Monday 14 November 2022
That's Christmas: Morrisons slash prices of over 50 popular Christma...
That's Christmas: Morrisons slash prices of over 50 popular Christma...: Morrisons is cutting the price of 52 festive products that see a spike in sales as Christmas approaches and is committing to keeping the pri...
Sunday 13 November 2022
Launch a mince pie contest
Make a list of every shop or venue in your town or area that sell mince pies. Supermarkets, department stores, convenience stores, service stations, sandwich shops, etc, etc.
Buy mince pies from each of them and judge them from 1 to 10 on the taste, the filling, etc, etc.
(Image courtesy of PublicDomainPictures and Pixabay)
Saturday 12 November 2022
Tony "The Greek Farmer" Charalambides is the "Next Big Thing"
‘The Greek Farmer’ Tony Charalambides and his British charcuterie business beat hundreds of other hopefuls to land the contract of a lifetime, within just 12 months of launching his business
The award winning product will land on Aldi's shelves on November 25th.
Hackney born, Tony Charalambides, 42, launched his business in December 2021 with the assistance of his side kick and best friend, Aaron Grey, 32.
And a mere 11 months later his British charcuterie has been catapulted into the limelight and will be on shelves in Aldi stores nationally.
The pair were awarded the "life changing" contract in last night’s episode of Aldi’s Next Big Thing, which focused on the fresh & deli category.
In the show, hosted by Anita Rani, of Countryfile and BBC Radio 4 and Chris Bavin, of Britain’s Best Home Cook and Eat Well for Less, hopeful suppliers compete for a space on Aldi’s shelves, before Aldi’s Julie Ashfield decides on the winner.
Former builder Tony is of Greek Cypriot and Irish heritage, and it’s his childhood nickname ‘The Greek’ that inspired the eponymous brand.
Tony says: “Family and food were and still are the most important factors growing up in a Cypriot and Irish household. I’ve been in Cyprus quite a lot of my life eating Greek food, and it was something that I wanted to bring back to the UK. When I met Aaron at my son’s birthday party four years ago we bonded over good food. So when the opportunity came to start curing meats together, it just made sense.
“We smoke our meats in an old disused silo on my farm using traditional Greek methods and flavourings – that makes us the only UK Greek producer of cured meats.”
The product impressed the judges from the very beginning, with its great taste and provenance. Only free-range British pork and beef are used and everything is produced on Tony’s Hertfordshire farm.
Julie challenged the duo with tweaking their packaging to include a selection of cured meats and to bring out the Britishness front of pack. But the biggest test was the time frame the duo had to produce the cured meat.
Aaron explains: “You must be patient with cured meat so you can’t speed up any processes. It takes time.”
In the programme presenter Chris Bavin was concerned about the lead time, but Aaron is seen reassuring him: “You worry too much.”
Luckily for Aldi, Aaron proved to be right, as The Greek Farmer’s charcuterie selection of air-dried meats (including beef, pork loin, pork belly thins and ham) will be available in stores from 25th November. But shoppers will need to get in quick to get a chance to try, as with all Specialbuys, once they’re gone, they’re gone!
Tony says: “It’s mind-blowing for the pair of us. We only launched last December, and now we’ve won this amazing competition and are going to be on Aldi’s shelves. What I was hoping for in year three, four or five potentially has now come to play in year one, not even year one. It’s going to catapult our business for sure.”
Julie Ashfield said about choosing the winner: “It was tough for me to decide because I could see how hard both of the finalists had worked to get there but the provenance and the traditional method of The Greek Farmer won out for me in the end. The product tasted excellent and I just felt if we can get that product to store, customers will really, really love it.”
The multi-category competition is part of Aldi’s ongoing commitment to locally sourced products. Aldi has pledged to prioritise home-grown suppliers as it works towards spending an additional £3.5 billion a year with British businesses by the end of 2025.
Aldi’s Next Big Thing airs on Channel 4, every Thursday at 8pm until 24th November.
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Gunna drinks. Alcohol free but by no means soft
It's absolutely ideal for drinking at a Christmas and New Year party, with your lunch, your evening meal, whilst on a train journey or whenever you feel the need for a refreshing drink with a bit more punch than you might be used to. But all in a non-alcoholic format.
What flavours are available? Ginger Lemonade, Tropical Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade, Lemonade with a hint of mint and Lime Lemonade. There's also Cola and Ginger, too.
Gunna is amazing because it is a craft drink maker and they are lower in sugar are all vegan friendly and contain only 73 calories per can.
They are also campaigning to stop the use of single use plastic bottles for soft drinks. The link to their petition to the government is on their site and they say “Ban single-use plastic bottles in the manufacture of soft drinks for the UK market. We want the Government to take action to cut down plastic pollution by banning single-use plastic bottles in the manufacture of soft drinks in the UK."
So, what do the drink taste like? Like absolute heaven. They taste delightfully fruity, are delicately carbonated and will be the life and soul of your party. Or the life and soul of your trip to a trade show at the Birmingham NEC? Actually those cans made a very fraught and dreadfully overcrowded train journey to the V Show at the NEC just that little bit more pleasurable than it might have been!
It's our suggestion that you lay in a couple of crates for Christmas and the New Year.
You can buy them online at https://gunnadrinks.com/collections/retail.
They are available from a variety of retailers and they are looking out for other retailers to stock their drinks so please take a look at https://gunnadrinks.com/pages/wholesale.
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Real Good Tomato Ketchup. It's real good and it's gluten free
As well as being gluten free it also contains 75% less sugar and 78% less salt. But those of us who have tasted it can guarantee that it tastes 100% good, too! And the container is recyclable, too.
What's it good for? Absolutely everything and anything.
I have used it whilst making a fresh pizza (we had accidentally ran out of tomato puree!), added it to soups and stews, lasagne, spaghetti bolognaise, both meaty or non meaty, employed it as a condiment with sandwiches and cooked meals, etc.
It's also a good ingredient for all sorts of good, home cooking.
Recipes on their website include Pumpkin and Tomato Soup, Smokey Sweet Potato Hash Brunch, Real Good Pumpkin Pie, Hidden Vegetable Pasta Sauce, Vegan Chocolate & Avocado Mousse, Red Pepper and Sun-Dried Tomato Chickpea Shakshuka with Cashew Cream, Red Berry Cobbler, Crispy Tofu Wraps with Spinach and Beetroot, Roasted Garlic and Tomato Hummus with Butternut Squash Dippers, Smokey Chickpea Burgers with Mint & Beetroot Dip, Bloody Mary, Festive Tomato & Lentil Stuffed Butternut Squash with Chestnuts, Thyme and Garlicky Tahini and Real Good Cranberry & Raspberry Relish.
Looks like we'll need to be buying it by the crate, with all those recipes! Especially some of the Christmas seasonal recipes!
And they also have other flavours of ketchup/sauces, too.
Liberate Crumpets 100% free from 100% taste!
They are certified to be gluten free, free of wheat and free from oats, egg free and dairy free, have no yeast, contain no added preservatives.
Also, they have no tree nuts and are guaranteed to be free from soy and are also non-GMO, too. And are FODMAP friendly, too.
Ideal for people who are diagnosed with coeliac disease and with allergies to wheat, soy, gluten and tree nuts. And they are award-winning, too.
You can check out their website at https://liberate-foods-uk.myshopify.com.
And you can join the CrumpetClub UK, too.
Smashed produce alcohol free drinks. Ideal for Christmas parties
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There is a Pale Ale, a Lager, a Shandy, a Cider and a Berry drink.
They are gluten free, guaranteed to be vegan. And are available in 330ml bottles and cans.
There are no artificial colourings, no sweeteners and no preservatives.
How do they produce guaranteed zero alcohol drinks? First they begin the process with their exclusive 5.7% abv premium beer, lager or cider.
They then give it a tiny amount of steam heat treatment for just a few minutes, which removes the alcohol but is such a gentle process that it leaves all the good tastes.
I have tasted all of the above drinks and they do have the taste and feel of their alcoholic cousins, but with none of the alcohol! Ideal if you want tp make sure your Christmas guests who can't drink alcohol will not feel left out. And that there will be no morning after hangovers!
To learn more visit https://drynks.store.
You can buy them online or at selected retailers.
Moo Free Chocolates but not taste free!
When I tasted Moo Free Chocolates there was absolutely no way that I could tell that it was not dairy free. It has an excellent bite, an excellent level of mouthfeel and an utterly dreamy and very creamy taste to it.
Also Moo Free work very hard to be a "green" brand using only the choicest Rainforest Alliance and organic cocoas, only sourced from suppliers who make absolutely certain that employment standards are adhered to and that no child workers are exploited.
Incidentally they are justifiably proud of their employment policies, employing a wide mixture of people including people with autism and dyslexia because they believe in giving everyone the opportunities they deserve.
And their packaging is recyclable and their plastic is 100% recycled. Also if you buy online the package filler they use are made from corn and are biodegradable.
We feel that Moo Free will make excellent Christmas presents for the lactose intolerant and the vegetarians and vegans in your life.
In The Mixx Cakes
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And even though many supermarkets are now taking free from requirements more seriously than ever, what if you don't happen to have such a supermarket near to your home?
Then you need the In The Mixx Cakes Company.
Because they specialise in supplying bake at home cake mixes for their home market.
You can try their Vegan Cookie Mix, their Vegan Cupcake Mix or their Vegan Brownie Mix.
https://www.inthemixxcakes.co.uk.
Incidentally they also offer catering for corporate events, cater for parties, weddings, etc. Just email them at inthemixxcakes@gmail.com.
Mighty M.LKology
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The design team had some pretty firm briefs: To create the most realistic plant-based that could be developed.
The result? A product that is creamy, tastes good yet is 100% vegan and guaranteed to be (obviously!) lactose free.
So this means that M.LKOLOGY is ideal for people who are vegetarian or vegan or for those who have a lactose intolerance.
They have created a milk replacement that is quite similar to dairy milk and has the same type of viscosity and mouthfeel and a similar taste, too.
And it comes in different versions including Whole, Semi and Barista.
Plus there are delicious shakes, an Oat variety of milk, protein powders, etc/
To learn more please visit them at https://www.mightydrinks.com
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Friday 11 November 2022
The Shredder Bar
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In fact each bar has 13g of protein and 7.3g of fibre.
And they come in a variety of truly tempting flavours. Gooey Salted Caramel, Chocolate Brownie Crunch and Peanut Butter Cup flavour.
They are irresistibly smooth and crunchy and very tasty. You will not be able to tell that they are plant-based and 100% vegan, so they are good for you (all that protein and fibre and low sugar!) and they are also good for the planet, too.
Everyone has a favourite Shredder Bar. Mine happens to be the Gooey Salted Caramel variety, but I'm also partial to the other flavours in the range, too.
However, how do you find out which your favourite is? Just order a six pack taster bundle for £14.00 to see which one/s are your favourites.
To learn more and to make your online purchases from their online retail emporium just visit them at https://shreddy.com. Whilst you are there why not check out their other products including their fitness equipment, supplements, etc?
Incidentally Shreddy supplements and protein bars are available in Superdrug stores all over the UK.
They also have a presence in the USA just visit https://us.shreddy.com.
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Soup that's is a new approach for Type-2 Diabetes
Could a new soup be a game-changer for the seven million patients at risk of developing type-2 diabetes?
The Burden of Diabetes
World Diabetes Day (14th November) is all about recognising the importance of diabetes as a chronic health condition.
Type 2 diabetes makes up 90% of all diabetes, has a massive impact on people’s lives and costs the NHS nearly £10 billion a year. A diagnosis of prediabetes gives patients a window to take action… but 20% of prediabetics go on to develop diabetes within five years. Often patients are told to change their diet and exercise more - but compliance is generally low, and many fail to bring their blood sugar levels back under control.
A New Hope?
Thankfully, scientists could well have found a new solution; a chemical called glucoraphanin, found in broccoli in small amounts, which seems to help bring blood sugar down to healthier levels, a key step in helping people avoid going on to develop type-2 diabetes.
Scientists believe glucoraphanin can have a natural ‘anti-aging’ effect on our metabolism, and evidence suggests eating more glucoraphanin can have a range of knock-on effects, on blood sugar levels, but also on cholesterol, heart health, neurodegenerative conditions, and even cancer.
With decades of research and over 3,000 papers published on glucoraphanin, there’s good reason to be hopeful about the potential of this health-boosting molecule.
How SmarterNaturally Can Help
Broccoli has long been considered a ‘superfood’, in part because it contains glucoraphanin, though only in small amounts. That’s why they have created SmarterNaturally Soup. It's created with their unique “super-strain” of broccoli (‘GRextra'), which contains up to 5x more glucoraphanin than your average, standard broccoli.
Their soup offers people a powerful, easy, affordable way to boost the amount of glucoraphanin in their diet. In fact, a published clinical trial suggests eating only one bowl of glucoraphanin-rich soup a week for several months can meaningfully contribute to bringing elevated blood sugar down to healthier levels[2] - a key step in both preventing and controlling type-2 diabetes.
This new approach could possibly help support the millions pre-diabetics at risk of a full diabetes diagnosis to make healthy lifestyle changes. All while helping the NHS reduce the £10 billion cost that type 2 diabetes puts on the health service every year.
In support of the diabetic patient community and World Diabetes Day, they're also giving £1 to Diabetes UK for every new trial of SmarterNaturally Soup sold (between 14-27 November 2022) in an effort to do our part to give both our customers and diabetic people everywhere a chance at a healthier future.
A spokesman said: "Here at SmarterNaturally, we’re science-led, research-backed and patient-focused. We’re a spin-out from the Quadram Institute, one of the UK’s leading food and health research institutions.
"Our GRextra broccoli was developed through years of research at Quadram and elsewhere, and we created our glucoraphanin-rich soup because of the 3,000+ published research papers exploring the potential health benefits of glucoraphanin."
SmarterNaturally Soup is available online via: https://www.smarternaturally.com.
At £25 for a 4 week trial, and then £65.00 for a 12-week subscription.
So, what do customers say?
Anthony (a SmarterNaturally customer) says: “After 4-5 months of eating a bowl of this soup every week, my HbA1c was down to 39 mmol/l. I couldn’t believe it - I was inside the normal range, and no longer pre-diabetic! I’m really delighted to have gained control of my blood sugar levels. While I’m sure it was a combination of things that helped, I do believe that eating the soup has played an important part in bringing down my HbA1c level and improving my diabetic health.”
He went on to say: “I’ve seen other benefits too: my muscles feel good and I’ve got a bit more energy; my cholesterol has gone down slightly; and the level of triglycerides in my blood when I was last tested was super low!
"But the biggest impact has actually been on my mental health. I was very worried about the potential side effects of becoming diabetic, but starting on this soup felt like taking a positive step to protect my health, which was a great comfort – and now that my blood sugar levels are back under control, I have much less anxiety around it.”
“I’ve eaten the soup religiously every week for months now, and to me it’s a no brainer to keep going. It’s nice to eat, it’s only once a week, it’s easy to make, and I’m convinced it’s playing a key role in reducing my blood glucose levels – so it seems sensible to stick with it. I would definitely recommend it – I think it’s worth trying and seeing if it works for you! There’s not much to lose… you don’t have to take a huge number of drugs with all those horrible side effects, and I think it’s quite reasonably priced considering the benefits I’ve seen to my health!”
You can read Anthony’s full story and more case studies at: https://smarternaturally.com/case-studies.
Professor Richard Mithen (Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of Auckland, and Lead Scientist at SmarterNaturally) says: “SmarterNaturally Soup could provide health benefits to those at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. It’s a low impact, natural intervention that is simple to stick to.”
“Broccoli’s long been considered a superfood by many. However, not all broccoli varieties are the same. SmarterNaturally uses a unique variety containing significantly higher amounts of a naturally occurring compound, glucoraphanin, than standard broccoli.
"Research suggests the soup made with this broccoli could help lower high blood glucose, a key risk factor for those at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, by returning elevated blood glucose to normal levels and maintaining it.”
“Getting this soup to market to help in the global fight against diabetes is the first step. But there’s also published research that suggests that glucoraphanin may also help to lower cholesterol and could have a positive impact on various types of cancer including prostate and breast cancer, so we’re really excited about the possibilities this could unlock.”
Dr Karen Irvine who is a GP says: “Type 2 diabetes is an enormous global public health issue. In the UK it puts a huge strain on the NHS, costing it nearly 10 billion a year. Most pre-diabetics are simply told to change their diet and take more exercise, but figures show that compliance is low and that 20% go on to develop diabetes within 5 years.
"So, if we can use a simple food product that tastes good and needs to be eaten just once per week to reduce the risk of populations developing Type 2 diabetes, we can have a hugely positive impact on society worldwide.”
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Co-op proves it has the bottle with new recycling initiative
The UK’s leading convenience retailer is working in partnership with Polytag, a technology business that enables a circular economy for packaging, to collect recycling data that will showcase the exact number of Co-op bottles that are being sorted at recycling centres. Co-op will be the first brand in the world to start collecting data like this.
As part of this trial, Co-op will add a UV invisible code to the label of one of its best-selling own-brand spring water lines. When the bottle reaches a specific recycling centre in North Wales, the UV code will be identified by specialist equipment that is fitted to the sorting machines and the data collected will be uploaded in real-time to a cloud.
Matt Hood, MD of Co-op Food, said: “We all have our part to play when it comes to recycling and, as a retailer, we want to gain a greater understanding on a product’s journey in the recycling chain to help paint a clearer picture and support future traceability.
“This new trial will enable Co-op to gather valuable insight to provide guidance and measurement for future initiatives to encourage more people to recycle and it will also support the industry with true benchmarks for recycling rates in the UK for the very first time.”
Alice Rackley, CEO, Polytag, said: “We’ve optimised the UV tag reading technology so brands can apply a simple UV tag layer to their labels and get never-before-seen data about how many of their single-use items of plastic packaging are being handled in a material recovery facility.
“We’re absolutely delighted that Co-op has agreed to work with Polytag to continue to develop and deliver technology that will enable us to all recycle more, together.”
Polytag is working in partnership with UK devolved governments and recycling facility operators to extend the roll out and installation of more UV tag readers across the country, in order to deliver richer more useful data to brands – such as Co-op – that want to know if single-use packaging is getting recycled, and measure success of initiatives designed to improve recycling rates over time.
Last year Co-op announced that all of its own brand food packaging is 100% recyclable, in part thanks to its in-store recycling scheme for soft plastics. In addition to this, all of Co-op’s own-brand still, sparkling, flavoured water, carbonated drinks and mixers are made out of 100% recycled material, meaning they’re fully recycled and recyclable.
Co-op will start the UV label trial with its 2lt still spring water line and will look to expand further as the trial develops.
(Image courtesy of OpenIcons and Pixabay)
Be Quids in when dining out: Morrisons cuts its prices across all of its cafés
Over half of the hot food dishes on the menu have had their prices cut including Fish and Chips which is now £6.99, the Full Breakfast, including Scottish, vegan and vegetarian options, now £5.99 and Burgers served with Chips and Coleslaw for £5.99.
The price cuts are in all 397 Morrisons cafés nationwide from today and are the permanent new prices, not just a temporary promotional offer.
Morrisons has also launched its Christmas menu in its cafés to kickstart the season of festive feasting. Customers can tuck into a two-course meal for £9.99 or three courses for £11.99 from 11.30am to 3.30pm each day. (NOTE: My wife and I love Morrisons Christmas menu!)
The Christmas menu includes traditional favourites like Prawn Cocktail, Brussels Pâté and Tangy Tomato and Basil Soup for starters, a Christmas turkey roast with all the trimmings for the main meal, which is also comes with vegetarian and vegan options. Plus Christmas Pudding, Bramley Apple Crumble or Sticky Toffee Pudding for desserts.
Festive hot sandwiches and burgers are also available, plus a Mini Christmas Turkey Roast. Fans of Pigs in Blankets can order a stand alone portion for £2.99 to satisfy any festive cravings.
Morrisons have recently partnered with Heinz to allow anyone who ‘asks for Henry’ at a Morrisons café a hot, hearty jacket potato topped with Heinz Beanz, for free. Due to positive customer feedback, the initiative has now been extended until the end of this month, November.
Sian Whittle, Category Director at Morrisons Cafés, said: “We know when it comes to eating out, our customers are looking for great value more than ever so we’re pleased to announce that we’ve cut the price of over half the hot dishes on our menu.
"Our Christmas menu also offers traditional classics, plus some festive twists and we look forward to welcoming our customers to our cafés in the coming weeks.”
All the favourite Morrisons café breakfasts, meals, sweet treats and more are available to be delivered directly to customers’ homes via Just Eat and Deliveroo. To find their local café, customers can simply download the Just Eat or Deliveroo app for free on Android and App Store.
For more information, visit: www.morrisons.co.uk.
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New Cuatro Leche Cake Recipe
What is a Cuatro Leche Cake? It means "four milks cake" and is a light, fluffy vanilla sponge soaked with whole milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk and cream.
Ingredients
4 Eggs, separated
200g Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
200g Plain flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
100ml Trewithen Dairy Whole Milk
200ml Evaporated Milk
200g Trewithen Dairy Cornish Clotted Cream
200ml Sweetened Condensed Milk
300ml Double Cream
2 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
Method
Heat your oven to 180c. Lightly grease and line a 20cm square cake tin.
Whisk the egg whites until they are thickened, before slowly adding half of the caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Continue whisking until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
In a separate large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, remaining sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder and milk to the egg yolks and gently fold together until thoroughly combined.
Using a large metal spoon, add a spoonful of egg whites to the yolk mixture. Combine thoroughly, before very gently folding the remaining egg whites through, one spoonful at a time, with the aim of retaining as many of those delightful bubbles as possible.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the evaporated milk, Cornish clotted cream and condensed milk.
Poke holes all over the cake, before pouring over half the milky cream mixture. When the majority of the mixture has absorbed into the sponge, pour over a little more.
Any remaining sauce can be served on the side. Refrigerate overnight if you can, although it'll still be delicious even if you don't have time.
To serve, whip the remaining cream until it just holds soft peaks. Spread over the top of the cake before finishing with a generous dusting of cinnamon. Serve with the sauce on the side to pour over.
We at That's Food and Drink think this would make a delicious Christmas season desert. Maybe use Brandy Cream as part of the ingredients?
Bear & Bee Sweet Company
When I mentioned this to a stallholder who was selling some absolutely delicious vegan chocolate he said: "Why not pop round the corner to the Bear & Bee company? They'll be able to help you as they have a lot of very tasty sweets that aren't covered in chocolate."
I thanked him for his advice and made my way to the Bear & Bee stall and was faced with a fantastical and somewhat bewildering selection of sweets.
I chatted with the people on the stall and eventually chose a large mixed bag of their sweets and also bought a bag for the daughter of a friend who has recently been diagnosed as having a gluten intolerance.
My wife's verdict on the sweets later that day? "These are delicious! You really can't tell they are vegan or sugar free!"
You can order them online at https://www.bearandbeesweetcompany.com.
Thursday 10 November 2022
Shore the Scottish Seaweed Company Produce fantastic seaweed chips!
I found them at the Just V Show and after tasting them, I decided that I just had to buy three 80g bags, one of each flavour.
There are Lightly Salted Seaweed Chips, Peking Duck Flavoured Seaweed Chips and Sweet Sriracha Seaweed Chips.
When I got them home and we opened them, my wife was please that, although they are 100% plant based that they are also definitely 100% on the taste front.
She pointed out that although vegan, they did have a taste of the sea about them. Obviously this was as a result of them having a good serving of genuine hand-picked and freshly harvested Scottish seaweed in the recipe.
Apparently there is a proper handful of real seaweed (20g!) in each and every bag. And, of course, as they are harvested from the shoreline of Northern Scotland, this means the key ingredient requires absolutely zero fertilizer to make it grow. Plus there's the added incentive that they are naturally high in iodine, too!
They are also high in fibre and have 120 calories per serve.
Seaweed is the forgotten superfood of the British Isles and it's good that Shore Chips is getting people to eat more seaweed.
Just visit them at https://shoreseaweed.com.
They can be purchased in Holland and Barrett for £1.00 for a 25g bag, plus Morrisons now stock them, too. You can also order them on Amazon, Sainsbury's, the Co-Op, etc.
Larger 80g bags are available, please check for availability.
My wife and I think that these will make a tasty and healthy alternative for the crisp mountains that many families build up for Christmas, so please do stockpile them well in advance of the big day!
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Le Beaujolais Est Arrivé!
Beaujolais Nouveau is all about festival and fun, and Wickhams are delighted to be inviting consumers to join the celebration by offering two nouveau wines and an English nouveau. All are available to pre order now, for delivery by 17th November. The purchase of nouveau wine from Wickhams also gives customers a free place at an online event on the evening of Thursday 17th November to taste the fruits of the 2022 harvest together.
Beaujolais Nouveau 2022, Domaine Bel Avenir
£13.33 Single Bottle £12.00 Any 6 Mix
(if purchased as part of the Any 6 mix they are honouring the 2020 price which is just £12 per bottle.)
Beaujolais Nouveau 2022, Domaine de Mont Joly
£15.50 Single Bottle £13.95 Any 6 Mix
Sharpham New Release 2022
£14.00 Single Bottle £12.60 Any 6 Mix
Always a champion of English wine, Wickhams are also offering the fast and fun new release from Sandridge Barton, the home of Sharpham Wine.
Wickhams offers over 250 wines and spirits, including individual bottles as well as curated cases, encouraging customers to try new varieties, all at accessible price points. By building close working relationships with winemakers they are able to reduce the length of the supply chain to give better quality at a lower price whilst also using 100 % recyclable packaging.
Delivery is available to mainland UK from a centrally located Mansfield warehouse allowing the whole of the UK to be serviced with fast deliveries. Orders over £40 are shipped free of charge.
For more information about Wickhams' products and to keep up to date with their events, visit www.wickhamwine.co.uk. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram @wickhamwine.
Time to lay some in for Christmas? we think so!
Wednesday 9 November 2022
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Freddie's Farm wins Hit Channel 4 TV show Aldi's Next Big Thing
 |
| Charlie & Laura making their pitch |
Their dried fruit snacks for kids are made with only British produce, as much as possible from their own orchards and fields in Kent –and are in stores nationwide from now on.
Hearts melted as the nation was given an insight into Charlie and Laurie’s life at Bramley Mount Farm and their son Freddie, 6, after whom the snacks are named, and his sister, Ottie, 3.
In the show, which is hosted by Anita Rani, of Countryfile, and Chris Bavin, of Britain's Best Home Cook, hopeful suppliers compete for a space on Aldi’s shelves, before Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, decides on the winner. Last night was the turn of healthy and wholesome food and drink producers and Freddie’s Farm fought off tough competition from manufacturers of fava bean snacks, kimchi, and even camel milk, to secure a space on Aldi’s shelves.
Charlie and Laurie impressed from the off with the taste of their snacks, paper packaging, as well as health credentials.
Co-founder, Laurie Fermor explains how the healthy snacks came about: “When Freddie [now 6] was little, we didn’t like the snacks that were out there in the market so we came up with Freddie’s Farm. The drying process has been perfected over a long time so it’s quite special. We try to keep the flavours you get in raw fruit and veg. As a result, we have lower free sugars, which help prevent kids getting sugar highs and crashes, which we certainly like to avoid with our two at all costs.”
With everything grown, dried and packed within metres of the couple’s home, the carbon footprint also appealed to Aldi, which has tough sustainability targets and has been a carbon neutral business since 2019. However, to secure the contract the small business had to scale up significantly to meet the order of 325,000 packs – more than 10 times bigger than their previous biggest order.
Viewers watched with anticipation as Charlie and Laurie discussed the challenges such a huge order would create. Not only does it depend on a good harvest, but the couple need to wait 4-6 weeks for the unique paper packaging to arrive, and with their current machinery would need to be packing for 16 days straight to pack enough for Aldi’s order alone – a problem that could only be fixed by purchasing expensive new machinery.
However, Julie decided to take a risk on the Kent farmers. And it’s a risk that’s paid off as the product is available from today (4th November) in Aldi stores nationwide.
Charlie Fermor, Co-founder, Freddie’s Farm, says: “It’s just been such a long time getting to this point. I started the journey as a student studying agriculture at Reading University. I took such a risk when I invested in our unique dehydrating machine. Then with the pandemic happening just as business was taking off, at one point we thought we’d never get here. Actually during the show we’d convinced ourselves we hadn’t won, but when Julie announced our name it was crazy. We can’t be happier, and it was so exciting to tell the kids – we can’t wait to get them down to an Aldi store to see it on shelf now!”
Julie Ashfield, MD of Buying at Aldi UK, says: “It’s a fantastic product. It just ticks every single box. It’s made in Britain by British farmers, using British produce. It’s a healthy snack that I’d be happy to give to my children.”
The multi-category competition is part of Aldi’s ongoing commitment to locally sourced products. Aldi has pledged to prioritise home-grown suppliers as it works towards spending an additional £3.5 billion a year with British businesses by the end of 2025.
Freddie’s Farm dried fruit snacks are available in stores now, but shoppers need to get in quick to get a chance to try, as with all Specialbuys, once they're gone, they're gone!
Devon Stands Out in World Cheese Awards
The biggest 'cheese-only' competition in the world received a record-breaking 4,434 entries from 42 countries, as artisan cheeses were delivered by boat, truck, train and plane.
The entries were blind-tasted by the most astute palates of cheese experts, food writers and buyers to determine if they were worthy of a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Super Gold award.
Rising to the top of the 4,000 entries, Ticklemore's Devon Blue from Totnes came eighth in the world, outperforming each and every every other blue cheese, securing a phenomenal Super Gold status. This is a clear signal for an outstanding cheese that has met rigorous judging criteria for a flawless product.
Sharpham Dairy won Gold for its Ticklemore cheese, which is a goat's milk cheese with a firm flinty texture featuring hints of lemon and herbs. Also, their Camembert cheese created to celebrate Sharpham Dairy's 40th anniversary last year, won a Silver award.
Sharpham Dairy's Ticklemore also recently won its category of 'Best Hard Cheese' in the Great British Food Awards, which represent the very best of modern British foods. The category was judged by Adrian Boswell, the Senior Buyer of Fresh Food at Selfridges.
Greg Parsons from Sharpham Dairy says, “All of these awards are testament to the hard work and dedication which goes into making our high-quality products. From the farmers who care for our cows and goats, to the drivers who deliver our products and everyone else in between. World Cheese Awards receive thousands of entries from every corner of the globe, so to achieve recognition for our quality products is high praise indeed.”
In mid-Devon, Quicke's Cheese achieved five accolades at the World Cheese Awards for their cheddars, including Silver for Lady Prue Clothbound Cheese, Elderflower Clothbound Cheese and Buttery Clothbound Cheddar.
Proudly creating slow-food, Quicke's herds graze on land nurtured by the Quicke family for in excess of half a millennia.
The truckles of cheese are bound in cloth and left to mature for months or even years in some instances. Their cheddar recipes go back generations and the secret to such a complex flavour is their precious starter which has been slowly developing for over half a century.
Mary Quicke MBE says, “We're delighted to return with such high recognition for five of our cheeses and for Devon to shine so brightly. The World Cheese Awards unites our industry in celebrating the full spectrum of flavours, textures and colours. The alchemy of transforming milk into cheese never ceases to amaze me, which is why working with such an alive product is a genuine thrill.”
John Farrand, who is the MD of the Guild of Fine Food, organisers of the World Cheese Awards, said: "What a finale! This year's World Cheese Awards has been a fantastic and huge success and Wales has been the perfect canvas for this colourful event."
A selection box from Devon's finest cheese-makers is available to order. The Essential Devon Cheese Board features five artisan cheeses, including:
Sharpham Brie
Quicke's Mature Cheddar
Ticklemore Devon Blue
Plus a 'Grader's Choice' from both Sharpham and Quickes
Customers will receive five pieces (circa 300g each) of artisan cheese individually wrapped along with tasting notes for each, all boxed up and ready to go.
The Essential Devon Cheese Board costs £25 and is available for home delivery from www.sharphamcheese.co.uk.
This sounds like an excellent Christmas gift for the dedicated foodies in your life. And also for your own Christmas cheeseboard.
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Tuesday 8 November 2022
Just V Show
It was great! I was able to meet people who I have previously worked with (Hello Warburtons, Hello Glebe Farm, hello Juvela Bread!) and to meet new people who where there to promote their businesses, many of them small, new businesses.
I ended up spending maybe more money than I actually intended, but it was a good day and it was cool to meet so many great and passionate people, lots of people were so thrilled to be able to buy gluten and allergen free foods, ingredients, chocolates, sweets, etc., for them and their children. I was able to purchase some items for my wife who is diagnosed with coeliac disease.
Over the next several days I will make posts on That's Food and Drink (and sister blog, That's Health) featuring the people I was able to meet.
Guys, thanks for the taste samples!
https://www.justvshow.co.uk/birmingham/2022
(Image courtesy of Mittmac and Pixabay)
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Milk Muddle at the Dairy? And Sharpham Dairy Invent New Sharpham Rushmore Cheese!
Sharpham Rushmore was serendipitously created when their goat's milk was mistakenly poured into the same tank as some cow's milk.
Determined that they would not countenance any waste whatsoever, they decided that it was necessary to make some cheese with the milks that had become accidentally mixed.
The team of cheesemakers continued to produce cheese with the mixed milk to see what it would taste like. Absolutely delighted with how the new cheese tasted they decided to call their newest invention-cum-discovery Sharpham Rushmore.
So pleased were they with the resultant new cheese that they decided to package it up and trial it at the Powderham Food Festival 2021 to gauge the public's reaction.
Of course, it was an instant hit, and Sharpham Rushmore was declared to be a triumph and the team knew they must make more of this fortuitous accidental cheese.
So, what does it taste like? It has a refreshing acidity, Rushmore is rich and creamy in flavour with some subtle floral sweetness and a mice, lingering finish.
How can you serve it? It's a delicious conversation starter enjoyed on its own, or will be delicious as part of a cheeseboard, perhaps in a salad or crumbled over a ratatouille.
It's said to be a sensation if paired with light-bodied, aromatic white and rose wines, like such a sauvignon blanc or perhaps a well-chilled sparkling wine from Devon. (My personal favourite would be with a very hoppy West Coast IPA, but then I think a very hoppy West coast IPA is a perfect accompaniment for just about anything!)
Greg Parsons from Sharpham Cheese, says: “When our farmer admitted he'd made a mistake in mixing the milks, we were intrigued to see what the results would taste like.
Afterall, as Thomas Edison said, 'Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do, doesn't mean it's useless.' Many of the best cheeses have been made by a happy accident, and this new addition has been ever so well-received. We're thrilled and delighted to bring Rushmore to the market.”
Cheese writer Patrick McGuigan, commented: “Crumbly like a Caerphilly but with a fudgy breakdown under the white rind, it's super rich and double creamy but with a refreshing tang of acidity. You don't see many mixed milk cheeses in the UK so this is quite an exciting new cheese!”
He continued, “It's very nice on a cracker with Kampot fermented green peppercorns and a blob of apple and cider chutney. Creamy, sweet and spice - nice!”
As the UK's first cheese dairy to achieve a B Corp certification, Sharpham Dairy believes that cheese should be a force for good. They pride themselves on meeting the highest environmental impact standards, and the new Sharpham Rushmore was borne from their ethos of wasting as little as possible. Sharpham Dairy deliveries arrived packaged in recyclable and compostable packaging.
The full range of goats', cows' and sheeps' milk cheeses, as well as Sharpham Dairy's brand new crackers and chutneys are available from good cheesemongers and delis, and online. Visit www.sharphamcheese.co.uk / @SharphamCheese on social media.
As an aside, we at That's Food and Drink think Sharpham Rushmore will be an excellent addition to your Christmas cheeseboard this year.
NICE Wine? Nice gear!
The female-led team is innovating with formats, making wine more inclusive and, hopefully, less intimidating, less scary and less stress-inducing. And they aim to bringing a fresh outlook to the industry.
So, whether you're after a perfectly portioned canned wine for a train journey, or some boxed wine for your Christmas celebrations, they make it for whenever you want it. Because they're NICE like that!
November 2022 sees NICE collaborate with London-based elevated contemporary workwear brand M.C. Overalls (www.mcoveralls.com) to create a funky two-piece NICE tracksuit (£120, or £80 for a sweatshirt and £70 for joggers).
2022 has been Rosé's year and this winter is all about staying warm and cosy, now the weather's got a definite chill in the air, it's time to twin with your favourite tipple and hunker down to stay warm and cosy!
M.C. Overalls create clothes that have an enduring style and quality that work hard. The new, Limited Edition NICE Sweatshirt and Joggers are of a high quality, deliberately comfy and of course, only available in pink.
Featuring NICE branding on both sweatshirt and joggers, the tracksuits will be your chill set, winter walk set, cinema set, snuggling up set, whenever or whatever set.
A spokeswoman said: "NICE is all about putting you first, quite a new thing for wine, allowing everyone to have easy access to the NICEst possible ways to wine. The NICE team lives by the mantra 'to lead and never follow' and if that means disrupting the wine industry with a fresh approach, then that's what they'll do!"
Ready to buy now from NICE Drinks https://nice-drinks.co.uk/pages/tracksuit.
Actually, we think these garments would make a pretty nifty Christmas present. So long as you also included some NICE wine to go with them!
THE WINE
NICE Sauvignon Blanc (11.5% ABV)
Dry, crisp, with a wink of peach: a classic French white from the Cotes de Gascogne region
NICE Pale Rosé (12% ABV)
A crisp, dry and proudly pale rosé from just outside Montpellier
NICE Malbec (13.5% ABV)
Juicy, darkly fruity and smoothly Argentinian, this medium bodied wine hails from Mendoza in the foothills of the Andes
WINE, IN A CAN – Available from Sainsburys, Amazon and Ocado
NICE put their favourite Sauvignon Blanc, Pale Rosé and Argentinian Malbec in 250ml cans (RRP £3). It's wine without intimidation. It's wine on your terms. It's wine for whenever. Each of the wines is vegan and the cans are light, fast-chilling and 100% recyclable, forever. Prefer to shop indie? NICE is the fastest growing canned wine brand in the UK and the largest independent brand in still canned wine, find it at over 4000 outlets around the country.
NICE BOXED WINE – Available from Amazon & Ocado
Find the NICE trio in a new Boxed Wine format (RRP £21.50); equal to three bottles, nine cans, or 18 small glasses of wine, which lasts longer in a box (as it won't oxidise and go iffy) staying fresh for six weeks after opening. Just unleash the tap for your quick-one-wine, cosy-wine, whatever tickles your fancy wine. The box and bag are fully recyclable, so pop it in the recycling and give it the chance of a brand-new life.
Find NICE at Sainsbury's, Ocado, Amazon and WHSmith, as well as sports stadiums, music venues, airlines, theatres, cinemas and restaurants; you can also expect to catch NICE at over 100 festivals each summer.
Great news! Mandira Sarkar of Mandira's Kitchen Wins Surrey Business Award
The business, based in a 400 year old outbuilding overlooking the idyllic Silent Pool produces authentic Indian cuisine, cookery lessons and catering for events of all sizes.
It's already been a busy year with Mandira's Kitchen food attracting the attention of Nigella Lawson, the Countryfile team and culminating in a feature on Channel 4's Aldi, The Next Best Thing.
The award was presented to Mandira at a prestigious and glitzy black-tie event which took place on third November at G Live Guildford, recognising the achievements and resilience of the county's business community.
British actress, writer and comedian Jo Caulfield hosted the ceremony, which brought together some of the most successful companies, and their leaders, in Surrey.
Mandira was in excellent good company, with strong competition from across a wide range of sectors including technology, pharmaceutical, retail, law and marketing.
Maarten Hoffmann, who i s the MD of Platinum Media Group and organiser of the awards said:“ The Surrey Business Awards celebrate all the remarkable businesses in our region, plus all the people who work for them!
“Everyone should be justifiably proud of their achievements, and it's these businesses which are putting Surrey on the map, adding weight to the county's burgeoning reputation for innovation, creativity and excellence.”
Although the award has her name on it, Mandira insists it's very much been a team effort.
'I think any good company should be judged on the company it keeps, and to have prevailed over such outstanding fellow nominees makes this award even more remarkable, and special," said Mandira.
She went on to say: "The Mandira's Kitchen team is almost exclusively female and we work hard as a collective, covering for each other and sharing skills. The award will take pride of place in our shop, I would like to thank everyone involved with Mandira's Kitchen, our hugely loyal customers and brilliant suppliers.
"Thanks also to Platinum Media for staging such a well-organised event, and for giving us a reason to put our posh frocks on!"
https://www.mandiraskitchen.com
That's Food and Drink would like to add our congratulations to Mandira and her team for winning this well-deserved award.
Just in time for Christmas. New Zealand Pōkeno Whisky
Launching with a trio of bold, creative single malts made uniquely from only New Zealand ingredients, Pōkeno (pronounced Paw-Que-No) is the latest brand to be available from UK Spirits Distributor of the Year, Mangrove Global.
Pōkeno whisky honours the pure spirit of Aotearoa (New Zealand) by using only volcanic spring water from the North Island distillery's surrounding volcanic hills and family-farmed barley from New Zealand's rich, fertile South Island. The lovingly-crafted result is a range of bold, creative full-bodied single malts that capture the essence of this extraordinary, remote and beautiful land.
Pōkeno is what founder Matt Johns refers to as his "passion project." With in excess of a quarter century of experience in the global whisky industry behind him, he, together with his wife Celine, set out nearly a decade ago with a vision to achieve two things: to create some of the world's finest single malts using only New Zealand ingredients; and in doing so, to put New Zealand on the map as a whiskyproducing nation.
This vision ultimately led them to Pōkeno, a small rural town which is an hour's drive south of the country's biggest city, Auckland.
“For us as craft distillers, Pōkeno is an absolute hidden treasure,” explains Matt. “Not only do we have the privilege of using the pure spring water that has been drawn over centuries from the surrounding volcanic hills, but these same hills work with the sub-tropical climate to create conditions that accelerate the spirit's maturation and flavour development in the barrel. In Pōkeno, the angels don't like to wait for their share!”
The state-of-the-art distillery is in line with some of the best and most established around the globe. But without the same volume pressures that big brand producers face, Matt says he and head distiller Rohan McGowan are enjoying the freedom to ferment for longer, distil more slowly and experiment to extract the maximum body and flavour from their New Zealand barley.
“As an independent distillery, and a small team passionate about our craft, we're entirely driven by quality, not volume; on doing things our way, not the easy way, with no compromise on any part of the process at all,” says Matt.
“Over the last few years there's been a growing appreciation of the role fermentation and distillation plays in the development of body and flavour before the spirit is barrelled. With our focus on quality over volume, we're able to ferment for a minimum of 72 hours and then double distil incredibly slowly, maximising copper contact through the process to refine our profile and then ensure that only the purest spirit is taken for maturation.”
Mangrove Global's Nick Gillett says: “We really thrilled to be adding this delicious brand to our portfolio. The three malts are really in a class of their own. As world whiskies are growing massively in popularity it's really a very natural step to include Pōkeno single malts into our increasing portfolio of world whiskies from places as diverse as Mexico, Denmark and Australia.”
To honour the quality of the spirit, 80% of Pōkeno single malt is matured in first fill casks, leaving the barrel to enhance rather than dominate the flavour profile of each whisky. While they may carry their own localised geographic marker with the Pōkeno name, Matt says the new single malts capture the pure spirit of Aotearoa.
“Unlike anywhere else in the world, the New Zealand spirit is forged through a unique marriage of culture and landscape, which creates a sense of place that Kiwis take with them wherever they go in the world,” he says.
“From the outset, we have been guided by a commitment to honouring this pure New Zealand spirit and are delighted that we can now invite whisky lovers from around the world to dare to discover different.”
Do you have a whiskey or whisky aficionado you will be looking to buy a bottle or two this Christmas? Then we think New Zealand Pōkeno Whisky will be an admirable choice.
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Remember when milk was delivered to your door? It's happening again with the Modern Milkman!
Homeowners can now upgrade their breakfast routine this World Vegan Month with mouth-watering vegan brownies, creamy oat drinks, cold-pressed juices and real oaty porridge, all delivered single-use and plastic free.
Sustainable grocery delivery service, Modern Milkman, has highlighted its best vegan options, which are available for delivery right to doorsteps nationwide
The typical breakfast fare often includes everything from eggs and pancakes to milky porridge and all the meaty trimmings of a classic English fry-up, which is limiting for those choosing to follow a vegan or flexitarian diet.
So in order to help make mornings that little bit easier, but just as delicious this World Vegan Month, Modern Milkman, the 21st century’s answer to the traditional milkround, is showcasing its delicious range of vegan options, offering plant-based fans a convenient and eco-conscious breakfast choice and all delivered directly to your doorstep.
From a velvety oat drink and fresh fruit juice classics to real oaty porridge and indulgent dark chocolate brownies, the award-winning grocery delivery service has teamed up with independent British food brands in a sustainable effort to offer customers a plant-based selection of guilt-free, environmentally-friendly treats that can be enjoyed by everyone from the comfort of their home.
Available to order from themodernmilkman.co.uk, the plant-based drinks are delivered in returnable glass bottles, which are collected, washed, and reused or in single-use plastic free, recyclable, or home-compostable packaging - offering a convenient way to adopt a more eco-friendly lifestyle and preserve our planet’s resources.
Modern Milkman’s perfect oat drink comes from Oato, the first and the original oat-based dairy alternative.
For those looking for a dairy-free option without missing out on vital vitamins and minerals including; calcium, D3, B12. B2 and iodine, this deliciously creamy, sustainably dreamy oat drink works just like dairy milk. Whether it’s for your coffee, tea or cereal, it uses 100% British oats, providing an original milky texture for both new and experienced vegans as well as those who are lactose intolerant. Plus, it’s delivered in a reusable glass bottle! Who knew being sustainable could be so tasty?
Yockenthwaite real oaty porridge
The ultimate cosy comfort food, Yockenthwaite Farm real oaty wholegrain porridge, has a multitude of goodness. The freshly rolled oats have a high fibre layer and retained natural oils and flavours, which make them creamier than ever and a delectable start to the day!
Packaged in home compostable, plastic-free packaging the real oaty porridge is perfectly paired with the oat drink.
Cold-pressed Fruit Juice Bundle
Packed with nutritious fruity flavours suitable for everybody’s lifestyle, the Flawsome Cold-pressed Fruit Juice Bundle comes in three mouthwatering flavours; apple and strawberry, apple and superberry and sweet and sour apple.
These eco-friendly, tasty fruit drinks not only arrive in returnable glass bottles but prevent fruits going to waste, with each wonderful bundle saving seven-and-a-half apples, 45 chokeberries and five strawberries from being wasted.
Vegan Dark Chocolate Brownies
For those with a sweet tooth who aren't keen on abandoning their chocolate fix, the Modern Milkman and Grazed Brownies has the perfect vegan option, guaranteed to provide a very special treat for the tastebuds.
These luxuriously decadent vegan dark chocolate brownies are available on the milkround – which delivers up to three times a week. So, the chocaholics among us can devour these guilt-free, gooey brownies whilst taking care of the planet, as they’re delivered in eco-conscious paper packaging, with home compostable lining!
Simon Mellin, who is the CEO and Founder at Modern Milkman, said: “We believe it’s vitally important that everyone can enjoy sustainably sourced and eco-conscious products, no matter their diet or lifestyle. We believe that sustainable choices should be convenient and accessible to all – no matter your diet.”
For more information and to join the Modern Milkman milkround, visit: themodernmilkman.co.uk or sign-up via the Modern Milkman’s easy-to-use free app which is available on iOS or Android.
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Inspiring Documentary About the Origin of Coffee Premieres at the University of Plymouth
The documentary film told the origin story of Jabulani Coffee, which is an organic specialty coffee, produced as a result of a partnership between Owens Coffee and the Diversity Business Incubator (DBI), a business hub for minority ethnicity entrepreneurs.
The food court, which the coffee was originally roasted for, was established by husband-and-wife team Jabo Butera and Liliane Uwimana as part of a DBI project focused on regenerating Plymouth’s Union Street area.
Jabo and Liliane have since worked tirelessly to bring people together and support local communities in both the UK and Rwanda, through social impact projects funded by profits made in their shop. Their mission is to raise awareness of the effect of the Rwandan genocide as well as the social importance and impact of how coffee connects communities and cultures.
In June, Jabo set off on a trip to Rwanda, along with Liz Orgill of Owens Coffee, Christina Wilkins of Brand Biscuit Studio and Tom Carder of Tom Carder Media, to film ‘The Jabulani Coffee Origin Story’, a film about how a remarkable spirit of togetherness inspires a nation and binds this coffee with a purpose.
To coincide with the premiere of the film, Brand Biscuit Studio rebranded the speciality grade Rwandan single origin coffee.
Jabulani, an organic coffee with purpose
Jabulani beans are grown in the Gakenke District of Rwanda. The coffee offers a juicy, black tea finish with sweet notes of cherry, hibiscus and vanilla. It’s recommended for both filter and espresso.
Coffee from Rwanda is mainly produced by smallholders who own the land, normally under one hectare per family.
This organic single origin coffee is produced by the Twongerekawa Coko Cooperative: a group of 204 members, of which 169 are female, who grow their coffee at unusually high levels (2,000m above sea level) so the beans are slowly ripened and, as a result, filled with flavour.
The Coko Cooperative is a small cooperative of mostly women, based in Northern Rwanda and found in the highest areas of the Gakenke District. These women are celebrated community leaders: supporting them supports their communities.
Using regenerative and organic farming methods to sustainable standards, the community takes meticulous care to ensure the annual harvest makes speciality grading, which puts Jabulani Coffee in the top 10% of quality coffee in the world. The plantation is high up in the green Rwandan hills and provides ideal conditions for shade-grown Arabica coffee.
Owens Coffee and Jabo have a direct relationship with the Twongerekawa Coko Cooperative. Sales of the beans support an initiative which connects ambassadors from the UK and Rwanda to exchange knowledge, nurture leadership and encourage positive global change.
Currently roasted and distributed by Owens Coffee, Jabulani Coffee is available to buy from the online shop (owenscoffee.com) or The Roastery shop in Ivybridge (200g for £7.76 and 1kg for £27.00).
Since 2010, Owens Coffee has supported the aims of the Fairtrade Foundation and is proud that 100% of its coffee range is certified Fairtrade and organic. After hearing the story through Owens Coffee and Jabo, Alison Derrick and Sue Errington of Fairtrade Devon visited the cooperative in October. And, following talks with Fairtrade South West, Alison attended the premiere to announce that the cooperative’s President Thaerese Nyirangwabije and Manager Vincent Nsengiyumva have been invited to visit the UK in 2023, to support Fairtrade Devon during Fairtrade Fortnight (27 February to 12 March 2023).
To watch the documentary or to find out more please visit www.jabulanicoffee.com and to stay up-to-date, follow @jabulanicoffee on Instagram and Jabulani Coffee on Facebook.
To learn more about Owens Coffee, please visit owenscoffee.com.
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