The New Year is well under way with a week gone already! So before it runs away from me completely I wanted to take the time to share my reflections on 2014.
I’m so thrilled that Tipple Tails Fruit Cakes have gone from strength to strength in the second year of business, with lots of milestones to report!
In the spring had space on UKTI trade stands at Tavola 2014 in Belgium & at the Food & Drink Expo 2014, Birmingham NEC – a great opportunity to raise awareness, to network & to learn from all the new friends I have made – all at a different stage in their own journeys.
In the early summer, I had my first trade stand at The Guild of Fine Food Speciality Food Fair in Harrogate & a very successful presentation to the Feed the Dragon panel at the show.
I learnt so much from all the shows & they have helped me to secure new stockists across the country, with interest from Europe as well.
Following my first pitch to a panel of buyers (quite scary!), the Tipple Tails Fruit Cake range was listed in the Selfridges Meet the Maker Campaign at the Trafford Centre & the Bullring. A great honour to be stocked in such a prestigious store, especially as my mum, who was 80 this year, started her own career at the Oxford Street store 60 Years ago! I am really enjoying sampling & chatting to Selfridges customers & have had a fabulous response from both customers & Selfridges staff alike. Lots of comments about the beautiful packaging initially & then of course the yummy cake!
What a summer we had in Yorkshire – the Tour de France, Yorkshire Grand Départ was a truly spectacular event! And the development & launch of the Total Fruit Cake slice for cyclists went down a treat! With the Tour de Yorkshire confirmed for May of this year, and cycling being taken up all over the country, I can see that this yummy, energy providing cake will go from strength to strength.
In the autumn, the new recipe Ginger Tingle Cake won 2 Stars in the Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards 2014! What an accolade! The Fruit Cake really does have lots of extra ‘tingle’ in the stem ginger pieces & ginger spice I use.
This year, I attended lots of high quality Shopping Events, including the fabulous ‘Fabulous Places’ Spring Fair, the ’tis the Season Christmas Shopping Event at the stunning Derby Silkmill; the Vintage & Quirky Handmade Christmas Event at Beeley on the beautiful Chatsworth Estate; the Garden Style at Rhinegold Charity Event & the Giant Sheffield Christmas Party in Sheffield & the Blacker Hall Christmas Shopping Event.
Lots of new Tipple Tails stockists to add to the list: Mr Pickles’ Yorkshire Food Emporium in Sheffield; Riverside Herb Centre, Hathersage; The Chocolate Box, Thirsk; Roots Farm Shop, Northallerton; Yours is the Earth, Parbold; Hassop Station/Monsal Trail Bike Hire; Café Village Green, Eyam; Earthy, Edinburgh; Flask End Post Office, Low Bradfield; Drewton’s Farm Shop, South Cave; Dukeshill Ham in Shropshire – by appointment to HM The Queen; Beat the Bonk Sports Nutrition online store; Birdhouse Tea Co., Sheffield; Flavour Full Stop, a monthly Artisan Food Subscription Box & possible most quirky of all the MS Oldenburg – the Lundy Island ferry, who sell the boozy fruit cakes in their gift shop & the fruit cake slices in the café. A big warm welcome to you all!
Finally, a massive thank you to all the established Tipple Tails stockists for their support again this year, in particular my friends & their customers in Sheffield at Urban Pantry, Crookes, & at Porterbrook Deli where Tipple Tails fruit cakes have been flying off the shelves all year but in particular over Christmas, when I was delivering three times a week! Sheffield has really taken my fruit cakes to its heart.
Looking forward to a very busy & successful 2015
Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year too. x