Food & Hospitality Trends for 2024

One of the great things about the hospitality industry is its forward-looking nature, with creativity and innovation at the heart of its success.?

To stay ahead of the curve, chefs and operators must keep up to date with the latest food movements, experiment with the flavours of the moment, and continue to evolve their business practices, such as utilising new front-of-house technology or expanding into online deliveries.?

With the new year nearly upon us, we speak to Laura Kirwan PhD , Sustainability Lead at Nutritics, and Elbha Purcell , Director of Knowledge Labs from Nutritics, who pick out a few of the top trends to keep in mind for 2024…

Menus that support healthy lifestyles: Health is often top of the agenda for many consumers as we enter a new year, but we also expect this demand for healthier dishes to continue throughout the months ahead. According to Bidfood, more than half of consumers (57%) expressed a preference for food and drink brands that encourage healthy lifestyle choices compared with those that did not. For hospitality operators, offering choice is key when it comes to health, with a menu that still offers indulgence alongside better-for-you alternatives.?

A Plant-Forward culinary approach: The plant-forward approach centres around increasing the ratio of vegetables, pulses, and grains in our food. It still allows for meat, fish and dairy, but recommends the use of? higher-quality and sustainably sourced ingredients. Exploring this culinary route in 2024? is a good way for operators to minimise their environmental impact, whilst still catering for those looking for meat, dairy and fish.?

Technology is your friend: Operators can improve efficiencies and make long-term cost savings in 2024 with the use of technology. There are so many options available to hospitality outlets, such as self-serve kiosks which are ideal for quick-serve restaurants, QR codes on tables or investing in automated inventory management software to minimise admin around ingredient re-orders and monitor food waste. Software such as Foodprint from Nutritics can help you monitor the environmental impact of the ingredients you use, as well as clearly providing a nutrient and allergen breakdown of every dish on the menu.?

Sustainability, Sustainability, Sustainability: Those who aren’t proactively making positive changes when it comes to their environmental impact will be left behind in 2024. A quarter of consumers would like to look at ethical or sustainable information on a menu(1), whilst a Nutritics survey earlier this year uncovered that more than two fifths (44%) say sustainability is important in their choice of venue. We know it’s a priority for staff as well with 84% of professionals stating they are more likely to stay in a hospitality job for longer if their employee has a positive environmental impact.?

There are many areas where operators can reduce their environmental impact and reviewing the footprint of the ingredients on your menu is a great place to start. If you’re looking for expert advice on where to start your eco journey, the Knowledge Labs from Nutritics team can provide tailored advice for your outlet.

Strong value: A recent survey found that price that 77% of consumers and operators alike see value for money as imperative to decision making when choosing where to eat and drink out. Therefore, it’s important for restaurants to find a balance between the quality and cost of their menu. Reducing the number of dishes and using a core group of ingredients can support a more efficient use of produce, whilst still delivering on the flavours and variety that customers expect.?

Here’s a quick round-up of other trends to be aware of in 2024:

• Hot and spicy: The exploration of complex heats in the kitchen will continue its evolution in 2024 according to Whole Foods Market , with chefs encouraged to experiment with new chilli oils and spices.?
• Local food: Three quarters (76%) of consumers state that dishes with UK provenance are appealing as they look for rustic and rural offerings. In 2024, customers are keen to try recipes that offer authentic local flavours, whilst still affordable.?
• Creating unforgettable moments: It’s important that operators create experiences that can’t be replicated at home, such as intimate chef’s tables, wine and beer tasting menus, themed events or even by offering hands-on cooking demos.??
• Hello chef: Allowing chefs to be creative and introduce seasonal or themed specials is a great way to keep regulars interested in 2024. We’ve also seen an increase in guest chef takeovers, which helps keep the menu fresh and customers interested.?
• British Fusion: Bidfood has identified British Fusion food as a trend to watch, with 35% of respondents from a recent survey stating that they find British Fusion appealing because it’s a way to try new flavours in a format they are familiar with.?

Here's to a successful 2024!?

If you’re looking for advice on sustainability in your business, get in touch with the Knowledge Labs team today - https://www.nutritics.com/en/services/knowledge-labs . Knowledge Labs provides Hospitality and Food Service (HaFS) operators with expert advice and support across a range of topics central to their ESG strategy, including food related sustainability, nutrition, employee wellbeing, and compliance.?

References

1) ?Bidfood and CGA, October 2023