Speciality Food April 2025

10 @specialityfood I had the pleasure of visiting Gulfood 2025 in Dubai (UAE) in February and was blown away by the sheer scale and variety of what was on display. On both days, my phone told me I did over 20,000 steps, which honestly felt like it! It was a great place to see the latest and newest trends coming to life. A large number of products were trying to add ‘interest’ to their products with added crunch, from air fryer-friendly potato popcorn to sesame sticks. There were toppings for ice cream that contained glitter, apparently made from gold. There was a massive stand from Lamb Western, one of the biggest manufacturers of chips, which promoted triangular crunchy chips that were twice as crunchy as regular chips. Their crunch also lasts an extra 30 minutes, which is essential when you think how many burgers and chips are delivered by bike worldwide. It did strike me as a great example of a very simple piece of innovation where the only difference was how the chips were cut, patent pending, one assumes. There was an endless supply of products with truffle in them, although it is worth noting that this was more of a win for the flavour industry than for the truffle growers of Europe. Ostrich eggs sat nonchalantly in fridges, and emerging brands promoted crackers with Lebanese Zatar. At least 50 businesses had at least visually mastered the art of making mass-produced quality cakes that look like they have come from a top-end patisserie. It made me look at the cake shops all over London offering Instagram-friendly cakes in a slightly different light. There was a vast spread of gourmet crisps on display, showing how this trend is very much alive all around the world. This included crisps flavoured with everything from pink Himalayan salt to black caviar. Some crisps were made from novel items such as shitake mushroom, snap pea, millet and seaweed rice. There were collagen bites that claimed to be “your daily dose of beauty” with the benefit of eternal youth. There were frozen oysters from Japan that you could eat sashimi, which I tried and tasted pretty good, although I admit I OLIVER LLOYD CONSULTANT “Lessons fromDubai” was nervous. It was also evident that our industry is happy to stretch some significant trends from proactive health and protein to immunity in an ever-growing number of categories. There were sipping liquors that offered immunity and even some children’s lollipops that would keep your children in school (via better immunity)! Some of the weirder innovations I saw were a self- heating tin that was being showcased as a solution for hot coffee and soup on the go. The slightly alarming chemicals that smoked from underneath were anything but appetising. Many drinks were available in novel formats – from suspended basil seeds to gel drinks. But some things caught my eye, like edible biscuit spoons and ice cream cups that could make the industry more sustainable. I also had the chance to try things I had never tried before. Camel ice cream and milk was undoubtedly a show highlight, and the claim of being “camelicious” is a genuinely fun bit of marketing speak! But probably the most delicious thing I tried was 24- month aged Feta from Kostarelos, a dairy founded in 1937. I was slightly depressed by the UK’s presence at the event. Based on the general view that we need to grow out of the current state, it is surprising that the UK government did not set up a more engaging area. Whilst there were several of our great challenger brands like Potts and Hill Top Honey, most of the star performers were missing. By contrast, the Indian and German governments had massive stands, with both large brands showing their latest products and some spaces for new and innovative brands to expand into new markets. We have one of the most dynamic food and drink sectors out there, and more brands should be supported to get their story out there. Beyond the show, it was incredible to see how the Dubai pistachio phenomenon has spawned an entire shadow industry capitalising on the trend. The original brand, Fix, which became an internet sensation, is only available in select stores and via Deliveroo on a first come, first served basis twice daily. At £20 a bar and with limited supply, local and international brands are jumping on the bandwagon, so why not? Pistachio and chocolate go well together; sadly, the same cannot be said for all the trends in the industry! In fact, the word ‘charcuterie’ has evolved into a catch-all term for any kind of product found on a so-called deli board. The word ‘charcuterie’ is derived from French origins, and refers to the practice of preparing and preserving FICT campaign launches to increase understanding of European charcuterie meats through methods such as curing, smoking and fermenting. Although UK consumers seem to be familiar with the term, when questioned specifically about what types of products ‘charcuterie’ refers to, only a small percentage knew that it denotes cured meats. UK traders recognise consumer confusion and therefore mostly stock a limited list of well known, European favourites such as chorizo, prosciutto, jamon Iberico, lomo, Jambon de Bayonne PGI, saucisson sec and pâté. This provides a huge opportunity for FICT as it launches its three-year campaign to grow awareness of a broader range of charcuterie for both UK traders and consumers. “We’re excited to begin our education campaign, revealing howmany incredible and delicious products there are in the European charcuterie range,” says a spokesperson for FICT. 2Our research shows that retailers perceive European charcuterie positively, and that a third of consumers are seeking out French charcuterie products specifically. But consumers are struggling to find the products they are looking for due to a limited offering fromwholesalers.” Over the next three years, FICT has set out to educate UK consumers and promote charcuterie products such as Saucisson, Rillettes, Pâté and Boudin Noir. ‘There are so many delicious and exciting products for our UK audiences to discover and we believe the activity we have planned over the next few years will support them on this learning,’ they said. At least 50 businesses hadmastered the art of makingmass-produced quality cakes that look like they have come froma top-end patisserie Despite the growth in popularity of charcuterie boards and sharing platters, a new survey, conducted by FICT (Les Entreprises Françaises de Charcuterie Traiteur), has revealed that almost half of consumers quizzed do not understand the term ‘charcuterie’ or do not believe they have tried charcuterie products before