Christmas 2020 was a bust.
One in three households celebrated Christmas Day alone and one in six didn’t bother celebrating at all. So, now it’s time to make up for it!
Research by Bidfood shows 41% of consumers are seeing Christmas 2021 as being more important than ever for people to get together and celebrate with loved ones. And almost half of consumers (47%) are saying that they plan to dine out at least once per week.
So, with Christmas 2021 is set to be the biggest and best ever, Macphie’s little helpers are at your service to help you make the festive season extra special for you and your customers.
Here’s our top tips to dominate this December
- Go over the top
If ever there’s a time to go over the top, it’s Christmas. Indulgence is key at this time of year with consumers allowing themselves the treats they restrict themselves to throughout the other 11 months of the year.
Think premiumisation. Source quality ingredients and look at how you finish your bakes or dishes. Our range of ready-to-use sweet sauces includes Brandy Sauce and Custard – two ideal pudding partners that are thick, creamy and utterly indulgent without a luxury price tag.
Here’s a recipe for a classic Christmas pudding with Brandy Sauce. Or mix things up and serve it with a Christmas tree tear ‘n’ share spiced bread.
Or go full sparkle this December. These everyday doughnuts have been given the tinsel treatment with some edible gold dust but you can also achieve a touch of sparkle with more natural ingredients like this dark chocolate cheesecake made using Macphie Panna Cotta scattered with pomegranate seeds which add a touch of colour and even a bit of twinkle when they catch the light.
- Don’t leave vegan to Veganuary
New research reveals that 50% of 16 to 24-year-olds no longer eat meat. The research, which questioned 2,000 people across the UK and was commissioned by meal plan delivery service KBK, found a general decrease in meat eaters nationwide.
In line with the growing number of meat-free consumers, vegan menu options are on the rise. Provision of an inclusive menu that creatively incorporates interesting options with consideration to different diets is getting easier, as new product development in vegan and plant-based products is on the up. So expectations from the market are increasing and consumers expect more than just a nut roast on the menu.
We’ve expanded our vegan offering. We have added a demi glace to the savoury sauce range to sit along side the white sauce. with a range of vegan-certified plant-based savoury which includes white sauce and a demi glace. We have also launched a Plant-based Cream Alternative which can be used as a filling or topping and can also be used in an espuma gun to give hot or cold drinks an indulgent finish. This vegan tiramisu recipe made using Plant-based Cream Alternative and our vegan chocolate cake mix is an indulgent dessert recipe that’s great for winter.
- Avoid waste
The hospitality sector is losing £17.6bm a year due to no-shows according to new research, with over a quarter of 18 to 34-year-olds, failing to show for reservations. Since the sector reopened, 14% of people have not turned up to their reservation, with 12% saying they are more likely to no-show than they were before the pandemic.
Source products that provide consistency and versatility. There’s no room for any one-trick ponies in your kitchen or bakery right now. To help our customers come up with alternative uses for their Macphie products, we’ve released a series of “multiple ways with” videos. Click to find either five or 10 things you can do with our Lemon Sensation®, Sticky Toffee Sensation®, Mactop® Traditional and Bechamel with Butter.
Despite a huge rise in awareness of the impact of food production and waste on the ever-growing threat of climate change, the UK is still falling behind in sustainability responsibilities. Making small changes can make a big difference. We have switched the packaging of our ready-to-use sauce and dessert ranges to cartons made of 87% plant-based material. We have also become a member of the On Pack Recycling Label scheme which allows us to clearly display recycling instructions on our packs to help customers dispose of them responsibly.
We’ve been a certified B Corp for over five years and perform to the highest social and environmental standards, working continuously to make responsible choices for our people and our customers. For more information on our B Corp status, click here.