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

Amazing Artisans: Hershil, Dips'

It was really great to chat with Hershil, our Amazing Artisan this week, and find out more about his delicious dips, sauces and dressings.Still being in the early stages of his business, Hershil gave us a great insight into the beginnings of a startup food business. We wish him well on the rest of his exciting foodie adventure!

Tell us the story of your business. How did you come up with the idea?

Basically the name came from my Mum because her name is Dipp and everyone calls her Dipps! We thought it would be a good fit with a lot of the products that we are launching, like the Chilli & Garlic paste.

Was your Mum into food; are these her recipes?

Yes, they are her recipes - we made them at home to eat. Every now and then [we would] give them out to friends and family and they really seemed to like them and ask for more.  I think that’s the key when you give your friends stuff; they tend to say they like them but they always used to ask for more or used to ask where did we get that from.  That’s where the idea was born really.  We saw different people trying it and liking it [and] have just taken things on from there.

What was your motivation for starting your own business?

Our house has always been a big “foodie” house and we have always been quite fussy with our food. If we don’t like something we will say so, if we do like something we will really tell people.  Food is where my passion is; I love cooking, so does all my family.

Do you have a background in food?

I have no professional background in food, except Christmas dinner – cooking for 15 to 20 people! My mum is vegetarian and a lot of our friends are vegetarians so we had to effectively cook 2 dinners, one of them being vegetarian.

Are these vegetarian then?

Yes they are vegetarian, vegan as well. It is a matter of how a person uses it. A vegan can use it just as easily as someone who eats meat; it works just as well on a bacon sandwich as on a veggie burger!

What's the most exciting thing about being an entrepreneur?

I suppose its getting your product out there and seeing what kind of a response you get from people. I think that’s the most exciting thing.  I have had a cross section of people trying it and they really liked it but until people actually start parting with their hard-earned cash you can’t really know how successful or unsuccessful something is going to be. I like the new product development side of things and being a bit creative trying to put something out there that people might not have seen before.

Are you working closely with your family?

Yes my sister, my brother-in-law started working on it, [and] theres me, my mum, my dad and my cousin as well.  My parents have got their own bakery they have been running for quite a while now so we kind of all just pitch in.  My wife helps out as well!  

What challenges have you come across?

Quite a few I suppose, like trying to find the right people to source your ingredients from, trying to find the right people to source packaging from, machinery, the different types of packaging that are out there.  Luckily with my sister being a graphic designer we’ve got someone who can handle that side of things.

Have you found that as an emerging food producer it’s hard to get help from established industry professionals?

Yes it can be difficult as obviously they have got their own pressures and things to deal with. The money that we [can] offer compared to a lot of other people is quite nominal, so it can be quite difficult to get their help.  Luckily I’ve been along to a few events and had some help from various people that have been in a similar position and that’s been quite helpful.

So do you think there is a market for people looking to help emerging Artisans in getting their products onto the High Street?

Yes I think there are people out there who do want to help, it’s just a matter of marrying the two together.  Most of my time I spend on Google doing searches for various things that I need.  I might put in what I think is the right term the manufacturers might be using a slightly different term. [This] then means that I miss out on a whole bunch of people that could have potentially helped me out just because I am not aware of the technical jargon that is involved in that industry or in that field.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting their own business?

If you really want to do it just put some plans into place because you can always test out the market while you are still working.  [Give samples to people who] don’t really know you so they’ve got no obligation to you as a person and you can get some honest feedback off of them.  I would tell people to go for it but at the same time its not going to be a bed of roses.  I think I heard recently that if you want launch a new product its going to cost you in a region of about £75k.

What kind of business support do you want to receive or wished you had received?

It would have been quite handy to know about all the different government schemes there are out there to help people out - they are not well advertised.

Would you anticipate you would need support and advice for getting the product onto someones shelves or do you have a plan of action for that?

I’ve kind of got a plan of action and I have been lucky enough to meet various people that would help out.  Have heard of Simply Galactic? They try and help brands get into the supermarkets.  As a small producer quite a lot of things get left by the wayside because you are so focused on getting your product out there and launched that, for example, you do not notice that the packaging blends in with all the other packaging on the shelf.

How have you found out about these people?

Mostly through Twitter.  Twitter has been brilliant and its such a good place to find people who can help.  Even if they cannot help you personally they will point you in the direction of someone who can. I see Twitter as a networking tool; finding the right people to learn more about yourself and your product.

What would you like to see in a food hub that showcases new producers?

It would be really good if people could get not just the product in their hands but the back story to the product as well.  It would be nice to have a little area where people can cook up their products – a demonstration area people might be able to use.

You can find Hershil tweeting away here, or if you're interested in finding out more about what Dips' are up to, you can email him at hershil@dipltd.com

Are you an Amazing Artisan who wants to be featured on our blog? We'd love to hear from you- drop us a Tweet @KitchTablePro with the hashtag #AmazingArtisan or send us a message to hello@kitchentableprojects.com

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.

Taste Testing with Becca's Food Kitchen

From speaking to all our Amazing Artisans, it was clear to see that getting feedback for their products is a really important part of their startup journey. Whilst many of the producers that we interviewed said that getting feedback helped them to gauge whether there was a market for their product pre-launch, others stressed how crucial it was in helping them to avoid making (often costly) mistakes later on. Many of the artisans said that receiving positive feedback from their customers was one of the best parts of starting their own food business - boosting their confidence and keeping them going when times got tough. Artisans are often in the unique position that they can respond quickly to new ideas and customers' comments, making feedback an essential step towards ensuring that their product is the best that it can be.

When one of our artisans came to us asking if we would like to hold a tasting session with her and her products, we jumped at the chance. Our food hub will offer artisans the opportunity to hold tasting sessions, product sampling and supper clubs in our space, allowing them to gain honest, objective feedback that can help to give their business a push in the right direction. It was great to be able to trial the tasting session with Becca, try her delicious products, and, most of all, help Becca to get some honest and useful feedback.

Armed with tubs filled with Becca’s tasty Moroccan veggie soup, Gazpacho and three unique pestos, we rallied our troops (ravenous office workers on the lunch hunt) and sat down to try out what Becca had to offer. Everyone at the tasting session filled out a short questionnaire on their first impressions of the products; the look, the smell, the branding, the packaging. After trying each sample, we held a short five minute discussion about the taste of the product, which proved particularly useful for Becca, who commented on how great it was to be able to take away lots of constructive comments and suggestions. After trying the soups, we moved on to her pestos - three unique flavours that incorporated interesting ingredients and made for a really tasty take on the Italian staple. The verdict was pretty unanimous -  the all round favourite across the room had to be the basil and almond pesto. Everyone agreed that its mild, nutty flavour and creamy texture would be the perfect addition to fresh fish, chicken or pasta.

The session came to a close, with our satisfied tasters returning to their desks leaving Becca with lots of exciting ideas and suggestions to mull over. We really loved hosting the session - it seemed really helpful for Becca and was really fun for us to try out some delicious new products. If you’re an artisan and are interested in Kitchen Table Projects holding a tasting session featuring your products then get in touch - we love hearing from new and enthusiastic artisans and would be more than happy to try and help you to get some valuable feedback on your products. You can reach us on hello@kitchentableprojects.com, or tweet us @KitchTablePro. In the mean time, if you’re keen to catch Becca with her soups and pestos, then head over to her website here, or find her tweeting away @becsfoodkitchen.

Speciality and Fine Food Fair 2014

We may have had a pretty hectic couple of months, but we’re already gearing up for some pretty exciting events in the Kitchen Table Projects calendar over the next couple of months. This September, we’re really excited to be heading to the Speciality Food Fair - the biggest and most comprehensive fine and speciality food exhibition in the UK. Whilst the show will be a great place to be inspired by all things new in the food world, we’ll predominantly be on the look out for some emerging artisans who are interested in getting involved with Kitchen Table Projects. With talks, cookery demonstrations and business workshops scheduled across the three days, as well as over 700 producers showcasing thousands of new and exciting products, we’ll certainly be busy! If you're interested in attending the show but aren't quite sure what to expect, then have a little look at the video from last year's event:

If you’re an artisan who is exhibiting, or if you’re just popping along to take a peek into the future of the foodie world, then get in touch! We’ll be at the festival over all three days and it would be great to meet some of you who are interested in finding out a little more about what Kitchen Table Projects are up to. Drop us an email at hello@kitchentableprojects.com, or tweet us @KitchTablePro - see you in September!

Amazing Artisans: Stephen, The British Quinoa Company

This week we donned our (metaphorical) wellies and got chatting with quinoa farmer, Stephen, for this weeks Amazing Artisan feature. After hearing about his business, The British Quinoa Company, we were really keen to showcase Stephen at Kitchen Table Projects, giving a slightly different view on the foodie world. In the interview, Stephen sheds some light on the life of a farmer, and talks about how he got his unique business concept off the ground (if you’ll excuse the pun!)

Tell us the story of your business. How did you come up with the idea?

I came up with my business idea in 2006 [whilst] studying for a degree in agriculture. I had read a magazine article about quinoa and its nutritional properties and as a vegetarian I felt that I should try it to see if could increase my protein intake. It turned out that I really liked it and wondered if it would be possible to grow it in the UK. After several years of trialing quinoa production on our family farm, we concluded that we could indeed grow a great crop of quinoa, hence ‘The British Quinoa Company’ was born! It’s not been an easy journey though, we’ve had many successes and failures along the way, but everything started to come together once we found the right variety of quinoa for the British climate.

What was your motivation for starting your own business?

The motivation for starting my own business came from my passion for producing alternative British crops that can both help us to lead a healthier lifestyle and reduce our reliance on imported foods. I really enjoy being able to take an idea from scratch and to develop it over several years to fulfill a specific market. I think that in my decision to start a new business, I tried to play to my strengths and resources, so creating a new product on our family farm made total sense.

What's the most exciting thing about being an entrepreneur?

The most exciting thing about being an entrepreneur is being able to do something unique, where I can make my own decisions and try to push the boundaries of what crops we are able to produce in the UK. Additionally, I really enjoy having great relationships with our customers and consumers who we so often share very similar passions too. I love being able to finally see my product on the shelf and to feel that it was my own hard work that got it there!

What challenges have you come across?

Our biggest challenge has been trying to grow a crop in the UK that has never been grown here before, as there is no established crop agronomy, that is, no basic recipe to follow. We’ve had to learn how to sow the crop, how to fertilise it, how to control weeds, and how to harvest it.... all of which has taken us several years. Along the way we have had to battle against pest damage, extreme weather and machinery breakdowns, but we’re getting there slowly! Our biggest challenge at present is how to scale up our project, so that we are able to plant increasing areas of quinoa each year to allow us to fulfill growing consumer demand.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting their own business?

The advice I would give to anyone wishing to start their own business is to find something that can make your business unique. Being unique can help you stick in the memory of your customer, as well as attracting media attention to help promote your business. It’s a great idea to ensure you have sufficient finance agreements in place before you start your new business so that your cash flow is not stretched to breaking point.

What kind of business support do you want to receive or wished you had received?

I received the best kind of business support...help from my parents! They were great, from offering free manual labour in the field to assess new quinoa varieties, to helping count weeds in our weed control experiments. It would have been great to have received more business support at a local level, such as a mentor who could provide detailed business advice from invoicing to branding...but perhaps that’s being a bit wishful!

What would you like to see in a food hub that showcases new producers?

I would love see communication between new producers and the more experienced existing producers, so that advice and experience can be shared.

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

I really love what Kitchen Table Projects is trying to achieve. It’s a great way of getting to know other small producers who would otherwise remain fairly unknown. Good luck and keep going, I’m really pleased to be a part of it!

You can find Stephen tweeting from his Shropshire farm, here @BritishQuinoa.

Industry Insiders: Yasmin, Maida Hill Place

After attending the Maida Hill Foodies event a little earlier this month, it was great to catch up with Yasmin from Maida Hill Place, the hosts of the event. In our Industry Insider feature this week, Yasmin gets chatting about why it’s so important to help small emerging food businesses.

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

Maida Hill is a food hub connecting like-minded entrepreneurs within the industry. We're a small team [who] help budding food entrepreneurs by renting out both our fully equipped kitchen and upstairs event space for pop-ups, talks, product development and whatever else they may need!

What does artisan mean to you?

Either a person with a very specific skill in making or a product made in a specialised way, not mass produced, using high quality ingredients...and just that bit more love than a big machine could ever give!

How can small artisan's stand out?

It definitely helps to have a good story, something that social media and press can grip onto which in turn raises your profile. Talk to as many people as possible but more importantly make lasting connections and even friendships with them. You never know when and who can help to push your business further.

How do you think small artisan food producers should be supported?

There is so much competition out there, particularly in a city like London. Some businesses are in the lucky position where the people involved have enough knowledge to cover all of the most important areas of creating and selling their product: cooking, brand design, sales, marketing, PR, finances etc. Unfortunately, the reality is that most businesses don't have all of this. There need to be more workshops and classes where small producers can learn or simply improve on [their entrepreneurial skills].

What do you think is the next big opportunity for small artisans?

People's mindsets are changing and more of us want to know exactly where our food is coming from; we want to know what all of the ingredients are when we read the labels. There are already great initiatives such as hisbe.co.uk in Brighton that put good food and customer happiness at the forefront of the business [and] profitability comes as a result of this.

What are your words of wisdom for someone starting out?

Connect, connect, connect. Talk to everyone, be friendly. Don't just take, give back where you can, even if it's just by giving words of advice. Make the most of social media and have a good hook to your story.

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

Everyone should have the chance to get on the high street and where there's a will there's a way. We [need to] help businesses start or make their next steps to showcasing their offering and actually start turning a profit. It would be nice for everyone to have a permanent space on the high street, but starting slow and steady isn't always a bad thing. You can learn with less of a distance to fall if things do go wrong.

If you're interested in finding out more about Maida Hill Place and they kind of space they offer, have a look at their website here, or find them tweeting @MaidaHillPlace.