With the warm weather hitting the UK, it appears that the Mediterranean lifestyle is proving popular, with Waitrose reporting an increase in demand for Spanish dining.
Spanish tapas are also a top pick during the heatwave, with ‘#SpanishTapas’ gaining 10.4 million views on TikTok and 57k views just in the last 30 days. On Waitrose.com, searches for ‘Spanish tortilla’, ‘patatas bravas’, and ‘manchego’ are up 82 percent, 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively.
Jane Whitehead, the Waitrose deli buyer, said that as soon as the temperature rises, the retailer sees many customers heading straight to our deli section to create the perfect tapas-style dinner, or ‘picky tea’ as some call it. Ninety-five percent of the range on its deli counters is exclusive to the retailer, with flavoured hams and olives proving particularly popular as customers create tapas boards for their alfresco dining.
Sales of gazpacho have also increased by 146 percent in the last week alone as many customers opt for light and refreshing lunches. Paella is also on many menus, with searches on Waitrose.com for its Chicken & Chorizo Paella recipe up 89 percent in the last month, and sales of its paella rice are also up by 16 percent compared to last year.
