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FoodBytes JANUARY 2015 A TOPICAL TREND REPORT FROM the year in trendspotting

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FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

A TOPICAL TREND REPORT FROM

the

year in trendspotting

:

FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

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Last year, Datassential released 65 issues of our industry-leading line of TrendSpotting Reports. We covered it all – sriracha to croissant donuts, kids’ menus to brewpubs, design trends to technology innovations. We took you across the country and around the world, covering hundreds of restaurants, c-stores, supermarkets, and beyond, encompassing thousands of dishes, ingredients, and trends. And in this month’s special expanded edition of FoodBytes, Datassential’s free topical trend report, we are bringing it all together for you, leveraging every issue released in 2014 to put it all into context and combine trends, facts, data, and research related to ten trends that are central to the food industry. We scoured every issue, pulling out data and opinions from operators and consumers, research on operators around the country and world, and synthesizing all with data from our powerful line of tools, including MenuTrends and SCORES. In the pages ahead you’ll find a small taste of what Datassential’s complete line of TrendSpotting Reports offers. In fact, our TrendSpotting Reports are designed specifically for the food industry, combining the art of spotting trends, a passion for food, and the science of market research so you are always in-the-know on the trends that matter to your bottom line. And they are designed to work together, with each title offering a unique part of the trend picture to form a complete picture of the trend landscape. Whether you are looking for product and menu ideation, marketing understanding and solutions, or competitive analysis, Datassential’s TrendSpotting Reports will make you a food trend expert – you’ll always be up-to-date on the latest flavors and ingredients, the must-know restaurants and operators around the world, the evolution and future of the food industry, and you’ll have the data and research you need to back it all up. Because you never know where the perfect flavor or concept inspiration will come from, or how your product or menu item can take advantage of the next hot trend. And 2015 promises to be even more exciting. In just the months ahead our TrendSpotting Reports will cover everything from flat whites to peri peri sauce, cities like Detroit and Atlanta, international cuisines like Basque and bohemian, and global chains in countries like India, Korea, and Germany. We’ll cover a wide variety of concepts, including food incubators, new offshoot brands from well-known chains, up-and-coming supermarkets, and food halls in Creative Concepts, plus spring and summer trends and a look at global spirits in upcoming issues of FoodBytes. You can’t afford to miss out on any of these trends. Contact Datassential Senior Director Maeve Webster at [email protected] or 312-655-0596 today and get started on your company-wide subscription.

THE TRENDS THAT MATTER. Understanding the food and flavor trend landscape.

FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

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PIZZA &

FLATBREADS

78% OF CONSUMERS WANT TO TRY WOOD-FIRED PIZZA AT AIRPORTS

CREATIVE CONCEPTS: AIRPORT OPERATORS

PIZZASPOTTING

PIZZA AROUND THE WORLD

MENU EVOLUTION

In Singapore, Domino’s offers two additional crust options for diners – the “Cheesy Crust” is stuffed with mozzarella and coated with garlic and herbs while the “Cheese Burst” adds a layer of cheddar cheese sauce between two crunchy thin crusts.

40% of consumers said they love the idea of fast casual pizza.

In Dine Around, we found pizza operators across the country experimenting with bold new toppings. (From left to right) At Honolulu’s V Lounge, pies are topped with local ingredients like Hamakua mushrooms or Hawaiian chile pepper water. At Portland, Maine’s Otto Pizza, you’ll find pork and mango, three-cheese tortellini, or mashed potato on the pizzas, while Oakland’s Pizzaiolo offers Monterey Bay squid or summer squash with pounded parsley varieties. And Washington DC fast casual chain &Pizza offers toppings like falafel crumbles and tzatziki yogurt.

DINE AROUND: HONOLULU

DINE AROUND: PORTLAND

DINE AROUND: OAKLAND

DINE AROUND: WASHINGTON D.C.

INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS: SOUTH AFRICA

INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS: AUSTRALIA

INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS: FRANCE

DEBONAIR’S One of South Africa’s leading pizza chains, Debonair’s, serves unusual options like double and triple decker pizzas or pies with a second stuffed crust in the center.

EAGLE BOYS With more than 200 locations in Australia, Eagle Boys serves up pizzas like Tandoori Chicken, Aussie Bacon & Egg, and sweet “Dessert Thingie” pizzas.

FLAM’S At Flam’s, the traditional Alsatian flammakuechen, sometimes called French pizza, is shared amongst the table, available in both savory and sweet varieties.

INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS: SINGAPORE

Throughout the year, On the Menu covered the evolution of the Pizza Hut menu, from the new recipe for their Hand-Tossed Pizza introduced in January (On the Menu: January) to the testing of their skinny slice pizza (On the Menu: October) to last month’s complete menu revamp (On the Menu: November), with ten new crusts, premium ingredients like Peruvian cherry peppers, and bold sauces and “drizzles.”

In February, we took a look at the rapidly-growing fast casual pizza market, profiling operators like Blaze Pizza and Pizzeria Locale.

FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

SEAFOOD

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of consumers want to try lobster rolls

19% OF CONSUMERS ARE INTERESTED IN SEAFOOD CHARCUTERIE

DINE AROUND: BOSTON

PEARL DIVE OYSTER PALACE DINE AROUND: WASHINGTON DC

EVENTIDE DINE AROUND: PORTLAND, ME

THE ORDINARY DINE AROUND: CHARLESTON, SC

ISLAND CREEK OYSTER BAR DINE AROUND: BOSTON

GIOVANNI’S SHRIMP TRUCK DINE AROUND: HONOLULU

SEAFOOD AROUND THE WORLD In May’s issue of World Bites, we traveled to Peru, where raw fish slices are served with a spicy aji amarillo sauce in tiradito, while 34% of consumers wanted to try chupe de camarones, a crayfish or shrimp stew or chowder. In World Bites: Brazil (June), black-eyed pea fritters are filled with a shrimp filling to create acaraje, a common street food found throughout the country. World Bites: Germany (October) featured rollmops, a pickled herring snack, while World Bites : Philippines (December) featured bangus, or Filipino milkfish, often called the country’s national fish. Meanwhile, in International Concepts: France (August), we sought out Leon de Bruxelles, a chain that specializes in Belgian moules frites. And in International Concepts: South Africa (September), we featured Ocean Basket, the country’s largest seafood chain, with plans for 300 locations around the world by 2017.

Tiradito

Acaraje

In November’s edition of FoodBytes, we brought you an introduction to SCORES, Datassential’s newest service, which tests every new menu item and LTO introduced at major chains each month. Looking at a three month period, the six dishes with the highest “draw” scores overall, across every menu part and item type – the items that will bring in a customer just to try that dish – were all seafood dishes.

SEAFOOD HOOKS THEM

One-third of consumers said they were likely to try fin-to-tail cuisine in a restaurant, according to the Spring 2014 issue of TIPS.

41%

15% OF CONSUMERS

WANT TO TRY SEA BEANS

Sea beans, an edible succulent, add crunch to seafood dishes. Featured

in On the Menu: March.

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In Dine Around: Oakland, we found vegan and vegetarian destinations that didn’t sacrifice flavor or innovation, from vegan Filipino cuisine at the No Worries food truck, vegetarian Vietnamese at Golden Lotus, vegetarian tapas at Encuentro, Louisiana vegan soul food at Souley Vegan, cashew-based ice cream at Curbside Creamery, and artisan soy milk and tofu at Hodo Soy Beanery.

In the fall edition of TIPS, we looked at how healthy fast casual chains are focusing on better-for-you options, while terms like organic, gluten-free, free range, and grass fed have grown significantly on fast casual menus over the past four years.

The term “free range” has grown 153% on fast casual menus over the past 4 years.

In Creative Concepts: Upscale C-Stores, we sought out convenience store operators who are re-imagining the segment with healthy and fresh flavors and unique designs.

48% OF CONSUMERS

CREATIVE CONCEPTS: MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES

In World Bites: Nordic Cuisine, we looked at the fresh, ingredient-driven cuisine of this region. 35% of consumers said they were interested in skyr, for instance. Operators are menuing this Icelandic-style yogurt as a unique alternative to Greek yogurt.

Consumers were most interested in purchasing fresh produce from upscale c-store concepts.

45% OF OPERATORS

WITH A KIDS’ MENU OFFER HEALTHIER

SIDE OPTIONS MENU EVOLUTION In the March edition of On the Menu, our regular coverage of the latest menu items and LTOs on chain menus noted that Burger King would make their reduced calorie Satisfries the default option in kids’ meals. Five months later, August’s On the Menu reported that the brand would give stores the option of removing the item from their menu.

BOWLED OVER Bowl meals have grown 5.6% on QSR menus in the last four years, with Chipotle announcing that the chain now sells more bowls than burritos. Whatever you call them – power bowls, protein bowls, energy bowls – we covered a number of bowl menu items over the past year, from chains like Jamba Juice, which introduced five energy bowls to the menu (On the Menu: September) to Taco Bell, which began testing high-protein breakfast bowls (On the Menu: August). On the independent side, The Eggs Nest (Dine Around: Hudson Valley, NY) offers three “TEN” bowl options.

SAY THAT

ARE IMPORTANT FRESH INGREDIENTS IN A MEAL DELIVERY SERVICE

HEALTHY

FLAVORS FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

HEAT & SPICE

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In Dine Around: Washington DC we found mumbo/mambo sauce, a sweet, tangy red/orange sauce that has become a staple on chicken wings throughout the city.

Hummus with Peri-Peri Drizzle at Nando’s.

Chorizo, Egg & Cheese Biscuit at Carl’s Jr.

43% of consumers are aware of

ghost peppers

WAKE UP THE TASTEBUDS In July’s issue of FoodBytes, we took a look at the state of breakfast sandwiches on menus, including a number of spicy additions chains had recently added to the menu, like the Jalapeño Bacon & Egg Sandwich at Bruegger’s, a spicy Chorizo, Egg, & Sausage Biscuit at Carl’s Jr., the Chile Verde Turkey-Sausage Egg Panini with jalapeño shmear at Einstein Bros., and a mild, smoky chipotle mayo WH Sauce added to the Waffle House menu.

Hot chicken was all over the menu in Dine Around: Nashville (April). From the classic variety at Prince’s Hot Chicken, to a modern take at The Catbird Seat, with chicken skin, chili flakes, dill pickle salt, and Wonder Bread puree; to hot sweetbreads at Pinewood Social, with pickles, yogurt, and dill sauce. 21% of consumers were interested in trying another variation: Nashville hot fish.

NASHVILLE

HOT CHICKEN

PIRI PIRI Whether you spell it piri piri or peri peri, this Portuguese hot sauce made from African bird’s eye chilies was all over international menus and is slowly making its way to the U.S. In International Concepts: Australia we covered Oporto’s, specializing in grilled peri peri chicken, while Burger King, which operates as Hungry Jack’s in Australia, features a Peri Peri cheeseburger. At Nando’s, a South African chain opening in the U.S., peri peri chicken is the centerpiece of the menu (International Concepts: South Africa), while at Chicago’s Fat Rice (Dine Around: Logan Square) the piri piri chicken is served with a coconut-tomato peanut sauce.

SPOTLIGHT ON

Santa Fe’s Hatch chilies were all over the menu in August’s issue of Dine Around. The peppers can be found roasted throughout the city during chile season, and the Hatch Chile Festival takes place in Santa Fe each August. In our regular coverage of new menu items and LTOs at top chain operators, November’s issue of On the Menu showcased the “Hatch is Back” menu at On the Border Mexican Grill, where the chilies were featured in a burger, carnitas tacos, and chicken enchiladas.

DOWN THE HATCH

ON THE MENU: JANUARY

DINE AROUND: SANTA FE

FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

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BEVERAGES

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19% of consumers

want to try skinny

cocktails

Live Kombucha’s partnership with Target is aimed at capturing soda drinkers who have already defected, or may be willing to defect, by offering familiar flavors with the “health halo” of kombucha.

DINE AROUND: SANTA FE

DINE AROUND: CHARLESTON

ON THE MENU: MARCH

In this year’s TrendSpotting Reports, we discovered a number of juice and smoothie cafes serving up on-trend flavors. At RASA (Dine Around: Santa Fe) functional cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and elixirs are made with raw nut milks, herbs like turmeric, and unusual ingredients like maca (a radish-like plant from Peru). At Dellz Vibez (Dine Around: Charleston) a daily happy hour features $2 juice shots. And our coverage of fresh-squeezed juice in On the Menu included operators menuing juice across the menu, at multiple dayparts, from breakfast to an evening cocktail.

Skinny cocktails showed up throughout On the Menu this year, from our coverage of these low-calorie indulgences in November to the many chains who added skinny cocktails to menus throughout the year, from five Skinnygirl-branded cocktails added to the TGI Friday’s menu to three low-calorie skinny margaritas at Cantina Laredo (On the Menu: January).

In the May 2014 On the Menu, we noted Jamba Juice’s announcement that the brand would speed up the introduction of their fresh-squeezed juice menu after stores with the expanded menu saw a 3-4% increase in sales.

MORE CONSUMERS WERE INTERESTED IN

SMOOTHIES THAN ESPRESSO-BASED

DRINKS AT UPSCALE C-STORES.

CREATIVE CONCEPTS: UPSCALE C-STORES

DRINKSPOTTING In International Concepts, we covered the wide range of non-alcoholic beverage options found on international chain menus around the world. Over the course of the year we covered the soybean-focused beverage chain Mr. Bean in International Concepts: Singapore, Shanghai-based tea chain Jack Hut in International Concepts: China, and everything from pineapple juice to black jelly drinks in International Concepts: Philippines. And we covered a number of coffee operators and trends, including the flat white on numerous chain menus in International Concepts: Australia; Cup Stop, the “Mexican alternative to Starbucks” (International Concepts: Mexico); and Vida e Caffe, a leader in South Africa’s growing coffee culture (International Concepts: South Africa).

MENU EVOLUTION

FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

BEER &

COCKTAILS

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TIKI

SPEAKEASY STYLE In April’s issue of Creative Concepts we looked at modern bars that are reviving the Prohibition-era speakeasy, from secret passwords to hidden locations to house rules. San Diego’s Noble Experiment can only be found by pushing open a door disguised as a stack of kegs inside another bar, while New York’s PDT is accessed through a phone booth in the back of a hot dog shop. And at Hanson’s Shoe Repair customers must call a number and make an appointment for “shoe repair” in order to receive the password. And speakeasy-style concepts popped up in a number of issues of Dine Around, from The Patterson House (Dine Around: Nashville) to Billy Sunday (Dine Around: Logan Square). Over a quarter of consumers said they loved the idea of the modern speakeasy – and 29% were interested in trying the mushroom daiquiri, on the menu at Somerville, MA’s Backbar.

Artisan bitters producers are crafting unusual new varieties across the country, from Bitter End (Dine Around: Santa Fe), which produces blends like Chesapeake Bay and Mexican Mole to Tuthilltown Spirits (Dine Around: Hudson Valley), which makes Bitter Frost Basement Bitters, with the flavors of unaged rye, sarsaparilla, and maple syrup.

41%

33% OF CONSUMERS WANT TO TRY A RADLER, THE GERMAN

BEER/LEMONADE OR CITRUS SODA DRINK, AT A RESTAURANT. WORLD BITES: GERMANY.

Only 5% of consumers are aware

of orgeat, but this almond mixer has

become an on-trend addition to tiki

cocktails. On the Menu, February

BEERS AND BREWPUBS Beer culture continues to grow in the U.S., and this year we covered a number of beer trends and brewpubs across the country. In the fall issue of TIPS we covered brewery restaurants across the country, from small, independent brewpubs to established craft breweries to large brewery chains – 61% of operators said brewery restaurants are a long term trend. In the September issue of FoodBytes we looked at the latest brewpub trends and openings across the country, from the wide variety of beer styles now available to the evolving brewpub menu, featuring lighter fare, innovative snacks, and more global varieties. In Creative Concepts: Extreme LTOs we covered Indiana’s Three Floyds Brewery, which made a name for itself by introducing Dark Lord, an imperial stout with a fanatical fan base that is only available on a single day each year. A third of consumers said they have tried a limited edition beer or spirit. And in September’s On the Menu we looked at operators capitalizing on craft beer trends and using beer as an ingredient – think stout cupcakes, beer-steamed seafoods, and beer cheeses – 39% of consumers said they were interested in trying beer-infused foods. In the September edition of On the Menu we covered Starbucks’ Dark Barrel Latte, made with a chocolate stout sauce, which the chain began testing in Ohio and Florida.

FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

EX NOVO BREWING CO. FOODBYTES: NEW BREWPUBS

SWEETS &

DESSERTS

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CHURROS & FRIED TREATS Sweet, shareable churros were all over menus last year, from classic churros with cinnamon sugar on the Outta My Huevos food truck in Dine Around: Charleston and churros with cajeta at Benedetti’s, a pizza chain in International Concepts: Mexico, to the churros with spiced bittersweet chocolate sauce at Shakewell in Dine Around: Oakland. Around the world, variations on fried dough were featured in a number of Datassential’s TrendSpotting Reports, from youtiao, a long, golden-brown deep-fried strip of dough on the breakfast menu at Yonghe King in International Concepts: China to the picarones, a pumpkin and sweet potato donut drizzled with sweet syrup in World Bites: Peru – in fact, 40% of consumers were interested in trying picarones in restaurants.

38% of consumers

want to try churros

ON THE MENU: JUNE

CROISSANT DONUTS Croissant donut hybrids were added to a number of menus last year. In the March edition of Creative Concepts we covered operators who were creating craveable products through limited amounts and LTOs, like Dominique Ansel Bakery, home of the original Cronut – 40% of consumers said they would like to try the product, and 14% said they would go out of their way to try one. In July’s On the Menu we covered Jack in the Box, which began testing a Croissant Donut before adding the LTO to the menu in August. In December’s On the Menu we covered the “Towering Doh! Rings” croissant donut tower added at Red Robin and the Crodo at Maverik convenience stores. And in November’s issue of FoodBytes we took a look at SCORES, noting that 42% of consumers said they were likely to purchase Dunkin’s croissant donut.

42% of consumers

want to try houseground

chocolate

In October’s issue of FoodBytes, we looked at the next generation of fall flavors, from rich sweeteners like dark maple syrup and burnt caramel to butterscotch, brown sugar, taffy apple, and red hot cinnamon.

FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

SHAKEWELL BENEDETTI’S

YONGHE KING PICARONES

FROZEN

TREATS

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DINE AROUND: BOSTON Toscanini’s has been serving up unusual ice cream flavors like bourbon black pepper, khulfee (cardamom, pistachio, and almond), and white coffee since 1982.

BUBBIE’S HOMEMADE DINE AROUND: HONOLULU

LAS PALETAS DINE AROUND: NASHVILLE

DINE AROUND: PORTLAND, OR They’re not afraid of bold flavors at Salt & Straw, with scoops of salted caramel Thanksgiving turkey and pear and blue cheese.

83% of consumers are likely to try

ice cream sandwiches at a restaurant

INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS: FRANCE Haagen-Dazs’s flagship Champs Elysees location features a VIP section with a DJ and ice cream-based cocktails, plus treats like ice cream fondue.

Filipino halo-halo was featured in the Spring issue of TIPS, the May issue of On the Menu, as well as International Concepts and World Bites, which both covered the Philippines in separate issues.

GELATO FIASCO DINE AROUND: PORTLAND, ME

GOODIE’S CUSTARD DINE AROUND: WASHINGTON DC

43% of consumers

want to try gelato

ON THE MENU, MARCH

FENTONS CREAMERY DINE AROUND: OAKLAND, CA

FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

DESIGN

TRENDS

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STYLE EVOLUTION In our special two-part series on recent restaurant revamps (Creative Concepts: August, September), we looked at how both chains and independent restaurants are modernizing their décor. At chains, busy designs and kitschy memorabilia on the walls are out and clean, modern lines combined with rustic wood and metal elements are in. The first redesign in Auntie Anne’s history features warm wood tones, copper ovens, and blue lighting, while Domino’s unveiled its “pizza theater” store design featuring an open kitchen and chalkboard walls. At independent operators, the chef casual trend is clearly influencing restaurant concepts – it’s rare to find a restaurant with white tablecloths and a jackets-only policy these days. Chef Tony Mantuano, who remodeled his 30-year-old Chicago restaurant Spiaggia last year, told Eater that the redesign was aimed at making the restaurant “less stuffy,” and that he had noticed younger crowds eating at more modern, upscale restaurants. The new Spiaggia features a relaxed lounge, a new bar with an added craft cocktail program, and an end to the restaurant’s “jackets required” policy.

Airports across the country are showcasing modern, on-trend restaurant concepts, in many cases built from the ground up by airport concessioners (Creative Concepts: Airport Operators). New York’s JFK Airport features eye-catching concepts like Piquillo, a tapas bar tucked beneath a curved, tiled dome and Loft, modeled on a New York apartment.

The fast casual segment is influencing restaurant designs across the world, inspiring a number of restaurants that feature open kitchens and playful urban décor – subway tile, murals, reclaimed wood tables, industrial light fixtures, etc. Australia's Max Mex (International Concepts: Australia), features Baja-inspired cuisine and a Mexican “lucha libre” wrestling theme.

FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

DOMINO’S SPIAGGIA

PIQUILLO LOFT

TECHNOLOGY

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GOING HIGH-TECH We started off 2014 with a special edition of Creative Concepts. January’s edition featured operators who are embracing new technologies, including tabletop tablets, mobile apps, RFID tags, QR codes, inventory technology, and more. We covered operators like Sweetgreen, which has built a robust loyalty app that doles out special rewards to customers, and North Carolina State University, which has adopted a wide-ranging network of technology solutions, including tablets and QR codes, to cater to dietary needs. As one operator told us, “A year ago I wouldn’t have thought we would have our own app, but now we do. Five years ago I wouldn’t have thought the biggest driver of our lunch specials would be e-newsletters, but it is.”

1 in 5 consumers has used a digital loyalty card.

CREATIVE CONCEPTS: KIDS’ MENUS In both Creative Concepts and FoodBytes we looked at the changing kids’ menu and how technology can make meals more fun and interactive.

FOODBYTES: 2015 TRENDS Last month’s look at our top trend predictions for 2015 looked at up-and-coming technology, including 3D printers and flavor/compound analyzers.

FOODBYTES: NRA RECAP In our recap of the National Restaurant Association show, we covered the many tech trends featured, from digital menu boards to dynamic pricing solutions.

CREATIVE CONCEPTS: DELIVERY Delivery services are using technology to deliver fast and fresh meals and groceries – SpoonRocket promises some deliveries in as little as ten minutes.

INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS: UK UK-based Wagamama has long been a leader in technology adoption; it was the first UK restaurant to use augmented reality, in which a placemat appears to come to life.

TIPS: NEW RESERVATIONS 54% of consumers said they are likely to try a new, technology-driven reservation or ticketing system.

Thirty-six percent of operators consider themselves data-driven, according to our December issue of Creative Concepts. We profiled concepts like Clover Food Lab, which uses sensors to monitor temperatures and even water levels in plants, or Dinner Lab, a pop-up restaurant that evolves based on analysis of customer feedback. We also profiled nine companies turning big data into big business for the food industry.

BIG DATA

31% of operators plan

to use technology to

gather customer feedback.

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TRENDSPOTTING REPORTS TOPICS COVERED IN LAST MONTH’S

NEVER MISS OUT ON A TREND! Contact Maeve Webster at 312-655-0596 to subscribe to Datassential’s entire TrendSpotting Report series.

ON THE MENU In December’s On the Menu, we discovered proteins being used in on-trend ways with sweetbreads and meat pies, how lavash and bento boxes provide a platform for flavors and ingredients, how pierogi can showcase both authentic and trendy flavors, and we rediscovered the classic brittle candy. And in our coverage of new menu items and LTOs we check out hearty winter flavors, new hybrid pastries, and revamped menus.

INTERNATIONAL

CONCEPTS: CANADA In International Concepts, we took you to Canada, where you’ll find familiar favorites with a Canadian twist on chain menus. We covered everything from midscale family-focused restaurants to a chicken-centric restaurant with both casual and QSR locations, a number of chains that have entered the U.S. market, and plenty of poutine on the menu, including a poutine-only chain.

DINE AROUND:

ORLANDO, FL In this edition of Dine Around, we traveled to Orlando, a city with a little something for everyone, catering to Orlando’s nearly 60 million annual visitors. In addition to casual family restaurants and high-end hotel experiences, we traveled beyond the attractions to find the city’s innovative, on-trend restaurants and breweries. And, as always, we brought you consumer data on Florida flavors.

CREATIVE CONCEPTS:

BIG DATA In Creative Concepts, we looked at how operators throughout the industry are using big data to personalize the guest experience, drive the menu, improve operations, and make decisions about the future, plus operator data and opinions on big data usage and analysis, from how they are already using data to what they plan to incorporate into their operation in the future.

UPCOMING: We look at flat whites, Sichuan peppercorns, beignets, and more.

UPCOMING: We head to the base of the Rocky Mountains and check out Boulder, CO.

UPCOMING: In January, we take a look at the rapidly expanding chain market in India.

UPCOMING: Next month we look at how food incubators are supporting new food businesses.

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A MAJORITY OF CONSUMERS SAY

THEIR TASTES ARE SHAPED BY

THEIR RESTAURANT EXPERIENCES

What’s happening on the menu today can

be a leading indicator of tomorrow’s food

trends.

Datassential MenuTrends is the industry’s largest menu data set with the longest historic trend record, plus the ability to search millions of dishes from over 100,000 menus. Because the database is designed to mirror the US restaurant census by segment, region, and menu type, MenuTrends is the only system that offers true projectable data. All segments and cuisine types are tracked extensively – from food trucks to fine dining. MenuTrends INSIDER is also updated every month with Limited Time Offers (LTOs) and other new menu activity, with product photos that bring the listings to life. And with thousands of ready-to-use reports and simple trend detection tools, you can jump right into the database, identifying, measuring, and predicting the food and flavor trends that matter to your business. Call us today to begin using the food industry’s authoritative resource for flavor trends.

Call Jana Mann at 312-655-0595 or email [email protected].

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FoodBytes JANUARY 2015

FoodBytes

FoodBytes

datassential.com | 312-655-0596

HUNGRY FOR MORE? This is just a small taste of the research and data we have collected in order to make accurate, data-backed trend identifications. Now let Datassential take you deeper into the implications of these trends and what they mean for your company.

We can take you behind the data that shows how restaurant menus are shrinking and morphing, show you an in-depth look at the surprising demographic data on consumers (including Millennials) that informed these trends, and show you real-world examples of every trend covered.

And it’s all backed by the industry’s most accurate and trusted menu database, MenuTrends, and the industry’s largest operator research panel, OPERA.

To start putting these trends to work for you, contact Datassential today:

1-312-655-0596 [email protected]

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