At SHARP storytelling is our business and we talk to journalists daily. This month, SHARP Spotlight spoke to Tani Dawn-Hiscox, deputy editor of Fine Food Digest to find out all about the magazine and what she is looking for from producers when it comes to pitching a story.
Can you tell us a little about Fine Food Digest, who reads it and what its purpose is?
Fine Food Digest is published by the Guild of Fine Food, which is a trade organisation established in 1995 as a response to increasing supermarket dominance. The Guild’s founder, Bob Farrand, was concerned about high streets becoming deserted, and small, artisan producers having their margins squeezed, so created an organisation championing the speciality and independent food & drink supply chain. As well as a membership scheme that provides information on how to run a business, best practice for everything from hygiene to how to handle cheese, it established the now widely known Great Taste accreditation scheme, the World Cheese Awards, and set up a publishing arm.
Fine Food Digest is written for retailers, from deli and farm shop owners to food halls and buyers in high-end department stores. It aims to keep them informed, provide practical tips on things like merchandising, marketing and pricing, and help them make buying decisions. Not to sound too worthy, but for me it’s important that FFD readers feel part of a community too, and that they are entertained, because everyone needs a bit of lightness.
What kinds of stories are you usually looking to write about?
It only takes going to one of the big speciality food trade shows to realise how large and varied the sector is, and we want to cover the lot. We have specific sections that we run every month, including news, a round-up of NPD, a producer profile, a retailer profile, and a feature about a cheese business (maker or monger). Then we have a central feature on a particular topic.
Recent ones have included one about the so-called cocoa crisis, and how Big Chocolate has fooled people into thinking it’s largely due to climate change, rather than the systemic exploitation of cocoa farmers and disregard for sustainability. We recently covered the new wave of UPF-free plant-based foods, and how producers are learning from past mistakes by focusing on flavour, and simple ingredients lists.
What makes you open an email from a producer you’ve never heard of before?
The subject line needs to capture my attention, and to do that I need to quickly see what I’m dealing with. A simple ‘new product’ or ‘NPD’ helps, or something like ‘introducing high-fruit jam from X’. Don’t overthink it, just keep it simple.
This might not be the case for everyone, but I also don’t mind a follow-up email. Sometimes my inbox is full, and I haven’t quite made it to your email yet – and I do try to reply to any relevant emails. Equally, we have an editorial@gff.co.uk email address which my editor and I share. Send something there and you’re increasing the likelihood that one of us will reply promptly.
What are the biggest mistakes you see producers make when pitching to trade press?
I interact with food producers all day. I am a consumer, but I’m not looking for what they’re looking for, so don’t go too hard on the buzzwords. It might matter a lot to the end consumer that your product contains 18g of protein, but what I want to hear about is the detail: the story behind it, how you make it, where it’s listed and where you’d like it to be listed.
What does a great press release look like from your perspective?
A great press release does all of the above, and it’s authentic. Most producers in our sector love what they do and work very hard to achieve their goals. That’s what I want to hear about.
How important are data, trends or retailer listings in making something newsworthy?
They all serve a purpose. Our readers do want that practical information as they have constant decisions to make. Just make sure that doesn’t become the whole story. If you’re only doing something cynically because it’s à la mode, you should probably be emailing Amazon or the multiples.
What supporting materials genuinely help you, and what tends to go straight in the bin?
Very few emails go straight in the bin, but it really helps when they include retail and trade prices, a link to high-res images, and the offer of an interview with someone who knows the product back to front. I don’t necessarily need a Word document with a press release attached if you’ve written it in the email, as I’m unlikely to download it, and even less so to print it out.
How can smaller or early-stage producers stand out if they don’t yet have big listings or budgets?
They are the ones that often do stand out. There’s little I love more than hearing about a producer at the very beginning of their journey and watching them thrive as they build their business. And if Fine Food Digest or the Guild can help along the way, even better.
If you could give one piece of advice to producers who want more trade coverage in 2026, what would it be?
I’m going to say something very old school now, but as well as sending emails, pick up the phone. We’re a business that revolves around people and if I don’t answer, one of my colleagues or my editor, Michael Lane, will gladly talk to you. I’d like to think that applies across all trade publishing.
Read the latest edition of Fine Food Digest here: https://bit.ly/4cSzVi8
