Fine food fair

Earlier this week, I visited the Speciality & Fine Food Fair at Olympia, London, which was a treat for all the senses. I’d heard good things about the show, but with it being my first time, I was keen to speak to exhibitors about their new product developments.

This year, the show gave itself a fresh look, with refreshed visitor attractions, thousands of new products and some 200 suppliers making their debut. The Speciality Chocolate Fair was merged into the main body of the fair this year into the Speciality Chocolate Trail. The new Discovery Zone, which was a dedicated area for up and coming food and drink businesses which have been trading in the UK for less than 36 months, was certainly impressive and it was great to see so many new companies emerging in the industry.

Among the exhibitor highlights was ChocLab, which was presenting a line of round chocolate tablets, with flavours based on the periodic table. The company, which was seeing a lot of interest at its stand, recognises that there is a lot of competition for artisan chocolate and believes its products offer an alternative to regular chocolate bars.

A company launching at the show this year was Bean & Pod. As well as its assortment boxed, which hold either 14 or 28 chocolates, the company also showcased its peanut butter chocolates and coated almonds. A spokesperson for the company revealed it is working on a vegan Nutella type product and is currently testing four different variants.

Popcorn brand Ninas, which launched at the show last year, showcased its gourmet popcorn range which is sweetened using healthier ingredients, including coconut sugar. Flavours include sweet coconut, himalayan pink salt and maca, with the most popular one being cacao, goji berries & pistachios.

Rhythm108 introduced its new chocolate bar range. The bars, which are said to be high in fibre, are available in flavours including chocolate & coconut and chocolate & praline.

Keep an eye on our Sweets & Savoury Snacks World website for coverage of the new launches and developments from brands at the show.

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