http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php/tools/blocks/page_list/rss?bID=27&cID=59&arHandle=Main We source the latest, attention-grabbing news stories in the UK food&drink industry so you don’t have to. We guarantee that you won’t stumble upon any random DIY or gardening articles here. Instead, visit us daily to check out up-to-date news about the hottest new product launches, government campaigns, marketing initiatives and consumer trends. http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/raisedough-crowdfunding/ Raisedough launches a new way of financing food & drink business growth For food & drink businesses that are considering how to finance business growth, Raisedough offers crowdfunding – an innovative social finance option. You only have to turn on the television to see food & drink attracting attention from crowds of eaters and drinkers, the Raisedough platform harnesses this to enable entrepreneurial food & drink businesses to raise funds from everyday people or armchair investors in return for equity and rewards. Ex-professional chef and food & drink business consultant, Richard Reeves has launched Raisedough to offer food & drink businesses a new way of financing growth. Richard said “Times of austerity often seed great innovation and food & drink entrepreneurs are growing their businesses in a new socially-connected economy and seeking new ways of financing growth outside of the traditional routes of business angel, venture capital or bank financing. Crowdfunding is an innovative option to enable businesses and entrepreneurs to bring their plans to life.” Entrepreneurs that want to raise equity funds start the crowdfunding process by creating an investment pitch comprising business plan, financial and a video. This is placed onto the crowdfunding platform where over 15,000 registered investors can view, discuss and thereafter invest in the business. Businesses can make their investment pitches more attractive through the Government’s tax incentive schemes – the Enterprise Investment Scheme, which offers a range of tax incentives to investors who purchase new shares in an investee company and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme, which is designed for earlier stage businesses and offers even greater tax incentives to investors. Food & drink businesses that are considering how to finance their growth can discuss how crowdfunding could help them realise their plans with Richard Reeves on 08456 446608 or find out more at www.raise-dough.com Raisedough Limited Contact: Richard Reeves, Managing Director T 08456 446608 M 07711 083308 ======================== .... Thu, 17 May 2012 16:42:00 BST http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/fizzy-drinks-and-bottled-water-create-a-thirst-for-pet-in-bric-n/ Fizzy drinks and bottled water create a thirst for PET in BRIC nations NEW YORK (GBI Research), 10 May 2012 - The demand for flexible packaging chemical polyethylene terephthalate (PET) witnessed growth of around 7% CAGR last decade, due to its diverse application in a wide range of new products developed by fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and food sector companies, according to chemicals intelligence provider GBI Research. GBI Research analysis* indicates that fast growing economies and strong production industries will lead Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) to become dominant forces in the global PET market. A significant portion of demand for PET came from the Asia-Pacific region, which accounted for 40.6% of global PET demand during 2010. This is expected to increase to 47.8% by 2020, as China is rapidly emerging as a global petrochemical products manufacturing hub. Production in China enjoys the advantage of relatively low operating costs and, as a result, there have been huge capacity PET capacity additions in the country, with the country accounting for almost half of Asia-Pacific’s import volumes during 2010. China is anticipated to be the PET market leader towards 2020 due to major PET players focusing their operations within the country. The announcement of anti-dumping duties on imports from other regions, alongside significant capacity additions, means that Brazil and Russia’s PET markets are also expected to expand towards 2020. In addition, India’s large population is causing consumption of packaged goods to rise, creating increased demand for PET capacity additions. Flexible packaging will continue to grow in importance as major retail chains demand greater product protection and longer shelf-life for various products. Carbonated soft drinks (CSD) accounted for an impressive share of 31.5% in the demand for PET during 2010, while the food and beer sectors accounted for respective shares of 22.4% and 11.4%. According to GBI Research’s analysis, PET packaging is expected to increase its share in the packaging sector towards 2020 due to better gas barriers and ultraviolet (UV) light protection, which extends the shelf-life of PET-packaged products, while new hot-filling processes are creating new opportunities for PET packaging for pasta and sauces. During 2011, beer distilleries also adopted PET bottles for use as packaging, which is expected to continue towards 2020 due to advantages in product quality, transport and bar regulations concerning the use of glass in outdoor areas. Global PET demand stood at 6,472,350 tons in 2000, increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9% to reach 12,621,553 tons in 2010. This upward trend is expected to continue in the near future, with global PET demand tipped to reach 23,452,281 tons by 2020, following a forecast CAGR of 6.4%..... Thu, 10 May 2012 10:46:00 BST http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/global-carbonated-soft-drinks-market-to-reach-212-billion-by-end/ Global carbonated soft drinks market to reach $212 billion by end of 2016 DUBLIN, April 28, 2012 (press release) – Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/hh97t7/global_carbonated) has announced the addition of the "Global Carbonated Soft Drinks" report to their offering. Global Carbonated Soft Drinks industry profile provides top-line qualitative and quantitative summary information including: market share, market size (value and volume 2007-11, and forecast to 2016). The profile also contains descriptions of the leading players including key financial metrics and analysis of competitive pressures within the market. Essential resource for top-line data and analysis covering the Global carbonated soft drinks market. Includes market size and segmentation data, textual and graphical analysis of market growth trends, leading companies and macroeconomic information. Highlights -The carbonated soft drinks market consists of retail sales of diet cola, standard cola, fruit-flavored carbonates and mixers. The market is valued according to retail selling price (RSP) and includes any applicable taxes. Any currency conversions used in the compilation of this report have been calculated using 2011 annual average exchange rates. -The global carbonated soft drinks market is expected to generate total revenue of $185.1 billion in 2011, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.6% between 2007 and 2011. -Market consumption volumes are forecast to increase with a CAGR of 2.2% during 2007-2011, to reach a total of 198.3 billion liters in 2011. -The performance of the market is forecast to accelerate, with an anticipated CAGR of 2.8% for the five-year period 2011 - 2016. Companies Mentioned: The Coca-Cola Company Cott Corporation Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. PepsiCo, Inc. .... Tue, 01 May 2012 11:02:00 BST http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/new-research-reveals-how-to-enjoy-the-perfect-cup-of-coffee/ New research reveals how to enjoy the perfect cup of coffee New research from Carte Noire Instinct shows Brits just how to enjoy the perfect cup of coffee. And it doesn’t take place in a trendy coffee shop with a handsome barista as you might expect, but at home - sitting on a quality leather chair, listening to the silky tones of saxophone based jazz, surrounded by the deep colour purple, with the coffee served in a porcelain mug and accompanied by a simple but satisfying Victoria Sponge. The research, commissioned to mark the launch of Carte Noire’s new Wholebean Instant coffee, Carte Noire Instinct, and conducted by MMR Research Worldwide, set out to establish what factors enhance the enjoyment of coffee and how those factors can combine to create the perfect coffee moment. Two extensive qualitative and quantitative sessions revealed that a relaxing break is the key to the perfect cup of coffee and the best place to enjoy it is at home. So forget the fancy croissants, flapjacks and finger cakes of today’s coffee shops, a good old fashioned Victoria Sponge is what really sets off a cup of coffee. Plus there is no need for fiddly cups and saucers or long-necked glasses, a standard white porcelain mug is the ideal, three quarters full with hot coffee. The surrounding environment proved equally important, with people favouring a homely leather armchair, furnishings of deep purple and the silky tones of saxophone based jazz, to the heavy wooden furniture, bright lighting and popular modern music that is favoured in modern coffee shops. The research was carried out by sensory experts MMR and researcher James Gater says, “Because coffee has such a full flavour, the best accompaniment is something simple and light like a Victoria sponge, rather than cakes with a very rich taste or heavy texture. The smooth mouthfeel of coffee, is best complemented by furnishings made of quality leather that have a silky feeling against the body, as opposed to something that is rough like wooden chairs or cold like marble tables. And in terms of sound, the seductive sound of saxaphone jazz best enhances the intense aromas of coffee. Ultimately the research found that people consider the coffee moment as a relaxing daily ritual, so an uncomplicated but sophisticated porcelain mug is the perfect way to serve coffee, as opposed to the traditional cup and saucer.” Taste expert Tristan Stephenson says, “The way the brain untangles and identifies flavour is a complicated thing and many more factors come into play than just our taste buds. Different environments, with different sounds, smells and temperatures all affect the way we perceive the flavour of the liquids we drink and the foods we eat. Coffee has a bold taste and a strong smell, so the multi-sensory elements of flavour - such as colour, sound, smell and texture - are all vital to our enjoyment and appreciation of the product.” Now Carte Noire Instinct will bring to life the research findings in an exclusive London event. The Silk Rooms will be the world’s first optimised Wholebean Instant coffee tasting experience and will take guests on a multi-sensory journey, which will culminate in the ultimate coffee moment. To find out more about the event, the research, or new Carte Noire Instinct, please visit www.facebook.com/CarteNoireUK..... Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:52:00 BST http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/carbonated-soft-drinks-chinese-consumers-embrace-no-additives-pr/ Carbonated soft drinks - Chinese consumers embrace no additives preservatives trend - but manufacturers slow to respond In a new series of reports from Mintel, examining consumer behaviour in China, Mintel finds that while consumers in China are ready to switch to healthier alternatives of carbonated soft drinks, brands have yet to offer the product options to fulfill this demand. This is despite seven out of ten consumers (72%) trying to avoid drinks with artificial ingredients and 75% wanting to buy drinks with natural ingredients, highlighting an unmet need which could be satisfied by manufacturers. Indeed in 2011, 1.8% of new launches of carbonated soft drinks carried a no additives or preservatives claim - only up slightly from the 1.5% launched in 2006. This is in stark contrast to the UK and US markets where manufacturers have embraced consumer demand and followed swiftly with NPD. Indeed, in the US, some 16% of new carbonated drink launches carried a no additives or preservatives claim (up from 12.5% in 2006) - and in the UK a massive 37% of new carbonated drink launches carried this claim - up from 14% in 2006. Despite this, Chinese consumers are increasingly becoming health conscious. Half (50%) of consumers consider carbonated soft drinks as just a treat, with a high proportion of carbonated soft drinks consumers (67%) expressing the desire to purchase diet or low-calorie drinks and 75% looking to buy drinks with natural ingredients. The current lack of launches with natural or diet or low-calorie claims provides the opportunity for natural carbonated soft drinks to fill in the gap in the market. Tan Heng Hong, Research Manager at Mintel, said: “With obesity on the rise in China, consumers are increasingly trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle such as minimising the intake of artificial ingredients and exercising more. Companies have tapped the health trend with diet carbonated soft drinks, but increasingly, the trend has shifted towards natural products globally and this has opened new opportunities for companies to meet the demand for all-natural products.” “The prospect for newcomers or existing smaller players to succeed in the marketplace can be quite a challenge. Despite the tough market environment, Chinese consumers have proved to be adventurous in taste and packaging and this provides two key areas of future growth. The current lack of launches with natural or diet/low-calorie claims provide the case for natural carbonated soft drinks to fill in the gap in the market. Increasing the appeal of carbonated soft drinks in different occasions through smaller pack sizes, food matching and beverage mixing has the potential to drive volume growth going forward.” Tan Heng Hong continues. Overall, China’s carbonated soft drink market has seen low double digit growth (up 10.2% from 2006-10) which is significantly faster than other global markets such as the US and UK (-1.5% and -1% respectively). While as many as 96% of Chinese consumers drink carbonated soft drinks, frequency of consumption remains lower than other drinks such as mineral water and other beverages which are seen to have less sugar than carbonated soft drinks. However, on a per capita basis, the consumption of carbonated soft drinks in China is still low at an estimated 10.34 litres per person in 2011 compared to an estimated 168 litres per person in the US and 57 litres per person in the UK, indicating the potential for growth in the marketplace. Future opportunities lie with the significant potential for increasing sales of single-serve packaging. Indeed, the ‘on-the-go’ consumption occasion is increasingly important due to the rapid growth of urban convenience stores. Smaller packages can also increase appeal amongst the growing office snacking culture. Today, most consumers in China (75%) drink carbonated soft drinks during mid-afternoon, and nearly half (52%) of consumers drink carbonated soft drinks at work. “Besides flavour innovation and natural carbonated soft drinks, the potential of single-serve package has not been fully exploited. Due to their small size, mini packs, if marketed creatively, can be a useful tool to drive sales.” concludes Tan Heng Hong..... Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:26:00 BST http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/call-for-volunteers-to-help-remove-litter-from-uk-beaches/ Call for volunteers to help remove litter from UK beaches Environmental charity Surfers Against Sewers is calling on the coastal communities across the UK to join them for the SAS Big Spring Beach Clean at beaches nationwide on 24 and 25 March, as spring time reveals the true severity of the marine litter issue. In a statement, it said: “After a long winter of storms, before local council beach cleaning operations begin for the summer season, the accumulation of litter can often seem at its worst. “The amount of marine litter found on UK beaches has almost doubled in the last fifteen years, with a shocking 1,969 litter items found on every kilometre of coastline.” The SAS Big Spring Beach Clean is an annual event and this year SAS is encouraging dedicated volunteers to organise their own beach clean events, offering support and equipment to help empower communities to take positive action to protect local beaches, surf spots and waterways. SAS executive director Hugo Tagholm said: “Over the past few years SAS has seen a dramatic rise in the number of community volunteers getting involved with our beach clean programmes. “Communities want to play their part in tackling the marine litter crisis affecting beautiful beaches everywhere, a visible indicator of the ecological disaster happening in our oceans. “The SAS Big Spring Beach Clean empowers communities and educates the public on making on-going positive difference to coastlines.”.... Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:30:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/new-press-release-distribution-service-packages-unveiled-today/ Introducing food&drink towers’ Premium PRDS & Annual PRDS Packages Established in 2006 by Helen Lewis, a food and drink journalist and brand/PR consultant, www.foodanddrinktowers.com has become a pioneer for free and affordable services to increase communication between the industry, the media and the PR sector. Press release distribution service (PRDS)… We are in our third year of running the PRDS at food&drink towers and it has been growing steadily in popularity since its launch. Since food&drink towers opened its doors in 2006, we have built up a database of journalists who have voluntarily registered online at www.foodanddrinktowers.com to access the free content including press releases uploaded by food and drink companies and PRs, news, features, events information and much more. We offer journalists the chance to opt-in to receive emails and we’re strict about only sending food and/or drink stories to ensure they don’t get inundated with DIY, gardening, interior design and the various other ‘random’ stories I still get sent as a food journalist! What makes us different? The primary difference between food&drink towers and other resources is that we continue to offer myriad FREE services, as we do not want to restrict the content to companies with BIG PR budgets (although we’re happy to work with anyone as long as they’re passionate about food&drink!). As a journalist I knew there were some amazing stories out there but it was difficult to easily source them, as the producers were too busy actually making the products to do any PR work, and many could not afford to pay the staggering retainer fees charged by some companies. Comparing charges: £160 – Press Dispensary £150 – Pressbox £99 – PR Fire (100 news sites) £90 – Response Source £40 - basic package at PRWeb £40 – journalism.co.uk subscribers Crunching the numbers… Our standard PRDS package costs just £18 (flat-fee) and includes: 1. Publication at www.foodanddrinktowers.com. 2. Mailing of your press release/ media invitation / PDF to the 1,500 journalists who have voluntarily registered at food&drink towers. They all have one thing in common: they’re interested in food and drink news. 3. Mailing of a low resolution jpeg image as an attachment – optional. 4. Social media networking – a link to your website and the press release at food&drink towers on our Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Food-and-Drink-Towers/140496282647865) page and via Twitter (@fdtowers). Cherry-Pick PR Our premium PRDS package enables you to cherry-pick to create bespoke distribution for your press release: For £35 you get all of the above AND one of the following. For £45 you get all of the above AND two of the following. For £55 you get all of the above AND three of the following. For £65 you get all of the above AND four of the following. For £75 you get all of the above AND five of the following. For £85 you get all of the above AND six of the following. For £95 you get all of the above AND all of the following. 1. A minimum of 50 national newspaper food&drink contacts in the UK. 2. A minimum of 50 regional newspaper food&drink contacts in the UK. 3. A minimum of 50 freelance food&drink journalist contacts in the UK. 4. A minimum of 50 food&drink bloggers in the UK. 5. A minimum of 50 consumer magazine food&drink contacts in the UK. 6. A minimum of 50 trade magazine food&drink contacts in the UK. 7. A minimum of 20 television and radio food&drink contacts in the UK. Simply state which additional packages you wish to go for (i.e. Premium 1, 2, 5 or Premium ALL) and email it to prds@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk along with your press release as a Word document, low res jpeg if you wish to send one and ensure your press release contains your website address, Facebook page and Twitter details. We also need the name and address of the person who will be invoiced. Payment is required within 14 days and is to be made by cheque or online bank transfer to Helen Lewis. Please note the premium package contacts are not duplicates of those journalists who have registered online at www.foodanddrinktowers.com. There is a minimum of 50 unique contacts in each additional package and these will be monitored and updated on a regular basis. We are constantly working to build our databases; we also work hard to keep them ‘clean’ and up to date. At present (March 2012) we have 1,500 journalists on board at food&drink towers and we’re aiming to get this closer to 2,000 by the end of 2012. They are primarily UK-based journalists, although we do have European and North American titles on board too. In the food&drink towers database, there are members of the national press, regionals, bloggers, freelancers, restaurant and food critics, consumer weekly and monthly titles, trade publications and journals. Annual PRDS Packages We have also introduced three annual PRDS packages to help you make significant cost savings throughout the year. The three levels of packages are targeted at different levels of usage to suit your specific needs and require a one-off up-front payment before the start of 2012. If you send an average of two press releases per month then you could save more than £260 over the year. If you want to take on an unlimited account you could make hundreds of pounds of savings throughout the year – this will be particularly useful if you are a PR company with more than one client. PRDS Package ONE … for producers and freelance PRs Unlimited press release publication online at www.foodanddrinktowers.com AND a maximum of two press release mailings per calendar month to the food&drink towers database (1,500 contacts). Standard cost: £20 x 2 = £40 x 12 months = £480 PRDS Package One Price: £220 PRDS Package TWO … Unlimited press release publication online at www.foodanddrinktowers.com AND a maximum of FOUR press release mailings per calendar month to the food&drink towers database (1,500 contacts). Standard cost: £20 x 4 = £80 x 12 months = £960 PRDS Package Two Price: £430 PRDS Package THREE … for larger PR firms with more than one client Unlimited press release publication online at www.foodanddrinktowers.com AND unlimited press release mailings to the food&drink towers database (1,500 contacts) per calendar month. PRDS Package Price: £900 This package is designed for PR companies that have more than one client, as the cost is equivalent to 45 mailings in one year or four press releases per month. You will therefore make significant savings if you publish more than 45 press releases each month. Please note: this is an unlimited press release publication package and we will accommodate your deadlines as much as possible. Please contact Helen Lewis at helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk if you’d like to go ahead. About us… Helen Lewis established www.foodanddrinktowers.com in October 2006 in an aim to increase communication between journalists, PRs and the food/drink industry. Having written ample stories about the major multinationals, Helen was desperate to hear from the smaller players but many did not have the PR resources available to build relationships with journalists, however much it would have helped them. food&drink towers attracted hundreds of registered members (it is free to join) when it first opened its doors and has since attracted a loyal database of 5,000+ including more than 1,500 journalists. Whatever your budget or PR know-how, you can upload a food/drink press release for free publication in our press pages (it will appear on the homepage for a limited amount of time too). We’re always open to competition, feature, news and other editorial ideas too. You can email Helen Lewis at helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk with your suggestions. .... Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:02:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/barts-goes-up-in-smoke/ Barts goes up in smoke.... Fri, 09 Mar 2012 07:31:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/sas-challenges-plastics-packaging-industry-on-marine-litter-cris/ SAS CHALLENGES PLASTICS PACKAGING INDUSTRY ON MARINE LITTER CRISIS Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) campaigners took over 800 plastic bottles found on one UK beach to the Plastic Packaging Industry conference in Birmingham this week. SAS attended to highlight the deepening marine litter crisis to over 300 exhibitors and over 4,500 visitors including major brands such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo UK and GlaxoSmithKline. The industry as a whole has the power to make vital decisions to help reduce the growing volume of plastic packaging finding its way into our seas and washing up on our beaches causing devastating impacts to wildlife, habitats and visitor enjoyment. SAS is setting out a clear challenge to the plastic packaging industry to increase action in combatting marine litter. Almost 2000 marine litter items are found for every kilometre of beach in the UK. Plastic packaging items such as bottles, drink caps and product wrappers are amongst the most prevalent items, with over 600 per kilometre of the UK coastline*. Items such as plastic bottles may take up to 1000 years to break down in the marine environment. SAS is challenging the plastics packaging industry to commit to 4 simple solutions to help reverse the marine litter crisis. 1. To increase visibility of anti-littering message on their products and in advertising in suitable and engaging ways for each consumer group. 2. To take the initiative and begin using less harmful packaging to ensure products can be broken down quickly and naturally without putting wildlife at risk 3. To promote recycling and/or reuse wherever appropriate 4. To support community beach litter initiatives or anti-litter projects SAS delivered this challenge to key figures in the industry including Packaging Federation CEO, Dick Serle. SAS campaigners also took part in an open debate with recognised leaders in the plastic packaging industry such as Stuart Lendrum , Head of Packaging & Design, Sainsbury’s, Dr. John Williams, Head of Materials for Energy & Industry, NNFCC, and Tom Heap BBC Panorama presenter on the issue of marine litter. Sessions SAS participated in included ‘Is extended producer responsibility a responsible concept?’ and ‘Sustainable packaging: saving the planet or costing the earth?’ where SAS’s campaign message resonated strongly in calling on the industry to do more as a whole to combat the issue of marine litter. SAS believe that by taking action at all levels – consumers, government and industry – we can stem the tide line of trash. For more information on this campaign please contact dom@sas.org.uk or call 01872 553 001. To learn more about how SAS and our supporters already combat marine litter visit www.sas.org.uk.... Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:23:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/taste-of-kent-award-winners/ The shining stars of the food, drink and farming industry have been revealed in the prestigious Taste of Kent Awards 2012. The awards, dubbed the ‘edible Oscars’, saw former winners return to victory and an amazing nine rising stars emerge in the east of the county. The annual Taste of Kent Awards – the brainchild of Produced in Kent – celebrate the abundance of talent the county has to offer. It was hosted tonight at Oakwood House Hotel in Maidstone by BBC Radio Kent presenter Matthew Davies. The first ever Produced in Kent Special Award was awarded posthumously to Michael Barry OBE and received by his widow Jennie Bukht. The popular chef and television personality regularly co-presented BBC2’s Food and Drink and wrote numerous cookery books. He was picked for the county’s Special Award for his exemplary work and contribution to Kentish Fayre – which became Produced in Kent, an organisation dedicated to promoting Kent’s produce locally and nationally. Canterbury proved a particular hot spot for entrepreneurial food and drink producers and retailers with first time winner Mama Feelgoods picking up the Kent Local Food Retailer of the Year award. Judges selected the retail operation for its “friendly service and great product range”. Godmersham Game of Godmersham, near Canterbury, won its second consecutive Taste of Kent Award in the Kent Meat Retailer of the Year category and was praised for its “great product knowledge and service”. Core Fruit Products, of Canterbury, won the Kentish Fruit Juice of the Year with its Cox Bramley Apple Juice, in what proved to be the closest fought category. The judges praised the flavour of the Cox Bramley for “good density of fruit” and its “perfumed, ‘appley’ and sweet finish” combined with “nice packaging and strong Kent credentials”. In the east of the county The Pearson’s Arms by Richard Phillips in Whistable picked up its first Kent Dining Pub of the Year award since being taken over by celebrity chef Richard Phillips. The ITV Lorraine show chef was said to have “taken pub dining to another level”. Ramsgate Brewery, a previous winner over three years, picked up Best Kentish Beer with its Gadds No 3. The judges applauded Gadds’ No 3 for its “beautifully balanced and moreish flavour” and its “contemporary branding and innovative marketing messages”. The Marquis of Alkham, near Dover, picked up its first award in the closely contested Kent Restaurant of the Year award, which was given for the sheer “quality of the food”. Relative newcomer Quex Foods, with its high profile launch of Kent Crisps last year, fought off stiff competition from two award winning ice cream companies to pick up the Kent Artisan Food Producer of the Year award. The judges praised the “great products, great ethos, energy and enthusiasm and a passionate approach” that was helping the company reach its goals. The last three established awards were won by two seasoned Taste of Kent Awards winners. Biddenden Vineyards in mid-Kent won the Best Kent Wine award for its Ortega 2010 – for the second time. Admired by all three judges for its drinkability, other accolades included its “flavoursome and full rounded” qualities. Appley Ever After – Big Tree Cider in Dartford was awarded the Best Kent Cider or Perry for the first time. The “robust and satisfying, natural taste” was said to offer a unique character and provide a great accompanying drink with the classic Ploughman’s lunch. In West Kent, Sankey’s of Tunbridge Wells picked up the Kent Seafood Retailer of the Year award for the second consecutive year for demonstrating “enthusiastic and knowledgeable service” resulting in a “genuine and cheerful experience”. Shipbourne Farmers’ Market made it three years in a row as Kent Farmers’ Market of the Year and was praised for its “enthusiastic stallholders, enjoyable shopping experience and good value for money”. Two other new self-nominating food awards were won by Kentish Bluebell cheese made by Kingscott Cheese in Staplehurst, beating off a Spicy Plum Sauce and Bowyers Kent Brie in the Kent Food Producer of the Year Retail category. The judges reached a unanimous decision when selecting the “outstanding and truly Kentish cheese” which scored highly on both taste and texture. Another cheese, Canterbury Cobble, made by The Cheesemakers of Canterbury in Faversham, edged past a Kentish Bramley Apple Chutney and Raspberry Sorbet to win the Kent Food Producer of the Year Foodservice category. The judges concluded that this “unique cheese with a great taste and texture should be on every restaurant cheeseboard”. The brand new Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty-sponsored Kent Food, Farming and Landscape Award went to Hole Park Estate in Rolvenden, Cranbrook, with its “enterprising approach to estate management” and also Produced in Kent member Ellie’s Dairy in Wychling, Faversham, which was praised for “commitment, enthusiasm and a high standard of animal husbandry”. Manager at Produced in Kent Julie Monkman said: “Tonight we have been celebrating the county’s food, drink and farming heroes. “It’s been wonderful to recognise not only the outstanding food and drink producers, the food retailers, farmers’ markets and best dining experiences in Kent, but for the first time to reward the farming community too. “We recognise and applaud the incredible role they play as pro-active custodians of the Garden of England and it is little wonder that the two key reasons people visit Kent is for our outstanding food and views. “Many of the winners here really are creating ‘edible views’ in our county and Produced in Kent congratulates them all.”.... Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:40:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/sustainable-packaging-saving-the-planet-or-costing-the-earth/ Sustainable Packaging: Saving the Planet or Costing the Earth? The recent British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported UK retailers are failing to reduce waste in the supply chain, such as packaging, by 5 per cent by the end of 2012. They have only achieved 0.4 per cent and Tesco, among the 25 of UK’s best-known retailers who have met all the other 14 environmental targets, bar this one a is now trialling new packaging that will keep fruit and vegetables fresher, in a bid to reduce food waste. So is sustainable packaging saving the planet or costing the earth? The true sustainability of packaging will be debated at the NEC at this year’s BIG Packaging debate, taking place on Wednesday 29th February at the easyFairs packaging event. “Packaging is a fast moving environmental debate as new materials and the changing destiny of waste twist the argument. Can I feel good about packaging if it is recyclable? Does more plastic round my greens mean less rotting veg in the skip behind the supermarket? Do the public practice what they preach - claiming to want packaging to shrink but buying into the belief that highly packaged equals highly prestigious? I'm hoping to unwrap the answers at the big packaging debate,” comments panellist, Tom Heap, Broadcaster and Writer. Ninety million tons of food are thrown away each year in Europe alone and the European food experts state packaging as the key to help extend the shelf life of food. Rob Holdway, Director at Giraffe Innovation Limited who will be on the panel couldn’t agree more, he comments: “Packaging plays a crucial role in protecting, containing and presenting the products we consume on a daily basis. ‘Sustainable’ packaging must be seen in the context of broader and more significant environmental issues. For instance, food waste costs consumers billions every year and innovative packaging can change this. Obviously, there is no point in making something ‘green’ that doesn’t function well and sell! Moreover, green claims must be supported by sound science and analysis. Rob continues: “Ultimately, packaging eco-design will help the UK move towards ‘resource efficiency.’ Resource Efficiency in product and packaging is defined as “reducing the environmental impact of consumption and production of goods and services over their full lifecycle.” This objective is wholly consonant with the objectives of the UK Government’s Climate Change Act (2008). This requires all parties in the supply chain to assess opportunities for impact reduction strategies which includes key design (i.e. materials selection), production (dematerialisation, resource efficiency in manufacture etc), retail and distribution (reducing yield loss), use (lifetime extension), and end of life (reuse, recovery and recycling etc). Some companies will consider new business models – blurring goods and services – so called product service systems or ‘functional services’. This all presents an exciting opportunity for growth.” “But from our experience of working with brand owners on hundreds of packaging projects over the last 12 years is that consumers are never keen to pay for something they cannot see tangible value in for themselves,” Comments panellist Dominic Box, Managing Director at Tangible Branding. “Whilst there may be a few exceptions to the rule, the general principle is that consumers are buying the product; they do not like to feel they are paying a premium for the packaging, even if it is more environmentally friendly.” Commenting on the debate, and also chairing the proceedings, Kevin Vyse Owner of KBV Associates said: “There isn’t an organisation operating within the retail sector that doesn’t place environmental concern and consideration high on its agenda. “However it was revealed in the easyFairs packaging survey that costs where the driving force behind packaging decisions at the moment and over half (58%) said that the tougher economic climate meant they are less likely to introduce more environmentally sound packaging. The debate between cost and environment is certainly an interesting one and likely to cause quiet a stir!”.... Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:09:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/uk-finally-free-of-barren-battery-cages/ UK finally free of barren battery cages UK finally free of barren battery cages Compassion in World Farming is delighted that the UK is finally free of the scourge of cruel barren battery cages for laying hens after Defra confirmed the country is fully compliant with the EU ban which came into force on 1st January. The UK was surprisingly among the 14 EU member states not to comply with the barren battery cage ban as 2012 dawned. But the country is now rid of the cruel cages, 13 long years after the decision was taken to ban them throughout the EU from the 1st January this year. Senior Campaigns Manager, Emma Slawinski, said: “We were horrified to learn that there were still battery cages in this country in January, as the industry and government had been confidently saying the UK would be in line with the new law. But we’re delighted that Defra has acted quickly and made sure hens in this country are no longer kept in these cruel systems. “Of course, the problem in the UK was nowhere near as bad as in the worst offending states like Spain and Italy which don’t seem to have made any effort at all to comply with the ban.” There are thought to be around 46 million hens still in barren battery cages in the EU despite the ban being agreed on in 1999. Emma added: “Now the UK can put all the necessary pressure on the European Commission and other member states without being accused of not having our own house in order.” The European Commission has begun proceedings against 13 countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain. Compassion is encouraging people to visit www.thebigmove.org to email the Italian Health Minister and push Italy, which reportedly has approximately 18.5million hens still in battery cages, to provide accurate figures to the Commission and produce an action plan detailing how they will rectify the huge level of non-compliance..... Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:37:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/uk-restaurant-trends-2012/ UK Restaurant Trends 2012 http://lostincatering.com/lostincatering/restaurant_trends_2012.html By Mike Palmer, Lost In Catering @lostincatering palmermike@me.com 1. Continental drift The concept of personal space is changing, as we get more and more used to the feeling of being European. And gone are the huge linen encrusted barriers confused with fine dining. In this restaurant trend, in comes counter-dining across the spectrum from quick-casual to Michelin star restaurants along with huge share tables and cuisine to match. And sharing, grazing and people eating late is up, up, up... 2. Breakfast all the time Increasingly across London and the UK, restaurateurs that jumped into the breakfast timeslot as a means of defeating overall market decline are beginning to look at what’s next. And not just because as more and more restaurants and quick casuals pile into pre-11am there is oversupply in many areas. In this restaurant trend, breakfast items are extending across the menu, firstly because ingredients are often cheaper and in the main, because it’s a symbol of home… 3. Speed Do you loathe the acceleration of restaurant culture? Get a grip. Having spent the last couple of years admiring the queue at the fast food place on the other side of the road, casual dining is abuzz with the radical idea that delivering food to busy guests in record time may be a good idea. Restaurants need speed so they can get back into he lunch market. Meaning The value for money restaurant trend is being redefined – where is it from, why, does it fit in with my lifestyle, is it sustainable, transparency (open kitchens, hygiene ratings, supplier sourcing), local artisan, ‘teach-me’ and above all wellness is taking over from financial decision making. Food with meaning is taking choice beyond price, statues and materialism. 4. Street High streets cluttered with chains are meaning opportunities for street food, pop-ups, swarms and food trucks. 2011’s most notable entrants were @meateasy (pop-up) which anchored for a while in New Cross, the sellout ‘BurgerMonday’ (pop-up) which has a huge following inviting guest chefs to join the search for burger enlightenment, and relative newcomer ‘Tweat-up’ (swarm), a twitter-based meet and eat. 5. Flavour dial up First point here…not everyone’s broke. And after a period of psychological retrenchment they’re seeking fun, interesting food and a sense of adventure. Molecular gastronomy has gained traction over the past decade and this is filtering down across the restaurant spectrum and being interpreted as higher flavours and more savouriness. It’s not he only reason for this trend, we’re all getting older and need more zing in our food… 6. Food and your life. 7. As informality rises, so does the blurring of occasion. No longer are people segregating their experiences and forward thinking restaurants are pouncing as boundaries between supermarkets, restaurants, home cooking, your local bicycle repair shop, the bank 9for gods sake!) are shrinking fast. For the consumer, this trend is about time saving, engagement and community… 8. There’s an app for that Geolocation – turning the anonymous into the known. The common theme here is to provide recommendations based on your geographic location (via your phone). Users can ‘check-in’ at their current location, find what specials or restaurant deals are offered, read helpful tips from other people, check the latest hygiene rating and accumulate points/badges which they might exchange for loyalty based special offers… http://lostincatering.com/lostincatering/restaurant_trends_2012.html .... Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:15:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/uk-soft-drinks-conference-on-winning-form-in-london/ UK SOFT DRINKS CONFERENCE ON WINNING FORM IN LONDON The 2012 UK Soft Drinks Industry Conference will be held close to the Tower of London on 21st and 22nd March, following immediately after the InnoBev Global Beverages Congress on 19th to 21st March. Both events will be in London as the location for the 2012 Olympics. With the theme of Winning Form, the conference will address the key issues and opportunities facing the industry. Sessions include an update on the UK market from Zenith and an industry leadership panel including Britvic, Coca-Cola Enterprises and Feel Good Drinks. There will be a series of market insights from Dunnhumby, GlaxoSmithKline, SodaStream and Tropicana and a focus on innovation from Coldpress, Fahrenheit60, Freedom Brands and Manflu. As part of the programme, delegates will also have an opportunity to visit Britvic’s Beckton site and Closed Loop Recycling in Dagenham. The event has become an established networking and knowledge building highlight of the industry calendar and the audience is expected to include senior industry managers, suppliers, analysts and the trade press. Organised by Zenith International, this year’s conference is sponsored by global ingredients supplier BENEO-Palatinit. Full programme details plus online booking are available at www.zenithinternational.com/events. Discounted rates are available on all bookings received by 24 February. “We decided on a competitive racing theme for this year’s event to coincide with the Olympics. All the presentations and discussion sessions will address what it takes to produce winning form for the future,” commented Zenith Chairman Richard Hall. .... Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:37:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/february-free-kit-kat-chunky-bars-facebook-and-10-press-release-/ So, January is almost over and February (and snow apparently) are on their way. Hoorah! Throughout February we continue to offer press release mailings for just £18...and only £10 on Mondays and Wednesdays! If you'd like us to send your press release / media kit / media statement / party invitation to our 1,500 journalists, who have voluntarily registered at www.foodanddrinktowers.com to receive such food&drink related goodies, please get in touch at prds@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk. Send us your press release as a Word document and we'll do the rest. We'll even publish it at www.foodanddrinktowers.com for you AND tweet a link to your press release and your company's website. We're also re-launching our Facebook page in February and we have a box of each limited edition Kit Kat Chunky to GIVE AWAY! All you have to do is 'like' our page and each week we'll choose a winner at random. You can be in with a chance to win a box of Peanut Butter (my favourite!), White Chocolate, Double Chocolate and Chocolate Orange. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Food-and-Drink-Towers/140496282647865 We're also still running our food&drink towers Taste Test Panel - you can get your product reviewed by one of our independent taste testers at www.foodanddrinktowers.com. This is a free opportunity throughout February! Get in touch if you'd like to be involved... Here's our latest review: http://foodanddrinktowers.com/features/byron-bay-cookies-delectably-messy/ We're also interested in running more competitions at www.twitter.com/fdtowers and the website, so get in touch if you fancy being part of food&drink towers! All the best for February... Helen -- Helen Lewis Managing editor, founder www.foodanddrinktowers.com 07904801669 .... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:14:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/like-the-foodanddrink-towers-facebook-page-and-enter-our-competi/ Like the food&drink towers FACEBOOK page and enter our competition! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Food-and-Drink-Towers/140496282647865.... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:58:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/forbes-reports-foodanddrink-towers-10-top-trends/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/nadiaarumugam/2011/12/31/top-10-uk-food-and-drink-trends-for-2012/.... Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:52:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/totally-living-reveals-foodanddrink-towers-10-top-foodie-trends/ http://www.totallyliving.co.uk/food/2011/12/28/ten-foodie-predictions-for-2012.... Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:43:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/uk-s-first-baking-exhibition-to-open-in-september/ HE UK’S FIRST BAKING EXHIBITION ANNOUNCES LAUNCH 22nd & 23rd September 2012 at Earls Court, London The British are embracing baking like never before, it’s become one of our biggest growing trends and to celebrate this, the UK’s first baking exhibition, The Cake and Bake Show launches at Earls Court in September. The show offers something for everyone with an array of features that will appeal to home bakers and professionals alike. With TV shows such as Great British Bake Off gaining more than 4 million viewers per episode, baking books topping the best sellers lists and a 50% increase in baking business start ups reported in 2011, the world of cake and bake has never been more popular. The Cake and Bake Show features the biggest names in the baking world including GBBO judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry as well as winners Edd Kimber and Jo Wheatley; Eric Lanlard of Cake Boy, Richard Bertinet, Mich Turner, renowned chocolatier Paul a Young, royal wedding cake designer Fiona Cairns, plus many more to be announced in the coming months. The Cake & Bake Show is aimed at all ages with expert run workshops and demonstrations for those looking to improve their baking skills; stands selling the latest baking equipment from piping bags to decorations and an English Tea Room in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Care in aid of their Worlds Biggest Coffee Morning Project. For those who just want to enjoy good food, there’ll be a marketplace featuring an array of artisan produce including breads, scones, pies, brownies, pastries and of course, cakes. The show features a chocolate area in association with Chocolate Week offering visitors the chance to gain specialized knowledge from the experts. The dedicated bakery workshops and demonstration theatre will be supported by the Real Bread Campaign and features artisan bakers Patrick Moore and Aidan Chapman. A children’s area headlined by Annabel Karmel from CiTV means parents needn’t worry about their kids getting bored. The Science Lab features an insight into the science behind baking and for those with a competitive streak The Cake & Bake Off offers the chance for amateur bakers to test their baking skills across a number of categories. Headed up by the nation’s favourite bakers, with demos, tastings, workshops, a food market and equipment stands, the Cake & Bake Show 2012 offers everything the home baker, amateur enthusiast or professional baker would need. Experts to enthusiasts alike will come together for a weekend of guaranteed eating, encouragement, education and entertainment..... Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:40:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/sainsbury-s-reports-a-record-breaking-christmas/ Like-for-like sales at Sainsbury (LSE: SBRY.L - news) 's rose by 2.1% in the 14 weeks to January, helping the supermarket giant towards a record-breaking Christmas. Britain's second largest supermarket said they had experienced their "best Christmas ever" despite the gloomy economic backdrop. In a third quarter trading statement, published on Wednesday, Sainsbury's reported 26 million customer transactions in the Christmas week, 1.5 million more than the previous year. Sainsbury's chief executive Justin King said: "This was a strong quarter, rounded off by our best Christmas ever, despite the economic backdrop." The supermarket's Taste the Difference range grew by over 10% over the period, ending on January 7. It sold over £2m worth of turkeys and almost 50,000 cherry filled Christmas puddings under the brand. The figures also showed two year like-for-like sales growth of 5.7%, excluding fuel. Mr King told Sky News that Sainsbury's, unlike other retailers, had not been adversely affected by the heavy snowfall in 2010. He said: "We were last year's clear Christmas winner. Some of our competitors did suffer in the snow but we were the fastest growing supermarket last year. "Our two-year figure was 5.7%. We have delivered growth on growth which is why it is a particularly strong performance." Non-food sales have grown faster than grocery sales, helped by an increase in purchases of clothing - particularly a Christmas party range designed by celebrity Gok Wan. Sainsbury's now has 1,000 stores, with 21 new convenience shops opening over the third quarter. Mr King said he expected supermarket shoppers to "spend cautiously" in 2012, particularly in the first few months as they their tighten belts after Christmas. But he added: "Although the short term remains challenging, key events later in the year, such as the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, provide opportunities for growth.".... Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:24:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/little-chef-reportedly-facing-70-restaurant-closures/ Roadside restaurant chain Little Chef is reportedly closing 70 of its restaurants, cutting around 600 staff. Bosses were said to be breaking the news to staff at branches across the country, The Sun reported. According to the newspaper, just 91 restaurants will remain after the cuts. The brand was saved by turnaround group RCapital when it fell into administration in 2007. It bought the majority of the business and assets - saving 193 of the 235 restaurants, and more than 3,500 jobs. In 2008 several branches were revamped by Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal as part of a Channel 4 show. But The Sun has reported that the failing brand will lose almost a third of its workforce as just 91 restaurants stay open..... Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:18:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/celebrity-flavour-of-the-month-zico/ brand new coconut water drink called ZICO (£2.50) that’s just taken off in the UK, following a huge success in the USA with celebrity followers such as Gisele Bundchen, Lauren Conrad, Courtney Cox and Kristin Cavallari. It is currently stocked at major health and fitness retailers across London. ZICO is an isotonic coconut water blended for a consistent taste using young green coconuts from Thailand and Indonesia. It contains the essential electrolyte potassium which helps maintain muscle function and is low in calories, not to mention that it has no added sugar (only the naturally occurring sugars of the coconut), making it the perfect natural energy drink..... Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:39:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/happy-new-year/ Happy new year!.... Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:31:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/little-cheer-for-beer-this-year-as-revenue-sales-fall-2-2-billio/ Little cheer for beer this year as revenue sales fall £2.2 billion With Christmas festivities in full swing, many consumers will be celebrating by raising a glass with friends, colleagues and family. However, it appears things will be a little flat for beer this year as latest research from Mintel on the beer market in the UK reveals that hindered by the decline of pub drinking and a lack of broader consumer appeal beyond men, beer has seen a huge fall from grace in the past six years. Indeed, while the market was worth £17.7 billion in 2006, it will command revenues of just £15.5 billion in 2011 - a £2.2 billion revenue fall. Furthermore, volume sales decreased by almost a quarter (23%) over the same period, down from 4.1 billion litres in 2006 to 3.2 million litres in 2011. The share of off trade as a total has gone up - highlighting a shift towards in home drinking. As more of the UK population drinks at home, beer - as with the likes of wine and spirits - has seen a greater share of its sales within this channel. However, unlike spirits and wine it has still seen its volume sales decline in the off trade: from 2.38 billion litres in 2006 to 2.25 billion litres in 2010. Jonny Forsyth, Senior Drinks Analyst at Mintel, said: “The economic downturn and rising differential between on and off trade beer and alcohol prices has hit the pub trade heavily and led to more UK consumers migrating to in home drinking. Beer has been particularly badly hit - it suffers from being perceived as less suited than its competitors for in home drinking. This is because its male user bias makes it less of a compromise choice for couples than wine or spirits, and it is less associated with food matching or relaxing occasions than either of those drinks categories. The reason why beer is reliant on pubs is that it remains a core drink for young men - almost a rite of passage - and many choose it because in pubs, the size and price of a pint seem so much better value than most other drink options.” Lager dominates the overall beer category and has therefore seen a greater loss of actual revenue over the past six years than ale and stout. Lager sales are down from £12.7 billion in 2006 to £11.4 million in 2011 – a 10% decrease which looks a lot better than it is, due to above-inflation price increases. In 2011, the value of the ale sector had declined to £3.3 billion and stout £855 million. However, within the market, all beer types are struggling. So why exactly has beer been struggling so much? Firstly, the UK population has been drinking proportionately less alcohol since 2004 (89% of Brits claimed to consume Beer in 2004 - dropping to 82% in 2011). Indeed, alcohol drinking has become so expensive and the gap between on and off trade so huge, that for many drinking out is now a luxury rather than a standard night out. Indeed, today, more than two in five (44%) on-trade drinkers see drinking out of home as too expensive which has meant that a once regular night out occasion has become more of an occasional luxury. Secondly, punitive duty increases have made alcohol increasingly expensive. However, this does not explain why beer has seen a 13% value decline while wine has seen a value sales increase over the past five years (+15% to 2011). "The beer sector has not helped itself by being slow to respond to the decline of the market – and for too long thinking (or hoping) that falling numbers were just a blip. Beer suffers from being perceived as less suited than its competitors for in home drinking. This is because its male user bias makes it less of a compromise choice for couples than wine or spirits, and it is less associated with food matching and/or relaxing occasions - both of which Mintel's research shows to be key for in home drinkers - than either of those drinks categories.” Jonny continues. Mintel's research finds that there is plenty of appetite among younger consumers for innovation in lager. Some 28% of UK lager drinkers are interested in sweet tasting lagers - this rises to 57% of those aged 18-24. Indeed, while older consumers view lager in quite a traditional way, younger drinkers see it as more of a 'blank canvas' - with a further opportunity for low calorie versions as 54% of 18-24 year olds feel beer is too calorific, compared to 35% overall. The major area for NPD is flavour, but also low calorie beers. “The beer market has been trying to appeal to a broader audience, more recently to females with products such as lite beers. Beer is also belatedly catching on to the importance of flavour innovation – particularly sweeter variants which are proving hugely popular among younger consumers in the cider and vodka categories; and the increasing importance of drinks categories positioning themselves as relevant to in home drinking occasions such as mealtimes, plus relaxing, social and sharing occasions.” Jonny concludes..... Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:17:00 GMT http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/ten-top-trends-report-for-2012-published-today/ Ten Top Trends For 2012 Report Published in December 2011 by Helen Lewis, managing editor & founder of www.foodanddrinktowers.com, freelance journalist and PR specialist. Industry introduction… This sixth edition ‘Ten Top Trends’ report provides a timely insight into the state of the UK food and drink market and makes predictions for the year ahead. At a time when investment in NPD, marketing, branding and advertising continues to be restricted by the global economic turmoil, the food&drink industry – at the grassroots level - must now, more than ever, carefully consider its next moves to the advantage of the shareholders, the consumers and the retailers. Next steps in terms of new product launches, line extensions, packaging changes, marketing campaigns and expansion into new markets must all be carefully considered in line with the cost of development to the company; the brand’s integrity and image; to the loyal consumer base; and the environment. There are so many points to consider when developing growth strategies in today’s food and drink market, and the voice of the industry must be heard clearly amidst the fog and confusion of recent years. It is for this reason that food&drink towers has conducted an online survey of its 4,000+ members (representing the industry, PR specialists, journalists and consumers) especially for this report. The first of its kind, the survey attracted responses from 171 people responded to the survey, conducted in November and December 2011, by Helen Lewis at food&drink towers. The full results will be made available for members of food&drink towers and upon request from Helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk in January 2012. As in previous reports, the ten top trends have been selected by Helen Lewis, managing editor and founder of www.foodanddrinktowers.com, who has worked as a freelance food journalist since 2004 and has supported numerous food and drink companies with their product launch, marketing, PR and branding strategies. In addition, to support the analysis, the online survey results are weaved into the report. The hard work of the resilient food and drink industry in 2011 has been recognised by food&drink towers and we hope to continue to support you in 2012 as you grow bigger, better and stronger. Hopefully this report will help to steer you in the right direction in a small way... We’re also here to help, whether you write about food and drink, enjoy eating and drinking, produce, retail, publicise, market or distribute food and drink...food&drink towers is here to support your daily work. Visit www.foodanddrinktowers.com for more details of our free services. About this report… This report is freely available to the global food and drink industry – at a time when market research and trend analysis is more important (and even more expensive) than ever before – to prepare you for a more successful 2012. The report includes insight and comment from our four sponsor companies: AOk Drinks (www.aokdrinks.com), Honeybuns (www.honeybuns.co.uk), Beet It by James White Drinks (www.jameswhite.co.uk / www.beet-it.com), Oxwich Communications (www.oxwichcommunications.com) and Wassen International’s Oatly Drinks (www.oatly.co.uk). Helen has written about, researched and investigated food and drink trends for more than a decade, starting as head of publishing at leading consumer goods intelligence company, Reuters Business Insight (now known as Global Business Insights (BI)). Helen has authored more than 60 management reports for BI, Aroq Publishing (Just-food.com and Just-drinks.com), Business Monitor International, food&drink towers and the Australian Trade Commission. Helen is also a freelance journalist, having written for trade magazines such as The Grocer, Caterer & Hotelkeeper, Intertech Pira’s packaging magazines, The Juice Market monthly magazine and many more. Helen also works as a PR and brand consultant supporting small and start-up food and drink companies. Helen’s combined expertise enables her to make informed, educated and unique trend insights, which make this report a must-read for PRs, journalists, producers, retailers and consultancies in 2012. About food&drink towers… Helen Lewis established www.foodanddrinktowers.com in October 2006 in an aim to increase communication between journalists, PRs and the food/drink industry. Having written plenty about the major multinationals, Helen was desperate to hear from the smaller players but they didn’t have the PR resources available to build relationships with journalists, however much it would have helped them. food&drink towers attracted hundreds of registered members (it’s free to join) when it first opened its doors and has since attracted a loyal database of 4,000+ including approximately 1,500 journalists. Whatever your budget or know-how, you can upload a food/drink press release for free publication in our press pages (it will appear on the homepage for a limited amount of time too). We can send relevant and interesting press releases to our journalists for a very small (in comparison to the other ‘resources’) flat-fee of just £20. We’re always open to competition, feature, news and other editorial ideas too. Market influencers in 2012 Rather unsurprisingly ‘continued economic difficulties’ stands out as the most important factor for the 2012 food and drink market, with more than half of respondents (52%) identifying it as ‘very important’. A further 41% believe continued economic difficulties will be important, 7% cite ‘average importance’, and, interestingly, unlike the other options, not one respondent believes it to be of below average importance/not important. Another notable finding is that functional food and drink is somewhat expected to fall from grace, with 42% predicting it to be of average importance in 2012. However, 33% expect ‘tackling obesity and other health and nutrition issues’ to be very important next year, with a further 29% stating important and 34% of average importance. Clearly, the focus will be more clearly on nutrition and individuals approaching their health with more control and intelligent nutrition naturally. Other influencers, cited by respondents include, permissible indulgence, portion control / being able to buy foods in convenient portions, wheat-free, imports from ‘BRIC’ markets, growing recognition that plant-based food is a valuable solution to many health problems, global agricultural issues and bio-fuels pushing up commodity prices, and consolidation/financial stress. The Ten Top Trends For 2012: Regional producers get a boost Uplifting food and drink improve our moods Packaging innovations provide an answer Learning to…grow your own, bake your own, make your own Foraging for truffles, mushrooms, wild berries and edible mini-beasts Going beyond the dinner party – at-home dining occasions become more regular Dusting off the recipe books and cooking from scratch Food on the go gets a facelift Megatrends…on a budget Original food and drink pairing: inspiration for the nation A review of the Ten Top Trends For 2011: Mini treating Dispelling the myths Sustainability Sleep – or our lack of it Mums and tums Pop-ups Reducing food waste starts at home Too busy to peel a spud? Rising cost of raw materials – they can’t be passed on to consumers so who will take the brunt? Social networking & interactivity TREND 1: Regional producers get a boost According to the IGD report ‘Shoppers 2012’, consumers will demand ‘value for values’ next year. The trend for ethical shopping will continue, particularly concerning issues of local food and animal welfare. food&drink towers predicts that shoppers will continue to be careful about their food and drink choices in 2012, with some having to compromise on certain ethical values that come at a premium such as fair-trade and organic. Regional producers offering value for money products that help consumers stretch their shopping budgets, get more for less, and still enjoy their shopping and dining experience, will be rewarded by a boost in sales over the coming year. Consumers are becoming savvier about where to shop for the best price but quality remains an important factor; which is where ‘value for values’ comes into play. The food&drink towers Ten Top Trends for 2012 Survey identified that authenticity; provenance and ‘localness’ will be very important (19%) or important (51%) next year. Closely aligned to the sustainability benefits of ‘going local’; reducing the environmental footprint/increasing sustainability will be important to more than half of respondents. Despite this, ethical consumption including organics is expected to decline in importance in 2012, according to the food&drink towers survey. 39% believe it will be of average importance, 24% of below average importance and 3% say it will be of no importance at all. “Communication is key,” says PR expert Laura Oxwich of Oxwich Communications. “Regional producers and retailers should use all relevant PR and marketing channels to boost their company profile, with a clear focus on product benefits and their core values as an organisation. Resulting press coverage is a great resource for any sales team, and social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter can be used to offer rewards to existing customers, as well as building up a valuable customer database for future use.” Honeybuns, based in Dorset, has found that both consumers and trade buyers are increasingly interested in and are actively seeking to purchase from demonstrably ethical producers. Emma Goss-Custard, founder of Honeybuns, says: “When meeting some of our larger trade buyers over the last couple of years it has been interesting to note their increased interest in our ‘BeeGreen’ activities. Our recycling and composting systems as well as our biodegradable packaging is no longer on the fringe of the meeting agenda. We’ve always rated kindness in business and felt it was a much-underrepresented virtue. We mention being kind to nature, each other and everyone we deal with from customers to suppliers – we also expect this kindness to be reciprocated. I think we were regarded as tree hugging hippies in the late 1990s but nowadays this more holistic approach to business is becoming mainstream. “I think this is in part down to increased accountability via social networking sites such as Facebook – if a brand is not felt to be doing the ‘right thing’ in a socially responsible way, then consumers now have a way of voicing their disapproval. Consumers can increasingly tell the difference between those companies who are merely ticking the CSR boxes from those who are genuinely striving to operate in a sustainable way. An increasing number of customers are seeking out genuine, artisan producers whose values they share. “Our customers feed back to us that our extra curricular activities including the running of our nature reserve, our open days for school children and our animal rescue activities are all extremely important to them. We can communicate these activities effectively on Facebook and invite our customers to come and see us - thus proving we have depth and authenticity. We are a truly artisan bakery to the core and it’s great to be able to share this with customers.” Related stories at www.foodanddrinktowers.com http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=5108 Milkshake maker bags deal with supermarket giant http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=5191 Taste of nostalgia in a lick - Dandelion & Burdock Ice Cream launches http://foodanddrinktowers.com/press-releases/local-ice-cream-aficionado-scoops-national-nomination/ Local ice cream aficionado scoops national nomination TREND 2: Uplifting food and drink to improve our mood Consumers are increasingly seeking to improve their health through nutrition. According to Mind, the leading mental health organisation in England and Wales: “Many people are seeking to take control of their mental health using self-help, and to find approaches they can use alongside, or even instead of, prescribed medication. One self-help strategy is to make changes to what we eat, and there is a growing interest in how food and nutrition can affect emotional and mental health”. Many of us are making changes to our purchasing habits to keep within a reduced household budget. There is plenty of ongoing doom and gloom forecast for 2012, meaning we are in need of a boost now more than ever! The occasional small indulgent purchase such as a bar of chocolate or a special treat for dinner can make people feel happier without breaking the bank. Some products are designed to specifically target issues such as fatigue, concentration, general wellbeing and make us feel happy. food&drink towers forecasts a rise in ‘mood foods’ and lifestyle products targeting specific issues, particularly happiness, stress and tiredness. The claims will need to be supported by scientific evidence and the ingredients will need to be natural and most definitely not artificial. Stuart Roberts, naturopathic nutritionist and founder of AOk Drinks, identified stress, fatigue, ageing, pregnancy, fitness and travel as target areas for the antioxidant drink. “When I created the drink I specifically chose the ingredients to work synergistically together to provide the ultimate antioxidant drink to help people feel healthier, whatever they are doing in their lives. During our time on the market, we’ve had amazing feedback from pregnant ladies who drink AOk to help them with morning sickness, and to boost their energy levels when they need a healthy snack/break. We’re also popular before, during and after air travel for people who regularly fly, and suffer with jet lag, exhaustion and stomach upset. Our high antioxidant content also means that AOk provides your daily recommendation of antioxidants to help you get through the day and all that life throws at you: pollution, stress, tiredness or UV radiation”. food&drink towers predicts ‘mood foods’ will experience a surge in popularity in 2012 and beyond, which is confirmed by the survey. 44% believe they will increase in market value. Happiness and stress have been identified as the two ‘mood food’ areas that hold strong potential for growth in 2012 at 45% and 39% respectively. Energy, the biggest sub-category within the functional food and drinks market, continues to offer growth potential. 38% of respondents to the food&drink towers survey predict energy will show strong growth potential, and 41% agree it will offer average growth potential. Sleep/fatigue, one of the ten food&drink towers top trends for 2011, also shows good growth potential. 33% say it will offer strong growth potential and 39% say average growth potential. Menopause/PMT/women’s health and men’s health are also interesting areas for new product development (NPD), although they both offer more ‘average growth potential’ than ‘strong growth potential’ according to the survey. Brain/cognitive/memory and concentration are also highlighted for average growth potential by 46% and 47% of respondents respectively. Depression, which affects many people within society, stands out as a major area for development in the mood foods category. 25% say there is strong growth potential and 51% average growth potential for NPD in 2012. There are increasing links between nutrition and depression. Serotonin is a brain chemical believed to promote calmness and ease depression. Foods themselves don't contain serotonin but what you eat may be able to tip the balance in favour of increased serotonin production in the brain. Most notably, a carbohydrate rich diet - plenty of pasta, wholemeal bread, high fibre cereals etc - is thought to help. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-128265/What-foods-help-beat-depression.html#ixzz1gJajamKM In terms of categories holding the most promise for mood food/drink NPD in 2012, snacks, soft drinks and confectionery stand out for respondents to the food&drink towers survey. Related stories at www.foodanddrinktowers.com http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=3935 Moody food = junk food according to latest study http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=5198 Antioxidant-packed winter drinks recipes http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=5072 Feeding Your Imagination scoops up even more awards for their mood indulgent chocolate… TREND 3: Packaging innovations provide an answer As costs are being cut across the supply chain, packaging will become a focus for brand owners keen to improve margins from production to market. Reducing packaging weight/size, also known as lightweighting, is not only an environmentally-friendly move, but it can result in cost savings for the company over the long term. However, many brand owners are fearful of making expensive packaging changes at a time when costs must be kept as low as possible, despite the long-term benefits. In 2012, packaging innovations will become increasingly recognised as a short-term investment for a long-term benefit, by companies seeing past the current economic doom and gloom. Packaging innovations can help to attract new customers and achieve greater standout on shelves. It can make a product more convenient, easier to use/open/dispose of; ultimately boosting its appeal to the retailer and the consumer. Packaging changes can also result in a product appearing more premium/exclusive, which can benefit the brand if the retail price is not increased (encouraging consumer perceptions that they are getting better value for money). According to the food&drink towers 2012 survey, 14% agree that packaging design and innovation will be very important to the industry next year, 37% say it will be important, 30% of average importance, 13% below average importance and 6% not important. This is a very mixed response – more so than most other options under the heading ‘Please rate the following in terms of expected importance for the food and drink industry in 2012...’ and food&drink towers puts this down to the variation in businesses the respondents work in. Packaging design and innovation are unknown entities to some sections of the industry and the true value of packaging is regularly (and wrongly) under-estimated. Related stories at www.foodanddrinktowers.com http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=5147 SO Creative cook up fun new packaging for Green's kids cake kits http://foodanddrinktowers.com/news/62-say-packaging-is-their-biggest-environmental-concern/ 62% say packaging is their biggest environmental concern http://foodanddrinktowers.com/press-releases/new-lead-of-crowns-european-food-cans-and-closures-business-pres/ New lead of Crown’s European food cans and closures business presents vision for growth TREND 4: Learning to…grow your own, bake your own, make your own Food and drink will become more of an ‘experience’, for many people, who are showing a greater interest in taking control of what they consume. More and more of us are showing interest in the origins of food and drink; how it is prepared and how it is grown; the recipe and compilation of the meal/drink. Smartphone applications, QR codes on packaging, point of sale merchandising and websites will become invaluable sources of information about the origins of your ingredients, ideas for use of your product in the home, recipes and serving suggestions. These tools will also be used for targeted promotions/offers to further connect with the target consumer. Introducing an ‘experience’ through your food and drink product is far from simple. As a marketing strategy, creating a brand experience (think of the original Kit Kat campaign – how do you eat yours?) is incredibly complex and relies on a series of suggestions and clever marketing strategies. Growing your own, baking your own, making your own: consumers will take back the control when it comes to food and drink – something they can control more easily than certain other elements in their lives! How much influence do cookery programmes such as Masterchef and Nigel Slater’s Simple Suppers have on consumer shopping habits in general? According to food&drink towers’ Ten Top Trends for 2012 Survey, 23% say they’re hugely influential, 66% believe them to be influential and just 11% say they are not influential. Interesting ‘other comments’ included: ‘I would like to say no influence, however, they are a bad influence, as people watch eating dinner on their laps! Sales of forks (not knives and forks) have gone up according to John Lewis. Nigel Slater should remain in print only, there are far too many food writers on the television who just haven’t got it!’ Another comment, which could provide inspiration for NPD was: “Having kids = dinner parties = home cooking”. Related stories at www.foodanddrinktowers.com http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=5145 New online cookery school directory: lookingtocook.co.uk http://foodanddrinktowers.com/press-releases/consumers-need-a-leg-up-with-farming-knowledge-survey-suggests/ Consumers need a leg up with farming knowledge, survey suggests http://foodanddrinktowers.com/press-releases/good-housekeeping-cookery-book-classic-edition-revised-and-updat/ Good Housekeeping Cookery Book - Classic Edition, Revised and Updated http://foodanddrinktowers.com/press-releases/celebrity-chef-launches-free-cookery-classes-around-the-uk/ Celebrity chef launches free cookery classes around the UK TREND 5: Foraging for truffles, mushrooms, wild berries and edible mini-beasts Closely related to trend number four, foraging is growing in popularity as people seek to take more control over what they are consuming. Courses are available nationwide teaching people how to forage, what to look for, and then turning their discoveries into three-course meals. This is the ultimate in foodie heaven for those who enjoy getting stuck in! Innocent Smoothies sent five of its team to a 12-hour foraging course in Kent recently, and foodie magazines regularly feature celebrity chef recipes including wild mushrooms, truffles and wild berries. There are even recipes out there involving edible mini-beasts! food&drink towers predicts that foraging will become more of a mainstream concept and will therefore be incorporated into brand strategies. For example, truffles, wild berries and wild mushrooms will become more prevalent on food-based television programmes, in magazines and recipe suggestions, as well as featuring on restaurant menus. Consumers will be inspired by the growing prevalence of foraged foods and seek to include them in their cooking at home. Related stories at www.foodanddrinktowers.com http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=5096 All your favourite recipes from ITV1’s Countrywise and Countrywise Kitchen in one new cookbook http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=5176 Royal Forester chef hunts edible Wyre Forest mini-beasts TREND 6: Going beyond the dinner party – at-home dining occasions become more regular We are trying to save money by not going out for dinner quite so regularly, but we still want to see our friends and family and socialise around the dining table…making at-home dining and entertaining a popular option. Parents with young children are also more likely to spend time at home in the evenings than single person households and couples without children who have more flexibility. However, making a meal of dinner in 2012 will not be reserved to weekends and special occasions. People will invest a little more time and effort (but not necessarily money) into meal times on a more regular basis to cheer themselves up, entertain and add some fun to ‘just another working week’. Original recipes and unusual ingredients will be the focus for home-cooks who will be influenced by television programmes, foodie magazines, websites, social networks such as Twitter and Facebook and Smartphone apps. Related stories at www.foodanddrinktowers.com http://foodanddrinktowers.com/press-releases/every-home-needs-a-kitchen-devil-a-new-starter-set/ Every home needs a Kitchen Devil - a new starter set http://foodanddrinktowers.com/press-releases/gammon-gets-saucy-new-10-minute-meals-perfect-for-the-mid-week-m/ Gammon gets saucy! New 10-minute meals perfect for the mid-week menu http://foodanddrinktowers.com/press-releases/spring-recipes-to-refresh-your-dinner-table-courtesy-of-the-livi/ Spring recipes to refresh your dinner table courtesy of The Living Room TREND 7: Dusting off the recipe books and cooking from scratch in the year of austerity food&drink towers forecasts 2012 will be known as ‘the austere year’. As a nation we’ve spent a ridiculous fortune on recipe books over the years, many of which have been left on the shelves to gather dust. In 2012, people are expected to return to their cookery books (and other resources) to get a return on their investment, get more out of their kitchen gadgets and get more creative with their cooking. Brands who provide inspiration for consumers will be able to make the most of this trend in 2012. People are looking for inspirational recipe ideas that are within budget to make mealtimes more interesting. More and more people are seeing food and drink as a hobby: baking, for example, is surging in popularity for reasons (television programmes, cookery books/magazines, times of austerity and a desire to get more value for money). In terms of how this trend will influence NPD in 2012, we believe the industry must address consumers desire to spend more time in the kitchen next year, cooking from scratch and experimenting with new recipes. However, there is another influential factor involved with this trend: our lack of time to spend relaxing in the kitchen. 45% of respondents to the food&drink towers survey said that they would like to spend more time in the kitchen in 2012, cooking from scratch and learning new cooking skills – if they get the time. A further 34% said ‘yes, definitely’. 10% were unsure, 8% said they won’t have the time and 3% said they don’t like / not very good at cooking. PR manager, Laura Oxwich, says: “I enjoy baking at home and my favourite go-to cookbooks are by Delia Smith and Nigella Lawson; tough economic times always seem to encourage frugality and having planted some dwarf apple, pear and cherry trees in my back garden in 2010, I am looking forward to trying out some new food and drink recipes in 2012.” It is important that brands recognise how the year of austerity will impact food and drink sales in 2012. What tools can food and drink brands provide to their end users to encourage them to try new ingredients / recipes? Nick Hudson, sales director, Wassen International Ltd (Oatly Drinks) says: “Oatly has launched a UK specific website which includes a wide range of recipes for everyone looking to make a healthy choice to try. Starting with delicious recipes for healthy breakfasts and moving into breads, cakes, sauces, pies and bakes for the family and for entertaining, www.oatly.co.uk inspires its visitors to get cooking. “Oatly’s UK e-newsletter contains inspiring recipes as well as hints and tips from some of the UK’s top nutrition and cookery experts on how to eat more healthily without spending hours in the kitchen or emptying the purse in the supermarket. The PR and advertising campaigns planned for 2012 for Oatly will continue to encourage consumers to try the three drinks and the cream alternative as a simple and great tasting alternative to dairy milk or cream when cooking, splashing on cereal or in a healthy smoothie”. Stuart Roberts at AOk Drinks confirms that communicating with existing and new customers, and inspiring people to create healthier snacks and meals, will be a priority for the antioxidant brand in 2012. “We have big plans for the website, www.aokdrinks.com, as we want to become known as an approachable and friendly resource for people interested in health, nutrition and improving their quality of life. Small lifestyle changes can make a huge difference, and we will be providing recipes, meal plan ideas, nutrition tips and hints, and much more. In the year of the UK Olympics, health, nutrition and fitness will be high on the media agenda.” Related stories at www.foodanddrinktowers.com http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=5056 New Book alert: Ham, Pickles & Jam - Traditional Skills for the modern kitchen larder http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=4243 Leiths Meat Bible is the essential kitchen cookbook TREND 8: Food on the go gets a facelift Unsurprisingly, in 2012, consumers will demand a lot more for their money in the impulse market. According to the 2011 Britvic Soft Drinks Report, the impulse channel grew by 7% in value in the UK, reversing a 3% decline the previous year, and the food service channel reversed its 2009 decline, with sales up 9.4% in 2010 to £284m. Indeed, impulse sales growth overtook the grocery multiples, as more consumers took advantage of ‘top up shops’ and single serve formats became more popular. As impulse sales are forecast to continue to rise in 2012 (albeit not into double figures), brands must work harder for their share of the grab and go market. Convenience will remain a priority, but health is also becoming an influential factor. People are looking for quick fixes for specific lifestyle issues such as fatigue and concentration. People are also looking to top up their vitamin, mineral, antioxidant and omega-3 intake in a convenient format. Impulse products such as snacks and soft drinks will have to work harder to compete and stand out on the shelf. Impulse purchases are made in seconds, so the packaging must be eye-catching and the product must deliver on taste as well as convenience and function/efficacy. Emma Goss-Custard, founder of Honeybuns, says: “We’ve found that although gluten free is central to our offer, our customers also want to combine this with being able to enjoy a truly indulgent treat on the go. Just because they may be coeliac or wheat averse they still want to have a top of the range, ethically produced, delicious treat. Packaging is important: it needs to look great, streamlined and environmentally sustainable. The packaging also needs to convey our artisan status. Some of consumers are hesitant. “Can a pre packaged cake slice really taste nice”? We have to try and overcome that initial inertia by making the product look homely. Taste remains our key selling point: we rely on consumers perhaps thinking twice initially, owing to our premium positioning, but once they taste it they can appreciate why it costs that little bit more. Related stories at www.foodanddrinktowers.com http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=5144 Honeybuns Christmas stocking fillers http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=4692 Macsween launches a 'convenience' haggis for vegetarians in Scotland TREND 9: Megatrends…on a budget Health, convenience and indulgence are known as the three megatrends influencing PD and sales in the food and drink industry. Private label used to be synonymous with budget, but times are changing, and there are now premium ranges such as Finest from Tesco through to the old faithful economy lines. Brands have recognised the threat from private labels for years now, but in 2012, the competition will be firmly pitched at the budget end of the price spectrum. There is an ongoing debate as to whether a product can address all three megatrends to be healthy, convenient and indulgent. “We are very lucky with Beetroot juice,” says Lawrence Mallinson, founder of James White Drinks. “Whilst it is not everyone's favourite - a bit of a marmite sort of product - those that like it tend to be very enthusiastic. So I am pleased to say for most of our customers, drinking Beet It is an indulgence as well as being healthy and convenient.” When it comes to offering convenience, particularly in the functional soft drinks category, one-shot drinks are becoming incredibly popular. The Beet It Stamina shots are a perfect storm of all of these ingredients, says Mallinson. Choosing the correct packaging is imperative to enhancing the convenience of a product, regardless of the category. “The 7cl shot format provides a natural dietary nitrate dose for the elite sports world (it boosts nitric oxide in the blood and thus stamina) in a convenient size, and it tastes great too! The hot filled PET bottles enable the Beet It Shots to have an extended ambient shelf life without resorting to using preservatives, which would have lost its organic status,” says Mallinson. Nick Hudson at Wassen (Oatly Drinks) believes its Chocolate and Cream variants tick all three boxes. “Oatly has a wholesome answer to your cravings for a chocolate fix in the afternoon, a restorative mug of hot chocolate, creamy pasta sauces and a quick and easy way to jazz up a fruit salad: Oatly Chocolate and Oatly Organic Dairy Free Alternative to Cream.” A 100ml glass of Oatly Chocolate contains 1.5g of fat, of which 0.2g is saturated fat, and 3g of the sugars is added sugar: the rest is natural sugars from oats. Oatly Chocolate is lower in calories (55kcal per 100ml), which, according to Hudson, “is less than other chocolate drinks on the market and tastes great hot or cold: perfect to slake those chocolate cravings without damaging a healthy eating regime”. Hudson explains: “Oatly Organic Dairy Free Alternative to Cream contains just 13g of fat per 100g, of which only 3g is saturated fat, and the overwhelming amount is the unsaturated 'good' fat. With only 150kcal per 100g as opposed to 445kcal per 100g for double cream, you can have the taste of cream without the guilt. From a convenience perspective, Hudson confirms that all Oatly products are heat stable so they are suitable for cooking as well as drinking. They work as well in pasta sauces as they do in baking for example and can be swapped for dairy milk or cream in any recipe. Oatly oat drinks can also be used on cereal and in smoothies for breakfasts on the go. “We believe our prices are budget-friendly at the RRP levels set but we also recognise that promotions are an attractive option for consumers so we regularly run price reductions with all the major retailers and will continue to do so during 2012.” Emma Goss-Custard, founder of Honeybuns, believes that there is a growing interest in pure, ‘unmucked about with foods’ that do not contain reduced fat nor artificial sweeteners. “Our customers subscribe to the ‘a little of what you fancy’ philosophy. They rather have proper butter in their cake slice but opt for a smaller slice. If they want to be uber-healthy then they’ll lay off the cake and have an apple instead. “Our individually wrapped gluten free cakes are convenient and utterly indulgent. We have seen great growth in our minis range, launched three years ago, which is simple portion control. They look really tempting & reduce the guilt factor and fat intake. We are proud to be a premium product; we hand craft everything and we are a small, creative team who are dedicated to making the best product we can. Although we’re premium, we are told by customers that we represent great value when compared gram for gram to mass produced products.” The food&drink towers Ten Top Trends for 2012 Survey highlighted that health on a budget will be hugely important (47%), followed by indulgence on a budget, convenience on a budget and premium indulgence. On the go convenience i.e. breakfast on the train, desk-dining, grab and go impulse purchases will be hugely important according to 24% and important to 53%. General health i.e. wellbeing, immune system and energy will be hugely important according to 44% of respondents, and important to 47%. Meanwhile, specific health such as tackling individual issues including diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure will be hugely important in 2012 according to 34% and important according to 49%. Family nutrition will also be a key focus for the food and drink industry in 2012: hugely important says 39% and 47% say it will be important. Related stories at www.foodanddrinktowers.com http://foodanddrinktowers.com/press-releases/new-healthy-eating-recipes-from-essential/ Ethical vegetarian health food brand Essential has commissioned five new recipes to mark its annual Healthy Eating Fortnight (October 17-30, 2011) http://foodanddrinktowers.com/press-releases/antioxidant-juice-responds-to-consumer-demands-for-convenience-h/ Antioxidant juice responds to consumer demands for convenience, health & flavour TREND 10: Original food and drink pairing: inspiration for the nation In 2012, people will become more adventurous with their food and drink pairing: influenced by the foodie culture, workshops, food exhibitions such as BBC Good Food Show, television programmes such as Masterchef. People are keen to learn more about food and drink (as previously mentioned) and are keen to be educated. Companies such as French Bubbles (www.frenchbubbles.co.uk) operate Champagne pairing events, matching bubbly with sushi, chocolate and cheese. Restaurants are showing greater interest in providing wine, beer, cocktail and spirit matches to certain items on their menus. Pop-up bars and cafes will continue to thrive in popularity, appealing to consumers seeking a break from the norm, and the chance to experiment with something new. Pop-up pairing events will also become more prevalent in 2012, enabling consumers to indulge in original food and drink matching such as beer and oysters and Champagne and sushi. Related stories at www.foodanddrinktowers.com http://foodanddrinktowers.com/index.php?cID=5158 My perfect night out with French Bubbles and La Cave a Fromage ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ About our report sponsors… AOk Drinks (http://www.aokdrinks.com) AOk is a deliciously fruity combination of red grapes, cherries, aloe vera and ginger. One 250ml bottle of AOk provides your daily dose of antioxidants and just 145k calories. It also counts as one of your five a day. AOk is thirst-quenching, antioxidant-packed, free-radical-fighting, and it tastes delicious. AOk was created by nutritionist Stuart Roberts to provide a convenient way of getting your optimal daily antioxidant requirements from just one bottle; no matter how busy your life is. Each ingredient was carefully chosen to ensure that there is a synergistic mix of multiple antioxidants. Laboratory industry standard tests have shown AOk to be an exceptional antioxidant drink providing 3,600 ORAC units per 250ml (nutritionists recommend we consume 3,000-5,000 ORAC units daily to fight free radicals which lead to premature signs of ageing and contribute to diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer). Press enquiries to helen@aokdrinks.com / 07904801669. Sales enquiries to stuart@aokdrinks.com. Beet It Juice & Stamina Shots by James White Drinks (http://www.jameswhite.co.uk / http://www.beet-it.com) Based in Suffolk, James White press and bottle a wide range of apple juice and increasingly vegetable juices including Beet it our organic beetroot juice. James White also makes Big Tom spicy tomato juice - a fabulous bloody mary mixer and the Thorncroft range of botanical cordials including the original Elderflower, traditional Nettle, Rosehip and Pink Ginger and the well being range including Kombucha, an oriental revitalising drink and Detox. Media and retail enquiries to: Lawrence@jameswhite.co.uk; 01473 890111. Honeybuns (http://www.honeybuns.co.uk) "Honeybuns is a small multi-award winning artisan bakery based on a farm in the heart of Dorset. Using natural and impeccably sourced ingredients, locally wherever possible, this little company has wowed food critics and customers alike with their range of delicious cakes, cookies and savouries, most of which are gluten free and some dairy free. Over half the range has won Gold at the prestigious National Great Taste Awards. The small bakery team make everything by hand in small batches, baking everything slowly in their vintage oven." Media and retail enquiries to www.honeybuns.co.uk; thebee@honeybuns.co.uk; 01963 23597. Oatly oat drinks (http://www.oatly.co.uk) Suitable for vegans and vegetarians, Oatly oat drinks come in four long-life varieties: Chocolate, Enriched and Organic in one litre packs and Organic Dairy-Free Alternative to Cream in a handy 250ml carton. All Oatly oat drinks are lactose, milk protein and soya free so they’re great for anyone who suffers from milk protein allergy, lactose intolerance and/or an allergy to soya. Oatly oat drinks are a tasty, refreshing drink on their own and also make a great low-fat addition to a fruit smoothie. And Oatly is heat-stable, so it is also ideal for use in cooking and baking instead of dairy milk or cream. Everyone can enjoy the great taste and health benefits of Oatly. Naturally low in saturated fat and containing soluble fibre, Oatly helps lower cholesterol levels as part of a healthy balanced lifestyle: just one 250ml glass of Oatly provides a third (1g) of the daily requirement of beta-glucan (soluble fibre) for cholesterol reduction. Oatly long-life oat drinks are available from Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, ASDA and EH Booths stores as well as Holland & Barrett and independent health stores: Oatly Organic and Oatly Enriched cost around £1.39 for a 1 litre pack, Oatly Chocolate is around £1.55 for a 1 litre pack and Oatly Organic Dairy-Free Alternative to Cream is around 82p for a 250ml pack. Oatly stays fresh for 4-6 days in the refrigerator after opening. Further information about Oatly and a range of recipes can be found at www.oatly.co.uk. Retailers can contact Oatly’s importers Wassen International on info@wassen.com, 01372 379828. Please address media enquiries to Grand Union PR, philippa@grandunionpr.com, 01442 824844. Oxwich Communications Ltd (www.oxwichcommunications.com) PR, Marketing and Copywriting services Oxwich Communications Ltd is a boutique PR agency offering a range of public relations, marketing and copywriting services for businesses, products and events. From new product/line launches and sampling events to supermarket and restaurant openings, our food and drink PR experience includes: Delia Smith for Delia’s Canary Catering Food and Wine Workshops and Yellows Diner Restaurant opening, Chef and Author Alex MacKay, Chilford Hall Vineyard and Conference Centre and Langley Larder Catering Services. Contact: Laura Hazell, Managing Director, Oxwich Communications Ltd 0845 226 7469 info@oxwichcommunications.com. .... Thu, 15 Dec 2011 07:01:00 GMT