http://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/site/index.php/site/index/ en louise.miles@aceville.co.uk Copyright 2012 2012-01-30T12:32:11+00:00 http://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/fsa_rules_trouble_indie_businesseshttp://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/fsa_rules_trouble_indie_businesses#When:16:11:31Z New rules introduced by the Food Standards Agency could leave independent butchers, farm shops and delis struggling to surviveProposed guidelines on the control of E-coli could threaten the business of small shops as the agency expects companies to pay for the inspections. A butcher from Ipswich George Debman, has spoken out on these issues. He told regional newspaper, EADT, “It is quite apparent that these regulations are forcing many butchers to consider their future, because they are faced with an uneven playing field,” he said. Chris Soule, chairman of the FSB’s Suffolk branch, said, “The economy of Great Britain, this region and the county of Suffolk depends on a food industry sector that is able to function well and be confident of steady growth. Good government should not work against the industry but work with it. “You can say with absolute certainty that our European competitors would not impose such disabling regulations and expense on their farmers and food industry, which suggests that the UK government has got it totally wrong. But maybe it is the intention of a nanny state to offer the British public homogenised pap rather than interesting and high quality food.” Feature Article, 2012-01-30T16:11:31+00:00 http://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/success_for_sussex_food_businesseshttp://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/success_for_sussex_food_businesses#When:12:36:16Z Eight food producers have received accolades at The Sussex Food and Drink Awards350 Sussex food and drink businesses entered the competition, with 11,000 people voting for their favourite. Winners included Paul Peach, 24, who received the title of Sussex Young Chef of the Year and High Weald Dairy, which won Sussex Food Producer of the Year. Clive Beddall OBE, chairman of the judges at the event, said, “Research shows that, despite economic downturn, demand for locally-sourced food has actually accelerated during the past 12 months and more than half the country's shoppers now say they are prepared to pay extra for local food. “The Sussex Food and Drink Awards celebrate the exceptional standards of quality and innovation that have taken the country's producers into the top half of the UK's Premier League for locally-produced food and drink,” he added. Paula Seager, managing director of Natural PR, which ran the awards, commented, “Tonight has been a wonderful celebration and we are so proud that these awards have played a part in building the reputation of Sussex as one of the best food destinations in the country. It is home to some of the most creative and exciting producers of exquisite food and drink.” News, 2012-01-30T12:36:16+00:00 http://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/food_producers_promised_export_helphttp://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/food_producers_promised_export_help#When:12:32:11Z The Government has promised to help British food producers export their goods overseasThe Farming, Food and Drink Exports Action Plan aims to cut red tape and promote British produce abroad in developing markets, to prevent the UK falling behind. The exports plan includes measures such as easy access to support and advice for producers and the removal of trade barriers. Jim Paice, minister of agriculture, said, “British food is already known the world over for its quality, and with surging world population growth and demand for western products, there are huge opportunities for our producers to tap into emerging markets. “I'm convinced the sector can become an engine for growth for our economic recovery. It's crucial we get the right support to businesses at home as well as championing British products abroad,” he added. Britain is currently the 17th biggest food exporter in the world, with countries such as Brazil, Germany and the USA at the top of the table, compiled by the World Trade Organisation and Eurostat. News, 2012-01-30T12:32:11+00:00 I am writing this just at the end of my trip to the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Off to the airport in an hour.My reflections at this point are as much about the lifestyle here as the Fancy Food Show and staying with my brother (who lives here) allowed me to get inside the culture a bit more than merely staying in a hotel. Incidentally I had a rather bizarre last evening at a quirky comedy gig in Mill Valley, with various stand-up comedians performing - I had to get some of the jokes translated and Robin Williams was in the tiny audience. Apparently he sometimes wanders up onto stage and performs ‘off the cuff’. As with any society it is very polarised between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ and my impression is that the ‘haves’ have a lot more here than they do in the UK. That said there is a veritable glut of independent food shops here selling high quality products at much higher prices than the UK. It seems that people here, being far more health conscious, are spending more of their money on what goes into their mouths. To give an example of say a standard jar of pickle or jam. It was not too difficult to find several retailing at $7-8 which is at or around the £5 mark. Even the best products in the UK would be retailed around £1 lower. Having said that, if anything, it is less expensive to eat out than in the UK, so the difference between cooking good food at home and eating out at a restaurant is much less - that’s why they do it more than we do! Onto the show. As well as picking up some interesting new lines that may well feature in future Cotswold Fayre ranges, this show is as much picking up trends and developments which tend to filter into our market in the future. I am not going to give away too much on that front to our competitors, but I remember coming three years ago and seeing countless companies producing gourmet savoury popcorn, when there was no-one in the UK making such products. There are now several here and more in the pipeline. Speciality producers here have two factors in their favour. 1) The market is less dominated by the national supermarkets (even Wholefoods is organised regionally to some extent) and 2) the population is so vast companies can grow to a really significant size before they even need to think about export. Don’t get me wrong there are still loads of tiny producers here and always will be, but for those with more ambitious plans, it is possible slightly easier. That said, seeing the market here makes me even more determined to see the speciality food sector continue to grow in the UK. Hopefully you can join with me in furthering that dream! Talk to you next week. Speciality Bites, 2012-01-24T17:14:42+00:00 http://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/groupon_voucher_deal_costs_firm_thousandshttp://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/groupon_voucher_deal_costs_firm_thousands#When:11:41:48Z A Sussex business has had to move to smaller premises after it was unable to meet demand generated through an online voucher dealVeg Box UK, based in Hove, signed up to a deal with Groupon which offered boxes of fruit and veg worth £45 for just £18. 700 people took up the offer, but because Groupon keeps half of the voucher price, Veg Box UK were unable to afford delivery costs and had to issue some customers with refunds. Daniel Harris, a spokesman for Veg Box UK, said, “In hindsight, the buzz of the offer was great and amazing but the outcome hasn't been great for us. The knock on effect from the sheer demand actually had an impact on our reputation as a business. “I think these offers work for certain types of businesses. They work if you are a massive established company and you've got a lot of stock you need to get rid of.” Tobias Tschoetch, managing director of Groupon, added, “We can give recommendations on capacity based on what the business tells us. “Groupon is about helping small businesses grow, not stretching them beyond capacity. We succeed when they succeed. It's not always easy to precisely predict demand, but if a partner feels they aren't able to meet capacity, we work with them to revise the offer to a level they're more comfortable with.” Feature Article, 2012-01-24T11:41:48+00:00 http://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/campaign_aims_to_make_harrogate_foodie_hotspothttp://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/campaign_aims_to_make_harrogate_foodie_hotspot#When:11:41:00Z A new organisation is attempting to promote the culinary heritage and prowess of Harrogate in a bid to make the spa town the food capital of the NorthThe campaign, called Harrogate Food and Drink, highlights the food and drink found in the area, and organises the town's food and drink festival in November. Martin Wilks, co-ordinator of the campaign, said, “There is plenty of enthusiasm for the Harrogate Food and Drink concept across the area and we want to be sure it's open to all. “We hope both the festival and the Harrogate Food and Drink concept will become valuable tools which can be used to promote businesses and the Harrogate area which should be proud to have so much to offer when it comes to first-class food and drink,” he added. Cafés, pubs and small food retailers in the region can become a member of the campaign for £65. More details can be found at www.harrogatefoodanddrink.com. News, 2012-01-24T11:41:00+00:00 http://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/uk_farms_still_producing_battery_eggshttp://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/uk_farms_still_producing_battery_eggs#When:14:46:35Z Around 30 farms in the UK are still using battery cages to produce eggs, despite EU regulations which made them illegal from 1st JanuaryUp to 500,000 hens are being kept in the cages, which give them little room to nest, scratch or roost. The Government criticised other countries that failed to meet the deadline and is disappointed in the British farms that continue to use battery cages. Peter Stevenson, chief policy adviser for organisation Compassion in World Farming, said, “The Government and the British egg industry always said that British egg producers would be ready on time. I'm sure they meant it sincerely and they've been badly let down by these 30 or so farms.” Defra is confident that the remaining producers will be fully compliant with the new law by February. Fourteen other EU member states also failed to meet the deadline. Huw Irranca-Davies, shadow food and farming minister for Labour, added, “The Government has criticised other EU nations for failing to comply with the ban, yet it didn't know that half a million UK hens are still held in illegal cages. “UK farmers have spent £400 million getting rid of battery cages and the Government must act immediately to ensure that they do not face unfair competition from these illegal eggs,” he added. Feature Article, 2012-01-16T14:46:35+00:00 http://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/urban_farming_jumps_in_popularityhttp://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/urban_farming_jumps_in_popularity#When:14:42:43Z An increasing number of urban farmers are turning their hobby into a business by selling produce to local restaurants and food shopsMore than 2,000 new spaces for growing food have been created over the past three years, and allotment owners are beginning to sell fresh fruit and veg and products such as honey and jams to retailers. Sustain, the alliance for better food and farming, has launched a report advising small-time producers how to grow for sale. Polly Higginson, author of the report, said, “There has been a real change in attitude in the community food sector towards how they see their projects. “Trading is a good opportunity to generate income to contribute towards project costs and to lift the ambitions of those involved,” she added. Retailers across the country are already forming business relationships with small, local producers. Fenwicks, in Newcastle, stocks honey made by bees that are kept on the roof of the store, and a vegetable box scheme in Nottingham delivers produce grown in allotments throughout the city. News, 2012-01-16T14:42:43+00:00 http://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/hotproducts/pipers_crisps_-_a_fresh_new_look_OLDhttp://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/hotproducts/pipers_crisps_-_a_fresh_new_look_OLD#When:09:45:42Z After nearly eight years of sustained growth, Pipers Crisps is refreshing its brand and redesigning its packaging to accurately reflect its core values and emphasise what the brand stands for. Lincolnshire-based Pipers Crisps has fast become the gourmet crisp brand of choice in pubs, coffee shops, delicatessens, farm shops and independent retailers. For resellers, the Pipers Crisps brand offers high earnings potential and a genuine point of difference. For consumers, the Pipers Crisps brand stands for a great tasting product with unique flavour provenance. The new name on the pack is ‘Pipers Crisp Co’, highlighting not only the product itself, but also emphasising the company behind the brand - the people, the expertise and the great service that comes as part of the Pipers brand promise. The name boldly takes centre-stage on the new pack design and the updated logo incorporates the important message ‘Made By Farmers’. Pipers Crisps are renowned for their great taste and strong flavours, sourced from passionate regional producers. The provenance of these flavours is essential to the brand, so the source of the flavour is named on every pack. Alex Albone, Managing Director, is excited by the new development: “We endeavour to make the tastiest crisps in Britain. We’ve spent a number of years growing our brand so we understand what Pipers means to our customers. This redesign emphasises our strengths and helps us stand further apart from our competitors. What makes Pipers Crisp Co different? We make our own crisps, unlike many other newer brands, and we don’t make crisps for anyone else. Also, we hand cook our potatoes which gives our snack a crispier texture. We know what we’re doing and we care about product quality, freshness and shelf life. Our flavours come from specialist sources, picked to be the tastiest and to provide authentic provenance,” Albone says. “Another important factor is that we don’t sell Pipers Crisps to supermarkets,” Albone says. “We prefer to focus on giving our discerning retailers a premium quality, gourmet crisp with a real point of difference. This gives them a genuine opportunity to generate high earnings from greater sales values and margins,” he adds. The range of Pipers Crisps still comprises the same seven great-tasting varieties as before, although for consistency across the range the names have been changed slightly. The new names are; Cheddar and Onion; Cider Vinegar and Sea Salt; Black Pepper and Sea Salt; Sea Salt; Spicy Tomato; Sweet Chilli; and Unsalted. Pack sizes are 40g, available in cases of 24 and 40, or in sharing bags of 150g in cases of 15. Custom made point of sale equipment is available. Pipers Contact Details: Tel 01652 686960, www.piperscrisps.com Hot Products, Hot Products - Featured, 2012-01-16T09:45:42+00:00 http://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/hotproducts/pies_the_limit_OLDhttp://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/hotproducts/pies_the_limit_OLD#When:07:56:59Z With over 20 years experience, Burbush's of Penrith produces luxury pies that have been made, finished and packed by hand. The company only use locally-sourced, great quality and traceable ingredients to create its varied selection of artisan products. Working on a 'bake to order' basis, the specialist only begins making its sweet and savoury pies, pasties, pâté and pre-portioned meals once retailers have placed their orders. Orders are despatched on an overnight carrier within hours of finishing, to ensure the products reach the buyer in perfect condition. In terms of sizes, The Hot Crust Pie range starts at 150g for an individual pie, through to 450g, 900g, 2.5kg and Gala shaped products. All Short Crust pies are available in 190g, 420g and catering sizes. They can be supplied uncooked either baked or frozen, so customers can enjoy the aroma of freshly baked pies in-store. Also available is a range of 20 cold cutting pies for the deli counter, ready to slice and serve. For more information please contact Burbush's of Penrith T: 01768 863841 E: info@burbushs.co.uk T: www.burbushs.co.uk Hot Products, 2012-01-16T07:56:59+00:00