Trends on the Horizon

With the industry cycling through trends faster than ever, it’s no longer enough to simply keep up with what’s trending now. Instead, brands need to be looking ahead, paying close attention to the food items, cuisines, flavors, and ingredients that are beginning to pick up steam. Focusing on innovating with up-and-coming trends, rather than what’s already trending, is one way that brands can stand out in an already crowded market.

How can brands know what’s on the horizon for food trends? Look to trends that are beginning to take hold in foodservice, and in fine dining in particular, for inspiration. Some of the most influential and prolific trends of recent years have started in foodservice and eventually made their way into retail. Here are a few trends in foodservice to watch right now, as they may be indicative of what’s to come for retail.

African Cuisine

Up 69% in menu item mentions according to Mintel, African cuisine has been gaining traction in foodservice after years of being overshadowed by Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. Gen Z consumers, in particular, have become obsessed with trying African cuisine at foodservice establishments. Younger consumers report being the least likely to simply stick to cuisines that they’re familiar with and prefer more exotic options, according to Mintel.

Although African cuisine has finally been making its mark on foodservice, it does not have much of a presence in retail – yet. As consumers become more familiar with African cuisine, they’ll expect to find African inspired products at the grocery store. Get ahead of this trend by introducing products featuring classic flavors and ingredients from Africa in everything from snack products and sauces to frozen foods and desserts. Ethiopian and Moroccan cuisines are particularly popular, so look to spice blends, dishes, beverages, and baked goods from these countries for inspiration.

Unique & Sophisticated Ingredients

Consumers love variety; they’re tired of more of the same, and they want brands to introduce them to something new. They may be craving something spicy, but that doesn’t mean they want the source of that heat to be the same jalapeno flavor time after time. They’d prefer that brands shake things up by introducing them to exotic peppers from around the world. For this reason, many pepper varieties are showing growth in foodservice. Keep a close eye on the peppers that are gaining traction in foodservice so that you can be prepared to delight consumers by bringing those peppers to retail products.

Inflation has meant that consumers have been cutting back on eating at restaurants. They still want, however, to continue to use food as a means of exploration and to enjoy upscale experiences. Only now, they’ll be looking to have those experiences from home to save money. Exploring with food from home became popular during the pandemic and appears to be here to stay, given current financial challenges. Even after the economy bounces back, consumers will be accustomed to getting to try new and sophisticated foods from home, meaning that brands can focus on innovating with up-and-coming sophisticated ingredients, like mushrooms and truffles, that are showing growth in foodservice.

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