Happy FriYay Foodies,
Last week, I was in London, exploring new projects, catching up with food industry friends, and attending the Speciality Fine Food Fair. Celebrating its 25th year, the fair is an excellent hub for discovering innovative products and forging new connections. If you couldn’t make it, don’t worry—I’ve rounded up some key trends from the event that highlight the creative brands shaking up their categories.
Clean Label & Transparency: Consumers continue to demand transparency and natural ingredients, with brands like Emma Basic leading the way. Their commitment to “no additives” reflects the growing clean-label trend, with food that prioritises simplicity, health, and purity.
Functional & Wellness-Driven Beverages: Brands such as Go Matcha and JIN JIN are tapping into the growing demand for wellness drinks, offering convenient, preservative-free options that promote both physical and mental wellbeing. These products focus on natural energy, fermentation, and holistic health.
Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing: Sustainability is front and centre, with brands like Black Bee Honey and Amba Estate showcasing ethical sourcing and sustainable production. From single-origin British honey to hand-rolled Sri Lankan teas, the focus is on supporting local producers and reducing environmental impact.
Innovative Snacking: The snacking category is getting a health-conscious makeover with brands like Raw Bar Snacksy, Pukpip and Kooky. These brands offer nutritious, indulgent snacks made from real fruits or exotic superfruits, tapping into the growing demand for convenient, guilt-free options.
Global Flavours & Artisan Techniques: Global influences are strong, with brands like CHIMMY’S chimichurri and Confirel’s artisanal Cambodian products bringing authentic international flavours to the UK market. These products marry traditional methods with modern convenience, offering bold, exciting tastes.
Convenience Without Compromise: Convenience continues to evolve, with brands like Broth Way and All Dressed Up offering high-quality, ready-to-use products without sacrificing health or flavour. Whether it’s premium drinking broths or versatile dressings, these innovations make everyday meals easier and more delicious.
From clean label trends to wellness beverages and global flavour influences, this year's fair was a celebration of innovation, sustainability, and creativity in the food industry.
Enjoy the read,
Annie x
KOOKY EXOTIC SUPER FRUITS
Kooky (B Corp certified) is a female-led, purpose driven British company, born out of Aline’s passion for exotic super-fruits, esp. mangosteen. She aims to revolutionise the way we snack and to challenge the dried fruit category with innovative textures (crunchy freeze dry) and unusual tropical flavours. The range is quirky, unique & vibrant, it includes the like of mangosteen, dragon fruit, durian, jackfruit or Thai mango. The packs are 100% fruit, vegan, gluten-free, free from the main 14 allergens and packed with essential vitamins, fibre & antioxidants. What's also lovely and connects consumers with the brand is that Kooky champions diversity, encourages kindness and empowers others. Ethics and sustainability are at the core of the business model. The company is B Corp certified since May 2023, a member of 1% of the Planet and corporate sponsor to Women for Women International since launch.
GO MATCHA READY TO DRINK MATCHA LATTE
GoMatcha was born from founder Nina’s passion to create a daily ritual that invigorates the mind, fuels the body, and nurtures the soul—offering a moment of calm amidst the hustle of everyday life. She believed that the incredible benefits of matcha should be accessible to everyone, not just as a drink, but as a way to inspire vitality and balance. They launched their Ready-to-drink Oat Matcha Latte at the SFF show, the first ready to drink matcha. It's vegan, organic, with no added sugars or nasties and most importantly its tastes delicious. Made to the same high quality, 100% organic matcha, sourced sustainably from communities that cultivate it with care and respect for the earth. Just with the added convenience of ready to drink. I was really impressed with the quality of the finished product and super to see Matcha convenience in the drink aisles. This one has great potential!
RAW BAR SNACKSY
Created by a mum of six, Snacksy make delicious, healthy snacks that feel and taste decadent. They just happen to be dairy, gluten, soy and refined sugar free, so appealing to a whole host of people.
Made in the UK with simple and recognisable ingredients, they keep their bars in their raw form, only ever using unroasted cacao beans, maintaining the original nutrients of chocolate. aw Bar Snacksy's are high in anti-oxidants, completely vegan and kosher certified and they are an energy booster which come in a wide range of mouth-watering flavours including: Matcha, Berry & Almond with Ginkgo Biloba, Salted Caramel with Maca, Signature Dark, Buckwheat and Almonds with Lucuma.
CHIMMY'S CHIMICHURRI - ARGENTINIAN FLAVOURS
Born in Buenos Aires but now residing in London Diego and Sofia developed their version of their country’s classic ubiquitous sauce, Chimichurri by embracing their Argentinian heritage and Diego’s Michelin starred chef credentials while celebrating the diversity of the British culture. CHIMMY’S delivers an all natural blend of spices, herbs, oils and vinegars. Available in 3 blends, CHIMMY’S Chimichurri emboldens meat, compliments fish and adds a zing to salads. Their Classic is an everyday sauce, whilst the Smoky BBQ is rich with a little bit of sweetness at the end, and their Spicy option gives extra heat to tickle your taste buds.
CONFIREL - ARTISANAL CAMBODIAN PRODUCTS
Confirel is a pioneering Cambodian company that blends tradition with innovation to create value-added, artisanal products rooted in Khmer identity. Their product range includes organic Kampot pepper (which tastes AMAZING!), palm sugar, prahok powder, and premium cacao products, each crafted to reflect the rich heritage and authentic flavours of Cambodia. Founded in 2001 by Dr. Hay Ly Eang, Confirel is committed to driving a circular economy, working closely with local farmers to promote sustainable agriculture and ensure environmental stewardship.
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