DAWN FARMS TOP 9 | ISSUE 21| 2019

GLOBAL UPDATE ON CONSUMER, MARKET AND MENU INSIGHTS. 

1. SUBWAY NZ LAUNCHES PANINIS 

Known for its toasted subs, Subway New Zealand has gone a step further down the hot food route with the launch of freshly grilled paninis in Buffalo Chicken, Chicken & Bacon Ranch, Pizza Melt and Mediterranean Veg varieties on ciabatta bread. There are also 4 new breakfast paninis which feature Ham, Egg & Cheese Melt and Steak, Egg & Cheese. There are approximately 255 Subway stores in New Zealand and over 1,300 in Australia.

2. M&S MEAT’ZZA 

You may be familiar with KFC’s Chizza (pizza on a fried chicken base – click here to view), or indeed Pizza Hut Restaurants’ recent addition of Chicken Melts. M&S has launched a Meat’zza in time for summer BBQ season, replacing the traditional dough base with 100% British outdoor-bred British pork (gluten free) and targeting protein lovers. M&S' new ‘Meat’zza’ comes in a Margherita Meat’zza and a Spicy Pepperoni Meat’zza each serving 2 people (rsp £4).

3. MCDONALD'S ASIAN FUSION

A new Asian-inspired menu has arrived at McDonalds in the Czech Republic, featuring some new items including dramatic black and white buns.  The buns have been used before in China - the black bun is coloured using squid ink, while the white bun is decorated with black sesame seeds. The Black Burger comes with beef patty, topped with shrimps, fresh rocket, salad, salad cucumbers, tomato and Sahara sauce.  The chicken burger has chilli-lemon sauce and is called Chicken-mo. Sides include crispy prawns with cocktail sauces and Money Bags containing vegetables and glass noodles.  

4. SAMSUNG'S SECRET MENU

Recognising the role of food in today’s consumer lifestyles, Samsung has partnered with 4 UK restaurant chains to allow Galaxy phone owners to order special dishes available only on a secret menu. Samsung Galaxy owners can visit a participating Bill’s, The Breakfast Club, Patty & Bun, or Pizza Pilgrims and use the device to scan an in-restaurant AR code to unlock secret dishes. There is limited information in relation to the secret dishes, they include a "colourful twist on a classic" from Bill’s; a "mystery sweet treat" from The Breakfast Club; a "mouth-watering new burger" from Patty and Bun; and a "limited-edition pizza" from Pizza Pilgrims.  

5.  ANYONE FOR A WAHLBURGER?

Wahlburgers, the US burger chain owned by actor Mark Wahlberg and his brothers, has opened in London’s Covent Garden after much anticipation.  This is the first European site for the casual dining burger/bar chain, which operates more than 25 restaurants and food trucks across the US/Canada.  Burgers are the cornerstone of the Wahlburgers menu, made from a blend of brisket short rib and chuck steak, along with the Signature Wahl sauce.  To heighten the celebrity appeal and help build a UK fan base as well as no doubt attracting US tourists to the large Covent Garden site, the Wahlburgers reality show will also be screened on site for diners to watch while they eat.

6. SIMPLY FRESH & CONTACTLESS  

Convenience chain Simply Fresh has currently 60-70 stores across the UK with “the potential” to reach 400 or 500 franchised sites in the next few years. Simply Fresh’ expansion plans include ‘unmanned’ convenience stores which allow customers to scan and pay for items using an app while a replenishment team comes in to restock products every 24 hours. Digital initiatives such as these are designed to reach younger shoppers in search of seamless shopping experiences. Inspired by food hall trends, pop-up kitchens serving ‘street food’ style options are also in the pipeline.  

7. NRA TURNS 100  

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) show took place this week in Chicago, marking its 100th birthday. So what’s ‘new and next’ in the industry? Potato buns, soy chorizo and sandwich pockets were listed among hot new products. Speciality foods named from specific states drew in big crowds this year as consumers sought authentic cuisines. There were also Kitchen Innovation showrooms displaying cooking demonstrations and the latest equipment to help restaurant operators in the fast-paced market. Click here for excerpts from Technomic’s “Menu Forecast: 2020 and Beyond” from the NRA >>  

8. ‘MAY’ BRINGS SEASONAL BOOST

Despite a backdrop of Brexit-related change and complexity, and price rises for most household bills in April, UK consumers managed a seasonal spring in their step with a three-point uptick in consumer confidence this month (-10 in the GfK Consumer Confidence Tracker). Caution still very much reigns in the shopping trolley, however. Grocery sales saw a 1.6% decline last month (Nielsen), a significant drop since this time last year. Over the past 12 weeks, sales fell at 3 out of the top 4 supermarkets and also at M&S, with discounters Aldi and Lidl continuing to gain market share with double digit growth while Co-op sales were also up (+2.7%) thanks to new shoppers. 

9. MCDONALD'S MCHIVE

Most people think of bees as a nuisance, however, bee colonies are in a lot of trouble due to over-farming and fuel fumes. As well as fast food innovation, McDonald’s is increasingly in the media for its sustainability efforts and one story that caught our eye was the fact it is installing beehives on the roofs of its restaurants in Sweden, and even planting wildflowers to help boost the bee population. McDonald’s has even created “the world’s smallest McDonald's” for its bee visitors – click here >>

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