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Stock up for winter
There’s no doubt about it: winter is coming. As a retailer, this is your opportunity to equip your customers with the storecupboard ingredients they need to see them through the damp days and dark nights ahead. And if you still need to stock up on a few Christmas items, we’ve got you covered, too.
Compiled by Lynda Searby
There’s nothing ordinary about Cornwall Pasta Co.’s new Organic Cornish Pasta range, which launched at September’s Speciality & Fine Food Fair, and features West Country and foraged ingredients such as beetroot, squid ink and Cornish saffron. The range takes in eight short-dried pastas, including Organic Cornish Saffron Malfadine, Red Wine Radiatori and Organic Campanelle. RRPs £8-9 for 300g.
cornwallpasta.com
The Smokey Carter says its new Madras-inspired Chennai Masala BBQ Rub compliments its other Indian style seasonings, Tandoori Masala and Spiced Mango & Lime BBQ Rubs. This latest addition to the producer’s expansive wardrobe of world BBQ rubs and seasonings comes in a new 90g shaker. RRP £3.95; trade price £2.50.
thesmokeycarter.com
Following the success of its Fairtrade and Organic Coconut Milk from Sri Lanka, Scottish fairtrade importer JTS has added Reduced Fat Coconut Milk (trade price £2.20 per unit) and two curry pastes (trade price £3.79 per jar) to its range. All three products are organic, and the coconut milk is also Fairtrade.
jts.co.uk
As well as marketing its own olive oil from Tunisia, Zeet is sourcing oils from throughout the Mediterranean region and beyond. This year the company introduced two new organic olive oils: an intense Tonda Iblea from Sicily (RRP £16.95 for 500ml; trade price £10) and a medium Picual from Andalusia (RRP £15.95 for 500ml; trade price £9.50).
evoozeet.com
No soy sauce
Lakes producer
Hawkshead Relish
has tapped into the growing free-from opportunity with its latest NPD. No Soy is an allergen-free sauce that is said to closely mimic the distinctive umami-packed flavour of soy sauce. No Fish is intended as a vegan alternative to fish sauce, and promises to add a layer of umami to Asian dishes that would otherwise be “lost without it”. Both have an RRP of £2.05 for 150ml; wholesale price £17 per case of 12.
hawksheadrelish.com
Ausha’s Black Fermented Peppercorns have just been awarded a Great Taste 3-star thanks to their sweet, salty umami flavour. The organically grown Indian peppercorns from Wayanad in Kerala are fermented with sea salt for three months. RRP £14.95 for 200g; trade price £9.95.
ausha.co.uk
New from Italian importer Coppola Foods is a limited edition tomato passata made with San Marzano tomatoes. Oro Campano is available in 1.5l and 750ml bottles. The Italian food label has also launched a trio of mono cultivar oils.
coppolafoods.com
The latest product to launch under Taste of Sicily’s Diforti label is Organic Egg Tagliatelle. Made in the Marche region of Italy with organic Italian wheat flour and Italian organic fresh eggs, the pasta has a coarse surface that holds sauces. RRP £3.85 for 250g.
tasteofsicily.co.uk
BoTree’s Black Kampot Pepper has been honoured with three stars in the Great Taste Awards 2022. Produced on BoTree’s family farm in Kampot, Cambodia, the PGI pepper combines a citrusy aroma with an intense heat that is said to enhance the flavours of any dish, whether ribeye steak, a bowl of cacio e pepe or eggs on toast. RRP £9.95 for 90g; trade price £6.97.
botreefarm.co.uk
Ramen restaurant Tonkotsu has translated the Japanese chilli oils and ketchup it serves in its restaurants into retail format. As well as being ideal accompaniments for ramen and gyoza, Eat The Bits condiments can be eaten with everyday dishes such as scrambled eggs, bacon sandwiches, grilled meats and fish. RRP £5.95-6.25.
tonkotsu.co.uk
Responding to increasing demand for gluten-free products, Just So Italian is now carrying two glutenfree dried pasta lines from Umbria. Unlike other such products on the market, both Corn & Chick Pea Casarecce and Corn & Red Lentil Casarecce are said to hold together well when cooked. RRP £7.60 for a 500g bag; trade price £4.85.
justsoitalian.co.uk
Olives+ is now importing Cretan EVOO direct from the source. As well as producing a plain olive oil, Biolea stone mills olives together with organic lemons and oranges to produce two flavoured oils. RRP £7 for 250ml for the flavoured oils; trade price £4.50; and £12 for 500ml of plain olive oil; trade price £7.25.
olivesplus.co.uk
In the West of Ireland, Dingle Sea Salt is harvesting salt from the Atlantic Ocean surrounding the Dingle Peninsula and bottling it in 100g ceramic jars. The producer uses solar evaporation, powered by the elements, to create a natural and mineral-rich sea salt. RRP €9.50; trade price €7.
dingleseasalt.ie
The Garlic Farm’s portfolio now includes oils, dressings and fruit vinegars from its newly acquired sister company Wild Island. Spiced Fig Balsamic dressing & dip and Raspberry Vinegar are among the new additions. Both have an RRP of £9.40 for 250ml and a trade price of £6.02.
thegarlicfarm.co.uk
Delicioso is carrying Truffle Filled Chocolate Fig Bombons – a festive Spanish delicacy. Whole dried Calabacita figs, prized for their thick skins, honey colour and natural sweetness, are filled with dark chocolate truffle then dipped in milk chocolate. They come in triangular boxes containing three, six or 100, with respective trade prices of £2.25, £3.75 and £47.50.
delicioso.co.uk
Innis & Gunn is offering three of its batch beers in individual gift boxes with RRPs of £5-7. Islay Whisky Cask is a 7.4% Scottish red ale, matured in Laphroaig single malt whisky quarter casks; Cherry Kriek is a light-bodied 5.1% beer accented with cherries, hints of oak and a refreshing tart finish; The Original PX is a 7.4% Scottish golden beer, matured in sherry casks.
innisandgunn.com
With chestnut offerings historically limited to cheaper, lower quality products, Porter Foods is hoping to fill the void with a new range of European chestnuts that have been cooked, peeled and prepared. There are two variants: Whole Italian Chestnuts (RRP £2.55 for 150g) for snacking and baking and Chestnut Puree (RRP £1.70 for 200g) for thickening and sweetening soups, sauces and desserts.
porterfoods.co.uk
With an RRP of £5, Forest Feast’s gift tubes are the perfect price point for a stocking filler, teacher present or small gift. There are three varieties, each containing 140g of Belgian chocolate coated roasted nuts handcrafted in Co Armagh: Salted Dark Chocolate Almonds, Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Almonds; and Valencia Orange Dark Chocolate Hazelnuts.
forestfeast.com
Fight food waste by drinking wine
A start-up “born in the bins of Aberdeen” is turning surplus fruit that would otherwise go to waste into wine. All of its wines are limited edition and for Christmas, Elliott Martens and Lasse Melgaard (aka the Two Raccoons) have bottled a fruity mulled wine from blackcurrants, blackberries and spices, with a Nordic twist of gløgg spices and Danish hygge. RRP is £11-12 per bottle; trade price £7.50.
tworaccoons.co.uk
Chesham tea company Two Spoons has launched a decorative tea caddy containing its Bucks Blend, which brings together hand plucked tea from Kenya, Assam and Darjeeling. The caddy contains 15 plasticfree pillows and has an RRP of £7.99 (trade price £5.50).
twospoons.co.uk
Tis the season to be merry with Beeble’s Hot Toddy’ gift box (RRP £25; trade price £14). This limited edition gift set from the Cotswolds bee business contains a branded cocktail glass and a 20cl bottle of Honey Whisky - all the ingredients for a full hot toddy experience.
beeble.buzz Dorset Sea Salt Company’s
new Salt Tasting Kit gives consumers the chance to try a selection of its specialist salts, including Smoked, Beetroot, Lemon & Thyme, Chilli and Garlic Salt. The kit contains six tasting tins and pairing suggestions and has an RRP of £14.99; trade price £10.50.
dorsetseasalt.co.uk
Chococo has included a number of products made from oat milk chocolate in its 2022 Christmas collection to cater to the growing vegan market.
The plant-based 43% oat m!lk chocolate is made by Luker Chocolate in Colombia with fino de aroma cocoa beans and gluten-free oat powder for a rich creamy chocolate taste without the dairy.
Chococo is offering Santas (RRP £7), Snowmen (RRP £8) and Penguins (RRP £10.50) in the new vegan chocolate. These figures are also available in 45% Venezuela origin milk chocolate, 72% Ecuador origin dark chocolate and gold caramelised white chocolate.
The Dorset chocolatier has also added a Vegan Festive Collection Box to its curated selection range, alongside its original Festive Collection Box. RRP £25 for 25 chocolates or £18.50 for 16.
chococo.co.uk
One blue to consider this Christmas is Grand Noir, produced by Kaserei Champignon in the rolling grasslands of the Bavarian Alps.
This blue cheese was launched as an alternative to Stilton and will appeal to those who are looking for a cheeseboard ‘talking point’, due to its distinctive black wax mantle, which enables the cheese to develop a silky and creamy texture with a delicately spicy character.
Grand Noir has been included in Rowcliffe’s Christmas List 2022 as a ‘must have’. It is available from Elite Imports and has an RRP of £2.40 per 100g.
elite-imports-limited.co.uk
Newcomer Danelaw Coffee is releasing a limited edition Christmas blend, Santa Lucia, named after the Scandinavian festival of light. This medium-roast blend of coffees from Rwanda, Colombia and Mexico promises flavours of dried fruit, clementine and orange peel, with a boozy, sherry-trifle-like finish. RRP £9.95 for a 200g box; trade price £6.10.
danelaw.coffee
The Wild Garlic and Peppercorn Mill is a new gift idea from Burren Balsamics. Cornish sea salt, wild garlic leaves and a variety of peppercorns are combined in an easyto-use blend that can add seasoning to any dish. The peppermill comes in a recyclable cardboard box and has an RRP of £18; case price £69.
burrenbalsamics.com
Roly’s Fudge has added Christmas Pudding Fudge to its 200g box range for the festive season. This special edition flavour is handmade using all the ingredients that go into a Christmas pudding, from brandy to currants, apples and carrot. The range also includes eight year-round favourites such as Vanilla Clotted Cream and Rum ‘n’ Raisin. RRP £5-5.50; trade price £3.75.
rolysfudge.co.uk
Harris & James has enlarged its all-butter shortbread gift pack range for Christmas 2022 to include four varieties: Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Orange and Salted Caramel. Each box contains ten individually wrapped chocolate shortbread biscuits handmade in Beccles. RRP £9.95; trade price £5. They are also available in packs of four (RRP £3.95; trade price £2.20).
harrisandjames.com
Tregothnan’s ‘tea’ decorations, which contain three black tea pyramids (RRP £5.50; trade price £3.85) make a refreshing change to foil wrapped chocolates for hanging from the tree. The Cornish tea producer has also released a Christmas Spiced Tea tin (RRP £14.50; trade price £10.15), and a stocking filler box containing eight of its black, green, and herbal tea blends (RRP £5; trade price £3.50).
tregothnan.co.uk Sky Wave Distillery
says its new five-bottle gift pack provides gin connoisseurs with a comprehensive selection of award-winning gins at an attractive price point for gifting. With an RRP of £28 (trade price £19.10), the pack curates five gins that have been handcrafted to the London Dry standard at the Oxfordshire distillery and have amassed 21 awards between them.
skywavegin.com
Bottlegreen’s Winter Spiced Berry is the producer’s take on a classic mulled wine recipe. Back for a limited time only over this upcoming festive period, the cordial is best served hot, delivering a “warming blend of blackcurrants and aronia berries carefully blended with aromatic spices”. RRP £3.75 for 750ml.
bottlegreendrinks.com
Liverpool bean to bar chocolate maker Table has launched a new gift wallet. Measuring 16x9x5cm when closed, the cardboard wallet unfolds to reveal four handmade bars: Tanzania Dark 72%, Nicaragua White 43%, Haiti Milk 61% and Madagascar Dark 84%. RRP is £27.
tablechocolate.com
Crosta & Mollica is bringing Classic Panettone, Chocolate Panettone and Pandoro made by Italian artisan bakers to UK retail shelves this Christmas. Presented in boxes featuring the brand’s trademark striped design, the cakes have RRPs from £9. They are listed with Ocado.
crostamollica.com
Moore House Cocktail
Company has curated three gift packs. The Signature Collection features its best-sellers: the Negroni, Espresso Martini and Margarita. The Espresso Martini Collection features a classic Espresso Martini alongside Irish and Cacao variations, and the Negroni Collection showcases three takes on the Italian aperitivo. Trade price £18.91; RRP £29.95.
moorehousecocktails. co.uk
Essex producer Thursday Cottage recommends dolloping its White Chocolate Spread on hot waffles, baked apples or dark chocolate ice cream. New for 2022, the spread is made in small batches from Belgian White Chocolate. The mixture is constantly stirred during production to make sure that the end product is “as silky smooth as it can be”. RRP £3.25.
thursday-cottage.com
The Magamila Trio offers a taster of three different organic olive oils, from the same Sicilian estate but from different olive groves. They have three distinct tastes: fruity with notes of pepper corn, mild and bitter. RRP £75 (3 x 500ml bottles); trade price £45, including carriage from Sicily to the UK.
magamila.com
Leeds brewery Northern Monk has joined forces with local bakery Get Baked to launch a collaborative gift box for the “sweettoothed craft beer lover”. With an RRP of £20, the box contains four exclusive cake-themed craft beers: Donut-Sprinkles Milkshake IPA, Cinnamon Cookie Porter, Lemon Meringue Pie IPA and Bourbon BarrelAged Triple Chocolate Cake Imperial Stout. All four beers are 330ml.
northernmonk.com
Seggiano has created vegan and gluten-free gift sets for Christmas 2022. In the vegan hamper (RRP £35), the brand’s new panettone is flanked by a selection of plant-based items, including Genovese basil pesto and Taralli biscuits. The gluten-free hamper (RRP £70) is packed with delights such as Puttanesca, Kale and Fennel Pesto sauces, pastas, vinegars and Brutti Ma Buoni hazelnut biscuits.
seggiano.com
Christmas 2022 sees the return of Panettone Pastry Stout from Jiddler’s Tipple. A collaboration with By The Horns, this 7% ABV festive stout has been brewed with real vanilla, raisins, orange and brandy to exude the flavours and aromas of traditional Italian Christmas cake. RRP £4.99 for 440ml; trade price £2.75.
jiddlerstipple.com
Sweet Carolina has given brownies and biscuits the festive treatment. The London bakery is offering Christmas brownies in seasonal flavours such as Baileys, Mince Pie and White Chocolate & Cranberry in boxes of six or 12 (RRPs are £15/£28 and trade prices are £9/18), an iced biscuits advent calendar (RRP £55; trade price £38) and 12 Days of Christmas Brownie Bites (RRP £18; trade price £10).
sweetcarolina.co.uk
Coffee connoisseurs will appreciate Dark Woods’ new Reserve collection of seasonal, limited edition single origin coffees from its direct producer partners. These include micro-lot coffees prepared by Café de Panama, which selects heirloom arabica cherries and undertakes a range of signature fermentation and drying styles to deliver sweet, complex and exotic flavours. RRP £12.95 for a 150g tin; trade price from £8.42.
darkwoodscoffee.co.uk
Cocktails that aren’t full of sugar
Cocktail brand Mindful Mixology has unveiled its Christmas releases: Candied Orange Negroni, Winter Berry & Quince Bramble and Christmas Spiced Rum Old Fashioned. Mindful Mixology says its point of difference is making cocktails with significantly less sugar, using premium ingredients and working with small brands. RRP £34.99; trade prices £17.99-£20.99. The company has also created an advent gift box containing 12 individual cocktail serves. RRP £70; trade price £40 plus delivery.
mindfulmixology. co.uk
Geared towards cocktail lovers, White Heron Drinks’ twin bottle gift pack juxtaposes its British Cassis and British Framboise. Containing two 500ml bottles and a recipe leaflet, it is available from Craft Drinks and Cotswold Fayre with an RRP of £25.
whiteherondrinks.co.uk
Rowcliffe’s Clemency Hall Christmas trio pack brings together three 150g truckles: Victorious Vintage - a vintage cheddar matured for 18 months, Truly Truffle - a mature cheddar with flecks of black truffle, and its new Christmas Pudding cheese. RRP £14.99; trade price £9.50
rowcliffe.co.uk
Organic and dairy-free chocolate producer Booja-Booja has launched two new gift boxes showcasing two of its most popular chocolate truffle flavours; Fine de Champagne and Chocolate Salted Caramel. Each box contains 16 truffles. RRP £11.99.
boojabooja.com
Christmas 2022 sees the return of Freda’s limited edition Winter Fruit & Spice Peanut Butter for the festival season. Described as “Christmas in a jar”, this spiced peanut butter can be slathered on toasted fruit loaf or cinnamon bagels.
fredas.co.uk
RoniB’s kitchen sauces gift pack champions Philippine flavours with three sauces - Ihaw Ihaw BBQ Sauce, Banana Ketchup and Labuyo Hot Chilli - that can be used as condiments or to inject flavour into cooking. RRP £15; trade price £9.
ronibkitchen.co.uk
Karst (180g) and Ash log (500g), from St. Tola, make elegant additions to a cheeseboard. They are ash coated Irish goat milk cheeses made with raw milk from Siobhán Ní Gháirbhith’s herd of dairy goats on the Atlantic coast of Ireland.
Their silvery grey rinds reflect the limestone landscape of The Burren in Co Clare. The Ash log is aged for four weeks, yielding a smooth and velvety texture with fresh flavours of sweet lemon and yoghurt. Karst is fresher than its larger sister, and has a fluffy creamy texture and bright flavours with sweet cocoa notes. Wholesale price £25/kg.
st-tola.ie
Flower & White’s Christmas range features new creations such as Mallowettes (hand decorated chocolate enrobed mallows), Double Dipped Pretzels in two flavours - White Chocolate & Raspberry and Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel - Salted Caramel Chocolate Popcorn, as well as a spin on its classic meringue range: Meringue Baci and flavoured Baby Chocolate Meringue Kisses.
All of these sweet treats are hand-crafted in Shropshire using natural ingredients and are suitable for vegetarians. They come in 100g bags (RRP £4.49).
flowerandwhite.co.uk
With notes of cinnamon and orange, Old Mother Hunt’s Winter Spiced Rum is said to be the perfect pairing for ginger beer or cola or for spicing up a hot chocolate. Distilled from scratch just outside Glasgow by a “jobless airline pilot and harassed mum”, this pure single rum contains no added sugar, chemicals or colourings. RRP £30.95 for a 50cl bottle; trade price £19.87.
oldmotherhunt.co.uk
A fun, festive addition to Bun-dles’ handmade bao and dumpling range, Christmas Pudding Bao Buns are filled with cinnamon, spices and dried fruit, and Gold Star Mince Buns are filled with a delicate gingerbread mousse punctuated with ginger pieces.The buns are sold in packs with an RRP of £12 and a trade price of £6.99-7.99.
bun-dles.com
Tenuta Marmorelle says it has been combing Italy for the best Italian Christmas fine food from new and existing suppliers. One of its favourite finds was small producer of handmade Giandioutti in Turin. The Italian importer is offering these traditional hazelnut chocolates in a variety of presentation formats including pyramids, bags and boxes.
tenutamarmorelle.com
Hampshire based T&M Artisan Chocolates is offering bonbons artfully decorated with Christmas themed transfers alongside its signature hand-crafted chocolates this Christmas. Trade price for a box of six starts at £4.40 and RRPs are between £7.99 and £11.99. Chocolate flavours include Raspberry Pate de fruit, Salted Caramel, Marc de Champagne Ganache and Peppermint Fondant.
tmchocolates.co.uk
Baboo’s Brandy Gelato makes a change to brandy cream as a Christmas pudding or mince pie accompaniment. Made with Somerset cider brandy, this soft cream coloured gelato melds milky and boozy notes together, and is both warming and cold at the same time. It comes in 500ml tubs that are sold in cases of 6 for £22.80.
baboogelato.com
For 2022, The Seaweed Food Co has changed its gift packaging to Kraft tubes to reduce plastic use. The company handpicks seaweeds from the beaches of Guernsey and adds sea salt, herbs and chillies to make a variety of seasonings that pack an umami punch. RRPs are £15 for a 3-tin gift pack (trade price £11) and £25 for a 5-tin gift pack (trade price £18.25).
seaweedfoodcompany. com
GingerBeard’s Preserves‘ 2022 edition Fig & Sour Cherry Christmas Chutney is made with an oak-aged barley wine from Dawkins Ales. This boozy chutney is all more indulgent for the inclusion of whole sour cherries that have been soaked in the barley wine. RRP £4.75 for 200g; trade price £3.
gingerbeardspreserves.co.uk
Love Cocoa by James Cadbury has released two 150g truffle tubes (RRP £13.50) for the festive season. Milk Champagne Snowball Truffles encase Marc de Champagne in a milk chocolate shell, while Gingerbread Truffles combine a dark chocolate outer with a spiced gingerbread centre.
lovecocoa.com
This handmade wooden gift box from .pepper…field houses four 50g servings of Kampot pepper. As well as the producer’s Golden Fork winning green freeze-dried Kampot pepper, this includes white, black and red pepper. RRP £59.99.