It’s never been easier to make your shelves a global destination for customers, so fill your store with colour and taste with world cuisines
World food and drink is no longer a niche market – indeed, some cuisines such as Italian hardly any longer seem to count as foreign – and are now enjoyed by the majority of the UK population. Over 79 per cent of UK adults consume Oriental food and 76 per cent enjoy Indian dishes. Besides these two major players, the ethnic foods market also includes Mexican, Caribbean, Polish/East European and African food. It is therefore more important than ever for retailers to get their world food and drink fixture right.
The market benefited from the increase in at-home meal occasions as the cost-of-living crisis unfolded in 2022, and the world cuisine market size saw an increase of 7.7 per cent, according to the 2023 UK World Cuisines Market Report by Mintel.
As the squeeze on household incomes continue, the report notes that the world cuisine’s favourable reputation of offering a more affordable alternative to eating out or takeaways is expected continue to support the market. Furthermore, accompaniments and ingredients are likely to benefit from an increase in scratch cooking, which is viewed as a good way to save money.
Rice and Italian remain the heartland of world foods, with 55 per cent total market combined category value sales in 2021 [Nielsen], whereas Oriental cuisine is driving the growth, outperforming the category [IRI]. Pasta, Mexican and Indian sub-categories corner rest of the market share.
Versatility of rice
Leading rice brand Tilda has recently unveiled its new multi-channel campaign worth over half a million pounds, with rice at its heart.
Central to Tilda’s new campaign, “Whoever You Are, However You Make it, Elevate it with Tilda”, is the celebration of universal joy and pride people derive from enjoying delicious, high-quality food, regardless of their backgrounds or preferences.
“Our newest Masterbrand campaign celebrates the rich tapestry of mealtime experiences across the UK. With our new campaign, we want to emphasise that no matter who you are or how you enjoy your meals, Tilda is here to elevate your plate,” said Anna Beheshti, head of marketing..
With a total investment of over half a million in the first half of the year and further support planned for the second half, the campaign marks a significant investment in Tilda’s masterbrand focus.
With rice being such a versatile ingredient, the category will benefit from long-term trends, such as scratch cooking, flexitarianism and at-home lunch and dinner occasion, in turn driving greater penetration.
Seasonal events are also important to the category as festivals like Eid, Ramadan and Diwali provide a great opportunity to highlight the convenience and versatility of the rice category as a base for many festive meals that are often enjoyed with family and friends.
Stocking larger packs of dry rice is key to maximising sales, particularly for retailers with stores located in large Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities.
Mixes and ingredients
East End Foods has announced the launch of two new ranges this summer, Instant Mixes and Indian inspired Savoury Pancake Mixes, offering consumers true ethnicity of South Asian flavours in convenient formats, perfect for creating delicious dishes at home.
The Instant Mixes provide a convenient shortcut to delicious and authentic South Indian-style cuisine with just a few simple steps.
East End says this significant shift towards convenience does not compromise on taste and authenticity. With easy-to-follow instructions and quick preparation times, the mixes also serve as a gateway for aspiring home cooks to explore the rich and diverse world of South Indian cuisine. Suitable for vegetarians, each mix comes in a 500g pack.
Indian inspired Savoury Pancake Mixes come in two variants, Palak Moon Chilla (Spinach Moong Bean mix) and Besin Chilla (Masala chickpea mix), perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or as a light dinner.
Both mixes are suitable for vegans and are high in protein. They are packaged in resealable 100g packs to ensure freshness.
“We are excited to introduce these two new ranges of mixes to our portfolio for new and existing customers,” said Kelly Wyld, marketing manager at Vibrant Foods. “Our goal is to make authentic South Asian cooking accessible for everyone. We believe these new products will inspire more people to enjoy the rich flavours of South Asian cuisine in their homes.”
Meanwhile, Bristol-based herbs, spices and ingredients brand Bart has unveiled its latest refresh, driven by its mission to “put the joy and romance” back into the category.
The new brand design, created by award-winning The Space Creative, aims to inspire home cooks by delving into the rich history and origins of each ingredient.
The packaging pays homage to the continent of origin and the specific plants from which these ingredients hail. The addition of tasting notes also provides helpful guidance for customers on their next culinary adventure.
Bart’s best sellers take centre stage as part of the brand revamp. From fiery Paprika, originally used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes; to Cinnamon, first imported by Egyptians 4,000 years ago; and Garlic Granules, where garlic is referenced in ancient Chinese texts dating back 8,000 years.
“Herbs and spices are timeless treasures in our supermarkets – each ingredient has a captivating story of how it has come to be used in the recipes we all cook today. Yet, the history and romance of the category has faded over time,” Adam Sims, chief executive of Bart, said.
“As we strive to reignite the excitement and intrigue around herbs and spices, telling stories of the rich heritage and origins of these ingredients is a key driver behind the brand refresh. With nearly 60 years of sourcing high quality ingredients from across the globe, Bart is well positioned to offer this insight with consumers.”
The herbs and spices category has grown by more than £150m since 2019, and within this, Bart is currently the fastest growing brand, with sales increasing over 61.5 per cent year-on-year.
“With cost pressures easing and viral food trends shaping the way Gen Z and Millennials experiment with food at home, the brand refresh is timed to appeal to the modern foodie and re-engage our existing customers,” James Adams, commercial director at Bart, added.
“It’s an important milestone which is integral to our future growth and investment opportunities, as well as supporting the category as a whole.”
Top accompaniments
Accompaniments play a significant role in enhancing the overall dining experience across various world cuisines. These side dishes, condiments, and garnishes not only complement the main dishes but also add complexity, balance, and depth to the meal.
Sauce brand Kikkoman is all set for the BBQ season, rolling out a programme of hard-hitting support for the summer months, demonstrating its commitment to remain the nation’s favourite soy sauce.
Under the tag line “Fire Up the Umami”, over one million bottles of Kikkoman products feature a dedicated BBQ themed neck hanger. The neck hanger, appeared on shelf from May, carries a wide selection of BBQ inspired recipes using meats, fish and vegetables and featuring the brands core products, Kikkoman Naturally Brewed Soy Sauces and Teriyaki Marinade and Sauces.
The promotion is being seen across the range including its iconic 150ml red top dispensers and 250ml bottles of Soy Sauce, Less Salt Soy Sauce, Tamari Gluten Free Soy Sauce, and Teriyaki Marinade and Sauces.
Further major marketing investment also includes a high-profile digital BBQ seasonal recipe campaign, launched in mid-May, targeting consumers interested in great tasting barbecue dishes for the whole family.
Commenting on the package of summer support for the brand, Kikkoman UK General Manager, Bing-yu Lee said, “Consumers are becoming more adventurous around summer eating and barbecuing plays a big role. We want to bring more flavour and depth of taste to their barbecue experience with easy, yet mouth-watering recipes contained in our neck hanger and digital campaigns.”
Kikkoman Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce is the brand leader in the soy sauce market with a 31.7 per cent market share. Its famous 150ml dispenser bottle is the top selling SKU accounting for 12.6 per cent of all soy sauce sales, up 3.5 per cent year on year.
Gherkin brand Mrs Elswood, part of the Empire Bespoke Foods portfolio, has launched its first TV advertising campaign in January, highlighting how a humble gherkin can supercharge lunches up and down the country.
The six-figure creative campaign is designed to show families just how gherkins really can put “some punch in your lunch.” With one-in-six working people spending their lunch breaks at home, the campaign is set to inspire them to include gherkins to brighten up the lunchtime occasion.
Mrs Elswood has been pickling cucumbers for 75 years and, with more than a 20 per cent value share of the total category, it is the nation’s most-loved gherkin brand.
“Several things have aligned in recent years that suggest the humble gherkin is poised for strong growth,” said Matthew Moyes, marketing controller.
“Increased home working has millions peering into their fridges at midday wondering how to liven up their lunches. The health mega trend sees vegetable snacking well placed. With 6.8 billion sandwich occasions in the UK each year and only 0.4 per cent of those containing a gherkin – there is clearly massive space for category growth.”
The TV campaign sees people at home preparing their lunch, whether a sandwich, salad or burger, with the hero ingredient front and centre – Mrs Elswood gherkins
The Mexican side of town
Mexican food brand Old El Paso has launched of a new street-food inspired line of soft taco kits, sauces, and spice mixes. The first range of its kind for the brand, Street Vibes, has hit shelves across the UK in May and will roll-out nationally through the summer.
With tacos fast becoming one of the Mexican food category’s leading segments – growing at eight per cent year on year – the range has been designed to transport taco lovers to bustling scenes of street food stalls and trucks, where the sights, sounds, and, most importantly, flavours, come alive with every bite.
At the core of the Street Vibes range are two soft taco meal kits, available in two of the most popular Mexican street food flavours: Barbacoa, offering a distinctive smoky and sweet taste sensation, and Al Pastor, for a spicy yet fruity kick. Beef mince is the ideal partner for Barbacoa, while Al Pastor “elevates chicken to a whole new level”, but both kits work perfectly with fresh veg or plant-based meat alternatives too.
With over 8.3 million two-person households in the UK, the new Street Vibes meal kits are designed to be enjoyed by two people, targeting a younger demographic through flavours and format. Taking just 20 minutes to make, the kits are ideal for couples or friends looking to turn up the vibes of a mid-week meal or treat themselves to an affordable yet tasty take-away alternative.
“At Old El Paso, as category leader we’re always looking for new experiences to elevate at-home dining and invite new shoppers into the vibrant world of Mexican meals. Our new ‘Street Vibes’ range captures the fun and flavourful world of street tacos and makes it accessible to everyone – on any night of the week,” said Aditi Hilgers, head of world foods at General Mills UK.
“Not only are we innovating with Mexican-inspired flavours, but we’re thrilled to launch our first meal kit for two people, helping our retail partners cater to a wider range of shoppers. There’s real magic in these recipes – the perfect choice for any duo looking to turn up the vibes at the dinner table!”
The range also includes two sauces, Smoky Barbacoa and Sweet Chilli and Lime, to complement the bold flavours of the kits and give cooks the freedom to customise to their heart’s content, a guacamole spice mix – the perfect blend of spices to liven up the avocado-based dip – and a standalone soft taco pack offering the same superior Old El Paso taste whilst remaining preservative-free, in keeping with the rest of the Old El Paso tortilla range.
The launch will be supported by a stand-out 360 marketing campaign to ensure the brand reaches these younger two-person households wherever they are, including a new TV advert, video-on-demand, high-impact out of home advertising, social and unmissable in-store activity, this summer.
Old El Paso is also running an integrated marketing campaign as part of its continued partnership with Team GB, ahead of the Paris Olympic Games.
The link-up kicked off in April with the brand’s biggest shopper marketing campaign to date, complete with a nationwide on-pack promotion across its entire portfolio, as well as a full-stack digital and social campaign featuring a raft of popular brand ambassadors from Team GB to rally the nation.
Alongside the promotion, the partnership will be brought to life throughout the summer via a multi-million-pound media investment featuring its Home Team Heroes: Double Olympic swimming champion Tom Dean, silver medal winning weightlifter Emily Campbell, three time Olympic medallist and diving sensation Jack Laugher and current BMX Olympic gold medal winner Bethany Shriever.
“We are thrilled to be bringing to life our biggest ever partnership campaign with Team GB as we look to support our Old El Paso Home Team Heroes representing Great Britain on the world’s biggest stage,” Hilgers said. “As a brand that celebrates connection and community, we believe in celebrating the unique flavours and extraordinary talent that each individual brings to the metaphorical table.”
Refreshing tastes
Caribbean food and drinks supplier Grace Foods has launched price marked packs for another one of its popular drinks ranges following the success of a PMP range for another brand earlier this year.
Grace Foods UK’s Mighty Malt drink, enjoyed for generations in African and Caribbean communities at family gatherings and social events, hit the shelves at selected convenience stores across the country in price marked packs at 99p for 330ml bottles from the first week of June.
Unique and rich in taste and enriched with Vitamin B6, Biotin and Vitamin B12, Grace Mighty Malt is an ideal alternative to regular soft drinks or alcoholic drinks.
The decision to introduce PMP for Grace Mighty Malt follows hot on the heels of the launch of Grace Say Aloe Vera drinks range at the beginning of 2024. They are in PMPs in 500ml bottles in selected convenience stores across the UK at £1.29 for three flavours – Original, Strawberry and Mango.
Grace Say Aloe Vera Drinks range is a refreshing soft drink made with real aloe vera pieces and juice, and natural grape flavour, and is packed full of vitamin C, which helps reduce tiredness and fatigue.
Talking about the decision to introduce PMPs to its Grace Mighty Malt range, Dorota Dziedzic, brand manager at Grace Foods UK, said: “We are in a very value-driven market at the moment for many different reasons, and PMPs are a way of us being able to give our customers value for money,”
“We also know how important PMPs are to independent retailers as it demonstrates to their clients that they can offer them market-leading brands at a good price.
“Also, launching PMPs on our Grace Say Aloe Vera Drinks range has proved very successful, which prompted us to look at our other drinks range and how PMPs could benefit them, our customers and independent retailers.”
Meanwhile, Suntory Beverage & Food, producer of Lucozade and Ribena, has announced its expansion into the ready-to-drink alcohol market with the launch of Japanese RTD brand -196 (minus one-nine-six) in Britain.
The company has launched two flavours of the brand, Lemon and Grapefruit, both with six per cent alcohol content.
Since its launch by Suntory Holdings in Japan in 2005, -196 has been a well-established canned RTD alcohol brand in the country and continues to grow in popularity. Following successful launches in Australia (2021) and China (2023), this year the brand sees further global expansion to Britain, Germany, the US and Southeast Asia.
The -196 brand name is a reference to the use of Suntory’s proprietary freeze crush infusion technology. This unique process freezes the whole fruit by using liquid nitrogen at -196°C and the frozen zest, pulp and juice are then crushed into powder and infused with vodka.
The brand brings something new and different to the RTD alcohol category in Britain, combining a traditional Japanese spirit with modern technology to deliver an exciting new taste and experience for consumers.
“This launch marks a significant move for us into the ready to drink alcohol market and is part of a much bigger strategy for portfolio growth,” said Carol Robert, chief operating officer at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I. “We’re very proud of our Japanese heritage and honoured to be launching one of Suntory’s iconic brands in our business for the first time.”
RTD is the fastest-growing alcoholic beverage category globally, which witnessed an average growth rate of approximately 20 per cent through 2020-2022. Growth is expected to continue, with the global market size estimated to exceed $50 billion (£39.4bn) by 2030. One of the most popular RTD alcohol brands in Japan, SBF GB&I’s launch of -196 is a key opportunity for its future portfolio growth in this category.
“It’s our first step into alcohol but with years selling some of the UK’s most popular soft drinks and the continued strong performance of our brands, we know we can make it success,” said Alpesh Mistry, sales director at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I. “We have a number of people in our business who bring great previous experience of the alcohol market, so know we’re in a strong position to bring this exciting launch to consumers.”
World beers on the rise
The World Beer and Craft & Specialities category has been on a huge growth trajectory in recent years and Budweiser Brewing Group is expecting it to represent 40 per cent of total volume consumption by 2030.
Since 2019, the World Beer market share has increased by five per cent in comparison to standard lager and Budweiser Brewing Group forecasts a further 8 per cent increase by 2030. The category has seen the highest growth amongst the 25-49 age groups with after-work drinks being a major driving force behind this trend. Off trade relevance has also grown, with key occasions increasing within this channel such as planned social occasions including meals and celebrations, as well as quiet nights in [BBG, Category Vision 2023].
Corona has been central to the growth of the World Beer category with sales growing by 38.1 per cent since 2019. It is now the world’s number one lager, offering a huge sales opportunity for wholesale and convenience customers.
Earlier this year, Corona has announced its newest product, Corona Ligera, entering the light category with a 3.2% ABV variant to tap into evolving shopper preferences.
Brewed to be lighter-bodied, Corona Ligera allows shoppers to enjoy the same crisp taste of Corona in a refreshingly light way. The expertly crafted beer promises a uniquely satisfying experience without compromising on taste.
With the success of Corona Cero driving the low and no alcohol share growth by 20 per cent across the off-trade, there has been a positive reception from those who seek an enjoyable alternative offering a similar flavourful experience as their favourite traditional options, without the full effects of alcohol, Budweiser Brewing Group noted.
Budweiser Brewing Group has also brought South Africa’s Brutal Fruit Cider to UK in May, further expanding its offering in the category and once again targeting the 18-34 age group and women.
While the UK cider category represents a huge opportunity of £2.9bn in sales, the AB InBev subsidiary noted that it is losing relevance with women and younger drinkers. Declining category participation of 18-34 year old drinkers resulted in a loss of £22 million over the last year, according to Kantar figures.
Brutal Fruit Cider is a delicately fruity, brutally refreshing blend of Ruby Apple, Citrus and subtle Spice notes, with a touch of Spritz for a refreshingly light body. It has a sophisticated, eye catching and visually appealing serve, reminiscent of cocktails. The effervescent light pink liquid is served in an elegant, fluted glass, poured over ice with a slice of grapefruit to enhance the citrus notes.
Spanish delights
Molson Coors Beverage Company is challenging fans of its Spanish-inspired lager Madrí Excepcional to paint their own pint on the brand’s digital platform, Conectada, for a chance to win exclusive prizes, including a trip to Madrid.
It builds on a period of rapid growth for the brand, in which it has established itself as the fastest-growing of the top 20 lagers in the off-trade, worth £114.3m and growing in value by over 67 per cent.
Paint your Pint is the brand’s latest campaign, which celebrates the launch of the new limited-edition glass, designed by renowned Madrid street artist Sokram, famed for his colourful and multidimensional art that stands out from its surroundings.
Live now until September, customers that buy promotional packs of Madrí Excepcional at selected retailers across the UK will receive one of the limited-edition glasses as a gift.
Heineken UK, meanwhile, has announced the launch of its first consumer marketing campaign for Sevillian lager brand Cruzcampo, with significant investment set to ramp up demand for the brand in the off trade.
“Choose to Cruz” seeks to further emphasise the brand’s Spanish heritage, tapping into the demand for Mediterranean styles this summer.
Live until July, the £10m campaign will appear across TV, VOD, OOH, radio, digital audio and social media, alongside influencer activity.
Launched into the off trade in August last year in response to the increased demand for Spanish lager, Heineken UK said Cruzcampo has performed exceptionally well.
It was the off-trade’s number one innovation in the beer, wine and spirits category during the 12-week Christmas period in 2023 [Nielsen], now the 14th largest draught brand and officially the biggest brand launch in value in over a decade in the beer, wine and spirits category [CGA, Nielsen].
As part of the campaign, the brand is also offering a limited-edition gift-with-purchase mechanic to bring the essence of Seville into consumers’ home. The offer includes a Cruzcampo ceramic tile coaster or pint glass when purchasing a pack of Cruzcampo from select stores.
Spain’s leading authentic beer brand Estrella Galicia is investing £10 million to drive awareness of the brand in the UK. The activity includes the latest burst for the brand’s ongoing “Spanish not Span-ish” campaign and sports sponsorships with McLaren and MotoGP.
Estrella Galicia is a fourth-generation family-owned brewery which has been making beer in the same Galician region of Spain since 1906. The campaign is designed to shine a light on the brand’s authentic Spanish provenance, versus 80 per cent of the top “world lagers” which are actually brewed in the UK.
This revelation is brought to life via a comedy skit for media and social channels and wider Spanish not Span-ish campaign support also includes radio and digital ads, out of home ads in cities across the UK, PR, social and off trade support.
“The UK is an important market for us as people here embrace authenticity and heritage of brands,” Aitor Artaza, managing director, Estrella Galicia International, commented.
Touching upon the authenticity debate, where some consumers place real value in a product that is a genuine import and is brewed in its home country, John Price, head of marketing at Kingfisher Drinks, notes that there is a trade-off that can’t be ignored in this.
“Importing beer comes with a much higher cost and undeniable environmental consequences. At Kingfisher Drinks, we strive to brew beer in the UK in order to hit the price points our customers expect and reduce the carbon footprint of the finished product,” he said.
“On our Sagres brand we achieved an interesting halfway house solution where the beer is brewed in Lisbon but is imported in large tankers at higher gravity, we then keg it in the UK. But whatever the brewing solution for any beer, what consumers really care about is that it is a genuine brand with genuine heritage, and that if it is brewed in the UK, it tastes the same, using the same recipe, ingredients and process.”
As consumers enjoy discovering premium world lagers from all sorts of different places, Price observes that these would be a “great option” for retailers to stock, as they can “typically be charged at a minimum of 30 per cent more” than other more mainstream options.
Spirit world
Mangrove Global has further expanded its world whisky portfolio with the arrival of Indri, created by India’s largest independent single malt producer, Piccadily.
The whisky was launched in India in 2021 and to the international market in August 2022, where it has already become a multi-award-winning spirit, landing multiple gold awards – including at the 2023 Tokyo Whisky and Spirits Competition and The Spirits Business Global World Whisky Masters. Mangrove will now bring Indri’s expressions, Dru and Trini, to the UK market, as well as limited volumes of its Diwali.
The elements used across the Indri range are the perfect homage to the Northern Indian terroir. The spirit is made using natural Indian ingredients, including six-row barley, which has been grown in the arid regions of Rajasthan for thousands of years. Distilling and maturation happens in a sub-tropical climate which encourages accelerated evaporation, helping to mature the whisky much faster. The result is a deep and sophisticated flavour profile.
“There is something really exciting about whiskies produced and aged in such extreme climates – the way the production processes are tweaked because of this produces flavours you can’t find anywhere else,” said Stef Holt, curator of the Mangrove whisky portfolio. “Indri’s whiskies are very rich and complex with tropical fruit aromas and velvety texture.
Indri’s flagship expression, Trini, marries three ex-casks together: bourbon, French wine and PX sherry. This three-wood marriage allows for each cask to contribute its unique taste, without overshadowing the original Whisky’s flavour, which features a fruitier, sweeter and nuttier profile.
Dru is inspired by ancient mythology, where Dru was a vessel of wood in which a drink was collected and offered to the gods. This cask-strength expression from Indri selects ex-Bourbon barrels, which are then handpicked and married together by Indri’s master blender, Surrinder Kumar. The end result is a complex and fairly long, mixed fruit finish and a true awakening of the senses.
“The beauty of world whisky is the story that each spirit is able to tell as the authentic flavours of each terroir shine through,” said Nick Gillett, Mangrove Global managing director.
Mangrove is also bringing another drink with South Asian flavours this month, as premium spiced rum Aluna Tropica arrives in time for summer, expertly blending premium rums sourced from Sri Lanka and the Caribbean with the exotic flavours of South Asia to create a true taste of the tropics.
Aluna Tropica is a more considered rum made with natural flavours and less sugar which caters to the health-conscious, more mindful consumer as well as the adventure seekers with a lust for life. Using all-natural South Asian ingredients including pandan leaf, spiced pineapple, lemongrass, and galangal, Aluna Tropica is bursting with a natural flavour that will transport rum lovers to faraway lands.
“We can’t wait for UK consumers to get the chance to taste Aluna Tropica,” said co-founder Guy Ritchie. “We’ve had some incredible feedback on this spirit already. It’s a less sugary, really differentiated flavoured rum that’s as enjoyable neat as it is in a cocktail – something we think will go down really well this summer.”
Eariler in April, Mangrove added new expression, HØST, from Danish whisky producer Stauning to their portfolio.
Meaning “harvest” in Danish, HØST honours the natural beauty of the West Denmark landscape and the season that provides the grains essential to these unique and refined Danish whiskies. A combination of rye and single malt, HØST has been designed as an introduction to the Stauning portfolio with an RSP at £45.
“Stauning whiskies have been part of the Mangrove portfolio for many years and have developed a cult following in both on and off trade,” Holt said. “It is recognised as a brand that speaks of its origins and its terroir. HØST is a delicious new whisky which is perfect for new drinkers and connoisseurs alike.”
Retailers can also consider stocking Polish vodka Żubrówka Biala, the UK’s second biggest imported vodka.
According to Nielsen figures released in early June, the world-famous vodka reported an increased sale value of 92.4 per cent for 200ml bottles, and 39.4 per cent for one-litre bottles, second only to Absolut.
With a rich heritage spanning over 500 years, Żubrówka Vodka is one of the most renowned and best-selling Polish brands across the world. Distributed by Paragon Brands in the UK, the brand has experienced major growth in the UK market during 2023-24.
