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NEWS Businesses welcome cut to isolation period as industry still hit by absences
By Greg Pitcher
Fine food businesses have welcomed a plan to end COVID-19 isolation rules altogether as sta shortages continue to plague the sector.
Ministers slashed the legal minimum stay-athome stint to just ve full days a er a positive test from Monday 17th January, providing people return two consecutive negative tests.
Leading industry gures welcomed the move but urged the government to consider going further, allowing everyone to go to work even if they do have the virus.
Gabriel David, founder of drinks manufacturer Luscombe, said about one in 15 of his sta were isolating in mid-January and it was common to nd himself and other managers abandoning their own work to ll gaps on the production line.
“We need two specialists milling and pressing the ginger for our ginger beer, so if one is o sick you have to pull a day’s production,” he added. “It has had an impact on ful lment.”
David said the cut in the minimum isolation period was positive but relied on free lateral ow tests remaining available to all businesses until all stay-athome rules were dropped.
“In a couple of weeks, if the data is good, let’s remove isolation,” he added. “If Omicron is weaker, let it infect people and build up immunity so we can get back to normality.”
Emma Macdonald, founder of Devon-based condiment producer The Bay Tree, had one member of sta isolating when FFD spoke to her, and another needing time o because family members had COVID-19. She said the situation had sparked anxiety in the team and increased workloads.
“I have about 18-20 members on my production team and if three or four are knocked out by isolation we can’t run the line,” she said.
Macdonald said the cut to a minimum isolation period of ve days relied on “free, available lateral ow tests” and a longer-term view to “start to ease away from isolation entirely” later this year.
Paul Hargreaves, chief executive at Cotswold Fayre, backed the latest easing of isolation rules, pointing out that the wholesale distributor had nine people isolating on one day in early January.
“We worked a full Saturday, which is very unusual at that time of year, just to catch up from the week,” he said.
“Suppliers are also saying they have problems; if their ratios are the same as ours then they have people o who would be making products.
“Everything is taking at least a week longer to get to us, and that is a big hit in what we can supply retailers with. Our ful lment rates are about 10% below what they should be, which is highly frustrating.”
COVID-19 isolation rules have been disruptive for suppliers
Guild show moves to June
The annual Fine Food Show North trade show will return to Harrogate again in 2022 – but it will now take place on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th June at the Yorkshire Event Centre.
The show’s organisers, the Guild of Fine Food, decided to alter the timing from its previous October slot to maximise the opportunities for both exhibitors and visiting buyers, particularly with Christmas ordering in mind. 2022 DATE
When do sta have to stay at home?
In England, people have to self-isolate immediately from when they receive a positive test result for at least the following five full days.
Once five full days elapse, and two consecutive days of negative lateral flow test results are recorded from day five onwards, isolation can end. After 10 full days isolation can end without a negative test result unless non-cough symptoms remain.
Anyone experiencing one of the trigger symptoms of a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a change in their sense of taste or smell must also start their self-isolation period, which can end when they receive a negative PCR result or fulfil the criteria above.
Anyone told to selfisolate by NHS Test and Trace, most likely because they have not received their full pre-booster allocation of the approved Covid-19 vaccines and have come into close contact with a confirmed case of the virus, also has to isolate.
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland people must self-isolate for at least seven days as soon as trigger symptoms develop or they test positive. Again, consecutive days of negative lateral flow test results are required to release people at this point.
There are extra testing and isolation requirements for travelling across borders and other situations. For full legal requirements see government websites.
gov.uk/coronavirus
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT... MINIMUM ISOLATION PERIODS
EMMA MACDONALD
THE BAY TREE
“If someone has a contagious illness, they have to stay at home. As an employer you take a massive risk if you bring that person in. But the five days with two negative tests is a practical and pragmatic way to manage the situation so those who are well can get back out to work.”
GABRIEL DAVID LUSCOMBE DRINKS
“We know it is unlikely we will have our full contingent at any time. But the cut to five days isolation is positive. Lateral flow tests should be freely available to businesses while they are needed for release from isolation. We don’t want people coming back to work without a negative test.”
PAUL HARGREAVES COTSWOLD FAYRE
“The drop to five full days’ isolation will certainly take the pressure off both our logistics operation and our suppliers’ manufacturing operations. Work from home doesn’t work for production. Now, if someone tests positive in the second half of the week they may only need three working days off.”
NEWS Several independent producers facing losses a er collapse of online retailer
By Greg Pitcher
The collapse of online retailer Farmdrop should act as a warning to independent food producers, commentators have urged.
Farmdrop entered administration shortly before Christmas, leaving many small suppliers with anger and unpaid invoices – while key gures grimly predicted that more businesses could fail.
Accounts led with Companies House show Farmdrop made a pre-tax loss of £11 million in the 12 months to 30 June 2019 yet still raised £7m in loans over the following year – during which it made another £10m loss.
One anonymous industry source told FFD that Farmdrop’s business model of delivering artisan goods to online customers could only be pro table “at enormous scale”.
The timing of the rm’s demise in mid-December told its own story, the source claimed, as “you would only give up on Christmas revenue if you knew it was loss-making”.
They added: “Suppliers need to be aware. There are lots of companies out there that appear heavily funded but are just sharks looking for market share. Only one will survive. Whether by acquisition or lack of investment, these loss-making companies will disappear. You have to mitigate the risk by making sure you get paid.”
Mike Duckworth, founder of Somerset producer Nutcessity, said he had already implemented changes in his own approach despite not losing out nancially from his relationship with Farmdrop.
“I have now put a policy in place where new customers pay invoices up front and I don’t send any orders out until due invoices are paid,” he said. “You need to be quite headstrong. As a small business you don’t have the time or resources to chase payment and escalate it.”
Duckworth added that he feared Farmdrop had been “taking small suppliers’ money and putting it on the roulette wheel” by “gambling” that it would nd the investment needed to keep it viable.
Nicola Simons, founder of Single Variety Co, expressed fury at how her Bristol-based preserves business was treated by Farmdrop.
“We were owed payment of 12 invoices stretching back to July,” she said. “They owed us £2,200. All we received was a general round-robin email the night before they went into administration.”
Single Variety Co was eventually able to recover stock amounting to about half of what it had sold to Farmdrop and not been paid for, according to Simons. Like other creditors, it will now wait to see if it will receive any cash to cover any of its remaining bills.
“It makes me really, really angry,” says Simons.
Ben Terrett (Flickr)
Online retailer Farmdrop collapsed in December
IN BRIEF
Walter Smith Fine Packaging specialist Foods has announced Rawlings and drinks the closure of processing supplier three stores in the Vigo have merged Midlands. The butcher to create a business chain revealed offering end-to-end over Christmas that production to food its Denby Village, & drink brands. The West Bromwich and move allows both firms Coventry shops would to increase capacity, stop trading, leaving it efficiency, and scale. with 11 outlets – many vigoltd.com of which are within rawlingsbristol.co.uk garden centres.
Jeremy Clarkson’s farm Tracklements has shop Diddly Squat hired Ben Hallam has temporarily closed for the role of until March, it has commercial manager, been announced. As which includes FFD went to press, no identifying new market reason has been given opportunities. Hallam for the closure of the joins the Wiltshire-Cotswolds estate. based condiment diddlysquatfarm specialist after 11 years shop.com at dairy firm Yeo Valley.
Johnsons’
Health food retailer Delicatessen, first Planet Organic has opened in Merthyr Tydfil moved into the hot in 1982, is back on the food delivery market high street after being and teamed up with revived by the original high-end service owners’ granddaughter.
Farmdrop exec: rm sought buyer in bid to save business
Farmdrop chief executive Eleanor Herrin said in an email to suppliers shortly before 11pm on Thursday 16th December that the company had tried for 18 months to secure nancing to allow the rm to “continue in our mission to change the food system for the better”.
She added that Farmdrop had decided last summer to try to sell the business “within four to ve months” as nding a home in a larger organisation was “the only viable option to ensure the company’s future”.
Herrin said that despite “deep and meaningful engagement with a number of potential acquirers” this sale process ultimately failed and Farmdrop had decided to cease trading.
“It has been at our core to try to improve outcomes for suppliers, with whom we have enjoyed working in close partnership to delight customers with amazing groceries,” she wrote. “We hope that we have been able to create a positive impact for all of our producers over the years.”
RMT Accountants & Business Advisors was appointed on 17 December. Administrators said suppliers with valid claims had been invited to collect stock that had not been paid for by Farmdrop. It is understood the administrators set a deadline of 21st January for bids for the intangible assets of the failed company.
Waitrose launches recipe box with Mindful Chef
Waitrose has announced it is to partner with recipe box brand Mindful Chef, in a UK supermarket first.
The chain will not be providing the recipe box itself – this will be supplied, as normal, by the meal delivery service – but will instead act as an additional supplier, with a full-size complementary Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients product to be included in the cobranded boxes.
The bulk of the ingredients and the recipes will be provided by Mindful Chef during the 12-week trial period. Each box will also contain a co-branded leaflet with recipe details, information about the Waitrose product and hints and tips for other recipes or ways to use Waitrose products.
Charlotte di Cello, commercial director at Waitrose said: “We know many of our customers are moving to a hybrid way of shopping and eating, with a mix of recipe boxes, in-store and online shopping. We want this collaboration to help spark recipe inspiration for those customers looking to try something new, whilst still maintaining our fundamental values.”
waitrose.com
WINE FRIDGE
Nothing kills productivity like room temperature Prosecco. The office fridge should have everything a serious party needs. Drinks, more drinks and plenty of porky pies. A large enough fridge can also provide refuge for those keen to hide from difficult questions.
SUNGLASSES
It’s important to make the most of the lovely weather in Westminster offices, all the more so when the office is garden based. Sunglasses will not only protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, they can also help disguise that rosé-fuelled hangover the next day.
GUIDE TO POLITICAL PARTIES
SUITCASE
In the UK, it’s generally expected that you BYOB to work parties. However, once the Sauv runs too dry, a wheeled suitcase makes the dash to the supermarket much more efficient. To properly focus on the job at hand, every little helps.
VACUUM CLEANER CLEANER KARAOKE MACHINE
It’s safe to assume accidents will happen, especially if Deborah from accounting gets invited. A cordless vacuum cleaner will allow you to clean up your mess with the one hand, while you keep a steady hold of your Merlot in the other. Sooner or later the mic will be dusted off, and the criminal crooning will begin. While horrible things are done to UB40’s ‘Red Red Wine’, you can make sure your glass of vino is well looked after by partnering it with some Mondovino crackers.
No matter the contents of your cabinet, Mondovino crackers for wine will support your party.
NEWS Omicron and sta shortages fail to ruin Christmas as indies trade well
By Michael Lane
Despite the threat of the Omicron variant and sta ng shortages, independent retailers across the UK seem to have got the Christmas they needed – thanks in part to a late surge in sales.
Several retailers that FFD spoke to in January all reported year-on-year sales increases in their stores, but the lion’s share of them came in the last few days before 25th December.
While none of these retailers experienced the anticipated supply chain issues, most experienced some level of sta ng disruption due to COVID infections and isolation periods.
Bayley & Sage founder Jennie Allen, who has nine stores across West London, told FFD that at one point in December she had 24 members of sta o sick.
“I’m not going to remember sales this Christmas – although they were good – I’m actually going to remember it for thinking ‘How are we going to keep trading?’”
Allen said that sales came very late this year, describing the nal two days before Christmas as “mental”. While caviar was especially popular, Allen said that generally, customers were not too adventurous. “When people are stressed they go for tradition,” she said.
Sales also surged late at Farmer Copleys farm shop in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.
“Early December looked a little quiet then when Christmas nally came we were up on last year. Just,” said co-owner Rob Copley, crediting the return of the site’s café for the rise.
“Between Christmas and New Year, wow, I don’t know where it came from but we got absolutely hammered,” he added, reporting 10% upswing in retail sales on last year’s and a fully booked café.
Clare Jackson of Slate, which has two cheese shops in Su olk, told FFD that she was worried two weeks before Christmas because sales were underperforming, and she was short-sta ed.
However, sales picked up in the last week and trade was up overall. “We felt that people were leaving their shopping late because they didn’t know who was going to be around the table,” she said, adding that her biggest triumph was maintaining the same level of online sales as those during 2020’s locked-down Christmas.
At Indie Füde in Northern Ireland, founder Johnny McDowell said Christmas had exceeded expectations because both the public and corporate customers gained last year had returned. The latter group – because of gi s to sta in lieu of a Christmas party – gave overall sales a little bump.
John Sinclair at Craigies farm shop, near Edinburgh, said he was concerned in the run-up to Christmas about Scotland’s stricter whole household isolation rules a ecting his team numbers, but made it through relatively unscathed.
He said that year-onyear sales were around 5% up. A decent portion of these sales came earlier, with online orders even being placed before December.
Scotland’s Speciality Food Show delayed until end of March
Scotland’s Speciality Food Show has been postponed until 27th-29th March 2022, to mitigate the e ects of new restrictions introduced north of the border before Christmas.
The show was originally due to run 23rd-25th January at Glasgow’s SEC and organiser Springboard Events felt these dates were too close to the proposed 16th January date for reviewing them.
Springboard said it has spoken to a selection of key exhibitors who supported the new plan and the majority are expected to participate as usual.
Show director Mark Saunders said: “As Q1 buying patterns are going to be uncertain we feel a postponement would be helpful to the trade not least in providing a better trading environment but also a much safer one, giving buyers the con dence to attend.”
scotlandstradefairs.com
IGD reveals how new variant impacted Christmas
According to research from IGD, uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant of COVID-19 impacted how and where shoppers bought their food at Christmas.
IGD’s ShopperVista service reported that a large proportion of consumers felt a return to normality for Christmas (56%) but just under a third of shoppers (32%) stated the news of Omicron affected their celebrations and 27% claimed to have avoided making plans at all.
Rhian Thomas, head of shopper insight at IGD, said: “Our pre- and post-Christmas research showed some shoppers approaching the season differently in how they conducted their shopping to ensure they didn’t miss out, from the channels they used to the types of products they bought.”
Just over a third (35%) of shoppers claimed they began shopping earlier this year, while 17% left it until the last minute due to uncertainty over plans.
Of those who claimed that they were directly impacted by the Omicron variant, 44% claimed they shopped online or used click-and-collect services to avoid going into stores.
shoppervista.igd.com
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT... DECEMBER TRADING
JENNIE ALLEN BAYLEY & SAGE
“Actually the biggest challenge was staffing. One week we had 24 off sick, so the biggest challenge was keeping the stores open. I’m not going to remember sales this Christmas – although they were good – I’m actually going to remember it for thinking ‘How are we going to keep trading?’”
ROB COPLEY FARMER COPLEYS
“Early December looked a little quiet, but we were up on last year. Just. Between Christmas and New Year, I don’t know where it came from but we got absolutely hammered. It was almost as if people were saying COVID’s over, we’ve done Christmas, we’re going to enjoy ourselves and go out.”
CLARE JACKSON SLATE
