By The Grocer2021-04-23T10:07:00+01:00
The story of Covid-19 in grocery is one of feast and famine. For the feasting, look at the massive value gains across this report. The top 100 brands are worth an extra £2.06bn in total, after locked- down shoppers packed their fridges, freezers and kitchen cupboards, with the UK’s biggest brand, Cadbury, putting on an extra £140m in sales.
As a result, this year’s rundown shows 76 brands in value growth, with 47 having grown by double digits. To underline the significance of those numbers, compare and contrast with 2019’s: 53 brands in growth, just seven by double digits.
Home town: Milan, Italy
Potted CV: Worked as a supply chain manager for Unilever in the UK from 1994 to 2000. Worked for CSM Bakery Solutions from 2003 to 2011 before joining FrieslandCampina, where he worked in the Netherlands and Asia, including as MD of Alaska Milk Corporation from 2017 to 2019
Hobbies: Cycling, food, travel
Meat eater or not? I’d call myself a flexitarian. I probably eat meat once a month. Meat is not the problem, it’s just the sheer industrial scale and perspective of it. If we continue this way we’ll just destroy ourselves.
Amid the restrictions, he went from the camaraderie of the factory floor to the isolation of a computer screen in his Airbnb cottage rental – one that was supposed to be temporary, but ended up lasting six months. “That was more challenging,” he admits. To keep in touch with staff, he started recording regular videos to help keep them motivated.
Source: Wholey
In the wake of another national lockdown, breakfast will be an at-home event for the foreseeable. Which makes it an opportune time to launch some on-trend plant breakfast options.
Getting in on the Instagram appetite for smoothie bowls is German start-up Wholey, which unveiled its own plant-based range (pictured). Available in Ocean, Açaí, Tropical and Dragon Fruit flavours, the frozen products are ready in seconds just by adding a splash of water.
Asda has also got more adventurous in its vegan breakfast options. As the lockdown looks set to revive appetite for baking, it has unveiled a “quick and easy to prepare” Berry and Coconut Breakfast Muffin Mix that promises to “make breakfast time more exciting”. And that’s something we’re all craving right now.
A very VEGGIE new year! High street chains unveil new vegan menus including Subway s Taste Like Chicken Sub and Starbucks sausage breakfast roll - while Wagamama vows to make half its food meat-free within a year
More than 400,000 people took part in Veganuary 2020, and this figure looks set to rise in January 2021, as plant-based eating continues to grow in popularity
Restaurants, cafes, and shops are cashing in with more offerings than ever
Here, FEMAIL looks at the vegan treats on offer throughout January including at Marks & Spencer, Starbucks and Subway
The Curators Mushroom Burgers & Balls
Marking its first move away from snacking and into the meat alternatives category, The Curators will launch a duo of plant-based burgers and meatballs into Tesco in January (both rsp: £3.49/200g). According to the startup, the products offer a “fantastic meaty texture” thanks to their “super-high mushroom content” of 86%. The frozen range is also said to be “bursting with natural protein”, containing 5.5g per 100g, along with plenty of fibre (6.8g per 100g).
Quorn Makes Amazing
Meat-free giant Quorn is targeting scratch cooking shoppers with its new ingredients range, which lands in Waitrose on 30 December, Sainsbury’s on 2 January and Asda on 4 January (rsp: £3/175g). Called Makes Amazing, the lineup consists of peri peri-flavoured strips and Turkish-style kebab-flavoured strips, which can be fried and added to a range of dishes.