I’ll have the Veggie-Burger Please!

I’ll have the Veggie-Burger Please!

Well its official we are in full swing for “prognostication” regarding the New Year’s food and beverage trends, I received my survey (ACF/NRA) earlier this week (I’m an ACF member so I get to decide what everyone will be eating in 2019 – just kidding).  However, there is a cycle to how food and beverage trends evolve and we’ll take a look so as to create a better understanding of how new food “norms” come into our personal “food space” and general consumer acceptance.

No mystery to consumers seeking a “meat free” protein alternative is the familiar burger patty which has seen many iterations over the years with most push-back due to the mouth feel and taste as it appears once one issue is solved another pops up.  There are now enough options for Chef’s and menu developers to choose from (we won’t single out manufacturers) as a result of the numerous consumer taste panels over the past several decades they may confidently offer a patty that most consumers will find acceptable if not generally palatable.

The real challenge to proteins other than beef, chicken or pork are the foods that stand alone without the need of additional ingredients such as eggs, fish and shellfish.  These are flavors posing unique demands on product developers as many people who don’t or won’t eat actual animal proteins (unless there’s an allergy issue) will understand how an egg should taste, boiled, fried or scrambled!  We usually look to the “industry trades“(Nation's Restaurant News, 11/5/18) to learn about progress on new foods, cuisines or in this case new food alternatives.  If you’re interested in a deeper dive about product and menu item development you can check out websites such as, Prepared Foods or the Research Chefs Association , to learn more about this new food alternative trend.

The creative juices of a Chef are always flowing so they must find a “work around” when faced with the challenge of a food that most guests will be skeptical toward due to preconceived notions of how the food will taste.  Some of their tricks include using familiar colors, think turmeric for mustard, and foods that normally accompany the protein such as cheese or the lettuce, tomato and onion on a classic burger. Another step is to create an “umami” bomb of toppings to push the flavor needle toward acceptable and hopefully repeat purchase.  Think of a roasted garlic sandwich spread, grilled tomatoes, caramelized onions, hard cheeses or mushrooms sautéed in garlic or pepper infused oil.  So now that we’ve opened the chapter on “how to flavor” hopefully the reader will better understand how professional Chefs can meet the challenge of a “meatless” menu item, sorry I couldn’t help myself. 

This may not appear to connect to our topic of evolving food trends but it’s intended to lay some groundwork for the discussion and to suggest how consumer and guest attitudes may be “managed” to open their minds to new foods.  I’ve always told my restaurant operator clients that if they want to introduce a new food item on their menu put it between two slices of bread and call it a sandwich.  This may appear silly; however, people (especially Americans) are more apt to try a new food if it appears familiar.  The other alternative for new menu item trial is to offer it on the appetizer menu or as an LTO as guests are usually willing to experiment with any appetizer as opposed to an entrée due to the basic difference in cost as they will avoid buyers-regret at the cost of trying a new menu item.

We began this conversation about identifying new food and beverage trends with the annual ACF/NRA survey and while a benchmark-style tool of informed opinions it isn’t the only method.  We study consumer desires and buying habits to assist our clients with staying “on point” with their menu offerings and how to remain relevant to ever-changing consumer attitudes toward food.  When you feel challenged regarding your next menu challenge please reach out to us at www.themenuspring.com.