Speciality Food 2015-02

2 UpdateFine food latest

8 Cheese UncutEssential dairy news

13 Continental ClassicsSpanish Manchego

16 Essential ProductsYour easy stocking guide

20 The Opinion PagesWhat our experts are thinking

26 Tactics For SuccessWays to increase business

28 Everybody ChillTemperature controlled packaging

30 Trade SecretsYour trading tips shared

WEST COUNTRY SPECIAL

34 Building Business withCream TeasUp your trade by offering cream teas

36 Scrumping SalesCider and other West Country drinks

38 Western CultureWest Country cheese

40 Pastry, Pasties and PiesPulling crowds with pastry

43 Meet the ProducerGabriel David of Luscombe

20 John Shepherd of PatridgesJoins the Opinion Pages

IN THIS ISSUE

NOW FREE FOR DOWNLOAD ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE

47 Tim WatsonBodnant Welsh Food Foods

February 2015 £3.25

46 Charlotte & MichaelBillinghurst181 Deli

coverqx_Layout 1 26/01/2015 08:33

2 www.specialityfoodmagazine.co.uk

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Is Your SlipShowing?

Retailers of every sizesimultaneously dread, fear andare inspired by Christmas – andno wonder. Not only does thefestive season require year-roundattention but from year to year ithighlights issues to be handled inthe future, whether they're amatter of stocking, staffing or otherwise.

We speak to a deli, food hall andfine food distributor to find out whatthe recent festive season has taughtthem, and how they plan to preparefor Christmas 2015 with theselearnings in mind.

David Greenman,Arch House DeliWe took over theArch House Deli justover five years ago inNovember with no

experience, and were hit withChristmas more or less straight away.A terrible approach to taking over abusiness, but one that does have thebenefit that you do tend to learn a lot very quickly – and I’m pleased tosay our turnover in December is now twice what it was in that initial Christmas.

It can feel like running a deli is allabout the Christmas period, with therest of the year being about making itthrough to the next Christmas.Certainly it’s the big opportunityfinancially, and getting it right is criticalto our year. We try to consciouslyimprove on what we do everyChristmas, with the key to Christmasfor us being all about the notes we

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Lessons Learned FromChristmas 2014

SFNEWS UPDATE An insight into the latest news stories,trends, updates and developments

make in January on how the previousfestive period went and what weshould do next year.

We spent time in October definingand writing down clear processes fortaking pre-orders of cheese andhampers, which we went through withall the shift managers to minimise therisk of any errors. This soundsobvious, but for example, there is littlepoint taking pre-orders for a particularcheese only to find that by the timeyou come to cut the cheese you don’thave enough stock to fulfil them. I’mpleased to say all the processes forcustomer orders worked well withoutany issues.

The turnover for Christmas 2014was good – up on last year by fivepercent – and we were able tomaintain our margins. The online shopalso helped as, although it’s arelatively small part of our business, itwas up 50% on the festive period lastyear. Looking back, the mostrewarding aspect of the whole periodwas just how well the whole teamworked together. They were all keento know what the daily turnover wasand where that put us against lastyear; it definitely felt like a team effort.During the run-up to Christmas wehad specific staff doing specific jobs,which worked well; one on cheese,another on hampers etc.

We are now focused on writingthe notes, on how the 2014Christmas went and what we shoulddo next year. This goes right down tosuggested order quantities by productfor next year. We get all of the team toreview the notes and add in anything

else they feel would benefit us nextyear. It takes a few days to do but itmakes everything work the followingyear. We dust it down in August whenwe start putting in the orders forChristmas 2015.

Mark Wiltshire,Diverse Fine FoodsSome of the keythings we havelearned during theChristmas period

have come from listening to ourcustomers; after all, if we don’t createa business model that works for them

then how can we run a business thatis all about true customer service?

A recurring comment from themajority of our independent retailerswas their delight at being able to orderseasonal stock during the Christmastrading period. Not having to pre-order all of their stock months inadvance was great for cash flow andflexibility. We understand that asretailers, it is almost impossible topredict the volumes you are going toneed and even harder to know whichproducts will be the stand-out sellers.We tried to stock all of our Christmaslines right up to Christmas and,

Kerry Sidney, Bodnant Welsh FoodChristmas 2014 was extremely successful for Bodnant Welsh Food; we plannednew products, offers, events and services for our customers. As a result we'velearned what works for us – a very valuable lesson!

Christmas Market: This was the first time we organised our very ownBodnant Christmas market, where we offered customers gifts, decorations, anddaily demonstrations from our in-house experts to help customers prepare theirChristmas menu. It proved to be an extremely popular event for existingcustomers, and a reason to attract new customers to the centre. We are nowplanning to expand the size and the duration of the market for Christmas 2015.Our customer feedback has also led us to plan further food events throughoutthe year and we have now planned a new events schedule for 2015 to celebratethe very best Welsh food and drink from producers and in-house specialists.

Prepared meals: We created an 'All Wrapped Up For Christmas Dinner'scheme for customers, prepared by our executive chef Dai Davies to ease thepreparation for Christmas dinner for the whole family. This range includedeverything – from the turkey and prepared vegetables to Christmas desserts andwine. This was a successful introduction and we are now planning to introducethis offer for key occasions throughout the year – including Easter Sunday Lunch.

Food to Order for Christmas: This was extremely popular this Christmas.We are looking to expand it further this year, and introduce a party food rangeand Christmas wine hampers.

Online shopping: This proved a very popular channel for customers thisyear, from purchasing cookery school courses and gift vouchers to Welsh foodhampers. We are therefore planning to expand the product range online andcontinue to develop the site throughout the year.

Further product introductions in the farm shop: We increased therange of in-house products during Christmas, from our dairy (new cheeses,custards and ice creams), and our bakery, including a new cake range from ourpatisserie chef. As a result of the popularity of these, we will continue to invest innew product development throughout the year.

It's Februaryalready and I don'tknow about you,but most of myNew Year'sresolutions havebecome becomeNew Year'scompromises, my

mind having mentally redacted much ofthe list I set myself when the yearbegan. 'This year I will eat a sensiblybalanced diet' has been downgraded to‘This year I will try not to eat quite somuch cheese', but when I see the foodshows looming and samples arriving, Icave in to the inevitable. How does thisfit with your own New Year goodintentions? Did you spruce up yourlook, attend to all those niggling mattersyou didn't have time for as Decemberapproached, and finally address thatstaffing problem which had been leftunresolved because you thought youwould find it unbearably awkward to letsomeone go? I hope you managedsome of these.

Keeping to and improving upon thestandards you set yourself when youstarted out in independent retail arecrucial in a world of shifting goalpostswhich sees too many shops shutting.There are a hundred ways for yourstandards to slip, many without youeven registering them. Ideally, a goodmanager will help you identify andrectify such slips, but so can anyoneelse with a reasonable grip on thebusiness. An enthusiastic Saturday boymay be able to spot wastages, seewhere improvements in customerservice or staff practice might be made,sort out overlooked corners of the shopand possibly do a lot more than you givethem credit for. Why not make this yearthe year in which your resolutions areresolved by someone with a fresh eye?

This issue we focus on the food ofthe West Country. Early summer will seethis destination's retailers experiencinga spike in trade as we 'grockles' flood inwith cash to spend. There's much tospend it on, too, the region being famedfor not only the fine FarmhouseCheddars of Somerset, but a diverserange of seafood and all sorts of foodsfrom small scale producers. Many ofthese businesses draw custom throughtheir doors by offering a wealth ofspecialities of the West Country. Mightthe same trick work for you?

Ross Gilfillan

UPDATEqx_Update updated 23/01/2015 15:42

update

3www.specialityfoodmagazine.co.uk

4 Empire Bespoke Foods Soon To Take OrdersDistributor of international fine food now taking combined ordersfollowing Empire Food Brokers Ltd's acquisition of Bespoke Foods Ltd

6 Expowest Cornwall Trade Show HasSouth West CoveredFind out all you need to know about the regional trade show forhospitality and catering industries in the South West of Britain

7 Great British Food Magazine Launches LoveYour Deli CampaignUK-centric food magazine promotes independent retailing in newcampaign, supporting delis and enticing consumer to shop local

7 Farm Shop & Deli Award 2015 CategoryWinners AnnouncedAwards scheme celebrates the very best standards in the UnitedKingdom's independent and speciality retail market atBirmingham's NEC

ALSO INSIDE…although this is a risky way to trade,it did give us the ability to helpservice those last-minute orders andkeep the shelves full.

Another thing we saw from a lotof our retailers was a shift in the waythey were merchandising the stores– moving away from trying to cramas many different products into theshop as possible, instead workinghard on selecting key products andstacking them high so shoppers hadno trouble finding them. This, wehave seen from the replenishmentorders, is a very successful way tocreate great theatre within the store,and also something the independentretailers have the ability to do well.

I think 2015 is going to really bethe time for independent foodretailers to take back some powerfrom the big four; the increase insales of high-end food products over the festive period is a greatreflection of how the consumer isbecoming more aware of the foodthey consume.

Over the Christmas tradingperiod the big four showed poorsales and a decline in business,whilst within this area Waitroseshowed a 26.3% growth in its highend food sector and M&S food wasup by 17%. This proves that theconsumer will spend money onbetter quality food, and now is thetime to capitalise on this trend for 2015.

This gives the independentretailers a chance to really focus onwhat they are good at – sellingamazing artisan products from greatsuppliers whilst being able to interactwith their customers to explain thestory behind the products and whatmakes them so good.

Have a great 2015 and here’s toa very successful year!

Diary Dates Make a date with these key events

22nd-25th FebruaryFARMA ConferenceWyboston Lakes Executive Centre,Bedfordshirewww.farma.org.uk

23st-25th FebruaryCasual Dining ShowBDC, Londonwww.casualdiningshow.com

3rd-5th MarchExpowest Cornwallwww.expowest.com

4th-5th MarchScothotSECC, Glasgowwww.scothot.co.uk

11th-13th MarchIFEXThe Kings Hall, Belfastwww.ifexexhibition.co.uk

COTSWOLD FAYRE UNVEILS E-COMMERCE SITEFine food distributor Cotswold Fayre has launched its newweb shop to provide retailers with an increased level ofefficiency and flexibility.

Customers can place orders 24 hours a day every day,and the site now receives live stock information from the website for upto date stock availability.

Paul Hargeaves, managing director of Cotswold Fayre said, “The newwebsite system is incredibly advanced and as far as I am aware is unlikeanything currently on offer from other wholesalers in the fine food sector.

“I am very confident that it will provide a much better onlineexperience for customers, making them aware of promotions and offersas well as letting them know whether any products are out of stock.”

SELFRIDGES FOCUSES ON COMFORT FOODThe London retailer has announced that for its latest winter promotion itwill focus on quality comfort foods such as soups, crumbles and luxuryhot chocolates.

Dawn Davies, wine and grocery buying manager said, "There is always afocus on low calorie diet foods at the beginning of the year as everyonewants to get healthy after the indulgence of Christmas, but when it is coldoutside people crave comfort foods, so we decided to put a spin on ourlatest food campaign by offering customers the opportunity experience newproducts that enable them to still eat well but have comfort at the same time.

Products like Livia's crumbles are nutritionally robust with fantasticingredients yet they offer that comfort element that customers crave this timeof year."

Newsin

Brief

2nd-5th FebruaryFarm & MoreWestpoint, Exeterwww.farmandmore.org.uk

4th-5th FebruaryThe Source Trade ShowWestpoint, Exeterwww.thesourcetradeshow.co.uk

10th FebruaryGrow Your Business In Food & DrinkFederation House, Londonwww.fdf.org.uk

11th-14th FebruaryBiofachNuremberg, Germanywww.biofach.de

11th-14th FebruaryNational Winter Ales FestivalDerbywww.nwat.org.uk Get the latest news directly to your inbox. Sign up to our

newsletter at www.specialityfoodmagazine.com For more essential diary dates,see our events calendar at:www.specialityfoodmagazine.com



ForBusiness

Early February will see the doorsof Empire Bespoke Foods openfor retailers to order from itsexpansive range of internationalfine foods.

Following Empire Food Brokers'acquisition of Bespoke Foods inMarch 2014, the product cataloguesof both companies have beencombined to offer independentretailers fine food products fromacross the world.

Offering a comprehensive rangeof fine food products of all types fromacross the world, Empire BespokeFoods has a particular focus onitems from America – alongside avaried selection of foods from acrossAsia, South America, Africa, theCaribbean and a number ofEuropean countries.

Piers Adamson of EmpireBespoke Foods said, “Retailers nowhave access to one of the most

unique ranges of products available,from every part of the world. Wesupply products from everycontinent, apart from Australia. OurAsian stock in particular is verystrong. We also cover the specialityfood of Europe very well, includingproducts from France, Spain, Italyand Germany.

“Empire Bespoke Foods has oneof the biggest selections of Americanproducts available – everything fromMarshmallow Fluff to Flipz, and we'llsoon have one of the best offeringsof barbecue products including Thaisauces and various items fromacross America. Unusually, we alsosupply foods from the Caribbean andSouth America – in particular Mexico– and even some products fromAfrica.

“We're always adding to ourexisting brands, and we have somevery exciting products launching in2015.”

Retailers will benefit from the newstructure in many ways; the largersales force means thatrepresentatives will be building face-to-face relationships with customers.

Piers Adamson of EmpireBespoke Foods Ltd said, “It will beeasier to make up minimum ordersthanks to our expanded range –whether you're looking for atraditional French confit or the latestfunky water from America.”

For more information visitwww.empirefoodbrokers.com

Empire Bespoke FoodsSoon To Take Orders

Speciality Food focuses on this month’s newestdeli, farm shop and food hall openings andexpansions across the country

BROMPTON FOOD MARKET OPENSDave Murton and Luke Mackay have openedBrompton Food Market in South West London, sellingfresh Newlyn fish, meat, freshly roasted chicken andwheels of cheese.

Also available are jams from Yorkshire, productsfrom Lancaster Smokehouse, Goodbeans cold brew coffee, Pinkster ginand rare breed porchetta sandwiches.

Luke Mackay, co-owner said, “Dave and I set up Brompton FoodMarket because we couldn't find the food shop that we wanted in London.We spent a year travelling around Britain and Ireland looking for the bestproduce available. Our meat, for example, comes from a rare breed farmerin Yorkshire who feeds his animals beer and has proper ruddy cheeks.

“I love that people look around in wonder when they first find us – thephrase ‘Aladdin's Cave’ has been mentioned more than once.”

BROCKLEY WELCOMES NEW DELIA new deli has opened in Brockley Cross, London,serving takeaway coffee and cakes and selling anumber of locally-made foods, plus a range of organicmeats and wines from around the world.

Zoltan Abbott, owner said, “I live in the area andfelt that there should be somewhere for local residents to enjoy good food,rather than having to travel. None of the food we sell is available in localsupermarkets which has made us very popular – we have an average of125 customers a day.”

Best-sellers include Allpress Espresso coffee, which is available to takeaway and buy in retail packs, fresh cakes and pastries, and a selection oflocally-produced items including beers, honey, organic bread, preserves,and cards made by a local artist. Ambients include pastas, oils, chocolatesand treats, and fresh options range from ready meals and soups fromGinger's Kitchen to juices and fresh fruit and vegetables.

MAINSGILL FARM EXPANDS FOOD HALLThe 500-acre farm in North Yorkshire has developedits food hall.

Maria Henshaw, manager said, “We've beenopen since 2001, but we decided to expand recentlyas demand and capacity was too much for us tocater for. The new building has been designed in a

traditional barn style, using reclaimed stone.The deli sells classic deli products such as olives alongside home-produced meats – pork, beef and lamb – and award-winning sausages,dry-cured bacon and pies, which are made using meat produced on thefarm. The food hall also sell smoked fish, oils, dressings, and a largeselection of fresh vegetables, and local items include cheeses, preservesand honey, which are given prominence.



PRIME CUTSMalcolm Pyne of Pyne's ofSomerset on what makes thebusiness award-winning

What's the history of Pyne’s of Somerset?The business was started 30 years ago by myparents, Phil and Beryl Pyne, who identified a gap inthe market for locally-raised meat. This was at a time when the local foodrevolution was just getting underway, and they decided to open a smallbutcher’s shop in North Petherton. The business was hugely successfuland gradually I started assuming control of all aspects of it. Shortlyfollowing this, our products began winning local and national food awards.But eventually, with 11 staff working in the original premises, it becameclear that a new home was desperately needed, so new land wasacquired and developed half a mile away adjoining the new Junction 24business park. The £1 million-plus expansion also allowed the business todiversify beyond meat products.

What does your heritage bring to the business?The greatest asset of all: the ability to offer locally sourced meat that istraceable from farm to fork. At a time when shoppers are looking for meatproducers with a provenance that they can really trust, we are finding thisto be a really unique selling point for us which distinguishes us from ourcompetitors. We have seen notable publicised meat scandals knocksupermarket sales and subsequently we’ve seen many of their customersturn to us for trustworthy and high quality meat.

Does the business have any philosophies?Yes, we do: to be the best at everything and to offer people the best.We’re always winning awards for our produce, and when people ask uswhat the ‘secret ingredient’ is, we tell them it’s simply quality meat. We arepassionate believers in quality and lucky that we buy our meat and lamblocally so we can buy on quality, rather than simply having to bid for thenext lot in the auction ring and hoping for the best. We know our farmersand they know our requirements, which is how we can be confident weare buying and selling the very best.

Who are your customers?For the most part they are families from the Bridgwater and Taunton area.Even when we were trading in the middle of North Petherton, some 93%of our customers came from outside the village, so our move has onlymade us more accessible to the majority of the people who shop with us.But we have many regular customers who will drive in excess of 30 milesto shop here, and being on a main holiday route we do a significantamount of business with tourists, too.

What do you sell, and who are your suppliers?The extra space we acquired in our new premises has allowed us to addfish, vegetable and delicatessen sections. The West Country has thelargest and most dynamic local food industry in the UK, so we are able tooffer customers a huge range of speciality products including cider andbeers, cheese, preserves, biscuits and cakes. There’s also a hot foodtakeaway section. For our meat we have long-established links with asmall number of local suppliers – our beef, for example, comes, as it hasfor years, from Bob Hall’s farm just a few miles away and is speciallyselected on the hoof.

Any staffing tips?With our staff, we emphasise the importance of always engaging withcustomers. We want every customer to leave the shop having had anenjoyable experience and feeling that they’ve been treated very much asan individual. We also expect our staff to know about the products theyare selling and, particularly with raw ingredients such as meat, to be ableto offer cooking advice – that’s something else you’ll never get in asupermarket. This is all for the customer’s benefit and, in turn, ours. Butfor our own benefit we like our staff to be multi-skilled so, for instance, ifwe get really busy and one section needs more help, other members ofstaff can step in to relieve the pressure. That kind of flexible working reallyis the key to keeping the business running as smoothly as it does.

For over 30 years ExpowestCornwall has been the region’spremier hospitality and cateringtrade show. Each year, the showsees suppliers large and smallshowcase their latest productsand services to Cornwall’s tradebuyers. This year’s ExpowestCornwall takes place at the RoyalCornwall Showground nearWadebridge from Tuesday 3rd toThursday 5th March.

Expowest CornwallShow Has SouthWest Covered

Attendees will explore a widerange of different exhibitorsshowcasing everything from freshproduce to foodservice, bakery tobusiness services, drinks to cateringequipment, and speciality foods tosundry supplies. With a broad andcomprehensive range on display, theshow attracts buyers from hotels,restaurants, pubs, cafés,supermarkets, grocers, delis, farmshops, independent stores, holiday

parks and tourist attractions,schools, colleges, universities andhospitals. The show has a strongCornish flavour, and during thecourse of the show attendees willmeet the region’s major suppliers.

This year’s exhibition will see thereturn of the Speciality Food area,sponsored by Taste of the West andfocused on speciality quality, artisanand local foods as well as flavoursfrom further afield. The Demo Areawill also be back, which this year is sponsored by Cornwall College Business.

Perfectly timed and showcasingproducts that cover the whole of thehospitality and catering market, theshow offers the entire Cornishbusiness community an opportunityto get together and enjoy thecompany of colleagues, suppliersand customers.

Mike Anderson, managingdirector of Hale Events whichorganises the show said, “We areseeing our food shows grow eachyear, and the three we organisecover an area from the SouthMidlands to the tip of Cornwall. Theyall have a different focus andExpowest Cornwall is not only themost established (more than 30years) but it also has a really strongfocus on providing absolutelyeverything that the Hospitality,Catering and Food Retailers inCornwall need. A one stop shop forthe county!”

Find out more about the show atwww.expowestcornwall.co.uk.


update


BREAKINGBREADDrew Massey, owner ofManna House Bakery talksawards, aromas andconsumer demand

Tell us the history of Manna House BakeryI'm a third generation baker – both my father and his father were bakers,and after doing a bit of travelling around I wanted to settle down and startup my own business. In the area I lived in there was nothing, so I thought itwas a good place to start. 10 years ago I quit my job and took the plunge.I found premises that I liked and that's how it began. I wanted it to be aplace for the community, and for members of the public to be involved. Thesite is all open plan – the bakery is part of the shop – as feedback isincredibly important to us. It's all very well the bakery being in a back room,but you don't get the same involvement or customer reactions and desiresthat you do if they can see everything happening. As we do everything infront of the public, we can respond straight away to whatever they want.

How has the business changed since it started?It has evolved in as much as we've refined the products we sell. We'velearned as we've gone along, and the products have matured. We createnew products as we go along, but our core items have gotten better and better.

What do you sell?I'm a big fan of sourdough and artisan bread as a whole, and that's whatwe focus on – they each have unique flavours which we value. Our savouryline has extended to include a salad bar, and a snack and takeaway line.When we first opened we concentrated on our patisserie and bread lines,but our takeaway offering grew due to customer demand. We saw anopening in the market, as no local businesses were offering a qualitytakeaway option. We've always made special cakes for events andcelebrations, but it's not something that I particularly promote. It'ssomething that customers come in to discuss with us as they know it's aservice we offer, but it's not one of our core offerings.

How does it differ to other bakeries?Every artisan bakery is unique – in the products that it makes, theingredients that it uses to make them, and the staff. Something whichmakes us quite unusual is that all of the items we sell are made just acouple of hours before they're sold, on the premises. Freshness is of greatimportance. Getting the aromas out is very important, and this is easilydone when everything's made in front of the customers.

You've won a couple of independent retail awards – why do youthink this is?I'm totally flattered by the awards we've won, as it's not something we'vesought. The first time we hear about it is when we've won something! I verymuch believe in giving back to the community; as far as I'm concerned it'sa two-way street. The community is wonderfully supportive of us, and Ibelieve in giving back to them. Someone going out of their way tonominate us for an award is the biggest compliment we can get.

What advice could you give to our readers who are looking toexpand their bakery offering?Don't be tempted to cheapen the product. Stick to quality ingredients, andif you truly believe in a product you need to push it, push it, push it. It maytake some time, but tastings and promotions are very important, and youneed to stick with it.

What's in the future?We've always had expansion plans but they scare me a bit, as I don't wantto lose control of the quality of my product. I've always shied away frombringing an investor in as I feel it's important to retain control and aconnection with the business. We have capacity in the site we're currentlyin, and I very much believe in maximising that. We're considering openingup another shop in the coming year.

Farm Shop & DeliAward 2015 CategoryWinners AnnouncedThe Farm Shop & Deli Awards, held in partnershipwith Olives Et Al, with category sponsors Pidy andHider and Lakeland Computers, aim to celebrate thevery best standards in the UK’s independent andspeciality retail market. The awards celebrate thehighest levels of service, product knowledge,initiative, innovation and community involvementoffered by our heroes of the high street.

The category winners of the Farm Shop & Deli Awardshave been named, covering retail sectors including foodhalls, bakeries and butcher shops.

Over 500 entries were made to this year's awards, andfollowing 6,000 consumer votes 12 retailers have beennamed Category Winners and 23 have been commended.

Nigel Barden, chairman of judges said, “Anotherbrilliantly rewarding set of visits. There are some veryfocused, driven and talented food retailers in Britain whodeserve to be nourished and encouraged. It’s marvellousthat the FSDA’s can bring them to much wider attention”.

Elaine Lemm, food writer said, “This is my second yearof judging, and I have to say I found this year much moredifficult as the standards keeps on growing. It’s just amazingto see what people are doing out there amongst theproducers, farm shops and delis – they really is the barebones of the industry, and are doing an incredible job”.

Nikki Storrar of Ardross Farm Shop said, “Winning lastyear was beyond our dreams, it was something we havenever really considered. The year after winning the awardswas fantastic, the staff had so much pride in what they aredoing. To be asked to be a judge this year was prettydaunting because of the effect that you may have on thepeople who have entered, and it’s also a fantasticexperience because I have learnt a lot about what’shappening in the industry and could sympathise quite a lotwith people who have entered.”

Regional winners will be announced on 17th March andthe Overall winner will be announced at the Farm Shop &Deli Show at NEC Birmingham on Monday20th April.

Category Winners:Baker: Dee Light Bakery – Category Winner

Hambleton Bakery – Commended

Butcher: Ludlow Food Centre – Category WinnerMeatNW5 – Commended (2nd)M&W Farm Meats – Commended (3rd)

Cheesemonger: George Mewes Cheese – WinnerThe Courtyard Dairy – Commended (2nd)CHEESE PLEASE – Commended (3rd)

Fishmonger: Latimer's Seafood Deli & Cafe – WinnerRamus Seafood Emporium – Commended (2nd)Veasey & Sons – Commended (3rd)

Delicatessen: The Hungry Guest – WinnerBloomfields Fine Food – Commended (2nd)Fresh Basil – Commended (3rd)

Food Hall: Fodder – WinnerDelifonseca Dockside – Commended (2nd)Bakers & Larners of Hold – Commended (3rd)

Farm Shop: Knitsley Farm Shop – WinnerCross Lanes Organic Farm Ltd – Commended (2nd)Foxholes Farm Shop – Commended (3rd)Bodnant Welsh Food – Commended (3rd)

Online Business: Parsnips and Pears – WinnerAlternative Meats – Commended (2nd)Best of British Beer – Commended (3rd)

Greengrocer: Andreas of Chelsea Green – WinnerStrongs Fruit and Veg – Commended (2nd)Market Garden Produce – Commended (3rd)

Group: Johns of Instow & Appledore – WinnerArthur Howell – Commended (2nd)Brown and Green – Commended (3rd)

Local Shop: Shropshire's Own – WinnerThrussington's Village Store – Commended (2nd)

Market: Tonbridge Farmers Market – Category WinnerHorsforth Farmers Market – Commended (2nd)Made in Stroud Ltd – Commended (3rd)

To find out more about the Awards, please visitwww.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk

The magazine has launched ayear-long campaign in order toencourage consumers to showsupport for their localindependent food retailers.Supported by deli owner and pigfarmer Jimmy Doherty, Love YourDeli will see celebrity columns and

features focus on delis, farm shopsand food halls, and the twitterhashtag #loveyourdeli invite retailersto tweet about promotions andevents every Friday.

Consumers will be encouragedto tweet about independents theyplan to visit over the weekend.

Natasha Lovell-Smith, editor ofGreat British Food said, “Delis andfarm shops play a vital role inpromoting our food heritage; theyoffer so much more than beingsimply a place to buy yourgroceries, and I'm so excited aboutsharing their inspiring stories withour readers.

“These fantastic stores providean irreplaceable and personalservice and ought to be a weeklydestination for food lovers. But likemany independent retailers, they areoften hit by high rents and strongcompetition. We're hoping our LoveYour Deli campaign will encouragefoodies to actively seek them out.”

To find out how you can getinvolved with the Love Your LocalDeli Campaign, please contactOwen Cook [email protected] or01206 505939, or Nathan Kliber [email protected] or01206 505424.

Great British FoodMagazine LaunchesLove Your Deli Campaign



CHEESE UNCUT Latest cheese news stories,trends, updates and developmentsSF

The award-winning Welsh foodcentre has produced a newsmoked cheese which will besupplied to independents acrossthe UK.

Abermwg, a hand-tended cheesemade from cow's milk, is cold-smoked over beech and oak chips atChirk Trout Farm and Food Smokery.

Chris Morton, managing directorof Bodnant Welsh Food Centre said,“This is another successful story forour on-site dairy, and a great way tostart 2015. Feedback from ourcustomers who have been samplingthe cheese has been very positive andso we are now going into fullproduction. We’ve got moreinnovations in the coming months, so we will be keeping the dairy very busy.”

Debbie Leviseur, cheese sales andmarketing manager at Bodnant WelshFood said, “We could see that therewas room in the market for an artisansmoked cheese – the Aberwen isperfect because it is firm and creamy

and so it takes up the smokingflavours easily.

“The name was a simple choice –our cheeses are all called Aber, whichmeans river mouth in Welsh as weoverlook the River Conwy estuary, andMwg is smoke in Welsh.

“We have had samples on salehere at Bodnant Farm Shop plus it’sbeen on offer in our tea-rooms andHayloft restaurant. We have also madeit available to some of the independentdelicatessens, farm shops and

restaurants that we supply aroundWales and other parts of the UK. Theirfeedback has helped us to developthe cheese and we are now makingmore and more as it gets better known.

“At Bodnant our aim is to promoteWelsh food and so I wanted a Welshsmokery to produce the new cheese,rather than adding flavourings.”

Richard Simpson, owner of ChirkTrout Farm and Food Smokery said,“We supply many food business, andwe started the smokery side a fewyears back.

“The Abermwg is a lovely cheese,and takes to the smoking processreally well. It goes into our smokeboxover a fire fed by a blend of mainlyoak, ash and beech chips, from upthe valley in Glyn Ceiriog, for the best flavour.

“The warm, smoky air gently driesand preserves the food. This takestwo to three days and is where the skilland experience comes in asconditions outside – wind, temperatureor sunshine – have to be taken into account.

“We only use traditional methodsto ensure the best results and the realtaste of properly smoked foods, ratherthan the artificial smoked flavours usedin processed foods.”

Bodnant Rolls OutSmoked Cheese

Cheese Showcase at IFEIFE 2015 – running from 22nd to25th March at ExCeL London –offers a valuable opportunity tomeet with a number of cheeseproducers and discover the bestnew products in the sector.

The event will showcase thebrightest trends of 2015, making it avaluable event for retailers.

Exhibitors at this year's eventinclude Bradburys, Abergavenny andThe Cheese Cellar.

Chris McCuin, show directorsaid, “We are very excited for the

return of IFE in 2015. A lot of hardwork goes into the preparation ofthe exhibition and part of that isidentifying and understanding thebiggest sectors in the industry.

“Cheese and dairy in particularhas always been a key ingredient inthe food industry, but hascontinued to grow in popularityover the years. At IFE 2015 it isreally important that wedemonstrate what is new in thisever-expanding sector and identifyareas for growth.”

Cheese Cellar has shared newsof its exclusive UK distributionof Swiss brand Emmi's newsnack pot, a 170g version of itsSwiss Fondue Original.

The new listing is in line withthe continued growth of the food-on-the-go market in Britain.

Using an original recipe from1958, the mini fondue pot providesa generous portion for one person, or enough for two people to share. Ready inone minute, the fondue is ideal for serving with bread, new potatoes, cornichonsor balsamic onions.

Tracey Colley, retail account manager at Cheese Cellar said, “We all know theversatility of cheese – and the more that we can introduce consumers to eatingcheese in different ways, the better.

“Food on the go is an area of growth and we felt that this top quality Swissproduct was an interesting concept for the UK market – and something that ourretail and foodservice customers would potentially have a place for.”

Cheese Cellar AnnouncesEmmi Fondue Distribution

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LOOKINGFORWARDIn that usual way oftwo year George Paultakes a view tothe future

The cheese trade continues to be segregated intoincreasingly distinct bands and strategies, manyuniquely different and appropriate to their objectives.None of this is without consequences, and out of thisemerge winners and losers but also opportunity forothers to move up the ladder of fame and fortune.

At the very pinnacle, the major players areengaged in a global struggle for supremacy and, likethe oil barons of the past decades, are seizing bothsource of supply and manufacturing capacity as itbefits their needs and dominating the route to market in the major retailers as an inherent part of that strategy.

What emerges is a standard consistent product,heavily marketed, massively distributed and availablead infinitum to a dairy consumer audience – a sort ofdairy version of Liebfraumilch, Mateus Rose, AstiSpumante, et al; all very commendable and reliable butwith little challenge or difference – a bland samenessthat fits the maker model not the demandingconsumer. Who isn't bored of the so-called Cheddarpremium brand offer?

Thankfully, over the past 25 years a golden seamof artisan makers has emerged, of varying scales andsizes, living through the optimism and promisesfrequently handed to them and frequently snatchedaway as 'localism' and 'regional needs' came andwent in fashionable waves.

The best of these artisan makers, both ancient andmodern, of differing scales and types, endured,survived and even thrived. The list of those makers andbrands who have gained rightful recognition hereinclude Quickes and Keens, Sparkenhoe and ColstonBassett, Lincolnshire Poacher and Cornish Yarg,Wensleydale Dairy, Dewlay, Belton’s, Appleby’s andKirkham’s, Sandham’s and Butlers, Yorkshire Blue and

Montgomery's, Cropwell and CornishBlue; all found coping mechanisms androutes to market here and abroad thatsecured and delivered for their business.

All of these are part of the fabric of British cheesemaking, their brands have earned recognition throughyears of endeavour, and a number amongst that elitegroup have developed a status that sees themdependent on no one, capable of earning a living evenin the most challenging of times. And whilst a numberof them would not see this moment as the easiest of times, they are largely in harmony with the cheese world in terms of sales, margin returns and consistency.

So who will be the rising rising stars of the nexttwo years? A slight polish of the crystal ball mightsuggest some have yet to reach or find their bestpotential. Isle of Man, with its unique provenance,island culture and outstanding vintage cheese, andCricketers, already famous for outstanding low-fatoptions, are two that must begin to access the marketmore effectively with their skill set intact, their brandvalue yet to be realised and their scale not sooverwhelming that it will be driven by a need to be thebiggest or cheapest. It’s a point of difference, sodesperately needed in a tired market. Scottishcheesemaker Barwheys, who have developed theirown unique style and quality, would also appear tohave some untapped potential to be realised.

Blues are harder, but Dewlay have made somestrong quality strides in blue cheese, and frankly themore familiar Cornish Blue has yet to maximize itspotential, despite being around a few years now. TheUK is crying out for a significant white mould or Brie-type maker now that the two previous stars are underforeign ownership – lucky, then, that Scotland didn’tbecome a foreign country, and perhaps Rory Stoneand the Highland Fine Cheese Company may bringtheir Scottish Brie South in sufficient quantity. Goatscheese too has a vast opportunity, and Rosary goatscheese looks to have an impressive portfolio and couldbe a growing player here.

The consumer is the driver here, and will seek realdefinable quality over mass standardisation. I maynot say it often, but thank goodness fordemanding customers.

Colston Bassett Reports Strong ChristmasThe Nottingham-based dairy has followed a successful year of cheesemaking with a strong festive season, during which it struggled to meetdemand for its Stilton and Shropshire Blue cheeses.

Billy Kevan, dairy manager at Colston Bassett Dairy said, “The time leadingup to Christmas is always a busy period. In 2014, once again we had strongsales and it was a struggle to meet demand.

“Last year we had an extremely successful year, with various awards –winning Supreme Champion at the International Cheese Awards and the GreatYorkshire Show. Both of these achievements can only have helped raiseawareness of our cheese.

“We just keep doing what we do best – making consistently good Stiltonand Shropshire Blue. It is always encouraging to see that the consumer keepsappreciating what we do and buying it! We now look forward to another year ofstrong Colston Bassett sales.”

Belton CheeseUnveils White FoxShropshire-based cheesemakersBelton Cheese has added to itsBelton Fox range with White Fox,a creamy and nutty cheese with a“cunning crunch”.

Available nationwide viawholesalers, White Fox is a versatilecheese four years in the making andis ideal for consumers wanting to trysomething new.

Alison Taylor of Belton Cheesesaid, “We knew we had somethingspecial very early on in thedevelopment process of our Red Foxcheese. This started the teamthinking what to do next, and thedevelopment of a White Fox cheesewas the obvious next step.

“White Fox cheese is made froma unique recipe using carefullyselected cultures. Fresh local milkplays an important part, along withthe skills of the Belton cheesemakers who have over a 100 years’experience between them.

“The cheese is matured underthe watchful eye of our grader foraround 18 months. Only when thegrader gives his stamp of approval isthe cheese endorsed with the BeltonFarm White Fox label.”

DairyDebate

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MEET THE


What's special about TheCheese Box?We only sell British cheese and avery limited range of local and Britishaccompaniments.

Why sell only British cheese?I want to promote British milk anddairy farming. There's no pointhaving a brilliant blue cheese likeBeenleigh Blue when the peoplecoming in only know aboutRoquefort. If they ask for Roquefort,I explain that we sell only Britishcheese, but we have a beautifulsheep's milk cheese from Devon,and they go away with that instead.

Describe the shop, pleaseThe shop is very small and it wascompletely empty when I first movedin, still breeze blocks. I painted itwhite and put in anything from myhouse that I could afford to lose,such as the cheese counter withcows' legs!

Where is it located?It's located near the end of HarbourStreet near the harbour. Winter isgreat for the cheese shop; thebusiness is not at all seasonal andwe create a bit of a grazing zone.Whitstable is very foodie, so a lot ofrestaurants are booked up. This is anice spill out. We have differentpeople at different times and we'velearnt to how to cater for them. Iwanted to move somewhere wherenobody knew about cheese, ratherthan to the West Country, whereeverybody does.

How many staff do you employ?There's only me and a manager, andPaul, a cheese expert who hasjudged at the World CheeseAwards and who does this as asideline. He organises tastingsand events.

How is the British taste for goodcheese these days?There's a great deal of romanceabout regional cheese and anawareness of what such cheeseused to taste and even look like.People remember cheese being cutin shops and on the markets. It taps

into something they hadn't realisedthey had lost, and the moment theytaste it, and get the provenance,they are much more engaged with itas a product.

How important in the regionalityof cheese?People are very passionate aboutregional local foods and always havebeen. When I was in London, I foundpeople were missing their regionalfoods, especially cheese. I find thatthe further North you go, the moreyou will find regional foods. DownSouth it's all got a bit diluted andthere is Continental influence,especially in Kent. I'm often asked ifwe do olives and I have to say, no,olives don't go with English cheeses.

What cheeses sell well at TheCheese Box?We do about 35 cheeses at any onetime. Among these are sheep's milkBries, our local, phenomenalBowyers Brie and Ashmore, RosaryGoat's cheese (one of our biggestsellers), College White from theOxford Cheese Company and thecave-aged Cheddar WinterdaleShaw. This is brilliant – it's the onlycompletely carbon neutral, cave-aged cheese in the country.

How do you feel about thepopularity of smallcheeses?We don't do a lot of tinycheeses. We try tryand buy effectively.If people areunsure of whatthey want, theytend to

go for a little round cheese, but wewant to encourage them to beadventurous. This is why we offerimpressive, bigger-cutting cheeses.We try to get producers to thinkoutside the deli box.

What are your favourite cheeses?One of my favourites is vintage OldWinchester, which is a Gouda-stylecheese from the New Forest. Wehad Mike (Smales) mature it on veryold, so it's very crystally. It's awashed curd cheese and is brilliant.This cheese is all about patience andtime and age. Getting people tounderstand that it is 28 months oldis quite a concept. I also like Alsopand Walker's Mayfield, anEmmental-style cheese which ismade near Lewes. It has big holes,making it very unusual on the Englishcheese scene.

What is your favourite blue?My favourite blue is Beenleigh, butwe do a fabulous Kent Blue whichsells stunningly well.

What won’t you stock? We won't have anything that hasbeen stabilised. It's about developingthe product, not shipping it aroundthe country. We don't stock anythingthat we can't control ourselves.

How do you educate consumersabout cheese?It's really important to get the

message across in a shop like thisthat we don't promote anything

that is to do with high-endfine food. We use cheeselabels because we wantpeople to have some

instant

The Cheese Box in Whitstable was a leapof faith for owner Dawn Hackett

"There's a great deal of romance about regional cheese and an awarenessof what such cheese used to taste and even look like. People remember

cheese being cut in shops and on the markets. It taps into something theyhadn't realised they had lost and the moment they taste it, and get the

provenance, they are much more engaged with it as a product"

cheesesellerqx_Layout 1 23/01/2015 15:59 Page 1

the weekend and don't have to fightwith visitors on Saturday. Theycome and buy cheese and thenothers arrive for a glass of wine anda platter.

You also operate a cheese van?It's an old Citroen which alternatesas a mobile fondue and ice creamvan, so it's very flexible. We go tomarkets and have had pitches atMargate and also in Faversham, atlocal festivals and places like that. Igot the van for £1,500 includingdelivery, and then I had to have herwelded together.

The business was started withthis van?Yes, everything was on a very smallscale but this meant that I had avery good relationship with mysuppliers. I didn't have the money toget a shop and start from scratch. Iwould turn up at a market on aFriday or some new pitch that no-one had thought of before, and thevan would become a meeting point.When I pitched up here in the van, Ibegan selling cheese to people onthe beachfront, in the gales. Theshop was a leap of faith.

Do you offer an online service? We prefer to offer a personalcustomer service. Online is great ifyou want to order a box of tencheeses but people are happier tocall up and order that. We say that ifyou want a soft creamy blue, it's

better to call us, becausewe can tell you if it's ripe.You can't just click a boxand say, 'I'll have aStinking Bishop.' Weare ina position to say 'this isgood today and will bewith you by Thursday.'

What other productsdo you sell at TheCheese Box?We don't have a lot ofroom for other items andcheese is the mostimportant thing. Peopleare confused these days,they don't know what is adeli and what a localindependent food shop.This is a cheese shop. The bardidn't happen for three or four yearsI (before that, we used to give awaydrinks to tasters.) We wanted it tobe a British cheese shop, first andforemost. However, pickles andchutneys to go with the cheeses aresupplied by the Whitstable PickleCompany and a slow baker makessour dough and speciality breadsfor us. We sell local apple juice, fig,quince and almond products,anything suitable and English.

Describe your relationship withproducers now?I enjoy doing marketing forcheesemakers, giving themfeedback and helping to developtheir cheeses. We make cheese


information. We want to educatethem. We want to help them, andwe let them taste everything beforethey buy.

How do the informationalcheese tags help?There's humour and often badEnglish. We use words and phrasesrather than flowing information.These aren't high-brow, just thingslike 'wow! Packs a punch!''absolutely gorgeous! 'gooey','medieval', anything that grabs theattention. We're bossy, too, and tellcustomers what cheese won't gowith what food.

Are some people a little in aweof speciality food shops?Yes, there's a horrible thing in thefood world to do with high-endthings and snob value and peoplenot feeling empowered. They comein feeling slightly foolish anyway andyou want to engage them and makethem feel comfortable. They shouldfeel that buying good cheese in acheese shop is an everyday thingthat should be part of their normalway of eating.

Do you have any other profitablerevenue streams?We have a bar. On Friday andSaturday evenings, we open late asa cheese shop until 10pm. Thisbrings in a whole different crowd totaste and buy cheese. Cheese ismuch more of an evening, rather

than a morning thing, we find. Wesell alcohol, too, local beers andlocal cider and a small range of winethat suits the cheese. We also doplatters and fondue.

Isn't the shop too small forevening soirées? It's tiny, but it's all about perchingon stools and we move peoplearound, which encourages aconvivial atmosphere. We playmusic, folk and jazz and invitepeople in to play things. Thecounter is on wheels and we moveit back in the evening and in againfor the day. The shop is a littleTardis.

How are the evening sessionsworking out?The evenings work brilliantly. Peoplepop by and buy some cheese for

with local cheese makers; creatingour own cheese will be our nextstep.

Do you mature cheese?We mature their cheeses in ourmaturing rooms, which means thatwe can have longer termrelationships with producers andcan feed back to them on how theircheese is going. It takes a goodthree years to get a cheeseestablished.

What qualities does a successfulcheesemonger need?You've got to know and love cheeseand make people feel passionateabout it. I'm incredibly passionateabout the milk and, of course, theproduct itself.

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quality (along with wealth) is hugely polarised.

Artisan cheese is not taken as agiven in the US, and so manyproducers are much more focused atproviding a complete educationexperience to engage people.Businesses such as Rogue River,which produces the world-classRogue River Blue, are completelyconnected with their own retail spaceand use this to embody all that theystand for and lay it out magnificentlyfor their guests. This is described bymarketers as 'experiential marketing'.Rogue River's next step is having thekitchen space available for cookeryclasses, hosting cheese pairingevenings and even a spot of yogaonce a week; they've just taken onthe owner's old PE teacher as a tourguide for the farm and hope to havea team of tour guides within a coupleof years.

One of the most immediatebenefits to the trip was the inspirationto open the new Farm Shop &Kitchen at Quickes – Mary Quickeand I visited Cowgirl Creamery backin January and by May we hadopened the Farm Kitchen, very muchinspired by the Cowgirl Cantina (aswell as the likes of Riverford FieldKitchen and River Cottage Canteenscloser to home).

“The US artisan cheesemovement has a much greaterproportion of young blood”

Nearly all artisan cheese in theUS is a new thing – at least relativeto Europe (though some smallproducers such as Vella werefounded as early as the 1930s).

Cheese is a remarkablecombination of the professional andthe cool. People draw huge pridefrom working in cheese – to theextent of sporting cheese tattoosand spending their holidays learningabout cheese. Events like the

Cheesemongers Invitational reallycapture the American spirit – it'sessentially a cheese rave, and iscovered by the likes of ViceMagazine, so therefore perceived as an edgy, cultural event worthy of attention.

Artisan cheese represents a formof food rebellion against all the thingsthat people like Jamie Oliver havemade us aware of: factory farming,processed foods and so called BigFood corporations. It’s part of anopposite and equal reaction, thoughwe hear much less about it in ourown media. Retail is particularly wellsuited to this approach. Cheeseshops in the US have a realinclination to be theatrical andenthusiasm; it just can’t be overdone!

Where?New York City and the tri-state area: Jersey, Long Islandand BrooklynNorth Carolina: Chapel Hill, Raleighand DurhamTexas: Dallas & AustinCalifornia: San Diego, OrangeCounty, LA, San Francisco and SacramentoOregon: Rogue River

Worthy of noteProfessionalism: The artisancheese movement benefits from anextremely capable trade body – theAmerican Cheese Society (ACS) –which represents a substantialmembership and punches above itsweight in terms of technical andpolitical clout. It engages the Foodand Drink Administration on keyissues such as ageing on woodenboards and raw milk. I was luckyenough to attend the week-longACS annual conference. Thisincluded opportunities such assensory analysis lectures atUniversity California Davis and aseminar dedicated to micro flora ofcheese rinds!Education: Many universities in theUS have dairy professors; the ACSjudging panel featured 25intellectuals as ‘technical judges’ forcheese. There’s some truly potent

intellectual firepower helping to drive the emergence of domesticartisan cheese.Geeky/Cool: Cheese looks andfeels like a bohemian pursuit.YouTube channels like It’s OK To BeSmart and celebrities like WilliamShatner have spent serious amountsof time probing into and telling thestory of dairy’s delights. Businesseslike Cheese Journeys are bringingenthused twenty-somethings over toEurope to learn more about ourtraditions and techniques.Politics of food: People in cheese(and fine food more broadly) are verymindful of the political aspect of theirwork. Many (if not all) artisanproducers will talk to you aboutsocial responsibility. Slow Food, aschampioned by figureheads such asAlice Waters of Chez Panisse, is athriving political force which most‘foodies’ will identify with.

Lessons learnedNumber one would be not tounderestimate people’s passion for cheese!

A lot can be gained fromfacilitating the desire to learn aboutcheese. Some retailers chargehundreds, or even thousands, ofdollars to allow customers access totheir knowledge and experience.People’s appetite for food withintegrity has huge potential.

Sell cheese from a specific place,with a unique story. Offer the wholepackage. People are willing to put a‘dollar value’ on hearing more aboutthe place, the people and the cowsinvolved. It’s a paradigm shift fromselling something that simply goes inyour fridge! When done right, thatexperience will live in hearts andminds for years to come.

Keep yourself informed and learnfrom other people’s experiences;Paul Hargreaves' ‘Letter fromAmerica’ and contributions fromother industry figures all demonstratethat we can learn from our cousinsacross the pond.

A BritishCheesemaker

In America

Q uickes cheese has beensold in the US for over 30years, principally throughNeal’s Yard Dairy and

Somerdale, and this accounts foraround a quarter of our sales. MaryQuicke visits most years to judge atthe American Cheese Society or theFancy Food Show, but we havenever spent any real time on theground, looking at where our cheeseends up, who sells it or why.

I had a range of plannedactivities which including attendingthe Cheesemongers Invitational,teaching at Murray’s CheeseBootcamp and visiting top chefssuch as Jean Georges. As I’mresponsible for sales, much of mytime was spent with retailers, visitingaround 75 cheese shops in total, aswell as restaurants and a handful ofkey distributors. I also spent time atthe Rogue River Creamery andattended the annual AmericanCheese Society conference.

My objective was to establish asales strategy for the US and todevelop relationships with keycheese people. The visit alsoenabled me to gather insights onhow we might apply what I wasseeing in the States to the UKmarket, with accreditation schemes such as the CertifiedCheese Professionals.

“It’s easy to think of the UnitedStates as one homogenousculture and, whilst that’s notwholly incorrect, it is alsoincredibly diverse, with each region offering its own specialities”

Regional food can be surprisinglytasty (chicken and waffles in NorthCarolina spring to mind) and some istruly awful! Fine food only really existsin key regions and other areas areconsidered ‘food deserts’, with littlefresh produce and predominantlyprocessed or fast food on offer. Food

Tom Chatfield of Quickes

Cowgirls Creamery of San Francisco

Leah Park Fierro, owner of LAcheesemonger Milkfarm

As a member of a quintessentiallyBritish cheesemaking empire, Tom

Chatfield of Quickes travelled to the USto gather international inspiration.

Here he shares his story

quickiesusa final_Update updated 23/01/2015 15:52 Page 1

continental classics


In the first of a new series,Speciality Food finds out whythis ancient Spanish cheesemakes an exciting addition to

artisan food counters.Manchego is widely respected

across the international fine foodindustry, but not a lot is knownabout its extraordinary history andtraditional production processes.From its centuries-old foundations inthe La Mancha region of Spain, thepopularity of Manchego hastraversed continents – with the UKset to be one of its biggest marketsacross the world. As purveyors offine foods, Speciality Food retailersare in an ideal position to make themost of this classic artisanal cheese– thanks to its impressive heritageand unique flavour profile, it's theperfect starting point for food loverslooking for an authentic taste of Spain.

HistoryAlthough the exact date of thecreation of the first wheel of

Manchego is not known, its heritagehas become a source of great prideto the residents of La Mancha – thehome of the cheese in Central Spain– and was even noted in theregion's iconic sixteenth centurynovel Don Quixote. Impressively, itshistory pre-dates even that; noteson the production of Manchegohave been found which date backto Roman times and beyond.

The home of Manchego, aregion of central Spain whichreaches from Madrid to Andalucia,provides the perfect conditions tocreate the cheese. Although namedafter the landscape's arid conditions(the Arabic roots of 'La Mancha'mean 'the land of no water'), theregion offers the perfect landscapefor animal rearing; there are now800 farmers with more than half amillion sheep in the area, as well as75 Manchego factories.

Manchega sheep, the solebreed reared to produce the milk forManchego and unchangedthroughout the centuries of its use,

An iconic European cheese with an impressive heritage andtrue consumer popularity, Manchego is ripe for stocking

are reared in the countryside andfed only the best their habitat has tooffer. The small quantities of milk –when compared to France andelsewhere in Northern Europe –produced by each ewe means thatthe raw ingredient in each wheel ofManchego is of very high quality,and never contains more than 50-55% fat. Manchego's PDO statusmeans that it must be producedwithin the La Mancha region, usingmilk only from Manchega sheep.

VarietiesStrictly speaking, there are twotypes of Manchego cheese: onemade with pasteurised milk, andone made with raw milk. The first,commercial type is matured for atleast one month before being put onthe market; the second, artisanalversion for at least three months(semi curado) or six months(curado). The cheese can bematured for up to two years,although such cheeses are hard tocome by.

How to identifyIn line with the EU's aim to promotequality food products across theworld by protecting geographicalnames, retailers should add value tothe Manchego they sell by sharing itsstory and unique characteristics withtheir customers. There are threeelements to a wheel of Manchegocheese which will identify it as beingthe genuine article.• The label should state that thecheese is Manchego, and shouldread 'artesano' if it has been madeusing raw milk• The cheese should show a labelfrom the Manchego Cheese PDORegulating Council, containing itsserial number, logo and stamp• There should be a casein tabstamped on the rind of the cheese,stating the serial code and the words 'España, Denominación de Origen, MANCHEGO'

What does Manchego'sPDO status mean?• Reliability: The cheese is regulatedby Spanish and EU laws• Traceability: The products comefrom a defined geographical area• Link with the territory: All theingredients are obtained usingtraditional methods. The bondbetween the product and the land

create special characteristics in each product• Typicality: The cheese is made witha respect for traditional productionmethods and preservation of thetypical characteristics of the product

Find out more atwww.quesomanchego.es

• As a rule, a 2-3kg wheel willyield 10 pieces of cheese

• Manchego's distinctive zig-zagpattern is created using espartograss and wooden presses

• Manchego can be kept in thefridge, but bring back to roomtemperature before serving

• Taste: simultaneously salty,creamy and relatively mild,becoming stronger and spicieras it ages

To serve...• Slice into thin slithers, keepingthe rind on the cheese; the rindshould not be eaten

• Serve with quince paste andSerrano ham for aquintessentially Spanish platter

“The simplest way to roughly age Manchego is by its colour and texture –the older it gets, the dryer and more golden the cheese becomes.

Meanwhile, the flavour intensifies and becomes increasingly spicy”Ignacio Barco, President of Consejo Regulador De La Denominación De Origen Queso Manchego

FACT FILE

CONTINENTAL CLASSICS:

Manchego

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SFSWEET TALK Latest sweet news stories, trends,updates and developments

Divine CelebratesFairtrade FortnightThis Fairtrade Fortnight, running 23rd February to 8th March to raiseawareness of the benefits of buying Fairtrade, ethical chocolateproducer Divine will be touring the south of the UK in a retro food van.

Travelling to London, Brighton and Bristol, the van will be showcasing andselling the company's new Dark Chocolate Caramel bar, attending events andvisiting suppliers.

Leaflets will be handed out with a map highlighting local Divine stockists;consumers will be asked to visit each site during Fairtrade Fortnight, at whichthey will find a clue. Once all sites have been visited and clues collected,people taking part will be entered into their city's prize draw to win a hamperof chocolate.

Wendy Rowan, National Account Manager at Divine Chocolate said, “TheChocolate Trail will give people the chance to not only discover new places tobuy Divine and other Fairtrade goods, but promotes the independent retailersin their city who will be there long after Fairtrade Fortnight when our van hasheaded home.”

Chilled TrufflesEnter MarketAward-winning artisan chocolate maker BoojaBooja has introduced its new range of chilledchocolate truffles.

Delivered, stored and sold chilled, the truffles havebeen designed to be kept in a chilled environment toreach the consumer in optimum condition.

Two truffle selections and six single flavour boxes areavailable, in Almond & Sea Salt Caramel, Hazelnut

Caramel, Fine de Champagne, Dark Ecuadorian and Raspberry.

Louise Truswell, marketing communications managersaid, “Like all the best premium desserts, we believe thatour truffles deserve to be kept in a chilled environment allthe way from our kitchen to the customer. Then we know they are reaching consumers in the best condition possible.

“The new range features a new look with a fresh,contemporary colour scheme designed for maximumstand out in the fridge. As with all our products, our chilledchocolate truffles are handmade with the finest organicingredients at our factory in Norfolk.”

The International Chocolate Awards, a competitionwhich celebrates fine chocolate from around the world has announced the winners of its World Finals.

Over 1000 entries from 33 countries were judged bya panel made up of buyers, chocolatiers and journalists,which was overseen by the awards' Grand Jury.

The British chocolate sector was well represented,with award winners including a Peanut Butter &Raspberry Jelly from Paul A Young and a dark chocolate

bar from Akesson's. Martin Christy, Judging Director and Chair of the

Grand Jury said, “We were astounded by the number andexceptional quality of the entries in this year’s World Final.London is becoming known worldwide as a leadingcentre for chocolate excellence and appreciation.

“We have a developing history of quality chocolatierssetting up their companies here, which is no wonder withthe understanding we have of international cuisine in the UK.”

Winners of ICA Announced

New Flavour fromSuperfood Chocolate BrandDoisy & Dam, producer of organicchocolate bars, has added aCoconut & Lucuma bar to its rangeof superfood confections.

Combining 74% cocoa organicchocolate with health-boosting coconutand lucuma, the bar can boast highlevels of fibre, antioxidants and vitamins.

Edward Smith, co-founder of Doisy &Dam said, “At Doisy & Dam we’re alwayslooking for the next new superfood toensure our chocolate stays ahead of thecompetition.

“We’re very pleased with this newflavour as coconut is particularly popularand works brilliantly with chocolate, whileLucuma is still largely unknown. We’rehoping our retailers get as excited aboutit as we are."

sweettalk finalqx_Update updated 23/01/2015 15:55 Page 1

KEY INFORMATION

WHAT: The FARMAConferenceWHEN: 22nd-25th FebruaryWHERE: Wyboston LakesExecutive Centre,Bedfordshire, MK44 3AL

Show highlights• Guided visits to inspirationalfarm retail sites• Retail stars share theirexpertise on strategy,management and basket spend• Announcement of FARMAAward winners

GETTING THEREBY CAR: Located 20 milesWest of Cambridge on the A428BY TRAIN: St Neots trainstation 10 minutes away (48minutes from London King's Cross)BY AIR: Luton and Stanstedairports 45 minutes away

CONTACT INFO:To find out more about theevent, book tickets andorganise accommodation seewww.farma.org.uk/2015-farma-conference


Whether you manage a farm shop,market or delivery service, farm retailcan be tough, which is why FARMAhas created a brand new event tooffer businesses the advice andinspiration they need to succeed.

The Conference offers practicalworkshops covering such topics ashow to reduce overheads,inspirational farm shop tours, andexpert talks from industryprofessionals such as head ofNorwich John Lewis, Richard Marksand food futurologist Dr MorgaineGaye – all designed to help youmake your business the best it can be.

Sunday 22nd FebruaryAn introductory drinks reception willbe held at Wyboston Lakes, whereprofessionals within the farm retailsector can network and attendeescan book in, collect paperwork andbe formally welcomed to the event.

Monday 23rd FebruaryJoin fellow farm shop owners and

The FARMAConference 2015

The ultimate source of farm retail inspiration

the consumer, and discover how toovercome common challenges andadd new elements to yourbusinesses. Foxholes, Bury LaneFarm Shop, Ashlyn's and GogMagog Farm Shop are scheduled tohost attendees.

Tour four considers the finedetail, and how to get thefundamentals right. This trip is idealfor newcomers to the industry,whether they're looking to start fromscratch or develop their fledglingbusiness. Attendees will visit Bushel Box, Vine House and Edible Ornamentals.

Monday evening will see asurprise members’ night take place,with cocktails and more kindlysupported by the Big Green Egg.

Tuesday 24th FebruaryThe FARMA ConferenceChair of the FARMA Council, SallyJackson will kick off proceedings bywelcoming attendees to theconference and an overview of thepast, present and future of FARMA,before introducing three high profilespeakers: Dr Morgaine Gaye, foodfuturologist, who will relate comingfood trends to your business andadvise on how to future-proof yourbusiness; Richard Marks, head ofJohn Lewis Norwich, who will besharing his expertise on customerservice and staff management; andPhilip Blanc of i-negotiate, who willdemonstrate how the art ofnegotiation can boost profitability.

Farm Retail MasterclassFour leading farm retail businesses –Blacker Hall, Pink Pig Farm Shop,Welbeck Farm Shop and KilnfordBarns – will take questions fromattendees on topics includingproduct selection, recruitment andhow to measure success.

If you would like to submit yourquestions in advance, please sendthem to [email protected].

North American Farm RetailAssociationHosted by Charlie Touchette andCynthia Chiles, this talk will explore

the conception of farmers' marketsand farm shops in America and theirsubsequent popularity in the UK.Both farm retail aficionados, bothspeakers bring their impressiveexpertise and passion for sellingdirectly to the public.

Workshops• Negotiating Your Way To A BetterMargin Lead, Philip Blanc from i-negotiate• Increasing Basket Spend,Jonathan Winchester from Shopper Anonymous• Getting The Café Offer Right,Robert Tate from Appetite Me• 10 Key Lessons In Finding,Recruiting And Embedding A NewMember Of The Team, MaxMacGillivray from Red Fox Executives

Awards EveningThe FARMA Black Tie Dinner andAwards is a chance to celebrate thebest the industry has to offer, with anumber of businesses andindividuals lined up to receiveprestigious awards.

FARMA Markets ConferenceThis event will offer an opportunity todiscuss with like-minded people thekey elements to running a successfulfarmers' market: increasing footfall,protecting your brand and makingyour market work for producers.

Wednesday 25thFebruaryFARMA Trade ShowThe trade show will combine threeelements: exhibitors such as foodand ingredient suppliers, specialistwholesale suppliers, EPOS systemproviders and business, land, retailand management professionals;workshops on topics such asreducing your overheads; and thepresentation of the Farm ShopButchery awards.

staff, and those new to the industry,on a trip to a number of establishedand highly regarded businessesincluding Suffolk Food Hall, ElvedonEstate and Edible Ornamentals. Tourgroups will be accompanied by aFARMA host and a tour facilitator toensure attendees get the most out oftheir visit.

There are four tours on offer:Tour one focuses on taking yourfarm shop to the next level bydeveloping management skills,systems and processes. During thecourse of this tour you will visit LaHogue, Elevedon Estate and StGeorge's Distillery.

Tour two aims to improve yourskills as a farm shop manager;whatever size of your business,management of staff, stock andcosts is critical. On this tour you willvisit Hollow Trees Farm Shop, SuffolkFood Hall, Jimmy's Farm and AlderCarr Farm Shop.

Tour three looks at marketing,and what your customer wants. Thistrip will provide an opportunity to seea farm retail site through the eyes of

“The FARMA conference is a hugelybeneficial experience and one that we lookforward to each year. We feel it is an ideal

opportunity to take a break from the businessto create new ideas, relationships and

opportunities that are essential for planningthe months and years ahead”

Tom Bowles, Hartley Farm Dr Morgaine Gaye, foodfuturologist

FARMA final_Update updated 23/01/2015 15:57 Page 2


Natures PathThe latest organic breakfast cereal addition to Nature’s Paths indulgent toptable is Honey Sunrise, a moreish, wholegrain crunchy cereal made fromcorn, rice, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth and a delicious dollop of honey.

Long ago we came to the conclusion that to the free-from aisle, wheresynthetic man-made golden syrup dominates, we wanted to bring agenerous splash of all natural flower nectar.

Endorsed by Coeliac UK, this sumptuous cereal with all-round familyappeal comes from good stock, as Mesa Sunrise (the UK’s No.1 gluten-freecereal) and Maple Sunrise (our fastest growing cereal in 2014) have bothestablished quite a following from the UK’s more discerning breakfast diehards.

It was also Nature’s Path's Nice & Nobbly granolas that won TheGrocer’s prestigious Best New Product award in 2014.0800 072 3658www.naturespath.co.uk

Explore the hottest products on the marketthis season with our showcase of specialitystock. From jams to cheese, there is plentyto inspire you.

CoaltownCoffeeRoastersIn our roastery we only roastSpeciality Grade Arabica Coffee,ethically sourced from smallfarms across the world.

Unlocking the uniqueflavours within the world's finestcoffee beans begins in theroaster. Hand-roasted in smallbatches, our Roastmaster is ableto judge the timing andtemperature to perfection,delicately drawing out thecomplex flavours from the rawgreen beans. We carefully studyhow the beans turn from greenthrough to straw yellow and thenfinally rich, sumptuous brown,ready to be brewed.

We only source our greencoffee from single farms andestates in the speciality coffeemarket, where the focus is onquality, provenance,sustainability, freshness and fairrelationships with the growers.

We develop our signatureespresso blends and single origincoffees in line with the growingseasons and the best harvestsfrom each country of origin.When we find a coffee that welove, we involve our customers inthe tasting process, and onlywhen our tasters confirm that itmeets the highest standard will itthen be added to our portfolio.

We supply our coffeethroughout the UK.0845 544 [email protected]

The ProgressiveFood CompanyThe Progressive Food Company's rangeof Foresta hand-picked dried wildmushrooms are now an establishedfavourite within the speciality food sector.Packed in premium 25g retail bags (with10 bags in a carton),

the range is 100% natural with a twoyear ambient shelf life. Each cartoncontains a unique and stylish ready-to-merchandise wood-effect tray.

There are four popular varieties inthe range: Porcini+, a mix of BoletusEdulis (most commonly known asPorcini) and Boletus Badius. Thewonderful taste and appearance of

these mushrooms contribute to theirreputation for being the most soughtafter of the edible fungi; Chanterelle, oneof the most distinctively flavouredmushrooms in the world, are noted fortheir soft flesh and apricot-like fragrance;Shiitake, which have a rich, smokyflavour and a meat-like texture and areconsidered to be the finest ediblemushroom in Asia, where they havebeen used in cooking for over 2000years; and Mixed Forest Mushrooms, acombination of Slippery Jack, Oysterand Porcini mushrooms which producesthe perfect blend of tastes, textures andaromas for a wide variety of dishes.01636 610 [email protected]

Uncle RoysWith spring and summer just around the corner, it’s timeto think about stocking up with Uncle Roy’s FinestPreserves. These fantastic, multi award-winning country-style recipes in handy half-pound jars are the perfectchoice for the smaller household and make perfect gifts,too. They are so popular that Uncle Roy has recentlyintroduced two new curds – Tangy Lime andBrilliant Blackcurrant.

And don’t forget, Uncle Roy makes lots of otherattractive, high quality must-have food products too,including edible flower petals and an enormous range ofnatural essences and extracts which are very popular withthe baking fraternity. Other must-haves include householdfavourite Gravy Salt, as well as superb ranges of gourmetsalts, mustards, smoked ingredients and ultra-healthyMustard Seed Oils.

In more good news, in 2014 Uncle Roy added threeGreat Taste Awards and three World Hot Sauce Awards tohis impressive collection!

01683 221 [email protected]

Essential Products

Walker’s NonsuchWalker’s Nonsuch’s deliciously creamy toffee bars arethe perfect indulgent treat. Made with whole milk, butterand the family company’s 100+ years of cookingexperience, this chew is second to none.

The toffee bars are available in seven varietiesincluding favourites Brazil Nut and Liquorice, and,thanks to being packed in a tin toffee tray, offer a pointof difference and create an easy display – a greatopportunity for retailers to stock something different tothe supermarkets.

All Walker’s toffees are made to the same recipe,but break your toffee to make it even creamier andmore indulgent.

There are no artificial colours, preservatives orhydrogenated vegetable oils in our unique family recipe,just good ingredients.

Bars retail from just 65p and are packed 10 x 100g.Available from Hider Foods.01782 321 [email protected] Mrs Bridges

Four new products have beenlaunched for the independent tradeby Mrs Bridges.

Mrs Bridges is delighted toannounce the launch of four newsingle jar products into the all-year-round range, with items available from2nd February 2015.

The new lines include GrapefruitMarmalade with Ginger, BlueberryPreserve, Raspberry & RhubarbPreserve and also, in the savoury range, Chutney for Cheese.

All new products are available incases of six units and have an RRP ofbetween £2.35 and £2.65 per jar.01241 432 [email protected]

field farefield fare, suppliers of qualityfrozen foods, has recentlylaunched a range of multi-portionready meals due to theoverwhelming success of theirexisting 20-strong single readymeals range.

Classic Cottage Pie, LasagneVerde (beef), Fish Pie andRoasted Vegetable Lasagne areall available in double-portionsize, with the Cottage Pie,Lasagne Verde and Fish Piealso being available infour–portion size.

All meat dishes use RedTractor meat and have onaverage 25% more meat perpack than those from othernotable ready meal suppliers.

Perfect for busy householdsfor whom time is precious, butwho want to eat high quality,wholesome and hearty food.

There is no minimum orderquantity for any of the field fareready meals – simply add fromone case upwards to your usualfield fare order of loose fruit, veg,bakery etc.01732 864 [email protected]

EssProductsfeb2015 with last_Layout 1 26/01/2015 10:02 Page 14

DevilishlyDeliciousSet to take the home bake marketby storm and available now, thisrange of luxurious, high qualitycake mixes brings something trulyunique to the market. Requiring theaddition of only water and oil,Devilishly Delicious's cake mixesoffer the consumer the opportunityto create wonderfully easy butequally impressive cakes at home.Each versatile 350g pack will yielda generous 12 cupcakes, eightmuffins or large loaf cakeor sponge.

Available in Lemon, StemGinger, Strawberries & Cream andChocolate Orange, these mixes arebursting with pockets of juicypieces, truly offering somethingdelicious and different.

Sure to be a winner, and withsomething to suit all tastes, theseproducts are must-have items forthe well-stocked farm shop anddelicatessen. Available now fromCotswold Fayre and theCress Company.0800 652 [email protected]

essential products


Peter’s YardPeter's Yard, the award-winning UK-based artisan bakery, produces thin, light,delicious crispbread to an authentic recipe from Sweden, the natural home ofcrispbread. The Original recipe uses just five all-natural ingredients: wholewheatflours, fresh milk, honey and a naturally fermenting sourdough. As well as theOriginal crispbread, Peter's Yard has introduced two flavoured varieties: aSeeded Wholegrain with whole oat groats, buckwheat, roasted sunflower seedsand linseeds, and Spelt & Fig which is made with Spelt flour and sweet figpieces. High in fibre, completely natural and free from anything artificial.

The range of alternative shapes and flavours provides consumers with agreater choice of innovative, high-quality savoury crackers to serve with cheese.The crispbreads can also be enjoyed on their own as a delicious snack, as acanapé with paté or charcuterie, or served beside dips. Larger crispbreads witha traditional central hole create a dramatic, impressive centrepiece to enjoy as alight alternative to artisan bread. 07967 687 717 [email protected]

Ooh! ChocolataColombian Fino de Aroma Coffee Beans, Cocoa Nibs and the Inca Berriesrange from Ooh! Chocolata are essential stock for 2015!

Ooh! Chocolata is all about great tasting products with shelf appeal atsensible prices. Their formula: keep it simple. There are three products in theColumbian range: gently roasted Colombian Coffee Beans, Colombian Cocoa

Nibs and Inca Berries, each generously enrobed inSingle Origin Columbian Fino de Aroma darkchocolate. All are beautifully presented in eye-catching boxes just ready to be picked up andsavoured. This range allows you to offer yourcustomers the high quality they seek whilst youenjoy unrivalled service and prices direct from anindependent UK family firm.

Colombian Fino de Aroma Chocolate coveredCoffee Beans, Cocoa Nibs and Inca Berries.

Each 100g box costs £2.50, 10 percase. There’s no minimum order, and

free delivery on ordersover £100!


www.loveooh.co.uk

My Olive BranchOlive Branch brings you a selection of four magical flavours of OliveTapenade. They have reinvented the classic tapenade recipe with theircoarsely ground recipe, with some fantastic flavour combinations that willallow you to use tapenade in everything from pasta recipes, fish dishes andeven for stuffing portobello mushrooms!

With this recipe you can enjoy the flavours of fresh crunchy olivescoming together with ingredients which have been specially grown for OliveBranch by small farmers around Greece. Very popular across all agegroups, these are must-stock products for the summer season.

Trade price: £2.39 per unit and packed in cases of six. Availablethrough many speciality wholesalers or direct from Olive Branch.0208 573 [email protected]

That Hungry ChefThat Hungry Chef’s unique Curious Pickle Collection and aromatic Mojo Risin’chilli relishes promise to take your tastebuds on an exciting tour of flavoursinfluenced by cultures from around the world. Made by hand in the UK in smallbatches using the finest spices and British produce, these versatile productswill add extra zing to all your snacks and home cooking!

Launched in September 2014, That Hungry Chef’s artisan products areinspired by founder Pratap Chahal’s quest to discover the world’s mostexciting flavours, and influenced by his decade of experience cooking in someof London’s top restaurants. The unusual bold-flavoured Curious Pickles areboth comforting and invigorating, and the Mojo Risin’ relishes will energise colddips, warm stews, hot curries, and everything you eat! Essential additions toyour store cupboard, That Hungry Chef’s products are available to buy onlineand in delis across the UK.0207 503 [email protected]

HawksheadRelishHawkshead Relish’s TraditionalEnglish Mustard is as unpretentiousas it is sincere in its simplicity, with anability to effortlessly transform amodest dish into a sophisticatedculinary triumph.

Our quality English WholegrainMustard is the preferredaccompaniment to meats andcheese, but also an essential inmarinades, sauces, stews andcasseroles and accomplished intransforming the humble CauliflowerCheese into a gastronomicBrassicaceae au Fromage!

This is one of a range of ninemustards from Hawkshead Relish,incorporating unique and innovativeflavour combinations. £9.50 case/six,RRP £2.30.01539 436 [email protected]

Garofalo has been making pastasince 1789 in Gragnano nearNaples, the home of Italian pasta.Made from only robust durumwheat (which is high in protein) andshaped through a bronze die, theresult is a pasta with a superiortaste and al dente texturecustomers appreciate. Ourpackaging is clear as we are proudof the colour and cuts of pasta weoffer. There are over 76 differentshapes and four ranges to fit alloccasions and customer tastes.

The Grangusto range of stir-inDatterini pasta sauces are

produced by Finagricola, an Italianproducer of fruit and vegetables.The fragrant sweet red and yellowtomatoes are combined with onlybasil or chilli. The sauces justrequire stirring into pasta with nofurther cooking, so all the freshflavours are retained for anexcellent meal.

Garofalo's pasta rangesinclude Traditional Pasta, OrganicWhole Wheat Pasta, Gluten-FreePasta and Kids Organic Pasta.01438 813 [email protected]

Pasta Garofalo andGrangusto Sauces

Cottage DelightA new dry stock and gravy rangehas just been launched byCottage Delight.

Gourmet food specialists CottageDelight have added six dry mixstocks and gravy products to itsEveryday Collection for 2015.

Designed for busy people whoare short on time but still demandhigh quality ingredients and greattaste, these essential products areideal for adding rich flavours tosoups, stews and casseroles.

Cottage Delight’s beef, chickenand vegetable stock powders (RRP£3.45 for 100g) and meaty beef,poultry and vegetarian gravy (£3.25for 90g) are all gluten-free in responseto growing demand from health-conscious consumers.

The product range workswonderfully with recipes such as BeefCasserole, Chicken Casserole and

Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup, all ofwhich are featured within free recipeand strut cards to promote the rangein-store. 01538 382 [email protected]



Ten AcreLooking for snacks with a difference which are full of flavour and fun? Betransported to the wonderful, whimsical world of Ten Acre, where popcorn

is hand-picked and crisps made with British potatoes pack a mightycrunch. Ten Acre is the innovative creator of premium hand-cookedcrisps, available in eight quirky varieties including the award-winningThe Day Sweet & Sour Became Friends and the deliciously warming

How Chicken Soup Saved the Day. Ten Acre has also launched acollection of premium popcorn in five exciting varieties including the sublimeCaptain Theodore's Lime & Sea Salt, Ambrose Popperley's spicy Wasabi,and Cousin Maisie's zesty Fennel & Lemon. Ten Acre makes its productswith love, and all are gluten, dairy and MSG-free, vegan and vegetarian.They also come with their own fictional village where every flavour ismagically brought to life. To be transported to Ten Acre, use yourimagination or visit www.tenacrecrisps.co.uk 01612 661 [email protected]

Claire’s HandmadeAt Claire’s Handmade, we use small batch production and natural ingredientsto make a wide range of sweet and savoury preserves and condiments.

Combining tradition with innovation, we offer tantalizing recipes to temptyour customers, from old-fashioned Piccalilli to Roast Garlic, Onion andBalsamic Jam.

Brand new from our kitchen, a range of three fresh tasting salsadips. Whether you choose fiery, smoky or mild, all that’s needed is a bag oftortilla chips and you have everybody’s favourite party food.01697 345 [email protected]

DhaniyaDhaniya presents its authenticIndian Curry Pastes and SpiceRubs, created with passion usingbespoke family-inspired recipes.

The Dhaniya branding isdistinctively bold, modern, vibrantand fresh, giving it shelf presenceand reflecting the intensity of itsflavours which capture the 'taste ofhomemade'.

Dhaniya’s five convenientpastes include Classic Curry,Spiced Korma, Jalfrezi, Fish Curryand Tandoori pastes, each formingthe base of a sauce serving six.There are also five spice rubs:Bombay Potato, Tikka,Pomegranate, Fish and Lamb.

All of the products are made insmall batches using only thefreshest ingredients and contain noartificial colours, additives orflavourings, just raw goodness!They are all gluten-free andsuitable for vegetarians.

Alongside our traditionalrecipes, we have createdinspirational and quirkyDhaniya with a Twist recipesincluding Spiced KormaCarbonara, SpicedPomegranate Roast Chickenand Lamb Rub Burgers.

Enjoy Indian food with ahelping hand from Dhaniya.07876 336 [email protected]

DžiugasThe season of love starts onValentine’s Day and is supposed tolast all the way to Easter, when theresultant spring chickens appear!Spring is therefore the ideal time tooffer customers Džiugas – theultimate in romantic cheese with adistinguished, mature but smoothtaste that everyone adores. Thelegend says this magicalLithuanian cheese was developedby the Giant Džiugas to celebratehis marriage to the love of his life.As a result, Džiugas cheese is notonly imbued with the joy andstrength of the giant but is alsomeant to bestow these qualities onall who eat it.

Džiugas is sold at 12, 18, 24and 36 months, and even a youngDžiugas cheese has adistinguished quality that makes itstand out from the crowd, beingrobustly savoury but with a creamysweet overtone. For cheese withan even more mature disposition,the 24 and 36 month options havemore bite but still retain therecognisable fruity overtones.07460 333 [email protected]

Farrington’sMellow YellowFarrington’s Mellow Yellow cold-pressed rapeseed oil has undergonea redesign to celebrate 10 years.

Keeping the trademark yellow flowers, Farrington's has createda fresher design across the entire range that reflects the quality ofFarrington’s Mellow Yellow.

Farmer Duncan Farrington launched Farrington’s Mellow Yellowcold-pressed rapeseed oil in 2005. Produced on the family farm inNorthamptonshire, the company is proud of its credentials and growsits quality rapeseed to LEAF marque standards. At the heart of therange is Farrington’s Mellow Yellow cold-pressed rapeseed oil, awonderfully versatile oil that performs well in high temperature cooking aswell as dressings. The full range is free from additives and gluten.

The new designs proudly display the British flag to promote the homegrown provenance of the award-winning range, which includes BalsamicVinegar Dressing, Classic Vinaigrette, Honey & MustardDressing, Chilli Oil, Mayonnaise and Garlic Mayonnaise.01933 622 [email protected]

DivineChocolateDivine Chocolate is delighted toannounce an exciting collaborationwith Aardman Animations tocelebrate the launch of the Shaunthe Sheep Movie this spring.Introducing the Shaun the SheepMilk Chocolate 55g Easter Egg,complete with a Shaun plushheadband, perfect for all your littlelambs! Aardman especially choseDivine's really excellent milkchocolate to team up with Shaun,voted CBBCs favourite children’scharacter. The egg, in fun Shaunpackaging, will benefit from all thebuzz around the movie which is fullysupported by national advertisingand marketing and will be a top hitduring the half term and Easterholidays. Flock to Divine for moredetails.0207 378 [email protected]

Stag BakeriesStag Bakeries' all-butter cheesestraws are made using carefullyselected Scottish speciality cheeses.The gourmet, rich and indulgentcheese straws are hand-baked atStag’s bakery on the Isle of Lewis inthe Scottish Outer Hebrides. Thereare four flavours in the light, flaky anddelicious range, each using a differentScottish speciality cheese: HighlandDunlop, a carefully selected Scottishspeciality cheese produced in theScottish Highlands. This organic,unpasteurised and traditionally cloth

bound cheese melds perfectly withthe buttery pastry; Smoked Dunlop,an organic, unpasteurised cheesethat is traditionally smoked overwhisky barrel shavings for a delicatesmoky taste; Strathdon Blue, anaged flavoursome and aromatic bluecheese; and Ayrshire Bonnet, a hardpressed goats cheese produced on afamily-owned creamery in Ayrshire.

Packed into distinctive, attractivepackaging. 100g RRP £3.49 (AyrshireBonnet £3.89).01851 702 [email protected] www.stagbakeries.co.uk

Just CrispsAward-winning Just Crisps are made from just two wholesome ingredients,with nothing added but a little seasoning.

What makes us different? Our home grown potatoes are batch-cooked inJust Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil which is grown, harvested and filtered on thefarm in Staffordshire – a healthier oil, rapeseed oil is 35% lower in saturated fatthan sunflower oil. Just Crisps offers a unique 100% British snack, in fact,every process happens here on the Froggatt’s farm – not only quite anachievement, but the best thing about it all is the crisps taste superb.

Flavoured by hand in a range of delicious flavours, Just Crisps are suitablefor vegetarian, vegan and gluten-intolerant diets (see packs for more details).Bagged and boxed in 40g and 150g sharing bags, Just Crisps are available toorder through Cotswold Fayre, Diverse Fine Foods, Blakemore Fine Foods anddirectly on 01543 493081.01543 493 [email protected] www.justcrisps.co.uk


essential products


LittlesWith flavoured coffee one of thefastest growing sectors of the hotdrinks category, Little’s offers theonly range on the market thatuses 100% Arabica coffeeinfused with the highest qualityflavourings.

As an independent, family-run company, it believes in usinghonest ingredients with anemphasis on quality, not quantity– an ethos which has paid offwell with listings with CotswoldFayre , The Cress Co. and Hideras well as some of the mostprestigious independent retailers.01404 891 [email protected]

Quickes TraditionalTo guarantee the consistency of their traditional, clothbound matured Cheddars,Quickes has enhanced its selection process for assessing their truckles.

Rigorous internal assessments have been implemented to consider thedifferent spheres of flavour, aesthetics, and the exact characteristics of eachcheese. As specially selected truckles mature from 12 to 18 months to 2 years,Quickes can enhance the complexity of certain flavours – making them evenmore appealing to customers. Improvements to the way the maturation processis monitored have already paid dividends at the World Cheese Awards, whereQuickes collected three golds for their Vintage, Extra Mature and MatureCheddars.

This outstandingrecord for consistency isalso supported byexternal auditors, where85% of Quickes stockhas scored 90/100 orabove in recent months.The dedicated team ofcheesemakers atQuickes continue toinnovate, and theirongoing commitmentreally shines through inthe quality of the endproduct.01392 851 [email protected]

The Live Coffee CompanyThe Live Coffee Company is a dream finally fulfilled by a group of coffeegurus. With over 100 years, collectively, of sourcing, trading, roasting,blending and supplying coffee all over the world, this team got together in2005 to work on coffee projects. Last year they finally launched their ownbrand after developing their own blends for the range – a UK-producedand packaged artisan coffee brand.

The mission of The Live Coffee Company is simple: to retain as muchnatural goodness and flavour from the coffee bean as possible, via sourcingof the best quality beans from long-term partners and a unique roastingprocess. The five blends in the range deliver the finest quality in everydaydrinking, from Rio Rio and Santo Domingo to the connoisseur's singleestate choice of Estate Reserve. Beautiful blends crafted by nature.

The full range is available via Cotswold Fayre.02380 864 [email protected]

Seed and BeanSeed & Bean, producers of 100%ethical and Fairtrade artisanchocolate, have been sourcing topquality chocolate from cocoa farmersin the Dominican Republic, Ecuadorand the Sao Tome Islands of WestAfrica since 2005 – to great consumer response.

Offering a kaleidoscope of 18unique flavours which can boastvegan, organic and koshercredentials, Seed & Bean'schocolate bars are all available in asmaller, eight bar case size.

Seed & Bean's quality andinnovation has seen the companygrow nearly 200% in the past twelve months, with its key retail stockists morethan doubling their rate of sale, and consumer demand is rising – over300,000 consumers sampled the chocolate last year, with this year's samplingcampaign set to be bigger than ever... No doubt helped by it being named theofficial chocolate of Glastonbury Festival for the third year running!

To help in your quest for effective selling, FOC counter display units arenow available, and when you buy five cases you'll get the sixth absolutely free– a saving of 16.67%! Look out for wholesaler deals in March through to May.0208 343 [email protected]

Potts’ three table sauces provide aquick and simple way to createsome summer favourites as well asadding some real flavour tosandwiches. The Maple ChipotleBBQ and Grilling Sauce has a richmaple base with a slight smokytang of chipotle. Use to make theperfect pulled pork, enjoy onbacon butties or with any BBQmeat. The Pimenton SpicedTomato Bravas Sauce with itsperfect balance of Spanishpimenton and cayenne peppercreates an authentic taste of Spain– simply roast diced potatoes andpour over Potts' Bravas Sauce.Meanwhile, the Steak Sauce,inspired by the variousinterpretations enjoyed in New Yorksteak houses, is the perfect

accompaniment for steak; either serve simply with chips orused to make a mouthwateringsteak baguette.

Buy online atwww.pottspartnership.co.uk or through your local butcher or farm shop.


Potts Partnership

Ross and RossFine Food Company Ross & Rosshave created the perfect foodie giftfor Valentine's Day – The HomemadeCuring Kit... Bacon.

The Cotswold-based specialist inhandmade British food gifts has wonawards for its online selection ofown-brand gifts and those sourcedfrom high quality local foodproducers, and this bacon curing kitperfectly combines the British love ofbacon and the current trend for

'doing it yourself' in the kitchen.The number one best-seller for

food lovers this Christmas and a hitwith top industry buyers, the kitcontains everything you need tocreate Original, Sweet and Smokybacon – curing mixes, gloves, muslin,curing bags, butchers hook and fullinstructions – all you need to add is pork.


SeggianoFor 20 years, the Seggiano Real Food from Italy brand has exclusively suppliedthe independent grocery market, with a comprehensive range of 'best incategory' Italian larder essentials.

Acknowledged by both the trade and consumers as the finest selectionfrom Italy’s top artisan food producers, it is a range with the ethics of foodproduction at its core.

Seggiano produces its own award-winning Seggiano evoo, best-sellingpestos, organic pastas and rice, biscotti, sott’olio, pasta sauces, olives andmuch more. It does not supply any products containing meat or fish, apart from Seggiano artisan Pecorino, which contains animal rennet.0207 272 [email protected]

Sensible DaveThe Sensible Dave family of luxurygranola is growing, with exciting newrecipe developments joining theirbrothers and sisters on the mostdiscerning shelves in Britain.

Recognising that a healthybreakfast is very important to somepeople, Sensible Dave has introduceda no-added-sugar granola called TheWholesome One. Each 600g boxcontains oats from Cheshire,rapeseed oil from Herefordshire, othercarefully sourced ingredients and adrizzle of honey to hold the fruity-nutty-oaty clusters together. As withall Sensible Dave’s granolas ‘TheWholesome One’ includes the zest ofone orange – to deliver a distinctivefruity flavour. This latest addition joinsthe Great Taste Award-winning TheOriginal One, The Strawberry One andThe Berry One.

In addition to the new recipe,Sensible Dave is also launching ahandy, single serve format. Fondlyknown as ‘Baby Daves’, these 50ggrab-and-go pots are a convenient,fuss free addition to the range. 03333 207 [email protected]



John Shepherd,managing director atPartridges, on thefactors key to the iconicLondon retailer'ssuccess

On Thursday 25th May 1972,Partridges opened its doors for thefirst time at 132 Sloane Street,London. The doors were in fact opened by my brother, Sir RichardShepherd, the first of at least eight family members to work in the company.

It was a different world then. The day before had been the firstattempt at the Watergate Burglary and T.Rex were number one in thecharts with Metal Guru. The temperature was 57 degrees Fahrenheit, adollar was equal to 34p, and a new film had recently opened in Americacalled The Godfather.

It was a different speciality food world, too. 1972 was a time of frozenjugged hare and veal, ham and egg pie, and not forgetting coronationchicken. There were gulls' eggs in the fridge, and the shelves wereadorned with Jacksons Teas, tins of Birds Nest Soup and CampbellsBeef Bouillon. Olive oil was found mainly in chemists. We always slicedsmoked salmon by hand and sold Chablis for 77p a bottle, except for onSunday afternoons, due to the licensing laws. Few products had sell-bydates, and Justin de Blanc and Oakeshotts were our big rivals.

Fast forward 15,000 days of trading and about 19 million customersor so, and we find ourselves 200 yards South West, adjacent to theKing’s Road and facing the delightful Duke of York Square. Along the waywe have been granted a Royal Warrant, been co-founders of that greatorganisation the Guild of Fine Food Retailers, acquired four new shops,sold tea in Japan, launched over 20 food markets in Central London, andlaunched a new generation of food shop called Startisans. A lot oflessons have been learned, discarded, forgotten entirely and learnedagain during the journey. Looking back, two things stand out amid themass of experiences and insights, and they are the integral values of afamily business and the importance of innovation.

FAMILY VALUESWhen one starts working in a new business, the last thing one thinks of isshared values. It is more about being dynamic, professional, adhering to abusiness plan and working long hours to bring it about.

However, this does not always lead to an open and creativeenvironment for staff or a congenial place for customers to shop. It is notlikely to be sustainable on its own. Perhaps my biggest regret is not themany commercial opportunities we might have lost but the good peoplein our organisation that we have let slip through our fingers – eitherthrough a lack of empathy or understanding, or perhaps by not spendingenough time with them. And if we have lost good members of staff,imagine how many customers we must have lost for the same reasonsover the years.

Working with good people brings a shared desire for success andinnovation, and hopefully a feeling of empowerment. This also applies tosuppliers and landlords. We are lucky to have had some of our presentsuppliers for many years and even a few from our very first day – notforgetting our first free-range egg supplier who was actually the familydentist. When we moved to the Duke of York Square in 2004 it was withthe help and support from many of them. It’s all about learning frommistakes, maintaining relationships and, of course, seeing the big picture.

Finally on this subject, I recently learned that 30% of the biggestcompanies in the world have been classified as family businesses. Thiswas a piece of information I got from Family Business United – a veryvaluable resource for family businesses everywhere. Our long-sufferingand long-standing human resource director Ian Willard (25 years) recentlycalculated that our current staff had clocked up over 1000 years ofservice – interesting information, but I wish it was longer!

INNOVATIONEssentially, innovation is the brainchild of desperation. I do not think any ofthe new ideas we have launched have been done only in a spirit ofcreative planning. The relentless march of the supermarkets – we havefour in our immediate vicinity – and indeed many other factors have oftenmade the outlook appear bleak. So the extension of our deli counter,own-label development, the coffee shop and wine bar, export initiativesand the Saturday food market have all arisen from a desire to survive.

The Opinion PagesNew retail perspectives from industry experts

EXPERTEYE

Juliet Harbutt:“Together we stand, divide, they will get us”

I was invited to give a series oflectures on British cheese inJanuary to the Masters studentsat the University of Gastronomyin Bra, Italy, and had planned tospend December leisurelyresearching and writing mypresentation. Instead, Christmasconspired against me and suddenly Ihad just seven alarmingly short daysto prepare. Unlike my usualmasterclasses I couldn’t wing it orhope to bamboozle them, as afterthree years of study they wouldknow more about the technical sideof cheese than I ever will and,addressing me as professor, despitemy protestations, added to my senseof panic.

However, the researchhighlighted to me the enormousdifference between howcheesemakers work together inEurope versus in the UK, and howthis will affect the future of Britishcheese making. In the last two yearswe have lost four well-known namesin the Cheddar world, includingDenhay, and as margins and marketsget tougher, rougher and tighter, howmany others will face the chop?

Historically, European farmersowned a few cattle or goats andmade a handful of cheeses to sell atlocal markets. Over the centuries,with the help of itinerant monks andinvading armies, they learnt to worktogether, sharing recipes, poolingresources and forming marketing

groups, cooperatives andconsortiums. Many of these havebecome huge powerful groupsresponsible for marketing, qualitycontrol, distribution, even politicallobbying, and most have attainedPDO status.

Their marketing is so effectivethat most people when buying thegreat European classics never eventhink to ask who makes it, they justbuy from their favourite shop,trusting, they will have the best. Theylobby the PDO system and the EUdairy committees, plus they cancontrol the price of feed, distributeworldwide and create stunningphotography and marketing material.

Cheese in the UK, however, hada very different upbringing. It was stillproduced as a means of preservingmilk, but the land was in the handsof large landowners with big dairyherds who had dairy maids to maketheir typically large cheeses whichwere more likely to be sold to amerchant rather than at a market. Inthe early 1700s, one syndicate had16 ships carrying Cheshire cheesefrom Liverpool to London.

Then in the 19th century theindustrial revolution hit the cheeseindustry. The railways transportedliquid milk from farm to city, and inthe 1870s factories started to springup in the North as it was realisedhard cheeses could be produced infactories. These two events relievedmany farmers of the burden,

drudgery and stress of cheesemaking, but also reduced thenumber of traditional producers ofour great cheeses. Then followedtwo world wars that furtherdecimated the cheese industry.

Today we only have 15 cheeses(three are no longer made, five aremade by one producer) protected byPDO status (which also fundsmarketing initiatives), while Spain has23, France 60 and Italy 76. There areonly five producers of Stilton, and thebiggest Cheshire maker is based inShropshire, so unlikely to encouragethe other three producers to form aPDO. By the by, to gain a SingleGloucester PDO you simply have toown a Gloucester cow!

Compared with the clout ofEuropean cheesemakers, no wonderBritish producers struggle tocompete here and abroad. Added tothis, our milk is more expensive, solooking to the future, I think thecheesemakers and industry ingeneral need to stop being soindependent and start working moreclosely together, marketing together,sharing resources, sharing stands atshows and advertising together.

Giles Henschel of Olives Et Al:“Sensible Folk in White Coats”

Sometime, perhaps sooner rather than later, I’mfairly certain those nice chaps in little white coatsare going to come and pay me a visit. With luck,they’ll bring one of those lovely jackets with the wrapround arms that fasten up at the back and feel like a nicetight hug – I like those. Very comforting. In the meantime,we see lots of those other folk in official looking coats –white or otherwise – the EHO, Trading Standards, BRCauditors and so on.

Now, over the years I’ve kind of grown to welcometheir visits, which may go against the grain and seem alittle odd. Most folk get all narky when someone comesmarching into their gaff, dons a white coat and trilby anddemands to have a right old rummage round the back,challenging on you on what you’re up to and generallydigging into stuff. However, I really rather like it as it tellsme whether we’re doing it right and where we need toimprove or what we’ve missed – a bit like a critical friendwho tells it as it is. For sure there have been occasionswhen something comes at us from left field and youwonder if instead of a critical friend you’re dealing withsomeone with a Napoleon complex. My favourite was anEHO who, having wandered around the shop and givenus a perfect 5 for our Score on the Door, spotted theeggs we’d proudly sourced from somewhere suitablylocal and displayed loose in a basket for customers tohelp themselves, and said,

“Ooh eggs! Niiiice. Tell me: how do they get from thebasket into the egg boxes?”

Now, I thought that a bit of a daft question with aclear and obvious answer, but I bit my tongue andreplied, “Well, our customers are normally pretty brightand mostly manage to help themselves.”

The response was a triumphant ‘Aha! Gotcha!’ look

that spread acrosshis face as heasked the fatefulquestion, “And doyour customers allhave Egg PackingLicences?”.

An egg packing licence? Really? We batted back andforth for a while, even offering to issue EPLs beforecustomers were allowed to even approach the eggs letalone fondle them. After a sensible and grown upconversation we established that we wouldn’t beprosecuted and life went on without us being deported toSt Helena.

And then there is our recent BRC Audit. If you don’tknow what it is then lucky old you, and be grateful thatspace prevents me from giving you all the intimate detailsof what occurs over the two days of steady grilling. If youdo know what it is, then you’ll understand how chuffedwe were with another A Grade with only two minor non-conformances, which places us amongst the best in theworld for what we do – which is very gratifying indeed.

Having a critical friend come into your businessshould never be something to fear but to embrace withopen arms, as they are often so informative about thingsthat you simply may not have ever seen or noticed beforebut which are clearly noticeable to others and, in myopinion, I’d far rather they tell me so I can do somethingabout it before a customer notices and decides to go elsewhere.

So when the folk in white coats come calling, surelyto goodness the most important thing to do is have asensible conversation with them.

Opinion Page finalqx_Update updated 23/01/2015 16:21 Page 2

opinion


What do I need to know about email marketing?Email marketing is one of the most powerful and personal ways toconnect with your consumers. It allows you to engage with yourcustomer, and will ultimately help you drive your sales. Here are my toptips on how to make your email campaign successful:

1) Email content – will it benefit your readers?Readers are only interested in things that will help them. Your newsisn’t necessarily important to readers unless there is some directbenefit to them. Think about how your news can help the reader ofyour email. For example, if you have a new product launch in-store,when informing readers through email offer an incentive: ‘10% off whenyou buy the new range by a certain date’ or ‘pop into store to trya sample’.

You need to understand your consumer profile and what they areinterested in. Do they enjoy new recipes, cooking tips or competitions?Once you know this, emails can be tailored to what they want tohear about.

When composing your email, make sure what is beingcommunicated is personal – include the reader’s name and have themail sent from an actual person, not a company name. Keep the emaileasy to read by using suitable friendly language, subheadings assignposts, highlighting links clearly, and keeping it short and sweet.

2) It’s all in the titleMaking the title feel personal, intriguing, fun and even amusing canencourage people to open the email. The title really does need tostand out if the reader has any chance of opening it. Avoid bland titleslike ‘November Newsletter 2014’ as readers will simply delete it. Youneed to think about what would make someone want to open youremail. The word ‘free’ is worth using from time to time too!

3) The element of surpriseDon’t always send out your email at the same time on the same dayeach week. Mix things up a bit. Experiment with sending emails atdifferent times of days to see which time has the most open rates.Create the element of ‘inbox surprise’.

Don’t send really long-winded emails, either. If you have a lot tosay, it is much better to send short, snappy emails more frequently.Mix up your layout and what you write each time to keep it freshand interesting.

4) Call to action Always include a ‘call to action’ – something you want the reader to dohaving read the email. It doesn’t have to be ‘buy now’, it could be ‘signup for this free recipe book’, ‘enter this competition’, ‘answer this pollabout a new flavour’, ‘post a comment on this blog’ or anything elsethat gets them actively engaging with you.

To avoid confusion, make sure you only have one action per email.Repeat it a few times at different points in the mail too – everyone isready to act at a different stage. Use short deadlines – ‘enter by x’ isessential to avoid being filed for another day.

5) Tricks of the trade Use a hosted email marketing system like www.mailchimp.co.ukrather than having one built into your website. It’ll be much simpler,up to date and more flexible. It’s free for the first 2000 emailsubscribers, too.

Make subscribing and unsubscribing easy. Add a line in youremails along the lines of ‘Has this been forwarded on to you? If so, youcan subscribe to receive future emails here: xxx’. Equally, makeunsubscribing a one-click action – you’ll only alienate readers if there isa complex hoop-jumping process to go through if they want tounsubscribe.

Monitor unsubscribes, open rates and click throughs (from linksin your mails) and observe which emails you send produce the bestresults (20-30% open rate is pretty good, click throughs will bemuch less).

Justin Tunstall“Time for customers”

As a small independent retailer, we have threemain factors in our favour in the struggle againstthe multiples: range, expertise andenthusiasm/passion/personality – call it what youwill. But often we also benefit from shorter queues thansupermarkets and can deliver immediate service. Atpeak times, in my case notably the tourist season andthe pre-Christmas weekend, we do have queues, evenextending outside the shop. Most people are preparedto wait, but with impatient children in tow or parkingdeadlines looming, we need to serve as briskly as wecan to minimise walk-aways.

How long should we spend with a customer?Ideally, they get our full attention until they’ve selectedtheir cheese. They’re then transferred to a colleague tobe ‘upsold’ and the transaction completed. Whenthere’s a queue, social norms add a bit of urgency; folkgenerally don’t like to keep those behind them waitingunnecessarily and things move along quite nicely. Butsometimes the peer pressure doesn’t work and we haveto use tact, diplomacy and a few knacks to help peoplecome to a conclusion.

In a tourist town like Lyme Regis, many of ourshoppers are on holiday and come in with a companionor group that isn’t used to making decisions together.While it’s always fascinating to watch people interactingin new groupings, it’s also a lot slower than dealing withsingle customers. So we try to identify the ‘leader’ andthen address the others in support of the leader’sthoughts on type, size and number of choices. Waveringgroups can tend towards a compromise of smallamounts of a large number of cheeses, rather thandecent quantities of a considered selection, which wouldenable everyone to enjoy a sample of each cheese. It’salso a lot more work for us to cut and wrap 12 x 100g,rather than say four x 300g. So we try to steer themtowards the more concise selection, saving a lot of time.

Largely, dealing with customers in the shop could besaid to take as long as it takes, despite the tweaks thatwe use to jolly things along a bit. When it comes toemail and telephone enquiries it can get a lot moredifficult. I tend to engage in email discussions only wheredetailed estimates are involved or for overseaspurchasers. These are mainly concerning hampers andcheese wedding cakes. People don’t expect an instantresponse to email and generally I deal with them outside

shop hours.However, there’san easy trap to fallinto with emailcorrespondence –ping-ponging messages to and fro at eight hour intervalswhile trying to move customers towards a conclusion.Sometimes I forget that changing the medium ofcommunication and picking up the phone to clarify apoint or check on a preference could save a series ofemails and bring matters to a close more swiftly.

The telephone can be an awkward tool in a busyshop. If we have a queue, we won’t pick up when thephone rings – hopefully our answering machine will dealwith that enquiry (often just for opening times) – until wecan return the call. It gets sticky when we’re talking to acustomer on the phone and then a real live punter walksthrough the door, expecting (and deserving) attention.The visitor can think that we’re gossiping with chums andthe caller resistant to the call being wrapped up swiftly.We seek to explain to each party that we are busy, andpromise to return the call once the visiting customer hasbeen dealt with. Bizarrely, the callers who are least happyabout the call being truncated are the true time-wasters –those calling for directions to other shops, those callingto see if we’ve had deliveries of their favourite freemagazine – oh, and sales reps!

I’m not going to get it right all the time. For the lasttwo Christmases I have entered into email conversationwith someone who was interested in postal delivery of acheese we had created for the Radcliffe & Maconie showon BBC Radio. She wanted to know size, price andpostage costs – in 2013 she seemed to run out of timeas the last message was on 23 December. The followingyear she asked the very same questions – we gave therevised costs – she then wanted to know if there was acheaper despatch method. Although wearying of theexchange, I explained that 24 hour delivery wasnecessary and that less reliable, cheaper couriers couldlead to spoiled goods. For the second year running, shedeclined to purchase, but thanked me for “exceptionalcustomer service”! I was tempted to point out that theterm ‘customer’ is normally used to describe people whoactually bought something, but restrained myself.Thankfully so, as she went onto praise the shopfulsomely via social media. Who knew?

Charles Campion“We all scream for ice cream”

If you need cheering up in theslate-grey days of the New Year,ice cream is the indulgence toturn to. Granted, sales will be higherwhen the blazing sun is high in thesky and there isn’t a breath of wind,but we are unlikely to get twosummers like that in quick succession.

Back in the 1970s my friendJames held what may have been thebest ever holiday job. He got to drivethe ice cream van and press thebutton that pumped out a loud andstrangely tuneless version ofGreensleeves. He also got to playwith the ice-cream machine – inthose days the drivers were given abig tub of liquid base which they ranthrough the machinery and turnedinto a succession of 99s. At headoffice they knew how many conesthere should be for each gallon ofbase and thus how much moneyshould be handed in at the end ofthe day.

All went swimmingly until a wilyold ice cream van man shared hissecret. Run the base through asnormal but catch the resulting icecream in a bucket and then run itthrough again. You end up selling alot less ice cream base and a lotmore air, secure in the knowledgethat after head office had taken their

money the surplus became yourown. Back in those dark days, icecream’s ingredient list (when therewas such a thing) could includewhale fat, corn oil and all manner ofdodgy ingredients and fillers, whileice cream manufacturers routinelypumped plenty of air into theirproduct before selling it by volume.

Traditionally the Americans soldtheir ice-creams by weight, but thatjust meant that the air-swollen Britishpacks looked larger and better value.At the time food writers grizzledabout the gulf between “bad” and“good” ice creams, and even went tothe lengths of letting pots of ice-cream melt into measuring jugs toshow just how little you were actuallygetting when the air was removed.But notwithstanding the debate, untiljust before Christmas 2014, icecream was a bit of a success story.

The Ice Cream Alliance (theindustry’s trade organisation) hadmanaged to get some basicprinciples established – ice creammust contain at least 5% fat and notless than 2.5% milk protein. Theseare sensible figures for a back stopand represent a bare minimum.Meanwhile, in a joyless office blocksomewhere in Europe, a gang ofbureaucrats were congratulatingthemselves as they “brought the UK

into line” by getting rid of those keypercentages. This change shouldn’tmake a huge difference to the UK’sbetter ice-cream makers – they workto their own recipes and there isn’t awhiff of whale fat anywhere – butabandoning the British guidelinesmeans that cheap 'industrial' icecreams from the EU can beexported to Britain and called icecream even when there is no dairycontent. At a stroke, a sensible setof guidelines became waste paper.

Thankfully we have all becomemore discerning when it comes toice cream, and it is hard to see theBritish public abandoning thecraftsman-made high-spec stuff infavour of a European import that haslittle to do with the dairy industry. Foronce the customers can see thedifference in quality and will end upchoosing a better product over alower price.

It’s just a pity that we only hear from the EU when they areinterfering; let’s hear it forGreensleeves!

You need to understand your consumerprofile and what they are interested in.Do they enjoy new recipes, cooking tipsor competitions? Once you know this,

emails can be tailored to what theywant to hear about

DELIDOCTORJo Densley, co-founderof Relish Food Marketingexplains the best way toembrace social media

Opinion Page finalqx_Update updated 23/01/2015 16:21 Page 3


What makes Jon Thorner's FarmShop special?We were one of the first farm shopoperators, certainly in this particularpart of the world.

How much experience do youhave in working with meat?I started my life as a butcher andremain a butcher today, really. Iworked in our small family abbatoir onthe farm for a short time after leavingschool but very quickly I found myselfwanting to be involved in retailingfood, specifically meat. I went to workfor a butcher in Bath for a few yearsbut eventually decided to come backto the farm and open a small shopselling meat.

How did the business develop?We soon moved into a slightly biggerold farm building. Back then, the

Jon Thorner's Farm Shop is only one division of agrowing meat-based business, says owner Jon Thorner

FARM SHOP

business was primarily a meatcounter with quite a large freezercentre. Because the meat camedirect from the abattoir, we were ableto offer it at a price that was betweenwholesale and retail, and in thosedays we were a great deal cheaperthan the local butcher's shop. Weslowly moved into selling other foods,too. Since then, we have moved intoour present bespoke premises andsell pretty much everything sold byother farm shops.

How long did it take before youknew the venture would succeed?I knew it would succeed right fromthe outset, because after working fora butchery in Bath and earning about£30 a week, I borrowed £2,000 frommy father to set up the shop and Ithink I repaid him within two and halfmonths. I certainly wasn't earninganything like that working forsomeone else. I knew from themoment I started that I could earn anawful lot more working for myself. Thefarm shop now attracts around 1,000visitors weekly and has a turnover ofaround £20,000.

How would you describe the lookof your farm shop to someonewho has yet to visit?We have a very interesting anddynamic fresh meat counter, which ismanaged by my superb counterbutcher, Sam King. Also, while wedon't specialize in frozen foods assuch, we do still sell quite a lot offood from freezers, which is quiteunusual these days. We pack andlabel a good proportion of theseourselves. This means we can offer a

massive selection of meat, includingexotic game, at cheaper prices thanfresh meat.

What factors influenced yourstocking decisions?Predominantly, we stock locally-produced things and for a while wehad Bay Tree on our doorstep. Westock local chutneys jams, honey, icecream, potatoes from a local farmerand so on. We source as much aswe can as locally, and beyond that,we use people like Cottage Delight.

What products are particularlystrong sellers?Meat would be the best seller in anyshop. West Country beef and Britishchicken sell well, along withPackington's Pork, local potatoesand various other items. Our ownpies are huge: we make a greatmany, which we sell not only in ourown shop, but also nationally.

“ I still find it all exciting. I love coming to workand having plenty on my plate”

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How important is the meatpacking side of your business?We cut and pack a great deal ofPackington Pork for people likeOcado. Also, what we pack andlabel for our own retail, we pack andlabel for other people to retail, too.We have a considerable degree ofexpertise in this, and have controlledatmosphere packaging facilities topack and label fresh meat, both forour own shop and for other peopleto sell.

What other revenue streams doyou have?In addition to the farm shop and thepacking, we set up butcheries inother farm shops. I have served aregional chairman of Q Guild ofButchers, and as such, I have visitedlots of farm shops and most of thesuccessful meat and food retailers inthe area. Before they opened theirown farm shop, Tish and AndyJeffery of Farringtons came to lookover our own business. I suggestedto Andy that if he was wonderingwhat they were going to do about abutchery, I would be more thanhappy to talk to him about running abutchery in his shop, which is whatwe've done since they opened.We've brought the butchery side tohis shop and also to White RowFarm Shop, both hugely successfulfarm shops.

Jon Thorner's sounds like quite asizeable operation?Of the 130 people we employ, onlyaround ten work in the farm shop.

How ideal is your location?We are right on the side of a very

busy main road, the A37, fairly closeto Shepton Mallet, which is agrowing town. The only disadvantagewe have here is that we are notsurrounded by chimney pots. Ourgeographic location is not quite asideal as some farm shops, but ourshop still turns over £15-£20,000weekly, which is not insignificant.

How has the business alteredover the years?The business has changed so muchfrom the initial concept. Because westarted predominantly as butchers,we've been able to supply pubs andhotels and restaurants as asecondary business to our farmshop. We have always sold meat asa bolt-on to our retail operation.When we started off, we were justtrying to sell as much meat as wecould. We have diversified since intoa wide range of products. Like mostfarm shops, we offer a really goodchoice of products but we are stillprimarily butchers – that's what weare known as. We have a very strongreputation for quality.

What effect does the GlastonburyFestival produce?For us, Glastonbury is all swings androundabouts. It is detrimental to thefarm shop, as people perceive theroads to be impassable because oftraffic and tend to stay away duringthe festival, but the bonus we get isthat we are the main meat supplier tothe site, so we get a huge extrarevenue from that.

You open early, at 8 am – whattrade do you catch then?We don't get a great deal of

business at this time, as the majorityof our business starts trickling in from9 to 10 onwards. We open at 8because that's when our staff arriveto clean and restock the shelves.

How do you promote yourselves? We use a web site, local press andwe have used radio, but it is quiteexpensive. I employ someone to lookafter the marketing of the business.We keep our name out there bypublicising awards we win for ourrange of products – especially piesand in-store promotions,as well asadvertising both in local and in theindustry press.

Looking back, is there anythingyou might have done differently?The one thing I regret is not learningto delegate responsibilities earlier. Iused to think I had to do everythingmyself, because that was the onlyway the job would get done properly.As I've got older, I delegate more andmore. As long as you delegate thoseresponsibilities to someone you feel

confident about doing them, thenthat is the way to grow a business.

What is the most difficult aspectof running farm shops?Opening a second shop. I've alwayssaid that once you've opened yoursecond outlet, opening a third and afourth and a fifth is relatively straightforward. Opening a second can bedifficult because it's taking resourcesoutside of your comfort zone. It's notright under your nose, either. Youhave to ensure that the people youhave running it are up to the mark.It's all about making sure you havethe right people doing the right job.

What are the most importantthings to get right?People, management, proceduresand detail. One of the things I domore than I see a lot of mycompetitors doing is moving with thetimes. This is incredibly hard to dothese days, as technology isadvancing so quickly. In other partsof our business, as well as in the

farm shops, we have tried toembrace new technology. This isbecause the change in foodshopping really is immense.

You mean EPOS systems?We were one of the first smallretailers to take on EPOS, which wedid pretty much as soon as it wasavailable. We've adopted thatprinciple through our business. Aboutthree years ago, we invested£120,000 in a premium burgermachine and it has paid for itselftimes over. We try and keep up withthe times, but I think that the hardestthing now is trying to fulfil the needsof changing shopping habits.Customer are very much wantingmeals to go. They don't necessarilywant something they put in amicrowave. Waitrose and Marks &Spencer are successful because theyare creating meals in a foil tray thatcustomers just have to pull the lid offand we are very much trying tocreate those type of products. This iswhere we see our business moving.Ready meal solutions, such as twolamb rumps in a foil tray with a garlicbutter and herb covering, whichpeople can just take home and popin the oven.

What do you most enjoy aboutrunning a farm shop?I still find it all exciting. I love comingto work and having plenty on myplate. There's always lots going on,and employing over 100 people ischallenging in itself.

Sponsored by

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T he start of a new yearalways brings with it ahost of consumerswanting to look after

themselves just a little better thanthe year before, and a sizeableamount of these turn to specialityteas as a convenient way to aidtheir quest, whether it be sleepingbetter, boosting metabolism or detoxing.

2015 will also bring tea loverswho are looking to explore thesector further, moving away fromthe tried and tested multipacksfrom the supermarket shelves tosomething altogether more special.From single estate teas to blendscombining fruit with botanicals,variations are numerous, and

stocking the classics as well as anunusual option or two is a failsafeway to keep speciality tea lovers happy.

Mint, chamomile, green andfruit teas are all strong sellersacross the nation, while naturallycaffeine-free redbush is graduallygetting a confident footing on theladder. Meanwhile, consumers areincreasingly looking for teas withprovenance and a story – leavesfrom a single origin are becomingmore and more attractive, and theFairtrade mark continues to addethical kudos to many blends, so iswell worth looking into.

While the claims made by suchteas may be seen as old quacks'tales to some, the botanical

properties offer effects which arehard to come by using othermeans. A night-time cup of alavender or chamomile brew hasbeen known to calm restlesssleepers, while mint tea hasenjoyed success as a stomachsettler and digestive aid for generations.

Whether you choose to simplycover the classics or experimentwith unusual blends, always bear inmind that the tea industry is rifewith innovation. Not only are newflavours constantly appearing onthe horizon, but more traditionaloptions are ever evolving to mirrorconsumers' increasingly demandingtastebuds. Keep an eye out for thelatest permutations to keep yourcustomers and profit line content.

Louise Cheadle,co-founder andtea-taster atTeapigs on aburgeoningmarket

We set out with a plan eight (and ahalf!) years ago to establish agourmet tea category in the UK.Speciality tea used to be anythingwhich fell outside the big brands ofregular tea, but we felt that thereshould be a level above that –genuine quality, whole leaf teas and infusions.

We had been to the US andseen shelves full of quality wholeleaf teas, despite being a nation oftea lovers the options here forsuper quality tea were pretty limitedor not very accessible. We like tothink that we have contributed tothe awareness and demand forbetter quality teas.

Consumers are looking for awide range of teas. They are awareof oolongs, white teas, matcha,natural and herbal infusions, andthe growth the UK has seen ingreen tea, herbal infusions andquality black teas is only going tocontinue with younger tea drinkersenjoying lots of different types ofteas in more unusual ways such as

lattes, bubble tea, iced tea etc. It’san exciting time to be in tea!”

Anthony Terry ofSummerdownMint tellsSpeciality Foodwhat makestheir peppermintteas unique

Summerdown produces two mintteas – English peppermint teamade with pure Black Mitchammint leaves and English spearmintand camomile tea. We produceboth these in packs of 20enveloped tea bags, but last yearwe launched a pyramid-shaped teabag version of our peppermint teawith 15 biodegradable tea bags in apack. Our teas have won severalawards, most notably our pyramidpeppermint tea winning a three-star gold in the 2014 Great Taste Awards.

To appreciate what makesSummerdown Mint so different, youhave to understand that at thebeginning of the last century,England was renowned forproducing the best mint in theworld – the French still call

peppermint menthe anglaise, orEnglish mint. Over the years,pressure to grow food crops andthe rising cost of labour brought adecline in cultivation, leaving the USto take over the commercialproduction of peppermint.

It took Summerdown more thana decade to bring traditional BlackMitcham peppermint home to theUK – and revive the clean, freshtaste of English peppermint for the21st century. We relearned lost mintfarming skills from America andcombined them with the latestproduction technology at our farmin the foothills of the Hampshiredowns. The result is a rare single-estate peppermint oil, which is thekey to all our peppermint products.

Whereas most herbal teas useonly the dried leaf of the plant, towhich hot water is added, we usedried pure Black Mitcham mintleaves, which we then infuse withthe essential oil from our owndistillery. This offers the consumer amore natural and intense flavour.With our spearmint and camomiletea, it is the camomile flowers thatare dried and infused with purespearmint oil, also distilled onthe farm.

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONSWITH LYDIA HARDY, FOOD BUYER AT SNAPE MALTINGS

What specialityteas do yousell?We have avaried selectionof teas thatrange from

Taylors of Harrogate, Teapigs,Teaforia and our own Snape Blendleaf tea. Our Teaforia selection hasa range of natural teas and instanttea powders. These tea powdersinclude the green matcha that hashealth-benefiting antioxidants.

Which are the most popular?English Breakfast still tops therange, followed closely by EarlGrey and Afternoon Darjeeling.Our Snape leaf blend comes froma single estate in Kenya and wehave served it in our teashop forthe last 30 years.

Have you seen a growth in thesector in recent years?Loose leaf tea and green teashave increased in popularity.People are more discerning withtheir choices when it comes totaste and flavour.

What are the current trends inspeciality tea?Organic teas and single estateteas are getting a growingfollowing. Customers, as with theirfood, want to know the origins oftheir tea and that the growers arefairly treated.

What do you think is next forthe sector?There is rising trend in loose leafand green teas, and teas thathave a nutritional element as wellas improved flavour.

To a TeaCash in on the burgeoning speciality

tea market to inspire health andprovenance-conscious consumers

"As fifth generation family tea farmers, Williamson tea has aunique position within the tea market by being the only brandwhose teas come solely from their own farms. All other brandsare simply blenders, whereas we control exactly what happensto our teas every step of the way. From bush to cup, it's all us"Edward Magor, Williamson Tea

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Sebastian Pole,co-founder andmasterherbsmith atPukka Herbsshares his viewson the specialitytea industry

The face of the tea industry hastransformed dramatically in the pastfew years, with more consumersfavouring green tea rather that thetraditional ’builders’. Currently,green tea continues to show thestrongest growth in the sector. Thischange has been driven by moreproduct choice, celebrity devoteesand its hugely publicised health benefits.

This year we’re expecting tosee fruit and herbal teas rise inpopularity with some strong newproduct offerings such as our WildApple & Cinnamon and Detox withLemon. Demand is being driven byconsumer awareness of the

benefits that herbal products, notjust teas, can have on the body.

At Pukka, our commitment toorganic, trading fairly and usingpharmacopoeial grade herbs is atthe heart of absolutely everythingwe do. Recently we’ve recognisedthat customers are becoming morediscerning in their product choicesand consciously looking for brandsthat echo these values – ‘goingorganic’ and ‘going fair’ issomething we personally believeshould, and will be, a keyfocus in the future.

speciality tea

Stock CheckTeapigs Chocolate & Mint Tea

A classic combination. We have put together ourfinest peppermint leaves and added yummy

chocolate pieces to deliver a slightly indulgent drinkwith three calories per cup.

www.teapigs.co.uk

Summerdown MintPeppermint Tea Bright, fresh and aromatic, this is mint asyour great-grandparents knew it – a tastethat has been lost for generations.www.summerdownmint.com

Pukka Herbal CollectionA selection of five of the nation’s favourite,

award-winning Pukka blends offer anintroduction to the world of herbal teas. The

flavours included are Elderberry & Echinacea,Lemon, Ginger & Manuka Honey, Night Time

and Three Mint and Detox.www.pukkaherbs.com

Newby Rooibos Orange In Newby's naturally caffeine-free blend,

rooibos' unique taste is complimented bythe tangy and sweet orange flavour. Eachof 15 silken pyramids is specially sealed in

triple layer alu-foil for freshness.www.newbyteas.com

Bothams of WhitbyResolution Tea Bothams’ special blend used in ourtearooms, this is a fine quality tea speciallyblended for drinking anytime of the day.Named after Capt. Cook's famous ship,built in Whitby, this tea has been a firmfavourite, and has gained quite a following.www.botham.co.uk

Clipper Pear & HoneyGreen TeaThe perfect pair. An inspiring blend of greentea perfectly balanced with sweet pear andfragrant honey flavouring. www.clipper-teas.com

“Recently we’ve recognised that customers arebecoming more discerning in their product

choices and consciously looking for brands thatecho these values. ‘Going organic’ and ‘going

fair’ will be a key focus in the future”

LATEST AND GREATESTTHE NEWEST TRENDSTO BE AWARE OF…

• Bubble tea: Invented in Taiwanin the eighties, bubble tea consistsof tapioca 'pearls' added to a tea-based drink

• Tea latte: popularised in recentyears via chai tea lattes,consumers are waking up to thefact that all teas can be made intoa latte by simply doubling thestrength of the tea and adding hotsteamed milk

• Kombucha: fermented teawhich boasts several – notscientifically-proven – health benefits

WHAT”S NEXT IN TEA?INNOVATIVE TEA BRANDS ARE SHOWING US THE FUTURE

specteaqx_Update updated 23/01/2015 16:23 Page 2


T raditionally, independentfood retailers have reliedupon tried and testedmethods to increase footfall

and promote their businesses. But, inan age where the consumer expectsso much more from their shoppingexperience, putting up a few shelfbarkers and re-writing your 'A' boardseach day are not necessarily therecipe for business growth andprosperity. In 2015, making somechanges to the way you run yourbusiness could ensure your future inthe years to come and put you onestep ahead of the competition.

Stand out fromthe crowdCompetition in the food world is rife,so if you do one thing this year, makesure your business stands out. It'svery easy to assume that customersknow why they should be shoppingwith you, but more often than not,spelling out exactly what makes youspecial or different will help you gainmore customers. “We believe it isvitally important for independent foodretailers to provide customers withrelevant information of what productsare available in-store and what makesthem special or different, in order tocapture greater interest from theirvisiting customers,” explains BradWright, operations manager atMarimba World Chocolate. “It’s allabout telling the ‘story’ that is behindthe products.”

Understand yourcustomers Technology can be daunting, butembracing some of what it has tooffer can make a difference to yourbusiness. Luxury food delivery brand,Farmison has reported a significantsales growth since implementingemail marketing from BrontoSoftware. By gaining a betterunderstanding of customer behaviourand product preference, thecompany has been able to bringcustomers back from up to two yearsprior and generate a year-on-yearrevenue increase of 160% during itspeak season. Lee Simmonds, co-Founder of Farmison & Co, said, “Weonly started using Bronto in October2013 but we can already see thepotential. Following its advice, after acustomer placed an order we trackedwhen they would receive it and sentout cooking instructions with recipes.People loved it.”

Cheaper than thesupermarketsSo many consumers still believe thatdelis and farm shops are pricier thanthe multiples, so it's important todispel this myth. One way to do thisis to keep track of the prices in yournearest supermarket. As AnthonyDavison, founder ofwww.bigbarn.co.uk, explains, “If youhave products that are cheaper thanthe supermarket, tell your customersusing a whiteboard so they can

quickly compare prices whilst they'reshopping with you. A visual aid likethis will have more impact than simplytelling them it's cheaper.

Introduce a loyaltyschemeOnce the preserve of large retailers,loyalty cards are now being used by awhole range of businesses in order toentice customers and build a strongerbusiness. As Julie Hall, sales directorat Sun Branding Solutions explains,“a loyalty scheme will give you theopportunity to build a customerprofile, measure how far they havecome and the products they arebuying so you can tailor offers to theirspecific requirements. Offer goodvalue backed by outstandingcustomer service, innovative newproducts and marketing activity bothin store and online to get the mostfrom your loyalty scheme.”

Open a caféIf you're a farm shop or deli withspace to spare, then a café orrestaurant on-site could help youincrease footfall and overall profits. Infact, since opening its new 40-covercafé in May, Quicke's Farm Shop hasseen a surge in sales. “Since theKitchen opened the farm shop has

Tactics forSuccessseen a notable increase in sales asthe café adds a new dimension andmakes Quicke's more of a visitordestination.” Pearce's Farm Shopopened its café three years ago andhasn't looked back since. “Our caféhas attracted totally differentcustomers and considerablyincreased business in the shop. Theregularly changing menus highlightsuse of our own home-grown produceand suppliers, which encouragescustomers to then buy from the shop.Our chefs also supply the shop withour own range of freshly cooked deliitems – ready meals, pies, quiches,tarts, salads and coleslaws.”

Improve youronline offerNowadays, an online presence isessential, whether you are sellingonline or not. Consumers want tocheck out somewhere before theyinvest time or energy in visiting, so awebsite is vital. If you do decide tosell online, then remember thecompetition you'll be up against – thelikes of Tesco, Ocado, Sainsbury'sand co hold no prisoners, so makesure your website offers everythingthe modern-day consumer expects.As Julie Hall, sales director at SunBranding Solutions explains, “Withmore people shopping online, good

product photography and conciseinformation should be readilyavailable, along with useful contentsuch as recipes or helpful ‘how touse’ guides.”

Create brand awarenessGetting customers through your dooronce is a start, but to get themcoming back again meanscommunicating with your customers.As Simon Horton of e-commerceexpert, ShopIntegrator, explains, youneed to give customers a reason tostay interested in your brand,otherwise they'll soon forget you. “Ifyou have an online presence, trywriting a regular blog with content ofinterest to your target market. Thisnot only keeps your brand in thecustomers' mind, but it alsoestablishes your business as aknowledgeable source of relevantinformation and gives existingcustomers a reason to keep comingback and could lead to newcustomers who may find you in asearch for information.”

Inspect your layout Supermarkets are constantlyoverhauling their layouts, which,although confusing for customers,can actually increase sales. Mostcustomers will walk through a shop in

As a small business owner, it's all tooeasy to follow the same sales tacticsand strategies year in, year out. But,as technology develops and customerbuying habits change, now's the timeto employ new methods that couldreinvigorate your business and ensureyour survival in the future, saysNicola Whiteford

A café or restaurant on-sitecould help you increasefootfall and overall profits

Brad and KatherineWright of Marimba

tacticsqx_Update updated 23/01/2015 16:24 Page 1


the same way each visit, so certainproduct lines or whole sections caneasily be missed. Reconsidering yourlayout or moving stock around canactually increase overall spend andreintroduce your customers toforgotten products. Quicke's FarmShop recently underwent a layoutchange, which has already had abeneficial impact on the businessand overall customer satisfaction.“We wanted to open up the spacewhile creating additional areas todisplay more new products,” explainsLucy Quicke. “The updated floor planhas provided room to create featureareas and has enabled us to improvethe sampling opportunities – whichare key to sales.”

Exploit social media There's no denying the reach ofFacebook, Twitter, Instagram etc;these social platforms have changedbusiness marketing and any retailernot involved in some kind of socialmedia is missing a trick. Twitter andFacebook provide a very cost-

effective and instant means ofconnecting and interacting withcustomers. Quicke's Farm Shop hasmade social media an important partof its marketing strategy, and it'spaying dividends. “One area wherewe’re active is social media –keeping members of the publicupdated as to what’s happening atHome Farm,” explains Lucy Quicke.“From events such as Apple Day,through to our ‘Cheese of theMonth,’ we are able to connect in amuch more personal way and buildmeaningful relationships withcustomers and our amazingproducers.”

Know your businessSourcing is key for any good foodstore, and introducing new ranges isa great way to retain customers andkeep them interested, but ensureyou have all the knowledge at yourdisposal to make these productssell. As Anthony Davison at BigBarnexplains, “Offer a traditional servicewith contemporary products. The

large grocery retailers rarely offerone-on-one advice, so as smallerindependent retailers this is yourgreatest asset. Talk to yourcustomers and and offer advice andrecipe suggestions. Build areputation for knowing all about theproducts you are selling.”

Heart of the communityAs an independent store, thesuccess of your business is not onlydetermined by your customers, butalso the businesses around you. Totruly succeed, it is important to workwith other members of thecommunity and find ways that youcan team up and help improve salesfor all of you. As Nick Selby and IanJames, owners Melrose & Morgan,explain, “With two shops in 'village'type communities in central London(Primrose Hill and Hampstead),we've endeavoured to buildrelationships within the community,both on a one-on-one level, throughto working with local businesses andother community groups wherepossible. It is important that we're atthe heart of the neighbourhood.”

Only as good asyour staffService is key and ensuring yourhave the right staff can be the

difference between success andfailure. Your staff should share thesame enthusiasm as you do and bejust as creative. If staff are under-performing, organise reviews andgive them feedback. Get them moreinvolved in planning and furnish themwith a better understanding of theindustry in order to get the very bestfrom them. “Our staff share ourpassion for good food,” explains EdPearce at Pearce's Farm Shop,“They visit national food shows andfairs and taste and learn about theproducts to fully inform customers.”

Invest in EPOSUnderstanding your sales and stockis a great way to prevent waste andappeal to your customers' needs.For Melrose & Morgan, investment inan EPOS system has paid dividends.“EPOSs main function in ourbusiness at present involvesrecording and analysis of salesdata,” explain Nick Selby and IanJames, “We invested in an EPOSsystem four and a half years agoand it has been a great tool tomaking 'fact' rather than 'gut' baseddecisions. It has helped us makeprevious winners even stronger andalso to to eliminate slow sellers byunderstanding what works and whatactually doesn't.”

In-store promotions Keep your offer fresh for customers byrunning regular promotions. Peoplelove a good deal, so consider lineswhere you can offer discounts and stillretain a good margin. At Pearce'sFarm Shop, the team sells over 50British cheeses and promotes three orfour every month with a 20% discount,thereby boosting overall sales andintroducing customers to cheeses theymight not normally have purchased.

Be prepared for change You only have to look at Tesco'splummeting profits to realise that theretail world is an unstable one andreacting to change could be thedifference between survival andextinction. Keeping a keen eye on yourfigures, business plan and theeconomic situation can help younavigate a sometimes rocky path. AsNick Selby and Ian James, ownersMelrose & Morgan, explain, “Nomatter how good your businessstrategy is in the first place, thingschange; staff, customer needs,economic conditions, property issuesto name a few. These changes havean impact and you need to react tothem. The food industry is soimmediate that responding quickly iscritical to ensuring that you balancesales with losses.”

increase your business

Melrose & Morgan’selegant counter

Cheese-tasting atPearce’s Farm ShopQuicke’s Farm Shop

Nick Selby and Ian James

tacticsqx_Update updated 23/01/2015 16:24 Page 2


I ncreasingly, independent foodretailers are supplementing theirover-the-counter activities withmail order, on-line and home

delivery services. These extend theservices they are able to offercustomers, provide the sort ofconvenience available through otherretail outlets and mean that retailactivities need no longer be confinedto the local area. Selling online canalso allow the retailer to tap intoexport markets for a great manyuniquely British foods.

Sorba-FreezeThis has long been viable for ambientfoodstuffs but perishable productsand those requiring chilling havepresented problems in the past.These days there is a range ofsolutions provided by manufacturersof temperature controlled packagingwhich are effective in getting yourproduct to your customer in perfectcondition and these don't cost theearth, either. One popular method oftransporting food safely or justkeeping it correctly temperature whenremoved from the chiller cabinet, isthe refrigerant pad. Leading the wayin this field is Sorba-Freeze, whosemanaging director, Colin Brown, tellsSpeciality Food that Sorba-Freezerefrigerant pads are "made from anon-woven fabric, pe/pept silver filmand a food contact-approved super-absorbent powder."

Together, Colin says, theseelements "make a flexible refrigerant

blanket in either roll form or sheetform. Each box (both sheet and reelformat) contains 9,600 tea bag-likecells and in the dry state, the boxweighs approximately 10kg. Whensoaked in water and then frozen, thetotal weight of the box increases to384kg." This means, he adds, "thatsmall users have no problem withstorage, as only the amount requiredfor use at that time actually needs tobe prepared.

"Using Sorba-Freeze refrigerantpads on the top of the transit box(cold drops downwards) means thatthe producer has peace of mind thatthe temperature of the product

packed should not have more than a1.2 degree uplift over 24/36 hours,"Colin says. "Increased use ofSorbafreeze by tucking the flexiblerefrigerant blanket down the side aswell will further ensure this."

This is a product thatindependent retailers will find veryeasy and convenient to use, as Colinexplains. "The powder is activated byimmersion in water – slightly warmwater activates the powder quicker.The cells, which swell up to producea quilted blanket effect," he says,"ensure that the pads are dry andthen freeze." Colin advises that if theretailer is multi-freezing, he should"layer with a thin sheet of polythene."

This effective method ofcontrolled temperature packaging issurprisingly cost efficient, too."Sorba-Freeze produces a cost-effective chill solution, as each cellweighing 40 grams when hydratedand frozen, costs less than twopence each," Colin says. Peopleinterested in the concept but wantingto try before they buy will beinterested to learn of Sorba-Freeze'ssample packs. These "are readilyavailable to allow potential customersto trial the Sorba-Freeze solution andto see its impressive performance inconjunction with their ownpackaging," Colin says. "Both roll

Everybody ChillFor despatching fresh food to distant customers and for

keeping food fresh in-store, temperature-controlledpackaging is the way forward

Sorba Freeze

Hydropac

tempcontrolqx_Update updated 26/01/2015 09:57 Page 1


polystyrene boxes such as thosewhich can be speedily ordered (48hour delivery, 24 on request) from JBPackaging. This company, saysmarketing manager Janet Adams,supplies "a range of temperature-controlled packaging solutions andsundries." Orders may be placedonline, "for one box to pallet loads,"Janet says. Alternatively, JBPackaging "can offer preferentialpricing for larger quantities.Distribution from Brixham, Devon andLivingston, Scotland is throughoutthe UK."

The products, Janet says, are"very lightweight, with excellentthermal qualities." Because of this,she says, contents can be kept coldor hot (the EPP reusable deluxeboxes are ideal for transporting hotfood such as home delivery ready-to-eat meals) and shipping costs arereduced. "Both polystyrene anddeluxe are used in all our sizes,depending on customer needs, forsafe delivery to a customer, orreturnable boxes for taking to marketor shows," Janet says.

JB Packaging's customerservices team is "on-hand to assistwith recommendations as to howmany ice packs are required to keepproducts cool until they reach theirdestination," Jane says. How manyice packs you need depends "on thesize of box required for yourproduct," Janet says. "We currentlyhave a range of 45 boxes, includingreusable." The company supplies twotypes of ice, these being hydratedand non- hydrated.

ThermaFreeze Europe The ThermaFreeze option is unique inmany ways, says director, LukeStimson but most important is "thelevel of performance it can deliver toso many different applications.ThermaFreeze is independently-tested to be approximately eighttimes more efficient than gel packs at

absorbing heat from its surroundings.ThermaFreeze refrigerant exceedsthe capacities of water, ice, gelpacks and dry ice when applied toprotect temperature sensitiveshipments." ThermaFreeze productsare simple to use, Luke says:"hydrate, freeze, use, re-use!"

ThermaFreeze Europe, Lukesays, is excited about its launch ofan "exclusive range of Designer Ice."This range will give customers "anew and unique way to present theirproduct with the same unbeatableperformance and quality."

ThermaFreeze is particularlyeffective for fish, cheese, meat, andvegetables. ThermaFreeze differsfrom solid gel packs in the way it isflexible when frozen," Luke says.

material and sheets are in the trialpack. This allows the potentialcustomer to see the benefits of theroll material, which is perforated afterevery cycle to permit a variation ofsize to be used, and the precutsheets which allow the same size canbe used."

Sorba-Freeze's silver filmproduces a cold-effect look andreflects heat and never leaks,meaning an end to soggy packaging.Flexible, lightweight and economical,it wraps around products giving extraprotection and can be used in directcontact with food. Whether used withpolystyrene, cardboard or plasticboxes, customers will find thismethod of temperature controlledpackaging is effective, reliable andcost-efficient.

Hydropac"Hydropac is the UK’s largestproducer of ready-hydrated icesheets, insulated boxes, envelopesand carrier bags for distributingperishable food by mail order at thecorrect temperature," saysHydropac's sales manager AdamHart. "Our unique manufacturingprocess allows us to seal the icepacks through the liquid, giving amuch stronger product, with minimalempty air space inside the ice packs.Hydropac excels in the manufactureof water and gel ice packs in allshapes, sizes, colours and styles. Allour ice packs are microbiologically-tested at an independent laboratoryto guarantee that they are entirelyfood safe. These ice packs aredelivered pre-filled in cardboardboxes or open-top trays that can beplaced directly in the freezer and willnot stick together when frozen. Wecan print these ice sheets with thecutomer’s logos and company detailsat no extra cost (subject to aminimum order quantity)."

Adam says that the Hydropacrange has been designed to keepfood products at the correcttemperature for a minimum of 24hours, allowing "high quality,perishable goods to be dispatchedthrough standard, ambient couriernetworks. Our boxes, envelopes andbags all use a special recyclable,food-safe, low density polyethylenefoam as an insulator. This is virtuallyindestructible and offers greatphysical protection, as well asmaintaining the cool chain. Theproducts are not only 100%recyclable, but are mostly producedfrom recycled materials. They arecompletely food-safe and exceed the

current legislation for the distributionof mail-order food."

Performance-wise, Adam says,the boxes have been designed torival standard polystyrene products."They are supplied flat-packed,saving on space, and can be printedto customers' own designs. Thesesystems work perfectly well forshipping anything, from a Christmasturkey to a selection of cheese, to aweekly meat-box order. Like all of ourproducts, they are fully tested andcertified and usually available off theshelf with next-day delivery. To helppeople get their mail order businessup and running, we have a minimumorder quantity of just 25 units;however, we also offer a bespokedesign service at no extra cost(subject to a minimum order quantityof just 350 units) should yourproducts not fit with our off-the-shelfitems, and there will not be anytooling charges."

The company also offersinsulated envelopes. "The HydropacPostal Pockets have been designedfor the distribution of thinnerproducts, such as smoked salmon,hams, bacon or similar items," Adamsays. "However, they are also provingpopular with people who need tokeep a single item chilled within anotherwise ambient hamper. Again,these items can be fully printed(subject to a minimum order quantity)at no extra cost and are fullyrecyclable. Our insulated carrier bagsmaintain food products at the correcttemperature from the shop to thecustomer’s home. These waterproof,recyclable bags are extremelydurable. Subject to a minimum orderquantity, these too can be fullyprinted. They are held in stock inplain silver and are supplied in boxesof 100 units.

JB PackagingAlso widely used as a solution forkeeping food cool in transit are

"This allows you to form the coolantaround your products, giving youmaximum cooling and minimizing hotspots within the box. As we're allaware, couriers can be heavy-handed with consignments. However,with the flexibility of ThermaFreeze,you are given a more forgivingprotection for fragile or for softproducts."

ThermaFreeze products are bothreusable and eco-friendly, Luke says."When our customers useThermaFreeze, this is only thebeginning of the product's life. Ratherthan the end-user throwing away thesoggy ice packs that arrive with theirgoods, the extreme durability ofThermaFreeze means it can bereused hundreds of times."

temperature controlled packaging

"This effective method of controlled temperature packaging issurprisingly cost efficient, too"

Therma Freeze

JB Packaging

zdccdc

tempcontrolqx_Update updated 26/01/2015 09:57 Page 2


The personal touchKnowing (and remembering) thenames of customers is important tomany retailers. At Stewarts Butchersin Enniskillen, Shane Stewart tries"to create a family-type atmosphere.We know the majority of ourcustomers by name." In Chelsea'sLe Pascalou, it is the same story. Atthis French-themed deli, managerVincent Saladin puts "a lot of effortinto building strong relationships

with regular customers. Somepeople have been coming in herefor ten years and they've now gotchildren. I know their names andwhen they were born. I encouragemy staff to call customers by theirnames and ask about the kids, andthey love that. Asking about howcustomers have spent theirweekend helps build a rapport, andthe conversation is easily led intoone about what new produce the

shop has received that morning. Agood relationship with customers iswhere we try and make a difference.How else do you encourage casualcustomers to call again?" MarkKacary of The Norfolk Deli"acknowledges every single personthat comes into the shop. We talkto them and people get to know usand we get to know them. We workvery hard to understand what ourcustomer base wants." And this, hesays, gives the shop an importantpoint of difference. "We offersomething hugely different from thesupermarkets: exceptional customerservice levels."

SuppliersFinding the right suppliers is asubject close to the hearts of many.

"We go out of our way to findquality suppliers," says ShaneStewart, "we're not one of thosebusinesses that rings round everyfactory on a Monday morninglooking for the cheapest cuts."Small producers, however, canbring their own problems. WhenAbbe Vaughan and her husbandStuart opened the Home & Colonialdeli in Porthcawl, she wasn'tprepared for "the inflexibility thatusing local suppliers can give you. Alot of people want local produce,like honey, but because these arevery much cottage industries, theyare not geared to supply in growthand on demand as much as wewould like. So having to take someof our local suppliers into that nextstage of growth was something wehadn't allowed for at all."

Traceability andprovenanceThe effects of the horsemeatscandal were still being felt andretailers reported increased interestfrom customers in matters ofprovenance and traceability. SimonBeckett of Becketts Farm Shop inthe West Midlands "buys from an

abattoir, which guarantees that it willonly take livestock from within a fiftymile radius, so reducing stress onthe animal. Horsegate was justbrilliant for us. We could tell peoplethat the mince 'came from thatchuck, which came from that cow',not that it went to a factory and wasprocessed." At Cranstons' inPenrith, Philip Cranston says thatthis food hall's meat, "comes fromtrusted local farmers with whom wehave long-standing relationships. Allour meat has full traceability, whichour butchers are happy to sharewith our customers. The meat is allRed Tractor and quality standardapproved." Transparency, saysAaron Linch of The Food Company."is crucial with good food retail."

Quality/localWhat's more important: qualityproduce or the fact that it is locallysourced? Both, says Chris Brennanof Orford's Pump Street Bakery. "It'sgot to be really good stuff. It's gotto be local. If it's local but if it's notvery good, I don't use it." Beinglocal is an important considerationfor Nicola Reece of Farmers Fayre inthe Midlands: "whether the local

Over the past year, owners of some ofthe finest delis and farm shops in thecountry have shared their experiencesof various aspects of independent foodretail, offering a lot of valuable insightsalong the way. Here is a collation ofretailers' experiences of matters whichmay well touch on your own experience

TradeSecretsFeast in Pickering: awell presented deli

Le Pascalou:"know their names"

Home & Colonial:encountered inflexibility

Hawarden Farm Shop:"they must have the product"

tradesecretsqx_Update updated 23/01/2015 16:26 Page 1


products are sourced throughdistributors or from people knockingon the door. We want it as local aspossible, definitely British, and goodvalue for money." But, she adds,"there's no point in stockingsomething because it is made downthe road, when it's twice the price."

This is a point echoed by AlanDownes at Hawarden Farm Shop inFlintshire: "Sometimes, people willsay, 'I have a local product andtherefore you should stock me.' Butif it's not quite on the button, itdoesn't make it. We will always givepeople a little leg up, but they haveto have the product." Bettina Bell ofLewis & Cooper in Northallertonchooses stock on the grounds of"price, provenance (ie, how local),quality and taste. On the ambientside, we try and get as much as wecan locally, but these products arelimited. Fresh is easier – forexample, we have some stunningcheese producers who are virtuallyon our doorstep."

Charlottte Hollins of The FordhallFarm Shop says that when it comesto making stocking decisions, "localis important, but we also like thecottage industries, people who arejust starting up and are makingproducts with real provenance. Ourfavourite suppliers are local andorganic. Our philosophy is to sourcewhat we can locally, and that mightbe from within a 30-40 mile radius.If we can't get it locally, we might goa bit further afield, but then weprioritise it being organic."

Cheese Speciality Food likes to keep an eyeon the stockings of cheesecountersacross the country. "Carefulstocking is essential to the successof any cheesemonger," says the

Stamford Cheese Cellar, whereKaren and George Brammer stock"as many British cheeses as wecan. We have Cote Hill Blue,Lincolnshire Poacher, new WodehillBlue and cheeses from Suffolk andNorfolk, too." An excellentcheesecounter, George says,should include "a good Cheddarand a fantastic Brie. We've gotBaron Bigod, which is probably thebest English Brie around now,better than any French Brie andvery hard to get hold of. We aregetting people coming back for thatand I don't think there’s anyone elsein the area stocking it." Anotheressential inclusion, he maintains, isStilton. "We're close to that area, sowe stock all the Stiltons andStichelton, too." Continentals atStamford include "Brie de Mieux,Camembert, Raclette, Roquefort,Gruyère Reserve, Vacheron inseason and Manchego." George'spolicy on stocking British orContinental cheeses is simple:"where the foreigners are better, westock them," he said, "but wherethere is an English equivalent, westock that." Elise Jungheim of

Country Cheeses of Totnes doesn'tstock Continental cheeses: "In theearly days," she says, "peoplequestioned our decision not tostock Continental cheeses, but wefelt it was important to have a realconnection with the product wesold and support our dairy industry.25 years later, I am glad we stuck to

our guns." The 107 different cheeses

stocked at The Food Company inEssex are chosen firstly for quality,managing director Aaron Linchsays, "then we look for exclusivecheese that cannot be foundeverywhere." Selling strongly, hesays, have been "Black Bomber,Epiosse, Walnut Rambol, SuffolkGold, Cornish Yarg, SmokedApplewood, Brie de Meaux andColston Basset Stilton." At LawsonsDeli, Claire Bruce Clayton'sstocking decisions were "driven bycustomer demand." The focus atLawsons, Claire told SpecialityFood, was "on artisancheesemakers. We don't stockthings like block Cheddars and wealso don't stock flavour-addedcheeses. We do a good range ofEast Anglian cheeses but also stockEnglish and cheeses from all overthe world." Upton Smokery's farmshop has "a pretty eclectic cheese

range," says owner Chris Mills."Some of this is fairly local, but I'venever been persuaded by the localaspect. There is so much good foodfrom so many places, not just in theUK, but on the Continent, too. Whynarrow your range because ofthat?" Paul Denham, of WalsinghamFarm Shops in Norfolk agrees:"Locally, we have a good range ofhard, soft, goats and blue cheeses,but if there's a great Cheddar wewant, we will go somewhere else toget it."

WineTo pair with the cheese, a lot ofdelis are finding that stocking aselection of wines has its pros andcons. Alcohol sales at ProvenderBrown in Perth, says Diane Brown,"account for about 13% of our netturnover but the margin is lowerthan other areas of the business. Onthe plus side, it is less labour-intensive than other areas and there

trade secrets

Stamford Cheese Cellar

Provender Brown: wine offersgood turnover but low margins



are no 'best before' dates or waste!"Selling wine can "bring in customerswho are only looking for wine, aswell as offering a “one-stop”experience for customers whowould otherwise have to goelsewhere and scope for add-onsales." But with supermarket pricesas keen as Sweeney Todd's razor,why buy from delis? "Firstly, there'sconvenience," Diane says, "they’re inbuying other things and pick up abottle or two while they’re at it."

George Brammer of TheStamford Cheese Cellar suggestsincluding "a nice Bordeaux, a crispwhite Cabernet Sauvignon and portfor the Stiltons." But in George'sexperience, there is "not a lot ofprofit," in selling wine, especiallywhen the shop owner is competingwith supermarkets selling it at £5 perbottle. If you are going to stockwine, then limit your ambitions, saidKarl Sergison of Sergi's Deli inSpalding, because "if you have amassive stock, your rotation is nevergoing to be as good as asupermarket's. While reds can oftenbe laid down, rosés have only a twoyear life and then they are gone."Instead, he said, stock "a few qualitywines like Montrachet and Chablisbut some run-of-the-mill ones atreasonable prices, too, such asMerlots, Cabernet Sauvignons,Sauvignon Blancs and rosés."

TastingsMany retailers find that tastings aresales tools worth the loss of a fewounces of cheese or whatever elseis offered. Andy Jeffery of

Farrington's Farm Shop inSomerset: "the deli is always tastingand puts out a lot of home-cookedfood, such as scotch eggs, pies,quiches, all the small stuff thatpeople might buy on a whim.Tasting is done in three ways. Delitasting, where food is put out,people can help themselves and thedeli manager is there to talk to themif needed. It's a chance to open aconversation with the customer.Then there's the tasting where ourstaff are behind a table in the shop.This is more of a high pressure sale:staff will ask customers if they likethe product and want to buy some.Then there are the outside supplierswho come in and organise thetastings with their own products.Sales are higher in these last twocategories." Event days can be

effective ways of getting the mostfrom tastings. "You can try to makesomething out of any event," saysJohn Shepherd of London'sPartridge's. "For example, January'sa quiet month, but it includesAustralia Day so you can do anAustralian wine tasting. It's amazingwho comes out of the woodwork –people who have visited Australia,who are Australian or who loveAustralian wines. There's also BurnsNight, for which you can do a tastingof haggis and Scottish whisky. It'sgreat to have a situation wherecustomers can pop into the deli,thinking 'what's going on thismonth?'" At The Hampers Food andWine Company, owner WayneBoyes holds tasting evenings. "Ourwine, cheese and oil tasting eveningwas very successful," he says, "20people paid £15 per ticket and got abottle of wine to take home." Duringthe evening, guests "got to try eightdifferent wines from across theworld." The store also holds curryand local beer tasting evenings.

Promotions“We have one or two people whotweet and deal with social media,"says John Shepherd of Partridges."We've found Twitter to be helpfulwith regards to letting people knowwhat's going on, and that's all freeadvertising and marketing. You needto get your suppliers involved too. Ifthey tweet to their followers andyours, there's a real snowball effect.Just the informational aspect of itwon't really work, it's too dry. It's a

case of building a community."Competitions have their uses, too,he says. "Without much cost, youcan do a hamper competition andbuild up a database of names. Justask people to make a note of theirnames and addresses or leave theirbusiness cards with you, and justlike that, you have the start of adatabase." Sue Hudson of theAshburton Delicatessen, does"some limited local advertising, andposts on Facebook and Twitterwhen we have something new toreport, but as a small, newbusiness, advertising can very swiftlyswallow a lot of your business."

At the Fordhall Farm Shop,Charlotte Hollins promotes in "anyway we can. Face to face, emaillists, loyalty cards, Facebook andTwitter. We have a website and wealso send out press releases."Wayne Boyes, who owns TheHampers Food and Wine Companyin Woodstock, Oxon, aims hispromotions at local businesses. "Wegive them 10% discount onsandwiches, which boosts ourrevenue during the day, but alsogives these customers a littlesomething back. We are foreverdeveloping ideas to avoid having aquiet month."

Secrets of successAnyone want to tell us how tosucceed? In Vincent Saladin'sopinion, the secret to running a delisuccessfully lies in achieving "agood balance in everything. It's nogood having high quality products ifyour staff isn't qualified to sell themor aren't happy to be there."Management, he says, must "havethe respect of the staff." AtNorfolk's Walsingham Farm Shops,Paul Denham says "you have toleverage what you do well. Be clearabout who your customer is andwhat they want from you and begood at delivering that. It's all aboutavailability, quality andcommunication." Staying with EastAnglia, Anthony Cude of Bakersand Larners in Holt, says that ifthere's a secret to running a foodhall successfully, it lies in having"good, passionate staff...andkeeping up to date with currenttrends." For Charlotte Hollins of theFordhall Farm Shop, the secret ofsuccessful trading lies in engagingwith your customers, "but also,"she says, "listen to your customersand never be scared of doingsomething different. Stay true toyour principles and you shouldnever stop evolving."

"Asking about how customers have spent theirweekend helps build a rapport, and the conversation

is easily led into one about what new produce theshop has received that morning."

Walsingham Farms Shop: beclear about your customers

Partridge's:competitions can work

Farringtons: threeways of tasting


SF WEST COUNTRY FOCUS

Welcome tothe West


The West Country is a storehouse of top-qualityartisan produce

TASTE OF THE WESTTaste of the West is aunique supply chaincooperative for food anddrink producers,distributors, restaurants,cafés, pubs, hotels, farmshops and specialityretailers based in the heartof South West England – allpassionate about theprovenance and quality ofthe products they make, serve or sell. The company wasestablished over 20 years ago and now, with over 1,000members, continues to grow as the largest independentregional food group in the UK. The organisation encouragesfoodservice and retail establishments in the South West tosource and supply quality local products, and helps foodand drink producers find routes to market. The Taste of theWest brand is representative of the quality and integrity ofthe food and drink produced in the South West region. Aswell as promoting and supporting the local food and drinkindustry, Taste of the West – through its commercial arm –also helps buyers to easily source top quality West Countryproducts. Taste of the West membership opens the door to avariety of opportunities to help businesses grow. It is arecognised brand and members displaying the Taste of theWest logo are clearly demonstrating their passion andsupport for local and regional produce to their customersand consumers.

AWARDS PROGRAMMETaste of the West runs the UK's largest regional awardsprogramme for products, as well as hospitality and retailestablishments. Now in their 22nd year, these awards have beeninstrumental in raising the awareness of a new food and drinkculture in South West England. The Taste of the West ProductAwards programme is open to members and non-members ofTaste of the West. Visit www.tasteofthewest.co.uk to downloadthe entry form. The deadline for all entries is Friday, 3rd April. Oneof the greatest membership benefits for foodserviceestablishments and retail outlets across the South West isreceiving free entry into the Taste of the West Hospitality & RetailAwards. The Taste of the West Hospitality & Retail Awards arenow open for 2015 and entrants will be judged between now andJuly by experienced industry professionals. Visitwww.tasteofthewest.co.uk to find out more about the categoriesand how to register. Taste of the West is also involved insupporting and organising a number of consumer and tradeevents (regional and national) throughout the year.

raft of small batch producers ofartisan ales and craft beers.

Many of the specialities of thearea are claimed by more than onecounty, and Devon's white pudding,a highly-spiced pork dish, is alsopopular in Cornwall, where it isserved as hog's pudding. Pasties,clotted cream, cream teas andcreamy fudge are also produced inmore than one West Country county.Devon, though, is rich in freshvegetables and summer fruits andalso has healthy meat and fishproduction. Among the notablecheeses of Devon are Quicke'sTraditional, Beenleigh Blue, DevonBlue and Sharpham. Cider is thetraditional drink here, but beer andPlymouth gin are produced too, aswell as fruit cordials, notably byLuscombe, and there are now anumber of vineyards which producecompetitive white wines. Somerset'scider and cheese are known theworld over, of course. The countyboasts some of the most respectedCheddar makers in the country:Godminster, Keen's, Montgomery'sand Westcombe. Dorset offers BlueVinny, a distinctive veined cheese,

Martin and Jean Edwards ofDeli Farm Charcuterie

Taste of the West winners 2014

Cranborne and Dorset Red. Dorsetalso boasts the well-known olivemerchant Olives Et Al.

Pioneering spirits Deli Farm Charcuterie is perhapstypical of the pioneering spirit whichthe area fosters, particularly when itcomes to artisan foods. Itscharcuterie, including air-driedsalami, coppa, bresaola andpancetta, is made on the windswepthills of the Cornish coast. Deli Farm'sJean Edwards says the WestCountry is actually ideal forproducing her charcuterie products."The meats available in the WestCountry are second to none,because the area's climate producesvery good grazing." The advent ofmodern technology, she says,"means we can create the rightclimatic condition to allow us to air-dry charcuterie here, a technique wepioneered in this area." Thispioneering spirit is strong in the WestCountry, Jean says. "Because we areright out at the end of the country,we have to look after ourselves."

Red Ruby Devons on Exmoor.© Devon Cattle Breeders Society

Few regions of Britain boastsuch a diverse wealth offood as the West Country.The area has its long-

standing, traditional food industriesbut in recent years, its bucoliccharms, healthy lifestyle andchanging coastline have attracted allsorts of people from beyond itsborders, seeking to start new lives inthe West, and among them not afew artisan food producers. Perhapsnot surprisingly, makers of air-driedcharcuterie, bread, honey, preservesand much more are adding to theculinary diversity of this attractive partof the country. But think WestCountry food and drink and nodoubt Cornish pasties, Devon creamteas and Somerset cider are the firstthings to spring to mind. These ever-popular West Country products areevaluated in this special section,which celebrates the best food anddrink from this fascinating region.

Cornwall is a foodie's paradise.While traditionally-minded peoplemay prefer local specialities such as'heavy cakes,' 'squab pie' and'scrowled' pilchards to stargazy pie,(which takes its name from thestaring heads of fish which pokeupwards through the crust), thecounty is justly famed for its variety ofseafood and the high quality of itsdairy produce. Cornish cheeses suchas Cornish Yarg and Cornish Blueare widely enjoyed, but otherexcellent examples include CornishBrie, Gevrik and Tesyn. Cornishbutter and clotted cream byproducers such as Rodda's areamong the finest to be found in orout of the region. Brewing has longbeen big in Cornwall, but now thebigger brewers such as St Austelland Sharp's have been joined by a

westcountryqx_Update updated 26/01/2015 10:49 Page 2

for a cream tea will then browse thefood hall and gift shops. We also findpeople will stay and have lunch ordinner in the restaurant. Over the pastyear we have also introduced theDarts Farm high tea, and we findcustomers who visit Darts Farm tohave a cream tea then see our hightea option and choose that instead.

How do you make the perfectcream tea?We believe in giving our customersthe best food and drink at great value.Our cream tea is made using thefinest Devon ingredients; customersare given two large fruit and plainscones, made by Ryder’s bakery,along with Highfield Preserves jamand Devonshire clotted cream. Thescones are accompanied by the finestloose leaf Brew Tea Co tea, presentedbeautifully in a cafetiere-style tea pot.

Ingredients to stockAs well as serving the holy trinity ofclotted cream and strawberry jamand scones as a cream tea, theingredients are, of course, worthstocking in their own right. Goodjams will always sell well and have along shelf life. Nutty flavoured clotted,or 'clouted', cream is called for as anaccompaniment in many dessertsand is also used in the making of therich fudge which is another specialityof the West Country. You won't needmuch story to sell this, but it might beworth noting that this cream is madeby heating full cream cow's milk andleaving it in shallow pans to slowlycool, when clots begin to rise to thesurface. Scones can be pack-bought, but a good cream teadepends on a fresh scone, preferably

The Food Hall at Darts Farm inDevon: "People expect to see acream tea on the menu"

Is a cream tea an essential menuitem and if so, why?The cream tea, otherwise known asthe ‘Devonshire tea’ is an iconicDevon speciality. Being a major Devontourist destination and a business thatchampions the best of Devon, creamteas are an essential offering at DartsFarm. People come to Darts Farmexpecting to see cream teas onthe menu.

How many do you sell?On average, we sell 30 cream teasper day on a weekday and doublethat on a weekend. During thesummer months, the number ismuch higher.

Does offering cream teas attractcustom and encourage sales?Yes. Due to the multi-departmentalnature of Darts Farm, we find thatsomeone stopping off at Darts Farm



increase in interest in home baking,managing director Nicholas Roddahas said, and "an awareness thatCornish clotted cream has many usesbeyond the cream tea."

But clotted cream is still the keyingredient which, generously served,turns a mere scone with jam into aDevon or Cornwall cream tea. Whilesimilar combinations of fresh scone,clotted cream and jam are sold ascream teas in other counties, nonecompetes with the popularity of theWest Country cream tea, whetherserved up under the guise of a Devonor a Cornish Cream Tea. Cream teashave been singularly successful in thisregion, and are very often used asroadside lures to attract footfall tovarious kinds of retail and cateringoutlet. A farm shop café menu isn'tcomplete here without mention of alip-smacking cream tea.

Is this a sales-boosting solutionfor you, then? Serving cream teas canbe a good method of promotinggoods you already sell. Most delis andfarm shops will stock a selection ofjams and the chiller cabinets of manyshops may already stock a goodclotted cream, too. There is no reasonwhy a cream tea freed from thestrictures of the West Country shouldnot do the unthinkable and serve jamflavours other than strawberry andraspberry, either. Offering jams madewith local fruits will go some waytowards personalising your cream tea.Once East of Bristol, it's also safe touse whipped cream if the clottedversion isn't readily available.

Increase customHighlighting your cream teas under aWest Country banner will drawattention not only to your range of

jams, scones, if you sell them, andclotted cream, but also to your WestCountry cheeses and any other WestCountry produce you want topromote. Also, if you have a caféfacility, offering cream teas there is agood way to increase custom anduse up jam and cream which mightalready have been employed in themaking of cakes and otherspecialities. And bear in mind that theroadside signage advertising creamteas appears to do no harm to WestCountry businesses.

If you are going to serve a creamtea, it helps if you know about the twomain types. Anyone can throw ascone on a plate and add cream andjam, but serving your confection as anauthentically Cornish or as a DevonCream tea, will add just a little story toyour offering. From the point of viewof anyone living beyond the WestCountry, the difference between aDevon cream tea and a Cornishcream tea might seem a fine one. Theingredients, matters of provenanceaside, are identical. The Cornishcream tea is served jam first andcream on top and the Devon onereverses the order. The difference maybe small, but it has been enough toprovide a bone of contention for theneighbouring counties.

There are other differences andeven some variations on the basictheme of this dish, which you mightlike to serve as something a little moreunusual. A traditional Cornishvariation, rarely seen now outside ofdomestic homes, is served in a typeof sweetish split bread roll. Unlike thescone, the freshly-baked, warm breadroll is buttered, and the strawberryjam and clotted cream generouslyadded. The puzzlingly-named'Thunder and Lightning' is a furthervariation on the theme, this being aslice of bread which is topped withclotted cream and honey, syrup oreven with treacle.

T he West Country, as thesepages testify, is one of thecountry's great storehousesof food.

But forget, for the moment, aboutcrisp ciders, warm pasties and fulltruckles of mature Somerset Cheddar,because if there is one product thatmight be said to encompass the WestCountry experience, it's the humblecream tea. Consisting of two scones,served with a dollop of clotted cream,a spoonful of strawberry (or raspberry)jam and a cup of tea, this is the fad-busting dish that provides anenormous number of businesses inthis region with a small but regularadditional revenue, year after year.Few of the thousands of visitors thatthe region attracts annually will departwithout having consumed at least oneof these simple confections. It's aWest Country must-do. Food sellersand producers might learn a thing ortwo from the rise of this simplecombination, which is now theubiquitous staple of tea-rooms,hotels, farm shop cafés and everyother kind of retail outlet to be foundin the Western counties. It's not arecent phenomenon, either; a versionof the cream tea is said to have beeneaten by monks at Tavistock Abbey inDevon, a thousand years ago.

One of the reasons for thepopularity of this indulgent dish is thequality of its ingredients, the clottedcream in particular. Dairy is, of course,very much central to the foodeconomy of the West Country. Lushand rain-fed grasslands provide idealgrazing for the dairy herds, whosemilk produces some of the bestcheeses in the country and also veryhigh quality cream. Rodda's, perhapsBritain's best known maker of high-quality clotted cream, has beenproducing the product in the heart ofCornwall since 1890 and, after arebranding in recent years, saw animmediate increase in sales. Theproduct has benefited from the

Devon and Cornish cream teas maycelebrate their differences, but they areboth proven money-makers

Building Business withCream Teas

"The Cornish cream tea is served jam first and cream on top, and theDevon one reverses the order. The difference may be small, but it has been

enough to provide a bone of contention for the neighbouring counties"


served warm, and this means makingthem yourself. Scones are quitesimple to make and take about 25minutes to prepare and bake (makingbatches of cheese scones as well willoffer something for people who prefersomething savoury and will use upodd pieces of farmhouse Cheddarfrom your cheese counter.) If you arepromoting cream teas as somethingpeople can make themselves athome, you will need to stock self-raising flour, milk, eggs, butter, bakingpowder, caster sugar and, ideally,artisanal butter.

Paloma Hermoso owns Devon-based The Tiny Marmalade,which makes traditional andethical speciality jams in handysmall pots.

All our jams are tiny. No more half-emptied jam jars in the bottom of thefridge is our motto. All our jams and


How important are cream teaswhere you are? Devon is the home of cream teas!As a Spanish person, the cream teais something new for me. Iabsolutely love the way afternooncream teas are carefully prepared:lovely china sets, cloth napkins,amazing tea, homemade scones,soft and rich clotted cream and aselection of jams all ready to beshared in good company. As for thedebate about what should gofirst..clotted cream first, of course!

Does producing small pots allowcream tea sellers to offer morechoice on the table?Small jam pots add a luxury touchto any cream tea. Cream tea sellerswould be able to offer not only ahuge selection of flavours from ourmore than 50 different recipes, butalso bespoke labelling and evencombinations can be produced.We’ve provided quite a few ofclients with their very own jam, asthe Rhubarb, Lime and Vanilla Jamand the Rhubarb and Ginger Jammade bespoke for Darts Farm,in Devon, using their owngrown rhubarb.

Which flavours are essentialstocking items?For a luxury cream tea I would offerStrawberries & Roses Jam andJasmine & Apple Jam, both madeusing organic real flowers.Raspberries Gin & Tonic Jam andMojito Marmalade could work for ayounger group or a hen do creamtea. Date & Banana Jam and Pear &Kiwi Jam for a group of children.Finally, for those men liking creamteas, I would offer Seville Oranges &Black Beer Marmalade and Cherries& Rioja Jam.

marmalades are made using topquality, locally-sourced ingredients. Allthe fruit, vegetables and sugar we usecomes from sustainable, seasonaland Fairtrade sources. Most of themare also organic. We only follow thetraditional open pan method toprepare our preserves, which ensuresthat flavour, colour and texture isperfect, as our mums would havedone it.

Why make small jams? With The Tiny Marmalade, every daycan be special. Our customers cantry different flavours, experiencedifferent combinations and enjoy avariety of more than 50 recipeswithout spending much.

What's the market for these? We have lots of customers buyingour jams as gifts, but also to treatthemselves. Also, we’ve recentlylaunched our Jam On Toast Club,which has around 50 subscriptionsalready: customers will receive amonthly box with six different jams.Most of our customers are peopleinterested in homemade good-qualityfood that not only tastes delicious butalso is lovingly wrapped and looksgreat. We also serve luxury B&B andhave developed bespoke flavours,labels and packaging for corporategifts, wedding favours and deli shops!

Stock CheckJanner Raspberry Jam

Hand-made, award winning, high quality, fruityJanner Jam made by a Janner maid!

www.jannerjam.com

Rose Farm Gooseberry JamA delicious tart jam made with whole fruit,this is super in a sponge'.www.theonlinepantry.co.uk

Awleston Jam & ChutneyEmpire Strawberry Jam

This fruity jam drools over clotted cream ona freshly-baked scone

www.alwestonjamandchutney.co.uk

Healey's Scrumpy Appleand Bramble Preserve

A true taste of the farm, featuring our Scrumpyapples and fruits of the hedgerow, produced

with Healeys know-how.www.thecornishcyderfarm.co.uk

From Dorset with LoveApple & Blackberry JamPacked with luscious fruit and perfectwith a warm scone and clotted creamwww.fromdorsetwithlove.co.uk

The Cherry TreeMorello Cherry Jam

A softer set jam made with superb whole fruit,thismakes a wonderful alternative to have on the

breakfast table instead of a regular strawberry orraspberry jam.

www.cherrytreepreserves.co.uk

Brendon Hill CraftsWhortleberry Jam

This jam has a lovely delicate flavour, and canbe used on scones and bread, in cakes, or

as a sweet accompaniment to pate or duck. www.brendonhillcrafts.co.uk

Patnick's Banana Jamwith AmarettoA handmade Cornish preserve offering apleasing aftertaste and a real point ofdifference for your shelveswww.patnicks.com

Rodda's Classic CornishClotted CreamCrafted to a family recipe fron 1890,local Cornish cream is gently bakeduntil it is thick enough to top a fresh-from-the-oven warm sconewww.roddas.co.uk

Sedgemoor Honey FarmPure and natural honey from the West Country www.sedgemoorhoney.co.uk


Luscombe sells the best –particularly the Sicilian lemonade andWild Elderflower Bubbly, and we onlyserve local apple juice – Russett, Coxand Discovery, all of which sell well.

We've always sold Luscombeand Burrow Hill, but we're alwaystrying to expand our range of beers,and the wild beer and Stocklandsare relatively new to our range. We'realways on the look out for newsuppliers, whether it be someonesmall or relatively larger.

This area is known for itsbeverages because everyone here isvery food and drink-orientated. Weget a lot of people asking forproducts which have been made

bearers of the metaphorical WestCountry flag – have grown tobecome recognised brandsthroughout the industry, smaller,cottage industry-style makers arequietly bolstering one of the UK'smost well-known and appreciateddrink sectors.

Speaking to West Countrydwellers while researching this piece,it became clear that the region'sjuices, ciders and other beveragesare a source of great pride. And nowonder – the area's most famousdrinkable creation, cider, is nowenjoyed throughout the world, and

V iews of orchards and ciderfarms abound in the WestCountry, so it's onlynatural that the region

would be famed across the UK forits quality beverages – from freshlypressed juices to artisan brews.Thanks to the area's reputation fortradition and a dedicated communityof producers slowly but surelyspreading the word across Britainand beyond, it won't be too longbefore the area's tipples wininternational acclaim.

While some producers such asLuscombe and Orchard Pig – proud

locally; our customers are very awareof local products and producers andlike to support them. There's a largenumber of enterprising peoplearound in this region.

Where I live, I'm surrounded byorchards – it's close to Burrow Hill sothere are apple trees for as far as theeye can see. Orchards are part of thelandscape around here, and part ofpeople's history.

The profile of West Countrydrinks can only grow – people aretrying to expand their horizons andspread the word further, outside ofthe region. Through this, producersand the reputation of our productswill develop.”


Scrumping Sales


What makes West Country drinks soiconic? Speciality Food finds out

the vast majority of its consumerswould be able to name the WestCountry as its ancestral home.

That's not to say that cider is thebe all and end all of West Countrydrinks, however. From seasidedistilleries producing fine spirits to awhole host of producers creating topquality juices and cordials, innovationis rife in this industry – often with adrop of tradition and heritage to addsome storybook personality to the proceedings.

Tony Bishton,co-owner ofProvender – anaward-winningSomerset deli –shares its bestsellers with

Speciality Food, and explainswhy the West Country is just sofamed for its beverages

We sell drinks from Luscombe,Burrow Hill apple juice as they're justdown the road, Tinkers Bubbleorganic apple juice, wild beer fromShepton Mallet, beer from a localbrewery called Stockland's, Harry'scider and Ham Hill cider.


Hilary Waller,co-founder ofEastcottVineyard tellsthe story of herWest Countryenterprise

The original Lower Eastcott Farmwas established in the 16th century.In 2007, my husband and I took overthe core buildings along with theremaining 12 acres. Our vision wasto create a new era for the farmlandand buildings by establishing a sixacre vineyard and modern winery,now known as Eastcott Vineyard.Since then, we have planted 6,000vines, honed our skills aswinemakers and won internationalawards both for our sparkling andstill English wines.

Eastcott Wines are fresh andfruity, with a real English character.We have chosen styles of wine tosuit the cool climate, with a particularemphasis therefore on makingsparkling wines, both white and roséby the methode champenoise. Acombination of the best age-oldtraditions with modern equipmentaffords us the end-to-end controlthat we believe is essential for theproduction of small volume highquality wines. We guide the grapesby intensive hands-on carethroughout the year until they arehand-picked in the very besttradition. They then move into themodern winery where we favour aminimal intervention approach to thewinemaking, while at the same timebringing our own exacting standardsto the process.

The West Country has its roots inagriculture and so its people reallyappreciate us finding a new use forthe land and particularly enjoy localproducts. Visitors to the region arealso keen to learn about what we dofirst-hand.

Stock Check


GABRIEL DAVIDof Luscombe Organic Drinks tells SFthe value its West Country locationadds to his award-winning business

What’s the history of Luscombe?Luscombe Drinks was a classic farmdiversification success story. It hasbecome a leading soft drinks makerforging an awareness of soft drinks foradults since 1997. Luscombe Drinks isnow seen as a benchmark in the businessof soft drinks, not just in the UK but widelyin Europe.

What do you produce, and what makes it different to similarproducts from elsewhere?Luscombe has won recognition at major international food awards everyyear for over 15 years. Making drinks from fresh fruit ingredients soundssimple, but capturing the actual taste without reverting to syntheticboosters is not so easy – today there are many who follow this holy grail.It is our palates and our unique equipment that keep us where we are,and the very close relationship we have with our growers who supply uswith their best fruit.

What does your West Country heritage bring to the product?Devon is a unique place that seems to put quality before the othercurrencies of quantity and profit margin. There are more food producersin Devon than any other county in the UK, and most are small scale – socompeting on the quality of what they make is fundamental. For us, ourroots in apples and elderflowers created a benchmark for us to follow inquality terms, and the culture of 'small is beautiful' helps the countymaintain that top quality mark.

What is the future of West Country food?As the general food buying pattern continues to lean towards multipleretailers and high volumes, Devon will lead with its quality. Food anddrink in Devon is listed as a dominant reason for visiting the county. Noother county can match the diversity and quality and while that is true,Devon has a bright future ahead.

How does your situation affect the business?Logistically it’s a challenge at times, but we are situated in such aninspiring, beautiful location that I think it helps the team to make betterartisan drinks. Consequently, we have a committed team who arepassionate about crafting drinks. Our location stimulates a heightenedlevel of creativity, allowing us to produce new and innovative products,which keeps us ahead of the game in the adult soft drink market.

What makes Luscombe a West Country icon?I would say it’s the simplicity of what we do – our product is artisan fromthe start and we aim to make the best. The team is hugely skilled anddedicated to what they make. Our packaging helps, but if the taste iswrong, we wouldn’t have the respect we have earned.

“We are based in one of the mostbeautiful parts of the world. Being

based near the coast of northCornwall, our surroundings have

inspired our drinks – for example, weuse foraged gorse flowers in our pastis

recipe and grow Devon violets to useas a botanical in our gin. We also uselocal spring water, which is naturally

pure and slightly sweet. Our premiumproducts reflect the high standard of

food and drink in the region. Theregion is already renowned for quality

produce and can only go fromstrength to strength”

Tarquin Leadbetter of Southwestern Distillery

“Our location stimulates a heightened level of creativity, allowing us toproduce new and innovative products, which keeps us ahead of the game

in the adult soft drink market”

Luscombe DamasceneRose Bubbly

A celebration of the majestic rose of theOrient, with Muscat grape juice

and spring water. www.luscombe.co.uk

Yarde Real Elderflower CordialMade from a delicately blended infusion ofhand-picked wild elderflowers from theSouth Devon hedgerows and fresh zestylemons. A deliciously refreshing soft drinkmixed with either still or sparkling water oran interesting addition to cocktails.www.yardecider.co.uk

Lyme Bay Jack Ratt ScrumpyStill, medium, filtered cider. 5/6% Vol.

Available in 1 litre flagons, 75cl bottles andin 50cl bottles.

www.lymebaywinery.co.uk

Bath Ales GemA quintessentially English beer with a rich aroma of hops and malt, and a bitter-sweet finish.www.bathales.com

Bramley & Gage QuincyQuincy is a good after dinner liqueur, withmoderate sugar and rich mouth feel witharomas of dates and figs. A home grown

version of a dessert wine.www.bramleyandgage.co.uk

Wadworth Swordfish BeerWith a gentle rum aroma and dark,unrefined sugar adding a rich smoothness,it is a full-bodied, deep copper coloured alewith a base of crystal malt and delicateFuggles and Goldings hops.www.wadworth.co.uk

Orchard Pig CiderWest Country cider apples to produce a

straightforward cider, with more apples andless bubbles, making it drinkably moreish.

www.orchardpig.co.uk

Southwestern DistilleryCornish Dry GinTarquin’s Handcrafted Cornish Dry Gin ismade in tiny batches (the old-fashionedway) by the coast of north Cornwall usingfragrant handpicked violets and citrus zest.Every bottle is filled, labelled, wax dipped,stamped and signed by hand.www.southwesterndistillery.com


The West Country has areputation for offering a spiritualhome to creative thinkers, whichcould go some way to explainingwhy it has seen an influx of start-upartisan producers in recent years.Relative newcomer Cornish CheeseCo is now cohabiting with localcheesemaking icons such asQuickes, Godminster and

A s home to not only theiconic FarmhouseCheddar butinternationally-acclaimed

cheeses such as Cornish Yarg, theWest Country is rightfully recognisedas one of the strongholds ofcheesemaking within the UK. Andno wonder, with a heritage datingback to the twelfth century andconditions considered to be ideal forcheese making, the region has aunique story to tell when it comes tothe production of a great range ofcheeses.

The caves of Cheddar Gorgehave for centuries been used tomature Cheddars; their uniqueenvironment adds an unusualflavour and complexity to thecheese – a distinctive combinationof strength and earthiness.

But it's not only the region'siconic Cheddars that have earnedits enviable reputation; from softcheeses such as Godminster Brieand Somerset Camembert to theCornish garlic leaf-wrapped Yarg, allbases are covered.

award-winning Cheddars and stillhave no plans of moving on topastures new.

The West Country FarmhouseCheddar PDO which Keens Cheddarcurrently holds means that a trueCheddar can not be producedoutside of Somerset, Dorset andDevon. This helps to preserve boththe history and the future of whattruly is a specialist produce.

As a cheeseproducer reveredacross the UKand beyond,Godminster hasbecome anarchetypal

example of West Country cheese.Deborah Chambers tells us justwhat it is that makes it so special

Becoming an enduring icon takestime, and in that respect it's notunlike a great cheese. TheGodminster land around Bruton hasbeen farmed for a thousand years,there has been dairy farming atGodminster farm for over a centuryand the recipe for our VintageOrganic Cheddar is over seventyyears old. Having heritage is a handystarting point!

Being an icon means being arepresentative symbol. In thatrespect, remaining an icon can alsomean moving with the times. In linewith this, the recipe for GodminsterVintage Organic Cheddar has beenrefined over the years; for its loyalfans its taste, texture andappearance are unique.

Godminster's West Countryprovenance is an important part of itsappeal. It is an icon of the WestCountry because it brings all theseattributes together in a singleproduct, and for those in the know,

Diane Keen ofKeen's Cheddarexplains thevalue of one ofthe WestCountry's mostrevered exports

– Farmhouse Cheddar

Farmhouse Cheddar was oncemade in the kitchens of most dairyfarms as a way to preserve summermilk, and the Cheddar was then soldto create an income for the farmerduring the long winter months whenmilk wasn’t being produced for sale.As is always the case, timeschanged and modern farmingmethods meant that cows could bemilked all year round – meaning theart of making a good FarmhouseCheddar has been nearly lost overrecent years.

Trying to compare FarmhouseCheddar to manufactured Cheddaris like trying to compare, well, chalkand cheese. The FarmhouseCheddar we make is created entirelyby hand, by a skilled artisancheesemaker, and we turn thecheese by hand while it is maturing.It really comes into its own after 12to 18 months of maturing.

Farmhouse Cheddars have adeeper flavour, often with slightvariants depending on all kind offactors from the weather on the dayof milking to the field the cow was in.The texture is also more rustic, andtraditional Farmhouse Cheddarshaving more crumble to them thantheir manufactured counterparts.

The Keens have been makingcheese for as long as anybody canrecall, but it was when the familymoved to Moorhayes Farm in 1899that the records officially began. Fivegenerations later and the Keens arestill at Moorhayes, still creating


Montgomery's, and all aresuccessfully bolstering the SouthWest's well-earned reputation forfine quality cheeses.

We speak to two highlyrespected local producers and apassionate retailer to discoverhow and why the region hasacquired its legendarycheesemaking status.

Western Culture

“With the resurgence of an interest in artisanalfood produced by small producers, the only way

it up when it comes to Farmhouse Cheddar”


There's a myriad of reasons why West Country cheese isfamed throughout the UK and abroad. Speciality Foodspeaks to locals in the know to find out more

Traditional West Country cheese from Quickes


Godminster Vintage Cheddar isimmediately recognisable both on theshelf and when eaten.

Well-publicised issues about thefood we eat over the past 20 yearshave increased the importance ofprovenance in some shoppers'buying decisions. Trusting wherefood comes from, that food is madewith the ingredients on the label, andthat it is produced so it is safe to eathave now replaced what mightpreviously have been blind faith in theorigins of our food. The traceabilityand consistent eating quality ofGodminster's cheeses means it hasearned this trust – for example, fromstart to finish its Brie is producedwithin a single square mile.

As a brand, Godminster’s story ispart of the way it differentiates itselffrom the competition. There are nowso many cheeses to choose from,that it's important for the tale of itscheeses to be told.

Stock Check


IAN WELLENSof The Cheese Shed, a Devon-basedretailer focused on spreading the word offine West Country cheeses, shares his topsellers and personal favourites

Why the focus on West Country cheeses?Well, first of all, we’re the home of Cheddar,which I suppose could lay claim to being oneof the world’s most popular cheeses. A lot ofwhat is sold under that name bears littleresemblance to the cheese as made traditionally, but what we have here isa number of makers – Quickes, Keen’s, Montgomery’s, Westcombe andothers – who are still making the real thing. That’s very much our claim tofame in the South West.

Beyond that, we have a very strong connection with dairy farming, andit has often been the place you go to if you want to start some small,alternative venture – in the crafts, the arts... or food. The region tends toattract innovative, independent-minded people who want to do somethingdifferent – so many of the ‘pioneers’ of the artisan cheese revival basedthemselves down here, with the result that alongside the heritage ofCheddar, we have some of the most important newer cheeses as well.

Personal favourites?A very tough question for someone selling 100+ cheeses (!) but I’m veryfond of Haytor, made by Rachel Stephens. Quickes' two-year maturedVintage Cheddar is about as good as it gets in the Cheddar department.Beenleigh Blue is a cheese I never get tired of, and Helford White – asquishy washed rind cheese from Cornwall – is one I’m especially partial to.Everything about this one – colour, texture, taste – works for me.

Best-sellers?We get through lots of Quickes Cheddar, Cornish Yarg too. Cornish Bluegoes very well (we sell the rennet version). Among the softs, PeteHumphries’s White Nancy is a soft goats’ cheese which people can’t getenough of once they’ve tried it.

Any cheesy tip-offs?Try Millstone from Wootton Organic Dairy. The Bartlett brothers use theirown unpasteurised organic ewes’ milk for this (and their soft cheese LittleRyding). This is just a terrific cheese – quite hard and with a dry texturewhich I really like. We need more sheep's milk cheeses, especially if they’reas good as this.

Also Cremet, made by Sharpham. This is unique in that it’s a mould-ripened (i.e Brie family) goats’ milk cheese which has cows’ cream added.They tell us there’s nothing else like it in the UK, and I should think that’sprobably right.

Cornish YargMade from pasteurised cows’ milk,this is a young, fresh lemony cheese,creamy under its natural rind andslightly crumbly in the core. www.lynherdairies.co.uk

Godminster Brie Handmade artisan organic brie in a

delightful heart shape, made withfresh milk delivered daily from

Godminster Farm in Bruton. A lovelycreamy texture.

www.godminster.com

Quickes DoubleGloucesterMatured for up to 4 months with asubtle buttery yet tangy flavour.Annatto is used to give this cheeseits distinctive orange hue. www.quickes.co.uk

Sharpham CheeseDairy Rustic

The Plain Rustic is a semi-hard,unpasteurised cheese made with

Jersey cow milk. It has a fresh, lemony,creamy flavour when young, developing

a lovely nutty taste when mature. www.sharpham.com

Beenleigh BlueThe nature of the cheese variesgreatly over the season. The firstcheeses for sale in June are verylight, fresh, and quite crumblywhereas the older cheeses developsignificantly greater depth of flavourand become richer and creamier. www.ticklemorecheese.co.uk

Bath Soft Cheese CoWyfe of BathSucculent, nutty and creamy. Thissemi-hard cheese is made byplacing the curd in cloth linedbaskets; it retains the basket shapeand has a soft light caramel colour.www.parkfarm.co.uk

Montgomery'sMature Cheddar

The epitome of traditional, handmade,unpasteurised Somerset Cheddar,

matured for 12 months wrapped inmuslin cloth on wooden shelves and has

deep, rich, nutty flavours.www.montgomerycheese.co.uk

“Godminster’s WestCountry provenance isan important part of its

appeal”

Dorset Blue VinnyA distinctive blue cheese,

with a strong tang.www.dorsetblue.com


needing fast and filling food for dayson the move.

The West Country's mostfamous pastry is, of course, theCornish Pasty. Awarded PGI statusin 2011, Cornwall's celebrated snackis now protected, and if a pasty isn'tmade in Cornwall and doesn'tconform to PGI specs, it's not aCornish pasty. An authentic Cornishpasty is filled with sliced or dicedpotato, swede, onion, diced orminced beef (which must form atleast 12.5% of the pasty) and a littlesalt and white pepper seasoning.The pastry can be shortcrust, roughpuff or puff and is glazed with egg or

W arm snacks-to-go canbe real footfall finders,energy-offeringcalorific pastries in

particular. Many farm shops havefound that the provision of heatedpies and pastries can encourage agreat deal of casual custom, whetherthey are bought over the counter orin the shop's cafe or restaurant.Warm meat or fruit pies have beencited time and again among thebest-selling items of many farmshops spoken to by Speciality Food.In the West Country, pies andpastries sell briskly both to localsand also to the flocks of tourists

DORSET PIESWeymouth's Dorset Pie Companywas established by Gemma andJason Major in 2013.

We converted our utility room athome into our pie kitchen andstarted selling our pies at the DorsetFarmers' Markets. Our aim was (andstill is) to produce a pie that hasingredients that are sourced wherepossible from our county, using othersmall producers, resulting in aproduct that has provenance and isunique to Dorset.

The West Country has a strongtradition of making pasties - howtrue is this for pies?The West Country, where there is ahistorical tradition, will always beknown for its pasties. Pies arebecoming very popular and there area number of well known, awardwinning producers that are based inWest Country who specialise in pies.The true definition of a pie is that ithas to be encased in pastry – noneof these inferior casseroles with apastry top!

What is West Country aboutyour pies?We select our ingredients verycarefully, often using other localproducers. We have a varied offeringof flavours, from traditional Steak andAle to more adventurous MoroccanChicken. What makes our pies WestCountry is our passion to source asmuch as possible from our county,from the meat to the ale to the splashof award-winning Dorsetshire Sauce,made by From Dorset With Love.

Salt. We shout about our amazingingredients, that we have carefullysourced to ensure they aresustainably produced.

How effective are pies as acrowd-puller for farm shopsand delis? Pies are incredibly popular, everyoneloves a pie. They are great to graband go, or serve with buttery mashand luscious gravy. Picnics,gatherings, walks on the moors,customers can always find room intheir pocket for a well wrapped pie.

How is the market for gourmetsausage rolls? We cannot make these quickenough! Our Saddleback & Chorizosausage roll is a real winner – theyseem to fly out the door and areloved by everyone. These are perfectfor festive banqueting or gifting.

Stock Check


milk. A proper Cornish pasty isformed in a 'D' shape, with itsedges crimped.

But while the authentic meatand vegetable PGI pasty asdescribed above is alive and well,pasties filled with a huge variety ofother fillings are hugely popular andare no less traditional. Pastiescontaining jams and fruit provide aquick fix for the sweet-toothed.Often locally referred to as oggies,the Cornish pasty was originally ahandy, easily portable meal for tinminers. This was occasionally filledwith meat and vegetables at oneend and a fruit filling at the other,thus providing a complete meal in asingle pastry casing. The pasty isas versatile as it is popular andretailing your own version, filled withlocally-produced meat, fruit andvegetables, can give you a tastyspeciality that's individually your own.

LITTLE FEASTSDevon-based pie maker TheLittle Feast Company sourcesall ingredients locally, saysowner Abby Allen

We established The Little FeastCompany on 1st August 2014 aftergoing on a long mission to find thebest ingredients produced locally.We believe that eating shouldalways be an experience to savour,every mouthful a treat. Our food isdesigned to give you a moment toyourself, an indulgent experience.

The West Country has a strongtradition of making pasties –how true is this for pies? We have some of the finest farmersand growers in the country righthere on our doorstep, so makingpies should come as secondnature. Being farmers ourselves, wefully appreciate, after a tough dayout in the wilds, coming home tosomething warming andcomforting. A pie is the ultimatecomforting feast.

What is 'West Country' aboutyour pies? Not only are our pies handmade byour chefs in Devon, but every singleingredient is sourced from ourdoorstep. From native Red Rubybeef and Otter Ale from East Devonto seasoning from Cornish Sea

Pasties and Pies


The PGI protected Cornish pastie may rule supreme, but theWest Country is hot on other kinds of savoury bakes, too

Tom's Pies Chicken,Ham Hock & Leek pie

Tom's Pies Chicken, Ham Hock &Leek pie is full of flavour using farm-

assured chicken and succulentham hock.

www.toms-pies.co.uk

Proper Cornish pastyHandmade Cornish pasty withtender steak, locally-sourced swede,potatoes and onions encased inhand crimped pastry.www.propercornish.co.uk

The Chunk of DevonSteak Pasty Winner of more National Awardsthan any other uses a traditionalrecipe – beef skirt, spud, swede andonion – made as only we know how! www.takeachunk.com

The Unusual PorkPie Company

The Unusual Pork Pie Company usemouth-watering pork and herb mixture,surrounded by authentic jelly flavouring

for their pork pies and can create pies forspecial occasions.

www.theunusualporkpiecompany.co.uk

Pies and sausage rolls from Little Feast


How effective are pies as a crowd-puller for farm shopsand delis?

Pies seem to be in populardemand. Who can resist ahandmade pie with butter shortcrustcrammed with delicious filling? Ourpies are becoming well knownacross the county; we have out-grown our utility and now have abakery. We not only sell at thefarmers markets, but now wholesaleto many farm shops, delis andindependent shops. A good pie willalways be a crowd-puller.

one which are evident in theproducts we continue to produce today.

What did you want to do thatwas different?Use quality locally-sourcedingredients where we could, andkeep our pasties as natural aspossible. We are passionate aboutthe traditional Cornish pasty andabout making these to a specificrecipe with a specific crimp.

What is the secret to making agood pasty?Using locally-sourced ingredientswhere possible and hand-crimping.We hand-crimp over 50,000 pastiesa day, and each one is made withcare and passion. And, as ourpasties are frozen, they are eachfreshly-baked, which adds to theflavoursome, homemade taste.

Where do you source youringredients?We source our ingredients locallywhere possible. Potatoes are fromColwith Farm and swede andonions from Hay Farm in Cornwall.We also use Davidstow cheese andmilk, and butter and yoghurt fromCornish farms.

How many pasties do youmake annually?We make over 13 million hand-crimped pasties a year plus ourother range of pasties, sausagerolls and savoury slices.

How many fillings do you offer?Over the years, our dedicatedproduct development team hascreated over 70 different recipes,from Traditional and Cheese toBalti, Chicken and Chorizo andmore recently, Piri Piri and PhillyCheesesteak.

You supply wholesalers andtourist outlets as well asindependent retailers – can youstill claim to be an artisanproducer?There is certainly an art to making aCornish pasty – we follow a PGI(Protected Geographical Indication)recipe and methods, hand-crimpingwith love and care every day.

Why did you decide to extendyour fillings beyond the PGIstipulated fillings of sliced ordiced potato, swede, onion anddiced or minced beef? The PGI recipe, used to call a pastya ‘Cornish Pasty,’ applies to thetraditional Cornish steak pasty,which is our biggest seller. All of ourpasties are made in Cornwall andour range of fillings have beendeveloped based on customerrequests and food trends over the years.

Why should independentretailers stock Cornish pasties?The Cornish pasty was originally afilling, hand-held snack eaten byminers after a hard morningworking underground. Today, thepasty is eaten at all times of the dayby all kinds of people on the go anda Proper Cornish pasty is anaward-winning, delicious,handmade food from Cornwallcontaining local produce. At ProperCornish, we offer the whole supportpackage for an authentic Cornishexperience.

Proper CornishProper Cornish began makingCornish pasties in a convertedgarage, as founder andmanaging director ChrisPauling explains

When was Proper Cornishestablished?In1988, in Bodmin, Cornwall, whereour bakery still is today. We startedmaking pasties in a convertedgarage and although we nowoperate from a new bakery, we still use many of the same methods today.

What was wrong withcommercially available productsbeing made at the time?There was little focus on the qualityof the ingredients and the traditionalart of pasty making. Both are keyvalues our company upholds and


Chris Pauling of Proper Cornish

A Proper Cornish pasty




& Chocolate Flake. My currentpersonal favourite is Toffee & Hazelnut!

The Cornish climate is a bitspecial in terms of it being a milder,more temperate place than the restof the UK. With the Lizard Peninsulabeing almost an island in its ownright, it benefits from the pure seaair and amazingly fertile grazingland, resulting in a top-qualityproduct that’s a cut above the rest.

Our Cornish heritage goes backa long way, and is reflected in theway we approach both farming andmaking ice cream. We farm the land

with the love and respect that theCornish natural surroundingsdeserve. We take into account thediverse flora and fauna that isCornwall when looking at projectson the farm and, of course, wedon’t rush things, opting to workwith the seasons in order to getthe best quality from thelandscape. This is then pulledthrough to our ice cream makingbusiness and results in afantastically pure and natural icecream. Sorbets get the same careand attention, as we use waterfrom our own natural spring.

T he lush green landscapeof the West Country is atonce synonymous withdairy production and

holiday making alike, so it seemsonly natural that the region shouldbe one of the top sources of icecream in the UK.

Golden Cornish ice cream isone of the beacons of the area, andthanks to its unique colour –imparted by clotted cream – it hasbecome known internationally as aclassic British foodstuff. That's notto say that more inventive flavoursaren't best-sellers too; fromliquorice fudge to crèmecappuccino, ice cream makers arebecoming increasingly adventurouswhen it comes to creating new andexciting products.

To cash in on West Country icecream, be sure to tell its story. Aswith any food product from thisregion, promoting this ice cream'sheritage is a sure fire way to conjureup thoughts of sunny coastal visitsand striped deckchairs – a valuablepicture indeed.

Laura Mounce ofLifton FarmShop tellsSpeciality Foodwhat makes itsice creamspecial

We make our own artisan ice creamusing our own soft fruit grown onthe farm. We sell our ice cream incones and tubs, in larger tubs fortaking home and of course toaccompany our homemadedesserts in our restaurant. We alsomake some delicious homemadeice cream sundaes!

The fact that we make all of ourice cream on site using aningredient that we produce on thefarm makes it niche to any otherproducer – that’s why people buy itand why it has become one of ourmost wanted product all year round.

Olly Godfrey ofRoskilly's sharesthe story ofone of theWest Country'smost iconicbrands

Roskilly’s is a small, working organicCornish farm, perched on thebeautiful southern tip of Cornwall.We have developed the businessover 60 years, after Joe and RachelRoskilly inherited the farm fromJoe’s fairy godmother in 1950. It allstarted with selling our deliciousclotted cream, and now, with a herdof just over 130 Jersey cows grazingan area of approximately 300 acres,our organic Jersey milk is used topredominantly make ice cream. Ourmilk is high in butterfat, milk solids,protein, calcium and antioxidants,and therefore makes a fantasticfoundation for a great ice cream.

We are most famous for our icecreams and sorbets, but we alsoproduce fudge (with a new range inthe pipeline for 2015) plus chutneysand jam which helps in the shortwinter season (we're alwaysoptimistic!). Our most popular icecream is undoubtedly our ClottedCream Vanilla Bean, but it has tofend off competition from the likesof our Salt Caramel and Wild Cherry

With its warmer climate, rolling fieldsand seaside havens, it's no wonder

the West Country is the spiritual homeof ice cream. Speciality Food explores

the story behind its popularity

TheIce Cream

Coast

Stock CheckMarshfield Rum & Raisins

An expert blend of dairy ice cream withjumbo raisins that have been steeped

in rum overnight.www.marshfield-icecream.co.uk

Callestick Clotted Cream& RaspberriesA classic pairing, reminiscentof summer.www.callestickfarm.co.uk

Yarde Farm Brandy Butter& Clotted CreamMade with real West Country clottedcream, butter and real brandy.www.yardefarmicecream.co.uk

Mendip Moments BananaWith Salted Caramel

An award-winning combination of realbananas and salted caramel.

www.mendipmoments.co.uk

Treleavens ChocolateIce CreamMade to our own special recipewhich makes it twice as chocolateyand deliciously decadent.www.treleavens.co.uk

Lovingtons Cornish SeaSalted Caramel

The sweetness of caramel double creamice cream with a hint of Cornish Sea salt.

Beautifully made in Somerset.www.lovingtons.co.uk

“The future of food in the West Country isbeing realised as it’s now a ‘foodie’

destination in its own right, definitely on themap, and only seems to be growing in terms of

the type of businesses and holiday makersbeing attracted to the area for work and play,and Cornwall in particular. We have all thefundamental elements right here, and beingcreative with this top quality produce is the

key. The future’s bright, the future’s Orange & Mascarpone”

Olly Godfrey, Roskillys


with ginger, with elderflower,with pear. By then, I had livedfor nearly 10 years in Sicily, aplace which imparts a certainunderstanding of how foodshould be prepared – andusually this means nocompromises. With

connections I had made in Sicily,we developed Sicilian Lemonadeand the ginger beers.

Has your location beenhelpful in any way?Logistically it is challenging, butDevon has extraordinary beautyand inspires. A good business anda beautiful place to live seem linkedin some way.

What were the keymoments on the roadto where you standnow?The Great Taste Awards were thefirst big ones. Gaining recognition atnational level by an industrystandard was very important to usat that fledgling moment. Also, veryearly on, we achieved listings withinthe top tier. Fortnum & Mason,Selfridges, every restaurant inHarrod’s and the John Lewispartneship wanted Luscombe. Westill hold those accounts now, 15years later. It is sales to these andother independent outlets that wecherish and that keeps us awayfrom supermarkets.

What is your ethos?Our ethos is a simple one – to begenuine, to make soft drinks of thehighest quality and withoutcompromise.

Where do you sourceyour fruit and otheringredients?I spend a lot of time travellingEurope and visiting trade fairs,forging relationships with growersand suppliers. It’s not as simple ascalling up a juice broker andexpecting the best-tasting juice.You have to go to the source, the

grower, and make relationships toget the best of their crops.

Tell me about thecurrent rangeOur current range comprises 23different flavours, includingBlueberry, Raspberry, Strawberry,and Cranberry Crush. In the bubblyrange are Elderflower and our newDamascene Rose. We also havethree ginger beers, Hot and Cooland now a Passionate Ginger beer,made with passion fruit juice.

Which are your best-selling products? Difficult to say. With a range of 23,they sell differently in differentplaces. A range as large as thisallows retailers and restaurants tostock a different selection from theircompetitors and to keep their offerfresh. We are known for our HotGinger beer and our SicilianLemonade but the other varietiessell well too.

What makes theseproducts suitable fordelis and farm shops?First and foremost, what anybusiness needs is a product rangethat sells repeatedly. A range needsto be reliably available andconsistently high quality. It alsohelps to be something that cannotbe bought in a supermarket or from


Tell me about howLuscombe was born,and what were youraims when youstarted out?Luscombe was born in 1975 as aclassic farm diversification project. Ilive about three miles up a lane, withno means of getting out sociallyother than driving. Going to pubs at17 offered such a poor choice ofnon-alcoholic drinks: a lowly lime-and-soda, or a Britvic 55. Even then,

I knew that somethingbetter was achievable.Some years later, I couldcorrect that problem. I havealways been very particularabout taste, and aboutwhat I eat and drink.Luscombe Cider, as it wasthen, was an ailing family

business. I knew I couldprovide the qualitydifference it needed.But I had to prove myskills to the family – itcertainly wasn’tnepotism.

How did youpersonallycome to beinvolved? I took it on in 1997,after which we movedinto apple juices, apple

other mainstreamoutlets. Repeat salesis the key. Someproducts will sell oncebecause they arelocal, but unless thequality and follow-through areconsistent, then thesales don’t repeat.Luscombeproducts look andtaste as theyshould and aredeserving of the10-15p premium –an affordableluxury.

What canretailers doto increasesales of yourproducts? They can offer tastings andgive the products a prominentposition on their shelves. We willcredit the cost of all product usedin tastings – and outlets can do thatas often as they like. We evenprovide tasting cups and literature.We have two annual promotionsacross the whole range, but wealso aim to give the lesser-knowndrinks some ‘airtime’. This worksamazingly well – people loveLuscombe, so giving them theopportunity to taste one that theyhaven’t had before works very well.

What sort of retailersupport can you give? We have a growing range of veryrespected point-of-sale materials.We like to discuss retailers' needsso we can then tailor our support totheir needs. We want you to sell asmuch as you can, so we try to beas helpful as we can.

What's next forLuscombe? Where people want high-quality,great-tasting soft drinks, Luscombeplans to be there (sorry, butsupermarkets are excluded)!

Where does Luscombestand in the drinksmarket right now?Luscombe is an independentproducer in the artisan soft drinksmarket. It's large enough to copewith the burgeoning demands ofthis sector, but we remain the onlysizeable soft drinks brand not tosell to supermarkets – Luscombehas a very definite policy on this.

How many productsdo you make?We make 23 different products,mostly in a single-serving sizeand a wine bottle size, fromginger beers, crushes and juicesto bubblies.

How many peoplemake them?There are 32 people in theLuscombe team.

A key player in the artisan soft drinksmarket is the Devon-based companyLuscombe. Founder, owner andmanaging director, Gabriel David explainsthe company's development and ethos

Meet the


Red Ruby Devon BeefRed Ruby Devon Beef is exceptionally fine-grained and

marbled. Alan Williams, Michelin-starred chef has namedgrass-reared Red Ruby Devon beef as his first choice onthe menu at his famed London restaurant, The Westbury:"Red Ruby Devon beef is so flavoursome, and because it

is encased in a layer of its own fat it cooks perfectly."Red Ruby Devon beef is available from quality butchersand farmers of pedigree beef herds around England. Tofind a supplier go to www.redrubydevon.co.uk and click

through to the Buying Beef page.01404 812 800

[email protected]


TracklementsLove is… Tracklements Chilli Jam Hearts. These delightful

heart-shaped jars are filled with award-winningTracklements Chilli Jam. A must-stock item for Valentine’s

Day, they make an attractive display and brilliant year-round gifts for chilli lovers. Tracklements have been makingtheir award-winning condiments by hand for 45 years andare proud to have been voted Best Supplier of Pickles and

Chutneys for the fourth year in a row.01666 827 044

[email protected]

Highfield PreservesHandmade with West Country Scrumpy Cider and packedwith apples, this award-winning chutney makes a delicious

accompaniment to a traditional ploughman’s meal.Eat with a good quality, hard Cheddar cheese or with coldmeats, pork pies or sausages. Our family business been

producing fine quality preserves in Devon, the heart of theWest Country, for over 30 years, and this product is a firm

favourite with our customers.T: 01884 821 779

E: [email protected]: www.highfieldpreserves.co.uk

Sheppy’s CiderThe Sheppy family has been perfecting premium cider making in the WestCountry for almost 200 years, so they really do know their apples. Based inTaunton, Somerset, they have remained true to that heritage and tradition –

making cider just the way it should be. Their artisanal approach – usingnatural fermentation processes – and the quality of ingredients selected is

what makes Sheppy’s Cider taste so good. The Sheppy’s collection featuresstill, single and blended varieties such as Great Taste Top 50 and QualityDrinks Award-winner Oak Matured Vintage, Great Taste Award-winnerDabinett and the latest addition, Sheppy’s Mulled Cider. The ciders are

packaged in bottle, bag in box and keg format, and are equally popular inretail and on-trade.


Furniss Biscuits Since 1886, Furniss has been baking biscuits from Cornwall in one

of the only factories in Britain that can genuinely recreate a ‘baked athome’ taste. The new mini biscuits, with beautifully designedpackaging, are the perfect snack whilst on the go. Made with

delicious quality ingredients, Dark Chocolate and Original Gingers,Butter Shortbread and Choc Chip Cookie Biscuits are available in

40g bags in cases of 18 and 40, bringing the taste of Ayrshire to your celebration.

T: 01208 265 838E: [email protected]

W: www.furniss-foods.co.uk

Chunk of DevonIn deepest Devon there are rich pickings this March. Pie

maker Chunk of Devon has conjured up a classicdelicacy that doffs its hat to the heritage of British pie

making. The Steak & Kidney pie, now a staple of the pieworld, had a very different taste in early Victorian times;offal was scarce and oysters plentiful – so was born the

perfect combination of Beef & Oyster Pie.This wonderfully succulent pie is available only for British

Pie Week and the month of March.Go on – take a chunk!


Luscombe DrinksLuscombe Drinks’ new Damascene Rose Bubbly offers a

serious alternative to a glass of Champagne for the discerningnon-drinker. This delicate, fragrant bubbly is a celebration ofthe Majestic rose of the Orient, with Muscat grape juice andDamascene rose water gently combined with Sicilian lemonand spring water. Elegantly presented in a unique Luscombeembossed glass bottle, Damascene Rose Bubbly is available

in a 32cl screw top bottle (RSP from £1.79).01364 643 036

[email protected]

WEST COUNTRYFLAVOUR OF THE



GodminsterGodminster’s Organic Garlic & Chive Brie, which recentlywon prizes at both the International and Global CheeseAwards, is lovingly handmade in the beautiful markettown of Bruton, Somerset. One of the secrets to theirsuccess is the fresh organic milk delivered daily from

their 1,300 acre farm only one mile away to their dairy.With its award-winning flavour, British credentials and

iconic packaging, this is a must-have for any discerning cheese counter.


Quickes TraditionalQuickes continue to play an essential part in the West Country’sthriving food scene. Always keen to educate the public about the

intricacies of traditional clothbound cheese-making and theimportance of sustainable farming, Quickes are developing the

scope of their regular dairy tours. Visitors to Home Farm can seethe dairy in action, visit the cheese cathedral and meet the herd.

Their Farm Shop and the recently opened Kitchen showcasefabulous produce from the local area.


Deli Farm CharcuterieDeli Farm Charcuterie are one of the UK’s pioneering producers preservingmeat by air drying; they only use prime cuts of meat from locally sourced

producers in all their artisan products, since starting 10 years ago they havebeen consistently winning Great Taste and Taste of the West Awards,including the coveted Taste of the West Champion Product. They are

combining traditional methods with modern technology to create perfectclimatic conditions for drying.

01840 214 106 [email protected] www.delifarmcharuterie.co.uk

Rodda’sCentral to the West Country food scene is Cornish company Rodda’s,

which has been producing traditional clotted cream and authenticfarmhouse butter since 1890.

Stocked by top shops, Rodda’s famous clotted cream is made bygently baking local cream until it’s thick, unctuous and thoroughlydollopable! Rodda’s butter will remind you of what proper butter

should be: rich, golden and beautifully marbled. The company alsoproduces custard and crème fraîche.


www.roddas.co.uk

The Cherry TreeThe Cherry Tree is a family-run business based in Dorset which has

been producing jams, marmalades and other fine products since 1997.Using only the finest ingredients and following traditional recipes, all

products are hand-cooked in small batches.Among the fine jams produced here are the Morello Cherry,

Blackcurrant & Sloe Gin Jam and Pear & Ginger Jam, all of which willoffer points of difference to the shelves of your deli.


Cornish CheeseCompany

Cornish Blue is a full fat, blue veined cheese, with a naturalrind made from pasteurised cows milk. It’s perfect on a classiccheese board or as a versatile cooking ingredient, adding richflavours to dishes and sauces. Also excellent enjoyed on it’s

own with a full bodied red wine or a sweet port.Cornish Blue Cheese has been produced on the Stansfield’sFarm on Bodmin Moor, in Cornwall since 2001. The sweet

mild creamy cheese of distinctive character has beeninternationally recognised by the many awards it has won

including; World Cheese Awards Champion Cheese in 2010and Best Blue and English Cheese in 2007.


www.cornishcheese.co.uk

Bath AlesBeer lovers across the UK are sure to be delighted with BathAles’ extensive collection – ranging from pale ales and craft

beers to smooth, dark bitters.Not only has Bath Ales successfully produced some of thebest beers the South West has to offer – its quintessentially

English Gem is an award-winner – but it’s also expanded intothe world of fine ciders and recently launched a premium

whisky, Gem Aqua Vitae. A true taste of the West Country!0117 947 4797

[email protected]

Devon JuicerUsing traditional methods, The Devon Juicer creates freshly

pressed juices in the heart of the West Country.The range currently consists of Apple Juice, Apple & Elderflower,

Apple and Pear and Apple & Ginger, and two bottle sizes areavailable – 75cl. and 33cl.

Unlike many other apple juice producers, our apples are all hand-picked. It is never diluted, and nothing is added that isn’t natural –ensuring that the true taste of Devon apples is there to be enjoyed

from shops and cafés within 100 miles of our orchards.For information on introductory offers and the generous margins

that can be earned, please call Tim at GR Fine Foods.01548 854 259

[email protected] www.devonjuicer.co.uk



EditorRoss Gilfillan, 01206 505971 [email protected]

Deputy EditorHolly Shackleton, 01206 [email protected]

Group EditorCharlotte Smith [email protected]

Group Advertising ManagerSam Reubin 01206 [email protected]

Senior Advertising ExecutiveAaron Northcott 01206 505934 [email protected]

AccountsSue Carr 01206 505901

Graphic DesignLee Whiteford

Design/Repro/TypesettingAceville Publications 21-23 Phoenix Court,

Hawkins Road,Colchester, Essex, CO2 8JY

PublisherHelen Tudor 01206 505970

Published byAceville Publications Ltd, 21-23 Phoenix Court,

Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8JY

Next issue available March/April 2014

SubscriptionsAndrea Dickson 01206 505961

[email protected]

The BAR rate UK £29.25 Annual subscription UK £25.00, Overseas £40.00 Tel. 01778 392464

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort is made toensure the veracity and integrity of the companies, persons, products and services mentioned in this publication, and detailsgiven are believed to be accurate at the time of going to press. However no responsibility or liability whatsoever can beaccepted for any consequence or repercussion of responding to any information or advice given or inferred.

SPECIALITY FOOD PRODUCTION

Who owns and runs the business?CB: Michael and Charlotte Billinghurst.

How many customers do you attract annually?CB: 24,000.

How good is your location and why? CB: It is the only area of Edinburgh we consideredopening our own delicatessen. Bruntsfield is one of thefew areas of the city that is dominated by independentshops, such as a fishmonger, butcher and greengrocer,making it a shopping destination for customers within awide radius.

What's special or unusual about your business? CB: We specialise in giving shelf space on the high streetto small producers who often only have the opportunity tosell at markets or farm shops. We are happy to deal withmany producers or suppliers directly (we have over 40suppliers to date) to give our customers an unrivalledvariety of the finest quality.

Tell me about the items you stock.CB: Pea Green Boat Cheese Sables, Umami Fifth TasteCurry Kits, Edward & Erwyn Chocolates, MarshmallowLady Marshmallows, Edward & Irwyn Chocolate, OcelotChocolate, The Little Herb Farm, Puddledub Pork,Findlaters Pate & Dips, Perthshire Preserves, La TuaPasta, The Proof of the Pudding, Fine Cheese Company,Prince & Sons tea, SugarSin.

What are your best-selling deli items? CB: Our own freshly-made quiches and scones, 181Pesto, 181 Zesty Lemon Hummus, 181 Ragu.

What cheese do you stock?CB: Costa Gorgonzola Dolce, Colston Basset Stilton,Montgomery's Cheddar, Humphrey Errington's Cora Linn,Wyngaard Gouda, Provolone Piccante, Bleu de Causses,Vacherin Mont d'Or, Monte Enebro, Crottin Chavignol,Quadrello di Bufala.

What cheeses sell particularly well?CB: Gorgonzola Dolce, Brie de Meaux and also theWyngaard Gouda,

What sort of people have you been attracting?CB: We are delighted that we have so far attracted awide range of customers. We set up the delicatessen andstructured our pricing to offer great quality produce, nomatter what the budget.

How important is pricing? CB: Very important. It is vital to maintain absolute qualitywhilst maintaining the customer perception of good value.

Do you offer other facilities? CB: We have a small café at the back of the shop, offer abespoke hamper service and outside catering options.

What are your hot-selling menu items at the cafe?CB: We specialise in platters that offer what we sell in thedelicatessen for customers to sample a taster of unusualor specialised produce.

Spice of Life

Ididn't start in thisbusiness as a foodjournalist. In fact, Ibegan as a young

sports reporter on alocal rag, despite hardly knowingone end of a football from theother. Sports reporting issomething you can only really blagfor so long and then you get foundout. My downfall came when I wassent to cover an appearance ofthe Courage Old England Eleven,a charity side playing on KewGreen, made up of players whowere then the recent greats ofEnglish cricket. However, at thetime, names such as TomGraveney, John Snow and MikeDenness were lost on me. Theonly player whose name did ring abell was Freddie Trueman. Idecided to interview him duringtea. This was when the players,and about five hundred otherpeople, crowded into the pavilion,which soon looked like one ofthose phone boxes into whichpeople have stuffed themselves toget into the Guinness Book ofRecords. Through gaps in a sea ofblue blazers and striped ties Icaught glimpses of the long table

Any difficulties in setting up your business? CB: The main difficulty was pushing through fundingwhen we found a suitable site. Each time we found a sitewe had to resubmit a business plan to the lender specificto that site and await new approval.

How were these overcome? CB: By having a business plan that was sufficiently flexibleto cope with changes, and contacting the bank to chaseup an answer.

Do you have another revenue stream?CB: Our main alternative revenue stream has been havingthe café at the back of the shop. It has taken in a farhigher percentage of the turnover than we anticipated,which has been a pleasant surprise. We expect theoutside catering side to grow throughout 2015.

What's the best aspect of running this business?CB: Dealing with wonderfully enthusiastic and hardworking small producers, and selling their produce tocustomers who are so enthused to buy it.

What's your background before doing this?CB: Michael's parents owned a hotel and restaurant andMichael worked in the restaurant for six years. After this,he worked in Valvona & Crolla for 10 years, followed by astint at Henri Fine Food and Wine for four years. I spentfive years as a private caterer before helping CharlieTurnbull set up Turnbull's Deli in Shaftesbury. I then movedto Edinburgh and worked in Valvona & Crolla, which waswhere I met Michael.

What are your other interests? CB: Our boys are a great source of relaxation and funaway from work, and we both enjoy reading. I love lookingat cookbooks and listening to the Archers omnibus onSunday. Michael is a very keen Formula 1 fan and avidFerrari supporter. Wine is also a great passion and wehope to someday have a licence to sell wine in the shop.

How do you relax? MB: With our five year old, Charlie and three year old,Harry, we enjoy days out to East Lothian and the Borders.We also enjoy visiting each other's families in Perthshireand the Borders.

Where do you hope to be this time next year and intwo years time? CB: This time next year we should have a business thatfills the needs of the local customers. We would like to setup a website in 2015 and use it to widen our audience. Intwo years, I hope the deli and café are settled andestablished as one of the finest in the area. We would alsolike to see the outside catering side of the business beinga large per centage of what we do.

For next issue's Food Chain, Charlotte and MichaelBillinghurst recommend Craigie's Farm of SouthQueensferry.

SFFOOD CHAIN

at which the players sat. Freddiewas seated at one end. Istruggled through the crowd and,fishing out my notebook, squatteddown at the table end and beganto fire off my questions. I can'tremember how the first bit went,only the the last, when I said, "So,Mr Trueman, after being cappedfor England God knows howtimes (I certainly didn't know),how do you feel about playingvillage green cricket?"

This was when I noticed thestrange silence. There was apause before I heard the reply."What do I think of village greencricket?" rumbled a voice at last,"Not a lot, really. For one thing,you don't get paid enoughmoney. And another thing Ishould tell you is that FreddieTrueman is at the other end of thetable." I don't know how I did it,but sure enough, down the otherend of the table was FreddieTrueman, who seemed to beglowering. I made the long walkdown the table to repeat theinterview and then retreatedoutside, vowing never again togo into an interview quite sounprepared.

Howzat?

Last issue's Food Chain subject recommended the 181 Deliin Edinburgh. Ross Gilfillan speaks to Charlotte Billinghurst

foodchainqx_Layout 1 23/01/2015 16:40 Page 1

Would you like to comment on any industry trends, changes or developments? Please email: [email protected]

Sponsored by the speciality foodwholesaler to the UK & Ireland

www.cotswoldfayre.co.uk

Talking Point

I’m originally from Bangor, and had been working inLondon in TV production for the BBC – I started outas a runner in the development department andworked my way up through the ranks. I became acasting director with the drama department at theBBC’s headquarters at White City, during which timeI helped find faces to appear in some of the UK’sbest loved drama series, including EastEndersand Doctors.

Although I enjoyed the job, a few years ago I decidedon a change of career direction. I’d caught the wine bugafter visiting vineyards while travelling around Australia andNew Zealand, so I went for wine. I see wines likecharacters – they have a personality and you have to findthe right role for them by matching them to food and tothe customer’s tastes.

My role is very varied, as it ranges from meetingcustomers in the wine store and talking through what theylike, to working with the team at Bodnant’s Hayloftrestaurant to match wines to the food that’s being createdby our executive chef Dai. Plus supplying wines for eventssuch as weddings and private dinners, and running ourwine club, tasting courses and wine qualification courses.I also work with the cookery school helping show howyou can match wines and foods.

I also work closely with our suppliers – we have 400different wines from around the world. We don’t displaywines by country but by type, and we have a tasting areaso customers can try before they buy. It’s important whenyou have a dinner party that you can tell your guestsabout the wine they are drinking, and why it works wellwith the food you’ve cooked for them.

My proudest achievement at Bodnant is being able todiversify the range of wines available at Bodnant. Thecentre’s ethos is to focus in on Welsh products, and wehave an excellent range of Welsh-made wines, including asparkling one that’s a great alternative to champagne.However, I also like to source wines from a wide range ofareas, such as the Welsh speaking area of Patagonia inSouth America, along with lesser known wines areas likeUruguay, Brazil, Greece, Turkey and India, with grapesthat match the best.

Our prices are as competitive as major suppliers, as Iwork hard to negotiate and build a rapport with suppliers.The shop is well stocked with wines from across theworld, ranging in price from £5.50 to £118 a bottle.However, I’d say that 35 to 40 per cent of our wines areunder £10. Our USP is working with the customer todiscover what they like and then helping them decide on awine they will enjoy.

All the bottles are displayed with a full description ofwhat they are and how they taste, and if people wantmore information about a particular bottle I’m always on-hand to tell them all they need to know.

I've learned to listen to customers and understandwhat it is they need. My background means I’m not atypical sales person and I think that reflects in how I dealwith people. Shoppers who come to Bodnant WelshFood Centre want something different from what’s on offerat supermarkets, and are happy to discuss their likes sowhat they buy is tailored to them. Building on that meansthey return again and again.

I also encourage customers to try a grape or winevariety they may not considered before – so if they likeChablis, I can suggest they taste wines that are similar,perhaps from Patagonia, which are excellent value formoney. Also, the world of wine is constantly changing andso I’m always learning. I was recently on holiday in Cretewith the family, and visited vineyards there to help meunderstand about the local wine. I’d love to visit morevineyards but the demands of the job and family life meanI don’t have the time I’d like.

DO• Do know, taste and believe in your product – it meansyou can talk passionately to customers about it and alsomatch your products to what they want• Do ask for advice and information from your suppliers,so you can pass on this specialist knowledge to customers• Do consider other areas of supply if a traditional sourceis too expensive or not good enough value – we stockEuropean wines but also excellent alternatives fromaround the world

DON’T• Don’t buy a product just on price – if it’s seems toocheap there’s probably a very good reason why, and youcould end up with stock you can’t move• Don’t assume that people will like what you do, find outif a customer prefers rich red or a sweet white wine –there’s a world between• Don’t be scared to negotiate on price – there is oftenroom to manoeuvre

deflated by the summer, if not earlier?1) Our goals and visions wereunrealistic! Ensure that your aims for2015 are within reach of yourresources – people and finance. 2) We are sucked away from ourcore tasks. I would say this ispotentially the number one killer ofour dreams. We start out the yeardoing what we are meant to bedoing, then a member of staff is offsick or on holiday, or simply thatthere is growth and we end up doing someone else’s job rather than recruiting.3) We think that being busy in itself isgood. Similar to the above, butpotentially more serious because thisis what we have spent our lives

Paul Hargreavesof Cotswold FayreOften the start of the year is fullof goal-setting, envisioning ourstaff, making personalresolutions and promises to ourfamilies etc... Or is this just me? Idoubt it.

Many of our business goalsalso go to pot once the pressures ofthe year kick in, and maybeespecially for our sector as Januaryand February are the quietestmonths of the year. Why is it that alot of our good plans for the year goto naught, leaving us frustrated and

Speciality Bites

LastWordsdoing. Long, pointless meetingsgoing round in circles when a simpleset of tasks with accountability andownership is what is required. I amnot anti-relationship at all, the veryopposite, but protracted time in workmeetings reduces the time availableto take a valued customer out for dinner.4) We have the wrong job title andjob. Now, this one I can talk aboutfrom experience. I know that in orderto grow my business I needed tostop being the go-to person at ourhead office, which is essentially acustomer service and operationalhub. I enjoy and am much better atthe sales and marketing side, so thatis what I am doing in 2015. I haverecruited an MD who will manage all

but the sales, marketing and buyingside of Cotswold Fayre. Happy Days– I can now go back to my 2014goals and get them done.5) We haven’t surrounded ourselveswith the right people. Look around atthe key people within your business– are they filling you with positiveenergy? If not, ensure that your nextrecruits do exactly that. I can say thatI achieved some of this in 2014! Infact it took up much of the year!

The end result of all this is thatyou may well end up working less,but working more efficiently andsmartly. Tim Ferriss in his book 4Hour Work Week reckons you canhave a working week that short,which may be a little extreme formost of us. Ironically, I ran out of time


Best PracticeTim Watson, WineCellar Manager atBodnant Food Centreon lessons learned

to finish the book. However, onelesson I learnt was to always to askthe question, could someone else dowhat I am doing now for less cost,leaving me free to do something elsemore enjoyable?

Think about that for the rest ofthis year.

“Shoppers who come to Bodnant Welsh Food Centre want somethingdifferent than what’s on offer at supermarkets, and are happy to discuss

their likes so what they buy is tailored to them”

lastwordsqx_Update updated 23/01/2015 16:42 Page 1

The show will play hostto Great New Ideaslaunched within thespeciality retail market.

The Farm Shop & DeliAwards 2015 will beheld at the show, onMonday 20th April.

The show will begrowing its machinery,packaging, epos,refrigeration andequipment offering.

The show will see thereturn of the hugelypopular Dragon’sPantry and live events.

New for 2015, this areais a must-attenddestination to anyoneseeking innovation andinspiration.

farmshopanddelishow.co.uk@FarmShop_Deli #FSD2015

Due to exceptional demand, the Farm Shop & Deli Show 2015 is expanding and isnow set to be the biggest show yet with a 100% increase in exhibitors comparedto 2014. The exhibition will now bring together over 400 speciality food anddrink exhibitors, as well as safety & hygiene, packaging & technology suppliers.

Co-located with:

This is a trade event. No under 16s will be admitted.

FS&D 280x380>14115 2 aw_Layout 1 14/01/2015 16:07 Page 1

Speciality Food 2015-02

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Transcript of Speciality Food 2015-02