Speciality Food April 2025

20 TRENDWATCH Sponsored by condiments. Those parts of the meal that aren’t made at home are being upgraded; like our Rich & Creamy Mayonnaise for a homemade pizza. If consumers are going to spend time cooking a meal from scratch to make it the best, they want to serve something really special alongside it. Most condiments take a long time to make whichmakes them unlikely as an everyday make, so buying premiummakes sense. In our latest quant research 67% of ABC1 shoppers are looking for ways to make staple meals more varied. GETTING THE GOURMET TREATMENT Ambient brands are getting the gourmet treatment by being elevated with premium ingredients and posh packaging. Shoppers are looking more at ambient aisles as the long shelf life of canned goods are cost effective and convenient. We’re seeing glass being used to premiumise packaging inmany categories. Tracklements have always been available in glass which is 30% recycled and, unlike plastic, is infinitely recyclable without degradation. INGREDIENTS AND FUNCTIONAL FOOD 61% of shoppers are scratch-cooking to reduce the amount of ultra Strong Horseradish Cream and Robust WholegrainMustard as well as providing a window onto the myriad uses for hot sauces – like our fermented Sriracha Chilli Sauce. LUNCHES AND LEFTOVERS There’s a swell of interest around work lunches: making affordable and interesting lunches whether that’s batch cooking or using leftovers. Meal planning for the week is flourishing with consumers making the basis for manymeals and using condiments to add versatility and a point of daily difference. CONDIMENT TRENDS FROM ACROSS THE FINE FOOD SECTOR Table sauces are the most everyday condiment, and 74% of ABC1 shoppers use them once a week or more at home. Chutneys and relishes feature most with a cheeseboard, with 44% of consumers saying this is how they’re most frequently eaten. Mustards and hot sauces play similar roles as ingredients to make standardmeals interesting – 44% of people are usingmustard as an ingredient. TRENDS FROM THE TOP The Life & Soul of the Pantry ORDER AT TRADE.TRACKLEMENTS.CO.UKOR CALL:01666 827044 SAY CHEESE Whether mainstream or artisan, our love affair with British cheeses continues to grow. The Knowledge Bank puts cheese as a weekly household staple by 80% of UK shoppers and social media has helped to draw attention, and sales, to both artisan producers and decades old staples. UK cheese offers a dynamic growth opportunity. Everyone is discovering their favourites to put on a cheeseboard or grazing board. This has resulted in an uptick in awareness around companions for cheese, whether that’s a style of hummus, or a particular brand of olives or a favourite relish. Both Fresh Chilli Jam and OnionMarmalade are benefitting from this trend. 38% of ABC1 shoppers use Fresh Chilli Jam with a cheese board [Source: Blue Marble Research]. Rediscovering the art of using food to bring people together and create community. Supper parties amongst the over 25s are re-emerging in the UKwhichmeans that traditional condiments which are thought of as cuisine specific are enjoying the spotlight. My 30-something daughters are more likely to have friends over for a beautifully crafted casual supper thanmeet in a restaurant. Mexican themed nights with friends featuring Sweet Pepper Relish for example or IndianMango Chutney to accompany a homemade curry night. This is also giving hosts the opportunity to get creative with ‘twists on traditional’ and their individual style for using condiments. TAKING DECISIONMAKING OUT OF TONIGHT’S SUPPER The budget squeeze means that shoppers are spendingmoney upgrading home meals rather than eating out. Shoppers are looking for restaurant quality at home and ‘dinner for tonight’ solutions. Consumer missionmerchandising (i.e. steak, thick cut chips, an artisan mustard, red wine) makes that really easy for the shopper, creating an easy upsell for retailers. LITTLE, AFFORDABLE LUXURIES Shoppers are levelling up comfort foods by using more premium 38% OF ABC1 SHOPPERS USE FRESH CHILLI JAM WITH A CHEESE BOARD SOURCE: BLUE MARBLE RESEARCH processed foods they are eating. [Source: Waitrose Food & Drink Report ]. Shoppers are also looking for functional foods that offer benefits outside of their nutritional value – which is why talking about the health benefits of mustard, for example, helps boost its sales. Indeed, we have a blog about this on our website! REIMAGINING THE CLASSICS We’re seeing shoppers 25+ finding products from the archives and using them in new and imaginative ways thanks to social media driven trends – cottage cheese for example or the rediscovery of Guinness! Because of social media, these trends transcend borders whichmeans that we all have access to global flavours and new uses for traditional ingredients. This is great news for classics like We’re seeing shoppers 25+ finding products from the archives and using them in new and imaginative ways thanks to social media driven trends Guy Tullberg, MD of Tracklements, runs us through the tastiest trends he’s seeing right now