foodbytes - foodbytes - march 2018.pdfplant-based trends and the buzz surrounding them with a sneak...

FOODBYTES

MARCH 2018

| ISSUE 51 |

YOUR FREE DATASSENTIAL TREND REPORT

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2DATASSENTIAL’S FOODBYTES: PLANT-BASED EATING SNAP! KEYNOTE SNEAK PEEK

DATASSENTIAL’S PLANT-BASED

EATING KEYNOTE REPORT

LIMIT THEIR MEAT AND/OR POULTRY CONSUMPTION

OF CONSUMERS

Regardless of diet, many consumers are increasing their fruit and vegetable purchases andintake – more than half say they’re eating more than the previous year, with taste and healthidentified 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 Starbuckshave released nut milk-based beverages not just in the cafés but also in a bottled format atretail. 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 TGIFridays as well as mainstream grocers like Jewel-Osco or Lightlife’s plant-based Deli Slices thatmimic classic sandwich meats and come in flavors like bologna or ham (contains ingredients likewater, vital wheat gluten, soy protein isolate, evaporated cane syrup, tapioca starch, andfermented 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% ofMillennials specifically are increasing their consumption of plant-based products to support localfarmers. 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 purchasesare driven by health and nutrition. In fact, legumes are a weekly food choice for over half ofconsumers, while 36% eat seeds at least once a week with snacking the predominant occasionfor seed consumption. And when it comes to ancient grains, urban consumers and those thatlimit 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-basedalternatives. The challenges both operators and manufacturers face with plant-basedalternatives range from making sure they’re flavorful (the most important attribute) to achievinga pleasing texture. It’s worth noting, too, that while many plant-based items boast functionalbenefits that correspond with the movement towards Healthy 3.0 (covered in our New HealthySNAP! Keynote Report), consumers largely display ambivalence or uncertainty regarding thenature and role of functional foods – fewer than half identified attributes that would qualify afood as functional. Providing call-outs of functional benefits along with what they mean inrelation 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 ofplant-based trends and the buzz surrounding them with a sneak peek at our soon-to-be-released Plant-Based Eating SNAP! Keynote Report, which is packed with data and insightsfrom over 1,500 consumers and 300 operators. To order the report, call Brian Darr at 312-655-0594 or email [email protected].

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DATASSENTIAL’S FOODBYTES: PLANT-BASED EATING SNAP! KEYNOTE SNEAK PEEK

mailto:[email protected]

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.

8%

18%

22%

31%

49%

We asked consumers why they would choose plant-based alternatives over animal-based products (according toDatassential’s Plant-Based Eating SNAP! Keynote Report, Gen Z is more likely to eat plant-based foodsbecause someone in their family or friend group is vegetarian or vegan). Below are a few reasons consumers listed:

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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.

23%

OF OPERATORS CALL OUT SPECIFIC NUTRIENTS OR

VITAMINS ON MENUS

OF CONSUMERS

FRUIT CONSUMPTIONIN THE PAST YEAR

INCREASED THEIR

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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%

33%

31%

31%

30%

26%

16%

12%

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.

2 3

1

1. While soymilk has been available as an alternative to cow’s milk at Starbucks since 2004, the coffee chain hasprogressed beyond just that one option to offer coconut milk and almond milk as dairy alternatives – Delish reports thatalmond milk was actually a top ingredient suggested by customers to add to the menu on the My Starbucks Ideawebsite. With the rise of alternative milks, many of which are nut-based (according to Datassential FLAVOR, 37% ofconsumers love or like almond milk, in particular), Starbucks also recently announced its plans to debut bottled almondmilk-based frappuccinos and DoubleShot Coffee Smoothies at retail this May. 2. Just this month, IKEA revealed what itdeclares to be the “fast food of the future” (Food & Wine). At its Copenhagen-based lab called Space10, the chain hasexperimented 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 andturmeric cream, onions, and an herb mix – according to IKEA, this meatless spin on the fan-favorite hotdog is actuallymore protein-rich than the traditional meat version. However, while these items can certainly serve as sources ofinspiration and innovation, they aren’t currently available to the public. 3. TGI Fridays, although known for meaty disheslike bacon-topped potato skins and wings, stepped out into plant-based territory last year when it tested the meatlessBeyond 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 inUniqueness) that the casual dining chain added it to their permanent menu at the beginning of 2018, becoming “thequickest test-to-table menu offering in the brand’s history,” according to Delish. Consumers can also find BeyondMeat’s (a producer of plant-based alternatives) Beyond Burger on shelves at a range of mainstream retailers includingWegmans, Mariano’s, and Whole Foods alongside real meat varieties, a first for a plant-based meat alternative.

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.

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DATASSENTIAL’S FOODBYTES: PLANT-BASED EATING SNAP! KEYNOTE SNEAK PEEK 8

OF OPERATORS EXPECTSALES IN NUTS & SEEDS



TO INCREASE

IN THE REPORT

Uncover the types of dishes that

most often showcase nuts and

seeds as well as operators’

approaches to menuing them.

IN THE NEXT YEAR

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TRENDSPOTTINGLAST MONTH’S

CREATIVE CONCEPTS

In last month’s Creative Concepts, we uncovered the next generation of themed restaurants: pop culture-inspired 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

ON THE MENU

In March we covered next-level 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

DINE AROUND

Last month we explored the local flavors of Idaho’s capital, Boise: from Idaho potatoes to the versatile huckleberry to locally-produced 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

For information about an issue or to subscribe to a title, contact Datassential Business Development Manager Susan Cohen at

312-219-6428 or [email protected].


BE THE TREND EXPERT7 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 .

PLANT-BASED

EATINGa SNAP! keynote

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-to-

stem 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.

consumption & attitudes

diets & lifestyles

operator perspectives

restaurant menus &

consumer appeal

functional foods/superfoods

demographic influences &

segment skews

PLANT-BASED EATING

GET STARTED. PRE-ORDER TODAY.

Contact Brian Darr at 312-655-0594 or [email protected]

Dive into the world of

plant-based food

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

consumption & attitudes

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

diets & lifestyles

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

operator perspectives

o learn what consumers and operators know about

and expect from functional foods/superfoods

o discover how those opinions affect food

purchasing

functional foods/superfoods

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

restaurant menus & consumer appeal

CONSUMERS51% 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

OPERATORS33% 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

From the report

1,500 consumers

from all

generations

retail and

foodservice

operators

report webinarx-tab tool

datassential.com

888-556-3687

18 S. Michigan Ave.

9th Floor

Chicago, IL 60603

foodbytes - foodbytes - march 2018.pdfplant-based trends and the buzz surrounding them with a sneak...

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