FOODBYTES MARCH 2018 ISSUE 51 YOUR FREE DATASSENTIAL TREND REPORT

Transcription

1 FOODBYTES MARCH 2018 ISSUE 51 YOUR FREE DATASSENTIAL TREND REPORT

2 FB OF CONSUMERS LIMIT THEIR MEAT AND/OR POULTRY CONSUMPTION DATASSENTIAL S PLANT-BASED EATING KEYNOTE REPORT DATASSENTIAL S FOODBYTES: PLANT-BASED EATING SNAP! KEYNOTE SNEAK PEEK 2

3 FB Regardless of diet, many consumers are increasing their fruit and vegetable purchases and intake more than half say they re eating more than the previous year, with taste and health identified as motivators. Nearly a third of consumers are either limiting their meat consumption (flexitarians) or avoiding meat altogether (vegetarians/vegans), typically for health purposes, leading to a rise in plant-based eating and alternatives to animal proteins. Chains like Starbucks have released nut milk-based beverages not just in the cafés but also in a bottled format at retail. Next-level plant-based meats have also been appearing at both restaurants and retail think of Beyond Meat s meatless Beyond Burger that bleeds and can now be found at TGI Fridays as well as mainstream grocers like Jewel-Osco or Lightlife s plant-based Deli Slices that mimic classic sandwich meats and come in flavors like bologna or ham (contains ingredients like water, vital wheat gluten, soy protein isolate, evaporated cane syrup, tapioca starch, and fermented rice flour). According to Datassential s Plant-Based Eating SNAP! Keynote Report, 44% of Gen Z consumers say they truly enjoy the taste of plant-based foods, while 21% of Millennials specifically are increasing their consumption of plant-based products to support local farmers. Reducing meat portion sizes in favor of larger portions of fruits and vegetables, though, is of interest across all age groups. Fruits and vegetables aren t the only food groups covered in the report, though nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole and ancient grains also hold appeal among consumers whose purchases are driven by health and nutrition. In fact, legumes are a weekly food choice for over half of consumers, while 36% eat seeds at least once a week with snacking the predominant occasion for seed consumption. And when it comes to ancient grains, urban consumers and those that limit meat intake, in particular, are more likely to say they eat them because they re trendy. Regardless of the format, consumers also have high expectations when it comes to plant-based alternatives. The challenges both operators and manufacturers face with plant-based alternatives range from making sure they re flavorful (the most important attribute) to achieving a pleasing texture. It s worth noting, too, that while many plant-based items boast functional benefits that correspond with the movement towards Healthy 3.0 (covered in our New Healthy SNAP! Keynote Report), consumers largely display ambivalence or uncertainty regarding the nature and role of functional foods fewer than half identified attributes that would qualify a food as functional. Providing call-outs of functional benefits along with what they mean in relation to health can help increase consumers awareness and interest in plant-based eating. In this month s FoodBytes, we re taking inspiration from the garden and getting to the root of plant-based trends and the buzz surrounding them with a sneak peek at our soon-to-bereleased Plant-Based Eating SNAP! Keynote Report, which is packed with data and insights from over 1,500 consumers and 300 operators. To order the report, call Brian Darr at or brian.darr@datassential.com. DATASSENTIAL S FOODBYTES: PLANT-BASED EATING SNAP! KEYNOTE SNEAK PEEK

4 FB We asked consumers why they would choose plant-based alternatives over animal-based products (according to Datassential s Plant-Based Eating SNAP! Keynote Report, Gen Z is more likely to eat plant-based foods because someone in their family or friend group is vegetarian or vegan). Below are a few reasons consumers listed: 49% 31% 22% 18% 8% 23% OF OPERATORS CALL OUT SPECIFIC NUTRIENTS OR VITAMINS ON MENUS Two-thirds of operators have menued whole or ancient grains, with on-site operators most likely to offer them. According to Datassential s Plant- Based Eating SNAP! Keynote Report, there could be an opportunity for operators to bring items like grain bowls or breakfast cookies to the next level by leveraging lesser-known varieties of whole or ancient grains for instance, consider swapping out oatmeal for buckwheat. IN THE REPORT Discover the types of dishes that most commonly feature functional foods (usually high in protein and aimed at sustaining energy) or superfoods (boast an array of health benefits) as well as various operators approaches to menuing them. According to the report, 33% of operators added superfoods to the menu specifically because of their associated health benefits. DATASSENTIAL S FOODBYTES: PLANT-BASED EATING SNAP! KEYNOTE SNEAK PEEK 4

5 FB OF CONSUMERS INCREASED THEIR FRUIT CONSUMPTION IN THE PAST YEAR DATASSENTIAL S PLANT-BASED EATING KEYNOTE REPORT DATASSENTIAL S FOODBYTES: PLANT-BASED EATING SNAP! KEYNOTE SNEAK PEEK 5

6 FB Premium fruit and vegetable call-outs are worth a higher price to roughly one-third of shoppers, with nearly half willing to pay more for fresh, in particular. According to Datassential s Plant-Based Eating SNAP! Keynote Report, 46% of consumers increased their unprocessed fresh fruit (bagged or loose) purchases, while 40% increased their unprocessed fresh veggie (bagged or loose) purchases in the past year alone. All premium descriptors have the power to sway the purchase decision to some extent, though. Below is a list of premium attributes and the percent of consumers who would pay more for them: 49% 33% 31% 31% 33% 16% 26% 31% IN THE REPORT Consumers overwhelmingly opt to eat both fruits and veggies rather than drink them in formats like juices or smoothies, despite growth of such products at retailers and restaurants. In the report, discover the number of fruit and vegetable servings and varieties consumed in the past day. 30% 12% DATASSENTIAL S FOODBYTES: PLANT-BASED EATING SNAP! KEYNOTE SNEAK PEEK 6

7 FB I don t eat a lot of functional foods, but I ve started eating more. I eat Activia yogurt for probiotics, and I often eat greens that are high in fiber as well to help with digestion While soymilk has been available as an alternative to cow s milk at Starbucks since 2004, the coffee chain has progressed beyond just that one option to offer coconut milk and almond milk as dairy alternatives Delish reports that almond milk was actually a top ingredient suggested by customers to add to the menu on the My Starbucks Idea website. With the rise of alternative milks, many of which are nut-based (according to Datassential FLAVOR, 37% of consumers love or like almond milk, in particular), Starbucks also recently announced its plans to debut bottled almond milk-based frappuccinos and DoubleShot Coffee Smoothies at retail this May. 2. Just this month, IKEA revealed what it declares to be the fast food of the future (Food & Wine). At its Copenhagen-based lab called Space10, the chain has experimented with items ranging from the Bug Burger featuring mealworms to the Dogless Hotdog starring a trendy, next-level spirulina (green micro-algae) bun filled with dried and glazed baby carrots, beet ketchup, mustard and turmeric cream, onions, and an herb mix according to IKEA, this meatless spin on the fan-favorite hotdog is actually more protein-rich than the traditional meat version. However, while these items can certainly serve as sources of inspiration and innovation, they aren t currently available to the public. 3. TGI Fridays, although known for meaty dishes like bacon-topped potato skins and wings, stepped out into plant-based territory last year when it tested the meatless Beyond Burger (topped with white cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, and Fridays sauce) at select locations. The dish went on to be so successful (in Datassential SCORES, it scored a 71 in Unbranded Purchase Intent and a 93 in Uniqueness) that the casual dining chain added it to their permanent menu at the beginning of 2018, becoming the quickest test-to-table menu offering in the brand s history, according to Delish. Consumers can also find Beyond Meat s (a producer of plant-based alternatives) Beyond Burger on shelves at a range of mainstream retailers including Wegmans, Mariano s, and Whole Foods alongside real meat varieties, a first for a plant-based meat alternative. 7

8 FB OF OPERATORS EXPECT SALES IN NUTS & SEEDS TO INCREASE IN THE NEXT YEAR DATASSENTIAL S PLANT-BASED EATING KEYNOTE REPORT IN THE REPORT Uncover the types of dishes that most often showcase nuts and seeds as well as operators approaches to menuing them. DATASSENTIAL S FOODBYTES: PLANT-BASED EATING SNAP! KEYNOTE SNEAK PEEK 8

9 FB LAST MONTH S TRENDSPOTTING DINE AROUND Last month we explored the local flavors of Idaho s capital, Boise: from Idaho potatoes to the versatile huckleberry to locallyproduced wines and beers, in addition to Basque cuisine staples like paella. IN APRIL: San Diego WORLD BITES As all eyes were on the Olympic Games last month, we turned to the flavors and ingredients of South Korea such as spicy gochujang and colorful, customizable bibimbap bowls. IN APRIL: Persian Cuisine ON THE MENU In March we covered nextlevel applications for cottage cheese and brandy, and explored creative twists on spreads like tapenade and cookie butter. IN APRIL: Find trends ranging from bean sprouts to elk to Mediterranean cuisine. INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS Last month we explored a variety of Asian-inspired restaurant chains that are expanding their global reach, from a Chinese chain featuring only one item on the menu to health-focused Asian chains in the UK. IN APRIL: The Netherlands CREATIVE CONCEPTS In last month s Creative Concepts, we uncovered the next generation of themed restaurants: pop cultureinspired concepts. These include everything from a Saved By the Bell pop-up to operators channeling bars from galaxies far, far away. IN APRIL: New Mashups FOODBYTES What are Millennials actually eating? Last month we got a sneak peek of Datassential s Millennial SNAP! Keynote Report, the first installment in the Generations of Change Keynote Series, and uncovered Millennials food and flavor preferences. IN APRIL: Cannabis For information about an issue or to subscribe to a title, contact Datassential Business Development Manager Susan Cohen at or susan.cohen@datassential.com. DATASSENTIAL S FOODBYTES: PLANT-BASED EATING SNAP! KEYNOTE SNEAK PEEK 9

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11 BE THE TREND EXPERT 7 0 I S S U E S A Y E A R. S E A R C H A B L E I N S N A P. S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y.

12 PLANT-BASED EATING a SNAP! keynote consumption & attitudes diets & lifestyles operator perspectives restaurant menus & consumer appeal functional foods/superfoods demographic influences & segment skews Plant-based foods are putting down roots. Over a quarter of consumers either limit animal proteins or avoid them altogether, and twice as many say they are eating more fruits and veggies than say they are eating more meat. Plant-forward restaurants are growing, next-gen proteins like the Beyond Burger are selling alongside beef, and the nose-to-tail trend has expanded to root-tostem preps. Where do consumers and operators stand on these trends? Dive into the world of fruits, veggies, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and plant-based alternatives.

13 PLANT-BASED EATING Dive into the world of plant-based food From the report consumption & attitudes o explore how often and how consumers eat different types of plant-based foods o track changes in consumption over the past year and the reasons behind the changes o identify consumption drivers and barriers diets & lifestyles o learn how plant-based foods fit into consumers diets and lifestyles o understand purchase criteria and motivators o uncover which meat and dairy alternatives are most appealing operator perspectives o understand how foodservice operators are menuing and marketing plant-based foods o learn which formats are most commonly purchased o pinpoint operational challenges and identify opportunities restaurant menus & consumer appeal CONSUMERS 51% are interested in meat blended with grains or veggies (e.g., a burger made from a blend of with ground beef and mushrooms) 34% eat a vegan meal at least once a week 48% of those who consume plant-based alternatives say that they can be just as satisfying as animal-based foods OPERATORS 33% expect their sales of fruit and vegetables to increase in the next year 47% change their vegetable offerings at least once every three months 38% are adding vegetable-centric dishes to accompany their meat-based items o follow the growth of fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts seeds, and plant-based alternatives on restaurant menus over the past decade o see which varieties rank the highest in consumer affinity 1,500 consumers from all generations retail and foodservice operators functional foods/superfoods o learn what consumers and operators know about and expect from functional foods/superfoods o discover how those opinions affect food purchasing report x-tab tool webinar GET STARTED. PRE-ORDER TODAY. Contact Brian Darr at or brian@datassential.com

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