News and Trends

Supermarket says shoppers are buying fewer loaves and opting for wraps and bagels instead   Tesco has said it will do less baking from scratch in stores from May onwards. Photograph: Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images More than 1,800 jobs are at risk at Tesco, after the retailer said it would cut staff at its large in-store bakeries to adapt to changing consumer tastes. The supermarket chain said it would do less baking from scratch in stores from May onwards, and would require fewer bakery staff as a result. Tesco said customers were buying fewer traditional loaves of bread, and are increasingly choosing options such as wraps, bagels and flatbreads instead. Jason Tarry, the chief executive of Tesco’s UK and Irish business, said: “We need to adapt to changing customer demand and tastes for bakery products so that we continue to offer customers a market-leading bakery range in store.” Britain’s largest retailer, which employs more than...

UK food and grocery spend is expected to rise by 15.0% to £174.5bn in 2024, ahead of growth seen from 2014 to 2019, as macro-economic conditions are set to improve and the lure of the discounters Aldi and Lidl begin to wane. However, while a recovery in volume growth is forecast, overall market growth will remain driven by inflationary pressures over the next five years. Some of the analysis found in this report: Sustainability is becoming an increasingly visible metric against which consumers rate supermarkets With almost a quarter of all consumers identifying as having a dietary requirement , supermarkets now need to fully integrate free-from ranges into their proposition While l-f-l sales growth at the discounters is beginning to show signs of slowing, aggressive expansion plans from Aldi and Lidl - coupled with growing consumer awarenes...

Mondelēz International has agreed to acquire a majority interest in North American bakery firm Give & Go, in a move to broaden its position in snacking. The owner of Cadbury and Oreo will purchase the sweet baked goods company from Thomas H. Lee Partners (THL) for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 1989, Give & Go provides fully finished sweet baked goods to retailers’ in-store bakery sections across North America. According to Mondelēz, Give & Go reported net revenues of approximately $500 million in 2019. As a result of the deal, Mondelēz will expand its position in broader snacking and be able to access the in-store bakery channel. Give & Go’s portfolio includes a range of brownies, tarts and cupcakes under its Two-Bite brand, as well as the Create-A-Treat brand, known for cookie and gingerbread house decorating kits. These products will join Mondelēz’ portfolio of global and local brands such as Oreo, Cadbury, Milka and belVita as well as ...

Staying vegan proved challenging, only 18% lasted the month ▪️ Just one in ten planned to go back to their previous diet ▪️ Cheese was the hardest thing to give up ▪️ Even of those who weren't taking part in hashtag # Veganuary , a third tried out vegan or vegetarian alternatives in January http://kantarworldpanel.com/worldpanelplus/people-who-went-plant-based-for-veganuary

What are Google and Uber seeing from diners searching restaurant food options As 2020 marches on, it brings with it the latest food trends. In 2019 we saw the rise of cronuts, matcha, more sourdough variants, as well as the much-loved Yorkshire pudding wrap. Smashed avocado has managed to stand the test of time, as well as a variety of fermented foods such as kimchi and kombucha. However, there are some foods that only ever reach fad status, sticking around long enough to cause a stir, but not having any lasting impact on our culinary experiences.  So, how can restaurants and cafes keep up with the latest in food trends, without succumbing to fleeting fad gimmicks? We already know that people, especially millennials and Gen Xers are very environmentally conscious and therefore look for a wider range of vegan, vegetarian and sustainable restaurants. In fact, our latest Restaurant Insights Report revealed that 32% of people surveyed rated a range of vegan options as ...

There is increasing awareness among UK restaurant dining consumers about ethical issues, driven by programmes such as David Attenborough’s Blue Planet 2 which took an unflinching look at the effect our use of plastics is having on marine life. These type of programmes increase not only awareness of ethical issues but shape consumer choice, seeking out restaurants that not only comforts tummies but also consciences. What’s more, the growing concern over environmental and ethical issues is shaping our attitudes to eating out. According to Paymentsense’s recent report , two thirds (66%) of the population now believe that ethical considerations matter when choosing where to eat. The report also claims that just under a quarter of us (24%) now actively seek out restaurants that are environmentally friendly or follow sustainable practices. This is particularly true for London which is even higher at 39%. But how do small restaurants in particular go about making...

UK restaurant takeaway sector 2020: Takeaway and delivered food sales today is a major revenue stream for the UK restaurant industry thanks to online ordering. Restaurants are benefiting significantly from soaring demand for ready-to-eat meals, professionally prepared, ordered online, to be eaten at home. There is no better example of this than McDonald’s who once again have aligned to a UK consumer dining trend to meet growing demand. Diners at McDonald’s can now click and collect their pre ordered food and drink to enjoy on site or takeaway with them. If you have visited a McDonald’s recently you will have noticed the growing number of delivery drivers from Uber Eats lining up to deliver food. January 2020 consumer data shows that takeaway in its many forms is growing faster than any other restaurant sector in the UK, and restauranteurs are benefiting from increased footfall and revenue. In the UK 7.5 billion food deliveries were made last year, fi...

Sainsbury’s has unveiled a new convenience store concept that taps into the latest trends in the sector. The ‘On the Go’ format opened at its Mansion House store in London’s Square Mile at the weekend to meet the needs of busy City workers. A major refurbishment has given the Local store a more modern and open feel with the inclusion of multiple ‘On the go’ areas selling fresh food and drink for breakfast and lunch.  There is also a bakery section, pizza and sushi Gourmet counters, along with extensive meal-for-tonight options. Products from the counters are brought to a ‘grab and go’ station at the front of the store, with the offering changing three times a day to suit meal occasions. The outlet also features a self-service coffee machine and an orange juicer, with customers able to eat-in at perch tables placed at the front of the store. Standard ambient groceries have been kept to a minimum with the focus on food-to-go items. Customer...