Spice up lunchtimes with a Caribbean vibe, as Levi Roots Caribbean Snack Pots hit the shelves this Summer.

Available in four delicious flavours and packed with Caribbean spices, this exciting new range uses natural, wholesome ingredients to create four mouth-watering dishes, each with an authentic, home-cooked flavour.

Super easy to prepare and ideal for moments when you haven’t got time to step away from your desk or are on-the-go. Just add hot water, stir and enjoy with a fork or spoon. The taller pot also makes them easier to stir and eat, minimising any mess!

Each recipe has been developed in conjunction with Levi Roots in his ‘rastaraunt’ kitchen, and the range includes:-

Reggae Reggae Noodles

A best selling flavour in marinades. Sweet BBQ profile with subtle tomato and smoke notes with a Caribbean lilt of allspice, thyme and scotch bonnet which gives this product its stamp of authenticity.

Levi’s Curry Noodles

An aromatic blend of turmeric, chilli, coriander, fennel to name but a few spices, mixed with onion, garlic and parsley that gives this noodle snack the taste of the Caribbean.

Caribbean Coconut Rice

An authentic Caribbean rice with creamy coconut milk and an infusion of black pepper and chilli for a spicy yet indulgent flavour.

Rasta Pasta

A spicy tomato jerk style theme for those who like a mild kick. Chilli combined with pimento, nutmeg, cassia, parsley and basil gives this pasta pot its recognisable flavour.

All the products use natural ingredients, low levels of salt and sugar, and don’t contain MSG.

Levi Roots Caribbean Snack Pots are suitable for Vegetarian diets and are available from Nisa, Costcutter and selected Spar stores.

The Love British Food campaign is working with young farmers to promote British food to consumers in the build-up to British Food Fortnight which this year runs from 22nd September to 7th October.

Founder of Love British Food, Alexia Robinson said, “Collaborating with the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs (NFYFC) makes so much sense.We are so lucky as an industry to have the most incredible network of inspirational young farmers, so many of whom are natural leaders with a strong voice in their communities and on social media, and who are the very best advocates for British food.”

Young farmer and NFYFC AGRI Chairman, James Hutchinson, said: “The NFYFC is delighted to be working with Love British Food. British Food Fortnight is a great platform to remind consumers of the high standard of British farming and to appreciate the great taste of home produced foods. Working together, our Young Farmers' Clubs have a powerful and influential voice nationally and I urge members to do what they can to support this campaign.”

Earlier this year Love British Food worked with fourteen young farmers in a '#BritishFoodisGreat' social media campaign in the build-up to the key food shopping period of Easter. Now the NFYFC is asking YFC members from across the UK to get involved in phase two of the campaign which includes a challenge to young farmers to do ONE thing during British Food Fortnight to promote British food.This could be as simple as posting a tweet or displaying a #BritishFoodisGreat foam sign or banner at farm gate; or, for the more ambitious, visiting their local school to give a talk; or helping a local establishment, such as their local pub, set up a new British supply chain.

Josh Dowbiggin, Love British Food Farming Ambassador (also Junior Agricultural Manager, Co-op and member of Co-op's Young Farming Pioneers) said: “I am incredibly passionate about British food and farming, so am really looking forward to working with NFYFC and encouraging other young farmers to get involved with the campaign.We should all be proud to be involved with British food and farming and this gives us the opportunity to promote what we do.”

Thwaites brewers are back in action after moving to a new site in Ribble Valley, Lancashire. They started officially brewing again this morning – more than two months after they were forced to stop after trespassers caused substantial damage to the Blackburn brewery where they have been brewing beer for over 200 years.

They were due to move to the new site in September, along with the company's head offices and stables, but they brought the move forward so they could get back to brewing.

Thwaites Director of Pubs and Brewing, Andrew Buchanan, said: “We are delighted to be back to brewing – we've been doing it for over 200 years, so it's a craft we are particularly proud of.

“The new brewery looks fantastic and it's just what we need to create our next 200 years of history.”

The purpose built brewery will have the capacity to brew 1.5m pints a year but it'll be a while before they reach that. Initially Thwaites' five brewers will be brewing Thwaites Best Cask (TBC), Nutty Black and the seasonal range that changes every week. That will expand as the year goes on to also include Thwaites Original and a new core range of beers that is currently in development.

To discover how Tesco's products are changing to meet the demands of today's customer, look no further than the dairy aisle.

Tesco has launched and revamped 350 dairy products providing customers with an improved range, healthier options and more choice – including those with a specific dietary requirement.

Cheese lovers will be pleased to see an extended Finest selection. A Vintage Coastal Bite Cheddar and Red Leicester Bite will be stocked, alongside a Wensleydale with Cranberries and Blueberries. For customers who like a spicy kick on their cheese board, a new Finest Red Leicester with Chipotle and Peppercorns is the perfect choice.  Yogurt connoisseurs will be impressed by an expanded choice of Finest Greek Yoghurt with both Espresso and Honey recipes added to complement the existing 10% and 0% Fat Greek Yogurt.

The range of cheeses has also been expand further with a new paneer, comte and manchego.

Tesco has also introduced a number of healthier dairy products as a part of its efforts to help customers live healthier lives. When reformulating, Tesco has committed to make products healthier, as long as the taste and quality is improved or, at the very least, maintained. As a result, many of the retailer's new yoghurts now contain less sugar, which will help the retailer meet Public Health England's 2020 goals.

The selection of new, healthier products now includes a 50% less fat mature cheese, ideal for cheese lovers with its rich, savoury flavour but half the fat content of standard cheddar. A Strawberry Quark has also been introduced for customers looking for high protein. Customers will see new, smaller 200 gram portions of zero fat yogurts to help customers control portions and prevent food waste.

Tesco has also made more products accessible for customers with a dietary requirement. Sunflower and olive spreads will become vegan friendly. The lactose free range has been extended with a lactose free semi-skimmed dairy milk. Made from cow's milk, it has the taste of dairy without the side effects associated by lactose intolerance.

Tesco has also taken a “little help” approach to pack design. All blocks of cheddar can now be opened and resealed. Scissors or a knife are no longer required​. And many of its Finest cheese range have being moved into re-sealable trays to help keep cheeses fresher for longer in the fridge

Tesco's Product Development Director, Kate Ewart said:“Customers will soon find a number of new products in our dairy aisle. Some have less sugar, making it easier for customers to live healthier lives. There are more options for vegans or customers with an intolerance. We've also made changes to the pack design, making them a little easier for customers to enjoy.”

A Birmingham City University graduate has opened a unique coffee shop, evoking the culture, individuality and character of his native Indonesia.

Alumnus Birama Gladini and his wife Elmira Hamdi have established Ngopi – meaning ‘let’s have coffee’ in Indonesian – in order to offer an individual alternative to the uniform coffee shop chains found elsewhere in Birmingham city centre.

The majority of Ngopi’s coffee is made using the Indonesian bean, Toraja Sapan, which Birama and Elmira roast in-house using their Indonesian-made machine, Froco. Indonesian coffee is renowned for its high quality and the country is the fourth largest producer of coffee in the world.

Situated underneath The Square Shopping Centre on Dale End, Birama and Elmira are also offering light meals from their homeland, including bakwan, curry puffs and martabak. Originally from Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, Birama and Elmira previously ran a coffee shop in their native country.

Birama completed his Enterprise Systems Management MSc at Birmingham City University in 2016, and has since been endorsed by the institution to remain in the UK through the Government’s Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa programme. This allows Birama and his family to remain in the UK for two years in order to set-up and run the business. Later, they can apply for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa which allows them to remain in the UK to run their business for another three years.

Birama Gladini said: “We are beyond grateful for the opportunity Birmingham City University has given us since the beginning of our venture until now. It is through the support of Birmingham City University that me and my family have been able to achieve our dream of opening an Indonesian coffee shop here in Birmingham.

“It was not without any problems opening a new business in a new environment but we sorted it all out with the help of our mentor at the University, Richard Leighton. Richard has been wonderful throughout the process and he has been more than supportive with his actions and encouraging words that keep us going forward.

“Certainly, having three year’s worth of experience running in running a coffee shop business in Indonesia is helping us a lot. We are staying to our roots and offering a modern yet authentic Indonesian feast to fill the void of dedicated Indonesian cafes or restaurants in the Midlands. We hope that everyone, including locals and Indonesians living in the UK, love what we have to offer. ”

Birama and Elmira are now hoping the success of their UK coffee shop will allow them to open a second outlet in London in the near future. Another aim of theirs is to be the only supplier of Indonesian unroasted green coffee beans in the UK and to eventually expand across Europe.

Richard Leighton, Enterprise Manager, Birmingham City University, said: “Birama and Elmira are brilliant examples of the power of the Tier 1 visa – in that it allows individuals born outside of the UK the opportunity to live and set-up a businesses here that brings in great cultural experience and add real social and economic value to the country.

“On a visit to Southeast Asia a number of years back I noticed the diversity and uniqueness off its traditional coffee shops and as soon as Birama applied to the scheme with a fantastic business plan and experience of setting-up and running a coffee shop in Indonesi,a we immediately realised the potential for the business and its success.

“Both Birama and Elmira, as well as their little son Ralden, are exceptional and I am really proud of the work done to date and the plans for the future – we can see lots of Ngopi coffee shops right across the UK because it really offers customers something very different that you cannot get elsewhere.”

With an estimated three million children at risk of being hungry during the school holidays in the UK this summer, and as food bank usage is reportedly hitting record highs, Welcome Community Garden and Breath of Life Community Garden have joined a nationwide initiative to grow and donate fresh fruit and vegetables to those in need.

The charitable initiative sees gardening brand Miracle-Gro connect with FoodCycle projects across the country, including Birmingham, to support those at risk of food poverty and social isolation. With the long-term aim to alleviate the nation’s food poverty crisis, the partnership hopes to kick-start a trend for green-fingered Brits to use their hobby for a wider social purpose by donating their surplus crops.

To achieve the surplus crop, Welcome Community Garden and Breath of Life Community Garden will be armed with supplies of Miracle-Gro results-driven plant food. The All-Purpose range promises 50% extra tomatoes and 10 times the fruit weight of courgettes compared to unfed: produce which will then be put to good use to create delicious, nutritious meals for those experiencing hunger and loneliness.

Gardener at Welcome Community Garden, Sam Marsh, commented:

“Within community gardens, we grow a range of fresh fruit and vegetables. Coupled with the pressure food banks are facing, there is clearly scope for us to support those in need. By using Miracle-Gro All-Purpose Liquid Plant Food, we will be able to grow a larger quantity of edibles, which we’ll be donating. This is incredibly rewarding and has the potential to make a real difference to our communities. I encourage others with an allotment or garden patch to do the same.”

Justin Powell, Regional Manager at FoodCycle in Birmingham, commented:

“Since 2009, FoodCycle has served over 250,000 meals to those in need, and we are excited for the potential of our partnership with Miracle-Gro to grow this figure further. The volume of fresh produce from the local growers will help ensure our meals continue to be delicious and nutritious. We believe firmly that food waste and food poverty should not co-exist; this is the perfect way to put the surplus produce achieved to good use.”

Lindsay Cooper, Plant Food Category Manager at Evergreen Garden Care UK Ltd., commented:

“Despite 86% of the UK population having access to their own green space, over a quarter (26%) use their outdoor space for eating, entertaining and sunbathing only. We are urging these people to try their hand at growing fruit and vegetables with Miracle-Gro. Combined with those who already grow, the volume of extra yield produced and made available for projects like FoodCycle could be huge.”