In mid-October 2021, Asda hosted a pop-up restaurant, presenting its ready meal range in fine-dining style. The event challenges perceptions on ready meals and signals a shift in food and eating behaviours, giving brands an opportunity to reframe expectations with innovative presentation.

With the pandemic having disrupted city life and people’s routines, many adopted and embraced slower, more mindful practices such as cooking at home or food-saving habits. But as restrictions lift and life-as-normal starts to resume, many of these positive behaviours are beginning to wane.

With restaurants closed due to lockdowns, many were missing their favourite dishes. One brand to acknowledge this early on was Wagamama, with the March 2020 debut of its Wok At Home series. Since then, the company has launched at-home meal kits so people can have katsu curry whenever they want.

Lockdowns led many people to use food as a route to new experiences during the pandemic. But amid growing demand for fresher, more convenient, and sustainable products, brands face a challenge in delivering innovation beyond gimmicks. So, how can they keep Britons experimenting in the kitchen?