Slough, Buckinghamshire, England-headquartered Bidfood, one of the UK’s leading foodservice wholesalers and distributors, has posted the latest food and drink trends set to dominate the out of home market in Britain during 2024. The findings were garnered from a recently conducted CGA by NIQ survey of 2,003 adult consumers.
Along with the unveiling the latest trends, Bidfood has launched its 2024 interactive guide, designed to help foodservice operators navigate the changing market and consumer behaviors, adapt their menus and fully explore the evolving cuisines and flavors taking hold of the industry.
The report also comes with a range of useful support tools, including new additions to the trends video series, expanded web content, tasty new recipes and much more.
Flavors Less Traveled
Authenticity is one of the key drivers behind the 2023 Trends report, with 56% of consumers saying they would pay more for a dish if they perceive it as more authentic. This is heavily reinforced in our Flavors Less Traveled trend, giving diners the opportunity to feed their sense of adventure by exploring cuisines in their most original format. Research has shown that the three global cuisines gaining momentum are:
Authentic Caribbean – Expanding across UK cities in the form of restaurants, pop ups and food stalls, there is growing demand for Caribbean comfort dishes such as rich, spicy stews that feature seafood, indigenous vegetables and meats such as goat.
Authentic Mexican – Although 44% of consumers in Britain have already tried Mexican food, they now want to elevate their passion with traditional flavors and ingredients. Familiar TexMex dishes will continue to be popular, but operators should look towards authentic classics like marinated pork belly tacos or charred corn elotes with chicken.
Eastern European – From hearty stews to delicious cakes, Eastern European food is becoming more known and appreciated. With their array of flavors and familiar UK formats, these dishes offer countless culinary opportunities and unique experiences.
British Fusion
Meanwhile, more restaurants are starting to merge different cuisines with each other. However, although diners are becoming more adventurous with new flavors, they are still reluctant to spend money on cuisines they are unfamiliar with. In fact, 68% of consumers find British fusion appealing, with over a third (35%) feeling this is because it bridges the gap between the exciting flavors of global cuisines and the familiarity of British classics. Operators are advised to try mixing up their Sunday roasts, English breakfasts and even desserts such as crumble with enticing global flavors.
Mind, Mood and Body: This trend centers around shifting priorities when it comes to one’s health and well being, focusing not just on physical health but also on mental health and state of mind. Almost half (48%) of consumers are looking for foods that directly impact their physical well being, and 71% feel the aroma of food and drink can help boost their mood. The Bidfood team suggests that operators take their customers on a sensory journey with appealing and colorful products to enrich their healthy lifestyle experience, but be mindful when it comes to making specific health claims on menus.
Rustic and Rural: Consumers are making more mindful choices about where and what they eat when out of home. Farm to fork concepts, provenance and menu stories are becoming increasingly popular. Cosy decor, handmade pasta and bakery products, garden salads, heritage produce and open flame cooking are ways operators can tap into this trend.
Let’s Play: During the UK’s current cost of living crisis, consumers are looking for something to cheer them up. So Bidfood suggests providing them with something exciting and out of the ordinary. Color, playful presentation, novel styling and a touch of theater will tick the boxes to offer the experience desired. Mixing flavors is another way of adding novelty and can really elevate a dish. In fact, 70% of consumers find the idea of flavor contrasts appealing, with sweet and sour being the most popular.
Playful Drinks: These days many imbibers can’t resist taking a picture of their cocktail to post on personal social media platforms, with 43% of 18-35 year olds doing this every or almost every time, according to a recent survey. To leverage this trend, operators are starting to take their cocktail offerings to the next level, creating imaginative, theatrical and themed serves.
“We’re excited to see that the trends and flavors surfacing are around adventure and trying something new, as well as comfort, authenticity and provenance. All of which will allow chefs to be creative and have fun when planning their menus for 2024,” said Catherine Hinchcliff, head of corporate marketing and Insight at Bidfood. “Sustainability remains a prominent factor to us as a business, and continues to influence consumer decision-making. This year, instead of being a standalone trend, we’ve incorporated it into all our trends which reflects the way many chefs weave sustainability into everyday ways of working.”
For more details, check out Bidfood’s dedicated webpage for Food and Drink Trends 2024 Trends at: https://www.bidfood.co.uk/food-and-drink-trends-2024/
