Bunta Beer launches glass bottles at The Pem

Bunta Beer has launched its first glass bottles, giving the independent Indian-inspired beer brand a new way to reach premium restaurants and bars.

The 330ml bottles made their exclusive debut at The Pem, chef Romy Gill MBE’s restaurant at the five-star Conrad London St. James. 

The launch marks a fresh step for Bunta as it looks to become part of more modern dining experiences.

Founded in 2025 by New Delhi-born entrepreneur Gunikka Ahuja, Bunta was created to complement Indian food. Its flagship lager has a light, crisp character, with citrus notes from orange peel and subtle coriander from coriander seed. At 0.5% ABV, it offers a lower-alcohol option, and is also gluten-free and vegan.

The beer itself hasn't changed. Instead, the new bottle format is designed to give it a more considered presentation at the table, where drinks can be given as much attention as the food. Ahuja hopes bottles will eventually account for half of the business.

Bunta now has over 100 listings across the UK, including restaurants, pubs, hospitality venues and specialist retailers. Distribution is supported by Champers Drinks.

Gill first discovered Bunta at a Diwali event last year. She says supporting smaller producers is important to her, particularly as she built her own career without established industry connections. She felt the beer was a natural match for The Pem’s contemporary Indian cooking.

The two women share Sikh heritage and a love of food, family and bringing people together around the table. When the opportunity arose to launch Bunta at the restaurant, Ahuja fast-tracked production of the glass bottles so they would be ready for the debut.

The bottle artwork features Ahuja’s brother, who also appears on the original can design. This time, he is shown relaxing with a beer after work.

For Ahuja, the new format is about making sure choosing a lower-alcohol drink does not mean compromising on flavour or the dining experience. The launch at The Pem is a first step in her plans to take Bunta beyond the traditional curry house and into more premium settings.

Restaurants, hotels, bars and other hospitality businesses can enquire about stocking the bottles through Bunta Beer or Champers Wholesale.

http://www.buntabeer.com

https://champerswholesale.com

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Four Bakery Trends to Watch in 2027

Smaller portions, simpler ingredients and familiar flavours could shape the bakery aisle in 2027, according to the innovation team at We Love Cake.

The free-from bakery brand is made by Cumbrian family baker Bells of Lazonby. 

Its team has identified four trends that are influencing its plans for future products.

Danny Parsons, Senior Concept Developer at Bells of Lazonby, told That's Food and Drink thats people still want cake, but their expectations around how and when they eat it are changing. 

The challenge, he said, is to respond to those changes while keeping the enjoyment of cake at the heart of the experience.

1. Smaller portions for changing appetites

The growing use of GLP-1 weight-loss medicines could influence how some households buy cake. If one person wants a smaller portion or eats cake less often, a large cake for sharing may be less practical.

We Love Cake believes this could increase interest in individual slices and single-serve formats. These give people more control over portion size, while making it easier to enjoy a treat without buying a whole cake.

The idea is not to take the indulgence out of cake. With smaller portions, flavour, texture and quality may matter even more.

2. More attention to ingredients

Shoppers are paying closer attention to what goes into their food, bringing cleaner labels and recipe choices higher up the development agenda.

For free-from baking, this can be technically challenging. Ingredients often play an important role in recreating the taste and texture usually provided by gluten. The aim is to make meaningful changes without compromising quality, consistency or shelf life.

Ingredient sourcing, processing and sustainability are also becoming part of how consumers assess a product.

3. Childhood flavours return

While health considerations may shape some product choices, familiar flavours can offer comfort and an easier decision in a crowded bakery aisle.

Rhubarb and custard, birthday cake, Angel Delight-inspired flavours, traditional puddings and sweet-shop favourites are among the ideas We Love Cake expects to see influence new products.

The opportunity is to refresh these much-loved flavours for today’s shoppers, rather than simply reproduce a retro product.

4. Free-from goes mainstream

Free-from bakery is increasingly expected to match conventional products for taste, texture and quality. The next step, We Love Cake believes, is making it available in more everyday settings.

Food-to-go, convenience stores and food service could all provide opportunities to reach consumers beyond the dedicated free-from fixture. Individually portioned cake slices already offer a portable option for people looking for a convenient treat.

Together, these trends point towards smaller portions, more considered recipes and familiar flavours in new formats. Parsons describes the direction as “less, but better” cake that evolves with consumers while keeping the pleasure of eating it.

https://bellsoflazonby.co.uk

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