Bouncing back – food to go set for a boost.

Bouncing back

Despite the challenges of recent times, there are positive signs of improvement in the food to go arena for operators prepared to pay keen attention to the changing behaviours and particular menu preferences of their customers.

UPBEAT

The food to go market took a massive hit during the pandemic lockdowns and the effects of ‘hybrid working’ took a significant toll on the sector.

Although predictions for this sector’s growth of 31.8% this year - to a value of £21.3 billion (Lumina Intelligence’s UK Food To Go Market Report 2022) - is good news, another challenging period lies ahead for caterers. Will we see the re-emergence of Covid and its restrictions over the winter months? And will soaring prices affecting food supplies, fuel, utility bills and taxation deal another blow to the already beleaguered hospitality sector?

Earlier this year, Blonnie Whist, insight director, Lumina Intelligence, revealed: “Firstly, the re-opening of hospitality, as well as recovery in city centre footfall, will drive food to go occasions as more consumers return to offices at least some of the working week. Secondly, recovery in travel and tourism will boost food to go throughout key parts of 2022, including the summer months. Thirdly, food to go is a relatively low ticket and is well placed to capitalise on tighter budgets as consumers feel the impact of cost increases across food, fuel and utility bills as well as taxation.”

Regarding consumer-led trends, a Mintel report (Mintel’s UK Menu Trends Market Report 2022) states that “despite the re-opening of sit-down restaurants, demand for takeaway food has remained high, breakfast, brunch and lunch takeaway occasions continue to see growth in participation over the past year. A diverse and high quality menu will attract custom and lower prices would encourage 16-24 year olds to eat more plant-based fast food meals, as Generation Z-ers lead the charge for more affordable and sustainable meal solutions.”

“Although consumer budgets are squeezed, expectations around food quality, choice and innovation remain high. Operators will be looking to recover profits without compromising on standards of menu choices, grab and go options that are appealing, and menu items that can be pre-prepared or offer quick cook solutions are ideal,” says Greta Strolyte, brand manager at noodle brand, Lucky Boat.

“A popular menu will take into consideration current trends and there are a few safe bets too; cuisines that draw in customers time after time – the interest in world foods has not abated, and the demand for Asian dishes has remained high. Asian classics, such as stir fries and noodle soups are not only popular, but speedy to prepare and transport well for a grab and go scenario, as well as a great option for delivery and take away too.”

According to Bidfood (Bidfood’s Food & Drink Trends 2022), “rapid digital innovation and the lasting impact the pandemic has had on our lifestyles and routines has completely shaken up the role that time, space and location play in our lives’ this has resulted in a change in peoples eating habits” and “this new found freedom is likely to drive demand for all-day menus, brunch occasions and more snack-type meals”, indicating that grab and go choices will need to be diverse, with operators needing to seek out products that provide versatility across all day meal occasions, as well as delivering quality.

FOREVER POPULAR

“By 2025 outlet growth in the food to go market is expected to reach its highest figure in six years with 156,120 outlets (Lumina Intelligence’s UK Eating Out Market Report 2022), so it’s important for operators to remain competitive by offering the convenience and variety that consumers are looking for in a food to go menu. Handheld options produced with speed, efficiency and consistency are the ideal food to go format and quick for consumers to grab and go during a busy day,” says Karen Heavey, brand manager for Kerrymaid.

“Sandwiches remain the ultimate food to go item, with more than three billion sandwiches purchased from UK retail or catering outlets each year (British Sandwich & Food to Go Association data). Cheese remains a popular sandwich ingredient and consistently ranks highly in any survey of the UK’s favourite sandwiches, both on its own and paired with various other ingredients. It is perhaps due to its versatility that cheese accounts for 15% of the market as the second most used ingredient (British Sandwich & Food to Go Association data).

“Including hot options increases the appeal of a sandwich offering and enables operators to target different dayparts. Breakfast is a key to go occasion for a satisfying hot snack and when it comes to filling breakfast sandwiches, baguettes, wraps or panini, cheese remains one of the most popular options and adds that finishing touch to breakfast staples such as bacon, sausage and ham, or their plant-based alternatives. The ever popular breakfast croissant also becomes a more substantial savoury snack when filled with bacon, ham or mushrooms and topped with cheese.

“Lunch has seen the biggest increase in daypart share (Lumina Intelligence’s UK Food To Go Market Report 2022), driven by workers returning to offices looking for quick and affordable options, and to go options fit the bill perfectly. Supermarkets have been stealing share of the lunch to go market with their ranges of prepacked sandwiches, so café operators can differentiate their offer with made to order sandwiches that can be customised to consumers’ personal preferences. Speed of preparation is key and Kerrymaid Rich & Creamy Buttery, for instance, spreads straight out of the fridge, while Kerrymaid Sunflower Light offers an alternative to a dairy spread for vegans. “A toasted cheese sandwich is one of the most satisfying and tasty hot lunch to go options and lends itself well to numerous variations. Add extra flavour with additional ingredients such as ham, bacon, mushrooms, tomato or tuna, or take it to a whole new level with balsamic onions or salt beef and pickles. Varying the bread type also elevates the snack, with sourdough bread, panini and ciabatta all popular options.

“Consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are increasingly seeking snacks that reflect global cuisines and operators can cater for them with tacos, burritos and quesadillas with cheese as a key component, for instance, cheese and refried beans for a taste of Mexico.

“It’s important to use a cheese that offers high performance and Kerrymaid Grated provides a more even melt than standard cheddars and less oiling out, delivering a higher standard in hot sandwich options. It also comes in white and red varieties, so you can add to the variety on your menu by changing up the colour.

“Another option is to use cheese slices and Kerrymaid Slices can be used for paninis, wraps, sandwiches as they are easy peel for a quick service at busy lunchtimes. Providing a smooth, even melt without becoming translucent, they deliver a rich cheesy flavour and come in original or vegan varieties so you can offer hot handheld snacks for customers following a plant-based diet too.”

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Launched at this year’s Casual Dining Show, The Sausage Man’s Sausage2Go unit, presents a hot-hold solution for caterers across all sectors wishing to offer hot dogs as a quick serve or grab and go option.

The Sausage2Go unit is available on loan directly from The Sausage Man, with two tier ‘bartop’ Sausage2Go units available in 884mm height/356mm width/66omm depth, or 884mm height/975mmwidth/660mm depth. Free standing units are also available in various sizes.

The Sausage Man UK Ltd is a UK-based supplier of high-quality German sausage and other speciality foods and drinks, having been importing premium sausages and other speciality foods from Germany since 2005. Having provided wholesale products to foodservice for over 15 years, The Sausage Man opened up a retail offering in 2020, and now delivers authentic German products directly to consumers across the UK, exceeding sales of 10 million sausages per year in 2021 with revenue of £4.5m in 2018/19 and £5m in 2019/20, they report.

They offer five bestselling sausages from their extensive range to help kick off the Sausage2Go launch, including Bratwurst, Bacon Krakauer, Cheese Frankfurters, Chilli Beef or Vegan Hot Dogs to entice custom. All sausages are fully cooked, ready to eat and reheat, and are supplied chilled or frozen, benefiting from a long shelf life (the sausages are offered for sale accompanied by high quality brioche baguettes from bakery brand St Pierre).

The Sausage2Go unit is made by Flexeserve, specialists in hot-holding, flexible merchandising solutions, and facilitates the latest patented air recirculation technology, retaining heat without over-cooking for perfect food condition, superior flavour and texture, and no moisture loss throughout the day.

No catering experience is required, claim the company, with user-friendly control panels set over individual zones independently used to allow greater energy efficiency. Unit sizes range from countertop to freestanding with front and rear loading options, tailored to individual needs. Branding and packaging featuring The Sausage Man’s eye-catching visuals is also available to further enhance the offer.

On using the Sausage2Go unit at Ashton Gate Stadium Bristol, Dave Gorwill, concessions manager was impressed by its efficiency and by the popularity of The Sausage Man’s product, saying: “When we launched the 150g Porky Hot Dogs from The Sausage Man, we were surprised how quickly they sold - we had to cook more before kick-off! We restocked again for the break and the fans seemed to love the sausages so much that this will become one of our biggest selling food items.”

Their foodservice customers currently include wholesalers, pubs, restaurants, caterers, beer gardens and hot dog stalls, with the products also being served at all major events in the UK including Glastonbury, Winter Wonderland and Luna Cinema, as well as Christmas markets across the country. The German Embassy in London is also a regular customer, they report.

BAKERY TREATS

IGD’s latest research on the food to go market predicts that the market could be worth £23.4 billion by 2027, which would represent a 26% increase on pre-Covid levels as the sector continues to grow.

With hygiene still front of mind for conscious consumers, in some quarters the focus is still on how to deliver hygienic yet convenient solutions such as bagged snacks. St. Pierre, for example, offer a solution with its range of individually wrapped bakery goods, suited for impulse purchases and ideal for cross-selling with a hot drink, they suggest.

There are five bakery treats in the range, all individually wrapped for the ultimate in convenience and hygiene (Butter Croissant, Chocolate Filled Croissant, Millionaires Waffle, Brioche Waffle and Caramel Waffle), and with an RRP of just £1 each, they are a quick, simple and often unconsidered purchase for consumers – which makes them a real margin-booster at the point of sale, suitable for breakfast, brunch or as a snack throughout the day.

“Frozen and bake-off products can pose a number of challenges for busy caterers, not least because it needs careful forecasting to minimise wastage. Don’t thaw/bake enough for a service and you could miss out on sales – thaw/bake too many and you are literally throwing money in the bin. Some caterers find that the quality is affected on the first or second thaw too,” says Scott Oakes, commercial manager for St. Pierre.

“Other caterers will prefer to make bakery snacks from scratch, but for many this is simply not an option due to any number of factors including staff competency, timing or equipment. It is inevitably very difficult to achieve a consistent bake every time from scratch.

“An alternative, of course, is to buy ambient products. St. Pierre’s range of ambient, individually wrapped bakery products offer a 45-day shelf life which not only cuts wastage but also deliveries too. It could not be simpler to serve grab and go morning products, combining the ultimate in convenience with the quality you would expect from a leading bakery brand.”

SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY

Baker Street says that it is giving foodservice customers the chance to tap into seasonal opportunities with the launch of its Stollen Bites to the trade for the first time.

With Christmas markets rising in popularity, Baker Street’s Stollen Bites (275g) will provide caterers with the opportunity to create an authentic Christmas market menu in minutes – whether served with a cuppa, festive hot drink or as part of a sharing platter, they propose.

Suitable for vegetarians and made to an authentic German recipe featuring raisons and marzipan, Baker Street’s sweet treats have proved popular since they were launched to retail 2020. Now they are available via Booker foodservice in time for Christmas 2022.

“Stollen is a Christmas staple. When we first launched the Stollen Bites to retail customers in 2020, research showed almost 50% of consumers buy Stollen over the Christmas period (Strategy & Bread and Baked Goods Survey, June 2022), so the opportunity to extend this into foodservice is clear,” says Scott Oakes, commercial manager for Baker Street.

“Aside from the platter opportunity, almost a third (30%) buy Stollen as a snack for themselves with more than half (51%) saying it is perfect for an afternoon snack. We developed a product suitable for snacking or sharing, and we’re pleased to be able to extend it to foodservice and help caterers add value to their Christmas menus.

“We have recognised the rise of Christmas markets and that has prompted us to extend availability into the trade. The number and popularity of festive markets across the UK are rising according to the Local Government Association, delivering real benefit for city centres – and there’s a real opportunity for pubs, restaurants, cafés and hotels to tap into that growth.

“Whether they are on the fringe of a successful festive market themselves, or in a position to provide an authentic alternative to what can be a costly night out in current climate, our Stollen Bites are a quick, easy and fuss-free way to tap into demand.”

DRIVING MARGINS

Top tips to help maximise handheld snack sales…

Create winning combos

Everybody loves a deal - marketing a hot drink with an individually wrapped croissant as a combo deal in the morning is a perfect way to upsell and drive margins. Morning goods continue to grow YOY even despite the pandemic, universally popular as a morning pick-me-up.

Promote the hygiene benefits

Everybody is more aware of hygiene for obvious reasons and individually wrapped products have come into their own as a result, offering speed of service and the highest possible hygiene standards – with the ultimate convenience for bag-laden customers too.

Point of sale placement

Remember to position goods at the point of sale to drive impulse purchases. Individually bagged snacks provide a fantastic upsell opportunity and St. Pierre’s range, for example, comes in shelf-ready packaging, to easily entice customers at the point of sale.