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.

Jamaican Exports, Nigerian Strike, Employment Opportunities & Rapper Feud

Following recent calls from Jamaican politicians and businesses for the local ginger industry to re-discover its former glory, the US ambassador to Jamaica has now added her voice in support. Speaking to the Portland (Jamaica) Chamber of Commerce, Pamela Bridgewater urged Jamaica's ginger producers and exporters to take full advantage of the USA's duty-free import program under both the Caribbean Basin Initiative and the Generalised System of Preferences. The ambassador's speech, reported in The Gleaner, also called for investors to support ginger farmers as the ginger "is of the highest quality in terms of its benefit to individuals, its taste, flavour, and its properties". Jamaican ginger was very popular in the US for much of the last century.

This week's mention of Crabbie's isn't going to be about Crabbie's itself. Marketing Magazine reported that Diageo has relaunched its ginger-flavoured Jeremiah Weed Root Brew to compete with the hugely successful Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer. Previously launched late last year in the UK with little fanfare, the 4pc abv bottled beer is said to be best served in a jam (or mason) jar over ice. I can't see that serving suggestion really catching on here in the UK as British drinkers prefer not to dilute their alcohol. It is made from ginger, fruit alcohol, spirit & flavours. Sounds interesting.

Ginger growers everywhere will be keeping a close watch on developments in Nigeria, the third largest exporter of ginger after China and India. The country has been hit by a general strike called by trade unions protesting against the removal of petrol subsidies which has led to a doubling of pump prices. According to agra-net.com, one area particularly badly affected is the export of dried ginger. An inability to export could result in a world shortage of dried ginger which, in turn, would increase the price. An increased price would be of immense benefit to growers in countries such as India who have witnessed a drop in income over the last year.

The potential damage caused by the Nigerian general strike on the ginger industry could be more than just a hiccup. A article last month in Nigerian Best Forum seems to indicate that the ginger industry in the state of Kaduna, Nigeria's ginger heartland, is in a parlous condition following decades of neglect.

Employment opportunities in the ginger industry featured a couple of times last week. The first was the news, reported by The Fiji Times, that Fiji's largest ginger processing company, Frespac, is looking to recruit more ginger farmers to help it meet this year's export commitments. Frespac, a subsidiary of Australia's Buderim Ginger, is targeting the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.

This was followed by the Jamaica Observer story that the recently elected Jamaican government is looking to agriculture to create employment. Ian Hayles, Junior Agriculture and Fisheries minister, said that a number of crops, including ginger, will be given priority attention to attract young people into farming. With Jamaica's desire to become self-sufficient in food and the call to export more ginger to the US, a career in ginger farming seems very attractive.

Today sees the launch of a gelatin-free ginger confection at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, California. Ginger Spice Drops have been developed by The Ginger People, America's leading ginger company.

Produce News Daily carried an interesting article on the forthcoming Chinese New Year celebrations and how it is raising interest in Asian cuisine. The article also mentioned that the current Hawaiian ginger crop grown by California-based Christopher Ranch "is looking good". I'm not sure whether Christopher Ranch grows ginger in California but I can see why the company has a presence in Hawaii. Hawaiian ginger has a long harvesting season from December to June. In Hawaii's off-season, ginger is imported from Brazil, Thailand, Costa Rica and Peru. Back in 2007 the company had a problem with Chinese grown ginger containing pesticide residues. Maybe that is the reason why China is now missing from the list of Christopher Ranch's suppliers.

It may sound perverse but I'm sure that there is a good reason for it. Hawaii exports much of its ginger crop to the US but then has to import replacement ginger from Fiji. Discuss.

Over to Toronto in Canada now and an unusual story of rappers and ginger ale. The Star reported a feud between two North American rappers by the name of Drake and Common (I've no idea who they are either). Apparently Common calls Drake "you Canada Dry" on one of his songs, presumably in reference to Drake's penchant for the drink. This reached the Twittersphere like everything else does these days and before long Canada Dry Ginger Ale started trending. It would be interesting to know whether the brand registered a noticeable increase in sales in Canada last week.

I've found the link to last week's report on McCormick's global Flavour Forecast for 2012. I still don't know why it disappeared.

The Bangkok Post business section reported on a call by the honorary chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries' pharmaceutical industry club to reduce the cost of the country's medicine imports. Chernporn Tengamnuay said that by developing a herbal industry would both reduce import costs and create employment in the cultivation sector. He said that over 90pc of the raw materials for Thai medicines are imported. Ginger is now undergoing clinical trials to determine its efficacy in easing joint pain. Thailand already has the advantage of being an established ginger producer.

The problems caused by falling ginger prices in India was highlighted in The Hindu Business Line which showed that the current ginger index (the Indians have a useful index for many crops) is not only lower than a year ago, it is also much lower than 2004-5.

We don't often read about ginger in crime (apart from the occasional pesticide incident) but I found one last week in the Waukesha Patch. The Wisconsin city reported that two drug addicts tried to sell fake marijuana to a police informant in order to feed their heroin habits. The fake marijuana was actually a mixture of ginger and leaves which the addicts hoped the informant would only feel and not see.

A new entry for my list of ginger growing countries - Israel (courtesy of Tekoa Farm).

Cold Patent Thwarted, Nepalese Ginger, Oil Price Fall & Taste Test

Well, it didn't take long. When I was writing the first post of the year last week I wondered how long would it be before Crabbie's made an announcement. Just four days later, off licence news reported that Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer will open a ski lodge at the Outdoors Show at ExCeL London, the international exhibition and convention centre, from January 12-15. Visitors will be able to rest and sample Crabbie's products at the 1950s-inspired lodge.

The Times of India carried the story that India has thwarted an attempt by a British pharmaceutical company to patent the use of ginger as a cold treatment. The company, revealed by IBN Live to be Nicholas John Larkins (I don't know if this is correct), wanted to patent a pharmaceutical composition containing ginger and kutki (the Picrorhiza kurroa rhizome) to treat cough, bronchial asthma and lung diseases. Two august Indian bodies, the Department of Ayush and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, responded by presenting texts from the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library showing centuries of evidence that ginger and kutki are traditional remedies. Back to the drawing board.

Last April I reported on the 30-60pc markup which Pakistani retailers charged for their Chinese ginger. Now we read of a similar situation in Nepal where retailers are charging up to 45pc above the wholesale price for products such as ginger compared to the normal 10-15pc markup. The report in Fresh Plaza stated that retailers are blaming rising transportation costs.

I have wondered why Nepal exports most of its own ginger to India but then imports large amounts from China. Is it anything to do with cost or quality? Apparently, the reason is quite straightforward according to one story I've read. Transport links in rural Nepal are so inadequate that it is cheaper to import than it is to bring the produce in from the countryside. About 96pc of ginger imports come from China with the balance from Ethiopia and, surprisingly, India.

Still in Nepal, farmers from the Khotang district are switching to cultivating ginger following an improvement in the transport network, according to The Himalayan Times. As I mentioned previously, ginger is a major export crop.

If you are an importer of Chinese ginger oil you will be pleased to read in agra-net.com that the price has fallen again and is now 21pc lower than the record high set early last year.The versatile oil is used in a wide range of products from food seasoning and condiments to cosmetics, perfumes and medicines.

A report appeared last week featuring the McCormick's global Flavour Forecast for 2012. Pleasingly, one of the 12 entries is a ginger and coconut combination. I can't show you the report as it seems to have disappeared from the hosting website (not mccormick.com). Did I dream it?

Indian farmers, in a desperate bid to make windfall profits, are now adopting a risky monocrop strategy. A report in Business Standard says that farmers are putting all their eggs in one basket and allowing their traditional business instincts to be dictated solely by crop prices and margins. Now, prices and margins are important elements in any business decision but to concentrate on one crop only and then face the vagaries of the weather, pests and international competition does seem to be a little foolhardy.

I know that I'm a little bit late with this news but I thought that you would still like to read it. Buderim Ginger commissioned a survey last year which found that 89pc of Australians ate, snacked, drank or cooked with ginger products. In addition, a third of Australians consumed ginger baked goods or ginger beer at least once a month or cooked with fresh ginger at least once a month. Buderim Ginger said that ginger's versatility was one of the reasons for its success.

The South African news site, iol, conducted a ginger beer taste test and came up with the rather interesting finding that only two of the five beers tested actually contained ginger. It's not just interesting, it's frightening really. So always check the ingredients and go for the real thing. If nothing else, you will be supporting farmers in developing countries.

Gingerbread Ale, Migraine Relief & Molecular Gastronomy

Every now and then a picture comes along that catches my eye. Invariably, I can't explain why but there is always something about it that I find fascinating. And so it was last week that I came across a giant gingerbread man on a poster for Dough Head Gingerbread Ale from the Vancouver Island Brewery in Victoria, British Columbia. Unfortunately, this limited edition seasonal beer has only been brewed for the Christmas period. Brewer Chris Graham has used ginger, clove and cinnamon to create a beer which tastes and smells like a gingerbread cookie. Although most of us will never taste the beer, at least we will have the poster to look at (I'm sure the brewery won't mind).

As the end of the year is almost upon us, we can reveal the most searched for ginger story on Google in 2011. It was back in June that Reuters, and a number of other sources, reported the encouraging findings that a homeopathic preparation of ginger and feverfew may provide some pain relief for migraine sufferers. According to Wikipedia, migraines affect more than 10pc of people worldwide so it's not surprising that this story was so popular.

I imagine that Australian ginger farmers are having their best Christmas in a number of years. The Gympie Times reported the good news that after two years of suffering from persistent rain and pythium root rot, the farmers, with the assistance of Buderim Ginger, now seem to be heading in the right direction with fresh seed stock, new land and the promise of a 21pc pay rise.

Did you know that ginger beer is said to be the Christmas beverage in Trinidad and Tobago?

Traditionally, December is the time of year for unusual and quirky articles. Well, it is in the UK at least (see New Scientist for a classic example). That 'international weekly journal of science', nature.com, recently carried an article about a Cambridge theoretical physicist, Sebatian Ahnert, who also happens to be an amateur molecular gastronomist. It was in this latter capacity that he published the initial results of research into the matching of flavour molecules in recipes from around the world. Ahnert began the research after becoming intrigued by the anecdotal suggestion that some foods go well together because they contain the same flavour molecules. Apparently, that is why caviar and white chocolate can be served together but only in North America and Western Europe. You wouldn't find this combination in Latin American, Southern European or East Asian cuisine. The Cambridge team found that some common ingredients in North American cooking - milk, butter, cocoa, vanilla, cream & eggs, for example - share flavour compounds with many other foods. But some common ingredients in East Asian cooking - ginger, beef, pork, cayenne, chicken & onion - shared the least flavour compounds. I've been brought up on traditional English fare but I have found myself moving towards the delights of Italian cuisine. This could explain why I find most dishes by Heston Blumenthal (probably the world's most famous molecular gastronomist) so unappealing. If you are still uncertain about which of these two groups you belong to, consider the next flavour combination which Ahnert is keen to try - coffee and garlic!

I shall sign off now by wishing you all a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Worried Ginger Farmers, Fijian Investment, Ginger Coffee Launch And Big Hairy Moustache

ABC Wide Bay, the Australian TV and radio station which covers part of Queensland's ginger growing region, had an interesting report on the problems facing farmers as they embark on a new ginger season. Since last year ginger crops in both the Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast areas suffered badly from the fungal rot pythium. Both areas typically produce 80pc of Australia's ginger annual output but last year some growers lost up to 70pc of their crops. These farmers have now planted this year's ginger 'seed' with trepidation and those farmers not affected last year are understandably concerned. I wish the farmers well for the coming months and I'll let you know of their progress.

Still on the subject of Australian ginger, here is an interview from ABC Brisbane with Ron O’Grady, CEO of Buderim Ginger.

I've reported occasionally in the past about the progress being made by the Fijian ginger industry to establish itself on the world stage. The Fiji Times has now told us of a $1 million three-year investment programme launched by the Fijian government to revitalise the ginger industry. It is hoped that the investment will improve the country's export earnings from the current $6.3 million to $9 million a year. Basically, the plan is to develop ginger 'seed' with increased vigour which can be grown throughout the country rather than selected areas as at present. Fiji currently produces more than 2000 tonnes of ginger a year of which nearly 50pc is exported, principally to Australia and Hawaii.

Various African websites reported last week about Nestlé Nigeria's launch of its Nescafé Ginger & Lemon coffee. I've noticed that ginger coffee is very popular in many parts of Africa (and the Middle East as well) but, as I've said before, I don't know why it isn't marketed in Europe and beyond. Back to Nestlé Nigeria and the news that this product is being introduced into the health market because of the "beneficial health properties of ginger and lemon". It's questionable whether a statement like that would be allowed in many countries.

Last week a number of websites, including The Drum, reported the launch of a £2 million advertising campaign for Ginger Joe, the alcoholic ginger beer. Depending on which site you read, I'm not certain whether this launch is the start of the £2 million or whether it is the next stage within an existing £2 million. Whichever it is, it's a lot of money. The centrepiece of the campaign will be Ginger Joe's signature ginger moustache, a brand mark fast becoming readily associated with the product. The moustache features quite prominantly, 78 feet's worth of prominence actually, on a billboard unveiled earlier this month in Shoreditch in London. The giant hairy moustache is overlaid with the message "Thanks for donating to our big hairy poster".

By the time you read this you may well have heard about the new flavour to be added to the range of Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beers. Apparently we will only have to wait until the end of October to find out. The phenomenal onslaught of Crabbie's and the rapid emergence of Ginger Joe is shaping up to be an interesting battle. Although the producers may argue that they are aiming at different markets and demographics, I can't help but think of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and Blur and Oasis.

Geographical Indication, US Aid, Higher Indian Exports And Crabbie's Football Sponsorship

Spices Board of India has applied for Geographical Indication (GI) status for Cochin ginger. If successful, GI status will help to confer on Cochin ginger a "premium products" rating which should protect its worldwide reputation. GI status is already enjoyed by many products including Champagne, Prosciutto di Parma and Melton Mowbray pork pies. The Spices Board is part of the Indian government's Ministry of Commerce & Industry and exists to provide a link between Indian exporters and foreign importers.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has given Nepal $30m in aid to improve, amongst other things, ginger exports. The money will be targeted at increasing competitiveness and exports in selected product areas and will be allocated by NEAT, the Nepal Economic, Agriculture and Trade project. The project will run for two and a half years. Currently Nepal exports the majority of its ginger to neighbouring India.

The decision by Indian farmers to increase production of ginger has paid off after reports last week showed that for the first ten months of the current financial year exports were 126% higher in volume terms and 76% higher in value terms. With China concentrating on selling ginger to Europe, India has been able to fill the void left in West Asia at prices up to 30% lower than late 2010.

Last week I wrote that ginger farmers from Dreketi in Fiji were struggling to find a market for their produce. Within hours of publishing the post, The Fiji Times reported that the Fijian Ministry of Agriculture had held meetings with the farmers during the previous week to offer assistance in marketing and finding local markets.

Frespac Ginger Fiji Ltd, owned by Australia's Buderim Ginger, has announced that it is targetting the USA as a new export market. It currently exports 80% of its produce to Europe and 20% to New Zealand. Presumably Fijian ginger production will have to increase to meet the expected demand. This will be welcome news for the 300 farmers who are contracted to provide ginger to Frespac.

And finally, Scotland's Hibernian Football Club has announced a three-year sponsorship deal with Crabbie’s, the ginger beer company. This follows Crabbie's involvement in projects ranging from the British Comedy Awards to the Perth Festival national hunt horse racing event. The Hibs first and reserve teams will display the alcoholic ginger beer name and logo. The ladies and youth teams and general public sales will display the name and logo for the non-alcoholic version. Crabbie and Hibernian are both from Leith, near Edinburgh.

Buderim Shortage, New Levi Roots Ginger Beer, Alien Invasive Species And A Ginger Pre-Mix

Australia’s Buderim Ginger is searching global ginger markets to fill a 1000 tonne shortfall in domestic production. The shortfall has been caused by the spread of the highly destructive disease pythium soft rot (see post 6th February 2011). Buderim is confident that it will be able to find enough ginger to meet its customer requirements. One possible source could be Fiji where Buderim has a processing operation already. Coincidentally, Fiji has applied recently to export its ginger to Australia.

Levi Roots, famous for his Reggae Reggae Sauce, is to launch Fiery Root Ginger Beer with Lime ‘n’ Honey. If this ginger beer can emulate the phenomenal success of the sauce, which is available in over 600 Sainsbury's supermarkets in the UK after securing a £50,000 investment on the BBC's Dragons' Den in 2007, then it could become one of the biggest selling ginger beers in the UK.

The current issue of New Scientist carries an article about research into the world's most invasive plant species. It found that more than half of these plants established themselves in new habitats after escaping from botanic gardens. One plant mentioned in particlar is Hedychium gardnerianum (or Kahili Ginger, Wild Ginger and Ginger Lily). Native to the Himalayan region of India, this plant was first noted as invasive in Jamaica before being observed in many other regions such as Hawaii where it was introduced as an ornamental plant in the 1940s. Reproducing easily by both seed and rhizome, this plant, which can create 6-foot high dense thickets, is proving difficult to eradicate.

A pre-mix of The Famous Grouse and ginger beer is being trialled in parts of Scotland. The trial will be held from the 1st March until the second week of April in selected bars and pubs in Edinburgh and Glasgow. It is intended that the 6% abv drink, called The Ginger Grouse, will be served long over ice. I have spoken to a number of people who are disappointed not to live in Scotland but are keen for the trial to be successful. They also hope that the drink will be available for home consumption.

In my first post I mentioned that Bruce Cost had launched his latest drink, Fresh Ginger Ale. Well, now you can have a look around his factory courtesy of Liza de Guia at Food Curated.