Five trends shaping F&B in 2023: Chef Roberto Senese, Carluccio’s GCC

The F&B industry literally covers everything in between farm and table. This includes food producers, sourcing, processing, packaging, distribution networks, storage, food prep, hotels, bars & restaurants and a lot more.

Food trends are shaped by consumer preferences that are directly or indirectly influenced by varied lifestyles, advances in technology, shifts in the global economy, sustainability, carbon footprint and a host of other factors. In recent years, there has been growing awareness about the importance of sustainable and mindful practices within the F&B industry, including local sourcing, reducing food waste and use of biodegradable packaging.

For restaurants, home deliveries soared during the pandemic offering customers convenience and widespread choice at the tips of their fingers. World events disrupted supply chains forcing teams to plan much ahead than they would otherwise looking at alternative sourcing and more.

Casual dining restaurants are seeing heathier additions to their menus. Quick service restaurants (QSR) can be seen using marketing messaging that talk about freshly made suggesting healthier or better choices.

Trends come and go but some are here to stay for a while, stressed Chef Roberto Senese, Executive Chef, Carluccio’s GCC.

Five trends expected to dominate the F&B industry in the near future:

Heathier choices with plant based and alternative proteins: Health has become a major focus since the past couple of years (some would argue, since forever). Getting outdoors, staying fit, eating smart, personal training, use of smart watches, diets like Keto, OMAD [one meal a day], vegan and others dominate this space. As a result of this heightened awareness, the demand for plant-based and alternative proteins will grow and so will developments of new products that cater to these needs. F&B companies are introducing more vegan options to their menus. There is also a growing interest in new protein sources such as plant-based meat substitutes. On the beverage side, there are a host of traditional alcoholic beverages offering 0% alcohol attracting a whole new consumer base.

Sustainability and waste reduction: As the impact of climate change becomes increasingly apparent, there is a growing demand for more sustainable and eco-friendlier F&B practices. This includes reducing food waste, using biodegradable packaging materials and sourcing local and organic ingredients. Not only does sustainability make good CSR messaging, but it also makes real word impact when done collectively. We are in the nascent stages of sustainability. Some countries more advanced than others. But this is here to stay.

Technology-driven convenience: Technology is transforming the F&B industry with innovations such as mobile ordering, self-service kiosks, pay-at-the-table and delivery apps providing new levels of convenience and efficiency. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovations that make the F&B experience more convenient and personalised.

Home-grown brands: Closer to home, in the GCC (KSA in particular) home-grown brands dominate the F&B scene. From cafés to casual dining local patrons flock to these brands more than legacy brands. While this is established in KSA, it is an emerging trend in the rest of the GCC with several locally inspired home-grown brands not only carving themselves a niche in their home market but some exporting their brand internationally as well. Home-grown brands are fresh, dynamic, agile, creative, bold and sometimes even cost effective – the perfect recipe to capture market share and dominate.

Experiential dining: Experiential dining refers to a type of dining experience that goes beyond just eating a meal. It involves creating an immersive and memorable experience for diners, often using interactive elements, unique themes, theatrics, flair and creative presentation. Experiences may include dining up in the sky, blind tasting, intimate dining pods and chef-led workshops that offer a behind-the-scenes and an intimate look at the food preparation process, and so on. Experiential dining caters to a niche to those who desire much more than food and service.