FFD July 2021

July 2021 Volume 22 Issue 6 gff.co.uk

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Extend your Advent Start preparing for December now with our guide to Christmas retailing

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

CONTENTS 5 NEWS

In truth, you can never be too prepared.

And it feels like it’s time to get back to a more measured approach, after more than a year of reactive retailing.

9 STATE OF THE MARKET REPORT 12 SHOP TALK 17 CHEESEWIRE

By Michael Lane, editor

25 BRITISH CHARCUTERIE AWARDS 29 CUT & DRIED – CHARCUTERIE NEWS 34 GUIDE TO CHRISTMAS 53 FOODSERVICE 55 SHELF TALK 60 DELI OF THE MONTH 67 GUILD TALK

July 2021 Volume 22 Issue 6 gff.co.uk

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Extend your Advent Start preparing for December now with our guide to Christmas retailing

Cover illustration by Mark Windsor

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Tom Dale, assistant editor

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Booja-Booja

Chocolate Salted Caramel Truffles

Okay, I’m aware this isn’t a brand new producer doing something ground-breaking. Booja-Booja has cemented itself as a mainstay of plant-based indulgence with its vegan chocolates and ice creams, since launching in 1999.

EDITORIAL

ADVERTISING

Assistant editor: Tom Dale

Sales director: Sally Coley

Editor: Michael Lane

Art director: Mark Windsor

Contributors: Nick Baines, Patrick McGuigan, Jules Mercer, Rory Moore, Lauren Phillips, Lynda Searby

recycling pile and have a look at it when you’re more ready.

As always, we’ve drawn on the experiences of several sage retailers and retail experts to supplement the wealth of products on show.

When you do get around to reading the feature, you’ll see that even the wisest of shopkeepers will be tweaking their approach based on last year.

In truth, you can never be too prepared. And it feels like it’s time to get back to a more measured approach to selling fine food, after more than a year of reactive retailing.

That said – if half term was anything to go by and with the country locked in for a giant staycation – there might still be another month or two of firefighting to come.

Worryingly, footfall and demand seem to be increasing at a time when our industry is enduring a bit of a labour shortage (as are many

EDITOR’S CHOICE

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I do hope you’re enjoying the sunshine at the moment but I’m resolute about not using it as some kind of metaphor in this column.

As you can see, we’ve been more preoccupied with the colder months of the year here at FFD. Yes, we’ve gone early with Christmas. Earlier than we ever have before. But there’s no such thing as too early when it comes to gearing up for that all-important – and most wonderful –time of the year.

Some retailers I know will have been reviewing their orders for the festive season since February, so I don’t feel too guilty if the magazine has frosted up your sunglasses a little and sent a chill through the stock room.

It’s not meant to be an exercise in shaming or scaring you into action, though. I know there’ll be plenty of you reading this that are not quite onto your plans yet – and that’s ok. Besides, you can always hold this issue back from the

advertise@gff.co.uk

Sales manager: Ruth Debnam

Sales executives: Becky Haskett, Sam Coleman ADDRESS Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB United Kingdom

GENERAL ENQUIRIES

However, today we increasingly need to account for a variety of dietary requirements. So, a product that ticks these boxes while matching up to its animal-based cousin is an obvious winner. And the Norfolk producer’s latest Chocolate Salted Caramel Truffles do just that. Deeply rich and chocolatey with the occasional zing from sea-salt flakes and a good dose of caramel sweetness. Now, who can argue with that?

Read more on page 55.

Tel: +44 (0) 1747 825200

Published by The Guild of Fine Food Ltd gff.co.uk

editorial@gff.co.uk

© The Guild of Fine Food Ltd

Fax: +44 (0) 1747 824065

Printed by: Blackmore, Dorset

other non-food sectors). We’ve covered this in news (page 5) and John Farrand has addressed it in his column (page 67), too.

Working in food is still not seen as a career option by most – rightly and wrongly – so there is definitely more work to be done to make it more of a long-term prospect than a stop-gap.

Thanks to research conducted by our publisher the Guild of Fine Food (full report on page 9), we now have concrete evidence to show the powers that be how much potential the sector has as an employer and economic driver.

The Guild’s ‘state of the market’ survey also quantifies just how well independent retailers and the supply chain have performed despite the challenges of 2020. Hopefully, a bit of that prosperity can continue, coupled with some longer-term planning. Well, maybe after those summer holidays have come and gone.

2021. Reproduction of whole or

part of this magazine without the

publisher’s prior permission is Fine Food Digest is published 11 times a year and is available on subscription for £50 p.a. inclusive of post and packing.

prohibited. The opinions expressed

in articles and advertisements are

not necessarily those of the editor

Turn to page 67 for news from the Guild

or publisher.

Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

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09:36

NEWS

PM urged to act on ‘crippling’ staffing crisis in post-Brexit food & drink industry

By Greg PItcher

Key bodies from across the food supply chain have written to Boris Johnson warning that labour shortages are “crippling” vital areas of the sector.

A letter signed by 40 trade associations urged the prime minister to act on the staffing crisis by relaxing tough post-Brexit immigration rules for workers looking to return to the UK as COVID-19 restrictions are finally eased this summer.

A detailed study by the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence earlier this year estimated that 1.3 million people left the country between summer 2019 and summer 2020 – a period that included the start of coronavirus restrictions and the UK’s exit from the EU. The letter, signed by the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA), the Craft Bakers Association and the Association of Independent

Star ‘sorry’ over farm shop furore Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has issued an apology after hundreds of fans of his new Amazon Prime show Clarkson’s Farm flocked to his Diddly Squat Farm Shop last month, forcing the police to intervene.

The crowds – which grew after news spread that the star was visiting – led to major traffic jams in the area surrounding the farm shop, in the village of Chadlington, near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire.

In a tweet the following day, the 61-year-old said: “People of Chadlington.

“I’m truly sorry about the traffic around our farm shop last weekend.

“We are doing everything we can to improve the situation.”

Food & drink businesses are struggling to recruit staff

Meat Suppliers among others, said those who remained “seem unwilling” to fill vacancies in the sector.

“We ask that all those who have worked in the UK over the last three years are given the freedom to return to work here with less restrictive immigration regulations on a short-term basis,” it added.

British Sandwich and Food to Go Association director Jim Winship,

who organised the letter, told FFD: “It’s a huge issue across the industry. Many of our members can’t get staff; restaurants with full order books have had to close.

“If this isn’t resolved, we will see businesses fail. If you can’t get staff, you can’t produce food and you get inflation and other issues.”

BIRA chief executive Andrew Goodacre said the government “needs to recognise the problem

and put in place some temporary measures”.

He added that as well as relaxing immigration rules for returning workers who left due to the pandemic, ministers should change the apprenticeship programme “so more people can be employed in the food retail and hospitality sectors”.

Kirsty Barden, business development manager at food sector trainee scheme Management Development Services, said companies throughout the food supply chain were struggling to fill both temporary and permanent roles.

Many EU-born workers had returned home during the lockdowns and realised they could have a better standard of life outside the UK, she added.

“Some have found similar work back home on the same pay as they had here. Factories and food processing plants in Eastern Europe are often now the same standard, with similar working conditions and similar pay.”

First Taste of the West 2021 results announced The first phase of Gold, Silver and Commended prizes has been announced in the Taste of the West 2021 product awards.

The judges for the regional food & drink awards scheme – working independently due to COVID restrictions – have awarded 351 Gold, 138 Silver and 59 Commended awards so far in this year’s programme, with around 400 products yet to be judged.

Among the many standout producers with multiple awards already under their belts is Old School House Chutneys & Preserves from Yeovil in Somerset. It won five Golds awards, including two for its marmalade.

The vegan class – now in its second year – has seen several Gold winners, including Tempeh Meades from Bristol, which won Gold with its Tempeh and The Organic Plantmilk Company T/A ReRooted with its range of plant-based milks made in Totnes, Devon.

Products entered in the second phase of judging were sampled and tasted in June, and a further list of results is due to be announced later this month.

Following publication, the highest-scoring Gold award-winning products will be judged again to

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT...

SUMMER LABOUR SHORTAGES EMMA MACDONALD DIRECTOR, THE BAY TREE, DEVON

“We have a problem with our hauliers who cannot find the drivers to deliver stock, so we are not getting the service we should be, and some deliveries are taking twice as long to get to customers and us.

This is due to drivers being laid off last year, I assume, and now they have either got another job or gone back to Europe.”

DAVID RIPPINGTON MANAGER, THYME & TIDES, HAMPSHIRE

“We have struggled to get staff for our kitchen and the front and back of house.

The students have not come and a lot of people have returned to the EU because of the pandemic and Brexit. People are uneasy about starting a new job. They don’t know if they would get furlough rights or sick pay.”

KIRSTY BARDEN MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

determine the top three products in each class.

These top three products are then judged a third time to establish the overall champion product in every category, and the 27 champion products then go on to battle it out for the coveted Supreme Champion Product of 2021. tasteofthewest.co.uk

“We’ve had a massive increase in numbers applying to do graduate traineeships, and in the volume of employers requesting them. Businesses that used to take on one person over a summer are now taking on two or three. We would normally have an intake of 15 trainees every six months, and that will be increased to 26 this October.”

Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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NEWS

CYBER CRIME

Brexit-related admin and cost increases causing Continental organic export issues

By Greg PItcher

British organic food exporters are close to abandoning EU markets after being hit with a wave of administrative burdens, cost hikes and logistical problems since Brexit.

Firms supplying organic products to the continent have spoken out about the difficulties they have faced since the UK fully left the EU at the start of the year.

Six months since the Brexit transition period ended, Soil Association trade relations manager Lee Holdstock said businesses had “run out of patience”.

He added that freight companies and large chain retailers were becoming less inclined to accept organic produce because of the administrative burden and the risk of costly hold-ups or rejections at ports.

“There are [organic food] businesses suggesting that if they get many more problems they will stop exporting to the EU,” he said. “Individual

British organic food exporters are close to abandoning EU markets

businesses have incurred extraordinary costs, and others are worried about incurring such costs. Some businesses will explore other areas; there will be a consolidation of exporting effort.”

Alex Smith, managing director at organic producer Alara Wholefoods, said the export situation since Brexit had been a “nightmare”.

“It has increased costs and lost us customers,” he

Hopes for solution to UK–EU organic teething problems Under the Brexit trade agreement, food certified as organic in Britain can be sold as such in the EU until the end of 2023.

This initially sparked relief from the sector, but it didn’t take long for cracks to appear. “We realised to our horror that, in essence, if a product is not grown or processed in a manner that substantially alters it within the UK then it is not within the scope of the agreement,” Soil Association trade relations manager Lee Holdstock told FFD. Several exceptions or workarounds exist, Holdstock said, but many UK food exporters have been caught out by technical issues within the EU’s much-maligned Trade Control and Expert System New Technology (Traces NT) system. They 6

July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

say certain seemingly valid certification codes can not be selected from a menu.

There has also been inconsistency from EU customs officials about the validity of using the codes that do exist in the system to recertify goods that were imported to the UK before shipping on – and also about what constitutes “substantial alteration”.

“We are arguing to Defra that blending teas is a substantial change so that should come within the trade agreement,” said Holdstock. “We are now discussing ripening – if you ripen a banana is that a substantial change?”

He hopes a way forward can be agreed. “A dialogue group between both sides starts in July and it is hoped they will start solving practical issues.”

said. “We had an organic export going to a customer in France, we didn’t quite get the paperwork right on one ingredient and the whole order was refused by French customs and sent back to the UK. It cost us an extra £3,000 in the end, about 25 per cent of our profit on the shipment.”

Alara has lost regular business in Italy and Portugal this year.

“Also our customers in Finland and Greece are

buying a lot less. If they’re not buying large quantities of a product, it is not worth the hassle.”

Smith said Alara had been forced to shut its UK factory for one day a week after seeing its export revenue halve this year.

“The enormous buoyant organics market in Europe is being extraordinarily curtailed,” he said. “It is hard work to find new markets – we were building our European sales for 25 years and that has been ripped away.”

David Harrison, owner of London-based Peregrine Trading, said the distribution company had found it “impossible” to supply its Seggiano and Lunaio brands into the EU from the UK, and blamed problems with the way UK and EU certification systems interact.

He added: “There is so much understandable illwill towards the UK from our former EU partners that little or no progress is being made.”

DOWN ON THE FARM The Duke pub, in Radstock Bristol, has transformed its former skittle alley and restaurant into a farm shop, pictured right.

Holcombe Farm Shop & Kitchen stocks local produce, has a butcher’s counter supporting local farmers, local gifts and local beers and ciders.

The outside grounds now include a large decked seating area with a children’s play area. It opened its doors in May but is still on the lookout for a shop manager. holcombefarmshop. co.uk/the-duke Herringston Estate’s cattle farming owners always wanted a farm shop, so were delighted by a chance meeting with Tom Van Zyl, who during lockdown, delivered veg

IN BRIEF The newly emerging ‘quick Waltercommerce’ Smith Fine Foods channel – which the delivers has announced food and to closure ofgroceries three stores consumers in less than in the Midlands.

The one hourchain – is currently butcher revealed worth £1.4bn according over Christmas that its to a new reportWest from IGD, Denby Village, the insight and and Coventry analysis Bromwich providers for stop the food shops would trading, and consumer goods leaving it with 11 outlets – industry. many of which are within garden centres.

Sainsbury’s at Shires Retail Park in Leamington Tracklements has Spa nowHallam offering hiredisBen forthe first-ever the role ofCarluccio’s commercial counter. concession manager,The which includes from the popular Italian identifying new market restaurant will offer lines opportunities.

Hallam from pasta to chocolate joins the Wiltshire-based truffles and specialist coffee and condiment after give consumers 11 years at dairythe firm Yeo chance Valley. to recreate its meals at home.

Health food retailer Amazon is opening Planet Organic has its fifth convenience store moved into the hot food in London, where it delivery market and offers customers ‘justteamed up with high-end walk-out’ shopping.

The service Supper, which latest Amazon Fresh will courier a selection is Chalk Farm Road, ofon to-go items and sushi Camden is open from two and Central London seven stores.days a week.

The latest from farm shops across the country

boxes to those in need and wanted to expand into a farm shop, and to start growing produce.

Many months of hard labour and restoring and renovating later, Water Meadow Farm Shop was born, and it opened its doors on 5th June. facebook.com/ watermeadowfarmshop

The Duchess of Rutland’s, long-held ambition to open a farm shop, has been realised.

Belvoir Castle has just launched its first estate farm shop and high-end brasserie at the Engine Yard to showcase local produce from the Lincolnshire estate.

It will have an ethical and sustainable focus, built on a love of excellent food and drink.

The farm shop will source the highest quality, fresh and organic fruits, vegetables and groceries as well as freshly baked artisan bread. engineyardbelvoir.com

In association with

Fabulous Farm Shops fabulousfarmshops.co.uk

THE GUIDE TO GOOD WINE

C AHORS

CHIANTI

RIOJA

Fans of Dante’s Inferno know there’s a special place in Hell reserved for the Cahors commune, makers of a tart and tannic red. Fans of Disco Inferno know there’s a special place in Hull reserved for ‘70s tribute acts, at the Retro Rave Emporium.

Hannibal Lecter once enjoyed a nice Chianti, which is traditionally wrapped in a straw basket known as a ‘fiasco’, with some fava beans and a Census Taker’s liver. You might say this was a bit of a fiasco for the Census Taker too.

Fragrant and silky smooth with a pronounced oak influence. The Rioja region makes so much, a yearly mock battle douses combatants in over 70,000 litres of vino. No victor is declared, but for a winning move, try combining Rioja with Mondovino Moroccan Spice Crackers.

CHÂTE AU NEU FDU - PAPE

MEU RSAU LT

SANCE RRE

Some Meursaults take up to seven years to perfect.

Somersaults can take just as long to master, but shouldn’t be attempted while drinking.

Meursaults are rich and powerful, with notes of stone fruit. Oak barrel-ageing adds hints of vanilla.

Flinty and citrusy with a zippy acidity. The Sancerre region created and perfected this style, though New Zealand makes similar Sauvignon Blanc of an admirable quality. The French consider this a fitting tribute, as imitation is the Sancerrest form of flattery.

ALBARIŇO

VE NETO ROSÉ

PROVE NCE ROSÉ

Fresh and fruity, even though Albariño vines can live to be more than 300 years old. Could drinking this wine reveal the secret to the elixir of youth? An enjoyable experiment, even more so when tried with Mondovino Greek Olive Crackers.

Cryptocurrency emerged 10 years ago, and the popularity of ‘Dogecoin’ has grown steadily. When the Venetian Republic ruled over Veneto, their elected leader, the ‘Doge’, would spend his own Doge coins on regional rosés with floral notes and crisp acidity.

Novelist Émile Zola, who grew up in Provence, famously wrote ‘J’Accuse!’, a polemic against his own government. The rosés of Provence possess crisp minerality and ripe summer fruits. Can they be accused of complementing Mondovino Italian Tomato Crackers?

Yes, guilty!

In 1954, the mayor of this region outlawed all extraterrestrials after a spate of ‘flying cigar’ UFO sightings.

He might have benefited from visiting the sitcom Psychiatrist, Dr. Frasier Crane, whose favourite restaurant, ‘ Le Cigare Volant’, was named after this event.

Indulge in a world of Mediterranean flavours perfectly suited to the world of wine. Greek Olive, Italian Tomato and Moroccan Spice Crackers.

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

ANALYSIS

>>

Counting the benefits

In partnership with a number of food groups, FFD’s publisher the Guild of Fine Food carried out some research to examine the importance of the independent food & drink sector to the economy DESPITE THE NUMEROUS business hurdles caused by COVID-19, it feels like the independent retail sector has cleared most of them and, in the process, it has gained more prominence in the UK. Anecdotally, we’ve been able to form a decent picture of how well the smaller end of food & drink has been performing in the UK. But FFD’s publisher, the Guild of Fine Food, wanted to be able to quantify what small retailers and producers have achieved in the past 15 months and, moreover, it wanted to demonstrate to the Government how vital these businesses have been to the economy.

Now there is some hard data – on display here and the next page – to back up the positive news stories that have been running in FFD and the wider press, after the Guild published the results of a survey carried out with hundreds of small businesses across the country.

Supported by Food from England, Food & Drink Wales and Invest Northern Ireland, the Guild surveyed 127 independent retailers and 214 producers about their experiences of trading between February 2020 and February

2021. The conclusions are obvious. Small food businesses have had a positive impact on regional employment and domestic supply chains, and they have also played a key role in safeguarding specialist food and drink skills.

The Guild of Fine Food is now urging the Government to provide further support for this sector, after it proved itself during the crisis, to help ensure that independent businesses are at the heart of policymaking.

In the context of importers’ and exporters’ post-Brexit struggles, these findings on domestic successes are seen by the Guild as both heartening, and hard political currency. It hopes that the data will give politicians more to think about as trade deals and recovery plans are drafted in Westminster.

“Having stood side-by-side with independent retailers and producers throughout the events of the past year, the results of this survey come as no surprise,” says John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food.

“We know that consumer demand for well-made, local and regional food & drink has helped keep people in jobs, circulate the

Have you established relationships with new suppliers in the UK during this period?

Have you increased orders from existing suppliers between March 2020 and February 2021?

49.1% 43.7%

60.6%

PRODUCER

RETAILER

HIGHER OR EQUAL TO LOWER

HIGHER OR EQUAL TO LOWER

56.3%

39.4%

Do you anticipate your annual sales in 2021 being higher or lower than in 2020?

YES

76.1%

62.5%

What percentage of your suppliers are UK based?

EQ

UAL TO

ER

28.2%

LOWER

W

NO

50.9%

GHER OR

YES

37.5%

HIGHER OR EQUAL TO

HI

71.8%

NO

Were your annual sales in 2020 higher or lower than in 2019?

LO

23.9% 68.1%

27.3% 72.7%

86.9%

PRODUCER HIGHER OR EQUAL TO LOWER

31.9%

RETAILER HIGHER OR EQUAL TO LOWER

13.1%

Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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ANALYSIS Did you employ the same number or more staff in February 2021 vs February 2020?

52.6%

NO

47.4%

YES 48.1%

60%

PRODUCER

RETAILER

YES NO

YES NO

51.9%

40%

Did you create any new job opportunities between March 2020 and February 2021?

46.3%

local pound and avoid the monotony of mass production – and we now have the numbers to back that up. As we find our way following the inevitable backlash of the pandemic and our exit from Europe, these are the businesses that can ensure a diverse, healthy and sustainable future for food and drink across the UK.” While unemployment across the country sharply increased in the 12 months from February 2020, 60% of the retailers surveyed employed more or the same number of staff in February 2021 compared to a year earlier.

Despite repeated hospitality closures, some 48.1% of surveyed producers still managed to maintain levels or hire more staff.

Overall, 46.3% of those surveyed created new job opportunities during the same period. And, looking to the future, 59.2% of respondents to the survey expect to recruit for new roles in the next six months.

In revenue terms, just over half of the businesses surveyed reported higher or equal annual sales in 2020 and that benefit has been passed down through the supply chain.

Respondents reported buying the majority of their goods from UK-based suppliers (72.7% was the average percentage of a business’s British stock), with 62.5% increasing orders from existing suppliers and 71.8% establishing relationships with new suppliers in the UK

NO

53.7%

YES

Do you expect to create new job opportunities in the next 6 months?

By providing further assistance to local retailers as we seek to rebuild the high street on a firmer footing, the government has the opportunity to support local producers in the process.

Rachel Mallows, founding member, Food From England

Does your business require specialist food and drink skills?

YES

59.2%

NO

67.7%

40.8%

53.7%

PRODUCER YES NO

46.3%

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

John Farrand, MD, Guild of Fine Food

during the surveyed period. This impact is only likely to increase as 86.9% of retailers said they anticipated greater or equal annual sales in 2021 and 68.1% of producers also expect an increase in turnover.

John Farrand adds: “Our survey findings serve as a timely reminder that these businesses are the lifeblood of both our local high streets and our food and drink culture, so we’re calling on Government to look at incentives to address the disparity in business rates that has led to the high street seemingly bearing the brunt of the out-oftown supermarket, where the charges are disproportionate, and online sales, where rates don’t exist at all.”

Rachel Mallows, founding member of Food from England and director of Made In Northamptonshire, is supporting the Guild’s call for the Government to do more.

“The results of this survey illustrate what this shift in consumer spending habits means for careers, skills and regional economies. By providing further assistance to local retailers as we seek to rebuild the high street on a firmer footing, the Government has the opportunity to support local producers in the process, ensuring the preservation of the crafts that are integral to our reputation as a food nation.”

If yes, did you employ more or less in February 2021 vs February 2020?

EMPLOYED LESS

YES

29.5%

NO

68.5%

Consumer demand for well-made, local and regional food & drink has helped keep people in jobs, circulate the local pound and avoid the monotony of mass production – and we now have the numbers to back that up.

70.5%

RETAILER YES NO

31.5%

32.3%

EMPLOYED MORE OR SAME NUMBER

THE BEST LO

V

ER

S

GO

DOWN U

D N

R E

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

SHOP TALK IF I’D KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW...

SANDRA MCDOWELL, The Dairy, Gleno, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland

Our new industrial dishwasher broke last week. It will cost over £1,000 to repair and I can’t get the part because of COVID, so at the moment we are having to wash every dish by hand. Some days we have over 300 sittings.

Running the farm shop, butchery and café has given me an appreciation for how hard people in hospitality work. I am very fortunate to have 26 excellent staff who all pitch in. This is partly because they know I would never ask them to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.

When I opened The Dairy in April 2019 with my late husband Robert, we had no experience in this game. I had planned to learn all the jobs, from serving ice cream to making a good latte, but because we were so busy it never happened. I can still stack shelves and clear tables, though.

I tell staff that if something is not good enough to give to their mother or gran, it’s not good enough for a customer.

I think the way we treat our staff and customers and the fact we own our building have been key to surviving the last couple of years. We also own a hardware shop, which has kept us afloat.

That shop, Dairyside Stores, was established more than 60 years ago by Alex and Agnes McDowell. When Robert and I took it over in 1987, our house was in the same building. I would be cooking dinner in the kitchen and people would think it was a coffee shop and walk straight in. The idea for a farm shop came from there.

When we bought the nearby site that would become The Dairy, which dated back to 1914, we wanted to retain the spirit of the original business.

We knocked the old building down and salvaged as much as we could. Old windows were used for dividers, corrugated tin lines the walls, and we even made a seat out of the old conveyor belt.

During our first year, business boomed.

Thankfully, with hindsight, we put everything we made back into the business.

The problem, when COVID hit, was that overheads, such as utility bills, still had to be paid but the café was closed. At one point, we had 20 staff on furlough. Financially, we might as well not have had a second year.

It’s not just COVID we’ve had to contend with.

The price of everything has shot up with Brexit – from napkins to cooking oil. We’ve also had issues recently with short-dated products – presumably because suppliers have a backlog of stock.

We’re still optimistic, though, and plan to start staging themed nights and hosting functions soon.

We haven’t invested all this money into a business for it not to survive.

Interview: Lynda Searby Photography: Rory Moore

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER ANONYMOUS TALES FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER SUMMER HALF TERM has come and gone, and it was like being caught in a riptide. Admittedly, we did wash up with plenty of (contactless) cash in the till but we weren’t ready, we were out of practice and we were short-staffed.

We’re not close to the sea here, although it is solid gold countryside around our little market town. With the UK population trapped and desperate, we have been rammed. I was under-prepared on cheese. The espresso machine was groaning by the second day. And every cake we made was reduced to crumbs within minutes.

Others in the town felt it too. Just up the road, there is a new ice cream shop – sorry, gelato – that for 10 days had queues out the door from 10am to 5.30pm. The service left a lot to be desired – it reminded me of my mother searching for that box of cones she was sure she had some in a cupboard somewhere and reappearing with a box dated 2012 – but they certainly made some money.

So what does it tell us about the coming summer? I think it is going to be awesome. For some reason, I am absurdly optimistic (sorry,

MODEL RETAILING I’ve got a job going.

Fancy swapping the hard hat for an apron?

So what does it tell us about the coming summer? I think it is going to be awesome. global warming) that this is going to be the hottest summer on record, and I am looking forward to the patronage of the sunburnt masses.

I have a theory that the PM is deliberately holding back on letting people out of the UK to force domestic tourists into every nook and cranny of the country while he can. He wants to reinflate Britain’s hospitality sector, and this is one way to do it.

Perhaps he’s not that clever. I’m pretty

SOLVING EVERYDAY SHOPKEEPING DILEMMAS. IN MINIATURE.

Interested in Saturday work?

Even though I’m only 10, I just can’t see any long-term career prospects working in your deli. I’ll stick with coding classes.

Sorry, mate. I don’t think you could provide the same level of job security, health care or pension contributions as my current employer.

certain he’s that devious. Either way, bring it on!

It won’t just be the money, as life-giving as that is. It’s also the hope that honest, profitable toil will put the drudgery of COVID in the rearview mirror. Like a modern-day Hercules diverting rivers to clean the Augean Stables (classical reference, I’m channelling my inner Boris Johnson), let’s aim to wash away 2020 with a tide of Brits missing out on Majorca.

That said, I’m currently short of staff and am struggling but hoping in the next few weeks to ship in some students. The lovely thing about a small town is that word travels fast, and we have a couple of good kids doing A-levels. They can recruit their brothers, sisters, friends and cousins.

Experience tells me a good work ethic is often common across a whole group of friends.

Having lost some of my regular cohort of staff to redundancy, it’s going to create quite a new buzz. My shop culture is going to be destabilised, but I think I am looking forward to it.

So let’s get upbeat, top up the shelves and put bodies in those aprons. Brace yourself for the next wave. It’s going to be the Summer of British Tourist Love.

I’ll pay you double just to stack shelves!

No thanks. My ethical principles don’t align with the food industry.

Also, I’m an alpaca.

FFD says: Hiring and retaining staff – regardless of how good they are – is one of the biggest challenges facing the independent food retail sector. Most potential employees see working at a deli or farm shop as a stop-gap, so retailers have to do more to encourage them to view roles as a longer term opportunity. You may not be able to mitigate for their feelings about food but you can at least put together an employment package that offers some benefits, a degree of stability and some job satisfaction. editorial@gff.co.uk

With kind permission of Geobra Brandstätter Stiftung & Co. KG, Germany. PLAYMOBIL is a registered trademark of Geobra Brandstätter Stiftung & Co. KG, for which also the displayed PLAYMOBIL toy figures are protected.

Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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SHOP TALK

THE DELI DOCTOR Paul Thomas Technical and regulatory advice from the Guild’s deli helpline Q:Does The Deli Retailing Code of Practice supersede the Display Life for Cheese & Meat guidance previously published by the Guild of Fine Food, with regard to reducing shelf life upon opening of a food?

A: Due to its ability to grow under refrigerated conditions, the principal food safety hazard relevant to the shelf life of ready-to-eat foods is Listeria monocytogenes. Other microbiological hazards may be more relevant to manufacturing or the selection of raw materials. Shelf life may also be based upon quality issues including growth of spoilage organisms.

Regulation (EC) 2073/2015 requires that food manufacturers evaluate and assign shelf life based upon the reasonably expected conditions of use and storage. For whole cheeses and cured meats, this would be taken to include portioning of the food. The code states that it is not necessary to automatically reduce shelf life upon cutting into a food as this should reasonably have been foreseen by the manufacturer. Retailers should however ensure

Retailer’s view FLEUR LEWIS,, HEAD OF FOOD AT ACCOUNTANCY FIRM BISHOP FLEMING, EXPLAINS HOW THE NEW PLASTIC TAX WILL WORK Even though it’s unlikely that many independent retailers reading this will be directly liable to pay the incoming Plastic Packaging Tax, plenty of businesses in their supply chains will.

So, it’s important for everyone to understand how this tax will work, especially if it results in costs being passed along the chain.

As proposed in the Finance Bill 2021 and set to take effect from 1st April 2022, the tax will apply to businesses in the UK that manufacture or import more than 10 tonnes of plastic packaging made with less than 30% recycled plastic. This includes importers of packaging which already contains goods, such as plastic bottles filled with drinks. It

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WHAT’S TRENDING NICK BAINES KEEPS YOU UP TO DATE WITH THE NEWEST DISHES, FLAVOURS AND INNOVATIONS IN FOOD & DRINK

The code states that it is not necessary to automatically reduce shelf life upon cutting into a food 1

they have effective prerequisite controls such as cleaning and disinfection and staff hygiene.

While this might appear to contradict the earlier guidance on display life, the two documents are not incompatible. This part of the code relates principally to food safety.

The retailer may still voluntarily reduce shelf life upon opening for quality reasons and in this case the guidance document is a useful reference. The retailer is not obliged to do so however to limit growth of Listeria.

If the food manufacturer states that shelf life must be reduced upon opening then – as a stated “condition of use” upon which the shelf life is based – it must be followed. Where applicable, this would normally appear on a product label or specification if such a condition applies. Otherwise, the stated expiry date provides the relevant information.

Dairy and food safety specialist Paul Thomas runs the Guild’s e-helpline for retailers with technical or regulatory queries.

Send your questions to myguild@gff.co.uk

also applies to mixed material packaging where plastic is the dominant material.

The rate of tax will be £200 per metric tonne of packaging and is designed to encourage greater use of recycled, rather than new, plastic within packaging to direct waste away from landfill or incineration.

The tax is designed to encourage greater use of recycled plastic in packaging

HMRC has issued guidance on getting ready for the tax for those who may be affected so that action can be taken well in advance of this measure coming into force.

Although details are still to be finalised, the main thing to note at this stage is that even businesses that manufacture or import fewer than 10 tonnes will need to register for the tax – regardless of whether you will have to pay any tax.

With this in mind, it’s a good idea for businesses of all sizes to keep records to show that they are below the tax threshold and to check that anything they are buying in has had the tax paid on it already.

To learn more about the tax visit gov.co.uk or bishopfleming.co.uk

2

3

1 Sorghum There’s been a push towards ancient grains in the foodie landscape for some time, with bakers like Chad Robertson carving the way forward with research. However, it’s sorghum that’s recently come to the fore. It’s actually one of the most widely used grains on the planet, despite receiving little love in the UK. The Guardian recently explored sorghum, highlighting its practicalities for gluten-free baking, as well as its uses as a couscous or porridge substitute. Recently published Mother Grains by Roxanna Jullapat also reveals sorghum’s uses in regional Indian flatbreads and a host of African staples.

2 Pet nat While orange wine continues to intrigue consumers, it’s pet nat that’s the current darling of the wine world. Short for pétillant naturel, pet nat is a frothy sparkling wine that’s bottled before the first fermentation has finished – rather than undergoing a dose of sugar and yeast for a second ferment as per Champagne and Prosecco. It’s essentially sparkling natural wine, but typically with a lower alcohol percentage than your usual bottle of fizz.

Expect soft, fruity wines with varying degrees of carbonation. As well as appearing on menus in restaurants like Brat, Brawn and P Franco, you can also find British pet nat from winemakers like Tillingham, which produces a Rosé pet nat offering flavours of “strawberry and peach cobbler”.

3 Hot honey The spicy-sweet combo is nothing new, but the partnership of honey and chillies is garnering a lot of attention right now.

Waitrose earmarked hot honey as a major trend for 2021, citing American producer Mike’s Hot Honey as an instigator. After discovering the combo in Brazil, Mike Kurtz introduced it to the table of the New York pizzeria he was working in. Today, the brand is huge and the flavour combination has been trialled by the UK’s own Pizza Express with great success. Several British honey brands are in on the action while Fortnums has employed it in its Chef’s Honey collection.

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

CHEESEWIRE

news & views from the cheese counter

Competition provides boost to growing UK affinage movement

By Patrick McGuigan

A new contest celebrating the art of affinage has been launched as British cheesemakers invest more in cheese maturation to boost quality and consistency.

The Affineur of the Year competition, launched by Quicke’s and the Academy of Cheese, will see cheesemakers and mongers across the UK maturing truckles of Quicke’s cheddar in different ways to see how flavour and texture are affected.

Three-month-old cheeses have been delivered to Brindisa, Buchanans, Rennet & Rind, Heritage Cheese, Lincolnshire Poacher, Neal’s Yard Dairy, No2 Pound Street and Paxton &

Whitfield, who will mature the cheeses for nine months, before a judging event in February.

“The art of the affineur is perhaps the most underappreciated aspect of artisan cheesemaking,” said Mary Quicke MBE. “We know from experience that the hard work of our farmers and cheesemakers can be elevated or squandered in the maturing rooms.”

The importance of affinage has long been appreciated in Europe, where expert affineurs use time, temperature, humidity and specialist techniques to improve quality. The process has historically been less well understood in the UK, but this is changing.

Neal’s Yard, Cambridge-

Mary Quicke is backing the inaugural Affineur of the Year competition

based Rennet & Rind and Scotland’s IJ Mellis have all invested in specialist maturing rooms in recent years, while cheddar-maker Westcombe built its own cave in 2016 with a cheese robot nicknamed Tina the Turner.

Lincolnshire Poacher invested £500,000 in new wooden shelving and a cheese robot (called Florence the Machine) at its store last year.

“Maturation is something we’ve spent more time on recently,” said co-owner Tim Jones. “It’s part of the evolution of artisan British cheese, which has gone from being a fledgling industry 20 years ago to being much more mature now. Knowledge has grown and people are more experienced.

Wholesalers and makers are realising they can add value and create new products by handling the cheese differently.”

Bath Soft Cheese Co built three temperature- and humidity-controlled ripening rooms last year and has invested almost £30k in a bespoke machine, called Basil the Brush, which can brush thousands of Wyfe of Bath cheeses in a few hours.

“It was laborious to do by hand, so it makes life easier, but it will also help with consistency and quality,” said owner Hugh Padfield.

NEWS IN BRIEF The Westcombe Project, a new 12-part podcast by cheesemonger Sam Wilkin, launches this month. It will follow Somerset cheddar maker Westcombe Dairy as it moves towards a regenerative farming model.

The Royal Bath & West Show has been forced to cancel the British Cheese Awards for the second year running because of “growing concern” that it “would not be able to deliver the standard of awards that the exhibitors, judges and public are used to experiencing”.

Paxton & Whitfield welcomed Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, to its flagship Jermyn Street shop last month. The mayor was visiting businesses in Piccadilly to promote domestic tourism for the area and to urge the government to continue with financial support for businesses beyond the end of June.

The first-ever Ukrainian ProCheese Awards Cheese Festival was held at the Parkovy exhibition centre in Kyiv, on 22nd-23rd May. A host of expert judges deemed Shedevr (which translates as ‘Masterpiece’) from Dooobra Farm to be the winning cheese while Nadiya Frantovska won the Grand Prix of the Cheesemonger competition for the best cheeseboard. Both winners will be at the forthcoming World Cheese Awards, held in November this year. awards.procheese.ua

THREE WAYS WITH...

Witheridge Made with organic cows’ milk by Nettlebed Creamery in Oxfordshire, Witheridge is matured for 6-8 months in hay, which imparts sweet and aromatic notes to the semi-hard, nutty cheese.

White wine The hay for Witheridge comes from a specific meadow on the farm, where a diverse range of grasses is grown, giving the final cheese a grassy, almost chamomile flavour. Aromatic white wines complement these really well. Master of Wine Alistair Cooper, who has worked with Nettlebed on cheese and wine matches, recommends peachy and floral Viogniers or spicy Pinot Gris from Alsace. Soave Classico, made from Garganega grapes, has a distinct almond note that also dovetails nicely with the nutty cheese.

Damsons As well as being herbaceous, Witheridge has sweet and umami notes that are reminiscent of Alpine cheeses.

The sweet tartness of damsons both complements and contrasts with the cheese in a very pleasing way.

The Fine Cheese Co’s Damson Fruit Purée is particularly good, thanks to a fragrant woodsmoke note that picks up on the hay flavours from the rind.

Highmoor Matching a cheese with another cheese might sound strange, but not when it’s in a toastie. Nettlebed has built a cult following for its cheese toasties, served from a converted shipping container near the dairy. Made with white bread from a local bakery, the toasties are filled with a mix of Witheridge and Highmoor – a soft washed-rind cheese also made by the company, which brings “lots of savoury depth,” says Nettlebed owner Rose Grimond.

Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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CHEESEWIRE

news & views from the cheese counter

Laverstoke Park invests £100k in new kit to make halloumi-style cheese

By Patrick McGuigan

Laverstoke Park Farm has invested £100,000 in new equipment for making a new buffalo milk halloumi-style grilling cheese called Buffalomi.

The Hampshire business, which is owned by former Formula 1 driver Jody Scheckter, is best known for making buffalo mozzarella using milk from its 700-strong herd of buffaloes.

The new grilling cheese was launched last month and the company plans to quickly ramp up production using specialist equipment sourced from Cyprus, which can produce 6,000 tonnes of cheese a week.

Buffalomi is made with 90% cows’ milk from a local farm mixed with 10% buffalo milk and has a softer texture and lower salt content than halloumi.

Laverstoke, which is based at a 2,500-acre biodynamic and organic farm near Overton, also makes an organic version of the cheese using cows’ milk sourced from organic co-

CHEESE IN PROFILE with Dovedale What’s the story?

Dovedale is a soft blue cheese made at Hartington Creamery in Derbyshire. The creamery was originally owned by Dairy Crest, which secured Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status for the cheese in 1996.

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

Buffalomi is a new cheese, made with cows’ and buffalo milk, being pitched as a British alternative to halloumi

operative Omsco.

Halloumi won PDO protected status earlier this year, meaning it must be made in Cyprus with at least 51% sheep’s and goats’ milk (cows’ milk can make up the rest). The cheese is also protected in the UK by trademarks registered by the Cypriot government.

Year-on-year sales of halloumi have grown exponentially, according to

Unfortunately, Dairy Crest closed the creamery in 2009 and production of Dovedale ceased. In 2012, The Staffordshire Cheese Company came to the rescue and started making the cheese again. More recently the Hartington Creamery re-opened with new owners and has been making Dovedale in its original home since 2018.

The PDO states that Dovedale cheese must be made within a 50-

market research company Kantar, which said that value sales grew by 20% in the year to 17th May, 2020, and by 26% in the year to 16th May, 2021.

The market is currently worth almost £60m.

“Halloumi is a product that has been growing every year and we can see opportunities for a different kind of British grilling cheese,” said Michal Kolinek, Laverstoke MD.

BEHIND THE COUNTER TIPS OF THE TRADE Ed Bevin, Fleetville Larder, St Albans, Hertfordshire Before COVID struck, the Fleetville Larder was more café than cheese shop, with only 30% of sales coming from retail.

But the situation has been reversed with a big jump in retail sales, which now make up 70% of sales, after the cafe closed because it was too small for people to socially distance.

Owner Ed Bevin has managed to keep foodservice going with clever takeaway options. “The business has been turned on its head, but we’re doing well,” he says.

“Takeaway coffees have been really strong and we’ve built a following for our cheese toasties because we use really good cheese.

The Alpine, for example, is made with raclette, salami and gherkins.”

The shop also rents out Boska raclette machines to customers, along with all the ingredients they need for their own cheese nights. And Bevin has been delivering cheese tasting packs for people to eat at home, or with friends on Zoom, as part of an expanded local delivery service. fleetvillelarder.com

the next 14 hours. This process gives the cheese its soft creamy texture. The cheese is matured in the dairy’s ripening stores for up to 8 weeks, forming a natural thin rind. mile radius of the valley of Dovedale using milk from Derbyshire, Staffordshire or Nottinghamshire.

How is it made?

The cheese is made in small batches, using pasteurised milk and vegetarian rennet.

The curds are transferred into their moulds and turned three times (not pressed), then left to drain overnight before being placed in a brine bath for

Appearance & texture: Dovedale has a creamy soft texture and, at 5 weeks, is mild, lactic and salty. The even distribution of blue veins gives the cheese a distinctive appearance and a more powerful tangy flavour

as it matures beyond 6 weeks.

Variations: 350g baby format Cheesemonger tip: When possible, stock the large whole wheels and cut to order, it’s a good introduction to blue cheeses for customers that are unsure. Upsell with sticky fig relish and Parma ham.

Chef’s recommendation: Dovedale is perfect on any cheeseboard or sharing platter as a milder alternative to Stilton. Serve with a sweet wine or a dark Porter ale.

While the majority of traditional classroom courses are still suspended due to COVID-19, delegates can sign up to Academy of Cheese Level 1 & 2 courses online as self-study eLearning, or interactive virtual classes. To find out more, visit academyofcheese.org

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CHEESEWIRE

news and views from the cheese counter

A lot of cheeses are named after where they are made but we wanted branding that stood out

Catching the eye…and nose Despite only setting up in 2019, Somerset-based Feltham’s Farm and its cheese have grabbed the attention of retailers and consumers

By Patrick McGuigan

THERE’S NO MISTAKING Renegade Monk, and not just because of its pungent aroma.

Made by Feltham’s Farm in Somerset, the soft, organic cheese has found notoriety thanks to its remarkably powerful rind, which cheesemongers politely describe as being “bold”, “assertive” and “not one for the faint-hearted”.

But it also stands out thanks to bright, unconventional steampunk branding, which helps the product almost pogo off the shelf. While many British cheese labels depict cows, hedges and hills, Renegade Monk features a sinister man of the cloth in dark goggles.

Owners Marcus Fergusson and Penny Nagle commissioned cutting-edge graphic designer and dance music label boss Jem Panufnik to come up with the funky design, taking inspiration from old Camembert labels and record sleeve art.

“We both have media backgrounds and know that brand and marketing is incredibly important,” Fergusson tells FFD. “A lot of cheeses in Britain are named after the village where they are made. It’s rural, pastoral and bucolic, but we wanted branding that stood out.”

The couple gave up London careers in music, cinema and corporate communications six years ago to lead the good life with their three young children on a 22-acre smallholding near Templecombe. A one-day course at River Cottage was the catalyst for setting up the cheese business with milk sourced from a nearby organic farm to make Renegade Monk, plus a slightly less pungent sister cheese called Rebel Nun. Production had only just started at a new

£350k dairy, built on the smallholding in 2019, when COVID struck. After a tricky few months, the business has managed to tick over thanks to guaranteed orders from The Fine Cheese Co, plus a listing with Abel & Cole and an increase in direct sales. It also received a boost when Renegade Monk was named Supreme Champion at the inaugural Virtual Cheese Awards in 2020.

Remarkably, Feltham’s repeated the success with its new queso fresco-style cheese, La Fresca Margarita (complete with eye-catching daisy branding), at the same awards this year.

Another positive outcome, says Fergusson, has been a structural shift in the market with a big jump in retailers buying direct via courier or collecting from the farm. “They’re cutting out the middle man and can get to know us, and take that story back to their own customers,” he says.

With the economy picking up again, wholesalers who stopped ordering during lockdown may find the old ways of doing business are no longer fit for purpose, he adds.

“I think that model is slightly broken. Some wholesalers might as well be selling flat-pack furniture. They need to think about their business moving forward because they’re going to find a lot of their customers are now going direct.”

There’s plenty of change on the horizon at Feltham’s too, with new cheeses and an apprentice scheme in the pipeline. Fergusson has been made chairman of the Global Cheese Awards in Frome and has gone full circle by taking over the River Cottage cheesemaking course.

Cheese sales are also taking off again after the ups and downs of the past year with Feltham’s packaging still turning heads, says Fergusson.

“I had to restock a customer recently who had started the day with 10 Monks and 10 Nuns, but had sold out. A lot had been bought by holidaymakers, who hadn’t seen our cheeses before. They saw the branding and kept asking: ‘What is that?’” felthamsfarm.com

CROSS

SECTION

La Fresca Margarita 1

Launched last November in response to uncertainty caused by the coronavirus crisis, La Fresca Margarita is a quick-to-make, short-shelflife cheese. “A lot of cheesemakers developed harder cheeses that they could hold back during lockdown,” says Marcus Fergusson. “But we can make La Fresca to order.”

2 Starter cultures are added to pasteurised cows’ milk which acidifies slowly over 10 hours before animal rennet is added. The curd is drained and moulded and salted on one side. It is turned the next day and salted on the other, before more draining. It is ready on day four with a 2-3 week shelf-life.

3 “Fresca Margarita” means “fresh daisy” in Spanish, and is based on queso fresco – a fresh cheese originating in Spain and eaten in Mexico, where it is crumbled over tacos and enchiladas.

Feltham’s cheese is soft, light and lemony and can be used instead of cream cheese or ricotta in recipes.

Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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AWARD WINNERS

>>

Finding Britain’s best The British Charcuterie Live Awards has returned to highlight some of the best bacon, hams and salumi from the UK. Here’s a round-up of the key results.

CHARCUTIERS FROM SUFFOLK and Yorkshire have been leading the celebrations as producers from across the UK picked up medals at the 2020-21 British Charcuterie Live Awards.

The competition was postponed last year but – thanks to a remote judging process staged at the end of April – it saw Dingley Dell Cured as the Champion of Champions Producer.

A joint venture between Direct Meats and third-generation Suffolk farmers Mark and Paul Hayward of Dingley Dell, the operation won the top award thanks to being the best-performing producer over a minimum of three different classes.

Its coppa-style Albion, Iceni (a Felino-style salami), and smoked, dry-cured bacon all took medals.

“To be recognised for our products will undoubtedly help us to raise awareness of what we are doing on a national level and

hopefully to bring us new business,” said Mark Hayward.

Meanwhile, the Champion of Champions Product was awarded to Wildman Charcuterie for its Longhorn Bresaola [see below].

Based in Malhamdale’s Town End Farm Shop with fifthgeneration butcher Chris Wildman at the helm, the Yorkshire business also picked up a Bronze medal for its Marmaduke Salami.

“It is so important to us to be able to promote the business through the Awards and to seek acclaim for our products,” said Wildman. “Just as important is receiving constructive feedback from the expert judges to continue to improve our range.”

As well as these two awards, there were a number of trophies for specific categories and products deemed Best in Class (see below).

Among the new awards this year were Best British Snacking

HOW THE JUDGING WORKED

Judging for the British Charcuterie Live Awards was carried out blind by small teams of experts – class by class – and each product is assessed for a number of factors including taste, mouthfeel, appearance and presentation.

Led by new head judge Keith Fisher, chief executive of the Institute of Meat, the judging teams were made up of charcuterie experts from the meat, hospitality and retail industries. Among the judges were chefs Adam Handling, Thom Eagle and Jesse Dunford Wood, pictured below.

Buyers Bernadette Lalonde (Harrods), Paul Patterson (The Charcuterie Box) and Michaela Pagano (The Fine Cheese Co) also took part in sessions, as did restaurateurs Roberto Costa (Marcellaio), James Allcock (Pig & Whistle) and Dan Brod from the Beckford Bottle Shop.

Dingley Dell Cured was named Champion of Champions producer

Charcuterie won by Ke Nako’s “Pain in the Hole” Biltong made in Northern Ireland.

The new Best Black Pudding and Best Smoked Product gongs were awarded to Charles Macleod Stornoway Black Pudding and Oak Smoked Streaky Bacon from Wenlock Edge Farm.

All of the products that took major awards had first achieved a Gold (other winners on the next page), while there were also a number of Silver and Bronze medals awarded by judges.

Henrietta Green, founder of

the Awards, said: “Despite the challenges British producers are facing as a result of the pandemic, over 100 producers entered more than 300 products into the nine classes, and our judges were struck by the quality and range of the entries.

“It’s so encouraging to see more and more producers starting to make both British and Continentalstyle charcuterie. It’s becoming a truly vibrant sector of British food production.”

For a full list of award winners, visit britishcharcuterie.live

THE BIG WINNERS Champion of Champions Producer Dingley Dell Cured Champion of Champions Product & Best in Class – Cured, Air-Dried & Ready-to-Eat Whole Muscle Products Longhorn Bresaola, Wildman Charcuterie

Best Traditional or Heritage Product Spiced Loin, SaltPig Curing Company

Best Smoked Product Oak Smoked Streaky Bacon, Wenlock Edge Farm

Best Black Pudding Stornoway Black Pudding, Charles Macleod Best Game Product Green Pepper Venison Salami, Great Glen Charcuterie Best New Product Pork & Fennel Salami, Rare & Pasture Best in Class - Cured & Cooked Whole Muscle Products Cooked Ox Tongue, A E Chambers Best in Class – Cured, Fermented and Air Dried Ready-to-Eat Sausage Products Iceni (Felino-style British Salami), Dingley Dell Cured

Best in Class – Cured & Cooked Sausage Products Nose to Tail Terrine, North by Sudouest Charcuterie

Best in Class – ‘House Made’ Products Smoked Pork Collar with mixed peppercorns, KUBARN

Best in Class – Soft & Spreadable Products Traditional Pork Rillette, Cornish Charcuterie Best in Class – Cured Bacon Oak Smoked Bacon Chop, Uptons of Bassett Best in Class – British Regional Products Faggots, Wenlock Edge Farm

Best in Class – British Snacking Charcuterie “Pain in the Hole” Biltong, Ke Nako Biltong Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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AWARD WINNERS Champion of Champions Producer Dingley Dell Cured

There is usually a story behind an award-winning producer. That of Suffolk’s Dingley Dell Cured can be traced back nearly a decade to the very rawest of charcuterie ingredients – the pigs themselves.

Suffolk farmers Mark and Paul Hayward were already supplying pork to high-end foodservice customers but they decided that they could make their meat even better.

“The more marbling you have, the more intra-muscular fat – those little white lines running through the meat – the better the taste and tenderness,” Mark Hayward tells FFD. “It’s well understood in the beef industry, hence the different Wagyus and price points.

Whereas beef’s marbling can be adjusted through both breeding and feed, only the former option is available to pig farmers. So the Haywards drafted in scientist Caroline Mitchell and set up a breeding program to create bettertasting pork – not exactly the direction that most farming operations have been taking.

“People that produce commercial breeding animals for farmers have been concentrating on speed of growth, efficiency of feed usage – all

the kind of variables that make a farm more costeffective.”

Having started with Durocs, Dingley Dell developed the Suffolk Red, now a registered breed with higher marbling and it continues to work on upping the level of intramuscular fat.

“We knew that if we could improve the level of marbling, it would be beneficial to any cut from that pig.”

So, two years ago the Haywards set up a joint venture with Direct Meats, called Dingley Dell Cured. They imported and installed ageing rooms from Italy and hired charcutier Thomas Hempstead to develop its range.

“What we set out to do was to make charcuterie and keep it simple,” says Hayward. “We didn’t want to be clever with it, we just wanted to produce great things in the way the Italians do.”

The resulting 12-strong range, tweaked for the British palate by Hempstead, includes Iceni – the Felino-style salami that won a Gold in this year’s awards – and Albion, another of this year’s medalwinners that is based on coppa.

Despite being inspired by Continental

Champion of Champions Product Longhorn Bresaola, Wildman Charcuterie To even more casual followers of the British Charcuterie scene, the Wildman name should be familiar. This Longhorn Bresaola is the latest in a long line of successful products, including the original Yorkshire Chorizo, Yorkshire Gin Salami and pancetta. And it follows owner Chris Wildman’s winning formula of combining British native breed animals with Continental styles.

“Bresaola is a classic Italian cured meat and with our passion for the Longhorn breed running through several generations it was an obvious choice,” says Wildman, a fifthgeneration butcher whose operation is based at Town End Farm Shop in Malhamdale, North Yorkshire.

Wildman, who produces the charcuterie range with brother Nigel, uses the oval-shaped silverside for this bresaola. The whole muscle is cured in herbs, spices and red wine before being hung in the ageing chamber for five weeks.

“There’s about a 40% weight loss,” he says, “but it’s worth every ounce.”

Retailers can buy the bresaola in retail-ready packs or as a whole muscle for foodservice. All of the Wildman range is available direct. wildmanbritishcharcuterie.co.uk 26

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products, the whole Dingley Dell range has historically British names. Iceni was an Iron Age tribe, while its lomo is named Gullinbursti (‘Golden Bristles’, which a boar from Norse mythology that resembles Dingley Dell’s own stock) and its version of Milano salami is called Moccus (after the Celtic swine god).

“Why should we name these things after Italy?,” says Hayward. “We’ve produced the pigs in the UK, we’re proud to be British and farm the way we do, connected to the land, so we thought: ‘Let’s put our own stamp on it’.”

Currently, Dingley Dell’s core market is foodservice but Hayward says he and his business partners in the charcuterie operation very much see increasing retail listings as the next goal.

“We mainly want Dingley Dell Pork to keep going into foodservice and charcuterie is much more viable for retail.

“It has phenomenal shelf life and transport is virtually ambient, so for us to supply it nationally is not a problem.”

With whole muscles and salamis, 75g retail packs and 200g catering packs all available, Dingley Dell Cured can cover any deli or farm shop’s requirements.

And, with that all-important marbling on the rise in its pigs, the charcuterie is only going to keep on tasting better. dingleydellcured.co.uk

OTHER GOLD MEDAL WINNERS Beef Carpaccio-Style Bresaola Trealy Farm Chorizo & Bourbon East Coast Cured

Pork, Hazelnut & Cider Salami Lishman’s of Ilkley Sopressata Loxley’s Larder Ltd

Free range Panchetta A E Chambers

Grizzly Adams Downfall Piggery-Smokery George Stafford Black pudding A E Chambers Black pudding Uptons of Bassett

Fennel & Cider Salami Somerset Charcuterie Black Bacon Lishman’s of Ilkley

18-month Air Dried Ham from Hampshire/Duroc pig (Walter Rose & Sons) KUBARN

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

CUT&DRIED

making more of British & Continental charcuterie

New equipment allows Manchester Smokehouse to fully launch smoked salmon pâté

By Michael Lane

Manchester Smokehouse has developed a new pâté from its smoked salmon off-cuts and is now ready to launch it to delis beyond the local area, having refined its process with the help of an equipment supplier.

Owner Richard Hyman, whose only other product is a Great Taste two-star smoked salmon, told FFD that the pâté had taken three years to get to this point because of several challenges, including perfecting the recipe and very limited space for production.

A portable Beldos MiniFill depositor, supplied by Depositor Solutions, proved to be the final piece of the puzzle – allowing Hyman to contain his packing process to a 2ft x 2ft table.

“I’ve actually been planning this since 2018 because, with the production, there are off-cuts that don’t look pretty

enough,” he said. “I’ve got somebody who takes a lot of it but I’ve always been looking at another way of utilising everything that comes from what we produce.”

The pâté comes in 200g plastic tubs (wholesale £2.30, RRP £3.49-£3.99) and has a chilled shelf life of four weeks.

“Somebody described it as having fairy dust in it, but it’s just salmon, cream cheese, a bit of lemon juice, herbs and spices and just a technique,” said Hyman, who mixes each batch in a bowl chopper before portioning it with his Beldos depositor.

The new piece of kit also allows Manchester Smokehouse to supply the product in larger volumes for catering or foodservice.

Depositor Solutions director Gary Bond told FFD that the Beldos Mini-Fill was ideal for small-scale pâté production because of its

small footprint, portability and no need for compressed air.

“This machine comes out of the box and does the job,” he said.

“You don’t need anything else apart from a good user.”

Hyman, whose core product is his Scottish smoked salmon, said that the lockdown had impacted his sales but a combination of foodservice takeaways and new independent retail listings has seen him through, with trade picking up “quite nicely” recently.

He added that he has maintained these retail sales as restrictions have eased and is hoping to add more delis and farm shops to his customer list.

Hyman also said he was working on another new line to add to his offer but that it remained “top secret” for now. themanchestersmokehouse. co.uk

Garage-based Loxley’s Larder taking a greener approach to cured meat

By Tom Dale Tucked away in a garage in rural Nottinghamshire is a one-man-band charcuterie producer who is hoping his example will turn British charcuterie green – and not because of unwelcome mould.

After leaving a long career in aviation, Martin Miller converted the small garage of his country cottage into a three-room, energy-neutral – thanks to solar panels on the roof – curing operation he now calls Loxley’s Larder, after the real name of Robin Hood.

The producer said he prides himself on his local approach to charcuterie making, sourcing high-quality local beef and pork for his cures – cutting down food miles in the process.

Inspired by the food culture he discovered while living in Belgium, Miller spent several years as a hobbyist, honing his craft and reading any book on curing meat he could get his hands on.

Now, one year into trading as Loxley’s Larder,

he has created a nine-strong range – including his latest additions: coppa, picante coppa and Spanish-inspired cecina.

Launching the business in February last year has – naturally– not been without its challenges, said Miller.

“I was just celebrating a successful first farmer’s market when COVID hit,” he said.

His plans to start selling into local pubs and restaurants were scuppered as foodservice was forced to close. But, since then, he has taken the time to refine his recipes and develop some new ones.

Complementing Loxley’s six salamis, Miller has launched his newly developed cured wholemuscle range – coppa, picante coppa and cecina – which all retail at £10 per 100g pre-sliced pack.

Loxley’s has also recently won a Gold Medal in the British Charcuterie Awards (see more coverage from page 25) for its sopressata. loxleyslarder.co.uk

With the help of Depositor Solutions, Manchester Smokehouse owner Richard Hyman is now ready to offer his smoked salmon pâté to a wider customer base

Beal’s Farm shifts to wax paper packs for all orders Mangalitsa charcuterie specialist Beal’s Farm has decided to ditch the classic plastic-heavy retail packaging in favour of a more environmentally friendly wax paper option.

Instead of using the standard foil-backed cardboard and plastic sheets for its packs, the Sussex-based business will now wrap each item in 100% recyclable wax sheets and place them in a vacuum pouch.

The changes will primarily affect the producer’s direct-toconsumer orders from its website, and brings these in line with its method of processing foodservice orders. The company will continue to supply retailers with whole muscles and salamis for slicing to order.

In an email to customers, Beal’s Farm said: “Our priority is always for you to receive your charcuterie in the best possible condition at the best possible price with the least impact on the environment.”

Beal’s Farm’s range includes whole-muscle cuts, like coppa and lomo, as well as air-dried ham, fresh sausages and bacon and a host of salamis – much of it made from its own Mangalitsa pork. bealsfarmcharcuterie.com Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Fentimans

Botanically brewed, exquisitely crafted

First created more than a century ago, Fentimans’ iconic Botanically Brewed Ginger Beer has stood the test of time and continues to be the market leader.

HISTORY In 1905, Thomas Fentiman, an iron puddler from Cleckheaton, was approached by a fellow tradesman for a loan. A deal was struck and a recipe for botanically brewed ginger beer was provided as security. The loan was never repaid so Thomas became the owner of the unique recipe.

Thomas began using the recipe and producing ginger beer which he delivered doorto-door using a horse and cart for transport. His Ginger Beer was stored in stone jars known affectionately as Grey Hens.

FEARLESS Fearless, Thomas’s faithful family dog, was the winner of Crufts obedience class of 1933 and 1934.

Thomas was so proud of her that he not only used her portrait on his bottles, but her image adorned every Fentimans factory and Fearless proudly guards every bottle to this day. The head office, Fearless House, is even named after her.

PRESENT DAY The world has changed a lot in 100 years since Thomas Fentiman founded the business, and the business has had to adapt to meet its demands. Changes in the way people shop have seen door-todoor deliveries make way for selling online and via shops, bars and restaurants. The old stone jars adorned with Fearless have been replaced by Fentimans’ iconic and instantly recognisable glass bottle.

The business is still in the Fentimans family and is owned by the Thomas’s great grandson. It also continues to make its natural beverages using a multi-stage botanical brewing technique. The processes have been updated and the beverages are now carbonated before being filled and pasteurised to extend the products’ shelf life.

However, the one thing that has not changed is the superior quality, craftsmanship and unsurpassed flavour of the full range of drinks.

BOTANICAL BREWING “Botanically Brewed” isn’t a trendy label just used for marketing, it’s the technique of making premium quality drinks, that has been handed from generation to generation of the Fentimans family. In fact, it’s botanical brewing that sets Fentimans apart from other carbonated drinks. It’s the point of difference that underpins the Fentimans brand promise and delivers a rich depth of flavour, silky mouthfeel and luxurious body.

The indulgent and distinctive flavour experience starts with scouring the globe for the finest natural ingredients. A highly experienced team then sets about creating the depth of taste, mouthfeel and texture people expect from a Fentimans drink. To ensure quality and traceability, the business adheres to the simple ethos: “From Botanical To Bottle”.

“Ginger beer is our number one flavour and has been the bedrock of Fentimans’ success for over a century,” says Fentimans

Fentimans & Hollows Alcoholic Ginger Beer.

A deliciously smooth and refreshing alcoholic ginger beer. Inspired

by Thomas Fentimans original recipe, our alcoholic ginger beer is made using all natural ingredients and is certified gluten free. 4% ABV. Available in 500ml bottles.

NEW Pink Ginger, available in 750ml sharing bottles. The fun younger sibling of Fentimans traditional Ginger Beer. It is crafted with a more aromatic ginger root that’s distinctively fresh but still packing the same punch Fentimans are known for. The cloudy pink liquid is the perfect delicate balance of aromatic ginger with subtle orange infusions.

marketing director Andrew Jackson. “However, there is a significant younger audience who reject ginger beer in its traditional format, yet happily consume ginger in shot-style health drinks and pan-Asian cuisine.

“To reach this audience, we have reinvented the ginger-style drink, producing a naturally cloudy liquid with a warm pink hue. The introduction of pink ginger will continue to build our appeal with a younger demographic, who are actively seeking new and interesting drinks.”

The Market Leading Ginger Beer in UK Grocery. “Nielsen data - 52 w/e 24/4/2021” Fentimans Ginger Beer available in 4-Pack 200ml Multi-Packs, 4-Pack 275ml Multi-Packs, 275ml Single Serve and 750ml Sharing Bottles.

For more information, please contact Fentimans on 01434 609847 or email info@fentimans.com

Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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RETAILING GUIDE

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It may seem early in the year but it is a good idea to begin planning for December right now.

We’ve rounded up lots of new products, expert advice and retailer opinion to get you started.

Compiled by Lynda Searby Retailer interviews by Lauren Phillips

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>> Boddington’s Berries has combined its classic orange marmalade with chocolate made by Trenance Chocolate in Cornwall to create Chocolate Orange Marmalade. Two further festive recipes – Christmas Chutney and Cranberry Relish – complete the Cornish producer’s Christmas collection. They are all available in 227g jars via Plough to Plate and Lillie Brothers and are not sold in supermarkets. RRP £4.50. boddingtonsberries.co.uk

Well Drawn Brewing’s flagship OATstanding stout is the star ingredient in its Christmas Pudding, imparting richness and flavour.

Available to pre-order now, the South Wales brewery’s OATstanding pudding is made to a recipe conceived by one of the brewery’s directors, Barney Hibbert, a former chef. It comes in three sizes: 450g, 650g and 1.2kg, with respective RRPs of £11, £15 and £25. welldrawnbrewing.co.uk

Targeting cheese and chilli lovers

The Bay Tree has introduced several new gift packs that can be sold year round. These include the Hot Stuff tube (RRP £8.50), with its genderneutral design and small footprint. Aimed at lovers of heat and cheese, the tube contains Hot Chilli Chutney and Spicy Chilli Crackers that pair with strong cheeses.

Also new is the Saucy Essentials trio of BBQ themed sauces (RRP £12.50). thebaytree.co.uk

Cookie Crumbles has launched a baking kit containing a metal cookie cutter and all the dry ingredients to make and decorate 30 gingerbread men. The mix just requires the addition of golden syrup and butter (or dairy-free substitute for a vegan recipe). RRP £9.50. cookiecrumbles.co.uk

The Nowt Poncy Food Company has added a limited edition Christmas Tree Pasta to its range, which it imports from Apulia in Italy. The vegan-friendly tree shapes are made from 100% durum wheat grown in fields that are not treated with pesticides, and contain extracts of turmeric, spinach, beet and tomato.

Trade price is £2.95 for 400g; RRP £4.50. nowtponcy.co.uk

Tracklements has conceived three new gift packs this Christmas. The Tongue-Tinglingly Hot Trio (RRP £13.95) brings together three chilli-based condiments; the Festive Four (RRP £12.95) showcases seasonal favourites such as Christmas Spice Chutney and Cranberry, Port & Orange Sauce, and The Cheese Collection (RRP £15.95), featuring three chutneys and Caramelised Onion Marmalade, promises to dial up any cheeseboard. tracklements.co.uk

Roly’s Christmas Pudding Fudge contains all the real ingredients that go into a Christmas pudding, from brandy and currants to apples and carrots. It joins the Devon fudge-maker’s other year-round favourites in 200g box format.

RRP £5-5.50; trade price £3.75. rolysfudge.co.uk

Twee has added fresh ginger, cinnamon and a dash of whisky to its Seville orange marmalade recipe for a festive twist. Twee’s Christmas Marmalade just picked up a Bronze award at the Dalemain World Marmalade Awards 2021. RRP £3.75; trade price £3.10. tweelife.co.uk

Displays to amaze The judges in this year’s Farm Retail Awards were blown away by the design and displays at The Farm Stratford. Here, the awardwinning retailer’s visual merchandiser, Kitty Greenwood, gives her tips for a good Christmas display.

NEUTRAL COLOURS At The Farm we tend to work within quite a limited colour palette. For us Christmas colours are quite neutral – we use a lot of white and silver and gold and natural colours. It may sound a little miserable, but I don’t really do colourful Christmas, and if you have a limited colour palette the whole impact is better. Using a neutral palette lends itself to displays that allow you to reuse other things you may have around – egg boxes to display baubles, old baskets or food crates for displays.

FOCUS YOUR DISPLAYS We tend to keep the main decorations concentrated in one area of the shop – we’ve got a large retail area but the same applies to smaller stores as well. We don’t decorate the whole shop to make it easier for ourselves, but also to not overwhelm the customers.

We have a large tree at the front that we decorate with the Christmas lines we’re stocking which is a great way of showing them off, and a large table that always contains the focus of any seasonal themes. Here we have the majority of our festive lines, and bundle products together for gifting – high-end wines with bottle openers, spirits with cocktail shakers.

Keep your festive items concentrated in a smaller area. That’s not to say I don’t decorate the rest of the shop, but we want that impact as soon as you walk through the door. The period you have to sell Christmas stock is really quite small, so you need to maximise the sales potential. Keep the displays limited though – if the area is cluttered it will be hard for your customers to be drawn in – we’ve kept things simple the last couple Christmases and our sales have benefited.

You want that impact as soon as you walk through the door

STICK WITH YOUR ETHOS Most importantly, Christmas – like everything else with visual merchandising – is a personal thing. Everyone chooses their festive visuals to suit their style and their premises, and we do the same. We do what we do because it suits our ethos – even down to the gifts and decorations we were selling which were in keeping with our sustainability focus (handmade bamboo stars and decorations sold really well for us). Everything is kept neutral and sustainable, and we try to buy in things we can use again at other times of the year. Everyone has a different opinion on how to do Christmas but what’s most important is that it’s in keeping with your operation.

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Something Different for C heese Fruit Cake Rich, indulgent and perfect for gifting. www.stagbakeries.co.uk

Bronze Free-Range Turkey

Adlington award-winning turkeys & apple fed free-range cockerels

Smoked Ham

Contact us now for Christmas 2021 prices and availability: 01676 532 681 | sales@adlingtonltd.com | www.adlingtonltd.com 36

July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

christmas

>> For stocking fillers with a social purpose, check out Grace Chocolates, whose products are handmade by women who have been involved with the Scottish criminal justice system.

This year they are making solid chocolate Santa and snowman lollipops, packaged in compostable bags. Available individually (RRP £1.50; trade price £1.05) or in two-packs (RRP £2.50; trade price £1.75). gracechocolates.co.uk

From November, Ruby’s festive fudge flavours will be available to the trade in 125g gift bags at a wholesale price of £2.50 (RRP £4.20) with a minimum order quantity of 24 bags for free delivery. The Christmas Pudding and Brandy & Cranberry fudge bags are pitched as the ideal hamper or stocking filler. Festive fudge gift boxes are also available in several sizes.

Former chef Ruby Williams has been making traditional butter fudge in Worcestershire since 2010. She combines traditional boiling and creaming techniques with simple, “no nonsense” ingredients such as sugar, evaporated milk and “heaps” of Gloucestershire farmhouse butter. rubysfudge.co.uk

Borough Broth Co is urging retailers to stock up on its free range organic chicken and beef broths which it says become particularly popular during the festive season.

Available for the first time this year in larger 1kg packs, Free-Range Organic Chicken Bone Broth and Grass-Fed Organic Beef Broth are billed as the secret ingredient for making rich, flavoursome gravy, without the use of additives. RRP £12.95. boroughbroth.co.uk

Shortbread House has collaborated with Sara Miller London to launch another designer shortbread tin. While the tin looks a little smaller than the others, it still contains 400g of chocolate shortbread – the trays have been removed to reduce the amount of plastic by more than 75%.

It is available via The Cress Company, Cotswold Fayre and Springvale Foods. shortbreadhouse.co.uk

Cocktails you can pop in your mouth

The Slow Vinegar Company has selected three of its seasonal wine vinegars and presented them in gift box format. The Ginger, Sweet Winter Spice, and Orange & Lemon wine vinegars are raw, double fermented and handmade from scratch. They are available to the trade via Artisan Food Club and The Fine Food Angel, priced at £9.25. RRP £15. theslowvinegarcompany. co.uk

Featuring Fig & Mustard Sauce, Red Onion Marmalade and Chutney for Cheese, What A Pickle!’s new 3 x 100g gift pack brings together three of the Ludlow producer’s best-selling cheeseboard accompaniments. what-a-pickle.com

Buckinghamshire chocolatier Teabites says its Yetis “Caught in a Snowstorm” Toffee Snowballs offer a touch of festive “richness, warmth and comfort”. A chewy toffee centre with Madagascan vanilla and French butter is enrobed in white chocolate with a wafer crunch. The Yetis have an RRP of £8.50 for a 45g bag and are available direct from Teabites at a trade price of £6.50. teabites.uk

Following the success of its seasonal decorating kits, Lottie Shaw’s has released a Gingerbread Christmas Decorating Kit. Available via Cress Co, the kit contains three gingerbread Christmas trees, three gingerbread men, two icing pens and a pack of Smarties. RRP £5.95; trade price £3.45. lottieshaws.co.uk

Smith & Sinclair has translated classic cocktail recipes into confectionery format, with the launch of Eat Your Drink alcoholic (max 5% ABV) cocktail gummies. Designed to bring some fun to the adult confectionery space, these vegan-friendly soft pastilles blend fruit, herbs, premium spirits and syrups to emulate the flavour of cocktails such as Mandarin Spritz and Strawberry Daiquiri.

RRP £14.99 for a 140g box containing ten individually wrapped gummies. fineconfectionery.co.uk

Packed with oranges and apples with a hint of ginger, this sweet, tangy Orange Chutney from Matthew’s Preserved is pitched as the perfect accompaniment for those Boxing Day platters of cheese, meat and pies. Trade price £2.40; RRP £4. matthewspreserved.co.uk

Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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Winner of 25 awards at Great Taste

Snowy Flakes

Choi Time, Award Winning Chinese speciality teas that unfurl and blossom in your cup. Hailed as “the Dom Perignon of the tea world” by the Sunday Times Style Magazine.

Jasmine Green Tea Pearls

Phone: 0845 0533269 Email: wholesale@choitime.com Visit: www.choitime.co.uk | Facebook/ChoiTimeTeas

Our award-winning flour is produced from the finest ancient grains which are sustainably grown in the beautiful British countryside.

Our entire range carry the highly sought after Great Taste 2 and 3 star awards, in recognition of outstanding quality and flavour.

Available in 1kg and 20kg bags. Minimum order 2 boxes of 10 × 1 kg bags. No delivery charges.

Call or email today for a trade price list Sustainably farmed

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

Our fresh luxury custard is now available sales@clottonhalldairy.co.uk | www.clottonhalldairy.co.uk

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CHRISTMAS WITH NANA LILY’S

Here at Nana Lily’s we are known for using traditional family recipes. Our award-winning Christmas puddings have remained unchanged over Four Generations, soaked in Irish Whiskey or with Seville Marmalade Gin, served with our double award-winning Whiskey Butter. An addition to every Christmas table is our range of condiments or the new sponge puddings, which are all made in small batches with exceptionally delicious sauces. The luxurious packaging makes the perfect addition to any dinner party, celebration or as a gift.

Our handmade 1.2kg Christmas cakes soaked in brandy make a wonderful Christmas table addition too.

Call today to place your order 01905 745 437 | www.nanalilys.co.uK Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

christmas

>>

How we’re getting ready for Christmas…

Georgie Mason, owner, Gonalston Farm Shop, Nottingham

We’ll get plenty of the items that we need, like Christmas puddings that are dated to 2023 Gonalston Farm Shop increased its Christmas spend by 15% last year and had sold most of its stock by the last full trading week before Christmas.

“We had fewer lines on the shop floor but we’d bought bigger quantities of those lines,” owner Georgie Mason tells FFD, adding that she plans to follow a similar buying strategy again this year but feels slightly more optimistic about purchasing for Christmas 2021.

Wholesale catalogues have started arriving at the farm shop, with Mason looking at historic data to see what was sold last year and how the business is trading at the moment.

“We’ll get plenty of the items that we need, like Christmas puddings that are dated to 2023,” she says. “I’m cautious about buying items that have the words ‘Boxing Day’ or ‘Christmas’ on the label because the shelf life is so limited. They lose margin from 24th December onwards.”

Smaller jars of jams, chutneys and pickles sold better last year because of social gathering restrictions and Mason says she may take up similar orders again this year.

The farm shop will also order bigger brands, like Green & Blacks and Lindt, from wholesaler Booker because of its partnership with convenience store operator, Budgens. These will be offered on more of a promotion to customers, says Mason.

“We may lose a bit of margin in some of these cases, but as long as we do a mix of that with our higher-end lines that we get from Holleys and Cotswold Fayre, then we’ll have a good mix.” gonalstonfarmshop.co.uk Mark Kacary, managing director, The Norfolk Deli, Hunstanton

We learned a lot of lessons last year regarding the e-commerce platform we were using The Norfolk Deli had to close its e-commerce operation prematurely last Christmas after the business couldn’t order enough stock to meet the huge volume of orders it was getting online.

“A lot of these orders came from people living abroad buying Christmas hampers for parents and relatives living in Norfolk,” Mark Kacary tells FFD. During the UK’s third lockdown, Kacary spent three weeks revising the deli’s website, adding new product photography, and moving the entire operation to e-commerce platform, Shopify.

“We learned a lot of lessons last year regarding the e-commerce platform we were using at the time,” he says. “Particularly which areas didn’t give us the flexibility to do things we wanted to do and customers were asking for. Now, 95% of what we sell in the shop is available online.”

Kacary plans to add seasonal Christmas hamper and cheese sections to the website, which will be promoted on the deli’s social media and in a weekly newsletter to its 4,000 subscribers.

“From October, we will start to drip feed messages that we are the place to come for something different this Christmas, especially in terms of gift hampers,” says Kacary, adding that the deli is already doing an ‘Every product has a story’ campaign which aims to educate customers on products the deli stocks both in the shop and online.

“Hopefully that will result in more people choosing to do something different this year and buy our hand-filled hampers as we lead up to Christmas.” norfolk-deli.co.uk

Marshall & Brown has launched a range of teas inspired by the Caribbean’s largest and liveliest island. Infusions include Jamaican favourites Soursop, Sorrel & Ginger, Cerasee, Moringa & Peppermint and Turmeric & Ginger, all produced by farmers on the island. RRP £2.98. marshallandbrown.co.uk

New from Rosebud Preserves for Christmas is a range of gift selection boxes and kilner jars.

Pictured is the Marmalade Lovers Gift Box (RRP £13.95), which showcases the company’s Seville Orange Marmalade and Seville Orange Marmalade Gin Liqueur. rosebudpreserves.co.uk

Spanish artisan pâté producer La Cuna has released a Gourmet Savoury Selection Box of six 25g mini-pâtés in glass pots: Redlegged Partridge Pate, Ibérico Pate with Sherry, Salt Cod Brandade, Hummus, Black Olive Pate and Mushroom Pate with Truffle. Trade price from Delicioso is £9.45 per unit. delicioso.co.uk

Bill and Rosamund De La Hey, owners, The Mainstreet Trading Company, St Boswells, Scottish Borders

There’s definitely a supply chain issue, so we need to be a bit more prepared this year than normal The Mainstreet Trading Company has already placed some small orders for products, like Continental cheeses, that might be difficult to obtain from abroad this Christmas.

“There’s definitely a supply chain issue, so we need to be a bit more prepared this year than normal,” Bill De La Hey tells FFD. De La Hey won’t go too festive with his product offering because the small floor space in the deli constrains how much he can stock. Instead, he plans to focus on offering premium grocery items like bread, teas, coffees, charcuterie and cheese.

“We’ll offer a few add-ons at Christmas, like nice preserves and chocolates, but I’d always go heavier on the good traditional Christmas products that I know are good sellers, like Stilton, than take up space with lots of overtly seasonal stuff,” he says.

Depending on what the COVID rules will be in Scotland closer to the Christmas trading season, the deli-café-bookshop is also looking at holding a Christmas market-style event in the Autumn months.

The event would see local businesses and suppliers from the deli selling food and chatting to customers from stalls set up outdoors in Mainstreet’s courtyard – or in the barn depending on the weather, says De La Hey. “It’s a sort of Christmas market mixed with one of our author events,” he says. “People could meet some of our suppliers, hear some live music, and eat some good food.”

“It would be a good event to mark a change of season and really gear people up for Christmas.” mainstreetbooks.co.uk

Mr Popple’s Chocolate has treated its organic 35g bars to a new look for Christmas. The new packaging is plastic-free and home-compostable. All seven bars in the range are vegan and free from the top 14 allergens, and four are naturally sweetened with yacon syrup. RRP £2.09£2.19. mrpoppleschocolate.co.uk

Stefania Calugi has created a gift box of traditional Tuscan products for truffle lovers. It contains Truffle Drops, Extra Virgin Olive Oil with White Truffle, Truffle Cream (dairy cream with 15% truffle), Truffle Slices and Tuscan Salt with Truffle – ideal for elevating a fillet steak and French fries. tartufi.it Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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christmas For home chefs wanting to recreate the gastronomic experience, Zeet has the ideal gift: its Olive Oil Pearls gift set. The vegan-friendly pearls encapsulate olive oil via a spherification process to deliver an explosion of flavour when the contents is released. EVOO, basil and chilli pearls are the three varieties included in the set. RRP £26.85; trade price £16.95. evoozeet.com

>> Cambrook Foods has created two Christmas gift sets in 100% recyclable packaging. The two-jar set (RRP £14) features Baked Truffle Nuts and Hickory Smoke Seasoned Almonds & Cashews, whilst the three-jar set (RRP £18.50) juxtaposes two of Cambrook’s signature Cocktail Nut Mixes with Baked Cashews & Peanuts with Chilli & Lime. cambrookfoods.co.uk

Jorge has launched an Infused Oil & Balsamic Gift Box, which holds three of company’s award-winning range of 250ml bottles.

Customers can choose from the entire range of oils and balsamics. The brand will also be unveiling a new range of Jorge sweets, nuts and confectionary later in the year – and just in time for Christmas. jorge-artisan-foods.co.uk

Meat-free festivities Plant-based is now the mainstream, so to make the most of this at Christmas, retailers need to assume that every gathering will have at least one guest wanting meat-free options. Julie Cleijne of Sustainable Kitchen Consultants has some suggestions for covering the bases.

As you make your plans to appeal to as many customers as possible this Christmas, it’s important to make sure you consider the latest consumer trends and attitudes towards plant-based foods.

A 2020 survey found that 25% of global consumers say they are following a flexitarian diet. Many respondents cited health and environmental reasons as the main drivers. However, they also said that they actively looked for plant-based products with natural ingredients and were concerned that many vegan alternatives were too artificial.

So what does this mean for your retail offering?

ChalkStream Foods is pitching its cold-smoked trout sides as an alternative to salmon for Christmas tables and hampers. The sides are hand-filleted, pinboned and trimmed before being dry cured in salt and demerara sugar and kiln-smoked for 8-10 hours. The fillets are then matured in a Himalayan salt chamber for several days.

RRP £26 for 650g. chalkstreamfoods.co.uk

Wrapped in a recycled silk sari, Spice Kitchen’s new Gin Botanicals Tin makes a refreshing change to the usual corrugated gift box presentation format.

Featuring seven botanicals, including coriander seeds, rose petals, juniper berries, citrus peel, pink peppercorns and star anise, and a free recipe guide, the gift tin is geared towards gin-lovers and aspiring mixologists. RRP, £29.95. spicekitchenuk.com

Recreating tastes of South America in its Welsh workshop is Bossa Nova, whose Brazilian-style chocolate truffles are now available in 16- and 25-piece gift boxes, with respective RRPs of £20 and £27.50. Each box contains a selection of Fairtrade, gluten-free chocolates made from natural ingredients. bossanovachocolate.co.uk

THE KIT As we learnt in lockdown, “Staying in is the new going out”.

Food is the constant point of comfort in our lives, and consumers looked to food more and more to provide it.

They followed recipes online and watched live cook-alongs, then shared their home-made successes on social media.

Pairing plant-based prducts with other ingredients and fresh fruit & veg that you stock – coupled with a recipe – could help increase sales of multiple products.

Lockdown also taught us that experiential entertainment is what consumers want, so creating your own ‘kit’, or working with a specialist consultancy to help you, could prove to be an important differentiator for you. Think plantbased cheese-making kits, or bespoke recipe boxes.

THE CHRISTMAS HAMPER The Christmas Hamper is an all-in-one way to offer something for everyone. Pair your hampers with recipes, both plant-based and with animal products, and you’re on to a winner! But what to stock in them? Fears surrounding COVID-19 have shone a spotlight on factors such as building strong immunity, heart health and reducing excess weight. Best to keep in mind that just because a food product is plant-based, it does not necessarily mean it is healthy. Health-conscious consumers will be interested in products with ‘clean labels’, without overly processed ingredients. Plu,s there has been renewed interest in functional health benefits and items that aid better sleep, digestion and relaxation. Fill your hampers with products that tick these boxes, and talk about them in your marketing.

VALUE FOR MONEY Price and value for money will be huge drivers as we enter a phase post-Brexit where food prices are expected to rise. With financial uncertainty, many consumers will be very strongly driven by price, resourcefulness and reduced waste.

Lake District-based Kin Vodka has launched a new Toffee Apple variety and moved its range into newly designed bottles made from 50% recycled glass. Featuring rosy apple flavours, the 20.3% ABV Toffee Apple Vodka can be served straight, with lemon mixers or as a mulled winter warmer. kinvodka.co.uk

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For 2021, Seggiano is adding Chocolate Panettone to its Italian Christmas cake collection. Handmade by an Italian family bakery using organic eggs and butter and without trans-fatty emulsifiers, the cake is said to be fragrant and light, yet rich and chocolatey. RRP £16.50; trade price £10.70. seggiano.com

This month sees Peter’s Yard launching Sourdough Bites in 26g individual serve packs (RRP £1.20). The flavours on offer will be the same as in the sharing bag line-up: Suffolk Cyder Vinegar & Sea Salt, Anglesey Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper and West Country Sour Cream & Chive. petersyard.com

Speciality importers of a wide range of gourmet Spanish food. Ask for your copy of our Christmas brochure now!

OUR DECLARATION WE DECLARE THAT OUR GIN LIVES BY ITS PRINCIPLES. HANDCRAFTED, PURE AND HONEST, WITH A TASTE THAT ANNOUNCES, WE HAVE ARRIVED. CONFIDENT, BOLD AND UNASHAMEDLY DISTINCTIVE. WE LIVE BY OUR OWN BELIEFS. TO DECLARE IS STRENGTH. TO DECLARE IS CONFIDENCE. WE ARE... DECLARATION GIN.

01865 340055 info@delicioso.co.uk www.delicioso.co.uk

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Declarationgin

Declaration_Gin

Declaration_Gin

Importing Highest Quality Italian Products

What better than an award-winning Italian hamper for Christmas?

We are pleased to introduce our amazing quality Italian Christmas products.

We are taking Christmas orders for our range Panettone, Nougat, Chocolates, Hampers, Panforte and much more.

Winners of 13 Great Taste Awards in 2020

For more information on our full range please visit www.tenutamarmorelle.com or call 01635744600

Directly from Italy, Stocked & Distributed in the United Kingdom Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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Available from Sarah Gray’s Direct info@sarahgrays.co.uk or through our wholesaler The Cress Co 0845 643 1330

MADE

BY ME ON OUR ANGUS FARM

A WORLD FIRST - Nelson’s Timur Gin is a festive flurry of warming winter flavours.

Part of the Szechuan peppercorn family, the Timur pepper offers intense citric notes followed by deep tongue tingling properties.

RASPBERRY JAM “A lovely set and a deep pink colour. An absolute blast of raspberries hits the nose and then explodes on the tongue. Lots of seeds add texture and are perfectly distributed within the jam, which we find irresistible. We felt we could not have got any closer to the raspberries if we had rolled in the patch ourselves.”

A Great Taste Judge CHILLI JAM “Vibrant, sticky chilli jam with aroma from both the peppers and chillis. The sweetness of roasted peppers matches the spicy warmth of chillis. Well judged and well made.”

A Great Taste Judge

sarahgrays.co.uk

Enjoy neat, over ice with Mediterranean tonic or as a Gin Hot Toddy.

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS!

FIND OUT MORE www

An exceptionally unique spirit that claimed the full 3-star Great Taste Award in 2019

/sarahgrays.co.uk

@sarah_grays

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christmas

>> Recettes Sucrées 1859’s stollen is a French take on this traditional German fruit bread. The French-inspired bakery says its version is “not overstuffed with candied fruits and nuts”, instead filled with almond cream, dried fruits, nuts and homemade marzipan.

It is finished with a rhum glaze and hand-wrapped in French linen. RRP £22.50 (serves 6-8). recettessucrees1859.co.uk

The tee-total trend is set to drive demand for low- and no-alcohol drinks to new highs this Christmas. Van Nahmen’s Frucht-Secco, sourced from Germany

by The Fine Cheese Co, taps into the zeitgeist perfectly. It combines the fizz of Champagne with fresh-pressed fruit. There are three varieties: Apple & Quince; Grape; and Apple, Redcurrant & Raspberry.

RRP £10.90-£11. finecheese.co.uk

Christmas bakes for customers with intolerances Those with food intolerances needn’t miss out on sweet treats this Christmas, thanks to The Free From Bakehouse, which has been busy baking gluten-free and vegan alternatives to classic festive treats. These include hazelnut and sweet spiced Lebkuchen cookies, densely fruited Boozy Christmas Cake and Stollen for those who love marzipan. Both cakes are available as a sharing loaf (RRP £11.50) or mini loaf (RRP £3), while the Lebkuchen have an RRP of £3 for a sharing bag. thefreefrombakehouse. com

Curds & craft beer Try something fresh this year and hop on the craft beer bandwagon for your festive cheese offering with these on-trend British beer and cheese pairings from Anne-Marie Beatty of Reading’s The Grumpy Goat When we pair beer and cheese we are looking to achieve the following, we are either looking for flavours that complement one another such as a fruity IPA with a fruity cheese, flavours that contrast one another such as a chocolatey porter and a blue cheese or flavours that simply cut through one another such as a sour beer paired with a goats cheese to give that palate-cleansing effect.

It is always good to keep in mind our five taste sensations when we pair drinks with cheese which are sweet, salt, savoury, sour and bitter. Here are some of my favourites.

Creamy Baron Bigod from Fen Farm Dairy with its clean lactic brightness pairs well with a lager. I recommend Keller Pils by Lost & Grounded Brewing in Bristol.

Following the launch of Pink Rum this summer, Griffin Spirit Company has produced a Spiced Rum for the festive season. Both are based on the producer’s original West Country rum, which is made in traditional copper pot stills in its small-batch artisan distillery at the Old Army Camp in Somerset – and the Pink Rum makes use of berries supplied by local producers. griffinspiritcompany.com

While Membrillo is classically served with Manchego and Tetilla, Can Bech’s new Membrillo, which is perfumed with Madagascan bourbon vanilla, is said to be suitable for all types of cheese.

This latest addition to the Catalunyan producer’s cheese pairings collection is available to the trade via Delicioso, in 30g and 70g jars, priced at £1 and £1.50 respectively. delicioso.co.uk

Cornwall-based Lynher Dairies’ Cornish Yarg’s notes of lemon and yoghurt pair excellently with a citrussy pale ale. I would go for Parka from Reading’s Double Barrelled Brewing.

Soft, fruity IPAs such as Cheltenham’s Deya Brewing Co’s Invoice Me The Microphone work well with the sweet nuttiness of the Manchego-like Ewe Eat Me from Alsop & Walker in Sussex.

I would pick a sour to pair with the sweet and creamy White Nancy from White Lake Cheese in Somerset. My recommendation is Waterbeach Series from Pastore Brewing & Blending.

A smooth stout like Broken Dream by Siren Craft Brew contrasts well with Barkham Blue made by Two Hoots in Berkshire.

Joe & Seph’s is hoping that its Milk Chocolate Popcorn Stars will sparkle on retailers’ shelves this Christmas. Each milk chocolate star is topped with a piece of salted caramel popcorn. RRP £3.50 for a 63g bag. joeandsephs.co.uk

Northumbrian Pantry has blended local, North of England damsons with homemade mulled wine to produce a deep, plummy sweet jam with subtle festive spicing. Damson & Mulled Wine Jam has an RRP of £4.50; trade price £2.75. northumbrianpantry.com

Autumn sees the launch of Yorvale’s Chocolate Orange Ice Cream in 500ml retail tub format. Flavoured with natural Brazilian orange oil and rippled with orange, the ice cream is a nod to Yorvale’s home city of York, where Terry’s Chocolate Orange originated in 1932. RRP £3.75-4.50. yorvale.co.uk Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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>>

How we’re getting ready for Christmas…

Steven Salamon, owner, Wally’s Delicatessen, Cardiff

I spent 30 years in business trying to get as many people into the shop as possible and last Christmas I had to keep people at the door.

Andy Swinscoe, owner, The Courtyard Dairy, Austwick Steven Salamon plans to start placing Christmas orders this month but says he will be cautious with how much stock to order.

“If we have a great Christmas and I don’t have enough stock then I’ll know for the following year that things are returning to normal,” he tells FFD. These early orders will include seasonal items like confectionery, biscuit tins, and Italian and German Christmas cakes.

In 2020, Salamon cut his Christmas order quantities by 50-60% compared to 2019, but this year he’s considering increasing levels of stock by 25-30% on last year.

“My feeling is if I’m short on stock I can always order more good all-year-round products, but at least it leaves me not overloaded with seasonal stock if things aren’t as good as I hope.”

But Salamon is making sure to get orders of wicker hamper baskets in early this year after a national shortage last Christmas meant the deli had to turn down a lot of lastminute corporate business.

“A lot of companies came to us for gift hampers for their staff after Christmas parties were cancelled, but we couldn’t get hold of wicker baskets,” he says. “We want to make sure we have enough ready this year, even if we don’t know what the level of demand will be.”

Making sure the website is fully functioning and up to date with all the latest products will also be a priority for the deli in the run-up to Christmas.

“In previous years, if we bought too much stock we could rely on Christmas to shift

Paxton & Whitfield’s Cheese Cloche & Board (RRP £65) is a stylish and practical homeware gift for cheese lovers. The cream, powder-coated steel cloche has air holes to allow cheese to breathe and features a round, removable, acacia wood cheese board that rests on a grey metal tray. paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk 46

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it through displays or discounting,” says Salamon.

“Since the pandemic, we can’t guarantee that the business is going to come through the shop physically so we have to make sure that everything we’ve bought in is available through all channels, which is online, physical and corporate.”

Salamon says he’s also thinking hard about the cut-off date for online deliveries of Christmas orders, as last year it was difficult to guarantee delivery before the 25th December due to the demand in courier services.

“I didn’t want to send goods out too late and not be able to guarantee people would get them in time,” he says. “We made the cut-off date for online dispatches at least 10 days before Christmas, but we’ll be looking to see if we can extend it this year.”

Although making more time for e-commerce, the deli owner is still looking forward to welcoming customers back into the shop again this Christmas, whether with social distancing rules still in place again this year or not. “I spent 30 years in business trying to get as many people into the shop as possible and last Christmas I had to keep people at the door. It was really against the grain,” says Salamon, adding that Wally’s will have longer opening hours again this year, including late-night openings until 8pm two weeks before Christmas.

“We’re hoping social distancing rules will be lifted by Christmas but we’ll follow them again this year if we have to.” wallysdeli.co.uk

Retailers with own-label ranges and producers wishing to create special edition Christmas-themed printed packaging for their products can now take advantage of Newton Print’s short-run service. Luxury finishes such as foiling, metallic board and Spot UV are available to add a festive feel to designs. newtonprint.co.uk

Iconic restaurant brand Maxim’s de Paris has developed a comprehensive Christmas collection for retail. Carried by Hiltons of London, it spans sweet and savoury treats such as panettone, candied chestnuts, truffle flavoured olive oil and terrines. Pictured here is the ‘Chocolate Temptation’ round tin (trade price from £10.57 per unit). maxims-de-paris.com

It’s not quite the same buzz as our old shop but we felt there was a much smoother flow, and it improved customer service.

If retailers are still required to encourage social distancing in shops this Christmas, Andy Swinscoe of The Courtyard Dairy says he will likely set up his shop in a similar way to last year.

The cheesemonger bought extra storage space and turned one of the existing storage rooms into additional retail space ready for the busiest trading time of the year.

Cubicles were also installed on the shop floor, which customers entered when visiting the shop to buy their Christmas cheese and were served by one member of staff.

“They almost had a personal shopper experience,” Swinscoe tells FFD. “I think we would try and do the same again this year.”

“It’s not quite the same buzz as our old shop,” he adds, likening Christmas during pre-pandemic times to a bar on a busy Saturday. “But we felt there was a much smoother flow in the shop, and it improved customer service because our staff could spend time with each customer and talk in-depth about the cheeses with them.”

Although Swinscoe prefers customers visiting the shop to buy their cheeses, during the Christmas trading season he encourages customers to use a click and collect service to divert some extra festive footfall. The business also opened a pop-up shop outdoors for the first time last year for customers looking for grab-and-go items. “The pop-up shop had a much smaller cheese range, but it was great for customers who knew what they wanted and didn’t want to queue outside for the shop.” thecourtyarddairy.co.uk

As ever, Italian pasticceria Loison has unveiled a stylishly presented collection for Christmas 2021.

Pictured here is a 750g Panettone Tardivo di Ciaculli, but the range also includes mini and sliced panettone, classic butter cookies, tortes and gifting tins of aromatic biscotti. loison.com/en/

24 of Valrhona’s most indulgent chocolates are hiding behind the windows of its advent calendar, which was created in collaboration with author and illustrator Anne-Lise Bouti for Christmas 2021. The French fine chocolate-maker prides itself on responsible sourcing and creating aromatic taste profiles. valrhona.com/en

NEW FOR XMAS 2021 Rich and luxurious, cake simply doesn’t get better than Beniamino’s award winning Chocolate Panettone handmade in his bakery.

100%

SOMERSET

Like all Seggiano cakes our chocolate panettone is made with organic eggs and butter and is free from trans fatty emulsifiers and preservatives.

The dough is fragrantly light yet deliciously rich and chocolatey.

You won’t be disappointed.

NEW GIFT SETS FOR 2021 Make it a Cambrook Christmas WINNERS OF SEVEN GREAT TASTE AWARDS 2020

sales@somersetspirit.com www.somersetspirit.com 07702 223821 www.cambrookfoods.co.uk | Tel: 01264 319980

Old Army Camp Distillery, Camp Road, Castle Cary, Somerset BA7 7JB Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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The new CARELESS COLLECTION, made entirely with craft chocolate. Breathing new life into any chocolate products you may offer. Trade price list on request.

THE CHOCOLATE THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

www.thecarelesscollection.co.uk | david@thecarelesscollection.co.uk

MADE IN ENGLAND • I N S P I R E D BY T H E A L P S

Ge t in t ouc h: hello@of fpist espir it.com W W W. O F F P I S T E S P I R I T . C O M

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christmas Belvoir says its pure fruit cordials and winter punches are perfect alcohol-free alternatives to wine-based winter warmers. Blended with real fruit juices and spices for a deep, rich, ready-to-drink offer, Mulled Winter Punch, Spiced Ginger Punch and Spiced Winter Punch are great swaps for mulled wine, while Honey, Lemon & Ginger Cordial and Ginger Cordial can be diluted with hot water. belvoirfarm.co.uk

Cheese The Queen has compiled a selection of its vegan cashew cheeses in a Superfood Christmas box (RRP £27.99). The box contains 100g portions of six nut cheese varieties, including Truffle, Turmeric, Pink Pepper and Black Garlic. Every one is handmade from fermented and aged cashews and enriched with vitamins, enzymes and probiotics. cheesethequeen.com

Van Strien’s biscuits are always popular during the festive season, and this year, the Dutch bakery has introduced a range of handmade puff pastry nibbles to liven up appetiser boards. Using the same pastry recipe as the bakery’s iconic aged Gouda Cheese Palmier, the nibbles are available in three natural flavours – Curry-Cashew, Cheese-Onion and ChilliCheese – from Cotswold Fayre. cotswold-fayre.co.uk

In addition to its existing Christmas range, loose frozen food specialist Fieldfare has cooked up some new creations for 2021. These include Portuguese Tarts (RRP 99p), which it is pitching as a mince pie alternative, new vegetarian Christmas options and a host of prelunch nibbles such as Mini Swirls, available in Pesto, Cheese and Pizza (tomato) variants (RRP 39p). field-fare.com

Farmers Food at Home has cooked up an Apple, Date & Walnut Chutney as a cheeseboard accompaniment. The Pembrokeshire producer, which recently opened its own farm shop, The Paddock, is also offering a Festive Mini Jar Hamper – a wicker gift basket containing a selection of seven jams, chutneys and preserves in 4oz jars. farmersfoodathome.co.uk

The Fine Cheese Co has conceived a seasonal cracker in which cranberries meet sour cherries and olive oil to create a foil for blues and goats’ milk cheeses. Cranberries & Sour Cherries Crackers have an RRP of £2.80 for 125g. finecheese.co.uk

Adlington says its 1kg smoked ham and turkey joints are ideal for taking the stress out of entertaining over the festive period. Hosts can simply slice off what’s needed and add to sandwiches, salads, curries or casseroles. RRP £19.95; trade price £12.75. adlingtonltd.com

Pullin’s Bakery has launched a new range of loaf cakes in time for Christmas 2021. The range offers classic recipes with a twist. For example, the Bells of St Clements cake is a lemon drizzle sponge but topped with caramelised julienne orange peel. pullinsbakery.co.uk

Festive fashions As the industry looks ahead to Christmas 2021, Speciality & Fine Food Fair spoke with three farm shop operators to learn what they’re preparing for the festive season.

Christmas 2021 will, we hope, see a return to normality for the fine food and drink industry. After a year of contactless collection and last-minute rule changes, the upcoming festive season promises a return to some of the more slow-burning industry trends.

The love for local produce and producers has Daniel Williams arguably been accelerated by the pandemic, with many consumers exploring their surrounding area and striving to support local businesses impacted by the shutdowns of the past year.

“This year, we’re thinking about keeping things more local and using more local producers” says Daniel Williams, project manager at Godfrey C. Williams and Son. “We find that’s reflected in what our customers are after as well..”

Ian Larkins, retail director of Bury Lane Farm Shop, says: “Local suppliers, along with our own kitchens, bakery and farm production, always play a large role at Bury Lane with us trying to support them where possible. If we can stock local, we will.”

“We put a lot of British produce in our Christmas hampers and expect for them to sell well again this year,” says Williams. “Last year they were very popular; easily up by 20-30%. We put together a lot of hampers, so it’s good to have a bank of local food and drink for that purpose.”

Rupert Titchmarsh, Cowdray Farm Shop & Café General Manager, adds: “We’ve always placed a premium on sourcing locally, but our first criteria is quality. Second is locality, third sustainability and the final one is price. You can sometimes source locally for the sake of it Rupert Titchmarsh and end up with inferior items.”

Customer dietary requirements are once again looking to play a key role in the 2021 festive season. “Every year we find ourselves ordering and selling more free-from or glutenfree Christmas puddings, and vegan chocolate advent calendars,” says Titchmarsh. “We’re always led by the customers, we’re reactive but also actively looking to fulfil their needs.

“We do a range of vegan cheese that is really slow to sell. We’ve recently started doing a few more meat substitutes. To say we’re reacting to demand isn’t really true, but we’re aware it’s a growing trend. For our rural location our customers are very cosmopolitan.”

When it comes to learning about the trends impacting on the fine food and drink industry, Titchmarsh says events like Speciality & Fine Food Fair play a key role: “We always attend the trade fairs and come away having discovered one or two new lines. It’s an opportunity to talk to existing suppliers and see new items in their ranges.

“Most new producers are good at mitigating risk: if you buy a case of 6-12 and it doesn’t work then you move on.

It’s not a risk unless it’s a product like caviar (a high-cost item). In terms of wastage, it’s not the cost we look at, it’s the shelf life.”

Tom Bunning

Original Biscuit Bakers is rolling out three new handdecorated gingerbread designs this Christmas.

The gingerbread houses, men, Christmas trees and penguins are hand iced in natural colours and presented in a counter display box. They can be purchased via Cotswold Fayre, The Cress Company and Springvale Foods, with trade prices between £0.89£2.09 per unit and RRPs of £1.25-£2.99. originalbiscuitbakers.co.uk

Discover an unparalleled selection of the most exciting businesses in the fine food and drink industry at Speciality & Fine Food Fair on 6-7 September 2021 at Olympia London.

Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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TRADE ONLY

Registration now open Reunite with the fine food & drink community this September.

The UK’s leading showcase of pioneering artisan food & drink producers is back to inspire your business and reignite your product lines.

It’s time to reconnect with distinguished heritage producers, discover dynamic start-ups and pick up the latest industry tips from our experts to drive your business forward.

6-7 September | Olympia London

Register now for your free ticket WWW.SPECIALITYANDFINEFOODFAIRS.CO.UK 48

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CC21-083_MontgomeryGroup_SFFFAdvertCollateral_GFF_315x230_06-21.indd 1

22/06/2021 16:42

Cumbria's Award-Winning Gin Distillery

"Christmas in a glass!" www.shed1distillery.com

in every cookie that leaves our oven, you'll taste our longstanding tradition, love for baking and the best ingredients.

@vanstrienbanketbakkers van-strien.nl

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Award Winning Bavarian Cheese

“The balance of flavours was great; salty, sweet and creamy” Judges, Great Taste Awards 2019

Montagnolo Affiné

“A very approachable blue cheese that many will enjoy” Judges, Great Taste Awards 2019

W Grand Noir E N

ELITE IMPORTS LTD

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FOCUS ON

foodservice

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES

FROM THE DELI KITCHEN SIMPLE RECIPES TO BOOST YOUR MARGINS

VEGETARIAN SAUSAGE ROLLS This recipe adapts a true deli counter staple to tap into the increasing demand for vegetarian options. The combination of crisp pastry with autumnal squash and cheese (try using blue cheese for a punchy variant) should appeal to both strict advocates and curious consumers.

Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Make criss-cross patterns in the butternut squash halves with a knife and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with a little oil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until soft and cooked through. Remove and allow to cool completely.

Makes: 16-18 rolls

Scrape out the flesh of the squash and place in the bowl. Mix together with the Henderson’s Relish, ricotta, cheddar, hard cheese, nuts, spring onions and herbs. Season well. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Ingredients: 1 whole small butternut, cut in half and de-seeded Few drops of Henderson’s Relish 100g ricotta cheese 100g grated mature cheddar 30g vegetarian hard cheese, such as Old Winchester 50g pine nuts 4 spring onions, finely chopped 40g fresh sage, finely chopped 2 x 375g rolls puff pastry 1 egg, beaten 2tbsp sesame seeds

Roll out each roll of pastry to a slightly bigger rectangle, cut each one in half lengthways.

Divide the filling into four. Spread a row of the filling down the length of each pastry rectangle.

Fold each length over to cover the filling and create a roll. Press the edges together with a fork and egg wash the top. Sprinkle over sesame seeds.

Cut the logs into four rolls each.

Place on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Given the cashflow pressures many foodservice operators are facing, Middleby UK and Lincat have launched a new rental scheme for equipment.

Operated in partnership with Instant Equipment Rental (IER), the service offers contracts 1-5 years, and these can include emergency breakdown cover and maintenance. For example, businesses could hire a Lincat Combi from £61 per week, an Opus fryer from £30, and a Concordia coffee machine from £149 per week. middlebyuk.co.uk lincat.co.uk Tableware specialist Utopia has added a new line-up of curvy recycled glasses. Part of Pasabahce’s Aware Collection of 100% recycled glassware, the turquoise Amorf glasses are available as 35cl tumblers or 44cl hi-ball glass. Both are dishwasher-safe and prices start at £2.14 per unit. utopia-tableware.com

Michael Lane

LLK is the exclusive UK agent for Cuppone gas pizza ovens and it is now carrying the new Giorgione oven range from the Italian supplier. While the ovens still feature many of the design aspects and heat distribution technology of Cuppone’s originals, the new model is available in four different sizes – including a wide six-pizza format – and can be stacked up to twohigh to increase capacity. linda-lewis.co.uk

Recipe by Jules Mercer for Fine Food Digest Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

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SHELF TALK Former refugee launches first readyto-use Somali and Ethiopian sauces

By Tom Dale

A former child refugee who fled civil war in Somalia has launched a food brand inspired by North and East African cuisines.

Saida Mia – and her brand of the same name – has recently unveiled her debut range of three sauces: Spiced Tagine, Berbere and Maraq, inspired by Morocco and Tunisia, Ethiopia, and Somalia respectively.

Mia aims to bring what she said is an under-represented cuisine to independent high-end food retailers throughout the nation and believes that the rich African spice blends are perfect for modern British tastes.

“All my life I have been trying to start this

business,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to build on my heritage to promote and sell African food. Whatever else has happened in my life, now is the time to do it.”

Mia, who now lives in Westminster in London, came to the UK as a 15-year-old after fleeing the bloody civil war in her home country of Somalia, which claimed the lives of her father, grandfather and two brothers.

While working for the NHS, the 49-year-old developed the range from old family recipes she inherited from her grandmother.

Mia said the sauces incorporate influences from various countries her grandmother visited during her lifetime, as well as the Middle Eastern, Indian and Italian influences, which African cuisines already incorporate.

Now released, the range represents the first Somali and Ethiopian ready-made cooking sauces on the market and is vegan friendly and free from added sugar, gluten, preservatives and dairy.

The range comes in two formats – 300g sauce jars and 115g spice paste jars, with RRPs of £4.95 and £4.30 respectively. Until the end of June, Saida Mia is offering 10% off on orders of six cases or more, and free delivery on orders over £40. saidamia.com

WHAT’S NEW The latest offering from Orkney-based family business, JP Orkney is its Bloody Mary Sauce.

The twist on the classic cocktail contains Deerness Distillery vodka and the producer recommends using it on grilled halloumi, roasted salmon, or eggs and avocado. The 410g jar has an RRP of £6 (trade, £2.85). jporkney.co.uk Premium tea brand Teapigs has launched a kombucha range, as the fermented drink’s popularity continues to grow. The drink is available in three flavours – original, ginger & lemongrass and peach & mango – each brewed in small batches with live cultures and Teapigs tea and contains no artificial flavours or sweeteners. Each 250ml can has an RRP of £1.90 and a 12-month shelf life. teapigs.co.uk Oat milk chocolate brand, Happi Free From, has launched two new lines: Happi Plain White and Happi White Raspberry Oat Milk Chocolate.

The chocolate is 100% natural, made with gluten-free oat milk and rice syrup and promises a ‘rich & creamy’ taste with no artificial flavours or sweeteners. The two new products are available in 40g and 80g bars (RRP £1.75 – £3.50). happifreefrom.com

Premium meal delivery service launches in indies

Booja-Booja, the Norfolk-based vegan chocolate truffle and ice cream producer, has launched four new truffle flavours and five new packs, in what the company is calling its “most significant and exciting launch in a decade”.

The new truffles flavours are Chocolate Orange, Deeply Chocolate, Chocolate Salted Caramel, and Honeycomb Caramel – previously only available as a chilled truffle, each of which comes in 92g, eight-truffle packs (RRP £4.99), and all four can be found in the brand’s 184g, 16-truffle Signature Collection (RRP, £9.99). boojabooja.com

A premium, pre-prepared frozen food delivery service which launched during the pandemic is expanding into the retail sector with a focus on independent farms shops and delis.

Noble House Prepared is launching its range of high-end ready meals, designed by executive chef Owen Sullivan who previously run restaurants for Gordon Ramsey, to the retail market. The brand’s range includes starters, mains, sides, desserts and children’s meals and, said a spokesperson, its dedication to provenance, high-quality ingredients are a good fit for retailers wanting to offer convenience to a “discerning, time-poor clientele”.

Noble House is also offering its retail customers branded freezers to help maximise the producer’s presence in-store and has recruited two employees to handle retail sales.

The brand’s range includes 11 meat-based main meals, six fish mains, 11 vegetarian mains (including five vegan options), five single meal pots, a choice of ten side dishes, and ten desserts – with many coming in two- or oneserving packs.

The main dishes’ wholesale cost per unit (based on cases of eight or 12) is between £4.15

and £5.65 for a single portion pack and RRP between £6.50 and £7.50, while side dishes cost from £2.45-£3.15 (wholesale) and have RRPs from £3.99-£4.50. The brand also sells a range of children’s meals and coffees. noblehouseprepared.com

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SHELF TALK My magic ingredient

WHAT’S NEW Yorkshire-based roastery Limini Coffee has launched a limited-edition batch of the exclusive Geisha coffee from award-winning Colombian grower Diego Samuel. The coffee, originating from the Gori Gesha forest in Ethiopia which lends its name to the brew, is roasted to order to preserve freshness.

A 250g bag of Geisha is £19.50. liminicoffee.co.uk Luxlo is a newly launched low-calorie, mid-proof spirit targeted at gin lovers who want to avoid calories and lower their alcohol intake. The 20% ABV, juniper-led drink is available in four flavours: Blood Orange, Passion Fruit, Pomegranate & Raspberry, and Ginny - for those who love the taste of gin. Each 25ml measure contains 28 calories. RRP £30 (70cl). luxlospirits.com Belle & Herbs Farm has recently launched its 13-strong debut range of ferments including five kimchi lines, sauerkrauts and fermented hot sauces. The entire range is available in 315g jars (RRP £4.50, trade, £3.50) 1kg buckets (RRP £11, trade £8.50) and 2.1kg buckets (RRP £19, trade £15). belleandherbs.farm

The Proper Marmalade Company, Blood Orange & Black Pepper GEORGE BENNETT Chef & owner, Jorge Artisan Foods After my career as a chef was put on hold by a serious accident, I found myself creating jams, chutneys and marmalades in the kitchen at home. It was always about the handmade nature, the seasonal quality and flavour of every single piece of fruit in everything I produced.

I tried to find a manufacturer to replicate this ‘artisan’ feel on a bigger scale, but nothing could do it justice.

Not many products are truly artisan these days, not many have the taste and texture of something truly unique. One producer that achieves this magic mix, though, is The Proper Marmalade Co. Ever since I opened the Jorge deli, I’ve stocked Victoria’s ‘Improper’ creations. Both as a retailer and a chef, I can appreciate these citrusy delights as something truly exceptional. I use them often in the kitchen – particularly the Blood Orange & Black Pepper – as glazes on gammon, in cakes and baking, and we are always proud to have them on our shelves in the shop. thepropermarmaladecompany.co.uk

Unique mountain botanicals used in Mournes distillery’s debut vodkas Northern Irish spirit producer Mourne Dew Distillery has recently launched two new spirits that you may not associate with the island of Ireland.

Having won multiple awards for its poitín and Irish whiskeys and branched out into further award-winning gins, Mourne Dew has released its first two vodkas – a plain Premium Irish Vodka and its Wild Mourne Rose Vodka.

Made in the craft distillery’s unique vacuum stills, the vodkas are six-times distilled and made using water from the Mourne Mountains which is filtered through the region’s layers of volcanic rock.

The new lines were released as the brand picked up a raft of medals at the London Spirits Competition; silver medals for its single malt and blended Irish whiskeys, and its Kilbroney Gin and Hazelnut Poitin.

Head distiller Donal Farrell said that the distillery is well-known on the island of Ireland, and exports to the US and EU, but is actively seeking new independent retail stockists on the UK mainland following the latest launch.

Mourne Dew employs an ethnobotanist to hunt for botanicals in the Mourne Mountains to build up a unique and traditional library of 56

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I appreciate Victoria’s citrusy delights as something truly exceptional

flavours with which to develop spirits unique to the region.

Farrell said: “The new Wild Mourne Rose Irish Vodka is another example of this research and is based on wild rose petals sourced from the Mourne Mountains. Our distillation process protects the delicate flavours of botanicals and our plan is to use much of this research in further innovative products which are in the pipeline.”

The 40%ABV spirits come with an RRP of £30 for a 70cl bottle (£18.95, trade excl. VAT). mournedew.com

Organico launches online shop Organic food brand Organico Realfoods has launched an online shop, stocking all the company’s exclusive product ranges.

With a focus on sustainable food, the new webshop will stock Organico’s own-brand lines as well as exclusive labels, sustainable fish brand Fish4Ever and Redfern’s tortilla chips, as well as other organic products that fit the company’s strong ethical standards, including Vanini, Vitacore, Trapani and Bio Sabor.

Customers shopping the range online will be able to have their orders shipped nationwide for free when spending over £30 (excluding Northern Ireland) and can receive 20% off their first order using the code WELCOME20. organicorealfoods.com

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Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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Are you looking for something different to offer your 07/06/2021 customers for Christmas 2021?

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Download the Catalogue at www.meridian-sea.com 58

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11:35

SHELF TALK MEET THE PRODUCER

WHAT’S NEW Hawkshead Relish has launched three new jams: Blackberry & Apple, Rhubarb & Ginger and Strawberry & Rhubarb. The jams – handmade in the Lake District – are free from artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives and all are glutenfree, nut-free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. All have an RRP of £2.99 for a 220-225g jar. hawksheadrelish.com

Sean Mason founded TWO FARMERS alongside friend Mark Green with the vision of creating a brand that makes quality crisps and is also good for the environment. Three years on, and with Great Taste stars under their belts, we talk to Sean.

What were you doing before you launched Two Farmers?

Both Mark and I come from farming backgrounds. While Mark has always farmed potatoes, I’ve sold them – so we are a good duo. Mark and I have been friends forever and we always wanted to do something together. The idea for the crisp brand came from chats over a pint and a packet of crisps.

Why did you decide to launch the brand?

Two Farmers was a relatively easy decision to make. Mark was already growing crisping potatoes and we are both keenly aware of our responsibility to the countryside.

We researched for a long time and the development of the compostable packaging took us three years to complete. If you’d have told us it would take that long I’m not sure if we would have ventured down this road but, in hindsight, we are glad we did.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned since starting the business?

Creating a business and brand is not a straight line, there are lots of twists and turns to navigate.

There were numerous challenges in creating the packaging and a lot of people must have thought we were mad, but we stuck at it!

Chocolate & Roasted Hazelnut Gelato is the latest launch from Hackney Gelato.

The Italian-inspired frozen treat combines dark chocolate gelato with roasted Piedmont hazelnuts from northern Italy and a sprinkle of sea salt.

The Great Taste awardwinning producer’s take on the classic Bacio has a £5.49 RRP for a 500ml tub. hackneygelato.com

going to develop a new crisp brand this was the main thing we wanted to tackle.

Who hasn’t seen the 50-year-old crisp packet on a social media post? It makes you sad.

We hope others will follow our example and take action.

Our packets will completely break down on land or in water, and provide some nourishment as well.

A lot of people must have thought we were mad, but we stuck at it!

What makes your crisps stand out from others on the market?

The compostable packaging and plastic-free messaging are key draws for consumers.

However, you need to get the product right to get people to buy again, so quality and taste are vital.

The flavours we have sourced are all from artisan and local producers, so our tastes are authentic and mouth-watering. Ultimately, they are crisps, so we’ve made sure there is a good crunch, too.

Why did you decide to use fully compostable packaging for your range?

It’s hard to go past a hedgerow or beach without seeing a crisp packet littering the land. If we were

Following on from the summer 2020 launch of 6 O’Clock Gin’s Romy’s Edition, in collaboration with celebrity chef Romy Gill, the brand has unveiled a new ready-todrink line: Mango, Ginger & Lime Gin & Tonic. The 250ml cans will be priced at £2.85 and alongside this launch, the brand has also released smaller 5cl and 35cl bottles of Romy’s Edition.

6oclockgin.com

What is the best thing about being a small business?

Mark and I have always worked in a family business, and creating a brand that all of our family can get involved in is great.

We can also be agile and innovate, which over the last year has been so important to us all.

Ultimately it makes us proud to make a product that consumers enjoy!

Tea brand Babingtons Blends is launching in the UK later this month after serving tea at the foot of Rome’s iconic Spanish Steps for more than 100 years. The launch collection includes Black Scented Teas, Green, White & Oolong Scented Teas and Herbal Teas – available in pyramids, pouches (loose) and refills – and ice tea blend Moroccan Secret. babingtonsblends.com

…and the worst?

Like other small business owners, we never leave work behind but that’s much like farming. It’s just part and parcel of every day.

What’s next for Two Farmers?

We have some exciting new launches coming soon. We are continually looking at what we can do next and that’s what keeps us interested.

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DELI OF THE MONTH A dedication to hunting down the finest fresh fruit and vegetables, affable customer service, and a raconteur owner are all part of the unique formula at Andreas of Chelsea Green. It's this mix that has marked the shop out as...

Interview by Tom Dale

...‘The Chanel of veg’ IT’S THE HOTTEST DAY of the year so far when FFD visits Andreas of Chelsea Green. The shop’s owner Andreas Georghiou is outside the small West London store greeting customers with jovial banter and making the most of the sun before a spell of bad weather is due the following day.

This scene, as it turns out, perfectly encapsulates the high-end greengrocer’s approach to running his business in the current unpredictable climate. An absolute dedication to the needs of the customer and prudent preparation while times are good are what has elevated the boy who quit his A-levels to work in his uncle’s Chiswick grocer to selling handpicked French beans to the rich and famous.

Nestled in a small square in the affluent area of Chelsea, Andreas’ ornate and well-

VITAL STATISTICS

Location: 4 Cale St, Chelsea Green, London SW3 3QU Average spend (pre-COVID): £32 Average spend (current): £45 Retail floorspace: 14.2 sq m Number of lines: 1,200 Tomato varieties: 18 60

July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

tended displays of fruit and vegetables – which extend out onto the pavement in classic style – immediately speak of the quality of produce Georghiou stocks. “There are no three-for-apound bowls here.”

“We are veg-led,” says the owner, “It’s our number one thing, so we only want the best of the best.”

And it shows. The selection in his displays is superlative. The finest French cherries, Romanesco courgettes, punnets of fresh berries – which make up as much as 33% of turnover in the summer – and leafy Sicilian lemons are just some of the vast selection of fresh produce that Georghiou and his staff of just 10 have managed to stuff into this tiny 14.2 sq m shop.

To complement the fresh produce, there is a carefully selected range of ambient products

– including high-end pasta brand Pastificio dei Campi and Great Taste-winning Maters honey – and a selection of pre-packed cheeses and charcuterie, alongside other chilled lines.

This, says the owner, is the result of doing the “hard yards” for nearly 29 years since opening his first greengrocers in Chiswick; travelling to the Continent and developing relationships with growers and suppliers in the search of “the best fruit and veg on the planet”.

“When we started, I always knew there was more to fruit and veg than what was available back then,” says Georghiou. “So, we went looking. We started in France and then went to Italy and started making crazy relationships with growers and wholesalers in the markets over there.”

And these relationships have borne fruit

MUST-STOCKS Extensive range of fresh tomatoes Andreas by Campo Lisio Olive Oil – Primofiore Pastificio Dei Campi Pasta I Sapori di Corbara jarred tomatoes English Asparagus Avocados

for the business, not only in the exclusive and sought-after varieties found on Andreas of Chelsea Green’s shelves. Meeting growers and developing personal relationships with suppliers also provided the owner with the unique stories of each product – something Georghiou says is key to selling the lines he does.

Back in the ’90s when he first set out on his own in the trade, he says these “more interesting” varieties were being bought in for restaurants, but not retail.

“You can’t just plonk some of this stuff on the shelves – it only works if someone is telling the story.”

He tells FFD that because of this, he decided to get closer to his suppliers. “Then every time we sold something in the shop, we’d have that backstory to tell. It would make it an easier sell and then those people would go and tell their friends at their dinner parties.”

This understanding of his somewhat unique customer base is evident across Georghiou’s operation. From the way he hand-sorts the store’s juicing oranges so they are the correct size for juicing machines to the shift to largely stocking organic produce eight years ago, everything is driven by what his customers want.

And with a client list rivalled – as he says – only by shops in Monaco in terms of exclusivity, it certainly seems wise.

“We’re not obsessed with new things, we’re not obsessed with profit, we’re obsessed with giving customers what they want,” he says.

But it’s not always so one-way. The shop’s selection of cheeses all come pre-cut and in relatively small packs. With very small retail space, this is a decision partly based on

necessity, but, says Georghiou, it also plays into his customers’ desires.

“People in Chelsea think they’re very time-poor,” he says. “They’re not, but you have to feed into that and offer them convenience.”

That said, time is a precious commodity for a large tranche of his customers: live-in or personal chefs to some of the Capital’s richest residents.

Georghiou tells FFD that this quick service also suits his business well. With a small shop like this, and 150-200 customers to get through a day, it doesn’t pay to hang around. Despite being swift, you don’t get the sense anyone is rushed through the buying experience.

With COVID restrictions, customers are limited to two in the shop at any time, and each has a dedicated member of staff to help them through their visit and make recommendations, something which the owner intends on retaining after the pandemic recedes.

Average basket spend is up from £32 prepandemic to £45 and this, he says, is because, with fewer people in the shop, the customer can see everything on offer in the “cosy” store.

Coronavirus, as for many others in food retail, has been kind to the business. While the increase in spend is one measure, the delay to the impact of Brexit has been another major boon to the greengrocer.

Because he is a small-scale food importer, the UK’s exit from the EU is something that has troubled Georghiou since the outcome was announced in 2016. As a result, the businessman tightened his belt to make the operation strong enough to withstand the

Andreas by Campo Lisio Olive Oil - Delicato Mangoes French Peaches Prosciutto Arrosto by Cypressi in Chianti French Tulameen Raspberries French Blueberries Andreas by Campo Lisio Olive Oil Peperoncino

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Celebrating ChRiStMaS Make sure your shelves are fully stocked for the festive season with our fantastic range of new flavours and gifts

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DELI OF THE MONTH unknown. “We were short-staffed when we shouldn’t have been and we didn’t renew vehicles when we should have,” he says.

While the change in shopping habits brought on by COVID has helped, Andreas of Chelsea Green hasn’t been immune. Costs have increased almost across the board, says Georghiou, and he has decided to absorb these.

Jarred tomatoes from I Sapori di Corbara are one of the shop’s top sellers – which naturally Georghiou has a story about involving volcanic soils and magical sea mist – and are increasing in cost price by about £1 per jar due to increased customs duties, a significant tranche of the margin.

But the tenacious owner is not deterred.

“I’ll just go back to doing what I do best,” he says. “Sourcing stuff that’s brilliant but also profitable.”

For Georghiou, though, it’s not always about the bottom line. There are some products that the owner simply has to have, despite them not generating any profit, like the first cherries of the season.

“They come in at £125 a kilo, and so I’ll sell

them at cost because I've got to have them.

That’s just indulgence and preserving the image of the shop.”

He is also not interested in expanding into more sites. The business formerly operated across two stores – Chelsea and Chiswick – but Georghiou closed the original Chiswick shop to focus on Chelsea.

“If you get this shop right you won’t need another shop,” he says, citing the importance of a personal relationship with customers which fosters trust.“If you want them to be just profit ventures, then sure, but for us, it’s all about good service, quality of produce and the happiness of our customers.”

This doesn’t mean that the owner is lacking in ambition or vision for the future, though.

He has a hush-hush plan for the autumn which he says will mark Andreas of Chelsea Green out as “the Chanel of veg” and is set to open a bakery venture on the Green with another local businessman.

The move will allow the shop to shift its fresh bread offer and some other lines to open up more room to focus further on its fresh

produce, as well as grow the Chelsea Green area as a destination.

Something that comes up repeatedly when FFD speaks with Georghiou, is that profit is not the business’s first concern, quality is. And this is what the veteran of fruit and veg puts the success of his business down to.

“We’re not obsessed with turnover, but we are obsessed with quality, giving our customers exactly what they want and excellent service, and the turnover and the profit have come with that.”

And this absolute dedication to his clientele has led Georghiou, who left school at 17 and fell into a job at his uncle’s greengrocers, to selling fruit and vegetables in one of the most exclusive districts on earth to a group of customers that includes many famous names and some of the richest people on the planet.

Not only that but he is keeping them happy, too.

“No-one dreams of being a greengrocer when they’re at school,” he says. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t make it interesting.” andreasveg.co.uk

We’re not obsessed with new things, we’re not obsessed with profit, we’re obsessed with giving customers what they want

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Handmade gluten-free Brazilian style chocolates made with natural ingredients.

Bossa Nova Christmas range is expanding, following a successful trial last year, to include*: • Handmade Christmas Crackers • Hot Chocolate Christmas Baubles • Santa and Snowman chocolate figures

These exquisite gifts all carry individual Brazilian style chocolate truffle.

Small batch production, order now! www.bossanovachocolate.co.uk

Pure taste of Brazil! Made in Wales.

Contact on 07484310484 or info@bossanovachocolate.co.uk for full details. *in addition to the traditional truffle boxes

So What Keeps Us At Khanya Craft Award-Winning Coffee Up At Night?

Silly Question.

Khanya Craft Coffee is borne out of an obsession to find the best, ethically sourced single estate Arabica beans and the best blends on the planet. Which is why our coffees have won so many awards.

Sourcing, service and innovation for our clients is what makes us tick – like our great coffee.

Call Bernard on+353 (0) 086 388 3001 | e: bernard@khanyacraftcoffee.com | www.khanyacraftcoffee.com 66

July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6

GUILD TALK

View from HQ

By John Farrand managing director

MY SON, GUY, who is nearing the end of a slightly disappointing year off, has a summer job at a resort in Cornwall. Typical teenage unskilled stuff, but he’s willing to learn, earn money and put the hours in.

Sounds like he is the exception rather than the rule as a few weeks ago they had to shut the restaurant due to staff shortages.

I’m a retail man and so can't claim to understand the mechanics of

news from the guild of fine food running a foodservice team. But Michel Roux Jr. does and even he stopped lunch service in the swanky Le Gavroche for similar reasons.

Consider that the Office for National Statistics state that 4.8% of economically active people over 16 are unemployed. That’s 1.6m people according to the website Statista. It seems to me that a few more people should be queuing up to fill these foodservice opportunities. Everyone I speak to in that world is desperate to have a successful summer, nay more than that, must have a successful summer to stay in business. And like the folk who stand behind the counters in our delis and farm shops, good people make all the difference to whether that extra bottle of wine or that additional piece of cheese is sold.

Recruiting the right people is only half the battle, though. Like the retail trade, the hospitality sector is famously bad at investing in training. As I’ve said in this column before, selling from a position of knowledge and understanding

The Word on Westminster

By Edward Woodall ACS

THE GOVERNMENT’S DELAY to the reopening roadmap has been a further blow to businesses, especially the hospitality industry that is reliant on the complete removal of restrictions to return to normal operations.

While this is only a one-month delay, it is likely to have longer-term implications for the UK’s recovery that is so reliant on consumer confidence and spending. Many businesses will be asking: ’When will we get back to normal and what does that look like?‘ The food supply chain has faced a further challenge in recent weeks with driver shortages and has called for Government to act decisively on it. Local shops are seeing regular issues with supplies

to stores, resulting in availability issues on shelves for customers.

The driver shortages are the result of long-standing challenges for the logistics industry.

Recruitment of new drivers has been further exacerbated by COVID and Brexit has reduced the pool of EU-based drivers in the UK. We acknowledge the longterm challenges that have caused these issues and the need to address them. However, we are surprised the Government has not moved more quickly to address the immediate effects of the driver shortages by increasing the hours that drivers can work on a temporary basis.

The Government does not have to cast its mind too far back to remember the monumental efforts of the food supply chain to feed the nation. So why not act quickly and decisively now to address the immediate challenge? We

makes you a better operator and, there is no doubt, increases sales.

My concern is that in the chaos of 2021, educating and training of staff will be sacrificed further.

We won’t be able to deliver a successful summer because there won’t be enough chefs Pandemic aside, we would still have had a labour shortage in the UK, as the movement of workers from the EU would have been severely restricted. My fear is this: we won’t be able to deliver a successful summer because there won’t be enough chefs to cook the food or waiters to pop it in front of the inevitable increase in punters.

And those customers will have a poor experience, jump onto the illusory TripAdvisor, and won’t come back. We can’t let it happen. continue to make representations to Government on this matter.

What this situation further reinforces is the need for the Government to reset its relationship with all parts of the food supply chain. COVID and the UK’s EU exit have shown how fundamental we are to the UK economy and the health and wellbeing of the nation.

This thinking is currently underway in Government, as recently set out in its response to a parliamentary committee, it will be publishing a Food Security Report by the end of 2021. This report will look closely at the food supply chain’s resilience, household spending on food and global supply chains.

The right conclusion for Government should be to listen and work more closely with the supply chain in the years ahead.

Edward Woodall is head of policy & public affairs at small shops group ACS edward.woodall@acs.org.uk

Supporting our sector: mentoring and more

With the results of our industry survey indicating future employment growth in both independent retail and food & drink production, the Guild is looking to launch two new schemes around mentoring and job-matching to support our members.

Could you give back to the industry by mentoring a small business? Would you benefit from the advice and experience of an industry colleague?

Perhaps you are job-seeking, or have vacancies you may be advertising for later in the year?

We want these schemes to benefit as many people as possible, so please register your interest and help to shape our ideas by visiting gff.co.uk/ support

Guild retail cheese course returns

Many of you have been in touch asking when we will be back in the classroom talking all things cheese.

The Guild is pleased to announce that our Retail Cheese course will return this autumn with classes in London and the north of England.

Venues and dates – along with details of the revamped course, including an increased focus on those all-important retail skills – will be released soon.

To ensure you are the first to hear, sign up for alerts at gff.co.uk/training/cheese

The Guild of Fine Food represents fine food shops and specialist suppliers. Want to join them?

GENERAL ENQUIRIES Guild of Fine Food Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB UK Tel: +44 (0) 1747 825200 Fax: +44 (0) 1747 824065 info@gff.co.uk gff.co.uk

THE GUILD TEAM: Managing director: John Farrand Marketing director: Tortie Farrand Sales director: Sally Coley Operations director: Christabel Cairns

Sales manager: Ruth Debnam Sales executives: Becky Haskett Sam Coleman Membership, circulation & awards manager: Karen Price Operations manager: Claire Powell

Operations assistant: Meredith White Events manager: Stephanie HareWinton Events assistant: Sophie Brentnall Financial controller: Stephen Guppy Accounts manager: Denise Ballance

gff.co.uk Accounts assistant: Julie Coates Chairman: Bob Farrand Director: Linda Farrand

Vol.22 Issue 6 | July 2021

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July 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 6