Every summer provides a snapshot of where retail innovation is heading, and this year's BBQ fixtures revealed several clear themes across the major UK retailers.
While premiumisation continues, retailers are also placing greater emphasis on global flavours, slow-cooked formats and products that deliver restaurant-quality eating experiences with minimal preparation.
For manufacturers, the challenge is no longer simply launching another BBQ product. It's creating products that offer differentiation through flavour, format and eating quality.
Five Trends That Defined BBQ 2026
1. Slow Cooked Moves Into The Mainstream
One of the biggest developments this summer was the continued growth of slow-cooked and sous vide products.
Across retailers we saw brisket, pulled pork, ribs, burnt ends, featherblade, lamb shoulder and slow-cooked chicken appearing as permanent or seasonal additions rather than limited-edition products.
Consumers are increasingly looking for premium BBQ experiences without the long cooking times traditionally associated with these products.
2. Global Flavours Continue To Lead
Retailers continued to move well beyond traditional BBQ marinades.
Popular flavour profiles included:
- Korean BBQ
- Hot Honey
- Chipotle
- Chimichurri
- Tikka
- Shawarma
- Yakitori
- Harissa
- Souvlaki
- Teriyaki
- Cajun
- Buffalo
- Miso
Rather than novelty, these flavours are becoming part of the core BBQ range across both premium and mainstream retailers.
3. Premiumisation Continues
Retailers continued to premiumise the category through:
- Wagyu
- Bavette
- Featherblade
- Beef short ribs
- Pork belly
- Lamb shoulder
- Burnt ends
- Thick-cut steaks
Many launches focused less on price and more on creating a restaurant-quality experience at home.
4. Kebabs Are No Longer Just Chicken
Kebabs remained one of the most important BBQ formats, but the variety increased significantly.
Retailers launched beef, lamb and pork kebabs alongside traditional chicken, with flavour profiles ranging from Greek and Turkish to Thai, Korean and Moroccan.
This demonstrates how established formats can continue to evolve through flavour innovation.
5. Chilled Sauces Stay Simple
Interestingly, while protein innovation accelerated, chilled sauces remained relatively conservative.
Across retailers the fixture continued to be dominated by:
- Peppercorn
- Béarnaise
- Hollandaise
- Diane
- Mushroom
Only a small number of retailers introduced more adventurous chilled sauces such as Chimichurri, Ranch or Mexican-style dips.
Looking Ahead
Retail continues to evolve rapidly, and keeping pace with changing consumer expectations has never been more important.
If you'd like to discuss emerging food trends or explore new product development opportunities, we'd love to hear from you.
Contact our Innovation Team