Money doesn’t grow on trees, but avocados do—and they generate a lot of green. Last summer, Time magazine reported that Americans were spending a minimum of $900,000 per month on avocado toast¹—a foodservice trend that seems to be the fruit of the millennial mania for better-for-you fare with a flavorful twist. Mashed green fruit on browned bread: Who would have thought? And who could have imagined its sales would soar to such heights?

Millennials have the fever for flavor adventures—and as the largest U.S. age demographic,¹ they just may take the cake as tastemakers whose preferences influence snack selections found on grocery stores and menus around the country.

As a recent article in The Washington Post reports, millennials love to snack, and their tendency to bypass traditional meals in favor of grazing drives demand for an ever-expanding array of snack options.¹ In particular, healthy options such as roasted chickpeas, chia seed pudding and popped sorghum have emerged from obscurity to take a star turn as better-for-you fare.¹

'Tis the season when foodservice operators can enjoy the gift of high sales—and it’s summertime. Seasonality is a sales catalyst, and summer is no exception when it comes to seasonally inspired flavor profiles and culinary concepts. When temperatures rise, sales can rise too, provided your product mix leverages the summer’s hottest foodservice trends.

According to the foodservice research firm Technomic, seasonal ingredients fuse freshness and uniqueness, and younger consumers are especially receptive to seasonal and limited-time offers.¹ Technomic data traces the upward arc of the trend: 47% of millennials surveyed in 2017 agree their preferences change with the seasons, compared to 39% in 2015.¹

Peanut butter is one of those perennial favorites that brings back fond childhood memories yet stays forever fresh and contemporary, lending itself to an endless array of flavorful pairings. With so many applications, from cookies to confections, donuts to delicacies, chicken to burgers and beyond, it’s no wonder consumers keep going nuts for peanut butter and find new ways to enjoy it.

Pumpkin spice sure is nice, signaling the start of the holiday season and boosting business for foodservice operators across America, where the love affair with the perennial fall flavor seems to pile up sales like so much foliage.