DAWN FARMS TOP 9 | ISSUE 21 | 2018

GLOBAL UPDATE ON CONSUMER, MARKET AND MENU INSIGHTS. 

1. UK SANDWICH WEEK

We’re celebrating Sandwich Week in the UK, so this week’s Top 9 is unashamedly dominated by what’s new in sandwiches. Catch up on the conversation with the British Sandwich Association here>> what is consumers’ favourite shape of sandwich – rectangle or triangle? Is the bacon butty as popular with Millennials? Where are the best independent sandwich shops in the UK? Or check out Olive magazine’s ‘best ever’ sandwich recipes, from the Portugese prego to the Cubano to the Katsu sando>>

2. HOT MENU TREND: PORCHETTA 

Recently US food bloggers (Kruse Company) highlighted the rise of Italian porchetta on menus from food trucks, to QSR and high-end Italian restaurants.  Traditionally made from a whole suckling pig; porchetta paired with crusty bread makes a mouthwatering sandwich filler. Gjusta’s ‘Porchetta Melt’ features rapini, onion and fontina cheese. Barzotto offers porchetta on a charcuterie board with cherry mostarda and in pasta with kale, ricotta and Aleppo chile.  The Porchetta Truck’s ‘Red-Headed Stepchild’ serves porchetta, hot peppers, pickled red onions and roasted red pepper cream.  QSR favourite Arby’s Porchetta Sandwich serves thinly sliced porchetta on a toasted sub roll with melted provolone, banana peppers, red wine vinaigrette and garlic aioli.

3.  MCDONALD'S SKY KITCHEN  

McDonald’s has unveiled its new store in Sydney Airport, featuring a see-through area where food is transported down to customers from the “kitchen in the sky” via a conveyor belt. McDonald’s had limited space in Sydney Airport so had to think outside the box when designing the restaurant. The new, colourful store is unique but is part of McDonald’s long-term development strategy to deliver a modern and convenient dining experience to customers. The new restaurant has proved popular, it is already one of the most Instagrammed places at Sydney Airport and travellers are now arriving to the airport early to see it.

4. NRA CONVERSATION

The NRA (National Restaurant Association) annual event in Chicago is a way to get fully immersed in the latest industry topics. Six top themes emerged from this year’s show; including the authenticity and value-driven Gen Z (forecast to represent 40% of the population by 2020); ‘big data’ collection which will shed more light on all consumers; plant-based proteins and sustainable packaging. And in case you missed it; here are top food and drink trends for 2018 as predicted by the NRA’s annual survey of 700 professional chefs>

5. PRET’S GERMAN DEBUT

Pret A Manger is to open its first German store in partnership with Station Food later this year in Berlin Central Station. It will offer its classic sandwiches, salads, wraps, baguettes, toasties and sweet treats alongside organic hot drinks. This is the latest step in its EU expansion after opening its first Dutch store in Utrecht in March and its first Scandinavian store in Copenhagen back in February. Pret’s arrival taps into the growing focus on health and wellbeing in Germany. The €17+bn QSR market (Global Data 2017) is still primarily focused on convenience, good value and indulgence, however the success of ‘fresh casual’ chains like Vapiano suggests consumers are being exposed to a greater choice of higher quality options and are ready to trade up.

6.  WAITROSE EMBRACES GLOBAL BBQ

Waitrose has revealed its 2018 barbecue range – some 35 new products reflecting a global BBQ influence from America, the Middle East to Asia. Examples include Lemongrass, Chilli & Lime Pork Kebabs, Chipotle Caramel Chicken Drumsticks, Pomegranate & Sumac Chicken Breast Kebabs and Yuzu & Miso Butterflied Pork Fillet. Other highlights include the Buttermilk Chicken King Kebab and the Treacle Cured Flat Iron Steak. Waitrose has also revamped the traditional burger with Black Garlic Beef and Mesquite Pork varieties. Recently M&S raised the ‘stakes’ with its new Best Ever Burger containing bone marrow. Other M&S newcomers include its ‘flexitarian’ Baby British Banger Selection, featuring kale, beetroot & chilli, and smoked tomatoes.

7. KFC’S ‘POCKETT BANDITO’ 

KFC Singapore has launched 3 new Zinger flavours in its Mexican-style Pockett Bandito snack range. Introducing the new BBQ Nachos, Cheesy Turkey Bacon and Salsa varieties, KFC has launched youtube videos on how to beatbox the new editions – click here to view>> From snacks to ultimate burgers, not for the faint hearted, check out #ChiliBoss Ultimate Burger. At almost half a foot tall, Chili’s new Boss Burger dwarfs all other burgers. Five different meats are stacked high; namely bacon, pulled rib meat, brisket, beef patty and jalapeno sausage as well as cheese, salad, BBQ sauce and ranch dressing.

8. FRENCH SENIORS, THE SUPER CONSUMERS

Age is not the only thing that defines French seniors (over-55s). Their numbers are gradually increasing, expected to represent some two-fifths of the French population by 2070 and a similar share of fmcg spend. Yet, they are often overlooked by brands in favour of younger demographics. Often debt-free, the over-65s specifically are the only segment to have increased their consumption levels (2001-2017). They also are particularly well-informed, closely attentive to health and wellbeing, and product quality and origin. Time/cash-rich, seniors are therefore an attractive target for eating out brands; eating out frequency is increasing steadily and even though their total consumption is lower than average, the gap is closing.

9.  DYNAMIC PRICING ON THE MENU

Restaurants are following the footsteps of the airline industry by adopting dynamic pricing, a tactic used to react to fluctuating demand. Chicago’s Alinea restaurant for example is among a growing number to use the Tock online booking system to offer 35% off meals at quieter times. The difference between this approach and say a cheaper set lunchtime/early bird menu, is that restaurants are charging varying prices for identical menus and experiences. This helps spread demand across the day/week and also incentivises early booking. In the UK, London-based Bob Bob Ricard, and independent operator, Norse are experimenting with the model. The arrival of digital menu boards will make this practice more feasible for QSR outlets.