We wanted Innovations attendees to leave with more than a bag of product samples. We wanted them to leave with inspiration for their menus.
That inspiration came through Trend Explorer, which came back bigger and better for the second year at our Innovations trade show. In partnership with Connections powered by CSSI and Acxion, 80 exhibitors served small plates based on six Datassential trends. In this two-part recap, we’re covering the highlights from Trend Explorer.
Explore more trends in part two here.
Coffee, Coffee, Coffee
When it comes to beverage menus, playing it safe is a risk. Over the past decade, beverages have evolved into a “culinary blank slate” as consumers seek to drink up a wide range of flavors. Experimenting with beverages has been a lucrative business, with 58% of operators naming expanded beverage platforms as their most important revenue stream, according to Kinetic12.
Coffee beverages, in particular, hit the spot for both indulgence and perceived necessity. Consumers need coffee to fuel them, so why not make it special? In that spirit, Innovations exhibitors served exciting coffee drinks that woke up our attendees.
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Arnold Palmer has seen a 52% swell in menu mentions over the past four years (Datassential). Tractor capitalized on the popularity of this classic beverage along with cold brew and lavender for its trend-forward take: the Lavender Coffee Palmer.
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Coffee isn’t just for beverages. Barilla incorporated espresso into its bucatini pasta dish, and DYMA Brands elevated its ricotta cheese cake with espresso, pistachio, and a mocha drizzle.
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The J.M. Smucker Company brought back the espresso martini, a nineties beverage that has resurged as part of a growing craving for nostalgia.
Global Breakfast
There is perhaps no daypart more associated with comfort than breakfast, but that can come at the cost of innovation. Not anymore. As breakfast starts to move from early hours to an all-day experience, that opens up the category to new flavors and new parts of the globe.
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Global inspiration doesn’t have to come from one place. Custom Culinary brought together Mexico and North Africa for its birria shakshuka, which blended a flavorful birria broth into the tomato egg dish.
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Califia Farms’ Asian-inspired sticky rice breakfast is an adult take on cereal, consisting of sticky rice immersed in coconut milk with spices and dates.
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According to Datassential, kimchi has grown 82% in 12 months on U.S. breakfast menus. Both Pulmuone and Vital Farms used kimchi as part of their Korean-inspired breakfasts, serving plant-based bulgogi toast and a kimchi breakfast taco, respectively.
Functional & Hyper-Personalized Nutrition
Health conscious consumers are getting savvier. They know that just because a menu describes an item as “healthy” doesn’t mean it's offering the health benefits they’re looking for. Restaurants should think beyond vague claims and menu items with specific benefits, like improving gut health, strengthening immunity, or lowering stress.
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Chobani made breakfast more vibrant with its “Ube”rific Yogurt Parfait. Ube, a purple yam from the Phillippines, along with Greek yogurt promote gut health. The combination of purple ube and green matcha also creates a striking color combination.
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Sweet Street proved that functional food can be indulgent. Golden milk, a beverage from India, features turmeric, which offers several health benefits and boosts immunity. Sweet Street blends golden milk with cheesecake ice cream and tops with cinnamon for a creamy, sweet experience.
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Tree Top’s apple crisps aren’t just a fun snack for kids. At Trend Explorer, the item added a satisfying crunch to a salad.
Your Sourcing Solution
While industry tasting events often deliver on trends, they typically leave attendees asking, “where can I get this?” But at Trend Explorer, and all Innovations events, products are clearly called out and available to source through Dot Foods.
Check out part two of our Trend Explorer recap for the best bites from our final three trends: living for now, social media sensations, and spicy and…
Start bringing trends to life! Discover products from Trend Explorer.