20 flavors poised to pop
By Patricia Cobe and Lizzy Freier on Feb. 14, 2017What will be the breakout flavors and ingredients of 2017—the ones that can help power an LTO to the top of the sales charts and assist operators shape craveable menus? To find the answer to that question, we gathered exclusive data from Technomic’s MenuMonitor, mining menus of high-volume independents and emerging chains for flavors that are growing at a rapid pace. We looked at five key menu categories that are particularly active—burgers, sandwiches, pizza, sides and desserts—to show where opportunities for differentiation may lie, not only within these segments but also, as familiarity rises, at larger chains.
In addition to calling out the specific ingredients that might just be the next Sriracha, the data also revealed where some of the top macro trends are heading:
Southern accents get regional
What started with familiar comfort foods is evolving into local variations, such as Nashville hot chicken, Alabama white barbecue sauce and North Carolina sweet potato pie doughnuts. Appalachian flavors are among the latest to emerge, with dishes such as pole beans, kilt greens and blackberry dumplings.
Condiments as differentiators
Instead of relying solely on sauces, operators are using relishes, drizzles, savory jams and pickled preps to transform simple dishes into standouts. Many are housemade and feed into the zero-waste trend.
What’s healthy now?
The majority of consumers aim to balance health with indulgence, according to Technomic’s Healthy Consumer Trend Report. So menus are calling out healthful ingredients in heavier items, such as mentioning kale on burgers and apple on pizza.
Flavor trend: Burgers
Customers are more receptive to new flavors or unique pairings when they are introduced on familiar platforms, such as a burger.
Green tomato
Growth: 50%
Taking a cue from the South, operators are pickling and frying green tomatoes as an alternative to run-of-the-mill red tomato slices. Green tomato chutneys and jams are also showing up as sweet-savory burger condiments.
Where it’s trending:
- Bareburger—Wild boar burger with pimento cheese and pickled green tomato
- BGR Grille (East Point, Ga.)—Fried green tomato BLT burger
Kale
Growth: 20%
Operators are tapping into the consumer interest that’s been built from salads and sides to add kale to burgers. “Today, we see healthy ingredients migrate across [the menu],” says Darren Tristano, chief insights officer for Winsight, RB's parent. “In growing instances, kale is replacing lettuce and providing consumers with yet another customizable topping.” Another way it’s being used: kale as wraps for bunless burgers.
Where it’s trending:
- Duffy’s Sports Grill—Quinoa mushroom kale veggie burger
- The Mansion Restaurant (Dallas)—Prime burger with cheddar, confit tomato and kale
Brisket
Growth: 36.4%
The better-burger movement is fueling demand for higher-quality ingredients. As a result, operators are upscaling burger blends to include brisket in the grind. Barbecue brisket is also a trending topping, says Tristano, as more protein-on-protein burgers are emerging as alternates to bacon. “It’s a way to increase price points and enhance the quality positioning,” he says.
Where it’s trending:
- Applebee’s—Blazin’ Texan Burger with shredded barbecue brisket, jalapenos, cheddar and grill sauce
- Logan’s Roadhouse—Spicy brisket burger
Flavor trend: Sandwiches
In the sandwich sector, familiar condiments are getting revamped and lesser-known global flavors are taking the spotlight.
Mojo sauce
Growth: 100%
Some 38% of consumers are interested in ordering Cuban sandwiches—the most familiar vehicle for mojo sauce—according to Technomic’s Sandwich Consumer Trend Report. The sauce can add a Latin slant to sandwiches or wraps and can be cross-marketed as a dipping sauce.
Where it’s trending:
- VooDoo BBQ & Grill (Louisiana locations)—Pulled chicken sandwich topped with mojo sauce and coleslaw on a choice of bun
- Baumhower’s Restaurant (Alabama locations)—Fried chicken club wrap with chicken marinated in mojo sauce, fried and wrapped in a tortilla with Monterey Jack, bacon, lettuce, tomato and honey mustard
Peppadew
Growth: 33.3%
South African peppadew peppers are characterized by a sweet, slightly spicy kick—a flavor combination that’s a draw for 45% of consumers, according to Technomic’s Flavor Consumer Trend Report. Operators are increasingly adding peppadews to sandwiches, either on their own or infused into a dressing or condiment.
Where it’s trending:
- The Brass Tap—Fried Buffalo chicken wrap with Buffalo chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, Parmesan and blue cheese-peppadew dressing in a pressed flour tortilla
- Eddie Merlot’s—Steak sandwich with New York strip steak, Gruyere, sauteed onions, peppadew peppers and jus on a grilled bun
Parsley mayonnaise
Growth: 33.3%
Operators can differentiate and customize mayonnaise (the most-menued sandwich condiment, per Technomic) by adding herbs on hand in kitchens. Since parsley is available fresh all year, parsley mayonnaise is a convenient and cost-effective housemade condiment.
Where it’s trending:
- Kachka (Portland, Ore.)—Baltic sprat buterbrodi featuring smoked fish with parsley mayonnaise on pumpernickel toast
Flavor trend: Pizza
Operators are taking common ingredients from other mealparts to top pies, piquing guests’ interest with familiar flavors used in surprising combinations.
Creme fraiche
Growth: 50%
Skirting the usual red sauce, creme fraiche is finding its way onto pizza as a sauce or drizzle, as well as a tangy alternative to cheese. Its premium appeal also comes with a premium price point—higher than sour cream. But its higher fat content keeps it from curdling at high heat, making it a better option for a sauce base. Pizzas featuring creme fraiche often are promoted as upscale and sell at higher price points: $23.19 on average compared to sour cream’s $8.94, per Technomic’s MenuMonitor.
Where it’s trending:
- Modern Market—Bacon-corn brick oven pizza with roasted garlic creme fraiche, fire-roasted corn, three-cheese blend and basil
- Dimo’s Pizza (Chicago locations)—Mac and cheese pizza on a creme fraiche base
Thai peanut sauce
Growth: 50%
A longtime menu favorite meets a new global up-and-comer. Thai flavors—seeing increased consumer interest over the past two years—are permeating pizzas by way of peanut sauce, often paired with chicken or shrimp and other Thai ingredients.
Where it’s trending:
- Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza & Grill—Thai shrimp pizza with veggies, cilantro, scallions, peanuts, lime, mint and spicy Thai peanut sauce
- Uncle Maddio’s Pizza—Thai pizza with Thai peanut dressing, chicken, red pepper, carrots, onion, cabbage, peanuts and Sriracha
Apple
Growth: 200%
Apples provide a health halo to what is perceived as an indulgent food, while also contributing a tart, crisp balance to heavier pizza toppings.
Where it’s trending:
- Amante Gourmet Pizza (North Carolina locations)—Fig and prosciutto pizza with fig jam, apples, prosciutto, sauteed red onions, mozzarella and Gouda
- Spin Neapolitan Pizza—Sausage and apple pizza
- Emeril’s Orlando—Duck wood-oven pizza with Brie, arugula and apples
Sides
With the current focus on vegetables and grains, sides are in the spotlight on menus. Operators are emphasizing sides in expanded and more prominent menu sections, treating vegetables to bolder cooking techniques, changing them up according to seasonal availability and exploring new ingredients.
Kimchi
Growth: 33.3%
This Korean preparation hits two top trends: pickling and spiciness. While kimchi still gets numerous mentions on Asian menus, it’s showing up on mainstream items such as loaded fries as a topping.
Where it’s trending:
- Bonchon—Kimchi coleslaw
- Franktuary (Pittsburgh locations)—Poutine with kimchi, sour cream and Korean barbecue sauce
- Jess Cafe (Chicago)—Korean kimchi beef fried rice
Radish
Growth: 300%
Radishes have jumped out of the salad bowl and relish tray and into the frying pan and pickling jar. The root vegetable can be cross-utilized across the menu and is a way to go beyond potatoes as a side. Operators are serving raw radishes with butter and salt in the French style, stir-frying and roasting them and preserving them in condiments. Daikon, the Asian radish, is also seeing more extensive use to impart a peppery crunch to dishes.
Where it’s trending:
- Urban Farmer (Portland, Ore.)—Baby carrots and salt-roasted radishes with spiced cream and pesto
- Dig Inn Seasonal Market—Baby bok choy with yogurt ranch, spiced sweet corn, roasted red pepper and radish
Escarole
Growth: 33.3%
The increased popularity of kale has led the way for other leafy greens to start appearing on menus. In Italian cuisine, escarole is traditionally sauteed with garlic for a simple side. Now, operators are menuing escarole in both the classic preparation and in combination with beans and other ingredients.
Where it’s trending:
- Gotham Bar and Grill (New York City)—Escarole salad with toasted pistachios, pecorino pepato, Parmigiano Reggiano, Muscat grape vinaigrette
- Brio Tuscan Grille—White bean and escarole ragout with pancetta, roasted garlic, rosemary, tomatoes, orzo, farro and bread crumbs
Flavor trend: Desserts
Diners are seeking out less sugary treats, according to Technomic’s Dessert Consumer Trend Report. Savory herbs, floral flavors and Asian ingredients are giving classic desserts a twist that mellows sweetness.
Rosemary
Growth: 20%
Today’s consumers don’t always equate dessert with sweet. Herbs are migrating from the savory menu to dessert in frozen items, compotes and baked goods.
Where it’s trending:
- Farallon (San Francisco)—Strawberry rosemary panna cotta
- Costa di Mare (Las Vegas)—Rosemary gelato
- David Burke Kitchen (New York City)—Market berries with rosemary, elderflower liqueur and sheep’s milk frozen yogurt
Hibiscus
Growth: 300%
Consumers have become familiar with hibiscus on beverage menus, where it’s been trending in teas and cocktails. Now, the flower is crossing over to the dessert side. Operators source it as dried flowers or tea, then steep it in sugar syrup or another liquid to use as an ingredient in desserts—especially in combination with fruit and berries.
Where it’s trending:
- BLT Steak—Yogurt panna cotta with hibiscus and berries
- Bice—Molten pistachio and chocolate lava cake with raspberry sauce and hibiscus ice cream
- Silver Diner—Hibiscus mango soy shake
Yuzu
Growth: 10%
Ethnic influences are bringing citrus fruits other than lemons, limes and oranges into the dessert mix. Yuzu is sourced mostly as juice or a puree, so operators initially used it to flavor cocktails and Asian appetizers. With Asian desserts expected to grow on menus, finds Technomic, yuzu is making its way to the end of the meal, both as an ingredient and a drizzle.
Where it’s trending:
- Pod (Philadelphia)—Raspberry sugared doughnuts with yuzu curd and raspberry gel
- Sushi Roku—Yuzu tart
- Lambeau Field-1919 Kitchen and Tap (Green Bay, Wis.)—Yuzu sorbet, a choice in the Frozen Tundra Trio
Flavor trend: Outliers on the move
Five more ingredients starting to emerge that can help put menus ahead of the curve.
Bee pollen
Growth: 120%
Typically served raw, it’s being added to smoothies and breakfast bowls as a natural morning energy booster.
Chili oil
Growth: 30.8%
Opportunities for the condiment now go beyond Asian fare to pizzas and soups.
Tapenade
Growth: 7.7%
The thick paste is an on-trend Mediterranean accent for sandwiches, savory breakfast offerings, pizzas and more.
Cherry pepper/pimiento
Growth: 3.6%
In addition to showing up in pasta dishes and as a cocktail garnish, pimiento cheese is growing (15.2% year over year), especially on burgers.
Yucca
Growth: 33%
Yucca is moving from Latin recipes to American ones. A prime example: yucca fries, a familiar vehicle for a potato alternate.
About the research
RB partnered with Technomic, a Winsight company, for this report. Technomic’s MenuMonitor is an online tool that tracks current and past menus on an ongoing quarterly basis. This report represents ingredient data tracked at emerging chains and high-volume independents, collected from July 1, 2016, to Sept. 30, 2016, compared against those dates in 2015. Growth is calculated by the yearly percentage change in the number of operators menuing the specific ingredients.