10 Jul 2019
VEGGIE & VEGAN NPD NEWS ...
Premium frozen food specialist, field fare, continues to expand their meat free ranges with vegan pasties and quinoa burgers, and vegetarian savoury pastries: authenticity direct from specialist producers …
All sold loose, individually, without packaging and frozen … minimising both food and plastic waste …
And a Highly Commended in the Veggie Awards for fresh pasta …
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The stats say it all … 34% of meat-eaters reduced their meat consumption in 2018, due to health or environmental concerns, according to a recent Mintel survey. Their prediction is that the meat-free market will grow by 44% by 2023 and not surprisingly, 2018 saw a record number of vegan products launching in the UK, as meat-free moves into the mainstream as a lifestyle choice.
Having launched 40 years ago with fresh frozen, loose serve fruit and veg,field fare has its trailblazing roots in vegan and environmental solutions. They have since introduced biodegradable bags to this Simply Scoop format, which now number over 80 lines; and allows customers to scoop precise amounts into minimal packaging or, in selected shops, into BYO refillable containers.
They continue to grow their premium vegetarian and vegan offer, which now numbers 30 ready meals, over 80 loose serve fruit and veg lines and 30 bakery lines including sweet and savoury products, all underpinned by a promise of innovation, authenticity, sourced from specialist producers, and uncompromising quality. With more to come …
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A Proper Cornish Vegan Pasty … Handmade in Bodmin by the UK's leading producer of handcrafted pasties, this is as close to the authentic recipe of a traditional Cornish Pasty as vegan can get. Proper Cornish pack their hand crimped pastry with fresh Cornish potatoes, swedes and onions, a traditional peppery pop and soya-based vegan mince; all brushed with a vegan glaze.
Serves 1: sold loose, individually | Weight: 283g each | Whls: £1.90 | RRP: £2.70
Cooking instructions:Cook from frozen in a preheated oven 200˚C / 400°F / Gas mark 6 for 40 – 45 minutes
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Quinoa, Beetroot & Edamame Burger … perfect for the barbecue season, but equally delicious sliced in wraps, this firm, flavoursomeburger is both vegan and gluten free. Crammed with Superfoods, it is made with quinoa, beetroot and Edamame beans, a punchy combination of spices and a warming hint of chilli, topped with a sprinkling of pumpkin seeks and.
Serves 1: sold loose, individually | Weight: 88g each | Whls: 70p | RRP: £1.10
Cooking instructions: Brush both side with oil, cook from frozen in a preheated oven 200˚C / 400°F / Gas mark 6 for 20 minutes, turning half way through OR deep fry in preheated oil at 180˚C for 7-8 minutes.
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Cheese and Onion Twist …fresh frozen pastry from master producers of artisanal pastries, based in Rennes in Normandy, this is their best selling product. And no wonder. Light and fluffy puff pastry is filled with a creamy onion and Emmental béchamel sauce, twisted and sprinkled with quinoa and nigella seeds. The ultimate gourmet snack for any time of the day or a vegetarian meal centrepiece.
Serves 1: sold loose, individually | Weight: 90g each | Whls: 70p | RRP: £1.10
Cooking instructions: Brush both side with oil, cook from frozen in a preheated oven 200˚C / 400°F / Gas mark 6 for 20 minutes, turning half way through OR deep fry in preheated oil at 180˚C for 7-8 minutes.
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And in further news … field fare was thrilled to have received a Highly Commended in the Veggie Awards for their frozen Vegetable & Ricotta Ravioli: one of a four-strong range of fresh, filled authentic pastas.
Produced by a small family business in Liguria that have made nothing but fresh pasta for generations, using traditional Piedmontese recipes and regional ingredients, these really are 'like mama used to make …'
Weight: 400g | Whls: £3.46 each | RRP: £4.99
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Availability of field fare products: over 400 farm shops, garden centres, delis and butchers across the UK, which stock field fare products. A postcode-activated search for local stockists can be found at www.field-fare.com
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editors' notes …
- the team… field fare remains family owned by the second generation Cryer family and based in Kent on Black Robins Farms (pictured right), a working farm where llamas guard the sheep (yes, really) and chickens regularly strut through the office (true too). A tight team of just six has been working together for up to 10 years and MD Karen Deans has been at the rudder for 16 years. Karen graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a BA Hons in Business Studies, before embarking on a 2½ year tour with her husband-to-be. They bush-camped and worked around Africa and Australia, then to Hong Kong and Manila before returning home. Karen worked for 8 years for Storsack UK Ltd, an industrial packaging company, then in the oil industry; and finally joined field farein 2001, becoming MD in 2003, as Richard and Ann Cryer moved towards retirement.
- the history … 40 years ago, in 1977, field fare launched a pioneering idea in independent retail. Visionary in its environmentalism, brilliant in its simplicity, the idea was high quality fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen direct from the field and sold loose by the scoop from branded freezers; with minimum packaging and waste, maximum nutrient, vitamin and mineral lock-in, zero additives or preservatives required and the flexibility for customers to economically take as little or as much as they wanted. The loose range now numbers over 80 products ranging from Tuscan Roasting Vegetables to Tuna & Mozzarella Fishcakes. In November 2015 it was joined by a premium ready-meal range, each made in small batches using the quality and quantity of ingredients used in a domestic kitchen, locally sourced where possible. It now numbers over 60 dishes, including comfort food classics, international cuisine, desserts-to-die-for and special dietary requirement dishes.
- the nitty gritty … field fare ready meals are made in small batches and frozen down to between -12°C and -15°C, before being stored at -25°C, which means they immediately retain all those nutrients and flavours with no need to add any preservatives or nasties. Products should be stored at a temperature of -18°C, have a 12 – 18 month shelf life and are mainly to be oven cooked from frozen. Ready meal RRPs range from £2.75 for a single portion Macaroni Cheese to £8.50 for a double portion Fish Pie, and in weight from 300g for a single portion Liver and Bacon to 800g for a double portion Shepherd's Pie.
- the environmentals … pioneering in their environmentally conscious loose-serve model, field fareis still committed to reducing food and packaging waste and minimising food miles. Freezing food reduces the waste associated with perishables, while loose serve means only as much as is needed is taken, with minimal packaging. It is also year-round seasonal, negating the hugely damaging air miles from importing fresh produce; and, transporting in bulk, with minimum packaging much reduces both road freight and frozen storage space. field fare'sone-stop-shop provision of all frozen requirements reduces potential deliveries to just one, but the work continues. In 2018, they are replacing their already minimal, recyclable, loose-serve bags to biodegradable ones. The packaging of their ready meals usessustainable, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificated paper sleeves and mono-material plastic trays. And they are taking the next step towards zero-waste by encouraging their stockists to encourage their customers to bring their own re-useable containers.
- the charity … field fare is proud to support the wonderful work of FareShare, a charity that redistribute surplus food to their 20 UK wide regional centres and on to partner charities. 28.6 million meals per year are thus provided to people in need. fareshare.org.uk
- the stockists … field fare is committed to supporting UK farming, recently recognised by hard won permission from the National Farmers' Union (NFU) to use the Support British Farmers logo. They only supply independent stores, mainly farm shops; and some 400 stockists include selected Blue Diamond Group stores, Dart Farm in Devon, Millets Farm Shop in Oxon, Preston's Barton Grange Garden Centre, Polhill Farm Shop and Broadditch Farm Shop in Kent, Calcott Hall, Brentwood, Thorncliffe Farm Shop in Huddersfield and Gonalston Farm Shop in Nottingham.
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Press enquiries, images and sample requests …
Lisa Jones, Dandelion PR
t: 07968 963456
e: lisa@dandelionpr.co.uk
tw / f: @dandylisa / @dandelionPRUK
field fare links ...
tw / f: @fieldfarefoods / @fieldfarefoods
