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Who are the major buyers (business sectors and individual customers) of Saffron in the uk?
Hello, and thank you for your follow-up question on the major buyers of saffron in the UK. The short answer is that there are a number of business sectors and many customers looking for saffron, but specific, highly detailed data about their spending, volume and market share may have to come at a price. The most useful sources I found on this were TradeKey and data provided by the EU.
As you'll know from the response to your previous question, the UK imports around 3 times as much saffron as it exports ($5.3 million versus $1.79 million). The biggest sector that uses imported spices (including saffron) is the food processing industry, and the largest UK buyer of imported saffron that we were able to find was T&T, which was buying 40 tonnes of saffron a year in 2014.
There are also numerous British growers selling saffron to buyers in the UK (and exporting it). Detailed information about saffron users is not so easy to obtain, but we have pulled together as much as possible to give you an idea of who wants this tasty and valuable spice across Britain.
IMPORTERS
We began by locating a list of saffron importers based in the UK. Some of the data has not been updated for a while, and you will to have to join TradeKey to obtain full contact details, but the list includes:
- T&T, which deals in tons per quarter
- Ushum, which was looking to buy 10 kilograms in January 2017 (it buys 120 kilograms a year)
- BC World Foods, which buys 100 kilograms a month
From there, we turned to the websites of individual saffron distributors to provide an idea of the prices and quantities that they buy. They include:
- Saffron UK, which buys saffron from Spain and supplies packages ranging from 1 gram to 100 gram to stores, restaurants and individuals. It charges £12 for six boxes of 1-gram packages
- Oakleaf European, which buys from Rungis Market in Paris. It updates its price list twice a week and also has a newsletter to keep you up to date
- Top Op describes itself as a major food distributor, and sells Saffron Mancha to cash'n'carry outlets, wholesalers and stores
It may be of interest to know that despite the British climate there are also growers in the UK, such as Norfolk Saffron and English Saffron. But as your question is focused on buyers rather than producers, we have not looked at this sector in any detail.
OTHER BUYERS
It is here that specific data about volumes and percentages becomes harder to find without having to pay for highly-focused reports. However, some more general information is available about who buys saffron in the UK.
- The food and beverage sector is increasing demand for saffron
- Health-conscious customers want saffron
- The pharmaceutical sector uses saffron to tackle problems involving blood pressure, bad digestion, etc.
Future Market Insights is working on an in-depth study on this subject that could be exactly what you are looking for. It is due in April 2017 and will include specific analysis of the UK market. Pre-booking a copy of the report will cost a minimum of $5,000, although you can request a sample.
Elsewhere, the market survey by the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) divides European Union spice/herb users (including saffron buyers) into three sectors: industrial (55-60% of the market), retail (35-40%) and catering (10-15%).
INDUSTRIAL
The meat industry is the largest user of spices "by far", but other consumers include beverage and confectionery manufacturers. Spices are mixed by meat factories, butchers and bakers, as well as those in catering. They are also used in pharmaceuticals and perfumes, and members of the Seasoning and Spice Association are committed to developing new ways of using spices in different products.
RETAIL
The CBI says consumption of spicy Asian foods is high in the UK due to its immigrant population, and EU consumers expect high-quality spices. It adds that this sector is driven by "experimental consumers", whose food tastes are often followed by other buyers.
As an indicator of its popularity, saffron is stocked by the UK's biggest four supermarkets: Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury's.
CATERING
According to the study, catering uses a relatively small amount of spices, but this market is growing as more people eat meals away from home.
Regarding caterers, an article in the Independent looking at the popularity of saffron for UK cooks includes a sample list of leading chefs that use it: Karam Sethi, Jose Pizarro, Ronnie Bonnetti, Alastair Little and Rosie Clark.
Finally, according to the Telegraph, saffron is particularly useful for savoury foods, although in Britain it is mostly used for baked goods from Cornwall.
CONCLUSION
Given the popularity of imported saffron in the UK, it is no surprise that there are numerous British importers looking to buy quantities that can reach into many tons.
Other buyers include the food and beverage industries, pharmaceutical manufacturers, perfume makers, shops, and caterers/restaurants.
Detailed data regarding market shares and volumes is hard to find, but a report containing plenty of information will be available, if you are willing/able to pay to read it.
Hopefully this information is useful to you, and thanks again for using Wonder! Please don't hesitate to let us know if you need anything else!