In the latest episode of The Food Talk Show, Ollie Lloyd dives into a conversation with Richard Peake, CEO of Merchant Gourmet. The brand is revitalising the grain and pulse category by offering flavoursome, convenient products for time-strapped consumers that want something a bit more interesting.

Historically known for its premium chestnuts and puy lentils, Merchant Gourmet is one of the brands driving the growing shift toward culinary curiosity with easy-to-prepare, often microwaveable options. This evolution not only addresses consumer desires for quality and flavour but also taps into the trend of reducing meat consumption.

Richard highlights how the brand stays true to its roots by focusing on excellent taste while subtly integrating health benefits. By expanding their range to include diverse global cuisines, Merchant Gourmet invites consumers to experience dishes from around the world with ease. They are also not scared to take on established brands like Tilda in rice with products that they think are just more interesting than the competition.

They are now in 30 plus categories including frozen and have recently expanded into the the world of beans. As they continue to inspire consumers , Merchant Gourmet is committed to making supermarket shelves and home-cooked meals more exciting and make it easier for consumers to eat a more plant-forward diet.

Can one revolutionise the frozen treats category? Zara Godfrey, the founder of Pukpip, thinks so and explains it all to Ollie Lloyd in this latest episode, as his new puppy (Enola) occasionally makes a racket in the background!

Pukpip launched in 2023 to shake up the ice cream industry by integrating more fruit into consumers' diets in fun and innovative ways. At the core of Pukpip's offering are chocolate-dipped frozen bananas, a nostalgic nod to Zara's childhood favourites prepared by her mother.

Zara and her team are breaking ground by creating a new category—indulgent frozen fruit—within the UK's snack market, something tha is alreadey developed in the US. Despite formidable competition from giants like Mars, Zara's Pukpip stands out by promoting health-conscious alternatives and reducing food waste through its unique up-cycling approach. The company turns 'wonky' fruit into a delightful snacking experience by sourcing bananas in Ecuador, absurdly rejected by standard export processes.

The brand caters to a health-focused, younger audience seeking permissible indulgence that combines taste and wellness. The brand is an excellent example of how there are solutions that can be delicious and healthy. However, one challenge for Pukpip is educating consumers about this new category, which might be getting easier now that new competitors have arrived.

Edited by Stella Gent

In this latest episode of The Food Talk Show, host Ollie Lloyd welcomes Ed Morrison, the CEO of Roots Allotment. This membership-based business aims to empower communities across the UK to grow their food and become part of a vibrant local community. From the germ of an idea during lockdown, the company is pursuing a bold vision for sustainable self-reliance.

Ed Morrison's journey with Roots Allotment began serendipitously during a pre-lockdown gardening talk in Lyme Regis, where he encountered no-dig gardening pioneer Charles Dowding. This meeting ignited Morrison's interest in sustainable food cultivation, leading him to propose a market garden on unloved land in his grandmother’s garden.

Roots Allotment is not just about growing vegetables; it's about fostering community and inclusivity. With nine sites across England, in places like Bristol, Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield, Bath, Stourbridge, Chelmsford and Croydon, each allotment buzzes with human and insect life. Morrison's ambition is to develop a network of over 100 sites with over 100,000 people growing their own food within a decade. With every location fostering a sense of community,, this vision has the potential to impact more than just the way some people eat.

Converting land into allotments isn’t without its challenges, from sorting members' seeds into tiny packets to accessing quality compost. However, Morrison highlights that one of the most pressing issues is finding suitable land amid the competition from housing developers and other edge-of-town developers.

If all this sparks a desire to have a Roots Allotment near you, visit their website and complete an application form - apparently, all it takes is 300 signatures from friends to influence where their next site is!

Edited by Stella Gent