This week we have new releases from Leon Grocery, Heura and Crosta and Mollica, as well as a new gin from Elephant Gin, a new menu from Zizzi, and a new listing for effervescent start-up Phizz.
Image: eternalcreative/Getty Images
This week we have new releases from Leon Grocery, Heura and Crosta and Mollica, as well as a new gin from Elephant Gin, a new menu from Zizzi, and a new listing for effervescent start-up Phizz.
Image: eternalcreative/Getty Images
LEON Grocery, the groceries arm of upmarket fast food chain LEON, has announced it will release its famous rice boxes for the home with the launch of its first two microwaveable rice products.
LEON’s Spicy Microwave Rice, which includes the ingredients red quinoa, adzuki beans and chipotle chilli, will 'light a blaze on the tongue', while LEON’s Herbed Microwave Rice is full of rainbow vegetables, roasted garlic and lemon for a 'calmer, more mellow rice'.
Available in microwavable patches with a two-minute heating time, LEON's microwavable rice is also a good source of fibre.
“Fibre-full wholegrain rice and grains have been at the heart of the LEON restaurant menu since 2004, in our year-round bestselling Rice Boxes,” said Ashley Davis, Managing Director of LEON Grocery.
“This launch into Microwaveable rice takes a signature LEON dish and flavours and makes them even more accessible, allowing even more people to eat well, live well and be kind to the planet.”
Both products will be sold in Sainsbury’s from 29 October with an RRP of £1.80 for 240g.
Image Source: LEON
Spanish plant-based meat brand Heura has announced its release of ‘York style’ plant-based ham. The ham is low in saturated fat and total fat, with no additives and, most importantly, it has 64% protein density.
Using its recently unveiled thermomechanical process, Heura is able to produce realistic plant-based products from a list of familiar ingredients, a process that requires only oil, water and protein.
According to the World Health Organization, 28% of ischemic diseases and 38% of cardiovascular diseases stem from an overconsumption of processed meats, and they are included in Group 1 of harmful substances to humans, a group which also includes tobacco smoke, alcohol, plutonium and polluted air. Heura aims to replace these with its products.
“The new patent-pending technology applied in this product is here to redefine food processing and accelerate the plant-based protein transition,” said Marc Coloma, CEO and co-founder of Heura.
“By focusing on high nutritional values with clean labels, we are not only creating an unprecedented competitive advantage, but also offering a new level of animal meat successors, foods that are superior to their traditional meat counterparts.”
Image Source: Heura
Gin producer Elephant Gin is releasing a new limited-edition ‘African Explorer’ gin to mark its ten-year anniversary.
The African Explorer gin features ingredients from all over Africa, including freshly sourced aromatic buchu leaves from South Africa (which according to the company have a flavour reminiscent of blackcurrant), white ginger from Cameroon, Sumbala seeds from Burkina Faso, African nutmeg, baobab, and Lion’s Tail.
The B-Corp certified company also puts a strong emphasis on sustainability, with its 15% lighter eco glass bottles saving 60 tones of CO2 each year. The company also uses 65% recycled glass.
Through its newly established Elephant Gin Foundation, 15% of the proceeds of the limited-edition gin will go to the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), who are working to save the endangered African Forest Elephant, an elephant native to West and Central Africa, from extinction.
The limited-edition gin launched at the Bar Covent Berlin last week, and will be available from the Craft Gin Club. It will be available at an RRP of £45.
Image Source: Elephant Gin
Italian food brand Crosta and Mollica has announced that it is expanding its frozen deserts range with two new deserts, Amaretto Tiramisù and Caramel Crema Cotta.
The Caramel Crema Cotta launched in Waitrose on 2 October. It will be followed by the Amaretto Tiramisù, which will be released in UK Tesco outlets on 30 October.
While the Tiramisù is an amaretto-themed twist on the legendary desert, the Caramel Crema Cotta is Crosta and Mollica’s own version of the classic Italian desert panna cotta, combined with French influences.
The launch follows the brand’s highly successful existing desert range, which includes products such as Tartufi frozen gelato truffles and Mascarpone Cream & Marsala Tiramisù.
The products will be available with an RRP of £5.
Image Source: Crosta and Mollica
On 15 October, effervescent startup Phizz launched in UK pharmacy chain Boots for the first time, following a range of other successes. Effervescent tablets dissolve in water, releasing carbon dioxide and carbonating the drink. They often also provide taste and vitamins.
The startup, which provides vitamin-filled effervescent tablets, have a core range of flavours - Orange, Mixed Berry and Apple & Blackcurrant – alongside recent additions such as Mango and a guarana-filled Cherry Caffeine Boost.
The brand has grown by 500% since 2021 and is now third place in the category, behind only category mainstays Berocca and Science in Sport. It is also the first hydration tablet to be stacked by a commercial airline, Emirates.
The brand now has 4,000 distribution points, including Tesco and Tesco Express, Sainsbury’s, Ocado, Amazon, 1Rebel, Peloton, WHSmith and Boots.
"For years, folks have been expecting to find Phizz at Boots,” said founder Daniel Cray. “It's thrilling that they can now! This high-profile listing in the UK boosts our visibility, adds to our credibility, and solidifies our status as a fast-growing brand that's here to stay."
Image Source: Phizz
Pizza chain Zizzi has announced its Autumn menu for 2023. The menu has 28 new menu items, including 11 new cocktails and mocktails.
On the savoury side, the menu offers pizzas such as the half-and-half Triple Cheese Diavola and the Fable Shiitake ‘Shroom Rustica, as well as meals such as Pan-Fried Seabass. Deserts include Brownie and Honeycomb Pizette and Black Forest Fondant. Drinks include Tiramisu Espresso Martini and Campri Elderflower Fizz. New sides include Courgette Fritti, Tuscan-style Potatoes and Green Beans.
“We are always improving our menu to bring customers exciting twists on well-known Italian classics,” said Harry Heeley, Managing Director Zizzi restaurants said, “and we are delighted to announce our Autumn menu to Zizzi fans nationwide. We’ve extended and elevated our cocktails & mocktails ranges with 11 new drinks including a new range of signature cocktails, this is alongside 28 new savoury and sweet dishes - we can’t wait to welcome in our loyal customers.”
Image Source: Zizzi
