With barbecue season and a heatwave just around the corner, Pilgrim’s Europe, one of Europe’s largest food companies, is set to produce over 160,000 packs of chicken, pork and lamb kebabs every week over the summer period to keep up with surging demand around the barbecue occasion.
Barbecues featuring meat have grown by over 3.5% in the past two years, with 20 million additional barbecue occasions taking place in the past year alone. In 2024, 59% of all barbecue occasions featured at least one kind of meat, with an additional 4.2 million occasions doing so.
And, when it comes to BBQs, as a nation, pork is our favourite protein, with a 15% increase in BBQ usage in the last year, whilst chicken and beef, also extremely popular, grew by 8% each.
This presents a clear opportunity for retailers to meet demand for barbecue favourites, particularly British pork and chicken. In summer 2024, 93% of barbecues were household-only, with just 7% involving guests, which means offering a variety of pack sizes that can cater to different sizes of social occasions is key.
77% of barbecue fans last year noted that they planned to upgrade their equipment ahead of summer 2025, creating scope to offer a wider range of cuts and formats suited to more advanced cooking.
Flavour trends continue to move toward authenticity, with increased demand for regionally inspired chilli and smoke profiles. While bolder flavour names such as “Firecracker” may divide opinion, there is a clear shift toward more familiar and approachable spicy flavours grounded in traditional culinary influences.
Pilgrim’s Europe sources all its fresh chicken, pork and lamb exclusively from British producers, maintaining supply partnerships with thousands of farmers nationwide.
Jason Winstanley, head of research & insight at Pilgrim’s Europe, said: “Summer and barbecues go hand in hand, and we expect more people than ever to embrace the season with casual, at-home grilling.
“Last year, we skewered 3.8 million pork kebabs during BBQ season, and we expect similar demand this year as the warmer weather kicks in and drives sales.
“Familiar favourites like sausages, burgers, and chicken cuts will take centre stage on the grill, with consumers looking for variety, bold yet approachable flavours, and formats that suit both everyday meals and bigger summer socialising occasions.
“This presents retailers with a clear opportunity if they can ensure a comprehensive choice for all occasions. With 100% British sourcing, we’ll be ready to meet this demand – delivering the quality, choice and flavour consumers expect when they fire up the grill.”
