FFD October-November 2023 by Guild of Fine Food

October-November 2023 Volume 24 Issue 9 gff.co.uk

Simply the best Discover the spreadable Greek cheese that took the Great Taste 2023 Supreme Champion title

ALSO INSIDE All of the Golden Fork winners Honey & Co’s successful expansion Last-minute Christmas ideas

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

WELCOME CONTENTS 4

NEWS

VIEWPOINTS

Shoplifting epidemic, wet weather taking its toll, Brindisa deli refurb

Type ‘shoplifting’ into any search engine and you’ll get a steady stream of news about brazen theft, court sentences and dismayed shopkeepers.

Setting up Leaf & Ground, monitoring loyalty, pondering footfall

16 CHEESE

Ram Hall closes, Rowcliffe buys Hawkridge, growth at Strathearn Cheese

23 CHARCUTERIE

World Charcuterie Awards Parma Ham reduces salt

24 GREAT TASTE

Meet the Supreme Champ and discover all of the Golden Fork winners

33 DRINKS

Assessing the impact of UK tax changes on wine pricing

34 CATEGORY FOCUS

Storecupboard lines, lastminute Christmas ideas

41 FOODSERVICE 43 MEET THE PRODUCER

By Michael Lane, editor

I’ve just spent a week off redecorating the spare room, painting the walls a dark shade of green (no, I’m not going to tell you the silly name on the manufacturer’s tin!). I was sceptical but it’s won me over. Since then, several people have told me that dark colours like this have a calming effect. And I think we could all do with some of that at the moment. Look, I know that standing in a room admiring my handiwork is not going to solve any of the world’s problems. But as I was running the roller across the walls, I had time to reflect on an issue that has been badly affecting our sector. Type ‘shoplifting’ into any search engine and you’ll discover a steady stream of news stories documenting brazen theft, court sentences and dismayed shopkeepers across the country. While this crime has always impacted independent retailers, the current scale of it is such that industry bodies in our market are

Marsel Delights

45 PRODUCTS & MERCHANDISING 50 DELI OF THE MONTH

London deli & restaurant group Honey & Co

opportunities@gff.co.uk Sales director: Sally Coley Senior sales account manager: Becky Haskett

EDITOR’S CHOICE Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox, deputy editor

Harissa Lamiri

55 ADVICE Assessing training requirements, tips on vaccuum packing

editorial@gff.co.uk Editor: Michael Lane Deputy editor: Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox Art director: Mark Windsor Contributors: Nick Baines, Stuart Key, Patrick McGuigan, Greg Pitcher, Lynda Searby, Tom Vaughan Cover photo: Richard Faulks

calling on Government and police to refocus their efforts (see page 4). While this would be a great help, the realist in me (and, I suspect, in you) knows that we could be waiting some time for that level of assistance. Sadly, that means the onus is on retailers themselves. But whatever they do, it always ends up being a cost. Do you do nothing and just accept the losses of stock from shoplifting are simply an unpleasant form of shrinkage? Or do you invest lots of money in CCTV, security tagging and other deterrents? Either way, that hits your balance sheet – and it will affect a shop’s ambiance. Putting that impasse to one side, I also thought about my own personal experiences and have two examples that might be the beginning of an idea. When I was a student working for a large supermarket chain, there was a special tannoy announcement for shoplifting (something like

“Code 10”), dispatching all male staff members to the front doors – usually to deter someone from pushing a trolley full of stolen meat out into the car park. While this plan itself is possibly a little outdated and dangerous, it isn’t a bad idea to foster an interest in spotting and preventing crime among staff. More recently, I encountered another supermarket system that requires exiting customers to scan their receipt at a barrier. I’d say that’s the least offensive and least inconvenient way of checking people aren’t stealing. The point I am trying to make is that if retailers are going to have to curb shoplifting themselves, then the solution needs everyone to be invested somehow – both staff and (honest) customers. Failing that, perhaps creating a more tranquil environment might take the edge off things on a tense shopfloor. I’ve got half a tin of paint left, if anybody wants it.

My recommendation isn’t going to be this harissa’s big break. It’s been endorsed by the likes of Pophams Bakery, Taste Cadets, and Honey & Co (p.50), and it already has four dozen stockists. But it’s just too good to ignore. The combination of subtly smoked bakluti peppers and Tabil spices is delightful, and it’s not only moreish but versatile: you can bake with it, chuck it in dressings, dips and marinades, bake with it. I even pushed

Accounts assistant: Julie Coates Financial controller: Stephen Guppy Finance director: Ashley Warden

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support@gff.co.uk Managing director: John Farrand Special projects director: Tortie Farrand Operations & marketing director: Christabel Cairns

Operations manager: Claire Powell Operations coordinators: Chris Farrand, Sepi Rowshanaei Operations & events coordinator: Zara Williams Customer services assistant: Chloë Warren-Wood

© The Guild of Fine Food Ltd 2023. Reproduction of whole or part of this magazine without the publisher’s prior permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher.

Chairman: Bob Farrand

Printed by Blackmore, Dorset

the boat out and made a Tunisian Fricassé to slather it in. (If you’ve never had one, you must.) And no, sorry, I’m not done raving about it. More on page 45.

Published by The Guild of Fine Food Ltd Fine Food Digest is published 11 times a year and is available on subscription for £50 p.a. inc P&P.

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Vol.24 Issue 9 | October-November 2023

NEWS

CYBER CRIME

IN BRIEF Retailers call for police to prioritise

HFSS rules are working, according to a study by The Grocer. Since they were implemented last year, shoppers bought more compliant products and fewer noncompliant ones. Sales of non-HFSS biscuits rose by 10%, while sales of HFSS ones only grew by 0.1%. Co-founders of All Things Butter, chef Thomas Straker and Toby Hopkinson have racked up £530,000 in pre-seed funding. The initial range will include Unsalted, Salted and Chilli flavours, with Burnt, Herb, Anchovy and Chicken to follow.

“epidemic levels” of shoplifting

By Greg Pitcher

Small shops have demanded greater police focus on shoplifting as data showed the level of retailer dissatisfaction with the way crime is handled. Senior figures from bodies including the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) and the Federation of Small Businesses wrote to police commissioners in September warning of “unprecedented” levels of theft. Shoplifting costs retailers £935 million per year, the letter said, and is a “primary trigger for violence and abuse of workers”. An ACS survey found that three in four shops were dissatisfied with the time it took police to respond to an incident, while almost nine in 10 expressed discontent with subsequent investigations. The joint letter called for simplified processes

Ahead of contract talks with its suppliers, French supermarket chain Carrefour has called out acts of ‘shrinkflation’, - when products are reduced in size but not in price. It has placed labels on concerned products in store.

Shoplifting has reached astronomical levels in recent months, prompting calls for increased police action

for reporting crime; greater effort to identify repeat offenders; and proactive collection of evidence relating to violence. ACS chief executive James Lowman called on ministers and police chiefs to take “urgent action” on shoplifting. “The cost-of-living crisis has increased the level of theft but this isn’t good people falling on hard times and turning to crime, it is organised criminal gangs and addicts,” he claimed. BIRA chief executive Andrew Goodacre said there was “strong anecdotal evidence” that shop theft

Speciality & Fine Food Fair names 2023 award winners

Food inflation finally edges down as supermarkets cut prices Food prices fell for the first time in two years between August and September 2023 – but were still 12% higher than 12 months earlier. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that food and non-alcoholic drink cost 12.2% more in September 2023 than September 2022. However this was down from a 13.6% rate of annual inflation in August 2023, and a record 19.2% in March. The easing of the rate of food price growth was driven by drops in the cost of milk, cheese, eggs, as well as soft 4

drinks, juices and mineral water, according to the ONS. James Walton, chief economist at retail analysts IGD, said it was “no surprise” to see supermarkets cutting some prices while they were in the spotlight during the cost-of-living crisis. “This not only helps to improve their competitive position, it helps to address social and reputational issues,” he said. Nonetheless a basket of shopping that cost £10 last September would on average set customers back £11.22 this time

October-November 2023 | Vol.23 Issue 9

was “reaching epidemic levels” and impacting retailers of all types and sizes. High-level discussions were underway to tackle the issue, he added, but shops realised the need to act themselves. “We will see more investment in CCTV and technology that helps identify perpetrators,” Goodacre said. “We have already seen retailers put products such as meats and cheeses into secure packaging and change store layouts. “If this issue escalates, will we see more shops operate like an Argos, with

products held in a stock room as opposed to being on display? If the relevant authorities do not prioritise the problem, we will see businesses close as losing stock is the same as losing cash.” Ten major retailers including Waitrose and the Co-op are to fund a specialist analysis team within the national police intelligence unit for serious organised acquisitive crime. A Home Office spokesperson said: “Shoplifting strikes at the heart of the British high street, and the policing minister has asked forces to take a zero-tolerance approach to this crime and pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry. “We are working with businesses and the police to tackle shoplifting, including supporting Project Pegasus, which will enable retailers to share better information on shoplifting and build up a national strategic picture, helping crack down on serious offenders.”

round. But there are many more factors in the battle for shoppers, according to Walton. “Even in hard times, price is not the only issue that drives shopper choice of store or product,” he said. “In March 2023, with food inflation at its peak, 60% of shoppers still said that they were sometimes tempted to spend more for higher quality. “In August 2023, the majority of shoppers still attached high importance to ethics, especially animal welfare, and to supporting British production.”

Grasmere Gingerbread, Drapers Lane Delicatessen and Two Farmers were among the winners at the Speciality and Fine Food Fair Awards 2023. Celebrating the third iteration at the London trade show, recipients were named after the first day of the event at the Olympia on September 11th. The shortlists, which also included hot sauce producer Truffle Guys, Whitebox Cocktails and Belgian cereal brand, Turtle, were put to a vote in the weeks leading up to it. While Grasmere Gingerbread was named Large Independent Retailer of the Year, the prize

for Small Independent Retailer of the Year went to Leominster’s Drapers Lane Delicatessen. The award for the best ‘Not Yet on the Shelf’ product went to Cornwall Pasta Co. for its Organic Chestnut Gnocchi, while the ‘New Product of the Year – International’ was given to Pure Chocolate Jamaica for its Dark Chocolate with Jerk Seasoning. The UK winner of the New Product of the Year was Golden Hooves Cheddar. Crisp producer Two Farmers took the title for Sustainability Pioneer of the Year, commended for its plastic-free, home compostable packet and its use of renewable energy.

British food & drink suppliers fear impacts of wet summer By Greg Pitcher

This year’s unusually wet summer has dampened the autumn harvest and could push up prices of fine foods in shops for many months to come, farmers and suppliers have warned. The UK suffered one of its wettest Julys on record, according to the Met Office, with rainfall throughout the season 11 per cent higher than average. Royal Agricultural University professor Nicola Cannon said this could have a number of major impacts on the food supply chain. “You get increased mildew risk in vineyards when it is wet – and you can’t spray,” she said. “The risk of potato blight is greatly exacerbated and there’s nothing you can do to control that. No farmer wants to bale the straw needed to grow mushrooms.

Wet weather throughout the summer caused damage to crops, disrupting retailers’ supply chains and driving higher costs

“If malting barley gets wet it can germinate in the ear, which makes it unviable. Grain becomes good only for animal feed.” A fresh pile of problems come about when trying to collect crops in soggy conditions, she added. “You have to harvest wheat, barley, oats, beans and oilseed rape at a target moisture content where they are dry enough not to sprout or mould in the store. “Fields must be dry

Les Épicures de l’Épicerie Fine 2023 celebrates French producers & delis The awards ceremony for France’s speciality and fine food awards, Les Épicures de l’Épicerie Fine, took place in the summer, shining a light on quality products stocked by French independent retailers, as well as the shops themselves. Held over two days, 170 items were judged after being pre-selected among 500 submissions by the editorial team at Monde de l’Épicerie Fine - the organisation’s media arm. A judging panel made up of chefs, journalists, boulangers, buyers, sommeliers and baristas selected a Gold, Silver and Bronze medallist for each of the 20 categories. Among them were natural processed coffee from Terres de Cafés; in the oil category, Lin des

Pyrénées came out on top for its linseed oil; Green zebra tomato sauce from Variette was given the top spot in the ‘spreadables and vegetable-based products’ category. Parisian wellness food brand Cosmic Dealer won the Gold medal for packaging. An additional eight categories celebrated retailers - La Bourriche du Bassin won the award for best French deli; truffle-focused shop and foodservice outlet, Maison Balme, took the title for best concept; and the ‘heart throb’ award went to Comptoir de la Rose, a shop focused on all things rose, from honey to petals steeped in olive oil. Visit epicures.mondeepicerie-fine.fr for the full list of winners.

enough that machinery doesn’t sink in and cause compaction.” While autumn is a key period for many farmers, the effects of the summer weather could last until the spring, Cannon said. Certain vegetables had to be planted in unseasonably damp ground and will be more prone to disease, while animals won’t have as much cheap, dry hay to eat over the winter, driving up the cost of keeping them. “This could affect price

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT... of cheese [and meat] in the spring.” Peverel Manners, managing director at Belvoir Farm Drinks, said the latest harvest followed a string of difficulties for food growers. “A tonne of sugar has gone up from £450 to £980 in two years, which impacts everything from confectionary to soft drinks,” he said. “Fruit juice has gone up. There was a poor blackcurrant harvest, the blueberry juice price is up, ginger is up. It has been a rough year.” Paul Castle, managing director of Flourish Foodhall and Kitchen in Somerset, acknowledged that it had been a “troublesome” harvest. “There will be winners and losers,” he added. “But there will be fluctuations in price due to the time it took to dry products and the difficulty of getting crops in.”

Support British Food petition gains momentum Pressure is mounting on supermarkets to offer more dedicated support to British food growers after politicians and celebrities weighed in on the issue. Food and rural affairs secretary Thérèse Coffey said she supported calls for action to signpost customers to buy domestic produce when shopping online. More than 21,000 people signed a petition calling for supermarkets to have British-food-only sections on their websites. A host of household names including TV chef Rick Stein, JLS singer and farm owner JB Gill and Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden signed a letter to supermarkets calling for a fresh deal for farmers. The letter urged six major grocers to strike long-term, “fair” agreements with their

suppliers and not to reduce volumes or prices once deals were done. “Almost half of fruit and veg farmers fear they will go out of business within the next 12 months, with the behaviour of supermarkets being a leading factor,” it claimed. Coffey said: “This government will always back British farmers who produce some of the highest quality food in the world, contribute billions to our economy and are the custodians of our countryside. Today’s announcements are acting on commitments made at the Farm to Fork Summit, driving forward our new farming schemes to deliver a profitable and sustainable food and farming sector that delivers for people and our planet now and into the future.”

… WET SUMMER WEATHER PEVEREL MANNERS, BELVOIR FARM DRINKS

“We are a weather dependent business. Drinks sales were affected in July and August because it wasn’t barbecue weather. There has been a squeeze because our costs are up 19 per cent in a year due to poor crops. You can’t recover that, we’ve only made small price increases.”

EMMA MOSEY, CHAIR OF THE FARM RETAIL ASSOCIATION

“The wet weather may have affected stores of hay for feed. If the wheat harvest is poor, farmers will have lower revenues and higher costs. Potato yields this year might be lower due to bad weather and growers leaving the industry, so sourcing locally might be a problem. Pumpkins are large and looking good, but a few wet weeks now could cause them to rot in the fields.” JAMES PECK, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CAMBRIDGEBASED PX FARMS

“Crop yield is 20% down on average this year. Wheat, oilseed and beans were hit the hardest, with beans down 40%. We hope the market will go up as we are currently £800,000 less than budget. Agriculture is used as the sacrificial lamb in trade talks. The concern for shoppers should be quality.”

October -November 2023 | Vol.23 Issue 9

NEWS

CYBER CRIME

Cheese and charcuterie to the fore as Brindisa refurbs Balham deli

IN BRIEF

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Spanish food & drink specialist Brindisa has completed the refurbishment of its Hildreth Street store in Balham, focusing on a tighter selection of products and improving the shop’s potential as an events and tasting space. First launched six years ago, the deli is one of two owned by the 35 year-old wholesaler, in addition to five tapas restaurants around the capital and a kitchen bar in Borough Market. The Balham store is located next to the ‘Balham Cheese Caves’ where the company stores its cheeses and matures a selection of them. During a visit to the recently refurbished shop, Brindisa B2C Manager Clare Panjwani told FFD that as part of the rethinking of the shop, founder Monika Linton had whittled the range of products down from 500 to 250.

Teals hires top notch head chef Ex head-chef at The Newt in Somerset Ben Champkin has taken on the kitchen at Teals – not far down the road. The chef has worked in acclaimed restaurants around the world, including Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume in Cumbria, and three Michelin-starred The Restaurant Meadowood in California. Champkin said the farm shop’s restaurant is “an incredible showcase of the very best of Somerset”, and that, his menu would reflect this. His autumn dishes include rainbow chard with torn Buffalicious mozzarella; and wood-fired kuri squash, butterbeans & sage gremolata. 6

Brindisa’s new store layout features a five-metre long counter with an extendable end with seating, for tastings and training

“It’s now a mix of what she calls her hero products – small scale, handmade, artisan – through to things that people know and love.” Cheese and charcuterie are now displayed in fridges spanning a new 5m-long counter. A smaller selection of pre-packed items are available, but the idea is that customers are more likely to purchase foods they’ve tasted. “These are high-quality, expensive products – you

should probably try them before you buy them. It’s not like these are all familiar, most of them come from small artisan production.” Along with the curated range of dry foods are fresh fruit and vegetables, and what product training manager James Robinson said was a new, wider range of wines, which have been tried and tested across the Brindisa restaurants. “The idea of pairing at home is really interesting

people - cheese and charcuterie, sherry and cheese. Our selection has improved no end in the last two years, so we decided to showcase it here.” The counter also has an extendable end with seating for tastings and events, which could include the ‘ham school’ training sessions already held at the Borough store. “It’s really just about trying to make it more interactive on all levels and getting people to taste stuff,” he said. The next step could be to trial later opening hours on certain days, and hosting pairing events themed around a wine, charcuterie and cheese of the week. “It’s all about seeing what catches the attention - it’s a totally different crowd to the one we get up in Borough, and I think that’s probably the hardest bit, figuring out the neighbourhood – even after six years.”

DOWN ON THE FARM The latest from farm shops across the country

After a devastating fire destroyed the kitchen at Betton Farm in February 2023, the team installed a pop-up airstream trailer café with a covered seating area in a tipi. Christened “The Cunning Plan”, it has been keeping punters sustained with coffee and cake while the building work to get the kitchen back up and running got underway in October. bettonfarm.org.uk

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

Part of the Combe Estate near Honiton, the Combe Farm Shop and Café is hoping to move to a more suitable site next to the Combe Garden Centre. If the plans are approved, the Devon retailer says its new shop will be more accessible, in a more energy efficient building with a larger floor space and outdoor space. It will also have more employment opportunities to offer. www.facebook.com/ combefarmshop

Jade’s Farmacy is new farm shop that has opened in the Lincolnshire village of Burton le Coggles. It sells local dairy products and fresh milk, cakes, fruit and vegetables as well as fresh fish and local meat, butchered by owner Jade herself.

The team at turkey and cooked meats’ supplier Addlington is planning to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic in January to raise funds for charity, in memory of founder Rod Addlington’s son. Donations can be made at brightsidesrow.com. Tesco staff could be equipped with bodycams under new plans to tackle violence against staff after the BRC highlighted that violence or abuse against staff had almost doubled between 2019 and 2020. It’s not just farmers that have been impacted by the UK’s wet weather this summer. Tonic producer Fever Tree said its sales at the end of H1 2023 “have been impacted by the unseasonably poor weather in the UK”

Construction work at the Priory Farm Shop in Nutfield, Surrey, is well underway. The development includes a Garden Room Café and state-of-the-art kitchen. An outdoor dining area and a children’s play area are part of the designs, as per the regulars’ wishes. prioryfarm.co.uk

In association with

Fabulous Farm Shops fabulousfarmshops.co.uk

the

guide to

thanksgiving

IN NEW YORK

IN NEW ENGL AND

A day of parades and balloons, with Strawberry Cheesecake walking tall and flying high

A day of football games and tailgate parties, and Boston Cream Pie scoring downs while cheered from pick-ups

IN LOUISIANA

IN FLORIDA

A day of turkeys deep-fried in bubbling oil, but Mississippi Mud Pie oh-so-cool

A day on the beach in late November, and Key Lime Pie still hot hot hot

Miller’s Miss American Pie Re-live the age of innocence

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

VIEWPOINTS IF I’D KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW... DAVID FISK, director, Leaf & Ground, Dursley, Gloucestershire

Some friends of ours found the site and decided something needed to be done with it, so they bought it. It has sweeping views across the Welsh hills, Forest of Dean, Malverns and north to Gloucester Cathedral, and we agreed it would make a fantastic location for a countryside experience with great food – exactly the sort of place we like to visit. The buildings, which include a café, deli, garden shop and thatched coffee & ice cream hut, are all made of green oak and traditional stone. They are a work of passion. My wife Jess and I came in to set up and run the business. I was a director of information systems and was keen to build something from scratch as you never get to do that in the corporate world. We are lucky to have a wealth of marvelous local artisan producers, including vineyards, cheesemakers, breweries, cidermakers and craftspeople that we’re keen to showcase. We have hosted many pop-ups with the intention of fostering the local producer community and giving micro-businesses a risk-free outlet. Our commission is a percentage of their sales. The learning for me has been that you can never predict what is going to capture people’s imagination. Since we opened our doors in September 2019 we have had a series of transitional challenges – including the pandemic, energy prices and inflation – but the one enduring challenge has been staffing. The environment hasn’t been easy for a while, and with business volumes fluctuating with the weather and holidays, we have to be really flexible. We have a lot of part-time and casual staff, which helps, but it is hard to manage effectively. Fortunately, my background has come in useful. Every member of staff has Microsoft Teams installed on their phone and they use it for everything, from checking their shifts to carrying out food safety checks, accessing company news and communicating with colleagues. It is also a great tool for onboarding new staff as it contains our training and induction programmes. This reduces the admin burden and allows me more time to focus on the business. It doesn’t mean we lose the human touch either. The chat isn’t all work based, people have a laugh and a joke, share holiday snaps and organise trips to the pub. I think it makes us more of a team and creates a sense of community. Despite the less-than-normal operating environment, four years in, we are pretty much where we thought we would be and have welcomed half a million visitors through our doors. leafandground.com Interview Lynda Searby Photography Stuart Key

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

View from HQ FFD’s publisher and Guild of Fine Food managing director John Farrand has his say

I’VE BEEN OUT and about so much recently that I cannot remember if I have mentioned the in-house Guild of Fine Food team initiative ‘Out and About’ in this column. It’s simple: do a training day; visit a producer; visit a deli; or maybe go to a trade show you’ve never visited before. I’ve taken the initiative to heart and, in hindsight, rather stupidly tried to do most of those in one week instead of one year. I decided while staring out of the window of yet another delayed train, that the joy of getting out there is not just meeting new folk or seeing new places or being able to scoff free (but great) food. It’s

also about getting a better handle on what’s going on. That would loosely be defined as trendwatching, I guess, and trends can be worrying, novel, alarming, faddy and surprising. With that in mind, here’s the story of my most recent trip to London. It began in one of the Capital’s swanky clubs, where The Association of Convenience Stores held its annual Top2Top event. During the lunch, each table played a game based on sector issues and where opportunities may lie. It was, of course, skewed toward c-stores but I quickly learnt there was common ground, as we prioritised subjects printed on giant Trivial Pursuit ‘cheeses’ making a trend wheel. There was much chat on shoplifting and abuse, which is worrying. As reported on page 4, this is an increasingly dark subject, now affecting rural shops and affluent high streets. I moved from there to the Hungarian Embassy, and a

I moved from there to the Hungarian Embassy. Needless to say, the Ambassador really did spoil us.

Restaurant Show the following day and unsurprisingly a hospitality trend talk predicting that insects are the next big ingredient. It sounds alarming, but over the years, the little creatures have had more presence at these talks than on retail shelves. Whilst waiting for the next talk I flicked through a copy of The Grocer: plant-based meals and especially meat-replacement products had seen a decline in sales and many start-ups in that market were failing. The end of a fad? There is still so much great vegan food to be had anyway. Most trends come across my desk, so I was surprised by the payoff line in the next seminar. Mashed peas were back and trending. And back because it replaced the avocado, with its dodgy ecocredentials, in hipster salads. Note it has become ‘mashed’ rather than ‘mushy’. Goes to show. A bit like my fashion choices from the 80s, a trend now is only an idea someone else had 40 years ago.

The Word on Westminster

HAVE YOUR SAY AT THE TOWN HALL On Monday 16th October, the Guild of Fine Food welcomed members to its newly established Town Hall, an initiative devised to identify and address challenges and opportunities facing the independent food and drink sector. In the first meeting, members discussed concerns around sustainability, the impact of Brexit on workforce management and how to develop a relationship with local authorities. If you’re a member of the Guild of Fine Food and would like to join Town Hall, or simply share your views about running a small business, please get in touch at support@gff.co.uk.

celebration of the country’s success in Great Taste, with 20 or so producers flown in to man tasting stations. Needless to say, the Ambassador really did spoil us. Especially with the Golden Fork winning Pumpkin Seed oil, from Natur Press Team. Novel and delicious, this excellent thing needs to be sold in delis across the land. I’ll buy some on my next ‘Out and About’ visit. My mission continued at the

By Edward Woodall Association of Convenience Stores

THERE IS MUCH speculation about when the General Election will come in 2024. Will the Government go for an early Spring election directly after the Budget and avoid the negative headlines from a potentially bad set of local election results? Alternatively, will the Government wait until Autumn 2024 when the UK economy might look healthier, and events may have whittled down Labour’s polling lead? In my view, the Government will wait until later in 2024, but what is clear is that the election campaign has already begun. All policy decisions are now being framed and presented around how well they will play with the public during an election campaign. This

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

could have a negative effect on the business community, who are looking for certainty. Some policy decisions may be accelerated because of their public appeal but, as a result, may be quite superficial and light on detail. Alternatively, many policy areas could be thrown on the back burner as they don’t fit the election narrative or capture the public’s attention enough. This, of course, would leave businesses in the dark about long-term planning and investment decisions. The end of the year will be an inflection point for political and policy landscape as Westminster responds to Party Conference season announcements, a new legislative agenda in the King’s Speech (7th November) and the Autumn Financial Statement (22nd November). These all present opportunities for the

Government and opposition parties to set out their agenda, set themselves apart from their opponents and tell the public what they have to offer. The upcoming King’s Speech will certainly be an area to keep a close eye on, as the Government attempts to demonstrate its ability to deliver action before the General Election. We are expecting to see legislation to tackle shop theft and to regulate the tobacco and vaping market. But an accelerated legislative programme could cause the Government to take action on many other policy areas relevant to the food industry. Watching new legislation being introduced and amended over the next 12 months will be crucial. Edward Woodall is government relations director at the ACS edward.woodall@acs.org.uk

VIEWPOINTS

CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER ANONYMOUS TALES FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER NEAR MY HOUSE is a small veg shop.

I go there probably three times a week. There is also a bakery with a small café attached, and a butcher. I don’t like the butcher. He’s got a broken chiller, or at least one he never turns on, and a tacky old freezer that’s full of meat without sell-bys. You can see the wash-up area behind the counter too, and it’s not pretty. Frankly, it all feels a bit 1970s and it hasn’t aged well. My wife wants me to use him. She has a view that local shops mean local produce, and local produce means better welfare standards and taste. There is no way the butcher’s meat is local. For similar reasons, she orders a veg box. It’s delivered every Friday and is, frankly, overpriced. Plus, I really can’t abide the loss of choice. “Local” doesn’t work for me that way. I like to go to a nearby farm shop that rears its own animals; I buy big and put it in the freezer. The bakery is a different story.

It’s our preferred supplier of bread. The sourdough has small holes, is light and pre-sliced allowing us to freeze it and take out as many slices as we like. This is handy when I’m on one of my perennial low-carb diets (never low-dairy). Of all these local shops, I love the veg shop. It’s neat, tidy, and the owner knows my name. They get all their stuff direct from market, so it’s not local, but it’s fresh. They do deliveries, they do a little local

These guys run a great shop. But here’s the rub. They do not make a lot of money.

Retail eye FLOURISH FOOD HALL’S PAUL CASTLE HAS AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS OF LOYALTY SCHEME QUEST Autumn is now in the air and Team Flourish is gearing up for the Christmas mayhem, fun and games. In readiness for the busiest time of the year, I thought a follow-up to the “rewards (loyalty) challenge” may be in order. Flourish has traded well over the summer, the inclement weather and a good dose of things to do, have really made a difference to our customer numbers. This is, I am sure, in part down to our excellent marketing team, who have been keeping the “socials” alive and have also been very engaging with our newsletter subscribers. A huge part of the reason why we offer rewards is to gain customers’ data, allowing us to bring them into the world of Flourish through updates, events, engaging stories, lots of photos of great food and those who produce it. So the focus remains on rewards for loyalty – thus allowing us the privilege of communicating directly with our most valuable asset, emailable card-holders. The one thing we are still wrestling with is

wholesale to restaurants. They have a range of pre-packed nuts and seeds etc, plus they dip into fine foods with some good chocolate and jarred products that I also stock myself. These guys run a great shop that ticks all the boxes. But here’s the rub. They do not make a lot of money. They only holiday once a year together, the rest they holiday apart so one can run the shop. You won’t see a millennial or Gen-Zer choose this way of life. To call these owners modest is a massive understatement. The veg shop’s proposition is low unit cost, OK-ish margin, but even with high frequency customers like myself (at least three times a week) they just aren’t making enough cash to holiday together. A textbook business, yet no spare cash. Are there many other businesses in our sector like that? Is yours? If you could marry my business to theirs, maybe we’d rake it in. Their footfall and my basket-spend would surely by a retailing force. So, to make my point (finally), all week footfall isn’t the golden ticket. I love that business but I wouldn’t want to run it myself. You need the higher basket spend. There is only so much cheese and oranges a family needs.

that there is certainly not a ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to rewards. It is worth saying that we have made great in-roads by having our team sign up new customers, which has led to several hundred new members each week. On the reverse we have also decided to suspend reward cards for those customers who have not used theirs for a year or more. Now this doesn’t just mean that they haven’t shopped with us, it just means their card may not have been used. But why? Have they not been asked at the checkout? Or are the rewards just not compelling enough for them to “want” to show their card? To tempt them, we have been highlighting some great offers around the Foodhall and in the Kitchen. They are displayed on shelf, very clearly showing the reward card saving. These have certainly given customers a better price perception of Flourish and the impact on basket spend has been improved but is not earthshattering. Our next approach is to start some category offers for the coming months. Having analysed the number of items landing in the basket by category, we will find an incremental trigger point, rewarding the customer even more for additional items purchased. We think we may be getting closer to finding those rewards which change behaviour. Wish us luck and have a great third quarter.

- the rise in food &

drink

exports

from the UK to the E U compared with the same period in 2022. Our

best-selling

items were cheese, cho colate, s a lmon and breakfast cereals. Meanwhile, sales to

non-EU

markets

fell by 1.2% during the

same

period.

Source: Food & Drink Federation Trade Snapshot H1

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR MORE?

Whether it’s staff training, business advice, event space, making industry connections or opportunities to meet trade buyers and food lovers, the Guild of Fine Food does far more than publish FFD. The Guild has been championing independent food & drink for over 30 years. Join us today and find out what we can do for your business. Support & ideas: support@gff.co.uk Training & venue hire: bookings@gff.co.uk Exhibition stands: opportunities@gff.co.uk MyGuild assistance: myguild@gff.co.uk gff.co.uk/join

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

This is Food and Drink. This is Wales. Harvested from our abundant land and sea by people who love what they do. Why not make this autumn awesome with delicious, honest food and drink from Wales?

Discover a world of possibilities with Welsh food and drink: gov.wales/foodanddrinkwales

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ales Vol.24 Issue 9 | October-November 2023

29/09/2023 12:27

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

Exclusive to Rowcliffe

CHEESE

Berkswell production ceased as Ram Hall and its herd move on By Patrick McGuigan

Berkswell sheep’s milk cheese, one of Britain’s best known artisan cheeses, is set to disappear from counters following the closure of Ram Hall Dairy, where it has been made for nearly 35 years. Berkswell has been made in the West Midlands by the Fletcher family since 1989, using raw sheep’s milk from their own flock. But owner Stephen Fletcher decided to close earlier this year due to ill health, rising costs and tough trading conditions. As FFD went to press, a deal was being finalised to sell the flock of 800 sheep

to BlackLion Vodka in the Cotswolds, which previously bought whey for distilling from Ram Hall. The drinks company plans to supply King Stone Dairy in Gloucestershire with sheep’s milk, for a new Ossau-Iraty style cheese, and take the whey for its vodka in return. Fletcher, who is currently selling his cheesemaking equipment, will vacate the farm where his family has lived since 1881 and help set up the milking operation. He told FFD the cheese business was still solvent, but a combination of factors were behind the difficult decision to quit. “We’ve taken hit after

Berkswell is no longer being made but Ram Hall’s sheep will be involved in cheesemaking

hit,” he said. “I’ve not enjoyed the best of health, but we first noticed a drop because of the uncertainty caused by Brexit and tariffs imposed by Trump on British cheeses to the US. Then the Pandemic blew big holes in our sales. The last straw was the hike in energy costs. We put our prices up as much as we dared, but it still wasn’t enough.” Fletcher set up the business with his mother and father – initially his mother made cheese in plastic buckets meant for home brewing. The hard cheese, which got its flying saucer shape from being moulded in two colanders, was a favourite of Michelin-starred chefs and was exported around the world by Neal’s Yard Dairy. It won numerous awards, including Supreme Champion at the Artisan Cheese Awards and the The James Aldridge Memorial Trophy. “We’ve had tremendous satisfaction, pleasure and fulfilment from being farmers and cheesemakers,” said Fletcher. “It’s been a privilege to be part of the British artisan cheese revival. There’s obviously huge sadness, but there is also a sense of relief. It had become so stressful that the pleasure had gone and it had become a slog.”

NEWS IN BRIEF Cambridgeshire-based affineur and wholesaler Rennet & Rind has opened its first bricks-and-mortar shop, after taking over and refurbishing Stamford Cheese & Deli in Lincolnshire. Whole Foods Market, which is owned by Amazon, has closed the cheese room at its flagship High St Kensington store in West London to make room for what it billed as more ‘value’ products. Award-winning goats’ cheesemaker Tenacres Cheese in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, is planning to close permanently later this year after being denied planning permission to expand its dairy and farm. Earlier this year, the producer was named Supreme Champion at the Artisan Cheese Awards.

Two of British cheese’s most vocal advocates are joining forces via the medium of pizza. Mathew Carver (pictured), who owns The Cheese Bar restaurant group in London, will open a new wood-fired pizza restaurant called Rind at the newly expanded Courtyard Dairy in Yorkshire, owned by cheesemonger Andy Swinscoe. The 40-cover restaurant, which has views across the Yorkshire Dales, opens on 26 October serving pizzas topped with artisan British cheese, cheeseboards and baked cheeses. Carver has also written a cheese recipe book and guide with FFD contributor Patrick McGuigan called The Cheese Life, which will be published on the same date by Kyle Books.

THREE WAYS WITH...

Mont d’Or

Only made between the 15th August and 15th March, Mont d’Or (AKA Vacherin du Haut Doubs) is back on shelves after its summer break, but what should cheesemongers be selling with this spruce-wrapped, washed rind cheese from the Franche-Comté? When it comes to accompaniments, the trick is to either go with the funky flavour of the cheese’s rind or look for pairings that cut through the richness of its silky gooey interior.

Vin Jaune Not to be confused with Sauvignon Blanc, Savignan is a grape variety that is a speciality of the Jura region. It is most famously used to make Vin Jaune (yellow wine), which is aged under a layer of yeast (flor), like fino sherry, and must stay in the cellar for at least six years before it can be released. Rich, rounded and nutty, it’s a classic match for the intense flavour of Mont d’Or. Roast potatoes Mont d’Or is a cheese so soft it can be eaten with a spoon or dipped with breadsticks or hunks of crusty white bread. At Christmas, cheesemonger Morgan McGlynn takes carb dunking to another level by recommending leftover roast potatoes as part of a Boxing Day party board in her book The Modern Cheeseboard. The crunchy golden potatoes provide a nice contrast to the silky cheese. Ham and prune skewers A whole Mont d’Or, studded with slivers of garlic and sprigs of rosemary, and then baked in the oven becomes a molten pool of goo that is perfect for dipping. While bread and potatoes are all well and good, a skewer loaded with Bayonne ham and prunes soaked in Calvados is an alternative suggested by Delicious magazine. Sweet and savoury with a boozy kick, the skewers are even better doused in melted Mont d’Or. October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

CHEESE

Wholesaler consolidation continues as Rowcliffe buys Hawkridge By Patrick McGuigan

Cheese importer and distributor Anthony Rowcliffe has acquired Devon-based Hawkridge Farmhouse Dairy Produce – the latest in a string of takeovers involving cheese wholesalers in the UK. Rowcliffe took over familyowned regional wholesaler Hawkridge last month as part of a strategy to develop its business with independent retailers. First set up in 1976, Crediton-based Hawkridge has a 50-strong workforce and supplies dairy products to delicatessens, farm shops, specialist retailers and caterers across the South West. The business will be run as a subsidiary, managed by former owners and brothers Simon and Daniel Baker. Rowcliffe MD Sunit Mehta said the acquisition was and “exciting” oppoortunity. “This will give Rowcliffe the ability to serve customers in the South West with our own vehicles, along with numerous other synergies. The

CHEESE IN PROFILE with Cote Hill Blue What’s the story? Lincolnshire dairy farmers Margaret and Michael Davenport have been at Cote Hill Farm for over 30 years. They moved into cheesemaking when wholesale milk prices started to fall in the early 2000s. They needed to

Rowcliffe, which supplies numerous lines including its own Clemency Hall brand, will now be able to service the South West with its own vehicles

Hawkridge acquisition gives us an opportunity to work closely with our common and potential suppliers, provide enhanced service to customers, both new and existing, and to reduce our carbon footprint.” The deal is the latest in a series of acquisitions in the UK cheese market, which is leading to greater consolidation. Rowcliffe was itself acquired by Lactalis this year as part of the multinational’s deal to buy parent company

find a way to add value to their milk, or else pack in dairy farming completely. In 2004, they took a course with the renowned Chris Ashby at Reaseheath College and soon realised there was a gap in the market for soft blue cheeses made in the UK, so they set about creating Britain’s first unpasteurised, soft, blue brie-style cheese: Cote Hill Blue. Their sons Ross and Joe now both work in the business, making cheese and tending to their small herd of Friesian Holstein and Brown Swiss cows. The cows graze on rich pastures in the summer and switch to grass, maize silage and red clover in the winter Milk: Cows, unpasteurised. How is it made? Every morning at Cote Hill, a batch of freshmilk

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

Ambrosi. In August, Somerset cheddar-maker Barber’s took over cheese export business Somerdale International, while Lancashire-based Carron Lodge bought Singletons out of administration at the start of the year and has also acquired cheesemakers including Cheddar Gorge and Ribblesdale in recent years. Bradburys has invested in cheesemakers including Yorkshire Pecorino and the Northumberland Cheese Company.

BEHIND THE COUNTER TIPS OF THE TRADE Hilary Barney, The Cheesery, Dundee & Broughty Ferry Hilary and Steve Barney opened The Cheesery in Dundee in 2016, adding a second shop in the nearby seaside town of Broughty Ferry three years later. The secret to managing two shops is to have a strong team of employees, says Hilary Barney. “Our team cares about the shops as much as we do,” she says. “The recruitment process is important and we give them quite a lot of autonomy. We don’t want to be seen as the bosses, but that we’re all working together.” Closing both shops on Sunday and Monday helps in this regard with everyone getting a proper break, while the business is well staffed so there’s flexibility when it comes to time off. There are pros and cons to having two shops, she adds. “There’s a lot of flying about between them and I have to do a lot behind the scenes. But it allows us to move stock around if one cheese is not selling so well at one site. Being a bigger business also means we are more established and well known, which means we have opportunities to grow in other areas, such as supplying restaurants, and putting on events and markets.

Similar in style to a blue Brie or Cambozola, Cote Hill Blue has a nice balance between the rich creaminess of the milk and a peppery bite, which becomes more pronounced over time. Variations: Large 1.2kg or 300g Baby.

goes directly to the cheese room, and, after adding starter cultures, penicillium roqueforti and vegetarian rennet, the set curds are cut into large pieces. The surface whey is removed and the curds ladled into moulds and allowed to drain. The cheeses are surface salted after 24 hours, and at 2-3 weeks old they are pierced to allow the blue mould to form. They are aged for 4-12 weeks.

Appearance & texture: Beneath its natural thin, grey rind, the texture ranges from slightly chalky at four weeks to oozing and runny at 12. By using unpasteurised milk taken directly from the cow, each cheese has its own unique, complex flavour.

Cheesemonger tip: Cote Hill Blue is soft enough to spread onto an oat or spelt cracker, with a smear of fig jam. Chef’s recommendation: The cheese pairs well with a Pinot Noir, or a fruity beer, such as the local Bomber County, brewed by Lincolnshire Craft Beers

Cote Hill Blue is one of the 200 cheeses studied within the Cheese Library module of the Academy of Cheese Level Three Certification. Visit academyofcheese.org for more information about studying for and gaining certification.

A PERFECT MATCH

WITH FRIENDS AND PARTIES.

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

MRS BELL’S BLUE

Even those that like a strong cheese will enjoy the subtle flavours and the smooth texture of this little cheese.

www.lyburncheese.co.uk 01794 399982

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

Award-Winning Smoked Butter Oatcakes Made in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis www.stagbakeries.co.uk

CHEESE My idea was to develop the kinds of cheeses that I knew very well from France.

From the pub to the big time Seven years after it was first conceived, Strathearn Cheese has good reason to believe its products could reach far beyond the Scottish border By Patrick McGuigan

IT’S PROBABLY NOT the first business idea that was cooked up over a few pints. But while most pub dreams evaporate in the cold light of day, Strathearn Cheese did become a reality. Set up in 2016 by friends Drew Watson and Pierre Leger in Comrie, Perthshire, the company’s roots began in the bar of the Crieff & Strathearn Rugby Club, where the pair had played for many years. “We were both at that stage in our lives when we wanted to do something for ourselves,” says Leger. “We had one too many pints one night and the idea of making cheese was born.” Watson worked for a fire extinguisher company, while Leger worked for cheese wholesaler Clarks. Originally from the Loire Valley in France, Leger had seen a gap in the market, which he was well placed to fill. “Whenever I met with chefs they loved soft, washed rind cheeses, but there weren’t many being made in Scotland at the time,” he says. “My idea was to develop the kinds of cheeses that I knew very well from France.” A search for premises led to an unlikely home – a Nissen hut at a former Second World War prisoner of war camp called Cultybraggan, which is home to nine huts. The site was renovated by the Comrie Development Trust as a hub for local businesses, with neighbours including a bakery and joinery. “The hut was in a sorry state when we first saw it but it had an excellent stone tile floor, which is what cheesemakers had always told me was important.” The first batch of Strathearn was made

in March 2016 and it quickly gained a cult following, thanks to Leger’s strong contact list and the cheese’s equally strong aroma, which comes from being regularly washed with Glenturret single malt whisky. The business has grown rapidly since, helped by new cheeses, including the lactic Lady Mary, sprinkled with wild garlic and rapeseed truffle oil, plus Wee Comrie, which has now overtaken Strathearn as the best seller. A full-time cheesemaker, Kirsty Wedgwood, is now on board and the customer base has grown to include Valvona & Crolla, IJ Mellis, Clarks and Harvey & Brockless. Farmers’ markets are also important, enabling the owners to chat directly with customers. “The feedback we get with Strathearn is that it’s really strong and is rocking people’s lives, but it’s Wee Comrie that everyone seems to love,” says Leger. Retailers south of the border, such as Buchanan’s and Paxtons, take Strathearn’s cheeses for Burns Night, but to grow sales further would require expansion. The dairy is making five days a week including double batches twice a week. “We’re at that tricky stage where we need to grow our production. The phone is ringing every day and we can’t make enough.” Whether that happens at Cultybraggan or elsewhere remains to be seen, but whatever the decision there’s no shortage of interest in good cheese in Scotland. “There aren’t that many cheesemakers in Scotland, so there is still a lot of French cheese on cheeseboards” says Leger. “There’s definitely room to grow. Pioneers of Scottish cheese like Errington and Highland Fine Cheeses have lead the way for producers like us. People are realising they have fabulous food on their doorstep.”

CROSS

SECTION

Wee Comrie 1 Wee Comrie was developed in 2017 and

has become Strathearn’s most popular cheese. It’s made with pasteurised cow’s milk from Scottish milk supplier Graham’s and vegetarian rennet in 180g rounds. The small soft cheese has a bright, buttery flavour and fudgey texture.

Matured for 21 days, the thin natural rind is developed by washing the exterior in brine once a week to stop bloomy white moulds from dominating. Instead, the cheese grows a delicate, ivory coat with occasional wrinkles. The paste beneath becomes softer and denser over its three-week shelf life.

Wee Comrie was named Show Champion and Reserve Overall Dairy Champion at the 2022 Royal Highland Show.

strathearncheese.co.uk

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese,

with its delicious flavour and unique characteristics, is still produced in Italy today as it was almost 1000 years ago using only three ingredients; milk, salt and rennet. This Protected Designation of Origin (P.D.O) cheese is 100% natural, additive and preservative free, with a long ageing period that develops its aromas and complexity over time.

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

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Vol.24 Issue 9 | October-November 2023

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a fine blue cheese wrapped in black wax; rich and creamy with intense blue tones

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

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CHARCUTERIE

Jamon De Bellota takes crown at World Charcuterie Awards By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Jovira’s Jamon De Bellota 100% Iberico took the top spot among an international selection of producers at the World Charcuterie Awards 2023, in what the organisers’ hailed a successful first run. The Spanish Bellota ham also won the title of best Cured, Air-Dried & Ready-to-Eat Whole Muscle Product, and was among a cast of winners from from Australia, New Zealand, and the USA, as well as the well-established European producers. British producers also fared well in competition with global submissions. These included Direct Meat UK (Cured & Cooked Whole Muscle Products) for its Artio Pancetta; Wirralbased North by Sud-Ouest Charcuterie (Cured &

Cooked Sausage Products) for its take on Cotechino; SaltPig Curing Company (Snacking Charcuterie) for its Chorizo Pigsticks, and Uptons of Basset’s Haggis (Worldwide Regional Products). US-based Fra Mani saw its Salame Toscano take the top honour in the Cured, Fermented & Air Dried Ready-to-Eat Sausage Products category, while Munar won the Soft & Spreadable Products title for its Mallorcan Porc Negre Hot Sobrasada. Meat Cellar of Australia’s Short Cut Rashers won the award for best Cured Bacon. The judging took place in the summer, when a panel made up of butchers and charcutiers, chefs, journalists and buyers were invited to Billingsgate Market to try out the 400+

submissions, organised into the eight classes above. Noteworthy products were given Bronze, Silver or Gold medals on the basis of taste, length of flavour, mouth feel, appearance, tradition or innovation. In total, 17 scored top points, 52 won Silver and 54 Bronze. An additional eight awards were given out to producers. The Best Cured, Fermented & Air Dried Ready-to-Eat Sausage Products made in the UK, for example, was given to Marsh Pig UK for Black Olive Salami, while Highland Charcuterie and Smokehouse UK won two separate awards for its Peat Smoked West Highland Venison Salami (Best Game Product and Best Product from Scotland). Ke Nako Biltong

Jovira’s Jamon De Bellota was named best product at the World Charcuterie Awards. SaltPig Curing Company’s Chorizo Pigsticks were also among the winners.

took Best Product from Northern Ireland with its collaboration with saucemaker Dr Trouble called Trouble At The Bbq Biltong. The Best Traditional or Heritage Breed Product went to North by Sud Ouest for its Jambon de By Ours, made with Gloucester Old Spot pork. Finally, Northampton Charcuterie Company UK was named British Rising Star. Founder of the awards Henrietta Green said that

Somerset Charcuterie gets ready for winter with new festive venison variations As winter draws closer, Somerset Charcuterie has unveiled a number of seasonal lines with a twist of festive flavour. Its Venison Port & Mulberry Salami has been developed to showcase a distinctly British flavour combination, merging sustainable wild venison with mulberries that have been steeped in Port. Supplied as 170g whole salamis or in 60g sliced packs (trade £6.26 and £3.60 respectively), it will be available from October to March and is recommended for pairing with smoked cheese, Wensleydale or brie, and red wine varieties like Burgundy and Barolo. For retailers and foodservice operators that want to offer something different in sandwiches and pizzas, Somerset Charcuterie has also launched a Venison Peperone (trade price £6.26 for 170g whole and £3.40 for 60g sliced packs). This new line’s blend of sweet anise and earthy wild venison flavour works very well with mozzarella, as you would expect. The West Country producer has also revived its Mulled Wine Salami for another Christmas outing. Said to be slightly sweeter than its other salamis, the product comes in 170g whole or 60g sliced packs (trade price of £5.51 and £3.12 respectively). somersetcharcuterie.com

Venison Port & Mulberry Salami (top) and the Venison Peperone (bottom)

this was just the beginning for the awards. “As we all learn more about each other’s specialities – the subtle differences of cure and maturation that can result in the huge variety of flavours – then we can all grow to love the broader flavour palette that charcuterie offers.” The full list of winners and information about how to take part in next year’s awards is available at worldcharcuterieawards. com

Salt reduction among Parma Ham’s raft of production tweaks

The Parma Ham Consortium says it has taken a step towards creating a more healthconscious product by focusing on reducing salt content as part of a number of revisions to the production process. The body that governs and regulates the PDO ham’s production and promotion has lowered the salt content limit from 6.2% to 6%, without affecting quality. Additionally, it has increased the required minimum curing period from 12 to 14 months to maintain quality across its producers. The Date of Minimum Durability for pre-sliced packs has also been extended. Among other new measures, the consortium has redefined the list of permitted genetic types of pigs for its PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) production circuit. All potential new genetic types seeking admission will undergo rigorous eligibility evaluations. Vol.24 Issue 9 | October-November 2023

2023

From a shepherd’s breakfast…

A spreadable mixed-milk cheese from Greece took the title of Supreme Champion at this year’s Great Taste. Diligently developed according to a nomadic tradition dating back centuries, it is made by the family-owned Roussas Dairy in Thessaly, central Greece. Its success at the Golden Forks, founder Alexandros Botos tells FFD, extends to the shepherds and farmers who make its production possible. By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox and Lynda Searby

ONE GOT THE sense that reality hadn’t quite hit home when Alexandros Botos of Roussas Dairy climbed onto the stage at the Battersea Arts Centre to pick up the trophy for this year’s Great Taste Supreme Champion – because instead of pausing to bask in his glory, he promptly descended the steps again, seeming to expect that was all the limelight he would get. But Roussas Dairy’s Galotyri PDO cheese was victorious over thousands of other products to have entered into Great Taste this year – and the 248 who received a 3-star award – making the culmination of a months-long judging process organised by the Guild of Fine Food. Needless to say, he wasn’t going to get out of having his photo taken that easily. Roussas Dairy has been producing premium feta and other traditional dairy products since the 1950s, but has only been making Galotyri for the past decade. Based on an ancestral recipe from the nomadic Sarakatsani tribes, it was traditionally made as a way of preserving milk in the summer. Shepherds would make it every other day, then store it in the cold water springs. But as shepherd numbers dwindled over the years, so has this tradition. Galotyri is Roussas Dairy’s replica – made at a commercial scale, but still using milk from the mountains. 24

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

To make sure it was true to the original recipe, the cheesemaker involved members of the Sarakatsani tribe. “It took a lot of trial and error, but finally, the shepherds confirmed that the quality was exactly the same as they had produced in the past,” he said. To make the cheese, the summer sheep and goats’ milk is pasteurized, salted and left to acidify and coagulate. Curds are transferred to cloth bags for draining and stored at 4-6°C for up to two months for ripening, by which time the cheese has developed its characteristic creamy, spreadable texture, a complex, sour flavour and a soft, citrusy aroma. “The flora and fauna of the mountains

The award goes to the farmers who produce the milk. They work very hard in a tough economic environment

comes out in the rich and flavourful milk and you smell and taste this in the cheese,” Alexandros said. At present, Roussas is only producing Galotyri 30 tonnes of Galotyri a year for the domestic market, as it is virtually unknown outside of Greece. But the victory in Great Taste will likely change this, for Roussas and for the people involved in perpetuating the Galotyri tradition, as Botos commented at the Golden Forks. “We’re very happy. The award goes to the farmers who produce the milk. They work very hard in an economic environment which is not the best. They’ve suffered a lot in the past several years. This award belongs to them.” “This award will give us the opportunity to open the doors for this product to become well known. This is the first for a small product like this that is made at a very small scale. “To become more well-known will mean that we can keep these farmers, who move from the valleys to the mountains every summertime. It helps keep the environment they work in sustainable, we’re keeping them, their herds and their communities there. It’s very precious for the country life to let them be financially viable and independent, to earn a living on the mountain preserving this long tradition.”

GREAT TASTE 2023

WHAT ARE THE GOLDEN FORKS?

Alexandros Botos & Sophia Apostolaki of Roussas Dairy, with David Morris from the Welsh Government

2023 SUPREME CHAMPION

Celebrating its 30th year, Great Taste received a total of 14,195 food & drink submissions this year. After an extensive judging process, 4,088 were granted a 1-star, 1,568 a 2-star, and just 248 – less than 2% – were given a 3-star accreditation. These top 3-star products were then rejudged to determine the products that took home the Golden Forks, including the Supreme Champion, as revealed at an award ceremony at Battersea Arts Centre in September.

Sponsored by

Roussas Dairy Roussas Galotyri PDO

TURN THE PAGE TO BEGIN DISCOVERING THE OTHER WINNERS ON THE NIGHT. Vol.24 Issue 9 | October-November 2023

GREAT TASTE 2023

Welcome to the party Discover all of the major trophy winners from Great Taste 2023 as we bring you the highlights from this year’s Golden Fork event

>> Belazu Ingredient Company’s Robert Curbishley with Nadine Gould from trophy sponsor Shire Foods East Anglia

2023 GOLDEN FORK FROM ENGLAND WINNER

Sponsored by

Belazu Ingredient Company Sour Cherry Molasses Richard Hunt-Smith and Sarah Fulton of Loch Fyne Oysters with Iain Baxter of Scotland Food & Drink

2023 Sponsored by GOLDEN FORK FROM ENGLAND WINNER

Loch Fyne Oysters Loch Fyne Kinglas Fillet 26

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

2023 SUPREME CHAMPION WINNER

2023 GOLDEN FORK FROM GREECE WINNER

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

2023 GOLDEN FORK FROM THE REST OF EUROPE WINNER

>> Claudio Frongia, who collected the trophy for Caseificio Il Fiorino, with Giovanni Sacchi of the Italian Trade Agency

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

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The Golden Forks reception was the final event in the Great Taste calendar for 2023, but it all kicks off again in January 2024, when producers can submit their products for evaluation. As of this year, producers can also apply for a place in the Guild of Fine Food’s bursary programme, which gives 50 micro producers the opportunity to enter Great Taste free of charge. In 2023, 21 won an award, and two – Karobi’s Ghee and Antur Brew Co. – were awarded the coveted 3-star award for their items. For more information, visit gff.co.uk/awards/great-taste-awards/

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

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Wine industry deplores “ill-thought out” and “ill-conceived” new alcohol duty system By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Wine sector professionals have renewed their criticism of the UK Government’s new alcohol duty system, warning that it will fail to meet its aims, and inhibit growth within the independent sector. The new tax system, announced in 2021 by then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak, breaks away from the previous, which set levies according to type of alcohol (beer, cider, wine and spirits), and instead taxes drinks according to their ABV. Launched on 1st August following a two-year freeze on rates, it was rolled out in tandem with a 10.1% rise in overall duty. The 20-tiered classification decreased duty on drinks below 8.5% ABV and imposed a steep rise on duty for drinks with an ABV of 15% or above. The aim, Sunak said, was a “radical simplification” of the old levies, which he called “outdated, complex and full of historical anomalies”. Current Chancellor Jeremy Hunt added that it supports “wider UK tax and public health objectives” while “reflecting the popularity of low-alcohol drinks”. However, the new system has been met with

consternation in the wine industry, with critics saying that rather than a simplification, the new levy structure is both more complicated – substituting a three-tier tax rate with more than 20 – and introduces significant levies on wine - “the biggest single increase in almost 50 years”, according to the Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA). Tax on a typical bottle of still wine with an ABV of 12% rose by 44p, and on wine with a 15% ABV, tax went up by 98p, said the WSTA. One upshot of the new system is that that sparkling wine, which was previously taxed at a higher rate, has been brought in line with still wines – with an average price drop of 19p. But on an £8 bottle of wine, 50% of the price tag is now tax – leaving £4 to divide between the cost of production, bottling, shipping and a retail margin. “It’s difficult for retailers,” explained importer Thibault Lavergne

WHAT’S NEW Herefordshire cider and perry producer Little Pomona’s second iteration of its wine-meetscider, ‘To Boldly Go, Who Mourns for Grapes, 2022’, is made with equal parts carbonic macerated cherries, pressed Discovery apples and blended tannic Perry pears. Because it is bottled with lots of residual sugar, the result is what the producer calls a lightly effervescent ‘Trad Nat’. It is bright red in colour, with aromas of ripe fruit and almond blossom; it tastes creamy, fresh and is bursting with fruit .

of Wine Story, “because they’ve got a shelf with wine that they sell for £6.95, £7.95, £8.95, £12.95, and if they want to keep that shelf, they have to decrease the quality of their wines.” He said that although the intention of the new system might be to encourage consumers to drink lower strength wine, it shows a lack of understanding of wine production, the costs involved and what ABV levels indicate. “To make a good, balanced wine you need a good level of fruit, acidity, tannins - if one of them is missing or one is too much, it’s not so nice.” As a result, “people who need to spend less are going to pay almost only tax for a bottle of wine”, said

Lavergne, andd that this will benefit big producers of low-quality wine. As they have more control over alcohol levels through the use of sulphites and dilution, he said, “big industry is going to find a way” to produce low-alcohol wines within the new legal constraints. An English wine producer who requested to remain anonymous said the new system was adding a “layer of bizarre bureaucracy” to what was previously “a fairly simple system”. While small retailers and wholesalers won’t be able to absorb the duty and reduce their margins, supermarkets will. “They offer bottles at £6.99 and £7.99, so it’s encouraging people to buy from them rather than our

Meanwhile, the producer has released its first ever Champagnemethod perry, 'Bruit Poiré 2021'. Made with French pear varieties – Long Bois and Antricotin – which are wild fermented in steel, bottled with a Champagne yeast and spend a year on lees before disgorgement. The aroma is bright with brioche, honey, ripe pear and blossom and these carry over into the mouth, which is creamy but zingy, full of ripe fruit and, the producer says, hints of lime, thyme and anise. littlepomona.com

nice independent trade.” He added that the tax will cause a reputational blow to the sector. “I’m all for the message of ‘drink better, drink less’, but what they’re doing is almost encouraging people to drink more, drink worse. It’s ill-thought out, illconceived and I don’t think they’ve consulted with anyone in the industry.” Lavergne warned that although the levy could make the Treasury a lot of money in the short term – the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said it will raise £13.1 billion in 2023-24, up from £12.4 billion in 2022-23, rising to £15.8 billion in 2027-28 – it will likely have a negative impact in the long run. “A lot of companies, wine suppliers, retailers, restaurants, pubs are already in difficulty”, he said. “A lot of them closed last year and when a business closes, it’s less tax for everyone else. It’s less tax on salaries, it’s less tax on VAT, it’s less corporate tax, so it’s not in the interest of the Government. You have to find the right balance in terms of tax and keeping your industry alive - and I think this is too much.”

Boxed wine doesn’t have to be cheap and cheerful. At least that’s what newcomer Bobo Wines is out to prove. Packaged in 2.25-litre boxes, the wines come from organic French farms, with a current selection of two Provence Rosés (RRP £39.75 for the Coteaux d’Aix en Provence and £43 for the Côtes de Provence), a “juicy” Samur-Champigny made with Cabernet Franc and a “lively” Saumur (Chenin Blanc), both with an RRP of £46, from the Loire Valley. The outer packaging is recyclable and the boxes use 90% less carbon on their journey from vigneron to glass. bobowines.co.uk Vol.24 Issue 9 | October-November 2023

CATEGORY FOCUS

storecupboard

Fill those stockings, and the cupboards Ambient staples and interesting ingredients are part of what keeps a deli operation going. Get the right storecupboard items in and your customers will visit, week in, week out. We’ve rounded up the latest launches here. And if your pre-Christmas panic has set in, we’ve got a fresh line-up of festive food, drink and gifts (starting on page 35) to ease your ordering concerns. Compiled by Lynda Searby

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

In a departure from tradition, Italian food brand Seggiano has introduced a new vegan soup range that draws on different world cuisines, delivers high fibre and is a source of protein. The 15 Vegetable Miso Minestra, Organic Bean & Quinoa and Golden Lentil & Coconut soups were developed in partnership with Seggiano’s Sicilian producer. RRPs from £56.70. seggiano.com

Rempapa has launched a coconut milk and coconut cream to pair with its South East Asian spice pastes. The London producer says the key difference between this and other brands is that it uses a high percentage of coconut to achieve a smooth, sweet and rich flavour, rather than using gums and thickeners. RRP is £2.20-2.80 for 400ml milk and £1.80-2.40 for 220ml cream. rempapa.com

Tom Yum soup is trending and now consumers can make Thailand’s famous hot and sour soup at home following the launch of The Coconut Kitchen’s Tom Yum Soup Paste (RRP £3.95; trade price £2.60). The Welsh producer has also relaunched its Thai Yellow Curry Paste as a vegan product after removing fish sauce from the ingredient list. thecoconutkitchen.co.uk

Chimac has reimagined its signature table sauces as cooking sauces, making it easy for consumers to create Korean dishes at home. Korean Stirfry Sauce, Korean BBQ Marinade and Sriracha Caramel Ham are available to the trade via Mahalo with a unit price of £2.25 (RRP £3.25). They are already on sale in Supervalu, Ireland, and will launch into the UK this month with Selfridges. chimac.ie

Pumpkin Spiced Latte is one popular use for Seasoned Pioneer’s Pumpkin Spice, which launched in September in response to seasonal demand. With an RRP of £3.25 for 40g, the “warm and aromatic” spice blend combines cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, mace and allspice. seasonedpioneers.com

Cornwall Pasta Co. continues to champion British pasta and local ingredients with the launch of Organic British Basil Campanelle. This new addition to its pasta range marries the Cornish producer’s signature semolina dough with locally grown basil. RRP £10 for 300g. cornwallpasta.com

Ready-to-eat carlin peas Bold Bean Co has teamed up with Hodmedod’s to shine a light on British beans Queen Carlin Peas, to be precise. An alternative to chickpeas, small, brown carlin peas are grown across the UK, have a firm texture and a nutty, creamy flavour reminiscent of chestnuts. The company is on a mission to convert UK consumers to eat more pulses, with a range that is slow cooked, seasoned during cooking, and ready to eat. RRP is £10 for 2 x 700g jars. boldbeanco.com

While most commercially available nutmeg has had the mace (the reddish covering of the nutmeg seed) removed, Ausha is selling whole organic nutmeg with it intact. Organic Nutmeg With Mace has an RRP of £5.95 for 50g; trade price £3.95. ausha.co.uk

storecupboard

christmas

This year has seen the first two releases from Hawkshead Relish in its new Slow Cooker Sauce range. Inspired by the cocktail, Bloody Mary Slow Cooker Sauce is designed as an accompaniment for pork and beef, while the Lemon & Garlic Slow Cooker Sauce can be used to create one-pot dishes with pork, chicken or fish. RRP £4.99 for 250g; trade price £20.96 for a case of six. hawksheadrelish.com

Ahmad Tea has collaborated with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, to create a trio of tea baubles. Beyond the Leaf Baubles come in three varieties: Majestic Breakfast, Splendid Ceylon and Elegant Earl Grey. RRP £3.99 for a 25g loose leaf caddy. The Hampshire company has also released a 24 Days of Tea advent calendar (RRP £13.99) and Give the Gift of Tea teabag selection (RRP £9.99). ahmadtea.com

Chocolate calendars are just one of the many types on offer these days, as Artisan Coffee’s latest product attests. Both calendars contain all six of the producer’s signature coffees, including The Big Shot, The Smart Cookie and The Enigma. There are two formats to choose from: 24 x Nespresso Original compatible pods (RRP £26.99) or a hanging calendar with 24 x coffee bags (RRP £28.99). artisancoffeeco.com

Pathia is the latest spice blend to come out of Leela’s Kitchen on the Isle of Man. This rich, aromatic spice mix is commonly used in Indian and Parsi cuisine to create a sweet, sour and spicy curry sauce. It comes in a biodegradable tub featuring artwork created by a local artist to raise awareness about endangered species. RRP £3.99 for 50g. leelaskitchen.co.uk

Norton Barton Artisan Food Village co-founder Fionagh Harding said she had a little help from some of the former Peter’s Yard team in the development of her eponymous sourdough crackers. Fionagh’s crackers are baked on-site using the Cornish producer’s own sourdough mother, mixed with rye flour, rapeseed oil and sea salt. RPP £2.95 per 100g box; trade price £1.88. theartisanfoodvillage. com

Following the launch of its debut non-alcoholic ginger wine last year, Northern Ireland based start-up Jackson Roze has concocted a new Ginger with Clove variant. Founder Nicky Jackson makes her own ginger essence and follows a 100 year-old family recipe passed down from her great grandparents to create this winter warming, clove-infused beverage. RRP £9 for 750ml; £5 for 330ml. jacksonroze.com

Retailers on the look-out for premium saffron should track down Sara Saffron’s Super Negin Saffron, which counts 2022 MasterChef UK Champion Eddie Scott among its fans. RRP is £6.95 for a 1g pouch and £25.95 for a 5g glass jar. sarasaffron.com

Retailers looking for stocking filler inspiration should consider Cocoba Chocolate’s Unicorn Hot Chocolate Bombes (RRP £9.95 for a pack of three). With the addition of milk, each white chocolate bombe reveals a colour change surprise and marshmallow treat. cocobachocolate.com

Tapping into the modern day tradition of Bloody Mary as a Christmas Morning tipple is Silver Circle Distillery, which has just launched Bloody Mary for two in a soup can. This 7% ABV cocktail features black garlic vodka, tomato juice, hot sauce and spices. RRP £10 for 400ml; trade price £4.95. silvercircledistillery.com

Pimp Your Mayo claims its new seasoning blends for mixing with mayonnaise let households enjoy different flavours on demand, whilst keeping just one jar in the fridge. Born out of an argument over limited fridge space and a mountain of half used, out-of-date sauce bottles, the brand initially launched in September 2022 with a focus on farmers’ markets and ecommerce. It started targeting the trade this summer, securing listings with Gloucester and Tebay services. There are four flavours, priced to offer mark ups of up to 68%: Garlic & Herb (trade price £2.49); Chipotle & Lime (trade price £2.74); Mango & Habanero (trade price £2.74); and Black Truffle & Porcini (trade price £4.89). pimpyourmayo.com

According to newcomer Nice Rice, rice farming produces the second highest global emissions of any food after beef, which is why it is championing sustainably farmed rice. The brand launched in May with two dry Basmati packs and four ready-to-heat pouches, said to generate 49% less CO2 emissions than the conventional alternative. The rice is sourced from a group of farmers in Haryana State, India, who are paid a premium for adopting sustainable farming methods. They also achieve an average of 10% higher yields by doing so, according to Nice Rice. The brand’s dry Pure and Wholegrain Basmati is packaged in recyclable cardboard boxes (RRP £5.65 for 1kg). The ready-to-heat products come in 250g recyclable plastic pouches and feature two new recipes for the category - Chipotle and Provençal Herb (RRP £2.15). wearenicerice.com

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

christmas

>> Kettering coffee company Jute has come up with a stocking filler idea for those who love a splash of syrup in their coffee, frappé or hot chocolate. Dash is said to bring all the flavour of a traditional coffee syrup in a handy tablet form. There are nine flavours to choose from, including cinnamon and gingerbread. RRP is £4.99 for a box of 30. jute.coffee

Chester-based Clotton Hall Dairy is rebranding its products to improve shelf appeal with a new range of alcoholic creams in festive livery. Marketed under the newly created Clotton Creamery brand, the Brandy Pouring Cream, Brandy Butter and Brandy Sauce promise to add a boozy kick to Christmas puddings and mince pies. RRPs are between £3.50 and £4.50. clottonhalldairy.co.uk

Somerset Charcuterie has married wild venison with mulberries steeped in Port to create a seasonal special that delivers a “deep rich fruity hit”. Venison Port & Mulberry Salami is available from October to March whole (RRP £7.82 for 170g) and sliced (RRP £4.50 for 60g), alongside the producer’s other seasonal sausages, Venison Pepperoni and Mulled Wine Salami. somersetcharcuterie.com

Plant-based chocolate brand Happi’s Christmas collection includes 80g bars in Gingerbread and Candycane flavours (RRP 2.95; trade price £2.04), as well as two advent calendars and a selection box - all in plastic-free packaging. Made from single origin 47% Colombian cacao and oat milk, Happi is said to have a lower sugar content than other leading milk chocolate brands. happichoc.com

These Cocktail Crackers from Herdwick Distillery have multiple uses - as place settings, tree decorations or stocking fillers. Each cracker contains a pre-mixed gin cocktail, with five to choose from: Yan Gin & Fell Tonic; Berry Yan Gin with Pink Lemonade; Marmalade Yan Gin with Lemonade; Strawberry Yan Gin with Cream Soda and Rhubarb & Ginger Yan Gin with Ginger Beer. RRP £5.95; trade price £3.32. herdwickdistillery.co.uk

Simply Ice Cream’s Christmas Pudding ice cream is touted as a light alternative to the traditional Christmas dessert choices. Pudding pieces are infused with sherry, cider and winter spices and swirled with rum-soaked raisins to produce a festive ice cream flavour. Trade price £3.65 for a 500ml tub (RRP £5.99), with 120ml, 2l and 4.75l formats also available. simplyicecream.co.uk

While there are plenty of chutneys out there to match with cheese, honeys remain underrepresented in the retail channel. Honey for Life is looking to change this with a gift set that provides cheese matching suggestions for three mono-floral eucalypt honeys from Western Australia: Jarrah, Marri and Southern Yate. The Honey For Cheese gift set has an RRP of £18.99. honeyforlife.com.au

Hampton Court’s “rule breaking” gin is a homage to a Tudor tradition whereby Henry VIII and his nobles would appoint a Lord Of Misrule from the lower classes, reversing the position of king and servant for 12 days, culminating in the Feast of Fools. Its botanicals include quince, nutmeg, cinnamon, mulberry and ginger, and are inspired by what might have been used at such an epic feast. hamptoncourtgin.com

Kendal-based Ginger Bakers has treated its Fig & Orange Christmas Pudding to a new design for 2023. Rum-soaked figs, dates and vine fruits are combined in this handmade pudding, which is finished with Lakes Distillery Orange Wine Cask Whisky. RRP £10 for 454g; wholesale price £7. gingerbakers.co.uk

Chapmans is determined to show that seafood can be just as Christmassy as turkey with its Festive Wellington. Each pack provides two portions of salmon in a brandy, orange and advocaat sauce, wrapped in puff pastry and finished with cranberries and orange zest. RRP £6.25; trade price £4.60. chapmans-seafoods.co.uk

Yorkshire’s Just Desserts has conceived three sweet options for deli and farm shop cafés to include on their Christmas menus. A festive twist on the classics, the Spice Caramel Apple Crumble, Gingerbread Cheesecake and Mince Pie Franzipan are available to order now. just-desserts.co.uk

Fairtrade chocolate maker Divine is hoping to bring joy to consumers and cocoa farmers this Christmas with a new milk chocolate bar packed with hazelnut pieces, candied orange and sweet caramel. The limited edition Joyful bar has an RRP of £4.49. divinechocolate.com

Blue cheese with a spicy character Following a 56% uplift in sales of Grand Noir over Christmas 2022, Elite Imports, in partnership with Carron Lodge, are proposing a Grand Noir Wedge to the independent trade this year. Elite says this is the first time a wedge portion of a blue cow’s milk cheese other than Stilton has been waxed, and will allow retailers without cheese counters to carry a broader range. Grand Noir is a semisoft creamy Lancashire blue cheese with a spicy character. carronlodge.com

Burren Balsamics’ Cheese Essentials Hamper features an Irish oakwood serving board and a handmade dipping bowl, as well as a selection of cheeseboard favourites, including Roast Onion Jam and Proper Digestive Biscuits. RRP £65; trade price £40. burrenbalsamics.com

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

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Vol.24 Issue 9 | October-November 2023

christmas Organic and natural food brand Roots & Wings has added a Vegan Mini Christmas Pudding ‘with no Gluten-Containing ingredients’ to its festive goodies line-up. Organic raisins, currants and sultanas are soaked in Cognac overnight, then mixed with sugar, grated organic carrots and apples, lemon and orange juice and spices. RRP from £3.50 for 100g. rootsandwingsorganic. com

Handcrafted in Buckinghamshire, Claire’s Amazeballs are available in two seasonal flavours: A Taste of Christmas and Cacao Orange. The nutritious balls are natural, vegan and gluten-free, promising to warm the tastebuds with spices, zest and texture. They come in boxes of six (RRP £16, trade price £12) and packs of two (RRP £4.50, trade price £2.85). clairesamazeballs.com

Zeet’s Olive Oil Pearls are a new gifting idea for food lovers and budding chefs looking to take their presentation to the next level. Extra virgin olive oil is encased in a seaweed base via a process called spherification, producing pearls that pop in the mouth. Trade price for a gift pack of 3 x 50g is £23; RRP £42. evoozeet.com

Suncream Ice Cream has captured the essence of the traditional mince pie in a “rich and indulgent” scoop that melds double cream, raisins, sultanas, currants, apples, cherries, mixed fruit peel and pastry pieces. Gelato Gold Mince Pie Ice Cream can be eaten on its own, with hot mince pie or Christmas pudding. suncreamicecream.com

Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses’ latest launch is the Parlick range. Parlick Original, Brie and Olive are a modern take on sheep’s milk cheeses with a clean, fresh, nutty-sweet flavour. Parlick takes its name from Lancashire’s Parlick Fell, which is just five miles from Butlers’ rural Lancashire dairy. RRP £3.50 for 150g. butlerscheeses.co.uk

Ombar’s Oat M’lk Christmas Bauble will appeal to consumers interested in ‘conscious’ gifting. The producer says the carbon footprint of its Oat M’lk chocolate, made from British oats, is less than half that of regular milk chocolate. The plastic-free, recyclable bauble is filled with 16 x 5g bars of organic and vegan certified chocolate. RRP £7.99; trade price £5.50. ombar.com

Pittas are a party staple and 7ate9’s ambient bakery products offer some fresh options in the category. Available to the trade via Ormos Foods, the company’s Pitta Bread Corn and Pitta Bread Sourdough are said to be perfect for scooping hummus, tzatziki and baba ghanoush, or pairing with olives and feta cheese on a mezze platter. RRPs from £1.65. ormos.co.uk

Blue Goose Coffee says its compostable coffee pod advent calendar offers an ethical and ecofriendly alternative to the usual plastic filled advents. Eight organic coffees sit behind the windows, each with a story to tell, from sail ship coffee to the world’s first Bird Friendly coffee pod. The calendar has an RRP of £29.99 (trade price £18.99) and has already caught the attention of Selfridges. bluegoose.coffee

This Fruit for Cheese gift pack from Scarlett & Mustard stacks up as a present idea for cheese lovers. Wrapped in fully compostable cellophane, it contains three jars of Fruit for Cheese (Quince, Damson and Fig), as well as a mini wooden spoon. RRP £12.95; trade price £7.50. scarlettandmustard.co.uk

Berkshire confectionery producer Marsdens has collaborated with Hampshire business Clement’s to create a take on orangettes. Clement’s naturally dried orange slices are dipped in 70% dark chocolate, resulting in a sweet treat that isn’t loaded with sugar. RRP £6.50; wholesale price £3.65. marsdensfudge.co.uk

Tracklements has splashed out on embossed jars with gold foil tags to elevate the contents of its gift jars to “table-worthy and gift-worthy”. Four variants are available: Particularly British Piccalilli; Caramelised Onion Marmalade; Cranberry, Port & Orange Sauce; and Christmas Spice Chutney. RRP £6.80. tracklements.co.uk

Loch Fyne has starters covered with its new Smoked Scottish Salmon Pâté. The Scottish seafood specialist uses a high proportion (min. 78%) of smoked salmon trimmings for a meaty texture, combined with a hint of crème fraîche and lemon juice. RRP £3.50 for 120g. lochfyne.com

A deli-licious whodunnit One of the UK’s original deli gurus has come up with a novel gift. Glynn Christian’s latest book ,‘The DeliDetective wraps it up’, is a whodunnit that draws on his many years of experience running his eponymous shop in London. Set in the context of the 1978 Notting Hill Carnival, this murder mystery follows Deli-Detective Dan Heath as he seeks to solve the mystery of a body in his deli’s kitchen and a Guy Fawkes dummy steaming on the bonfire.

Mr Filbert’s has Christmas snacks sorted with its new trio of seasonal nut mixes. The Roasted Nuts & Plump Fruits; Valencia Orange & Belgian Chocolate and Woodland Truffle & Wild Garlic varieties come in 40g packs and 150g sharing bags, with respective RRPs of £1.75 and £3.95. mrfilberts.com 38

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

FOODSERVICE INGREDIENTS

FROM THE DELI KITCHEN TAGLIATELLE WITH GRACEBURN, WALNUTS & CAVOLO NERO PESTO Graceburn is a British ‘feta-style’ cheese from Blackwoods Cheese Company, which comes in an oil-based marinade rather than brine, with additional flavour from peppercorns, bay and thyme. Used dried pasta if more convenient. The pesto keeps well in the fridge. Makes two portions, multiply as needed

You will; need: 200g tagliatelle, either your own or high quality dried 1 jar of Graceburn 150g walnuts For the cavolo nero pesto: 1 large bunch of cavolo nero, leaves stripped from stem (save stems for roasting or soup) 3 tbsp capers 250ml olive oil, plus an extra drizzle to serve 100g Parmesan, freshly grated, and enough for a final sprinkle on top Sea salt flakes & freshly cracked black pepper

Method: • For the pesto, place a large pot of water on to boil. Blanch the cavolo nero for 3 minutes, drain and rinse under cold water. Once chilled, squeeze as much excess liquid out of the leaves as possible and roughly chop. Place the ingredients for the pesto except the Parmesan into a blender and blitz together. Decant into a bowl, stir through the Parmesan and season. • Chop the walnuts and transfer into a frying pan on a low heat. Toast for 10 minutes, shaking them frequently so they don’t burn. Leave to one side. • Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook pasta. Drain and stir the pesto through. Add the Graceburn and the walnuts, dress with a little extra olive oil and Parmesan and serve. Recipe by Charlie Hibbert, head chef at Thyme thyme.co.uk

Peppadew says its new Sweet Piqanté Peppers filled with West Country soft cheese (and coated with a panko-style crumb) can be sold with sandwiches, as part of sharing platters or as a snack. It claims that they are a great margin driver and an easy upsell, requiring minimal preparation – just three minutes in a deep fat fryer. peppadewfoodservice.co.uk Irreverent dark chocolate brand FATSO is selling 40g travelsized bars of its three staple products for café operators to stock. Nan’s Stash has 70% cocoa content and is studded with biscuit pieces, peanuts and toffee; US-baseball inspired Home Run pairs 60% cocoa chocolate with pieces of salted pretzel, whole almonds and honeycomb. Finally, King’s Ransom has whole pistachios, cacao nibs and a mint flavour running through the 60% cocoa bar. sofatso.com The sight of wilted lettuce leaves in a salad bar could be a thing of the past thanks to Vollrath’s new SerVue refrigeration serving system. It dispenses ingredients automatically, relinquishing the need for serving utensils, and the company says its well-lit interior is “designed to showcase ingredients in an appealing way”. The system also comes as an ambient dispenser. vollrathfoodservice.com

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

S M A L L B A T C H , AWA R D -W I N N I N G W E L S H C R A FT S P I R I T S

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

MEET THE PRODUCER Small Things Wine co-founders Cleve Robinson (left) and Ian Batt (right)

When East meets West New to the UK market, Selim Cenkel’s Marsel Delights are a modern take on the Turkish sweet, blending tradition and innovation to bring lokum to a wider audience. Interview by Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

What were you doing before starting Marsel Delights, and how did the idea come to you? I’ve been in the food business for 15 years. I worked for Nespresso Turkey for 12 years, first in marketing, then in operations and as company director. During that time I also started two food companies – a carbonated soft drinks company and a health-conscious salad restaurant. When I finished at Nespresso, I wanted to do something fresh, to create impact, and to be able to tell people I created something from scratch. It was almost existential for me, I had to do it. Then I had this idea – ‘why do I not try to do lokum?’ – because it’s the quintessential Turkish thing. People know what Turkish Delight is, and I knew I could modernise it. How did you turn it into a commercial product? I did tests at home for six months and once I had a product that I was happy with, which has lower sugar than the traditional ones and is made with natural ingredients, then I had to find a name, a marketing approach and make it into a brand. I wanted it to represent modernisation, but for it to be influenced by my culture, my identity and where I’m from, Istanbul. So I gave it my grandfather’s name, Marsel, and developed the brand around the “East meets West” proposition that Istanbul has: this confrontation isn’t always a harmony, it’s not

always beautiful, it’s dualistic. It’s pretty and ugly, old and new, traditional and contemporary. We have all these contradictions in our life, so I took that and carried it into the visual language. You know it’s something from the east, but we are selling lokum in a very Western way. For example, we have a Sea Salt & Caramel lokum. That’s unheard of, it’s taking a very Western taste and making it into an Eastern recipe.

be in hotels, we can do collabs - so we have all these marketing components I think we could start executing within the UK market once we are established in a certain amount of accounts. We are selling at eight or nine locations including Harvest N1, Nostos Coffee, Gourmet Hound, Seasons Wholefoods in East Sussex, Bottles ‘N’ Jars and a couple more. We’re trying to pick the trendy independent stores where they’re passionate about what they offer.

How did you come up with the flavour ideas? As entrepreneurs, we always make assumptions. So I made an assumption about how British people would like to eat their Turkish Delight, and decided to do two traditional-butmodernised versions, which are the Pistachio and the Rose with Blackberries flavours, and two creative ones: Sour Cherry and Sea Salt & Caramel.

What are the immediate next steps for you? We need to be ready for Christmas in the UK – that’s the subject sitting on my desk right now. The other question in my head is ‘how can we make Turkish Delight a daily product?’, how we can do this through wholesalers, talking to people, how we can shift the perception of purchasing time into more of a daily thing. I’m considering alterations to our flavours – like adding nuts to our Sea Salt & Caramel to give it texture. We have a very successful pomegranate flavour in Istanbul. As I’ve seen, people’s expectations from a Turkish Delight is from traditional ingredients, so I think that could work here. I’m trying to listen to what people want in the UK and introduce the products in the best possible way. In the short term I need to get some new accounts, I need to get the word out, but I’m really happy about the reactions I got from people who’ve eaten it, so that’s something I think I can build on.

How did you get distribution up and running in the UK? I have a partner in the UK, a friend of mine from Istanbul who moved to London. Ten months ago we started a company, found a warehouse, organised logistics, import and export, and we launched in May of this year. Where are you looking to sell in the UK? I’m going to approach this in two ways. Traditionally, Turkish Delight is a pairing product, and we pair it with Turkish coffee. So we’re elevating the ritual with this artisanal product so you can have it with espresso, with tea, with other kinds of drinks. This could be enjoyed in cafés, in foodservice, in groceries. In Istanbul, we are well established within different channels. But in the UK, I want to be in the independents first, because they are like the backbone of any food product in the UK. There are so many of them, and it’s so good to get feedback from the owners. I also want to work with department stores, they sell a lot of lokum and I think our brand will stand out among the others. We could also

marseldelights.com

I wanted it to represent modernisation, but for it to be influenced by my culture, my identity and where I’m from. Vol.24 Issue 9 | October-November 2023

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

CREATE A SENSATION WITH OUR NEW CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE DELIGHTS New flavours New festive selection box New chocolate truffle loglets New gift boxes for every budget boojabooja.com

PRODUCTS & MERCHANDISING Turtle seeks UK distributors for nutritious take on kids’ cereal By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Although American-style breakfast cereal has fallen out of favour with many modern, healthconscious consumers, Brussels-based Turtle hopes its latest range might convince them (and their children) to try it again. Featuring Marshmallow Crunchies, Cocoa Pillows and Colour Loops, as well as Puffed Spelt, Cocoa Crispies, Choco Balls and Honey Balls, the range is touted as a low-sugar, organic alternative to the big brands’ kids products. The cereals contain minimally processed, locally-sourced ingredients, no artificial flavours or palm oil, and between 25-30% less sugar their well-known counterparts. While the industrially produced versions

WHAT’S NEW

contain lots of E numbers, these are coloured with natural ingredients such as safflower, apple, carrot, spirulina, radish, lemon and sweet potato. The Loops, Crunchies and Pillows are also gluten-free. The company, named in reference to the Tortoise and the Hare story (to illustrate the idea of slow-release sugars) launched in 2014. Founders Thilo and Laurence von Trott started off with a Porridge range – flavoured with Chocolate & Banana, Carrot Cake, Date, Fig & Apricot, Goji & Chia and Six Seeds – and followed with four Granola products (Apple & Cinammon, Walnut & Chocolate, Nuts & Seeds, Coconut & Cocoa) and Great Taste 2-star winning Chocolate Cornflakes. In keeping with the “responsible” brand image they sought to create, the packaging is made with 80% recycled cardboard, and a small quantity of recyclable plastic. Suppliers are all Sedex members and comply with European social standard laws. Turtle is now seeking distribution partners in the UK for the full gamut of products, which it estimates will retail between £4.99 and £5.25 a box. turtlecereals.com

Newcomer Lamiri is looking for more stockists in the independent trade after a recent redesign of its harissa jars. The new label shows a hand holding the smoked baklouti peppers, grown in the coastal city of La Marsa, that make up the traditional paste. The jars also doubled in size, up from 100 to 200g, maintaining an RRP of £6.50, “because bun this cost of living crisis”, the producer said when announcing the changes. lamiriharissa.com Biasol’s Baking Mix collection merges the idea of box-cooking with that of a circular economy. Made with spent grains from craft beer production, the Granny’s Soda Bread, Super Scone, Crafty Cookie and Protein Pancake mixes simply call for the addition of wet ingredients. The producer also sells a Grains range for everything from smoothies to baking. All products retail at £5, except for the Protein Pancake Mix, which has an RRP of £7. biasol.ie Firefly BBQ’s Smoked Jalapeño Jam Hot Sauce just won the top title at the NYC Sauce King competition 2023. Made by slowly fermenting chillies for two years in an old Spanish oak rioja barrel, it was highlighted as the “I’d fight to take home” Grand Champion across all categories. RRP £4.99. fireflybbq.co.uk

WHAT’S TRENDING By Nick Baines

Following on the success in the on-trade and direct-to-consumer sales, Cornwall-based Fish for Thought has introduced a retail range including bisque, stock, and soup made with seafood from the southwest of England, as well as sauces like thermidor, marinière, parsley and tartare. The Cornish Crab & Roasted Tomato Soup, which won gold at Taste of the West 2023, retails at £12; the Lobster Bisque has an RRP of £14, while the sauces range between £4-£6 RRP. A ‘special occasion’ Cornish Lobster Wellington with Saffron & Parmesan Sauce retails at £58. fishforthought.co.uk

1 ‘Tall Boy’ cans & Liquid Death

The popularity of different can sizes changes like the wind for a number of reasons. Small, 250ml cans, as opposed to the classic ‘coke can’ size of 330ml have been favoured lately as they take up less shelf space,

and their lower volume helps assuage the sugar tax, as well as price hikes. But US-based Liquid Death prefers the ‘tall boy’ 440ml can and is spilling its flavoured sparkling water drinks into the UK and Europe. California-based kombucha brand Better Booch has also taken a stand for the large format, which is more easily recycled than glass bottles. 2 Chilli crisp expansion

Waitrose recently reported that hot sauce sales are up 55% YoY, with sriracha leading the charge, up 22%. This increased appetite for spice comes at a time when the spicy, crunchy, garlic-laced condiment known as chilli crisp is having a moment. There’s even a cookbook dedicated entirely to the fiery product,

and Olive Magazine recently published recipes to make your own. Tonkotsu’s Eat The Bits is a UK chilli crisp with an army of followers, while Ireland’s White Mausu continues to ply with its range of rayu, hitting that textured, fiery depth of flavour consumers go nuts for. 3 New New World wines

There seems to be a renewed drive to discover new wines currently. The Guardian’s Fiona Beckett has long praised Middle Eastern wines – despite issues with production and export. In a recent column, Beckett recommended a red from Lebanon. She also picked out whites from Georgia and the Greek island of Crete. Meanwhile, London is about to host its first ever Ukrainian Wine Tasting, showing that the ‘new’ new-world wines are something to pay attention to.

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

SHELF TALK WHAT’S NEW La Tua Pasta has joined forces with regenerative flour producer Wildfarmed to create an exclusive line of pasta. Both are made by blending 00 flour with Wildfarmed’s, imparting what it says is a slightly nutty taste. The Paparadelle retails at £3.50 per 250g while the Black Truffle Tortelloni has an RRP of £7.50. latuapasta.com House of Theobroma is looking for retail partners to sell its Cacaolasses. Made with ceremonial cacao pulp from Peru, the sweet and tangy molasses is touted as a vegan alternative to honey, to be used in similarly versatile ways – drizzled over fruit, cereal and salads, as a marinade, in hot drinks, in cooking and in baking. RRP £24.50. houseoftheobroma.com Edinburgh’s UpUp Chocolate has introduced another five products to its range of ethicallyproduced bars. Made with Colombian cocoa, the Dark Sea Salt, Sweet Orange, Fresh Wild Mint, Dark Cherry and Gingerbread bars have an RRP of £3.50 per 130g. As always, the items are certified ‘slave-free’ and have a traceable supply chain. upupchocolate.com

My magic ingredient Two Fields Extra Virgin Olive Oil SIMON WARREN, Owner, East Street Deli This is in our cupboard downstairs and we use it regularly. We’ve stocked it in the shop ever since we opened. It’s a beautiful olive oil from Crete, but we always call it a local product, because it’s really made by two brothers, Harry and Will – not the famous ones – from Wimbourne, just down the road from us. The story goes that they were on holiday quite a few years ago and Harry, the older brother, fell in love with a girl on the last day they were over there – and her father owned two fields of olive trees. So while Harry is living the good life in Greece, growing olives, harvesting them and turning them into great olive oil, his brother Will is back here, doing the sales job. They’ve got a great regenerative farming ethos and it’s made in small batches. We’ve got a lot of caterers and chefs who shop with us, and it’s their go-to olive oil. It’s not the most well-known but in our eyes it’s definitely the best. twofieldszakros.com

Harry’s Nut Butter delves into truffles By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Dublin-based Harry’s Nut Butter is rolling out a range of new products, alongside a rebrand of its existing ones, as it looks to grow its footprint in UK retail. In addition to the peanut butters, the company (founded by chef and food educator Harry Colley) now sells three truffle products: Salted Almond Chocolate, Pure Peanut Chocolate and Hazelnut & Cacao. Speaking to FFD, Colley described the Pure Peanut Chocolate truffles as similar to a well-known peanut butter cup product, “but without the junk inside. Just really good quality stuff.” The Hazelnut & Cacao truffles are studded with raw cacao chunks and Achill Island salt flakes, while the Salted Almond Chocolate ones, which were given a 2-star award in this year’s Great Taste, are a blend of almond and peanut butter with crunchy almond pieces. All three 46

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have an RRP of £7.50. Colley started selling his nut butters in lockdown - at the time, signing the jars by hand. The six-strong range includes the Original, – flavoured with smoked paprika, garlic and chilli – and Coco Buzz, which is a blend of chocolate, hazelnut and peanut with crunchy cacao nibs. Extra Hot is a crunchy peanut butter with paprika, agave and an extra hit of chilli. The three others are Pure Peanut, Super Crunchy, and Pumpkin Spice. The flavoured butters retail at £6.50 and the plain smooth and crunchy ones at £5.50. As part of the rebrand, which Colley said will make the labels clearer by giving the text more space, the Pumpkin Spice will become Pumpkin Seed Crunch, “in order for it to stay on the shelves twelve months of the year”, he said. Harry’s Nut Butter products are available via Mahalo, Luxury Fine Dining, Artisan Food Club and Green City Wholesale in Scotland. harrysnutbutter.com

We’ve got a lot of caterers and chefs who shop with us, and it’s their goto olive oil.

In the run-up to Christmas, Cornwall’s Beanto-bar producer Chocolarder has developed three new items: a Rosemary Sea Salt 50% milk bar, 50% Milk Chocolate Hazelnuts, and 70% Dark Chocolate Almonds. The 70g bar is available to trade for £3.30 (RRP £6.65) while the nuts come in boxes of 200g, sold to trade for £7.00 (RRP £14.00). The maker has also given the packaging for its Sea Salt Caramel and Milk & Cookie truffles a refresh. chocolarder.com

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

PRODUCTS & MERCHANDISING Bay Coffee Roasters’ new lines aim to keep quality coffee affordable By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Speciality coffee isn’t necessarily synonymous with extortionate prices, according to Wales’ Bay Coffee Roasters. The Cardigan Bay-based business, whose coffees have earned it recognition in Great Taste (including a Golden Fork for its Sumatran coffee in 2022) and the international Roast Masters competition, has an entry range which wholesales around £13.50/kg. It recently added more products within the sub-£20/kg bracket, including Great Taste 3-star Papua New Guinea coffee and 2-star beans from Honduras, as well as a Fairtrade blend from Peru and Rung’Eto AA washed coffee from Kenya. It achieves such reasonable pricing, founder Duncan Gray told FFD, by perfecting the roast. It has also introduced automation into the process with the use of a Near Infrared Rubasse roaster. “When you’re dealing with higher grade coffee, you want to be able to alter it as you go and make small changes”, creating particular profiles for each one to achieve a consistent taste, look and colour. “It allows me to delegate the job and increase the consistency and the quality of the product.” The machine uses two thirds less electricity than the one they used before, aided by an environmental control system which repurposes the heat from the roasting process to create steam that cleans pollutants in the air. But, given how important ethical and sustainable credentials are when selling premium coffee, Gray said the company wants to offer more single estate and accredited lines which focus on improving growers’ processes Newcomer Atavi has teamed up with famed Catalan chef Albert Adrià to develop a luxury line of dried pasta, drawing on ancient fermentation methods. The three types of tagliatelle are said to highlight the flavour of the Italian durum wheat. To make the Smoked pasta, the germ is nixtalamised (steeped in an alkaline solution) before being smoked with vine cane; to make the Sourdough pasta, wheat semolina is mixed with fresh sourdough, which is said to create flavours reminiscent of fresh bread with “a pinch of sourness” . Finally the Umami pasta is made with wheat germ and koji, created by nixtalamising then fermenting wheat with koji mold, known as A.Orizae. atavi.uk

and working conditions, as well as shipping. “That’s why we’re trying to deal with Fairtrade and Organic certification, because you can get really good quality coffees and you know that most people are being treated better and actually improving what they’re doing. It might be teaching them more eco-friendly farming practices, or improving facilities for medical care and education.” While a lot of coffee roasters have shunned the certifications, he said, “we still see them as an important part of enjoyable and affordable coffees”. Bay Coffee Roasters’ latest addition, the Mondo Novo, comes from Brazil and is farmed using hydroelectric power. The next coffee will come from Sonora in the Central Valley in Costa Rica. It is processed using natural methods which require significantly less water than washed coffee. This will wholesale between £19/kg and £20/kg. Products which improve on the transport method credentials are yet to come. “A lot of these coffees go on big cargo ships and there’s not much we can do about it. We’re trialling a project with another company that are using sailing boats, but it is exceptionally more expensive.” Looking ahead, the focus will be to continue increasing sales without putting prices up. “I think we’re managing to achieve that, as a small company. We have retail coffees that start at £7.50 [per 250g], that’s almost the price point that they could be at higher end supermarkets. For delis that works really well, because they’re able to make a 35%-40% margin and we’re still able to make money.” baycoffeeroasters.com

WHAT’S NEW Following on its refrigerated range, Equinox Kombucha has introduced an ambient line of canned fermented drinks. The four flavours are Raspberry & Elderflower; Fiery Ginger; Blood Orange and Pineapple & Mango, and have an RRP of £1.80 per 250ml can. equinoxkombucha.com Instant mash shouldn’t be the sole remit of potatoes, according to ZenB. The producer is now selling a Cauliflower & Green Pea variant as well as a Carrot & Red Lentil one, both of which it says are high in protein, gluten free, and take just five minutes to prepare. RRP £3 per pack, which serves 2. zenb.co.uk Fruit & herb vinegar and jam brand Womersley is set on increasing its retail presence after a change of ownership. The 40-year-old company was sold by the Parsons family to Labaika Ashiru, who wants to introduce the products to a wider audience. A first alteration comes with the reduction of sugar content in the Strawberry & Mint, Blackcurrant & Rosemary and Raspberry & Chilli preserves – down to 40g of sugar per 100g, from 60g. womersleyfoods.com Sister companies to Kent Crisps, Kentish Condiments and A Little Bit have both added a Caesar to their dressing ranges. The first is made with Parmesan and ‘Italian hard cheese’, but the latter is plantbased, so replaces cheese with nutritional yeast. Both use Kentish rapeseed oil as their base. RRP £3.80-£3.95. kentishcondiments.com Stokes says its new range of BBQ Sauces “offers something for every palate”. Available in Hot & Spicy, Sweet & Sticky, and Korean BBQ flavours, they can be used as marinades or glazes, or simply as dips. RRP £3.50. stokessauces.co.uk Responding to growing demand for low GI wheat products, artisanal Italian food company Seggiano has developed a range of Organic Ancient Grain Wholewheat Pasta. The Lumaconi and Busiate have an RRP of £3.10, while the Orzo is £3.70. The pasta was developed with Sicilian flour specialist, A. Barbagallo Di Mauro. seggiano.com October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

Husband-and-wife team Itamar and Sarit Srulovich have attracted a cult following for their Middle Eastern restaurants, delis and cookbooks. As they open a new site, Honey & Co Daily, this is the story of how their delis grew organically out of their restaurant offering. Interview by Tom Vaughan Photography by Patricia Niven

...And all things nice “THE RESTAURANT IS where we work, but the deli is where we have fun,” says Itamar Srulovich. He’s sat hunched forward over a table in his new London deli, café and bakery, Honey & Co Daily, which he opened with his wife Sarit in September. Even the mindbending chaos of the launch day can’t dampen his enthusiasm for the product shelves. “Sorry, I must be boring you?” he says, two minutes into an excitable monologue about how he found his harissa supplier. He couldn’t be further from the truth. The site is a fourth branch in what is now a small empire of Middle Eastern-inspired

LOCATIONS

Delis: Honey & Spice, 52 Warren St, London W1T 5NJ Honey & Co Daily, 19-21 Store St, London WC1E 7BL Restaurants: Honey & Co. Bloomsbury, 54 Lamb's Conduit Street WC1N 3LW Honey & Smoke, 216 Great Portland Street W1W 5QW 50

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businesses the couple have established in central London. Just a few streets away is sister deli Honey & Spice and restaurant Honey & Smoke. Meanwhile, the restaurant that kick-started it all, Honey & Co, last year relocated from its tiny original site in Fitzrovia to larger premises in neighbouring Bloomsbury. Was this always the plan – to establish a multi-site presence in London with two delis? “We very rarely have an articulate plan,” he says, laughing. “We just follow what is interesting to us and what we enjoy and what we feel people react to.”

The couple set up Honey & Co in 2012, having both spent several years with Yotam Ottelenghi, where they helped run his own London restaurant group. Despite the constraints of a tiny site, the couple’s take on Middle Eastern home-cooking – including baked goods from pastry chef Sarit – soon picked up a legion of fans, and opening their first deli, Honey & Spice, was the natural next step for the business. “From the beginning at Honey & Co, we had a little shelf where we used to sell the jams that we made. And it started to become a thing. We would bake cookies and sell them

DELI OF THE MONTH

there and then our own cereal. We worked so hard to find a tahini and chickpeas that we liked, so we put them both on the shelves. People would come especially to buy them, so we knew then that the deli had to have its own space.” The result was Honey & Spice, which opened in 2016, and Srulovich makes no bones about the fact that the deli is his passion. “It’s a labour of love. [A deli owner] is a little bit of a food geek, who just wants to buy stuff and find good, delicious things to put on the shelves and to take to the kitchen. It is true for so many of the deli owners I know and it certainly is true for us.” Anyone who has read one of the couple’s four cookbooks will attest to their scholarly approach to food, and the deli shelves are stocked with products that you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the UK. Take their coffee El Nakhleh, which they spent countless hours hunting down. “There’s a particular roast and particular flavour that we grew up on in Israel. We call it Turkish coffee but it’s actually Arabic coffee with ground cardamom,” says Srulovich. “We love it and we couldn’t find it anywhere in the UK so we now buy it from a family roastery in the north of Israel, and we’re the only ones that have it over here. People come here specifically for it.” Then there is the tinned tuna, El Manar, that the couple first ate on holiday. “We were in the markets of Morocco, in a sandwich shop, and they put it in our sandwich and it was so good. We looked at the brand and said: ‘where can we get it in the UK?’ And then we hunted it down.” Some products the couple has sought out, but others have come to them. “We found this guy who makes amazing artisanal harissa called Lamiri. One of our chefs introduced him to us. He was making it here in the UK, then he moved his production to Tunisia and

it’s so, so, so good.” Also gracing the shelves are the likes of Odysea PDO Kalamata Olive Oil, Bold Bean Co. jarred chickpeas and beans, and Climpson & Sons coffee, which the couple have used from the start, and even have their own Honey & Co blend. And, of course, any respectable Middle Eastern deli wouldn’t be complete without a good tahini. Srulovich swears that Al Yaman is the best around. “We tried a lot of different brands and this is the one we honed in on. It’s very smooth. It’s very sweet. It’s a very clean flavour, it doesn’t have any sort of weird aftertaste that you can get – sometimes tahini can be a little bit bitter.” However, despite the relentless quest for products, Srulovich estimates that only 20% of Honey & Spice’s business comes from bought-in items – the vast majority of what is sold is made in house. Alongside homemade jams (the likes of fig & cardamon, and strawberry & rose), the deli stocks homemade baked goods such as preserved lemon & tahini cookies, puffed rice cereal, mini chocolate & hazelnut babkas and whole honey cakes – an important part of Rosh Hashanah tradition, also known as Jewish New Year. Alongside that, there are tubs of homemade ice-cream. “We make the best ice-cream in London. We make it every day in small batches so it is freshly churned and with really beautiful Middle Eastern flavours. We can’t make enough of our tahini & date syrup ice in the summer. And then we have seasonal sorbets – we make peach & elderflower and grape, melon & basil, things like that.” As well as pastries, Honey & Spice also offers other takeaway food. A typical day might see them serve up boxes of roasted

MUST-STOCKS Honey & Co seasonal jams Honey & Co Ashura breakfast cereal Honey & Co cookies: marzipan cookies; chocolate and pistachio fudge cookies; apricot & almond marunchinos Honey & Co ice creams Honey & Co baked bread and dips hummus, baba ganoush, labaneh Honey & Co spice blends: baharat, ras el hanut, zaatar Honey & Co roasted Baharat-spiced roasted pistachio and cashew nuts Honey & Co smoked almonds Bare Bones Chocolate Climpson & Son’s Honey & Co blend coffee Hoots Hot Sauce Mother’s Garden Olive Oil Al Yaman Tahini El Nakhleh Cardamom Coffee Yuritta tinned fish

CONTINUED ON PAGE 52

Vol.24 Issue 9 | October-November 2023

DELI OF THE MONTH pomegranate chicken with herby rice & salad, or a vegan box of summer kofta with green tahini, chickpea salad & slaw. On occasion, there might be spiced merguez sausage rolls, sesame breadsticks with homemade labneh or a mushroom boureka pastry parcel. With no kitchen on site at Honey & Spice, all of this comes out of Honey & Smoke, which is three minutes down the road. Most restaurants are at capacity with their own covers, so how does Honey & Smoke manage to cater for a busy deli as well? “What can I say? We have an extraordinary team,” says Srulovich. “But it’s tricky.” The latest outlet, Honey & Co Daily was, in fact, born from an attempt to help make life

easier across the group, after the baking team outgrew their premises. The founders were on the lookout for a new bakery space, and when a site came up equidistant between their two restaurants they realised it had potential as a café and deli as well. “It’s a little bit of a of an evolution of Honey & Spice. When we opened [Honey & Spice] we just threw a million ideas at it produce and lunch and ice cream and events. It’s a tiny shop and all these ideas just needed a little bit more space.” As well as a deli with takeaway food, the new site includes tables for eat-in diners to enjoy Honey & Co’s trademark Middle Eastern home-cooking in a café environment. “We want the café to be very casual. With

the restaurants, by their nature, you need to make a reservation. It’s a little bit of a faff. But we’re very casual people so we want to have a place that people can just sort of waft in.” Meanwhile, the plan is to up the homemade quota even further than at Honey & Spice – with the couple’s famous baked goods forming the backbone of the offering. “If Honey & Spice is 80% homemade production, here it will be like 90%. We want to keep it very homemade, very special, very unique, with a really beautiful fresh bakery offering every day. The stuff that we make, nobody else makes. Nobody! You can’t get it anywhere other than here. It’s a little bit of a headache, but it’s worth it.” honeyandco.co.uk

The stuff that we make, nobody else makes. You can’t get it anywhere other than here. It’s a little bit of a headache, but it’s worth it.

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

ADVICE

Expert View ANDREW BURTON, RURAL RETAIL SPECIALIST AT MALCOLM SCOTT CONSULTANTS ON HOW TO ASSESS TRAINING NEEDS IN YOUR TEAMS A training needs analysis is all about creating a top-level view of your business and should include its aims. It should consider the knowledge, skills and behaviours your employees need in order to achieve those targets, and what the existing capability of the team is. Conducting a ‘training needs’ analysis – prior to establishing the training programme itself – is critical, and will ensure you develop a clear, effective plan. There are different approaches. I refer to ‘RACI reviews’ (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed) and the ‘McGhee and Thayer’s Three Level Analysis’. A RACI matrix is a document that clarifies which individuals or groups are responsible for specific aspects within the business, and the roles they play in them. Using a RACI matrix to assign and define each role is a great way to keep processes in line when it comes to performance delivery. When designed correctly, the RACI matrix is a way for a business to help ensure the success of the performance ongoing. The McGhee and Thayer’s Three Level Analysis notes that if you are to gain the level of detail you need, your training needs analysis must be conducted at three different levels within your business: • Training Needs Analysis at the Organisational

MODEL RETAILING Be careful you don’t drop that, dear

Level is essential to find out where training is required. This will help identify specific programs that would help achieve the strategic business objectives. • Training Needs Analysis at the Operational Level will find out what is needed to complete tasks efficiently. This analysis can help identify the knowledge and skills required to perform specific jobs. It is essential to ensure training is delivered at the right level and whether that is through outsourced trainers or by a member of the in-house team. •T raining Needs Analysis at the Individual Level will determine who needs training and for which task. At the personal level, the training needs analysis checks how each employee performs in their job role. The difference between the expected performance and the actual performance helps you arrive at the training need. Once you have completed the RACI or Training Needs Analysis, set up a specific training plan for you, your management and the team. malcolmscott.co.uk/retail-consultancy/

Conducting a ‘training needs’ analysis – prior to establishing the training programme itself – is critical

Good practice when vacuum packing Foods that are going to be vacuum packed should be as fresh as possible – it is not a solution for extending shelf life. The vacuum-packing equipment should only be used by trained staff and should be regularly maintained. You should try to ensure that direct handling of the food is kept to a minimum – gloves are a sensible measure. Ensure packaging is completely free of air with the seal intact. Check packets for excess air or leaks to minimise the risk of contamination and subsequent growth of bacteria. Bone guards should be used with bone-in meat to prevent puncturing the packaging. The final product should be datemarked and easily identifiable to make sure correct stock rotation is maintained, i.e. with date of production and an appropriate use-by date. For the final consumer, clear useby dates should be indicated and labelling must comply with food labelling regulations. This advice is an excerpt from the Guild of Fine Food’s Assured Code of Practice for Deli Retailing. The guide is available in PDF format (free for Guild members, £250+VAT for nonmembers) To request a copy of the Code, email support@gff.co.uk

SOLVING EVERYDAY SHOPKEEPING DILEMMAS. IN MINIATURE. Be nice. Give them another one.

Well, I did warn you.

No way. Will somebody please think of the accounts!

Oh. Here we go… Yes, she did warn you Oh no! my child appears to have dropped her ice cream.

FFD says: This doesn’t just happen with ice cream. Adults drop things before they’ve even left the shop, too. But how should you handle it? It depends on the item (bottles of gin or fizz are trickier) but if it’s a relatively low-cost, high-margin item – like coffee – then just serving up a replacement free of charge is the best solution. You don’t want unhappy customers on the shopfloor, and you certainly don’t want them leaving your premises in a bad mood. That will do far more damage to the business than a little spilled milk. 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.

October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9

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October-November 2023 | Vol.24 Issue 9