Grace Foods UK, the UK’s leading supplier of Caribbean food and drink*1, is enabling retailers to take advantage of rising consumer demand for exciting new flavours from around the world.
The company, which accounts for more than one third of all Caribbean food and drink sold in the UK*1, boasts a broad range of products and ingredients including chilli sauces range Encona, nutritionally enriched milk drink Nurishment, Grace Aloe Vera drinks and a wide range of spices, seasoning and coconut products under the Dunn’s River brand.
“This is an exciting time for the world cuisine sector, with growing numbers of consumers expanding their taste horizons and seeking new and exotic flavours,” says Nyree Chambers, Head of Marketing for Grace Foods UK.
“This applies both to home cooking, where consumers are looking to scratch-cook more adventurous dishes, and to onthe- go products such as soft drinks where exciting flavours and functional needs are becoming ever more popular.
Many people are using Jamaican jerk seasoning as the gateway to Caribbean food, spicing up everyday meat, fish and vegetarian meals before going on to discover the rich array of flavours Caribbean food has to offer.”
This trend is reflected in the impressive growth of the Caribbean category, which is worth over £95.4 million in the UK, growing at over 4.4% YoY*1.
Such is the popularity of Caribbean food that Caribbean Food Week (August 22 – 29 2016) is now entering its fifth year and organised by Grace Foods, has become the UK’s biggest celebration of Caribbean food and drink, both for retailers and consumers.
Much of the UK Caribbean category growth is being driven by snacks: the ‘Snacks’ Caribbean subcategory, includes plantain chips and accounts for 40.1% of 2015 value sales growth*1. In response to this Grace Foods has launched two new Plantain Chip flavours, Chilli and No Salt.
Grace Foods UK is meeting the demand for refreshing, functional beverages with Grace Aloe Vera Drink, a great-tasting, refreshing drink made with real aloe vera. Grace Foods UK extended the Aloe Vera range with a smooth variant Grace Aloe Smooth for consumers who prefer their drinks without the aloe vera pieces.
“Retailers can maximise sales of these new trends in drinks by merchandising them together.
Products such as Grace Aloe Vera should sit alongside flavoured waters and fruit smoothies, giving them standout on-shelf, particularly during the summer months. Front of store placement is also key to driving impulse sales during the warmer months when shoppers are looking for refreshing drinks,” adds Chambers.
“With scratch cooking on the rise, we are particularly proud of our range of authentic Encona sauces, inspired by flavours from around the world.
“People are travelling to more exotic destinations and this, coupled with the trend for scratch-cooking, means retailers have seen an increase in shoppers looking to bring their favourite flavours from around the globe into their own kitchen. The versatility of Encona enables consumers to add exciting world flavours to any meal, and retailers to generate maximum profits.”
In 2015, Encona unveiled a Peruvian Amarillo sauce as part of its 142ml glass bottle range, and a new look for its squeezy bottle format (285ml) along with two new variants -Mexican Smokey Jalapeno and Thai Mild Sweet Chilli – a sauce proving popular with families looking for a milder sauce to enjoy.
The Encona range offers a diverse selection of flavours from around the world, from mild to extra hot, allowing retailers to cater to a broad spectrum of consumer tastes.
*1 IRI UK Aloe Vera Drinks – Retail Sales, Period: MAT 52 w/e 26 March 2016
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