September at Kitchen Table Projects

Kitchen Table Projects is buzzing after yet another busy month (this startup lark is pretty hectic, don't you know?!) We attended a couple of key industry events, tried new products, and, best of all, met loads of lovely new people. We also got to add some fab new artisans and insiders to our foodie phone book and celebrated amazing local food during British Food Fortnight. Like we say, busy, busy, busy!

We started September with a bang - spending three very exciting (but equally as tiring!) days at the Speciality and Fine Food Fair at Olympia. We’ve already spoken about how fab this event was, and we certainly walked away feeling full of inspiration and motivation (and food!) to continue forth on our startup journey. For now, we can’t wait for next year.

Food Waste continues to be high on the agenda for many businesses across the UK, so it was really interesting to hear from some of the top sustainable businesses in London at the British Library event we attended earlier this month. Organised by MAS, the event included talks by various restaurateurs and sustainable businesses and discussed the the opportunities there are for small food businesses to make their waste a resource rather than an expense.

Small businesses from across Lambeth came together to find out more about Local Enterprise Uprise, at an event held at Impact Hub Brixton. The evening, organised by Transition Town Brixton, showcased some of the amazing social projects that are happening across Brixton, including talks from the Brixton Pound, Remakery, Brixton Energy and Makerhood, as well as a pledge session to encourage collaboration between businesses in Brixton. It was fascinating to attend and find out more about the social scene in Brixton, and really inspiring to hear from so many successful local projects.

Next in the calendar was a visit to Lunch, also at Olympia. On the hunt for catering suppliers for our Hub cafe, we got exposure to whole host of different products and picked up some yummy samples - but our favourite had to Mr Sherick's Shakes. They've just won the Grocer’s ‘New Product of the Year’ award for their indulgent milkshakes - but don’t just take our word for it, take a look for yourself here!

Then we were up bright and early to attend a breakfast panel discussion on ‘The Art of Food’ at Hub Westminster. Part of London Social Media Week, the panel spent the morning discussing the power of #FoodPorn and how this can be utilised by food businesses both large and small. The panel covered a breadth of expertise from across the food industry, featuring chefs, including Michelin star chef Andreas Antona, Marketing experts such as Oli Ingham (Marketing Manager at Wahaca) and Caroline Kenyon, Director of Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year Award. With just about everyone and anyone instagramming last night’s dinner, it was fascinating to hear an expert opinion on the visual power of food, and the effect this has had on the increasing accessibility of high quality food to the general public.

Next, we jumped on a train out of London for a Grub Club Cambridge Supper Club. It was another great opportunity to network, network, network and meet lots of new foodies! It was a fantastic event (not to mention the food - amazing!) which offered lots of different people from across the food industry a chance to meet, build relationships and collaborate. Keep your eyes peeled for their next event.

We had some new visitors in our office for the Hub Brixton open day, including Julian from The Haggerston Times who came to write a piece on collaborative working spaces and the kinds of businesses that use them. We were thrilled to be featured in his article alongside some of the other fantastic startup businesses that we work with at the Hub.

We finished off the month by heading to Herne Hill Market to catch the Blue Patch launch event. These guys are doing some great stuff at the moment; they’re an ethical business directory of UK based sustainable and fair trade businesses, products and services. What’s more, in line with their social mission they invest half of their profits back into renewable energy sources, as well as putting the other 50% towards community projects across the UK. Find out more about the work they’re doing here, or have a browse of their fantastic ethical business directory.

Bring on October!

Speciality Food Fair 2014 - Our Top Picks

Whilst we know that we’re a nation that values tradition, it’s clear to see that us Brits are becoming increasingly less afraid of try new flavours and ingredients. Our supermarkets are now filled with a variety of products from around the globe, the popularity of fusion cuisine has taken off along with pretty much everyone who’s anyone opting for street food over more traditional, fine dining restaurants.

At the beginning of September we visited the Speciality and Fine Food Fair at Olympia and to say that there was a huge variety of products on show would be an understatement. Being a trade-only show and having never visited before, I was expecting something a little more corporate and a little less exciting. With over 700 producers exhibiting it was certainly nothing like that; we were blown away by not only the scale of the fair but the huge diversity of producers, experts and foodies that came far and wide to visit and exhibit at the fair. It was so exciting to meet and chat to so many passionate, innovative food producers, and the fair really affirmed our mission and inspired us to continue working towards something really awesome.

Tempted by the delicious smells that filled Olympia, there was loads to look at and try (okay, there was definitely a lot more trying than looking!) We tried pretty much every kind of food you could imagine, from cured meats to pasta to olive oils and artisan chocolate. It was all delicious, but if we had to whittle down our favourites, these guys from the small producer village had to come top:

The Frozen Fruit Company

As ice cream devotees, it’s usually hard to convince us that something healthy would make a delicious alternative to our usual creamy treat. First taste and we were sold; this super fruity fat-free frozen dessert is just the right amount of sweet. The Strawgo has to be our favourite, and is sure to be our go-to treat when we’re next reaching inside our freezer.

Emily’s Fruit Crisps

Our guilt-free snack of choice in the KTP office. Delicious fruit crisps for when the 4pm snack attack hits, these crisps are free from nasties (and the packaging is gorgeous, too). The pineapple is delicious, but the crunchy apple variety have to be our favourite.

British Cassis

The super-friendly, outgoing guys on the British Cassis stall immediately drew us in; it helped that their drinks were delicious, too! These guys are big on providence and celebrate the traceability of all their British ingredients. We loved their story and look forward to hearing what these guys are up to next!

We Love Jelly

The idea behind this product is awesome! Their cocktail infused jellies come in three flavours and are perfect for a dessert or even an alternative to your usual tipple. Watch out for these cocktail chemists (complete with lab coats)...we predict they're going to be big business in the food world!

Warner Edwards

It doesn’t take a lot to tempt us into trying Gin. Warner Edwards have it down to a tee - great tasting gin, fab branding and interesting flavour combinations. We’re looking forward to seeing a lot more of these guys very soon!

Image from http://bit.ly/1Chx4Wg

Wicked and Wonderful

We’d already met chocolatier Ben when we interviewed him as an Amazing Artisan a couple of months ago. His new chocolate venture, Wicked & Wonderful, was one of our favourite takeaways from the chocolate show; mouth-wateringly good chocolate in decadent packaging that feels as luxurious as it tastes.

Cloudberry Bakery

The thought that entered our minds on trying their Great Taste 3 Gold Star salted caramel sauce? Why haven’t we tried this before!? Deliciously decadent, we think this sauce would be perfect heated over a brownie or drizzled over ice cream (or, if we’re feeling really greedy, straight out of the jar on a spoon!)

Little Dabbas

Another Great Taste three gold star winner, we loved these quirky little pots holding their authentic Gujarati masala shots. With a different pot for vegetables, seafood and meats, Mistry and Co. are on a mission to educate people that Indian food can be delicious and healthy. Oh, and their website is awesome, too!

Proper Beans

Ben and his team are on a mission to recreate everyone’s favourite baked beans by using delicious ingredients and a slow cooking process. With six unique recipes in their range and already stocked in Fortnum and Mason, these guys look ready to make a storm and shake up the world of beans as we know it.

Mrs Middleton’s Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil

With Mrs Middleton’s it was pretty simple; bags of enthusiasm mixed with a premium (not to mention delicious) product from their family farm in Bedfordshire. We loved trying their samples - the oil is just as perfect on it’s own with some freshly baked bread than it is in all types of cooking. Looking forward to seeing more from these guys.

Jaz and Juls

With the nights drawing in and winter firmly on its way, Jaz and Juls hot chocolate is the perfect treat. Amazing variety of flavours and ethically sourced cocoa from Madagascar, Peru, and Granda. Sounds good to us!

We can’t wait until next year!

Were you at the food fair? What was your favourite find?

Celebrating British Food Fortnight

Britain is at the heart of global gastronomy. Year on year we continue to grow delicious produce which quality is hard matched anywhere else in the world. We’re innovative, we’re diverse and we’re passionate about providence; eating is and has always been central to the British way of life. From your mum’s Sunday roast, to juicy strawberries from Kent or the highest quality hand-reared bacon from your local butcher, food continues to remain at the heart of every Briton’s life. The meaning of British food stretches beyond our stomachs; it reflects our love and pride for our produce, for our farmers and producers, for our country. Because of this, it’s never been more important to champion the plethora of produce our country continues to produce every year.

British Food Fortnight was first curated in order to do exactly that. Starting out in 2002, the team set out to organise a celebration of all things food, primarily aiming to highlight the importance of buying quality, fresh, local and seasonal foods and the health benefits of doing so. British Food Fortnight has since firmly established itself as a significant event in the British gastronomic calendar, attracting the attention of food producers, farmers, the press, chefs, the government and the public alike. Today, the team use the two week celebration as a time to  educate people on all the different and exciting ways you can cook, eat, grow and enjoy British Food, encouraging people to understand more about the plot-to-plate provenance of their food.

As you guys know, Kitchen Table Projects are big on providence and love hearing all the fantastic stories behind our Amazing Artisans’ products. So, in celebration of British Food Fortnight, we put together a list of our ten favourite, can’t live without, British exports.

Meat

Wander down any supermarket meat aisle and you’ll be confronted with huge variety of homegrown offerings. Britain is famous for our delicious Beef, Lamb and Pork, but we also produce amazing game and venison, too.

Tea

Need we say more? Black tea, Builders Brew or Milk’ n ’two… Blighty wouldn’t be without a Great British brew. We’re a thirsty bunch, consuming on average 62.2 Billion cups of the stuff every year.

Marmite

The jar that’s always lurking at the back of the cupboard, the spread we love to hate...the KTP team are firmly in the ‘love it’ camp - do you love it or loathe it?

Strawberries

The British summer staple. The sweet snack of choice at Wimbledon, only bettered with a little cream and a dashing of sugar.

Clotted Cream

Dressing our naked scones for, well, forever. And no, we’re not about to get into the ‘cream then jam’ or ‘jam then cream’ debate.

Cheddar

Tall blonde 5 year aged cheese seeking: creamy butter, handsome ham and a toasty machine to tuck him in at night.

Colman's Mustard

Nigella famously carries a tube wherever she goes - we’re not sure we’d go to quite the same lengths, but it certainly is a firm favourite in British cupboards far and wide.

Oxo Cubes

The underdog of the spice world. Your friend when you forget to buy gravy, perfect for jazzing up a Shepherd’s pie. No Brit cupboard is complete without a tin.

HP Sauce

The tangy friend of bacon butties and Sunday fry ups. Simples.

The Yorkshire Pudding

And we’re not talking about Aunt Bessie’s here, either. Step outside Britain and it’s a crispy eggy mess; To all englishmen - the holy grail of roast dinners.

You can support the campaign by going to www.lovebritishfood.co.uk, where you can find out more about the events going on near you and the ways you an help raise the profile of amazing British food.

Tell us - what British foods get your mouth watering? What in your cupboard could you absolutely not live without?

Industry Insiders: Robert Gunn, Tastes of Anglia

It’s always great to meet other like-minded businesses who love independent artisans and great tasting food as much as we do. Kitchen Table Projects first met Robert from Tastes of Anglia at the NPD Conference that we attended in July. We really enjoyed swapping stories, as well as finding out a little more about the fab things Tastes of Anglia are getting up to.

Tell us a bit about yourself! Who are you and what do you do?

Tastes of Anglia is a not for profit, membership owned cooperative formed over 20 years ago to support and promote the food and drink industry of East Anglia.  ToA has members that include some of the largest businesses in the region to one person operations producing food and drink in domestic kitchens, selling their products at local farmers markets then going home and doing it all again. ToA now provides a reference point for anyone interested in the food and drink industry across the region. We support food education and the use of locally grown and created products; we facilitate introductions where members will benefit from working together; we assist in sourcing regional and national grant funding to aid business growth and routes to export and we provide CCA Landskills part funded business courses across England and Wales. We are [also] currently planning partnerships with tourist organisations to promote food tourism to the region and with other regional and national food related organisations to assist in spreading the word about the excellent food and drink producers of East Anglia.

How do you help small businesses?

The four words that sum up our activities are: Communicating, Supporting Advising and Facilitating. Many members come to us seeking assistance in taking their products to market. Having sold our own distribution business last year we are now creating excellent connections with major retailers and distributors across the region and beyond. Our members produce ambient, chilled and frozen products for retail and foodservice. We seek to facilitate partnerships with the right specialists in all areas.

How important is a good business plan?

A properly designed business plan is a requirement for any successful business.

What do you think are the three key things that make a successful food brand?

The three key things for a successful food brand are: brand and market analysis, quality of the product and the presentation, an effective marketing plan.

Do you have any predictions on what will be trending in the foodie world in the next six months?

South African and South American cuisine is starting to make a breakthrough in the UK. Anything that has a USP that appeals to the general public.

How do you think small artisan producers can be supported?

Startup and fledgling artisan producers can be supported in a wide variety of ways through membership of Tastes of Anglia. We welcome members from other parts of the country, not just from East Anglia.

What do you think is the toughest part of starting up your own food business?

The toughest part of starting a food business is letting your business head direct your activities and not just your passion for a product you, your family and friends think is great.

What are your words of wisdom for anyone thinking of starting a new business?

Research, research, research! Analyse, develop and market.

What do you think about our big ideas and what we’re trying to achieve?

Every new small producer will benefit from a chance to test prototype products, new launches etc in a well located venue with a high footfall of foodie lovers. If that is what KTP can provide ToA will support you all the way.​

If you’re interested in finding out more about what Tastes of Anglia do, then head over to their website, www.tastesofanglia.org.uk. You can find them on Twitter, too, @TastesofAnglia.

Main Picture by Flickr User Caroline

Industry Insiders: Fran, The Graphic Foodie

A few years ago, food writing was reserved for a small selection of critics, reviewers and journalists; if you weren't in the know, you generally didn't get a say. Today, with just about everyone sharing their supper on Twitter and instagram-ming their latest tasty treat (c'mon, we've all done it), pretty much anyone and everyone can be a food critic. Talking and writing about food has never been so popular, causing a huge surge in the number of bloggers that now make discussing food their day job. This week we joined the conversation and got chatting to Fran, aka The Graphic Foodie. Whilst Fran writes her blog alongside her work as a graphic designer, she's witnessed first-hand how popular and influential food blogging has become. She told us why she thinks blogging has changed the face of the food industry, her predictions on the next food trends, and why she thinks we should be helping and supporting independent British producers.

Tell us your story. What made you get into Food writing and start blogging?

Being from an Italian background, eating for pleasure is pretty much a priority in life. I’ve grown up with the most incredible food, some of which we’ve reared or grown ourselves. Even from a really young age you’re taught to respect the craft and origins of food; their seasons, their quality...it’s almost impossible not to be passionate about it coming from that! 

I started the blog back in 2008. At the time I don’t think there were any other Brighton food bloggers and I was tired of people complaining about the poor quality of food here, only to be lured into the tourist traps. Brighton is full of little nooks and crannies, with independent restaurants, produce stores and cafes tucked away on streets and lanes off the beaten path. These were [the places that] I wanted to celebrate as they are often family businesses that put a lot of passion, effort and quality into what they offer - people after my own heart. Today the Brighton food scene is so diverse and exciting with people doing incredible things, and we are finally getting national recognition for it.

What does your typical day look like?

By day I’m a graphic designer, so I’ll be creating brands or designing packaging, adverts, websites – anything really! If I’m then not racing out to a food event or restaurant review, I’ll get home and have dinner with my husband (who normally does the cooking in the week - lucky me!) Then I’ll be back behind the laptop blogging.

What are your three desert island dishes?

Probably freshly made tagliatelle with shaved truffle and lashings of Pecorino cheese, succulent Porchetta and a heap of Sicilian Cannoli.

What does ‘artisan’ mean to you?

I think this term is bandied about a lot these days, often more as a marketing term rather than the true meaning of artisan. To be a true artisan is to know the craft and have the knowledge of what you are producing, something which takes a long time to hone and learn. Going on weekend course then setting up a business with some flash branding does not make you an artisan.

Do you think it’s important to understand the origins of your food?

Absolutely! As I’ve said, knowledge [of food] should be ingrained into you from a young age. I still feel it should be a compulsory subject at school from early years through to teens. Surely knowing about and respecting food, being healthy and able to create a decent plate of food is a vital life skill. Can’t say I’ve used much algebra since I left school!

Do you think it’s important to champion small businesses and British artisan producers?

It’s great that we are now so interested in food. These wonderful people producing incredible products are vital to our food culture and should be supported as much as possible. Almost every producer I speak to is sparky and passionate, they’re awesome and almost always have a good story as to how they’ve landed in the food industry.

How do you think small emerging artisans can stand out in a competitive market? What do you think makes a great food brand?

It’s really hard to stand out. I’ve worked at the back end of launching products into the market and the competition is fierce but not impossible. Obviously a great product to start with is a must but these days it needs to be supported with a pretty solid marketing plan, promotion via social media and strong branding and packaging to even gain attention.  Most people forget about that bit or label it as the “fluffy” element. Needless to say the majority of them don’t last a year - you need to get your story out there.

What do you think are going to be the next foodie trends in the uk?

Hopefully a move back to quality products as well as quality eating and dining experience. I think we’re reaching saturation point with gourmet fast food, especially burgers and burritos. I’ve loved that street food has brought a huge range of food cultures to a wider audience with a lot of fun thrown in too, but I think we need to get china plates and cutlery back on the radar.

How do you think blogging has changed the food industry?

It certainly has changed it. Most people crave an online voice, which can be good and bad! It’s encouraged almost everyone to take pictures of their food and share it with the world. In some ways it has made restaurants better as there is less to hide behind and given great food products an easy platform for promotion. That said, you could argue that writing quality has lowered and the authority to judge food [is] questionable, but that’s for readers to decide.

What do you think about our ideas and what we’re trying to achieve?

Anything that can get great food products out to a wider audience can only be a good thing. Being a point of support for producers to share experiences and advice will be so beneficial in launching these new foods, hopefully encouraging even more innovation in the sector.

You can read Fran’s blog, The Graphic Foodie, here. To keep up with all her going’s-on and foodie musings, find her tweeting @graphic_foodie.