Speciality-Food-Magazine-November-December-2024

it. “With eyes on food waste, the storecupboard can present a less risky purchase with less potential wastage, and shoppers appreciate the flexibility that its longer shelf life brings to meal-planning,” says Justin. The power of storecupboard items to reduce food waste is also recognised by Barnes Edwards, director at The Garlic Farm. “What we all need to be doing is eating actual food, but all too often we end up with tired vegetables at the back of the fridge. What storecupboard items do brilliantly is to bring themback to life, but it takes intensely flavoured, carefully prepared products to do that – if something is filled with ingredients you can’t pronounce, the flavour won’t be as strong so you’ll need to use more of it. By stocking up on good quality, flavour-packed storecupboard ingredients you can not only use less but also encourage the consumption of fresh food. That’s howwe approach our storecupboard range; each item is a vehicle for eating more straight out of the ground real food.” A beautiful stock or olive oil can bring an otherwise uninspiring dish to life, but also to be considered is the environmental cost behind the scenes. “Ambient foods are packaged and transported, so they naturally have an impact on the environment,” says Barnes. “This means it’s even more important for Speciality Food TRACKLEMENTS ROBUST WHOLEGRAIN MUSTARD Earthy and piquant. Stir through cheese sauce or mash for a robust tang and an attractive speckle. tracklements.co.uk SUMA CANNELLINI BEANS Mild in flavour and fluffy in texture. These Italian beans are delicious in salads with lots of parsley, garlic and olive oil, or in soups, like a classic minestrone. wholesale.suma.coop 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 * SUNDAY CHARCUTERIE BOLOGNESE BOOSTER The ultimate way to add depth of flavour to your Bolognese, Shepherd’s Pie, Chilli or any long, slow cook. sundaycharcuterie.co.uk TRUEFOODS CHICKEN STOCK Made using specially selected ingredients, this is a great base for gravies, soups, sauces, jus and basting – and nutritious and tasty enough to drink on its own. truefoodsltd.com HAWKSHEAD RELISH HOT GARLIC PICKLE Whole garlic cloves, cooked until soft, packed with spices including chilli and turmeric. hawksheadrelish.com RANDOM HARVEST AUSTRALIAN TRUFFLE HOT SAUCE A perfectly balanced blend of heat from chilli with the earthy flavour of Australian truffles. cotswold-fayre.co.uk 35 readers to work with suppliers who pay attention to the impact they’re having on our planet, and who produce their ranges with care in terms of quality and the use of real ingredients, as opposed to those who produce food as a commodity and ship it halfway around the world. “An itemwith a modest reach and supply chain is likely to be closer to people and to be attuned to the community impact of its ingredients,” continues Barnes. “It’s a question of these things coming together to produce an itemwhich is full of flavour and nutrients, and doing its job in terms of supporting a sustainable food industry.” Ultimately, says Barnes, by investing in quality storecupboard items you are investing all the way back to the field. “You might not be able to taste it in isolation, but you are affecting a whole ecosystem.” specialityfoodmagazine.com not just about price, value is also delivered through exceptional quality. Shoppers are seeking top-tier staples, whether it’s tinned tomatoes or pasta, that offer value through the quality and taste they deliver.” “Kitchen ingredients need to work hard to justify their place on the kitchen shelf and this is where this category really comes into its own as so many storecupboard products can be used across many different dishes and occasions, but we need to work hard to communicate this,” Justin continues. “In these challenging times the country has been going through, traditional storecupboard items like canned foods, in particular canned beans and pulses have become even more appealing to consumers as they are cost efficient, have longer shelf lives, limit wastage and align with demand for natural plant- based protein sources,” says Carmen Ferguson, brandmanager at Biona’s parent company Windmill Organic. “Consumers also now increasingly understand that they can buy healthier food that meets their needs in canned formats too.” Storecupboards as a tool for change Food waste is a huge topic across the industry, and the storecupboard provides an opportunity to minimise your customers’ production of THE GARLIC FARM GARLIC JAMWITH RED CHILLI A spiced up garlic jam that will compliment hot or cold red meats, cheeses and roasted vegetables. thegarlicfarm.co.uk BIONA GINGER & GARLIC PASTE An all-natural garlic and ginger paste lets you add a savoury zing to any dish easily and quickly – without any peeling or chopping. biona.co.uk Mark Kacary, owner of The Norfolk Deli, talks us through his must-stock storecupboard items The number one essential in a shop like ours is that the majority of products we sell have three magic words on them “made in Norfolk”. We are a local producer supporting business, and to ensure that we have or can find a local Norfolk producer in just about every area of food and drink production is very important to us. However, in terms of what are our best-selling store cupboard essentials… Rapeseed oils may sound a tad boring, but we are always selling out of rapeseed oils, chilli oils etc etc. Local chutneys and jams are always big in terms of what our customers are always spending money on. In terms of trends, we have noticed an increase in the amount of chilli, sauces and jams we’ve been selling as well as the newer trend of hot honeys. These were very popular during the summer and we’ll be looking with interest whether this continues into and through the winter months. RETAILER INSIGHT