News and Trends

  retailanalysis.igd.com Since we released our UK food-to-go market forecasts for 2020-2022* in September, developments have occurred in both the virus path and the economic impact of the pandemic: The UK entered a second round of national lockdowns Advances have been made in vaccine testing and rollout Brexit/EU talks continue But how do these changes affect the outlook for UK food-to-go?  Here’s a summary of the findings from our new report UK food-to-go market forecast: Q4 2020 update. Bigger dip but faster recovery The latest national lockdowns will adversely impact food-to-go in Q4 2020 and Q1 2021, however, the potential earlier rollout of a vaccine could mean a faster recovery, and government intervention (e.g. extended furlough) could aid survival for at risk businesses So, although food-to-go sales in both retail and foodservice are likely to be slightly lower than we originally forecast for 2020, these could pick up faster in the second half of 2021 to reac...

  www.foodmanufacture.co.uk Waitrose outlined a number of key consumer trends to look out for in 2021 The upmarket retailer’s latest report is based on wide-ranging new OnePoll research of 2,000 people across Britain, backed by its own sales data. Thanks to the spread of COVID-19, the number of consumers scratch cooking meals has increased. More than half of respondents (53%) said they now carefully plan their meals, while 74% said home cooking provided a break when working from home. Since lockdowns began, companies like Associated British Foods (ABF), The Tofoo Company and Oggs have all benefitted from the growth of scratch cooking as more people are forced to stay at home. Support for British food ​ Nearly three quarters of people (74%) wanted to see more UK food businesses express support for local British producers. And 61% worried there would be a rise in factory-farmed meat coming into the UK if standards were not protected. Future food standards have b...

  Namnews, 17th December 2020, Vegan products are set to dominate UK shopper baskets in 2021, but supermarkets are expected to prioritise new and disruptive brands in this category. Meanwhile, listings for low alcohol products at supermarkets increased by 30% in the last 12 months, sparking an upwards trend in healthy alternatives in the new year. This according to data from analysts at Edge by Ascential’s e-commerce analytics SaaS platform, Digital Shelf. They revealed that in 2020, chilled and frozen vegetarian and vegan ranges experienced modest growth of 3% as supermarkets sought to keep their ranges lean amid the pandemic. However, growth in the category was primarily led by smaller manufacturers and new disruptors, with 15% more brands available to shoppers in the category than in November last year. Meat-free brand Naked Glory, launched in 2019, has seen the most growth, increasing ranges across several major UK supermarkets by 200%, followed by Squeaky Bean (+166.7%) and Th...

  bakeryinfo.co.uk Source: Roberts Bakery Roberts Bakery has launched a monthly subscription service with a host of ‘healthy’ snacks. Subscribers can choose from three different sizes of snack box: Starter Snacker with eight snacks, Classic Snacker with 16, and Pro Snacker with 24. Roberts is also offering new products to try for between £12 and £29 a month. The Cheshire-based bakery, which is offering new additions from its snacking range, has partnered with national delivery service DPD to provide free next-day delivery, direct to consumers’ doors. The line-up features: Raspberry & Chia Pangel, comprising a fusion of soft pancake and bagel. Chocolate Orange Brookie, made up of Brazilian orange oil, soft brioche bun and a swirl of cookie. Cranberry & Coconut Porridge Loaves, with each mini loaf featuring fresh fruit pieces. Each snack contains 250 calories or less and is individually wrapped. “A box full of home-delivered goodies can make your day, or even a we...

  www.cga.co.uk   The UK’s hospitality sector has suffered lost sales of more than £53bn in 2020 , with more losses to come from a collapse of Christmas trading—but a COVID-19 vaccine rollout provides grounds for cautious optimism in 2021. Those are among the messages from ‘Survival to Revival’, the eighth edition of the Future Shock series of reports from CGA and UKHospitality. It provides the definitive picture of hospitality’s rollercoaster 2020, and sets out the challenges and opportunities facing the industry in 2021. Research for the report, drawing on CGA’s market-leading suite of business and consumer sources, shows the seismic impacts of the pandemic and lockdown on UK hospitality, including: A £53.3bn year-on-year drop in sales between the start of April and the end of September Falling consumer confidence , with 78% of British adults concerned about the long-term financial implications of the pandemic Hesitant business confidence, with 27% of leaders of mul...

  qsrmedia.co.uk We look back at the highs and lows of the UK multi-site restaurant industry these past twelve months. This year, Britain’s quick service and fast casual restaurant industry has been largely defined by how it is looking to survive and, in some cases, thrive amidst the series of challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. All that and more on QSR Media UK ’s Year In Review. Navigating sets of restrictions COVID-19, considered by many in the industry as the “great accelerator”, became a much more grim reality for the UK's foodservice industry when the government ordered all pubs, cafes and restaurants to close last March, with players that had delivery and takeaway capabilities being the ones allowed to operate. This came on top of the lingering uncertainty about Brexit that is due to be completed by year-end. Months later, lockdown rules were eased and the “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme by the government was established to boost businesses and consumer ...

  bakeryinfo.co.uk Source: Délifrance Bakery supplier D é lifrance has launched the Brownie Swirl to tap into the hybrid trend. The sweet treat combines French puff pastry with “one of North America’s most popular dessert classics”, it said.  Part of its A Taste Of range, the viennoiserie hybrid will join 12 mini cheeseburgers, NY Cheesecake, and Grilly Focaccia. The new product has been developed to provide a “fluffy melt in the mouth” texture and thin, crisp layering.  The launch follows Délifrance’s latest bakery report, Prove It: a viennoiserie focus , which reveals that 70% of consumers agree that taste/flavour is their top consideration when buying a pastry, with 28% willing to buy more if there was a wider choice of flavours available. “It’s clear that the love of hybrid products is not slowing down any time soon,” said Stephanie Brillouet, marketing director for Northern Europe and North America at Délifrance. “From the cronut to the cruffin, croissant hybri...

  www.chd-expert.com The restaurant industry has been hit hard by this pandemic. Six months in some 40,000 restaurants have closed down permanently , with 43% of them being traditional and casual dining restaurants. Having said that the industry is showing signs of recovery, largely because restaurant owners are starting to adapt to the so-called new normal by introducing imaginative strategies. Don’t be surprised if these same strategies inevitably turn into trends, which will help restaurateurs do better in 2021. Here are four to keep an eye on:         1. Changing business models This pandemic has shown the importance of adjusting to the situation. In this case shelter in place measures have necessitated a shift in service focus from dine-in to take-out (or pick-up), and from comprehensive menus to simplified ones. A case in point is Chicago’s Alinea, a three-star Michelin restaurant known for its acclaimed dining experience and intricate, pricey dishe...