What fine food retailers have in store for Easter 2026

This year, Easter retail sales are expected to rise a whopping 14% year on year to £1.6bn.

Despite concerns around rising costs, shoppers look set to celebrate, with 70% planning to have an Easter do, and half of those surveyed by retail marketing agency Savvy saying they plan to spend more than they did last year.

Speciality Food discovers how independent fine food shops are preparing for the Easter rush.

The all-important Easter roast

For farm shops and delis, Easter is often a very busy time. Natalie Fisher, marketing manager at Ludlow Farmshop in Shropshire, says it’s a time of year that the shop always looks forward to.

“The butchery team are busy prepping meat for those much-anticipated Easter roasts,” she says. A classic rack of lamb is a firm favourite at this time of year, and Ludlow Farmshop’s lamb comes from its own farm, meaning ultra-low food miles and 100% traceability – something many modern customers are looking for when choosing meat for a special meal. “Our lamb has a delicate flavour and is wonderfully tender – a true seasonal favourite,” Natalie continues.

Over at Fodder - Great Yorkshire Food Hall, the 100% Yorkshire butchery counter is ready for Easter, says manager Vanessa Pitt. “Our Easter Lamb comes from Liddle Lambs, fourth-generation sheep farmers near Harrogate, producing grass-fed lamb from traditional breeds – meaning the lamb you buy is as local as it comes.”

Another favourite is the butcher’s homemade prepared porchetta, using Anna’s Happy Trotters pork, from a farm near Howden. “They have the best free-range pork Yorkshire has to offer. The porchetta is an Italian-inspired recipe with a Yorkshire twist,” Vanessa says. This local-meets-Continental style is bang on trend with consumers’ desire for bringing something new, yet familiar, to their tables.

Plans are already in place to push pre-orders and sales of the shop’s lamb and porchetta via social media in the run-up to Easter, Vanessa says.

Sweet treats: Easter best-sellers

A product you can’t do without in the run-up to Easter is hot cross buns, and Ludlow Farmshop’s bakery team handmakes their own. It’s no surprise they are a top seller. “They are crafted using a delicate blend of spices and finished with a beautiful sticky glaze. Best enjoyed warm, they are perfectly complemented by a generous spread of Ludlow Farmshop butter – also made on-site using milk from our own dairy herd,” Natalie says.

Ludlow Farmshop has a range of seasonal displays across the shop floor. “Our Easter displays, alongside our hot cross buns, showcase our wonderful Simnel cakes, which are also made on-site by our talented bakery team,” Natalie says.

At Fodder, hot cross buns from Bondgate Bakery in Otley are also expected to fly off the shelf.

“The kitchen will have lots of seasonal Easter cakes baked fresh from Anya at A Swift Bakes or Ali, who is the Cake Lady of Harrogate – both bakers based in Harrogate. The kitchen will also run a Simnel cake latte special,” Vanessa adds. 

Seasonal drinks are also making an appearance in Ludlow Kitchen, the farm shop’s cafe. “From a Hot Cross Bun Cappuccino to an Easter Bunny Milkshake, there is something for everyone to enjoy over the Easter period,” Natalie says.

With customers looking for all things sweet, Vanessa at Fodder is also keen to shine a light on Park House Barns Easter Eggs. “Park House Barns, based in Knaresborough, is part of the charity Autism Plus, where their Easter eggs and everyday chocolate are made by adults with autism and learning difficulties,” she explains. “Every chocolate bought helps create opportunities for adults with autism, helping them make a positive step forward in life.”

Fun for the family

Looking to make your farm shop into a destination that customers will travel to experience? Easter is a great time to highlight any family-friendly activities at your site or any USPs you have to share, with many families taking time off together over the Easter holidays. Whether it’s a chance to see the animals on your farm or a new menu at your restaurant, it’s worth highlighting.

Fodder is holding an Easter children’s trail, where children can complete questions and win a Lottie Shaw’s biscuit as a prize.

At Ludlow Farmshop, the team has planned a children’s colouring competition to keep little ones entertained while the adults enjoy a meal.

New in for spring

Elsewhere on the site at Ludlow Farmshop, Easter is serving as a starting gun for the spring season, with both classics and new flavours being ramped up for the months ahead.

“Our preserves team are busy working on making seasonal classics such as Rhubarb Jam, which bursts with that perfect balance of sweetness and sharpness. For those who prefer something savoury, new-season beans and cauliflowers mean only one thing – piccalilli! It is one of our most popular products and is perfect for the upcoming picnic season,” Natalie says.

The site’s ice cream cabin will also reopen for the Easter holidays, offering locally sourced ice cream in a range of flavours. “We will also have milkshakes which are very popular with our customers,” Natalie adds.

Moving into the warmer months, the shop has already turned its eye to summer barbecues. “We are excited to introduce a brand-new addition to our butchery range, BBQ Pork Sausages,” Natalie says. “This creation was inspired by one of our Apprentice Butchers, and we can’t wait to share it with our customers.

“Handcrafted in our butchery using locally sourced, free-range pork, these sausages are seasoned with our rich BBQ sauce made by our preserves team here at Ludlow Farmshop,” she adds. “The result is a deliciously balanced flavour – perfect for those long-awaited summer barbecues.”

Fodder’s philosophy around displays is to bring the outside in, and spring is the perfect season for changing up the look of your shop. “Spring is all about the colour and adding colour using blossoms and daffodils to highlight areas,” Vanessa says. “The Fodder Shop has also just had a layout reset, creating more space and a better flow.”

Whether you’re going all-in on Easter or building up your shop for the spring season, now is a great time to take a punt on new products, refresh your social media strategy or kick-start new offerings to drive footfall to your shop.