Tesco announces major change to cut bills in its Tesco Express stores

Tesco has recently today an important and major overhaul to the range of products it stocks in its Express stores, as it reinforces its position as the UK’s best value convenience store chain.

The overhaul will see over 50 key everyday products replaced with even more keenly-priced alternatives, many of which are from its own-brand range, with some items less than one third of the price of the products they are replacing.

Across the in excess of 50 products included in the change, shoppers will find the own-brand alternatives are, on average, over 40% cheaper than the products they're to replace.

This move comes in response to the supermarket’s internal shopping data, which shows price-conscious customers are increasingly turning to own-brand products to get better value, whilst not compromising on quality. 

Among the own brand lines that are to be introduced are Tesco penne pasta (85p) and Tesco smooth peanut butter (£1.65), both of which will cost 50% of the price of the previous branded products that were stocked.

Bags of Tesco frozen garden peas (£1.65), being stocked in Express store freezers as part of the change, will be nearly 40% cheaper than the branded product they are to replace. Tesco basmati rice pouches (75p) will fill the space on the shelves left by a branded equivalent which costed 30% more.

Some branded lines, including toothpaste, are being replaced by a cheaper branded alternative at less than a third of the price. And to provide better value for parents, Tesco is reducing the price of some packs of branded nappies in Express stores by as much as 40%.

Tesco Convenience MD Sarah Lawler said: “We know customers are watching every penny at the moment, so it's our hope these helpful product swaps will bring down average food bills for even more families."

She went on to say: “Our Express stores offer unbeatable value on everything from essentials to fresh produce, thus making healthy food more accessible for the 2,000 communities we serve across the UK. And while our convenience stores don’t have the shelf space to carry the full range of our larger shops, by swapping these products, we’ve been able to make way for even more of our great-value own brand ranges.”

The new products will be delivered to stores over the coming couple of weeks, with the change-over complete by the end of the month, August.

A spokesman concluded: "This latest change is just another way Tesco is delivering great value for its Express customers, with Tesco Clubcard holders being able to take advantage of the supermarket’s Clubcard Prices discounts in Express stores too."

www.tesco.com

No cook chilled porridge

No cook chilled porridge is a dish I invented myself many years ago.

Very late one evening I was pouring some cold milk into a bowl of porridge oats. I realised that I wasn't hungry after all, so I placed the bowl in the fridge and went to bed.

The next morning I remembered the bowl of oats and I took it out and took a mouthful. The result was better than anything I had ever expected. 

The oats had perfectly melded with the milk and I had inadvertently created a bowl of utterly delicious cold porridge.

The recipe is simplicity in itself.

Take one bowl of porridge oats. 

Fill to the brim with the chilled milk of your choice, dairy or non-dairy.

You can add brown sugar, honey, etc to add sweetness if you wish.

Stirring in cinnamon or mixed spice with dried mixed fruit is a good idea, but do make certain any spices you add are properly mixed throughout. The dried mixed fruits will absorb the moisture from the milk and will plump up very nicely.

You can also add sliced or ground nuts.

When the bowl of porridge is ready, place it in your fridge and leave it overnight or throughout the day until it is ready for you to eat.

Actually, you could try oat alternatives if you want to give that a try. 

You can garnish with freshly cut fruits including bananas, strawberries, etc.

(Image courtesy of  Pictavio from Pixabay)

Sainsbury’s opens brand-new store in Ketley, Telford

Sainsbury’s has launched its newest store this week with the opening of Sainsbury’s Ketley Holyhead Road Local in Telford, Shropshire.

 Now open from 7am to 11pm seven days a week, the new store has created new jobs for local people and supporting regeneration in the neighbourhood, whilst providing more convenience and shopping choice for residents. 

Customers will now have the opportunity to enjoy Sainsbury’s latest convenience range, from fresh fruit and veg, healthy snacks and food-to-go to sweet, savoury and frozen staples. 

They'll also be able to choose from a delicious selection of freshly baked breads and pastries daily, as well as picking up Argos, Habitat and Tu Clothing products ordered online via the in-store Click and Collect service.

Conveniently based on Holyhead Road, the new store was built on the site of The White Lion pub. Sainsbury’s was originally due to lease the building from the owner of the former public house, but subsequently stepped in to purchase the site and build a new store following serious complications during the previous owner’s conversion. 

The new convenience store was sensitively designed in conjunction with the local planning authority, to reflect the look and feel of The White Lion and remain in keeping with the local area.

The colleagues that comprise the new store team will play an active role in the local community whilst also participating in Sainsbury’s national charitable schemes and programmes and initiatives. EG, through Sainsbury’s partnership with Neighbourly, the new Local store will work with local food donation partners including Telford Crisis Support to help ensure all surplus foods from the store will go to those who need it the most. 

Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s Property Director, said: “It’s been a pleasure to welcome Sainsbury’s Ketley Holyhead Local to our estate this week. We really pulled out all the stops to build the best store we could, working with the Council to agree on and incorporate various nods to the appearance of the original building. We’re delighted with the result and we think our customers will be too.” 

Adrian Harris, Sainsbury’s Ketley Holyhead Road Local Store Manager, said: “It was a privilege to join members of my new store team to cut the ribbon and declare our new Sainsbury’s Local open for the community. We know our neighbours have been looking forward to our arrival and we were really pleased to be able to welcome them for the first time today.”  

(EDITOR: It's interesting to recall that the original building dated back to at least the 16th century, it bore a plaque dated 1661, so the building was at least 362 years old.

This is what the White Lion looked like before it was demolished, the image is attributed to Gordon Cragg / The White Lion, Ketley / CC BY-SA 2.0.)

Authentic Mexican street food eatery Barburrito launches exciting new menu. The twist? It's inspired by loyal customers

Ultra-authentic Mexican street food eatery Barburrito has launched an exciting and innovative new menu which is influenced by some of South America’s most popular dishes.  

Earlier this year they gathered thousands of pieces of feedback from their customers and the results inspired the creation of the new menu dishes and innovations. 

Barburrito’s talented chefs have worked very hard and tirelessly to create a selection of new mouthwatering dishes which are designed to transport your taste buds right over to Mexico. 

The menu features the introduction of Tortas, Tacos, a brand-new range of salsas as well as lots of recipe improvements and tweaks including their cheese sauce, guacamole, pink onions and many more. 

Introducing the first new dish, the Torta. It's a light, sweet bun which is filled with all your favourites (think Barbacoa Beef, Smoky Chipotle salsa, cheese, slaw, jalapeños and sour cream. Yum!) as you always choose the fillings at Barburrito. 

Another new exciting addition to the menu is Tacos, crafted with love and bursting with authentic flavours. You can create your own tacos by opting what goes inside but think of tender Pork Carnitas nestled in warm, soft tortillas, loaded with cheese, lettuce, pink onions and a new Mango & Habanero salsa. Each bite is a fine fiesta of flavours as the chefs have carefully selected the freshest ingredients and traditional spices to create a truly unforgettable experience. 

Whether you're a fan of classic favourites such as Barburrito’s Grilled Chicken or adventurous enough to try their vegan This™ Isn’t Chicken, so they’ve got something for everyone. 

Sophie Green, who has the enviable position as Barburrito's Marketing Manager of , said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new and exciting authentic menu. In May, we gathered thousands of insights from our loyal customer base to form our revamped menu, which is a celebration of the vibrant and rich culinary heritage of Mexico. 

"We’d like to thank our amigos for their help and say there'll be a lot more exciting plans for the brand coming up in each of our local stores. Join us to check out the new menu and experience a fiesta of taste sensations like never before!”  

To celebrate the launch Barburrito will be giving away free samples of nachos with their new cheese sauce and salsas and doing free food drops to local offices. They are also running a £5 new menu items offer (Tortas, Tacos, Loaded Nachos with a filling) if you have the app downloaded. 

Customers can download the app by searching ‘Barburrito Rewards’ on the app store, where they will get exclusive access to the loyalty stamp cards. Getting three stamps just for downloading, then you can earn rewards such as a free side or dessert after four stamps, free burrito after nine stamps, a free burrito on your birthday and more. Students do not get the stamp cards but get 20 per cent off every visit instead. 

Barburrito has 17 stores across the UK, from London to Aberdeen, operating dine-in, grab-and-go and delivery services. In 2005 the UK’s first burrito bar landed with Barburrito opening in Manchester Piccadilly gardens, taking inspiration from Mexico’s spirited culture, fresh ingredients, and irresistibly flavoursome food.  

They are known as well-established pioneers of the burrito game but never stop perfecting the hand made to order burrito and developing ranges of protein packed, superfood filled naked bowls. Each Barburrito store is unique, offering delicious food and incredible service with customer loyalty that just can’t be bought. 

https://www.barburrito.co.uk

Flapjackery's New Cappuccino Shards for Coffee Lovers

Delicious chocolate shards infused with freshly roasted coffee are new super tasty additions  to the Flapjackery's range of confectionary.

Flapjackery, which renowned for its tasty, decadent, luxurious gluten free flapjacks that are handmade at their Tavistock HQ, is joining in a fantastic collaboration with Ivybridge-based Owens Coffee to create the Cappuccino Shards that are perfect as an after dinner palette cleanser or to get a hit of coffee at any time of day.

Available in their shops, located across the Westcountry in Tavistock, Plymouth, Fowey, St Ives, Minehead, Bath and Wells, with a pop up shop in Dartmouth, these delicious thin slivers of chocolate are lovingly made with dark chocolate, giving it a slightly bitter taste, with veins of white chocolate running throughout. 

The distinctive flavouring is derived from smooth and chocolatey  Bantham wholebeans,  a medium roasted blend of Arabica organic and Fairtrade coffee beans from South America and Indonesia.

This popular, award-winning espresso blend is from the Cajamarca region of Peru and the Batak region of Sumatra which has been gently roasted to bring out notes of chocolate and wine.

Also available in Flapjackery's new 'shards' range are whole nut shards and beanie shards.

http://www.flapjackery.co.uk

https://owenscoffee.com

That's Food and Drink Video channel launches

The first video is up, as you can see. However, the sound quality will be addressed, as will the possibility of broadcasting livestream programming in the very near future. 

This is all new to me and very exciting, obviously!

 

That's Christmas: Waitrose launches its Christmas range for 2023, wi...

That's Christmas: Waitrose launches its Christmas range for 2023, wi...: Savvy, wise shoppers are planning ahead as searches for ‘Christmas dinner ideas’ on Waitrose.com  has risen 51% compared to the same period ...

Waitrose launches first British cheese washed in English sparkling wine

Their Leckford Wash cheese is lovingly made by Nettlebed Creamery, a family run, organic farm in Henley-on-Thames, owned by Rose Grimond - which is on the family-run farm her great-grandfather bought in 1901. Their herd of cows produce organic milk which is used to create this delicious, creamy cheese.

Waitrose Leckford Sparkling Brut is added to a brine solution and each cheese is individually and carefully washed by hand. This process is repeated twice weekly to build the depth of flavour, texture and colour, creating a delicious rind which encases the creamy, semi-soft cheese. 

Sarah Miness, Cheese Buyer at Waitrose, said: “We’ve been selling our own label French cheese rind-washed in alcohol since 2013 when we launched Saint Vernier, washed in white wine followed by Berthaut's Epoisses AOP, washed in Marc de Bourgogne. 

"Being big supporters of British produce, we wanted to create a British rind-washed cheese, to offer our customers variety for their cheese boards and what better to wash the cheese in than our very own Leckford Sparkling Brut?”

Will Torrent, who is the Senior Development Chef at Waitrose, said: “We had fun with the team at Nettlebed experimenting with cheese and different flavour combinations. Wine and cheese is obviously always a winning combination and once we had tried with our fizz we were so excited with the finished product, obviously we wanted our customers to try it, too!

“This cheese takes a total of three weeks to make and everything is all done by hand, so you can be sure your cheese has been made with time, care and a little bit of love.  For the best results, customers should let the cheese soften up at room temperature, so the flavours and texture can develop and enjoy by itself, or for a real treat, eat it with a glass of Leckford to enhance the flavours even further.”

The tradition of washing cheeses originated back in the 16th century when French monks used the method to preserve their cheese, preventing bad rinds from developing.

Wine-washing is also common in Northern Italy, the lack of olive oil inspired cheesemakers to preserve wheels in wine instead, with Ubriaco al Prosecco being a traditional ‘drunken’ cheese in Italy. Rind-washing encourages the growth of desired, good bacteria and leads to a strong aroma and flavoursome cheese. 

English wine is still a relatively youthful industry compared to the rest of the world but others are also starting to experiment with the ingredient in their food with Waddesdon Wines putting English sparkling wine into their jam. Top chefs including James Martin have also made a classic dessert a bit more grown-up by adding it to jelly.

Waitrose has their own vineyard, at the Leckford Estate in Hampshire, which produces a Brut and a Blanc de Blanc from vines planted in 2009.  

They increased the vineyard at Leckford by 50% in 2017 to cope with increased demand, and it’s one of the ways they are firmly committed to investing in the future of English wines. 

They grow three grape varieties on their 4.7-hectare vineyard; Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. The grapes are turned into Leckford Estate Brut by the award-winning winemakers at the Ridgeview Wine Estate which is based in Sussex. The stunning Leckford Estate Brut has aromas of toasted brioche and hazelnuts, which give way to a creamy palate with apple and peach flavours.

Waitrose No.1 Leckford Wash Cheese (£6.50/150g) - available to buy in 281 shops and online from 26th July

Theyhold over a 40% market share in English wine and have the largest supermarket range of English and Welsh wines available to buy on Waitrose.com and Waitrose Cellar.

Nettlebed Creamery also produce Bix and Highmoor cheese which are available to buy at Waitrose as part of their No.1 range.

That's Food and Drink believe this cheese and wine will make excellent combinations for your Christmas cheeseboards.

www.waitrose.com

Finding alcohol free options is even easier at Waitrose

Demand for low alcohol and alcohol-free drinks is growing at such a rapid rate that  the Waitrose company is working with Diageo to introduce bold, dedicated areas in 253 of its shops across the UK to make it even easier for Waitrose shoppers to find Waitrose’s full range of over 70 low and alcohol-free drinks from beer and cider, to wines and also spirits.

Over the past year sales of low alcohol and alcohol-free drinks have grown by 20% at Waitrose, with sales of beer continuing to grow the fastest. The introduction of specialist, dedicated areas means 60% more space will be given to low and alcohol-free drinks across their shops.

Research commissioned for Diageo learned that seven in ten UK adults want to be able to find low alcohol and alcohol-free drinks more easily.

Kantar data found 99% of UK shoppers have bought both low and alcohol-free drinks and alcohol over the past year. 

Separate Kantar research found almost half of UK adults (47%) are switching between alcohol and low and alcohol-free drinks at the same occasion, and two-fifths (40%) of adults say they feel a desire and need to moderate their alcohol consumption. 

Pierpaolo Petrassi, who is the Master of Wine, and Head of Beers, Wines and Spirits at Waitrose said: “Demand for low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks is growing at a phenomenal rate. It’s now the norm for customers to be buying both.  We expect this year to be the biggest year to date for sales and we are preparing for a strong demand at Christmastime.

“We belief this growth is due to our customers feeling a need to moderate their alcohol consumption, but is also heavily driven by the creation of new, great quality drinks like Guinness 0.0, Tanqueray 0.0 and Gordon's Pink 0.0. We’ve also added 10 new low and alcohol-free products this year and will launch more before the Christmas period.”

Nuno Teles, MD at Diageo GB, said: “We know UK drinkers are becoming more sophisticated and thinking more about how much they drink, the alcohol-free and low-alcohol categories play a critical , vital role in providing quality choices for those looking to moderate, without compromising on experience.

“However, barriers still exist when it comes to finding and understanding the options that are available. We are proud to partner with Waitrose to make it easier for consumers to know where to find alcohol-free and low alcohol options in store. 

"Diageo has a long-standing commitment to promote responsible drinking and this partnership demonstrates what is possible when brands and retailers work together to enable greater consumer choice and experience.”

Neil O'Brien MP, who is the Minister for Primary Care and Public Health welcomed the initiative saying: “The government wants to create a supportive environment to help individuals who want to reduce their alcohol consumption, including through encouraging substitution of alcoholic drinks with no and low alcohol alternatives.

“We welcome this initiative to increase the availability and to improve signposting of no and low alcohol alternatives in stores.”

 You can check out Waitrose here https://www.waitrose.com

Water charity Hope Spring marks International Cat Day

Hope Spring eCards, the charity fundraising platform that (innovatively!) raises money exclusively for water poverty alleviation, marked International Cat Day with a series of free cat-themed greeting cards. The Hereford-based charity announced the free ecard offer on their blog, just in time for International Cat Day. The International Cat Day, organised by a cat care charity, is held on August 8 each year.

International Cat Day was created to promote awareness of cats, how to treat them with care and compassion, and how to care for them. The event has been going on for many years and tends to attract the support of cat owners and non-cat owners. The vast majority of organisations which participate in the event tend to be professionals that work in animal health and welfare, such as vets, animal rescues, and animal hospitals.

According to cat owner and Hope Spring trustee Temi Odurinde "You do not have to own a cat to participate in International Cat Day, but for those of us who do, it is a day for us to look at our feeling friends in a new light and learn how to take care of them even better than we do already" He added that "Hope Spring eCards decided to mark International Cat Day this year by putting a dozen new cat-themed ecards online. You can send any of our cat ecards free of charge by WhatsApp or email".

Hope Spring eCard is expecting many of their platform users to send the new cat eCard range to celebrate International Cat Day. To make the range even more popular and widely sent, non-Hope Spring eCard users are also able to send it free of charge. You can find out more about this free ecard offer by visiting Hope Spring website and social media pages.

http://www.hopespring.org.uk

(Image courtesy of bess.hamiti@gmail.com from Pixabay)