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

Your July Store Cupboard

July is in full swing and, much to our surprise, the sun has decided to make a regular appearance in our sweaty London skies. And when the sun comes out at KTP HQ, there’s one thing that’s in regular supply in the office (apart from the odd lobster-faced sunbathing disaster): ice cream, and lots of it. This month at Kitchen Table Projects, we’ve been scouring the web for some fruity iced treats to cool us off when the temperature reaches more significant figures.  And what makes a better treat than one that uses some great seasonal British fruit? Cherries, raspberries, blueberries, as well as last month’s strawberry are all great examples of British produce that are best eaten in July. We think this Raspberry Ripple ice cream looks far too tasty to resist, and it’s really simple to make too- you don’t have to own a fancy ice cream maker, and only takes half an hour to whip up (although you’ll need to wait 3 hours to freeze before you tuck in!) Once you’ve mastered the ripple, you could have a go at this slightly more adventurous blueberry ice cream, but if you fancy a real challenge, then this cherry ripple and almond crunch ice cream makes for a fun, boozy alternative to its raspberry sister. You’ll need an ice cream maker for both of these recipes, but don’t worry, you won’t need to spend a fortune to ignite your inner ice cream connoisseur. Available in a few sizes, we think this offering from Magimix would do just the trick, or opt for this more purse-friendly alternative from Andrew James. They’re pretty easy machines to get the hang of- you’ll be calling yourself Mr Whippy in no time! We think ice cream is great, but when the temperature does hit over 25 degrees, we’ll be making a batch of these artisan ice lolly’s from the guys at the London based Ice Kitchen. We’ll definitely be trying the Strawberries and Cream variety, but on a hot friday afternoon after work, the only thing on our minds will be these Mojito lollys- the perfect way to kick off the weekend.

We’re bound to get brain freeze from eating all these iced goodies, but there’s loads of other (slightly warmer) ways to be eating seasonally this July. Don’t be fooled into thinking that apples only make an appearance in the Autumn, as the British Bramley apple waits ready to be picked and devoured throughout July. Rather than whipping up the favourite Blighty apple pie, we’ve been popping on our aprons and baking a batch of these Bramley and Walnut scones. While they’re perfect with a dollop of clotted cream and some raspberry jam (FYI, we’re firmly in the ‘cream first, jam second’ scone-etiquette camp), we think they’re just as good spread with butter and enjoyed with a cuppa. And if the sun does disappear (which, let’s face it, is probably fairly likely), we think that this sausage and apple bake would be just thing to cheer up a rainy Sunday afternoon indoors.

We love supporting British growers, and understand how important it is to eat locally sourced produce- but that doesn’t stop us from indulging in the odd exotic treat from time to time. Apricots, Melon, Kiwi Fruit, Nectarine and Peach may all be imported into our supermarkets, but if you are going to eat them, now is the time. They’re super juicy, super sweet, and super delicious, either greedily gobbled up on their own or in a sweet dish to be devoured in the  sunshine. To make sure you get the freshest fruit from reliable and ethical sources head to your local fruit and veg market- our London faves have to be Borough, Brixton and Marylebone.

What have you been eating this month? Tweet us @KitchTablePro with the hashtag #EatFresh

Picture by Flickr User Padsyms and WikiCommons User NobbiP