Speciality Food April 2025

industry is clear. Consider too the short distance between the UK and these great French regions; not only does this ensure speed and efficiency in terms of the supply chain – these regions are Britain’s closest overseas neighbours – but also means that the carbon footprint is minimal. The same is true of many of the farmers and suppliers that work with the region’s producers; by sourcing locally, the producers not only support their local economies and the livelihoods of the suppliers within it, but they also keep their environmental impact down. Indeed, many of the producers of the region have sustainability at their heart and have a keen commitment to ethical production – as well as a pride in their regional identity and larder. 26 @specialityfood F rance is renowned for its cuisine, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find that each region can easily hold its own culinary crown – particularly the Northern areas of Normandy and Hauts-de-France, where history, provenance and traditional expertise meet with modern palates and techniques to deliver world-class flavours. The food businesses within these regions are blessed with a plentiful supply of fine quality produce created by local farmers, and together with the romantic landscapes in which they reside the opportunity for storytelling is rich. Provenance and the use of traditional, highly-skilled production methods are highly valued in these areas – as they are by Speciality Food readers – so the opportunity for the British fine food The regions of Normandy and Hauts-de-France are rich sources of fine food perfectly tailored to speciality retailers SAVOUR NORTHERN FRANCE PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT Paul Jaffré, directeur général of traditional bakery Savary, tells the story behind his taste of France My mission is to give folks bread and pastries they can trust, made with care. No shortcuts, no weird additives – just honest craftsmanship. I’m all about French-first sourcing, because quality starts with knowing your suppliers. When I work directly with farmers and producers, I get to support the kind of agriculture I believe in – sustainable, ethical, and rooted in our terroir. We’re baking the French way. Think classic recipes, elevated with premium ingredients. Our flan? We keep it simple. 100% grandma-style: raw milk from Thomas Bocquet’s farm down the road, eggs from free-roaming hens, and a pinch of sugar. No fancy techniques, no golden crusts – just the simplicity your great-grandma would recognize. Our bread? Pure sourdough tradition – slow-fermented, crusty, and full of flavour. We let the ingredients speak for themselves. When you bite into our baguette, you’re tasting butter from Normandy, flour from Picardy, and a whole lot of French passion. benefits. They have created two new goodness-packed products to cater to the growing demand for food-as-medicine: single-serve bottles of Matin Detox and Good Night to bookend a healthy day. Similarly, Biofair Nutrition’s range of organic bars, snacks, cereals and versatile powders are making the realms of functional on-the-go eating more attractive than ever before thanks to its sustainable methodology. Rather than being packed full of unpronounceable ingredients, as so many of its counterparts are, this range is made using nutrient- rich natural ingredients which are simple and unprocessed. Plus, sustainability is a key driver for the business – they are committed to sourcing, producing and packaging their range sustainably, for example by rigorously selecting raw materials according to their organic production and sourcing 80% of their ingredients from France (and 50% from Normandy) – so that health-seeking consumers do not need to sacrifice the health of the planet in the quest towards wellness. British consumers are busier than ever, but all too often convenience can come at the price of quality. Thankfully, Bo’Co Fabrik has the answer: attractive glass jars filled with authentically French ready-to-eat dishes such as duck parmentier, seafood rice and hake with fresh vegetables, as well as modern classics including mac and cheese, made using ingredients sourced from the local area for a true taste of Northern France – and more delicious recipes are in the pipeline. These chef-quality products mean that shoppers don’t need to sacrifice nutrition when they are time-poor, instead they can indulge in traditional French classics within minutes. Shipped frozen and retailed chilled for optimum freshness, Bo’Co Fabrik offer fine food consumers an When you bite into our baguette, you’re tasting butter fromNormandy, flour fromPicardy, and a whole lot of French passion optimum – and affordable – way to eat restaurant-level food in the comfort of their homes, via their most trusted retailers. Quenching the thirst for better Craft beer is quenching British consumers’ thirsts like never before and its popularity is set to rise, so a business like Brasserie Duyck – an independent French brewery with a heritage dating Health of people and planet With health concerns being a key driver in the decision-making process of British consumers, retailers will be excited to learn that Northern France has a number of producers raring to support the wellbeing of their customers. Cider vinegar brand Archie is one such example. By sourcing French apples farmed using ecologically- sound methods to create its bottles of unfiltered cider vinegar, the Archie team has created a highly versatile product that sits as well within store cupboard shelves as an ingredient as it does as a wellness-booster. In fact, Archie has turned the fate of apple cider vinegar on its head; traditionally used in cooking, since launch its founders have passionately championed its additional health