Sauces - cooking 2024: authentic sauces come out fighting

Offering “authentic ingredients” has been crucial for sauces this year, sums up Somnath Dasgupta, NIQ senior analytics executive.

Schwartz is a prime example. The brand added a range of recipe kits, mixes and seasonings in August 2023, in partnership with TV cook and author Nadiya Hussain. More products landed in September this year, including Curry Ketchup and Zingy Katsu Burger Recipe Kit.

Those efforts have paid off. Schwartz’s value has soared 23.1% on volumes up 13.7%, in a cooking sauces sector that’s seen brands sell 3.5 million fewer kilos.

It’s a sign of consumer responsiveness to NPD, suggests Dasgupta. “Those who innovate, like The Spice Tailor and Schwartz, are likely to thrive,” he says.

Speaking of The Spice Tailor, the meal kit maker is up 14.6% in value, while units are up by 7.6%. The brand, which was snapped up by Premier Foods in 2022, launched its first Chinese lines this year.

The likes of Spicy Kung Pao and Classic Sweet & Sour were joined by four new Indian kits, including Coastal Mango Curry and Spicy Bengali Jalfrezi.

“These additions were designed to satisfy the growing consumer appetite for diverse and vibrant tastes as well as provide shoppers with their favourite Indian flavours,” says Andrey Sokirkin, Premier’s global marketing director for cooking sauces.

The supplier’s biggest cooking sauce brand has fared less well. Loyd Grossman’s down £2.4m and 905.2 thousand kilos – roughly the equivalent of 2.6 million packs. In an attempt to address the decline, the number two brand launched Pesto Alla Genovese and Pesto Sun-Dried Tomato in July.

“The opportunity is ripe within pesto and there’s a real space for a tried-and-trusted brand to bring new shoppers to the cooking sauces aisle,” says Sokirkin.

Another ripe opportunity lies in east Asian cuisine. That’s if Wagamama’s year is anything to go by. With a stir-fry sauce range including Teriyaki, Pad Thai and Korean Style BBQ, the high street favourite is the only top 30 cooking sauce brand to have recorded triple-digit increases in volumes and value – 116.1% and 119.1% respectively.

Read more: Cooking sauces 2023: Sauces and spices heat up for cooks