It’s the fruit that is on everyone’s lips. Large, spiky, and relatively unheard of in Europe until recently, jackfruit has become the next big thing for retailers seeking to tap into the growing meat-alternatives segment.
Although it’s already common in Asia and South America, interest in jackfruit has suddenly skyrocketed in Europe due to the fruit’s ‘meaty’ texture, which is making it a popular option for the increasing number of vegetarian and vegan consumers here.
So what’s next for the large exotic fruit?
Market Opportunity
It might still be an unfamiliar sight in many European supermarkets, relegated to specialist stores, but canned jackfruit is starting to become more widely available and a number of retailers are bringing jackfruit into their private label products.
If recent trends are anything to go by, there could potentially be large market for jackfruit in Europe. Nearly a quarter of European consumers say that they are trying to reduce their meat intake, and these shoppers are also more likely to consume fresh fruit and vegetables than those in any other geographic region, according to Euromonitor.
But if jackfruit becomes less of a niche product in Europe, could it also be used as more than just a meat substitute, and could it spread to more areas of the grocery aisle like products such as avocados have done in recent years?
There are plenty of possibilities here. In other regions, the fruit is prepared and eaten in numerous different ways, from jackfruit crisps to jackfruit ice cream. Its seeds can be cooked and eaten as a snack, or ground into a flour that can be used in cooking, while the sweet ripe fruit itself can be used in desserts.
A new UK snack-food startup, Jacked, has already gotten in on the action with packets of dried jackfruit chunks, and it probably won’t be long until other brands follow suit.
Retail Response
In the UK, most of the major retailers have started to embrace jackfruit in their private-label ranges over the last year, using it as an ingredient in vegan meals to replace the likes of pulled pork.
It’s not surprising given that 3.5 million people in the UK now identify as vegan or vegetarian, while an increasing number of ‘flexitarians’ are trying to cut back on the amount of meat in their diet.
Although it may not have as much protein as other meat substitutes such as tofu and seitan, jackfruit has been heralded as a new and novel alternative for those that are interested in a plant-based diet.
Ripe jackfruit has a sweet, distinctive flavour and smell, which is often described as something similar to a mango or pineapple. However, when it is less ripe, the fibrous flesh has a more neutral taste that soaks up whatever sauces and spices it’s paired with.
This means that when it is shredded and cooked, jackfruit can act as a replacement for pulled meats such as pork, beef, lamb and duck.
Sainsbury’s was one of the first UK retailers to bet on the fruit, launching a BBQ pulled jackfruit dish at the start of 2018, and noting that “its ability to imitate pulled pork is extraordinary”. Since then, the supermarket has also used jackfruit in own-brand meat-free burgers, pizzas and wraps.
But Sainsbury’s isn’t the only jackfruit fan in the UK. The Co-op has brought out a BBQ jackfruit sandwich, M&S has a BBQ jackfruit pizza, and upmarket rival Waitrose has introduced a host of products, including vegetarian jackfruit biryani, jackfruit pizza, jackfruit chilli sauce, jackfruit burger and vegan hoisin jackfruit parcels.
So is jackfruit just another passing trend or do more retailers in Europe need to give this product serious attention going forward?
According to The Observer, jackfruit exports, including those to the US and Europe, grew to 500 tonnes last year from a starting point of nearly zero. This growth doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon, and it is predicted that the figure could reach 800 tonnes by the end of 2019.
For now it seems that the exotic fruit will continue to inch its way into the supermarket mainstream, and retailers across Europe will need to take note if they want to keep up with the latest food craze.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
