- Sales of Gochujang Paste up 71% compared to this time last year
- Searches for Korean foods soaring, with ‘Korean chicken’, ‘Korean bbq’ and ‘Gochujang’ up 974%, 330% and 572% compared to this time last year
- Follows trend in fusion of authentic Asian ingredients with British, French, Italian and other cuisines - gochujang cheese toasties, gochujang lasagne, kimchi & avocado on toast
Hot sauce exploded last year, emerging as one of the standout trends of 2024. Now, as we dive into 2025, Waitrose reports a soaring demand for Asian and Korean-inspired flavours, with hot sauces and condiments like sriracha, gochujang and kimchi - once little known outside Thailand and Korea - now becoming staple pantry essentials.
Emer Lowry, Nutritionist at Waitrose comments, “As people increasingly seek to incorporate more flavourful and nutritious whole foods into their diets, it’s no surprise that ingredients staple to Korean dishes have gained widespread popularity. Fermented foods, such as kimchi, have become mainstream due to its reported health-promoting effects. Not only do these foods enhance the flavour and texture of meals, but they also offer a range of health benefits, including improved digestion and the promotion of a diverse, healthier gut microbiome.”
Compared to this time last year, sales for:
- Cooks' Ingredients Gochujang Paste +71%
- Vadasz Raw Kimchi (last 52 weeks) +22%
Compared to this time last year, searches on Waitrose.com for:
- ‘Korean paste’ +1216%
- ‘Korean chicken’ +454%
- ‘Korean bbq’ +246%
- ‘Gochujang’ +572%
- ‘Kimchi’ +23%
In the last week, recipe searches for:
- ‘Korean recipes’ +200%
- ‘Korean braised sea bass’ +82%
- ‘Gochujang chicken & carrot traybake’ +117%
- ‘Kimchi & smashed avocado toast’ +36%
- ‘Korean-style mushroom & tofu kebabs’ +50%
- ‘Korean-style steak & rice bowl’ +55%
Emilie Wolfman, Trend Innovation Manager at Waitrose comments, “The likes of gochujang, popularised by dishes like Korean Fried Chicken, has sparked customer interest in experimenting with the fermented chilli paste in a variety of dishes. People are becoming more comfortable experimenting with what we're calling 'multi-dimensional heat'. Spice that's paired with a tanginess, or a sweetness that you'd find in fermented ingredients. These are all flavours showcased in various Asian cuisines, especially Korean food.”
This popularity feeds into the wider trend of ‘unapologetically inauthenticity’ with people turning to Asian cuisines, with particular focus on Korean, to be reimagined.
In the last week, searches on TikTok for ‘Kimchi cucumbers’ and ‘Carrot kimchi’ are both up over 1000%, with gochujang cheese toasties, gochujang chicken rice, kimchi & avocado on toast and gochujang lasagne trending on socials. New restaurant and pop-up openings such as Mayamama in Covent Garden celebrating Korean cuisine, chefs and content creators such as Emily Roz with her recent Korean Fire Cabbage are also leading the way, inspiring and teaching people the innovative fusion of Asian ingredients with British, French, Italian and other cuisines.
