South and East Asian cuisine has been popular in restaurants and takeaway outlets in the United Kingdom for many generations. However, such menu acclaim does not seem to be commensurately reflected in Britain’s supermarket freezer sections.
Global food restaurant brands serving Japanese and other East Asian-inspire recipes such as Wagamama and Itsu have grown in popularity over the years, introducing consumers to authentic ethnic dishes. With Brits keen to experience new varieties of Asian flavors, the brands have gone from strength to strength.
As of March 2021, there were 149 Wagamama restaurants in the UK, an increase of 14 outlets since 2019. Annual turnover of around £342 million was generated in 2018-19.
The Itsu chain of fast food shops, restaurants and grocery outlets operates at more than 75 locations in Britain, with a further 50 set to open by 2025. The London-headquartered enterprise, founded by Julian Metcalfe in 1997, serves over nine million customers per year who spend around £55 million at its establishments. Total sales for the group in 2022 are forecast to exceed £170 million, according to Private Equity News.
Meanwhile, some operators are focusing more on home and office delivery demand, rather than expanding the number of outlets. They are increasing their delivery catchment areas through dark kitchens (also known as virtual kitchens), cloud kitchens, ghost kitchens or delivery-only restaurants.
With strong demand for Asian cuisine, it comes as no surprise that foodservice outlets are keen to serve authentically flavored fare to their customers. However, with varying skill sets on hand in kitchens it’s not always practical to make everything from scratch. As a result many foodservice establishments rely on quality frozen products to create Asian dishes with ease.
Bao Buns Among Top Trends
Bao buns are still one of the hottest street food trends in the United Kingdom, but these plain steamed dumplings would take time and skill to make in house, so many foodservice suppliers distribute them in frozen form.
“Conveniently, bao buns lend themselves nicely to a range of different serving situations, which is handy for foodservice operators who need to be flexible with their offering as we all continue to navigate our way through uncertain times,” said Gordon Lauder, managing director of frozen food distributor Central Foods, which specializes in supplying restaurants, pubs and other foodservice outlets. “Some restaurants are serving bao buns as part of a bento box, which is perfect for both takeaway or onsite serving, or simply using them as an alternative to sandwiches or wraps throughout the day. Their small, handheld size, along with their white color which allows the filling to really ‘pop’ visually, makes them incredibly appealing.”
Also known as hirata buns, bao buns are steamed, folded, and usually served warm, filled with slow-cooked meat, crunchy salad, pickles, and sticky sauce for tasty bite-size snacks. Their warm, soft, fluffy texture of the bread works well with all kinds of ingredients and provides flexibility for both sweet and savory presentations.
“The frozen bao buns supplied to the foodservice sector by Central Foods have the added advantage of being suitable for vegans and vegetarians,” said Lauder. “This means it’s easy to include a vegan-friendly bao bun option on the menu – something that’s essential, given the rising demand for plant-based products.”
Popular bao bun fillings include BBQ pork and pickled vegetables, sautéed mushrooms, onions and other vegetables. A veggie option could include jackfruit or tofu. For dessert or a sweet treat, operators might opt for chocolate hazelnut spread with sliced banana or cream cheese, sliced figs and honey.
“Bao buns are really flying off the shelves at the moment,” said Lauder. “With their unique fluffy texture, there’s really nothing else like them. They’re versatile, taste delicious and are super easy to serve, which makes them a big hit in the foodservice sector, as well as with the consumer. They truly are one of the hottest trends going.”
Frozen Aisles
Despite the undeniable popularity of South and Southeast Asian ethnic foods in the UK, evident by its success on the high street, when it comes to the frozen aisles in supermarkets it’s a different story as the variety on offer is generally limited.
Tesco offers a Taste of Japan with its Katsu Chicken Curry with Rice. Along with rivals Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrison, the retailer also also sells Thai curries and carries the Itsu brand of frozen gyoza dumplings, with some noodle dishes thrown in for good measure. Itsu’s variety of frozen gyoza includes Chicken, Vegetable Fusion, Classic Prawn, Sizzling Pork and Korean Beef.
“We like to nickname our gyoza by their recipe numbers,” said an Its spokesman. “For example, our chicken gyoza is affectionately known as ‘chicken dumpling No. 74’. The 73 recipes that came before it were delicious, but it took 74 versions to crack it. We keep updating our recipes, always trying to improve them and find that perfect balance in taste and texture.”
Some Asian restaurant chains are crossing over into the retail sector with their own supermarket ranges to extend brand presence and reach, which may help to increase diversity in freezers.
Itsu, for example, which offers an array of Asian-inspired products, 40% being plant-based, has a huge supermarket and health food store showing in the UK enjoying a 70% growth rate, according to Private Equity News.
To boost its profile further, the company has teamed up with celebrity stylist and TV cooking show personality Gok Wan (seen above) for its first ever television commercial, in which Wan cooks gyoza and brilliant’broth at home, assisted by Dolly, his French Bulldog.
Identifying Itsu gyoza dumplings as “little parcels of joy,” he goes on to inform viewers that “seven fabulous flavors are ready in minutes” and they “go with anything – a stir-fry, noodles and broth, or just a plate of with soy dipping sauce.”
Pehaps the advertising campaign will encourage major supermarkets and other grocery store operators to devote additional space to East Asian frozen food products. With Itsu’s retail sales surging almost 60% last year, there’s good reason to make room for more SKUs sooner than later. – Reported by Sarah Welsh
