Quiche and Caterpillars: Was Your Coronation Menu Trending?

The long-awaited coronation weekend has come and gone, leaving behind a trail of festive cheer and royal-themed food. Whether you’re a staunch supporter of the monarchy or have a more ambivalent attitude towards it, there’s no denying the excitement that this occasion brings, not to mention the extra bank holiday. So what was on the menu for this weekend’s festivities?

Our analysis of Google Trends reveals that the M&S Colin the Caterpillar cake gained huge attention due to its new coronation makeover. At coronation parties across the country, the famous caterpillar cake in its themed form was a top-branded food item searched for on Google. Sorry Cuthbert, but Colin won this round!

And what drink were Brits pairing with their caterpillar dessert? Tea and cake might be the classic British experience, but it seems that Brits were ready to party and tea just wouldn’t do. Pimm’s searches spiked more than any other branded beverage in recent days, as people looked in particular for the limited edition Coronation bottle of Pimm’s to get the celebrations started. Though, many would argue that Pimms on a sunny day is as British as the act of drinking tea itself.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a true British party without a royal spread of picky bits, and Brits turned to coronation-themed hampers for help. In fact, Brits love hampers so much that the term “Coronation Hamper” dominated food and drink-related Twitter mentions by more than half. With numerous brands creating themed hampers for the occasion, the menus for this weekend promised some excellent snacks.

What menu is complete without a signature dish? Luckily, The Palace helped us out here by launching the Coronation Quiche and revealing the recipe online, which certainly grabbed the interest of the nation. Media analysis of the Coronation Quiche’s launch revealed that it had stolen the show, garnering 74% of media mentions in food and beverage-related coverage surrounding the coronation. It was no surprise then, that many homemade efforts were seen at coronation parties across the land.

But it’s not just the media that were a little quiche obsessed. The Coronation Quiche was also a hot topic on Twitter and other social media platforms, with many Brits posting about the recipe, food events, and celebrations featuring the dish. News outlets like Sky News and Reuters have even tweeted about it highlighting its popularity, while other Twitter users like @vegancakery and @beckyexcell are already discussing the vegan and gluten-free versions of the dish.

In comparison, the late Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation speciality, Coronation Chicken, received a boost in the press but paled in comparison to the quiche at only 26% of media mentions.

Food, glorious food!

Pimm’s, cake, and quiche were only part of the story when it came to Britain’s celebratory feasts. Our media analysis revealed a resurgence of British pride when it came to our food and drink. The term “British pride” was mentioned in nearly a quarter (22%) of all food and drink media coverage in the last two weeks.

Similarly, royal-themed food and drink items dominated British media coverage around the coronation, as Brits went crazy for crowns. Well over half (59%) of all media mentions in food and drink-related coverage were taken up by brands capitalising on the crown by releasing limited-edition items in royal-inspired packaging. Some British supermarkets really jumped on the bandwagon to encourage Brits to buy for this weekend, with Tesco receiving the most coronation-related media mentions (43%), followed by Aldi (25%) and Morrisons (13%).

The coronation weekend may have come and gone, but the spirit of celebration remains.

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