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Unilever identifies top future menu trends

27 Mar 2023

Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) has released its first Future Menu Trends report. Developed with a team of industry partners and chefs, the UFS anchored the trends report around eight core themes based on global data, with input from more than 1,600 chefs, global social media analytics and the expertise of hundreds of chefs who offer practical, real-world applications.

Source: ArtPhoto_studio Freepik

The report covers the major trends and demonstrates how these trends can be brought to life with recipes.

Top eight trends identified in the report

1. Modern comfort foods puts a new spin on timeless dishes, while keeping that sense of connection to one’s culture,

2. Irresistible vegetables that take centre stage as decadent and indulgent plant-based dishes,

3. Wild and pure use foraged ingredients to create tasty and sustainable dishes,

4. Flavour contrasts bursts with unexpected multisensory dining experiences,

5. Feel-good food is about vitality and the key to this is diversity and balance in the food we eat,

6. New sharing is about bonding around generous dishes that are food for the soul,

7. Mindful proteins is about diversifying to include different sources of protein and

8. Low-waste menus aim for minimum waste and maximum flavours in dishes.

Four of the eight big megatrends that Unilever has identified are linked to the food service industry and come from 178 trend report sources, analysing 44,000 food occasions, from more than 15 countries.

The megatrends are conscious choices, healthier living, cooking renaissance and indulgent experiences that represent big shifts in the world and that will stay with us over a few years. The trends are being brought to life with recipes, created with inspiration from a variety of different food cultures and are well-tested recipes for professional kitchens and possible home use.

"Identifying the hottest global trends is critical in our quest to provide solutions for chefs, who are contending with challenges ranging from labour shortages to tackling sustainability issues like food waste," said Hanneke Faber, President of Nutrition Unilever. "With the release of the Future Menus Trend report, Unilever Food Solutions is not just sharing future trends, but also offering solutions-based insights and adaptable recipes to inspire chefs and help them feel prepared for the future."

View the report here.