Speciality Food September 2025

nature. Have fun. Try something new. “You’ve got a really long time to sell these things because they have longer shelf lives,” he says. “The Asian category is so diverse, and there are so many options, you could easily stock three, four or five brands and they will sell. They look great on the shelves. And there are lots of ways to get new customers on board with them because they have so many uses. I’ll put chilli crisp on cold pizza from the fridge, on crumpets with a bit of butter, and I mix my brown sauce with chilli crisp now – that’s my go-to bacon sauce.” Asian flavours are delicious, fun and a great addition to shoppers’ regular basket spend, says Cindy, adding that these ingredients and products don’t exist to replace something consumers are already buying, but rather to complement their buying experience. “These products can sometimes feel a bit niche, but they meet the consumer’s demand for something new, authentic or innovative. They help diversify the offering on the shelves, and therefore can also attract new customers.” Eyan thinks retailers not already branching out into Asian-inspired product ranges are missing a trick because “the demand is already here”. “Asian food is not a trend, it is part of everyday cooking for so many people in the UK. Retailers who embrace this and offer products beyond the basics can build real customer loyalty.” 61 particularly those focused on gut health, which is a key benefit of fermented foods like kimchi. There is a whole new generation of products, like kimchi salt, kimchi ketchup and chilli crisp oils which are sure to add umami to your everyday cooking with convenience, even if you don’t have the time or knowledge to cook from a particular cuisine.” Convenience us also a factor, says Octavia, who thinks consumers are after products that deliver real Asian flavours with quality ingredients, “but that also fit into busy lifestyles – easy to use and packed with taste”. White Mausu founder, Katie Sanderson, agrees. “We live in busy times,” she says. “I think people are searching for ways simple, quick food can be elevated, and I think chilli oil, with its crunch and texture and layers of flavour, is a great way of doing that.” Katie says she tends to look to the States for forecasting, and reports she’s seeing a great deal of traction around upmarket noodles, which are beginning to filter into the UKmarket, alongside squeezy barbecue-style bottles of sauce. “We did a barbecue sauce last year which was similar to our Black Bean Rayu, mixing it with extra spices over a ketchup base. It was very earthy and umami – people went mad for it,” she says. Why should retailers be taking notice? Tom thinks the category is ripe for experimentation across a wider range of products because of its ambient FLAVOUR BOMBS PHO BROTH Bring the authentic taste of Vietnam to the kitchen by adding one of the se ‘bombs’ to a pan of water. flavourbombs.com THE GARLIC FARM ORGANIC TERIYAKI SAUCE WITH BLACK GARLIC A classic teriyaki, boosted with the s weet, umami, luxurious taste of blac k ga rlic. Use as a dip, sauce or marinad e. thegarlicfarm.co.uk PAYST RED CURRY PASTE A premium curry paste, made by hand every week and sold chilled for the most vibrant, fresh flavour. Brings the real taste of Thailand to consumers’ kitchens. payst.co.uk WILD & FRUITFUL SRIRACHA KETCHUP Tangy, sweet and savoury with chilli and garlic. A ketchup with a twist tha t can be served alongside almost anything. wildandfruitful.co.uk BE TRUFFLE TRUFFLE PONZU SAUCE Ta ngy ponzu, meets aromatic, earthy tr uffle in this irresistible blend which packs a real punch in any dish. betruffle.com TRUEFOODS KOMBU DASHI An all-natural, ‘clean’ umami broth, br inging hints of ginger, soy, shiitake a nd sea kelp. A nutritious base for a number of Asian dishes. truefoodsltd.com SEASONED PIONEERS KATSU CURRY POWDER Handpicked spices and seasonings are blended together to create the p erfectly balanced sweet and savour y Japanese curry mix. seasonedpioneers.com THE WOOLF’S KITCHEN THAI CHILLI PASTE Tangy with tamarind, brimming with heat, and mouthwateringly enhanced with tamari, this award-winning paste works in dips, dressings, marinades, stir fries and so much more. thewoolfskitchen.com SAUCY PEANUT SALSA A crunchy sauce, blending chilli, peanut and ginger. Serve over meat, fish or vegetables, ripple through a dip, or use to enhance eggs. saucynina.com SUBLIME CREATIONS THE XO This is an ultra premium take on X O sauce, combining fried pork with s hredded Hokkaido scallops, chillies , onion and garlic sublimebutter.com specialityfoodmagazine.com STOCK CHECK and bulgogi were. Now all these dishes and condiments are on the shelves of supermarkets, and everyone has seen Korean-inspired dishes on restaurant menus. Of course, you can’t deny the role of social media too –making Asian dishes trendy and more widely known. People want bold, exciting flavours, and Asian cuisine offers a wealth of options in that department!” What’s trending? Far East Asia is where it’s at, says Yep founder TomPalmer, who adds that two star players are gochujang and miso. “They’re in so many recipes now. Miso had its ‘moment’ perhaps five or six years ago, but it still seems to be such a prominent thing. Every restaurant I go to now, whether it’s Western or Asian, seems to have something withmiso in on the menu. It’s found its way into everything, which I think is amazing for such a traditional ingredient.” In terms of Chinese products, Tom is seeing Sichuan food gaining popularity, as more dedicated Sichuan restaurants pop up, but adds for a truly authentic taste, the component ingredients of any Sichuan sauce, product or ingredient really need to come from that region. “Making Sichuan oil without using Sichuan chillies or peppercorns makes a huge difference. That’s how we’ve got to where we are. It’s the same as noticing the differences between Italian and Greek olive oil.” Alom is experiencing heightened demand for spices which are also being considered for their medicinal benefits, like turmeric and ajwain, as well as surges in sales of Korean ingredients like gochujang paste and toppoki (a kind of Korean noodle/ dumpling). He’s also noticed growth for SamYang noodles and cup noodles, as well as curry kits. “We see this trend towards easy-to-cook, authentic convenience meals as developing significantly,” he reveals. “We also see the demand for customers looking to cook withmore authentic ingredients only growing.” Wellbeing has a part to play in consumer decisions too, says Cindy. “There is strong demand for products that support health and wellness,