Food and drink trends 2024
British Fusion: a British food trend in 2024
Research shows that 68% of people in the UK find the concept of British Fusion food appealing.*
What is the British Fusion trend all about?
British Fusion is a trend that we can see emerging, but what exactly is it? It’s the concept of merging British foods, formats and dishes with other global or world cuisines.
Whilst we know that consumers currently eat a diverse range of cuisines beyond British; the idea of trying new flavours is even more appealing when combined with the familiarity of British elements they know and love.
1. Familiarity and formats
35% of respondents state that they find British Fusion appealing because it’s a way to try new flavours in a format they are familiar with.*
We’ve seen that consumers are increasingly open to trying new cuisines, some being more adventurous than others – but comfort and familiarity are also important at the moment, when many are watching their pennies: 28% say they prefer eating familiar foods and 28% are also unwilling to spend money on cuisines they don’t know.*
How does British fusion food help this?
As many are now more mindful with their spending and put quality and value for money as top of mind – British fusion gives them the opportunity to enjoy both familiar flavours and indulge their sense of adventure. For those who are a little less adventurous in their tastes, it is also an easy bridge into new cuisines.
From an operator’s perspective, this trend offers the opportunity to introduce new ingredients and dishes to their menu, using tried and tested, popular formats.
Over half (53%) of consumers find the idea of British fusion desserts appealing*, so there is clearly scope to excite consumers with further innovation in this category, with twists on well-known British formats, for example the classic crumble, brownies, or cheesecakes.
2. Cultural and international twists
2 in 5 (42%) of UK consumers find British Fusion appealing because they like the idea of mixing.*
Mixing well-known formats with foreign cuisines is what makes British Fusion appealing. A popular and versatile format is the British Fusion Pie with 36% of consumers saying they have an interest in pie as a fusion with an international twist.* A great example of this are the Indian inspired pies and pasties (i.e. chicken keema or Balti pies) which are featuring on deli, pubs and bar, restaurant and workplace menus.
Sunday roasts also provide opportunity for a range of British fusion twists, and these appeal to a third of consumers.* We’re seeing examples of this trend emerge in the form of British-Afghan, Middle Eastern, Asian or Caribbean Sunday roast platters.
The top three British fusions that consumers are curious to try are Chinese, Italian and Indian – closely followed by American, which are already very popular as stand-alone cuisines.*
However, there are a whole range of global flavours that consumers are keen to see mixed with their British favourites, and some are further off the beaten track than others. For example, Korean is another fusion opportunity to consider, with 19% of consumers finding it appealing.*
The wide scope of this trend gives chefs a real opportunity to show their creative flair and differentiate their offer.
4 ways to leverage the British Fusion trend:
1. Don't forget to reference the provenance or origin of your British dishes
“76% of consumers find dishes and ingredients that have provenance within the UK appealing and half would be prepared to pay more for them”*
This is because:
48% Want to support their local economies*
46% Appreciate their heritage*
44% Believe they are better quality*
38% Believe they have better flavour*
2. Traditional British dishes that lend themselves well to the British Fusion trend and international twists include
- Fish and chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce, gravy or curry sauce
- Pies and pasties
- Sunday Roast (Beef, pork, chicken or lamb) slow cooked, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings
- Full English breakfast
- Desserts (Victoria sponge cake with cream and strawberry jam, crumbles, and cheesecake)
3. Consider key ingredients for the British Fusion trend:
Staples
British cheeses, butter, cream, custard, ketchup, brown sauce and earl grey.
Meat and fish
Beef, lamb, chicken, sausages, bacon, pork, haddock, cod, prawns, duck, turkey, salmon and scampi.
Vegetables
Potato, carrot, leek, peas, corn, parsnip and broccoli.
Fruit
Apple, pear, strawberry, raspberry, plum, date and sultanas.
4. Recipes for different day parts
- All
All
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Bacon and egg bao bun butty
Combining the classic British bacon butty with the well-loved bao bun. Perfect for a breakfast, brunch or lunch menu. -
Chinese roast chicken with salt and pepper roasted potatoes, and wok-fried greens
An Asian twist on a well-loved British classic – the roast dinner. -
Chorizo and butterbean sausage roll
A smoky, spicy Spanish twist on the classic and comforting British sausage roll
Sustainable solutions
- Sustainable solutions
Sustainable solutions
- Consider offering meat-free or plant-based British fusion choices to capture a wider target market.
- Consider sourcing British, local or regionally sourced ingredients, and if you do, be sure to feature the provenance on your menus.
- As with other trends, you can adapt ingredients that would otherwise have been wasted, particularly in pies and pasties or sausage rolls.
What is fusion food?
Fusion food gives consumers the chance to try new flavours, very often in familiar formats, and provides chefs with the opportunity to have fun and show their creativity and flair.
You can mix up ingredients, flavours or formats to create dishes that offer a unique experience, which appeals to consumers’ sense of adventure.
British Fusion is a key trend that is particularly appealing in the UK at the moment, using British formats like a roast dinner, pies, pasties, and a traditional English breakfast and adding a twist with ingredients from other cuisines.
What are the fusion food trends of 2024?
British Fusion is a trend that is predicted to grow in 2024, where consumers get the opportunity to try new flavours and ingredients from other cuisines, in more familiar formats like pies, sausage rolls, crumbles, roast dinners or English breakfasts. In fact, 35% of respondents state that they find British Fusion appealing*, as it’s a way to try new flavours in a format they are familiar with.
The most popular cuisines that consumers are interested in pairing with British formats include Chinese, Italian, Indian and American* which tend to be the cuisines consumers are most famillar with. However, that doesn’t preclude interest in British Fusion with other cuisines, for example, Korean, Mexican, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern. Think Caribbean or Middle Eastern spiced Sunday Roast platters!
Why are dishes fused with British cuisine is growing in popularity?
Two in five (42%) of UK consumers find British Fusion appealing* because they like the idea of mixing different cultural influences within the more familiar formats that British cuisine offers: roasts, pies, sausage rolls, traditional breakfasts and even some desserts like crumbles.
Many consumers are currently more mindful about what they are spending, and look for both value and quality in the dishes they go for when they are eating out.
British fusion dishes offer the ability to enjoy familiar flavours whilst at the same time appealing to their sense of adventure. British Fusion dishes therefore provide a great bridge between familiar dishes they are comfortable with and new cuisines. These sorts of fusion choices also remove some of the barriers to trying unfamiliar dishes and flavours.
What British food can you easily fuse with in 2024?
Some of the key popular formats that we are seeing feature heavily in British fusion dishes include: Sunday roasts, pies, pasties and sausage rolls, traditional English breakfasts along with other classic dishes like shepherd’s pie, and even desserts like crumbles.
Some of the international cuisines that consumers are most interested to try with British formats include: Chinese, Italian and Indian, closely followed by American.*
Why is fusion food growing in popularity?
42% of UK consumers find appeal in British Fusion dishes* because they give them the ability to enjoy mixing up different cultural influences within familiar British formats that that they are comfortable with.
At a time when many are conscious about getting value for money, many are still keen to try something new and enjoy a different experience when they eat out.
Therefore British Fusion provides a bridge between familiar formats and new flavours, overcoming some of the psychological risks or barriers associated with trying something completely unfamiliar and different.
Sources:
* Bidfood & CGA by NielsenIQ Trends 2024 bespoke consumer survey, sample: 2,003 UK consumers
Discover all of our food trends in 2024
- Mind, Mood and Body - Health food trends 2024
- British Fusion - Fusion food trends 2024
- Let's Play - Playful and popular food contrasts 2024
- Rustic and Rural - British food trend 2024
- Flavours Less Travelled - World food trends 2024
