Love Sum secures Sainsbury’s listing as sizeable new UK factory fuels rapid growth

Chilled & Frozen

MasterChef finalist Sandy Tang proves restaurant quality, chilled dumplings are in demand, with nationwide Sainsbury’s rollout following major UK manufacturing investment

Love Sum, the fast-growing chilled dumpling brand, co-founded by 2020 MasterChef finalist Sandy Tang, has secured a nationwide Sainsbury’s listing, marking a major step in making fresh, authentic dumplings as accessible as chilled pasta.

Landing in stores from 1 January, the launch comes at a key moment for shoppers looking to make healthier, flavour-led choices and prepare for Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse: 17 February 2026), one of the most important seasonal occasions for dumpling consumption worldwide. Grocers are increasingly recognising the commercial value of the celebration on the UK retail events calendar with its presence continuing to grow across stores each year.

Six SKUs will be available, with promotional activity planned around Lunar New Year:

Looking beyond gyoza: a category on the rise

Chilled convenience and ready meals are among grocery’s fastest-growing sectors, with shoppers seeking premium, flavour-led options that deliver restaurant-quality results at home. The global dumplings market is projected to grow by over $5bn by 2029*.

Love Sum is the only brand producing chilled dumplings at scale in the UK, giving it a clear point of difference in a category moving beyond frozen imports. Asian flavours – particularly Korean cuisine – are surging, with Ocado.com reporting Gochujang searches up over 7,000%.

Unlike many competitors, Love Sum’s chilled range spans Korean mandu, Chinese jiaozi, and hargow, demonstrating the brand’s capability well beyond gyoza and highlighting space for multiple players as the category expands. Backed by significant UK manufacturing investment, Love Sum is well placed to deliver consistently, scale responsibly, and drive further growth in chilled Asian convenience foods.

State-of-the-art UK factory: high figure local investment, scaling production and sustainability

Love Sum recently opened a new 18,000 sq ft facility in Reading, including a 9,000 sq ft production area and a dedicated development kitchen for recipe innovation.

  • 10x increase in production capacity to meet national demand
  • Local economic impact: £2.5 million has been invested into the local area plus new jobs across production, logistics, and administration
  • Sustainable infrastructure: solar panels, EV charging station and tree planting
  • Chef-led precision manufacturing preserves traditional dumpling craftsmanship at scale
  • UK-made advantage: fresher products, UK produced where possible, reduced food miles, rapid seasonal responsiveness

“With our new facility, we’re not just scaling production ten fold, we’re cementing our position as the UK’s only chilled dumpling manufacturer, bringing premium, restaurant-quality dumplings to shoppers across the country,” said co-founder David Soloman.

Confidence through investment: Dragons’ Den and beyond

Since appearing on Dragons’ Den in 2025, Love Sum’s sales have tripled and are expected to double again next year. Some Dragons questioned the risk of a large factory investment without a retail partner, but national listings with Ocado and Sainsbury’s have validated the founders’ strategy.

“The Sainsbury’s launch proves investing in UK-made production was the right decision,” said Sandy Tang. “Between our new facility, booming on-trend range and nationwide rollout, it’s clear the category is ready for growth and we’re only just getting started.”

Love Sum’s range will launch into Sainsbury’s stores nationwide from 1st January.

Love Sum is also available in: Ocado, Selfridges, Booths and a number of premium independent retailers and farm shops.

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