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Technomic spots five 2015 food trends for Canadian restaurants

Technomic is forecasting slimmed-down menu boards, competitive threats from retail, a surge in tea and more for Canadian markets in 2015.

November 10, 2014

Food research and consulting firm Technomic sees these food and restaurant trends for the Canadian foodservice industry in the coming year:

Trend 1. Menu boards slim down

A growing crop of restaurants with minimalist menu listings will sprout up to service customers who want simple, hassle-free dining. Restaurants will streamline assembly lines and de-bloat their menu boards to focus on just a few easy-to-order, well-executed dishes.

Trend 2. Cross-generational appeal

Restaurants will address the health and wellness needs of Boomers while ramping up social responsibility practices to attract millennials. Balancing a strong value proposition for Boomers with authenticity and customizability for millennials will also help operators be more inclusive of all ages.

Trend 3. Retail competition

Supermarkets and convenience stores are the next foodservice frontier, according to Technomic. As today's retailers up the ante on fresh prepared foods, restaurants face a new competitive threat from an emerging segment that is ripe for growth.

Trend 4. Tea

Concepts will create more unique, epicurean tea-drinking experiences, spotlighting the beverage in new ways through precise tea-brewing practices, tea-and-food pairings and handcrafted flavor assortments. Look for menus steeped in a variety of specialty, premium tea blends.

Trend 5. Beer

Hoppy brews will continue to dominate, but expect more sours, saisons, spiced-up stouts and lower-alcohol "session" beers. Restaurants will turn to tap takeovers, creative beer flights and cask events to create excitement. Beer's culinary influence will result in more sudsy desserts, infused sauces and pairing suggestions.