Move over cocktail sausages and prawn rings – it’s now bao buns and gyozas as Pan-Asian takes over Christmas party food

Move over cocktail sausages, mini quiche and prawn rings – and get ready for exotic bao buns, gyozas and teriyaki skewers as Pan-Asian delicacies are set to take over this season’s festive party food.
 
The traditional British party food classics have given way to flavour of the moment Eastern delicacies that include mainstays of Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Indian cuisine. 
 
Tesco is seeing shoppers this year turn away from traditional finger food such as chicken wings and prawn toast.
 
Instead, in come trendy new Asian bitesize favourites such as Yakatori chicken kebabs, Vietnamese style prawn pancakes, salmon Teriyaki skewers and Katsu chicken bites, as customers look for more exciting ways to impress their guests.
 
According to market-wide research from retail analysts Mintel, Pan-Asian cuisines such as Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese grew by nearly 17 per cent in 12 months to June 2023 – faster than established Indian, Chinese and Mexican food.
 
At Tesco demand for Pan-Asian food has grown so much this year that sushi has even replaced the smoked salmon sandwich as Britain’s favourite premium lunchtime treat. 
 
And since the beginning of the year, when Tesco launched its £5 Finest Meal Deal, sushi sales have rocketed by 90 per cent. 
 
As a result of this growing demand, the supermarket has given its festive party food lines an Asian makeover. Among some of the exotic items that feature in this year’s Tesco party food range are:

• Tesco Finest 8 Bao Buns
• Tesco Finest Prawn and Vegetable Nests
• Tesco Finest 9 Rainbow Gyoza Selection
• Tesco Finest 10 Mini Keema Pies
• Tesco Finest 6 Duck And Orange Steamed Buns
• Katsu Chicken Bites
• 8 Vietnamese Style Prawn Pancakes
• 8 Salmon Teriyaki Skewers
• 10 Battered Crispy Sushi Rolls

Tesco party food buyer Natalie Linden said:“Pan-Asian food is very much the taste of the moment with Japanese and Thai among the fastest growing cuisines in the UK right now.

 “As a result we’ve brought some excitement and innovation to our new festive party food range, and moved away from some of the more traditional products that are no longer top of customers’ shopping lists.

 “This year we’ve seen really strong growth for our Finest Meal Deal which includes tasty treats like Poke Bowls, sushi boxes, gyozas and bao buns.

 “This has really inspired our team of chefs to develop a range of mini-bite versions of some of the most popular Pan-Asian dishes which we think will help create a real buzz at any festive party this year.”

This year Tesco have more than 90 chilled and frozen party food lines with the chilled items. The frozen ones will be handy to have around for any guests calling round unexpectedly.
  
ENDS