Well… It's Been a Busy Few Months!
It's been a while since our last blog, and what a three months it's been!
First things first – the good news. Mr B is recovering well after his partial foot amputation. He's even made it back to the market stalls! He's still a little wobbly (and occasionally reminds everyone he's "not built for sitting around"), but he's doing brilliantly, and we're so grateful for all the kind messages, cards and support you've given us. It really has meant the world.
Now, onto the really important business... food!
We've been busy creating two new preserves, and honestly, we can't make them fast enough.
Our new Pineapple & Chilli Jam has been causing quite a stir. It's absolutely delicious with burgers, chicken and cheese... although we've heard rumours of people eating it straight from the jar. We promise we won't judge!
Then there's our 4-Ingredient Chocolate Spread. It's vegan, contains absolutely no palm oil, and has somehow become a firm favourite with children and adults alike. We thought we'd have to convince people to try it. Turns out the hardest part is keeping it in stock!
Because both products have been such a hit, we've decided to enter them into the Taste of the West Awards. Fingers crossed! We'll keep everything crossed that isn't already crossed and let you know how we get on.
Talking of awards...
We're absolutely chuffed to announce that our Hot Chilli Jam and Cornish Cider Chutney have both been awarded Silver in this year's Taste of the West Awards.
That means that in just two years we've picked up an incredible eight Taste of the West awards:
- 🥇 2 Gold
- 🥈 4 Silver
- 🌟 2 Commended
Not bad for a small family business!
Our two Gold award winners were also selected for the Champions Awards. Sadly, we didn't bring home the trophy this time, but just making it to the Champions stage felt like a huge achievement, and we're incredibly proud.
Now for a little bit of less exciting news.
After a lot of soul-searching (and more than a few cups of tea), we've decided to stop supplying vegetables. Sadly, they just weren't paying their way anymore, and like many small businesses, we have to make some difficult decisions to keep moving forward.
This has also got us thinking about our name. After all, "Abi's Vegetables Jam & Chutneys" doesn't quite tell the whole story anymore! We've talked about changing the name and logo, but we're worried it might confuse everyone who already knows us. So, for now, we're leaving things as they are while we decide what the future looks like.
One thing that definitely won't change is our passion for making delicious preserves using quality ingredients (and occasionally making a mess of the kitchen!).
As always, thank you for supporting our little business. Every jar you buy, every recommendation you make, and every chat you have with us at the markets helps keep us going. We genuinely couldn't do it without you.
Here's to the next few months... hopefully with fewer hospital visits, lots more awards, and enough Pineapple & Chilli Jam to keep everyone happy!
See you at the markets!
Meg, Abi & Mr B