Move over sandwiches – exotic salads are growing in popularity as a new lunchtime favourite for office workers and those on the go, as shown by recent findings from Tesco using their sales figures.
Increasing numbers of shoppers across the UK are now choosing a salad over a sarnie, wrap or roll and it's the healthier end of the salad market that is growing the fastest. Latest retail sales data reveals that in the last year demand for leafy salads across all retailers have grown by nearly three times the rate of sandwiches.
At the same time demand for 'light' salads have grown at nearly four times the rate of sandwiches. The growing trend has prompted Tesco to completely overhaul and more than treble its 'on the go' salad range to nearly 50 lines.
Included in the new range are such exotic salads:
- finest Crayfish and Mango Salad
- finest Coconut Asian Chicken Salad
- finest King Prawn, Spicy Charlotte Potato Salad with Sour Cream and Lime Dressing
- Salmon and Edamame Sushi Rice Salad
- Yakitori Chicken Sushi Salad
Tesco salad buyer Helen Dwyer said: "The quality and range of ready to eat salads has improved so much in recent years that they are attracting shoppers who might otherwise have bought a sandwich, roll or wrap.
"Traditionally, sales of prepared salads would rise during the summer months and drop again during the winter.
"Now, because of the exciting number of new gourmet salads available that demand is not only sustained throughout the year but is bringing in plenty of new customers who might otherwise have chosen a sandwich as a lunchtime snack.
"This current boom has prompted us to launch what we believe to be among the most sumptuous and wide-ranging 'on the go' salad range available on the high street but at equally mouth-watering prices.
"We've included something for everyone – from our finest* top of the range lines to lighter sushi rice salads and Healthy Living range for those looking to maintain a balanced diet."
The new Tesco 'on the go' salad range also includes four new first to market lines that can be eaten hot or cold.