The delicatessen and speciality food market in the North West

This case study investigates attitudes towards delicatessen and speciality food for consumers in the North West region. The speciality food sector has experienced above average industry growth over recent years. The UK market for speciality food and drink was £3.3 billion in 2001, according to market analyst Datamonitor, which predicts sales will grow by 5.5 per cent over the next five years. The heart of the category, the traditional speciality counter, shows clear signs of being seriously under threat. Market forces have put speciality food into a paradoxical situation – growing in response to demand while simultaneously losing traditional small outlets. The traditional speciality counter needs to adapt in order to survive