SF-October-2020

specialityfoodmagazine.com CHRISTMAS 2020 Olives have been a fixture of the UK party and entertaining scene since fine food distributor RH Amar started importing Crespo olives – the UK’s favourite brand – in the mid-1950s, and Brits remain very much in love with this most perfect Mediterranean snack. With a reputation as the Mediterranean’s most trusted olive producer for nearly a century, it’s fair to say that Crespo knows a thing or two when it comes to putting olives at the heart of any occasion. A perfect snack accompaniment to premium drinks and cocktails, Crespo offers the most extensive range of olives in jars and cans – covering everything from the finest pitted green and black olives in brine, to green olives stuffed with garlic, pimiento or anchovies. Meanwhile, four tasty pouch options – Pitted Green Olives with Herbs & Garlic or Chilli Peppers, alongside Pitted Mixed Cocktail Olives and Pitted Dry Black Olives – make great store cupboard stocking items ahead of the festive and party season. All are available in 70g pouches, whilst the Dry Black and Herb & Garlic variants are now also available in 150g pouches, which make perfect sharing or party packs. As well as offering the reassurance that only the finest succulent olives with exceptional quality and flavour are good enough to be used by Crespo, the brand’s diamond logo is accompanied on pack by reassuring Mediterranean cues, whilst Crespo’s popular social and digital media assets offer shoppers a host of party season recipe inspiration, from Olive & Rosemary Pittas and Caramelised Onion, Olive & Caperberry Pizza, to fun-packed party snacks for all the family such as olive-inspired bumblebees and penguins – crespo-olives.co.uk/recipe- inspiration Crespo products are available widely through speciality wholesale, or direct from UK distributor RH Amar. For more information contact RH Amar on 01494 530200. rhamar.com GET THE PARTY STARTED WITH CRESPO this year,” Nick explains. “Some of the range remains on our shelves throughout the year, dependent on flavour and the type of product, and we sell some festive flavours like Christmas pudding-flavoured fudge, and mulled wine and gingerbread flavoured items.” At Billingtons of Lenzie, says Sue Billington, co-owner, “People tend to pick up fancy crisps and popcorn during the party season,” and various iterations of cheese and grazing boards are a very popular option: “we sell truckles of cheese, oatcakes, crackers and toasts, also a selection of salamis and hams and ambient pâtés which people tend to buy for parties.” Beverages are, of course, an important part of the party shopping list. “Drinks-wise, we have around 70 bottles of gin, 50 of which you can have to drink in,” says Sue. “We sell various artisan beers and racks and racks of wines, as well as a number of Scottish whiskies.” The establishment also stocks products which add party-suitable sparkle to any drink, alcoholic or soft: “We sell different flavours of poppable balls and shimmers that you can put into drinks, which sell particularly well during the party season.” When it comes to trends for the upcoming party season, Nick believes that consumers will be looking for locally-focused products. “We see this a huge amount when it comes to our hampers, and I think we’ll see this across Christmas purchasing as a whole. People want to know the source and quality of what they’re eating – this will be big for us as we have our own herd of cows and all our meat is local. Many of us will focus on a good quality Christmas because this year hasn’t been such a nice one, and hopefully we will be able to appreciate family, friends and food come the big day!” “Here at Booths,” begins Keith Parkinson, chilled food and bakery buyer, “we know all too well that a great festive get together is all about good food and drink, and we always ensure that we offer a delicious selection of high quality party food. From Camembert bites and mini steak pies to crispy king prawns and mini quiches, our party food selection allows for easy entertaining and proves popular with our customers year on year!” As it does across the food and drink sector, Christmas at Booths starts earlier than shoppers might think. “Christmas starts in the spring with a fresh look at what our customers enjoyed in the past and what they will find irresistible in the future,” explains Keith. “Our team of buyers engage in a variety of tasting panels and work closely with local suppliers to ensure that our customers can enjoy eating the best possible produce when December comes around, including special festive flavours that capture the taste of Christmas.” Convenience and the option to spend minimal time in-store is going to be valuable as the year comes to an end, as it has been throughout lockdown. “To ensure our party food selection is easily accessible, our customers will be able to place their orders early via our Click & Collect service from the start of December,” Keith continues. “Given the global pandemic, this year, more than ever, spending time at home with family has become important to us all. With that in mind, we believe that our customers will really cherish the festive season, and strive to make this Christmas one to remember – and we’re sure that excellent food and drink will form a significant part of their celebrations,” Keith concludes. We sell different flavours of poppable balls and shimmers that you can put into drinks, which sell particularly well during the party season