Ginger Popcorn, Exports Halted & Ginger Ale Recall

We are a little late with this post as we are working on a major development at All Things Ginger. We are not going to tell you what it is yet but when it is ready we think you will be impressed.

The Dieline, a website dedicated to package design, reports that Canada Dry Green Tea Ginger Ale is the most successful new product launch to date for Dr Pepper Snapple Group. I've never tried it but I am quite taken with the look of the can.

A gingerbread-flavoured popcorn has been launched ready for Easter by the UK gourmet popcorn maker Joe & Seph’s. Popcorn sales in the UK have increased rapidly over the last three years with the market in 2011 worth £53 million according to Mintel. (Source: The Food & Drink Innovation Network).

There was a blunt message last week in The Produce News - "Chinese ginger exports have ground to a halt". What normally happens in China is that ginger is harvested in November and placed in sand to cure and dry in caves until January. But this winter China is experiencing one of its coldest winters in four decades and the ginger is not curing. The price of Chinese ginger has already risen as a consequence and is expected to continue rising.

The ginger revival in Sierra Leone has been boosted by the news that the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act has certified ginger for export to the USA and Europe. Sierra Leone has been exporting ginger on a small scale to the Netherlands for a number of years. This has been quite an achievement as the Sierra Leone ginger industry was all but wiped out during the civil war from 1991-2002. (Source: Awoko).

Here is some important news if you live in New Zealand and you have bought a Schweppes Dry Ginger Ale with a best-before date between January 10th and January 30th, 2014. It has got to go back. Coca-Cola is recalling this drink along with four other Schweppes drinks because of a possible problem with the glass bottle. (Source: 3news).

Greene King, the pub retailer and brewer, has revealed its 2013 guest ales calendar. And guess what? The brewer has a ginger offering. Twisted Wheel, a light ale with a twist of ginger, will be available from April to June. According to The Drinks Business, this beer is named after the famous Manchester northern soul club which had previously been the UK's first Mod club.

The Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association has published an interesting article about growing ginger in the state. We have mentioned growing ginger in Maine before in this post. Farmers in the state appear to concentrate on producing immature (or baby) ginger which is popular both cooked and raw in salads.

The Fiji Times reported that over the last ten years the country's production of ginger has been 75% immature (baby, green) and 25% mature. With the country set to start exporting mature ginger to Australia, the Ministry of Agriculture needs farmers to convert their immature ginger crops to mature ginger.

In our last post we reported that Nepal has now become the third largest producer of ginger in the world. The Himalayan has now stated that Nepal is third in terms of the total export volume of ginger but eighth in terms of value. In other words, Nepal is not getting enough for its ginger compared to other countries. The article also mentions that ginger production in Nepal is growing a faster rate than in the major competitor countries of India, China and Indonesia. The Kathmandu University School of Management has found that the best way to increase export earnings is to export value-export value-added ginger. And the best form of value-added ginger is ginger powder which is seeing increasing demand around the world.

The price of Nigerian dried ginger appears to be stable even though 70% of the current harvest has been sold. Incidentally, Nigeria used to be the third largest exporter of ginger until Nepal overtook it.

The Radio Taiwan blog published a post on the benefits of ginger in winter. What took my eye was the fact that ginger is harvested in Taiwan all year.

Diabetes Control, Ski On Ginger Beer, New Facility & Business Opportunity

A number of sources, including Australia's Sunshine Coast Daily, have reported the interesting news that ginger could help to control the blood sugar levels which create problems for long-term diabetics. A three-year study, conducted by the University of Sydney, found that ginger can increase the uptake of glucose into the muscle cells without the need for insulin. The ginger for the research was provided by Buderim Ginger from the neighbouring state of Queensland. (Additional source: Diabetes.co.uk).

The UK Trade & Investment website is advertising a requirement from a Japanese importer who is interested in sourcing ready-to-drink (RTD) soft drinks such as ginger ale, fizzy apple juice and herb drinks from a UK supplier. The deadline is 31/10/12.

It is the time of the year for flu vaccinations in New Zealand. But stuff has reported that tradional flu remedies have been flying off the shelves on South Island. Supermarkets are reporting an increase in sales of ginger, lemon and garlic as people take additional or alternative precautions.

Still in New Zealand and a report in the Otago Daily Times. The US winter Olympic ski team has based itself in Queenstown for the southern hemisphere winter. I particularly enjoyed the comment from Tim Jitloff: "The first thing I go for is a ginger beer and a meat pie." Hmm. Heaven.

Over to Australia and Jägermeister, the German 35% abv digestif, is launching a new RTD on the domestic market, according to The Shout. Jägermeister Ginger Lime is a blend of Jägermeister, ginger root and fresh lime. The launch follows last year's successful introduction of Jägermeister & Ginger Beer.

The Hindu Business Line reports that ginger farmers in the Indian state of Kerala will be eagerly awaiting a new development. The state government has announced that it will set up an integrated spice processing facility with a capacity to process 7.5 tonnes of fresh ginger a day. Four tonnes will be marketed as cleaned and waxed ginger with the remainder being used to produce both ginger powder and ginger oil. The need for this new facility has been justified on the grounds that harvesting coincides with the rainy season which means that sun-drying is not an option.

I do like The Fiji Times coverage of ginger. One day it could be about the importance of exports to Australia and the next day it could be about selling at local markets. Last year, the Fijian Ministry of Agriculture introduced a scheme to reduce the level of ginger imports. The scheme involves, amongst other things, encouraging new entrants to the world of ginger farming. One such farmer has just been featured in The Fiji Times and he appears to be a very happy man after his first year.

But there are some Fijian ginger farmers who are not so happy. The Fiji Times reported last week that some farmers can produce a good crop but cannot afford to send it to market as the cost of transportation is to high. Something for the government to think about.

Ginger Beer, Ginger-Spiced Beer, Ginger Lager & Ginger Cider

If you think that his post seems like a drinks special, believe me, it is unintentional. There has just been a lot of drink-related activity recently.

The Brew Star brewery from Morpeth in Northumberland recently conducted a trial brew of Ginger & Fig Porter. No news yet on whether it will make a reappearance.

Gosling Brothers has launched its Stormy Ginger Beer on the UK on-trade market to create the definitive Dark ‘n Stormy, Bermuda’s official national drink. So next time you go to the pub you can ask for the real thing. And if the landlord doesn't have it, threaten to take your custom elsewhere! (Source: imbibe.com)

If you live in New Zealand you'll be pleased to hear the latest news about Monteith's Brewery Company. Stuff reports that the Greymouth brewery has re-opened following a one year, $4 million refurbishment. Once the new bottling plant is up and running, production of a new beer, an alcoholic ginger beer, will commence.

The Times of Oman reports that Caribou Coffee, a leading US coffee chain, has launched three new iced teas in Oman with the most popular among Omanis being Lemon Ginger Pomegranate. That doesn't come as a surprise as ginger is widely used in the country.

A new beer has been launched by Jack's Abby Brewing from Massachusetts - Ginger & Juice. This lager beer is brewed with pureed ginger, grapefruit juice and peel, buckwheat and hops. This isn't the only ginger and grapefruit lager that I've found. Shiner Ruby Redbird, from the Spoetzl Brewery in Texas, uses red grapefruit.

Okanagan Premium Cider from British Columbia in Canada has added an innovative new flavour to its popular range, according to the Kelowna Capital News. The new flavour is Ginger Apple and it contains locally grown apples. I imagine that the ginger is imported.

I've found that ginger beers can have quirky names just like real ales. The latest I have encountered is Pigs Arse Chilli Ginger Beer from Irish Murphy in Brisbane. I know absolutely nothing about this beer; can someone help?

And finally, what do you make of this article in IOL? Hakanoa, the ginger beer maker from Auckland in New Zealand, ran an advertising campaign which referred to red-haired children as "ginger spawn". The press release accompanying the campaign said: "They say children are a blessing, but it's fair to say no parent sets out wanting a ginger child". It continued: "So ginger-beer maker Hakanoa has given those parents unfortunate enough to be cursed with ginger children the opportunity to swap them for something they will want". The campaign caused outrage. But Hakanoa responded a couple of days ago on Facebook by stating that the company did not create the ad. It was created by ginger-haired parents of ginger-haired children. These parents, who work in advertising, were concerned at the bullying their children suffered. Hakanoa and The Little Grocer (where you could collect the ginger beer) agreed to front the ad as a way of raising the issue. What do you think of it? Has it worked?