For instance, there are two companies: Nudie and Surf brand Maui&Sons, who have both started producing a new all natural snack – coconut chips.
Plus, more companies are producing variants of beef jerky or biltong – including spicier versions such as Beef Fire Sticks from Laverstoke Farm, made using a traditional South African recipe.
Spicier snacks are also increasing – take Clearspring’s Snack Organic range of beans, seeds, fruit and nuts for a healthy snack on the go, often with a new twist – such as Tarmari (tamarind) roasted Cashew nuts and Tamari pumpkin seeds.
Chocolate too is undergoing a spicy renaissance – such as the Duke of Delhi range with its milk chocolate & vanilla Delhi mix bar; Jaz & Jules with their cinnamon rose and orangeytang organic chocolate drinks; and Baru Spicy Chai Latte with Belgian chocolate figurines to float inside.
In another move to deli style convenience: individual slices of banana bread – from The Big Banana Bread Company are sold pre-packed with tips on pack to serve toasted at home with crème fraiche and runny honey.
‘Chef inspired’ ranges are also a growth area and I was delighted to meet with chef Chris Horridge with his fashionably black tubs of Yi ice cream and sorbets including – Coconut ripple and wasabi ice cream – which was far tastier and less shocking than I had feared.
Sea Salt is also an area of growth with the Isle of Skye Sea Salt Company producing 100% pure sea salt made without chemical processing – just using sun and wind and packing it in clean contemporary packaging.
The best food sampled all day? Well it has to be fresh Gigha Halibut from Scotland’s remote west coast – it was memorably melt in the mouth and no wonder – each fish takes four years to nurture but the taste is indescribably delicious and they are suggesting some inspirational ideas for new dishes.
And as for drinks? Well Rebel Kitchen are selling dairy free Matcha Green Tea Mylk in screw cap cartons made using 11% coconut milk, date nectar and Matcha green tea powder; while loose tea company, Teapigs have just released a Matcha super power green tea and elderflower drink also in Prisma Pak. As they say on pack ‘full of really good stuff’.
This trend to story telling on pack is also popular – a move started years ago by innocent drinks – now company’s such as the Ten Acre Crisps company name their products ‘The Amazing Adventures of Salt & Vinegar and ‘When Bombay got Spicy’ – it just makes you smile and brightens your day.
And my favourite refreshing drink of the day? – well it has to be Simpleee aloe. I have been tracking the growth of aloe vera in food and drink but this definitely does exactly what you need – and it is ethically farmed too, for added feelgood factor. Certainly a great entry for the upcoming World Beverage Innovation Awards. Remember to enter soon, as entries close on 19 September.
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