Culturally diverse barbecue, such as Caribbean, Latin and Korean, came up as one of the top 10 trends this summer for pork and poultry, according to survey data analyzed by U.S. Foodservice.
For the top-10 list, U.S. Foodservice utilized Technomic Inc. survey data which included feedback from hundreds of restaurants/operators as well as 1,200 consumers. Popular restaurants which have adopted the trends identified include The Cheesecake Factory, Chili’s and Dunkin’ Donuts.
Also top of mind for the respondents were spicy flavors teamed with chicken, such as chipotle, hot and sweet fruit combinations, and new Asian flavors. And they reported that U.S. diners are big on snacking and small-plate purchases between meals.
The complete list:
1. Ethnic barbecue
2. Grilling
3. Breakfast all day
4. Small plates
5. Sandwiches with spice
6. Unusual cuts of pork, such as pigs' ears
7. House-made sausage
8. Grown-up kids’ offerings
9. Citrus flavors
10. Spicy chicken
“Restaurant operators need to keep up with current trends to grow their business,” said Pat Mulhern, president of the Monarch Food Group for U.S. Foodservice. For more information on the survey and trends, visit www.usfoodsight.com.
Contact Pamela Parseghian at [email protected].
