Taste of India

Posted on May 6th, 2022

Indian flavours have been a firm favourite for many years across the globe. Development and creativity within India is limitless, every region and city has extensive traditional dishes and ingredients that can drive innovation and flare.

Creamy Indian curries developed specifically for British tastes were proved popular, that in 2001, former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook cited chicken tikka masala as Britain’s national dish. Increasingly well-travelled and educated consumers are moving the goalposts in terms of their expectations of authenticity, wanting to experience the real thing. Indeed, 75% of UK consumers who have eaten world cuisines at home in the last three months say they like their food to be as authentic as possible (Mintel). Vegetables are heavily used within Indian street food and the desire for healthier and cleaner lifestyles is motivating consumers towards a more plant-based diet, but that still pack a flavour punch.

Restaurants such as Dishoom have boomed within the last few years, serving authentic food from Bombay. Like many other restaurants, Dishoom introduced a meal kit delivery throughout the pandemic which proved so popular, the chain continued this service, enabling consumers to enjoy restaurant favourites at home. Hybrids of a popular dish and new flavours can be a way of creating new products that appeal to the market. For example, one of Dishoom’s most well-known dish is the bacon naan roll. Inspiration from the popular breakfast bacon roll, this Bombay street food inspired roll combines chilli jam, bacon, naan, fresh herbs and cream cheese to be eaten at any time of day! The Big Fat Indian Kitchen recently entered a ‘Big Fat Bombay Burger’ into the Battle of the Burger event held in Newcastle. The burger consisted of grilled tandoori marinaded chicken glazed with tikka masala, melted cheese, curried crunchy slaw, crispy fried onion in a brioche bun, a mashup of an American burger, influenced with Indian spices. Pairing different combinations of sweet, salty, tangy and spicy ingredients brings experimental flavours that consumers come to love!

Indian flavours are already fairly well-established in processed meat segments such as sausages and burgers. However, there is area for growth. The well established Meatopia quotes how the barbecue industry is dominated by the ‘low and slow Texas style, but people are really starting to explore different cuisines such as Indian and Argentinian’ (Grocer). The festival is expecting flavours of India to come through strong as well as authentic cooking experiences. New products entering the retail market are also backing this trend with new launches from Princes who debuted a trio of frozen marinated kebabs made from 100% chicken breast under their brand. The Indian Tandoori Chargrilled Chicken Kebab is coated in a rich, aromatic marinade with combinations of paprika, cumin and coriander with each skewer hand-turned over charcoal, authentic to Indian cooking.

Authenticity of sauces and condiments have also been on the rise. Indian sauces are full-flavoured and take time to perfect, so consumers often look to curry pastes and sauces for ease. Mango chutney is commonly eaten with Indian curries, a dip for poppadom’s as well as an ingredient used within Indian dishes. Mango chutney offers more than just sweetness, but sharp, tangy, fruity notes, the perfect accompaniment to Indian spices. Here at Dalziel Ingredients, we think adding black onion seeds to mango chutney is not only visually appealing, but adds nutty, earthy, peppery notes.

If you’re seeking flavour inspiration and innovation, please contact Dalziel Ingredients to learn how we can help your product portfolio.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Taste of The Middle East

Posted on April 29th, 2022

Middle Eastern cuisine is ever evolving and goes well beyond the traditional kebab. Beans, spices, herbs and vegetables feature heavily within the middle eastern diet which are transferred into dishes such as hummus and falafel.

Grains such as rice and wheat are staple ingredients, other whole wheat grains are commonly used such as bulgur, freekeh and couscous. Aside from whole grains, rice and bread are eaten at almost every meal. Waitrose tapped into these traditional grains within some salad launches with the use of bulgur wheat, couscous and freekeh. Last year, Waitrose launched The Levantine Table inspired by the diverse and vibrant culture of the Levant, the region of the Middle East that stretches along the sun shores of the eastern Mediterranean. This range proved to be popular as searches for ‘Levantine’ on waitrose.com rose by 2,533% the dayafter the range launched (Waitrose).

Mezzes are a selection of sharing dishes that can be scaled up and down for smaller or larger gatherings. Dishes can be heavily spiced and include vegetables, meats, dips and snacks. Typical dishes such as tabbouleh, baba ghanoush, hummus, and falafel which are commonly seen within retailers.

The kebab has been an integral part of Middle Eastern culture. The meat of choice is usually lamb, and it is cooked over a fire on a skewer holder, so the meat never touches the grill itself. Spices such as cumin, coriander, garlic and onion, differentiate kebabs. Within the UK, kebabs have been portrayed as a ‘dirty’ post-pub tradition, often served in a pitta with lashings of garlic and fiery chilli sauce. In recent years retailers have preimmunised the kebab such as Marks and Spencer who marketed their launch of their Lamb Shish Kebabs as, ‘Kebabs don’t need to be dirty to be delicious!’. This Collection Master Grill launch included a creamy lemon and mint yoghurt as well as a coriander and roast garlic drizzle making the kebab extra luxurious! Within this range, M&S also introduced a Fully Loaded Chicken Shawarma. Like the kebab, this product is made with premium ingredients, British chicken marinated in Middle Eastern spices with olive oil and preserved lemons.

Koftas are a Middle Eastern dish made from ground lamb or beef mixed with onions, garlic, and spices. The meat is shaped into balls, patties or logs and then grilled and served with pittas and dips. Koftas have become a British barbeque favourite, as a result, slimming world brought Beef koftas into their Iceland range drizzled with a green chilli sauce and cooling yoghurt dip.

Spice blends are heavily used within Middle Eastern cuisine to add brightness and complexity and certain blends have been trending. Za’atar is up 44% on restaurant menus over the past 4 years (Unilever). The mixture traditionally includes dried oregano, sesame seeds, sumac, and thyme, sprinkled on top of vegetables and meats. Here are Dalziel Ingredients, we add our Za’atar inspired blend into our vegan mayo which is the perfect addition to salads and roasted vegetables.

Harissa, the Middle Eastern chili paste keeps growing in menu appearances and popularity. Datassential reports Harissa has grown an astounding 146% on menus in the last 4 years (Datassential, MenuTrends 2021). Rose Harissa uses rose petals or rose water to deliver an authentic Middle Eastern punch and can enhance simple ingredients such as roasted potatoes.

Our extensive range of spices influence us to create exotic and authentic blends to make meats, grains, vegetables and sauces stand out. If you need insight, get in contact!

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Taste of America

Posted on April 21st, 2022

The history of American cuisine has been influenced by Europeans and Native Americans. As the country grew and more opportunities became available, immigrants from the east brought spices, flavours, and culinary traditions to expand Americas foodie profile. Cuisines differ between regions such as Louisiana, Philadelphia, Mississippi and Tex-Mex, each of these are deeply rooted in ethnic heritages.

Throughout America, food eaten can vary by household, region, religion, socioeconomic class, or cultural background. Barbecue is a staple of American culture which varies between regions. The traditional American barbecue belt stretches from the Carolinas in the East to Texas and Missouri in the West and from Kentucky in the North down through the deep South. American BBQ is difficult to define by recipe or technique, the best defining characteristic is regionality.

Across states, smoke is heavily used. North Carolina often features meat smoked over oak and hickory, where in the state of Texas, meat, commonly brisket or ribs are smoked over pecan or oak wood. The smoke trend is diluting into the UK market, now wood-fired is everywhere. That direct connection with fire goes back millennia and there is no purer way of imparting flavour. Jonathan Moore, Asda’s senior director for food innovation and trends mentions varieties, ‘like applewood and pine are fantastic choices and impart subtle smoky flavour to the food’. He adds, ‘smoky flavours will continue to appear on menus and we’re also likely to see chefs using smoke to impart flavours beyond fish and meat, such as in dairy products like butters and creams, meringues, and whole fruits.’ US manufacturer Traeger reports wood pellet growth of 500% in the UK since the start of the pandemic (Grocer).

Meat festivals in the UK such as Meatopia London has become one of the best known London food festivals, and a legendary event for food and fire-cooking lovers. Founded in the US by the late, great Josh Ozersky and brought to the UK by a group of passionate food enthusiasts, Meatopia is a weekend-long love affair with food, drink, fire and music. Firepit restaurants in the UK are serving authentic food from America, Prairie Fire in London uses hickory wood to smoke chicken wings as well as applewood to smoke pork for 14 hours. Smoky notes can also come from smoked salt, smoked sugar, smoked spices such as smoked cumin as well as liquid smokes. Here at Dalziel Ingredients we can incorporate smoked ingredients to deliver intense and authentic flavour notes.

Asda’s Moore is also predicting glazes and marinades to have a good year, he adds, “offering a way to easily elevate cuts of meat and inject exciting new flavours” (Grocer). Asda is therefore featuring these elements prominently in its barbecue products for this year, including the Extra Special Thick Cut Sirloin Steak with Mixed Pepper Sprinkle and Tamarind & Chipotle Glaze. TGI Fridays are extending their BBQ range for summer including burnt ends which is the end of a cut of brisket that has a high fat content which is a signature dish is Kansas, the dish contains a traditional American honey BBQ sauce. Other authentic sauces are seen throughout retailers, recently Morrisons have launched slow-cooked smokehouse pork rib rack under their ‘The Best’ range. This product includes a sachet of sweet Tennessee style whiskey BBQ sauce.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Easter 2022

Posted on April 14th, 2022

As ever, Easter is centered around chocolate! In 2021, confectionary sales bounced back to £373.6m as restrictions were relaxed. Novelty, vegan, and premium chocolate eggs are all set to boom this year. Specifically focusing on vegan chocolate, it’s clear that plant-based products are a central part of 2022 Easters range with strong product ranges across retailers (Grocer).

Hot Cross Buns are one of the most popular Easter treats and over the past few years, innovation within this product has run wild! Traditionally, this recipe includes yeasted buns made with sweet spices, dried or soaked fruit and then topped with a white cross made with flour and water to represent the crucifixion of Jesus (Mintel). The popularity of hot cross buns has encouraged brands to experiment with flavours in other categories, with limited time offers that coincide with Easter. This year flavours of Hot Cross Buns have evolved with new flavours including savoury buns and twists of traditional decorations and ingredients.

Co-op have opted for something different this year, introducing their limited-edition Spiced Masala and Chilli Hot Cross Buns made with caramelised onion, sultanas and a warming blend of jalapenos and spices. Asda are also first to the market with a vegan take on Chilli and Cheddar Alternative Hot Cross buns.

Waitrose are also getting creative with the hot cross bun flavours once again this year. The retailer is stocking Hot Cross Brioche Rolls, White Chocolate & Lemon Hot Cross Buns, Sticky Toffee Hot Cross Buns, and Triple Chocolate Hot Cross Buns (Grocer).

Hot cross bun innovation doesn’t end there. M&s are proving it’s not all about flavour but also format. The iconic white cross has been represented on the retailers new Hot Cross Whips, filled with mallow and gooey hot cross bun caramels. Sainsburys are also jumping on the format innovation launching their Hot Cross Bun Bagel, a popular hybrid.

Now we can celebrate without COVID-19 over our shoulders, what meat, vegan, vegetarian dish will be on the centre of the dining table? Last Easter was a bumper one for roasting joints. Having suffered a blow to sales in the locked down Easter of 2020, beef, lamb, and pork bounced back with a bang. Beef and lamb volumes were up 45% and 42% respectively, while pork grew 25% [Kantar 2 w/e Easter Sunday 2021]. Lamb features heavily throughout pub and restaurant Easter menus from shanks, leg, and shoulder. Aldi have introduced a Specially Selected Lamb Rack with Port, Cranberry & Mint Glaze, traditional flavours perfect for the Easter table. M&S are bringing a restaurant quality Sunday lunch to consumers with their Easter Family Dine In. The range includes a choice of mains including stock-brined British chicken topped with butter and thyme with a sachet of stock, a selection of sides as well as puddings.

To celebrate Easter, we have created marinated black garlic and herb lamb, slow cooked in a rich red wine gravy topped with a black garlic crumb! Check it out on our Instagram Dalziel Ingredients (@dalziel_ingredients) • Instagram photos and videos.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Taste of Britain

Posted on April 4th, 2022

The way food is prepared, along with the use of local and seasonal ingredients often merge to create dishes unique to a particular region. Traditional British meals have ancient origins such as meat pies and Fish and Chips. Certain classically British dishes have been documented as part of history since the 13^th Century, such as the Cornish Pasty where the thick pastry was used as a seal to pack the filling into! It wasn’t until much later when the art of pastry was mastered, and the entire pasty was consumed! It was thought Fish and Chips were introduced by Jewish refugees who imported the notion of frying fish in a thin layer of flour and around the same time, carried the idea of fat-fried potatoes. The popular dish was such a huge part of the national diet, during the Second World War Churchill ensured Fish and Chips was one of the few foods that weren’t rationed. In recent years, the urge to support local producers has taken centre stage and since COVID-19 nearly three quarters of people are wanting to see more UK food businesses express support for local producers (Food Manufacturer). We have seen supermarkets such as Morrisons who have introduced their Nation’s Local Foodmaker’s programme which searches for local food and drink makers. Supplying direct to their nearest store, or to stores across their region, working with suppliers. From farming and fishing, to growing and baking, Aldi also promote their commitment to sourcing products from the UK. The retailer champions the Great British product quality, highlighting that their entire core range of fresh milk and meat is from the UK as well as 40% of their fresh fruit and veg sold is also British.

Comfort Food

As people are returning to their workplaces, an increased demand and craving for comfort, home-cooked food unravels. Whether it’s dishes we know and love or even specific ingredients such as ginger in a broth, it’s all about the experience it brings us. M&S have tapped into this trend, introducing their Gastropub range which they say enables you to enjoy restaurant-quality food from the comfort of your home. From flavour-packed main courses to indulgent starters and sides it’s comfort food we all know and love. We tried the M&S Steak and Chips pie made with two-hour, slow-cooked braised cuts of British beef doused in rich ale gravy, topped with a layer of smoky tomato chutney, encased in an all-butter pastry base, and topped with cheesy chips, bringing this classic combination as one. The retailer has also introduced Gastropub fish and chips, cheese rarebit and ham crumpets and mac ‘n’ cheese balls.

Family recipes passed on from generations, stodgy carbs and classic puddings are all ways to feel connected to comfort foods. As ever, TikTok plays a role in food trends and one-pot wonders as well as tray bakes are extremely popular on this social media platform. TikTok is predicting nostalgia as a food trend for 2022, in the aftermath of 2021’s classical desserts taking centre stage. These throwback desserts are also sparking interest in 90s and 00s brunches and themed restaurants.

Twists on Classics

M&S have also introduced increasingly popular crumpets to their range, traditionally served with butter, the retailer has topped their sourdough crumpets with Barber’s mature cheddar cheese and beer-glazed outdoor-bred Wiltshire ham. Growing demand of crumpets has soared the innovative new products being introduced into the supermarket shelves. What once was a classic, has been brought into the twenty-first century, pushed by chefs such as Tom Barnes on the TV program, The Great British Menu creating a dish with crumpets topped with fennel pollen and lamb sauce.

Morrisons are also tapping into this trend with their new The Best Gourmet Collection, focusing on British meat from their trusted farms, backing Mintel’s recent study which found 48% of UK consumers say the COVID-19 outbreak has made it more important to buy British produce. This range consists of Trimmed Rack of Lamb with a Pomegranate Glaze, British Beef Aged Rump Cap with a Cocoa, Chilli and Espresso Rub as well as Slow Cooked Bone-In Pork Belly with an Apple Cider and Chilli Glaze. Combining classic British cuts with bold flavours and sauce sachets, twists on classics! Morrison’s are proving that the smoke trend is more complex than just hot or cold smoke and more about specific smoke and what complex flavours they can offer. This range consists of cherrywood, hickory and oak smoke.

Follow our Instagram page to keep updated with what our team is up to.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Taste of Asia

Posted on March 23rd, 2022

Globally inspired flavours have been an upward trend for the past few years, and this is something we expect to continue to accelerate. The pandemic paused travel and is still affecting certain areas of travel; however, this advanced the global culinary influences within home cooking, restaurants, takeaways, retail, and foodservice.

Not only the lack of travel, but also a rise in social media platforms pushing global flavours such as the Tik Tok trend Salmon Rice and Baked Feta Pasta, more consumers are craving international flavours.

Recently, there has been a shift from ‘Chinese’ or ‘Indian’ to ‘Malaysian’ and ‘Indonesian’, resulting in consumers becoming more specific when it comes to the regions their cuisine comes from. Consumers are looking for authenticity and transparency through their food, using ingredients such as Wasabi. Recently, the team has been using authentic Asian ingredients, creating blends such as Yuzu on Fire (pictured left) and Sweet and Sour Kimchi (pictured right).

 

For manufacturers looking to develop a traditional Asian product that consumers crave, compromising between new flavours and cooking techniques and what’s familiar is the key to success. Our NPD team recently benchmarked Yo Sushi’s Japanese Style Sweet Chilli Chicken. This product may not be common to consumers but seeing a product that isn’t too far away from what they know and familiarise with is the key to catching their eye. This Yo Sushi product appears to be recognisable to Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken which shoppers may eat regularly yet offers authentic cooking techniques such as Karaage chicken (Japanese fried chicken) and ingredients such as fermented soya bean as well as mirin.

As the fifth taste, umami offers deep, moreish, savoury notes that we find in ingredients such as soy sauce, parmesan and stocks and is used prominently within Asian cuisine. Denise McGrahan, NPD Marketing and Presentation Co-Ordinator adds, ‘the popularity and awareness of umami offers area of growth within product development. Here at Dalziel Ingredients, we are using umami in several Pan Asian developments and are seeing an increase in products naming this on pack within retailers. We recently tried M&S’ Chestnut and Shiitake Mushroom Open Pie, topped with a Miso Crumb which delivers the savoury, meaty umami flavour desired by consumers.’

There is now research that has identified a possible sixth taste, kokumi. This is a rich tasting sensation that leads itself to a feeling described as richness and roundness that boosts the other five tastes. Kokumi is found in Asian cuisines, and it naturally occurs in ingredients such as soy sauce, fish sauce and alcohol.

Follow our Instagram page to keep updated with what our team is up to.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

 

Geisha Food Review

Posted on March 16th, 2022

Globally inspired flavours have been an upward trend over the last few years due to the pandemic, and people are yearning for international flavour sensations on their plates. Asian flavours and innovation are continuing to transpire from restaurants and street food, into retail as consumers seek new ingredients such as Yuzu and Miso.

Based in the heart of Newcastle’s student hot spot, we visited the well renowned Pan Asian Bar and Restaurant, Geisha. Lanterns that fill the roof and cherry blossom trees really give you a sense of an inviting, traditional Asian dining experience.

The menu is filled to the brim with a selection of dim sum, bao buns, sushi and sashimi, ramen, Thai curries and rice dishes. Our initial thought was could the menu be quantity over quality, but once we got stuck into the food at Geisha, it came apparent that this was certainly not the case!

We started with some lip tingling salt and chilli edamame, the more you ate, the tastier they became! Served with our zingy Yuzu Ginger Cooler and Mango, Thyme and Ginger Mocktail they were the perfect pairing. We’re beginning to see Yuzu, the tangerine sized citrus fruit from Asia enter the UK retail shelves in products such as condiments, yoghurts and even chocolates! We expect this ingredient trend to continue to grow as the health properties of Yuzu includes high levels of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and heart promoting (Health Line) – healthy and delicious!

We ordered a range of bites and mains. Chilli, garlic, salt and pepper ribs seemed an obvious choice for us to try, packed full of flavour and certainly enough garlic!

The duck dim sum with hoisin sauce came fried and packed full of duck and crunchy vegetables and the perfectly balanced hoisin sauce finished the dish off.

We’d heard great things about their bao buns so next came soft shell crab baos. Fluffy, air like buns generously filled with tempura fried soft shell crab and topped with lashings of subtle lobster mayo not forgetting the sliced leek and cucumber which cut through the richness of the mayo – delicious!

The Geisha KFC was certainly a dish to remember! Crispy panko fried chicken thighs in a sticky, sweet but spicy fermented umami gochujang sauce topped with sesame and extra chilli!

Lastly, we tried Geisha’s sirloin of beef skewers in a teriyaki glaze. What may sound like quite a traditional Japanese dish was elevated by the cooking style used. The steak was prepared using a robata grill, which translates as ‘fireside cooking’ in Japanese cuisine. The cooking style refers to a method of cooking over hot charcoal on a wide and flat open fireplace. This type of cooking meant the steak was succulent and pink inside with a crisp, smoky charcoal outer and gave the meat next level flavours!

The food at Geisha was thoroughly enjoyable and the cooking techniques alongside the flavours and aesthetics gave an authentic Asian dining experience! On our next visit the sushi and XO Geisha fried rice is calling!

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

 

Technical Account Manager Appointment

Posted on March 7th, 2022

We are pleased to announce that we have further expanded our Sales team with the appointment of Jack Giddings as Technical Account Manager.

Jack Giddings joins after 10 years working in the food manufacturing industry with Addo, ABP and Hilton Foods within product development.  Latterly he was NPD Manager working on added value meat products for the UK’s biggest supermarkets.

In his new role, Jack is tasked with developing customer relationships and using his experience in manufacturing to support clients on their product development.

Giddings added, “Having worked closely with Dalziel over many years, I’m very excited to have this opportunity with them (Dalziel). I had been a big fan of the company’s ethos, as well as always being impressed with the passion with which the company operates and the growth it has seen, coupled with the high level of service, trends, and innovation.

I look forward to applying my skills in a sales role, visiting customers, developing their new product concepts, and advising on manufacturing processes and recipe formulations.”

Richard Wilson, Dalziel Ingredients’ Sales Director, said: “We’ve continued to expand our customer base and product portfolio throughout the past 18 months.  These appointments demonstrate our commitment to first class customer service and takes the key account sales team to 12, situated throughout the UK and Ireland which compliments the expansion and investment in our production and NPD facilities. We are delighted to welcome Jack to the team.”

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

 

Pancake Day 2022

Posted on February 28th, 2022

We all love making pancakes. It is the most searched for recipe on the internet with 450,000 monthly searches for “pancake recipe”, and the majority of Brits confidently claiming they make pancakes from scratch BBC Food.

It’s the same question every year… what is your favourite pancake topping? Whether it’s lemon and sugar, chocolate spread, fruit and yoghurt or maybe cheese and bacon for something savoury, the options are endless! Maybe M&S’ Somerset Butter and Maple Syrup might take your fancy this year. However, it’s not all about toppings, but the shape of your pancake too! Aldi has introduced a pan that consists of seven moulds so that multiple pancakes can be made at once in the shape of different animals. M&S has also brought out a Percy Pig shaped pan new for 2022.

The other discussion around Shrove Tuesday is how do you like your pancakes? Thick, thin, soufflé, drop scones, there really is something for everyone!

Japanese soufflé pancakes have been a craze in Japan for many years, however, we are only just catching up.

The pancakes are formed by whisking egg whites and sugar until they’re glossy and hold a stuff peak when the whisk is removed. Folded together with flour, egg yolks, milk and vanilla, they make the fluffiest pancakes you can imagine! They have become so popular in the UK, cafes and restaurants such as Fuwa Fuwa london have jumped on this trend, adding tempting toppings such as salted-caramel miso and popcorn; banana and Nutella and even Matcha and Sweet Azuki Red Beans.

Slightly more complicated than the traditional pancake and due to the fact they cook at a very slow and low temperature they can take up to 20 minutes! However, a tower of light and fluffy pancakes might be the perfect pancake recipe you try this year!

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

 

Valentines Day 2022

Posted on February 14th, 2022

Whether you’re dining out or opting for a meal at home, there really is an array of choices when it comes to celebrating this Valentines, Galentines, Palentines or Malentines Day.

From a delicious breakfast in bed, chocolate treats and homemade Valentine’s Day card to a quiet, candlelit romantic dinner. No matter how you celebrate, every year the supermarkets offer playful but delicious meal deals to treat our loved ones.

We’re seeing supermarkets ramp up their offerings. Instead of consumers selecting their starter, main, side and dessert as usual, shoppers can now choose from four set menu options, mirroring a restaurant menu. One of Aldi’s set menu meal offering features heart shaped foods for every course. After kicking things off with Carlos Heart Shaped Mini Garlic Pizza Bread, shoppers can tuck in to Heart Shaped Lobster Pasta for their main course. This is followed by Mini Heart Pancakes, which couples can smother with their preferred toppings at home (Grocer). Aldi also continues the heart shaped theme into their plant-based Valentines offering, including Vegan Heart Shaped Ultimate Burgers and a Molten Middle Heart dessert.

The plant-based theme also continues throughout retailers, such as M&S vegan steak which is made from Smokey Saffron Aubergine, Morrisons Vegan show stopper – a Beefless Wellington, and Co-op’s vegan Roasted Butternut Squash Gnocchi Bake as well as plant-based sides, with all four wines offerings also suitable for vegans.

For truffle lovers there is oozy Camembert style cheese with a honey and truffle drizzle offering from Asda, as well as fine green beans with Italian truffle butter and Truffle Mash from M&S, the perfect indulgent ingredient.

A continued trend from Christmas and one that we’re expecting to see throughout 2022 is Mediterranean cuisine. A Mediterranean diet consists of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, cereals, grains, fish, and unsaturated fats such as olive oil. We saw Waitrose tap into this trend within their Christmas party food range and now their Valentines offering features flavours of the Med, a Sea Bass with tomatoes and Olives.

Innovative sauce products are also catching our eye this Valentine Day, pairing Duck Breast Portions with a Raspberry Hoisin Sauce and Chicken in Prosecco Sauce (Tesco) moving away from ‘traditional’ sauce pairings. Here at Dalziel Ingredients, we have a talented sauce development team who work on the next big sauce flavour trends and innovation. If you’re looking for the next big thing in the sauce world, get in contact!

Aldi’s ‘Hot Lips’ product will be sure to get couples talking. The chicken nugget in the shape of lips is covered in a red crumb and served alongside a hot honey dipping sauce.

In foodservice, Bill’s are offering a three-course set menu with influences from retailer trends. Spices and mayonnaise accompaniments are used to enhance dishes, from spiced chutneys to aioli’s with flavour hits such as red chilli and lime. A plant based show stopper and truffle are also incorporated into their Valentines Menu (please see below).

Miller and Carter’s Valentines Menu is said to be the most memorable, indulgent three-course meal near you! The menu involves a sharing camembert topped with apple, date & tamarind chutney, Spiced rum barbeque wings with a buttermilk ranch dressing to start, followed by sharing steaks and an interesting combination of confit duck leg glazed with kumquat marmalade, dauphinoise potato, tenderstem broccoli and spinach, traditional flavours with a luxury twist!

Beefeater’s menu ranges from a two course or three-course offerings. The menu consists of classic flavours such as buttermilk chicken goujons with a BBQ sauce, to more luxurious dishes including the standout ingredient, truffle – a decadent Truffle Burger served in a brioche bun with red onion chutney, Cheddar, oak-smoked streaky bacon, crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, red onion and truffle flavoured mayo.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk