SNACKS
Raising the snacking bar Premium snacks are an easy cross-sell with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and FFD has found some of the classiest nibbles to sit alongside your customers’ favourite tipple. By Lauren Phillips
Producers of caramelised and baked nuts, Cambrook Foods has launched two new stand-up 140g packs for retail: Cocktail Hour Nuts and Baked Cashews & Peanuts with Chilli & Lime (RRP £2.99). The company has also unveiled four of its nut products in glass jars including, Caramelised Sesame Hazelnuts (RRP £4.99, 175g) and Hickory Smoked Almonds & Cashews (RRP £5.49, 180g). Available wholesale via Holleys. cambrookfoods.co.uk
The Drinks Bakery is now producing its popular Drinks Biscuits in 20g mini packs. The range comes in four flavours including Parmesan, Toasted Pine Nuts & Basil and Lancashire Cheese & Spring Onion. The new 20g format joins its other sizes, Perfect Serve 36g packs and Luxury Sharing 110g packs. Available via Diverse Fine Foods, Cotswold Fayre and The Cress Co. thedrinksbakery.com
5th Season’s freeze-dried fruit snacks come in three varieties – Strawberry, Pineapple, or Fruit Salad – and are available through Tree of Life and Diverse Fine Foods. RRP £1.35. 5thseasonfruit.com A classic cocktail snack, these green olives from Alsea are of the Agriniou variety and then marinated with lemon juice, EVOO, red wine vinegar, rosemary, garlic and oregano to retain their crunchy, bitter flavour. alsea.gr
Premium Spanish crisp brand, Patatas Torres, well-known for its black truffle and Iberian ham flavoured crisps, has branched into the veggie and vegan snacking market. The new lines include Torres Veggie Beetroot, Parsnip & Sweet Potato; Lentil Twists with Honey; Broad Bean Chips with Amaranth & Chia Seeds; Beans & Peas with Lime & Pepper; and Quinoa Sticks with Chia Seeds. patatastorres.com
iLove Snacks has added two snacking options to its range of olives, fruits, nuts, and chocolate. The new snacks are cashews seasoned with chilli & lime and a sweeter variety flavoured with Cacao, Vanilla, & Sea Salt. Trade price £9.30 (15 x 62p per unit), RRP £1.20, 22g. ilovesnacks.co.uk
Crunchy roasted fava beans are the new savoury range from Makan Snacks. Pitched as the perfect aperitif to pair with any cocktail and as a vegan, healthier alternative to nuts and crisps. The range comes in three flavours: Sea Salt, Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar, and Miso & Seaweed (RRP £1.79). makansnacks.com
Offering a sweet cocktail snack is SAY YEY, with its Taiwanese-style nougat, combining oven-roasted almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pecans with cranberries, goji berries, and cherries. RRP £2.50 per 35g bar. sayyey.com Serious Pig has expanded its premium snack range with Snacking Pickles. Pitched as a great accompaniment to craft beer, the pickled gherkins are seasoned with dill for a deep savoury flavour. RRP £1.40, 40g. seriouspig.london Crespo’s brine-free 70g pouched olives are ideal with a martini or G&T. There are four varieties: Pitted Green Olives with Herbs & Garlic or Chilli Peppers, Pitted Mixed Cocktail and Pitted Dry Black Olives. All available from UK distributor RH Amar. rhamar.com
ECO STRAW BRAND OFFERS NEW PASTA-BILITIES When Maxim Gelmann launched his pasta straw brand, Stroodles, as an alternative to plastic straws, he inadvertently created a new drinks snack. “I was playing it [eating the straws] as a joke but around 1 in 4 people eat them raw after using them in a drink,” he says. Gelmann had the idea of using pasta tubes as straws after seeing children in Italy playing with the store-cupboard ingredient. “Italians weren’t doing it from a sustainability mindset, it was just a bit of fun for children,” he
A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
says. “But I thought the idea was genius and so simple.” Made from wheat and water, the pasta straws are biodegradable yet durable enough to hold their shape in a drink for at least an hour – unlike paper straws which get soggy after 10 minutes. “Bamboo and metal varieties are expensive for the on-trade and customers steal them, so there was no real alternative without a compromise,” he says. “But customers don’t realise they are drinking through a pasta straw because it looks and feels like a good plastic version.” RRP £2.99 per pack of 40 straws. stroodles.co.uk
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