Tastes Good, Does Good - Blog

OPEN LETTER: Why We Are Boycotting Richmond and Wandsworth’s "Diesel-First" Procurement Culture

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 11:50:00 +0000

Richmond upon Thames proudly markets itself as London’s greenest borough well we dcover none of that true really

Volume_1_-_Invitation_to_Stage_1__PSQ_.docx

"Download Volume 4: See the mandatory Pass/Fail 'Traditional Soft Serve' and DVLA ULEZ Registration trap on Page [X]."

"Download Volume 2: See the explicit noise exemption protecting diesel ice cream van loudspeakers on Page [X]."

o the Leadership and Climate Committees of the London Boroughs of Richmond upon Thames and Wandsworth (and the residents who breathe their air):

Because Richmond and Wandsworth operate a Shared Staffing Arrangement, the rigged, diesel-protecting tender for Ice Cream and Catering Concessions (CPT 3746) was issued by the Joint Procurement Team operating out of Wandsworth Town Hall. We are escalating this to both Wandsworth and Richmond’s Climate and Enterprise teams, as this anti-innovation, high-emission procurement culture clearly infects both boroughs.

Richmond upon Thames proudly markets itself as London’s greenest borough. Just recently, the Council celebrated an elite 'A' rating from the CDP for global climate leadership and is currently asking the public to help shape its ambitious Climate and Nature Strategy for 2025-2030.

Yet, your latest joint procurement exercise (CPT 3746) proves this public eco-posturing is entirely hollow.

Residents across both boroughs are deeply climate-conscious and consistently demand cleaner air for their communities. Yet, behind closed doors, your procurement team has made a decision on their behalf to actively protect high-emission, idling diesel ice cream vans while locking out 100% net-zero, community-funding innovation.

Today, Tastes Good. Does Good. is formally boycotting this tender and all future tenders issued by Richmond and Wandsworth Councils. Based on these procurement documents, your operations fail our ethical client and supply chain audit.

Earlier this year, the Council carried out a Soft Market Testing Exercise (SMTE) which suppliers replied to in good faith. The documentation gave the distinct impression that the Council was eager for alternative solutions, asking for input on how to guarantee success and identifying new trading locations. The Council’s own draft specification explicitly claimed the contract would not be split into lots.

This was false. The final tender deliberately fragments the contract, gifting the four main sites (Lot 1) a secure 3-year term with an option for 2 more, while dumping any modern food innovation into a precarious 1-year "trial" on a single site (Lot 2) that the Council can suspend at any time.

The hypocrisy embedded in your tender documents is staggering:

The "Bicycle" Lie: The Council attempts to appear progressive, stating: "The vehicle does not need to be a ‘traditional’ ice cream van; it may be that a bicycle is more suitable". Yet, in the mandatory Pass/Fail section of the tender, you require applicants to upload DVLA "Vehicle Registration details" and a "ULEZ Compliance Certificate". You cannot register a bicycle or a net-zero push-cart with the DVLA. The procurement team wrote the mandatory legal requirements specifically around the incumbent’s registered motor vehicles, rendering your claims of welcoming "alternative" green options a complete sham.
The "Traditional" Gatekeeper: Volume 4 of your tender mandates a Pass/Fail confirmation that operators will provide "traditional Soft Serve ice cream". By using the word "traditional" as a mandatory legal metric, you are deliberately disqualifying modern, premium, and zero-emission multi-brand operators to protect the status quo.
The Diesel Loophole & Idling Hypocrisy: In Volume 2, you claim to require vehicles with the "lowest CO2 emissions". Breaking its own rules, Richmond Council has enforced anti-idling legislation since March 2019, issuing fines to drivers who refuse to switch off their engines and heavily promoting its "Engine Off, Every Stop" campaign to fight toxic nitrogen oxides (NOx). Yet, your own Street Trading Conditions explicitly carve out noise exemptions for "Vehicles which sell perishable foodstuffs (eg ice cream)" allowing loudspeakers to be played between noon and 7.00pm. While you fine normal drivers for idling, you actively protect a business model that relies on idling diesel engines to power soft-serve machines next to children’s playgrounds.
The "Social Value" Farce: The tender claims that 10% of the scoring will be based on "Social Value". Yet, by deliberately structuring the contract to protect traditional diesel vans, the Council is rejecting our model—which structurally diverts 15% of revenue to local food banks and creates London Living Wage jobs. Instead, the Council is awarding "social value" points to a business model whose primary community impact is pumping toxic diesel exhaust into the lungs of children on Richmond Green.

Our business operates award-winning 100% battery and solar-powered, zero-emission ice cream and food carts. We operate without diesel, without generators, without idling, and without high-cost utility hook-ups. Furthermore, our model automatically diverts 15% of our top-line revenue into a Local Wealth Fund to combat food insecurity, alleviate poverty, and create local jobs.

We intended to propose a self-sustaining, net-zero commercial partnership that would generate tangible wealth for the boroughs and create up to five local micro-business owners. Instead, we found an engineered tick-box exercise designed to ensure aging diesel vans remain parked on the Riverside.

We suspected something wasn’t right when asked to sign the Council's Soft Market Testing Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)—a tool clearly used to gag innovators from complaining after the fact while procurement rules are rewritten to favour incumbents. Because we refused to sign it, we are legally unencumbered, and we are making this public.

If any Richmond or Wandsworth resident, environmental group, or local media outlet wishes to see the raw tender documents proving this diesel-friendly greenwashing, please contact us directly. We will gladly share the files.

If Richmond and Wandsworth Councils prefer to protect idling diesel engines over providing their own residents with zero-emission infrastructure, that is their choice. Had we tendered, it would have cost us and other innovative bidders significant time and money that we would never recoup in a predetermined race. We will instead direct our efforts, our investments, and our community wealth funds to local authorities that actually practice the climate action they preach.

Greg Wixted

Founder,

Tastes Good. Does Good

Cakery Wonderland's 15 Global Afternoon Tea Trends for 2027

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 04:51:00 +0000

The afternoon tea and broader hospitality sectors are undergoing significant shifts as we transition from 2026 into 2027. Consumer demands are moving away from ultra-processed or gimmick-heavy formats and toward authentic, experiential, and mindful indulgence.

ere is a look at what is driving the future of the tea stand, and what is being left behind.

15 Global Afternoon Tea Trends for 2027

As venues adapt to a younger demographic and changing dietary habits, the classic afternoon tea format is evolving:

Mindful Indulgence & The GLP-1 Effect: With the rise of weight-loss medications (GLP-1s) altering eating habits, venues are offering smaller, more nutrient-focused bites and encouraging guests to take cakes to-go rather than over-consuming in one sitting.
Theatrical & Experiential Dining: Afternoon tea is no longer just a meal; it is a "memory in the making." Venues are incorporating high drama, immersive storytelling, and heavily themed elements designed for social media sharing.
Global Cuisine Authenticity: Traditional finger sandwiches are making way for bold, global flavors. Menus now feature items like Middle Eastern touches, chickpea latkes, tapioca croquettes, and beef bourguignon croissants.
Cold Brew Tea Pairings: Driven by Gen Z and Millennials, cold brew tea is becoming a staple. It serves as an endlessly adaptable base for fizzy, spritz-style non-alcoholic pairings.
Premium Bread Carriers: There is a renewed interest in bread craft. Standard sliced bread is being replaced by artisanal sourdoughs, milk breads, and premium buns to elevate the savory courses.
Functional Beverages: Consumers want drinks that "do something" (promote relaxation or sharpen focus). Expect to see teas and cordials infused with adaptogens and functional botanicals on the menu.
Savoury Innovations: The balance is shifting away from purely sweet. Some chefs are completely removing traditional sandwiches in favor of complex, hot, and savory small plates.
High-End Non-Alcoholic Pairings: No/low alcohol is no longer an afterthought. Expect complex, culinary mocktails, house-made kombuchas, and seasonal shrubs crafted with the same sophistication as Champagne.
Botanical Indulgence: Ingredients like lavender, matcha, and rosemary are being used not just for flavor, but to add an element of naturalness and nostalgic comfort to pastries and teas.
Plant-Forward Authenticity: Plant-based options are moving away from heavily processed "faux meats" toward gut-friendly, creative vegetable preparations that stand on their own merit.
"Grandmacore" Nostalgia: A return to comforting, retro flavors and classic bakes, reimagined with premium ingredients and modern techniques for a new generation.
Visual Instagrammable Layering: Both in drinks and pastry structures, stark, contrasting visual layers are being designed specifically for aesthetic appeal on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Flexible Formats: Other hospitality sectors are adopting the tea stand. Expect to see concepts like the "Afternoon Sea" (featuring crab and cured salmon) in pubs and seafood restaurants.
Proactive Food-Waste Prevention: With rising costs, venues are utilizing AI and monitoring tools in the kitchen to minimize waste, leading to tighter, more hyper-seasonal menus.
Transparent Sourcing: Consumers care about origin. Whether it is the tea leaves or the meat used in savory cuts, a clear, ethical sourcing narrative is becoming a baseline expectation.

Closing Out 2026: The 5 Worst Declining Trends

As consumers prioritize authentic flavor and clear value, several previously hyped food and beverage trends have crashed over the past 12 months.

"Better-For-You" Alcohol Formats: Hard kombucha (-29.8% YoY), hard tea, and hard seltzer have seen sharp declines in consumer interest. The "pseudo-functional" alcohol narrative has weakened significantly.
Viral Pastry Hacks: Gimmicky internet sensations like the "Crookie" (croissant-cookie hybrid, down 43.6%) and the flat croissant failed to become lasting habits and have steepened their decline.
Cannabis & CBD Ingredients: Once predicted to take over beverage menus, CBD and Cannabis as food additives are in freefall (down roughly 50% YoY), suffering from a lack of clear culinary payoff.
Process-Coded Wellness Substitutions: Highly engineered "replacements" are losing ground to whole foods. Plant milk as a base ingredient (-40.9% YoY) and textured vegetable proteins are being abandoned for natural alternatives.
Overplayed "Bowl" Formats: Concepts like the "Buddha Bowl" (-30.9% YoY) and generic vegan bowls have lost their novelty, as diners shift toward more specific, globally authentic flavor

WESTMINSTER’S HIGH STREET REVOLUTION: LOCAL RESIDENT AND HOSPITALITY ENTREPRENEUR OFFERS COUNCIL A BLUEPRINT TO END HYPER-LOCAL POVERTY BY CREATING MUNICIPAL WEALTH

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 04:00:00 +0000

An innovative, purpose driven and net zero solution that is commercially grounded to tackle absolute poverty at its root.

With all councils now legally banned by the Government from buying food or giving vouchers this plan circumvents solves

A WESTMINSTER resident has presented Westminster City Council with a golden opportunity to lead the nation in high-street innovation—offering a ground-breaking £6.6 million commercial blueprint that eradicates hyper-local food poverty while creating long-term municipal wealth.

Following national changes to local authority crisis funding that restrict councils from directly purchasing food or issuing food vouchers for residents in hardship, local resident Greg Wixted and his purpose-driven company Tastes Good Does Good (TGDG) have engineered a self-funding solution built specifically for Westminster.

The proposal introduces an off-grid network of solar-powered dessert chalets, mobile carts, and gourmet food pods across key high-street hubs—including Christchurch Gardens, Rupert Street, Tachbrook Street, and Strutton Ground.

From hot winter puddings and freshly baked pies by Crust & Crumble to gourmet soft-serve ice cream from Udderly Lush, 15p in every pound spent on the high street is automatically ring-fenced into an independent

Places Without Poverty Wealth Fund.

A Strategic Partnership for Municipal Wealth Building

Overcoming Government Barriers: Because the 15% revenue tithe generates £990,000 annually from commercial sales, the independent Places Without Poverty Wealth Fund operates entirely outside statutory local authority accounting rules. This allows direct wholesale food box procurement and stock grants for local food pantries, food banks, and frontline community initiatives that matter most to local residents.

Restoring Dignity Over Handouts: Supports vulnerable families quietly and continuously through everyday high-street spend, completely eliminating the stigma and indignity of emergency food bank queues.

The Next Evolution in Wealth Building: Evolving the local economic strategies pioneered by Preston Council and validated by the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), TGDG takes municipal capitalism directly to the high street. Instead of relying solely on institutional spending, it captures everyday consumer transactions to build local wealth organically.

Real Business Ownership & Gold-Standard Training: Rather than offering basic low-wage roles, TGDG gifts a 75% equity stake in 15 new micro-enterprises directly to young care leavers and underrepresented entrepreneurs. Founders receive comprehensive, on-the-job training alongside NCASS-certified food safety management systems, earning 15% above the National Minimum Wage while building real business equity.

£1.4m Annual Council Savings: Offloads discretionary public expenditure across local welfare grants, youth employability interventions, and high-street placemaking subsidies, delivering a total Gross Value Added (GVA) impact of £11.15 million to the local economy.

Beating City Hall on Innovation: Gives Westminster City Council a world-class, net-zero showcase—proving that true high-street revitalization and economic empowerment happen at the local market level, rather than through top-down London-wide takeovers.

Local resident and TGDG founder Greg Wixted said:

"Telling a starving family to take budgeting advice or giving them an energy voucher while their cupboards are bare is completely ineffective. Hunger is the foundation—if you don't solve acute food poverty first, wrap-around support services cannot succeed.

"Westminster has always been the historic heart of London’s markets and retail. While central authorities focus on top-down interventions along Oxford Street, this proposal gives Westminster Council a ready-made opportunity to show the entire UK how municipal capitalism is really done. Together, we can capture everyday high-street spend to feed vulnerable families, provide gold-standard training to transform young people into business owners, and secure our community's financial future at zero cost to the taxpayer."

The white paper advocates for a collaborative Service Level Agreement between Westminster City Council, Victoria BID, and TGDG to authorise an initial six-unit pilot in Christchurch Gardens and Rupert Street Market, setting a national benchmark for progressive municipal leadership.

ENDS

From Paper Promises to Pavement Reality: Why TGDG’s Street Trading Ecosystem is Westminster’s Turnkey Showpiece

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:10:00 +0000

Westminster Council’s Pro Growth Statement explicitly commits to a proactive, "towards yes" stance built around "first rung" opportunities for young people, while Victoria BID’s Business Plan calls for high-impact net-zero placemaking, ESG value, and vibrant activations in spaces like Christchurch Gardens and The Arc

. While strategy documents often describe these goals in theory, the Tastes Good Does Good (TGDG) Group’s off-grid street trading ecosystem translates policy ambitions into direct, pavement-level execution

By combining a turnkey Victoria BID Green Infrastructure proposal with dynamic rotational market curation on Rupert Street, this initiative provides Westminster City Council and local Business Improvement Districts with an operational showpiece that delivers on economic growth, sustainability, and youth empowerment

The Victoria BID Blueprint: A High-Impact, Risk-Free Engine

At the center of the proposal to Victoria BID is a £60,000 Green Infrastructure Micro-Loan designed to unlock an off-grid commercial ecosystem across high-footfall sites, starting with Christchurch Gardens and The Arc

Phased, Off-Grid Deployment: The initiative deploys a 15-unit footprint that evolves from rapid-deployment gazebos to ultra-mobile flight-case carts and solar-assisted winter chalets, redeploying surplus gazebos back into Westminster Council’s street markets.
100% Net-Zero Tech: Powered by EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 battery fleets and marine-grade solar canopies, the stalls operate entirely off-grid—eliminating diesel generators, trailing cables, and costly grid hookups while protecting recent investments like the £2.5 million landscaping at Christchurch Gardens.
Unbeatable Economic Output: At full 15-unit scale, direct street trading and private catering generate £6.6 million in gross annual revenue. Applying Westminster Council’s official 1.69 GVA economic multiplier, this delivers £11.15 million in total economic value across the local supply chain.
Direct Social Impact: Through a mandatory 15% revenue tithe, the ecosystem generates £990,000 annually for the Pimlico Wealth Fund, directly eliminating food insecurity for 250+ at-risk local families.
Zero-Risk Safeguards for the BID: The micro-loan carries a rapid 3 to 8-month payback window funded via a 5% daily revenue ring-fence or £50/day equipment lease, with Victoria BID retaining 100% collateral asset ownership until the loan is fully discharged.

Rupert Street & Rotational Curation: Driving "Westminster After Dark"

Traditional market stalls often suffer from static product offerings that struggle to adapt to seasonal footfall or night-time demands. TGDG solves this through a 3x3m mixed-use rotational pitch model that seamlessly aligns with Westminster Council’s Westminster After Dark strategy and evening market goals

Rather than cluttering the space, brands rotate based on season and event:

Winter Warmers: Crust & Crumble serves hot, artisan pies and tarts baked whole on the hour alongside molten cookies and custards.
Summer Refreshment: Udderly Lush delivers 30 soft-serve ice cream flavors, custom sundaes, and dog-friendly treats that donate proceeds to pet food banks.
Year-Round Retail & Delights: The Donutologists, Cotton Candy Land, and Cakery Wonderland operate ambient treat displays and luxury gift dressers physically separated from hot prep areas for food safety.

During evening shifts on Rupert Street, this setup powers a Night Worker Initiative

. Surplus hot bakes and ambient desserts within safe holding parameters are distributed free of charge to late-night street cleaners (Veolia), security staff, and emergency workers—achieving zero food waste while supporting the night-time economy workforce

Empowering Young Market Traders: Real Ownership vs. Failed Incubators

In the past, municipal market incubators launched by local councils have struggled to create lasting change, often providing temporary exposure without the capital, infrastructure, or business structure required for long-term independence.

TGDG replaces temporary schemes with a Business Gifting Programme that builds sustainable wealth for the next generation

75% Equity Lock: TGDG builds, equips, and scales each food brand, then gifts 75% business equity directly to talented young chefs and foodies from disadvantaged backgrounds or single-parent households. The remaining 25% is asset-locked for local community wealth funds.
Immediate Living Wage Jobs: Operating the 15-unit footprint creates 15 independent, youth-owned micro-businesses and 45 direct London Living Wage jobs, fully activating prep facilities and sourcing from hyper-local suppliers like Rippon Cheese and Tachbrook Street producers.
"First Rung" Alignment: This model delivers on Westminster’s explicit ambition to provide clear, entry-level career pathways and business ownership opportunities for local youth, care leavers, and marginalized residents.

The Ready-to-Go Showpiece Decision-Makers Can't Say No To

Westminster City Council and Victoria BID are actively seeking innovative ways to revitalize high streets, modernize market regulations, and hit ambitious net-zero target deadlines

. TGDG’s proposal offers an operational solution that requires no lengthy development cycles or public subsidies

With 15 industry awards, net-zero technology, water-soluble packaging, and a self-sustaining financial framework, this initiative allows council leaders and BID executives to point directly to the pavement and show residents, local businesses, and visitors that their pro-growth vision is already in action

Welcome to our Sustainability Report 2026

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 11:58:00 +0000

Welcome to our Sustainability Report. We are proud to share our progress toward building a more equitable, climate-resilient future. At the core of our mission is a simple belief: business should be a force for systemic good.

Download our report

To turn that belief into action, we dedicate 15% of our revenue directly to ending food poverty, funding grassroots community initiatives, scalable infrastructure, and targeted local interventions.

Key Highlights in This Report

Net Zero Market Stalls (Westminster Council Proposal): We have officially submitted plans to Westminster City Council to deploy zero-emission, net zero market stalls designed to deliver affordable, fresh food straight to local neighbourhoods. Crucially, this pilot scheme is proposed at zero cost to the taxpayer, creating a scalable blueprint to eradicate ward-level food poverty.
Community Engagement & New Brands: Learn about our growing portfolio of sustainable brands and our hands-on work within local communities—listening to residents, supporting neighborhood networks, and co-creating hyper-local solutions.
Our New Theory of Change Model: We are publishing our updated Theory of Change framework, detailing the exact pathways, strategic interventions, and measurable outcomes we use to drive long-term social and environmental impact.

Together, we are proving that sustainable business models can feed communities, protect the planet, and power lasting change.

What if large companies had to create a new company that would help end food poverty ?

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000

When Tastes Good Does Good launched a dog ice cream in just 30 days to fund pet food for food banks, we didn't raise new capital or launch a charity appeal. We asked a fundamentally different question: What assets do we already have that could be put to work?

A few thousand pounds of existing capacity later, we had created a new product that generated enough revenue from a single event to purchase hundreds of tins of pet food. This micro-experiment sparked a macroeconomic question. Imagine if the CEO of every major food company in Britain received a simple challenge: You have 90 days and £1 million. You cannot create a charity, make a donation, or launch a CSR programme. You must deploy your existing infrastructure to create a commercially viable enterprise that reduces poverty, which will ultimately transition into community ownership.

Most corporate boards would instinctively push back, citing budget constraints and shareholder risk. But treating poverty as a permanent charity case rather than a venture creation challenge is a failure of commercial imagination.

The £1 Million Myth and the Danger of Doing Nothing

When executives point to a £1 million price tag as a barrier, they are using financial prudence as an excuse for inaction. To meet this 90-day challenge, a major corporation does not need to write a cash cheque. They need to deploy underutilised capacity.

The factories, warehouses, distribution fleets, procurement teams, and intellectual property already exist. Running a production line for an extra weekend shift or allocating 10% of a food scientist's time to a 90-day sprint requires zero new capital; it is the redirection of sunk costs and kinetic energy.

The far greater financial risk is corporate inaction. If businesses continue to rely on the state to manage poverty, the macroeconomic consequences will hollow out their own markets. Food poverty currently impacts 8.1 million working-age adults, 4.2 million children, and 2.1 million pensioners in the UK. You cannot sustainably grow a consumer brand when your middle-class base is structurally excluded from the economy. Furthermore, the brightest millennial and Gen Z talent actively reject companies lacking genuine purpose. Doing nothing guarantees a shrinking market share and a lost talent war.

The Single-Generation Blueprint (2026–2056)

If we shift from treating poverty as a funding deficit to treating it as an asset-led venture, the outcomes over a single generation are staggering.

Suppose 1,000 major UK Food & Beverage enterprises accept this challenge. Factoring in a standard startup failure rate of 70%, 300 surviving anchor enterprises would emerge. Because these spin-outs are mandated to transition into Community Stewardship Trusts, 100% of their net profits would remain inside local Community Wealth Funds.

Over thirty years, the compounding profits of these non-extractive businesses unlock an estimated £412 billion in systemic value. This capital bypasses traditional philanthropy entirely, flowing directly into community infrastructure like rapid modular housing, universal free early childcare, and after-school youth protection clubs. By 2042, this blueprint shifts 15% of the total UK poverty deficit into self-sustaining market systems.

To secure internal stakeholder buy-in, executives must reframe this from a philanthropic loss to a strategic asset. A 90-day spin-out serves as the ultimate corporate R&D sandbox—a high-speed incubator to test sustainable supply chains and hyper-local marketing without risking the core brand. When the venture transitions to steward ownership, the parent company retains deeply authentic, permanent brand loyalty that traditional ESG reporting simply cannot buy.

Scaling the 15-75-25 Theory of Change

This 90-day corporate challenge is the macro-level expression of exactly what we are already doing. Tastes Good Does Good operates as a 10-year business and social experiment designed to prove that food and hospitality brands can put people and the planet before profit and shareholders.

Our internal ecosystem is built entirely on this asset-repurposing philosophy, governed by our 15-75-25 model:

15% to Food Poverty: We commit 15% of our revenue—not just profit—to fighting hunger, using our wholesale buying power to supply food banks exactly what they need.
75% to Young Chefs: We source talent via culinary colleges and gift up to 75% ownership of new profitable ventures to young chefs from disadvantaged backgrounds, providing them with real capital, kitchens, and first customers.
25% to Community Wealth: We asset-lock the remaining 25% of every gifted venture at formation, transferring realised value into a local community wealth fund to build lasting infrastructure.

Poverty will only end when we stop managing it and start building self-funding, purpose-driven systems that permanently shift economic power. The productive capacity to achieve true food security already sits inside our businesses, supply chains, and teams.

If we were to map out a 90-day pilot for one of your existing corporate partners using this framework, which of their underutilised physical assets would be the easiest to deploy first?

Afternoon Tea Chronicles: Greg Wixted Launches Culinary Masterpiece, Uniting Global Tradition with Purpose-Driven Innovation

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:30:00 +0000

The Afternoon Tea Chronicles: Greg Wixted Launches Culinary Masterpiece, Uniting Global Tradition with Purpose-Driven Innovation

LONDON, UK — March 2026 — Renowned food entrepreneur, pastry chef, and innovator Greg Wixted announces the launch of his highly anticipated new book, The Afternoon Tea Chronicles. Following his successful 2020 release, Britain Loves Baking, this new magnum opus redefines the 385-year-old tradition as a "global language of connection," moving far beyond the British ritual to explore tea houses from Mumbai to Tokyo.1

Distilling over 30 years of culinary expertise, The Afternoon Tea Chronicles is an expansive, witty, and deeply personal exploration, serving as part history book, global travelogue, and masterclass in culinary innovation.A Definitive Guide Built on Classical Mastery and Narrative Theatre1

Wixted’s authority is founded on a remarkable career that tracks his journey from the gilded halls of the Waldorf Astoria’s Palm Court and the high-pressure kitchens of Marco Pierre White, to his work in narrative theatre with Disney Imagineering in Paris. This unique blend of classical technical precision and entrepreneurial grit makes The Afternoon Tea Chronicles the definitive guide for the modern era.1

The book itself is a treasure trove for home cooks and connoisseurs alike:1

The Global Odyssey: A 15-stop world map of the best afternoon tea experiences, featuring locations like the Burj Al Arab and the Raffles Hotel.1
The 250-Recipe Collection: Simplified, professional-grade recipes designed for the home cook—no pastry degree required.1
Modern Etiquette: Wixted debunks the stuffy myths of the past, addressing everything from scone-splitting debates to the A-to-Z of service.1

From Global Indulgence to Equitable Food Systems

The book and its narrative are intrinsically tied to Wixted’s mission to support the hospitality industry. He recounts his journey building a catering empire through periods of "global madness," proving the resilience of the tea tradition as "our most steadfast comfort".1

Furthermore, Wixted is the founder of the UK's first purpose-driven hospitality and catering group. This endeavor uses 15% of its revenue, including proceeds from the book, to fight food poverty and rebuild a more equitable food system. In a direct effort to empower future leaders, Wixted gifts 75% of the businesses he creates to chefs from disadvantaged backgrounds, with the remaining 25% "locked for the community benefit".1

“Afternoon tea is more than just a sandwich and a scone,” says Wixted. “It is a global ritual that has survived for nearly four centuries because it evolves. The heart of the experience remains the same: the theatre, the discipline, and the sheer joy of indulgence".1

The Afternoon Tea Chronicles is not just a cookbook; it is an invitation to bring the world’s greatest traditions into your home while investing in the future of hospitality.1

Greg Wixted is a member of the guild of chefs, a mentor to young chefs, a visionary in immersive food experience design, and an innovative entrepreneur who has built a career on turning "foodie" concepts into "advertising gold". He is also a trained pilot and conservationist scuba instructor with specialties in Dolphin Husbandry and Shark Feeding, often using his diving travels as a way to seek out afternoon tea in the far corners of the world.

PRE ORDER FOR JUST £20

98% of Residents Demand Council Back £250m "Food Revolution" Before May Election

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 07:17:00 +0000

Community Calls on Westminster Council to "Sign the License" and Deliver Jobs by Spring

Today we announce our ground-breaking proposal to transform a dormant school building into a £250m "Food Enterprise Hub" has received a decisive mandate from the community, with 98.28% of local residents voting in favour of the scheme.

we have proposed a new economic model that moves beyond traditional social enterprise Instead of asking for endless council grants, the project creates a self-sustaining ecosystem of 100 new food businesses that will generate a permanent £23.5 million "Sovereign Community Fund" for Pimlico residents.

A Race Against Time With the local elections approaching in May, residents are calling for immediate action. The project requires zero long-term taxpayer funding and offers a "turnkey" solution to the cost-of-living crisis that can be operational within weeks.

Economic Engine: By incubating 100 high-growth food brands over 10 years, the group projects a collective asset value of between £250 million and £1 billion.
Immediate Impact: TGDG has confirmed it is ready to deploy its "Rapid Entrepreneurial Innovation" teams immediately, aiming to have the incubator (our commercial engine) community kitchen and Cookery School fully operational before May 2026.

Greg Wixted, Founder of TGDG and a Pimlico resident for 25 years, said:

*The residents have spoken clearly: they don't want promises, they want action. We have a dormant building costing the Council money every day it sits empty. We have a fully funded plan to turn it into a vibrant hub that creates 1,000 jobs 100 new food start ups and feeds 10,000 families. Our Pimlico without poverty plan and taken us over a year to refine and its based on the current model we use in our North London operation, which has had year on year growth and operates our 10 award winning food and hospitality brands.
"We are offering the Council a chance to crystallise their Fairer Westminster legacy by helping us to get the project off the ground not in months, but weeks. So we can be feeding families and training young people before the polls open in May. Delaying this means denying immediate help to those struggling with the cost of living. The community is watching, and they want this delivered now. and they have made it clear that they would not look favourably on councillors who don't back the plan come polling day.
Most projects ask councils and funders for money every year to keep the lights on. We are building a nuclear reactor. Once you help us turn it on with that initial funding, it powers itself—and the entire local area—forever. You are not spending money; the council is buying an exit strategy from the cost of poverty in Pimlico. as none of the local charities funding, they would have access to the Pimlico fund meaning the council can delete the recurring annual budget line for "Community Grants," "Food Poverty Support," or "Third Sector Funding permanently.

The proposal is currently on the desk of Westminster City Council and Future Academies and we are ready to meet them anytime to discuss how together we can bring this innovate and sustainable to life we can get create a blueprint for a future without poverty. Download a copy of Pimlico without Poverty Proposal here

view & download

The Unseen £2.3bn Greenwashed Away’ Food Waste Issue.

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 06:38:00 +0000

It is the dirty secret the UK’s £14.3bn food delivery industry is desperate to keep off your doorstep. While major delivery platforms and courier firms bombard consumers with ‘Net Zero’ pledges and ‘waste-less’ marketing campaigns, a new analysis reveals the sector is responsible for a staggering £2.3 billion in avoidable food waste this year alone.

The investigation exposes a systemic reliance on ‘greenwashing’—where companies like Just Eat, DPD, and Royal Mail hide behind eco-friendly slogans while their operational policies actively generate mountains of rotting food and packaging waste.

THE ‘WASTE-LESS’ LIE

The headline figure is driven largely by Just Eat, the market giant claiming to ‘tackle food waste’. Our analysis suggests they are responsible for £2.28bn of the total waste pile—approximately 16% of the entire market’s value.

While the company promotes ‘waste-less portion sizes’, their platform mechanics tell a different story. Minimum spend thresholds aggressively push customers to over-order, while their policy on failed deliveries is weak, shifting the blame for leftovers onto households rather than addressing the logistical failures that lead to cold, undeliverable food.

THE LOGISTICS OF DECAY

The scandal extends beyond the food platforms to the couriers that power them. These firms are happy to ship food for a premium price; the ‘Meal Kit’ sector alone is estimated to rely on the DPD, Royal Mail, and Evri networks for some 43 million boxes annually.

This means 43 million boxes a year are thrown into the ‘courier lottery’. With an industry average return/fail rate of at least 6% (though our research suggests it is closer to 10–12%), these couriers are responsible for 2.58 million failed deliveries, representing £103 million in wasted goods.

We investigated the ‘Friday Trap’—a scheduling failure where fresh food boxes undelivered on a Friday sit in depots over the weekend, destroying thousands of meals weekly. DPD markets itself as the ‘UK’s Sustainable Delivery Service’ with a shiny fleet of electric vehicles, yet their Terms & Conditions conveniently list perishables as ‘Prohibited Items’, allowing them to avoid liability for the waste they cause.

Royal Mail, despite its ‘Steps to Zero’ campaign, ranks #1 for delays. Automated hubs frequently ignore ‘Fresh Food’ priority stickers. In a practice insiders call ‘The Boomerang’, rotting food is driven back to the sender rather than being disposed of locally, effectively doubling the carbon footprint of the waste simply to avoid administrative paperwork.

Evri (formerly Hermes) claims to have the ‘greenest delivery fleet’ but holds a dismal customer satisfaction rating (31%). For food producers, a ‘lost parcel’ with Evri is often a euphemism for food rotting in a warehouse corner. Like DPD, they utilise ‘Prohibited Items’ clauses to auto-reject claims for spoilage.

ALGORITHMIC APATHY

The ‘gig economy’ players are equally culpable.

@Deliveroo promises a ‘sustainable future’, but its ‘Batching’ algorithm prioritises driver efficiency over food integrity, leading to cold food rejections. When a customer cannot be found within 10 minutes, riders are instructed via the app to ‘dispose of the food safely’—corporate-speak for throwing it in the bin.

UberEats, pledging ‘Zero Emissions’ by 2040, suffers from ‘Ghost Prep’ issues. Drivers ‘multi-apping’ (working for rival platforms simultaneously) leave food decaying in vehicles for extended periods. High refund rates for ‘cold food’ are used to mask the sheer volume of physical waste being generated.

THE HUMAN COST: FEEDING THE CRISIS

To understand the scale of this moral failure, we must translate the financial loss into human terms. The £2.3 billion wasted by this sector annually is not just money; it is lost nourishment in a country gripped by a cost-of-living crisis.

If that wasted capital were converted into food bank support, it would:

Purchase 920 million hot meals (at a retail value of £2.50).
Fund 76 million emergency food parcels (valued at £30 each).
Feed every single person currently relying on a UK food bank three meals a day for the next ten years.

This waste is happening while businesses and charities like the Trussell Trust, The Felix Project, FareShare, and City Harvest fight daily against food poverty. At Tastes Good Does Good, we donate 15% of our revenue to fight food inequality, but the giants are undoing our work. They are feeding the landfill while we try to feed the people and fix a system they break every single day.

THE STARVING COURIER: A CYCLE OF POVERTY

Perhaps the most bitter irony of this scandal is the plight of the couriers themselves. While delivering £50 boxes of artisan food or £30 takeaways, many riders earn below the minimum wage and are trapped in the very poverty this system exacerbates.

Reports from the frontline reveal that a significant number of gig-economy riders—the human gears in this £14bn machine—are themselves forced to use food banks. They spend their days carrying hot food they cannot afford to eat, only to end their shifts queuing for handouts. By driving down wages to subsidise ‘free delivery’, the big platforms are locking their own workforce into a cycle of dependency.

THE ‘AFTERNOON TEA’ TAX: THE CAKERY HACK

The failure of these automated systems is so profound that our team at Cakery Wonderland has had to ‘hack’ the logistics network just to keep failed deliveries of afternoon tea boxes below 5%.

The solution? We treat the local depot workers to afternoon tea if they ensure our boxes are placed in the manual handling workstream. We also ensure the delivery notes on the digital scanner match the large pink stickers on our boxes: ‘Please deliver within 24 hours’. It has worked, but the alternative would be a significant hike in the cost of delivery or the product itself. This stands in stark contrast to a few years ago, when the business lost £6,600 and 200 customers over a Mothering Sunday weekend due to Evri.

The official system—the barcodes, the scanners, the ‘Next Day’ guarantees—is broken for fresh food. The only way to make it work is to bypass the robots and bribe the humans with kindness (and cakes).

REBALANCING THE SCALES: THE ‘BIOHAZARD TRAP’

Fed up with the ‘Return to Sender’ loop, where couriers attempt to return rotting food to avoid disposal costs, we have developed a ‘scorched earth’ policy. This came into effect after we purchased specialist ingredients from Scotland and paid £12.95 for next-day delivery on a Friday. Following a weekend of ‘pork pies’ (lies) from DPD tracking, they attempted delivery on the Monday evening. It cost us over £180 in additional labour to source replacement ingredients across London.

Now, we use the Biohazard Trap:

The Return: When a courier fails a delivery and attempts to return the rotting package (the Boomerang), we refuse to accept it.
The Call: With the rotting meat now legally back in the courier’s possession, we immediately email the local Environmental Health Officer (EHO).
The Tip-Off: We report that a specific courier company is currently transporting ‘Category 3 Animal By-Products’ (rotting meat) in an unlicensed, un-refrigerated vehicle.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERY WASTE? NO ONE.

The system is designed to make the waste invisible. The restaurant says, ‘It was fine when it left the kitchen’; the app says, ‘The rider tried to deliver it’; the courier says, ‘You shouldn't have sent perishables’. Because no one takes ownership of the food during transit, the £2.3bn of waste technically doesn't exist in anyone’s official sustainability report.

TURNING FAILURE INTO FINES

While they may claim to be contractually blameless, they are not above the law. When a courier depot finds a rotting box on a Monday morning, they are no longer handling ‘parcels’—they are handling Category 3 Animal By-Products (ABP).

What the Law Says (ABP Enforcement Regulations 2013)

The Classification: Any meat, fish, or dairy no longer intended for human consumption (due to spoilage or failed delivery) is legally classified as Category 3 ABP.
The Disposal Rule: Under UK law, it is strictly illegal to dispose of Category 3 ABP in general waste skips or landfill. It MUST be collected by a registered ABP carrier and taken to an approved rendering plant or incineration site.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR COURIERS

Breaching these regulations is a criminal offence. Authorities (EHOs and APHA) have the power to levy significant penalties:

Magistrates’ Court: Unlimited fines for each offence.
Crown Court: Unlimited fines and severe corporate sanctions.
Fixed Penalty Notices: Immediate fines from £200 to £5,000 for administrative failures.
Custodial Sentences: Up to 2 years in prison for systemic illegal dumping.
Operational Consequences: Fleet seizure and Depot Closures via Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notices.

NO NEW LAW NEEDED JUST ENFORCE THE ONES WE HAVE

We have written to the a new Secretary of State at the helm of DEFRA Emma Reynolds MP to enforce the existing food safety standards. and get the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and local Trading Standards to conduct a series of unannounced, targeted spot-checks at major parcel distribution hubs specifically on Monday mornings between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM. If the Government is serious about food security, it must inspect the supply chain at its weakest point, not when it is convenient for the couriers.

Food producers should write to customers and tell them not accept the goods if the more than at day late, explain why, then send a report to reports@foodstandards.gov.uk XXXX courier company transporting Category 3 Animal By-Products (rotting meat) back and forth across the country in un-refrigerated vans. They are committing a criminal offence under the Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013 (and equivalent acts in Scotland and Wales)

CONCLUSION: IS IT ALL IN VAIN?

For ethical producers watching this industrial-scale waste, the question is inevitable: Is our work in vain?

The answer is no. The £2.3bn waste mountain proves that the ‘Big Tech’ model of food delivery—prioritising speed, algorithms, and liability avoidance—is fundamentally broken. It is a dinosaur that eats money and excretes methane. Customers will eventually realise they are paying 30% to 40% more for their food to cover this unseen wastage.

Models like Tastes Good Does Good are the prototype for the only sustainable future. It is the ethical producers, fighting for every box and every meal, who are holding the line against a system that has forgotten the value of food.

Luxury private dining at home in London

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 05:26:00 +0000

at home dining our new fine dining at home solution

The New Night Out: Why Luxury Home Dining is the UK's Hottest Reservation

The way we celebrate special occasions has changed. Forget the frantic cab ride, the noisy restaurant floor, and the awkward rush to settle the bill. Today, the most sought-after reservation is right where you live. In the UK, the trend for luxury private dining at home is booming, driven by a desire for bespoke experiences, intimate settings, and, increasingly, brands that align with our values.

At @homedining.co.uk—part of the purpose-driven Tastes Good Does Good Group —we don't just deliver food; we deliver a complete, seamless, and memorable event.

The Great Shift: From Restaurant Table to Dining Room Table

Over the past few years, the UK has witnessed a significant rise in private chef bookings and high-end catered experiences. Post-pandemic, many consumers realized the unparalleled comfort and control offered by dining at home. Data shows that the private chef market is growing rapidly, reflecting a societal shift where customers value personalization, safety, and exclusivity over traditional public dining.

The key driver behind this isn't just convenience; it's the demand for a truly unique and tailored event.

The Experience Economy: Customers Want More Than Just a Meal

Today’s customers are active participants in the Experience Economy. They seek stories, connection, and immersion, not just consumption. For catering, this means:

Theatre and Surprise: We see this most clearly in the demand for spectacle. Guests don't just want dessert; they want an immersive dessert experience. Whether it’s the theatrical presentation of a Lobster Bisque poured tableside , or our founder Greg Wixted’s "Imagineering" team designing a bespoke, themed setting like Alice in Winter Wonderland or At Home in Bridgerton, the WOW factor is essential.
Hyper-Personal Service: Private dining allows for a level of attention impossible in a restaurant. Our highly experienced chefs and front-of-house staff—who have trained at leading hotels and Michelin-standard establishments —provide a hyper-personal service. This includes effortlessly accommodating dietary needs, pregnancies, and food intolerances.
The Sommelier Touch: The perfect dinner requires the perfect drink. Unlike regular catering, we provide an in-house sommelier who can craft ideal pairings and even source wine direct from makers to pass savings onto you.
Purpose-Driven Luxury: Why Your Event Tastes Good and Does Good

In the modern market, customers choose brands that reflect their own ethical values. Tastes Good Does Good is the UK’s only purpose-driven family-run catering group , and our mission is simple: We put People, Purpose, and Planet before profits.

This purpose is baked into every aspect of your event:

Fighting Food Poverty: We dedicate a significant 15% of our revenue to helping create a hunger-free world. When you choose us for your French Fine Dining or Exploring Asia menu, your celebration generates direct social impact
Zero Waste Guarantee: We maintain a strict Zero Waste Food Policy. Any delicious, uneaten food is beautifully boxed up for your guests to take home and enjoy later. It's a thoughtful farewell that ensures nothing goes to waste
Ethical Staffing: We are committed to paying our teams well—a minimum of £15 per hour —ensuring we attract the best talent dedicated to making your evening truly memorable

Seamless Service: The Value of True All-Inclusivity

One of the biggest anxieties of planning an event is hidden costs. We eliminate this worry entirely by offering an all-inclusive service.

No Hire Fees, Ever: We lend you everything you need for free. This includes all crockery, glassware, linen, and service ware, saving our clients hundreds of pounds in hire fees.
Total Peace of Mind: Our staff arrive with everything in-house, managing the set-up, service, and complete clean-down. They are respectful of your house and leave it spotless.
Celebration Menu or an intimate Burns Night dinner, we promise a truly memorable, seamless, and purpose-driven experience. The reservation you want isn't out—it's right here at home.