The food we order, buy, cook, and eat is influenced by several factors. One of the key factors is consumer trends which are shaped by a combination of short-term impacts and longer-running themes.
Here are our top four key food and beverage trends we are seeing in the market at the moment.
Bold international flavours
With international travel still affected by the pandemic and recently hit by cost-of-living increases, people are opting to travel the world through their tastebuds!
Consumers are now more than ever experimenting with their food choices and choosing outlets and venues that offer global flavours and dishes.
According to a new report from Bidfood, cuisines that are gaining traction include Peruvian, Scandinavian, Burmese, Pacific Rim, and Filipino. This includes not only when eating out of home meals but also ready-made packaged foods.
Experiential dining & attention-grabbing products
Experiential and themed venues increased in popularity since the start of the pandemic, and this year there is a continued demand for new dining experiences and bold, exciting new flavours.
From cat cafes, which let customers sit with a coffee with cats to theatrical dining experiences, to speakeasy bars, pop-ups, mixology events and multisensory fine dining experiences – customers are consistently on the search for new and memorable dining experiences.
Bold and attention-grabbing products and menu items can similarly meet consumer demand. To match the excitement of experiential dining, create a buzz with decadent, instagrammable desserts, quirky concepts, or foods with new flavour pairings and profiles.
Focus on sustainability
Environmental awareness amongst UK consumers has surged, with 85% now making more sustainable lifestyle choices, according to Deloitte’s latest 2021 Sustainable Consumer research. Consumers seek out food and beverage products that have a positive impact on their health and the planet.
Operators can hit the mark by focusing on:
- Locally and ethically sourced products
- In-season ingredients
- Plant-based options
- Reducing food waste
Healthy options
According to the Bidfood report, nearly half of people (46%) consciously look for healthy options on menus either most or all of the time*. Not only that, 1 in 4 people (24%) see it as such a necessity that they would go somewhere else if there was no healthy option on the menu*.
It’s important that operators understand what health-conscious consumers are prioritising right now and what healthy looks like for them.
Here are the top key priorities for health-conscious consumers:
- Calorie-conscious and lower sugar options
- Plant-based options, which are seen as both sustainable and health-friendly
- Healthy superfoods
- Foods with added functional ingredients
Get in touch
If you need help finding the latest innovative products, or new food or drink concepts that will help you meet the needs of your consumer – please contact us for any support at 01252 705214 or hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk. We are here to help.
Sources:
https://www.bidfood.co.uk/blog/4-ways-to-appeal-to-health-conscious-consumers-in-2022/
https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/sustainable-consumer.html
*CGA and Bidfood bespoke consumer survey, September 2021
