50th birthday for iconic food brand born out of the Windrush generation

The Windrush Generation brought vital skills and labour to Britain, helping to address critical shortages in sectors such as healthcare and public transport. It also brought a host of cultural and musical styles that enriched British society. And, not least, it led on to becoming one of the most popular food brands in the UK today.

The UK's Caribbean population was growing following the Windrush generation, and Encona gave them what they craved: a taste of home. Encona's West Indian Original Hot Pepper Sauce, launched in London in 1975, and was the first authentic Caribbean hot pepper sauce to appear on supermarket shelves

In a Love Letter to Encona as part of a 50th anniversary partnership with Great British Chefs, the go-to-website for foodies, Melissa Thompson, award-winning food writer and author, says: "Encona's roots lay in the Windrush story, the migration of people from the Caribbean by invitation from the British government to help rebuild the post-war nation. Their numbers included my grandparents, who travelled from Jamaica to support Britain. In turn, Encona began importing ingredients sought by the Caribbean diaspora in the UK, and in 1975 the West Indian Pepper Sauce was released. Life was never the same again."

Encona remains a staple in many people's kitchen cupboards, and its enduring popularity is due to the cross-over into British households, and not just those with Caribbean heritage.

The sauce, still today in its unmistakable square-shouldered glass bottle, remains a best-selling hot pepper sauce in the country, and has a multitude of celebrity fans, many of whom have publicly declared their love for the sauce, including Naomi Campbell, Alesha Dixon, Gordon Ramsey, Rylan Clark, Jade Thirlwall and Romesh Ranganathan.

The hot sauce market has been booming in recent years and is expected to reach $4.8billion by 2028, which will represent an incredible increase of 90% in 8 years, from 2020. Mintel market research reports that a decade ago, hot sauces made up one-third of total UK table sauce launches, a sector that includes ketchup, mustard, brown sauce and so on. This year, hot sauces make up nearly half (48 per cent).

Parent company Grace Foods UK, the UK's number one supplier of Caribbean food and drink* hasn't changed the classic recipe in more than 40 years, blending only the very best habanero and scotch bonnet peppers with traditional island spices. But there are now a further 8 hot pepper sauces in the range, as well as 4 chilli jams.

"Brits have a passion for hot sauce, and for Encona in particular" says Kimberley Lue Lim, Head of Marketing for Grace Foods UK. "Encona is still a top ranked hot pepper sauce in the country, and we are very proud of that. But customers' palates have become increasingly sophisticated and so we now offer a range of fantastic sauces and jams made with inspiration from not only the Caribbean but also from India, the Far East and the USA.

"Research frequently shows that this passion for hot sauce is growing and in particular Gen Z are very keen on spicing up their food. This is due to the globalisation of food, to social media, but also to people just realising that hot sauce can change the game in terms of eating quick, healthy, non-expensive food that is also phenomenally tasty. And there are also a growing number of hot sauce connoisseurs, who know that the quality of hot sauce is as important as the quality of wine or meat. And Encona represents the gold standard for hot sauce in this country."

To mark 50 years of Encona, Grace Foods UK is launching limited-edition anniversary branding that will pay homage to the legendary hot sauce brand with limited-edition 50th anniversary emblemed signature packaging and will be available to buy in all major supermarket groups and convenience stores.

Alongside the branding, Encona will be celebrating its five decades by teaming up with Time Out London for Hot Sauce Summer. Encona will be the hot sauce partner of Time Out Eat Street at Between the Bridges - an exciting seasonal food and entertainment pop-up venue on the South Bank, nestled between Waterloo Bridge and Westminster Bridge, featuring an outdoor beer garden, street food, live music and DJ nights.

Time Out London will also be working with its network of food connections on ‘50 Dishes for 50 Years', a curated digital guide to delicious Encona-powered dishes focusing on barbecue-ready food - ideal for the summer and for its sauces and jams.