Feature: The Art of the Perfect Picnic
Rosie Greenaway rolls out her picnic blanket to suss out this summer’s picnic scene, from luxury grazing boards to sustainable swaps.
When something is awarded its own calendar moment, it doesn’t necessarily mean it has huge public appeal (Lost Sock Memorial Day, anyone?) but where National Picnic Week is concerned you can be sure the existence of this annual celebration is an indication of the subject’s societal importance.
In fact, according to Food Industry Executive picnics are among the hottest food trends this summer, with four factors driving their popularity: rising restaurant prices; a lingering public appreciation of the great outdoors, ignited during the pandemic; human yearning for spontaneity, informality and escapism; and finally, the Millennial and Gen Z obsession with lifestyle curation.
Picnics reimagined
This last point is key from a commercial perspective. While many will roll their eyes at the suggestion that something as superficial as an app could influence something as traditionally wholesome as a family picnic, it’s evident that very little in the modern world is untouched by social media – picnic baskets included. So retailers hoping to cash in on the picnic pound would do well to consider colour coordination and perfect pairings when merchandising this summer.
The art of planning and executing an aesthetically pleasing spread is, for some, serious business. Since Covid, picnics have been reimagined as the perfect vehicle for an Insta-worthy theme or a ‘get ready with me’ TikTok, making it likely that in summer 2024 the UK’s parks, beaches and open air concerts will be flooded with highly curated hampers, stylish blankets and matching picnicware.
From the luxury picnic centred around fine foods, high-thread count linens and real glassware, to its sustainable counterpart featuring plastic-free packaging, bamboo reusables and organic homemade hummus, outdoor snacking as a social activity is hitting new heights.
The growth of grazing
Forget soggy sandwiches and potato salad and ponder the popularity of grazing. With its history woven through ancient Rome and the Renaissance – and a more recent resurgence winning it legions of foodie fans in Australia – grazing has become a commonplace form of presentation in the UK, and a more sophisticated, aspirational version of the ‘picky tea’.
The grazing trend steers the picky tea away from its reputation as a ‘beige banquet’, the idea being to design a board bursting with all the colours of the rainbow. Enter health stores and delis – both abundantly equipped to fulfil a shopper’s savoury needs with an array of enticing ingredients: vibrant veg for crudités teamed with fresh artisanal dips; vegan cold cuts, antipasti items and local cheeses paired with gourmet gluten-free crackers; store cupboard essentials such as chickpeas for homemade falafels; and aromatic herbs, chutneys, organic nuts and dried fruit to finesse the decór.
Many stores will also boast enough sweet SKUs for the creation of a dessert board, brimming with seasonal strawberries, Fairtrade chocolate, vegan marshmallows, plant-based pudding pots and moreish wafers.
Plastic-free picnic
Waste Managed reports that 30% of overall outdoor summer litter is generated by picnics, with 40% of picnic goers admitting to leaving rubbish behind. Herein lies an opportunity for retailers to stock sustainable swaps to single-use containers – from BPA-free lunchboxes, stainless steel water bottles, reusable cutlery and plastic-free straws to hand-crafted wooden boards, organic cotton textiles and beeswax wraps, making your store a one-stop-shop for picnic planners as they head to the park this summer.
A picnic with Pur Pain
Say the words ‘summer picnic’ to Hendrik Durnez – master baker of Belgian organic and carbon neutral sourdough brand Pur Pain – and his mind conjures images of being immersed in nature and bringing together friends and family. “I think about enjoying time with people I love – and good food.”
Sharing what’s in his picnic hamper this summer, Durnez says it all begins with fruit and bread – namely Pur Pain’s Organic Tapas Baguette or full-sized French Baguette. From there he builds his al fresco menu with ‘good dried meats and charcuterie’, and an array of fresh cheeses, adding a chilled bottle of crisp white wine to finish.
SKUs to choose for picnic season
Complete Organics Goji Beetroot: naturally fermented beetroot, refined with a refreshing hint of horseradish
IBIS Rice Wholegrain Rice Cakes: nutty brown jasmine rice cakes, flavoured with Kep sea salt
Kourellas Organic Cheese with Tomato & Oregano: a traditional family recipe with ‘unmistakably Greek flavours’
Trafo Organic Crisps: hand-cooked, crunchy potato chips in fragrant Rosemary & Sea Salt flavour
Origin Kitchen Forest Berry Bessert: superfood-rich cashews and summer berries combine in a nutritious, feel-good pud
Sunny Fruit Organic Dried Fruit: succulent figs, strawberries, cherries, mango and bananas, now available in multipacks
MadeGood Chocolate Chip Cookies: organic, vegan, nut- and gluten-free cookies in handy sharing bags
Vivani Organic Wafer Rolls: crispy wafer coated in indulgent, sustainably sourced milk or dark chocolate
Popcorn Kitchen Simply Sweet: B Corp-certified gluten-free, vegan, hand-popped gourmet corn with ‘exceptional crunch’
TRIP Mindful Blend: calming functional drinks with magnesium and adaptogens at their core, in Cucumber Mint, Blood Orange Rosemary, Elderflower Mint and Raspberry Orange Blossom
Three Robins Little Smoothie: an ambient oat milk-based smoothie aimed at kids, packed with ‘hidden veg’
BAMBU Bamboo Sporks: spoon-meets-fork with this mini organic bamboo creation
Keep Leaf Food Wrap: a BPA-free reusable wrap which folds out as a sharing plate, made by a women’s cooperative in India
ATTITUDE Eco Wet Wipes: biodegradable, plant-based wipes to clean up sticky fingers and spillages
By Rosie Greenaway, editor