12 minute read
SHELF TALK
from FFD July 2021
Former refugee launches rst readyto-use Somali and Ethiopian sauces
By Tom Dale
A former child refugee who ed 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 a er eeing 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 in uences from various countries her grandmother visited during her lifetime, as well as the Middle Eastern, Indian and Italian in uences, which African cuisines already incorporate. Now released, the range represents the rst 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 o ering 10% o 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
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
Premium meal delivery service launches in indies
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 t for retailers wanting to o er convenience to a “discerning, time-poor clientele”.
Noble House is also o ering 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 sh mains, 11 vegetarian mains (including ve vegan options), ve 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 co ees.
noblehouseprepared.com
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 Samuel. The coffee, originating from the Gori Gesha forest in Ethiopia which lends its name Ethiopia which lends its name to the brew, is roasted to order to the brew, is roasted to order to preserve freshness. A 250g bag of Geisha is £19.50. 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
My magic ingredient
GEORGE BENNETT
Chef & owner, Jorge Artisan Foods 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 rst two vodkas – a plain Premium Irish Vodka and its Wild Mourne Rose Vodka.
Made in the cra distillery’s unique vacuum stills, the vodkas are six-times distilled and made using water from the Mourne Mountains which is ltered through the region’s layers of volcanic rock.
The new lines were released as the brand picked up a ra 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 avours 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 avours 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
MEET THE PRODUCER
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!
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.
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 A lot of post? It makes you sad. We hope others will follow people must our example and take action. have thought Our packets will completely break down on land or in water, we were mad, and provide some nourishment as well. but we stuck What is the best thing about being a small business? at it! 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!
…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.
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
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
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
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
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
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