Global foodservice giant Unilever has released its Future Menus trend report for 2024, outlining the trends set to shape the foodservice industry locally and globally over the coming year.
This report furthers the inaugural Future Menus trends report, published in 2023. It identifies the top menu trends in foodservice – pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes and similar – by collating global data and collaborating with more than 1,600 chefs from 21 countries.
“The release of the Future Menus Trend report offers more than inspiration to chefs,” suggests UFS ANZ executive chef Andrew Ballard. “It provides valuable resources that highlight current trends and also prepare them for the future.
“With practical training, techniques, dish inspiration, product hacks, and cost-efficient solutions from other expert professionals, chefs can feel confident and excited about tackling the challenges and embracing the opportunities in the food industry over the next 12 months.”
According to UFS ANZ market analysis and the e-panel conducted with local chefs, kitchens in Australia and New Zealand face a lot of challenges now from both rising costs and staff shortages, as well as having to address broader sustainability issues and responsible sourcing.
Two areas that proved particularly poignant for ANZ markets were: low-waste menus, and modernised comfort food.
As the cost of produce rises year-on-year, it is more important than ever for kitchens to be efficient with their use of ingredients, and UFS reports chefs are getting “increasingly creative” with would-be waste, turning what was once discarded into ‘culinary gold’.
As businesses make more data-driven decisions, there has developed a huge focus on menus that are leaner and more profitable. Smaller menus help to reduce waste and costs, allow for more sustainable operations, and have a positive effect on the challenge of staff shortages.
In an industry that increasingly demands authenticity, UFS finds chefs are re-discovering local traditions, finding fresh ideas and reimagining dishes by looking to their history and the locale. This augers well with the demand for local, sustainable sourcing.
It also facilitates rich culinary storytelling and genuine connections a chef may have to the dish. As a result, diners are being served old comfort classics – with a modern twist.
UFS will hold a series of presentations to launch Future Menus 2024, at the Fine Foods trade show in Melbourne (2–5 September).
On the Tuesday (3rd) there will be a 45-minute presentation on ‘Low-Waste Menus’ that will share relevant best practice industry case studies, accompanied by Aussie chefs Darren Robertson (Three Blue Ducks) and Julian Cincotta (Butter).
”For me, comfort foods are as much about taste as they are tapping into a sense of nostalgia, giving both cook and diner a deeper connection to the dish,” offers Robertson, co-owner Three Blue Ducks.
“Australia and New Zealand have a rich and incredibly diverse foodie culture, and I’m a massive fan of recreating classic dishes and showcasing locally grown ingredients that we know and love.”
The chefs observe that low-waste menus are not just about reducing the footprint but about rethinking resources, crafting dishes that maximize the potential of every ingredient.
“A mindful waste perspective is also a huge motivation for us, as we cook these dishes with as little waste as possible as well as respect for local tradition,” adds Robertson.
The 2024 report builds on the momentum of its predecessor, leveraging expert third-party sources and social media analytics – using 77K keywords, representing 69 million searches, across nearly two-dozen countries.
The report also features insights and input from more than 1,600 in-house chef professionals, providing practical, action-driven solutions for foodservice operators, including recipe suggestions, preparation techniques, and ingredient solutions.
And beyond deep insight into the key trends, other topics explored include a rising demand for unexpected flavour combinations, dynamic and interactive ways to share, mainstreaming of plant-based dishes, and multi-sensory dining.
The eight global trends for 2024 are:
- Flavour Shock
- Low-Waste Menus
- Plant-Powered Protein
- Irresistible Vegetables
- Local Abundance
- Modernised Comfort Food
- The New Sharing, and
- Feel-Good Food
Download a copy of the report HERE.
Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) is a dedicated supplier to the foodservice industry that operates in more than 70 countries.
