What’s on Trend in 2025? It’s Gravy!
Now that’s a trend that we can really support!
It never really left us, did it? But, it's back in the spotlight in the UK in a really big way.
Chefs are re-imagining it, brands are building whole campaigns around it, and there are collabs giving it cult status. Customers are leaning into nostalgia and comfort food – but with a twist.
Food trend consultants, The Food People, are on gravy-watch and even have a Gravy Foodwatching report. They reckon it’s hotting up right now.
This year KFC even ran an ‘All Hail Gravy’ ad treating gravy as a kind of cult product where a man is submerged in a lake of gravy and emerges as a piece of fried chicken. It was intentionally polarising (quite dark actually) – Gen Z loved it but others labelled it blasphemous. It definitely hit its mark though. That’s the thing about marketing - if they’re talking about you, it’s worked.
Don’t miss the gravy boat on this one! (See what I did there?)
Here’s what’s happening on the gravy scene overseas:
Southern-style White Gravy - a creamy, peppery American favourite that’s popping up in the UK with fried chicken, loaded fries and even burgers.
Spiced Gravies – Curry (think “chip shop curry meets Sunday roast.” ), Tex Mex (with chilli or chipotle), Japanese curry-style (served on rice bowls).
Boozy Gravies – with stout, red wine, bourbon or cider. Marketed as chef-inspired or ‘special occasion’.
Gravy Dips – High-end restaurants are making it with bone marrow, sweet-spiced flavours or rich, caramelised ones and elevating it to dip status.
Gravy Meets Pastry – a limited time mash-up between Gregg’s sausage rolls and KFC gravy.
Gravy Fountain – where pub-goers can dip their fried chicken wings. Remember that scene from Vicar of Dibley?
Cake Gravy - (I don’t know, sounds like dessert sauce to me but I'm on a roll, so let’s stick with the theme). Sweet gravies made with fruit & spices with some savoury notes, sometimes with broth but sometimes not, served on pancakes, scones, rice pudding, cake as well as meat & veg. Balsamic strawberry gravy, maple pecan gravy, salted caramel gravy, coconut mango gravy.
Pizza Gravy – US food bloggers are all over Breakfast Pizza with Sausage Gravy made on pizza, scone or croissant bases. So long as they don’t put it on my ham & pineapple!
Retail Premiumisation (is that even a word?) – supermarkets pushing ‘proper stock-based gravies’ as a step up from instant granules (positioned as restaurant-quality at home).
Novelty Uses – it’s even appearing in cocktails (don’t do this one, it’s just stupid).
Proper Gravy Like My Mum Used To Make – well, it's probably not trending, but it should be so I'm adding it to the list. Served in little Yorkshire pudding cups – mmmmmmm.
“Real deal gravy deserves space on the shelf, it’s the ultimate add-on sell. Put it in multiple places around the store next to products it naturally goes with. This is great cross-promotion and will increase visibility and basket size.”
Gravy’s not just for Sundays anymore. If you’re in the business of food, get on the gravy train!
Gravy deserves space on the shelf, it’s the ultimate add-on sell. Don't just keep it for the hot beef rolls (although they're the best!).
Do your customers a FLAVOUR so that they don't have to make it from scratch. Do it for them!
Sit tubs of it next to the roast cuts, chicken drumsticks & bbq packs in the meat fridge. Remember, you can't make proper gravy on the barbie if you don't have drippings from a pan, so your customers will thank you.
Have it alongside pre-prepared meats & veg for take home packs, or serve it in little dipping cups with hot chips and wings for on-the-go.
Offer different flavours - curry, caramelised onion, creamy gravy. It needs to be in multiple spaces around your store too.
Imagine the opportunity for imagery in your socials and instore signage when you show it being poured over home cooked meals or into hot rolls for the footy. Gravy is a marketers dream!