DAWN FARMS TOP 9 | ISSUE 24| 2019
GLOBAL UPDATE ON CONSUMER, MARKET AND MENU INSIGHTS.
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1. PIZZA HUT TURNS UP THE HEAT
Pizza Hut Delivery UK customers can turn up the heat this summer with the latest menu additions Buffalo Chicken Pizza and Loaded Nachos. The pizza comes topped with chunky pulled buffalo chicken, roasted onions & peppers, drizzled with a chipotle mayo. Increased taste in spicy food is one of the most significant changes in consumer preference. In fact, in 2018 the Institute of Export revealed there was a 12% increase in the amount spices being transported from the India to the UK. Seasoning supplier Kalsec reports chilli peppers experienced a 20% CAGR in global hot and spicy product launches from 2007 to 2018.
2. TECH IN THE DRIVING SEAT
Online food delivery company Deliveroo has set its sights on reaching 6.5 million more homes across the UK in the second half of 2019. The main driver behind this expansion will be an investment in tech hiring, looking for software engineers, specialists in algorithms, data scientists, designers and product managers. Meanwhile, Domino’s USA has announced a partnership with Nuro, a robotics food delivery company, to begin testing robots delivering pizzas from a store in Houston, Texas later this year with select customers. The goal of the driverless delivery service is to replicate the personal ‘human’ delivery experience which Domino’s customers expect.
3. A HOMESLICE OF SIGNATURE
To celebrate six years in the restaurant business, London pizza chain Homeslice has launched 6 new signature pizzas, one for each of its 6 sites across the capital. Homeslice started out with a mobile wood-fired oven, offering a semi-gourmet take on the classics alongside more unique flavour combinations. You will find for example at Neal’s Yard burrata from Puglia and León serrano ham. The Marylebone pizza includes air-dried Wagyu beef and truffle crème while in Shoreditch, check out their signature take on ham, egg & chips – with pulled ham hock, duck eggs and a pea purée base.
4. FUTURE 50 OF FOODSERVICE
Each year US website Restaurant Business creates its annual ranking of ‘rising’ stars in the foodservice industry (sales $20-50mn). The top 3 are CoreLife Eatery, The Halal Guys, and Wahlburgers (the second 2 have already crossed over to the UK). The list includes a broad spectrum of operators from health-focused to pizza, burgers, Mexican, Middle Eastern-themed, and coffee shops. Key trends from 2018 remain dominant such as evolving ‘better for you’ offers, customisation, fast casual service models, non-intrusive technology, and on-site entertainment such as music nights at Babalu Tacos & Tapas.
5. WHOPPER EXPANSION
Burger King UK is planning 30 restaurant openings each year until 2022, adding to its already 500-strong portfolio. It’s targeting new high footfall areas (typically transport hubs, retail parks, shopping centres, high street). Menu and service innovation including delivery, and re-imaging stores are at the forefront of attracting new and repeat customers. Recently in the Top 9 we covered RBI’s ambitious plans for all 3 brands in Europe (Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes) - click here to listen to CEO Jose Cil outlining their growth strategy in the competitive QSR category >>
6. TESCO 'FINEST' STORES
Nine months after the opening of discount retailer Jack's, Tesco has unveiled plans to open a Tesco ‘Finest’ convenience concept as one of its initiatives to revive slowing sales growth in the UK. Illustration of concept stores revealed a café with indoor and outdoor seating and it was suggested that stores could be twice as profitable as current stores. The Tesco ‘Finest’ brand was launched over 20 years ago and its range now consists of over 900 products. New ‘Tesco Finest’ stores could potentially upset the joint venture plans between M&S and Ocado. Click here to see YouGov’s take on the viability of this Tesco Finest proposal >>
7. GERMAN CONSUMERS TRADING UP
The German foodservice market got off to a fairly positive start in Q1 2019 with average spend rising by 3% while visits remained quite static (+1%). Given that average consumer price inflation (CPI) in Germany is 1.52%, this suggests German consumers are prepared to pay a little more when eating out, particularly at weekends and ordering takeaways. A newcomer to the pizza takeaway scene in Germany is Papa John’s - whose Russian master franchisee recently acquired the 13 stores of pizza chain Uno Pizza. There are plans to open 250 locations over the next 5-7 years.
8. UK VS US LIFESTYLE PRIORITIES
We often look to the US for consumer and market trends inspiration. How do UK and US lifestyle trends compare? Researchers from Attest have highlighted the following key takeaways, recognising the changing needs and expectation of Millennials/Gen Z. Reducing plastic waste is a big priority for UK consumers, but more awareness is needed in the US. Reducing meat consumption is much more on the radar of UK consumers than in the US. In both regions, consumers are defining their own ideas of beauty and want brands that are personalised and inclusive. Consumers are increasingly age-fluid, with wants and needs that cross demographics. People are becoming hardcore homebodies, but the risk of isolation is high.
9. GOOGLE CELEBRATES FALAFEL
Ever noticed Google Doodles? These are the fun and interactive changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists, pioneers, and scientists. This week, Google celebrated the humble falafel maintaining it is “the best thing that ever happened to chickpeas – with the possible exception of hummus, of course.” Falafels have become a common vegetarian menu item in recent years, helping to establish Middle Eastern cuisine in the modern QSR arena. Earlier this year McDonald’s Sweden introduced the McFalafel. Fun facts: June 12th was in fact international falafel day, and India exports over 9mn tonnes chickpeas across the world (2017, Statista).
At Dawn Farms we offer a full product solution for cooked, dried and fermented meat ingredients across pizza, sandwich and prepared meal sectors. We are proud to be the preferred supplier to the world's leading food brands and are considered to be the industry leaders in food safety, sustainability and insight-led product innovation. We put the customer at the heart of everything we do, which is why for your convenience all our products are fully cooked and ready-to-eat.
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