Wmu food marketing conference

When it comes to Europe's best Christmas markets , Zurich in Switzerland isn't exactly seen as one of the strong contenders. However, my friends and I chose it for a weekend away because we wanted to use the markets as an excuse to explore a city we wouldn't typically visit, reasoning that there'd be some festive cheer to be found in the lead-up to Christmas. Zurich did not disappoint; it was festive cheer galore. I'm talking countless markets nestled throughout the city, twinkling light displays, copious amounts of cheese and mulled wine, and even a singing Christmas tree (more on that later). The city has everything you could want for a fun festive break - and considering it's a short flight from the UK (under two hours from London), it's easy to do a long weekend. I was impressed by the sheer amount of Christmas markets to be found. Zurich is actually a very walkable destination, so we enjoyed leisurely strolling from one market to the next, taking in the atmosphere as we went. One … [Read more...] about Zurich is not a classic Christmas market break destination – but it should be

Mycoprotein, fusarium venenatum, fermentation, albumen, cultures, coagulating, curdling – these aren’t tasty words. Some of them are quite disgusting, actually. But if you’re vegan or vegetarian and incorporate meat substitutes into your daily diet, you’ll recognise them as the words in tiny font on the side of the packaging, you might even know how some of them are made. If you think about them too much, they can conjure up disturbing images of unformed Soylent growing in the dark, festering away like dark sludge to form unnatural shapes … We don’t have to think about all this, of course, because more palatable descriptors are used for the purposes of marketing, such as “bean curd sausage”, “tofu steak”. The name-substitutes given instead of “gelatinous fungus” are like kind lies; distancing what we put in our mouths from the reality of how it came into being. But these kind lies appear to be on the way out, … [Read more...] about I want to eat a ‘veggie sausage’, not a ‘mycoproteinous food tube’

Rising food and fuel prices pushed Britain’s inflation rate to 2.3% last month, the highest rate for more than three years. Inflation was well above the 2.1% expected in a Reuters poll of economists, as grocery bills started rising after years of food getting cheaper. The bigger-than-expected rise will intensify fears over people’s living standards being squeezed this year by higher living costs. While inflation has been going up, wage growth has been slowing, leaving households worse off. The TUC said working people were facing the double blow of rising prices and slower wage growth. “If the government doesn’t wake up, we risk sleepwalking into another living standards crisis,” said the TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady. “We urgently need more investment in skills and infrastructure to build strong foundations for better-paid jobs. And it’s time to scrap the pay restrictions hitting hardworking teachers, nurses and other public … [Read more...] about Rising food and fuel prices hoist UK inflation rate to 2.3%

Poor people are reviled in America. I learned this lesson very early on as a child on food stamps in the grocery store. Other shoppers would search for a wedding ring on my mom’s hand and mutter “trailer trash” as we walked by when they didn’t find one. People behind us in the cashier line would swing their buggies around to another line, loudly complaining because my mom didn’t hand over her vouchers quickly enough. Junk food aroused particular ire, even though the US Department of Agriculture found no food consumption differences between food-stamp shoppers and non-food-stamp grocery shoppers. A cashier once berated my mom for buying a box of cake mix for my brother’s fourth birthday as my worried brother looked up at them. Adults sneered at my sister and me if they spotted the large bag of potato chips and five two-liter bottles of off-brand soda in our cart. But we bought non-perishables in bulk like that because our neighbor only gave us a ride … [Read more...] about I grew up on food stamps. I’ll never forget the sneering looks

WITH Christmas day coming up in just two weeks time, Christmas markets around the UK will be in full swing. With hundreds of stalls, each market offers festive food and drink, as well as gifts and souvenirs. Some of the bigger markets also have attractions including rides, ice skating rinks and live performances. Plus, as they're all in the UK, there's no hassle of booking a last-minute flight and hotel. It means you have more money left over for a glass or two of mulled wine, and to pick up some nice presents. Here are some of the best Christmas markets in the UK to add to your diary this year.1. Winter Wonderland The biggest Christmas Market in London, Winter Wonderland, is found in Hyde Park and runs from November 21 to January 5 this year. Visitors can enter the attractions between 10am and 10pm and it is free to enter. However, some attractions cost extra, such as ice skating and the Ferris wheel. Book ahead of time on the Winter Wonderland website.2. Manchester Christmas Market … [Read more...] about Best UK Christmas markets for stocking up on presents this year