Turmeric is the top-selling ground spice at Waitrose

Waitrose’s ground turmeric has overtaken all Waitrose ground spices after sales grew by 22% year-on-year.

The bright orange spice has beaten cinnamon as the top seller in Waitrose’s Cooks’ Ingredients range

To meet demand, the supermarket chain has added fresh turmeric to its shelves. The addition has proved so popular that the retailer has doubled the number of shops it’s stocked to 139, helping sales to rise by nearly 1,000%.

Waitrose spice and herb buyer Oliver Chadwyck-Healey said: “Turmeric has seen a huge growth in popularity over the past year and is now the king of the ground spices. It’s definitely the ingredient of choice for those who want to spice up their lives.

“While it’s most commonly used in curries and Asian dishes, people are also mixing it with warm milk and water for turmeric tea, using it in broths, smoothies and even face masks.

“As a staple of many middle Eastern and North African dishes, it’s also benefitted from customers’ enthusiasm for these cuisines.”

Turmeric is the root stalk of a plant in the ginger family and has a peppery, warm flavour and a mild fragrance.

Produced in India, Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Organic Ground Turmeric is 100% organic. The farmers that produce the spice work with farming co-operatives and are provided with support and advice to help them achieve and maintain their organic certification. They are also supported with social sustainability projects which help the farmers and their communities, including looking at water (wells and storage) and compost making.

Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Organic Ground Turmeric is available in stores and online for £1.69 (50g).

Waitrose currently has 354 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 64 convenience branches, and another 27 shops at Welcome Break locations.