The Bloggers Hangout Tea Party

There has never been so much choice when it comes to food brands, almost overwhelmingly so, nor have there been so many scrumptious options of the healthy variety. It can be difficult to decide what to go for when wanting to branch out and that's where The Bloggers Hangout has been absolutely amazing. After their Christmas Food Fest I've become addicted to JimJams, Jools and Roasters, and now I'd like to highlight my favourite newly discovered brands at last week's Tea Party; Jake's Boost, Pic's Peanut Butter, Just Bee, Chika's and Cocoa Den.

Unfortunately I found out afterwards I completely missed some brands that were at the event (including Jools and Drink Me Chai Latte, both of which I already know and absolutely love) simply because it was so incredibly busy and it was difficult to see everything.

This is by no means a complaint about The Bloggers Hangout event, as I think that what they're doing is fantastic, bringing carefully selected interesting, healthy and ethical brands to the attention of bloggers and influencers, but I just wanted to mention this as there may have been other brands there I would've posted about if it weren't for the fact that I didn't get a chance to see them. Anyway, without further ado, here are my favourite brands at The Bloggers Hangout Tea Party.

Chika's

Chika's was one of the very first brands I spoke to at the event and one of the most memorable too. Their Western African-flavoured range of snacks was so utterly delicious. I love cashew nuts but wasn't sure about their black pepper variety when I was offered a sample. However, one bite in I was sold and now I don't want to eat my cashews any other way! I also tried their hand cooked plantain, which tasted like an even crispier banana chip. Definitely check them out!

Cocoa Den

The Cocoa Den is a one-woman tour de force in chocolate. Her handcrafted, artisan creations are absolutely stunning (I was particularly fond of the stag on display though she did ask for suggestions as well and I mentioned a fox, because I am obsessed with them) and she had some gorgeous samples on her stand. The salted caramel, with a bite of crunch, was divine. This is still a very new brand but owner Kate Burton is talking to some places to get stocked, which is very exciting. For now you can order her beautiful creations by contacting her directly on her website.

Jake's Boost

Jake's Boost was my favourite brand at the event. I've recently gotten into seed and nut butters and so this discovery couldn't have happened at a better time. I tried their signature super boost spread with a piece of dried fruit and it was absolutely amazing. Consisting of ten different nuts and seeds (such as cashews, Brazil nuts, chia and hemp) in a single jar this is a sugar-free, palm oil-free, salt-free, gluten-free and dairy free, vegan product. Most notably though, this is a brand with a difference. For every jar of spread or sachet of dried fruit sold, they give breakfast to a child in need. How incredible is that?

Just Bee

I love still drinks, I love water and I love anything with a dash of honey, so Just Bee is right up my street. I sampled their blueberry flavoured drink (they also do lemon & green tea and apple & ginger) and it was very refreshing and delicious. No sparkles (I really don't like fizzy drinks), no sugar added, just a dash of honey and a subtle fruity flavour. I might have actually found my new favourite drink (which is currently plain water)!

Pic's Peanut Butter

I don't eat an awful lot of peanut butter (I usually branch out to other nuts) but trying the gorgeous, Artisan Pic's Peanut Butter I realised this was probably because I hadn't come across a peanut butter as tasty as this one yet. Made with nuts from Australia but produced in New Zealand since 2007, Pic's is already the number one peanut butter brand in NZ and I can't wait to see this delicious spread take the UK by storm.


Thank you very much to The Bloggers Hangout for organising the event and once more finding such fantastic brands for us to discover.