Speciality-Food-Magazine-JanuaryFebruary2025

19 TRENDWATCH Sponsored by condition according to Elliot and Sam Day, co-founders of FieldGoods. WHAT TO STOCK? “We have seen them in various formats from snacks such as ChicP and The Honest Bean Co. appealing to health-conscious and eco-minded customers alike as well as recently healthier ready to s erve baked beans by Bold Bean Co.” says Nicole. The Happy Pear recommend Hodemedod’s range of UK-grown beans. WILL ANY OLD TIN DO? Beans are a great value store cupboard ingredient, but if you’re looking for optimum health credentials and flavour it’s well worth spending a little more. “All beans are not made equal!” say Elliot and Sam. “Quality beans have existed for a long time, it’s just hardly anyone was buying them,” explains Amelia. “I think we have played a part in that we’ve shown people just how easy it is to cook with quality beans as well as galvanising the food writing community to use themmore in their cooking.” meals, they make great dips. “Butter beans make a wonderful base for houmous,” say Dave and Steve. WHAT’S CHANGED? Innovations in the bean category are at the root of their catapult into trendiness. Bold Bean Co cook the beans in the jar, imbuing a moreish texture and flavour. “This makes cooking with them so much easier than soaking beans overnight and cooking them the next day,” says Theo Randall, chef patron of Theo Randall at The InterContinental. “There as so many interesting varieties of beans now so you can do so much with them.” WHAT’S NEXT FOR BEANS? Thanks their natural versatility and health credentials – not to mention their affordable-to-all price point – the sky’s the limit for quality beans. “We’re just scratching the surface of what beans can be,” says Amelia. With shoppers’ budgets being stretched and appetites on the look out for delicious, flavour-packed dishes that will benefit our bodies, it’s a simple case of educating customers on the plus points of beans. Add them into your cafe menus, represent the varied range now available on your shelves, and produce simple recipe cards to inspire purchases. COOL BEANS The ultimate nutritional powerhouse, beans are setting tills – and social media – alight The Life & Soul of the Pantry ORDER AT TRADE.TRACKLEMENTS.CO.UKOR CALL:01666 827044 WHY ARE BEANS TRENDING NOW? “Beans are the new star of sustainable, plant-based dining, celebrated for their rich flavour, nutrition, and eco-friendly profile, plus they’re affordable and packed with protein,” says Nicole Compen, founder of raye the store. “As the bean trend gains traction, it’s shaping a tastier, more sustainable future in food.” Amelia Christie-Miller, founder of Bold Bean Co agrees. “People are only just cottoning onto the fact that they are the world’s closest thing to a perfect food – full of natural protein and fibre, and fundamental to regenerative systems that look after our soil and so the answer to many health and sustainability challenges.” WHO WILL BUY THEM? The great news is that everyone is bound to find a bean recipe to love, and many shoppers will be keen to try them as a quick and healthy dish-booster. Comforting and the ultimate reinventor, beans can add nutrition and sustenance to pretty much any dish from around the world. “Beans have become a comforting food, with each culture having its own version – from Brazilian dishes to Iraqi stews to classic baked beans in the UK,” says Eran Tibi, executive chef at Kapara and Bala Baya. HOW GOOD FOR ME ARE THEY, REALLY? Packed to the brim with protein and fibre, beans are super filling and great for your gut too – a tick for the growing number of consumers keen to improve their gut health. “Beans are one of the highest sources of fibre you can get,” says Amelia. “9 out of 10 people don’t get enough fibre so there’s quite a bit of room for improvement,” say Dave and Steve Flynn of The Happy Pear. HOW ABOUT THE PLANET? It’s widely known that vegetables are better for the health of the planet than animal meat, but a lesser known fact is that they fix nitrogen in the soil as they grow – they even improve the overall soil 9 OUT OF 10 UK CONSUMERS DON’T EAT ENOUGH FIBRE SOURCE: DAVE AND STEVE FLYNN, THE HAPPY PEAR HOW VERSATILE ARE THEY? Very! Fans of the humble legume are full of ideas around how to make these nutritional powerhouses as delicious as possible. “They are silky little pearls of flavour that add real body to a meal”, say Elliot and Sam. They use beans in their Cauliflower Butter Masala and Spanish Chicken & Chorizo dishes, among many others. Meanwhile, Bold Bean Co. “show people that beans aren’t just for chilli con carne,” says Amelia. “Instead, we encourage them to lean into flavour combinations that they’re familiar with – for example, mushroom and parmesan beanotto (where you use beans instead of rice), or butter bean puttanesca.” As well as ideal for adding bolster to Beans have become a comforting food, with each culture having its own version