FFD September 2025

Craft chocolate’s attempt to make “good” bars with costs on the rise

Pinsent’s of Castle Cary British wine update

CONTENTS

editorial@gff.co.uk

Editor: Michael Lane

Deputy editor: Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Art director: Mark Windsor

Contributors: Joseph Ackerman, Nick Baines, Patrick McGuigan, Greg Pitcher, Lynda Searby

opportunities@gff.co.uk

Sales and publishing director: Sally Coley

Senior sales account manager: Becky Haskett

Sales executive: Henry Coley

Sales support: Tamsin Bullock

I like being able to access information online instantly and communicate with my disparately located relatives.

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox, deputy editor

In a previous life, I was a tech journalist. I earned a living writing about data centres – those warehouses full of servers and storage drives that contribute to making places like Slough so aesthetically challenging. They’re the backbone of the internet, there to make sure people can scroll themselves to sleep at night.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m quite fond of the internet. I like being able to access information online instantly and communicate with my disparately located relatives. I enjoy being able to tap onto the bus with my phone.

But the other day, my partner had been listening to a podcast discussing how, with the advent of arti cial intelligence, the likelihood is that soon all you’ll be able to discern when you observe the earth from space will be data centres. He jokingly (I hope) asked if I’d made a mistake by changing industries, implying I might have been set up

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox, deputy editor

Accounts assistant: Julie Coates

Finance director: Ashley Warden support@gff.co.uk

Managing director: John Farrand

Associate managing director: Christabel Cairns

Partner relations director: Tortie Farrand

Chairman: Bob Farrand

Marketing officer: Jenna Morice

Marketing and operations

assistant: Frances Coleman

with a six-digit “tech bro” salary.

But as you might have guessed if you’ve been reading FFD for the last few years, I actually quite like writing about food & drink. Generally, people in our smalle enclave of the sector are out to contribute something positive to the world.

Trade organisations, deli owners and artisan producers are usually driven by laudable aims – and we get to “punch up” by applying scrutiny to policy-makers and unscrupulous pro t-driven conglomerates.

One of the editors of the magazine I used to write for hasn’t made the 360-degree career change I have, and now writes reports for a company that helps data centre operators stay online. He recently told me, ever the vocal sceptic, that AI just isn’t as useful as we might think it is. So, when I tritely asked if AI was about to steal my job, he said, “Nah. It’s mostly a big waste of money. You can spot AI-generated

text from a mile away and it’s not going to improve much.” In other words, useful for admin, but not for creativity or proper human exchanges.

I like to think he’s right, and that there’s still meaning in what we do – meeting people in the esh and getting a sense of who they are; putting pen to paper (or ngers to keyboards), and sharing anecdotal stories and advice rather than lurching into our pockets to ask an LLM or (old-school alert) a search engine like Google.

It may all seem futile in a few years’ time, when the robot overlords come for all of our jobs. But I just hope that when AI rules, people will still value a natter over a co ee, catching up over a Caprese salad doused in EVOO, or a glass of England’s nest wine.

Yes, I could go back to writing about server farms, but for now I’d rather stick to the regenerative kind, thanks very much.

Until recently, I had never heard of buchu. Had you?

It’s a plant native to South Africa, full latin name, agasthoma betulina, which is widely used as a flavour for sweets and tea.

It’s vaguely reminiscent of blackcurrants and stone fruits, with a bitter, herbal edge.

As the central ingredient in drinkdffrnt’s Sacred Sprig, it really works – and at a time where every man and his dog is making kombucha, it’s refreshing to have something, well, different.

More on p.69

PR & partnerships officer: Claire Fry

Data strategy & insight manager: Lindsay Farrar

Operations coordinators: Chris Farrand, Sepi Rowshanaei, Chloë Warren-Wood

Operations & events coordinator: Zara Williams

Operations assistants: Thomas Jackson, Jessica Radley

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

© The Guild of Fine Food Ltd 2025. Reproduction of whole or part of this magazine without the publisher’s prior permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. Printed by Blackmore, Dorset

UK shopli ing epidemic taking its toll on indies with no sign of letting up

By Greg Pitcher

Independent food retailers fear they have become an easy target for criminals a er o cial gures showed shopli ing at its highest level on record.

Industry leaders warned that small shops were facing an increased threat from thieves motivated by soaring prices and a perceived lack of enforcement activity.

Data published by the O ce for National Statistics in July showed more than 530,000 shopli ing o ences were recorded by police in the year to March 2025. This was a h higher than in the prior 12-month period

and the highest level since current measurement practices began in 2002.

Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, said the level of crime taking place in shops was “concerning” and represented “a signi cant challenge” for businesses.

“We believe this still represents only the tip of the iceberg, with many incidents continuing to go unreported,” he added. “The problem is clearly getting worse and requires urgent, sustained action.”

Will Simkin, owner of Essington Farm Shop, said the was rife from the West Midlands business.

“We have to tackle a lot of shopli ing and we’ve

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT... …WHAT GETS STOLEN AND HOW?

“Large joints of meat, wine and sprits get stolen. A classic example is five people come in, three cause a fuss at the till and someone else walks out without paying. We see a lot of shoplifting at Christmas – the shop is heaving, it is cold weather so people have big coats on, they can easily hide a bottle of gin while paying for their other shopping.”

seen an increase over the last two years,” he said.

“People see farm shops as a so touch because of the layout, the feel – o en there is no security on the door, no tags on packaging. I am sure it is easier than stealing from a supermarket or corner shop.”

Food-price in ation has also encouraged criminals who might previously have looked to other businesses, he adds.

“A leg of lamb can be £40 now, it’s almost become a luxury item.”

Simkin says thieves have been emboldened by the £200 trigger for full court proceedings, knowing that stealing items that add up to less than this amount will only lead to

“It is increasingly common for retail stores to be targeted by organised crime gangs stealing to order. This is in no way a victimless crime, with weapons and violence used to ensure these criminals are not stopped. Having to deal with repeated and persistent offences can cause issues beyond the theft itself, like anxiety, fear and physical harm.”

The Welsh Government has promised to bring in a “simple, scalable and fair” depositreturn scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in little over two years.

Ministers west of the border said in July that they would “accelerate” implementation of the initiative to align with the rest of the UK.

Westminster has previously pledged to introduce a DRS for disposable aluminium, steel and

PET plastic drinks containers between 150ml and 3L by 1st October 2027.

This will see customers pay an extra fee for such beverages, which will be refunded when they return the empty receptacles.

Wales said it would include glass in its scheme, and run a large-scale trial for reusable containers.

The Welsh Government added that it was working with

appearances in front of magistrates.

“They know they won’t be in any real trouble,” he said. “We have caught people and they either drop and run or just put things down and walk o .

“It is frustrating. If you have bred and reared livestock, got it into packaging on the shelf and someone has walked out with it then it’s all that e ort for nothing.”

Jennie Allen, owner of Bayley & Sage, which has 12 stores across London, said shopli ing had become “brazen”.

The independent chain has turned to supermarketstyle preventative measures.

“We have security barriers, tags, external and

“It has always been wine and meat, smoked and fresh salmon. Recently also olive oil, cheese and lately honey. Stores have been broken into at night and all the Champagne nicked. They will take ready meals – anything. Flowers. Chocolates. They walk in, take things and walk out again, saying ‘don’t bother, I’ve got a knife and I’ll use it’.”

small businesses on “sensible arrangements for exemptions for low-volume products”.

Deputy first minister Huw Irranca-Davies said: “We have heard clearly from industry that the scenario where a scheme is introduced in the other parts of the UK with no scheme in place in Wales carries the greatest risk of operational complexity and associated costs.

“I have therefore set out to industry that we are willing to

internal security guards, fake bottles of Champagne, less on display, bottles behind keys,” said Allen.

“We have resisted shutters but there has been a spate of crime in one area. We will have to do more –upgrade CCTV. We spend £100,000 a year on security guards and it’s not what we want to do.”

Ministers promised in the Small Business Plan published this summer to place 13,000 additional police and support o cers into neighbourhood beats; repeal the £200 threshold for criminal shopli ing prosecutions; and create a speci c o ence for assaulting retail sta .

The Government document added that it was “tackling the underlying causes and consequences of high street decline, from crime to empty properties, in order to revitalise high streets for communities and businesses alike.”

accelerate our implementation timetable to align with the rest of the UK, which would provide for interoperability between common materials.

“Going forward, we will continue working closely with industry and local authorities to deliver a scheme that is simple, scalable and fair, one which supports businesses to take advantage of the opportunities of reduced material costs and ensures no one is left behind.”

Fine food sector could have a say as Government addresses late payments

By Greg Pitcher

Fine food businesses have the chance to in uence Government policy on payment terms a er ministers announced a crackdown on late settlement of invoices.

The Department for Business & Trade in July opened a consultation on measures including forcing all rms to pay bills within 45 days and add he y interest to overdue sums.

Prime minister Keir Starmer said chasing cash was “unfair, exhausting and holding Britain back” as he launched the Government’s Small Business Plan.

One wholesaler, who wished to remain anonymous, told FFD that it was sometimes owed millions of pounds by retailers for goods it had already paid suppliers for.

“We pay on average within 45 days and our customers typically pay us on 60 days,” they said. “We provide retailers with a service because small independent producers want paying quickly and we

have cash in the business.”

The wholesaler said shops held the upper hand when buying from small producers.

“If you have an ongoing relationship, no-one in their right minds will take a customer to court.”

They added: “Some unscrupulous retailers who owe a wholesaler money will just order with another one.”

Marcus Carter, founder of Artisan Food Club, said:

“I had a wholesale business in London for ve years, and you have to decide who

to pay. ‘I would like to pay one supplier but I am low on stock with another one, so if I pay them I can place an order and hopefully generate some sales to pay the other guy.’ It is a juggling act.”

However he said suppliers with strong wares would be treated well by shops.

“The only producers having a problem with credit control are the ones with bad products that don’t sell. Most food retailers need stock or their customers complain.”

A

Ministers say legislation from the 1990s currently gives firms the right to extend payment terms beyond 60 days under certain circumstances.

This has sometimes “enabled larger businesses to take advantage of their negotiating power to impose very long payment terms on their smaller suppliers”.

In its latest consultation, the Government proposes removing this right to “introduce a clear limit to payment terms between UK businesses”.

It adds: “We also propose that the maximum payment terms limit should be reduced over time from 60 days to 45 days.” This would happen “after five years, subject to further consultation”.

Ministers also suggest introducing a deadline of 30 days for a dispute to be raised over an invoice.

On top of this, the latest crackdown includes measures to force businesses that pay their suppliers late to compensate at an interest rate set at 8% above the base rate.

Carter said shops should be able to sell a full order within twice the time of paying for it.

“If you supply £120 of product on 30-days terms, the retailer should sell £60 by 30 days and the next £60 in the next 30 days or you are a negative cash ow investment.”

John Farrand, managing director at the Guild of Fine Food, said the proposed legislation “could be divisive at the smaller end of food and drink”.

“No one would complain if the supermarkets were compelled to pay all suppliers more expediently,” he added. “It’s a bit more nuanced for delis, farm shops and their suppliers.

“Favourable payment terms can help a retailer through the slower months in the year and as employment costs rise, this may be a lifeline for survival. As with any salient Government consultation it is well worth a read and submitting your thoughts. Have your say!”

retailer’s view on payment: Delilah

Sangita Tryner, owner of Delilah Fine Foods, said the Nottingham deli always tried to pay suppliers promptly.

“The majority of companies offer us 30-day terms. But I am very conscious that I buy from small suppliers and I try to pay on delivery most of the time,” she said. “The odd one slips the net but being a small business myself, I understand how important cashflow is. Our accountants follow the terms on the invoice.”

IN BRIEF

Bristol’s Southville Deli has opened a new outlet in the city. The new shop – in the former Barclays bank building in the Bedminster area –joins the original shop in Southville and another in Redcliffe.

British berry sales are up 24% this season across the UK’s supermarkets, compared to this time last year –according to the latest figures from the British Berry Growers trade body, which hailed this summer as “spectacular”.

Six new arrests were made last month in connection with the Met Police’s investigations into the theft of 22 tonnes of artisan cheddar, worth £300,000 from Neal’s Yard Dairy last October.

Fine Foods

so they are there when you need them.”

Tryner said she hasn’t often heard from suppliers about late payment from independent retailers.

“I think generally payment in the industry is good. We are all small businesses and we treat people how we want to be treated.

“There is respect and you help people

She sees the same positive relationships when Delilah is acting as a supplier.

“With the handful of wholesalers we give credit to, the majority pay weekly to get the debt off their books.”

Some supermarkets potentially have a different approach, she adds.

“Bigger retailers dictate their own credit terms and it might be 60 days. If you are importing food and paying for it before it arrives then there can be a long gap and exchange rates might be bouncing about.

“In those cases getting paid earlier might really help.

“But I worry that putting legislation in place will create processes that small suppliers aren’t able to follow anyway.”

Further border checks dropped on imports of live animals from the EU

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

As part of its Plan for Change, the UK Government has announced the suspension of additional border checks on live animal imports from the EU and on certain plant products from Ireland.

It said the forthcoming deal “will establish a UKEU SPS zone, cutting costs and red tape for businesses that export and import from the EU, reducing delays at the border and making food trade with the UK’s biggest market cheaper and easier.”

The Government added that “some live animals imported from the EU will continue to be inspected at their destination based on a series of risk factors.”

The news comes ahead of a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement, trailed at a trade summit in May and still under negotiation. Defra has already

Gov’t adds £1bn to StartUp Loan pot

The Government has announced a new Small Business Plan, central to which is a £1 billion expansion of its Start-Up Loans scheme. The plan makes around 69,000 low-interest loans of up to £25,000 available, alongside mentoring and business support, and also includes measures to curb late payments (see p.5). Demand is expected to be high, so potential applicants are encouraged to move fast.

announced that checks on fruit and vegetable imports would no longer be carried out. The overall aim is to ease trade, strengthen supply chains and reduce costs for businesses.

While British Veterinary Association (BVA) president Dr Elizabeth Mullineaux applauded the Government’s latest e ort to ease trade with the EU, she also warned of potential risks to national biosecurity.

She said: “It’s vital the UK has robust import controls as a key line of defence against disease, and this remains the case whilst a UK-EU agreement is agreed.

Acknowledging that removing the extra checks should reduce delays for animals in transit, she added: “The Government must engage with the veterinary profession to ensure that e orts to ease trade do not come at the expense of the UK’s human and animal health and

Popular Essex retailer Blackwells Farm Shop is joining forces with a nearby bar and brasserie in Coggeshall to bring freshly sourced, locally produced food to the tables. Ranfields on Stoneham Street will partner with the farm shop to support local producers as possible.. blackwellsfarmproduce. co.uk ranfieldsbrasserie.co.uk Planning permission is being sought for a new farm shop, car park and padel tennis courts with club house to help diversify income streams for Bradshaws farm in Wolverhampton. The fourth-generation farm is looking to demolish the current dilapidated farm shop building on Wrottesley Park Road and bring a new, modern structure into use.

welfare, whilst at the same time progressing a UK-EU agreement as quickly as possible.”

The suspension of the planned checks comes ahead of the full implementation of the ‘Border Target Operating Model’ set out by the previous government in 2023, which promised to replace “cumbersome and frustrating import checks” with a “more targeted, riskbased system underpinned by evidence and data.”

However, checks on ‘medium-risk’ foods from the EU were previously labelled “stupid” and “a disaster” by independent retailers, who warned that smaller-volume producers were pulling out of the UK market.

Importers called the recent trade deal “encouraging” and celebrated “the potential for signi cant improvement” to trading, “promising mutual bene ts.”

IN BRIEF

An ad for Trip drinks was banned for claiming its “crafted for calm” range eases stress and anxiety.

The ASA ruled the CBD brand’s health and sugar claims “misleading”.

Borough Market has appointed hospitality and markets veteran Alistair Maddox as its new CEO. Maddox co-founded Every Cloud and Silver Lining, led Broadway Market, directed Brixton Village and Hackney Bridge, and most recently ran White City Place.

UK retail footfall fell by 0.4% in July, declining for the third month in a row.

The BRC’s Helen Dickinson said a hoped for “summer boost” never came, urging deeper business-rate cuts to revive high streets

The motorway service area on the southbound side of the M5 in Somerset has officially launched its brand-new offering, Sedgemoor Farm Shop Bringing locally sourced food, drink and gifts from 40 Somerset producers to the side of the motorway is setting out to showcase quality goods from the area roadchef.com/brands/ sedgemoor-farm-shop

Plans have been submitted for a new farm shop and café on land near

Groombridge, on the East Sussex–Kent border. The proposal includes parking, landscaping and a footpath connection, with the aim of creating a community hub that supports local food producers and provides a destination for visitors to the area.

IF I’D KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW...

ELLE CORFIELD, co-owner, Sandgate Deli, Sandgate, Kent

I met Rachel [Hirons], my business partner, when we were working in the French Alps, where good food and independent, speciality retail is part of the culture. We discovered a shared interest in food that developed into the idea of opening a deli together.

The pandemic was a catalyst, as the values that we had experienced in France seemed to become important to more people over here. That inspired us to say, ‘we can do this’.

We chose Sandgate because despite being an affluent area with a direct train to London, at the time it had no deli (now it has two). The premises we found were bigger than we needed but the location was great.

Cheese was always going to be – and still is –the cornerstone of the business. We supplement our cheese counter with related products like wine, beer, gin, crackers, crisps, tinned fish, olives, chocolates and local ceramics like butter dishes, pots and jugs. We also have a small cheesebased take-away toastie and sandwich menu but have resisted introducing a café element – we don’t even have an espresso machine. There are plenty of cafés in Sandgate and we don’t want to be distracted from the cheese.

But this is not a passion project. It is a business and it needs to generate a profit – something that is not easy with a model that is heavily reliant on retail. We realised this early on, but we don’t want to compromise our values: we believe that the community is the key. A lot of our trade is local. It is repeat and it is loyal. Spend per head isn’t always that high, but people come in, week in, week out, and spend their money with us. We talk to them; we accommodate their requests; we keep up with their lives and likes. We try to build a strong relationship with every single customer.

That has meant we have had to revise our expectations around employing staff. It is hard to be an employer, and even harder to find people to do the job that we are doing.

On the plus side, creating this community feels like it has made us more resilient. Everybody warned us how seasonal the business would be – how we would have Christmas and summer peaks and troughs in between. Actually that is not what we have seen so far. Yes – we have Christmas – but other than that, sales are fairly consistent week on week, month on month. I think that is because we have this local customer base rather than relying on tourist trade. We hope that our business is more robust because of this, and as we move forward and try new ideas, whether that is a cheese club or a web shop, they will continue support us.

Interview Lynda Searby

View from HQ

AUGUST. IT’S A funny old month isn’t it? Sun, ice-cream and school holidays, most of Europe switching-o for a few weeks, boom time for the more touristy retailers amongst our collective and more speci cally for us here at the Guild, Great Taste results-time.

That means some trickiness, with entrants citing their gripes – sometimes justi ed and resulting in constructive feedback, sometimes dri ing into abrasive debate.

Thankfully, a new crop of accredited foods is more celebration than con ict, with renewed vigour for the very best food & drink. There’s the pat on the back for sourcing rst-class ingredients and compiling them

TRAIN YOUR TEAM

The final two Retail Cheese courses of 2025 will take place in Dorset on Tuesday 30 September and in London on Tuesday 21 October. The courses are a great opportunity to arm you and your team with the right skills for the busy Christmas season.

Learn how to taste, describe and sell cheese as well as practical skills like cutting, wrapping and storing. Led by Patrick McGuigan and Emma Young, this course is a chance to be in the room with the experts, ask questions and increase your confidence when selling cheese to customers.

To sign up or find out more, visit gff.co.uk/for-retailers/ retail-cheese

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

with love, skill and expertise, and then there is the commercial gain that displaying the stars can achieve.

August’s highs and lows play out across social media too and in silly season, food & drink was an easy win.

Social media presence and strategy is a must, and it is critical that quality makers and the proper shops that sell those products join in, because there’s a dangerous trend developing.

This summer has seen the arrival of the bizarre, perhaps even irrational sandwich. In its wisdom M&S combined so , sweetened bread with dollops of cream and sliced strawberry.

It’s not the rst supermarket food stunt and, sadly, it won’t be the last. There’s been a line of products wholly designed for folk to buy and lm themselves ‘enjoying’, purely to generate social media currency.

I’m not sure if these novelties are even consumed, which would result in lling your body with

aesthetic, not goodness. And oh, the irony, if the creators of these products and the in uencers that earn money from promoting them are those similarly ‘concerned’ by food waste, obesity or the planet.

This summer has seen the arrival of the bizarre, perhaps even irrational sandwich; combining so , sweetened bread with dollops of cream and sliced strawberry

The internet and social media are all a bit Wild West for me. And my view is given credence by the fact that the drive to sell products generating views rather than gastronomic satisfaction can go wrong.

Back in 2019, the same supermarket launched the “LGBT” sandwich to ‘celebrate’ Pride month. Lettuce, guacamole, bacon and tomato. A perfectly acceptable combination, but I fear it was developed not to be delicious but to be papped and shared for M&S to score points. The sentiment was laudable, but informing and encouraging acceptance and showing support through a novelty sandwich just misses.

And guess what isn’t mentioned on the posts, likes and reels? Taste. Unlike our 2025 harvest of accolades, this trend does not consider or promote how ingredients are harmonised and compiled to create excellent food & drink to be enjoyed on the palate – and certainly not on the palette.

The Word on Westminster

By Edward Woodall Association of Convenience Stores

AS WE APPROACH the Autumn Budget, I want to speak directly to the fine food retail community – those running delis, farm shops, and specialist food stores that are so important to our high streets and villages.

The Government has made some welcome moves on business rates, including the introduction of permanently lower multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses. But unless further action is taken, many small retailers could face a sharp rise in their rates bills from April 2026.

If the Government has already taken positive action on rates, like lower multipliers, why do we need more action? The new multipliers might not be enough to offset the potential loss of the 40% business rates relief many retailers currently receive. In

addition, many retailers will see their rates increase as the 3 yearly revaluation takes place. We have some clear asks of Government to address these changes in the Autumn Budget.

Firstly, the new multipliers must be set at a level that offsets the withdrawal of temporary relief. We’re calling for the full 20p reduction to ensure retailers have the financial headroom to invest in their businesses, retain staff, and continue contributing to local economies.

Secondly, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) must be protected. With rateable values set to rise in the 2026 revaluation, many small retailers risk losing eligibility for relief unless thresholds are updated. Without this adjustment, businesses that have previously benefited from this lifeline could face sudden and unsustainable increases in their business rates liabilities.

Thirdly, Improvement Relief

should be extended from 12 months to three years. This would give retailers the breathing space to invest in their premises – whether through expansion, refurbishment, or energy efficiency upgrades – without being penalised by an immediate hike in rates. Crucially, essential equipment like refrigeration and CCTV should be excluded from valuations. Retailers shouldn’t be punished for investing in security and sustainability.

These changes aren’t just policy tweaks – they’re practical steps that will help you continue to invest in your business and serve your customers. Visit our website to access resources and support to contact your MP. It only takes a few minutes, but it could make a real difference.

Edward Woodall is government relations director at the ACS edward.woodall@acs.org.uk

CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER

ANONYMOUS TALES FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER

I’M SAT HERE with a cup of tea, watching a spinning wheel that’s been mocking me for the last ve minutes. My grand plan to upload our latest event has, once again, been defeated by our internet connection – which is slower than a snail wearing cement shoes.

I’m told we’re living in the digital age. I’d believe it if I lived anywhere but here. We’ve been told by the Government that bre broadband is expanding to rural areas, and that soon, we’ll have no disadvantage compared to urban areas. For us, the digital divide isn’t some abstract political talking point; it’s a daily reality. It’s the di erence between updating our website in ten seconds and spending ten minutes wondering if it will ever work again.

It’s not just the website. Our regular wi dropouts mean our café kitchen can lose an order between the counter and the pass. Customers simply do not nd it a good enough

Expert eye

excuse: a hungry person doesn’t care that it wasn’t our fault their meal disappeared into the ether.

was more like ‘whenever our team gets around to it’. It cost us a small fortune in sheer frustration.

Our customers don’t care about any of this. They expect a slick experience, on-or o ine. They want to check our opening times, see our daily specials, and maybe place an order, all with the swipe of a thumb. Instagram is our lifeline. It’s our catalogue, our noticeboard, and our direct line to customers. We post a ‘menu’ of what’s fresh in the deli and our customers slide into our DMs. As a destination retailer, we have to sing and dance about anything exciting or new. Our website? A digital business card, a static monument to our existence. During Covid, our online shop boomed as people looked for food deliveries. But now we only use it for Christmas orders and gi vouchers. We can’t compete with online retail giants, so we focus on what we can o er: personal service and unique produce.

of

is

The digital divide isn’t some abstract political talking point; it’s a daily reality

And don’t even get me started on switching our EPOS provider. We thought we were upgrading, but it felt more like a hostage negotiation. The new system promised to solve our lost tickets by moving us away from cloud-based technology, but it hasn’t. The data migration was a nightmare, and the ‘24/7 support’ ARE YOU LOOKING FOR MORE?

OWNER OF STARTER CULTURE RACHNA DHEER ON LETTING YOUR BUSINESS EVOLVE ORGANICALLY

When I decided to open Starter Culture, my cheese and wine shop in Southside Glasgow, it wasn’t a sudden impulse. For years, I’d been fascinated by artisan food – the cra smanship, the stories behind each producer, and the joy these products bring to a table. I wanted to create a space where people could discover exceptional cheeses and charcuterie, thoughtfully chosen wines, and the knowledge to enjoy them together.

In my years as a market stall holder and a chef, I built strong relationships with Scottish producers. I wanted the shop to champion them, to give them a platform in a permanent space while also introducing new and unique products to the area. That mission guided every decision. Finding the right site was critical. The Southside had no dedicated cheese shop at all – and that gap was exactly the opportunity I was looking for. I wanted to bring something genuinely new to the area, in a location that felt part of the community. I visited dozens of potential spaces, walking the surrounding

The online world might be clunky, but the human connection it makes possible is still strong. So if you’re out there watching that little wheel spin, just remember: it’s not about being the fastest, it’s about being the most resourceful. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to try uploading that event listing again. Wish me luck.

streets at di erent times of day, noting the other businesses, and imagining the shop in that context. I eventually found a spot with character, visibility, and a size that suited the intimate, curated feel I wanted.

There were plenty of considerations –from chilled storage for delicate cheeses, to ventilation, to managing deliveries in a busy street. And of course, there were surprises. Planning permissions took longer than expected; t-out costs rose when hidden repairs emerged. When Covid hit six months a er we opened, we had to change our business model to a delivery platform. Brexit didn’t help, and meant extra costs for all our cheeses, and delays.

If I could give one piece of advice to others, it would be to bring your passion to your business. If you don’t care about your products and the curation of your shop, it will show. O er what you would like to eat, drink and savour yourself. If it is good enough for you then it is good enough for your customers. Things will change, suppliers will surprise you, and the nal version of your shop will likely be an evolved – and o en better – version of your original vision.

My hope for Starter Culture is now the reality a er six years in business. It has become a true neighbourhood hub, somewhere people come for a quick wedge of something special or stay for tastings, classes, and conversation – all while supporting the small-scale producers who make our food culture so rich.

than it was a year ago in the UK. Meanwhile, the price of lamb rose by 4.7% in the year up to July 13th.

Source: AHDB

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Welsh Great Tastes 2025.

Over 146 Welsh products earned Great Taste status this year, including ninety eight 1-star, forty 2-star, and eight 3-star awards. Whether it is Welsh ale, honey or ice cream, through to our lamb, beef, sea salt, artisan cheese and more - Wales is consistently serving up award-winning taste.

British so cheesemakers boost production following import ban

By Patrick McGuigan

British cheesemakers have seen a welcome surge in sales thanks to the ban on raw milk so cheeses from France and Italy, but supply chains could be strained as Christmas orders build this month.

As previously reported, Defra has banned imports of French and Italian raw cow’s milk cheeses, made a er 23rd May, due to outbreaks of Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle in both countries, leaving gaps in counters that are being lled by British alternatives.

Su olk-based Fen Farm, which makes Baron Bigod, saw orders increase 18.5% between mid-July and mid-August, compared to the same period last year, equating to nearly two tonnes more cheese.

“We’ve gone from making four days a week to ve,” said co-owner Jonny Crickmore. “We’re using every drop of milk at the moment and it means the age pro les of our cheeses have come down.”

Highland Fine Cheeses in Scotland, which makes Morangie Brie and Minger, saw a 20% increase in orders over a similar period, with a 36% jump during the second week of August. Meanwhile, cheese wholesalers are stoking demand by recommending

British alternatives. “We have not recommended other Continental cheeses for fear that it (the disease) could move there also,” said Harvey & Brockless purchasing director Nicky Philp. Defra partially relaxed restrictions last month by allowing thermised cheeses to be imported, but there is little sign raw milk cheeses will be allowed back with cases increasing. Longer aged cheeses like Tomme de Savoie and Roquefort will be a ected the longer the ban lasts, while wholesalers are negotiating to bring in Vacherin Mont d’Or from Switzerland as a replacement for French raw milk Mont d’Or at Christmas.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Yorkshire cheesemonger Cryer & Stott marked the opening of its new cheese blending facility by launching several new cheeses, including Silkstone Seam –an extra-mature cheddar with a seam of edible charcoal running through its centre.

Sasha Serebrinsky has taken over as head cheesemaker at the Goodwood Estate in Sussex, which makes Charlton Cheddar, Molecomb Blue and Levin Down soft. He previously worked at Daylesford Organic.

Health authorities in France say 21 people have been infected and two have died in a Listeria outbreak linked to dairy firm Chavegrand, which has recalled dozens of batches of pasteurised soft cheeses.

“I have to make decisions now for Christmas and we are making substitutes as we go along in regards to online orders,” said Patricia Michelson at La Fromagerie. “I am looking at cheeses from Spain, UK, Ireland that will be suitable. Mont d’Or is something that we will take a big hit on if the ban continues.”

Whether British cheesemakers will be able to meet increased Christmas orders is not clear. “We can only make so much,” said Crickmore at Fen Farm. “We already sell everything we make at Christmas, but hopefully we can improve yields from our milk.”

The Cheese Shop in Chester celebrated its 40th anniversary last month with a day of tastings with cheesemakers including Appleby’s Cheshire, Burt’s Cheese and Kirkham’s Lancashire. The shop was opened by Carole Faulkner on August 1, 1985, and is now run by her daughter Ann. It sells over 70 varieties of cheese and has featured on TV shows including the Hairy Bikers.

THREE WAYS WITH...

Cashel Blue

Made by the Grubb family in Tipperary since 1984, Cashel Blue reaffirmed its status as a modern classic by winning three stars at this year’s Great Taste. Typically aged for around three months in 1.5kg foil-wrapped wheels, the cheese has a creamy texture and buttery flavour with a hint of earth and spice.

Whiskey

Stout and porter are firm friends with Cashel Blue, but Irish whiskey is also an intriguing match, especially for more mature cheeses (over three months). Look for oak-aged whiskeys with gentle notes of peat, smoke and caramel, which dovetail nicely with the sweet, mellow cheese. The peated single malt Connemara Whiskey is recommended.

Candied Pecans

The yielding texture of Cashel Blue calls out for something with a bit of bite. The call is answered by caramelised pecans, which have a suitable crunch, while the sugary sweetness tempers the salty, savoury blue. There’s also a buttery quality to pecans that echoes the creaminess of the cheese.

Steak

Sarah Furno, who co-owns the business, recommends pan-frying or barbecuing rib-eye steak on one side before flipping over and adding a healthy slice of cheese to the top. While the bottom cooks, the cheese melts, seasoning the steak underneath. Serve in a crusty bread sandwich or with a mixed leaf salad and French dressing, with honey and lemon juice to really make the flavours of the steak and cheese pop.

CHEESE

Thornby Moor is no more as Carolyn Fairbarn announces retirement

By Patrick McGuigan

A er nearly 50 years of cheesemaking, Carolyn Fairbairn has nally hung up her apron at Thornby Moor Dairy in Cumbria.

The 82 year-old cheesemaker, who has retired to spend more time in her garden and with her family, rst started making cheese with milk from her own goats in the basement of the family home in 1979. The business moved to its most recent premises on the old Cro on Hall Estate on the Solway Plain in 1994, where she was joined by her daughter Leonie (who had helped her mum throughout childhood).

Thornby Moor, which was a vocal advocate of raw milk cheese, made a range of di erent cheeses, including Blue Whinnow, and the briestyle Cro on and Cumberland Farmhouse, but was best known for Allerdale – a crumbly, clothbound goat’s cheese that won Super Gold at the 2023 World Cheese Awards.

Fairbairn continued to make

CHEESE IN PROFILE with

What’s the story?

Brunost, or ‘brown cheese’, is a concentrated whey cheese and is one of Norway’s most iconic and beloved traditional foods. Brunost’s rise to popularity began with Anne Hov in the summer of 1863.

set up a dairy in the basement of her family home some 45 years ago, in Solway, near

with

cheese six days a week up until January, when she made her nal batch, some of which is still available to buy, along with the dairy’s cheesemaking equipment.

Leonie Fairbairn, who is pondering her next career move, told FFD the decision to close was also in uenced by factors including the need to refurbish the dairy, changing shopping habits, business costs and the economic climate.

“We chose to simply

Although versions of whey cheese had been made for centuries by dairymaids in the mountain farms, it was Anne’s take on it that changed everything. By adding cream to the whey, she created a richer, creamier version that quickly gained attention. Her recipe became a hit and eventually turned Brunost into a national favourite.

How is it made?

being her first creation

close in order to manage cost responsibly,” she said. “I hope to nd the time and discipline to document our recipes for future generations to reference. I believe a cheese only becomes ‘established’ if it can be made by several people or dairies. We believe, very strongly, in the importance of simple, nutritious food. By de nition it comes from an approach to farming and primary production that is caring and tolerant of its environment.”

BEHIND THE COUNTER TIPS OF THE TRADE

Sue North, owner, The Farm Deli, Winslow, Bucks

Everyone loves a deal, and deli shoppers are no different, as The Farm Deli goes to prove. The Winslow retailer employs some clever promotions on its counter that are very effective at boosting the bottom line.

Chief among these is a regular Cheese of the Week deal. The retailer knocks 10% off the price of the featured cheese and highlights the offer via a prominent blackboard, social media and in-store tastings. “We make sure we have extra stock in because sales typically triple and we can easily sell out,” says owner Sue North.

She also keeps a close eye on upcoming sporting and cultural events, using them as a springboard for takeaway cheeseboards. Presented in a smart blue box with tasting notes, the selections include four 80g wedges of cheese, plus two accompaniments and two travel packs of crackers for £20, representing a healthy margin. “We’ve put together boxes for the Six Nations rugby, the football and Eurovision – whatever is coming up and popular. It makes it easy for people so they don’t have the think about things too much and they know the price.”

It’s made by slowly boiling down whey with added milk or cream until it turns into a rich, caramelcoloured paste with a fudge-like texture. Once thickened, it’s poured into moulds to set, with no ageing required. The whey comes from either cow’s milk, goat’s milk, or a mix of both. This style of cheese comes in many regional varieties across

are often called Mysost, while blends of cow and goat are known as Geitost, and pure goat’s milk versions as Ekte Geitost. There are also soft, spreadable versions like prim or Messmör, often sold in tubes.

Appearance, texture & flavour profile: Brunost has no rind, and

its colour

vary from a to brown, on how it’s

its colour can vary from a light to deep brown, depending on how long

been cooked. It has a smooth, pliable texture that is perfect for spreading and grating. The flavours are predominantly sweet and best described as caramel fudge, although the pure

goat’s milk version has a distinctive tang that cuts through the sweetness.

Variations:

Sognefjord Artisanal Geitost is a traditional whey cheese made from goat’s milk and is recognised as a Slow Food Presidium cheese.

Cheesemonger tip: Pairs nicely with a nutty brown ale.

Chef’s recommendation: Brunost adds a depth and richness to both savoury and sweet dishes. Slice it thinly and serve on spiced cardamon and cinnamon waffles. Also makes a beautiful creamy frosting for a spiced apple cake.

is one of the 75 cheeses studied as part of the Academy of Cheese Level Two Certification. For more information on this and all of their courses, head to www.academyofcheese.org

THE TASTE OF SWITZERLAND.

NO GLUTEN, NO LACTOSE.

LOOKING FOR LOYAL CUSTOMERS?

The unique taste of my cheese will transport your customers to beautiful Swiss landscapes with fresh grass, crystal water and typical chalets. An experience that they will want to relive again and again.

More than 150 years of familyexpertise in cheese-production and uncountable awards.

Giddy for it

Eight years into cheesemaking, Hannah Turner of Brooke’s Dairy in Chepstow is well and truly keen to grow the operation

By Patrick McGuigan

A LONG HOT summer might not seem the most favourable climatic conditions for booming cheese sales, even if the ban on French cheeses is helping British makers (p.15). But in the baking summer sun, Brooke’s Dairy is selling its little wheels of Angiddy brie like proverbial hot cakes (or should that be hot cheeses?). “We’re selling more in a heatwave than we were in March”, says owner Hannah Turner as she strides out across a sun-soaked eld on the 300-acre farm, near Chepstow in Monmouthshire, to feed some of her Jersey cows.

The secret to Turner’s summer success can be seen all around us. The hills and valleys of the Wye Valley are picture postcard beautiful and a major draw for tourists, who drive over the nearby Severn Bridge in their thousands during the summer to walk, kayak and mountain bike. Buying cheese from the local farm shops is another popular past-time, which translates into a healthy order book at a time when many artisan cheesemakers experience a lull.

“We make the cheeses in 200g wheels, which are good for hampers and buying as presents,” says Turner. “Delis and farm shops will get tourists in the summer, but there are also local people who want to support Welsh food all year round. I’m always surprised how much cheese our village shop sells.”

Turner started making cheese as a side project while on maternity leave in 2016, but it turned into a full-blown diversi cation drive, which saw her set up the dairy in a converted barn in 2019. Help was provided by the Welsh Government through matchfunding and technical support at Food Centre Wales in Llandysul.

It’s not the rst time the farm has

diversi ed beyond liquid milk either. Turner’s parents, who bought the land in the 1970s, set up an ice cream business in the 1990s to add value when milk prices fell. Not surprisingly, this year’s hot weather has been good for that side of the business too, with more than 30 di erent types of ice cream and sorbet in strong demand.

The warm weather may be doing wonders for orders, but it has also resulted in some frazzled pasture. “We’re having to manage the cows because they don’t graze when it’s too hot. We’ve been forced to buy in hay and use some of our winter feed. There’s a lot of juggling required.”

The constant “juggling” of running a farm and two food businesses is perhaps one of the reasons why Brooke’s was recognised in 2024 as the Farm-to-Fork Producer of the Year at the Wales Food and Drink Awards. But there is still room to grow, says Turner. “More milk goes o the farm in the tanker than stays on it. We want to grow both the cheese and ice cream.”

The company is planning to invest in new equipment and maturing space next year, which would allow it to double the current production of ve tonnes a year. Blas ar Fyd, Castle Howard and Welsh Cheese Co are important customers, and Turner delivers locally to delis, farm shops and restaurants, but her sights are also set across the Severn.

“There are opportunities to sell into Bristol, The South West and London. But there are also lots of shops in Wales that could take more. We’re completely wiped out at Christmas, so there’s de nitely room to grow then too.”

It seems like it’s cheese season all year round in Wales. brookesdairy.com

Delis will get tourists in the summer, but locals want to support Welsh food all year round

Angiddy

Brooke’s makes three cheeses, including the Feta-style Fedw (pronounced ‘ved-doo’) and Blue Wenallt, but its flagship cheese is Angiddy. The Camembert-style is made in 200g and 1kg wheels, as well as heartshaped cheeses for Valentine’s Day, using pasteurised milk and vegetarian rennet.

The cheese, which is named after a river that flows across the farm in the Wye Valley, was launched in 2017 and early batches, made at the Food Centre Wales, were entered into the World Cheese Awards where it promptly won a Gold.

With its snowy white coat and buttery flavour, Angiddy is made with milk from the farm’s herd of Jersey cows, which has a cream content of around 6.5% compared to 3-4% for Holstein Friesians. It also has higher levels of beta-carotene, contributing to the cheese’s rich flavour and golden interior.

Making British wine great

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Nicola Bates joined WineGB as CEO two years ago. As the leader of the British wine industry’s national trade association, which counts roughly 500 members, she has seized the vines by the tendrils.

“The way I see it, the sector is at a pivotal point, and the industry is set to move up to the next level,” she tells FFD. Between 2018 and 2023, sales grew 187% from 3.3 million bottles – including 2.2 million of sparkling, to 8.8 million.

Sales of these wines spread across cellar door, on-trade, and independents, with just a handful of producers able to supply supermarkets. Bates says “independents are brilliant because they have their customers’ trust. People go to them for local produce and storytelling, so if you can o er a local wine, it makes sense to have that full sustainability and locality story through the shop.”

That said, it isn’t a bargain. “Yields are low, the network is young, duties are high and Government support is limited.

“It’s quality that wins people over, but we’re not in the £6 a bottle space – it’s a prestige choice,” she says. According to the WineGB Industry Report for 2025, the average RRP price for a bottle of English sparkling is £29, and £17 for a bottle of still wine.

Even above the cheap and cheerful price point, English and

Welsh wine present an opportunity for independents: 91% of sales are domestic, “yet there’s still a huge untapped UK market,” says Bates, as only around 7% of UK wine drinkers currently buy English or Welsh wine, up from 4% in 2021. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this year’s report shows that awareness of English and Welsh wine is strongest in the South East, and lowest in Scotland and in the North East of England. “Awareness is a constant campaign,” says Bates.

This margin for growth has potential to grow. While sparkling wine is the benchmark,“on par with Champagne in terms of quality, for a third of the cost,” she adds, the quality of still wines available is improving every year.

To put this in context, the growth in sales of English and Welsh wine was 3% overall in 2024 – but sparkling wine sales remained at a level, while still wine sales grew by 10%.

For a variety of reasons – from warmer, drier microclimates and favourable soil types to the choice of varieties planted– some parts of the country are better than others at the still game, and regional specialisms are emerging over time. Indeed, Essex and Kent are the top two counties for plantings, and Essex is home to some of the country’s most prized Chardonnay and Pinot Noir stills. Sussex is the largest producing county overall, but is best known for the quality of its

ENGLISH AND WELSH WINE IN 2025

• The English and Welsh wine sector now counts more than 1,100 vineyards and 238 wineries.

• 10.7 million – the number of bottles produced in 2024.

• Overall sales grew by 3% in 2024, driven by a 10% rise of still wine sales.

• Independent retail sales rose from 6% to 9%.

• The industry employs around 3,300 full-time roles and 13,000 seasonal jobs, with full-time positions forecast to grow by 21% by 2028.

• Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the main varieties grown to make sparkling wine, and Bacchus is the leading grape in still wine production.

• Kent has the highest vineyard density in the UK.

sparkling wine, as are Hampshire and Dorset. Wales has an increasing number of premium wine producers, still and sparkling.

There are, however, some barriers to entry into independents, which WineGB is seeking to overcome.

“The challenges are about nding who your local producers are and what story you want to tell. It’s about making your own traditions, and showing that we have innovative winemakers leading from the front – Westwell, Black Chalk, Llanerch in Wales, who bring a youthful, fresh feel, alongside traditional producers making sparkling in the Champagne style.”

WineGB has relaunched its website and has a directory of producers across the country, for retailers seeking local suppliers.

Ultimately, as head of its national trade body, Bates hopes that independents are receptive to English and Welsh wine's appeal. “Retailers have huge power to bring people to the table. Once they’ve showcased one of our wines, they’re probably converting someone for life. The best thing they can do is host a tasting, show di erent English wines side by side, and explain why they’re special. That creates a dedicated customer base, who will go and tell friends and family, and it becomes part of the wave of activity that builds our wine heritage – just as we’ve built our food heritage.”

winegb.co.uk

/ Best Sparkling / Best

/ Best Still White / Best Chardonnay Lyme Bay, Martin’s Lane Vineyard Chardonnay 2020 RRP £35 lymebaywinery.co.uk

Best Vintage Sparkling / Best Classic Cuvée / Best Boutique Wine

Domaine Hugo, Hugo 2020 Brut Nature domainehugo.co.uk

Best Red Wine / Best Pinot Noir

Blackbook Winery, Nightjar Pinot Noir 2022

RRP £26.50 blackbookwinery .com/shop

WORLD CHEESE AWARDS 2025

will take place in Bern, Switzerland as part of the Capital of Cheese festival from 13 – 15 November

KEY DATES 2025

Entry closes: 16 September

Cheese staged: 12 November | Judging: 13 November

Results available: 15 November

COST

Small business (Turnover less than £1m) £59 per cheese

Medium business (Turnover £1-5m) £72 per cheese

Large business (Turnover more than £5m) £95 per cheese

ORGANISED BY HOSTED BY

PRINCIPAL PARTNERS

What’s in a

bar ?

Large confectionery brands are increasingly putting the blame for their price increases on the ‘cocoa crisis’. But can the issues in chocolate production be solely the result of external forces? Cra chocolate advocates argue that it is in fact a systemic issue, which better practice and investment could x.

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

A practice which is becoming increasingly common in food & drink was one enacted recently by McVities and KitKat – of quietly renaming white chocolate biscuits ‘white’ as they contain so little cocoa butter, they aren’t legally allowed to be called chocolate.

Meanwhile, in the United States, a company called Voyage Foods is using grapes – rich in tannins, like chocolate – as well as sun ower seeds to develop cocoa-free chocolate. In Switzerland, researchers have cultivated cocoa cells in a lab, and many, including chocolate giant Lindt, are following suit.

These are all responses to uctuating cocoa prices – which peaked at more than $12,000 a tonne in December 2024, a er hovering around the $2,000-$3,000 bracket for decades, settling around the $8,000 mark now.

The spike was largely credited to climate change – bringing with it droughts, oods and damp diseases like black pod and swollen shoot virus – and to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, which have disrupted supply chains.

But there’s more to the issue than bad harvests, explains Spencer Hyman, owner of cra chocolate retailer and educator, Cocoa Runners, who argues that speculations by hedge funds and major manufacturers running their stocks down fuelled the surge.

The fundamental problem, he says, is that like in all commodity exchanges, “is that there is a misalignment between the desire for cheap prices and having three or four people who buy everything able to force the price down”.

He explains that commodity cocoa, mainly from West Africa – with Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana accounting for 60% of world production – is produced by upwards of ve million farmers, yet there are just a handful of buyers and processors: the likes of OLAM, Cargill and Callebaut.

“And the problem is the big chocolate is not incentivised to invest.”

In Ghana, he explains, where the government cocoa board (COCOBOD) buys all of the country’s cocoa from roughly 800,000 farmers, representing 15% of the world’s cocoa, just three companies account for 80% of sales.

“Those guys are all bidding against one another at both ends, trying to buy as much as they can, as cheap as they can, and then sell as much as they can, as high as they can – with no incentive to work with the farmers.”

So even in a supply crisis, when the prices rose, farmers haven’t received a fair share –paid as little as a quarter of the market price, “as little as 80 cents a day”, Hyman says. Not only does this lead to widespread child slavery in the cocoa trade, but it also prevents farmers from reinvesting any money back into their crops.

“It’s an industry that’s been neglected for so long,” says Mike Longman, founder of bean-tobar chocolate producer Chocolarder. Farmers, he says, haven’t had the income to invest in education, infrastructure or productivity, allowing viruses to spread and ageing trees to

If it contains vegetable fats in addition to cocoa butter, that’s usually a pretty good sign that they’re cutting costs

Claire

Burnet,

co-founder, Chococo

Where great taste reigns supreme

Once

For

Great Taste Winners include: BASALT DISTILLERY

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weaken yields.

Claire Burnet, co-founder of Dorset-based chocolatier, Chococo, sees the same pattern: “The trees are getting older, the yields are declining, disease is growing, young farmers don’t want to grow cocoa because they don’t see it as pro table. You’ve got this perfect storm of downward spiral of output.”

Combine this with the fact that quality or avour aren’t Big Chocolate companies’ priority, and you have a recipe for ‘white’ McVities.

Alongside the economic challenges for farmers, there are also quality di erences in the cocoa itself – and how Big Chocolate chooses to use it.

Commodity cocoa from West Africa – or “bulk chocolate”, as Burnet describes it – is of the Forastero variety, one grown for its robustness and resilience to disease – but which lacks the avour pro le of others like Trinitario, or Criollo, known for ne avour and grown in South America, the Caribbean and Madagascar among other places.

And while all of the distinctive avour compounds are in the powder, the melting properties are in the butter, prized in cosmetics. Its rising price means it is o en replaced in food with an equivalent vegetable fat.

In contrast to bulk cocoa, she argues, working with ethical chocolate partners means that farmers are paid the market price – so they are then able to invest money in their farms.

“I’m a passionate believer in working with chocolate that’s produced in country of origin; it adds more value to that country’s economy because they’re exporting a value-added product, so there’s tax revenue, they’re using local sugar and a more skilled labour force.

“But they also have a vested interest in the long-term sustainability of growing cocoa.”

But working with responsible suppliers comes with its own issues, Spencer Hyman says.

“We were already paying $5,000 to $15,000 a tonne when everybody else was paying $2,500. Now they’re paying $10,000, and we’re paying $10,000 to $18,000.

“And because we’ve got more chocolate in our bars, it’s more of a problem.”

The biggest gluttons for punishment may be bean-to-bar producers, however, who arguably have the highest costs – from buying raw cacao, to buying roasters and grinders, and paying labour costs in the UK – without accounting for needing to spend a lot of time and energy communicating what they do and why.

On the upside, Mike Longman says it gives smaller producers “full creative control, and access to more unique markets”.

In cases like Chococo, which works with transparent, ethical partners, “cocoa liquor production in growing countries is a brilliant value-add”, he says, but in other cases this will pose problems with traceability, and a loss in the artisanal process of chocolate-making. Being a bean-to-bar producer means that the roasting, grinding, conching and tempering

stages are worthy of the work that has gone into it prior.

“The avour that we want to nd in chocolate comes from the skill of the farmer”, he says. Fermentation is guided by farmers whose sensory experience dates back generations.

“Then they have to dry it carefully until it has the right amount of avour. That creates the precursor acidic compounds that we can turn into ne avour.

“If roasting isn’t done with the right amount of care, it feels like a bit of an o ence to how it’s been fermented.”

By contrast, what commodity chocolatemakers are creating is an amalgamation of avour, an approximation of what consumers expect – which Longman calls the “Nescafé Gold” of chocolate.

“If it’s business, it’s business. It’s being produced to a middle of the road, ‘it tastes chocolatey’, o it goes.”

He adds: “We are treating the ingredients as a Michelin chef would, who look at and smell and taste the ingredient and then they take it to its pinnacle.”

So what are the red ags retailers should look out for when they’re buying chocolate, if it is high quality and ethics they’re a er?

“The most important thing is you need to know where the beans come from, down to the level of the farm or the cooperative,” Hyman says.

Most big brands won’t disclose anything – or at best, the country of origin – “and that just means you’re buying a commodity product”.

Using wine as an analogy, he adds: “If you

We are treating the ingredients as a Michelin chef would. They look at and smell and taste the ingredient and then they take it to its pinnacle.

Mike Longman, founder, Chocolarder

buy ‘French’, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be high quality. If you buy a Grand Cru from Burgundy, you know it’s going to be high quality. It’s the same with chocolate.”

Owning facilities isn’t a must, he says. “The key is that you control the recipe. The essence to all of it is that it tastes better, it’s better for the farmers, it’s better for the planet. And it’s all interlinked.”

For Longman, alarm bells should ring if the rst ingredient on the back of a bar is sugar. “That’s a real giveaway,” he says, while Burnet adds: “If it contains vegetable fats in addition to cocoa butter, that’s usually a pretty good sign, that they’re cutting costs.”

Those warning signs, Burnet suggests, may also point to where the chocolate industry is heading. Her theory is that we’ll see more cocoa butter substitutes used in ‘cheap’ chocolate.

“Big Chocolate companies aren’t putting their prices up, they’re ducking educating their customers, making the bars smaller, and using increasing amounts of cocoa butter equivalents (CBE).”

This view is seconded by Hyman, who thinks chocolate alternatives will replace commodity chocolate products. “There are some really good avour scientists, who although they can’t get the complexity of cra chocolate, can de nitely mimic the fairly at, uncomplicated stu .”

If you buy French wine, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be high quality. If you buy a Grand Cru from Burgundy, you know it’s going to be high quality. It’s the same with chocolate.

Spencer Hyman, founder, Cocoa Runners

Longman’s theory is more optimistic: he thinks that higher pay in commodity chocolate regions will translate into a healthier industry, where education about agroforestry and yields will help lesser developed countries in the tropical brand to turn cocoa into a cash crop once more.

While there’s always going to be the race to the bottom as far as price, warning of “teeny tiny margins” that push enormous players to squeeze supplier margins and dance on “a ne line between good enough quality at a low enough price”, he sees a di erent future for chocolate.

In the same way that consumers have grown to understand the value of ne olive oil, wine and co ee, chocolate will also become an “adult, indulgent, complex food”.

Longman adds: “Everyone expects there to be a local co ee roaster and a local baker in their town, hopefully in a few years, there’ll be a local chocolate maker – with a small roaster and a grinder making fresh chocolate, able to tell you about the farms and unique avours.

“Delis will have two or three di erent brands, where they know where it’s coming from, and big brands are isolated to supermarkets.”

So whether you’re a retailer looking for the best producers to work with, or a simply a hungry gourmand, great chocolate might well be coming to a high street near you.

Taking tradition to the next level in Spain’s heartland

Castile and León’s evolving food & drink culture blends tradition with innovation, earning the region’s producers a steady stream of awards across a variety of categories

Quality and tradition pervade the dynamic food and drink of Castile and Leon, the largest autonomous region in Spain, characterised by a diverse landscapes punctuated by mountains, rivers and lakes.

This is a place where people hold on to family recipes, respect ingredients and maintain a deep connection with the local produce. Food is serious business here.

By now, the region is used to winning accolades in Great Taste. This year is no di erent as it came away with a total of 37 awards. As with producers across Spain, there is a deep respect for culinary traditions, but producers have been rewarded for a commitment to pushing the envelope and elevating their products by embracing new techniques and ideas.

FLORAL FLAVOURS IN THE HIVE

The decision of honey producer Hives Bio in El Bierzo to work with unusual sources has paid o in spades. In this year’s Great Taste, the honey producer came away with, not one, but two prizes – a 3-star for its avocado honey and 1-star for the lavender honey.

Though it is not unusual to produce honey from avocado owers in southern parts of Spain such as Murcia and Andalucia, in central parts like Castile and Leon it is less common. Hives started producing honey from the avocado plants quite naturally when they placed some beehives near the plants and the bees, attracted by the nectar, started producing this singular honey.

“We practice organic beekeeping and we always seek to make the most of the natural resources to o er an authentic product of high quality,” says managing director Javier Moran Lobato. “We seek to create unique honeys with their own identity and avocado and lavender give us an opportunity to set ourselves apart from others and to explore di erent sensory pro les.”

He says the lavender honey stands out for a oral aroma while the avocado honey is smooth and complex with notes of fruit, a hint of toast and a creamy texture.

BREWERS WITH WINE BRAINS

Castile and Leon is well known for its excellent wines, speci cally in the part of Ribera del Duero. Now there’s a beer in the region with a hint of wine.

The ingenious brewers at Cerveza Mica have successfully added tempranillo grapes in one of their beers – so successful, in fact, that it gained a 1-star Great Taste award in 2025.

“Like good citizens of Ribera, we like wine and the brewers in Mica are also winemakers and have worked in wineries,” says founder Juan Cereijo.

The award-winning harvest beer is made of 33% tempranillo grapes – brewers macerate the grape juice to extract all of its fruity character and ferment it in a similar way to the way they ferment the barley malt for the beer.

“This is a beer that brings together the best of the grape and the grain and the result is like an experience of drinking a beer at rst, which then you get the developing avours and aromas of the red wine from our terroir,” explains Juan Cereijo. “They really bring you that experience of walking into a winery.”

In business for 11 years now, Cerveza Mica

located in Aranda de Duero, was conceived with the objective of making a positive impact on the environment and society from the perspective of the rural world and food waste.

Though there are extensive grain elds in Castile and Leon, there is not a big tradition for producing beer. “It is curious because we produce more grain than grape, and we drink more beer than wine,” re ects Cereijo.

FAMOUS FOR CHEESE

Castile and Leon always does well at the World Cheese Awards and one of the cheeses that received a Gold last year’s awards, the toasted cheese by Quesos Filloy Garcia, has been awarded a 2-star in this year’s Great Taste.

Filloy Garcia only started making the cheese two years ago – a result of the producers trying something new, raising the temperature during production, which they found gave the cheese a toasted avour.

Third-generation owner Angel Garcia Garcia compares the cheese, made of cows’, goats’ and sheep’s milk, to a Parmesan. “It has a very pleasant, rich avour and the longer the maturation, the better it is,” he says. “We leave it for nine months before we can sell it but if you leave it for a year and beyond it develops a truly impressive avour.”

The key to Spain’s long tradition for making high quality cheeses, says Garcia is the quality of the country’s dairy. “Spanish milk is simply outstanding and the milk in Castile and Leon tends to make cheeses that are smooth, creamy and slightly buttery,” he explains.

He says his own cheeses are a product of signi cant family experience paired with skill and an open mind to trying new things. “My great grandfather started the production here, my father took over and now I am in charge,” he says. “You learn a lot from experience and from the challenges, so the cheese is a combination of the skill, the experience and the excellent ingredients that we have here.”

EVOLVING MEAT TRADITIONS

It is impossible to speak of the foods in Castile and Leon without mentioning the region’s fantatstic meat products, more precisely the excellent charcuterie. The best-known are Iberico and serrano hams, salami and chorizo, while cecina (cured beef) is not as famous.

The Leon family business Cecinas Pablo started producing cured beef in the early 1990s “because nobody else was doing it,” says export manager Eduardo Hernandez. The business has

since made its mark as an artisanal producer of cecina of the highest quality. In 2025’s Great Taste they were rewarded for a product in step with the times – a snack based on sheets of dehydrated cured beef, called Cruchips. “It is a healthy snack, it is light and tasty and has a high level or protein – a bag of 25gr o ers the same amount of protein as a 70gr piece of steak,” explains Hernandez.

The snack undergoes the same meticulous attention to detail as the original meat products. “We work to highly traditional and artisanal methods. We don’t produce the meats, we select the meats and we only work with the nest pieces of beef that meet our very high criteria and each piece is matured the time it needs. Some might require just three months while others bene t from six months maturing.”

Cruchips is the result of an open approach to introducing new methods and products.

“We apply the same philosophy to a more modern format without losing the soul of the product,” concludes Hernandez.

PRODUCING WITH PRIDE

The qualities of Castile and Leon are ideal for maturing meats, says Hernandez, referencing the cold winters and dry summers – perfect conditions for a slow and natural curing process. But he adds that the element that makes Castile and Leon food so successful is the people.

“Here, food is not just nutrition but it is pride, legacy and an expression of our identity,” he says.

The commitment to tradition and showing the best of the land through working with new techniques and an open mind is central to Castile and Leon’s proud record in winning awards.

“The people who work on creating food & drink products here are what make this region rich in gastronomic innovation,” says Cereijo. “They are the people who determine the path and they are very proud of what they do.”

For more information, contact: promocion.ice@jcyl.es

Hives Bio: www.hives.es

Cerveza Mica: www.cervezamica.es

Quesos Garcia Filloy: www.quesosfilloy.com

Cecinas Pablo: www.cecinaspablo.com

TRAINING

Our one-day course for anyone sourcing or selling cheese, delivered by industry and retail experts. Understand how cheese is made, how it should be stored and sold, gain skills to help communicate with customers and sell more cheese from a position of knowledge.

www.grandma-wilds.co.uk

Showcasing speciality food & drink, all under one glass roof

Speciality & Fine Food Fair returns to Olympia London on 9-10 September 2025, bringing together the UK’s most exciting showcase of high-quality food and drink.

Speciality & Fine Food Fair is where the fine food community comes together to explore what’s next, connect with passionate producers, and uncover products that excite and inspire. For 2025, we’ve expanded the event to reflect the energy and evolution of the sector, with new features, new networking opportunities and loads of fantastic new brands and we can’t wait to welcome the speciality food & drink community this September.

We’re excited to be launching a new networking event at the show in partnership with Invest NI. This will feature a range of delicious Northern Irish products and some key industry insights from the British Independent Retailers Association and the Farm Retail Association.

We will also be introducing visitors to our Behind the Counter Club, a brand-new networking opportunity, and launching a brandnew app for this year’s fair, enabling buyers to connect directly with producers and navigate the event with more ease. Plus, new for this year’s event, we’ll be celebrating and highlighting quality regional producers from around the UK.

Nicola Woods, event manager

A must-attend date in the calendar for independent retailers, chefs, hospitality operators, wholesalers and distributors, the fair is a vibrant hub of product discovery, meaningful connection and expert insight into the trends shaping fine food and drink. This year, visitors will find an expanded line-up of features that reflect the ever-evolving landscape of artisanal and speciality produce.

VISIT THE FAIR

The fair’s popular features return for another year, including the Food for Thought stage, home to practical sessions on everything from pricing strategy and product development to sustainability and market trends. The Drinks Quarter, Wine Cellar and Great Taste Deli are curated zones for sampling the latest in craft drinks and awardwinning produce, while the Village Square provides a relaxed networking environment for visitors and exhibitors.

Another highlight for 2025 is Pitch Live, in partnership with IND!E, where start-ups and are invited to present their products live to a panel of industry buyers and experts. The Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards also return, celebrating excellence across a range of categories with new additions for 2025.

SHOW PREVIEW

With a rich mix of established producers, emerging talent and thought-provoking content, Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2025 is the place to discover what’s next in ne food and drink, connect with the sector’s key players and stay ahead of the curve.

NEW FOR 2025

New for 2025 is the IND!E Pavilion, a dedicated space spotlighting innovative challenger brands handpicked for their quality, originality and potential to disrupt the mainstream. An expanded Start-Up Village will offer more earlystage businesses the chance to showcase their unique products to an audience of decision makers, buyers and operators.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The Food for Thought stage at this year’s event will be full of insightful sessions over the course of the two days, from trend predictions by thefoodpeople’s Charles Banks and Egg Soldiers’ Kateline Porritt, to panel discussions with high end and independent retailers.

The topics covered as part of the programme will include cyber resilience, with Paul Hargreaves of Cotswold Fayre discussing the wholesaler’s recent cyber-attack. Another session will focus on the women shaping the drinks industry, with other topics including ethical sustainability, the power of product knowledge and the value of staff training, hosted by Guild of Fine Food’s John Farrand and featuring speakers Mark Kacary of The Norfolk Deli and Stefano Cuomo of Macknade.

Kacary says: “In the rush to drive shareholder value, it’s easy to forget that this is a people business. Building close, genuine relationships with suppliers turns you and your team into true advocates for the products you sell.

“When it comes to customers, it’s about more than just transactions, it’s about understanding their needs and creating meaningful, personal experiences that make them feel valued and understood. I’m looking forward to diving into this conversation and sharing insights on how we can bring that allimportant human touch back to the heart of food retail.”

Day one of the Fair will also feature a candid conversation with Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones

MBE and Alex Emmanuel-Jones, the father and son team behind The Black Farmer, who will discuss the recent expansion of the retail brand and how they select products that match their values.

Alex Emmanuel-Jones says: “Right now, people want more than just a good product –they want to know what a brand stands for. I built this brand by trusting my gut and staying true to what I believe in. This session is about sharing the real, behind-the-scenes stuff: the risks, the wins, and how having a mission can guide you through it all when the market gets tough.”

Niamh McCormack, commercial trends & acceleration lead at Holland & Barrett, will join the discussion ‘Healthier by design: Turning wellness expectations into retail opportunity’, and says: “I’m thrilled to represent H&B at this year’s Speciality & Fine Food Fair. Over the past few years, we’ve begun reimagining our food & beverage range to build a market-leading wellness proposition. It’s a real privilege to share our journey and insights as part of this year’s panel discussion.

session titled ‘10 ways to use provenance to supercharge your brand & story’ alongside the company’s managing director Bob Bayman, and comments: “Provenance has always mattered –but in 2025, it’s more important than ever.

“As consumers demand more transparency and local produce, and retailers seek stronger storytelling, understanding how to use provenance as a strategic brand tool can unlock real commercial advantage. Our session is all about showing brands and retailers how to use it well, and perhaps when to hold back.”

PITCH LIVE

Pitch Live, in partnership with IND!E, sees emerging brands pitch their products live to panels of leading retailers. This year, it will have its own dedicated stage.

Buyers will join us from Selfridges, Ocado, and Booths, as will a panel of independents including Stefano Cuomo of Macknade, Laura Roberts of Laura’s Larder, Sam Morgan of Drapers Lane Deli, Tom Newey of Cobbs Farm, and former Superette store manager Greg Ivison, bringing together some of the most respected voices in the sector.

“More than ever before, consumers are taking ownership of their wellbeing, and proactively seeking simple, everyday ways to support their health. A shift towards non-UPF products is central to this movement, and it’s not a passing trend. To stay ahead, both brands and retailers must explore how we make non-UPF choices more accessible, better understood, and truly relevant to how people live and eat today.”

Danni Horsley, senior brand builder at Elephants Can’t Jump, will be presenting a

Matt & Hannah Hopkins, founders of IND!E, say: “We’re thrilled to be back at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair in an even bigger way for 2025. Pitch Live, which this year forms part of IND!E’s pavilion, has become one of the most exciting opportunities for challenger brands to get in front of retail buyers, and the energy in the room is always electric. Working with the team to elevate small brands and bring innovation to the market is a real privilege, and we can’t wait to see what this year brings.”

An Ocado spokesperson adds: “Pitch Live at Speciality Fine Food Fair with IND!E is one of the standout events in our calendar for discovering emerging talent. It gives us a frontrow seat to some of the most exciting new brands in food and drink, and a direct line to the founders behind them. The format is fastpaced, energetic, and full of potential, exactly the kind of environment that breeds retail success.”

Partnering and supporting Artisan cheese makers to bring you quality, value, and exclusive local cheeses to your counter.

SPECIALITY & FINE FOOD FAIR AWARDS 2025

The Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards shine a spotlight on the most exciting talent, products, and businesses in the world of artisan food and drink. Taking place on day one of the fair, the awards will celebrate remarkable achievements across the sector, from cutting-edge product development to the independent retailers championing quality, sustainability, and community impact.

Categories include Outstanding Regional Star, Outstanding Industry Champion, and Best DEI Champion, alongside accolades for outstanding retailers and standout new products both from the UK and overseas.

Nicola Woods, event manager for Speciality & Fine Food Fair, says: “These awards are all about championing the passion, creativity, and resilience that define our sector. Whether it’s a beautifully crafted new product or a retailer going above and beyond for their community, the shortlist reflects the very best of speciality food and drink in 2025.”

The shortlist for this year’s awards is:

Large Independent Retailer of the Year, sponsored by WBC and in partnership with BIRA

• Nourished Communities

• Valentina Deli

• Farmer Copleys Farm Shop Ltd

Small Independent Retailer of the Year,

sponsored by WBC and in partnership with BIRA

• Morgans Butchery Ltd

• The Norfolk Deli

• Club Soda

• French & Day Delicatessen

New Product of the Year – International

• Brigidini di Lamporecchio by Rinati Srl

• Kimchi Ketchup by Chimac

• Hermione by Olivian Groves

• Jara 100% Wild Honey by TFELI LLC

New Product of the Year – UK

• Mushroom Risotto by Norfolk Mushroomery

• Zaatar Passata by Terra Rossa

• Two Farmers 0.0% Apple Cider by Two Farmers Cider

• Sweet Dill Pickle Chips by Pickle Project

Not Yet on the Shelf

• Smoked Cornish Mackerel by Hevva!

• Full Power Cacao by Full Power Cacao

• Glen Keen Estate Irish Cream Liqueur by Glen Keen Estate Ltd

• 2.5 Brut by Nunc Living Ltd

• Sal de Ibiza D’l Vera by D’l Vera Group

“It’s an incredible honour to be shortlisted for the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Independent Retailer Award,” says Miles Nicholas, director at Morgans Butchery Ltd.

“After having to rebuild my life and career following a stroke, this recognition means more than I can say. We’ve worked hard to create a

SHOW PREVIEW

welcoming, inclusive butchery for everyone, and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved as a family.”

Vhari Russell, founder of The Food Marketing Expert and judge, adds: “It was such a tough judging session to pick this year’s shortlist. The quality of the products was incredibly high, along with the branding and packaging, and we enjoyed many debates around the judging table. The awards are such a wonderful opportunity to showcase those exhibiting at the show and give them credit for the amazing products they make.”

Scott Winston, SME brand consultant and judge for the New Product of the Year categories, says: “It was an honour to once again be asked to judge the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards this year. The quality and diversity of entries across all categories is representative of the food scene in 2025 and made it hard to pick winners.”

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA), says: “These awards are so important. Indie retailers are facing so many challenges and so it is fantastic to see and recognise innovation, brilliant retailing and success in this way. These awards remind me that this sector has so much talent and so much to offer.”

Speciality & Fine Food Fair returns to Olympia on 9-10 September 2025. Find out more and register for your trade ticket, at specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk

• Inspired Product Collection

• Innovation is in our DNA • Consolidation for Positive Impact

• A Complete Customer Experience

• Social Responsibility Guides our Decisions

WHAT’S NEW

CHERICO Stand 3624

CHERICO represents the new generation of hot drinks: crafted with chicory rather than caffeine overload. Using French chicory and natural ingredients, it produces bold, natural, low-caffeine drinks designed for coffee lovers seeking a break from traditional coffee. cherico.co.uk

Black Bear Honey Co. 3520

BODEGAS MONTEGAREDO 1920c

BODEGAS VEGA DE YUSO 1930d

BODEGAS VEGANZONES 1920e

Bohyang Tea Co. 3623b

Bon Chocolate 3427

BoTree Seasonings 834

Brave Millers - Frantoiani Coraggiosi 1820

Bree’øsh - the Scandinavian Bakery 3406

Brine and Smoke 3222

Brookside Botanicals 3512 BROTHWAY 1943

Brown Bag Crisps 3107

Brut Tea 3530

Bubbling Stove Brownies 3518

Buck & Birch Spirits and Liqueurs 1030D

Builin Blasta 3206

Burren Balsamics 3133

Butternut Box & Marro 3234

Compagnia Mercantile d’Oltremare srl 1830

Caliendo’s Gelato 3677 Can’t be bothered Wine 3690 Castruriali 3516

Caviar and Cocktails 3212

Ceylbee 1240 Cherico 3624

CHERKY FOODS 1930a Chimac / Harry’s Nut Butter 1652

EEast Forest Kenari Nuts 1014

ECCE UK-CH 1140

ECCEUKCH 1140

Elsewhere Coffee 835

EMBASSY OF COTE D’IVOIRE 1241

Emilia’s Crafted Pasta 1066

EMMA BASIC 1831

Emmi Kaltbach 1456

English Tea Shop 2035

EUChorizo! 1411

EUROPE FOR THE SENSES 1350

FFacino Antipasti 1820

FAG Creative Foods 1112

Fattoria Sila 1820

FAUSTO Sea Artisans 3618

FDReviews 3213

Feel Complete 3511

Ferment Fizz 2400

FIAB 1230/1320/1330

FieldGoods 1710

Fil Palestinian Artisan Shatta 3433

Fine Cheesemakers of Scotland 1030G

Finest Cake Co & Speciality Breads 1450

Foreva Farmers 1940

Fudge Kitchen 1020

Full Power Cacao 1144

GGalvanina 2400

Gangjin-gun Agricultural Cooperative Rice

Cooperative Co., Ltd 3626b

Garimi Co., Ltd 3627

Gin In A Tin 1060

Glen Nevis Plantation 1240

Godminster 1619

Golden Hooves 1050

Golden Road Gin 3686

GOLFERA 1250

Gongju City, Korea Agricultural Excellence 2057

GOOD F&B 3626c

GOOD FERMENTATION 827

Good Luck Traders Inc. 3407

Gralgo from Ceylon 1240

Grateful Pies 1111

Guild of Fine Food 1760

GRUPO PISTACYL 1930j

Gymkhana Fine Foods 1512 H

Hampshire Fare 1210

Handcrafted Cashew Nut Stung Treng 1240

Hawkshead Relish Company 1711

Helen Browning’s Organic 1355 HELIOS GROUP 1920a HERMANOS MARTÍN SÁNCHEZ JAMONES Y

WHAT’S NEW

FAUSTO SEA ARTISANS Stand 3618

FAUSTO stands out with a distinctive and compelling offering of premium organic canned seafood, featuring a variety of fish species from different origins, all processed fresh and with an unwavering commitment to excellence and environmental preservation. faustoseaartisans.com

MAPLE SYRUP

WHAT’S NEW

HONEST UMAMI

Stand 3428

Honest Umami is on a mission to reframe the conversation around MSG. Often misunderstood, MSG is at the heart of this start-up’s flavour-forward range, which includes Pure MSG, 3-2-1 All-Purpose seasoning, Salt & Pepper, and Chilli blends, all crafted to showcase the ingredient’s culinary potential.   honestumami.com

EMBUTIDOS IBÉRICOS

Icertech 1654

Imaginative Cuisine LTD 1243

Ind!e Collection

INSTITUTO PARA LA COMPETITIVIDAD EMPRESARIAL DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN 1920/1930

International

(ITC)

Jeollanamdo 3623/3626 Joe & Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn 1420 Joli

Melt Chocolates 3123

Monkeytail Teas Sri Lanka 1240

More Than Only Food & Drink 1356 N

NANAFRUITS COMPANY LIMITED 1650

New Forest Shortbread 1461

No More Lids 3423

Nootz 1240

Northern Pasta Co 3147 not applicable 1920

Nunat Vegan Snacks 3509

OOh Raw! 3432

Olivian Groves 1155

Omega Pressery 3424

Omiyage by Koya 3413

Only Cannoli 2037

OYE DRINKS SRL 3513

Ozerlat 3135 P

Paisley Drinks Co 3691

Pancrazio SpA 1830

Peppered Palette Co. 3414

Pesto 3620

Peter’s Yard 1620

Pickle Project 3522

PiQi 3408

PizzaSi Distribution UK 1731

PlanTea 3507

PLATATINE 3628

Pomme Blushe 3684

Poon’s London 3204

Popcorn Kitchen Ltd 3113

Potion De V Ltd. Artisanal Pure Vanilla Extract 3533

Potts Partnership Ltd 1615 PURE MAPLE 1960

Pure, Bright and Warm Cooperative 3626a

Purely Scottish Natural Mineral Water 1030B

Quality Confectionery Wholesale 1753

QUESERIA LA ANTIGUA 1930f QUESOS REVILLA 1920h R

Rai Rai 2400

Raju Sauce 3434

RALPH‘S 3151

RamTang’ Cello 3517

Rare & Pasture Tempus 1610

Real Farm Meat - Kirkwood farm 2056

REVISAN 1930c

Rhucello 3693

SHOW PREVIEW

WHAT’S NEW

PICKLE PROJECT

Stand 3522

Pickle Project was founded out of frustration with squishy, uninspiring gherkins and a determination to raise the pickle game in Britain. It uses no artificial additives, only natural, fresh ingredients and a good dose of science, to produce what it believes are exceptionally good pickles. pickleproject.co.uk

Importers & distributors since 2001 orders@theoliveoilco.com Tel: 020 7740 1717

WHAT’S NEW

RAMTANG ‘CELLO

Stand 3517

RamTang’ Cello offers a vibrant twist on tradition with its lower-sugar, fruit-forward take on limoncello. The independent, family-run business has expanded its offering beyond the classic lemon to include a zesty lime version, encouraging consumers to experiment with citrus in new ways, from mixology to cooking.  ramtang.com

Rinati

Rosemullion Distillery 1524

Rosyth

Sainte Lucie 1160

Salinas D´ Es Trenc 1040

Salumificio Geca 1820 SAN JAMON 1920d

Sangka Mineral Water pH 8-9 1119

SANTA TERESA 1930e

Saucerer 3419

Scarpato SRL

DFFRNT FINE FERMENTS Stand 3611

dffrnt is more than just another kombucha; it’s a living, all natural, small-batch ferment made for those who care about what they drink. Patiently double fermented, it offers a dry, layered, and complex finish, serving as a true alternative to alcohol while delivering a wealth of health benefits. It’s the refreshing boost everybody deserves. drinkdffrnt.com

The Fine Cheese Co.

The Garlic Farm & Wild Island 837

The Grecials 1122

The Jam Lab 3506

The Little Bakery 1030C

The Oil Merchant Ltd. 1726

The Peanut Butter Store 1622

The Real Olive Company 1821

The Shropshire Scratching Company 3617

The Wooden Spoon Preserving Co Ltd 3218

The Woodland Trust 3415

The Yorkshire Kitchen 3264

Tio Ze 1240

Tiptree 1208

TOBS Food Safety 831

TOSS 3505

Tudy’s Kitchen 2500

Two & One Olive Oil 3418

LA BANDIERA ORGANIC SINGLE-ESTATE

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL APRIL 2025

La Bandiera Olive Oil is produced in the wine growing area of Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast. Over 1100 mature olive trees are harvested to produce the estate’s exclusive label, ultra premium olive oil.

The olives are harvested from the moraiolo, leccino and frantoio trees when they are just beginning to ripen in October and the characteristics are so typical of the area - full bodied with grassy, fruity and spicy aromas.

La Bandiera extra virgin olive oil is endorsed by the IGP (lndicazione Geografica Protetta). This certification is important to La Bandiera as it is a guarantee of origin; it provides consumers with a guarantee that the oil meets certain quality standards associated with the specific geographical area and the IGP label helps consumers identify and choose authentic olive oils of premium quality. The acidity levels of La Bandiera olive oil is consistently very low at less than 0.3% which puts us in the category of ultra premium extra virgin olive oil.

La Bandiera Olive Oil is produced in 500ml bottles (with a gift box) and 1 litre can. It is available through the online shop. The prices are £25 and £45 respectively. The wholesale price for a carton of 6 x 500ml bottles is £90.

Have yourself a tidy little Christmas

The a ermath of the summer boom is a good time to regroup and get ready for the onslaught of Christmas. Here’s how three di erent food businesses have started to prepare.

By Nick Baines

FOR MANY BUSINESSES, September is a welcome reprieve from the peak of summer activity. However, this short-lived respite can o en only serve as a moment to get things in order ready for the run-up to Christmas.

“We have to think ahead,” explains founder and owner of Kendal’s More Artisan Bakery, Patrick Moore. “This time of year we try and think about two to three months ahead.

“As we enter September and October, the damson harvest comes in,” continues Moore. “As soon as they’re picked, we store them in gin to use in our mince pies. The damson gin is used in the mince pie mix, and a preserved damson is dropped into each mince pie on top of the mincemeat before the hazelnut frangipane is added.”

But while seasonality was once an economical way of using what was most abundant, rising costs can sometimes remove this advantage. “Seasonal isn’t quite as cheap as it used to be,” says Moore. “You have to be a lot more creative in what you put together.”

“We try and utilise ingredients across the business,” he says. “The oil from the con t garlic in our bread is used on pizzas, and we also use it to make our aioli. Similarly, we use salsa verde, at the right time of year, for pizzas, breads and salads to freshen everything up.”

At Fodder in Harrogate, general manager

Vanessa Pitt says it’s during these months that Christmas specials will be developed and tested in the café. “Anything themed around pigs in blankets usually does very well,” explains Pitt. “We usually test some specials before December to be served in the café and the Airstream outside.

“We get our Christmas stock in from September,” she adds. “And we will lter things into the shop from mid September.”

This pre-planning in September is key for a smooth November and December. “You have people being out and jolly and spending more around this time, but if you’re not geared up for the Christmas party market, it can be a tough time,” says Matt Walsh, director of Deus Lodge in Dorset, as well as Tender Cow and New Wave Ramen in Manchester. “We get our Christmas o ering and our photo shoots booked for the end of August so we have everything ready to promote for emails and social media.”

While Walsh’s restaurants don’t have a need to pre-order produce too far in advance, the restaurateur says getting ahead of sta ng is essential in these months. “Sta ng is a relentless wheel that never stops,” he says. “You always have one eye on seasonality and Christmas is de nitely one of those. We will do our Christmas rota months in advance, so they all know a good two or three months before. It gives everyone peace of mind and there are no unexpected shi changes. We try and accommodate sta so we don’t get le in a position where we’re short.”

Whether you have an extensive dining menu or are working on take-out options for a café, or seasonal specials for the weekends, Christmas requires rigorous preparation to tackle it e ectively.

THREE OF THE BEST Noteworthy Christmas specials

Christmas Sandwich, Sandwich Sandwich, Bristol and London

This renowned sandwich shop went viral in 2024 for its take on the classic Christmas sarnie, built to a towering height with turkey, smoked bacon, sage & onion sausage stuffing and cranberry sauce, but served it up alongside a pot of thick turkey gravy. sandwichsandwich.co.uk

Damson Mince Pie, More? Artisan, Staveley

The damson mince pie from More? Artisan in Kendal has garnered a lot of attention over the years, especially since it was featured on a Channel 4 documentary. A whole gin-soaked damson is laid on the top of homemade mincemeat. moreartisan.co.uk

Golden Cardamom Latte, WatchHouse, London and Bath Multisite WatchHouse Coffee puts together seasonal drinks to live up to its speciality coffee game. The Golden Cardamom Latte comes garnished with rose petals. watchhouse.com

THREE WAYS OF GETTING AHEAD

Preserve

things

Whether it’s pickling vegetables or preparing mince pie fillings, now’s the time to think about preserving ingredients to make the most of seasonal produce and ensure speed and efficiency when festive dining begins.

Plan your staff rotas

Staffing is an ongoing concern; check in with your essential staff members now to avoid getting caught out come December.

Prepare your promo

As well as getting a dry run on menu items and plating, organising photo shoots in advance can allow you to get your email and social media promotions scheduled in advance. As with anything to do with Christmas, you’ll need this sooner than you think.

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

The

The Garlic Farm is going even more organic

THE GARLIC FARM on the Isle of Wight has o ered quality garlic from its own elds and those of partner producers for over 50 years. Granny Norah planted the rst cloves in her kitchen garden, and the rest is history. Recently, it launched a certi ed organic range of three Asia-inspired sauces, all infused with Black Garlic: Organic Tamari Soy Sauce with Black Garlic, Organic Hoisin Sauce with Black Garlic and Organic Teriyaki Sauce with Black Garlic.

In 2023, the team achieved organic certi cation for all the farmland with the Soil Association. Their new collection of sauces builds on the shi to organic produce, re ecting growing customer appetites for foods that deliver on avour, without compromising on values. The launch of the new Asian range marks the rst stage in the business’s commitment to transition all products in the range to organic.

So why have the team committed to transitioning their products to organic? Barnes Edwards, director, says: “We have seen the positive e ect organic farming practices have on our garlic crop, livestock and surrounding elds. We’re committed to making the change across our supply chain as we learn more about the impact of nature friendly farming techniques.”

Over recent years, the team at The Garlic Farm has been experimenting with restorative farming practices, such as alley cropping (planting trees within crops to provide wildlife corridors, browse for livestock and improve soil structure) and mob grazing (the practice of moving livestock daily, within a crop rotation, to enhance soil structure and biodiversity above and below ground). These experiments have had a positive impact on the garlic crop, the soil health and biodiversity within

the farmland. It’s this rst-hand experience that has inspired the team to convert all their products to organic.

The organic range of Asian sauces is infused with Black Garlic, which is made by heat-ageing garlic over several weeks. The cloves so en and caramelise, gaining a distinctively sweet, umami avour, with a taste likened to gs, liquorice, or molasses and an unctuous texture of sticky dates. It’s packed with antioxidants and sought a er for its ability to enhance a wide variety of dishes.

The Garlic Farm’s new organic Asian range features the following products:

TAMARI SOY SAUCE WITH BLACK GARLIC

Intense, rich, black garlic gives this smooth tamari soy sauce a unique, balanced avour. Perfect mixed into stir fries or used as a dipping sauce.

HOISIN SAUCE WITH BLACK GARLIC

A garlicky plum sauce with a sweet black garlic avour. Delicious in stir fries, as an indulgent meat glaze or as a dipping sauce.

TERIYAKI SAUCE WITH BLACK GARLIC

A classic teriyaki sauce with a luxury black garlic twist, ideal for marinating chicken or seafood.

Regarding the new products, Barnes says: ‘This collection of store cupboard ingredients responds to the recent rise of Pan-Asian and Asian-Fusion food in restaurants and markets. We hope to help our retailers expand their organic o erings and give customers more choice, as well as peace of mind that our products are made with consideration for environmental impact.’

ABOUT THE GARLIC FARM

The Garlic Farm is a third-generation, family-run business, based in Newchurch on the Isle of Wight - a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It farms garlic, cultivates garlicbased food products, and operates retail, restaurant and on-farm accommodation. It holds Soil Association Organic and Pasture For Life certifications, demonstrating leadership in regenerative agriculture. One of eleven farms to achieve B Corp status in the UK (2023), the farm offers educational outreach to schools, the general public and local businesses. The Garlic Farm was awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development in 2025.

The Garlic Farm prioritises carbon insetting, biodiversity conservation, and circular resource management, implementing initiatives like multi-paddock grazing of livestock within the garlic rotation, woodland restoration, habitat creation, and soil regeneration.

Web: www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk

Email: enquiries@thegarlicfarm.co.uk

Phone: 01983 865378

www.thegarlicfarm. co.uk

01983 865 378

wholesale@ thegarlicfarm.co.uk

Our full range is also available with Cotswold Fayre and Cress Co

Made in Devon in small batches, our artisanal marmalades are 100% handmade from fresh fruit, simmered until the peel is soft before boiling to a set with sugar. In our opinion, this is the only way to make a good marmalade. The sharpness and clarity of the fruit shines through.

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With over 25 varieties; some of which pair just as well with cheese, smoked fish & cold meats, as they do on toast, our marmalades have gone from strength to strength. This includes winning numerous Gold, Silver & Bronze awards over the years at the Dalemain World Marmalade Awards and a 2024 Double Gold. www.thepropermarmaladecompany.co.uk

info@thepropermarmaladecompany.co.uk

PRODUCTS & MERCHANDISING

Good Fermentation wants to catch a rising tide with seaweed kimchi

By Lynda Searby

Good Fermentation is claiming a rst in its category with the launch a white, plant-based kimchi using Cornish seaweed (RRP £8/300g).

Free from sh and additives, this ferment is handcra ed in Surrey and blends traditional Korean baek kimchi techniques with wild laver and sea spaghetti hand harvested from the Lizard Peninsula and Coverack.

Good Fermentation co-founder Annika Pieridou told FFD the product is in line with its mission to produce plant-based, gut-friendly ferments with a local, British twist.

“Traditionally, kimchi includes sh sauce or shrimp paste for its deep umami avour. But as a fully vegan company, we wanted to recreate that savoury depth using only plant-based ingredients. Seaweed was the ideal answer, speci cally Cornish seaweed, which is rich in umami, iodine, bre, antioxidants and minerals, and may support gut health, thyroid function and immunity.”

Emphasising its sustainability credentials, Pieridou said that seaweed is “one of the most environmentally friendly crops, requiring no fertiliser, land or freshwater to grow”.

“It actively absorbs carbon and promotes biodiversity,” she added.

The harvesting method is regenerative, which prevents the seaweed from becoming depleted.

“It regrows naturally, protecting the marine ecosystem,” Pieridou explained.

Once collected, the seaweed is rinsed three times to remove sand and salt, then gently dried at low temperatures – to preserve nutrients –

Perelló olives are instantly recognisable from their trademark cans, and now the Spanish brand has launched a three-strong EVOO range in the same format.

The move represents a logical next step for Perelló, which has built its offer around Spain’s culture of welcoming friends and family with tapas and treats.

over 24–48 hours. It is rehydrated, then blended into the fermented kimchi base, guaranteeing both avour and function.

Pieridou recognises that this is a niche product, but believes the tide is turning when it comes to consumer attitudes towards seaweed as food.

“Consumers are beginning to understand what cultures like Korea and Japan have long known: seaweed is incredibly restorative and feeds the microbiome.

“As awareness of ocean-friendly agriculture grows, and the need for alternative, nutrientdense crops becomes urgent, seaweed is being recognised as one of the most scalable and sustainable answers. We see seaweed as the future of ethical, plant-based gut health, and our seaweed kimchi is just the beginning.”

goodfermentation.com

WHAT’S NEW

Terra Rossa is introducing UK consumers to another Arabian store cupboard staple: Zaatar Passata. Made from tomatoes, garlic, onions, Palestinian Zaatar thyme mix and Jordanian extra virgin olive oil, this passata – more akin to a salsa - is designed to add a burst of flavour to any dish. RRP £5/275g. terra-rossa.com

Welsh Castle Dairies has teamed up with Halen Môn to create a range of salted butters.

Made according to a traditional method at Castle Dairies using British cream and handharvested sea salt from Halen Môn, they are available in block and spreadable formats, with respective RRPs of £3.25 and £3/250g. castledairies.co.uk

Having established a foothold in the savoury space, better for you biscuit brand Good Guys Bakehouse has released two sweet offerings. Crispy Biscuits – in either Cocoa or Ginger varieties – are designed for ‘sofa grazing’ rather than dunking and provide just six calories per biscuit. RRP £1.75/50g. goodguysbakehouse.co.uk

Focus on nutrition sees bone broth innovation stirring up interest in stock

Bone broth – otherwise known as stock – is as old as the hills, but brands are doing a clever job of shifting the public’s perception of it from hausfrau casserole ingredient to trendy tonic. Health and wellness bloggers and gurus have had an important hand in this, talking up broth’s nutritional credentials, which is packed with the nutrients and minerals that are drawn out when the bones are slow

A coupage of Arbequina and Empeltre olives, from Navarra, the oil is described as “wellbalanced and approachable”. It is available via Brindisa in three tin sizes (250ml, 500ml and 3L), with RRPs of £6.30, £10 and £44. brindisa.com simmered.

In recent months, brands in this space have taken their offers to the next level, incorporating additional healthboosting ingredients and building more nuanced taste profiles. One example of this is Carol’s Stock Market, which has added a Chicken Bone Broth with Turmeric and Ginger to its range. Made using locally sourced Irish free range chicken bones, slow simmered for 24 hours before adding healthsupporting turmeric and ginger, this broth is pitched as “a powerhouse of flavour and wellness”. RRP £5/500ml pouch.

Borough Broth, meanwhile, has relaunched its Organic Chicken Pho Broth with a new, improved recipe developed in collaboration with Vietnamese chef, Uyen Lu. The reformulation is said to deliver a deeper, more authentic flavour, using organic ingredients to enhance aroma and richness. Aimed at health-conscious consumers (primarily women 30+) seeking fast, nourishing meals, it is said to be perfect as a sipping broth or pho base. WSP £3.13/400g; RRP £5.

boroughbroth.co.uk carolsstockmarket.com

PRODUCTS & MERCHANDISING

WHAT’S NEW

Inspired both by the pistachio and the matcha trends, the latest invention from Roly’s Fudge is Pistachio Chocolate Fudge. 100% cocoa dark chocolate, crushed pistachios, almond and organic matcha combine to create a naturally green fudge that is said to deliver a vibrant, indulgent experience. RRP from £3.25/100g. rolysfudge.co.uk

Caribbean condiment brand The Jerk House has introduced its take on four classics, which it says are globally inspired, plant-based and rooted in culture. The Jerk Mayo, Jerk Ketchup, Jerk BBQ Sauce and Jamaican Jerk Seasoning all have an RRP of £6.25/300g. marshallandbrown.co.uk

Bath-based speciality tea brand Nuditea has launched a new visual identity across its entire product range, with a redesigned look, modernised fonts, a refreshed colour palette and a revised shape. Updates to its catering formats will follow. nuditea.com

My magic ingredient

The Smokey Carter BBQ Rubs

These rubs are a real game-changer, packed with flavour and so versatile. They work perfectly with our home-reared lamb and beef as well as chicken and pork, adding flavour that enhances but doesn’t overpower. Whether the meat is being barbecued, grilled, or pan-fried, the rubs bring out the best in it.

You can buy them in retail shakers or bulk options, and there are lots of Great Taste Award winners in the range.

In the summer months we sell a lot of the shakers and we use the rubs in our butchery to add value. For example, we pair Pitmaster BBQ Rub with our own flat iron steaks to create a ‘posh’ BBQ option.

These are not just for BBQ season; we use them throughout the winter on meats and roasted veggies. I have even been known to sprinkle some over mac and cheese and stir them into plain mayos and dressings for an extra kick.

thesmokeycarter.com

Olives Et Al hot sauces o er “ avour rather than re”

By Lynda Searby

Hot on the heels of its spice blend launch earlier this summer, Olives Et Al has expanded its catalogue to include a trio of hot sauces.

Lewis Slayer, head of business development at Olives Et Al, told FFD this was part of the company’s strategy to provide a wider range of products to its existing customers.

“We stopped working with wholesalers 18 months ago and we now have over 100 retail products in our catalogue,” he said.

“Historically, most of our products were

ready-to-eat from the jar, whereas this year we have started to introduce products people can cook with.”

Slayer acknowledged that the hot sauce market is a crowded space, but insisted Olives Et Al is o ering something di erent.

The sauces are made with a fermented chilli mash, preserved lemons, spices and extra virgin olive oil. They are completely free from gums and arti cial preservatives.

Fermentation rather than heat treatment was a point of principle for Olives Et Al.

“From day one, our olives have been naturally fermented, marinated and jarred. We don’t like cooking products and we wanted to do the same with the hot sauces.

“The fermentation of the chillis also results in a sauce with greater depth and less heat.”

There are three varieties: Habanero is described as “intense and ery, with a deep fermented tang and a smooth burn”; Chipotle is “rich and smoky with a warming sweetness and mellow depth”; and Jalapeño is said to be “bright, fresh, and zesty, o ering crisp green heat with a clean nish”.

WSP £2.99/150ml; RRP £5 - £5.50. shopolives.co.uk

We pair Pitmaster BBQ Rub with our own at iron steaks

Angela Pryce, a former tea buyer for Fortnum & Mason and Twinings, has set out to reimagine loose leaf tea for the modern-day consumer with the launch of Albion Tea. Featuring William Morris-inspired artwork, the brand celebrates British heritage while making tea “elegant, ethical and effortlessly enjoyable”. It does this through a collection of single-origin loose-leaf tea teas that are sourced directly from growers and packaged in tinplate caddies and pouches, and teaware that is designed to make brewing simple. The brand’s inaugural range includes Bourne Valley Breakfast – a rich and malty blend inspired by Albion’s Hampshire roots; and Earl Grey with English Lavender. albiontea.com

Can I mature

my

hard cheeses on wooden shelves?

How can I prove that I have not exceeded a given use-by date when the outer packaging has been discarded? Can I cut cheese and meats with the same equipment? Do I have to mature or ripen cheese under refrigerated conditions? Can I display olives at ambient temperature? Can

Developed by the Guild of Fine Food and food experts at Cornwall Council, the Deli Retailing Code of Practice is split into three main sections – Food Safety Essentials, Good Hygiene Practices and Trading Standards – the Code is intended as a one-stop reference guide for deli teams, providing the guidance to ensure that both compliance and best practice standards can be achieved in all areas of retail.

The Deli Retailing Code of Practice is available in PDF for members to download from MyGuild. The Code is free to Guild of Fine Food members and can be purchased by non-members for £250+VAT by emailing support@g .co.uk

Something else

South African-born Kate Attieh has already enjoyed several successful careers. Now, she’s turning her attention to cra ing dry, twice-fermented kombucha – drinks that are both healthy and a natural partner for food

Interview by Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

What were you doing before starting drinkdffrnt, and how did it come about? It’s a spin-off of KTea Kombucha, in Guernsey, right?

Yes, basically. Guernsey has a population of 55 – 60,000 people and Jersey about 105,000, so about 200,000 total, not enough to be pro table. The idea was to use it as a testing market to springboard into the UK.

Can I take you back even earlier than that, how did you come up with the idea?

My background is in architecture and design. I grew up in South Africa and moved to London in the early 80s. I slowly gave up architecture and set up a children’s day nursery company with a friend and sold it in 2006. Then I moved to Guernsey and spent years looking for something I was passionate about.

On a trip to Cape Town my husband and I were at The Test Kitchen. The chef, Luke DaleRoberts, was playing around with kombucha. I wasn’t drinking alcohol and don’t like sweet drinks. He said, “Have a taste.” It was amazing, it had a avour pro le I’d never come across. He explained it was a fermented tea. I read up on it and found out about the health bene ts.

In 2017, there were very few kombucha brewers in the UK. I learned that Portland, Oregon was the home of kombucha, so I went there and met brewers, including Stephen Lee, the grandfather of the US movement. We considered importing but he said, “don’t, you should brew it yourself.” We tasted a lot of di erent kombuchas, and found huge producers working at 10,000 litres. But US rules mean de-alcoholising, which strips avour, so they add purées and sugars. The

main reason for making kombucha – live ferment – disappears when you do that. Many so-called kombuchas are two or three-day mixes using a lab-made starter and natural avourings.

So how did you go about the development process?

I wanted an alcohol-free substitute with complex avour, not a soda. We steep the teas for 24 hours to extract tannins and polyphenols. We make our own starter and ferment for two weeks with the SCOBY. We cold-soak dried botanicals in the brew for another week. We don’t ne- lter, we just strain, to keep the good bacteria and yeasts.

We leave residual sugars in there when we bottle, which creates a natural second fermentation and carbonation. That second fermentation gives it a complexity you never get with forced carbonation. Re ning our recipes has taken ve or six years. It wasn’t easy but we got there in the end. Hopefully by the end of the year we’ll also be producing 750ml bottles with Champagne corks.

a savoury note I didn’t like. Yerba mate brought smoke and theobromine, but went acidic a er a month. Lying in bed one night, I thought: “blend yerba mate with black tea, then add citrus botanicals.” That was it. Dry, unsweet avours are much more challenging than using juices and purées, but once you get used to the avour pro le, you’re hooked.

When you started selling under the original brand, what was your route to market?

I made 50-60 cases, and went to the farmers’ market. They sold out in two hours. Then, when Covid came, I built a website, and the brewing team brewed like crazy. It got the business going, rst selling direct-toconsumer, then on-trade.

We’re SALSA-certi ed to supply Waitrose. We’re in about 120 outlets across the Channel Islands. Some customers have spent over £15,000 with us; our repeat rate is 82%.

The UK will be more challenging – it’s a bigger market, and it’s less personal – so we’ll need a bigger marketing budget.

Dry, unsweet avours are much more challenging than using juices and purées

And how did you settle on the flavours?

Sacred Sprig happened by accident. A friend in the Cape had kidney problems, and the antibiotics they’d been taking had stopped working. A doctor recommended buchu – which is what is called agathosma betulina in South Africa – used by the Khoisan as a cure-all. It’s wild-harvested and very bitter, but it has an incredible aroma. I tried it in kombucha – it was a knockout. People are obsessed with the avour; it’s really unique.

With Tangled Shrub, I wanted something essential- avoured but more fragrant and subtle, and food-friendly. Treacle Leaf took more trial and error, because I tried black tea but it gave it

We’re producing here and then once we’re big enough, we’ll likely produce under licence.

Have you got direct listings or are you working with a wholesaler?

We’ve set up a distribution company in Ringwood with a chilled warehouse. We’re shipping there and distributing ourselves because the product needs chilling; if it’s le warm for a week the avour of the kombucha changes. We’ve got a small sales team in Ringwood and a eld sales agency covering health-food stores and independents. Waitrose is the only supermarket we’ll ever go into here, and then selected stores. drinkdffrnt.com

The evolution of Somerset’s food scene owes a lot to businesses like Pinsent’s, whose owner is relentless in his quest for quality, speciality food from Britain and beyond.

By Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

King of the Castle

A FIRST CALL with Charlie Pinsent nds him at the wheel of his car – parked, he assures, but on his way to a kids’ picnic. These are the realities parents have to juggle in the summer holidays, navigating work and entertaining bored children.

But on entering the shop on a Monday in August, the debt is being repaid, as Pinsents’ two daughters are here serving customers, stocking shelves and keeping the deli counter neat and tidy.

They both want pocket money, Pinsent tells FFD, and while many local businesses choose to close on a Monday, this Castle Cary deli is buzzing with activity.

This isn’t an unusual occurrence, Pinsent says, as the summer brings holidaymakers to this part of Somerset, on top of the usual

VITAL STATISTICS

Location: Market Pl, Castle Cary, Somerset, BA7 7AL, United Kingdom

Retail space: 92sq m

Average basket spend: £15

Average margin: 50%

local crowd. It’s even more of a draw than it used to be, Pinsent says, since a move from the shop’s original spot across the road earlier this year. “Our turnover is up 2030% already,” he says. Even though he lost a few tables outdoors, the new space is an improvement on the old one.

“It was much smaller. It was a bit of a cavern. You would walk through a corridor; there was a wine shop on the right and us on the le . Having two doors was a barrier, plus the cobbles were quite precarious. It wasn’t very welcoming.”

The fact that the new shop is on a corner, Pinsent is convinced, has also increased footfall. “As you’re coming down the high street you see the corners from any direction – and we’ve had lots of people

saying, ‘God, Castle Cary’s been crying out for a deli’, and I’ve been like, ‘hang on, really? We’ve been here since 2017’!”

There is no denying that the space is enticing: bright, broad and painted in cheerful yellow and blue. Spanning the le of the main room, a long wooden counter backed by shelves and a line of high stools face the window – a spot for customers to sit and soak in the sun over a at white.

More shelving, an island and fridges shape the rest of the space, with a narrow passage to a smaller room in the back. A long deli counter meets the till on the right-hand side of the room, tall signs touching the high ceiling with price lists for co ees and made-to-order sandwiches. A co ee machine hums in the corner,

releasing the pleasant aroma of espresso.

“One of the reasons I wanted a deli was so I could have a La Marzocco co ee machine,” Pinsent says. “When we rst opened here, I rented a machine, and when the co ee sales started to pick up, I decided to buy my own.” He worked out the cost and went out on a limb – and has no regrets.

“We spent £8,000 on a co ee machine and a grinder,” he says. “This was ve years ago, and it hasn’t let me down. It’s a workhorse.”

Pinsent is also aware that good co ee can be hard to come by – which would make it absurd not to capitalise on this fact.

“We get people travelling here for it –they come for the co ee and then buy other things. It’s a good carrot.”

The move to Somerset in 2014 was only a slight shi of direction for Pinsent, whose earlier career was in wholesale and highend retail in London.

His most recent role in the capital was at Wholegood, an organic food supplier to Daylesford, Planet Organic, and independents. Other roles included setting up a concession for Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens at Selfridges, and a nine-year

Green – which is undoubtedly where the inspiration for the best-selling giant salad dominating the deli counter comes from. Today, this is a Greek salad glistening with kalamata olives, quick-pickled onions, perfectly ripe Isle of Wight tomatoes and a generous ratio of barrel-aged feta.

“Our daily salad is our best seller in the summer,” he says. “We can sometimes do two, and we also make our own soups in the winter”.

Old habits die hard, and Pinsent still wholesales in the area – selling Lebanese tahini to his village deli, for instance. His background in speciality food is also obvious from the diversity of lines he carries, with another tell-tale sign being his refusal to work with just a handful of wholesalers.

“I like to have lots of di erent suppliers. It makes life more complicated – most retailers prefer having as few suppliers as possible, but I don’t want that. It’s important for me to have stu that you can’t get in other delis.”

MUST-STOCKS

Homemade salads

Homemade soups

BOMO coffee

Brickell’s ice cream

Lao Gan Ma – Chilli Crisp

Purely Taramasalata

Bernal Gordal olives

CasArrigoni spoonable Gorgonzola

Utta Nutta peanut butters

Bini’s curries

Salcis Tuscan sausages

Rummo Pasta

Belazu range

Torres Crisps

• Chilled & Frozen Groupage Distribution

• European Groupage Distribution

• Retail, Food Service and Manufacturing Sectors

• Multi-Temperature Warehousing

• Storage & Order Picking

• Confectionery Storage

• Blast Freezing & Tempering

• Customs Agency

• Customs Warehousing

And although he makes concessions for some items – he still stocks Forest Feast nuts, now almost ubiquitous, because he rates their quality – he usually favours obscure items. “I like to nd quirky things that people haven’t seen,” he says.

He drives up to London once every fortnight, visiting his suppliers and nding out what’s new.

He feels more than justi ed in doing this, as his customer base is no longer “older folks buying a slice of ham” as it was when he rst opened – and the new crowd’s palates need entertaining. “It was touch and go” for those few years, he says, “But Covid was our best friend.

“When lockdown happened, we had tomatoes, we had pasta – 32 di erent varieties of pasta. We had our, we had yeast. So we became quite popular. We had queues going around the corner.

“And then lots of people moved out of London, and we bene ted from that. Half of Notting Hill and Kensal Rise came down here, and young families. The average age of my customers has dropped by about 20 years.”

And with only a Morrisons nearby and the nearest Waitrose some miles away in Gillingham, Pinsent’s has carved out its niche for speciality goods.

There is no major focus on local food – though much of dairy and cheese, bread and cakes, scotch eggs and sausage rolls obviously are. “Being in Somerset, the local cheeses are very popular,” he says.

But if people are looking for Lao Gan Ma Chilli Crisp, Portuguese Conservas or items from Belazu, this is the spot.

“That’s what I try and do – nd products

that you probably can’t nd locally. All of my Asian stu is a massive seller, because people can’t get coconut oil, black vinegar, chilli sauce, sh sauce anywhere else.”

By Pinsent’s own admission, its marketing strategy relies more on word of mouth than it does on Instagram, yet the shop’s absolute best-seller is social media friendly, spoonable CasArrigoni Gorgonzola.

While it was unknown to most a few years ago, and he was reluctant to stock it for fear that it wouldn’t sell, “suddenly everyone went Gorgonzola mad,” so “now we get people coming in and buying big wedges of it,” he says, drawing a triangle with a width of around 10cm with his hands.

“They’ll o en only buy one cheese, and it will be that. They’re having them at weddings – they’ll just buy a whole one.”

Drawing on his Portuguese roots, which make him favourable towards Continental goods, Pinsent’s buying decisions are ultimately quite personal.

“Basically, I treat this as – what do I want in my pantry? What foods do I like? Apart from selling goats’ cheese (which I don’t much like), with most of the foods, I’m going, ‘do you know what? I like that’.”

Recent years have brought more independents to the area – back in the day it was just Udder Farm Shop and Kimber’s.

Fellow ex-Londoners Ash and Nick Sin eld – Teal’s owners – joined the party in 2020, while The Newt’s outpost, The Creamery, at Castle Cary station launched last year.

The Newt also bought Pinsent’s old building, with plans to open two pubs with

accommodation. Rumour has it that a deli could be on the cards, “but even if they do, it will be di erent to here”.

The Somerset estate already puts Castle Cary on the map, he adds, “and we’ve only seen growth, with all the new openings around here”.

He hopes that his well-curated food and & drink o er, his harmonious team –usually him, two other full-timers, and two part-timers – and the welcoming, modern interior will keep drawing people in.

“One of our customers is called Joa Studholme and she’s the chief colour curator for Farrow & Ball. She came along and said, ‘when you do your new shop I’ll be a consultant’.”

And while the trademark yellow is their own, “this greeny-blue she gave us the paper for – it’s a brand new colour. We were the rst people to use it”.

He also plans on making the most of his brother-in-law’s quali cations – wine critic Matthew Jukes, and the founder of non-alcoholic brand, Jukes Cordialites – to kit out what is currently a storage room into a wine room.

“I’ve got my personal licence, but I need to get my premises licence. That is the plan”, he says, once he’s had a moment to catch his breath.

But for the time being, he has enough to keep him busy, as his daughters beckon him over to discuss where the sumac berries should go. He laughs: “I have a bit of an obsession with spices. I get a bit carried away.”

The next generation, it seems, is already in training. pinsentsdeli.co.uk

People travel here for co ee and then buy other things. It's a good carrot

Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2025 promises to overflow with inspiration and entrepreneurial spirit. Be a part of the future of fine food and drink and condense a year’s worth of product sourcing into one inspiring journey at Olympia London from 9-10 September.

Expert View

VHARI RUSSELL, FOUNDER OF THE FOOD MARKETING EXPERTS ON PLANNING FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON

We all know Christmas is all about the planning, whether for your family festivities or your business.

It’s vital to plan your festive marketing and ensure you are maximising one of the biggest sales opportunities of the year. So here are my top tips:

• Make it as easy for your customers to shop with you as possible, either online, festive order forms or in-store. That doesn’t mean you should give them an order form in September, but ensure it’s early enough that you are taking the hassle out of the festive season for them.

• Feed their imagination so that they see you as the food shop and gi ing location. Maximise that spend! More and more people prefer to gi delicious food items; ensure you are stocked with options.

• Plan out your newsletters in advance so when you are busy, that job is already done, and all you need to do is press send.

• Goals and targets are invaluable. You will already have your sales targets for in-store,

MODEL RETAILING

online, etc., so thinking di erently, how can you increase your database ahead of Christmas to drive online sales? What can you do between now and November to increase the database?

• Schedule your social media in advance; you need to be seen to attract customers, and this is a vital window of opportunity. Don’t overlook Pinterest; so many consumers are using this for gi ing ideas and recipe ideas.

• Dwell time is high between Christmas and New Year, so ensure you have some eye-catching content and inspiration for customers to come and shop with you. Consider ideas on how to use up le overs, what sauces you stock to make easy meals for friends and family. Also, it’s a great idea to o er sampling at this time to catch the New Year’s Eve sales.

If you’re looking for tips and a framework for your plan, we have a free social media calendar that you can download.

Visit thefoodmarketingexperts.co.uk Have a great festive season and may your tills be a ringing.

Dwell time is high between Christmas and New Year, so ensure you have some eye-catching content

Hi there, Mr Deli? It’s Barry here from Barry’s Biscuits.

Setting up shop for good hygiene

Allergen declarations in your shop

Allergenic information about the products sold at the shop can be provided in a number of ways.

If not prepacked but sold by cutting or packing at the customer’s request, it is possible to display.

A sign advising your customers to ask the staff about the presence of allergenic ingredients. As an example, this could be worded:

IF YOU HAVE ANY FOOD ALLERGIES OR INTOLERANCES, PLEASE TALK TO A MEMBER OF STAFF WHO WILL ADVISE YOU

You may also use labelling on the individual items displayed for sale and the allergenic information provision could be incorporated on your food name, pricing information or display labels.

Customers requesting information on whether a certain allergen is contained within a food must be provided with accurate information on allergenic food ingredients. Under no circumstances should a ‘guess’ be made by a member of staff as to whether an allergen is contained within any products that you sell.

Fine Food’s Assured Code of Practice for Deli Retailing

The guide is available in PDF format (free for Guild members, £250+VAT for non-members). To request a copy of the Code,

This advice is an excerpt from the Guild of Fine Food’s Assured Code of Practice for Deli Retailing. The guide is available in PDF format (free for Guild Members, £250+VAT for nonmembers). To request a copy of the Code, email support@gff.co.uk

SOLVING EVERYDAY SHOPKEEPING DILEMMAS. IN MINIATURE.

I’m calling because we are chasing up an overdue invoice…

Mr Deli, I wish you’d have told us sooner. We do offer flexible payment terms to trusted customers. It’s a bit late to come to an arrangement now, though. And we do have our own bills to pay…

Ah, yes. The thing is we’ve had a really difficult month. My energy bills have gone up and so has my rent… I was going to pay it, honestly.

FFD says: Cashflow is a problem for every business, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. But if you are struggling to pay your invoices, the situation will only be made worse by not communicating with your suppliers. Most of these businesses are small, just like you, and will have a degree of understanding or work with you to solve a problem. Be open, be honest and hopefully you can come to an arrangement.