The Future of Food Service: 2021 - Part 1:

​As we come out of the pandemic, consumers are returning to some sort of normalcy. But with COVID variants exploding, costs rising, product shortages and a shrinking labor pool, the Food Service industry will be forever changed. We can no longer run our businesses as we have in the past, as we continue to see uncertain times, and the resulting changes in consumer behavior. So who will succeed in the future? It will be the food service operator that evolves with speed and innovation and it will be the food service operator that really understands the impact of these times on consumer behaviors, not just following the current fad or trend.
 
In my January 6, 2020 blog, I made some predictions for 2020 and I feel many of these predictions will hold true for the future. As I look across the industry, we will see a continued trend towards healthy and sustainable eating, and diet-friendly menu options; we will continue to see an innovation in technology – from digital marketing and loyalty programs, to strengthening the e-commerce proposition, to cyber-security to contactless technology; we will see necessary changes in the delivery model; we will see Social Justice - beyond the buzzwords; and we will continue to see new food trends and renewed interest in classic stables - Italian, Mexican and Chinese, with a focus on regional specialties. In this blog, I am going to focus on the continued trend towards healthy and sustainable eating, and diet-friendly menu options.

• Today we are seeing the growing effects of global warming on the planet, and this continues to raise concerns as to the impact of our business on the environment. Gen Z and millennial consumers are driving change as they reinforce the importance of corporate social responsibility, sustainability and the environment. For the food-service operator this means:
  • Menus need to feature responsibly sourced and certified ingredients. By sourcing the products and ingredients, we expand our ability to foster change and reduce our impact on the planet. Consumers are also keenly focused on what they are putting in their bodies and they searching out products made with non-GMO ingredients.
  • Food Service establishments need to focus on minimizing their environmental impact by reducing water usage; investing in energy-efficient equipment; buying local and reducing deliveries; using eco-friendly disposables; minimizing food waste; designing restaurants with insulated windows and furniture that is made from renewable materials; and by choosing eco-friendly cleaning products.
• The flexitarian is here to stay, leading to the need for more plant-based menu options. Over 40% of global consumers call themselves flexitarians or part-time vegetarians.1 And with protein prices spiking, this is an opportune time to evolve your menu into a more plant-based menu. Menus need accommodate not only flexitarians with vegan or vegetarian options, but they also need to have other diet-friendly options such as keto to be more relevant with today’s consumers.
• With the outbreak of COVID-19, we are realizing more than ever the importance of health and nutrition on our bodies and there is a new focus on the impact of inflammation on our bodies and the benefits of immunity-boosting ingredients. Menu items that focus on antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, will play an important role for food service operators.
• With new COVID variants spreading rapidly, resulting in a renewed look at mask mandates and with the growth in more active lifestyles, outdoor dining options will continue to be important to the success of food-service establishments.

 
In this post-pandemic era, there is pent up demand to dine out, but consumers are still cautious, and we will not see pre-pandemic sales and traffic for a long time. As a result, food-service operations need to continue to evolve and change in order to be successful.
 
#2021FoodTrends #2021RestaurantTrends #RestaurantTrends #Restaurants #FoodService

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1 Cherryh Cansler, ‘Bold and light: Post-pandemic menu trends revealed’, Fast Casual, May 10, 2021, https://www.fastcasual.com/blogs/bold-and-light-post-pandemic-menu-trends-revealed/