🍎 Food for Thought: 31st August 2023
Serving Up Industry Insights and Expert Advice for Restaurants
In this week's Food For Thought Newsletter
Top Drinks Trends on TikTok
Grubhub Bringing Amazon's Just Walk Out Technology to College Campuses
Modular - The Newest Trend in Restaurant Design
What Do Restaurants Get Wrong About Their Vegetarian & Vegan Menu Options?
Smoking Bans in the Restaurant Industry
Restaurants Wonder What to Do with the ‘Sober Curious Mindful-Drinking’ Customers
Scientists Identify Microbes Vital to Making Traditional Mozzarella
Loryma Develops Vegan Tuna
Pret A Manger Fined After Employee Became Trapped in Freezer
How Franchises Thrive in Diverse Markets
☕ Grab a Coffee, and Let's Get Started
🥤 Top Drinks Trends on TikTok
Several exciting and unconventional drinks have gained popularity in TikTok's top drink trends. One trend involves jam cocktails, offering a potentially sweet and tasty experience.
Two specific cocktail recipes have captured the attention of TikTok. The Hugo Spritz has gained significant popularity, amassing over 4.3 million views, while an Orange Mojito recipe has gone viral, making it a drink trend poised for the late summer season.
💡 I do rather love the Orange Mojito! With Gen Z coming into their spending power, TikTok is a fantastic channel to stay abreast of F&B trends. Which one is your favourite, The Hugo or the Mojit? Let me know in the comments!
🛍️ Grubhub Bringing Amazon's Just Walk Out Technology to College Campuses
Grubhub aims to enhance the dining experience and drive student adoption through cost-saving and frictionless technologies. The food-ordering marketplace has introduced Amazon's Just Walk Out technology to Loyola University Maryland, making it the first Grubhub-partnered campus to deploy the innovative system.
This technology allows students, faculty, and staff to shop at campus convenience stores without waiting for checkout. Users scan a QR code in the Grubhub app to enter the store, and the technology automatically detects the items they take or return to the shelves. Payment is deducted from their meal plan or other linked payment methods as they leave the store.
💡 This is an interesting development that I could see coupled with collection points for take-out orders and grab-and-go shelved meals.
🏢 Modular - The Newest Trend in Restaurant Design
The CEO of Smalls Sliders, Maria Rivera, recently spoke about the potential for rapid restaurant growth through modular development.
Rivera believes modular is the future, and she outlines how her company utilises 800-square-foot modular shipping container units, which are manufactured elsewhere and quickly assembled on-site. This approach allows Smalls to open a restaurant within eight weeks, delivering a swift speed-to-market advantage.
Modular development helps overcome common challenges in the construction industry, such as delays caused by construction and permitting issues. By manufacturing the modular units off-site and then quickly assembling them on-site, companies can bypass many of the obstacles that often lengthen the construction process. This efficiency allows for faster expansion into new markets and quicker deployment of units.
💡 Modular design can create a unique selling proposition for your restaurant from a marketing perspective. Modular construction's speed, affordability, and environmental benefits can attract customers who value efficiency and sustainability.
As more consumers shift towards on-demand food delivery, having a modular ghost kitchen can help meet this demand efficiently. You can market this as a unique feature of your restaurant, showcasing your adaptability to changing industry trends.
🥗 What Do Restaurants Get Wrong About Their Vegetarian & Vegan Menu Options?
According to Redditors on the r/restaurant subreddit., restaurants often fall short when it comes to their vegetarian and vegan menu options, treating them as mere afterthoughts rather than thoughtful and delicious dishes.
One common complaint is the lack of effort put into these options, resulting in uninspired choices like fries or salad. Another area for improvement is the absence of protein in vegetarian and vegan dishes. While a cauliflower steak may be acceptable, it often fails to satisfy hunger as a main course. This problem becomes more pronounced in upscale restaurants, where the vegan entrees tend to consist solely of vegetables.
The labelling of vegetarian and vegan items on menus has commenters confused, with some restaurants using "V" to denote both vegetarian and vegan. In contrast, others use "VG" for vegetarian and "V" for vegan. This inconsistency can lead to misunderstandings and frustration for customers.
To improve their vegetarian and vegan offerings, Redditors recommend that restaurants should invest the same effort and creativity into these dishes as they do with their meat-based options. Staff should be knowledgeable about dietary preferences and trained to provide accurate information.
💡 What delicious Veggie and Vegan options do you have on your menu?
🚫 Smoking Bans in the Restaurant Industry
A recent publication on smoking bans in the restaurant industry highlights the increasing adoption of comprehensive smoking restrictions across 28 US states.
The bans, implemented to protect public health and maintain cleanliness in public spaces, have led to a significant decrease in smoking rates and a rise in the use of nicotine replacement therapy products. Some critics argue that these bans have limited social spaces for smokers and may not effectively address the root causes of smoking.
Nonetheless, the trend of smoking bans in restaurants is expected to continue as smoking becomes less socially accepted.
💡 Since the smoking ban was introduced in the UK in 2007, I can’t say that I miss being able to smoke in a restaurant (not that I smoke anymore). For me personally, a smoke-free environment is a much nicer way to enjoy a meal to its fullest. What do you think? Let me know in the comments
🍻 Restaurants Wonder What to Do with the ‘Sober Curious Mindful-Drinking’ Customers
The "sober curious" and "mindful drinking" movement is on the rise among Millennials and Gen Z. Fueled by social media, heightened awareness of excessive drinking, and a focus on health, younger generations are opting for low-alcohol or nonalcoholic (NA) alternatives to traditional alcoholic beverages.
According to a recent study, 57% of consumers are trying mindful drinking, with Gen Zers taking the lead at 69% choosing NA or low-alcohol options during social gatherings.
Brands must adapt to connect with these consumers and tailor their offerings accordingly. This shift reflects changing values and priorities, with health consciousness and a preference for high-quality products at the forefront.
💡 What NA drinks do you have on offer?
🔬 Scientists Analyse Microbes Vital to Making Traditional Mozzarella
Scientists at the University of Parma in Italy have used DNA analysis to identify the microbial function involved in producing traditional mozzarella cheese.
The study focused on the dynamics of microbial composition during the cheesemaking process, comparing data from two dairies in Campania that produce mozzarella with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status.
The researchers found that the microbial makeup of mozzarella is primarily influenced by the natural whey starter, with subtle variations observed between dairies using different milk processing technologies, with brine introducing microbial diversity to the cheese.
💡 Have you ever tried making Mozzarella cheese? I’ve tried to once somewhat successfully - if you have any tips for my next go, I’d be very grateful!
🌱 Loryma Develops Vegan Tuna
Loryma, an ingredients specialist, has unveiled a range of application recipes for vegan tuna that offer a genuine, fibrous texture and delicate mouthfeel.
These plant-based alternatives can be used in deli, frozen food products, and canned versions. The company aims to address the issue of depleting fish stocks by providing a sustainable and realistic alternative using locally sourced wheat.
These products can be flavoured and processed for use as meatballs, deli salads, frozen food toppings, or in the same way as traditional tuna, such as pizza or salad toppings.
💡 Would you add Vegan Tuna to your menu?
❄️ Pret A Manger Fined After Employee Became Trapped in Freezer
Sandwich chain Pret A Manger has been fined £800,000 following an incident where an employee got trapped in a -18C walk-in freezer for two and a half hours.
The worker suffered from hypothermia and was struggling to breathe when a coworker finally discovered her.
Investigations revealed that there was no proper risk assessment in place for employees working in temperature-controlled environments.
It was also found that the company had a history of call-outs related to issues with frozen or broken push buttons. Pret A Manger has apologised and collaborated with the manufacturer to develop a solution to avoid such incidents in the future.
💡 A timely reminder to check your Health and safety protocols
🌍 How Franchises Thrive in Diverse Markets
According to franchise expert Mark Siebert, successful franchises thrive globally by adapting and delivering their products and services to diverse markets.
Siebert cites McDonald's as an international example of adaptability, with unique menu items tailored to specific countries, such as the Gourmet Angus Truffle & Cheese in Australia and the McFalafel in Egypt.
While products may differ, maintaining consistency in brand promise is crucial for a franchise's success. Franchisors must develop comprehensive systems and prioritise quality, service, cleanliness, and value.
The brand's promise goes beyond just the product, as demonstrated by McDonald's, which offers a vegetarian menu in India while maintaining its strong global brand reputation.
💡 What’s your favourite regional McDonald’s dish?
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That’s a wrap for the week!
Please don't hesitate to contact me with any feedback or suggestions for future topics. Here's to Your Success 🥂