Do this year’s food trends affect the way you run your commercial kitchen?

It’s a big year for food with health and sustainability, alternative flours and much more making a big impact but how will these trends affect your business and the way you run your commercial kitchen, will you be adapting your menus, your prep and eating spaces?

Do this year’s food trends affect the way you run your commercial kitchen?

It’s a big year for food with health and sustainability, alternative flours and much more making a big impact but how will these trends affect your business and the way you run your commercial kitchen, will you be adapting your menus, your prep and eating spaces? Will you have to increase your menu prices to cover the cost these ‘alternative’ ingredients and dare we say, fad foods that are making an impact?

So, what’s on offer this year.

Let’s start with alternative flours.

According to foodies and cooks, alternative flours are going to be popular this year. There has been a huge increase in coconut flour and chickpea flour and Indian cooking is seeing the use of wholemeal flour or ‘atta’ being added to dishes as it is high in fibre. The range of alternative flours available is huge, we are seeing increases in the use of almond and cassava flour, and there may even be new introductions to the market, such as cauliflower, green banana and cashew flour. Fruit flours are due to be big this year too as they are low-carb and grain-free.

Fruit syrup reductions for cooking, they are a thing.

Sugar alternatives are definitely a ‘thing’ and fruit syrups are making their way onto the supermarket shelves, so expect to see more pomegranate molasses and date syrups. Syrup reductions from fruit are a way to add concentrated, unique flavours into desserts, marinades and meat glazes. Don’t forget fruit syrups should be eaten in moderation as they are high in sugar.

Vegan/Plant based diets making a big impact.

The number of vegans in the UK has quadrupled over the past 5 years with the latest figures at 600,000. By 2025 it is predicted that a quarter of the population will be vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian.

It is thought that flexitarians will have a big impact on restaurant menus, how will this affect your commercial kitchen? As we become more aware we are seeing a more considered approach to meat and what we consume because people are eating less meat, when they are eating it they want to really enjoy it.

CBD, a new ingredient.

Last year we saw a big increase in CBD being used in food and drink and we don’t expect it’s popularity to decrease any time soon. It was reported that 1 in 10 Brits had used CBD products and many bars and restaurants are experimenting with CBD oil in their recipes. It is predicted that we will also see a rise of CBD products hitting the supermarket such as CBD infused sparkling water and coffee.

Consumers are embracing this new trend and buying into products that bridge the gap between medicine and food as we become more and more aware of the role that food and drink play in our mental wellbeing. Will CBD be on your menu this year and what impact will this have on your catering space?

Environmental impact and how we eat.

Cooks are predicting that with the rise of the environmental impact of food, seasonal eating will see an uplift this year, which we personally think, is no bad thing. Home-grown ingredients make a huge difference to the flavour of foods and reduce costs not only that but we will see a reduction in our carbon footprint. This change will provide much-needed support to small producers and local farmers

The fact is we are seeing a huge change in the way people are eating and what they are eating – it is predicted that restaurant spending will decrease over the next year or so but consumers will spend more with the delivery market and the cost of ingredients increasing. As a catering business you will need to adapt your menus to your consumers and this could mean you will need to adapt your commercial kitchen design to fulfil demand.