Do we even have trends anymore? Consumers are bombarded by choices—in streaming services, social media platforms, shopping websites, news outlets, you name it. With everyone splitting off into seemingly endless factions based on these choices, is it even possible to identify trends shared among such disparate groups?
Well, that is the trend. At any time of day, consumers can order from several restaurants for a single meal right from their phones. Their tastes aren’t shaped by a monoculture but by a patchwork of circumstances, decisions, and subcultures. Still, trends in the traditional sense haven’t totally fallen off. Datassential and other market research companies show that preferences for certain food and beverage items are constantly evolving.
What does any of this mean for 2024 food and beverage menus? Let’s just say menu development is about to get fun. Chefs can approach their offerings with the “anything goes” mindset that is guiding consumer choices, putting flavor at the forefront and throwing the rulebook out the window.
Complex Heat
Hottest isn’t always best—consumers have learned this the hard way, testing the limits of their heat tolerance by tasting food in the upper echelons of the Scoville scale. In 2024, consumers will put their taste buds through far less painful tests, trying out a variety of peppers and spicy ingredients just as much for their flavor as their heat.
Dubbed by some experts as “complex heat” or “complex spicy,” this trend will bring different types of peppers to the menu:
Calabrian: This Italian pepper has a smoky, fruity taste that adds nuanced flavors to any dish. It meshes seamlessly with a variety of dishes, like salads and pasta. Savor Imports Corporate Chef Don Turley is starting to see the pepper combined with other condiments, like hot honey.
Chili Crisp: Popular in China, this hot sauce consists of fried chili pepper and an assortment of aromatic spices and crunchy ingredients, like garlic or onion. It adds both flavor and texture to just about anything, even chocolate cake and elote. It’s also taking on new global identities, according to Chef Don, with Mexican and Thai versions appearing on the market.
Pickled Peppers: The pickling craze of the past year will continue into 2024. Pickled peppers are a way to capitalize on both trends. Pickling adds an additional tang and sweetness that adds layers to peppers. Try pickled banana peppers, pepperoncini, and cherry peppers in salads, sandwiches, and sauces.
Snack Attack
A month ago, Dot Foods Corporate Chef Tim Gump met with accounts at an authentic Cuban restaurant, where they shared an entree as an appetizer and then ordered their own Cubano sandwiches. An entree as a shareable appetizer reflects modern consumer practices:
“The old rules are gone,” as Chef Tim puts it. “Now appetizers and entrees are being cross-used for snacking for groups—a great way to get a sense of the menu.”
All-day snacking is part of that “anything goes” mindset. The pandemic has disrupted work schedules and locations, resulting in looser eating habits and snacking at any time of the day. Consumers are thinking outside menu categories and dayparts, eating whatever they want, whenever they want.
Restaurants can still make strategic plays to sway consumers into seeking them out as a snack spot:
With snacks, people are more willing to experiment. After all, if they don’t like something, it’s just a small snack. Don’t be afraid to venture out with bold flavors, especially in appetizers and small plates.
Restaurants can market their offerings in a new light. In social media posts and advertising, show large groups splitting an entree or someone snacking on a dessert as an afternoon pick-me-up to let everyone know these menu items can be enjoyed multiple ways.
“For snacks and shareables, kitchens want items that are fast to produce out of the kitchen,” explains Dot Foods National Account Manager Nevin Irvin. Speed-scratch and ready-to-eat items should be leveraged to meet those instant snack cravings.
Mind-Blowing Mashups
In 2023, it was all about swicy. In 2024, we’ll have swicy, newstalgia, Itameshi, and much, much more.
To translate, categories and flavors are about to be mixed together in surprising new ways. Sweet and spicy combinations—yes, that’s swicy—will continue their menu domination, but they will also inspire a wave of cross-cultural experimentation and flavor fusions. The appeal of mashups is that something exciting and new can come about from bringing together familiar components. It’s a lucrative middle ground, giving consumers both the comfort and adventure they crave.
So many mashups are on the way that we can’t cover them all here. In an upcoming Devour article, we’ll dive deeper into:
Umami Invasion:MSG has transformed from three misunderstood letters to a sought-after add-in for everything from cocktails to custards. It’s just one way savory ingredients are making headway into a wider variety of food and beverages.
New Meets Old: Consumers ranging from Millennial to Boomer want to revisit the menu items of yesteryear, but retro candies, snacks, and other old-school items need to meet modern expectations. That’s where newstalgia (new + nostalgia) comes in.
Cross-Cultural Cuisine: Korean tacos were just the beginning of 21st century globe-hopping fare. Itameshi, or Japanese-Italian, is the next major mashup, and it’s not alone.
Your Sourcing Solution
Between concerns about pricing, sourcing, back-of-house operations, and everything else, it’s easy for restaurants to lose sight of what brings people to their doors to begin with: to enjoy something delicious. Creative cuisine and fun flavors must remain in focus, especially as consumers develop more adventurous appetites.
Stay tuned for our follow-up article all about mind-blowing mashups. Until then, discover 123,000 products on our website and work with us on sourcing and LTO management for 2024.