Speciality Food Magazine May 2024

@specialityfood chamomile infusions), the Hugo (prosecco, elderflower, lime and soda), orchard fruit flavours, Asian influences (using sake and umeshu), and tropical hints of banana and pineapple. COCKTAIL MAKING INGREDIENTS Hands up if you bought a cocktail cabinet or built a bar in your garden during lockdown. Lots of people did, finding fun and joy in a bit of at-homemixology. Sales of cocktails for home consumption have risen 44% year-on-year, and consumers aremore invested than ever before in recreating the bar experience in their own kitchens. Ensure you’re prepared tomeet their desires by stocking all the classics, fromvodka and gin, to dark and white rum, vermouth and tequila, alongside key ingredients such as bitters, sodas, grenadine, sugar syrup...even foaming drops and dried garnishes, for the ‘wow’ factor. Go all-out this summer, perhaps, with a dedicated cocktail-making section in store. Include ice trays andmoulds, mixology equipment, recipe cards and tasting days with spirits brands. CRISP ANDWINE PAIRING TikTok food fads can be, let’s face it, truly awful. But something that’s not going anywhere is wine and crisp pairing, which dominated the social media platform in 2023, leading to respected wine schools and wine bars turning the dial up on the ‘high-low’ trend. Laura Kent, founder of Yorkshire Wine School, says the pairing has huge appeal because it’s so tantalising, while co-founder of Vino Gusto wine shop, Jake Bennett-Day, says, “Are crisps delicious? Tick. Is wine delicious? Double tick!” Jakes adds that what makes crisps and winematching such a pleasure is that “you really don’t need to overthink it and get pretentious about it. Crisps are salty and often fatty – theymake you reach for a drink which should, in turn, make youwant to go back for another bite.” Jake’s ultimate pairing is Torres Black Truffle Crisps with a glass of Blanc de Blancs Champagne, while Laura reaches for Thai sweet chilli crisps and off-dry Riesling. Why not do some tastings with your staff and position crisp and T he Covid pandemic had a huge impact not only on the way we viewhealth in the UK, but on our attitudes to dining as well. Takeaways and preppedmeal pick- ups became the norm. We invested in cocktail bars, barbecues and pizza ovens to entertain ourselves at home. And treat boxes andmeal and food gift experiences became a thrilling part of our lives. Essentially, we used food and drink tomake ourselves feel good, in spite of what was going on in the wider world around us. And we haven’t stopped. Consumers have continued to invest in ‘treat moments’ at home during the cost-of-living crisis, reserving nights out for celebrations. So, what are the trends driving the ‘big night in’? READY TO DRINK COCKTAILS Look up and down any supermarket spirits aisle today, and you’ll find the category is booming, with an ever- increasing range taking up valuable space. In 2020 RTD cocktails and mixed drink sales grew by 75%, and according to Grand ViewResearch, themarket size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.2% by 2030. Consumers, the analyst says, are increasingly looking for lower calorie options in this arena, and for cocktails made with real ingredients. They’re all about “escapism”, says drinks guru PriteshMody of World of Zing. “They’re seen as holiday cocktails you’d enjoy on a beach. Cocktails are about indulgence.” London Cocktail Week 2024 identified trends for this year as Martini with a twist (think yuzu and PEAR & ELDERFLOWER SOUR VAULT CITY BREWING The fruity flavour of pear melds together with a delicate fragrant backdrop from the subtle addition of elderflower. vaultcity.co.uk DESSERTS COLLECTION FIELDFARE End that dinner party in style and without any fuss, choosing one of Fieldfare’s luxury ready-to-cook options, from Chocolate Fondant to Apple Fritters field-fare.com LASAGNE BYRUBY Generous layers of grass-fed beef and pork mince, cooked slowly in a rich tomato sauce, between egg pasta and cheesy bechamel. byruby.co.uk CHEEKY WEE KISS ANGEL’S DARE The brand’s flagship tipple. A tangy, tart, sweet combination of dry gin, rhubarb, ginger, strawbrery and cranberry juice. angelsdarecocktails.co.uk Movie and pizza nights, grazing party platters and wine and crisp pairing – consumers are having more fun than ever before...eating at home THE UK BAGGED POPCORN MARKET IS WORTH £144 MILLION SNACMA STAYING IN IS THE NEW GOING OUT STOCK CHECK S P E C I A L I T Y F O O D M A G A Z I N E * 2 0 2 4 * BARON BIGOD CHEESE & ONION CRISPS MADE FOR DRINK Enjoy one of the UK’s best-loved modern artisan cheeses, in crisp form. The earthy, creamy flavour of Baron Bigod is matched with sweetly savoury onion. madefordrink.com CHOCOLATE FUDGE GOURMET CARAMEL POPCORN JOEY KOALA A decadent popcorn, made by smothering the kernels in buttery chocolate fudge caramel sauce, and baking each bite to perfection. joeykoala.com 34