- Recipe searches on Waitrose.com for globally-inspired pancakes has boomed, with recipe searches for kimchi pancakes, souffle pancakes and buttermilk pancakes up 300%, 138% and 215% compared to this time last year
- Searches on Waitrose.com for American ‘Buttermilk pancake’, ‘Scotch pancake’ and ‘Crepes’ up 329%, 328% and 121% compared to this time last year
- Follows trends on social media, with playful pancake transformations like pancake spaghetti and pancake burgers trending
Waitrose reports a significant rise in customers experimenting with global flavours this pancake day. Social media trends are driving the shift, with shoppers embracing everything from American buttermilk pancakes, to Japanese soufflé pancakes, kimchi pancakes and French crepes.
Compared to this time last year, searches on Waitrose.com for:
- ‘Buttermilk pancake’ +329%
- ‘Scotch pancake’ +328%
- ‘Crepes’ +121%
In the last week, recipe searches on Waitrose.com for:
- Bacon kimchi pancakes (jeon) +300%
- The best soufflé pancakes +138%
- Korean-style vegetable pancakes +350%
- Prawn & pancetta bánh xèo (sizzling crispy pancakes) +100%
- Blueberry buttermilk pancakes +215%
- American-style buttermilk pancakes +64%
- Classic crepes +71%
Will Torrent, Senior Brand Development Chef at Waitrose, comments - "Pancakes offer a versatile and exciting canvas, with home cooks able to recreate global flavours and personalise their creations. It’s clear this trend is fuelled by increased access to diverse ingredients, social media and a growing desire for culinary adventure. I love making my nostalgic Black Forest Pancakes with our Chocolate Pancakes topped with whipped No.1 Yogurt Cherry Compote, and our No.1 Santo Domingo Chocolate Sauce - they’re so GOOD!”
Social media plays a significant role in shaping Gen Z's approach to Pancake Day. TikTok in particular is buzzing with playful pancake transformations, everything from innovative 'pancake spaghetti' and bite-sized 'pancake bits', to 'pancake burgers’ and ‘pancake milkshakes’. In the last week, there has been over 182k searches on TikTok for pancake spaghetti and the below searches are up:
- Pancake sticks +196%
- Pancake burger +67%
- Pancake bits + 109%
- Pancake milkshake +60%
London's culinary scene is also witnessing a pancake revolution. From cafes and restaurants such as Fuwa Fuwa's delicate Japanese soufflé pancakes in Soho, to Where the Pancakes Are's bold American-inspired cornflake fried chicken buttermilk creation at London Bridge, these eateries are pioneering innovative pancake fusions.
