The demand for desserts continues to rise and, as a franchise looking to expand operations, understanding the pros and cons of this ever-evolving trend will be integral to reaching success. With the right data-driven insights and analytics, your sales team can drive adoption and maximize ROI. Brizo provides you with robust data and market intelligence to unlock insights into the foodservice market in order to better inform your decisions as a franchise.
Today’s consumers are looking for a more engaging experience with their desserts. Not only do they expect decadent flavors and creativity, but they also seek out trends as evidenced by the rise of over-the-top bakery treats and displays. While this provides much potential for opportunity, there are obstacles that demand careful consideration as well. Let us explore the pros and cons of embracing dessert trends for franchise expansion.
Exploring the Pros:
Increased Visibility: By making desserts centered around trends, your franchise can gain high visibility and attract potential customers who find recognizable treats enticing. Whether it’s creating a deliciously stacked milkshake or crafting a unique theme to draw attention from outside the store, high visibility can raise both awareness and engagement with the brand.
Product Differentiation: By branching out from traditional, familiar desserts to include the newest trends, you can ensure your franchise stands apart from the competition. Just like other trends, desserts also evolve and adapting to those changes helps to keep ahead of the game. For example, in the US the trend of customizing desserts with an individual’s name has become a popular way for restaurants to add a personalized touch.
Stress-Free Results: Chasing trends is a great way to draw a crowd, as people are eager to experience new things. However, it does not have to be stressful or time-consuming; small, subtle changes like incorporating a new ingredient or flavor of the month can be a great way to keep up with the newest trends and remain competitive.
Ascertaining the Cons:
High Costs: While trends can be a great boost for sales, constantly updating your desserts and specialty items can be quite expensive. While regular introduction of new items may increase engagement, they can also be a budget buster if not managed correctly; high ingredient costs, manpower, shipping, etc can quickly add up and put a strain on the franchise budget. Furthermore, failure in identifying a trend correctly can end up in zero ROI.
Keep Up With The Joneses: Without a proper strategy, chasing every trend can quickly become draining and overwhelming. It is important to keep a close watch on the industry to understand which trends have long-term potential versus those that fizzle out quickly.
Containing Perspectives: Another point to consider is that dietary preferences and special dietary requirements require constant attention. Your offerings should cater to different diets such as vegetarian, dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, and more.
Finding Balance
Staying current with the latest trends isn’t as daunting as it seems. It requires a proactive approach, an invested team to keep up with the changes and a genuine effort to craft visually stunning and delicious treats. With robust market intelligence into the foodservice industry, you can select relevant trends that will work in favor of the brand as well as better understand the dietary preferences and needs of your target locations. All of this combined will give you a better understanding of the considerations that must be taken into account; such as the level of cost and effort associated with implementing the trending item and the longevity of the desired item.
Effectively utilizing trends allows you to maximize the full potential of your expansions and help create unforgettable experiences for your customers. This is your opportunity to provide novel experiences, interact with customers by sharing content on social media, and deliver enjoyable treats that won’t soon be forgotten.
