TRENDING NOW – 2020 FRESH PICKS
February 18, 2021
The new year always ushers in fresh predictions for what foodservice trends are gaining momentum. With myriad industry sources weighing in, it can be cumbersome to navigate between trends that look promising and those that seem improbable. However, some macro themes have emerged that seem to indicate which forecasts will actually come to fruition in 2020.
Better Beverages
A tide-change is occurring across several beverage subcategories that stems from consumer desire for better and more varied options. Functional beverages have been emerging as consumers become more mindful of the ingredients they consume, and this category will continue to erupt in 2020. Nation’s Restaurant News specifically calls out functional water as a desirable drink for the coming year.
Beverages are also trending toward low or no alcohol content. Kimpton cites coffee spritzes, nitro coffee, sparkling beverages and tea as top nonalcoholic beverages for 2020. Similarly, NRN lists low-proof cocktails as a top trend as consumers look for the experiential aspects of dining out but without the booze. Restaurant Business mirrors this sentiment by naming alcohol-free bars as something to look out for in 2020.
Purposeful Packaging
The same consumer passion that brought about the phasing out and banning of plastic straws in the past 3 years is now spreading to other packing and utensils. Reusable containers, cups and cutlery are an operational trend focus for NRN, who is seeing programs arise to encourage consumers to bring in their own containers or return containers provided by restaurants they frequent. Webstaurant anticipates that the industry can also expect innovative disposable materials and biodegradable take-out containers to contribute to reducing single-use plastics.
Plant-Based Proliferation
The plant-based foods movement incorporates a wide range of products and menu items from prepared meat alternatives, to scratch-made meat substitutes and to plant-forward dishes. Each of these different offerings will grow in its own specific direction in the years to come. As for prepared plant-based foods that are already available on menus – like hamburger, sausage or chicken – NRN expects to see widespread menu growth in 2020. Prepared Foods also expects the trend to extend to plant-based eggs, cheese, sauces, condiments and more. Yet Restaurant Business is thinking small for plant-based in 2020 – specifically small-batch. FSR is making predictions in a similar vein, saying that restaurants will look to make their own plant-based offerings from scratch in the coming year.
Small-Scale Farming
Desire for fresh, local greens is driving the proliferation of operators growing their own greens. But rather than dedicating outdoor space to their own gardens, operators are going even smaller scale by using Controlled Environment Agriculture, as reported in Datassential FoodBytes 2020 Vision. Green growing cabinets also make an appearance on the Webstaurant Store Top Foodservice Trends of 2020 list. This micro-farming equipment gives operators more flexibility in the greens they can offer and eliminates the unpredictability of traditional sourcing of produce that is subject to environmental factors like drought.
The beginning of a new year isn’t the only time it’s important to keep a pulse on burgeoning trends in the industry. That’s why we remain immersed in the market year round — interfacing with operators, attending countless industry events and constantly mining the latest industry data. This depth of market analysis informs everything we do from brand strategy to content creation to culinary development and more. To learn more about how our deep industry connectivity can benefit your business, please contact us.
