3 emerging food trends to watch out for
Additive-reduced foods and savoury-sweet combos are in popular demand.
In our interviews with industry heads in charge of food development in the QSR industry, we discovered 3 trends that are shaping what products the industry is rolling out.
Trend 1: Additive-reduced foods
Healthy food continues to be a hot commodity, especially additive-reduced foods such as gluten free and low sodium fare that appeal to a more nutritious Australian diet.
“We’ve noticed an increasing trend from the mainstream market for products that are gluten free, lactose free, sugar free, dairy free and soy-based products. Customers are requesting such products more than ever before and on a daily basis,” said Natalie Brennan, National Services and Support Manager at Foodco Group.
“Our customers are well informed and particular about what they feed their body. This awareness has increased demand for specialty foods like gluten free, vegan etc,” agreed Gautam Narayan, Executive Chef at Oliver’s Real Food.
Aggressive government campaigns rolled out in the past couple of years seem to have instilled some measure of health awareness and nutritious appetite among Australians.
“Before we launch a new product into the market we need to understand what restaurants and QSR customers are demanding. Again we see a repeat from the last two years with reductions of unhealthy additives in food like sodium, sugar and saturated fats, also clarity of what’s in my food will continue to be top of mind for consumers,” added Mark Baylis, Executive Chef at Unilever Food Solutions, who leads a team that develops professional ingredients for chefs and operators.
Trend 2: Savoury and Sweet
The Australian palette is also becoming more adventurous, willing to try out quirky combinations. One of these is the savoury-sweet delicacies that tingle the taste buds.
“We’ve noticed an increase in customers wanting quirky combinations of savoury and sweet tastes – e.g. Chocolate Beetroot cake,” said Foodco Group’s Brennan.
Trend 3: Fast-Prep “Real Food”
Time was when customers had to choose between “fast food” and sit-down restaurant-style “real food”, but now there is growing demand for the best of both worlds.
“Wholesome and nourishing food in a ‘fast food’ format is increasing in popularity and our customers have set a high benchmark with the choices they make,” said Gautam Narayan, Executive Chef, Oliver’s Real Food, noting that the “nutrient-dense” brand’s increasing customer base is proof positive of this trend.
“Customers are increasingly seeking restaurant-quality foods that are either fully prepared or available in 3-step packs. Nowadays, people are time-poor but don’t want to sacrifice on taste and quality and so they’re certainly demanding more from QSRs,” concurred Foodco Group’s Brennan.
