The must-stock Asian foods and flavours

Dashi broths. Sriracha-infused swicy hot honey. Chilli crisp. Kimchi. Asian flavours and Asian cuisine are dominating sales at many specialist retailers right now.
Their bright, crisp, hot, aromatic and exciting flavour profiles seem to be resonating with consumers, inspired by the sauces, pickles and seasonings they’ve picked up on their travels, and by an endless stream of international food content fed to them on social media.

Shoppers want to recreate Chinese hot pots, tangles of noodles in fiery dressings, Korean barbecue and more, all within the comfort of their own homes.
Across the board, both retailers and producers have been noticing a growth in Asian food and ingredient sales in response.

Harry Woolf-Evans, founder of Reuben’s butchery and deli in Suffolk, has upped the range of Asian foods he carries in store following almost a year of increased demand. “Outside of our fresh and cooked range, White Mausu is the thing that sells most for us,” he says.
“Everyone gets so excited about it when they come in, talking like they’re White Mausu addicts. I think the appeal is it works all day – from eggs in the morning, to dinner at night. Everyone seems to be eating it!”

As an independent shop, championing smaller, more niche producers is key, Harry adds, saying he’s noticed a flurry of Asian flavours coming to market – calling them a deli owner’s dream. “Asian food, especially East Asian, is really having its moment. Absolutely I think it’s because of the growth of social media and recipes being available online for people to experiment with. The best part for me, personally, about that part of Asia and cooking is you can get so much flavour into a dish with very little work. The ingredients pack a punch.”

Steven Salamon, owner of Wally’s Deli, has similarly noticed increased interest in Asian ingredients, particularly Korean and Vietnamese spices, sauces and relishes, adding that he thinks they’ve risen up as Thai ingredients and flavours have peaked. “We just haven’t seen a lot of innovation there,” he explains. “Travel to Vietnam has opened up a huge amount of tourism, and we’re certainly seeing a lot of interest in authentic Vietnamese products.” Customers are also being drawn to kimchi, gochujang and different types of miso. “They’re not really worried about the brand,” he adds. “It’s the authenticity they want.”

Specialist retailer, The Asian Cookshop, has experienced huge growth recently due to public excitement around Asian ingredients, says director Alom Noor. “Over the last two years, we’ve seen more interest in items that we would class as ‘hard to find’, or previously ‘unknown’ to the general public, selling out within days,” he explains, saying boosts in sales of certain items can invariably be traced back to trending online recipes.
“Social media has a huge influence,” he continues, “with recipes and ‘how to’ videos all over TikTok and Youtube showcasing the variety and the very best Asian dishes.

“People can take a screenshot of the ingredients required, go to our online shop to buy exactly what they need, and get it delivered to their door. Then they can watch (and rewind back) the video to follow exactly how the dish is prepared – all from the palm of their hands!”

Growing speciality food app, DELLI, is blossoming with an ever-growing range of Asian products from small independent makers – and consumers can’t get enough of them says Octavia Pendrill-Adams, head of brand and content.

“Asian flavours bring bold, vibrant and authentic tastes that are fresh and exciting for today’s adventurous eaters. At DELLI we see this as part of a bigger movement where consumers crave real, story-driven food experiences that go beyond the usual. The surge in demand for chilli-infused products, like the Malaysian Chinese style chilli oil from Mama Yu, or unique blends from Dudu Eats and Poon’s, shows how people want flavours with personality and heritage.”

Chilli products, Octavia continues, have grown in sales fivefold since 2023. “We’ve had record-breaking drops, like Mama Yu’s chilli oil selling out 1,000 jars in just 40 minutes. Asian-inspired products, sauces and condiments are definitely riding this wave of growth as our makers quickly respond to what the community wants.”

“Asian flavours deliver boldness, balance, comfort and complexity in every bite,” says Eyan Chan, founder of Chilli Chans. “People want that more than ever. There is a growing appreciation for authentic regional variety beyond the usual sweet and sour or generic stir fry sauces. British consumers are curious, well travelled and increasingly focused on quality and health. They want big flavour, without compromise.”

Cindy Robert, founder of The Korean Pantry, says the last 10 years have seen interest in Korean, Filipino, Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese and Cambodian cuisines soar.
“Back in 2012, when I started to work in Korean restaurants, I often had to explain to all the customers what kimchi, gochujang, bibimbap 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 in Asian food and flavours?

Far East Asia is where it’s at, says Yep founder Tom Palmer, 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 with miso 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 with more 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, 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 UK market, 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 of Asian ingredients?

Tom thinks the category is ripe for experimentation across a wider range of products because of its ambient 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.”

8 trending Asian condiments and seasonings

Rayu
A Japanese condiment, made by tempering chillies and other aromatics in nutty sesame oil.

Chilli crisp
Crunchy, umami, salty, sweet, umami and hot, this is a versatile friend in the kitchen, marrying crispy chilli (and often shallots and garlic) in oil.

Gochujang
A savoury, sweet, spicy fermented Korean chilli paste, used as a base for dressings, sauces and marinades.

Togarashi
Citrus peel, dried red pepper, seaweed, sesame seeds and peppercorns combine in this warming, aromatic spice blend for sprinkling over noodle and ramen bowls (and everything else).

XO sauce
Incredibly savoury, rich and deep, this speciality of Hong Kong is made with a range of changeable ingredients but often dried shrimp, dried scallop, chillies and garlic.

Sriracha
Thailand’s ubiquitous hot sauce, made with chillies, vinegar and pickled garlic.

Ssamjang
The star of this Korean paste is rising. It’s made with fermented soy beans, gochujang, sesame oil and fragrant garlic and onions.

Kecap manis
Popping up as an ingredient in sauces and marinades (especially for wings) this is an Indonesian sauce with a palm sugar and soy base.