On the foodservice side, restaurants are being challenged to “do more with less” in all areas of operations. Maintaining the quality of takeout and delivery is essential, with pre-portioned meals, long hold times and sustainable packaging as key solutions. Curated meal kits are another way operators are delivering restaurant-quality experiences to their customers at home. In the UAE, a popular taco shop offers taqueria recipe boxes with 30-minute prep, and a bakehouse sells smoked salmon bagel boxes for an easy breakfast option.
Efficiency also plays a role in today’s snacking trends. Consumers are enjoying more satiating snacks as meal replacements, emphasizing the importance of delivering on both nutrition and flavor. In India, high-protein or added-protein snack claims grew 82% between 2017 and 2021; there is a huge opportunity to innovate in the space to address consumer demand. Functional snacks are also growing, with items such as “zen” snack mix (France) and blueberry-hemp power balls (Germany) claiming to address cognitive and nervous system function. In Japan, monthly subscription boxes add another level of convenience and ease to snacking.
