Speciality Food April 2024

8 @specialityfood E arly spring has often been a challenging and gritted teeth time for us as speciality food retailers. And the beginning of 2024 has proven to be one of those. Even though it is possibly the warmest on record. Just when you think it is safe to dip a toe in the waters of the New Year something comes out to bite you. In our case somethings plural have come out to bite us. We are not yet at Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse time – still more like Four Pony Trekkers – but here is a list of things that have not helped us in getting off the starting blocks quickly this year. Obviously having the wettest February on record was not good news. The 50 yards of distance we are set back from the King’s Road on the Duke of York Square on a rainy day become an obstacle like the Berlin Wall at the height of the Cold War. Heavy rain stops pay (at the tills) in a disproportionate way. I would have also liked to claim it has been colder than previous years. But apparently it has been the warmest on record for Southern England. I can only counter that by saying Saturdays (our busiest day of the week) suffered the worst weather. In addition, it has certainly been a period of doom and gloom for anyone who has had the misfortune to listen to the news, and this inevitably restrains the celebratory aspects of spending in our shop - as the thought of a General Election round the corner probably does as well. Sales on Pancake Day and Valentine’s Day were both underwhelming this year. Only a slight bounce for JOHN SHEPHERD PARTRIDGES The 50 yards of distancewe are set back fromtheKing’s Road on theDuke of York Square on a rainy day becomes an obstacle like the BerlinWall at the height of the ColdWar ‘Tryingnot to let rain stopplay’ our Lunar New Year activities brought some cheer. And then there are a few local issues for us to confront as well. There have been major roadworks in the area. Bus and traffic flow disruptions in parts of Chelsea are the equivalent of a butterfly flapping its wings in the Brazilian rainforest for an anxious local retailer like myself. Finally, our largest local supermarket has emerged from a period of refurbishment and has upped its offer again, which is a very annoying trait they all share in common from time to time. Although February was perceived to be a disappointing month in terms of overall retail sales, food sales actually rose by 6% in the UK according to the British Retail Consortium. Commentators acknowledged that customers were buying less products, but I am not sure if any consideration that February was in fact a 29-day month compared to last year was taken into account regarding volumes. Our sales were not close to that level I am sorry to say. Although bearing in mind the celebratory nature of a lot of our customer visits, it is important to note that the hospitality sector of the economy showed a contraction of 13.4% in February and that spending in bars, pubs and clubs only rose by 1%. But, of course, we have been here before. Every year pretty much. And over analysing is an annoying compulsion during quiet times. February has always been our quietest month, and in the past it has proven not to be a groundhog month which predicts sales in the rest of the year. In fact, a poor February has often been followed by a good March, and an early Easter, such as this year, has also been helpful too. So we still remain positive for 2024 despite all the background noise, the temperamental weather and the local traffic jams. After all there is no alternative. It may seem like a perfect storm but let’s hope in a teacup. However, critical investment in the sector has seen a sustained decline over the last few years. ONS data shows that in the year to Q3 2023, investment was down 33.2% compared to the same period in 2019, contrasting with the UK as a whole where investment rose by 5.4%. This threatens growth and food security in the medium and longer term. The government needs to act now to create the circumstances for further investment and sustained growth, says the FDF, which is calling on the government to work Cottage Delight recently announced its agreement to purchase Fosters Foods fromMoguntia Food Group. The business has transferred to the Cottage Delight site in Leek, Staffordshire, from its current base at Market Harborough and all orders, deliveries and sales will now be managed by Cottage Delight. Paul Yeates, one of the owners, and a group board member of the with the sector to agree policies that foster vital private investment, which could unlock further productivity growth, boost experts, and secure the future of British- made food and drink. Karen Betts, FDF chief executive, said, “This report sets out how critical a thriving food and drink manufacturing sector is to the UK’s broader economy, as well as to everyone’s daily lives. Unlike many industries, ours is spread evenly across the country, with regions of real strength like the Midlands, North of England, Scotland’s central Monguntia Food Group, said, “This divestment is part of our strategy to focus on our core activities. We are committed to growing our Moguntia Food (Sherriffs Foods and Hay Hampers) business, which will continue to operate from our Market Harborough site. We will be working closely with the Cottage Delight team on a smooth transition.” Vickie Milligan, managing belt and South Wales, where we provide good jobs and great careers in big companies and small.” But the government should not take the industry for granted, she added. “Our sector urgently needs investment – in science, innovation, automation and new technologies – if it’s to remain the powerhouse that our country needs it to be into the future. We need a strategic approach from government looking at attracting new investment and building productivity – to set the conditions for success into the next decade. Government must also look at how we are regulated – muddled regulation, like ‘not for EU’ labelling, a poorly functioning Apprenticeship Levy or badly executed packaging recycling reforms, is deterring investment and will damage local prosperity.” director at Cottage Delight, said, “In 2024, Cottage Delight is celebrating its 50-year anniversary by looking forward to the next 50 years. We have invested to build a more efficient operation, and more sustainable product. This acquisition allows us to grow our range and our sales to make the most of this investment and we are very happy to do this with such an established brand.” The priority has been to ensure a smooth transition and maintain customer service. If you have any questions, contact Cottage Delight. Government must do more to help UKmanufacturing sector A new report released by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) shows that food and drink manufacturers underpin the UK’s manufacturing strength across all regions and nations, contributing over £35 billion in GVA alongside providing a strong platform for skilled jobs everywhere. Cottage Delight acquires Fosters Foods