Keeping Up to Date with and Capitalising on, F&B Trends

If we take a look at the evolution of F&B trends since he 1970s

2017-2019: The current trend is, ‘eat more local.’
2010-2016: New start-ups in the food delivery business and increased social media interaction
2005-2010: Food trucks, Vegan foods, Kale, Social media
2000-2005: Low carb and a transition from fine-dining to casual fun-dining, molecular gastronomy and craft cocktails
1990’s: Introduction of fat-free food and beverages
1980’s: The introduction of international cuisines and ingredients
1970’s: Brunch…

It is no surprise that many brands have difficulty keeping informed with the latest trends, never mind attuned to them.

As a food and beverage consultancy, here at FIS, we prioritise staying in touch with the F&B sector and its movements; so understand that this can be a timely, complicated process. To offer some guidance, here at our top 5 tips for staying up to date with the latest trends:

  1. Read – reading widely food news, journals and blogs is an invaluable way of keeping up to date. Try subscribing to The Grocer (online and paper – UK), the free Propel Email Newsletter or check out the Marketing Week Food website.
  2. Visit – we know that the pandemic has severely hampered our ability to go out-and-about to restaurants, food stalls and markets; but, once back open, make a habit of visiting and eating/drinking at these places. Not only does it support your local businesses/the economy but also exposes you to new flavours, cooking techniques and trends.
  3. Join in – get involved with your industry by joining industry associations, attending their events, taking trainings and participating in online communities. We are a proud member of the Facebook community FoodHUB by Bread&Jam for example, a group of like-minded food and beverage enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and suppliers.
  4. Observe your competition. Visit their locations and websites; follow them on Facebook and Twitter. What new initiatives, products or services are they launching? Are they targeting new markets or expanding to new regions?
  5. Think outside the box. Get beyond your own industry, market and region to learn what people in unrelated fields are doing. Read news from Japan or New York City. Visit sites for skateboarders or commodities traders. Learning about trends in other “worlds” will spark new ideas for your own.

So, you have done your research, exposed yourself to trends and incorporated your business into the local industry. Now what?

How do you now capitalise on these trends?

The MOP Method of Innovation
The MOP Method of Innovation

The MOP Method (MOP = Mindset, Openness and Process)

M: ‘mindset.’ Change the mindset of your team from resisting change to creating it. Team members need to be open to, and excited about, change if it is going to happen! Create open discussions with your team, communicate your thoughts and involve your employees in the R&D of your business. Because they are part of the discussion, they feel involved and valued. Now they’ll stop resisting the change and become the catalyst for change.

O: ‘openness.’ Remain open enough to change often. Change is not an end goal but a continual, fluid process.; it needs to happen regularly and often, not just once every 10 years out of necessity. Openness, however, is not limited to being open to change but also to others and their ideas and innovations. Stay open to your team’s suggestions, insights and ideas; as wacky and unpractical they may seem.

P: process.’ Building and developing a process for change that you follow when it comes time to change, ensures consistency, structure and a familiarity that team members can understand. This may be as simple as a bi-quarterly 30-minute meeting as a collective to discuss latest thinking and carry out competitor reviews.

This is how you create positive change quickly with the least resistance and most support.

If you would like to find out more about activating and capitalising on F&B trends, visit our website: https://foodinnovationsolutions.com/ and get in touch with a member of our consultancy team. We would love to support your innovation and help you set up a process for change within your business.

Find us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodinso/?hl=en

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