littleseed rapeseed oil

Three flavoured variants have an rsp of £2.45 for 250ml

North Yorkshire startup brand Littleseed is making its grocery debut with a four-strong lineup of extra virgin rapeseed oils.

The business this week unveiled a range of cold-pressed oils made from oilseed rape grown on British farms including its own near York – with an eye to capitalising on Brits’ growing preference for alternatives to olive oil.

Pressed and bottled on Littleseed’s premises, the new quartet includes the plain British Rapeseed Oil (rsp: £2.89/500ml). It had “the lowest saturated fat content of all oils and is high in vitamin E” said the brand. Its provenance meant “you’re spending less on food miles too”.

It is joined by three flavoured variants: Pizza Drizzle Oil with chilli, oregano and garlic, Potato Wedges Oil with garlic, and Herb Spicy Stir Fry Oil with ginger, chilli and garlic (rsp: £2.45/250ml).

Littleseed’s aim was “to bring home-grown rapeseed oil to the masses” said founder Adam Palmer. “Once people learn about the fantastic health benefits – and ease and flexibility – of cooking with rapeseed oil, it makes for a repeat supermarket purchase. We advocate buying British produce, and are proud to contribute to a more sustainable, everyday option for consumers.”

The launch comes with rapeseed oil enjoying rising popularity in the mults. Cold-pressed lines added 10.2% in take-home value sales (to £11.7m) over the past year, while volumes jumped 21.1% [Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 28 January 2018]. Meanwhile, extra virgin olive oil added just 0.6% to its value (to £80.1m) as volumes plunged by 8.1%.