Speciality Food Magazine JulyAugust 2024

15 specialityfoodmagazine.com in on the perfect packaging for their items ahead of the festive season. “Christmas is renowned for its gift-giving traditions. Customers are either spending on presents for others, or indulging in impulse buys for themselves. So, when it comes to fine foods, it’s imperative to get items from point A to B in the same pristine, presentable condition in which they were purchased,” Eve continues. “Whether you’re delivering on eCommerce demands or looking for off-the-shelf solutions, providing your products with unparalleled protection means that your fine foods can be safely presented with the same consideration and care that has gone into their creation.” Of course, the freezer is an invaluable tool when it comes to planning ahead for the festive season – both for consumers and retailers. Thankfully, Fieldfare is on hand to support both in their mission for a delicious, smooth- running Christmas. “Premium frozen has grown in popularity over the past couple of years and in a recent shopper survey we conducted with YouGov, over a third (35%) of shoppers stated that they had bought premium frozen products from independent or speciality stores recently. This represents a big opportunity for retailers as Christmas is a time when people want to treat themselves and premium frozen can offer them something special, as well as the convenience they have come to expect from frozen.” As well as avoiding waste and the danger of overstocking, Fieldfare’s frozen range is ideal for occasions throughout the festive season. “Retailers can tailor-make a unique selection for the season, scaling up or down on products as needed,” says Matt. “A large number of our products are complementary to the farm shop Christmas offer but equally as relevant into January and beyond, so because the products are frozen, retailers can stock up for Christmas without the concern that products will be wasted after the festive period. The range is adaptable and flexible.” A particularly smart stocking option is Fieldfare’s range of frozen pastries, including their best- selling croissants alongside other indulgent pastries, for hosts to bake fresh for guests throughout the Christmas period. Indeed, Christmas Day is the busiest day for Fieldfare’s website, with customers flocking to the site for instructions on how to cook their pastries. Desserts are also sure to prove popular, with “indulgence starting to return to dining tables nationwide,” begins Matt, and convenience being an attractive proposition for busy home cooks. “Individually portioned desserts such as our award-winning Melting Chocolate Fondant, Salted BEHIND THE COUNTER Shirley Aubrey, food buyer at Harvey Nichols, talks us through the iconic retailer’s approach to the all-important festive season We believe the joy of Christmas is in the giving, so we take the hard work out of shopping for customers and curate beautiful edits of high-quality gifts, both Harvey Nichols own label and branded. We think about our customers, who they buy for, and what they will be doing, whether that’s attending parties, buying stocking fillers or being the best gift giver with the ultimate showstopper present. We work on Christmas throughout the year, focusing on our Harvey Nichols own label range, as well as hand-picking traditional, up-and-coming, and new brands to elevate our edit. We also build iconic hampers filled with the finest Harvey Nichols range of food and beverages. As soon as Christmas is over, we start thinking about the next. We look back and take inspiration from the previous trends and sales to begin curating and preparing for our next festive launch. We experiment with products and innovative flavours, and analysis our customer buying habits, but favourites such as stocking fillers will always be on our radar. Mini mince pies are a Christmas staple, paired with our wonderful Harvey Nichols Cognac Butter. We experiment with flavours and ingredients of our Harvey Nichols own label range to curate innovate products, such as our Strawberry & Champagne Jam using our Harvey Nichols Champagne and Christmas Pudding Gin using our Christmas Pudding. Harvey Nichols Hampers are an extremely exciting part of our offer. With something for everyone, each hamper is filled with the most enticing range of food and beverage. Every year we ensure we have something new to offer. This year we will be launching a Harvey Nichols Amaretto to perfectly pair with our wonderful food range. Our in-store displays offer customers an inspiring edit of exciting gifts, with tastings to allow customers to sample our wonderful products. We work on Christmas throughout the year, focusing on our Harvey Nichols own label range, as well as hand-picking traditional, up-and-coming, and new brands to elevate our edit