Inside the Festive Aisle: The Hybrids, Heroes & Flavour Trends Dominating 2025

Welcome back to GRATE.

Keeping the Christmas energy high (not to mention the pile of festive treats I've managed to work my way through), this week I’m diving deeper into the key trends coming through strongest in-store: hybrid desserts (hello tiramisu panettone), indulgent snacking formats with festive twists, super-premium elevated classics (Wagyu beef pie anyone!), more chef collaborations, and fun, novel party food moments (M&S snowman bao buns proving cute sells). And yes — Dubai choc is still having a moment, with French brand Paul even launching a Dubai Choc Yule Log. And an experiential baked ham with treacle, festive spice and a DIY brûlée finish brings experimentation to a whole new level! 

Read on to find out more, and to understand the cues they give us for 2026 innovation pipelines.

As always enjoy the read, and I look forward to sharing a round up of 2025 with you next week,  

Annie x

ANGELA HARTNETT X WAITROSE - ITALIAN ARTISANAL CHRISTMAS CAPSULE

Michelin-starred Angela Hartnett brings a beautifully authentic Italian edit to Waitrose this Christmas — championing artisanal craft, heritage ingredients and flavour-first simplicity. From 50-year mother-dough panettone to hand-formed amaretti and deeply nutty biscotti, the collection delivers refined, honest products with real culinary authorship. For 2026, expect to see more products launch in the range, and indeed more chef collabs that offer true craft and provenance, with capsule ranges that feel intentional, premium and story-led.

IRISH MOILED BEEF TALLOW

Crafted on Moyletra Moileds, a family farm on the Causeway Coast, this beef tallow comes from pure-bred Irish Moiled cattle — the last remaining native breed in Northern Ireland. The herd is matured at a slow, natural pace, supporting biodiversity and producing exceptionally rich, flavourful beef. Rendered in small batches, the tallow is a wonderfully versatile ingredient for baking, frying, roasting and searing, adding depth and heritage to festive cooking. This is what I'll be using for my Roasties this year! So for 2026, expect to see more Premium fats, schmaltz, dripping and infused butters will grow as retailers push small-but-mighty flavour upgrades for seasonal and everyday cooking.

WAITROSE TIRAMISU TORTA

A hybrid dessert by the clever development chefs at Waitrose bringing together Italian classics — the structure and occasion of torta meets the layered creaminess of tiramisu. Shoppers continue to gravitate toward familiar-with-a-twist desserts, especially those that feel restaurant-adjacent but still easy to serve. So for 2026, expect continued blurring of patisserie formats — hybrid bakes, layered minis, and globally inspired mash-ups that elevate at-home entertaining.

HARRODS BUTTERNUT SQUASH & CHORIZO HAND-HELD CROISSANT STICK

A playful, ultra-premium savoury viennoiserie by the very talented Harrods Chefs, engineered for on-the-go indulgence but with a chef-led flavour profile. The “hand-held luxury snack” is fast becoming a category in itself — stealing cues from bakeries like Cedric Grolet and Lune. For 2026, look out for more portable patisserie formats, laminated dough reinventions and cross-category snacking concepts that feel giftable or ‘treat yourself’ ready.

TREACLE, FESTIVE SPICE & BRÚLÉE-FINISH HAM

The rise of “DIY finishing moments” adds theatre and personalisation at home and this is a great example. A true festive showstopper, this British free-range ham from Waitrose is dry-cured and air-dried on the bone for 21 days, then cooked with treacle and warming seasonal spices for depth and succulence. The hero touch is a spiced sugar sachet that lets shoppers brûlée the finish at home — adding theatre, texture and a restaurant-style flourish. For 2026, think about finishing kits, glazes, torched elements, crackle toppings and “restaurant at home” rituals across all at-home meal occasions.

FLAVOUR SPOTLIGHT:

CHESTNUT (MARRON / CASTANEA)

Why now?

Chestnut is quietly having a moment — popping up in pâtisserie, filled chocolates, pâté-style spreads, and savoury stuffings. Chefs are using it for its mellow sweetness and earthy depth.

Why it’s a great spotlight:

It’s nostalgic, European, and feels premium but comforting — perfect for Christmas.

2026 NPD cues: Chestnut pralines, chestnut miso glazes, chestnut tiramisu, chestnut + citrus baked goods, and savoury chestnut purées paired with game or mushrooms.