An award-winning meringue maker that beat the likes of Mars and Nestlé to become the first company in the confectionery sector to move into plastic-free packaging, is proud to announce a new product, Meringue Bites.
Flower & White, which sells its gourmet treats in outlets from Selfridges to QVC, as well as overseas to America, Canada, Germany and Australia, used the coup to unveil its latest gourmet product – Meringue Bites – using an innovative paper-based pouch with a heat-sealable coating.
Run by husband-and-wife team Brian and Leanne Crowther, Flower & White has also relaunched its successful Meringue Bars’ range in paper sleeves as part of a wider commitment to improve sustainability and reduce energy at its 13,000 sq ft premises in the heart of Shropshire.
The company, which started in the family kitchen, uses British free-range eggs and British sugar. Leanne said customers were looking to make better choices in the wake of more awareness about the lasting effects of plastic.
“This isn’t about riding on the bandwagon, this is about trying to move our sector forward so it can win the war on plastic,” she said. “We know consumers are rightly concerned and it’s up to manufacturers like us to do something about it.
“We are proud to be the first company in the sector to adopt this new paper packaging but this is just the start, not the end, of our efforts.”
Other measures include the purchase of low-energy equipment, LED lighting, improvements in the supply chain to reduce frequency of orders and a partnership with Aston University to streamline processes and enhance productivity.
Co-founder Brian said bigger premises, a strong order book and a commitment to new product development meant the future looked bright.
“I remember the days when we had four people in a garden shed separating eggs by hand,” he laughs. “Now we’re using around 200,000 eggs a week and have the capacity to produce one million meringues each day.”
The new bite-sized Swiss-baked meringues are covered in the finest Callebaut Belgian chocolate as well as an array of gourmet toppings. Handcraft using natural flavour and colours, they are gluten-free, low-fat and suitable for vegetarians. Each portion is under 100 calories.
