SF-June-20

and have quickly adapted to changing consumer trends from the traditional gingerbread men to pop culture favourites such as our unicorn and dinosaur biscuit ranges,” says Sarah of Image On Food. The wide variety of designs available will tempt each and every customer during every season, offering independent retailers “a great opportunity to add a touch of theatre to their displays with seasonal products.” Provenance As every independent fine food retailer will attest, provenance is an invaluable selling tool across all sectors. In the savoury biscuit arena, Stag Bakeries demonstrates @specialityfood 20 T here’s no doubt that biscuits – both sweet and savoury – are a mainstay of the independent food retailer’s arsenal, but with so many options on the market it can be difficult to choose which to stock. Speciality Food has caught up with some of the industry’s biggest biscuit makers to find out what shoppers are after in 2020, and what they’re offering to satisfy demand. Traditional tastes While there are a number of new brands on the block, it’s worth stocking a heritage range or two alongside. Not only have their recipes been perfected over the years, sometimes generations in fact, but they carry with them a loyal customer base who appreciate the time, skill and traditions that have gone into making their biscuits of choice. “We have been supplying the independent retail market with our gingerbread biscuits since 1987, firstly with our hand decorated gingerbread novelties and more recently with our heritage brand – Billingtons Gingerbread,” says Sarah Hopcroft, director of Image On Food. The business soon found that consumers enjoyed learning about the history of the product, “from the secret recipe locked in a Market Drayton vault to the links to the ancient spice routes.” The team has found independent retailers a perfect route to market as they invest time in the story of Billingtons Gingerbread, sharing this knowledge with intrigued shoppers. Not only do these biscuits provide ample provenance, but it’s a uniquely versatile option according to Sarah. “Billingtons Gingerbread has had a unique position as an enjoyable artisan ‘grown-up’ biscuit that consumers can enjoy on its own, with cheeseboards, or dunked in a delectable glass of port.” This versatility across sweet and savoury “lends itself to being marketed within independent stores as a supplement product alongside cheeses, alcohol and teas, coffees and hot chocolates,” she continues. It’s not only traditional biscuit makers originating from the UK that hold value for British shoppers. Peter’s Yard, while launched only a handful of years ago, offer discerning consumers a traditional taste of Sweden through satisfyingly versatile crispbreads as speciality manager Adam Tynan explains: “The traditional Swedish crispbread recipe that inspired Peter’s Yard was arguably designed purely with simplicity and versatility inmind. Made as it would keep well through cold, dark, Scandinavian winters, crispbread was supposed to be an easy to make staple that could accompany almost any meal. colours and textures that, rather than overpower, hero the qualities of different styles of cheese. The gentle sweetness of the fig in our Spelt & Fig plays with the saltiness in a good Blue, whilst the ashen black colour of our Charcoal & Rye gives the white of a Goats evenmore brilliance.” Modern treats While tradition is undoubtedly a good tool for independent retailers to utilise, it’s important to add a little colour to your range, too. Enter Original Biscuit Bakers’ decorated gingerbread biscuits, a popular gifting item and a unique treat for shoppers and their friends and family. “We have designed our ranges to be highly eye-catching “There’s an ever-growing array of wonderful cheese both in this country and beyond – from soft and creamy to hard and boldly flavoured with all manner of combinations in between. We’re aware that the role of a good cracker is to be the best supporting act it can be to each and every one and so versatility is vital. “Our sourdough starter, 45 years old this year and fermented for 16 hours before each bake, adds depth to the subtle flavour. This, combined with the unique thinness and crunchiness we get from following traditional Swedish baking techniques, really seems to make it the perfect vehicle for good cheese. “In developing recipes beyond our Original we’ve considered flavours, A COMFORTING CRUNCH We explore the cornerstones of the great British biscuit; a storecupboard must-have for every shopper