Food & Beverage Trends in 2016 That You Won't Want to Ignore

As a restaurant owner or commercial kitchen manager, you are probably aware of the changing tastes of your consumers. That being said, you’re probably so busy keeping your kitchen running smoothly that you may not have a lot of time to research the trends in the food and beverage industry. That’s okay, this year we’ve done the work for you.

  • Order and delivery

Keep reading to find out the top trends for 2016 when it comes to consumer tastes and preferences.

  • Emphasis on protein

With more people pursuing active lifestyles in pursuit of achieving greater health, they are also becoming more educated about nutrition. Building and maintaining muscle requires a good deal of protein and therefore consumers are looking for high protein foods to help them reach their goals. Evidence of this can be seen in fast food chains such as Arby’s and Subway allowing customers to order “double meat” on their sandwiches.

  • Real ingredients please

People have started to read labels and after not being able to pronounce or define most ingredients, they are demanding less artificial ingredients. Research on the effects of artificial ingredients is more easily accessible to the general public. The public is holding restaurants and packaged food companies alike, responsible and restaurants are responding. Brands like Panera Bread, Taco Bell, and Noodles & Co. have determined to rid their menus of many artificial ingredients.

Online ordering and apps galore give people the option to order a meal or their entire grocery list without ever speaking to an actual employee of the restaurant or store. Third party delivery services are becoming more and more popular; UberEats and Café Courier to name a few. These companies will charge a fee to pick up your order and deliver to you wherever you are-work, school, or home.

  • Can I substitute ___?

With all kinds of new diets and dietary restrictions, it’s becoming more of a requirement than a perk for restaurants to offer alternatives for their main ingredients. Starbucks now offers coconut milk, while large chain restaurants like Cheesecake Factory offer gluten free pastas for some of their dishes. A few years ago, patrons would be thrilled to find a restaurant that provided substitutions to meet their dietary preferences but today, customers expect it.

  • Look at my food

Customers really like to share their food on social media. Bragging to friends about their latest culinary creation or dining indulgence seems to be fairly commonplace among consumers, especially younger consumers. The more interesting the dish, the more “likes” it gets.

Tastes can change from year to year but one thing seems apparent when it comes to food and beverage trends for 2016; the healthier it is for you and the easier it is to obtain, the more likely it is to be popular with your customers.

Keep your kitchen running at its best so that you can stay on top of the trends this year. Call CPS for all your kitchen parts and maintenance needs.