DAWN FARMS TOP 9 | ISSUE 08| 2019

GLOBAL UPDATE ON CONSUMER, MARKET AND MENU INSIGHTS. 

1.  MCDONALD’S GLOBAL SHOWCASE  

McDonald’s has launched a new wave of global menu items at its corporate headquarters in California, showcasing new and popular items from local menus around the world. The Goats Cheese Burger represents Spain and includes a 1/3 beef burger topped with grilled onions, lettuce and a slice of goat’s cheese. Representing France is the Double BBQ Chicken burger which features white cheddar cheese, tomato slices, lettuce, red onion rings, pickles and a Texas-style barbeque sauce. The Canadian Egg BLT McMuffin comprises an English muffin topped with egg, bacon, lettuce, tomato, American cheese and mayonnaise.   

2. WHO’S KILLING IT ON INSTAGRAM?  

We know Millennials are unforgiving when it comes to poor service - however some 60% of UK under-35s first ‘fall in love’ with a brand through Instagram, according to a survey by HGEM, who specialises in guest experience. Instagram is preferred over other forms of social media such as Facebook (17%), Twitter (4%), Snapchat (3%) and YouTube (5%). According to Statista, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is the most popular food influencer worldwide on Instagram.  Who else to follow? Click here to see 10 insta-worthy accounts worth following including Taco Bell, Sweet Green and Shake Shack >> Also check out #EatingForTheInsta which has received over 1mn posts. 

3. FAST FOOD HEROES GO UPMARKET 

Next month will see the humble sausage going upmarket with the opening of a new gourmet sausage restaurant ‘X Upper’ in London. Its mission is to revise consumer perceptions via its core menu of 6 varieties of premium sausages, each with its own signature recipe created by top London chefs (eg the Olma Bratwurst: a Swiss bratwurst which is served with a signature purple mustard, pickled cabbage, and milk and honey sourdough). In other fast food revamps, note the rise of the premium kebab with the likes of German Doner Kebab who has just opened its 32nd UK store. In the US, look out for Upside who is reinventing the ‘dollar slice’ >>

4. JON SMITH SUBS OPENS

US sandwich brand Jon Smith Subs has opened its first UK store in Hammersmith, London and plans on opening 15 UK sites in the next few years (next up is Bournemouth). Florida-based Jon Smith Subs was founded in 1998 and has 20 stores across 4 countries. It faces stiff competition from Subway, the world’s largest sandwich chain with over 2,600 stores in the UK and Ireland – the latest is a new outlet in the ICC in Birmingham. Other American sandwich brands to set their sights on the UK food-to-go market have been Which Wich (2018, 1 store), Pot Belly (2015, 1 store) and Quiznos (after re-entry in 2014, now 6 sites). 

5. WALKERS NATIONAL FLAVOUR PULSE

Walkers crisps is adding two new flavours to its core range – BBQ Pulled Pork and Spicy Sriracha. According to Walkers, 45% of UK shoppers like to experiment with new flavours, especially global influences coming from the Americas and Thailand. Known for having its finger on the wider food trend pulse, these follow Walker’s Brussel Sprouts, Pigs in Blankets and Turkey & Stuffing launches for Christmas 2018. Other British-inspired flavours include Roast Lamb & Mint and Chicken Tikka Masala. Another member of the Walkers family, Dorito’s has added Flamegrilled Steak, while competitor Mcoys has a new Mexican Muchos range in flavours like Smoky Chilli Chicken.

6. FTG LUNCH UNDER PRESSURE

Packed lunches are back on the menu - UK consumers are eating out less at all meal occasions with lunch suffering the heaviest decline in frequency (MCA January 2019). Overall penetration is falling in line with rising average spend, a serious concern as further price inflation seems inevitable, especially in the case of a ‘no-deal’ scenario.  In January, consumers saved their hard-earning eating out cash for evenings out, with a growing share of meal visits at dinner time (27% share) and growing average spend.  Pubs and restaurant operators still struggled to overcome the tribal call of Dry January – which, combined with Veganuary, contributed to reduced spend and a negative sales performance (Coffer Peach).

7. FUTURE OF FOOD 2040 

The NFU has released its Future of Food 2040 report- click here to view >> looking 20 years beyond Brexit to how Britain will evolve socially, technologically and environmentally. With the farming industry facing disruption from all corners how can it increase its future productivity, profitability and resilience? It explores how changing trends will impact food production, delving into what we’ll be eating, how we’ll be buying it, and how food will be produced. Robots, vertical farms and virtual fencing could soon be part of the British farming landscape. While it feels the flexitarian trend is ‘exaggerated’ one of its top predictions is the potential for insect protein. 

8. YO! WHAT’S YOUR DNA?  

Did you know 35% of Amazon’s sales come from personalised recommendations? (PWC Retail report 2019). Tapping into this growing trend, Japanese street food and sushi chain is offering DNA tests and a tailored plate plan so you can have YO! Dinner YO! way. DNAFit technology educates customers on the most suitable nutrition for their bodies, presenting them with their optimal diet type and exercise metrics in a 30-minute consultation. YO! Sushi believe DNA testing is just the start of food personalization, helping consumers make some of the increasingly difficult day-to-day decisions in order to ‘live their best life’.

9. BE ALERT TO WOKE CONSUMERS 

"Black-and-white always looks modern, whatever that word means" - legendary fashion designer Karl Lagerfield who died this week aged 85. Fashion like many other sectors faces a year of awakening in 2019. McKinsey reminds us that disruptive trends in food such as the impact of ‘woke’ consumers (alert to injustice in society) are also apparent in other sectors.  Some 9 in 10 Gen Z consumers believe companies have a responsibility to address environmental and social issues, hence the rise of B-Corporations such as Ben & Jerry’s, Danone. In the fashion and beauty sector, the number of B-Corporations had risen to nearly 200 as of April 2018, vs 7 in 2010.