New food and drink festival seeks speciality food and drink producers

Speciality food and drink producers across England are being invited to take part in an exciting new food and drink festival launching in April.

The Loughborough English Food and Drink Festival will be held four times a year – starting with a two-day event on Easter Sunday and Monday, April 24th and 25th.

Run by regional food group East Midlands Fine Foods on behalf of Charnwood Borough Council, the event will feature a market packed with tasty goodies from across the country, bringing together the best traditional English produce from each region.

“Shoppers have a big appetite for regional food and drink, and Loughborough English Food and Drink Festival will bring together Britain’s love of traditional markets with the opportunity for people to buy some excellent regional products,” said East Midlands Fine Foods events co-ordinator Jo Taylor.

“Seasonal entertainment will be on offer, including cooking demonstrations, and we’re hoping to create a great family atmosphere on Easter Sunday and Monday. This is an excellent chance for producers from around the country to sell direct to the public in an area that’s renowned for its interest in all things foodie.

“It’s close to Melton Mowbray, the rural capital of food, and in an area of Leicestershire that’s home to many artisan producers.”

Now East Midlands Fine Foods is inviting applications from across the country from suitable producers who want to be part of the event, which will be staged in Loughborough’s Market Place and feature up to 150 stalls.

The organisation is hoping to recruit firms that produce and sell seasonal fruit and vegetables, speciality and rare breed meat including sausages, cakes, jams, pickles and chutneys, charcuterie, sweet and savoury pies and pastry products, dairy products including cheese, butter, yoghurt and ice-cream, confectionery, beers, wines and ciders, drinks including tea, coffee and soft drinks, plus any other artisan products.

The food and drink festivals are also being planned for June 26th and 27th, August 28th and 29th and October 23rd and 24th – with discounts available for stallholders who book for more than one market.

East Midlands Fine Foods, which is managed by regional business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum, supports speciality food and drink producers across the region.

In conjunction with Nottingham City Council, East Midlands Fine Foods has run the monthly two-day Regional and Speciality Food and Drink Market in Nottingham for almost four years.

For more information please contact Jo Taylor on 0115 9758810 or visit www.eastmidlandsfinefoods.co.uk and scroll down to the Loughborough Food and Drink Festival section.

Nottingham PR consultant Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Anila's Authentic Sauces to attend the Prince of Wales' Eco-Festival

Anila’s Authentic Sauces has been chosen as an exemplary local food business to attend a farmers’ market at ‘A Garden Party to Make a Difference’, 8 -19 September, in the historic gardens of Marlborough, Lancaster and Clarence Houses and along the Mall in London.

The 12-day festival is part of the national Start initiative launched in February by The Prince of Wales, and will play host to spectacular installations, concerts, fashion demonstrations, food, debates, gardening, music and comedy by many household names, but all sharing the single theme of sustainability. A full line-up can be viewed at http://www.startgardenparty.co.uk/

The farmers’ market will be centre stage at the food area of the show, hosted by Kate Humble, amidst cookery demos by celebrity and local chefs. Anila Vaghela, who operates Anila’s Authentic Sauces based in Walton-on-Thames and Hounslow will be one of the producers attending the farmers’ market on September 9th and 10th and will be selling her range of curry sauces, pickles, chutneys and dips.

Laura Waterton of FARMA, which represents farmers’ markets across the UK and are supporters of Start, commented, “FARMA is delighted to be working with some excellent local food and craft producers from farmers’ markets across the South of England at such a high profile event as A Garden Party to Make a Difference. We are thrilled that Anila’s Authentic Sauces are able to be part of the area as it will give them the opportunity to showcase their fantastic food to a great audience.”

http://www.anilassauces.com/

Curry sauce producer Anila's celebrates ten years of Farmers' Markets

Anila’s is celebrating ten years of trading at Farmers’ Markets and selling her delicious curry sauces and accompaniments directly to the public.


Anila Vaghela, who founded the family-run business in 1997, took part in Surrey’s very first Farmers’ Market at Wallington, which celebrated its tenth birthday on Saturday September 12th.

Since then, she’s had a stall at every Farmers’ Market in Wallington – and has gone on to sell Anila’s award-winning products at many more, including Maidenhead Farmers’ Market which has also just celebrated its tenth anniversary.

Anila’s now has stalls at 28 Farmers’ Markets across Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, including Byfleet, Guildford, Henley, Walton, Woking and Windsor.

“I’m a big fan of Farmers’ Markets,” said Anila, who lives in Walton-on-Thames. “We joined the very first Farmers’ Market in Surrey ten years ago, and joined many more as they were set up.

“When we started, we just sold curry sauces but our range has been shaped by our Farmers’ Market customers, who’d ask us to make accompaniments and new flavours. It’s down to them that I started making pickles and chutneys.

“Farmers’ Markets are the perfect places to sell Anila’s authentic sauces, chutneys, pickles and dips. We love to talk to our customers and gather their feedback. People who buy from Farmers’ Markets tend to have a genuine interest in good quality food and how it is produced, so our range fits in very well.”

Anila’s range now features eight varieties of authentic curry sauces and 16 varieties of pickles, chutneys and dips. Anila’s sauces are based on traditional Indian recipes, and are gluten-free and dairy-free. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, they are also free from onions and garlic, which suits people who are intolerant to alliums.

Anila’s sauces have won ten Great Taste Awards, and earlier this year her Spicy Korma Curry Sauce scooped a Free From Food Award.

Anila’s distinctive and delicious range of mouth-watering ‘handmade’ chutneys, pickles and dips are made with single fruits and vegetables, and team up perfectly with a variety of dishes, snacks and cheeses.

As well as being available at Farmers’ Markets and online at www.anilassauces.com, Anila’s products were recently launched at John Lewis Oxford Street and John Lewis Bluewater. They are also sold in top quality gourmet stores, such as Harrods and Selfridges, plus hundreds of other outlets that include Wholefoods, Planet Organic, delis, health food stores, garden centres and gift shops.

Based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, Anila’s has a unit in West London.

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