Speciality-Food-Magazine-September-2024

the familiar and the cosy.” Maria has noticed that consumers are becoming more sophisticated in their choice of chutney, too. They’re really thinking about what pairs well with various ingredients. “For instance, they might be looking for a fig chutney to go with a softer goats’ cheese, or for something more robust with hard cheese like Cheddar. A bit like wine pairings, they want to know the best way to complement things.” That extends beyond the cheeseboard. “Beetroot and horseradish goes well with something like a shepherd’s pie,” adds Maria. “We’ve gone beyond the days of people having a red sauce, a brown sauce and ploughman’s pickle in the fridge.” How to get the most out of your chutney aisle The advice from all three experts is to offer samples. Putting these products in front of customers, and letting them experience what’s in the jar, beyond the label, is an essential tool for selling. “Pair themwith something,” says Markus. “With cheese at the cheese counter, for example. Give customers ideas of how to use the chutneys. There’s only so much information you can put on a label, and sometimes people will fumble around thinking ‘how do I use this?’. If retailers put the products in the right place and show consumers how to use them and where to use them, while giving out treats and snacks using the chutneys, that’s a good way of difference.” RH Amar has just tapped into this area of ‘newness’ by launching the Cooks & Co Fig Spread, available in original, orange and chilli-infused varieties. It’s smooth, contains less sugar than a jam, and is incredibly versatile, Markus says, working in place of a traditional chutney on a cheeseboard or charcuterie platter. Customers are looking for slightly stronger flavours, Maria says, adding that she too has seen an uptake in chilli-infused chutneys and relishes. “We’ve done a limited edition aubergine pickle, and as it matures in the jar it’s absolutely amazing. It really packs a punch of flavour, and that’s doing so well.” There’s no getting away from the allure of nostalgia, though, with @specialityfood Hawkshead seeing strong sales of its Piccalilli and Westmorland Chutney. “It’s the first chutney we did,” says Maria. “It’s got dates and prunes and apricots. It’s softer than a lot of ploughman-type pickles and has been a bestseller since day one. It’s just all those lovely flavours you’d expect to have with a cheese sandwich.” Pickles have experienced 28% growth at Tracklements, says Becky, driven significantly by classic flavours such as Apple & Cider Brandy Chutney and Apricot & Ginger Chutney. “They are just brilliant combinations,” she adds. “They really work well. They are the ones people come back to time and time again. I think that in interesting times people do like to stick to what they know... 42 product and think ‘I want to dip in and try that’.” For this reason, Maria says The Hawkshead Relish Company doesn’t cook its chutneys down for hours on end. “It’s important to retain that texture and colour so not everything looks the same. When you open the lid you should get a burst of freshness. So, with our mango chutney, we roast and grind our spices, and when you open the lid you get a really fragrant smell.” The chutney, a customer favourite, is finished with lemon juice so there’s “a finish of citrus when you eat it, which really cleanses the palate, ready for the next mouthful of curry.” Chutney should “always be something that adds to the dish you’re serving it with”. The difference between good and bad chutney, adds Becky, isn’t just where ingredients sit on the label, but where those ingredients have come from. “We are big believers that you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear,” she laughs. “You have to select the best ingredients, and treat themwith love, respect and care. When you put in great ingredients, you know what you’re making will taste delicious. We have an expression here that if your grandmother wouldn’t recognise it, it doesn’t go in!” Time is essential to getting quality right as well. “A good chutney is not something you can rush,” Becky explains. “Getting the flavours to meld into each other and taste of something greater than the sum of their parts takes time. That’s a very precious ingredient. Get it right and the taste will shine though.” Tasting, of course, is important to assess quality too. As is, says Becky, seeking out award-winners, which have been chosen by experts for meeting and exceeding expectations. What’s trending in chutneys? Markus says the ‘swicy’ trend (with hot honey leading the charge) is infiltrating the world of chutney. “Honey is being included in a lot more chutneys and relishes,” he explains. “We’re seeing more of that, and more chilli –marrying that heat and sweetness together. It’s very exciting. Brands are also using more exotic fruits and vegetables and creating a real point Echoing Maria’s thoughts about the direction of travel for chutneys, Markus says, “People haven’t been scared to incorporate more exotic flavours. There’s a lot more experimenting going on with flavours across different brands,” which is shaking up what retailers have access to. “There are some flavours I never thought would marry well, but they do. It’s a wonderful segment at the moment, and a very exciting one.” Choosing quality Following on fromBecky’s earlier comments, shoppers visiting farm shops, delis and food halls have high expectations. Choosing your chutneys and relishes carefully, with their key purchasing needs inmind, will put you in good stead. Markus says the best place to start is by “looking at the ingredient declaration and the order of ingredients. If there is a higher fruit and vegetable count, and the list starts off with that, then you know that’s the primary focus of the product. If water or glucose syrup are the first ingredients, you’re probably looking at a more watered down version of what good looks like.” Increasingly brands are adding honey, rather than sugar, to their chutneys, which Markus also sees as a sign of commitment to quality and premiumisation. “When you look at the ingredients you should understand everything on that label,” agrees Maria. “There shouldn’t be anything on there you wouldn’t expect to use if you were making a chutney at home. Vinegar, sugar and salt are all natural preservatives. There’s no need to use anything artificial.” Like Markus, she also suggests looking for brands that put fruit and vegetables high up on the list in each jar. “Making sure it’s all proper ingredients.” And also that what’s in the jar looks vibrant, not ‘gloopy’. “There’s a place for a chutney that is darker, but you should be able to distinguish the ingredients that are in there, both visually and on the palate,” Maria adds. A really good chutney will help your customers to “jazz up their food”, she says. And placed alongside cheese and charcuterie on the ever popular grazing platter, there’s nowhere to hide if your chutney fails to hit the mark. “They have to look as good as they taste. We eat with our eyes. Customers should look at the They have to look as good as they taste.We eat with our eyes. Customers should look at the product and think ‘I want to dip in and try that MARIA WHITEHEAD, THE HAWKSHEAD RELISH COMPANY