3 ways fine food retailers are promoting Mother’s Day 2026

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, you’ll have already locked in the products and promotions you’re running this year – but it’s never too early to start banking ideas for your next big sales day.

Speciality Food speaks to independent retailers to find out how – and what – they’re selling this year.

1. Products in the spotlight: from classic favourites to something different

“Mother’s Day is always a lovely occasion for us at Friday Street Farm, as people are looking for thoughtful food gifts and treats,” begins Ralph Bishop, the general manager. In the run-up, he says, the farm shop highlights a selection of products that are ideal for gifting, like artisan chocolates, local preserves and gifts. 

“As you enter our shop, we have lots of flowers and plants which give great visual impact, helping customers find the perfect Mother’s Day gift,” he says. A dedicated Mother’s Day gift display helps customers easily pick out something special. For Ralph, the best bit is introducing customers to new speciality products, “especially those from local producers”. 

“For Mother’s Day, we’ve brought together a selection of treats that work well as gifts – from sweet indulgences to things people can enjoy together at home,” he continues. “The idea is to make it easy for customers to find something thoughtful, while also highlighting some of the brilliant local producers we work with.” Think TEMPRD chocolates made in Maldon, Essex, or Bury St Edmunds-based Butterworth & Sons tea blends.

Delilah Fine Foods always has a focused display for Mother’s Day too, and this year the team has tried something different, taking inspiration from what the staff’s mums would like to receive. “We’re making it more personal,” explains founder Sangita Tryner. “But what we’re trying to get across is that while we have all these hampers ready-made for you, all mums are different, so why not make your own,” she says. “We’ve done that on shelf this time around to try to get people to pick their own hampers, and we’ll built them for them instantly.”

In addition to the more typical chocolate truffles and special homewares, Sangita has also taken inspiration from food trends when choosing the products to promote this Mother’s Day. “I’m cooking a lot with Middle Eastern ingredients at the moment, so we’ve got that up front, and we’re trying to push those,” she says. One of her favourite products in the shop at the moment is Gee & Gee’s chilli and miso sauces and oils. “If you’re cooking for your mum, cook something a bit different.” 

For Simon Warren of The East Street Deli, it’s about doing the basics well, with food gifting having soared in popularity in recent years. “Hampers galore,” he says. In fact, a fine food shop’s typical range tends to fit in very well with the Mother’s Day wish list. “Cheese, chocolate, wine – you name it. It’s very stereotypical, but it does seem to be what the mums want – that little bit of luxury.”

Chocolate, of course is always a big selling point. But brands that add a bespoke element - “something a little bit different” – are in the spotlight for Simon, like The Chocolate Gift Company and local favourite Chococoa.

2. Time to get social

Sharing ideas and product spotlights on social media is another way Ralph looks to inspire customers who are looking for something a little different.

It’s the same for Delilah Fine Foods. For the shop’s 20th birthday in 2025, Sangita wanted to push socials further to help attract younger customers. She made the decision to bring in a social media marketing consultancy to help boost the shop’s brand online. “It’s completely bonkers and out of our comfort zone – but it’s working,” she says.

As well as bringing in new clientele, the shop’s increased focus on social promotions has engaged the team of 14. “Everybody has to get involved, and I think that’s what I love about it.” Sangita thinks seeing the staff be more authentic on social media has helped customers relate to them more strongly in the shop.

And rather than being a side-project, it has helped to boost the shop’s core business – namely, its personalised hampers. “We’ve been doing make-your-own hampers for years and years,” Sangita beings. But by building a new website that makes it easier to create your own hampers, and by promoting them on social media, the hamper offering has seen a boost, with online sales over Christmas up 60% year on year.

Collaborations also pose opportunities. The East Street Deli teamed up with London-based Nicholson to promote their canned cocktail range. “We’ve just done a big giveaway with them, which was a hugely successful partnership.” The aim with collaborations, Simon says, is to tie together what customers would normally find in their shop with a little extra value.

3. Don’t forget special offers

With so many other shops, cafes and restaurants offering special promotions for Mother’s Day, how does a fine food retailer stand out? 

For Sangita, it’s about reminding customers that “we’ve got something special for your mum all the time”. They’ve pushed the boat out this year in the cafe by offering mums a fizz flight when they come in on the day. “It’s had a positive response. Lots of people have tried to book for Mother’s Day – we don’t take bookings, but we’ve said, ‘Come on in and we’ll get you seated, don’t worry.’”

At Friday Street Farm, the business’s loyalty card scheme promotes offers across the farm shop, deli cheese room, butchery, drive thru cafe and kitchen cafe, by “sending out promotions direct via email to our customers and on our social media sites to reward our customers for their loyalty of shopping with us,” Ralph says.

This Mother’s Day, for example, they are offering card holders perennial favourites: a special-price roast and discounts on potted plants.

Looking ahead, why not take inspiration from these retailers and try something a bit different in your shop. Whether it’s a new social media marketing strategy, an exciting local producer to spotlight or a fun idea for a promotion, it pays to think outside the box.

Images: Friday Street Farm