MARKET NEWS

345 hospitality businesses sign open letter to the chancellor

More than 340 hospitality businesses have signed UKHospitality’s open letter to the

chancellor urging significant intervention to support the sector ahead of the Budget.

Rachel Reeves will be delivering the Budget on 26 November. To mark the occasion, 345 hospitality businesses ranging from Greene King to IHG Hotels & Resorts have called on the government to better support the industry as the impact of the last Budget was “immediate, concentrated and socially regressive”.

Over the past year, more than 80,000 jobs in the sector have been lost, with one Conservative MP warning hospitality is being “taxed out of existence” during a debate in Parliament in July.

Signatories including Marston’s, Stonegate, Wagamama, Butlin’s and Big Table Group have urged the chancellor to lower business rates by delivering the maximum discount for hospitality properties under £500,000 rateable value, fix National Insurance Contributions to boost jobs and cut VAT on hospitality.

‘We will all have to contribute’: chancellor refuses to rule out tax rises in

Budget'

The chancellor has refused to rule out tax rises in the upcoming Budget and said she would make “the choices necessary” to fix public finances.

In a speech in Downing Street on 4 th November, Rachel Reeves said she would do “not what was popular, but what was right” when she sets out her tax and spending plans on 26 November. She said millions of people across the country felt the economy was “not working as it should” but claimed her plans would help boost jobs.

“Mine will be a Budget for growth, with fairness at its heart, and a Budget that supports businesses to create jobs and to innovate,” she said.

Labour had pledged not to raise income tax, VAT or National Insurance in its general election manifesto. However, Reeves is widely expected to increase taxes on workers.

Are you ready for your January menu change?

With Christmas menus locked in and party bookings (hopefully) well underway, it’s all

too easy to forget what comes next. But as every operator knows, the post-festive

comedown is real. That’s why planning for January 1st – a key menu switch date – is happening right

now. After a month of indulgence, your customers’ focus snaps to new goals, health

and wellbeing. For the past six years, savvy pubs, restaurants and hotels have known the answer: plant based. It’s the single best way to attract diners who want to eat out without falling off their New Year track.

January has become the gateway for a huge wave of customers – people looking for simple, positive switches in their diet. Veganuary is a globally recognised campaign that gets people talking and, more importantly, trying. And it’s not a niche trend; it’s a mainstream cultural moment:

• Last January, 25.8 million people participated worldwide – a 10% jump from 2024
• The #Veganuary hashtag has been viewed over 1.1 billion times on TikTok
• The motivation is a mix: 62% cite animal welfare, 54% environmental concerns, and 46% personal health

This isn’t just happening at home – customers are also looking for plant-based options when they dine out.



If you are keen to make the most of this trend, talk to your Connect Purchasing account manager about supplier options and inspiration.

COMMODITIES REPORT

Fruit & Vegetables:

Shorter days and cooler temperatures bring a strong selection of hearty, flavour-rich seasonal crops.

This month, British root vegetables are now in their prime including maincrop carrots, parsnips, celeriac and beetroot. Brassicas are also thriving with kale, cavolo nero, tenderstem broccoli and Brussels sprouts all in good supply – including the arrival of sprouts on the stalk for an early festive feel.

Kalettes, variegated kale and rainbow chard bring crunch and texture to late-autumn menus, while Fenland celery from Cambridgeshire – prized for its crisp bite and distinctive aromatic flavour – is this month’s seasonal highlight!

British orchard fruit remains strong with late varieties of apples and pears – including Braeburn, Cox, Russet and Comice – and as outdoor salad crops wind down, English-grown radicchio and lovage continue to add colour and freshness to seasonal salads.

Fish Buyer Recommendations:

Our recommended options for November include Mussels, Halibut, Salmon, Monkfish and Plaice. Typically, this is the best season for most of our native species.

The cooler waters provide excellent conditions for quality bivalve molluscs, and most fish are outside of their spawning periods. This means that you will see the best quality at this time of year. With the worst of the weather typically presenting December through to February, we are hopeful of good landings all around our native coastlines.

Turkey:

Turkey supply remains very tight, and planning is key for clients towards Christmas to avoid unavailability. EU or South American turkey remains the best option as very little UK turkey is on the market with available quotas being directed towards the key retailers. Current turkey costs are approx. 30% higher than last year and will continue to rise as we approach the festive period. Early planning is essential to secure volumes ahead of Christmas.

Pork:

Pork pricing, whilst remaining generally stable, has started to creep upwards as demand rises due to many consumers switching to pork from beef because of high prices. However, pork remains a strong value-for-money option.

Seasonal Recipe Suggestion

Dark spice, sour lactic notes from the cabbage and yogurt, fresh dill... These are all

very Norse notes to play alongside beetroot. Served this way, it is also reminiscent of

an Eastern European borscht.

Scandi Beetroot Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 onions, sliced

2 celery sticks, finely diced

1.2kg beetroot, peeled and chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp caraway seeds

2 bay leaves

1 litre vegetable or chicken stock

red wine vinegar, to taste

100ml soured cream or yogurt

4 tbsp sauerkraut, preferably made with red cabbage

bunch of dill, chopped rye bread, to serve

Method:

Step 1

Warm 2 tablespoons of oil in a deep pan. Add the onions, celery and a pinch of salt.

Cook gently for 10 minutes, until starting to soften.

Step 2

Add the beetroot, garlic, caraway and bay. Cook for 2 more minutes.

Step 3

Tip in the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 25 minutes, or until everything

is soft and tender.

Step 4

Remove the bay leaves. Blend the soup until completely smooth - adding a dash of

water if it seems too thick.

Step 5

Taste and tweak with more salt and a dash or two of vinegar, to your liking.

Step 6

To serve, divide into bowls, stir in a swirl of soured cream and finish with a garnish of

sauerkraut and dill. Serve the rye bread on the side.