Manufacturing & Supply Chain

EHL Ingredients, one of the UK’s leading importers, blenders and packers of natural food ingredients, has reported an increase in sales of hot and spicy chillies for curry dishes as well as its allergen-free curry powder. The company has witnessed an 40% surge in enquiries for bhut jolokia (ghost chilli), scotch bonnet and habanero chillies, all particularly spicy varieties that can be used in curry dishes from South America, the Middle East, India and the Caribbean.

EHL has also seen a 35% increase in demand for its allergen-free curry powder blend, due to a rise in the number of food allergy sufferers in the UK. The blend does not contain mustard – the fourth most common food allergen in the UK – or celery, which can also cause allergic reactions.

EHL attributes this rise to a growing demand from food manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers looking to stock spicy ingredients in line with developing consumer tastes for hotter curries and spicy foods, as well as an increase in awareness of the health benefits of chillies.

Global industry reports suggest that consumer tastes around the world are changing to prefer spicy foods, as almost 70% of people worldwide would list ‘spicy’ as one of their top tastes out of a list including ‘salty’, ‘sweet’ and ‘bitter’ .  In addition, 32% of British consumers who eat ethnic food now say they enjoy spicier foods more than they have done in previous years .

Spicy food ingredients have received positive media coverage highlighting the health benefits of capsaicin, a compound found in chilli peppers that gives them their heat. This compound has been proven to reduce the risk of bowel cancer, the third most common type of cancer in the UK .

Tasneem Backhouse, sales director at EHL Ingredients, comments: “It’s particularly important for manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers to recognise the increasing consumer demand for hotter, spicier flavours to ensure they develop products that fit into this trend. Our hot chillies are ideal for use in curry dishes, sauces, pastes, marinades, chilli oils, dips, pickles and chutneys. With free-from and organic foods also growing in popularity, our allergen-free curry powder blend is a popular choice among manufacturers looking to develop curry dishes for allergy sufferers and we can offer all our curry blends in organic format.”

From herbs and spices, to beans and pulses and dried fruit, EHL Ingredients supplies over 300 food ingredients to all areas of the food industry, and boasts a 200-strong organic range as well as over 50 custom blends. To find out more about EHL Ingredients, visit www.ehl-ingredients.co.uk.