Each year it’s good to know what food trends and themes are being predicted, so unearthed® category insight manager Ian has picked out a couple that relate to unearthed® or the trends that we’re particularly interested in.

The ‘story’

Consumers are becoming more and more interested in where certain foods are coming from and discovering more about the provenance and story behind the product. And this isn’t just the national origin of a product, but a local/regional level as well. Products from different regions are also providing a taste which shoppers are looking for.

The Middle East is proving to be a real hot-bed for new and exciting cuisines

unearthed® response: Our Chorizo is named after the region in the North of Spain from which it originates – Leon. Sopressata Picante comes from Calabria in Italy and is spiced up with the peppers which grow in the region. But one of our most recent product developments has been to launch a cooking chorizo with manchego – the perfect way to combine two amazing Spanish products from different regions

Food experience

Individuals are looking to experience food and drink in all new ways, be it through immersive dining experiences with the lights off or specialising in a certain occasion or meal type. People want to discover and push the boundaries in food and drink and no longer want to eat the same meals at the dining room table. Food is being developed to stimulate the senses in people beyond taste as individuals look to liven up their meals.

unearthed® response: We enjoyed a pre-Christmas dinner to Gingerline where we loved the whole experience and the ‘secret’ nature of the event. We’re thinking about some unearthed® experiences this year and kick this off with a blogger food and wine mis-matching event.

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Spanish

Although no longer the forefront of cuisine or a leading light in gastronomy, the presence and importance of Spanish as a cuisine cannot be questioned. The trend of using smaller dishes or sharing concepts originates from the Spanish way of dining and this has now infiltrated a number of other cuisines. An ingredient led cuisine, Spanish is being increasingly fused with other ingredients and flavours from other cuisines

unearthed® response: We’re just as much in love with Spain as we ever were but why not pair it with some new flavours and cuisines. Olives with chipotle and manchego perfectly combine the spice of South America.

Middle Eastern

Despite the political turmoil, the region is proving to be a real hot-bed for new and exciting cuisines. Aided by chef’s such as Sabrina Ghayour, the likes of Persian, Lebanese, Turkish and Egyptian are becoming more common place in restaurants and in peoples homes. Flavours like Zataar, Sumac and Baharat are now being included in people spice cupboards while foods like Hummus, Babaganoush and Falafel are established as firm favourites.

unearthed® response: This is definitely an area we are keen to discover and bring to you in the near future. In the meantime, our new smoked semi-dried tomatoes are all the way from Turkey. They’re smoked in the UK and are dressed with a lemon and za’ atar dressing, which brings out the smoky sweetness.  Update (Sept 2015) we have launched a delicious Feta marinaded with Za’atar and Chilli

Tell us what food trends you’ll be watching/tasting in 2015…