Food

Ocado has said that “more normal shopping habits are back” after there was a huge jump in demand amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Its customers are now purchasing fewer items that at the peak period of demand, with the balance between fresh and long-live food returning to normal.

The online grocer has made changes to increase the delivery slots available, including suspending the delivery of mineral water.

Its revenues in April were up more than 40% from a year earlier.

The retailer said: “At the beginning of the outbreak demand increase significantly, almost overnight”.

It limited the number of items on sale initially in order to stop customers from panic buying.

Ocado said that these limits have since been rolled back as the number of items that shoppers are putting in their baskets “appears to have passed its peak but remains high”.

Group chief executive, Tim Stein, said: “We are facing quite a difficult challenge as we scale feeding the nation”.

The supermarket has been criticized on social media as customers faced being one of thousands in a virtual queue who are placing food orders.

Stein added: “Ocado remains in a strong position and we should be grateful that our current challenges are around growth, expansion and increased demands”.

One of the UK’s leading food companies, Premier Foods, have said that sales of Super Noodles and the instant potatoes, Smash, as well as Lloyd Grossman’s sauces have increased sharply a people are making effort to stock up their cupboard with relevant items as the coronavirus-due lockdown continues.

The brand’s owners have said that demands for its Cadbury and Mr Kipling home based kits were also up on sale figures.

Premier Food credited the “exceptional” demand last month to more meals being eating at home.

After the updates of the trading figures, share in the business jumped 17%.

According to consumer analysts, Kantar, in March the average UK household spent an extra £62.92 on supermarket goods, which is the equivalent of five days’ worth of groceries.

Teachers’ unions in the UK have welcomed a government decision which declares that families who are eligible for FSM (Free School Meals) will be able to continue to receive financial support to buy food throughout the coming Easter holidays.

Ministers said that qualifying families could claim shopping vouchers of £15 a week – per child – during the term time.

Now, the scheme will be extended in England over the coming two-week holiday.

The unions said that the move would help to prevent children from going hungry, as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

Over the weekend, Cabinet Office Minister, Michael Gove, confirmed that the vouchers would continue to be paid over the Easter holiday.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT

Union said he was pleased to see the government “taking action to support some of the most vulnerable children.

“We know that for many children, school lunch is often their only hot meal for the day and, in some cases, their only meal – full stop.

“The government is doing the right thing in stepping up and making sure that all children can continue to access the food they – in many cases, desperately – need”

Families are being issued with either an electronic voucher or gift card worth £15 to spend in M&S, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose.

 Nothing sparks as much debate as the quintessential afternoon treat, the scone – particularly the order in which to apply accompanying condiments. The Cornish method being to go for jam then cream, while the Devonshire fashion is to layer the scone in cream before adding jam.

Fortunately, the question has been put to the nation by the independent French restaurant group Bistrot Pierre, which has 25 nationwide bistrots, to coincide with the launch of its new afternoon tea menu this week.

The matter has been settled once and for all through a survey of more than 2,000 people, revealing that a whopping 76% enjoy their scones jam first and the remaining 24% choose the cream first option.

Arpita Anstey of Bistrot Pierre said: “The biggest debate when it comes to the humble scone has, of course, always been the order of cream and jam. So, we decided to put it to the nation and settle the debate once and for all.

“Et voilà – the people have spoken. And just over three quarters of them agree with the Queen, reaching for the jam before the cream.”

Those living in the north of England are most likely to apply their jam first, with four in five choosing the popular method. Whereas people are more closely divided in the south, where one third of people opt to layer cream before their jam.

Arpita continued: “The statistics show that the further north you travel, the more likely you are to opt for the Cornish method of jam first, followed by cream. The north east is the biggest champions of the jam-first approach, with 84% of diners marking this as their preference, followed by 81% of people in the north west and Yorkshire.”

Bistrot Pierre’s afternoon tea is served with a selection of mini baguettes and a range of French patisseries including chocolate eclairs and vanilla millefeuille. Topping it all off will be the classic fruit scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, served with a choice of hot drinks for £11.95 per person.

Arpita continued: “And if our customers wish to make their afternoon tea session ‘pop’, they can order our sparkling afternoon tea, which includes a glass of our elegant Veuve Devienne sparkling wine for £15.95 per person.

“It simply wouldn’t be an afternoon tea without scones served with jam and cream – all you need to do is decide which comes first!”

When open, Bistrot Pierre’s afternoon tea menu is available in all 25 bistrots every day between 2.30 and 5.30pm.

The BBC Good Food Show Winter is heading back to the flagship Birmingham NEC  bringing together the UK’s greatest chefs and experts, plenty of festive shopping and inspiration, exciting live entertainment in the unique Big Kitchen and on numerous stages across the Show.

It will provide the perfect opportunity to get into the spirit of the season with a fantastic line-up of chefs and experts, you can feast your eyes on hundreds of artisan producers, pick up the perfect stocking fillers, get hands-on in masterclasses, and so much more – all the ingredients for the ultimate foodie day out.

Packed with seasonal produce, ideas for al-fresco dining and hundreds of exciting producers and brands to shop from, there will be all the summer inspiration you need by soaking up expert masterclasses, live demos from the seasonal stages and much more.

Plus, there will be the chance to join Mary Berry, Tom Kerridge, Michel Roux Jr, Nadiya Hussain, Raymond Blanc, the Hairy Bikers, Ainsley Harriott and Rick Stein as they cook up a summer feast in The Big Kitchen.

Again, at this year’s BBC Good Food Show Winter (November 28 – December 1), there will also be the widest variety of food, drink and cookery products from over 450 exhibitors, including great brands and a vast range of independent and artisan producers.

And, as always, it promises to be the biggest and tastiest day out in the UK.

Belgium celebrated Saint Arnould, the Patron Saint of brewers by blessing a barrel of beer in a cathedral in Brussels.

Dressed in costumes and accompanied by a band, the knights of the ‘Brewer's Paddle’, or Belgian Brewers' Guild, marched from the city's iconic Grand Palace to the altar where the consecration ceremony was held.

According to the tradition, Saint Arnould was the son of a brewer and therefore learned the secrets of brewing at an early age.

Michel Tasnier, a member of the ‘Knighthood’ for 27 years, said: "It's a great moment of conviviality. Knights meet there, we forget about competition.

"The key word of this is the quality of beer, produced with knowledge and drunk with wisdom."

Production manager at Chimay Brewery, Xavier Pirlot, also spoke highly of the event, saying: "It's the day, the D-day of my year, of my brewing year," said Pirlot. "It's the opportunity for me to meet my colleagues and to celebrate our beer."

The ceremony was followed by ‘Beer Weekend’, an event gathering all brewers on the Grand Place to get the public to discover Belgium's best brews.

A new activity bar is set to open in an up-and coming area of Digbeth, Birmingham on Friday July 12.

Dropshot’s entertainment and multi-use activity bar which features music, Olympic grade table tennis tables and deck shuffleboards among its many attractions, also offers specially prepared pizzas cooked in a wood fired pizza oven, especially imported from Italy, as well as a range of craft beers, bar food and some amazing cocktails, both classic and modern.

The licensed entertainment venue, which can cater for up to 250 no of people, is situated 50 yards from the custard factory, in the heart of the redeveloped area of Digbeth Birmingham.

Sanj Basra, entrepreneur and managing director at Drop Shot said: “My family has over 30 years history in the manufacturing trade. We have owned and run several businesses and currently export globally to over 30 countries. I have personally been a local businessman for 12 years.

“Being entrepreneurial I have been recently exploring for ways to enter new markets so that I could diversify my business portfolio, and converting this building that we have owned for over 15 years into an activity bar is opening a new chapter and opportunity for me. One that I am very excited about.”

General Manager Jake Murphy said: “I have worked in several industries since the age of 19, but my passion for hospitality and entertainment has never really gone away. I am keen to provide a safe and engaging multi-use entertainment venue where anyone of energy and enthusiasm can congregate, exchange ideas and thrive. Working alongside Sanjeev, opening Dropshot enables me to do that and being in such a prime location is a bonus.”

Salcombe Brewery Co. boasts an outstanding range of award-winning beers, hand-crafted in South Devon, with Salcombe Pale Ale and Shingle Bay topping the list as the perfect accompaniment for your BBQ this season.

Salcombe Pale Ale (ABV 4.6%) is a great choice for summer dining. It is a fresh, full-bodied and powerfully hopped pale ale with an orange, pink grapefruit and anise flavour. It is the ideal partner for chargrilled food and is best served chilled.

Shingle Bay (ABV 4.2%) is a delightfully easy-drinking golden ale that has a pleasant fruity aroma and a subtle crisp bite. The use of the pacific gem hop adds a complexity to the aroma with notes of blackberry and spiced fruit. Lovingly crafted in this popular coastal retreat, simply add sunshine for maximum enjoyment.

Waitrose & Partners today announces plans to treble the size of its successful online grocery operation to a £1bn business over the next three years, working in partnership with Today Development Partners (TDP).

The move with TDP, which is headed by Jonathan Faiman and Mo Gawdat, will accelerate the development of Waitrose.com through a significant increase in capacity and automation and will see a rapid step change in Waitrose.com's online and digital capabilities. Together, Waitrose.com and TDP plan to develop three state-of-the-art automated Customer Fulfilment Centres (CFCs) while harnessing cutting edge technical capabilities to deliver an outstanding online customer experience.

The Waitrose.com service is currently provided through a combination of from-branch deliveries, and through the Coulsdon Fulfilment Centre, opened in 2015 - as well as via a planned second CFC to serve the North London area.

To lead this growth in online, Ben Stimson - currently Retail Director - has been appointed to the new role of Digital Director with immediate effect. Ben will work across all areas of Waitrose & Partners to lead the delivery of the growth in capacity and sales of Waitrose.com and will manage the new relationship with TDP. The role will build on his previous role, where in addition to holding responsibility for shops and contact centres, Ben led market-beating online growth and significant increases in customer satisfaction. He will make digital integral to the business with the aim of making it easy for customers to shop in the way that suits them - barriers between online and offline shopping will disappear.

Rob Collins, MD of Waitrose & Partners, commented: 'Waitrose.com is a popular and efficient home delivery service that is already growing strongly ahead of the market. The plans announced today represent a clear commitment to achieve rapid step-change in Waitrose.com's capacity and capability as we build a modern, well-invested digital business that is fit for the future.

'The development of our new Customer Fulfilment Centres will triple our delivery capacity, bringing our well-loved service and delicious food to more customers across the UK and setting Waitrose.com on the path to becoming a £1 billion turnover business.'

Jonathan Faiman, Co-founder and CEO of Today Development Partners said: “I am more excited about this new venture than anything I've done in my career. I am delighted and privileged to be back within the John Lewis Partnership family and we will deliver for Waitrose.com customers the world's best digital home delivery service.”

Mo Gawdat, chief business officer of TDP and former chief business officer of Google X, the innovation arm of Google, said: “What we're aiming to build is the kind of platform that touches everyone's life. With the advancement in technology and with Waitrose.com as our partner we aim to make the experience of using this technology a great experience for the customer.”

When people think about a vegan diet they often conjure up images of wholesome plant-based foods like fruit, vegetables, beans, seeds, and grains. However, as the lifestyle choice gains popularity, supermarkets are reacting by stocking fridges and freezers with convenience foods aimed at vegans. This could be seen as a breakthrough as the choice becomes more mainstream, but Simon Bandy, General Manager of Veganicity, warns that some of these processed provisions could actually turn people into junk food vegans.

No matter what diet you follow, everyone should consider eating whole and unprocessed foods. For vegans who don’t want to, or don’t have the time to cook from scratch, Simon explains some of the issues they should be aware of:

• Check sodium levels. Processed foods are often packed with excess salt as it acts as a preservative. Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, which is associated with heart attacks. A high intake can also cause water retention resulting in puffiness and bloating. It is recommended that adults should consume no more than 6g (one teaspoon) of salt a day at most

• Sugar intake. Advice is that added sugars should not make up more than five percent of our daily diet. This is from both food and drink. Too much sugar can lead to weight gain and tooth decay. On packaging, opt for foods that have 5g of total sugars (or less) per 100g

• Fat levels. Fat is important for everyone, as it helps the body absorb vitamins A, D and E. Cutting down on saturated fats like coconut oil (which can contain up to 90% saturated fat) is the importance as it can raise cholesterol levels in the blood. Men should have no more than 30g of saturated fat a day, and only 20g for women. Aim for good fats like sunflower oil as it also contains Omega-6 which can help lower cholesterol. The best option is to choose labelling which states the dish is low fat or fat-free.

Simon comments: “Obviously there are times where we treat ourselves and indulge in our favourite fast food. When doing this, try to have that food as a small portion and boost the plate with a good selection of fresh vegetables and whole grains.

“A balanced diet is always the best option, but if vegans feel their diet is lacking in vitamins or minerals they can opt to boost the body with supplements. Our diverse range is 100% vegan, animal-friendly and registered with the Vegan Society, so it’s one less thing to think about.”

Princess Cruises has announced that its new gin-based 'Sapphire Princess' cocktail is now being served on its main UK ship.

Created in partnership with the Bombay Sapphire Distillery, the bespoke cocktail is named after the returning Sapphire Princess cruise ship. The drink will be served exclusively on the vessel, which will spend April – October 2019 sailing to a variety of destinations from Southampton including the Mediterranean, Norwegian Fjords and Canada & New England.

Inspired by the 2,670-guest ship and its Mediterranean ports of call, the bright blue-hued drink is the newest addition to the ship's cocktail menu and will complement the wide range of beverage options already available onboard.

The drink includes a generous measure of Bombay Sapphire gin, which is itself made with botanical ingredients sourced from several of the countries and destinations Sapphire Princess sails to, whilst the cocktail's mixers include Blue Curacao to evoke the sea, and a splash of Prosecco to signify the fizz and bubbles created by waves in the water.

The line has also introduced a brand new excursion for 2019, to the Bombay Sapphire Distillery located in Laverstoke, Hampshire. Available on the day of disembarkation in Southampton, this in-depth tour offers guests the chance to learn the process of gin production, taste the signature botanicals for which the distillery is renowned and toast their holiday.

Tony Roberts, Princess Cruises' vice president UK and Europe, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Sapphire Princess back for another summer of sailings from Southampton and I really cannot think of a better way to greet her arrival than with a glass of this perfect summer cocktail.

“Guests can enjoy a glass or two of this delicious drink in one of the many bars onboard throughout their cruise and by offering a brand new tour to the Bombay Sapphire Distillery, they have the opportunity to continue their holiday even after they have left the ship.”

Sam Carter, Senior Brand Ambassador for the Bombay Sapphire Distillery, said: “The Sapphire Princess cocktail is a silky smooth, well-balanced libation that takes its inspiration partially from the deep bright blue colour of the Mediterranean Sea and also the countries that the Sapphire Princess sails around.”

Start your day the Beastly way! Opening from 7.30am on weekdays and 8:30am on weekends, the Beast of Brixton's new cafe offers bacon rolls, savoury hot croissants, freshly baked pastries and moreish Alchemy coffee specially blended for the venue. But we think you'll travel for the toasties.

Introducing: The Kimcheese. Korean food is happy food, so imagine how happy co-founders Jimmy and Will were on realising that kimchi is a next level toasted sandwich ingredient! Add ham or tuna, or just have it straight up with their house blend of cheddar, mozzarella and Gruyere cheeses. They've taken an ancient, traditional food and slapped it in a toastie to create the ultimate in East meets West lunchables.

Toasties and sarnies don't stop there. There's also the Pulled Chicken Pesto Toastie with sun-dried tomatoes, an Aubergine & Harissa Houmous sandwich which is vegan friendly, a mouthwatering Tuna, Crispy Seaweed and Wasabi Mayo sarnie, and satisfying classics like the BLT and Ham, Cheese & Spring Onion.

Customers can take their lunches to the next level with Disco Hot Sauce. This scotch bonnet-laden, Panamanian-style hot sauce recipe is blended to the sound of four-to-the-floor disco music locally in Brixton. Small batch Disco Hot Sauce is what Sriracha sauce wakes up and wishes it saw in the mirror. It's your mouth's next best friend, you can have it with your toasties or buy it by the bottle.

It's time for garden vegetable patches to undergo a revival amid fears over the rising cost of food and global warming, according to experts.

Researchers from GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk have revealed eight reasons Brits should consider starting a veg patch in their backyard today, just like their grandparents generation used to.

As food prices rise and environmental concerns increase, experts are calling for the humble garden vegetable patch to make a swift comeback.

Outdoor specialists from GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk have called for their return, revealing eight reasons Brits should summon the World War One spirit and start their own veg patch today.

Garden vegetable patches were a cheap and easy source of food for grandparents’ generations, particularly in times of crisis.

Now with food prices skyrocketing, experts say they are the perfect way to reduce the cost of weekly supermarket shops for British families.

The team at GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk have repurposed Lord Kitchener’s 1914 call to arms and encouraged households to wield their garden spades in support of sustainable food.

Straightforward to set up and an interesting outdoor hobby once established, a backyard veg plot could also lead to healthier diets in UK homes.

Researchers have additionally claimed that organising a source of fresh vegetables in the garden may reduce green-fingered Brits’ carbon footprint.

A spokesman from GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk said: “Glorious garden vegetable patches seem to have gone out of fashion in recent decades, but there are so many reasons they should be making a comeback as soon as possible.

Grow your own is a cheap, convenient, healthy and environmentally friendly way to feed the family, so we are calling for UK households to get on board with our campaign to remind Brits that your vegetables need you!”

Here is the GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk list of eight reasons to start a garden vegetable patch:

1. Straightforward set up - It’s so simple, quick, easy and cheap to get a veg patch up and running. All you need to do is set aside a plot of land in the backyard and get your hands on some basic gardening tools.
2. Low-cost food - Seeds are inexpensive, finding a little spare time shouldn’t be too costly and even some additional water or nutrients shouldn’t break the bank – in return the household gets fed many times over.
3. Environmentally friendly - Getting vegetables flown in from around the world is a completely unnecessary use of air miles and truck transportation. Why pump all those harmful greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere if it can be grown at the bottom of the garden instead?
4. Healthy diet - Having a ready supply of fresh vegetables at the bottom of the garden should encourage all the family to cook fresh dishes from scratch more often and get their five-a-day in more regularly - consuming more veg means meals that are lower in calories and higher in nutrition.
5. Tastier meals - Having a garden veg patch opens up the possibilities for a wider variety of meals in the kitchen, thanks to the flexibility that comes from having a range of fresh, healthy and tasty produce available without hassle of having to go to the shops.
6. Reassuring ingredients - If you’ve planted, nurtured and picked your own ingredients, then you can obviously trace their sustainable source and be sure of their organic and vegan credentials. Home grown veg means no artificial additives, preservatives or pesticides and encourages a reductions in food waste and inefficiency.
7. Natural entertainment - Modern families that struggle to get the children away from their screens may be thankful for the introduction of a way to reconnect with nature, whilst a veg patch can also provide less tech-addicted adults with an interesting new outdoor hobby to pursue.
8. Lower shopping bills - Every portion you pluck from your garden is something that can be crossed off your shopping list before you even get to the supermarket, so that means taking a lesser hit in the pocket at the checkouts every week.

On a crisp evening on the 30th January, the Jamaica High Commission in London was the venue of choice for the launch of an exciting new range of products from Marshall & Brown.

In the presence of His Excellency Seth George Ramocan, CD, High Commissioner for Jamaica, the Honourable Attorney General of Jamaica, Marlene Malahoo Forte, QC, JP, MP, and Deputy High Commissioner for Jamaica Mrs Angela Rose Howell, guests were treated not only to an evening of delights for the eyes, ears and tastebuds, but to the wonderful story of the creation of the Marshall & Brown brand.

Developed by Dr Carlton Brown, a 1st generation British-Jamaican with a love of Caribbean food and his wife Marvely, the inspiration for this premium range of authentic Jamaican foods and beverages came from his ninety-five year old mother and late mother in law, who were both excellent cooks.

After hearing from Dr Brown, and Laurence Jones, the European Regional Manager for JAMPRO, as well as H.E. George Ramocan and an impromtu message from the Attorney General, the attendees were treated to a range of beautiful savoury and dessert canapes created using Marshall & Brown products, including coconut and chilli prawns, ackee and saltfish on sweet potato cakes, and a selection of their amazing rum cakes and chocolates.

The rum cakes are the most moist, light and fluffy cakes that The Phoenix Newspaper office has ever seen, and they went within minutes of them getting to the break room. Absolutely divine.

H.E. Seth George Ramocan said in his opening remarks, “Dr Brown has an insatiable love for Jamaica, and especially in its food! Marshall & Brown has been able to take it from intial engagement with JAMPRO and the High Commission to this launch in a short time. “I implore you to share this brand far and wide.”

It was wonderful to see not only Dr Brown and his wife at the launch, but that his 95 year old mother was also able to attend, and even got up to dance as the music took her!

“I am feeling overwhelmingly proud and happy that this is a product range than spans generations. We also want to see this range in Jamaica, not just created there and exported!” said The Honourable Attorney General of Jamaica, Marlene Malahoo Forte.

Remember the name, Marshall and Brown, Purveyors of Fine Jamaican Fayre, you’ll be missing out if you don’t!

Acclaimed Muir of Ord bakery and café, Bad Girl Bakery, has expanded into Inverness city centre by Eastgate Shopping Centre with the launch of the Cake & Coffee Caravan.

The Cake & Coffee Caravan will serve coffees and hot chocolates alongside a range of the bakery's cakes and gourmet doughnuts in Falcon Square. The selection will change daily to make the most of seasonal ingredients and unusual flavour combinations but flavours like crème brûlée doughnuts; cherry cheesecake brownies; vanilla caramel fudge cupcakes filled with caramel and topped with Orkney Fudge; and apple cinnamon doughnuts; all sold out within a few hours of opening on the days when the caravan was tested.

Jeni Hardie, owner of Bad Girl Bakery said:

“The response to the trial weekend of the Cake & Coffee Caravan has been phenomenal. We sold out around 400 cakes by lunchtime each day so we know there's an appetite for our produce in Inverness! We're really enjoying meeting fellow cake fans and are looking forward to a busy few months.”

The sleek, retro-style aluminium caravan was built to order and will be based in Falcon Square from 10am to 5pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays into the spring.

Bad Girl Bakery opened its bakery and café in Muir of Ord in 2017 and has since built a reputation for its outstanding cakes and customer service. In October, the bakery won the Business Growth category in the Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards.