The UK’s leading garden centre retailer, Dobbies, has partnered with surplus food app, Too Good To Go, in a bid to combat food waste in its Edinburgh store.
Leading the food waste revolution, Too Good To Go lets people buy surplus food and drink from restaurants, grocery stores, pubs and producers to stop it from going to waste. Consumers simply download the free Too Good To Go app and search for nearby businesses with unsold produce. They then purchase a ‘Magic Bag’ and collect it at an allotted time.
Customers in Edinburgh are able purchase a Magic Bag in the Dobbies foodhall, filled with fresh and delicious surplus food that would ordinarily go to waste. With an RRP of £12-14, the Magic Bags are available to buy for £3.99.
Archie Stewart, Head of Food at Dobbies, said: “Our partnership with Too Good To Go is an innovative solution for customers and Dobbies to work together on a shared goal of reducing food waste.
“The Too Good To Go Magic Bags can be collected with ease from our Edinburgh store.”
Paschalis Loucaides, UK Country Manager at Too Good To Go, said: “We’re thrilled to have partnered with Dobbies and help reduce food waste. We’ve already seen brilliant traction for the Magic Bags on our app and know together we can make a huge difference in making sure food is eaten and enjoyed instead of wasted.”
Coming soon, co-founder of Too Good To Go, Jamie Crummie, will feature as a guest on the latest episode of the Dobbies podcast. Joining host Louise Midgely, Jamie will talk more about the partnership, the inspiration behind the anti-food waste enterprise and share his top tips on reducing food waste at home.
As well as Edinburgh, Too Good To Go Magic Bags are available to purchase in the following Dobbies stores across the UK: Aberdeen, Ashford, Atherstone, Aylesbury, Ayr, Birtley, Braehead, Brighton, Carlisle, Chesterfield, Cirencester, Dundee, Dunfermline, Gailey, Gillingham, Gloucester, Gosforth, Harleston Heath, Havant, Huntingdon, Liverpool, Livingston, Milngavie, Milton Keynes, Moreton Park, Morpeth, Northampton, Perth, Peterborough, Ponteland, Preston, Reading, Rugby, Shepton, Shenstone, Southport, Stapleton, Stirling, Stockton, Stratford Upon Avon, Swansea and Telford. More stores will be announced on the Dobbies website soon.
To purchase a Magic Bag, download the Too Good To Go App, available via the Apple Store and Google Play. To find out more visit toogoodtogo.co.uk
Aldi, the UK’s lowest priced supermarket, is to invest more than £6.7 million in two new stores in Edinburgh and Midlothian this year, creating 42 jobs.
The supermarket will open a new store at Hermiston Gait in Edinburgh and Thornybank Industrial Estate in Dalkeith before the end of the year.
Aldi continues to lead the way on championing great quality Scottish produce with twenty five percent of its range now locally sourced in Scotland. The supermarket now has 96 stores throughout Scotland and is set to reach its 100th store milestone by the end of the year. This investment is part of the supermarket’s long-term target to reach 1,200 stores in the UK by 2025.
Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer, Aldi UK and Ireland, said:“With shoppers increasingly looking to make sure they get unbeatable prices on their weekly shop without compromising on quality, our stores are becoming ever more popular.
“This investment in Aldi stores over the course of this year will help make the UK’s lowest-priced supermarket more accessible to even more people, and bring us closer to our long-term goal of having 1,200 stores across the UK by 2025.”
“We have been investing in Britain for more than 30 years now, but we know that there are still areas that either don’t have an Aldi at all, or that need another store to meet customer demand.
Last summer, Aldi announced it was looking for new store locations in 19 towns and cities across Scotland – including Stonehaven, Castle Douglas, and Peebles – as part of its longer-term expansion plans.
Aldi has recently increased its minimum hourly rates, paying a minimum hourly rate of £9.55 nationally, up from £9.40. Store colleagues will now be able to earn up to £10.57 after three years nationally and £11.32 after two years in London. The new rates of pay are also boosted by the fact Aldi is still one of the only UK supermarkets to pay for breaks taken during shifts, which means Aldi colleagues remain the best-paid in the sector.
The supermarket, which opened new stores in Livingston and Stewarton during 2020, has also announced plans to increase the amount of food and drink it buys from British suppliers by £3.5bn a year by 2025, as it continues its rapid expansion across the UK.
Aldi is widely recognised as the biggest supporter of local suppliers and has already put plans in place to expand its Scottish range to hit 500 locally sourced product lines in the next two years.
Aldi is also investing £500m in new and upgraded stores, distribution centres and its supply chain in 2021, which will create over 4,000 jobs as well as new opportunities for British food and drink producers.
A group bookings provider is urging the public to support their local bars and restaurants once lockdown restrictions are lifted.
The county is once again in lockdown, and pubs, restaurants and hotels are forced to shut their doors. Many see this as the third major blow to the hospitality sector across the UK.
This hardship to hospitality is tough to take for many, and Bradley Gough, CEO and Founder of Groubook, calls for more support for independent businesses working in the hospitality sector.
Mr Gough welcomes the new government grants to help keep businesses afloat until spring whilst we are all in lockdown, but warns it is not enough.
He says businesses are continuing to incur mounting debt and the £9,000 of support offered will quickly run out. It is not enough to cover the costs of many businesses and certainly will not underpin longer-term business viability for the sector.
Bradley is now calling for a clear plan on what happens next, especially for those sectors which have incurred massive losses throughout – but he is also calling for the British public to play their part and support the local businesses that need it so much.
Bradley Gough, CEO of Groubook said: “With the uncertainty of Brexit and COVID-19, it’s been a tough year for the hospitality sector, and the future of the industry is less known. Nobody has had any guidance on when we can re-open.
“Unfortunately, many bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants will not survive the strict new regulations across the UK.
“We don’t want to see the industry disappear and that’s what’s slowly happening.
So, we call on the British public to spearhead the rescue mission and support their local bars, cafes and restaurants when lockdown restrictions are lifted.
“We get it – some people will be excited to be back out eating, drinking, and socialising, and some will think it’s all too soon and want to stay home. Both are OK and we need to be more aware and tolerant of each other. But whether you choose to stay at home, or go out, we can all do our bit to help rescue the hospitality sector.”
Here are eight ways customers can support local businesses in the current climate:
Book a table
When safe to do and lockdown restrictions are lifted, you will be able to visit SOME of your favourite places again. Others will open days, weeks or months later when they are ready. And when you are ready and comfortable, book a table. When the restaurants see the bookings come in, it will give them the confidence to get back going again!
Don’t forget to visit midweek, not just at the weekends too.
Order takeaway if preferred
This is also possible during lockdown for many local hospitality businesses, but rest assured most places will continue this even if they’re “open” again.
So if you don’t want to attend in person, order the products to take away. It’s still supporting the business.
It’s worth checking the best way to deliver or collect, as many delivery apps take a commission from the business.
Cook at home
Quite a few local restaurants are offering DIY packs, ready meals and “finish at home” style packs. You just need to be prepared to do the final bit of effort, in heating up and presenting it.
Invest in vouchers
A lot of establishments in the hospitality sector have vouchers available to buy and they can be used in the future.
Having the money come in from vouchers is great for business confidence, and it’s good for consumers to have something to look forward to.
Vouchers also make great gifts!
Don’t forget the high street
Even through lockdown, various local shops that sold food remained open, such as delicatessens. More will reopen and spring back to life when safe and allowed, so keep tabs on the local high street outlets as you can get great fresh produce from delis etc. saving you visiting the supermarket.
It’s also worth mentioning that some traders make a living off doing pop-ups in places like pub car parks. So when safe to do so, keep an eye on your favourite traders via social media so you don’t miss out.
Share on social media
Speaking of social media, something as simple as a quick post on social media reporting on a great visit or meal can lead to more bookings. As customers, we need to be cheerleaders for our favourite independents, as they need all the publicity they can get.
Sharing your positive experience means a lot to the independent businesses but also helps others find great sources to use in future.
Turn up to your bookings
If you book a table at a restaurant in the coming weeks and months, make sure you turn up. In previous lockdowns, many independent businesses were hit by a wave of no-shows since reopening, and these affect small restaurants more than you might think.
But we are human so if, for any reason, you’re no longer able to make a booking, simply contact the restaurant and let them know in advance.
Normalise deposits
Learning from previous lockdowns, independents have been forced to ask for deposits with their bookings, requiring customers to put down a small, refundable fee to reduce the risk of people not turning up.
If you’re looking to book a table at one of your favourite restaurants, don’t be put off if they ask for a deposit. It will come off your bill!
Use of Snappy Shopper increased 43% during previous Tier 4 lockdown
Shoppers are turning to convenience stores to plug gaps in their shopping deliveries during lockdown, according to a Scottish national retailer.
Scotmid has seen a 43% increase in orders using its Snappy Shopper service during the first lockdown and has been working hard to respond to the continued growth in demand for the service at a time when full lockdown restrictions are back in place.
The rise in use of the Snappy Shopper service – which delivers to customers from as little as 30 minutes – comes at a time when consumers are increasingly switching their shopping habits from in store to online – and finding delivery slots from the bigger supermarkets have been booked up sometimes weeks in advance.
Since launching online delivery through the Snappy Shopper app in Edinburgh last year, the service has benefited many individuals during the COVID-19 crisis, including those considered high-risk and having to shield.
Kevin Plant, Head of Food at Scotmid said: “With competition for online shopping slots fierce, Snappy Shopper is filling a much-needed gap for many residents in Edinburgh.
“Feedback from the community has shown us how important this service is – especially for people who are shielding – and we’re pleased to expand our service in the community, especially as Tier 4 restrictions are taking hold.”
The first delivery for every customer is free when they sign up on the app*, with subsequent deliveries in Edinburgh costing just £3.50.
There is a £10 minimum basket spend with a limit of 25 products per delivery.** Deliveries are available to order between 10am and 8pm, with the last delivery at 9pm.
Morrisons has announced it will set aside a further £5 million of food supplies to help keep the nation’s food banks stocked up this year.
Last year, Morrisons led the charge to restock Britain’s food banks, who found themselves struggling with unprecedented demand for their services. Through Morrisons network of Community Champions, £10 million of stock was delivered direct to food banks across the UK.
As the UK’s largest fresh foodmaker, Morrisons ran its bakery, egg and fruit & veg packing site for an extra hour every day to make, prepare and pack food required to restock the food banks – with over 2 million eggs and over 300,000 loaves of bread distributed through Morrisons own manufacturing sites.
Morrisons also focused on the essential products food banks were calling out for supplying 1 million packets of pasta, 1.5 million litres of long life milk and over 800,000 tins of beans to those in need. Other treats to help bring joy to families included 1 million Easter Eggs and 50,000 packs of McVities Victoria Biscuits through an innovative buy one, donate one campaign in November.
Food was then distributed locally through Morrisons network of local heroes – the community champions – who work closely with food banks on the ground to ensure they’re getting the vital stock that they need.
Food banks continue to play a vital role in the pandemic for many of the most vulnerable people in communities, with research by the Trussell Trust forecasting a 61% increase in food parcels needed across its UK Network this winter – and six emergency food parcels given out every minute.
The £5 million donation by Morrisons will continue to distribute food to those most in need this year.
Morrisons Chief Executive, David Potts said: “As food banks continue to face the extremely challenging times they find themselves in, it is only right that we continue to play our full part at Morrisons in feeding the nation.
“As a business our priority remains to be kind and support those in society who find themselves struggling through this very difficult time; all of us working together means no-one need be left behind”.
Morrisons customers have also played their part throughout the pandemic, contributing over £180,000 to the Trussell Trust through Morrisons.com and donating hundreds of thousands of products in store through the Morrisons Pick Up Packs.
A scheme where customers can select a small paper bag filled with a number of items needed specifically by their local food bank labelled with a price at the front of store, pay for the items and drop off their bag on their way out.
In honour of Veganuary a time of year when vegan lovers can share the joys of all things vegan, Need2Know Books are looking for the best mouth-watering vegan recipes from members of the public.
Using a range of aromatic ingredients alongside a variety of vegan staples the hunt is on to find the best of the best in vegan cooking. So, if you fancy trying your hands at a bit of creative vegan culinary enter Need2Know Books’ Vegan Recipe Challenge.
There are lots of free giveaways for the best eight entries with the top two winners winning a free copy of the Essential Guide to Vegan Cooking and Food for Health, a must have guide on how to get optimal nutrition from food. A selection of the best original vegan recipe entries will be given a chance to be featured in a fully illustrated colour cookbook published by Need2Know Books.
Ian Walton, the director of Need2Know Books says: “We want vegan food lovers to explore new ways of cooking vegan food. Using a variety of flavours and textures the challenge is to create an original culinary masterpiece that is simple to make and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
“So, whether you want to put a new spin on brown rice and lentils, or butternut squash with pumpkin seeds, creating something new is the challenge.”
Need2Know Books publishes a variety of essential guides that cover issues concerning health, mental health, fitness and diet. A range of essential guides are available that give dietary advice and guidance on children’s nutrition, weight loss, and food for health. All Need2Know Books highlight important ‘essential things to know’ written in easy to read language without unnecessary and confusing jargon.
Covid has certainly changed our home habits with many of us spending more time in the kitchen experimenting with new foods and flavours. Research has found that cooking at home has increased by 40% since the first lockdown in March 2020.
The love of vegan cooking has been growing in the last few years. Recent data revealed the number of vegans in the UK now exceeds three-and-a-half million, or 7% of the population. These figures indicate that veganism has seen a 700% growth in the UK in the last two years.
In the United States a similar pattern can be seen. A new study has revealed that the number of Americans following plant-based diets is up nearly 9.6 million over the last 15 years. This is a 300% increase and nearly 3 percent of the population in the United States are following a vegan diet.
Kelly Fairchild, a global business development manager from Ipsos Retail Performance said: “Plant-based diets are fast becoming mainstream, but the change hasn’t been a steady one.
“Recent years have seen rapid adoption of vegan diets and more meat-free products making their way onto shelves. As the dialog around veganism shifts from one of animal welfare, to wider concerns around climate change and personal health, we are seeing more and more people adopt this once minority dietary preference.”
The growing love affair with vegan eating and living is affecting all of our lives and can no longer be ignored. As more meat free products become available from the big chain supermarkets the opportunity to experiment with exciting new dishes will inevitably continue to grow.
To enter Need2Know Books’ Vegan Recipe Challenge send your recipe and a picture of your best dish. Remember to personalise it with a catchy title and a good quality photo. Shortlisted recipes will be featured on the company’s social media channels. Recipes need to be clearly written with appropriate ingredients, measurements and cooking time. All sorts of recipes will be considered from tasty dinner meals, to exotic breads, and yummy desserts.
Eight winners will be chosen in total with six given a book of their choice from Need2Know Books’ extensive book catalogue. The top two winners will receive a free copy of The Essential Guideto Vegan Cooking and Food for Health. The best entries will be eligible to feature in a new fully illustrated cookbook published by Need2Know Books.
The number of people following a vegan diet has risen in recent years and this month, many people are challenging themselves with ‘Veganuary’. A vegan diet contains only plant-based foods, such as grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. It is generally accepted that a vegan diet can offer benefits for the environment, animal welfare and your health.
The benefits of the vegan diet for your heart depends on which foods you choose and what else you do with your lifestyle. People who cut animal foods out of their diets tend to benefit from more fruit, veg and fibre and less saturated fat, with favourable blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Why not try out some of our Vegan inspired Healthy Heart Tips:
Rapeseed oil, flaxseed oil, walnuts, green leafy vegetables and soya products contain omega-3 fat which, when swapped for foods high in saturated fat, like fatty meats and cheese, could help to protect your heart and arteries. To cut down on animal fats, why not try swapping minced beef in your recipes for lentils, beans or chickpeas.
Look for reinforcements
To make sure your body isn’t missing out on essential nutrients, a vegan diet needs to be well-planned and you might need to top up on some vitamins. This time of year when sunlight exposure is limited, everyone in the UK should consider taking a vitamin D supplement.
This is especially important if you’re cutting out animal products. You’ll also need to supplement on vitamin B12 as you can’t get this from plant-based foods. Check food labels for the word ‘fortified’- most vegan spreads, breakfast cereals and soya products have vitamin D, calcium and B12 added to them.
The vegan diet isn’t the be all and end all to good health, but taking a leaf out of the vegan way could set you off in the right direction when it comes to heart health.
So why not give it a go, start with one meal a day or one day a week and see how you like it.
Whilst many of our cupboards are overflowing with leftover bottles of Christmas booze, it’s understandable if you don’t fancy drinking the dregs – but there’s no excuse to throw it out!
With Burns Night around the corner, why not put your booze to good use and create an alcohol-infused feast to get the celebrations rolling?
Not everyone has skills like Mary Berry or James Martin, which is why the team over at The Bottle Club have rallied together five quick and easy recipes which will perfectly accompany a Burns Night feast, allowing you to indulge in some delicious boozy calories.
Typsy Laird
This simply boozy Scottish trifle is the perfect pud for a Burns Night dinner and isn’t called Typsy Laird for nothing. For those who haveleftover Christmas sherry, this is how to use it. Be warned, this sweet is not suitable for children!
This dessert can be generously doused in Sherry andDrambuie (a Scotch whisky liqueur infused with heather honey, herbs and spices), accompanied by custard and raspberries. You can adjust quantities of the individual ingredients based on your trifle dish and personal tastes, but making the custard from scratch is key, and it’s easier than you may think.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Base:
340 grams sponge or pound cake
140ml Sherry
60ml Drambuie
230 grams raspberry jam
finely grated rind of a fresh, organic lemon
6 ladyfingers
Custard:
4 egg yolks
60ml milk
3 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Top:
250ml cream
1 or 2 tbsp Drambuie
Method:
Break the sponge cake into pieces and place on the bottom of a trifle bowl (or individual bowls).
Place the Sherry and Drambuie in a measuring jug. Heat the jam slightly and add a little of the liquor to make it a bit runny. Pour the jam over the cake evenly.
Add the crushed biscuits on top of the jam and sprinkle the lemon rind over the biscuits.
Next, pour the liquor over the top of the crushed biscuits. Leave to soak.
Make the custard by putting it into a bowl to cool a little, stirring constantly, before adding to the top of the trifle base. Cover and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours).
Finish by whipping cream and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of Drambuie. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream onto the top of the trifle. Decorate with almonds, raspberries and mint leaves.
If you loved chicken before, you’ll certainly love it once infused with some bubbly booze- prosecco and chicken is such a wonderful combination. This isn’t a typical dish on a Burns night menu, but similar to Scottish Deviled Chicken and perfect for those who don’t fancy haggis.
This dish is simply rustic-style chicken served with stir-fried vegetables and a simple green salad, but the key to this dish is the flavoursome sauce, made with butter, rosemary, onions, chicken stock and of course, Prosecco.
Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
5 cloves of garlic
1 medium onion
250 ml of prosecco
450 grams boneless chicken
10 tbsp chicken stog
1 sprig rosemary
1 large courgette (chopped)
1 large carrot (chopped)
1 cup button mushrooms
Method:
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter to a deep pan. When the butter has melted, add chicken and saute until cooked through. Set aside on a plate.
Add garlic and onions, lower the heat to medium and cook for five minutes until onions have softened.
Add your prosecco and stir well to glaze the bottom of the pan, bringing to the boil. Add the chicken and lower to simmer, covering the pan to cook for 10 minutes.
Remove rosemary and transfer onion mixture to a blender, add remaining two tablespoons chicken stock and puree until smooth. Set aside.
In another pan, add remaining olive oil, zucchini, carrots and mushrooms and cook on medium/high heat for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender but still have a crunch. Add salt and pepper seasoning.
Pop all ingredients into a large bowl, toss well and serve.
As strange as it may sound, chocolate haggis is actually pretty tasty and perfect for those who are a bit squeamish about eating the real thing and more importantly, the perfect chance to splash away all that leftover whisky from Christmas
This haggis- for those who don’t like haggis- is essentially shortbread and whisky fridge cake, ideally served with ice cream ‘tatties’ and orange jelly ‘neeps’. The end result, a seriously rich and boozy easy to make no-bake fridge cake.
Image: Food Quine
Preparation time: 20 mins
Serves 4
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Scotch Whisky (splash the good stuff!)
50g Sultanas
100g Butter
100g Cocoa Powder
1 Free Range Egg
100g Caster Sugar
150g Shortbread
50g Mixed Nuts, chopped
Icing Sugar to dust
Method:
Put the sultanas and whisky into a small bowl and leave to soak whilst you prepare the remaining ingredients
Melt the butter in a saucepan, then sieve in the cocoa powder and stir until you have a smooth paste
In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and egg together until pale and creamy
Place the shortbread in a zip lock bag and bash it with a rolling pin. You want a mixture of chunks and crumbs
Combine the chocolate mixture with the sugar/egg mix and stir in the shortbread, chopped mixed nuts and the whisky soaked sultanas, plus any remaining whisky
Layout a double thickness of cling film and tip the chocolate mixture out onto it forming a haggis shape
Roll up and continue to manipulate into shape tying a knot at each end of the cling film
Chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight to harden
Remove the cling film, slice and serve alongside a wee dram
These boozy breakfast buns are a comforting sweet yet salty treat and can be enjoyed any time of the day. Scots are always partial to a splash of rum, so these buns are the perfect way to soak up any leftover at the back of the cupboard.
Fluffy, light and tender, hot cross buns with rum-soaked currants are a treat any time of year but make holidays feel extra special, best served slightly toasted with a smear of salted butter, washed down with a nice warm brew- or a hot toddy.
Boil 300ml of milk on a low heat and in a separate pan, place 50g of butter over low heat until melted. Add warmed milk and melted butter into a bowl, mix and leave to cool until mixture reaches room temperature.
Separately, mix 500g of flour, 1 tsp of salt, 75g of caster sugar and 1sp of baking powder into a bowl.
Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture and add 1 beaten egg. Add in a splash of spiced rum, and combine the ingredients to form a sticky dough and place onto a floured surface.
Knead until the mixture becomes smooth and then place the dough into a flour-covered bowl, leave to rise for 1 hour until the mixture has doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, place the mixture back onto a floured surface and tip in 75g of sultanas, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon and knead this into the dough.
Divide the dough into 16 squares and on a floured surface, roll these squares into balls.
Line these balls onto a baking tray and cover with a damp tea towel to allow the balls to prove for an additional hour until they have doubled in size.
Add 5 tbsp of water, 1 tbsp at a time, to 75g of plain flour to make the paste, then pipe two lines across the top of the buns to make a cross on each, using a piping bag or a spoon.
Place the hot cross buns in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes and set aside to cool on a wire rack once fully golden.
On the coast, long summer days are often spent fishing salmon in the fast-running local rivers. Whisky-cured salmon is a Scottish favourite, served on a large wooden board with a range of accompaniments: oatcakes, thinly sliced pumpernickel bread, small bowls of assorted homemade pickles, crème fraîche, and lots of lemon wedges.
Line a baking tray and rinse the salmon under cold water and pat dry. In a bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, peppercorns, and juniper berries. Sprinkle half the salt mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread one bunch of dill on top.
Lay the salmon skin-side down on the dill and drizzle with the whisky. Cover with the remaining dill, and top with the rest of the salt mixture.
Wrap the salmon in a tight plastic wrap and refrigerate for 48 hours.
When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap from the salmon. Using the back of a knife scrape the cure mixture off the fish and lay on a large wooden board. To serve, thinly slice the salmon into diagonal strips leaving the skin behind.
The Bottle Club tips for cooking with whisky: “The flavours of a single malt Scotch whisky, for example, are derived from malted barley fermentation, the distillation process and maturation in oak casks over several years, which makes it ideal to boost a wide variety of flavours in foods”
Everything you need to feed a family up to six for a little over £3
Aldi are now selling some of the nation’s favourite dishes to help customers celebrate Burns Night on a budget.
With prices starting at just 99p, Aldi’s Burns Night range has something to suit everyone, whether they are cooking a big feast for their household or celebrating the big day solo on the sofa.
Aldi has partnered with some of its top local suppliers, including Simon Howie, McIntosh of Strathmore and We hae meat, to bring the best of Scotland’s larder to your Burns table.
Customers can pick up everything they need for a traditional Burns supper, including haggis, neeps and tatties to feed a family up to six for only £3.12.
Comfortably feeding two to three adults, Aldi’s best-selling Macaulay’s Haggis (454g) is available in store every day and customers can choose from the traditional meat option or a delicious vegetarian alternative for only 99p (offer available 14th – 25th Feb). Also available in store is the popular Specially Selected Chieftain Haggis (£2.69, 908g), the perfect centrepiece for any Burns Night table, and feeds up to six hungry mouths.
Aldi’s weekly Super 6 deal on fresh vegetables includes Maris Piper Potatoes (79p, 2.5kg) and Swede (35p each), to make the all-important tatties and neeps to accompany your haggis.
For anyone looking for a modern twist to a traditional Burns supper, Aldi’s Specially Selected Haggis En Croute (£3.49, 470g) has returned to stores after flying off the shelves last year. There’s also Jumbo Haggis Pigs in Blankets (£2.29, 400g)from Ayrshire butcher We hae meat, Simon Howie Haggis Bon Bons (£1.99, 240g) and Haggis Olives (£2.99, 400g), Bells Steak & Haggis Pies (99p, 2 pack), and a Haggis Pakora Platter (£2.79, 350g).
If you would prefer to put your feet up and have a delicious Burns Supper prepared for you, why not try Aldi’s McIntosh of Strathmore Burns Box (£3.49, 900g) meal kit for two, complete with everything you and your partner need to celebrate Scotland’s national poet without lifting a finger (apart from popping it in the microwave)!
Finally, no Burns Night would be complete without a dram of Scotch and customers can choose from a range of high-quality Scottish Malt whiskies, including Aldi’s award winning Highland Black 8-Year-Old Scotch Whisky (£14.00, 70cl) and Glen Marnoch Islay, Speyside and Highland Single Malt Whiskies (£16.49, 70cl).
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland, said: “From hearty family meals to delicious haggis dishes with a modern twist, Aldi’s 2021 Burns Night range offers customers the whole package when it comes to creating the ultimate Burns Supper.
“With celebrations having to be a bit different this year, it’s all the more important that we have things to look forward to and enjoy, and there’s nothing better than delicious, comforting Scottish produce to get into the spirit of Burns.”
Aldi’s Scottish Burns Night range is available from all 96 Scottish Aldi stores. You can find your nearest Aldi store here.
The Full Burns Night range includes:
MacAulay’s Haggis (99p, 454g)
MacAulay’s Vegetarian Haggis (99p, 454g)
Specially Selected Chieftain Haggis (£2.69, 908g)
Specially Selected Haggis En Croute (£3.49, 470g)
Simon Howie Gluten Free Haggis (£1.99, 454g)
Simon Howie Haggis Olives (£2.99, 400g)
Simon Howie Haggis Bon Bons (£1.99, 240g)
Bells Steak & Haggis Pies (99p, 2 pack)
Bells Steak & Haggis Pie (£2.99, 400g)
McIntosh of Strathmore Burns Box (meal kit for two) (£3.49, 900g)
Lauchlan Burn Skinny Haggis Olives (£2.79, 350g)
MacSween Whisky Cream Sauce (£1.19, 150g)
Mash Direct Mashed Neeps & Tatties (£1.89, 750g)
McIntosh of Strathmore Vegetarian Haggis, Neeps and Tatties (99p, 340g)
– Food to come from Morrisons food-making sites, distribution centres and suppliers –
– Morrisons will work with food redistribution charity The Bread and Butter Thing to reach 30,000 families in 100 locations –
Morrisons is extending its work with leading food redistribution charity The Bread and Butter Thing (TBBT), to provide great quality food for thousands of families in the UK, while at the same time significantly reducing food waste in its food making operations and supply chain around the UK.
Food factories are the second highest source of food waste after households, according to the food waste charity WRAP. This typically happens because of overproduction, imperfections, mis-labelling or because the food runs out of shelf life.
During 2021, Morrisons plans to redistribute surplus food to 30,000 families in need through TBBT. Morrisons partnership with TBBT was set up in 2016 and has so far provided 2m meals to its members.
The food – amounting to another 800 tonnes or 2 million meals a year – will come from a range of Morrisons food-making sites, distribution centres, and UK suppliers. The range of products donated will include fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, prepared food and bread.
TBBT will redistribute it to families in need of healthy and nutritious meals. Its research found 80 per cent of adults who received food from TBBT are skipping meals themselves to feed their families1.
So far, the partnership has enabled TBBT to double its reach from its Greater Manchester origins. A second TBBT warehouse opened in County Durham in November 2020, new vans will take the fleet to 10, and over 50 hubs are expected to be operational across the North of England by mid 2021. Morrisons support will enable the charity to expand nationally to 100 locations by the start of 2022.
Steven Butts, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Morrisons, said: “Reducing food waste is important to our customers, colleagues and shareholders.
“We’ve made very strong progress in reducing waste in our supermarkets over many years. But there is still more to do behind the scenes and this extension of our partnership with TBBT will mean that they can do even more for families around the UK while at the same time helping us further reduce wasted food.”
Mark Game, CEO TBBT, said:“We’ve all faced enormous challenges this year and we could not have done it without Morrisons’ continued support and the heroic efforts of its team to keep its surplus food coming to us in addition to feeding the nation during this tumultuous time.
“I’m enormously grateful to Morrisons and all its staff for helping us to keep our members fed with quality, nutritious food which, for a whole variety of reasons, couldn’t be sold.
“We work in some of the UK’s most deprived communities. The financial savings for people using our service are significant, people eat better quality and a bigger variety of food, and we save tonnes of surplus edible food from going to waste.
“It’s a win/win solution for everyone. Morrisons have been a major supporter since our launch in 2016, and I’m excited that this new, extended partnership will enable us to grow nationwide.”
Morrisons has pledged to reduce operational food waste by 50% by 2030. To date the supermarket has launched the biggest Wonky fruit and veg range, has donated surplus food from every store, and offers boxes of veg, bakery and deli items for just £3.09 via the Too Good to Go App. Since 2015 Morrisons stores have also given surplus food to local good causes – totalling 3.5 tonnes last year.
Morrisons has 18 of its own food making sites – preparing meat, fruit, veg, fish, bakery and fresh food products, plus six distribution centres. The supermarket is the largest fresh food manufacturer in the UK, and makes more than half of the fresh food sold in its stores.
