A look at the key food and beverage flavor and ingredient trends impacting the foodservice industry in Q4 2019.

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T. HASEGAWA

T. HASEGAWA

U.S. MENUS: GROWING FLAVOR AND INGREDIENT TRENDS

THE KEY FLAVOR AND INGREDIENT TRENDS IMPACTING
THE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY THIS QUARTER.

FOOD FLAVOR & INGREDIENT TRENDS

TREND: TATER TOTS CONTINUE TO TAKE OFF

MADE-TO-ORDER SNACK PURCHASES ARE INCREASING.

Three fourths of consumers (75%) have purchased an MTO snack in the last three months, up from 67% in 2017.

GENERATION Z IS DRIVING MTO SNACKING.

Tater tots and loaded tots make for satiating snacks or meal replacements as well as craveable food items ideal for a generation that loves to treat themselves with comfort food.

Tator Tots Trending

+52%

Q4 2016-Q4 2019
(# menu mentions)

TOTS ON THE MENU

TOTCHOS – BOSSCAT KITCHEN & LIBATIONS (HOUSTON, TX).

Totchos (tots nachos) feature potato tots topped with Spanish chorizo, cheese sauce, jalapeño and a fried egg.

Tachos Trending

TREND: NEW AUTHENTIC ITALIAN INGREDIENTS

While it’s clear that Americans love Italian cuisine as-is, they also look to restaurants to surprise and delight them with new and lesser-known Italian ingredients. A few authentically Italian ingredients growing quickly on US restaurant menus include arrabbiata spicy pasta sauce (+), guanciale or cured pork jowl or cheek (+31%), Castelvetrano olives (+14%) and branzino Mediterranean sea bass (+14%).

Authentic Italian Ingredients Trending
Guanciale Pizza

GUANCIALE PIZZA – GJELINA (LOS ANGELES)

The Guanciale Pizza features pomodoro sauce, mozzarella cheese, thin-shaved guanciale (cured pig’s jowl), Castelvetrano olives and Fresno chiles.

TREND: CONSUMERS CRAVE CRISPY TEXTURES

Texture plays an enormous role in the dining and eating experience. The vast majority of consumers – more than four in five – think that the texture of a dish is just as important as its flavor. Crispy textures and toppings can add a nice and favorable complement to softer dishes, such as soups and stews (eg curries, chili), sandwiches and more.

CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Cooper’s Hawk Crispy Brussels Sprouts feature cashews, mint, sweet Thai chili and sesame-Sriracha aioli.

Tator Tots Trending

+770%

Crispy menu item claims

CRISPY TEXTURES IN RETAIL

DANG – TOASTED SESAME THAI RICE CHIPS

The Guanciale Pizza features pomodoro sauce, mozzarella cheese, thin-shaved guanciale (cured pig’s jowl), Castelvetrano olives and Fresno chiles.

Crispy Textures Trending

BEVERAGE FLAVOR & INGREDIENT TRENDS

TREND: LESSER-KNOWN TROPICAL BEVERAGE INGREDIENTS

Tropical flavors are growing steadily in beverages on US menus. Not only are guava, passion fruit and kiwi ingredients growing in beverages – many of which are alcoholic, but there is also directional growth of guava juice, papaya juice and dragon fruit in beverages.

Lastly, tropical Asian ingredients are also growing quickly in beverages, including lychee fruit and yuzu.

Tropical Beverage Ingredients

+3%

Tropical flavor

Guava Flavor

+38%

Guava

Passion Fruit Flavor

+38%

Passion Fruit

Kiwi Flavor

+

Kiwi

TREND: PLANT-BASED MILK ALTERNATIVES

Many of the leading restaurant chains are only just now jumping on the plant-based bandwagon when it comes to milk alternatives, rolling them out quickly across several parts of the beverage menu, particularly as ingredient options in cocktails, smoothies, coffees and espresso-based drinks.

Oat Milk

+

Coconut Milk

+208%

Almond Milk

+133%

Plant-Based Milk Alternatives

ALTERNATIVES ON THE MENU

Next up, look for more restaurants to follow retail’s lead and offer pea and sesame seed milk options on the menu.

COLD BREW HORCHATA-COLECTIVO COFFEE (CHAIN)

Session cold brew with oat milk, cinnamon and vanilla syrup.

Cold Brew Horchata

RIPPLE-TURMERIC AND CHAI FLAVORED PLANT-BASED MILK

This plant-based milk alternative features turmeric and Ripptein, a tea-based protein. The product also contains cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and ginger flavors.

Ripple Tumeric and Chai Flavored Plant Based Milk

*Source: Mintel