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New Trend: Food and Food Service Innovation
The food industry recently caught on to new trends and innovations to expand to new horizons. They’re not only incorporating technology and data to change their products; they’re also innovating the food itself. Food innovation is the development and commoditization of new food products, processes, and services. Many food and beverage companies are looking for new ways to help customers stay healthy by offering nutritious offerings in unique ways, such as helping to improve their customers’ eating habits through healthier choices. A food innovator’s job includes finding new avenues to make food service and manufacturing more safe and sustainable. Scientific expertise, product development research, and behavioral studies are used in innovation research to develop useful concepts for food innovations. Several studies and surveys highlight current issues within the industry and how these innovations can resolve them.
Currently, companies in and out of the food industry have adopted strategies to improve food for consumers while also helping the environment. Active packaging and food preservation have become two of the ways to strengthen food security for businesses and consumers. These innovations allow food distributors to reach farther places to ensure the food product is safe to eat when it arrives in the consumer’s hands. Anyone can appreciate a good meal, knowing that it has been handled with care. These companies have updated their products to include healthy and nutritious ingredients to respect the consumer’s well-being and health. It still leaves other issues, such as food waste, that could greatly affect food security. Food companies are implementing strategies to generate less greenhouse gas emissions through environmentally friendly processes during the production and manufacturing stages.
Consumer demand and satisfaction have always been vital for the food industry. Food companies examine and analyze the results given from customer experience as ways to improve any issues with dining in or purchasing their products. According to Paul Bradley, he said: “More than 75% of respondents expect to spend more on new product development in 2024… citing desires to remain competitive (51%), reduce costs (46%), and meet consumer demand (42%), as the major factors driving the uptick in investment.” While precautions and processes have been taken to benefit consumers, the industry has also realized the potential of AI to keep the market alive. A recent industry report stated that the annual growth for AI in the food industry will rise to 38.30% for the next five years. As machine learning develops more with time, industries all over the world will have to keep up with making new options available to consumers.
Technology has already provided resources and benefits to the food industry. For innovators, they gather up enough data from customer experience to understand what needs to change and what needs to be improved upon. Currently, customers already utilize technology to make their dining experiences easy and seamless. With digital menus, contactless ordering, and advanced point-of-sale systems, it’s a process that enhances the overall dining experience. Mobile apps allow customers to place orders, make reservations, and pay for their meals easily. AI and data analytics are used to personalize menus and promotions based on customer preferences. It has shifted the industry’s functions to present challenges and opportunities for restaurants. Technology is integral for this year, along with sustainability, experiential dining, health-conscious choices, and personalized experiences. The more restaurants adapt to these changes, customer demand will increase, and companies will have to differentiate themselves to be competitive in a tough market.
New Insight: Types of Food Innovation Available Now
Each innovation and trend has delivered solutions for issues within the industry to satisfy consumers and relieve environmental impact. There have been more than six innovations that food companies have benefited from.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was limited access to restaurants and establishments to serve their customers. To remedy the situation, food businesses started catering to deliveries and curbside takeout utilizing ghost kitchens. Still today, there are food service businesses that focus on the take-out-only business model, which removes the need for front-of-the-house services and boosts efficiency in the kitchen. It requires less manpower and focuses on food safety in the production area.
2. Changing Up Products
With consumer tastes changing almost all the time, businesses have to revamp their products to stay relevant and earn profits. Brew Dr. is a perfect example of changing up products for the modern consumer audience. They’re a beverage company that reduces costs by connecting the production of its three main products: tea, kombucha, and distilled spirits. The goal is to ensure that all their products come from real and organic ingredients with no artificial substances. Their innovations stem from a desire to experiment with their products through various flavors. They have a consumer-led program where they incorporate data, hold in-person taste testing, and consumer feedback.
3. Recycling Old Food Products
Since food waste has become a pivotal issue for the environment, several companies have decided to work on recycling old food materials to produce new products. RePizza provides a great model for this tactic. It’s a Chinese-based food company that combines leftover food and unused ingredients to make pizzas. Their pizzas come in 200 flavors, with different options available for customers to choose from. They are one of many food establishments working to do their part for the environment and keep their customers happy.
4. Catering for Corporate Workers
Many established restaurants have worked with catering businesses to help satisfy customers’ needs. Feedr is one of those businesses that works to connect a variety of people together. It’s an English owned company that connects corporate businesses looking for catered work lunches and functions with local food vendors. They offer healthy, catered meals with the best catering services from services like Etsy and Airbnb.
5. AI for Food Analysis
The rise of AI and machine learning has helped many industries examine different possibilities for their brands and products. Gastrograph AI is one of several companies that have used technology and AI to their advantage. While it functions as an AI and machine-learning platform, it compiles and analyzes data on raw ingredients in typical food products. It helps food and beverage producers predict which products customers in their target demographic will buy. Manufacturers can see the flavors, scents, and textures consumers prefer. It helps develop products, optimize branding, and produce cognitive marketing campaigns.
6. Reducing Food Waste
Many people sharing food might seem old-fashioned. Companies try to use it as a way to reduce food waste. For Too Good to Go, they use it as an opportunity to help those who need it the most. It’s a Copenhagen-based food-sharing app that helps reduce food waste by bringing customers and businesses together with an innovative service. It connects customers with restaurants that are offering unsold surplus food rather than letting it go to waste.
These innovations are exactly what companies need to modernize the food industry. As of now, companies have taken action to give exactly what their target consumers want while making a positive impact on the world.
New Action: Using Food Industry Innovation To Your Advantage
Food innovation started with finding ways to solve issues regarding food waste, environmental consequences, and the rise of AI. Now, they have helped businesses produce healthier brands and created a very special dining experience for the customer to enjoy. These results help restaurants and other companies stay connected with their consumers and understand how to use their resources to move forward.
Food innovation has helped in creating new strategies to challenge and resolve issues, such as food waste and environmental impact.
The food industry uses AI and machine learning to understand their data and satisfy their consumers’ needs.
There are many different resources, strategies, and practices to innovate food products and create an excellent dining experience.
If you need to create an innovation for a restaurant or culinary establishment, consider how it benefits your customers, the environment, and your business.
Are you ready to take your business to the next level? We can help you evaluate the market and determine the best next steps. If you are interested, N³ Innovation can help you! Contact us today!
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