Speciality Food Magazine - May 2025

BARBECUE SAUCE Barbecue culture is taking hold in Britain, with more and more households investing in serious kit. While purists will insist on making their own sauces and glazes, there’s a huge number of grilling enthusiasts seeking out products to make their pulled pork and slow-cooked short ribs sing. If barbecue cuts are a speciality at your butchery counter, be sure to offer the best sauce selection you can get your hands on. MULTI-USE SEASONINGS We’ve already espoused the benefits of stocking versatile dressings, but this applies to seasonings too. At trade shows we’ve seen a burst of new and established makers selling products designed not only for use in stews and sauces, but for stirring into oils, yoghurt, cream cheese and other vehicles, transforming them into dips. These kinds of products are commonplace in Switzerland and Germany, and just now catching on here. ALT RELISHES AND PICKLES We all know onion marmalade and fruity chutney – which will always specialityfoodmagazine.com 35 have a place in retail and the home – but alternatives are taking off on the UK food scene. We’re talking quirky ferments, pickles in ever weird and wonderful concoctions, candied jalapenos, spicy coconut chutneys and more. Don’t be afraid to experiment. And sample, sample, sample. FRUITY KETCHUPS Have you tried banana, black garlic, mango or damson ketchup? No? Well, you really should, as some independent retailers tell us they are outperforming the classic ‘Tommy K’ on their shelves, appealing to the customer who likes ketchup, but wants to dip their toes out of their comfort zone. FLAVOURED BUTTERS Yes, butter is considered a condiment. And we’ve seen the compound/ flavoured butter category take off in the last 12 months. Savoury butters are, say butchers, an easy upsell in the counter, allowing home cooks to bring an oomph of flavour to steak in seconds. We also like the way these products have expanded into the sweet realm, enhanced with cinnamon, chocolate, booze and honey. Spicy Tomato & Caramelised Onion Chutney THE BAY TREE Chilli Crunch THE WOOLF’S KITCHEN The Bay Tree believes that taste is one of life’s great pleasures, and with the Bake Off culture boosting the idea of experimenting with flavours, many people are discovering that food can be fun and exciting. Made with a sense of adventure and a passion for tradition, The Bay Tree’s goal is simple - to make the joy of nature’s finest flavours a part of everyday life without the addition of any unnecessary ingredients or preservatives. From catering tubs to hospitality tinies, and a range of consumer sizes, The Bay Tree offers superior preserves, sauces, and condiments for everyone. thebaytree.co.uk This best-selling, Great Taste award-winning condiment brings bold, Asian-inspired flavour to adventurous shelves. Created by Dominique Woolf - winner of Channel 4’s The Great Cookbook Challenge - it’s inspired by her Thai roots and crafted in the UK. Crispy garlic and onions, shiitake mushroom powder and chilli flakes deliver irresistible texture and umami depth. Balancing heat, salt and a touch of sweetness, it’s the kind of versatile flavour bomb you’ll want to dollop on everything - from poached eggs and noodles, to grain bowls and even burrata. Vegan- friendly and free from additives, including MSG, it taps into the crispy chilli oil trend, making Woolf’s Kitchen Chilli Crunch the standout condiment for delis and independents seeking high-quality, story-led products with serious flavour appeal. thewoolfskitchen.com Taking a leaf (excuse the pun) out of the great tradition of foraging and using the best of the UK’s seasons to make meals interesting Is Tracklements Wild Garlic Sauce. This delicate plant grows in abundance in UK woodlands from March to May but can now be enjoyed year round in this best-selling sauce. The perfect point of difference with steak or served with meaty white fish, or simply to breathe life into a potato salad. tracklements.co.uk Wild Garlic Sauce TRACKLEMENTS HALOPENOS ORIGINAL SWEET SHREDDED HALOPENOS Award-winning sweet, sticky, spicy shredded jalapenos to make pizzas, nachos, cheese on toast, burgers and slow braises pop. halopenos.com TRACKLEMENTS SMOKIN’ CHIPOTLE SAUCE Smoked chipotle and scotch bonnet chillies mingle with lime, tomatoes, red peppers and coriander in this tongue-tingling flavoursome sauce. tracklements.co.uk THE GARLIC FARM BLACK GARLIC KETCHUP This finger-licking sauce combines the balsamic, tamarind undertones of fermented garlic, with a blend of spices. Almost like the lovechild of ketchup and brown sauce. thegarlicfarm.co.uk STOCK CHECK WHITE MAUSU PEANUT RAYU Gently fried garlic, roasted peanuts, sesame and Korean chilli flakes, with a house-blend chilli mix and agave for sweetness. whitemausu.com BIG GINGER SAUCE CO ANGEL HOT SAUCE A best-seller for the brand. Sweet, sour and spicy, it can be used in myriad ways, from dipping and dunking, to brushing over grilled meats. bigingersauce.com SUBLIME BUTTER NO. 8 – RED CHILLI, SMOKED SALT & LIME This piquant, warming, perfectly seasoned butter brings an umami kick to a huge range of dishes and baked goods. sublimebutter.com Bold, fiery, and deeply addictive, Yep Kitchen’s Sichuan Chilli Crisp has quickly become a cult favourite across the deli scene. Shallots, fermented beans, and premium spices deliver a perfect balance of heat and umami. Encapsulating the authentic flavours of Chengdu, but crafted in the UK, it’s the only product of its kind using British cold-pressed rapeseed Oil, elevating everything from noodles and eggs, to a simple cheese toastie. Yep Kitchen is putting the real taste of Sichuan on the map. A must-stock product in 2025. yepkitchen.com Sichuan Chilli Crisp YEP KITCHEN