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Robin Alway
Editorial Director
INDUSTRY NEWS
Cask Marque launch new Beer Marque
Cask Marque, the not-for-profit organisation aimed at improving cask ale in pubs, are launching a new accreditation scheme – Beer Marque – that will apply to all beer.
To gain Beer Marque and receive a Beer Experience star rating, outlets must pass a cellar inspection to ensure they are using best practice to deliver beer quality and reduce losses from wastage, use appropriate branded glassware and ensure glasswashing machines are kept in good working order, ensure ice machines are hygienically maintained and train bar staff to present the perfect pint.
The scheme is designed to tackle key issues including 22% of sites serving beer outside brewer’s recommended temperature specification, pubs over-ranging and selling poor quality beer due to lack of throughput and 1 in 3 pints being served via beelines that are overdue a clean, according to Vianet stats.
Paul Nunny, director of Cask Marque said: “Customers expect a great beer experience when in the pub. Quality and serve are of utmost importance to them. The pubs’ reward is in more sales and less waste. This accreditation allows us to engage with the major brewers who also recognise the importance of a quality product.”
Jerry Shedden, category and trade marketing manager, HEINEKEN UK, added: “Cask Marque has trail blazed consumer understanding and recognising pubs that serve great quality cask beer. With the beer marketing evolving, it’s a fantastic step forward that the same principle should be applied to all beer. Beer Marque will mean that those pubs serving the very best, consistent, quality pints, in the correct clean glassware, will be able to proudly display their Beer Marque seal of approval.”
Inspections will start now backed by a trade marketing campaign with Cask Marque planning a consumer programme for 2020 when they hope to have over 2,000 plaques on outlet walls. Their aim is to “champion 15,000 pubs that deliver the great beer experience to their customers.”
Rockfish heads to Dorset
Mitch Tonks’ award-winning seafood restaurant group, Rockfish is coming to Dorset. New outlets will be opening in Weymouth on the Esplanade in July and at Poole Quay in October, bringing the group to eight restaurants.
In Weymouth, Rockfish plan to employ 35 people locally and invest £500,000 updating the premises they are moving into which was formerly the Dorothy Inn.
Mitch Tonks said: “I have always loved the beach at Weymouth and the atmosphere around the harbour. I waterskied there a lot when I was younger and last year sailed into the harbour on a warm evening and reminded myself what a special place it is. Weymouth has a vibrant restaurant scene and we are looking forward to being part of it and the local community generally. Rockfish is a seafood restaurant that aims to make seafood accessible to everyone. We’ve had great welcomes and successes in other small coastal towns like Torquay, Brixham and Exmouth and hoping we can be a great addition to Weymouth.”
The restaurant opens in July and Rockfish are also supporting the Dorset Seafood festival with a stand and a joint demo hosted by Mitch Tonks and Mark Hix.
Taste of the West opens all-local café
Regional food group Taste of the West is opening its own café in Seaton, East Devon, which will serve all-local food and drink.
Located in the Seaton Jurassic Centre, the café, called Taste of the West @ Seaton Jurassic, is the first of a new Taste of the West franchise that will run throughout the West Country.
Taste of the West CEO, John Sheaves said: “It’s an exciting project which will showcase the very best of the region’s food and drink to customers. This is an ideal location for us as visitors to the centre and people locally can enjoy wonderful food, knowing that all the suppliers are top-quality and based within the West Country.”
Among the suppliers for the café is Hogs Bottom Garden Delights from Lifton, West Devon, which produces jam for the cream teas. Clotted cream is supplied by Trewithen Dairy from Lostwithiel, Cornwall and coffee is roasted in Seaton itself by The Coffee Factory.
Café manager Carolyn Bellinger said: “I’m thrilled to be at the forefront of this new venture… All our food producers are Taste of the West members and that really ensures that the ingredients and produce is top-quality. It’s a delight to be cooking and serving such superb ingredients.
“We have taken on a new full-time chef and new front of house staff… We will be cooking everything from bolognese sauce to homity pies ourselves so the kitchen will be really busy and thriving here. It’s a very exciting time.”
Taste of the West plans to roll out the café franchise throughout the South West. “If you are interested in opening a Taste of the West café in the West country, then please do get in touch,” says John Sheaves.
For more information, go to www.tasteofthewest.co.uk
Seed Fund’s start-up Class of 2019
Food and drink start-up competition, The Seed Fund, has announced the 14 businesses in its Class of 2019.
Now in its seventh year, the philanthropic project supported by marketing consultancy The Collaborators and the Great Taste food awards has invited one start-up from the South West – SilverSwift in Bath who produce gin and vodka spritzers. They will join The Seed Fund summer academy along with other producers including Borough Broth Co., London – organic bone broths; Bottlebrush Ferments, London – raw fermented foods; Dr Wills, London – all natural condiments; Flawsome!, Cardiff – cold-pressed juices made from imperfect fruit and vegetables; Hunter & Gather, London – avocado oil mayonnaise and cold-pressed avocado oil; Kinda Co., London – dairy-free cheese; Mamamade, London – nutritious frozen meals for babies; Manilife, London – peanut butter; Prime Bar, West Yorkshire – snack bars made with grass-fed beef, fruits, herbs and spices; Sead Foods, Newcastle-under-Lyme – sesame seed spreads; The Drinks Bakery, Edinburgh – savoury snacks flavour-profiled to complement drinks; Vinegar Shed, London – vinegars, olive oils, herbs, spices, peppers, salts and more; and Zingibear, Lake District – apple cider vinegar and ginger switchels.
The entrepreneurs will embark on a series of workshops, seminars and one-on-one sessions with mentors including Renée Elliott, founder of Planet Organic, the Guild of Fine Food’s John Farrand, Camilla Barnard from Rude Health and Emma Murphy of Sourced Market.
The business owners will have an opportunity to secure funding for their brands at an investment pitch day. One eventual academy winner will also be announced at the Great Taste Golden Forks Dinner in London this autumn, awarded a further year of business support and brand development, estimated to be worth over £100,000.
FOOD AND DRINK NEWS
Furleigh Estate go super-premium
South West vineyard Furleigh Estate are releasing a new range of super-premium sparkling wines labelled ‘From the Oenothèque’.
Oenothèque means ‘wine cellar’ and the range reflects “the lengthy production and cellaring process the wines in this range undergo before they are released. Releases are very limited and are only made in exceptional years.”
‘From the Oenothèque 10’ is the first of the range and is described as “an elegant sparkling wine of exceptional balance and poise, made entirely from the 2010 vintage. A cool autumn in this year meant acidity levels in the wines were high. Given the luxury of extended time on lees and post dosage, this crisp English acidity has mellowed into a fabulously complex wine.”
Commenting on the new release, Rebecca Hansford, who co-owns and runs Furleigh Estate with her husband Ian Edwards, says: “Here at Furleigh Estate we have always been about producing the very highest quality wines from our glorious Dorset soils. The ’From the Oenothèque’ range represents the pinnacle of our production here at Furleigh Estate. It is the crème de la creme.”
Rebecca continues: “Ian is our winemaker here. He produces wines of exceptional balance with acidity, fruit and texture all working together in perfect harmony. With the Oenothèque range, he has had the freedom and the time to select the best wines to produce something very special.”
Displayed in a presentation box it has an RRP of £49.50. For more details visit www.furleighestate.co.uk, email rebecca@furleighestate.co.uk or call 01308 488991.
Sharp’s brings back its Kiwi birthday brew
Sharp’s Brewery in Cornwall are bringing back their limited edition golden pale ale, Manu Bay for their 25th birthday.
The beer was the result of a collaboration with New Zealand-based brewer Galbraith’s and is one of five limited edition release seasonal specific brews that “put a twist on traditional recipes.”
James Nicholls, senior brand manager at Sharp’s Brewery said: “For our 25th anniversary, we wanted to revisit some of our most popular seasonal beers and harness the creativity of our young, dynamic brewing team. This ale was brewed by Andrew Madden, as a tribute to his time spent in New Zealand developing his brewing skills. Manu Bay is the perfect summer drink, full of vibrant citrus flavours to complement light summer meals out in the sun.”
Andrew Madden said: “After spending six years in Auckland, New Zealand, I discovered a love for New Zealand hops and I met some truly inspirational brewers. Manu Bay is the result of combining Sharp’s Brewery’s finest brewing techniques with the expertise of the impressive Galbraith’s team. We’re very excited to bring this unique golden ale back to Sharp’s customers across the UK.”
Ed Hughes, beer sommelier at Sharp’s Brewery, said: “With the nicer weather upon us, Manu Bay is a perfectly refreshing beer to enjoy on a warm day. With crisp citrus notes and a golden appearance, this beer pairs perfectly with lighter summer dishes.”
Manu Bay is available to buy on draught in pubs around the country from today until the end of June 2019.
New Forest get figgy with it for summer
New Forest Ice Cream are introducing a new Honey & Fig flavour ice cream for summer menus. It has a “honey dairy base” interlaced with “real pieces of fig for a sweet yet sophisticated take on this wonderful flavour pairing.”
Christina Veal, Director, New Forest Ice Cream said: “When it comes to developing new flavours for our foodservice range, we love experimenting with new and exciting combinations that we know will really add something special to a final dish. Our Honey & Fig ice cream is sweet and creamy with a lovely texture from the chewy fig and is perfect for anyone who is creative in the kitchen. It can be served alongside desserts to add a new flavour dimension and bring the whole dish together!”
Available in 4ltr/4.75ltr catering tubs, for more details go to www.newforesticecream.com or call 01590 647611.
St Austell launch plastic-free packaging
St Austell Brewery has launched new plastic-free packaging for its Korev cans (330ml). The Cornish lager is now available to buy in six-can cardboard fridge packs.
Jeremy Mitchell, marketing and communications director, St Austell Brewery, said: “We’re always striving to be innovative when it comes to the functionality and sustainability of our packaging. We’re delighted to be introducing these recyclable and biodegradable Korev fridge packs for our customers – eco-friendly and perfect for sharing, whatever the occasion.”
The packs are available from www.staustellbreweryshop.co.uk and supermarkets across the South West.
Organic amber ale uses waste bread
Friends of the Earth, Stroud Brewery and Toast Ale are launching Flour Power, an organic amber ale collaboration that uses unsold bread from the Hobbs House Bakery that would otherwise have gone to waste.
Mike Birkin, campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “At Friends of the Earth we’re always keeping an eye out for those businesses showing a better way of doing things, so collaborating with Stroud Brewery and Toast Ale is hugely exciting. With Flour Power we’re aiming for a craft ale that proves that the things we enjoy can be produced in more considerate, sustainable ways.”
Chloe Brooks, production manager of Stroud Brewery, commented: “Flour Power was a great project providing us with the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded businesses to produce a product that not only tastes good but does good. We were very excited to work with Toast on another project, especially during B-corp month, and to support such an important issue for Friends of the Earth. Hobbs House Bakery very kindly saved their unsold organic loaves for us so that they could have a second life in this beer”
Chris Head, collaborations manager at Toast Ale, said: “At Toast Ale, we’re reviving one of the oldest traditions in the world by using surplus bread as a grain for beer. In the UK, 44% of bread is never eaten. We’re on a mission to change that by working in partnership with breweries and bakeries all over the world to create great-tasting beers that are better for the planet. It’s a revALEution to end food waste.
Flour Power is available at toastale.com and stroudbrewery.co.uk. It will be rolled out nationally in Abel & Cole from 9th May priced at £3. 5% of proceeds will be donated to Friends of the Earth’s climate campaign.
EQUIPMENT NEWS
Dualit conveyor toaster
Iconic British manufacturer Dualit are expanding their range of catering appliances with the launch of the DCT2Ti Conveyor Toaster. It’s been designed after three years of development to “offer consistent and reliable service for catering establishments of all sizes, from boutique B&Bs to large-scale hotels, airport lounges or resorts.”
Ready for service in five minutes with the quick-start feature, the appliance is capable of toasting 560 slices of white toast an hour. Nine browning levels mean a wide range of bread types can be toasted and there’s a dedicated bagel and bun warming element.
An anti-tamper guard stops guests from adjusting settings in the middle of a service and a sprung loaded belt and toast ramp allows items to be removed with ease.
Parts of the Conveyor Toaster are replaceable and the Incoloy elements containing no glass components, making them less susceptible to breakage.
The Dualit Incoloy Conveyor Toaster has a price guide of £859 and will be available from June 2019, at www.dualit.com
APPOINTMENT NEWS
Hall & Woodhouse appoint new MD and chairman
Dorset-based family-owned brewer Hall & Woodhouse have announced the appointment of Matthew Kearsey as managing director and Anthony Woodhouse as chairman. Mark Woodhouse is stepping down as chairman and is taking on a new role as family director. Directors David Hoare and Martin Scott are retiring after 18 years with the company. Michael Owen has left the business to pursue new ventures.
Mark Woodhouse said: “We have been planning this succession for a number of years in the knowledge that some Directors were due to retire this year. With regards to the new leadership team, I don’t think we have had a better one in our 242-year history to drive the business forward.”
Anthony Woodhouse commented: “Matt Kearsey joined us 10 years ago and quickly turned around our tenanted pub division, evolving it into the market-leading Business Partnerships estate we have today. He has subsequently further enhanced our Managed House business which, consequently, has seen rapid growth in sales and profits. But most importantly, he and his leadership team live and breathe our company values.
“With underlying group profits up 17 per cent despite last year’s challenging trading conditions, a brilliant team in place and a clear strategy for the future, I am confident that we will have plenty to celebrate at our 250th birthday in 2027.”
Matt Kearsey said: “I’m both humbled and excited to be taking on this role in what is a very special company, as I have seen first-hand during my time here. We have a growing business with great people who have ambitious plans for the future. I’m looking forward to supporting the team through the next stage of our journey.”
INDUSTRY EVENTS
May
London Wine Fair
20th – 22nd May 2019
Olympia, London
“Featuring over 14,000 wines from 32 countries, innovative tastings, critical masterclasses and a host of outstanding features, the show is an unmissable destination for anyone in the industry.”
https://www.londonwinefair.com/
European Coffee, Tea and Soft Drink Expo
21st – 22nd May 2019
Olympia, London
“The definitive event for the professional service of coffee, tea, soft drinks and other non-alcoholic products”
https://www.european-coffee-tea-soft-drinks-expo.com/
Tourism Management Institute Hot Topic
23rd May 2019
10am – 6pm
University of Westminster, Regent Street, London
“Enhance your destination appeal through events and experiences. The event will focus on the latest research and case studies to give delegates ideas to take back to their destinations, as well as our usual, highly rated networking opportunities to share experiences and learn from each other.”
https://www.tmi.org.uk/page/155/tmi-hot-topic-2019.htm
The British Cheese Awards 2019
29th May 2019
Exmoor Hall, Royal Bath & West Show, Shepton Mallet. Somerset
“The British Cheese Awards is the pre-eminent cheese event in the UK, as well as a great celebration of British cheese and the industry. Over 1,000 cheeses are expected to be entered with visitors being able to get a unique opportunity to see all these cheeses in one location.”
www.britishcheeseawards.com/