Food

With the tax on sugary soft drinks due to come into effect in April 2018, the majority of UK sports and energy drink users say they expect their purchasing of these products to be affected as a result of any price increases. Indeed, new Mintel research reveals that one in three Brits who drink sports and energy drinks would cut back on the amount of sugary varieties they consume if the price were to increase, while one in five say they would stop drinking sugary varieties altogether.

Milkshakes are so delicious, the world has dedicated a day to them. Not one to miss out on a celebration, TGI Fridays is bringing the party with its awesome range of milkshakes, offering people the chance to get their hands on one of these delicious drinks for free on the 12^th September. All that milkshake lovers needed to do to grab a free shake was sign up to the TGI Fridays newsletter, or download the TGI Fridays app by 8th September 2016.

The rapidly expanding Koh Group has revealed plans to launch in Lymington, which will become its 12th site - its 5th in Hampshire - before the end of the year. The announcement follows successful openings in Winchester and Romsey this summer, as well as the launch of Salisbury earlier in the year.  The company is on target to achieve its ambitious five-year plan of creating a 40-restaurant estate. The first opened in Boscombe in Dorset in 2009.

James Houlston of Our Plaice in Kidderminster, West Midlands, has been named as one of the UK’s top five fish friers after he was shortlisted for the Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year Award as part of the 2017 National Fish & Chip Awards, organised by Seafish. James will now have to compete at the highest level as he goes up against the four other contenders ‘fishing’ for the top prize, including: Elise Boothroyd of Fochabers Fish Bar in Fochabers, Moray; Andrew Hillier of Harbourside Fish & Chips in Plymouth, Devon; George Papadamou of Papa’s Fish & Chips in Hull, East Yorkshire and Luke Pope of Bankers Fish Restaurant in Brighton, East Sussex.

Celebrating the very best in food and drink, Great Taste, the world's most coveted blind-tasted food awards, has reached its grand finale for 2016. The Great Taste Golden Fork for the best food or drink in the North of England was presented to Huddersfield-based Dark Woods Coffee for its hand-roasted and post blended single-estate espresso, Under Milkwood. The espresso's “beckoning nose” enticed judges, who relished the “sharp, fruity and dark chocolate notes” in the mouth and were left wanting more of this brilliant coffee with no bitter aftertaste.

The New Forest is to hold its first ever Food & Drink Festival this autumn from October 31 to November 6 2016.  The New Forest Food & Drink Festival will be a week-long celebration with culinary events, produce-tasting, featured dishes and activities for every foodie - even the littlest ones.  Menus will feature traditional forest foods and more contemporary additions such as award-winning charcuterie, not to mention stunning fish and seafood from the forest's 40 miles of coastline.

Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahia Real wins 'best in Canary Islands' at prestigious cocktail awards 'World Class Competition 2016'. The Mirador Bar located at the Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahía Real 5 * G.L in Fuerteventura has been selected as the best mixology bar in the Canary Islands, in the most prestigious bartending competition worldwide - the WORLD CLASS.

As The Great British Bake Off returns to our screens spare a thought for people who love to bake or eat the results (or both!) but are concerned about the impact on their health because the results  are often calorie laden and high in saturated fat and sugar. Luckily Diabetes UK has developed some new tasty recipes aimed at helping those with a sweet tooth indulge without the guilt.

Bloggers have sparked the rise of foodie parents – but the love for the humble lunchbox has been left behind. According to research by Hartley’s Jelly, over a quarter of parents in the West Midlands describe themselves as ‘foodies,’ yet 78% of parents don’t enjoy making up lunchboxes. Inspiration is now all around at a click of a button – with over a quarter of parents in the West Midlands following food trends and 1 in 5 have an interest in food.

The clock is ticking - and there is now less than two weeks to go before the doors open at Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2016 - the UK's leading fine food and drink trade showcase. This year's 'feast-ival' will see more than 850 producers and 12,000 buyers, chefs and business owners celebrate the passion and the trend for great, authentic artisan food and drink. And there's much to savour.....

Aston Manor Cider, the UK’s largest independent cider maker, has announced that Grocery Aid will be the company’s nominated charity. As part of its involvement with Grocery Aid, Aston Manor Cider has already provided a high level of support to the charity at regional and national events. Grocery Aid also benefits from Aston Manor’s partnerships with other organisations.

Drinking tap water can help you save money and stay healthy, says WaterSafe, the UK accreditation scheme for approved plumbers. The call comes after a survey showed the number of people who choose to drink tap water instead of still bottled water has fallen in the past year. Two litres of tap water costs less than a 1⁄3 of a penny on average, compared to 45p for a supermarket’s own brand of bottled water or 90p for a named brand.

The value of British kitchens and items contained in them has doubled over the last three years, according to leading rural insurer NFU Mutual. The rise is attributed in part to the popularity of television shows such as The Great British Bake Off, which began in 2010 and kick-started the nation’s love affair with baking at home. The data comes from claims submitted to NFU Mutual after fires caused by kitchen equipment.

Just as new records have been set in the 2016 Olympic Games, new research from Mintel reveals standout results for global energy drink innovation. According to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), more energy drinks were launched globally in 2015 than in any year since 2008, with the number of energy drink products launched growing 29% between 2010 and 2015.

The UK is the biggest consumer of halloumi cheese outside of Cyprus, with Waitrose customers buying enough packs of halloumi last year to stack 206 times the height of The Shard in London. Originally from Cyprus but widely used throughout the middle east, Halloumi is a salty, brined cheese traditionally made from the curd of goat and sheep milk. Its high melting point makes it a perfect for grilling, frying or baking.

James Houlston of Our Plaice in Kidderminster, West Midlands has travelled to Holland for an inside glimpse into the workings of KFE’s globally-renowned factory. Currently shortlisted for the 2017 National Fish & Chip Awards, James attended the trip alongside the nine other contenders for the Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year Award.