SF-October-2020

39 LAST WORDS The final word on fine food THE INDEPENDENT SHOPPER TRIED & TESTED BIG DROP FIELDHOPPER 0.5 ABV GOLDEN ALE With summer officially at an end, it’s only natural that beer lovers would be looking to bring some tastes of the warmer months into autumn and winter. Luckily, Big Drop have launched Fieldhopper – a new low/no alcohol beer with satisfying notes of honey, grapefruit and orange blossom thanks to its use of the ‘quintessentially English’ East Kent Goldings hop. What’s more, its low ABV and vegan status means it’s suitable for all. Cheers! bigdropbrew.com PIP & NUT LIMITED EDITION GINGERBREAD ALMOND BUTTER Demonstrating two of the biggest trending forces in the food industry right now – nut butters and charitable endeavours – Pip & Nut’s new limited edition Gingerbread Almond Butter is perfectly spiced for the colder season ahead and created in support of Hackney Foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust. 25p from the sale of each jar will go to the foodbank, and will help it to continue its vital work – as invaluable as ever in light of the Covid crisis. pipandnut.com LOVERAW CR&AM FILLED WAFER BAR Emulating a well-loved conventional chocolate treat is a huge challenge, but it’s one that vegan favourite LoveRaw have successfully taken on with the launch of their new hazelnut cream-filled wafer bar. It’s not often that one comes across a raw vegan chocolate which tastes just like the classic confection, but this one is truly delicious and a great vegan replacement for the cornershop favourite. eatloveraw.com IN ASSOCIATION WITH Creating a family feel in-store ITALIAN INSPIRATIONS nature as possible. It’s like eating a warm strawberry straight from the plant, or a sweet pea right out of it’s pod, or an oily mackerel jumping out of the sea and onto the barbecue. Freshness is a flavour – and we can only really achieve it by buying locally. Since converting to organic vegetables, we now spend 20% less a year than when we weren’t. It gets you thinking, how is this possible? It’s easy really… because the vegetables have more flavour (freshness and organic), I don’t need to use as much. I make the vegetable the star, and by cooking sustainable “root to fruit”, I use the whole produce and create zero waste. I can also reduce my workforce because we don’t need to do as much to the vegetable to make it taste good. It was a revelation… a sort of revolution in the mind. And it’s changed the way I buy and cook food. When lockdown was announced, we adapted our business and started supplying boxes of local produce… dairy, vegetables, eggs and flour. When the nation was panicking W hen we first started the pub, we knew we wanted to be sustainable… in fact we wanted to be the most sustainable pub in the UK. A challenge that we thought was an easy win, but once we delved into the subject we realised that it was like opening Pandora’s Box, and the subject was trickier to deal with than first anticipated. Two years after opening, I wanted to use only organic vegetables and fruit, so I found a nearby organic farm (Westmill Organics) owned by a man called Pete. He brought down some of his produce to try, we shook hands and I’ve never looked back. As chefs, we all think about flavour and our senses… sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami. I think there is a sixth – freshness. Freshness is a totally unique flavour and it can only exist in its pure state. You can’t add freshness to an ingredient, unlike adding salt or acidity. Freshness is the sensation of an ingredient being plucked and consumed as close to about supermarket shelves, our community could rely on us to provide them with local necessities because we had them at our fingertips. Not only did we have lots of produce, but our customers were also surprised by the generosity and quality of the food. What supermarkets and all other bricks and mortar food shops do is to eat into the efficiency of the food system with costs like rent, rates, electricity and wages. If I buy a carrot from my organic supplier, all the money goes to them (and the transport). If I buy a carrot from a supermarket, the money is dispersed into a multitude of places. What the food system needs is a radical and modern new logistics system to make food dispersal as efficient as possible. And this is where a company like Tried and Supplied can help… Domini Hogg who runs the company, can help organise food that would normally be wasted to find a home quickly and efficiently. Find all the best local suppliers on one website and then order your produce or any specials on that week. We need more innovative systems that help pay the farmer more and deliver the freshest (organic) food to the customer. As we look to the future of the food system and our industry, wouldn’t it be great to demystify the myth that organic local food is expensive. Local produce has a flavour that others don’t – freshness. Buy better, do less, and eat delicious (and nutritious) food.” Ollie Hunter, The Wheatsheaf in Wiltshire specialityfoodmagazine.com if it’s swift - conversation about the products they’re buying while they’re standing at the till will make their shopping experience a positive one. These gestures easily slip to the back of the queue when time is tight and your to do list seems never-ending, but just a few seconds and a positive customer- facing attitude will make the world of difference when it comes to creating a positive atmosphere that will keep customers coming back for more. By taking a leaf out of the Italian culture book, and maximising the customer service independents are already known and loved for, you can create invaluable goodwill whichmay even last generations. That’s amore. Are you passionate about Italian food and drink? If so we would love to hear from you – get in touch via holly.shackleton@aceville.co.uk. I ndependent shops have long utilised one of the cornerstones of Italian culture - the joy of family - without even giving it a second thought, and now is the time to really maximise it. The familiarity and cosiness of Italian family culture creates a sense of belonging which works well in the specialist retail setting, so why not make the most of it? Indies are known and loved for their sense of community; the simple acts of appreciating regular customers, remembering names and orders, and making sure everyone stepping through the door feels looked after are some of the biggest reasons why consumers choose to shop with them over and above supermarkets. This is something that has seen a boost in 2020 as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, but it’s time to step beyond this movement as one of necessity and make the most of its potential long-term - especially as the festive season looms. This need not warrant an about- face in terms of how you go about your business, and one must always be conscious of the current restrictions in place. For instance, with the current situation being what it is, it would be not be suitable to greet valued regular customers like old friends - with a handshake or maybe even an embrace in the Italian fashion - and likewise, the regulations around social distancing mean that the customer turnaround time probably won’t allow for a thorough catch-up over the counter. However, there is a simple art to creating a welcoming atmosphere akin to the warmth of an Italian family. A simple smile to a customer as they walk in the door will make them feel seen and welcomed, and a polite - even