Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of the Leon restaurant chain and chair of the National Food Strategy, was commissioned by government to execute an independent review on how to achieve a sustainable and fair food system. The terrible health crisis that took over the world in 2020 has shown with alarming clarity the damage being done to our health by the modern food system. Diet related illness is one of the top three risk factors for dying of Covid-19 and has cemented the need for the UK government and businesses to take bold action and revamp its National Food Strategy Plan.
Along with the disaster of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us – including myself – have had our own disasters in the kitchen (Let’s not talk about the time I tried to make mozzarella sticks with Babybels). With all the free time we’ve had, many of us have turned out attention to the kitchen and thought…’let’s try and learn some new cooking skills.’
It’s a fact that more and more people are choosing to reduce their meat consumption when eating out. There is a fundamental shift in consumers’ diets, and it isn’t only vegetarians and vegans seeking out plant-based menu options within hospitality. 65% of Europeans are looking to reduce their meat intake, which means there is a real need for operators to increase their meat-free options.
Vietnam is definitely my favourite country for food that I have visited so far. The variety is stunning, from Pho to spring rolls, strange looking fish to omelettes, stunning fresh vegetables to Banh Mi (breakfast baguettes) plus locally brewed beer and wine.
It is estimated that almost 1 in 5 people in the UK suffer from an allergy and that 10 deaths a year are caused by people not knowing what ingredients are in the food they are eating. In the wake of the death of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse from an allergic reaction and her parents subsequent lobbying, new legislation is being introduced to protect allergy sufferers and give them confidence when buying pre-packaged food.
It all kicked off this week when 12 European football teams, including the Premier League “big six” teams, decided to create a breakaway European Super League.
Here’s a round-up of some of 2021’s best food and drink related April Fools campaigns. From the ridiculous new product inventions to general all-round silliness that we loved this year.
As businesses around the world come together for Sustainability Week (22nd – 25th March) to share experiences and discover how they can operate more sustainably, Jess Sewell has been looking at some of the everyday items we should be considering to help us live more sustainably.
What with it being St Patrick’s Day and all – Ireland’s greatest celebration – it’s a good time to maybe redress the balance and talk less about Guinness, blarney, and those big leprechaun hats, and more about the rich food and drink culture of both the republic and the north. For this is a churning swell of incredible produce, traditional delicacies, burgeoning craft breweries and some stunning restaurants (and of course pubs).
Whether you have an account or not, Tik-Tok trends are hard to hide from and if you are a member of ‘Food Tik Tok’ like myself, you may have been influenced to try a trend or two over this lockdown period.
Like many of us, last year I got into the routine of a regular glass of something of an evening to unwind at the end of the working day, or to relax on the weekend. Lockdowns, tiers, lack of social contact, lack of anything better to do in general and working from home, combined with more daily exercise, all gave me a good reason to treat myself of an evening (thank goodness I didn’t have to home school, I would probably have started at 10am!).
As a South African, I can confidently say that food is a big part of our culture. With such a diverse population – we are the Rainbow Nation after all – we are lucky to have such a variety of national favourites that bring together so many cultures and traditions.
While I can’t cover them all, I can share with you some of my personal favourites…
I recently had the opportunity to attend a Q&A session with James Gill, Head of Agency & Channel Team for EMEA at LinkedIn, through the Alliance of Independent Agencies. It’s clear that LinkedIn has transitioned from what was essentially an online platform of CV’s, to the ‘go-to’ place for businesses and professionals to network, publish, share knowledge and consumer news. And with over 720 million members now on LinkedIn, it is a business tool that should not be ignored.
If you’re anything like me then you’ve probably started the new year hungover and stuffed to the brim with leftovers from Christmas dinner, chocolate, crisps, more chocolate and a whole heap of alcohol! Because of this (and the fact we use ‘but it’s Christmas…’ far too often throughout December), January is the month the majority of us choose to take back the reigns and decide to start our year off right -to be as healthy & active as possible.
POV: you have just spent your Friday night recreating a recipe you found online. You’re super proud of it and want to show it off to all your Instagram followers and post it in the family group chat so you go to take a photo of it… You look at the photo, then the dish, then the photo again and realise the photo really does not do it justice.
There’s no doubt eating certain foods affects how we feel on a physical level. From the bloating of bread to a face-freshening glow bowl, our gut is highly sensitive to different ingredients and either loves us or loathes us for what we feed it.
I was recently asked by The Grocer magazine to feature in an article about how lockdown and CV-19 has impacted the way buyers and sellers do business. As an agency, like everyone else, we have had to adapt and pivot during these strange times. Together with our valued clients we have been able to navigate through unchartered waters and find new ways of working and new ways of selling. In the feature I discuss many of the strategies and examples of things we have been doing to help our clients find their sweet spot and achieve success with their virtual sales pitches and marketing campaigns.
Many of us think we only speak one language, the language our mothers used to sing us lullabies, the language we were taught in school, the language we use to communicate with friends, colleagues and loved ones. But there is another language we are all fluent in… the language of food.
Plant-based is so much more than just a trend now. It is a well-established industry and lifestyle for many, which is growing across all sectors, with numerous innovative retail products releases and vegan meals launching in big-name fast-food restaurants. I recently attended a webinar which explored the current trends in the plant-based market. Hosted by Fi Global Insights, industry experts across Europe, they shared insightful studies, discussed the current trends, and suggested ways in which we can tap into the current trends. Here are my top 10 takeaways from the webinar:
