Menu Flavours - UK - June 2012

INTRODUCTION
Definition
Abbreviations
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Meat-related Trends
Ethnic Flavour Trends
Baking/Dessert Trends
Non-Alcoholic Drink Trends
Tableware Trends
The consumer
Usage of and interest in European restaurants
Figure 1: Usage of and interest in European restaurants, April 2012
Attitudes towards ordering in restaurants
Figure 2: Attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, April 2012
Menu deterrents
Figure 3: Menu deterrents, April 2012
Usage of and interest in food menu enticements
Figure 4: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, April 2012
Usage of and interest in drinks menu enticements
Figure 5: Usage of and interest in drinks menu enticements, April 2012
What we think
ISSUES IN THE MARKET
How can operators counteract the decline of the three course meal?
How can drinks menus combat falling usage in the on-trade?
How can operators use the internet to drive interest in their dishes?
What role can innovative dishes play in helping venues drive footfall?
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
Promoting niche concepts
Putting the ‘experience’ back into the ‘eating out experience’
Faux Food Future
BROADER MARKET ENVIRONMENT
Key points
Low consumer confidence sees menu development react
Figure 6: GfK NOP Consumer Confidence Index, monthly, January 2007-April 2012
Low-cost comfort food
Pressure on breakfast and lunch catering
Adventurous flavours, familiar formats
Treat purchasing habits persist
Continued demand for justifiable luxury
Demographic trends: constraints and opportunities
Figure 7: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2007-17
Figure 8: Forecast adult population trends, by lifestage, 2007-17
MEAT-RELATED TRENDS
Key points
British food trends
Acceptance, accessibility and popularisation of offal
Historical British concepts
Summer of patriotism 2012
Single meat or limited menus
Growth potential of poultry
Meat: demographic targeting
Widening menu breadth
Interactivity
The resurgence of American BBQ food
Continuing evolution of the burgers
Gourmet concepts
Sliders, ‘burger flights’ and meatballs
Figure 9: Use of and interest in sliders/mini burgers, by age and region, April 2012
American-style
Handheld concepts
ETHNIC FLAVOUR TRENDS
Key points
Growth in ethnic NPD in home
Figure 10: Change in usage* of ready meals, by type (in ascending order of usage with the most used first), percentage point change, 2007-11
Figure 11: Change in types of other cooking sauces (excluding pasta sauce) used (in ascending order of usage with most used first), percentage point change, 2007-11
Ethnic flavour trends out of home
Service formats
Cuisine trends
BAKING/DESSERT TRENDS
Key points
As three course meals decline, dessert menus have to adapt
Figure 12: Courses ordered, May 2011
Figure 13: Use of and interest in mini desserts/sharing platters, by age and region, April 2012
Balancing the demand for ‘safe bets’ with the rising tide of ‘recession fatigue’
Afternoon tea trends
Figure 14: Use of and interest in afternoon/cream teas, by age and region, April 2012
Global baking trends
NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS TRENDS
Key points
In home soft drinks trends
Figure 15: Types of ready to drink fruit/vegetable juices and smoothies used most, (in order of ascending usage with largest first), by percentage point change in usage, 2008-11
Opportunities for carbonates
Soft drinks – children
Hot drinks trends – learning from retailers
TABLEWARE TRENDS
Key points
Using tableware to create perceived added value
Innovative bar ware
… and garnishes
High cost, low volume, statement menu options
The ‘theatre’ of baking
RESTAURANTS VISITED
Key points
Despite tough market conditions, Britain is still a nation of pub lovers
Figure 16: Restaurants visited (eaten in), April 2012
 USAGE OF AND INTEREST IN EUROPEAN RESTAURANTS
Spanish dominates the mainstream, but recent media attention has been on niche cuisine types such as Scandinavian
Figure 17: Usage of and interest in European restaurants, April 2012
Spanish/tapas
Greek/Turkish
French
German
Belgian
Scandinavian (eg Norwegian, Swedish)
Polish
Russian
ATTITUDES TOWARDS ORDERING IN RESTAURANTS
Key points
Diners are not focused on lowest cost but will trade down in areas where they can’t see the added value
Figure 18: Attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, April 2012
Faster-paced lifestyles have led to shorter more casual dining occasions
Young diners looking for familiarity, parents for a treat whilst affluence breeds confidence in more adventurous dish choices
Over-optioned consumers and those that see value in big plate servings
The youth market is the most price sensitive
MENU DETERRENTS
Key points
Balancing menu description length
Figure 19: Menu deterrents, April 2012
Importance of differentiation from in-home options
USE OF AND INTEREST IN FOOD MENU ENTICEMENTS
Key points
Cyclical food fashion
Figure 20: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, April 2012
You eat with your eyes
Opportunities for reviving the cheeseboard
Figure 21: Agreement with the statement ‘I often eat fresh cheese’, 2003-11
Main sharing dishes appeal to families
Sharing concepts spark the most interest among under-35s
Half and half mains interest 45-54s
Youth market more receptive of alternative service formats
Pizza by the slice
Sliders (eg mini burgers)
Interactive dishes (eg fondue, flambé at the table, cook your own steak at the table eg on a hot rock)
USE OF AND INTEREST IN DRINKS MENU ENTICEMENTS
Key points
Low consumer confidence damaging their propensity to spend
Figure 22: Agreement with selected lifestyle statements about paying for alcohol, 2003-11
Figure 23: Types of bottled wine drunk most often, (in ascending order of usage with most popular used first), by percentage point change, 2008-11
Use of and interest in drinks menu enticements
Figure 24: Use of and interest in drinks menu enticements, April 2012
Wine/beer/food matching
Dessert-flavoured cocktails
Wine flights
Beer paddles
Skinny cocktails
MENU FLAVOURS TARGETING OPPORTUNITIES
Key points
Menu flavours target groups
Figure 25: Menu flavours target groups, April 2012
Playing It Safe (21% of diners)
Young Entertainment Enthusiasts (13% of diners)
Value for Money Foodies (15% of diners)
Cheeseboard Urbanites (32% of diners)
Older Special Occasion Diners (19% of diners)
APPENDIX – RESTAURANTS VISITED
Figure 26: Restaurants visited (eaten in), April 2012
Figure 27: Most popular restaurants visited (eaten in), by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 28: Next most popular restaurants visited (eaten in), by detailed demographics, April 2012
 EUROPEAN RESTAURANTS VISITED
Figure 29: European restaurants visited, April 2012
Figure 30: Usage of Spanish/tapas and Greek/Turkish restaurants, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 31: Usage of French and German restaurants, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 32: Usage of Belgian and Polish restaurants, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 33: Usage of Scandinavian and Russian restaurants, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 34: Social networking sites visited and frequency, by European restaurants visited, April 2012
Figure 35: Attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, by European restaurants visited, April 2012
Figure 36: Menu deterrents, by European restaurants visited, April 2012
Figure 37: Grocery shopping habits, by European restaurants visited, April 2012
Figure 38: Health and healthy lifestyles, by European restaurants visited, April 2012
Figure 39: Cooking and eating habits, by European restaurants visited, April 2012
APPENDIX – ATTITUDES TOWARDS ORDERING IN RESTAURANTS
Figure 40: Attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, April 2012
Figure 41: Most popular attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 42: Next most popular attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 43: Attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, by most popular attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, April 2012
Figure 44: Attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, by next most popular attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, April 2012
APPENDIX – MENU DETERRENTS
Figure 45: Most popular menu deterrents, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 46: Next most popular menu deterrents, by detailed demographics, April 2012
APPENDIX – USE OF AND INTEREST IN FOOD MENU ENTICEMENTS
Figure 47: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, April 2012
Figure 48: Use of and interest in a dessert from a trolley/display and afternoon tea/cream teas, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 49: Use of and interest in sharing boards/antipasti and cheese from a selection, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 50: Use of and interest in main sharing dishes and mini desserts/sharing dessert platters, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 51: Use of and interest in pizza by the slice and half/half mains, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 52: Use of and interest in interactive dishes and sliders, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 53: Social networking sites visited and frequency, by menu enticements used, April 2012
Figure 54: Social networking sites visited and frequency, by menu enticements used, April 2012 (continued)
Figure 55: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by frequency of eating out, April 2012
Figure 56: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by most popular reason for eating out, April 2012
Figure 57: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by next most popular reason for eating out, April 2012
Figure 58: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by most popular places where eat in, April 2012
Figure 59: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by next most popular places where eat in, April 2012
Figure 60: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by most popular european restaurants visited, April 2012
Figure 61: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by most popular European restaurants visited, April 2012
Figure 62: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, April 2012
Figure 63: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, April 2012 (continued)
Figure 64: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by use of drinks menu enticements, April 2012
APPENDIX – USE OF AND INTEREST IN DRINKS MENU ENTICEMENTS
Figure 65: Use of and interest in drinks menu enticements, April 2012
Figure 66: Use of and interest in a glass of wine recommended with the dish ordered and type of beer recommended, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 67: Use of and interest in dessert-flavoured cocktails and wine flights, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 68: Use of and interest in beer paddles and skinny cocktails, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 69: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by frequency of eating out, April 2012
Figure 70: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by most popular reason for eating out, April 2012
Figure 71: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by next most popular reason for eating out, April 2012
Figure 72: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by most popular places where eat in, April 2012
Figure 73: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by next most popular places where eat in, April 2012
Figure 74: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by most popular european restaurants visited, April 2012
Figure 75: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by next most popular european restaurants visited, April 2012
Figure 76: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by most popular attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, April 2012
Figure 77: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by next most popular attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, April 2012
Figure 78: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by most popular use of and interest in drinks menu enticements, April 2012
Figure 79: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by next most popular use of and interest in drinks menu enticements, April 2012
APPENDIX – MENU FLAVOURS TARGETING OPPORTUNITIES
Figure 80: Target groups, by detailed demographics, April 2012
Figure 81: Attitudes towards ordering in restaurants, by target groups, April 2012
Figure 82: Menu deterrents, by target groups, April 2012
Figure 83: Social networking sites visited and frequency, by target groups, April 2012
Figure 84: Frequency of eating out by target groups, April 2012
Figure 85: Reason for eating out, by target groups, April 2012
Figure 86: Venues visited, by target groups, April 2012
Figure 87: European restaurants visited, by target groups, April 2012
Figure 88: Use of and interest in food menu enticements, by target groups, April 2012
Figure 89: Use of and interest in drinks menu enticements, by target groups, April 2012