The UK is emerging as one of the most active markets for flavour innovation in meat, fish, poultry and snacks, according to new data from Moguntia Food Group.

The ingredients supplier’s first Global Taste Tracker found the UK accounted for 15 per cent of launches across those categories in 20 key markets between February 2025 and February 2026, putting it ahead of every European country in the study and second globally only to Japan.

Moguntia said the figures underline the pace of innovation in the UK, particularly across protein and snacking, as brands look to balance familiar flavours with more distinctive twists.

Meat remained the UK’s largest category for launches over the period, rising 139 per cent year on year, while poultry recorded the fastest growth at 168 per cent.

Within poultry, the group said flavours such as garlic and parsley were among the fastest risers, while unflavoured products also gained ground and now account for 38 per cent of the category, reflecting continued demand for cleaner-label and more minimalist propositions.

Other poultry flavours showing year-on-year growth included sage, maple and mint.

David Leigh, marketing director at Moguntia, said: “The UK has started 2026 punching well above its weight when it comes to food and flavour innovation, particularly in snacks and protein categories.”

Globally, Japan remained the standout market for flavour development, with total launches up 22 per cent year on year. Fish and seafood was its fastest-growing category, rising 108 per cent, while potato snacks led by volume of innovation.

Moguntia said flavours such as wakame, consommé and truffle mushroom were helping to reshape the Japanese snacks market, offering potential inspiration for UK retailers and suppliers tracking emerging consumer tastes.

Leigh said: “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 tracker assesses 20 markets across meat, fish, poultry and snacks, using new product launch volumes, category growth and each category’s share of a country’s wider food and beverage launches to rank performance and identify emerging trends.

Moguntia, which has six sites across Europe and annual sales of almost €200m, expanded its County Durham site last year and said the investment would create 80 new jobs.

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