Menu Matters LLC

Did you get last month's issue of the Menu Matters Monthly Minute? In this edition we covered: - Which options consumers think are still on-trend. Do they still think pickle-flavored things are on-trend? What about boba? - Consumers top packaging turn-off. - NEW Menu Matters Monthly Indicators -- notable stats we've come across that impact how consumers live and purchase. - Our Hot List for the month, from a hotel in Hudson Valley to restaurants in New Orleans to a cookbook that's perfect for the cold weather months. - The most unusual guilty pleasure food consumers have indulged in in the past year. If you aren't subscribed to our newsletter, you can sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gzUTY_rZ

We're excited to be here!

So, last week was a bit of a bye week for me due to the holidays and some PTO. But, I'm back and this is my #MondaySparks: 1. Sometimes, it's all about the spin. Or, if not spin, it's all about the perspective you choose to use when thinking about what your brand is and why it's unique. Use this tourism ad from Oslo, Sweden, to inspire #creativity in better leveraging what you've got to offer and why it's truly unique from even the biggest competitors you may face. Don't follow...stand out. (oslo ad: https://lnkd.in/ehpeaeEH and mammoth cave national park: https://lnkd.in/e74mwf4N) 2. There are a lot of times I think, when reading a scientific article, "how does someone even think of this??" This article from CNN (https://lnkd.in/eZQNCCSW) about scientists creating robots that are controlled by king oyster #mushrooms. Yes, you read that right. These robots are combinations of robotics and organic matter as the mycelium of the mushrooms grow within the robot, which is then powered by the electrical signals created by the mushroom and its sensitivity to light. Are you giving your team the latitude to blow the roof off of any box you're operating within and really get crazy with possible solutions? Think mushroom robots and go forth... 3. At Menu Matters LLC, we often focus our attention on the #trends within foods and beverages (and ingredients, preparations, etc.) but some of the most exciting innovations right now are in #packaging. Case in point is the PepsiCo Smart Can or, as the company likes to call it, their "LED engagement platform." As this article from Morning Brew details (https://lnkd.in/e4pv4Hdk), it was created when the team asked itself "what's next" and riffed until it came up with this concept. Ask your team "what if" and let it riff to allow truly unique solutions to bubble up. If not now, when? #innovation #marketing #foodandbeverageindustry #foodservice #cpg #restaurants #hospitality #culinary #trends2024

A few snippets from last week’s The Flavor Experience event in San Diego. Maeve Webster and I had some great meals at Herb and Wood (those oysters and bone marrow), Lala (they serve the check in and old fashioned cigarette holder with candy cigarettes), and Animae (ordered the entire left half of the menu and every single dish was good). Maeve presented on shifting consumer decisions on the main stage, hosted a fascinating discussion on c-stores in a breakout, and helped unveil the 2025 trends forecast again, while I showcased future thinking on the main stage and AI in a breakout. As always, the best part was seeing so many friends.

This week's #fridayfive - five things I learned this week: 1. What is the center of the Ozempic boom? Hollywood? New York? It turns out it's Bowling Green, KY, which has the highest concentration of people with weight loss drug prescriptions. How does that change a town? A local GNC is doing brisk business in stomach calming supplements, med spas are popping up all over the place, and restaurants are full, though some customers are only eating half of what they once did. (https://archive.ph/qtxFL) 2. Social media and the speed of communication have created a "chew it up and spit it out" culture, where fads move at the speed of light and nuanced conversations get flattened into easily-digestible memes. I thought about that when reading this opinion column from an Italian journalist, who notes that tourism in Bologna has turned mortadella into another cultural shortcut - a food meme for tourists, if you will - with old shops closing to make way for "ancient" mortadella shops that are three months old. (https://lnkd.in/e2-7X3hG) 3. Speaking of tourism to Italy, this article notes that some consumers may be canceling their trips to Disney World because it's cheaper to go to Italy. One company says the average cost of a Disney trip has gone up nearly 25% since 2019, with 70% of that increase being for services that used to be free. Maeve Webster and I talk about value and what goes into the value equation a lot. I remember a family member saying that even the high cost of a Disney trip was worth it when she saw the wonder on her daughter's face as she pulled the sword out of the sword in the stone and became a princess for the day. But it's always a balancing act - even the mother of a princess may get annoyed that they have to wake up at 7am to log into an app and pay for access to the most popular rides every day of their vacation. (https://lnkd.in/ezbgS9V9) 4. Would you eat medium-rare chicken? Sous vide is allowing people to cook chicken to 140 degrees (as J. Kenji Lopez-Alt notes, you can kill bacteria instantaneously at 165 degrees or slowly kill them over an hour or two at 136 degrees to achieve the same level of safety). I tried it a few years ago and found the texture extremely off-putting. (https://lnkd.in/eM-mSf3Q) 5. I love a good follow-up to a story. You may remember the woman who was sentenced to work at a Chipotle after she threw a bowl in a worker's face. Grubstreet followed up and it's another example of how a quick social media talking point ignores the nuances of a story. (https://lnkd.in/eQCEQYsy) #foodindustry #restaurants #ideas #innovation #cpg #journalism #ozempic #healthy #weightloss #tourism #socialmedia #chicken #value #disney #chipotle

Let's start this Friday off with five things I learned for the #FridayFive: 1. In Menu Matters LLC's most recent internal survey, nearly three-quarters of consumers are envious of another era or generation. The most envious? Millennials and Gen X. The least envious? Boomers. What we're seeing now is more #eraenvy than #nostalgia, and it's important to note the difference. Given this, it's not at all surprising that Taco Bell's retirement community sold out in less than three minutes. (https://lnkd.in/e5Ja9Saq) 2. Anyone living outside of urban areas knows how voracious deer are. Even so, it's easy to forget until nature gives you a stark reminder. Our pear trees were filled to the brim seven days ago...two days later, nothing. We're not relying on those pears for sustenance but I can understand the devasting impact that would have for anyone more reliant on a crop for revenue or for food. 3. #IceCream has always been a category that's existed on a very broad spectrum of #innovation and experimentation But this year feels different. There's been a fundamental shift farther toward more unique flavors like the potato chip ice cream Mike Kostyo and I enjoyed at Sip & Guzzle. This article features some of those truly unique and intriguing flavors. Honestly, I would love to try the strawberry & caviar ice cream, but that's just me. (https://lnkd.in/eWMCSpAj) 4. Rebranding is challenging, but sometimes necessary. We've seen national chains do it to varying degrees in an effort to better convey more modern sensibilities or shifts in menu focus. Other brands have engaged in rebranding for a host of reasons. But, as this article on the angst behind the rebranding of synchronized swimming to artistic swimming is interesting, particularly because of the pressure put on the sport by external forces (I'm looking at you International Olympic Committee – IOC). Some rebranding, despite the pain, hits the mark and ushers in a new era. Others miss, and the old brand quietly, or loudly, returns. (https://lnkd.in/esQ_RUTU) 5. I know there are farms for many different animals so I shouldn't be surprised that there are water buffalo farms in the U.S....but I am. More so, I'm surprised there are water buffalo farms in Tennessee. Regardless, who doesn't love a story about animals out of context...breaking free of their captivity to explore the human world. Happily, no one - human or water buffalo - was harmed during these vacations. (https://lnkd.in/egFp6BEx) #trends2024 #consumerbehavior #foodservice #foodandbeverageindustry #restaurants

The Menu Matters LLC Monthly Minute August newsletter is out! In this edition: - Discover which sense consumers would give up in order to enhance their other senses when dining out. - Learn whether consumers find more enjoyment in anticipating a meal or reminiscing about it after the fact. - Find our "Hot List" -- restaurant, food, and other recommendations from myself and Maeve Webster - See what consumers said when we asked them about their favorite restaurant experience so far this year. Which brands did they mention? Which meal was so good it made one respondent cry? Find it all in this month's edition. If you aren't signed up for our newsletter, you can quickly get on the list here: https://lnkd.in/gzUTY_rZ

It has been a summer of record-breaking travel in the US - what does this mean for food trends? We’re delighted to announce a new content partnership with the trend gurus at Menu Matters LLC,?Maeve Webster and Mike Kostyo! Every month, we’ll share an insight from Maeve and Mike that’s impacting foodservice and the world of red meat. First cab off the rank – a look at travel trends and the implications for the menu: Doug McNicholl Kirsty McCormack Sabina Kindler Alexei Rudolf

Maeve Webster and I are excited to be in this issue of Produce Business Magazine featuring insights from Menu Matters LLC on foodservice trends and ideas at retail. And alongside so many industry experts and friends! https://lnkd.in/gMcMtk7C

I'm not sure how we suddenly found ourselves at the end of July, but here's my #fridayfive: 1. As the industry continues to explore alternative food production methods, here's a new one: CO2 butter. Backed by Bill Gates, Savor is focused on creating "real fats from carbon." All of these efforts are interesting, but what happens when the most fundamental thing that connects humans to the earth - eating real foods - ends? Is there such a thing as human terroir? https://lnkd.in/eDjTMd89 2. But while there is something to be said about the disconnection of humans from whole foods, there's also a strong case for how cultivated meats and other tech-based products can help address food insecurity and - as is the case with Singapore - national security. https://lnkd.in/e9R3mWCB 3. While some companies are looking to science and the future, others are pulling from our past. This article (https://lnkd.in/eZcwU8rW) details how Arthur Watkins' extraordinary seed bank, which was collected a hundred years ago, are helping scientists rediscover "lost" crop genetics which are, in turn, being used to create hardier and more nutritious varietals. 4. Speaking of historic, how about this Ellia Kassof began resurrecting discontinued products. I've got to say, and not to age myself, but I recognize - and enjoyed - a lot of these brands. In fact, we had a cat named Hydrox! https://lnkd.in/erFyexCR 5. Finally, move over cocaine bear because cocaine sharks are the new drug addled predator to avoid. And while this may seem like a throw away topic consider what this may mean if we need to be concerned not just about overfishing and heavy metal contamination but also the possibility that seafood and fish may be strung out on coke. How much more complicated can eating possibly get? https://lnkd.in/e9W8X2xg #innovation #trends2024 #consumerbehavior #foodservice #foodandbeverageindustry #restaurants #brands #technology #agriculture #cpg #consumerinsights #menumattersllc