Foodservice Trends Roundup for Growth-Minded Food Brands

Growth-minded food brands take note of Foodservice trends

Flexitarian influence?

Does the term “flexitarian diet” mean anything to you?  I didn’t know either until a few minutes ago. Flexitarian diet is the trendy term for the consumption of plant-based products with a shift to reducing meat consumption. You’d have to be under a rock in 2019 to not know the Impossible Foods brand. And if you don’t think it’s growing look again: 34 percent of French households contain at least one flexitarian according to Kantar Worldpanel.

Growth-minded food brands keeping track of trends look for opportunities in food trends. From full product lines to providing ingredients that leverage emerging trends, a nimble food brand can position products and increase foodservice distribution and sales.

NewPoint team keeps an eye on trends. Here we look back at 2019 trends – which are still growing? Which should you be paying attention to going into 2020?

From WebstaurantStore

  • Global Flavor
    Just like it sounds – exotic African, Asian, Middle Eastern flavors
  • Alternative Citrus
    Not your mom’s oranges, limes, and lemons. Look for kumquat, yuzu, pomelo, and citron.
  • Unique Seafood Options
    Sustainable plus unique options like squid, roe, geoduck, and cuttlefish
  • Veggie-Focused Dishes and Protein Alternatives
    (Or, as we learned above: Flexitarian)    Veggie-centered main courses as well as other sources of protein, such as beans, lab-grown meat options, insect protein, and plant milk.
  • New Types of Greens
    Kale was so last year. Go-to fresh greens look like your lawn – dandelion greens, amaranth, and sorrel. 
  • Mushrooms
    Packed with vitamins and a healthy, hearty alternative to meat, we know portobello, shiitake, and button and we’ll see new ‘sroom like enoki, wood ear, oyster, and porcini on popping up on menus in 2019
  • CBD
    It can’t get you high but is becoming the main ingredient in foods and treats epilepsy, reduce pain and stress, and help fight anxiety.
  • Health and Wellness Foods Just like is sounds now add an “Adaptogens category” These foods claim benefits, like stress and fatigue relief, as well as energy boosts.

From We Are Chefs

  • Flexitarian diet
    We know what this is (look to the top of this article).
  • Sustainability interest has the potential to upend the foodservice (and retail) economic model. “The way food is produced, preserved, shipped, and consumed needs to be rethought entirely. This includes the issue of plastic packaging and recourse to local sourcing.”
  • Naturally, good There is a growing awareness of the relationship between diet and health. The industry is transforming and equipment and products to produce a more natural and healthy diet.
  • Locavore The local movement is not new. I wrote about it in my book, Moving Your Brand Up the Food Chain published is Fall 2017, but it has grown steadily with folks looking for the freshness of products and transparency in production practices. Local consumption is also driven by economic motivations and regional pride in culinary culture.
  • Globalization
    The same as the WebstaurantStore list above.
  • Convenience Home meal or ingredient delivery anyone?

From FoodService Director

FoodService Director’s fourth annual Culinary Council Menu Trends Survey is 38-chefs strong and worth the read – if only to validate several of the trends listed about but to hear from directly from top chefs and foodservice professionals.

Are you a growth-minded food brand looking to explore growing your foodservice sales channel sales? Please reach out to the NewPoint team — interested in food marketing topics? Please visit our “Intel” page or check out my book: Moving Your Brand Up the Food Chain.