Christmas In
July? You Bet!
- Mincemeat Innovation

Whilst most of the team at Zeelandia UK - the leading mincemeat manufacturer for the industrial and craft bakery sector - were sipping on iced water during our recent mini heatwave, things were hotting up in the NPD test kitchen as the team were busy baking off their latest mincemeat innovations.

That’s right – it was Christmas in July again! So, while many of our customers were dusting the sand off their flipflops, Pam and the team were dusting icing sugar over mincemeat confections filled with both the classic recipe and some bold new innovations.

They then showcased the product range that will be filling treats from the major multiples to the independent artisan bakers this Christmas, with our operational team leads, so they could enjoy sampling the products they are now busy manufacturing to our trademark quality standards.

Already looking ahead to 2026, the NPD team have also been tracking the latest consumer favourite flavours, blending tradition with innovation and taste-testing twists on traditional mincemeat with on-trend citrus, cocktail spirits and globally inspired spice infusions – all with our signature blend of quality, heritage and just the right hint of nostalgia.

Building on the insight from last years’ annual mince pie review when the NPD team enjoyed tasting over 150 mince pies from groceries, coffee shops and leading artisan bakeries throughout the UK, the team also focused on trialling alternative mince pie toppings to the traditional pastry lid. This is an important element of our development process as additional flavours and textures must work with the mincemeat to deliver an outstanding eating experience for consumers.

So as industrial manufacturers and craft bakeries enjoy the rest of the summer, remember if you need mincemeat for 2025 or recipe inspiration for 2026, we would love to talk to you.