Popularised by the 4th Earl of Sandwich its namesake has been a staple in British cuisine ever since the 18th century. So why are we talking about sandwiches? Well, the answer is clear, there has been a rise in both the versatility and overall consumption of the classic food in the last couple of years. With the popularity of sandwich shops such as Subway and Pret a Manger, many people are looking to experiment with infusing new ideas into the sandwich industry. After the success of national Sandwich Day here in the UK on November 3rd we at Alliance Online would like to run through a couple of key reasons and suggestions as to why sandwiches should be considered for any commercial food service establishment.
Evolution of the sandwich
From its initial inception the sandwich has been a source of creative freedom in the food industry as different concoctions have been smashed together in attempts to find the ideal mixture. When people think of sandwiches, we tend to go straight to the dull look of a piece of ham slid between two pieces of white bread with maybe a light slaver of butter. I would argue that this shouldn’t be the case as there are a wide array of variations that can be used to create your ultimate sandwich. The brilliance of a sandwich is that it is nigh-on-impossible to convolute, the design is based in beautiful simplicity that even the most basic of bakers can master. With more and more alterations being added to sandwiches, the future for this industry looks bright as more and more sandwiches are being produced daily. Here are a few of the most popular sandwiches in the UK we are currently seeing.
- Chicken & Bacon
- Ploughman’s Cheese
- Egg & Cress
- Ham Salad
- Cheese & Onion
The future of the sector looks expansive as 1/3 of adults are also eating more toasties since the end of lockdown than before. Another aspect was that 43% of the nation are eating more toast and bread than before the COVID-19 lockdown. This rise in the sandwich industry demonstrates that commercial establishments need to consider selling sandwiches or if they currently are then restocking for the expected increase in demand. We would suggest the Cartonboard deep fill sandwich wedge as the design is completely compostable and biodegradable.
Vegan and Vegetarian
Unsurprisingly, in the last decade there has been a significant surge in the sandwich sector towards the vegan and vegetarian demographics. Since 2019 in the UK we have seen a rise of 1620% in the usage of alt-protein sandwich fillings. Obviously, we understand that vegans and vegetarians aren’t the same with both sets of consumers needing different dietary requirements. Unfortunately, due to the rise in living costs and lack of affordability a few major retailers have removed some meat-free options after lockdown with Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Waitrose being a few of the major casualties. However, on the other hand companies such as Boots have increased their varied offerings by 185%. Demonstrating that if the commitment is there the chance for growth is to.
The uncomfortable truth for many in the sandwich industry is that vegan plant-based sandwiches are up to 18% more expensive than meat options. This is a key factor that makes retailers across the UK apprehensive to start stocking more and more varieties as there are no assurances that this will lead to better profitability. However, we at Alliance Online would argue that the growing demand for vegan goods across all sectors is a sign that this customer base can be a way to maximise potential profits whilst also improving animal welfare.
However, on average vegetarian sandwiches can cost up to 152p less on average than meat-based options which is showing the vast range in differences when it comes to selling points in the UK with vegetarians having a multitude of options at reasonable prices whereas vegans have to settle for lesser options at higher prices. One suggestion that should be tabled would be for retailers to start taking advantage of the rising vegan demographic instead of pricing it out by pricing competitively with meat and vegetarian options.
Meal Deals and Opportunities
It is no secret that one of the key contributors towards the sandwich sector being catapulted back into the spotlight is that meal deals have become so prevalent in the UK. An example of this high demand for meal deals can be found in Tesco where they currently offer over 210 million possible combinations. This is the perfect opportunity for commercial establishments to pounce on this perfect storm, providing sandwiches that cater to all demographics at competitive pricing is an example of a strategy that could work excellently in the current year. To stock sandwiches we would strongly suggest purchasing the Colpac Elegance sandwich wedge as this modern and contemporary black design is ideal for the restaurant or takeaway in 2022.
There are other opportunities in this industry that could be taken advantage of if a business owner is feeling confident enough entering this market such as the overabundance of meat-eater options and lack of healthy eating products. Of the sandwiches surveyed over 133% of options are high in salt and 137% of meat sandwiches are high in salt, this is evidence that meal deals can undergo an overhauling process that leads to a more varied selection of sandwiches that feature less unhealthy ingredients.
Here at Alliance Online we appreciate that the modern commercial establishment needs to make changes and adjustments to operations to be able to keep up with the trends. Since the COVID-19 lockdown has ended the sandwich industry is still trying to find its footing with regards to the trends and the fillings that are most popular throughout the UK. With the information we have provided in this article, any business owner should be able to make an informed decision regarding what should be stocked and at what prices.
- https://www.eating-better.org/site/assets/files/3526/eb_sandwichreport_may22_final.pdf
- https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/feb/07/meal-deals-best-value-lunch-s-boots-co-op-waitrose
