Speciality Food

What Speciality Food does

Speciality Food Magazine is a UK trade publication founded in 2002 and operated by Artichoke Media Ltd, serving the fine food industry across the UK and Ireland. Its core product is a monthly print magazine — described as the UK's largest circulated trade title for the sector with ABC-certified circulation of approximately 8,937 and over 9,300 combined print and digital subscribers — supplemented by a free digital edition, a daily newsletter, a searchable national supplier directory, and an extensive How-To Guides / Masterclasses library covering cheese care, retail merchandising, and operations.

The business is a multi-product B2B media platform monetizing the fine food trade through three primary streams: print and digital advertising (premium positions such as front and back covers, double page spreads, full and half pages, plus inserts and covermounts); subscriptions (£50/year for print, free digital); and directory listings. The platform also operates several annual awards programs — Great British Food Awards, Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards, New Producer Awards, Heritage Brands 2026, and Quality Food and Drink Awards 2026 — and distributes additional copies at major trade shows including Farm Shop & Deli Show, Food & Drink Expo, and Speciality & Fine Food Fair.

The customer base spans fine food retailers (delis, farm shops, food halls, cheese shops, independent retailers), wholesalers, and specialty food and drink manufacturers. Advertisers include luxury department stores (Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, Harvey Nichols), trade bodies (AHDB), wholesalers (Cotswold Fayre, Rowcliffe, Empire Bespoke Foods), mid-market producers (Cottage Delight, Divine Chocolate, Cornish Cheese Co, Peters Yard, Pipers Crisp Co), and international consortia (Grana Padano, Gruyere, Parma). The company maintains a small in-house team of 11–50 employees, including a publisher, account management, and editorial functions, with offices in Colchester (trading) and Peterborough (registered).

Name

Speciality Food

Legal name

Artichoke Media Ltd

Website

https://specialityfoodmagazine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Speciality Food Magazine is a UK trade publication founded in 2002, serving fine food retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers through a monthly print magazine, digital edition, supplier directory, awards programs, and trade show distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Media and Publishing

akta.pro primary industry

Food, Cooking & Beverage Magazines (MPAJAEAF)

Keywords

• Trade food magazine
• Fine food publishing
• Specialty food media
• Food industry advertising
• B2B food publication

Headquarters

HQ city

Colchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Print and Digital Advertising: The magazine generates revenue through various advertising formats including premium positions (front cover, back cover, double page spreads), standard positions (full page, half page, quarter page), and digital opportunities. Additional advertising products include inserts, leaflets, covermounts, and centre spread slots.
2. Subscriptions: Annual subscription at £50/year for print edition. Digital edition available free. Free download options available.
3. Directory Services: Online directory of suppliers and service providers with interactive map functionality, allowing businesses to list and be discovered by retailers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Speciality Food Magazine is a monthly B2B trade publication serving the UK fine food industry, providing industry news, trends, how-to guides, and a supplier directory to independent fine food retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers. The company sells advertising space across print and digital channels, annual print subscriptions, and directory listings, while also running industry awards programs (Great British Food Awards, Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards, New Producer Awards) and distributing copies at major UK food trade shows.

Product overview

Speciality Food is a platform comprising a monthly print magazine (the UK's largest circulated trade publication for the fine food industry since 2002), a free digital edition, and a suite of supplementary products including the Directory database, How To Guides/Masterclasses educational content, award programs (Great British Food Awards, Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards, New Producer Awards), and a daily newsletter. The company also offers advertising services across print (multiple niche publications targeting cheese buyers, cafe buyers, confectionery buyers, drinks buyers, and snack buyers) and digital channels, plus event partnerships like the Speciality & Fine Food Fair.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Speciality Food Magazine (Print Edition) The UK's largest circulated trade magazine for the fine food industry, published monthly since 2002, serving fine food retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers with industry news, trends, how-to guides, and supplier information. Annual subscription priced at £50/year.
• Speciality Food Digital Edition Free digital edition of the magazine available for download or subscription via website and mobile app, extending reach beyond print subscribers.
• Speciality Food Supplier Directory Online nationwide database of suppliers and service providers for the fine food industry, searchable by location and category, with interactive map functionality allowing suppliers to list products and services.
• How To Guides and Masterclasses Educational content series providing practical guidance for food retailers on topics including cheese care, affinage, retail merchandising, AI in retail, and business operations.
• Great British Food Awards Flagship annual awards program celebrating outstanding British food and drink products and producers, providing exposure and recognition for winners.
• Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards Annual awards recognizing outstanding farm shops and deli retailers in the UK.
• New Producer Awards Awards initiative supporting emerging and new food and drink producers with industry recognition.
• Speciality Food Daily Newsletter Daily email newsletter delivering fine food industry news, trends, and insights to subscribers.
• Print Advertising Services Print advertising opportunities including front cover, back cover, double page spreads, full pages, half pages, quarter pages, inserts, leaflets, covermounts, and centre spread slots across multiple niche publications targeting specific buyer segments (cheese buyers, cafe buyers, confectionery buyers, drinks buyers, snack buyers).
• Digital Advertising Services Digital advertising including email marketing, targeted mailing lists, and social media promotion for brand awareness among fine food industry professionals.
• Stock Check Publication Annual special publication providing over 300 product ideas for independent retailers, organized by category with exclusive advertising positions. ABC-certified circulation of 8,594.

Quantifiable outcome

• ABC certified circulation of 8,937+ readers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

32 partnerships are on record, tiered standard and core.

• AHDBstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerAgricultural and Horticultural Development Board - appears in Proudly Working With section as advertising client
• Bread & JamstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerFood industry network - advertising client featured in Proudly Working With section
• BradburysstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerFood producer - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Cornish Cheese CostandardGTM or Marketing PartnerCheese producer - advertising client featured in Proudly Working With section
• Cotswold FayrecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerChief Executive Paul Hargreaves provided testimonial praising Speciality Food's digital initiatives and New Producer Awards
• Cottage DelightstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerFood producer - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Divine ChocolatestandardGTM or Marketing PartnerFairtrade chocolate company - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Empire Bespoke FoodsstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecialty food supplier - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Fairfields Farm CrispsstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerCrisp producer - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Farm Shop & Deli ShowcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor UK trade show for farm shops and delis - advertising client and distribution partner for magazine copies
• Field FarestandardGTM or Marketing PartnerFrozen food supplier - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Food & Drink ExpocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor UK food and drink trade exhibition - advertising client and distribution partner
• Food Matters LivestandardGTM or Marketing PartnerFood and drink industry event - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Fortnum & MasonstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury department store - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• GodminsterstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganic cheese producer - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Grana PadanostandardGTM or Marketing PartnerItalian cheese consortium - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• GruyerestandardGTM or Marketing PartnerSwiss cheese consortium - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• HarrodsstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury department store - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Harvey NicholsstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury department store - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Hawkshead RelishstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerPreserves and condiments producer - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• IFEstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational Food Expo - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• InverawestandardGTM or Marketing PartnerScottish food producer - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Island BakerystandardGTM or Marketing PartnerArtisan bakery - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Jelly BellystandardGTM or Marketing PartnerConfectionery brand - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• ParmastandardGTM or Marketing PartnerItalian food consortium - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Peters YardstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerArtisan bakery - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• Pipers Crisp CostandardGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium crisp producer - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• RowcliffecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerManaging Director Jason Fisher praised the publication's agility, knowledge, and tailor-made solutions - featured in testimonial
• Speciality & Fine Food FaircoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor UK trade show for specialty and fine food - advertising client and distribution partner
• StokesstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerSauces and condiments producer - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• TaylorsstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerFood producer - advertising client in Proudly Working With section
• TracklementsstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecialty food producer - advertising client in Proudly Working With section

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Grocer: William Reed's flagship UK food and grocery trade title. Closest direct competitor to Speciality Food, covering the UK food industry with print, digital, awards, and events — overlapping heavily in advertising customer base.
• The Caterer: UK hospitality and foodservice trade publication. Comparable B2B trade magazine model targeting food industry buyers and operators, with print, digital, and events monetization.
• Bakery & Snacks Magazine (William Reed): William Reed's trade title targeting bakery and snack industry buyers. Operates an adjacent sub-category of the UK fine food sector and uses a comparable print/digital/events monetization model.

Broad incumbents

• William Reed Business Media (FoodManufacture / Just-Food / FoodNavigator): Large UK B2B media group operating multiple food industry publications including FoodManufacture.co.uk, Just-Food, and FoodNavigator. Comparable in product format (trade publication, awards, events) and serves many of the same UK fine food advertisers at greater scale.
• Good Food Magazine (BBC): BBC's flagship UK consumer food title. Broad incumbent in food media with significant advertiser pull on premium food brands — not a direct trade competitor but operates in overlapping advertiser budgets and content categories.
• Informa Food & Beverage Media: Global B2B media conglomerate with multiple food industry titles and events. Broader incumbent with deeper digital infrastructure and international scale — could displace trade food media spend.

Others

• Speciality & Fine Food Fair: Major UK trade exhibition for the specialty and fine food sector. Ecosystem partner rather than competitor — Speciality Food is a media partner — but functions in the same category and serves the same buyer audience at events.

Emerging players

• Delicious Magazine: UK consumer food magazine with a strong specialty and fine food focus. Less directly overlapping on B2B trade, but covers similar culinary content categories and competes for some premium food brand advertising spend.
• Olive Magazine: BBC-affiliated UK consumer food magazine. Comparable in coverage of fine food and premium ingredients, with overlap in premium brand advertiser relationships though targeting consumers rather than trade buyers.
• The Spirit Business: UK and global drinks trade publication covering premium spirits and fine beverages. Adjacent niche trade media competitor using a similar print/digital/newsletter model targeting buyers and producers in fine drinks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/specialityfood
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/speciality-food

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Speciality Food