Market insight: New year, new trends

Bidfood has revealed the food and drink trends that it thinks are set to take off in 2023...

After another difficult year involving inflation, conflict overseas and plenty of new legislation, Bidfood has released the latest food and drink trends that is says are set to shape and inspire the industry for 2023.

Despite a tough few years, the wholesaler’s latest research has shown that consumer demand for eating out remains strong. In fact, seven in 10 say that it is the treat they most look forward to. The main trends are:

Retro love: Fancy a trip down memory lane? The Retro Love trend is all about revamping childhood memories and conjuring a sense of nostalgia, particularly through desserts, cakes and cocktails. It’s a great opportunity to bring novelty and comfort to menus. Take your consumers on a journey back in time with some innovative takes on nostalgic dishes! 

Flavours less travelled: As travel restrictions become a thing of the past, emerging world cuisines are still leading the way, with a rise in demand for more unusual dishes.  Over one in three people say that emerging cuisines have replaced the more established ones in their regular meal choices.

As well as this, research has shown that the four leading cuisines Bidfood identified this year do not have a strong presence on menus. Therefore, now is an ideal time for operators to adopt them and take consumer’s tastebuds on a new and exciting journey with:

• Cuban – Taking inspiration from Spain and the Caribbean, Cuban cuisine has real potential to take flight, with 46% saying they would like to try the island’s delicacies.
• Sri Lankan – An explosion of flavour, Sri Lanka’s key ingredients include, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon and coconut, but the spice levels can easily be adjusted to favour the consumer’s palate.
• Pan-African – Cuisines from this vast continent produce a myriad of flavours. Made up of comforting stews, soups and rice-based dishes, it’s a very adaptable and accessible trend that shouldn’t be forgotten!
• Unusual fusions – More restaurants are combing flavours and formats that normally wouldn’t be paired together, especially as 40% of people want to try these unusual fusions. Be experimental and discover a whole world of perfectly paired cuisines, flavour profiles and formats to set your outlet apart from the competition.  

Conscious choices: This trend centres on the fact that consumers are becoming more mindful of where they eat and drink out and what they order. While this isn’t new for 2023, the cost-of-living crisis, as well as the pandemic, has been a contributing factor to how consumers think about food and drink.

Pizza evolution: Because of the format and versatility of pizza, it lends itself well to creative and accessible innovation. Gluten-free bases and plant-based and premium toppings make it sit perfectly within different sectors, times of the day and occasions.

Catherine Hinchcliff, head of corporate marketing and insights for Bidfood, said: “We’re thrilled to see how the food and drink trends landing in 2023 are embracing sustainability, flavour experimentation and a journey through time, which in turn will allow the chefs to have fun while building their menus. Eating out has become a highly valued luxury for many, so it will be important for chefs to consider how they can evolve their dishes and adhere to the more mindful choices consumers are making now.”

For more information, go to bidfood.co.uk/2023-food-and-drink-trend

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