What should retailers be stocking for the party season in 2023?

The holiday season is a busy time. Working out who’s going to be where on Christmas Day. Present buying. Arranging travel for your aunt June. Frantically assessing whether you’ve got enough chairs and table space. Ordering the food. Cooking. The list is almost endless. And the result? So many of us feel fraught, frazzled and, frankly, at the end of our tether by the time it’s time for the turkey feast.

Inevitably there will be parties and gatherings in the run up to the day. For family who can’t make it. For friends. Colleagues. But most of the population will probably be in agreement that going full pelt in the kitchen simply isn’t an option. Limping tiredly towards December 25, consumers are looking for quality (something to impress), convenience (as little cooking as possible) and value.

You can’t go wrong with classics

The team at Cotswold Fayre, says, “Creating a memorable party food spread requires a balance of flavours, textures and presentation.”

The specialist wholesaler recommends stocking up on products that are visually appealing, easy to grab, and, crucially, easy for customers to prepare and serve.

A variety of dips, crisps, chips and dips are a must, as are pre-packed portions of cheese, charcuterie, antipasti and spreads.

“Finger foods are a party favourite,” the wholesaler adds, saying you can’t go wrong stocking savoury filled pastries and pies – especially if they’re frozen, and can be whipped out at a moment’s notice. Cotswold Fayre’s buyers recommend The Original Baker sausage rolls, pasties and quiches, Samosa Co Indian party selection packs, and Crosta & Mollica pizza.

“Don’t forget the snacks and nuts for texture – with cocktails to wash them down. We like Xochitl tortilla chips, award-winning Cambrook nuts, and Two Farmers’ party tins, along with REAL sparkling tea, Belvoir’s non-alcoholic cocktails, The Uncommon canned wine, and Crumbs beers (made with bread that would have gone to waste.”

Hassle-free hosting

Fine food retailers, especially delis and farm shops, are in an excellent position to serve party planners, as their shelves and counters naturally burst with fuss-free options.

As Claire Warren, co-owner of The East Street Deli, says, her job is to take the hassle away from customers. “We are more than happy to talk them through every area they need, from cheese, meats and antipasti, to sweeter treats such as Italian cannoli, or a tray of locally made chocolate brownies.”

Using your expertise to guide customers, again, making shopping as easy as possible, is vital. “We have a great range of beers, wine and spirits, so we’ll happily look at cheese and wine pairings, or make sure they have a selection of local craft ales,” Claire adds. “We never expected to sell as much off licence as we do, but I think it’s a reflection on how people are eating and drinking at home with friends rather than going out.”

A point of difference

It’s easy for customers to head to supermarkets, where they can forage for the same old generic products, so speciality food stores need to make sure they have a comfortable welcoming environment, and plenty of off-the-beaten-track goodies, says Claire.

“Through offering great service and having knowledge about the products you stock, you will show the consumer the real added benefit of shopping in a small independent delicatessen.”

Claire thinks having a wide range that covers all aspects is vital. “Our deli might be small, but you can get everything from cheese, to crisps, to salsa and dips, local lager and the finest English sparkling wine.”

Her personal favourites for parties are Perello Gordal Picante olives, Spanish Torres crisps, and the Superbon crisp range. “That’s been a great introduction over the last 12 months.”

“For parties, people are grabbing things we tend to sell really well all-year round,” says Laura Roberts of Laura’s Larder, adding that she will supersize some products as the festive season draws nearer. Like Claire, her customers are also huge fans of Perello olives. “We sell a lot of the 350g tins, but will have 600g tins for Christmas so people can cater for bigger gatherings. Also, where we might sell single packs of cured meats and salamis, the whole salamis or selection packs seem to be more attractive for people at Christmas. They can just open the packet and lay them out.”

Laura says she’s being asked for more products flavoured with truffle, and that truffled Baron Bigod is always a huge hit at this time of year.

She’s also seen an uptick in sales of Mexican food recently, which lends itself to parties – especially as tequila is reported to be THE drink of the season. “This trend isn’t going anywhere soon. People are loving proper tortillas, really good spicy sauces like salsa macha (we get it from the lovely Chili Maven), and we have the most incredible pre-mixed bottles of Margarita from Bottle Bar which would go perfectly alongside any of those things. It is insanely good. We always have it in our house on Boxing Day.”

Around the shop, Laura will place enticing nibbles in colourful packaging to catch customers’ eyes. Salad dressings and warmer weather products are relegated to the back of the store (with signage telling customers where to find them) so party centrepieces can take the stage. “It really is time to throw a light on things we don’t sell all year. So chocolate-covered crostini, different jars of dips, honeycomb bites. Things that look cute.”

Grazing craze continues to grow

“The people who spend more money for gatherings are those who are really comfortable with having friends over, and they know what they’re going to grab,” says Laura. She’s seeing an ever-increasing growth in interest for grazing platters and charcuterie boards, as well as more ‘out-there’ fads such as butter boards, or even whole balls of soft cheese covered in potato skins. “People are so influenced by social media and what they see. They want to recreate everything at home. They want impressive, photographable centrepieces.”

“We love guiding our customers through the process of putting a grazing board together,” says Claire. “Obviously cheese is always a winner, with it being the biggest department of our shop. As we are leaving summer picnic season the offering will change slightly from soft cheeses to the bigger flavours, such as hearty Cheddars and blue cheeses.”

Claire says recommending baking Camembert and Raclette for parties is a fun idea for grazing. “And each board needs a good selection of charcuterie. We offer big packs of local charcuterie from The Real Cure, and a few flavoured salamis such as Italian finocchiona or truffle salami, which have always been a big hit with our customers.” Her other musts for grazing are olives and stuffed vine leaves.

Anyone with an interest in food who’s been scrolling through social media this summer will likely have found their feeds flooded with vibrant pictures of tinned fish, and fish boards. They’re fast becoming the supermodels of the grazing world. The trend is brilliant for retailers, bringing a whole new (often younger) audience to the tinned food market.

Laura says she’s been tracking the fish trend for a while, adding that more and more customers are visiting her, asking for sustainable varieties, in flavours that pack a proper punch.

“It’s so great. Suddenly, for delis, stuff that might have sat on the shelf for a little while is flying out. I’m so pleased I got in there early.”

As well as many of the tins (from heritage brands to the funky new wave) being beautifully packaged, the draw for consumers towards fish is its versatility, and the fact it doesn’t need lots of accoutrements. “All they need really for a platter is some lovely butter and bread. It will take them back to those holidays in the sun.”

Laura thinks it would be a good idea this Christmas for retailers to keep on top of their tinned fish stock, looking for anything quirky or interesting. “We’ve got scallops in a Galician sauce, mussels escabeche, tuna in chimichurri, mackerel and tuna pates, tuna in olive oil, spiced sardines, anchovies, and these brilliant baby squid stuffed with rice and ink.”

Frozen food fits for party season

Rupert Ashby, chief executive of the British Frozen Food Federation, says embracing frozen products is a cost effective and consumer friendly way to stock up this Christmas

Traditionally, frozen party food was associated with convenience and affordability, being the go-to choice for busy family households and budget-conscious shoppers. However, due to factors such as the current cost-of-living crisis, there has been a shift in consumer attitudes towards frozen party food. Shoppers are searching for, and finding, restaurant or professional caterer options in the frozen aisle, which impress their guests without stretching their constrained budget.

The cost of eating out in Britain has risen by almost 15% over the past year, making restaurant dining unaffordable for many. Whilst shoppers are eating out less on special occasions to save precious pounds, they still want to treat themselves and their friends when it comes to having parties within the comfort of their own homes. 

Fine food stores and farm shops are perfect places to find frozen party food that offers high-quality and ingredient transparency. We are increasingly seeing more artisanal and crafted frozen party food appearing, offering unique, innovative flavours. Farmyard Frozen was founded in 2021. A team of chefs make all their frozen dishes by hand, which are now stocked in approximately 28 farm shops and specialist outlets across Norfolk and Suffolk. Their Farmyard Gold Bar, which contains caramelised white chocolate mousse on a dark chocolate base, won Retail Innovation Product of the Year at this year’s British Frozen Food Awards. This brings the taste and texture of restaurant quality desserts to consumers, making it perfect for parties. 

Even when it comes to party food, the shift towards healthier eating is undeniable. More consumers are on the hunt for mouth-watering food that is healthy and nutritious. According to Public Health England, approximately 61% of people are now looking to consume healthier foods. We have seen many brands and retailers react to this change in consumer preference and there is now a wide array of frozen party food options that combine health-conscious considerations with vibrant flavours. For example, Aldi launched their range of frozen Argentinian prawn skewers, with the garlic and herb variety boasting only 50 calories per 48g serving. 

According to statistics from YouGov, as of July 2023, vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians account for 21% of the British public. With the growing interest in this type of diet has come a diverse range of frozen party food that makes vegetables and meat alternatives the star. Delicious vegetable spring rolls, crispy bang bang cauliflower bites, and sweet potato falafel balls name just a few of the innovations that allow consumers to serve party food that caters to all tastes and requirements. 

Many British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) members have been innovating in this market segment to push the boundaries of conventional finger foods. Each year, the BFFF hosts the British Frozen Food Awards, which recognise the highest quality, tastiest and most innovative frozen products on the market. With the level of innovation we are seeing, I am looking forward to seeing the excellent products that are entered in 2024.