In this week’s NPD Trend Tracker, we have a range of festive products, including a festive wrap, festive ice-cream flavours and a pie containing an entire Christmas dinner. We also have a new flavour from Tate & Lyle, a wholegrain spelt from Merchant Gourmet, and a new range from VFC.
Image Source: Rich Vintage/Getty Images
In this week’s NPD Trend Tracker, we have a range of festive products, including a festive wrap, festive ice-cream flavours and a pie containing an entire Christmas dinner. We also have a new flavour from Tate & Lyle, a wholegrain spelt from Merchant Gourmet, and a new range from VFC.
Image Source: Rich Vintage/Getty Images
UK-headquartered global ingredients company Tate & Lyle has announced the release of its new low-calorie Sucralose Sweetener, which will replace its existing food service sweetener, Zucro, currently available in outlets such as Costa Coffee and Greggs.
The sweetener dissolves in hot drinks, avoids frothing, is able to be sprinkled over food, and has a similar texture to real sugar.
The sweetener is available in both resealable pouch and tablet form. The resealable pouch is, according to Tate & Lyle, more cost-effective, as well as being recyclable, using less packaging than a bag or box, and taking up less space on the retailers’ shelf.
“As sugar innovators since 1878, we understand everything there is to know about creating the perfect sweetness for your coffee, or sprinkling on your cereal and desserts,” said Sandra Gonilho, Marketing Manager for Tate & Lyle Sugars.
“With our British heritage and knowledge, we hope consumers can feel confident about making balanced choices and enjoy the control using sweetener offers, at home, on the go and when making a food service purchase.
“We’ve seen a growing trend towards consumers regularly opting for sweetener; the market is now worth over £55mn per year and accounts for almost a fifth of the total sugar market value.
“This share is growing year on year, for example. sales of our existing food service-led sweetener brand have grown by 300% in volume compared to pre-Covid-19 levels, with this sales trend expected to continue as consumers remain focused on exercising greater control of their diets.”
The 75g pouch is now available from Asda and Sainsbury’s with an RSP of £1.80, and a 300 count tablet dispenser with an RSP of £2.00 from the same. Both will be rolled out in Co-Op from January 2024.
Image Source: Tate & Lyle
Iceland, a UK supermarket retailer, has re-released its ‘festive’ pie containing the entirety of a Christmas dinner’s components, including diced turkey, sage and onion stuffing, diced smoked bacon, a pork cocktail sausage wrapped in smoked streaky bacon, sweetened dried cranberries, and diced Brussel sprouts, all underneath a puff pastry lid.
The pie, which was last available four years ago, in 2019, is back by popular demand.
“Since we launched the Festive Pie in 2019, we have been inundated with customers asking for its return, so we’re delighted to bring it back this year,” said Andrew Staniland, Group Buying Director at Iceland Foods & The Food Warehouse.
“An entire Christmas dinner encased in puff pastry. What’s not to love? Perfect for those who want a slice of the festive action ahead of Christmas Day, we are already seeing shoppers stock up.”
It is available now from Iceland and The Food Warehouse for £3.
Image Source: Iceland
UK company Merchant Gourmet is launching a ready-to-eat wholegrain spelt, a super grain which has been consumed since ancient times. With 61% of Brits aiming to eat more healthy foods, according to Merchant Gourmet, the company are aiming to capture this market.
Merchant Gourmet’s offering is cooked with olive oil to enhance its nutty taste, and can be added to stews, soups, salads and risottos.
It can be eaten hot or cold, and allows customers to avoid the time-consuming traditional way of preparing spelt, which involves a soaking and cooking process that can take up to an hour.
“As a simply cooked product, our Wholegrain Spelt acts as a conduit for flavour, allowing our shoppers the flexibility to experiment and add their own flavour,” said Richard Peake, Merchant Gourmet’s managing director.
“Getting protein from non-processed sources where possible – such as spelt, beans and lentils – is so important and we want to make it as easy as possible, with great tasting products that offer high nutritional value and are ready in no time at all.”
The product is available from Sainsbury’s at an RRP of £2.
Image Source: Merchant Gourmet
UK ice cream producer Simply Ice Cream is relaunching its Christmas-themed flavours this winter. Each 500ml tub, in festive flavours ‘Mince Pie’, ‘Gingerbread’ and ‘Christmas Pudding’, are made with 50% double cream, adding to its creamy texture.
The ‘Christmas Pudding’ flavour mixes the ice cream with Christmas pudding chunks and rum-soaked raisins, while the ‘Mince Pie’ flavour combines ice cream and chunks of mince pie and the ‘Gingerbread’ flavour involves both crumbled pieces of gingerbread biscuit and real stem ginger.
“Our festive flavours are the perfect dinner party addition, and offer that luxurious foodie experience that people want over Christmas and New Year,” said Sally Newall, Simply Ice Cream’s founder.
The ice cream will be available from farm shops and deli’s in England’s South East, as well as Simply Ice Cream’s website, at an RRP of £5.99 per tub.
Image Source: Simply Ice Cream
UK frozen food brand GSN (Gold Standard Nutrition) has launched its festive wrap just in time for the Christmas period. Combining turkey bacon, chicken, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce all together in one wrap, this product is high in both protein and Christmasyness.
“As a business that first made its name providing best-in-class snacking opportunities to forward-thinking gyms, leisure centres, university refectories and blue-chip City canteens, it’s exciting to see the deluge of new enquiries from high street retail, supermarkets and Business class airline operators who see a functional food operator championing athleisure’ (healthier living lifestyles meets top drawer convenience), who champions diligently balanced snacks that prioritise great taste and sound nutrition,” said Craig Allen, GSN’s founder.
“We think of ourselves as a young customer savvy operation so when we received numerous enquiries for a health-conscious seasonal special, we knew we had to respond.”
£2.99 RSP
Image Source: GSN
UK plant-based chicken brand VFC last week launched its ‘naked’ range of uncoated vegan chicken alternatives in Morrisons, a UK supermarket retailer.
Included in the naked range is VFC Chick*n mince, a market first, which includes 31g of protein per 100g, 7.8g of fibre, 65% less saturated fat than animal-based chicken mince, and is gluten free.
The range also includes VFC Chick*n breast, which, as well as being high in protein, is also a source of fibre, low in saturated fat and made with 100% natural ingredients.
Following their listing in Morrisons, the products will soon be available in all the major multiples, starting in early 2024.
"Our Vegan Chicken Mince is a game-changer in the world of plant-based cuisine,” said VFC Co-Founder Adam Lyons.
“We're proud to offer a product that matches the taste and texture of conventional chicken mince, whilst providing exceptional nutritional value. We believe that our customers will be delighted with the taste, versatility, and health benefits of this innovative addition to our product range.”
Both products will be available at an RRP of £2.50.
Image Source: VFC