LUNCH
“As the popularity of meal kit companies rises, they could become more popular as a lunch option, especially with companies featuring recipes that can be easily adapted for lunch or dinner.” Cubano Porchetta flatbread as well as a wrap, described as “packed with protein” and filled with traditional Cuban sandwich ingredients like ham along with provolone and honey mustard. Looking at INSIDER, Datassential’s LTO and new menu item tracker, we also see how other global ingredients, such as sriracha, are trending. In addition to being the fastest-growing ingredient on sandwiches today, top Canadian chains also added 10 new or limited-time items featuring sriracha just this year (from spicy sriracha pizza sauce at East Side Mario’s to a sriracha lime sauce that spices up Swiss Chalet’s classic Quarter Chicken Dinner) Even as ingredients like sriracha continue to grow across Canada and North America, one unavoidable question that comes up often is, “What’s the next sriracha?” In analyzing
creations
From
foods trends, Datassential looks at the Menu Adoption Cycle (MAC), our company’s framework for understanding current trends and predicting future ones. Any ingredient or flavor can be tracked from its Inception, the first stage, where it’s only available at fine dining restaurants or ethnic independents; to Adoption, where trends start to gain traction in chef casual and fast casual restaurants; to Proliferation, sriracha’s current stage, for example, characterized by its mainstream availability; to Ubiquity, where trends have fully matured and can be found throughout retail and foodservice. For operators looking to become early adopters in pioneering emerging food trends ahead of the curve, it’s those items in Adoption that we say are in the sweet spot (nothing too crazy or foreign, but still unique enough to stand out), perfect for adding to
Thailand to Your Tables
KITCHEN
Thai Kitchen has one simple goal — to help you bring the Thai experience to your diners. Our high quality, authentic, easy-to-use Thai ingredients will make it easy to satisfy even the
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McCormick Canada Food Service ® Reg. TM McCormick & Co., Inc. Used under licence
52 Fall 2017 | Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News
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your product line or menu. For a flavor like sriracha, operators can look to other global hot sauces for inspiration, from sambal (an Indonesian hot sauce that is often referred to as “the next sriracha”) to harissa (a North African pepper paste that can be stirred into aioli or sauces to accompany wings or burgers). LUNCH ON DEMAND – INGREDIENTS OR MEALS DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR
Across North America, a different type of meal, unlike eating at home or eating out, is emerging. Meal kit companies, which deliver fresh ingredients along with recipes for making lunch or dinner (sometimes also dessert or breakfast) straight to consumers’ doors, are bridging the gap for folks who like to cook but might not have time to shop for all the ingredients some recipes call for. Datassential recently explored the evolution of eating in, highlighting the rise of technology-driven food delivery through companies such as UberEats as well as meal kit subscriptions, in our “Foodservice @ Home Keynote Report.” We’ve also started to track the specific dishes and ingredients featured by companies like HelloFresh or Blue Apron through our INSIDER meal kit database. In the U.S., only about 18 per cent of consumers have subscribed to meal kits, but meal kit companies are undoubtedly trending around the world – the Globe and Mail reported that Toronto-based Chef ’s Plate Inc., one of Canada’s fastest-growing startups, has sold more than 2 million meal kits, and is now eyeing an IPO next year. As the popularity of meal kit companies rise, they could become more popular as a lunch option, especially with companies featuring recipes that can be easily adapted for lunch or dinner (GoodFood features dishes like a Baked Falafel Salad with Roasted Red Peppers or a Soba Noodle Stir-Fry with Bok Choy). There’s also been a “rise of the instantdelivery lunch” in Canada, according to the Globe and Mail, where UberEats, along with companies like Toronto-based MealSurfers (an app that lets home cooks prepare and sell food from their own kitchens), have become disruptors in the restaurant space, creating a trend that’s likely to become an increasingly important aspect of Canada’s lunch landscape. Renee Lee is a senior publications specialist at Datassential, a supplier of trends, analysis, and concept testing for the food industry. For more information about North American food trends, contact Dave Jenkins at 847-903-5744 or dave@ datassential.com.