Homegrown British company, Cranes Drinks is launching into ASDA this summer with their tantalising range of fruit ciders.

Chilled by nature, Cranes Ciders are brewed with the finest Wisconsin cranberries, alongside apples, to deliver a crisp, refreshing range of fruit ciders.

Founded and developed by Twin Brothers Ben and Dan Ritsema, Cranes Ciders are naturally light, with 30% fewer calories compared to brand leaders.

“Consumer tastes are becoming more sophisticated, with a higher demand for quality, ethical and natural ingredient sourcing than ever before. Our fruit ciders fill a gap in the market for an innovative, naturally-light cider, brewed to utilise the pure sweetness of the super-fruits.” said Daniel Ritsema, Co-Founder of Cranes Drinks LTD.

Founded in 2012, Cranes, has been exceptionally well received at events and festivals across the country and is stocked by a host of farm shops, garden centres, bars and pubs across the UK. However, the national launch into over 300 ASDA stores this Summer, is the brands biggest break yet!

“To say we are ecstatic to be launching nationally in ASDA is an understatement! We are absolutely delighted Cranes Ciders will now be available to consumers across the UK.” said Ben Ritsema, Co-Founder of Cranes Drinks LTD.

Tesco is to help prevent a potential lemon shortage by putting a greener version of the fruit on its supermarket shelves.

Despite the skin being slightly green the fruit is still as crisp and zesty as you'd find as when they completely turn yellow.

But now Tesco has lifted the colour quality specifications for lemons in a move that will also help offset food waste in the home by adding up to an extra two days shelf life to the fruit as it turns yellow.

The shortage has been caused by significantly reduced end of season volume in Spain, from where the UK gets the bulk of its lemons until the end of spring, which has reduced availability to UK retailers.

Traditionally in late June the South African lemon season starts which then takes over as the UK's main supply source.

But Tesco will now take the greener South African lemons earlier than usual to keep supplies going.

Tesco citrus fruit buyer Savia Weidinger explains:

“These greener lemons that we now have on sale are already mature and perfect tasting inside but need longer for the skin to turn yellow.   

“With the South African crop that happens towards the end of June as evenings cool which helps the fruit to colour up.

“The move not only means that shoppers will again be easily able to buy a fruit that is growing in popularity but they will gain extra freshness.”

The move should be popular with customers as lemons have jumped in popularity by nearly 10 per cent in the last year with more people using them in recipes and juicing.

Tesco has committed to making sure no good food goes to waste and works with farmers and suppliers to adjust crop specifications.

The greener lemons will be available in 800 tesco stores across the UK.

Warrens Bakery are on the look-out for their first ever 'Young Budding Baker of the Year' and there's just two weeks left for nominations.

The overall winner of the seven shortlisted will go behind the scenes at Warrens Bakery in Cornwall for a masterclass with Head Baker Jason Jobling where they will also help to develop a brand-new bake. The lucky winner will also get to meet Martha Collison, win a year's supply of bakes, plus a baking course at their local cookery school worth £250.

Head Baker Jason Jobling, who has been with the team for an incredible 26 years, is helping to lead the search with the help of baking star Martha Collison to recruit 'wannabe winners'. As Chair of the Cornish Pasty Association, Jason's love for craft baking is clear to see, most recently featured on BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show with Chris Evans during the first ever Cornish Pasty Week.

Passionate about inspiring the next generation of bakers, Jason said: “Up until February last year, Warrens Bakery stores were only in the South West. Our journey over the last 12 months has been incredible, with monthly store openings in regions throughout England. Local residents have instantly taken to our sweet and savoury range of bakes and having met so many new friendly faces, we want to inspire young bakers and grow the appetite for craft baking with the launch of the search for the next Budding Baker.”

With students across the nation currently completing GCSE's and A-levels, the campaign is extremely timely as teenagers look to the next chapter.

Tipped as one of the top three craft bakeries in the UK and gaining the highest place for a retailer in The World Pasty Championship, the expert team at Warrens Bakery have been guardians of the Cornish Pasty since 1860. Continuing to hand-crimp all of their pasties in St Just, near Land's End, hand crimping an average of three pasties every minute; recipes and hand-craft skills have been passed down generation after generation.

Celebrated author, Waitrose magazine columnist and rising baking star Martha Collison is helping the team in their search. Commenting about her involvement, Martha said - “Baking is so well-loved because it's part of our heritage; a skill that spans all generations. I was inspired to bake by looking up to those more experience than myself; grandparents, food technology teachers and aunties. They inspired me to get in the kitchen and try things out, to hone my skills and to improve my ability through encouragement and opportunity. I'm passionate about seeing a younger generation inspired to bake and let loose in our kitchens, as you learn so much about food through making it yourself.”

Open for nominations from siblings, friends, parents and grandparents who want to see their young rising star (16-18) crowned as the first ever Warrens Bakery 'Young Budding Baker of the Year 2018'. The competition is open for entry in the seven UK regions where Warrens Bakery stores are located.

Alzheimer’s Society’s first ever Cupcake Day pop up experience has been embarking on a mini tour of the UK ahead of Cupcake Day on Thursday 14 June. Starting its journey in Newcastle, it visited Birmingham on Thursday 7th June.

The pop up was situated in Birmingham city centre on Edgbaston Street between the Bullring and Markets. Alzheimer’s Society staff were distributing free Cupcakes to the public and talking to them about dementia. Hundreds of Cupcakes were handed out to people who were encouraged to get involved in Cupcake Day and join the fight against dementia.

Anne-Marie Heeney from Birmingham said: “It’s so great to see something like this where it’s so visual and can start a conversation about dementia. I think that conversations about dementia don’t have to be depressing.”

People were able to enjoy free hand-finished cupcakes, supplied by The Cake Crew, get creative at a special ‘Glam Your Cupcake’ station and speak with Dementia Advisers about any concerns they might have.

Carol Bowsher, Dementia Adviser for Alzheimer’s Society was in attendance. She said: “I spoke with a woman who was worried about her mother. She wasn’t sure about what sort of symptoms she should be looking for and we discussed that perhaps a general health check could be beneficial.”

Alzheimer’s Society’s Cupcake Day raises funds to support people affected by dementia. Recently, Alzheimer’s Society joined forces with Alzheimer’s Research UK and the Government to fund the UK’s first ever Dementia Research Institute.

Emma Dowler, Community Fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society said: “We have had a fantastic time handing out Cupcakes to the public to celebrate the oncoming Cupcake Day. It’s great to see Birmingham uniting against dementia.”

In the UK, there are 850,000 people living with dementia and more than 10,000 people live with the condition in Birmingham and Solihull. It is estimated that dementia costs the UK economy over £26 billion per year. Dementia is now the UK’s biggest killer, with someone developing it every three minutes.. Each cupcake will help Alzheimer’s Society find a cure, improve care and offer help and understanding for people affected.

Simon Tregunna, visiting Birmingham from Cornwall, stopped to talk at the Cupcake Day experience. He said: “This Cupcake Day experience is a good idea and raises awareness. My mother-in-law has become more forgetful recently and we are worried about her memory. Where I’m from, it’s bit of a wait to see a GP, it’s sketchy.”

Alzheimer’s Society is urging everyone to unite against dementia with their families, friends and colleagues, by baking or buying cupcakes to raise vital funds. People can celebrate Cupcake Day on 14 June or mark the occasion another time in the month. Alzheimer’s Society welcomes everyone in uniting against dementia by signing up for Cupcake Day at www.cupcakeday.org.uk

South Australia has recently played host to MasterChef as part of their 10th series.

Visiting top eateries, restaurants, and food and wine venues, contestants were treated to some spectacular views and iconic locations as they cooked in Adelaide, the Barossa Valley, and McLaren Vale in the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Inclusion in MasterChef has cemented the State as a foodie hub for close to one million viewers. SA Week on MasterChef showcased premium tourism offerings and quintessential South Australian experiences, such as The Cube restaurant, Jacob's Creek vineyard, Maggie Beer's Farm Eatery, and Mount Lofty House.

As part of the activations surrounding MasterChef, SATC has engaged with Gary Mehigan to promote the best food and wine the State has to offer. Gary has scoured the State to find the best and most engaging dining experiences, giving credibility to South Australia's many fresh food producers.

Hot on the heels of introducing its biggest ever range of meat-free foods in October 2017, Waitrose is set to expand its selection of vegan and vegetarian food. The supermarket will increase its total vegan and vegetarian assortment by 60%.

Among the 50 new products are two exclusive brands, The Happy Pear – created by renowned plant-based and whole food chef duo David and Stephen Flynn, and The Vegetarian Butcher - a Dutch company specialising in meat substitutes, made using plant-based proteins.

Kantar UK Insights predict 2018 to be the year Brits go vegan, also noting it is the year that plant-based diets go mainstream. Waitrose is seeing this reflected in its sales of vegetarian food, up 34% against the same time last year.

In a supermarket first, the retailer will have a dedicated vegan section, which will be signposted in its shops. In total, the range will feature 125 ingredients, ready meals and other meat-free products designed to make shopping easier for customers looking for vegetarian and vegan options.

Chloe Graves, Waitrose Chilled Vegetarian and Vegan Buyer says, “Our current selection of products has been selling really well week after week, with requests for more choice coming from our customers and Partners, so we could clearly see there was an appetite to have more vegetarian and vegan options in our shops.

“Increasing our range builds on the work we did last year to increase choice for our customers in this area. We are working with some fantastic exclusive brands to ensure our shoppers have a really unique selection of food to choose from.

“With flexitarianism also on the rise, we have made sure we have dishes and ingredients for those looking to opt for a meat-free meal, that was suitable for the whole family to enjoy.”

David and Stephen Flynn, The Happy Pear co-founders said: “We are chuffed to be entering the UK market with our products and really honoured to be working with Waitrose to expand its vegan range. Our great-tasting, vegan products are all made from natural ingredients and are great for all lifestyles and those wanting to eat more veg.

“We have been working with Waitrose since 2016, creating vegan recipe videos and on customer events, and this is a great, growing partnership, which supports our mission to help people live healthier and happier lives.”

The range, which launches in Waitrose from Monday 4th June, will see an increase of products available in all shops, with 134 branches with a vegan bay.