MARKET NEWS

School Food Standards Approved

As we have been reporting for a while, new school meal standards set to come into force from September 2027 will ban deep-fried food and boost fibre, wholegrains, fruit and vegetables.

The new standards set to be introduced include:

• All dishes must contain at least one portion of fruit or vegetables.
• The serving of starchy foods cooked in fat or oil will be limited to twice a week, with no deep frying permitted.
• Sweetened desserts can be served twice a week in secondary schools and once a week in primary settings but must include fruit.
• At least one dish a week must contain at least 50% wholemeal pasta.
• Restrictions have been placed on cereal sugar content, and no pastries or fried eggs are permitted as part of breakfast offerings.
• Reduced salt and sugar condiments can be served but will be limited to 10g portions.
• Processed sausages, ham or chicken nuggets can only be served once a week and must be accompanied by fruit or vegetables.
• Bread must be made with at least 50% wholemeal flour and have at least 4g of fibre per 100g.

Schools have also been told to appoint a lead governor for school food from September 2027, from when they will also be required to display their school food policy and menus on their website.

Let Connect help you get compliant ahead of the go live date. We can review your menus, make suggestions for additions or swaps, all without increasing your costs.

Hundreds of hospitality businesses urge Burnham to lower VAT

A coalition of more than 800 hospitality businesses have written an open letter to prime minister Andy Burnham, urging him to set a lower rate of hospitality VAT.

Signatories included chefs Angela Hartnett, Clare Smyth, Heston Blumenthal and Jason Atherton, as well as larger chains from across the industry, such as Marriott International, Big Table Group and Loungers.

Fuller’s, Greene King, Marston’s, Mitchells & Butlers, Franco Manca, JKS, PizzaExpress, Best Western Hotels, Butlin’s and PPHE Hotel Group are also among the signatories, which are predominantly formed of small and medium-sized businesses.

The letter calls on Burnham to act on the comments he made in February as mayor of Greater Manchester, when he said he would argue for a hospitality VAT rate in line with Europe.

More than 370,000 people have signed the #VATsTheProblem petition calling for a 10% rate of VAT for hospitality, spearheaded by chef Tom Kerridge.

Sign the petition here:

VAT's the problem

COMMODITIES REPORT

Fruit & Vegetables:

September can be a fantastic month for UK produce. The end of summer, transition into autumn brings a glut of fruits and vegetables to harvest and enjoy.

At their best in September:

• English Apples
• UK Squashes
• Turkish Figs
• Scottish Girolle and Chantarelle
• English Plums

The South African season for lemons has come to an end earlier that expected, leaving potential shortages on the market.

The English cherry season is now finished and we have moved on to American and Canadian varieties which will impact price significantly.

The Spanish melon season has also ended and production is coming from Brazil which will also affect prices.

Beef Prices:

Although the beef market has been recovering since May, prices remain very high. Strong demand for steaks and processed beef during the summer barbecue season has compounded the pressure on prime cuts and kept prices inflated.

The EU import ban on Brazilian came into effect on 3rd September. The concern is that this will put additional pressure on all other worldwide beef markets, which are already short, therefore increasing prices on all other origins.

Poultry Prices:

The EU have also banned imports of Brazilian poultry from 3rd September. Europe relies heavily on Brazilian poultry products, particularly within food manufacturing and convenience sectors. The EU currently imports circa 230,000tonnes of Brazilian poultry per year. 

These restrictions mean alternative sourcing requirements are expected to place additional upward pressure on poultry prices across Europe and the UK.

Turkey Availability:

As Italian and Polish plants start to recover from Avian Influenza issues, more turkey is becoming available on the open market. However, as demand increases during the Christmas period, suppliers are advising that availability is 40-60% lower than last year. Prices are expected to rise nearer to Christmas, so purchasing ahead and taking advantage of current offer prices is advised.

Seasonal Recipe Suggestion

Plum Frangipane Tart

Serves 8

A rich frangipane with sweet, sharp, sticky plums hiding in its depths. Best served slightly warm with cream or ice cream.

Ingredients:

For the sweet pastry:

200g flour

100g cold salted butter

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 egg

For the filling:

200g ground almonds

200g softened unsalted butter

160g caster sugar

2 eggs, beaten

seeds from ¼ of a vanilla pod, or ½ tsp vanilla extract

400g ripe plums

clotted cream, crème fraiche, or ice cream to serve

Method:

Step 1: To make the pastry, pulse the flour, butter, and sugar in a processor until they look like fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and pulse until it comes together as a soft dough. Add a dash of cold water if it seems to be struggling or looks too dry. Turn it out and shape into a ball. Wrap and chill for at least an hour.

Step 2: To make the frangipane, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together in a mixing bowl, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, a little at a time, making sure the first bit is completely incorporated before adding the next. Fold the ground almonds into the mixture. Pop into the fridge to chill for at least 30 mins.

Step 3: Roll the pastry out into a thin circle (see cook’s notes). Then use it to line a shallow 25cm tart case. Chill it in the fridge for at least 30 mins.

Step 4: Preheat your oven to 160°C/Gas 3. Halve and destone the plums. Arrange them evenly in the tart tin. Dot the frangipane mix over the top (it will level itself out as it cooks).

Step 5: Transfer to the oven to bake for 1 hour or until it is golden on the top and a skewer comes out of the middle cleanly. It may take a little longer depending on your oven. Leave to cool in the tin.