FEATURE
BBQ AND SUMMER PRODUCTS
36 ASIAN TRADER 27 JUNE 2025
second biggest product in the
impulse channel and growing
well alongside Crispy at +32 per
cent.
“In addition to taking more
interest in food nutrition, we
know consumers are now more
time conscious than ever before
and want to limit meal prepara
tion times. Ready-to-use fresh
salads are not just convenient,
the carefully selected blend of
leaves provide the perfect
eating experience,” adds Purdy.
With more opportunities to
include fresh salads in BBQ meal
deals, Florette is reminding
convenience retailers of
consumers’ primary focus on
the “top-up shop”, highlighting
how fresh salad is one of the
areas where consumers look.
RH Amar’s Lesley Parker
agrees there is also a growing
demand for other health-con
scious BBQ options, “with
low-carb, sugar-free, and
naturally fermented pickles
aligning with the rise of clean
eating trends. Social media is
playing a major role in shaping
these BBQ trends, with viral
videos driving demand for
pickles in marinades, sauces,
and even cocktails.”
She says the BBQ sector is
seeing a surge in demand for
premium, gourmet, and globally
inspired flavours. Pickled
products, especially gherkins
and other pickled vegetables,
have become a must-have
accompaniment, adding
crunch, acidity, and balance to a
range of grilled dishes.
It’s got to the stage where
sales of gherkins have grown to
now represent 20 per cent of the
pickled vegetable category,
matching the size of chutneys
and contributing significantly
to category growth, with a total
market value of £61m [Nielse
nIQ].
This is part of that growing
demand for health-conscious
BBQ options, with low-carb,
sugar-free, and naturally
fermented pickles aligning with
the rise of clean eating trends.
Social media is playing a major
role in shaping these BBQ
trends, with viral videos driving
demand for pickles in mari
nades, sauces, and even
cocktails.
Kühne Gourmet Selection
premium gherkins are packed
fresh to ensure the perfect
crunch. Available in three
variants infused with either
Herbs, Honey or Chilli, each
comes in a premium, standout
580ml jar (RRP: £3.55 each).
Gourmet Selection has been
particularly popular among
those looking to treat them
selves or their guests to
something really special.
Pre-launch tests showed that
86.3 per cent of consumers who
tried the product liked it a lot,
and way above the Pickles,
Chutneys and Olives category
average benchmark of 70.9 per
cent [Degusta Box market
research].
Parker adds that retailers
should keep their eye on trends
that favour sales of gherkins and
pickles, such as toppings for
burgers, for marinades and
brines, the vegetarian and vegan
trends in BBQ get-togethers,
and the rise in demand for world
foods, such as Korean, Middle
Eastern, and Latin-American,
where tangy, spicy, and pickled
flavours playing a major role.
And all this healthy, spicy
stuff goes well with cheese,
especially the continental and
premium varieties that Lactalis
summer meals.”
The BBQ is growing rapidly
more sophisticated – it’s not all
burgers and chops; or if it is,
there is also increasingly a wide
range of delicate and interna
tional accompaniments.
“Independents can win by
creating a shopping experience
that’s curated, convenient, and
inspiring,” she adds. “Offering
premium, well-merchandised
seasonal staples like Leerdam
mer and Galbani Burrata gives
consumers quick and easy
solutions for barbecue hosting.
Providing personal service,
community-focused cam
paigns, and thoughtful cross-
merchandising helps independ
ents build loyalty in ways larger
retailers can’t.”
Cheese is a key part of
seasonal meal planning and a
valuable category for conveni
ence retailers, explains Le
Norcy-Trott. It offers a strong
opportunity to drive incremen
tal sales by appealing to
shoppers who are looking for
great taste, nutritional value,
and ease: “Convenience
specialises in.
“Seasonal spikes in cheese
sales, especially premium
products like burrata, highlight
shifting consumer habits,” says
Le Norcy-Trott. “Galbani
Burrata saw a 12.8 per cent
year-on-year value growth and
now makes up 34 per cent of the
total burrata market. Consum
ers are increasingly looking for
restaurant-quality experiences
at home and gravitate towards
fresh, flavourful, and authentic
ingredients to elevate their
BBQ Facts and figures
Don’t underestimate the
sales opportunity that
summer sales for outdoor
revelry offers the indie
retailer – as these
astonishing statistics demonstrate
There were 64 million BBQs in the UK in 2023
90% of UK households own a BBQ
58% of UK consumers use their BBQs all year round, according
to a Weber survey.
The average BBQ in 2020, using beef and feeding 3 people,
produced 3,304,260 tonnes of CO2
42% of Brits host or attend 2-3 BBQs a year, with Gen Z
attending an average of 6-10, according to a study by Tropical
Sun Foods
Burgers are the top BBQ item; sausages and chicken are also
very popular
While once male-dominated, BBQs are now more equal, with
women accounting for 48.5% of grilling occasions, according
to nationalbbqweek.co.uk
36% of UK grill owners create their own rubs and marinades,
according to a Weber survey