Brands across grocery and food-to-go are leaning heavily into flavour, format and collaboration as they look to capture shoppers trading up for excitement and convenience. Protein remains a dominant trend, with launches spanning meat, snacks, dairy and sports nutrition.
Co-branded innovation is accelerating as companies tap into the pull of nostalgic favourites, iconic condiments and confectionery brands. Partnerships between manufacturers and retailers are also strengthening, with activity seen in prepared meals, food-to-go, dairy and frozen.
Sustainability continues to shape product development, from upcycled microalgae in pet food to FSC-certified packaging in foodservice. Natural, minimally processed recipes and cleaner ingredients are increasingly central across yogurt, dips and ambient-influenced launches.
The chilled and summer seasonal aisles are also seeing renewed investment as brands prepare for warmer months. Ice cream, burgers, yogurts and BBQ-ready products are being updated to offer premium cues, family appeal and ethical sourcing.
Zatarain’s Sausage Links
Zatarain’s Smoked Sausage is expanding its cooked dinner sausage offering with new link-style products aimed at the fastest-growing segment in the category.
Links now account for more than half of dinner sausage sales, creating an opportunity for retailers to meet consumer demand for convenient meal components with strong flavour cues.
Made with USDA‑inspected pork, the new line-up features three varieties: Andouille, Cheddar Andouille and Cajun Herb. The range is positioned to deliver the bold, recognisable New Orleans flavour associated with the brand, while offering versatility across both classic Cajun dishes and everyday family meals.
Andouille brings a traditional heat profile suited to recipes such as jambalaya, gumbo or breakfast applications. Cheddar Andouille incorporates sharp Cheddar for creamier, comfort-led dishes, while Cajun Herb combines paprika, thyme, oregano and bay leaf to support pasta, sautés and weeknight cooking.
Each SKU is sold in a 14 oz vacuum-sealed five-pack to support freshness, portion control and family meal planning.
MiAlgae Butternut Partnership
MiAlgae has partnered with fresh dog food specialist Butternut Box to introduce a fish‑free Omega‑3 source into the brand’s vegetarian meal option Ready Steady Veggie. The move marks a category first, incorporating MiAlgae’s DHA‑rich microalgae, produced using upcycled Scottish whisky by‑products, into a fresh pet food format available across Europe from this month.
MiAlgae is positioned as a sustainable alternative to fish-derived Omega‑3, delivering equivalent nutritional value while reducing reliance on marine resources. One tonne of the ingredient delivers the same Omega‑3 yield as 30 tonnes of wild‑caught fish, offering environmental and supply benefits. For Butternut Box, the partnership supports its mission to use whole, minimally processed ingredients that promote skin, coat and cognitive health in dogs.
The inclusion of MiAlgae aligns with Butternut Box’s drive to lower environmental impact, with the company noting that choosing Ready Steady Veggie enhanced with DHA over beef‑based meals can significantly reduce the carbon and land footprint of a dog’s diet. Supply of MiAlgae’s ingredient will come from the company’s new production facility in Scotland and forms part of a broader commercial growth strategy focused on collaborating with sustainability‑led pet food brands.
Equi’s Tesco Expansion
Equi’s Ice Cream has secured its largest retail partnership to date, with four of its flavours launching into 67 Tesco stores across Scotland.
The listing significantly expands the brand’s reach and forms a core part of its strategy to achieve £6m in turnover by 2028, supported by a targeted 25% year‑on‑year growth rate.
The rollout strengthens Equi’s position in the premium ice cream category and aligns with its longer‑term ambition to build distribution across the wider UK and into international markets. The range entering Tesco includes Madagascan Vanilla, Raspberry Ripple, Pistachio Swirl and Scottish Tablet, all made using locally sourced whole milk and double cream from Scottish farms.
To support rising demand, Equi’s has invested in increased production capacity at its Rutherglen site, including new robotic technology and the installation of solar panels to enhance efficiency and sustainability. The Tesco deal represents the company’s biggest account to date and reflects growing retailer interest in heritage‑focused, premium Scottish ice cream.
Equi’s is now stocked in most major Scottish supermarket chains, with further listings and market expansion in the pipeline as the brand continues to scale.
Fox’s Crunch Creams
Fox’s Burton’s Companies (FBC) is extending its Crunch Creams portfolio with a new Chocolate and Vanilla flavour aimed at driving incremental sales in the fast‑growing chocolate biscuit segment.
The 200g roll format brings a chocolate biscuit profile, previously seen only in the brand’s Seasonal Assortment, into the core range for the first time.
The product features two chocolate biscuits filled with a vanilla cream layer and is positioned to meet shopper demand for chocolate flavours, which are worth more than £509m in Anytime Treats. Crunch Creams remains one of the strongest performers in the sweet biscuit aisle, valued at £14.2m, and the new flavour is designed to complement the existing lineup and broaden shopper appeal.
FBC reports strong taste test performance for the NPD, with 96% overall liking among consumers aged 18 to 40, and expects the launch to attract both existing Crunch Creams buyers and new shoppers to the range.
Gym Kitchen Update
The Gym Kitchen has refreshed its Chicken Bites range and secured an additional yogurt listing in Asda as it continues to scale distribution across major retailers.
The snacking line has been given an updated recipe and new packaging, with BBQ Chicken and Chicken Tikka variants now available in an on‑the‑go bag format nationwide in Tesco. Each 45g pack provides 9g of protein and is positioned to tap into rising demand for functional, high‑protein snacks suited to food‑to‑go occasions.
Alongside the snacking update, the brand has added its best‑selling Salted Caramel Yogurt to Asda, joining the existing Banoffee Pie variant.
The 200g pot delivers 20g of protein and expands the brand’s presence in dairy as it builds a following among shoppers looking for higher‑protein options across breakfast, desserts and sweet snacking.
Founder Segun Akinwoleola said the reformulated bites reflect the importance of taste in the functional category, while the new yogurt listing supports the brand’s broader growth strategy focused on innovation and increased availability.
Howie Protein Lorne
Simon Howie is expanding its meat portfolio with the launch of High Protein Steak Lorne, a contemporary take on Scotland’s traditional square sausage.
The product lands in Tesco stores across Scotland and is positioned to meet rising demand for higher‑protein convenience foods. Made with 70% beef, each two‑slice serving provides 24g of protein and is targeted at consumers seeking everyday meal options that balance performance nutrition with familiar flavours.
The launch retains the hallmark characteristics of the classic Lorne while offering a gluten‑free format suited to a range of uses from breakfast rolls to simple meal prep. Each 270g pack contains four slices, delivering two portions.
Myprotein Mars Whey
Myprotein has extended its partnership with Mars Wrigley with the launch of Mars Impact Whey Protein, bringing the well‑known chocolate, caramel and malt flavour profile into its bestselling whey range.
The product launches in two formats, offering 15 servings at £16.99 and 31 servings at £30.99, and delivers 20g of whey protein and 120kcal per serving while remaining low in fat and sugar.
The new variant builds on the success of the Snickers launch in late 2025 and is positioned to meet rising demand for sports nutrition products that balance performance with taste.
The formulation is certified by Informed Choice and Informed Protein to verify quality, purity and protein content, supporting Myprotein’s positioning in the mainstream and performance segments. Myprotein says the extension helps broaden category appeal and attract new shoppers through flavour partnerships with widely recognised brands.
THG Nutrition CEO Neil Mistry said the launch reflects a shift in the category where consumers expect both functional performance and enjoyable flavours.
Mars Drinks and Treats added that the collaboration enables greater visibility for the Mars protein portfolio as it expands into major grocery retail this year.
Holy Moly Wrap
Holy Moly has partnered with UK retailer Co‑op to launch a Tex Mex Style Chicken Wrap featuring a pot of the brand’s 100% natural guacamole, marking the first time the dip has been incorporated directly into a wrap format in a major UK retailer.
The co‑branded product will be available from 26 March in selected stores, priced at £3.50, and will form part of Co‑op’s premium meal deal range.
The wrap includes pulled British chicken with chipotle chutney, beans, lettuce and a spicy slaw mix, served alongside a 57g guacamole pot that shoppers can spread or dip as they eat.
The format responds to rising demand in food‑to‑go for more flavour‑led lunchtime options and builds on Co‑op’s wider development of dip and dunk wraps. Co‑op notes the format has resonated strongly with shoppers as the retailer heads into the warmer months, with the chain’s convenience footprint enabling broad availability for meal deal shoppers.
Yeo Valley launches
Yeo Valley Organic is expanding its yogurt and summer seasonal ranges with new Fruited Greek Style yogurts, an addition to its Whole Milk line-up and a series of new BBQ products set to land ahead of National BBQ Week.
The developments support the brand’s focus on organic ingredients, simple recipes and broadening usage occasions across breakfast, snacking and summer meals. The Fruited Greek Style range introduces Mediterranean Lemon, Alphonso Mango and Coconut, and Passion Fruit and Mandarin variants, bringing a thicker texture and fruit‑led flavour profile to the chilled aisle.
Alongside this, Yeo Valley Organic is adding a Vanilla flavour to its Whole Milk yogurts, joining refreshed Strawberry, Raspberry and Blackcurrant pots. The brand says the launches are positioned to support everyday family consumption and meet continued demand for natural, organic options with no artificial ingredients. The new lines can be paired with Yeo Valley’s wider breakfast portfolio, including granola, kefir and Little Yeos.
For summer, the brand is extending its organic barbecue range with the introduction of British Lamb Burgers seasoned with herbs and the return of its Beef Steak Burgers in Tesco.
It is also launching three new ice creams in Madagascan Vanilla, Summer Berry Ripple and Blueberry and Lemon Curd. All products are made with responsibly sourced organic dairy and West Country cream as the brand targets consumers seeking quality-led, ethical choices for the barbecue season.
Jolly Hog Collaborations
The Jolly Hog is extending its premium sausage range with two new co‑branded lines developed in partnership with Marmite and Colman’s Mustard.
The launch brings two of Britain’s most recognisable condiments into the chilled meat category, reflecting a broader rise in flavour‑led retail collaborations that have typically been seen in ambient, bakery and snacking. The company says the new products arrive as the UK sausage market continues to demonstrate resilience, with volumes up 2.9% year on year, and shoppers showing increased willingness to trade up for premium, bolder flavours.
Both sausages are made with RSPCA Assured British pork and are positioned to tap into nostalgia and the trend for retro‑inspired flavours while appealing to younger consumers seeking more distinctive options. The Marmite and Colman’s variants aim to pair familiar British tastes with higher‑quality meat to create new value within the core sausage fixture.
BioPak Everest Partnership
BioPak has partnered with Australian ice cream brand Everest to roll out a nationwide shift from plastic to FSC‑certified paper packaging across the company’s 110ml ice cream cups.
The collaboration includes a custom‑designed birchwood spoon that fits into the lid, replacing individual plastic spoons and offering a new integrated format aimed at improving sustainability and convenience for foodservice operators. Everest’s updated packaging will be available across airlines, convenience and QSR outlets from March 2026.
BioPak says the move aligns with both companies’ commitments to reducing environmental impact while maintaining product performance. Extensive testing was carried out to ensure the new FSC‑certified cups match the durability and functionality of plastic, while the spoon‑in‑lid innovation reduces component use and supports circularity goals. The partnership is also one of the first major steps under BioPak Group’s new CEO, reflecting the company’s strategic focus on scalable, commercial sustainability solutions.
Everest, part of the Summit Group, positions the launch as a significant step in progressing its packaging strategy while preserving the heritage brand’s quality and craftsmanship. The new format is the first in a wider pipeline of sustainable packaging initiatives set to roll out across Everest’s portfolio.
