New margarine options enrich breakfast menus
Upfield, a plant-based, consumer packaged goods firm, rebrands Blue Band margarine, launches new food spreads in local marts
Growing up in East African cities, there was no breakfast for us without margarine.
It was either a spread on bread or a mixture with porridge, you ate it how you liked it.
Talking to other middle class families, I realised that margarine, particulary Blue Band variety, was a must-have item at many homes. That happens todate.
The first time they introduced Blue Band Choco, my brother and I nagged our mum every time she went to work to bring a tab home.
This irritated her, but she finally caved in and got us the spread that was to change our breakfast moments. I can’t help but recall the song; “B without bb is like a train without an engine”.
Last week Upfield announced its take-ovver of the Blue Band spread, a brand that for many years was produced by the trans-national Unilever. Upfield was spun off from Unilever and purchased by investment firm KKR in 2018.
Operating in more than 95 countries, Upfield other spreads include Flora, Stork, Becel, Country Crock and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! It is the largest plant-based consumer packaged goods firm globally.
The firm recently introduced its brands to the market at the Tamambo Blixen Restaurant in Karen, Nairobi and we got to dine in and get the full experience.
Added to the Blue Band portfolio is the peanut butter (too salty for me), real mayonnaise and blue and cold pressed canola oil. The brunch menu was quite vast, which got me wondering if I would make it to the bottom. Luckily, it was on a slow Friday morning, which meant an easy afternoon.
So, putting my overwhelmed foodie self-aside, I decided to take it easy. After sipping a cold berry juice, I was ready for brunch.
The starter options were Mango and coriander salad, creamy cold potato salad, calamari, grilled beef and chicken skewers.
You know squid (whose calinary name is calamari) has an acquired taste, but for those who love it, golden-brown freshly fried calamari is a delight.
This one was crispy and tasted nice, with the mango basil mayonnaise. The beef and chicken were flavourful. The ginger peanut sauce was worth the combo, too.
For the main meal, there was roasted chicken served with potato wedges, peanut githeri, mini fish tacos and ginger beef meatballs. Served on the table whole, was crispy chicken whose site delivered a scrumptious taste in my mouth. The herbs and mayo used added flavour to the chicken. I’m not such a big fun of githeri, (a mix of cooked beans and maize) but when they added Blue Band to it, it hit differently, as we say in foodie language.
I also found the mini fish tacos topped with chili mayonnaise coleslaw flavourful and satisfying. By the time I got to taste their meatballs, I was too full, but in a foodie challenge, one must complete a task.
On a side table, a group of three foodies was tackling a whole chicken challenge presented to them. Can you imagine having to eat a whole chicken in a few minutes? Surprisingly, a female foodie won the chicken contest.
After a few minutes break to let my stomach work, dessert arrived. Plated smartly, was a piece of mayonnaise chocolate gateaux topped with peanut butter icing. Gateau is a light sponge cake with rich icing. I loved how it blended well with the peanut butter icing.
This great innovation all played about in the making of this brunch. Even at home, can play around with recipes to your liking. Call it picnic parties made easier.
