Plant-Based World Expo
Posted on December 15th, 2022
We visited the Plant-Based World Expo which is an event designed exclusively for foodservice and retail professionals, distributors, investors, and manufacturers to showcase what the vegan sector has to offer.
This year Plant-Based World Expo was at Olympia London, where we discovered innovative vegan products, heard from industry leaders and pioneers and were along the first to sample mouth-watering plant-based food from ground-breaking international companies.
From the expo, we identified 3 main trends influencing the plant-based industry.
Chef-Crafted & Global Culinary Creativity
Showcasing ‘new meat’, Redefine Meat started when Adam Lahav and Eschar Ben Shitrit wanted to produce meat that not only tasted like meat, but also to save the planet. In 2018, Redefine Meat produced their first meat product, a steak, made from a 3D printer. The team studies meat’s complex structure and understands what drives each sensory process which in turn helps them to develop the technology to make this happen. By 2020 the company had achieved a printing speed of 10 kilograms per hour.
At the Plant-Based World Expo we attended a live demonstration from Shai Hayman who has a background as a chef. He shared that he had always wanted to become a chef and scientist and four years ago, he became that when joining the Redefine team. The team demonstrated their plant-based beef tenderloin product made from a mix of wheat protein, soy, beetroot, gellan gum, methyl cellulose and are high in protein, have no cholesterol, and look, cook, feel, and taste like the real deal. Interesting, Shai cooked this product as you would a beef steak, sauteed on the hob to give the desirable complex flavour and texture. Throughout the demonstration Shai shared stories of taking their products to restaurants and chefs fighting over what meat cut the product was, unknown to them that the dishes were actually plant-based. Chefs such as Marco Pierre White are huge advocates for Redifine products, which Marco stating, “it’s the most clever thing I’ve ever seen in my 45 years at being in a kitchen” (Redefine).
Not only does the 3D printed meat set this company apart, but also their focus on different cuts of meat and the different textures, flavours, fattiness, appearance, and juiciness they lend themselves. It’s safe to say their stand at the expo attracted the mass and had a constant buzz of people.
Protein Comes in Many Forms
Heura claim themselves as successors of meat. Founded in Mexico their products live and breathe Mediterranean heritage and cuisine using high-quality ingredients like olive oil, which have a clean label, high nutritional values, and add complex taste. Their Mediterranean plant-based meat products are produced using only high-protein and GMO-free legumes. 
Flying the flag for jackfruit was award winning gourmet plant-based food manufacture, Jack and Bry. Nutritionally high in fibre, increasing biodiversity and reforestation and supporting local farmers and producers, are just some of the reasons Jack and Bry use jackfruit as their protein base. They demonstrated the diversity of their products at the expo with dishes such as pepperoni pizza, burgers, sausages and many more!
La Vie are soy experts. The bacon and lardon manufacture that is 100% vegan are made using soya and sunflower which are rich in protein, to give that rich, fatty flavour we associate with bacon products. The manufacture won an award for their bacon product at the expo for the best Plant-Based Bacon proving it’s popularity.
Being plant-based isn’t enough anymore. With so much competition on the market, consumers want to know what they’re eating, know it’s good for the environment and good for them.
There is a big emphasis on quality and sourcing with plant trends leaning more towards clean and natural products.
Focus on sustainability
Today, the majority of meat and dairy alternatives are plant-based, but we learnt in as little as 5 years, the landscape could look very different! We attended a session on those leading the charge for cultivated meat, precision fermentation and the role of biotech in our food system.
The talk was led by Ira Van Eelen, daughter of Willem van Eelen who is otherwise known as the “Godfather of Cultured Meat”. Ira is the chairman of the “In Vitro Meat Foundation” which specialises in the manufacturing of meat products through tissue engineering which in turn has health, animal welfare and environmental benefits. The talk involved a video which explained how cell grown meat would be manufactured based on “the farm”. The cells are taken from live animals via a biopsy and held in an environment the same temperature as the animal (roughly 38°c) to grow and reproduce. When the cells have fully developed and grown, the cells would be harvested and used as cultivated meat. This concept is rapidly progressing with Governments from across the globe backing the idea. Could the idea that the cultivated meat is produced on “the farm” be seen as controversial but the producers would explain that this makes total sense and is where all the resources needed to produce cultivated meat are. Improved greenhouse gas (GHG) emission efficiency of production has been proposed as one of the biggest potential advantages of cultured meat over conventional livestock production systems.
The session also included precision fermentation which uses microorganisms to produce specific functional ingredients. Jevan Nagarajah, Co-Founder of Better Dairy discussed how they use synthetic biology and yeast fermentation to produce products that are molecularly identical to traditional dairy (same taste, textures, and nutritional profile) whilst also removing animals entirely from the equation. For example, through precision fermentation they can produce aged and matured animal-free cheeses that are molecularly identical to traditional dairy products without the use of animals. Eva Sommer, founder of Fermify, who are in the process of building a simple and fully automated production platform to address the issue of large-scale milk protein production using precision fermentation.
In summary, we thought it was great to see the variety and array of development and excitement in the vegan arena which makes it clear that it’s not a fad and is certainly here to stay! From visiting the talks and demonstrations at the expo, it highlighted that the future for vegan will rely on improvement of products to make like for like matches for meat so that flexitarians will make the switch, and transparency of products and ingredients for consumer acceptance, whilst all trying to stay at a reasonable cost as well as taking into account sustainability.
If you’re interested in our thoughts and learning from the expo, or would like to understand how we can help you develop your plant-based innovation, please contact us at mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk.
Restaurant Review My Delhi, Newcastle.
Posted on November 25th, 2022
My Delhi offers Indian street food, inspired by the streets and markets of India which for the past decade, seems to have thankfully been the way forward for Indian restaurants in the UK with one in five people eating Indian at least once a week (Mintel). Since opening, My Delhi has won BBC’s Britain’s Top Takeaways and further accolades include National Chef of the Year 2022, Best Street Food restaurant of the year (including both Asian curry awards and English curry awards) and most recently a Special Recognition Award for advancing the Indian restaurant industry.
As soon as you walk into the restaurant it gives off a trendy urban feel. The walls are brick and there are vibrant neon lights and graffiti as well as some walls being hot pink. It’s safe to say My Delhi is a modern day, ‘Instagramable’ Indian restaurant.
Predominately small plates, the menu comprises of authentic flavours from Delhi. The menu is split into Street Plates, Tandoori Street Plates, Roadside Stalls, and Itty-Bitty Nibbles. We began with Amritsari Fish, the lightest, crunchy battered fish lightly spiced with the addition of fresh herbs including coriander, cumin and nigella seeds served with a curried tartar sauce. The sauce added additional freshness to the dish as well as a zing that cut through the richness of the batter. Next, the Spicy Lamb Chops. Wow – full-flavoured, succulent and warming. The lamb must have been marinated in a spiced yoghurt considering how soft and tender they were. The tandoori masala rub had a building heat certainly delivered big flavour! We also tried the Aloo Tikki Chaat, crispy potato patty served with a spicy chickpea masala and drizzled with chutney. This was an interesting starter; the texture of the potato patty was very soft and had a creamy mouthfeel. The chickpea masala added texture and crunchiness, the dish tasted very comforting. The restaurant recommends a selection of 2-3 street plates per person.
Now for the curries! Classic dishes from the roadside found on the highways of North India. Punjabi Dhaba Chicken was similar to a bhuna, aromatic and fragrant with a creamy tomato flavour. The chilli was a medium heat level, and the chicken was succulent and soft. The curry was topped with Greek yoghurt giving it an additional creamy texture. The dish named ‘Kozi Curry’ stood out to us. This style of curry is popular in the east coast of India. It is a thick curry which is very rich in spice and holds a lot of heat, really packs a punch. In fact, we need some raita to cool down! The curry was fresh with zingy ginger notes and strong fresh chilli, I could taste coconut which was nicely balanced and created a very rounded flavour! We also tried the Dilli Paneer Butter Masala. Rich and creamy, cooked paneer, a popular cheese used in Indian cooking, in a buttery masala sauce. A lightly spiced curry with a building heat.
You can’t have authentic Indian cuisine without sides. We had a selection of Tandoori Laccha Paratha, Peshwari Naan and Chacha chips. A popular flatbread in Indian cuisine, this paratha was layered and coated in either ghee and covered in warming tandoori spices. The layers were similar to the layers you find with puff pastry, but the texture was soft and bready. Perfect for sopping up the flavours of the curries! The Peshwari Naan was rich and buttery. Inside the bread there was a dark, sweet mixture of desiccated coconut and sultanas fully blended and then topped with ghee. Lastly, the Chacha chips. Crispy on the outside and lovely and fluffy on the inside. So crispy it was as if they had a light and crispy batter around them. They were lightly spiced with cumin, coriander, and chilli flakes – absolutely delicious!
My Delhi is a lively, friendly, and enjoyable place to visit. The service was attentive without being imposing and the servers were all happy to answer our questions and queries as soon of the dishes were new to us! Reading an Indian restaurant menu and having never heard of some of the dishes is exciting – it’s wonderful that restaurateurs are bringing authentic dishes and flavour to our palettes.
For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk
A Festive World Cup!
Posted on November 18th, 2022
With the World Cup kicking off this November, it is set to clash with one of the most social times in Brits’ calendars: the festive season! Does this mean it could be possible that we will be toasting England’s successes through the tournament with mulled cider, wine, and mince pies.
The Three Lions’ final-reaching run in the Euros last year generated an additional £2.3bn of food and drink sales in the UK, and that’s not even including pubs (Grocer). Here’s hoping this year we do one better then it won’t just be the fans in wild ecstasy. Food and drink brands will be partying too. For as one of the biggest events on the planet, the football World Cup is an almost unrivalled opportunity to boost sales and entrench their brand in the hearts of millions of fans. Especially when the home nations do well.
Retailers and drinks brands have included the Word Cup in their Christmas marketing campaigns.
Would it be Aldi’s Christmas advert without Kevin the Carrot? Well, this year they’ve gone one better and involved the World Cup in their Home Alone inspired Christmas campaign. The ad stars football heroes ‘vegetablised’, including ’Ronaldi’, ‘Messy’, ’MmmBap’, ‘Roy Bean’, ‘Macaroony’, ‘Beth Swede’ and ‘Marrowdona’. As Kevin gets carried away with the rest of the characters, his wife Katie and children Baby, Chantenay and Jasper are seen on the flight he has just missed. Katie delivers the timeless Catherine O’Hara line “KEVIN!” from the Christmas staple, Home Alone as he is left in the airport. Kevin first appeared on TV for the retailer’s Christmas ad in 2016 – to rival the yearly viral John Lewis adverts. In previous years, Aldi has even sold soft toy versions of its vegetable characters in stores during the festive period.
Brewdog are also highlighting the World Cup this festive season stating, “With the World Cup falling in the festive season, there’s never been a better time to book in. Phenomenal food, incredible drinks packages and electric atmosphere guaranteed.” However, the drinks manufacture has had some controversial feedback following their marketing campaigns. The business partnered with comms agency Saatchi & Saatchi to create a series of billboards unveiled this week, which are designed to draw attention to a range of human rights abuses perpetrated by the 2022 host nation.
Dalziel Ingredient’s NPD team have developed some finger lickin’ food to munch in front of the match that’ll keep you going strong during the Games.
Head to our Instagram page for inspiration! Dalziel Ingredients (@dalziel_ingredients) • Instagram photos and videos
For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk
Barrio Comida, a true taste of Mexico.
Posted on November 11th, 2022
If you’re looking for tradition, authentic Mexican food then we think we’ve found the answer! We needed to try the real thing without having to book a flight to Mexico! Chef Shaun Hurrell started with pop-up stalls in Newcastle and Durham before finding a permanent home in Church Street, Durham. Shaun grew up in California and had fond memories of frequent visits over the border to Mexico. His passion for authentic Mexican food is reflected on Barrio Comida. Since then, he has worked in some of the UK’s most regarded Michelin starred restaurants like St John Hotel, Kitchen Table and Marcus Wareing’s restaurant. Barrio Comida is a restaurant in the City of Durham inspired by the neighbourhood taquerias dotted across Mexico and North America, community hubs where people gather to eat, drink and have a great time. This taqueria doesn’t just specialise in tacos, but also burritos, quesadillas, and cocktails!
Something that sets this restaurant apart is their freshly made corn that is ground every morning on their volcanic stone Molino. This forms the base of their tortillas, tostadas, totopos and quesadillas. 8 different varieties of corn are used on rotation from various states around Mexico, supporting small scale Mexican farmers. We loved finding out that bolita Amarillo corn was used to make our tortillas.
First up was the queso quesadillas simply served with British cheese alongside four daily salsas. Salsa verde, a popular refreshing, tangy, spicy dipping sauce made with chopped herbs, green chilli and lots of fresh lime juice. A smokier version of salsa verde, Salsa roja. A blend of tomato, onion and chilli. Salsa macha, a slightly milder salsa made with crushed nuts, sesame, garlic and dried chillies in oil. The nuts and dried chillies added a crisp texture which added a contrast when eaten with the queso quesadilla. Lastly, the spiciest salsa, Arbol salsa. A punchy, flavourful salsa also worked well with the creaminess of the quesadilla.
Another authentic dish, al pastor tacos. Spit roast adobo marinated pork, roasted pineapple, and salsa verde. The pork had an aromatic, smoky notes which melted in the mouth. The roasted pineapple added sweetness but also additional smokiness. Topped with salsa verde which added depth of flavour unique to Mexican cuisine.
The Pollo Al Carbón taco also impressed with its charcoal grilled chicken, full of flavour, topped with the kick of salsa macha and a smooth guacamole taquero.
We had to try the Carne Supero burrito, we chose the Birria de res as our filling, served with rice, pinto beans, pico de gallo, cheese, guacamole and crema. Wow, what a flavour sensation! The beef was incredibly tender and melt in the mouth – it had depth and breadth and was ludicrously tasty! The flavours didn’t stop there, the fresh pico de gallo cut through the richness of the beef, and the guacamole and crema added a luxurious creaminess to the dish.
Attention to detail continues with the drink’s menu, which features some Mexican staples, as well as tipples from further afield. The house margarita (£8) is a must: El Jimador blanco with reposado, lime, triple sec, agave nectar and a salt rim. But there’s also a good choice of flavoured margaritas, negroni, pina colada, mezcal and more to try if your liver can handle it.
The authenticity didn’t stop with the food, the interior décor was warm and comforting, a similar experience to a taquerias in Mexico. To add to the ambiance, Hispanic music is also blasted in the background. It’s crucial to add the importance of suppliers to Barrio Comida. The chefs go to great lengths to source and import artisanal dried products that are the backbone of Mexican cuisine including heirloom corn. They also work closely with UK producers, farmers, and fishermen who they believe are the best in their fields. Overall, a true taste of Mexico.
For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk
Halloween 2022
Posted on October 28th, 2022
As the colour of the leaves change, so do the ones on our plate. The colder months lend themselves to the comfort of winter warmers, one-pot wonders, and rich autumnal produce. Warm orange pumpkin, deep burgundy beetroot, golden crumbles, and many more make up this season’s foodie colour pallette.
From slow cooked classics to authentic globally inspired dishes and hot heat products. Think warming curries packed full of spices to Persian, Middle Eastern and Japanese inspired pulled meats, all highlighting how flavours from the summer months have pushed through into Autumn comforts.
It’s not just about sweet treats, since Marks and Spencer launched a range of meaty Halloween treats back in 2019, from hocus pocus patties to ghostly chicken goujons.
It didn’t take long for Aldi to jump on board and follow M and S with its range of meaty Halloween treats, with similar orange and black vibrant packaging.
Another spooky edition for 2022 is Heinz black garlic mayo’s. Combining Heinz’s vegan mayonnaise with black garlic, a perfect condiment for Halloween. The mayo packs a punch and could easily be used to warn off the vampires!
Some may believe that Halloween is a sweet-toothed paradise, but for the savoury-favoured among us we’ve created 3 spookalicious delicious recipes.
Fancy something different for the kids this Halloween? We’ve got you covered! This spooky spider meatloaf is a horrifyingly delicious addition to any Halloween dinner menu!
Make it a spooktacular Halloween with these delicious fiery hot dogs. Adults will go all-zombie over them! The charcoal bun and blood sauce are the perfect addition for an adult Halloween party.
With sharp cheese ‘teeth’, gherkin ‘tongues’ and stuffed olive ‘eyeballs’, these scary bat burgers are perfect for rustling up for a kids’ Halloween party. They’re quick and easy and sure to spook!
For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk
Restaurant Inspiration – Mannaza
Posted on October 21st, 2022
It’s clear that the popularity of Korean food has become a staple to UK consumers diets and is set to rise. Products such as Kimchi and Gochujang boosted the growth and Brits continue to go crazy for Korean ingredients.
We wanted an authentic Korean BBQ experience where we could use a self-grill to cook our own meats and vegetables. The idea of plates full of marinated fish, meat and veggies coming out of the kitchen to your table, raw. Ready for you to grill them, wrap them in lettuce, eat with rice or even dip them in delicious sauces, then eat them up is one that we just had to try! Mannaza Newcastle offers this experience, so we thought we’d see what the buzz is about! The restaurant has a cosy atmosphere with lanterns hanging in the window. We couldn’t see the kitchens but because each table had their own grill, 
many tables had food sizzling which made it feel very homely.
First, we ordered the Dolsot Bibimbap, with beef a classic Korean rice dish that’s served with various vegetables, and beef topping which comes sizzling hot in a stone pot. The hot stone bowl meant the rice at the bottom was fantastically browned. The dish was topped with a raw egg which when stirred into the rice gave it a creamy, rich texture which worked well when eaten with the fiery gochujang fermented red pepper paste.
Next, Jajangmyeon a noodle dish full of flavour. Salty, sweet, slightly bitter, and packed with umami. A unique flavour, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Jajangmyeon is considered one of the most popular Korean dishes. The dish included diced pork and a mixture of vegetables with some cucumber which added a nice crunch to the meal. The dish was however, served cold which was not as expected, and we felt could’ve been more enjoyable if served warm.
Next up, Osam Bulgogi, a dish that combines both pork and squid which has been marinated in a spicy and sweet marinade. Just like being able to see into a busy kitchen, there is something immensely satisfying about seeing the food being prepared in front of you, which is only heightened when you get involved yourself. We were able to grill the pork and squid at the table which resulted in a smoky, savoury, and delicious flavour. It was a fun experience that we would recommend everyone should try for authentic Korean flavours.
We also tried two sides, a portion of lettuce with soybean paste which reminded us of a fresher kimchi that’s not been aged. Spicy, lightly seasoned lettuce salad that is meant to be eaten right away, not fermented like kimchi, however, the same spice and tangy flavour profile. This dish paired perfectly with the Osam Bulgogi adding extra crunch and kick of flavour. The second side we ordered was a seaweed salad. Heavy on the garlic but offered a nice crunch to the dishes.
Overall, we loved the authentic interior of this restaurant, the smokiness really created a homely atmosphere as well as the delicious smells each grill offered. The authenticity of Korean cooking techniques and ingredients appeals widely to consumers which we found Mannaza showcasing throughout their menu.
For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk
Coffee Week UK
Posted on October 14th, 2022
It’s the week that the nation comes together to celebrate all things coffee! Most of us can’t start our day without our morning cup of coffee with coffee culture becoming a lifestyle, not just a drink. Whether it’s a Macchiato or a Cappuccino that takes your fancy or only an Espresso will do, it’s a week to embrace the coffee bean with the UK now drinking approximately 98 million cups of coffee a day (British Coffee Association). Coffee is considered one of the most popular drinks worldwide for good reasons. It helps us focus, boosts our physical performance, reduces internal inflammation, and protects against some diseases, as it contains antioxidants, but most importantly it tastes delicious! Coffee beans lend an array of flavours from bitter chocolate to nutty, fruity notes.
Recently, coffee has been in the TikTok limelight. A combo we all might have tried perhaps with our breakfast, an espresso and freshly squeezed orange juice but this TikTok trend combines the two! With over 1.6 million views, users say that espresso and orange juice is a surprisingly good combo so why not mix them together?
From coffee infused bacon to a dry aged rib cap glazed with cocoa, chilli and espresso we really have seen the complexity coffee brings to different protein types. How else would Dalziel Ingredients show our love for coffee other than developing not one, but three flavour ideas to showcase the diversity of this star ingredient!
When coffee blends are paired with spicy, smoky or sweet ingredients, the results can be unexpected and unforgettable.
Brazilian coffee and orange thighs. Inspired by the TikTok trend, these thighs are perfectly balanced. The bitterness of the Brazilian coffee and the sweetness of the orange blends together seamlessly with the tangy, citrus flavour coming through.
Next, a coffee and chilli burger. Coffee elevates the flavour of the beef burger as well as adding a slight bitterness and earthy flavour that amplifies the heat of the chilli.
For those who have a sweet tooth… how about these espresso and chocolate cookies. Crisp on the outside, gooey in the middle!
How Can We help?
We have an experienced NPD team to support you with your product development. Our marketing team is also up to date with all things new and are happy to support you with any information you may need, whether it’s for idea concepts or briefs. We’re here to help!
For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk
Wings. Music. Beer. Bourbon.
Posted on October 6th, 2022
Wings. Music. Beer. Bourbon. We headed to Wing Fest Manchester where the festival showcases the best chicken wings the UK has to offer with varying flavours, additions, sauces and much more! The wings are split into two categories: the Best Buffalo Wing – the battle for who can perfect the classic, tangy, spicy sauce – and the Best Wild Wing, where vendors let their creativity flow with innovative flavours and toppings to transform a humble chicken wing into a flavour explosion.
Buffalo, BBQ, Korean, gravy and sweet twists were just some of the flavour combo’s at the festival. We headed to Eat Swings and ordered their smokey honey jalapeno wing – sweet, smokey, spicy sauce topped with crispy onions and blackberries. If you like strong, smokey flavours then this ones for you! On the smoke trend, we ordered Filthy Wings ‘Filthy B!#&h’ wing. A unique combo of chilli, caramel, and smoked salt. Not too heavily coated but still packed a punch! Sweet yet warming chilli heat, a filthy treat! Next up, the most artistic wings from Mexican seoul. We had high hopes knowing that they had won 1st place for their wild wings on the Saturday! Their double fried chicken wings coated in gochujang sauce, a gochu-mayo, and garnished with sesame seeds and spring onions. Deep, rich and tangy sauce that packed a punch! We also tried their Buffalo wing – Golden Habenero glaze with a blue cheese dip. Not for the faint hearted! Vinegary-and-tangy-pepper hot wings with a creamy, salty sauce.
We couldn’t help but notice a sweet variety of wings that took our fancy! Poor Boys Biscoff Bad Boy sweet BBQ wing. A heavy fried batter coated with lashings of biscoff and hickory bbq sauce with a drizzle of gravy mayo. A wing that was difficult for the brain to process yet surprisingly delicious! Their buffalo wing also didn’t disappoint and for us, was a real winner. Hot honey buffalo a blue cheese
drizzle and Taki Fuegos. All the flavours you’d expect, with a fruitier twist!
Next was Colombo Street, a Sri Lankan street food vendor. Their wild wing was the Wild Colombo, Tangy wild sauce made with lavishly thrown Sri Lankan Jaggery, Tamarind Puree and Caramelised Onion on top. Their buffalo also stood out. The Colom-Buffalo proving fusion mash-ups really do work! Ginger and palm treacle infused Buffalo sauce enriched with fresh curry leaves and roasted coconut. Both wings were sticky, rich Sri Lankan deliciousness.
Finally, we couldn’t help but try the wings from Eat the Bird. Their buffalo wing was fermented cayenne, shaved blue cheese and ranch shake. The fermented chilli lent the tangy flavour profile you would expect from buffalo which we thought was an inspired idea! Eat the Bird also went down the Korean route with their wild wing – Gochugang-Bangsauce, K-Pop crunch. A lighter batter was used on their wings which we welcomed but the flavours still delivered!
Throughout the festival we also indulged in The Woozy Pig’s Sloppy Joe’s loaded fries. Dirty fries seasoned with garlic and herb, topped with a sweet and tangy beef mince smothered with American mustard. Pure carb goodness!
We left, stuffed to the brim still talking about the biscoff wing. There was a real love and passion for wings and definitely a festival to add to next year’s list – roll on 2023!
For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk
Dalziel Ingredients Saving Hacks
Posted on September 29th, 2022
It’s no secret that the UK cost of living is at an all time high is facing and us Brits are seeking new ways to reduce spending, with food costs being key.
Recent research by the Office of National Statistics, found that the price of meat in general rose by almost 10% in the year to the end of May. The average annual shop is set to rise by a staggering £10.25 every week if consumers buy the same products as they did last year (Kantar).
As a result of tighter budgets, shoppers are becoming more price savvy, swapping their usual brands, supermarkets and ingredients for own-label substitutes, supermarkets with cost incentives and cheaper alternatives to keep their spend to a minimum. In particular, own-label ranges are at record levels of popularity with sales rising by 7.3% and holding 51.6% of the market compared with branded products, the biggest share ever recorded (Kantar). Other evidence for own label interest comes from customer chatter. Analysis by agency Immediate Future shows a 28% rise in mentions of own label on social media between January and February of this year (Grocer).
Retailers are meeting this demand with Asda introducing their Just Essentials range which launched this Summer and is already in 33% of it’s customers’ baskets (Kantar). Asda has also expanded its ‘Dropped & Locked’ pricing campaign to include more than 250 products, which will remain for the rest of the year. Retailers are also driving loyalty cards with some retailers offering as much as half price deals when joining their loyalty scheme.
Tesco have been adding budget meals to their recipes on their website focusing on something to feed the whole family without breaking the bank as well as highlighting food waste, teaming up with Hellmann’s to help consumers reduce food waste in home, as well as freezer friendly recipes that are great for batch-cooking.
Aldi have teamed up with Mob, rustling up “simply delicious” family meals from £4.19 with the retailer adding, “when it comes to creating affordable and delicious dishes for families to enjoy, Aldi and Mob are on the same page of the cookbook. So, it made sense for us to team up and share some amazing recipes that anyone can make at home all at inflation busting prices”. While Sainsburys have added “Feed your family for a fiver” to their recipe range on their website, featuring pea and mint risotto, spinach dahl and Thai green curry.
Dalziel Ingredients Saving Hacks
- At these times of uncertainty, consumers may look to cheaper cuts of meat to save money. Reference to ‘inexpensive’ cuts of meat can often be controversial. At one stage, cuts such as oxtail and brisket were considered cheap, but the popularity and demand of these meats have risen and therefore, so have the prices. Off-cuts are often the muscles taken from an animal that work harder, hence when cooked they often require longer and slower cooking techniques. When cooked properly these cuts can be delicious.
- Incorporating a flexi lifestyle. Adding some plant-based meals into your diet can help reduce the weekly food costs, with studies proving flexitarian diets with low amounts of meat and dairy reduced costs by 14% (Oxford University).
- Pre-flavoured meats. Purchasing proteins that have been flavoured, spiced or rubbed with ingredients means you won’t have to add additional flavour at home! How many of us have large spice racks or cupboards with ingredients that have been bought for one-off recipes and haven’t been touched since! This hack saves consumers spending money on endless spices.
Head to our Instagram where this week’s posts feature meal ideas to feed a family for under £5!
Shakshuka is perfect for the whole family – traditionally a Middle Eastern breakfast dish but we think can be eaten for any meal of the day! The guajillo chilli and lime seasoned wings can be served on your party table! Cheap and delicious – we dip ours in our Mexican spiced mayo. Next, there is Beef bulgogi served with rice, pimp with extra chilli for the heat lovers! Our juicy chicken gyros with tzatziki is served alongside a Greek inspired salad. Finally, beef mince keema seasoned with Indian spices and served alongside basmati rice and mango chutney. All delicious and importantly affordable!
For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk
Social Media Influences in the Food Industry
Posted on September 1st, 2022
It’s clear that social media has become a part of society, and it has hugely influenced what we eat even if we don’t always know it.
Trends of where to eat and new products to try on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram are huge. How these trends have changed demand of certain products highlights the power of social media.
The quick content spreading has driven hundreds of products to become scarce due to the surges of high demand that these platforms cause. For example, Little Moons in 2021 became such a huge trend that they were put out onto shelfs and gone within hours. It led to people having to go to multiple locations to find them. Thanks to this viral trend, every retailer that stocked Little Moon’s (Tesco, Waitrose and Ocado) had record sales in both value and volume and, in Tesco alone, sales were up 1,300% (Grocer, 2021).
Retailers such as Aldi are jumping on this trend. This Summer, Aldi launched a TikTok favourite greek gyros! The launch came following the popularity of the dish on TikTok (with 179m views of videos tagged #gyros).
Restaurants are also going viral!
61% of Gen Z diners use TikTok to find new restaurants, and operators on TikTok can produce customised marketing content to engage these young, digitally connected customers. (Mintel)
When a restaurant is recommended, most people go and try it for themselves. Even we have at Dalziel ingredients have explored locations, like Horticulture, that are popular for ourselves. Social media showcases new and exciting things all the time, including different cultures’ foods allowing us to travel the world with our tastebuds.
Whether it’s Chinese cucumber salads at home, restaurants to order and eat Fufu with your hands, or buying Korean Tteokbokki, all new concepts to most of us. Yet they are things that the media shows to consumers and influences many of us to try. Even if you do not realise, that new dish on the menu of the restaurant you go to is probably influenced by the media trends!
Dalziel Ingredients Innovation
Each week different members of our NPD team are gaining inspiration from social media and are showcasing how seasonings and ingredients can be incorporated into these trends. This week, the Instagram trend #allthingsbutter caught our attention and we looked for ways to highlight this. We used different innovative ingredients and concepts to create our butter flavours.
From left to right; Smoked Seaweed and Sea Salt, Shallot and Chilli, Yellow Thai and Espresso Martini butter.
We also showcased how these butters could use incorporated into dishes. From curry bases and burger toppers to pancake dollops – their uses are endless!
Check out our Instagram page for our next social media foodie trends! https://www.instagram.com/dalziel_ingredients/
For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk