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The eight global food trends shaping the future of dining

Unilever’s Future Menu Trend 2024 report identifies the global food trends shaping the food service industry, providing insights into changing consumer preferences that could provide inspiration for packaged food and drink brands.

Amidst rising ingredient costs and labour shortages, chefs across the world are faced with a multitude of challenges. According to Kees van Erp, global executive chef at Unilever Food Solutions (UFS), menus are constantly evolving to keep up with diners' preferences, and this can be a challenge.

UFS’s Future Menu Trend 2024 report aims to help chefs navigate this rapidly changing culinary landscape by offering practical insights and recipes to stay on top of trends and to give diners the food and experiences they desire.

The report, which identifies eight global trends shaping the food industry in 2024, is based on research and input from 250 in-house chefs and feedback from over 1,600 food service professionals across 21 markets.

Future menu trends for 2024

The eight global trends identified reflect evolving diner preferences, economic challenges, and sustainability concerns. Each trend includes recipes from the in-house chefs that encapsulate the theme and offers opportunities for those in the food service industry to innovate and adapt their menus to meet diners' demands.

Flavour shock is all about Gen-Z’s desire for unique culinary experiences. According to UFS’s insights, this generation embraces unexpected flavour combinations and culinary experimentation. Techniques like smoking, pickling, and fermenting are recommended to help chefs create surprising flavour combinations efficiently.

Plant-powered protein is also about new culinary experiences, while addressing the growing demand for plant-based dishes that appeal to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

Flavoursome and healthy dishes, without being overly indulgent, are in. Nutritionist Sana Minhas suggests four healthy and mindful ingredients: beans and pulses; whole grains; leafy greens; and nuts and seeds.

Local abundance caters to diners willing to pay more for sustainable, locally produced dishes while celebrating locally sourced ingredients.

Low-waste menus are about sustainably maximising resources. With almost half of Gen-Z people considering sustainability as a crucial factor in purchase decisions, there is a rising demand for 'low-waste menus’.

As the cost of produce continues to rise, there is an increasing push for chefs to reduce food waste in kitchens. Using every edible part of an ingredient is important, in-house chef Brandon Collins explained. “Cores of cauliflower, broccoli stems, mundane things that we often throw out can be turned into soups. Or perhaps take those stems and slice and pickle them,” he said.

Irresistible vegetables focuses on creating vibrant, innovative, and appealing vegetable-based dishes. Cabbage, for example, with its ability to be fermented and offer probiotics to support a healthy gut, is experiencing a revival. Packed with fibre, folate, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and K, the vegetable also has a low price point and long shelf life, making it a versatile and cost-efficient option.

Modernised comfort food offers nostalgia to diners, but with a contemporary twist; familiar yet innovative. In-house chef, Sherif Afifi’s lamb shank fatteh recipe, incorporates classic elements of a lamb shank pie but replaces some of the starchy elements with ingredients like spinach and freekeh.

Feel-good food explores wholesome dining, holistic well-being, and chefs' role in promoting better eating habits, while meeting demand for healthier dining options. In-house chef Sam Kass offers five tips for balancing health and flavour in cooking: understanding the relationship between nutrition and wellbeing; getting into local sourcing and sustainability; embracing innovations in food production; emphasising plant-based ingredients; and exploring the world of mushrooms.

The new sharing encourages communal dining experiences, providing opportunities for guests to bond over food. In-house chef, Eric Chua, discussed a multi-sensory dining experience, powered by AI. Using augmented or virtual reality, restaurants can create unique experiences where diners can interact with digital elements in their surroundings.

Supporting chefs to create on-trend dishes

UFS specialises in products and services for the professional kitchen, and is a division of Unilever, one of the largest global consumer goods companies.

The report is a strategic tool for UFS to engage with the food service industry. It enables UFS to understand market trends, chef needs, and industry challenges, which in turn allows it to tailor its product offerings accordingly. Driven by the ‘flavour shock’ trend, which witnessed a surge in demand for cooking aids, Knorr, a Unilever food brand specialising in cooking aids, experienced a 15% growth in sales for bouillons and seasonings in 2023.

UFS aims to drive growth for its brands by strengthening its relationship with chefs and food service professionals by providing recipe inspiration, insights, and practical tips. “UFS is a business of chefs for chefs,” says Star Chen, CEO at UFS. “Our close communication with food service professionals allows us to have an in-depth understanding of their needs and pain points, which consequently allows us to offer unmissable, superior products that help address those needs,” he adds.