2022
9
US Flavor and Ingredient Innovation on the Menu Market Report 2022
2022-03-02T03:06:23+00:00
REP07FEB0A2_40E0_422E_A40E_D22A2DED1FEE
3695
148352
[{"name":"Foodservice","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/foodservice"}]
Report
en_GB
“Restaurant sales increased in 2021; however, the foodservice industry is still facing hurdles on the road to recovery. While operators are streamlining menus amid labor and supply issues, innovative menus…

US Flavor and Ingredient Innovation on the Menu Market Report 2022

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“Restaurant sales increased in 2021; however, the foodservice industry is still facing hurdles on the road to recovery. While operators are streamlining menus amid labor and supply issues, innovative menus will be critical for attracting consumers to restaurants, especially while inflation erodes purchasing power and prompts consumers to cut back on spending. To win in this environment, infuse emerging ingredients in small portions to keep the price right for budgeting consumers, ensure clear menu lingo to heighten new flavor awareness, and focus on sauce and seasoning innovations that can be omitted or added with relative ease for the operator and at a diner’s preference.”
– Anna Fabbri, Flavor and Ingredient Trends Analyst

This Report looks at the following areas

  • Factors that encourage restaurant visitation
  • Labor and ingredient shortages and their effect on menus
  • Consumer interest and experience with trending flavors and ingredients
  • Factors that encourage or deter new flavor trial on the menu
Collapse All
  1. Overview

    • What you need to know
    • This Report looks at the following areas
    • Definition
    • Market context
    • COVID-19: US context
    • Economic and other assumptions
  2. Executive Summary

    • Top takeaways
    • Market overview
      • Figure 1: Total US revenues and forecast of full-service restaurants and limited-service eating places*, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 2: Total US Revenues and forecast of full-service restaurants and limited-service eating places*, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 3: Category outlook, 2022-27
    • Opportunities and challenges
    • Understand where trial hesitancies exist
      • Figure 4: New flavor trial barriers
    • Operators will need to be social media savvy
      • Figure 5: New flavor trial motivators, by generation
    • Reward parents as they weather a pandemic
      • Figure 6: New flavor interest within alcoholic beverages, by parental status
    • Create dishes that are difficult to copycat
      • Figure 7: Restaurant menu item attitudes, by gender
  3. Market Size and Forecast

    • Restaurants are recovering, despite lasting unprecedented challenges
      • Figure 8: Total US revenues and forecast of full-service restaurants and limited-service eating places*, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 9: Total US Revenues and forecast of full-service restaurants and limited-service eating places*, at current prices, 2016-26
  4. Segment Performance

    • Restaurant recovery is not one-size-fits-all
      • Figure 10: Total US sales and forecast of restaurants and eating places, by segment, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 11: Restaurant visitation
  5. Market Factors

    • No vaccine, no service
      • Figure 12: Daily trends in number of COVID-19 cases in The United States reported to the CDC
    • Supply chain challenges prompt slimmed menus
      • Figure 13: Menu hacks, McDonald’s LTO
    • Rising prices will spark financial caution
      • Figure 14: Food away from home,12-month percentage change, Consumer Price Index, selected categories, December 2021, not seasonally adjusted
    • Low unemployment rates + high quit rates = foodservice labor challenges
      • Figure 15: Quits levels, Accommodation and food services, seasonally adjusted
      • Figure 16: Employee benefits within foodservice, The Rose Venice
  6. Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities

    • Save some green with plant-based foods
      • Figure 17: Plant based meal retail product launches
    • Create mouth-watering menu descriptions
      • Figure 18: Hello Fresh menu item descriptions
  7. Product Development – Now – What’s Trending

    • Bold sauces pack a punch in the battle between fast food chains
      • Figure 19: Sauce innovations, 2021-22
      • Figure 20: Leading sauce/condiment flavors on the menu
      • Figure 21: Interest in flavors and ingredients, by types of restaurants visited and menu items that motivate restaurant visitation
    • Specialty dieters deserve specialty flavors
      • Figure 22: Growth in specialty diet menu claims, % change Q3 2018-Q3 2021
      • Figure 23: Interest in menu claims
      • Figure 24: Menu innovations pairing specialty diet claims and complex flavor profiles
    • Fusion grows despite persistent restaurant challenges
      • Figure 25: fusion menu item growth, by restaurant segment, % change Q3 2018-Q3 2021
      • Figure 26: Fusion menu items
  8. Product Development – Near – What to Watch For

    • Bring on the botanicals
      • Figure 27: Botanicals on cocktail and mocktail menus
    • TikTok plans to take the restaurant world by storm
      • Figure 28: TikTok trends, custard toast
    • Plant-forward is not always synonymous with meat analogues
      • Figure 29: Share of menu incidences, by top flavors of ingredients within vegetable bowls, Q3 2021
      • Figure 30: Menu item innovation: bowls
  9. Product Development – Next – What’s in the Pipeline

    • International cuisine interest booms, but knowledge lags
      • Figure 31: Away-from-home consumption of international cuisines, percentage point change Feb 2021-Nov 2021
      • Figure 32: Menu innovation with togarashi and furikake
      • Figure 33: Top growing menu item cuisine types by Time Period, Q3 2018-Q3 2021
  10. The Consumer – Fast Facts

    • Deliver adventure without over commitment
    • Social media is serving younger diners with flavor recommendations
    • Elevated dining experiences will be key to luring consumers away from home
  11. Consumer Segmentation

    • Segments
    • Factors
    • Who are they and what do they want?
  12. Dining Out Behaviors and Attitudes

    • Consumers’ appetite for adventure depends on the dining location
      • Figure 34: Restaurant menu item attitudes
      • Figure 35: Tortas Frontera menu descriptions
    • Women crave specialized dishes and seasonal ingredients
      • Figure 36: Restaurant menu item attitudes, by gender
    • Fine diners want functional benefits
      • Figure 37: Flavor attitudes – CHAID – Tree output, 2021
    • Parents are expanding their palates
      • Figure 38: Dining out behaviors and opinions, by parental status
  13. New Flavor Trial Motivators and Barriers

    • Be a guide on consumers’ quest to try new flavors
      • Figure 39: New flavor trial motivators
      • Figure 40: New flavor trial barriers
    • Younger consumers trust in social media
      • Figure 41: New Flavor Trial Motivators, by generation
      • Figure 42: Tiktok food reviews
    • Understand where hesitancies exist to combat flavor trial barriers
      • Figure 43: New flavor trial barriers, by restaurant visitation
    • Deliver new flavors in small doses
      • Figure 44: New flavor trial barriers, by gender
  14. Menu Items That Motivate Restaurant Visitation

    • Focus on delivering bold flavor at a fraction of the labor
      • Figure 45: Menu items that motivate restaurant visitation
    • Food hall diners hungry for innovation
      • Figure 46: Menu items that motivate restaurant visitation, by restaurant visitation
    • Dessert specials drive restaurant traffic
      • Figure 47: Menu items that motivate restaurant visitation, by generation
    • Fuse in Latin flavors in BFY items
      • Figure 48: Menu items that motivate restaurant visitation, by Hispanic origin
  15. New Flavor Trial Interest by Menu Item

    • Feed consumers’ desire for adventure, without overcommitment
      • Figure 49: New flavor trial interest by menu item
    • Gen Z set to shake up the dessert aisle
      • Figure 50: New flavor trial interest by menu item, by generation
    • Time of day influences consumers’ willingness to try new flavors
      • Figure 51: New flavor trial interest by menu item, 2020-22
    • Support moms’ night out with flavorful alcoholic beverages
      • Figure 52: New flavor interest within alcoholic beverages, by parental status
  16. Interest in Flavors and Ingredients on Menu

    • International ingredients: lost in translation
      • Figure 53: Interest in flavors and ingredients on menu
      • Figure 54: Interest in flavors and ingredients on menu
    • Caribbean flavors can spice up plant-based products
      • Figure 55: Caribbean vegan menu innovation, Bridgetown Roti
      • Figure 56: Interest in Caribbean flavors and ingredients on menu, by generation
    • Social media trends point to unique flavor inclusion opportunities
      • Figure 57: Interest in flavors and ingredients on menu, by new flavor interest, by menu item
  17. Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations

    • Data sources
    • Sales data
    • Forecast
    • Consumer survey data
    • Abbreviations and terms
    • Abbreviations
  18. Appendix – The Market

      • Figure 58: Total US revenues and forecast of full-service restaurants and limited-service eating places*, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 59: Total US revenues and forecast of full-service restaurants, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 60: Total US revenues and forecast of limited-service eating places*, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2016-26
  19. Appendix – Menu Matrix Methodology

  20. Appendix – CHAID Analysis – Methodology

      • Figure 61: Flavor attitudes – CHAID – Tree output, 2021
      • Figure 62: Flavor attitudes – CHAID – Table output, 2021
  21. Appendix – Consumer Segmentation Methodology

    • Flavor and Ingredient Segmentation Methodology

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