It started out more than 100 years ago as a small cultural celebration by Britain's Chinese communities, with the aim of promoting Chinese food in the UK.
Since then Chinese New Year has grown to become a mainstream event enjoyed by foodies right across Britain, not only in restaurants but increasingly at home.
Interest in the event as a fixture on the UK culinary calendar has grown so much in the last 10 years that retail experts calculate Chinese food demand for the occasion to have grown by 1400 per cent.
Tesco Chinese food range buyer Henry Tao said: “Chinese New Year has grown spectacularly in popularity in recent years. Brits feel more confident in their ability to prepare authentic dishes, thanks to the huge number of celebrity chef cooking shows. And for the shoppers who want easier, prepared meal options the range has grown from about five dishes to 40 today. We also have an exclusive Chinese range created by Ken Hom.”
