DAWN FARMS TOP 9 | ISSUE 16 | 2018

GLOBAL UPDATE ON CONSUMER, MARKET AND MENU INSIGHTS. 

1. MCDONALD'S WORLD CUP LINE UP

Sponsoring the FIFA World Cup for a sixth time this year, McDonald’s has kicked off its tradition of limited edition burgers ahead of this year’s tournament. There will be 8 different burgers, one for every day of the week during the World Cup, plus the McBrasil available every day topped with Brazilian cheese, herb mayo and bacon. Each burger represents a different country for example the McItalia (topped with pepperoni, sundried tomato sauce), the McFrance (brie and bacon) and the McArgentina (bacon, chimichurri sauce). Interestingly no McRussia. Each concept will also be accompanied by loaded fries or rustic potatoes.

2. CASUAL DINING OPTIMISM

 Amidst a lot of negative reporting in the casual dining sphere, Big Hospitality has given 10 reasons to be positive about the ‘casual dining crunch’. These are mainly in favour of independents however it does highlight for example, some relief to staffing shortages, a fledgling batch of talented chefs and business owners exploring new ventures, a potentially less saturated marketplace (especially along the Italian theme), and possibly even a rent re-evaluation on the horizon. 

3.  STREET-LEVEL TRENDS IN THE USA

Chefs are losing the meatless mindset – according to the Research Chefs Association annual conference in Savannah, USA. While veg-centricity has matured to become a macro trend – it doesn’t necessarily mean vegetarian or vegan, recognising the role meat and seafood play in the overall umami experience. Furthermore, Brazilian tapioca (good for gluten free and low fat/calorie snacks) and Indian cuisine mash-ups are 2 other trends emerging at ‘street-level’ in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. Indian flavours are being incorporated with toast, chicken wings and fries for example, or using paratha flatbread to wrap chicken cooked in a black curry with spices.

4. NANO LUNCH TREND

Wagamama’s new lunch report shows people taking less than 15 minutes for their lunch break. Some 25% of Brits fall into this growing ‘nano lunch’ category; 30% take less than 25 minutes a micro lunch) and 70% take fewer than 40 minutes (quick lunch). Last month the Asian restaurant launched Wagamamago, which it describes as the “Uber for diners” and “the world’s first walk-away app” which is expected to save customers at least 12 minutes at lunchtime. Apparently, consumers refuse to wait longer than 6 minutes in a queue for food, whilst pet hates in a restaurant consists of ‘waiting for the bill’.

5. SUMMER BBQ BOOM

BBQ season is fast approaching and barbecue is still a hot flavour trend in 2018 according to MCA because it is used in such a variety of ways including global interpretations such as Korean. Its menu tracker shows BBQ as the most popular flavour on menus, with chicken being used in 50% of barbecue dishes, followed by pulled pork. Italian and Spanish brands are showcasing BBQ menu offers too. Papa John’s recently launched its BBQ Cheeseburger Pizza with a bbq sauce base, a double helping of spicy beef and topped with gherkins to complete the cheeseburger experience.

 

6. DELIVEROO STRAIGHT TO DEPARTURE

Following a successful Dubai trial in 2017, Deliveroo and HMSHost International have teamed up to deliver food directly to passengers waiting at departure gates (beyond passport control) in Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. Food from Kebaya (Asian) or from the street food market (pizza, grilled meat and veg) are delivered by scooter within 15 minutes for just €2.50. Dutch home delivery sales are set to reach €1.4bn this year, up 20% (ABN Amro), fuelled by ease of use, greater choice of restaurants and good economic prospects in the region. With more than 10 outlets participating in Dubai, including Carluccios, Giraffe and McDonalds, Deliveroo aims to create the same interest from popular brands in Schiphol.

7. DELIVERY STATS STACK UP

The takeaway/delivery market has grown by 73% in the last 10 years (NPD Group, Feb 2018). Overall transactions are up by a fifth in the last 2 years, that’s 20 times faster than overall foodservice - equivalent to every UK consumer ordering 10 pizzas a year. (For perspective it’s around 6% of the total out-of-home market). Chinese food and pizza lead the pack, combined representing around half of all deliveries. Burgers have catapulted ahead, with 60% more deliveries in 2017 while pizza has lost 3% share to other types of fast food. Future growth will depend on how market newcomers maintain product consistency and service levels, as well as how established players adapt to changing consumer lifestyles.

8. PINEAPPLE ON THE RISE

Gold pineapples are not just a Millennial fashion trend; the edible variety have risen in popularity in the past few years, with sales up 15% in 2017 vs 10% for the now ubiquitous avocado according to Tesco. Hawaiian pizzas and pineapple juice have also benefited. Natural health benefits (vitamin C), convenience formats and versatility are said to be driving sales of the exotic fruit – use in savoury dishes has been fuelled by Latin American cuisines such as Caribbean, Mexican and Peruvian. While arguably the most divisive food-related debate; pineapple did make it onto Foodlers’ Top 10 Pizza Toppings in 2017. Red pineapple or cactus could be next trendsetter…watch this space.

9.  HEALTH & CONVENIENCE

No less than 5 trade shows hosted by William Reed took place at the NEC Birmingham this week, highlighting trends relevant to today’s consumer from health, indulgence to convenience. Tigernut (not a nut) grabbed the show’s headlines for its nutritional value while Wensleydale Creamery raised the benchmark with new round burger slices. Thick, hearty cuts of meat are on the menu, also chunky slices of smoked salmon. Booze-infused was a running theme. Untaxable soda and jackfruit were among many topics covered – check out the biggest trends write-up in this week’s Grocer>>