NPD Trend Tracker: From 'gourmet gummies' to mushroom burgers

NPD-Trend-Tracker-From-gourmet-gummies-to-mushroom-burgers.jpg
Image: Getty/Brankospejs (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

This week's releases feature gourmet gummies to satisfy those with a sweet tooth, a vegan version of Chicken Katsu Curry and a range of burgers made with mushrooms grown on Irish farms.

This week's releases feature gourmet gummies to satisfy those with a sweet tooth, a vegan version of Chicken Katsu Curry and a range of burgers made with mushrooms grown on Irish farms. 

GettyImages-Brankospejs
GettyImages-Brankospejs (Brankospejs/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

This week's releases feature gourmet gummies to satisfy those with a sweet tooth, a vegan version of Chicken Katsu Curry and a range of burgers made with mushrooms grown on Irish farms. 

Image: Getty/Brankospejs

Vegan ‘Chicken’ Katsu Curry
Vegan ‘Chicken’ Katsu Curry

UK food delivery service allplants has teamed up with Meatless Farm to launch a vegan version of Chicken Katsu Curry.

Like all its dishes, allplants’ new vegan NPD is 100% plant-based, flash-frozen, and delivered to the shopper’s door. Allplants claims to run Europe’s largest plant-based kitchen – a newly-opened 20,000 square ft kitchen in London. Customers can choose from over 50 chef-made dishes.

The new vegan NPD is tapping into the ‘fakeaway’ trend, with people dining at home moving towards healthier alternatives to fast-food takeaways, the company said.

Jonathan Petrides, co-founder of allplants, said: “The UK wants plant-based food without the sacrifice, a quick, affordable and healthier alternative to takeaway, and our new collaboration with the Meatless Farm on the ‘Chicken’ Katsu Curry delivers on all three. In the allplants kitchen, we have really high standards in terms of taste and what’s on our labels; and Meatless Farms products are good for you, and good for the planet. We couldn’t ask for more.”

Image supplied by allplants

BitesWeLove launches in UK
BitesWeLove launches in UK

Dutch snack brand BitesWeLove is making its debut in UK Sainsbury’s stores this summer, showcasing its Crunchy Peas over the course of four months at 70 Sainsbury’s stores nationwide, as part of the Taste of the Future Trial Bay.  

Image supplied by BitesWeLove

Cadbury Brownies
Cadbury Brownies

Vittles Foods has teamed up with Mondelez to launch a range of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Brownies, exclusive to Iceland and Food Warehouse in the UK.

Scheduled for a timely launch on 7th July, otherwise known as World Chocolate Day, customers will be able to choose from Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Brownies and Cadbury Caramel Chocolate Brownies in Iceland stores nationwide and online.

“We are delighted with these Cadbury Dairy Milk Brownies; they encapsulate that moreish Cadbury chocolate taste which we all know and love, and as they go so well with a scoop of ice cream, we knew Iceland would be the ideal listing for these decadent desserts,” said Alastair Crimp, Sales Director for Vittles Foods.

Sally Bentley, Trading Manager for Iceland, said: “We’re thrilled that we’ve been able to partner with such an iconic household confectioner like Cadbury to develop a twist on their classic Dairy Milk flavours with these products.

“As they’re exclusive to Iceland, there’s nowhere else that shoppers can get their fix of classic Cadbury Dairy Milk flavours in this new format.”

Image supplied by Vittles Foods

Dr. Oetker Vegan pizza
Dr. Oetker Vegan pizza

Dr. Oetker Ristorante has launched what it claims is the UK’s first vegan frozen pizza. The Margherita Pomodori pizza features Ristorante’s signature thin, crispy crust and tomato sauce, topped with a melted, grated pizza topping, juicy sun-dried and cherry tomatoes, along with a basil “pesto style” garnish.

Josephine Skinner, Senior Brand Manager at Dr. Oetker, said: “While we are seeing more and more pizza options for vegans and flexitarians, there are few inspiring Italian style options, particularly in the freezer aisles of the nation’s supermarkets. 

“We are really excited to announce the launch of our Ristorante Vegan Margherita Pomodori – we worked hard perfecting this recipe as we really wanted to offer the best tasting, Italian inspired vegan pizza possible, to give those opting for a plant-based diet the real taste experience of a brand they know and love.”

Image supplied by Dr. Oetker

Gourmet gummies
Gourmet gummies

London confectionery brand SugarSin is launching its premium range of gourmet gummies for wholesale.

SugarSin gummies are made using natural colours and are gluten and dairy free. Each gummy flavour is available in 100g pouch bags which are 100% recyclable and feature a clear window so consumers can view the product.

The unique collection of gourmet gummies includes:

Espresso Macchiato: Buzz-worthy gummies with a blend of caramelly-sweet coffee topped with a milky foam layer.

Sparkling Wine: Soft gummies infused with real sparkling wine and sprinkled with fizzy sugar crystals for a sophisticated taste.

Strawberry Daiquiri: Fresh strawberry flavoured gummies with a twist of lime, sprinkled with zingy sugar crystals.

Summer Wine: Real sparkling wine gummies paired with subtle pineapple and raspberry flavours to get you in the summer mood all year round.

Gin Fizz: Infused with real gin, these soft gummies are also harmonised with citrus flavours and finished with a sweet and sour sugary fizz.

Sparkling Rosé: Soft gummies made with real rosé wine, blended with strawberry flavour and fizzy sugar crystals for a delightfully rosy treat.

Vegan Gummies:

Berry Bramble: Soft gummy assortment of English wild berry flavoured gummies in blackberry, cranberry and blackcurrant complemented with zesty lemon and balanced with tangy sugar crystals.

Fizzy Tropical: Fizzy gummy assortment in flavours of pineapple, mango, passion fruit and kiwi, sprinkled with sour sugar crystals.

SugarSin owner, Jiten Shah, said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer this unique range of gummies to wholesale customers, some of which are first flavours in the UK. They are perfect for an impulse buy, or as an addition to letterbox gift sets and hampers. SugarSin products are sourced from the highest quality confectionery suppliers in the UK and Europe, allowing us to bring a premium collection of fine confectionery to consumers.”  

Image supplied by SugarSin

Mighty Mushroom burgers
Mighty Mushroom burgers

The Mighty Mushroom Co has launched its first range of meat-free burgers on Amazon Fresh, as well as its Cumberland Style Sausages (from RRP £2.50). 

Each product is made with up to 85% mushrooms, which are grown on sustainable Irish farms. The full range is soy-free, gluten-free, and vegan friendly. The company said the range is a great source of fibre, full of key vitamins and minerals and contain less than 150 calories per portion.  

“The journey from field to fork starts here, with the 40-year-old family-owned business, who are expert mushroom growers and use local mushrooms grown on their farms to develop this new recipe, which has a meat-like taste, texture and even sizzles in the pan when cooking,” the company said. “The range offers a more sustainable solution to the environmental impact of the meat industry, offering a great-tasting meal option for flexitarians, vegans and meat-eaters alike.” 

Image supplied by The Mighty Mushroom Co 

Quinola rebrand
Quinola rebrand

Quinola is set to launch a rebranded range of quinoa grains in July. Quinola's new packaging focuses on the people with learning disabilities that pack these grains. Each pack will feature a portrait of a different worker amongst the 21 people working in the Le Havre workshop in France.

The grains in the packs themselves are ‘Peru's finest’, according to the brand. Grown organically and Fairtrade certified, Quinola ensure that farmers receive a minimum price for their quinoa. Much like a minimum wage for small hold producers, Quinola currently pays farmers almost 50% above market rates.

This rebrand will also see the launch of Quinola's first fully recyclable packaging. Committed to always improving, Quinola's new grains packaging is made of a single material plastic, a soft plastic packaging that can be recycled in supermarkets across the UK.

“Focusing the on-pack attention onto these workers aims to highlight that businesses can fight for social justice and equity across all aspects of their business and production line,” the company said. “The range will introduce consumers to Karine, Patricia, Sebastien and David, with hand-drawn portraits of each worker featured on different packs.”

“Quinola believe in being radically generous to everyone, they believe these people deserve wider recognition for the work they do and wish to inspire other brands to think differently about their business models. Quinola pride themselves on knowing every member of staff that work on their grains, as well as the farmers that grow the grains in Peru."

Image supplied by Quinola

Tiger Tiger noodle snacks
Tiger Tiger noodle snacks (Photographer: Rick Foulsham)

Tiger Tiger has unveiled an exciting trio of quick-cook noodle snack meals inspired by the evocative flavours of Asian street food.

Aimed primarily at flavour-seeking, time-poor consumers, the Asia Street Meals are easy to prepare and ready to eat in under three minutes.  For retailers, they represent a great opportunity to make the most of growing consumer demand for high quality and convenient ‘at home’ taste adventures.

Created by chefs to help bring authentic restaurant-quality food out of the East and into the home, the Asia Street Meals come in three flavours – Singapore-style Chilli Chicken, Japanese-style Teriyaki and Hong Kong-style Sesame Chicken.  Each pack contains one serving of ambient soft noodles with seasoning oil, soy sauce and vegetable garnish in a sturdy microwavable tray.

“These delicious noodle meals capture all the magic of Asian street food and deliver it straight to the home or office!” comments Debbie King, Sales & Marketing Director at Tiger Tiger.  “As consumers seek out ever more exciting flavours and taste combinations, the ambient noodle snacking category looks set to grow significantly which means they’re perfectly placed to help retailers tap into this growing demand.”

Image supplied by Tiger Tiger