The foodservice industry is witnessing a significant evolution in restaurant menus to meet consumers' growing dietary concerns and shifting attitudes towards health. Here are the key points from the report:
1. Consumer Dietary Concerns: A substantial portion of consumers (57%) express a desire to eat healthier. They prioritize "eating right" over other components of a healthy lifestyle, such as exercise. Top ingredients to avoid include sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, sodium/salt, fried foods, and unhealthy fats.
2. Healthier Eating Habits: Consumers are gravitating towards consuming more fruits and vegetables, as well as incorporating superfoods, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, eggs, and poultry into their diets. Conversely, there is a reduction in the consumption of red meat.
3. Popular Diets: The most prevalent diet among consumers is a balanced/healthy diet, followed closely by a reduced sugar diet. Other popular diets include reduced sodium/salt, reduced fat, high protein, low calorie, reduced carb/high fat, and intermittent fasting. Specific dietary regimens like gluten-free, Mediterranean, keto, paleo, DASH, and FODMAP are less common.
4. Menu Trends: Gluten-free claims on restaurant menus have surpassed vegetarian claims, indicating a growing demand for gluten-free options. The "salad/healthful" segment in limited-service restaurants experienced significant growth, highlighting the demand for healthier dining options. Restaurants like Kitava Kitchen and Qdoba are responding to consumer demands by offering clean, allergen-free, and protein-rich menu items.
5. Emphasis on Protein: Protein-rich menu options are particularly attractive to consumers, with restaurants leveraging the popularity of protein in their offerings. Examples include Qdoba's Post Workout Bowls and DIG's Crispy Chicken Kale Caesar Salad, which emphasize high protein content to appeal to health-conscious consumers.
Overall, the foodservice industry is adapting to meet the evolving dietary preferences and health concerns of consumers, with an increasing focus on offering healthier, cleaner, and more nutritious menu options across various dining concepts.
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