DAWN FARMS TOP 9 | ISSUE 49| 2018

GLOBAL UPDATE ON CONSUMER, MARKET AND MENU INSIGHTS. 

1. THE ULTIMATE SUBWAY SANDWICH

Recently we revealed Domino’s Australia hybrid garlic bread crust, launching in summer 2019; this time it’s Subway who’s warding off competitor demons with its new Ultimate Cheesy Garlic Bread. This features garlic butter spread made with real butter and roasted garlic, melted parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Subway is even reinventing its classic subs on the new cheesy garlic bread such as the Ultimate Meatball Marinara and Ultimate Spicy Italian sandwiches. Indulgence and then some. 

2.  CARREFOUR CHECKS OUT

Inspired by the pioneer Amazon Go concept, French retailer Carrefour will be testing its own checkout-free stores in 2019. The first test store will open near Paris in Massy and will initially be open to employees only. It will use cameras to register what items people pick up, with facial recognition in use to charge for the items. Carrefour already has some experience with the technology as a result of a collaboration with Tencent in Shanghai.  

3. GIFT-WRAPPED GREGGS

Greggs has just reported strong financial results for Q3 2018 (year ending Nov 24) boosted by strong trading in October and November. Like-for-like sales increased by 4.5% and in the year-to-date, sales rose by 6.6%. To create a social buzz and ultimately increase footfall over the busy Christmas period, Greggs has announced a gift range and a free in-store gift wrapping service in selected outlets. The gift range includes a Christmas jumper, doughnut socks, sausage roll umbrella and Christmas cards.  

4. HIGH IMPACT: JAPANESE 2.0

Japanese food in the West is perhaps best known for sushi – a $3bn market in the US and still growing at +3% year-on-year. Driving enthusiasm for Japanese dishes is the reincarnation of traditional ingredients. From furikake to miso, high-impact Japanese flavours are finding wider acceptance. Casual dining chain the Cheesecake Factory sears its ahi tuna with wasabi butter sauce and finishes with wasabi vinaigrette. Furikake (dried fish) adds flare to the Peach Tortilla’s Korean steak-and-egg bowls with sous-vide hanger steak, sunny-side-up eggs, kimchi and rice. Closer to home, UberEats France says miso is a trend to watch in 2019, click here for more French trend forecasts >>

5. FRANCE TACKLES FOOD WASTE

France is the world's most food sustainable country for the second year in a row – and it hasn’t happened by accident. As the first country to introduce food-specific waste regulations; the average French person produces only 67.2kg of food waste each year compared to 95.1kg in the US. Globally, a third of food produced each year is wasted, adding up to 1.3bn tonnes. French supermarkets are regulated by law to donate excess food to charities. French schools teach students about food sustainability and of course French restaurant ‘doggy bags’ hit the headlines earlier this year. Find out how France is leading the world in food waste >>

6. “WE ARE DIFFERENT” HALAL GUYS

US cult street food brand, The Halal Guys has chosen Leicester Square, London as its first European site. Since launching food carts on the corner of New York’s Sixth Avenue in 2015, the company has grown to 450 sites in 6 countries. It has signed a franchise deal with ITICO F+B with the aim of opening 3 UK stores in 2019, and 20 overall in the next 5 years. Halal Guys offer a contemporary approach to kebabs - chicken, beef or falafel gyros and secret recipe white sauce. Also one to watch is the cheekily-named Eggslut, LA former food truck turned bricks and mortar chain due to open early 2019 >>

7. PAPA JOHN’S FESTIVE FEATURE

Over the Christmas period, you can grab yourself a Papa John’s Festive Feast Pizza – topped with hog roast pork, traditional turkey, sage and onion meatballs, bacon and mozzarella cheese (available until 1st January). Also inspired by pork, PizzaExpress offers the Porchetta - Italian pulled, seasoned pork shoulder on a béchamel base, with pancetta, garlic oil, fennel seeds and rocket. Dublin-based pizzeria NKD pizza has launched a Christmas Pizza with roast chicken, smoked bacon, Ballymaloe cranberry sauce and sage and onion stuffing. In the spirit of the season, it has teamed up with charity, Feed Our Homeless, with a Buy One Give One to Charity promotion available Monday to Wednesday.

8. AFRICAN FOOD WITH ATTITUDE

The Western African cuisine of countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal are gaining momentum in the UK. Retail examples include ‘Red, Red’ African-inspired super-stews, a collaboration with ‘Zoe’s Ghana Pop up Kitchen’ and another is Chika’s West African-flavoured snacks.  This year also sees IKOYS, the Nigerian fine dining restaurant, become the only African restaurant in the UK to win a Michelin Star. Often gluten free and high in plant-based protein (ingredients like black beans, plantain, okra, pulses) they are fitting in with current trends. 

9. CO-OP ROBOT EXPRESS LUNCH

Starship Technologies, the specialist in on-demand autonomous delivery robots, has partnered with Co-op to deliver groceries. Using the Starship app, you can choose select Co-op products and have your meal in under 22 minutes. You receive the delivery time and confirmation order through the app as the robot heads off from outside the Co-op store and navigates through pedestrians and bikers. The six-wheel ground drone is self-driving and is equivalent in size to about two grocery bags. Once the robot arrives, you unlock the robot via the app to get your food. Watch the robot delivery service in action here >>

THE BUZZ | BIG STORIES IN NOVEMBER

Here are the articles which received the most attention from readers last month.