What’s hot in condiments in 2024?

A really good condiment can make or break a meal. That slick of sauce, or drizzle of dip on the side of the plate, has the opportunity to make every mouthful of food pop.

Now, clearly, any good retailer should have a decent ketchup, mustard, brown sauce and mayo on their shelves…but what are consumers reaching for beyond these familiar mealtime friends?

Globalisation, TikTok trends, and increased travel (particularly food tourism), have led to the average Brit having a much more adventurous palate, say insiders. And they’re using condiments in ever-increasingly imaginative ways…looking beyond adding a dollop of the usual suspects to their burger.

Mintel data recognises that flavour innovation is crucial in driving the sector, with 53% of consumers happy to shell out a premium for products they consider innovative.

They’re thinking more and more about how ‘clean’ their condiments are too, eschewing products that are ultra processed, or high in sugar or salt. According to Mintel, 42% of consumers worry about the healthiness of condiments, and say they’d be willing to pay more for better quality variants.

Sauce and seasoning aficionado Kier Kemp of Condimaniac, has reviewed hundreds of sauces, dips and relishes, and says they are the “underdog” of the speciality food world, adding that they should be taken seriously by retailers, because they really do underpin a good meal. “I don’t think we afford the same prestige and attention to condiments as we do to things like wine,” Kier says. “And there’s no reason why. There’s no difference in quality and variety. I just love them. Whenever I’m having a meal, that’s the bit I’m getting excited about. What am I going to dip my food in? For most people, the sauce is a big part of how good their meal’s going to be. Condiments really imbue food with flavour.”

He thinks we’re just beginning to catch up with our continental neighbours when it comes to enhancing our food. “If you go to Germany (my wife, and my business partner are both German) they have whole aisles dedicated to seasonings and toppings. In Britain we’re now discovering the wonders of seasonings, and people are definitely looking to switch up what they’re eating.”

Hot sauce is trending

If you add just one thing to your sauces and condiments aisle this year, let it be hot sauce, says Kier. “I’ve been saying for a long time hot sauce is the new craft beer, and it has been for a while,” he explains, adding that he’s seen enormous growth in the category both here, and globally.

“It really is like the craft beer scene was 10 years ago. And hot sauce is still in that exciting pre-commercialisation period where there’s a big demand for it, being met by lots of small producers and artisan creators. They’ve got amazing artwork, and stories, and their own way of doing things.”

Kier has noticed a tide change in our tastebuds, saying today’s shoppers are much more attuned to heat, and prepared to ‘take it up a notch’ when it comes to spice. “Our tastes are definitely getting more exotic,” he adds, saying that’s why independent makers continue to exist. “Our modus operandi is to fill the gaps the supermarkets can’t.”

Becky Vale of Tracklements says the brand has also noticed a shift towards the spicier end of the spectrum. “Hot sauces, in particular, are just such a trend,” she explains. “Our recent quantitive research showed that 44% of shoppers are using hot sauces to go with everyday meals at home, and Waitrose recently reported hot sauce category growth at 55%.” This has led to Tracklements investing further in warmer sauces. Building on the success of its bestselling Fresh Chilli Jam, the brand recently launched a trio of hot sauces (Rocket Hot Sauce, Sriracha Chilli Sauce and Smokin’ Chipotle Sauce) with flavour and heat levels to suit everyone, made with all-natural ingredients.

Amrit Madhoo, who bought South Devon Chilli Farm two years ago, says the market for chillies and hot sauces has exploded in the nearly 25 years since the business was founded. Its chilli jam, he says, “helped pave the way for the sauce market in the UK”. In fact, the chilli jam, made to use up a large harvest, was so popular that within just one season the team on the farm had to begin growing chillies specifically to make the product.

Amrit agrees that hot sauces are the ‘next big thing’ in the UK, appealing not only to ‘chilli heads’ who want to display a bit of bravado, but more widely in the mainstream. “People are developing a tolerance for them,” Amrit says. “And things like sriracha are becoming commercialised and popular in the big supermarkets. Everyone wants fermented chilli sauce, or a mild to medium sauce they can use on their sandwiches.”

He believes our newfound love of hot sauce has been driven by social media, and that emerging brands are a result of lockdown, which Amrit says saw people buying chilli plants, discovering ways of using the fruits, and sharing their sauces and dips through content online.

The super super hot sauces are always big sellers at Christmas, Amrit says, adding that retailers should look beyond the gifting season to ‘get in on’ the trend, offering a breadth of heat to appeal to different customers. “In summer they [consumers] want something to go on their burgers, or a mild sauce to go on their salads,” for example.

He also recommends seeking out fermented chilli sauces, which go hand-in-hand with consumer interest in gut health.

Swicy foods growing in popularity

An interesting development in the condiments market has been the recent leaning towards ‘swicy’ (sweet and spicy) flavour profiles, which has seen an explosion in products such as hot honey. According to Scott Joynston, product development manager at The Flava People, ‘swicy’ is the ‘one to watch’.

Tom Gatehouse, of Egg Soldiers, says spiced honey is making its mark in retail right now. “For example, WilderBee Gochujang Hot Honey made it into Harrods the summer of last year, and into the Co-op last October.” Consumers, he believes, are seeking out products with an Asian vibe in this growing category – particularly gochujang. “The sweet/spicy Korean condiment staple is now turning up in all manner of dish types and product settings, be it as a crisp seasoning, creamy pasta sauce addition, fried chicken glaze, ice cream enhancer or Korean BBQ seasoning.”

World flavours in condiments

As Mintel reports, consumers are becoming much more adventurous and globally astute. Becky thinks this is “possibly a hangover from Covid restrictions, or maybe just continuing the British love of exploration. Flavours from around the world are experiencing a boom in popularity”.

Becky cites Mintel’s UK World Cuisines report from 2023, which found 50% of Brits enjoy at least five different world cuisines at home. “This is just one of the reasons why Tracklements launched Chimichurri Chilli Relish as its latest special edition. It’s a popular South American sauce. A veritable fiesta in a jar, with coriander, oregano, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and a cheeky helping of hot Bird’s Eye chillies to keep it lively.”

While Amrit says he’s working on a range of Caribbean products to tap into the global condiments trend, delving into the flavours of his heritage, he believes products containing Mexican chillies, or an authentic taste of Mexico should be on retailers’ radars.

In fact, he adds, the farm is only just keeping up with demand for its homegrown Mexican chilli varieties. “We can’t grow enough poblano,” he says, explaining that there are huge opportunities in the UK for brands to explore and deliver Mexican sauces and relishes, made on home turf…perhaps even using chillies (like his), grown in the UK.

“People want to make authentic Mexican food. Moles, and they need the chillies their recipe calls for.” 

‘New Mex’ is the trend to watch from across the pond, Amrit continues, saying it’s leading the way with new varieties and breeds that are causing genuine excitement in America particularly, which should filter into the UK market.

BBQ sauce is a must-stock for retailers

A number of chefs pivoted during Covid times to create their own food brands as a way of keeping their businesses alive. In many cases, these products have remained, becoming a further, lucrative revenue stream. Amongst them is Richard Bainbridge, chef patron of Norwich restaurant Benedicts, and a regular on BBC1s Saturday Kitchen.

Richard adores condiments, and when he found himself cooking at home more with his family in lockdown, says he wasn’t too impressed with the sauces and accompaniments he could get ‘off the shelf’ locally. “So we decided to come up with our own”.

Under the R Bainbridge Provisions banner, Richard developed chutneys, jams, BBQ salts, and a granola based on his wife Katja’s own recipe. “We created products we wished existed on shelves. It’s one of the most selfish things we’ve done,” Richard says. “We loved them ourselves and we weren’t thinking about customers!”

Today the products can be found in premium retailers, and it’s BBQ sauces that Richard says consumers are getting most excited about. He sees this as a real area of growth for himself, and other condiment producers in the UK. “People are cooking at home a lot more, and they’ve got the confidence, after lockdown, with barbecuing. If we’re blessed with a great summer, barbecuing is going to be bigger than ever this year, and having the right BBQ sauce can really take their food to the next level.”

Richard says a good condiment should “make a dish come to life. You can have really banging dishes, but a bit of beetroot ketchup with your chips, or elderflower barbecue sauce going into a burger, or coffee barbecue sauce in a bacon sandwich in the morning when you’ve got a bit of a hangover, makes life worth living. Food is great, but sometimes it needs a bit of love to get it over the line.”

Kier also seeds barbecue sauce as a key line for speciality retailers going forward – if they select varieties that push the boundary flavourwise. “People have always loved it. You can very easily get a normal barbecue sauce, but people are after a twist of stuff they already know,” he says. “So we do a maple jalapeno barbecue sauce. When we make candied jalepenos we have the syrup leftover, and we use that as a base. It’s delicious. Anyone can go to a supermarket to get any type of brand, but really, people want to try something different.”