FEATURE
FOOD CUPBOARD
27 JUNE 2025 ASIAN TRADER 59
Mrs Elswood from EBF sets the
standard in pickles and has just
launched its snacking Pickle Bites
– a new duo of snack pickles in
handy pouches, available in
convenient 50g packs in fiery Peri
Peri and the original Classic
flavours.
“Delivering all the much-loved
punch and crunch of a Mrs
Elswood Gherkin but now in a
handy pouch for extra conveni
ence, we’re confident that Mrs
Elswood Pickle Bites will be a hit
with consumers seeking a new
vegetable-based snacking
experience,” commented Mat
Moyes, Marketing Controller for
Mrs Elswood.
Mrs Elswood Pickle Bites are
the result of the
meeting of three key
trends – convenience
and portability, the
desire to snack more
healthily and the
growing consumer
desire to zing up the
everyday with
flavours developed
specifically to put a
punch into lunch.
The launch of Mrs
Elswood Pickle Bites
comes as gherkins
continue to show strong growth
in the UK (+10.6 per cent value
growth). Mrs Elswood is now the
UK’s #1 gherkin with a 17 per cent
value share.
In the realm of dried ingredi
ents, Knorr has announced the
relaunch of its iconic Aromat
all-purpose seasoning and the
addition of two new flavours
– Garlic Aromat and Chili Aromat
– to the range, aiming to boost
penetration by appealing to
younger shoppers and unlocking
new growth opportunities for the
ambient brand.
Ideal as a salt substitute and
available in an easy-to-use
sprinkler format, Knorr’s Aromat
is already growing ahead of the
seasoning category, (33 per cent
vs 18 per cent, according to
Nielsen, MAT) and is the third
placed seasoning SKU in the
market.
The relaunch is backed with a
brand campaign aiming to
showcase Aromat’s
versatility across a
variety of dishes, as
well as introducing
the new flavours. A
substantial sampling
campaign will also
put 200,000 sachets
into the hands of
shoppers to drive
trial. And are rolling
out across conveni
ence this month.
Nestlé’s internation
al culinary brand, Maggi, is
keeping up with advancing
consumer times by launching a
range of Air Fryer Crispy Coating
mixes available in three flavours:
Crispy Southern Style, Crispy
Katsu Style and Crispy Korean
BBQ Style. Each blend has been
meticulously made to deliver a
delicious crunch, making it easier
than ever to achieve quality
crispiness at home.
“We are so excited to be
introducing the new Maggi Air
Fryer Crispy Coating Mixes to
cooking enthusiasts in the UK,”
Danielle McAreavey, head of
marketing for Maggi UK and
Ireland, said.
“With so many homes in the
UK making use of air
fryers, we wanted to
ensure consumers are
inspired with tasty and
varied recipes to help
with anything from
entertaining guests to
those busy family
weeknights.
More traditionally,
Bisto has inked a new
partnership with Wallace and
Gromit, and the animated duo
will feature alongside their arch
nemesis, Feathers McGraw, in an
on-pack promotion across Bisto
Favourites Gravy products, with
a promo and then a
wrap-up draw
running until 16 July.
Kate Drew,
Marketing Controller
of Bisto and Paxo at
Premier Foods. “Bisto
is all about bringing
families together
around the table, and
this promotion offers
retailers an exciting
opportunity to drive
excitement down the aisle and
boost visibility of our family
favourite product.”
On the organic front, Biona
has unveiled a new Thai Red Curry
Paste, which is available to
retailers from now, with an RRP
of £3.39.
This new medium-hot paste
brings the authentic flavours of
Thailand to the UK kitchen,
featuring high-quality,
organic ingredients,
including chilli, garlic,
ginger and lemongrass.
Unlike many curry
pastes on the market
that contain shrimp,
Biona’s recipe is also
fully vegan, making it
a versatile choice for a
variety of diets. The
recipe also replaces
sugar with agave
syrup, which will suit
those consumers looking for
healthier options.
South-east Asian cooking
sauces in particular are in strong
growth, surging in both value (by
28.4 per cent) and volume (up 11.9
Grocery futures are looking good
Mintel’s latest research shows that current
trends in the ambient foods category are
looking firm for future longevity (courtesy of
EBF)
When shopping for groceries online, food cupboard items are
the most commonly purchased category, with 75.41% of
respondents including them in their online baskets.*
In convenience stores, food cupboard items are also highly
popular, with 66.45% of respondents in 2025 saying they
typically buy these items from such stores.**
The share of new product launches in the prepared meals
market that are shelf-stable (ambient) has fluctuated, peaking at
20% in 2023 before dropping to 12% in the first half of 2024.***
Sources:
*Ready meals and ready to cook foods UK 2024
** Products typically purchased when shopping online for groceries, May 2023
*** Food for home items typically purchased from convenience stores, April 2025
Info supplied by Mintel
Graphic: Mintel