Talk about a trend that lends itself to fresh produce.
The Culinary Institute of America defines plant-forward as a “style of eating and cooking that emphasizes and celebrates but is not limited to plant-based foods,” said Sophie Egan, director of health and sustainability leadership and editorial director for strategic initiatives at CIA. The organization sees big potential for the trend, which it supports for several reasons, including the health and wellness implications of people eating more fruits and vegetables.
“You’re able to capture a much broader proportion of consumers, instead of just the 4% or whatever it is who identify as vegan or vegetarian,” Egan said.
One strategy that some foodservice operators have started to employ – and restaurateur Danny Meyer also mentioned this trend in his address at the PMA Foodservice Conference and Expo in late July – is the protein flip. Instead of a big steak with some broccoli on the side, a dish might be mostly vegetables with a few ounces of meat as a sort of garnish on top.
Another way to reduce meat consumption in favor of plant-based foods has been the idea of “decoupling” on menus, Egan said. Instead of making meat part of a dish automatically, some restaurants may list single ingredients, meat included, and let diners make the choice.
“What’s really exciting about customization especially is that if you start with a base – so again it could be a grain bowl, any number of more flavorful greens that could be cooked, or traditional salad – and you build from there, you’re going to have a lot more people who start to say, ‘Huh. Do I need that meat topping, or am I pretty satisfied with the bowl that I have as is?’” Egan said. “You just have this change in defaults.”
Retailers, keep an eye on how this trend grows and evolves. What consumers see and enjoy in restaurants is what they will be looking for when they come into your stores.