Chef Wise

Premium milkshake brand, Shaken Udder, has recently grown its reach even further as its range of 330ml bottles hits more than 100 extra Tesco stores this month. Shaken Udder has enjoyed a long relationship with Tesco, supplying stores across the UK since 2011. This increased listing will see its range of premium milkshakes available in over 650 Tesco stores throughout the UK. “We are very excited to be increasing our contract with Tesco,” explains Jodie Farran, co-founder of Shaken Udder. “Tesco has been an incredibly supportive retailer of our brand over the years. This year we have seen a 22% growth in sales in Tesco, so it's fantastic this strong performance has led to larger distribution. It's also great to be able to offer our loyal customers the chance to get their hands on Shaken Udder more easily.” 2016 is proving another strong year for Shaken Udder Milkshakes, with a 35% year-on-year growth, which has been additionally bolstered by the launch of Ub...

Targeting potential investors through a Crowdcube campaign, PHROOTI, a revolutionary and delicious new fruit-infused water, is hoping to achieve £150,000 to help grow the business and launch a new range of bottled drinks. Sheffield-based PHROOTI was founded by Jerôme Jacob who was fed up with having to settle for tasteless fruit tea and wanted to create a range of products that tackled the sugar-laden soft drinks market. In a short space of time, Jerome has built a strong team and PHROOTI has become known for its flavour-packed, natural dried fruit powders that form the base of its brand new PHROOTI fruit-infused water. Perfect for the on-the-go market, PHROOTI fruit-infused water is an all-natural, flavour-packed, no sugar, glass bottle drink, made from real fruit and fresh British water. PHROOTI is available in two delicious flavours: Raspberries and Strawberries and Blackcurrants, Blackberries and Blueberries and the company has developed a unique infusion proces...

From seeds....to bloomers! Introducing Bread & Butter, the UK's first food and drink founders' festival for start-ups to scale-ups looking to grow their businesses - and make them earn their crust. The two-day festival will feature hands-on interactive content, workshops, six unique zones and a schedule of inspiring must-see speakers who have all been there, seen it and done it. They include Tom Newton from Graze, Mark Palmer from Pret A Manger, Pippa Murray from Pip&Nut, Will Bowler from Popchips, Tamara Arbib from Rebel Kitchen, and Patrick Drake from HelloFresh. No wellies required All you need to join the festival is a great idea, or a food and drink business that you want to move forward. The event will introduce you to a community of like-minded others - those at the idea stage, those just about to launch - as well as those looking to scale up to the next level. No more wading through mud - this event aims to help you start and grow your busine...

David McLagan claims that consumer behaviour MUST change Reusable rather than recyclable is the ONLY way to tackle the issue of waste Over 100 billion single use cups go to landfill each year globally. Hugh's estimate of 2.5 of billion in UK must be considered in this context Following Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's BBC News Viewpoint piece on coffee cup waste, and the airing of Episode 3 of his War on Waste series taking on coffee shop giants Starbucks, Costa and Caffè Nero last week, David McLagan, Founder & CEO of revolutionary new reusable and biodegradable coffee cup brand, Ecoffee Cup, pitches in to emphasise the need to focus on changing consumer behaviour rather than holding out for the big coffee corporations to effect change. “In his War on Waste campaign, Hugh estimates that 2.5 billion single-use cups per year go to landfill in the UK. But the problem is much bigger when we look beyond Britain... With estimates of up to half a trillion manu...

- The George Inn, Braunton, Devon to re open Spring 2016 - Five AA Stars gained by Bear & Swan, Bristol - OHH short listed for Publican Award The family owned OHH Pub group, led by Mark Warburton (32) and based in the West County, has announced a joint venture with Enterprise Inns which will see the group open a fourth site in the Spring. The two partners will make a £350,000 investment to transform the George Inn in Braunton in North Devon, to bring it up to the standard of OHH's other properties, which both have five AA Stars. The Bear & Swan in Chew Magna near Bristol has just achieved the prestigious hall mark of the country's highest quality 'Inns with Rooms', to bring it in line with their Old House at Home near Castle Combe in Wiltshire and Northey Arms near Bath. The Bear and Swan currently has four bedrooms which were introduced this year, with two more to be introduced the New Year. The Northey has just completed an anne...

While most teenagers spend their days glued to TV shows or video games, one Cambridge whizz-kid has swapped Xboxes for gift boxes with the launch of her own food bizz – at just 15-years-old. Year 10-school pupil Amelise Burr, from Melbourn near Royston, has created a new online gift box and hamper company called Cambridge Artisan, selling the best bites from across East Anglia. Each thoughtfully curated hamper presents the very best of Cambridge's artisan food and drink—and is available in a range of sizes, priced from £59 to £135. Gift boxes start from £20 and there's free P&P for all orders over £50. Giving food lovers a one-stop farm gate to regional food and drink, with beautifully packaged hampers and boxes that include everything from cured meat to coffee and chutneys to chocolate, the idea for Cambridge Artisan came from Amelise's love for her local market – and for business. “I couldn't believe how many yummy foods were on offer at my...

Giggling Squid, the popular UK Thai restaurant group is to accelerate its expansion plans following a £6.4m investment from BGF (Business Growth Fund), the UK's leading provider of growth capital to small and mid-sized businesses. Giggling Squid, which has a portfolio of 13 sites across the South of England and the Midlands, will use the BGF capital to open more branches of its family of successful restaurants. Giggling Squid intends to break new ground and enter the London suburbs inside the M25, building on its new site in Esher set to open on Thursday next week. BGF has taken a significant minority equity stake in the business and has introduced Simon Kossoff, Chairman and former CEO of Carluccio's, to the company. Simon has joined the board as non-executive Chairman and Jon Simon, Investor at BGF, also joins the board. Giggling Squid serves fresh, rustic Thai cuisine at lunch and dinner and also offers takeaway services. Headquartered in Guildford, t...

Hawkshead Relish have been named as finalists in two categories of these prestigious awards run by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), the body which represents the UK food and drink manufacturing industry. Growth Business in Northern England and Exporting Company will see this Lake District based artisan producer up against some household names in brands at the finals gala dinner on 7th September 2015 at The Brewery, London. 'Reaching the finals in these national industry awards is a huge achievement in itself, given that these awards epitomise the UK's food manufacturing both large & small. It also highlights that despite the size and type of operation, we are all part of the overall benefit to the economy, being £12.8bn in exports.' commented Maria Whitehead (co-owner & director). The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the voice of the UK food and drink industry, the largest manufacturing sector in the country. Members account for 15.7% o...

Thai food restaurant Giggling Squid has appointed Grant Thornton UK LLP as its adviser as it seeks investment for growth. Owned by husband and wife team Andrew and Pranee Laurillard, Giggling Squid was founded in 2009 and has been growing rapidly since then. The business currently operates 13 sites across the south east of England and has a high quality pipeline of seven further openings due in 2015. Andy Laurillard, Founder of Giggling Squid, said: “Grant Thornton has a great team, with a good understanding of the sector and the ambitious growth plans which I have for the business.” Will Baxter, Corporate Finance Director at Grant Thornton UK LLP, said: "Giggling Squid is an example of a business which has achieved its success through the coming together of an excellent product, sector leading unit economics and most importantly, the vision and commitment of the leadership team. We are looking forward to supporting Giggling Squid in securing finance fo...

Award-winning lunch! show returns to London on Tuesday 23 September With the final preparations now well underway, next week's two day lunch! trade show – kicking off at 10am on Tuesday 23 September at the Business Design Centre, London – looks set for another record turnout. Renowned for attracting key buyers and decision makers from across the retailing, hospitality, snacking, convenience, and catering sectors, over 6,000 attendees are expected to visit lunch! on 23-24 September.  Many of the country's biggest high street operators, food retailers, and contract caterers will be among them.  Aramark, Boots, Caffe Nero, Cineworld, Costa Coffee, EAT., Elior UK, Greggs, John Lewis, Lidl UK, M&S, Ocado, Pret A Manger, Rail Gourmet, Sainsbury's, Starbucks, Superdrug, Tesco, Upper Crust, Waitrose, and Morrisons – are just some of the big names that have already registered alongside thousands of independents. Having recently sold out of all available exhibit...

Roll Up! Roll Up! Last Call to Enter - All you High-flying Food & Drink Entrepreneurs Don't miss your chance to become Britain's first-ever Investec Food & Drink Entrepreneur of the Year 2014. The competition closes on Friday 12 September. It's FREE and EASY to enter. Visit www.investecfoodandrinkentrepreneuroftheyear.com The Awards are partnered by Business is GREAT/The GREAT Britain Campaign which showcases the very best of what Britain has to offer. Whether small or large, a producer or a retailer, the unique chance is here to tell your story, parade your business success before the country's greatest entrepreneurs themselves – and win £5000. The glittering judging panel includes the indefatigable Luke Johnson (Pizza Express, Patisserie Valerie, Feng Sushi, Strada, Giraffe, Gail's Artisan Bakery), Lord Karan Bilimoria of Cobra Beer, Julian Metcalfe, Pret a Manger and Itsu, Lady Carole Bamford of Daylesford Organics and Lord Noon of...

As the first-ever Investec Food & Drink Entrepreneur of the Year www.investecfoodanddrinkentrepreneuroftheyear.com hots up in the search for Britain's tastiest food and drink stars, the stellar panel of judges is getting set to sieve through the entries. Entries will be rolled out before the discerning eyes of, amongst others, Luke Johnson, the indefatigable serial entrepreneur who grew Pizza Express from 12 branches to over 250. He owns Patisserie Valerie, Feng Sushi, Flour Power City, The Draft House pub group and Grand Union and much more. Other judges on this highly-flavoured panel include the legendary Julian Metcalfe, founder of Pret a Manger, which in less than 30 years has grown in to more than 400 shops. He also started Itsu, for Asian-inspired healthy fast food, which has gone from zero to 40 branches. While Carole Bamford has blazed a trail for organic food, launching the Daylesford Organic brand just over a decade ago, with produce and shops, wh...

UK's leading food-to-go trade show enjoys 25% increase in visitor pre-registrations lunch! - Europe's premier trade event for the food-to-go market - is now just 12 stands away from selling out of all of its available exhibition space at the three-floor Business Design Centre in Islington, London. With the Innovation Zone now full, plus all stands across the ground and middle level also booked up, visitors to lunch! 2013, on 26-27 September, will benefit from the show's biggest choice of exhibitors ever. Launched in 2008, the multi-award-winning two day trade event is poised to connect more than 4,500 out of home food and drink buyers with an unprecedented 270 companies showcasing a wealth of new products, packaging, equipment and technologies. lunch's pivotal focus on innovation - highlighted by popular visitor feature areas like the lunch! Innovation Zone and Innovation Challenge Showcase - has made it a popular choice with buying teams from across the...

The Keltek Cornish Brewery has embarked on an ambitious expansion plan starting with the acquisition of four Cornish village pubs. The multi-award winning, Redruth-based brewers have invested more than £1.6m to purchase the Coppice Inn at Lanner, the Robartes Arms in Illogan, the London Inn at Summercourt and the Fox & Hounds in Scorrier, and introduce significant renovations and developments to each pub. With pubs nationwide closing on an almost daily basis, Keltek founder Stuart Heath believes it's time to launch a fight back and help to re-establish local pubs at the heart of their communities. "Pubs have always been a central part of my life. Whenever I've needed anything from a plumbing job done to having my car fixed, in the past there's always been someone from the pub I knew and trusted. I can imagine a much emptier life without a local pub & many communities have been losing theirs. The idea of celebrating and supporting local pub...