- RH Amar’s premium own label brand continues to innovate with the exciting new launch
Generational knowledge and expertise, coupled with a desire to innovate, are at the very heart of speciality food distributor RH Amar which, smiles channel controller Nick Ash, is “80 years young”.
Across those eight decades the family run, third-generation business has stuck to the guiding principles of exceptional quality and community as it’s navigated growth, building a particularly strong reputation within the antipasti and olives sector. “We’re renowned within speciality retail as a trusted partner, with trusted brands,” Nick explains proudly.
One of these trusted brands is RH Amar’s own Cooks&Co label – a carefully curated collection of ambient products, from jarred peppers and risotto mixes to stuffed vine leaves, meticulously chosen by the highly engaged technical and sourcing teams. Each jar, bottle, package and tin has been crafted to their exacting standards.
These teams never stand still, constantly evaluating market trends to drive NPD – which most recently has led to the launch of five delicious new antipasti products, crafted in Italy, and designed to bring further excitement to this category, which has expanded considerably in recent years.
“If you look at some of the macro trends we’ve been seeing in speciality food,” says Nick, “it’s about premiumisation, gifting…and grazing boards.”
The food landscape, he adds, is changing. “Historically, antipasti was seen as having an older demographic. Now, because of social media platforms like TikTok, where antipasti and grazing platters have been trending, this is a much bigger space. Younger people are driving that difference. They’re looking for new products here. They’re entertaining at home more because of the expense of eating out.”
A true taste of Italy
Cooks&Co’s new antipasti range brings vivid colour and taste to the table, it includes:
Grilled Borettane Onions – Petite tender onions, charred to coax out their natural sweetness. Wonderful for snacking, platters, with cheese, or even added to braises and stews for extra body and flavour.
Borettane Onions in Balsamic Vinegar – Supercharged onions. These are addictively sweet and acidic, and the most perfect accompaniment for charcuterie. They also balance out and pair brilliantly with strong cheeses such as Cheddar, Parmesan and piquant blues.
Grilled Zucchini Rolls – Slices of griddled courgette, with a very special soft, umami filling of Pecorino Romano DOP. A wonderful way for your customers to upgrade their antipasti boards.
Diavulillo – A tumble of grilled aubergines, Borettane onions, sweet and sour peppers, garlic and chilli peppers. This authentic Italian combination makes an impact on all the senses, and is gorgeous over toasted focaccia with shavings of Pecorino, or torn mozzarella.
Saporiso – Green and black olives, Borettane onions, artichokes, mushrooms, peppers and capers bring a savoury/salty tang to the party. Just delicious stirred into pasta dishes, blended into dips, or served alongside cheeses, breads and nibbles.
It’s fantastic, Nick says, to witness a whole new audience enjoying Cooks&Co products. He predicts antipasti will continue to go from strength to strength in fine food retail, advising farm shops, delis, food halls and garden centres to assess and upgrade their existing lines in order to meet growing demand. This is especially important as we head into the festive season. “A lot of shoppers are now looking at gifting and hampers, and hosting over Christmas and New Year, and antipasti has become a big part of those plans. We have so much choice to help retailers bring something very special to the market,” Nick continues.
And buying Cooks&Co does good – with 10% of RH Amar’s profits each year donated to charity. To date, more than £2 million has been given to charitable causes.
