Taste Direct 2024: Sign up now to sample some of the UK’s best food and drink

Discovering fantastic food and drink products has never been easier, thanks to Speciality Food’s exclusive sampling service, Taste Direct.

The initiative is back, with 10 brilliant, hand-picked products for retailers to sample – all free of charge.

In these challenging economic times, Taste Direct offers independents a simple way to try a selection of the best food and drink artisans and premium makers have to offer, with all samples delivered directly to their store.

All you need to do to claim your free samples is fill in the form here. But hurry, supplies are limited!

The producers we’ve teamed up with this year are offering a vast range of items, from decadent chocolate and distinctive snacks, to refreshing drinks. Whether your customers want to explore the latest trends or indulge in classic flavours, Taste Direct has something for everyone. Sign up to receive your free samples here.

Taste Direct 2024’s Product Samples

Mothernutter – Try a free jar

Born out of a passion for all things natural, Mothernutter is the striking new peanut butter brand from Lake District-based sauce and chutney manufacturer Wild & Fruitful. Designed to appeal to a younger generation of health-conscious adults, Mothernutter hits the important features this audience are looking for, being vegan, high in protein, and crafted using a deeper roast for a beautifully rich and indulgent flavour. Mothernutter’s palm oil-free peanut butters contain only the best Argentinian hi oleic nuts and a dash of sea salt. The products are also made in small batches of just 15kg at a time. There’s something for all peanut butter lovers within the range, and they’re proving a bold hit in independent retailers across the UK.

Breckland Orchard – Free sample case

Family-owned purveyor of Posh Pop – Breckland Orchard – has been making greattasting soft drinks since 2009. The business works entirely with independent and speciality retailers, and is a proud multiple Great Taste Award winner. The range includes Ginger Beer with Chilli, Pear and Elderflower, and Cream Soda with a splash of Rhubarb. Breckland Orchard also makes gently bubbling zero sugar drinks that are ultra-low in calories, but taste fabulous – there’s no need to compromise. Breckland Orchard products are distributed via all major wholesalers and are competitively priced. The team are confident you and your customers will love them!

Akan Moringa – Free herbal blends collection

Akan Moringa has been supplying high-quality moringa products throughout Southern Africa since 2012. The brand loves to share the enormous health benefits of moringa, and there is no easier way than through its range of tasty and naturally caffeine-free herbal tea blends – each one infused with indigenous herbs from the Eastern and Western regions of South Africa. Akan Moringa Cape Rooibos Chai is heartwarming, aromatic and flavourful, while being packed with nutrients and antioxidants. Moringa Cape Buchu & Hibiscus tea has a menthol, floral, and slight tart taste with a Rose hue. And Moringa, Cape Honeybush, Fennel & Lemon Myrtle tea, is refreshing, with woody and honey undertones.

Fairfields Farm – Free discovery box

Fairfields Farm not only grows its own potatoes for its delicious thick-cut, skin-on crisps, but also cooks and packs them on site – helping to make the low food miles nibbles carbon neutral. The brand specialises in making gluten-free and vegan crisps which win awards, as well as loyal customers. Its products are perfect for ensuring everyone gets to enjoy a premium version of the nation’s favourite snack, no matter their dietary requirements. Because of its short supply chain and abundant source of potatoes, Fairfields Farm can offer exceptional availability to stockists, and plenty of shelf life. The team is also extraordinarily proud of its sustainability-focused approach to biodiversity in its beautiful corner of the world.

Cocoa Canopy – Two free retail packs

Created by chocolatiers, Cocoa Canopy’s crafted chocolate beads melt into a rich and creamy drinking chocolate – delightful hot…or cold. The stunning, but wonky, beads are a perfect way to upgrade your beverages offer. Made from only a handful of premium ingredients, they’re utterly unique, bringing a touch of luxury to your café menu, or shelves. With five unique blends in recyclable and compostable formats, from silky Smooth Milk (37% cocoa) to vegan Single Origin Ecuador Dark (70% cocoa), there’s a blend for everyone to enjoy. Proud 2023 winner of two Great Taste awards, Cocoa Canopy allows you to select the best way to tempt your customers – serve, sell or both, the choice is yours.

Cakehead – Free sample box

Cakehead has the recipe for more customers! The team hand craft and hand finish award-winning bakes at their cakery based in Oakham, Rutland. They have a real passion for creating irresistible treats, using only the best ingredients – from fine Belgian cocoa to their very own luxurious caramel (made to a secret recipe). Attention to detail is paramount. The Cakehead team even freshly squeeze their lemons. Another key to success is supporting local suppliers, with as many ingredients as possible being farm fresh. Each bake is beautifully packaged, and delivered on time. It’s an all-in commitment to quality cake that they call ‘Beyond Baking’. Cakehead even has a wide range of vegan and gluten-free options, so none of your customers have to miss out. Try a sample box and sample their gorgeous cakes for yourself.

Walker’s Shortbread – Free tasting sample packs

It’s more than 125 years since founding father Joseph Walker fired up the ovens of Walker’s Shortbread’s Scottish Highland bakery. Since then, the brand has been baking ‘Scotland at its finest’ with the best ingredients obtainable. Using family recipes handed down five generations, Walker’s is renowned for its high-quality products across Scotland and globally, exporting to more than 100 countries. Walker’s has always maintained this quality as its priority, and continues to produce all-butter shortbread today. The core range includes classics like the iconic Shortbread Finger, decorated with a baker’s dozen of ‘dockers’ - tiny air vents which let steam escape during baking, giving each chunky finger its supreme crumble and top-notch teatime dunkability. Walker’s is proud to introduce its rebranded shortbread range – new design, same delicious taste.

Anthon Berg – Free mixed sample box

Danish confectioner Anthon Berg has been renowned as the world’s leading liqueur-filled chocolate maker since 1924. It’s known for its unique bottle-shaped chocolate, and endorsed by some of the most internationally recognised spirit brands such as Cointreau, Drambuie, Remy Martin and more. Anthon Berg provides a fantastic assortment of premium gifting and sharing packs to suit all occasions, including its original chocolate liqueurs, vibrant and on-trend chocolate cocktails (stirred and shaken by chocolatiers), chocolate-coated marzipan with fruit and liqueur, and iconic luxury and indulgent marzipan bars. All of the cocoa used to make Anthon Berg chocolate is Rainforest Alliance-certified, and Anthon Berg is distributed in the UK by World of Sweets.

Forest Feast – Free discovery snack box

Forest Feast is a team of explorers and innovators whose mission is to make utterly delicious snacks… every single time. The brand goes to all four corners of the world to find the best ingredients, handcrafting them into the most irresistible treats. Delve into the wonderful world of Forest Feast with a Discovery Snack Box. This distinctive range of nuts and dried fruits are all seasoned or chocolate-dipped to perfection in small batches in-house, using local and artisan ingredients. Inside the box you’ll find Salted Dark Chocolate Almonds, Dark Chocolate Sour Cherries, Sea Salt & Black Peppercorn Nut Mix, Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar Nut Mix, Pitmaster Smoked Peanuts & Almonds. All of the lines are also available in 120g share bags.

Isle of Mull Cheese – Free spirit and cheese taster

Sgriob-ruadh is a small dairy farm on the West coast of Scotland, producing milk to make cheese and spirits with help from its 120 cows. The cheese is made from raw milk and then matured for more than a year in the farm’s cellars, allowing it to develop a fruity, spicy flavour. All the heat for the cheese and distillery comes from local forests, and electricity is generated on the farm from wind and water. True to its principles of no waste, the farm is now distilling the whey from its cheesemaking to produce the clear Isle of Mull Spirit range - Sgriobruadh Spirit, Coo J’N and Cheesemakers Strength 60% ABV. The beautiful Island, the grass the cows eat, and the water they drink, give a special taste to both the cheese and spirits that can be found nowhere else.

Sign up to Taste Direct now to receive your free samples.