In the UK, popcorn consumption has grown exponentially during the past few years, with market analyst Mintel reporting in 2013 that the UK popcorn market as a whole was up to £53m, with sales having increased nationally by 10% in 2012 alone.
EHL accredits this growth to the emergence of a range of premium popcorn brands in recent years, with manufacturers offering a variety of unusual and exotic sweet and savoury flavours, including pepper and chilli, curry, salted caramel, and cheese and herb, and even gin and tonic.
Additionally, its perception as a low-fat snack, and the rise of the home cinema, has led to more UK consumers choosing popcorn as an in-home snack and an alternative to popular snack foods such as crisps and nuts.
Tasneem Backhouse, sales director at EHL Ingredients, said: “Popcorn has experienced huge success in the UK in recent years, particularly with the growth of the gourmet popcorn market, as snack manufacturers look to cater to the increasingly discerning tastes of UK consumers.”
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