Okay, Cru, Spar Colruyt Group and Bio-Planet take stock of the barbecue trends for 2025
Friday, April 25, 2025
Like every year, the arrival of sunny weather soon gets everyone in the mood for a barbecue. To get this barbecue season off to a good start, the Spar Colruyt Group, Okay, Cru and Bio-Planet brands have analysed the various trends to guarantee a successful barbecue, from aperitif to dessert.
Original drinks and gourmet snacks for a memorable aperitif
To ensure a barbecue with family or friends gets off to a good start, the party usually begins with an aperitif and some appetisers. Just a few months after the Tournée Minérale (Dry February) non-alcoholic alternatives are still the talk of the town. Non-alcoholic drinks are a big trend this year, and another significant increase was obvious during the Tournée Minérale. Healthier and more refreshing than drinks containing alcohol, these beverages, many of which are highly original, are sure to find their way onto tables this year.
Bio-Planet is introducing 16 new products for the barbecue season. They include: Kock out Belgian Triple Style, Kult Water Kefir (jasmine-peach and Maté), Yugen Kombucha lime-mint, Moja Maté (original and passion fruit), Kefir (orange-black tea, ginger + turmeric, lime + mint and elderflower), Karma Ginger (energy and original beer), non-alcoholic Vitamont mojito, Opia virgin (red fruits, sparkling Bellini and sparkling spritz).
Spar Colruyt Group offers a range of snacks to accompany them and get your barbecue party started. Whether you’re more of a salami fan with Bortolotti Salamino Italiano or you’ve got a thing for aperitif cheese with Pecorino della Sicilia, there’s something for everyone. If you're a fan of dips, humus is a must, along with Tapas Y Mas cheese dip pesto verde and the seasonal Pere Olive dips.
If you want something more indulgent to elevate the atmosphere of your evening, Cru offers a special Normandy Camembert for the barbecue that your guests will find irresistible. The cheese with fresh rosemary and garlic gives a delicious aroma and taste. The brand also offers Kofta, a typical Middle Eastern dish made of minced lamb mixed with spices and moulded onto a skewer. It’s delightful served with a fresh yoghurt sauce.
Main course essentials: from meat to vegetables
Meat and grilled dishes naturally spring to mind when you think of the barbecue season. At Okay, ribs, kebabs and sausages were the most popular meat products last year. This year, Okay is treating customers to two new meat products to enjoy in the sunshine: a trio of chicken fillets and boudins blancs sausages with garden herbs for the BBQ.
Spar Colruyt Group sold over 730 tonnes of meat last year. Kebabs, sausages and marinated meat were most popular. Two of these new products stand out at Spar Colruyt Group: characteristic Italian sausages from Tuscany, minced and seasoned, in a natural casing, and the must-have ‘Smash’ burger: a very flat minced meat burger that is deliciously crispy when cooked. Two vegetarian alternatives are also in the spotlight. Green Way’s ‘BBQ Burger’ vegetarian steaks are perfect for a barbecue get-together. And let’s not forget halloumi, a traditional Cypriot cheese with a semi-firm texture that surprisingly doesn’t melt when heated.
At Bio-Planet too, sausages proved extremely popular during the 2024 barbecue season, ending up as the brand’s best-selling meat product. For those who aren’t huge fans of meat, or who consciously choose to eat less meat but still love a barbecue, Bio-Planet offers a number of vegetarian alternatives. Three in particular stand out: Fit Food Veggi BBQ, Maya seitan sauce and Maya satay.
At Cru you’ll find bacon and pre-cooked sausages. Just place on a hot grill until deliciously crispy on the outside. Cru is also treating customers to sea bream with lemon and thyme stuffed with rosemary. Plus you can choose between a selection of marinated fish skewers with salmon, ling loin and monkfish marinated in parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and paprika. A vegetarian alternative is available too: a veggie burger made with seitan and mushroom-smoked tofu, seasoned with green peppercorns.
Simplicity, speed and efficiency to accompany your dishes
There are lots of ways to enjoy barbecue dishes, including bread, pasta salad, crudités or tabbouleh. This year, the focus is on simplicity, speed and efficiency. If you’re visiting Okay, you’ll find curried tabbouleh, bulgur wheat, penne with pesto, and much more just waiting to be discovered. In-store you’ll also find a range of potatoes in trays.
If you’re looking for a simple and original way to season your dishes, Bio-Planet sells the complete range of NORTHERN GREENS. It’s a concentrate of fresh herbs combined with organic vinegar and sea salt, perfect for marinades, to season your grilled vegetables or to use as the base for a vinaigrette. Six flavours are already available.
At Spar Colruyt Group, the trend is for hot dogs and hamburgers, and you’ll need to look no further than the Mr - BIG MOUTH brand for a tasty range of buns. A more original way to enjoy a mouth-watering barbecue is to opt for schiacciata: a traditional Italian bread, stone-baked and finished with a sprinkling of extra virgin olive oil. Spar Colruyt Group also offers a range of pasta salads, including Tuscan-style farfalle and fusilli with fresh vinaigrette and vegetables.
Refreshing and delicious
Who doesn’t love ending a meal on a light, sweet note? For those who fancy something exotic, Spar Colruyt Group offers a pina colada mousse to evoke that holiday feeling. The Pavlova cheesecake will add a touch of indulgence. Looking for something a little more refreshing? The heavenly lemon heart with a layer of fresh goat’s cheese in the shape of a madeleine will provide a welcome refreshing note at the end of a meal.
Another tasty and cosy way to finish the meal is, of course, with marshmallows toasted over the barbecue. Two types of tasty, colourful marshmallows can be found on the shelves at Okay stores.
The BBQ box Spice & Spoon, a cute gift idea from Cru, is a little box containing an assortment of herb-flavoured salt and a wooden board. The little ‘smoking board’ is ideal for adding a more pronounced smoky flavour to your meat or fish on the barbecue.