Waitrose has reported growing demand for tinned fish, with sales of mackerel and anchovies both rising by 17% in the last year, building on the buoyant sales of 2020.
Customers have also continued to buy tuna, which saw a sales uplift of 500% during the first half of 2020 due to its versatility and strong sustainability credentials.
Martyn Lee, Waitrose & Partners Executive Chef, said, “Tinned fish is a hugely popular, even elegant, delicacy in Europe, which has reached cult status particularly in the cafes of Lisbon and Barcelona.
'I recommend keeping a few tins of excellent quality fish in the cupboard, so you have a delicious, flavour-packed ingredient ready to be the star of your meal whenever you need it. I love tinned mackerel with No1 olive oil, chilli and garlic with fresh parsley, which makes for a delicious simple supper.”
As well as being a gourmet hit, tinned fish is a great choice for the ethically-minded consumer. All of our tinned fish is responsibly sourced and MSC-certified, cans are easily recycled and tinned fish is renowned for its long shelf-life, which helps in the fight against food waste.
Tinned fish also has an army of culinary fans including Nigella Lawson, who devotes a whole chapter to anchovies in her best-selling book Cook, Eat, Repeat, and chefs Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich of critically-acclaimed London restaurant Honey & Co, who recently described sardines as a dream for summer holidays.
Customers have also been seeking out further inspiration on Waitrose.com with views of a Quick Tapenade recipe, which contains tinned anchovies, up 140% year to date versus last year. Also, views of Sardine Bagels, the perfect inspiration for a quick and easy working from home lunch, were up 29%, and views of the Sicilian Sardines and Fennel Pasta up 21%.