Plucky is a word often used to describe the British. British consumers' mettle was tested to the full last summer when the highly improbable weather saw bedraggled barbecuers increasingly 'plucked' off: seemingly every time they sparked up the 'barbie', the heavens opened.
Despite the best efforts of retailers and suppliers to drum up some BBQ spirit with dedicated fixture space from April to September, 2007's wet summer did manage to dampen the nation's barbecue spirit - no matter how plucky we think we are, constant rain can wash away the enthusiasm of even the most ardent griller. Thanks to a 96% increase in rainfall and a third less sunshine, barbecue occasions held during the summer fell from 86.9 million in 2006 to just 44.7 million in 2007 [TNS Worldpanel].
The good news is, though, that when the weather permits, the UK public is still intent on enjoying this popular form of al-fresco dining. During spring 2007, for example, there were 1.4 million more barbecues than for the same period in 2006. And, while it is a little early for predictions for 2008, given that Easter was another washout, it's safe to say that drier and warmer weather will undoubtedly result in more barbecues being fired up.
"It's unsurprising that the exceptional amount of rain experienced last year had an adverse affect on the number of barbecues, particularly when you consider that for consumers, the occasion is all about enjoyment," says Chris Leeman, retail sector manager for EBLEX.
With the BBQ market now worth more than £6.7bn [TNS Worldpanel], alfresco eating, entertaining and BBQ have become the longest and third largest grocery promotional period and now represent a significant sales opportunity for major retailers.
Importantly over recent years, the BBQ market has fundamentally changed to become much more than simply barbecuing by evolving to cover the full range of outdoor cooking, eating and entertaining. UK consumers have embraced the whole 'alfresco living' ethos as they increasingly want to 'follow the sun' and live the Mediterranean lifestyle.
"BBQs have been fundamental to living space extending into the garden with consumers treating their patios as an integral part of the home," says Ben Johnson, marketing director at The Grocery Company, which owns the Nando's range. "Barbecuing has been described as the new dinner party, just more relaxed. Also, it is widely reported that during the summer months, the Sunday lunch is increasingly being replaced by a family BBQ."
It's no surprise that the UK's BBQ repertoire have changed significantly in recent years - a quick look at the numbers of marinades, sauces and dressings is evidence of that. There have also been technical developments in hardware that have made it simpler for consumers to barbecue.
While a good number of BBQ occasions centre around events like dinner parties, birthdays and sporting celebrations, there are an equal number of impromptu barbecues when the sun does shine, or people feel like an outdoor alternative on the spur of the moment.
On average, households tend to have nine barbecues in the season, with the fastest growing area being after-work BBQ, which now represents over 40% of all BBQ occasions.
Overall, charcoal still has the largest share of the barbecue market at 57% versus 43% for gas, although, in the higher income areas, the level of lump wood charcoal increased to an average of 37%, versus 33% for gas.
Consumers have also widened their protein item repertoires. While traditional items like burgers and sausages are still incredibly popular, different meats and cuts, as well as vegetarian options, have all grown in popularity.
According to TNS Worldpanel, beef is still the favourite protein choice for barbecues and was consumed at 39% of occasions last year. Beef burgers and grills are major drivers and accounted for 84% of total beef consumed at barbecues last year, with beef burgers being eaten at 31 million occasions.
Meanwhile, latest statistics show that 326 million packs of sausages are sold every year [ACNielsen, Feb 08] with 78% of British households purchasing sausages at least eight times a year. Sales of Wall's sausages, for example, can increase by up to 50% during hot weather.
Lamb remains popular and was consumed at 12 million barbecue occasions in 2007. One area in which lamb performs incredibly well is as a kebab. In fact, 67% of total lamb consumed at a barbecue was eaten in this way. As an easy-to-eat, hand-held and tasty snack it is not hard to see why.
While kebabs and burgers remain a popular choice, there is an opportunity to promote alternative lamb and beef cuts for the barbecue, as Chris explains. He said: "Lamb chops and beef steaks are ideal cuts for the barbecue and can be positioned as such. Consumption figures have remained fairly consistent in recent years."
Sausages have continued to perform well featuring at 39% of total barbecue occasions last year. This high sausage usage means that pork is the most popular protein at the BBQ occasion with chops and steaks being the favourite pork cut.
BPEX consumer marketing manager, Chris Lamb, said: "Pork cuts such as ribs, chops and steaks do well as part of the barbecue range and Chinese-style marinades, which help to keep the meat moist, remain popular."
Consumers are also embracing developing cuisines like South American and Caribbean. "BBQs are an opportunity for people to create theatre. The quality and taste of the food served is an important part of that," says Andy Nicholls, who is category manager at supplier Grace Foods. n
WHAT THE SUPPLIERS ARE SAYING
There has been an increase of dual siting for turkey products in store. Consumers will find turkey in the normal place with stickers on pack saying 'ideal for barbecue', but it will also be found in the specific BBQ section, often at a gondola end with other BBQ-specific products. Despite the fact that England haven't made it through to the finals of Euro 08, people will still barbecue as there will always be birthdays, christenings and other family events. In fact, there may be more BBQ occasions this year because they haven't got football to watch.
Catriona Lee
chairman of publicity & marketing committee, British Turkey
Easter is traditionally the time of the year when both the garden furniture and BBQ are brought out and cleaned up. With Easter so early this year and with the help of some warm weather, 2009 should be a bumper year for the BBQ market. Those retailers who embrace the BBQ opportunity with a themed 'one stop BBQ shop' will undoubtedly enjoy the rewards.
There is obviously a huge potential for impulse purchasing and cross selling in store locations dedicated to the BBQ occasion. New products will also help drive sales.
This year, for example, Asda will be launching a new range of Extra Special Fresh Burgers including a Hot & Spicy Burger and a burger containing "Mull of Kintyre" Cheddar Cheese. "We will also be refreshing our range of Extra Special Sausages with innovative new flavours such as a Thai Spiced Sausage, and an Outdoor Bred Pork & Spanish Chorizo Sausage," said a spokesperson.
Asda will also be showcasing a new range of fresh meat BBQ lines such as BBQ Meaty British Pork Ribs (cut in a different way to normal ribs so that customers get more meat per rib) as well as new Smokey BBQ Chicken Kebabs and a range of BBQ-specific drinks.
When it comes to displaying outdoor furniture in-store, Asda Living stores and Supercentres will lay out garden furniture in a lifestyle manner, with laid tables etc, as they do every year. "This is naturally dependent on size which means this won't be the case in all stores, particularly the smaller ones," said the retailer.
Meanwhile, the Waitrose barbecue range will be available from May 14 through to September 7, with eight key products within the range launching earlier, in the last week of April. The multiple's barbecue range is being revamped this year with new products, improved recipes and a new packaging design.
"All meat used in the range is British with the exception of New Zealand lamb for the start of the season," a Waitrose spokesperson told MB&R, "and this year we will be offering a selection of organic and free range meats. The range can also be cooked in the oven should the British weather let us down."
WHAT THE SUPPLIERS ARE SAYING
With Easter so early this year and with the help of some warm weather, 2008 should be a bumper year for the BBQ sector. Those retailers who embrace the opportunity with a themed 'one stop BBQ shop' will undoubtedly enjoy the rewards. There is obviously a huge potential for impulse purchasing and cross-selling in store locations dedicated to the BBQ occasion. We're obviously hoping that the sun shines to maximise potential but we still expect significant growth as more and more consumers discover how products like Nando's can make ordinary food taste extraordinary.
Ben Johnson
marketing director, The Grocery Company
CATEGORY INSIGHT:?Sauces, marinades and dressings
Sauces and marinades have enjoyed strong growth as consumers explore new techniques and recipes
Consumers are demanding a wider range of BBQ foods and accompaniments: Mintel confirms shoppers are looking for more adventurous products and are "not content with just sausages and burgers anymore". Consumers are experimenting with Caribbean, Mexican, Japanese and a wide range of other flavours to spice up their BBQ cuisine.
Products like Walkerswood Jerk Marinade and the Encona sauces range from Grace Foods are satisfying consumers' demand for Caribbean flavour. "Many of our best-selling sauces are ideal for BBQs, not just because of their distinctive taste but also their versatility," says Andy Nicholls, Grace Foods' category manager. "They are used to marinade meat and fish, as a dip with a difference or as a topping."
Consumers are also looking for quick, tasty choices. "A product like our Teriyaki Marinade produces excellent flavour in minutes," says Ben Briody, sales and marketing manager for Kikkoman's UK operation. Kikkoman has seen a big sales increase as consumers experiment. "You only have to look at the huge level of NPD going into BBQ accompaniment sauces to see where we are going with barbecues," he says.
Discovery Foods, for example, is embarking on a major marketing campaign during 2008 to encourage consumers to consider Mexican. "We'll be making it easy for consumers to create bright, tasty summer food by combining a few of our basic store cupboard ingredients (tortillas, spice mixes, salsas, etc.) with fresh fish, meat and salads in new ways," says James Bennett, head of marketing at Discovery. "We're using Drive Time radio to show how easy it is to swap the burger buns and ketchup for Mexican tapas, vegetable fajitas and seafood tacos."
Nando's Marinades and Peri-Peri Sauces grew by 43% and 24% respectively in 2007. New for this year is Nando's Mango & Lime Marinade, which The Grocery Company is confident will be a "big success" off the back of its performance in its restaurants.
New products spicing up the BBQ this summer include Venture Foods' Geo Organics range of sauces and relishes and the Budweiser sauces and marinades range, distributed by RH Amar.
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