UK | Recipe searches on Waitrose for globally-inspired pancakes have boomed.
Waitrose reported a significant rise in customers experimenting with global flavours this pancake day.
Social media trends have driven the shift, with shoppers embracing everything from American buttermilk pancakes to Japanese soufflé pancakes, kimchi pancakes and French crepes.
"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,” said Will Torrent, Senior Brand Development Chef at Waitrose.
“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.”
Compared to this time last year, searches on the Waitrose website for:
- ‘Buttermilk pancake’ +329 percent
- ‘Scotch pancake’ +328 percent
- ‘Crepes’ +121 percent
In the last week, recipe searches rose for:
- Bacon kimchi pancakes (jeon) +300 percent
- The best soufflé pancakes +138 percent
- Korean-style vegetable pancakes +350 percent
- Prawn & pancetta bánh xèo (sizzling crispy pancakes) +100 percent
- Blueberry buttermilk pancakes +215 percent
- American-style buttermilk pancakes +64 percent
- Classic crepes +71 percent
Social media has played a significant role in shaping Gen Z's approach to Pancake Day. TikTok, in particular, was 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 have been over 182k searches on TikTok for pancake spaghetti, and the below searches are up:
- Pancake sticks +196 percent
- Pancake burger +67 percent
- Pancake bits + 109 percent
- Pancake milkshake +60 percent
London's culinary scene has also been 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 have pioneered innovative pancake fusions.
