The Unilever Food Solutions Future Menus 2024 report is now live Imagine transforming a passion for crafting dishes into an unforgettable dining experience for others. In this journey, mastering more than just cooking skills is crucial—understanding the ever-changing industry trends and diverse customer preferences is key to thriving and succeeding in the food service industry. These elements can be reflected in a thoughtfully developed menu that enhances the dining experience and increases customer satisfaction.
In the Philippines, consumers are now seeking unique culinary experiences, prioritizing health and wellness, supporting local produce, and adopting sustainable practices. These shifts highlight the importance of continuous learning and adapting to emerging trends. Unilever Food Solutions (UFS), a global leader in providing culinary solutions to foodservice professionals, recognizes this need and offers solutions designed to help them thrive in a competitive industry.
Committed to helping chefs tap into menu trends and new diner demands, UFS launched Future Menus 2024 , an annual food trend report designed to equip full-service restaurants with eight global trends that cater to ever-changing diner preferences. In this initiative, UFS collaborated with 250 in-house UFS chefs and gathered feedback from more than 1,600 professional chefs across 21 countries to deliver valuable insights and practical solutions to address the evolving needs of the food industry. At Future Menus 2024, guests had the unique opportunity to learn directly from renowned Filipino kitchen experts about emerging trends, solutions, and innovations shaping the culinary landscape.
Guest speakers for this year’s launch included one of the Philippines’ most iconic food content creators known for his innovative recipes, Ninong Ry; Chef Ariel Castañeda of The Granary; Chef Jeramie Go of the Pilgrim Restaurant and Grateful Bread Bakery; and UFS Executive Chef for UFS Arabia and the Indian Ocean Islands, Chef Joanne Limoanco-Gendrano. Eight core themes found in the UFS Future Menu Trends Report 2024 The UFS Future Menu Trends Report 2024 highlights eight key themes, based on extensive research and data from chefs. These themes have been turned into practical, actionable solutions for foodservice operators everywhere.
The report provides recipe ideas, preparation tips, and ingredient suggestions to help operators enhance their menus. The evolution of culinary innovation focuses on bold flavors and the reinvention of classic comfort food are highlighted in Flavor Shock which introduces unexpected taste combinations. Meanwhile, Modernized Comfort Food offers familiar dishes with a contemporary twist.
These trends can attract adventurous diners and offer a fresh take on traditional favorites. Health-conscious eating among flexitarians is a rising trend leading to a demand for vegetable proteins as well as dishes which revolve around vegetables and healthful food items that are featured under the themes of Plant-Powered Protein and Feel-Good Food. Top restaurants are now featuring plant-based options, with vegetables shining in fine dining and casual desserts.
This is shown in the Irresistible Vegetables trend, highlighting the versatility and flavor of vegetables, showcasing them in their finest forms. Adapting to these kinds of trends can help cater to health-focused customers as well as enhance the menu’s nutritional profile. Buying local produce helps in building stronger communities and getting fresher and more sustainable products.
Local Abundance encourages everyone to use ingredients bought from within the community thus promoting sustainability and supporting the local economy. Nowadays, even people who go out to eat consider sustainability as one of the critical factors when choosing a restaurant. Low-Waste Menus’ themes dwell on how to minimize food waste through innovative methods of using ingredients and being eco-friendly.
Adopting these measures will not only make the business popular among eco-conscious customers but also make operations cheaper. Lastly, the New Sharing trend shows that, now more than ever, diners value sharing fun, tasty food in a relaxed setting, turning meals into joyous, social experiences. This trend, combined with the rise of snack-ification and the use of aesthetically pleasing boards for serving, offers chefs a playground for innovative, experimental, and extravagant creations.
These trends, when applied in menus or services, can help businesses thrive amid changing trends in the dynamic foodservice industry. Stay ahead by exploring the insights from Future Menus 2024 and implementing the latest culinary innovations. Download a free copy here for the Future Menus 2024 trends report and gain access to invaluable knowledge and networking opportunities.
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