At a time when more people are cooking at home, new research from The Flava People has found home-cooks are still seeking and prioritising adventurous flavour combinations, through a recent survey. The survey of over 1,007 nationally representative people, undertaken through Vypr, found 50% of respondents are always open to trying new dishes and recipes at home. However, over a quarter of respondents can be put off trying something new if they don’t have the right ingredients.
While seasoning sachets and pre-prepared seasoning mixes have had a reputation for being targeted as ‘lazy’ cooks or being ‘unhealthy’ compared to individually adding the spices and seasonings, The Flava People want to change this perception. Through exciting partnerships and by creating unique flavour combinations, the team wants to champion seasoning sachets as a cost-effective and simple way to help consumers create game-changing dinners packed with flavour.
“Seasoning sachets have had negative misconception around their use in the kitchen – and we want to change that”, comments Scott Dixon, Managing Director at The Flava People. “When shopping and looking for meal-time inspiration, people have so many different considerations today – time, cost, skill-level. We want to help people look past the stereotypes and discover elevated unique flavours that can’t be replicated, but in such an accessible solution – that is seasoning sachets.”
Collaborating with cult brands including Mob and Pinch of Nom, this year The Flava People have launched two innovative and game-changing Flava It! seasoning sachet ranges to bring inspiration to consumers.
According to the research, consumer perceptions are already being changed, with those surveyed seeing seasoning sachets as more convenient (50%) and more cost-effective (25%), giving respondents the confidence to explore a new dish or cuisine (23%). Data from Pinch of Nom’s engaged audience, which shows time (55%) and inspiration (38%) are the biggest barriers to cooking regular heathier recipes. Combining the two individual findings, what is clear is consumers are still yearning for taste and experimenting in their home cooking but need to be given the tools which give them confidence and time to explore.
For retailers looking to review their seasoning and spice selection, seasoning sachets present an incredible opportunity for category growth. According to research from Vypr, 25% of people prepare their food at home with a pre-prepared component. Combined with research from Pinch of Nom finding 44% of those surveyed visit the herbs, seasoning and marinade aisle when shopping, and nearly half (47%) of people definitely likely to purchase a Pinch of Nom flavour sachet, the demand is clear.
Scott Dixon, adds: “We know shopping habits have changed – people want more offers, are eating leftovers and are looking for cheaper ingredients5. Our job is to help make sure no matter the parameters, those cooking at home can transform their dinners into game-changing meals – whether that is by making vegetables appeal to kids or upgrading leftovers to taste more exciting.
“Seasoning sachets are an incredible tool for this. For shoppers, they not only provide a more cost-effective way of browsing ingredients, but also allow for inspiration to strike in the kitchen. Gone are the days of purchasing multiple new spices or herbs for one recipe, seasoning sachets allow for simple meals to become new flavourful stapes – diversifying people’s kitchen cupboards. We hope by continuing to partner with category leading partners and expanding the seasoning sachet category with innovative and exciting products, we can help consumers shake up dinnertime meals.”