Nestle Professional Services
FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY TRENDS 2019
Get Ready for New Year Opportunities
Introduction
Find Out What’s Next for
Foodservice
INTRODUCTION
Find Out What’s Next for Foodservice
From new global mashups to evolving customer-facing technology, 2019 promises to be an exciting year.
If there’s one thing that’s constant in foodservice, it’s change. Every year brings a new wrinkle, a fresh food trend, an innovation that wasn’t even foreseen 12 months ago. This goes beyond the question of “What’s the next sriracha?” to encompass developments that are both current and structural, long-term movements that will continue to affect the industry for years to come.
WHO IS THIS REPORT FOR?
Not all of the trends discussed here will affect these segments in the same way, but as channel boundaries continue to blur in the consumer’s mind, demand and relevance will spread.
- Retail: Convenience Store and Supermarket Prepared Foods
- Restaurants: QSR, Fast Casual, Midscale, Casual, Fine Dining
- Onsite: B&I, Lodging, Hospitals, Long-Term Care and Senior Living, K–12, C/U
WHAT ARE WE FORECASTING?
By focusing on the macro of developing trends—rather than the minutiae— this report will help you prepare for the coming year.
As ingredients and flavors from cuisines like Mexican, Mediterranean, and Asian continue to mainstream, consumers are becoming increasingly interested in food and beverages that reflect Korean influences, Indian mashups, and a deeper dive into Middle Eastern.
Popular menu specialties and techniques that are trending now reflect a focus on healthier options and culinary mastery, including fun, customizable poke bowls; sophisticated texture options that emphasize the crisp and the crunchy; and the continued evolution of plant-based diets.
Customer demand for new experiences, better convenience, and enhanced personalization are leading to the development of interesting new integrated food and beverage concepts, grab-and-go upgrades, 24/7 snacking options, and the technology that helps put it all together.
CHAPTER 1: GLOBAL INSPIRATIONS
Global Is the New Local
Demand for international flavors and ingredients is crossing many borders—Korea, India, and the Middle East are the hot zones.
DATELINE, THE WORLD—Where you don’t have to travel to sample multiple global specialties. In fact, according to Datassential, global foods have lost much of the exotic, foreign image they might once have had. International flavors and specialties weave in and out of consumers’ diets whether they are cooking in their own kitchens or ordering a pizza.
54% of consumers will go out of their way to try a new global food they’ve heard about, including 68% of Millennials and Gen Z.
Now that Italian, Mexican, and, to a lesser extent, Chinese have become nearly commonplace, savvy customers are looking to new horizons, including the food and beverages of India, Korea, and the Middle East. These may be sampled first in ethnic restaurants, but in their march to the mainstream they’re becoming more familiar, less intimidating, and an important strategy for keeping offerings as fresh, new, and exciting.
For operators, that means sourcing is easier and the opportunity for innovation is strong, with the ability to add flavors, ingredients, and iconic recipes in ways that can be authentically ethnic or globally inspired fusion.
Consumers no longer need to travel to eat global food, because it’s available locally; only 20% get it through travel.
Source: Datassential Global Flavors Keynote Report, November 2017
KOREAN ON THE CURVE
Gochujang, kimchi, bibimbap. If these sound unfamiliar now, get ready: Korean flavors and cooking techniques are becoming a major part of the global cuisine story. In fact, Datassential predicts four-year growth in the 95th percentile, meaning the Korean category will outperform 95% of all other foods, beverages, and ingredients over the next four years.
23% of consumers learn about global food by sampling it at a supermarket; 22% learn about it by browsing the aisles.
As Asian food and beverages continue to become more commonplace in the United States, Korean offerings provide an adventurous next level. Largely based on rice, vegetables, and meat seasoned with spicy fermented products like kimchi (cabbage and other vegetables), gochujang (chili paste), and seasoned soy sauce, Korean cuisine and fusion foods like Korean tacos are growing in interest.
Gochujang is on 1.5% of US menus, and has grown 292% in the past four years. Kimchi has grown 59%, to 5.5% of menus.
Many operators are introducing Korean flavors to mainstream favorites like steak, burgers, and rice bowls via condiments and cooking techniques, including Korean barbecue like albi (a.k.a. galbi ) and bulgogi—short ribs and thinly sliced beef or pork, respectively. The technique of marinating ingredients in a mixture of soy, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic, then searing them can be adapted to any protein and many vegetables. Korean barbecue is traditionally served with lettuce leaves for wrapping, condiments, and banchan (small side dishes)— perfect for a sharing experience.
Sources: Datassential Global Flavors Keynote Report, November 2017; Datassential SNAP! Korean, 2018; Datassential SNAP! Gochujang, 2018; Datassential SNAP! Kimchi, 2018
OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT
New Seasons Markets offer such specialties as Korean BBQ Wings, ready-to-cook Korean Flatiron Steak, and potatoes seasoned with housemade “chogo” sauce.
Translation Tips
- The traditional bibimbap rice bowl is an endlessly customizable platform that accommodates a variety of diets
- Kimchi is a multipurpose condiment that can be used to add Korean flavor to burgers, bowls, noodle dishes, fried rice, tacos, and more
- Korean-style barbecue flavors can be adapted to steak, chicken, pork, wings, sandwiches, salad toppings, and seafood
- Though soju rice wine is Korea’s most famous beverage, various flavored teas are also popular
INDIAN-SPICED MASHUPS
Ramen and sushi may be getting a lot of love among emerging Asian specialties, but now there’s tikka masala, naan, and chai. Rich, complex, and vegetarian-friendly, Indian cuisine is loaded with potential for mainstream popularity.
53% of consumers and 88% of operators are familiar with Indian food, including naan, curry, lentils, and tandoori.
The Indian pantry lends itself particularly well to fusion “mashups,” where key ingredients and flavors are adapted to more familiar platforms like sandwiches, appetizers, beverages, and desserts.
Naan bread, often served as a flatbread or a carrier for sandwiches, is on 2.7% of US menus, representing four-year growth of 30.8%.
According to Datassential, masala (referring to any of many blends of spices used in Indian cuisine, most often containing cardamom, coriander, mace, pepper, nutmeg, and fennel seeds, among others) is one of the 10 fastest-growing globally influenced terms and ingredients found in entrées served by non-ethnic restaurants, notching four-year growth of 140%. Samosas, a type of crispy dumpling popular in India as a snack, have grown 300% on mainstream menus. Naan bread is one of the most-menued globally influenced apps and sides on non-ethnic menus, experiencing four-year growth of 172%.
Chai has grown 25.6% since 2014, and is now on 6.8% of US menus, as both a beverage and a flavor profile.
Consumers are open to this kind of multicultural menuing. In fact, 18% of consumers characterized their last globally inspired dish as being “fusion,” and 35% say it doesn’t matter who prepares global foods as long as they are competent cooks.
Sources: Datassential SNAP! Chai, 2018; Datassential Global Flavors Keynote Report, November 2017; Datassential SNAP! Naan, 2018
OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT
In Chicago, Vermilion mixes up Indian and Latin influences like Duck Vindaloo Arepas and Tandoori Skirt Steak. The Kati Roll mini-chain turns flat paratha bread into global wraps.
Translation Tips
- Indian breads such as naan, paratha, poori, and roti are wonderful carriers for sandwiches and dips
- Think of chaat (bite-size crispy snacks, usually served with chutney) like samosa, pappadum, and puri as Indian small plates
- Indian vegetable specialties (lentil dal, spiced cauliflower, spinach with paneer cheese) appeal to vegetarians and food adventurers alike
- Chai tea and mango lassi are specialty beverages that easily pass into the mainstream
MIDDLE EASTERN HORIZONS
With Mediterranean proliferating on menus and in retail foodservice venues, it stands to reason that consumers and operators alike would begin digging a little deeper into the region’s treasures, exploring the cuisine of Turkey, Lebanon, and Israel. While the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern market baskets have much in common—including bold flavors, and healthy, plant-focused foods—the Middle Eastern trend takes the huge popularity of more familiar Mediterranean cuisine and stamps it with the authenticity of a specific place.
19% of consumers are eating more Middle Eastern food now than they were a year ago, second only to Asian food.
42% of consumers say they are interested in Middle Eastern foods, and 23% have visited a restaurant that specializes in it.
57% of operators either menu or have menued Middle Eastern menu items in the past year, and 40% of operators say they are open to offering them.
OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT
At Seneca College, Sultan’s Middle Eastern Cuisine is Aramark’s proprietary brand featuring shawarma, donair, and falafel.
Characterized by ingredients like olives, lamb, tahini, grains and legumes, fresh green herbs, honey, yogurt, nuts, tea, and dried fruits, Middle Eastern food is healthy and approachable. Mezze—dips, salads, and small plates shared as appetizers—are popular throughout the region. Commonly known Middle Eastern specialties outside of the Middle East include hummus, pita, tabbouleh, falafel, and kebabs.
Sources: Datassential Global Flavors Keynote Report, November 2017; Datassential SNAP! Shakshuka, 2018; Datassential SNAP! Hibiscus, 2018; Datassential SNAP! Falafel, 2018; Datassential SNAP! Tabbouleh, 2018; Datassential SNAP! Zaatar, 2018
Translation Tips
- Shakshuka (eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce) is making waves on breakfast and brunch menus, and has grown 173.6% on menus since 2014
- Hibiscus tea is a popular beverage in the region, and here in the United States, the flavor has grown 68.7% in the past four years
- Falafel (chickpea fritters, often served in a pita with tahini, hummus, or yogurt and chopped vegetables) has gotten a boost from vegetarian diners, appearing on 3.9% of US menus
- Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern grain salad flavored with tomatoes, parsley, mint, onion, olive oil, and lemon juice; it’s experienced four-year growth of 15.8% and appears on 2.7% of US menus
- The spice mix known as za’atar (made with dried thyme, dried sumac, sesame seeds, and a variety of other herbs) can be used to season a variety of foods, contributing to four-year growth of 200%
Trending Specialties and Techniques
CHAPTER 2: TRENDING SPECIALTIES AND TECHNIQUES
Healthy Drivers, High-Impact Prep
Many of the most diverse and popular menu items today reveal these underlying commonalities.
It may seem as if today’s food and beverage trends are all over the place, careening from newer-than-new beverages like nitro cold-brew coffee to heirloom grains that have been enjoyed for thousands of years, from funky, fermented kombucha to comforting old-fashioned fried chicken and biscuits. The fact that these divergent offerings can and do coexist on menus is one indication of how popular they are.
Consider poke. This Hawaiian-style fish salad has caught on in no small degree thanks to its healthy image. Low-fat yet flavorful, easily made gluten free, and loaded with protein and vegetables, poke checks many of the better-for-you boxes. It’s also attractive and Instagram-friendly, reflecting the knife skills and attention to presentation that go with it. Small wonder that, according to Datassential, it’s particularly popular with the influential Gen Z and Millennial demographics.
Protein as a healthy term on menus has grown 76.7% since 2014.
Another trend that’s benefiting from consumer interest in healthier options is plant-based dining. With more consumers eating less meat and more fruits, vegetables, grains, and other plant foods, the menu landscape is changing to accommodate not only vegans and vegetarians, but also a growing number of so-called flexitarians. These consumers still eat meat, but they’re eating less of it, and they’re challenging operators to create plant-based menu items that are just as satisfying and tasty as traditional offerings.
85% of consumers perceive items containing a full serving of vegetables to be more healthy.
Certainly, the popularity game will be won by those who can offer food and beverage options that answer demand for craveability—that unique combination of qualities that includes texture as well as flavor. That’s one of the reasons that crisp, crunchy foods like fried chicken, chips, toast, nuts, and crudité are so on-trend right now.
“Crunch” occurs on 9.5% of US menus, often as part of a specific item’s name, such as Avocado Crunch Burger.
Sources: Datassential, Most Popularly Menued Healthy Terms, 2018; Datassential SNAP! Poke, 2018; Datassential, Plant-Based Eating SNAP! Keynote Report, 2018; 2016 Technomic Inc., Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report; Technomic, “The Nuances of Craveability,” 2013; Datassential SNAP! Crunch, 2018
POKE PIQUES INTEREST
Five years ago, no one outside of Hawaii had heard of poke; today it’s taking the bowl-food trend by storm. Pronounced “poh-KAY,” this traditional marinated-fish salad is proving itself a versatile addition to menus in all kinds of venues, from fine dining to fast-casual specialists to grocery store prepared-foods cases.
In fact, according to Datassential, poke has experienced four-year growth of 168%, and is now on 3.8% of US menus. Its versatility, healthy image, and similarity to sushi have all contributed to poke’s growing popularity.
At its simplest and most traditional, poke (which means “chunk” in Hawaii) consists of cubes of pristinely fresh raw tuna, marinated in soy sauce, onions, and sesame oil. But following the bowl trend, poke became more than just an appetizer. It became a craveable, customizable, Instagrammable specialty, with the addition of rice; vegetables like avocado, cucumber, seaweed, jalapeños, and radishes; crispy toppings like wasabi peas and frizzled onions; and umami-powered signature sauces.
Poke ranks in the 99th percentile for future growth potential, meaning that it is expected to outperform 99% of all other foods, beverages, and ingredients over the next four years.
Poke can be made with all types of raw and cooked seafood—not just traditional tuna and octopus, but also salmon, shrimp, Japanese crab sticks and fish cakes, and yellowtail—as well as marinated cooked beef, chicken, and tofu. It’s essentially gluten free, and adaptable to vegetarian versions.
In addition to the popular bowl format, poke can also be served as a small plate with chips or wonton strips, as a filling for a taco, rolled up as a sushi-burrito hybrid, or built into an Asian-style salad.
Poke resides in Datassential’s influential Adoption phase: get in now to get ahead of the curve.
Source: Datassential SNAP! Poke, 2018
OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT
Pokeworks, a growing fast-casual chain, features customizable poke bowls, salads, and burritos, as well as house specialty bowls.
Thanks to its healthy, pan-Asian profile, poke matches well with tropical juices, infused waters, wellness beverages, and specialty tea.
PLANTS MOVE UP THE FOOD CHAIN
One of the biggest trends to hit menus is the flexitarian diet, which moves away from meat in favor of more vegetables, fruits, grains, and other plant-based foods. Beyond vegan and vegetarian, this new consumer represents a lot of potential for menu innovation.
Nowhere is the flexitarian trend more evident than in the role of proteins in the plant-based diet. In addition to eating chicken, beef, cheese, eggs, and other animal proteins, consumers are consuming more grains (which have grown 21.7% on US menus since 2014), legumes (up 28.7%), seeds (19.3%), nuts and nut butter (25.1%), and such high-protein vegetables as cauliflower (31.3%), edamame (24.2%), and kale (110.1%).
All of which expand the repertoire of food and beverage specialties, such as veggie- and grain-based burgers, grain bowls, kale smoothies, upgraded oatmeal, hummus, plant-based milks, and any number of global favorites that emphasize plants over meat.
Consumers choose plant-based alternatives because they think they are healthier and are trying to cut down on animal-based products.
59% of consumers define plant-based meals as either vegan or vegetarian, but 33% say such meals can contain some meat.
Plant-based burgers are on 1.2% of US menus, having grown 91% over a four-year period and 190% since 2017 alone.
OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT
At its Sunnyvale, CA, campus, Google has tested a new vegan taco item in its Mexican café, as a part of a larger corporate effort to reduce its carbon footprint through decreased consumption of meat, particularly beef.
THE CRUNCH FACTOR
Texture can be just as important to enjoyment as flavor, aroma, and appearance. And the texture that’s trending now is crisp and crunchy. Datassential pegs 10-year growth of both “crunchy” and “crispy” to describe specific menu item elements at 19%.
Crunchy foods are on 15.6% of US menus, while crispy enjoys 61.4% penetration.
Crunchy has a food versatility score of 63, and even works with beverages: celery or pickled string bean garnish for a Bloody Mary, biscotti with a specialty coffee, cookie crumbles or chocolate chips in a blended shake.
It’s no accident that popular foods like fried chicken, garden-fresh vegetables, and craveable snack chips are all crisp and crunchy. Crunch adds interest and fun to menu items, and crunchy foods are often easy to pick up and eat with the fingers, adding to their casual appeal.
Many build-your-own fast-casual concepts, such as salads and bowls, feature a “Choose Your Crunch” section of toppings. Popcorn, nuts, and crudité are all trending on bar menus. Avocado toast is huge, contrasting rich, creamy avocado with the satisfying crunch of toast.
Sources: Datassential SNAP! Crunchy, 2018; Datassential SNAP! Crispy, 2018
OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT
7-Eleven’s new Magic Bar snack is described as a “deliciously decadent dessert made with crunchy graham cracker crust, a mix of chocolate and butterscotch chips, walnuts, and shredded coconut.”
CHAPTER 3: BIG OPPORTUNITIES
Sales Builders for a New Age
Get a little creative with incremental profit centers,and back it up with technology.
There’s only so much an operator can do with existing hours, x number of seats, and three meals a day. In order to keep building sales, new sources of revenue are required.
That’s where strategies like next-level food and beverage pairings, competitive grab-and-go offerings, new snacking dayparts, and convenience-oriented technology can provide incremental profits.
Pairing food with complementary beverages is one way to build sales, going the combo meal one better by making sure the beverage is part of the experience. It works well with wine pairings, but it also works thematically, such as burgers and shakes, Southern food and sweet tea, and baked goods with specialty coffee drinks.
35% of consumers would be interested in a themed food and beverage pairing, such as “holiday classics;” 20% would try a flavor pairing such as a chocolate dessert with hot cocoa.
With busy lifestyles comes interest in convenient alternatives to traditional on-premise dining, including sophisticated takeout and grab and-go options. But as these services grow in number, competitors are upping the ante. This includes more unique offerings and better-for-you options.
90% of consumers report picking up a premade meal from a supermarket or c-store at least once a month; 21% purchase grab-and-go items from a restaurant or other foodservice.
43% of consumers are motivated to have a snack because they’re hungry but it’s not time for a full meal.
Round-the-clock noshing is changing the way Americans eat—and the way foodservice operators are doing business. Beyond traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner, snacking creates demand in off-hours like midmorning, and late afternoon. It also encompasses smaller-portion options at any time of day.
Behind all these trends lies the growing role of high-tech solutions that provide customers with more convenience and enhance their dining experiences.
Sources: IFMA/Datassential 2014/2015 Consumer Planning Program, Pairings; Datassential Grab-and-Go Snapshots, 2017; Technomic Snacking Occasion Consumer Trend Report, 2016
With busy lifestyles comes interest in convenient alternatives to traditional on-premise dining, including sophisticated takeout and grab and-go options.
COMBO MEALS 2.0
Cookies and cocoa, steak and red wine, coffee and donuts. Some food and beverages naturally complement each other and make for successful combinations that patrons crave. Now imagine integrating food and beverage offerings by theme or concept. This is a smart way to differentiate your operation and build sales around both. As a sales and marketing strategy, this goes way beyond the traditional definition of a combo meal (items bundled together as a meal and sold for less than their combined à la carte price).
According to Technomic, operators can offer pairing suggestions for beverages that complement or enhance flavors in dishes, which will help drive incremental sales. These suggestions may also help boost beverage orders among consumers who would otherwise order tap water. The tactic can be used across many trending food and beverage categories, including signature flavors, customized options, and hand-crafted specialties.
Roughly one-quarter of consumers order beverages at restaurants because they want something to pair with their meal.
36% of tasting menus are paired with wine.
Sources: Beverage Category Trends Across U.S. Operators, Technomic, October 2017; Datassential SNAP! Tasting Menus, September 2018
OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT
Yardbird (in Miami, Las Vegas, and L.A.) pairs fried chicken, ribs, and other Southern-style comfort foods with an extensive menu of bourbon-based craft cocktails.
GRAB & GO UPGRADES
Busy consumer lifestyles mean growing demand for convenient food and beverage options, from drive-thrus and online ordering to fully prepared grab-and-go solutions.
According to a recent report co-produced by IFMA and Datassential, today’s consumers are most likely to look to c stores and grocery stores for grab-and-go food and beverages (which are often purchased together), but opportunity exists in every channel, particularly for onsite operators.
Grab-and-go is on 0.4% of US menus, and has shown 10-year growth of 552%.
OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT
Select locations of super market chain Giant Eagle have DIY bakery displays where customers can decorate their own prebaked cookies and cookie cakes for grab-and-go.
When it comes to prepared items, consumers are most looking for unique choices (cited by 35% of respondents) and healthier options (33%) from their supermarket.
Sources: IFMA/Datassential 2017/2018 Consumer Planning Program, Grab-N-Go; Datassential SNAP! Grab-and-Go, September 2018; Datassential Supermarket Deli Keynote, 2016; IFMA/Datassential 2017/2018 Consumer Planning Program, Foodservice vs. Retail
HERE ARE SOME IDEAS FOR NEW AND BETTER GRAB-AND-GO:
- Make prepackaged prepared foods and meal kits available in display cases or at a kiosk in hospital, hotel, and office-building lobbies, student center, or other high-traffic locations
- Offer healthier food options, or healthier versions of more indulgent foods
- Provide unique items such as locally made or artisanal food and beverages, shareables such as meat-and-cheese plates
- Stress portability, such as wraps instead of sandwiches, or meal-in-one bowls
- Look to creamers for easy DIY customization
- Consider offering combo-meal pricing for a food item and beverage, plus dessert
- Be sure to pair food items with grab-and-go beverages that are appropriate to the target customer group
- Leverage the appeal of more sustainable packaging options
SNACKING 24/7
Welcome to the era of anytime, anywhere eating, where three squares are no longer the order of the day. According to Technomic, snacking today is not just a between-meals activity; sometimes, snacking is the meal. For 39% of all consumers, and 57% of those between the ages of 18 and 34, even the definition of snacking has changed to include a wider variety of foods and beverages, and all available on demand 24/7.
6% of consumers consider a beverage to be a snack.
34% of consumers say they are snacking on healthier foods compared to 2016, citing health attributes such as “high in protein” and “energizing.”
Sources: Technomic 2016 Snacking Occasion Consumer Trend Report; Technomic 2017 Beverage Consumer Trend Report
OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT
Compass Group recently launched a line of protein kits and snack boxes, including Cheese & Fruit Bites and There’s Hummus Among Us, for foodservice customers to sell in retail locations.
MEALS TYPICALLY REPLACED WITH SNACKS
DIGITAL INNOVATIONS
As much as consumers still care about the “hightouch value” of service, they’re also extremely interested in high-tech solutions to enhance their dining experiences and make them more convenient. From online ordering to iPad menus, technology that meets consumer demand for convenience and entertainment is grabbing attention.
With 33% of consumers ordering takeout more often than three years ago, according to Technomic (49% among diners 18-34 years old), restaurants and other foodservice operations are offering more ways to order, pay, and customize delivery and takeout choices:
- Online ordering via mobile device is becoming more prevalent, to reduce the need for multiple apps
- Branded chatbots facilitate online ordering through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter
- Text messaging is being used for super-fast online ordering
- In-app geotracking features instruct kitchen staff to finalize orders as customers approach
- Text-to-join systems allow easier customer enrollment in loyalty and frequent-user programs
- Kiosks utilize recognition technology, allowing them to “read” a signal from a mobile app, suggest patrons’ favorite orders, and default to a method of payment
39% of consumers would order food via a mobile device.
70% of consumers order food online; of those, 65% use a mobile app, while 35% use their laptop or desktop.
In addition, technology is being used as a form of entertainment. For instance, interactive tabletops allow consumers to play games and view the back of the house via “chef cams.” And some tech-savvy companies have augmented reality-friendly iconography that interacts with their loyalty apps.
40% of consumers find the idea of interactive tabletops highly appealing.
OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT
Chipotle has partnered with DoorDash to launch direct delivery systemwide through either the chain’s website or its mobile app.
Sources: Technomic 2018 Generational Consumer Trend Report; Technomic 2016 Takeout & Off-Premise Dining Consumer Trend Report; IFMA/Datassential 2017/2018 Consumer Planning Program, Food Delivery; Technomic Omnibus Consumer Survey, October 2017
CONCLUSION
Trends Are Evolving
Be ready to catch them on the upswing.
From bold ethnic flavors and plant-based options to all-day snacking and on-the-go ordering, today’s trends are all about meeting customers’ expectations—and customers’ expectations are ramping up.
24% of consumers purchase ethnic food from restaurants at least once a week.
Technomic reminds us that consumers are moving targets, and that operators must:
- Continuously and holistically monitor trends, and
- Focus strategy and innovation on emerging customer needs
But very few trends—especially food and beverage trends and other customer-focused developments—exist in a vacuum. They’re part of an evolution, like the growing appetite for ethnic cuisines (see sidebar).
31% of consumers are seeking an entirely new experience when trying a new restaurant.
This evolution is typical of the way trends filter into the foodservice industry, in a steady pattern of growth. Being proactive at the right stage for your segment is the best way to take advantage of the opportunities.
Sources: Technomic, The Flavor Experience—Defusing Disruptors (2018); Migration Policy Institute; Technomic, Consumer Food Trends, February 2018; IFMA/Datassential 2017/2018 Consumer Planning Program, Emerging Concepts & Disruptors; Datassential Global Flavors Keynote Report, November 2017; Datassential FoodBytes, 2018 Trends; Datassential SNAP! Korean, 2018
EVOLUTION OF A TREND: KOREAN CUISINE
The growth in global food and beverages is driving deeper explorations and exciting new discoveries. In many cases the availability of global cuisines follows a particular trajectory of consumer exposure, from authentic food in ethnic population enclaves to adventurous-foodie obsession to mainstream phenomenon.
26.3% of instances of “Korean” appear on non-Korean menus.
This growth almost always works in tandem with demographic changes. For example,
the number of Korean immigrants in the United States grew rapidly after the Immigration Act of 1965 removed restrictions on Asian migration. “Koreatown” enclaves sprung up in such urban areas as Los Angeles and New York City, as places where homesick Koreans and curious food lovers could experience the culture.
Second-generation Korean-Americans like David Chang and Roy Choi were anxious to introduce their foodways to American diners in more accessible ways, with restaurants like Momofuku Noodle Bar and fusion offerings such as Korean tacos. From there, the trend may become progressively more mainstream.
Have you noticed the growth of "Korean" food in your area?
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The information provided is based on a general industry overview, and isnot specific to your business operation. Each operation is unique and business decisions should be made after consultation with appropriate experts.
