News

July Event - Tasting Day with The Cambucha!

The Cambucha tasting event:

Visit Daily Bread on Saturday 22nd July 2023 between 11.15am and 4pm for our next tasting event! Try some premium kombucha, hand-crafted in the rural outskirts of Cambridge by The Cambucha! Meet The Cambucha’s team, Łukasz and Kasia - a husband and wife duo passionate about great foods and healthy living.

The Cambucha logo featuring a drawing of the Bridge of Sighs and Kings' College. Text: "Kombucha handcrafted just a few bridges away from King's College". Logo colours are navy blue and pale teal.

Try The Cambucha’s premium hand-crafted kombucha in 3 delicious flavours:

Raspberry - slowly fermented with a blend of premium teas and real raspberries (yep, we went heavy on them!). It is deliciously tangy, has a long-lasting flavour and just the right amount of effervescence to tickle your palate. We don't use anything that shouldn't be there (no flavourings, no colourings, no preservatives, no sweeteners).

Ginger & Lemon - infused with whole real lemons and freshly grated ginger root. Zesty and invigorating. More bubbly than our other products, just to give more of a kick.

Original - the simplest recipe, yet probably the most intriguing flavour. 

A blend of three exquisite teas - each contributing to its rich and full-bodied flavour. Darjeeling tea from West Bengal, provides delicate and complex fruity flavours with subtle musky spiciness. Ceylon tea from Dimbula region brings bold and fresh flavour with a smooth taste. Lastly, Oolong tea gives deep raisin and ripe fruit aromas to complete the perfect combination that makes Cambucha so irresistibly delicious.  Carefully fermented for nearly a month this product has wonderfully balanced sourness with some smooth tannins and texture just on the verge between still and sparkling, not unlike best vintage cider. 

We hope to see you on Saturday!


Find The Cambucha on Instagram here.

Daily Bread Co-op on Cambridge 105 Radio

Following our announcement last week about potential closure of the shop, and our plea to ‘use us or lose us’, we are extremely grateful and delighted to share that the local community have rallied round with support, including offers such as a feature on the local radio.

Daily Bread Co-op member Adam spoke to presenter Alan Alder for the Flavour programme on Cambridge 105 Radio on Saturday 20th May. They talk about the ins-and-outs of Daily Bread Co-op, and discuss the current issues and situation we find ourselves in.

If you would like to listen to the segment, you can find it here.

Announcement - potential closure of Daily Bread Co-operative Cambridge

An open letter announcing the difficulties we are currently facing.

Daily Bread Co-op Cambridge announcement graphic. Text reads: "Announcement - please read"

Dear customers and friends,

As many of you know, we have been running as an independent co-operative wholefoods shop in King’s Hedges for over 30 years. This is the announcement we didn’t want to have to make, but sadly, we have no option. We are regrettably facing closure.

Unfortunately, due to unavoidable economic difficulties, we may need to close in the very near future unless there is a radical turnaround in customer shopping habits. We are asking our customers and community to please ‘use us or lose us’ and show support by shopping with us now and in coming months. Every single purchase counts. We hope that together we can keep our co-operative community healthy and thriving.

We have been unable to employ new staff to replace those that have left, thus we are operating at a reduced scale, and you may see the effects of this with, for example, more pre-packed products replacing those we pack, fewer staff around the shop, and slightly longer response times with communications.

Please be patient with us as we try our best.

Various economic crises have affected everyone financially, and we understand that people are having to adapt their shopping choices. If you wish to support us but are unable to due to this, we'd really appreciate it if you could spread the word about us by telling friends and family, posting reviews, and sharing on social media.

With gratitude,

The Daily Bread Co-op Team

April event: Macrame Plant Hanger Workshop at Daily Bread!

Flyer for Bebe and Ju Crafts Macrame plant hanger workshop at Daily Bread Cambridge

If you're looking for a creative and fun way to freshen up your home decor this spring, don't miss our upcoming macrame plant hanger workshop with Bebe and Ju Crafts!

Macrame is an ancient artform that involves knotting cords together to create beautiful and intricate designs. In this workshop, you'll learn the basic techniques of macrame and how to create your very own plant hanger in your choice of colour, that you can take home to display or give as a special handmade gift! Not only will you learn a new skill, but you'll also have a chance to meet like-minded people and enjoy a fun and relaxing morning.

Macrame plant hanger workshop - where and when:

Mark your calendars for the 26th April from 10am til 12pm and join us for a morning of creativity and fun! The macrame plant hanger workshop will take place in our cafe, which means refreshments and snacks are close at hand to purchase if you need a cuppa (and/or cake!)

Five macrame plant hangers in different colours with pots and plants

Further info:

The workshop is suitable for beginners. All materials to make your plant hanger will be supplied, though please note that pots and plants are not included. The workshop duration is approximately 2 hours.

Booking:

There are 8 places available and tickets are £35 each, to be purchased in advance. You can purchase in advance at the till when visiting our shop, or alternatively send a booking request by emailing cambridge@dailybread.co.uk with the subject line: Macrame workshop booking. Please let us know your choice of yarn colour when booking. Choose from these lovely colours:

Yarn colour swatches as follows: Laurel (light teal), natural (off white), blossom (dusky pink), mustard (dark yellow), and terracotta (rusty orange).

New to Daily Bread Co-operative? Here’s where to find us!

What's in store for Easter at Daily Bread Co-operative - selection of our ethical, vegan, organic, and/or dairy-free Easter treats!

Easter products at Daily Bread

Happy Easter card with Raw Chocolate Company Easter egg.
Easter products display with items from Sweet Lounge, Coco Loco and Shared Earth.
Cocoba Easter eggs on display

Easter is just around the corner, and we're excited to highlight some of the products that we have on offer at Daily Bread. Whether you're looking for a special treat for yourself or a loved one, we've got you covered.

Booja Booja’s Easter Edition chocolates

Box of Booja Booja Easter edition chocolate truffles
Row of hand-painted Booja Booja Easter Eggs

Booja Booja’s Easter Edition chocolates are an indulgent treat made by hand with organic ingredients in Norfolk. These chocolates are free from dairy, gluten, and soy, making them suitable for vegans and those with dietary restrictions. The variety of flavours, such as Almond & Sea Salt Caramel, Rhubarb & Vanilla Fool, and Hazelnut Crunch Truffle, will satisfy any chocolate lover's cravings.

Montezuma's Chunky Chocolate Chicks

Yellow box of Montezuma's 8 Chunky Chocolate Chicks surrounded by a variety of Easter products.

If you're looking for something a little more playful, Montezuma's Chunky Chocolate Chicks are a fun and tasty option. They are made from high-quality dark chocolate and come in a cute box, making them a great gift for children and adults alike. They are free from colourings, gluten and gm and contain no palm oil. Plus, Montezuma's chocolate is ethically-sourced, so you can enjoy your treats with a clear conscience.

Raw Chocolate Company's handmade hazelnut-truffle filled Easter eggs

2 Raw Chocolate Company organic vegan hazelnut-truffle filled easter eggs with chocolate almond snack packs

The Raw Chocolate Company's handmade hazelnut-truffle-filled Easter eggs each come with a bag of chocolate almonds. These luxury eggs are vegan, organic, dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten free, with no refined sugar, are produced in an eco factory, and presented in fully compostable and recyclable packaging. Made with raw cacao and sweetened with coconut sugar, these eggs are a healthier option that still satisfies your sweet tooth.

Ananda's Plant-Based Marshmallow Smores Kit

Boxes of Anandas plantbased marshmallow smores kit

Finally, for a unique, indulgent, and zero waste Easter treat, try Ananda's Plant-Based Marshmallow Smores Kit. This kit includes large vegan marshmallows and hand-baked biscuits (dipped in Belgian chocolate), allowing you to create your own delicious smores at home. Plus, the biscuit and marshmallow wrappers are made from natural, renewable resources, such as wood pulp, and are both biodegradable and compostable, so you can enjoy your treats without harming the planet.

Selection of Easter products at Daily Bread Co-operative Cambridge

We hope this selection of treats has whet your appetite for something delicious and ethical this Easter. Visit our shop to find these products and many more while stocks last!

Food Waste Action Week 2023

Jars of food such as rice, pasta, nuts.

March 6th-12th marks Food Waste Action Week 2023, and this year the theme is “Win - don’t bin!”

4.5 million tonnes of edible food is thrown away each year by UK households. Shockingly, 25% of this wasted food is due to cooking, preparing or serving too much - this costs UK households £3.5 billion each year.
— wrap.org.uk

Many thanks to the team over at WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) for spearheading the campaign Love Food Hate Waste, and “dedicating a whole week of action to shining a light on how simple behaviours to reduce food waste can save time and money. This will ultimately reduce the impact of food waste on climate change.” (WRAP.org.uk.)

How we handle food waste at Daily Bread Co-op Cambridge is of utmost importance to us.

Our wonderful friends at Cambridge Food Hub collect our spent coffee grounds for recycling as part of the Green Coffee Shop Scheme, turning them into coffee logs, or sending them to Waterland Organics to be used as soil improver, to grow even more delicious organic produce that you can buy in-store.

In preventing food waste, we donate food surplus to the incredible team at Cambridge Sustainable Food. CSF, in partnership with the Cambridge Food Poverty Alliance distributes donations to community food hubs across the city, helping to reduce food poverty in our communities.

Such community efforts show how we can achieve circular systems through collaboration between local businesses and charities, helping to create a better food system for people and the planet.

Looking to reduce your own food waste?

Love Food Hate Waste - website includes food hacks, guides, and a recipe generator that suggests what to cook with leftover bits of food you may otherwise throw away.

Fairtrade Fortnight

Fairtrade Fortnight logo and text

Fairtrade Fortnight is an annual campaign promoting the concept of fair trade, encouraging consumers to consider choosing Fairtrade products. This year’s campaign highlights the urgent threat to the future of the foods we love and the livelihoods of the people who grow them as they face the worsening effects of climate crisis.

Then we have the current financial crisis, which, according to Fairtrade.org.uk “is taking a heavy toll on smallholder farmers and workers, with the costs of fuel, fertiliser and food all increasing beyond what is affordable. If they aren’t getting a fair price to cover their costs at this critical time, it means they won’t be able to grow food in the future.”

Coffee, bananas and chocolate could soon be much more difficult to buy.
— Fairtrade.org.uk

Fairtrade certification ensures that farmers and workers receive fair prices for their products, enabling them to invest in measures such as sustainable land use and water management that help towards mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Without our support for fairer prices today, farmers will find it even harder to tackle the climate and economic challenges of the future. ​​ 

Fairtrade Fortnight display table with products such as raw cane sugar, chocolate, cocoa, dried fruits, and handmade gifts

At Daily Bread, we’re committed to promoting Fairtrade because we believe in a fairer world. We know that some of the products we sell, such as coffee, tea, and chocolate, are produced in countries where farmers and workers can be exploited and paid very low wages. We believe that by selling Fairtrade products, we can make a positive difference in the lives of these farmers and workers, and advocate for greater transparency and accountability in global supply chains. Throughout Fairtrade Fortnight we have a display table showcasing some of our Fairtrade products, and when shopping at Daily Bread in general, look out for the Fairtrade certification symbol on product packaging.

Fairtrade certification symbol

By choosing Fairtrade now, you’re taking a stand with farmers and workers worldwide for fairer incomes, so together we can protect the future of our food. ​​ 

New café layout!

We’ve moved things around a bit! Our café has been rearranged and opened up, and feels so much more light and spacious now. We hope you like it!

The coffee’s on, the snacks are out, and our ‘library’ books are ready to be perused.

Café view with metal welded teapot sculpture in foreground and yellow bookshelves containing books in background.
Layout of café at Daily Bread Co-operative Cambridge, including yellow bookshelves, shelf units, tables, and chairs.

For more info, visit our café web page: dailybreadcambridge.org/cafe

Layout of café at Daily Bread Co-operative showing shelves, plants, fridge, and furniture.
Collage showing five different types of treats and snacks available at Daily Bread Co-op's café. Cake, flapjack, spinach and feta rolls, nutella croissants, and millionaire's shortbread.

More about our café:

☕️ We have a pay-it-forward ‘suspended coffee’ token scheme to provide hot drinks for the community.
☕️ Our used coffee grounds are collected by Cambridge Food Hub for recycling as part of their Green Coffee Shop Scheme ♻️
☕️ We offer a range of hot drinks (along with different milk options for them), and a variety of treats and snacks including vegan & gluten free options.
☕️ Our café items are available to take-away in compostable packaging if you’re on the go.

‘Love Your Local Supplier’ Month (part 3) with Wicken Windmill

We celebrate February, (the ‘month of love’) each year by showcasing local businesses whose products stock our shelves. This year we’ll be sharing Q&As with some of our nearest and dearest independent suppliers on our blog.

We hope that by highlighting their stories you’ll get to know the lovely humans behind the hard work, and help support them too!

Blackboard graphic with hearts and the words saying Love your local supplier. February is the month of love, for our local, independent, wonderful suppliers!

LOVE YOUR LOCAL SUPPLIER:
Q&A With Wicken Windmill

In the third of our series of local supplier Q&As we speak with Dave Pearce from Wicken Windmill.

Back row: Elwyn, Dave, Pip and Rob. Front row: Graham and Dan. Absent from photo: Kelvin and Philip.


Tell us a bit about yourselves:

Our millers and millwrights give their time voluntarily to keep the 210 year old windmill in good order and hard at work.

Describe your business:

Wicken Mill is traditional Cambridgeshire windmill still at work making stone ground flour, from bread wheat, rye or spelt.

The Wicken Windmill Partnership concentrates on 2 things. We are millers, dedicated to producing good flour by the natural power of the wind, and at the same time obeying modern requirements. Also we are millwrights, carrying out all the engineering needs of our ancient technology – there are few people left with the skills needed to build, repair and maintain traditional windmills.

Before we could work the mill we had to restore it from ruin, with the help of volunteers from all over the country. 

We don’t make much money, and the money we make goes towards future maintenance of the mill. But we enjoy it.

The mill from the north, looking towards Cambridge across the Fens.

Photograph: Dan Carrick, taken from a Newmarket Plant Hire cherry picker, during a recent sail check over.

What inspired you to choose this line of work?

As an engineer I liked to see the windmills in the landscape, and was sad to see the survivors disappearing.

Has the direction of your business changed over time?

Yes. Until 2001 the partnership was purely concerned with traditional mill engineering, particularly the restoration of Wicken Mill.

 We remain busy with engineering, largely carried out from our workshops by the foot of the mill.

But equally we are concerned with the ancient art of corn grinding using millstones, which we have learned from scratch. We make 100% Wholemeal Flour, and convert some of it to Standard White and Finest White flours by sieving out the bran, the shell of the wheat seed. Only about 10% of British grown wheat is suitable for making bread flour. Currently we obtain most of our bread wheat from Copes Seeds of Sleaford.

Wicken Windmill flour at Daily Bread Co-operative

We are happy with our range of flours, but an ambition for one day is to source part of our supply from heritage wheats, of the sort which the windmill was built to grind in 1813, and extend our range to include ‘Wicken Heritage Flours’. Such ancient wheat varieties are scarce – but the ‘Old Burwell’ landrace wheat from our neighbouring parish was famous in the 19th century, and maybe someday will be available to grind again at Wicken Mill.


What challenges have you faced with the business?

Plenty! We decided from the start to make flour using only the power of the wind – no electric motors to drive the flour grinding machinery. We are one of relatively few traditional windmills which run purely by wind, some using electric drive when the wind is low.

In extended periods of light winds we might be becalmed for many days without being able to run the mill. We pay close attention to Met Office forecasts of wind resource, and when appropriate build up stocks of flour while the wind is strong. 

The past year has been complicated for everybody. At the mill, grain prices have risen rapidly particularly due to the war in Ukraine affecting the world market, and also supplies of accessories needed for the business have become scarcer and more expensive. On the other hand we have been little affected by the general increase in energy costs – when the wind blows it is still free!


What's the most rewarding aspect to running the business?
 

The pleasure on the faces of returning customers, mixed with the surprise that many feel when driving through Wicken and coming upon a windmill still at work.


What advice would you give to new businesses that are just starting out?

Not easy. There are sound economic reasons why traditional flour mills went out of fashion. Any proceeds we make go towards future repairs of the mill.


What's next for your business?

There are limits to flour production at the windmill – the wind blows sufficiently to drive the mill powerfully on about 10 to 12 days per month. With more volunteer millers we could perhaps increase flour output, partly by working the mill on more of the windy days, and also by running more machinery simultaneously: the windmill can be quite labour intensive.

Eventually major repairs will be needed again – for example we last replaced a sail in 2018. We must search out supplies of good timber, and also seek support for purchases of materials. We are determined that the windmill will not fall into ruin again, as it was back in 1971.

Photograph: Colin Mitchell, 1971.

Anything else you'd like to mention?

Visitors are welcome – the mill is open to the public the first full weekend of each month. At other times, we are open whenever the sails are turning.

Wicken Windmill pictured on April 5th, 2022.

If anybody would like to know more there is a new book ‘The Restoration of Wicken Mill’ which tells the story of the mill and its repair. The book is available from the windmill for £16, or £18.70 including post and packaging.


Thank you so much Dave and everyone at Wicken Windmill!

Connect with Wicken Windmill via:
Wicken Windmill Facebook page


Simple ways to support an independent local business:

  • shop small and independent - spend with them as opposed to larger businesses. Even purchasing something low cost will help as every penny can count. See the Just A Card campaign as an example.

  • shop local - keep local businesses IN business!

  • word of mouth - tell people about/recommend them.

  • share their online posts or create your own for them to share.

  • write them a review/testimonial.

  • thank them and show your appreciation :)


‘Love Your Local Supplier’ Month (part 2) with Emily's Corner

We celebrate February, (the ‘month of love’) each year by showcasing local businesses whose products stock our shelves. This year we’ll be sharing Q&As with some of our nearest and dearest independent suppliers on our blog.

We hope that by highlighting their stories you’ll get to know the lovely humans behind the hard work, and help support them too!

Blackboard graphic with hearts and the words saying Love your local supplier. February is the month of love, for our local, independent, wonderful suppliers!

LOVE YOUR LOCAL SUPPLIER:
Q&A With EMILY’S CORNER

Emily's Corner hand poured soy wax candles

In the second of our series of local supplier Q&As we speak with Emily of Emily’s Corner. We started stocking Emily’s hand-poured eco-friendly scented candles, wax melts, and reed diffusers last year.

Tell us a bit about yourself:

I'm Emily, a candle maker from Cottenham. I live with my boyfriend Joe and cat Willow. I work full time for a commercial interior design company and whenever I am not working, I'm creating products in my kitchen!

Describe your business:

I make eco-friendly soy wax melts, candles and reed diffusers. All ingredients I use are eco-friendly and natural, sustainability is a huge passion of mine. No plastic is used and no nasty chemicals. Let's save the planet, one candle at a time!

Emily surrounded by and holding her scented candles and other products.

What inspires you/your business?

A lot of my scent blends are inspired by nature. I love exploring and the outdoors so I try to bring the outside in with my products.  

Why did you decide to start your business?

I've always been a creative person, studying art and fashion in college, and I wanted to do something for myself on the side of my full time job. A friend bought me a candle making kit for a birthday a few years ago and I started making gifts for family and friends. Now, a few years later I have a brand which has expanded and continues to grow! And who doesn't love a candle?!

Has the direction of your business changed over time?

I began only making and selling candles, then after lots of experimenting and testing I decided to delve into wax melts and reed diffusers! I love creating new products and growing my range however I aim to always keep Emily's Corner heavily based on home fragrance and handmade.


What challenges have you faced as a small business?

Balancing work, life and a small business is definitely tricky! Around busy periods (Christmas!) I struggle to think of anything but stock and keeping on top of orders. However, hearing lovely feedback from customers makes the hard work completely worth it.


What's the most rewarding aspect of running your own business?

I attend lots of local markets and I absolutely love speaking to and meeting customers. I get such a warm, fuzzy feeling when customers return to my stall and like my products. Also seeing return orders online and reading customer feedback is super rewarding!

Kitten with reed diffusers from Emily's corner


What advice would you give to new businesses that are just starting out?

Organisation! It's tricky keeping on top of everything sometimes and Excel spreadsheets are a saviour to being organised and running a small business. Also, run with your creativity!


What's next for your business?

I'd love to grow the business with more products, scents and gift options this year, so keep your eyes peeled!


Anything else you'd like to mention?

Thank you for all the local support on my journey so far. And a huuuuuge shout out to The Daily Bread for their amazing store!


Thank you so much Emily!

Connect with Emily via:
Instagram:
instagram.com/emilyscorneruk
Website:
Emily’s Corner


Simple ways to support an independent local business:

  • shop small and independent - spend with them as opposed to larger businesses. Even purchasing something low cost will help as every penny can count. See the Just A Card campaign as an example.

  • shop local - keep local businesses IN business!

  • word of mouth - tell people about/recommend them.

  • share their online posts or create your own for them to share.

  • write them a review/testimonial.

  • thank them and show your appreciation :)


February is Daily Bread Co-op’s ‘Love Your Local Supplier’ Month!

We celebrate February, (the ‘month of love’) each year by showcasing local businesses whose products stock our shelves! This year we’ll be sharing Q&As with some of our nearest and dearest independent suppliers on our blog.

We hope that by highlighting their stories you’ll get to know the lovely humans behind the hard work, and help support them too!

Blackboard graphic with hearts and the words saying Love your local supplier. February is the month of love, for our local, independent, wonderful suppliers!

LOVE YOUR LOCAL SUPPLIER:
Q&A With TRIPLE KISS DESIGNS

First up is Hannah of Triple Kiss Designs. We started stocking Hannah’s items last year as our greetings card buyer had been on the lookout for plantable seed paper cards.

Triple Kiss Designs cards are a great fit for Daily Bread as they are eco-friendly with fun concepts and designs, and we love that they are hand-delivered by bike from a small local business!

Photo of Hannah from TripleKissDesigns with a stand displaying her cards.

Tell us a bit about yourself:

Hi, I'm Hannah, 34 years old and I live in Cambridge with my boyfriend and adorable pet pooch named Lady. We relocated here almost 7 years ago now and just love everything about Cambridge so have stayed put.

Plantable seed ladybird birthday card by TripleKissDesigns

Describe your business:

My business is an eco-friendly greetings cards and prints business with a main focus on plantable cards. I aim to be as eco-friendly (or planet-friendly, as I sometimes say) as possible so only use recycled materials in everything I do, there is no plastic to be seen and I buy from suppliers that care for our planet too.

Plus, the plantable cards give back to our precious pollinators in terms of providing food, and I donate a portion of my profits to a local environmental conservation organisation.



What inspires you/your business?

Inspiration for my business comes from a few sources; a wanting to help spread smiles and positivity in a world that can sometimes seem a bit doom and gloom, plus a wanting to give back to this beautiful planet we call home.


Why did you decide to start your business?

Hannah from Triple Kiss Designs with her plantable greeting cards.

I designed my first few cards in the first lockdown to send to friends and colleagues to help spread some cheer. I also designed some new home cards upon hearing the news ones of my friends had bought her first house. It was my boyfriend who said they were good enough to sell, so I uploaded a few designs to Thortful and hey presto, people started buying them! This gave me the confidence to design more and open my own Etsy shop, and the business has grown from there.

Has the direction of your business changed over time?

Yes, absolutely! I care passionately for our planet and the environment so decided I could only grow my business if I could be eco-friendly, and to be as eco-friendly as possible. That is when I started my plantable card ranges. These cards are zero-waste, biodegrading away once planted in the soil, leaving just beautiful wildflowers.


What challenges have you faced as a small business?

Since I've been running my business we have been in funny times - the pandemic, lockdowns, cost of living crisis, so I never truly know how each month will pan out in terms of sales. It certainly keeps me on my toes! It continues to be a learning curve too, mainly an enjoyable one, but I have had to admit to myself I need help in certain aspects of the business, which has been tough!


What's the most rewarding aspect of running your own business?

I love seeing people's reactions to my cards, it brings me such joy to see the smiles on peoples faces when they pick up one of my cards and exclaim it would be perfect for a loved one of theirs. It is great to know that you've put something out into the world that brings others happiness.

I also love hearing feedback from recipients of one of my cards. A friend recently gave one of my plantable cards to their 90 year old grandmother, and out of all the gifts she got, she was most excited about the card that she can plant. Hearing that was truly heartwarming.


What advice would you give to new businesses that are just starting out?

Just go for it, don't doubt yourself, and don't give up! It's tough going at times, but so so worth it.


What's next for your business?

The plan for 2023 is to continue expanding my range of cards and prints, and to get into more physical shops so more people have the opportunity to buy planet-friendly, plantable cards that will not only bring them and the recipient joy, but the bees and butterflies too.


Anything else you'd like to mention?

A huge thank you to all of you at Daily Bread Cooperative for stocking my cards and featuring Triple Kiss Designs in this feature :)


Thank you so much Hannah!

Connect with Hannah at Triple Kiss Designs via:
Instagram:
instagram.com/TripleKissDesigns
Website:
Triple Kiss Designs


Simple ways to support an independent local business:

  • shop small and independent - spend with them as opposed to larger businesses. Even purchasing something low cost will help as every penny can count. See the Just A Card campaign as an example.

  • shop local - keep local businesses IN business!

  • word of mouth - tell people about/recommend them.

  • share their online posts or create your own for them to share.

  • write them a review/testimonial.

  • thank them and show your appreciation :)


Support Wintercomfort by donating to our pay-it-forward refill shower initiative!

News about a new initiative in the shop🧴🚿
We are so pleased to announce that our customers can support Wintercomfort’s efforts to reduce waste by donating towards a 'pay-it-forward' initiative for refills of body wash and shampoo. Next time you're filling up at our refill station, please consider popping a little extra their way - helping Wintercomfort to help people experiencing homelessness restore their sense of dignity and self-worth.
You can donate £2 at the till to purchase a token which we put in a special pot. At the end of the day we count the tokens and colour in the levels of the bottle graphic on the chalkboard above the refill station to show the progress of donations!

And an update from Wintercomfort!

Christmas gift ideas - DIY handmade skincare & body Care recipes from Amour Natural

Give extra special gifts this Christmas by making skincare and body products yourself.

Try these simple recipes courtesy of Amour Natural, whose products we stock at Daily Bread Cambridge!

Amour Natural oil burners and essential oils at Daily Bread Co-operative, Cambridge.

AMOUR NATURAL LIP SCRUB RECIPE

Simply stir together 4tbsp cane sugar and 4tbsp sweet almond oil in a bowl, and add a few drops of essential oil.

Amour Natural products

AMOUR NATURAL WHIPPED BODY BUTTER RECIPE

Amour Natural Organic Cocoa Butter

Melt 100g Amour Natural cocoa butter buttons and 100g virgin coconut oil in a bain marie.

Stir in 50ml Amour Natural sweet almond oil. Put in the fridge until it starts to harden round the edges.

Add 10-15 drops of essential oil and whisk with an electric whisk until soft. Store in a jar and keep cool.

 

LIP BALM RECIPE

Biona organic virgin coconut oil

Melt 1tsp beeswax and 2tsp virgin coconut oil in a bain marie. Take off the heat and stir in 1-2 drops of essential oil. Pour into a little jar or pot and allow to cool.

AMOUR NATURAL FACE CLEANSER RECIPE

Use 10ml almond oil, add castor oil: 1ml for dry skin, 2ml for normal skin, 3ml for oily skin. Blend with 2-3 drops of essential oil. Massage onto dry face and wash off with cloth and hot water.

Amour Natural Sweet Almond pure seed oil

Amour Natural organic Castor Oil

We stock a selection of Amour Natural’s oil burners, essential oils (including their Festive Aroma oil), carrier oils, among a range of their other products. Visit us and have a browse!

Amour Natural Festive Aroma 100% pure essential oil

At Home With Aromatherapy by Faye Willmott

The recipes in this blog post are from Amour Natural’s leaflet.

Alongside our Amour Natural products you can find a copy of their book ‘At Home With Aromatherapy’ to peruse in the shop (or our coffee shop!), it features ‘essential’ information about essential oils and how to use them.

Small Business Saturday - 'The Tour' visited us in Cambridge!

Small Business Saturday logo consisting of white text on blue background. Text also says "3rd December".

One of our members, Adam, was interviewed by Gemma from Small Business Saturday in November when their UK Tour stopped off in Cambridge! ✨
Watch the video to hear Adam talk about Daily Bread’s vision and values.

Small Business Saturday - Daily Bread Christmas Gift Ideas Guide

It’s Small Business Saturday so we’ve included some of our smaller suppliers in our Christmas gift ideas guide! For small businesses like ours and those of our suppliers’, every sale really counts and keeps us thriving (and at the moment for many it’s a case of keeping us afloat too.) All festive products are available at Daily Bread Co-op Cambridge while stocks (and socks!) last.

Blue rectangular logo with white text saying Small Business Saturday, 3rd December.
  1. Baby bamboo bear socks in a bag - Thought

  2. Festive stocking - made with sari off-cuts - Siesta Crafts

  3. Scented candles & wax melts - Emily’s Corner

  4. Vegan gingerbread men - Lottie Shaws

  5. Handmade gift wrap - Shared Earth

  6. Fair trade, sustainable felt octopus decoration - Felt So Good

  7. Plantable seed paper gift tags - Triple Kiss Designs

  8. Festive Aroma essential oil - Amour Natural

  9. Fair trade, sustainable felt dog decoration - Felt So Good

  10. Quentin Blake King’s Choir Christmas cards - Curated Cambridge

See our social media accounts (links below) for more festive products available in the shop this year including food, drinks, candles, cards, socks, and stocking fillers!

Tasting Day - Food for The Planet Festival

Come and sample delicious plant-based offerings from some of our local suppliers!
By connecting people directly with local and ethically sourced produce, we hope to raise awareness and action for the sustainable production and consumption of food. 

We will also give a compostable bag demo to show how our packaging degrades 🤗 

See CSF’s full event programme here: https://cambridgesustainablefood.org/food-for-the-planet-programme 

Daily Bread Co-op Cambridge Tasting Day

Join us for a Tasting Day at Daily Bread Co-op on Wednesday October 19th as part of Cambridge Sustainable Food's Food for the Planet Festival - a week-long festival of events in Cambridge focused on *climate action on a plate*.

#yeswecam #goldfoodcambridge 

Daily Bread Cambridge coming to a market near you!

We’ve recently started attending more markets in and around Cambridge, bringing a selection of our most popular items. Our next market day will be a farmers’ market run by Farmers Fayres, on Saturday 17th September from 9am-12pm at Histon Methodist Church.

Last Saturday we attended EcoFest at Great Shelford Free Church which was a great day and had a wonderful community feel with family activities and local produce. The Repair Cafe run by Cambridge Carbon Footprint, and the human fruit machine were particular highlights!

We welcome ‘special orders’ in advance of the markets we’re attending, so if you’ll be in attendance and want us to bring something along to save you a trip, please fill out the ‘special order’ form on our website, or call, email, or tell us in person.

Histon Farmers' Market graphic with black ink illustrations of foods, text saying Histon Farmers' Market, and the address of Histon Methodist Church, which is 22 High Street, Histon. The date shown is 17th September from 9am to 12pm.

The farmers’ market has moved to Histon from Impington where we’ve attended the past few months. It runs every 3rd Saturday of the month, and we confirm our attendance via our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts a week or so prior. We hope to see some familiar faces in Histon on Saturday, and meet some new ones too!

See photos on our social media accounts from the recent farmers’ markets at Impington if you’d like to see our set up and the kind of items we bring.

National Allotments Week: Daily Bread's outdoor growing space by Transition Cambridge

National Allotments Week image from: NSALG

It's National Allotments Week!
🍅🥕🥔🪴
For 20 years the National Allotment Society have been "raising awareness of allotments and their role in helping people to live healthier lifestyles, grow their own food, develop friendships & bolster communities". (Quoted text from NSALG website.)

Here’s our in store display table with our National Allotments Week product picks:

Blackboard with chalk writing saying National Allotment Week
Wicker bowl containing Handmade Norfolk Soaps Gardener's Hand soap, Badger Balm for hardworking hands, and Boxworth Botanicals gardeners hand cream
National Allotments Week display table with blackboard, seeds, soaps, gardening gloves, and greeting cards
Wooden display containing packets of wildflower seeds from King's Seeds, and seeds from Green Manures range

Did you know we have our own little growing space in front of Daily Bread that nurtures these principles too?

Photo collage featuring a wooden sign with the text 'edible landscaping, Transition Cambridge, along with tomatoes, courgette, beetroot, and squash at varying degrees of growth.

Transition Cambridge veggie garden outside Daily Bread Co-op, King’s Hedges

Going back a few years, Transition Cambridge set us up with an edible landscaping platform in the form of raised fruit/veg beds as part of their Growing Spaces project. Their volunteers transformed an area by our carpark into a space where the community can come and pick their own fruit & veg!

The raised beds are decorated with Jayne Ruffell-Ward’s beautiful steel sculptures as can be seen on the Growing Spaces website. We currently have fruit, veg, and herbs growing, so come and see if there’s anything ready and ripe for the picking!
Find out more via their website: transitioncambridge.org 🌱

New Product: Candy Kittens gourmet vegan sweets!

Introducing a new product on our shelves: Candy Kittens!
Gourmet sweets that are:

Candy Kittens gourmet sweets on a small plate with two packets in the background

vegan

made with fruit juice

palm oil free

natural flavours & colours

carbon neutral

very tasty!

Candy Kittens Loves packet of vegan sweets with small dish of cat shaped sweets next to it.
Three packets of Candy Kittens in a row.

These have been very popular both with staff and customers since they hit the shelves. We hope you like them too!

Recipe: cacao and goji berry energy balls served with grapefruit

If you seek a decadent alternative option to refined sugars, enjoy the chocolate and grapefruit taste sensation that is our Chef Donna McLuskie’s goji berry energy balls! Recipe as follows:

1/4 cup goji berries

1 cup walnuts or pecans, blended/finely chopped

1 tablespoon sparkling water

1 tablespoon almond butter

½ cup frozen blueberries

5 tablespoons of cocoa or cacao powder

½ cup porridge oats 

1 teaspoon hulled hempseed for topping

STEP 1

Whizz together the frozen blueberries, almond butter and water (and the goji berries if they are not soft). If your nut dust is not as fine as you would like, then whizz it with this mixture as well. Otherwise, just add the nut dust with the other ingredients below.

STEP 2

Place this mixture in a bowl and add 4 tablespoons of the cocoa or cacao powder and the rest of the ingredients. Mix all together. Shape this mixture into small balls about 25mm or 1” diameter. You will probably end up with around 16 energy balls of this size.

STEP 3

In a sealable container, place 1 tablespoon of cocoa or cacao powder. Carefully add the energy balls, stopping to close the container and shake gently to cover the balls with the powder before continuing to add more of the balls (so that they don’t stick together). Store the finished product in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

STEP 4

To serve, place some energy balls in a bowl and top with grapefruit segments (kudos to Chef Clive for highlighting this incredibly delicious taste combination), and pour over some of the juice. Sprinkle with cocoa or cacao powder (and some hulled hempseed for an extra energy boost, if desired).

All mentioned ingredients are available at Daily Bread Co-operative Cambridge. Find our product list here.