Yorkshire Day- a reason to celebrate Yorkshire's finest food and drink

Here at United by Design, we are very proud to be situated in Yorkshire. You could probably already tell this from our previous blog post, highlighting some of our favourite places to visit from around the county. We're back today, on Yorkshire Day no less, to sing the praises of some more of our wonderful clients, who produce some award-winning food and drink goodies right here in the heart of Yorkshire.

SLOEmotion

Sloes, damsons and cherries, plucked straight from the hedgerows and orchards of Yorkshire, are the key ingredients for the delicious range of spirits, chocolates and chutneys available from award winning SLOEmotion. The spirits can be enjoyed on their own, or as part of a cocktail, (see their website for some great ideas), and their SLOEmotion No.7 fruit cup is a great addition to a summer party.

SLOEmotion can be found at many of the fayres and shows around Yorkshire, the next place to spot them is the York Food & Drink Festival coming up on September 20th - 29th.

Sloe Miniatures. 

Choc Affair

As we've discussed before, York has strong ties to chocolate, with some of the worlds most well-loved brands starting their lives in the city. Nowadays chocolatey innovation is still taking place, and Choc Affair are really pushing the boundaries of pairing chocolate with unusual, yet delicious flavours – Lucy recommends the lime and lavendar. Their brightly packaged bars, lollies and other yummy treats can be found in several stores around Yorkshire (see their website for more information), and you can even go and visit the factory (enquire online).

Just some of the flavours available from Choc Affair.

Lu Lin

From sourcing the leaves, to it arriving in your teapot, Lu Lin oversee everything, ensuring you the highest quality loose leaf tea. It's that good that you can find it in Harrods, and the company have won several Great Taste Gold Awards. Lu Lin also have all the kit to make your tea time special, including teapots and teacups especially for loose tea. Their Tea Cubed and blooming teas are real innovations and bring a sense of the futuristic to a drink that has been a world favourite for over 4000 years.

Lu Lin Tea Range.

Treboom Brewery

Currently undertaking their first foray into bottling, Treboom's mission is to bang the drum for good beer, and as far as we are concerned, they are succeeding. Their beers can be found on tap in several pubs around York, and we can expect bottles to be hitting shelves some time in the next few months. Treboom have won several awards for their beers, have brewed a special beer, Myricale, in support of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, and their Kettle Drum Best Bitter is being used in Harrogate Preserves Co.'s Ale, Fig and Apricot chutney, they are a very busy brewery! But they even made time to have an art, beer and food festival in June, called Brewery Beats. We are sure there are even more great things in store for Treboom, so make sure you keep an eye out for those new bottles!

Jane and John at Treboom Brewery, Image from York Press.

Elland Brewery

Originally formed in 2002, Elland Brewery ales can be found on tap and in bottles. The brewery has won several awards from SIBA and CAMRA, and this year launched a Pale Ale, Charity, at Clifford Beer Festival, to help raise money for FDM (For Disability Mobility). Elland's beers have been sampled by Christine Talbot from Calendar, who attended the brewing of Charity, and Holly Willoughby on This Morning. We are very proud to have worked with Elland on the design of the pump clip for Charity, and hope that it's success has helped FDM in their hard work.

FDM operate a specially modified minibus to provide transport for the elderly, disabled adults, people with mobility problems, and children in the south Leeds area. The bus can be used for shopping trips and days or evenings out.

Calendar's Christine Talbot at Elland Brewery.

Indie shops and food festivals

As big foodies, we love to shop from the independent stores, and Yorkshire has no shortage of those! From York, Leeds and Malton, to Bridlington, Hull and Whitby, everywhere has their own specialities to shout about, and this makes Yorkshire a great culinary experience for all. One of the best things about Yorkshire's love for food is the vast array of markets and festivals that can be found around the county. Market towns are aplenty, and one in particular, which we're quite fond of, Malton, have a monthly food lover's market, you should check it out, you may even see some of our lovely clients there! We're also looking forward to York's Food & Drink Festival, which we've already mentioned is coming up soon.

York Food & Drink Market.

Happy Yorkshire Day everybody!


Do you have a favourite Yorkshire delicacy, or a favourite indie food shop? Let us know, tweet us @ubd_studio

Plenty of reasons to holiday in Yorkshire

With the weather the way it is, there is no reason to need to head on over to Spain or the south of France for your dose of sunshine. And as for things to do, the UK, and in particular, Yorkshire, has a wealth of places to visit and things to see. So whatever you're planning to do with your time in the sunshine, Yorkshire has something for you. Here at United by Design we are proud to work with some of the wonderful attractions situated all around Yorkshire, here are just a few:

Heading to the city?

York is a beautiful city, full of history, as well as beer gardens to sit and soak up the sun in! But if the sun is getting too much, and you're looking for some shade, as well as a place to soak up some culture, then York has some really great options.

York Mansion House sits right in the middle of the city, and for over 300 years has been the official residence of the Lord Mayor of York, one of only two Mansion Houses remaining in the UK, the other one being in London. This beautiful house runs tours Thursday - Sunday, or you can book one of the themed tours for groups of between 10 and 30.

York Mansion House

Another magnificent building in the centre of York is the Merchant Adventurers' Hall. Originally built 650 years ago as a meeting place for Medieval merchants, the building now houses silver, furniture and art collections which help to tell the story of the hall. Throughout summer the house is open every day. The beautiful gardens surrounding the hall are a great place to stop and get out of the hustle and bustle of the shopping areas.

The Undercroft- Merchant Adventurers Hall

And if you're visiting York then you may be looking for a place to stay. It's a lesser known fact that York Conferences offer bed and breakfast facilities within the halls of the York University, for very reasonable rates. The Uni is situated around 2 miles from the city centre with regular buses to and from the centre and the railway station.

Cooling off on the coast?

Situated on the picturesque headland at Flamborough you can find the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Living Seas Centre. The centre is free to visit and provides you with information about all the work the YWT is doing to protect the marine habitat. You can get involved with seashore safaris, beach cleans, living seas safaris and much more! There's lots for the kids too, the centre has a 'magic floor' and provides marine themed arts and crafts activities, so grab a cuppa while the kids are entertained, then head down onto South Landing beach to get up-close and personal with some of the Yorkshire coastal wildlife.

The Living Seas Centre at South Landing- Flamborough.

If you're heading a bit further south then it's definitely worth checking out Spurn Point.  This unique spit of land is a great place to relax, take in the sea air and witness some of Yorkshire's diverse wildlife; the area is very popular with bird watchers. When the road is open you can drive down the spit, but please check before visiting, sometimes the road is shut due to poor weather.

Lighthouses at Spurn- Credit Kelvin Percival

Prefer the countryside?

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust guidebook will tell you everything you need to know about all the nature reserves throughout Yorkshire, but there are a couple that we have worked with closely that deserve a special mention.

Potteric Carr, just outside of Doncaster, is great place to spot Kingfishers and other species that enjoy wetland habitats. The Kingfisher Tearooms are a great place to stop before or after a walk around the reserve, and the paths are even suitable for pushchairs. Check out their sightings blog on the website to get an idea of what you might spot when you visit.

Potteric Carr- Credit Paul Carter.

Another wetland habitat worth a visit is Staveley Nature Reserve where otters are spotted regularly. Visit the viewing hides so you can take in the peace and quiet, and observe some of Yorkshire's varied and beautiful wildlife.

Aerial shot of Staveley.

Or are towns more your thing?

One town you must visit is Malton, especially if you are a foodie. Malton hosts an annual Food Lovers Festival, as well as an annual Beer Festival, both of which are popular with locals and tourists alike. There are also monthly Food Lovers Markets, and the town boasts about it's independent food shops, which are supplied by the rich farmland surrounding the town. If you're in to fine dining then you could always book a table at James Martin's restaurant in the Talbot Hotel.  As an added bonus, due to the generosity of our newest client Fitzwilliam Estates, parking in the town centre is free (2 hours), meaning you will have plenty of time to explore and taste some of the delights the town has to offer.

Malton's market square.

As you can see, with all this on your doorstep, (or a few hours drive at most), why would you need to go anywhere else?


Where is your favourite place to visit in Yorkshire? Do you have a favourite attraction? Tweet us @ubd_studio

What's the best thing since sliced bread? Well, sliced bread.

WARNING: This post may induce hunger!

It's National Bread Week, and to us in the studio, there is not much that beats a good sandwich. With that in mind we decided to have a look at some of the recent marketing campaigns in the bread industry.

But first, a few crumbs of information

- According to the Bakers Federation, 11 million loaves of bread are sold every day in the UK! Tweet this!

- 80% of all bread sold in the UK comes from large brands, e.g. Kingsmill, Warburtons and Hovis. Only 3% comes from craft and high street bakeries. The other 17% is made in store in supermarkets.

- On the continent, the tables are turned, the majority of bread consumed is produced by craft bakeries.

It's pretty clear that bread is big business here in the UK, and it is no surprise that some of the biggest bread manufacturers have used some creative marketing techniques over the years to ensure they stay firmly in our hearts, homes and stomachs!

122 years of Hovis



In 2008 Hovis released a TV advert that rivaled John Lewis' calibre of 'mini movie' style advertisements. By showing the most significant events in the UK over the last 122 years, the advert was able to grab the attention of bread lovers of all ages and backgrounds all over Britain.


Kingsmill becomes Queensmill

Bread fit for a Queen

2012 saw Great Britain celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and no doubt there was many-a-sandwich to be had at the numerous street parties that took place up and down the country. Kingsmill decided to celebrate in it's own way by changing the name of the brand, to befit the current monarch more suitably, for a brief period of time.

The image that got crust lovers everywhere excited!

Warburtons' April Fool becomes a reality

Most recently, Warburtons released an image of an 'All-Ends' loaf as an April Fools prank. The campaign was supposed to end there, but over 1000 people took to social media to share their excitement for this 'product'. Due to the response, Warburtons have now produced a limited number of these crust-filled loaves and is sending them to their biggest crust enthusiasts.


Don't forget the local guys!

As exciting as a feature length advert, or a gimmick bread loaf is, it's important to remember your local bakers, who work hard every day to provide you with something special, such as that super crusty, yet soft in the middle baguette to slice up with your soup. Sometimes their greatest form of advertising is that fresh bread smell that catches you on your way past, and who can resist that? Via Vecchia in York, at the top of the Shambles, is a great example of this, and the bread is snapped up so quickly if you blink you'll miss it!

Still local to Yorkshire, but taking on the supermarkets with their bloomer, brown and seeded loaves are Jackson's Bakery, based in Hull. It's great to see Yorkshire on the national map for yet another great product!

So if you're a total bread-head, take advantage of National Bread Week and try something new! If you're just a fan of the humble slice, you could always consider doing something a bit creative, like this:

The ultimate geek toast!

We'd love to hear about your favourite bakeries, and about your favourite bread, tweet us @ubd_studio, or leave a comment below.
 




Source of Information:
http://www.bakersfederation.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=116&Itemid=48
http://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/04/15/warburtons-responds-social-media-launching-all-ends-loaf

York's Affair with Chocolate

Some of the lovely Choc Affair products

Now, we know it’s the New Year, and you’re all probably trying not to think about the abundance of chocolate you have scoffed over the past few weeks, but we’d like to draw your attention back to that yummy goodness. In particular, York’s chocolate..

We have the pleasure of working with Choc Affair, a wonderful Fair Trade chocolate company based in our lovely city. They hand make and amazing array of chocolate products that definitely get our mouth’s watering. And this got us thinking, how and when did York’s affair with chocolate actually begin?
 
Sweet Beginnings

The blue Kit Kat (1942)

York’s first fling began as far back as 1725 with a lady called Mary Tuke, whose grocery shop was sold to the Rowntree family in 1862. Since then the company has been responsible for household names such as KitKat, (a studio favourite!), Smarties and Polos. Part of the success of the brand was down to a man called George Harris, who used then ‘American’ promotional methods: product development, advertising and branding, to bring those household names to life. Amazing how something that we now practise everyday was such a new concept less than 100 years ago!

Although Nestlé bought Rowntree’s in 1988, the name ‘Rowntree’ still means a lot to the city of York. Rowntree Park provides a beautiful green space for residents and tourists alike, and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation helps the UK’s poverty stricken, homeless, and aging populations.

The lesser known Chocolate Lemon and Chocolate Apple

Another chocolate-fuelled romance was budding in 1823 when Joseph Terry entered the York scene. His son, Joseph Terry Jnr was responsible for the ever-popular Chocolate Orange and the somewhat lesser known Chocolate Apple and Chocolate Lemon! Kraft took over Terry’s in 1993, but the brands that the nation still love live on, and will always be mine, not Terry’s, (let us know if you remember those adverts!








The present and the future

Nowadays chocolate is much a part of York as it was back then. Although Terry’s has left, Nestlé remains in the original Rowntree’s Factory and still employs around 1800 people and produces approximated 1 billion Kit Kats a year!

Although York still seduces some of the big brands, it’s the independent, artisan chocolatiers that really give York its title as the ‘home of chocolate’, and keeps the sweet stuff firmly in our hearts. York Cocoa House combines a shop, café and school run by Sophie, a lifelong chocolate lover, who wants to share her passion with the world. Also, Monk Bar Chocolatiers, a family run company, has been making high quality handmade chocolates within the walls since 1999.

Want to learn more about York’s cocoa dusted past? All of the city’s flirtations with various chocolate companies can now be found in York’s very own chocolate museum: York’s Chocolate Story. It even has a ‘chocolate bar’ where you can really indulge; cakes, choctails, and hot chocolate are just a few of the treats they have on offer.

So there you have it, we think it’s fair to say that York has a very chocolaty past, present, and probably future. All that talk of chocolate made you hungry? Go on, have a break, have a Kit Kat, you know you want to!


Information and images from:
http://www.choc-affair.com/
http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/themes/victorian/rowntree-co-chocolate-manufacturers
http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/themes/victorian/joseph-terry-sons-chocolate-manufacturers
http://www.scribd.com/doc/78692048/TERRYS-Timeline-of-Brand-Milestones
http://www.bq-magazine.co.uk/success-story/york/y13-ss2/
http://www.yorkcocoahouse.co.uk/
http://www.monkbar.com/
http://www.yorkschocolatestory.com/