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Doctors say: “Let Kids Eat Cake!”

Physician-Parents Make the Case for Snacking Smart in the New Normal 

TORONTO, NOVEMBER 9, 2021 – For most parents, achieving a balance between what children want and nurturing healthy choices is challenging, but since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, stability can feel downright impossible. Whilst the knock-on effects are vast beyond gift-giving, it’s been especially difficult to manage indulging treats. It may then be surprising to hear that for some healthcare professionals, the solution came in the form of pastry – delicious news that comes via Canada’s Baking Box (http://www.canadasbakingbox.ca) a subscription service designed to develop home-baking techniques, and the first baking subscription box in Canada to offer monthly demonstrations taught by a professional pastry chef.

Whilst in the holiday run-up, the Nintendo Switch remains one of the most coveted gifts for 2021 (in no small way thanks to the Animal Crossing: New Horizons 2.0 update due early November), according to Good Housekeeping’s Tween-tested gift guide* released this month, the top trends for the age group (9-12) largely relate to self care, the latest tech and personal growth – with an emphasis on expressing individuality and exploring new hobbies from fitness and photography to beadwork and baking. 

 For 41-year old physician Naomi Bothwell, from Lindsay, Ontario, staying on-trend to give relevant gifts that instil healthy habits in her 11 year old daughter Raeghan isn’t easy – but it’s essential, and often part of discussions with colleague and friend Meileen, mum of Hazel, 12.

With both girls expressing a keen interest in baking, Naomi proposed a novel idea for Christmas 2020: nurturing their passion with monthly lessons from a professional pastry chef. Naomi says; 

“Raeghan’s always had a sweet tooth and enjoys baking – so when I found Canada’s Baking Box, I thought it would be a way to celebrate her interests. Meileen and I agreed it would be a great activity for the girls to do together, so we ordered them each a 3-month subscription for Christmas. 

As parents, we’re always looking for something interactive where the kids aren’t just passively staring at a screen, and we knew baking together would be more tactile, important and memorable than something like video games.”

The girls were thrilled and eagerly awaited a chance to bake together – but no one could have anticipated the pandemic’s progress, or that we’d have to miss out on so much time with our loved ones. 

With Canadians across the nation continuing to negotiate unprecedented times, that, in 2020/21 brought school closures, working from home and the ‘new normal’ of life in lockdowns, it was valuable to Naomi to be able to offer Raeghan some respite from the gloom. She continues; 

“The announcement of a second lockdown was really tough on everyone. Meileen and I share an office, so we’d still see each other every day, but it was harder for the kids not to be in touch, especially after going back to school only to have their routines disrupted again. 

We’d originally planned for the girls to bake together in-person, but instead, we set up computers in our kitchens, so they could try the recipes together. It allowed them to have some much-needed social time, and we were all thrilled with their delicious results.”

Guiding children toward routine is challenging in the best of times, but parenting during lockdown upped the ante, leaving many parents feeling they had to pick their battles. Naomi and her husband strategized to find compromises that would empower their children while nudging them in the direction of making healthy choices. She explains; 

“No one’s perfect, but parents are always finding new ways of incorporating and improving on the healthy habits we teach our kids. 

Enjoying food and enjoying life are important, and kids also need to learn how to incorporate balance – I want to let Raeghan enjoy her love of sweet treats, but also eat her vegetables. 

I’d love to eat chocolate-covered almonds every day, but I shouldn’t do that and shouldn’t teach my daughter that either – a healthy relationship to food, and to balance, is something that lasts a lifetime.

My husband and I have sought to encourage healthy habits for the whole family, for example, making sure we prioritize eating dinner together, with no screens allowed at the dinner table – in fact, we have to ask the kids’ permission to look at our phones during dinner. We used to only have dessert on the weekends, but when the pandemic hit, every day felt like the weekend – that’s when we implemented a new rule: Rae was allowed to enjoy the sweets she baked herself.”

The strategic compromise had a fantastic outcome for the whole family: as Raeghan put her energy into enjoying time in the kitchen with her best friend on Zoom, her skills evolved dramatically. 

 The girls also attended the CBB baking camp for kids, which was organized through sister company Baking Party, the company’s response to the demand for socially-distant gatherings to create unforgettable, one-of-a-kind memories. Naomi continues;

“Raeghan was already quite adventurous and creative with flavour combinations, and since starting the subscription, her confidence in the kitchen has grown along with her expertise.

While of course we’ve always got an eye on them to supervise, Meileen and I definitely take a backseat – it’s about the two of them, and they’ve learned to make pastries, French palmiers and macarons, and all sorts of delicious things that the whole family get to enjoy.” 

Gift-giving can be fraught and often expensive – and as any parent knows, with Tweens’ rapidly changing tastes, determining which presents will prove a long-term success isn’t easy, but Naomi and her husband have been pleasantly surprised with Raeghan embracing Canada’s Baking Box. Naomi says; 

“It’s wonderful that they’ve been able to learn so much, and make such delicious, professional-looking treats all on their own – and I really like that not only are they chatting with each other and exchanging ideas but also developing incredible skills and techniques. 

On top of that, Raeghan is learning about the value of the best ingredients; for example, one of the boxes included real vanilla bean paste – it was incredible, and so much better than anything I’ve ever experienced or would think to buy. Raeghan’s even learning about using different types of flour for different kinds of results – myself, I only ever thought to use the one yellow bag for everything!”

The baking box has been the most successful activity that the kids have done, and it’s really rewarding to give your child a gift and realise ‘this is a hit!’ I keep waiting for her to lose interest the way every kid does, eventually, and it just doesn’t happen. When the baking camp finished last week, she actually asked if I can enroll her again for next year, and reminded me not to let the monthly subscription lapse!” 

Canada’s Baking Box and Baking Party are available nationwide, on a one-off, or monthly subscription basis.

* https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/gift-ideas/g4742/gifts-for-tween-girls/

ENDS

About Canada’s Baking Box

Canadas Baking Box is a subscription baking box that delivers delicious new recipes and a live demonstration with a professional baker monthly. Visit http://www.canadasbakingbox.ca for more information, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram @CanadasBakingBox

Baking Party is a virtual baking event hosted by, and featuring live demonstration from, Toronto’s celebrated Baker of Bathurst. Whether celebrating socially-distant gatherings or guiding corporate team-building exercises, Baking Party unites group bookings for unforgettable (and delicious) events.  

For more information on Canada’s Baking Box or Baking Party, contact Nikki Milovanović of Sophisticated Comms hello@sophisticatedcomms.com

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Scientifically Proven, Healthy and Delicious – What’s not to Luhv?

Luhv Drinks lands major Co-op contracts across Greater London

London, 10 April, 2021 – Making healthy, delicious refreshment accessible and affordable might be a dream for some, but for science-led health beverage company Luhv Drinks (www.luhvdrinks.com) it’s a dream come true.  After winning the coveted Gold Award at the Quality Food Awards (the most prestigious honours for food and drink products on sale in the UK) they landed their first retailer launch to supply Co-op stores across the Capital – and the success of their initial offering has since resulted in the retailer showcasing even more from the growing brand. 

The Luhv Drinks ethos is that improving people’s health isn’t solely achieved through the promotion of lifestyle choices like increased exercise or a better diet – in addition, they believe empowering individuals to develop and support their own long-term wellness goals is vital. With that in mind, the brand set about creating a framework to ensure consumer understanding of their healthy products, to encourage a solid foundation that would let informed consumers determine and choose the benefits for themselves. 

Luhv Drinks worked closely with a team of biomedical and dietetic scientists at King’s College London in order to establish the range – determining the best combination of ingredients to offer the optimal benefit, as well as to convey to laypeople exactly how their natural plant-based ingredients work

The Co-op have opted to stock the brand’s Body range, including:

  • ​MIND – This multi-award-winning functional drink features green tea, coconut water, green grape, lemon, linseed, and green spirulina – all big hitters when it comes to supporting brain function. With all that flavour, it’s hard to believe this 100% plant-based, natural drink contains only 118 calories per serving.  
  • ​SKIN – Fresh ingredients orange, carrot, pineapple, raspberry, ginger, turmeric, sunflower and pumpkin seed are combined to support radiant, youthful-looking skin. Not only do consumers rave about this great-tasting drink, they also love that it’s a mere 98 calories per serving.

Following the initial agreement, Co-op Local buyers – who promote and sell products from within their region – were so impressed by the brand’s latest offering, the Immunity Shot range, that these too have been launched, and are now available at Co-op Local stores across Greater London. 

The Immunity Shot range comprises three unique blends designed to help maintain and support the immune system and increase resistance, aiding the body’s natural processes to help fight infections. Each offer 8 healthy and delicious ‘shots,’ per bottle, and the range includes:

  • ​SUPPORT – Oranges, water, carrot, yellow capsicum, red finger chillies and paprika are scientifically proven to enhance normal immune function – a great way to help maintain optimal immunity. 
  • DEFENCE – Mango, water, lemon, ginger, turmeric, black peppercorn and lemon balm tea combine to help kick-start immune function, reduce inflammation and lessen viral effectiveness.
  • RECOVERY – Apple, ginger, lemon, yerba maté, and cayenne help provide the energy needed to speed up the process of recovery from infection, boost alertness and combat lethargy. 

Founder Chris Beech has long been keen to share his passion for nutrition and healthy living, and he’s thrilled to see Luhv Drinks selling in Co-op stores across London. According to Chris;  

“As I’ve progressed on my own health journey, understanding the natural health benefits from the foods I eat has been a priority that’s enriched my diet and supported my body’s function. However, when shopping a few years ago, I was surprised to reflect on a gap in the market: products marketed as ‘healthy’ were full of buzzwords that didn’t explain anything and weren’t backed up by science – when I’d review their ingredients, more often than not they were full of synthetic chemicals I couldn’t even pronounce, let alone know if they’d be any good for my body.

Luhv Drinks was born from my desire to help people in the UK learn more about the natural ingredients we consume every day, and the feedback has been brilliant. People want to understand what they’re consuming; why it matters; and how nutrients can support their bodies’ function, so they can confidently make healthier choices. To my mind, good nutritional health really shouldn’t be complicated, so we’re making it simple.

Winning the Gold Award and launching into mainstream retail is an absolute dream come true, and we couldn’t ask for a greater start to introduce our drinks to the UK.”  

Luhv Drinks are available in Co-op stores and Co-op local branches across Greater London. To locate the nearest Co-op location stocking Luhv Drinks Body Range and Immunity Range, visit luhvdrinks.com/stocked.

ENDS 

Luhv Drinks are a multi-award-winning, science-led health drinks company whose functional plant-based beverages include the Body and Immunity Shot ranges. These delicious drinks are made with the finest natural ingredients, and their benefits are backed by evidence-based research. 

For more information on the brand, visit them online at www.luhvdrinks.com, or engage with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @luhvdrinks

For media enquiries, Nikki Milovanovic of Sophisticated Comms can be contacted via media@luhvdrinks.com

Long-form

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In addition to press releases and B2C copy – for example, a 2024 series of SEO-rich blogs generated for one of Britain’s leading artisan fine jewellers – we also generate B2B content targeted to niche audiences.

Samples below include B2B content addressing international surgeons and surgical trainees as the official voice of the UK’s trade union for surgeons; and a 2016 article offering practical marketing advice to indie musicians in the era of But–I-Can’t-Eat-Exposure.

Editorial content includes a piece written for the U.S. based international equine publication Elite Equestrian magazine (October 2019) and a 2020 contribution to the Lives Lived column for Canada’s most widely-read newspaper of record, The Globe and Mail.

Not Just Lavish, it’s SEO-Rich

Click to read a 2024 blog series developed for a one-of-a-kind luxury brand.

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Doctors Say: “Let Kids Eat Cake!”

Click to read our 2021 press release for Canada’s Baking Box announcing their kid-friendly subscription baking kit’s unexpected champions… physicians!

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Scientifically Proven, Healthy and Delicious – What’s not to Luhv?

Click to read our 2018 release celebrating science-led health beverage Luhv Drinks landing major contracts in grocery stores across Greater London.

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The Surgical Backlog: After the Clapping Stops

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we wrote this bog for the Confederation of British Surgery, reflecting on the practical implications for health professionals as well as patients – and how dwindling applause was insufficient to bolster the NHS facing serious issues.

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Lives Lived

In 2020, Nikki Milovanovic was invited to contribute the life story of her remarkable grandmother Jeanne to Canada’s most widely-read newspaper of record, The Globe and Mail – the publication most decorated publication at 2024’s journalism awards.

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Marketing Gigs in the Gig Economy

Sophisticated Comms’ founder Nikki Milovanovic proposes 2016 updates to traditional marketing strategies for independent musicians.

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Jumping for Joy, Even in Retirement

Over the last two decades, Microcurrent therapy (MT) has been a trade secret among professional riders, trainers, therapists and vets, accelerating natural recovery. ArcEquine is a small wearable MT device offering drug-free, non-invasive pain management that boosts cellular repair – holistically – and has even been shown to reduce vet and physio costs. The rejuvenating effects even gave one retired Thoroughbred a new lease on life.  

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Retail + E-Commerce

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Zara Jewellery

The 2023 winter collection from Zara Jewlery features minimalist metals that boldly elevate an ensemble, whether as statement pieces with workwear, or elegantly accenting evening attire.

One showstopping example is the high-shine gold finished Pointed Rigid Choker (CAD$39.30) offering sleek and sculptural asymmetry that transforms any outfit into art. With hidden hinges behind futuristic curves, this open choker seems to defy gravity. 

E-Commerce: Vintage Clothing

This Vintage 1990’s Leopard print coat from Nine West offers a modern twist on the classic A-line cut with a flattering trench button detail in back.

Marked medium, the mint condition piece in 2024’s hottest trend has an ultra soft, luxurious velvet finish, with low-gloss Perspex button details that complement rather than compete.

Falling above the knee, this mid-weight jacket offers warmth and personality to any ensemble, and is perfect for all season layering.

Shown styled with emerald green full length playsuit and Givenchy slip-ons with gold-tone hardware. 

From coveted British luxury brand Liberty of London, this rare truevintage dress in cream lace with rose gold detailing over peach satin is an iconic addition for any collector.  

Mint condition via London’s Portobello Market, this flirty, soft, and hyper-feminine minidress channels the likes of Audrey Hepburn.

Falling just above the knee, and lusciously lined this curvy pencil dress with sleek boatneck and invisible zip closure can be dressed up or down, making it a perfect travel staple.

Best loosely fitted for a size UK 8/10, however the cut and material complement a fuller figure for a form fitting up to a size UK 12.

Shown styled for city wear with a deep indigo denim Dolce & Gabbana jean jacket and Mulberry Bayswater bag in oak.