than three decades of supplying coffee and barista equipment to cafés, Coffee Care only entered the retail market last year. And the FFD team were bowled over by the Yorkshire roaster’s single variety beans and its blends at the Harrogate Fine Food Fair in June. Six months on and the company is seeking the category’s Holy Grail – decent coffee in a convenience format. I’ve seen a few valiant efforts over the years – including a slightly perilous brew-in-apouch concept – but I was quietly confident when I lined up our mugs, plopped in what are effectively teabags filled with ground coffee, and poured from the kettle. Suffice to say, this minimal effort produces an excellent coffee, with all the promised tasting notes and even a pleasing sediment of fine grounds at the bottom of the cup. You could brew one of these up almost anywhere, which is the perfect selling point, and the bags come in the same well-branded packaging as the rest of Coffee Care’s ground and whole bean line-up, so will sit easily on the shelf.

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

finefoodnews Farm shops clobbered by produce price war EDITORIAL editorial@gff.co.uk

Editor & editorial director: Mick Whitworth Deputy editor: Michael Lane Reporter: Andrew Don Art director: Mark Windsor Editorial production: Richard Charnley Contributors: Nick Baines, Bridget Cowan, Clare Hargreaves, Patrick McGuigan, Lynda Searby ADVERTISING advertise@gff.co.uk Sales director: Sally Coley Sales manager: Ruth Debnam Sales executives: Becky Stacey, Maria Burnett Published by the Guild of Fine Food Ltd Printed by: Blackmore, Dorset Fine Food Digest is published 11 times a year and is available on subscription for £45pa inclusive of post and packing.

© The Guild of Fine Food Ltd 2017. Reproduction of whole or part of this magazine without the publisher’s prior permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher.

GENERAL ENQUIRIES Tel: 01747 825200 Fax: 01747 824065 info@gff.co.uk www.gff.co.uk Guild of Fine Food, Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB United Kingdom

Managing director: John Farrand Marketing director: Tortie Farrand Operations manager: Karen Price Operations assistant: Claire Powell Events manager: Christabel Cairns Training co-ordinator: Jilly Sitch Circulation manager: Nick Crosley Financial controller: Stephen Guppy Accounts manager: Denise Ballance Accounts assistant: Julie Coates Chairman: Bob Farrand Director: Linda Farrand

BY ANDREW DON

Farm shops and the fresh produce sector have slammed supermarket groups for jeopardising both small retailers and producers with loss-leading promotions on fruit and vegetables. Price-busting deals impacted footfall over Christmas at some farm shops located near supermarkets, FFD has learned. Promotional examples over the Christmas period include the Co-op’s Fresh Three veg offer while Tesco ran a Festive Five, selling cauliflower, parsnips, carrots, Brussels sprouts and potatoes at 39p per pack. Aldi ran a Super Six offer which offered an assortment for 19p each and Lidl sold its own-brand shallots, carrots, parsnips and roast potatoes for 29p each. John Upson, who owns Upsons Farm Shop in Chelmsford, Essex, and has a Co-op “on his doorstep”, said some of the blame for a heavy fall in year-on-year sales over

Some farm shops have seen fruit and veg sales dented by heavy price promotion in supermarkets over Christmas

Christmas could be levelled at the supermarkets “selling cucumbers, for example, for 40p when I couldn’t buy them for under 80p”. Upson suspected shoppers enticed by the supermarkets’ fruit and veg deals bought the rest of

their shopping while they were there. “As a grower as well as farm shop retailer we see it from both sides,” he said. “It’s not good for the industry as a whole. A price war never is.” The multiples look set

to continue targeting fruit and veg in 2017, with Waitrose, Aldi, Lidl and Asda all running deals during January. Nigel Chandler, manager at Garsons Farm Shop in Esher, Surrey, warned it would “come to a crashing end”. He added: “They are devaluing staple food lines for the rest of the industry, using it to get customers in. I’m really angry about it. “They can have 10 loss leaders in fresh produce and make it up on other lines. This can’t go on.” Garsons ran coupons on-site for four “strategically seasonal products” which Chandler said brought in 8% of its fresh produce sales at Christmas. Jack Ward, chief executive of the British Growers Association, said: “Dragging people through the door is what it’s all about. Fresh produce is extremely influential. Once you have them in the store, the chances are you will sell them everything else at more realistic prices.”

Daylesford still in the Cotswold Fayre hires red but reduces losses new head of buying Daylesford Organic has slashed its multimillion pound losses and is confident of delivering further trading improvements. The retail and food production operation cut its pre-tax losses from £5.2m to £2.79m on turnover up from £14.65m to £20.11m, according to its latest accounts for the year to the end of last March. The company – which comprises a farm, farm shop, creamery, bakery and restaurant in Gloucester as well as three shops in London and branded products for retail – reported an increase in its gross margin from 29.5%

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

to 36.1%. Cost of sales increased from £10.47m to £12.96m at the business, which was founded by Lady Bamford – wife of JCBowner Lord Bamford. A spokeswoman said the accounts reflected the ongoing investment in the business as it continued to grow and strengthened the brand. “We have opened new shops, new production units, increased our wholesale accounts and extended our farm shop in the Cotswolds – all to answer the growing demand for our products and services from our customers.” www.daylesford.com

Wholesaler Cotswold Fayre has appointed Dave Truscott as its head of buying. Truscott joins the company from former Sandpiper foodservice division Cimandis, where he was commercial director both under ownership of SandpiperCI and, more recently, Bidvest Foodservice. He replaces Tessa Evans, who was head buyer and worked with the company for 15 years. She has moved on to work on a new consultancy venture within the food and drink sector. Truscott’s role will be wider than Evans’, encompassing an amalgamation of buying and dispatch.

Top buyer: Dave Truscott

“Cotswold Fayre works so closely in partnership with its suppliers, showing passion for each product and brand,” said Truscott. “It’s an exciting market to be part of with such huge potential for growth.” www.cotswold-fayre.co.uk

Great Taste ’17 opens for entry Great Taste 2017 – the world’s biggest, independently judged awards scheme for speciality food & drink – opens for general entries from February 1. It follows an exclusive Members’ Fortnight that allowed Guild of Fine Food producer-members to be first in the queue to submit entry forms. As well as promising confidential feedback to producers on all products judged, and the chance of higher sales for those that secure an award, benefits to award-winners include a string of opportunities ranging from trade and consumer tasting events to a potential showcase on the QVC shopping channel. www.gff.co.uk

Leadsom’s first 2017 speech promises Defra support and rural food funding Defra secretary Andrea Leadsom has pledged strong backing for rural food and farming businesses, including a funding pot of £120m. Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference in January, Leadsom promised to make £120m available to support farmers, grow businesses and generate thousands of jobs in the countryside in the next round of the Rural Development Programme for England growth plan. She said the funding would give rural start-ups, family-run businesses and farmers looking to diversify the boost they need. Leadsom also emphasised the export potential of British food,

Leadsom: “Committed to supporting farming”

especially in China, the USA and the United Arab Emirates. “Whether it’s bestselling brands like Tyrells crisps, Snowdonia cheese, and Walkers shortbread, or primary products like barley, beef or dairy, there’s a big market out there for the

provenance of British food and drink.” Leadsom said Brexit would unshackle rural businesses from European Union red tape. She said she would publish two green papers, including one on food and farming, which she described as “a once-in-ageneration opportunity” to look at new ideas for life beyond 2020. “I want to reassure you that I am committed to supporting British farming in the short and the long term – and I am confident that leaving the EU gives us an unprecedented opportunity to design a system that’s fit for the 21st century,” Leadsom added.

Cottage Delight to stay ‘indie’ after buy-out BY ANDREW DON

Cottage Delight and its new owner have reaffirmed their commitment to independent retailers but said future growth plans will also include a strategy for foodservice and export expansion. Vestey Holdings bought the Leek-based producer – whose lines include fudge, preserves and condiments – for its Fine Foods Group from owner and founder Nigel Cope in December for an undisclosed sum. Cottage Delight’s managing director Jason Moody, who has moved across under the new owners, told FFD he had been given a year to come up with a growth strategy and has his sights set on a “major opportunity” in foodservice and export markets. He said Cottage Delight would not be going into the multiples. “That is absolutely, categorically not the case. We are absolutely focused on the independent trade. That’s a really important message.” Moody added: “Vestey

Cottage Delight is now owned by food group Vestey after founder Nigel Cope sold the business in December

want to be satisfied they’ve got the right people here and they are very keen to respect the culture,” said Moody. The business had undergone significant growth in the early 2000s,

he said, but in the past 10 years it had been “relatively static”. He added that Vestey had the resources and knowledge to invest in Cottage Delight “and take us to the next level”.

“There’s a real opportunity to invest in the production unit. If we are going to be successful, then we’ve got to look at the way we are producing. At the moment we are restricted.” Paddy Lyell, managing director of Fine Foods Group, confirmed that independents would remain a focus of the business. “We are interested in fine food manufacturing of which Cottage Delight has really good products and really good customers.” Lyell said the quality of the products, the organised production facility and its senior team, were all factors in Vestey’s purchase. He added that Cope, who founded Cottage Delight more than 40 years ago as a fudge-making operation, would still be involved for the first year as the businesses looked to learn from each other. “It’s a well-run business. It’s not a turnaround,” he said. “Jason and Nigel have a good senior team there and their production is phenomenal.”

In brief Prosecco sales in the UK have trounced those of Champagne in the year to the end of September, figures from IRI show. The UK Champagne market is worth €333m (£278m) compared with Prosecco, worth €600m. The UK accounts for more than three quarters of all Prosecco sales in Europe.

Vine House Farm in Deeping St Nicholas, Lincolnshire, has applied for planning permission for a new £500,000plus, 6,200 sq ft farm shop and tea room with extensive car parking. The envisaged building will be about five times the size of the existing shop.

The Greene King Leisure Spend Tracker covering December found that UK consumers’ spending on drinking and eating out climbed 2% year on year, stealing share from other leisure activities, such as cinema.

Ayrshire New Potatoes, or Ayrshire Earlies, is the latest UK product to apply for EU’s Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, which would mean they could only be grown within the borders of North, East and South Ayrshire Councils.

West Suffolk pub The Swan, at Long Melford, has opened Duck Deli on its premises so customers can take home some of the products used in its restaurant dishes.

Gibbet Oak Farm Shop in Tenterden, Groombridge Farm Shop in Groombridge and Macknade Fine Foods in Faversham have been shortlisted for the Local Food Retailer of the Year title in this year’s Taste of Kent Awards. The winner will be announced by Produced in Kent at an awards dinner on March 9.

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

finefoodnews

Outbreak puts raw milk in spotlight BY ANDREW DON

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has dismissed criticism that it shares responsibility for an outbreak of food poisoning linked to a raw milk vending machine at Low Sizergh Barn farm shop. An investigation, run by local authorities and the FSA, has uncovered 12 “confirmed” campylobacter cases and 53 “probables” linked to the Lake District retailer, which is one of more than 50 businesses selling raw milk from DF Italia MOD milk vending machines. Johnny Crickmore of Suffolk’s Fen Farm Dairy, which supplied the machine to the Cumbrian farm shop said the FSA’s approach to raw milk sales are “rubbish” because it doesn’t require testing for pathogens like campylobacter. “All you have to do is wait for the FSA to come round every three months and test your milk just for levels of bacteria. They don’t even go into telling you that you should be testing for pathogens.” The FSA confirmed that

Raw milk sales have been suspended at Low Sizergh Barn after it was linked to at least a dozen cases of food poisoning

it did not routinely test for campylobacter. “It is the responsibility of the raw drinking milk producer to produce a safe product and to carry out the testing required to show that hygiene controls are being applied effectively,” a spokeswoman said. Low Sizergh Barn ceased sales once the infection was confirmed and issued a recall of raw cows’ drinking milk from the vending machine, shop and café “as a precautionary measure”.

FFD understands that one lead investigators are pursuing is that the campylobacter could have come from the farm shop’s own private water supply, contaminated by birds. Alison Park, who owns Low Sizergh Barn with brother Richard, said the private water supply was “one of a whole list of possibilities” that the FSA and environmental health said was a risk. “We have developed very rigorous HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and standards with environmental health. This outbreak of campylobacter came from behind. It wasn’t a bug we were aware of and wasn’t one we were required to test for so it’s been a real eye-opener for us and will be a learning experience.” She said to find out the farm’s milk had been linked to illness was “really devastating”. She said the farm was changing some of its processes and practices and hoped to sell raw milk again when safe to do so.

Yumm goes live to test market

Online start-up Yumm European Fine Food goes live at the end of January as a test-bed for an eventual bricks-and-mortar launch. The business will sell French, Italian and Spanish fare supported by recipes and articles on how to cook different items. Co-owner Andy Hastilow said that delicacies from more countries would be added as the site grew. Hastilow wants to use the online shop to test the market before he invests in a retail unit, possibly in about 18 months, with Chichester, Winchester and Salisbury all earmarked as locations. www.yumm-food.co.uk

Change of hands at Lawson’s Former Deli of the Year winner Lawson’s Delicatessen in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, is under new ownership after a decade in business. Founders Richard Lawson and Claire Bruce-Clayton (the couple on the left) are handing over the reins to Clare Jackson and John Omerod, a father and daughter team whose ambition is to open a handful of specialist cheese shops in East Anglia.

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

“If I’d known then what I know now” CATHERINE COOK OWNER, THE WHITBY DELI BEFORE MOVING to Whitby, I worked in London in the professional services industry. Setting up a deli in a pretty northern town had been a dream of mine for a long time, but little did I know it would be just as hectic. My vision was to create a relaxed and friendly space for people to come and enjoy great food, drink the best coffee in town and buy fabulous gifts, kitchen essentials and deli treats. The dedicated shop area has grown in size since we opened just over two years ago, and we’ve found some great products that our locals love. All our own-label lines go down well, from pickles, chutneys and jams, to wine, biscuits and tea. We supplement these with branded ranges – products from Lottie Shaw’s, Tracklements, Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil and the honey b company are perennially popular. I have learned not to be too disappointed when products that I have chosen haven’t taken off. Initially a lot of the lines I wanted to stock were London brands but they just don’t work in a provincial seaside town. High end confectionery we’ve struggled with. I’ve also moved away from my initial plan in terms of our food menu. We offer deli boards with items from the counter but we also offer more brunch type dishes and light lunches. I was trying to offer something different when in fact people want something familiar; we now do the best sausage sandwich in town. Working with a seasonal calendar has been a challenge but we manage it by making the most of it when the town is full. Last summer we started weekly pizza nights which were so popular we continued them throughout the year. January will always be tough in a seaside town and a lot of businesses close. We’ve stayed open with shorter hours – I’ve always maintained that we are here for the locals as well as the tourists – and are doing £1 takeaway soups to draw people in and catering for private functions to offset the lull. It’s about people knowing you are there. I’ve actually come to appreciate the downtime, as it gives me time to think. There have been things I would have done differently with retrospect. I made the mistake of sourcing my first till system locally. The management information just wasn’t there and I had to replace it with a new till system, this time from Open Retail. I don’t dwell on mistakes though, and that would be my advice to anyone starting up a business. Everyone makes mistakes, but it is how you move on from them that determines how well the business does. With the deli now entering its third year we are well on track to achieve our targets. Last year, turnover increased by 40% each month, and I fully expect us to have an even better third year. Personally, finding a work-life balance has been difficult – even more so because I had a baby girl seven months after opening the deli – and I have yet to get that right, but I’m working on it!

Initially a lot of the lines I wanted to stock were London brands but they just don’t work in a provincial seaside town.

INTERVIEW BY LYNDA SEARBY

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finefoodnews

Cash and food taken in farm shop crime wave BT ANDREW DON

A wave of robberies on farm shops across England has seen criminals target both cash and high ticket items, and highlighted the vulnerability of the sector. Macknade Fine Foods, Apley Farm shop, Perryhill Orchards and Woodview Farm Shop are among the victims. Macknade Fine Foods in Faversham, Kent, was ramraided at the end of last year when a “flatbed-type Ford Transit van” backed into its offices, housed in a farm building. Managing director Stefano Cuomo said: “What they hadn’t anticipated is that there’s a foot drop between the driveway and the office so they rammed the van and it got stuck. “When they realised they weren’t going to get anything they legged it and left the van.” The insured damage is estimated at about £15,000£20,000. “It hits cash flow because we have to pay out for it before we get the insurance back in,” Cuomo said. Apley Farm Shop in Norton, Shropshire, was hit just before Christmas. The

The damage left by robberies at Macknade Fine Foods in Kent and (inset) Shropshire’s Apley Farm Shop

criminals made off with the safe containing £300 allocated for Saturday and part-time staff’s seasonal bonuses, as well as a

projector, camera and three laptops. Lady Harriet Hamilton, marketing manager, estimated the total value of

the haul at about £3,000. She explained it was not just the physical loss that mattered, but the business had to change about 30 passwords to make sure data was not compromised. “Perhaps they were looking for credit card details, which they won’t get,” she said. She said the business had turned the break-in to its advantage, taking the opportunity to improve security and vigilance. “To commit a crime at any time of year is, of course, awful, but especially at Christmas which should be such a special time of year,” she added. Elsewhere, criminals stole £2,000 worth of meat from Perryhill Orchards farm shop in Hartfield, East Sussex. The raiders took products supplied by Stirchley Bacon Company, Marsh Green Lamb and other goods. Woodview Farm Shop in Sandy, Bedfordshire, lost £12,000 of meat and cheese in a burglary and in Leicestershire, police are investigating three incidents of meat and other foods stolen from Attfield Lodge Farm in Whetstone.

Cambridge Police have issued the following security advice for farm shops: • Be alert to any unusual or suspicious behaviour on-site or nearby • Listen out for anything out of the ordinary – even phone calls asking about the types of meat you stock • Consider perimeter security, and be aware of any weak spots where someone could enter unseen • Think about using perimeter beam alarms which can cover long distances to protect large boundaries and might be cheaper to install than a physical boundary comprising fencing, trees, walls and gates • Install good security lighting which can help deter an opportunist thief • Consider lighting to support closed-circuit television • Put dusk-to-dawn lighting at the front of the premises and movement sensor for the rear • When buying CCTV ensure it includes “live view” so that you can monitor the cameras remotely • Freeze brand, hotbrand or tattoo stock with your postcode to aid ID

Surrey’s Priory farm shop to continue expansion throughout 2017 BT ANDREW DON

Rumwell Farm Shop & Café has opened a ‘Wine Room’ – a cellar that carries a bigger range of alcoholic drinks than before and brings together all the products that were previously dotted around the shop. Local wine merchant Cellarmarque supplies the wines for the Somerset business, which is located on the A38 between Taunton and Wellington.

Priory farm shop in Redhill, Surrey, is expanding once again with plans to enlarge its floor space by another 20% this year. The extension will be the culmination of what has been an ongoing series of improvements, which has seen it double its product range in the past 18 months. The retailer has installed new counters and shelves and it has sourced special food lighting from Germany, at a cost of about £15,000, which enhances the

appearance of the food. Will Edwards, general manager, said: “It makes the red in the meat stand out and the yellow in the cheese. All the tomatoes look like they are glowing.” The conservatory-style extension will house a delicatessen and butchery that are double the existing size. Edwards said the shop would also “massively” expand its alcohol section. “All other departments will be given a bit more space,” he said. He expects to get

planning permission in January with a view to starting building in April and opening the new space by 2018. The Priory Farm estate has become a small business hub for local independent companies. These include Glorious Food, a catering business, The Market Place, which specialises in food and drink marketing, and Local Food Britain, an online platform for the UK’s local food and drink producers and providers, which launched in 2014.

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

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Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

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finefoodnews

Looking forward to 2017 With political and economic volatility set to continue this year, will farm shops and delis continue to invest, pull back or simply consolidate? ANDREW DON tours the UK to sample retailer sentiment. Partridges, near London’s Sloane Square, is planning “lots” of new events to emphasis the business’s strengths and will continue to focus on the community. It will launch its Chelsea Flower Gin to coincide with its 45th anniversary at the Chelsea Flower Show, where it aims to create a Chelsea flower garden and hold an evening party to launch it. John Shepherd, managing director, is thinking of holding an art competition, “because we find that art and quality food go well together”. Shepherd says that in difficult times, Partridges wants to show it is consistent and “here for everyone when they need us”. He says the offer remains fundamentally unchanged but the shop will try to highlight the activities it will hold. “It’s all about events for us – keeping a steady hand on the tiller.” The business will launch a revamped website in January and it plans to give more space to its Startisan project – where it invites small producers to its weekly food markets. “They can progress from trading to the public to offering product to our customers,” says Shepherd. “We will give it more of our own special section with dedicated shelving units.”

Family-run Panzer’s Delicatessen in St John’s Wood, north west London, sells more than 5,000 international lines, including Russian and Eastern European, USA and kosher foods, and has a greengrocery department. The business has been going for more than 70 years and now owner David Josephs has committed to a £500,000-plus refurbishment of the entire 4,000 sq ft store. He has brought in award-winning East London architect Holland Harvey which is redesigning “from top to bottom”. A professional kitchen will be installed so Panzer’s can expand its catering business, and a new deli counter will be added. New refrigeration will be 50% more efficient that previously, says Joseph. “We will offer a much broader range on the dairy and on the chilled items. We will also launch a new website and go into ecommerce during the year,” he says.

Delish Farm Shop & Delicatessen has outlined a three-pronged assault to help directors Sally and Chris Yates keep the shop on top of its game. Firstly, Delish will be refocusing on local suppliers, farms and growers – forging links with suppliers of meat, milk, eggs and

The Deli at No 5 in Thame, Oxfordshire, open just eight weeks when FFD calls, plans to run outside events in the local community, such as gin and cheese tastings, and it wants to get involved in sponsorship. The 575 sq ft business only sources from within the UK and uses the tag line “Celebrating Great British Produce with a Great British Lifestyle”. Joe Bastin, The Deli at No 5’s co-director, is trying to source pickled onions from a different supplier because the UK product he sells at the moment is packaged in glassware which comes from Italy, where the price has jumped up to 200%. Bastin plans to continue visiting farmers’ markets this year which he says are a good source of new products, such a Bayview Brewery’s Penlon Beer range.

vegetables within 10 miles of the shop in Tuxford, Newark. It will also look to expand its veg box and meat hamper delivery service beyond its own locality into Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, using local producers in those areas. And finally, it will sell its own-brand pickles and chutneys – piccalilli tomato chutney, fruit chutney, mango chutney, minty apple chilli jelly and red onion marmalade – to other retailers and hopes to introduce a few others to the range. Delish had planned to open a second shop early this year but it has postponed this to the back end of 2017, putting its emphasis elsewhere for the time being.

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

finefoodnews Christopher James Deli, in Leicester, intends to increase the amount of home-produced goods it sells by up to 30% to “head towards 50%” of everything stocked. Owner Simon Fairey says he will look at his charcuterie section to bring in more English rather than European product. Fairey, who took over the business in June, has started to see suppliers increase prices, citing Brexit and the value of the pound. “I need to look at protecting our business while maintaining profit and giving value for money,” he says. “I think it’s a tall order but you have to aim high.” The business has a strong range of suppliers in the local area but Fairey says they provide him with European goods rather than local. His strategy for the year ahead includes producing a lot more delicatessen products in-house to reduce costs and maintain margins. The deli currently makes 10% of the range it sells in-house but Fairey wants to increase this to 30%, something he believes can be easily achieved. He does not have a kitchen at the back of the shop but says this is an option and he is registered with his local authority to use his

Country Harvest farm shop, food hall & café in Ingleton, North Yorkshire, has just taken on Bill Scott, who has worked in management at Morrisons for 17 years, and MD Mike Clark has high hopes for what Scott will do for the business. Clark is confident his new recruit will bring new ideas that will be distinctive. “He’s a big foodie so it will be good to have fresh blood. We know we are not a supermarket and we don’t want to be but there will be lots of skills and strengths he’s got. Billy’s looked after the butchery department and deli at Morrisons, which is what we’ve got.” Clark also wants to see if the shop can provide better promotional offers and look to do better deals with suppliers.

own kitchen at home. “It’s all about service to your customer,” he says. “If the customer likes the services they are not

always that fazed about the price. I try very hard not to stock stuff supermarkets do, to make us more unique.”

Abbey Parks, a farm shop in East Heckington, Boston, Lincolnshire, makes its own ice cream on-site and plans to open an ice cream parlour near the children’s area, at the back of its car park. Rosamund Loweth, owner, says it will be “a pretty, seasidetype wooden parlour with serveover counter”. The business will also erect another wooden building next to the parlour for takeaway fast food – hot griddle food, homemade burgers, bacon sandwiches,

Reinvestment is a priority for Hockeys Farm Shop in Fordingbridge, Hampshire. Laura Stainton-Burrell, joint owner, says: “Every penny we are making we are putting back in.” She hopes to make the butchery department “more visible” by increasing its floor space. “The butchery was our main area of sales and it’s become much less so because we’ve expanded the cheese counter, dry goods and gifts and opened a café where we use whatever we sell in the shop.” Stainton-Burrell says: “I’m ever the optimist. There are lots of things you could worry about. If you do your best and move forward in your own way that’s the best you can hope for. We put in all of our money from house sales as a family and we all work here. To keep going is essential.”

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

sausage sandwiches and other hot and cold sandwiches and paninis. Loweth got inspiration from the Speciality & Fine Food Fair in September, and the healthier, gluten-free and “botanical-type” food she saw there. “That’s what we are going to be looking at – a more healthy, holistic bent. We want more healthy food and are gearing towards gluten-free, nut-free food. We will aim for 5-10% of our turnover because so many people walk in with allergies.”

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Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

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Bursting with Inspiration

cheesewire Unsung Commerciality bites heroes as Hill Farm closes

news & views from the cheese counter

HIDDEN GEMS FROM BRITISH PRODUCERS

BY PATRICK MCGUIGAN

The commercial sustainability of small, farmhouse cheesemakers has been called into question after Hill Farm Dairy, which won acclaim for its Stawley goat’s cheese, took the painful decision to close. Will and Caroline Atkinson, who founded the company in Somerset in 2008, made their last batch of the wrinkly-rinded, raw-milk cheese just before Christmas and have now sold their 100-strong herd. Will Atkinson told FFD that a long-standing health condition was a key reason for the decision, but said the tough commercial realities of farming and cheesemaking were also a decisive factor. “The production of a cheese like ours relies on people willing to work very hard for not great financial reward,” he said. “We squeezed the economic model as best we could without cutting corners,

Tributes paid to Milleens creator Tributes poured in last month after Irish cheese pioneer Veronica Steele passed away following a long illness. Best known for the washed rind cheese Milleens, Steele was at the forefront of the Irish farmhouse cheese renaissance, first producing cheese in the Beara Peninsula, County Cork, in 1978. “It would be difficult to overstate the importance of Veronica to Ireland’s modern food culture,” said Sheridans Cheesemongers in a statement. “We all at Sheridans will miss her dearly; her towering intellect, her sharp wit and her deep kindness.” She is survived by her husband, four children and 11 grandchildren.

The final batch of Hill Farm’s goats’ milk Stawley was made just before Christmas 2016

but producing goats’ milk from a relatively small herd is difficult. “Having a much larger herd or buying in milk would make better financial sense, but both would change the business in a number of ways. If you buy in the milk, your cheese doesn’t reflect your farm and you lose the element of terroir.” The demise of Stawley follows Brock Hall Farm’s decision to quit making its raw goat’s milk cheeses last

summer, while Irish washed rind cheese Ardrahan has also recently disappeared. Neal’s Yard Dairy buyer Bronwen Percival said Stawley was “one of our best goats’ cheeses”, adding that public perceptions around price needed to change. “The market doesn’t differentiate between cheeses that are made with total integrity and those made on a larger scale with short cuts that make inputs

cheaper,” she said. “With small-scale producers, their price might be two or three times that of an industrial cheese, but even that is not enough to make up for the tiny scale that is fundamental to the integrity of their production.” She added that cheese did not have a “culture of connoisseurship” in the same way as wine or Iberico ham. “We need to add that layer of knowledge so people understand what is just adequate, very good and absolutely great,” she said. “This is at the heart of why cheese made on a small scale is currently at the margins of commercial sustainability.” Hill Farm’s Atkinson said he was sad to be giving up but said the experience had been hugely rewarding. “We’ve had some amazing feedback over the years and there’s a terrific sense of achievement in making something that people really enjoy.”

Errington to put some cheeses back on sale after health authority’s ban BY PATRICK MCGUIGAN

Errington Cheese plans to start trading again, despite still being in dispute with Food Standards Scotland (FSS). The food safety authority forced the Lanarkshire company to stop production in September, after naming its raw milk Dunsyre Blue as the likely cause of an e-coli outbreak. Errington has vigorously denied the claims, conducting its own testing and employing a QC to fight its cause. It wrote to South Lanarkshire Council last month to say that it was satisfied its cheese was safe and would begin selling Lanark Blue and Corra Linn once again. Founder Humphrey Errington is also involved

in the new Committee for the Defence of Artisan Food, set up by leading figures in Scottish food to highlight threats against small producers. The new organisation held its first public meeting in Edinburgh last month. Food journalist Joanna

Blythman, who has raised more than £23,000 via JustGiving to support Errington’s fight, is also a founder. “There’s a feeling that real food is under attack in Scotland and the Erringtons’ case has brought this to the boil,” she said.

HELFORD SUNRISE In a nutshell: Produced by Treveador Farm Dairy in Cornwall, this soft, pasteurised cow’s milk cheese is made with annatto, giving the interior an orange hue, while the rind is washed in Helford Creek Cider and dusted with crushed peppercorns. It comes in 200g or 1kg wheels. Flavour and texture: The pungent rind has a freshness from the cider and spicy notes from the pepper. The interior is chalky when young becoming creamy as it matures. Background: Dairy farmer Alastair Rogers started making cheese at the farm overlooking the River Helford in 2006, before moving the cheese business to Helston. The company still uses milk from the farm today. Cheese care: Keep under 5ºC and wrapped in waxed paper. Why stock it? Washed rind cheeses are growing in popularity, while the use of annatto and pepper is an unusual twist.

www.erringtoncheese.co.uk

Perfect partners: Cider is the obvious choice. Where to buy: Hawkridge, Longman’s or Premier Cheese. www.treveadorfarmdairy.com

Errington hopes to begin selling some of its sheep’s milk cheeses, like Corra Linn, soon

FFD features a different ‘unsung hero’ from Specialist Cheesemakers’ Association members each month. To get involved, contact: patrick.mcguigan@gff.co.uk

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

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Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

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cheesewire

Defying comparisons Barely two years old, Nettlebed Creamery is already turning heads with its hard-to-categorize cheeses. PATRICK McGUIGAN visits the Oxfordshire farm to see how they are putting their organic raw cows’ milk to use.

e’re playing a game of ‘cheese associations’ at the long table in Nettlebed Creamery’s office and kitchen, which looks out over the green Oxfordshire countryside. The company’s St Bartholomew cheese, which is named after the village of Nettlebed’s church, is being scrutinised by the team before being sent to potential buyers, and I’m trying work out what it reminds me of. Made in 2kg rounds with unpasteurised organic cows’ milk from owner Rose Grimond’s family farm, the semi-hard cheese is described as Alpine in style, and there’s no denying there’s a Comtélike sweetness and nuttiness. But it also has a long savoury edge that is more akin to cheddar and the size and shape is reminiscent of a tomme. Then there’s the earthy rind and springy texture, which is not far from Saint-Nectaire. “We’ve had people comparing it to German cheeses and even Appenzeller,” says Grimond as she accepts another slice from head cheesemaker Tee Scotthorne. “When people talk about cheese, they like to have references and co-ordinates on a map, but St Bart’s really has its own character.” Much of the cheese’s distinct personality comes from the use of raw milk from the 2,000-acre Merrimoles Farm, which has been in the Fleming family (as in James Bond novelist Ian Fleming) for more than 100 years. Run by Grimond’s mother and aunt (nieces of the late author), the organic farm has a herd of 130 cows, which are a cross of Holstein Friesians, Montbeliardes and Swedish Red. They produce “some of the best milk on the planet”, declares Grimond proudly. It’s treated with the utmost respect in the cheese room, as I witness for myself, watching Scotthorne and assistant Ali Lees carefully pour curds into moulds and pat them into place by hand. As she checks acidity levels with a probe, Scotthorne says that the complex natural bacteria in the unpasteurised milk is integral to cheese’s unique flavour, but also brings its own challenges. “It can become frustrating working with raw milk because it is constantly changing. You make a cracking batch and think ‘Why can’t it be like this all the time?’. But that’s the excitement of unpasteurised milk.

jointly financed by Grimond and the farm with the 22cm width of an individual wheel of St Bartholomew integral to the design. “We knew we wanted a total capacity of 60 tonnes – that seems to be a good level to create a sustainable cheese business – so we worked out how much space we would need in the maturing rooms using the diameter of the cheese and worked backwards,” she says. St Bartholomew takes between four to six months to mature, so to help with cashflow Nettlebed launched a soft, triple cream cheese, named Bix after a nearby village, last year. With its wrinkly

When people talk about cheese, they like to have references and co-ordinates on a map, but St Bart’s really has its own character.

Cheesemaker Tee Scotthorne (top left) and founder Rose Grimond (top right) have created a soft and a semi-hard cheese at Nettlebed

You can never take your eye off the ball.” Grimond’s path to setting up the 250 sq m creamery in January 2015 is an unusual one. An Oxford graduate and former actress, she spent five years selling produce from Orkney at Borough Market and to top London chefs after falling in love with the Scottish archipelago as a child – her grandfather Jo Grimond was the MP for more than 30 years. “My stall was next to [French cheese company] Mons and we all used to end up having a pint with

the Neal’s Yard gang after work,” she says. These proved useful contacts when the future of the family farm came up for discussion and Grimond wanted to move out of London to raise a family with her novelist husband James Scudamore. “There’s a saying in farming that you get big, get different or get out, so we started thinking about what we could do with the milk,” she says. “I looked at ice cream, but found people in the cheese sector to be so open and friendly.” The new-build creamery was

geotrichum rind, it looks a bit like a Charolais but is made with cows’ milk and tastes like Chaource, but Scotthorne is quick to point out that it has its own attributes, including a mousse-like centre when young and a consistent, creamy texture as it matures. Both cheeses are listed by Paxton & Whitfield and local wholesaler Blackwoods, while Harvey & Brockless is due to launch them next month. Even with customers such as these, producing 60 tonnes of cheese a year is still some way off. Grimond hopes to make 10 tonnes this year, but the creamery was set up in such a way that half the building is currently sub-let to a catering company and start-up goats’ cheese company Norton & Yarrow, which gives Nettlebed breathing space to grow at a steady rate. “I did my sums before we started and calculated that once we get over 10-12 tonnes, the business starts to make sense,” says Grimond. “In the longer term, we have the capacity to grow more, but it has to be managed. My heroes are Stichelton and Tunworth. If I can grow the business to anywhere near what they have done then I’ll be delighted.” www.nettlebedcreamery.com

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

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Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

• Fully integrated ventilation system to exhaust and replace stale air. • Goods in and storage area with large walk in chiller and freezer. • Separate goods out area. • Calor gas for heating and cooking. • Monitored alarm system throughout.

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cut&dried

making more of british & continental charcuterie

Bowing to the Brits A British twist on coppa, lonza and fennel salami has won clients from Harrods to Marco Pierre White for recent start-up Somerset Charcuterie, as MICK WHITWORTH reports When Somerset Charcuterie owners Andy Venn and James Simpson set up their artisan operation in 2014, they were determined to put a clear British stamp on their products. “As we saw it,” says Simpson, “small producers who were already out there were only replicating what they’d seen on the Continent. No-one seemed to be elaborating on British ﬂavours and tastes.” The trouble was, traditional British methods of preserving meat in the days before fridges just didn’t stack up against salami, coppa and lonza. “We just weren’t very good at it,” Simpson says. “Everything was heavily salted – and it didn’t taste great.” So he and Venn opted to focus on Continentalstyle fermented sausages and air-dried muscle meats, but incorporate regional ingredients like cider, vintage cheddar and Draycott Blue cheese to give that homegrown twist. The decision has stood them in good stead. Annual sales of lines like sage, mustard & Somerset cider salami have reached around £300,000 in a little over two years. Now they hope to

James Simpson (left) and Andy Venn, in the drying room of their unit near Bristol. Behind the racks is a wall of Himalayan sea salt blocks, as used in dry-ageing by some high-end fresh meat suppliers

relocate from their base at Lower Stock Farm, Wrington, near Bristol, to a larger farm-based unit just seven miles away, where the owner is developing an ‘artisan food village’. It would take capacity from 1 tonne a week to at least 6 tonnes. Although Somerset Charcuterie is a recent start-up, neither partner is new to food. Venn has been a butcher for 15 years and also runs a spit-roast business, Party Pig, while Simpson’s background is in mass-market food-to-go. His family’s company, the FSC Group, develops “foodon-the-move” packages for major retailers, such as Shell‘s deli2go brand. Both dabbled in charcuterie-making at home before starting Somerset Charcuterie, initially as a hobby business. Farmers’

markets provided their ﬁrst commercial outlet and remain important despite a client list that now stretches from farm shops to Harrods. But their focus is on foodservice, where chefrestaurateur Marco Pierre White has proved a key contact. He has even been supplying pigs from his Rudloe Arms country house

favourite charcuterie,” says Simpson, who believes this sector is currently most receptive to premium products. “When you go and talk to [higher-end] foodservice operators, provided we can generate a 70% gross margin, it’s all about the product – not whether we can supply it in 60g packs.” It still involves some precise targeting, however. “For a period, we were thinking we’d just mailbomb all the Michelinstarred restaurants and trickle down from there. But it was actually Marco [PierreWhite] who discouraged us from going down that route.” Venn adds: “In high-end restaurants, chefs put their heart and soul on the plate – they’re not assembling charcuterie platters. So Michelin-star pubs, yes, but not Michelin restaurants.” So what points of difference are they pitching to these demanding chefs? Not surprisingly, ingredients and production techniques are both cited. For example, says Simpson: “We use fresh sage, fresh garlic; if we say something

and working with Somerset Charcuterie to achieve the best conformation for its needs. The other is rearing animals in woodland alongside his father’s conventional pig farm. Venn says: “The quality of the meat affects everything, and it’s quite challenging because, unlike in Spain or Italy, there’s no industry supporting our charcuterie sector. If we tell farmers we want 120kg-plus pigs, grown slowly, kept outdoors for most of their life and with at least an inch of back fat, instead of 70kg Large Whites, most tell us we don’t know what we’re talking about – and usually in more colourful language than that!” One other crucial aspect of production is speed – or rather, reducing it. “Where other people in the industry are trying to do things faster, we try to slow them down,” Simpson tells FFD. “We often go against the advice of people who suggest using additives to speed things up or add shelf life.” He adds: “Of course, hitting the right pH level matters, but the journey to reaching that needs to be about artistry. With industrial-scale production it’s 20% art and 80% science. We want it to be the other way round.”

Where other people in the industry are trying to do things faster, we try to slow them down hotel in Wiltshire, for them to turn into charcuterie including culatello, the premium, prosciutto-style ham. Washed in cider and cured for 12 months, it’s a sweet, well-balanced ham that looks set to become Somerset Charcuterie’s ﬂagship. “Our mission is to become the British chef’s

is going to taste of fennel, we’ll be toasting the seeds before they go in, and it’ll have a good, strong, robust ﬂavour.” The company’s pigs come mainly from two young, local, small-scale farmers. One is rearing ‘Tangalitzas’ – a cross between Tamworths and woolly Mangalitza pigs –

www.somersetcharcuterie.com

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

GREAT TASTE open for entry Want to know more about food and drink’s most coveted awards? www.gff.co.uk/gta

general entry: ! february Entry for Great Taste is capped – Don’t delay, enter today New to Great Taste? Make sure you receive entry information by contacting greattaste@gff.co.uk

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product update

pickles & chutneys

Pickled with passion Producers across the country have been poring over pans to bring fresh ideas to the pickles and chutneys space, writes LYNDA SEARBY. a twist”, thanks to the inclusion of “super soft, melt in your mouth” lemons rather than “chewy rind”, and the subtle aromas of fenugreek and mustard. O Claire’s Handmade knows you can’t go far wrong with the classics –

Relocating to the outskirts of Tiverton has enabled Devon-based family producer Waterhouse Fayre to ramp up its product development. Slow roasted garlic chutney and whortleberry chutney were new for 2016 and this

products in brief The Garlic Farm’s latest jarred offering – ‘A wight little pickle’ – is a garlicky classic pickle for livening up cold meats, pies, curries or sandwiches.

www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk

Hibiscus Lily is looking to expand its retail customer base beyond its home county of Hertfordshire. Its focus

spring will see the launch of Ann’s ‘Herby Curds’ (named after founder Ann Stallard), featuring beetroot & thyme and raspberry & mint varieties. O Otter Vale’s new cheese selection pack gives cheese lovers a selection of six

As Fruits of the Forage’s latest introductions demonstrate, foraging can yield some unusual ﬂavour combinations. Its “piquant and refreshing” Gooseberry Surprise chutney marries gin and wild herbs, including alexanders, angelica, hogweed and elderﬂower, while its new Hogweed Curry chutney combines wild hogweed seeds with Indian spices and pumpkin. Wholesale price £2.50 for 210g; RRP £3.95.

Country Farmhouse pickle and spicy tomato chutney are the two latest creations to come out of their Lake District kitchen. O Patrick Le Mesurier’s Le Mesurier collection of chutneys and relishes has been rebranded as All You Need and is now available via Cotswold Fayre.

is Indian-inspired creations such as hot chilli jam, hot & spicy date & tamarind chutney and spiced butternut squash & carrot chutney.

www.fruitsoftheforage.co.uk

chutneys, relishes and jellies in 100g jars, along with pairing recommendations. Gooseberry & elderﬂower chutney, Devon chutney (onion and pineapple) and quince jelly are among the gluten-free jars included within the set. Wholesale price £6.50; RRP £10. O In a modern take on traditional chutneys and pickles, Tracklements has created Bruschettini – a trio of vegetable-based products that can be spread on crusty bruschetta or served alongside charcuterie or cheese sharing plates. The

sticky pickle, roasted pepper and mixed mushroom accompaniments have an RRP of £2.95. O Peckish Kitchen is on a mission to “bring chutneys and pickles up to date, giving them a place in the modern kitchen”. This ethos is reﬂected in the

Yorkshire newcomer’s latest introductions – roasted garlic pickle and charred chilli & red pepper chutney – both of which have an RRP of £3.95 for 175g. O Black Mamba, the Swazi producer of Fairtrade chilli products, used the Specialty & Fine Food Fair 2016 as the UK launch-

www.hibiscuslily.co.uk

Hawkshead’s Mediterranean relish promises to chase away the winter blues with ﬂamenco ﬂavours and vibrant colours from peppers, tomatoes and aubergines combined with subtle spices and wine vinegar.

Besides rebranding its entire range, From Dorset With Love has introduced a red onion marmalade and an improved version of its real ale chutney. The chutney is now made using

pad for a new range of chutneys. As with the company’s other products, the new spicy mango, beetroot & ginger and green papaya chutneys are made entirely by women in Swaziland, using ingredients grown by small local farmers trained in organic farming and permaculture techniques. O Prices Spices describes its new Keralan lemon pickle as “lime pickle with

www.hawksheadrelish.com

a local IPA and the producer “dry hops” the chutney with hops to give deeper citrus and ﬂoral ﬂavours. www.waterhousefayre.co.uk www.otter-vale.co.uk www.tracklements.co.uk www.peckishkitchen.co.uk www.blackmambachilli.com www.PricesSpices.com www.claireshandmade.com www.cotswoldfayre.co.uk www.fromdorsetwithlove.co.uk

In developing its new Great Yorkshire Pickle, Rosebud Preserves says it set out to produce a “dark, rich British pantry classic, prepared with traditional garden vegetables and Black Sheep ale”.

www.rosebudpreserves.co.uk

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

Caramelised Red Onion Marmalade Apple, Lemon & Mint Jelly Pomegranate Jelly with Chilli Flakes

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Handmade in Hertfordshire, using locally sourced natural ingredients For more information email us at info@hibiscuslily.co.uk www.hibiscuslily.co.uk

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Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

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product update

Spoilt for choice Next month’s The Source trade show at Exeter’s Westpoint will give just a small snapshot of a South West food sector that spans hundreds of microbusinesses and budding multinationals, markets and Michelin-star restaurants. In our first regional focus of 2017, ANDREW DON rounds up just some of speciality lines newly available across the West Country, while MICK WHITWORTH asks top buyers to name-check their own best suppliers from the region. For more about The Source, turn to p34. Chocolate Chai, a new blend of Henney & Joe’s multi award-winning Masala Chai, is said to give a contemporary twist to the classic spiced tea. Bath-based Henney & Joe’s uses “100% natural ingredients” and creates the product using a blend of aromatic whole spices. Director Ashley Bailey says: “With the first sip you can expect all the beautiful spices – cardamom, ginger, star anise, nutmeg, cloves, all spice, mixed spice, fennel seed and cinnamon – followed by the chocolate taste on your lips.” RRPs are £16.95 for a 500ml bottle (£8.81 trade)

or £8.55 for 250ml (£4.75 trade). l Somerset cider-maker Sheppy’s has combined a light dessert apple cider with overtones of elderflower for its latest twist on a drink made by the family

in 2017.” Sheppy’s cider with elderflower (ABV 4%) comes in 500ml bottles with a £2.69 RRP. l Toffee apple jam and spiced beetroot & orange chutney are among the wackier new flavours from The Bit on the Side, the quirky sub-brand of preserves maker Rose Farm. Gin & tonic lime marmalade, tomato & balsamic chutney, orange marmalade with

New spin on ‘fruit for cheese’ firm for two centuries. MD David Sheppy says: “The traditional cider category is enjoying an exciting period of growth. It goes to show that heritage and authenticity, along with premium quality, are key to cider drinkers – and we expect this to continue

“Our best South West suppliers...”

cardamom and peach melba jam are also new to the lineup (RRP £3.25, trade £2.30). www.hennyandjoes.co.uk www.sheppyscider.com www.thebitontheside.co.uk

Dorset’s Global Harvest has added new flavours and changed the presentation of its membrillo-style set fruit conserves. The new varieties are roasted onion & sweet garlic, date, bittersweet orange and apricot & ginger. The range is now described on-pack as “the new alternative to a relish or a chutney” instead of the former “Fruit for Cheese”. Global Harvest has also switched from a square pot with clip-on lid to a rectangular version with a heatsealed plastic lid, which MD David Mason says gives a better seal.RRP is £4.95 (£2.80 trade). www.globalharvestdirect.com

Simon Holland Washingpool Farm Shop, Nr Bridport, Dorset www.washingpool.co.uk Saison!/Dorset Spice Shed www.saison.co.uk

Two brands of salts, seasonings and mixes from the same small producer in Bridport, they offer fantastic flavour combinations in all their products.

cheap, either. But these are really interesting, wellpackaged products that sell surprisingly well.

quality ‘mocktail’ mixers that you can use with or without alcohol. They also provide great point-ofsale.

Conker Spirit www.conkerspirit.co.uk

Liberty Fields

Conker’s Dorset Dry Gin has great flavours and the people who make and promote it are fantastic too.

www.libertyfields.co.uk

Primrose’s Kitchen

Apple balsamic, apple aperitif and vodka with amazing flavours. Really good, personal service.

www.primroseskitchen.com

Rocktails

I thought this gluten-free, vegan friendly range of “naturopathic” mueslis, granolas and sprinkles was very much in the health food niche. They’re not

www.rocktails.co.uk

From Dorset with Love

Based in south Devon, Rocktails is another business with a great (small) team who really help you to sell their product: versatile, bar-

www.fromdorsetwithlove.co.uk

A West County twist on Worcestershire sauce, their Dorsetshire Sauce is a knockout product.

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

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Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

www.thebaytree.co.uk

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focus on the south west Jams and preserves maker Kitchen Garden Foods has undergone a rebrand for 2017 with what it says is a new “bright, eyecatching and classy” label. Commercial director James Horwood says: “We are all really pleased with the new design which we feel keeps our brand fresh and reafﬁrms our position in

the market place.” There is a new 190ml jar size too (weights vary between 200g and 227g) with RRPs ranging from £3.15 to £4.10 (trade £2.05 to £2.65). Dressings, table sauces and vinegars come in 260ml bottles with an RRP of £4 (trade £2.60). O Bristol’s Pieminister has added the Vegetarian Society-approved Saag Pieneer to its Classic pie range. Already a Great Taste award winner, it is made with paneer cheese chunks cooked with garden peas, spinach, potato, chilli and

mango, encased in an all-butter shortcrust for the base and a sustainable suet pastry lid. The 270g pie has an RRP of £3.50. Pieminister has also relaunched its three most popular Classics as 270g gluten-free pies: the Moo (steak and ale), Ranger (freerange British chicken and ham) and Heidi (Somerset goats’ cheese pie) all have an RRP of £4.50. O Tracklements hopes to help foodies bring out the best in cold meats with its Charcuteriment range, launched last year. The initial three ﬂavours –

Holiday experience drives sales back home A new app from Taste of the West will point tourists to the region’s best food and drink – and could keep them buying when they get home BY MICK WHITWORTH

This Spring sees the launch of a new mobile app designed to help tourists experience West Country food & drink at its best. Provisionally named DIY Food Trail, it has been developed by food group Taste of the West (TotW) to bundle together the cream of the region’s producers, farm shops, restaurants, and markets in one place. “Food and drink tourism is going to be massive in 2017-18,” predicts TotW chief executive John Sheaves, “but at the moment tourists are stumbling upon a great cream tea or a great pub by luck. “We need to give them a package that let’s them design their own food trail and choose where they want to go and what they want to buy, based on quality.” With DIY Food Trail, tourists can tap in what they’re looking for – a farmers’ market or a café or farm shop – and be steered towards the best the region can offer.

pickled onion, hot garlic and mixed pickle – are designed to help specialist food retailers take advantage of the increasing popularity of sharing boards of charcuterie. The business has also created a limited edition aromatic medlar jelly, 50p from the sale of which

during their stay, there’s a wider objective too: to keep them buying West Country products all year round. Give them an experience of the best quality foods, tasted in the most memorable environment,

Sheaves says, and they are more likely to pick those products off the shelf back home or order them online. It ﬁts with what he sees as the direction in which food shopping is heading. “Increasingly people are looking at different ways of buying. They’ve already gone away from the weekly shop, and online is massive. But people want to get out of the house and look and feel and taste and sample. Online comes into it – but only once they’ve experienced it.” Finding West Country products elsewhere in the UK can still be tricky, especially with niche products where the cost of distribution can be prohibitive. Last year TotW launched its Taste of the West Country shop on Ocado, which is currently making foods from around 70 producers available online. Products are consolidated into pallet loads by BWRC in Chard, Somerset, and trucked to Ocado by Langdons. But that’s direct-toconsumer. A few distributors, such as Diverse Fine Food, are helping get products

goes towards funding beefriendly medlar trees. Charcuteriments come in 100g jars (RRP £3.80), while the medlar jelly is in a 250g jar (RRP £3.20). Both come in cases of six for the trade, priced £14.30 and £12 respectively. O The Oaty Coconut Bar and Oaty Apricot Bar joined the recently launched Squillionaire and Fruity Nut Bar in Honeybuns’ range at the beginning of 2017.

The Dorset bakery says its primary focus is to make “truly delicious and decadent artisan treats that taste like cake, not health bars”. Oaty Coconut Bar is a moist, slow-baked ﬂapjack made with virgin coconut oil, while the Oaty Apricot Bar uses a fresh apricot purée, topped with toasted pumpkin seeds. Both are available in narrow 56g individual slices and 950g

Not surprisingly, the app will chieﬂy ﬂag winners of the annual TotW awards, whether that’s retailers, eateries or producers. But Sheaves tells FFD: “`We’re happy to include winners of other awards, provided they have been judged objectively. We’re not going to include magazine awards based on readers’ votes.” While one aim is to maximise visitors’ spend

People are looking at different ways of buying food. They’ve already gone away from the weekly shop, and online is massive.

John Sheaves: tourists are often stumbling on great food by luck

out to independent stores, but there’s more to be done, given the hundreds of small producers in the region with potential to sell in shops further aﬁeld. “We know we can put together a range of products with a regional story, and we’ve got a model of consolidation with Ocado,” says Sheaves. “What we’ve not yet done is package that up for independents. It’s a logical step, but you have to get the business model right. www.tasteofthewest.co.uk

tray bakes. RRP for slices is “around the £2 mark”. O Stute Foods hopes to reach a wider audience by rebranding its Diabetic range of jams and marmalades to also appeal to non-diabetic shoppers looking for “healthier” products. The eight-strong range is now branded as No Sugar Added and retains the original 430g jar, label shape and long-established recipe to avoid confusing existing customers. Business development manager Alex Hybs says the range contains 90% less sugar than ordinary jams. RRP for the range is £1.65£1.75. www.kitchengardenfoods. co.uk www.pieminister.co.uk www.tracklements.co.uk www.honeybuns.co.uk www.stute-foods.com

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

focus on the south west l Otter Vale Products has launched a Cheese Selection pack of six chutneys, relishes and jelly to liven up cheeseboards. They are gooseberry & elderflower chutney (Taste of the West silver 2016), onion & pineapple Devon chutney, pear & ginger chutney, cranberry & red onion relish,

quince jelly and date & fig relish (Taste of the West Silver 2015). The 100g jars can also be enjoyed with cold cuts, savoury pies, meats and smoked fish, and the new six-pack includes recommendations for the “perfect” pairing with each variety. l Bristol-based Coconut Chilli has brought a range of chilled, gourmet South Indian meal pots to market, inspired by ingredients from the former Coorg region where founder Navina

Bartlett spent many summers on her aunt’s coffee estate. The freshly prepared dishes include lamb & black pepper keema meatballs in spicy coconut gravy; cardamomscented chicken & seasonal squash; shrimp & coconut milk korma with crunchy cashews; and mooli & lentil sambhar with a hint of chilli. All dishes are presented on a bed of basmati rice and garnished with fresh ingredients including coriander, coconut shavings, tomatoes and pomegranate “jewels”. Bartlett says the microwaveable meals, which are ready to eat in three minutes, are “perfect for busy foodies”. RRPs are £4.75 for 200g meals (£2.85 trade) and £5.95 for 300g (£3.45 trade). l Sarah Churchill’s The Artisan Kitchen, a Gloucester-based preserve maker, has bought several new marmalades into its core range.

“Our best South West suppliers...”

After dinner, something rich and reviving… Miles Tea & Coffee has repackaged its coffee blends range, which it argues is now among the most eyecatching available to delis and farm shops. The Somerset firm’s Rich & Reviving blend, previously known as After Dinner, now has a firework design on a purple background with orange and white lettering. A blend of Central American Arabica beans, Rich & Reviving is available to the trade in cases of 12 at £2.77 per 227g pack (RRP £3.69). Other blends are Bright and Breezy (previously known as Mr Miles Blend), Cheerfully Colombian and Delightfully Decaffeinated. Miles also offer a wide range of speciality roasts. www.djmiles.co.uk

They include its Seville Orange Aperol marmalade – which topped the World’s Original Marmalade Awards in 2016 with a double gold – and lemon & vanilla vodka marmalade. Last year saw the small producer collect four two-star and five one-star Great Taste awards for preserves including summer fruit vanilla jam and Sicilian grappa sweet orange marmalade. l Confectionery brand Buttermilk launched a new Earl Grey fudge sharing box – a collaboration with Truro-based Tregothnan Tea

– last autumn. It came hard on the heels of a collaboration with Tarquin Leadbetter, founder of Southwestern Distillery, to create limited edition Tarquin’s gin and pastis fudge, which is now a permanent line. The Cornish Earl Grey fudge and Tarquin’s gin fudge are available in 150g sharing boxes with an RRP of £3.99 each. Buttermilk’s new

with our branding, and they’ve gone well.” Bradley’s Juice www.bradleysjuice.co.uk

“These apple juices, from Miles Bradley’s Box Bush Farm near Weston Super Mare, have done well for us. They’re variety-specific, the branding is a bit different, and they’ll deliver in small quantities.” White Lake Cheese

www.cornishcharcuterie.co.uk

“We used to stock some Spanish ambient patés, but since we switched to Cornish Charcuterie’s patés and rillettes we’ve reordered many times. They’ve got a long shelf-life of at least 12 months and they’re a

good product for gifts and Christmas hampers. We did an exclusive hamper with Avery’s wine merchants and these worked better than cheese because they’re ambient.” Heavenly Hedgerows www.heavenlyhedgerows.co.uk

“We’ve worked with

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

www.otter-vale.co.uk www.coconutchilli.com www.theartisankitchen.co.uk www.buttermilk.co.uk

David Greenman Co-owner, Arch House Deli, Clifton, Bristol www.archhousedeli.com

Heavenly Hedgerows for some time. They’re in Keynsham, between Bristol and Bath. Their jams and preserves are mainly made with foraged or seasonal fruits and berries, so you can’t always get hold of every variety, which in some ways is quite nice. Wild plum jam and elderberry & bramble jam are the bestsellers, but they do jellies too, like sloe & crab apple.” Cornish Charcuterie

luxury range gift boxes, with flavours including caramel sea salt, Very Berry and Death by Chocolate, come in 180g six-piece and 320g nine-piece options, with RRPs of £6.99 and £9.99 respectively.

James Chocolates

www.whitelake.co.uk

www.jameschocolates.co.uk

“Some cheesemakers are a bit of a closed shop – especially if you only deal with them through a wholesaler, not directly. But Peter Humphries and Roger Longman from White Lake have had several of us from Arch House Deli over for a day’s cheese-making and we’ve really learned

“James Chocolates have just started doing some private-label bars for shops, and we’re one of the first to go with those. Their own products, which we also sell, are a bit more gimmicky – things like chocolate pigs – but they’re doing simple bars for us in clear cellophane

a lot from them. Their Guernsey milk Morn Dew and goats’ milk Rachel and White Nancy all sell well, and we always use Rachel for cheese and wine evenings.” Pullin’s Bakery www.pullinsbakers.co.uk

“We’d been using Hobbs House Bakery in Gloucestershire for all our fresh bread, but in the past year Pullin’s have really upped their game, so now we’re using both. Hobbs are good but they can be quite expensive, so where the Pullin‘s can offer the same quality at a lower price we’re going with them. There’s a bit of a snob thing with bread, and Hobbs is more of a ‘name’, but we find some people actually prefer Pullins.”

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Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

focus on the south west “Our best South West suppliers...”

Hugo Hercod Relish Food & Drink, Wadebridge, Cornwall www.relishcornwall.co.uk Origin Coffee www.origincoffee.co.uk

This company started selling coffee around the time I started taking it seriously, and they take it very seriously too. Several years ago I won the UK barista championships with their coffee, and this year their coffee won it again in the hands of Dan Fellows. They source, import and roast some exceptional coffees. Cornish Gouda Trewithen Dairy www.trewithendairy.co.uk

I’m ﬁrst and foremost a barista, so milk quality and consistency is critical. After several frustrating experiences with other brands I ﬁnally found a

Delightful Afternoon is the newest offering from Devonshire Tea, which has updated the packaging of its other ﬁve products to achieve consistency across the range. Delightful Afternoon is said to balance a bold Assam from north east India with a delicate Darjeeling from the Himalayan foothills. The company’s teas are available to retailers direct or via distributors including Holleys Fine Foods, with a trade price of £11.50 per case of six cartons and an RRP of £2.95 each.

supplier that puts its money where its mouth is. Stateof-the-art processing makes top notch milk from 25 herds all within 25 miles of my home town, Lostwithiel. They’re also refreshingly up to date with their brand.

All the tea is from estates monitored by the Ethical Tea Partnership to protect workers and the environment. O Tender venison and mushrooms in a creamy sauce make venison & mushroom pie the perfect antidote to chilly dark nights, says manufacturer Tom’s Pies. This new seasonal product is slow-cooked to produce the best ﬂavour, at the Devon company’s

base near Exeter. It comes in boxes of six at £13.50 to the trade (RRP £3.50). O Last summer saw Devonbased Burts Chips join forces with Levi Roots and Wychwood Brewery to launch co-branded varieties of small-batch potato chips: Caribbean Coconut Curry and Hobgoblin Gold Hamageddon.

It followed this up in November with a relaunch of its own Firecracker Lobster variety, ﬂavoured with lobster powder and an extract from locally-grown South Devon Chilli Farm chillies. All three weigh in at 40g, with an RRP of 79-99p. Most recently it has

www.cornishgouda.co.uk

You should have heard of this by now: it won best hard cheese at the 2016 Great British Cheese Awards. It’s a seriously tasty Cornish version of a Dutch classic, made by Giel

introduced the Better-ForYou Quinoa Crinkles range. Initially in sweet pepper & chorizo and West Country cream cheese, they provide less than 90 calories per 20g pack. O Pea & fresh mint soup from Watmuff & Beckett (RRP £2.50, trade £11.25 for 6 x 600g) has won Red Tractor approval for sourcing vegetables from UK farmers only.

Spierings, a young expat Dutchman using milk from his family farm near Looe in south east Cornwall. Vicky’s Bread www.vickysbread.co.uk

Cornwall seems awash with artisan bakers but Vicky’s Bread stands head and shoulders above them all. Their sourdough Bordelais and multigrain loaves are sensational, with exceptional ﬂavour and crunchy, chewy crust. They also operate a great supply system that really helps small retailers sell their bread. Hanson Fine Foods www.hansonﬁnefoods.co.uk

I’ve found a lot of artisans are great at producing, but

not great at delivering, bookkeeping and generally being customer focused. Hanson Fine Foods operate a cheese delivery van that takes all that stress away. For availability and service they get my vote. They carry cheeses from all the best local producers and can cut in their delivery van. Hugo’s www.hugosbreakfast.co.uk

The delightful Hugo Woolley owns and runs the famous Woodlands Country House in Padstow, where the popularity of his home made granolas and mueslis led him to produce them for retail. They’re beautifully packaged, unique and delicious.

of the ﬁrst to carry the logo “because we go the extra mile to make sure we use UK-farmed ingredients in our products”. The Watmuff & Beckett range is stocked in a selection of independent food retailers and delis, as well as Whole Foods Market stores. It includes three soups and three risottos. Andrew Watmuff, who co-founded the Somerset business, says the soup is one

www.devonshiretea.uk www.toms-pies.co.uk www.burtschips.com www.watmuffandbeckett.co.uk

Going for gold Boddington’s Berries of Cornwall was set to launch upgraded labels across its range of conserves, marmalades and chutneys as FFD went to press. The new labels have textured feel and glossy appearance, it says, with the use of gold ink helping them stand out on-shelf. Boddington’s preserves are made using a traditional open-pan method, with high fruit content and slow cooking times. www.boddingtonsberrries.co.uk Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

AMBER RICH

www.watmuffandbeckett.co.uk 01761 435152 hello@watmuffandbeckett.co.uk

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Handmade in the W est Country If you would like to stock our products, or find out more about us then please do get in touch. Email: sales@inapicklefoodco.co.uk Call: +44 (0) 1225 722255 or +44 (0) 7507 798373

www.inapicklefoodco.co.uk 32

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

focus on the south west

Farmhouse producer Quicke’s has repackaged and rebranded its Double Gloucester and Red Leicester cheeses as Devonshire Red and Double Devonshire. The traditional clothbound cheesemaker reports sales have increased by a ﬁfth since the move. It says the new names have succeeded in capturing Quicke’s back-story, with cheese made on the farm, with milk from its cows, by the family ﬁrm’s master cheesemakers. Both varieties have a trade price of £10.25/kg. O Preserves pioneer The Bay Tree has trademarked a new category, Marmajam, which marries soft fruits and citrus in a cross between marmalade and jam (210g, RRP £2.55, trade £1.70) It has also enjoyed O

success recently with its Glorious Garlic Pickle (320g, RRP £3.35, trade £2.25). After unveiling a new brand image at the end of last year, the Somerset business says 2017 will see it extend new-look packaging across its full range of sauces and dressings, with more launches planned. O Ice cream and sorbet specialist Granny Gothards is betting on the GGs with a new launch for 2017. The spirit-infused GG’s Alcoholic Push-Ups range is a move away from the fairly traditional Granny Gothards

Bangers in a box for DIY enthusiasts brand with its positioning as “a more sexy product for the adult market”, says director Amanda Stansfield. The sorbets are handmade at the Ice Pod in Somerset, working closely with Reform Spirits, which owns Millers Gin.“We are still deciding on flavours and will be adding to the range with some of our chefs’ favourites, such as Mojito Sorbet and Black Cow Vodka Daiquiris,” said Stansfield.

“Our best South West suppliers...”

With sales of DIY food kits gathering pace, Chedingtons has launched a new range of four sausage-making sets. They comprise West Country, Brilliantly British, Humble Pig (which is gluten free) and Winter Feast. Each kit makes about 60 sausages and comes with a manual sausage ﬁlling maker, sausage casing and illustrated instructions. RRP is £45 per kit, with a trade price of £216 for eight. The range sits alongside the existing cheese-making kits from Chedingtons, which is based in the Somerset village of North Perrott. www.chedingtons.co.uk

according to MD Jay Allan – and Bloody Mary tomato sauce. Hillside has also designed a range of traditional savoury preserves “with a twist”’ that Allan says make ideal partners for cheese, charcuterie or a Ploughman’s.

Multi-award winning Hillside Foods has given its own spin to some classic sauces with a recently launched range that includes Smokey BBQ Sauce (310g), named champion in its category at the 2016 Taste of the West Awards. Other additions to the Devon producer’s range include sweet chilli & lime sauce – which “works beautifully” with seafood and chicken,

www.quickes.co.uk www.thebaytree.co.uk www.grannygothards.co.uk www.hillsidefoods.co.uk

Sue Hudson Co-owner, Ashburton Deli, Ashburton, Devon www.ashburtondelicatessen.co.uk Country Cheeses

Rocktails

www.countrycheeses.co.uk

www.rocktails.co.uk

Gary and Elise Jungheim are extremely knowledgeable, terribly pleasant to deal with and supply only the very best local and regional cheese in perfect condition – they have their own cheese cave for ripening. They’re always full of advice and suggestions and even made emergency cheese drops to us over Christmas when we were running out.

Delicious fruit purees to create frozen “mocktails” or to add alcohol for a truly yummy cocktail. A very friendly team, ready to help with tastings and promotions, and real quality from people who have taken great care to produce something really special.

Red Earth Kitchen Sue Hudson with Mark Sharman of Sharpham Dairy near Totnes, photographed by David Griffen for A Taste of the West Country (We Make Magazines, 2016). Sharpham’s products are supplied by Country Cheeses.

www.kitchensuppers.co.uk

Friendly, helpful, and their sausage rolls are quite simply the best I’ve ever tasted.

my favourites. Clare Gault is a very delightful and talented cook. Sweet Cumin www.sweetcumin.co.uk

Bini’s delicious, authentic curries from Somerset are very popular. She’s a very talented cook as well as a helpful supplier. Cornish Charcuterie

Clare’s Preserves

www.cornishcharcuterie.co.uk

www.clarespreserves.co.uk

Really superb salamis – particularly the Cornish seaweed & cider – as well as delicious cheese biscuits, patés and rillettes. They’re really nice people to deal with too.

A justiﬁably award-winning producer of sensational jams, marmalades and chutneys, based in Liverton, Devon. Pink Gin marmalade and sweet pickled cucumbers are

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

focus on the south west

Get inspired, go west Get ready for 2017 at The Source – the West Country’s biggest food and drink showcase for trade

From Dorset With Love will roll out its new “simple and vibrant” look (pictured) across its range of fruit vinegars, Dorsetshire Sauce and other new products in development in 2017. The business refreshed its range of preserves in the summer with the new look, designed to help the brand stand out on the shelves. Its jams, chutneys and marmalades, distributed through Artisan Food Club, are available to the trade in cases of six for £13.50. The RRP is £3.50. l Vanilla Beer Ice Cream is said to be a logical range l

extension from LittlePod, best known for introducing what it says was the first natural vanilla paste in a

tube. The new ice cream, in 320ml tubs (trade £2.64), is made with LittlePod’s own vanilla beer, which is also available in 500ml bottles. www.fromdorsetwithlove.co.uk www.littlepod.co.uk

“Our best South West suppliers...” Mark Spry Food hall manager, Darts Farm, Topsham, Devon www.dartsfarm.co.uk

Get Fruity www.getfruitybar.co.uk

“Last year Get Fruity, from Roche in Cornwall, launched three flavours that I’m very excited about. These bars are packed with flavour and are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.” Eat the Smoke

Little Pod

www.eatthesmoke.co.uk

www.littlepod.co.uk

“Christian Schulpher is so innovative with his range of BBQ sauces and rubs. The meat rubs are an outstanding way to pack beautiful flavours into a joint.”

“Little Pod always amaze us with new ideas using ‘real vanilla’, the most recent being Vanilla Beer Ice Cream. It’s a fun product.”

Salcombe Gin

www.thetinymarmalade.com

www.salcombegin.com

“These little 45g pots of joy are such a treat. It’s a great way to enjoy new flavours and I love their packaging.”

“I have never tasted anything like this gin before. It’s like Salcombe in a bottle – the flavour just takes me to the seaside.”

The Tiny Marmalade Company

Powderkeg Brewery www.powderkegbeer.co.uk

Good Game www.good-game.co.uk

“Steve Williams and Pete Woodham-Kay are experts in cured meats. I love that they use our Darts Farm Ruby Red cattle to make their biltong.”

“Powderkeg make two wonderful beers – the Transatlantic Pale Speak Easy and the pilsner Cut Loose – which really appeal to craft beer drinkers. The team are a playful bunch – you feel their enthusiasm.”

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

ith a new season in sight, The Source show in February provides the opportunity to meet suppliers whether you’re looking for new products and menu inspiration, furnishing an outlet or kitting out the kitchen. Taking place in Exeter’s Westpoint Exhibition Centre on February 8-9, the event will feature more than 200 exhibitors – from award winners to new brands exhibiting for the first time. Familiar faces include Abbots (S.W.), Roddas, Chunk of Devon, Hunts Foodservice, Total Produce, and Voyager Coffee. Award winning foods include curries from Bini Fine Foods, rapeseed oil from Bell & Loxton, Westaway Sausages and Devon’s Powderkeg Brewery, and for the first time you can see real ales from Dartmoor Brewery, Indian restaurant-style curry products from Anglo Indian Chef, potions and elixirs from the Chilli Alchemist, and artisan ice cream and sorbets from The Cowlick Creamery. The Newcomers area, sponsored by distributor Diverse Fine Food, brings together West Country businesses who are new to trade shows, and therefore new to retailers. First timers will include Ebb Tides,

Powderkeg Brewery, Artisan together leading tourism Chai and Louise’s Larder. businesses and industry Leading chefs in the experts for a two half-day Live Demo kitchen will event. be showing off their new This year marks 10 years tips and tricks, and talking of the organising partners about new season menu Hale Events and Taste of inspiration. This year Jamie the West working together Coleman – South West to create The Source, and Chef of the Year 2016 and whether you are looking for South West Professional a special ingredient for your Chef of the Year 2016 – will menu, a unique product for be on hand, as will South West Young Professional Chef of the Year 2016 Timothy Kendall and Harrison Brockington, 8 - 9 February 2017 Exeter Student/ Apprentice Chef of the Year 2016. your shop, or the essential Running alongside The equipment for your kitchen, Source is the Westcountry Hale Events says the show Tourism Conference. A “will give your business the sell-out event with 300 impetus it needs going into delegates last year, it brings the new season”.

Information for visitors Where and when? Westpoint Exhibition Centre, Exeter EX5 1DJ; Wednesday 8 - Thursday 9 February, 2017 How do I get there? Westpoint Exhibition Centre is located a mile from M5 Junction 30 on Sidmouth Road. An hourly train

service runs to Exeter from London Waterloo. Exeter Airport is located 3 miles from the city centre. How do I register? Pre-register by visiting www. sourcetradeshow.co.uk or call the ticket hotline on 01934 733433

New Year, New Roastery, Cafe and Production for Ponaire Coffee After 10 years in business, Ponaire has built a new Roastery, Cafe, and Production Facility. They now serve their own coffees in a cafe that overlooks the roasting. Most of their business still comes from wholesale to food service, however, web sales are growing exponentially and with the launch of a new website this month, the e-commerce experience is even easier. Ponaire is not shy of challenges â&#x20AC;&#x201C; while roasting 6 Great Taste Award winning coffees in 2016, they built and moved into their new roastery, and to complete the enhancement, Ponaire has launched their new branding. The new Ponaire look reflects, their 10 years of developing expertise as a Speciality Coffee Roaster. With over 10 Speciality Coffees on offer at any given time, Ponaire provides consistency, quality, variety and full traceabiity of all their coffees.

www.ponaire.ie

info@ponaire.ie +353 (0)61 373 713

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

Adventurous Coffee • Roasted by Hand Coffee Equipment • Barista Training • Retail

Holme Mills, Marsden, Yorkshire www.darkwoodscoffee.co.uk e: damian@darkwoodscoffee.co.uk • t: 01484 843141

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Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

WINNER OF 30 GREAT TASTE AWARDS SINCE 2012

speciality coffee

product update

Bags full of beans

products in brief Besides opening a new roastery in Newport, Co Tipperary, Ponaire has

LYNDA SEARBY ﬁlters through the latest introductions in speciality coffee Coffee Care has translated the traditional tea bag concept into an innovative new product that delivers speciality coffee in a

Retailers on the look-out for gifting ideas should check out Café Saula’s new Taza Sommelier – a set of porcelain sommelier cups dedicated to espresso tasting for coffee professionals and amateur coffee connoisseurs. The sets are available to the UK trade exclusively from Brera Coffee. Wholesale price is £47.99; RRP £69.99. www.breracoffee.com

fuss-free, convenient format. Inside each coffee bag is an individual portion of Coffee Care’s Three Peaks blend – 100% arabica coffee from Central and South America and Kenya. The bags launch this month in packs of either 15 or 30, with respective RRPs of £4.35 and £8.20. O Sea Island Coffee claims to have become the ﬁrst roaster in Europe to offer Hacienda La Esmeralda Grand Reserve from

Panama – renowned as the ﬁnest Geisha in the world. RRP is £45 for 125g. The London based coffee merchant has also added nine different varietals from Coffea Diversa in Costa Rica and extended its Hawaiian

and Jamaican coffee collections. O Last January, Tanith Wesson and husband Richard went from being customers of Cherizena to owners of the Leicestershire coffee company. Since taking over the business, the duo has launched a new Belvoir

blend – a slightly-lighterthan-Italian roast that it hopes will appeal to a broad spectrum of coffee drinkers – and plans to add more ﬂavours in 2017. O Caffe del Bar is a new venture whose mission is to track down the local coffee artisans behind the best bars and cafés of Italy and make them available to UK retailers. Among the “hidden gems” it has unearthed so far are the Putto Due Puttini blend (RRP £8.40 for 500g beans) from Caffè Putto of Turin, the Morandini Biocaffè Fairtrade 100% arabica (RRP £12 for 500g beans) from Caffè Morandini of Brescia and a 100% arabica organic espresso blend from Sicilian coffee institution Angelo Morettino of Palermo (RRP £6.90 for 250g). www.coffeecare.co.uk www.seaislandcoffee.com www.cherizena.co.uk www.caffedelbar.com

rebranded its bags of organic, micro-lot coffee. www.ponaire.ie

Northern newcomer Luckie Beans has treated its 250g resealable coffee bags to a new look. The BerwickuponTweed roastery produces single origin coffees as well as its ﬂagship ‘Love Lane’ house blend.

www.luckiebeans.co.uk

Following a coffee range overhaul last year, West Country producer Miles Tea & Coffee has relaunched its After Dinner blend as Rich & Reviving in new packaging that reﬂects the “burst” of fresh coffee inside. RRP £3.69 for 227g.

www.djmiles.co.uk

Bruce and Luke’s has secured distribution

Pods present latent growth opportunity It is estimated that over a third of households now have a coffee capsule machine at home, yet capsules rarely occupy the same proportion of shelf space in independent retailers, making this an untapped opportunity. And with new offerings appearing all the time, the choice of coffee capsule brands is no longer limited to the likes of Nespresso, Tassimo and Dolce Gusto.

Italian espresso label Pellini is hoping to woo UK retailers with a range of capsules that takes in a Supremo arabica/robusta blend, a Magniﬁco 100% arabica and organic and decaf varieties. These are available from Gustalia and have a starting RRP of £3.80 for 10 pods. Roaster Pelican Rouge is making its foray into this space with a coffee capsule range. The 100% arabica, arabica/robusta

blend and decaf 100% arabica capsules are available via Cotswold Fayre. RRP £3.29. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, French-owned Les Vergers Du Mékong is buying arabica beans direct from the villagers of Ta Lai for a coffee it has introduced in capsule format under the Folliet label. www.gustalia.com www.pelicanrouge.com www.vergersmekong.com

for its handcrafted coffee in the north of England and south of Scotland via Pioneer Foods, and won retail listings with Low Sizergh Barn and Cranston’s. www.bruceandlukes.com

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

SLOW ROASTED ARTISAN COFFEE

åűųå ÏŅýåå ĬŅƴĜĹč ŞåŅŞĬåØ ųŅ±ŸƋĜĹč ĜĹ ± ÏŅýåå ĬŅƴĜĹč ƵŅųĬÚú Slow roasted to perfection ¥Ņƚ Ï±ĹűƋ ųƚŸĘ ± čŅŅÚ ÏƚŞ Ņü ÏŅýåå ŸŅ ƵĘåĹ ĜƋ ÏŅĵåŸ ƋŅ ųŅ±ŸƋĜĹč Ƶå ĬĜĩå ƋŅ Ƌ±ĩå Ņƚų ƋĜĵåţ ŸĜĹč Ƌų±ÚĜƋĜŅĹ±Ĭ ĵåƋĘŅÚŸ Ƶå ŸĬŅƵ ųŅ±ŸƋ Ņƚų ÏŅýåå ƋŅ åĹŸƚųå ±ĬĬ ƋĘå ±ųŅĵ±Ÿ ±ĹÚ ĜĹƋųĜÏ±Ƌå ā±ƴŅƚųŸ ±ųå åĹÏ±ŞŸƚĬ±ƋåÚ ĜĹ åƴåųƼ ŸĜĹčĬå Æå±Ĺţ Ƽ ĩååŞĜĹč Æ±ƋÏĘåŸ Ÿĵ±ĬĬ Ƶå Ï±Ĺ ĩååŞ ƋĘå ŧƚ±ĬĜƋƼ ĘĜčĘ ųŅ±ŸƋ ±üƋåų ųŅ±ŸƋţ ƚƋ ÚŅĹűƋ Ƌ±ĩå Ņƚų ƵŅųÚ üŅų ĜƋØ Ƶå Ę±ƴå ÆååĹ ŸƚŞŞĬƼĜĹč Ÿ±ƋĜŸĀåÚ ÏƚŸƋŅĵåųŸ üŅų Ņƴåų ƐĂ Ƽå±ųŸţ

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Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

speciality coffee

product update

products in brief

Grumpy Mule roasting to order Guatemala Santa Paula Natural and ‘San Francisco’ are the two latest single origin additions to Grumpy Mule’s Roast to Order limited edition guest coffee menu. Despite being grown on the same estate in north-central Guatemala, different coffee plant varieties and post-harvest processing mean the

two coffees offer radically different taste profiles. The Natural coffee exhibits flavours reminiscent of Turkish delight, milk chocolate and sweet floral aromatics, while the San Francisco varietal offers sweet, crisp notes of honey, pear and lychee. In return for having a UK ‘exclusive’ on the coffees, Grumpy Mule has pledged to support the local school

with an annual donation based on retail sales. Both coffees are available to retailers and cafés in 227g or 500g Kraft bags. The Yorkshire-based roastery was recently named the winner of the coffee category in FFD’s annual Best Brands survey for the fourth year in a row.

Revolver, the Wolverhampton-based coffee co-operative, is bringing to market the ﬁrst 100% biodegradable coffee capsules. Made from corn starch, the Nespressocompatible capsules break down within six months in a

beans. Like all traditional Turkish blends, the coffee is ﬁnely ground for serving unﬁltered. RRP from £6 for 250g. O Kevin and Joanna Burrows have brought learnings from the coffee culture Down Under to Shropshire. Iron&Fire is a microroastery with a focus on ethically sourced, single origin beans from across the globe.

While much of the Burrows’ time is spent training staff at delis and coffee shops and ﬁne-tuning their coffee machines, the business also supplies 100g, 220g and 500g bags of handroasted beans for retail. Nicaraguan Cerro de Jesus and Brazilian Santa Rosalia are two of its most popular single origin offerings. O Swedish coffee brand Johan & Nyström is now available to outlets in Scotland via Gourmet Selection. The Stockholm roaster

home composting bin. The capsules contain Fairtrade arabica coffee and come in tins of 20 (RRP £5.99). The cooperative is also introducing its ﬁrst decaf coffee – a Colombian Swiss Water processed Fairtrade arabica (RRP £6.99 for 227g). O Aromatic Turkish coffee could be set to make a return to the UK following two new introductions from Özerlat – Cyprus’ oldest coffee roasting family. Mozaik is inspired by the taste of Italian espresso, while Heritage is a classic Turkish coffee blend, crafted from Brazilian arabica

Devon micro-roastery Seaglass Coffee has revamped its packaging and is marketing its ﬁrst

www.grumpymule.co.uk

has already been taken on by Peter’s Yard’s Swedishstyle bakeries and Martin Wishart’s Michelinstarred restaurants. It offers a range of single estate coffees in 250g bags for retail. Another Swedish export now available from Gourmet Selection is Oatly Barista Edition – a dairy-free milk alternative for making foams and lattes. www.revolverworld.com www.ozerlat.com www.ironandﬁre.co.uk www.gourmetselection.co.uk

blends – an espresso and a ﬁlter blend – alongside its existing single origin coffees. RRP £5-6.50 for 250g. www.seaglasscoffee.com

Caffe Society says its new ecologically produced Orang Utan Friendly arabica is one of the most popular micro-lot coffees it has ever offered. For every bag sold, the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Project receives a donation. RRP £6.99 for 200g.

www.caffesociety.co.uk

African coffee specialist Tank Coffee is now offering Yirgachefe 1 Konga – a limited edition, single origin coffee from the Kebel Konga mill in southern Ethiopia, roasted to order.

www.tankcoffee.com

Bristol coffee roaster Martin Carwardine & Co has redesigned its labelling to reﬂect a legacy of ﬂame-roasting expertise that stretches back to 1861.

www.lovecoffee.co.uk

Shelton’s Coffee is hoping to “revolutionise” instant coffee with a new ﬂavoured heart format that is pitched as combining “the quality of fresh ground coffee with the convenience of instant preparation”. Made from single origin arabica Colombian coffee at Shelton’s new Leicester production facility, the hearts come in six different ﬂavours: Colombian, mocha, cappuccino, amaretto, vanilla and Irish cream. Wholesale price is £2.80, RRP £4.25. www.sheltonscoffee.co.uk Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

Monday 26 June 10am-4pm Tuesday 27 June 10am-4pm Halls 1 & 2, Yorkshire Event Centre HG2 8QZ

All good things come in small packages

Featuring this year: • Feed the Dragon: producers pitch to big-name food buyers • Cracking Christmas: workshop for retailers wanting to maximise sales • Expert advice & support from the Guild of Fine Food • Great Taste: sample awardwinning food & drink • FineFoodLive! Theatre: demos & tutored tastings

Who should attend: Buyers from delis, farm shops, food halls, garden centres Chefs, pubs, restaurant and hotel owners, café and coffee shops Butchers, bakers, grocers and gift shop owners

Harrogate Fine Food Show combines both first-time and established brands. As a visitor you will meet new producers and taste exciting new products that will have never been seen before at a food trade show. Exhibitors can enjoy meeting new customers from retail and food service sectors, as well as buyers from well-established food halls and farm shops across the UK.

“

There is so much innovation in food and drink across the UK, so the show plays an important role in getting new products in front of buyers.

”

Adrian Boswell, Selfridges & Co

“

We’ve been coming to Harrogate Fine Food Show for many years and that says it all really. We come because it works for our business.

”

Felicity Hall, Bramley and Gage

To exhibit at Harrogate Fine Food Show 2017 contact Sally Coley on 01747 825200 Register for your free visitor ticket at www.gff.co.uk/harrogate Easy access and free parking for both exhibitors and visitors. Under 18s will not be admitted. Students by prior arrangement only.

www.gff.co.uk |

@guildoffinefood | #harrogateffs

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Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

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Naturally delicious preserves and condiments Flavour and innovation in retail and foodservice www.claireshandmade.com 016973 45974 enquiries@claireshandmade.com

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14 - 15 March 2017, Bournemouth

An inspirational trade show for speciality food, drinks, food service, equipment, and business services.

Entry is free for trade buyers. Call 01934 733456 or register online. Stands are selling fast – to enquire 01934 733433. Also organised by Hale Events. www.hale-events.com

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www.hotelcateringretailshow.co.uk 42

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

3 - 4 May 2017 Three Counties, Malvern www.thefoodanddrinktradeshow.co.uk

profile

Hitting the ground running This year has already seen Somerset-based Diverse Fine Food unveil a radical rebrand and move into a bigger warehouse as it copes with demand both in its native West Country and across the UK. MICHAEL LANE talks to the distributor’s founders about rapid growth, shunning exclusivity and how they mix business with their passion for ﬁtness.

Founders Mark Wiltshire and Nicki Stewart have already relocated and unveiled bold new branding (below) in 2017

ounding the roads on foot seems a strange way to start a fine food distribution company but that’s exactly how Somersetbased Diverse Fine Food began. Admittedly, Nicki Stewart and husband Mark Wiltshire weren’t couriering goods by Shanks’s pony but they were out running when the idea of entering the wholesale market first came up. Fast forward three-and-a-half years and those training runs double up as “board meetings” for the endurance-mad pair. While a marathon or an Ironman triathlon might require it, they’re not exactly pacing themselves when it comes to business. Diverse’s latest sales figures are up 160% year-on-year and it has just relocated to a 12,000 sq ft warehouse in Bridgwater near the M5 – its third premises since launching from a small unit nearby in June 2013. It supplies independent retailers nationwide, not just in its native West Country, and even exports to Europe and Asia. Its catalogue has grown from a modest selection of 25 start-up

brands into a line-up of 1,500 products from some 200 different producers, 50 of which are new for the 2017 edition. This month also sees Diverse unveil new branding, which will appear across the catalogue and website. It will also be emblazoned across the new lycra kit that Stewart and Wiltshire will be donning to take on a mammoth series of 40 events as ‘Team D’ for charity over the course of 2017 (see box on p45). Hiring food branding and marketing consultancy The Collaborators to replace the previous self-designed logo was a

big step, Stewart tells FFD, but it is proof that Diverse has graduated from being a small start-up to a fast-growing company. “There are no similarities between this and the old logo,” she says. “We’ve been quite bold with it but we’re conﬁdent.” The design, which incorporates a large illustrated D made up of products from the Diverse catalogue, is certainly a departure from its old look and different from the traditional branding sported by other wholesalers working in the sector. “We wanted to bring some of the products that we work with

into our logo and it’s going to be modular as well so we could use it for Christmas with Christmas products in it,” says Wiltshire. “The constant will always be the D but the products within it may change.” Stewart adds: “Hopefully we’ll get to the point where we can drop ‘Diverse’ because people will just recognise the D.” The black and white colour scheme has been introduced to let Diverse’s colourful portfolio stand out. “It’s trying to emphasise that we’re in the background, here to do the distribution side, and the focus is on the brands that we work with,” says Wiltshire. After all, the brands are ultimately what convinced the husband-and-wife team – debating it during several runs, of course – that moving from Stewart’s hamper business into wholesaling was a good plan. Stewart had been buying her products direct because she wanted something different from the usual wholesalers’ fare and the hamper company (also called Diverse) was increasingly becoming a vehicle for small, artisan brands. But they needed a route to retail. “We were very lucky when we came into the market with a lot of small producers popping up,” says Wiltshire, who left his corporate job to work at Diverse full-time. “And not just in the way they have in the last 20 years – very twee, very ‘farmer’s market’ products. Now they are very professional products, fully-formed, ready to go to market, and have great packaging and a good story behind them.” These kinds of brands are still being added to the broad church that is Diverse’s catalogue, which covers a variety of ambient lines, from chocolate and crisps through to craft beer and spirits. That said, not everything in the book is an unknown quantity. As Diverse has grown, some of the more prominent speciality brands have joined the roster – such as Belvoir, FeverTree tonic water and Artisan Biscuits. “We needed to move into the realms of becoming retailers’

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

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www.gff.co.uk | 44

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

@guildofﬁnefood

profile

Diverse Fine Food’s catalogue spans a wealth of ambient goods from drinks and snacks through to condiments and ingredients

number one supplier,” says Stewart. “So if we stuck by only having smaller artisan products, we were looking at alienating people that wanted to go to us as their first supplier.” Regardless of reputation, every product faces a “stringent” tasting process and it must have top notch packaging. The third and final selection criterion is attitude. Producers need to be willing to work in partnership with Diverse, rather than just handing over the goods and leaving them to it. But it’s a two-way street. For instance, Wiltshire and Stewart are happy to put producers directly in contact with retailers, despite the commercial risk, so they can arrange sampling sessions or discuss merchandising options. They also think it’s imperative for distributors to advise and guide start-ups, hence their involvement as mentors for South West startup programme The Seed Fund, alongside industry stalwarts like Tracklements’ Guy Tullberg and Olives Et Al’s Giles Henschel. Having advised Somersetbased raw chocolate specialist and eventual Seed Fund prize-winner Adam’s Raw Chocolate on its pricing model and margin, Diverse has now welcomed the company into its catalogue. Adam’s and its all-natural spin on an established category are also a good example for the kind of ‘different’ product Diverse is looking for. Another recent listing that fits the company’s modus operandi is FitBeer, a professionally branded alcohol-free drink with the hoppiness of a craft beer. And, despite investing the time in small suppliers, Stewart and Wiltshire are not covetous about their line-up. In fact, they are unequivocal when asked about producers using other distributors to get to market.

“We hear about the ‘exclusive’ rule quite often now,” says Stewart, “And we always say we would not advise producers to go down that route if you’re asked because not one distribution company deals with the whole of the UK’s independent retail sector.” Wiltshire adds it would be “naïve” of Diverse to presume that it could offer a producer all the volume it would ever need but it is wary of brands who are looking to use the independent retailers as a stepping stone to the multiples. “I think those days are almost gone. If you want to be in the independent sector, create a brand for that. If you want to be in the

supermarket, create a product for them. Don’t try and blur the two, because they don’t go very well together.” While delis, farm shops and garden centres are Diverse’s core market, it also supplies product in retail formats to cafés, restaurants and bars as well as hotels. Wiltshire says these avenues are beneﬁcial to both its suppliers and its retail customers. “The producers are getting the brands in people’s hands a lot quicker but it also beneﬁts the retailer because consumers have more awareness. If someone goes to a hotel and has a drink in the mini-bar, they will recognise it when they walk into a shop.”

We hear about the ‘exclusive’ rule quite often now and we would not advise producers to go down that route

Despite expanding into these markets, Diverse does not plan to start selling catering quantities in its catalogue and any move into chilled products is a way off. If anything, it will be dealing with more retailers because, Wiltshire says, Diverse is seeing more shop owners – both large and small – looking to go with a distributor rather than dealing direct with producers. “Buy through us you’ll get it at the same price as direct,” he says. “You get the same support – we will still arrange tastings, things like that – and we also feed back information about where the products are sold to our producers.” Whether it’s on the backs of Team D’s running tops or on the side of a delivery van, it seems a fair bet you’ll be seeing more of Diverse’s new livery in 2017. www.diverseﬁnefood.co.uk

Team D to take on 40 events for charity Even though Nicki Stewart and Mark Wiltshire admit to regularly working 14-hour days, the pair still ﬁnd time to partake in their passion for running and endurance events. This year, they are going to combine the two with Team D and the Silver Challenge, which will see them take on 40 different events over the next 12 months, including the marathons in London and Berlin and several Ironman triathlons in New Zealand. All the while they will be emblazoned in their new branding as the pair, together with assembled suppliers and customers joining Team D, aim to raise £40,000 for wildlife rescue charity Secret World. Wiltshire says the challenge will help a cause close to the couple’s hearts but he also hopes it can raise the proﬁle of Diverse. “We don’t feel we are known well enough,” he says. “We’ve got a lot to offer from a business point

of view, so we want to get our name out there in the trade by doing something stupid.” www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Team-Diverse Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

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product update

equipment & services

Making things better Whether its overhauling packaging, updating labels or improving production processes, there are a host of suppliers out there to help artisan producers. BRIDGET COWAN explores the options. The House of Elrick is the only artisan small batch gin producer that uses fresh, ﬁltered water straight from Loch Ness, and produces

products in brief

With prices ranging from £5-50, WBC’s Prop Shop features oneof-a-kind and vintage items – ideal for use during photoshoots for marketing material – sourced from antique fairs, ﬂea markets and clearance specialists from all over the country.

www.frenchﬂint.com

wbc.co.uk/props

with a possibility of a 3L version. O The PR354 Flexible Low Cost Tray Sealing Package from Packaging Automation helped Whitby Seafoods launch its

new breaded scampi into retail. Using a CPET tray with a ﬁlm lid and a small rotary table machine to automate the packing process, Whitby is able to pack 26 trays of breaded scampi per minute and now has its product stocked in three retailers. The ﬂexible hire scheme offers entry level machines with a sealing tool for one pack format on hire for a Dennys Le Chef Prep range features three aprons that would be as suited to the kitchen as they would front of house. Made from protective heavyweight cotton, all of the designs feature ergonomic slanted pockets and kitchen cloth holders. www.dennys.co.uk

ﬁxed weekly hire rate. O LX500e is the newest desktop colour label printer developed by speciality printer manufacturer Primera Technology, Inc. Its high-yield, tri-colour ink cartridge keeps cost per label low. Fast print speeds and an optional built-in guillotine-style cutter allow users to quickly and easily print and cut their short-run labels. Typical applications include product labels for coffee, wine, bakery, confectionary, meat, cheese and hundreds of other speciality and gourmet foods. LX500e can also be used for private labelling, test marketing, pre-press prooﬁng and retail shelf labelling.

Before Granny Mary’s invested in a Riggs Autopack Depositor for its Original Recipes paté much of the working week was spent hand-ﬁlling pots. The new piece of kit has a deposit range of 3ml-85ml per cycle and is bench-mounted with foot pedal operation. It can be stripped down with no tools and cleaned in under 10 minutes. The new-found ﬂexibility and rapid product changeover has allowed

Although Roger’s Own had won over customers

Granny Mary’s to bring more original recipes to market including smoked turkey and prime beef with gin. O Neville and More has a new range of 40 different plastic (PET) bottles for use during high pressure processing (HPP) treatment of food and beverage products. The non-thermal HPP process pasteurises products but keeps the original fruit or vegetable taste, colour and nutritional properties. The process is useful in the development

with its handmade jams, marmalades and relishes, its labelling needed improving. InkREADible deployed its new hot foil process so the range now has a label that matches the quality of the product. www.inkreadible.com

Pentic has launched waterproof, long-lasting ice cream labels for counter displays. The personalised tickets come in lots of shapes and sizes. Logos, descriptions, and allergen listings can be printed or handwritten on them by the retailer.

just 600 bottles per batch. For this specialist producer Croxsons used the luxurious look and feel of the 700ml Little Pasha bottle, created and produced by Saverglass. The bottle was sprayed in a matt blue ﬁnish and screen printed with silver ink to provide maximum shelf stand-out. Croxsons are working on a miniature 50ml and a 350ml version,

French Flint has moved into a new, bigger showroom and increased its range with a number of lines from the USA, including an extensive Growler (beer jug) range, new models of round mason jars (pictured above) and American ketchup bottles. The new showroom near Tower Bridge, London, isn’t far from the old one but it is outside the congestion charging zone.

www.pentic.com

of natural, organic, preservative-free and functional products, and at the same time it extends product shelf-life. www.croxsons.com www.pal.co.uk www.primeralabel.eu www.riggsautopack.co.uk www.nevilleandmore.com Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

equipment & services

product update

Kurz Foil and a high build varnish. A map of the Salcombe area can be seen on the adhesive side when looked at through the bottle. O Allied Glass Containers worked with bartenders to create Newton, a new collection of premium glass spirit bottles. The lightweight bottles

Amberley Adhesive Labels assisted Bramley & Gage in a recent rebranding of its liqueurs and ﬂagship 6 O’Clock Gin. Dorset-based Amberley has been providing the packaging labels for four years so there was a smooth transition to glass clear PP, which offers a ‘no label’ look on the larger blue glass bottles. The smaller bottles feature a digitally printed match of the iconic blue. Both labels incorporate a hotfoil stamp of the detailed 6 O’Clock brand. www.amberley.net

Divine Deli purchased a Pack Leader ELF-50 table top labelling unit from Advanced Dynamics to cope with increased demand for its dips, infused balsamics, olive oil and cake

clear vision for its labels – a design reﬂecting the copper sheathed sailing vessels built in Salcombe during the 1800s. Label Apeel worked with designers Made Thought to create a label printed on pure cotton paper from Avery Dennison with a copper foil from

decorations. It needed a compact labelling unit for a variety of different-sized jars of food decorations, such as its own-brand sprinkles for cakes, ice cream and cookies. The ELF-50 was suitable because it can be moved around production areas and is easily adjustable for a large range of bottles and jars. O When Salcombe Gin launched in 2016, it had a

maintain a premium look through an elegant profile and raised push which creates on-shelf presence, and with a long neck and slightly waisted body contour the bottles are easy to handle when pouring. Available in 50cl, 70cl, 75cl, 1L and 1.5L sizes, the bottles are to be manufactured in standard, extra white and coloured glass in cork-mouth and 33mm GPI -400 ring finishes. O For artisan cheese producers who wrap by hand and heat-seal using a simple hot plate and cutter, Barrioflex enables them to pack and know that the cheese will not dry out or lose weight, and the film also stops mould growth. Depending on the shelf life of the food, Barrioflex offers three thicknesses of film: 40g 10my, 50g 12.5my and 60g 15my. It will also

products in brief With 48 possible combinations, Oliver Harvey’s ‘apron builder’ allows customers to mix and match apron bases and ties. The ties are detachable and interchangeable, using press stud fastening, and are designed to cross over at the back.

freeze down to –25°C and withstand reheating by microwave. O When an artisan baker approached Farleygreene looking for the solution to safeguarding the quality of its powdered ingredients, the Sievmaster 200-S Artisan

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

NSD International have created a screen ﬁnished look for Mrs Bridges with a touch of copper foiling to remind the consumer of the copper pans used in the production process and give the jams on-shelf impact.

www.nsdinternational.co.uk

Food marketing and PR specialist Polly Robinson helped new brand Hepple Gin to make its digital debut in the crowded craft gin market with a website,

sieve was within budget. The unit can sit on small containers or mixing bowls, and has 3 mesh screens for ﬁne, medium and coarse products. It also strips down for cleaning without the need for tools. www.advanceddynamics.co.uk www.labelapeel.co.uk www.farleygreene.com

Shropshire-based aluminium foil tray manufacturer i2r Packaging Solutions provides a full range of tulip wraps and greaseproof papers to cover numerous bakery applications. One new customer, the artisan culinary brand Flower & White, is using the tulip muffin wraps for its expanding Muffinz range. i2r’s tulip muffin wraps include both stepped and micro sizes and are available in printed sheet and various colour options using FSC accredited paper. www.i2rps.com

www.oliverharvey. co.uk

blogs, social media and newsletters. While the producer focused on distilling, Robinson created a digital communications strategy, managed daily activity on social media and created a new email newsletter and blogs. www.pollyrobinson.co.uk

labelsprint.com is keen to work with smaller clients and has created an instant quotation tool and a linked ‘label builder’ so artisan producers can create label libraries from their own artworks and order in small quantities as needed.

www.labelsprint.com

Tel: 01282 440040 Email: info@riggsautopack.co.uk www.riggsautopack.co.uk

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

A unique range of plastic food packaging Tamper evident and ﬁlm seal ranges injection moulded in PP 25ml to 5000ml size range in round, square, oval and rectangle Available from stock in transparent PP Reliable lead times and service - sensible minimum order size Visit www.innavisions.com or call us for a brochure TEL: 01886 832283

EMAIL: nick.wild@innavisions.com

Tel: 01869 350442 Email: labels@axicon.com Web: www.axiconlabels.co.uk

“Using Axicon means that our labelling costs have been reduced by over 50%, with even better quality labels, and our packaging is now as good as the products themselves. We are delighted, and just as importantly, so are our customers”. Pratap Chahal That Hungry Chef 50

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

show preview

Spanning the globe IFE 2017 is back in the Capital to offer up a global showcase of new products and industry insight

ack for 2017 at London’s ExCeL, the biennial IFE (The International Food & Drink Event) will open its doors next month to offer visitors an array of new products and suppliers from around the globe as well as category insight and briefings on the latest trends. Taking place at the Docklands venue from March 19 until March 22, the event is expected to welcome more than 29,000 visitors from 108 countries. Attendees will be able to peruse the stands of more than 1,350 food and drink suppliers from across the

world, as well as listen to some 35 different industry-leading speakers and watch demos from a host of top chefs. IFE 2017 will showcase a number of innovative products including Fori (stand N1544), which will introduce the UK’s debut all-natural meat protein bar made only from meat, fruit and seeds. KOLD Group (stand N2143) will be sampling its premium cocktails-athome range while Up&Go (stand N1926) will exhibit its breakfast drink packed with as much protein, calcium and fibre as a morning bowl of cereal. New attractions at the show this year include The Ice Café, run in association with the British Frozen Food Federation and Craft Guild of Chefs. IFE will unveil two brand new speaker areas – the Talking Trends stage and the Big Picture theatre. These will run in tandem with other new show highlights including The Staff Canteen Live demo area and the show floor networking hubs. Hosted by Saturday Kitchen wine critic, Jane Parkinson, the Talking Trends stage will see the topic of ‘food as a cure’ discussed, while there will also be a talk on the rise of craft gin and spirits. Meanwhile, the Big Picture theatre, hosted by Andrew D Scott MIH of Victus Consultancy, will tackle the hard-hitting issues facing the industry. The line-up features Dr Rupy Aujla, medical doctor at The Doctor’s Kitchen, who will

discuss the benefit of good nutrition over medication on Sunday March 19. Wednesday March 22 sees Philip Street, managing director, Momentum Recruitment, discuss the picture of the UK food and drink industry. Also new for this year, IFE 2017 has introduced Trend Trails, using simple-to-follow maps highlighting relevant stands to source new and on-trend items in categories such as free-from foods. As well as new products from exhibiting suppliers, innovation will be rewarded at the event by the World Innovation Food

Awards hosted by FoodBev Media. The awards have 24 categories covering a range of foods, as well as packaging, manufacturing, ingredients, waste and sustainability. The winners will be announced during IFE 2017 on the Big Picture theatre on Monday March 20. IFE 2017, organised by Fresh Montgomery, is co-located with Waste-Works, the UK’s only waste & sustainability event for the food industry and food & drink packaging event Pro2Pac. So, between the three events, the entire supply chain is covered under one roof. www.ife.co.uk

Information for visitors Where? ExCeL London, 1 Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London Docklands, E16 1XL When? Sunday March 19 – Wednesday March 22 How do I get there? Situated in Docklands, ExCel London is accessible by public transport via London Underground and the Docklands Light Railway. Take the Jubilee line to Canning Town and change to the Becktonbound DLR, alighting at Custom House, the main station serving ExCel. You can also get there using the Thames Clipper river boat

service to the O2 from all major piers (London Bridge, Greenwich, Canary Wharf, Embankment and Waterloo), crossing the river on The Emirates Air Line cable car. For those travelling to the show by car, follow the signs for Royal Docks, City Airport and ExCel, or punch E16 1DR into your sat nav. There is onsite pay and display parking for around 3,700 cars. The closest airport is London City airport, a 5 minute drive from the venue. How do I register? IFE is a trade-only event. You can register for free at the show’s website (www.ife.co.uk) or pay £25 on the door.

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

From the heart of Brittany PLM PERRIER-CORNET - BEURALIA RCS 478 777 238 - Crédits photos : © Studio Benoit Brun/ Beuralia.

Traditional butter produced in the heart of Brittany, from the ﬁnest local milk and cream.

Champion Butter I.C.A. 2015

C 114255 Douceur De France Salted Butter Roll 12x250g

C 114256 Douceur De France Unsalted Butter Roll 12x250g

Black Bomber voted

Best British Cheese*

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

shelf talk

packs, promotions, people

Divine strengthens name and numbers By MICHAEL LANE

Divine Deli is kicking off 2017 with a host of new lines and brands, as well as a new trading name – Divine Distribution. The wholesaler, which has altered its name for clarity, will now carry infused oils and balsamic vinegars from Italy, relishes made with surplus fruit, chilli sauces from North Wales and South Africanstyle sauces from the north west. Divine’s latest catalogue features ﬁve naturally infused balsamics (caramelised onion, sundried tomato, garlic & ginger, pomegranate & ﬁg and orange & ginger) from The Gift of Oil alongside six of its infused olive oils, including basil, mint and rosemary & garlic varieties. A range of products from London’s Rubies in the Rubble, which makes jams and relishes using produce that would otherwise be discarded, is also joining

the Divine roster. Its London Piccalilli, pink onion & chilli and spicy tomato relishes are all listed as is, the hot and fruity Hot Banana ketchup. For retailers looking to up the heat, Divine has taken on the wares of chilli jam specialist The Dangerous Food Company, based in North Wales. Its creations include Ghost chilli & blueberry, jalapeno chilli & Bramley apple, habanero & mango and Carolina Reaper & pineapple jams, all of which are made in small batches. Meanwhile, Divine has also added Big 5 Sauces. Made in Chester by a South African chef, the range comprises the medium, fruity Cape Malay curry sauce and a Durban curry sauce that is associated with the famous Bunny Chow curries traditionally served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread. There is also Zingy BBQ sauce for steak and roast chilli & garlic paste for marinating meats. www.divinedistribution.co.uk

what's new... Empire Bespoke Foods has added Beanitos bean chips to its catalogue. The American brand’s three high-ﬁbre MSG-free ﬂavours – Simply Pinto, The Original made with black beans and the white bean-based Restaurant Style – come in 100g sharing bags with an RRP of £1.99. www.empirebespokefoods.com

Health conscious drinks brand Pip Organic has released a new range of ﬂavoured waters. Currently available in pomegranate & raspberry and passionfruit & mango, Fruit Quenchers (330ml, RRP £1.79) are 100% organic and contain no added sugar, sweeteners, preservatives, ﬂavourings, or concentrates. www.piporganic.com

Rubies in the Rubble, The Gift of Oil and The Dangerous Food Company have signed up with Divine Distribution

Folkington’s latest drinks put it in mix with craft spirit boom By MICHAEL LANE

Sussex drinks company Folkington’s has launched a range of six premium mixers, speciﬁcally designed to complement craft spirits, in mini-cans. Sold in fridge packs of 8x150ml cans (RRP £4.99), the range includes tonic water and a lighter version with 33% less sugar, both of which are made with Indian quinine and botanical extracts to draw out the ﬂavours in a variety of gin.

It also includes a soda water and a dry ginger ale, made with West African ginger root, to complement dark spirits like whiskey and brandy. Sicilian lemons are used in the bitter lemon and lemonade that complete Folkington’s latest line-up. “We set out to create a range that has perfect symbiosis with the many new craft gins and whiskies that have lately entered the market,” said Folkington’s founder Paul Bendit.

Mug Huggers are all-butter shortbread biscuits that can be hung on the side of a hot drink mug, and their creator Arden Fine Foods has further designs planned for 2017 after their initial launch. They come in display boxes (£16) of 14 individually wrapped biscuits (RRP £1.99 each). www.mug-huggers.co.uk

www.folkingtons.com

Peter’s Yard tracks back on Knäcks Peter’s Yard has relaunched its Knäcks range as crispbread bites, after market research revealed that the packaging and name were too distant from the rest of the company’s branding. The three ﬂavours of crispbread bites – Sea salt, 5 seed and cumin & nigella – come in 105g packs (RRP £2.49).

Giovanni’s Downtown Gelato has introduced two more ﬂavours to its expanding wholesale range. Sicilian pistacchio speciale and salted caramel chocolate brownie peanut butter are both Great Taste one-star winners and come in 2.5, 5 and 6 litre napolis, with prices starting at £5/litre. www.giovannisgelato.co.uk

www.petersyard.com

Looking for suppliers accredited by the Guild of Fine Food? Follow the logo

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

We’re Nowt Poncy® Are you?

These sauces are certiﬁed gluten free. Nowt Poncy® is a FREE FROM Food Award Entrant for 2017 For a 10% discount visit www.nowtponcy.co.uk and enter the code IAMNOWTPONCY2 www.nowtponcy.co.uk | info@nowtponcy.co.uk | 07966 637620

WA L O V O N M Ü H L E N E N Affineur and winner of more World Cheese Awards than Switzerland has mountains COME AND MEET WALO AND SAMPLE HIS CHEESES

At The Fine Cheese Co. Stand N3030 IFE, London (19th-22nd March)

Selection Affineur Walo is exclusively distributed in the UK by The Fine Cheese Co. Walo with Stärnächäs: Supreme Champion Continental International Cheese Awards Nantwich 2016

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

[[[ ½RIGLIIWI GS YO

shelf talk

packs, promotions, people

Kitchen Garden updates branding across range Kitchen Garden has unveiled a new look across its range of sweet and savoury jarred products in conjunction with the launch of a new website. The labelling on its jams, chutneys, marmalades and condiments features pen-and-ink illustrations by Oliver Moinet and a “hand made in the Cotswolds” strapline. The Stroud-based company has switched to slightly smaller jars to reﬂect the fact that the products are viewed as “treats”

chef’s selection FOOD WRITER CLARE HARGREAVES INTERVIEWS TOP BRITISH CHEFS ABOUT THEIR FAVOURITE STORECUPBOARD PRODUCTS

rather than commodity products. Kitchen Garden has also added to its board with the appointment of James Moinet as operations director and James Horwood as commercial director. James Horwood commented: “It is important to keep ahead of the game in the competitive jams and condiment market. We wanted to communicate our core values but also make way for new product innovations.”

Rory Bunting Chef, The Oak, Wigmore, Herefordshire Rory has been head chef at The Oak since 2015. He trained at The Riverside in Aymestrey, then worked at Bedford Lodge in Newmarket and at Old Downton Lodge at Downton on the Rock, Ludlow.

www.kitchengardenpreserves. co.uk

www.theoakwigmore.com

Bennett & Dunn cold pressed rapeseed oil This oil is produced locally, and I discovered it after the farmers, Tracey and Rupert, brought me a sample to try. At that time, I was using butters to finish my meats, but I decided to do taste tests to see how they turned out using rapeseed oil. Bennett & Dunn beat all the others, so now I use it in lots of recipes where before I’d have used butter – such as my caramelised apple & damson Bakewell tart. I love the oil’s hazelnutty flavour and deep rich yellow colour. And unlike other oils, it doesn’t have a lipid finish on the tongue. www.bennettanddunn.co.uk

Hobson’s Green Hop bottled beer This is a limited edition, seasonal, beer made with fresh Worcestershire Challenger hops that have been picked just seven miles away from the brewery. The ﬂoral yet spicy hops are used green rather than being dried in a kiln, which produces different ﬂavours. We use it for the base of our sourdough, and we also use it to slow-braise venison and beef. We buy it directly from the brewery. www.hobsons-brewery.co.uk

what’s new... in drinks The Garlic Farm has found a new way to showcase its heat-aged black garlic – in a vodka. Made with premium vodka distilled in England, the 37.5% ABV black spirit offers liquorice and caramel tones “with a gorgeous garlic kick”. It comes in cases of 6x20cl bottles (£66.84), which have an RRP of £19.95 each. www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk

The premium Ombra Di Pantera Prosecco DOCG (RRP £24.99) is now available to retailers in the UK. Described as “dry, fresh and light in the mouth”, the Italian wine is made with Glera grapes grown at a vineyard in San Pietro Di Feletto, which lies just outside Conegliano in the province of Treviso.

Snowdonia Cheese Company’s Black Bomber This cheese is rich and creamy and has great flavour which lingers for a while. When I arrived at The Oak it was on the cheeseboard and the owners introduced me to it. Now we use it in our signature starter of caramelised onion & Snowdonia Black Bomber soufflé. The cheese really holds its own against the other robust flavours in the dish, like wholegrain mustard and caramelised onion purée. We buy the Bomber at The Mousetrap in Ludlow. www.snowdoniacheese.co.uk

Wenlock Edge Farm Shropshire bresaola I came across this bresaola, made from topside Shropshire beef, when I worked at Old Downton Lodge – we often used it on platters at weddings. It has a really lovely ﬂavour, including hints of black pepper and garlic and even a bit of fennel and caraway, all of which are used in the cure. Peter Themans, the farmer-charcutier, had a Swiss grandmother and was brought up on their cured meats – so he now prepares his cures to Swiss recipes. The bresaola is cured for a fortnight then air-dried for around six. It’s sold in his two shops, at local farmer’s markets, and in farm shops and delis. www.wenlockedgefarm.co.uk

Whitley Neill, a sister brand of Liverpool Gin, has developed what it says is a UK ﬁrst – quince gin. The 43% ABV gin (70cl, RRP £26) is made using real quince juice for a sweet ﬂavour. It will also come in 5cl and 20cl bottles.

Lane Cottage Produce Richard and Mandy Sidgwick, who run this market garden in Deerfold, between Ludlow and Presteigne, grow up to 23 different salad leaves in their polytunnels. The great thing is that they grow them without artiﬁcial pesticides and fertilisers. They use only natural fertilisers – muck, seaweed and organic chicken manure – and for pest control they use companion planting and nematodes. They do bags of selected leaves and, when they deliver them to us, they are so fresh they keep for up to two weeks. They grow several types of mustard leaves, which we serve with our starter soufﬂé, with a sorrel and lemon dressing.

www.whitleyneill.com

www.lanecottageproduce.co.uk

www.ombradipantera.com

Looking for suppliers accredited by the Guild of Fine Food? Follow the logo

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

shelf talk

packs, promotions, people

Seggiano oil now called Lunaio

what’s trending NICK BAINES KEEPS YOU UP-TO-DATE WITH THE NEWEST DISHES, FLAVOURS AND INNOVATION IN FOOD AND DRINK Vegetable yoghurts Vegetable yoghurts might sound like the concoction of a cash strapped student, but companies in the US, like Blue Hill, have been putting out a successful range of high-end vegetable-flavoured creations to wide acclaim. With varieties such as carrot, beetroot, tomato and parsnip, the product is being used as a dip and accompaniment rather than a lunchbox staple but, with new outlets tipping this as a big hitter for 2017, it could have potential for UK yogurt producers this year.

BY MICHAEL LANE

A combination of bad weather and bureaucracy has led Italian food specialist Seggiano to change the name of its bestselling eponymous extra virgin olive oil to Lunaio. The new name, which also features on the company’s range of infused oils, is a nickname for local inhabitants – translated roughly as ‘lunatic’ – of the area surrounding its farm in Tuscany. The oil and the bottle designs will remain exactly the same. Seggiano co-founder David Harrison told FFD that the management of the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) for Olivastra Seggianese oil had become “very political” and the approved olive growing area had effectively been halved. His partner Peri Eagleton said that difficult weather and growing conditions meant that some of the best groves were not within the

Burning stuff Thanks to the influence of Argentinian chef Francis Mallmann, restaurants are beginning to purposefully burn ingredients. At Ottolenghi’s Nopi you can find a burnt spring onion dip, while Kitty Fisher’s of Mayfair has become increasingly well-known for a burnt onion butter. There’s a vogue for toasting sourdough to a very blackened appearance, while Mallmann himself is a strong advocate of burning fruit, such as pineapples and oranges, for use in desserts. Authentic regional Chinese Fucshia Dunlop, the British authority on Chinese cuisine, wrote an article for The Telegraph stating that the UK interest in regional Chinese food is rapidly growing – and not just in London. Whether it’s new restaurants specialising in the cuisine of Hunan, Xi’an and Sichuan, to the widespread stocking of niche ingredients like chilli & black bean relish, you can expect to start seeing a lot more than just anglicised Cantonese cookery. Upscale porridge The fascination with alternative grains continues, extending into mainstream porridges at cafés and brunch spots. Rice, bulgur and barley are all being used more abundantly, as are nut milks. At Notting Hill’s OPSO you can find an Earl Grey-infused rice porridge while over at Brighton’s Silo you can grab a bowl made from a blend of untreated oats and quinoa, cooked down in hazelnut milk. Tiki It’s not just the raw tuna dish poke that’s flying the Polynesian foodie flag in 2017, tiki cocktails are also enjoying something of a revival. As well as reinvigorating classic cocktails like The Zombie, high-end bars are beginning to showcase an increasingly diverse range of rums (the base of almost all tiki drinks), which signifies potential in the too. Other tiki essentials retail environment Freshly Ground Sponsor advert 2016 print include curaçao liqueur and orgeat syrup. C

ready.pdf

area so they had decided to free themselves from any further costs and production issues due to the Seggiano name. “We could have continued with the name but the oil would have been at a higher price and in smaller quantities,” she added. Harrison said he was sad to be putting the new label on bottles this year but hoped customers wouldn’t be alienated by the decision. “We’re a beloved brand of UK foodies so I think we’re going to be ok but there’s going to be a lot of communication that needs to take place,” he said, adding that the company had a host of new launches slated for 2017. www.seggiano.com

Salty Dog cracks open new confectionery line Buckinghamshire-based snack brand Salty Dog has released a new line of confectionary called Cheggs. The sugar coated solid chocolate eggs are suitable for vegetarians and available in 30g and 90g packs with RRPs of 50p and £1.20, respectively.

16/08/2016

10:37

Cheggs are available through Chiltern Snacks in good time for food retailers planning their Easter ranges. The chocolate eggs come in shelf-ready packaging while clip-strips are available for the 90g packs. www.chilternsnacks.co.uk www.cheggseggs.com

Belvoir boosts pressé range Soft drinks producer Belvoir Fruit Farms has added a citrus Chardonnay to its sparkling pressé range. Made using Chardonnay grape and citrus juices along with lemon thyme, the new pressé is described as being a refreshing alternative to sparkling wine. Belvoir’s Chardonnay citrus pressé features only natural ingredients and is available in 75cl bottles with an RRP of £2.29. www. belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk

CMY

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

Looking for suppliers accredited by the Guild of Fine Food? Follow the logo

8 x 150ml Indian Tonic Water

NEW

8 x 150ml Indian Tonic Water (Perfectly Light)

A Corker of a crisp! POTATO CRISPS

POPCORN

8 x 150ml Ginger Ale

8 x 150ml Sicilian Lemonade

VEGETABLE CRISPS

At Corkers, we do things differently. We even have our very own potato – the Naturalo potato is only grown on our farm in the rich peaty Cambridgeshire fens. It is the perfect frying potato and its what gives Corkers their unique ﬂavour and crunch. Simply, British Good Taste.

8 x 150ml Club Soda

Call us: 01353 699 000 Email us: info@corkerscrisps.co.uk www.corkerscrisps.co.uk

www.folkingtons.com

8 x 150ml Bitter Lemon

DRIVE your customers to GREAT TASTE food and drink BOOK

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featurING

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At a time of year when sales can be slow, why not introduce your customers to Great Taste award-winning products, many of which you already stock? During February and March 2017 the Guild of Fine Food is giving away free promotional packs to highlight Great Taste products in-store. Pack contains: • Great Taste logo shelf signs • Guide to ‘What do the stars mean’ • Great Taste apron • Great Taste Books listing 2016 winners* • Miniature Great Taste blackboard and stand (including white pen) • Great Taste window sticker • Branded bunting available to order

For your free promotion pack contact claire.powell@gff.co.uk or call 01747 825200 Order while stocks last. Promotion available for independent retailers only. *120 give-away books

gff.co.uk | greattasteawards.co.uk

#greattasteawards

greattasteawards

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

shelf talk

Perfectly Purbeck It’s small, it’s quite seasonal, but when it comes to delivering a warm welcome, Swanage’s award-winning Purbeck Deli can teach bigger stores a thing or two

obert Field’s Dorset Honey, Conker gin from Bournemouth, The Seasonist from Bridport, The Gilded Teapot – they’re in Dorchester…” Between sips of latte, Diana Jones is perusing the shelves alongside us and pointing out just a handful of the many local producers available to her as as owner of Dorset’s award-winning Purbeck Deli. Not that we’re actually in Dorset’s award-winning Purbeck Deli. We’re in Love Cake, a “café, deli and cake emporium” just round the corner from Jones’s shop in the neat little coastal resort of Swanage. As an interview venue, this has two advantages: an espresso machine and a bit of space to sit down with a notebook. At something under 400 sq ft, Purbeck Deli has neither. “We are teeny tiny,” Jones had told me in an email earlier the same day. It turns out that Love Cake,

owned by caterer Emily Strange, is one of several similar local businesses that Purbeck Deli trades with on a regular basis. “They make fabulous cakes here,” Jones tells me, “so if we suddenly ﬁnd we can’t get a cake or a quiche we’ll call them and say, ‘Can you make one?’ And if they run out of cheese, they’ll come to me.” It all sounds very neighbourly, although Jones stresses that it’s also business-like. “Everything is done by invoice or receipt. It’s not an airy-fairy bartering thing. If they need something from me, I’ll invoice them.” I’ve met Jones only 20 minutes earlier, but I’ve immediately warmed to her. In fact, if Swanage had a welcoming committee to greet its many thousands of day-trippers and holiday visitors, you’d want her in the front line. Last time I was here – to visit premium chocolate-maker Chococo

Januar y-Februar y 2017 | Vol.18 Issue 1

Deli of the Month INTERVIEW BY MICK WHITWORTH

– it was the height of summer, the narrow streets were swarming with tourists and parking was murder. This time, in the second week of January, I’ve left the car on an empty seafront, and I’m still 50 yards from my d estination when I hear a female voice hollering “Are you looking for the deli?” We’ve never even spoken – the interview was arranged hastily by email over the weekend, with Jones kindly agreeing to stand in for another deli owner who’s fallen victim to the ﬂu – but she greets me in the street like a long lost friend. We brieﬂy pop our heads into

deli of the month vital statistics Location: 26 Institute Road, Swanage, Dorset Floor space: 400 sq ft Turnover: £100k-£120k Main wholesaler: Hollies Fine Foods, Hawkridge Farmhouse Cheese, Bournemouth Cheeses

must-stocks O Montgomery’s

cheddar

O Conker

Gin O Field Honey O Jurassic Coffee

O Tiptree

‘Old Times’ orange marmalade O Moore’s Dorset Knobs O Homemade mackerel paté O Carla Cherry Daniels’ Dorset apple cake O The Rustique Paté Co coarse Dorset liver paté

Diana Jones and her team create a welcoming atmosphere in a tiny but brightly lit and colourful shop where local food has become the main focus

the shop to say hello to manager Amy Spreadborough – busy in the back room, preparing pastry cases for her next batch of quiches – before heading off out again in search of caffeine. Several locals are given similarly warm hellos as we make our way to Love Cake, including one older man who turns out to be Jones’s dad, on his way to do her banking. “He‘s the rock behind my business,” she tells me, after we’ve sat down. A former ﬁnancial director, he’s the shop’s accountant and visits every day to look after the cash. Jones, as it turns out, is usually at the shop only once or twice a week – and this despite it winning the Best Specialist Retailer title in the 2016 Taste of the West awards. She and husband Dave, a chef, also own Worth Matravers Tea & Supper Room – winner of Best Café/ Tea Room in the same awards in 2015 – and while it’s only three or four miles away, Jones has found trying to run both on a daily basis is just too much of a stretch. After they met, with Dave working restaurant hours and his wife in the deli, they had been “like ships that passed in the night”. They took on the Worth Matravers business so they could work together, but Jones found she was forever driving back and forth

between the two. “It was bit crazy. But then Amy came along, who had worked for me before at the tea room. She has been with me at the deli full-time for a year now, and she’s my right-hand woman.” Jones moved to Swanage with her parents as a child, and remembers visiting Purbeck Deli even then. “It’s been a deli forever,” she says, but by the time she bought the business 10 years ago, it was “very dilapidated, dark and dingy”. Jones had worked in a local language school for many years, and was a nanny before that, all over the world. This might have exposed her to a lot of different cuisines, but she had no professional experience in the food game. “On the day we took over the shop, I remember standing there with my mum, thinking, ‘What have I done?’ I had a lot to learn.” She stripped out many of the deli’s dusty, unloved lines – there was a lot of miscellaneous stuff in cans, she recalls – introduced home-cooked beef, hams and other shop-made ready-to-eat lines, and then steadily took the ambient range

further and further down the ‘local’ route. “Even at the start,” she says, “people really appreciated being able to buy something handmade, rather than manufactured, and I’ve gradually made it more and more local.” Swanage sits on the south east tip of the Isle of Purbeck, the picturesque peninsular between Weymouth and Poole. The area hosts a lively community of small food and drink producers; the wider county of Dorset and the rest of the West Country even more. “I tend to start with Purbeck and work out from there,” Jones says. Visitors to the West Country have a clear expectation of ﬁnding local foods on sale, and she makes it her business to keep her offer refreshed. “My approach is to keep the range moving, looking for new people and new things. I go to the local fairs and markets and make sure I know what’s going on.” Again, day-to-day ordering is delegated to

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On the day I took over the shop I remember standing there with my mum, thinking, ‘What have I done?’ I had a lot to learn. Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

Light up your shelves with these beautiful jars of sunshine NEW Forest Bounty Acacia & Linden Honey launching at IFE - stand N2710

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shelf talk

deli of the month

Shop manager Amy Spreadborough is Diana Jones’ “right-hand woman”, running the store day to day

Amy Spreadborough, especially on fresh foods. Another of the deli’s key local partners here is event caterer Carla Cherry Daniels, who produces a Spanish-style tortilla for the deli every day, helps out with cakes and quiches and also supplies scones to Worth Matravers Tea & Supper Room. There’s a fair bit of inter-trading between deli and tea room. The shop boils hams for the tea rooms; Dave roasts beef for the shop and will also use any short-dated product that Spreadborough can’t make use of in her own baked goods. “We do quite well on ‘zero waste’,” says Jones. “Dave will use

anything we don’t use.” That’s one reason Jones can make a go of one of the smallest shops we’ve featured in this slot. Turnover is only £100,000-£120,000, despite opening seven days a week in summer and six in winter. Even

accountancy degree to know its not paying a fat salary to its owner, her shop manager and a part-timer. “It earns it’s keep,” she says. “It doesn’t make a profit, but it pays a couple of wages and now we have the tea room too they complement each other quite a lot.” She continues: “I’m not a hugely ambitious business woman. And economically, no, it doesn’t really make sense. But I enjoy it.” She has no superstore competition nearby, just a Coop and

Some people come here because they’re lonely. Cheerfulness really is the name of the game. though Jones aims for a fat 70% gross margin across the board (it’s not an “everyday shopping” venue, she stresses) you don’t need an

a Budgens – although the latter does have a local food offer. But Purbeck Deli can still draw people in with products such as sumac and stem ginger that aren’t to be found in smaller multiples. “We have our own cooked meats, we do Montgomery‘s cheddar; we do the West Country bries, and a gorgonzola you might not get in the supermarket.” And they offer one other thing you won’t get in Waitrose: a warm welcome. “Some people come here because they’re lonely,” she says, adding: “Cheerfulness really is the name of the game.”

Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2017

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Vol.18 Issue 1 | Januar y-Februar y 2016