Marchwood Store Manager

It’s the Big Back-To-School week

Posted on by Adam Page

Yep, it’s that time of year again when we think about school runs, new uniforms – and how to make our lives as easy as possible with the new routine. Welcome stores are here to help, so why not dive into the deals, giveaways and new product ranges on offer.

For a little extra help, download our free meal planner by clicking on the image below.

Welcome stores’ COOK prize giveaway

For the next two weeks, from 4th – 15th September, our fantastic suppliers at COOK have agreed to give away seven two-portion meals to one lucky winner.

COOK creates home-cooked comfort meals that are hand-prepared by chefs and then frozen – so that all you have to do to cook a delicious meal is open the freezer and choose something that will go straight in the oven.

If no fuss, no planning, no prepping and no washing up doesn’t sound like the best idea since sliced chicken and ham pie, we don’t know what does!

To enter, head to our Facebook page to find out more!

Easy lunch box hacks!

New terms feel like new beginnings, and if you’re looking for a fresher, healthier start for your little ones (or big ones!) that requires no prep or planning, then the fabulous New Forest Fruit Company has just the thing. 

New Forest Snacks are snack-sized treats made from strawberries that don’t quite make it to the punnets but instead are “pulsed” and dried so that you can pop them into lunchboxes – either for school, for the office or on the go! 

The best bit about this new product is that there is no added sugar, flavourings, or preservatives – only strawberries! Plus, the pulsed berries are high in vitamin C, gluten-free, count as one of your five a day and contain just 30 calories per bag.

Another big reason to love this new product is that the packet made from a patented triplex material which is TÜV certified, which means they are home-compostable within 26 weeks and won’t cause any plastic waste. The product is produced on the farm down the road in Beaulieu, so production creates zero food miles. 

A healthy, tasty snack that is environmentally friendly, can only be a good thing! 

More ways to make life easy

For more ideas on easy meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, why not head to the recipes page?

Here you will find things like:

Pumpkin Muffins – great to make in batches for easy breakfast wins. Plus, you can keep the recipe handy for Halloween for your pumpkin leftovers!

Peanut chicken wraps – a little something to look forward to and a tasty lunch or dinner.

Roasted vegetable pasta salad – great for lunchboxes and for using up any leftover veg that’s in the fridge, plus, if you roast up a whole tray, you can use them across a variety of different meals.

Sausage, kale and white bean bake – ready in less than 30 minutes and a perfect winter warmer for those chilly nights ahead.

Blackberry and Plum Crumble – we couldn’t forget about dessert! There’s loads of blackberries around at this time of year, so why not take the kids out for a good forage and turn your fruity loot into a delicious blackberry and plum crumble for that yummy autumn comfort feeling.

For more ideas and meal inspo head to our recipes page.

Blackberry and plum crumble

Posted on by Adam Page

Using granola for the topping is a brilliant crumble shortcut. Swap in whatever fruit you have to hand.

  • Feeds 4Feeds 4
  • Ready in 30 minutes
  • Vegetarian
  • Low in Saturated Fat

Ingredients

  • 4 Co-op Irresistible British plums, sliced
  • 125g Co-op British blackberries
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp Co-op pure Canadian maple syrup
  • 250g Co-op simple granola
  • Light custard, to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6
  2. Toss the fruit together with the vanilla extract, maple syrup and 4 tbsp water
  3. Tip into an ovenproof dish and cook for 15 mins
  4. Sprinkle with the granola and cook for 10 mins more, until golden and bubbling
  5. Serve with light custard.

Each serving contains

  • Energy 16%1356kj 322kcal
  • Fat Med 11% 7.6g
  • Saturates Low 5% 1.1g
  • Sugar Med 22% 20.2g
  • Salt Low 0% 0.03g

% of adult’s reference intake | Carbohydrates per serving : 52g

Supplier Spotlight: Vibrant Forest

Posted on by Adam Page

This week, we’re hearing from a great local supplier, Vibrant Forest, which started life in a garage – and today has grown into a brand that is well-known across the South Coast.

Hopping out

The business began back in 2011 when the first brew, Summerlands IPA was created – and Vibrant Forest was born!

Its mission was to brew modern beers that were packed with flavour and at the time, the business operated from a garage and slowly grew into a thriving taproom.

(Very!) Vibrant Forest – and vegan too

You cannot miss Vibrant Forest ranges on the shelves of Welcome Stores as you will notice they are perhaps some of the brightest coloured of all.

“We are what it says on the tin” says taproom manager Ryan Dack. “Our vibrancy is what makes us stand out from the crowd and we are not afraid to push boundaries to give our customers different styles and flavours. And, with our brewery being located in the heart of the New Forest, what better way to honour such surroundings and colours the Forest brings with it – hence the name, Vibrant Forest.”

What’s more, Vibrant Forest beers are never filtered or pasteurised and there is never any lactose added to the brews. That means every beer is Vegan. 

A Welcome addition

Showcasing local businesses is something we love to do here at Welcome Stores. We have some seriously rich pickings right here on our doorstep, so why wouldn’t we want to bring those to our customers, so that they can enjoy them too? Plus, we see the benefit of supporting our local economy which in turn is vital for bringing jobs and growth to our communities. 

“We love getting our beers in front of new audiences who may be unaware of us – and Welcome Stores are a great support in helping us do that” Ryan added.

Navigating change

Vibrant Forest is proud of its beginnings and took its time to grow organically into the small team and taproom it is today. But it’s that humble beginning that gives the company strong innings and potentially makes it more resilient too.

“We are always exploring new flavours and styles, and we are proud to be a Brewery rather than a beer factory.”

What can Vibrant Forest first-timers expect?

If you’re just dipping your toe into the water (or ale!) of Vibrant Forest, PUPA is the company’s best-selling pale ale and is always a great starting point for anyone. It’s fruity and refreshing with a touch of bitterness.

For more seasoned Vibrant Forest-ers, Ryan recommends FLUIDITY for something a little bit different. “It’s a 3.8% sour beer, but it is so refreshing and something different for most people as the brew has been soured during the brewing process which gives it a unique flavour.” For more information head to www.vibrantforest.co.uk

Welcome stores donates £3,699 to Solent Mind

Posted on by Adam Page

It was our pleasure to visit the team at Solent Mind HQ and hand over a cheque for £3,699 to help fund the vital services that they do.

Solent Mind is our chosen charity for 2023.

We’ve actually been working with them for a few years now and they were nominated by our staff for dedication to mental health and wellbeing services for people across the south.

Poor mental health can have a much bigger impact than simply “feeling low” for a few days. It can impact our behaviour and our relationships. It can affect how we do our jobs and live our lives at home.

During the pandemic, looking after our health and wellbeing became paramount.

When Covid-19 hit, we were all worried about protecting our families and loved ones. But, there was an army of people who continued to fight and keep the country going. They were the ones who could not lock themselves away, or work from home. They were the ones who selflessly continued to serve our communities, despite the risks.

They were our amazing NHS, doctors and nurses, and social workers and they deserve all of our admiration and recognition. But there were others, like Welcome stores retail workers, who adopted that British “Keep Calm and Carry On” spirit. The great thing about our stores is that they also provided a place of familiarity at a time when many people were isolated – and that did keep us going when times were really tough.

And we’re only human.

Naturally, the worry of the unknowns in the world and doing our best to continue operating our stores and serving our customers safely took its toll – not just on our staff. We heard concerns from our customers too who were vulnerable or worried about doing their best for their family.

That’s when it became clear organisations like Solent Mind are vital for our communities, and it is our pleasure to do what we can to support them – and give something back.

Sadly, there is just not enough funding for NHS mental health services.

That is why organisations like Solent Mind are so heavily relied upon. They make sure that everyone gets access to the time and resources they need to help them get their lives back on track.

They also offer our staff access to services through our partnership, accessing guides such as dealing with mental health in the workplace, anxiety and many others, to ensure they are always feeling supported and doing the best job they can.

Jo Silsbury, Corporate Liaison Officer at Solent Mind said:

“Our corporate partnerships are so important as a way of generating all-important funding and we’re grateful to be working with Welcome Stores. Plus, it’s another way of collaborating with others to ensure we are offering the best services possible, but also spread the word about what we do – and how we can help.

“Our services were accessed by almost 55,000 people in 2021-2022 and more than 6,000 people received wellbeing services from our support centres, which are vital to our network. This latest donation from Welcome stores helps with our message to spread awareness that mental health matters, and everyone deserves to feel their best.”

Bring in the BBQ!

Posted on by Adam Page

The weather outside is rubbish, so why not bring the barbeque indoors?

These bacon burger dippers are great to enjoy as a side, or, why not pack them up with your picnic when the weather improves?

  • Feeds 12Feeds 12
  • Ready in 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp American-style mustard
  • 60g Co-op grated mild Cheddar
  • 1 medium gherkin, finely chopped
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 500g Co-op Hereford beef mince
  • 6 rashers Co-op smoked streaky bacon
  • 12 tbsp ketchup or Co-op hamburger relish

Method

  1. Set the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6
  2. In a bowl mix the mustard and Cheddar with the chopped gherkin and onion
  3. Divide the beef mince into 12 and shape into flattened balls. Spoon an equal amount of the cheese mix into the centre of each and carefully wrap the meat around, pinching the ends and rolling back into a ball
  4. Wrap 1/2 rasher bacon around each burger, secure with a cocktail stick and cook on a baking tray for 20-25 mins
  5. Finish off on the barbecue for a minute or two to add some smoky flavour
  6. Serve with ketchup or hamburger relish, to dip

Each serving contains

  • Energy 6% 486kj 117kcal
  • Fat Med 11% 8g
  • Saturates Med 13%2.5g
  • Sugar Low 11% 1.3g
  • Salt High 11% 0.98g

% of adult’s reference intake | Carbohydrates per serving : 2g

Supplier Spotlight: Powder Monkey Brewery

Posted on by Adam Page

If you’ve sampled our very own Welcome brew – the “Co-Hop Welcome Back” hazy pale ale, then the chances are you’ve come across our latest Supplier Spotlight already!

Set up in the wake of the pandemic on May 17th 2021, Powder Monkey Brewery has quickly “hopped” up the favourites list among our local customers – and we can see why.

Hear about all things craft, collaboration and – pigs! – from our chat with the gang. Cheers!

All in the name

We had to ask, where did the name Powder Monkey come from? It turns out, the Brewery’s co-founder, Andy Burdon, discovered the building where the brewery now operates back in 2019. Previously it was an historic naval gunpowder store in Priddy’s Hard, Gosport.

Despite the store being dark, derelict and empty for more than 50 years, Andy’s vision was bright and he wanted to create a brand that kept the building’s history alive. The name Powder Monkey was born – a name that relates to the boys who would have carried gunpowder to the guns on board ships.

Brewing success

Andy then recruited Mark Hamblin as Head Brewer, and together, they spent many hours developing the working side of the brewery and its equipment, until its first beers were brewed in 2021.

Since opening the brewery, Powder Monkey has doubled its capacity thanks to investment in more tanks for its craft beers. Today, it works as a production facility, but visitors can also make use of the new visitor’s centre, shop and tasting bar.

What was their secret to early success? Marcus Hunt from the sales team said: “The brewing world is quite collaborative, which means we can work together and share ideas through a mutual passion to make the best beers people can buy.”

Far from all at sea

It is this working together attitude that Powder Monkey also sees as ways of navigating (if you’ll pardon the nautical pun!) any rough waters (sorry!).

Marcus continues: “Of course there are challenges, like there are in any business. But, the great thing about collaborating is that you can identify problems as they come along and tackle them head-on. Usually someone else out there has dealt with a similar situation – or they warn you that something might become an issue.

“We learn as we grow, take advice from others, adapt and overcome!”

Nautical themes

The name itself is a great way of keeping the brewery’s building alive – but so too are the goods within.

“We’ve recently launched a new Pilsner called Bravo Zulu” Marcus said. “It’s an old naval term someone would say, which means ‘well done’.

“There’s also the Drunken Sailor and, our best-selling beer, Drop Anchor. That’s a great one for someone who’s just getting into craft beer and taking their first sips!”

A Welcome addition

Welcome stores sell plenty of local products to our customers so that they can sample the delights of what’s on offer right on their local doorstep. We also understand that by supporting local businesses, it brings growth to the economy and supports jobs.

Not only do we see the economic benefits of supporting local, Welcome stores see it as “doing our bit” towards reducing our carbon footprint too!

“It’s great to see Welcome stores onboard with supporting local suppliers” Marcus added. “There’s always a friendly face when we deliver and it’s great how Welcome supports not just us but so many great, local suppliers!”

Welcome stores in turn like how committed Powder Monkey is to the local community – something that is well-aligned with ourselves.

“We love being out and about in the community at different events, meeting people who may not have heard of us or tried our beers, telling our story and sharing our passion for craft beer!” Marcus added.

And, just as aligned with Welcome stores’ commitment to reducing food waste, nothing is wasted when it comes to the brewing process – as the spent grain is picked up by a local farmer who feeds it to his pigs!

So what’s next for Powder Monkey?

“Apart from the Drunken Sailor, which contains lactose,  all our beers that we make are Vegan friendly” says Marcus. “However, we’d really like to expand our Gluten-free range and there are a couple of beers being trialled soon – so watch this space!”

Check out the range of craft beers on offer from Powder Monkey brewery at your local Welcome store.

For more information, head to powdermonkeybrewing.com