Monthly News Reel: What You Missed This October in the Food and Beverage Industry

 

The food and beverage industry is an ever-changing wheel of new consumer trends to keep up with. Starting here, you can discover how to keep up...

Welcome, again, to another month’s worth of industry news! Right here is the ultimate hub for learning about the newest developments within the sector, so you can hear what refreshment companies, big and small, are getting up to. This way, you can beat your competitors by staying ahead of the game.

At the Leisure F&B Expo, we aim to bring to light all of the latest consumer trends, as we feel this is the best way to stay ahead in this ever-changing market. With your FREE ticket to the show, you’ll give your company the best chance to stay afloat in this competitive sector. To learn more about the latest trends, so you can come to our show fully prepared, read on... 

A foreign newspaper can be hard to understand, but will tell you the latest stories if you can understand it

Going Vegan


Every month sees new developments in the world of veganism. This comes as no surprise, especially when veganism is such a huge and growing trend these days! To learn more about this trend, click here for our informative blog post. To discover the latest and greatest industry vegan developments, read on...

We’ll start with some bad news, as Brewdog's Hybrid Burger, made using half meat and half vegan foods, gained the wrong sort of traction. Their aim was to bring less meat into the lives of meat-eaters, by giving them a delicious double burger, with half the meat. However, angry vegans argued that this was completely pointless… what are your thoughts?

Now that we’ve gotten the bad vegan news out of the way, let’s move onto the new vegan launches we can expect over the festive season. We certainly have a lot to get excited about:


  • Working closely with PETA, Fray Bentos is launching their very first vegan steak and kidney pie, in a tin!

  • Pret is launching a number of new vegan sandwiches, based on their most popular recipes, including the VLT, made with shitake mushroom “rashers”.

  • Kerry group, the chilled food manufacturer, has recently launched a series of plant-based burgers which aim to mimic meat in texture, taste, and quality.

  • McDonald’s, in Canada, released their PLT - Plant, Lettuce and Tomato - burger.

  • Carl’s Jr. now provide a meat-free option called the Beyond BBQ Cheeseburger. Although it’s not suitable for vegans, it’s a fantastic option for vegetarians or flexitarians.

  • Iceland welcomes their new range of frozen vegan sausage rolls, ideal for getting into the Christmas spirit.

  • Waitrose is one of the big supermarket brands who are joining the club too, unveiling their vegan smoky-bacon slices, perfect for sandwiches and fry-ups!

  • Wetherspoon is also one of the many companies launching a vegan burger, which is supposed to imitate the real thing, at its pubs.

  • Working with Garden Gourmet, Nestlé launches their very first meat-free pizza.

  • For all the ice-cream lovers out there, IKEA are now offering vegan Mr-Whippy for their customers.

  • Richmond’s meat-free sausages have hit the shelves too!


To add to these successes, it seems many countries across the world are getting involved. In fact, the “meat capital” of the world, Buenos Aires, is changing their ways, and beginning to cater for those who aren’t so accustomed to their traditional meat dishes! So, if you’re thinking of taking a trip to Argentina any time soon, and are concerned about what you’ll eat, there is much less worry for die-hard veggies.

This vegan burger with people behind looks quite tasty, especially with the crispy sweet potato fries alongside it

Edible Insects


We’ve already touched on this in a previous blog post, but it’s something we firmly stand by; that edible insects will be the next big food trend (read this post, here)! Some countries and companies are already taking this pretty seriously, which we love to see.

For example, an Israeli insect farm has recently started up, aptly named “Flying Spark”. Partnering with seafood producer, Thai Union, they’re using this tuna company’s global reach to touch consumers across the world! Their main products so far include insect protein powders and fish feed but, with the projected growth of this trend, who knows how far they’ll go...

Big Companies


With new trends cropping up left, right, and centre, big companies are feeling the pressure. In fact, a spokesperson for Pepsi have said they have no choice when it comes to putting forth sustainable measures. With this in mind, they’ve set up their goals for sustainability over the coming years, to ensure they’re doing everything they can to keep our environment, and consumer wants, in mind.

Facts and Figures in the Food and Beverage Industry


To finish off, we’re going to discuss some of the recent statistics that have cropped up in the food and drink world. The first of these being that, according to studies, doubling the vegetarian options on a menu is said to cut meat order by 80 percent! This is amazing, especially considering the rise in vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians in recent years; they’re being supported in their food choices.

What’s more, studies have also shown that adding descriptive words on labelling can actually encourage healthy eating! By ensuring customers know the sumptuous and tasty flavours involved in certain healthy options, it’s no surprise they would choose these options over others.

This healthy food, including fruit and wholemeal bread, is the way to a healthy lifestyle

Inspired by Our Monthly News?


If you like the sound of these food and drink trends and want to get on board, then the Leisure F&B Expo is the place to be. Get your FREE ticket to the show, on 6th & 7th November at the NEC, Birmingham, to meet the people who can help you stay ahead of consumer wants and needs. Don’t miss out!

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