Sushi beats classic sandwich as it becomes UK’s fastest growing premium lunchtime treat

Japanese rice dish sushi is now so popular with Brits, it's become the UK’s fastest growing premium lunchtime main.

Demand at Tesco has grown so much sushi has replaced the smoked salmon sandwich as Britain’s favourite premium lunchtime treat. 

Since the beginning of the year when Tesco launched its £5 Clubcard Meal Deal, sushi sales have rocketed by a staggering  90%.

Included in the Premium deal, which offers Tesco shoppers a main, a drink and a snack, are a choice of sushi boxes, poke bowls and other pan-Asian delights like gyozas and bao buns.

As a result of the extra demand the supermarket now sells an amazing 21 million packs of sushi a year.  

Tesco Food to Go Buying Manager Emma Williams said:  “It's the first time we’ve ever put premium quality sushi in one of our meal deals and this has had a really significant effect in making it more affordable and accessible for Tesco shoppers.

"Demand's also been boosted by people returning to work and it’s led to restaurant group YO! opening more fresh sushi counters in our stores across the UK.  

“Sushi has never been more popular and for a salmon poke bowl to  overtake our previous top-selling premium lunchtime staple, the smoked salmon sandwich, really underlines that.”

One of the main reasons for sushi’s growing popularity is that it's a really non-fuss snack that can really be eaten on the go.

As part of the deal, shoppers can pick up well-known brands including Itsu, YO! Sushi and Pollen & Grace, plus a wide range of Tesco Finest mains.

The Tesco Premium Meal Deal is available now in 1,100 stores, offering a range of quality options to suit all tastes for just £5 per head with a Clubcard, or £5.50 without.

FOOD FACT:- The concept of sushi began about 500 BC when south-east  Asians found that raw fish could be preserved by placing it between vinegared rice.

The process is believed to have arrived in Japan in about 600 AD and quickly grew in popularity as a delicacy.

Modern sushi, as we know it, originated in the 19th century when a street food stall holder in the Japanese city of Edo, now Tokyo, shaped vinegared rice with his hands and the added a slice of raw fish on the top.

www.tesco.com