SSCS, Inc.’s Post

In a recent Flavor Forecast webinar by CSP sister research arm Technomic, it was revealed that 41% of consumers who order food from restaurants want more restaurants to offer food with a combination of flavors. In addition, 41% of consumers who order food from restaurants agreed it’s important that restaurants offer local flavors based on their location.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭-𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧, 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐩𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 Sandwiches and pizza are out. Smoothies and chicken tenders are in. That’s at least based on a look at limited-service restaurant sales over the past five years, using data from the Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report. Over the past five years, for instance, fast-casual chicken sales have grown nearly 87%, thanks largely to the strength of brands like Raising Cane’s and Dave’s Hot Chicken. On the other end of the spectrum: Quick-service sandwiches, where sales have grown just 6% over that period. Overall, limited-service restaurants on the Top 500 have grown total sales by 33% over the past five years. But the data shows that consumers have shifted their spending away from some legacy concepts toward newer, hotter brands in different sectors. Or they shifted spending away from full meals to snacks and drinks. #LatestNews #Food #FastFood #FoodBeverages #Snacks Source - https://lnkd.in/gj5jtA7V

If you are not taking your bacon category serious as a distributor, you should. The category in foodservice has been stale and not exciting, until now. Tender Belly brings the opportunity to feature a high quality yet cost effective product to the market. Maybe you aren't even offering bacon yet or you just haven't curated the category like you would want to. Here are a handful of reasons to evaluate it a bit further. Bacon consumption in the U.S. has increased by 25% over the past decade, demonstrating its growing popularity among consumers. Approximately 70% of bacon is consumed during breakfast, but its versatility makes it a valuable addition to lunch and dinner menus, increasing opportunities for sales throughout the day. The average American consumes about 18 pounds of bacon annually, indicating a strong, consistent demand for this beloved product. Studies show that menu items featuring bacon can see up to a 30% increase in sales, as bacon's flavor and appeal often drive customer choices. Offering premium bacon options, such as heritage breed or specialty flavored varieties, can command up to 50% higher prices, significantly boosting overall revenue. Having sold bacon in distribution, I can assure you that as a produce distributor, seafood distributor, gourmet distributor, any distributor. You can sell bacon. This can add 7 figure revenue growth to your business. This is a top spend for many hotels, country clubs, restaurants and beyond. Offering something that stands out will help you stand out.

The year 2024 looked a lot like 2023 in the world of convenience-store foodservice with flavor innovations, mashups and more—but there was one twist: The growth of meal deals late in the year to stay competitive with quick-service restaurants (QSRs). Continuing their trajectories as strong trends were menu differentiation and the wealth of healthier food offerings. Click through to read the 2024 roundup …  #foodservice #convenience

You may order sauce on the side but it's still the main attraction. 🎡 Don't take it from me! Peep this Nation's Restaurant News article highlighting the QSR sauce BOOM 💥 → According to Innova Market Insights, 39% of consumers are most likely to try new flavors through sauces, seasonings + toppings. → Technomic, Inc. reports that 34% of consumers consider what sauces are available before deciding on a place to eat. → And Datassential shows that more than half of consumers have purchased a new sauce or condiment from a restaurant in the past 3 months. In a foodservice climate starving for new traffic, sauce-centric LTOs featuring new + exciting flavors on familiar menu items (e.g. 🍗 + 🍟 + 🍔 + 🌮) can be your most operationally friendly + craveworthy solution. Something I know for sure: There is one midwesterner who will *always* drive through for a new ranch flavor extension. 🙋♀️ -- What's your go-to, gotta-have-it, will-go-out-of-your-way-for-it sauce? 👀👇

🥒 Pickles, ferments, and kimchi are certainly having a moment right now! This is down to the growing interest from diners in a more varied range of global cuisine, as well as the consumer trend for products which can boost their gut health 🥒 Despite their popularity, pickles and ferments have historically been tricky for foodservice operators to introduce to menus, as the long and complex fermentation processes make it difficult for time poor chefs to create in house versions from scratch. What’s more, the off the shelf products available in foodservice tend to be ambient and pasteurised, meaning they struggle to replicate the crunchy textures, fresh flavours, and gut health benefits of homemade offerings. This is where Vadasz stands out from the crowd. It's the no.1 brand in kimchi, fresh pickles and ferments and recently hit a whopping £10m in retail sales! Now, it’s making a splash into foodservice as one of the few brands offering fresh, cold-brined pickles and ferments. This fermenting process means its products retain their incredible flavours and unique textures. Our Kimchi, Red Onion Pickles and Sauerkraut can be used to elevate and premiumise any dish including burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, and salads. If you’re interested in hearing more about how Vadasz can elevate dishes on your menu, drop me a message 📩 Compleat Foodservice #Foodservice #FoodserviceTrends #Pickles #Ferments

Restaurant brands charge onto supermarket shelves restaurant brands are expanding into grocery aisles, with popular items like Chick-fil-A sauces and Whataburger condiments driving brand visibility and sales. See how this trend is boosting revenue beyond food service. #RestaurantTrends #RestaurantStrategies

Pizza is one of Americans' favorite foods and a big moneymaker for operators. In a recent survey, 91% said that a bad crust can ruin a pizza and 80% said they would pay more for a pizza with a high-quality crust. This information is valuable to restaurants and foodservice operations which can learn how consumers eat pizza and preferences related to pizza crusts when dining out or ordering. https://lnkd.in/eCvPAWYv

From indulgent offerings to loyal brand mentions – consumers of all generations play a part in the snack market. But what food trends, exactly, resonate with each generation? Benita Gingerella aims to answer this very question, pulling research from a recent survey done at a Technomic session at the 2024 National Restaurant Association Show. #Snacking #Trends #FutureOfFood

🤔 What’s missing from your menu? If it's cannelloni, here’s why you should consider putting that right. 👇 ⭐ It’s unique: cannelloni allows for heartiness and flavour-rich ingredient combos like lasagna but in a more original style. 🍲 It’s versatile: the filler ingredients and sauces can be changed easily, giving rise to an endless variety of menu options. 🧑🍳 It’s simple: whether you’re using a premade cannelloni type or making the entire recipe from scratch, preparing cannelloni is a straightforward task. Learn all you need to know about cannelloni with Olivieri Foodservice. 👇  #olivieri #olivierifoodservice #foodservice #foodindustry https://lnkd.in/e6aPiNpA