The UK’s Growing Appetite for Italian Red Gold

The United Kingdom continues to be a pivotal market for Italian red preserves, a relationship championed by ANICAV (the National Association of Vegetable Preserves Manufacturers). As ANICAV prepares to participate in the Speciality & Fine Food Fair in London, renewed attention is drawn to the performance of these “Made in Italy” products. While the overall picture shows sustained growth, a closer examination of key categories—tomato sauces, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste—reveals nuanced trends in both quantity and value over recent decades, offering valuable insights for industry professionals.

Overall, the UK market for Italian red preserves is robust. In 2024, exports reached approximately €400 million, marking a 3% increase in value and a 1.6% rise in volume compared to 2023. This significant figure represents 13% of Italy’s total red preserve exports.

Giovanni De Angelis, General Manager of ANICAV, emphasizes this strategic importance: “The United Kingdom remains a key market for the export of our products. The Italian presence, which has been established in the country for over a century, has helped to spread our gastronomic culture. It is therefore not surprising that Italian cuisine is now one of the most loved and recognized foreign cuisines in the UK and that Italian tomatoes are increasingly present on British tables. Demand is driven in particular by iconic products such as peeled tomatoes, which are appreciated for their authenticity and quality.”

To understand the drivers behind this performance, an analysis of export trends across the main product categories provides a deeper perspective.

Tomato Paste: Exponential Value Growth Driven by Consistent Volume

The first graph presents the most consistent and remarkable growth trajectory among the three categories. Both the quantity (T) and value (1000 USD) of tomato paste exports have shown an almost continuous and substantial increase since 1991, accelerating particularly in the last decade. The value line has largely tracked or slightly exceeded the tonnage line, indicating a stable or improving price per unit over time, culminating in record high exports in both metrics in 2024. This consistent upward trend highlights the fundamental and growing demand for tomato paste as a versatile ingredient within the UK food industry and consumer base, affirming its strong position in the market.

Canned Tomatoes: Stable Volume with Volatile Value

The second graph, illustrating canned tomato exports, presents a more complex picture. While tonnage (T) has remained relatively stable, hovering between 200,000 and 300,000 over the long term, the corresponding value (1000 USD) has shown significantly more volatility, particularly in recent years. A notable surge in value occurred around 2020-2021, decoupling sharply from volume, before both metrics saw a decline and then a more stable period in 2023-2024. This suggests the canned tomato market in the UK, while consistent in demand for quantity, has been highly sensitive to global pricing fluctuations or specific supply chain dynamics, impacting the realized value for exporters. This category includes “iconic products such as peeled tomatoes,” as mentioned by De Angelis, whose authenticity and quality command appreciation.

Tomato Sauces: Consistent Growth in Both Volume and Value

The third graph illustrates a clear and strong upward trajectory for Italian tomato sauce exports to the UK since 2019, culminating in significant peaks in both value (1000 USD) and quantity (T) in 2024. While there have been fluctuations over the past three decades, the post-2019 period shows an accelerated growth, with value consistently outpacing volume in the most recent years. This suggests not only increasing demand but potentially a shift towards higher-value sauce products or favorable pricing conditions. This category reflects a consumer preference for convenience and ready-to-use solutions, directly leveraging the UK’s appreciation for Italian cuisine.

Strategic Market Importance and Future Outlook

The analysis confirms that the United Kingdom is not only a historically significant market but also a dynamic one, with distinct growth patterns across different categories of Italian red preserves. The sustained appeal of Italian cuisine in the UK fosters a continuous demand for these products.

ANICAV’s “EU Red Gold UK” project, co-financed by the European Union, remains a crucial tool in this context. It aims to support and promote Italian preserves, strengthening their competitiveness within a complex global trading environment. Understanding these specific category trends, as revealed by the export data, is vital for Italian producers to adapt strategies, optimize supply chains, and continue to meet the evolving demands of this key international market.

Sources: ANICAV, TDM