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Get your free copy15 March 2023, 08:07 AM
- Three experts share their predictions for the future of world food in the UK
Upuli Ambwatta, Empire Bespoke Foods
“Lots of growth! By 2026 Mintel forecast world cuisine to grow to over £2.5 billion. New foods, new formats, new cuisines will help drive much of this growth – we’ll see more shoppers exploring Thai, Vietnamese and other less established cuisines which shoppers are keen to explore.”
Tara Mei, Mahalo
“As travel returns to normal for the UK, I’m confident that we’ll see the international foods category expand even further,” predicts Tara. “People will become more experimental, keen to recreate the flavours and dishes they have discovered on their holidays and international foods will feature increasingly in our everyday lives.
“For retailers, I think they will experience an increase in the informed customer who is well versed in international flavours and an expectation that their ranges in-store will reflect these interests. For small batch producers, the future holds a fantastic opportunity to capture the palates of the British public with new and innovative flavours beyond the occasional use condiment. I’m looking forward to seeing internationally influenced innovation in grains, breakfast products, pulses and drinks.”
Maria Whitehead, Hawkshead Relish
“As a nation we are keen to experience international food and flavours but we are now also considering issues like Fairtrade and sustainability and what effect producing and transporting these products has on the world as a whole,” says Maria. “This means that we are having to be more innovative, and I think the UK is very good at this.”
