Waitrose introduces its 2024 ‘hero’ food products featuring trending items like hot honey, pickle juice, and Tim Tams. These selections reflect a shift towards unique and innovative culinary options.
- Following a 2024 report, Waitrose identifies popular products such as peanut butter, pistachio, hash browns, among others, as key interests.
- Social media sensations like instant noodles, cucumbers, and the ‘crookie’ highlight the supermarket’s diverse selection approach.
- Emerging flavors for 2025 include tonka beans and pilpelchuma, suggested to rival harissa, along with exotic choices like yuzu and crispy chili oil.
- With changing cooking habits, 61% of customers now prefer cooking from scratch, solidifying the trend towards home-prepared, nutritious meals.
Waitrose’s latest ‘hero’ foods for 2024 spotlight emerging culinary trends, aiming to engage customers with unique taste experiences. Items such as hot honey, pickle juice, and Tim Tams have been tapped to meet evolving food culture demands. These selections originate from a comprehensive report involving 3,200 patrons surveyed in October, who had recently shopped at the retailer. Some other noted products include peanut butter, pistachios, hash browns, and a variety of ‘artisan pantry staples’.
The retailer has smartly included viral sensations like instant noodles, cucumbers, and the ‘crookie’—a croissant with cookie dough filling—underscoring the fusion of traditional products with modern twists. This strategy not only highlights Waitrose’s adaptability but also its ability to cater to current consumer interests, which are often shaped by social media trends.
Looking forward to 2025, the supermarket predicts new headline flavors that include tonka beans and pilpelchuma, which is anticipated to become the new harissa, as per culinary expert Yotam Ottolenghi. Further flavor introductions will include toum, yuzu, juniper, sour cherry, and crispy chili oil, ensuring a diverse range of taste profiles to explore.
As cooking habits shift, more people are choosing home-prepared meals to reduce ultra-processed food consumption. With 61% of Waitrose customers cooking from scratch, the focus has shifted towards natural and nutritious ingredients. Sales of fermented foods have climbed by 7%, indicating a growing interest in health-conscious eating. Items like kefir, kimchi, and various whole grains and seeds are finding increased popularity.
James Bailey, executive director of Waitrose, observes a significant change in consumer behavior with more customers willing to invest in quality food for home enjoyment. His statement emphasizes how people now want to relish exquisite meals within the comfort of their homes, aided by carefully sourced ingredients and creative recipes.
The introduction of these ‘hero’ food items positions Waitrose at the forefront of culinary innovation, aligning with contemporary food trends.
