Cotswold Fayre to showcase bumper Christmas range at upcoming launch events

A survey carried out by Deloitte last year revealed that chocolate was the most expected gift to receive (53 per cent) followed by books (44 per cent) and other food and drink (37 per cent).

So, it is no surprise that this year’s Christmas range from fine food distributor Cotswold Fayre is packed with exclusive and diverse festive treats alongside the season’s traditional favourites.

Paul Hargreaves, chief executive at fine food distributor Cotswold Fayre, believes that consumers are looking for products that are genuinely seasonal and offer something different from the norm.

He said, “When Christmas shopping, particularly for a gift, customers don’t want to pick-up something that they could have bought anytime in the year, nor do they believe that adding a bit of holly to the packaging makes it a festive gift.”

Cotswold Fayre’s Christmas range continues to expand year-on-year and now includes more than 900 products across 150 suppliers selected from the UK and overseas.

“Of course, there will always be a place for tins of shortbread, mince pies and Christmas cake but shoppers are increasingly adventurous, actively seeking seasonal favourites from other countries,” Paul continues. “Look how panettone is now a UK staple.

“While we still have plenty of UK products, we also visit food fairs around the world to bring retailers some of the best seasonal products from overseas, too.”

Cotswold Fayre’s Christmas range includes amaretti from Italy, liquorice balls from Sweden, olive oil in ceramic pots from Greece, fig bonbons from Spain and giant jars of pickled vegetables from Italy.

“I am expecting last year’s favourites, premium advent calendars and gin, in all its guises, to remain extremely popular again this year,” says Paul. “I also think that craft beers, non-alcoholic adult beverages and nuts will sell particularly well this year.”

To help retailers pre-plan their seasonal proposition, Cotswold Fayre is hosting a series of Christmas launch events across the UK, where retailers can view the whole Christmas offering and place their orders. The preview and initial launch event is in Richmond Park on May 10th 2018.

The events have proven to be a great opportunity for retailers to meet suppliers face-to-face and offer an exclusive opportunity to try the full range of products in preparation for stocking up for the Christmas period.

Register to attend an event or download the Christmas catalogue by visiting cotswoldfayre.co.uk.