When we talk about the food cupboard as a category, we really mean ambient skus – the stuff that comes in tins and packets and little bottles but doesn’t need storing in the fridge (at least until it’s opened). From rice and pasta to spices and jars of beans, it’s what people look at before deciding to go out for a pizza instead. Or at least it used to be.
Because the food cupboard is changing. Partly lockdown did it; partly inflation and the cost-of-living crisis did it; but partly a new movement to enjoy good ingredients rather than processed food, and also a rediscovery of the slow enjoyment of cooking and then eating with family or friends at home (saving money again), has stimulated the market to supply many more and high quality items that consumers increasingly want.
In the past, ambient goods were often stored in a cool, dark room called a larder, which every house used to have hidden away somewhere, stocked with cans and sachets, dried pulses and probably jars of preserved fruits – the home of what the industry calls “shelf-stable” foods, according to Upuli Yasodhara, brand manager at leading speciality food importer and distributor Empire Bespoke Foods (EBF). Despite the vast choice on offer in today’s grocery channels, including fresh, frozen and food-to-go, dependable food cupboard items – which are often value goods (partly because of durability) and perfect in hard economic times – according to Mintel, over half of British consumers say they’re now cooking from scratch more than they used to.
“Ambient (shelf-stable) meals have been gaining share in prepared meal launches over several years, particularly up to 2023. While canned meals are included, there has been a notable increase in launches of pouch meals from new entrants and world food brands,” says Yasodhara. “These products are popular for quick, convenient meals, with 52 per cent of workers who frequently buy ready meals/ready-to-cook foods often eating them for workday lunches.”
And because it’s Diwali, we’ll look first at the amazing developments in south Asian cuisine – sauces and spices, ingredients and pastes – that have provided so much inspiration for cooking Indian food at home.
Image: AMG
Not just ‘curry’
Aagrah Foods recently celebrated a clean sweep of quality at the Great Taste Awards, after its Plain Naan was awarded two stars – meaning every product in the brand’s range of cooking sauces, chutneys, breads and spice blends, now holds at least one Great Taste star. Shezad Aslam, Managing Director, says that ambient World Food has quietly become one of the most dynamic parts of the food cupboard, driven by consumers seeking authentic global flavours they can recreate at home rather than order in.
“The same pressures pushing the wider Big Night In and fakeaway occasion, worth close to £9bn a year in the UK, are pushing shoppers toward the larder as the place to get restaurant-standard results without restaurant prices,” explains Aslam. “What's changed is the level of discernment: shoppers are far less willing to accept bland or overly processed products dressed up as 'authentic', and far more willing to pay a premium for something that genuinely delivers on that promise.”
Asian Trader used to run its Food Cupboard feature in the middle of summer, but Aslam says, “Autumn is when home entertaining and family cooking really pick back up after summer, and shoppers are stocking their cupboards accordingly. There's a growing expectation that the food cupboard should offer genuine variety across cuisines, not just traditional British staples, and real appetite for products that let a home cook personalise a meal rather than relying on a single all-in-one jar.”
Image: EBF
That means right now is the perfect time for taking a look at your ambient shelves and seeing what needs sprucing up
In a sign of cultural intermingling, Westmill Foods has joined forces with award-winning South Asian street-food brand Urban Rajah fora new generation of sauces designed to bring South Asian flavours beyond traditional dishes and into more everyday eating occasions.
The partnership brings together Westmill’s deep South Asian food heritage – including household names Rajah spices and Elephant Atta – with a brand already challenging category convention. Urban Rajah’s Buroti range has grown value sales +838 per cent year on-year and expanded into convenience stores, demonstrating growing consumer appetite for South Asian flavours in new formats and occasions.
“South Asian flavour has outgrown curry. Curry isn’t disappearing – it’s the starting point, not the destination," said Ivor Peters, founder of Urban Rajah.
Meanwhile Empire Bespoke Foods – a cornucopia of ambients – has launched its Mumma Jii collection (RRP £1.29 - £1.99) which brings together the best of India’s baking industry to offer consumers a wide range of popular regional snacks in ambient form. Made to authentic recipes inspired by traditional home kitchens, the range includes among other items Khakhra (thin roasted, large savoury wholewheat crackers), Bhakri (thick, crispy wheat flatbreads), Makhaniya and Nankhatai cookies and Khari (light and buttery puff pastries).
“The Mumma Jii name, which comes from the Hindi word for ‘mother’ with the accent on ‘Jii’ for respect, is deeply rooted in India’s bakery heritage and represents the very best of traditional home-cooked snacks, family favourites and truly authentic flavours,” says brand manager Akash Mittal, brand manager at Empire Bespoke Foods.
In August, Sharwood’s extended its wide ambient range of ingredients, sauces and two-step curry kits range with the launch of a new Green Tikka Curry Kit, following on from its Moilee Coconut Curry Kit and Hot Honey & Lime Crackers in June, with the latest additions designed to bring new flavours and formats to the Indian and ESEA-inspired categories.
Both kits use a simple two-step format aimed at making Indian-inspired meals more accessible to less confident cooks, while bridging the gap between traditional jar sauces and meal kits.
Rob Watson, brand director of global cuisines at Premier Foods, said the latest launches form part of Sharwood’s efforts to modernise its offer through flavour-led innovation.
“With Indian cuisine eaten on 1.1 billion occasions and kits growing three per cent in unit sales year on year, our Green Tikka and Moilee Coconut Curry Kits will support retailers in bringing newer flavours into an accessible format,” he said. “Meanwhile, our Hot Honey & Lime Crackers offer another route for retailers to drive excitement and purchase intent in flavoured crackers amongst younger consumers.”
Image: Maggi
Stapling it together
Rice, pasta and noodles, the great staples, are also getting more interesting every year. With more “posh” versions of pasta appearing everywhere – specifically Bronze-cut pasta (also called bronze-die or trafilata al bronzo). It has a rough texture that is better at getting sauce to cling to it, the news that the great Italian brand Felicetti pasta recently signed a partnership with food importer and distributor RH Amar is very welcome.
Felicetti is bronze die-cut but still priced at only £2 and upwards, which will be very tempting to those wanting to enhance their home cooking. Produced in the heart of the UNESCO-listed Dolomites, the family-run firm is renowned for its commitment to quality. Combining more than 100 years of expertise with 100 per cent Italian durum wheat, pure mountain spring water and traditional production methods. Match it with the wonderful Mutti tinned tomatoes that hit convenience last year, and your customers will learn what real Italian food tastes like.
Rice heroes Tilda, meanwhile, are experimenting beyond bags of dried basmati with their ambient, ready-to-heat flavours and recipes. The latest offerings include a revitalised Ready-to-Heat Spicy Mexican Rice, bringing shoppers an even more flavoursome experience.
The 250g pouch now features a new-and-improved fiery, tomato-based recipe designed to bring extra heat to tacos, burritos, and BBQ dishes, while eye-catching new packaging boosts standout and recognition on shelf.
Packed with black beans, sweetcorn, red peppers, and fired up with chipotle and jalapeño chillies, the updated recipe delivers a fiesta of flavour in minutes – ideal for quick lunches, burrito bowls or easy midweek dinners (RRP: £1.25).
Maggi, meanwhile, has announced the launch of its new Maggi Ramen instant noodles range: inspired flavours ready in just three minutes, including Tom Yum with Chilli, Beef and Lemongrass and Soya Chicken with Mushrooms. Each flavour has been developed to deliver a rich, soupy ramen experience with tender, springy noodles and an intense broth inspired by Asian flavours.
The launch builds on Maggi’s much loved instant noodle range and more than 50 years of noodle-making experience. Each 90g serving is low in saturated fat and non-HFSS.
"The new range is an exciting step for the brand as we continue to build our range and bring shoppers more choice when they want something fast, tasty and a little more adventurous,” said Head of Marketing Danielle McAreavey.
Maggi Ramen joins other newly launched single-serve products this year including the Maggi Korean-inspired noodles range in Gochujang Beef, Spicy Cheese and Kimchi Chicken flavours, as well as the new Maggi Global Kitchen microwavable ready-meals range.
Aagrah Garlic and Coriander Naan Image: Aagrah
Mediterranean makeover
The UK has been growing more cosmopolitan in its meal tastes for some time, but recently Mediterranean cuisine (in the broadest sense, to include Turkish and Lebanese, North African and Egyptian-Arabic, as well as French, Italian and Spanish) seems to have been gaining even more ground at mealtimes, with millions of Brits ditching ovens and traditional hot dinners in favour of lighter, holiday-inspired meals, new research has found – and it is not merely confined to the recent heatwave. The evidence from increased innovation in ambient supports the idea of an ever-more sophisticated British palate.
RH Amar has launched Henry's Deli, a new premium ambient Mediterranean deli brand, giving consumers the convenience of keeping deli-quality ingredients in the cupboard ready for entertaining, cooking and everyday meals, while catering to the continued demand for "picky bits" and deli favourites.
With seven SKUs, the range features a selection of Greek olives, slow-roasted Roma tomatoes, Baby Borettane Onions, and Italian antipasti, all presented in contemporary table-ready jars designed to suit relaxed entertaining, snacking and sharing occasions.
“Henry's Deli brings together our expertise in sourcing delicious Mediterranean products with a contemporary brand and the convenience of an ambient range, so shoppers can keep deli-quality favourites on hand whenever they need them," said Anne-Marie Cannon, Brand Controller at RH Amar. "We're delighted to see Henry's Deli launch and are excited to introduce the brand to shoppers.”
Empire Bespoke Foods, meanwhile, has extended its Mrs Elswood pickled vegetables with the launch of a trio of Mezze products.
The "Made for Mezze" range comprises semi-dried Tomatoes, Kebab Peppers and flame-roasted Red Peppers, developed in response to growing consumer demand for Turkish, Greek and Middle Eastern cuisines.
“Mrs Elswood has been pickling and fermenting gherkins for over 75 years – these newly created additions to the Elswood family build on that expertise in preserving delicious vegetables and take them into a new area that consumers want to buy and experiment with” said Jonathan Hehir, Senior Innovation Manager at Empire Bespoke Foods.
Recent research shows that Mezze vegetables, a key component of Middle Eastern cuisines, are rapidly gaining popularity; the Food People Report on Middle Eastern Cuisine 2025 states that Middle Eastern cuisine has seen an increase in market appeal and influence and remains a key focus in UK restaurants. The UK Mezze/antipasti category is now worth £127m, with eight per cent YOY growth.
The world is yours
Continuing with the ever-spreading global reach of domestic ambient goods, it’s worth looking at what has been released to bring tastes from even further afield into the regular consumer’s food cupboard lately.
Maggi, again, has revealed a brand-new Korean-inspired range, to satisfy growing consumer demand for Asian-inspired flavours and ambient meal solutions, consisting of Gochujang Beef, Kimchi Chicken and Spicy Cheese. Each recipe has been crafted to balance the complex sweet-heat and umami profiles that Korean food is known for.
“We wanted to do more than just launch new flavours; we wanted to capture the soul and main character energy of Korean cuisine,” says Danielle McAreavey, Head of Marketing for Maggi UK and Ireland.
Sauce wizards Encona are hard at it, releasing earlier this year its Original Hot Pepper Sauce, with a perfect balance of heat and flavour, to go with its Encona Extra Hot Pepper Sauce, which adds an extra fiery punch- and, for the very brave, the Encona Carolina Reaper Chilli Sauce delivers serious heat for those who like it hot.
Encona has been bringing big flavour to British kitchens since 1975, when its West Indian Original Hot Pepper Sauce became the first authentic Caribbean hot pepper sauce to land on UK supermarket shelves – catering to the country’s growing Caribbean community following the Windrush generation.
Shoppers looking for fruity or exotic notes can now experiment with the Encona Papaya Hot Pepper Sauce, Indian Sweet Mango Chilli Sauce, or Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce to give meals a fragrant, flavour-packed twist.
Fans of smoky, savoury spice can try Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce, Louisiana Cajun Hot Sauce, or PeriPeri Sauce.
Over the summer it also added an indispensable Thai Sriracha Chilli Sauce. This latest addition combines a rich garlic flavour, subtle chilli warmth and a hint of sweetness, along with pieces of chunky pepper mash for an added unique texture.
Demand is also being fuelled by younger consumers and social media trends, with hot sauce evolving from a cupboard staple into a lifestyle staple, as shoppers seek out new flavour experiences and premium, internationally inspired products.
Kimberley Lue Lim, Head of Marketing at Grace Foods UK, said: “Encona has always been about bringing exciting, authentic flavours to everyday meals, and Encona Thai Sriracha Chilli Sauce is a perfect example of that.
The brand remains a household staple, with its unmistakable square-shouldered bottle instantly recognisable on kitchen tables across the UK. It has built a loyal fanbase over the decades, including stars such as Naomi Campbell, Alesha Dixon, Gordon Ramsay, Rylan Clark, Jade Thirlwall and Romesh Ranganathan.
Organic food supplier Biona brought a range of organic World Bean Meals to market earlier this year, which includes a trio of heat-and-eat jarred meals inspired by global flavours. Made with certified organic ingredients and crafted around hearty beans and chickpeas, the range spans Bean Chilli Mexican Style, Chickpea Coconut Curry Indian Style and Chickpea Tagine Moroccan Style.
“We’re hugely excited to enter the ready meal category with this new range of World Bean Meals and believe it’s a great time to do so, as many consumers are now looking for healthier and non-processed quick-cook options which are also premium, adventurous and a bit different to the norm, so this new range should really hit the spot,” said Carmen Ferguson, Brand Manager at Biona’s parent company, Windmill Organics.
Continuing the international artisanal bean theme, pulse specialists Merchant Gourmet also released a new product – a baked bean range, featuring three different flavours – Gourmet Baked Beans in a Rich Italian Sauce, Barbecue Baked Beans in a Smoky Tomato Sauce, and Masala Baked Beans in a Spiced Tomato Sauce.
Merchant Gourmet says Baked beans continue to be a staple in UK households, yet shopper expectations are evolving, so it is seeking to shake up the category through contemporary flavours and high-quality beans packed full of protein and fibre with no additives.
Image: RH Amar
Tradition lives on in the cupboard
If we have concentrated on the more exotic in ambient foods, it is only because the traditional ingredients and cannot-be-without skus are so well known; and profit and incremental gain can more often be found in the novel additions to the category. But that is not to denigrate the traditional, which is also adding quality, artisanship, premium qualities (and retailer profit) all the time.
Batchelors recently unveiled the largest rebrand in its 130-year history, spanning all 200 products across its Super Noodles, Pasta N Sauce and Cup A Soup ranges, marking a significant new chapter for the brand, with a new visual identity designed to create greater consistency, improved navigation at shelf and unlock further growth in Easy Meals.
The relaunch builds on Batchelors’ strong innovation pipeline, including the 2025 launch of its microwavable Pasta N Sauce range and first-ever Ravioli, which are driving momentum behind the brand and bringing new shoppers into the category.
With the Easy Meals category having grown by over 122.6 per cent year-on-year, the new design and communications approach have been developed to build on this upward trend.
Likewise, Loyd Grossman has just made its most significant move since launching in 1995, expanding beyond jarred sauces with a new range of premium pasta sauce and rice kits for shoppers who want to feel more involved in the cooking process but value convenient shortcuts and reliable results. The range includes Premium Pasta Sauce Kits: Signature Bolognese, Creamy Mushroom, and Creamy Tomato & Chilli.
Each kit contains three individually prepared pouches, cooked in small batches using fresh ingredients, which are combined in stages at home to recreate the layered depth of flavour that chefs create in restaurant kitchens. The format targets shoppers who want to feel more involved in the cooking experience while keeping the convenience and high-quality results of the brand's core jars.
Image: Tilda
The Premium Rice Kits range consists of Smoky Spanish Style Paella and Creamy Mushroom Risotto.
In July Homepride announced new Marry Me Chicken (“The meal that seals the deal”) and Fajita Pasta Bake Sauces.
"Marry Me Chicken is one of the biggest recipe phenomena we've seen, but recreating it from scratch is beyond most busy weeknights," said Rob Watson, Brand Director of Global Cuisines at Premier Foods.
Both new sauces were promised to be available nationwide by autumn, so they should be in wholesalers now.
Cooking oils are likewise getting an exotic makeover, with Olive oil brand GOOD PHATS adding four flavoured finishing oils to its range: Chilli, Lemon, Garlic and Basil. Made using GOOD PHATS premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil and presented in the brand's signature squeezy bottle, the premium range is now available to independents via wholesalers and should be in stock now.
The premium angle is that unlike traditional flavoured oils, GOOD PHATS oils are co-pressed with fresh ingredients at source. Whole lemons, chillies, garlic & basil are crushed together with the olives during the pressing process, delivering a more authentic and intense flavour profile compared to oils where flavourings are added post-production.
And Freya – which produced slightly specialist bone broths and the like, has now moved into the ambient soup sachet sector.
While chilled soup has welcomed new brands, flavours and ingredients, ambient soup has increasingly moved towards longer, more processed ingredient lists, often relying on artificial thickeners, emulsifiers and flavourings to deliver convenience and consistency, Freya says.
That is why, last month, Freya says it decided to move into soup for the first time with a new range of ready-to-eat soup pouches and instant soup sachets, all made with bone broth and recognisable whole-food ingredients.
The Instant Soup range follows the same approach, using dried vegetables and natural ingredients to create body and flavour rather than relying on artificial thickeners, emulsifiers or flavourings.
So whatever meal of taste your customers are looking for, they can now all be found in an energised, innovative ambient category that can supply everything the most discerning connoisseur could desire.
And as Aagrah’s Shezad Aslam said, Autumn is when home entertaining and family cooking really pick back up after summer, and shoppers like to stock their cupboards.
“Long shelf life is the independent's friend here,” concludes Aslam. “It means a smaller-footprint store can stock a genuinely curated, authentic World Foods range without the waste risk that comes with chilled or fresh. Multiples build ranges that work at national scale; independents can build a range that works for their specific shoppers, and that tailored curation, backed by staff who can talk knowledgeably about what's on the shelf, builds a loyalty a supermarket aisle rarely does.”
Amen to that, and Happy Diwali.