Given the heightened awareness of the importance of better-for-you and functional food options, it makes sense that demand for protein alternatives would grow exponentially during the pandemic.
As we reported in our 2021 Foodservice Trends: A Look at the Road Ahead report, 78% of consumers would like restaurants to menu more food and beverages with functional benefits.1 The consumer appetite for functional foods is robust, with 61% of those surveyed saying they're either extremely or very interested in them.1
Read More
Topics:
Trends,
Better-for-You,
Vegan,
Vegetarian,
Flexitarian,
Plant-Forward,
Foodservice Industry,
Sustainability,
Health & Wellness,
COVID-19,
Coronavirus
Operators have increasingly turned to limited time offers in recent years to entice customers and spur sales. In fact, Technomic research indicates that LTO launches among the biggest 500 chain restaurant and retail operations grew 64% from 2014 to 2019.1
Read More
Topics:
Merchandising,
Promotions,
Independents,
Family Restaurant,
Takeout,
Quick Service Restaurant,
Casual Dining Restaurant,
Delivery,
National,
Custards/Cheesecakes,
Cookies/Bars/Snacks,
Ice Cream Desserts,
Main Dishes,
Dessert,
Chocolate,
CHIPS AHOY!,
OREO,
Cookies,
Dessert Ingredients,
Grab-and-Go,
Convenience,
Foodservice Industry,
Menu,
Creative Inspiration,
Customer Experience,
Consumer,
Flavors & Ingredients,
Menu Strategy,
Food & Beverage,
Packaging,
Sales & Profitability,
Drive-Thru,
COVID-19,
Coronavirus,
Curbside Pickup,
Fast-Casual Restaurant,
Branded Ingredients,
Flavor Profiles,
Consumer Behavior,
Indulgence,
Limited Time Offers (LTOs),
Dips/Spreads/Sauces,
Sandwiches/Burgers,
Prepackaged,
Nostalgia
Comfort foods stand the test of time because they feed a perennial need for gratifying flavor experiences that offer respite from everyday cares and concerns. Survey data shows that 78% of consumers surveyed (84% of millennials) snack for a sense of comfort.1 What’s more, a majority say snacks are just as important to their mental (71%) and emotional (70%) well-being as their physical well-being.
Read More
Topics:
Trends,
Foodservice Industry,
Menu Strategy,
Recipes,
Culinary,
COVID-19,
Coronavirus,
Fast-Casual Restaurant
Snacking has become increasingly popular in recent years—and shows no signs of slowing down.
In 2018, 80% of consumers snacked at least once a day.1 Two years later, 88% of adults surveyed for Mondelēz International’s 2020 State of Snacking™ report said they were noshing between meals just as much as—or more than—they did in 2019.2
Read More
Topics:
Millennials,
Trends,
Promotions,
Marketing & Communications,
Side Dishes,
Quick Service Restaurant,
Appetizers/Snacks,
Snack,
Gen Z,
Gen X,
Baby Boomers,
Gum & Candy,
Single-Serve,
OREO,
Dessert Ingredients,
Foodservice Industry,
Menu,
Consumer,
Demographic,
Flavors & Ingredients,
Menu Strategy,
Retail,
Operations,
COVID-19,
Coronavirus,
Fast-Casual Restaurant,
Branded Ingredients,
Mashups,
Flavor Profiles,
Personalization,
Consumer Behavior,
Value,
Indulgence,
Customization,
Limited Time Offers (LTOs)
The restaurant business in the age of COVID-19 has become a litany of losses—lost jobs, lost customers, lost sales. But one thing that the industry never lost was hope as the shift to off-premises models, digital integration and a renewed emphasis on margin-friendly menu innovation helped salvage business.
Read More
Topics:
Trends,
Takeout,
Delivery,
Foodservice Industry,
Sales & Profitability,
Operations,
COVID-19,
Coronavirus,
Off-Premises
