This week’s look at new food launches includes spicy sauces and relishes inspired by Tunisian and Libyan cuisine, and an expanded range of premium instant noodles.
Image: GettyImages/Talaj
This week’s look at new food launches includes spicy sauces and relishes inspired by Tunisian and Libyan cuisine, while Kabuto Noodles is expanding its range of premium instant noodles.
Image: GettyImages/Talaj
Two non-alcoholic ‘ready to drink’ cans have been launched by Sea Arch Drinks, both using its trademark Coastal Juniper distilled spirit as the base for a refreshing and convenient alcohol-free cocktail.
Inspired by a G&T but with none of the alcohol, the Sea & T is a double measure of Sea Arch spirit mixed with a lightly sparkling Indian tonic, while the Rose Sea & T is blended with a delicate rose and raspberry infused tonic. Both are designed to be served chilled in a tall glass over ice, garnished with a slice of citrus or fresh raspberry.
Sea Arch Coastal Juniper is made using traditional distillation techniques. At the first sip, aromatic juniper and bitter grapefruit give a clean, crisp taste. Then comes the sweetness and spice of blood orange and coriander. Distinctively fresh coastal notes and Devon character are distilled from the wild seaside herbs of sugar kelp and samphire, and cardamom ensures a balanced, warm finish. Overall, its delicate balance of botanicals gives an intense and inviting depth of flavour, providing a sophisticated alternative for times when people don’t want to drink alcohol.
The Sea & T range is not only alcohol-free but also low in calories and free from sweeteners and preservatives. Derived from 100% natural ingredients, the two new drinks are sold in 250ml recyclable aluminium cans with a recommended retail price of £2.35 each. They are available through selected retailers, as well as online through Ocado, Amazon and the Sea Arch Drinks website.
Sea Arch Drinks co-founder Sarah Yates said: “Bursting with seaside botanicals, our Sea & T has all the deliciousness of a G&T with none of the alcohol. It’s a great addition to the Sea Arch range as the convenient format of a ‘ready to drink’ can means people can simply snap it open and serve, ideally over ice and a slice. This makes the Sea & T an easy and delicious option for occasions when you might be driving or working, or you simply don’t want to drink alcohol. As we like to say, it really is more beautiful without!”
Inspired by the sights and sounds of the glorious Devon coastline, where founders Sarah and Geoff Yates live, Sea Arch Coastal Juniper blend is a healthy, alcohol-free drink that doesn’t compromise on taste or experience. It is made from a blend of 11 different botanicals, with the resulting distilled spirit being clean, refreshing, crisp, dry and complex, providing a genuine non-alcoholic alternative for gin lovers.
Image supplied by Sea Arch
UK-based Mediterranean brand unearthed has entered the premium chilled savoury pastry category for the first time with a range of four brand new products full of world flavours: Manchego and Serrano Rolls, Spicy ‘Nduja Rolls, Chicken and Chorizo Mini Empanadas and Smoky Beef Mini Empanadas.
The brand’s entry into premium chilled savoury pastry includes the launch of two different rolls that are made with all butter flaky pastry and are inspired by unearthed’s mission to replicate ‘authentic holiday meals at home’.
Designed around all Spanish flavour, the Manchego and Serrano Rolls are packed full of outdoor-bred pork, Serrano ham, Manchego cheese and finished with a cheese and parsley crumb. The second roll in the range, Spicy ‘Nduja, brings a touch of heat with its blend of Calabrian flavours, containing outdoor-bred pork, spicy ‘Nduja sausage and roasted peppers, hand finished with a fennel seed sprinkle.
The Manchego and Serrano Rolls and Spicy ‘Nduja Rolls will be available in September in Waitrose and contain two rolls in a pack (188g, RRP £3.50).
Joining the rolls are two authentic mini empanadas recipes, thinly rolled all butter pastry parcels that are packed full of flavour and draw on South American and Spanish influences.
The Chicken and Chorizo Mini Empanadas are filled to the brim with slow cooked chicken and chorizo in a sundried tomato and smoked paprika sauce and topped with a nigella seed and paprika sprinkle, making them the perfect snack or small plate as part of a tapas spread. The Smoky Beef Mini Empanadas are stuffed with beef and sweetcorn in a sundried tomato and harissa sauce and completed with a paprika and fennel seed sprinkle, delighting the senses with their authentic smoky flavour.
The Chicken and Chorizo Mini Empanadas and Smoky Beef Mini Empanadas will be available in Waitrose and contain six mini empanadas in a pack (240g, RRP £4).
Carrie Hollis-Patel, Marketing Manager at The Compleat Food Group, which own unearthed, said: “We’re all about discovery and bringing delicious flavours from our trips abroad into everyday life. Our hugely popular and longstanding deli range ticks all these boxes, but we’re always looking at how we can innovate and introduce our customers to new and exciting foods from around the world.
“Having already experienced success in the frozen pastry market with our pastel de natas, an extension into chilled pastry seemed a natural fit. We saw a gap in the category that would allow us to develop something truly unique in premium pastry, by combining sensational flavours that take adventurous food lovers back to their favourite holiday destinations, all packaged in the roll format that we know customers love.”
Image supplied by unearthed
UK start-up brand the African Foodie is promising consumers ‘convenient ways to spice up their tired meal repertoires and rekindle distant holiday memories’ with its launch of North African-inspired sauces and relishes.
The launch includes:
BERBER HARISSA: Authentic North African Tribe chilli sauce made from cayenne peppers, garlic, carraway olive oil, sunflower oil & dried chillies
SHAKSHUKA: The original Tunisian sauce made with Mediterranean veg & traditional spices
OMEK HOURIA: A lively carrot relish flavoured with garlic & spices including coriander & carraway seeds
MASHWIYA: An enticing Libyan blend of sublime Mediterranean vegetables
Founder Alsamani Khider said time-poor consumers are looking further afield to the Middle East, Northern Africa & South America for ‘healthier World Cuisine’ solutions. “The African Foodie hopes to celebrate the finest food traditions from across the African Continent. In the short-term the focus is very much Tunisia and Libya.”
Image supplied by the African Foodie
Swedish plant-based brand Peas of Heaven is pivoting to the frozen section with Swedish food tech company Mycorena. The products combine recipes from Peas of Heaven, protein from peas and Mycorena's mycoprotein ingredient Promyc, derived from fungi. All four products are now available nationwide in Sweden – with more markets to follow shortly.
The two brands have teamed up previously to make a vegan sausage, called The Converter, using the pea protein/mycoprotein combination. The two brands are now taking the next step with a full range of products in the frozen segment.
“We see tremendous growth opportunities in the frozen segment, but we're not just bringing frozen versions of our fresh products. Instead, we have partnered with Mycorena to create a totally unique range of products combining plant-based protein and Mycorena's very exciting mycoprotein ingredient Promyc,” said Julia Granung, Head of Product Development at Peas of Heaven.
According to the brands, the combination of plant-based protein and the mycoprotein ingredient creates a juicy, meat-like texture that promises a delicious range of products.
Ebba Fröling, COO at Mycorena, said: “We have always believed in the potential of vegan hybrid products, and earlier this year, together with Peas of Heaven, we launched a highly popular and appreciated product, The Converter. The new nationwide launch of the frozen product segment now uses the peas and Promyc combination and stems from the success of the Converter. We are excited to continue working with Peas of Heaven for this successful hybrid approach.”
Image from Peas of Heaven and Mycorena
The UK’s Kabuto Noodles is launching its Fusion range via Ocado, Sainsbury’s and Amazon.
According to the ‘posh pot noodle’ company, which has just become a B Corp, the Mexican Taco inspired pot has a ‘chipotle kick, sweetcorn lime and coriander for a tastebud tingling taste experience’. The Indian Masala inspired pot combines the ‘crunch of cauliflower, cream of coconut for a touch of indulgence, and a coriander kick with a sprinkling of lentils’.
The new flavours have been created for adventurous-yet-convenient lunches at work, or to add in additional ingredients for a flavourful dinner at home, and the ultimate easy takeaway Friday. The consumer just needs to fill the pot with boiling water and wait 3-4 minutes for their meal.
A recent reformulation of the entire Kabuto Noodles range to a 100% Vegetarian, non-HFSS ingredient list has aimed to recruit the more health-conscious customer to the instant noodle category.
Founder Crispin Busk said: “The UK are huge noodle lovers and want quality convenience, and we want our new Fusion’s range to appeal to the adventurous foodies. Kabuto’s mission is to offer customers the most premium, planet-friendly pots possible, bursting with all-natural ingredients. We’ve taken a foray into Fusions as we believe this to be the future of flavour, and we want to explore new and exciting ways to push for category growth in an already exciting sector. The launch comes just as we are celebrating our recent B Corp certification. We’ve always aimed to be leaders in the competitive world of instant noodles, both in taste as well as environmentally, and now we’ve proved quality instant noodles needn’t cost the earth.”
The SKUs RRP is £1.85 for 65g.
Image supplied by Kabuto Noodles
Italian food brand Crosta & Mollica has a moved into oven ready meals, with its new Al Forno range. Featuring Italian staples including Lasagne al Ragù and Aubergine Parmigiana, Crosta & Mollica’s new four-strong range will be rolling out into Ocado on 28th September 2022, RRP from £5.00.
The range includes Traditional Italian Lasagne made in authentic Bolognese fashion; Aubergine Parmigiana, made up of layers of delicately fried aubergine; Lasagne Alle Verdure, made with fresh aubergines, courgettes, peppers and tomatoes; and Linguine All Pescatora, a pasta dish combines octopus, squid, prawn, and mussels in a rich tomato passata, simmered in white wine and parsley.
Image supplied by Crosta & Mollica
