More Dough Needed To Save Patisserie Valerie

The multi-millionaire chairman of Patisserie Valerie is pumping £20m of his own cash into the stricken cake and cafe chain to keep it in business after “fraudulent activity” was uncovered that left the business teetering on the brink. Details of the proposed emergency rescue plan came hours after it emerged that the finance director of Patisserie Holdings, which has over 200 cafes and nearly 3,000 staff, had been arrested at his home by police. On Friday afternoon, Patisserie Holdings Plc said it needed at least £20m in new cash to avoid calling in administrators. It revealed that historical statements about its finances “were mis-stated and subject to fraudulent activity and accounting irregularities”. The company said an initial investigation into its accounts showed that instead of having £28m in the bank, as it last reported, Patisserie Holdings is nearly £10m in debt. Mr Johnson, who invested in Patisserie Valerie in 2006, is a serial entrepreneur who is best known for taking control of Pizza Express in 1993 before selling out in 1999.

Patisserie Valerie

Crispmas

Walkers is launching a range of Christmas flavours in single and multi-pack formats, in a move designed to “spark debate” about Brussel Sprouts. Single pack flavours include Turkey & Stuffing, Pigs in Blankets, and Brussels Sprouts, each retailing at 65p each. Andrew Hawkswell, marketing manager at brand owner PepsiCo, said: “Walkers has a proven track record of launching fun and playful flavours that really get the nation talking, and this year we wanted to bring some of that magic to Christmas. “We know the sprout debate is one that divides the nation, so we wanted to offer product solutions for both sides of the debate, and ask people to decide whether they are a #SproutLover or #SproutHater.” The limited edition range will be available from 15 October and will be supported by TV, digital and PR activity.

Crispmas

Coca-Cola Cinnamon

Coca-Cola is gearing up for Christmas with the addition of a festive flavour for Zero Sugar and an on-pack push  across its core portfolio. The limited edition Zero Sugar Cinnamon has launched in a 1.25-litre format featuring a red and gold design. Zero sugar was "the fastest-growing cola brand during Christmas 2018" according to the Coca-Cola. The supplier has also kicked off a competition offering shoppers the chance to win a pair of tickets to Capital FM's annual Jingle Bell Ball. The early arrival of Coca Cola's yuletide pushes set to be followed by next moth by more activity that would "keep Coca-Cola at the centre of Christmas celebrations for both consumers and retailers".

Coca-Cola Cinnamon

Sprout Tea

If you love Christmas dinner and you’re a fan of tea, you’ll either be delighted or repulsed that Sainsbury’s has just launched a range of Brussels sprouts and pigs in blankets flavour teas. Yes, you can now drink meat or vegetable flavoured tea and we’re not quite sure what to think. The supermarket says the tea will make the ultimate stocking filler for any foodie – especially as it’s only £1 for 20 teabags. Despite the name of the pigs in blankets flavour, it is suitable for vegans and is totally calorie free, and is apparently best enjoyed without milk.

Flavoured Tea

Mars Makeover

From January 2019, both of the classic chocolate bars will be getting healthier, with less sugar and more protein. Both bars are going to contain 10g of protein and up to 40% less sugar, in an attempt to tackle high obesity rates. According to Mars Wrigley Confectioney, Mars ‘More Protein’ will contain 17.5g sugar per bar, which is 40% less than what it contains now. Snickers ‘More Protein’ will contain 14.1g per bar, which is 30% less.And it’s not just these two chocolate bars that will be having a healthy revamp in 2019. The company also plans to launch a new lower calorie range, which each contain less than 100 calories. As well as Mars and Snickers, this range will include Twix, Milky Way Crispy Rolls and Ripples – a move in which is being driven by David Manzini, who was hired as the firm’s UK boss in August 2017. Wanting to bring healthier chocolate products to the market, he told The Grocer: ‘There is an appetite for novelty, for innovation, new tastes and products, which is higher than in the past. Apparently, the tastes of the chocolate bars won’t be changing. But of course we’ll have to see it to believe it – because let’s face it, foods with less sugar never taste the same as its sugar-filled original.

Low Calorie Chocolate

Crisp Recycling

Snack firm Walkers has announced a recycling scheme - after Royal Mail begged campaigners not to post empty crisp packets without envelopes. From December, snack fans will be able to post used bags - in envelopes, for free - directly to a recycling company or drop them off at hundreds of collection points across the country. It will involve packets being turned into plastic items such as benches, watering cans and plant pots by recycling firm TerraCycle. Mr Ashcroft, whose petition against the Leicester-based crisp maker has been signed by more than 330,000 people, said the announcement was "really exciting". But the firm "still have a lot to do to meet their pledge of making their packaging fully recyclable, compostable or biodegradable [by 2025]", Mr Ashcroft added.

Crisp Recycling

Baby Shark Mania

It is the lovechild of Gangnam Style and Crazy Frog – so it was almost inevitable that merchandise spun out of the viral Baby Shark song and video took toy shops by storm. Demand for a range of the battery-operated singing toy sharks is so high that the first container load will have sold out online before they even arrive in the UK next month, according to the toy chain The Entertainer. “The last time I saw anything like this was Crazy Frog,” Stuart Grant, the retailer’s sourcing director, says. In 2005, the Crazy Frog ringtone famously outsold Coldplay’s Speed of Sound as Britons raced to purchase the ringtone with its distinctive “a ring ding ding” hook.Grant predicts the toys – with the cheapest selling for £7, rising to £25 for a model that gyrates in time to the music – will be among the most-coveted this Christmas. Baby Shark has blockbuster sales potential. In South Korea, the merchandise is a $100m (£76m) business that spans soft toys, T-shirts and duvets.

Baby Shark