Do offerings in your foodservice program include a combination of flavors?
Does your program offer local flavors based on your location?
In a recent Flavor Forecast webinar by CSP sister research arm Technomic, it was revealed that 41% of consumers who order food from restaurants want more restaurants to offer food with a combination of flavors. In addition, 41% of consumers who order food from restaurants agreed it’s important that restaurants offer local flavors based on their location.
Convenience-store retailers might want to take note of these preferences and consider incorporating them into their foodservice offerings.
The webinar also looked at “sweet heat” flavors, with the predicted operator penetration growth from 2024’s second quarter to 2026’s second quarter of hot honey at 55%, sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce at 20% and honey sriracha at 18%. The base was about 7,000 operators.
A scale showing the preferred spice levels for sauces, dips or condiments, based on 1,500 consumers who ordered food from restaurants, revealed:
- 10% want extremely spicy
- 12% want not spicy at all
Elsewhere, Technomic reported that 35% of those who order from restaurants agreed or completely agreed with the statement, “I consider which sauces and condiments will be available when deciding which restaurant to visit.”
This percentage rises to 42% for those 18-34 and drops to 33% for those 35 and older.
In the area of health, 41% of those who order food from restaurants agreed or complete agreed with the statement, “I’m more likely to try a new/unique flavor if there are health benefits.”
Among those 18 to 34, the percentage was 46%. It was 39% for those 35 and older.
Finally, those who agreed or completely agreed that they enjoy trying different foods was 48% overall. By age group, the percentages were:
- 62%: High school-age Gen Z
- 48%: Gen Z
- 56%: Millennial
- 52%: Gen X
- 35%: Baby boomer
Elsewhere, 39% say as they’ve gotten older, they’re more willing to try new foods/flavors. By age group, the percentages were:
- 55%: High school-age Gen Z
- 48%: Gen Z
- 45%: Millennial
- 42%: Gen X
- 23%: Baby boomer
Finally, 31% prefer to visit restaurants that offer dishes featuring new or innovative flavors and ingredients, Technomic said. By age group, the percentages were:
- 32%: High school-age Gen Z
- 36%: Gen Z
- 42%: Millennial
- 27%: Gen X
- 18%: Baby boomer
Interested in learning more about foodservice? Register or sponsor CSP’s Convenience Retailing University here.
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