Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- The market
- Value growth slows whilst volume stagnates in 2019
-
- Figure 1: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail value sales of world cuisine foods, 2014-24
- Ready meals decline, healthy growth continues for accompaniments/ingredients
- Foodservice continues to both influence and infiltrate retail
- Versatile world cuisines can capitalise on meat-free trend
- Companies and brands
- Own-label continues to dominate world cuisine market
- Foodservice brands expand in retail
- Convenient formats aid accessibility of world cuisines
- Skewer kits aim to maintain interest in established cuisines
- Plant-based ranges embrace world cuisines
- Old El Paso launches biggest ever campaign to ‘Make Some Noise’
- Charlie Bigham and Blue Dragon link with authenticity
- The consumer
- World cuisines are an ingrained part of consumers’ menus
-
- Figure 2: World cuisines eaten at home in the last three months and interest in eating world cuisines in future, by type, November 2019
- Umami flavours should be called out more
-
- Figure 3: Types of flavours preferred most when eating world cuisines at home, November 2019
- Sub-20 minute prep and help to bring new life to leftovers appeal
-
- Figure 4: World cuisine product concepts of interest, November 2019
- High demand for variety within favourite cuisines
-
- Figure 5: Behaviours relating to world cuisines, November 2019
- World cuisine products have potential to inject excitement into British dishes
-
- Figure 6: Attitudes towards world cuisines, November 2019
- What we think
Issues and Insights
-
- Dominant cuisines can mine strong demand for new varieties
- The facts
- The implications
- Making short preparation time clearer on-pack is key to winning over time-poor consumer
- The facts
- The implications
- Tailoring to taste will also help world cuisines respond to new trends
- The facts
- The implications
- Clear on-pack explanations can combat consumer distrust of new product names
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
-
- Value growth slows whilst volume stagnates in 2019
- Continued value growth ahead
- Ready meals decline, healthy growth continues for accompaniments/ingredients
- Foodservice continues to both influence and infiltrate retail
- Versatile world cuisines can capitalise on meat-free trend
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Value growth slows whilst volume stagnates in 2019
-
- Figure 7: Total UK retail value sales of world cuisine food, 2014-24
- Continued value growth ahead
-
- Figure 8: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail value sales of world cuisine foods, 2014-24
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
-
- Ready meals decline
-
- Figure 9: UK retail value sales of world cuisine foods, by format, 2017-19
- Healthy growth continues for accompaniments/ingredients
- Cooking sauces recover from 2018 stagnation
- Growth slows for established cuisines
-
- Figure 10: UK retail value sales of world cuisine foods, by cuisine, 2017-19
- Mexican segment sees minor decline
-
- Figure 11: UK retail value sales of world cuisine foods, by cuisine and format, 2017-19
Market Drivers
-
- Action on Salt finds “unnecessary” levels of salt in popular sauces
- Foodservice continues to both influence and infiltrate retail
- Versatile world cuisines can capitalise on meat-free trend
- Environmentally friendly packaging is in the spotlight
- Potential for Brexit and COVID-19 to benefit the world cuisines retail market
- Uptake of world cuisines will continue to rise
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
-
- Own-label continues to dominate world cuisine market
- Foodservice brands expand in retail
- Convenient formats aid accessibility of world cuisines
- Skewer kits aim to maintain interest in established cuisines
- Plant-based ranges embrace world cuisines
- Old El Paso launches biggest ever campaign to ‘Make Some Noise’
- Charlie Bigham and Blue Dragon link with authenticity
Market Share
-
- Own-label continues to dominate world cuisine market
- Cooking sauce brands lead the Indian segment
-
- Figure 12: Leading brands in the Indian ready meals, cooking sauces and accompaniments/ingredients market, by value, 2018 and 2019
- Figure 13: Leading manufacturers in the Indian ready meals, cooking sauces and accompaniments/ingredients market, by value, 2018 and 2019
- Blue Dragon leads a fragmented Chinese segment
-
- Figure 14: Leading brands in the Chinese ready meals, cooking sauces and accompaniments/ingredients market, by value, 2018 and 2019
- Figure 15: Leading manufacturers in the Chinese ready meals, cooking sauces and accompaniments/ingredients market, by value, 2018 and 2019
- Old El Paso retains top position in Mexican
-
- Figure 16: Leading brands in the Mexican ready meals, cooking sauces and accompaniments/ingredients market, by value, 2018 and 2019
Launch Activity and Innovation
-
- Foodservice brands expand in retail
- Nando’s brings spice to meal kits
-
- Figure 17: Nando’s extends into meal kits, 2019
- Itsu links with M&S for ramen range…
-
- Figure 18: Examples of Itsu’s new retail products, 2019-20
- …in the wake of a string of ramen kit launches
- Fusion trend continues to influence NPD
- Sharwood’s rolls out Street Food Wrap Kits, Aldi launches fajita burger
-
- Figure 19: Sharwood’s Street food katsu curry wrap kit, 2019
- Capsicana embraces Latin American fusion
- Convenient formats aid accessibility of world cuisines…
- Snack pots make world cuisines quick and easy to prepare
-
- Figure 20: Twistd Flavour Co. Moroccan Inspired Cous Cous & Lentils, 2019
- Slow cooking simplified by Homepride
- No-mess solutions
-
- Figure 21: Potts Piri Piri Marinating Bag, 2019
- Figure 22: Uncle Ben’s ‘One pot’ Solutions, 2019
- …and new formats help to maintain interest in category
- Skewer kits emerge
-
- Figure 23: Patak’s Street Food Fiery Gunpowder Skewers Kit, 2019
- Figure 24: Blue Dragon and Thai Taste skewer kits, 2019
- Sainsbury’s emphasises Indian regions in new premium ready meals
-
- Figure 25: Sainsbury’s new premium Indian regional meals, 2019
- Korean offering expands
- Yogiyo builds interest in emerging cuisines
-
- Figure 26: Yogiyo Original Udon Ramen Kit, 2019
- Gochujang paste adds spice to the market
- Plant-based ranges embrace world cuisines
-
- Figure 27: Examples of vegetarian and plant-based world cuisine options from leading UK grocers, 2019
- Mars adds new vegetarian-friendly Tasty Bite range
-
- Figure 28: Examples of Mars Food’s Tasty Bite Range, 2019
Advertising and Marketing Activity
-
- Old El Paso launches biggest ever campaign to ‘Make Some Noise’
-
- Figure 29: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on world cuisine, 2019
- Kikkoman looks to expand ways consumers use soy sauce
- ‘Only Delicious Will Do’ for Charlie Bigham
- Blue Dragon urges consumers to ‘Keep Exploring’
- Itsu launches integrated campaign to promote restaurant and grocery gyoza range
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
-
- World cuisines are an ingrained part of consumers’ menus
- Chinese and Indian dominate but considerable interest in less established cuisines
- Umami flavours should be called out more
- Sub-20 minute prep appeals widely
- World cuisines can win favour by helping to bring new life to leftovers
- High demand for variety within favourite cuisines
- World cuisine products have potential to inject excitement into British dishes
- Brands need to provide on-pack explanations of new dishes
Usage of World Cuisines at Home
-
- World cuisines are an ingrained part of consumers’ menus
- Chinese and Indian dominate but considerable interest in less established cuisines
-
- Figure 30: World cuisines eaten at home in the last three months and interest in eating world cuisines in future, by type, November 2019
- Under-45s are core users of world cuisines
-
- Figure 31: Eating Chinese and Indian food at home at least once a week, by age, November 2019
- Two in five adults eat at least five cuisines
-
- Figure 32: Repertoire of types of world cuisines eaten, by age, November 2019
World Cuisine Products Eaten or Used at Home
-
- Meal accompaniments, seasonings and cooking sauces are among top products
-
- Figure 33: Types of world cuisine products eaten or used in the last three months, November 2019
- Ready meal users hold untapped potential for condiments
Flavour Type Preferences in World Cuisines
-
- Umami flavours should be called out more
-
- Figure 34: Types of flavours preferred most when eating world cuisines at home, November 2019
- Spotlight on umami can help engage flexitarians
-
- Figure 35: Examples of products calling out umami flavours on their packaging, 2016-19
- Interest in aromatic flavours holds potential for Middle Eastern cuisine
World Cuisine Product Concepts of Interest
-
- Sub-20 minute prep appeals widely
-
- Figure 36: World cuisine product concepts of interest, November 2019
-
- Figure 37: Examples of brands making preparation time a central part of their on-front packaging, 2019-20
- World cuisines can win favour by helping to bring new life to leftovers
- Tailoring to taste chimes widely
-
- Figure 38: Itsu Teriyaki Chicken & Sticky Rice Meal Kit demonstrating the flexibility of its product, 2020
-
- Figure 39: Examples of recommendations for tailoring to taste in world cuisine products, 2019
- Figure 40: Uncle Ben's Caribbean Jerk Inspired One Pot Rice Kit calling for spice level to be adjusted to taste, 2019
Behaviours Relating to World Cuisines
-
- High demand for variety within favourite cuisines
-
- Figure 41: Behaviours relating to world cuisines, November 2019
- Expanding formats can provide a sense of newness
- Meal deals provide choice, convenience and affordability
Attitudes towards World Cuisines
-
- World cuisine products have potential to inject excitement into British dishes
-
- Figure 42: Attitudes towards world cuisines, November 2019
- Brands need to provide on-pack explanations of new dishes
-
- Figure 43: Examples of Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference ready meals giving details of regional cuisines, 2020
-
- Figure 44: CJ Foods Bibigo Mandu Beef Bulgogi Dumplings packaging with explanation of the terms mandu and bulgogi, 2019
- Further opportunities for world cuisines to capitalise on the big night in
-
- Figure 45: Recent examples of world cuisine flavours in snacks, 2019-20
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
-
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Segmentation
-
-
- Figure 46: Consumers’ frequency of cooking meals from scratch, 2016-19
-
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
-
- Forecast methodology
-
- Figure 47: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail value sales of world cuisine foods, 2019-24
Appendix – Market Share
-
-
- Figure 48: Brands and own-label in the Thai ready meals market, by value, 2018 and 2019
-
Back to top