?Duchy Originals is expanding its portfolio by up to 50 new products in the coming year, including yoghurt, cream and butter. The company has already unveiled additions to its Christmas range, which includes fresh organic sauces - cranberry with orange liqueur, tart redcurrant and thick bread sauce, all at £2.39 for 300g - and a family-sized Christmas pudding in Waitrose, while the Sainsbury line-up includes a free-range turkey crown, Alaskan smoked salmon cured with sea salt, honey and sugar, a 100g organic Christmas pudding and a chocolate orange biscuits drum.
Family-run company Steenbergs Organic has made additions to its range of organic, Fairtrade spices. The company has launched a whole nutmeg and ground nutmeg as well as gift selections, which include a range of nine standard jars, two see-through stackers of three standard jars and a mulling wine kit. The company has also forged links with a new Fairtrade spice producer that will lead to an increased supply of Fairtrade pepper.
?Tibetan goji berries have made their way on to Tesco's shelves. The berries, which look like red raisins and taste like cranberries crossed with cherries, have "incredible" health benefits; they contain more iron ounce for ounce than a steak, and 500 times more vitamin C than oranges, as well as amino acids and antioxidants. They are grown in the Himalayas without fertilisers or chemicals and are naturally sun-dried without additives or preservatives. They carry a hefty price tag of £8.99 for a 250g pack.
Spice, herb and ingredients manufacturer Bart Delicatessen has added five new lines to its range, all sourced from Peru. The lines include Purple Cornmeal, an authentic base for tortillas, cornbread and blinis, and Amaranth, a mineral-rich wholegrain that is a popular South American alternative to couscous or rice. Consumers with slightly hotter tastes are also catered for with its new Aji Amarillo powder, Hot Aji Limo chilli powder and Aji Limo chilli flakes, which give dishes a fiery kick.
?Merchant Gourmet is targeting the convenience market with its Couscous Pots. The products come in two varieties: Moroccan with sultanas and apricots, and Mediterranean with sunflower and pumpkin seeds. They are ready in four minutes simply by adding hot water and olive oil.
Designed as a meal accompaniment or snack, the 175g pots serve two and are available from Tesco, priced £1.99. Retail director Simon Bell says: "Our mission is to make premium, authentic food accessible and convenient for everyday consumption. We feel we've achieved this with the new Couscous Pots - rather than cooking from scratch, consumers can now enjoy a healthy, versatile dish in minutes."
?Chokolit, which was launched in July at Heart of England Fine Foods' Find event, is a selection of handmade Belgian chocolates packaged in a box entirely made of chocolate. The boxes are decorated with coloured cocoa butter to appeal to the seasonal market, such as Mother's Day, Christmas and Valentine's Day. The product is the brainchild of a Staffordshire family business, headed by former occupational hygienist Phil Barnett. The husband, wife and son team makes handmade luxury chocolates without artificial preservatives, colourings, or hydrogenated oils and trans fatty acids.
Fine foods distributor Bevelynn is bringing three authentic Greek snacks to the UK to tap into what it says is a growing demand for Greek food. The products are Olive Meze and contain marinated olives with either chilli, garlic & herbs, jalapeno peppers or with a country mix. They have achieved listings in 179 Tesco stores from this month.
?Bespoke Foods launched the Mora Mora Equitrade chocolate bar from Madagascar at this month's Speciality and Fine Food Show. The 85g bar has a 73%-cocoa content produced under the Equitrade system in Madagascar, where raw materials are processed and packaged in the native country to help its economy. It is made from trinitario, criollo and forastero cocoa beans for a chocolate that is said to have a delicate floral hint.
Before and After Candy demonstrated its Before and After Mints at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair. The novel product consists of a serving of peppermints and flavoured mints in a lip-shaped tin, which should be consumed at different times of the day. The mints come in four variants - peppermint with either lemon, wintergreen, tangerine and cinnamon flavours.
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