The five launches catching my eye this week!

Hello GRATE readers,

As summer settles in, retailers and brands are rolling out some of their biggest and boldest launches of the year. Looking across the latest food and drink innovations, a few clear themes are emerging. Tropical flavours are everywhere, bringing escapism and sunshine to everyday products. Functional hydration continues to gain momentum as consumers seek drinks that offer more than just refreshment. And perhaps most interestingly, we're seeing a rise in what I'd call "healthy indulgence" – products that deliver excitement, flavour and enjoyment while still ticking the boxes of convenience, wellness or better-for-you credentials.

This week, I'm shining a light on five launches that perfectly capture where food retail is heading right now.

As always, I'd love to hear which of these launches catches your eye, and whether there are any products you've spotted recently that deserve a place in a future edition.

Annie x

M&S SHAKE-A-CUCUMBER CUPS

If you've spent any time on social media recently, you'll likely have seen the viral cucumber salad trend taking over feeds. M&S Food has been quick to respond, launching two Shake-A-Cucumber Cups: Big Dill and Feeling Spicy. The concept is simple but smart – fresh cucumber slices paired with separate dressings that can be shaken and mixed just before eating, preserving crunch and freshness. Big Dill combines cucumber with dill and gherkin cream cheese, while Feeling Spicy adds spicy sesame miso mayonnaise for a more adventurous flavour hit. What I love about this launch is how it takes a viral recipe and translates it into a genuinely convenient retail format. It's snackable, portable and taps directly into consumers' growing appetite for fresh, healthy grab-and-go options.

MOTHER ROOT JALAPEÑO GINGER

Functional drinks continue to evolve beyond traditional energy and sports beverages, and Mother Root is one of the brands leading that charge. Its latest Jalapeño Ginger variant brings together warming ginger with a subtle kick of jalapeño, creating a drink that's both refreshing and distinctive. The product feels perfectly timed for summer, combining the demand for functional ingredients with consumers' growing appetite for bold, layered flavours. Sweet-and-spicy pairings continue to gain traction across categories, and this launch shows how the trend can work just as effectively in beverages as it does in food.

SPROUT SALAD DRESSINGS

If you've ever visited Sprout, you'll know the queues are often as impressive as the salads. The founders have built a hugely loyal following by making fresh, flavour-packed salads something consumers actively crave rather than simply choose as the healthy option. Now, they're bringing some of their most popular menu items into retail, bottling their best-loved salad dressings so customers can recreate a little bit of the Sprout experience at home. It's a smart move that capitalises on the strength of the brand they've built. Consumers already know and trust the flavours, and the dressings allow Sprout to extend beyond its stores while meeting growing demand for convenient ways to make healthy eating more exciting. It's a great example of a foodservice brand successfully translating its equity into a retail product range.

DONNELLY FRESH BBQ SALADS

Summer barbecue season always creates opportunities for innovation, and Donnelly Fresh is leaning into the occasion with its new campaign, A Grill's Best Friend, positioning its salad range as the perfect companion to summer dining. During the week I picked up the Pickled Mango Rice salad, and it immediately stood out on shelf. The combination of sweet mango, tangy pickling notes and hearty rice delivers exactly the kind of bold, sunshine-inspired flavour profile consumers are looking for right now. It's also a great example of how the humble side salad is evolving. Retailers and producers are moving beyond traditional coleslaws and potato salads, offering more adventurous, globally inspired options that can elevate a barbecue occasion with minimal effort. As consumers look to recreate restaurant-quality experiences at home, these ready-made salads are becoming just as important as what's cooking on the grill.

THE RISE OF "SWAVOURY"- OLIVE OIL ICE CREAM

One of the most interesting trends gathering pace is "swavoury" – the blending of sweet and savoury flavours in unexpected ways. Leading the charge is M&S, which has launched an olive oil flavoured ice cream inspired by the premium savoury-sweet desserts that have become popular in high-end restaurants. While it might sound unusual at first, consumers are becoming increasingly adventurous and willing to experiment with flavour combinations that challenge traditional category boundaries. Olive oil brings richness, complexity and a subtle savoury note that balances sweetness beautifully. It's exactly the kind of product that sparks conversation – and often that's half the battle in today's crowded retail environment.