Speciality Food April 2025

Why should retailers be stocking more nostalgic products? It’s an easy win, thinks Kelly. “It’s driving premium purchases,” she says. “Consumers are willing to pay more for better versions of nostalgic favourites.” Kelly also believes nostalgic products help foster emotional connections with customers, encourage repeat purchases (“once people discover a specialityfoodmagazine.com 41 STOCK CHECK KATIE BAKES SPICED FLAPJACK BAKING MIX A foolproof mixture of oats, raisins and mixed spice, giving perfectly chewy, fruity results every time. katie-bakes.co.uk LOTTIE SHAW’S YORKSHIRE PARKIN The family’s award-winning signature bake, made to a more than 100-year- old recipe. It’s sticky, gingery, treacly and moreish. lottieshaws.co.uk MAYNARD HOUSE APPLE & ELDERFLOWER JUICE A traditionally-made juice, crafted using the farms own apples, fragranced with early summer elderflowers. Tastes like juice used to taste. maynardhouse.co.uk ARTISAN VINEGAR COMPANY ARTISAN MALT VINEGAR This isn’t just any malt vinegar. Production begins with fine Maris Otter malt and Cornish spring water, naturally fermented and oak matured before being drawn from the barrel. artisanvinegar.co.uk SODA FOLK CREAM SODA Super smooth, creamy and dreamy, Soda Folk’s HFSS compliant, naturally sweetened soda contains oodles of real Madagascan vanilla. sodafolk.com WALKER’S SHORTBREAD HIGHLANDERS Chunky, buttery delights, with a toothsome bite and nostalgic taste. A must-have for the biscuit tin, and perfect for dunking! walkershortbread.com FARMHOUSE BISCUITS OAT FLIPS This is the product that customers return for time and time again, for its crumbly texture, and warming, toasty, sweet oat flavour. farmhouse-biscuits.co.uk FAIRFIELDS FARM PRAWN COCKTAIL A tangy, but creamy take on this popular retro flavour. Made with potatoes grown, cooked, seasoned and packaged on the North Essex farm. Suitable for vegans. fairfieldsfarmcrisps.co.uk individual pieces. And the range is completed by Vegan Society accredited two-tone Raspberry Coconut Ice, infused with real raspberries. Already the products have been selling well, with Richard saying they’ve seen considering demand across all four new additions. Cottage Delight’s recent acquisitions within the confectionery world have enabled the business to grow and offer more nostalgic delights to its customers. This includes the purchase last year of Fosters Foods, bringing in their Treat Co lines, and becoming a distributor (through wholesale) of Charles Butler – whose sweets (from chocolate limes to liquorice and blackcurrant) - are made using handmade secrets and recipes passed down the family. Cottage Delight is in an ideal position to bring these products to a wider audience, being a trusted partner for many retailers in the speciality sector, says trade marketing lead, Nicki Wedgewood. “We’ve got 50 years of history behind us. That history is what people look for, and what keeps them coming back,” she explains. “We’ve got a very loyal following, and I think that ‘trust appeal’ really matters. As a brand, from a Cottage Delight perspective, people know they’re getting the best.” Talking about the expansion into traditional sweets, Nicki says Cottage Delight knows that historically confectionery tends to weather a poor political climate well. “It’s considered a small luxury,” she explains. “People are more inclined to reward themselves with a little treat, and that’s so prevalent now. There’s been a slight shift within confectionery production to create items at the right price point and style to fit in a hamper, be given as a small token gift, or as a gift someone could give themselves.” The most popular items within Treat Co right now, Nicki says, certainly fit the nostalgic bill, including peanut brittle, clotted cream fudge bars, and cherry nougat, while sales of giant share bags and filled sweetie jars see growth too. “One of our bestselling ranges is the chocolate-covered honeycomb. We had milk chocolate and white chocolate but we’ve now brought in salted caramel too, pushing that flavour profile a bit, so we’re keeping that thread of nostalgia people like, and bringing it up to date.” As for where this space is going, the brand is delighting younger (and young at heart) customers with its Unicorn mix, blending chocolate jazzies and marshmallows, and anything with a sour profile is selling well. “Bon bons, pear drops, jelly babies and dolly mixtures do so well for our retailers. They’re things customers actively look for, especially in the independent sector because they’re things you can’t necessarily find in a supermarket, and because they’re elevated versions with a more special feel to them.” With more than two dozen varieties available in the Treat Co range, there’s something for everyone, Nicki says, adding that Cottage Delight has introduced free of charge, scallop-edged retail stands, with a traditional Victorian feel, for retailers, to help them showcase these joyful, colourful products in a way that directly appeals to shoppers. product or recipe that enhances a familiar dish, they come back for more”) and are pivotal for creating engaging social media stories and in-store marketing. Speaking as a Millennial, and one of the key target audiences for this trend, Jon thinks his demographic is in its time of prosperity, driving forward, while looking back. “The next generation will likely do the same in their own way when their time comes. “What remains constant is the pursuit of excellence. The best operators don’t just follow trends, they elevate them. By sourcing the finest ingredients, using the best techniques and delivering exceptional experiences, they ensure that nostalgia isn’t just a fleeting moment, but a foundation for something timeless.” SUMMERDOWN DARK CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT DOMINOES Moreish, svelte dark chocolate thins which can be snapped down the middle for two perfect bites. Each infused with the farm’s single-estate Black Mitcham peppermint oil. summerdown.com WALKER’S NONSUCH ORIGINAL CREAMY TOFFEE SLAB A huge 400g sharing slab of the traditional confectioner’s creamy toffee, made with natural ingredients, including real butter. Comes with a novelty hammer. walkers-nonsuch.co.uk