Cabbage is having a moment. The humble brassica that once conjured images of overboiled school dinners has become one of 2026’s most talked-about ingredients. Pinterest’s annual trends report named it a key food prediction for the year. Search data backs this up: cabbage dumplings are up 110%, fermented cabbage searches have risen 35%, and chefs across London are putting charred hispi wedges and miso-glazed cabbage at the centre of their menus.
Why cabbage, why now?
Three things are driving this resurgence.
First, value. When food costs dominate kitchen planning, a single cabbage stretches across multiple dishes and keeps for weeks in the fridge. Unlike trendy superfood imports, it is affordable, reliable, and locally grown.
Second, health. Cabbage delivers fibre, vitamins C and K, potassium, and antioxidants. When fermented into kimchi or sauerkraut, it becomes a live probiotic food that supports digestion and gut health in ways raw cabbage cannot.
Third, versatility. This is a vegetable that responds to every cooking technique: blistered, braised, stuffed, grilled, shaved raw, or slow-fermented. Great British Chefs notes that savoy, red, and plain white cabbage will all rise to the fore this year, standing up to bold flavours and fierce heat.
FERMARY: Fermentation rooted in British produce
At FERMARY, the cabbage revival is nothing new. Founder Elena Deminska grew up in Eastern Europe where fermentation was simply how food was preserved and eaten. After more than a decade immersed in London’s fresh produce trade at Borough Market, she brought that expertise to creating raw, unpasteurised vegan kimchi and kraut that blend traditional methods with modern thinking about gut health.
FERMARY sources exceptional British cabbage through trusted suppliers including ourselves and our parent company S. Thorogood & Sons. The result: fermented foods made in London from peak-season British vegetables, packed with live cultures and genuine flavour.
What this means for chefs
For professional kitchens, the cabbage trend offers real practical benefits: cost control through high yield and long shelf life; menu flexibility across starters, mains, sides, and garnishes; health credentials that diners increasingly seek out; and a provenance story worth telling.
FERMARY’s range includes Mellow Vegan Kimchi, Smoke & Spice Kraut, Classic Beet Kraut, and Crisp Clean Pink Kimchi. Whether you’re after the best vegan kimchi in the UK or looking to buy premium sauerkraut for your kitchen, these ready-to-use ferments bring texture, tang, and gut-friendly bacteria to any plate.
A partnership built on quality produce
FERMARY is now part of the S. Thorogood & Sons group, producing its fermented foods at New Covent Garden Market. This means every jar starts with vegetables sourced directly from Rushton’s network of trusted British growers. No imported cabbage. No shortcuts.
