After years where the emphasis was on bland uniformity, farsighted food businesses are recognising a consumer hunger for personality, adventure and excitement. Here we examine this new soul of individuality, and how the recession has spawned an interest in nostalgia, with brands launching product ranges with a difference. It all started with the growth in popularity of organic: As organic and speciality food moves more into the mainstream, from niche to accepted standard. Consumers are getting excited by speciality nourishment again, and caring more about what they have and drink. They need products that have character and reflect where they are grown and produced.
Even in this difficult economic climate we are witnessing an ocean change. There is a sure kind of consumer who is moving distant from mass produced, consistently uniform and ultimately boring offerings - return to interesting, quality products from tiny producers, where every mouthful tells a story of how, when and where they were grown. But what is happening on the High Street shall seem to contradict these assertions. For example, despite the thousands of different varieties of veggie and vegetables, the decision in supermarkets is many times limited to only a little varieties. Huge multiples focus on profitability, flawless uniform appearance, yields and shelf life.
Similarly, many of our traditional breeds of cattle, pigs and sheep, each with their own distinctive flavour, have been brought close to extinction as the chicken sector turns to leaner, bigger, faster growing animals that meet supermarkets' demand for cheap, bland meat. The backlash against blandness: However, there exists signs the tide is turning. Running counter to the system that shoppers need perfection and consistency, there was a surge within the popularity of special greens container schemes over 400,000 containers of sometimes misshapen and muddy make are delivered within the UK each week and farmers' markets there exists now over 550 within the UK. Likewise there exists a growing many online businesses selling traditional breeds of meat, and it's also being snapped up by key gourmet food trendsetters - chefs. You can have noticed menus specifying Gloucester Old Spot', 'Middle White', 'Aberdeen Angus' or 'Longhorn' rather than just 'pork' and 'beef'.
Even supermarkets are starting to realise the importance of provenance and different variations of speciality foods: witness packs of pork chops bearing photographs regarding the farm from which they originate, the launch of 'finer' ranges extolling the pedigree regarding the components involved, or cheddar sections offering an impressive decision of farmhouse cheeses from around the country. This should be spoke about to be an extension of a trend that first started with wine. While 1970s British wines drinkers were mostly content to decide between Blue Nun, Bull's Blood and Mateus Ros, by the 1980s forward-thinking businesses for example Oddbins had opened our eyes to New World Wines and got us talking about grape varieties, regions, Grand Cru and terroir. Similarly a generation brought up on Nescaf and Dairy Milk, is now being invited to appreciate the subtle nuances between bean various and region of origin. While the Noughties' fixation with small cakes has seen a spate of tiny speciality food businesses producing delightfully quirky, handmade desserts creating use of the similar to components you would use at home.
From fixed-wheel bicycles to the Fiat 500: This shift within the local consciousness extends beyond speciality foods. In an age when cars are largely identical, personality-free boxes, by harking return to a time when cars had personality the revamped BMW Mini Cooper and Fiat 500 have grow to cult objects of desire. Equally, fixed rim bicycles - basic, stripped-back cycles well-known with couriers - are proving a hit with cyclists who like feeling more linked to the bicycle and being more aware regarding the road. Not to mention the growing trend for more environmentally friendly lifestyles and reduction in carbon footprint, all underpinning the general trend of getting return to our roots and 'more in touch' with nature. Turning over an unique tea leaf: For a traditionally lager and milk with tea drinking nation, the growth within the tea and wine markets in England over that final 20 years was unprecedented.
While tea shall still be the highest many consumed beverage at building in England, speciality tea is the highest many consumed out of building within the multitude of tea shops spread throughout the country. No detailed satisfied with one blend of tea consumers are growing more sophisticated, demanding different varieties of coffee, many times from sure estates in distant flung locations from Brazil to Kenya. Now it looks like speciality tea is becoming well-known again. So how does this desire for adventure and individuality translate to speciality lime tea from China, or black tea from Nepal? We are all familiar with supermarket tea bags created from 'fanning's' - the tiny flavour free bits left over from processing. But consumers are waking up to different tea varieties and whole leaf teas which retain all the essential oils and flavours.
In response to this there is very many of activity at the first class end regarding the market, as shall be evidenced by a travels to the food halls at Selfridges or Harvey Nichols. Looking to the future: It seems that in uncertain times we look for the stability of things from the past, but also as inspiration for many wanted change. Is this recapturing regarding the past a passing fade, or is it reclamation of something pleasurable, lone and extraordinary? Only time shall tell.
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