A recent survey by French pâtissier Tipiak reveals that food plays a crucial role in the success of festive parties and events.
More than half (54%) of respondents believe food is more important than drinks, while 50% actually position themselves strategically to gain better access to food or to the waitstaff serving it, highlighting the significance of nibbles in creating an enjoyable experience.
The survey, conducted by Perspectus Global, was designed to offer insights for foodservice professionals, particularly around serving canapés. The survey found that guests typically consume around six canapés per event, with most demanding the amuse-bouche – also known as amuse-gueule, which is French for ‘mouth amuser’ – should be easy to eat in just one bite.
Tipiak’s ‘thaw and serve’ canapés are designed with just this in mind, aiming to provide an authentic French patisserie experience for guests in the UK.
“Canapés should be a key ingredient of any drinks reception or function, especially at Christmas,” said international development project manager Marie-Emmanuelle Chessé. Conveniently pre-prepared, Tipiak’s canapés simply need defrosting before serving – freeing up kitchen staff to concentrate on other parts of the food offering at Christmas parties and events.”
France-based Tipiak supplies a range of canapé selections to the UK foodservice sector, including vegetarian and vegan options. Each piece is prepared by expert bakers and cooks, and hand finished, perfect for Christmas parties, conferences, weddings and other occasions.
Cartwright & Butler launches brand new Christmas range
The British brand is paying tribute to the festive season with a series of premium treats in beautifully embossed tins and boxes.
This year’s designs celebrate the traditional Christmas pudding and the makers who carefully gather ingredients all year round, with packaging rich in gold and metallic tones that encapsulate the joy of the season. The range includes a variety of new treats, such as the Merry Christmas Musical Tin with Christmas Pudding-flavoured biscuits and a classic selection of Christmas puddings, mince pies and seasonal biscuits.
Highlights of the collection include the Merry Christmas Musical Tin, featuring a special edition of Cartwright & Butler’s Christmas Pudding Biscuits, rich in warming spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. For tea lovers, there’s the English Breakfast Teabags in a festive tin, while new baked treats like Oaty Stollen Bites and Winter Spiced Orange & Cranberry Shortbread Rounds offer a fresh twist on seasonal flavours. The range also introduces the Merry Christmas Teatime Selection Tin, a delightful array of biscuits and English Breakfast Tea.
Cartwright & Butler’s Christmas hampers and gift boxes, like the Festive Feast Gift Box and The Totally Christmassy Gift Box, offer something for every holiday celebration, brimming with sweet and savoury treats, biscuits, preserves and teas. And for a luxurious touch to the countdown to Christmas, the brand’s advent calendars feature daily surprises of biscuits, preserves, hot drinks and confections.
The collection is available at selected UK retailers – like John Lewis, Liberty, Selfridges and Liberty, as well as on Funky Pigeon and Amazon, among others – for an RRP from £6.00 to £200.00.
A touch of luxury from Love Handmade Cakes
The UK bakery manufacturer’s Christmas range this year comprises 15 treats designed for hospitality and foodservice outlets.
The collection captures seasonal flavours while catering to all preferences – from grab-and-go options to indulgent desserts – ensuring every consumer is not forgotten.
The grab-and-go selection features Decorated Gingerbread in festive shapes like owls, snowmen and Christmas trees, as well as rich Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes adorned with holiday toppers. For those who prefer mini bites, the Mini Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes offer a holly or snowflake decoration, all conveniently packaged in clam cases, with each case containing 24 treats.
For more traditional treats, Love Handmade Cakes has crafted a mini twist on Yule logs and brandy-flavoured fruit loaves. Highlights include the Iced Brandy Flavoured Fruit Wreath and the Spiced Christmas Flapjack, blending oats, cherries, citrus peel and dark chocolate. The luxurious Clementine and Chocolate Cake completes the lineup with a decadent clementine-flavoured cream, dark chocolate glaze and orange jam, delivering a true taste of Christmas indulgence.
A bursting moorish Christmas from Higgidy
Higgidy has added a festive touch to its range of snacking and sharing products with limited-edition Christmas packaging for the 2024 holiday season.
Decked with seasonal baubles, gold accents and floral designs, the packaging graces favourites like its Beechwood Smoked Bacon & Mature Cheddar Quiche (400g, RRP £4.85), which features a seeded spelt crust filled with cheddar, béchamel and British bacon lardons for a rich, smoky flavour.
Meanwhile, its Slow-Roasted Tomato & Mature Cheddar Mini Muffins (160g, RRP £3.85) and Ham Hock & Mature Cheddar Sausage Rolls (twin pack £1.50, six pack £3.30) offer savoury bite-sized options for sharing.
“We want our community to feel festive with our limited-edition packaging,” said Higgidy’s director of Food Alysha Luckin.
The festive packs are sure to bring some Higgidy Christmas magic to celebrations across the UK and are rolling out in leading retailers nationwide.
Organico ramps up Christmas with organic crunch
November marks a crucial time in the fine foods calendar, as Christmas orders are finalised and shelves are updated with fresh, standout selections.
This year, Real Foods by Organico is leading the charge with its new offerings designed to elevate the appeal of organics. Known for its approachable and vibrant packaging, Organico breaks through the cluttered organic sector with simple messaging that emphasises the ‘joy of real food’.
As awareness grows around reducing processed foods, Organico’s expanding range of clean, natural pantry essentials is attracting younger, health-conscious consumers committed to flavour without compromise.
The Reading-based family business’ core values include low food waste, no air miles, certified GM/GE free, supporting biodiversity, anti-slavery and low carbon emissions.
A highlight of Organico’s lineup includes its hand-rolled, artisan breadsticks and giant crackers in Original and Rosemary flavours. The breadsticks – available in five varieties: wholegrain, spelt, sesame-crusted, Torinesi and classic – deliver a unique, homemade crunch, while the slow-baked, Italian-style giant crackers will make a perfect addition to cheeseboards.
All available online and at selected retails across the UK.
Borough 22 celebrates the most won-dough-ful time of the year
Borough 22 has launched its limited-edition Festive Box – a seasonal selection of six gluten-free, plant-based, kosher and halal doughnuts, designed to spread holiday cheer to everyone. Founded by Ryan Panchoo in 2014, the inclusive doughnut brand leads in allergen-free treats, catering to all dietary needs without compromising on taste.
Available online from 1-31 December, the six-strong Festive Box comprises flavours that resonate with fun:
- Candy Cane: a peppermint-glazed classic topped with sprinkles
- S’mores: with chocolate fudge, digestive crumb and plant-based marshmallow
- Boston Cream: with chocolate glaze and custard filling
- Cranberry Glaze: with a fruity holiday touch
- Mince Pie: dusted with cinnamon spice and vegan mincemeat
- NoEgg Nog: featuring whipped icing with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Priced at £32, the Festive Box is available for nationwide delivery and via Deliveroo for London residents. Borough 22’s doughnuts are crafted fresh daily: for optimal flavour, reheat using an oven, microwave or air fryer. All fried doughnuts contain gluten-free oats (AVENIN) but can be made oat-free upon request.
Perry’s Ice Cream adds holiday joy to every scoop
The Akron, NY-based small-batch ice cream producer has created two festive flavours to its lineup, available in stores throughout December.
The Iced Gingerbread flavour (1.5 quarts, $6.99) blends gingerbread and royal icing ice cream with sugar cookie dough pieces, evoking warm, cozy winter vibes. The Sugar Cookie Bars (2.5 oz. each, 6-pack, $6.99) are tree-shaped treats swirled with green frosting, capturing the essence of classic sugar cookies for a delightful holiday treat.
The duo joins Perry’s holiday classics – Peppermint Stick and White Christmas – to expand its festive lineup available across New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Perry’s products are also available for nationwide shipping.
Happy vegan-mas from Cake or Death
Cake or Death has expanded its festive offerings with two limited-edition brownie boxes and three hampers, all vegan and available for nationwide delivery.
The Happy Xmas Brownie Message Slab is designed for sharing, featuring the baker’s fudgy gluten-free brownies topped with Happy Xmas in white chocolate letters and festive sprinkles. The Limited Edition Brownie Box showcases three seasonal flavours: Gingerbread topped with a gingerbread figure; Chocolate Orange with Valencian orange extract and dark chocolate segment; and a sprinkle-topped brownie for a whimsical holiday touch.
Its All The Trimmings Hamper includes the brownie box, Chocolate Cake Balls, cookies, salted caramel sauce and Crankhouse coffee, along with branded tote and socks. The Bake At Home Xmas Hamper features pudding, sauce, cookie dough and baking accessories, while the Self Care Xmas Hamper combines best-selling brownies with a cozy candle and cosmetics bag.
These festive treats – wrapped in Cake or Death’s signature pink leopard print packaging – are available online for delivery between 19 November to 21 December. Prices start at £23.00.
pladis goes naughty and nice with sweet and salty seasonal ranges
McVitie’s is celebrating Christmas 2024 with a range that combines seasonal flavours, creative packaging and iconic biscuit assortments.
Leading the lineup is the returning favourite, Gingerbread Flavour Milk Chocolate Digestives, delivering a cozy seasonal twist to their popular Chocolate Digestives. Consumers can also look forward to festive redesigns of White Chocolate Digestives and Milk Chocolate Hobnobs, now in holiday-themed packaging with snowflakes, holly and a playful Santa.
For sharing moments, the premium McVitie’s Victoria assortment – enhanced with 35% more chocolate – comes in a larger 778g pack. The Family Circle returns with its classic selection in a fully recyclable 400g carton, while gift-worthy options include Victoria Chocolate Creations (white, milk and dark chocolate biscuits) and the novelty Jaffa Tree and Jaffa Pole for added fun. Completing the collection, Santa Snacks Chocolate Cake Bars provide a portion-controlled chocolate fix.
“Sweet Seasonal Biscuits reached double-digit growth (£178m) in 2023 as shoppers kept a careful eye on their spend and opted to enjoy quality time with loved ones in the comfort of their own home,” said James King, marketing director for McVitie’s at pladis UK&I.
“As Brits continue to face price pressure across many expects of everyday life, we’re expecting a similar pattern in 2024. Our 2024 range reflects the fact that the festive season is a time for indulgence and sharing and includes new products to tempt treat-seeking shoppers to opt for biscuits, alongside refreshed classics, ensuring there’s something special for every festive moment.”
Meanwhile, the company’s 2024 savoury seasonal range is equally exciting. The Jacob’s Christmas Caddies include a new addition: Jacob’s Crinklys Cheese & Onion is a low-fat, oven-baked treat launched last year as a non-HFSS option. It joins other seasonal favourites like Jacob’s Mini Cheddars Original, Treeselets, and Mini Twiglets.
The returning Jacob’s Festive Selection features seven cracker varieties, including Cream Crackers and Salt & Cracked Black Pepper Bakes, available in three sizes (300g, 450g and 800g). Another favourite, the Jacob’s Savours Selection, offers a blend of textures and flavours with Cheese, Paprika and Sour Cream & Chive Thins.
Carr’s Seasonal Selection presents an elevated experience with nine varieties, including Carr’s Melts Cheese and Table Water crackers. Available in 200g and 400g cartons, these assortments capitalise on the trend for celebrations at home, bringing together tradition and taste.
“Jacob’s and Carr’s have been at the heart of holiday snacking spreads for generations. There’s barely a cheeseboard in sight during the festive season that doesn’t come complete with a Jacob’s Cream Cracker,” said Asli Akman, marketing director, Savoury, pladis UK&I.
“It’s household-name brands like ours that play such an integral role in moments of togetherness during the festive period, which are helping the seasonal snacking sales opportunity to become more lucrative year-on-year.”
According to pladis, 7.8m packs of Jacob’s and Carr’s crackers were sold last December alone.
“The cost of living is still high, so we’re expecting to see the same patterns this year,” added Akman.
“That’s why we’ve focused on bringing back some of the best-selling classics we know will be sought out by shoppers, while also introducing popular products from our core portfolio to inject extra excitement into this year’s seasonal line-up.”
The entire range is available from major retailers across the UK.
