2022 menus should consider provenance, innovation: Bidfresh

53% of consumers are actively counting calories or checking sugar content.

Menus with dishes delivering on provenance, innovation, sustainability and health should be factored in 2022, according to Bidfresh.

According to a CGA consumer survey commissioned by the fresh produce supplier revealed that 53% of consumers are actively counting calories or checking sugar content, 60% prefer venues that offer new and interesting cuisines and dishes and 53% are likely to try a new cuisine when they see it on a menu.

Meanwhile, 20% would choose a specific eating out venue over another if it had a focus on sustainability, 44% make eating-out decisions based on “ethical considerations” and 56% make decisions on where to eat out based on the venue's policy of sourcing British products. 1,502 UK consumers were surveyed.

"People had more time to think about food during lockdown. Many of them took up cooking from scratch and took more care over the quality and source of the ingredients,” Bidfresh marketing manager Jane Aukim said.

"As hospitality reopens, it's clear that more consumers are paying the same attention to food when they eat out. When planning their menus for 2022, operators will have to demonstrate that consumers' concerns are being factored in,” she added.

The survey was released amidst the company’s promotion of its A Fresh Approach programme, which gives hospitality businesses access to resources such as recipes and advice on seasonality and sustainability.