This year, IFE brought the British and international food and beverage producers together at ExCeL to showcase innovations from all corners of the industry. Hosting start-ups and established names alike, this year’s event stretched across 15 zones, from a dedicated dairy pavillion to specialty foods, chilled desserts and much more beyond.
Here’s a snippet of the products that impressed us.
Jane’s natural functional drinks
French beverage start-up Jane showcased its range of functional drinks with nootropic and adaptogenic botanicals for the first time in the UK.
A particular highlight was the Love line, containing 375 mg of maca and 95 mg of damiana, two natural ingredients known for their aphrodisiac properties; the Beauty line, which contains vegan collagen, lipowheat and vitamin C; and the Energy line with yerba mate, guarana and vitamin C, which promises to naturally increase energy without the side-effects associated with traditional energy drinks.
“Jane also has a range of CBD beverages – in fact, their first product was a CBD iced tea,” we were told by the start-up’s communications specialist, Veena Gopal. “But we couldn’t import these products for the show because of the high CBD content (35mg).”
Jane’s products are available at Carrefour in France and the firm was hoping to forge a distribution deal with a British retailer.
School Yard Kitchen’s fairtrade snacks and condiments
The Glasgow-based social enterprise is on a mission to make a difference, the organisation’s Sarah Christie told us.
“We source ingredients directly from Ghana and then we blend them over here in Scotland to create our products, with every purchase of our snacks, sauces and jams contributing directly to support communities in Ghana and Scotland.” For example, the chocolate pretzels on stand were made with chillies and cocoa beans straight from farmers in Ghana.
Products are sold in farmer shops in Britain and include sauces, oils, herbs, chocolate bars, jams, and more.
Jersey Dairy’s 100% Arabica iced coffee
Farmer-owned co-operative Jersey Dairy highlighted some of its long-life foodservice and export products made from grass-fed Jersey cow’s milk.
“We export mainly UHT products and some butter for the likes of Marks and Spencer and we send a lot of UHT milk to Hong Kong and some other regions,” director of sales and marketing David Ashton told us. “We chose soft ice cream to export initially and it grew very well, so we created a bit of a name for ourselves in the foodservice and in ice cream thanks to our slightly thicker soft ice cream made with our premium milk. We’ve done very well for 10-12 years in that market.”
Now the company has branched into chilled drinks, specifically UHT iced coffee and chocolate milk. “Again, we wanted something that’s easy to use, high-quality and with long ambient storage [of 12 months].” The ice coffee blends 100% Arabica coffee with Jersey cow’s milk and can be served chilled, blended or over ice.The chocolate milk contains Belgian chocolate and the co-op’s Jersey milk.
“We launched [the chilled drinks] properly this year and need to see where we can go: we’ve got a number of distributors in the UK and we’re looking at pushing into other markets now with our entire range,” Ashton said.
Butcombe Brewing Co.’s Tall Tales Pale Ale Zero
Freshly launched last month and only starting to pour at pumps in the UK, Bristol-based Butcombe highlighted its non-alcoholic pale ale Tall Tales Zero. With craft ales accounting for 38% of keg ale sales and growing over 30% compared to pre-Covid levels according to CGA, the alcohol-free beer is suitable for those moderating their alcohol intake or simply seeking something new, we were told.
Tall Tales Zero follows on from Butcombe’s low-alc ale Goram IPA Zero, which has been on the market since 2021.
The Canine Menu’s dog biscuits from spent grain
The Canine Menu highlighted Brewer Bites, dog biscuits from upcycled spent brewer’s grain; a new ‘puppuccino’ product, and ambient ‘ice lollies’ made from pea protein.
The company’s range of dried dog chews (pictured above) contains no additives or preservatives and is hypoallergenic and high in protein. There are rabbit, boar, buffalo, venison, and duck meat options. All formulations are low in odour and mess-free, we were told.
What brings a pet snacking firm to IFE? “The idea of our products is to offer tasty treats for dogs in order to keep dog owners at the pub for as long as possible,” the company’s Nick Marsh told us. “We sell into hospitality outlets, specifically pubs across the UK. We saw a gap in the market for good quality dog treats that would actually be enjoyable for pets – and we know that a happy dog often means a longer stay at the pub.”
Krocus & Co’s saffron tea
Great Taste award-winning herbal and black teas from Krocus made an appearance at IFE. Founder Alexandros Papakostas told us he used to pick saffron flowers as a child back in Greece where he hails from; an experience that ultimately inspired him to start a premium tea business. Besides being a culinary ingredient, saffron has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and promote cognitive and gut health.
The company’s range includes three teas with saffron: Sage & Lemon Verbena; Cinnamon & Clove; and Orange and Honey. The teas – packaged in compostable and plastic-free teabags and recyclable pouches - are available D2C with the company hoping to secure wholesale distribution this year.
Naturli’s plant-based milk and butter
Danish company Naturli presented its range of alt dairy block butters, spreads and oatmilks for foodservice applications. CEO Henrik Lund told us the spreadable – which is also available as an organic product – combines four types of plant oils and butters (rapeseed, shea, coconut and almond) to get the consistency right. “Many plant-based butters fail at that, especially in professional applications like bakery, where you need perfect lamination,” he told us.
The company also highlighted a new barista-style oatmilk developed alongside Dragsbæk, a plant-based and hybrid dairy product producer and supplier in the Nordics.
PrePear’s anti-hangover drink
London-based beverage start-up PrePear presented its pre-alcohol drink that can help reduce the severity of hangover.
The drink contains 100% Korean pear juice – known to be a natural hangover cure – and contains no added sugar or preservatives. It is produced in South Korea and imported by the company into the UK, with a single 120ml pouch containing 49 calories and 11.3g of sugar. Shelf-life is around a year and the drink must be refrigerated.
A single pouch consumed 20 minutes before drinking is enough to alleviate a hangover the next day, the company claims. The juice can also be enjoyed on its own as it contains fiber, antioxidants and other micronutrients.
