Speciality-Food-Magazine-September-2024

U s Brits love a bake, and never more so than at Christmas. Whether it’s the shared need for extra comfort during the colder months, the pull of nostalgia or the enjoyment of the familiar novelty that gets pulled out year-on-year, come the festive season customers across the UK are raring to indulge in traditional cakes and puddings. Traditionmay still reign supreme, at least for now, but that’s not to say that innovation doesn’t play a part during Christmas too. During the festive season, modern takes on classic flavours might well be worth experimenting with. Think mince pies with added richness from chocolate, Heston’s infamous candied orange-stuffed Christmas pudding, and Limoncello-infused panettone for the adventurous lovers of this Italian delicacy. It certainly pays for independents to stock a well-crafted range of the classics – gingerbread, mince pies, festive fruit cakes and puddings – but it’s well worth testing out some new products that offer up a twist for the customers keen to branch out, too; consider keeping order numbers modest for the first year to avoid potential wastage come the NewYear. Classic flavours sell For Laura Roberts, owner of Laura’s Larder, tradition wins out every year and customers – and Laura herself – have their tried and true must- buys. “We stick to some favourites – those items that our customers consistently praise and that sell well. Mini mince pies are a prime example. People seem to absolutely love them, so they’re a staple in our festive line-up. For puddings, we always stock Figgy’s Christmas Puddings. They’re unbelievably good – everyone raves about how they taste just like homemade, even though they didn’t make them themselves, of course!” she begins. At Laura’s Larder, classic Christmas flavours are king. “We keep it traditional. Honestly, I hope the days of every-flavour mince pies are behind us (though I do have a soft spot for the ones with a frangipane topping). As for new flavours, they can be showcased in the shop without tampering with something that’s already delicious – introduce something new instead.” “My focus this year is on high- quality items that bring joy and nostalgia, with a few fun stocking fillers for goodmeasure. People are craving familiarity and warmth, especially during the festive season.” Laura has found that it pays to offer a couple of free-from options so nobodymisses out. “To cater to a wider audience, we also ensure we have an alcohol-free and gluten-free option, typically fromColes, who offer a great variety of Christmas puds.” The size of the products you sell is worth careful consideration, too. “It’s important to offer variety in pack sizes for both small gatherings and large, and we also sell large andmini versions at the counter for those who can’t resist having one almost every day in December,” says Laura. While familiar comfort is the name of the game at Laura’s Larder come Christmas time, that’s not to say that the teamdoesn’t change with the times. “We do evolve based on customer habits,” she says. “For instance, people are spending less time at home but are looking for treats to bring to someone’s house so we have to tailor for that.” Laura has found that avoiding overtly Christmassy stock is key to reducing post-Christmas waste. “I have a strict rule about minimising things like trees and Santas on packaging – less is definitely more!” she says. “Mince pies can sell right through to NewYear, but after that, as January remorse and gym subscriptions kick in (guilty!), sales drop off. Anything with a tree or a Santa on it is a no-go after the holidays.” Careful ordering and learning from experience have proven fruitful. “I’m very careful with ordering, keeping detailed notes on last year’s sales, reviewing orders, and considering how spending patterns have changed throughout the year to adjust our stock accordingly.” Some gifting items are ripe for selling throughout the year, even if you did originally order them for the festive season. “If it’s just a beautiful box of chocolates or biscuits, we can store thembehind the scenes and possibly bring themback out for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or even Easter,” says Laura. Tradition with a twist At Fitzbillies, the historic bakery in the heart of Cambridge – best known for its iconic ultra-sticky Chelsea Buns – tradition is served with a comforting twist at Christmas time. “We will always have the much loved mince pies, Christmas cake and @specialityfood 44 Christmas pudding – classics, which whenmade well, by hand, with great ingredients, are incredibly delicious,” begins AlisonWright, owner of Fitzbillies. “However there are plenty of places in our range where we can bring in new flavours. We update our macaron flavours each year. This year we’ve added white chocolate and sten ginger and cranberry to the range. Our festive brownies are very popular adults and kids alike. The flavours include Chocolate Orange, Gingerbread Spice and Double Chocolate.” By offering a carefully curated range of products and providing the perfect balance of tradition and newness, Fitzbillies has become an annual must-visit during the festive season. “Baked goods are such an important part of many local families’ Christmas traditions: coming into Fitzbillies to buy the first mince pies of the season andmaking sure they get their Christmas cake and pudding before stocks run out.” Offering a festive taste of home to customers further afield via online ordering has reaped rewards, too. At Fitzbillies, requests for mince pies arrive increasingly early each year. “It’s the buttery pastry that makes them so addictive. Last year we made 26,000 all by hand.” While the business’s Chelsea buns are not technically a Christmas bake, they also feed intomany families’ festive traditions. “Lots of customers view themas a Christmas tradition and come in on Christmas Eve to buy theirs. Nowwe also sell ‘Bake-at- Home’ Chelsea buns to order online, so our fans can have them fresh and warm from their own ovens on Christmas day – even if they are not in Cambridge. “Number three is our Christmas macarons –we can’t make enough, with their festive colours and flavours: this year we have White Chocolate & StemGinger, Cranberry, Mint Chocolate, Clementine, Salted Caramel and Dark Chocolate. Consider your Christmas bake and cake range. Is there an item that becomes particularly popular as the big day approaches (or you’d like it to)? Consider making an occasion of its arrival – post a countdown on social media, show behind the scenes of it being baked and decorated, and tell customers exactly where they can find it in the shop so they knowwhen and where they can satisfy their cravings when the time comes. Wondering which product to Shoppers are preparing for their annual feast of festive cakes and puddings – here’s how to satisfy their appetite COMFORT & JOY ALISON WRIGHT FITZBILLIES GIANFRANCO PERRI JUST GOURMET FOODS COMMENTATORS LAURA ROBERTS LAURA’S LARDER