DAWN FARMS TOP 9 | ISSUE 7| 2020
GLOBAL UPDATE ON CONSUMER, MARKET AND MENU INSIGHTS.
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1. MOLDY WHOPPER
In a daring move, Burger King has launched a Whopper with no artificial preservatives. It is currently available in more than 400 restaurants across the U.S. with plans to reach all American locations by the end of 2020. The launch coincided with the release of an eye-catching 45-second video whereby a burger is assembled in the most photogenic way possible and then left to rot for the subsequent four weeks. The lettuce wilts, the bun deteriorates, and the entire build develops a thick layer of green mold. In their push for no artificial preservatives, the brand states, “The beauty of real food is that it gets ugly.” The video has topped over 1 million views this week alone.
2. SAINSBURY’S BRANCH OUT
Sainsbury’s opens its first to-go store in London, with nine other locations planned to open in the UK in the coming months. The supermarket is confident with the new store format which enhances their food-to-go offerings. Customers can enjoy freshly baked goods, hot porridge and beverages from self-service stations. Convenience is key and Sainsbury’s have tailored stores to local needs. In addition, Sainsbury's products are now available in Qatar via Al Meera supermarket outlets. Trade between the UK and Qatar continues to grow as the supermarket seeks to provide customers in Qatar a unique and convenient shopping experience.
3. PIZZA FUSIONS
Recent pizza collaborations include Pizza Hut and KFC’s Popcorn Chicken Pizza with the latest seasonal collaboration between Neapolitan chain, Pizza Pilgrims, and the Cheese Bar. Introducing the La Fonduta Pizza, this indulgent meal features Cornish gouda and Costwold hard cheese, melted with white wine and garlic, topped with a slice of prosciutto, a balsamic pickled onion and cornichons. Another tasty fusion pizza to be launched in March is the Bulgogi Pizza created by London sour dough pizza brand, Four Hundred Rabbits, and Korean street food, On the BAB. Dubbed as London’s first Korean pizza, the pizza features Korean ingredients such as Bulgogi Beef, Shiitake mushrooms and Kimchi coleslaw.
4. ALEXA, ORDER ME A PIZZA
Forbes magazine predicts that voice ordering will soon be notably impacting the restaurant industry. According to Street Flight Mag, of the 74.2 million Americans who use smart speakers at home, about 8% of them have used them to buy food or beverages. With all this set to increase, voice-based shopping is projected to grow to $40 million by 2022. Restaurants will need to ensure they will be compatible with the heavily connected consumer devices by optimising their tech capabilities and diversifying their digital strategies. Restaurants can adapt to digitally savvy consumers through strategic partnerships, targeted advertising and the integration of voice-ordering into ordering apps.
5. AMERICAN FAST FOOD
Fast food remains a favourite amongst Americans, despite efforts to seek more nutritious and fresher food. Fast food restaurants in the US turnover millions each year which is not surprising as 25% of the population reportedly enjoy at least three fast food meals or snacks a week. On average, an American spends $1,200 on fast food every year. The nation’s leading chain, McDonald's, welcomes 9 million customers through its 13,914 outlets annually with Starbucks following as a close second by the number of outlets and revenue. They are popular for creating exciting seasonal menus and special deals for consumers on the go.
6. LATEST ON THE LONDON FOOD SCENE
The Bulgarian bar and grill brand, Happy, has opened its first UK restaurant in London Piccadilly Circus. The brand opened their first location in Bulgaria in 1994 and has expanded to 22 locations with another two open in Barcelona. Their signature meals include a deconstructed burger using dry-aged beef, a selection of roast chicken and steak along with some plant-based options. Another restaurant opening its doors in London is the Nigerian tapas restaurant, Chuku, which was founded in 2016. Chukus’ menu features a variety of meats and plant-based sharing dishes including their signature beef meatballs peppered with suya spice.
7. SWEET AND SALTY
KFC announced the rollout of their tried and tested Chicken & Donuts nationwide. The controversial menu item was tested back last autumn, causing quite the storm across social media. The sweet and savoury combination comes in two formats: sandwich or basket. The sandwich comprises of a fillet of boneless fried chicken sandwiched between two freshly glazed doughnuts while the basket contains a deconstructed version with boneless or bone-in chicken and one or two doughnuts. This will be available throughout the U.S. through March 16 or while supplies last.
8. SOLO DINERS
The NPD Group found that nearly 40% of Britain’s eating out occasions are by solo diners. Solo eating visits grew twice as much as overall foodservice visits in 2019 and the average spend on food and drink out of home by individuals has also increased. Breakfast is the most common meal research found people to be eating more by themselves as well as workers at lunchtime looking for a quick and convenient bite. Ethnic quick service outlets serving pan-Asian, Indian or Chinese cuisines have seen the biggest growth in solo visits in the last five years, +46% compared to the total market.
9. ITSU PLANT-BASED OFFERINGS
Itsu has added vegan meatballs to their rice bowl range, their latest menu offerings in partnership with The Meatless Farm. The new plant-based meatball is served on top of rice, drizzled with teriyaki sauce and pumpkin seeds. The meatballs, with 24g of plant-based protein are given an Asian twist cooked with lemongrass, tamarind, coriander, chilli and garlic, coloured with beetroot, radish, tomato and caramelised carrots. Itsu announced that this menu addition is part of their plan to flex half of their menu to vegan choices.
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.
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