Meal Box Subscriptions

Posted on July 29th, 2022

The pandemic played a huge role in the meal box subscription uplift and they’re showing no signs of slowing down with Barclay Card reporting food subscriptions are remaining popular post-lockdown as one in four subscribers rely on them for at least half of their meals.

According to Whistl, food ranks first in the most popular subscription category as of all the participants survey, 53% use or have used, food subscription boxes, making it the most popular category. With data showing the most popular brands are Graze, Hello Fresh and Gusto.

Consumers have become accustomed to the convenience that meal boxes offer with each concept offering ingredients individually portioned up for cooking meals at home and delivered straight to your door. The food comes in specific quantities with clear instructions for cooking. The recipes often take little time to prepare, and the results can be impressive as brands put plenty of imagination behind the dishes offered.

Each subscription box offers something different whether its healthy, vegan or restaurant quality meals. BBC Good Food rated recipe boxes based on varying factors.

Best overall recipe box: Gousto, from £24.99 for two meals

Best healthy recipe box: Mindful Chef, from £22 for two meals

Best recipe box for diverse recipe ranges: HelloFresh, from £31.98 for three meals

Best organic recipe box: Abel & Cole, from £12 for one meal

Best letterbox-friendly recipe box service: SimplyCook, from £9.99 for a box

Best low food miles recipe box: Riverford Organic, from £12.45 for one meal

Hello Fresh offer a collection of tried and tested recipes exploring a mix of old classics and exciting fusion recipes from across the globe. We thought we’d give it a try! Head to our Istagram, dalziel_ingredients to check out our experience.

Amongst all food subscription boxes, offering a wide variety of dishes is vital to attract and keep subscribers. Therefore, keeping up to-date with food and flavour trends is imperative.

In Gousto’s Food Trends For 2022 Report they mention how cultural impacts such as TikTok have increased our appetite for recipes, hacks have elevated simple meals and trends are driving grocery sales. With their Greek Cheese, Tomato & Tenderstem Farfalle which was our most popular vegetarian recipe in 2021, inspired by the baked feta and tomato trend.

Another trend Gousto reveals is global flavours. Finding in their own research earlier this year found that over a third of people (39%) credited lockdown boredom for their new-found food bravery while almost half (47%) used lockdown as an opportunity to upskill themselves in the kitchen. They also reported that the Korean culture trend has been proving popular with their Korean Fried Chicken recipe ordered over 127,000 times, with customers loving to cook with hard-to-find ingredients such as kimchi, gochujang and gochugaru, which all give Korean food its distinctive flavour profile.

If you’re a food subscription manufacture looking to source recipe seasonings, sauces or functional ingredients please get in touch with our insightful team.

Snackex Street Food Flavours

Posted on July 22nd, 2022

Earlier this month we spent a few days in Hamburg, Germany attending Snackex 2022, where the snack industry comes together. After months of hard work, we were happy to highlight our flavour innovations inspired by street food as well as showcasing all that Dalziel Ingredients offers.

As a supplier of ingredients to the snack industry, we wanted to show our is dedication to exploring the next key trends that reflect the current food industry and our predictions for what’s next.

Consumers are looking to escape. In current circumstances it may not be financially feasible to travel the world, so consumers are looking to travel with their tastebuds. Consumers are becoming more adventurous and craving flavours from around the globe!

Samples of the below street food flavours are available. Please email development@dalziel.co.uk or call +44 (0)191 469 3078 to arrange.

Let’s explore the flavours!

Tastes of Asia

Asia’s street food scene is diverse and differs from region to region so authentic ingredients are key when recreating traditional recipes.

One of Thailand’s hottest street food dishes, Pad Thai consists of rich, vibrant flavours, from fish sauce, sour vinegar to sweet honey. What makes our seasoning stand out is the bold, rich umami notes that makes this dish comforting.

Expect sweet, salty and smoky flavours from our next taste of Asia. Yakitori gets its popularity in Japan due to its ease of preparation and convenient format on a skewer, with a salty-sweet sauce consisting of mirin, sake, soy sauce and sugar. Appealing to those who love the taste of Asian however, without the intense heat.

Originating in South India, however, now popular across the whole of India, Masala Dosa is a savoury street food dish made with parboiled rice, potato and seasoned with spices. It delivers a slightly tangy flavour due to the fermentation of the Dosa batter, however this is balanced out by the spiced potato masala filling.

With a combination of savoury/meaty flavours and spice being the two top flavour preferences when eating world cuisine, it is no wonder Salt and Pepper Chicken has become one of the most popular dishes on Chinese restaurant and takeaway menus. Our final taste of Asia.

Tastes of Americas

 

When dreaming about the streets of New York, there’s only one street food dish we think about… the NYC Hot Dog! Smoky hot dog with flavours of tangy tomato and hot mustard, not forgetting the onions – delicious!

Our tastebuds then transported to Argentina with the popular street food Choripan. Choripan is best described as the Argentinia version of the American Hot Dog or German Bratwurst. Think smoky, chorizo sausage, topped with fresh chimichurri in crusty bread. This dish is sold on almost every street corner in big cities across Argentina and is perfectly paired with a cold beer.

Next, a simple, but delicious street food originating in Quebec, Canada. French Fries topped with cheese curds and a rich brown gravy, Classic Poutine.

Our last taste of America is the national dish of Mexico, it is no wonder Tacos are one of their most popular street food dishes. With so many different variations, a classic Taco seasoning presents the earthy and herbal notes of cumin and oregano at the forefront and the heat of chili powder and other spices form the background notes.

Tastes of Europe & Middle East

We started with tradition and being one of the most popular and famous British dishes, Fish and Chips is a winner. A traditional favourite that consumers describe as appetising and flavourful, a true taste of the seaside with the combination of battered fish and salt and vinegar drenched chip flavours.

Currywurst, one of Germanys most popular street food dishes, originally gaining its popularity with construction workers in the country’s capital. Consisting of a traditional German sausage topped with a tomato-based curry sauce. Expect sweet tangy tomato flavours paired with the combination of deep, earthy spices from the curry powder complete with the meaty taste of Bratwurst.

Now, we couldn’t forget about Pizza. Originating in Italy, Pizza has become one of the world’s most popular foods. The reason for its popularity comes down the fact people are drawn to foods which are fatty and sweet, and rich and complex. With the endless combinations of toppings, pizza provides all of these. Fresh mozzarella cheese, sweet tomato and fragrant basil.

A popular street food throughout the Middle East, Grilled Lamb Shawarma. Expect the complex flavour of turmeric, lime, cinnamon and cardamon delivering both tangy and warm notes. Pair this with smoky, charred, gamey taste of Grilled Lamb for an explosion of well-matched flavours well loved by many.

Wild Card

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not forgetting the Dalziel Ingredients Scottish heritage. Hot fitting to have a wild card flavour pairing warming peppery haggis with hot, hot chilli – Hot Haggis!  We couldn’t forget to include a seasoning true to our roots.

If you would like samples of the above authentic street food flavours please email development@dalziel.co.uk or call +44 (0)191 469 3078.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Success at BFFF Awards!

Posted on July 15th, 2022

We are delighted that Peter Jenkins, Dalziel’s Group Health and Safety Manager, has won the Health and Safety Champion award at The British Frozen Food Federation [BFFF].

The BFFF is an annual event celebrating the stars, heroes, and heroines of the frozen food industry, with 19 stand-out individuals being chosen across 11 categories. The event, this year, focused on unsung heroes who had helped ensure food supply continued throughout the pandemic.

Peter’s award celebrates nominees who are front runners in the field of Health and Safety and have gone above and beyond to improve workplace safety, mental heal and wellbeing.

Peter adds, “The result was a win! I’m pleased that my entry recognised my leadership of the simplification and standardisation journey for Health and Safety across the Dalziel group, the change it has inspired throughout the business and other functions as well as the volunteering work I have been doing across the industry and wider professional, including with IOSH throughout the year. I was thrilled to have been able to bring along the Dalziel Safety, Health, Environment, and Wellbeing team’s new starter Daniel Nolan (pictured below) for the evening. I hope he’ll be able to put himself forward for a nomination next year and beyond!”

From everyone at the Dalziel Group, congratulations Peter, we’re pleased your efforts to go above and beyond for the group, your community and the frozen food sector have been recognised. Peter delivers health and safety work across the Dalziel Group through sustainable organisational architecture. His efforts integrate health and safety into every activity through inspiring colleagues to ask great questions, and empowering team members to make great decisions. Here’s to many more successes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Alex Guest, Dalziel Ingredients Group Technical Manager on Chair Panel at The Proactive Food Safety Conference

Posted on July 8th, 2022

Last month our Group Technical Manager, Alex Guest chaired the morning session at The Proactive Food Safety Conference along with being interactive with the panels and presentations alongside coordinating questions with the audience of peers.

Alex Guest has worked in the food industry for 30 years, of which 10 years at Dalziel. His BSc in Industrial Food Technology from University of Humberside has provided a grounding in basic sciences as well as focusing on food technology, foodborne illnesses and economics.

The conference included 34 heads and directors of food safety and technical and quality sharing expert insights into food safety risks, stringent allergen controls, new technology innovations, compliance and building strong food safety cultures whilst developing sustainable practices.

Alex shared insights and experience within topics such as Increased Safety, Reduced Recalls and Minimised Consumer Risk with Advanced Allergen Control Strategies. The panel discussed further how Natasha’s Law has made allergen labelling more crucial than ever. The effective methods to test for cross-contamination and guarantee customers are being given the correct information about ‘may contain’ products and how allergen issues can be tracked throughout the supply chain to ensure every part of the chain has the right information to pass on to consumers.

The panel also debated topics including Communicating Effective and Build Strong Internal Food Safety Cultures to Boost Quality and Compliance Throughout the Business. Alex continued to input insights into ways to strengthen internal food safety cultures that prioritise quality, safety, and hygiene. Steps that can be taken to effectively measure culture and deliver data-based strategies to solidify culture improvements. As well as ways in which cultural strategies can be adapted to fit different arms of the business and ensure the message is spread to all employees.

Alex adds, “The day was a great opportunity to network with Senior peers working within Food Safety to discuss key topics which the Food Industry faces. This was something new to me as I had never presented to Senior peers however, the day was such a success I will also be paneling in November for the European Food Safety Conference. It was a brilliant day raising awareness and understanding of food safety as well as networking”.

Our aim is to continue to work closely with our customers and potential customers to share ideas and build partnerships. If you would like to gain further understanding of the above topics, please do not hesitate to contact Alex at Alex.Guest@dalziel.co.uk.

Taste of London 2022

Posted on June 24th, 2022

Last week we went to Taste of London, an annual open-air food festival in Regent’s Park that features top London restaurants selling miniature portions of their signature dishes and we couldn’t wait to go!

Where to start…with so many restaurants it’s hard to choose! Burger and Lobster caught our eye. You couldn’t miss the flames coming from the barbeque, a smell to remember! First up was half a lobster and fries, simplicity at it’s best. Perfectly charred, yet still naturally sweet – the lobster was delicious! Served with a classic lemon and garlic butter sauce.

Next, we headed to Flesh and Buns, London’s Japanese inspired Izakaya restaurant serving a mix of tantalising small plates and larger plates. We’ve had our fair share of bao buns and would like to think we can tell-apart the good from the bad. So we thought we’d try one more from Flesh and Buns. Their Smoked Brisket Bun was filled full with Chipotle miso as well as pickled chilli and carrot which cut through the richness of the smoked brisket. Packed full of flavour, the soft, pillowy bao was one to remember!

The third delicious dish of Taste was Angelina’s Milk Bun, Red Prawn and Truffle. The restaurant unites cooking techniques and flavours of Italian and Japanese cuisines. Shokupan also known as milk bread has been in the spotlight with it’s distinctive soft texture and the sweet, milky taste. Filled with international renowned rosso di mazara prawn and akami tartare, lardo di collonnata finished with grated Abruzzo summer truffle.

Another dish Angelina developed for Taste was Lobster and Katsuobushi Donuts, yes, donuts! Katsuoboshi coated lobster and crab donuts with yuzu mayonnaise and tonkatsu sauce finished with calamaretti. This dish was a crowd pleaser and was certainly unforgettable! Yuzu pairs perfectly with fish and brought a freshness to the dish whilst the tonkatsu sauce added a tang and warming heat to this dish.

After all the food at Taste of London in Regent’s Park, it was time for something sweet. London’s leading hot donut business as noted by Eater London, MOB Kitchen and Forbes to name a few, Treats Club was featured at Taste, so it was a given that we tried their delights. The pistachio whipped ganache filled donut took our fancy, topped with a pastry crumb, and drizzled with hot honey. The hot honey drizzle gave a sweet but heat addition to the dish. A trend that is starting to drip through into the UK market originating in America, proving it’s not just for savoury dishes!

Check out the below menus to see some of the dishes we didn’t manage to get out hands on!

 

It really is true what people say, Taste of London is a foodie wonderland packed full of food and drink innovation that will get your brain ticking! Roll on Taste of London 2023!

Snackex 2022

Posted on June 17th, 2022

‘Authenticity and regionality driving snack seasonings…’

We are happy to announce that will be attending the upcoming Snackex exhibition in July, held in Hamburg. We will be showcasing snack seasonings influenced on the increasingly popular regional cuisine trend at stand 712.

Richard Wilson, Sales Director, ‘following the positive feedback and subsequent exciting opportunities that the business achieved from the 2019 Snackex, we are delighted to be attending for a second consecutive exhibition. This year, we are pleased to be sponsoring the Welcome Reception and are looking forward to networking with colleagues from within the snacks and nuts industry. As Dalziel Ingredients supplies snack seasonings globally, Snackex is the perfect event as it attracts manufacturers from around the world. Our NPD team have been working hard to develop 13 flavour concepts including our latest taste ‘challenge’ product after the interest generated from our 4 chilli challenge in Barcelona. This year’s taste ‘challenge’ has been inspired by our Scottish heritage and will be a unique blend that will be unforgettable.’

Fran Hutton, NPD Director adds, ‘The growth of street food really took off before the pandemic, with many smaller independent vendors offering their authentic cuisines. We found that the popularity of street food transpired into supermarkets and home-cook recipes as consumers re-create flavours of their travels. Street food has become a buzzword in the food industry and it’s here to stay, specifically with authenticity and regionality influencing snack seasonings.  As the variety and complexity of flavours from across the globe increases in popularity, we expect to see this trend grow within the retail scene. To highlight this trend, we look forward to showcasing our authentic street food flavours specific to Europe, Asia, and American regions. We believe these could be the next global flavours to enter the snack market!’

Wilson adds, ‘we expect our stand to be very busy at Snackex so we are encouraging people to pre-book an appointment ahead of Snackex by emailing us at snacks@dalzielingredients.co.uk.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

A Right Royal Occasion

Posted on June 1st, 2022

This four-day bank holiday weekend brings the Queens Jubilee celebrations, as her majesty marks a milestone of 70 years on the throne. This is the very first time a UK monarch has marked a platinum jubilee and only a handful of leaders around the world have reached this milestone!

In 2012, burgers and grills took centre stage as the Diamond Jubilee took place. Sales soared by more than 13% in the run up to the celebrations (AHDB)! As picnics come hand in hand with street party celebrations, we expect party food to hit it off! In fact, in 2012 pork pie sales were up 8% and sausage rolls 6%. Even with current costs of living crisis, Dalziel Ingredients still expect the celebrations to be as big as ever, however, value for money products may prove popular to ease the affordability of hosting a party this weekend.

Coronation chicken was first created in 1953 to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth which was inspired by ‘Jubilee Chicken’ which was created for George V’s silver Jubilee, a dish consisting of chicken with mayonnaise and curry powder. Each family may have a different recipe of coronation chicken from varying shades of yellow, to additions of fresh herbs and sweet hints such as raisins and mango pieces. Given the dishes history, coronation is in the limelight this jubilee, featuring in sausage rolls, sauces, pies, crisps and many more!

As with any celebration, cake is a must! Sweet treats will be the heart of the Jubilee parties, where we expect red, white and blue to be popular. Crowns are also a go to decoration featuring on top of cupcakes, biscuits and celebration cakes across retailers. As we all know, corgi’s are the Queens treasured pets and have been since she was a child. M&S have taken advantage of this and have introduced limited-edition Connie the caterpillar. Colin is stepping out of the limelight this month making was for Connie who has been given a Jubilee makeover with a crown and cape! Corgi’s are also featured as biscuits within this retailer.

A certain Jubilee trifle has also been in the news in recent weeks after a Lemon and Swiss Roll Amaretti Trifle won the The Jubilee Pudding competition, created by Jemma Melvin. The trifle is made with layers of lemon curd swiss roll, custard, jelly, a mandarin coulis and amaretti biscuits. It will join the ranks of royal-inspired dishes, such as coronation chicken and Victoria sponge.

Dalziel Inspiration

Get inspired by these on-trend concepts! To honour the Queen’s jubilee, we’ve created some recipe perfect for this weekend’s celebrations!

Beef coronation sandwich with mango chutney and black onion seeds – proving that coronation sauce can work with much more than just chicken!

 

Strawberry and cream style glazed chicken – serve with a sticky balsamic sauce.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

 

Four New Appointments Strengthen Expansion at Dalziel Ingredients

Posted on May 27th, 2022

We’re pleased to announce that we’re expanding our Technical Service team sees 4 new appointments.

Martyna Kosianowicz joins as Specifications Manager, after 4 years in the food industry with Bernard Matthews and Karro Food Group after graduating with a first-class honour in Food Science and Nutrition from Northumbria University.

In Martyna’s new role she will be tasked with managing and overseeing the development, implementation, and maintenance of our Technical supply chain to ensure we not only meet but surpass our customer requirements.

Martyna added, “I’m extremely excited to join the Dalziel Ingredients team. The company strives to be the very best it can be and to be involved in this makes me very proud. I look forward to applying my skills I have learnt over the last few years in my technical roles and working alongside the rest of Dalziel’s departments to keep up their high standards.”

Fran Hutton, NPD Director mentioned, ‘We have recently strengthened our technical services team to service our customers with their requirements.  We understand the level of information required for specifications, supply chain and our own internal documents and are keeping up with the ever-increasing demands of the food industry.’

As well as Martyna, Shauna Carr joins our Technical service team as Technical Administrator after working in her previous role for BidFood. Shauna has 7 years’ experience in the food industry and will ensure we continue to keep up to date with supplier information.

Colleen Borland becomes Specifications Technologist, working closely with our technical team to produce new specifications to a high standard as well as answering any questions our customers may ask.

Whilst Lauren Northorpe also joins as Technical Administrator, responsible for supplier approval across all of the Dalziel LTD sites.

These latest appointments take our NPD and Technical team to 33, advising food manufactures across the world on food safety, technical information and up to date industry legislations.

Fran added, “In a few months’ time we will also be back under one roof in the new, world class facility which will be great for the team and business”.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

 

The Sammies Awards 2022

Posted on May 20th, 2022

Following The Sammies Awards earlier this month, we’ve decided to delve deeper into the food to go market! Nationally, the sandwich is still the go-to lunch option for Brits with 72% of spending at lunchtime going on sandwiches. British consumers manage to munch their way through over 11.5 billion sandwiches each year (Sandwich & Food to Go News).

Retailers are attempting to up their game with premium on-the-go food offerings. As always, Marks and Spencer are upping the stakes, introducing, ‘The Tastiest Lunch Ever’ showcasing luxury ingredients. Sensing an opportunity within the premium space, the retailer is improving their lunchtime sandwiches. M&S are highlighting ingredient upgrades such as, the crispiest British bacon. They now use 100% British bacon, that’s dry-cured and double smoked over oak and beech for deeper, smokier flavour, used within their bestselling BLT, chicken Caesar wrap, and more. Other ingredients featured are their cheddar, butter, and mayo.

Pret A Manger is upgrading lunchtimes with their new product launches. Sandwich rolls are inspired by classic flavours from around the world while three new salads use fresh and top-quality ingredients. The rolls showcase tastes of Scandinavia, USA and Italy including a veggie loving Aubergine Parmigiana Rye Roll bringing a taste of Italy to British shores. The ever-trending ingredient, miso is seen within Pret’s ‘Miso Chicken and Greens Salad’ made using British chicken breast coated in a rich miso and tamari mayo on a bed of salad leaves and is topped with sesame seeds, fresh mint, Pret’s famous crispy onions, screaming premium!

As consumers may become tired of the same old lunchtime offerings, spicing up lunchtime meals could be the answer! Creating salads, sandwiches and wraps packed full of spices and flavour could bring excitement to midday meals! M&S were winners of the Sammies, New Sandwich Award with their Naughty and Spice Turkey Roll proving the popularity of an afternoon-pick me up flavour punch!

Dalziel Ingredients are here to elevate your sandwiches! Not only can we offer a vibrant, authentic seasonings, rub or glazes for a filling, we can also produce sauces that can complement your filling as well as adding value. As well as sauces, crumbs can add texture and transform visual appearance of your food to go, from a black onion seed popadom crumb to nacho tortilla crumbs. If you need inspiration, get in contact!

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Taste of Italy

Posted on May 13th, 2022

Many staples of Italian cuisine, such as olive oil and Parmesan, had been enjoyed by English consumers from the late 16th century onwards. HelloFresh identified that in 2021 Italian recipes were the most popular option by consumers. Their offerings include Parmesan Chicken Salad, Herbed Steak with Orzo, Italian Pork Sausage and Pesto and many more. The summer months were the point at which Italian food was most in demand, with HelloFresh shipping a staggering 75.5% Italian dishes alone between June and August. For some, pasta and pizza comes to mind when thinking about Italian food and it’s true, in Italy there is a lot of pasta and pizza. However, a whole new appreciation for Italian cuisine is budding among home cooks.

TV star chefs from Italy such as Antonio Carluccio, Massimo Bottura and Giorgio Locatelli boost popularity. Italian cuisine is seen as traditional, genuine, and simple, yet made with few and flavourful authentic ingredients. It’s more about quality over quantity. Tomatoes have hit the spotlight with naturally sweet San Marzano tomatoes from producers in Rega and Strianese. Perfect on the base of a pizza or in a sauce with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper necessary. Parmigiana Reggiano is a Brit loved cheese, used in products such as Kettle crisps Sourdough Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar snacks. However, regions of Italy produce outstanding regional, handcrafted cheeses that here in the UK consumers may be unaware of! In recent years Burrata has hit fame within restaurants and street food and can be described as a creamier version of mozzarella. Asiago and Pecorino Crotonese are hard cheeses unique to regions of Italy that offer deep nutty aromas and complex tastes.

 

Retailers are jumping on the popularity of Italian cuisine, and we have assessed the market. Asda have focused on the freshness of authentic herbs such as basil and oregano within their Herby Italian Pork Loin Steaks, where Morrisons have tapped into the freshness and sweetness of tomato paired with creamy Mozzarella in their Italian Style Pork Sausages. Inspired by different bread varieties and flavours from around the world, Kettle’s HFSS-compliant Bread Bites launched in Morrisons and Tesco. The triple-baked snacks come in three variants, two of which focus on Italian flavours: Focaccia Bites with Sea Salt, Rosemary & Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Sourdough Bites with Parmigiano Reggiano & Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

Why not pair classic green Italian herbs with warming green jalapeno chilis, adding a new twist to a classic flavour. Keep an eye out for Italian flavours transpiring into summer products for 2022.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk