NEW YORK, NY (January 7, 2010 - Marketwire)—As the New Year begins, it's the question on the minds of foodies and food professionals across the country. The Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and Packaged Facts, trend trackers for the last six years, have predictions for the trends we'll be talking about in 2010 based on upcoming issues of the bi-monthly Culinary Trend Mapping Report.
Using their signature 5-stage Trend Mapping® technique -- Stage 1 being the emerging phase and Stage 5 a mainstream presence -- CCD and Packaged Facts have identified the following top 5 food trends that we believe will have the largest impact on menus and grocery shelves in 2010.
Parisian Macaroons: Stage 2 -- The pastel-colored French sandwich cookie is made of ground almond meringue and flavored buttercream or ganache fillings, making for a beyond-tender and flavorful sweet treat. Originally a delicacy even in France, macaroons with many different fillings -- ranging from sweet to savory -- can be found in high-end bakeries and gourmet-food retailers worldwide. A contender to the cupcake?
Street food: Porchetta: Stage 2 -- Dubbed "slow-cooked Italian fast-food" by Porchetta in New York City, this Roman street food consists of stuffed pork roast often cooked over a wood fire. Served as a fat, round slice with crispy skin or in a sandwich, porchetta is just one example of traditional global street foods that will be proliferating in 2010 as consumers fall for traditionally made foods with big flavors off the street.
Tonkatsu: Stage 2 -- Katsu is the Japanese version of German schnitzel, the breaded and deep-fried cutlet; tonkatsu is the pork version coated in panko breadcrumbs. Typically, it is found in bento boxes, in sandwiches and on top of rice covered in Japanese curry sauce. As Japanese cuisine becomes more mainstream, tonkatsu will easily cross over to become this year's imported darling.
Global sandwiches: Banh Mi: Stage 3 -- The savory Vietnamese sandwich has been attracting Stage 1 and 2 followers for years now, garner great attention in 2009 in New York City as a multitude of dedicated banh mi sandwich shops opened. In 2010, expect the baguette sandwich stuffed with pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro and a variety of savory meats, such as pâté or BBQ pork, to really arrive.
Waffles as Carriers: Multiple Stages -- While profiling "Breakfast as Dessert" this year, we noticed many kinds of waffles and French toast on dessert menus across the country. While using waffles in a sandwich isn't totally new, expect to see them more often for breakfast, lunch and dinner sandwiches and more. The waffle is just plain fun, with it' grids, crunchy exterior and tender interior. Chefs will add herbs, spices and flavorings beyond maple to marry the breakfast favorite with new sweet and savory fillings.
The market potential for on-trend new foods and beverages remains significant, with diverse segments ranging from Gen Y teens to savvy Gen X parents and sporty Boomers looking for what's next in healthful, authentic and premium. Because of this diversity in consumer demographics and psychographics, the food and beverage market is an arena with plenty of room for growth and innovation.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.