Trends We Tasted at Innovations: Part 1
Normally, we recap the biggest trends we sampled at our annual trade show in just one article. But after Innovations’ new tasting event, we have a lot to digest.
At Trend Explorer, an exclusive event for national account operator attendees, about 60 exhibitors teamed up with Acxion and Connections powered by CSSI to offer the best samples our show floor had ever seen. Every dish and drink was inspired by one of seven Datassential trends. We also carried on our tradition of the Culinary Experience Lunch, where select exhibitors serve lunch-sized samples on the floor to all attendees.
In part one, we’re covering Innovations 2024 samples inspired by three Datassential trends: big and bold, down-to-earth, and escapism. Stay tuned for part two, where we’ll continue with European 2.0, health and wellness, newstalgia, and the unexpected.
Big & Bold
In the words of Dot Foods Corporate Chef Tim Gump, “Don’t hold back!” Consumers are getting more adventurous, and they want a punch of flavor in every bite. At his seminar for national accounts, Datassential’s Jack Li encouraged operators to look to ingredients earlier in the menu adoption cycle for inspiration, such as chili crisp, harissa, or sambal.
A safe way to go big and bold is to inject less familiar, spicy ingredients into familiar favorites, like some of our exhibitors did at Trend Explorer:
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Magic Seasoning Blends went all out on wings with seven flavors to choose from, including lemon and cracked pepper, chile lime, and honey barbeque.
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Mr Bing Foods gave their own spin on the fried chicken sandwich with a sriracha chili sauce.
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Savor Imports celebrated Mexico with their “Walkin’ Oaxaca” taco, topped with chimichurri, salsa verde, and mole.
“For the adventurous diner, don't hold back! Bring heat, spice, and big flavors through international ingredients.”
—Chef Tim Gump,
Dot Foods Corporate Chef
Down-to-Earth
Simple doesn’t have to be boring. Natural ingredients don’t have to be bland. Consumers want to minimize waste, not minimize flavor.
As people become more aware of how the food they eat impacts the world around them, restaurants are challenged to deliver more sustainable, plant-based options that are still craveable. Some of our exhibitors proved they were up for the challenge:
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As a legume, chickpeas are powerhouses in sustainable eating and inject a creamy, nutty taste to favorites like hummus and falafel. Pepsico showed off hummus’ versatility by offering barbecue and buffalo versions. Dr Praeger’s served falafel burgers.
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Pulmuone Foods USA took inspiration from both Korean and Mexican cuisine for its flavorful plant-forward tacos. Ingredients included plant-based bulgogi and kimchi.
“Now we have the root-to-stem movement, which is like the nose-to-tail movement. But instead of using all parts of the animal, we’re using all parts of the plant.”
—Jack Li,
Datassential Executive Chairman
Escapism
People don’t always have time for a vacation or spa day, but they still manage to find time to escape the everyday. In a Datassential report, they found that 89 percent of consumers indulge at least once a week.
Indulgence looks different for each consumer, depending on generation, personal tastes, and attitudes about health and nutrition. Unsurprisingly, exhibitors took different approaches to providing mini escapes:
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Per Datassential, consumers tend to associate indulgence with sweet treats. Carlo’s Bakery provided a sweet escape in the form of their tres leches and cookies and milk cakes. Eclipse Foods capitalized on dairy-free, cookie butter, and cold drink trends with their non-dairy cookie butter shake.
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Amoy Asian Foods transported us to the tropics with a Thai-style mango and coconut dessert bite and lavender-infused coconut cream sauce.
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Italian is considered the most indulgent cuisine. Barilla flew us to Italy with their grilled chicken penne covered in a rich, creamy pesto ragu.
Your Sourcing Solution
As Jack Li put it, “don’t limit your menu ideas.” Consumers are gravitating towards multiple trends. Restaurants shouldn’t try to be everything to everybody, but they can take bits of inspiration from here and there to imagine new possibilities for their menus.
For more inspiration from Innovations, be sure to check out part two where we dive into even more trends and samples from Trend Explorer. Plus, visit our website, where all products from the show floor are available, including those featured at our new tasting event.
Explore trends on the Dot Foods website.
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