Moguntia Food Group has launched its Global Taste Tracker, revealing that the UK is “driving rapid innovation” across meat and poultry launches.
Data from Moguntia (February 2025-February 2026) showed the UK had launched more new meat, poultry, fish and snacks than any other European country in the last year.
It labelled the UK as a “leading flavour innovator”, contributing 15% of new meat, fish, poultry and snacks launches across 20 key markets globally, significantly higher than Portugal, Switzerland, and Ireland (each 2%).
In the UK, meat products remained the top category, up 139% year-on-year, while poultry was the fastest growing, surging 168% on the year. Seasonings such as garlic and parsley were climbing fastest in poultry, while unflavoured (now 38% of the category) is on the rise as the clean label, minimalist trends take hold.
Signature poultry flavours showing growth year-on-year include garlic (+5%), sage (+5%), maple (+4%) and mint (+4%), which Moguntia said struck a balance between “recognisable tastes and subtle twists” to keep products fresh.
“The UK has started 2026 punching well above its weight when it comes to food and flavour innovation.”
David Leigh, Moguntia Food Group
David Leigh, marketing director at Moguntia, commented: “The UK has started 2026 punching well above its weight when it comes to food and flavour innovation, particularly in snacks and protein categories.
“What we’re seeing is a shift towards more layered flavour profiles, combining familiar tastes with something more distinctive.
“Trends from Japan, like wakame, an umami-rich seaweed and consommé, a deep, savoury seasoning, show how more complex tastes are gaining traction and could offer inspiration for retailers and food businesses in the UK.”
The data comes as Moguntia Food Group announced the expansion of its UK site in County Durham, with plans to create 80 new jobs.
