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1.  Last night we partied with our peers at the annual Sammies Awards in London, celebrating the great and good from the sandwich and food-to-go industry. Among the winners were Subway (Specialist Sandwich Bar Chain Category), Greggs (Sandwich Marketing Award), and Around Noon (New Sandwich Award). Click here to find out who else won a Sammies Award 2017 >>

2.  No trip to London is complete without a visit to Selfridges Food Hall. Selfridges represents a shining example of how ‘the other half’ shop but also a really enjoyable culinary experience; an assault on all the senses – sights, smells, sounds. The inclusion of EAT and Chop’d concessions also provide a more accessible angle and of course reason to visit. Click here to see some of the dishes we were inspired by at Selfridges >>

3. Pork belly is popping up on more and more menus, click here to be inspired by recipes such as Nduja Stuffed Pork Belly, Slow-Roast Pork Belly with Black Pudding Mash and Grain Mustard Sauce or Chifa Chicharonnes (Asian fried pork belly chunks). This ‘not for the faint-hearted’ recipe for a bunless Pork Belly Burger was spotted in Australia - crispy pork belly stuffed with avocado, kimchi, cherry tomatoes and garlic aioli.

4. Kumru is a traditional street food Turkish sandwich made with grilled salami sausage and cheese. Filled with what is described as meat spaghetti, it takes the popular kebab and even greater popularity of pulled meats to a whole new level – watch the video on how to make a Kumru sandwich here >> We also love the sound of baked cheese cups from Milch in Thailand – with a savoury twist they could be the next mac n’ cheese with added bacon or chorizo.

5.  Sainsbury’s has overhauled its food to go range with 21 new products which aim to tap into the growing health and free-from food trends. The new range includes gluten free sandwiches and vegan options, as well as three Asian bun varieties: bulgogi beef, honey and soy chicken, and char sui pork. As part of a new focus on free-from options Sainsbury’s will now offer bacon, lettuce & tomato and cheese ploughman’s sandwiches on gluten free bread.

6.  From Europe to the US, the spotlight is on consumer spending and how resilient it is in light of the prospect of higher inflation. Millennials may not be the biggest spenders but their growing share of the population and power to influence make them a key target for the majority of food, fashion and lifestyle brands. A US ad agency asked 1,500 Millennials what their favourite brands are and why. Click here to find out how Costco squeezed ahead of Netflix, and Chick-fil-A and Chipotle top the fast food choices >>

7. Two limited time only offers are returning this week. In the UK, McDonald’s Great Tastes of America Range makes its annual return. The New York, Carolina, Louisiana and Tennessee stacks are all back, as well as the Ranch California chicken strips, Spicy nacho cheese wedges and a selection of desserts. Burger King in the US on the other hand has brought back its Mac and Cheetos due to popular demand for a limited time only. Mac and Cheetos are essentially sticks of mac and cheese deep-fried in orange Cheetos dust. How about a burger dressed up as Wonder Woman for this summer’s big blockbuster release?

8. Beef has overtaken chicken as the top protein for out of home dinners, now featuring in 1 in 4 main meals according to MCA’s Menu & Food Trends 2017, driven by the increased popularity of eg gourmet burgers among women and the over-35s. Keen to tap into this is The Counter, the latest in a wave of US burger chains to hit the UK, with its first store opening in Glasgow next month. With 40 locations in the USA and worldwide, The Counter specialises in ‘create your own’ offering a choice of 7 proteins, 12 cheeses and 11 different types of bun, with the option of upgrading to premium toppings such as bison and seasonal specials.

9. Two restaurant brands in the UK have declared summer this week, with Prezzo introducing their new “La Famiglia” sharing dishes. Serving up to 4 diners, the serving bowl can be ordered with classic dishes such as Penne Alla Rusticana and Spaghetti Bolognese. Wagamama is adding extra flavour adventure to its menu, with the Beef Tataki (lightly seared, marinated steak dressed with citrus ponzu), Chicken Samla Curry (a spicy lemongrass & coconut chicken curry), Citrus & Teriyaki Glazed Pork Belly and a Pad Thai Salad featuring ginger chicken.

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