Have you heard of the word “hygge”? Pronounced as “hoo-gah”, this concept of cozy and intentional living (that the Danes know so very well, thank you to my daughter who always updates me on stuff) has been the face of the self-love and self care movement for some time now. We used to glorify “busy” (“I worked overtime today”) loud and proud! But the younger generation and even the older adults are beginning to shift to a more compassionate and forgiving attitude towards the self. Now, what does this have to do with food? These self-care and self-love movements have changed the food industry. For the better? That’s for you to decide. My goal is to summarize some of the trends I observed in 2018. I believe that these changes have all sprung from the beauty and wellness industry. Let’s see what it has done to our beloved culinary world…. 2018 was a year of self-love. It’s all about pampering yourself, loving yourself, levelling up and glamming up everyday. This is evident in food preparation, food innovation and food presentation. It was also a year of convenience, while also counting in mindfulness. Our market is divided into two. The young millenials (where my daughter belongs) and old millennials against Gen X (cough cough) and the Baby Boomers. Group 1 The young millenials relied on delivery apps, convenience stores, and concierge services. Why? It’s because these are practical. When traffic is bad and time is precious, instead of going to the establishments, they’d want the establishment to go to them. Some would think this is the more pricey alternative. And some would even argue and say that millenials are obsessed with “experiences”. Yes, millennials may love experiencing things, eating out, and travelling, but at the end of the day, you cannot eat your passport or plane ticket to survive, right? These services and convenience stores provide: survival.
Convenience stores are also frequented by these millennials because these stores offer variety. They are almost in every corner. Some have offerings like hot boneless, delicious chicken to different packed meals in different cuisine variants. Or how about those grab and go meals? I’m talking about the wraps, sandwiches, and salads. I was surprised to even see Crispy Pata in one of the outlets of this famous convenience store and even a shabu-shabu bar. It’s crazy - they have everything! Love for the environment is also evident in the zero waste advocacy of the young ones. Abolishing the use of plastic straws, encouraging the use of reusable bags, and bringing of own containers to favourite Quick Service Restaurant (QSRs) or grocery stores has opened awareness and created new habits. By the way, did you know there is also a “zero-waste” ice-cream? The demand for Keto and Paleo friendly food and meals has increased in the younger generation. You can expect that at the early 20’s, they have goals to look good, feel great, and age gracefully. This is also why fortified food and drinks are a major hit. Group 2 Now, let’s talk about my market. It’s all about convenience with a touch of style, class, and “value added” service concepts. Where did we see this? Sous Vide style cooking in menus, in opening a more posh and trendy food court in Podium or in BGC. Desserts or pastries like Queso de bola Macarons , Garam Masala flavoured sourdough/brioche donuts, Milk Chocolate Adobo artisan chocolate bars. Traditional food has levelled up! The industry has become bolder in exploring more possibilities. Cheap cuts may have been used before and were popular, but now the expensive cuts are taking center stage. There’s Wagyu Salpicao and the Angus tapas. What about Kare-Kare using Macadamia nuts? The key is value for money. 2018 was also the year of the Ramen, Banhmi, Samgyeopsal, Milk tea, Potato Corner lab, Turks, cakes in tin can, and elevated Filipino food. So, what can we expect from 2019? A continuation of the pampering convenient food service concepts: The popularity of Filipino, Asian, Eastern (dessert), Filipino ethnic, Continental cuisine; plus artisan and out of the box ideas, especially from the dessert category. 2019 we are ready for you! (ctto)
0 Comments
|
AuthorIm Chef Peach and it's obvious that I love food. In fact, I love food so much that I decided to make it my profession. You know what's ironic, I was a Finance graduate! Archives
January 2021
Categories |