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.
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.
+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.
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%).
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.
+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.
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.
+3%
Tropical flavor
+38%
Guava
+38%
Passion Fruit
+
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%
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.
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.
*Source: Mintel
