Britain Goes Miso Mad as Waitrose Sales Surge 41% and Searches Rocket 457%

Miso has taken over Britain's shopping baskets. Shoppers say the reason is as much about health as taste.

Waitrose data shows miso paste sales up 41 per cent year-on-year. Searches for the ingredient have rocketed 457 per cent.

Waitrose nutritionist Alice Goudie says miso has shifted from flavour booster to gut health staple. 'Miso is no longer just viewed as a fantastic flavour enhancer,' she said. 'It's now celebrated for its fermented credentials.'

She added that miso contains live bacteria which may help support the gut. 'Health-conscious customers increasingly looking for delicious ways to support their microbiome' have driven the trend, she said.

Miso soup paste sales have grown 22 per cent over the same period. Searches for 'white miso recipes' are up 245 per cent.

The paste is made by combining soya beans, salt and a fungus called aspergillus oryzae, also known as kōji.

Product Sales Tell the Story

Individual products show just how sharp the rise has been. Miso Tasty Ramen Paste is up 41 per cent.

Ottolenghi Miso Paste has risen 33 per cent, and Miso Tasty Soup Paste is up 22 per cent.

Lucy White, world food buyer at Waitrose, says miso has outgrown its niche label. 'It's clear that miso has not only moved way beyond a niche ingredient, but it's starting to play a similar role to stock cubes,' she said.

Trend Innovation Manager Lizzie Haywood says the surge reflects a wider shift in taste. 'We're seeing a significant move away from one-dimensional saltiness toward the "savoury depth" found in fermented foods like miso,' she said.

Haywood said different types, such as white or red miso, add their own flavour profiles. 'By using umami-rich shortcuts like miso sachets, home cooks are now achieving delicious flavour complexity in minutes,' she added.

Shoppers Share Their Obsession

The craze has spilled onto social media. Instagram cook @sepps wrote of her miso mushroom pasta: 'This is easy, creamy, and the miso adds a depth of flavour that's unlike any other pasta dish.'

TikTok's @comedinewithbrie shared a miso cod recipe, captioning it: 'Me when I have 20 mins to make something healthy but comforting.'

Former Bake Off contestant Crystelle Pereira posted her own tribute. She asked followers: 'Did you know I'm obsessed with miso?'

The Health Case Behind the Craze

According to Healthline, fermentation encourages the growth of probiotics, helpful bacteria that support a healthy gut. Aspergillus oryzae is named as miso's main probiotic strain.

A healthy gut does more than aid digestion, Healthline notes. It also helps defend the body against toxins and harmful bacteria, while easing bloating.

A review on PMC, the US National Library of Medicine's archive, found miso may carry anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties linked to fermentation.

Some studies cited by Healthline suggest miso may not raise stomach cancer risk the way other salty foods do. Salted fish and processed meats were tied to a 24 to 27 per cent higher risk in one such study.

Regular consumption has also been linked to a possible 50 to 54 per cent lower risk of liver and breast cancer. Healthline notes the benefit appeared strongest in postmenopausal women.

Miso remains high in salt, however. Healthline advises moderation for those managing sodium intake or thyroid concerns linked to soya-based goitrogens.

For Waitrose shoppers, the appeal blends convenience, flavour and wellbeing. Miso has gone from niche ingredient to everyday essential, one bowl at a time.