Co-op announces biggest ever price investment on everyday essentials with members saving more

Today (Wednesday 2nd August) Co-op has announced its biggest ever single investment in pricing of £70 million, as it extends its ‘member-only’ pricing across everyday essentials, launching with a list of nearly 200 fixed lines including milk, eggs and bread.

This move, reportedly the biggest investment ever announced by a convenience retailer on pricing, sees Co-op, with over 2,400 food stores and 4.58 million active members, accelerate its member price benefits to provide new, lower ‘member-only’ prices on the everyday essential products that are the most shopped by their convenience shoppers, giving Co-op Members a chance to save up to 11% on retail prices with Co-op British Milk one pint at 85p, six Co-op free range eggs at £1.40 , whilst a Co-op sliced loaf will be 76p.

Co-op insight revealed, rather than loyalty pricing on an array of products which change every few weeks, shoppers think there's more benefit from lower prices on the items they buy the most, so it makes the biggest difference to their regular food spend.

This new significant price investment means Co-op Members will be able to save on products from milk, free-range eggs and bread to bacon and fresh chicken, too.

The £70m investment also includes a retail price reduction on more than 600 lines, ensuring they are in line or cheaper than other national convenience stores, and taking the total invested into Co-op prices this year to £90 million overall.

Matt Hood, who is the MD for Co-op Food, said: “Whilst food inflation is starting to slow down, household budgets remain under massive pressure, so this major price investment will make a real and tangible difference for millions of Co-op customers and members.  

"This £70m investment is the most significant ever made by a convenience retailer, allowing us to turbo charge our member pricing proposition for the millions of our members who shop with us every day, by tailoring the price cuts to those key lines we know our members buy the most. 

"We're focused on delivering member-value in a way that will make the biggest possible difference to their weekly budgets, and I’m clear there should be no compromise on quality and value by shopping in convenience. This isn't a loyalty scheme but rather the Co-op difference in action, whereby the people who own our business, our members, benefit every time they shop with the Co-op."

Closely following its business-model principles as a cooperative, Co-op continues to support its members and their communities through the cost-of-living crisis whilst still planning and investing for growth over the medium and longer-term.  

The investment has been made possible by the major cost savings and business improvements introduced over the past year in the face of rising inflation and increased operational costs.

This move follows the introduction of ‘member only offers’ in April, where Co-op members can get exclusive lower priced promotions, an initiative which has seen nearly 40,000 new members sign up every month to take advantage of the deals, as Co-op targets to grow its member base by a million more members over the next five years. 

The member-only offers will continue, alongside member only pricing, providing even more opportunity for savings and means a shopper could save on average £500 a year as a Co-op Member.

Underpinning this investment is the core proposition of Co-op’s membership whereby:

Members own the business and play an intrinsic part in the governance of the organisation

Members enjoy a wide number of benefits including money back on own brand purchases, personalised offers and gamification via the Co-op app, pre-sale opportunities for Co-op Live and music festival tickets

Co-op members help raise significant funds donated by Co-op to fund thousands of community causes, every year. £116m has been donated to communities since 2016

Co-op Member saving examples (all prices relevant for 14.07.23):

- Co-op British Milk 1 Pint: Co-op Member price 85p

- Co-op British Medium Free-Range Eggs 6s: Co-op Member price £1.40

- Co-op White Toastie Bread 800g: Co-op Member price 76p

- Co-op British Chicken Breast Fillet PMP 300g: Co-op Member Price £2.50

A £15 million investment in lowering prices was announced in April and Co-op has also invested an additional £5million into members offers.

Figure based on member purchase frequency and member discount, and total savings from purchasing both member-only promotions and member pricing.

The Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives with interests across food, funerals, insurance and legal services. 

Owned by millions of UK consumers, the Co-op operates over 2,400 food stores, over 800 funeral homes and provides products to over 5,000 other stores, including those run by independent co-operative societies and through its wholesale business, Nisa Retail Limited.

Employing almost 60,000 people, the Co-op has an annual turnover of over £11billion and is a recognised leader for its sustainability and community-led programmes. The Co-op exists to meet members’ needs and stand up for the things it believes in.

https://www.coop.co.uk/

Natural Beekeeping workshop raises funds for Hope Spring

An unusual and very exciting fundraiser was held in aid of Hope Spring, a clean water advocacy charity on Friday the 28th of July, 2023. 

The event, a natural beekeeping workshop, took place at The Hive in Much Birch village, which is in south Herefordshire. 

The workshop was the ideas of Worcestershire natural beekeeper Sara Steward It was facilitated by Hope Spring trustee and natural beekeeper Temi Odurinde and Andrew Collinson.

The event saw the six natural beekeepers compare notes and exchanging ideas, on various beekeeping topics ranging from ideas for total beginners like opting fora bee friendly hive to finding and catching your first swarm of bees. 

The workshop began with Andres Collison, a natural beekeeper with over two decades of experience discussing “The bein of the hive” a holistic look at the life of a colony of bees. 

After their lunch break, the beekeeper returned to discuss swarm catching, dealing with the problems caused by the varroa mite and the best shrubs and trees to plant for bees.

The event raised approximately £300 for Hope Spring. Speaking about the fundraiser Temi Odurinde said “we had a lovely time at the workshop, every participant had a knowledge of one technique or another to share. 

"We all went home better natural beekeepers than we were before the workshop.”

Temi went on to say: “Hope Spring is grateful for the donation each participant made, the proceeds will go to the new borehole project we're working on in Agege which is in Nigeria. I'm also very pleased to have contributed to the fundraiser in my own little way."

Hope Spring raises money to fund their clean water project directly from their supporters, particularly those who support their annual best charity Christmas e-cards campaign. The natural beekeeping fundraiser was a special one-off event. But raising funds with the natural beekeeping community in the future hasn't been ruled out.

You can learn more about Hope Spring clean water projects on their website and social media pages. You can also find out more information about natural beekeeping on the website of natural beekeeping trust.

http://www.hopespring.org.uk

To learn more about natural beekeeping please visit https://www.naturalbeekeepingtrust.org.

International students immersed into French gourmet food industry at NEOMA Business School

Commencing 10th and running to 21st July, NEOMA Business School based in France collaborated with Ecole Fauchon, the school launched by the renowned French brand of gastronomy, to deliver a summer camp to international students on management and the gourmet food industry.

Practical courses were hosted at Ecole Fauchon at NEOMA’s Rouen campus, including classes on CSR and the economy of the French wine sector. Students also had the exciting opportunity to visit producers at the Marché d’Intérêt National (France’s second largest produce market) and the Fauchon hotel.

“Learning to prepare gourmet food under the guidance of skilled chefs during the private cooking classes at Fauchon was a marvellous experience that I'll cherish forever. It not only expanded my culinary knowledge but also ignited a passion for gastronomy within me” said Fadzai Mutingwende, who is studying at the Manchester Metropolitan University.

In the second week, students moved to NEOMA’s Paris campus, to attend a series of conferences on Marketing French Excellence and Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability topics.

Lectures involved insights from proven industry professionals at Fauchon and NEOMA alumni. The final day finished with group projects.

Teaching was delivered in English to open opportunities for international students to gain insights on the French gastronomy sector. Nine students from the UK enrolled in the programme from Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Strathclyde.

“The second week of the summer school, featuring insightful lectures from industry experts, highlighted the importance of preserving and promoting France’s culinary heritage on a global scale and considering innovative ways to contribute positively to the food industry. 

"I came to understand that culinary excellence and sustainability are not mutually exclusive but rather are interconnected pillars that can drive positive change in the world,” says Orla McConville, who is a student at the University of Strathclyde.

The summer camp further builds upon the strong partnership between NEOMA and Ecole Fauchon. Both institutions already cooperate to deliver a Bachelor’s in Service Management – Gastronomy programme.

(Image courtesy of Paola Baldacci from Pixabay)

'Eggstra' help from Tesco for UK egg farmers

Tesco has revealed it is providing a further £10 million in extra backing for the UK egg industry as it continues its commitment to sourcing all its shell eggs from the UK. 

£6 million of the support will be provided from this month, August, until March 2024. This is on the heels of Tesco’s investment of £27.5m in the sector across 2022/23.

In a further boost to producers and customers, Tesco is lifting its buying restrictions on shell eggs. The restrictions, which mean customers can only buy three packs of eggs at a time, were introduced in November 2022 to ease pressure on a supply chain adversely impacted by price increases in key inputs like feedstuff and energy prices, further impacted by the avian flu outbreak. 

The support package will be paid to suppliers to cover the cost of handling, processing and egg production, including increases in feed for farmers. Tesco will continue to work with suppliers to ensure the extra investment will be passed on to farmers as soon as possible.

Tesco will also continue operating its industry-topping poultry feed model. Poultry feed represents up to 70% of the cost of production on egg and poultry farms. 

The model adjusts to price changes in the market, providing producers with the cost protection and security they require when they are purchasing feedstuffs.

Dominic Morrey, who is the Tesco Commercial Director for Fresh said: “We’re obviously very pleased to be able to provide a further package of financial support to our UK egg suppliers and producers.

"Over the past 18 months the sector has faced some very tough conditions, including increases to inputs like energy and feed, plus the avian flu outbreak, so we hope this support will alleviate some of these challenges.

“As conditions begin to ease, we’re also now able to remove the buying restrictions we’ve had in place on shell eggs since November last year. Customers can be reassured we also remain 100% British on all our shell eggs, with our five-year contracts with our suppliers now well underway.”

Tesco and its suppliers are committed to high welfare standards and together are working towards the retailer’s aim of 100% cage free eggs by 2025. It is hoped the new long-term contracts will help achieve the commitment.

www.tesco.com

Great Taste 3 Stars for Hive Mind Wye Valley Traditional Mead

The Hive Mind Mead & Brew Co has been awarded the highest three-star Great Taste award rating for its Wye Valley Traditional Mead.

The Guild of Fine Food rates three star products as “extraordinarily tasty food and drink” and only 2% of the thousands of products submitted for Great Taste judging every year achieves three stars.

Hive Mind brews meads and beers at its meadery in Caldicot using only natural ingredients and honey from its own local hives, where its beekeeping supports habitat conservation and important pollinator populations.

Hive Mind’s Traditional Mead reflects the flavours from the hills, meadows, hedgerows and woodlands of the Wye Valley through the honey that's harvested each and every season. To make the honey which goes into every bottle, the bees will have pollinated more than 1.7 million flowers and flown in excess of 70,000 miles.

The Great Taste accreditations celebrate the UK’s finest artisanal food and drink and are blind-tasted by a panel including celebrity chefs, Michelin-starred restaurateurs, food critics, buyers, retailers and writers. 

Three-star products will then go on to compete for the Great Taste’s Golden Fork Awards, given to the best products in each nation and region next October.

The judges’ comments described the Mead’ as: “Altogether beautifully crafted and thoroughly enjoyable…This is an absolute joy to imbibe and we loved it.”

Judges’ tasting notes included: “A lovely complexity to this mead - well balanced throughout with woody and toasted notes and a soft sweetness rolling into a soft lemony acidity with a long finish”; “Smooth and silken on the palate with lingering floral notes on the finish. A really delightful and delicious mead with both fragrance and floral complexity”; and “A delightful, promising nose with a heady, blossomed fragrance to this gorgeous pale yellow mead. Softly sweet and nuanced, rounded and complex and deeply floral.”

This year, to help reduce food waste and prevent honey left over after the judging process being discarded, Hive Mind will be working with the Guild of Fine Food to collect the honey and brew a new ‘Great Taste’ mead.

Hive Mind’s tasting notes describe the Mead as sweet, rich and moreish with rich floral and heather notes. Hive Mind Traditional Mead is sold in classic cork-stopped 70cl bottles in numbered batches and is 14.5% ABV.

Hive Mind sells direct to consumers online and from its wonderful Caldicot tap house. It's also available through independent delis, farm shops, bars and restaurants all over the UK through specialist distributors including Pig’s Ears, Cotswold Fayre, Hammonds of Knutsford, Craft Drinks Co and Blas ar Fwyd.

The Traditional Mead, along with the special whiskey barrel-aged version, has recently been added to the shelves of Selfridges and is used by Michelin-starred restaurants including Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck and James Sommerin’s Home, following an appearance earlier this year on a TV series with the Hairy Bikers focused on small artisan producers.

Hive Mind co-founder Kit Newell said: “We describe our Traditional Mead as a distillation of the local landscape - it’s a well-balanced flavour that showcases the seasonality and all the floral notes from our carefully selected local honey, not just its sweetness. 

"It’s a great example of how we’re working to modernise the perception of what mead can offer and how well it works as an alternative to sweet wines, spirits or ciders. It is also a fantastic after-dinner drink and pairs beautifully with tasty blue cheeses.”

“We’ve seen a huge surge in interest in mead in the US off the back of the growth in the craft beer market as people search out new and interesting flavours. And we’re delighted to be growing the profile and availability of mead in the UK through recognition by the Great Taste judges and the growing number of specialist distributors, artisan retailers and high-profile chefs supporting Hive Mind,” he pointed out.

Hive Mind has recently launched a range of specialist flavoured session-strength Sparkling Mead (4%, 330ml cans). Other Hive Mind products include Oak Whiskey Barrel-Aged Traditional Mead (20%, 500ml) and honey beers including honey pilsner, Nectar (440ml 4.5%), smoked honey porter (750ml 7.0%), Citra IPA (330ml 5.7%) and golden ale (330ml 4.5%).

https://hivemindmead.com/

It's Results Day for Great Taste 2023!

Today,1,000s of artisan producers from all over the world will learn if their products are among the tastiest in the world with the wildly anticipated results and judges' feedback for Great Taste 2023, the highest taste recognition of its kind.

Across 89 judging days in Dorset and London, a group in excess of 500 judges conducted comprehensive blind taste tests on the 14,195 entries which were submitted from a staggering 109 different countries all over the world. 

Each producer will receive highly valuable feedback on their submissions from an array of food experts and find out if they've earned Great Taste 1-, 2-, or 3-star award.

This year, only 5,904 products of the total products entered received an award (41.6%) and of the 2,516 winning companies, 1,837 (73%) are based in the UK and 679 (27%) span all corners of the globe.

Says John Farrand, who is the MD at the Guild of Fine Food: “It's always incredibly exciting to be able to share fantastic tasting food and drink from across the world after so many judging days. We have witnessed an outstanding year of exceptional quality, innovation, and creativity once again. 

"High-quality, straight forward food and drink including meat, fish and dairy products continue to stand out, and highly impressive ingredients, from fermented sauces to spices carry on making their mark. Often simple does best, it's been absolutely brilliant to hear our judges discover the delicious tastes of really well-made ice creams, coffees, chocolate and sourdough bread.

“What's truly remarkable is to see the Great Taste entrants continue to thrive amid one of the toughest economic and social periods, it's nothing short of inspirational. It takes courage and perseverance to establish or grow a food or drink business, and these producers have done an exceptional job. 

"From adhering to strict standards and policies to mastering marketing and sales, not to mention achieving excellent taste and flavour. We want to thank them for their continued passion and skill and look forward to seeing more gold and black Great Taste stickers on shelves around the world over the next year.” Farrand concludes.

So, who are the Great Taste 2023 3-star winners?

To achieve a Great Taste star rating of any level is a really significant achievement. With the highest rating being a Great Taste 3-star, determined by over 65 expert palates collectively during the final judging days, products of this calibre are sought out by food lovers across the nation. This year, just 248 (1.8% of entries) products have been awarded this top accreditation.

Of the 3-star winners, 139 have come from the UK and 109 from international producers, including oak honeys from Greece and Spain, cold brew tea from Germany, Lebanese chilli sea salt, Cambodian flower sugar and cheeses from Hungary, France, Norway, Bulgaria, and Spain, among many other interesting and innovative products.

There were 248 Great Taste 3-star winners this year, including:

VOG Jackson's Black Oyster Shell IPA from Vale of Glamorgan Brewery, one of Wales' oldest microbreweries, who have been brewing in Barry since 2005 and have no plans to stop any time soon! https://www.vogbrewery.co.uk/

Chocolatia, which is a Scottish business set up by former Gleneagles chef Chloe Oswald as a creative outlet during lockdown, impressed judges with a grand total of three 3-stars for their Hazelnut Latte Bonbon, Pecan Pie Bonbon and Sea Salt Caramel Filled Bar. https://www.chocolatia.co.uk/

Hannan Meats, which is one of Northern Ireland's leading butchers and previous Supreme Champion winner continued their winning streak with 3-star for both their Buttermilk Pork Chop and Koji Pork Chop. https://www.hannanmeats.com/

Sarah Churchill from The Artisan Kitchen achieved the highest number of 3-stars from any one company with a staggering 8 x 3-stars for her jams and marmalades produced in Gloucester. https://www.theartisankitchen.co.uk/

A Croatian mint cordial from small family company Imanje Kapronca delighted judges with its “green, verdant freshness”. https://www.imanjekapronca.hr/

Scúp Gelato, an Irish family business and Golden Fork winner from 2022, carried their success into 2023, winning a second 3-star for one of their sorbets, this time for their Natural Yogurt & Blackcurrant Sorbet. https://scupgelato.com/

Anchoas Hazas won another 3 x 3-stars for their anchovy products. A family business in Asturias in Northern Spain, anchovies are often preserved for 26 months before every part of the fish is meticulously used to ensure nothing goes to waste. Sadly no longer able to import to the UK due to Brexit, Anchoas Hazas is a multiple Great Taste winner. https://anchoashazas.com/

A relative newcomer to Great Taste, Finnish distillery Kyrö is awared a 3-star for its Kyrö Rye Malt Whisky, produced in an old dairy in Isokyrö. https://www.kyrodistillery.co.uk/

Taiwanese tea company, Archome Ent. Int'l Co., entered for the first time and came away with 3 x 3-stars for their Oriental Beauty, Sunrise Hike and Spring Blossom teas. https://yoosheetea.com/

The distinguished judging panel consisting of over 500 food & drink experts, included chefs, critics, recipe developers, buyers, journalists, retailers, broadcasters, and reputable industry professionals. The Great Taste 2023 judging line-up included senior buyers and coordinators from Selfridges, Whole Foods Market, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, Waitrose and Westmorland Family. 

MasterChef 2022 winner Eddie Scott, olive oil sommelier and author Irini Tzortzoglou, food writer and owner of Violet Cakes Claire Ptak, chef and co-founder of Island Social Club Marie Mitchell, chef turned farmer Julius Roberts, pastry chef and author Ravneet Gill, restaurateur and producer Amy Poon from Poon's, baker and author Kitty Tait - the youngest and newest judge to join this year. Finally, broadcasters and journalists Nigel Barden and Lotte Duncan (BBC), Andy Clarke and Juliet Sear (ITV), Felicity Cloake (The Guardian), Xanthe Clay (Telegraph) and Joanna Blythman were involved this year, among many others.

What happens next?

These Great Taste award-winners can now proudly display the iconic black and gold Great Taste logo as a badge of honour on their award-winning products. The logo states whether the product was awarded 1-, 2- or 3- stars and that it was awarded in 2023, so make sure to look out for them in your local stockist!

Past winners have stated that displaying a Great Taste sticker has increased sales by as much as 50%, as consumers from around the world are enthused to taste the best food and drink products available each year. In the UK, 55% of all adults are familiar with the Great Taste logo, with 80% saying an award would make them consider a product, according to YouGov research from December 2022 (sample size: 2,021).

Great Taste Golden Fork ceremony

The excitement of Great Taste 2023 doesn't stop here, for the highest scoring winners it's just the beginning. All 3-star winning products were tasted and judged again by the knowledgeable judging panel to crown the Golden Fork trophy winners and the 2023 Supreme Champion – the highest accolade of all.

The Golden Fork ceremony celebrates the best of the best from producers around the world, awarding them with a Golden Fork trophy. Further Golden Fork trophies are given for various categories, including the Guild of Fine Food Lifetime Achievement award, the Great Taste Startisan of the Year award and Nigel Barden's Heritage Award.

All will be announced at the Great Taste Golden Fork Ceremony on Monday 11 September 2023 at the Battersea Arts Centre (trade only event).

What is Great Taste?

Recognised as a stamp of excellence and actively sought out by food lovers and retailers alike, Great Taste, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, values taste above all else. All products in the line-up for judging are blind tasted: every product is removed from its packaging so it cannot be identified, before entering a robust, layered judging process.

New for this year and to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Great Taste, the Guild of Fine Food offered 50 micro producers the chance to put one new product in front of its expert panel of Great Taste judges for free. The bursary was aimed at micro producers who have never entered Great Taste before or have a new product, which has never been entered before. The bursary panel, which consisted of Adrian Boswell, buyer at Selfridges, industry commentator and food entrepreneur Mallika Basu, and PR & marketing expert AJ Sharp, selected the 50 most eligible entries.

2023 saw 21 products entered through the bursary scheme win a Great Taste award including Karobi's Ghee from Karobi's (3-star), New Alt from Antur Brew Co. (3-star), Shoogle Junniperous Scottish Navy Strength Gin from Shoogle Spirits (2-star) and Traditional Napa Cabbage Kimchi from The Ferm (1-star).

Food & Drink Wales is the headline sponsor of Great Taste 2023.  Great Taste Golden Fork trophy sponsors include: Andrew Ingredients, Bord Bia, Food & Drink Wales, Invest NI, Italian Trade Agency, Maltby & Greek, Mevalco, Partridges, Scotland Food and Drink, ShireFoods, and Speciality and Fine Food Fair.  Great Taste is supported by Henderson Group, Horgans, and Peter Green Chilled.

For the full list of this year's winners and where to buy them, head to www.greattasteawards.co.uk from 2pm today where you will also find a wide range of the award-winning products available to buy in delis, farm shops and independent retail outlets across the country.

Keep up to date on socials: @guildoffinefood #ISpyGreatTaste

Visit – https://gff.co.uk

Plan ahead for Halloween with Trewithen Dairy

Serve your ghouls and goblins trick or treat scones this Halloween with a Trewithen Dairy twist on the classic cream tea. These trick or treat scones are the perfect mix of spooky and surprisingly scrumptious - if you are a fan of yeast extract!

Ingredients

For 6 scones

350g Self-raising flour, sieved

Pinch of salt

100g Trewithen Dairy unsalted butter

110ml Trewithen Dairy whole milk

Black food paste

Trick topping - quantity per scone

1 tbsp Yeast extract

1 tbsp Cornish clotted cream

Drizzle of honey

Sprinkle of chilli flakes

Treat topping - quantity per scone

1 tbsp Blackberry jam

1 tbsp Cornish clotted cream

1 Blackberry

Method

Start with the scones. Preheat the oven to 190c. Grease and line two baking trays.

Using your fingertips only, rub the butter into the flour to create fine breadcrumbs. Mix the black food paste in with the milk and stir until fully combined. Now, stream the black milk in slowly to the breadcrumbs, using a knife to gently mix until it just forms a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a thickness of 2cm and cut into rounds with a cutter. Don't twist them out of the cutter, otherwise they will warp in the oven.

Place on the baking trays (you don't need to egg or milk wash these scones) and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

For the trick scones - break the scone in half and spread a layer of yeast extract over the surface. Top with a big spoonful of Cornish clotted cream, before drizzling with honey and sprinkling with some chilli flakes.

For the treat scones - simply split the scone in two and dollop blackberry jam over one side. Pull a generous scoop of Cornish clotted cream and place on top of the jam. Finish with a blackberry.

https://www.trewithendairy.co.uk/

Schnapps! Flävar Vodka Schnapps Announces 3 Million Shots Sold in 12 Months of Trading

“To make the good times taste amazing” is the mission statement of the flavour-first brand that wants to shake up the shots category, with a clear liquid which provides an alternative to traditional higher ABV spirits styles.

Founder, Rolf Munding's Swedish heritage inspired the concept of Flävar: schnapps has always been associated with celebratory moments throughout Europe and the goal was to bring more flavour and flair to spirit drinking occasions. 

With its  bold, vibrant colourful packaging, a bottle neck emblazoned with the Swedish flag, Flävar's standout back-bar presence and vibrant online presence has contributed to the equivalent of 3 million shots being sold, with customers also using the liquid as a cocktail ingredient. 

Rolf Munding is also owner of the Market Taverns Group and this gave the perfect chance for valuable customer insight into what people were after post-covid. It's this feedback and insight that inspired further flavour developments. 

Flävar is a delicious 'spirit to be savoured' - delivering on both the celebratory shot drinking occasion, but also as a spirit to be enjoyed at a slower, more relaxed pace, with a mixer on as a valuable cocktail ingredient.

Rolf says, “Our pubs have been a great test-bed for new spirit innovation. Talking with customers at the bar is the best market research you can get. There seems to be more of an adventurous, considerate element to what people are looking for in these modern days. And a rise in the demand for sweeter, more indulgent tasting spirits. We first started considering the concept of a lower-ABV 'flavour-first' spirit post-covid, after identifying this trend. The timing has been great as the shot market is ripe for invigoration! 

I understand the 'instagram appeal' of the bright coloured liquids and of course you'll always have the age-old favourites like tequila, but there are few options for high-quality, lower-ABV spirits that just taste great. 

"We wanted to be able to supply a smooth, delicious, clear-liquid spirit. So we decide to create it! Strawberry & Lime flavour has been the top seller on-trade on-line since it was launched. But this has recently been overtaken by our newest Flävar: Blueberry & Lemon.”

And Rolf's personal suggested serve?

“Recently I've been pleasantly surprised with how good it tastes with prosecco. A single measure of strawberry and lime with 100ml of  Prosecco makes for a delightful summer drink, (now selling as the 'Flävecco' in the Market Porter, Borough, London). And as a neat shot, Lemon Pie is my personal favourite.

Over the next year Flävar has an exciting NPD strategy lined up, and a possible foray into RTDs. “We've got plenty of imaginative ideas lined up. There's a lot of room for innovation with Flävar.”

Embrace the Essence of Summer With Salcombe Distilling co.'s stunning Victuallers Special Edition 'Liquore Citrodora' Limoncello Liqueur

Everyone loves Limoncello. (Well, everyone meaning me, that is... But who doesn't love Limoncello?)

But what if there was the best ever Limoncello just waiting for you to taste it? 

Because it's already happened! Salcombe Distilling Co. has unveiled their latest truly stunning seasonal small batch release, Victuallers Special Edition 'Liquore Citrodora' Limoncello Liqueur. 

Taking you to the Med with every sip, this complex and layered liqueur is utterly bursting with the vibrant flavours of sherbet lemon and lemon balm. 

Available in a 50cl bottle, with a RRP £40, ABV 35% from salcombegin.com and Salcombe Distilling Co.'s Victuallers flagship stores in Salcombe and also in Dartmouth.

Derived from the Italian word for liqueur, 'liquore' and the Latin name for Lemon Verbena, 'Citrodora' which gives the spirit it'svery special  main flavour as well as colour, Victuallers Special Edition 'Liquore Citrodora' is unlike most other limoncello liqueurs that are available today.

Why? Because for a start, it's actually handcrafted on the water's edge at their stunning waterside home in South Devon, one of the world's only distilleries directly accessible by boat, Salcombe Distilling Co. first distil a base gin with botanicals including juniper, fresh lemon peel and lemon balm picked from their head distiller's very own, very special gardens. 

With near-obsessive care, attention and passion, next they steep lemon verbena, chamomile flowers and Szechuan and black peppercorns with only fresh lemon peel, before finally blending with soft Dartmoor water making it ready for bottling.

The finished result, a bright sherbet lemon and subtle herbal flavours on the nose with fresh zesty lemon on the palette and buttery background flavours of chamomile, giving a nicely smooth mouthfeel alongside a refreshing layered citrus finish.

Absolute exquisite served over plenty of fresh ice, topped up with Mediterranean tonic water and a slice of lemon, or why not indulge in a 'Ciao Bella' cocktail using the recipe below?

'CIAO BELLA'

Victuallers Special Edition 'Liquore Citrodora' was distilled especially to complement Salcombe Gin's Mediterranean dry rosé gin 'Rosé Sainte Marie' in the distillery's most popular cocktail the 'Ciao Bella'.

INGREDIENTS

25ml Salcombe Gin 'Rosé Sainte Marie'

15ml Knightor Rosé Vermouth

15ml Victuallers Special Edition 'Liquore Citrodora'

Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic water

Orange bitters

Orange

Sprig of thyme

METHOD

Fill a large gin glass with ice

Add the Salcombe Gin 'Rosé Sainte Marie', Knightor Rosé Vermouth and Victuallers Special Edition

'Liquore Citrodora' to the glass

Top up with the Mediterranean tonic water and add three dashes of orange bitters

Gently stir and garnish with a slice of orange and a sprig of thyme

Victuallers Special Edition 'Liquore Citrodora' joins Salcombe Distilling Co.'s award-winning line-up of Salcombe Gin 'Start Point', Salcombe Gin 'Rosé Sainte Marie', the Voyager Series, Salcombe Rum and New London Light non-alcoholic spirits and aperitifs.

For further information on Salcombe Distilling Co., visit www.salcombegin.com, follow SalcombeGin on Instagram and Facebook, and SalcombeDCo on Twitter.

Devon's Top Food and Drink Experiences to Enjoy This Summer

Want to learn more about your favourite Devon food and drink, meet the producers, taste their creations, make your own and learn some new skills?

Whatever your favourite tipple or your favourite pastime, there's a masterclass or guided tasting to suit everyone. 

Dip into chocolate making. Explore the spirit world. Get hands-on in the kitchen with some seriously good cookery skills. Dust down and scrub your BBQ and learn how to cook on fire or spend a family day planting seeds and exploring nature.

Food Drink Devon, which has a membership of over 350 food and drink producers, hospitality and retailer members, suggests some of the highlights from Devon for you to enjoy this summer.

For wine lovers

Most, if not all, vineyards will be thrilled and delighted to show you around their small or not-so-small patch of heaven and even give you a guided tasting through their vines and wines.

Huxbear Vineyard which is in Chudleigh offers a walking tour where the owner, Lucy, will talk you through the story of Huxbear, their vineyard calendar and winemaking processes. 

You'll learn heaps in about 90 minutes, followed, of course, by a free tasting. Non-walking tours are also available on request and are suitable for people with limited mobility, so should be accessible to everyone in your family or group.

Torview Vineyard, which isn't very far from Beaworthy, goes a a little bit further as it lets visitors get hands-on during their Winemaking Days. 

They run a Red and a Sparking version and your experience is spread over several days, several months apart, depending, of course,  on the wine type.. This year's Red Winemaking experience is almost sold out, but there's space on the upcoming Sparkling, so do look out for that, if sparkling wine's your thing.

Heron Farm Vineyard close to Honiton runs Vineyard Tours which also take in their impressive orchards, to learn about apple juice making, and their Kitchen Garden and Gin Orchard, topped off with a tasting back at the Heron Farm Kitchen & Café.

Sandridge Barton Wines, home of award-winning Sharpham Wine, close to Stoke Gabriel offers several different varieties of tasting experiences, from a casual self-guided options to in-depth guided tastings and tours for those who want to learn more about the processes they employ in their sustainable vineyard and winery.

Lyme Bay Winery near Axminster offers private guided tasting sessions in their Cellar Door, where you'll be talked through each wine, where the grapes are grown, how it's made and they'll even offer you a few all important wine buying tips. You'll leave for home with Winemaker's Notes on each of the wines you've sampled.

More beautiful vineyards with tours and tasting sessions to visit and experience…

Venn Valley Vineyard, near Barnstaple

Alder Vineyard, near Okehampton

Old Walls Vineyard, near Bishopsteignton

Wishing to delve a little deeper into wine? South West Wine School brings together the best wine educators in the south west to run Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) training courses at Darts Farm, near Topsham. Whether learning about different grapes for the first time or analysing a wine in a blind tasting, South West Wine School will take you on that voyage of discovery.

Beer and cider tours and tastings

Explore the world of brewing and fermenting

Sandford Orchards, near Crediton. You'll be able to look behind the scenes at the Cider Works,which boasts that it is the oldest working cider mill in the country, and see how award-winning Sandford Orchards cider is made. Round off the experience with a Q&A session and a cider tasting flight and pizza included in the price.

Salcombe Brewery If you have a desire to learn about beer and brewing, Salcombe Brewery is the place for you. Take yourself and fellow-beer lovers down to Salcombe Brewery. Their tours include a welcome drink in the Taproom, a tour of the Brewhouse with one of their knowledgeable brewers, who'll be more than happy (hoppy, even? Sorry!) to answer your questions, and you'll finish with a beer flight tasting back in the Taproom.

Other beer and cider tours and tastings to consider…

Hanlons Brewery, Newton St Cyres

Hunts Cider, Stoke Gabriel

Red Rock Brewery, Bishopsteignton

Rum experiences

Learn about the art of blending and rum distilling…

Devon Rum Co. Join the team at their waterside venue in Salcombe for a Rum Tasting Experience, complete with a very welcome drink, behind-the-scenes tour of their Blending House. You'll be able to try your hand at bottling rum, then enjoy an in-depth tasting of their four award-winning artisan rums. Ideal for rum fans and groups of friends to enjoy.

Two Drifters Distillery, near Exeter. Want to see a working rum distillery in action? Two Drifters were the first distillery to make rum from scratch in the UK. They'll fix you a drink, then gibe you a fascinating tour of the carbon-negative distillery. Smell the deliciously tempting scent of the genuine molasses and learn how they turn this high-quality material into finest quality rum. And then, it's a welcome return to the Rum Bar for a tasting flight.

Salcombe Rum School A visit here gives you the wonderful chance to craft your own rum and take it home with you. Learn about distillation and rum production, collect your botanicals, and create your own recipe and your own bottle label. Maybe leave the car at home as at least three rum cocktails feature in this experience!

Other recommended tours and tastings include 

Devon Distillery, Dartington

Hattiers Rum, Mothecombe, South Devon

Gin adventures

Go behind the scenes and make your own signature serve

Quayside Distillery, Exeter Quay. Join the gin experts in the lab for a wonderful 90-minute experience learning about the fundamentals of a well-balanced gin whilst you are learning and creating your own unique gin recipe. Or opt for a 60-minute experience with a master distiller where you'll taste your way through their flagship range.

Salcombe Gin School Take charge of a beautiful mini copper pot still to develop and distil your own 70cl signature bottle. Learn how they produce Salcombe Gin and what it takes to produce a balanced and harmonious gin whilst enjoying a 'Salcombe & Tonic'.

Gotland Gin, Beaworthy This novel experience begins in their outside bar with a G&T or soft drink before heading into the nano-distillery to see how Gotland Gin is produced. Next meet their flock of Gotland sheep and lambs during lambing season, then relax back in the bar and learn all about the botanicals while enjoying a few more tasters.

A few more to explore

Devon Distillery Gin School, Dartington

Sidmouth Gin School

Cocktail time

Time to mix, muddle and shake your way to a great time

Devon Rum Co. Cocktail Masterclass. Head to Salcombe to mix, muddle, and shake your way through a hands-on cocktail making session. You'll take charge of your very own and fully stocked cocktail station, have an introduction to mixology, then make (and drink) up to four unique rum-based cocktails. Might be best to not use your car to visit them!

Devon Cove Cocktail Masterclasses. Perfect for a fun night out with family members or friends or to celebrate a very special occasion. Hosted by an expert mixologist, you'll be able to learn how to make a range of delicious cocktails in the Kingsbridge Tasting Room. Try their award-winning spirits, learn the history of cocktails and play a few games, too!

Bar Buoy 'Cocktail Compass'. A one-off Tour, Talk and Tasting Event at the home of Bar Buoy handcrafted, ready mixed cocktails in Exmouth. Thursday, September 21, 7-9:00pm.

Coffee

Take your barista skills to the next level

Owens Coffee, Ivybridge. Latte Art Essentials Workshop. A two-hour course to awaken your inner barista and take your love of coffee to a higher level. However, it's important to realise that this is not your average coffee class, it's a vital experience that's all about having fun, unleashing your creativity, and elevating your coffee game, too. Several other coffee tasting, brewing and barista courses are on offer at Owens, too.

Learn cookery, fire and baking skills

From learning the right way to chop your onions, to how to cook over coals, to baking  the perfect sourdough

High Grange, Axminister Learn lots to apply in your own garden at this bespoke barbecue school which covers the full gambit of outdoor cookery. At Fire School you'll cover a variety of outdoor fire cooking and barbecue techniques and butchery with chef and food writer, Luke MacKay. Enjoy what you've just cooked, around the big oak table for lunch. Other masterclasses are available too.

Ashburton Cookery School is one of the UK's top cookery schools offering inspirational cookery courses taught by a team of keen and very expert chefs. With over 40 cookery courses to choose from, designed to suit beginners as well as the more advanced home cooks amongst our readers, they'll teach you to cook with imagination, passion and enjoyment… and how to chop an onion properly, too, as we just mentioned!

One Mile Bakery Boudicca Woodland runs One Mile Bakery in Exeter, making and delivering delicious and utterly delightful homemade bread, soups and preserves by bike within one mile of home mile, BUT she also teaches sourdough and other breadmaking classes in her Breadshed Microbakery. Her classes fill up rapidly, so do get in quick!

Sweet treats

Chocolate heaven for big and little ones…

Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium Introduction to Chocolate Making. This lovely workshop session includes a talk on chocolate, learn the entire process of turning a bean into the chocolate you recognise whilst the chocolatier demonstrates how to hand-craft, hand-dip and properly decorate chocolates. They also run a 'Short & Sweet Tutorial' ideal for children and parents.

Salcombe Dairy Chocolate Factory Experience the sights, sounds and aromas of bean-to-bar chocolate being made and packaged onsite thanks to full height glass dividing walls between the factory and the shop.

Flapjackery Barbican Trail Pop into Flapjackery on Southside Street to pick up a free children's trail which takes you around the sights and sounds of Plymouth's historic Barbican. Chocolate treats for children who complete the Barbican Trail.

Growing and foraging

Learn more about working with nature to produce food more sustainably…

The Husbandry School near Ashburton. If you are interested in growing more of the food you eat and wish to do so in a natural, fully sustainable way, then Husbandry Skills courses are ideal for you. Or you'll be able to take your family and spend the day exploring nature and picking great things to eat on the way round.

Taw Valley Microgreens Lunch & Learn, a hands-on introduction to growing your own microgreens. Learn about producing food sustainably, enjoy a tasty lunch, walk in the meadow and return home with a freshly picked microgreen punnet. (That's Food and Drink love growing microgreens in our conservatory.)

The Pig at Combe Dig a little deeper into THE PIG's 'plot to plate' ethos with their free Kitchen Garden tours every last Friday of the month.

Broomhill Estate From photography to foraging, metalwork to music lessons, cookery to art appreciation, Broomhill Estate near Barnstaple is 103 acres of imagination and creativity. Sounds great!

Ebb Tides Seaweed, Sidmouth Seaweed Foraging and Pressing. One-off event on Sunday 17th September 1-5pm

The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth. Sowing with Donkeys. One-off event on Monday, September 18, 3-6pm.

For more information on any of these experiences visit the individual member's website or for information on Food Drink Devon visit www.fooddrinkdevon.co.uk and follow @FoodDrinkDevon on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Worried about driving to and from the venues? Then you might like to check out suitable high quality hotels with the Devon Hotels and Restaurants Association website https://www.devonhotels.com.

(Incidentally, please mention our food and drink blog, That's Food and Drink, when you make a booking at any of the above food and drink venues)

Looking for a job in food retail? Then Aldi could help you

Aldi, which is the fourth-largest supermarket in the country already employs some 40,000 people over its 990+ branches.

And it's committed to creating over 800 jobs in new stores across the UK between now and Christmas. And they aren't just temporary jobs, either. 

Because Aldi is opening new branches in towns and cities like Oldham, Flitwick and Coventry plus many others up and down the country.

Beginning pay for Store Assistants at Aldi is £11.40 per hour nationally, and £12.85 per hour inside the M25, with the supermarket also paying for breaks, too.

Roles available include managerial roles, caretakers and cleaners, plus Store Apprentices.

Kelly Stokes, who is the Recruitment Director at Aldi UK, said: “As we continue to invest in new branches, we are seeking out hundreds of extra colleagues to join our incredible teams all over the country.

“Working at Aldi offers a great working environment, plus real opportunities to advance within the business and we look forward to welcoming even more people to be a part of our success in the future.”

Those interested in applying for a career with Aldi should visit www.aldirecruitment.co.uk as soon as they can.

Baking Yesteryear by B. Dylan Hollis (Interview)

Baking Yesteryear by B. Dylan Hollis is a book that hold hundreds of (mainly) baking recipes from over the last 100 or so years, collated, tested and sometimes reimagined for modern home cooks and professional chefs who might be looking for a spot of inspiration for their own baking endeavours by YouTuber and TikToker B. Dylan Hollis.

B. Dylan Hollis is one of Bermuda's best exports in recent years. He has worked very hard over the past three years to perfect his first cook book, which lists the baking recipes on a remarkably sensible decade-by-decade basis. All the recipes have been baked and taste tested multiple times to make sure they belong in the book.

There are pies, cakes, breads, gluten free recipes and savoury and sweet treats to wow everyone with.

Decades covered are the 1900s right through to the 1980s. 

The book is available via Amazon and other bookshops/bookstores. The RRRP in Pounds Sterling is £20.00, the Amazon price is £15.49, or £9.99 on the Kindle format.

The following is an interview of B. Dylan Hollis by a fellow chef and author of cookbooks, on QVC.

I will be placing an order for this book very soon. I think my wife and I will enjoy it very much indeed!

General Mills doubles vitamin D in Big G Cereals

One of the world's top cereal company delivers some good news for parents this summer, while reminding them of the wholesome goodness they grew up on with classics like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms and Cheerios.

Doubling the Vitamin D content of their Big G Cereals is just another step in their continued commitment to providing affordable, accessible nutrition because we know that breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated or break the bank – and it can be as easy as a beloved bowl of cereal.

General Mills reveals that your family-favourite cereals like Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Cheerios now deliver 20% of the Daily Value of Vitamin D, twice the previous level, with the majority of Big G Cereals to follow over the coming weeks. As category leader, General Mills is the first to roll out this important nutrition upgrade across most of its Big G Cereals and is championing the effort in its new Goodness We Grow Up On campaign.

Vitamin D is absolutely vital for building and maintaining stronger bones, but is often under-consumed, with 96% of all Americans ages two years and older falling short on this key nutrient. But with the good news of an even better nutrition profile than what today's parents grew up on, they can now help close the Vitamin D gap simply with a bowl of the Big G cereals their kids already know and love.

The Big G Cereals advancement in nutrition follows approval from the U.S. FDA earlier this year to increase levels of Vitamin D fortification in ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. 

Additional household favourites such as Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Cocoa Puffs, Trix and Cookie Crisp will hit shelves with the Vitamin D update throughout the coming summer months, ensuring there’s something for everyone from picky kids to busy college students right through to active adults.

“General Mills Big G Cereals have long been a leader in delivering good nutrition,” said Ricardo Fernandez, the president of U.S. Morning Foods. “We're obviously very proud to be the first major company to make whole grain the first ingredient in our Big G Cereals recipes almost 20 years ago, a commitment that we stand firm on to this very day. 

"And with the newly increased Vitamin D fortification of these cereals, we’re proud to remind parents of the goodness they grew up on with Big G and how we will continue to deliver nutritious options for their families today.”

Breakfast changes lives. Research shows that nutrients missed at breakfast are usually not made up during the rest of the day, and cereal for breakfast is hard to beat when it comes to nutrient density. For Americans at breakfast, cereal is the #1 source of whole grain, fibre and several key vitamins and minerals including folate, iron, zinc, vitamin A and many B vitamins. It's not easy to find this mix of essential nutrition in other breakfast choices. 

The old adage “the more things change, the more things stay the same” is at the root of General Mills’ new Goodness We Grow Up On campaign. 

Children of the '80s & '90s grew up with Buzz the Bee, Sonny the Cuckoo Bird and Trix the Rabbit delighting and providing delicious, affordable nutrition. To that end, families will see new premium online videos, banner ads, social content and experiential elements throughout the summer, a throwback reminder of the great taste, good nutrition and joy Big G Cereals have been delivering for decades. It’s the goodness kids grew up with then, and the goodness they’re continuing to grow up on now.  

Amy Cohn who is a Registered Dietitian and senior nutrition manager at General Mills said: “Cereal is one of few foods that’s consumed across people's lifespans and a household staple that can support good nutrition to a large portion of the population.” 

She went on to say: “Doubling the Vitamin D content of our Big G Cereals is just another step in our continued commitment to providing affordable, accessible nutrition because we know that breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated or break the bank, and it can be as easy as a beloved bowl of cereal.” 

Learn more at GeneralMills.com/gstandsforgood.

General Mill breakfast cereals are also available in the UK as well as the USA, their home country. 

Aldi reduces prices of staple fruit and veg

Aldi supermarkets has revealed price cuts on fruit and veg products. The reason is to pass savings on to its customers during the current cost-of-living crisis.

Ten products are included in the price drop, from avocados, red peppers and easy peelers to staples such as  baking potatoes and sweetcorn. This is the latest of hundreds of prices Aldi has cut in recent times including household staples like milk and pasta.

Shoppers will see prices drop by up to 36%, with the reductions firm evidence of Aldi’s commitment to offering the best value products to all its customers. In recent weeks, it's taken the step of reducing the price of nearly 100 products.

Latest research from Which? revealed Aldi to be officially declared to be the cheapest UK supermarket in June for the 13th consecutive month. 

On a basket of goods, Aldi was the cheapest at £75.25, £7.42 cheaper than Tesco and £16.55 lower than Waitrose. On average, shoppers save 11% on a basket goods by shopping at Aldi compared against the Big Four.

Julie Ashfield, who is MD of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “We know shoppers are having to make hard choices at the moment, which is why we’re passing savings on to our customers anywhere we are able to.

“We know it can be very hard to access food that's both nutritious and affordable, so we recognise reducing the costs of healthy food and veg staples like these is so really important right now.

“We’re continuing to see high numbers of people switching to Aldi from all other supermarkets as shoppers look to save money and our promise remains that we will always offer straightforward, honest prices that we’ll keep low for our customers, every day.”

Full list of reduced items are listed here:-

• Sweetcorn (2pk)

• Iceberg Lettuce

• Baking Potatoes (4pk)

• Radish (240g)

• Watermelon

• Avocado

• Red Pepper

• Premium Easy Peelers (600g)

• Flat Peaches (4pk)

• Unwaxed Lemons (4pk)

These price cuts are in addition to Aldi’s Super 6 initiative which offers fruit and veg at great value prices.

Cocoba Chocolate introduces Halloween themed chocolate treats

For those of us who like to plan ahead, here's some news from Cocoba. 

Cocoba, the Kent-based chocolate company renowned for producing truly irresistible chocolate and hot chocolate gifts, has launched this year’s Halloween range.

The delicious sphere-shaped Halloween “Hot Chocolate Bombes” are handmade from luxurious Belgian chocolate and will be truly bursting with special hidden treats from jellies to marshmallows. 

Flavours available will include orange hot chocolate and unique spooky green hot chocolate. These Halloween delights are available as a pack of three for £9.95.

Cocoba’s Belgian chocolate Halloween themed lollipops at £1.95 each are also ideal for little trick or treaters or to share if you're planning to host a Halloween party. For children or adults!

 From orange flavoured pumpkin lollipops to ghoulish ghost chocolate lollipops, Cocoba’s Halloween range has something for everyone.

And for a cosy night in the tasty “Hot Chocolate Spoons” are an absolutely ideal accompaniment, by simply adding some delicious steaming milk the chocolate melts to create a very special warming drink. 

The spoons are made with only the best quality indulgent Belgian chocolate and sold individually for £3.50.  Flavours will include a milk chocolate spoon with a white chocolate ghost and a block of orange flavoured chocolate served with a helping of mini marshmallows.

Cocoba Chocolate have crafted a nicely wicked range of Halloween treats for everyone to enjoy.  Please visit Cocoba Chocolate’s website for more information including the chocolate vegan product range.

www.CocobaChocolate.com

Cocoba’s chocolate products include Belgian hot chocolate, chocolate bars and lollipops, truffles and buttons, and a growing range of vegan dark and ‘milk’ chocolates.

Cocoba’s range is available from www.CocobaChocolate.com as well as Cocoba’s flagship chocolate café at the Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent, independent farm shops, delis, John Lewis, Selfridges and more, besides  All products are handmade in Kent. 

By the way, sign up for their mailing list and you'll get10% off and also free delivery on orders over £35.

Instagram: @cocobachocolate

Facebook: @CocobaChocolate

Pinterest: @CocobaChocolate

TikTock: @cocobachocolate

Twitter: @CocobaChocolate

Web: https://www.cocobachocolate.com

Easy Sweet Potato Brownies

These deliciously moreish brownie bites are 100% vegan, gluten-free and a healthy alternative to traditional brownies.

Ingredients

350g sweet potato

300g peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla essence

150g rice flour

125g coconut sugar

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

150g cocoa powder

40g cocoa nibs

40g dried cherries

250ml almond or coconut milk

Icing sugar to dust

Method

Pre-heat oven to 190°C

Line a 13”x 8” brownie tin with parchment paper.

Peel, cube and boil the sweet potatoes until soft.

Warm the peanut butter through in a pan until loosened.

In a large bowl mash the sweet potato until smooth then add the peanut butter and combine.

Add all the other dried ingredients and mix thoroughly. The mixture will be quite thick.

Gradually add the milk, stirring together until the mixture is fully combined.

Smooth the mixture into the lined tin and place in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cut into 15 squares. Leave to cook then dust with icing sugar.

https://www.seasonalspuds.com.

Sweet Potato Loaf Cake

This recipe is very kindly provided to us by Seasonal Spuds and is the first of two recipes from Seasonal Spuds.

Ingredients

1 large, sweet potato (300g)

200g unsalted butter

200g soft light brown sugar

4 medium free-range eggs

65ml milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest of ½ an orange

240g gluten free plain flour

60g ground almonds

½ teaspoon xanthan gum

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon fine salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground all spice

For the mascarpone icing:

50g salted butter, softened

200g icing sugar

250g full-fat mascarpone cheese

1 tablespoon orange juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Preheat the oven to 220ºC / 200ºC fan / Gas mark 7. Prick the sweet potato all over with a fork, place on a tray and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until tender. Let cool, then cut in half and scoop out the flesh. Place in a bowl to one side.

Reduce the oven temp to 180ºC / 160ºC fan / Gas mark 4 and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.

Put the butter in a small saucepan and place over a low heat. Melt the butter gently, swirling the pan every so often, until the butter turns golden brown. You’ll know it’s almost ready when the splattering and sizzling dies down and it smells overwhelmingly nutty and delicious.

Pour into a small bowl, making sure to scrape out all the little brown bits (because that’s where all the flavour is) and allow to cool a bit.

Add the sugar to a large mixing bowl and pour over the butter. Whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the sweet potato puree and whisk until this is well combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Then whisk in the milk, vanilla extract and orange zest.

In a large bowl, sift together the plain flour, ground almonds, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and all spice. Add the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Pour the cake batter into your prepared loaf tin and smooth out the top. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until risen, golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean/with just a few stray crumbs attached. If the loaf starts browning too quickly, cover the top with some foil.

Rest the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack to cool.

To make the mascarpone icing, place the butter in a mixing bowl and, using an electric whisk, beat until fluffy. Sift the icing sugar in in two stages, beating until smooth. Add the mascarpone, followed by the orange zest and vanilla extract and whisk together once more until thick, smooth and creamy.

Spread the icing over the top of the loaf cake, finishing with a few decorative swooshes on top.

Body Rescue. Tasty recipes to rescue your body

Body Rescue Lemon Drizzle Cake Ingredients

For the cake:

1 medium sized sweet potato 1 1⁄2 cups ground almonds

1⁄2 tsp Baking powder

1 cups Coconut oil

3 Eggs

1 cup Coconut sugar 3 Lemons zested

For the drizzle:

3 Lemons Juiced 1⁄2 cup Maple syrup

Preparation Method

• Peel and boil the sweet potatoes for 10 minutes or so until they are cooked.

• Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4, meanwhile in a bowl beat the eggs.

• Whisk in the coconut oil and coconut sugar to the eggs. 

• Add the ground almonds and baking powder.

• Mash in the sweet potatoes and lemon zest and combine. 

• Grease a cake tin and pour in the mixture.

• Place the tin in the preheated oven and cook for 50 minutes.

• Meanwhile make the drizzle by melting the three juiced lemons and maple syrup together on a low heat in a sauce plan.

• Take the cake out of the oven and pierce a few times with a knife on the top and pour the drizzle mixture all over the cake.

Crispy Quinoa Cakes

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Total time: 50 minutes Makes 15 cakes

Ingredients

4 tbsps of coconut oil

1 1⁄2 tbps almond butter

4 1⁄2 tbps maple syrup

2oz / 55g / 1⁄3 cup raw cacao powder 1 1⁄2oz / 45g popped quinoa

Small cake cases

Method

• Put the popped quinoa into a mixing bowl and set aside.

• Place all the other ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently for a few minutes, while stirring, until the ingredients melt and combine to form a smooth mixture.

• Pour the melted mixture over the popped quinoa and stir until thoroughly combined.

• Spoon the mixture into small cake cases and place them in the freezer for around fifteen minutes or the fridge for about half an hour.

• You can buy your quinoa ready popped or pop your own in a heavy bottomed pan over a medium heat. Cover with a lid and shake regularly to prevent sticking.

Apple Sauce & Chia Bowl

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Soak time: overnight Serves 2

Ingredients

For the Apple Sauce

3 large apples, peeled and diced 3⁄4 cup organic apple juice

2 tbsp. chia seeds

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation Method

For the Chia Bowl Oats

1⁄2 cup rolled oats

1 1⁄4 cups unsweetened almond milk 2 tbsp. chia seeds

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

• For the apple sauce – add all the apple sauce ingredients into a medium sauce pan and bring to a low boil. Stir regularly to combine all ingredients. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the sauce pan, letting it simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

• Continue to stir to avoid sticking. When the apples are soft, remove from the heat and mash. Allow to cool and then store in the fridge in an airtight container.

• To prepare the chia bowl oats, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

• Once mixed well, place in the fridge overnight.

• The next morning, layer the oats with the apple sauce and continue to do so until your bowl or serving cup is full.

Nice to Know: The apple sauce can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.

Vegan Saffron Rice Pudding

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 teaspoon of saffron threads

• 8 oz / 225g / 1 cup Arborio rice

• 1 vanilla pod (split)

• 1 tbsp (or to taste) rice syrup, honey, or maple syrup

• Pinch of salt

• 2.75 pints / 1.6 litres / 7 cups almond milk

To serve:

Raspberries and blackberries

Preparation Method

• Toast saffron in a dry skillet for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and crush into a powder with a spoon.

• Whisk together the crushed saffron and almond milk.

• Put all the ingredients apart from the milk into a saucepan.

• Cook the rice on the hob, adding the milk gradually, and stirring fre- quently. (It takes around 25 minutes.)

• Serve warm, with the berries on top.

https://thebodyrescueplan.com

This dessert ticks so many boxes!

Everyone wants to cool down on a hot day, but without making unhealthy choices.

Pukpip is nature’s alternative to Ice Cream with their Frozen bananas dipped in yummy chocolate!

It meets every criteria. It's sustainable as it made by employing only wonky fruits. Incidentally, the dark chocolate ones are vegan friendly. So they are 100% literally perfect!

Pukpip’s Real Frozen Banana Dipped in Milk Chocolate unites perfectly ripe frozen banana with a velvety-smooth 32% cocoa milk chocolate. The flavour combination has received recognition in the 2022 Great Taste Awards. 152Kcal. Available in multipacks of 3 at RRP of £3.99

Available at Plant Organic, WholeFoods Market, and lots of independent health shops, too.

Also available to order online: UK's Online Store for Food, Health, Wellbeing, Beauty & Personal Care (wholefoodsbox.co.uk)

Dark Chocolate

Pukpip’s Real Frozen Banana Dipped in Dark Chocolate combines cool, creamy banana with smooth, sweet 52% dark chocolate. A bittersweet combination. 161 Kcal and Vegan Certified. Available in multipacks of 3 at RRP of £3.99

Available at Plant Organic, WholeFoods Market, and lots of independent health shops

Also available to order online: UK's Online Store for Food, Health, Wellbeing, Beauty & Personal Care (wholefoodsbox.co.uk)

 

 

You can save over 60% on ice cream as demand soars

With temperatures in the UK continuing to rise, shoppers who crave the sweet, ice-cold refreshment of their favourite ice cream flavours more than ever this month, with almost 60% of all ice-cream purchases made during the school summer holidays.  

Those looking to get their favourite ice cream flavours really should nip down to their local Aldi. Why? Because Aldi has utterly delicious, creamy alternatives to popular brands such as Ben & Jerrys, Magnum and Carte D’or for up to 61% less! 

See five of Aldi’s best summer savings to scoop up below… 

Gianni’s Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream (£2.05, 500ml) is packed with all the goodies of premium brand Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie but at a mere at a fraction of the price. Made with delicious chocolate ice cream, filled with chunky brownie bits, this is a no-brainer for all ice cream lovers. 

There's also Gianni’s Milk Chocolate Ice Creams (£1.49, 4 pack) are a must-have in the sun and come in at a whopping 54% cheaper than Magnum, with a saving of 44p per ice cream! 

Aldi shoppers have already made the claim that the Gianni’s Caramelised Biscuit Chocsticks (£2.25, 3pk) is superior to the popular Lotus Biscoff Ice Cream, with the same delicious caramelised biscuit flavour, for exactly half the price.  

There’s nothing better on a hot day than a fruity ice lolly, and Gianni’s Tropico Exotic Fruit Lollies (£1.19, 3 pack) will satisfy any cravings with sweet, tropical flavours of pineapple and passionfruit that rival the popular Solero for almost half the price. 

Mixed with crunchy popping candy bits, Dairyfine Honeycomb Crunch Ice Creams (£1.99, 3 pack) are a fun-filled dessert available at an unbeatable 27% less than the branded Crunchie alternative. 

Gianni’s Strawberry & Vanilla Blitz (£1.15, 6x58ml) offer cool refreshment with flavours of sweet strawberry and smooth vanilla and rich chocolate for 54% less than the popular ice lolly brand Fab.

Aldi launches garlic bread crisps

Aldi have announced the absolutely ultimate combo this month. Aldi has merged two incredibly popular snacks, garlic bread and crisps, to create a tasty treat. New Specially Selected Garlic Bread Crisps!

The Specially Selected Garlic Bread Crinkle Cut Crisps, just £1.15 (150g), will be hitting the shelves on 30th July, the first of its kind to grace a UK supermarket’s aisles.

Packed full of fantastic flavours, shoppers will be hit with the delicious taste of smoky garlic, whilst experiencing the hearty crunch of Aldi’s premium Specially Selected crinkle cut crisp style.

What’s more, Aldi shoppers will be able to continue to explore tantalising new flavours this July with the Specially Selected Croque-Monsieur Crinkle Cut Crisps, also just £1.15 (150g). 

Boasting the classic popular cheese and ham flavour, these French inspired savoury goodies will also arrive to stores on 30th July.

The perfect dinner party nibble or ultimate partner to any summer picnic, both flavours of these luxuriously quirky crisps are set to have shoppers saying oh-la-la!

These mouth-watering new releases will be available to buy in stores nationwide and via Click and Collect from 30th July.

Aldi is removing ‘Use By’ dates from its fresh milk to help reduce food waste

Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket will instead begin using ‘Best Before’ dates on milk bottles,  but excluding filtered milk, across its English and Welsh stores to prevent milk from being thrown away unnecessarily. The changes will start rolling out in stores by year's end.

According to leading waste reduction charity WRAP, almost 300,000 tonnes of milk is wasted by UK households annually, with half of households stating the reason for pouring it away is due to it not being consumed by the Use By date.

As milk can be safe to use past its Best Before date, provided it's been stored properly and doesn’t smell off, Aldi will encourage shoppers to perform a ‘sniff test’ to determine whether their milk is still fine to use.

Said Liz Fox, who is Aldi UK's sustainability Director at Aldi UK: “We're constantly striving and working  hard to be a more sustainable retailer and we're dedicated to preventing food waste wherever we possibly can, both in our stores and helping customers throw away less food at their homes.

“We hope shoppers will embrace this change and look, smell, and taste their milk to see if it’s still fine to use, so together we'll be able to reduce the effect food waste has on the environment.”

The removal of Use By Dates is Aldi's latest move to reduce its food waste, as it works towards its goal of halving this by 2030.

Aldi's already removed Best Before dates from some 60 fresh fruit and vegetable lines, including apples and pears, citrus fruits, potatoes, carrots and onions, and earlier this year rolled out its partnership with food surplus app Too Good To Go nationwide. Customers can purchase a Too Good To Go ‘magic bag’ of food that is approaching the end of its shelf life for £3.30, with each bag containing at least £10 of groceries.

Aldi also recently introduced clear caps on its milk bottles to improve recyclability.

Warning: "You could lose your Co-op store due to criminal gangs"

Criminal gangs with an apparent ‘freedom to loot’ are driving spiralling store crime and out of control levels of crime could deprive communities of their local stores, the Co-op warns.

Retail crime surges to absolutely record levels with repeat offenders and criminal gangs operating exempt from consequences, new data released by Co-op reveals yesterday on Thursday, 27 July.

The Co-op has recorded the highest ever levels of retail crime, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour with almost 1,000 incidents every day in the six months to June (2023), a 35% YOY increase.

Unfortunately many Police forces are refusing to prioritise retail crime with FOI revealing average 71% of serious retail crime not responded to by the Police.

The Co-op argues that criminals have an apparent ‘freedom to loot’ with rampant levels of out-of-control crime predominantly committed by repeat and prolific offenders, with drug or alcohol addictions and, local organised crime gangs, among the main drivers of offending.

The Co-op has issued calls for "urgent changes" in Police response and for all Police Forces to target repeat and prolific offenders to reverse the existing environment in many cities where crime gangs operate, exempt from any consequences.

Retail crime surges to record levels with repeat offenders and criminal gangs operating exempt from consequences, new data released by Co-op reveals.

Co-op stores have seen crime, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour surge upwards by 35% year-on-year, with in excess of 175,000 incidents recorded in the first six months of this year. That's nearly 1,000 incidents each and every day.

With one inner city London store ‘looted’ three times in a just one single day, Co-op warns this level of out-of-control crime is unsustainable and could even see some communities become no-go areas for local stores. 

The Co-op calls on all police forces and crime commissioners to target prolific offenders and local organised criminal gangs to reverse the existing environment in many cities where they operate without fear of being caught or charged.

Reports show nearly two-thirds (63%) of crime is driven by repeat and prolific offenders, with drug or alcohol addictions and, local organised crime gangs, among the main drivers of offending. 

But worryingly a Freedom of Information request by Co-op has highlighted that Police forces, worryingly, failed to respond in 71% of serious retail crimes reported. With some, according to their own data, not responding to nine in ten serious incidents reported.

With crime often the flashpoint for attacks, assault, abuse and anti-social behaviour, Co-op rrevealed that front-line store workers have seen physical assaults increase year-on-year by almost one-third (30%) and, anti-social behaviour and verbal abuse rising by a fifth (20%).

Said Matt Hood, who is the Co-op Food MD: “We know retail crime is driven by repeat and prolific offenders and also organised crime gangs. 

"It's a difficult ongoing challenge for all retailers, and in the worst instances can even be described as ‘looting’. 

"I've seen some really, truly horrific incidents of brazen and violent theft in our stores, where my store colleagues felt scared and threatened. I see first-hand how this criminal behaviour also erodes the very fabric of our communities, it’s hard to over-emphasise how important urgent change is. Co-op has invested significantly in keeping colleagues and stores safe, but we need the police to play their part. All too often, Police forces simply fail to respond to desperate calls by our store teams, and criminals are operating in communities without any fear of consequences.”

Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) CEO James Lowman, said: “Our members are at the sharp end, seeing crime in their communities steadily worsening. Shop theft is rising because repeat offenders and organised crime gangs are targeting local shops to steal goods to resell. 

"This organised criminal activity exploits vulnerable people by getting them to steal to order in exchange for their next fix, funds the illegal drug trade, and harms businesses that provide essential services to communities. 

"The police must have to face up to theft, violence and anti-social behaviour in and around local shops. We believe that cracking down on the criminals who account for the majority of this crime against our members would be the most effective way to make our communities safer.”

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw's General Secretary says: “Evidence is mounting that retail crime is increasing, added to this Co-op report is a 24% uplift in official police recorded incidents of shoplifting. This is very concerning for our members in retail, because shoplifting is not a victimless crime. 

"Theft from shops has long been a major flashpoint for violence and abuse against shopworkers and, as the Co-op rightly says, it's often linked to organised criminal gangs. Having to deal with repeated and persistent shoplifters can cause issues beyond the theft itself like anxiety, fear and in some cases physical harm to retail workers. 

"There really must be better coordination to ensure that government, retail employers, police and the courts work together to help protect shopworkers, giving them the respect they deserve.”

Phillip Davies, who is the Conservative MP for Shipley and the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Customer Service, added: “This patchy record of Police forces uncovered by the Co-op is simply not good enough. 

"Our frontline workers deserve far, far better. It's no good having stricter laws in place to punish offenders if the Police aren't properly investigating these crimes and ensure perpetrators are punished. Those Police forces with the worst records must find out what those with the best record what they are doing and ensure they bring themselves up to the same standards.”

Where clear co-operation around this issue exists it's really seen to be making a difference. The Co-op works closely with a number of forces including Nottinghamshire who have been effective in tackling persistent and prolific offenders. 

But the issues run deeper than policing alone. For example in Nottinghamshire, this year, 17 prolific offenders were removed from the streets, with a combined 5.6 years of custodial sentences, and a further 13 repeat offenders given a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) or rehabilitation orders.

Says Police Inspector Oliver Vale of Nottinghamshire Police: “The collaborative work that's taken place between Nottinghamshire Police and our partners in Co-Op, Mitie and NBCS has provided us with a fantastic chance to identify those not only committing the most harm in our retail communities but to our communities as a whole. 

"Retail crime is something we recognise within Nottinghamshire Police as being an issue that must be proactively tackled but we simply can't do this alone and the information sharing model Op Synergy has developed has allowed for us to collaboratively secure significant convictions and prohibitive orders on some of our most prolific retail offenders by working closely with the Co-op.”

The Co-op has invested over £200M in recent years in colleague and community safety to counter criminal behaviour. Per store this equates to four times the average sector spend on security and safety measures.

Co-op uses a wide range of targeted measures to deter criminal behaviour. Such as: interactive and remote monitored CCTV; body-worn cameras; communication headsets for frontline colleagues; covert and non-covert guarding and security; Smartwater; GPS tracked security cases and, ‘dummy’ packaging on shelves, which Co-op believes will become a more prevalent and familiar sight in retailing.

The convenience retailer also successfully campaigned for stricter sentencing in law for violent incident against retail workers viat its Safer Colleagues, Safer Communities campaign - with the new law.

That's Food and Drink is concerned that, if convenience store chains and independently owned convenience stores are forced to shut down or severely curtail opening hours many vulnerable people within the locality of the shop will have nowhere to buy food and vegetables, etc, without having to make long journeys to distant supermarkets. 

Image used courtesy of Francis MacDonald from Pixabay)