Sourcing New Products- WafflesA few weeks ago the Management Team were having a monthly meeting & the conversation turned to a product we used to stock & would like to stock again. It was actually suggested by the mummy of the group, Selina, when discussing potential products for our Christmas 2014 hampers. This might seem a bit random, but this is what happens at Baskets Galore - we love Christmas & plan all year round for it!Taste testing tends to crop up quite a lot. One minute we could all be sitting working away and the next there is a box full of great samples to try. I am not complaining though, as it’s great getting a little treat for our tea/coffee break. It tends to mean an extra trip to the gym for some of us though!Baskets Galore used to stock a type of waffle within their baskets, but unfortunately the supplier was unable to produce them anymore and we had to resort to discontinuing the product when we couldn't source an alternative. It was a shame as they were popular and very tasty! They have been off our shelves for a couple of years now and it was quite funny that Mother just said one day, “I really miss those waffles we used to stock”. We had also received a number of requests for them from past customers and so this combination got the team back on the sourcing journey of finding a company that manufactured these products.They finally located a producer whose waffles not only tastes amazing, but looked the part too. They are called Tregroes & here is a bit of information about them taken from their website:"Tregroes Waffles is a small, family run Bakery based in the beautiful rolling hills of the Teifi Valley, South-West Wales. We have been producing Waffles in the area for over 30 years using only the best ingredients, and they have quickly become a proud part of the local community.Remember, remember the fifth of November…It all started back in 1983 when Kees Huysmans, having baked a fresh supply of waffles at home in the small village of Tregroes and armed with his waffle iron and market stall, braved the cold on Bonfire night and took his newly invented recipe to be tried and tested on the hungry people of Henllan Railway. It was a surprisingly successful night, and it marked the beginning of the Tregroes Waffles story.30 years later…Long (hard) days selling waffles at markets, fairs, shows, and Victorian Nights all over Wales, and an unshakable confidence in the quality of our products, has led us, all these years later, to be producing up to 4,000 Waffles per hour and supplying most of the leading supermarkets throughout Wales, and some nationally. Due to increased demand, the bakery moved home in 1994 and is now based in the small town of Llandysul. We strive to support the local community where ever possible, and our workforce – the back bone of the business – is all employed from Llandysul and the surrounding area. As well as the national supermarkets, we supply a myriad of independent delicatessens, coffee shops, cafés, and corner shops within the Welsh Borders and beyond. We still attend some of the larger fairs and markets, where we often meet up with many familiar faces – our most loyal customers. We are very proud of our product, and we are constantly working to ensure that our Waffles are the best that they can be."waffles We opened the samples and of course let Selina (Mother) sample the first bite since it was her idea to get a similar product back into our baskets. There were 3 different varieties - toffee, milk chocolate and dark chocolate.Everyone in the office thought they were delicious and so we have decided to bring these items in. It can take a while for new products to filter through into our pre-designed gift baskets, but they will be sure to make an appearance in our chocolate-themed Christmas Hampers.Have you tried these waffles yet, which was your favourite flavour?