The UK food scene has until recently been very limited. There were a few outdoor food markets on the Portobello Road, and exotic food was generally a cheap and cheerful Indian restaurant at a tube stop, or a little haunt in Chinatown. Sophisticated dining was usually French food or an overpriced Michelin star restaurant – there wasn’t much in between.
However, a recent report has revealed that the UK foodservice scene is emerging as an exciting food hub.
There is an expected high revenue growth for foodservice in the UK, with projections of around 17% PA (significantly above retail growth). This demonstrates a growing love of food and the dining landscape, and a rise in convenience food services such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats.
These delivery services have changed the way we approach dining options, and we can expect to see more targeted choices based on demographics and psychographic profiling (think itracking of your Facebook preferences and activity).
Most caterers and restaurant operators believed that their growth would come at the expense of a competitor by offering a better product, not necessarily a cheaper product. This is interesting as it creates new opportunities for businesses to focus more on quality and creativity, rather than cutting supply costs.
Authentic food is also emerging as a key trend in the UK with the continual rise of popularity with Street Food. In Australia, we are not seeing this growth as yet, but it will be an interesting market to watch in the next 12 months.
Other notable trends we’re seeing are meat alternatives, healthier eating options, sugar reduction and a rise in breakfast dining, with Australia now the world’s most popular breakfast eating country.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to consumers with landfill being a strong issue in 2020. The amount of single use packaging and coffee cups being used may be the “Supermarket Plastic Bag Issue” of foodservice 2020 and beyond!
Brand awareness and value is proving to be a key driver in consumer decisions on where they dine. Multi-site brands such as Soul Origin or a strong single outlet brand is having an impact on consumer choice. Investing in brand is seen as the most robust way of carving out a proper niche for your market with customer loyalty going beyond logos and includes ambience, corporate social responsibility and sustainability.
The human element is predicted to impact on staff numbers with staff growth tipped to be less than 2% in 2020. This suggests a key factor in the future of foodservice is automation with online ordering, digital automation and more pre-prepped ingredients.
Chef shortages are also a concern and training are now considered a priority. Many businesses are developing incentives to retain talented staff where possible.
Social media and technology will continue to drive brand and product awareness into 2020, with Instagram and review sites such as TripAdvisor influencing consumer choice in many areas.
And what can we expect to see as far as food trends in 2020 and beyond?
Peruvian, Mexican and Sri Lankan street foods are fast gaining momentum as well as the pop-up’s such as Knafeh – a highly specialised, ethnic, entertainment-based and portable!
Australia and the UK have always shared a strong cultural bond, and we experience the challenges and trends similarly when it comes to foodservice.
As a dynamic and exciting business, Sandhurst continues to stand at the forefront of foodservice trends. Our dedication to simple, authentic ingredients have positioned our business as a leader in the marketplace and also, pioneers when it comes to trends.
Whether it’s a POKE BOWL using our Canned Corn Kernels and Roasted Red Pepper Strips, a delicious Authentic Italian Pizza using our Artichokes and Anchovies, or you’re putting together the perfect Gnocchi with Fresh Basil Pesto – Sandhurst has the quality solution for all foodservice professionals.