September Food and Drink News – It’s now downhill to Christmas. Or so it seems, as there are so many Christmas product showcases for me to check out. However, it is still September, and with hopes of an Indian summer (running through to the end of October please!), here are some food and drink products I’ve recently discovered.
Benefit Juice has relaunched its range of fruit and vegetable juices with a new look and revamped flavours. There is a trio of juices; Cleanse, Enrich and Vitality, offering specific benefits: one 150ml glass now includes 6g of fibre, 100% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin D, as well as vitamins C, E and K, folate, potassium and beta-carotene, naturally found in the fruits and vegetables in the juice. Enrich is a zesty blend of carrot, mango & ginger, while Vitality is beetroot, raspberry and grape. Cleanse, pure prune juice, (available in both concentrate and Not From Concentrate), retains its same taste and flavour profile, with a fresh look. I’ve only tried Enrich and Vitality so far – both good, but Vitality is my favourite (I think it will also be a great cocktail ingredient!) Available from Waitrose at £3.95 for 900ml.
Designed for quick lunches, easy evening meals and at-home fakeaways, each Spice Tailor kit comes with sauce and spices already sorted. You can then customise your bowl with favourite additions, from crunchy vegetables and tofu to chicken or prawns. The company has just launched two delicious new Pan-Asian Noodle kits, helping you to create restaurant quality Pho and Yakisoba bowls in just 10 minutes. Each kit serves two, is suitable for vegetarians and has no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. They are available in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado at £3.95 rrp.
By heck those Heck! Folk have been busy recently! Putting a lighter spin on a British classic, its new Chicken Cumberland Sausages (340g £3.50) bring together all the peppery, herby flavours of a traditional Cumberland recipe, swapping pork for chicken, but keeping the savoury satisfaction of the nation’s favourite banger.
Not content with that, Heck! has also launched a range of ready-to-cook, seasoned and veggie-packed minces that give time-pressed cooks a head start on three of the nation’s favourite midweek meals – spag Bol, cottage pie and chilli. With most of the prep done, all you need to do is add a couple of store cupboard ingredients to get a satisfying and nourishing meal on the table in no time. The trio is high in protein and gluten-free. Easy Chicken Chilli Con Carne Mince combines lean chicken breast and thigh with red pepper, kidney beans, onion, seasoning and a bold blend of warming spices. (500g / £6). High in protein, low fat, source of fibre, gluten-free. Available from Asda. Combining beef and pork for a rich, authentic flavour, Easy Beef & Pork Bolognese Mince is lready seasoned and packed with lentils, tomato and herbs, just add pasta, tinned tomatoes and a sprinkling of Parmesan (500g / £6). High in protein, source of fibre, gluten-free. Available from Tesco and Asda. Easy Beef Cottage Pie Mince combines lean British beef with peas, carrots, onion, tomato puree and seasoning, to create a rich, flavour-packed filling. Just add beef stock and mashed potato (500g / £6). High in protein, gluten-free. Available from Tesco.
Still on a meaty theme, the award-winning premium meat snacking brand, The Mad Butcher, has expanded its range with the launch of Serrano Chips, deliciously crisp slices of cured Serrano ham that bring a gourmet Spanish flavour twist to snacking. Made with just two ingredients – Serrano ham and salt – these light and crunchy meat chips contain no artificial flavours or additives and are oven baked rather than fried, creating a satisfyingly crisp snack with a moreish, meaty flavour. The Serrano Chips are also naturally high in protein (13g per pack), gluten-free and keto friendly, proving that great snacking doesn’t need a long list of ingredients. Available to buy from Ocado, the handy 20g packs have an RRP of £2.
Maldon Salt, loved globally by chefs, home cooks and foodies, has launched Sicilian Fine Sea Salt. Sicilian Fine Sea Salt enhances a wide range of dishes, from freshly baked breads and crispy fries to indulgent desserts. Sicilian Fine Sea Salt has been chosen for its clean, balanced flavour and the remarkable delicacy it acquires through a traditional harvesting process. Collected in large open pools and naturally dried in the coastal breeze, it offers a texture noticeably finer than typical table salt. This fine texture makes the salt highly adaptable throughout the cooking process, elevating a wide range of dishes. The salt dissolves quickly in pasta water, combines cleanly into bread doughs and baked goods, seasons chips evenly, and brings subtle depth to decadent desserts. Harvested in Trapani on Sicily’s western coast, this fine white sea salt is available at £2.50 for 250g from Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Ocado.
Tony’s Chocolonely has a new Popcorn Crunch bar: a wickedly sweet and salty popcorn hit that combines favourite film snacks – chocolate and popcorn – into one chunky bar. Packed with roasted, caramelised corn pieces and coated in Tony’s milk chocolate, the new bar delivers a perfect hit of crunchy texture and popcorn flavour, taking you straight back to your favourite cinema. Made with 100% traceable cocoa beans sourced through Tony’s Open Chain initiative, Tony’s uses its 5 Sourcing Principles to support cocoa farmers in earning a living income and building long-term partnerships. The new Popcorn bar is in Sainsbury’s, ASDA and online at tonyschocolonely.com. RRP: £4
As the days grow shorter, our desire for a sparkling wine that reminds us of the very essence of summer becomes irresistible. Step forward Bouvet Ladubay Saumur Rosé Brut; a vibrant and elegant sparkling wine. 2026 marks a significant milestone for Bouvet Ladubay, celebrating 175 years since its founding in 1851 by Célestine Ladubay and Étienne Bouvet. Bouvet Ladubay Saumur Rosé Brut is predominantly made from Cabernet Franc grapes, one of the Loire Valley’s signature varietals, and spends 12 months ageing on lees to develop a creamy yet fresh palate. The traditional method of winemaking gives the wine its fine bubbles and elegant structure, harmonising with vivid aromas of ripe strawberries, red fruits, peach, and delicate floral notes. On the palate, the sparkling rosé has lively acidity, creamy texture, and a lingering fresh finish. Available at £15 a bottle (£11 for a mix of six) exclusively from Majestic, Bouvet Ladubay Saumur Rosé Brut offers exceptional quality and value. Worth stocking up for Christmas, methinks.
The Seasoned Gastronome