fine food digest august 2010

digestat the heart of speciality food and drink

DELI OF THE MONTHHampshire’sCaracoli startsstretching its brand

INSIDE: AMAZON OLIVE & BEAN CASTLE KITCHEN SADDLEWORTH CHEESE CO CRELLOW SHELF TALK

August 2010 · Vol 11 Issue 7

Leaves, tea pearls, flowering buds… and roll-your-own teabags

STRANGE BREWS

CASH CRISISAbolition ofRDAs casts more doubt over regionalfood support


SPECIALR E P O R TAUGUST 2010

Guide to Importers & DistributorsSearching for specialities to boost your Continental food offering? Know the brand you want but don’t know who distributes it? Looking for a new one-stop shop offering a wide range of fine food & drink options?

Our pull-out-and-keep guide gives you full details of many of the best international, national and regional wholesalers and distributors operating in the UK today.

FEATURING• La Bandiera• Bespoke Foods• Brindisa• Cotswold Fayre• Cotswold Valley Fine Foods

• Delicioso UK• The Deli Station• Glenfinlas Coffee• The Good Food Network• Hensons Foodservice

• HF Chocolates• Highgrove Food

Distribution• House of Sarunds• Just So Italian

• Just Trading Scotland• The Oil Merchant• Plough to Plate• Products from Spain• Shire Foods

IN THIS ISSUE:YOuR FREE GuIDE TO IMPORTERS & DISTRIBuTORS

THINK FESTIVE

We bring you the best of this

year’s new Christmas lines

August 2010 · Vol .11 Issue 72

For everything you need to turn your products in to profit generating gifts

New 2010/11 Product Directory out now!

NEW!

Freephone: 08000 85 85 95

www.thewbc.co.uk

Come and visit us at Stand 510 at London Speciality & Fine Food Fair September 5-7 Packaging & Creative Presentation

“Your judges don’t know what they’re talking about and the credibility of the awards has been undermined by these comments.”

Yes, the Great Taste Awards results are out and it’s that time when my email overflows with vitriol from unhappy producers who’ve just read the judges’ comments on their entries. Right now, I’m the most reviled man in Britain! I understand producers’ disappointment but I really don’t need any more suggestions as to what I should do with what remains of my career.

According to the judges, this producer’s 84-day dry-aged beef delivered great flavour but was spoilt by a hint of rancidity on the fat and a tight, fibrousy texture. I was told by the producer I needed to sharpen up my act because one judge commented it perhaps needed more ageing.

What the producer perhaps forgot is that everything is blind-tasted, and a tight, fibrous texture in a beefsteak can be as characteristic of a stressed carcass in need of further ageing as it can be of meat that has been aged too long.

After reading in the feedback notes that he should use better chocolate, another producer wrote: “We use dark Valrhona – could you please tell me what better chocolate to use in a brownie?” The judges felt another of his entries had delivered ‘artificial’ flavours. The disappointed chocolatier listed all the natural ingredients he uses before asking: “Where are the artificial flavours coming from?”

He has a point, but he’s missing one too. If a panel of reasonably reputable foodies blind-taste food and agree the chocolate isn’t good or the flavours don’t shine through then clearly that’s what they taste. Perhaps he didn’t use enough chocolate or the other ingredients masked the cocoa flavours. Maybe whoever made it had an off day. Give two chefs identical ingredients and rarely are the results the same.

His tirade ended: “One American lady living in London comes down every few months for these brownies. She told me she’s lived in England for 30 years and these are the best brownies this side of New York. I’ll stick to customers’ comments on my ability in the kitchen.”

That really is the worst mistake he could make. Some years back, I wrote a book on cheese, which we sell during Guild training days. Out of 25 delegates, perhaps five buy a copy. The other 80% flick through the pages and leave quietly and I never know why they choose not to buy.

Customers who don’t like your products rarely tell you – they simply shop elsewhere. The Great Taste Awards acknowledges fabulous foods but at the same time, judges’ comments occasionally reveal why 80% prefer something different. Re-writing a book takes time whereas tweaking a recipe is easier.

Must dash, my email’s pinged again – another helping of vitriol. Don’t they know how sensitive I am?

BobFarrand

Bob Farrand is publisher of Fine Food Digest and

national director of the Guild of Fine Food

opinion

Vol.11 Issue1 · January-February 2010 3

fine food newsPlanstoscrapRegionalDevelopmentAgenciesraisefurtherdoubtsoversupportforlocalfoodp4

deliofthemonth:caracoli TheownersofAlresford’sstylishdeli-cafepreparetocreateachainacrosssouthernEnglandp15

specialreport:

importers& distributorsApull-out-and-keepguidetosuppliersofUKandinternationalspecialityfoodsp23

productupdateschristmas food & drink p47

teas p51

regulars:news 4deli of the month 15deli chef 21cheesewire 39shelf talk 54

EDITORIALEditor:MickWhitworthNews editor:PatrickMcGuiganArt director:MarkWindsorEditorial production: RichardCharnleyContributors:GailHunt

ADVERTISINGSales manager:SallyColeyAdvertisement sales:BeckyStaceyCirculation manager:TortieFarrandPublisher & managing director:BobFarrandAssociate publisher & director:JohnFarrand

THEGUILDOFFINEFOODMembership secretary & director:LindaFarrandAdministrators:CharlieWestcar,JulieCoatesAccounts:StephenGuppy,DeniseBallance

t:01963824464Fax:01963824651e: [email protected]: www.finefoodworld.co.uk

Published by:GreatTastePublicationsLtdandTheGuildofFineFoodLtd.FineFoodDigestispublished10timesayearandisavailableonsubscriptionfor£40painclusiveofpostandpacking.

Printed by:AdventColour,Hants

©GreatTastePublicationsLtdandTheGuildofFineFoodLtd2010.Reproductionofwholeorpartofthismagazinewithoutthepublisher’spriorpermissionisprohibited.Theopinionsexpressedinarticlesandadvertisementsarenotnecessarilythoseoftheeditororpublisher.Thepublishercannotacceptresponsibilityforunsolicitedmanuscripts,recipes,photographsorillustrations.

❝Customerswhodon’tlikeyourproductsrarelytellyou–theysimplyshopelsewhere❞

❝TherearesomefabulousStiltons,andthere’snowayIcouldenterthatmarket.SoItookawaythatastringencyandmadesomethingthatwastheopposite.Thatmild,creamyFrenchstyleisalotmorepleasingtome.❞

Celebrity cheesemaker Sean Wilson – p39

What they’re saying

in this issue

FIRST AND FOREMOST: Portadown-based Chapman’s Farm Fresh is investing £2.5m in what it says is Northern Ireland’s first fine food hall. The 25,000 sq ft store is due to open next year. Chapman’s, which started as a roadside fruit and vegetable barrow in the 1980s, plans to knock down its current 1,800 sq ft shop and replace it with much larger premises housing a butchery, bakery, fish counter and deli counter. Planning permission has been granted for the development, which will be designed by Knightsbridge architects Farrell and Clark. “This will be a true one-off in Northern Ireland, like the Whole Foods’ store in Kensington is to London,” said owner Brian Chapman.

fine food news

By PATRICK McGUIGAN

Funding for regional food in England is expected to suffer after the government announced an immediate 20% budget cut for Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and plans to scrap the organisations altogether by 2012.

The country’s eight RDAs will have to shed a total of £270m from their budgets this year and larger cuts are expected in 2011-12 as the organisations are wound down. They will be replaced by dozens of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), which will see local business leaders working with councils.

The move means some English Regional Food Groups (RFGs) that have been receiving RDA funding are likely to see further cut-backs in the next two years and it is unclear whether alternative finance will be made available after the RDAs have been disbanded.

Large local food projects funded directly by the RDAs are also under threat. The Witham Hall project in Durham, which had hoped to receive nearly £2m from its RDA to build a regional food hall and leisure attraction, is already making contingency plans in case the funding does not come through.

The English Food and Drink Alliance, which represents the country’s eight RFGs, is lobbying government in the hope of securing central funding. It is also looking to work with LEPs.

Chair of the Alliance Jonathan Knight,

Food groups fear further loss of fundsas government winds down RDAs

4 August 2010 · Vol .11 Issue 7

The English Food & Drink Alliance is lobbying to gain central funding for regional foods

who also heads the RFG for Yorkshire and Humber, told FFD that RDA budget cuts would affect some RFGs more than others.

“Those that had little funding from their RDAs are less likely to be affected, while Yorkshire, Food NorthWest and Heart of England Fine Foods, who had more substantial amounts of funding, will probably be hit for more savings in the next 18 months.”

In Yorkshire, Knight expects the RFG’s £1m funding for this financial year to be docked by around 10% with more substantial cuts next year.

“Because of the uncertainty it’s important to get our message across to government about the importance of the RFGs’ role,” said Knight. “We have a concern that when regions disappear and LEPs take their place, food and drink will sit way down their

radar. They’ll be interested in their own planning and infrastructure, but who will champion the requirements of the regional food and drink sector?”

Julie West, chief executive of Tastes of Anglia, said the lack of clarity about government support for regional food made planning for the future difficult. “We’re planning IFE [the international food show in London] in March, but what will be happening then? We always used to look to central government for support, then we were told it would come from the RDAs. Now it’s not clear if there will be a sub-division again or do we look back to central government” she said. “I’m really saddened for the food producers that rely on people like us to be consistent and to work on their behalf.”

Roger Seed, MD of consultancy Proseed, which provides development advice to rural businesses, said: “RFGs are certainly going to find it harder to get the kind of funding they have been used to in recent years, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t funding opportunities out there for rural businesses. The RDPE [Rural Development Programme for England] is due to run until 2013 and we are helping a number of rural businesses access this scheme.”

LEPs have until September 6 to put forward their proposals to government, while a White Paper on the future of regional and local funding will be published in October.

Schemes such as the Witham Hall regional food project in Durham (top) could lose funding. EFDA chairman Jonathan Knight (above) fears food and drink could take a lower priority in public sector support.

Whole Foods pursues growthBy PATRICK McGUIGAN

Whole Foods Market’s dismal performance in the UK continued last year with like-for-like sales down 4.5% and the company making a £4.4m loss. The US-based retailer blamed the recession for the poor results for the year to September 2009, although it did manage to reduce its operating loss from £36m in 2008.

In its accounts filed last month, the retailer said changes in merchandising, product mix and pricing would help to improve the financial performance and that the company was still “actively pursuing expansion opportunities in the greater London area”.

Press reports said Whole Foods was in advanced negotiations to take over a former Safeway store in Giffnock, near Glasgow, although Planet Retail research director Natalie Berg questioned whether this would

tie into the company’s strategy.“It seems a strange move seeing as they

haven’t cracked the London market yet and they closed their Bristol store a few years ago to concentrate on the capital,” she said.

Commenting on the like-for-like sales decline, she added: “During most of 2009 we saw food inflation boosting the top line in grocery. We were seeing like-for-likes from Sainsbury’s and Tesco up anywhere between 5-10%. When you consider what Whole Foods has done in comparison it’s poor.

“The loss is really down to [Whole Foods’ flagship] Kensington store being too big, not attracting enough shoppers, combined with high real estate costs. The four other [smaller London] stores seem to be performing quite well because they have more of a convenience offering and have a lunchtime trade,” said Natalie Berg.

shopfitting

Vol.11 Issue 7 · August 2010

Cavil Head Farm near Acklington in Northumberland received over £177,000 through One North East’s Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) programme to turn a derelict farm building into a farm shop and café. The new shop features an on-site butcher, ice-cream parlour, coffee shop and children’s play area.

● A huge fire has destroyed Hinchcliffe’s Farm Shop, near Huddersfield. Up to100 fire-fighters were involved in tackling the blaze, which also gutted The Old Farmhouse restaurant.

Traditional Cumberland Sausages look set to achieve Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status under EU law in 2011. The Cumberland Sausage Association’s application was approved last month after almost six years of campaigning.

● English farm shops and other direct selling businesses can boost their sales of beef and lamb with new point-of-sale kits from Eblex. The ‘Simply Delicious’ pack, encouraging customers to buy beef and lamb, contains 80 recipe cards, 10 tent cards and two posters, with the option of a personalised farm banner for a small charge.

The Wensleydale Creamery’s new Jervaulx Blue cheese has been listed by Waitrose. The cheese will be delivered pre-packed to 177 stores nationally and to 176 of the supermarket’s delicatessens.

● Thornton’s Budgens in Crouch End, north London, has transformed its roof into an organic vegetable garden. The not-for-profit project will see produce from its ‘roof farm’ sold in the shop below. There are also plans to hold workshops on growing fruit and vegetables on urban roofs and balconies.

TV pig farmer Jimmy Doherty officially launched the final phase of a £2.7m food department at Reaseheath College, Nantwich, which will include new project development facilities for food firms in the North West.

inbrief

FIRST OF THE MONTH: Food companies including Lonely Pony Preserves, ready-meal producer Everyday Delicious and The Natural Cake Kitchen took stalls at the new food market at the Heart of the Country Shopping Village in Staffordshire (left) last month. The monthly event has been set up to complement the retailers and restaurants located at the craft centre and shopping destination near Lichfield.

5

Specialist stores most at risk asAmazon ramps up grocery offerBy PATRICK McGUIGAN

The launch of Amazon‘s grocery site poses more of a threat to specialist retailers than it does to the major multiples, one analyst has told FFD.

According to retail analyst Joseph Robinson at research company Verdict, the launch of the new site, which lists over 22,000 grocery lines, is unlikely to worry the supermarkets because it does not offer fixed delivery slots or a complete range of everyday products. However, retailers selling niche products, such as gluten-free and ethnic foods, should be concerned in the long term.

“Unlike Tesco, Amazon doesn’t have a store portfolio and unlike Ocado it doesn’t have sophisticated

delivery systems. It’s lacking the functionality and flexibility of delivery options to compete with the main players in the market,” said Robinson. “The potential for Amazon going forward is for specialist ambient products you can’t find elsewhere. In many ways it could be a direct threat to specialist retailers.”

In May, FFD reported that Amazon had begun selling speciality foods, distributed through third-party sellers as part of its kitchen & home section, but was not flagging the option on its home page. Grocery has since been given its own clearly promoted section on the home page.

Specialist products currently being

sold include Villanova charcuterie, olives from Olives Et Al and Yorkshire Crisps. A wide range of gluten-free and international products are also available.

“With the introduction of this new store there are thousands of household, niche, ethnic and international grocery items, all available at the click of a button,” said James Leeson, director of grocery at Amazon UK.

Delivery options include unlimited free One-Day Delivery for an annual membership fee of £49 with Amazon Prime and Free Super Saver Delivery where each product sold by amazon.co.uk automatically qualifies for free delivery within the UK.

www.amazon.co.uk/grocery

Groceries are now clearly flagged on Amazon’s home page

news

Harrods creates sales degree for potential high achieversFour of Harrods’ food hall team have signed up to the retailer’s newly launched sales degree, which has been developed in conjunction with academics at Anglia Ruskin University.

staff training


great taste awards

This year’s GTA winners now online

Trade buyers and keen foodies can now find all the 2010 gold star winners in this year’s Great Taste Awards (GTAs) on the Guild of Fine Food website.

Judging was completed at the Guild’s Somerset HQ

last month and the one-, two- and three-star gold winners have already begun capitalising on the awards, adding the 2010 logo to their packaging and advertising and announcing their successes through the press, websites and social media like Twitter.

Out of a record entry of more than 6,000 products this year, around 1,150 received one-star golds, 480 were awarded two stars and just 100 collected the maximum three stars that mark out products with a ‘wow factor’.

This year, in a further tightening of the judging process, every product awarded gold was sampled by at least 16 judges before its one-, two- or three-star grading was confirmed.

The Guild has also improved its feedback to producers, passing on any judges’ comments that will help awards entrants understand what appealed – and what did not appeal – to the independent chefs, retailers and food writers who taste-test each product.

Anyone who submits a product for the GTAs can now read the judges’ comments online in a password-protected section of the Guild website.

For the second year running, winners of the major regional and national GTA trophies will be announced at an awards event at Fortnum & Mason in London, timed to coincide with September’s Speciality & Fine Food Fair.

www.finefoodworld.co.uk

By PATRICK McGUIGAN

Frozen bakery products supplier Mantinga plans to roll out a new café concession for farm shops after being bought out of administration by an East African tea and coffee grower.

Gloucestershire-based Mantinga, which supplies delis and farm shops with speciality bake-off bread and patisserie, went into administration at the beginning of July after running into cash-flow problems ahead of the proposed deal.

The company was then bought from the administrator by Sameer Investments, which owns Kenyan tea and coffee company Sasini, and now plans to launch branded bakery and coffee concessions in farm shops and garden centres.

“[The company] was never meant to be bought from administrators, but it was a force of hand,” said Steven Mackintosh, Mantinga’s managing director. “We planned to buy the shareholders out of the old company, but it didn’t work out that way. We were tripped up by a shareholder pulling out, and there was not enough working capital. We now have a properly funded business that can go forward in a challenging time.”

He said that some of the company’s suppliers had lost out through the administration process, but most had decided to stick with the company.

“In terms of ongoing trade we’re securing our suppliers,” he said. “They may not get every penny in the

pound back but in a few invoices time they’ll be back to where they were. Only three suppliers are not willing to work with us.”

The company’s new bakery and coffee concession concept has already been launched at two farm shops – Over Farm Market in Gloucestershire and Oakchurch Farm Shop in Herefordshire – under the Mantinga brand, although this is likely to be replaced with a consumer brand shortly, he said.

Mantinga also plans to wholesale retail and foodservice packs of Sasini tea and coffee.

Kenyan tea and coffee group buys cash-strapped Mantinga

suppliers

The bake-off supplier is set to develop a new consumer brand for in-store concessions

Fast-tracked: 10 Harrods staff are taking the first BA (Hons) Sales course

supermarkets

Waitrose plans to widen its reachWaitrose intends to nearly double its portfolio of shops in the next five years. It aims to reach 250 stores by the end of this year and then open 40 stores a year until 2015. Partner sites within Boots health and beauty shops, Shell filling stations and Welcome Break motorway service stations could bring 1,000 more, putting Waitrose food in 1,450 branches.

The Knightsbridge retailer says it is the first store in the UK to offer sales staff a BA (Hons) Sales, which will teach them the “art of selling”.

The two-year work-based course, which is being taken by 10 employees in total, comprises practical and theoretical modules on human behaviour, psychology and business enterprise.

There are no specific sections on selling food and drink. Instead the course is expected to improve employees’ general sales skills and effectiveness so they can be fast-tracked within the business.

“By creating a degree tailored to the needs of the luxury retail environment we’re setting new standards in our sector,” said Harrods learning and development manager Arkin Salih. “This will be the qualification for retail employees wishing to bolster their sales professionalism whilst investing for their long-term career planning.”

The course is formed of three parts; the Certificate in Higher Education Sales, the Diploma in Higher Education Sales and the BA (Hons) Sales.

Vol.11 Issue 7 · August 2010 7

www.belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk

www.tyrrellspotatochips.co.uk

www.amysmiths.co.uk

Christmas 2010

…and fantastic sales with Fosters best ever range of qualityChristmas fayre

dreaming of a white Christmas...

· Over 700 quality fine foods· Extensive range of hampers· Low minimum order quantity· Your one-stop shop for Christmas

Christmas 2010 brochure now available

Fosters Traditional Foods Limited, Great Bowden Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7DE

01858 438 000For more information please call:

British barn reared cooked and smoked turkey with a delicious texture and flavour.

Put British back on your counter

Adlington LimitedPheasant Oak Farm

Hob LaneBalsall Common

CV7 7GX

01676 532681www.adlingtonltd.com

Tel: 0121 486 4500Tel: 0121 486 4500Tel: 0121 486 4500www.awsmith.co.ukwww.awsmith.co.uk

Online orders taken 24hrs a day 7 days a weekOnline orders taken 24hrs a day 7 days a weekA.W.Smith & Sons (Sundries) Ltd

Sundries, Equipment, Machinery and More.Sundries, Equipment, Machinery and More.

www.awsmith.co.ukSundries, Equipment, Machinery and More.

www.awsmith.co.ukwww.awsmith.co.ukSundries, Equipment, Machinery and More.

www.awsmith.co.ukSundries, Equipment, Machinery and More.

Call for your free 2010 catalogue.


[email protected]

www.rustiquepateco.com

A complete range of manual, semi-automatic & fully automatic slicers suitable for sausages, ham, bacon, smoked - roast - fresh & stuffed meats, parma - sarreno &

other speciality hams and cheese

Bizerba Slicers offer greater yield, quicker clean down, better quality slices time after

time and give a fantastic return on investment; compared to other models on

the market, Bizerba Slicers can offer a payback as quickly as year one. Bizerba’s

design & build quality ensures the machines last longer added to which they are safe to operate & sleek in design with less food traps, ensuring the Bizerba Slicer

is the most hygenic in the market.

BIZERBA (UK) Limited, Eastman Way, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 7DUTel: 01442 240751 Fax: 01442 231328

Email: [email protected] Web: www.bizerba.co.uk

K-Class Touchscreen scales integrate all the key retail tasks - weighing, cash-till functions, advertising, printing and advising in a single solution. They follow a consistent modular concept and

are available in range of models and equipment. Probably to most attractive combination of technically possible with the

economically desireable.

news

training

9Vol.11 Issue 1 · January-February 2010

If I’d known then what I know now…Mike Woods, Olive & Bean, Newcastle

Within a couple of months of opening in 2008 the recession hit and the newspapers were full of doom and gloom. At the same time, the shopping centre opposite us was being rebuilt, so we had a lot of noise and dust in the street.

It was a tough beginning, so it was good that we had some financial reserves to get us through. It was always going to take time to build up the sales base and we couldn’t have done that without having some money to fall back on. I’d advise any new deli not to stretch themselves too far when they open.

We’ve had to work hard – 14 hours a day is usual – and in the last few months, it’s started pay off.

We’ve had to be adaptable and learn quickly. Customers won’t tell you directly if they don’t like something, but you can read their body language as they move round the store and you can work out what they like and don’t like in the café by looking at what’s coming back on the plates.

What we stock in the deli has changed massively since we opened. We started off with a big range of

ambient and fresh products, everything from pasta, biscuits and jams to bresaola, olives and fantastic cheeses, but we’ve had to cut back on the amount we stock and concentrate on best sellers. People tend to use us for gifts and treats rather than as their main shop, so we stock a lot more products like fancy chocolates and we’ve found well-known British cheeses work better than fancy Continental ones.

It’s partly due to our location in the city centre, but there’s also a reluctance to try new foods up here. Tastes are a lot plainer in Newcastle, so we have to offer lots of samples, plus you really have to get out there and sell new products to people.

We’ve honed the deli so it works better with the café. Everything on the counter is available on the menu in our platters and sandwiches. It’s a good way of getting people to try new things. The café side of the business has been far more popular than I expected, so we doubled the number of seats to around 40 and have started doing outside catering.

We started off buying cakes from outside suppliers, but we make our own now. We couldn’t get the quality and it was more profitable to make them ourselves. Once you’ve bought the equipment and perfected the recipes, they’re quite straightforward. The fact we have homemade cakes is a big point of difference. Customers love them.

Interview by PATRICK McGUIGAN

“Customers won’t tell you directly if they don’t like something but you can read their body language”

Union Coffee is joining forces with the Guild of Fine Food to run a half-day coffee training event for deli and farm shop operators.

The first tutorial will take place in Brighton on September 21, with further dates and venues to be announced in the coming months.

Delegates will learn about the sources and production of coffee beans, the different taste profiles created by filter and espresso coffees and

the rise in single-origin coffees and home grinding and brewing, as well as gaining practical skills in hands-on brewing for the deli-café.

“The idea is not just to learn about the practical side of coffee-making but also to learn more about origins and roasting, so retailers can talk more knowledgeably about coffee to their customers,” said Guild director John Farrand. “And like all these things, it will be a great chance to network with other retailers.”

After the morning event, retailers from outside the area will have time to visit influential Brighton businesses including Bill’s Produce Store, French patisserie Cocoa and arty chocolatier Choccywoccydoodah.

For details of the September 21 event, contact Tortie Farrand at the Guild:

[email protected]

01963 824464

Brighton promises coffee morning with a difference

TRAde MARK ClAshes ARe NoT jUsT A BIG-BRANd IssUe

Sir, I read with interest the article about Cheese & Chutney in Saltaire in the kitchenware feature in your last issue (FFD July 2010).

My particular attention was drawn to the fact that Matthew Coxon had to rebrand his deli from ‘Coxon’s Kitchen’ to ‘Cheese & Chutney’ due to the existence of an identical trade mark owned by TV chef Alan Coxon.

It is not uncommon for this type of rebrand to have to take place. While Matthew Coxon’s experience is portrayed quite light-heartedly, bringing the community together to choose an alternative name, it does also highlight the need for all traders to be vigilant about the names they choose for their products and services.

Trade mark clearance and registration is not

just an issue for big brands. Smaller traders also need to be aware. It is important that pre-clearance checks are done to ensure that there are no earlier registered trade marks that could prevent them trading. Infringement of a registered trade mark is a costly business and traders could be pulled into legal action just at a time when they should be concentrating effort on promotion and building product awareness.

I wish Matthew well in his venture, and hope he has now cleared the name ‘Cheese & Chutney’ for use. He should also seek registration of the name himself to secure a monopoly on its use. It would be unfortunate for the good work of the Saltaire Community to have been in vain!Fiona McBride, Partner, Withers & Rogers LLP,Patent & Trade Mark Attorneysw www.withersrogers.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR [email protected]

Adas

zku/

Dre

amst

ime.

com

people

Womersley founder Martin Parsons diesMartin Parsons (left), the flamboyant founder of fruit and herb vinegars maker Womersley Fine Foods, died at The Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract last month after a long illness. Parsons,

a half-brother of Lord Snowdon, worked in mining and aviation in Australia before returning to the

family seat in north Yorkshire in the mid-1970s. He and wife Aline began Womersley Foods in 1979, making vinegars and jellies using fruit and herbs from their walled garden at Womersley Foods. The company went on to supply top chefs and retailers including Fortnum & Mason, and is now run by the Parsons’ son Rupert who took over the business last year.

news

Thomas tests fine foods with Perns take-over

10 March 2010 · Vol .11 Issue 2

Farm shops make their markon second Delifonseca storeLiverpool deli owner Candice Fonseca says her new 3,000 sq ft food hall, butchery and restaurant on the city’s Brunswick Dock will take inspiration from the growing popularity of farm shops.

Delifonseca Dockside opened this month selling fruit and veg from local supplier John Dickinson and with a butchery run by Southport chain Broughs.

It also comprises a 60-seater restaurant and large car park. The food hall joins the original Delifonseca delicatessen in the city centre, which opened in 2006.

“I see the new food hall as almost a farm shop in the city. When I was doing my research it seemed the growth was less in delicatessens and more in farm shops and destination retailers,” said Fonseca. “Convenience is a big thing – people want to buy their bread, meat, veg and wine all in one go. They want that total package and easy access with regards to parking.”

Originally a Harry Ramsden restaurant, the site was refurbished by two local businesswomen, who reportedly invested £500,000 in opening Il Bacino delicatessen and food hall in 2007.

Despite winning the Best Newcomer and Best Deli categories of the Liverpool food and drink awards, the business closed the following year.

Despite Il Bacino’s problems, Fonseca said the food hall was in a good location on a commuter route between wealthy suburbs of Liverpool and the city centre and close to offices employing around 2,000 people.

It will also hopefully attract ‘foodies’ from across the region who struggle to park at the original Delifonseca, she said.

Letter from Morzine

Berits & Brown franchisee JOHN KANE embraces change at the deli for next season’s business on the slopes

We’ve completed our first year and things are going well, but it’s different from how we expected. The café’s worked out to be a far bigger proportion of our business than we ever thought it would be.

Across the year it probably accounts for 75% of sales. When we started, I thought it would be more like 40% with the deli and wine contributing 60%.

As the business has evolved we’ve been quick to make changes in the café and adapt the menu. When we opened we only sold sandwiches, deli platters and cakes, but at Christmas we introduced hot dishes such as soup, bacon sandwiches and burger with chips. They had a significant impact

on the daily take. Instead of spending €6-7 on a sandwich, people were opting for burger and chips with salad, cornichons and olives for €12-15.

Some of those hot dishes are still available, but the summer menu is more about tapas, platters and highlighting what the deli has to offer in terms of cheese, charcuterie and antipasti. In the winter, people want a quick, hot meal that gives them energy so they can get back on the ski slopes.

We’ve changed the way we do our platters this year. At first people could choose what they wanted. But it became very labour intensive because we had to make them from scratch as the orders came in.

This year we’ve got a range of set options, such as Greek, Italian and Spanish platters, which means we can do more pre-prep. We have two or three platters almost ready to go throughout the day. It makes the process more efficient so we don’t need as many staff and have been able to cut wage costs.

Last year we did a set deal of two platters with a bottle of wine for €20. Looking back it was probably a bit too cheap so now we run specials as and when we want to push a particular product.

We’re keen to get more exposure for our range of New World wines, so we run discounts on different bottles from week to week if people order food over a certain amount.

It’s this ability to adapt and change that has helped boost the café business so much. It’s important that we don’t remain static and keep thinking about how we can improve what we do.

Interview by PATRICK McGUIGAN

“A range of set options, such as Greek, Italian and Spanish platters, means we can do more pre-prep’’

The original Delifonseca opened in central Liverpool in 2006

delicatessens

North of England craft bakery chain Thomas the Baker has taken over a Yorkshire deli and butcher’s as part of a plan to pilot fine foods in its shops and integrate meat processing into its business. The chain, which has 34 shops across Yorkshire and Teeside, acquired Perns of Helmsley last month.

“The deli has a successful range of homemade ready-meals and roasted meats, which could be sold through our shops,” said Thomas the Baker managing director John Thomas. The other reason for taking over the shop, previously owned by the Star Inn in Harome, is to make use of the staff ’s butchery skills, he added.

“We buy huge amounts of meat from local farmers, which is processed by local butchers, but by carrying out the operation ourselves we can achieve vertical integration and have complete control of the process,” said Thomas.

Sauce-maker Leon’s moves into retailWorcestershire-based start-up producer Leon’s Handmade Sauces has made a move into retail, opening a deli in Presteigne, Powys.

Leon Abecasis, who set up the tagine cooking sauces company in Tenbury Wells last year, opened Leon’s Deli in conjunction with partner Joanna Griffiths in May.

“The cooking sauces business is my main focus, but the shop is good for generating cash flow and is great for trialling new products and getting feedback from shoppers about our sauces,” said Abecasis. “It’s great being on the front line, being able to talk with customers and market our products to them.”

As well as Leon’s Handmade Sauces, the shop sells a wide range of Spanish food and local products, sourced through Heart of England Fine Foods’ Savour the Flavour scheme. Producers include Essential Dressings, Great Ness Oil and Sandersons Puddings.

Leon Abecasis: ‘It’s great being on the front line’

August 2010 · Vol .11 Issue 756 Vol.11 Issue 7 · August 2010 11

[email protected]

conventional, but not ordinary

exceptional juice from traditional varieties

the finest organic apple & pear juices

Nichol Farm, Deerton Street, Teynham, Kent ME9 9LJ

Tel: 01795 521341www.moororganicjuice.co.uk

Moors

Disc

over

y App

le Ju

ice

Moor O

rgan

ic Ju

ice

Cox &

Bra

mley Ap

ple Ju

ice

possibly the finest nuts in the world - certainly the best real smoked ones

visit www.smokednuts.co.uk for more information

exclusively distributed by Hider Foods. tel: 01482 504333

www.hiderfoods.co.ukhickory smoked almonds and cashews

hickory smoked marcona almonds

hickory smoked macadamia nuts

hickory smoked cashews with black pepper

most smoked nuts have flavour added - ours are real

real nuts, real smoke, real taste


www.infinityfoods.co.uk

www.loopylisasfudge.co.uk

Importer of von Mühlenen Cheese • Fratellis CamisaUnit 4, I.O. Centre, Lea Road, Waltham Cross Herst EN8 7PGTel: 01992 763 076 • Fax: 01992 652 775 • www.camisa.co.uk

A class of its own. The award winning

Gruyère Premier Cru and Emmental Premier Cru

There’s is no need to settle for second best when you can stock the eigth times

World Champions cave aged Premier Cru Gruyère and

Emmental from von Mühlenen

Vol.7 Issue 1 · January 2006

shopfittingfine food news

Farm shop blames competitionin local foods for closure

A fresh fish counter is the centerpiece to a new deli and bistro in Stockbridge, Hampshire.

Opened last month by Iain and Sally Hemming, who also run West Street Deli in Salisbury, Thyme and Tides houses a traditional fish counter, stocking Cornish fish, Dorset crab and River Test trout, as well as sustainably caught tuna and swordfish from Sri Lanka.

Headed by fishmonger Ashley Major, the counter will provide a point of difference to the shop, said Sally Hemming. “Other than the major supermarkets, fish is very hard to come across, let alone fresh, carefully sourced fish. Fish marries perfectly with the high standard of deli products we stock and we believe in the product and see it as a ‘unique selling point’ to the new shop.”

The deli will also stock a mixture of British and Continental specialities, such as Brindisa cheeses and charcuterie, Italian biscuits and cakes from Seggiano and Monmouth Coffee.

Both the fish and deli counters will be used as “pantries” for the bistro, ensuring freshness and minimal food wastage, said Hemming, who

opened the West Street Deli in 2007.“We aim to create a busy thriving café and deli

in Stockbridge which becomes a destination for people from Salisbury and the surrounding area. Additionally, if people are driving and passing through Stockbridge on holiday they will be able to stock up on food for the weekend or join us in the bistro for Sunday lunch.”

Thyme & Tides makes seafood its centrepiece

They’ve got the fish counter, but can they fillet? Pictured (l-r) are Iain and Sally Hemming, bistro chef Nick Thomson and deli team member Chelsea Borchert

It is important to adopt the mindset of established retailers when it comes to maximising seasonal sales opportunities. The Bonfire Night and Halloween seasons are now a must for generating bonus sales and very easy to execute. So why not cash in?

Halloween, according to the analysts Planet Retail, now accounts for about £235 million of retail sales in the UK. Last decade UK growth was as high as 50% year on year and in the US, Halloween comes second to Christmas in terms of retail sales. The sales window of opportunity for Halloween is 10 days; a decade ago it was only four.

For seasonal Halloween food items, I would recommend speaking to people like Julian Holley at DW Holley (01179 775299) or Angela Hibbard at Cotswold Fayre (08456 121201) to see what they can do for you. Equally, talk to Gwynedd Confectioners on 01678 521280 as they have a number of Halloween themed chocolate products which fit the bill.

Farms shops are suited to carrying Halloween costumes and so on, so why not sell these items? Maybe putting up a temporary shed or using your tastings area for this would be a sensible way to both provide a bit of seasonal zest to your product displays and make this area a temporary and exciting focal point.

Good suppliers of these items are found at Pams of Gainsborough (www.pams.co.uk) and whether

you resell them or use them for point-of-sale props, they don’t cost the earth and will add colour and fun to your retail displays.

On the high street, delis are really well suited to gain from bright Halloween window displays; though don’t forget to make your merchandise the focal point. Take a glance at www.dooriginal.co.uk for a few useful ideas on professional and effective displays.

Fireworks can legally be sold from October 15 to November 10. A good garden centre should be able to sell £5k-£10k of them per annum and some firework suppliers will offer sale or return to make things easier, so they are readily suited to farm shop sites. Arcade International Fireworks (0208 361 1943) are extremely helpful and well worth a phone call.

Margins are as high as 50% but typically 40%. The fireworks industry works on orders being placed by late August but be aware that you will need a sales licence from your local authority – so move fast! Be sure to check the storage regulations when you apply, as you may need a special storage for them.

[email protected]

“The sales window of opportunity for Halloween is 10 days; a decade ago it was only four’’

better retailing GORDON LEATHERDALE

13

CHAMPION PERFORMANCE: Cranstons Cumbrian Food Hall in Penrith has won the Food Northwest Business Excellence Award for its work championing local food and drink and its recent £1m extension. Caroline Dinham, Cranston’s delicatessen manager (left), and Ashlea Pearson (right), product development technologist, accepted the award at a gala dinner held in Manchester.

Paul Attwood from award sponsor DWF said: “Cranstons had the edge with its expansion programme and, in particular, its focus on supporting local produce and other local producers in the area. Cranstons provides an outlet for other companies’ products and helps local businesses to flourish.”

delicatessens

farm shops

Dorset farm shop Littlemoors has closed down blaming increased competition for sales of local food from supermarkets and farmers’ markets.

Opened in 2007 by Wimborne-based blueberry and camellia grower David Trehane, the farm shop and café ceased trading last month because of cash flow problems.

“Contrary to what I hope has been a professional exterior, internally we have never succeeded,” said Trehane in a farewell message on the shop’s website. “There comes a time for a business such as this, when cash flow simply runs out, investment to kickstart marketing or create new projects is either non existent, unwise or in our case, both. A business owner has to face up to options which may be getting fewer and fewer. I have reached such a point.”

Trehane said he was forced to close because of changes in consumer shopping behavior and the tough economic climate. “There is now a much wider availability of local produce – both through supermarkets and an increase in regular farmers’ markets. Put this alongside a huge rise in petrol costs and a gloomy economic forecast and it is perhaps easy to understand why people are no longer travelling to shop with us on a regular basis.”

In his farewell message, Trehane also apologised to two shareholders “who have lost the most in terms of hard cash from this project” and the shop’s suppliers. “I've tried to keep the effects as minimal as possible,” he said.

The blueberry and camellia business was unaffected by the closure and continues to trade.


www.hodchoc.com

Gift Boxes • Bottle Boxes • Hamper Boxes

TM

Wide selection of boxes in stock.View and purchase online at

www.boxmart.co.ukTel: 01543 411574 E-mail: [email protected]

Bespoke projects also undertaken

Boxmart Gift Focus advert.indd 1 21/2/08 16:26:15


Interview by MICK WHITWORTH

Laid-back Hampshire deli-café Caracoli has set up off-site kitchens and warehousing ahead of plans to open more sites – if it can match the ‘cracking location’ of its first store

Some start-ups get lucky with their location. In the case of Gail Nichols and husband Chris, it wasn’t luck but a mix of instinct and legwork that saw them choose Alresford, Hampshire,

to open a deli-café modelled on the relaxed eateries of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Caracoli opened in 2005 – the same year Alresford was named national runner-up in Country Life magazine’s Favourite Market Town competition – bringing a metropolitan-style coffee shop and food store to a town that previously offered only traditional tearooms.

Alresford has proved “a cracking location”, according to the Nichols’ son James, who recently joined the family firm as general manager. He has begun working on plans that include a further three or four Caracoli clones in the Hampshire-Wiltshire region, and the wholesaling of Caracoli-branded foods made in a newly opened off-site kitchen.

In 2009 Caracoli picked up a two-star Great Taste Awards gold for its wheat-free dark chocolate fondant cake, and in 2010 has taken golds for a cereal bar and a new brandy-soaked mincemeat. Plans are afoot to sell Caracoli products locally and nationally, and, in a reversal of the usual deli-owner’s attitude, Nichols has even made enquiries about selling Caracoli’s own-brand lines to Waitrose.

For now, the hub of the business is the Alresford deli-cafe, which turned over £650,000 last year.

Business is “fantastic”, says Nichols, but he and mother Gail – the creative brains behind the operation, and its principal buyer – recognise the risks of trying to replicate that success to quickly. “We need to tread carefully,” says James, who joined Caracoli after a successful early career with boutique hotel chain Hotel du Vin, where he was a general manager at the age of 26. “When you expand, it’s not only difficult to get the second one right but you can also lose the integrity of the first.

“All our key staff will be people who’ve worked for Caracoli for a while, and that will slow our expansion because each time we expand we’ll be splitting up the existing staff. But it’s something that was drummed into me from an early age by Hotel du Vin – their philosophy was to grow from within.

“A good example here is Laura Swaffield, our assistant manager. She started out the back, washing dishes, and has steadily grown into a fantastic young assistant manager. And hopefully one day she’ll be running her own unit.”

Alresford is eight miles east of Winchester, and just about within the London commuter belt. It’s also slap in the middle of Jane Austen country, and at one end of the Watercress Line, a 10-mile steam railway, making this pretty Georgian town a tourist magnet. It still has a strong local community and a great mix of traditional shops, but benefits from London money too. What it didn’t have

deli of the month

Southern charm

August 2010 · Vol .11 Issue 756 August 2010 · Vol .11 Issue 716

[email protected]

www.okemoor.co.uk

Fresh tasting cream that lasts and lasts . . .

PureHeaven

from

This Christmas give your customers a treat and increase festive sales by stocking our range of scrumptious Devonshire Creams and Crème Fraîches. Their extended life means that wastage is a thing of the past whilst the delicious fresh flavour ensures your customers keep coming back.

Contact Mary on 01225 812712 or vi s i t www.thedevoncreamcompany.com

Devon

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

FF Digest Xmas 2010.pdf 19/06/2010 22:06:52

An excellent range of award winning sweet and savouryfood carefully prepared by hand.

Tel 01837 53601 www.okemoor.co.uk

Please phone Maria or Ian on 0131 668 4751 for further information about our products.

www.elolivo-olive-oil.com

At el olivo we have the perfect gift for everyone. It’s a healthy one too!

Paella gift set - selection of the very best that Spain has to offer

ideal for hampers

Call Claire Kent forwholesale information…

Miller Park, Station Road,Wigton, Cumbria CA7 9BA Tel/Fax: 016973 45974Email: [email protected]: www.claireshandmade.co.uk

Handmade sweet and savoury preserves and condiments

Multi-award winning recipes madewith all-natural ingredients

A colourful array of products from traditional favourites to innovative specialities

Powerful new branding and packaging with comprehensive retailer support

until November 2005 was a contemporary meeting-place and food store of the kind that Gail and Chris Nichols had seen in the southern hemisphere – businesses like Bill’s in Sydney or the Melissa’s chain in Cape Town that offer relaxed dining using quality ingredients that you can also buy on the premises.

“I’ve been involved in food all my life,” says Gail. “I began as the cook for a board of directors, then, after I’d raised my family, I ran a canapé catering business for five years. But I wanted to open the kind of business we’d seen on our travels.”

Caracoli, with its stripped oak floor and beams, pale pastel décor and low-key branding, is a laid-back but smartly styled operation where shoppers can drink coffee, eat brunch, or buy premium food, wine and foodie gifts to take home. It is neither a hard-core deli nor full-on restaurant, but manages to blend the two quite seamlessly – only customers using the outdoor courtyard seating behind the store are out of sight of the retail shelves.

“We never wanted this to be a pure deli or a pure café,” says Gail Nichols. “We don’t offer cut meats or cheeses, although we do sell whole local cheeses and pre-packs. But we wanted a business that married the retail and café sides. People will come here to buy their six-day sourdough loaf [from Oxfordshire’s De Gustibus] on a Saturday, to buy local cheese, to have lunch, plug in their laptops and have a coffee, or buy something special as a gift.”

Retail products – merchandised either on wall shelving or on a big, informal display table that greets you as you enter the store – take 37-38% of sales, says James Nichols, and a much higher percentage at Christmas. The rest is accounted for by café food and drink, including the all-important coffee offer. “We take coffee seriously,” he says. “We’ve done a lot of training with our supplier, Darlington’s, and bought the best equipment we can get. We use a hand-built Marzocco unit, which is the Rolls-Royce of espresso machines. It has two boilers so you don’t have the problem of the hot water ‘running down’ when you’re busy.”

Caracoli offers six coffee blends, ranging from a dark bourbon with rich, chocolatey notes for espresso to a light, mellow Columbian blend. There is also a house blend, named Alex after the Brazilian farmer who produces the beans.

“Our clientele know all about their decaff this and their skinny that, but we keep it simple – no syrups or frappuccinos. We pitch ourselves at the mid to top-end – it’s £2.50 for a cappuccino – but it’s all about the showmanship and the experience behind the coffee machine.”


deli of the month

In the retail area, says Gail Nichols, the emphasis has always been on providing a handful of key lines not readily available elsewhere. The best example is the T2 range of teas, which Caracoli has imported exclusively from New Zealand from day one. With the exception of a few Clipper products, this is the only tea offered both in the café and packaged for retail. “To the best of my knowledge we’re the only people in Europe who import T2 says,” says James. “With the cost of shipping it in, it’s not the greatest cash cow for us, but it’s one of our points of difference, and when our online store goes live in a couple of weeks, I think it will be a best seller.”

“We feel it’s really important to have something [exclusive] like that,” adds Gail. Caracoli was an early supporter of emerging fine food brands like Yarty Valley Cordials and SLOEmotion sloe gin, she says, and as those products become more widely available it’s important to keep scouring trade shows for new items that maintain that point of difference. When FFD visited, Caracoli was sampling the range of new buffalo milk ice creams from Laverstoke Park, launched just a couple of weeks earlier.

Many of Caracoli’s products are made in-house by the team led by French chef Alex Thomelin, a patisserie specialist with a two-rosette restaurant background. And production of all Caracoli-branded lines (with the exception of preserves, made by Wendy Brandon in Wales) has now been moved out of Alresford to the new 2,500 sq ft kitchen, warehouse and admin unit that will provide a platform for expanding the business. Consignments from Caracoli’s 200-plus suppliers are now consolidated here before delivery to the shop, and its own-brand products, from loaf cakes to pasta sauces, are being made here.

This kitchen was a £50,000 investment and the business has had to employ a delivery driver, but these costs will be spread more thinly as soon as Caracoli No 2 is opened. Although local press rumours of a second store in Winchester are apparently wide of the mark, the Nichols are hoping to sign contracts soon on a second site and are seeking more locations in an area stretching east of Winchester to Guildford and Chichester and west as far as Marlborough.

The new units will, as far as possible, be a mirror image of Alresford, and you can see why the Nichols would want to replicate the formula. Sales were up 11% last year and are already 7% ahead of budget for 2010. “People may not be buying flat-screen TVs,” says James, “but they are still buying coffee and enjoying their social life.”

www.caracoli.co.uk

It is neither a hard-core deli nor full-on restaurant but manages to blend the two quite seamlessly

Shopfittings combine formal shelving with a carefully merchandising table that greets customers as they enter

CaraColI MUST-SToCKS● T2 teas (complete range)● Godminster organic

cheddar● Pratt’s rapeseed oil● Quince Products fruit

cheese● SloEmotion sloe gin● Stokes real tomato ketchup

(Essfoods)● Nomu Egyptian dukkah● Fine Cheese Co crackers● Tunworth cheese

(Hampshire Cheeses)

Mother and son team Gail and James Nichols: cautious expansion

Caracoli’s chocolate fondant cake (left) was a Great Taste Awards winner last year

Option1Great Taste Reception to include wine and tasters of 3-star award-winning foods followed by 3-course dinner including half a bottle of wine:Guild of Fine Food members: £60 inc vatNon-members: £65 inc vat(Tables of 10 or single tickets available)

Option 2Great Taste Reception to include wine and tasters of 3-star award-winning foods:

Guild of Fine Food members: £17.50 inc vatNon-members: £20 inc vat

Ticket prices:

The 2010 Great Taste Awards Presentation Eveningat Fortnum & Mason on Monday September 6Over 500 celebrity chefs, food writers, buyers, retailers, producers, not to mention the odd TV and radio personality will come together to taste 3-star award-winning foods as we reveal the regional & national winners and finally, the 2010 Supreme Champion.

Chefs’ stations around the shop floor of one of London’s most famous food halls will serve tasters of 3-star award-winning food and drink. See if you agree with the judges’ verdicts. BBC Radio 2 food correspondent, Nigel Barden will again be in charge of proceedings as the awards are announced and celebrity guests will greet the winners on stage.

After the winners have received their trophies, enjoy a special dinner prepared by Fortnum & Mason’s renowned executive chef, Sean Hill. Tickets are available for the reception and dinner or just for the reception and awards ceremony. But numbers are limited, so place your booking as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

To order tickets visit www.finefoodworld.co.uk/gta or contact Charlie Westcar on 01963 824464 [email protected]

Join us for the speciality food world’s most exciting night of the year


[email protected]

www.okemoor.co.uk

Olives andAntipasti

award winning

Find us at stand 783www.olivesdirect-trade.co.uk · [email protected]

Telephone 01425 613000

Summer PuddingRaspberries, strawberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants cooked in a light

stock syrup and layered with a farmhouse loaf. Serve chilled.


[email protected]

www.silverandgreen.com

FINE FOOD DIGEST100 x 141.5mmissue: Jan 2010File name: FFD-6.10_100x141.5.pdf

embellish with relish™

The Hawkshead Relish® Company Ltd

The Square, Hawkshead, Cumbria, UK LA22 ONZ

015394 36614 | [email protected]

FREE from:• artificial flavours• colourings• preservatives• gluten• nuts

Suitable FOR:• vegetarians• vegans• coeliacs

®

Traditionally handmade with passion and the finest ingredients to ensure quality without compromise.

www.hawksheadrelish.com

Winner of over39 Great Taste

AwardsSpeciality Producer of the Year

21Vol.11 Issue 7 · August 2010

delichef putting deli ingredients to work

Recognised as the cornerstone of European cuisine!

Deli chef is sponsored by Le Gruyère AOC

Nancy WilliamsCastle Kitchen, Montgomery, Powys

Forget swinging a cat at Castle Kitchen. There’s barely enough room to twirl a hamster in the tiny shop, which somehow

manages to squeeze in a deli and 40-seater café with garden.

Not surprisingly, the café’s open kitchen is extremely compact. “It’s difficult to describe quite how small it is,” says Nancy Williams, one of the shop’s owners who is responsible for running the café. “The floor area is no more than one metre wide and it’s a challenge when we’re busy. Customers tend to come together and leave at the same time, so you have to juggle things in the oven and keep the menu simple.”

Not that customers would notice when they sit down to eat. There’s a wide selection of sandwiches, platters and baked potatoes, as well as Welsh rarebit, quiche and soup. Then there are regularly changing specials such as shepherd’s pie, vegetable frittata, asparagus tart and casserole made with Neaudd Fach sausages, tomatoes and beans. In other words, the tiny kitchen makes the most of its limited space.

“We don’t do things like sausage & mash and steak & chips because they would be too fiddly for our little kitchen”, says Williams. “We stick to one-pot dishes, such as shepherd’s pie and stews, or something that can be warmed up and served with salad, like quiche. Everything apart from our Welsh rarebit is made in advance, so we are

interviewBy PATRICK McGUIGAN

The garden area supplements the 40-cover indoor seating

essentially assembling dishes, rather than doing any actual cooking.”

Time is spent making the Welsh rarebit because it is by far and away the shop’s best seller, says Williams. Made to a traditional recipe, it does a good job of highlighting ingredients from the deli such as Monty’s beer, Caws Llyn cheddar and bread from Talerddig bakery.

“We do our best to cross-sell products from the deli, such as cheese, bacon, ham and bread, in the café,” says Williams. “We also stick to local and seasonal ingredients. We made a nettle soup in the spring from nettles picked from my back garden and sometimes use wild garlic in our frittatas. I’d like to do more of that kind of thing, but it takes time and planning.”

Williams and her husband are one of three couples that run Castle Kitchen as a kind of co-operative. The group was originally made up of six couples, who decided to ‘save’ the shop for the benefit of the town when it went out of business in 2007. Three of the couples then bought out the other three to simplify the day-to-day running of

Castle Kitchen Welsh Rarebit Serves 12

Ingredients50g Butter2tbsp Plain flour2tsp English mustard1 x 500ml bottle of Monty's beer 1tsp Worcester sauce900g Caws Llyn cheddar

MethodMelt the butter in a pan, add the flour and stir until smooth. Cook until it smells biscuity but not brown. Add the mustard, then stir in the beer and Worcester sauce. Stir well and cook for at least two minutes. Add the cheese and stir. When melted, pour into containers to set.

To serveToast slices of Talerddig bread. Spread with mixture, 1cm thick, and place under grill until golden brown. Serve one or two slices with a mixed salad.

Optional toppingSliced tomatoes, onion or both.

the business, splitting responsibilities for the café, deli and admin.

“When the shop closed we thought ‘we’ve got to save it’,” says Williams. “Montgomery is a beautiful town, but once you lose that nucleus, people stop visiting. Between us we’ve managed to resurrect the business and are now looking to sell it on. It really needs an owner who is going to be hands on.”

Williams does not work regularly in the café, leaving that to a “great team of girls”, however she does come up with the recipes and decide what goes on the menu.

“I look in cookery books for recipes, then adjust and rationalise them. A lot of recipes are over complicated. If we’re doing tomato soup, for example, rather than frying the onions and roasting the tomatoes, I roast the whole lot together,” she says. “I trial the recipes at home then type them up for the girls in 6, 12 and 18 portions with exact instructions.”

Keeping things straightforward helps the kitchen run smoothly during busy lunchtimes and also maintains quality, she says.

“It’s taken a few years to get to know what we can manage in the space and the time when it’s busy, but we’re just about on top of things now,” she says. “There was a craft fair in the town recently, which meant we were nearly twice as busy in the café as we would normally be. We had a massive influx of people but managed to cope and that’s all because we’ve kept things simple.”

Nancy Williams (far right) oversees the café

The tiny open kitchen is able to provides a wide selection of fresh food thanks to menus being kept as simple as possible


Gift bags available containing a choice of any three of our oils, dressing or sauces

www.sussexgold.co.uk · [email protected] · 01403711956

RetailReady is a two day course that will steer you through the minefield of opening and running a fine food store.

The course is designed to equip managers of prospective, new or developing delis and farm shops with the business essentials of fine food and drink retailing.

The next course takes place on October 19-20 2010.

Visit www.finefoodworld.co.uk/retailready for more details and an application form. Call us to find out more on 01963 824464.

RetailReady

❝No one should even consider entering any form of fine food retail without completing the Retail Ready course at The Guild of Fine Food. The two day course is brilliantly structured, offering advice on every aspect of the business from insider experts and successful retailers. It gave me insight I was lacking to feel fully confident about getting started.❞ Matthew Drennan, former editor of delicious. and aspiring retailer


SPECIALR E P O R TAUGUST 2010

Guide to Importers & DistributorsSearching for specialities to boost your Continental food offering? Know the brand you want but don’t know who distributes it? Looking for a new one-stop shop offering a wide range of fine food & drink options?

Our pull-out-and-keep guide gives you full details of many of the best international, national and regional wholesalers and distributors operating in the UK today.

FEATURING• La Bandiera• Bespoke Foods• Brindisa• Cotswold Fayre• Cotswold Valley Fine Foods

• Delicioso UK• The Deli Station• Glenfinlas Coffee• The Good Food Network• Hensons Foodservice

• HF Chocolates• Highgrove Food

Distribution• House of Sarunds• Just So Italian

• Just Trading Scotland• The Oil Merchant• Plough to Plate• Products from Spain• Shire Foods


To request a brochure or for any further information please contact us:Tel: 01258 450200 · Email [email protected] · Website www.sarunds.co.uk

House of Sarunds Ltd - Unit 1 - Holland Way Business Centre - Holland Way - Blandford Forum - Dorset DT11 7TA

House of Sarunds are proud to present their brand new General Catalogue 2010 – 2011

House of Sarunds are the foremost supplier of both pre-packed and loose chocolates to the specialist sector in the UK. We have an extensive rangeof both British and Continental handmade and hand finished chocolates. We believe we cannot be rivalled on price, quality or our selection and weoffer a full advisory and support service for loose chocolates including in-store setup, training and equipment recommendations, freeof charge.

We do not believe in a franchise or fees, we believe in making your namefamous with your customers rather than paying for theprivilege of championing ours.

Sarunds PG:Layout 1 9/7/10 14:09 Page 1

Guide to importers & distributors

Bespoke FoodsUnit 2c, Tideways Industrial Estate, 87 Kirtling Street, London SW8 5BP

020 7819 4300 [email protected] www.bespoke-foods.co.uk

Bespoke Foods works with specialist retailers (Whole Foods, John Lewis, Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges), plus around 700 delis and farm shops throughout the UK. The company trades in over 50 different product categories offering ambient and fresh foods, including sauces and salad dressings, beverages and teas, biscuits and confectionery, savoury snacks, spreads, rice, pasta, noodles and authentic ethnic ranges. There is nationwide distribution and with over 27 years experience marketing small and large brands in the UK, Bespoke can work in partnership with brand owners to build and grow awareness of their products.

Brands on offer: over 100 brands including… Frank’s Connétable Malay TasteFrench’s Delouis Thai TastePepperidge Farm La Mortuacienne Truly IndianPeanut Butter & Co Tipiak La Truffe Cendrée

specialist areas: American cookies and peanut butter; American BBQ sauces and mustard; goose/duck fat, foie gras and pâté from France; traditional French lemonade; pasta, amaretti and panettone from Italy; authentic curry pastes and dipping sauces from Thailand.

pepperidge Farm Cookies

The only authentic American soft baked cookies in the UK, these gourmet biscuits with their melt-in-the-mouth texture are made with only the finest ingredients and come in a variety of flavours. Crammed with rich chocolate chunks, crunchy macadamias, oatmeal and raisin, and caramel, try them warm with a scoop of ice cream.

Cotswold FayreUnits 9-11, Manor Farm, Peppard Common, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 5LA

08456 121201 [email protected] www.cotswold-fayre.co.uk

Cotswold Fayre started in 1999, operating from a lock-up garage with one member of staff. Eleven years later the company employs 25 staff and has a turnover of £4 million per annum, winning several awards along the way. The company now sells a range of over 1,500 products – basically anything that could be in a farm shop or delicatessen, but not in the freezer or cold counter. The range includes confectionery, beverages, essential store cupboard items, snacks, and a wide selection of grocery lines and bakery products. The company also has an extensive range of food gift products around Christmas and Easter, with separate catalogues for these.

Products are sourced from all over the UK and Ireland, and brought in from Europe, the Americas, Australasia, Africa and Asia. The company primarily services the independent retailer sector and most of its customers are farm shops, delicatessens, garden centres, cafés and food halls.

Cotswold Fayre holds all its products within its 10,000 sq ft warehouse in Henley-on-Thames, so all products are delivered quickly from stock.

Brands on offer: 130 artisan producers are represented. Around 75% of these are British, but many products are sourced from abroad. Key brands include… Belvoir Cawston Press Fentimans Monty Bojangles Sally Williams Union Coffee Company Burts Chilliqueen Heatherslaw Bakery Prestat So!Go Wessex Mill

specialist areas: being able to deliver from stock overnight in many cases or within 2-3 days at the outside means that Cotswold Fayre is able to specialise in fast-moving products that may run out quickly.

delICIoso UkUnit 14 Tower Business Park, Berinsfield, Oxon OX10 7LN

01865 340055 [email protected] www.delicioso.co.uk

Launched in 2004 by Jose Luis Alvarez Bernal and Kate Shirley-Quirk, Delicioso brings high-quality Spanish foods to the UK. In 2008 it was awarded ‘Speciality Importer of the Year’ by the Guild of Fine Food and began to import the World Cheese Award Supreme Champion cheese from the Canary Islands. Other award winners include Iberico de Bellota ham, which won the top prize in the 2010 Frankfurt Ham Fair, and this year Delicioso won a further eight Great Taste Awards.

Brands on offer: about 100 different Spanish products including… Artequeso Conservas de Cambados Jose Pelluz Bernal Argodey Fortaleza Conservas Leyenda La Chinata Bernardo Hernandez Dios Baco La Higuera Cecinas Nieto El Rey de la Vera Pujado SolanoChorizo longaniza Hacienda la Laguna Upita de los Reyes

specialist areas: Spanish hams and charcuterie, cheeses, seafood, patés and salsas, vegetables and olives, paella rice and pulses, saffron and paprika, olive oils and vinegars, savoury snacks, nuts, pressed fruit wheels, membrillo, jams and honey, biscuits, chocolates, dessert mixes and ready meals.

Cecinas de Nieto

Spain’s most famous Cecina, from Cecinas de Nieto, has its own IGP as a mark of quality, and is the winner of a 3-star gold medal in the 2010 Great Taste Awards. Beef has been dry-cured in this region of Spain since the 4th century BC, using similar techniques to this day – cuts of the finest beef are salted, slowly wood-

smoked then dried in the cool mountain air for up to six months to give a rich flavour. It comes in 1kg vacuum-packed pieces, trade price £24.50/kg.

the Bath pig chorizo

As far as Cotswold Fayre is aware, this is the only British chorizo and it is distributed exclusively to independent retailers in the UK by the company. Currently there are three products in the range, original, spicy and garlic & herb – all retail at £3.49 with ambient distribution.

Cotswold Meringues

The original business of Cotswold Fayre was based on sales of Cotswold Meringues, which at the time were unique to the sector being made with fresh eggs. There are now other meringue products on the market, but the recent re-brand of the products has made them once again one of Cotswold Fayre’s best sellers. Options include meringue bites, whirls, individual nests and pavlova bases.

Breckland orchard drinks

One of the few drinks companies not selling to the multiples, Breckland Orchard currently has a growing range of six products, inspired by the grandmother of

founder Claire Martinsen. Due to their newness and inspirational flavours, they are already

proving successful as part of the Cotswold Fayre drinks portfolio, particularly amongst retailers enjoying a strong lunchtime trade.



gourmet selections

Cheese and delicatessen supplies to restaurants and wholesalersthroughout London and the South East

• Speciality cheeses from France, Italy and British Isles

• Block, sliced and grated cheese

• Salt Beef specialists

• Delicatessen products

• BRC Accredited (Grade A)

30-40 Vale Royal, London N7 9AP

tel 020 7609 2299

gourmetselections.co.uk

Hensons_Gourmet Ad.indd 1 7/7/10 11:44:27


The Good Food NeTwork15 Edgeborough Way, Bromley, Kent, BR1 2UA

0208 466 7170 [email protected] www.thegoodfoodnetwork.co.uk

The Good Food Network was created in 1996 by Paul Gimblett with the aim of sourcing traditional foods with an emphasis on quality and flavour. It has since developed a reputation as a market leader in French fine foods, cooking ingredients and traditional French gastronomy. It offers the complete La Belle Chaurienne range, and has no minimum order/free delivery on all online orders and split cases on request. The range lends itself to Christmas gifts and hampers. The company supplies to delicatessens, farm shops and food halls across the UK.

Brands on offer: a wide range of traditional French fine foods from… Claude Catrice La Belle Chaurienne Petite Perigord Gold Feyel Artzner Perard Plantin

Specialist areas: Traditional French fine foods and ready meals – duck confit, cassoulet, foie gras, patés, typical French regional dishes, fish soups, Provencal specialities, Perigord chocolates as well as French gourmet gifts for hampers and French cooking ingredients such as goose fat, truffles and dried porcini. La Belle Chaurienne

The Good Food Network imports the complete range of La Belle Chaurienne gastronomic specialities from South West France. This well-presented line-up features confit, cassoulet, foie gras, patés and a new range of gourmet ready-meals, which have won awards along the way. This range includes pack sizes from single servings through to catering size and it is also frequently used in Christmas gift hampers. A generous trade price structure is available and the company says the range has enjoyed enormous success over recent years.

BriNdiSa9B Weir Rd, Balham, London SW12 0LT

020 8772 1600 [email protected] www.brindisa.com

Brindisa deals exclusively in Spanish foods. It supplies mainly cured or preserved foods, the majority in both retail and catering formats, sourced from many of Spain’s regions, such as: Iberico & Serrano hams and charcuterie; cooking meats such as chorizo, morcilla, pancetta and lomo; cheeses including a range of Manchegos but also many less known varieties; olives, nuts and snacks; cured fish such as tuna, salt cod, anchovies, boquerones, sardines, mackerel; olive oils and vinegars; preserved vegetables such as piquillo peppers and legumes; herbs and spices such as paprika and saffron; an organic range; paella pans, ham carving equipment; olive-wood chopping boards and other kitchenware.

Many supplier relationships go back to the very first days of Brindisa in 1988 when Monika Linton started importing Spanish foods and started to build a following amongst the country´s top chefs and food stores.

The company sells these foods with great confidence ensuring each new supplier brings interesting flavours, products of strong character or some much needed advantage in an ever changing marketplace. Brindisa can also source specific lines for its customers and strives to ensure the integrity of the product and the producers it buys from.

Brands on offer: some 70 Spanish supplier brands, as well as products under the Brindisa brand itself. Other brands include… Alejandro chorizos Casa Riera Ordeix salamis Navarrico vegetables Biobardales charcuterie La Chinata paprika Núñez de Prado olive oil Calasparra rice Monte Enebro goats’ cheese Ortiz tuna and anchovies Villarejo Manchego

Specialist areas: Brindisa considers itself “the home of Spanish food”. The company sells a broad range, from every-day, and competitively priced charcuterie, to the finest artisan foods made by true experts. Its unique specialism in the UK is as a Spanish ham expert, offering a broad range of regional hams, as well as ham training with its master carver.

extremadura d.o.P Señorío de Montanera ibérico ham

This ham on the bone holds a D.O.P. from Extremadura, the native habitat for Iberico pigs and where the acorns grow that form much of their diet. The supplier is a partnership of farmers who rear the Pata Negra pigs and control the entire curing process, producing an excellent ham. 7.5kg approx, £49.50-kg.

Brindisa olive oils

This Arbequina is made with olives grown and milled on the supplier’s estate in Navarra. Single estate and blended olive oils are available. The North & South is a blend of Arbequina with Picual, an Andalucian variety from southern Spain.

There are two formats on offer, one for kitchens and the other for retailing. Five litres of Arbequina costs £24.45, five litres of North & South is £21.95, and one litre Arbequina is priced at £6.30.

alejandro range of chorizos

This is a coarse cut chorizo made in the La Rioja region to a traditional Riojan recipe. The hand-trimmed cuts of pork are seasoned with smoked paprika and free from artificial colourings, additives and preservatives.

An Iberico “porrita” cured chorizo is also now available. Alejandro chorizo Magno, 250g, are £3.00 each while Alejandro Iberico chorizo

“porrita” 200g are £3.25 each.

JUST So iTaLiaN46a Northampton Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 9HE

01858 419554 [email protected] www.justsoitalian.co.uk

A small family-owned company with a big passion for high quality Italian food, Just So Italian focuses on bringing some of the best kept Italian secrets to the UK. Many of its products are made by small producers and rarely seen beyond the next village, let alone in a different country. Run by two chefs, Danilo and Alison Trozzi, the company began in 2008 as a progression to their successful Italian event catering company. Nearly 100 delis and fine food stores throughout the UK sell Just So Italian’s products. It has also been contracted by a handful of ready-meal producers to source and supply specific Italian ingredients.

Brands on offer: small artisan producers from throughout Italy including… Amerigo L’Antica Madia Saccaria Di Lauro Oliveri

Specialist areas: Italian artisan products such as cheese, salumi, baked goods, antipasti, pasta, rice, sauces, olive oils, vinegars, store cupboard items, coffee, biscuits, Italian cakes, liqueurs. The company is often asked by food producers to source individual Italian ingredients to a pre-defined specification. Its services include dealing with technical specifications, negotiating with multiple Italian suppliers to obtain the best price, ensuring certificates are in order and organising distribution.

Cipolline in aceto Balsamico: baby borettane onions in balsamic viengar

Only the finest quality Borettane Onions from San Marzano in southern Italy are used to create this antipasto. With no artificial ingredients it is

sweet, with a satisfying crunch. Perfect served alongside a selection of cured meats. Produced by Oliveri, which

started in the 1920s but is still thriving today as an ‘old style’ family producer, these baby onions are available either in a jar of 290g or in a tub of 2.5kg for spooning out. Jars and tubs may be bought individually. Individual tub price is £20.99.



Products From Spain Ltd.Suppliers of specialist Spanish fine foods since 1950

Nationwide Delivery

Tel.: +44 (0)20 8965 7274Fax: +44 (0)20 8965 7235

[email protected]

Units 17-18 Cumberland Business Park 17 Cumberland Avenue Park Royal London NW10 7RT

Biscuits & Crisps Jams & Preserves

Sauces, Chutneys & Vinegars Soft Drinks & Cordials

Shire Foods specialise in packing and distributing a wide variety of well known heath and whole foods to farm shops, general grocers & retailers,

including our own range of delicious nuts, seeds & confectionery.

Our new range of traditional ‘Scrummies’ sweets boasts over 80 flavours in quality packages, including 20 sugar-free varieties suitable for diabetics.

01366 381250 www.shirefoodsofnorfolk.co.uk

Fine, gourmet wholefoods wholesalers with a difference

Nuts & Seeds Cakes & Confectionery

Herbs & Spices Organic Flour & Pasta

Single-Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Discover La Bandiera olive oilOver 800 olive trees are harvested each year to produce our premium

extra virgin olive oil. Grown in the countryside surrounding Bolgheri,on the Tuscan coast (home of the Super Tuscan wines), the unique climate and rich landscape make an ideal habitat for olive groves.

Certified with the IGP or Indicazione Geografica Protetta, this deliciousfull-bodied oil is available for delivery throughout the UK in 250ml

and 500ml bottles and three litre cans.

Visit labandiera.eu for details or call 020 7243 5150

What are we doing? We are the link.We find the finest, tastiest and downright scrummiest

products from Cornwall and the Westcountry.

Then what?We then deliver it to discerning retailers and chefs , those who appreciate fine, seasonal, artisan products, wherever

their business may be.

The result?Westcountry producers sell more products and our

customers source delicious items for their business, at a fair and sustainable price.

...Everyone’s a Winner !

There’s not just clotted cream and pasties down here, we stock dairy, bakery, alcohol, meat, grocery and a whole lot more.

To see more of what we do and to join the Plough To Plate “family” go to our website at www.ploughtoplate.co.uk or call 01579 363942.


Hensons Foodservice30-40 Vale Royal, London N7 9AP

020 7609 2299 [email protected] gourmetselections.co.uk

Hensons was established in the 19th Century and has been involved in the meat industry ever since. The company’s signature product is salt beef, which is produced under licence in Tipperary, Ireland, from prime, grass-fed Farm Assured beef. It also provides a catering butchery service for customers such as steakhouse restaurants. There is now a dedicated cheese and deli division which specialises in French, Italian and British Isles cheeses, supplying restaurants and cheese wholesalers. The cheese department is headed by Garry Greensmith, who has more than 30 years experience in the industry.

Hensons’ core geographical area is London and the South of England but it delivers nationwide subject to a minumum order of one pallet (mixed). Accounts are strictly trade-only.

Brands on offer: foods from Ireland, France , Italy and Greece – brands include… Hensons Famous Salt BeefDew Valley Meats – cooked back and streaky baconTrentin – Grana PadanoTrevisanalat – mozzarella ballsD'Autore – cured meatsMeroni – cured meatsPathos – olive oil PDO Roquefort (Arbas), Brie du Meaux (Briarde) and Bleu D'Auvergne

Hensons Famous salt Beef

This uses only prime Irish beef, from Farm Assured, grass-fed herds in the lush Irish countryside. The beef is cut and cured to a strict specification to ensure maximum consistency of finished product. The cure itself is a closely guarded secret, but it has recently been further developed so that the salt content has been reduced while maintaining the taste and texture.

Taleggio

Taleggio is a semi-soft, washed rind cheese from Val Taleggio in northern Italy, with origins as far back as the 11th Century. It has a soft texture, 48% fat content and a pungent aroma. Its initial salty taste is followed by fruity undertones and it has an unusual yeasty flavour. It is an excellent dessert cheese that goes well with a robust wine.

Blue d'Auvergne

A French blue cheese from the Auvergne region of south-central France which has been granted AOC status. It is a moist, creamy blue-veined cheese, slightly less salty than normal for this type of cheese, and is often used in salad dressings or for pasta.

Mull of Kintyre cheddar

From the range of British cheeses, this black-waxed mature cheddar is made with milk from the rich dairy pastures of the Kintyre peninsula in Western Scotland. Said to be enhanced by the “angel's share”, which is the weight lost during the maturing process.


PRODUCTS FROM SPAINUnit 18 Cumberland Business Park, 17 Cumberland Avenue, London NW10 7RT

020 8965 7274 [email protected] www.productsfromspain.co.uk

Established 60 years ago, Products From Spain is a wholesale importer which prides itself in providing high standards of quality and service. The company has an extensive range of chorizos, hams – Jamon Serrano and Jamon Iberico – a range of charcuterie, regional cheeses, extra virgin olive oils, several varieties of table olives, saffron and Denomination of Origin oak-smoked paprika, piquillo pimientos, artichokes, vegetable preserves, pulses and larder ingredients. Award winning products include 3-star Great Taste Award D.O. Manchego cheese. Other Great Taste Award winning products include Black Pudding Morcilla de Burgos, Rosario chorizo and pickled anchovies. Spanish awards winners include extra virgin olive oil, mature Manchego cheese, Mahon cheese and vintage Manchego.

Brands on offer: dozens of top Spanish brands including… La Carmina La Gloria Riojana La Asturiana

Specialist areas: Extensive range of chorizo and charcuterie and hams; award-winning D.O. Manchego cheeses from La Mancha region; oak-smoked paprika from D.O. region of De la Vera, quince from specialist region, extra virgin olive oil and olives from Spain.

La Gloria Riojana Spanish chorizo

La Gloria Riojana Spanish chorizo, from Northern Spain, is available in several varieties including chorizo rosario paprika sausages – ideal for grilling or barbequing – and chorizo sarta, hoop-shaped cured chorizo rings – which are richly flavoured, made with natural ingredients and free from preservatives.

The OIL MeRChANT5 Goldhawk Mews, London W12 8PA

020 8740 1335 [email protected]

Charles Carey set up The Oil Merchant with his wife Sika 25 years ago, when olive oil could really only be bought in a few Greek, Spanish or Italian delicatessens. Now importing quality extra virgin olive oils from around the world, Charles and Sika insist that the products they sell reflect the character of the terroir in which the ingredients are grown. They are more interested in quality than price and expect consumers to have a cheaper blended extra virgin olive oil for everyday use and one of their more expensive oils as a condiment and for finishing dishes.

Brands on offer: about 100 different Spanish products including… A L’Olivier Dolcezze di Nanni Phenicia Badia a Coltibuono Favorita Live Ravida Boscovivo Frescobaldi Toustain Barville Castelas Malenchini ValduezaCesare Morgenster VeaColonna Petraia Vecchia Dispensa

Specialist areas: Products from small specialist producers. Estate bottled olive oils rather than ones from commercial producers. Family produced balsamic vinegars.

La Vecchia Dispensa Condimento Balsamico

Roberta Pelloni is from a long line of balsamic vinegar producers, who made vinegar for family use rather than for selling, in the little village of Castelvetro, near Modena. When she married Marino Tintori, she persuaded him to leave the mountains where he was a ski instructor, and together they set up their aceteria, using the old family barrels for maturing the vinegar. As their business has expanded, so has the number of barrels they use. But they still buy Trebbiano grapes from neighbouring farmers and still refuse to use caramel to sweeten or thicken the vinegars.

30

Guide to


importers & distributors

ShIRe FOODSTrafalgar Industrial Estate, Sovereign Way, Downham Market, Norfolk PE38 9SW

01366 381250 [email protected] www.shirefoodsofnorfolk.co.uk

Shire Foods is based in west Norfolk on the edge of the Fens. It is a packer and distributor of a wide range of nuts, dried fruits, beans, pulses, cereals, herbs & spices, chocolate and yoghurt coated products. It also offers Indian and Oriental snacks, sweets and much more. The company has hand picked the majority of its products and takes care to ensure the quality of all of the offerings.

Brands on offer: over 100 brands including… Blue Dragon Mary Berry St DalfourFentimans Meridian TiptreeFox Hill Mrs Crimbles West Country Meringues

Specialist areas: All ingredients are purchased directly from the best importers in the UK so the company is able to pack at a competitive retail price.

Scrummies Sugar Free Traditional Confectionery

Shire Foods is particularly proud of Scrummies Sugar Free Traditional Confectionery. These sweets come in a wide variety of flavours including: Butterscotch, Chocolate Limes, Clear Mints, toffees, éclairs and many more delicious flavours to tickle your taste buds. They are available in 75g packs and the entire Scrummies range is sugar free.

GLeNFINLAS COFFee1 Saint Colme Street, Edinburgh EH3 6AA

0131 220 8251 [email protected] www.glenfinlascoffee.com

Founded in Edinburgh in 1998 by Roy Campbell and Mhairi Mackenzie-Robinson, Glenfinlas has grown from a coffee wholesaler to become a gourmet food retailer and café operator. The company is continually searching for new roasters producing the finest quality products and its knowledge of making and selling the best gourmet coffees has been enhanced through running cafés & retail outlets. Glenfinlas Coffee is based in Edinburgh, but it provides gourmet coffee solutions across the UK.

Brands on offer: Alpen Sierra – Sierra Neveda, California, USAGeorge Howell Coffee Company – Boston, USAGreen Mountain Coffee Roasters – Vermont, USA

Specialist areas: Glenfinlas only sources 100% Arabica coffees from roasters with a heritage and knowledge of roasting and blending gourmet coffees. All varieties are

roasted in the USA.

La Conception, Guatemala

From the Terroir range roasted by the George Howell Coffee Company. Concepcion (the farm) is around 6,000 feet above sea level, a very high altitude for Guatemala, yet the micro-climate is nearly perfect due to the warm air from the Gulf of Mexico. Once harvested, green coffee is stored using a system unique to Terroir to preserve the beans at the peak of their maturity prior to roasting. This coffee is lightly roasted so the flavours are not overpowered. Available in a 341g (12oz) bag of roasted beans.


Cotswold Valley Fine Foods Distributors of Fine Food & Beverages

Blue Elephant to Cotswold Gold...

...with no minimum order and free delivery

on all orders over £150

1 Kendrick Street • Stroud • Gloucestershire • GL5 1AQwww.cotswoldvalleyfinefoods.co.uk

Call us on 01453 808337 for a full Product Guide

3 comprehensive colour catalogues per yearOn-line ordering on www.cotswold-fayre.co.uk

Weekly deliveries nationwideTeam of field sales people nationwide

Over 1,600 products from 140 producersFriendly and helpful customer service!

Wholesaler of Speciality Food to the UK & Irelandwww.cotswold-fayre.co.uk

www.cotswold-fayre.co.uk

32

Guide to


importers & distributors

House of sarundsUnit 1, Holland Way Business Centre, Holland Way, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 7TA

01258 450200 [email protected] www.sarunds.co.uk

House of Sarunds is a confectionery specialist, sourcing, importing and distributing continental chocolates and confectionery. It has been in business for more than 20 years and the company says its ongoing success has been built on providing great products with a dependable service customers can rely on.

The range is among the largest available in the UK and House of Sarunds understands the requirements of all non-supermarket trade, from retail customers, re-packers, and gift producers through to large multiples. It has a full-time packing team able to create bespoke gifts. Members of the House of Sarunds team have run their own loose chocolate shop and pre-packed retail outlet. The company has representatives covering the whole of the UK, allowing it to help customers face-to-face, to spot and react to market trends and understand what sells.

Brands on offer: highlights from the range include… Anthon Berg Deans Gardiners Guylian Jelly Beans KimberleysNew Berry Fruits Sebahat Ritter RJ’s Van Coillie

specialist areas: Quality British and Continental chocolate and confectionery sourced from across Europe with the emphasis on quality chocolates from Belgium.

Van roy

This is House of Sarunds’ own gift range, using a variety of products and the latest packaging. The

company selects the finest products from its manufacturers and sources the

packaging and ribbons from all over

Europe.

Van Coillie

House of Sarunds believes Van Coillie is 'the best of the best'. These Belgian

chocolates are hand made with the finest ingredients and no additives. They use 100% cocoa butter, fresh fruit and creams.

Guylian

House of Sarunds is the official and exclusive Guylian distributor for the non-supermarket sector of the UK market. A truly global brand and synonymous with quality, the seashells are a household favourite. Many lines are exclusive to House of Sarunds so you won’t find them in supermarkets, meaning you can benefit from this brand without running the gauntlet of price comparisons.

Caramel Bretons

A speciality of Brittany, these caramels are described as ‘absolutely stunning’. The company has been making them since 1946 in Quiberon and its recipes are referenced in the cultural heritage of France.

Choc-o-laitPure ganache enrobed in Belgian chocolate makes Choc-o-lait a real indulgent treat. Simply twizzle into hot milk and enjoy what will arguably be the best hot chocolate you’ve ever had.


Exciting new Christmas lines at Bespoke Foods!

Along with our traditional Italian Panettone and authentic German Gingerbread, we also have

several ranges debuting this year including Hannah’s Naturals-a range of all-natural candy

canes, lollipops and cookies and Too Good Gourmet cookies with unique, hand decorated

packaging.

Bespoke Foods: Tel: 020 7819 4300 Fax: 020 7819 4400 E-mail: [email protected]

Contact us now for a full range of award-winning Spanish products

telephone 01865 340055 | [email protected] | www.delicioso.co.uk

Sourcing the finest ingredients from the Mediterranean

Fresh egg pasta

Artisan cheeses

Rare breed cured meats

Olives & Anti-pasti

Oils & Vinegars

Organic olive tapenades

Delicious pesto & sauces

And plenty more specialist larder essentials.....

Contact: Jo, Paul or Ben on 0208 524 8610 E-mail: [email protected]

Phot

o: O

glia

rola

oliv

e ha

rves

t in

Pugl

ia, S

outh

ern

Italy.

Try

our

sing

le e

stat

e, O

glia

rola

extr

a vi

rgin

oliv

e oi

l in

250m

l or 5

litr

es.


For 25 years, Importers of Fine Oils and Vinegars.

5 Goldhawk Mews London W12 8PA


Our range of independently-selected gourmetcoffees is designed for peoplewho appreciateexcellencewhen they taste it. Whether you runa café, restaurant, delicatessen, hampercompany, or farm shop, contact us and discoverwhy coffee needn’t be just another commodity.

Glenfinlas Coffee.The finest beans, properly roasted.Web:www.glenfinlascoffee.comEmail: [email protected]: 0131 220 8251

gold 09

Green MountainFair Trade OrganicEspresso Blend

gold 09

Green MountainDark Magic

Espresso Blend &Fair Trade OrganicSumatran Reserve

g l e n f i n l a sccoffee

WWW.BRINDISA.COM • 020 8772 1600 • BRINDISA SHOP & TAPAS BRINDISA BOROUGH MARKET • TIERRA BRINDISA SOHO • CASA BRINDISA SOUTH KENSINGTON

CALL OUR SALES TEAM NOW ON 020 8772 1600 TO FIND OUT WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU!

SINCE 1988

Brindisa sells top quality Spanish foods and ingredients. Our expert sales team is here to help you choose from our selection of Spanish hams, charcuterie, olive oils, olives,

paprika, saffron, and much more.

EXCELLENT QUALITY AT LOW PRICES: Brindisa offers real value for money, with foods priced to suit every pocket. We aim to be competitively priced on everything from chorizo to cheese and the relationships we have enjoyed for over 20 years with many of our suppliers, have grown our expertise and skill in selecting the best foods for our customers.

GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE:• Next day, FREE delivery both in and out of

London, low minimum orders• Sales support: ham training with our master

carver, tastings, recipe cards and serving suggestions

• Peace of mind: we have our own technical team Try our new range of Brindisa store-cupboard essentials for even more affordable quality.

BRINDISA SPANISH FOODS


hf ChoColates5 Fitzhamon Court, Wolverton Mill South, Milton Keynes MK12 6LB

01908 315003 [email protected] www. hfChocolates.co.uk

The business was established in 1957 and now offers a wide range of chocolate and confectionery, targeted towards the upper end of the market. HF re-packages a significant number of lines and supplies own label products to a number of customers. In addition, it sells personalised confectionery for promotional usage. The company’s website was launched in July 2009 and customers are now able to view and order products online.

Brands on offer: fine chocolates and confectionery from around the world such as… Italy: Venchi, Leone, Amarelli, Quaranta, La Suissa Germany: Storz, Confiserie Weibler, Meybona, Klett France: Bovetti, Barnier, Doucet Holland: Steenland, Cerisette, Union Edel Spain: Amatller, Simón Coll, La Higuera, Cuevas Belgium: Limar, Cosijns, Rensonnet Turkey: Koska, Elit USA: Vosges, Madelaine, Hint Mint, Linda’s Lollies UK: Prestat, CocoaDance, Lessiter’s, Booja Booja, Divine, Boynes, Montezuma’s, Plush New Zealand: RJ’s Quaranta Italian soft Nougat

The newest addition to HF’s hugely popular Quaranta Italian soft nougat range is a counter display of five new Nougat Passion Pasticceria bars, based on recipes used by Italian pasticcerie and blended from the richest ingredients. Spectacular toppings and stylish packaging differentiate these bars along with five special flavours – Tiramisu, Raspberry & Dark Chocolate, Zabaione, Crema Catalana (like crème brulée) and Scorze Orange & Dark Chocolate. Displays of 25 x 100g bars (five of each flavour) cost £34.25/display with an RRP of £2.15 per bar.

the delI statIoNStation Approach, Station Road, Chingford E4 6AL

0208 524 8610 [email protected] www.thedelistation.com

The Deli Station imports high quality products from Italian Slow Food producers as well as more competitively priced Mediterranean foods. The ever growing range covers a variety of price points and includes cheese, cured meats, olives, oil, antipasti, pasta and other specialist dry grocery products.

The company works mainly with producers in Italy, who range from farmers with herds as small as 50 goats to San Patrignano, which is a social enterprise organisation that looks after young people with drug and alcohol problems. San Patrignano – for which The Deli Staion is the UK and Eire distributor – is based outside Rimini where Jamie Oliver got his inspiration for the Fifteen restaurant chain. The Deli Station also imports specialist products from Spain, France and Greece and works with select UK producers.

The minimum order is £50 for free delivery in mainland UK up to and including Edinburgh and Glasgow. The company delivers to the Highlands, Ireland and further afield, but these deliveries may be subject to surcharges or higher minimum orders. All new independent retail customers are entitled to 10% off in value of stock on their first order if they order more than £250.

Brands on offer: San Patrignano

specialist areas: The source and supply of artisan and other Mediterranean products directly from the farm.

san Patrignano cheeses

The Deli Station has been awarded exclusive rights to distribute San Patrignano food products and an elite range of cheeses to restaurants, hotels, food halls,

delis and independent retailers in the UK and Eire. These products have been developed under the guidance of Vittorio Beltrami, a Slow Food producer and eccentric cheese master from Marche, Italy. Harvey Nichols food hall is among the first retailers to stock these products in the UK, and the first to serve them is Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant.

Joanna Anastasiou-Milne, owner of The Deli Station, says: “These products have been, until now, hidden gems. In every one you can taste and smell the provenance – my personal favourites are the Bastardo (above) – a hard, mature goats’ and cows’ milk cheese – and the Caciotta (right) – a creamy cows’ milk cheese. These products are a must for every leading kitchen, hotel, and retail environment looking for authentic and inspired products.”

Other San Patrignano cheeses include: (clockwise from below) Mucchino, a cows’ milk cheese; Pecorino and Pecorino concito in fieno, both from sheeps’ milk; and Meticcio, which is made from both cows’ and sheeps’ milk.

la BaNdIera 12 Stanley Crescent, London W11 2NA

020 7243 5150 [email protected] www.labandiera.eu

La Bandiera is a small producer of a single-estate extra virgin olive oil near Bolgheri on the coast of Tuscany. This premium oil has been sold in restaurants and wine shops in Italy for a number of years and was launched in the UK in 2010. The estate is one of the oldest privately owned estates on the coast and is privately managed. La Bandiera supplies independent retailers and online sales.

la Bandiera extra virgin olive oil

The La Bandiera extra virgin olive oil is produced near Bolgheri. The 50 hectare estate comprises more than 800 mature olive trees including a predominance of Moraiolo (50%), plus the varieties of leccino (15%) and razzo (35%). La Bandiera olive oil is available in 0.25ml (£6.00) and 0.50ml bottles, (£10.00 with gift box) as well as in a 3 litre can (£30.00).



ContaCt Danilo trozzi

tel. 01858 419554

[email protected]

www.justsoitalian.co.uk

Just so italian

46a Northampton Road

Market Harborough

Leicestershire

LE16 9HE

a passion for food & drink that’s....

• suppliers of fine italian food & drink

• Family run company with a passion for italian Food & Drink

• split cases and no minimum order level.

• advice on getting the best from your deli

Contact as on 0141 887 [email protected]

Fairly TradedInnovative

and Ethically Sourced Products

from Africa



HigHgrove Food distribution 21 Borough Fields, Wottoon Bassett, Wiltshire SN4 7AQ

01793 852277 [email protected]/[email protected] www.highgrovefinefoods.co.uk

Highgrove Fine Foods is a small but growing part of Highgrove Food Distribution Ltd, based in Wiltshire, specialising in a range of products for butchers, delicatessens and farm shops. Five years ago the company began by delivering goose fat to butchers but since then it has sourced additional products from all over Europe and the UK. The website and online shop were set up two years ago but Highgrove says most of its customers still prefer to place their order with Tina in the office over the telephone.

brands on offer: Highgrove own brand Jean Brunet Cascina Belvedere

specialist areas: The company specialises in fats. Goose fat, duck fat and beef dripping are supplied to independents in retail pack sizes and in bulk pack sizes for catering and manufacturers.

Jean brunet paté

Jean Brunet is a traditional paté specialist from the Pyrenees region of France. It has been producing paté since 1895 and believes its success comes from the tradition and experience built up over the years, along with a philosophy of quality. All the patés are produced without colouring, preservatives and emulsifying agents, using only the best quality meat. A pack of 12 x 180g jars costs £24.48. Four flavours are available: chicken liver paté with mushrooms; duck paté with apple; wild boar paté; duck paté with Armagnac.

Cotswold valley Fine Foods1 Kendrick Street, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 1AQ

01453 808337 [email protected] www.cotswoldvalleyfinefoods.co.uk

Richard Fennell and Grahame Day launched Cotswold Valley Fine Foods as a distributor for Brewhaha Tea. The product range has steadily grown and now provides a selection of high quality, local, regional and international fine foods and beverages. Both directors have hands-on roles within the company and have in-depth knowledge of all products and producers within the portfolio.

brands on offer: Bailey’s Real Food Company Bart Delicatessen Blue ElephantBrewhaha Ethical Addictions HanburyMrs Massey’s Cotswold Gold Shipton MillSpringfield Dressing Veeraswamy Taste of Barbados

specialist areas: The majority of producers are based in UK, with many from the Cotswolds and surrounding counties. All the products are tasted by a team of chefs, caterers and retail professionals and are selected on quality and flavour. The company has recently formed a relationship with Taste of Barbados and added a selection of authentic Bajan products. Wherever possible, the products sourced are not available in major supermarkets.

Cotswold gold

Cotswold Gold provides a healthy alternative cooking oil for all culinary needs including frying, roasting, dressings and marinades. Available in 100ml, 250ml and 500ml bottles, this is a Natural Extra Virgin Rapeseed Oil with half the saturated fat of olive oil and 0.1% cholesterol. Cotswold Gold is extracted using traditional cold pressing methods which preserve the natural health benefits of the oil and is rich in omega 3, 6 and 9 and high in vitamin E.

Just trading sCotlandUnit 4 Greenlaw Indust. Estate, Wallneuk Road, Paisley PA3 4BT

0141 887 2882 [email protected] www.justtradingscotland.co.uk

Just Trading Scotland (JTS) has been marketing Eswatini Swazi Kitchen products for six years. Since last year, the company has also been importing rice and nuts from Malawi and is now developing an overall African Kitchen brand.

The company says recent attendance at trade fairs has shown that those who taste its products appreciate their quality, commenting that there is something special about jams, marmalades and sauces made with generous amounts of fruits ripened in the African sun just before they are cooked rather than ripened in the dark hold of a ship! Through these shows, JTS has signed many new customers including the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh but is keen to expand further into the speciality food market. The company welcomes interest from delis, garden centre shops, visitor attractions and other outlets.

brands on offer: a number of brands from smallholder farmers in Africa including… African Kitchen Eswatini Swazi Kitchen Malawi Kitchen

specialist areas: jams, jellies, chutneys, marmalades, atchars, sauces, rice, peanuts, macadamia nuts, peanut butter and pulses from Swaziland and Malawi.

eswatini swazi Kitchen jams, marmalades and sauces

Just Trading Scotland is particularly proud of its kumquat atchar, a Southern African-Indian chutney. This has rich citrus flavours and quite a chilli hit. For those who like something even stronger, Swazi Fire has 70% chilli content. Both have won awards in the UK and USA. All Eswatini Swazi Kitchen products are 100% natural, with no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives and are cooked and bottled in Swaziland.

plougH to plateUnit 26, Pensilva Industrial Estate, Pensilva, Cornwall PL14 5RE

01579 363942 [email protected] www.ploughtoplate.co.uk

Plough to Plate claims its range of West Country food and drink products is – at over 3,000 individual lines – the most extensive to be found anywhere. The company, which was founded back in 2003, strives to bring top-quality local food to customers who care. This means shorter journeys for fresh food and drink and a boost to the area's growing reputation for excellence in food. Reducing food miles is the very point of Plough to Plate; and the company reuses and recycles as much as possible. It even saves all the stamps from envelopes and sends them to the RSPB to help save the albatross.

brands on offer: Everyone from one-man businesses such as Homecraft Jams, to Burts Crisps. Over 200 Cornwall, Devon and West Country artisan producers including… Boddingtons Berries Chunks Tregida Smokehouse Crellow British Cured Pilchards Atlantic BreweryCornish Orchards

specialist areas: Servicing independent retail, multiple retail, and foodservice, community shops, schools etc. with quality West Country artisan food and drink products. Services include wholesaling, sales and marketing, advice on branding and packaging, sign-posting to experts etc.

british Cured pilchards

These tinned pilchards are available smoked,plain or dressed with tomato sauce. All varieties are presented in pretty picture tins illustrated by Newlyn Artists.


Hider Food Imports Ltd is a family-owned business which has been trading for nearly 50 years. During this time we have gained a reputation for supplying quality products which are delivered by our own fleet of vehicles. A dedicated telesales department is employed to support our external sales team in order to provide all customers with a rapid response to any specific requirements.

Our best selling brands include Green & Black’s, Border

Biscuits, Fudges Bakery, Belvoir Fruit Farm, Twinings, RJ’s Licorice, Mrs Crimble’s, Fentimans, Tyrrells and many more.

We produce seasonal brochures each year including our popular Christmas brochure which features a superb range of luxury gift food.

Also available under our own ‘Essence of Quality’ label is a wide range of pre-packed nuts, snacks, dried fruits, culinary and

confectionery goodies.The recent launch of our ‘Sweet Shop’ brand has been warmly received by customers – offering a wide selection of good old-fashioned favourites.

Please contact our sales team on 01482 504333 and ask for our latest product list which will hopefully give you a further idea of our full range of products.

Hider Food Imports Ltd, Wiltshire Road, Hull, East Yorkshire HU4 6PA

tel: 01482 561137 • fax: 01482 565668website: www.hiderfoods.co.uk • email: [email protected]

Vol.7 Issue 1 · January 2006

At my age, I don’t get too excited very often but right now, I’m all of a dither. I’ve been sent a copy of Patricia Michelson’s book Cheese (Jacqui Small, £30) and not since Patrick Rance’s gargantuan tomes of the 1980s have I enjoyed such a cheesie read.

It’s not broad-brush in its selection of on-farm producers in the manner of Rance. He delved deeply, perhaps too deeply, into every farm in a particular region and the minutiae of its terroir, grass and micro-climate. Patricia’s background, as owner of celebrated London cheese shop La Fromagerie, has clearly moulded her choices. She draws on farms and producers that over the years have become her comfort zone.

She’s also a genuine affineur – largely a lost craft, in the UK anyway – and her art lies in the rare skill of maturing and finishing cheese to perfection.

One or two specialist wholesalers still take pride in delivering a point but largely cheese is frozen to death by modern refrigeration and unless you’re willing to risk the wrath of the food police, much of what you get has never been aged properly. Patricia writes of a Camembert Fermiér delivered

“quite young but after two weeks maturing in our temperature- and humidity-controlled rooms it acquires a beautiful soft pliable texture with a surprisingly lighter and nuttier aroma”. You know already how good that’s going to be.

She’s at her best when writing about producers rather than cheese types because she draws us into a world full of personalities, farms, animals, grasses and seasonality, displaying the same youthful enthusiasm I imagine she discovered on first tasting her beloved Beaufort.

When she writes, “In autumn I can’t wait for the aged or curado cheeses”, we picture her in September unwrapping and cutting a wedge of a perfectly mature cheese with the unbridled enthusiasm of a five-year-old at her birthday party. I was unaware of the history attached to Coeur de Neufchatel: the tale of a young lady moulding a heart-shaped cheese to tuck inside her paramour’s shirt pocket as he left for war. I know it now and it’s already an integral part of my reportoire.

If you’re a cheese seller, read the book regularly. It gives a wealth of details and stories to build a better shopping experience for your customers. If you’re a supermarket buyer, please read it, enjoy it, and maybe treat cheese not as a commodity to be sold at the lowest possible price but as one of the world’s great foods.• FFD publisher Bob Farrand is chairman of the UK Cheese Guild

“I was unaware of the history attached to Coeur de Neufchatel but now it’s an integral part of my reportoire”

39

cheese wire le grand fromage

BOB FARRANDPrice of fame is an inflated quote for building a dairy, says Sean Wilson

Fame gets in the way of Saddleworth dairy plansBy MICK WHITWORTH

Former soap star Sean Wilson says he plans to recruit back-office and sales staff to put his fledgling Saddleworth Cheese Company on a more professional footing. But Wilson, whose cheeses are currently being made for him by Lancashire’s Carron Lodge, has abandoned plans to build and equip his own dairy because of the cost. “As soon as people see my name, the quote goes through the roof,” he told FFD.

Wilson, who played Martin Platt in Coronation Street for two decades, formally launched the company last year to produce a range of cheeses with what he calls ‘provenance milk’ sourced entirely from the Trough of Bowland in the Garstang region of Lancashire.

One of the four, a crumbly Lancashire called Muldoon’s Picnic, immediately picked up gold medals at the British Cheese Awards and in the SHOP exhibition’s cheese awards.

Wilson was taught the basics of making traditional crumbly Lancashire by artisan producer Bob Kitchen of Leagram’s Organic Dairy before going on to create his own recipe. “There aren’t many people making a traditional crumbly Lancashire now,” Wilson said. “Just like Gloucester, these are cheeses that were made in the past and someone needs to carry on.”

There are three other quirkily named cheeses in the range – a creamy Lancashire dubbed How’s Yer Father, the fuller-flavoured Mouth Almighty and the blue-veined medium-soft Smelly Apeth – all marketed through wholesalers Rowcliffe, Bradbury, H&B, Carron Lodge and Cryer & Stott.

Although Wilson initially made all the cheeses himself using wholesaler and producer Carron

Lodge’s dairy, its cheesemaker John Jackson is currently handling all production.

Wilson told FFD: “I’m going through a divorce at the moment and there just aren’t enough hours in the day. But John Jackson is a great cheese-

maker.” Wilson had, however, made the batch of Smelly

Apeth that visitors taste-tested against Judy

Bell’s Yorkshire Blue in a ‘War of the Roses’ cheese challenge at June’s Harrogate Speciality Food Show.

“We developed Smelly Apeth to look very French,” Wilson says. “There are some fabulous Stiltons, and there’s no way I could enter that market. So I took away that astringency and made something that was the opposite. That mild, creamy French style is a lot more pleasing to me.”

Wilson is a patron of the International Cheese Show at Nantwich and was due to judge and run cookery demos at this month’s show as FFD went to press, as well as entering his cheeses. “If I don’t get among the medals with the crumbly Lancashire I hope I’ll be pretty close,” he told us.

Wilson joins a growing list of celebrity food producers, from cake-maker Jane Asher to ‘farmer’ Liz Hurley and fellow cheese-maker Alex James, whose Blue Monday is made by Highland Fine Cheese. But Wilson told FFD he has been cooking seriously for 25 years. “I started when I first saw Keith Floyd, and then I began reading about the science of food. McGee [On Food & Cooking: the Science & Lore of the Kitchen] is my bible.”

He also spent time working in Nigel Haworth’s Michelin-starred restaurant at Northcote Manor, Langho, after leaving Coronation Street. “Nigel Haworth is driven by ingredients and provenance, which is what my company is all about,” he said.

The Saddleworth Cheese Co is producing just short of 100 blue cheeses a week and makes the whites on a changing rota through year. “I’ve got plans to make the company more focused, take on office staff and salesmen, and present as much of a professional front as possible,” Wilson told FFD.

Wilson had to cancel the 0845 phone number on Saddleworth’s website because the line was clogged by Corrie fans calling for a chat. With a formal office set-up, “when someone phones about our cheese their call will actually get answered”.

Winning gold in the crumbly Lancashire class at last year’s British Cheese Awards (Leagram’s took a silver) was one of his proudest moments, Wilson said, partly because his celebrity status didn’t enter into it. “I was just a number on the back of the cheese. From my point of view, that was great.”

www.saddleworthcheese.co.uk

Sean Wilson says his Smelly Apeth blue (left) is ‘getting all the publicity’ but has high hopes for his crumbly Lancashire (right) in this year’s competitions


When it comes to exceptional cheddar,the old ways are still the best. Our award-winning, traditional truckles are wrappedin muslin and allowed to breathe as theyslowly mature, resulting in a creamycomplex flavour with a long finish.

Stuff of legend

Gold winners at British Cheese Awards (Best Cheddar & Best Goats Cheese), World Cheese Awards, Great Taste Awards, Nantwich International, Royal Bath & West, Great Yorkshire, Devon County Show, Taste of the West and Frome Cheese Show.

Home Farm . Newton St Cyres . Devon . www.quickes.co.uk

KEEN’SCHEDDAR

Along with our continued success at the renowned World Cheese Awards for our Extra mature, we have been awarded The Farmhouse Champion Cheddar Trophy at the Nantwich Cheese Show

Traditional, unpasteurised, award-winning Cheddars from

Wincanton Somerset

For details call 01963 32286 or email [email protected]. www.keenscheddar.co.uk

Any time, any place, ANY CHEESE!

Carron Lodge Ltd. Park Head Farm, Inglewhite, Preston, PR3 2LN Tel: 01995 640352 Fax: 01995 641040 email:[email protected]

cheesewire

41

NEW FOR NOËL: Retailer and wholesaler Paxton & Whitfield is lining up several new French cheeses for Christmas cheeseboards, including the two varieties pictured here. Mothais Sur Feuille (trade:£4.80 each/230g, RRP £6.75 each) is a tangy raw milk goats’ cheese made in the Poitou-Charentes area

of Western France. The oval cheese is wrapped in a dried chestnut leaf – and not just for aesthetic appeal. “It takes

moisture from the cheese because it is dried but

retains it and returns it to the cheese when

it needs it,” says P&W.

The raffia-tied

Souréliette du Fédou (trade £25.40/kg, RRP £36.00/kg) is an unpasteurised semi-pressed ewes’ milk cheese made in the Lozere region of the Pyrenees and apparently gets its name from the local dialect, where Sourel means Soleil – the sun. “As a tome-style cheese, it has a supple interior with a natural rind,” says P&W, “and has a dense texture with a sweet but full flavour.”

The Isle of Wight Cheese Company is gearing up to meet national demand for its award-winning cheeses after investing in new equipment, which will help triple output.

The company’s cows’ milk blue won the Best English category in the World Cheese Awards in 2007, just a year after the company was set up by owner Richard Hodgson. Since then orders for the company’s products, which also include a soft cheese and an unpasteurised cheddar, have rocketed and the production site has reached capacity.

“There’s huge demand for our cheeses on the Isle of Wight, especially from tourists during the summer, and we also supply southern Britain through three wholesalers, but we’d like to build up to national distribution,” said Hodgson. “We’ve had talks with some of the main distributors and they seem keen to take our products.”

To this end, the company has installed a 1,000-litre vat and 2,000-litre wash tank, supplied by Jongia, and is planning to convert a nearby barn into a ripening and packaging area next year.

“The new vat will boost capacity by around 25% straight away, but we won’t feel the full benefits until we expand the space we have for ripening the cheese,” said Hodgson.

Isle of Wight blue producerplans three-fold expansion

Cows’ milk mozzarellalaunches this monthBy PATRICK McGUIGAN

Simon Weaver Cotswold Organic Dairy is set to join the burgeoning market for British mozzarella after investing £50,000 in specialist equipment.

The Gloucestershire-based company, which also produces organic brie, recently bought a curd stretching and moulding machine from Italy and is due to launch an organic cows’ milk mozzarella this month in individual packs and catering buckets of six balls. The investment has been supported by a 40% grant under the Rural Development Programme for England.

“Good quality mozzarella is all about freshness,” said Weaver, “but that’s obviously difficult for the premium Italian producers supplying the UK. The long-life mozzarella you buy in the supermarkets is almost a different product altogether to the creamy flavour of freshly made, so we think we’ve spotted

a gap in the market.”

Other British producers of mozzarella include Laverstoke Park and Golden River Farm, both of which use buffalo milk. However, Weaver said he believed he was the only artisan producer making mozzarella from organic cows’ milk.

The cheese retails in 130g pots for around £2 with a shelf-life of three weeks.

Weaver’s organic cows’ milk cheese will sell at £2 for 130g

Isle of Wight Cheese Co: looking for national distribution

New blues for RibblesdaleYorkshire-based Ribblesdale Cheese Co has launched its first blue cheeses after investing in a new temperature-controlled maturing room.

The first batches of the new cows’ milk and goats’ milk blue cheeses have already sold out, with owner Iona Hill now stepping up production to meet demand. Both products are made with locally sourced pasteurised milk in bandaged 2.2kg wheels, which are matured for 6-8 weeks and pierced and turned by hand.

The Hawes-based company developed the products after requests from its deli and farm shop customers, investing £4,000 in an air conditioned maturing room exclusively for blue cheeses.

The new blues are expected to boost the company’s total annual production from around 20 tonnes to 30 tonnes.

“We felt it was important to make the most of our excellent local suppliers of goats’ and cows’ milk by developing these new cheeses,” said Hill. “Our goats’ milk comes from a single herd located about an hour away from us in North Yorkshire and our cows’ milk is from Hawes.”

The blue cows’ milk cheese is made to a traditional Wensleydale recipe handed down to Hill from her late uncle who previously ran the business. The much larger Wensleydale Creamery, also located in Hawes, recently replaced its Blue Wensleydale with a new creamier product called Blue Jervaulx.

Ribblesdale has also developed a new unpasteurised mature goats’ cheese, which is matured for at least eight months. “It has a deeper, more complex flavour than young fresh goats’ cheese,” said Hill.

The new cheeses are available through distributors including H&B and Rowcliffe’s.

Ribbledale is making the most of local goats’ and cows’ milk



Tel: 01388 [email protected]

Northumbria Fudgery

Chapman’s Finest Fishcakes Ltd Seacatch Building Estate Road 7 S H I E Grimsby N E Lincolnshire. DN31 2TP Tel : 01472 269871 Fax :

01472 269893 Email : [email protected]

Chapman’s Finest Fishcakes are available in the following flavours:-

TRADITIONAL WHITEFISH & PARSLEYSMOKED HADDOCK & SMOKED BACON

SALMON WITH LEMON & DILLHADDOCK & LEEK WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE

THAI STYLE SALMONSMOKED SALMON

Please call us if you would like to place an order!

The Chapman Family have been involved in the seafish industry in Grimsby for over fifty years, Over which time they have

amassed invaluable knowledge especially with regards to recog-nizing and sourcing the best fish available.

Hot Smoked Salmon Horseradish Fishcakes

Smoked Haddock and Smoked Bacon

Fishcakes

Award winning ice-cream

The Nook, Bonnington, Ashford, Kent TN25 7BA

01233 720 922/0779 665 3890

Winner of Quality Food Awards (Local Food Category) 2009Quality Food Awards Highly Commended 2010

Winner of 2 Great Taste Awards 2009Winner of 2 Great Taste Awards 2010

Stem Ginger and Marmalade Raspberry


As a specialist independent cheese retailer, I’m sure that like us, you continually strive to find the best example of every product you stock. At Rowcliffes, we’ve been buying French cheese since 1967 and have gone through our range on many occasions to make sure we’ve got it right.

Over the years, we regularly came across French cheese co-operative, Isigny Ste Mere. Year after year we watched as their cheeses walked away with gold awards at the World Cheese Awards and the Concours General Agricole in Paris. Despite always being massively impressed by the quality of their Camemberts, Pont L’Eveque, crème fraiche and fromage frais, for one reason or another we remained committed to our existing cheesemakers. Somehow the time had never been right.

Since our new company system of selecting products through our ‘buying forum’ became operational, we undertook a complete review of the Isigny range and compared it with all their main rivals. You’re probably already ahead of me and realise we are delighted to announce we are now offering this superb range to the independent trade.

Not before time, our flag ship Camembert is the stunning Isigny Excellence, which of course is AOC, lait cru and moulé a la louche (ladled by hand). We tasted it against a number of other brands and it delivered full-on mushroom aromas and a richer, fruitier flavour. The curd is silky rich and creamy and I for one, can’t recall eating a better Camembert. So much so, my mouth is watering at the memory.

The Red Label Camembert is micro-filtered and not hand ladled but has all the flavour of a traditional raw milk cheese. We’ve not offered a pasteurised

milk Camembert on our list for some years but nowadays, there’s a growing demand for a milder version offering a variety of culinary uses. So

the Isigny pasteurised camembert “made the cut”. Recently, the Calvados washed Camembert has grown in popularity and

the attractively boxed Isigny product again delivered on all levels and had already won gold at the 2009 World Cheese Awards.

Pont L’Eveque has always been one of Tim Rowcliffe’s favourite cheeses so we waited for his opinion before making a final decision. It was thumbs up all the way and I noticed he took the rest of the samples with him at the end

of the tasting session!The next cheese actually was Tim's least favourite, St. Paulin

,but this proved to be the ace in the pack. Immediately we knew it was different because instead of that familiar bright orange rind, we were

presented with a natural washed rind and a flavour and texture very different from the spongy curd generally associated with this cheese.

We all knew the quality of the Isigny Creme Fraiche, Fromage Frais and AOC butter, so the decision to list these was a “no brainer”(is that still the in phrase – I lose track?).

So the result of our latest ‘buying forum’ is that our range will be massively enriched this month with the launch of the Isigny range and we hope they will find a place in your cabinets.

Talking Cheese...

A promotional feature for Anthony Rowcliffe & Son

01892 838999

www.rowcliffe.co.uk

STEVE SMITH goes ooh la la for French cheese.

Choosing the best – Its a tough job but someone has to do it

2010 World Cheese Awards 2010The world’s largest cheese event at the UK’s largest consumer food show. BBC Good Food Show, Birmingham NEC• Open for entries July 23 • Trade judging and judges’ lunch November 24 • Consumer tasting November 25-28

To ensure you receive your entry form contact [email protected] opportunities are available. Contact [email protected] or call +44 (0) 1963 824464www.finefoodworld.co.uk/wca


www.deli-cious.net Deli-cious Fine Foods seeks an interested UK Distributor or Wholesaler for our innovative range of• Infused Olive Oils• Flavoured Balsam Vinegars• Herb & Spice Mixes, Dips and Blends• Fruit Mustards & Dressing GlazesAll our products have been created with simplicity and convenience in mind

Culinary creativity and flexibility

Excellent Quality, Natural Ingredients & Great Tasting award winners

Contemporary branding with unique shelf appeal

We are looking for an effective ‘route to market’ for these products and can provide full marketing and merchandising support to work with the right business partner

Contact Craig Riches: 0031 624363571

[email protected] for more information

Discover the unique quality, made exclusively with fresh Italian milk by the Mastro Pasticcere Paluani! The company has been using only the highest quality ingredients, expertly blended with great care, to produce Great Taste in their products. Coupled with their instructive packaging which highlights the selective fresh ingredient; Italian Milk, Paluani has become synonymous leader in the Sweet Bakery Products Sector in Italy and the other side of the Alps!

Cibosano Limited Unit 3, Lismirrane Industrial

Park · Elstree Road Elstree WD6 3EE

t: 020 8207 5820 e: [email protected]

w: cibosano.co.ukf: 020 8207 5858


www.Grove Oils.comT: 020 8768 1466 E: [email protected]

A premium British rapeseed oil that is delightfully tasty, wonderfully versatile, and amazingly heart-healthy

Jane Hadley and her small team at Hadley’s Dairy Products have been making award-winning ice cream since 2001, slowly building up a reputation for making

a quality product.

Over the years they have achieved Gold Awards in all ice cream and sorbet sections of the Great Taste Awards

Hadley’s DairyProducts

Home Farm, Colne Engaine, Colchester, Essex CO6 2HU

Telephone/Fax 01787 220420 Email [email protected]

www.hadleysdairy.co.uk

This year it has been the turn of Caramel & Pecan to win a coveted 3-star award. Made with Dulche de Leche ice cream base, and including freshly toasted pecan nuts to give the ice cream its ‘crunch’. ‘We toast the pecan nuts and allow them to cool just before stirring them into the ice cream’ said Jane, ‘so that they taste as fresh as possible’.

As an independent retailer have you ever thought how much of your day is spent doing the bits that don’t actually earn you any money? You are not alone: 1300 other like-minded businesses felt the same, so they joined the Guild of Fine Food. The Guild can help you:

• drive more customers to your door

• track down artisan-made food & drink specialities that won’t be found in supermarkets

• train your staff in cheese & charcuterie product knowledge and improve retail management through Retail Ready

• keep informed on industry news, services and new product launches through Fine Food Digest magazine

• stay in the loop on food shows, political views and member activities, with an e-newsletter direct to your desktop

• save money with business & vehicle insurance, card transactions, personnel issues, health & safety advice plus much more

To find out how to become a member TODAY, call 01963 824464 or email [email protected]

www.finefoodworld.co.uk

Check out our consumer websites too, driving more customers to Guild members’ shops and deli-cafes

www.britainsbestdelis.co.uk www.greattasteawards.co.uk

Join the Guild of Fine Food and save time and money.

• Distributor Mediterranean Direct says it’s offering “a taste of Medieval Italy” this year

with a spicy Pantondo or ‘round bread’ made to a 12th century recipe by Biscottificio Belli in

Tuscany. The bread-cake mix, believed to have originated among Benedictine monks and closely linked to the spice trade, is made with a blend of spices, honey and white almonds. The modern

500g version is available through Kent-based Mediterranean Direct in cases of eight, with a

trade price of £5.95, RRP £7.49. www.mediterraneandirect.co.uk


August already? It must be time to get organised for the festive season and place those all-important Christmas orders

product update christmas food & drink

Sweets,eats & treats

• Dorset chocolate maker House of Dorchester has come up with a new luxury assortment tin for 2010,

with two layers of eight hand-crafted milk, white and dark chocolates, including a Praline Bouchee, Pistachio Mousse, Raspberry Caramel and Marc de Champagne Truffle. RRP is £9.99. A new Molly Brett Advent calendar (RRP £6.99) has also been produced for 2010, along with a gift envelope (above left) containing a 70g bar of House of Dorchester’s traditional chocolate (RRP £2.25).

www.hodchoc.com

MATCHA MADe In HeAVen?In her first year as an artisan chocolatier specialising in tea-infused chocolates, Katie Christoffers of Matcha Chocolat has teamed up with the Canton Tea Co to create a gift set just for the winter season. The Matcha Chocolat Gift Set (RRP £27) features five of Canton’s award-winning whole-leaf teas and 16 handcrafted chocolates infused with top-grade tea in flavours such as spicy chai and floral jasmine. “All the flavours of my handmade chocolates in this gift set are entirely new,” says Christoffers, “and I’ve used Christmas colours – red, green, and gold – in order to convey the festive vibe.”

www.matchachocolat.com

• The new Christmas Angel tea set (left) by Somerset tea specialist Cup of Tea comes packed with two loose leaf

Christmas teas by Ronnefeldt – a supplier of fine teas to first-class hotels worldwide – plus a pair

of tea tongs to help brewing. Trade price for the set is £8.00 +VAT, RRP £ 16.90.

www.cupoftea.uk.com

• A range of exclusive cheese accessories from Paxton & Whitfield includes these hand-forged stainless steel Stilton scoop & cheese knife sets. They are available to the trade at £6 each for a pack of six (RRP £15) or with optional canvas wraps at £13.50 each (RRP £29.50).

www.paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk

• Two ranges from German confectionery maker Heidel – one for adults, one for kids – are among Hider Foods’ new festive line-up (left). The Angel Raphael gift range for grown-ups (RRPs £1.49-

£6.59) includes an advent calendar, boxed Christmas bauble and chocolate greeting bar with traditional ‘angel’ packaging, while the Christmas Time

range for kids (£2.29-£8.50) features similar products but with a jolly Santa on the packs.

Culinary gifts in Hider’s catalogue range from upmarket peppercorn grinders and Mediterranean salt & herb grinders to Spanish

tapas kits featuring white tuna in olive oil with roasted peppers (RRP £9.99). www.hiderfoods.co.uk

• BMC Global, the company behind the Chareau Chocolaterie brand, has taken over the Inhouse luxury hampers & gifts business. It can now offer a big selection of Inhouse hampers at wholesale prices ranging from £10 to well over £300, including kosher options.

www.inhouseuk.com


You’d bebaubles not to!

Get your hands on our succulent, juicy olives. Available in jars, kilners and loose.

Your customers won’t be able to resist them - they’re not called Moorish for

nothing!

olivesetal.comTel: 01258 474300

Email: [email protected]

finefoodquarterjune2010.indd 1 23/06/2010 16:57:05

Visit us at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair London at Stand 121

To find out more about Ike & Sams Kettlecorn and our other products please get in touch:

Steins Foods Ltd, PO Box 67652, London, NW11 1HW, Tel: 0203 0923510, Fax: 0871 918 9809, Email: [email protected]. Web: www.steinsfoods.com

Reasons to Stock...

Guaranteed Freshness in every bag – until date

Long Shelf Life

Very addictive

Unique Flavours

Larger and Crunchier Kernels than other Brands

100% Natural Ingredients

No Cholesterol

No Preservatives

No Transfats

No Nuts

No GlutenLlandudno Smokery, an independent retailer endeavours to source the freshest and best quality fish, game, and poultry for smoking over Welsh oak and has a policy of using local suppliers wherever possible. The company, as a team, are extremely proud of achieving 3 gold star awards in the UK’s Great Taste Awards 2010 (also winners of gold in 2009).These awards illustrate the commitment and passion involved in producing quality products.To view our delicious range of smoked products please visit our website atwww.llandudnosmokery.co.uk or for further information contact the smokery direct.

Quality smoked foods, fish,shellfish, poultry and gameWholesale and retail

LLANDUDNO

SMOAKERY

Llandudno Smokery Builder Street West Llandudno CONWY LL30 1HH T (01492) 870430 F (01492) 870327 [email protected]

upmarket snacksproduct update christmas food & drink

49

• Among 100 new lines available exclusively to independents from Cottage Delight this year is a six-strong range of festive fruits laced with alcohol (left). They include apricots in light syrup & Amaretto (600g RRP £9.95), whole mandarins in light syrup & rum (600g, RRP £9.95) and stem ginger in syrup (730g RRP £9.95).

www.cottagedelight.co.uk

• Luxury meringue company Head in the Clouds says it has combined “the rich gooeyness of Christmas pudding and the light, fluffy crumble of meringues” in its new gift-boxed meringue liqueur Christmas pudding (above), available with either white or dark chocolate toppings and seasonal fondant holly berries. Made using locally sourced free-range eggs, the rich brown sugar meringues contain brandy, mixed spice, raisins soaked in Pedro Jimenez Sherry, candied orange peel soaked in Cointreau, flaked almonds and chopped Serr walnuts. Trade price is £2 each, RRP £3.25.

www.headintheclouds.uk.com

• Steenbergs Organic has launched its organic Fairtrade Christmas tea – a fragrant, spicy blended black chai – in a new black tea caddy with new ‘funky’ labelling (RRP £5.50 for 125g). The North Yorkshire-based spice and ingredients specialist also expects to find a wider audience this year for its organic Fairtrade mulling wine sachets, which were trialled late in the

season last year. RRP is £1.75 for a box of five sachets. www.steenbergs.co.uk

WiNe bARSThis gift set from newly-formed Brix Chocolate for Wine first appeared in March, in time for Father’s Day, but could work equally well as a Christmas gift. Brix says it’s the first brand to offer chocolate specifically matched to wine, with each bar (milk, medium dark or extra dark) labelled with the grape varietal or region it’s designed to be paired with. Brix offers two- or three-piece gift sets, which include Brix bars, a cutting board and knife, with trade prices of £13.80 (RRP £29.99) and £17.80 (RRP £37.99) respectively.

www.brixchocolate.com

Vol.11 issue 7 · August 2010

• Auberge du Chocolat’s ‘gold’ Christmas selection (left) includes its 2010 Great Taste Awards gold-winning Champagne truffle enrobed in rose-flavoured rich dark chocolate. “it’s easy to spot,” says co-founder Anne Scott, “as we’ve coloured it gold!”. This luxury selection is “for the real chocolate connoisseur”, combining handmade chocolates from the artisan producer’s popular Signature range with more traditional round truffles.

[email protected]

• Dorset bakery Puddings & Pies is catering for appetites of all sizes this year by offering its well established Christmas cake in 160g mini-round format (trade price £1.75, RRP £2.50) or for a pack of four Christmas cake slices (trade £4.00, RRP £5.75), as well as its traditional range of puddings, pies and cakes.

www.puddingsandpies.com

• New for 2010, the three-jar Trewlands Gift Pack (left) from preserves maker Thursday Cottage contains raspberry, fine cut marmalade (both 112g) and lemon curd (110g). Trade price is £3.47, RRP £4.95. Managing director Tim Came says the unusual jar size makes for a “unique gift”.

www.thursday-cottage.com

• british chocolatier Marc Demarquette has taken inspiration from the Victorian vision of Christmas to put together his festive selection for 2010. it includes the Demarquette Chocolate Tree, decorated with chocolate caramel baubles flavoured with winter berries, orange & clove and roasted cinnamon & apple, and using the maker’s 71.1% house chocolate (approx. 450g, RRP £35). Also new is the limited edition ganache chocolate selection: 16 chocolates with flavours such as mulled wine, mince pie and Christmas spices, covered in a thin layer of 71.1% house couverture (RRP £20).

www.demarquette.com

• The new Hannah’s Naturals range of candy canes, lollipops and gingerbread cookies

(below) is available exclusively through bespoke Foods. The all-natural canes and lollipops are

all hand-pulled and the cookies’ intricate designs are all hand-crafted.

The range consists of classic peppermint,

tangy cherry and delicious sticky toffee pudding and comes

in a variety of colours. bespoke believes they

make perfect tree decorations, stocking

fillers or even as a quirky centrepiece for

the Christmas table. www.bespoke-foods.co.uk

CURiOUS CASeSThese retro-style ‘suitcase’ hampers look set to be a key product for Haworth & Rose. The new company says it will be pulling together ‘food hero’ brands, many of them Great Taste Awards winners, and novel packaging to get away from ‘lack-lustre products’ presented in cardboard boxes or wicker baskets. The entry-level lines will be ‘hat box’ hampers retailing at

around £29. Other prices are being finalised, but the range will include limited-edition Union flag suitcases with contents that represent ‘The Best of British’. The Country Set hamper shown here includes fine food lines such as Macleans mini oatcakes and Yorkshire Crisps’ parsnip crisps, with a variety of drinks options including Black Sheep Brewery ales, Sheppy’s ciders or a bottle of Cuvée Jean-Paul Sec Côtes de Gascogne.w www.haworthandrose.com


Tre Marie is renowned as the ultimate purveyor of traditional Milanese confectionery. Its Panettone, the recipe of which has been preserved and handed down through the generations, is famed throughout the world.

The Classic Panettone Milanese range from Tre Marie is packaged in contemporary, attractive presentation boxes. It is still made in the heart of Milan with strict adherence to the time-consuming original recipe: 3 kneading phases, 3 days of slow rising, 8 hours of cooling and the cutting by hand of the distinctive star shape on top.

Tre Marie’s commitment and passion for quality are reflected in the carefully selected ingredients; from the flour to the fresh eggs, to the candied fruit and raisins. The most important ingredient is the natural yeast and it is this that produces the wonderful fragrance and ensures the unique, delicious taste.

Cibosano Limited Unit 3, Lismirrane Industrial

Park · Elstree Road Elstree WD6 3EE

t: 020 8207 5820 e: [email protected]

w: cibosano.co.ukf: 020 8207 5858

The Tre Marie

Panettone

Experience the divine taste of a real meringue – a crumbly exterior with a gooey heart

Available in over 40 fabulous flavours and 6 different sizes to suit any occasion

www.headintheclouds.uk.com

Award-winning meringues as seen on Sky TVFIND US:

Every weekend • Whitstable Harbour Village24-26 Sept • Eurofair with the Kent Food & Drink Festival

1-3 Oct • Broadstairs Food Festival

100 x 141.5

• Big Man Tea has launched a taster pack of six individual portions from each of its tea categories, packed in hanging tea bags. “These are a good way of getting an overview of our range,” says Big Man director Niall Campbell, “but we also designed them in response to a growing demand from hotels and wedding planners.” Trade price for the set is £5.40, RRP £7.50.

www.bigmantea.com


Product development continues apace in the teas sector, with new lines ranging from a £30-a-tin organic Matcha to roll-your-own speciality teabags

product update teas

News of the brews

• Exeter-based Tea’s Me has collected a Great Taste Awards gold star this year for Mintea, a blend of premium grade organic green tea and spearmint. The product can be enjoyed hot or cold and as a meal accompaniment. Mintea retails at £3.50 for 125g of loose leaf tea or £2.50 for 15 bio-degradable pyramid teabags.

www.teasme.co.uk

• Dragon Tea has relaunched its Eight Treasure herbal tea in a new canister pack, saying the mildly sweet blend has “taken a back seat” in its range up to now. Eight Treasure combines eight ingredients: red dates, Chinese wolfberries, dried longan fruit, chrysanthemum flowers, jasmine tea leaves, ginseng, mai dong (a Chinese herb for cooling the body system) and rose buds. Dragon Tea says regular consumption is believed to help lower cholesterol levels, aid blood circulation and strengthen the body's immune system. RRP for the new canister is £9.50, with a wholesale price of £6.25.

www.dragon-tea.co.uk

TEA foR hERoEsTo help celebrate the 70th anniversary of The Battle of Britain, The Rare Tea Co has worked with the RAF to create a bespoke loose leaf tea. Described as “a traditional British leaf tea, fit to bear the RAF roundel”, it launches this month, selling at £5.50 for 50g, with 55p per tin going to the RAF Assocation. A few lucky tins contain ‘golden tickets’, with prizes including a flight in a Spitfire. This year has also seen The Rare Tea Co launch Wild Rooibos, a bush tea from the Cedarberg mountains of South Africa.

www.rareteacompany.com

• The Irish Tea Company has launched two new fruit varieties that it describes as “extraordinary in taste and appearance”. Grandma's Garden is an organically grown fruit tea containing a “colourful and aromatic” blend of blackcurrant, strawberry, raspberry, blueberries, apple pieces, elderberry, beetroot and carrot bits. It comes in a 100g bag retailing at €5.50. heavenly fruitbasket is a mild fruit tea with forest fruits such as blackberry, raspberry and blueberry, as well as blackberry leaves, rosehips and hibiscus. A 100g bag retails at €4.90. Trade prices start at a 30% discount on RRP, dependent on volume.

www.theirishteacompany.ie

CAlMING INfluENCENatur Boutique, which specialises in Asian herbal teas and natural remedies, has launched Green Tea Blend: a mixture of green tea, Java tea and liquorice. “While Liquorice adds a natural sweet taste to the tea, the unique taste of the rare Java tea adds a flavour unlike any other,” says a Natur Boutique spokesman. Also new from the company is artichoke tea. Described as a first for the UK, artichoke tea is said to be popular on the Continent and is being touted as an effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. Trade price for both varieties is £1.93 for a box of 20 tea bags, RRP £2.95.

www.naturboutique.co.uk


no airs. no graces. just fine tea.

13 Gold Medals in 2010

The most awarded tea company

Over 40 Great Taste Gold MedalsThe Finest of Fine Teas

[email protected]

020 7251 8939

upmarket snacks

• Hi Chung, a blend of Oolong tea and powdered ginseng, is among the latest additions to Newby Teas’ range of over 200 teas and infusions. “The sweetness of the ginseng blends perfectly with the floral tones of the premium oolong,” says Newby. “This tea has a flowery sweet aroma and smooth refreshing cup with a long sweet aftertaste.” Other newcomers include Chi Chi, described as “a fresh, fragrant Sencha green tea of high quality, harvested in spring”. “Sencha differs from most Chinese green tea in that it’s steamed rather than pan-fried to prevent oxidisation of the leaves,” says Newby. “This means the tea has a fresher, more astringent, ricey taste.” The liquor has a clear, light yellow-greenish appearance, it says, with the delicate taste balanced by the mild astringency.

[email protected]

product update teas

53

TurNiNg Over a New leafReal leaf tea is used in the new Hampstead range of ambient iced teas for what the company describes as “a true brew experience”. The three flavours – Chai orange, Oolong elderflower and Darjeeling cherry – are all Fairtrade, organic and biodynamic, and naturally sweetened with agave syrup. No artificial flavours, colourings or preservatives are used. Packed in fully biodegradable eye-catching 500ml Tetrapaks, RRP is £1.89.

www.hampsteadtea.com

• Coffee accessories business Beyond the Bean has branched into organic teas with the new eight-strong Cosy Teas range. featuring varieties such as fairtrade organic breakfast tea, egyptian peppermint and organic Sencha green tea with lemon, the products have been packaged in a “knitting pattern” design. Jo Young of Beyond the Bean said the look was inspired by the recent renaissance in knitting. “we worked with local knitters to create patterns that fitted with our teas. You can even see who knitted the cosy design and which stitch was used by checking the side of the pack.”

[email protected]

• Hand-picked tea specialist Cup of Tea launched its organic matcha to the trade earlier this year. Matcha is traditionally made for the Japanese Tea Ceremony, with hand-picked leaves

carefully stripped of their veins then ground into a super-fine powder using granite mills. it can take an hour to grind 30g of Matcha, so it is “very exclusive and very special” according to Cup of Tea. rrP is £29.80 for a 30g screw top tin, with a trade price of £14.90. Matcha can also be used in shakes and lattes, as an ingredient for pasta or omelettes or to make bright green cup cakes and rolls.

www.cupoftea.uk.com

• Chinese tea specialist Choi Time has introduced sleek new glass packaging with cork lids to show off its luxury products. The new canisters are reusable, so eco-conscious shoppers can keep them topped up using Choi Time’s refill packs. Choi Time founder Melissa Choi described the glass design as “a funky alternative to the traditional Chinese tea caddies which are still a staple”. She told FFD: “The new packaging was launched into retailers earlier this year. we’re currently in Harrods’ top best 30 sellers and also sell in Selfridges, Divertimenti, Pallant of arundle and at Home amongst other leading delicatessen.” Trade prices are from £9.50, rrPs from £18.00.

[email protected]

• ‘Herbs blessed with health’ is the strapline for recently-launched Blessed Tea, which has picked up a one-star great Taste awards gold for a spearmint, peppermint & marshmallow blend. Other herbal varieties from Blessed Tea include the caffeine-free Divine love (rrP £3.99 for 50g). Combining rose hips, rose petals, hibiscus, chamomile and ginger, it’s described by company founder Nicola Hutchinson as “delicate yet refreshing with subtle undertones of rose and a cheeky ginger zing”.

www.blessedtea.com

rOll uP, rOll uP…

Here’s a great idea for customers who like to relax with a cuppa and a roll-up. Bristol-

based Attic Tea has come up with a tobacco-style ‘tea pouch’ complete

with roll-your-own tea bags. Six different varieties are available – white,

green, scented, Oolong, black and Pu-erh – and the pouches are supplied in their shelf-ready boxes with

point-of-sale menu cards and display units. Trade price is £3.85, RRP £5.95 per pouch. www.attictea.co.uk

vol.11 issue 7 · August 2010


shelftalkExpanding Crellow triesa touch of Tom Foolery

Deborah and Michael Richards of Cornish preserves maker Crellow are launching two new products and looking for ways to speed up production after a surge of new orders this year.

One of the new lines is a classic onion relish “upped with a bit of lime”. According to Deborah Richards, it’s a response to requests from independent stores “who felt let down by other preserves now found in supermarkets”. “I was told all our list lacked was an onion relish, and we’ve already picked up some trade,” she told FFD.

The other new line is Tom Foolery, a red tomato, red onion & red pepper chutney described as “hot, but rich and spreadable”. “Tomato products, in our opinion, are very difficult to get right because they can so easily taste watery and miserable,” Richards says. “But this is great.”

Samples of the chutney were recently included in press packs for Dairy Crest’s Davidstow cheese operation, thanks to Richards’ contacts with the creamery’s PR company, Wild Card – a London agency that also has a Cornish office.

“At this stage and size of our business, we can’t afford ‘proper’ PR,” says Richards, “but [Wildcard boss] Kate Wild has introduced me to all sorts of PR ideas and concepts and helped to give me realistic aspirations

without ever dismissing me.”Crellow has gained 16 new outlets for its handmade

chutneys, relishes, and jellies since last October, when the owners took advice from business consultant Mike Cook, formerly head of speciality foods at RH Amar.

Cook, who is also a member of the Guild of Fine Food steering committee, helped Crellow rationalise and refocus its range. Out of around 30 products on the list today, only half a dozen were in production two years ago.

Richards said the new sales have left the couple “reeling” and they have been working hard to find ways of mechanising without compromising their products, as well as taking on offsite storage near their home and kitchen unit in Tregony. “Some ‘background’ ingredients like onions that go into almost everything can be chopped by machine, giving us more time to

hand-chop the important ones,” said Richards. “Pan sizes have increased minimally too, but some lines don’t upscale well and if we don’t need to alter them we won’t.”

Crellow has collected Great Taste Awards one-star golds this year for its Father’s Favourite marmalade and Chutty Chutty Bang Bang onion, apple & chilli chutney, plus a two-star gold for its beetroot relish.

01872 530853 www.crellow.com

New launches: Tom Foolery chutney and a classic onion relish

Deborah and Michael Richards: surge of new orders

inbrief• Two new ranges will be launched by African Kitchen this autumn, both of which are available from Just Trading Scotland. Eswatini Swazi Kitchen jams, marmalades and sauces include kumquat atchar, a Southern African/Indian pickle, while the Malawi Kitchen range includes Kilombero rice, macadamia nuts and pan-roasted peanuts. This is the first time Kilombero rice has been imported into Europe.

0141 887 2882 www.justtradingscotland.co.uk

•Azerbaijan’s leading fruit juice brand, Jala Super Juice, has become the first Azeri food and drink brand to be launched in the UK. Made from pomegranate concentrate, Jala Super Juice is available in three flavours: pomegranate with a burst of raspberry, pomegranate with a squeeze of orange and pomegranate with a splash of strawberry. The 1 litre cartons have a RRP of £1.99.


•Hot pepper preserves specialist Jules and Sharpie has coined the name Saucish for its latest concoction: a spicy blend of tomato and pepper that’s said to be “too thick to be a sauce and not quite a relish”. The 300g table sauce-style bottle retails at £2.95.

The range of Jules & Sharpie ‘preservaments’ now includes eight savoury jellies, two chutneys, two jams, marmalade and the new Saucish. All the products are made in small batches in open pans and are 100% natural, GM-free and with no additives or preservatives.

01728 833 955 www.julesandsharpie.co.uk

Apologies to La Tua Pasta, featured in our last issue. A slip of the fingers meant we wrote that La Tua was stocked by Sainsbury, when in fact the company’s fresh pasta is on sale in upmarket Selfridges. La Tua points out its products are stocked by the prestigious Partridges of Sloane Square too.

020 8961 8024

www.latuapasta.com

• Shelton’s Coffee has added two new products to its single origin 100% Colombian traditional coffee range – Oma Export Line

medium roast ground coffee and Oma organic ground coffee. At the same time, Shelton has been recognised for ‘convenience innovation’ by market research company Mintel. This refers to its flavoured coffee cubes, which are available in seven flavours.

0116 212 3210 www.sheltonimports.co.uk

• Whole grain apple mustard is the new addition to the Crossogue Preserves’ collection of handmade products. It is a natural accompaniment to ham, bacon and all other pork products, as well as a tasty ham glaze when added

to honey. Managing director, Veronica Molloy says it is “the essential healthy and zesty ingredient for a picnic or even a banquet”.

00 353 (0) 504 54416 www.crossoguepreserves.com

• A range of new products have been added to the Thursday Cottage portfolio this summer: a low sugar diabetic damson preserve made with English damsons, a raspberry curd and four fruit coulis. The coulis comes in four varieties:

blackcurrant, damson, raspberry and gooseberry with elderflower. They contain only 20% sugar and the 227g packs have a RRP of £2.95.

01621 814529 www.thursday-cottage.com

• Distributor Cotswold Valley Fine Foods is now importing products from Barbados, including a range of tropical seasonings and marinades from Superb Blend. There is also a non-alcoholic adult drink, Claytons Kola Tonic (above), which was originally produced in the UK, and the recently launched Aunt Mays’ pepper jelly: a sweet jelly with a spicy chilli kick.

01453 808337 www.cotswoldvalleyfinefoods.co.uk

• Summerdown is celebrating the success of its chocolate mint thins – 20 thin discs of rich dark peppermint chocolate in a box – in this year’s Great Taste awards. This latest addition to its range of peppermint products has won gold, as did its English peppermint tea last year. Both are made using oil distilled from Summerdown Farms’ harvest of Black Mitchum peppermint leaves.

01256 780252 www.

summerdownmint.com

• Secret Chef is offering customers a way to warm up their winter evenings with its blends of mulled wine and mulled cider spices. Supplied in boxes of 12, there is a minimum order of two boxes to qualify for free delivery. Each pack costs 80p and carry a RRP of £1.20, while discounts are available for larger orders or hamper quantities. Posters and promotional clip strips are also supplied with each order.

01637 879409 [email protected]

• Gustosecco has launched Garni, a range of Mediterranean-style dried garnishes that can be sprinkled on sweet and savoury dishes. Available through The Bay Tree, the four varieties – Fantasi, Nicoise, Saladino and Toscanino – all offer a six-month shelf life. The RRP is £2.95.

01749 831300 [email protected]

• A range of themed store-cupboard gift boxes filled with a selection of sweet and savoury provisions has been launched by Cottage Delight. The Potting Shed, for example, includes products

inspired by the fruit and veg found in an English country garden, and the gift box contain recipes and food facts. Other themes include The Cheese Store – a selection of accompaniments for cheese – along with The Modern British Pantry, The Whisky Cabinet and The Gamekeeper’s

Store. 01538 382020 www.cottagedelight.co.uk

55Vol.11 Issue 7 August 2010

Looking for suppliers accredited by the Guild of Fine Food?

Follow the logo SU PPLIE

R

ACC

REDITED

SU PPLIE

R

ACC

REDITED

products, packaging & promotions

product news from Guild accredited suppliers


[email protected]

www.owle t f ru i t ju i ce . co.uk

Award winning Teas from Qi (pronounced chee)

Qi Golden Vanilla

See the full range at www.qi-teas.comor for more details contact us at [email protected]

Finest Quality Teas Specially selected ingredientsEnvelope string & tag for retail or catering100% organic ingredients in Fairtrade rangeEye-catching new packagingEthically traded - bought direct from farmers

Fine Quality Fruit Juices

Owl House Fruit Farm, Lamberhurst, KENT, TN3 8LY Tel: 01892 890553 www. owletfruitjuice.co.uk

27 National Prizes Including Great Taste Awards 2009 Cox & Bramley - Triple Gold Star

Twice winners - British Apple Juice Competition

English Pear Juice

English Pear &

Ginger Juice

Measom Freer have added a brand new 75ml bottle size to their popular Griffin bottle range. This attractive oval bottle with neck size 18mm (R4) stands out from the crowd with its arching shoulders and tall slim styling. These prestige bottles are available from stock now in 25, 50, 75, 100, 150 & 250ml sizes and are manufactured in house from clear PVC with other materials and colours to order.

With a wide variety of caps, spray & gel pumps and closures also manufactured in house all you will need to achieve your desired look is a printing service. Well Measom Freer offer that too, screen printing in one or several colours is available for all their bottles and packaging products.

Measom Freer Expand Oval Bottle Range

Measom Freer Tel +44 (0)116 2881588, Fax +44 (0)116 2813000, [email protected] or online at www.measomfreer.co.uk

shelftalk

57

Indian range includes some unfamiliar flavours

SU PPLIE

R

ACC

REDITED Truly Indian is a new range of Indian pastes, chutneys and accompaniments being offered exclusively in the UK by Bespoke Foods.

Made from all-natural ingredients and including a mix of well-known and more unusual

recipes, the pastes are produced in Bombay to family recipes and are designed for ease of cooking. The Truly Indian accompaniments are traditional Indian dishes that consumers may not have tried cooking at home before, supplied in ready-to-cook pouches. There are 14 products in the range.

020 7819 4300 www.bespoke-foods.co.uk

Divine Deli extends its ceramics range

SU PPLIE

R

ACC

REDITED Divine Deli Supplies will be extending its ceramics collection this autumn with rosemary and cassis brie bakers, along with a terracotta garlic roaster.

“Our ceramics collection sits very well with our food products and customers appreciate the variety and good margins they bring,” says Divine Deli owner Andy Shepherd. The ceramics have a RRP of £15.99 and will be on show at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair in September.

01706 313001 www.divinedeli.

com

French organic oils producer Bioplanete has won Fairtrade certification for its peanut oil, and has also redesigned its full range of organic olive and vegetable oils. This includes cold pressed virgin olive oil as well as sunflower, safflower, sesame and rapeseed oils, all from first cold pressings. For ease of identification on-shelf, the company has colour-coded this range and now uses a coloured sleeve for classic oils, silver for gourmet offerings and white for vital oils.

0118 923 8767 www.bioplanete.com

SU PPLIE

R

ACC

REDITED Pieminister will bake two festive treats this winter, a Three King’s Pie and a Christingle vegetarian option.

The Three Kings Pie is a combination of British turkey breast, smoky bacon and pork & herb stuffing, the latter both made from outdoor reared pork, and finished off with cranberries.The Christingle pie contains honey roast parsnips, cheddar cheese and chestnuts in white port. Both pies are handmade and weigh 270g. They will be available to order from November and will wholesale at £2.60 each with an RRP of £3.75.


Beneath the crust this Christmas…

SU PPLIE

R

ACC

REDITED Terra Rossa is extending its range of Jordanian infused oils to include garlic infused extra virgin olive oil. To ensure high levels of antioxidants, polyphenol and vitamins, the garlic variant is produced using first cold

pressed extra virgin olive oil, which is made from half-green olives that are milled within 10 hours of being hand picked. Olives are then stone crushed and cold pressed to enhance the quality, preserve the oil’s organoleptic and sensitive aromatic properties and ensure low acidity. The oil is then infused with freshly roasted Jordanian garlic to produce a gentle yet flavourful oil. Available in 250ml

bottles, the oil retails at about £7.65. It can also be supplied in 2.7 litre plastic bottles for restaurants. 020 8661 9695 www.terra-rossa.com

Bioplanete revamps organic oils

Garlic-infused oil from Jordan

Festive bubbly without the hangover

SU PPLIE

R

ACC

REDITED The Organic Collection has added several products to its range for Christmas 2010.

Its new bubbly blackcurrant drink, joining the existing raspberry and blueberry, is described as “an organic and biodynamic treat”. Presented in a Champagne-style bottle, it’s suitable for expectant mums or for kids who want to join in the celebrations.

The second newcomer is a smaller 500g version of the existing Organic Collection Stollen. It follows the original fruity recipe, but the new size is thought to be more manageable for the average Christmas get-together.

Also new to the range are traditional French Flutes biscuits, joining a collection that includes panettone, nougat, marzipan, cookies, cantuncini, chestnuts and chestnut purée.

0118 923 8767 www.organiccollection.co.uk

Chef Emma Carlton is the first woman in Jersey to launch her own dessert range to the international market, via her Sweet Inspirations company.

Carlton says she has spent years perfecting the recipe for her sticky toffee puddings to achieve the right consistency and particularly the lightness of the product. It is handmade from a combination of Jersey’s local ingredients including cream and butter from the islands’ organic dairy.

“Consumers have praised the lightness of the product, which gives us an exclusive selling point in the pudding market,” she says.

07797 792574 www.sweetinspirationsjersey.com

Sweet pudding from a Jersey chef

Looking for suppliers accredited by the Guild of Fine Food?

Follow the logo SU PPLIE

R

ACC

REDITED



• Authorised distributors for Ardagh glass, Allied Glass and Beatson Clark

• Nationwide delivery service available• Free samples available• Glass jars, Beer bottles, Food grade pails,

Plastic bottlesThink SPINKS for high quality glass and plastic containers.Contact us for further information:Spinks Compak t: 0113 2350662 · e: [email protected] www.spinkscompak.com

In a pickle about where to buy your food jars?

Then look no further!

BAKING EQUIPMENT BOILERS BOTTLES & JARS BUSINESSES FOR SALE CLOTHING COLD TRANSPORT DESIGN CONSULTANTS EPOS TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION EQUIPMENT FOOD PROCESSING EQUIPMENT HYGIENE PRODUCTS INGREDIENTS INSURANCE LABEL SUPPLIERS LEGAL SERVICES PACKAGING PHOTOGRAPHY RECRUITMENT REFRIGERATION SECURITY SHOPFITTING & DESIGN SUNDRIES TICKETING TRAINING VEHICLE LEASING WANTED WEB DESIGN BAKING EQUIPMENT BOILERS BOTTLES & JARS BUSINESSES FOR SALE CLOTHING COLD TRANSPORT DESIGN CONSULTANTS EPOS TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION EQUIPMENT FOOD PROCESSING EQUIPMENT HYGIENE PRODUCTS INGREDIENTS INSURANCE LABEL SUPPLIERS classified

• insurance

Suppliers of equipment for artisan producers of fruit juices, wines, ciders and oils. Our wide range extends from extraction processes to filtration, bottling, sealing and labelling.

Tel: 01404 892100Fax: 01404 890263Email: [email protected]

� Confectionery andGift Packaging

� Chocolate � Ingredients

� Griottines andFramboisines

� Machinery andDisplay Units

Suppliers of:

www.keylink.org Tel: 0114 245 5400

• baking equipment • ingredients

• food processing machinery • ingredients

• bottles & jars • food processing machinery • ingredients • labelling

• insurance

Suppliers of equipment for artisan producers of fruit juices, wines, ciders and oils. Our wide range extends from extraction processes to filtration, bottling, sealing and labelling.

Tel: 01404 892100Fax: 01404 890263Email: [email protected]

Do you make PIES?We make PIE MACHINESVisit www.johnhuntbolton.co.uk

TO SEE OUR RANGE OF MACHINES, PLUS

VIDEO CLIPS OF THE MACHINES IN OPERATION

OR CALL + 44 (0) 1204 521831 / 532798

OR FAX + 44 (0) 1204 527306

OR EMAIL [email protected]

JOHN HUNT (Bolton) LtdRasbottom St, Bolton, England BL3 5BZ

HSF F

HS French Flint Ltd

Speciality Glassware for the more discerning producer.

Unit 4G, The Leathermarket, Weston Street, London SE1 3ERTel: 020 7407 3200 Fax: 020 7407 5877

www.FrenchFlint.com

www.bakeryequipment.co.uk

103 London Road, Leicester LE2 0PF

See our extensive rangeof bakery and food

processing equipment at

Contact us at: 0116 254 2121or email

[email protected] T Saunders Ltd

73193 Inkreadible 21/9/09 10:56 am Page 13

64x92mm (CH2019)

DRY WHITE WINE

11% vol

GREYFRIARS VINEYARDProduced and Bottled on the premises at:

Contains Sulphites

The Hogs Back, Puttenham, Guildford GU3 1AG UK

75cl.

L A B E L S L T D

112ml

STIR FRIES BAKING

ROASTS DRESSINGS

MARINADES

✓✓

✓✓

✓

SUSSEXGOLD EXTRA VIRGINSUNFLOWER OIL

Use and StorageKeep in a cool, dark place.

Any cloudiness is natural at

low temperatures.Do not refrigerate.

Do not pour hot oil back into

the bottle.Not suitable for deep frying.

Nutritional InformationTypical energy values per100ml

Energy 3693kj (899kcal)Protein...................................

Carbohydrate.........................

of which sugars .....................

Fat.......................................

of which saturates..................

mono-unsaturates................

polyunsaturates....................

of which omega-3................

of which omega-6..............

Trans fatty acids.....................

Fibre......................................

Sodium..................................

0.0g0.0g

0.0g97.7g9.4g

16.7g67.3g0.1g

67.2g0.0g

0.0g0.0g

This highlyversatile oil isperfect for most

cooking uses. It ishigh in omega-6

and contains noartificialpreservatives.

Contact: Priors Byne Farm,

Bines Road,Partridge Green,

West Sussex RH13 8EQ

www.sussexgold.co.uk

EXTRA VIRGIN

SUNFLOWER OILCOLD PRESSED

FOR PURE GOODNESS

MADE FROM SUNFLOWERS

GROWN IN SUSSEX

HIGH IN OMEGA-6

®

75mm Sunflower Label 16/9/08 16:38 Page 1

[email protected]

Ring us on Freephone

0800 096 272011 Chatto Way Industrial Estate,

Torquay, Devon TQ1 4UE

Tel 01803 326818 Fax 01803 313102

Freshness & Flavour sealed in icePure, Chilled or Frozen Lemon, Lime & Orange Zest & Juicescan be supplied as non-organic, organic or wax-freeProduced to order by FA Young Farm Produce Ltd.,Timsbury, Bath, Somerset BA2 0FQ

T: 01761 470523 F: 01761 471018E: [email protected] w: www.zumozest.com

• baking equipment • bottles & jars • ingredients• food processing machinery

Supplier of High Quality Spices and Dried Herbs at very competitive prices delivered throughout the UKRelish In Spice Ltd., Wicks Farm, Ford Lane, Ford, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 0DF

Tel: 01243 555433 Email: [email protected]

Need a new van?Find it in

digest

Do your labels lack lustre? Find something flashier in

digest


BAKING EQUIPMENT BOILERS BOTTLES & JARS BUSINESSES FOR SALE CLOTHING COLD TRANSPORT DESIGN CONSULTANTS EPOS TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION EQUIPMENT FOOD PROCESSING EQUIPMENT HYGIENE PRODUCTS INGREDIENTS INSURANCE LABEL SUPPLIERS LEGAL SERVICES PACKAGING PHOTOGRAPHY RECRUITMENT REFRIGERATION SECURITY SHOPFITTING & DESIGN SUNDRIES TICKETING TRAINING VEHICLE LEASING WANTED WEB DESIGN BAKING EQUIPMENT BOILERS BOTTLES & JARS BUSINESSES FOR SALE CLOTHING COLD TRANSPORT DESIGN CONSULTANTS EPOS TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION EQUIPMENT FOOD PROCESSING EQUIPMENT HYGIENE PRODUCTS INGREDIENTS INSURANCE LABEL SUPPLIERS

Call our sales team on 01963 824464 today to discuss the right classified heading for your equipment, ingredients or services

Sweeten up your sales. Advertise in Fine Food Digest.

01963 824464

• packaging• labelling • refrigeration

• ingredients • packaging

• ingredients • refrigeration • packaging

Heat seal machines for pots, bottles, trays and ALL types of packagingLow cost hand operated, semi automatic and fully automated systemsSpecialist suppliers to small & medium sized food companies

Seal-it-Systems (SIS) LtdTel: +44(0)1254 239619Email: [email protected]: www.seal-it-systems.co.uk

SiSSeal-it-Systems

Ring us on: 01628 668836 or visit us at: QuickLabel.co.uk

Print Your Own Food Labels

Fine Food Digest Ad revB.indd 1 2/4/10 5:49 PM

• labelling • labelling • refrigeration

Level 2 Award in Food Safety on CD

TRAIN ALL YOUR FOOD HANDLING STAFF WITH THIS CD

DON’T CUT BACK ON TRAINING CUT BACK ON COST!

To download demo’s go to www.foodhygienecd.net

Or call: 01507 477589 By J. O. Training

• training

A W Smith & Sons (Sundries) Ltd p7Adlington Ltd p7Anthony Rowcliffe & Son Ltd 43Atkins & Potts Ltd insertBespoke Foods Ltd p33/p57Blue Whole Blueberries p56BMC Globa p42Brindisa Ltd p34Carron Lodge Cheese Ltd p40Chapman’s Finest Fishcakes p42Cheshire Smokehouse p11Cibosano Limited p45/p50ClaireÕs Handmade p16Coombe Castle p16Cotswold Fayre p31Cotswold Valley Fine Foods p31/p55Cottage Delight Ltd p55Country Puddings Ltd p19Crellow Preserves p54Crossogue Preserves p55Delicioso UK Ltd p33Deli-cious Fine Foods Ltd p45Divine Deli Supplies Ltd p57El Olivo Olive Oil Company p16Fosters Traditional Foods Ltd p7 Glenfinlas Coffee p34 Grove Oils p46Gustosecco Ltd p55H B Ingredients Limited p58H F Chocolates Ltd p36Hadley’s Dairy Products p46Head in the Clouds p50Herbal Health Ltd p56Hider Food Imports Ltd p38House of Dorchester Ltd p14House of Sarunds p24Infinity Foods Ltd p12InkREADible Label Ltd p58Innavisions Limited p59Interprofession du Gruyère p21Jamnastics p20 Jardine Lloyd Thompson p58Jules & Sharpie p54Just So Italian p36Keylink Ltd p58La Bandiera Ltd p28Llandudno Smokery p48Loopy Lisa’s p12Moor Organics p11Newby Teas (UK) Ltd p52Okemoor Quality Foods p16Olives Direct Ltd p19Olives Et Al Limited p48Organico Real Foods p57 Parkers Packaging p59Paxton & Whitfield p47Pieminister p57Plough to Plate p28Quickes Traditional Limited p40Shelton Imports Ltd p55Shire Foods of Norfolk p28Silver and Green of Lakeland Ltd p20Simply Ice Cream Ltd p42Spinks Compak Limited p58Summerdown Farms Ltd p55Teapigs Ltd p52Terra Rossa Jordan Ltd p57The Chilli Company UK Ltd p19The Dorset Smokery & Charcuterie p8The Good Food Network Ltd p36The Hawkshead Relish Company Ltd p20The Oil Merchant p34The Original Candy Co Limited p48Thursday Cottage Ltd p55Tyrrells Potato Chips Limited p22Verner Wheelock Associates Ltd p59Von Muhlenen p12WBC Limited p2Zumo Zest p5


5 - 7 S E P T E M B E R • L O N D O N O L Y M P I A

&

Whether you want to breathe life into a whole range or you’re looking for 1 or 2 special products, there is no better showcase of the finest local, regional and speciality food & drink from the UK and beyond.

• Find NEW products and suppliers from over 530 producers

• 40% of exhibitors are NEW – find producers you’ve never met

• The only event in 2010 showcasing producers from all British Regional Groups

• Visit Speciality Chocolate Fair, the UK’s only trade event dedicated to luxury gourmet chocolate

• Be inspired by top chefs at the Fine Food Forum, get FREE expert business advice at the Small Business Forum and be the first to see the 2010 Great Taste Award winning products

Register for your FREE visitor badge and find full event details at www.specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk

I N C O R P O R A T I N G

fine food digest august 2010

Documents

heart of speciality

continental food offering

judges comments

flavours dont shine

drink deli

better chocolate

artificial flavours

free guide