Expert calls for foodservice firms to refocus on quality
Holt, food director at Food Innovation Solutions (FIS), highlighted predictions from Allegra Foodservice of 3% growth in the eating out sector in the next year, driven by street food, coffee shops, fast food and food-to-go. And a consumer backlash against supermarkets was favouring independent retailers, she added.
However, she told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “The watch out here is quality … The food manufacturing industry giants and the major multiples in particular have invested heavily in the transparency of food especially authenticity, ingredients labelling or provenance to name a few areas of recent focus.
‘Catch up fast’
“In my experience, over the same period, the foodservice and restaurant sector – with some exceptions of course – has not had the same degree of focus on quality and authenticity and it needs to catch up fast.”
Despite the street food trend, she cautioned that products varied widely in terms of authenticity and quality. As a result, the best suppliers would have to work hard to differentiate themselves from the rest.
“… Even the discerning consumer would struggle to differentiate between the true artisanal baker’s bread and a rustic looking mass produced loaf, sold side by side in a street market …
“As competition increases and the void between the premium operator with a unique and differentiated offer and the outdated others will widen.
‘Importance of transparency’
“For the consumer, the importance of transparency of ingredients, provenance, authenticity, consistency and delivery of the eating experience will play an increasingly more significant role.”
Eateries and vendors that met these expectations would be well-placed to reap the rewards, she concluded. “So, the restaurant chains and food-to-go vendors need to up their game, look critically at the food they are offering and understand if it is robust enough for the same scrutiny as the major retailers have received.”
FIS advises and assists top retailers and manufacturers on new product development.