FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4053826

LEAD IN:

Chocolates made with reindeer moss and 'duck crackling' are among the innovations at a speciality food fair in London.

Since the Brexit vote, many British producers are concerned that they can no longer rely on the EU market and are beginning to look to the east.

STORY-LINE:

It looks like intricately stitched fabric, but these are colourful cakes based on eastern henna designs.

The bright gold reds and pinks are aiming at markets all over the world. The company is called Sari after the ornately designed garments traditionally worn by women in India.

The foods and drinks found here are aimed at the top end of the market.

Many stall holders are hoping to find favour with restaurateurs, luxury food wholesalers, or high end supermarkets.

The director of the Speciality and Fine Food Fair is Soraya Gadelrab.

Gadelrab believes the UK especially London has an international cuisine that other markets are opening up to.

That's why next year there will see the launch of the Asian Speciality Food Fair in Singapore, a lucrative market chosen because consumers there are wealthy and becoming more cosmopolitan.

Gadelrab says: "People see the UK and London as ahead of the trends when it comes to food and drink and the latest products, the latest ways of eating, the latest styles, the latest diets, and I think that's something that countries around the world sometimes look to the UK and more specifically London to see what we're doing and at this show there's so many countries represented, there's so much food from around the world and we eat globally here in the UK every day. But not all countries do that and what we're finding is that other countries are starting to catch up with us so we're actually taking this show to Singapore next year and launching Speciality and Fine Food Asia."

Despite warnings from President Obama at the G20 summit in China at the weekend, Gadelrab is not gloomy about Britain's food industry after the UK leaves Britain.

She says: "Artisan biscuits, pies, it's a huge market there's the expat(riot) community, but there's also quite an affluent consumer there and they want the latest, the greatest products imported from all around the world and British food is really up there."

This company has been exporting gourmet Italian foods into Britain for forty years.

It's owner Toni Pirozzi helped to blaze the trail which has ensured that many people in Britain consume cheeses, hams, pastas and sauces which wouldn't have been easily available a few decades ago.

Exporters like Pirozzi see the UK as an important market.

While he isn't gloomy about the luxury food market, he believes there will be a downward pressure on prices.

According to Pirozzi: "Being in the exit (Brexit from EU) from the common market I think it's going to be a little problem for the Italian product. But not too much because the product is not going to be successful, but it's going to be a little outpriced and quite a lot of imitations, they're coming out produced in every part of the world, which they call Italian product, but they are not original."

Concern about authenticity is something that many food producers are worried about.

Tight restrictions in EU law ensure that the products of particular regions are protected.

For example you can't make sparkling wine and call champagne unless it's from the champagne produce region in France.

Pirozzi gives the example of a particular kind of Sicilian tomato.

"If you look at the ciliegino di Pachino, the original ciliegino di Pachino, only from Pachino do you have a different flavour, the vitamins, everything inside is beautiful because the area of Pachino is an area which is very salty, very windy and very hot. Now if you go only thirty kilometres from Pachino, you buy the same ciliegino, it looks the same. Now ciliegino comes from everywhere and the price...(gesticulates that the price goes down)."

A concern for luxury food producers in the UK is whether shoppers post-Brexit will still be happy to pay more for specialist products.

Gadelrab is optimistic: "People still want those beautiful indulgences and this is what this fair is all about, the handcrafted products with all the best ingredients, full of flavour, exciting flavour combinations and I think that's not something that's going to go away because when times are tough, maybe people scrimp on holidays and big TVs, but they're still going to treat themselves to a beautiful cake, or some lovely ham, or some hand reared beef, so it's here to stay."

New ideas and producers are developing all the time.

Adam Wilding is launching his new product here at the fair after three long years of testing and developing a 'duck crackling' to take on the British pork crackling market.

Crispy duck skins are sold in delicatessens in France and of course the Chinese gourmands have been creating crispy duck skin for centuries, but Wilding believes he's the first to think of marketing it in this way.

He says: "We've a good connection with pork crackling, this idea came about when I was running a menu for a canape event and just as I was going to sleep I thought, you know these ideas come to you sometimes at night, but the idea was to have crispy duck skin as a canape base. On top of that we put some duck pate and it kind of went so well that a little spark went off."

This product has yet to be distributed and Wilding doesn't want disclose who he is in talks with, but he says it is going well.

"There's an overwhelming interest, you can see this moment where people's brains, they compute the idea and they suddenly get it and they are like 'oh yes, I understand what this is'."

After a savoury snack, it's time for something sweet - and another launch of a very unusual product.

Not this actual size shoe adorned with artificial pearls, but something that Nordic and Scandinavian countries will recognise.

Chocolala is an Estonian company which has high hopes for these little bundles of reindeer moss chocolates

It's run by Kristi Lehtis, who goes hunting for the moss in the forests near her home, rather like the reindeer do.

She also forages for wild fruits to put in her chocolates.

"Blueberries and moss they grow together and while I was picking blueberries I thought it would be nice to take something from the forest along, something more and the moss is actually widely used by the chefs as well at the restaurants," she says.

"You can make it with beetroot for example and it's a pink moss, but we make it with chocolate you can caramelise it, we have lots of different ways and it gives texture because it's nice to have the chocolate plus the texture so together it's a great product and something that people haven't tried. There are a lot of people who want something special who have tried everything and they don't know what to give as a present, so this something that they haven't tried."

It remains to be seen whether chocolate moss will be appearing on people's Christmas lists this year.

London, UK - 4 September 2016

1. Close tilt up of ornately decorated cake inspired by henna designs

2. Close zoom out of silver cake

3. Pan of differently decorated cakes

4. Close zoom in on giant chocolate nuts and small glazed chocolates

5. Wide of chocolate producer talking to potential client

6. Wide of chocolate box with graphic designs

7. Close zoom in to artisanal Scotch eggs

8. Mid of man on pie stall chopping eggs for people to taste

9. Close of eggs

10. Wide of specialist bread and cake stall

11. Close tilt up of pies and breads

12. Zoom in to barrel of cheese

13. Mid of staff on Italian food stall

14. Various of event director Soraya Gadelrab trying specialist cheese at Italian stall

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Soraya Gadelrab, director, Speciality and Fine Food Fair

"People see the UK and London as ahead of the trends when it comes to food and drink and the latest products, the latest ways of eating, the latest styles, the latest diets, and I think that's something that countries around the world sometimes look to the UK and more specifically London to see what we're doing and at this show there's so many countries represented, there's so much food from around the world and we eat globally here in the UK every day. But not all countries do that and what we're finding is that other countries are starting to catch up with us so we're actually taking this show to Singapore next year and launching Speciality and Fine Food Asia."

16. Mid zoom in on large flavoured meringues

17. Wide pan of chocolate shop

18. SOUNDBITE: (English) Soraya Gadelrab, director, Speciality and Fine Food Fair

"Artisan biscuits, pies, it's a huge market there's the expat(riot) community, but there's also quite an affluent consumer there and they want the latest, the greatest products imported from all around the world and British food is really up there."

19. Close of spoon scooping out Gorgonzola cheese

20. Mid of Toni Pirozzi, Italian food and specialist cheese exporter, giving his colleague the spoonful of Gorgonzola

21. Close of man tasting and savouring cheese

22. Close zoom in to Gorgonzola

23. SOUNDBITE: (English) Toni Pirozzi, Italian food exporter

"Being in the exit (Brexit from EU) from the common market, I think it's going to be a little problem for the Italian product. But not too much because the product is not going to be successful, but it's going to be a little outpriced and quite a lot of imitations, they're coming out produced in every part of the world, which they call Italian product, but they are not original."

24. Close of Gorgonzola being scooped out

25. SOUNDBITE: (English) Toni Pirozzi, Italian food exporter

"If you look at the ciliegino di Pachino, the original ciliegino di Pachino, only from Pachino do you have a different flavour, the vitamins, everything inside is beautiful because the area of Pachino is an area which is very salty, very windy and very hot. Now if you go only thirty kilometres from Pachino, you buy the same ciliegino, it looks the same. Now ciliegino comes from everywhere and the price...(gesticulates that the price goes down)."

26. Wide of food fair

27. Top mid of specialist food seller speaking to client

28. SOUNDBITE: (English) Soraya Gadelrab, Speciality and Fine Food Fair

"People still want those beautiful indulgences and this is what this fair is all about, the handcrafted products with all the best ingredients, full of flavour, exciting flavour combinations and I think that's not something that's going to go away because when times are tough, maybe people scrimp on holidays and big TVs, but they're still going to treat themselves to a beautiful cake, or some lovely ham, or some hand reared beef, so it's here to stay."

29. Mid of passerby being offered taste of crispy duck skin snacks described as duck crackling

30. SOUNDBITE: (English) Adam Wilding, chef and inventor of "Duck Crackling"

"We've a good connection with pork crackling, this idea came about when I was running a menu for a canape event and just as I was going to sleep I thought, you know these ideas come to you sometimes at night, but the idea was to have crispy duck skin as a canape base. On top of that we put some duck pate and it kind of went so well that a little spark went off."

31. Close of duck crackling in pots on tray

32. Mid of Wilding talking to colleague

33. Close of Wilding

34. Close of pots

35. SOUNDBITE: (English) Adam Wilding, chef and inventor of "Duck Crackling"

"There's an overwhelming interest, you can see this moment where people's brains, they compute the idea and they suddenly get it and they are like 'oh yes, I understand what this is'."

36. Close of chocolate shoe in real shoe size

37. Various of chocolate shoe being held outside of box

38. Close of reindeer moss chocolates being put into gift box

39. Close of moss chocolate

40. SOUNDBITE: (English) Kristi Lehtis, specialist chocolate maker, Chocolala

"So moss is a very special product."

41. Close of reindeer moss chocolate

42. SOUNDBITE: (English) Kristi Lehtis, specialist chocolate maker, Chocolala

"Blueberries and moss they grow together and while I was picking blueberries I thought it would be nice to take something from the forest along, something more and the moss is actually widely used by the chefs as well at the restaurants because you can make it with beetroot for example and it's a pink moss, but we make it with chocolate you can caramelise it we have lots of different ways and it gives texture because it's nice to have the chocolate plus the texture so together it's a great product and something that people haven't tried. There are a lot of people who want something special who have tried everything and they don't know what to give as a present, so this something that they haven't tried."

43. Close of carton filled with reindeer moss

44. Close of Lehtis

45. Mid of Lehtis filling gift box

LEAD IN:

Chocolates made with reindeer moss and 'duck crackling' are among the innovations at a speciality food fair in London.

Since the Brexit vote, many British producers are concerned that they can no longer rely on the EU market and are beginning to look to the east.

STORY-LINE:

It looks like intricately stitched fabric, but these are colourful cakes based on eastern henna designs.

The bright gold reds and pinks are aiming at markets all over the world. The company is called Sari after the ornately designed garments traditionally worn by women in India.

The foods and drinks found here are aimed at the top end of the market.

Many stall holders are hoping to find favour with restaurateurs, luxury food wholesalers, or high end supermarkets.

The director of the Speciality and Fine Food Fair is Soraya Gadelrab.

Gadelrab believes the UK especially London has an international cuisine that other markets are opening up to.

That's why next year there will see the launch of the Asian Speciality Food Fair in Singapore, a lucrative market chosen because consumers there are wealthy and becoming more cosmopolitan.

Gadelrab says: "People see the UK and London as ahead of the trends when it comes to food and drink and the latest products, the latest ways of eating, the latest styles, the latest diets, and I think that's something that countries around the world sometimes look to the UK and more specifically London to see what we're doing and at this show there's so many countries represented, there's so much food from around the world and we eat globally here in the UK every day. But not all countries do that and what we're finding is that other countries are starting to catch up with us so we're actually taking this show to Singapore next year and launching Speciality and Fine Food Asia."

Despite warnings from President Obama at the G20 summit in China at the weekend, Gadelrab is not gloomy about Britain's food industry after the UK leaves Britain.

She says: "Artisan biscuits, pies, it's a huge market there's the expat(riot) community, but there's also quite an affluent consumer there and they want the latest, the greatest products imported from all around the world and British food is really up there."

This company has been exporting gourmet Italian foods into Britain for forty years.

It's owner Toni Pirozzi helped to blaze the trail which has ensured that many people in Britain consume cheeses, hams, pastas and sauces which wouldn't have been easily available a few decades ago.

Exporters like Pirozzi see the UK as an important market.

While he isn't gloomy about the luxury food market, he believes there will be a downward pressure on prices.

According to Pirozzi: "Being in the exit (Brexit from EU) from the common market I think it's going to be a little problem for the Italian product. But not too much because the product is not going to be successful, but it's going to be a little outpriced and quite a lot of imitations, they're coming out produced in every part of the world, which they call Italian product, but they are not original."

Concern about authenticity is something that many food producers are worried about.

Tight restrictions in EU law ensure that the products of particular regions are protected.

For example you can't make sparkling wine and call champagne unless it's from the champagne produce region in France.

Pirozzi gives the example of a particular kind of Sicilian tomato.

"If you look at the ciliegino di Pachino, the original ciliegino di Pachino, only from Pachino do you have a different flavour, the vitamins, everything inside is beautiful because the area of Pachino is an area which is very salty, very windy and very hot. Now if you go only thirty kilometres from Pachino, you buy the same ciliegino, it looks the same. Now ciliegino comes from everywhere and the price...(gesticulates that the price goes down)."

A concern for luxury food producers in the UK is whether shoppers post-Brexit will still be happy to pay more for specialist products.

Gadelrab is optimistic: "People still want those beautiful indulgences and this is what this fair is all about, the handcrafted products with all the best ingredients, full of flavour, exciting flavour combinations and I think that's not something that's going to go away because when times are tough, maybe people scrimp on holidays and big TVs, but they're still going to treat themselves to a beautiful cake, or some lovely ham, or some hand reared beef, so it's here to stay."

New ideas and producers are developing all the time.

Adam Wilding is launching his new product here at the fair after three long years of testing and developing a 'duck crackling' to take on the British pork crackling market.

Crispy duck skins are sold in delicatessens in France and of course the Chinese gourmands have been creating crispy duck skin for centuries, but Wilding believes he's the first to think of marketing it in this way.

He says: "We've a good connection with pork crackling, this idea came about when I was running a menu for a canape event and just as I was going to sleep I thought, you know these ideas come to you sometimes at night, but the idea was to have crispy duck skin as a canape base. On top of that we put some duck pate and it kind of went so well that a little spark went off."

This product has yet to be distributed and Wilding doesn't want disclose who he is in talks with, but he says it is going well.

"There's an overwhelming interest, you can see this moment where people's brains, they compute the idea and they suddenly get it and they are like 'oh yes, I understand what this is'."

After a savoury snack, it's time for something sweet - and another launch of a very unusual product.

Not this actual size shoe adorned with artificial pearls, but something that Nordic and Scandinavian countries will recognise.

Chocolala is an Estonian company which has high hopes for these little bundles of reindeer moss chocolates

It's run by Kristi Lehtis, who goes hunting for the moss in the forests near her home, rather like the reindeer do.

She also forages for wild fruits to put in her chocolates.

"Blueberries and moss they grow together and while I was picking blueberries I thought it would be nice to take something from the forest along, something more and the moss is actually widely used by the chefs as well at the restaurants," she says.

"You can make it with beetroot for example and it's a pink moss, but we make it with chocolate you can caramelise it, we have lots of different ways and it gives texture because it's nice to have the chocolate plus the texture so together it's a great product and something that people haven't tried. There are a lot of people who want something special who have tried everything and they don't know what to give as a present, so this something that they haven't tried."

It remains to be seen whether chocolate moss will be appearing on people's Christmas lists this year.

London, UK - 4 September 2016

1. Close tilt up of ornately decorated cake inspired by henna designs

2. Close zoom out of silver cake

3. Pan of differently decorated cakes

4. Close zoom in on giant chocolate nuts and small glazed chocolates

5. Wide of chocolate producer talking to potential client

6. Wide of chocolate box with graphic designs

7. Close zoom in to artisanal Scotch eggs

8. Mid of man on pie stall chopping eggs for people to taste

9. Close of eggs

10. Wide of specialist bread and cake stall

11. Close tilt up of pies and breads

12. Zoom in to barrel of cheese

13. Mid of staff on Italian food stall

14. Various of event director Soraya Gadelrab trying specialist cheese at Italian stall

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Soraya Gadelrab, director, Speciality and Fine Food Fair

"People see the UK and London as ahead of the trends when it comes to food and drink and the latest products, the latest ways of eating, the latest styles, the latest diets, and I think that's something that countries around the world sometimes look to the UK and more specifically London to see what we're doing and at this show there's so many countries represented, there's so much food from around the world and we eat globally here in the UK every day. But not all countries do that and what we're finding is that other countries are starting to catch up with us so we're actually taking this show to Singapore next year and launching Speciality and Fine Food Asia."

16. Mid zoom in on large flavoured meringues

17. Wide pan of chocolate shop

18. SOUNDBITE: (English) Soraya Gadelrab, director, Speciality and Fine Food Fair

"Artisan biscuits, pies, it's a huge market there's the expat(riot) community, but there's also quite an affluent consumer there and they want the latest, the greatest products imported from all around the world and British food is really up there."

19. Close of spoon scooping out Gorgonzola cheese

20. Mid of Toni Pirozzi, Italian food and specialist cheese exporter, giving his colleague the spoonful of Gorgonzola

21. Close of man tasting and savouring cheese

22. Close zoom in to Gorgonzola

23. SOUNDBITE: (English) Toni Pirozzi, Italian food exporter

"Being in the exit (Brexit from EU) from the common market, I think it's going to be a little problem for the Italian product. But not too much because the product is not going to be successful, but it's going to be a little outpriced and quite a lot of imitations, they're coming out produced in every part of the world, which they call Italian product, but they are not original."

24. Close of Gorgonzola being scooped out

25. SOUNDBITE: (English) Toni Pirozzi, Italian food exporter

"If you look at the ciliegino di Pachino, the original ciliegino di Pachino, only from Pachino do you have a different flavour, the vitamins, everything inside is beautiful because the area of Pachino is an area which is very salty, very windy and very hot. Now if you go only thirty kilometres from Pachino, you buy the same ciliegino, it looks the same. Now ciliegino comes from everywhere and the price...(gesticulates that the price goes down)."

26. Wide of food fair

27. Top mid of specialist food seller speaking to client

28. SOUNDBITE: (English) Soraya Gadelrab, Speciality and Fine Food Fair

"People still want those beautiful indulgences and this is what this fair is all about, the handcrafted products with all the best ingredients, full of flavour, exciting flavour combinations and I think that's not something that's going to go away because when times are tough, maybe people scrimp on holidays and big TVs, but they're still going to treat themselves to a beautiful cake, or some lovely ham, or some hand reared beef, so it's here to stay."

29. Mid of passerby being offered taste of crispy duck skin snacks described as duck crackling

30. SOUNDBITE: (English) Adam Wilding, chef and inventor of "Duck Crackling"

"We've a good connection with pork crackling, this idea came about when I was running a menu for a canape event and just as I was going to sleep I thought, you know these ideas come to you sometimes at night, but the idea was to have crispy duck skin as a canape base. On top of that we put some duck pate and it kind of went so well that a little spark went off."

31. Close of duck crackling in pots on tray

32. Mid of Wilding talking to colleague

33. Close of Wilding

34. Close of pots

35. SOUNDBITE: (English) Adam Wilding, chef and inventor of "Duck Crackling"

"There's an overwhelming interest, you can see this moment where people's brains, they compute the idea and they suddenly get it and they are like 'oh yes, I understand what this is'."

36. Close of chocolate shoe in real shoe size

37. Various of chocolate shoe being held outside of box

38. Close of reindeer moss chocolates being put into gift box

39. Close of moss chocolate

40. SOUNDBITE: (English) Kristi Lehtis, specialist chocolate maker, Chocolala

"So moss is a very special product."

41. Close of reindeer moss chocolate

42. SOUNDBITE: (English) Kristi Lehtis, specialist chocolate maker, Chocolala

"Blueberries and moss they grow together and while I was picking blueberries I thought it would be nice to take something from the forest along, something more and the moss is actually widely used by the chefs as well at the restaurants because you can make it with beetroot for example and it's a pink moss, but we make it with chocolate you can caramelise it we have lots of different ways and it gives texture because it's nice to have the chocolate plus the texture so together it's a great product and something that people haven't tried. There are a lot of people who want something special who have tried everything and they don't know what to give as a present, so this something that they haven't tried."

43. Close of carton filled with reindeer moss

44. Close of Lehtis

45. Mid of Lehtis filling gift box

LEADIN:

British food and drink producers are feeling the strains of Brexit at The International Food and Drink Event (IFE) in London.

The UK government announced today (Monday 20 March) that it will trigger Article 50 on March 29, which will formally begin the Brexit process.

With the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the negotiations, many producers are considering expansion into new markets, particularly the United States.

STORYLINE:

Things are sizzling in London at IFE, the UK's largest food and drink trade show, with more than 29,000 visitors expected to attend.

The show brings together over 1,350 food producers from around the world - like this beefsteak from Poland.

Or these kebabs from Turkey...

Giant onions from Spain...

Or how about a mouthful of Chinese seaweed salad?

But by far the largest contingent at the event is from the UK, which is acting as the show's partner country for the first time.

This year's show features more than 700 British food and drink producers and gives them a shop window for the international buyers in attendance.

But uncertainty over Brexit is overshadowing the event, with Article 50 expected to be triggered on March 29.

Many exhibitors are small to mid scale food and drink producers who are concerned about how a break from the European Union will impact their growing businesses.

For those north of the border in Scotland, the situation is particularly uncertain, with calls from the Scottish National Party for a second vote on independence.

Callum MacInnes is a cheese maker and founder of Island Smokery on the far northerly Orkney Islands.

He's been producing smoked cheeses and butters for a high-end market for over ten years; his products can be found at hotels including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

MacInnes produces 40 tonnes of cheese every year and is currently moving to a larger factory to grow his business, but now he has to contend with more instability.

"It (Brexit and a second Scottish vote on independence) is alarming because we've no idea. Basically it's just more turmoil," he says.

"I mean, you have turmoil in a political situation, when people are uncertain, people don't spend, they always wait to see.

"So between another referendum and Brexit we're really between a rock and a hard place at the minute because nobody knows how it's going to pan out."

But MacInnes tries to remain positive about the political situation in Scotland and sees the benefit of new trade with the US.

With the fall in value of the pound against the dollar he has discovered his high-end cheeses and butters are suddenly much more affordable for Americans looking to invest in high-quality food.

He's just shipped his first export to the US after a positive trade event saw orders flooding in.

"It was specialist for a long time, it was maybe too expensive for the man on the street but because of the way the pound and the dollar has gone, it's now accessible to everyone," he says.

Just down the road in Orkney is one of the newest producers at the show; Kirkjuvagr gin has only been available since last August.

The company started in February, but by the time the first bottle rolled off the production line the Brexit vote had already been decided.

For Stephen Kemp, the director of Orkney Distilling Ltd., it spells trouble for his young company.

"I think Brexit doesn't necessarily spell a lot that's good right now, not for us, not out on the periphery of Britain in the north," he says.

"We very much rely on the British market and also being able to use Britain as a springboard to go to other markets round the world."

Kemp has many advantages basing his gin company in Orkney - for example, the Angelica root (one of the key botanicals used to flavour gin) grows naturally on the Scottish island.

But despite the positive reactions he's getting for his gin, Kemp says there could be difficulties ahead if the impact of Brexit on small businesses like his is not taken into consideration in the negotiations.

"It's sad to think that small producers like us will be penalised because there's been no indication how the support mechanism might work for the industries and for young companies like us," he says.

Welsh producers like the Celtic Pie Co. are also exhibiting at the show.

Like the Scots, many are also finding the prospect of Brexit negotiations a bit too salty.

Jessica Lea-Wilson is with Halen Mon Sea Salt co. from Anglesey, an island off the north coast of Wales.

Halen Mon has been hand harvesting high-end salt products from the waters around the island for the last 21 years.

A 100g packet of Anglesey sea-salt starts from around 4 British pounds (approx. $5 USD) and is called a finishing salt, added at the end of a dish rather than as a cooking ingredient.

The largest market for the Welsh company is in Spain, so a retreat from the EU is of real concern - particularly because it could mean losing its EU protected designation of origin status.

This could mean salt producers in other parts of the world could use the Anglesey name to promote their own salts.

"The protected designation of origin, this little symbol here, protected food names like Champagne or Parma ham or Melton Mowbray pork pies, this legislation is in place to protect our brands, make sure that they're not imitated and we're not quite sure what's going to happen when we leave the EU when it comes to that and that's really important to our business," says Lea-Wilson.

"So we're trying to highlight that and bring it to the government's attention."

Like many British producers at IFE, Lea-Wilson is already looking to new markets and also like many British producers she sees the US as a key growth area.

"We already have a growing market in the US and we're trying to see it as a positive thing that it might grow and that might be an opportunity for us, especially in terms of currency rates at the moment it's quite an attractive option for a lot of US buyers," she says.

Exhibitors are feeling the uncertainty, but remaining positive about the future.

Show director Soraya Gadelrab thinks there's a lot to be confident about in the British food industry.

"At the moment trading conditions are uncertain for some people and I think a big international trade show like this gives the UK suppliers an opportunity to say; 'Here we are, we're open for business.' But on top of that it shows new markets who perhaps haven't done a lot of imports from the UK previously, that we have such a plethora of on trend products to come and look at, but also it gives those buyers an opportunity to meet the suppliers face-to-face, talk to them and start talking to them about real genuine business," she says.

London attracts top chefs from around the world, who come to cook in the capital.

Peruvian chef Robert Ortiz from Lima restaurant in London is demonstrating his skills at the show.

Here he puts together a tiradito dish with raw scallops and spicy Peruvian yellow chillies.

IFE runs from 19-22 March at London's ExCel exhibition centre.

London, UK - 19 March 2017

1. Close of Polish beef steak frying on grill

2. Mid of chef speaking with show visitors

3. Close of steak being turned

4. Mid of chef serving visitors steak

5. Close of cooked steak

6. Wide of Turkish kebab

7. Close of kebab being shaved

8. Close of kebab cooking

9. Close of giant Spanish onion being placed on top of can

10. Various of Palestinian stand with dates

11. Close of bowl of seaweed salad from China

12. Various of man eating seaweed salad

13. Low shot of Callum MacInnes cutting Orkney smoked cheese

14. Close of cheese being cut

15. Close of Scottish flag of St Andrew

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Callum MacInnes, Founder of Island Smokery:

"It (Brexit and a second Scottish vote on independence) is alarming because we've no idea. Basically it's just more turmoil. I mean, you have turmoil in a political situation, when people are uncertain, people don't spend, they always wait to see. So between another referendum and Brexit we're really between a rock and a hard place at the minute because nobody knows how it's going to pan out."

17. Mid of MacInnes taking cheese from fridge

18. Close of smoked cheese being cut

19. Mid of MacInnes cutting cheese

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Callum MacInnes, Founder of Island Smokery:

"It was specialist for a long time, it was maybe too expensive for the man on the street but because of the way the pound and the dollar has gone, it's now accessible to everyone."

21. Close tilt down of Kirkjuvagr gin from Orkney, Scotland

22. Mid of Stephen Kemp of Kirkjuvagr talking with visitors

23. Close tilt up of show visitor sampling gin

24. Close of tap filling glass with gin

25. Various of Stephen Kemp drinking gin

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Kemp, Director of Orkney Distilling Ltd.:

"I think Brexit doesn't necessarily spell a lot that's good right now, not for us, not out on the periphery of Britain in the north. We very much rely on the British market, we rely also on being able to use Britain as a springboard to go to other markets round the world."

27. Close of jar containing Angelica root - a key ingredient in gin

28. Close of Angelica in hand

29. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Kemp, Director of Orkney Distilling Ltd.:

"It's sad to think that small producers like us I think will be penalised because there's been no indication of how the support mechanism might work for the industries and for young companies like us."

30. Mid pan right of sign reading: (Welsh/English) "Cymru/Wales"

31. Various of chef at the Celtic Pie Co. slicing steak and ale pie

32. Wide of Jessica Lea-Wilson from Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.

33. Close of Lea-Wilson

34. Close of bowl of sea salt

35. Mid of Lea-Wilson pouring salt into her hand

36. Close of salt in her hand

37. SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Lea-Wilson, Brand Manager, Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.:

"The protected designation of origin, this little symbol here, protected food names like Champagne or Parma ham or Melton Mowbray pork pies, this legislation is in place to protect our brands, make sure that they're not imitated and we're not quite sure what's going to happen when we leave the EU when it comes to that and that's really important to our business. So we're trying to highlight that and bring it to the government's attention."

38. Extreme close of salt crystals in hand

39. SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Lea-Wilson, Brand Manager, Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.:

"We already have a growing market in the US and we're trying to see it as a positive thing that it might grow and that might be an opportunity for us, especially in terms of currency rates at the moment it's quite an attractive option for a lot of US buyers."

40. Various setup shots of event director Soraya Gadelrab speaking to exhibitor

41. SOUNDBITE (English) Soraya Gadelrab, Show Director, the International Food and Drink Event:

"At the moment trading conditions are uncertain for some people and I think a big international trade show like this gives the UK suppliers an opportunity to say; 'Here we are, we're open for business.' But on top of that it shows new markets who perhaps haven't done a lot of imports from the UK previously, that we have such a plethora of on trend products to come and look at, but also it gives those buyers an opportunity to meet the suppliers face-to-face, talk to them and start talking about real genuine business."

42. Various of Robert Ortiz, chef from Lima restaurant in London, demonstrating Peruvian cooking onstage

LEADIN:

British food and drink producers are feeling the strains of Brexit at The International Food and Drink Event (IFE) in London.

The UK government announced today (Monday 20 March) that it will trigger Article 50 on March 29, which will formally begin the Brexit process.

With the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the negotiations, many producers are considering expansion into new markets, particularly the United States.

STORYLINE:

Things are sizzling in London at IFE, the UK's largest food and drink trade show, with more than 29,000 visitors expected to attend.

The show brings together over 1,350 food producers from around the world - like this beefsteak from Poland.

Or these kebabs from Turkey...

Giant onions from Spain...

Or how about a mouthful of Chinese seaweed salad?

But by far the largest contingent at the event is from the UK, which is acting as the show's partner country for the first time.

This year's show features more than 700 British food and drink producers and gives them a shop window for the international buyers in attendance.

But uncertainty over Brexit is overshadowing the event, with Article 50 expected to be triggered on March 29.

Many exhibitors are small to mid scale food and drink producers who are concerned about how a break from the European Union will impact their growing businesses.

For those north of the border in Scotland, the situation is particularly uncertain, with calls from the Scottish National Party for a second vote on independence.

Callum MacInnes is a cheese maker and founder of Island Smokery on the far northerly Orkney Islands.

He's been producing smoked cheeses and butters for a high-end market for over ten years; his products can be found at hotels including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

MacInnes produces 40 tonnes of cheese every year and is currently moving to a larger factory to grow his business, but now he has to contend with more instability.

"It (Brexit and a second Scottish vote on independence) is alarming because we've no idea. Basically it's just more turmoil," he says.

"I mean, you have turmoil in a political situation, when people are uncertain, people don't spend, they always wait to see.

"So between another referendum and Brexit we're really between a rock and a hard place at the minute because nobody knows how it's going to pan out."

But MacInnes tries to remain positive about the political situation in Scotland and sees the benefit of new trade with the US.

With the fall in value of the pound against the dollar he has discovered his high-end cheeses and butters are suddenly much more affordable for Americans looking to invest in high-quality food.

He's just shipped his first export to the US after a positive trade event saw orders flooding in.

"It was specialist for a long time, it was maybe too expensive for the man on the street but because of the way the pound and the dollar has gone, it's now accessible to everyone," he says.

Just down the road in Orkney is one of the newest producers at the show; Kirkjuvagr gin has only been available since last August.

The company started in February, but by the time the first bottle rolled off the production line the Brexit vote had already been decided.

For Stephen Kemp, the director of Orkney Distilling Ltd., it spells trouble for his young company.

"I think Brexit doesn't necessarily spell a lot that's good right now, not for us, not out on the periphery of Britain in the north," he says.

"We very much rely on the British market and also being able to use Britain as a springboard to go to other markets round the world."

Kemp has many advantages basing his gin company in Orkney - for example, the Angelica root (one of the key botanicals used to flavour gin) grows naturally on the Scottish island.

But despite the positive reactions he's getting for his gin, Kemp says there could be difficulties ahead if the impact of Brexit on small businesses like his is not taken into consideration in the negotiations.

"It's sad to think that small producers like us will be penalised because there's been no indication how the support mechanism might work for the industries and for young companies like us," he says.

Welsh producers like the Celtic Pie Co. are also exhibiting at the show.

Like the Scots, many are also finding the prospect of Brexit negotiations a bit too salty.

Jessica Lea-Wilson is with Halen Mon Sea Salt co. from Anglesey, an island off the north coast of Wales.

Halen Mon has been hand harvesting high-end salt products from the waters around the island for the last 21 years.

A 100g packet of Anglesey sea-salt starts from around 4 British pounds (approx. $5 USD) and is called a finishing salt, added at the end of a dish rather than as a cooking ingredient.

The largest market for the Welsh company is in Spain, so a retreat from the EU is of real concern - particularly because it could mean losing its EU protected designation of origin status.

This could mean salt producers in other parts of the world could use the Anglesey name to promote their own salts.

"The protected designation of origin, this little symbol here, protected food names like Champagne or Parma ham or Melton Mowbray pork pies, this legislation is in place to protect our brands, make sure that they're not imitated and we're not quite sure what's going to happen when we leave the EU when it comes to that and that's really important to our business," says Lea-Wilson.

"So we're trying to highlight that and bring it to the government's attention."

Like many British producers at IFE, Lea-Wilson is already looking to new markets and also like many British producers she sees the US as a key growth area.

"We already have a growing market in the US and we're trying to see it as a positive thing that it might grow and that might be an opportunity for us, especially in terms of currency rates at the moment it's quite an attractive option for a lot of US buyers," she says.

Exhibitors are feeling the uncertainty, but remaining positive about the future.

Show director Soraya Gadelrab thinks there's a lot to be confident about in the British food industry.

"At the moment trading conditions are uncertain for some people and I think a big international trade show like this gives the UK suppliers an opportunity to say; 'Here we are, we're open for business.' But on top of that it shows new markets who perhaps haven't done a lot of imports from the UK previously, that we have such a plethora of on trend products to come and look at, but also it gives those buyers an opportunity to meet the suppliers face-to-face, talk to them and start talking to them about real genuine business," she says.

London attracts top chefs from around the world, who come to cook in the capital.

Peruvian chef Robert Ortiz from Lima restaurant in London is demonstrating his skills at the show.

Here he puts together a tiradito dish with raw scallops and spicy Peruvian yellow chillies.

IFE runs from 19-22 March at London's ExCel exhibition centre.

London, UK - 19 March 2017

1. Close of Polish beef steak frying on grill

2. Mid of chef speaking with show visitors

3. Close of steak being turned

4. Mid of chef serving visitors steak

5. Close of cooked steak

6. Wide of Turkish kebab

7. Close of kebab being shaved

8. Close of kebab cooking

9. Close of giant Spanish onion being placed on top of can

10. Various of Palestinian stand with dates

11. Close of bowl of seaweed salad from China

12. Various of man eating seaweed salad

13. Low shot of Callum MacInnes cutting Orkney smoked cheese

14. Close of cheese being cut

15. Close of Scottish flag of St Andrew

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Callum MacInnes, Founder of Island Smokery:

"It (Brexit and a second Scottish vote on independence) is alarming because we've no idea. Basically it's just more turmoil. I mean, you have turmoil in a political situation, when people are uncertain, people don't spend, they always wait to see. So between another referendum and Brexit we're really between a rock and a hard place at the minute because nobody knows how it's going to pan out."

17. Mid of MacInnes taking cheese from fridge

18. Close of smoked cheese being cut

19. Mid of MacInnes cutting cheese

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Callum MacInnes, Founder of Island Smokery:

"It was specialist for a long time, it was maybe too expensive for the man on the street but because of the way the pound and the dollar has gone, it's now accessible to everyone."

21. Close tilt down of Kirkjuvagr gin from Orkney, Scotland

22. Mid of Stephen Kemp of Kirkjuvagr talking with visitors

23. Close tilt up of show visitor sampling gin

24. Close of tap filling glass with gin

25. Various of Stephen Kemp drinking gin

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Kemp, Director of Orkney Distilling Ltd.:

"I think Brexit doesn't necessarily spell a lot that's good right now, not for us, not out on the periphery of Britain in the north. We very much rely on the British market, we rely also on being able to use Britain as a springboard to go to other markets round the world."

27. Close of jar containing Angelica root - a key ingredient in gin

28. Close of Angelica in hand

29. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Kemp, Director of Orkney Distilling Ltd.:

"It's sad to think that small producers like us I think will be penalised because there's been no indication of how the support mechanism might work for the industries and for young companies like us."

30. Mid pan right of sign reading: (Welsh/English) "Cymru/Wales"

31. Various of chef at the Celtic Pie Co. slicing steak and ale pie

32. Wide of Jessica Lea-Wilson from Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.

33. Close of Lea-Wilson

34. Close of bowl of sea salt

35. Mid of Lea-Wilson pouring salt into her hand

36. Close of salt in her hand

37. SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Lea-Wilson, Brand Manager, Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.:

"The protected designation of origin, this little symbol here, protected food names like Champagne or Parma ham or Melton Mowbray pork pies, this legislation is in place to protect our brands, make sure that they're not imitated and we're not quite sure what's going to happen when we leave the EU when it comes to that and that's really important to our business. So we're trying to highlight that and bring it to the government's attention."

38. Extreme close of salt crystals in hand

39. SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Lea-Wilson, Brand Manager, Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt co.:

"We already have a growing market in the US and we're trying to see it as a positive thing that it might grow and that might be an opportunity for us, especially in terms of currency rates at the moment it's quite an attractive option for a lot of US buyers."

40. Various setup shots of event director Soraya Gadelrab speaking to exhibitor

41. SOUNDBITE (English) Soraya Gadelrab, Show Director, the International Food and Drink Event:

"At the moment trading conditions are uncertain for some people and I think a big international trade show like this gives the UK suppliers an opportunity to say; 'Here we are, we're open for business.' But on top of that it shows new markets who perhaps haven't done a lot of imports from the UK previously, that we have such a plethora of on trend products to come and look at, but also it gives those buyers an opportunity to meet the suppliers face-to-face, talk to them and start talking about real genuine business."

42. Various of Robert Ortiz, chef from Lima restaurant in London, demonstrating Peruvian cooking onstage

LEAD IN:

With Brexit uncertainty and US sanctions hitting the industry, it's a tough time for Spanish wine makers.

But while many fear the UK and US import markets could collapse, they are also turning their attentions to the east and growing markets in Asia - where wine is increasingly becoming a favoured tipple.

STORY-LINE:

Over 2,000 different Spanish wines are being uncorked, poured, sniffed, swirled and tasted at Madrid's two-day International Wine Fair.

But despite the constant clink of glasses, the Spanish wine industry is going through a period of deep uncertainty due to Brexit and new US sanctions that are hitting the industry hard.

"It is as if everyone had stopped, while saying: 'Well, what's coming now?'" says Beatriz Garcia, commercial director of AvanteSelecta winery.

"There is a general halt, even though those measures have not yet been applied. There is a feeling of confusion and total uncertainty."

AvanteSelecta is Spain´s leading wine group, producing over 2.5 million bottles annually with strong commercial relationships with the US and UK.

In the continued absence of an exit deal between the UK and the EU, the threat of the UK crashing out of the bloc without a deal still looms.

That spells bad news for the Spanish wine market that relies heavily on UK consumption.

According to data from the Spanish Wine Market Observatory (OEMV), the UK counts for a third of all international sales of Rioja.

As a whole, the export market to the UK is worth 333 million euros.

Alberto Saldon is from the Zamora Company winery that owns La Rioja based wine producers Ramon Bilbao.  

"The EU exit of the British market is going to be a blow to the Spanish agri-food industry, specifically for the wine sector in which we are, because exports will be charged with fees and tariffs," he says.

"For a winery like ours, almost Rioja centenary, (the UK) it is a key and strategic market. We have to think what we are going to do to save this circumstance that we cannot control. Undoubtedly, it will affect our income statement."

The fizz is also waning in the Catalan region, famous for its sparkling white wine Cava.

"Market turbulence, trade wars, they are never good," says Toni De la Rosa Torello, the director of Torello winery.

"The Spanish agri-food sector is very powerful and every time there is a little earthquake, from the commercial point of view, we are worried, logically.

"In the last years, we have invested many efforts in export, (we have done) a great economic effort. And when something like this happens, something that your winery, the quality of your wine, you cannot control, then you get nervous."

But Spanish producers have been trying to take some steps to soften the blow of Brexit if and when it falls.

At the beginning of 2019, in order to ensure that British lovers of Spanish wine do not run out, many producers increased their stock of bottles in the UK.

Winemakers are also taking advice on the prospect of having to change labelling and how to deal with a potential collapse of the British pound.

In addition, exporters are working with the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV) that is talking to other EU wine associations about getting an agreement with the UK government on tariffs, certificates of origin and labelling.

"These uncertainties are a question of what will happen from the practical point of view," says the general manager of the FEV, José Luis Benitez.

"More than the fall in sales, (these uncertainties are about) what will happen with the shipment, what wineries are going to need.

"We have always said that in a mature market (like the UK), which is a very good connoisseur of Spanish wine, the fall in sales could come from other causes: for example, by an economic recession that could be produced by Brexit. For example, by a depreciation of the pound that could make our wines more expensive."

At the same time, Spain is among the four countries affected by new U.S. tariffs on European food, wine and other goods in response to illegal EU subsidies to plane maker Airbus.

The U.S. put tariffs worth $7.5 billion on EU goods like wine, cheese and olive oil, following a green light from the World Trade Organisation in a case involving illegal EU subsidies for Airbus.

The tariffs, which took effect on October 18, are ten percent for EU aircraft and 25 percent for everything else.

Spanish wine (fresh grapes, not sparkling), in less than two-litre bottles with less than 14 percent alcohol content, are target for a 25 percent duty.

In 2018, Spain exported 90 million litres of wine to the United States worth 325 million euros, according to the OEMV.

"Brexit will be for all European wines, affecting the French, Italians, Germans, which are our great competitors worldwide, both in quantity and quality," explains Adolfo Gatell, general manager of the Peñin Spanish wines guide.

"On the other hand, the United States tariffs are only for the wines of those countries that participated in the Airbus project because it is a reprisal for the EU economic help.

"So, this will not affect other (competitor) countries, such as Portugal, Italy, Greece, Austria. Other countries that are not within the (Airbus project)."

But there is still reason to celebrate.

Faced with this economic scenario, Spanish wineries are looking for solutions in other markets.

Thanks to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), many wineries are knocking on doors in Canada and Japan.

Asia - particularly China, Hong Kong and South Korea - are also hot tickets for Spanish producers.

With a middle-class increasingly thirsty for reds, whites and bubbly, Spanish wine producers are pinning hopes on the China market.

Torres Sangre de Toro is one of the biggest foreign wines in China.

According to OEMV figures, in 2018, Spain exported 81 million litres of wine to China, worth 156 million euros.

Madrid, Spain - 28 October 2019

1. Close of man sniffing and swirling glass of wine and drinking it

2. Mid of two women laughing while clinking glasses and drinking wine

3. Close of women swirling glasses of white wine

4. Mid of a man uncorking bottle of wine

5. Close of man pouring red wine into glass

6. Mid of two Asian men sniffing, swirling and tasting wine

7. Close of woman sniffing and tasting wine

8. Wide of wine fair floor

9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Beatriz Garcia, Commercial Director of AvanteSelecta wine group:

"It is as if everyone had stopped, while saying: 'Well, what's coming now?' So, there is a general halt, even though those measures have not yet been applied. There is a feeling of confusion and total uncertainty."

10. Tilt up of man uncorking bottle of wine

11. Wide of man pouring Rioja wine for visitors

12. Mid of visitors tasting Rioja wine

13. Close of man swirling glass of red wine

14. Close of glass of red wine being contrasted against white tablecloth

15. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Alberto Saldon, Spokesperson for Zamora Company winery:

"The EU exit of the British market is going to be a blow to the Spanish agri-food industry, specifically for the wine sector in which we are, because exports will be charged with fees and tariffs. For a winery like ours, almost Rioja centenary, (the UK) it is a key and strategic market. We have to think what we are going to do to save this circumstance that we cannot control. Undoubtedly, it will affect our income statement."

16. Close of bottle of sparkling white wine known as Cava being uncorked

17. Close sparkling white wine known as Cava being poured

18. Mid of two men tasting Cava in front of bottles

19. Tilt up from glass of sparkling white wine known as Cava to woman smiling and clinking glass

20. Various of Toni De la Rosa Torello, Director of Torello winery, pouring and tasting sparkling wine

21. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Toni De la Rosa Torello, Director of Torello winery:

"Market turbulence, trade wars, they are never good. The Spanish agri-food sector is very powerful and every time there is a little earthquake, from the commercial point of view, we are worried, logically. In the last years, we have invested many efforts in export, (we have done) a great economic effort. And when something like this happens, something that your winery, the quality of your wine, you cannot control, then you get nervous."

22. Close of white wine being swirled in wine glass

23. Close of man tasting and drinking white wine

24. Wide of wine tasting room

25. Close of man sniffing two different wines

26. Mid of visitors tasting rose wine

27. Close of man swirling glass of rose wine, sniffing it and tasting it

Madrid, Spain - 23 October 2019

28. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) José Luis Benitez, General Manager, Spanish Wine Federation (FEV):

"Actually, these uncertainties are a question of what will happen from the practical point of view. More than the fall in sales, (these uncertainties are about) what will happen with the shipment, what wineries are going to need. We have always said that in a mature market (like the UK), which is a very good connoisseur of Spanish wine, the fall in sales could come from other causes: for example, by an economic recession that could be produced by Brexit. For example, by a depreciation of the pound that could make our wines more expensive."

FILE: Mezalocha, Spain - 7 May 2018

29. Various aerial shots of vineyards of Pago Ayles Winery

30. Wide of workers cleaning vineyard in preparation for grape growing season

Madrid, Spain - 28 October 2019

31. Close of red wine being poured into glasses

32. Mid of wine tasting room

33. Close of 2020 Peñin guidebook

34. Wide of wine fair floor

35. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Adolfo Gatell, General Manager, Peñin guide:

"The situation between what could happen with the United States and Brexit is much different. Brexit will be for all European wines, affecting the French, Italians, Germans, which are our great competitors worldwide, both in quantity and quality. On the other hand, the United States tariffs are only for the wines of those countries that participated in the Airbus project because it is a reprisal for the EU economic help. So, this will not affect other (competitor) countries, such as Portugal, Italy, Greece, Austria. Other countries that are not within the (Airbus project)."

36. Mid of Asian men tasting wine

37. Close of Asian men tasting wine

38. Wide of two Asian women tasting wine

39. Close of Asian man taking picture of red wine

40. Zoom out from close of glasses clinking to wide of men drinking wine

LEAD IN:

With Brexit uncertainty and US sanctions hitting the industry, it's a tough time for Spanish wine makers.

But while many fear the UK and US import markets could collapse, they are also turning their attentions to the east and growing markets in Asia - where wine is increasingly becoming a favoured tipple.

STORY-LINE:

Over 2,000 different Spanish wines are being uncorked, poured, sniffed, swirled and tasted at Madrid's two-day International Wine Fair.

But despite the constant clink of glasses, the Spanish wine industry is going through a period of deep uncertainty due to Brexit and new US sanctions that are hitting the industry hard.

"It is as if everyone had stopped, while saying: 'Well, what's coming now?'" says Beatriz Garcia, commercial director of AvanteSelecta winery.

"There is a general halt, even though those measures have not yet been applied. There is a feeling of confusion and total uncertainty."

AvanteSelecta is Spain´s leading wine group, producing over 2.5 million bottles annually with strong commercial relationships with the US and UK.

In the continued absence of an exit deal between the UK and the EU, the threat of the UK crashing out of the bloc without a deal still looms.

That spells bad news for the Spanish wine market that relies heavily on UK consumption.

According to data from the Spanish Wine Market Observatory (OEMV), the UK counts for a third of all international sales of Rioja.

As a whole, the export market to the UK is worth 333 million euros.

Alberto Saldon is from the Zamora Company winery that owns La Rioja based wine producers Ramon Bilbao.  

"The EU exit of the British market is going to be a blow to the Spanish agri-food industry, specifically for the wine sector in which we are, because exports will be charged with fees and tariffs," he says.

"For a winery like ours, almost Rioja centenary, (the UK) it is a key and strategic market. We have to think what we are going to do to save this circumstance that we cannot control. Undoubtedly, it will affect our income statement."

The fizz is also waning in the Catalan region, famous for its sparkling white wine Cava.

"Market turbulence, trade wars, they are never good," says Toni De la Rosa Torello, the director of Torello winery.

"The Spanish agri-food sector is very powerful and every time there is a little earthquake, from the commercial point of view, we are worried, logically.

"In the last years, we have invested many efforts in export, (we have done) a great economic effort. And when something like this happens, something that your winery, the quality of your wine, you cannot control, then you get nervous."

But Spanish producers have been trying to take some steps to soften the blow of Brexit if and when it falls.

At the beginning of 2019, in order to ensure that British lovers of Spanish wine do not run out, many producers increased their stock of bottles in the UK.

Winemakers are also taking advice on the prospect of having to change labelling and how to deal with a potential collapse of the British pound.

In addition, exporters are working with the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV) that is talking to other EU wine associations about getting an agreement with the UK government on tariffs, certificates of origin and labelling.

"These uncertainties are a question of what will happen from the practical point of view," says the general manager of the FEV, José Luis Benitez.

"More than the fall in sales, (these uncertainties are about) what will happen with the shipment, what wineries are going to need.

"We have always said that in a mature market (like the UK), which is a very good connoisseur of Spanish wine, the fall in sales could come from other causes: for example, by an economic recession that could be produced by Brexit. For example, by a depreciation of the pound that could make our wines more expensive."

At the same time, Spain is among the four countries affected by new U.S. tariffs on European food, wine and other goods in response to illegal EU subsidies to plane maker Airbus.

The U.S. put tariffs worth $7.5 billion on EU goods like wine, cheese and olive oil, following a green light from the World Trade Organisation in a case involving illegal EU subsidies for Airbus.

The tariffs, which took effect on October 18, are ten percent for EU aircraft and 25 percent for everything else.

Spanish wine (fresh grapes, not sparkling), in less than two-litre bottles with less than 14 percent alcohol content, are target for a 25 percent duty.

In 2018, Spain exported 90 million litres of wine to the United States worth 325 million euros, according to the OEMV.

"Brexit will be for all European wines, affecting the French, Italians, Germans, which are our great competitors worldwide, both in quantity and quality," explains Adolfo Gatell, general manager of the Peñin Spanish wines guide.

"On the other hand, the United States tariffs are only for the wines of those countries that participated in the Airbus project because it is a reprisal for the EU economic help.

"So, this will not affect other (competitor) countries, such as Portugal, Italy, Greece, Austria. Other countries that are not within the (Airbus project)."

But there is still reason to celebrate.

Faced with this economic scenario, Spanish wineries are looking for solutions in other markets.

Thanks to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), many wineries are knocking on doors in Canada and Japan.

Asia - particularly China, Hong Kong and South Korea - are also hot tickets for Spanish producers.

With a middle-class increasingly thirsty for reds, whites and bubbly, Spanish wine producers are pinning hopes on the China market.

Torres Sangre de Toro is one of the biggest foreign wines in China.

According to OEMV figures, in 2018, Spain exported 81 million litres of wine to China, worth 156 million euros.

Madrid, Spain - 28 October 2019

1. Close of man sniffing and swirling glass of wine and drinking it

2. Mid of two women laughing while clinking glasses and drinking wine

3. Close of women swirling glasses of white wine

4. Mid of a man uncorking bottle of wine

5. Close of man pouring red wine into glass

6. Mid of two Asian men sniffing, swirling and tasting wine

7. Close of woman sniffing and tasting wine

8. Wide of wine fair floor

9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Beatriz Garcia, Commercial Director of AvanteSelecta wine group:

"It is as if everyone had stopped, while saying: 'Well, what's coming now?' So, there is a general halt, even though those measures have not yet been applied. There is a feeling of confusion and total uncertainty."

10. Tilt up of man uncorking bottle of wine

11. Wide of man pouring Rioja wine for visitors

12. Mid of visitors tasting Rioja wine

13. Close of man swirling glass of red wine

14. Close of glass of red wine being contrasted against white tablecloth

15. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Alberto Saldon, Spokesperson for Zamora Company winery:

"The EU exit of the British market is going to be a blow to the Spanish agri-food industry, specifically for the wine sector in which we are, because exports will be charged with fees and tariffs. For a winery like ours, almost Rioja centenary, (the UK) it is a key and strategic market. We have to think what we are going to do to save this circumstance that we cannot control. Undoubtedly, it will affect our income statement."

16. Close of bottle of sparkling white wine known as Cava being uncorked

17. Close sparkling white wine known as Cava being poured

18. Mid of two men tasting Cava in front of bottles

19. Tilt up from glass of sparkling white wine known as Cava to woman smiling and clinking glass

20. Various of Toni De la Rosa Torello, Director of Torello winery, pouring and tasting sparkling wine

21. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Toni De la Rosa Torello, Director of Torello winery:

"Market turbulence, trade wars, they are never good. The Spanish agri-food sector is very powerful and every time there is a little earthquake, from the commercial point of view, we are worried, logically. In the last years, we have invested many efforts in export, (we have done) a great economic effort. And when something like this happens, something that your winery, the quality of your wine, you cannot control, then you get nervous."

22. Close of white wine being swirled in wine glass

23. Close of man tasting and drinking white wine

24. Wide of wine tasting room

25. Close of man sniffing two different wines

26. Mid of visitors tasting rose wine

27. Close of man swirling glass of rose wine, sniffing it and tasting it

Madrid, Spain - 23 October 2019

28. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) José Luis Benitez, General Manager, Spanish Wine Federation (FEV):

"Actually, these uncertainties are a question of what will happen from the practical point of view. More than the fall in sales, (these uncertainties are about) what will happen with the shipment, what wineries are going to need. We have always said that in a mature market (like the UK), which is a very good connoisseur of Spanish wine, the fall in sales could come from other causes: for example, by an economic recession that could be produced by Brexit. For example, by a depreciation of the pound that could make our wines more expensive."

FILE: Mezalocha, Spain - 7 May 2018

29. Various aerial shots of vineyards of Pago Ayles Winery

30. Wide of workers cleaning vineyard in preparation for grape growing season

Madrid, Spain - 28 October 2019

31. Close of red wine being poured into glasses

32. Mid of wine tasting room

33. Close of 2020 Peñin guidebook

34. Wide of wine fair floor

35. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Adolfo Gatell, General Manager, Peñin guide:

"The situation between what could happen with the United States and Brexit is much different. Brexit will be for all European wines, affecting the French, Italians, Germans, which are our great competitors worldwide, both in quantity and quality. On the other hand, the United States tariffs are only for the wines of those countries that participated in the Airbus project because it is a reprisal for the EU economic help. So, this will not affect other (competitor) countries, such as Portugal, Italy, Greece, Austria. Other countries that are not within the (Airbus project)."

36. Mid of Asian men tasting wine

37. Close of Asian men tasting wine

38. Wide of two Asian women tasting wine

39. Close of Asian man taking picture of red wine

40. Zoom out from close of glasses clinking to wide of men drinking wine

Bastian Heuser swirls the snifter of deep amber whisky before taking a sip, noting its sweet caramel flavour at first that then opens up with hints of spices, nuts and dried fruits.

It's not a single malt from a verdant Scottish glen, nor a sour mash bourbon from the hills of Tennessee - this is an award winning German rye whisky produced by the tiny Spreewood Distillery, nestled in a small town among the fields and forests of Brandenburg about an hour's drive from Berlin.

More and more micro operations like Spreewood have been opening up in recent years, focusing on small batches of quality whisky made from ingredients primarily locally sourced.

German whisky production has increased "massively", and already the number of distilleries outnumbers that of Scotland, according to Michaela Habbel, President of the German Whisky Distillers' Association.

However, "German whisky distilleries have still produced too little to really look at the global market for themselves" at this point in time, Habbel added.  

Indeed, the nascent whisky industry in Germany is dwarfed by others.

For example, Scotland's scotch whisky exports alone in 2017 were worth some 4.4 billion pounds (5.8 billion US dollars/5.1 billion euros), whereas Germany's entire production was worth 11.6 million euros (13.1 billion US dollars), according to government statistics.

With such a small overall production of about six million litres (about 1.6 million gallons) in 2017, German whisky is mostly sold on the domestic market.

But that doesn't mean that distillers like Heuser and Habbel aren't watching international politics, with whisky featuring prominently in two major issues at the moment - Brexit and US President Donald Trump's protectionist tariffs.

With 90 percent of Scotland's whisky exported, accounting for 20 percent of all British food and beverage exports, the Scotch Whisky Association - which spells "whisky" the European style without an "e" - is increasingly concerned about the looming Brexit decision to leave the European Union, especially if there is no deal on future trade relations.

Across the Atlantic, when Trump imposed tariffs on European steel and aluminum, the EU retaliated last year targeting "typically American" products, including Harley-Davidson motorcycles and bourbon whisky.

With duties looming for Scotch and already on bourbon, Habbel sees opportunity for German distillers.

But if the whisky tariffs turn into a long-term issue, Heuster says it would be to nobody's benefit.

Right now Spreewood only exports small quantities of whisky to Britain but as it expands its stocks it's hoping to increase that, and is eyeing possible exports to the US down the road.

Despite being sold mostly domestically, German whiskys are gaining international recognition, with a single malt from Habbel's Hillock Park Distillery winning double gold and being named the best whisky in the world by the "World Spirits Award" in 2017.

Hillock Park is one of the oldest German distilleries producing whisky today, with Habbel's father starting small quantities in 1977.

She said the business grew out of the distillery's production of "korn" liquor - basically moonshine - to provide the daily 200 millilitres (about 7 ounces) ration for coal miners in the industrial Ruhr region.

Whisky can be made from many different grains, and has to be aged at least three years in either oak casks that have previously been used to mature other liquor, or virgin oak casks.

Malt whisky is made from malted barley and can only be called Scotch if produced in Scotland, according to EU regulations, and is predominantly matured in used oak casks - the German product is known as single malt.

Bourbon must contain at least 51 percent corn, and rye whisky predominantly rye grain, and both are typically aged in virgin oak barrels, sometimes charred for different flavours.

It's been growing slowly in market share as Germans move away from more traditional liquors like korn and fruit brandy, and now makes up about 10 percent of the market, according to the Association of the German Spirit Industry and Importers.

German distillers tend to focus on using the raw ingredients readily available in the area, making whisky from rye, wheat, spelt and other grains, Habbel says.

With his neatly cuffed selvage jeans and peaked woolen flat cap, Heuser's still clearly more big-city Berlin than small town Brandenburg, but he says part of the distillery's appeal is its serene setting and natural approach.

In addition to using grain from the nearby fields, it draws water from the river that flows through the town of just over 600 people, and its brand name - Stork Club - is a reference to the 200 pairs of the birds that nest in the area.

The whisky is aged in three different types of oak barrels, two from American oaks and one German, which are mixed together at the end of the aging process for a unique flavour that garnered it several awards and a recent 93 rating in Jim Murray's authoritative Whisky Bible - placing it among the top ranked considered "brilliant."

With 500 barrels currently aging and ongoing expansion of storage facilities to accommodate plans to double that this year, Spreewood is growing but Heuser says Scotland's got nothing to worry about just yet.

Schlepzig - 27 February 2019

1. Bastian Heuser, co-owner of Spreewood Distillery, sniffing whisky in barrel

2. Heuser opening whisky bottle and pouring into glass

3. Heuser sniffing whisky

4. Heuser walking over to shelf with whisky bottles

5. Whisky bottles

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Bastian Heuser, co-owner of Spreewood Distillery:

"Rye whisky was always something we really loved because we used to work in bars, made lots of cocktails with rye whisky. And so we said 'OK, that is going to be our focus'. We immediately stopped to do everything else, and basically are now Germany's first distillery that produces solely rye whisky."

7. Employees checking alcoholic strength of whisky

8. Device showing alcoholic strength of the whisky

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Bastian Heuser, co-owner of Spreewood Distillery:

"I think we are, how do you say, (like) a little fly on the back of an elephant. So it's nothing really to be worried from the Scottish side (in terms of competition)."

10. Exterior of Spreewood Distillery

11. Sign at Spreewood Distillery

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Bastian Heuser, co-owner of Spreewood Distillery:

"If Brexit will come, and we don't know of the outcome yet, we have to see: do the prices rise high, do they just do minor price arrangements? We don't know yet. So, it might be a chance in the domestic market, but it definitely will be hard on us on the export into the UK."

Sprockhoevel - 28 February 2019

13. Mash silo

14. Production of whisky

15. Mash in silo

16. Michaela Habbel, President of the German whisky Distillers' Association, talking to colleague

17. SOUNDBITE (German) Michaela Habbel, President of the German whisky Distillers' Association:

"We cannot quantify exactly when the number of German distillers exceeded that of Scotland. The first statistics on this subject were not collected until 2013/2014, and it was, therefore, only then that it was actually discovered that we had an incredible diversity of distilleries in Germany, which was much greater than that in Scotland."

18. Habbel checking rye bag

19. Buckets with mash

20. SOUNDBITE (German) Michaela Habbel, President of the German whisky Distillers' Association:

"Currently the German whisky distilleries have still produced too little to really look at the global market for themselves. At the moment what we see is that production increases massively in German distilleries and what the global market makes of us, we will probably see in the next two to three years."

21. Silos

22. SOUNDBITE (German) Michaela Habbel, President of the German whisky Distillers' Association:

"The political situation which we are currently facing - such as Brexit or the present government in the United States - does not scare German distillers off. At the moment we are still mostly trading nationally, but for the future we do not set any limits for ourselves."

23. Pan to Habbel smelling undistilled whisky

24. Various exteriors of Habbel Distillery