Top Food Trends For 2020
By Holly Thomson
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November 22nd, 2019
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This is the food trend list compiled by chefs… for chefs! After a busy year of trading, Sous Chef lifts the lid on the buying habits of the nation’s chefs and home cooks and predicts the hottest trends for 2020. Here are the 10 top food trends to watch out for over the next 12 months:
- Pistachios
- Single-variety vinegar
- Signature spicing
- Sparkling Japanese sake
- Built-to-last products
- Big, bright, bold colours
- Eco-cleaning
- Micro-traceability
- Posh French pralines
- Japanese stoneware
1. Everyone loves pistachios
2019 was the Year of the Pistachio, and our love for the vibrant green nut is set to continue well into 2020. Pistachio was the second biggest search term across souschef.co.uk for the whole of 2019 to date. Pistachio Paste was also a top 10 search terms in 2019, and the Sous Chef Pure Sicilian Pistachio Paste is worth seeking out – this intense green paste is incredibly smooth, and adds instant flavour to custards, ice-cream or ganache. Pistachios are also a key ingredient in Middle Eastern and Levantine cuisine – both of which are set to be increasingly popular in 2020.
2. Single-variety vinegar, for specific flavour profiles
The fermenting trend is taking a new twist for 2020, and customers are looking towards all things vinegar for 2020. The Sous Chef Stoneware Vinegar Making Barrel shot into the Sous Chef top-sellers list earlier this year in January. The vinegar barrel allows customers to use specific wines to make vinegar – and bring out the characteristics of their favourite wine within the condiment. Sous Chef vinegar sales rose by 25% in 2019, with the most popular single-variety vinegars including Chardonnay vinegar and Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar.
3. Signature spice blends
Introducing the break-out product of November 2019: the Skeppshult cast iron spice grinder. Customers bought the entire Sous Chef stock of this grinder within a week of it going live. More and more cooks are choosing to grind their own spices in order to make signature blends, and to get the best possible flavour from their ingredients. A personal spice grinder is the kitchen accessory of 2020.
[New stock expected w/c 25th November 2019]
4. Sparking Japanese sake - the new fizz
Sales of Sparkling Sake have been astronomical this year! The Sous Chef Shochikubai Mio Sparkling Sake appeared on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, and bottles have been flying off the shelves ever since. The sparkling sake has fruity aromas and natural sweetness – and at just 5% ABV it’s a light, refreshing drink that’s already a hugely popular choice in Japan. The UK looks set to follow the Japanese trend in 2020!
5. Built to last – Products that become part of the family
This year Sous Chef customers have made a real shift towards investment products for the kitchen that won’t need replacing, and this also includes products that develop a character over time. From premium leather aprons that soften and develop a patina with wear, to cast iron pans that become increasingly non-stick with every use. Customers are looking for products that become part of the family.
6. Big, bold & cheerful colours
Despite the challenges 2019 has thrown at us, customers are staying decidedly cheerful in the kitchen! This year big, bright colour has come to the fore, and is set to be a major trend for 2020. Sous Chef has seen fantastic sales of colourful glassware and striking multicoloured enamel, with sales looking particularly strong in the run-up to Christmas and New Year.
7. Eco-cleaning
Plastic-free shopping is here to stay, and the household cleaning and washing sector is transforming its offering. At Sous Chef, 2019 saw the introduction of several sustainable, artisan products that make washing up a joy for you, and for the planet! This range from Andrée Jardin is made with sustainable beech and ash wood, natural vegetable fibres and ostrich feathers – but no plastic.
8. Micro-traceability
Food provenance has become increasingly important over the last year, and some companies are now adding tracking codes for consumers to discover precisely where their food comes from. Pastaficio de Campi make pasta in the city of Gragnano using 100% Italian-grown wheat. Each packet of pasta can be traced back to an individual wheat field in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Expect to see more companies follow suit in 2020, as micro-traceability hits the food industry.
9. Japanese stoneware
There’s been an incredible amount of Japanese stoneware at 2019 and 2020 kitchen and homeware trade shows. Retailers and customers are choosing earthy, rustic tableware that feels lovely to hold and comforting to eat from. Sous Chef sales of stoneware have risen by 127% over the last year. Choose between several ranges of Japanes stoneware at Sous Chef, each with its own characteristic design.
For more great kitchen and ingredient ideas take a look at the Sous Chef gift guides for food lovers here, or browse our collection of cookware and start 2020 with a new piece of kit.
