Asda has unveiled its Trend Book for 2023/24, revealing key themes which will guide its food and drink product development over the next 18 months.
Headed by Jonathan Moore, Asda’s Senior Director of Food Trends and Innovation who has been a chef at a Michelin Star level, the Trend Book maps out the core drivers, mega trends and key techniques and flavours Asda customers can expect to see developing in UK food retail sector.
Beginning with the core drivers, each trend is categorised into four mega trends based on the social and cultural drivers that will inform product development. These mega trends are:
Under Pressure - in a less stable world, where people struggle to maintain control of their health and finances, how retailers can help make food more healthy, affordable and accessible.
Distract and Displace - food is a primal way to seek comfort, safety and escape. It can be a way to explore different flavours and more than five senses, as it becomes increasingly ‘normal’ for technology to impact how we interact with our food.
Brave New World - as we see the impact of global warming, the food industry is looking for innovative, practical solutions to tackle the problems that face the world. From finding new food sources to diversifying from more staple crops.
Health Wise - the pressure to be perfect seems increasingly burdensome but the fact remains we all want to live longer, and to live better. More than ever, customers are seeking new, clever, easier and less expensive ways to change habits and improve longevity.
Within each mega trend there are seven sub-trends, which delve into the flavours, ingredients and cooking techniques that will gain prominence or continue to evolve and grow in popularity, over the coming months.
Around the World
Everyday Heroes
Edible Joy
Sensory Evolution
Unlock Time and Money
Accessible Health
Food Odyssey
“Around the World” sees consumers looking to try new dishes, flavours and techniques from across the globe, but doing it in a way that's wallet and purse friendly. This means shoppers are leaning into ‘forever favourites’ like purse-friendly Italian, American and British dishes but giving them a gourmet twist or trying more regional varieties.
One of the ways Asda expects this trend to materialise is shoppers looking for global twists on food, for example combing Japanese flavours to Italian food with the rise in popularity of dishes like miso Bolognese or serving an American classic burger inside a croissant.
“Everyday Heroes” sees budget-friendly vegetables given a new lease of life as the centrepiece of main dishes, plus toast and sandwiches get a major revamp. The biggest not-so-humble star? Is the potato!
Asda has seen a +12% increase in sales of potatoes over the past year as consumers turn to TikTok, which has over 10 billion views for #Potato, for inspiration on how to get creative with this household staple.
Sandwiches and ‘things on toast’ are also stepping forward and into the spotlight, providing a cheap and cheerful canvas to get creative. From getting rid of the humble bread bun in favour of interesting carriers like croissants and roti to bringing back chocolate spread and baked beans toppers, but doing so with a unique twist.
The “Edible Joy” trend references consumers who are seeking out a distraction from the doom and gloom of the world and looking to food for moments of joy in their lives.
The trend sees the revitalisation of nostalgic childhood dinners and the rise of retro puddings such as baked Alaska, crème brulee, rice pudding and tiramisu. Asda has already started to see this trend with shoppers eager for its recently launched retro ‘school cake’. Tens of thousands of people shared their love for the cakes across social media and the excitement led to over 5,000 people searching for ‘School Cakes’ on Asda.com.
The “Sensory evolution” trend continues to grow as wallet-friendly ingredients are given new life by using condiments, sauces, pastes and seasonings; also known as ‘flavour bombs’. Expect heat to play a part in unexpected ways through experimentation with hot sauces, and bold, herby green sauces paired with everything. Boundaries between sweet and savoury continue to blur with the rise of ‘swalty’ snacks and herbs/vegetables making their way into dessert. Food on a stick also emerges as a trend in its own right, as the most elemental way for diners to get involved with their food; seemingly un-holdable dishes like pasta become more interactive and ease consumption without the need for cutlery.
Social media is vital when it comes to time-saving prep solutions in today's modern world. Within the “Unlock Time and Money” trend, we expect to see these quick cooking practices take a step further with perfectly pre-prepared, nutritious meals that only require a tap to finish off. TikTok shows off ‘lunchbox’ or ‘mason jar’ ramens whilst retail innovation turns to freeze-dried, dehydrated and powered foods. Extra benefits of these new formats include lower shipping costs and carbon emissions, alongside longer shelf-life.
“Accessible Health” in the time of a cost-of-living crisis, sees customers re-order their priorities. There is a move to embrace flexibility and permission for comfort and treats. Fat consumption is more considered, as customers become more aware ‘good’ vs ‘bad’ fats with a desire to learn more about where fat has come from, like butter from grass-fed cows or virgin oils from a single estate.
Cooking methods like air-frying, puffing and roasting put to good use to avoid overconsumption of fats, a trend that continues to grow in popularity with the rapid growth in the sale of air fryers. Asda plans to add air-frying cooking instructions to over 100 Asda-own label products over the next year.
As our understanding of the impact grocery staples have on the planet grows, new innovations outlined in the “Food Odyssey” trend look to ways to replicate and replace. You can expect to see more realistic plant-based fish and sea plants replacing leafy greens (such as seaweed pesto) as producers branch out into new protein-rich ingredients. Precision fermentation is also making waves in the dairy industry, to replicate ingredients like egg whites, animal fats and more.
Jonathan Moore, who is Asda's Senior Director of Food Trends and Innovation said: “Following the success of our inaugural Trend Book last year, we’re proud to share its latest iteration and excited to see how it informs our product development over the coming months. We have spent months researching and identifying seven mega trends emerging in the UK food scene, alongside delving deeper into the relevant social and cultural drivers behind them. Over the next 18 months, we’ll be working hard to bring these trends to life on Asda shelves in a way that’s both exciting and accessible for our customers”.
View the full version of the trends book here https://rb.gy/or748
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