With the festive season fast approaching, Cotswold Fayre has released a list of top selling products from its suppliers for this year’s Christmas season.

Cotswold Fayre Christmas 2019

The company reports that traditional gifting products continue to sell well amongst older customers but innovative gifts offering something different are more likely to attract a younger audience e.g. flavoured liqueurs and gin themed items.

According to Cotswold Fayre sales data (as of July 2019), the top ten Christmas products bought by retailers in the run-up to this year’s festive period are:

1. Gourmet Du Village: A range of gourmet hot chocolate sachets and gift sets complete with marshmallows

2. Lakeland Artisan Ltd: Christmas liqueurs including rhubarb & ginger gin, mulled fruit gin and sloe gin

3. Crosta & Mollica: Italian Christmas classic treats including pandoro and panettone

4. Quaranta: A range of nougats presented as nougat cakes, cubes and slices

5. Dean’s of Huntly Ltd: Flavoured shortbread rounds including strawberry & pink peppercorn, sour cherry & dark chocolate and gin, lime & juniper

6. Whittard of Chelsea: A wide range of Christmas tea, coffee and hot chocolate selection packs

7. Drivers Pickles Ltd: Pickles range designed for Christmas including The Pickle Mix, Christmas Pickle, and Pickle Boxes

8. Paluani: A range of baked Italian goods including panettone and pandoro

9. Farmhouse Biscuits: Christmas themed biscuit tins including traditional baubles, robins and turtle doves

10. Truffle Hunter Ltd: Truffle products from White Truffle Honey and English Black Truffle Oil to a range of Truffle Condiments

Paul Hargreaves, ceo at Cotswold Fayre, commented: “While there will always be a place at Christmas for traditional products, we continue to see a move away from ‘all year-round products’ with a festive touch, to more specialised, ‘thoughtful’ gifts that add something special to a gift for a friend or family member.

“Cotswold Fayre has also seen high demand for Christmas products from across the globe. In particular, Crosta & Mollica pandoro and panettone is performing well, claiming third place in the Cotswold Fayre Christmas top suppliers list. While gingerbread kits from Ukraine’s The Treat Kitchen are proving to be a popular choice. As ‘make your own’ kits continue to create demand, abiding by Christmas tradition, the combination of a famous festive treat with a fun family activity gives The Treat Kitchen an important head start in the race to pantry popularity in December.”

Hargreaves added: “While many retailers are already planning displays for Christmas, there is still time to pick the right products to create real theatre and excitement in-store. It may seem obvious, but the earlier products are displayed, the earlier the opportunity to capitalise on spending season comes.”

Last year, consumers spent an extra £450m on groceries during the festive period showing the how big an opportunity Christmas trading is for retailers who get their product mix just right (Kantar Worldpanel).

The last date for Cotswold Fayre Christmas orders is Saturday 31 August.