Plant-based diet a mega 2018 trend. Restaurants need to adapt and diversify

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Danette Breitenbach

The plant-based lifestyle is set to be a mega trend for 2018 with a host of celebrities, nutritionists, and millennials advocating the benefits of a plant-based diet.

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Market research group 1010 Data shows that ‘plant-based’ as a search term has tripled from 2016 to 2017. “Consumers are getting more conscious. They’re mindful of the products they put in and on their bodies, and of the environmental impact they have,” says the report.

Along with this conscious shift, the restaurant industry needs to adapt and diversify their offers in order to keep up with consumer demands.

Welcoming this change, Ritual Cafe, based in the up-and-coming Linden neighbourhood, offers plant-based menu options alongside meat-inclusive dishes.

The bistro boasts items such as beetroot and chevin spring rolls; quinoa, soy and cashew cannelloni and coconut and lime pannacotta. The menu items are also gaining traction amongst those don’t strictly follow a plant-based diet.

Ritual Cafe owner and chef, Sean Ackermann says: “There has definitely been a shift in what people expect when they eat out. Our patrons want healthier or more sustainable options without compromising on taste and flavour. We’ve seen a definite increase in how many diners are ordering vegetarian and vegan dishes from our menu, if even just to try them out.”