Food matters: Milkshake craze heads north

ShakeAway first reinvented the humble milkshake 11 years ago when founder Peter Moody and Rob Hazell started blending their favourite chocolate bars with milk and ice cream to create personalised milkshakes to match their every mood.

The menu now contains more than 150 ingredients including branded chocolate, sweets cakes and baked goodies.

For the health conscious there are fruit flavours and added extras like protein

and fibre supplements and vegans can order soya milkshakes, too.

The ShakeAway craze has swept across the country with 45 outlets, including the new Leeds store.

In spite of the economic downturn and multiple closures on the high street, ShakeAway has expanded nationally and has more than doubled in size this year, creating new jobs and business opportunities through franchising.

ShakeAway co-founders Rob and Peter commented on the launch: 'We're delighted to be expanding in Yorkshire and thrilled to open our Leeds branch. As the original custom milkshake bar, we hope ShakeAway will add something fun and fresh to the area."

Time to enter taste awards

The search is on to find the best tasting food and drink products from every corner

of the United Kingdom, Ireland and even the rest of the world.

Last year, Swaledale Cheese Company with their Swaledale Blue, and Yorkshire Milk with their Liquorice Ice Cream flew the flag for Yorkshire and Humber with fantastic results, each winning the coveted

3-Star Gold Award, of which only 72 were awarded nationally.

Last year saw high-profile foodies such as Chris Evans and Thomasina Miers involved in the judging of the competition which is to speciality food what Michelin is to fine dining.

The Great Taste Awards 2010 is now open for entries and would-be award-winning producers prepared to be judged alongside the best of last year's winners have until April 9 to get them in.

Entry forms are available at http://www.finefoodworld.co.uk