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@specialityfood Through its Open for Business scheme, Google will offer products, tools and services to businesses, particularly those that rely on in-person interactions, like pubs, restaurants and shops, which have been hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis. The company will offer SMEs and charities 10,000 hours of free one-on-one support over the next 12 months in partnership with the government’s Digital Boost campaign. Google will also make £25mworth of advertising credits and grants available to small business, government agencies and non-governmental organisations. The ultimate goal is making small businesses easier to find online. Throughout the pandemic consumers have shown increasing support for their local businesses, but without a strong online presence that support could falter. Google cited research by Ipsos that found 90% of respondents visited a business if it had shared images on Google Search and Google Maps, while 90% also said they’re more likely to interact with a business if they have a phone number listed on the internet. “Local businesses are the lifeblood of our communities,” said Ronan Harris, Google managing director, UK. “Like millions up and down the country, we want to help small businesses both survive and thrive. “Through this programme we’re aiming to upskill SMEs and charities by helping them adapt to operating in a post-lockdown environment. Despite the ongoing uncertainty, we want to show that having an online presence can have a transformative impact on offline businesses.” Chancellor Rishi Sunak welcomed the news, saying: “Our small businesses form the backbone of the British economy, fuelling growth and creating jobs in communities across the country. This has been a difficult time for them, and that’s why I am delighted that today Google have announced this plan to help small businesses recover from the crisis.” 8 “It’s time to go left field rather than safety-first” A s the pandemic grinds onwards, food and drink plays a larger and larger role in our day to day life. After decades when the mantra has been that we all eat more fresh food and only shop for the next day or two – the new normal now is for one mega weekly shop and the order of the lockdown day is a crawling supermarket trolley groaning under a burden of stock-piled toilet rolls. Shopping has got more difficult; try taking a mistaken turn in the social distancing layout – the other customers can be very snitty. The kind of food we buy has changed – frozen is good, so is pickled, tinned, dried, fermented, bulk packs, and those tins of anchovies destined for the back of the cupboard. No wonder tastes are changing; bring on the spicy food. When the SAS set off on their secret missions, it is said that tucked into each ration is a small bottle of diabolically hot chilli sauce. Spice is one way to make bland food palatable. A couple of decades may have passed but television’s Goodness Gracious Me is still fondly remembered for the “Going out for an English” sketch. A valuable insight into the British love of chilli, and it may just be that spice is already playing a part in broadening our horizons. It may be a standing joke but there is something spooky about the year-long availability of hot cross buns. Once they were a CHARLES CAMPION The US tech giant has launched an initiative to upskill one million small British businesses by the end of 2021 to help them survive the coronavirus pandemic by boosting their online performance. Google launches Covid support packages for UK SMEs The coronavirus pandemic has led to a huge shift in consumer behaviour, and now a new report seeks to gauge the impact of COVID-19 on the UK food and drinkmarket while setting four possible scenarios for the future. The Eating In Vs Dining Out report has been produced by IGD Retail Analysis in collaboration with foodservice consultant Peter Backman, and aims to help companies in the food retail and foodservice sectors to plan for the future. It comes after lockdown led to the closure of all non-essential shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes, which led to a dramatic change in consumer habits and spend. In 2019, UK consumers spent £200bn on food and drink, 36% of which was spent in foodservice outlets and 64% in retail. However, the ongoing pandemic has affected this balance. Whilst the future is still uncertain as restrictions continue to ease and businesses slowly go ‘back to normal’, IGD’s report lays out four potential scenarios that address two main variables: the potential path of the virus and the performance of the economy. The first hypothetical scenario – The Great Reset – is the least impactful, and sees food and drink consumption largely undertaken at home. Retail sales would remain high but flatten out as lockdown lifts and people begin eating out. Safety and hygiene would have a higher value for consumers as they decide where to eat or drink. Eating out would also return to 2019 levels. The second hypothetical scenario – Decade of Drift – sees the economy taking longer to recover, having a great financial impact on households and businesses. Companies “accelerate cost-cutting and efficiency programmes to demonstrate value to consumers”, which leads to lower levels of product development. Whilst demand for eating out is high, many are unable to afford it. Technical Isolation, the third scenario, sees the virus drive a technical response by both businesses and consumers, where shopping online is seen as the safest option. Businesses divert investment from stores, whilst eating out is also constrained. Stores and foodservice businesses that are unable to repurpose and adapt to online will close. The final andmost severe scenario – Globalisation Reversed – sees globalisation regress, which in turn places added pressure on supply chains. Supply chains will be rebuilt, ranges will become seasonal or disappear entirely. Deliveries and takeaway services become the only option for commercial foodservice owing to increased costs and operational difficulties. In its report, IGD stressed the importance for the industry to prepare in order to better respond to events quickly and efficiently, advising that retailers should consider which changes in consumer behaviour will become permanent in order to identify solutions, whilst foodservice companies should re- write business plans that balance customer focus with practical operational issues. New report sets out recovery scenarios for food sector “ Shoppinghas gotmore difficult; try taking amistaken turn in the new layout ” Good Friday and Easter Week treat – after which wait for next year – today they are a year-round staple. This summer M&S has brought back one of their own speciality hot cross buns: Chilli & Cheese. What could be better proof of the nation’s growing infatuation with chilli? Come adversity and there is always mention that we were never healthier than during the war time years when strict rationing prevailed. Alongside powdered egg, the example of healthy cooking quoted most often is Woolton Pie. Lord Woolton was in charge of healthy eating during the second world war and his pie contained mashed potato, cauliflower, oatmeal, carrot and spring onion. Formidable and (by the by) suitable for veggies and vegans. As chilli gets a welcome boost should we also be looking at other strong and pungent flavours to transform lockdown dull dishes. Here are some ways to add a little kick to potentially dull recipes. Horseradish – the freshly grated root that makes the eyes water and the nose stream. Sichuan pepper – a small bud (not pepper at all but pungent enough to numb the lips). Mustard – hot English mustard powder, fiery and a great emulsifier. Wasabi – Japanese water plant goes head to head with horseradish. Long Peppers – eye- wateringly fierce. Cayenne pepper – a traditional favourite, Escoffier would have used this to add heat and colour. Pimenton – Spanish with smoky notes. Food and cooking are always in a state of flux, even when there is no pandemic. Perhaps this is an opportunity to try stuff from left field rather than safety first – like a chilli hot cross bun perhaps? NPD folk should be all over this opportunity to add spice to everything.