New outlets selling Anila’s Authentic Sauces products

Products from Anila’s Authentic Sauces are going on sale in two new premium stores from next month.

Anila’s range of curry sauces and accompaniments is being taken for the first time by North West retailer Booths. The products are going into its new Penrith store which opens in Cumbria on November 15th.

A selection of Anila’s products is also going on sale in Glasgow in Whole Foods Market – the world’s leading organic and natural grocery store. The retailer is opening its first outlet in the UK outside London on November 16th.

“I am delighted to have secured shelf space for Anila’s products in two such well-regarded retailers,” said Anila Vaghela, who runs Anila’s Authentic Sauces. “It’s exciting to be going into Booths for the first time, and also to be part of Whole Foods’ expansion plans.

“We’ve supplied the Whole Foods branches in London for more than ten years now, and it is great news that a store is being opened in Glasgow.”

The stores are the latest in a number of new outlets that have recently taken Anila’s products, including Bents Garden & Home, Cheshire – four times holder of the best destination garden centre in the UK.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces produces an eight-strong range of award-winning gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free curry sauces. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, the sauces are sold in speciality food stores, farm shops, garden centres and health shops around the country, including top stores like Harrods and John Lewis Food Halls at Oxford Street and Bluewater.

The company, founded by Anila in 1997, also produces a mouth-watering range of 16 chutneys, pickles and dips.

The Penrith Booths store, which will be the 28th outlet for the family-run retailer, is taking 15 lines, including all eight curry sauces. Whole Foods Market, which sells some of the finest natural and organic food available, is taking a similar number.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces has won 11 Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food for its products. Its Goan Green Curry Sauce was named Best Vegan Product in The Veggie Awards 2011 by Cook Vegetarian! magazine, with the judges saying: “Not only one of the best vegan curry sauces we’ve ever tried but one of the best curry sauces available. Its complexity of flavours makes its taste truly sensational.”

In 2009 Anila’s Spicy Korma Curry Sauce scooped a “Free From” Food Award.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces is based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, with a unit in Hounslow, and is run by Anila and her husband Dan.

Visit www.anilassauces.com for more information.

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Legendary sausages created at Croots Farm Shop, Derbyshire

Two legendary bangers are being launched by Derbyshire farm shop Croots to mark British Sausage Week.

The theme of this year’s British Sausage Week is Legendary British Bangers – and butchers at Croots have created two sausages that are named after sporting greats.

The Brian Clough Banger and the Henry Cooper Sausage will go on sale during the special week, which runs from Monday October 31st until Sunday November 6th.

The Henry Cooper Sausage has also been chosen to take part in the regional final of a competition being run during British Sausage Week to find the country’s most delicious banger, which takes place in Nottingham on November 2nd.

Life-long sausage fan and rock legend, Noddy Holder will join the British Sausage Appreciation Society to judge the competition and award those that are worthy with a 2011 British Sausage Week Gold Disc.

“Our butchers are very creative when it comes to designing new flavours – they’ve probably got around 40 in their range now,” said Steve Croot, who runs Croots Farm Shop & Kitchen at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, near Duffield.

“We enjoyed coming up with ideas for sausages and experimenting until we got two new ones that we are very proud of. I’m delighted that one has won through to the regional final of the British Sausage Week competition, and looking forward to hearing what Noddy Holder thinks of it.”

The Henry Cooper Sausage, named after the heavyweight boxing champ, features three different types of pork – free range Packington Pork, wild boar and Gloucestershire Old Spot - plus a secret blend of spices. The Brian Clough Banger, which pays tribute to the legendary football manager, features a dash of Old Big ‘Ead beer from Buxton Brewery and Croots Cow Juice ale.

Croots Farm Shop will be holding a sausage festival on Saturday November 5th as part of its celebrations for British Sausage Week, with special deals over that weekend. Samples will be available on November 5th and the butchers will be on hand to offer advice about how to get the best from your bangers.

The farm shop is renowned for its quality sausages and pies, and has won numerous awards. Last year it was a runner-up in the Best UK Independent Food Retailer 2010 category of the Observer Food Monthly Awards. The year before, it was named in The Independent’s top 50 best food shops.

“British Sausage Week is an excellent time to celebrate one of the nation’s favourite foods,” added Steve Croot.

Croots Farm Shop and Kitchen is open Sundays from 10am to 4pm (café until 3.45pm), and from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (café until 4.30pm). It is closed on Mondays.

For more information visit www.croots.co.uk

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Clothes swap shop in aid of LOROS at The Lansdowne, Leicester

A fashionable clothes swapping event is being held at Leicester pub The Lansdowne to raise cash for charity.

The swap shop event on Saturday 29th October is in aid of LOROS, the Leicestershire and Rutland hospice.

Now organisers are appealing to anyone who wants to freshen up their wardrobe and bag a bargain to take their unwanted items to the pub and pick up their tokens ready for the swap shop, which runs from 1pm to 6pm.

“We held our first swap shop earlier this year and it was really busy,” said Kate Owen, manager at The Lansdowne in London Road. “It was like being at a really good sale, with people rummaging through.

“It’s a great idea to swap clothes that you don’t want any more for items that others have donated. It’s a fun, cheap way to freshen up a wardrobe, ready for the new season, and of course it’s a very environmentally friendly way of gaining some new outfits.”

Clothes swapping events have become particularly popular in the current economic climate, as fashion fans aim to freshen up their look without shelling out a fortune.

It’s an opportunity to collect some cool clothes, while at the same time finding new homes for items you no longer wear that are cluttering up your wardrobe.

Tea, coffee and cupcakes will be on sale during the event, which is free to take part in with donations being taken in aid of LOROS.

Anyone who wants to join the clothes swap shop should take their items to The Lansdowne between now and 29th October and exchange them for tokens to use on the day.

For more information pop into the bar or follow on Facebook at Facebook/LansdowneLoves.


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Commercial laundry Giltbrook Cleaners wins Trent Barton contract

Workwear specialist laundry Giltbrook Cleaners has won a three-year contract to supply and service uniforms for East Midlands bus operator Trent Barton.

The Ilkeston-based company is providing around 2,500 pieces of specialist clothing to Trent Barton employees working in seven depots across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and south Yorkshire.

The high visibility embroidered boiler suits, jackets, trousers and polo shirts are worn by the 185-strong team that services and maintains Trent Barton’s bus fleet in Langley Mill, Nottingham, Loughborough, Derby, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Buxton, Ashbourne and Sheffield.

To date, it is the largest contract in the public transport sector won by Giltbrook Cleaners, which has one of the most advanced specialist workwear laundries in Europe.

“We are very pleased to have secured the contract to supply and service workwear for Trent Barton,” said Chris Jackson, CEO at Giltbrook Cleaners. “Like us, they are a business committed to their local area and we are proud that we are playing a part in keeping their operation running smoothly by maintaining the uniforms of the team that keeps the buses on the roads.”

Trent Barton is one of the first customers of the Derbyshire commercial laundry to be able to take advantage of a tracking workwear system with developments in place to link through to the new customer portal on the Giltbrook company website, at www.giltbrookworkwear.co.uk. This will enable firms to log in and track garments through the wash cycle and have up-to-date management information at their finger tips on staff workwear uniforms.

“We are investing in the latest technology which means that at a moment’s notice, clients can check what stage any garment is at and gather all the necessary information,” said Chris Jackson. “The information is there, 24 hours a day. It represents a leap forward for us in terms of customer service.”

All the garments supplied to Trent Barton comply with EN471, an EU standard for high-visibility warning clothing, and feature the company’s embroidered logo and individual names of staff, giving a personal touch to their uniforms.

They are serviced at Giltbrook Cleaners’ unit at Mercian Close, Manners Industrial Estate, Ilkeston, which has a rainwater harvesting, water recycling and reusing system, a high-efficiency hot water generation boiler, and the latest garment conveyor systems and monitoring through barcode and high- frequency micro chip technology.

The unit also has specialist hygiene management systems.

Dick Woods, health and safety and facilities officer, at Trent Barton, said: “We've been delighted with Giltbrook Cleaners and the seamless way they have taken on the contract and worked with our staff. The quality of the garments, cleanliness and the aftercare service has made a big difference to our staff and feedback has been excellent.”

Giltbrook Cleaners is a family-run business, which has been operating for more than 60 years and employs 43 people. Its clients include companies working in a range of sectors such as food and drink, engineering, hospitality, pharmaceutical and transport.

It is a leading supplier in workwear rental and cleaning, dust mat and logo mat provision and cleaning, locker and washroom services.

Visit www.giltbrookworkwear.co.uk

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Food and Drink Forum support is a recipe for success for Miss Will’s Pickles

Nottingham pickle producer Miss Will’s Pickles has gained one of the latest food industry accreditations after support from The Food and Drink Forum.

The Forum’s food technical manager Richard Wigley guided the Caribbean pickle company to success with SALSA, a food quality certificate scheme that allows producers to supply locally into supermarkets.

The accreditation could now open doors for the firm, which was launched in 2008 by managing director Trevor Howell.

“Gaining an industry-recognised accreditation or standard shows that a company is competent and professional, and could lead to new contracts for us,” said Trevor, who is based in Radford and who named the brand after his mum. “The SALSA accreditation gives retailers confidence in a business and its products, and I am very pleased with the support and expert advice that the Food and Drink Forum was able to provide.”

The range produced by Miss Will’s Pickles includes pickled whole Scotch Bonnet Peppers, a selection of hot pepper garnishes and a selection of mild pepper garnishes. Its products are sold in stores and outlets in Nottingham, Derby, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham.

The Food and Drink Forum, based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, but operating across the East Midlands and beyond, offers support to companies working in the food and drink sector.

Richard Wigley said: “There are several different accreditation schemes and quality systems standards that food and drink firms can achieve, but they all reflect a level of quality of standard, which in turn provides national and regional buyers with confidence. The SALSA scheme was ideal for a small food company like Miss Will’s Pickles.”

Richard is a mentor and auditor for SALSA, an expert in implementation and management of food quality standards such as BRC (British Retail Consortium), and an auditor for the European Halal Development Agency standard.

He added: “Achieving a food accreditation or quality standard helps to open doors. In some cases, firms won’t speak to food and drink producers unless they have an accreditation, so it’s really important to have it if they are looking to find new customers to supply, particularly in the current climate.”

For more information on accreditation schemes and quality systems standards available, and how the Food and Drink Forum can help firms achieve the grade, contact Richard Wigley on 0115 9758810.

www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

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Halloween Events at Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire

Derbyshire farm shop Croots has lined up some fun-filled children’s activities for Halloween. The events include spooky stories, crafts, pumpkin carving and a fancy dress competition.

Taking place in the ‘haunted barn’ at Croots Farm Shop, Wirksworth Road, near Duffield, the half-term activities will be held on Friday October 28th and Saturday October 29th.

Children are invited to Halloween craft activities sessions at 11am, where they’ll be making spooky masks and lanterns.

Then at 1.15pm there will be scary story telling for the fives and under, followed by scary story telling for ages six and above at 1.30pm.

Halloween pumpkin carving takes place at 2pm, with a Halloween fancy dress competition at 3pm.

Story sessions and the fancy dress competition are free. Craft sessions cost £1.50 and pumpkin carving £2 (including a pumpkin).

“There will be a ghoulish atmosphere in the haunted barn, with a few surprises and lots of fun activities for children to get involved in,” said Steve Croot, who runs Croots Farm Shop, based at Farnah House Farm.

Croots Farm Shop and Kitchen is open Sundays from 10am to 4pm (café until 3.45pm), and from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (café until 4.30pm). It is closed on Mondays.

For more information visit www.croots.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Food and drink festival to be held in Loughborough on Sunday October 23rd

Loughborough is staging a tasty food and drink market later this month featuring a range of producers and stall holders.

Representatives from Leicestershire County Council will also be spreading the ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ message at Loughborough English Food and Drink Festival on Sunday, October 23rd.

Organised by East Midlands Fine Foods on behalf of Charnwood Borough Council, the market offers the chance for shoppers to buy direct from stallholders who produce their own speciality items.

A wide range of food and drink will be available including bread and cakes, chutneys and curry sauces, pastries and puddings, mincemeat and macaroons.

The event, which runs in the Market Place from 10am to 4pm, will also feature children’s rides.

“This will be a great opportunity for shoppers to buy some really tasty products direct from those who are making them,” said Fiona Anderson, from East Midlands Fine Foods.

“We are also pleased that the Love Food Hate Waste team will be at the event, passing on useful tips to encourage less food waste.”

Councillor Paul Harley, Charnwood Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Leisure and Culture, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the food and drink festival to Charnwood and hope that residents and visitors take this opportunity to get their hands and taste buds on some unique produce.

“The Food and Drink Festival is a perfect way of not only giving residents something different to enjoy, but it also helps promote our Borough and attract visitors to help our local economy thrive.”

The October market is to be followed by a similar event in the run up to Christmas, with another Loughborough English Food and Drink Festival scheduled for Friday December 16th.

This will be the ideal opportunity to support local producers and opt for speciality food and drink items for the festive season, including gifts for foodies.

For details call East Midlands Fine Foods on 0115 9758810.


www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

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Luke Evans Bakery hits the right note with community donation

A community organisation which has been entertaining local people for almost 80 years is to receive a donation from Luke Evans Bakery to mark National Craft Bakers’ Week.

The bakery at Riddings, near Alfreton in Derbyshire, pledged to give one pound for every year it had been running to a local good cause as part of its celebrations for the special week.

Now it has chosen Ripley and Alfreton Musical Theatre Company as the beneficiary of the £207 donation.

“Luke Evans Bakery has been a key part of the Derbyshire community for more than 200 years and we are delighted to support a community organisation that also has a long history in the area,” said Luke Evans Bakery managing director David Yates.

“National Craft Bakers’ Week was an excellent opportunity for us to promote what we do, with a range of different events. We had a number of deserving good causes apply for our donation, but we could only choose one and we decided that Ripley and Alfreton Musical Theatre Company was to be the beneficiary. I hope the money will help them to carry on performing and entertaining in the future.”

The organisation, which is self-funding, relies entirely on sponsorship from local companies, voluntary contributions and fund-raising activities to help produce its shows.

Vice chair Kate Viles said: “We are very grateful to Luke Evans Bakery for the donation, which will be a big help with our next show Carousel, which we have already started rehearsals for. The show will be performed at Alfreton Grange Arts College in April 2012. For this show we require a group of children to play the 'snow children', therefore we will be involving children and adults of all ages from our local community.”

During National Craft Bakers’ Week, run by the National Association of Master Bakers, Luke Evans Bakery also donated free cream cakes for elevenses to several local companies including Granwood Flooring, Riddings, Martin Harris Hair and Beauty, Leabrooks, ETS Tyres, Riddings, David Nieper, Alfreton for their Macmillan Coffee Morning, and Blooming Nails and Beauty, South Normanton.

Luke Evans Bakery, which was founded in 1804 and now employs the eighth generation of the family, sells direct to the public from its shop in Green Hill Lane, Riddings, and supplies around 300 trade customers across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, including shops, schools, delis and Pride Park – the home of Derby County Football Club.

Fully trained craft bakers operate 24 hours a day turning out breads, cakes and savoury products.

Luke Evans Bakery can also make stunning cakes for every occasion… from weddings and birthdays to special anniversaries and retirements.

For more information contact the bakery on 01773 602764 or visit www.lukeevans.co.uk

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Exporting event provides food for thought for East Midlands food and drink firms

East Midlands food and drink firms were given advice on how to exploit overseas opportunities at an event that turned the spotlight on exporting.

A range of producers from the region attended the session, which was run by UK Trade & Investment at Newark Showground in Nottinghamshire.

It featured presentations from Leicester snack company Farsan Ltd, which is already successfully exporting, from Food and Drink Forum food technical manager Richard Wigley, who is an expert in labelling requirements, and from logistics company Mardon plc.

“Export is currently top of the government’s growth agenda, and we aim to encourage firms to consider overseas opportunities as a way of expanding and becoming more profitable,” said Bob O’Meara, international trade adviser for UKTI.

“The event provided food for thought for companies that are considering exporting or have just started.”

Among the delegates at the event were a pork pie manufacturer, a gourmet food producer, a ready meals manufacturer and a rape seed oil producer.

It was aimed at small and medium-sized food and drink manufacturers from Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, and featured workshops, a case study presentation and networking opportunities.

UKTI is the government department that works with UK-based companies to ensure their success in international markets, and encourages the best overseas companies to look to the UK as their global partner of choice.

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Full Movement Method therapy training open day event

People interested in finding out more about how to train in a particular type of therapy are being invited to attend an open day later this month.

Practitioners in the Full Movement Method, a unique therapy which is used to treat muscle and joint pains, immobility and malfunction, will be on hand to explain more about the training courses which will get underway in 2012.

FMM was developed by the late Andy Thomas, from West Bridgford, Nottingham, and uses yoga postures as a diagnostic and treatment tool, alongside soft tissue techniques, deep tissue massage and joint mobilisations.

Andy, who died earlier this year, trained many practitioners in the therapy, which has been used to help road accident victims, injured sportsmen and women, and others who are suffering pain.

Now an open day is being held at Southwell Leisure Centre, Nottinghamshire, between 10am and 4pm on Saturday October 15th to give more information to people interested in training to be a FMM therapist.

“This is a great opportunity for anyone looking for a new direction, or who already works in the health sector, to gain new skills,” said FMM practitioner Karen Green.

“It’s ideal for yoga teachers or gym or fitness instructors who want to develop their expertise and increase the services they can offer to clients. It’s also perfect for people who are looking for part-time work to fit around existing commitments, or for those who have taken redundancy and are looking to set themselves up in their own business.

“Andy trained many practitioners in the Full Movement Method, who have gone on to open clinics in Bournemouth, Sheffield and elsewhere, and we are now looking forward to welcoming the next intake of students who are interested in learning the technique.”

The open day will be an opportunity to talk to previous FMM students, as well as tutors in the courses, which run at the premises of the PDW Group at Colwick, Nottingham.

Training in the Diploma in the Full Movement Method is held over a series of weekends, starting on January 28th and 29th. The Full Movement Training School is at the second stage of gaining accreditation for the diploma, with an inspector from the Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) due to visit in early November.

A two-day Continuous Professional Development course is also available, plus one-day workshops.

For more information visit the Full Movement Method website on www.fullmovementmethod.co.uk

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