What is compostable and it’s benefits for you and the planet?

Firstly, it’s very easy to get confused between ‘compostable’ and ‘biodegradable’, although they are similar in some ways, they are not the same. Biodegradable refers to something that can be left outside and will naturally decompose. To a certain extent a lot of things are biodegradable, as over millions of years they will gradually decompose! Compostable means something will decompose into natural elements in a composting environment. The time this takes can depend on the product and the environment it’s in, but it’s a quicker process than biodegradable products. Compostable products can provide the earth with nutrients once they are broken down, compared to biodegradable products which can produce toxins that are harmful and not good for our planet.

Compostable is all about being environmentally friendly and helping our planet. Waste has become a big issue recently and we can’t afford to carry on the way we have, we need to think sustainably for the future and protect our planet. Compostable products help to minimise waste as the product is decomposed back into natural elements and used as compost. For this to happen, compostable products must be disposed of in the correct way to ensure they are taken to a composting facility and not to landfill. Your waste management company will help you make sure your compostable products are disposed of correctly.

Consumers are becoming more aware of the waste issues facing our planet and like to do their part to help fight them. Research shows that 61% of consumers consider green packaging when deciding where to shop. Consumers feel they are helping to keep a clean planet and a more sustainable environment by choosing companies that use compostable products. Therefore they are more likely to use a product if it’s compostable, because they know it’s not causing more waste problems but helping to resolve it. Did you know? A large amount of the world’s leading brands are aiming for 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable products by 2025.

What is EN13432? EN13432 is an official standard for compostable products. Products with this certification meet the criteria needed for a product to turn into compost in the correct environment. This can be shown on products by using the Seedling logo, which is a registered trademark with European Bioplastics. The Seedling logo helps to identify the product and the correct disposal option, facilitating correct waste separation, collection and recovery.

Here at Nutshell we care for our environment and like to do our bit to help. We have launched some new products made of compostable paper, starting with our Enviro sugar flatsticks in both white and brown sugar and Enviro salt and pepper sachets. Our Compostable paper is based on renewable resources that complement your packaging and sustainable business ethos.

Choosing compostable won’t cost you the earth – in fact, you will be helping to save it!

40% increase in food delivery spend could see it total £7.1 Billion in 2020

In Britain’s out-of-home foodservice industry delivery is up 14% in visit terms to 804 million and has seen a 40% increase in spend to £5.7 billion, research by the NPD Group reveals, comparing the January-to-October period this year with the same period in 2019.

On current trends delivery could finish 2020 with visits in the 12 months up 16% to break the 1 billion barrier and reach 1.1bn visits with spend projected up by 42% at £7.1 billion. That would be the equivalent of a 12 million monthly increase in visits versus 2019 and a £177 million monthly boost to spend.

Dominic Allport, Insights Directer at NPD Group said “Delivery is the silver lining in the otherwise very black cloud that hangs over Britain’s foodservice sector and has been the standout performer in 2020. Delivery spend peaked in July at 51% above pre-COVID-19 levels but this trailed off as foodservice operators re-opened and with the August Eat-Out-to-Help-Out scheme. It’s now rising again amid the return to stricter lockdown rules and we expect it to see further success in the colder winter months and on into 2021. While the delivery channel is often seen as a threat by some operators, during the COVID-19 crisis it is bringing valuable business to many outlets that are otherwise facing the severest business challenges, and helping to feed a nation locked down in their homes.”

Britons still very much value eating out in restaurants, with 50% saying they prefer to dine out or get a takeaway from a restaurant when spending time with friends. Almost six in 10 (58%) say they choose restaurants to eat ‘something special’. This bodes well for the sector, providing hope for when it begins to reopen and recover from the pandemic.

Research by the NPD Group

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Great takeaway and delivery products for the foodservice industry…

Harrisons Sauces

A wide range of sauce flavours available in sachets and dip pots

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Salt & Pepper

Convenient and hygienic salt & pepper sachets

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Portion Usage Triples Following Covid Regulations To Stay Safe

OVER THE PAST 9 MONTHS WE’VE SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE USE OF SINGLE PORTIONS DUE TO HYGIENE FACTORS AND WITH THE INCREASE IN TAKEAWAY OFFERINGS.

The UK Government launched a set of Covid secure guidelines for venues wanting to re-open to serve food & drink safely.  These guidelines emphasised the need for an increase in hygiene measures, with which it was advised to use single serve portions where possible to avoid the use of shared sugar pots or condiment shakers. (Read more)

Portion usage has increased dramatically with the number of pepper portions sold alone increasing by 350% compared to last year, and salt increasing by 134%! 

Why have portions become so popular? 

• Reduced risk as portions are single use. Portions provide a clean and hygienic option that avoids the spread of unwanted germs.

• Customers don’t have to share spoons/touch open bowls, bottles, shakers or grinders. This reduces consumer touch points and potential contamination.

• Helps downtime as less items on tables that need to be cleaned between sittings.

• Saves waste and the cost of having to discard bowls of sauces or preserves, which cannot be left out at self-service areas or on tables between guest sittings

• Portions have always been great for takeaway food options - there has been a large increase in the number of food outlets offering takeaway food over the last couple of months.

• They are very inexpensive and do not add measurably to the cost of the meal, yet actually offer a great branding opportunity.

Did you also know portions can now be made using compostable paper? Protect the environment & your customers! You can make a sustainability statement too by using our Rainforest Alliance Sustainably sourced Black pepper, Mediterranean Sea salt or even Himalayan Pink Salt.

To find out more about the benefits of Portions, such why they save money, click on the following link https://bit.ly/31SVU4d

How to create gourmet Milkshakes! #NationalChocoalteMilkshakeDay

Saturday 12th September is National Milk Shake Day! A day for chocolate lovers and milkshakes lovers to celebrate. However, milkshakes aren’t limited to chocolate - with Monin there are a whole variety of great flavours to try. Gourmet Milkshakes are becoming increasingly popular, here is our guide to creating your perfect milkshakes.

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How to make an Iced Green Tea

In celebration of #IcedTeaDay we’ve created a ‘how to’ video on making an Iced Green Tea!

Guidelines released for pubs and restaurants to re-open safely as Covid-19 Secure

Britain’s hospitality sector, including Hotels, pubs and restaurants, will face new operating procedures set out by the government once they re-open, designed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Just as they have done for other areas of work, retail and educational environments the Government’s Business Department (BEIS)’s draft guidance just circulated provides guidelines for operators to help prepare for when this does happen, which could be at the beginning of July 2020 once ministers make the decision on July 4th. This will also apply to cafes, bars, mobile catering and works canteens.  

We have looked at how this might apply to the way dining areas and guest management will need to be achieved to be Covid-19 Secure.

• Social distancing rules will apply, with tables being spaced out at least two meters apart and a limit on the number of customers allowed at one time, in view of keeping customers apart and preventing large groups.

• Risk assessments will determine how best to ensure queuing can be done safely at entry and also for toilets etc, eliminating pinch points and where possible having one-way systems in place.

• Restaurants will be expected to replace condiments such as sauce bottles and salt and pepper shakers with single portion sauce sachets and salt and pepper sachets, unless they can be cleaned between each user.

• This will also mean that open cups and ramekins of sauces and preserves will be seen as inappropriate, as will bowls of sugar and sugar lumps, due to the risk of both the product being contaminated and also due to the passing of the virus via the spoon handle.

• Cutlery will also be brought out at the same time a meal is served to avoid knives and forks sitting on tables for long periods of time. Rather than carrying the serving plates or bowls, staff will be advised to use trays to bring food to the tables.

• Canteens or more casual dining operators may choose to issue packs of wrapped disposable cutlery and condiments to provide a quick and safe way of providing diners with these items, which can reduce the need to handle potentially contaminated items for both guests and staff.

• There are suggested restrictions on customers remaining at the bar after ordering food or drink and customers will be encouraged to leave empty glasses on the table rather than returning them to the bar.

• The emphasis will be on strict hand hygiene, both by staff regularly washing hands and providing hand sanitiser for guests to use on entry.

• Enhanced, regular sanitisation of contact points and surfaces will be necessary to eliminate any viral contamination, and at tables between the use of each guest.

We will keep this guidance up to date as and when the government gives further guidance.

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View our Salt & Pepper Sachet Range

View our Sauce Sachet Ranges

View our Jam Portion Range

View our sanitising products

The Health Benefits of Coffee & How To Make a Dalgona Coffee

The thirst for coffee has been ever increasing over the past years. We drink about 95 million cups of coffee a day in the UK, about 35 million more since 2008, according to the British Coffee Association. There are many varieties of coffee and ways to drink the well-loved drink, some more healthy than others, but there are health benefits of having any cup of coffee.

·         Naturally beneficial:
“The coffee bean is a good thing, a natural thing,” says Ian Marber, a nutrition therapist. “It contains 500 plant components and lots of beneficial antioxidants, and has been the subject of hundreds of scientific studies that encouragingly show it can be beneficial in our diet.”

·         Burns Calories:
Researchers at the University of Nottingham found that coffee helped to fight obesity by stimulating the body’s calorie-burning brown fat stores into action. It was also reported to protect against gallstones in the Journal of Internal Medicine.

·         Improved Exercise Performance:
A study at Coventry University showed that that consuming about a dessert spoon of instant coffee granules dissolved in water 60 minutes before exercise could help people to exercise harder for longer.

·         Low in Calories:
An espresso only contains 5-10 calories. However adding milk does increase the calorie count but milk is a good source of protein and minerals your body also needs. A cappuccino or latte can vary from 80 to 360 calories, depending on the size and milk content. Milk alternatives such as oat or coconut milk can be used instead as they don’t contain so many calories, but you do loose key minerals provided by cow’s milk.

·         Sleep Soundly!
Surprisingly, a cup before bed makes no difference to quality of sleep, according to a study led by Florida Atlantic University.

All in all there’s lots of good reasons to drink coffee!
These benefits are applicable to healthy persons, as caffeine may not suit everybody.

#dalgonacoffee
Have you tried a Dalgona Coffee? This is the latest coffee trend and is easy and fun to make at home. All you need is:

·         Instant coffee granules
·         Sugar
·         Water
·         Milk.

Check out our video below to find out how to make it. Enjoy!

Covid-19: How single portions help stop the spread of germs

In line with the recent government guidance regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, Nutshell have come up with some hygienic solutions to help your customers continue serving great quality food and beverages. As the food service industry is a place where people need to be provided with food and beverages in a way they know they will be safe, we've taken a look at the benefits of individual portions and how they are part of a strategy to minimize any spread of germs, especially when essential and important workers may be needing nutritious, tasty food or to provide convenient and hygienic solutions for a takeaway, drive-through or delivered meals.

We’ve all been encouraged to only travel if it’s essential and limit social contact with others, including being advised not to visit, pubs, restaurants, theatres etc. Additionally, a whole different set of consumers are now in need of food and supplies, whether its families or the elderly who have been advised to self-isolate. Therefore the hospitality business sector needs to re-think its approach to serving consumers.

Gone are the times of having open bowls of sugar, the squeezy bottle of ketchup, the bowl of brown sauce, the jars of jam, the salt and pepper pots, all these products are prone to spreading germs as major touch points between consumers in places of eating. These are also not suitable for takeaway or home delivery alongside ‘ready to eat’ food products.

Single portion products are a much more hygienic way of providing the same products, but reducing the likelihood of germs spreading. Be it sugar sachets, sauce sachets, salt and pepper sachets, sweetener sachets or jams and spreads in mini pots, they are all ideal for the hospitality industry, especially at the current time. Customers would much, much rather have portions of sauce or jam rather than open dishes with a spoon. Additionally there is no food waste with single portions and every meal can be accurately costed in relation to the portions. Whereas it’s hard to cost in the use of offerings such as open bowls, especially when there is often a lot of wastage from what isn’t used during a day.

How are your customers suitably and safely serving those in need?

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A guide for hospitality business on how to deal with the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak, featuring advice from public health experts and doctors, has been published online, view it here

The benefits of offering sweeteners to your customers

Sweeteners are a sugar substitute that are used to create the same sweetness that sugar does, but without the health risks. Sweeteners are beginning to play a bigger role in our lives as more and more consumers become health conscious and become more careful what they eat and drink. This is because sweeteners are low in calories compared to sugar whilst still giving the same sweetness. They are also better for teeth, minimising tooth decay, as plaque is fed by sugar, and if not removed soon can cause tooth decay, so by using a sweetener teeth are less likely to be exposed to a plaque build-up. Most are suitable for diabetics being usable in both drinks and cooking.

There are several different sweeteners available on the market, with differing properties. The three we use at Nutshell are Aspartame, Sucralose and Stevia. Aspartame is probably the most widely used and is derived from a combination of two amino acids and is over 180 times sweeter than sugar. However it does contain an allergen called Phenylalanine. Sucralose, which is a more natural product is 600 times sweeter than sugar and lastly, Stevia which is a calorie free herb, with the benefit of it being completely natural, reported to be between 200-300 times sweeter than sugar.

Only a small amount of sweetener is needed to obtain the same level of sweetness as sugar. Each portion of sweetener therefore needs less powder, the sweetener content of this powder being a very small percentage of the total, the sweetener being carried on a starch or dextrose powder base, meaning that the sizes of the sticks or sachets can be smaller, also saving on paper and ink. This in turn means they take up less space and are lighter so logistics and storage is easier and more efficient.

Demand for sweeteners have increased over the last few years and it is likely they will continue to increase in popularity as we become more aware of their benefits.
During 2019 we at Nutshell, sold nearly 8 million more units of sweetener than in 2018, showing this trend.

You can view our range of sweetener sticks and sachets in tablet or granular form here. Or visit our personalisation page if you are interested in creating your own branded sweetener.

Why Pantone colours keep your branding consistent

Pantone colours are a great way to make sure your branding is kept consistent across all your different media types. Your brand colours must be kept consistent as they are key components of your brands identity. Consumers will recognise your brand colours and begin to associate the colours with your brand whenever they see them.

We work with Pantone colours here at Nutshell as it provides consistency from artwork to print with our products. This is especially essential when creating personalised and bespoke designs. All artwork is created using Pantone colours so the printing department can match the colours printed to the pantone colours used in the design. This makes sure that its the exact colour as prescribed by the customer and each time a designs reprinted its still the same colour.

Pantone has a number of swatch books depending on what your use is. The Pantone colour books contain a large varieties of colour swatches that are each defined by a number to make referencing easy. We use coated or uncoated Pantone swatches for our designs, depending on what material the design is being printed on.

Why great portion presentation is key in your cafe and how to achieve it successfully

Brand is key - How is your brand being presented through your display of drink ancillaries? Let’s take a look at ancillary portions vs loose ancillaries.

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Portions - Sachets or Sticks

• Keeps a clean and tidy area

• Easy stock management, forecasting and budgeting

• Space for brand extension and promotion

• Consumers can take away

• Consistent portion size

• Compostable paper option available

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Loose - Bowls or Shakers

• Size of serving can vary, causing inconsistency in taste

• Unhygienic

  • Bacteria and viruses transferred by shared spoons ( or worse; fingers), jars and shakers

  • Exposed to airborne germs from coughing or sneezing

  • Target for pests - Attracts ants and wasps in summer

  • Potential contamination by rodents, animals and birds

• Larger bags to dispose of

• Pots can become untidy and messy

• Quickly goes lumpy in damp weather

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3 Reasons to #FollowTheFrog This September with Rainforest Alliance

From fighting deforestation and climate change to building economic opportunities and better working conditions for rural people, the Rainforest Alliance is working to solve urgent environmental and social challenges.
In a campaign to help make a better planet RFA have launched #FollowTheFrog which runs from 22nd-28th September. Why should your company #FollowTheFrog this September?

1. Consumer demand
   ‘92% of global consumers expect companies to do more than make a profit’. Consumers want to see companies with strong ethical values, showing they care for people and planet. By getting involved in #FollowTheFrog you can promote not just your quality RFA Certified products but show your company’s values and how you care, which is what consumers are looking for.

2. Staff engage with it
   Employees also like to see that their company cares and by joining the campaign it will encourage them to get involved. Employees will promote their company more and especially products with RFA Certification, influencing consumers in the #FollowTheFrog Campaign. They can help through social media, promotions and other means to promote the company’s sustainability along with #FollowTheFrog.

3. Create a better planet
   Supporting RFA helps to create a better planet, as they look to solve environmental challenges. Consumers are now very conscious with choices and are likely to make choices that they know will benefit the planet. This is because they feel they have a responsibility to care for the place they live in.

Nutshell are proud partners with Rainforest Alliance and we have recently committed to only using RFA Certified Pepper in all our pepper portions. We are excited to make this change as we feel it will make a difference by helping our planet as well as providing you with a premium quality product.

View our range of pepper sachets, or even consider creating your own personalised pepper sachets.

Source: https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/business/blog/2019/07/24/three-reasons-to-followthefrog-this-september/

Why should you choose Fairtrade?

Fairtrade is about helping farmers and workers in developing countries receive fair trade terms, so they can afford to live their lives sustainably. There are more than 1.66 million farmers and workers in Fairtrade Certified producer organisations, of which there are 1,411 organisations across 73 countries.

When you choose Fairtrade you help the farmers to have;

1.       Better Prices
Farmers in developing countries receive better prices for the raw materials and products they sell when you purchase Fairtrade products, making their work more sustainable as they receive the needed income to farm and live.

2.       Decent Working Conditions

Farmers and workers can work in safe and acceptable working conditions, with no slavery or child labour used.

3.       Local Sustainability

Makes the local economy better with farmers taking control of their own businesses and the profits staying in the local community. Workers on Fairtrade certified plantations invested 33% of their Fairtrade Premium in housing improvements in 2016.

4.       Equality

Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

As a result = Sustainable Quality Products

Fairtrade products are higher quality and have a great taste as they are often from smaller farms where farmers take pride in their work and pay closer attention to detail, making sure the product is the best they can produce. Also with a fair price they can invest more into their farm to develop their processes and products, small producer organisations spend 48% of their Fairtrade premium in services for farmers, like provision of agricultural tools or farmer training.

It’s all about Fair-trade! Remember Fairtrade Fortnight runs from 25th February to 10th March, kick-start your campaign now!

Visit our Fairtrade products page!

For More Information, please visit www.fairtrade.org.uk

Organic September! 5 Reasons to #chooseorganic

Source: www.soilassociation.org

National Burger Day! What is the most popular sauce?

It's National Burger Day, so thinking about all things that go with burgers...

What is the most popular sauce?!

Some would say sauce is a very important necessity with all foods, but with so many available that spoil us for choice, which sauce should you choose? There are a large number of new sauces that have come to the market over the recent years (including the Heinz Smokey Baconnaise we have just been trying here at Nutshell) but it seems the good old sauces are always still top of the pops.

Let’s take a look at the most popular sauces at Nutshell over the past year…

1.       Heinz Tomato Ketchup
No surprise here as Tomato Ketchup has always been one of the most popular sauces in the world! But it shows the old faithful still goes on. In the past year Nutshell sold nearly 3 times as much as all the other sauces put together!

2.       HP Brown Sauce
Another iconic sauce that’s still very popular and often served as an option alongside Tomato Ketchup, although it doesn’t quite drum up the same volume! That said it is the 2nd most popular, mainly due to its uniqueness.

3.       Heinz Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise - a sauce you can have with anything! Hence it’s up there as people like the creaminess and don’t just use it in sandwiches and salads as it commonly would have been.

4.       Heinz BBQ Sauce
A truly legendary sauce, one of the tastes of summer, reminder of the fun times around the BBQ. Long live summer. Often used as a marinade for meat, to give it a great flavour.

5.       Heinz Tartare Sauce
A surprise? Maybe not the sauce you expected to see near the top of the list, but a ‘must have’ with your seafood dish.

What does the future hold? Everyone likes to try new sauces and new flavours are always welcomed, will Tomato Ketchup get knocked off its perch….?

The team here at Nutshell are often found doing trials on new sauces to continually improve our product range. We’re like bees around a honey pot when a new sauce comes in! Any reason to roll in the bacon butties (or whatever suits)!

Looking for a bit of punch in your sauce? Check out the Heinz Firecracker sauce – a smokey, tomato based sauce with a chipotle spicy kick. It goes perfectly with pizzas, meats or anything you want to spice up!