At a recent US industry briefing from foodservice market specialists Technomic, reference was made to the fact that “consumers are changing the face of business” and that the Top 3 out-of-home Consumer Drivers are: Natural/Wholesome Foods (76%), Consumer Interest in Food (74%) and Transparency (72%).
In response to these growing consumer demands, back in April 2015 Chipotle became the first major fast food chain to entirely remove GMO ingredients from its menus, spanning 1,830 different locations worldwide.
Others are following suit, with the announcement last month that both Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, two of YUM Brand Inc’s largest restaurant chains are pledging to remove artificial colours and flavours from their food as consumers shift to products perceived as healthier.
Panera Bread has also joined the ‘healthy trend’, announcing plans to drop more than 150 food additives by the end of 2016 – everything from artificial colourings to preservatives, to monosodium glutamate.
Restaurant chains and food companies have been facing pressure to offer less processed products amid growing concerns– a consumer driver that is very much reflected and reinforced in the ‘Naturally Authentic’ sub-trend that falls under Bord Bia’s Keeping it Real Consumer Lifestyle Trend.
Source: BordBia – Drive Towards Supply Chain Transparency and ‘Free From’ Gathers Pace
