With the weather warming up, the days stretching longer into the evenings and the government guidelines relaxing, dinning outside has never been so exciting. Now the ‘Rule of 6’ back in place, gathering in parks and gardens for a picnic or BBQ will be happening earlier in the season than normal so it’s good to be prepared for whatever social events your customers have planned.

  

The Classic Picnic

There are some things that you just need at a good picnic; a blanket to sit on (or chairs in you’re fancy), that one wasp that won’t leave you alone, and of course all the picky bits you can fit in your baskets. We have all the staples like Coleslaw and sausage rolls, as well as veggie rolls and vegan friendly tapas options. Mash Direct’s new salads are a great addition to any fridge and Higgidy have great vegetarian alternatives across their range. Olives and Antipasti items are also a great thing to offer for those sophisticated alfresco drinks.

Cakes from Buxton Pudding Co. can be sliced and shared amongst friends and GU’s cheesecakes are also perfect for transporting to the park. Encourage your customers to take their dining experience to the next level by adding sweet treats to your picnic selection.

Don’t forget we also have plant-based Yoghurt and Mayonnaise for those who want to make vegan friendly versions of their favourite salads.

 

Pre-season BBQ

Seeing as we can only entertain and dine outside for the moment and the British weather isn’t always as mild as we would like, firing up the BBQ is great for dual purpose, get some great char on the food and let everyone gather around for a bit of warmth.

Whether you’re cooking classic sausages, corn on the cobs or Halloumi skewers, the secret to hosting a great BBQ is having a great range of condiments available.

Classic Ketchup is a must and most people will appreciate some Hot Sauce, balance that out with Mayo, and a good Salad Dressing. And that’s only our starting point! We’ve got Relish and Chutneys that will elevate a burger and so much more so make sure you are inspiring your customers to pick up something a little different for their next BBQ.

 

Walk & Talk

The daily walk is still on many people’s agenda and now we can go with a friend. As the weather warms up your customers may switch from coffee to cold drinks so make sure your fridges are stocked with adult friendly soft drinks as well as ones suitable for the little ones. Gusto have a great range of soft drinks all with a little something extra, and if your customers are after a nod to the pub then Savyll’s non-alcoholic cocktails in a can make a great option.

This is also a great time to refresh your grab-and-go snack offerings. Whether your customers are after a healthy snack to nibble on a park bench or something to pair perfectly with their drink of choice. We’ve upped our game in both sweet and savoury snacking with chocolate roasted chickpeas from Brave and Insane Grains’s puffs made from an ancient grain alongside our best sellers.