Throughout the years, Manchester has developed a reputation for being one of the United Kingdom’s most forward-thinking cities. The location – which was the home to Alan Turing, Coronation Street, top-flight Premier League clubs, and Oasis – boasts a thriving economy within the 21st century. According to statistics from the Manchester City Council, the destination’s GVA (Gross Value Added) grew by 3.6 per cent between 2017 and 2018, making it the fifth-highest growing core UK city of the time.
While there are numerous factors behind Manchester’s sustained growth, it’s impossible to ignore recent alterations within consumer-focused operations, such as the food and drink industries. In an effort to grow national markets, the city in the North West of England has centred their attention around ensuring taste variation across traditional sectors. So, let’s take a look at the importance of flavour to Manchester.
Different Approaches Are Coming to the Forefront
Globally, Britain’s role in the food and drink sector is there for all to see. As per data from New Food Magazine, the UK is the fourth-largest food importer in the world, with an import value in 2018 of £46 billion. Regarding exports and the creation of unique goods, Manchester is leading by example. One aspect of the food market that best illustrates this concerns chocolate.
Across Manchester, there are an array of digital and land-based businesses that strive to add flavour depth to the sweet-treat industry. Cocoa Tree Chocolates have a diverse range of products that place taste variation at the core of their operation. For example, as per the company’s website, prospective consumers can indulge themselves in quirky flavours, including amaretto, coconut and passion fruit, double mint ganache, peanut butter, Sorrento orange, and much more.
Interestingly, it isn’t only regarding chocolate where Manchester long to be different from a production standpoint. Located in Wythenshawe, Duerr’s has been active for 135 years and have made Manchester the peanut butter capital of the UK. However, in order to maximise their appeal, the business has since branched out into a range of condiments, honey, jam, and marmalade.
Is This a National Trend?
In recent years, it hasn’t just been Manchester that has sought to bring unique flavours to consumers. Throughout the UK, various companies have experimented with unusual flavours. An example of this is Mackie’s of Scotland’s Lorne Sausage and Brown Sauce crisps. The concept combines popular local flavours for the creation of a handy on-the-go snack.
Furthermore, producers of ice cream haven’t shied away from trying new things. At Jannettas Gelateria – an ice cream business in St. Andrews – the company offers seaweed sorbet, which is one of the more unusual flavours on the market.
Away from food, digital businesses outside of the UK are also enjoying success through seeking to alter the variety of traditional markets. At this website, consumers can browse through several snus offerings. The company’s Siberia range illustrates a desire to provide long-lasting flavours that possess balanced moisture levels. Red Siberia, for example, adopts a prominent spearmint taste featuring cold sensations of around –80 degrees Celsius.
The Overhaul of Traditional Flavours
Based on the direction that local businesses in Manchester are going in, few can argue that unique concepts don’t appear to be the future of the food industry. Following the rise of digitalisation, taking forward-thinking products to new audiences is undoubtedly less complex than ever before, meaning that there is scope for niche flavours to sustain their popularity.
