![]() DAWN FARMS TOP 9 | ISSUE 10| 2019GLOBAL UPDATE ON CONSUMER, MARKET AND MENU INSIGHTS.Did you know that you can translate the Top 9 into any language by viewing it in Google Chrome, simply right-click the page and select ‘Translate’. If you don’t currently use Google Chrome as your web browser click here to download. 1. PARIS WELCOMES WAGAMAMAFast-growing Asian-themed casual dining chain Wagamama recently opened its first location in France in partnership with French food service group FDC Croissance. The British chain is currently located in 23 different countries across Europe, the Middle East and New Zealand. The Paris menu features Wagamama’s classic rice/noodle dishes as well as its new plant-based menu. Wagamama was bought by TRG last October and last month it reported outperforming the UK restaurant sector in its second quarter to November 11, with turnover up 15.4% yoy £81.5m. Another UK operator due to open in May is Korean street food-inspired restaurant On the Bab, choosing Paris as its first location outside of London. ![]() 2. MCD NURTURES DUTCH GROWTHMcDonald’s Netherlands saw a 5% increase in guest foot traffic in 2018 which now has a total of 247 restaurants in the region. A Nasdaq report on the restaurant chain saw solid performance in the Netherlands calling it a high growth market. Consumers spent more on burgers, coffee, and breakfast items in 2018 - total sales rose by more than a tenth to 896mn euros. Contributing to this was a wider range - 17 new products added included 9 new premium burgers, while 40 new McCafés were opened to cater towards the growing breakfast sector. The chain is also expanding its sustainable initiatives and delivery services to reach more areas. ![]() 3. CASUAL DINING SHOW 2019 At the Casual Dining Show this month the Azzurri Group, Wagamama, Oakman Inns & NWTC were among the winners of Restaurant and Pub awards. Dishoom was selected as Trailblazer of the Year, while The Florist in Liverpool won best new concept for its sensory approach to food and cocktails. The ‘well-travelled’ menu of Caravan won the innovation award. Talking about the Future of Foodservice 2030, Simon Stenning from MCA referred to a switch from casual dining to ‘social refuelling’, a world where technology is harnessed effectively, ensuring a fast, fun eating experience, as consumers try to fit more into busier lifestyles. ![]() 4. BREXIT IMPACT ON UK GROCERIESAs Brexit frustrations continue to mount, consumer shopping intentions continue to be impacted. Nielsen data suggest consumers are being cautious with average spend per visit dropping 2% over the past month; partly due to buying less, partly deflation-led. Some 80% of British shoppers are concerned about price increases in the event of a no-deal Brexit (Kantar). The topic of stockpiling has also been picked up by consumers’ radar - more than one third of shoppers have started or are considering stockpiling food essentials. Kantar notes this behaviour has not yet been reflected in sales, with overall grocery volumes rising at a stable 1.2% in the four weeks to 24th February. ![]() 5. DOMINO’S POINTS MEAN PIZZADomino’s latest loyalty scheme aims to poach new customers from other brands, including retail, with its latest app technology. The promotion asks customers to sign up to their new ‘Piece of the Pie’ loyalty program which will award the customer with points every time they eat pizza and scan the image to the app. Once customers hit 60 points, they become eligible for a free pizza. Domino’s hit a big milestone this week as it opened is 16,000th store. Dominos has grown rapidly worldwide in the past 5 years with an additional 4,800 new stores and no plans to put the breaks on, in the US a further 2,350 stores are planned by 2028. ![]() 6. 19 TRENDING INGREDIENTSUS menu analysts Tastewise have used AI technology to analyse menus, recipes and social platforms for real-time information on what’s currently trending on plates around the world. Some ingredients are enjoying a revival on the culinary scene as chefs find new uses for them. Among 19 of the most talked about trends in fine dining are ingredients such as truffle, harissa and pumpkin which could be attributed to seasonality. Pork belly, foie gras and wagyu are also luxury menu items trending worldwide. See more food trends that are on the rise this year here >> ![]() 7. SANDWICHING THE GLOBEYou can’t beat sandwiches when it comes to wrapping global flavours, craveability and familiar flavours into a handheld format. US website GetFlavor describes this as the “banh mi effect,” following the example of the Vietnamese favourite. From Mexican tortas to Indian flatbreads, there are a number of sandwich mashups to tempt consumers out of their habitual stupor. Why not try the Pambazo Idaho Potatoes Sandwich (Diced Idaho potatoes, crumbled chorizo, pickled red onion and Cotija cheese) or the Chicken and Grape arepa (shredded smoked paprika chicken, scallions, fresh grapes, crumbled feta). ![]() 8. FROZEN FUELLING PIZZA GROWTHPizza has been performing well in UK supermarkets, up 4.7% to over £1bn [Grocer/Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 4 November 2018] with frozen pizza growing faster than chilled despite a raft of innovation (13 new chilled ranges contributing £9.3m). Retail pizza is fighting back against the growing takeaway market – UK consumers ate 171 million servings of takeaway pizza in 2017 NPD Group. In January, market leader in frozen pizza Chicago Town announced plans to launch a pizza-to-go format for convenience stores. Asda’s joint venture with Just Eat is said to be early days but “working well” and is being rolled out to a total of 12 stores this month. ![]() 9. DORITO’S REUSABLE BAGDorito’s Israel has found a way to meet both a consumer need with the needs of the environment. Put simply, its reusable bag cleans your crumb-laden fingers. In January it launched the Towel Bag, a Doritos bag made of terry cotton which acts as a packet for Doritos, and doubles as a place to wipe hands afterwards. The snack brand partnered with Israeli video game retailer BUG to target gamers with the launch of the new bag. Click here to see Dorito’s lifechanging experience >> ![]() HAVE YOU HEARD OF DAWN FARMS POCKET WATCH? Request our latest issue of Pocket Watch - a bimonthly UK consumer confidence tracker which we developed back in 2016 in response to the Brexit referendum to provide context to consumer spending behaviour in the UK. 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. Visit our website to discover the ingredients that set us apart. We welcome feedback and would love to know how we can improve the Top 9 experience for you - tell us your thoughts by emailing Julie Sloan | JSloan@dawnfarms.ie The above information has been taken from sources we believe to be reliable and trustworthy. However the accurateness and completeness thereof are not guaranteed and therefore should not be relied upon as such. Dawn Farms does not endorse or approve the content of any information from third party sites nor will it have any liability in connection with any third party site (including but not limited to liability arising out of any allegation that the content of or information on any third party site infringes any law or the rights of any person or entity). ![]() |