Almost all of us (98%) eat the same old snacks, but we’re craving something bolder!

Pilgrims Choice declares a national ‘Flavour Awakening’ with food maverick What Willy Cook and a menu of mind-blowing combos.

LONDON, Wednesday 10th September 2025: Beige buffets. Bland bites. Same old sandwiches. New research from Pilgrims Choice reveals the nation is stuck in a snacking rut.

A whopping 98% of Brits regularly eat the same snacks, and 30% admit they’re bored with their routine. Of those who want more flavour in their lives, one in five (21%) simply don’t know where to start.

But, the study of over 2,000 adults, also shows a nation on the edge of a culinary breakthrough. 63% of Brits crave bolder flavour combinations — they just need a little push.

Enter Pilgrims Choice, on a mission to jolt Britain out of its snacking slump with a full-blown Flavour Awakening. Teaming up with chaotic culinary legend, What Willy Cook, they’re celebrating the weird, the wonderful and the wildly delicious.

Together, they’ve created a series of gloriously unexpected cheddar combos designed to shock, delight and inspire. Think:

The Cheesy Apple Pie

Mussel & Nduja Cheddar Gildas

Ice Cream, Pickled Onion & Cheddar Crisps

Nothing is off the table.

“We’re done with playing it safe,” says Sarah Burrow, Senior Brand Manager at Pilgrims Choice. “This isn’t about trying weird things for the sake of it — it’s about making food fun again. We want people to pick up their cheddar and feel unstoppable.”

What’s holding us back? According to the Pilgrims Choice Flavour Investigation Report, fear is the biggest barrier to boldness. The top reasons Brits stick to the same snack habits include:

Fear of wasting food/money (54%)

Lack of inspiration (37%)

Comfort in the familiar (20%)

Even though we want to break free, a third of us (33%) never stray from our flavour comfort zone — and another third are perfectly happy not to.

Who’s brave enough to bite? Our taste mapping shows boldness isn’t evenly spread:

Londoners lead the charge in wanting new flavour combinations (67%)

Northerners are the most likely to give new flavour combinations a go (97%)

25–34s are the UK’s most flavour-curious age group (72%)

Wales is the least adventurous region

55+ remain loyal to their traditional combos

But even in these regional ruts, pockets of flavour pioneers exist — and Pilgrims Choice wants to bring them together.

Flavour redemption is possible. The research also revealed the power of the “Hidden Heroes” — pairings that once felt wild but are now beloved by many:

Ice Cream and Olive Oil (39% have tried it)

White Wine & Jalapeño (36%)

Strawberries and Cream sandwiches (on the rise)

These are proof that bold doesn’t have to mean bizarre. Pilgrims Choice believes that with a little courage and the right cheddar, anyone can be a Flavour Explorer.

What Willy Cook, culinary creator of the wild new combos, says: “I like to have fun with food, I always have and I maybe always will. Can cheese go in ice cream? From my meticulous research it has become far more of a possibility than previously considered. Cheddar with mussels has also been a revelation. Pilgrims Choice has encouraged a sense of flavour freedom and I reckon that’s a brilliant thing”.

Join the flavour awakening. This September, Pilgrims Choice is unleashing a nationwide call to arms for all snack lovers, cheese dabblers and food explorers: it’s time to embrace the unexpected and Bite Into Bold.

Cheddar doesn’t have to be mild. Snacks don’t have to be safe. From crisp sandwiches to cheesy desserts, Pilgrims Choice invites you to get creative — and get tasting. Who cares if it all goes wrong, the fun is in the trying!

Pilgrims Choice: Cheddar Unleashed.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2192 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 10th - 11th July 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

For more information, images or product samples, please contact:

TASTE / pilgrimschoice@taste-pr.com / 020 3920 9339 /@pilgrimschoice

About Pilgrims Choice

Pilgrims Choice is renowned for its quality and bold flavour profile. The brand celebrates full on flavour and great tasting cheese, which is brought to life through their range of block cheddars, including Mature, Extra Mature and Vintage, as well as flavoured cheeses available in grated and sliced. Stocked in major retailers throughout the UK, Pilgrims Choice encourages consumers to live a life full of more flavour, and has been recognised at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards 2025, winning three major awards at the event including The Reserve Champion Overseas, Champion Overseas Cheddar and Best Irish Cheddar. These top awards were supported by an impressive number of others across various categories, including: Gold for Irish Cheddar (Irish Producers Only), Mature Cheddar (Non-UK Producers Only), and Additive Cheese (The Mexican One), Silver for Mature Cheddar (UK and Non-UK Producers), Additive Cheese (The Italian One), and Sliced Cheese (The Mexican One), and Bronze for Additive Cheese (The British One).

About Ornua Foods UK

Located in Leek, Staffordshire, Pilgrims Choice is produced by Ornua Foods UK, part of the Ornua Food Group. The group produces and purchases butter and cheese which is packed into a range of formats selling into the retail own-label and branded market, primarily in the UK. As the largest supplier of British and Irish cheese in the UK market, the company is focused on delivering quality, customer service excellence and innovative ways of working for major UK retailers.

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