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October 28, 2020

SFA Trendspotter Panel Reveals Top Trends for 2021

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Replicating restaurant and travel experiences in the home kitchen; values-based shopping; and functional ingredients to support and maintain health, top the list of 2021 trend predictions from the Specialty Food Association’s Trendspotter Panel.

The panel, composed of retailers, chefs, food writers and educators, and market analysts, considered drivers like the continuing coronavirus pandemic keeping a record number of people close to home, growing social awareness affecting purchasing decisions, and a maturing Gen Z population, in predicting the food trends that will dominate in the coming year. See full list of trends here.

“COVID-19 has a massive impact on trend predictions heading into 2021, as a record number of consumers cook and eat at home more, turning to everyday meals and special treats to comfort and support their mental and physical well-being,” says Denise Purcell, director of content for the Specialty Food Association. “We’re seeing several trends around experimenting with flavors and ingredients, as well as turning to functional or plant-based foods and twists on classic products to avoid menu fatigue.”

The Specialty Food Association 2020 Trendspotter Panelists

  • Melanie Zanoza Bartelme, global food analyst, Mintel, Chicago
  • Monifa Dayo, consultant, chef, The SupperClub
  • Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D., professor, Department of Food and Hospitality Management and Founding Director, Drexel Food Core Lab
  • Andrew Freeman, founder of af&co./co-founder of Carbonate
  • Illyanna Maisonet, first Puerto Rican food columnist in the country
  • Clara Park, corporate chef of Culinary Innovation for Chelten House Products, head of the Chefs’ Council for C-CAP, member of the Advisory Board for The Food Lab at Drexel University
  • Chef Tu David Phu, Top Chef Alumni, TDP Enterprises LLC, founder, Tumami Spices
  • Wendy Robinson, buyer, Market Hall Foods
  • Leith Steel, account strategist and trendwatcher, Carbonate
  • Chris Styler, culinary producer/product development chef, Freelance Food, LLC
  • Bryant Terry, author, educator, and chef-in-residence at the Museum of the African Diaspora SF (MoAD)

Related: Datassential Experts Map Innovation to Culinary Trends; Consumers Treat Food as Medicine During Pandemic.


October 27, 2020

AA (Rated Trips) New Rosette Awards Press Release (Nov 2020)

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AA (Rated Trips) New Rosette Awards Press Release (Nov 2020)

London. 27th October 2020. The AA has today announced its latest round of Rosette Award winners, celebrating dining destinations with the highest quality culinary offerings in the country. Four British restaurants have been awarded four AA Rosettes, while an incredible twenty-six have received three AA Rosettes, a record number for a single announcement.

Receiving a prestigious four AA Rosettes are The Latymer, Pennyhill Park (Bagshot, Surrey), Muse (London), Ocean Restaurant at The Atlantic Hotel (Jersey), and The Ritz Restaurant (London). Restaurants awarded three AA Rosettes include The Old Stamp House (Ambleside, Cumbria), housed in the former office of William Wordsworth, Frenchie Covent Garden (London), cousin of the original Parisian eatery, and Great British Menu winner Shaun Rankin’s eponymous Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall (Ripon, North Yorkshire).

Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media said “This has been an immensely difficult year for the hospitality industry, and yet restaurants across the country have continued to provide incredible dining experiences to the public despite these considerable challenges. The dedication and hard work of the teams behind these establishments is inspiring, particularly during this time, and we are pleased to be able to celebrate them with the announcement of these AA Rosettes.”

Three AA Rosettes are awarded to restaurants achieving standards that demand national recognition beyond their local area, while those which receive four AA Rosettes are deemed to be among the best in the UK and Ireland.

New four AA Rosettes:

Ocean Restaurant at The Atlantic Hotel, Jersey

Muse, London, SW1

The Ritz Restaurant, London, W1

The Latymer, Pennyhill Park, Bagshot, Surrey

New three AA Rosettes:

The Vineyard, Newbury, Berkshire

Driftwood, Portscatho, Cornwall

The Old Stamp House, Ambleside, Cumbria

The Feathered Nest Country Inn, Nether Westcote, Gloucestershire

Albert and Michel Roux Jr at Inverlochy Castle, Fort William, Highland

Hide and Fox, Hythe, Kent

The Barn at Moor Hall, Ormskirk, Lancashire

Davies & Brook, London, W1

Frenchie Covent Garden, London, WC2
Hide Above, London, W1

Les 110 Des Taillevent, London, W1

The Betterment by Jason Atherton, London, W1

The Dysart, Petersham, Greater London

The Northall, London, WC2

Trivet, London, SE1

Mana, Greater Manchester

Where The Light Gets In, Stockport, Greater Manchester

Minster Mill, Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire

Windlestraw, Walkerburn, Scottish Borders

The Haughmond, Upton Magna, Shropshire

The Boat Inn, Lichfield, Staffordshire

Interlude, Lower Beeding, West Sussex

Goldsborough Hall, Harrogate, North Yorkshire

Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire

The Pheasant, Harome, North Yorkshire

AA Rosettes have been awarded to restaurants since 1956, with the top award of five Rosettes first introduced in 1991. The multi rosettes are traditionally awarded in January and September each year, with success determined by one or more visits by an AA inspector to a hotel or restaurant.

To discover more top restaurants go to http://www.ratedtrips.com/awards

About AA Hotel & Hospitality Services

In 1908, the AA introduced a new scheme to highlight ‘leading hotels’. It followed this in 1912 by adding star ratings, inspired by a similar system for rating brandy. In 1956, the AA introduced the Rosette awards – the first nationwide awards for recognising restaurants. Today, the AA continues to provide establishments with professional ratings and they are a valued symbol of quality for both consumers and the hospitality industry.

About the restaurants:

4 Rosettes

The Ritz Restaurant, London W1

At the Ritz Restaurant the experience features tailcoated waiters serving cloche-covered plates of luxurious food. Why not start with a glass of bubbly in the art deco Rivoli Bar to prepare your senses for the extravagant opulence of the dining room – a space to rival Versailles Palace, with its rich Louis XVI-inspired decor of murals, painted ceilings, statues and glittering chandeliers reflecting from mirrored walls. An army of waiting staff pulls off a correctly polite performance with theatrical classic tableside service that avoids any hint of stuffiness. Auguste Escoffier would find no fault with the whole show, although the odd Gallic eyebrow might be raised at distinctively contemporary reworkings of classics – the likes of hay-smoked veal sweetbreads with caramelised shallot and Madeira sauce. Next up, Dover sole is pointed up with new season leeks, cauliflower and caviar at dessert stage, a rather refined take on Yorkshire rhubarb with vanilla custard closes in style.

The Latymer, Pennyhill Park, Bagshot, Surrey

The Latymer is one of the top restaurants in the country, set in the creeper-covered Victorian manor at the heart of the 123-acre Pennyhill estate whose grounds encompass a high-powered hotel with elegant gardens, wild woodland, a less wild golf course and a swish spa. It’s a genteel and luxurious space with panelled walls and rich floral fabrics all contributing to a formal and elegant setting for food of thrilling modernity, with contemporary cooking techniques showcased on six-course tasting menus. Expect complexity, as in a highly evolved dish matching pumpkin in various guises with quail’s egg, cep powder and ice cream, or Orkney scallop with celeriac, truffle, apple and smoked eel. Another outstanding idea brings pink venison loin alongside cauliflower and almond ‘couscous’ and blackberry and bitter chocolate foam. A dessert of Itakuja chocolate dĂ©lice and mango sorbet delivers wonderful flavours and textures. The wine list is a global wonder that matches the food in ambition and attainment.

Ocean Restaurant at the Atlantic Hotel, Jersey, Channel Islands

The Ocean Restaurant is the jewel in the crown of The Atlantic Hotel, a boutique retreat amid exotic palm trees in a conservation area overlooking the wild dunes of St Ouen’s Bay. The timeless sea views are best savoured from the louvred windows of the dining room, a gloriously light and airy setting with a soft-focus palette of blue, white and beige, and modern artwork on the walls. Chef Will Holland’s stellar cooking is the real draw. You might open with accurately seared scallops with salt cod brandade, carrot remoulade and sweet-and-sour carrot purĂ©e, a sensational marriage of sweet and salty savour. That could be followed by juniper-roasted venison loin with a breaded bonbon of the meat, smoked bacon choucroute, salsify and pickled blueberries, in a glossy, deeply resonant bitter chocolate jus. The showstopping finale is chocoholic heaven of cacao streusel coated with Guanaja, with 70% chocolate gelĂ©e and coffee ice cream.

Muse, London SW1

Tucked away close to Belgrave Square, Muse sees Tom Aikens’ return to the capital’s fine-dining scene, offering a multi-course tasting menu inspired by childhood memories and moments and key people form his celebrated career. A bijou, 25-cover space, Muse splits over two floors of a character mews house; there’s a few seats for cocktails and a cold kitchen downstairs, while upstairs the main action takes place, with high chairs at the marble-topped kitchen counter and dining tables and curving banquette behind. It’s intimate but relaxed, softly lit and decorated in warming pastel tones. Friendly staff and chefs bring out a succession of strikingly presented dishes to talk through, with names like ‘Conquering the Beech Tree’ or ‘Playing with fire’ supported by evocative menu descriptions, while ingredients are listed minimally (‘langoustine, pork fat, burnt apple’ or ‘Beef, Norfolk grains, Barsham stout). This is fine-tuned cooking from a flavoursmith; innovative, story-telling dishes full of flavour, balance, finesse and artistry.

3 Rosettes

The Vineyard, Newbury, Berkshire

There’s no vineyard at The Vineyard, although owner Sir Peter Michael’s world-class Californian winery supplies some pretty remarkable wines in a cellar that runs to a staggering 30,000 bottles. In fact, the super-slick operation is a stylish and sybaritic celebration of the world of wine and gastronomy, with side orders of spa pampering, luxurious accommodation and chic public areas. On the food front, Orkney scallop with chicken, grapes and marigold delivers precision and innovation in equal measure, while Berkshire Downs lamb is matched with Savoy cabbage and smoked onion purĂ©e. Expert sommeliers guide the way through that astonishing cellar, starting with around 100 available by the glass.

Driftwood, Portscatho, Cornwall

Independently owned, this beach-house-style hotel stands in seven acres on the Roseland Peninsula, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Roseland, by the way, gets its name not from the flower, but from the Cornish ‘ros’, meaning a headland). A pretty woodland path hairpins its way down to the South West Coast Path and a private cove on the turquoise waters of Gerrans Bay. The restaurant, with a terrace, is bright and airy and a fitting context for technically innovative and exciting food from Olly Pierrepont. Local materials star, with expressive seafood dishes a particular strength. All but one bedroom has sea views and those on the ground floor have decking, much enjoyed by stargazers and sunseekers. There’s super-attentive service, impressive knowledge of both food and drinks from the staff, including excellent wine recommendations.

The Old Stamp House Restaurant, Ambleside, Cumbria

William Wordsworth was Cumbria’s ‘Distributor of Stamps’ back in the 19th century, and this is where he plied his trade. Today, the organic and foraged ingredients on show make this is a thoroughly modern sort of restaurant and it has become quite the foodie destination. Situated below street level and accessed via a small set of stairs, chef Ryan Blackburn and his brother Craig, who works front of house, have created something special here. Dishes are explained as they are placed. Chefs normally make a point of bringing some of the dishes themselves – Ryan likes to present a personal appearance to his strong local following. Recommendations are freely made for both food and wine indicating a deep knowledge of the product. Cumbrian local produce leads the way, with 6 or 8-course tasting menus and a smaller lunch menu. The presentation is always thoroughly creative.

The Feathered Nest Country Inn, Nether Westcote, Gloucestershire

The Feathered Nest is a born-again country hostelry that’s seriously worth a detour. There’s pretty accommodation, too, if you fancy staying the night. The Cotswold-stone building looks good inside and out, with a contemporary country-chic interior (stone walls, flagged floors and antique furniture), the feelgood factor ramped up by real fires in winter, and bucolic views from the terrace and garden. Expect a modern British menu that fizzes with good ideas and appealing combinations – Orkney scallops with pork cheek, caramelised apple, celeriac and crackling for starters, then a big-hearted main course of Cotswold fallow deer with salt-baked parsnips, black pudding hash, braised red cabbage, parsnip and vanilla.

Hide and Fox, Hythe, Kent

Hide and Fox is set in the new One Tower Bridge development, just a stone’s throw from the bridge itself, on the ground floor of a new residential building. It’s a modern split-level, glass-walled space with some tables on the ground floor and the majority on the mezzanine level. The menu changes seasonally, the head chef champions Welsh produce, and cooking is accomplished. A starter of cured and poached salmon with horseradish Chantilly, apple and ponzu is a simply presented, vibrant dish, while loin and belly of superlative Welsh lamb is showcased alongside crushed and purĂ©ed artichoke, mint and leeks.

The Barn at Moor Hall, Ormskirk, Lancashire

In five-acre grounds with a lake and accompanied by one of the UK’s top restaurants in a glass-walled modernist extension, this boutique hideaway already has enough going for it. But if you’re not up for the full-works, culinary virtuosity of the main attraction, this little sibling is no slouch, serving up sharp contemporary food in a casual, beamed setting. Start with perfectly timed smoked haddock with red lentil dhal, cumin foam, coriander and puffed rice, then move on to a full-bore plate of pork belly with heavenly crisp crackling alongside smoked apple, morels and roasted foie gras.

Trivet, London SE1

When a new restaurant is opened by a former head chef (Jonny Lake) and master sommelier (Isa Bal) of the Fat Duck, it’s bound to garner attention and high expectation. Trivet, tucked away opposite Bermondsey’s historic Guinness Trust building, is however, refreshingly understated. The modern, clean-lined glass-fronted space features a marble bar (with separate bar menu) and two dining rooms with a focal-point open kitchen, while light, Nordic-style woods and pastel shades add warmth and keep things smack on-trend. The kitchen’s carte-format menu bristles with appeal, with Lake’s clean, confident, innovative and flawless cooking bringing ingredients to life. Take salt-steamed turbot teamed with crosnes, Jerusalem artichoke and tarragon oil, while a baked potato mille feuille dessert (with sake and white chocolate mousse, and butter and sake gelato) catches the foodie attention. Service is relaxed, cheery and informed, while Bal’s unique wine list – presented following the journey of early wine makers – starts at 7,000BC.

Les 110 de Taillevent, London W1

Ornate high ceilings, tall windows, dark-green banquettes and a showpiece bar give this classy, low-lit wine-based outfit a romantic, high-end gloss. Sibling of much-worshipped Parisian restaurant with the same moniker, it offers diners 110 by-glass wines as part of its corking list that tops 1,500 bottles. Each dish is offered with four different wine pairings, in four different price brackets and measures (70ml or 125ml). Stellar chef Ross Bryans’ modern French roster comes underscored by a classical French theme and delivers in well-dressed, perfectly executed plates clean on flavour. High skill, flair and balance shine in dishes like sea-fresh Cornish turbot teamed with Jerusalem artichoke, peacock kale and headlining sauce Albufera, while a blackcurrant soufflĂ©, with speculoos biscuit ice cream, wows with theatre and flavour. Charming service underpins all.

The Betterment by Jason Atherton, London W1

The Betterment is the Mayfair branch of Jason Atherton’s London operations, occupying a glamorous setting in the ultra-luxurious Biltmore Hotel in Grosvenor Square, so this is not one for tight budgets. It’s the sort of glitzy spot for putting your glad rags on in anticipation of some big-hitting dishes that tease out every molecule of flavour from pedigree ingredients. Roasted Orkney scallop with braised girolles and creamy Parmesan sauce opens in fine style, while short rib with Montgomery cheddar and bone marrow is lifted by the textures of croutons and diced apple. Almond financier with caramelised white chocolate, raspberry and red pepper sorbet makes a refined finisher.

Davies and Brook, Claridge’s, London W1

Davies and Brook is named for the two streets that form the corner location of Claridge’s, wherein this rather elegant dining room is ensconced. The look is clean-lined and contemporary, with high ceilings and specially commissioned artworks adding to the chic ambience. The food comes courtesy of chef Daniel Humm, whose high-flying New York reputation translates here as dishes of thrilling flavour clarity and intensity. Dry-aged duck in a fabulous sweet-and-perfumed glaze of honey and lavender with daikon ribbons and rhubarb purĂ©e is a dish to write home about, as is a sublime combo of poached lobster with swede and pear.

Hide Above, London W1

Hide Above is the top-end, first floor restaurant of chef Ollie Dabbous’s glossy drinking and dining venue. A magnificent oak staircase curves upwards to the sleek designer space where wall-to-wall glass gives great views over the snarl of Piccadilly traffic to the leafy canopy of Green Park. Five- and eight-course tasting menus bring on cooking of exceptional precision, taking in Cornish crab broth spiked with fennel and lime leaves, then roast scallop with buckwheat dashi, golden turnips, pear and pine. Roast suckling pig comes two ways: tenderloin with cauliflower purĂ©e, capers and raisins, followed by shoulder with mustard sauce, hispi cabbage and black pudding crumb.

Frenchie Covent Garden, London WC2

Smack in the heart of Covent Garden, Frenchie is the London outpost of chef-patron Gregory Marchand, who splits his time chiefly between his Paris restaurant and WC2. Cool, smart and buzzy, this relaxed modern French brasserie rocks, with spot-on service, innovative cuisine and on-trend good looks. The long street-level room comes with eye-catching lighting and a dining bar, while bare brick, wooden floors and marble or stainless steel tabletops embrace the mood, and downstairs features an open kitchen. Creative, ambitious modern French dishes have equal appeal; witness steamed Cornish cod teamed with mussels, cauliflower, dill and whey, or a classy praline and calamansi Paris-Brest finale.

The Dysart Petersham, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Greater London

The Dysart occupies a 1904 Arts and Crafts building with original leaded windows and wooden window frames facing south over Richmond Park. Sunshine streams in on bright days, and a low-key jazz soundtrack floats around the elegant room. Kenneth Culhane’s confident and sure-footed cooking delivers some fascinating, intricately detailed dishes full of subtle interplays of taste and texture. A sublime oxtail risotto made with gold-standard acquerello aged rice and enriched with bone marrow and pickled chilli gets off to a flying start, followed by a beautifully balanced plate of aged Devon duck with orange-braised chicory and prune sauce. Lemon verbena crĂšme brĂ»lĂ©e is a masterclass in simplicity.

Where the Light Gets In, Stockport, Greater Manchester

Where the Light Gets In occupies a hipster-friendly industrial-chic former warehouse that’s fully in tune with contemporary sensibilities and the industrial heritage of the town. Music is loud, the vibe is casual and chefs deliver dishes hot-foot to tables. A procession of small dishes – up to 15 – takes in current trends for fermenting, pickling and sustainability. Along the way expect to encounter the likes of pickled kohlrabi with verbena leaves, butter curds and gooseberry compote; preserved red mullet with tomato water and brown butter, and a hands-on taco-style dish of pork rump with fermented bread miso and preserved cucumber.

Mana, Manchester, Greater Manchester

Mana has at its heart an open island kitchen from where chefs send out some highly accomplished Nordic-influenced cooking. In tune with the Scandi sensibilities, the space is sparsely minimal, albeit in a classy mode with darkwood tables and all-round designer sleekness. Multi-course menus deliver dishes that are highly technical, very clever and masterfully constructed to balance flavours and textures. Expect to find the finest British materials underpinning the likes of Lindisfarne oyster, English wasabi and fermented cabbage; caramelised scallop chawanmushi; poached turbot with smoked eel, sorrel and dill, and salt-aged duck hung over burning charcoal with bread sauce.

Murrays, Whittlebury Park, Towcester, Northamptonshire

Murrays is the pole-position dining option at Whittlebury Hall, a plush neo-Georgian hotel with a Rolls Royce of a spa and serious golfing just a Ferrari’s roar away from Silverstone. While the slick front-of-house team help diners relax in the slow lane, the kitchen hits top gear with modern British cooking. A starter of Devonshire crab with Granny Smith apple and avocado grabs the attention with its layering of flavours and textures, while loin and sweetbreads of lamb with baby leek terrine and celeriac turns up at main course stage. For pudding, a high-octane confection of chocolate, gianduja and praline cream is a winner.

Minster Mill, Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire

Minster Mill has plenty going for it: a rather glamorous Cotswold-stone boutique hotel by the River Windrush with a sybaritic spa and an atmospheric restaurant  replete with vaulted ceilings and original oak beams. The kitchen led by Tom Moody along with his team of highly skilled chefs sends out an appealing fusion of contemporary and classic British ideas built on top-quality ingredients. Thoughtful, sharply executed dishes kick off with a plump scallop, perfectly caramelised, topped with subtle tandoori spicing and balanced by the sharpness of yoghurt, cucumber and apple. Main-course brings 50 day-aged Belted Galloway beef with duck fat-roasted carrot and oxtail in onion petals. Finish with chocolate dĂ©lice with peanut and popcorn ice cream.

The Haughmond, Upton Magna, Shropshire

The Haughmond had a smart makeover a few years back and there’s now a fresh and light contemporary country feel to this smart coaching inn. Family-run, it retains a nicely relaxed and pubby atmosphere, while drawing diners from afar. Classics are served in the bar, while the restaurant ramps things up a notch or two with bold, unpretentious cooking highlighting seasonal, Shropshire ingredients. Pan-seared scallops alongside turnip, curried squash purĂ©e and lentils is a good way to start, then follow with a ‘nose-to-tail’ serving of pork taking in ribs, faggot, belly, loin and cheek, all that piggy richness lifted with celeriac remoulade and pear.

The Boat Inn, Lichfield, Staffordshire

The Boat occupies a rather unassuming location just off the busy A461 but once inside it’s clear that this is a restaurant of substance with serious foodie chops. An open kitchen with a chef’s table takes pole position in a light, airy space that maintains a relaxed charm. And the menu? It has a sharp eye for the seasons and a love of big-hearted, well-matched flavours, as in Dorset crab with ribbons of kohlrabi, seaweed and wild cranberry, or pig’s cheek with squash and sumac. Elsewhere, there’s rose veal served with crisp sweetbreads and chanterelles and, for pudding, a lush chocolate gateau with caramel ice cream.

Interlude, Lower Beeding, West Sussex

Interlude occupies a glorious setting in the woodland gardens of Leonardslee Estate. The grand old house doesn’t lack for character with its high ceilings, ornate fireplaces, oil paintings and chandeliers, while the kitchen takes its cue from the seasons and makes full use of pickings from its own gardens, as well as foraging and tapping into the local food network for top-notch Sussex produce. Expect bright, lively flavours in epic-length tasting format, from beef tartare smoked with gorse flowers, to poached plaice with parsley purĂ©e and knotweed vinegar, or 28 day-aged Middlewhite pork with wild garlic and capers.

Goldsborough Hall, Goldsborough, North Yorkshire

Goldsborough Hall is a Jacobean stately home with blue-blooded pedigree: Princess Mary, one of the Queen’s aunts, lived in this 1620s mansion until 1929. CanapĂ©s are served in the lounge before guests are shown through to an intimate dining space of linen-swathed tables, a baby grand, and a splendid marble fireplace for complex, distinctly modern dishes. A delightfully poised starter matches whipped goat’s cheese with spicy parkin and pear and artichoke in various textures. Main-course Yorkshire dry-aged duck comes alongside smoked cauliflower, black garlic, hen of the woods mushrooms and onion, while salted caramel custard tart and stem ginger ice cream make for a simple, deeply satisfying finish.

The Pheasant, Harome, North Yorkshire

Although The Pheasant sounds like a simple pub – it was once the blacksmith’s and village shop overlooking the duckpond in the charming village of Harome – its current incarnation is a rather refined hotel with bags of smart country style and food that’s certainly worth going out of your way for. The contemporary cooking style produces technically adept, imaginative dishes, starting out with slow-cooked hen’s egg (from the village) with roasted pecan whip and smoked hen of the woods mushrooms, then a storming main course of Gigha halibut VĂ©ronique with salt and vinegar potatoes, charred gem lettuce, heritage beetroot and brelot onions.

Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire

Shaun Rankin’s set-up in the Palladian splendour of Grantley Hall is unlikely to disappoint when you’re up for the full Five-Star Monty. When you’re done exploring the vast swathes of grounds, spa and elegant public rooms, Shaun Rankin delivers cooking of serious quality and distinction in opulent surroundings. There’s much to applaud, from chicken terrine with truffle-topped brioche and artichoke textures to an exquisitely constructed dish of venison loin with barbecued celeriac and blackcurrant gel. After that, terrine of quince and elderflower is matched with yoghurt ice cream.

Albert and Michel Roux Jr at Inverlochy Castle, Fort William, Highland

Albert and Michel Roux Jr have picked a top-flight venue at Aberlochy, the very epitome of a grand baronial castle set in a verdant valley at the foot of Ben Nevis. Views are spectacular, and there’s a real sense of history and opulence in the richly decorated public spaces, with all the high ceilings, antiques and crystal chandeliers you could wish for. The restaurant is intimate and extremely formal in approach – gentlemen will need their jackets – and complex dishes include wild rabbit terrine with game tea jelly, heritage carrots and pumpernickel, followed by duck breast and leg croquettes with balsamic beetroot and buckwheat.

Windlestraw, Walkerburn, Scottish Borders, Scotland

Located only 40 minutes from Edinburgh, in the rolling hills of the Scottish Border country, Windlestraw is a beautiful Edwardian Arts and Crafts villa set in two acres of grounds and lovingly restored by its present owners. Service is both personal and attentive in the oak panelled restaurant where contemporary Scottish menus deliver the likes of ham hock terrine pointed up with cauliflower, piccalilli and prosecco-poached sultanas, followed by venison loin with roasted and puréed celeriac, preserved blackcurrants and chard. To finish, a refined take on the classic Scottish cranachan accompanied by a silky smooth whisky ice cream hits a high note.

from Fine Dining Guide


October 20, 2020

Whole Foods’ Trend Predictions Include Upcycled Foods, Produce-Based Jerky

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Hard kombucha, upcycled foods, leveled-up breakfasts, and produce-based jerky are among Whole Foods Market’s top food trend predictions for 2021. Rounding out the top 10 are functional foods, new takes on pantry staples, coffee beyond the mug, culinary-inspired baby food, alternative oils, and chickpea-based products.

Each year, a Trends Council of more than 50 Whole Foods Market team members, including local foragers, regional, and global buyers and culinary experts, compile trend predictions based on decades of experience and expertise in product sourcing, studying consumer preferences, and being on the frontlines with emerging and existing brands. Significantly influenced by the state of the food industry, the 2021 trends report reveals some of the early ways the food industry is adapting and innovating in response to COVID-19 for a post-pandemic food world.

“There have been radical shifts in consumer habits in 2020. For example, shoppers have found new passions for cooking, they’ve purchased more items related to health and wellness, and more are eating breakfast at home every day compared to pre-COVID,” said Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, chief marketing officer at Whole Foods Market, in a statement. “Food trends are a sign of the times, and our 2021 trends are no exception.”

Related: Searches For Mexican Street Food, Pumpkin Treats Surge; Recreating Travel and Tradition, Product Stories Among Trends at Specialty Food Live! Event.

Photo: Whole Foods


October 8, 2020

Kids’ Snack Market Grows Up

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Almost a fifth of children (18.5 percent) in this country are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but food manufacturers are launching a range of healthy snacks to help curb this trend.

Recent releases include Quevos, high protein, high fiber, low carb and sugar, gluten-free chips made from egg whites; Once Upon a Farm dairy-free yogurts (high in protein) and blends of fruit and vegetables in pouches; Organic Valley’s Egg Bites in three flavors; and MOR Snacks nut and cheese snack bags containing nothing but those ingredients.

Parents “need a quick fix, something healthy,” points out Christina Towle, a clinical nutritionist and founder of Hudson Valley Nutrition in New York. It’s important to be aware of the ingredients, she explains, and in her opinion, the smaller, family-owned companies tend to offer kid-friendly products with more integrity, she says, because they “really care about their brand and what’s in their products.”

Shelley Balanko, senior vice president of business development at The Hartman Group in Bellevue, Wash., says parents are relying on snacks that children can help themselves to, while their parents do their own work, especially now that they’re working from home.

“They tend to want their kids’ snacks to be whole, real foods that are rich in protein and fiber and attributes like organic and non-GMO are important,” she says. However, even the most invested parents slip, she admitted. “Even these parents will rely on whatever is available to feed kids quickly and with minimal resistance during our stress-filled COVID-19 lives.”

Some companies are even responding directly to the coronavirus. Slammers Snacks has added Wellmune, a beta-glucan yeast to three of its organic superfood smoothies. Wellmune is said to boost the immune system, so, says founder Jen Carlson, “parents can feel good about the snacks they’re giving their kids.”

Marketing Moves

Marketing kids’ snacks has also taken a turn during the pandemic. Nick Hamburger, co-founder of Quevos, says he’s mostly been doing Amazon advertisements and influencer marketing. “Influencer is new since COVID,” he says. “We knew many people were spending a lot more time on their devices during quarantine so thought influencer would work well — turns out, it did!”

KidsLuv, which offers vitamin-enhanced beverages for kids, has shifted its marketing and advertising efforts more to online, too. It’s started using a crowdfunding site, “to help support our marketing, advertising, and sales efforts, but to also build brand loyalty by engaging potential customers in the business on a whole new level,” says Ashi Jelinek, founder and CEO.

Related: Datassential Experts Map Innovation to Culinary Trends; Bill Extends P-EBT Program to Feed Children.

 


October 5, 2020

Chutney Mary 30th Birthday, (Oct 2020)

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Chutney Mary 30th Birthday, (Oct 2020)

Chutney Mary Owners: Ranjit Mathrani, Camellia Panjabi and Namita Panjabi

Chutney Mary’s place on the London dining scene over the last thirty years is well worth celebrating!  To take in the full scope of its achievements, it is important to step back and develop an understanding of the ever-changing dynamics of the market it has continuously helped to shape.  This must be coupled with consideration of the background to the opening in the context of the market at that time.

The 2020 global experience placed to one side, London is renowned as home to a great culinary diversity, making it a gastronomic destination of choice for the adventurous traveller. Perhaps only New York bears comparison on a global scale.  Generations of tourists, in ever increasing number, have made their way around the world, immeasurably broadening their horizons. From a food perspective, many have enjoyed experiences of authentic ethnic cooking in its indigenous setting.  A natural knock-on effect has seen the demand for similar offerings at home.  The experience of such places must also be equal to or better than those experienced abroad.  This forms just part of the reason for London’s  flourishing and vibrant restaurant scene.

We might reasonably hope that next year, discerning top end restaurant diners in London will continue to enjoy not only greater choice of cuisines, but also continue to dine out with greater frequency. One might argue that it is more than a function of economics – perhaps a cultural shift has been at play.  The 2019, well-heeled, younger demographic not only had greater disposable income to eat out more often but also chose to do so in a more adventurous way. The benefit of a cultural shift over a fluctuating economy is that should there have been a cultural evolution in dining habits, then demand is more stable in a downturn. Hopefully, a healthy competitive market next year will not only look like this but will also help maintain appropriate standards.

Rewind a few decades and London boasted relatively few top-end eateries, of particular sparsity were quality Asian restaurants.  As late as the 1980s, you might have found the occasional outpost of Asian glamour, such as The Bombay Brasserie off Gloucester Road or the royal Thai cuisine of The Blue Elephant in Fulham Broadway.

It is worth noting that thirty years ago we were pre- World Wide Web. At that time, a would-be customer learned about available restaurants from print media, either via reviews in the broadsheet newspapers or from guide books.  At a certain point, the globally instantaneous, interactive and responsive, information superhighway of the digital world became pervasive.  The web phenomenon may well have exceeded travel as a demand pull for ethnic cuisine, where reviews abound, social media excites and knowledge transfer is everywhere.  Our appetites are whetted in everything we encounter in the multi-media online world. 

Chutney Mary Interior, King’s Road, 1990

So, looking back, it is harder than one might first imagine to step into the shoes of Namita Panjabi and Ranjit Mathrani as they considered their options. To appreciate the landscape of that time, somewhere between Bibendum (for size) and Bombay Brasserie (for cuisine) was about the only semblance of an example business model. How brave and visionary those restaurateurs were in seeing a successful upscale, top-end, Indian restaurant.  Furthermore, one that was situated on the sophisticated, thriving and fashionable, King’s Road in Chelsea.  In 1989 Namita Panjabi and Ranjit Mathrani formed Chelsea Plaza Restaurants which was later renamed Masala World. The company was formed to create Chutney Mary.

Chutney Mary was born in the summer of 1990.  The calculated risk paid off almost immediately, as it transpired that the new concept struck a chord with the adventurous local residential gentry, who were ready to experiment with a more sophisticated interpretation of Indian food.  A formidable following developed, not just locally, but also from a broad destination spectrum.  From the well-travelled, particularly Indophiles, to the curious local diner, Chutney Mary would regularly satisfy 150-200 guests per evening service within its one hundred-seater space.

The press reviews were united in their praise and admiration. The restaurant was also the recipient of awards from The Evening Standard (Eros Award), Harden’s, Square Meal and Tio Pepe Carlton.  Further, Curry Clubs Best Indian Restaurant in the UK award made The BBC Evening News.  From Fay Maschler to Zagat and from Tatler to The NY Times, journalists and critics commented on the ever evolving and consistent quality of the food, alongside “a look that is shimmering and seductive.”

Camellia Panjabi, Namita’s sister, would later join as a director of the company, which was to become the broader MWEat Group.  Camellia was a pioneer herself, with an Economics degree from Cambridge, working for Tata Group, she was tasked with making a success of the marketing of the Taj Group of Hotels.  Her passion was food and she worked on a project to bring the diverse cuisines of the continent into the Hotel Group in a luxury Indian cultural setting.  As well as enjoying success across India, one such outpost of The Taj Group was the 1982 launch of the aforementioned Bombay Brasserie in London.

Overall, her food project was a daunting challenge, as India constituted a country with around 1.2 billion people, 14 different languages, 29 States, 7 Union Territories, not to mention various cultures – thereby demonstrating contrasts in cuisine type at least as wide as those found between countries across Europe.  Furthermore, recipes from the south had to be eked out from families or private cooks across the country.  A by-product of this work was Camellia’s best-selling recipe book ’50 Great Curries of India’ which has sold around two million copies world-wide.  In 2013, Camellia was awarded an MBE.

Chutney Mary Interior, King’s Road, 1990

As Chutney Mary’s success expanded it garnered a global reputation and provided a blueprint for the influx of other Indian master chefs to feed the market that they had created.  One might argue that they enabled the space in which Atul Kochhar, Vineet Bhatia and Sriram Ayur were to flourish.  The latter coming to London at Quilon a decade after launching Karavali restaurant in Bangalore under the then strategy remit of Camellia Panjabi at Taj Hotels. Where trailblazers go, others will follow and this is an important aspect of the Chutney Mary legacy as it celebrates 30 years.

By 2015 the lease on the King’s Road premises had run its course. This provided the ideal opportunity to review the best location to suit the past, present and future of the Chutney Mary client base.  After an extensive search the current site on St James’ Street was found,  although it was not love at first sight for the owners.  An inspired interior designer, along with their Feng Shui consultant put their mind at ease and made them excited about the potential of the new premises.  A potential that has more than been fulfilled.  Certain aspects needed tweaking, including where to place a private dining room, the cloakrooms as well as stripping back all the dĂ©cor.

There is a plush, upmarket long bar called Pukka Bar, serving cocktails, vintage champagne, artisanal gins and malts as well as small plates to casual visitors. The recent restaurant menu has seen starters replaced by small plates and a move toward lighter eating, principally to attract the lunch trade.  A grilled section is complemented by slow cooked curries, vegetarian dishes, sides and grains. The restaurant has always been busy and continues to attract a crowd even in these challenging times.  The dining room may be seen variously as one for special occasions, a discreet business meeting venue or a social meeting place for friends. The charming, friendly and informative service ably matches the quality of the food, while measuring and meeting their guests needs with care and attention. 

All this while remaining true to its principles; being innovative in so many ways.  It was the first to bring Anglo-Indian food of the Raj, including plated courses rather than sharing dishes.  It was the first to bring highlights of pan-Indian food, which was globally ground breaking. The recipes are cleverly adapted, using the latest techniques by master chefs, bringing a modern twist to the interpretation of dishes, that enhance flavour to the sensibilities of a London palate. 

Chutney Mary, St James’, 2020

There is a subtle evolution that retains old favourites, while forever encouraging the new and exciting to the menu.  Authenticity and complexity of the menu is provided by chefs trained and recruited as masters from their region of origin. 

Indeed, the painstaking and expensive recruitment process, is made even more complex by the need for a relatively flat kitchen management structure.  This is because the expert chef of one region will not work the ‘section’ of another expert chef’s region.  There is also often an under appreciation of the extent of cooking processes that go into Indian cuisine at these heights.  Uncompromising sourcing of produce of the highest quality is matched by detailed multi-stage cooking, with impeccable timing as an absolute necessity for consistency.  All are in abundance over the life of Chutney Mary and as such an ongoing requirement of the diligent and focused owners who regularly taste and review the menu for the benefit of their customers.

Prime Ministers past and present have been patrons of the restaurant, along with the obligatory smattering of celebrity to complement the loyal regulars.  The critic AA Gill was a notable friend of the house, quoted as saying “If there is a better pan-Indian restaurant in London than Chutney Mary I haven’t eaten in it.” A sentiment wholeheartedly echoed by fine dining guide and one that may equally apply to a loyal band of discerning customers. Congratulations to Chutney Mary, happy 30th birthday!  May there be many more to celebrate with you


from Fine Dining Guide


October 2, 2020

Product Roundup: Brands on a Mission

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via Food Trends https://ift.tt/3l31nvC by Arielle Feger

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Forty percent of adults aren’t sure how to have both a healthy diet and an environmentally sustainable one, according to research from International Food Information Council. But with these mission-driven brands, consumers don’t have to choose. Here are some new products from brands that are doing their part to help consumers, suppliers, and the earth.

Alter Eco Grass Fed Milk Organic Chocolate. Alter Eco’s Grass Fed Milk Organic Chocolate collection comes in three flavors: Grass Fed Milk, Grass Fed Milk with Salted Almonds, and Grass Fed Milk with Rice Crunch. The bars are made with 46 percent Peruvian cocoa sourced from fair trade farms that practice restorative farming methods, and milk from open-pastured, grass-fed cows from the alpine valleys of Switzerland. Alter Eco’s mission is to pioneer a full circle approach to eating, farming, and doing business, and to inspire others to do the same. alterecofoods.com

Bob’s Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour. This product is a nutritious alternative to wheat and other grain flours. Created from the highest quality desiccated coconut, it can be used to make pancakes, cookies, muffins, and more. Bob’s Red Mill Coconut Flour is now Fair Trade Certified by Fair Trade USA. Since 2016, Bob’s Red Mill has contributed $200,000 to coconut farming communities that support more than 7,000 fair trade farmers and community development programs. bobsredmill.com

Endangered Species Chocolate Oat Milk Chocolate Bars. Oat milk replaces dairy milk in this new line featuring Oat Milk and Dark Chocolate, Oat Milk, Sea Salt & Almonds, and Oat Milk, Rice Crisp & Dark Chocolate flavors. All three bars contain 55 percent cocoa. Endangered Species Chocolate is a non-GMO, fair trade company that uses ingredients that meet strict standards for quality, ethical trade, and environmental sustainability. In addition, 10 percent of the company’s net profits are donated annually to its GiveBack Partners, who can use the funds on projects they deem most important. chocolatebar.com

Happy Family Organics Happy Baby Regenerative & Organic Baby Food. These pouches, which come in Apples, Kale & Oats, Apples & Carrots, and Pears, Squash & Oats varieties, are made with ingredients that are grown using regenerative and organic practices. In addition, Happy Family Organics has partnered with TerraCycle to create a take-back program for the pouches to help keep plastics out of landfills and oceans. Happy Family Organics is on a mission to provide nutritious solutions for the whole family and create positive change on a global scale. happyfamilyorganics.com (Not pictured.)

The Jackfruit Co. Complete Jackfruit Meal. These single-serving meals are ready to enjoy in minutes and come in four, globally inspired flavors: Red Kidney Beans, Tomato, and Rustic Herbs; Chickpeas, Spinach, and Garam Masala; Black Beans, Corn, and Tex Mex Spice; and Coconut, Vegetables, and Thai Green Chile. All offerings are vegan and gluten-free. Through its partnership with Climate Collaborative, The Jackfruit Co. is committed to maximizing the benefits of responsible farming while reducing the detrimental impacts of food waste, packaging, and pollutants. thejackfruitcompany.com

Mamma Chia Organic Chiamilk. Mamma Chia Organic Chiamilk is a dairy-free, plant-based milk alternative made from nutrient-rich chia seeds. Perfect for adding to smoothies, cereal, coffee, or enjoying straight from the bottle, Chiamilk is a nutritional powerhouse with essential Omega-3, MCT, more calcium than a glass of traditional milk, and zero grams of sugar. It is available in Unsweetened Original and Unsweetened Vanilla flavors. Mamma Chia is a certified B Corp, a certified Women-Owned Business, and a 1 Percent For the Plant member. mammachia.com

Numi Organic Tea Sweet Slumber Tea. Sweet Slumber tea features herbal ingredients for a calming bedtime experience, including Numi’s Fair Trade Certified chamomile flower sourced from tea farms in Faiyum, Egypt; valerian root, which is shown in several studies to improve the ability to achieve high-quality sleep without grogginess; hop flowers; lavender flower; and lemon balm leaf. In addition, the tea features Numi’s new plant-based tea wrappers, which guarantees no eco-toxicity when they break down. numitea.com (Not pictured.)

Patagonia Provisions Organic Chile Mango Solar Dried Fruit. This dried fruit snack is made from the Rosa, a palm-size Nicaraguan mango that is peeled, sliced, and dried in solar-powered dehydrators. A drizzle of organic lime juice is added to balance the sweetness and a dusting of organic chile—a ground Argentinian red pepper called aji molido—adds a subtle, mellow heat. The mangoes are Regenerative Organic certified, meaning they are grown in ways that benefit the health of the soil, the workers, and any animals involved in production. patagoniaprovisions.com

Renewal Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour. This flour can be used as a substitute in baked foods from cookies and cakes to biscuits and scones. Renewal Mill uses okara, a superfood harvested from the pulp of organic soybeans created during soymilk production, to create the nutritious, versatile flour. Renewal Mill’s vision is to create a circular economy of food that closes the loop in today’s current supply chain, keeps valuable nutrition from going to waste, and reduces our impact on the environment. renewalmill.com

The Soulfull Project Apple Cinnamon Multigrain Hot Cereal. This hot cereal is made with a gluten-free blend of whole grain oats, red quinoa, black chia, delicious apples, cinnamon spice, and a touch of brown sugar. It’s vegan, Non-GMO Project Verified, and Whole Grain Stamp approved. For every serving purchased, The Soulfull Project will donate a serving to a regional food bank. The Soulfull Project is a certified B Corp with the mission to deliver nourishing and wholesome food and to increase awareness and individual engagement to build healthier communities amongst the underserved in the U.S. thesoulfullproject.com (Not pictured.)

Find more products from Specialty Food Association members in the Product Marketplace on specialtyfood.com


Arielle Feger is content associate for Specialty Food.

Photos: Mark Ferri; Food Styling: Leslie Orlandini; Props Styling: Francine Matalon–Degni


October 2, 2020

Category Spotlight: The New Cocktail Culture

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via Food Trends https://ift.tt/34i63XT by Nicole Potenza Denis

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Riding the wave of unprecedented liquor sales from the COVID-19 pandemic, new and easy-to-access forms of alcoholic beverages, along with their complementary food counterparts, will keep the booze boom going this holiday season.

When COVID-19 had the entire country hunkered down at home, virtual happy hours and cocktail classes via social media platforms and video conferencing technology became the new norm. As socializing at home spurred consumers to stock up on their favorite alcoholic beverages, cocktail components and liquor sales soared.

According to a June 2020 report from Drizly, an alcohol e-commerce marketplace that services the U.S. and Canada, consumers not only ordered more frequently, but also at a larger quantity per order, with average order size up 50 percent higher than baseline going into the week of March 16.  This included sales of beer, wine, and liquor.

During the last week in May, New York City experienced some of the highest week-over-week growth above baseline, according to the online platform—jumping from 190 percent to 260 percent. Some markets have steadily experienced growth well above the national average, including Westchester, New York; Norwalk and Hartford-New Haven, Connecticut; Providence, Rhode Island; and Minneapolis. Houston and San Antonio experienced a higher amount of growth above baseline, as did Seattle, Newark, New Jersey, and Boston.

Drizly also reports the biggest success stories heading into the warmer months included mezcal, (accelerating 1,064 percent growth above average). Subcategories that were dominating the week of Memorial Day included hard seltzer, ready-to-drink, and cocktail accoutrements and ingredients.


Old Fashioned with Tillen Farms Syrup

According to Nielsen data, off-premise sales of spirits in the U.S. were up 34.1 percent from last year for the nine-week period ending May 2, while wine sales grew 30.1 percent during the same time. Beer sales were up 12.6 percent.

And spiked seltzers, which last year were just emerging and showing strong promise, were up an astounding 456 percent year-over-year during the week of March 21.

While alcohol sales continue to soar, the fate of entertaining culture for both food and drink continues to evolve. “The future of entertaining will be about creating unique experiences at home that replicate the diversity and expertise we typically see outside of the home,” says Kalyn Rozanski, co-founder and innovation trend expert of Ebco, a consumer trends and insights company based in Austin, Texas. 

Rozanski says she is seeing consumers investing in appliances that help to create a more expert-level experience at home—from fancy ice and bread machines to pasta makers and outdoor pizza ovens—as well as restaurants that are selling their condiments, curated kits, and beverage kits to provide a restaurant-quality experience at home.

“These new ‘mixing and matching’ behaviors (like buying high-end condiments or cocktail kits to supplement an otherwise ordinary/average meal) create a unique take on something as well as meet specific budgets—all reshaping how consumers entertain,” she says.


A Smoky Manhattan with Bitters Lab Smoky Cedar Currant Bitters

Fast forward to June when COVID-19 quarantine restrictions loosened: Socially distant outdoor gatherings were more prevalent and specialty food bites became a trend that will move swiftly into the holidays.

From the burgeoning canned cocktail category to an increased interest in bitters and other make-at-home drink components, here are some beverage trends to look out for this holiday season.

Can Convenience
Thanks to the pandemic, alcoholic beverages in RTD canned form are quickly becoming favorites. “You don’t have to have another person pour you a drink and touch your glass, and you don’t have to touch a shared bottle—your can is yours,” remarks Lindsay Martin, vp of marketing for Reed’s Inc., which recently launched an RTD ‘Ginger Mule’ in partnership with Oregon-based craft brewer, Full Sail Brewing Co.

According to a Nielsen report, sales of canned cocktails grew 80 percent from April 2019 to April 2020. “The canned cocktail trend is poised to help with the cocktail culture especially as we are trying to get outdoors, and keep social distancing a priority,” says Kara Nielsen, director of food and drink for WGSN, a global trend forecasting and consumer insights group.

Nielsen says we will see both classics and new flavors evolve in a can especially as we approach the holidays. “Expect flavors such as maple syrup and winter spices like cinnamon and clove,” she notes.


Onda Sparkling Tequila, Reed’s Craft Ginger Mule, Tip Top Proper Cocktails Negroni

According to a WGSN analysis, the category has accelerated in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and is projected to grow globally at a rate of 3.32 percent from 2019 to 2027.

At Hyde Park Gourmet Food & Wine, Cincinnati, Ohio, Two Chicks Vodka Elderflower & Pear Cocktail, a sparkling vodka fizz, and a sparkling Apple Gimlet cocktail made with gin, apple, and cucumber, are widely popular along with Social’s organic sparkling sake ‘wine-style’ cocktail in Toasted Coconut & Almond.

“These are not like Boones Farm in a can but, instead, ready-to-drink beverages with high-quality ingredients, authentic spirits, and innovative flavors,” notes Hyde Park’s owner Evelyn Ignatow.

Hard Seltzer
The hype over hard seltzer may be just that, but craft breweries are jumping on the bandwagon, consumers have an increased desire for lower alcohol and healthier-ish drinks, and socially distanced entertaining is still a reality. Retailers can expect to see new launches and holiday flavors. According to analyst Kevin Grundy of Jefferies, U.S. sales of these malt-based beverages are expected to double to $3.5 billion this year and reach $6.5 billion by 2024.


Evil Water Passion Fruit Lemon Coconut Hard Pastry Seltzer, Urban Chestnut Lime & Salt Hard Seltzer

“Craft seltzers are going to be huge for this upcoming holiday season,” says Kathryn  Preissinger, PR coordinator at Tavour, a nationwide craft beer delivery service. Tavour has been offering curated boxes of hard seltzer from breweries such as Evil Twin, Urban Chestnut, and Untitled Art. 

Preissinger says consumers want access to low-calorie refreshing adult beverages with sophisticated, craft flavor profiles including real fruit concentrates, tropical flavors, or fun flavors like marshmallow and gummy bears. “Seltzers are flavorless so companies can make them taste precisely as they wish,” she adds.      

Party in a Box
With the relaxation of liquor laws in several states, restaurants are creating cocktail boxes and kits that customers can pick up and spirit and spirit-related companies are collaborating with cocktail component brands to include products like simple syrups and bitters.

Companies like Columbus, Ohio-based ROOT 23 for example, makers of simple syrups made with organic cane sugar, feature its Blueberry Mint Syrup in a cocktail kit with Re:Find Distillery in California for a ‘Winter Blues’ gin cocktail, while Hella Bitters new Entertaining Kit will showcase Hella Bitters & Soda, Hella Bitters Bar Set, and Cocktail Kingdom bar tools.

“We expect this ‘kit trend’ to carry over to retail,” says Ebco’s Rozanski.  

“And for holidays, you could imagine gifting a curated holiday-themed mixology kit or ordering a kit to complement a holiday meal.”

Rozanski says also to look out for direct-to-consumer companies that take the guess work out of making a top-shelf cocktail like Sourced Craft Cocktails and On the Rocks that deliver same-day liquor and the batched ingredients needed to create an expert-level drink at home. “Think smoke and fire margaritas, smoky old fashioned, etc.,” she says.


Re:Find Distillery Handcrafted Gin, ROOT 23 Blueberry Mint Simple Syrup

It also behooves brick-and-mortar retailers to keep cocktail components in stock and offer suggestions about holiday-themed libations to consumers. “We have seen big increases in the purchase of bitters for a make-at-home Negroni,” says Matt Caputo of Salt Lake City, Utah’s Caputo’s Market & Deli. Caputo says the big names like Angostura, Peychauds, and Fee Brother’s are doing well but small-batch producers are seeing big growth too. He touts Mister Bitters Fig & Cinnamon for holiday-themed brown spirit cocktails, Bitters Lab Charred Cedar Currant for any classic like a Manhattan, and Bar Daddy Orgeat syrup especially for Japanese-type cocktails. 


Stocking the Bar and Pantry

With more socializing and staying at home this holiday season, stocking the pantry with quality specialty foods for appetizers and hors d’oeuvres such as tinned fish, charcuterie, crackers, and cheeses, will be a priority.

While consumers are getting on board with charcuterie and cheese trays, conservas or tinned fish are becoming huge add-ons. According to Bloomberg, the market for tinned fish is expected to reach $36.7 billion by 2021, up from $29.8 billion in 2016.

American consumers are moving beyond their familiar canned tuna and exploring the likes of products better known in Europe and Asia such as Spanish sardines, Italian anchovy fillets, Korean tuna in chili oil, as well as smoky octopus from Alaska. “We have never seen growth like we have in this category. It’s quite insane actually,” says Matt Caputo of Caputo’s Market & Deli.

Caputo says most brands he sells are growing like crazy, but standouts include Jose Gourmet, Espinaler, and Wildfish. “When Wildfish arrived, we didn’t even have a brand page set up. That did not stop it from selling out—the entire (full) pallet in four business days,” he recalls.

At Hyde Park Gourmet, cut-to-order cheeses like Brillat Savarin Triple Cream and Prairie Breeze Cheddar along with salty bites like Redondo Iglesias Serrano ham and Mitica Marcona almonds are a must, but it’s Arroyabe Bonito del Norte Tuna in a can that is flying off the shelves. “Customers are not balking at the higher price,” either, says owner Evelyn Ignatow.

When it comes to capitalizing on this new cocktail culture, experts say retailers can benefit from pre-packaging—making ‘to-go’ happy hour packs that include specialty foods like cheeses and crackers or dips and salty snacks, or merchandising garnishes with spirits.

“We may even see a resurgence in sales of familiar favorite garnishes likes olives and pickled onions or Luxardo Maraschino cherries or Amarena cherries,” notes Kara Nielsen, director of food and drink for WGSN.

Sable & Rosenfeld, which earlier this year introduced Bourbon Tipsy Dark Reserve Cherries, reports that its sales have more than doubled in the cocktail garnish and condiments categories.

“Our Bourbon Dark Reserve Cherries have really taken off and our new website shows off our products nicely with many suggested recipes,” says Mary O’Neill, vice president of sales at the Toronto-based company.

In this time of cooking and being at home more, engaging with social media is key.

“It’s even more important now for brands to leverage influencers to help promote holiday entertaining, especially since consumers are not having the same level of exposure to new brands at restaurants or stores,” says Kalyn Rozanski, co-founder and innovation trend expert of Ebco.

“Video content and live DIYs are extremely popular forms of micro-content right now,” she says. “We see brands having influencers show how they are creating their own spin with products, like showing how a Keto cracker brand can be made into a Keto cheese and appetizer board.”

Nielsen concludes, “It’s an amazing moment for consumers to learn and find brands online and see what these companies are doing and how it can translate into home experimentation for the holidays.”


New and Noteworthy for Holiday Cocktail Parties

21st Amendment Brewery SoMA Blackberry Hard Seltzer. This hard seltzer created by the San Francisco brewery contains 100 calories, 2 grams of carbs, and zero sugar. It’s made using a natural fermentation process and brewed with natural flavors from Virginia Dare.  21st-amendment.com

Evil Twin Brewery Evil Water Passion Fruit, Lemon, Coconut Hard Pastry Seltzer. This hard ‘pastry’ seltzer is brewed with lemon zest, tart passion fruit, and coconut and is 4.5% ABV. Bright and effervescent with flavors of passion fruit, coconut, and lemon zest. eviltwin.nyc

The Murph’s Famous Bloody Mary Mix Party in a Box. This convenient party pack includes a hot and spicy mix that is slow kettle-cooked to create a thick and zesty Bloody Mary. Pepperoncini included for garnish. Just add the alcohol for a holiday brunch cocktail with or without heat. murphsfamous.com 

Onda Sparkling Tequila. Unlike a hard seltzer, Onda is not malt-based. Made with blanco tequila, this sparkling drink in a can has 5% alcohol, 100 calories, zero sugar, zero carbs, and is naturally gluten-free. Available in Sparkling Tequila Grapefruit and Sparkling Tequila Lime in an 8-, 16- or 24-pack. drinkonda.com

ROOT 23 Classic Cocktail Set. This set, a perfect hostess gift for the holidays, features four 4-ounce bottles of simple syrup including Vanilla Ginger, Cherry Almond, Maple Cinnamon and Grapefruit Basil. Each flavor combination is versatile and pairs with almost any type of spirit. root23.com

Sable & Rosenfeld Bourbon Tipsy Dark Reserve Cherries. These large, firm Oregon-grown Stardust cherries are packed in Sable & Rosenfeld’s exclusive syrup spiked with bourbon to create the dark reserve. Bourbon Tipsy Dark Reserve Cherries can be used to garnish a cocktail, cheese tray, or decadent dessert. sableandrosenfeld.com

Simple Mills Roasted Red Pepper Veggie Pita Crackers. These gluten-free crackers are made with vegetable and seed flours including sweet potato, parsnip, flax, and sunflower. One-third vegetable serving per nine crackers. simplemills.com

Tillen Farms by Stonewall Kitchen, Old Fashioned Syrup. Sweetened with orange juice and spiced with bitters, this syrup combines with any fine whiskey to make the perfect Old Fashioned and other classic cocktails. stonewallkitchen.com

Tip Top Proper Cocktails, Negroni. This RTD cocktail in a can is bittersweet with flavors of orange, grapefruit, and juniper, and boozy with a 26% ABV (52 proof). Made with dry gin, red bitters, and sweet vermouth. Other classics available: Manhattan and Old Fashioned. tiptopcocktails.com

Wildfish Cannery Smoked Octopus. Caught in the Bering Sea, this tinned octopus is harvested, smoked, and hand-packed in Alaska. Smoky, briny, and succulent, it pairs well with a fine whisky and can be dressed up with olive oil and lemon for a holiday appetizer treat. wildfishcannery.com

Unearthed Olives with Gouda. This prepackaged duo of queen green olives grown and hand harvested in a small Spanish town in the heart of Andalusia combines with Dutch Gouda. A convenient addition to a cocktail gathering. foodsunearthed.com


Nicole Potenza Denis is a contributing editor to Specialty Food.

Photos: Mark Ferri; Food Styling: Leslie Orlandini; Props Styling: Francine Matalon–Degni

Cover: The Murph’s Famous Bloody Mary, Two Chicks Vodka Fizz, Wildfish Cannery Smoked Octopus, Unearthed Olives with Gouda


September 28, 2020

Recreating Travel and Tradition, Product Stories Among Trends at Specialty Food Live! Event

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via Food Trends https://ift.tt/30g2EHN by Denise Purcell

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Replicating food experiences at home is an overarching trend amid COVID-19, said the Specialty Food Association Trendspotter Panel, who spent last week exploring showrooms and talking with exhibitors at the SFA’s inaugural Specialty Food Live! virtual marketplace event. That replication can take the form of comfort food and family traditions or recreating restaurant or travel experiences.

Three representatives of the Panel spoke Thursday at the session, Trendspotters Take on Specialty Food Live!, and discussed their picks for food and ingredient trends the industry will be seeing in the fourth quarter and into 2021.

Participants included: Clara Park, corporate chef of culinary innovation for Chelten House Products, which creates sauces, dressings, soups and more for the nation’s top grocers; Sheree Williams, owner of V. Sheree Creative Enterprises, a boutique consulting agency, and publisher of Cuisine Noir magazine, which connects the African diaspora through food, drink and travel; and Melanie Zanoza Bartelme, a global food analyst for Mintel, who provides insights on innovation and consumer trends across a number of food categories.  

Here are some of the trends they highlighted in the session. A full list of official trends from Specialty Food Live! will be released in the coming weeks.

Global and regional American “travel” through food. With consumers sticking closer to home, global flavors are of strong interest. Scandinavia, Cambodia, and Senegal were on display at the event. Nordic cuisine has been on the radar, said Bartelme, and interesting ingredients showing up at Specialty Food Live! included sea buckthorn and birch crystals.  

Other global flavors noted by the Trendspotters were Cambodian chile pastes and fonio, an ancient grain from Senegal, which continues to gain attention.  

“There is an effort to preserve culture through food and have that taste at home,” noted Williams. 

The trend extends to regional American as well, noted Bartelme who pointed out the concept of road trips and discovering what’s here in your backyard is increasingly appealing in the wake of COVID-19.

Connecting products with the stories behind them. This movement encompasses cleaner more authentic ingredients and consumers wanting to know where their food is coming from, not only the product itself but is the company women- or diversity- or LGBTQ-owned. “Consumers are making more conscious decisions about who they are supporting with their food dollars,” said Park.

Holiday 2020: Recreating traditional foods and giftable staples. “With everyone trying to figure out what the holidays will look like this year, I think we’re going to see more recreating traditions even if it’s in a smaller way, but with a twist,” said Williams. Park agreed: “We’ll see familiar things but made more special, like Mexican hot chocolates or filled candy canes.”

“It’s also an opportunity to talk about a lot of pantry staples as gifts,” noted Bartelme. “Items like pasta, rice, you can bundle up some of the nicer ones and feel like you are giving that love to your friends and family.” 

Among continuing trends the Panel noted: Plant-based in new formats, including a meatless mix for at-home cooking; cocktail kits and ingredients like simple syrups; keto-diet foods; upcycled foods like watermelon rind pickles; and low-sugar and alternative sweeteners like monkfruit.

The SFA Trendspotter Panel consists of retailers, chefs, foodservice professionals, market researchers, journalists, food educators and other industry professionals who apply their expertise in their individual channels to help predict trends for the year and at various events like the Fancy Food Shows. Other members of the Specialty Food Live! Trendspotter Panel included Jonathan Deutsch, professor of culinary arts and science in the Department of Food and Hospitality Management at Drexel University in Philadelphia; Chris Styler, chef, culinary producer, and cookbook author, including the soon-to-be-released Golden Girls Cookbook; Dawn Padmore, food event producer and cultural programmer, and Kysha Harris, food writer and culinary producer.

Related: Consumers Treat Food as Medicine During Pandemic; Kroger Drives Plant-Based Meat Sales in Integrated Sets.
 


September 17, 2020

All Bundled Up: Holiday Gift Packs

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via Food Trends https://ift.tt/32GPsNT by Arielle Feger

Blog Content….

From exotic sweets to infused syrups, to tea sets and pasta sauces, these holiday gift packs have a little something for everyone on your list. Here are some of the newest gifts to hit shelves this season.

Ahmad Tea USA English Tea Four Collection. Ahmad Tea has two new London-inspired gifts: English Tea Four and English Tea Six sets. Both come in metal tins with whimsical and iconic London landmarks. Each contains an assortment of Ahmad’s most popular blends. Ahmad Tea is a U.K.-based family business, drawing on four generations of tea blending and tasting. Founded on a passion for the finest tea, the company is dedicated to the unique place that tea drinking commands at the heart of daily life in Britain and beyond. ahmadteausa.com

Enzo’s Table Buon Appetito Gift Box. This box includes a bottle of Medium Enzo Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a jar of Enzo’s Table Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, a jar of Enzo’s Table Basil Pesto, and Organic Artisan-Made Semolina Pasta in a custom Enzo’s Table gift box. For more than a century, the Ricchiuti Family has diligently worked the land in California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley with a goal to grow, produce, and harvest premium fruit and nuts. With a desire to provide a farm-to-table experience, the family opened a retail store that has evolved over the years from a small roadside stand to Enzo’s Table, a regional favorite known for its local specialty items and farm fresh produce. enzostable.com (Not pictured.)

Hella Cocktail Co. Hella Harvest Highball Cocktail Kit. Hella Cocktail Co. believes that cocktailing is about discovering the world through taste and celebrations, large and small. This kit combines the Hella Founders Collection Apple Blossom Bitters with the gingery bite of Moscow Mule Mix, topped off with Hella Bitters & Soda for a bubbly finish. It’s the perfect dose of holiday flavor. Other Hella kits include If Life Gives You Limes Kit, Ultimate Bloody Mary Kit, and Old Fashioned Kit. hellacocktail.co (Not pictured.)

Ines Rosales Holiday Gift Box. To celebrate its 110th anniversary, Ines Rosales has released a limited-edition holiday gift box which includes five of its tortas: the Original Olive Oil Torta, the Orange Olive Oil Torta, the Cinnamon Olive Oil Torta, the Sesame and Sea Salt Torta, and the Rosemary and Thyme Olive Oil Torta. This gift box is great for an eye-catching display and perfect for holiday giving and sharing. Ines Rosales, with more than 100 years of history, specializes in making traditional Andalusian baked goods, hand crafting its products with quality ingredients. inesrosales.com (Not pictured.)

Meska Sweets Mogador Gift Box. This 10-piece tasting box provides an introduction to Moroccan sweets. The box contains a combination of Meska Sweets’ most popular treats, including Classic Moroccan Macaron with Orange Blossom & Almonds, Matcha Moroccan Macarons with Matcha & Walnuts, Almond Crescents, Coffee Moroccan Macaron, and Almond & Raisin Biscotti. Everything is dairy-free and kosher OU Pareve. Meska Sweets’ Moroccan cookies are hand crafted from scratch, using all-natural ingredients, and following the recipes of the founder’s grandmothers. meskasweets.com

Miracle Tree Organic Moringa Tea Gift Box. These gift boxes contain Miracle Tree’s award-winning herbal infusions in a beautifully crafted tea box. Enjoy 48 individually wrapped tea bags in four flavors, for a total of 12 each. With three varieties from which to choose, Miracle Tree’s Moringa Teas Gift Boxes are a gift for any occasion. Miracle Tree is a superfood brand focused on Moringa—an emerging superfood with an exceptional nutritional profile. Miracle Tree works with ethically responsible and independent farmers from all over the world and ensures a positive impact on their social well-being and communities. miracletree.org

Runamok Maple Syrup Gift Boxes. These gift boxes come in two sizes. The first features three full-sized bottles of barrel-aged, infused, or traditional organic maple syrup. The second features four smaller 60-milliliter bottles of barrel-aged, infused, or smoked organic maple syrup. Infusion flavors include Hibiscus, Cinnamon + Vanilla, Elderberry, Cardamom, and Makrut Lime-Leaf. Barrel-aged syrups include a Bourbon and Whiskey flavor, and the smoked flavor is Smoked with Pecan Wood. Runamok Maple is located in Northern Vermont. Its products are all-natural, small-batch and uniquely crafted. runamokmaple.com (Not pictured.)

SimĂłn Coll Chocolate Christmas Basket. This large Christmas basket comes with different milk chocolate products and a lump of coal for a festive and funny holiday gift. From 1840 to the present, six family generations have contributed in making SimĂłn Coll what it is today, a combination of traditional know-how and the latest manufacturing technologies, both acting together to achieve increasingly more elaborate, diverse, and innovative products. simoncoll.com

Stonewall Kitchen Cheese Gift Set. This Cheese Pairing Collection comes with Stonewall Kitchen’s White Fig Spread, Roasted Garlic Onion Jam, Sea Salt Crackers, and Simple White Crackers; perfect for a holiday celebration or to give as a hostess gift. Stonewall Kitchen is a specialty food maker that focuses on products made with quality and local ingredients. stonewallkitchen.com

Teapigs Advent Calendar. The most highly requested item in Teapigs history, its Advent Calendar is back for Christmas 2020. The calendar of 24 teas includes a combination of new and old favorites, along with a new design and a super special festive treat to be enjoyed on Christmas Eve. Teapigs offers a selection of sustainably-sourced teas made with whole ingredients packed into biodegradable mesh bags for a loose tea experience without the fuss. teapigs.com

Find more products from Specialty Food Association members in the Product Marketplace on specialtyfood.com


Arielle Feger is content associate for Specialty Food.

Photos: Mark Ferri; Food Styling: Leslie Orlandini; Props Styling: Francine Matalon–Degni


September 16, 2020

Pandemic Disrupts Specialty Coffee

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via Food Trends https://ift.tt/32z57yA by Mark Hamstra

Blog Content….

Consumption shifts to home-brewing as cafes revamp operations.

With millions of consumers working from home for much of 2020, coffee consumption has shifted away from cafes and restaurants toward people’s kitchens and dining rooms.

Commuters who had been buying coffee on the way to work in the morning and office workers who had been taking midday coffee breaks were instead stocking up on coffee online and in retail stores for home brewing. The pandemic also disrupted the coffee market in myriad other ways throughout the supply chain, from the farms to the point of sale, and the wholesalers and roasters in between.

 The shift in consumption patterns has forced consumers to take a fresh look at the way they buy coffee, as well as the way they make their coffee at home, says Madeleine Longoria-Garcia, a partner in Pacific Coffee Research, a Kailua-Kona, Hawaii-based provider of coffee education classes and other services. “I noticed a lot of people on social media have been saying, ‘Wow, I do not know how to make good coffee, and I appreciate my local barista a lot more,’” she says.


Madeleine Longoria-Garcia pours cold brew coffee. Photo credit: Pacific Coffee Research

Home-brewing drove strong retail sales gains of whole bean and ground coffee, as well as an 11 percent increase in sales of home coffee-making equipment such as presses, kettles, and grinders during the first weeks of the pandemic, according to research from the Specialty Coffee Association and payment technology platform Square.

Many consumers have sought out retail versions of their local cafe brands, while others have explored new brands outside their local areas, either online or through subscription services, says Longoria-Garcia. In fact, the Square/SCA research showed that during the early weeks of the pandemic, coffee shops that remained open saw their subscription-based sales increase an average of 109 percent.

Cafe operators also saw a massive shift toward pickup and curbside delivery. Coffee cafes reported a combined sales increase of 5,380 percent through those off-premises consumption channels, and the number of cafes adding pickup and curbside delivery increased 521 percent, the report found.

Overall, however, global coffee consumption in terms of raw coffee product is expected to decline slightly for the 2019/2020 coffee production year, according to the International Coffee Organization.

The outlook is rosier for packaged coffee. According to the Specialty Food Association’s recently released State of the Specialty Food Industry research, the Specialty Coffee and Hot Cocoa (non RTD) category hit retail sales of $3.6 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow 4.9 percent by 2024. From January to April 2020, during the surge of the COVID-19 spread, specialty products in this category grew 13.8 percent versus a year ago, higher than the 8.9 percent growth for all products in the total category during the same timeframe.

Cafe Operators Adapt
Roasters and cafe operators reported that coffee sales shifted toward retail and online sales of their products during the pandemic, with a sharp drop-off in brewed coffee sales. Many operators managed to run takeout offerings with limited staffing and new safety guidelines in place.

“We’ve had to pivot many aspects of our business to adapt during this challenging time,” says Lori Haughey, vp of retail at Intelligentsia, which as of July had 10 of its 14 coffee bars open for pickup. “We’ve continued to adjust operations and simplify processes to ensure a safe and efficient experience for our team and customers.”


Photo credit: Intelligentsia

The Chicago-based chain, known for its carefully curated selection of high-quality coffees, has been operating limited hours, opening later in the morning, and closing much earlier in the day, she says. Intelligentsia has also eliminated items from its coffee and food menus, and is only accepting contactless payments such as credit cards and Apple Pay.

The company has also rolled out online ordering at all locations through Intelligentsia’s own website or through the Toast takeout app, both of which allow customers to order and pay ahead for contactless pickup. In addition, it relaunched its website on June 11 with a subscription service, says Britt Berg, director of brand and e-commerce.

“Improving our digital customer experience will be critical as we look ahead,” she says. “When we had to close our coffee bars back in March, we knew it was important to keep our customers engaged, so we reimagined the coffee bar experience and shifted our efforts to focus on virtual community engagement to stay connected.”

 Intelligentsia launched “Intelli Celly”—through which customers can call or text coffee educators to ask for home-brewing advice. It also launched an Instagram Live series called “Connecting Over Coffee,” through which Intelligentsia has invited people from a variety of fields to participate in a virtual coffee break.

“It’s creative ideas like these, that foster a sense of community, that will keep us moving forward,” says Berg.

New York-based CafĂ© Grumpy, which operates 11 cafes and a roastery, saw a shift toward retail sales at the start of the pandemic, according to Caroline Bell, founder and CEO. As a result, the company began making ground beans available for retail sale for the first time, assuming many consumers might not have grinders at home. “We definitely got a good response,” says Bell. “We saw a big increase, and we’ve had some customers continue to order even after the cafes have started to reopen. But online sales went up, and grocery sales went up.”

CafĂ© Grumpy also launched a Tetra Pak line of its cold brew coffee, which previously had only been available in bottles. The product is available online and through CafĂ© Grumpy’s grocery retail partners.


Photo credit: Café Grumpy

Bell says the company received several calls from consumers asking about how to make cold brew coffee at home when they were under stay-at-home orders. Cold-brew is normally CafĂ© Grumpy’s top-selling item in its shops, she says.

Specialty Brands See Retail Shift
Some specialty coffee brands saw large gains in online sales during the pandemic. Darron Burke, founder and CEO of Burke Brands LLC, parent of the Don Pablo coffee brand and others, says his online sales rose to a peak of about 400 percent, year-over-year, in March, and then leveled off to an average of about a 100 percent increase during the following months.

The company also sells whole beans, and a very limited assortment of ground coffee, through Costco Wholesale, Sam’s Club, and other retailers and wholesalers, including KeHE Distributors. Its foodservice accounts slowed down considerably, however, with many asking the company for longer payment terms and reduced pricing, Burke says. That business has since rebounded somewhat, but has remained below pre-pandemic levels, he says.

As sales through Amazon soared and the e-commerce retailer became the coffee company’s biggest seller, Burke says he began to wonder if his supply would be able to satisfy the rapidly escalating demand.

“I enjoyed [seeing Amazon sales rise] for about a millisecond, and then fear struck my heart, and I thought, ‘Oh my God, we’re going to run out of product,’” he says.

 However, the company’s in-house buyer was able to secure green (unroasted) coffee beans through the company’s existing relationships and has also been able to secure some additional beans from suppliers whose high-end foodservice business had disappeared.


Darron Burke, founder and CEO, Burke Brands. Photo credit: Burke Brands

Burke Brands in July was preparing to release some of the new varieties under its Don Pablo and Subtle Earth Organic brand, which both offer a range of coffees of different origins. In addition, the company was preparing to launch a new brand, Goodness and Light, which features a lighter roast, as opposed to the medium-dark roast of its typical product. “The trend is that people are going from ground Folgers to whole bean coffee, and from basic whole bean coffee to more exotic, more expensive origins,” says Burke. “There’s an opportunity there, for sure.”

Longoria-Garcia of Pacific Coffee Research says she sees two basic types of coffee consumers in the specialty coffee market: those who want a high-quality coffee but with a familiar coffee flavor, and those who want to stretch their sensory experiences with coffees that have strong fruity or acidic notes, for example. “Those two sectors of the consumer market exist in every specialty coffee or high-quality cafe setting,” she says.

Sourcing Is a Challenge
Sourcing has remained a challenge for coffee sellers, in part because predicting sales during an ongoing pandemic has proven difficult. Cafe operators aren’t sure whether they should be planning for business as usual by year-end, or if perhaps a second wave of the virus will bring their operations to a halt again. In addition, growers who are often dependent on migrant workers have been unsure about whether or not they would be able to find enough labor.

“It’s been a little stressful for me,” says Bell of CafĂ© Grumpy, who buys the green coffee that her company roasts at its Brooklyn facility. “You want to continue working with the same producers and buying the same amount of coffee and not going back on any agreements that you made. So, you just hope that things will turn around.”

The company sources most of its green coffee from Central and South America, along with some from Ethiopia. Many suppliers are concerned not only about the coronavirus’ impact on their own countries, but are also worried about their loss of sales to foodservice accounts.

Samuel Sabori, director of coffee at Intelligentsia, says the pandemic has had a broad impact on buying and sourcing coffee. “For us as buyers, the biggest change is not visiting coffee producers for the foreseeable future,” he says. “We managed to visit most producers within our Northern Hemisphere portfolio just before quarantine began, so the real challenge is on the horizon. We will have to navigate how to determine quality, working conditions and overall potential, remotely.”

Intelligentsia has longstanding relationships with producers that will help it navigate the sourcing challenges ahead, he says. “For companies that don’t have relationships like this, there is a risk of potentially not knowing what you are purchasing, who the coffee is coming from, the working conditions of the workers, or the state of the farm,” Sabori says.

He says coffee producers have been struggling with many aspects of their farm operations, such as the logistics involved in transporting workers to and from the farms for such tasks as pruning, replanting, weed mitigation, or picking.

One Guatemalan producer that Intelligentsia works with, for example, says its staff is about 85 percent what it normally would be because those who typically travel for work are choosing to stay home. “These decisions are keeping people safe, but how this will impact coffee quality will be determined at harvest time,” Sabori says.


Q&A with Scott Owen, PCC Community Markets


Photo: PCC Community Markets

Specialty Food recently asked Scott Owen, senior grocery merchandiser at Seattle-based PCC Community Markets, about retail coffee trends at the 15-store co-op chain.

What specific types of whole bean and ground coffees have your customers been most interested in? How about ready-to-drink coffee beverages?

We have seen a growing trend towards lighter roasts in both whole bean and ground coffee. This growth started well before the pandemic but remains strong. Seattle consumers want to taste the coffee’s nuances, and that tends to be easier with lighter roasts. In RTD, unsweetened cold brew and larger concentrated bottles for take-home are seeing large surges. We find that if shoppers want a sweeter coffee, they want to control how much and what type of sweetener is used.

Are you seeing a lot of innovation from smaller/local producers, and can you cite some examples?

Without the support of our local distribution chain getting products to our stores during the start of the stay-at-home order and continuing even now, it would have been impossible to keep up with customer demand. Several of our local partners added second and even third shifts to produce and ship coffee, milk, eggs, bread, and numerous other essentials for daily life in Seattle. It was truly inspiring to see.

How has the pandemic influenced demand for coffee (beans/ground and RTD)?

As PCC is located in the greater Seattle area, our coffee supply is heavily influenced by an educated coffee consumer. Ninety percent of our coffee sales are in whole-bean coffee, and sales of whole-bean coffee have risen substantially (50-70 percent). PCC’s private-label coffee has been our best seller for many years, and shoppers tend to prefer beans in the medium roast ranges. Of our top 10 best sellers, eight are PCC’s private label. Sales of our 24-ounce bags have been popular, most likely due to the same “bigger equals better” trend we’ve seen in snacks and beverages.

What are some key trends in this category you see going forward?

Consumers are looking to have more fun in the kitchen while staying at home, and that includes knowing how to make a good cup of coffee. Customers will continue to have favorite everyday beans but will be willing to branch out to try single origins or lighter roasts as they look to expand their coffee-making skills.


Mark Hamstra is a regular contributor to Specialty Food and SFA News Daily.


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