What’s on Trend  in Foodservice for 2019?

Everybody always wants to know “what’s on trend” – is orange the new black?

People make whole careers out of forecasting trends across every sector of our busy lives.

FOMO ( or “fear of missing out” for the slightly more mature reader!) drives purchasing and therefore trends.

However as a foodservice operator these trends are only relevant if you can create revenue or save some time, and ideally both.

Identifying your customer’s needs, and providing an experience before they realised they needed anything, will drive revenue.

NCB!

One trend that is growing exponentially is Nitro Cold Brew coffee,  or NCB!

In the USA, the trend for cold brew sales are going to exceed $1.4billion  in 2018, and UK coffee houses are tapping into this experience.

What’s NCB?

This is just a cold brewed coffee, however there is more science involved than just making it at home. Many coffee operators are now identifying specific bean types, roast level and brewing conditions.

As a drinker of strong black coffee, this gives you the caffeine boost, without the bitterness of hot coffee.

Adding some nitrogen gas, creates a creamy head, with small nitrogen bubbles, that create a mouthfeel and a visual, akin to a pint of Guinness.

If you already have the food grade gas, you can nitrogenate any beverage on your cold drinks menu, and there is a premium price available, for a premium experience.

New business partners like F&E Coffee in Bury St Edmunds are putting the craft, the style and the expertise into delivering the optimum coffee experience.

Call Ben and they can help you discuss this possible opportunity.

www.fandecoffee.co.uk

 

Vegan Opportunities for Your Menu for 2019.

When I trained as a chef, I’m sure my ex RAF Chef Instructor had never heard of or cooked anything vegan, and vegetarian food was a few practical lectures, and  a questionable nut roast was about the only option, if you were dining out.

Thankfully the vegetarian options on menus are amazing, thanks to the fabulous development chefs who travel the world, and create stunning options for those who just want to have more choices.

Vegan menus are also going to continue to be mainstream, and Google searches for items related to vegetarianism have grown 90%.

According to the Mintel research, adding items like hemp, chia and flaxseeds to oatmeal, or nut butters on new bread carriers.

Working with  Kerry Foods ( Kerry Digest Fast Facts), they have concluded that consumers are almost twice as likely to order plant-based protein menu items in a restaurant, than purchase in the supermarket.

This gives the chef opportunities to create new menu items from less familiar ingredients.

Talk to your customers, find out what they would like to try,and maybe have a trial run.

 

Breakfast All Day

According to the “National Restaurant Association” news, extension of brunch as a meal, is all Millennial’s want to eat on a weekend!

So it would make sense to extend the trend here in the UK, and  look at recipes that have  maybe an ethnic flare, or middle eastern  dishes like Shakshooka.

Showcasing eggs with different plant based proteins with house produced pickles, or even different bread style carriers for more portable options, can create interest and even signature brunch ideas.

Extending your menu doesn’t have to be costly or include new ingredients, just looking at what you have in house, and creating a different flavour profile, is often enough to keep the Instagram community interested for weeks!

Avocado Toast and Cloud Eggs have been huge sucess stories, as well as being easy to make, and good for you!

Food Trust is at the heart of everything we do as operators and chefs alike.

So do contact me, and let’s start the conversation,and thank you for your support.

Alison.