2025
9
UK Menu Trends – Autumn/Winter 2025
2025-09-26T14:01:37+00:00
REP2161E5BF_8608_4A4C_8F61_31CB99C95319
2195
187142
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Report
en_GB
UK diners crave bold, global flavours and interactive, portable formats. Leading the trend are smoke, tea, pork, duck, chicken and Hong Kong-inspired sweets. Trish Caddy, Associate Director - Foodservice Market…
UK
Foodservice
simple

UK Menu Trends – Autumn/Winter 2025

"UK diners crave bold, global flavours and interactive, portable formats. Leading the trend are smoke, tea, pork, duck, chicken and Hong Kong-inspired sweets."

Trish Caddy, Associate Director - Foodservice

Trish Caddy, Associate Director - Foodservice

UK Menu Trends and Insights – Autumn/Winter 2025

  • Tea as a Culinary Innovator: Tea is evolving beyond its traditional role, becoming a versatile culinary ingredient used in glazes, broths, marinades, rubs, and pairings. It is now celebrated as a “flavour storyteller,” driving innovation in kitchens and bar menus.
  • Opportunities for Food Operators: Restaurants and food operators can use tea as a bold flavor anchor, such as in smoked meats or tea-glazed dishes like peach tea-glazed pork belly. Highlighting tea’s provenance and health benefits can enhance menu storytelling and attract wellness-focused diners.
  • Chicken’s Versatility and Global Appeal: Chicken remains a key growth area due to its affordability and adaptability. While fried chicken is maturing, boneless options, global flavors, and premium uses keep it relevant. With 80% of diners enjoying Chinese food, Cantonese roast meats and ready-to-heat options are particularly appealing, while duck offers a premium yet comforting choice for bao, tacos, or fine dining.
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    • What’s next on the menu?
    • Today’s menu board
    • From teacup to plate
    • Spotlight: tea as ingredient
    • Signature dish: chai-spiced beef bao with tea-stained quail eggs
    • Inspiration snapshot: peach tea glazed pork belly
    • Inspiration snapshot: new CPG launches in sauces, confectionery and milky hybrids redefining tea’s role in food and drink
    • Inspiration snapshot: thunder tea rice, a Hakka traditional rice bowl
    • Actionable strategies
    • Chicken run
    • Spotlight: chicken as a protein powerhouse
    • Signature dish: DIY chicken finger toppings bar
    • Inspiration snapshot: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
    • Inspiration snapshot: Popeyes’ Chicken Wraps
    • Inspiration snapshot: Five March’s fried chicken focaccia
    • Actionable strategies
    • Ducks crossing
    • Spotlight: duck takes flight
    • Signature dish: build-your-own Cantonese duck soft taco kit
    • Inspiration snapshot: Bear By Carlo Scotto’s Moroccan spiced duck
    • Inspiration snapshot: Choi Wan’s duck bao
    • Inspiration snapshot: Three Uncle’s whole roast duck
    • Actionable strategies
    • Modern chops
    • Spotlight: pork renaissance
    • Signature dish: char siu pork chop with pickled ramson
    • Inspiration snapshot: Tonkotsu broth recipe
    • Inspiration snapshot: Taiwanese slow-cooked pork belly
    • Inspiration snapshot: coffee pork ribs
    • Actionable strategies
    • Smoked signals
    • Spotlight: on the fire
    • Signature dish: smoked mushroom & lentil tacos
    • Inspiration snapshot: smoking egg yolks
    • Inspiration snapshot: Interstellar BBQ × From the Ashes’ BBQ
    • Inspiration snapshot: Taiwanese-style satay sauce (sha cha)
    • Inspiration snapshot: smoke-forward flavours cross from foodservice to retail
    • Actionable strategies
    • Hong Kong sweet treats
    • Spotlight: Hong Kong bakery culture
    • Signature dish: Pineapple Bun “bolo bao” with butter slab
    • Inspiration snapshot: tangzhong milk bread recipe
    • Inspiration snapshot: Hong Kong egg tarts
    • Actionable strategies
  1. APPENDIX

    • Consumer research methodology
    • Market definition

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