What's Cooking

Get on Track for 2005 with Hot to Go Food Trends From F&B Experts


By Brenda Owen




As bar, club and restaurant owners tally their 2004 sales figures and set goals for exceeding those numbers in 2005, they might benefit from taking a look at some future food trends predicted by some of their more experienced peers as well as other industry experts. From an influx of exotic new ethnic foods to the backlash from the low-carb revolution, here are the food trends to keep an eye on in the coming year.


Where The Girls Are

The rise in female drinking has contributed to the increasing number of drinking occasions involving food, says Anne Bourgeois, an executive with datamonitor.com. The U.S. food service industry has seen the number of meals served grow from 22.7 billion to 25.7 billion between 1997 and 2002.


"Women tend to enjoy drinking with food and are increasingly choosing this over binge drinking. The action taken by women against binge drinking is proving popular to food outlets," Bourgeois says.


The combination of food and drink occasions appeals to women since it offers a sociable atmosphere and sharing opportunity in a safe and sophisticated environment, she says.


The desire for intense experiences means consumers are willing to experiment and desire exciting and novel food and beverages, Bourgeois says. This, combined with the plethora of acceptable drinks available, means consumers have built up a wide repertoire of drinks. The increasing number of cooking shows on television, as well as the rise of chef-celebrities, many of whom are introducing exotic beverages to complement their ethnic recipes, demonstrates the desire for experimentation.


Cultural Exchanges

The increased variation of food from different countries such as China, India, Spain, Mexico and Italy encourages consumers to drink traditional drinks with the different cultural food. "Cobra beer — promoted through its marketing campaign and packaging as an Indian Beer to accompany Indian food — has created a successful association between the food and the drink even though the brand is not commonly consumed in India. The product is less gassy which complements its consumption with the spicy food and adds value to consumers' experience," Bourgeois says.


Cultural variety is expanding as consumers demand new and different experiences, she says. "San Antonio's bar scene is going global with culture-specific bars that 'serve up the world in a glass, one cocktail at a time'. These bars go beyond the standard Mexican Margarita and the classic Martini to present exotic cocktails from the rest of Latin America as well as from Asia," Bourgeois says. "The trend started in San Antonio about two years ago with the opening of Azuca, which has cocktails from Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. Then came Atomar, the bar at Acenar restaurant, which echoes those flavors. Two new watering holes, Karma Bar and Zen Bar, are joining the list and bringing in the Asian component with Sake blends and tangy tropical fruits such as pineapple and mango."


The development of the new scene mirrors that of the rest of the country where the trend began in earnest some three years ago with Latin American fusion bars, according to a San Antonio journalist, Bourgeois says.

"Mojitos from Cuba made with rum, Caipirinhas from Brazil made with cachaca (a sugarcane liquor) and Pisco sours from Peru based on an aromatic grape brandy, led the way in clubs and bars in Miami, New York and Los Angeles. Recently new bars bringing in the flavors of the East are becoming established next to the Latin American places," she says.


Living With Low-Carb

While an Appletini a day won't keep Atkins away, customers will find a happy medium when it comes to counting carbs, says Robert Friedman, president and CEO of Red Hot & Blue Restaurants Inc. based in Washington, D.C.

"What we see is that while a lot of people are falling off the low-carb wagon, they are still aware of the importance of eating protein and not as many carbs. So, that trend has continued. One of our most popular platters in the last year was our fried meat platter with Memphis Slim Low-Carb Barbecue Sauce. And we've seen that sold at the bar, in the dining room, all over the place.


Other big successes also have appealed to high-protein proponents. "One is a fried chicken salad and the other one we've just introduced that is really doing phenomenal is a grilled steak salad," Friedman says.


The carb concern has cross over into the beverages customers are ordering with their meals, he says. "I think people are a little bit more aware of the carbs in beer, so they are switching over to signature drinks such as our Bahama Mama which is very popular and our Solid Gold Margarita."


All in all, Friedman says, he expects the low-carb trend is going to continue throughout 2005. "A lot of people found it was too difficult to stay strictly on Atkins or South Beach. I think, though, that the overhang of the whole trend is it increased awareness of controlling the carbs. It's kinda like a few years ago when the whole Weight Watchers, low-fat thing started, while people didn't stay on those diets, they are now more aware of things like fats. In the coming years, the protein-based chains — venues that are more meat-oriented — are going to do well as a result of low-carb."


Banking on Beverages

As America's food preferences shift, bars and restaurants are tailoring their beverage programs to complement updated food menus.


"We've been aggressively going after more of the drinking business in the past couple of years," Friedman says. "We've been trying to transition ourselves. We've always had a beverage component but we are now increasing it. What is see now is people are very aware of the drinking and driving issue so they are very cognizant of the amounts that they drink.

So where they may now have a liquor-based drink to start, they'll probably only drink one and switch over to a soft drink."


The change in drinking habits resulted in a change in serving sizes for beers at Red Hot & Blue. "We've gone from pint glasses of beer to a 23-ounce beer.


Since we know we are not going to get that second beer, we are selling them a larger beer to start with. And that's done very well for us. Of course, if they ask for a smaller beer we will give it to them," Friedman says.


Bill Watson, vice president of marketing for Consolidated Restaurant Operations Inc. based in Dallas, says restaurants are integrating food into their beverage programs and vice versa in some uniquely creative ways.


"Edible drink garnishes have emerged — chocolate dipped strawberries are a good example along with exotic stuffed olives garnishing Martinis," Watson says. "Converting desserts into drinks is another trend worth watching. Several liqueurs make it possible to create and serve a cheesecake-flavored Martini, as just one example."


Bar Food Evolution

With such exotic new combinations merging food and beverage, the bar can no longer depend on peanuts and pretzels to keep customers glued to their stools.


"Bar food must be an extension of your restaurant menu offering," Watson says. "Customers, as is the case with dining customers, have become more sophisticated and discriminating. Tapas or small plate versions for appetizers and entrees will make their way on to more and more bar menus."


In establishments with both restaurants and bars, Watson says the balance of food and beverage in the future will most likely follow the present pattern. "Both segments will continue growing. The restaurant side should grow at a faster rate over time. Why? Successful restaurants tend to have more staying power. Even successful bars have a shorter life cycle," he says.


And, as the line between bars and restaurants continues to blur, Watson says bars must adjust their beverage lineups to meet customer demands.

"Pay attention to your wine list and presentation. Wine is the most direct link between the bar and restaurant side of the business. Trends and taste appear to favor growth in demand for wine. Consumers are becoming more and more wine savvy in the bar and the dining room," he says. NCB