RESTAURANT Food TRENDS OF 2022

GO GLOBAL, SUSTAINABLE AND ALCOHOL-FREE

Food Trend reports this year are spanning the globe, redefining food sources and reinvigorating the mainstream. Diners want to travel the world through food – from traditional local fare to on-the-fly street fare. If you bring it to them, they will, in turn, come to you. And as sustainability remains top-of-mind, food technology advances to deliver even more plant-based proteins that often taste better than the animal product they've replaced. Meanwhile, more and more people are getting in tune with their bodies and making eating decisions based on how it impacts their health. And they will make decisions on where to go to eat based on how accommodating a menu is. Going vegan, gluten-free and even alcohol-free are trends that quickly become ways of life as people start feeling better about their diets. 75% of consumers are looking forward to new food and beverage trends in 2022 (Datassential), so now is the time to make changes. Get trend resources and supporting products that make changing your menu a breeze, below.

Trend One: Approachable Global Cuisine

The world has never been smaller. As technology has opened our eyes to mostly unseen wonders of the wider world, it has also opened our mouths and palates to flavors we once thought exotic, but now consider staples. Remember, sriracha wasn't always in everyone's pantry.

Another example is butter chicken. For all the sometimes intimidating spice and curry of Indian food, the mild but unique tomato-based goodness of butter chicken is popular everywhere. And we make it easy for you to bring it to your diners with Chef's Line^® Butter Chicken Sauce. Its savory deliciousness is only matched by its versatility. It can create memorable flatbreads, liven up poutine or help you add another style of wings to your menu. And nothing is more approachable that street food. Inspired by open-air markets around the globe, street food has become a melting pot of cultures and an easy way to expand your horizons, from the jazzed-up Korean Corn Dog to Peruvian Bao.

Speaking of Korean food, it's not just their street food that's causing a scene – and our Chef's Line Korean Barbecue Sauce and Monarch^® Sweet Chili Gochujang Sauce help you craft a menu your diners will dive into. From the punch of flavor from Japanese umami to the smoky pepper of West African obe ata dindin, there are exotic flavors you use to create unique twists on familiar favorites that people are lining up to try.

Trend Two: Options for Everyone

Datassential's 2022 Annual Trends report contains more than 30 pages about the future of plant-based proteins in 2022 alone. More than 1/3 of consumers are looking to increase their plant-based protein consumption this year (Datassentials) and plenty think plant-based "meats" can taste better than traditional meat. This confirms that the plant-based category is not just a menu must-have to attract vegetarians and vegans; meat-eaters' demand is growing as well.

For you, plant-forward alternatives aren't just in-demand, they can help you do more with less. Meatless crumbles, sausage links, and patties and veggie burgers are all versatile enough to serve many different menu items, from tacos to bowls to meatballs. Check out our plant-forward products here.

That's not the only dietary accommodation on the radar. Google search terms like "gluten-free restaurants near me" are up 500% in the last five years, and up 80% over 2020. Gluten-free alternatives are no longer a nice-to-have, they are a must-have in 2022. Luckily, there have never been more gluten-free options that come ready-to-use. Like the versatile Chef's Line Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Flatbread, that can serve as the base for any kind of app, main course or even dessert. And pasta lovers no longer need to compromise, with Roseli^® Premium Gluten-Free 100% Red Lentil Rotini and Chickpea Penne. They both taste and feel like traditional pasta – and act like it in a variety of applications.

Meanwhile, leaps and bounds have been made in gluten-free bread. Both our Hilltop Hearth^® Gluten-Free Hamburger Bun and Chef's Line Gluten-Free Breaded Chicken Chunk Raised Without Antibiotics taste more like what diners expect, and isn't that the whole point?

And who would have thought after what we've been through the last few years that non-alcoholic cocktails are having a moment. 51% of consumers are interested in low-alcohol cocktails, and 48% are interested in craft booze-free cocktails (Datassential). From recipes crafted by experienced mixologists to alcohol-free bars to curated food parings, people are skipping the booze. To help you capitalize on this trend, we have two different Kombuchas from Thirster^®: Organic Ginger Lemon and Organic Red Raspberry. Both of them bring the flavor – along with organic and probiotic goodness – without the unhealthy alcohol.

For more info, Food Fanatics^® Magazine can help. Check out "How to Win Over Diners with Restrictive Diets," to learn how to make changes without blowing your budget.