I Love Italian Food comes to London.

On 30 May 2022, at the Leonardo Royal Hotel St. Paul’s, London, for the first time, report the event’s organisers, the UK Sommelier Association, I Love Italian Food and the Federazione Italiana Cuochi UK will be joining forces to create an event that is setting out to become the reference point for food and beverage professionals in the UK.

I Love Italian Food is an international network and a non-profit association with the mission of promoting and defending the true Italian food and wine culture in the world. They were born in Italy in 2013, in the heart of the food valley, from an encounter between the Facebook page created by Marco Bonini and the idea of Alessandro Schiatti to build a non-profit association around it. Over time, I Love Italian Food has become a company and an international community that in recent years has reached three billion social contacts, has held over 100 international events and obtained more than a billion video views.

They have grown thanks to the conviction that the future of Italy is closely linked to the future of its food sector, and its ability to expand and establish itself beyond national borders (in fact, it is one of the most loved and wanted aspects of Italy abroad, as well as representing one sixth of the country’s economy, they report).

“Made in Italy agri-food is the oil of Italy, one of our greatest riches, it is the fruit of our many popular cultures, the knowhow of our workers, our geography and the many microclimates that make it up. For this reason, at I Love Italian Food, we believe in the value of the real Made in Italy, the one that is made in Italy, on our land and from our land,” said Alessandro Schiatti, current CEO of I Love Italian Food.

Not only is there a passion for Italy’s food products, they point out, but also an awareness that 60% of the ‘Italian’ products sold worldwide are actually produced abroad, or are even the result of agro-piracy, it is claimed. For this reason, their mission is also to put back at the centre of the scene all products that have a totally Italian supply chain and, together with them, the companies that invest in the territory in order to overcome this challenge together and protect every product that is ‘100per100 Italian’.

Two competitions will be taking place on stage at the event with the UK Sommelier Association once again presenting the Best UK Sommelier – Villa Sandi Award competition, featuring a series of challenges between the best sommeliers in the UK. The sommeliers, judged by a panel of well-known faces in the industry such as journalists, Master of Wine, Master Sommelier etc., will compete to win the title. In the evening, the UK Sommelier Association will also take the stage for its annual Graduation Ceremony.

The second competition will be held by the Federazione Italiana Cuochi UK, who are pleased to announce the first edition of their Best Chef of Italian Cuisine – Parmigiano Reggiano Award. On stage, six pre-selected chefs will have one hour to prepare a main course with at least five elements. At the end of the hour, a jury of top chefs of Italian cuisine will taste and vote on the dishes prepared by the contestants and decide the winner of the competition.

In addition, there will be a walk-around exhibition area, where visitors will be able to get in touch with food and beverage producers and consortia of protection, taste the products and network.

Educating, tasting and promoting are the key words of this Italian show. Thus, during the day it will also be possible to take part in wine masterclasses guided by the UK Sommelier Association, cooking slasses on Italian products with the finest local chefs of Italian cuisine and mixology classes in the dedicated tasting lounge area.

For more details, visit www.iloveitalianfood.it

Phil Gaffer

Following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer, Papa John’s have reported the passing away of Phil Gaffer, known to many in the sector through his role as the company’s franchise sales and business development manager.

“Phil joined Papa John’s in 2017,” said Amit Pancholi, director of business development. Papa John’s UK.

“I only had the privilege to work with him for a short time, but I remember his smile was one of the first to welcome me to the company. Phil was always positive and energetic – he counted wild swimming amongst his hobbies and would often cycle for several hours before work. He had that rare knack of being able to put anyone at ease, instantly. “Phil had well over 20 years’ experience in franchising. A qualified franchise professional (QFP) and former board member of the British Franchise Association, he was well respected and liked throughout the industry. But Phil was far more than that, a valued team member, a friend, a husband, devoted father and recently a grandfather. Phil you will be greatly missed.”

Innovation Gateway to unlock the technology in food and drink

A unique collaboration making it easier for food and drink companies in England, Scotland and Wales to adopt cutting edge technology and grow their business has been launched.

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is bringing together a range of specialists to create the Food and Drink Innovation Gateway, a simple online tool that aims to match firms in the sector with the expertise to support them with their technical challenges. This partnership will provide valuable insights into the technological needs of the industry, helping improve and better target the support available, say the FDF.

UK food and drink manufacturers have a justified reputation as a global leader in innovation – in 2020, the sector’s procurement of robots increased by more than a third on 2019 and nearly £800m was invested in research and development and software. But rising costs, labour shortages and stretched supply chains are putting increased pressures on businesses seeking to make longer-term investments.

Utilising existing and new technologies is vital for food and drink businesses to overcome these challenges and to increase productivity, reduce waste and improve sustainability, say the FDF - it can also create new, high skilled green jobs across all nations and regions, and support the FDF’s ambition for the sector to be net zero by 2040.

Experts in the world of research and higher education, from the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) to the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) to the University of Lincoln will be on hand to enable businesses of all sizes to better understand the opportunities that innovation can deliver, while helping to de-risk investments and implement the technology.

The FDF’s chief executive, Karen Betts, said: “The FDF is proud to have established the Innovation Gateway... It will offer practical support to food and drink companies across the UK to help them to harness the opportunities that technology can offer. By investing in digital capability, food and drink businesses will be able to improve the productivity and sustainability of our companies and our supply chain – critical investments both in future growth and in the resilience of our industry.”

Steve Barton, strategic project director, ABF Grocery Group and chair of the FDF’s Technology Forum added: “The Innovation Gateway makes it easy to quickly identify the best automation and technology solutions. This is increasingly important as we manage decarbonisation, rising energy costs and commodity price volatility. Completing one online form connects food businesses to an independent specialist to help find the right partner to step change their productivity and efficiency. It may sound like a simple concept, but the Innovation Gateway has been complex to bring together and I applaud the work of the FDF and the commitment of the UK innovation sector for their support for the UK food industry.”

The Innovation Gateway can be found at https://www.fdf.org.uk/fdf/resources/ toolkits/innovation/innovation-gateway/

White Rabbit makes Sainsbury’s ready meals debut

Alternative Italian foodie startup, White Rabbit, have pulled more NPD out of the hat, taking their authentic-tasting vegan and gluten free concept into chilled ready meals and frozen dough balls, with its three-strong ready meals lineup and dough balls hitting Sainsbury’s shelves in March (White Rabbit Ready Meals RRP £5.00 for 350g, and White Rabbit Dough Balls with Garlic & Herb Dip RRP £3.75 for 180g).

The latest launches follow a stream of NPD and distribution gains from White Rabbit in the last year, including a stretch into Frozen Pizza, Fresh Pasta, listings across Coop and Morrisons and a first to market Free From Calzone SKU for Veganuary. As a result, the brand has grown 40% YoY and saw its biggest Veganuary to date, they report.

Co-founders, Nick CroftSimon and Bergamo-born chef, Matteo Ferrari, say that they are on a mission to make delicious restaurantquality Italian food accessible to everyone, whether they are vegan, gluten free or otherwise.

The White Rabbit ready meals range includes Italian classics, such as Lasagne Al Forno, Macaroni Gratin and Tagliatelle Bolognaise, with a delicious plant-based twist, inspired by Matteo’s family restaurant in Northern Italy. The doughballs are crafted using Matteo’s award-winning signature pizza sourdough and include a separate plant-based garlic and herb dip.

Co-founder, Nick CroftSimon, said: “Our mission is simple - to create delicious Italian food for everyone ‘per tutti’, whilst keeping true to our gluten-free and plantbased credentials. We are really proud of this new range and can’t wait for people to try them! A special thanks goes to the team at Sainsbury’s for giving us the opportunity to develop a range like this, it’s been a pleasure to work with them so closely on it.”

Happy Face Pizza to open third London site

Neapolitan pizza specialist, Happy Face Pizza, continues its expansion in the capital with its third restaurant set to open in north west London this month.

The new site will be one of the first to open in the new Brent Cross Town development, bringing its refined, authentic Italian menu and signature pizzas to Claremont Way.

Opening from mid-April, Happy Face Pizza Brent Cross is spread over a 1200 square foot restaurant with 46 covers and will trade seven days a week for eat-in, takeaway and delivery. Interiors will follow the style of sister sites in King’s Cross and Victoria with an industrial design, high-top tables, globe lighting and striking artwork. From the team behind Spiritland, there will also be an impressive sound-system and curated playlists.

Overseen by executive chef, Mario Mastrangelo, diners can expect a menu of Neapolitan style pizzas, using a 72- hour fermented dough for a lighter and fluffier crust, ranging from a classic Margherita to the Rucola with mozzarella, rocket, prosciutto crudo and Parmesan, and the Vegan Pepperoni, with gluten-free options available. The menu also features traditional antipasto, dolci and gelato. Prices for pizzas start from £5. The bar will offer a carefully chosen list of Italian wines, beers, and cocktails, including three variations on the Negroni.

Happy Face Pizza co-founder Dominic Lake said: “Following the success of our flagship in Kings Cross and recent opening in Victoria, we are delighted to be bringing our pizzas to this exciting new regeneration project at Brent Cross. It’s the area’s biggest growth programme with new housing and workplaces and we look forward to establishing our new restaurant within the local community.”

Happy Face Pizza Brent Cross will open mid-April, joining neighbours Cricklewood Coffee and Karma Bread. The opening follows in the footsteps of Happy Face Pizza in Victoria, which launched in January 2022, with future plans to open a further two sites in London neighbourhood locations later this year.

Vegan Life Live to return to London’s Alexandra Palace

Taking place on 11 and 12 June 2022, Vegan Life Live will see an eclectic assortment of stands sharing vegan wares and food, and will also be featuring cooking demonstrations, helpful workshops and passionate presenters talking about all aspects of a vegan lifestyle.

The two-day event is perfect for newbie and long-term vegans alike, as well as the vegan-curious, propose the event’s organisers. If you have nonvegan friends and family, Vegan Life Live also presents the ideal opportunity to help them to better understand your lifestyle choice; bring them along and hopefully, open up their eyes and hearts to compassion, they feel.

It’s easy to think that being vegan is about what you can’t have, but Vegan Life Live will be aiming to show just how much is on offer, such as pizza, kebabs, curry, pasta, cheese, ice cream, cakes and smoothies

Speakers and presenters at the event include vegan activist and author Earthling Ed, plus Hench Herbivore, eco-warrior Laura Gaga, and Dr Nitu Bakewell. Plant-powered chefs Bettina Campolucci Bordi, Nourishing Amy, Healthy Living James, and Peng Vegan Munch will also be appearing (www. veganlifelive.com).