Looking for the next big thing? Whether buying for retail, foodservice or wholesale; there is no better place to discover what will be shaping the fine food industry than at Speciality & Fine Food Fair.

The Fair's new Discovery Zone is a real opportunity to uncover what new brands and trends are emerging. This is a dedicated area for up and coming food and drink businesses which have been trading in the UK for less than 36 months.

Many new products being showcased in the zone this year are focused on health. It's not just about the ingredients that are in them but what's not too; with many claiming to have no added sugar, no gluten and no artificial flavours and colours. Natural food and drink is on trend too, along with a penchant for all things nutty and products featuring flavours from around the globe.

Kara Bowen, Event Manager, said: "Buyers and decision makers looking for the latest fine food and drink need look no further than Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2017. For those looking for innovative trends and brands breaking through, the new Discovery Zone is a must see. From what we are seeing so far, health and wellbeing is heavily influencing the new products being launched this year but luxury, both in terms of ingredients and packaging, is just as important."

Summer has arrived and with it, a new in-vogue culinary delight. It has been taking London and major cities by storm, and we're pleased to announce its arrival at The Bell Inn, New Forest.

Every Thursday, for lunch or dinner, throughout July and August, the Inn will offer a 'Burger or Lobster' menu. A finger-licking 3-course treat featuring a starter, a choice of either a gourmet Wagyu 10oz beef burger or half a fresh lobster and to finish a dessert. The Bell Inn's twist on this 'surf & turf' is a summer dining experience not to be missed!

Owner, Robert Crosthwaite Eyre said, “This is a real treat for burger and lobster fans. We've created our own take on this delicious combination by using Wagyu beef renowned for its superior flavour qualities, from herds reared on beer and massaged to create this juicy, melt-in-the-mouth burger. Or, you can choose the luxury of half a fresh lobster, cooked 3 ways to your liking. It's a difficult choice, which makes it a hugely versatile option for families, friends or couples to share and enjoy this summer, and at great value. Of course, it tastes even better when washed down with a crisp glass of fizz or a local ale!”

City of Wolverhampton’s inaugural Festival of Food and Drink has been hailed a huge success by organisers – and will return next year on July 7 and 8.

More than 18,500 people attended the event in the heart of the city centre on Saturday and Sunday after snapping up free tickets.

Families revelled in the sunshine off Wulfruna Street, with a wide range of food and drink available alongside live music, an open-air cinema, Champagne/Prosecco bar, and traditional fairground games across both days.

Organiser William Power of Street Banquet and Director of E11EVEN GROUP, said: “It was a great event. We almost doubled our anticipated attendance and I am absolutely over the moon with its success.

“The way the city embraced the festival is astonishing and I would like to personally thank City of Wolverhampton Council for all of their support.

“It shows the ambition of the council for the city and to attract people to the city. No one I have worked with before in their first festival year has ever got close to these numbers.

“The Wolverhampton businesses seized the opportunity to work with national street food vendors; the best street food was available - and will be again next year. Put the date in your diaries now.”

Visitor comments included ‘it was family friendly, multi-cultural, and there was a fabulous choice of authentic food at reasonable prices’, ‘this event had a really good feel about it, like being at Notting Hill Carnival’, and ‘I was blown away, we need more events like this - it’s fabulous’.

Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: “I am delighted the flagship event of our Visit the City of Wolverhampton programme has been so successful.

“It is another example of Wolverhampton putting itself on the map and it also illustrates why we were recently named as one of the top three UK cities to raise a family.”

Around 1,000 visitors chose to pay on the gate at the festival, which resulted in £1,000 going to the chosen charities of Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Elias Mattu, and the other half to event costs.

Mayor Mattu said: “I’m tremendously proud of holding our first festival of food and drink which has bought so many new visitors to the city and given residents an opportunity to have a fabulous family day out.

“I’d like to thank the promoter for his kind donation and for everyone involved in making the weekend an occasion to remember.”

As the popularity of chillies in the UK continues to soar, perfect spring growing conditions have brought forward the start of the UK's chilli pepper season by five weeks.

Last year Brits bought an estimated 230 million chilli peppers - a 50 per cent increase in demand since 2011.

But it's the super-hot varieties that are creating the greatest excitement with chilli pepper fans.

Last year Tesco saw sales for super-hot chillies rocket by 130 per cent, largely down to the popularity of the world's hottest commercially grown chilli pepper, the Carolina Reaper, which was available for the first time exclusively at the supermarket's stores across the UK last summer.

The perfect spring growing conditions means there will be twice as many of the notorious Bedfordshire grown Carolina Reaper variety this year.

Tesco chilli pepper buyer Phoebe Burgess said:

“The extension to the British chilli season means we will have a lot more of the legendary Carolina Reaper available for customers this summer.

“We know that a growing number of customers really love to cook with hot chillies and the Carolina Reaper has a rich fruity flavour with a slightly sweet taste so a tiny sliver could transform everyday favourite dishes.”

The tiny chilli peppers really pack a punch – and measuring 2.2 million Scoville Units they are 400 times hotter than a jalapeno.

They are exclusively grown by Bedfordshire farmer Salvatore Genovese who is the UK's largest chilli pepper grower.

He started growing chilli peppers 15 years ago after he took over his parents' cucumber business and now grows about one million, or 15 tonnes of chillies each week for the UK market.

Salvatore said:

“This year we've had really good levels of light and some great weather which has helped push the season forward.

“I've also planted a lot more of the Carolina Reaper because the high demand last summer took us by surprise. That, together with the earlier start to the season, means we will have nearly twice as many as last year.”

Other chilli peppers grown by Salv that are stocked by Tesco include the previously hottest UK grown variety, the  Komodo Dragon, as well as the Scotch Bonnet and Habanero in red, green, chocolate and yellow; Flavia, Purple Valentina; Cayenne; Fresno in yellow, green, red and orange and his own favourite the Serenade.

Birmingham’s premier independent steak restaurant, Anderson's Bar & Grill, has won ‘Best Steak House’ in the 2017 Midlands Food, Drink & Hospitality Awards. The awards ceremony took place on Monday 26^th June at Edgbaston Stadium

Up against some big names including Marco Pierre White Steakhouse and Fiesta Del Asado, Anderson’s Bar and Grill’s longstanding reputation as one of Birmingham’s best independent steak houses offering 100% British reared, quality, rare breed beef coupled with their knowledgeable team, proved to be a cut above the rest.

“We take great pride in our steak offering, from the quality of our beef to the knowledge our staff deliver to help inform our diners’ choices, so to win this award for the first time is a great boost for our team! Continuing to source and make great quality, rare breed British beef accessible to our diners requires a great deal of time, knowledge and work but it’s worthy cause when it means getting our diners familiar with these near forgotten breeds.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to our fantastic team who thoroughly deserve this award and, of course, our loyal diners for their votes and continued support over the years.” Said Tony Cox, Operations Director.

This award is Anderson’s third restaurant award in 3 years, having previously won ‘Best Restaurant’ in The Food Awards England in 2015 and 2016.

At the first hint of sunshine, Brits love nothing more than to head outdoors to dine al fresco style and a new study has found that for over two-thirds (65%), a picnic is the perfect way to be romantic with their partner, combining food and drink with canoodling in the great outdoors.

The study has found that as well as serving up delicious sandwiches and snacks, a traditional picnic also dishes up a big slice of nostalgia with 87% of Brits confessing that picnics bring happy memories flooding back. And as well as filling their bellies, a further 83% say a picnic treat also fills them with happiness with two-thirds (65%) picking a picnic as one of their favourite things to do.

The research*, commissioned by convenience retailer Nisa also reveals when it comes to picnic spots, over a fifth (21%) pick a perfect spot by a river or lake as the ideal place. But for 20% of Brits the beach is where it’s at followed by the local park (14%) or local beauty spot (13%). One in 10 don’t feel the need to venture beyond their own back yard – picnicking in the privacy of their own gardens.

The study, commissioned to coincide with National Picnic Week (16-25 June), looks into our picnicking habits and reveals 29% of Brits enjoy spending time with family and friends as the best thing about a traditional picnic followed by eating outside (25%), the scenery (14%), and visiting different locations (9%). 8 per cent think a picnic represents the perfect cheap lunch and 6% use it as an opportunity to get away from it all and de-stress.

The research, highlights the majority of Brits (88%) see a picnic as a great British tradition with nine out of ten (92%) believing it to be an activity that can be enjoyed as a family. A further 70% would go on picnics more regularly if they could with 80% seeing them as a perfect way to see different parts of the country.  A plucky third (37%) would picnic whatever the weather and 42% are proud owners of a traditional picnic basket with all the kit.

Commenting on the research, Alex Rimmer of Nisa commented: “Our research highlights proves that Brits love nothing more than packing up a picnic and heading for the great outdoors. It’s great to see that such a classic family tradition is alive and well and still a popular pastime with many families. In this age of technology when lots of youngsters are seemingly glued to their tablets and games consoles it’s great to see that three-quarters of parents say their children love to go for a picnic.

“Nothing can quite beat that feeling of tucking into a mouth-watering selection of sandwiches, savouries, fresh salads and sweet treats in a scenic location with our nearest and dearest. Just don’t forget the picnic blanket!”