Some say desserts are the cornerstone of any successful meal, and it’s certainly easy to understand why. People love the indulgence of a delectable after-dinner treat, and if you’re a restaurant or foodservice provider you can use dessert as an effective marketing tool. With the foodservice industry being the economic heavyweight that it is, it’s important that you stay on top of the latest trends in desserts. To make a compelling product offering, it’s necessary to understand what will be in-demand in the near future. This article will outline the various pros and cons of the upcoming dessert trends of 2023 and how you can use this data to create your strategy.
Real-time data is an essential component for success in the foodservice industry. With access to user-generated insights and valuable analytics, it’s possible to adapt to trends quickly and stay ahead of the competition. The Brizo platform offers the data needed to identify the desserts that will be making waves in the industry over the next few years, and understand the pros and cons they possess.
To begin, it’s essential to understand the trends that are projected to be successful. Many of the top desserts of the next few years will be health-conscious options, as consumers continue to look for healthier ways to enjoy indulgence. This trend is particularly evident with vegan desserts. A plant-based diet is becoming increasingly popular, both among millennials and baby boomers. Serve up tasty vegan cakes, ice creams, and cookies, and you’ll likely have a hit.
Another trend projected for 2023 is that of allergy-friendly desserts. An ever-increasing number of people are living with food sensitivities and allergies to a wide range of ingredients, meaning that there’s a huge opportunity for making food that caters to this group. This trend could be especially fruitful if you’re able to find ways to blend tradition with allergy-friendly ingredients. For example, making a gluten-free banana bread or an organic vegan cheesecake can be effective in appealing to customers.
Finally, there’s the trend of cold desserts. This could involve making ice cream with coconut milk, creating frozen yogurts, or serving popsicles with fresh-fruit flavours. Customers who are conscious of their nutrition but are seeking something out of the ordinary can be satisfied by products like these.
Now that we’ve seen the trends, let’s consider the pros and cons associated with serving up desserts that cater to these trends. To begin, the most significant benefit of serving these kinds of treats is that the demand for them will likely be high due to the prevalence of vegan diets, allergy concerns, and customers seeking healthier snacks. And, customers have been known to be loyal to those that offer them what they’re looking for, meaning that you may win over a steady stream of customers who enjoy what you have to offer.
On the other hand, it’s essential to consider the time and money that will need to be invested into making these products. Depending on the ingredients used, it’s possible that you’ll be spending more on supplies and labour for recipes that incorporate niche ingredients like gluten-free flour or vegan cheesecake mix. Additionally, this kind of strategy may require a staff with more culinary training and experience, in order to ensure that the recipes are executed properly.
That being said, there are various ways to maximize profit and minimize time while still offering customers what they’re looking for. If you’re rolling out a product line of vegan treats, for example, you may want to invest in premade mix that already contains portions of the ingredients needed. This kind of strategy helps increase efficiency, allowing for more time and money to potentially be dedicated to marketing the newly-available desserts.
As you can see, there are ample opportunities for restaurants and foodservice providers to gain an advantage through the well-planned use of desserts. It’s imperative to understand the various trends that are to come in the next few years and how to best plan ahead. With the application of predictive analytics and data-driven insights, you can stay ahead of your competitors and ensure that you’re prepared to serve up desserts that are sure to be a success.
